Manila Standard - 2017 November 29 - Wednesday

SERENO: WHO’S CORRUPT? ASK SPEAKER

By Maricel V. Cruz CHIEF Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno used an appearance on a TV talk show to deny that she had ever benefited from corruption, and to suggest that House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez did when he

was still working as an airport official years ago.

“It’s good to guess who gained from corruption. It wasn’t me,” she said in Filipino on a talk show on GMA News TV Monday night. “I’m the one going after the corrupt.”

Sereno recalled that she appeared as an expert witness before the anti-graft court to expose the onerous terms of a contract between the government and the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc., which built the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

The contract approved by Alvarez, was “grossly disadvantageous” to the government, Sereno said.

She also recalled that Alvarez’s wife Emelita profited from excavation work that her company Wintrack Builders Inc. did for Piatco.

“Was there a conflict of interest that he did not disclose?” Sereno asked. “How connected were these relationships? And there were also testimonies about his relationship with PairCargo itself, which joined with Lufthansa to form Piatco.

Next page

VOL. XXXI • NO. 285 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

GREENLIGHT. The Supreme Court sitting en banc on Tuesday authorizes justices and officials of the high court to testify in the House impeachment hearings against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. File Photo

SC allows justices to testify in House

By Rey E. Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz

T

HE Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed justices, officials and employees to appear before congressional hearings on the impeachment complaint filed against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

In an en banc session, the justices unanimously approved a resolution allowing magistrates and employees to appear before the House committee on justice that

invited them to shed light on pertinent issues raised in the impeachment complaint against the chief justice.

Court spokesman Theodore Te said Sereno inhibit-

ed herself from the deliberations since she is the one involved.

“Those who are invited to testify on administrative matters may do so if they wish. The Court is not requiring them but the Court is granting them clearance if they so wish to appear and testify on administrative matters,” Te told reporters.

“On adjudicative matters, meaning matters that go into the decision of cases, which would include deliberation of cases, only Justice Teresita de Castro has been authorized to appear and testify before the House committee on justice and only in relation

to three matters,” Te added.

Te said De Castro is permitted to discuss the exchange of communications between herself and Sereno on the issuance of the temporary restraining order in the Senior Citizens party-list case.

De Castro can also testify on the merits of the decision she penned that declared unconstitutional the clustering of shortlisted nominees made by the Judicial and Bar Council last year in connection with the vacancies in the Sandiganbayan.

The tribunal has also allowed De Castro to discuss the mer-

its of her separate concurring opinion in the August 2014 decision that voided the JBC’s decision not to include the name of then Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza on the shortlist of nominees for a seat in the Court after Sereno raised an integrity issue against him.

However, Te said De Castro is barred from discussing the deliberations of the Court on those three cases.

Aside from De Castro and Te, the House committee on justice has also invited Associate Justice Noel Tijam, former SC Justice Next page

Du30 claims Nograles man made killings in rigged bids

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday accused a certain Manny “Cuevas” of allegedly rigging bids to make a profit in high-level government contracts in various administrations.

In his first speech at an anti-corruption summit in Pasay City, Duterte claimed a certain “Cuevas” was involved in corruption when he tried to ‘play’ amounts in various government procurement bids.

“This guy is playing a game. Cuevas is the name,” Duterte said.

Duterte then claimed this

“Cuevas” was linked to former House Speaker Prospero Nograles, a former political nemesis of his.

Among the many acts of this “player” included overpricing, bid rigging, he said.

“O, how do we survive kung ganun? Si Cuevas, player ‘yan. Sad to say, player ni Nograles ‘yan noong Speaker siya.”

In his second speech, Duterte claimed this “Cuevas” was an “operator” and “middleman” who was “around every administration.”

“P***** i**, pati sa Malacañan. Sabihin niya, “Akong bahala. Okay, you need how much? Eight Next page

Rody pitches for new charter to fight graft

By John Paolo Bencito CITING lapses in the Constitution that allowed those accountable to escape, President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday pitched an overhaul of the charter, after which he would step down.

“I will make a deal with Congress and the entire Filipino people. We craft a new Constitution, many of us, including myself,” Duterte said in a speech at an anti-corruption summit in Pasay City.

“Let’s have a Constitution in which everyone is involved, inclusive and when it is done this year, I will resign at the end of the year.

It could be fitting. The end of the year and the end of my political career. What’s wrong with that?” he added.

Duterte has been vocal about wanting to change the current republican form of government where the president is the head of state because the so-called “imperial Manila” has monopolized resources and funds for a long time.

In many of his speeches, Duterte said that there would be no peace in Mindanao if the unitary form of government is not changed to a federal type.

Next page

Congress concedes no time to pass BBL in ‘17

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

‘HISTORICAL INJUSTICE.’ President Rodrigo Duterte vows Monday to correct ‘historical injustice’ against minorities in the Philippines as the government seeks to reestablish a peace process in the southern areas as he and Bangsamoro Transition Commission chairman Ghadzali Jaafar (inset) are in prayer during the Bangsamoro Assembly in Sultan Kudarat, attended by MILF supporters and members. AFP, Malacañang Photo

BOTH houses of Congress said the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law could not be passed this 2017—with the House saying discussing it in the remaining weeks of the year was unlikely while the Senate said there should be a committee hearing first, which could take place next year.

In Malacañang, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque Jr. reiterated President Rodrigo Duterte’s commitment to ensure the passage of a more inclusive BBL. He echoed the Chief Executive’s latest pronouncement during his visit in Maguindanao on Monday, where he stood by his promise to pass the BBL during his presidency.

“The President’s message is very clear. It was a campaign promise and it is a commitment from him as President that he will do all that is necessary to rectify what he described as the historical Next page

SolGen: Move vs drug war out to destab govt ‘Time’ sale

By Rey E. Requejo SOLICITOR General Jose Calida on Tuesday urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the petitions against the administration’s war on drugs, saying the government was not tolerating killings of

drug suspects.

During the continuation of oral arguments, the chief state lawyer argued the petitions filed last month by human rights groups Free Legal Assistance Group and Center for International Law were “disingenuous moves to de-

stabilize the Duterte administration and sow anarchy.”

According to Calida, the petitions seeking to stop the implementation of Philippine National Police Command Memorandum Circular No. 16-2016 or “Oplan Next page

PDEA arrests 11 men in drug ‘party and play’ DRUG SUSPECTS. PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino presents to media Tuesday 11 men,

mostly professionals, arrested Sunday by the drug agency at an upscale hotel in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City where they had gathered for an alleged drug party. Aquino said they were operating against model Edmond Remegio, and model-singer Pedrito Coronel Jr., alias Malik, both 33, who both denied the accusations. Lino Santos

twitter.com/ MlaStandard

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

S

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has announced the arrest of 11 men, mostly professionals, at an upscale hotel in Bonifacio Global City where the susmanilastandard.net

pects gathered Sunday for an alleged drug party.

Presenting the suspects to media Monday night, PDEA chief Aaron Aquino said the targets of their operation were

model Edmond Remegio and model-singer Pedro “Malik” Coronel Jr., both 33, who allegedly supply party drugs to celebrities and bar patrons at Next page BGC.

reflects sad state of press

WASHINGTON—The sale of Time Inc., home to some of the most storied American magazines, highlights the troubled state of print media and raises questions about the politics of the news industry in the Donald Trump era.

In a deal announced Sunday, Meredith Corp, publisher of Better

Next page

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net

News

A2

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Arrest order vs Romero still in effect

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Court of Appeals’ decision that reportedly lifted the arrest order against Rep. Michael Romero is not yet final, according to the lawyers of Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc. that filed the criminal complaint against the lawmaker.

HCPTI lawyers led by Christian Chan of the Placido and Chan Law Offices said the “warrants of arrest against Michael Romero and his co-accused issued by the trial court are still in effect since under the Rules of Court, the complainants

against them have 15 days from receipt of the CA order to file a motion for reconsideration,” Chan said in a statement.

“Assuming that the motion is denied, HCPTI can still elevate the same to the Supreme Court and only af-

SC...

De Castro—and claim the associate justice denied.

Tijam was invited by the House in connection to an allegation in the complaint that Sereno caused the delay in the transfer of the rebellion cases against arrested members and supporters of Maute terrorist group in Marawi City to a court in Metro Manila.

Brion, for his part, was also asked to testify in connection to his concurring opinion in the SC ruling on Jardeleza’s appointment.

In August, the Court allowed the release of court records and documents sought by impeachment complainants to bolster their case against Sereno.

Among the records ordered released were the SC’s revocation of Sereno’s order in 2012 to reopen a regional constitutional administrative office in Cebu without the collegial approval of the Court.

The SC also granted the release of Sereno’s memorandum for the appointment of lawyer Solomon Lumba as

From A1

Arturo Brion, Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, Clerk of Court Felipa Anama, and chief judicial staff officer Charlotte Labayani to the hearings.

The committee invited De Castro to testify after lawyer Larry Gadon, the complainant in the impeachment case, cited media reports that she accused Sereno of falsifying the stay order to prevent the Commission on Elections from proclaiming the five remaining winners of the party-list race in the May 2013 polls.

Pressed by lawmakers if he had personal knowledge about Sereno omitting De Castro’s recommendation to stop the disqualification of the Senior Citizens party-list only and not the party-list proclamation itself, Gadon said the information was relayed to him by Manila Times senior reporter Jomar Canlas. Canlas, in turn, said he got the information from

Congress...

From A1

injustice committed against the Muslim population of Mindanao,” Roque said.

In the Senate, allies of Duterte admitted Tuesday the holding of a special session to discuss the draft BBL was not likely to happen before Dec. 31.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said the Senate committee on local government needed to conduct a hearing on the draft BBL first, adding the committee Chairman, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, should first hold a committee hearing.

Pimentel, also the president of the ruling party PDP-Laban, filed the draft BBL at the Senate last Nov. 6. Since then, the bill had been pending at the committee level.

Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said the approval of the BBL, even with a special session, was “not possible” considering the projected long debates on the proposal.

“Not even a special session can fast track it to be passed into law this year. It contains 289 sections that hearings alone can take so much time,” he said.

Even if we work on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, Sotto conceded it would not be done this year. “First quarter next year is more possible,” he said.

“We need the Christmas break for our families. Even if we have sessions through Christmas and New Year’s day, it is not possible to pass it on third reading this year in the Senate,” he added.

The House of Representatives vowed to pass the Palace-backed BBL in time for the Malacañang imposed deadline, a House official said on Tuesday.

But House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas said he believed there was no need for Congress to hold special sessions for the purpose as Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez already committed to pass the measure at the soonest possible time.

“If we will hold the special session, we cannot compress all the schedules. So we will request the Speaker, we will request the President that special session is not anymore necessary. We will try to finish it before we adjourn on March 21, [2018]” Fariñas said.

Fariñas made the statement as Duterte, in his speech, during the first Bangsamoro Assembly in Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao last

week, said he would ask Congress “to [convene] a special session just to hear you talk about [the BBL].”

Representatives Rodolfo Albano III of Isabela, Gus Tambunting of Parañaque City and Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar rallied behind the President’s call for the swift passage of the BBL. Another ally of Duterte, Senator Panfilo Lacson said a special session was not necessary unless the intention of Malacañang was to pass the measure by the end of the year.

He said Congress could conduct committee hearings on BBL even without the President calling for a special session.

“Unless the intention is to pass the measure before year end, which is impossible considering the complex and contentious issues involved in its provisions, a special session may not be necessary,” Lacson said.

Senator Francis Escudero said calling for a special session clearly fell within the prerogative of the President, and “may call it anytime [that] Congress is in recess.”

Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said no debate on the BBL could happen without a committee report.

“There is no committee report yet so no BBL debate can happen even in special session. Plus, local government committee, which will hear BBL, is chaired by Sen. Angara, who is ‘full time’ with TRAIN,” Drilon said, referring to the tax reform proposal, also an administration priority measure.

“And, if the House of Representatives will impeach [Chief Justice Maria Lourdes] Sereno, Senate will be an Impeachment Court in January…I do not know when we can debate on the BBL,” Drilon added.

The House justice committee, chaired by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali is deliberating on the impeachment complaint filed against Sereno.

If the House of Representatives votes to impeach the Chief Justice, Senate would have to sit as an impeachment court next year to hold the trial.

Alvarez earlier filed House Bill 6475 which proposed the creation of a Bangsamoro political entity and abolishes the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao “in order to correct the historical injustices inflicted to Muslim people.”

ter exhausting all legal remedies will the resolution of the appellate court become final.”

Chan said “the case before the CA is not one of the actions laid down under the Rules of Court which allows for the immediate execution of the decision, and that being the case, assuming that the news article that appeared in one newspaper is true, the warrants of arrest against Michael Romero et al. are still valid and in effect.

“The denial of the motion to withdraw information, as well as the judicial determi-

nation of probable cause, are within the exclusive prerogative of the trial court judge.

“The basis for the motion to withdraw the information has already been overturned by no less than the Department of Justice and hence, the Court of Appeals had no legal basis whatsoever to overturn the decision of the RTC of Manila in denying the motion to withdraw the information.

Furthermore, the existence of prejudicial question, if any, should not result in the dismissal of the criminal case, contrary to what the Court of Appeals held.”

her staff head and the subsequent letter of Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio withdrawing his signature in the said appointment over an internal issue.

The Court rejected the request, however, for the release of a memo from De Castro questioning Sereno’s orders that lacked the approval of the collegial court, including the appointment of a Philippine Judicial Academy official and providing travel allowances to her staff.

The memo, the Court said, could not be released pending its resolution.

Also on Tuesday, House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas said the House cannot compel Sereno to attend the impeachment proceedings against her, contradicting the chairman of the committee on justice, Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, who said he could issue a subpoena to force the chief justice’s attendance.

“I advised them that when

it comes to the respondent, the chief justice… we cannot compel the respondent or the accused to testify,” Fariñas said at a news conference.

Fariñas said the House justice panel met in closeddoor session Monday to decide on how to handle invitations extended to Supreme Court members to testify at the impeachment hearings.

Meanwhile, Umali said warnings of a constitutional crisis from Senators Franklin Drilon and Francis Escudero were “unfounded.”

Umali said the conduct of impeachment proceedings is well within the powers of the House, but said he raised the possibility of a subpoena only to answer questions from the press about what they could do if Sereno refuses to show up at the proceedings.

Umali also appealed to the two senators to respect the impeachment process “rather than obfuscating it and creating an atmosphere of disrespect, or perhaps questioning the proceeding.”

Rody...

From A1

He also defended the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who was accused of amassing ill-gotten wealth through the years.

“Not all the corruption was done by Marcos,” he said.

There have been attempts to change parts of the Constitution over the years but none have succeeded out of fears that politicians will abuse the opportunity to prolong their stay in power.

Du30...

From A1

The President, when asked in a chance interview following his second speech if the person he referred to was named “Manny Cuevas”—he replied in the affirmative.

Reporters asked: “Sir sino si Cuevas? Manny Cuevas po ba?”

“No other one,” the President replied before he was whisked away by the Presidential Security Group.

Duterte, however, did not give details as to who Cuevas was.

In the same anti-corruption summit, Duterte said that the present Constitution allows corruption to persist despite its stringent provisions.

“Corruption is a very virulent thing that’s almost hard to stop because our Constitution was really crafted to allow accountability to escape most of the time.”

million? I’ll give you 10 million.” Kausapin niya doon,” he said. “And it will be released.

Sabihin niya, “Isauli mo sa akin ang dos.” No outside intervention.”

He then warned this “Cuevas” to stop or he would have his face kicked very hard (sisipain ko yan sa mukha).

“Do not stretch your lap too far, too much...you steal billions, millions,” Duterte said.

PDEA...

From A1 The others arrested were identified as: Manuel Valdes, 34, insurance agent Jake Tolentino, 33, insurance processor Jose Carlo Torres, 38, engineer Mario Aclan, 27, makeup artist Leo Angelo Padasan, 28 Jevel Lucero, 22, student Carlo Kasala, 25, opthalmologist Legui Brylle Gonzales, 28 Bryan Dizon, 20, software developer Aquino said the suspects were allegedly about to engage in PNP, or “party and play,” and chemrom, or “chemical romance,” the latter term used to indicate drug use to heighten sexual gratification, in Unit 609 of the Seda Hotel on 11th Avenue.

The contraband allegedly seized during the raid included the party drug “ecstasy,” crystal meth or “shabu,” and GBL or gamma hydroxybutyrate, an odorless narcotic commonly known as a “club drug” or “date rape drug” that is often mixed with alcoholic drinks.

Aquino said Remegio allegedly organized the party.

But Remegio denied this and claimed a “frame-up.”

He said he had only been “invited” to what he believed was Valdes’ birthday party.

He did admit to “occasional” drug use.

Coronel also said he had been invited, which was why “may dala po akong alak, akala ko inuman [I even had liquor because I thought we’d be drinking],” and maintained he was a “victim.”

Chan said the copies of the CA ruling were first furnished the media “when HCPTI, the complainant, has yet to receive its own copy.”

The arrest order against Romero issued by Judge Cicero Jurado Jr. of Branch 11 of the Manila City Regional Trial Court stemmed from the qualified theft charges involving some P3.4 million that the lawmaker and two others had been accused of stealing from the HCPTI in a complaint filed by the firm through lawyer Jerome Canlas.

Bail is not allowed for

SERENO:...

From A1

Sereno has said that Alvarez was behind the impeachment complaint against her as a way of getting even with her for testifying against him years ago.

Responding to the allegation, Alvarez said Sereno was veering away from the impeachment issues.

In the same TV program, Sereno denied reports that she fired two psychiatrists who allegedly gave her a poor grade in the mental fitness test that she took when she applied to be chief justice.

Sereno said it was the decision of the Judicial and Bar Council that decided not to renew the contracts of the two psychiatrists.

Testifying before the House committee on justice Tuesday, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said there was no deadline for the Supreme Court to act on his request that cases related to the Marawi siege by the Maute terrorist group be transferred away from Mindanao, but said “common sense dictates that it must act without delay, given the urgency of the matter.”

Aguirre told lawmakers Tuesday that Sereno had asked him to tone down his letter of request to transfer the cases out of Mindanao for safety reasons during a meeting in her office on June 19.

“In our meeting, we were the only ones there and she told me: Secretary, with respect to your request, I hope you tone down the contents of your letter you are about to send,” Aguire said.

Aguirre said the chief justice wanted him to pay attention to the idea that transferring the cases to Metro Manila would free the military from having to detain the suspects, so they could “focus on fighting terrorists.”

Aguirre said he wrote five letters to Sereno, dated May

qualified theft if the stolen amount is P222,000 or more.

Romero has failed to submit himself physically to the jurisdiction of the Manila RTC since Feb. 6 when it quashed his motion to suspend the execution of his warrant of arrest.

Subsequently, the Manila RTC issued an order on Feb. 27 denying the urgent motion for reconsideration filed by Romero and Edwin Jeremillo, former chief operating officer of HCPTI. Also charged and ordered arrested was former HCPTI cashier Felicia T. Aquino.

29, June 13, June 14, June 19 and July 3, before the Court issued a resolution granting his request on June 27. The resolution, however, was released only on July 20.

Also on Tuesday, the chairman of the House committee on justice declared that lawyer Larry Gadon had no personal knowledge of the 27 allegations in his complaint against Sereno.

“We all know now that you don’t have personal knowledge in all [of the allegations in the complaint],” Rep. Reynaldo Umali of Oriental Mindoro, the panel chairman, told Gadon during the impeachment hearing Tuesday.

Legal experts say that if a complainant in an impeachment case has no personal knowledge of the allegations, he or she must be able to provide the committee official records, documents, witnesses and their affidavits to back up the allegations.

During Monday’s hearing, Umali scolded Gadon for failing to substantiate his allegations and merely passing on to the panel his supposed homework to produce witnesses and execute their affidavits for the panel’s appreciation of the impeachment case.

Gadon admitted that his “own sources” were hesitant to participate in the impeachment proceedings.

Umali said Gadon’s presentation of the case was “lousy.”

“By passing the buck to congressmen, Gadon has turned his committee into his own personal investigator,” Umali said.

On Tuesday, Gadon said he had no personal knowledge that Sereno “committed corruption when she used public funds to finance her extravegant and lavish lifestyle by staying in opulent hotels when attending conferences in the Philippines and abroad, and flying on business or first class together with her staff and security.”

Filipinos affected by Uber's data breach

By John Paolo Bencito and Othel V. Campos FILIPINOS were among those affected by the massive data breach that hit ride-hailing application Uber in October 2016, resulting in the theft of information for more than 57-million users and drivers worldwide, the government watchdog National Privacy Commission announced Tuesday.

In a statement, Privacy Commissioner Raymund Liboro said the popular application “confirmed to us that personal information of Filipinos were exposed in the data breach.”

“Unfortunately, Uber failed to provide the level of detail that we expect from personal information controllers about data breach notifications, such as the actual number of Filipinos affected and the scope of their exposure,” Liboro said.

While the incident did not breach Uber’s corporate systems, “there is no indication that trip location history, credit card numbers, bank account numbers or dates of birth were downloaded” following the data breach, Uber told the NTC. “Filipino data subjects are affected, but there is no indication that any Filipino driver’s licenses were downloaded,” Liboro said.

While Uber has repeatedly asserted that there has been no evidence of fraud or misuse tied to the incident, Liboro insisted that “the concealment of a data breach bears serious consequences under the Data Privacy Act of 2012.”

“If so qualified, those responsible for the concealment of the breach and for the exfiltration of the data may face serious civil and criminal liability,” he said.

The NPC said it was also working with data privacy authorities in the US and Australia to investigate further.

On its own initiative, Uber has placed an information page for Filipinos available within the Accounts and Payment Options menu within the Help section of the Uber app, the NTC said.

Impeach rap vs Morales 'very, very strong'—VACC

By Rio N. Araja

VOLUNTEERS Against Crime and Corruption chairman Dante Jimenez on Tuesday maintained they have a “very, very strong” impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales, which they will file next week.

“We no longer trust her

'Time'...

From A1

Homes & Gardens and other titles, agreed to pay $2.8 billion for the owner of the renowned TimeMagazine and other well-known magazines including People, Fortune and Sports Illustrated.

The deal is backed by the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, known for supporting conservative causes and candidates, and largely antagonistic to the mainstream media.

The $650 million from the family’s Koch Equity Development was described as a “passive” investment, according to Meredith, which said the group would not have a board seat or any “influence on Meredith’s editorial or managerial operations.”

The backing from Koch has nonetheless raised concerns about wealthy conservatives bankrolling efforts to reorient media organizations away from what some view as a left-wing bias.

because of her selective justice,” Jimenez told the Manila Standard.

He said their complaint is anchored on selective justice, inordinate delay in the resolution of cases, betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution and conflict of interest.

In September, the VACC threatened to pursue its impeachment effort to oust Mo-

“Media is a crappy investment and if you’re going to take it on, you’re doing it for reasons other than fiduciary returns,” said Jeff Jarvis, a professor of new media at City University of New York and a former journalist with Time Inc. “I’m not against more conservative investment in media,” Jarvis said, but he argued that the Kochs appear to be “more propagandistic than journalistic.” AF{ Charles Alexander, a former Time editor, wrote in a Nation essay last week of his concern that the Kochs have been aggressively funding climate change denial efforts, raising fears of an effort to stifle reporting in that area.

Alexander said the billionaires—whose businesses include energy, pipelines, cattle and paper industries—have “financed a campaign of disinformation designed to convince the public and politicians that climate change is nothing to worry about.” AFP

rales from her post.

On Monday, Morales brushed off the latest threat of impeachment.

“No, it doesn’t matter, it does not worry me at all,” Morales said of the case that the VACC threatened to file against her.

The group accused Morales of inordinately delaying highprofile cases and being partial to former President Benigno

SolGen...

From A1 Double Barrel” and Department of Interior and Local Government’s Memorandum Circular 2017-112 or the “Masa Masid” project, if granted, could be detrimental to the government and even pose grave threats to the nation.

“The petitions intend to drive a wedge between the President on the one hand, and the PNP and DILG on the other, inciting disobedience to the Chief Executive and depriving him of his powers and prerogatives; and emasculate the government’s police powers by rendering inutile the PNP’s sworn mandate to enforce the law and maintain peace and order. The Court should not let these happen because they will have longterm, catastrophic effects on the nation’s stability and security,” the Solicitor General told the SC justices.

Calida also invoked the power of the executive branch to implement its programs,

Aquino III on the case filed against him over the massacre of 44 policemen in Maguindanao in 2015.

“That’s their opinion, I have no reaction to that,” Morales said.

She made the statement on the sidelines of a turnover ceremony where she accepted the chairmanship of the Southeast Asia Parties Against Corruption from Myanmar. warning that granting the petitions would be tantamount to an undue interference with the operations of the co-equal branch.

In a related development: • The Manila Police claimed to have shot and injured three men who allegedly fought back against authorities in another anti-drug operation last October, but closed circuit television footage showed cops killing supposedly unarmed men in broad daylight—prompting Malacañang to look into claims raising fresh doubts about police actions in President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal “war on drugs.”

In a Palace news briefing, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said they would not tolerate abuses and killings committed by cops, in light of a Nov. 27 Reuters report, showing footage contradicting police accounts from start to finish.

“I assure you that the authorities are now looking into this matter. We are in the process also of authenticating the video,” Roque said.

With John Paolo Bencito

News

A3

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Senate OKs TRAIN on 3 reading rd

‘Reimplement odd-even scheme’ LAWMAKERS urged Metro Manila Development Authority and local chief executives to consider reimplementing the oddeven traffic scheme, which they claimed would reduce the volume of cars on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue by at least 60 percent.

Quezon City (1st district) Rep. Vincent Crisologo, during a House committee hearing on Monday, proposed to the MMDA to enforce an added odd-even policy along the 24-km. highway, on top of the present Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program, or the number coding scheme.

“For example, it’s Monday today, sa Edsa ‘even’ ang pwede, ‘odd’ ang bawal. So ang pupuwede sa Edsa ngayon (cars with plate numbers ending in) two, four, six, eight, and zero. Pero dahil Lunes ang (cars with plate number ending in number) two bawal. So ‘yung (cars with plate numbers ending in) four, six, eight, and zero lang ang puwede,” he said.

Under the present policy, two ending plates are banned to use main roads in Metro Manila daily.

Joel E. Zurbano

Sotto files cyberlibel case vs blogger SENATE Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Tuesday filed before the Pasay City Prosecutors’ Office a cyber-libel complaint against Edward Angelo “Cocoy” Dayao, allegedly behind the anti-Duterte blog “Silent No More PH,” which called him and six other senators as “Malacañang lapdogs.”

Sotto accused Dayao of violation of Article 353 of the Revised Penal Code, in relation to Section 4(c)4 of Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Law. In the “Silent No More PH” blog post, aside from being named as one of the Malacañang lapdogs, Sotto was also tagged as a “rapist, plagiarist, and bigot who called all single mothers as good for nothing but accidental whores.”

Sotto, along with his colleagues Koko Pimentel, Dick Gordon, Cynthia Villar, Migs Zubiri, Gringo Honasan and Manny Pacquiao were referred to as “Malacañang Dogs in the Senate for not signing a resolution condemning the killing of minors in the Duterte administration’s brutal campaign against illegal drugs.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

HK agencies trafficking Pinays raided THREE employment agencies said to be illegally trafficking thousands of Filipino domestic workers were raided by combined operatives of the Hong Kong’s Immigration Department and the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau.

But the South China Morning Post reported that there were no arrests were made in the inspection of the three agencies referred by the Philippine consulate to authorities for supposedly promising Filipinos high-paying jobs in Moscow.

The report said that in exchange for breaking their contracts with their employers in Hong Kong and paying fees from HK$28,000 to HK$43,000, the agencies would arrange the Filipinos’ flights to Russia without proper documentation.

Labor attaché Jalilo Dela Torre said almost all victims borrowed the processing fees from financial institutions or loan sharks.

By Macon Araneta

V

OTING 17-1, the Senate approved Tuesday night on third and final reading the first package of President Rodrigo Duterte’s comprehensive tax reform program, also known as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN).

The senators who voted in favor of TRAIN who co-authored it with Senator Sonny Angara are Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Majority

Leader Vicente Sotto III, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senators Cynthia Villar, Loren Legarda, Richard Gordon, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Nancy Binay, Paolo Benigno Aquino

Peace talks over, Palace insists

By John Paolo Bencito “GET a copy of the proclamation and it’s very clear: Peace talks are over for now.”

This is what Palace spokesman Harry Roque has to say as he scored what he called “legalistic” demands by the National Democratic Front of the Philippines for the Philippine government to issue an official communication terminating the oftentumultous peace negotiations.

In a Palace news briefing, Roque also stressed that the government will no longer recognize the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees signed in 1995, which guarantees the immunity and safety of NDF negotiators and consultants who may have gone “underground.”

“What else do they want? The President already issued a proclamation saying it’s been terminated,” Roque told reporters in a Palace news briefing.

“Whether or not they will be given a formal letter of termination, to me, that would be superfluous,” he added.

NDF chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili over the weekend insisted that the formal negotiations were only considered termi-

nated 30 days after either party had sent a letter of notice, and that it expects an official communication from the government.

Roque said that since there are no more peace talks, “there is no imperative to recognize this JASIG.” “The agreements signed does not have the status of a treaty,” Duterte’s spokesman said.

“And because it does not have a status of a treaty, the [maxim] of pacta sunt servanda finds no application,” he added.

An updated list of consultants covered by the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantee was recently deposited in The Netherlands last June 2017, encrypted in USB (Universal Serial Bus) flash disks and a back up security drive (SD) and locked in a safety deposit box, containing the photographs and real identities of rebel consultants who are still underground.

Duterte had earlier ordered the leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines, who were earlier given temporary freedom, to “surrender or face again punitive actions” after he signed Proclamation No. 360 declaring the termination of peace talks with the communist rebels.

Du30 threatens to show Leila’s ‘sex video’ to Pope POPE Francis is sure to change his mind of his perception of detained senator Leila de Lima, once President Rodrigo Duterte shows the Pope a copy of the senator’s supposed “sex video” which allegedly linked her to the illegal drug trade.

“The braggart one, she received a rosary from the Pope. Find me a video of her and I’ll show to the Pope. If he see’s it, maybe he himself will be leaving the Papacy — son of a b****, this is too much,” [Tapos yung isa, yung hambog bigyan pa ng rosary ni pope. Si Pope naman, hanapan niyo nga ako ng video, ipakita ko kay Pope. Baka magtingin pa si Pope magalis pa pagka-Pope yan. P...ina sobra na ito. I am just human.]

President Rodrigo Duterte said in half-jest during an anti-corruption summit in Pasay City.

While he said that he was simply jesting, Duterte however, left a veiled threat against the 80-yearold Argentinian pontiff

not to criticize him or get a tongue lashing from him.

“I am joking, Pope—but whenever you do a thing, if you criticize me—I can criticize you 10 times over,” he said.

He also slammed De Lima’s supposed posturing that she is a “prisoner of conscience.”

“Prisoner of conscience?

Libog yan [That’s lust]),” he added.

Last week, Pope Francis sent De Lima a “beautiful” rosary handed over from the country’s papal nuncio—a gift that the lady senator said inspires her to continue her battle, according to her office.

De Lima, who earlier wrote a letter to the Roman Pontiff just before her 58th birthday, asked for the gift of prayer “for me and the Filipino people.”

Last 2015, Duterte made the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics the object of an expletive as he scored the massive traffic that resulted from his papal visit here.

John Paolo Bencito

IV, Francis Escudero, Joel Villanueva, and Sherwin Gatchalian.

Only Senator Risa Hontiveros, a member of the opposition, voted against the bill.

The House of Representatives had approved on May 31 a counterpart measure of TRAIN. The Senate version of the measure proposes, among others, tax exemption starting Jan. 1, 2018 for individuals earning P250,000 and below a year.

A media briefer released by the office of Angara, chairman of the Senate committee on ways and means, also enumerated some of the salient points of the Senate version of the bill:

A three-tier imposition of excise tax of P1.75 on fuel and bunker fuel on the first year, P2.00 on the second year and P2.25 on the third year. (The House version seeks to impose a P3 excise tax on the first year, P2 on the second year, and P1 on the third year.)

Impose a two-tier tax scheme on automobiles— 10 percent on price of cars valued up to P1 million and 20 percent for those valued over P1 million.

For sweetened beverages, a 9 percent tax would be imposed for those using high fructose corn syrup and P4.50 per liter for beverages using caloric and non-caloric sweeteners. All milk will be exempt from tax because

of its nutritional value and also coffee since it is one of the “most consumed food items of ordinary Filipinos.”

Impose a 10 percent tax on cosmetic procedures and body enhancements undertaken for aesthetic reason.

Retained the VAT exemption of leases below P15,000 per month.

Increase the coal excise tax from P10 per metric ton to P100 per metric ton in the first year of implementation, P200 on the second year, and P300 on the second year.

Double the excise tax rates of all non-metallic minerals and quarry resources, and all metallic minerals including copper, gold, and chromite from the current 2 percent to

4 percent.

After they approved their own versions of the measure, the two chambers will elect their contingent to the bicameral conference committee to reconcile their differences.

Once reconciled, the bicam will come up with a report that will be transmitted back to the two chambers for ratification before sending it to Malacañang for President Duterte’s signature Angara noted that under TRAIN, 6.8 million workers would be exempted from paying income taxes.

From the current 2 million tax-exempt minimum wage earners, the bill will triple the exempt income taxpayers to around 6.8 million.

US, PH hold tune-up exercises for ‘Balikatan’

By Francisco Tuyay THE United States and the Philippine militaries held tune-up exercises for the upcoming regular exercises by early next year, a gesture which officials said reinforces the two countries’ decades-old partnership.

The military exercises dubbed as “Salaknib” which lasted for 12 days were held in three military sites in Camp O’Donnel in Capas, Tarlac; Fort Magsaysay in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija and Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.

In a statement, the US Embassy in Manila said the exercises which was held on Nov. 16 to 27,

covered “subject matter exchanges,” practical exercises and sharing of information preparatory to future military exercises for the allied forces.

The US Embassy said American and Filipino soldiers also shared information such as gunnery procedures and maintenance for the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier, artillery tactics and processes, as well as the study and validation of the Philippine Army Sustainment Functional Concept Document, which establishes a common framework and guidelines for future Army operations.

“Together, the allied forces participated in

subject matter expert exchanges and practical exercises to share information, and further reinforce our illustrious, decades-long military partnership,” the Embassy said.

“These exchanges of information and practical exercises serve as a foundation for future training, including Salaknib Part B in April 2018 and culminating with Balikatan in May 2018,” it added.

During the exercises, Philippine soldiers fired artillery and M113 Gunnery to demonstrate their newly-acquired skills.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Rey Tingson said Salaknib is an Ilocano word meaning “Protec-

tor.”

“This is just a small scale exercise. It deals on the interoperability of both Armies, a small-scale Balikatan,” said Tiongson.

The “Balikatan” exercises next year is expected to be participated by thousands of troops from both the US and the Philippine military, which is aimed to promote cohesive partnership after its alliance was tainted following critical comments from then US President Barack Obama on Duterte’s war on drugs.

Aside from the US, the exercises will be observed by other allied forces from Australia and Japan.

A4

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Credibility problem

W

E take very little solace in the promise of Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa that the police will exercise “extreme caution” if President Rodrigo Duterte returns them to a lead role in the war on drugs.

“We will be proceeding at full speed but with extreme caution. We have learned a lot of lessons,” he said during the flag-raising ceremony at Camp Crame Monday.

In October, Duterte pulled the PNP from the anti-narcotics campaign and handed the lead role to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency after police were implicated in the killing of several teenagers in what appeared to be sum-

mary executions.

Now, barely a month later, the President says he is reconsidering his decision, causing alarm among those who fear more killings—and police abuses— in the name of the war on drugs.

But Dela Rosa said the PNP has learned from its mistakes, such as the killing of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos, and suggested one safeguard would have police officers wear body cameras to record all their interactions during antidrug operations.

The trouble with such assurances, however, is that the PNP chief himself has lost a fair amount of credibility.

When a South Korean businessman was murdered by crooked anti-narcotics cops inside police headquarters in October 2016, Dela Rosa expressed anger and shame, but insisted that the case was an

isolated one, and had nothing to do with the PNP anti-drug campaign.

But in the fallout of the Jee Ick-joo murder, the President suspended the controversial police program Oplan Tokhang in January 2017, presumably to allow the PNP to purge its ranks of scalawags.

But in August, an unreformed PNP launched anti-drug operations in Bulacan and Metro Manila that killed 57 drug suspects in just two days, winning them praise from the President, who said “if we could kill another 32 everyday, then maybe we can reduce what ails this country.”

The trouble was, teenagers like Delos Santos became part of the body count, and witness accounts and forensic evidence showed they did not fight back, as the police claim, but were executed with impunity by cops who believed they could do anything under the shield

of Mr. Duterte’s war on drugs.

Palpable public outrage soon forced the President to sideline the PNP once again, until Mr. Duterte’s trial balloon about reinstating the police in his drug war.

It is salient to point out that Dela Rosa, who says the police have learned many lessons from the killing of Delos Santos and other minors, was the same official who blatantly tried to smear Delos Santos as a drug runner in a desperate bid to do damage control.

Dela Rosa, too, was the police chief who cried crocodile tears in congressional hearings over accusations that the police were killing indiscriminately, then watched as the bodies of drug suspects piled up, with every new wave of the war on drugs.

Do we really want him in charge again of the country’s anti-drug effort?

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

How to avoid a crisis WHEN I get the chance to listen to the hearings of the House Committee on Justice chaired by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, I can only conclude that Umali himself and some members of his panel do not know the direction that the impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno will take.

The main complainant, lawyer Larry Gadon, had admitted that he had no personal knowledge of the impeachable acts allegedly committed by Sereno.

Still, Umali wants to seek the testimony of resource persons.

A constitutional crisis always means destabilization of the government.

Noynoy blames GMA, Sumitomo LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES NOYNOY Aquino left his Times Street man-cave to visit the tomb of his father Ninoy, who was to have turned 85th this week. If Noynoy had only gone to the cemetery to display filial piety, nobody would have remarked on the event.

But Noynoy had to open his mouth to say, among other things, that his administration only inherited the problems that were already present in the MRT-3 system from his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

And I wondered: When will this guy ever get a grip on reality?

The indisputable truth is that Aquino’s entire six-year term was marked by doing

nothing at all to rehabilitate or improve the MRT-3.

What Aquino’s bright boys did was to kick out the reliable maintenance contractor of the Arroyo government in Sumitomo and to distribute the maintenance contract to their friends and political associates.

The only thing Aquino did, apart from tinkering with the MRT contract, was to purchase a batch of trains from China that turned out to be out-of-spec and totally unusable. The Aquino administration’s only concern was to make money off of the train system, without regard for fixing it, in the short or medium term.

And this is why the Duterte administration took the unprecedented step of suing Aquino’s transportation and procurement officials for plundering the train system. The charges

filed by the Department of Transportation against Joseph Emilio Abaya, Mar Roxas and a raft-load of other Noynoy executives was precisely intended to hold them to account for

to a point that Sumitomo said you use the MRT too much,” Aquino said. “If you want us to continue the maintenance, we have to charge you more and we cannot give you a warranty.”

I still want to know what powerful stuff Noynoy is smoking. Because nothing If you hire he said corresponds with monkeys, you the reality that led to the filing of the cases against will pay them Abaya and the rest of his cheaper than gang recently. humans. But What really happened was, Roxas, Aquino’s first you won’t get transportation secretary, monkeys to did not offer Sumitomo a work. new contract when it expired. Roxas forced Sumitomo to quit by giving the Japanese company a sixwhat they did. month extension, which he But this is what Noynoy then extended for another said by his father’s grave: six months.

“The problems [of MRT] This is certainly no way we inherited [and] it came to run a railroad because

no maintenance contractor can even source parts without a longer-term deal. And by the time Abaya replaced Roxas, it became clear that what the Noynoy boys wanted was to break up the “single point of responsibility” that Sumitomo had and give it to a bunch of cheap fly-by-night outfits.

Of course, we know that if you hire monkeys, you will pay them cheaper than humans. But you won’t get monkeys to work—whether as maintenance providers for a commuter railroad or as presidents. *** But I’ve always believed that Noynoy’s real problem is that he is so out of touch with reality that he routinely ignores anything that contradicts his version of the “truth.” Aquino, in this sense, is the earliest purveyor of fake news, with

the key difference that he actually believes that he is always correct.

The trouble starts when Aquino expects everyone else to believe what he himself believes, never mind if he himself doesn’t doesn’t have any facts to bolster his strange convictions. This is why, to the very end, Aquino cannot understand why the people turned their backs on him and his chosen successor, Roxas.

And to the very end, as well, I guess we will have to expect Noynoy to keep blaming Arroyo for everything wrong that happened during his administration.

And if it can’t be blamed on Arroyo, then some other outside agency is at fault — anyone except Aquino himself.

Nobody, of course, believes Aquino anymore.

I think some members of the panel are more interested to have television cameras focused on them.

Umali said the non-appearance of Sereno at the House proceedings is contempt of the committee.

She could be subpoenaed, he said, and then arrested.

If Sereno were to be arrested, that would amount to a constitutional crisis.

There is such a thing as separation of powers. This is best shown by the fact that justices invited as resource persons have to get the permission of the Supreme Court en banc to submit to the invitation of the Umali panel.

Some questions now arise. Can the Umali panel coerce the Chief Justice, under pain of contempt, arrest and detention? And if the Chief Justice holds her ground, will she be

Turn to A5

Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandard.net

ONLINE

can be accessed at: manilastandard.net

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager OIC-Ad Solutions Circulation Manager

Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua

Managing Editor Associate Editors City Editor Opinion Editor

Emil P. Jurado

Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Romel J. Mendez Art Director Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion

NO ONE has done premium retailing with such grounding in tradition, boundless energy, intuitive grace, and effortless style than Zenaida Rustica “Nedy” Tantoco, the undisputed queen of Philippine luxury retailing.

Over the years, the Tantoco family’s SSI Group Inc. has assembled a formidable portfolio of international luxury brands to cater both to the aspirational and elites of this country.

No other group or company has a larger hoard or supply of specialty and luxury brands in terms of size, number, and store footprint.

SSI Group traces its retail magic DNA to Rustan’s (from Rustia and Tantoco) the department store founded by Gliceria Rustia Tantoco and her husband, the former Ambassador Bienvenido Tantoco Sr. now 96.

Their travels gave them the idea to establish the first Rustan’s on San Marcelino in Manila 65 years ago.

Daughter Nedy Tantoco carries the exceptional retailing DNA today as the CEO of Rustan’s and SSI Group.

Rustan’s stores are distinguished for the quality of product offering, the quality of service, and the focus on customer satisfaction.

Writes Philstar lifestyle writer Millet M. Mananquil: “Rustan’s pioneered in a lot of firsts in the retail industry, creating for itself a niche market—finicky customers who want quality and good service. Perhaps only Rustan’s will assist you from the time you buy a product till you get into your car. Rustan’s was the first to encourage customers to touch and appreciate their merchandise. The first to offer free gift wrapping, a bridal registry, a shopping reward card, among others.

It was the first to start a Filipino designer brand (Larrie Silva), and the first to open a Filipiniana department encouraging shoppers to buy “Our Very Own”. Rustan’s was the first to specialize in really good service and offer personal shoppers for clients.”

As of Dec. 31, 2016, SSI’s retail network had 708 stores with combined space of 13.8 hectares, inside or near 82 major malls across the archipelago.

SSI was established in 1987, making it the pioneer in introducing globally recognized brands through specialty store retailing to the Philippine market. It went public in November 2014, generating P7 billion in equity capital to fund its aggressive expansion.

The Tantoco family also owns luxury store Adora and in the Philippines holds the franchise for high quality beverage and food selections, Starbucks of USA, TWG, and SaladStop! of Singapore; and since 2013, a joint venture convenience stores under the “FamilyMart” franchise for round-the-clock, everyday convenience shopping for quality essentials. FamilyMart is being sold to Dennis Uy. In real estate, the family has Sta. Elena Golf & Estate.

The Group’s store network also includes e-commerce properties payless. ph, lacoste.com.ph, beautybar.com.ph, 158db.com. ph and ssilife.com.ph.

The SSI group’s musthave products are the world’s largest and the most coveted brands in their market segments.

The marquee brands include Hermès, Gucci and Salvatore Ferragamo for

premium luxury apparel and accessories, Zara, Bershka, Stradivarius, Pull and Bear, and Old Navy for popular fast fashion, Lacoste and GAP for casual wear, Samsonite for stylish travel and luggage offerings, Payless ShoeSource for value trendy footwear, and MUJI and Pottery Barn for modern home furnishings and accessories.

In the whole year of 2016, SSI Group reported revenues of P18.4 billion, an 80.6 percent jump from the P10.18 billion registered six years ago, in 2011.

That implies average sales growth of 13.4 percent per year, remarkable given that the Philippine population grows at just 1.8 percent per year, the same rate of growth of the Filipino middle class. Between 2011 and 2016, the domestic economy grew by 6.1 percent. So SSI Group’s yearly sales are growing at more than twice the growth rate of the economy.

The Filipino has become middle class, with per capita income exceeding $3,500.

The savings rate is high, at 30 percent of GDP, or about P4.8 trillion ($94 billion).

Much of that, along with $27 billion (P1.377 trillion) in annual remittances of 12 million Filipino expats, goes to consumption.

In the five years from 2011 to 2016, the swell in profits was breathtaking, by 206 percent, from P264 million in 2011 to a record P810.7 million in 2015, yielding average net income growth per year of 41.2 percent. In 2016, however, income fell dramatically, to P231.6 million, from the high of P810.7 million.

Gross profit margin fell slightly to a still eye-popping 49.6 percent in 2016 from 53.5 percent in 2015, reflecting greater discounting and promotions to ward off increasing competition.

Still, how many businesses have an astonishing profit margin of 50 percent? Not even real estate can produce that.

The SSI Group’s market capitalization is still up 70 percent or P4.8 billion, from P6.85 billion in March 2017 to P12 billion by early November 2017.

SSI Group reported P274-million net income in the first half of 2017, up 14 percent from the first half of 2016. Core recurring income for the period, which excludes one-time write-offs related to the Group’s store rationalization program, was at P327 million, a 13 percent y-o-y increase.

Revenues for 2017 first half were P8.4 billion, indicating full whole sales of P17 billion. The Group operated 665 stores covering more than 133,000 sq.m. at end-June 2017.

“Our first half results reflect resilient consumer demand as well as the execution of strategies intended to increase operating margins, maximize the efficiency of our store network and strengthen our brand portfolio. We are pleased with the progress we have made so far and expect to continue to benefit from these factors during the second half of the year,” says Anthony T. Huang, SSI Group Inc. president.

Anton remembers a basic tenet her Lola Glecy had always emphasized: “More then anything else, a strong work ethic and the value we give our customers and partners.” biznewsasia@gmail.com

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Arresting the Chief Justice

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

Nedy Tantoco: The queen of luxury retailing

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO CONGRESSMAN Reynaldo Umali is reaping a firestorm over his threat to have Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno arrested for refusing to attend the House justice committee hearing on the impeachment case against her.

Umali may know his parliamentary rules and the power of Congress to summon persons to a House hearing. But he should know the primary intent of an impeachment case is the removal of an official from the position and not her/his arrest specially not the chief magistrate of the Supreme Court which is a co-equal of Congress.

Although Umali said it was his personal view that the chief magistrate can be arrested for ignoring the House subpoena, he immediately drew a sharp rebuke from Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senator Francis Escudero.

Drilon, a former justice sec-

retary, warned that arresting Sereno could spark a constitutional crisis and violate the separation of powers between the judiciary and the legislative branch of government. Congress, the two senators maintain, cannot compel the chief justice to attend the House hearing.

Why is Umali pushing hard for Chief Justice Sereno’s attendance in a hearing that he himself at times appear to be skeptical of the testimony of main complainant, lawyer Lorenzo Gadon?

“You are putting on the House panel the burden of substantiating your allegations when you should be the one prepared to provide the documents,” Umali, in one instance, berated Gadon.

On the third day of the House hearing yesterday, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguiree was asked what impeachable and culpable violation of the Constitution was committed by CJ Sereno when she failed to act with dispatch on the justice department request to transfer the trial of the arrested Maute terrorists from Marawi to Cagayan de

Oro City. The justice secretary was unable to answer both questions. This is the secretary of justice who by his position should know by heart the contents of the Constitution.

Yes, why indeed is lawyer Gadon short with his evidence supporting his impeachment basis against Sereno? Did he come in confident the House judiciary committee would help him along in the process? Gadon also could not prove wrongdoing which he claimed when Sereno traveled business class for international conferences abroad. So how should the Supreme Court chief justice travel, on economy class? For sure many, if not all, of our congressmen travel first or business when they go abroad.

Gadon also insisted Sereno wasted government funds by staying at the presidential villa in Boracay. But through persistent questioning of a House panel member, it was learned the posh Boracay venue was used for a conference of Asean justices and that the presidential villa occupied by Sereno was given

by the establishment at no extra cost to the government.

There is now speculation that Gadon could just be a proxy in this impeachment case and that there are more powerful people behind it.

President Rodrigo Duterte has denied that he’s behind the move to oust Sereno.

So far, Gadon has not proven personal knowledge in some of his charges against Sereno.

This piece is not in defense of the Chief Justice.

The opinion expressed here is drawn from the live TV coverage of the House hearing. Like thousands of viewers following the hearing, I am one of those who at this stage get the impression Gadon and the congressmen who want to see Sereno impeached seem to have a weak case.

As I have said before, if the House judiciary committee believes it has a solid case against Sereno, then by all means forward to the Senate the articles of impeachment. As things are unfolding, the House hearing is preempting the trial proper in the Senate which has yet to convene itself

into an impeachment court once it receives the articles of impeachment from the House.

Since members of the House judiciary committee will also be members of the prosecution panel in the Senate court, what they are doing now is giving us a preview of their line of questioning.

Recently, President Duterte affirmed his support for the empowerment of women which was observed last week. Yet, three high-ranking women public officials—Chief Justice Sereno, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and Vice President Leni Robredo are undergoing removal proceedings. Robredo is facing a poll protest from former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. her closet rival in the 2016 vice presidential race.

On another front, President Duterte made known he will work for the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law. He made clear, however, that a BBL passage by a special session of Congress would have to be anchored on a “one nation, one Republic” basis.

Holidays and holy days SO I SEE LITO BANAYO A RECENT news item that caught my particular curiosity was the proposal of Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Fariñas to declare December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a holiday.

I studied in a Catholic school where December 8 was a very special day, what we Catholics called a “holiday of obligation,” which meant having to go to Mass, and as much as possible, taking the sacrament of communion. The House majority floor leader is a devout Catholic and a Marian devotee, which is quite admirable.

The proposal may go against the grain of what the Constitution declares as the doctrine of separation of Church and State.

But then again, how come we already have holidays that in the strict sense of the word, are holy days of certain religions?

And on another note, do we not have so many holidays in this country, national or local, regular or special?

Let us enumerate: January 1, New Year’s Day; Chinese New Year (to celebrate the first day of the lunar calendar year, the date of which varies from year to year); February 25, Edsa Day; Maundy

Thursday, Good Friday, and Black Saturday (movable holy days declared as holidays); April 9, Araw ng Kagitingan; May 1, Labor Day; June 12, Independence Day; August 21, Ninoy Aquino Day; August 28, National Heroes’ Day; November 1, All Saints’ Day (and oftentimes, either the previous day, October 31, or the following day, November 2 or All Souls’ Day, are likewise declared special holidays; November 30, Bonifacio Day; then Eid Al Adha and Eid-el Fitr, which have varied dates and are Muslim holy days; then December 25, Christmas Day, though hardly anybody reports for work on the 24th as well; and finally, December 30, which commemorates the martyrdom of Jose Rizal.

Then of course, there are the LGUs’ foundation day, and some of them are declared by the Office of the President itself for certain localities, such as August 19 is a holiday in Quezon City and the Province of Quezon, and who knows whatever other municipalities are named after President Manuel Luis Quezon.

Or the birth of Jose Rizal, a holiday in Calamba, the national hero’s birthplace, and perhaps countless other towns named after Rizal.

And so forth and so on.

There is also the town fiesta, a Catholic holy day which the mayor declares as a special holiday in his

How...

From A4

dragged out of her chamber?

I subscribe to the comment of Senator Frank Drilon, who was once Senate president and secretary of justice, that contempt of a congressional committee can happen during investigations in aid of legislation and not during impeachment proceedings?

Senator Chiz Escudero, also a lawyer, agrees with Drilon.

To me the only way a constitutional crisis can be averted is for the Umali panel to vote right away on Sereno’s impeachment and also have the House plenary session vote on the Articles of Impeachment for Senate trial.

A constitutional crisis leads to the destabilization of the government. Anyway, considering the existence of a House supermajority, people expect that the Chief Justice can only get a fair trial at the Senate.

But then, when the Senate acts as a trial court in an impeachment case, it’s also a political exercise.

territorial jurisdiction.

And finally, days which the Office of the President declares as special holidays to avert traffic jams, or to spare visiting dignitaries from such traffic jams.

This year we had plenty of those, because we were hosts to the 50th anniversary of Asean, and in 2015 likewise, when we hosted the Apec Leaders’ Summit.

And when we have calamities, such as typhoons or heavy rains causing floods, we likewise declare holidays, especially for schools and universities.

Given that Saturdays and Sundays are no-work days for office personnel, including civil servants, although daily wage earners work on Saturdays as well, and given further that there are paid sick leaves and paid vacation leaves, the question we ought to be asking is: how many productive manpower-days are inputed to the nation’s economy by the work force in a year?

On the issue of holy days becoming holidays, with the government having recognized Catholic, Muslim and even a Chinese feast day, what happens when the Iglesia ni Cristo also asks for a holiday? Or the Protestant denominations?

Then how do we invoke separation of Church and State?

There oughta be a law, as the Americans say. Many foreign investors rue the penchant for so many holi-

The question is, can Sereno get a fair trial at the Senate?

Still, the most important thing is to avert a crisis. *** Malacañang, through spokesman Harry Roque, has said that a revolutionary government has no basis in law and is outside the ambit of the Constitution.

Roque made this remark amid concerns that the President would declare a revolutionary government.

Is the President trying to scare people from resorting to destabilization methods and ousting him?

I think the less Mr. Duterte talks about RevGov, the less people would think he is up to something sinister. *** In the wake of the scrapping of the P150-billion mega-prison facility in Laur, Nueva Ecija, Senator Richard Gordon has filed a bill seeking to transfer the National Bilibid Prison to Fort Magsaysay reservation in Palayan City.

Because of the decision of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre to scrap the relocation of the NBP, the

days, because productivity suffers.

We’ve tried moving holidays to the nearest Friday or Monday, as the Americans do, but if this was started by Pres. Erap and Pres. GMA, we reverted to the “bungi-bungi” holidays during President PNoy’s watch.

And there is such a thing as work inertia. Right after a long holiday, the quality of productivity suffers. So too does the anticipation of a long holiday affect the quality of work.

No better example of this is our loooong Christmas holiday season. Hardly any work is done from December 15 onwards in many offices, most certainly in government. Time is wasted on Christmas parties, where every section, every department, every division insists on their “own” party, instead of a single, consolidate party for the entire agency.

Ditto for the Holy Week.

Everyone is just plain lazy to do work, or goes on a long holiday.

Let me share a thought, even if I know everyone and his mother will not agree. They will call me a killjoy, whatever.

Except for January 1, bunch together all the holidays from February to May and charge all of these to Holy Week. Then declare no work for the entire Holy Week, with BPOs and those requiring con-

government must now pay prequalified bidders—San Miguel, Megawide and DMCI since they have already spent billions on feasibility studies.

The situation at the national penitentiary has been described to be in a state of emergency.

I have long been advocating the relocation of the NBP. But it seems that political will has been lacking across administrations. *** Last year, the World Health Organization came out with a report that among all nations in Southeast Asia, the Philippines has the worst record when it comes to the use of toilet facilities.

Now Health Secretary Francisco Duque has said that Filipino households have more mobile phones than toilets. *** I wonder if people have noticed that there are no more bazaars in hotels and other usual places for shopping.

The reason for this is that airconditioned shopping malls in Metro Manila have all the products at affordable prices.

tinuous work (even Good Friday is not a holiday in many countries) being getting overtime pay. Thus, February 25, April 9 and May 1 are charged to the “work” days of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Maundy Thursday down to Easter Sunday.

Then bunch up all the holidays from July to December and charge all these to December 24 to January 1. So, August 21, August 28, November 1, November 30 and December 30 are all charged to the period between December 24 to January 1, when the entire work force is on “forced” vacation.

As for Independence Day, that is retained as is, on June 12, and every civil servant, the military included, must commemorate the day in their respective localities, with the next day declared as a rest day as well. There must be a grand parade at the Luneta with all government agencies sending huge delegations to fill up the Luneta Green fronting the Grandstand, and listen to the address to the nation of the head of state.

Forget Chinese New Year. As for Eid al Adha and Eid al Fitr, let them be special holidays in Mindanao, and excuse all Muslim workers for being absent on these holy days.

You want to build, build, build a nation? Then work, work, work!

Noynoy...

From A4

It doesn’t matter if it’s about the plundering and devastation suffered by the MRT or the Mamasapano massacre.

It’s just sad that Aquino, this late in the day, cannot seem to let go of his old, discredited world view. The same world view, by the way, that has been thrown into the dustbin of history with the election of Rodrigo Duterte to the presidency.

My advice to Noynoy remains the same: If he cannot stop himself from leaving his Times Street digs, then he should no longer make any statements like the ones he gave at his father’s graveside.

If he can help it, Noynoy shouldn’t go out of the house at all. I’m sure he doesn’t really need the aggravation at this point, when all he wants to do probably is just to stay at home and do whatever he was doing before his inutile six-year presidency interrupted him.

A6

News

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Govt poised to punish strikers

By John Paolo Bencito

J

EEPNEY drivers and operators should refrain from joining another round of transport strikes led by transport groups on Dec. 4 and 5, or face hefty sanctions from the government, Malacañang warned Tuesday.

“The LTFRB [Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board] is correct in saying that the

holders of public franchise and conveniences are precluded from joining such action,” Presidential Spokes-

man Harry Roque said in a Palace news briefing.

“And therefore, expect that their participation will come with the legal consequences as far as the award of the certificate of public convenience is concerned,” he added.

Roque said that the government will be doing everything “to protect the commuters from any hitch that may arise from this transport strike.”

Militant group Piston had

threatened to once again protest the planned phase out of jeepneys that would not pass the LTFRB’s vehicle inspection test starting Jan. 1, 2018.

George San Mateo, Piston national president, alleged that the modernization program is only a “front” to sell Euro 4-compliant and electric-powered vehicles to jeepney drivers and operators.

President Rodrigo Duterte, however, had accused jeepney operators

and drivers who staged a two-day transport strike last October of conniving with the communists to overthrow him.

If they will not comply with the government’s modernization program by the end of the year, they would be arrested, and their units impounded, Duterte warned.

The President did not mince his words even against small jeepney operators who opposed the gov-

ernment’s modernization program—saying he didn’t care if their families would go hungry.

“You’re poor? Then [expletive] stay poor and hungry. I don’t care,” he said last Oct. 17, addressing the jeepney operators.

Duterte added that the current types of public utility jeepneys “are poisoning the people,” since old engines emit too much carbon dioxide that could affect the health of Filipinos.

Duterte fuses People Power, NHCP offices PRESIDENT Rodrigo Roa Duterte has issued an order that effectively integrates the functions of the Edsa People Power Commission with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

Through Executive Order No. 47, the NHCP will assume the management of the People Power Monument, ensuring its continued maintenance and upkeep. The planning, organizing and implementation of activities to commemorate the 1986 Edsa Revolution remain with the EPPC. The President also appointed the NHCP Chairman to concurrently serve as exofficio Chairman of the EPPC, and will appoint four other members for the Edsa Commission from the private sector, choosing from among its members the vice chairman of the EPPC.

PCSO allays Davao gov’s fears over STL

‘JOIN THE STRIKE’. Members of the transport group Piston call on the public to join their nationwide strike on Dec. 4 to 5 to protest the planned phaseout of old passenger jeepneys, in a press conference Tuesday at the National Press Club in Intramuros, Manila. Norman Cruz

Farmers won’t leave DAR camp

By Rio N. Araja

FARMERS in Davao del Norte belonging to the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas on Tuesday said they will not leave the Department of Agrarian Reform central office in Quezon City and will continue to camp out until the agency orders to install them at a portion of the Tagum Development Corp. property in Davao.

Pedro Arnado, KMP Southern Mindanao chairperson, said they are determined to continue with their protest outside DAR on Elliptical Road, as they urged acting Secretary Rosalinda Bistoyong to ensure their installation at the Tadeco banana plantation.

Some 259 farmer-beneficiaries are demanding their installation in a 374-hectare banana plantation of the Tadeco lands in Carmen, Davao del Norte owned by Antonio Floirendo Sr.

Lapeña: No more Customs guards at terminal gates

By Vito Barcelo CUSTOMS Commissioner Isidro Lapeña on Tuesday ordered the removal of all customs personnel assigned at terminal gates, which he said caused the delays in transporting customs-cleared cargo trucks and to stop corruption.

Customs gatekeepers of the Pier and Inspection Division and customs police under Enforcement and Security Services are no longer tasked to check the gate pass at the terminal gates, Lapeña said.

“What they actually do is redundant, because port operators already have a working system to check the entry and exit of containers. If the trucks are given the go-signal to leave the terminals, then we have to release them from the ports at once,” Lapeña said.

Lapeña said gatekeepers checking documents is no longer necessary because the documents have already been checked prior to cargo release.

Before, gatekeepers prevented shipments with no gate pass to leave the customs zone. Besides

the cargo, gatekeepers also check the container number and registry number of the carrying vessel.

However, port operators are already equipped with a barcode scanning system, which contains the shipment details of containers already marked for release, which the gatekeepers manually check.

Lapeña said the bureau is coordinating with port operators to fully implement the automated system in the terminals.

“They have been long clamoring that port operations be at par with

other countries in terms of automation. They have been asking the bureau to do away with manual and redundant processes,” he said.

The ESS guards, on the other hand, oversee security of the entire port perimeter. The terminals, although managed by private operators, are considered an extension of BoC jurisdiction.

Lapeña said cargoes already allowed or marked for release should no longer be subjected to further scrutiny by ESS guards at the gates prior to their exit.

Comelec: Deadline for new voters listup on Nov. 30 THE Commission on Elections reminded the public that the deadline for the registration of new voters for the May 2018 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections will end on Nov. 30.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said there will be no extension of the registration which started Nov. 7. He urged the public to avoid flocking to local election offices on

the last day to avoid the long queues of voters trying to beat the deadline.

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced Tuesday that overseas Filipino workers, immigrants, seafarers, and students who are going abroad can now register to vote for the 2019 national elections through their consular offices in Metro Manila.

In a statement, the DFA said Fili-

pino citizens who expected to be abroad from April 13 to May 13, 2019 or during the voting period for the senatorial polls that year, can now register their names in four overseas voter registration centers in Metro Manila.

The Comelec has received a total of 496,816 applications for registration from Nov. 6 to 25. The poll body said it received 126,444 applications

from Nov. 6 to 11; 152,380 applications from Nov. 13 to 18; and 217,992 applications from Nov. 20 to 25.

It said the numbers of applicants may increase as the deadline approaches.

“From the upward trend of the weekly turnout, people tend to register only during the last few days. The total is expected to increase substantially as Nov. 30 draws nearer,” Jimenez said. Vito Barcelo and Sara Fabunan

THE Small Town Lottery is earning billions for the indigent, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Alexander Balutan told Davao Oriental Gov. Nelson Dayanghirang in connection with the latter’s comment to regulate STL operations in his province.

Balutan assured the governor that the PCSO strengthened the law on STL by crafting new Implementing Rules and Regulations “that break the monopoly of gambling lords who do not pay taxes and continue to undermine the government and corrupt the many,” he said.

Earlier, Dayanghirang said STL outlets had mushroomed in the province and had been indiscriminately placed near schools, churches and spots along the highway.

The proliferation of STL outlets, according to the provincial government, “encouraged the culture of gambling among residents while adversely affecting the province’s image.”

No coding on Bonifacio Day—MMDA THERE will be no number coding for both public utility and private vehicles on Thursday, as the country commemorates Bonifacio Day, according to the Metro Manila Development Authority.

“The MMDA enjoins the whole nation as we celebrate the 154th Bonifacio Day (Nov. 30), Thursday. Number Coding is suspended,” the agency advisory stated Tuesday.

The move to suspend the coding scheme, or the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program, will help the people make plans and use their vehicles to travel to their respective destinations outside the metropolis during the holiday break.

The number coding system was devised to keep vehicles out of major thoroughfares on certain days based on the last digit of the license plate.

The system corresponds to 1 and 2 for Monday, 3 and 4 for Tuesday, 5 and 6 for Wednesday, 7 and 8 for Thursday, and 9 and 0 for Friday. Joel Zurbano

Korean rescued; NBI, Immigration men implicated

5

POLICE operatives have rescued a kidnapped Korean businessman and arrested four suspected kidnap-for-ransom operators, including three Korean nationals.

Two immigration agents and three National Bureau of Immigration agents are now the object of a nationwide manhunt for their alleged involvement in the kidnapping of Lee Jung Dae, who was forcibly abducted by the suspects from his house in Pampanga.

Arrested were three Koreans identified as Cha Jae Young, Cha Jae Su, and Kim Min Kwan, and Filipino driver Raymond Flores.

Being pursued were immigration agents identified as Carlos Garcia and Apollo Calingasan, and three still-unidentified NBI agents.

TRAFFIC SANTA. Traffic aide supervisor Ramiro Hinojas, 51, dresses up as Santa Claus as he directs vehicles along Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City. It’s part of traffic officers’ efforts to lighten motorists’ moods amid the expected traffic this holiday season. Norman Cruz

Sports

A7

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Cabo Negro, Speedmatic top races C ABO Negro and Speedmatic shared the spotlight in the 3rd leg of the Philippine Racing Commission’s (Philracom’s) Juvenile Colts/Phillies Stakes Races on Sunday at the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Both Cabo Negro and Speedmatic fashioned out convincing wins in the 1,500-meter Juvenile Stakes Races offering a combined P4 million in prizes from

the sponsoring Philracom.

Ridden by multi-titled jockey John Alvin Guce, Cabo Negro extended the winning spree of owner SC Stockfarm as he fended off

the late charge of Joseph Dyhengco’s Goldsmith, guided

by Pat Dilema, to register a two-length win that was worth P1,200,000 in the Colts’ race.

“Ang bilin sa akin sakto lang ang pagbitaw, hayun naman po, nagawa ko naman. Paglabas puwesto lang, na-threaten na kaunti kay Goldsmith, pero pagdating ng half mile, kinuha ko na,” said Guce.

Goldsmith settled for

P450,000 as runner-up, while third- and fourthplacer The Barrister and No Regret pocketed P250,000 and P100,000 for respective owners Daniel Tan and Ruben Dimacuha.

Cabo Negro’s trainer Chito Santos, who represented SC Stockfarm’s Oliver Velasquez in the awards rites, received P70,000 as Breeder’s Purse. Philracom Commissioner Victor Tantoco and Manila Jockey Club’s Racing

Manager Jose Ramon Magboo awarded the prizes and trophies to the winners.

In the Fillies’ race, Speedmatic had a more dominant win that was likewise worth P1,200,000 for owner Hermie Esguerra.

Veteran jockey Dilema rebounded from his runnerup finish in the Colts’ race with a masterful ride atop Speedmatic, who measured the field three-fourths of the way, before unleashing a ter-

and Francisco Babon Jr.’s Xia’s Best taking P250,000 and P100,000, respectively as third and fourth placers.

Dewey N. Santos received P70,000 as winning breeder of Speedmatic.

Following the Juvenile Colts/Phillies Stakes Races, the Philracom braces for another big racing extravaganza featuring the Philippine Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Organization, Inc. (Philtobo) this weekend.

ICTSI kiteboarding sails off in Bacolod

NCRAA’s 25th year begins Dec. 5 SIXTEEN teams will see action as the National Capital Region Athletic Association celebrates its silver season beginning Dec. 5 at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Newcomer University of Luzon will be tested right on opening day as it goes up against Asian Institute of Maritime Studies at 12 noon.

University of Luzon, a school based in Dagupan City, is one of the new participants competing in the silver season of the league along with AMA Computer College, New Era and Pamantasang Lungsod ng Muntinlupa.

Known as the Golden Tigers, University of Luzon will have to travel hours to face the Blue Sharks of AIMS, which is a stone’s throw away from the venue.

Another newcomer, AMA Computer, will also get its baptism of fire as it faces Philippine Merchant Maritime School at 2 p.m.

Although considered as a new member, the Titans of AMA Computer College being handled

by Mark Herrera, is considered as one of the favorites in the tournament as it will parade a roster bannered by D-League players, headed by Andre Paras, son of PBA legend Benjie Paras.

The teams will be divided into two groups.

AIMS and UL will be in Group A, together with De Ocampo Memorial College, Olivarez College, Philippine School of Business AdministrationQuezon City, Saint Francis of Assisi College, Technological Institute of the Philippines and New Era University, while AMA and PMMS are in Group B, alongside De La Salle University-Dasmarinas, Emilio Aguinaldo CollegeCavite, National College of Business and Arts, PATTS College of Aeronautics, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa and University of Makati.

rific burst of speed in the straight to leave her rivals eating her dust for the fivelength win.

“Maganda naman ang alis, kaya tinuloy ko na.

Nakiramdam ako, wala pa ang mga kalaban ko, kaya naghintay na lang ako ng rekta, doon tinodo ko na,” said Dilema.

Disyembre Sais of owner Alfredo Santos received P450,000 as runner-up, with Luis Aguila’s Lourdes Drive

Trainer Chito Santos (third from left) and jockey John Alvin Guce (second from left) display their trophies after their horse Cabo Negro ruled the Philracom’s Juvenile (Colts) Stakes Race at the San Lazaro Park. Right panel shows trainer Dewey Santos (right), jockey Pat Dilema (fifth from left) and Edward Viloria (seventh from left) representing owner Hermie Esguerra after their horse Speedmatic topped the Fillies Race. Both sets of awardees were joined by MJCI Racing Manager Jose Ramon Magboo (left) and Philracom Commissioner Victor Tantoco (fourth from left).

THE ICTSI Philippine Kiteboarding Tour kicks off its fifth season this Friday with more than 300 participants, led by Swedish ace Atte Kapel and young star Christian Tio, raring to showcase their skills and wares in Lakawon Island in Bacolod.

Kapel, the top-ranked racer in the world, banners the foreign field while the 17-year-old Tio, the reigning Asian titlist who, along with his Phl youth team buddies, will lead the local challenge in the four-leg Tour also serving as part of their build-up for the coming Youth Olympic Games qualifier.

“We’re looking forward to another exciting and actionpacked four-stop kiteboarding tournament across the country,” said Philippine

Kiteboarding Association president Jay Ortiz during yesterday’s press launch at the Mango Tree Restaurant at Bonifacio Global City.

After testing the environs of Lakawon Island for the first time in the kickoff leg, the Tour will bring riders and competitors to Bantayan Island, Cebu on Jan. 5-7, 2018, then Boracay Island on Feb. 9-11, 2018, and finally in Cagbalete Island on March 2-4.

“PKA’s main purpose is to promote the sport of kiteboarding throughout the country and to develop local talents for regional and international competitions.

Hopefully, we can build the next generation of kiteboarding superstars who can bring our country our first Olympic gold,” Ortiz said.

Tight finish seen as Tarlac Open unwraps

THE HOARSE WHISPERER JENNY ORTUOSTE THE Japan Cup is the among most prestigious races held in that country and witnessing this year’s edition was an unforgettable moment for Philippine representatives who were there.

Among those who attended were Philippine Racing Commission Chairman Andrew Sanchez and Executive Director Andrew Rovie Buencamino, and Manila Jockey Club CEO lawyer King Reyno.

Dr. Buencamino, a veterinarian, posted an enthusiastic, photo-filled reportage about the event on his Facebook page.

First, a backgrounder: The Japan Cup (Japan Kappu, JPN G1) is held on the last Sunday of November at Tokyo Racecourse, at a distance of 2,400 meters on turf. The maximum number of runners is 18, with weight-for-age handicapping.

It is one of the richest races in the world with a purse of about $5.8

TARLAC—The $100,000 CAT (Central Azucarera de Tarlac) Open reels off at the Luisita Golf and Country Club today (Wednesday, Nov. 29) with the elite field setting out with varying game plans on a challenging, demanding course in pursuit of the crown here.

Tony Lascuña, coming off

a come-from-behind victory at Wack Wack two weeks ago, puts premium on putting, Clyde Mondilla and Jobim Carlos will lean on their long game while Zanieboy Gialon would opt for conservative play.

With the par-72 championship layout in great shape, expect a thriller of a battle in

all four days from among the 94-player starting field from 17 countries chasing the top $17,500 purse in the event serving as the fifth leg of the inaugural Philippine Golf Tour Asia.

“The course is in great shape, especially the greens.

I think it will all boil down to

putting. There are fast greens and those that bite, so you really have to be very careful with each shot,” said Lascuña, who ended a string of mediocre finishes in the region’s newest circuit put up by ICTSI by winning the Wack Wack Championship in come-frombehind fashion.

PKA president Jay Ortiz (right) discusses the mechanics of the fifth ICTSI Philippine Kiteboarding Tour. With him are PKA VP Ken Nacor (center) and race director Hendrick Van Pierre.

Rivera goes 11 for 11 in National Slalom tilt MILO Rivera of Tough Gear Racing Team stretched his unbeaten streak to 11 races on Sunday in the 11th leg of the 2017 Phoenix National Slalom Series, which for the first time in its storied history, was held on a circuit track – the Tarlac Circuit Hill.

Rivera, who virtually crowned himself slalom king, submitted a time of of 70.82, with Milo’s brother and teammate Estefano Rivera stealing second place with 71.32.

Mark Young Racing Team and Cars Unlimited’s Inigo Anton placed third with a time of 71.66.

Meanwhile, Anton also brought home the Front Wheel and Novice best time of the day, followed by Vegil Calayo of JAF Racing Team (74.16) and Powee Base of PMMS

Racing Team (74.44) and Armand Marcaida (75.86).

The 2017 RACE Motorsports Club National Slalom Series is presented by Phoenix Premium 98, Phoenix Accelerate Fully Synthetic Oil, major sponsors Federal Tyres and Outlast Battery. It is also supported by Starbright Body Kits, Auto Transporter, Cars Unlimited Auto Sales Fairview and Mark Young Cars, media partners Stoplight TV, C! Magazine, Auto Car Magazine, Power Wheels Magazine, Ride and Drive Philippines and Driven2ride.ph.

The event was also backed

by Pepon Morave and Gov. Susan Yap, who provided the ambulance and rescue team on standby, plus police assistance.

Participants enjoyed the long track, with the usual

Jarata scores 3-peat in PPS tennis tourney

Martina Sofia Munoz, a 9-year-old girl who started slalom racing only this year through the support of his parents and grandparents from the RodLea Racing Team, is shown prior to her turn.

twists and turns and the exciting 360-degree turn.

The event was participated in

by Tough Gear Racing Team, JAF Racing Team, Cabanatuan Auto Club, Globe Spade Baguio City, Team Comet Tarlac, Kajega Racing Team, Mark Young Cars, G Ppot Racing performance, GHP Racing Team and

RodLea racing Team.

The 12th and final leg will be held on Dec. 10 at Robinsons Starmills Pampanga. It will be as always a Birthday celebration galore of all December celebrants Sofia Martina Munoz, drivers Noel Rivera and Carlos Anton and organizer Bing Bang Dulce.

Philracom, Manila Jockey Club reps attend Japan Cup million, and thus attracts entries from all over the world.

The race was established by the Japan Racing Association as, according to an online source, an “international invitational race in order for local racehorses to have the opportunity to compete against horses of an international caliber and to promote goodwill within the racing community worldwide.”

JRA held a welcome dinner at the Conrad Hotel at which they presented Chairman Sanchez with a racetrack survey report of the three Philippine racing clubs (details about that in a future column).

The Japan Cup was held at Tokyo Racecourse located in the shadow of Mount Fuji. The track was described by Dr. Buencamino as “impressive” with “four racetracks within – turf, dirt, turf for steeplechase, then dirt again for training.”

The Philippine delegation was given the privilege of observing

the behind-the-scenes at the backroom, pre-race, and post-race operations of the JRA. Buencamino visited the jockeys’ quarters and saw “Japan’s number one jockey Yutaka Take preparing for his mount, Kitasan Black, the top favorite to win the Japan Cup.” Buencamino added that some 160,000 spectators showed up to watch the race, which was won by Cheval Grand, Hugh Bowman aboard.

As Conor Walsh reported on punters.com.au, “Well-supported favourite Kitasan Black quickly found the lead from a favourable draw and controlled the race before booting away at the top of the straight, but Bowman stalked his way into clear running and pounced with a beautifully-timed run to land the famous race.” 2nd Rey de Oro, 3rd Kitasan Black.

For his feat Bowman was awarded 2017 Longines World’ Best Jockey.

Walsh added, “The win was Che-

val Grand’s first Group 1 success and was a case of revenge after finishing third in the same race behind Kitasan Black last year, and second to the same stallion in the last two runnings of the Tenno Sho (Spring).”

Cheval Grand is expected to enter the Arima Kinen Stakes (G1) in late December, along with Kitasan Black for which this might be his last race before retiring to stud next year.

During the duration of the Philippine delegation’s stay, they were treated with the warmest hospitality by JRA. Their generosity did not stop there. “JRA donated a portable x-ray machine for equine lameness diagnosis,” said Buencamino, who carried home the 25kgs. piece of equipment. “Now we will be able to do actual pre-race and post-race diagnoses, and not just rely on physical examination [of the horses].”

Not only that, Buencamino said JRA gave him “a lecture on their drug testing procedure, courtesy

of Dr. Motoki Ito, DVM, deputy general of their equine department.

They opened their doors to conduct trainings for our veterinarians with regards to drug testing and lameness diagnosis.”

With their offer to share knowledge, techniques, and best practices, and their donation of equipment, JRA proves itself a shining example of partnership and cooperation as a member of the international racing community.

Buencamino congratulated “all the people behind the successful holding of the 37th Japan Cup” and thanked the JRA for inviting the Philracom to the prestigious event, particularly JRA’s Hiroyuki Koezuka and Masashi Shoju. *** Dr. Ortuoste is a Californiabased writer and researcher. Facebook: Gogirl Racing and Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @gogirlracing and @jennyortuoste

YOUNG Marielle Jarata hacked out a tough 6-4, 7-5 decision over Gabrielle Abarquez and claimed the girls’ 14-and-under crown, completing another three-peat feat in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Urdaneta leg tennis tournament at the Urdaneta Tennis Club in Pangasinan last Monday.

Jarata, 10, leaned on her baseline game to stun the 14-year-old Abarquez in the opening frame then pulled through in a back-andforth second set duel to nail another title as an unranked player in a heavier division of the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.

She earlier survived Prince Lim’s upset bid in the 10-unisex finals, 1-4, 4-1, 4-1, then dominated Anna Bajet, 6-1, 6-1, to clinch the 12-U diadem and match her three-title haul in last week’s tournament at home in Agoo, La Union.

“With proper training and motivation, Jarata could well become the country’s next star with the PPS-PEPP circuit serving as her training ground along with the other young aspirants,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Charles Torres from Urdaneta, on the other hand, annexed two titles in the boys’ side, foiling Andre Jarata, 6-1, 6-3, in the 16-U finals and thwarting James Mina, 6-4, 6-1, for the 18-U diadem to share the MVP honors with Mariella Jarata.

San Fabian, Pangasinan’s Anna Demyer likewise posted a two-title romp, beating Achaia Cabahug twice – 7-5, 6-0, in the 16-U finals and 6-4, 2-6, 10-8 in the 18-U championship of the event supported by the Unified Tennis Philippines, including PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg.

LOTTO RESULTS 6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

P0 M+ P0 M

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@thestandard.com.ph sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

A8

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

Tough challenge remains for Gilas

By Jeric Lopez

La Salle tries to stay alive

By Peter Atencio

D

EFENDING champion La Salle Green Archers have to stay focused to remain in contention for another title.

From the beginning, this has been the reminder of Green Archers coach Aldin Ayo before they bowed to the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 7076, in Game 1 of their best-of-three title series in the 80th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament.

This was his reminder again to members of the team going into Game 2 today following

Games Today (at the Araneta Coliseum) 11 a.m. NU vs UE (women Game 1) 4 p.m. La Salle vs Ateneo(men Game 2)

their setback to the Blue Eagles last Sunday.

Ayo recalled what brought them to the finals.

“We were focused on the game. We just remained focused the game plan, especially on defense,” said Ayo reminding his players what they needed to do to extend the series.

Game 2 is set at 4 pm at the Araneta Coliseum. The National University Lady Bulldogs will meet the University of the East Lady Warriors earlier at 11 a.m.

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION

ANNEX Details on the Unnotified Cosmetic Products 03 OCT 2017

FDA ADVISORY No. 2017-282 TO: GENERAL CONSUMING PUBLIC SUBJECT:

Public Health Warning Against the Use of Unnotified Cosmetic Products (Batch 66)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises the public against the purchase and use of the following unnotified cosmetic products whose particulars/details are provided in the attached annex: 1. OLAY® TOTAL EFFECTS 7 IN ONE INTENSE MOISTURE FACE & BODY BAR 3 IN 1 FACIAL CLEANSING WIPES 25 WIPES (BLUE, WHITE, PEACH) 2. BROTHER® BABY TENDER BABY WIPES SCENTED 25 WIPES (BLUE, GREEN, PINK)

PRODUCT NAME 1 OLAY® TOTAL EFFECTS 7 IN ONE INTENSE MOISTURE FACE & BODY BAR 3 IN 1 FACIAL CLEANSING WIPES 25 WIPES (BLUE, WHITE, PEACH)

4. VICTORIA’S SECRET ROMANTIC LOVE REFRESHING BODY MIST 5. BROTHER DONG BANG® MAKE UP CLEANSING WIPES FACE & EYE MAKE UP REMOVAL TISSUES (YELLOW, VIOLET)

2 BROTHER® BABY TENDER BABY WIPES FRESH SCENTED 25 WIPES (BLUE, GREEN, PINK)

6. BROTHER® PERFECT GIRL WET WIPES FRESH SCENTED (PINK, BLUE, YELLOW, GREEN)

8. SPA LUXETIQUE™ (SET PINK BOX):

LAVENDER

3 VICTORIA’S SECRET ETERNAL LOVE REFRESHING BODY MIST

9. SPA LUXETIQUE™ (SET VIOLET BOX): A. SPA LUXETIQUE™ RENEWING CLEANSING SHOWER GEL

GREEN

TEA

B. SPA LUXETIQUE™ RENEWING MOISTURIZING BODY LOTION

GREEN

TEA

C. SPA LUXETIQUE™ ENERGIZING CLEANSING SHOWER GEL

D. SPA LUXETIQUE™ ENERGIZING MOISTURIZING BODY LOTION 10. BODY & EARTH® VANILLA COOKIE SET: A. BODY & EARTH® VANILLA COOKIE SHOWER GEL B. BODY & EARTH® VANILLA COOKIE BATH CRYSTALS

Accordingly, because unnotified cosmetic products have not gone through the verification process of the FDA, the agency cannot guarantee their quality and safety. The use of such violative products may pose potential health hazards to the consuming public.

Potential hazards may come from ingredients that are not allowed to be part of a cosmetic product or from the contamination of heavy metals such as mercury especially in whitening cosmetic products. The use of substandard and possibly adulterated cosmetic products may result to adverse reactions including but not limited to skin irritation, itchiness, anaphylactic shock and organ failure.

In light of the above, the public is advised not to purchase the aforementioned violative products. Moreover, the public is also advised to be vigilant against cosmetic products that might not be duly notified with FDA. Always check if a cosmetic product has been notified with FDA before purchasing it by making use of the embedded Search feature of the FDA website accessible at www.fda.gov.ph.

All concerned establishments are warned not to distribute the above-identified violative cosmetic products until they have already been covered by the appropriate authorization (cosmetic notification), otherwise, regulatory actions and sanctions shall be strictly pursued.

All Local Government Units (LGUs) and Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) are requested to ensure that these products are not sold or made available in their localities or areas of jurisdiction.

For more information and inquiries, please e-mail us at info@fda. gov.ph. To report continuous sale or distribution of the above unnotified cosmetic products, utilize our online reporting facility, eReport, at www. fda.gov.ph/ereport, or e-mail us via report@fda.gov.ph, or call us at the Center for Cosmetics Regulation and Research (CCRR) hotline (02) 857-1979 or (02) 857-1984.

Local Company Responsible for Placing the Product in the Market: Not Indicated

Country of Manufacture: U.S.A. 4 VICTORIA’S SECRET ROMANTIC LOVE REFRESHING BODY MIST

C. BODY & EARTH® VANILLA COOKIE BODY LOTION FDA post-marketing surveillance (PMS) activities have verified that the abovementioned cosmetic products have not gone through the verification process of the agency and have not been issued the proper authorization in the form of acknowledged cosmetic notifications.

Pursuant to Republic Act No. 9711, otherwise known as the “Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009”, the manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, non-consumer use, promotion, advertising or sponsorship of health products without the proper authorization from FDA is prohibited.

Local Company Responsible for Placing the Product in the Market: Not Indicated

Address: Not Indicated

GRAPEFRUIT

PRODUCT IMAGE/S

PRODUCT NAME

PRODUCT DETAILS 7 BABY KINGDOM® Local Company BABY SKINCARE Responsible WIPES MILK FLAVOR for Placing the (BLUE) Product in the Market: Magnabros Marketing Corporation

Local Company Responsible for Placing the Product in the Market: Not Indicated

8 SPA LUXETIQUE™ (SET PINK BOX): A. SPA LUXETIQUE™ UPLIFTING ROSE CLEANSING SHOWER GEL B. SPA LUXETIQUE™ UPLIFTING ROSE MOISTURIZING BODY LOTION C. SPA LUXETIQUE™ CALMING LAVENDER CLEANSING SHOWER GEL D. SPA LUXETIQUE™ CALMING LAVENDER MOISTURIZING BODY LOTION

A.

B.

C.

D. Country of Manufacture: U.S.A. Local Company Responsible for Placing the Product in the Market: Not Indicated Address: Not Indicated Country of Manufacture: China 6 BROTHER® PERFECT GIRL WET WIPES FRESH SCENTED (PINK, BLUE, YELLOW, GREEN)

Local Company Responsible for Placing the Product in the Market: Not Indicated

Country of Manufacture: China

Local Company Responsible for Placing the Product in the Market: Magnabros Marketing Corporation (Phil.)

Address: Not Indicated Country of Manufacture: China

9 SPA LUXETIQUE™ (SET VIOLET BOX):

Address: Not Indicated

5 BROTHER DONG BANG® MAKE UP CLEANSING WIPES FACE & EYE MAKE UP REMOVAL TISSUES (YELLOW, VIOLET)

PRODUCT IMAGE/S

Address: Clavel Street, Binondo, Manila City Philippines

Address: Not Indicated

Country of Manufacture: China

A. SPA LUXETIQUE™ UPLIFTING ROSE CLEANSING SHOWER GEL

C. SPA LUXETIQUE™ CALMING LAVENDER CLEANSING SHOWER GEL

Local Company Responsible for Placing the Product in the Market: Not Indicated

Address: Not Indicated

7. BABY KINGDOM® BABY SKINCARE WIPES MILK FLAVOR (BLUE)

B. SPA LUXETIQUE™ UPLIFTING ROSE MOISTURIZING BODY LOTION

PRODUCT DETAILS

Country of Manufacture: Not Indicated

FRESH

3. VICTORIA’S SECRET ETERNAL LOVE REFRESHING BODY MIST

D. SPA LUXETIQUE™ CALMING MOISTURIZING BODY LOTION

Season MVP Ben Mbala will need to adjust to the double teams and triple teams and other tight defensive measures that the Blue Eagles have been throwing at him during Game 1.

“We’re having drills on the double teams and triple teams. We’re looking for ways to find the open guy. That’s what I’ve been trying to do,” said Mbala.

On the other hand, holding their ground against the Green Archers’ pressing game is something that the Ateneo Blue Eagles have finally adjusted to.

And, this is just one of the adjustments that the Blue Eagles successfully made in Game 1.

Limiting the production of big man Ben Mbala and his substitute Abu Tratter is another.

GILAS Pilipinas got the blazing 2-0 start it was looking for in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers but make no mistake about it, the team knows there’s still an uphill climb ahead.

Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas patron Manny V. Pangilinan and national team coach Chot Reyes are both happy with the country’s record in the qualifiers. They also know that there’s really no reason to celebrate just yet despite the two wins against Japan and Chinese Taipei.

The Philippines and Australia are now tied for Group B lead with their 2-0 sweeps in the initial set of the homeand-away games.

Pangilinan is now look-

ing forward to Gilas Pilipinas’ charge against the cagers from down under when they meet in February in Australia’s home turf in the second window of the tournament.

“We had a good start but Australia is still the team to beat,” said Pangilinan shortly after Gilas stopped Chinese Taipei, 90-83, Monday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. “I’m happy and proud of the team but we have plenty of work ahead.”

Reyes shared the same sentiments.

“We’re happy we’re able to grind out wins despite challenges in our preparations. The next job now is to look ahead against a very strong Australia team,” said the Gilas mentor.

SPA LUXETIQUE™ RENEWING GREEN TEA CLEANSING SHOWER GEL SPA LUXETIQUE™ RENEWING GREEN TEA MOISTURIZING BODY LOTION SPA LUXETIQUE™ ENERGIZING GRAPEFRUIT CLEANSING SHOWER GEL SPA LUXETIQUE™ ENERGIZING MOISTURIZING BODY LOTION

Local Company Responsible for Placing the Product in the Market: Magnabros Marketing Corporation (Phil.)

Address: Not Indicated Country of Manufacture: China

10 BODY & EARTH® VANILLA COOKIE SET: A.

B.

C.

BODY & EARTH® VANILLA COOKIE SHOWER GEL BODY & EARTH® VANILLA COOKIE BATH CRYSTALS BODY & EARTH® VANILLA COOKIE BODY LOTION

Local Company Responsible for Placing the Product in the Market: Magnabros Marketing Corporation (Phil.)

Address: Not Indicated Country of Manufacture: China

Address: Not Indicated Country of Manufacture: China

Dissemination of the information to all concerned is requested.

NELA CHARADE G. PUNO, RPh Director General Standard – Nov. 29, 2017

Business Metrobank receives sanctions over fraud

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, said Tuesday it approved sanctions on Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. over an alleged P1.75billion internal fraud.

The Bangko Sentral said in a statement the sanctions ranged from reprimand to suspension of directors and officers who failed to perform adequate oversight and/ or have been complacent/remiss of their duties and responsibilities.

“Likewise, MBTC was required to allocate approximately P4.45 billion of its capital on a consolidated basis to cover for higher operational risk. The requirement is subject to periodic review and would be lifted when the bank is determined to have put in place adequate risk control measures to address the weaknesses noted,” the board said.

Police in July arrested a Metrobank official after she was suspected of funneling loans into fictitious ac-

counts that were transferred electronically to other private accounts she owned, investigators said.

The Bangko Sentral said that in deciding on penalties, it took into account Metrobank’s strong financial condition and the corrective actions the bank took to contain further financial damage. The lender owned by billionaire George Ty remained sound, the regulator said.

Metrobank said in a statement the board and senior management accepted accountability for the incident and would implement the directives.

“The perpetrator acted alone and for her sole benefit” and no customer was affected, it said. Shares of Metrobank rose 2.1 percent to close at P95.85 Tuesday, even as the benchmark stock index slid 0.8 percent.

Metrobank was also required to execute and submit a letter of commitment, to be implemented and completed within a year, to enhance corporate governance, credit administration, internal controls and audit, risk management and customer onboarding and monitoring processes.

Metrobank said it appreciated

Bangko Sentral’s BSP’s affirmation of its strong financial condition, safety and soundness.

“The board and senior management accept accountability and command responsibility for the incident and commits to implementing the directives. MBTC assures the public that bank operations remain business as usual,” Metrobank said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

It said after conducting a 100-percent audit, the bank reiterated that no customer was affected, adding the incident was isolated.

“The perpetrator acted alone and for her sole benefit. She has been apprehended and cases against her have been filed,” Metrobank said.

“MBTC proactively reviews and improves its systems, which is exactly how the fraud was detected. The bank’s control framework remains effective and even stronger. Thus, the BSP recognized the immediate actions taken by MBTC, as well as the medium to long-term initiatives that will serve to further improve governance, compliance, and control,” the bank said.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

B1

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION 03 OCT 2017

FDA ADVISORY No. 2017-281 TO

: GENERAL CONSUMING PUBLIC

SUBJECT : Public Health Warning Against the Use of Unregistered Household/ Urban Pesticide Products (Batch 18) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises the public against the purchase and use of the following unregistered household/urban pesticide products: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

BITE BLOCK NATURALS CITRONELLA LOTION WITH EUCALYPTUS MT. HAMIGUITAN RANGE ORGANICS ANTI-LAMOK LOTION ANGEL MOSQUITO COILS LEMON GREEN LIVE MOUSE AND RAT BOND TRAPS BROTHER MOUSE AND RAT GLUE PIT

FDA post-marketing surveillance (PMS) activities have verified that the abovementioned household/urban pesticide products have not gone through the registration process of the agency and have not been issued the proper marketing authorization (MA). Pursuant to Republic Act No. 9711, otherwise known as the “Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009”, the manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, non-consumer use, promotion, advertising or sponsorship of health products without the proper authorization from FDA is prohibited.

Household/urban pesticide products, prior to being placed into the local market, must be duly registered with the FDA by a licensed household/urban pesticide distributor and/ or manufacturer. However, if a household/urban pesticide product has not been evaluated

by FDA as in the case of these unregistered products, the use of such products may pose potential health hazards to the consuming public. FDA cannot guarantee their quality, efficacy and safety. Such products are harmful, toxic and may pose imminent danger to human and animal health. The use of substandard and possibly adulterated household/ urban pesticide products may result to adverse reactions including but not limited to skin irritation, itchiness, anaphylactic shock, respiratory disorders, endocrine complications, brain damage and organ failure.

In light of the above, the public is advised not to purchase the aforementioned violative products. Moreover, the public is also advised to be vigilant against household/ urban pesticide products that might not be duly registered with FDA. Always check if a household/urban pesticide product has been registered with FDA before purchasing it by making use of the embedded Search feature of the FDA website accessible at www. fda.gov.ph.

Consumers are further reminded to: • Buy household/urban pesticide products from reputable stores or dealers; • Read the label. Check that the household/urban pesticide product has FDA registration number indicated in the label.

• Never buy household/urban pesticides that do not have instructions written in Filipino or English. Strictly follow the instructions for use of the product.

All concerned establishments are warned not to distribute the above-identified violative household/urban pesticide products until they have already been covered by the appropriate authorization, otherwise, regulatory actions and sanctions shall be strictly pursued.

All Local Government Units (LGUs) and Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) are requested to ensure that these products are not sold or made available in their localities or areas of jurisdiction.

For more information and inquiries, please e-mail us at info@fda.gov.ph. To report continuous sale or distribution of the above unregistered household/urban pesticide products, utilize our online reporting facility, eReport, at www.fda.gov.ph/ereport, or e-mail us via report@fda.gov.ph, or call us at the Center for Cosmetics Regulation and Research (CCRR) hotline (02) 857-1979 or (02) 857-1984.

Dissemination of the information to all concerned is requested.

JETSTAR FLIES TO CLARK. Jetstar Asia Airways’ inaugural flight from Singapore is welcomed with a water

cannon salute by Clark International Airport Corp.’s Emergency Services Department upon its arrival at Clark International Airport on Nov. 28. The Jetstar Airbus A320 aircraft arrived with 160 passengers aboard, while 168 passengers boarded for the return flight to Singapore. The Jetstar Clark-Singapore service flies every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

NELA CHARADE G. PUNO, RPh. Director General

BoI approves three tourism projects worth P1.1b

By Othel V. Campos THE Board of Investments said Tuesday it approved the grant of tax incentives to three tourism projects with combined investments of P1.13 billion.

“The recent launching of the tourism roadmaps under the hotel and meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions shows we remain committed in collaborating with industry stakeholders to boost tourism in the country. That is why we will pursue a proactive and targeted approach to address the challenges of tourism in partnership with the relevant

associations, academe and other government agencies.

We can build on the competitiveness of this industry and compete with the rest of our ASEAN neighbors,” said Trade undersecretary and BoI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo .

The BoI approved the P267-million Seven Seas Waterpark Resort project of UC-1 Corp. in Misamis Oriental. The nine-hectare project started operating in October 2017 with 176 personnel. It has facilities such as water amusement pools, events tent, restaurant, souvenir shop, pirates booth and corporate hut.

PH companies turn more bullish in Q4 BUSINESSES turned more bullish on the prospects of the Philippine economy in the fourth quarter, given the strong domestic and external demand, results of the latest Business Expectation Survey conducted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show.

Data showed that the overall business confidence index rose to 43.3 percent in the fourth quarter from 37.9 percent in the third quarter, showing that the number of optimists increased and outnumbered the number of pessimists.

Respondents cited the expected increase in orders and consumer purchases during the Christmas holidays, increasing number and expansion of businesses, higher government spending particularly on infrastructure, favorable macroeconomic conditions and manageable inflation as the reasons behind the more buoyant outlook in the fourth quarter.

Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said in a news briefing Tuesday that the sentiment of businesses in the Philippines mirrored the more bullish business outlook in Australia, Canada, Germany and Indonesia.

Businesses also expect inflation to increase but to remain within the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent. Inflation in the first 10 months averaged 3.1 percent. The peso is seen to depreciate and interest rates are expected to go up. Julito G. Rada

Govt eyes 1,900 km of rail network in ‘18 THE Department of Transportation asked the Philippine National Railways to award different rail projects early next year to meet its target to build more rail networks nationwide.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said he wanted PNR to help realize the government’s target to expand the rail networks from the current 77 kilometers to 1,900 kilometers of rails.

“We have to start before the end of the year or

by January,” Tugade said.

Among the rail projects in the pipeline are the PNR North (Manila – Clark), PNR South (Manila – Los Baños – Bicol), Mindanao Railway Project and Subic-Clark Cargo Railway.

The DOTr expects to complete the PNR North or Manila-Clark Railway project which is funded

The resort is capable of accommodating up to 2,000 leisure-seekers on any peak day. Overall, it is targeting up to 280,000 customers/ tourists annually.

Ayala Land Hotels and Resorts Corp. also obtained incentives for Seda Capitol Central in Bacolod City, its seventh hotel under the Seda brand.

The P661.9-million project has 154 guestrooms and suites, an all-day dining restaurant, function and meeting rooms for up to 300 people, e-lounge, gym and roof deck bar.

Commercial operation is slated to begin in January

IN BRIEF

by Japan International Cooperation Agency by 2020.

The PNR South Commuter Project is a 72-kilometer mass transportation railway from Manila to Los Banos, Laguna. The National Economic Development Authority board earlier approved phase 1 of Mindanao Railway Project, a 102-kilometer alignment in Mindanao. Darwin G. Amojelar

Toyota Group keen on Alsons’ projects TOYOTA Tsusho Corp., the trading company of the Toyota Group of Japan, expressed interest to participate in the run-of-river hydro projects of Alsons Consolidated Resources Corp., an executive said Tuesday.

Alsons Energy Development Corp. vice president for business development Joseph Nocos said Toyota Tsusho was looking at two hydropower projects currently under development.

“So far, Siguil and Bago are the projects that Toyota is actively working on,” Nocos said.

Alsons is developing nearly 150 megawatts of hydro power projects mostly located in Mindanao, including the 15 -megawatt Siguil run-of -river hydroelectric power project in Maasim, Sarangani province.

The Siguil hydro project is expected to begin commercial operations by the first half of 2020. It will provide power to Sarangani province, General Santos City and key municipalities in South Cotabato.

Alsons also plans to start construction of the Bago hydro projects in Negros Occidental with a combined capacity of over 40 megawatts next year, with completion eyed by mid 2021.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Temasek eyeing Zuellig stake sale TEMASEK Holdings Pte is exploring the sale of its stake in Asian drug distributor Zuellig Pharma, people familiar with the matter said.

The Singapore state investment firm has been speaking with advisers about a potential sale of its 20-percent stake in Zuellig Pharma, which commands vast pharmaceutical distribution networks

2018 with 147 employees.

Meanwhile, 888 Subic Inc. is putting up the P197million beachfront Central Park Reef Resort in Olongapo City.

The six-story hotel has 110 guest rooms, two restaurants, two infinity swimming pools and a large function room for 150 to 200 guests. It is scheduled to open its doors in June 2018 with 64 personnel.

Tourism data showed some 4.4 million foreign tourists arrived in the country January to August, in line with the government’s target of 6.5 million arrivals for 2017.

in about a dozen Asian markets, according to the people.

Temasek may seek around $1 billion for its holding in the Singapore-based company, the people said, asking not to be identified because the discussions are private.

The stake could draw interest from strategic buyers including Mitsui & Co., the Japanese trading house that’s been expanding its health care operations, as well as private equity firms, the people said.

Zuellig Group was founded in 1922 by businessman Frederick Zuellig, who moved to Manila from Switzerland. The family trading house built out a number of different businesses and now has interests ranging from health care and pharmaceuticals to insurance and property, according to its website. Zuellig Pharma had $10 billion in sales in 2015 generated by its 10,000 employees. Bloomberg

ICTSI signs agreement with PNG landowners

PORT operator International Container Terminal Service Inc. said Papua New Guinea-based unit South Pacific International Container Terminal Ltd. signed an agreement with community landowners to develop and operate two international ports in Motukea and Lae. It said SPICT signed a memorandum of agreement with AHI Investments Ltd. and Labu Holdings Ltd. to establish a collaborative framework in support of ICTSI’s port project. ICTSI recently won 25-year concession to operate two terminals in Papua New Guinea.

“We are committed to developing the new Lae terminal into a world class facility and the best in South Pacific. We will not only be investing in ship-to-shore gantry cranes and the highest levels of information technology but, most importantly, into training and human capital. We are excited and privileged to be working with the local communities on fostering a highly productive local workforce, “ said ICTSI senior vice president and head of Asia Pacific Christian Gonzalez.

SPICT chief executive Edward Muttiah said: “We are glad to move forward with our commitments in PNG together with our partner communities. As with all our port projects, we are delighted to have local stakeholders on board so that we can be truly effective and successful.”

Darwin G. Amojelar

ANNEX Details on the Unregistered Household/Urban Pesticide Products 1

PRODUCT NAME BITE BLOCK NATURALS CITRONELLA LOTION WITH EUCALYPTUS

PRODUCT DETAILS Manufacturer’s Name: Zhangzhou Zhuang Chen Not Indicated Country of Manufacture: China Local Company Responsible for Placing the Product in the Market: Naturale Labs Inc.

2

MT. HAMIGUITAN RANGE ORGANICS ANTI-LAMOK LOTION

Address: Scout Fernandez, Tomas Morato, Quezon City Manufacturer’s Name: S.A.F.A.I./Adelaida G. Palco.

Country of Manufacture: Philippines Local Company Responsible for Placing the Product in the Market: Not Indicated

3

ANGEL MOSQUITO COILS LEMON

Address: Not Indicated Manufacturer’s Name: Bai-Long Enterprises Country of Manufacture: Not Indicated Local Company Responsible for Placing the Product in the Market: Not Indicated Address: Not Indicated

4 GREEN LIVE MOUSE AND RAT BOND TRAPS

Manufacturer’s Name: Yiwu Green State Community Co., Ltd. Country of Manufacture: China Local Company Responsible for Placing the Product in the Market: Not Indicated

5

BROTHER MOUSE AND RAT GLUE PIT

Address: Not Indicated Manufacturer’s Name: Not Indicated Country of Manufacture: China Local Company Responsible for Placing the Product in the Market: Not Indicated Address: Not Indicated

M. Standard – Nov. 29, 2017

PRODUCT IMAGE/S

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

SMC fined P769m for late filing The SEC in a decision dated Nov 21 denied the appeal of San Miguel for lack of merit. It also ordered San HE Securities and to settle the P769-million penExchange Commission Miguel alty within the next 15 days. en banc denied The SEC upheld the order of its the appeal of diversified corporate finance department, penalizing San Miguel for the late filing conglomerate San Miguel of an initial statement of beneficial Corp. and instead penalized ownership of securities when it acthe company P769.29 million, quired a 10-percent stake in Meralco possibly the biggest fine in 2011. San Miguel also reportedly made a late filing on the subsequent imposed by the corporate in the beneficial ownership regulator so far, for late filing change when it sold a portion of its Meralco of a reportorial requirement stake to unit San Miguel Pure Foods when it acquired a stake in Co. Inc. San Miguel allegedly submitted both Manila Electric Co. reports 165 days late—a violation of San Miguel said in a disclosure to the Securities Regulation Code. the stock exchange Monday it would San Miguel had appealed the order, contest the SEC decision.

By Jenniffer B. Austria

T

saying the late filing was due to “inadvertence.”

San Miguel also argued that while it was late in filing the reports, the company made various disclosures regarding the transactions.

The SEC, however, cited the code clearly required directors, officers and principal stockholders of listed companies to file an initial statement of beneficial ownership of securities within 10 days and report changes in beneficial ownership within 10 days after the close of each calendar month.

“SRC Rule 23 merely demonstrates the state’s policy of insuring full and fair disclosures of securities in order to protect the investors. Such rule on disclosure is designed to assist in an informed investment decision, those contemplating the purchase, holding

or disposition of securities, thereby providing for the integrity of fair and orderly trading of securities,” the SEC said.

The SEC also noted that the timely reporting of changes in beneficial ownership in securities was an important requirement to prevent insider trading and creeping acquisitions of securities, and allow the public and the commission to monitor critical information.

“Excuses such as inadvertence is self serving and unverifable. If such excuses are allowed, then the whole system of reportorial requirements designed to ensure transparency and fairness in the securities market would be undermined,” the SEC said.

San Miguel later sold its Meralco shares to JG Summit Holdings Inc. in 2013.

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.81 932,000 59.75 5,020 102 1,455,100 3.9 156,000 144.9 1,314,250 2.27 8,522,000 33.25 226,500 15.62 5,500 34.3 1,905,000 0.65 29,000 0.57 837,000 95.85 3,138,810 0.83 194,000 12 5,000 25 853,500 56.3 57,600 241 830 99 1,000 89.5 9,490 56.05 662,400 250 562,680 1,860 150 87 46,450 1.25 272,000

3,684,440 299,920 148,611,770 608,390 189,720,477 20,761,660 7,551,980 86,718 65,552,660 18,890 480,750 298,827,498.50 159,380 60,000 20,930,200 3,250,328.50 199,210 99,000 847,625 37,226,748.50 140,700,932 279,750 4,042,404.50 340,000

286,800 9,853,758 -5,323,692 -47,490 -156,545 1,578 -3,986,395 -57,000.00 163,267,280.50 33,200 60,000 -1,783,464.50 -2,980,387.50 -47,488,642 -883,692 -

39.95 12.08 0.7 1.29 16.58 0.217 4.36 15.24 41.05 19.8 60 1.92 5.56 11 10.64 14.68 10.9 7.2 5.63 17.24 61.3 23.3 11.8 18.92 2.3 250 4.02 3.51 20 28.1 17.96 18 310.8 0.195 8.5 2.46 6.1 9.22 7.4 9.26 1.54 11.9 58.15 525 4.78 4.4 1.96 12.8 6.52 0.138 1.15 134.5 1.93 25 0.6

INDUSTRIAL 40 1,804,100 12.18 1,398,100 0.71 396,000 1.3 2,027,000 17.12 63,300 0.217 2,240,000 4.38 18,031,000 15.32 47,500 42.4 793,000 20.55 2,200 60 560 2 481,000 5.56 15,100 11.4 4,500 10.66 8,096,700 14.8 295,500 11.02 296,700 7.25 170,300 5.64 18,493,700 17.3 258,900 61.3 61,500 23.35 188,500 11.82 8,200 19.02 1,956,800 2.38 12,334,000 252 713,760 4.03 121,000 3.53 64,000 21.6 5,300 28.25 1,642,200 17.98 88,100 18 1,449,400 313 1,551,710 0.198 1,250,000 8.5 48,300 2.46 5,002,000 6.15 37,200 9.33 3,567,300 7.4 2,337,900 9.29 21,800 1.55 1,072,000 12.1 65,200 58.15 69,330 529.5 18,680 4.85 638,000 4.4 334,000 1.98 276,000 12.9 183,200 6.67 492,000 0.138 230,000 1.15 273,000 136.9 552,770 2 12,312,000 25 1,800 0.6 126,000

72,512,535 17,021,056 278,500 2,639,000 1,059,032 488,910 81,100,300 725,416 33,352,670 43,635 34,857 939,840 84,006 49,756 86,338,568 4,361,946 3,273,654 1,232,547 105,231,023 4,478,538 3,796,483 4,428,360 96,994 37,269,394 29,597,520 180,239,472 489,130 229,190 109,100 46,398,490 1,585,054 26,128,242 486,458,526 245,250 411,010 12,306,420 227,999 33,274,971 18,523,611 202,522 1,662,630 783,034 4,038,438 9,912,555 3,089,670 1,521,590 544,330 2,359,334 3,284,792 32,480 314,450 75,104,394 24,497,050 45,065 75,990

6,785,090 513,242 -193,960 208,600 -18,125,650 -108,594 -2,734,915 1,980 -62,000 1,100 39,112,324 1,361,962 -1,520,546 115,493 -76,622,274 -653,650 721,731.50 12,950,612 -616,740 -3,173,002 -7,300 15,374,090 -38,006 11,288,070.00 131,299,754 -844,700 27,711 -10,175,035 1,423,891.00 -176,510 218,470 440,728.50 2,674,305 1,747,964 -262,766 1,969,942 89,690 -

0.33 73.45 15.66 1 7 0.38 0.375 1,025 7.59 15.1 7.98 1,199 7.92 71.8 5.25 5.48 0.65 5.64 19.5 6.68 0.047 1.32 2.06 113 2.84 970 0.8 1.83 183.1 286 0.23 0.186

0.315 71.1 15.44 1 7 0.365 0.375 1,015 7.43 14.42 7.85 1,154 7.7 70.5 5.2 5.45 0.61 5.49 18.94 6.47 0.046 1.21 2.06 111.5 2.8 959 0.8 1.73 183.1 281 0.23 0.185

HOLDING FIRMS 0.315 330,000 73.45 1,247,590 15.52 1,829,200 1 3,000 7 500 0.375 4,940,000 0.375 550,000 1,017 143,730 7.45 1,427,100 14.42 6,480,600 7.97 51,400 1,162 214,630 7.7 37,500 70.5 701,430 5.25 1,800 5.45 1,500 0.63 969,000 5.59 747,700 19.48 1,762,400 6.48 18,033,500 0.047 13,000,000 1.24 1,800,000 2.06 2,585,000 111.5 837,400 2.84 12,000 970 120,880 0.8 116,000 1.8 6,485,000 183.1 20 285 4,770 0.23 30,000 0.185 180,000

105,000 90,543,809.50 28,385,910 3,000 3,500 1,832,750 206,250 146,431,490 10,629,934 94,268,618 406,542 249,610,350 288,846 49,577,429.50 9,379 8,214 593,390 4,171,385 34,038,834 117,445,294 607,400 2,279,430 5,325,100 93,419,112 33,860 116,815,630 92,800 11,555,280 3,662 1,345,618 6,900 33,310

31,024,878.50 139,758 -85,470,850 -6,206,295 4,346,794 2,428,380 -28,783,548.50 1,297,153 6,984,438 -31,964,830 -85,320 -1,533,910 -45,363,965 1,059,120 11,336 -

5.6 0.94 10.34 2.42 0.92 44 3.7 4.77 5.46 0.475 1.13 1.2 0.225 0.485 38.5 0.68 0.136 1.78 1.5 0.79 5.48 0.445 0.4

5.46 0.92 10.2 2.33 0.9 43.1 3.64 4.59 5.36 0.465 1.12 1.16 0.215 0.46 36.95 0.66 0.136 1.75 1.49 0.77 5.28 0.425 0.37

5,321,187 1,565,450 17,374 43,210 927,880 157,608,215 2,381,750 10,128,160 86,188 5,540,600 58,510 207,980 4,839,250 578,100 16,125,275 470,000 8,160 13,440,550 17,738,520 90,730 157,630,505 80,827,050 6,506,650

-1,149,981 184,000 -4,550 -9,076,410 -21,920 1,270,450 81,900 -677,050 119,000 130,200 284,555 -5,457,920 -6,267,220 -37,931,380 -395,900 -100,100

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

AG FINANCE ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO LEASING BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FIRST ABACUS MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PHILTRUST PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK VANTAGE

4 59.75 102 3.89 143 2.55 33.45 15.78 35.1 0.66 0.58 93.9 0.81 12 24.5 56.5 240 99 89.5 56.45 253.8 1,870 87.15 1.25

4.25 59.75 103.2 3.9 145 2.55 33.45 15.78 35.15 0.66 0.58 95.85 0.83 12 25 57 241 99 89.5 57.2 253.8 1,870 87.35 1.25

3.78 59.25 101.7 3.89 143 2.27 33.25 15.62 34.15 0.65 0.57 92.75 0.81 12 24.5 56.3 240 99 89 56.05 249.6 1,860 86.95 1.25

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS ASIABEST GROUP BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCRETE A CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP EMPERADOR ENERGY DEVT FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PHIL H2O PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PUREFOODS RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH VIVANT VULCAN INDL

40.5 12.18 0.71 1.31 17.38 0.22 4.57 15.3 42.4 19.8 63.1 2.04 5.56 11 10.64 14.76 10.94 7.25 5.73 17.32 62 23.9 12 19.06 2.38 254 4.03 3.6 21.65 28.1 18 18.1 317 0.198 8.5 2.5 6.25 9.23 8 9.3 1.57 12.12 58.9 528 4.97 4.5 1.98 12.9 6.84 0.141 1.15 135 1.93 25.1 0.61

40.5 12.28 0.72 1.32 17.38 0.22 4.7 15.32 42.4 20.55 63.1 2.04 5.57 11.48 10.72 14.86 11.16 7.3 5.76 17.36 62.4 23.9 12 19.48 2.47 254 4.08 3.66 21.65 28.55 18 18.1 317 0.198 8.53 2.5 6.25 9.4 8.38 9.3 1.57 12.12 58.9 540 4.97 4.79 1.98 12.92 6.9 0.142 1.2 136.9 2.03 25.1 0.61

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT JOLLIVILLE HLDG KEPPEL HLDG A LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA PRIME ORION SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG ZEUS HLDG

0.33 72 15.64 1 7 0.365 0.375 1,022 7.59 15.1 7.91 1,199 7.71 71.8 5.2 5.48 0.64 5.49 19 6.68 0.047 1.26 2.06 113 2.8 970 0.8 1.79 183.1 282 0.23 0.186

8990 HLDG A BROWN ANCHOR LAND ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE IRC PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES

5.6 0.92 10.2 2.33 0.91 44 3.66 4.67 5.36 0.47 1.12 1.16 0.223 0.46 37 0.67 0.136 1.77 1.5 0.79 5.48 0.43 0.375

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

0.55 6.2 21.9 2.34 3.2 36.8 1.02 7.29 0.83 5.98

0.58 6.41 22 2.43 3.22 36.8 1.03 7.29 0.87 6

0.54 6.03 21.55 2.2 3.2 36 1.01 6.02 0.83 5.83

0.56 6.33 21.9 2.22 3.2 36.3 1.03 7.28 0.87 6

8,595,000 2,642,400 1,376,500 13,921,000 1,456,000 5,315,900 1,855,000 22,900 2,000 1,997,100

4,848,600 16,639,444 30,043,335 32,525,510 4,670,880 192,930,490 1,893,040 146,155 1,700 11,952,872

-1,760,030 -4,903,180 684,400 40,624,070 -2,596,914

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN HAVEN GRAND PLAZA HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY MELCO RESORTS METRO RETAIL NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

16.5 36.5 1.35 0.47 0.046 12 10.2 0.08 99.8 9.05 7.1 3 1,815 5.88 17.22 11.04 4 2.38 105 12 8.37 0.145 1.36 3.04 15.7 3.64 1.18 21.9 0.53 3.65 7.13 3.91 3.1 11.1 146 8.88 1,571 1.3 0.335 49.2 95 6.17 3.21 1.78 1.91 3.69 0.99 8.25

16.9 36.6 1.56 0.48 0.047 12 10.54 0.08 99.95 9.05 7.1 3.05 1,815 5.9 18.1 11.04 4.6 2.38 106.5 12 8.37 0.148 1.36 3.18 15.7 3.7 1.25 22.4 0.6 3.89 7.3 3.94 3.17 11.1 149 8.91 1,576 1.31 0.34 49.4 96.95 6.17 3.31 1.82 1.91 3.99 1.1 8.34

16.5 36 1.35 0.47 0.046 11.2 10.18 0.076 99.7 8.8 7 2.77 1,777 5.8 17.22 11 3.96 2.38 104 11.98 8.33 0.144 1.35 3.04 15.7 3.62 1.18 21 0.52 3.62 7.02 3.9 3.02 11.1 145 8.7 1,490 1.28 0.335 48.4 93.95 5.86 3.2 1.73 1.91 3.68 0.98 8.19

SERVICES 16.78 36.1 1.49 0.47 0.047 11.2 10.5 0.078 99.7 8.8 7 3.03 1,782 5.81 18.1 11 4.42 2.38 106 12 8.36 0.147 1.35 3.18 15.7 3.64 1.22 22 0.53 3.74 7.23 3.91 3.05 11.1 148.9 8.75 1,500 1.29 0.34 48.4 94 6.17 3.21 1.75 1.91 3.96 1.07 8.3

29,000 48,700 828,000 100,000 22,300,000 300 13,350,900 27,790,000 144,700 762,700 33,800 249,000 92,880 89,900 2,100 2,900 44,056,000 3,000 828,730 131,300 347,200 440,000 664,000 2,000 100 195,000 1,171,000 3,247,300 914,000 1,966,000 4,564,700 421,000 10,301,000 200 2,310 1,681,200 192,935 1,639,000 400,000 1,138,600 225,140 87,400 1,055,000 11,034,000 14,000 3,288,000 57,741,000 2,946,600

485,984 1,758,880 1,219,390 47,200 1,031,500 3,440 139,380,890 2,164,790 14,433,178 6,761,160 236,867 736,400 165,444,280 526,443 36,250 32,004 192,581,980 7,140 87,555,879 1,575,504 2,901,516 63,650 900,830 6,220 1,570 715,840 1,425,630 70,293,740 525,760 7,385,030 32,710,508 1,647,890 31,789,540 2,220 342,145 14,716,388 290,909,815 2,115,420 134,400 55,355,620 21,287,955 526,153 3,418,870 19,411,550 26,740 12,806,960 60,792,370 24,363,696

250,022 42,350 -46,000 53,647,446 416,720 4,719,401 -6,240 6,821,440 -372,530 2,058,053 1,470 -70,300 -3,765,395 4,064,956 509,040 12,140 64,027 -5,755,271 -65,457,620 -317,880 -18,432,060 -7,741,085 -321,510 6,961,860 -12,300 7,349,216

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK BENGUET A BENGUET B CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA HLDG FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A MARCVENTURES NICKEL ASIA NIHAO OMICO CORP ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B PHILODRILL PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON

0.0023 1.66 4.82 13.68 1.71 1.71 1.62 0.345 2.8 0.236 0.15 0.152 0.01 1.82 6.4 1.52 0.45 0.9 0.012 0.012 0.011 6.71 10.44 37 0.007

0.0024 1.69 5 15 1.8 1.73 1.63 0.345 2.8 0.237 0.151 0.153 0.01 1.82 6.4 1.52 0.45 0.9 0.013 0.014 0.012 6.71 11.06 37.15 0.007

0.0023 1.65 4.82 13.68 1.7 1.71 1.59 0.34 2.65 0.219 0.15 0.15 0.01 1.72 6.08 1.5 0.45 0.87 0.012 0.012 0.011 6.25 10.4 35 0.007

MINING & OIL 0.0023 39,000,000 1.66 5,089,000 5 646,000 15 300 1.7 102,000 1.72 38,000 1.62 3,862,000 0.34 450,000 2.67 16,412,000 0.235 2,000,000 0.151 4,780,000 0.151 18,020,000 0.01 11,700,000 1.72 631,000 6.09 10,293,000 1.52 72,000 0.45 180,000 0.89 649,000 0.013 31,200,000 0.013 657,100,000 0.012 160,000,000 6.26 1,211,000 10.86 11,737,800 35.35 5,899,600 0.007 4,000,000

89,800 8,471,400 3,199,220 4,236 173,510 65,430 6,212,080 153,250 44,164,780 445,650 718,010 2,713,100 117,000 1,106,050 63,964,662 108,740 81,000 572,420 374,600 9,178,200 1,916,100 7,767,590 127,652,400 210,385,285 28,000

-9,660 -14,740 -65,430 53,130 326,670 184,250 -819,100 -14,301,343 30,000 -1,300 -2,006,046 168,874.00 -91,670,750 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B MWIDE PREF PF PREF 2 PNX PREF 3A SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H

36.05 522.5 531 108 106 115.6 537 5.45 1,012 1,020 109.4 1,010 103 77.4 81.5 77 79 81.45 78.95 78.4

36.05 522.5 531 108.4 106.5 115.6 537 5.45 1,012 1,030 109.4 1,010 103 77.5 81.5 77 79 81.45 78.95 78.4

35.55 522.5 531 108 106 115.6 537 5.42 1,010 1,020 109.4 1,001 103 77 81.25 77 79 79.5 77.4 78.4

PREFERRED 35.75 17,700 522.5 20,000 531 500 108 20,850 106.5 15,520 115.6 43,340 537 2,960 5.42 120,500 1,010 9,610 1,030 11,995 109.4 1,360 1,001 3,300 103 23,630 77 1,070 81.25 1,710 77 11,440 79 20,000 79.6 101,050 78.5 71,100 78.4 1,600

633,035 10,450,000 265,500 2,255,803 1,646,705 5,010,104 1,589,520 656,547 9,712,970 12,295,550 148,784 3,306,705 2,433,890 82,503 138,945 880,880 1,580,000 8,044,145 5,543,890 125,440

-397,085 -1,002,700 -617,377 239,400 -

LR WARRANT

2.28

2.4

2.26

WARRANTS 2.4 401,000

931,080

-46,000

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

11.96 3.4 3.82

12 3.5 3.86

11.32 3.17 3.72

SME 11.46 3.39 3.77

12,176,750 366,820 7,239,380

-15,660 -2,858,050

FIRST METRO ETF

125.6

125.7

125.5

933,137

-47,728

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 5.47 0.94 10.3 2.42 0.92 44 3.7 4.66 5.46 0.47 1.13 1.2 0.216 0.465 37.4 0.66 0.136 1.75 1.49 0.77 5.41 0.435 0.395

972,300 1,685,000 1,700 18,000 1,016,000 3,600,100 652,000 2,190,000 15,800 11,790,000 52,000 175,000 22,140,000 1,240,000 429,600 712,000 60,000 7,647,000 11,886,000 117,000 29,316,100 186,470,000 16,690,000

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

22,816,741

INDUSTRIAL

104,189,337

HOLDING FIRMS

67,369,154

PROPERTY

338,317,657

SERVICES

217,215,194

MINING & OIL

985,305,586

GRAND TOTAL

1,738,307,801

1,054,100 109,000 1,919,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 125.7 7,430

VALUE 2,090.57 (UP) 0.15 1,180,597,346.16 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,845.25 (DOWN) 7.73 1,467,261,941.91 HOLDING FIRMS 8,443.69 (DOWN0 71.49 3,508,937,123.47 PROPERTY 3,904.86 (DOWN) 25.32 SERVICES 1,605.32 (DOWN) 28.50 876,619,624.70 MINING & OIL 11,526.59 (DOWN) 615.65 1,276,538,120.49 PSEI 8,291.88 (DOWN) 69.81 489,721,771.925 All Shares Index 4,854.67 (DOWN) 33.65 8,820,409,254.86 Gainers: 75; Losers: 115; Unchanged: 52; Total: 242

RCBC set to increase capital to 2.6b shares

By Julito G. Rada RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp., the ninth-largest lender in terms of assets, will increase its capital base, especially common shares, to 2.6 billion from 1.4 billion with a par value of P10 apiece.

The bank said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Tuesday its board of directors approved the increase at the regular meeting on Nov. 27, 2017.

RCBC said the board also approved the amendment of the seventh article of the articles of incorporation to reflect the increase of the authorized common shares to 2.6 billion.

The bank will hold a special meeting on Jan. 29, 2018 to get the stockholders’ approval of the increase in authorized capital stock and the corresponding amendment to the articles of incorporation.

RCBC’s consolidated net income declined 2.8 percent to P3.4 billion in the first nine months from P3.5 billion year-on-year.

But net income in the third quarter jumped 19 percent to P1.1 billion from P893 million on year due to stronger core business led by a 19-percent growth in net interest profit and the 14-percent expansion in fee-based income.

Bank president Gil Buenaventura said the ninemonths’ results remained encouraging, as the increase in CASA deposits and growth in total Loan portfolio helped fuel the responsiveness of its products to the market demand.

Annualized net interest margin remained strong at 4.30 percent, 24 basis points improvement from 4.06 percent recorded in the full of 2016. Annualized return on equity and return on assets stood at 7.16 percent and 0.87 percent, respectively.

Cebu-based firm eyeing net profit of P1.7b in ‘18 CEBU Landmasters Inc. plans to raise net income in 2018 by 42 percent to P1.7 billion from a projected profit of P1.2 billion this year with the launching of 20 new projects next year.

CLI chief operating officer Jose Franco Soberano said in an analysts’ briefing Tuesday the company also saw revenues increasing 47 percent to P5.3 billion in 2018 from target sales of P3.6 billion target this year.

New projects slated for launch in 2018 include residential condominiums and subdivisions, office and hotel projects in Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro and Bacolod.

Reservation sales are also expected to jump 75 percent to P7 billion next year from a projected P4 billion this year.

“2018 will be another banner year for the company as we continue to see lot of opportunities given the local support that we have been receiving,” Soberano said.

To fund the aggressive launches next year, CLI plans to file for a bond shelf registration of up to P10 billion.

The company is looking to issue an initial tranche of P3 billion with P2 billion oversubscription by April of May next year with a tenor of between 5 to 10 years.

CLI chief finance officer Stephen Tan said the company planned to issue bonds after proceeds from the recent initial public offering are used by early 2018.

Soberano said the bond offering would enable the company to explore new projects and pursue its planned mixed-use estate development in Davao City.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Business/World

Manila

Standard

TODAY

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

B3

Signals hint at new N. Korea missile test

Deliberate

IT IS the last week of November.

In businesses across the country, preparations are being made for the end of the year. At the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), end of November is when the final requirements for graduation are submitted and the Institute gears up for graduation.

The end of November is a time for anticipating endings.

SEOUL―Radio signals and Deliberate radar activity detected at a The word deliberate can be an adjective or a verb. As an adjective, North Korean missile base have raised concerns the recluit invokes intentionality, planning, thoughtfulness, rationality, sive regime may be preparing a and care. As a verb, it can be used to describe both singular and new missile test, news reports collective activities. It involves the act of thoughtful and careful in Seoul and Tokyo said Tuesconsideration. As a collective activity, it includes the process of day. discussing in an unhurried and rational manner. There will normally The North has stoked interbe reference to both objectives, history, potential consequences and national alarm over its banned other decision criteria. nuclear missile program, but it In business, when managers deliberate, it is typically about has not launched a missile test creating a plan or making a decision. These discussions are always since September 15, raising grounded by an analysis of the current situation, the short-term and hopes that ramped-up sanctions ERUPTION ANTICIPATED. A fisherman drives a traditional boat as Mount Agung erupts as seen from long-term goals of the business, and the potential consequences, are having an impact. the Kubu sub-district in Karangasem Regency on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on November 28, 2017.

Indonesian authorities extended the closure of the international airport on the resort island of Bali for a However, the South Korean both short-term and long-term, of the outcome of the deliberations. second day over fears of a volcanic eruption. AFP news agency Yonhap cited a In the academe, deliberations concerning graduation are just government source as saying as thoughtful. They are similar to business decisions that affect that a missile-tracing radar was individuals—such as hiring, regularization, salary action or switched on at an unspecified promotion. In business, one key question concerns how well the base on Monday, and there had individual will continue to perform in the proposed position and been a flurry of telecoms trafhow this will affect the company. This is especially true for decisions fic. concerning key positions—the appointment of a CEO or CFO, for “It’s true that active moveexample. By contrast, decisions concerning students primarily ments have been detected at a affect the student. The effect on the school is largely indirect and North Korean missile base,” long-term. From one point of view, this can mean that business the source reportedly said.

“Signs like those spotted Mondecisions can be more practical and involve clearer decision factors day have recently been detect– especially when it comes to decisions about current employees. from the crater,” said I Gede SuARANGASEM, Indonesia―Evacuation ed frequently.”

Each employee has a clear job description. There are individuals antika, an official at Indonesia’s centers and hotels in Bali fi lled up “We need to watch a while volcanology agency. that have the primary responsibility for overseeing and evaluating longer before determining Tuesday with tens of thousands seeking The exclusion zone around them. There is clarity about any proposed future jobs. By contrast, whether the North is preparing Agung, which is 75 kilometers a school’s knowledge about students is distributed across many refuge as a volcano on the Indonesian resort a missile launch or gearing up from the beachside tourist hub of professors and the school cannot have any assurance that it knows island threatened to erupt, forcing the closure of Kuta, has also been widened to for [its own] winter drill that what the student will be doing in the future. starts Friday.”

10 kilometers. the main airport for a second day.

Signaling A South Korean defense As of Tuesday some 443 flights When a school puts a student in its roster of graduates for a ministry spokesman declined had been cancelled, affecting Stranded tourists hunted for sky, forcing all flights to be certain degree, it is essentially saying that that student fulfills al of to comment on the report, but accommodation while fright- grounded until at least Wednes- more than 120,000 passengers similar accounts from Tokyo the requirements of that degree. The degree is essentially a seal of in Bali, a top holiday destination ened villagers living in Mount day morning. caused a temporary slump on approval. If a student receives a degree in medicine, it is expected that attracts millions of foreign Agung’s shadow made their way Ash is dangerous for planes as the stock exchange there. AFP that he has the ability to engage in medical practice, that he can tourists every year.

AFP to more than 200 evacuation it makes runways slippery and diagnose common diseases and prescribe treatment. Moreover, in centers as the mountain gushed can be sucked into their engines. the professions, the expectation is that the graduate will exhibit the smoke and ash.

Officials have warned that the Republic of the Philippines ethical behavior expected of the profession.

The rumbling volcano― volcano, which looms over the DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE which last erupted in 1963 tropical holiday paradise, could When a school graduates a student, it will send multiple signals.

NATIONAL TOBACCO ADMINISTRATION Scout Reyes Street, corner Panay Avenue, Quezon City killing around 1,600 people― erupt at any moment.

The first signal is a matter of minimum compliance. A graduate has Tel No. (02) 374-3987 Fax. No. (02) 374-2505 forced Indonesian authorities to Some 40,000 people have satisfied the school’s minimum requirements. While every school close Bali’s airport for a second abandoned their homes in the would love to be evaluated only with respect to its best students, Re-InvItatIon to BId day Tuesday as experts raised danger zone but as many as Supply and delIveRy of 445 HeadS of BRaHMan HeIfeR Cattle BReed foR the reality is that employers, parents and even students look to uSe In IfoIGap – Beef/Cattle pRoduCtIon aSSIStanCe pRoJeCt the alert level to maximum. many as 100,000 will likely be the minimum in order to determine the quality of the school. For (pB 2017-11a) Towering columns of thick forced to leave, disaster agency example, does the school have a 100% pass rate in professional grey smoke have been rising officials have said.

1. The NATIONAL TOBACCO ADMINISTRATION (NTA), through the 2017 examinations? That is one indicator of what the minimum Corporate Operating Budget intends to apply the sum of PhP19,777,500.00, being from the mountain since last “Volcanic ash is still spewing. the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC), to payments under the contract for requirements allow a graduate to achieve. The second signal is week, and in the last few days It’s thick and rising very high― the project: “Supply and Delivery of 445 Heads of Brahman Heifer Breed Cattle for Use in IFOIGAP – Beef/Cattle Production Assistance Project’’. Bids one of specialization. Is the student certified in a particular area of have begun shooting into the up to three or four kilometers received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. practice? Specializations give a graduate an edge over those who 2. The NTA now invites bids for the supply and delivery of 445 Heads of Brahman have a generic degree. Certifying specializations, of course, requires Heifer Cattle Breed.Delivery of the Goods is required for a period of sixty (60) that the school have a second set of minimum requirements. Finally, days, from receipt of the Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed, within a period of five (5) years, from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a there is the signal of excellence. This happens when a school hands contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in LOS ANGELES―Another ac- trafficking laws during the inciout honors during graduation. the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders. tress added her name Monday to dent in Cannes in 2014.

In fact, school deliberations concerning graduation are very The Technical Specifications are as follows: the dozens accusing movie moWeinstein is accused of grop Breed Brahman Heifer; similar to business deliberations concerning products, services, or  High Grade Commercial; gul Harvey Weinstein of a litany ing Noble, pulling her into his customers. The reality is that the output of a school is embodied  Not less than 220 Kilos per Cattle at time of delivery; of depraved sexual misconduct hotel bathroom and forcing her  20-24 months old; in its graduates – what knowledge, skills or attitudes they gain and as he was forced to quit Holly- to pleasure him, telling her that  Dewormed and vaccinated Hemosep at least two (2) weeks prior to delivery how they use these as they move forward in their lives. and certified by a licensed government veterinarian; wood’s directing union. “everything will be taken care of  Tested free from Brucellosis, as certified by the Bureau of Animal Industry When any student (or parent) decides on a school, or program, More than 100 women have for you if you relax”.

(BAI);  Must not possess any physical defects / conditions or undesirable they will look at the curriculum, the faculty and the facilities, of come forward since October to Noble is seeking unspecified characteristics; course. But the final test of how well a school has performed is accuse the veteran producer of damages, accusing Weinstein of  With health certificate;  Sourced from BAI accredited Cattle farm; and always going to lie in how well its graduates perform. various degrees of bullying and being able “to force or coerce”  Winning Bidder should have an available 445 heads of cattle at the time of degrading behavior over the past her into sexual activity in his Enough Post Qualification.  Delivery period shall be within 60 days, from receipt of the Notice to Proceed.

40 years, from intimidation to rape. hotel room by promising to find As we finish this week of deliberations at AIM, we discuss In the latest case filed in a her a film role and to use his insituations and individuals. We review reports and examinations.

Delivery sites for the cattle are: NTA-Pangasinan Branch Office; NTA-La Union Branch Office New York federal court, aspir- fluence on her behalf.

We reference requirements and standards. Through all of the NTA- Vigan, Ilocos Branch Office NTA-Candon, Ilocos Sur Branch Office ing British actress Kadian Noble A statement issued on behalf NTA-Abra Branch Office NTA-Ilocos Norte Branch Office discussions, I remember Gaby Mendoza, AIM’s first Filipino Dean is accusing Weinstein of inviting of Weinstein―who is reportedly NTA-Isabela Branch Office NTA-Cagayan Branch Office and President who gave me one of my most important touchstones NTA-Occidental Mindoro Field Office her to a hotel room in France undergoing sex addiction therafor this critical decision. He told me this: “At the end of the day, and sexually assaulting her. py at a facility in Arizona―re3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using Maya, there is one question and one question only. Will you be a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised The civil lawsuit says the pro- peated his denial of allegations Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise proud to claim this student as an AIM alumnus?” Will he be able ducer violated US federal sex against him. AFP known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. to represent what the AIM community, its (i) Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or alumni, faculty and partners, believe in? organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations Will he exhibit the competence and ethics of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges we expect of an AIM alumnus? Will we be to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

N OTICE happy to claim him as one of our own?

N OTICE (ii) Bidding is open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to Notice is hereby given that 8990 HOUSING To this day, every time I map out a the conditions for eligibility provided in the IRR of RA 9184.

Notice is hereby given that METALCAST DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, with office CORPORATION with office address at course, prepare for a class, mark a paper address at 8990 Corporate Center, Negros St., 4. Interested bidders may obtain further information from NTA and inspect the Bidding Mountview Industrial Complex, Bo. Bancal, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City, is applying for Documents at the address given below during 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. or send back a report or spend nights Carmona, Cavite is applying for registration with registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) the Board of Investments (BOI) as Expanding explaining what still needs to be done, as a New Developer of Economic and Low-cost 5. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders Export Producer of Aluminum Diecast Parts (for Housing Project (Deca Homes - South Bacolod) beginning on November 29, 2017 to December 19, 2017, from the address that is the thought in my head. Am I doing Motorcycle and Automotive parts) at an annual with a capacity of 2,912 economic and low-cost below; and upon payment of the bidding fees for the Bidding Documents, pursuant capacity of 1,800 tons per year. house and lot units on a non-pioneer status, with everything I can in order to make sure that to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of PhP25,000.00. project site located at Brgy. Cabug, Bacolod City. this student, this potential graduate will Any person with valid objection/s on the aboveIt may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Any person with valid objection/s on the mentioned project may file his/her objection in make all of us, the faculty and alumni and Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the above-mentioned project may file his/her objection writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) Procuring Entity, provided that Bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding staff, proud? Am I giving students the in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication/posting.

Documents not later than the submission of their bids. days from the date of this publication. opportunity to try hard enough, to learn as 6. The NTAwill hold a Pre-Bid Conference on December 06, 2017,at 10:00 a.m., (SGD.) MARY ANN E. RAGANIT much as they can? at 3rd Floor, Training Room, NTA Building, cor. Scout Reyes Street and Panay (SGD) EVARISTE M. CAGATAN Officer-In-Charge Avenue, Quezon City., which shall beopen to prospective bidders.

Director The reality is that, while we can provide Infrastructure and Services Industries Service Manufacturing Industries Service guidance while students are in school, they 7. Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or beforeDecember 19, 2017. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any must be able to manage their own lives and of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. careers after graduation. There will be no Bid opening shall be onDecember 19, 2017, at 10:00 a.m., at 3rd Floor, Training professor to review reports or catch them Room, NTA Building, cor. Scout Reyes Street and Panay Avenue, Quezon City.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to doing something wrong. So this ending is attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted. really about deciding that these students are 8.

The NTA reserves the right toreject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, ready for a new beginning. or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with This week, as we anticipate graduation, Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

I add my other question to Gaby’s. Are our 10. For further information, please refer to: graduates ready? Have we done enough?

Volcano eruption fears fill up hotels

K

New suit against Weinstein

(MS-NOV. 29, 2017)

•••• For more information on AIM’s new programs, please go to www.aim.edu.

Readers can email Maya at integrations_ manila@yahoo.com.

Or visit her site at http://integrations.tumblr.com.

For academic publications, Maya uses her full name, Maria Elena Baltazar Herrera.

(MS-NOV. 29, 2017)

CRISTINA C. LOPEZ, DBA National Tobacco Administration Cors. Scout Reyes Street and Panay Avenue, Quezon City Tel No. 372 3188; cclnta@yahoo.com Fax No. 373 2095 Website Address:nta.da.gov.ph (SGD) CRISTINA C. LOPEZ, DBA Chairperson, NTA-BAC (MS-NOV. 29, 2017)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

B4

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

Cavite traffic coding set Jan.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Muslims to protect Manila

By Bill Casas

T

HE Islamic Center in Quiapo, one of the biggest Muslim communities in Metro Manila, has renewed its commitment to protect the City of Manila from extremists and criminals.

Amid the recent arrests of three alleged Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Quezon City, whom police said had planned to terrorize the recent Asean Summit, Grand Imam Solaiman Sarangani reassured Mayor Joseph Estrada that their community will not in any way harbor lawless elements.

“We are always reminding our Muslim brothers that whenever they notice someone or something suspicious they should report it immediately to the authorities,” the senior Muslim cleric said in an interview.

Like all peace-loving Filipinos, he said the Muslim community believes that by helping preserve peace progress will follow. “We all believe that if there is peace, there will be relief and that the community will progress,” Sarangani said.

Estrada, in response, said he has never doubted the sincerity of the peace-loving

Muslim people of Manila.

“The city government is thankful to the cooperation and unwavering support of our Muslim brothers and sisters. In times like this, we must work together to fight extremism and violence,” Estrada said.

For its part, a Filipino Muslim youth group based in Manila likewise expressed its dedication to pursue peace not only in Manila but also in the entire country.

“We remain committed to peace as Muslims because Islam is our way of life which is peaceful. Our contribution to peace in Manila is Islam. That’s how simple it is,” said Alnajib Butlangan Maujon, director of Markaz Dar-Attazkiyah (Abode of Purification Islamic Library and Da’wa Center).

Maujon also heads the Federation of Muslim Students Association (FMSA)-Manila

HAPPY FAMILY. The Ejercito clan in government—Senator JV Ejercito, San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez, Pagsanjan Mayor Girlie

‘Maita’ Javier-Ejercito and former Laguna governor Jeorge ‘ER’ Ejercito (from left)—is all smiles after receiving their respective plaques and medals in the Seal of Good Local Governance awards handed out by the Department of the Interior and Local Government last Friday at the Manila Hotel. Roy Tomandao

Nueva Vizcaya aims to raise forest cover by 3%

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION 24 OCT 2017 FDA ADVISORY No. 2017-287 TO

: GENERAL CONSUMING PUBLIC

SUBJECT : Public Health Warning Against the Use of Counterfeit Cosmetic Products (Batch 6) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises the public against the purchase and use of the cosmetic product, L’ORÉAL PARIS EASY TO PERM whose particulars/details are provided below: PRODUCT DETAILS

PRODUCT IMAGE/S

By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya— The provincial government here has increased its greening efforts and activities in a bid to improve Nueva Ecija’s forest cover.

Errol Egoy, environmental management specialist of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, said they have targeted to raise the province’s forest cover by three percent, boost waste diversion

by 55 percent, and the monitoring and regulation of sand and gravel operations by 100 percent.

As of November, Egoy said the Penro has established 326.55 hectares for upland and urban forest, 163.46 hectares for upland agro-forestry, and 30.50 hectares for upland rural development, with an aggregate of 521.51 hectares under their Watershed Management Program.

“This also serves as our localized support and contribution to

Valenciana Festival in GenTri on Dec. 13

Not Indicated

Address: Not Indicated

Country of Manufacture: Label is in Foreign Language

FDA, in coordination with the Market Authorization Holder (MAH), L’Oreal Philippines Inc., has verified that the aforementioned cosmetic product is a COUNTERFEIT. According to the MAH, in addition to the aforementioned cosmetic product not being a part of their local portfolio, the product packaging is not in accordance with the label requirements of L’Oreal Paris products, thus, is a definite counterfeit.

Counterfeit products, not having gone through the required safety assessment and the verification process of the FDA, pose potential health hazards to the consuming public since their safety and purity cannot be guaranteed. The dangers/hazards may come from ingredients that are not allowed to be part of a cosmetic product or from the contamination of heavy metals such as lead and mercury. The use of substandard and possibly adulterated cosmetic products may result to adverse reactions including but not limited to skin irritation, itchiness, anaphylactic shock and organ failure.

In light of the above, the public is advised to be vigilant against buying and using the aforementioned counterfeit cosmetic product. Moreover, the public is also advised to be vigilant against cosmetic products that might not be duly notified with FDA. Always check if a cosmetic product has been notified with FDA before purchasing it by making use of the embedded Search feature of the FDA website accessible at www.fda.gov.ph.

All concerned establishments are warned not to distribute the above-identified violative cosmetic product, otherwise, regulatory actions and sanctions shall be strictly pursued.

All Local Government Units (LGUs) and Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) are requested to ensure that the product is not sold or made available in their localities or areas of jurisdiction.

To report any suspicious and/or illegal activity involving the said product, the public may contact FDA through its online reporting facility, eReport, at www.fda.gov.ph/ereport, or e-mail us at report@fda.gov.ph, or call the Center for Cosmetics Regulation and Research (CCRR) hotline (02) 857-1979 or (02) 857-1984.

For more information and inquiries regarding L’Oreal Paris products, consumers may contact the MAH through any of the following channels: Contact Information Email: consumer.care@ph.loreal.com Hotline No.: (02) 672-7200 Facebook Account: https://www.facebook.com/LOrealParisPhilippines/

Dissemination of the information to all concerned is requested

NELA CHARADE G. PUNO, RPh Director General M. Standard – Nov. 29, 2017

the national government’s National Greening Project,” he said.

Penro also established 223 hectares of bamboo plantations out of the 400 hectares targeted inside the Lower Magat Eco-Tourism Park in Diadi town, including the production of 90,452 assorted forest and fruit tree seedlings. About 13,667 of these have been distributed to partner stakeholders, who also planted 630 Yakal seedlings during the Sierra Madre Day celebration.

IN BRIEF

Local Company Responsible for Placing the Product in the Market:

Product Brand L’Oreal Paris

TRECE MARTIRES CITY—Cavite Gov. Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla has announced that the vehicle number-coding scheme in the province will be fully implemented starting January 2018.

The scheme’s implementing rules and regulations has been approved by the provincial board led by Vice Governor Ramon “Jolo” Revilla III. Provincial Ordinance 164, or the Number Coding Unified Vehicular Reduction System of Cavite Province, was authored by 1st District Board Member Gilbert Gandia, chairman of the committee on transportation and communications.

The scheme aims to solve traffic in major roads of the province, namely Aguinaldo Highway (from Zapote to the Dasmariñas-Silang boundary), Governor’s Drive (from Carmona to the Trece Martires City-Tanza boundary), and Molino Boulevard (from Talaba, Bacoor to Paliparan Road in Dasmariñas City).

Under the revised IRR, the vehicles covered by the travel ban are private cars, vans and trucks, except those with Philippine Economic Zone Authority registration and stickers. Motorcycles are not included under the revised scheme.

The vehicles are banned

LUCKY WINNER. Caloocan Mayor Oscar Malapitan hands the keys of a brand-

new motorcycle to David de Guzman, whose ticket was drawn in the Motorcyle Fest held last month in the city. De Guzman is a tricycle transport association president in the northern part of Caloocan. The turnover took place at the city plaza during the flag-raising ceremony on Monday, as several winners received motorcycle accessories, parts, lubricants, spray paints, shirts and even television sets. Caloocan is tagged as the Motorcycle Trading Capital of Metro Manila. Jun David

QC launches advanced police command and control center

By Rio N. Araja

QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista has led the launch of the Quezon City Police District’s integrated command and control center, designed to boost the city’s crime surveillance and prevention capability.

Bautista said the QCPD is the country’s first police district to develop a comprehensive integrated command and control center with an individual surveillance and communication system per police station, a solar hybrid emergency power backup system, a modern private communication facility, digital mobile radio network infrastructure, and a global positioning system for fleet management.

Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa joined Bautista and QCPD

director Guillermo Eleazar during the launch held on the QCPD’s 78th founding anniversary in Camp Karingal.

Touted as the benchmark for future facilities of the PNP and other agencies, the QC center shall also be integrated with other information and communication technology devices, such as police body-worn cameras that shall be directly connected to the command center, allowing real-time transmission of video feeds captured during police operations, in a bid to promote transparency.

The command center also establishes a direct link with the city’s disaster risk reduction management office and maintains inter-operability with other command centers.

Dela Rosa welcomed Bautista’s continued support to the QCPD in its fight against criminality.

THE local government of General Trias City in Cavite is set to celebrate the 5th Valenciana Festival as one of the highlights of its 269th Foundation Day and 2nd Cityhood on Dec. 13, with this year’s theme Gentriseno: “Magkakaagapay sa Pagusad at Pag-unlad” (Partners in Progress).

Mayor Antonio “Ony” Ferrer, together with GenTri Tourism Officer Michelle Pozas and Local Investment and Promotion Head Romel Olimpo, presented the programs for a oneweek celebration in the city.

On Dec. 13, local officials led by Mayor Ferrer and Cavite 6th District Rep. Luis “Jon-Jon” Ferrer IV will lead the wreath-laying ceremony at the monument of General Mariano Trias, the former vice president, in Barangay Bagumbayan at 8 a.m. after the Holy Mass at the historic St. Francis of Assisi church.

DoST ‘Eco-sep’ makes Siargao waters safe GENERAL LUNA, Siargao Island—Safe water may be the next attraction in Siargao, as the island puts on board the Ecofriendly Septic Tank System or Eco-sep, the Department of Science and Technology said.

This technology consists of a septic water management system that addresses the problem on untreated wastewaters in resorts, public establishments, and households.

Launched in Siargao last September, the Eco-sep technology is installed in three pilot sites, namely General Luna Market, General Luna High School, and Traveler’s Beach Resort.

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

FASHION & BEAUTY

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

C1

Bata Bullets black classic canvas sneakers with white and olive stripe foxing

The Bata

HERITAGE COLLECTION

S

TYLISH shoppers recently had a rare glimpse of global footwear brand Bata’s long history, authentic products, as well as its positive impact around the world in pop up shop of its Heritage Collection at SM Makati.

The Bata Heritage Collection features its iconic high-top sneakers, Bata Bullets, which were originally made for Maryland’s local NBA team, the Baltimore Bullets

To celebrate its 120th Anniversary in 2014, Bata launched its Bata Heritage Collection to showcase heritage products from its vast archives of shoes that had a real impact in many countries.

The collection has since toured the world, and for the Manila run, no less than Bata Heritage Director Charles Pignal, who is a great grandson of founder Tomas Bata attended the event to “share with Filipino customers Bata Heritage’s slightly different approach to Bata’s history, Bata’s values, Bata’s authenticity.”

The Bata Heritage Pop Up Shop in SM Makati showcased the classic Bata Tennis shoes from India and Bata Bullets sneakers from the USA, along with limited edition collaborations featuring Astroboy and Julien David. These are also heritage shoes with fascinating stories.

When founder Tomas Bata first travelled to India in 1929, he saw many people working barefoot and developed his life vision “to shoe mankind.” Bata

opened its Batanagar factory near Calcutta in 1934 and first manufactured the Bata Tennis in 1936, a very affordable simple canvas shoe for school children to wear for their Physical Education classes. Over the decades, Bata has sold over half a billion pairs of Bata Tennis shoes in India across all walks of life. Bata Tennis is still proudly made 80 years later and contributes to Bata’s trusted reputation for quality, comfort, and value.

As part of the Bata tradition of making shoes adapted to local conditions, it was only fitting that in 1964, the Bata factory in Belcamp, Maryland, USA would make basketball sneakers for the local NBA team, the Baltimore Bullets. The Bata Bullets became so popular that Bata started making different Bullet lines across different sports like wrestling, soccer, and cycling before the shoes were discontinued in the mid-1970s. Long considered underground cult classics of the sneaker scene, the Bata Bullets got a

re-launch for Spring/Summer 2016, a testament to the company’s rich history and enduring values.

A pioneer of innovative footwear for more than 120 years, global footwear brand Bata started in 1894 when a young Czech shoemaker named Tomas Bata decided to start his own shoe business in his hometown of Zlin.

Along with his siblings Anna and Antonin, Tomas Bata decided that his mission was to provide comfortable shoes of great quality at affordable prices. In order to serve customers with such shoes, Tomas Bata constantly experimented with new manufacturing processes and techniques.

As Tomas Bata developed a vision “to shoe mankind,” he built factory towns named “Batavilles” around the world.

Today, Bata has a presence in 70 countries, and operates over 5,000 international retail stores. The brand sells more than one million pairs of shoes a day. In the Philippines, Bata has stores in SM Megamall, SM City Bacoor, SM Makati and SM Mall of Asia. Bata is also available at the SM Stores.

Get connected with Bata through Bata Philippines on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube at @BataPhilippines.

Catherine Cavilte’s 2017 Bridal Fashion Collection CATHERINE CAVILTE, one of the Philippines’ promising bridal couturiers, has launched her Fall 2017 collection dubbed as Krustallos at the recently held Tadhana 2017 fashion show gala at The Manila Hotel.

Tadhana 2017 is a luxe bridal exhibition organized to celebrate exquisite Filipino talents through luxurious bridal tablescapes by the country’s top event stylists and a gala fashion show featuring Wedding Essentials Magazine’s chosen bridal designers. Manila’s glitterati witnessed out-ofthe-ordinary bridal fashion presentations by seven bridal designers at The Tent City at The Manila Hotel recently.

Opening the show was Cavilte’s Krustallos collection, a selection of seven intricately designed couture offerings for the unconventional bride. Inspired by the fantastical textures of nature’s crystals, each bridal gown exudes wonderment that large crystals bring—be it snowflakes, diamonds or table salt. The collection’s name Krustallos, the Greek word from which the term crystal was derived from, perfectly embodies the magic that each bridal couture piece represents in a woman’s nerve-wracking yet life-changing phase of her life.

“I love playing up with textures inspired by natur. Crystals could be seen as icy, yet magical. I want this collection to show one of nature’s quiet m i r a cle s — t he forming of crystals from ice. I want this collection to be just that to a b r id e — a

A scene-stealing bridal gown part of Christine Cavilte’s 2017 Bridal Fashion Collection

calming yet magical phase in her life represented by her wedding dress. I want this collection to be seen as whimsical and magical,” Cavilte shared.

Cavilte has always been dubbed by the local fashion media as the next it-bridal couturier. Her love for fashion started early on, which made her pursue a Fashion Design course while completing a college degree in Computer Application during her college days in St. Benilde. After earning her fashion design degree in Fashion Institute of the Philippines, she’s bent on enhancing her fashion know-how through frequent travels abroad. It was not long after that she allowed herself to immerse in the business and slowly worked her way into the industry.

Young, fresh, and bold—that’s what made the fashion luminaries take notice when she was placed under the fashion radar for the first time. She was selected as one of the finalists of MEGA Young Designers Competition in 2004 and that became her launch pad as she was ushered into the scene. Her clientele started to grow, with celebrities and noted personalities decking themselves with her pieces. In 2007, she landed the pages of Preview Magazine and joined the roster of “12 Designers to Watch Out”.

Her passion and creative flair continued to set things in motion when

s h e was handpicked as one of MEGA Magazine’s “Women to Watch” in 2009. That same year,

she also graced the runway of Australian Fashion Week coupled with rave reviews. To say that Catherine Cavilte was on a roll would be an understatement.

With brands keeping their eyes peeled on the next-best-things in fashion, it was sooner than later that Cavilte started venturing into business and at the same time, sharing her fashion ingenuity to retail giants such as Memo, Folded and Hung, and Jellybean. With more than a decade of experience, she became a force to be reckoned with that eventually made her design sensibilities and business acumen her strengths. Her body of work extends from tasteful couture pieces and ready-towear essentials to bridal wear and evening wear.

She lends a modern approach to a woman’s dream wedding dress yet remain true to her style vision.

Her designs continue to be a breath of fresh air and she intends to take her brand into greater heights as she envisions new ways to innovate. Clearly, she has found the passion and calling that she worked hard for all these years. After all, fashion is an industry where she thrives and Catherine Cavilte always means business.

Cavilte’s aesthetics are for the brides who are not afraid to go beyond the style norms. The intricate yet wearable details of her masterpieces are effortlessly scene-stealing yet feminine and modest, making a bride’s day even more unforgettable fashion-wise.

Catherine Cavilte’s Fall 2017 Krustallos Collection is another proof that fusing polarities may be a feat for many, but not for Catherine Cavilte who can do it with ease. Staying true to her style DNA of feminine and eclectic aesthetics, one can see that she effortlessly marries astounding creativity with wearability. Her delicate craftsmanship is evident in the way she executes her design in mind – may it be teeming with ornate opulence or classic sophistication. Her creations pack a punch and one is assured that every design execution carries a synergy of the wearer’s personality and Catherine’s signature style.

“For this collection, I used the ’embossed hand-beaded technique’ in each piece. I’ve used 3D flower patches and embroideries too to add a more feminine touch into the collection. I’ve added tassel details to inject modern trends too,” Catherine added.

If you’re a bride whose dream for your wedding day is to be anything but ordinarily stylish, Catherine Cavilte may just be the perfect designer to capture your wedding fashion sense.

Your wedding dress could be as unconventionally dreamy or magical as you want it to be with Catherine Cavilte’s aesthetics.

For more information on how to book a bridal fashion consultancy with the designer herself, you may visit www.catherinecavilte.com or call 09178221180.

Cavilte’s designs feature intricate details and feminine style

C2

Life

T

‘So Much Gifts’

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

HE SM Store Beauty Section is making it easier for everyone to get gifts for the people on their list.

From perfumes for men, women and even teenagers to makeup for beauty-conscious friends, SM Beauty has got you covered.

To launch its holiday campaign dubbed “So Much Gifts,” SM Beauty hosted a “Beauty Holiday Hop” for inf luencers, bloggers and members of the press.

Three Makeup Masters—Jigs Mayuga, Jake Galvez and Denise Go Ochoa—led them on a beauty crawl around the SM Beauty Section so they could see the holiday gift offerings from the countr y’s best and biggest beauty hall.

“I had so much fun,” said Ochoa, who does the makeup of stars like Kathryn Bernardo, Lovi Poe and Maja Salvador.

During the Beauty Hop, members of the press, bloggers, inf luencers and even the Makeup Masters received gifts by visiting the different counters. Three lucky winners even received their fragrances of choice in a raff le.

SM Beauty makes it easy to shop for gifts. Wide selection of cosmetics and fragrances from local and international brands and personal care gift sets starting from P99 and up are available.

“We have the biggest selection of cosmetics and fragrances to help shoppers for the holiday season. We’re making gift shopping easier for everyone,” said SM Beauty Store Group Marketing Manager Sharon Presbitero.

You’re sure to find what you’re looking for at SM Beauty with makeup brands like Nyx, Benefit, Max Factor, Shiseido, Sleek, MAC Cosmetics, Guerlain, The Body Shop and many others. You can also choose from the fragrances of Jimmy Choo, Calvin Klein, Bvlgari, Issey Miyake, Salvatore Ferragamo, Ralph Lauren, and Giorgio Armani, among others.

Follow SM Beauty at www.facebook. com/smbeautyph and @smbeautyph on IG for updates and promotions.

Gift sets are available at select SM Beauty and Watsons.

for the holidays at SM Beauty Benefit Eye Love SF

Sleek Cream Contour Kit

SM Beauty makes it easy to shop for beauty and skin care gifts with its wide selection of cosmetics and fragrances from local and international brands

Jimmy Choo L’Eau eau de toilette

Personal care gift sets come in different variants and sizes

Issey Miyake’s L’Eau Majeure D’Issey

Because we can’t keep fit like cavemen,

the natural solution is mySlim

WHILE it is certainly no substitute for debate. Fast food is unhealthy; too a healthy lifestyle, Yerba Mate supple- much fast food is very unhealthy. ment mySlim is the perfect slimming So, what to do then? Well, the best solution for hardworking, you can. Take up running; office bound professionals. it is a low cost activity For most people at most that requires no specialages, getting and staying ized training or equipment. fit and slim is a challenge.

Cook “in bulk” for work, at With the modern world’s home, by making enough demands, exercise and food at dinnertime for healthy food choices are both dinner and lunch the luxuries that few people next day. You can then recan spare time, money and frigerate the excess, pack energy on. That is why deit in a microwaveable spite the fact that we are a container, and reheat it relatively poor country, for lunch. This makes obesity is a widespread it easier to control porissue for people of tions, and to improve working age. the quality of the food From an evolutionyou eat. It is also a ary standpoint, we lot more affordable have not been sepathan eating fast food. rated by a long enough Finally, avoid white period of time from our rice, white sugar, and paleolithic ancestors processed foods. who lived 10,000 years Even with these measago, to be significantly ures done religiously, different from them your best effort is not physically. While there likely to be enough to get is a debate as to whether you as slim you’d like, or not we should eat like and that’s why there is they did, we definitely mySlim. ought to get as much mySlim works toexercise as they did in gether with a healthy order to be fit and slim. lifestyle to make a The Paleolithic more energetic, slimman’s day was very mer and healthier you. different from an ofmySlim’s scientifically fice worker’s. It was proven formula is a a day of hard, physipotent mix of Yerba cal labor, approxiMate, Carnipure and mated today only by Palatinose. construction workers, Yerba Mate is a natusoldiers or professional mySlim is made of a potent ral, plant derived, and athletes. For everyone mix of Yerba Mate, Carnipure, safe detoxification agent else, exercise is an activ- and Palatinose that reduces fat absorpity we need to make time tion and allows the body for. And the bottom line to burn unwanted fat is life doesn’t work out that way most of without shedding muscle mass. When the time, for most of us. combined with Carnipure and Palatinose, Sleep is another problem; paleolith- the result is a metabolic booster that helps ic man’s sleep habits were governed boost your energy and physical perforby the sun. Our sleep habits are gov- mance allowing you to maximize the erned by deadlines. Sleep deprivation benefits of exercise. mySlim is available leads to over eating, long late hours in ready-to-drink, capsule, and powder in the office mean eating a lot of fast drink form at Mercury Drug, Watson’s, food, and with fast food there is no and other leading drugstores nationwide.

When shopping is bad for you INTERNATIONAL pop star Rihanna was once quoted in an interview, “Making music is like shopping for me. Every song is like a new pair of shoes.” The pop star was on point— the recent launch of her line of cosmetics (culled from her last name) was a hit among beauty gurus and makeup lovers worldwide. Women snapped up bottles of foundation, highlighter and lip gloss from Rihanna’s line almost immediately.

And as the shopping season moves into full-swing with the holidays, the thrill of buying that much-coveted item or snagging a product on sale will be heightened.

“Shopping gives us a rush. There’s a positive emotion, the feeling of pleasure after buying an item, especially if it is something you’ve been wanting to have for a long time,” says psychiatrist Dr. Maria Bernadette Arcena.

Arcena says the thrill of shopping— even the occasional impulse buy—is perfectly fine and normal. However, when that positive emotion turns into an urge that you find irresistible and hard to suppress, it may be a sign of a more serious problem.

Impulsive vs Compulsive buying

can also lead to serious financial problems such as bankruptcy, defaulted loans, a ruined credit history, theft or embezzlement of money, causing a devastating impact to one’s relationship with family or friends.

While compulsive buying is not a mental disorder by itself, this type of behavior could be a symptom of a much deeper psychiatric disorder such as substance abuse, bipolar disorder, or depression.

This becomes even more relevant now that a Philippine Mental Health bill is being discussed at length and is awaiting passage into law.

Signs of compulsive buying behavior

An individual suffering from this kind of behavior usually becomes anxious while shopping. Dr. Arcena attributes this to the individual’s knowledge that he or she is already spending more than what he or she can afford.

“A compulsive shopper also tends to seek reassurance or flaunt their capacity to buy,” Arcena explains.

During the point of sale, an individual may also appear restless. There is a high tendency to use more than one credit card, to accommodate their purchase. People with this kind of behavior also spend an unusual amount of time in a single store. Other signs include shopping when a person is angry or lonely, hoarding or buying enormous amounts of products and hiding these purchases from friends or family.

Paradoxically, compulsive buying can be harmful to retailers because a core symptom of compulsive buying is an intense feeling of buyer’s remorse.

Buyer’s remorse creates high incidence of product return and negative views about the retailer and can even lead to feelings of victimization attributed to the retailer.

In the United States, product returns have had adverse effects on businesses.

Researchers have estimated that manufacturers and retailers spend more than US$100 billion (or more than P5 trillion) each year on return-related logistics, an average loss in revenues of nearly 4 percent per year.

Experts define impulsive buying as something unplanned and spur-of-themoment, and usually triggered by an object of interest. Emotions play a role in the decision to buy the item. Arcena says the occasional impulse buy is relatively harmless. Of course, when done excessively can lead to financial trouble.

Compulsive buying, on the other hand, is triggered by the irresistible and uncontrollable urge to shop.

“The feeling of pleasure, the elation is in the act of buying and not necessarily with the item itself. When the purchase has been made, usually, the individual ends up feeling distressed or guilty,” she says.

According to a 2006 study from Stanford University in the American Journal of Psychiatry, about six percent of women and five percent of men are compulsive buyers.

The consequences of compulsive buying can be devastating to the individual and even their loved ones. A person pre-occupied with this kind of Healthy retail, happy customers behavior will spend less and less time “As a retailer, returns and complaints with family or friends. This behavior are not good for business. What we

strive for is a healthy retail experience where we can cultivate relationships with our customers,” shares entrepreneur Yuval Mann.

Mann believes retailers have the responsibility to ensure their sales personnel are educated on how to approach customers when buying products. “Sales personnel can create a happy and healthy experience, especially for first-time buyers, by trying to turn them into repeat buyers and not go for the one-time big-time sale,” he adds.

Some key signs of compulsive buying that retailers should look out for include first-time customers making excessive purchases that seem to be for personal consumption. The average first-time customer will tend to buy a few products to try. Whereas an individual with this kind of behavior will buy products well more than what an average person will buy in terms of quantity and variety.

Mann believes the best trait a retailer can have is compassion and sincerity when dealing with their customers.

This, he says, is the surest way to have happy and satisfied customers.

When dealing with customers with this kind of behavior, Mann does not recommend being confrontational, nor outright discouraging them to buy. Rather sales personnel can modify their approach by taking time to know the customer, encourage them to try and buy the products they are most interested in and then encourage them to come back and visit again. This way, the chances of a customer having buyer’s remorse, returns, or complaints is minimized.

Arcena, for her part, says families and friends also play a crucial role in helping individuals with compulsive buying behavior. “Encourage the person to adopt a new activity or hobby. Have someone accompany that person when shopping. If possible, purchase using cash instead of credit or debit cards.”

It is also best to advise the individual to seek help by talking to an expert to have a better understanding of what he or she is going through. Arcena says, people who are experiencing these symptoms need not feel alone, because treatment is available.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

Music fest

that celebrates Filipino-Japanese friendship

Sen. Manny Pacquiao (second from left) with Japanese businessman Kazuyoshi Irizuki (second from left) at the press launch of Ishin-Denshin Music Festival

A

T THE launch of IshinDenshin International Music Festival last week, a scribe asked Manny Pacquiao why he still sought for others’ help if he could contribute in rehabilitating Marawi using his own money.

The senator and boxing champ, whose foundation is the sole beneficiary of the music fest, quickly responded, “I help out using my own money, but what can I do if there are institutions and organizations that wanted to collaborate with me? It’s better if we can gather more help, mas mabilis tayong makakatulong.”

The proceeds of Ishin-Denshin, which will be staged on Feb. 10, 2018 at the Aseana Concert Grounds in Parañaque, will go to the Manny Pacquiao Foundation to help rebuild conflict-torn Marawi City as well as to provide financial assistance to the families and children affected by the war.

“Maraming gustong tumulong kaya we are taking this opportunity to create awareness and build friendship at the same time. I can’t tell right now how many people will benefit from this collaboration but hopefully mas marami tayong matulungan,” Pacquiao added.

According to Japanese businessman Kazuyoshi Irizuki, CEO of Monde Luce Productions, the company behind the music fest, they have great respect for Manny Pacquiao and they are confident that through his foundation, the proceeds, including his company’s donation, will reach the people that they intend to help.

“There are two main reasons why we created this

festival. First, since Filipinos and Japanese share the same passion for music, we wanted to strengthen our friendship through this festival. Secondly, we would like to help the people of Marawi especially the children. And we trust that Manny Pacquiao Foundation will do a great job to complete this effort,” Kazuyoshi said.

The one-day music festival expects to create a platform for Japanese artists to showcase their music in collaboration with Filipino talents. At least 15 acts from Japan and the Philippines will share the stage to provide entertainment to around 40,000 expected attendees.

Apart from the artists that will perform, concertgoers can feast on Japanese and Filipino street food at the food park area. There will be a separate activity park where guests can immerse themselves in “neon-look event,” which they described as a body paint party.

Since a Japanese festival wouldn’t be complete without the animé characters that are also popular among Filipinos, Kazuyoshi promised that adding to the guests’ Ishin-Denshin experience is the presence of cosplayers that will roam around the concert grounds.

“We have invited some of the biggest and exciting artists from Japan and the Philippines. We are also bringing here a Filipino artist who is currently making waves in our country,” the Japanese businessmen shared.

The executive explained that they are still keeping the lineup under wraps to build excitement among music fans but they can guarantee that this event is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience to those who enjoy Japanese music and cultural exchange activities.

Latin American film festival at the Shang THE first CINE LATINO Latin American Film Festival – happens at Shangri-La Plaza’s Shang Cineplex from Dec. 6 to 10.

Highlighting a mix of drama, comedy, romance and relevant flicks, the festival is set to introduce films from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Panama and Venezuela that are truly unforgettable.

El hijo de la novia (Son of the Bride) is the story of Rafael, who is having a crisis and tries to reconstruct his past and look at the present in a new perspective. Esperando la Carroza (Waiting for the Hearse) is a comedy about Mama Cora who tries to help her son, but unfortunately everything she does, she does wrong.

These films from Argentina are a mixture of romance, comedy and drama during the 80’s up to the contemporary cinema.

Brazil will take you to Cidade de Deus (City of God) a housing project built in the 60’s, which became a dangerous place in Rio de Janeiro. Busca-Pe will bring you to a very violent environment through his lenses. The film received worldwide critical acclaim and was nominated for four Academy Awards in 2004. 2 Filhos de Francisco (2 sons of Francisco) tells the rags-to-riches story of two poor rural boys who grew up to become one of Brazil’s biggest sertanejo (the national “country” music) singers, Zeze di Camargo & Luciano. It was one of the most successful movies in Brazil in the last 20 years and the biggest box office draw in 2005.

From Chile, Subterra tells a story of a workers’ uprising that took place in what was, at the time, the largest coalmine in the world. The quest to improve

conditions both spiritual and material begins in the heart of one courageous man. But while the bosses plan the expansion of their vast empire, the workers experience an awakening, and begin to demand change.

From Colombia, the drama comedy of Sofia y el terco (Sofia and the stubborn), the story of a couple who lives in a small vil-

(The beginning of time), a story about Antonio and Bertha who find themselves in deep trouble when pensions are suspended due to social and financial crisis.

The lives of the couple change when their son and grandson reappear in their lives. There is also a collection of short films: Porcelana (Porcelain) a struggle between childhood fantasy

Latin American Ambassadors, along with Mr. Gerardo Regalado, Embassy of Mexico, present this year's Cine Latino logo before the local press

lage in the Colombian countryside. Their life has just been a long repetition of facts for years.

They grew and married here, and they know everybody in the village. She has an old dream: she wants to go to the sea whereas she has always known nothing but mountains. But Gustavo always has good reasons to delay the trip. He cannot let his grocery; his employee cannot get by himself.

Mexico bring us a full length film, El comienzo del tiempo

and reality, Carreteras (Roads) a two-day romance between Abril and Carmela, Mirar atras (Looking back) a confrontation of a ghost of Cecilia’s aunt and the tragic memories that shaped her life. O ser un elefante (Being an elephant) an eight-minute film where Ivan becomes obsessed with the personality of elephants, who they say, never forgets. Papalotes rosas is a narrative of two small girls in a pink world see a little more of reality while their fa-

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Thursday, November 30, 2017

ACROSS 1 Mend 6 Blanch 11 Final letter 14 Crinkled fabric 15 Twilled cotton 16 Krueger’s street 17 Princess topper 18 Halos, of sorts 19 Pull someone’s leg 20 Avoid 22 Cite 24 Pampered pets (2 wds.)

28 Tousled 29 Actress — May 30 Farewell 32 Notch shapes 33 Left over 35 Travel far and wide 39 Q.E.D. part 40 Louis XIV, e.g.

41 Brownish-purple 42 Noted lava spewer 43 Bedside fixtures 45 R&B’s — James 46 Does in the dragon 48 Loud squawker 50 Traveled quickly 53 Kind of rhyme 54 Leafy vines 55 Boast about

ther figure falls apart. A spoken portrait of the world of cinema in a Morelia of the past is Aun nos queda el recuerdo (We still remember).

Panama gives us a hilarious comedy, El chance (The chance) that tells the story of Toña and Paquita, the housekeepers for the aristocratic González-Dubois family. These domestic employ-

57 Inventor — Franklin 58 Rough cabin 60 Bay 65 Unit of energy 66 Scale unit 67 Gawk 68 Apply henna 69 Wasps’ homes 70 Rose’s defense DOWN 1 Interest amt.

2 Jackie’s tycoon 3 Reception 4 ER practice 5 — confrontation (hyph.)

6 Umpteen 7 Gangster 8 Dublin’s land 9 Literary compilation 10 Muezzin’s temple 11 Low scores 12 Haut monde 13 Fix, as in cement 21 Curved molding 23 Coup leaders 24 Flood barrier 25 Storm warning 26 Song of triumph 27 Aversion 28 “Mamma —!”

30 They can be split

31 Trickle down 34 ER picture (hyph.)

36 Shocking 37 Oscar nominee 38 Substantial 43 Stripling 44 Made yarn 47 Period of instruction 49 Klee or Picasso 50 Agreed 51 Each 52 Faint trace 53 Uses the

microwave FedEx trucks No. cruncher Clamor Last degree Philosopher — Tzu 63 Blow it 64 Dice throw 55 56 59 61 62

ees have been mistreated for quite some time and they are tired of their situation. So when the family plans a shopping trip to Miami, the maids have a plan of their own; to take control of the mansion. Unexpectedly, they will also discover a family secret.

Finally, Venezuela’s protagonists Daniel and Julio of Hermano (Brother) were shaken by a tragedy and an important decision of which is more important: the union of the family, the taste of re-

venge or the dream of their lives. A family drama between Renato and granddaughter Carlota of Patas Arriba teaches us the importance of simple things, the value of friendship and respect towards the views of other people.

Ten full length films and six short films will capture Filipino movie enthusiast to know more about Latin America and get closer to its

culture and arts. So be sure to catch it only at the home of the country’s premier international film festivals, Shang Cineplex.

For inquiries, contact 370-2500 local 597 or log on to www.shangrila-plaza.com. Visit the Shang’s Facebook page at www.facebook. com/shangrilaplazaofficialfanpage. Follow Shang on Instagram: @shangrilaplazaofficia

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

Showbiz ‘My Korean

ISAH V. RED, Editor NICKIE WANG, Writer isahred@gmail.com

D4

Another Korean star in

THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2016

ISAH V. RED

A

Jagiya’

A

Dodong choose?

*** The recently-concluded Himig ng Panahon, a national guitar competition open to amateur and professional guitar players was a resounding success with 12 finalists from all over the country competing at Las Casas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan on Nov. 18.

Grand prizewinner was LJ Manzano from Davao City with Angelo Leyva of Talisay, Negros Occidental and Reggie Sanggo of Novaliches winning the first and second runnerups respectively.

SIA’s Pop SweetheartND you think Alexander Lee is just Julie Anne San Josethe Korean star to fire has released aup new the hit romcom My Korean South Korean actor Jagiya.

Andy Ryu (a.k.a.

Ryu album under GMA Records You didn’t expect this.

Sang Wook) joins the We didn’t, too. entitled, cast of the top-ratingChasing The Light. series, "My Korean Last week, the people behind the very Jagiya"Even before the release of the successful series brought in Andy Ryu, album, her carrier single also aand Korean, to join the cast to muddle the already one of several she penned in confusing romance between Gia (Heart Evangelista) and Jun Ho (Lee). the album, “NaririnigAndy Mo plays Lee Gong Woo, a Korean actor Ba”, has already toppedwho thevisits the Philippines to promote his movie and for some endorsements. But iTunes charts after itsduring digital his stay in the country, he needs a translator. release in June. The song is Gong Woo then meets Gia in a language school and becomes his temporary about faith in love and the interpreter.

Ryu, who appeared in the Korean series hope of feeling in love again, Cinderella and Queen Seondok, expressed which anyone can relate to. his excitement to work with the whole cast

of My Korean Jagiya since this is his first to work outside Korea.

According to the Kapuso time singer-actress, “Marami her album is closely similar to her recentlyna siyang nagawang project sa Korea before, but since it’s his first time released EP, Forever. to domature overseas “Chasing The Light is more in work, he’s very excited na makapag-contribute naman sa magandang the way na nag-evolve ‘yung genre. It’s takbo ng show ngayon,” the program’s Kodifferent, kasi yung nauna kong albums rean consultant and interpreter Sarang Lim with GMA Records, parang medyo ballad. said of Andy.

I think my fans and I are on the same page Lim Ialso added Ryu’s enthusiasm in seewhen it comes to the kind of music would ing his Filipino make. I think they will like the album just fans welcome him to the “He’s very happy to see his fans how they liked my EPs,” country.

Julie Anne dito po sa Pilipinas. And as he said it before relates. na sobrang Her latest album consists of several excited siya na makasama ang GATHER your friends, put on your dancing shoes and mgawith (member ng) cast at sumama sa bagong songs and a revival, show your winning moves at the “EBoriginal Naturals Gandang drama.

Julie Anne’s writing the lyrics forHe’ll do his best para maging maganNatural, Puting Natural” Dance Contest.” da ang part niya sa My Korean Jagiya.” two to songs.

She also collaborated To join, form a dance group with four ten 10 memMeanwhile, Cindy (Valeen Montenegro) with international rapper C-Tru,

Show your winning moves and win P50,000

bers and create a video showcasing your own dance who has high regard for the choreography using the official “Gandang Naturals, KapusoEB star’s talent.

Puting Natural” jingle.

“As a Filipino-American with The two-minute video must include any EBinNaturals deep roots the Philippines, it soap or skin care product. The video is must be clear.

Dayan honor to collaborate with light shooting is highly recommended.

Upload the vid- such as talented local artists Julie representative Anne. It’s amazing eo on the Facebook account of the group to be able to connect the together with the hashtag #GandangEBNaturalsPutingFilipino here in the Natural and the complete list of dance groupculture members.

U.S. with my All members must also like the EB Natural’s offikababayan cial back home through Facebook page. Entries must be submitted

by Nov. 30. the universal language of The representative must also register online by sendmusic,” C-Tru claims. ing a dance group photo in PDF format You- of As and an the advocate Tube and Facebook links of the dance video, via email OPM, Julie Anne is to ebnaturalsmktg@gmail.com withalso the subject: proud “Ganto have dang EB Naturals Puting Natural Dance Craze collaborated (Online with one Registration).” Senders will receiveofnotifi once the cation contemporary songwriters in the entry is valid. local music industry.

Grand prize winner will receive P50,000 and P20,000 who worth of EB Naturals products. TheEdmund winningPerlas, choreography will be the official dance move of the “Gandang EB Naturals, Putting Natural” jingle.

The criteria for judging are Creativity 50 percent, Performance level 40 percent, Facebook and YouTube Impact 10 percent.

Give your best move and be the next dance craze! To know more about Ever Bilena Naturals and its products, visit their website, www.everbilena.com.ph, and Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/ebnaturals/

Bii

Joanna Dong

continues to get in the way of the budding love story between Gia and Jun Ho, pretending to have been diagnosed with cancer. As Gia decided to leave the house of Jun Ho, Cindy thinks she has won and wants to win Pao’s (Khaine de la Cruz) trust to gradually get Jun Ho back. However with the help of Kennedy (Iya Villania), Gia finds out the truth about Cindy’s condition.

On the other hand, Gia’s Tita Josie (Ricky Davao) and Tita Aida (Janice de Belen) continue to fight over Dodong (Raymart Santiago). They even planned to find out each others’ whereabouts by bribing some of their relatives. But who between them will

Internationally acclaimed guitarists Ric Mercado, Noel Mendez and professor Lester Demetillo were the members of the board of judges.

The grand winner received P100,000 cash while the second and third place winners received has worked Julie respectively.

Anne in herAprevious P50,000 andwith P35,000, consolationSolo (1 albums, feels thrilled to be working again (12-15 prize of P5,000 was given to the 12 finalists. withAccording the GMA Artist Center star. chairman ofabove), to Jerry Acuzar, Edmund believes that Julie has the de-and abo New San Jose Builders, Inc.,Anne the property power to inspire dreamers like him.

“This is and Pro veloper of the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, allthe surreal to me.

Never did I imagine that competition is a cultural expression Ithat “Som would songs for big-name trainsbe thewriting spotlight on guitar, not just astars frettedengaged who I justinstrument used to watch on aTV and now, musical but also cultural symbolenjoy di I that am transcends actually meeting and working with dance a generations. them. I still can’t believe that I am actually to have contributing to OPM. And I am very grateful Dance C that Julie Anne has inspired me to do what Judge I’m most passionate about.” professi Julie Anne San Jose’s newest album under director GMA Records Chasing The Light is now Ballet, available at selected Astroplus and Astro director Vision outlets nationwide, with its digital Ballet, format available for download on iTunes, Manda Amazon, Spotify, Google Play and other Forum digital stores worldwide. of Desi For more information, please visit GMA at DLS Records’ official Facebook page at https:// Ace Vo www.facebook.com/GMARecords. (30) and Le 5 supersta 2016 Philippine Dance Cup division This at DLS-CSB Amateur dancers from various schools CSB, w and organizations around the country will Technic flock to Manila next weekend for the three- the prod The s day Philippine Dance Cup (PDC).

To be held from Friday to Sunday, July 29, 10 29-31, at various venues at the De La Salle- Augusto College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), Campus Ensemb the dance The air tournament will see aspiring hopefuls compete (SDA C in AIR classical THE with over ballet, 145,000Profess national, folklore or SDA Th subscribers.

Thestylized Asian TV character, awards will Ticke and contemporary be hosted by Baki Zainal fromon the c dance. Stephanie This year, Malaysia, Car- For i a new rington who category– is based ingroups/ street dance–will Singapore, as wellbe as introduced.

Wang Li Huan from Sh COM PDC founder and Shanghai Media Group.

(HRC) head Nina Theorganizer 22nd Asian TeleAnonas declaredwill the airamazing vision Awards biennial which live on event, Dec. 1, 8 p.m. Enjoy originally focused only Kudos L on RTL CBS Entertaininment.. classical ballet in Part 3 2008, is considered to and Su be the nation’s first and center s only national ensemble on July Kim Jong-Kook Hard dance competition.

The dance burgers tournament has nine recently categories, such as features Junior Ensembles (6-7 the wor years old, 8-9 years old, is availa 9-12 yearsStephanie old), Junior start at

22nd Asian Television Awards Celebrating Asian talents with a variety of musical performers ASIAN Television Awards now on its 22nd year continues to be Asian TV industry’s most significant and celebrated event, recognizing excellence in programming, production and performance. The Awards will hand trophies in over 40 categories while representing the industry’s foremost recognition by enjoying the support of every major industry player throughout the region. Apart from the awards given, powerhouse performances await the viewers.

Watch out for these acts that are sure to rock the stage of Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre: Kim Jong-Kook Singer and host of popular South Korean variety show Running Man, Kim Jong-Kook is set to bring the spirit of K-pop alive. He was originally part of the Korean duo Turbo but later on pursued a solo career and has been successful since. A triple Daesang award-winning singer, he is also an active participant in a couple of variety shows.

Joanna Dong Known for her soulful jazz performances, the Singaporean singer, actress and host who came in third in Sing! China finals will take the stage in for the first time after her epic journey in the Chinese reality show.

Afgansyah Reza Known to many as Afgan, this Indonesian singer, songwriter, and actor is a multi-awarded artist and has released six studio albums since his debut in 2008.

GG Magree The Australian Trap/Bass DJ will be performing for the first time in Singapore. The renowned electronic artist recently launched her official single One by One which she believes greatly reflects her as an artist.

Bii Mandopop singer, Bii, is a talented singer and songwriter and has made songs in both Korean and Mandarin. Many of his songs were used as theme songs of popular TV series in Taiwan.

The Air Vietnam’s latest boy group made up of five multi-talented singer-songwriters – Qlin, Him, Lu An, Kim Yi Sang and Eight.D is the latest pop sensation and will perform the first single “Dung Hen Uoc”, released on Nov. 12 in Vietnam. On top of writing their own material, the quintet is also talented in playing various music instruments during their performances. They have since achieved great milestone within the Vietnam music scene, achieving YouTube Silver Play Button for their YouTube channel

Carrington

Celebrating

Christmas D1

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

Nutcracker and Santa snowballs highlight the nostalgic Holly Jolly Christmas theme

Styles for the season at OUR HOME Omitting lechon from the Noche Buena feast is considered sacrilege.

Photo by Lino Santos

NOCHE BUENA

treats Filipinos love

By Peter Paul Duran

I

T REALLY is Christmas time once again.

When you hear Jose Marie Chan’s Christmas In Our Hearts pestering your ears when it is played everywhere, then that means the season of giving is upon us.

If you’ve been living under a rock these past couple of months, this is just a friendly reminder that celebrations have already started since September here in the Philippines, you know, just in case that you’re already surprised that it’s less than three weeks to go before the yearly Noche Buena.

Speaking of Noche Buenas-where all the attention of our Titas and Titos of Manila are directed during the holidays and a single distraction from their cooking would mean certain exclusion from the table--we list down the typical dishes that star in our yearly Christmas dinner.

1. LECHON To omit lechon from this list is considered sacrilege, so to save us from the backlash of our swineloving readers, we put this at the top.

There’s just no ultimate piece of delicacy other than Lechon that could ornate a table as much as this roasted thing of beauty. You could just serve lechon, the real highness of any long table, and leave out all the rest on this list. Pero mare, ang high-blood huh!

ON-A-BUDGET ALTERNATIVE: Lechon Kawali. At least there’s lechon in it. Still counts.

2. HAM The star of the noche buena, or so adjudged by the collective bunch that want it to be (‘coz any family specialty could be the star of the noche buena). There’s no special treatment here among different Christmas delicacies, but Hams are definite staples in the Christmas dinner table. There’s not much argument there.

ON-A-BUDGET ALTERNATIVE: Embutido. This should do, or opt with those thin slices you munch on for breakfast. Winner!

3. QUESO DE BOLA Those big red balls you see

since childhood just won’t ever go away, do they? And for good reason. This special cheese was said to have been used as ammo for cannons because it is hard, big and round like a cannonball. And also, in the Spanish era, these Edam balls were famous for maturing well through time, making them a favorite when Christmas time comes.

If that story isn’t enough for food to be historically etched in our digestive memory, then nothing is.

ON-A-BUDGET ALTERNATIVE: Cheese Sticks. If you haven’t got the moolah for the round stuff, then try out the long, lanky stick-y stuff. Get the pun?

Okay, let’s proceed.

4. SPAGHETTI OR MACARONI From Birthdays, Christening, Baptisms, Fiestas, special celebrations and media noche, Spaghetti always had the immunity stone with it. It just can’t be toppled. It’s cheap, it has few ingredients, and it’s tasty. Boy do we love our istapegi!

Of course we differ the texture and opt with its funky cousin macaroni, but this pasta dish is like the supportive tito. Always there when needed.

ON-A-BUDGET ALTERNATIVE: Pansit Guisado. If you’re really on a shoe-string budget, then there’s no better alternative than having long life with pansit. Just don’t leave out the liver.

That’s considered sacrilege.

5. FRUIT SALAD Give me one mom who won’t say their fruit salad is the best tasting fruit salad in the world, the universe rather.

Fruit salads are the ultimate dessert, appetizer, kontra umay, umayinducer dish specialty there is. Just toss all the ingredients in a tub somewhere and let it bathe in its mouthwatering goodness. There’s no secret to the best tasting fruit salad, but every household deem theirs having the edge over the other.

ON-A-BUDGET ALTERNATIVE: Sago’t Gulaman. Come on, must you really deprive yourself of a concoction made from heaven that is a fruit salad? Well, if you must, then sago’t gulaman is the (still tasty) option. Try this with condensada and you’ll feel less of the guilt.

Entertain in a Holly Jolly Christmas style with a classic reds, greens and white palette. Santa’s elves, nutcrackers, Christmas soldiers, reindeers, bears and Santa are all gathered to spread holiday cheer.

OUR HOME celebrates Christmas with three distinct looks that celebrate one’s personal holiday style: cosmopolitan and sophisticated, enchanted and magical, and holly, jolly, and playful.

A Cosmopolitan Christmas In this season of giving, Our Home takes Christmas to another level by creating a cosmopolitan Christmas in black, white and pink. The feel of an urban Christmas with an achromatic palette speaks volumes of elegant Christmases celebrated with a dash of posh and a pinch of panache “The contrasts are stark. The mood is dignified. The ambiance is of class and sophistication. Christmas has never been this chic,” says interior designer Jie Pambid who helped styled Our Home’s Christmas themes together with OH team.

Turn to D2

D2

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

Celebrating Christmas

Filipinos deserve a real Holiday “There are some hams that are just made from different cuts of meat. It turns me off. Holiday Ham has no extenders, see it for yourself. The ham does not have any patches others bear.

Because Holiday Ham has no extenders, it is naturally flavorful and juicy,” – Solenn Heussaff

F

OODSPHERE INC., one of the leading food companies in the country, has launched a campaign for its Holiday Whole-Meat Ham, with Solenn Heussaff as brand ambassador.

“Filipinos deserve nothing but the best especially this Christmas season. We made sure we offer them the best ham,” said Kim Favis, category brand manager for Foodsphere.

“Holiday Ham by CDO Premium is made from real whole boneless meat from the hind leg which is the best cut of pork for hams. Some hams in the market are just molded from different cuts of pork,” Favis added.

Solenn, one of the country’s “It Girls”, said she is very happy to be the new ambassador of Holiday Ham. “I am happy to endorse a product that I believe in.

I love bacon, tocino, and ham but I’m very picky on which brand to choose. I want something that’s real and authentic. I hate extenders,” Solenn said.

Pink butterflies flutter in this white Christmas tree for a festive feel.

Styles...

From D1

Here, the trees are black as ebony with needles that shine and reflect the glamor and sophistication of city living. Black velvet top hats are used as adornments spruced up with white and silver balls that evoke a feeling a glitz. A lone white feather adds texture to the tree, while silver and white lace ribbons bring about a certain dramatic flair.

Black and white masks decorated with black ostrich feathers provide a theatrical approach to decorating. While this theme is all about contrasts and opposites, it maintains a festive and opulent feel.

An Enchanted Christmas Evoking a mystical and magical approach to the Christmas spirit, this enchanting ensemble is inspired by land of fairies where green Christmas trees

Beautiful butterfly accents in green, blue, white and yellow gold colors join the enchanting celebration of this season.

When asked for a tip on how to choose the perfect Christmas Ham, Solenn has this advice: “Look for the net marks in actual hams, not just in packaging and ads. Only whole-meat hams can be smoked in ham nets and we know that whole-meat ham is the best choice.”

“There are some hams that are just made from different cuts of meat. It turns me off,” Solenn said.

“Holiday Ham has no extenders, see it for yourself.

The ham does not have any patches others bear. Because Holiday Ham has no extenders, it is naturally flavorful and juicy,” she added.

Favis believes that Solenn is the perfect ambassador for Holiday Ham. “Solenn is as real as she can get. In spite of her status as one of the most popular actresses in the country, she is a real person inside and out. She is a well-rounded individual, has a lot of talents, and is not afraid to show her real self ,” Favis said. “Solenn also does not settle for anything less.”

Solenn encourages Filipinos to choose a real Holiday experience.

“This Christmas season, choose nothing but real holiday, real ham—Holiday Ham. You and your family deserve the best this holiday season,” Solenn said.

Jolly snowman in a red coat

are bedecked with elements that tickle the fancy in a fantastical way. Our Home’s Enchanted Christmas is ethereal yet earthy, rustic and raw, elemental and ephemeral.

Green, blue and white balls are interspersed with flowers and foliage; while garlands and festoons in the same color palette spirally drape around the tree.

Large twigs with green, blue and white fluttering butterflies perched on its branches create a dynamic mood and complement the cohesive color palette.

Christmas lights hidden within the tree foliage blink intermittently like fireflies or even fairies to join this enchanting yuletide celebration.

A Holly Jolly Christmas At Our Home, traditional Christmas colors - red, green and white - all come together to reveal a whimsical wonderland that is guaranteed to bring out the child in everyone. Imaginative,

A Cosmopolitan Christmas captures this season’s sophisticated side in posh black and white, with a touch of pink hues. Dainty details like silver Christmas balls and white feathers, reindeers and polar bears give a strong contrast to Our Home’s black sofa and Christmas tree.

A Cosmopolitan Christmas themed bedroom in black, white and pink color coordinates.

Enchanting polar bears with glittering green, blue and yellow gold ribbons and butterflies.

playful, amusing and fanciful elements are set on a stage as white Christmas trees serve as a backdrop for a mélange of nostalgic Christmas symbols that deck the proverbial boughs of holly. These include dolls, Santa’s elves, nutcrackers, Christmas soldiers, reindeer, bears and Santa Claus himself. The mood in this setting is juvenile yet joyous and is a testament to the Christmas spirit – full of fun and frivolity.

Bring Christmas to your home with Our Home’s Holiday Collection available at Our Home Bacoor, Mall of Asia, Megamall, Fairview, North Edsa, Southmall, BF Parañaque, and Virramall Greenhills.

Celebrating Christmas

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

D3

Fine with wine

With different delicacies that vary from fishes, to red meats to poultry, Noche Buena will be perfectly enjoyed with its perfect liquor accompaniment--wine. It is better celebrated with a glass of fine wine while devouring all those yummy delicacies the occasion has to offer.

By Giana Anella G. Atienza

T

HE yuletide season is just around the corner. As the occasion appears nearer, every Filipino family prepares recipes of perfect delicacies to cook for the Noche Buena.

But there will always be these staples that everyone will find on the Christmas dining table. Filipino Noche Buena will not be complete without Quezo de bola, Christmas ham, pasta (sweet Filipino meaty spaghetti), and fruit salad.

With different delicacies that vary from fishes, to red meats to poultry, Noche Buena will be perfectly enjoyed with its perfect liquor accompaniment-wine. It is better celebrated with a glass of fine wine while devouring all those yummy delicacies the occasion has to offer.

With a sea of wine choices available in stores, one can get intimidated on how many wine variants to choose from.

Nevertheless, do not fuss because wine pairing is not intimidating as it sounds.

The King of Reds Cabernet Sauvignon is known for its dark-fruited wine taste. It is famous for being known as “even better when it gets aged”. This wine is perfect since it embodies the elegance of big-structured red wine—strong tannins underneath.

This kind of wine is perfect for a heavy hearty-sauced duck meal, well-marbled

beef, braised stews and everything that falls under rich sauce category. Just always remember Bitter wine + fatty food is perfection.

Fruity and Sweet One always keeps in mind the wine rule of thumb—white wine for fish and poultry. Chardonnay, is the queen of all white wines. With its complex fruit flavors that are often creamy in texture, it is perfect for Seafoods like white-fleshed fish and sweet shellfish. It also marries well with the taste of chicken and turkey.

This wine is so versatile you can also enjoy it with anything with lush cream and butter sauces.

Wild yet refreshing If white wine and red wine have a baby, it will be Dry Rosé. With the same low-tannin nature of white wine and rich fruitiness of red wine, Dry Rosé is a crisp, pink wine that can offer a refreshing taste with a bursting sensation of wild strawberries and red currants. This wine perfectly compliments the saltiness of cheese which means Quezo de Bola will taste better with its perfect accompaniment.

Dark but softer If you find Cabernet Sauvignon a bit too much for your palette, you might like its sister—Merlot. Despite having a dark fruit taste, it has soft tannins into it, making it rounder and softer. Unlike the Sauvignon that consists of dark plums, Merlot is mixed with some dried cherries and chocolate to balance out the tannins’ aftertaste. It is best paired with Lamb, meaty fishes like salmon and tuna, tender cut beefs like tenderloin and meats with warm spices and fruit sauces.

It also tastes good with some fresh herbs and mushrooms.

Charismatic and Sensual Pinot Noir is considered to be the most charismatic among all the grape varieties and responsible for some of the world’s best red wine, boasting of its considerable meal-pairing versatility. It is a light-bodied wine with lowtannin content that makes it a sensual red. It fits perfectly with ham, spicy pork, and poultry as well. And it can also be best paired with any dish that has an earthy flavor, like mushrooms and truffles.

Aperol Spritz at the Lounge of AG New World Manila Bay Hotel

Delicate and Aromatic Riesling is considered to be the noblest white wine in the world since it can just go with everything. This crisp, aromatic wine has a delicate fruity taste that comes from green apples, white

peaches, lime and mandarin orange.

This white wine is a perfect wine accompaniment for appetizers like salads and vegetables. It can also be perfectly paired with egg dishes, barbecue and Asian dishes like sushi.

AG New World Manila Bay Hotel illuminates lives of The Children of Kythe Foundation THE holidays herald a new season filled with optimism and new beginnings. It represents a festive season of love, solidarity, and thanksgiving.

It is also a season that inspires charity and goodwill among individuals across the world.

As part of New World Hotels and Resorts’ tradition of uplifting and improving the lives of children, AG New World Manila Bay Hotel once again partnered with the Kythe Foundation through a tree-lighting ceremony and a fund-raising activity last Nov. 24.

This year, the hotel welcomes the A child of the Kythe Foundation season with the traditional lighting of the tree with the theme “A White As part of the fund-raising efforts, a Christmas: Illuminating Lives”.

Led by AG New World Manila Bay collection Christmas Villages sets will Hotel’s General Manager Mark Heywood be displayed for sale at the lobby. The and members of the Executive Committee sets feature heart-warming Christmas with the participation of the Kythe Foun- scenes from all over the world, proceeds dation Co-founder and Executive Director of which will go towards inspiring hope Maria Fatima Garcia-Lorenzo, the sym- for the children of the Kythe Foundation.

About AG New World Manila Bay Hobolic lighting of the tree represents hope and the promise of a brighter future for tel AG New World Manila Bay Hotel is a children with cancer and chronic illnesses.

Treating guests to a night of live mu- deluxe hotel located at the center of the sical performances are the Symphony of Manila business district with easy access Angels Children’s Choir (formerly Vox to business and shopping areas, including Angeli Children’s Choir) with their ren- Mall of Asia, the largest shopping mall in ditions of well-loved Christmas carols Metro Manila. The hotel is nearby historifollowed by a live violin performance by cal attractions such as Intramuros and the cancer survivor and Kythe beneficiary, Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The hotel features 376 guestrooms and Emil John Olisco.

suites, Residence Club executive floors, six dining options, outdoor pool, fitness center and spa. Meeting and event space includes a ballroom and four meeting rooms.

December Delights ‘Tis the season to yet again indulge and satisfy your cravings for heart-warming comfort food that will remind you of priceless moments and unforgettable holidays spent with those who matter the most.

This season, AG New World Manila Bay Hotel spreads the holiday cheer with indulgent stays and a sumptuous fare of holiday favorites that will set your December off to a delightful start.

Plan your holiday vacation ahead and be rewarded with exclusive rates and discounts starting at P4,800++. Benefits include welcome drinks for two (2) adults at the Lobby Lounge, breakfast buffet for two (2) adults and two (2) children aged 12 years and below at Market Café, guaranteed late check-out until 3:00 P.M., turndown Christmas or New Year’s Eve amenity, and exclusive restaurant discounts, and access to amenities.

For more information and reservations, please contact the hotel directly at telephone +63 2 252 6888, email reservations.manilabay@newworldhotels.com or visit newworldhotels.com.

AG New World Manila Bay Hotel at night

A SC REF NO. T072P042117T