Manila Standard - 2018 January 03 - Wednesday

4 ARMED MEN ROB PASAY HOTEL, GUESTS NOT AGAIN. Members of the Pasay City Police arrive (below) at the Mabuhay Manor Hotel in the city to investigate a robberyholdup where almost P4.1 million were reported taken by four armed men, captured by the CCTV footage (left), as they entered the hotel around 3 a.m. Norman Cruz

STORY ON A6

PH polled 3rd happiest nation THE Philippines ranked third among the happiest countries of the world, the latest Gallup International global year-end poll revealed Tuesday, retaining the third spot with a +84 net happiness score in the top 10 happiest countries of 2017.

The poll showed a five-point increase for the Philippines, which recorded a +79 net happiness score in the year 2016. The country was also at third place in the previous survey.

Fiji topped last year’s Happiness Index at +92, followed by Colombia in second spot at +87.

Mexico came fourth +82, followed by Vietnam (+77), Kazakhstan (+74), Papua Next page

Duterte on firing spree Top govt exec, cops on chopping block

By John Paolo Bencito

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will again fire another official today amid alleged irregularities, the Palace said Tuesday.

VOL. XXXI • NO. 320 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

‘Agaton’ swirls over Visayas, adds toll in its track TWO people were killed and thousands fled strong winds and floods as Tropical Depression “Agaton” hit the central Philippines on Tuesday, following deadly back-to-back storms during the Christmas season.

The deaths were reported on Cebu island, where an elderly woman was killed in a landslide while a man died after he hit his head on the pavement as the storm cut off electricity in the area.

Tropical Storm “Urduja” (interna-

tional name Kai-Tak) killed 47 people in the central Philippines last month, while Tropical Storm “Vinta” (international name Tembin) killed 240 people in Mindanao.

The state weather service warned the new disturbance was poised to hit the western tourist island of Palawan with gusts of 65 kilometers per hour later on Tuesday.

“The residents are really sad. It is tough that we have three storms coming one

after another. People have lost their livelihood and have had no rest since Christmas,” said Gil Acosta, information officer of the island.

Palawan accounted for 37 of the recorded “Vinta” deaths, with 60 other people still missing, Acosta added.

About 4,000 people across the central Philippines had moved to safer ground to escape high winds and flooding, the national disaster agency Next page in Manila said.

In a radio interview, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte wanted the official to be fired on Sunday, but said he was able to convince the Chief Executive to defer announcing the dismissal until today, Jan. 3.

“Actually, I was supposed to announce the firing of someone... He wanted me to announce the firing. I told him let’s not do it, Mr. President. Let’s allow the official to have a happy New Year,” Roque told radio dzBB. “Let’s just dismiss the official on Jan. 3,” he said, details of which are expected during the first Malacañang regular press briefing today.

While Roque did not identify the official, he emphasized that the President disliked those who are corrupt and those who fre-

quently go on junkets or trips using government funds.

“He hates the corrupt, those who frequently go on junkets. He already said that before that he closely watches government officials who are fond of joining trips abroad,” Roque said in Filipino.

“Because when you attend junkets, you spend the people’s money that should have been used to address their needs. And aside from that, you lose time for your responsibilities in the government.”

Among prominent officials who were axed were Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno, Dangerous Drugs Board chief Dionisio Santiago, and Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor Terry Ridon.

In a separate radio interview, Roque said that police officials will also be axed this week, after they were found to be involved in illegal activities.

Roque did not say how many cops the President has decided to fire but said they were all given due process.

Roque said Duterte’s recent firings show that the Chief Executive is serious about eradicating corruption and incompetency in government.

Next page

‘Better stupid than ill intent,’ Bato on his men in shooting PHILIPPINE National Police chief Dir. Gen. Ronald dela Rosa said he remains proud of the Mandaluyong police team that shot a wrong vehicle and killed two people, saying his men may have bungled the operations but they did not have ill intentions.

“Even if my policemen in Mandaluyong bungled the job, I can still say with pride that it happened because of their performance of duty,” Dela Rosa said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

“It is better that they are stupid but are pure of heart Next page

Holiday truce ends, military resumes offensive vs Reds

By Francisco Tuyay SOON after the holiday truce with the communists ended, the government shifted to higher gear its nationwide operations Tuesday against the terrorist group, military

officials said.

Soldiers, who spent time with their families on New Year’s day, grabbed their backpacks and their firearms once more and returned to their routine as soldiers to fight the enemy of the state.

Next page

SAVING BELONGINGS. A man wades through hip-deep floodwaters from a tropical depression that lashed Loboc town in Bohol, where two people were killed and thousands seen fleeing their homes as strong winds and unforgiving floods rampage Tuesday through the Central Visayas following deadly back-toback storms during the Christmas holidays. AFP

Army cpl, 26 Roque chides UN rapporteur as ‘ineffective’ others rapped for firing guns AN Army corporal may face criminal charges, dishonorable separation from the service and forfeiture of all his privileges and retirement benefits if he is found guilty of indiscriminately firing his weapon during the New Year.

“The police are now investigating the incident,” said Lt. Col. Ray Tiongson, Army spokesman. “Cpl. Richard John Quijano is an active member of the Philippine Army while Staff Sgt. Jamael Mindalano retired from the military service [on] Dec. 31, 2016.”

Next page

PALACE Spokesman Harry Roque on Tuesday questioned the qualifications of Dr. Agnes Callamard, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitratry killings, and lambasted her for continuing criticism of the Duterte administration,

making her “ineffective” to do her job.

In a radio interview, Roque, who until recently was a human rights advocate, derided the Special Rapporteur for failing to do her job as she could not visit the country due to her tirades

against the bloody drug war that has killed thousands since the start of the Duterte regime.

“Now, she can’t enter the Philippines to conduct an investigation—this only proves that she is ineffective in her Next page

Palace, Marcos clan: No deal on wealth issue

By John Paolo Bencito of the former seeking a com- publicly tagged as a Marcos BOTH the family of the late President Ferdinand Marcos and Malacañang claimed separately Tuesday to be clueless on a reported proposal forged by a staunch loyalist twitter.com/ MlaStandard

promise concerning the family’s alleged ill-gotten wealth.

In a statement, lawyer Victor Rodriguez, spokesman of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, said Oliver Lozano,

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

S

loyalist, was not affiliated with nor did he represent the family.

“The Marcos family has no knowledge or information on that apparent exchange Next page

manilastandard.net

COMPROMISE DRAFT. Lawyer Oliver Lozano, who has earned the byname as a Marcos

loyalist, shows the purported draft of a Duterte-Marcos compromise that does not seek dismissal but speedy trial of Marcos immunity from suit cases, neither the return of the alleged illgotten wealth during a news conference Tuesday at his office in Quezon City. Manny Palmero

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

News

A2

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Manila deploying 5,000 cops for Nazareno SOME 5,000 policemen from the Manila Police District will secure the Feast of the Black Nazarene and procession to be held on Jan. 9, the MPD said Tuesday.

The district said an additional 1,500 cops from the National Capital Region Police Office and other regions will be deployed to ensure the safety of the devotees joining the Traslacion this year.

The MPD made its statement even as the City of Manila declared Jan. 9 as a holiday in observance of the Feast of the Black Nazarene to give the devotees the chance to participate in many of the activities scheduled for the day.

Supt. Edwin Margarejo said the MPD had created three sub-task groups to be assigned to Plaza Miranda, the Quirino Grandstand and the route of the procession.

Metro Manila Police Chief Oscar Albayalde will head Task Group Nazareno while MPD Chief Joel Coronel will be the ground commander.

In 2017, an estimated five million devotees joined the procession, but this year the police expect that number to increase by one to three million.

The Traslacion is the reenactment of the transfer of the Black Nazarene from Intramuros to the Quiapo Church in 1787.

The feast, one of the country’s popular religious events, pays homage to the image of Jesus Christ in maroon and gold vestments carrying a cross. Bill Casas and Vito Barcelo

Solon wants SC to halt Du30 TRAIN

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

A

LAWMAKER said Tuesday his group will ask the Supreme Court to stop the implementation of Republic Act 10963, or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act, that President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law on Dec. 19 last year.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said the implementation of the tax reform package this year will hit 15.2 million poor families the hardest.

“With the implementation of TRAIN, the majority of our poor people will suffer the most with the expected spike in the prices of prime commodities and ser-

vices beginning this month,” Zarate said.

He made the statement even as four lawmakers on Tuesday warned of economic sabotage if the oil firms would be found guilty of profiteering from the premature fuel price increases as a result of the implementation of the recently enacted tax reform package.

Reps. Miro Quimbo of Marikina City, Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar, LRay Villafuerte and Raneo Abu of Batangas also called on the Department of Energy to

conduct spot audits on the old stocks of oil.

At the Senate, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara called on the government to use the revenues that will be generated from the new tax reform law on programs that will directly benefit ordinary Filipinos, specifically the improvement of the public transportation system in the country.

Recent reports said the Metro Rail Transit 3 broke down more than 500 times in 2017 and stranded thousands of passengers.

Seoul seeks high-level talks with Pyongyang

“The TRAIN law should fix our trains,” Angara said.

He said it was not right that thousands of passengers were being inconvenienced by the poor service of the MRT 3.

Zarate said the “price shock” to be brought by the recently enacted tax reform package would definitely hit the poor the hardest because of their low take-home pay.

The new low will raise pump prices by P2.97 per liter of gasoline, P2.80 per liter of diesel and P3.36 per liter of kerosene, Zarate said.

Duterte...

From A1

“There will be a severe domino effect on the prices of other products and services that will be further aggravated by the VAT increases on these products,” Zarate said.

“The effect of this price shock will be crippling to the 15.2-million poor families and to the whole economy.

“We will challenge the legality of this runaway TRAIN as it was railroaded in the House without the required quorum and distribution of approved copies to the members.”

SEOUL―South Korea Tuesday proposed high-level talks with Pyongyang on Jan. 9, after the North’s leader Kim JongUn called for a breakthrough in relations and said his country might attend the Winter Olympics in the South next month.

Kim used his annual New Year address to warn he has a “nuclear button” on his table, but sweetened his remarks by expressing an interest in dialogue and participating in the Pyeongchang Games.

South Korea’s unification minister Cho Myoung-Gyon told a press conference that Seoul was “reiterating our willingness to hold talks with the North at any time and place in any form.”

“The government proposes to hold high-level government talks with North Korea on Jan. 9 at the Peace House in Panmunjom,” Cho said, referring to a truce village in the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas.

“We hope that the South and North can sit face to face and discuss the participation of the

North Korean delegation at the Pyeongchang Games as well as other issues of mutual interest for the improvement of interKorean ties.”

Cho added that the specifics of the proposed talks, including its agenda, could be discussed through the inter-Korean hot line at Panmunjom, which has been cut off since 2016.

The Koreas, divided by the demilitarized zone since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, last held high-level talks in 2015 in an effort to ease border tensions.

Those talks were led by thenSouth Korean national security adviser Kim Kwan-Jin and his North Korean counterpart Hwang Pyong-So but failed to reach an agreement.

“Just the fact that they are meeting will be meaningful because it signals an attempt on both sides to improve relations,” said Koh Yu-Hwan, a political science professor at Dongguk University.

But once they sit down, the North could put Seoul in a difficult position by making unac-

ceptable demands such as an end to the annual joint military drills with the United States, Koh added.

“What North Korea is trying to do is re-establish its relations [with Seoul] as a nuclear state.

The South’s dilemma is whether we can accept that,” Koh said.

Dovish South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who has long favored engagement to defuse tensions with the North, earlier Tuesday welcomed Kim’s suggestion that there could be an opportunity to kick-start dialogue.

However, he indicated that improvements in inter-Korean ties must go hand in hand with steps towards denuclearization of the North.

Moon proposed Red Cross and military talks last year, but Pyongyang did not respond.

North Korea has rattled the international community in recent months with multiple missile launches and its sixth and most powerful nuclear test―purportedly of a hydrogen bomb.

It has shrugged off a raft of

new sanctions and heightened rhetoric from Washington as it continues to drive forward with its weapons program, and has said its arsenal is for defence against aggression from the US and its allies.

Kim’s comments on Monday were the first indication of North Korea’s willingness to participate in the Winter Games, which run from Feb. 9 to 25.

Moon called them a “positive response” to Seoul’s hope that the Pyeongchang Olympics would be a “groundbreaking opportunity for peace” and urged officials to come up with measures to realize the North’s participation.

The main venues for the Games are just 80 kilometers from the heavily fortified border with North Korea and the build-up to the event has been overshadowed by the nuclear weapons standoff.

In his speech Monday, Kim said the Olympics could provide a reason for officials from the neighbors “to meet in the near future.” AFP

But critics have accused the President of a double standard, after he has kept former Customs commissioner Nicanor Faeldon in service, even after he was tagged in the smuggling of P6.4 billion worth of shabu into the country. Faeldon was recently appointed by the President to the Office of Civil Defense.

The Palace, meanwhile, said it is considering the replacement of some key officials of the Energy Regulatory Commission, after the Office of the Ombudsman suspended four of its commissioners for a year for giving undue advantage to the Manila Electric Co. by allowing it to sign power supply deals without the required bidding.

Newly appointed ERC chairman Agnes Devanadera had warned of “severe paralysis” if the Palace does not act on the issue, since all pending service applications would remain unsolved.

In a radio interview, Roque admitted that the Office of the Executive Secretary is having a hard time in deciding the future of ERC, but is fully aware of the

grave consequences of not taking action.

He said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea was studying the Ombudsman’s suspension order to see if the President can replace the commissioners.

“But the problem is, the commissioners of ERC had fixed terms—so we’re studying this carefully,” he said.

Another option, Roque said, was to appoint officers-incharge so that the ERC could continue to function while the commissioners are suspended.

He added that the government would not allow the ERC to be paralyzed.

Commissioners Gloria YapTaruc, Alfredo Non, Josefina Patricia Magpale-Asirit and Geronimo Sta. Ana were all suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman for one year over alleged anomalous power supply deals with 38 companies, seven of which were affiliated with the Manila Electric Co. Dismissed ERC chairman Jose Salazar was also found liable for the same offense but was only penalized with a fine equivalent to six months of his salary. President Duterte fired Salazar in October on corruption allegations.

Army...

‘From Agaton’ ...

A1

Tiongson said that while the Army has no jurisdiction over retired personnel, Quijano could also be liable for the illegal discharge of firearms under Army regulations and other infractions of the Articles of War. “As we have established in the past, the Philippine Army does not condone nor tolerate misdemeanors committed by its personnel,” he said.

Earlier, Taguig City police arrested Mindalano and Quijano, who is assigned to the Light Reaction company, Special Operations Command, for indiscriminate firing, alarm and scandal, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, physical injury, direct assault, resisting arrest and serious disobedience.

They seized two .45 caliber pistols, a 9mm pistol, a .38 caliber revolver and assorted ammunition from the two suspects.

Their illegal activities were reported to the authorities by their victim, Jolly Moreno, who was hit in his right mid-section by a ricocheting bullet during the New Year’s festivities.

Police arrested 26 people for illegal discharging their firearms over the holiday season, Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa said Tuesday.

Dela Rosa also attributed the decline in firecracker-related injuries to President Rodrigo Duterte’s executive order banning the use of firecrackers by private individuals. PNA

“There is continuous flooding in some towns where the floodwater from the previous storm has yet to subside,” provincial disaster information officer Julius Regner said by telephone from Cebu City.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office identified the fatalities as Richie Pimentel, 39, and Flora Basadre Mata, 64, both residents of Malabuyoc in Cebu province, who died in a landslide triggered by “Agaton,” which made landfall in nearby Santander town at about 5 a.m. Tuesday.

PDRRMO spokesperson

Julius Regner said Mata was inside her house when it was buried in mud from the landslide that hit Barangay Looc in Malabuyoc. Mata was among those told to leave their homes due to the downpour brought by Agaton, but she refused to heed the advice of the local disaster management office.

Pimentel, on the other hand, panicked when he heard shouts from the neighborhood and jumped out of the window of his house. He landed on a concrete pavement head first and was sent to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

Regner added Pimentel may have been unaware of the concrete pavement because of the

power outage in the area since 3 a.m.

The PDRRMO reported that a total of 119 families, consisting of 595 individuals, were evacuated due to landslide threats in Toledo City and the towns of Barili and Boljoon.

Twelve barangays in the cities of Mandaue and Toledo and the towns of Moalboal, Dumanjug and Boljoon were also flooded.

Aside from Malabuyoc, landslides were also reported in Ginatilan and Toledo City.

The PDRRMO declared a red alert status for the entire province to provide close monitoring and situation updates to all local government units. Red alert status means all personnel are on standby for deployment.

Teams were also deployed in Toledo City to assist the local government in the evacuation due to flooding and landslide.

Another team was deployed in southern Cebu to verify damages and the needs of evacuees.

As of 11 a.m., Agaton was traversing Sulu Sea and heading towards Palawan.

It was estimated at 170 km. west of Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental with maximum winds of up to 170 km. near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph, and continued to move west at 28 kph.

Storm Signal No. 1 has been lifted for the entire province of Cebu.

Agaton left more than 2,000

passengers stranded in various seaports.

The Philippine Coast Guard said in an advisory Tuesday that 2,308 passengers were stranded as travel of 34 sea vessels and 66 rolling cargoes was suspended in the affected areas of Central Visayas, Southeastern Mindanao, Northern Mindanao and Eastern Visayas.

Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 has been raised over the provinces of Palawan, including Cuyo Island, Guimaras, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, southern Antique, and southern Iloilo.

Twenty domestic f lights were canceled at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport due to bad weather, of-

ficials of the Manila International Airport Authority said on Tuesday.

Eight flights from Philippine Airlines-PAL Express, another eight from Cebu Pacific Air and two from its sister airline CebGo were canceled on Friday due to Agaton.

Those canceled included PAL -2P flights to and from Roxas and Legazpi; Cebu Pacific 5J flights to and from Caticlan, Puerto Princesa and Legazpi, and CebGo-DG flights to and from Tablas and Masbate.

The airlines offered passengers affected by the cancellations to rebook their flights within 30 days of the original departure date or get a full refund. Rio N. Araja, AFP, PNA

From A1

PH polled...

From A1 New Guinea (+74), Indonesia (+68), India (+64), and Argentina and Netherlands (+64).

Level of optimism in Philippines remained high at +40 percent, placing ninth in the Hope Index.

Economic Optimism, meanwhile, is at +32, placing fifth among countries who were optimistic the economy would be better in 2018.

Overall, Gallup noted the world became lonelier as only 59 percent of survey respondents said they were happy in 2017.

The polling body said this was almost 10 points lower than the result in 2016.

“2017 was a tough year with terrorist attacks over almost

‘Better...

Roque...

than intelligent but have ill intentions,” he added.

Dela Rosa also urged the leader of the police team to report to work after going absent without leave since the shooting Thursday night.

He said they would have to launch a manhunt for Senior Insp. Maria Cristina Vasquez, if a court issues a warrant of arrest against her and her colleagues.

He urged Vasquez to surrender if she did not want to be the subject of a manhunt.

Vasquez did not attend the inquest proceedings on the homicide and frustrated homicide charges filed against her and nine other police officers, nor did she report to the Regional Police Holding and Accounting Unit as ordered.

Jonalyn Ambaon, a victim of an earlier shooting, and one of six men who were taking her to hospital, were killed after police opened fire on their vehicle in the mistaken belief that it was the getaway car of the shooter.

Dela Rosa insisted the police officers did not act with ill intent because they acted on the wrong information.

He added that although they acted with regularity, they would have to answer for their mistakes.

job… because you continually criticize the government, now she can’t do her job because she needed an invitation before coming here,” Roque said in a radio interview.

Roque, whom Callamard accused as a “bully pulpit,” chided her qualifications as a rapporteur for extrajudicial, summary or arbitratry killings, since her expertise was on ‘freedom of expression.’”

“This Agnes Callamard, I don’t know how she came about as an expert against illegal killings … I know her. Her field really is freedom of expression.

What she should have applied for is special rapporteur on freedom of expression,” Roque said.

He added: “But for her to be a

From A1

each week and it may have influenced personal lives all around the world. Nevertheless, a majority in all polled countries are happy,” Gallup said in its report.

While 28 percent of the world was optimistic for the economic outlook in 2018, economic pessimism was at 30 percent, with a net score of -2 for 2017.

Moreover, only 40 percent of those felt that 2018 would be better than 2017, which was 13 points down compared to last year.

The latest survey, from Nov. 16 to 29 in the Philippines, was fielded among 1,000 respondents.

The sampling margin of error was between +3 and 5 percent at 95 percent confidence level. John Paolo Bencito

From A1

Palace,...

From A1

and service of document between Atty. Lozano and the office of Sec. Sal Panelo,” Rodriguez said.

“As a point of information, Atty.

Oliver Lozano does not represent any member of the Marcos family or the estate of the late President Ferdinand Marcos,” he added.

In related developments: • Panelo stressed no compromise deal with the Marcoses regarding the issue had been agreed upon, adding the draft agreement circulating online was a mere submission to Malacañang by Lozano.

Panelo said his office received a draft from Lozano but noted as a matter of courtesy and policy that they would acknowledge receipt of any letter from any citizen.

• Lozano maintained there was no need to seek the consent

special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, I don’t know what is her special qualification.”

Roque said Callamard was not even a lawyer or had prosecuted criminal cases, adding she did not have any research on any extrajudicial killings to prove her credentials.

Roque maintained his earlier pronouncements that UN special rapporteurs were “elected” to sit on those positions, a claim Callamard had already debunked.

There was no immediate comment from Callamard on Roque’s latest tirade.

Callamard previously vowed she and her colleagues would neither yield to “lies” nor be intimidated by Roque’s demands, after he earlier accused two UN special rapporteurs, both Filipinos, of “attempting to humiliate” their country before the international community, after

of the Marcos family when he submitted a draft proposal to Malacañang for the return of the Marcos wealth.

“There is no need to ask for permission. There is no need to ask for authorization. Nothing [in the law] is said that an authorization is needed if you propose something for the [good of the] country,” he said.

“We are not talking about a case in court. The handwritten legacy [of the late President] signed on April 9, 1971 said that ‘my wealth is for the people,’” he added.

Lozano said it was his own initiative to file a proposal. “[Even] Mrs. Marcos [at one time] said they were willing to help the Filipino people and uplift their lives. (And) I am a Filipino,” he pointed out.

In a radio interview over dzBB, Rodriguez, lawyer of the Marcos family, said Lozano did not have the legal personality to represent

any member of the Marcos clan.

“He [Lozano] has nothing to do with the Marcos family and their estate,” he said.

Even Malacanang appeared to have been taken by surprise on the Marcoses’ supposed compromise offer with the government, saying it would not know if such move had the approval of surviving Marcos family.

On Monday night, the Palace denied it had reached an agreement on the future of the disputed ill-gotten wealth accumulated during Marcos’ 20-year rule, in exchange for dropping all cases against his family.

While Duterte’s chief legal counsel, Panelo, did confirm his office received a draft compromise deal with the Marcoses from Lozano, he denied he had taken action to proposals “to study the Compromise Agreement with the Marcos Family.”

they raised alarm on the impact of martial law on Lumad communities in Mindanao.

Callamard added that when public officials choose fiction over fact, “you can be sure they have much to hide.”

Earlier, Duterte warned Callamard he would “slap her” if she investigated him for the alleged extrajudicial killings under his administration’s war on illegal drugs.

The government earlier admitted more than 16,355 deaths, many of which it claimed were mostly “homicides under investigation,” were still unresolved by the police as 2017 closed—a number often being criticized by administration critics as tantamount to ‘extrajudicial killings.’

But only close to 3,967 drug personalities were killed in the administration’s drug war, the Palace claimed. John Paolo Bencito Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque maintained Malacanang would let Congress decide on the supposed House bill granting immunity to the Marcoses and allowing compromise on their sequestered assets.

Lozano, in a June 10, 2017 letter sent to President Duterte but coursed through Panelo proposed the creation of a legal team to discuss the return of the Marcos wealth.

Panelo did acknowledge receiving Lozano’s proposal in a July 31 letter—but only vowed to “further study” the suggestions made.

Duterte first made the disclosure about the supposed willingness of the Marcoses to return some of their wealth, including a few “gold bars” last Aug. 29—to help the Duterte administration fund its priority programs. With Macon RamosAraneta and Rio N. Araja

Holiday...

From A1 The resumption of military operations against enemy forces started in the provinces of Compostela Valley, Davao Region, Lanao del Norte, and Bukidnon, considered hotbeds of New People’s Army rebels and Islamic state-inspired fighters.

Hot pursuit operations are taking place in Davao Oriental against the NPA rebels who staged two separate attacks—at an army patrol base in Barangay Tubaon and at a community near Tuabao village on Christmas Day. The rebels also attempted to snatch Arbilito Catampao, a militiaman manning the post, the officials said.

Hours after the attack in Davao Oriental, rebels of the Guerillas Front 34 harassed a Cafgu patrol base under the 72nd Infantry Battalion in Melale Village in Laak, Compostela Valley.

The two NPA-initiated attacks have been considered by the Armed Forces a violation of its unilaterally declared truce.

“Yes, now is the best time to end this problem and let our country develop and improve the lives of the people,” said Maj. Gen. Noel Clement, commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division base in Compostela Valley.

So far, there are no reports of fighting between government forces and the NPAs in the countryside.

Clement said wide scale hunt against the NPAs would be heightened in the coming days aimed at stamping out the decadeslong insurgency.

News

A3

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

SSS reduces replacement fee for UMID card

ANNUAL FEAST.

STATE-RUN Social Security System announced that the replacement fee for the Unified Multi-purpose Identification card was reduced to P200 from the current rate of P300.

SSS president and chief executive officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said members who opt to replace their old SSS ID cards or those who have lost their UMID cards can now enjoy the P100 reduction for the replacement of their IDs. “We are happy to announce to our members that the proposal to reduce the replacement fee to P200 was already approved by the Social Security Commission [SSC] headed by chairman Amado D. Valdez,” Dooc said.

Based on SSC Resolution No. 604-s.2017, the Commission approved the reduction of the cost of UMID card replacement since the cost of data capture service as well as the card production with the ID card provider were also reduced.

Express lane fee restored Jan. 3 STARTING Jan. 3, 2018, the Bureau of Immigration will restore the express lane fee for all visa extension, documentation, registration and other travel transactions at the agency.

The ELF was removed after President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed the use of express lane funds for the overtime pay of immigration personnel.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente assured that all transactions at the bureau will be expedited and would stop corruption with the restoration of ELF. He said the President has allowed the use of income from ELF starting January next year.

The BI chief expressed gratitude to Duterte, saying that the President displayed “sincere concern” for the plight of BI employee.

Vito Barcelo

Eco group bewails New Year trash NEW year revellers left tons of garbage in Metro Manila which drew the ire of environmental health activists.

The Philippines, according to Ecowaste Coalition, tagged January as “Zero Waste Month” but the first month of 2018 ominously began with tons of foul-smelling trash strewn all over the streets of Metro Manila, the product of the New Year’s eve celebration.

On Monday, members of the group went around cities of National Capital Region and took photos of mixed garbage comprised of food waste, beverage and food containers, paper and plastic packaging, remnants of firecrackers and fireworks and discards.

The piles of garbage were seen in the areas of Cubao and Balintawak in Quezon City; Sangandaan in Caloocan City, and MacArthur Highway in Valenzuela City; parts of Guadalupe in Makati City, and in Manila, particularly in the areas of Quiapo and along Juan Luna, C. Planas and Ilaya Streets and Recto Avenue, all in Divisoria, the Philippine capital city’s bargain district.

Francis Martinez, head of the Metro Manila Development AuthorityMetro Parkway Clearing Group, said as of 12 p.m.

Tuesday, at least eight truckloads of garbage were also collected in the areas of Balintawak, Quezon City; Baclaran in Pasay City and Rizal Park in Manila.

Joel E. Zurbano

Miniature figurines of the Black Nazarene are wrapped with plastic at a makeshift vending stall at Plaza Miranda of Quiapo, Manila, as vendors get busy a week before the annual feast procession of the miraculous patron saint.

Ey Acasio

Strict implementation of eSubpoena pushed

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Supreme Court will fully implement this year the electronic subpoena system or eSubpoena in trial courts nationwide, as part of its reform measures aimed at speeding up resolution of cases.

The SC, through Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, has directed all first and second level courts, which have undergone training for the project “to strictly implement the eSubpoena System.”

In Circular No. 244-2017 issued last Dec. 21, the SC

‘House’s high rating a nod to Sereno’s impeach case’

By Maricel V. Cruz A HOUSE official has said the record high +43 percent net satisfaction rating posted by the House of Representatives since 1988 as shown by latest Social Weather Stations proved the people support the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

House Majority Floor Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas said the survey result was an indication that the House committee on justice, headed by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, has exercised fairness and objectivity in conducting the impeachment proceedings against the chief magistrate.

“The people approve our fair and objective Sereno impeachment hearings,” said Fariñas in response to the House’s +43 in the SWS survey which was conducted from Dec. 8 to 16, 2017 among government institutions.

The Senate got +56 net satisfaction rating.

The SWS said the +43 net satisfaction rating obtained by the Lower House was +9 higher than its rating obtained last September and the highest since 1988.

required the lower courts with connectivity issues to use contingency measures and implement the program immediately.

“Pending full connectivity of all the courts nationwide, those courts which have no signal or are experiencing intermittent Internet signals in

their stations are directed to use available Internet facilities in their respective areas and utilize the monthly Extraordinary and Miscellaneous Expense Allowance provided the judges in sending the eSubpoena,” the circular stated.

Marquez, who exercises administrative supervision over all regional trial courts, metropolitan trial courts, municipal trial courts and other local courts in the country, also ordered the courts and the Philippine National Police to strictly accomplish the feedback section in the system.

The Court Administrator lamented that over 52,000 subjects issued with

eSubpoena did not have feedbacks, disabling the effective monitoring of attendance of summoned police officers in court hearings.

For the implementation of the eSubpoena System, he also tapped the SC’s Management Information System Office to handle courts that still do not have accounts or need to restart their password.

The eSubpoena system is a program approved by the High Court in April 2014 in partnership with the PNP as part of the judiciary modernization program.

It was designed to ensure

the attendance of police officers when called to testify in criminal cases.

The program intended to address the absences of police officers in hearings, which had previously led to dismissal of thousands of cases—mostly drug cases— and the extended detention of suspects that further contribute to jail congestion.

Under this system, court personnel enter details of the subpoena in the PNP’s database using an eSubpoena Form. Once sent, the PNP unit’s court process officer acknowledges receipt and will inform the police officer being summoned.

Win engages netizens in word war, calls them ‘stupid’

By Macon Araneta SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian engaged netizens on social media in a “word war” and even called them “stupid” and “deranged” in his post on his personal Twitter account while he was in the United States.

The “foul languages” were posted by the administration senator in his Twitter account “@stgatchalian” a few hours before 2018.

When a Senate reporter asked if his Twitter account was hacked, Gatchalian answered “No.” When another reporter raised the same question, Gatchalian merely replied, “daming nang-iinis e.”

Questioned by another reporter if it was his real account where the “foul remarks” appeared, the senator gave an affirmative response.

The exchange with

some netizens began when Gatchalian, using his personal Twitter account, replied “The nation already lost its soul in the last 6 years” to Maria Ressa’s Rappler article about the Liberal Party.

When the netizens labelled him “balimbing” political turncoat) and “trapo” (traditional politician), the senator responded, “Gago ka (You’re stupid)!” He also lashed back at another online critic as “ulol (deranged).”

To support their claim that Gatchalian is “balimbing,” netizens lifted some of his posts from his Twitter account @stgwtchalian.

The senator posted on May 3, 2012, “Thanks to PNoy and his anti-corruption efforts, the Philippines is now getting the needed exposure. Let’s continue the gains.”

On July 3, 2011, Gatchlian posted, “Congrats to PNoy’s

admin for fighting human teafficking, Hillary Clinton just commended PH in CNN for the big improvement.”

On June 30, 2011, Gatchlian posted, “I think we’re on our way to progress. PNoy is changing a culture of corruption.

This will take time. But we already began.”

Another netizen reminded Gatchalian not to say those words because his salary came from them, such that they deserve all the respect.

Senator JV Ejercito came to the defense of Gatchalian who he referred to as his “seatmate” in the Senate.

Ejercito wrote on his personal Twitter account— “in the incident 8nvolving my co-seatmate Sen. @ stgatchalian, only goes to show that we are also human, we got hurt and affected too.

What is scary is if we public servants become immune from bashings and attacks

from rabid haters, then we become insensitive & are like political robots.’’

In another post, Ejercito told Gatchalian, “Bro @ stgatchalian, those bashers, haters and rabids make me work even harder. They keep me on my toes! i thank them because I have become a responsible Senator, because of them.”

“We both have proof of what is public service all about, both San Juan and Valenzuela progressed and developed economically under our respective administrations!

That is concrete proof of how we were able to uplift the living conditions of our constituents,” added Ejercito.

Another post of Ejercito read “Brod, don’t make patol of trolls and rabids.

Cool ka lang. They are making this in a purpose.

You have done a good job in your almost two years in the Senate.”

‘MISCOUNTER’ PRESSER. Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa answers questions during a press conference at Camp Crame on Tuesday. Dela Rosa ordered the arrest of barangay security officers with illegal firearms after the deadly shooting incident in Mandaluyong last Dec. 28.

NGO warns vs online registration scheme A NON-GOVERNMENT organization that specializes in labor migration warned medical clinics and recruitment agencies catering to OFWs not to fall for a dubious scheme hatched allegedly by the GCC Ministry of Health, which imposes a $10 online registration fee for every Middle East-bound OFW applicant.

“This online registration scheme appears to be a multi-million peso scam targeting our OFWs. No one in the Philippines was consulted and we also don’t know who will benefit from these new fees being collected and arbitrarily imposed on our OFWs,” Susan Ople, head of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center, said. The website can be found via: www. gcchmc.org.

Ople estimates that the online medical registration scheme would earn the GCC Ministry of Health at least P222 million per year. The Philippines deployed 333,671 newlyhired workers to GCC member-countries in 2015 based on POEA data.

“This online registration scheme has all the makings of a scam and is being perpetrated by foreigners allegedly representing Gulf countries. We urge the DFA and DoLE to investigate this scam and for the DoH to stand pat on its position to prohibit clinics from participating in this highly suspicious online registration system,” the Ople Center said.

UN hikes funding for disaster victims

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan AS TYPHOON ‘‘Agaton’’ made land fall in the country right on the first day of 2018, the United Nations has said that it would allocate $100 million under its Central Emergency Response Funds to nine unfunded emergencies countries, including the Philippines.

In a statement, UN secretary-general António Guterres said the allocation was made after 36 donors pledged to contribute $383 million (P19.15 billion) to the UN-CERF, a pool of funding that supports critical relief operations in crises around the world.

“There is no sign of a letup in humanitarian needs,” Guterres said in his recent remarks.

Aside from the Philippines, the recipients of the $100 million are Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, Cameron, Mali, Eritrea, Haiti, and Pakistan.

The pledges is in line with Guterres call a year ago for an expansion of CERF’s annual funding target from $450 million to $1 billion. “$1 billion is an ambitious but achievable goal. A strong United Nations needs a strong CERF,” he said.

The initial pledges also came in the backdrop of swelling humanitarian needs, which have increased from $5.1 billion in 2005 to over $24 billion in 2017.

A4

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Off to a good start

I

N AN auspicious start, 2018 began with the news that the country registered the biggest reduction in the number of firecracker-related injuries this holiday season, down 68 percent from the previous year.

The Health Department, which has been behind a yearly campaign to stop firecracker use during the holidays, said there were 191 firecracker-related injuries recorded this year from Dec. 21, 2017 to Jan. 1, 2018, 77 percent lower than the five-year average, and 68 percent lower than the cases reported in the same period last year.

Significantly, there were no reported deaths, and no reported cases

of fireworks ingestion by children.

Still, the injuries in seven cases were so serious as to require amputation, and one person died from a stray bullet fired during the New Year festivities.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III attributed the sharp decline in holiday injuries to President Rodrigo Duterte’s executive order, issued in June, which bans private citizens from using firecrackers.

On New Year’s Eve, most residents in Metro Manila—which accounted for 60 percent of the injuries this year—observed the marked reduction in firecracker use. Midnight was still marked by a sudden, raucous burst of noise from firecrackers, but these quickly tapered off after an hour.

Unlike previous years, the air after midnight was not sooty; the streets were not littered with the debris of spent firecrackers. Despite the recalcitrant few who felt compelled to light up at midnight, all of us had anecdotal evidence that the firecracker ban was working.

Duque said he was relatively pleased with the results. Pleased because the number of injuries had gone down, but only relatively so because there still were injuries.

Asked how these might be further minimized, Duque suggested that the end goal really was to ban firecrackers completely.

This is a target we can get behind.

It makes no sense, after all, to spend good money and to risk life

and limb year in and year out to honor some hoary tradition of driving away evil spirits. This time, we all proved that we can ring in the New Year without creating a public health hazard.

The ironic footnote to this year’s success was that a substantial number of injuries—25 out of 191 or 13 percent for this holiday season— came from a community fireworks display in Dagupan City that was supposed to be safer, and presumably approved by the local village authorities.

This merely highlights the need to take all firecrackers away from amateurs—and for the government to press on with its campaign to ban their use altogether.

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Why I believe in angels

Bring it on!

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO LAWYER Larry Gadon, the complainant in the impeachment case against Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, dared her to “quit her post while she’s ahead.”

Gadon is the epitome of someone who does not seem to know what he’s doing and saying. He just contradicted himself with his latest public statement.

To wit: If Sereno is ahead in the House hearing of her case, why then should the chief magistrate resign?

From what I have seen in the House hearing covered live by the major TV networks, it is Gadon and his supporters in the House

who are having a hard time proving their case. Associate Justices Teresita de Castro, Francis Jardeleza and retired Justice Arturo Brion testified against Sereno at the House hearing. Whether they can maintain their allegations under withering cross examination by the senators remains to be seen.

It would be interesting to see a Gadon-against-Gordon confrontation. Senator Richard Gordon is not the type to mince his words.

Gadon cited the latest Social Weather Stations poll survey showing the plummeting net satisfactory ratings of CJ Sereno.

I didn’t know an SWS survey has bearing in a legal case such as an impeachment. What I do know is that when there is a concerted campaign in the media to discredit an official

(any official for that matter) it can affect how an official is perceived by the public. Put into play the pollster’s leading question and you elicit a negative response. For example: “Given the accusations against CJ Sereno that were aired in the House hearing, do you think she should resign?” The bigger question is: Who paid for the survey?

This is not in defense of the chief magistrate. If the cabal in Congress, Gadon et al want to impeach Sereno, then by all means just bring it on! Stop this trial by publicity. Do what then House Speaker Manny Villar did—banged the gavel, opened the House session and forthwith declared that the articles of impeachment against former President Joseph Estrada were being sent to the Sen-

ate. No fake House hearing, no moro-moro on the pretext of giving Sereno a fair chance to defend herself. Just bring it on at the Senate and let the evidence speak for itself and the chips fall where they may.

If the House prosecution panel of Rep. Reynaldo Umali does its job well, we may well see another chief justice taken down by impeachment.

The peril of this process is that the impeachment fever can also go all the way to the top. Then this country will really be in crisis.

I’m not going into the merits of the case and how the senators-judges will vote. I’m merely counting heads according to political lines. It is Gadon who is prejudging his own case instead of proving it.

The so-called “smoking gun” which would make

Sereno vulnerable would be a supposedly fraudulent Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth. There is a precedent in the case of the late Chief Justice Renato Corona who was unseated because he perjured himself in his SALN. Gadon, in his confused state of mind, claims the pieces of evidence presented in the House hearing has shown that Sereno is guilty. If so, then the evidence should be brought to the Senate proper impeachment trial.

The problem of Gadon and the House justice panel is that they themselves appear unsure of their case.

They want to make it easier on themselves by having Sereno resign. The primary intent of an impeachment case is to remove an erring official of a duly constituted body, the Supreme

Court in this case.

Not only is the House panel which will serve as prosecutors in the Senate impeachment trial facing tough questioning from the senators. It might not have the numbers to deliver a guilty verdict. There are 19 senators at present which means the prosecution would need at least 16 or 17 “guilty” votes. I’m not going to predict how the senators will vote and prejudge the case like Gadon did.

But since impeachment is a political process and a numbers game, I can only expect the opposition Liberal Party in the Senate will vote along partisan lines.

Minority Floor Leader Franklin Drilon, Senators Antonio Trillanes IV, Risa Hontiveros, Paulo “Bam” Aquino, and Francis Pangilinan will most likely hold

Turn to A5

WHEN I turned 90 last year, a strange thought came to mind. I thought it might be good to trace my roots to the province of Abra, particularly in Dolores town where I was born.

I asked my daughter to research on what Abra is now.

To my dismay, the first thing she looked at were “places of interest.” The Internet’s answer? Zero.

My daughter went on to look for hotels we could stay in. The Internet said the “best three-star hotel” was in Bangued, the provincial capital. But a visitor wrote that the towels stank and the toilets did not flush in that hotel. Oh well.

Places to eat? My daughter only found two fastfood chains, a McDonald’s and a Jollibee.

Finally we decided to ditch the plan to go to Abra. It seems to me that time has forgotten the province, where partisan politics ruled the day and where violence occurred among the ruling families. ** A friend once asked me if I believed in angels. I said I did. I cited two instances where I believed my guardian angel helped me.

First was when my wife was pregnant with our first child. It was our first Christmas together. I decided to take her to Luneta to see the Christmas lights. From our “accessoria” on California Street in Malate, Manila, we took a jeep to Luneta and walked to an area near the Quirino Grandstand.

Close to midnight, we wanted to go home for noche buena. But when I counted my money in my pocket, I realized we did not have enough. I prayed hard for a way to get home. Vehicles in the area were already leaving one by one.

Then came a middle-aged man who said to me: “I noticed that your wife has been sitting from one car bumper to another. Obviously you have no ride home.”

I told the man I had run out of money for a taxi. He asked where we lived and I told him our address. And then he said, “I have a jeep.

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 Mental-health IPO is a leap forward for China

By Adam Minter THE number of Chinese registered as suffering from depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, dementia, and other mental illnesses increased by 25 percent between 2014 and 2016, according to Chinese authorities. By one recent accounting, they number 173 million. Only 20 million receive professional treatment.

Long-standing social stigmas and a lack of treatment options account for most of the gap. But those biases and institutional weaknesses are starting to break down. This week, Wenzhou Kangning Hospital Co. Ltd., a chain of psychiatric hospitals, announced that it’s seeking a $29.5 million initial public offering on China’s A-share market—making it the first mental-healthfocused business to be listed in mainland China.

It won’t be 2018’s flashiest or most lucrative IPO. But in terms of social significance, its value can’t be underestimated.

The need is acute. Four decades of economic development have improved living standards while fraying social ties and creating new social pressures. A once-rural society held together by extended families is now an urban one in which single children compete fiercely from preschool onward.

Depression, anxiety, and insomnia are increasingly common among the young, while dementia increases among China’s growing ranks of elderly.

The failure to treat sufferers is as much a cultural problem as an institutional one. In China, those who suffer from mental illness are shunned.

Families and individuals will often hide mental illness for fear of alienating friends, colleagues and potential spouses.

There’s a political dimension, as well. In the 1960s, Mao Zedong outlawed the practice of psychiatry (he viewed it as bourgeois) and closed psychiatric hospitals, most of which were founded by foreign missionaries. The public hospitals have since reopened, but they’re often used to incarcerate political dissidents.

In a recent survey, Chinese medical students expressed negative attitudes toward psychiatry as a specialty, citing the low pay and low prestige associated with the profession. They aren’t mistaken. Chinese psychiatrists earn less than other medical specialists, especially if they work in public hospitals and clinics where fees are tightly regulated. That low pay, combined with a kind of guilt-by-association with

Bring...

From A4

their ground. That’s five out of 19 senators leaving only 14 to convict CJ Sereno. Someone said that if there is a crossing of political lines, it would come from the ruling and coalition PDP Laban.

Senators Richard Gordon, Ping Lacson and Grace Poe are known as independent minded.

There’s no telling how

the stigmatized patients they’re treating, makes psychiatry a low-status profession. As a result, there are too few mentalhealth clinics and professionals to go around. In China, there are fewer than two psychiatrists for every 100,000 people; in the U.S. there are 12.

With the public sector failing to meet needs, China’s rapidly expanding private hospitals, which already account for 57.2 percent of all hospitals in China, are stepping up. Wenzhou Kangning is the biggest chain focusing on mental health. Founded in 1996, it operates eight hospitals and nearly 2,600 beds on China’s affluent east coast, where its outpatient practice is primarily focused on young, white collar workers exhibiting anxiety and depression. Business is good: The company claims that profit margins have exceeded 38 percent since 2014. And it will remain good. The mainland China mental-health-care market is expected to be worth $10 billion by 2019.

Profits and projections like that allow the company to do things thatthe public sector can’t, such as train its own doctors, pay them welland provide them far more time to evaluate patients than over-stressedpublic hospitals. That model offers dignity to patients and encouragesindividuals and families to seek out care.

Of course, it’s not foreveryone. With fees that can range as high as $750 per night for a private room, China’s lower-income masses won’t be getting treatment at Kangning.

But they may get treatment at other private facilities as more companies follow its lead into a massive market.

Equally important, in a China that often equates price with quality, those high prices and the betterheeled clientele they attract serve to erode some of the social stigma attached to mental illness.

And so, too, does the decision to seek out an IPO. In 2015, the company listed successfully on the Hong Kong stock exchange. A mainland listing matters more, if only because investors will be asked to pay to build mental-health facilities in their own country. Even five years ago, few Chinese would have considered that an opportunity worth examining. Today, if Chinese investors see no shame in buying into the once-stigmatized industry, then it’s likely that many patients won’t, either. For China, that’s a turning point that should improve the well-being of millions along with the portfolios of investors.

Bloomberg they will vote. The other senators are Ralph Recto, Chiz Escudero, Sonny Angara, Migz Zubiri, Tito Sotto, Gringo Honasan, Loren Legarda, Joel Villanueva, Koko Pimentel, Manny Pacquiao, Sherwin Gatchalian, Nancy Binay and Cynthia Villar.

The Senate roster was reduced to 19 with the detention of Senator Leila de Lima and the appointment of Alan Peter Cayetano as secretary of Foreign Affairs.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A thank you from JAZA VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ I WAS pleasantly surprised to receive a thank you letter dated Dec. 21, 2017 from Ayala Corp. Chair and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, one of Philippine business’ great men.

He wrote me a warm thank you for my sending him a copy of my book, “Tycoons, Taipans, Entrepreneurs” and wished me and my family “a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year in 2018.”

Sending a thank you letter is a rare gesture in this day of the Internet, Instagram, Twitter, Viber, and text messaging. Among the few people I know who did it with sincerity and regularity were the late General Carlos P. Romulo and Al Yuchengco as well as Ronnie Concepcion. They never failed to write thank you letters for anything I have written about them. The gesture is a sign of good breeding and civility, a habit not lost among the finest families in this country.

Here is the article on the Zobels in my book (call 744-7888 if you want to buy the book): The Zobel de Ayala family in property, banking, telco holding company Ayala Corp. has a net worth of $3.2 billion. The family was a favorite business group of President BS Aquino III and it showed in the number of projects it has won at very favorable terms.

The $3.2 billion, represents

their 24.5 percent ownership of the Ayala Corp.. That amount is divided among former Ambassador Jaime Zobel de Ayala and his children, led

by Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala (JAZA) and Fernando, further diluting the wealth.

At $3.2 billion the Zobel de Ayala wealth is nothing to sneeze at. The Philippines’ oldest company, Ayala prides itself in pioneering the future, in drawing strength from diversity, synergy, shared vision and values. For over 180 years, it has always been a bold but discerning Filipino company.

“Today, the spirit of innovation and our deeply held principles that brought Ayala to existence live on in each and every Ayala company,” says the conglomerate, although nimbler companies like SMC and Andrew Tan’s Alliance Global have proved smarter and quicker in pioneering and grabbing new businesses.

Ayala came rather late to the big-ticket infra business. Its first—and the government’s first—Public-Private Partnership infra—took four years and over P2 billion to build, although the length was only 4 kms.

Ayala was also late to the power generation and energy game and has only now gained traction but still lacks scale and market size.

The company, however, was quicker in seizing opportunities in the booming health care, education, and supermarket businesses (through tie-ups with Rustans and Puregold). It bought half of the Generika Group chain of over 500 drugstores and has opened Qualimed clinics in

Trinoma, Fairview Terraces and McKinley, Forbes Park.

It has just bought 60 percent of the University of Nueva Caceres in Naga from the Hernandez family.

Ayala put up Ayala Education after recognizing the strong demand for Filipino talent from the IT-BPO and other service industries, such as banking, telecom, retail and tourism. Ayala Education’s vision is to deliver affordable and high quality high school and college education.

Ayala has 23 hectares of BPO buildings.

Ayala Corp. has a total land bank of 8,639 hectares, good for 20 to 25 years.

Ayala Corp.’s net income in January-September 2017 rose 18 percent to P23.2 billion.

Revenues were up 22 percent to P201.5 billion.

Income was primarily driven by the solid contributions of its real estate and power generation businesses.

“Most of our business units have continued to achieve solid growth this year,” Ayala President and Chief Operating Officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala said. “We are pleased to note that even excluding the transaction gains from various strategic initiatives for the period, Ayala’s nine-month net income still expanded 18 percent from the previous year,” Zobel said.

Residential revenues jumped 30 percent from its year-ago level to P57.3 billion driven by new bookings and project completions led by the Alveo and Avida brands. Reservation sales in the first nine months amounted to P94.2 billion, 12 percent higher year-

on- year, with average monthly sales amounting to P10.5 billion. Unbooked revenues from reservation sales reached its highest level to date at P141 billion from P127 billion in end-2016, while net booked sales for the period climbed 16 percent to P66.9 billion.

Ayala Land posted P4.8-billion revenues in the first nine months, up 8 percent from a year ago, fueled by strong lot sales in Arca South, Vermosa, and Naic, Cavite.

Bank of the Philippine Islands’ net income in the first nine months 2017 rose 1.8 percent to P17 billion.

To reach underbanked and underserved Filipinos, BPI relaunched in July its microfinance arm, BPI Direct BanKo to service the needs of self-employed micro-entrepreneurs (SEMEs). BPI Direct BanKo currently operates 24 branches and micro- banking offices (MBOs) with a target to open 100 new branches and MBOs by year end.

Nine-month telco profits rose 11 percent to P13 billlion.

Globe revenues were up 6 percent to P95.1 billion, lifted by strong demand for mobile services.

Globe is deploying $100 million in additional capital expenditures for 2017 to fund the expansion of its mobile data network, bringing Globe’s total capital spending plan to $850 million for 2017. The additional investment will be used to deploy new cell sites that utilize the 700 and 2600 megahertz frequencies aimed at expanding internet capacity and mobile coverage.

Manila Water’s nine-month

net earnings ended flat from a year ago at P4.9 billion. Manila Water’s revenues rose 3 percent to P13.8 billion.

AC Energy net income surged 73 percent to P2 billion in the first nine months, primarily driven by the fresh contribution of its geothermal asset in Indonesia, boosted by services income derived from the financial close of a new power plant.

Equity earnings from AC Energy’s operating assets expanded 20 percent year-onyear to P1.6 billion, bolstered by the robust performance of its renewable energy assets and the contribution of SD Geothermal (formerly Chevron Indonesia). During the period, its renewable platforms contributed 52 percent to AC Energy’s equity earnings from operating assets.

AC Energy’s first greenfield offshore project, the 75-megawatt Sidrap Wind Farm located in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2018.

AC Infrastructure strengthened the operations of its three public-private partnership projects. Light Rail Manila Corp., the operator of LRT-1, served an average daily ridership of over 431,000 in the first nine months of the year.

Capacity has improved with 106 light rail vehicles available for operation, a 15 percent increase from its year-ago level, while average weekday daily trips have increased to 554, 10 percent higher yearon-year. biznewsasia@gmail.com

5 things to fear in a strong global economy

By Daniel Moss THE world economy entered 2018 on a stronger footing than many economists and investors dared predict.

Growth is picking up almost everywhere and deflation is no longer feared. Central banks are making themselves less dominant without scaring markets. Japan is no longer a euphemism for failure, Europe is showing some hard-earned vigor, and China isn’t unraveling. Even Brazil is looking better.

What could go wrong?

Well, a few things: Will the U.S. Federal Reserve make a policy error under its new chair, Jerome Powell? Janet Yellen flawlessly handled three interestrate increases and the start of balance-sheet reduction.

Tensions will rise if unemployment continues to ex-

Why...

From A4

I’ll take you home.”

To this day, my wife and I believe the man is an angel.

Another instance was when I was living at Ecology Village years ago. I was still driving during those times.

It was my practice to turn around to park at my carport. I needed to enter a small space.

One day as I turned, as I had done numerous times before, I noticed a small bump. When I went to look at the bump, it turned out to be an infant child on a chair in front of my bumper. Then my neighbor’s help shouted that the infant was hit by my car.

Later, she admitted she was at fault for leaving the child at that place.

Had my guardian angel not intervened, I could have killed the child! ** The Philippine press has often been accused of bias and prejudice in its reportage. President Duterte himself has accused mainstream media of distorting the truth

ceed Fed forecasts and inflation continues to lag them. In that event, the Fed may be tempted to take out some insurance by raising rates more than expected in case inflation shows up. That would be a mistake, a disorienting jolt to investors whose assetprice assumptions are predicated on low rates.

Will China’s economy hold up? It was supposed to slow a bit in 2017. That didn’t happen, adding to global buoyancy. Most economists have penciled in a slight slowing in 2018 as the government nudges stateowned companies to lighten their debt loads. But the debt implosion so many naysayers have predicted hasn’t happened, giving China the flexibility to play an ever larger role in global prosperity. Key man to watch: Liu He, an economic aide

to President Xi Jinping who has accrued enormous power over the policy apparatus.

And don’t be surprised to see a new central bank governor.

Will there be a race to the bottom on corporate tax rates?

The reduction to 21 percent that was signed into law by U.S. President Donald Trump in December is likely to tempt other developed countries to consider matching or undercutting them. Combined U.S. corporate tax rates (federal and state) will fall significantly below a number of Group of Seven economies, according to Krishna Guha at Evercore ISI. I wrote last month that tax cutting is a likely part of an expansionary shift in global fiscal policy. Let the games begin.

Will Trump be provoked?

For all the talk about populism and the anti-trade mood in the U.S., Mexico’s presiden-

tial election may represent as much risk to the North American Free Trade Agreement as White House swings between hostility and ambivalence. The leftist front-runner in Mexico’s 2018 presidential contest, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, won’t be shy about going toe-to-toe in social media with Trump. It’s not much of a stretch to imagine that Trump, in a fit of pique, announces his intention to quit the trade pact.

If the U.S. does exit, a swath of farm-belt states could easily slide into recession.

Will politics hurt growth, finally? The U.S. wasn’t the only place where markets and growth got the upper hand over geopolitical ructions in 2017. Both Indonesia and Malaysia are preparing for elections, and political Islam is flexing its muscles in both historically secular countries. Indonesian

local elections are held in June, and then the focus will shift to next year’s presidential contest. Islamist groups forced the ouster of a key reformist governor close to President Joko Widodo, and have power to get out of the vote and turn people out on the streets. Malaysia’s ruling party faces voters by August and is likely to rely on gerrymandering that favors rural, heavily Malay, culturally conservative districts. Prime Minister Najib Razak tried out this line in 2016: Malays would be “beggars” in their own land and Islamic institutions would fall should the opposition take over. Najib’s family is part of the old-line political establishment, but he and his bloc have increasingly courted Malay nationalists and Islamists since an intraparty blowup in the late 1990s. Bloomberg

when reporting the news.

The truth of the matter is that mainstream media have evolved in many ways. There is no such thing as objective reporting anymore.

Now, news stories read like opinion articles. Reporting has become so subjective. This is why the media are always accused of bias. Because of this, politicians always want the right to reply when they are reported to be involved in anomalies.

Of course journalists should also report the other side of the story, but the manner of reporting is a judgment call by the newspapers themselves. Otherwise, that would be interfering with freedom of the press.

If you ask me what I think of press freedom in the Duterte administration, I would say it is alive and well.

As a whole the Philippine press is still fair. Even if the headlines are almost always

similar, it’s the editorials and the columns that make the press distinct and free.

That’s the reason I believe mainstream media will not die even with the popularity of social media.

However, bloggers are an entirely different thing.

They do not have the same responsibility as we do.

the press.

sequent legislative enactment because of the constitutional injunction that ‘no money shall be paid out of the treasury except in pursuance of an appropriation made by law (Section 29, Article VI, 1987 Constitution).”

Thus, it is clear that Abad’s use of savings without legislative appropriation to purchase the vaccine is illegal.

For this, Abad has to be indicted – along with BS Aquino who negotiated the deal and former Health Secretary Janette Garin who implemented the vaccination program.

It was criminal because the World Health Organization had not yet certified the vaccine as safe. Now the health of 733,000 school children and adults are in danger. ** Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque claims that the President’s war on drugs is so successful that crime rates nationwide are down.

Does not Roque watch the evening news?

I never thought I would see the day when Roque, a former human rights lawyer, would become a lapdog, a “super tuta” of Malacañang.

I encountered my guardian angel at least twice in my life.

They have no duty to be fair and balanced. Bloggers cannot also be disciplined when they peddle fake news.

The problem now is that some officials appear to love bloggers just because they are supportive of the administration.

I call this prostitution of

** I always read letters to the editor. They are worth my while.

Take the case of one letter on the P3.5-billion Dengvaxia deal implemented by the BS Aquino administration close to the 2016 presidential elections.

The writer was Bartolome Fernandez Jr., retired senior commissioner of the Commission on Audit. He said that the purchase of the vaccine was “legally and constitutionally infirm.”

He claimed that the use of savings to fund Dengvaxia as committed by former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad was unauthorized in the General Appropriations Act. He said the law mandates that such savings “shall revert to the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund at the end of the fiscal year and shall thereafter be available for expenditure except by sub-

News

A6

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

4 men rob Pasay hotel, take P4m

By Joel E. Zurbano

F

OUR armed men robbed a hotel and its guests in Pasay City early Tuesday and fled with at least P4 million worth of cash and valuables.

The robbers, armed with short firearms, barged into Mabuhay Manor Hotel at 2933 Ortigas corner F.B. Harrison Streets around 3:19 a.m. They grabbed the .38-caliber service firearm of duty guard Jho-an Jabagat and took all the money from the cash register amounting to P33,000, police said.

Dominador Castro, an overseas Filipino worker who was at the hotel with three members of his family, and other guests were not spared by the robbers, who took their cash and valuables, including a Rolex watch, and assorted gadgets and jewelries.

After the heist, the robbers fled on board their getaway ve-

hicle, a black Hyundai Starex van, and sped off toward Roxas Boulevard.

Pasay City Police chief for operations Supt. Gene Licud tapped Senior Police Officer 2 Dennis Desalisa and Police Officer 3 Catalino Gazmen to probe the crime.

Meanwhile, National Capital Region Police Office Director Oscar Albayalde ordered investigators to get the video footage taken by the closed-circuit television camera during the heist.

“I ordered the chief of police there to get the CCTV to identify the robbers and the video footage in the areas where the getaway vehicle passes through. We’re also asking

for the cooperation of the hotel management,” Albayalde said.

Mabuhay Manor’s regular clients are mostly balikbayans and OFWs. The hotel is 10-minute drive from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and sports more than 100 rooms.

Last November, authorities

warned the public against members of criminal groups who were expected to go around commercial centers, shopping malls, public conveyances, and other crowded areas in Metro Manila during the holiday season.

The NCRPO had also ordered all its district commanders—in

the Central, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Manila police districts—to double their alert status in their jurisdictions in anticipation of possible crimes.

Police also warned of various modus operandi of criminals, including members of what they called “Intruders,” who are

12. Consequently, Applicant respectfully prays that it be allowed to implement either of the above two calculated alternative DSM rates, effective January 1, 2018 and up to December 31, 2020.

SUPPORTING DATA AND DOCUMENTS 13. In support of the foregoing computations, Applicant is submitting herewith the following documents, which are being made integral parts hereof, to wit:

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF ADJUSTMENT IN RATES COVERING THE FIRST TO THIRD REGULATORY YEARS OF THE SECOND REGULATORY PERIOD FOR THE SECOND ENTRANT GROUP UNDER THE TARIFF GLIDE PATH (TGP) RULES, WITH MOTION FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY, ERC CASE NO. 2017-061 RC CENTRAL PANGASINAN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. (CENPELCO), Applicant. x--------------------------------------------------------x

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Annex Nature of Document Markings A to A-2 Proposed TGP Calculations and supporting documents using the prescribed templates: Index “I” Calculation Efficiency Factor “X” Calculation Performance Incentive “S” Calculation B MFSR - Sections B and E (2013-2016) C Billing Determinants Template (2013-2016 kWh Sales, No. of Customers and kW Demand) D Sample Bills per customer type (2013-2016) E Regional CPI (2013-2016) F RFSC Utilization (2014-2016) G Consumer Complaints Summary or Tracking Form (2014-2016) H Audited Financial Statements (2014-2016)

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 22 June 2017, Applicant Central Pangasinan Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CENPELCO) filed an Application seeking the Commission’s approval for the adjustment in its rates pursuant to the Tariff Glide Path (TGP) Rules, with prayer for the issuance of provisional authority.

14.

15.

CENPELCO alleged the following in its Application: THE APPLICANT 1.

CENPELCO is a non-stock, non-profit electric cooperative, duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with principal offices at Padilla St., San Carlos City, Pangasinan;

2.

It holds an exclusive franchise from the National Electrification Commission, to operate an electric light and power distribution service in San Carlos City and certain municipalities of the Province of Pangasinan, namely: Aguilar, Alcala, Basista, Bautista, Bayambang, Binmaley, Bugallon, Labrador, Lingayen, Malasiqui, Mangaldan, Mangatarem, Sual and Urbiztondo.

16.

NATURE OF APPLICATION 3.

The instant Application is being filed for the approval of Applicant’s proposed adjustment in its Distribution, Supply and Metering (DSM) Rates to be implemented on the First to Third Regulatory Years of the Second Regulatory Period for Electric Cooperatives belonging to the Second Entrant Group under the Tariff Glide Path Rules (TGP Rules) and pursuant to said Rules, as well as other pertinent laws and rules.

17.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

MEETING. Controversial businessman Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang sits inside the

office of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz after close friend Sandra Cam accompanied him to the office of PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan shortly after Corpuz and Balutan assumed their positions. Ang and Cam offered to operate the agency’s Small Town Lottery or STL nationwide but were rejected by the PCSO leaders.

‘STL strikes hard against jueteng, illegal gambling’ THE aggressive implementation of the expanded government-run Small Town Lottery has struck hard against illegal numbers games such as jueteng, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Alexander Balutan said Tuesday.

Balutan said this amid a “demolition job” by former jueteng bagman and whistleblower Sandra Cam and “gambling lord” Charlie “Atong” Ang against the PCSO’s lottery game.

“We have achieved a record high STL revenue of up to P18 billion this year, from just more than P4 billion a year. Our STL is a potent source of income to finance the Duterte government’s free medical services to Filipinos, specially the indigent,” Balutan said.

He said this is the only reason why Ang found an ally in his close friend Cam to destroy the STL and PCSO in general.

Cam was recently appointed director to the PCSO board.

Ang and Cam were “known figures” in the world of illegal numbers games, the agency said.

Cam has argued with Balutan

and PCSO Chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz over what she claimed was the “lavish spending” for the agency’s Christmas celebration.

Cam, citing an unofficial document, insisted that PCSO spent P9.5 million and said she can back it up with more evidence. But Balutan and Corpuz said a just little over P6 million was spent.

“Kung matuloy ang hamon niyang imbestigasyon sa Kongreso, we will prove her wrong. Mapapahiya siya. Handa po tayong humarap sa imbestigasyon [If she continues her threat to call for a congressional invitation… she will be proven wrong. We are ready to face anything],” Balutan said.

Balutan reiterated that Cam wants to become chairman or general manager of the PCSO so Ang will have a hand in manipulating the systems of the lottery games.

He said Cam accompanied Ang to meet him and Corpuz shortly after they assumed their positions.

Cam and Ang offered to operate STL nationwide in exchange for P200 million in monthly remittances, Balutan said.

Filipinas working abroad as ‘HSWs’ hit 2.5m in ’17

By Vito Barcelo AT LEAST 2.5 million Filipino women have left the country to work as domestic helpers in various parts of the world from 1992 up to mid-2017 to find greener pastures and income for their families back home, a migration and recruitment expert said Tuesday.

Based on the records of the Philippine Overseas and Employment Agency, Filipino women started migrating in 1992 to work as domestic helpers, recruitment and migration expert Emmanuel S. Geslani said.

Geslani said the migration figure in 2015 was 2.067 million, plus the 2016 deployment of 275,893 women and the current 137,240 migrants in the first six months of 2017 make a grand total of 2,480,133 Filipina domestic helpers for the past three decades.

This official figure does not include almost 150,000 household service workers that were trafficked to Lebanon, Syria and UAE from 2008 to 2017 by illegal recruitment syndicates, he said.

The major concern, Geslani said, is the increasing trend of migrant workers “that signifies a large-scale human capital flight, also known as a ‘brain drain,’ which would greatly affect the progress and development of the Philippines.”

Approximately 12 percent of the total population of the Philippines lives overseas.

Over the past years, the figure has been rising; every hour, around 950 migrant workers leave the Philippines, according to the Philippine Commission on Population.

Geslani said the women primarily migrate in search of better job opportunities and better life conditions, often leaving behind their families and relatives in the Philippines, in the hopes of sending back remittances to better their economic and social status, and one day finding a way to help them migrate abroad, too.

4.

Sometime in 2014, Applicant filed with the Honorable Commission an application for approval of the proposed adjustment in its DSM Rates pursuant to the TGP Rules, docketed as ERC Case No. 2014-084RC.

5.

In the said application, Applicant prayed for approval of either of the following two (2) proposed alternative DSM rates, to be implemented effective January 2015, to wit:

18.

A. WITH PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE “S UNITS

Distribution Charges: Demand Charge Distribution System Charge Supply Charges: Retail Customer Charge Supply System Charge Metering Charges: Retail Customer Charge Metering System Charge

CUSTOMER TYPE Residential Low Higher Voltage Voltage

PhP/kW PhP/kWh

0.4804

PhP/Customer/Mo PhP/kWh

o.5599

PhP/Meter/Mo. PhP/kWh

5.21 0.3338

174.51 0.4625 48.53

48.53

34.14

34.14

Distribution Charges: Demand Charge Distribution System Charge Supply Charges: Retail Customer Charge Supply System Charge Metering Charges: Retail Customer Charge Metering System Charge

CUSTOMER TYPE Residential Low Higher Voltage Voltage

PhP/kW PhP/kWh

0.4661

PhP/Customer/Mo PhP/kWh

0.5432

PhP/Meter/Mo. PhP/kWh

5.05 0.3239

169.32 0.4488 47.09

47.09

33.12

33.12

6.

Foregoing application was Applicant’s initial application for DSM rate adjustment pursuant to the TGP Rules, under which electric cooperatives are given an opportunity to adjust their rates once every three (3) years, which may occur at the start of the fourth year of the First Regulatory Period and every 3 years thereafter;

7.

Applicant belongs to the Second Entrant Group under the TGP Rules, whose first regulatory period is from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2017. Having filed its initial application for DSM rate adjustment on the third regulatory year of the First Regulatory Period, the cooperative is filing the instant Application in the current year 2017, the sixth regulatory year of the First Regulatory Period, for the proposed adjustment of its DSM rates to be implemented on the first to the third regulatory years of the Second Regulatory Period for the Second Entrant Electric Cooperatives under the TGP Rules;

8.

19.

20.

B. EXCLUDING PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE “S” UNITS

The Applicant’s first TGP application under ERC Case No. 2014-084RC is still pending evaluation of the Honorable Commission. Despite the pendency thereof, Applicant is constrained to adopt and use the proposed DSM rates in the said application as bases in computing the proposed adjustment in the instant Application.

ALLEGATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY Applicant respectfully repleads herein the foregoing allegations; Applicant respectfully prays that it be allowed to implement the proposed rate adjustment starting January 1, 2018, considering that it is expressly prescribed under the TGP Rules’ provision on Regulatory Period and Process, which provides in part, as follows: “2. Regulatory Period and Process 2.1 On or before each Fourth month of the Third and Sixth regulatory year of their respective Regulatory Periods, the electric cooperative may file before the Commission an application for a rate adjustment reflecting the values for the “I”, “X” and “S” as determined in accordance with these rules. The initial tariff caps of the respective ECs shall be adjusted by the “I”, “X” and “S” effective at the start of the Fourth Regulatory Year of the First Regulatory Period x xx” (Emphasis ours) Under the TGP Rules, the regulatory period is six (6) years for each entry Group. For the Second Entrant Group, the first regulatory period is from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2017 and the start of the Fourth Regulatory Year is January 1, 2015. Applicant belongs to the Second Entrant Group, accordingly, its initial DSM Rates under the TGP Rules should be adjusted through the proposed TGP B Rates starting January 1, 2018; Aside from the foregoing, Applicant further prays for provisional authority to implement the proposed rates effective January 1, 2018 and even during the pendency of the instant Application, considering that the Applicant urgently needs additional funds to be able to cope with the rising costs of its operations. Among the major factors that added to its operating costs is the implementation of the Sitio Energization Program (SEP) of the government consisting of massive extension of its distribution lines up to the remotest and far-flung areas which considerably increased its operations and maintenance costs and likewise resulted to increased system losses which the cooperative is constrained to absorb; Further, the rising cost of materials, tools, equipment, supplies, fuel and other costs incidental to its daily operations has considerably increased these past several years and the funds being generated from Applicant’s DSM revenues granted by the Honorable Commission way back in Year 2010 by virtue of the Rules for Setting the Electric Cooperatives’ Wheeling Rates (RSEC-WR) and even from the adjustment in DSM rates in the application docketed as ERC Case No. 2009-148 RC pending resolution of the Honorable, are no longer sufficient to cover those costs, and if not addressed accordingly with the further adjustment of its rates, Applicant’s service to its consumers will be prejudiced.

Considering the foregoing, it is respectfully prayed that Applicant be allowed to implement the proposed DSM Rates effective January 1, 2018, even while the instant Application hearing or evaluation of the Honorable Commission.

COMPLIANCE WITH PRE-FILING REQUIREMENTS Finally, in compliance with the pre-filing requirements for the instant application, Applicant is likewise submitting herewith the following documents, which are being made integral parts hereof, to wit:

Annex Markings Nature of Document I Judicial Affidavit in support of the motion for provisional authority J and series Proof of furnishing copies of the Application to the Sangguniang Panlungsod of San Carlos and Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Pangasinan K and series Publication of the Application in a newspaper of general circulation in CENPELCO’s franchise area or where it principally operates, with Affidavit of Publication PRAYER WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is most respectfully prayed of this Honorable Commission that after due notice and hearing, Applicant CENPELCO be allowed to implement either of the following two (2) alternative proposed new rates for its Distribution, Supply and Metering (DSM) Charges, effective January 2018, to wit: A. WITH PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE “S” UNITS

Distribution Charges: Demand Charge Distribution System Charge Supply Charges: Retail Customer Charge Supply System Charge Metering Charges: Retail Customer Charge Metering System Charge

Under the TGP Rules, the concerned electric cooperative shall use the following formula in determining the TGP for the fourth to sixth years of the Regulatory Period, to wit: TGPB= TGPn + TGPn+1TGPn+2 Where TGPn=In-Xn+Sn n= the fourth year of ther Regulatory Period and succeeding Regulatory Periods The TGP calculated for each of the three years will be summed to determine the possible rate adjustment starting on the First Year of the next Regulatory Period.

10. Applying the methodology embodied in the TGP Rules, herein Applicant calculated the values of the “I”, “X” and “S” and came up with the following results, to wit: “I”(B) “X”(B) “S”(B) YEAR 2015 0.00% 0.00% 0.40% YEAR 2016 0.00% 0.00% 1.70% YEAR 2017 0.00% 0.00% 1.10% TOTAL

TGP B TGP B (excluding S) 0.40% 0.00% 1.70% 0.00% 1.10% 0.00% 3.20% 0.00%

11. Utilizing the above values will result in adjustments in Applicant’s DSM Rates covering the first to third years of the Second Regulatory Period for electric cooperatives belonging to the Second Entrant Group, as follows: A. WITH PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE “S” UNITS

Distribution Charges: Demand Charge Distribution System Charge Supply Charges: Retail Customer Charge Supply System Charge Metering Charges: Retail Customer Charge Metering System Charge

CUSTOMER TYPE Residential Low Higher Voltage Voltage

PhP/kW PhP/kWh

0.4958

PhP/Customer/Mo PhP/kWh

0.5778

PhP/Meter/Mo. PhP/kWh

5.37 0.3445

180.10 0.4773 50.09

50.09

35.23

35.23

B. EXCLUDING PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE “S” UNITS

Distribution Charges: Demand Charge Distribution System Charge Supply Charges: Retail Customer Charge Supply System Charge Metering Charges: Retail Customer Charge Metering System Charge

CUSTOMER TYPE Residential Low Higher Voltage Voltage

PhP/kW PhP/kWh

0.4661

PhP/Customer/Mo PhP/kWh

o.5432

PhP/Meter/Mo. PhP/kWh

5.05 0.3239

169.32 0.4488 47.09

47.09

33.12

33.12

CUSTOMER TYPE Residential Low Higher Voltage Voltage

PhP/kW PhP/kWh

0.4958

PhP/Customer/Mo PhP/kWh

0.5778

PhP/Meter/Mo. PhP/kWh

5.37 0.3445

180.10 0.4773 50.09

50.09

35.23

35.23

B. EXCLUDING PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE “S” UNITS

THE PROPOSED DSM RATE ADJUSTMENT 9.

thieves preying on workplaces with little to no security.

The gang may take on different disguises, like posing as an employee’s friend, visitor, or as a messenger, complete with a visitor’s ID. They target valuables like mobile phones, cash, laptops, and credit cards.

Distribution Charges: Demand Charge Distribution System Charge Supply Charges: Retail Customer Charge Supply System Charge Metering Charges: Retail Customer Charge Metering System Charge

CUSTOMER TYPE Residential Low Higher Voltage Voltage

PhP/kW PhP/kWh

0.4661

PhP/Customer/Mo PhP/kWh

o.5432

PhP/Meter/Mo. PhP/kWh

5.05 0.3239

169.32 0.4488 47.09

47.09

33.12

33.12

Other reliefs, just and equitable in the premises are likewise prayed for.

The Commission has set the Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on 18 January 2018 (Thursday) at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.) at CENPELCO’s Main Office in San Carlos City, Pangasinan.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant case may become a party by filing with the Commission a verified Petition to Intervene at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure, indicating therein the docket number and title of the case and stating the following: 1. The petitioner’s name and address; 2. The nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and 3. A statement of the relief desired.

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may file their Opposition or Comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before Applicant rests its case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following: 1. The name and address of such person; 2. A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and 3. The grounds relied upon.

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicant that they be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing.

Applicant is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours.

WITNESS, the Honorable OIC Chairman and CEO ALFREDO J. NON, and the Honorable Commissioners GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAP-TARUC and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 20th day of November 2017 in Pasig City.

FOR AND BY AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION:

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal Standard – Dec. 27 , 2017 & Jan. 3, 2018

Sports

A7

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Muguruza suffers fitness scare

Bears, Lions sack NFL coaches

B

RISBANE —World number two Garbine Muguruza suffered a fitness scare ahead of this month’s Australian Open when she was forced to retire from the Brisbane International on Tuesday with severe cramping.

C H I CAG O — C h i c a g o coach John Fox got the chop on Monday, a day after the close of the NFL season saw the Bears in last place in their division for a third straight year.

Detroit Lions coach Jim Caldwell was also fired on Monday, less than a year after he inked a contract extension.

Fox was hired by the Bears in January of 2015 after four years at the helm of the Denver Broncos.

Fox guided the Broncos to a 46-18 record, four straight division titles and a Super Bowl appearance, but that success didn’t translate when he made the move to Chicago.

The Bears have gone 6-10, 3-13 and 5-11 in Fox’s three seasons. In 2017, they were 0-6 against NFC North division rivals, marking the club’s first winless season in their division in nearly 50 years.

“Thank you to all the players, coaches, the city of Chicago and Bears fans everywhere, your passion for the game and this team is unmatched in the NFL,” Fox said in a statement released by the team. “Today is the tough part of our results-oriented business but I wish the Bears organization the best for years to come.”

Caldwell coached the Lions to winning records in three of his four years at the helm. But the Lions missed the playoffs twice in the last three seasons—including this year with a 9-7 record.

“I believe Jim is one of the finest leaders we’ve ever had as our head coach,” Lions owner and chairman Martha Firestone Ford said in a statement. “Not only did he guide us on the field to three winning seasons, but he also set a standard of excellence off the field that had a tremendous impact on everyone in our organization and our entire community. Our organization is better because of Jim, and we are forever grateful.” AFP

Wimbledon champion Muguruza was ahead 2-1 in the deciding set against Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic in the second round of the warm-up tournament for the season’s first Grand Slam event when she collapsed to the ground following a serve.

The Spanish top seed was unable to continue and

handed the match to Krunic 5-7, 7-6 (7/3), 2-1.

“I felt in trouble in the second set when I was 2-0 up,” Muguruza said.

“I started to feel my calves were cramping.”

Muguruza had won a tight first set and appeared heading for a straight sets win over Krunic when she opened

up a 5-2 lead in the second.

However, she began to struggle in the 30 Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) heat and oppressive humidity as Krunic fought back to win the second set on a tiebreak.

Muguruza received treatment from the physio on court before the start of the decider and broke Krunic only to collapse while serving to consolidate the service break.

“I continued to think that with the match they might go away, and then they were increasing, increasing. And then I had a lot of my body cramping,” Muguruza said.

The loss ends any hope Muguruza had of leapfrogging Simona Halep and becoming world number one before the seedings are decided for Australian Open, which begins on January 15.

But Muguruza was not too downhearted by having to withdraw.

“I’m pleased because we were playing very good points and, you know, good rallies,” she said.

“I felt it was a good level, a good match, but I wanted to finish to see, to evaluate how the match was, but I’m happy with the way I was playing.”

Krunic will now play either Sorana Cirstea or Anastasija Sevastova in the quarter-finals.

Last year’s runner-up Alize Cornet eased into the final eight with a straight sets win over Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni.

Cornet, who won her first round match when fourth seed Caroline Garcia retired injured, was too consistent for Lucic-Baroni, winning 6-1, 7-5.

In the men’s draw, 21-year-old South Korean Chung Hyeon stunned fifth seed Gilles Muller from Luxembourg 6-3, 7-6 (7/1)

St. Clare tries to boost stock in Champ’s meet

Garbine Muguruza of Spain grabs her leg in pain before retiring from her second round match against Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia at the Brisbane International tennis tournament at the Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane. Muguruza suffered a fitness scare ahead of this month’s Australian Open when she was forced to retire from the Brisbane International with severe cramping. AFP

NATIONAL Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities champion St. Clare College-Caloocan hopes to continue its success in 2018 when it participates in the National Capital Region qualifying phase of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League at the Jose Rizal University gym along Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City starting Jan. 15.

Handled by NAASCU president Dr. Ernesto Jay Adalem and coach Jino Manansala, the Caloocan Citybased Saints return to action armed with new-found confidence brought about by their successful title campaign in the NAASCU. “We’re confident of our chances in the PCCL. The players are in high spirits since winning back-to-back NAASCU titles last October,” said Adalem.

“The PCCL is also a good opportunity for the players to further hone their skills under Coach Manansala before they take their acts to the PBA DLeague scheduled later this month,” added Adalem, who

South Korea proposes high-level talks with North SEOUL—South Korea Tuesday proposed holding high-level talks with Pyongyang on January 9, after the North’s leader Kim Jong-Un called for a breakthrough in relations and said Pyongyang might attend the Winter Olympics.

Kim used his annual New Year address to underscore Pyongyang’s claim that it has developed a weapons deterrent and warn that he had a “nuclear button” on hand, but sweetened his remarks by expressing an interest in dialogue and participating in the South’s Games.

South Korea’s unification minister Cho Myoung-Gyon said Seoul was “reiterating our willingness to hold talks with the North at any time and place in any form”.

“We hope that the South and North can sit face to face and discuss the participation of the North Korean delegation at the Pyeongchang Games as well as other issues of mutual interest for the improvement of inter-Korean ties,” he said at a press conference.

The two Koreas, which have been separated by a tense demilitarized zone since the end

of the 1950-53 Korean war, last held high-level talks in 2015.

Dovish South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who has long favoured engagement to defuse tension with the North, earlier Tuesday welcomed Kim’s suggestion that there could be an opportunity to kick-start dialogue.

However, he indicated that improvements in inter-Korean ties must go hand in hand with steps towards denuclearisation.

Moon proposed Red Cross and military talks last year, but his requests were not answered

by Pyongyang.

The North has rattled the international community in recent months with multiple missile launches and its sixth and most powerful nuclear test—purportedly of a hydrogen bomb.

Pyongyang has shrugged off a raft of new sanctions and heightened rhetoric from the United States as it continued to drive forwards with a weapons programme that it says is defensive and aimed at developing a warhead capable of targeting the US mainland.

‘Positive response’ Kim’s comments were the

first indication of North Korea’s willingness to participate in the Winter Games, which run from February 9 to 25.

Moon called them a “positive response” to Seoul’s hope that the Pyeongchang Olympics would be a “groundbreaking opportunity for peace”.

The main Winter Olympic venues are just 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the heavily fortified border with the North and the build-up to the event has been overshadowed by surging tensions over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile tests. AFP

Team Southeast Asia upbeat of Pradera repeat TEAM Southeast Asia sets out for the Pradera Verde Ladies Challenge in high spirits, ready to thwart Team Philippines’ expected fightback in the second staging of the event on Jan. 15-17 at the Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club in Lubao, Pampanga.

Though the visiting team will miss the services of some of the aces who anchored their domination of last year’s inaugurals of the novel event, co-team captains Phunampa Pornperapan and Jantsonn Kan have come up with a young but formidable squad all primed up for the championship which pits the country’s leading jungolfers and amateurs against the top players from neighboring SEA countries in a Ryder Cup-style format event.

“We’re optimistic of our chances. Though we only have Onkanok (Soisuwan) as holdover from the Thai group plus two youngsters aged 12 and 13, the team is keen for competition,” said Pornperapan, who has tapped Kultida Pramphun, Phannarai Meesomus,

while US qualifier Michael Mmoh upset Argentine Federico Delbonis 6-3, 6-4.

Meanwhile, Qatar Open top seed, Austria’s Dominic Thiem, won a hard-fought opening round match in Doha on Monday, beating Russia’s Evgeny Donskoy in straight sets 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.

The world number five was pushed hard by his opponent, especially in the first set where Donskoy threatened an early upset.

But he won in a tie break, before breaking the Russian’s serve twice in the second set, in the sixth and ninth games, to claim victory. AFP

Pimkwan Chookaew and Pinkaew Trachentong to backstop Team SEA. For Kan, the Malaysian skipper is also bringing in three new players but still has last year’s mainstay Winnie Ng, who is expected to provide the leadership and deliver again along with Ashley Lau, Audrey Tan and Zuliakah Nurzian and Indonesian Michela Tjan, also a member of last year’s winning squad.

“I think Winnie will definitely do better than last year. Ashley is a more mature player who has been playing in Australia the last three years,” said Kan. “Overall, this is a team event with an equally strong members from Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia, so we are quite positive of our chances to be champion again.”

But Team Philippines has also firmed up its roster in an attempt to even things up with Team SEA, enlisting Yuka Saso and Harmie Constantino to team up with The Country Club mainstays Mikha Fortuna, Bernice Olivarez-Ilas and Sofia Chabon.

Thai Onkanok Soisuwan and Michela Tjan of Indonesia hope to provide the leadership and experience for Team Southeast Asia

Harden out for 2 weeks with leg injury HOUSTON—Houston Rockets star James Harden will be out for at least two weeks with a hamstring injury, the National Basketball Association team announced on Monday.

The Rockets said Harden suffered a grade two strain of

his left hamstring in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

Harden scored 40 points before leaving late in the fourth quarter of the Rockets’ doubleovertime win.

He is averaging 32 points,

nine assists, five rebounds and 1.8 steals per game for the Rockets (26-9), who have been struggling of late, losing five of their last six games.

The team said doctors would re-evaluate Harden’s injury in two weeks. AFP

is widely credited for turning St. Clare into one of the leading collegiate teams.

Manansala, for his part, said the coming PCCL and PBA DLeague will give the St. Clare players the chance to prove that their success in the NAASCU was no fluke as they will be playing against NCAA and UAAP and UCBL teams in the PCCL and top commercial teams in the PBA D-League.

“We’re ready to take on the challenge. We like our chances,” said Manansala, who was also named “Best Coach “ of the NAASCU after joining CEU coach Egay Macaraya as the second winningest coach in league history with three titles behind the five of UM coach Ato Tolentino.

Led by two-time NAASCU MVP winner Aris Dionisio, Junjie Hallare, Paeng Rebugio and African import Mohamed Pare, St. Clare completed a smashing twogame sweep of De Ocampo Memorial College (101-79) and 98-83) to capture their second straight NAASCU crown and third since founding the league in 2001.

Atos, Jucutan dominate PPS Angeles netfest ANGELYN Atos and Exequiel Jucutan saved their best for last, posting a pair of singles victories each to share the MVP honors in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Angeles City leg age-group tennis tournament at the Angeles City Tennis Club in Villa Gloria Subd. in Pampanga last weekend.

The top-seeded Atos lived up to her billing, dropping just two games to reign in the girls’ 12- and 14-and-under classes of the Group I tournament hosted and sponsored by councilor Joseph Ponce and Palawan Pawnshop. The rising Baguio City crushed Tristenn Kitong twice, 6-0, 6-0, and 6-0, 6-2, respectively.

Jucutan turned in a more impressive performance, beating Jundee Magtabog, 6-0, 6-0, in the boys’ 14-U finals then the Manaoag, Pangasinan ace clipped Josh Molina, 6-1, 6-0, to claim the 16-U diadem in the event presented by Slazenger which capped the PPS-PEPP 53-leg nationwide circuit.

Atos and Jucutan actually made it a threetitle feat with the former teaming up with Gabrielle Abarquez to rout Angel Alambra and Rymone Moreno, 8-1, for the 18-U doubles plum and the latter partnering with JM Erpelo to whip Gabby Avila and Ranz Cuarto, 8-2, for the 14-U doubles title.

Anna Demyer also came away with two victoreis as the San Fabian, Pangasinan bet trounced Gabrielle Abarquez, 6-0, 6-2, in the girls’1 6-U finals and repulsed Kim Evangelista, 0-6, 6-3, 10-5, in the 16-U championship.

Local bet Jed Labasano held off Charles Torres, 6-1, 7-5, to clinch the boys’ 18-U plum, John Prince Lim from Urdaneta, Pangasinan topped the 10-unisex side with a 4-1, 4-2 romp over Jeremiah Labasano, and JM Erpelo, also of Urdaneta, took the boys’ 12-U title with a 6-0, 6-7(4), 10-4 victory over Thomas Gabuat.

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

DeRozan delivers career show with 52 points

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018

DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors goes to the basket against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. DeRozan scored a career-high 52 points to lead the Raptors to a 131-127 win. AFP

TNT Katropa showing progress in PH Cup start

By Jeric Lopez

T

HOUGH it wasn’t able to have the right start it wanted in its initial assignment, the TNT KaTropa has shown significant improvements in the 2017-18 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup.

defending champion San Miguel Beer next.

The second year coach was also glad to see the improvements of his team from its first-game loss to Rain or Shine to its convincing win against the Aces.

“What’s good for us now is that we continue to develop and improve this early in the tournament. I can see that over the course of two games.

Sustaining that will be the key for us,” said Racela.

Moreover, the signs are good for TNT KaTropa looking ahead as two of its cornerstones have showed glimpses that that they can

finally take over the team upfront with longtime reliable Ranidel De Ocampo long gone.

In that first win against the Aces, Mo Tautuaa and Troy Rosario, the top two picks in the 2015 Draft, shone and gave the Texters the lift they needed.

Rosario and Tautuaa, who scored 19 and 18 points, respectively, against Alaska, are now TNT’s bread and butter down low and they are slowly but surely muscling their way to fill in the huge void left by De Ocampo, who was traded last Governors’ Cup to Meralco.

LOS ANGELES—DeMar DeRozan scored a team record 52 points as the Toronto Raptors won their 12th straight home game with a 131-127 overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.

DeRozan shot 17-of-29 from the floor and made all 13 of his free throw attempts for Toronto, who are a league best 14-1 at home.

He is the third Toronto player in history to score 50 or more points, joining Vince Carter and Terrence Ross, who each scored 51.

“When you come out here and you’re in those moments, you’ve got to make the best out of them,” DeRozan said.

DeRozan also had five three pointers while Kyle Lowry tallied 26 points and Serge Ibaka chipped in 11 for the Raptors in front of a crowd of 19,800 at the Air Canada Centre arena.

“He was playing with a lot of juice,” Toronto coach Dwane Casey said. “You could see the bounce in his step. Tonight, DeMar DeRozan played like a superstar.”

Eric Bledsoe scored 29 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 26 for the Bucks, who had their modest two game win streak stopped in the matchup between two Eastern Conference first round opponents from last season. Toronto won the series in six games.

DeRozan hit a jump shot in overtime to give Toronto a 121-117 lead. His basket came just moments after Fred VanVleet gave the Raptors the lead for good by nailing a three pointer.

“He’s dangerous any time he puts on a uniform,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. “Now to be able to expand his range out to the three-point line just makes the game easier for him.”

Elsewhere, C.J. McCollum scored the tiebreaking basket with 56 seconds left in overtime as the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Chicago Bulls 124-120.

McCollum had a team high 32 points while AlFarouq Aminu finished with 24 points and Evan Turner had 22 for Portland, which was without leading scorer Damian Lillard for a fifth straight game. AFP

Based on their last outing, the Tropang Texters showed that they can still be considered a contender as they took down Alaska, 106-98, with force right before the calendar turned last weekend.

“It was hard to get into

the win column always.

Getting that first win is never easy and for a start, it was nice that we have one going to our games this 2018 since we have a tough game ahead,” said TNT KaTropa coach Nash Racela, whose Texters will face three-time

Obiena eyes Taiwan meet

Saso joins hunt as Ladies PH Golf Tour Greenfield unwraps

By Peter Atencio A POCKET tournament in Taiwan will get Ernest John Obiena’s road to recovery started.

This is what is in store for the 22-year-old Obiena, who just recovered from an anterior cruciate ligament injury the day before he was to compete in the 29th Southeast Asian Games last August.

“After we get a go-signal na galing sa doctor, our plan is to compete in small tournaments para maibalik ang confidence niya sa paglalaro,” said EJ’s dad Emerson.

A day before he was to go to Kuala Lumpur, the young Obiena hurt his knee after making a wrong landing during his final workout.

Obiena was supposed to defend his men’s pole vault crown in the SEAG, where he had a personal-best record of 5.61 meters.

Emerson said the tournament will start in March and the presence of a lot of competitive pole vaulters will make the meet interesting.

“There are regular competitors from the United States, Europe, Australia and Japan there. Lots of potentials in the championship,” added Emerson.

In his quest to meet the the pole vault Olympic standard of 5.70m, Obiena broke the national men’s record for the 10th time last July with a leap of 5.61 meters at the Stabhochsprung Classic, in Leberkusen, Germany, smashing the national record of 5.55 meters.

TOP amateur Yuka Saso gets the chance to slug it out with the cream of the local pro crop in a field spiced up by a number of Thai aces as the ICTSI Ayala Greenfield Ladies Challenge unfolds today (Wednesday, Jan. 3) in Calamba, Laguna.

Saso, who posted a nearsweep of the country’s major amateur titles last year, including the Philippine Amateur Stroke and Match Play crowns, actually heads an eight-player amateur cast, all raring to show up and crowd the fancied pros for the crown in the 54-hole championship kicking off this year’s Ladies Philippine Golf Tour sponsored

by ICTSI. They include former Junior World champion Daniella Uy, Chanelle Avaricio, Laia Barro, Marianne Bustos, Sam Dizon, Baek Yeun Jea and the comebacking

Alaska’s Chris Banchero bites to the fake of TNT’s Mo Tautuaa.

Yuka Saso heads an eight-player amateur cast, all raring to show up and crowd the fancied pros for the crown in the 54-hole championship kicking off this year’s Ladies Philippine Golf Tour sponsored by ICTSI.

Sam Martirez.

The 17-year-old Saso, who also won the World Junior Girls title and led the Philippines to the team champi-

onship in Canada in 2016, is gunning for her second pro title after winning the LPGT Eagle Ridge plum in 2016 although the talented Fil-

Japanese shotmaker faces tall odds this time given the depth of the competing pro field at the wind-raked Ayala Greenfield course.

LPGA and Symetra Tour campaigner Dottie Ardina headlines the elite cast that includes Cyna Rodriguez and Princess Superal, who also campaign in the Symetra Tour, and LPGT leg winners Chihiro Ikeda, Sarah Ababa and Korean Euna Koh. Pauline del Rosario, fresh from her LPGT Order of Merit romp with a four-victory feat in her rookie season, is also keen on launching her campaign on a winning note while raring to make up for her so-so showing in the 2017 season-ending tournament at South Forbes two weeks ago.

But the local aces will be in for a tough outing against the Thai shotmakers out to extend their domination of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. The Thais swept the last two legs of the just-concluded LPGT fifth season

with the likes of Saraporn Chamchoi, Tiranan Yoopan, Chonlada Chayanun and former leg winners Saruttaya Ngam-usawan and Wannasiri Sirisampant all eager to follow up compatriots Renuka Suksukont and Yupaporn Kawinpakorn’s victories at Philippine Ladies Masters and South Forbes, respectively.

Other Thais vying in the event backed by Custom Clubmakers, BDO, Meralco, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and K&G Golf are Numa Gulyanamitta, Pakpring Duangchan, Chitawadee Duangchan, Hathaikarn Wongwaikijphaisal, Jaruporn P Na Ayuttaya, Ploychompoo Wilairungrueng, Punpaka Phuntumabamrung, Sarinee Thitiratanakorn, Supakchaya Pattaranakrueng and Thanuttra Boonraksasat.

Top seed Jarata advances to Andrada Cup quarterfinals TOP SEED Marc Andrei Jarata overcame a slow start to turn back Lance Fernandez, 5-7, 6-2, 10-6, yesterday in the boys’ 14-under division of the 29th Andrada Cup agegroup tennis tournament at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Jarata, of Agoo in La Union, appeared to be in danger after yielding the first set. But he went to work in the second and won the super tiebreak in the third to advance to the quarterfinals of the premier class.

Focus is on the boys’ and girls’ 14-under divisions because it’s

where the Philippine Tennis Association headed by Atty. Antonio Cablitas draws candidates for the Junior Davis Cup, Junior Fed Cup and the World Junior Tennis Championships.

Action in the girls’ divisions gets going today.

Joining Jarata in the next round are No. 8 Samuel Rean Nuguit, a 6-1, 6-1 winner over No. 5 Jude Hidalgo, then Keno Enriquez and Lukas Yupangco, winners via walkover.

In the boys’ 18-under class, second seed Jules Lazaro held off training

partner Loucas Fernandez, 6-4, 7-5 while Darryljon Alano survived Jerome Ignacio III, 4-6, 6-4, 10-3.

Genemar Gerrick Zuno advanced via walkover.

Lazaro withstood the windy conditions at the open courts of the RMSC, giving the young players difficulty with their serves and placement shots.

“I made the adjustment. I hit the ball harder and shorter and into the mid-court. It was a tough match to play,” said Lazaro after winning the battle between two players who wore

almost identical clothes.

“We’re friends and we talked about wearing neon colors,” said Lazaro, adding that Fernandez, from Quezon City, also trains under the former’s father, Alex Lazaro.

Winners in the 10-under unisex division of the event put up by former Philta president Salvador Andrada and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Thadeus Sports and Altamar Shipping were Samuel Davila over Abby Mae Espina, 4-0, 4-2; France Vhiel Dilao over John Prince Lim, 4-1, 1-4, 73; Jayden

Ballado over Sofia Tenorio, 4-1, 4-1; Kriz Roque Lim over Eamon Rafael Lopez, 2-4, 4-2, 7-3; Devin Yap over Raghav Goel, 4-1, 4-0; and Frank Nhiele Dilao over Novak Brazal, 4-2, 5-3. Top seed Kean Sebastian drew a bye.

In boys’ 12-under, Sherwin Rey Nuguit outplayed Kriz Roque Lim, 6-1, 6-1; Brent So blanked Joshua Hidalgo, 6-0, 6-0; Dixand Andrade edged Honorio Poblador, 6-3, 6-1; and John Prince Lim, Darwin Cosca, Zimon Dorig, and Eamon Lopez via walkover.

Asian markets start 2018 on a high B2

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018

B1

PLDT, Huawei sign $28.5-m deal

By Darwin G. Amojelar

IN BRIEF

P

LDT Inc. said it tapped China’s Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. to transform its wireless service delivery platforms at a cost of $28.5 million, or about P1.4 billion, to further improve its customer service.

City Savings buys Isabela thrift bank

CITY Savings Bank Inc., the thrift banking arm of Union Bank of the Philippines, will acquire the Isabela-based Philippine Resources Savings Bank to further widen its coverage nationwide.

City Savings said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it signed a share purchase agreement with the Ropali Group to acquire 100 percent of the common shares of PR Savings Bank.

“This acquisition will expand our mass market reach, consistent with our vision to promote inclusive growth in the country,” Union Bank president and incoming chief executive Edwin Bautista said in a statement.

The agreement was signed

by Ropali Group chairman and founder Roberto Alingog and City Savings Bank chairman and Union Bank senior executive vice president Eugene Acevedo.

PR Savings Bank is a member of the Ropali Group of Companies, a mid-sized conglomerate that is a leading player in the motorcycle and agricultural machinery trade. The Isabela-based bank is the 14th largest thrift bank in the country with assets of P12.917 billion. It has 102 offices, mostly located in Luzon.

The bank is presently engaged in extending motorcycle, agri-machinery and teachers’ salary loans, serving over 131,000 borrowers, mostly from the mass market segment. The acquisition represents exciting new opportunities for City Savings to substantially expand its reach in Luzon as well as enter new market segments such as motorcycle and agri-machinery financing. Julito G. Rada

BPI, Lulu sign remittance deal

BANK of the Philippine Islands, the fourth-largest lender in terms of assets, teamed up with Lulu Exchange, one of the Gulf region’s leading foreign exchange and remittance service providers, to enhance its reach to overseas Filipino workers.

BPI said in a statement the partnership would allow migrant workers to transfer funds directly to a BPI or BPI Family Savings Bank account, making it easy for their families and loved ones in the Philippines to withdraw from BPI’s over 3,000 ATMs nationwide free of charge.

“This option for sending remittances is a welcome move for Filipinos who are living outside the country,” BPI said.

It said the services would benefit families of OFWs based in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Seychelles, where Lulu Exchange branches are mostly located.

Lulu Exchange, launched nine years ago in Abu Dhabi, is one of the Gulf region’s largest financial service companies, with more than 170 branches in nine countries and expanding across the Asia-Pacific region along with plans to enter the European market. Julito G. Rada

Aboitiz completes solar acquisition

ABOITIZ Power International Pte. Ltd. completed the acquisition of the entire stake of SunE Solar B.V. in the 59-megawatt solar power plant in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

Aboitiz Power Corp. said AP International and SunE Solar completed the execution of the deed of transfer in the Netherlands following the fulfillment of the closing conditions under the share purchase agreement dated Dec. 20.

“This results in Aboitiz Power owning 100 percent beneficial ownership in the San Carlos Sun Power, Inc. solar project in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental,” it said.

Aboitiz Power, through wholly-owned subsidiary Aboitiz Renewables Inc., signed a joint framework agreement in 2014 to develop solar photovoltaic projects in the Philippines.

Pursuant to the agreement, SunEdison Inc., the ultimate parent company of SunE Solar and SunEdison Philippines, and Aboitiz Renewables invested in Maaraw Holdings San Carlos Inc. and Sacasun for the 59-MW solar project in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

The parties signed a compromise agreement to resolve issues that arose from their joint venture companies―Maaraw and Sacasun due to the filing of bankruptcy of SunEdison.

“The transfer of SunEdison Philippines to AP International completes the divestment by SunE of its participation in the Sacasun project and AboitizPower’s acquisition of all of SunE’s equity interest in the Sacasun project held by its subsidiaries,” it said. Alena Mae S. Flores

GLOBE SPARKS CROWDFUNDING. Globe Telecom chooses The Spark Project as one of the Top 5 winners of the Globe Future Makers program, besting 130 other entries. The Spark Project, a Filipino crowdfunding website and community spearheaded by founder and chief executive Patrick Dulay, aims to create a ‘spark’ among local entrepreneurs through an online platform to showcase their creations and projects. Shown are (from left) Kickstart Ventures Inc. president Minette Navarrete, Ashoka Philippines chairman Rico Gonzalez, The Spark Project co-founders Paolo Agloro, Luis Gaza and Patrick Dulay, The Spartk Project community and product manager Paola Betita and Globe head of innovation Mikey Garrovillo.

SEC approves Marcventures’ merger with 2 firms

By Jenniffer B. Austria common shares with a par Bauxite Resources Inc. that prices,” the mining comTHE Securities and Exchange Commission approved the merger of Marcventures Holdings Inc., Brightgreen Resources Holdings Inc. and Asia Pilot Mining Philippines Corp. with Marcventures as the surviving entity.

Marcventures said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the SEC also approved the increase in the company’s authorized capital stock to P4 billion divided into four billion common shares with a par value of P1 per share, from P2 billion divided into 2 billion

value of P1.

Marcventures said out of the increase in authorized capital stock, it would issue 1.125 million common shares priced at P1 apiece, comprising of 675 million shares for APMPC shareholders and 450 million shares for BHI shareholders.

APMPC is the owner of Alumina Mining Philippines Inc. which holds a mineral production sharing agreement over 6,694 hectares of mining areas in Motiong, San Jose De Buan and Wright in Samar province.

The company also owns

operates in 5,435 hectares of mining areas in Gandara, San Jose de Buan and Wright.

Marcventures said the merger with APMPC would allow it to gain control of AMPI and BARI, whose mineral resource is bauxite ore―the main raw material of aluminum.

“The merger will allow Marcventures to grow its business, diversify its products and expand its source of income. Bauxite has been observed to be more stable in prices as compared to other commodities even during the slump of metal

pany said.

Bauxite is a highly valued raw material used to produce aluminum alloys which are essential to industries like aerospace, transportation, construction and various manufacturing lines.

Meanwhile, BHI is the owner of BrightGreen Resources Corp., which holds MPSA covering 4,860 hectares in Carrascal and Cantilan, Surigao del Sur. The mining tenement is contiguous to the mining tenement of MHI’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Marcventures Mining and Development Corp.

“This partnership will enable PLDT Group’s wireless services under the brands PLDT, Smart, Sun and TNT to become much more agile, efficient and resilient in developing and delivering a growing array of digital services,” PLDT chairman and chief executive Manuel Pangilinan said.

The project is a part of PLDT Group’s massive capital expenditure program for the continuing overhaul of its fixed and wireless network infrastructure and information technology systems which is expected to exceed P50 billion in 2018.

“Under the 15-month agreement, Huawei will improve Smart’s online charging platforms and electronic loading for prepaid subscribers,” PLDT Group chief corporate services officer Ray Espinosa said.

“This involves consolidating similar applications for different brands under one system and streamlining business processes through a unified platform and simplified processes,” he said.

As a result, PLDT, Smart, Sun and TNT will be able to offer more personalized offers and rewards for customers, the company said.

PLDT’s wireless services will also be able to offer bundled services more quickly and efficiently.

Ayala Land gains control of big Malaysian developer PROPERTY developer Ayala Land Inc. is taking a majority control of Malaysian development and construction company MCT Bhd by acquiring an additional 17.24-percent stake for 202.5 million Malaysian ringgit, or around P2.55 billion.

Ayala Land said in a disclosure to the stock exchange wholly-owned unit Regent Wise Investments Ltd. signed a share purchase agreement with Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Goh Ming Choon, a major shareholder of MCT, to acquire 230,115,574 ordinary shares in the Malaysian firm.

This will bring Ayala Land’s shareholdings in MCT to 50.19 percent from 32.95 percent.

Ayala Land said RWIL would conduct a mandatory take-over offer in accordance with the laws of Malaysia, once the share purchase agreement became unconditional.

“This increase in ownership will strengthen ALI’s commitment to enhance MCT’s operations and expand its business further. This will also provide ALI with a greater opportunity to take advantage of the growth potential and long-term prospects of the real estate sector in Malaysia and will affirm ALI’s role as a key player in the Asean property sector,” Ayala Land said.

“With ALI’s solid track record in developing largescale, integrated, mixed-use and sustainable estates across the Philippines and in growing its diversified product lines, we believe that it is in a highly-capable position to boost the performance and enhance the value of MCT,” it said. Jenniffer B. Austria

PAL flying to India, Brisbane, East Coast

BEST TRADE FINANCE BANK. Metrobank is awarded the Best Trade Finance Bank in the Philippines for 2017 by The Asian Banker.The bank provides top-notch services through the strength of its extensive offshore branch network. Receiving the award from The Asian Banker is Metrobank first vice president Christian Paul Philippe Orlino (second from left) of the Institutional Transaction Banking Division. The Asian Banker is represented by (from left) International Resource directors Bill Chua, James Cullen and managing editor Foo Boon Ping.

Pagbilao Energy set to operate $1-b coal-fired power plant in February

By Alena Mae S. Flores dry months, reached its Corp., currently operates Power was confident of the the construction of the PAGBILAO Energy Corp. is set to start the full commercial operations of the $1-billion Pagbilao 3 coalfired power plant in Quezon province in February, which will add 420 megawatts to the Luzon grid.

Aboitiz Power Corp. president and chief operating officer Antonio Moraza said the new power plant was “now still testing.”

The power plant, which is expected to help secure power supply during the

maximum 420-MW capacity during testing and commissioning in November. “[Full commercial operations would be] sometime in February, I believe,” Moraza said.

Pagbilao Energy is a joint venture of TPEC Holdings Corp. and Therma Power Inc., wholly-owned subsidiaries of TeaM Energy Corp. and Aboitiz Power Corp., respectively.

TeaM Energy, the joint venture of Tokyo Electric Power Co. and Marubeni

All these will significantly improve customer experience, it said.

“Through this partnership, our customers will have quick and ready access to the services that they value and enjoy,” PLDT Group chief business transformation officer Victorico Vargas said.

Vargas said the partnership was a part of the company’s broader effort to overhaul its IT systems so that “we can leapfrog our ability to deliver best-inclass wireless services.”

“By leveraging deep understanding of PLDT and our worldwide experience, Huawei proposed our industry leading OCS and eLoad solutions to accelerate PLDT’s evolution in the digital market through this transformation program.

Huawei is confident we can successfully deliver this critical program in a timely way together with PLDT,” Wilson Zang, president of Huawei Revenue Management product line, said.

Huawei Revenue Management Software Solutions, including OCS and eLoad, enable the services of more than 1.7 billion subscribers at over 190 CSPs, across 107 countries.

Huawei is enabling the digital transformation of communications service providers and the evolution of revenue management towards the monetization platforms of the future.

the existing 735-MW Pagbilao coal plant.

“We are pretty much on time and budget and so far construction is ongoing.

Construction is progressing well,” Moraza said earlier.

Pagbilao Energy announced in 2015 that the joint venture partners would invest close to $1 billion to put up the coal project.

Construction of the project started in the same year.

The new plant was built as a merchant plant, or one without contracts as Aboitiz

“regime of open access.”

Aboitiz Power chief executive Erramon Aboitiz earlier said the Pagbilao expansion was “a manifestation that the private sector is willing to take risks if they anticipate an environment of consistent policies, open competition and level playing field for all.”

Pagbilao Energy tapped Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Ltd. and Daelim Industrial Co. Ltd. as engineering, construction and procurement contractors for the project.

Pagbilao Energy financed

project via debt financing amounting to P33.3 billion, secured by the company through joint arrangers composed of BDO Capital and Investment Corp., BPI Capital Corp. and First Metro Investment Corp.

SB Capital investment Corp. served as co-lead arranger for the project. PNB Capital and Investment Corp. and China Banking Corp. were co-arrangers.

PNB Savings Bank also participated as a lender to the project.

PHILIPPINE Airlines said it will mount non-stop flights to Brisbane, Australia, India and the US East Coast via the polar route this year.

PAL, the flag carrier led by tycoon Lucio Tan, said it would deploy new Airbus A321 NEOs by February and A350s by June for these international flights.

PAL said that on Dec. 15, a PAL 777 made the first trans-polar flight for a Philippine carrier – a 16.5-hour, non-stop Toronto-Manila flight – preceded by the upgrade of several routes from one-stop to non-stop in 2017: Manila-Doha, Manila-Auckland, ManilaKuwait and Manila-Jeddah.

PAL received seven airplanes in 2017 including five Bombardier Q400 turboprops for inter-island flights and two Boeing 777-300ERs for long-haul routes.

PAL’s complete fleet of ten 777s now fly to North America and London.

The airline also operated its first international flight to Clark with the arrival of an A321 from Seoul. Other new routes include SeoulTagbilaran, Chengdu-Kalibo, Chengdu-Cebu, ManilaKuala Lumpur, Cebu-Beijing and Cebu-Bangkok.

PAL flies from Clark to Bacolod, Basco, Busuanga, Calbayog, Catarman, Cagayan de Oro, Caticlan, Cebu, Davao, Masbate, Puerto Princesa, Tagbilaran, Virac and Seoul.

Darwin G. Amojelar

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Asian markets start 2018 on a high H

South Korean traditional dancers perform below inflated figures of a bull (left) and a dog (right) during a ceremony celebrating the New Year’s opening of the stock market at the Korea Exchange in Seoul on January 2, 2018.

South Korean stocks opened a tad higher on January 2, the first day of trading in the new year. AFP

ONG KONG―Asian stocks mostly kicked off the year with gains on Tuesday as traders drifted back to work after the festive break, with Hong Kong the standout performer, though the dollar faced fresh pressure from most other currencies.

Jakarta Oil prices climb toward $61 after yearly gains st launches 1 international airport train

By Ben Sharples

JAKARTA, Indonesia―Jakarta launched the first train connecting its international airport to the city center Tuesday as the sprawling Indonesian capital moves to tackle the gridlock that can make the trip an hours-long headache.

The new system links Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on the outskirts of Jakarta to downtown in 55 minutes, cutting driving time by half or more.

President Joko Widodo inaugurated the new system that officials hope will convince travelers to make the switch from private to public transportation on the 38 kilometer route.

Jakarta is also building its first subway and light-rail systems, with service expected to start in 2019.

“Thank god that after three years and working hard to finish this Soekarno-Hatta airport train, this morning we can inaugurate it and we know that this train is a way to provide transportation in Jakarta to reduce traffic jams,” Widodo said.

The direct link cost 3.6 trillion rupiah ($266 million) with a total of 42 trips scheduled daily. The service is to run from dawn to shortly before midnight.

About 11,000 passengers are expected to use the service daily with three trains plying the route.

Tickets will cost 70,000 rupiah ($5) for the first two months of service, rising to the regular rate of 100,000 rupiah afterwards―about half the cost of a taxi.

Indonesia, the world’s biggest archipelago nation and Southeast Asia’s biggest economy, has been grappling with a lack of public transportation for years, while Jakarta has seen an explosion in traffic jams that are among the worst in the world. AFP

AFTER capping its second annual gain, oil started 2018 by advancing toward $61 as US drilling activity remained at a standstill following a slip in production and as protests continued in Iran.

Futures climbed 0.4 percent in New York after a 3.3 percent increase last week. US drillers targeting crude kept the rig count unchanged for a second week at 747, Baker Hughes said Friday. The death toll during the unrest in Iran, Opec’s third-largest producer, rose as security forces

clashed with demonstrators rallying in a rare show of displeasure with the country’s leaders.

Oil in 2017 extended its recovery from a low point nearly two years ago as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies trimmed supply to reduce a global glut. US crude output fell through Dec. 22 for the first time since midOctober, slipping from a weekly record after a nineweek expansion.

“There is some momentum for oil at the moment and that could continue,” said Ric Spooner, a Sydney-based analyst at CMC

Markets. “There appears to be a developing consensus that the increase in US shale production this year may not be as significant as many had forecast.”

West Texas Intermediate for February delivery was at $60.63 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, up 21 cents, at 7:40 a.m. in London. Total volume traded was about 17 percent above the 100-day average. Prices added 58 cents to $60.42 on Friday, ending the year up more than 12 percent.

Brent for March settlement gained 31 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $67.18 a barrel

on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange.

Front-month prices rose about 18 percent last year for a second annual increase. The global benchmark crude traded at a premium of $6.52 to March WTI. Though the Iranian unrest that began Thursday in the northeastern city of Mashhad initially targeted the government’s handling of the economy, the focus expanded within a day to the religious establishment and state security forces. Accounts varied, but as many as a dozen people may have died. Bloomberg Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo (third from left)) sits in the newly launched airport train along the train line linking SoekarnoHatta International Airport to the city centre in Tangerang, on the outskirts of Jakarta, on January 2, 2018. AFP

Regional investors shrugged off dips in New York on the last day of 2017, instead building on the healthy advances fueled by strong data, improving corporate profits and hopes Donald Trump’s tax cuts will fire US growth.

They were also keeping an eye on the release of key US jobs figures at the end of the week, which will provide fresh clues about the strength of the world’s biggest economy.

Hong Kong led Tuesday’s rally, jumping 1.8 percent in the afternoon to its highest level since late 2007, while Shanghai ended 1.2 percent higher, boosted by data showing manufacturing activity in China continued to expand in December.

The news comes as China’s leaders look to handle a tricky transition of the economy from state investment and exports to one driven by consumer demand, while also addressing a growing debt mountain and fighting pollution.

And Rajiv Biswas, chief Asia-Pacific economist at IHS Markit in Singapore, warned that Beijing’s success in this would have consequences around the world.

“Risks to the Chinese economy will remain among the key risks to the global growth outlook in 2018, with the Asia Pacific region particularly vulnerable to the shock waves from a slowdown,” he told Bloomberg News.

Among other markets, Singapore rose 0.8 percent after figures showing the city-state’s economy beat estimates in the final three months of last year.

Seoul added 0.5 percent, with some optimism seen after North Korean lead-

er Kim Jong-Un said he was open to talks with the South. On Tuesday the government in Seoul proposed holding high-level talks with Pyongyang on January 9.

Taipei was up 0.6 percent but Sydney slipped 0.1 percent. Tokyo and Wellington were closed for public holidays.

On currency markets, the dollar suffered further selling, with analysts pointing to profit-taking after the passage of the much-anticipated US tax cuts, as well as expected monetary tightening by other central banks that will align them with the Federal Reserve.

Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at AxiTrader, said the euro was rising as “traders are making the bet that the (European Central Bank) will simply follow the Fed in the year ahead and end quantitative easing and then move toward rate hikes.”

The single currency was above $1.20 and sitting at levels not seen since September, while the pound was also around three-anda-half-month highs.

However, bitcoin was down from its late Monday levels as the cryptocurrency struggles to bounce back from a recent sell-off fueled by profit-taking.

It had soared 25-fold over 2017 to a record high above $19,500 on December 18 before tumbling to just above $12,000 less than a week later.

It was sitting at $13,345 in Asia on Tuesday.

Oil prices edged up on the back of unrest in crude giant Iran, while a pause in the number of rigs coming online in the United States has also provided some buoyancy. AFP

Chinese factory momentum remains intact amid smog and debt curbs BEIJING, China―Chinese factory activity accelerated in December, according to independent data released Tuesday, a positive indicator for the world’s secondlargest economy to kick off the new year.

The Caixin Purchasing Managers Index (PMI)―an indicator of conditions at small manufacturers―rose to 51.5 in December, up from 50.8 in November and the highest reading since August.

Zukunft 2018 IT IS a new year. As we close out 2017, we look to the future. What does 2018 hold in store?

“As good as it gets” As 2017, the year that economists predicted would be “uneven and unspectacular” essentially closes out banner performances in the stock markets, 2018 opens with more optimistic economic forecasts.

A decade after the global credit crisis unfolded, while supportive financial policies are expected to support growth, central bank normalization is finally on the cards.

Bloomberg reports that both Goldman and Barclays expect the global economy to grow at almost 4% this year, the strongest growth since 2011. “As good as it gets” is how Goldman economists led by Jon Hatzius characterize the global outlook, pointing out that most major economies

The official PMI indicator of 51.6 for December was released on Sunday by China’s National Bureau of Statistics and showed a slight deceleration from November, although it largely maintained momentum.

A PMI figure above 50 represents growth while anything below points to contraction.

Caixin’s index focuses on economic activity at small and medium sized enterpris-

are outstripping pre-crisis averages. To make an even rosier picture, few economists forecast an inflation upsurge.

With the exception of Citigroup, which forecast a 3.4% growth, many of the global financial services companies predict growth near 4%, with JP Morgan, Morgan Chase and Societe Generale predicting growth at 3.7% and UBS group forecasting growth at 3.8%. Societe Generale believes the global economy is in its best shape in about a decade, predicting positive growth in each of the 45 economies it covers for the first time since 2007.

Of course, as many of us know, growth on economies is not always paralleled by the stock markets. In fact, the markets often anticipate actual performance. In fact, while the OECD predicts a 3.7% economic growth in 2018, it flagged asset prices as being too high. Morgan Stanley also warned that 2018 could be tricky for investors as a result of rising inflation and tighter monetary policy.

As always, caution and information is the name of the game for investors.

Business Let’s begin with my favorite trend watcher. Trendwatching’s (TW) top five consumer trends for 2018 is influenced by three important factors: technology, chang-

es, and its continued strength may reflect the resilient global demand for many of these exporting firms.

China’s exports saw solid growth during the final months of last year.

“Manufacturing production continued to increase across China at the end of 2017” Caixin said in a statement with data compiler IHS Markit.

“Manufacturing operating conditions improved

in December, reinforcing the notion that economic growth has stabilized in 2017 and has even performed better than expected” Caixin analyst Zhengsheng Zhong wrote.

“We should not underestimate downward pressure on growth next year due to tightening monetary policy and strengthening oversight on local government financing.”

Caixin said firms used existing inventories of finished

ing demographics, and the increasing power of the connected consumer.

TW leads with what they call assisted commerce (A-commerce), an increasing trend towards delegating ever larger chunks of buying activity to digital assistants powered by AI (artificial intelligence). TW mentions Finery, an application that manages one of the most nagging problems for women —wardrobe management. Think integrated inventory management but for your own clothes. Finery organizes your wardrobe by color, type and designer. It keeps track of the deadline for returning purchases and will even notify you of bargains and sales on items in your wish list.

Fourth on TW’s list also focuses on digital assistance, but something potentially either deeply engaging or creepy, the increasing trend towards truly personalizing digital assistants. Citing Apple’s efforts to improve Siri by hiring an army of psychologists to tech firm Gartner’s prediction that “by 2020 the average person will have more conversations with bots than with their spouse,” TW predicts 2018 will be the year when individuals begin to have meaningful relationships with simulated entities.

Also on TW’s list for 2018, increased expectations for customer service especial-

items to satisfy some new orders and cut slightly their inventories of finished goods.

“The relatively healthy PMI number shows the government can still tolerate the impact of deleveraging,” said Ding Shuang, chief China economist at Standard Chartered Plc in Hong Kong. “The PMI decline reflects the impact of financial deleveraging and property curbs on the economy. Deleveraging has

ly post-purchase adjustments and cautions about the increasing transparency of corporate walls explaining how easily internal corporate culture and situations can bleed into the larger corporate brand.

For me, one of the most interesting items on TW’s 2018 is number 2, what they call assisted development. Pointing to how different the process of becoming an adult has become. The milestones and stage gates for millennials are different and companies that are able to provide the services to either ease transitions or make them richer experiences stand to make lots of money.

Unsurprisingly, Forbes list of business trends echoes the basic patterns that are shaping the changes in the world. Like many other lists, Forbes’ list begins with how artificial intelligence will be used to drive the customer experience. Forbes, however, points out an interesting side note to the increasing pervasiveness of online interaction—the increased value of live and face-to-face interactions. From actual face-to-face encounters to Facebook live to livestreaming to social learning, Forbes’ list points out that human interaction continues to be a powerful source of value for business.

The Forbes list also included an item on

pushed up interest rates and slowed credit growth.”

“Growth momentum still seems to be steady, and thereby monetary policy will continue to stay on put,” said Larry Hu, chief China economist at Macquarie Securities Ltd. in Hong Kong.

“We see the risk in 2018 biasing toward the downside, especially from the infrastructure spending side, due to the government’s push on deleveraging.” AFP

the importance of corporate social responsibility and tagged a truly important demographic event. Generation Z, the generation born in 1998 and after are now poised to begin to enter the workplace as interns and, as college and high school students, are a significant proportion of consumers.

Forward These are the waves of 2018: the rise of AI, the proliferation of data and the increased ability to mine them, the internet of things, increased connectedness and the ability of individuals to band together to force events (Think #Metoo), and the coming of age of Generation Z. They are patterns that are eerily compatible and point the way to possibilities of great change.

We’re opening the doors to a brave new world.

Frohes Neujahr!

Zukunft is the German word for future. It is a concatenation of the root words “zu” meaning “to” and “kunft” which comes from the German word “Kommen” meaning “to come”. Hence it literally means what is still to come.

Readers can email Maya at integrations_manila@yahoo.com. Or visit her site at http://integrations.tumblr.com.

World

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018

B3

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO,, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Israel attacks Hamas bases

OUT IN THE SMOG. Indian people exercise amid heavy fog and air pollution in Amritsar on January 2, 2018. AFP

GAZA CITY―Israeli aircraft attacked Hamas bases in Gaza early Tuesday in response to a rocket from the Palestinian enclave targeting southern Israel hours before, officials said.

The aircraft targeted a “military compound belonging to the terrorist organization Hamas,” a statement from the army read.

Palestinian security sources said the strikes were in Khan Younes in the south and Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, causing damage but no casualties.

On Monday night, a rocket hit a town in southern Israel, causing no damage or casualties.

Palestinian militants in Gaza have fired 18 rockets or mortar rounds at Israel

in violence that erupted after US President Donald Trump’s controversial December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, six of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system.

The projectiles are often fired by fringe radical Islamist groups, but Israel holds Gaza’s militant rulers Hamas responsible for any attacks from the territory and retaliates by targeting Hamas positions.

“The IDF holds Hamas solely accountable for events in the Gaza Strip,” the army statement read, referring to the Israel Defence Forces.

Military chief of staff Lieutenant General Gadi

Eisenkot said Israel was not interested in any further escalation.

“Renegade groups have an interest do disrupt the quiet and drag us into a Gaza campaign,” he said in remarks relayed by Israeli public broadcaster Kan. “There’s no need to rush into that.”

Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said a war in Gaza would be against Israel’s interests.

“The Israeli interest is that international attention goes to Iran, not to start a campaign in Gaza and divert the attention there,” he told military radio, referring to protests in the country that is Israel’s main enemy. AFP

9 dead as fresh unrest hits Iran

T

EHRAN―Nine people were killed as fresh unrest hit Iran overnight, state television said Tuesday, with the protesters trying to storm a police station despite attempts to crack down on the biggest demonstrations in years.

The attack on the police station in the town of Qahderijan, in the central province of Isfahan, led to violence that claimed the lives of six protesters, the state broadcaster reported.

A young member of the Revolutionary Guards and a passer-by were also re-

ported dead in towns near the cultural hub of Isfahan city, while TV had earlier confirmed the death of a policeman in nearby Najafabad, shot dead with a hunting rifle.

That brings the estimated death toll to 21 in five days of unrest that represent the

biggest challenge to the Islamic regime since mass demonstrations in 2009.

Protests remain focused on provincial towns and cities, with only small and sporadic protests reported in Tehran on Monday evening where a heavy police presence was reported.

The latest violence came despite President Hassan Rouhani’s vow that the nation would deal with “rioters and lawbreakers”.

Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, described

the unrest―the biggest challenge to the regime since the mass protests in 2009―as a “proxy war against the Iranian people”.

“Hashtags and messages about the situation in Iran come from the United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia,” he told local media.

Iran’s intelligence ministry released a statement saying “instigators” have been identified “and will be dealt with seriously soon”.

The Revolutionary Guards have yet to fully intervene against the protest-

ers, but published photos on Monday of three wanted people and called on the public to report any “seditionist elements”.

Rouhani has tried to play down the unrest, which began over economic grievances in second city Mashhad last Thursday but quickly turned against the Islamic regime as a whole with chants of “Death to the dictator”.

“This is nothing,” Rouhani said in a statement on the presidency website.

“Our nation will deal with

this minority who chant slogans against the law and people’s wishes, and insult the sanctities and values of the revolution.”

Pro-regime rallies were held across several towns and cities -- reflecting continued support among a large conservative section of society.

Reporting restrictions remained tight, but videos on social media continued to show widespread anti-government protests in many areas.

Rouhani came to power

Winds likely factor in Costa Rica crash PUNTA ISLITA―Strong winds were seen as a factor in the crash of a small plane in Costa Rica that killed all 10 US passengers on board and two local crew members, according to officials and witnesses.

The accident, which occurred Sunday in the country’s northwestern Guanacaste region popular with tourists seeking pristine tropical beaches, killed all on board the small Cessna 208 Caravan owned and operated by the domestic airline Nature Air. The plane burst into flames on impact, according to rescue officials and locals.

Costa Rica’s civil aviation agency said the pilots had tried to land at Punta Islita, a beach-side town in Guanacaste, earlier Sunday to get the passengers but aborted because of “the gusts of wind.”

The aircraft was up-to-date with its certifications and had been inspected a month earlier, the agency said.

“There had been a lot of wind, really strong,” one resident in the area told AFP on Monday.

She said when she and other locals arrived at the crash site, up a steep hillside, “we couldn’t see, absolutely everything was black.”

She added: “The front part of the plane was all on fire, and the tail part was the only bit intact.”

Police and fire crews arrived within 25 minutes of the crash, which happened shortly after midday (1800 GMT), she said.

Another resident, Efrain Rojas, told the newspaper La Nacion that the plane was “too low” after take-off. AFP

Trump tweet angers Pakistan

DUNE FESTIVAL. An Emirati man walks a camel across the Liwa desert, some 250 kilometers west of the Gulf emirate of Abu Dhabi, during the Liwa 2018 Moreeb Dune Festival on January 2, 2018. The festival, which attracts participants from the Gulf region, includes a variety of races (cars, bikes, falcons, camels and horses) aimed at promoting the country’s folklore. AFP

Blazing start for legal marijuana in California DESERT HOT SPRINGS― It’s the first day that marijuana can be bought and sold legally in California, and store owner Nicole Salisbury’s stock of pot edibles is already running low.

The phone has been ringing non-stop for weeks with people from out-of-state expressing an interest in sampling her wares.

“I’m so excited but I’m also a little bit nervous,” says Salisbury, who has been in the marijuana business for a decade and opened Green Pearl Organics as a medical dispensary two years ago.

“For the first time, I feel comfortable telling people that I own a marijuana

shop,” added the 35-yearold, who has vibrant bluegreen hair.

Eight states as well as the capital Washington have already legalized recreational use of the drug, though it remains outlawed at the federal level.

But California’s sheer size―its roughly 40 million people make it America’s most populous state―as well as its booming economy mean it is expected to be the world’s largest market for the green flowering plant.

California became a pioneer when it legalized medicinal use of pot in 1996, and its decision to expand that to recreational use ef-

fective Monday will be watched closely around the world by countries hoping to cash in on the so-called “green rush.”

Throughout the Golden State on Monday, marijuana aficionados formed lines outside legal shops, no longer forced to conduct business with illicit dealers on the down low.

At Green Pearl Organics, Salisbury’s team has been working since 8:00 am, helping customers with their various products -- waxes, brownies, different forms of weed to soothe or to induce highs.

After a quiet morning following New Year’s Eve cel-

ebrations, the shop starts to overflow by midday.

Some elderly customers―longtime buyers who have been coming to the store since it opened―are annoyed that they now have to wait in long lines.

Some complain that only medical use should have remained legal, while others are unhappy at the heavy taxes applied to cannabis, which exceed 20 percent when state, sales and municipal taxes are added.

Buying involves showing a driver’s license or other form of ID as proof you are 21 or above, and customers receive their goods in an opaque white bag. AFP

Cold sparks chaos in Canada airports MONTREAL―Snow, lengthy de-icing procedures and missing crews created havoc at Canada’s main airports on Monday, with hundreds of flights canceled or delayed out of the country’s biggest city Toronto.

A deep freeze has settled over large parts of Canada and the United States, bringing extreme cold, piles of snow and icy conditions.

From the early hours of New Year’s Day, Air Canada warned that holiday travel could be hectic, issuing a travel alert for passengers using airports in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Ottawa and waiving the usual fee for ticket changes.

As the day wore on, the delays mounted, with take-off delays of four to five hours, according to data collected from airport websites.

In Toronto, snow aggravated the situation, and by 2030 GMT nearly 500 flights had been canceled or delayed, according to flight tracker FlightAware.

Passengers asked for help―and vented their ire―on social media. AFP

Hong Kong’s country parks a necessary balm for stressed citizens

HONG KONG―Wooded hillsides, craggy ridges and wheeling birds of prey are a world away from Hong Kong’s famous skyscrapers but the city’s country parks are a necessary balm for its stressed out residents.

With some of the world’s highest property prices, many can only afford tiny apartments, some living in

infamous “cage homes” big enough only for a bed.

Hong Kong’s fast-paced lifestyle and long working hours also take their toll.

Fortunately, within easy reach of the densely packed tower blocks and traffic, there is an extensive network of hiking trails which snake over hundreds of peaks across the territory

in 2013 promising to mend the economy and ease social tensions, but high living costs and a 12 percent unemployment rate have left many feeling that progress is too slow.

The young are most affected, with as many as 40 percent out of work according to analysts, and rural areas particularly hard-hit.

“People have had enough, especially the young people. They have nothing to be happy about,” said Sarita Mohammadi, a 35-year-old teacher in Tehran. AFP

and along its coastlines.

Forty percent of Hong Kong is protected country park and nature reserves, amounting to 443 square kilometres (274 sq miles), drawing hikers, runners and campers all year round.

For 29-year-old Dai-yu Cheung, those natural landscapes changed his life.

As a keen amateur pho-

tographer he decided to document some of the city’s remoter areas, never having explored them before.

His discoveries led him to ditch long hours in his job as a graphic designer, during which he had developed a bad back, and go part-time as he sought a healthier, happier existence.

Cheung lives with his

family and cut down his financial outgoings so he could work three days a week, often hiking with friends.

“When we go hiking, we feel free, relax and forget our troubles,” he told AFP, carefully gathering scattered litter as he walked through tall grass to a rocky outcrop in the northern New

Territories.

He and his friend AM Renault, 29, also a keen hiker, have set up Facebook and Instagram pages under the name Yamanaka Yuko, sharing photos and video of their hill climbs in Hong Kong and abroad.

They describe themselves as artists inspired by nature. AFP

ISLAMABAD―Pakistan has summoned the US ambassador, an embassy spokesman said Tuesday, a rare public rebuke after Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad with threats to cut aid over “lies” about militancy.

Ambassador David Hale was asked to go to the foreign office in the Pakistani capital on Monday night, after Islamabad responded angrily to the US President’s allegations that it provided safe havens for militants in the latest spat to rock their alliance.

A US embassy spokesman confirmed Hale met officials, but added: “We don’t have any comment on the substance of the meeting.”

There was no immediate response from foreign office officials.

Trump used his first tweet of 2018 to tear into Islamabad.

“The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools,” Trump said in the early-morning New Year’s Day tweet.

“They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”

Pakistan hit back swiftly, saying it had done much for the United States, helping it to “decimate” Al-Qaeda, while getting only “invective & mistrust” in return in angry comments from its foreign and defense ministers.

Islamabad has repeatedly denied the accusations of turning a blind eye to militancy, lambasting the United States for ignoring the thousands who have been killed on its soil and the billions spent fighting extremists. AFP

N. Samar mayor faces fraud raps

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

B4

wednesday, january 3, 2018

By Rio N. Araja A Northern Samar mayor is facing fraud charges before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly falsifying a resolution in 2015.

The Office of the Ombudsman filed the case against Mayor Manuel Jaldo of Palapag town, municipal board member Eleno Calot and Sangguniang Bayan secretary Emil Go for supposedly faking a resolution and minutes of a meeting of the municipal council’s special session.

The respondents “willfully, unlawfully and feloniously” falsified Municipal Resolution No. 2015-008, which approved the list of antipoverty reduction projects in the municipality.

The Ombudsman said the respondents also included municipal board members Sonia Evardone and Anacorito Javier in the minutes of the meeting to make it appear that they took part in the session.

The two board members were absent during the session.

A P24,000 bail was recommended for the provisional liberty for each of the three accused.

LGUs Local government units

LIKE SUPERMAN. A vacationer tries the zipline at the Twin Rock Resort in Catanduanes. Teddy Pelaez

‘Megaproject’s second phase a go’

By Romeo Dizon City of San Fernando, Pampanga —The second phase of the multi-billion peso Balog-Balog Multi Purpose project in Tarlac will be finished on time this year or by early 2019 at the latest, the National Economic and Development Authority said.

The project is already 7.16 percent completed, said NEDA Central Luzon regional director Severino Santos.

“We hope now that no new problems related to construction like calamities, disasters both human, natural and others, will crop up to ensure its immediate completion in December 2018,” Santos said.

The Phase 1 of the project started in 1990 by an Italian company. However, calamities such as the big earthquake of July 16, 1990 and the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo on July 12, 1991 forced the government to shelve the project.

The project aims to improve rice yield from 3.1 metric ton per hectare under rainfed condition to 5.2 per hectare under irrigated condition and cropping season for at least two seasons a year.

Infrastructure component of the project include the construction of a 105.5 meter hight dam and reservoirs across the upper Bulsa River located in the slope of Zambales mountain. The 28, 070-hectare watershed covers the mountain area of San Jose and Capas both in Tarlac.

P40-m contraband seized

By Butch Gunio

S

UBIC BAY FREEPORT— Authorities have foiled an attempt to smuggle more than P40 million worth of liquor here on Christmas Eve.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority seized a total of 1,321 boxes of expensive liquor from a closed van that was about to leave the Freeport on Dec. 24, and from a 40-footer container van parked at the Subic Seaport Terminal.

“Some unscrupulous parties would really take advantage of the Christmas season to try to pull away illegal activities in the Freeport, but this only proves that the SBMA Law Enforcement Department is ready at all times to do their duty,”

SBMA chairperson Wilma Eisma said.

“This is a job well done for the SBMA and another huge failure for those who try to use Subic for their smuggling operation,” Eisma added.

SBMA Law Enforcement head Maj. Vicente Tolen-

Navotas residents urged to vote on Jan. 5 plebiscite Aboitiz assists 6,000

By Jun David Navotas City Mayor John Rey Tiangco encouraged residents of three barangays—North Bay Boulevard South, Tangos and Tanza—to participate in a plebiscite on Jan. 5 to decide on a proposal to cre-

ate four more barangays.

Under Republic Act 10933, the plan is to divide Barangay NBBS into Barangays NBBS Proper, NBBS Kaunlaran and NBBS Dagatan.

Barangay Tangos will be divided into Barangays Tangos North and Tangos

South while Barangay Tanza will be split into Barangays Tanza 1 and Tanza 2.

In the creation of new barangays, the service will be delivered faster to the people, Tiangco said.

The plebiscite will be conducted at the NBBS Elementary School, Neighborhood

Elementary School, Dagupan Elementary School, Tangos Elementary SchoolMother and Annex, and Tanza Elementary School.

The voting will start at 7 a.m. and will last until 3 p.m.

The Commission on Elections will enforce a gun ban during the plebiscite.`

typhoon-hit families Over a hundred Aboitiz Group team members spent their holiday break volunteering for the relief operations to assist 6,000 families affected by flash floods brought by typhoons Urduja and Vinta in Visayas and Mindanao.

Team members from various Aboitiz business units helped pack and distribute relief kits containing hygiene kits, mats, and blankets during simultaneous outreach activities from Dec. 23 to 29.

The relief operations in Davao City and Davao del Norte were a collective effort of the business units in Mindanao: AboitizPower subsidiaries Davao Light and Power Co., Therma South Inc., and Hedcor Inc. together with Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc., and in co-

ordination with the Davao City Social Service and Development Office.

In addition, the Aboitiz Foundation donated 6,152 liters of drinking water to displaced families in Davao City during Christmas Eve. “The experience taught me to be a team player; that working together as a team is fun.

As we serve, the impact we make in other people’s lives makes the job even more fulfilling,” said Karen Laurito, an accountant in Apo Agua.

Meanwhile, 300 boxes of The Care Package High Energy Biscuits and other food packs were distributed to hundreds of families severely affected in Cagayan de Oro and two municipalities in Biliran through the help of team members of the Aboitiz food business unit Pilmico.

Unified CPLA warns vs bogus rebel leaders

By Dexter A. See

NATURE’S ALLY. A maintenance worker uses a boat made of recycled pop bottle to clean a portion of the Molino River. Lino Santos

Manhunt launched against suspects in grenade attack PIKIT, North Cotabato— Police have launched massive manhunt against a riding-in-tandem involved in the grenade attack here Saturday night that left one dead and another wounded.

Supt. Bernard Tayong, provincial police spokesman, said Pikit police are following a lead provided

tino said among the seized contraband were 54 bottles of Remy Martin Louis XIII, which sells for as much as P170,000 per bottle, and eight boxes of Remy Martin Centaure De Diamant, which costs P60,000 per bottle.

by several witness to the 7 p.m. grenade attack in front of a roadside variety store, near the public market here.

Chief Insp. Rommy Castanares, Pikit town police chief, said the explosion in front of roadside Pacalna Variety Store on Apollo Street in Barangay Poblacion injured store

helper Jamil Umraan and owner Norodin Pacalna, 35.

The victims were brought to Cruzado Medical Clinic but Umraan was pronounced dead upon arrival due to fatal shrapnel injuries.

“Pacalna was closing his store with Umraan when unidentified men on motorbike lobbed a hand grenade

then sped away,” Castanares said.

Saturday’s grenade attack came a day after a villager was injured in an explosion that ripped through a residential area here before dawn Friday.

The victim, Esmael Guialel, sustained shrapnel wounds after a grenade land-

ed in front of his home at 5 a.m., according to police.

The suspects were riding on a motorbike and fled toward the national highway.

Police investigators have yet to determine if the twin grenade attacks were perpetrated by same aggressors for still unknown motive. PNA

BANGUED, Abra—The unified Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army has warned the Office of the President and Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process against dealing with fake leaders of the organization.

Unified CPLA chairman and Bangued Vice Gov. Ronald Balao-as revealed there are some former CPLA leaders who are misrepresenting the group and lobbying for the supposed reactivation of the disbanded Cordillera bodies.

He said the former members, who were dishonorably dismissed, are not in a position to represent the unified

factions of the CPLA. “We call the attention of the people behind the move to confuse the government on the stand of the CPLA on pressing issues affecting the region not to muddle the issue because it is clear that the unified CPLA supports the official stand taken by the Regional Development Council in the Cordillera that we should all work for autonomy towards federalism. We did not sanction the acts of former CPLA leaders with questionable reputation to represent the group in lobbying with the government for programs and projects that will be to their own personal and political interests,” Balao-as said.

Life

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

fashion & beauty

wednesday, january 3, 2018

c1

Jasmine Curtis-Smith wears the Tiffany Keys mini 3-key pendant on chain, Nicole Andersson wears Tiffany HardWear graduated link earrings in 18K gold and Tiffany HardWearball wire bracelet in 18K gold, and Maxene Magalona wears the Tiffany HardWear wrap bracelet in 18K gold and her own Tiffany Setting diamond engagement ring.

T

All you need is Tiffany iffany & Co launched the newest addition to every girl’s wish list—the new Tiffany fragrance.

During the launch, the brand’s signature tiny blue boxes filled the Tiffany & Co boutique at Rustan’s Shangri-La, while guests enjoyed the atmosphere while trying on timeless #TiffanyandCo diamonds and link bracelets and necklaces.

Celebrites spotted wearing Tiffany Jewelry included Jasmine CurtisSmith in Tiffany Keys mini threekey pendant on chain with the Tiffany T Smile pendant in 18K white gold with brilliant diamonds, and Maxene Magalona who wore a Tiffany HardWear wrap bracelet in 18K gold with her own Tiffany Setting diamond engagement ring.

Models Jessica Wilson, Bianca Valerio, and Bea Soriano-Dee were

seen rocking the Tiffany& Co HardWear collection. Bianca Valerio was in the Tiffany HardWear link earrings in 18K gold, Tiffany HardWear graduated chain link necklace in 18K gold and Tiffany HardWear ball dangle ring in 18K gold. Jessica Wilson had Tiffany HardWear link earrings in silver, and Bea Soriano-Dee the Tiffany HardWear link earrings in 18K gold and Tiffany T square wrap bracelet in 18K rose gold with diamonds.

Another fashion icon sporting the Tiffany Hardwear collection was top blogger Nicole Andersson in the Tiffany HardWear graduated link earrings in 18K gold and Tiffany HardWear ball wire bracelet in 18K gold.

Much like wearing an exquisite piece of Tiffany Jewelry, the modern, artisanal scent of the Tiffany Fragrance is as exhilarating and inspired as love itself.

From the design of the bottle that takes its inspiration from Tiffany’s most iconic diamond cuts, to its signature ingredient that is the Iris butter which is exclusive to the scent, the new Tiffany Fragrance is a homage to 180 years of Tiffany history.

Featuring a sparkling floral musk, noble iris, and vert de mandarine notes to create a modern take on traditional haute perfumery, the new Tiffany Fragrance is a bold, bright and modern expression of the Tiffany brand.

TIFFANY & CO., T&CO., TIFFANY are trademarks of Tiffany and Company and its affiliates.

Exclusively available at Rustan’s Makati and Rustan’s Shangri-La only

Bianca Valerio wears the Tiffany HardWear link earrings in 18K gold, Tiffany HardWear graduated chain link necklace in 18K gold and Tiffany HardWear ball dangle ring in 18K gold.

Aigle opens flagship store

A creation by Andrea Suarez

A Philippine terno by Renzel Galleta

‘Sinulid Epilogue’ showcases collection of budding designers Sinulid: Epilogue, a fashion show featuring creations from the top graduating students of the Fashion Design and Merchandising Program (FDM) of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), was recently held at the SM Aura Samsung Hall.

Imma Colarina, Tajah Fuentes, Renzel Galleta, Patricia Gavan, Kelvin Morales, Miuccia Olivares, Andrea Suarez, Rosbert Villar, Vairo Velasco, and duo Abraham Guardian and Mamuro Oki aka HAMU each presented a six-piece collection, the

highlight of which were stylized Philippine ternos inspired by the masterpieces of National Artist for Fashion Design Ramon Valera.

Each participant was influenced by various sources, to include particular color palettes and aesthetic, childhood memories, human indecisiveness, proportions and volumes, Japanese minimalism, the art of leaf weaving, the notoriety of a serial killer, a different take on androgyny and Hollywood glamor, a reevaluation of the impossible, and a clash of parallel universes.

In a grand launch at Uptown Mall, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, Aigle Philippines officially spread its wings over Metro Manila. The lovely Mari Jasmine, who wore a Gore-Tex trench coat and a pair of handmade in France rubber boots from Aigle, hosted the VIPfilled event.

Representatives from Aigle Asia flew in to celebrate the opening of its first ever store in Southeast Asia. This event is not only huge for the French outdoor lifestyle brand, but also for Noble House Distribution Enterprise— Aigle’s official distributor in the country.

Aigle, whose strength lies in both style and function, made its landing in the Philippines, because of the emerging market of fashion-forward and adventure-seeking Filipinos. With its arrival, the brand seeks to inspire more Filipinos to get out and explore nature in complete freedom—all while looking trés chic.

Aigle’s handmade in France rubber boots require 60 steps to manufacture, and every craftsman undergoes no less than two years of training before making their first official pair. The boots go under the strictest tests for waterproofness, abrasion, grip, and wearand-tear—making sure that each of the 4000 pairs produced daily at their production site in Châtellerault, France is of topnotch quality.

It was a completely French affair, as attendees exchanged pleasantries over wine and spreads by Aperitif while enjoying the beautiful—and undeniably French—interiors of the store. Vintage posters of Aigle adorned the main event area, and the wisps of accordion music made it feel like the streets of Paris.

The event also made way for the brand to introduce its Brand Ambassadors, Andi Eigenmann, couple Gippy and Hindy Weber-Tantoco, and Victor Basa, who were picked for their ad-

Aigle brand ambassadors Andy Eigenmann, Gippy and Hindy Weber-Tantoco, and Victor Basa

venturous and fashion-loving lifestyles.

Andi, Gippy, Hindy, and Victor absolutely love their newfound partnership with Aigle, as they’ve found a brand that not only complements their lifestyle, but also what they want to do next in their future adventures, wherever or whatever they may be.

Among the attendees were sporty duo Rovilson Fernandez and Marc Nelson, volleyball stars Michele Gumabao, Melissa Gohing, and Dennise Lazaro, and the beautiful couple Brent Javier and Janna Tee. Ria Prieto, Jackie Go, Jerika Ejercito, Lexi Schulze, jewelry designer Nicole Whisenhunt, Tricia Centenera, and the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines’ Vanessa Hans came through as well for Aigle Philippines’ grand launch.

The six lucky winners of the Aigle PH Outdoor Adventure online photography contest were also welcomed on stage to accept their prizes from Aigle. They all won a P30,000 Aigle shopping spree and an all-expense paid Aigle PH Outdoor Adventure at Aquascape Lake Caliraya.

The event ended with representatives from Noble House, Megaworld Corporation, and Aigle Asia engaging in a special ribbon cutting ceremony in front of the flagship store. Aside from picking up some parkas and handmade in France rubber boots, the guests also got to marvel at the store’s meticulously designed interiors—something Aigle is truly proud about.

Aigle’s flagship store in the Philippines and the first-ever store in Southeast Asia is located at G/F Uptown Mall, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Life

C2

wednesday, january 3, 2018 isahred@gmail.com

The magic of spring, charm of summer D esign as testimony, as evidence of the way people see themselves, and their individuality. Design for humans, in the words of Modernist Austrian architect and designer Richard Neutra. The constant dialogue between fashion and design will, in this spring / summer 2018 collection by Furla, on the one hand underscore the richness of Italian tradition—the fabrics made with ancient Italian techniques, woven on vintage shuttle looms—and on the other hand, the complete customization of the styles, when individuality becomes the main reference point.

Furla Fenice, a tote meets a top handle, a bag for contemporary, dynamic women with a chic, cool touch.

Furla Ducale, with the logo’ed lock and a the cheerful play of the scalloped stitches and the engravings on the metal.

Furla Nuvola, a new incarnation of the classic Metropolis.

Three models repeated in 52 different variations of colors and prints, with a common inspiration: the colors of nature.

52 variations like the weeks of the year: 52 variations to accompany women’s lives throughout the year.

The exclusive designs of Furla – Lavender, Strawberry, Jasmine, Poppy, Woodpecker, Leopard, Flamingo, Zebra, Gardenia, Hibiscus, Toucan, Turtle, Pineapple, Butterfly, Carnation, Kimono, Liberty, Lurex Drops – were crafted on brocades and jacquard, in 52 variations.

Two new models: the Furla Bouganville slipper and the Furla Rialto sandal, developed in all variants of jacquard fabrics with grosgrain onyx and grosgrain silver laminated ribbon (for slippers) and onyx micro petal bottom (for the sandal).

Palazzo Cusani is a gem of Italian Neoclassical architecture, among the many designers who worked on the Palazzo throughout the ages, an essential contribution was given by Giuseppe Piermarini (1734-1808), the architect who designed Teatro alla Scala.

In the Philippines, Furla is exclusively distributed

by Stores Specialists, Inc., and is located at Central Square in Bonifacio High Street Central, City of Dreams Manila, Greenbelt 5, Newport Mall, Okada Manila, Rustan’s Makati, and Shangri-La Plaza.

Furla Ducale

Furla Metropolis Nuvola

Furla Fenice

The hairdresser’s hairbrush Denman, the renowned brand of hairbrushes, trusted by hair stylists around the world, continues its proud heritage as the top-of-mind brand, reigning over the industry for the past 80 years.

Made in the UK, Denman brushes and combs are used, enjoyed and endorsed by hairdressers in more than 60 countries worldwide, confirming Denman as “the hairdressers’ hairbrush,” known for its exceptional standards of quality, performance and innovation.

It was in 1938 when John Denman Dean (Jack Dean) invented and introduced the first Denman brush, brought about by the need and trend of the times.

Denman hairbrushes were popularized in the swinging ‘60s by hairdressing legend, Vidal Sassoon, through his revolutionary blow-drying techniques.

Today, Denman manufactures thousands of brushes and combs each month from its Northern Ireland based factory.

This is evidence that Denman continues to enjoy a prestigious standing and position as a dynamic global brand.

Denman’s wide and varied range of hairbrushes and combs

Mane attraction

Denman’s wide and varied range of brushes offers stylists the most comfortable grip and ergonomic design, which makes them the perfect tool to create lustrous hair styles. The most popular collection is the Traditional Range which offers maximum grip and control. These brushes are available in a variety of sizes to suit all hair lengths and types. The range is also designed with the anti-static rubber pad, which makes it the perfect tool for blow-drying, smoothing, shaping and polishing hair.

Denman also offers an assortment of combs and brushes with handles made from different materials such as durable plastic and beech wood. There are special pieces designed with vent cushion and radial bristles for all professional needs.

While Denman is considered the professional hairdresser’s brush, it also has an array of combs and brushes perfect for everyday use. It even has a line specifically designed for kids to remove tangles and knots with gentle, smooth ball-ended pins for added comfort.

The most trusted for tresses

Whatever your need and whatever style you imagine, Denman can help you create the do you desire.

This is why celebrity stylists and renowned Denman ambassadors Lourd Ramos of Lourds Highchair Creations Salon, Anton Papa and Jonathan Velasco trust no other brand to use on their loyal clients.

St. Ives’ new oil scrub combines the nourishing effects of oil and the exfoliating benefits of scrub

First-ever oil scrub

Lourd Ramos showed a luxurious take on Denman – majestic and chic; glamorous and elegant.

“Denman brushes are true quality brushes and they make my job as a stylist easier as they are ergonomically designed and are built to last,” says Lourd Ramos.

Anton Papa, on the other hand, who styles the biggest stars, shares, “Even on a long day on the set, taking on client after client, I am able to continue because Denman, as the Hairdresser’s Brush, allow me to do my job efficiently, cutting down time while creating picture-perfect hairstyles.”

Jonathan Velasco agrees and believes in

the quality and performance of the brushes. “As a stylist who’s been working in the industry for years, Denman has lived up to the high standards and expectations we stylists look for in a brush. They’re light, they offer good grip, they hold up under blow-drying and heat styling, and they protect our clients’ hair from breakage.”

Like the three renowned names in the business, when it comes to seeking the perfect tools for their trade, professionals only choose Denman.

The skin game can be very tricky—if you want to get that glow, you have to do things differently. Everyone’s used to a skin routine, but it takes a line of special products to break what you know and introduce something that brings out the luminous quality of your skin.

St. Ives introduces a pair of new facial scrubs that will shake up your skincare beat and bring out that sought-after glow. The St. Ives Apricot Oil Scrub and the St. Ives Coconut Oil Scrub (P399) are the first of their kind from St. Ives, products that do double-duty skin work in exfoliating and nourishing the skin.

Combining the skin nourishing properties of a scrub exfoliant, together with the gentle moisturizing and nourishing agents found in oils, the products seek to reveal the skin’s natural radiance with continued use.

The St. Ives Apricot Scrub mixes the essence of Californian and North African apricots into 100 percent grape seed oil, mixed in with walnut shell powder—natural exfoliant—to create a soft scrub that’s rich in antioxidants.

Meanwhile, the St. Ives Coconut Scrub adds a 100 percent natural exfoliant into 100 percent grape seed oil by way of

coconut shell powder, concocting a face scrub that’s not too rough and not too soft. It hits the skin just right.

Directions are unconventional, but still simple: start with placing a small amount of oil onto dry hands, followed by applying it into the skin by rubbing and massaging gently. Take some warm water and apply it onto the skin, continually massaging the oil into the surface, until the hair line and at the sides of the nose—this step further stimulates the skin. Expect the oil to emulsify into a milky white substance. After working product into the skin, rinse thoroughly and pat dry with a towel.

Choosing no less than the best, St. Ives handpicked the country’s most beautiful faces to serve as the brand’s Glow Council—a group of girls whose beauty glows in their respective ways.

Each girl shines in her own areas of expertise, a glow like no other: Martine Cajucom shines in the fashion and business sphere, Jessica Diaz-Wilson glows as she travels the world, Bea Marin shines through her personal brand of style and beauty, while Lexi Gancayco glows in the areas of wellness, health and fitness.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018

Best preschool program H

AMBURG-BASED WunderWerk GmbH along with Manila’s ASI Studios Inc. and Singapore’s August Media Holdings announced the animated pre-school production Tilda Appleseed won the Asian Television Awards 2017 in the Best Pre-School Show category.

Speaking about the win, Gisela Schaefer, managing director at WunderWerk said, “We are delighted to have received the award. This recognizes the true beauty of the characters and the simple but key values that this show will deliver to it pre-school audiences.”

Meanwhile, Jackeline Chua, managing partner at ASI Studios Inc. said, “The show presented for the studio, a particularly unique challenge in its art style. Once again our team demonstrated its versatility by not only taking on that challenge but also creating award winning works.”

The recently completed Tilda Appleseed is based on Andreas Schmachtl’s book series of the same name. The series follows the adventures of a spirited mouse with a big heart and an even bigger imagination – Tilda. The series is filled with many wonderful characters that model friendship in marvelous ways. This show about friendship and problem solving is designed for preschoolers and features an art style that completely resembles water colored books.

The first season of the show was delivered in 2017 and a second season of 52 episodes is

currently in the works.

WunderWerk had developed the book series into a TV series under license from German broadcaster, MDR/SWR for KiKA and is also the lead producer of the series.

The series is animated at ASI Studios and coproduced by Synergy88 and August Media Holdings.

For August Media Holdings, this is the sixth nomination in the last three years, four of which have been for shows produced in partnership with ASI Studios Inc. Founder of August Media Holdings (who is also a partner at ASI Studios), Jyotirmoy Saha said, “It’s wonderful to hit a home run year after year. I am proud of my teams at ASI and August Media and the association between the two companies.”

Tilda Appleseed is currently on air on MDR/SWR in Germany, Good TV in Taiwan and is available on the recently launched Over-the-top platform Tapow™ media streaming and download service. The show is soon to air on multiple other networks in various parts of the world starting the early half of 2018.

Jackeline Chua (left), Managing Partner of ASI Animation Studio, Inc. and Jyotirmoy Saha, Founder of August Media Holdings

Theater production highlights marginalized sector of society

NEXT LEVEL. Software company Xeleb releases the new mobile game inspired by the top-rating series, 'La Luna Sangre'

'La Luna Sangre’ mobile game

XELEB has released a new mobile game that shines the spotlight on ABS-CBN’s primetime horror-fantasy series, La Luna Sangre.

Action-packed and heartstopping, the epic endless action-beat-em-up game gives LLS fans the chance to control Malia Rodriguez (Kathryn Bernardo) or Tristan Torralba (Daniel Padilla) as they fight through hordes of vampires under malicious Sandrino Villalobo’s (Richard Gutierrez) control.

Fans of the series can take advantage of Malia’s unique battle skills and Tristan’s adeptness with weapons, which can be levelled up, to progress

through the storyline, defeat enemies, complete quests, and smash through mystery boxes to earn special rewards at the end of every stage. Moving around is done via virtual joystick and buttons.

“It’s always an honor and a pleasure to work with ABSCBN,” states Raymond Racaza, chairman and CEO of Xeleb, “In creating a mobile game for iconic shows like La Luna Sangre, we hope to bring fans closer to the television series.”

La Luna Sangre is available on Google Play and the W00T Android App Market.

For more information, please visit www.xeleb.com or @ XelebGames on social media.

THE marginalized, the given life by Set Designer Jay underprivileged and the Lorenz Conanan, Graphic underrepresented sectors of Designer Taryn Navarro, and society seized the spotlight Lighting Designer Tsung Han in Beneath, a thesis theater Lu. production by Carlos G. The show features fellow Serrano III, III a Dance major at students Adam Alonzo, Aennon the School of Design and Arts Tabungar, Aileen Quilatan, of De La Salle-College of Saint Alex Salvador, Alex Tan, Angel Benilde (DLS-CSB).

Udtuhan, Dani Devera, Edzell The theme was inspired by Constantino, EJ De Leon, Geene women, children and senior Aguila, Jayne Yee, Jennette To, citizens, members of the LGBT Joaquin Romero, Josh Junio, community, persons with Jude Garcia, Marga Alcantara, disability, informal settlers, Mariz Cachero, Michael farmers, and fisherfolk.

Baculo, Nica Santos, Pj Santos, Produced by Benilde’s Royce Lasat, Wee Remigio, and Bachelor of Performing Arts Zacchaeus Tierra. in Dance Program, in collaboration with Team Elite and Team Package Makers, the drama in motion detailed the difficult stages that landowner took to address the anger and dissent expressed by informal settlers who have trespassed on his property.

Choreographer, Director, and Producer Serrano used this medium to explore the interrelatedness of the experiences of individuals and sectors that society seems to have Adam Alonzo (the father), interpreting the dance of his decision on how will he give left unnoticed. his daughter, played by Aileen Quilatan, a Beneath was likewise better life.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, January 3, 2018

ACROSS 1 Scoundrel 6 Angler’s wish 10 Bud holder 14 James Whitcomb — 15 Line on a map 16 Dash 17 Harebrained 18 Lira successor 19 Chase away 20 Clean without water 22 Jousting weapon 23 Marinate 24 Party animal 26 Cattle call 29 “Mona —” 31 Country addr.

32 Search engine find 33 Spruce 34 Every July 38 Decorates a cake 40 Opposite of “paleo” 42 “Road” pictures name 43 Imp 46 Worn-down pencils 49 Bilko’s rank 50 Shout of surprise 51 Fermi split it 52 Yes, in Kyoto 53 Quad

antecedents 57 Disaster film?

59 Seraglio 60 Wrestling holds 65 Flapjack chain 66 — -a-brac 67 Moon goddess 68 Ice-cream treat 69 Viking letter 70 Legally impede 71 Give careful attention to 72 Zonked out 73 Takes a breather DOWN 1 Mr. Kristofferson 2 1492 caravel 3 Turing or Alda 4 Peddles 5 Hook fastener 6 Puts on new shoes (2 wds.)

7 Debtor’s letters 8 Bakery dainties 9 Tokyo, once 10 Long porch (var.)

11 Moving right — 12 Hollandaise 13 PC key 21 Hideout 22 Carbon-based forms 25 Kind of humor 26 California’s — Woods

27 Seal predator 28 Cheers for Manolete 30 Booster rocket 35 — Hashanah 36 Links org.

37 Sherpa’s sighting 39 Bridge need 41 Stared down 44 Beg pardon!

45 London lav 47 Dauntless 48 Burn without flame 53 — kebab

54 Lake near Reno 55 Carve a canyon 56 Low grower 58 Social asset 61 One, to Helmut 62 Household members 63 Muscle cramp 64 Exhausts 66 Half a bikini

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018

Even the Queen’s family is subject to rules 'Ang Larawan' producer Celeste Legaspi with the musical film cast member Menchu Lauchengco accepts one of the major awards during the Gabi ng Parangal

MMFF 2017 Chairman Cong. Karlo Nograles

Gabi ng Parangal hosts Paolo Bediones and Kylie Versoza

MMFF concludes with a whimper M

ANY filmfest observers were dismayed at the results of the Gabi ng Parangal last week at the Kia Theater.

While the members of the jury paid slight attention to Ang Larawan honoring the musical film with the Best Picture, Best Musical Score, Best Production Design, Best Actress (Joanna Ampil) and the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Award, it was evident the jury also wanted to distribute the trophies to the other entries causing many raised eyebrows post-haste.

Some awards seemed unacceptable to a lot of those who annually watch the films and awards.

Nonetheless, the decision of the jurors was final and they could not change their decsions now.

This column agrees on certain awards, and doubts the others. But I dare not say which as my group, the Society of Philipine Entertainment Editors (SPEEd), also hands out recognition of outstanding works in the movie since last year. Some of those that have been awarded in certain categories in last year’s film fest may still be considered for the group’s awards either in April or early May this year.

So, I think the members of the group have already formed their judgment on which films from this year’s festival that have made a mark and could be in the running for this year’s Eddys.

On the social media, I read a post of a tabloid columnist, which made me really laugh, about the award given to a certain actor. The reactions to his post was mixed, naturally, some even saying the columnist was rather harsh comparing the actor’s performance with another actor that did not win an award.

Judging films for awards is rather tedious. If taken seriously, one needs an entire day to figure out what’s good or bad in a movie, from its creative to the productions aspects.

I once served as a member of the jury of the MMFF in the early '90s wherein Imortal won most of the awars including Best Actor (Christopher de Leon) and Best Actress (Vilma Santos) and most importantly the Best Picture trophy.

We viewed the entries once in a private screening and cast our votes later. No, we didn’t know which films, actors, and production people won until the night of the awards. Fortunately, the movies and most of the performers I voted for got the awards.

And yet, there were still others who dissented from the choices we (the jury) made. As the cliché goes, “you can’t please everyone,” as this year’s batch of winners has many dissenting

from the judges’ choices.

Whatever, I’d like to congratulate the winners, deserving or not, for making this year’s MMFF better than the previous year. *** ISAH V. RED It saddens me to learn that Fox Action Movies will no longer be on SKYHD on Jan. 15. I am not sure what’s going on in the minds of those that run the Fox group in the Philippines. First they took away Fox Premium Movies on SKY’s HD line up and replaced it with Fox Movies showing movies with commercial interruptions. And we thought, pay television (which is the principle behind cable TV) should be bereft of commercials. Another issue I have with Fox Movies is the English subtitle. Well other movie channels like HBO and its string of other brands give audience the option of having a subtitle for the movies in the language they are most at home with.

With Fox Movies, no you’re not given a choice. Small wonder many movie and series lovers take to streaming now from different websites that offer a wide range of titles, new, old or exlclusives.

Sooner than late later, these movie channels on cable TV will realize the have been overtaken by online movie channels.

Derek Ramsay receives the Best Actor plum for his role in "All of You" Images by Sonny Espiritu

Lucky Grab rider on her way to the world’s largest ‘Star War’ museum AFTER five weeks of intense battle between The First Order and The Resistance Grab passengers in Manila, the winner of the Rancho Obi-Wan grand prize was crowned at the final showdown at the Bonifacio Global City on Dec.16 last year.

Mary Grace Marcellana from The First Order beat seven other competitors to emerge champion, completing a series of Star Warsthemed booth challenges and answering all trivia questions correctly.

POWER, fame, and glamour—we, the commoners, can only dream of living the life of the most esteemed family in the United Kingdom. Possessing a regal title, however, comes with the obligation to follow certain codes of conduct.

Of course, there have been instances when royals have deviated from such guidelines, like wearing fur, eating shellfish, or being touched by non-royals—all of which are prohibited. Nevertheless, anyone who fancies marrying someone from the British crown family must learn these protocols as part of proper decorum.

Recent history can testify that marriage into royalty isn’t impossible, like Prince William’s wedding with Princess Catherine (née Middleton) and Prince Harry Harry’s current engagement with American actress Meghan Markle Markle.

For those who believe they have what it takes to become royalty through marriage, we list below some rules of etiquette to which the Queen’s family must adhere.

Bows and Curtsies

A regular Grab user, riding with Grab has been Grace’s most comfortable way of travelling around Manila. During the campaign period, she used ‘THELASTJEDI’ promo code for every ride booking with Grab.

Never did she think this would grant her the trip of a lifetime.

During the final showdown, she recalled that her strategy was to have a clear mind and just enjoy the moment. Luckily for Grace, the force was on her side and it helped her to emerge as

the champion.

“I’m super excited and very much happy that I won, but mostly, I still can’t believe that this happened to me. It’s going to be my first time in the United States, and it is going to be more special because I have this VIP tour to the Rancho Obi-Wan Museum, my geeky self is so excited!

I’d like to thank Grab and GrabRewards for this opportunity and for showing us that Grab is not just a ride sharing app, but it also provides more value to every ride.”

Greetings need not be complicated. In formal events, ladies greet with a little curtsy: one foot behind the other followed by a quick bob at the knee and a slight bow of the head. Gents only have to bow briefly from the neck.

Deep curtsies and long pauses, however, show great respect especially when meeting the Queen.

Sitting Posture Modesty is expected at all times even while sitting.

Royal women shouldn’t cross their legs at the knee. Instead, they must keep their knees and ankles together, though they may cross their legs at the ankle for comfort. The “duchess slant” as popularized by Princess Catherine is another acceptable pose with the knees slanted to one side. In these three, hands must be linked and resting on one knee.

Holding a Teacup No gentleman or lady deserves a royal title without knowing how to lift a cup correctly during teatime. The thumb and index fingers must hold the handle at the top while the middle finger goes to the bottom for support.

Sipping must also be done on the same spot to keep the rim free off too many lipstick stains.

Dining Etiquette U s i n g silverware with the r o y a l s might seem daunting at first. For the basics, hold the knife with the right hand and the fork with the left. As for the fork, the tines must always face down, and should never be used to stab the food. Rather, food is balanced on the back of the fork when brought to the mouth.

Order of Precedence

Those wonderful royal weddings where everyone is neatly organized from the procession to the seating arrangement would not have been possible if not for a strict adherence to a specific order. At the head of the procession is the reigning monarch, followed by the entourage determined by order of birth, marriage, status of nobility, and other rules.

These and other rules have been passed down for generations in the history of British sovereignty. For a glimpse of these laws and customs, catch Reign every Tuesday at 9 p.m. on Blue Ant Entertainment, formerly RTC CBS Entertainment. available on SKYcable channels 53(SD) and 196(HD), SKYdirect channel 35, SKYondemand, Destiny Cable channel 53, and Cablelink channels 37(SD) and 313(HD).