Manila Standard - 2017 December 14 - Thursday by Manila Standard

EMERGENCY EXTENDED. Senate

President Aquilino Pimentel III and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (inset) lead the joint session of Congress which discussed and debated Wednesday the one-year extension, as requested by President Duterte, of martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus. Ver Noveno

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‘One more year of martial law’ Congress extends ML via 240-27 vote By John Paolo Bencito and Maricel V. Cruz

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, whose request for extension of martial law in Mindanao was approved by Congress Wednesday, issued a thrashing warning he was also considering options against the communist New People’s Army should it continue with its predatory attacks.

During a chance interview at Fort Bonifacio, Duterte said: “If the NPAs say we are recruiting in mass numbers, and they create trouble, and they are armed, and they will destroy government— [the government] will not wait until the dying days of its existence.” Should “terrorist” activities of the NPAs continue, he said his parameters of declaring nationwide martial law would have reached a point of no return. In related developments: • Congress, in

PNP chief gets tenure extended by 3 months By John Paolo Bencito tory retirement age of 56 in

January, but President RodriPOLICE Chief Ronald dela go Duterte said Wednesday Rosa will reach the manda- he will be extending his term for two to three months and then appoint him head of the Bureau of Corrections. “I need to extend the tour of duty of General dela Rosa for two to three months,” Duterte told reporters in Fort Bonifacio. Dela Rosa said Wednesday he would be accepting PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa

Pag-IBIG eases members’ rules THE Pag-IBIG Fund said Wednesday it had made membership easier for Filipino workers classiﬁed as Other Earning Groups by lowering their required monthly contribution or membership savings.

This sector includes market vendors, transport sector workers, farmers, ﬁshermen and other selfemployed earners. “The new policy enables us to serve more individual Next page

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a joint session, granted Wednesday Duterte’s desire to extend martial law in Mindanao for another year to enable him to put an end to threats of terrorism and allow the rebuilding and rehabilitation of the region. Voting 240-27, the House of Representatives and the Senate voted separately on Resolution of Both Houses 13 which called for the extension of martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus until the end of next Next page year.

Du30: Marawi only the start, Sulu next? By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has painted a grim scenario of more attacks in Mindanao in the coming days as Congress heeded his request to have martial law, set to expire on Dec. 31, extended for one more year from Jan. 1.

President Rodrigo Duterte Tuesday addresses the Malacañang Press Corps during the Christmas Party before treating his audience, a bum stomach despite, with his rendition of ‘You Raise Me Up’ originally composed by the Irish-Norwegian duo Secret Garden, which has been recorded by more than 100 artists. Malacañang Photo

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte might have been misinformed about his alleged junkets as those were ofﬁcial trips, outgoing Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor Chairman Terry Ridon said Wednesday. He insisted he had secured the necessary permits for the trips in question with clearances coming from the Ofﬁce of the President. “I think it is clear in all of the travel authorities that probably he [Duterte] was misinformed, that we had gone on junkets and that we had undertaken all of those trips without authority from the President,” Ridon told Next page ANC.

Filipinos not prepared 3 more lined up vs Sereno to go federal, says Rody

By Maricel V. Cruz and Rey E. Requejo

By John Paolo Bencito and Maricel V. Cruz PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte says Filipinos are not ready for a shift to a federal type of government despite his continuing efforts to get them to embrace the idea. “[The] problem is the Filipinos are not ready for a federal type. It doesn’t seem to ring a bell in the Visayas and Mindanao,” Duterte said during a party he hosted for reporters Tuesday night. He said the “right formula” was needed to solve the problem in Mindanao, which stemmed from historical injustice. “The problem in Mindanao is a historical one and Next page

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PCUP head: Junkets got Palace okay

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT.

‘Garin could have acted in good faith’ FORMER Health secretary Janet Loreto Garin could have acted in “good faith” when she implemented a P3.5-billion anti-dengue inoculation program for more than 700,000 school-aged children, President Rodrigo Duterte said Wednesday. While Duterte refrained from condemning those responsible for the procurement of the disputed program, he was giving the beneﬁt of the doubt for Congress or even an independent body to probe the Dengvaxia vaccine mess. “If you really think in good faith that you are doing the right thing, nobody but nobody can question you except your conscience,”

“We are not over the hump. Marawi is just a signal, one ﬂashpoint. Sulu, some other places. Cotabato, Maguindanao, you watch out for it in the coming days. But it could be good reporting for you anyway... So I expect to see you there,”

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THE House of Representatives’ committee on justice expects three more Supreme Court justices to attend the impeachment proceedings when the panel resumes deliberation next month. Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, the panel chairperson, said his panel invited Justices Samuel Martires, Mariano del Castillo and Bienvenido Reyes to speak on the allegations against Chief Justice Maria

Lourdes Sereno contained in the impeachment complaint ﬁled by lawyer Larry Gadon. Umali said Martires would speak on the delay of grant of beneﬁts for retired SC workers, while Castillo would talk on the corruption issues; and Reyes on the ‘Ilocos 6’ row with CA justices. Earlier, three incumbent SC justices Noel Tijam, Francis Jardeleza, and Teresita Leonardo De Castro, and retired justice Arturo Next page

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Tycoon's son, 4 others indicted By Rey E. Requejo

HE Department of Justice has indicted trader George Sycip, son of the late tycoon Washington Sycip, and other ofﬁcials of Alliance International Inc., a tuna canning company, for violation of the Corporation Code of the Philippines. In a resolution dated Dec. 4, the DoJ through Justice Undersecretary Deo Marco found probable cause to hold Sycip, Annsley Bangkas, Alvin Y. Dee, Jonathan Y. Dee and Ibarra A. Malonzo liable for violation of Sec-

VACC whiffs on filing anew By Maricel V. Cruz THE Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption failed, for the third time, to secure an endorser to an impeachment complaint it filed—this time against Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. Led by lawyer Manuelito Luna and former congressman Jacinto Paras, the complainants submitted a 94-page petition against Morales, who is set to retire in six months. They accused Morales of alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, treason and bribery, graft and corruption, and other high crimes and betrayal of public trust on several issues. “She is due to retire in a few months, I do not think this [case] should pass through the long and tedious proceedings in the justice committee. We expect one third of the House membership to endorse it,” Paras said. Under the House impeachment rules, no action can be taken on any impeachment complaint unless endorsed by at least one member of Congress. The VACC said Morales—an appointee of former President Benigno Aquino III like the other government officials it has charged—must be held liable for betrayal of public trust due to “selective prosecution of cases, violation of the Constitution and/or betrayal of public trust.” They said the Ombudsman showed “inordinate delay or failure to promptly act on complaints and betrayal of public trust due to sanctioning the filing of losing cases” to shield Aquino from his culpability for the death of the 44 Special Action Force troopers during the Jan. 25, 2015 clash to hunt down terrorists in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

PNP... From A1 his posting at Corrections after his retirement. “Who am I to refuse the President? He is my boss ever since and he will be my boss forever,” Dela Rosa told reporters in an ambush interview at the House of Representatives. Duterte made the announcement to extend Dela Rosa’s term on Tuesday during the Christmas party he hosted for reporters. Then Dela Rosa would be heading the Bureau of Corrections. “Once the projects are operational, then he goes to the BuCor,” Duterte said. He said Dela Rosa would have to confront issues involving penal colonies and prisoners involved in drugs. An attached agency of the Department of Justice, the bureau is tasked to implement the rehabilitation and safekeeping of prisoners. Duterte had earlier accused the Aquino administration of doing nothing to curb the drug-trafficking in the national penitentiary and Senator Leila de Lima, a former Justice secretary, of allegedly receiving money from drug convicts to finance her senatorial campaign.

tion 74 and 75, in relation to Section 144 of the Corporation Code. The Justice department also ordered the Office of the General Prosecutor to file the appropriate complaint against the respond-

ents. Alliance is a publicly listed company currently embroiled in a management conflict following the acquisition by Strong Oak Inc. of the firm’s 430.286 million shares worth P563.674 million. The sale has resulted in the dilution of the stake of the company’s foreign shareholders. The case stemmed from the complaint filed by Alliance’s foreign shareholders —Harvest All Investment Limited, Victory Fund Limited, and Bondeast Private Limited—against Bangkas,

Alliance’s assistant corporate secretary; Sycip, chairman of the board of directors; Alvin and Jonathan Dee, and Malonzo, who are all members of the firm’s board of directors. The complaints, initially filed before the Office of the City Prosecutor in Pasig, arose from the alleged denial of the respondents of the complainants’ right to inspect the corporate books and records. Section 74 of Corporation Code provides that the records of all business transactions of a corporation, and

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body will react and will do [everything] to prevent it,” he added. Duterte insisted there was actual rebellion in Mindanao amid criticisms the latest extension, from Jan. 1, 2018 to the end of the year was unconstitutional. “There is actually rebellion in Mindanao. There is fighting going on. Ano ba naman klaseng ***** ‘yan.” “I will not wait for the 25th hour strikes, for the bells to toll and sound the knell of grief.” In his speech, Duterte said the congressional approval provides the government a “big window” in its fight against terrorism in Mindanao. “There’s a one-year [extension]. It’s a big window actually for all of us. I’m not a dreamer but the reality is if the extension is one year, the enemies of the state would run out of bullets,” said Duterte, who was grateful to Congress for the extension. He also noted that martial law would enable state troops to easily run after terrorists and their coddlers. “Without the martial powers, the ancillary powers attached to the implementors, the implementing agency, [we would find it difficult to fight against the terrorists].” “[How long can we detain a person?] The longest is 36 hours. You think you can really solve the problem, the crime [with that time span]?” In May, Duterte imposed military rule and suspended the writ—a constitutional guarantee against warrantless arrests—across the region of 20 million people, hours after armed Islamic militants seized the southern city of Marawi.

The initial period of martial law was limited by the Constitution to 60 days. However, in July Congress authorized Duterte to extend martial law until the last day of 2017 as he moved to retake the city from hundreds of gunmen he accused of plotting to turn Marawi into a regional base for the Islamic State group. Duterte declared Marawi “liberated” in October after a five-month US-backed bombing campaign that claimed more than 1,100 lives and left large areas of the city in ruins. But on Monday he warned that those who escaped were regrouping. Duterte, who called off peace talks last month with communist rebels, also warned one of Asia’s longest armed rebellions had stepped up “terrorist acts.” His request added to critics’ fears he was seeking to steer the Philippines back into dictatorship like the late president Ferdinand Marcos did in 1972. Marcos, guided by the 1935 Constitution, declared martial law in September 1972 to check what he called was a state of rebellion and subversion. He lifted the emergency in January 1981, on Constitution Day, three months before he called for a presidential election where he beat challenger former Defense Secretary Alejo Santos. Opposition legislators said Wednesday that martial law was illegal because Duterte had declared the liberation of Marawi and described the communists as a “spent force.” “It is clear that this is a tool of repression leading to a dictatorship,” Rep. Emmi De Jesus said, explaining her vote.

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impeach Sereno from office. “Their testimonies reflected personal opinions of the justices on matters already decided by the Supreme Court. Their statements did not prove that the allegations against the Chief Justice were impeachable offenses,” Lacanilao said in a statement. However, the lawyer admitted they found the testimonies as alarming because they appeared to be “misrepresentations” meant to mislead the general public and the Justice Committee hearing on the impeachment case. “It is unfortunate that their [justices] perspectives were colored by their personal sentiments,” Lacanilao said. The spokesman cited their testimonies on the issue involving the exclusion of Jardeleza in the Judicial and Bar Council shortlist when he was applying for a position in the SC. “We do not see the point

of raising these issues again. That’s all water under the bridge. Justice Jardeleza was appointed by President Aquino. The SC en banc resolved to grant Secretary Aguirre’s request,” he said. In his testimony, Jardeleza accused Sereno of committing treason for divulging his confidential position on the Itu Aba, the largest feature in the disputed Spratly group of islands, in the arbitration case filed by the Philippines against China over the issue of the West Philippine Sea. But Lacanilao explained that Jardeleza’s actions on the arbitration case became the subject of Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio’s testimony before the JBC and the Chief Justice’s decision to question Jardeleza’s integrity before the JBC, which was then deliberating on the nomination of Jardeleza and other candidates for the lone vacancy in the high court.

pines demanded the prosecution and punishment of government officials responsible for the Dengvaxia an antidengue vaccine but discovered later to increase the risk of severe dengue in people who have not contracted dengue prior to immunization. More than 700,000 children, however, have already received a dose of the vaccine since last year. Catholic Bishop Ruperto Santos, chairman of CBCPEpiscopal Commission for Pastoral Care of Migrant and Itinerant People, said with more questions being raised in the ongoing Senate investigation, it was becoming critical who would be determined and liable for the anomaly. “We urgently and strongly call for full investigation of this serious matter, prosecution and punishment of previous highest government officials,” Santos said. “Negligence and irresponsible actions of these officials have endangered the lives of more than 700,000 children,” the prelate said. “Life is not an experiment. Life is not trial and error. And

life is erroneously lost, wasted by careless and irresponsible decisions of those government officials,” he said. • In the House, a senior legislator disclosed the Aquino administration took only six months to purchase the anti-dengue Dengvaxia vaccine, making it the “fastest procurement” in the Department of Health history. “This is the fastest procurement in DoH history,” Oriental Mindoro Rep. Doy Leachon said during a congressional hearing attended by health officials and executives of Sanofi Pasteur Inc. “If it was indeed very important, then why did you not include that in the GAA?” Leachon said. “Please, we ask you do not do this, and please not at the expense of more than 800,000 of our children!” he added. Leachon said while the Aquino administration had a hard time dealing with the traffic problem, it managed to purchase what turned out to be a “political decision of the higher committee.” John Paolo Bencito, Vito Barcelo, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

The Senate voted 14-4, while the House voted 226-23. The lawmakers were convinced that the Palace’s request for the need to extend martial law in Mindanao had factual basis. • Malacañang welcomed the move of Congress to extend martial law and suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, with Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque saying “public safety is our primordial concern; thus, we ask the public to stand behind the administration and rally behind our defenders to quell the continuing rebellion in Mindanao.” “This is everyone’s shared responsibility. Together, we will prevail,” he added. • The ruling Liberal Party under the previous administration issued a resolution opposing the one-year extension of martial law for “lack of legal and actual basis.” A copy of the resolution dated Dec. 13, 2017, signed by Senator Francis Pangilinan as party president and LP’s secretary-general, Rep. Jose Christopher Belmonte, was released to the media shortly after Congress granted the extension. The resolution said after receiving Duterte’s letter-request last Dec. 11, Pangilinan instructed its party members to hold a consultation to ascertain their sentiment on the issue. “At this time, all options are on the table. Only one rationale remains—the existence of the Republic of the Philippines,” Duterte told reporters. “You threaten the existence of the republic of the Philippines—and I am sure every-

Brion, testified in the proceedings of the committee. In their testimony the four SC justices said Sereno had shown disrespect for the entire court and her colleagues and violated the collegial nature of the court through unilateral actions without the approval or contrary to the decision of the court en banc. As far as Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez is concerned, the testimonies of the SC justices constitute betrayal of public trust. But the camp of Sereno downplayed the testimonies of her colleagues in the Supreme Court before the impeachment proceedings against her in the House of Representatives. Sereno’s spokesman Jojo Lacanilao described the allegations De Castro, Tijam, Jardeleza and Brion last Monday as “pure personal opinions” and were not grounds to

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Duterte said in a chance interview at Fort Bonifacio. Duterte also believes Sanofi Pasteur, the French manufacturer of the vaccine in question, would not “destroy a billion dollar business just for one lousy failure.” “If there is a failure, let them sort it out. An independent investigation or Congress would do it.” In related developpments: • Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Wednesday denounced Sanofi Pasteur for trying to “water down” the impact of its advisory on the health risks using the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia. Duque noted during the hearing of the House Committees on Good Government and Public Accountability and Health that Sanofi, in the first advisory on Nov. 29, said risks of severe dengue were observed in people who had not been previously infected by the dengue virus, Duque noted. • The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philip-

the minutes of any meetings, shall be open to inspection by any director, trustee, stockholder or member of the corporation. Refusal to allow the records to be examined will hold a company’s officers liable for damages and is punishable under Section 144 of the code by a fine of not less than P1,000 but not more than P10,000, or imprisonment of not less than 30 days but not more than five years. Section 75, on the other hand, underscores the right of any stockholder or mem-

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Duterte told Malacañang reporters, invited to a Christmas party Tuesday night. “You’ll have your share of happiness in the coming days. Just be patient and you’ll get the action that you need and want,” he added. In related developments: • Security officials welcomed Wednesday the decision of Congress to approve Duterte’s request for a 12-month extension of martial law. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana assured the Filipino people they would use the extension to finally end the rebellion and terrorism in Mindanao and stop others who wanted to sow violence. “The Filipino people can rest assured that we will not squander this opportunity to finally end the continuing rebellion and terrorism in Mindanao by destroying the Daesh structure in the area, thwart like-minded groups from conducting further acts of terrorism, and prevent the spillover of violence and radicalism in other parts of the country,” he said in a press statement. • The Department of Justice also has approved the criminal prosecution of a woman arrested in Taguig City last October for allegedly recruiting, through social media, fighters for the ISIS-linked Maute terror group who attacked Marawi City and engaged government troops in nearly five months of heavy fighting since May. After finding probable cause, the DoJ indicted Karen Aizha Hamidon with 295 counts of inciting to rebellion charges before the Taguig City Regional Trial Court. In a resolution signed by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong and approved by acting Prosecutor General Jorge Catalan, the DoJ also found Hamidon liable for violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. The DoJ prosecutor recommended a P20, 000 bail for each count for her temporary liberty. Duterte warned the country would be in great danger should Islamist ideas continue to prevail. “I’m anxious. If they will bring [their ideas] here, we

ber of his right to financial statements. Acting on a petition for review filed by the complainants, the DoJ has found probable cause to indict the respondents. “Respondents denied the said right to inspect by employing a scheme to repeatedly refer the issue between the Board and certain lawyers. Respondents, consisting of members of the Board and Assistant Corporate Secretary voted in favor of such actions and/or implemented the same,” the resolution stated. are in deep sh*t,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English. On the eve before Congress moved to approve his request, Duterte, however, admitted his move to extend martial law lacked support from the ground. If Congress then decided to turn down his request, that would be fine for him. “It does not affect me, let us lift it now,” he said. The DoJ ruled the National Bureau of Investigation was able to present evidence that she incited others to execute acts of rebellion even as it dismissed the complaint for rebellion for lack of merit. “Respondent’s acts of inciting others to commit rebellion was done by posting various messages through social media multiple times. In sum, respondent should be charged for (sic) 295 counts of inciting to rebellion in violation of Article 138 of the Revised Penal Code, in relation to Section 6 of Republic Act 10175,” the resolution stated. In the same resolution, the DoJ also dismissed Hamidon’s claim she was instigated by an NBI undercover agent to commit the alleged crime. “The same deserves scant attention, since the contents of the messages and the multiple times these were posted defy her theory of instigation,” it added. As to Hamidon’s arguments she was not committing any crime at the time she was arrested and her mobile phone was seized by the NBI agents, the DoJ said these were “evidentiary in nature” which were best ventilated in a full-blown trial. In her counter-affidavit submitted to the DoJ, Hamidon said an NBI agent posing as an Islamic State radical had pushed her to make the online postings. She said since she was the wife of Mohammad Jaafar Maguid alias Tokboy and an exwife of Singaporean national Muhammad Shamin Mohammed Sidek who was identified as having link to the Islamic State these made her life an interesting one to the authority. Maguid is the former leader of the Ansar Khalifa Philippines who was killed by the military in January this year in Sarangani province. With Rey Requejo

Duterte: It really is lonely at the top By John Paolo Bencito DESPITE being the most powerful man in the country, President Rodrigo Duterte has admitted that it is indeed lonely at the top. Speaking to Palace reporters whom he hosted for the first time in a Christmas party Tuesday night, Duterte opened about the everyday dealings he must face as the country’s leader, more than a year since taking office. “It gets to be lonelier and lonelier every day in this job. It gets to be scary to make the final decisions, everything is there, whether we have to move faster and slower,” he said on the night before Congress decided to extend the President’s imposition of martial law in Mindanao. In previous occasions, Duterte said that if he were given another chance, he would rather not be the country’s President. The 72-year-old Chief Executive also said he was having trouble supporting two families with a salary of P160,924 a month, the highest allowed for government workers. Duterte’s marriage to his wife, the former Elizabeth Zimmerman, was annulled in 2000. He now lives with common-law partner Cielito “Honeylet” Avanceña. The President has four children. In the same speech, Duterte said he had to make choices that will make people “happy” or “sad.” “But I have to make a decision,” the President lamented. Before running for the presidency, Duterte was the longtime mayor of Davao City, first becoming officer-in-charge vice mayor after the People Power Revolution in 1986. He won the mayoral seat in 1988 and served until 1998. In 2001, he ran again for mayor in Davao, and was elected to a fourth term. He was reelected in 2004 and in 2007.

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IBIG removed the employer counterpart contribution worth P100. Previously, like other self-employed members, OEG members were required to pay both employer and employee shares. “With the new rates, we now make Pag-IBIG membership easier and more affordable,” Pag-IBIG Deputy CEO for Member Services Cluster Alexander Hilario Aguilar said. “Members from the OEG sector can now easily enjoy the many benefits of being a Pag-IBIG member. They are also encouraged to save more than the required monthly membership savings.” The reduced contribution rate took effect on Oct. 10, 2017. Pag-IBIG says it aims to reach a membership target of 86,000 individuals from OEGs by the end of 2017.

Asked why he had to take all the trips abroad, Ridon defended his doing so. “Those [trips] were never solicited by my agency, those were sent to us by other agencies [asking] us to attend those conferences,” Ridon said. “If there is an invitation and it is relevant to our agency, I don’t think there’s any reason for us to reject such invitation.” But Duterte appeared to have made up his mind to sack Ridon as well as his colleagues, insisting they had been misusing the people’s money. “You cannot use the money of the Filipino people every time there is a meeting outside of the Philippines,” Duterte said. On Tuesday, Duterte fired Ridon and all five PUCP commissioners over what he described as their unnecessary trips and their failure to meet as a collegial body. He also claimed Ridon made several unauthorized junkets since he got appointed. The PCUP was created by Executive Order 82 on Dec. 8, 1986. Its functions included evaluation of the government’s shelter-related or resettlement projects for squatters and the preparation of programs for the employment of the urban poor. John Paolo Bencito

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into a constituent assembly to rewrite the 1987 Constitution. Duterte warned of grave consequences if the peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front failed. The media would be busy covering a terrible situation if it happened, he said and cited the influx of ISIS fighters. Although Duterte had always preferred federalism, he vowed to “husband” the new Bangsamoro Basic Law with the Congress and reiterated this promise during his visit to Maguindanao on Nov. 27. Mercado said the time was ripe for federalism, noting Duterte’s high public trust ratings.

“We have conducted nine hearings here and four public consultations nationwide that showed that there is a need to amend or revise the 1987 Constitution,” Mercado said in his sponsorship speech. He said among the prominent proposals were the amendment of the socio-economic provisions of the Constitution and the total revision of the 1987 Constitution in order to implement a structural change from the unitary into a federal form of government. “Time is of the essence in amending the Charter given the overwhelming support of the people for President Duterte,” Mercado said.

earners regardless of their social status,” said Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council Chairman Eduardo del Rosario. “This is our contribution to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s social protection agenda for those who have less in life.” Pag-IBIG Chief Executive Acmad Rizaldy Moti added: “We want to help those in the lower income brackets join and be active members of the Fund by coming up with a sustainable and practical contribution rate. “For instance, a market vendor earning P6,500 a month may now save only P100 each month with PagIBIG instead of the usual P200.” For the OEG sector, Pag-

only we can solve it and nobody else—not even the intervention of so many countries,” Duterte said. He made his statement even as the House of Representatives on Wednesday night began plenary debates on the proposed Charter Change to effect federalism. In his sponsorship speech, Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado, head of the House’s committee on constitutional reforms, rallied behind the adoption of House Concurrent Resolution 09 directing both chambers of Congress to convene

Opinion

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Keep the predators away

HAT the Philippines is a top source of global child pornography is not surprising, but our prior knowledge of it does not make the issue any less alarming, or urgent.

According to a Unicef report, Children in a Digital World, four in five Filipino children are at risk of online sexual abuse or bullying. The pervasiveness of Internet technology—one in three global users is a child—has led to the

increased exposure of young people to this danger. It’s a billion-dollar industry, said Unicef Country Representative Lotta Sylwander. “Filipino children are the ones being traded and exploited online. Children who are made to perform sex acts in front of a web camera will never get their childhood back.” According to the report, online sexual exploitation of children is a leading form of cybercrime. And while these activities may begin online, they could easily cross over to physical prostitution.

The government and non-government organizations are doing their bit to stop these dehumanizing crimes against children, but it is impossible to keep track of all potentially exploitative activities especially those done in small, undetectable scales. A social services official, in her defense of this administration’s war against drugs, once thought she was being witty when she said foreigners critical of the campaign should just go back to doing child porn. That is what they do best anyway, she said. But the remark is not witty— is crude and insensitive, because it

acknowledges a gruesome reality but makes light of it. Predators are everywhere and now, more than ever, our children are at risk. Parents cannot be around all the time to keep watch over what their children are doing online— and nor should they. Instead, elders —parents, relatives or teachers —should consistently warn the young on what is acceptable and not acceptable online behavior. They should be made aware of the dangers out there, and enabled to protect themselves, or seek help when they feel threatened.

SO I SEE LITO BANAYO

From dying to living (Conclusion)

Will Sereno be convicted? TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO BUSINESSMEN and professionals alike have been asking me if Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno will eventually be found guilty and ousted. My answer is yes. I always tell them, however, that impeachment is a political process. While the Senate, which will be trying her, will be observing the Rules of Court like a trial court, impeachment is actually a public trial. The lawmakers are supposed to represent the people in finding out whether the official indeed committed impeachable offenses. And since testimonies of incumbent Supreme Court associate justices

have shown how incompetent the Chief Justice is—setting aside en banc decisions, creating a public office contrary to law, and using a strictly confidential document in an attempt to impede the appointment of a former solicitor general to the High Court—it appears there is probable cause at least for betrayal of public trust. Now, whether or not the Senate will convict and oust Sereno as Chief Justice would still depend on the numbers. Recall that the late Chief Justice Renato Corona was convicted and ousted simply because he failed to include in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth his dollar accounts. This may have been just a failure on his part, but there was moral integrity or rectitude required from

him. The infraction fell under betrayal of public trust. This is why I think Sereno will meet the same fate. *** The significant development here is the coming out of some members of the

I think so.

Supreme Court to testify before the House committee on justice. This is just unprecedented. It only goes to show that some of the fellow magistrates of Sereno have lost faith and confidence in her as Chief Justice, my gulay! Reports have it that two more justices, Senior Asso-

ciate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justice Samuel Martires, want to testify against Sereno. Santa Banana, that would be the last nail in her coffin! *** Perhaps I should depart from my usual “Santa Banana” and use the more appropriate expression “Holy Smokes” when describing the recent $1-billion acquisition of homegrown cigaret manufacturer Mighty Corp. by Japan Tobacco International. I am sure many experts and Mighty Corp. itself will agree that this buyout was heaven sent, considering the twists and turns that Mighty’s business was undergoing. Indeed, it’s a testament to the fortitude and insight of the new Japanese owners to look beyond the turbulence and focus on the intrinsic value

of the company. Thankfully, for our economy—particularly on the Foreign Direct Investment ledger—the deal was executed rather quickly. This actually prompted a number of big businessmen to heave a long sigh of exasperation and hope that their own experience with mergers and acquisitions would mirror Mighty’s example. Unfortunately, from what I heard, this was a major outlier: “Buti pa mga foreigner, madali sa kanila ang bumili o mamerge sa mga Filipino companies (Foreign companies are lucky because it is easy for them to acquire or merge with Filipino companies), a well-known tycoon lamented to me. When it’s Filipino to Filipino, both parties have to pass through the eye of a needle, before going into

the eye of a storm. The level of bureaucracy and red tape is hellish, my friend added. The target of the ire appears to be unanimous, the Philippine Competition Commission, which is the agency task to police and safeguard against anticompetitive practices. According to reports, the PCC acts like its sole purpose is to act as if they knew better than the owners of the businesses they are inquiring into. My gulay, most of the time, these lines of questioning (interrogation as one CEO put it) go far beyond the scope of mergers and acquisitions that it feels as if building a new company from scratch. This kind of mentality of government regulators reminds me so much of the

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THE population density in the metropolis is certainly beyond its carrying capacity. Be it the provision of basic services, or even garbage and sewerage and other sanitation systems necessary for a modicum in the quality of life, Metro Manila fails. Neither can a transfer of the ational government agencies be made so far from the present National Capital Region. The resources needed for such would be so massive, and the habitat displacement of civil servants too politically difficult. Thus the Green City in Clark, or its surrounding areas, would be ideal, with accessibility to air and sea travel quite ideal. A program of early retirement for civil servants 60 years old and above can be implemented, breathing new life into an atrophied bureaucracy. The younger recruits, as well as those in middle management who rent apartments or condominium units in the NCR, could then reside in the Central Luzon area, where housing could be provided by government on affordable terms. With national government agencies transferring to Clark, some private sector businesses would likewise relocate, such as media outfits who have to be close to where government is, and those who transact regularly with the national government agencies. With or without federalism, some centralized government functions could be delegated to city and provincial responsibilities, such as the licensing of vehicles and drivers. Why do we need a centralized system in the age of computers when everything could be linked up? The average Juan dela Cruz hardly transacts with national government; they Turn to A5

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P70-billion acquisition of Smart and Globe of the San Miguel telco assets of Ramon Ang, who sold the Smart-Globe combine telco assets not only to benefit consumers, but to make Globe duopoly itself. The PCC has become more of a roadblock to economic growth. Many businessmen have been in fact complaining that the seemingly unrealistic conditions have stifled even the simplest of acquisitions and mergers. To the PCC, Filipinos have become second-class citizens as it favors foreigners. Santa Banana, I’m told that the PCC even requires businesses to prepare a full situations analysis for nearly a hundred possibilities. Which to me, begs the question: If the submitted documents become thicker and thicker, how can the PCC possibly review and assess all them in a timely manner? Of course, I’m not saying that the PCC is incompetent. In fact, it is quite the contrary, to all indications, it is staffed by a field of experts worthy of a global think tank. But my gulay, it seems that having too many intelligent people in the fray turns out every process into an autocratic nightmare that could scare away even the most seasoned local businessmen. My gulay, think of the all the lost opportunities to forge strategic partnerships! I’m all for a healthy and competitive business environment. But once regula-

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do with their LGUs. They pay real estate taxes, get permits to operate businesses, get birth, marriage and death certificates from their local governments, and other tax payments are made through the banks. So why in heaven’s name should the bulk of citizens who do not work for the national government have to reside where the national government holds its offices? A master plan for a national government center could thus be made, such as L’Enfant did for Washington D.C., or as they did in Brazilia, in Putrajaya, in Canberra, Ottawa, Ankara, Wellington and so many other government capitals. Did New York die? Or Istanbul? Or Sydney and Kuala Lumpur, Auckland and Toronto? No, they continued to flourish as commercial, financial, cultural centers. They still became the favorite destinations of foreign tourists, who in most cases did not bother to visit the new government centers. What are we then to do with existing government buildings owned by the national government? Malacañang, which President Duterte says is “haunted,” can be a grand museum. The Batasan could become another convention center. The Philippine General Hospital, already lacking in space to serve patients, can always take over, along with the UP College of Medicine, the Padre Faura buildings currently occupied by the Supreme Court and the DOJ. The Supreme Court under CJ Sereno, after all, wants to move out, and into a spanking new building at already congested Bonifacio Global City. Move to Clark then, which BCDA also controls. The Quezon Circle buildings can be sold to the private sector, retrofitted for private office use or even as hotels. Other government properties could be converted to housing, as even without the national gov-

tion becomes too autocratic, it becomes borderline protectionist. That’s the irony of the PCC which to me has become more of a roadblock. President Duterte should rethink the existence of the PCC in the light of the administration’s policy of cutting red tape and over-regulation. These are stifling the growth of the economy! *** I’m all for modernization of the iconic Philippine jeepney. And so are the commuters who go to work or school in those vehicles. Many of these are ready for the junk yard. But considering the fact that many of the small jeepney operators and drivers may become jobless because they cannot afford those modern jeepneys costing from P1.8 million to P2 million, government must first consider a lot of things. First of all, find out if those old jeepney are still roadworthy. There should be no immediate phaseout, but over a length of time. Second, if small jeepney operators and drivers cannot affect the modern jeepneys, government should exert some effort to subsidize them, or undertake a plan to enable them to borrow money required to buy modernized jeepneys. If organizations of jeepney operators are preventing the immediate modernization of the jeepney industry, they cannot really all be blamed. It’s their very livelihood at stake. The President must look at the problem in its entirety, and not just because some jeepney organizations are left-leaning. ernment employees, many NCR residents still need affordable housing close to their places of work. With the population density in NCR becoming less heavy, the pressure on traffic and other problems will gradually ease. Many empty spaces still owned by government can be converted into parks, creating new lungs for the metropolis. I have suggested several times in this space that we create two international airports for Luzon, one to serve the North and Central Luzon areas, which would be Clark, and one to serve NCR and the southern parts, which would be in Sangley. This is not to preclude upgrading airports for short haul regional and domestic flights to places like Cagayan and Ilocos, or the Bicol Region. And when there is a new airport in Cavite and the Clark gateway is fully operational, we can convert the 600 or so hectares of land occupied by Naia, not into another private real estate play, but a huge “central” park for the NCR. Underneath the park could be a huge water catchment basin both for flood control and water recycling. The possibilities are limitless. Moving the national government center out of Metro Manila and into Clark (which could then be renamed accordingly) would unleash the best architectural and urban planning creativity the Filipino mind is capable of. Similarly, the summer capital, Baguio, which is choked beyond solution, could be reinvented elsewhere, as in the highland area bounded by Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya and Benguet. Thus will the “dead” city which is Metro Manila become “living” once more, a genteel habitat to a reduced population. Hand in hand with the proper revival of the Pasig River and the redesign of its embankments, our beloved Manila could yet regain its old glory as the Pearl of the Orient. It will take a process, but the time to decide is now.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

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2018 budget approved OVERSIGHT DANILO SUAREZ IN A joint session last Tuesday, in which I was a part of, both Houses of Congress signed the General Appropriations Act of 2018. This is the national budget for fiscal year 2018, dubbed by the administration as, “A Budget that Reforms and Transforms.” We expect the President to sign this into law before the year ends. The national government asked for an increase of 12.4 percent or P417 billion more than the 2017 budget. The Department of Public Works and Highways was allotted the greatest increase from the 2017 budget, with P175 billion more, followed by the Department of Education with additional P44.609 billion; Department of the Interior and Local Government, P22.97 billion; Department of Transportation with P18.14 billion; Commission on Elections with P12.83 billion; and Department of Social Welfare and Development with P9.58 billion. These departments belong to the top 10 recipients

of the 2018 budget. For the last four years, the national government has been experiencing difficulties in fully utilizing the annually approved budget. According to DBM reports, in 2013, actual spending fell short by P103.7 billion or 5.2 percent of the approved appropriations. In 2014, there was substantial shortfall of P302.7 billion or 13.3 percent against the disbursement targets. In 2015, underspending was at 2.8 percent or P328.3 billion, nominally higher due to the increased budget. In 2016, the underspending was minimal at 3.6 percent equivalent to P96.3 billion. From 2012 to 2016, several agencies failed to fully utilize their respective budgets. As an example, the DPWH only had an average of 70 percent utilization rate. As of Oct. 31, 2017, the DBM reported that 84.8 percent of the 2017 appropriated budget was released, amounting to P2.063 trillion, with remaining P369 billion left to be disbursed. Likewise, as per the report on the Notice of Cash Allocation in October 2017, the DPWH, with an approved appropriation of P467 billion, was only able to utilize P276 billion,

or 59.1 percent of the total appropriations. DILG, with P149 billion appropriated budget, has utilized P137.8 billion or 94.4 percent. DepEd with P568 billion, has used only P284.2 billion or 50.0 percent. DOTr, with an appropriated P55 billion, has spent P21.64 billion or 39.3 percent. These data imply that most government agencies are underperforming. We have been acquainted with the usual reasons of such underspending. Failure and delay in submission of documentary requirements, poor liquidation of cash advances, delays in submission of progress billings, procurement difficulties (procurement scheduling, delays in bidding, and incorrect technical specifications and costings), difficulty in hiring, land acquisition and right-of-way issues, delays in the approval of agreements and issuances of clearances, and non- or partial compliance with the requirements under the GAA special provisions are just some of the reasons of the chronic underspending identified by the DBCC itself. Poor budget utilization of the government deprives the public of the essential goods

and services such as roads, bridges, and other infrastructure, health services, and quality education. A recent World Bank report highlighted the effects of underspending on education. It was said that 25 percent of the public funds do not reach primary and lower secondary schools. This lack of funding for education was “partly to blame” for the 34 percent primary school children in developing countries who have poor proficiency in learning. The World Bank has been urging previous administrations to boost government spending. It was seen that low government spending comes with low GDP. In recent years, the World Bank noted that increases in government consumption, particularly in infrastructure spending, highly correlate to GDP growth. The 2018 budget is considered to be the first true budget of the Duterte administration. Focus is laid on the improvement of social services such as health, education, and employment as well as accelerating infrastructure development and promotion of peace and order. While these are prom-

ising, I reiterate my concern on the ability of the government agencies to fully utilize their respective budgets on the supposed programs for 2018. During the budget deliberations, most of the agencies we have subjected to questioning have promised better absorptive capacity and program planning. By this time, we should be seeing the fruits of the approved appropriations last year. Let us not make the same mistakes committed by previous administrations where disbursement was always lower than what was programmed which resulted to the deterioration of the delivery of the basic social services. The people have been promised change, and we should live up to our promise and make a difference. With this, I urge my fellow legislators to be active in monitoring how the government spends its budget. We must make full exercise of our oversight powers to ensure that every centavo of the budget we approve each year is spent for the intended programs and services and such be delivered efficiently to the target sectors and the public in general.

An unusual impeachment DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA THE French phrase Esprit de Corps which literally means spirit of the group is commonly associated with military organizations. It refers to the pride and sense of belongingness of members of that organization and their desire to advance the objectives and ideals of that group. Often, when the Esprit de Corps of a unit is strong, its morale is also high. For example, in the aftermath of the Marawi City battle, the morale of the Armed Forces was high more so because now, the pay of the members will double come January of 2018. Esprit de Corps can also be present in civilian organizations in one shape or form. Fraternities for instance can exhibit a high degree of Esprit de Corps when they stick together even in the most adverse situations. Even people in the same profession often help each other. Physicians normally would not charge doctors’ fee when treating other

doctors. They call this professional courtesy. This is the same with lawyers. It is seldom that we see lawyers suing each other. But with what we are now witnessing in the House of Representatives with regard to the impeachment complaint filed against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, this may no longer be the case. For one, the person who filed the complaint is a lawyer, an officer of the court and the witnesses against her are Supreme Court justices. It is an unusual impeachment case. And those Supreme Court Justices both retired and active who are taking turns attacking her are not doing anything to enhance the image of the Supreme Court. For this, we have former President Noynoy Aquino to thank when he orchestrated the impeachment of the late Chief Justice Renato Corona on flimsy charges. Using the vast powers of the presidency, he saw to it that Corona was convicted and removed from office. That impeachment trial was the first time that we saw a retired justice become a witness for the prosecution.

Now, there are at least four retired and active justices who are discussing in public what goes on inside the chambers of the Supreme Court. For the first time also, the House Committee on Justice appears to be trying Chief Justice Sereno already instead of the Senate. We do not know the reasons for this but it could be because conviction in the Senate is not a done deal. In this current impeachment process, people identified with the previous administration are questioning the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Sereno. The complaint, according to them, is making a mockery of the Supreme Court and cheapening the impeachment process, the very same reasons that those defending the late Renato Corona used. But former President Aquino and his people should have thought of that when they impeached and convicted Renato Corona. Now, they are getting a dose of their own medicine. Sure, this current impeachment process will further erode the already battered reputation of the

judicial system but this downward spiral in the reputation of our judiciary has been going on for some time. It used to be that judges were held in very high esteem, more so with the justices of the Supreme Court who were treated like gods in Mount Olympus. This was because those appointed as justices of the Supreme Court were truly learned, wise and upright men and women. There were no questions whatsoever to the choices. Over time, the search process for men and women to occupy the highest court of the land somehow changed. No longer were the qualities limited to being learned, wise and upright. Other considerations started to creep in. Closeness to the appointing authority became one important factor together with other political considerations like party affiliation. The appointing authority also had to see to it that those appointed will remain loyal even if the appointing official is no longer in office. As this impeachment process grinds and those witnesses continue to bring out the dirt of what goes

on in the Supreme Court, we have to wonder what kind of work comes out of that court considering that those people must be hardly talking at all. I hope those who have not taken sides will be able to arrange some kind of truce among the warring factions. Whatever the outcome of this impeachment complaint, the damage to the judiciary’s reputation will be enormous and will take a long time to heal. Reform is clearly needed to streamline the judiciary and make it more responsive to the needs of the citizenry. The number of Supreme Court justices is in itself a problem. There may be too many. If the United States with a population of 330 million people have only nine Supreme Court Justices, why do we need 15 justices with only 105 million people? The selection process also needs to be reformed and the confirmation process returned instead of appointment through the judicial bar council. It is not perfect but a congressional confirmation process is open session by people who are the elected representatives of the citizenry.

women and men who have come forward with their stories, as their Person of the Year. Has the backlash against what our culture calls “dirty old men” reached the Philippines? It has, but it has not had the same effect as in the US No one has been fired, no one called to account. #MeToo trended on Twitter last October as women stepped forward with their narratives. Said Poms Yapching: “#MeToo I was molested when I was 7yo, and harassed 2x when I was 19, on a jeepney (an addict) & a perv on an fx on my way home from school” (Oct. 16). For many, the trauma endures. Catacatacaka tweeted: “The relative that did it already died but the feeling of being scared to be left alone with him in the living room never will. #MeToo” (Oct. 16). Men said they could change. Drew: “Men can do better. Should do better. Must do better. #MeToo” (Oct. 16). A 2016 Social Weather Station survey found that three out of five women surveyed in Quezon City have experienced sexual harassment at least once in their life, most often on public

transportation. Most ignore it because they feel they can do nothing about it. Why are we looking into the timeline of this phenomenon? Because it is important to look at history and understand that bringing about societal and cultural change is a protracted struggle. It takes time. Despite the swift effect of #MeToo, it could not have come about if not for those who had come before, those who were brave during a time when they were not guaranteed public support and in fact faced contumely from a society more patriarchal in attitudes and norms than it is now. Sexual abuse and harassment make women feel demeaned, helpless, insulted, and unsafe. It has no place in any society that claims to have respect for women’s rights and human rights in general. #MeToo didn’t happen overnight. We still have a long fight ahead of us, but we can’t give up, because the quality and dignity of women’s lives, our lives, depend on this.

#AkoRin AS THE #MeToo movement in the United States gains more momentum, one celebrity after another has toppled under the wave of public disgust and disapproval of prominent men who misused their power to grope, molest, and rape. It’s a pronounced cultural shift that is unusual in the swiftness of adoption and the weight of its impact.#MeToo is a social media hashtag used to call out instances of sexual harassment and assault. Coined by social activist Tarana Burke in 2006, it was used on Twitter by actress Alyssa Milano last October to encourage women to share their experiences in order to illustrate the magnitude of the problem. “If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted,” she wrote last Oct. 15, “write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet.” Millions of people around the world shared their stories. Among them were actresses Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan, who accused film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault. By Oct. 21, over 50 wom-

en made similar allegations against Weinstein, who was said to have engaged in such conduct over 30 years in Hollywood and smoothed over complaints with payoffs and intimidation. The backlash was so severe that in a matter of weeks, the multi-awarded filmmaker’s wife left him and he was fired by his production company, lost his memberships in high-profile organizations, and came under police investigation. More victims surfaced and predators began to fall, among them actor Kevin Spacey, comedian Louis C.K., filmmakers Brett Ratner and James Toback, and television journalists Charlie Rose, Mark Halperin, and Matt Lauer. It’s called the ‘Weinstein effect’ or more generally the ‘tipping point’, where one action finally breaks the dam. The discourse has expanded to include sexual abuse of both sexes. Corey Feldman, who is traumatized by molestation he suffered as a child actor in Hollywood, has revealed the names of the persons he alleges assaulted him. But before all this, women have been calling men out for rape and other forms of sexual harassment for

years. Among the high-profile cases was that of attorney Anita Hill against US Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas in 1991, and those involving Bill Cosby in the mid-2010s. A shift in the handling of such cases occurred in July 2016, when Fox News commentator Gretchen Carlson filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes. Other women stepped forward with similar accusations and Ailes was pressured into resigning, perhaps the first instance of such an outcome. But it was in 2017 that sexual harassment because a “fireable offense,” as USA Today put it, when early this year software engineer Susan J. Fowler wrote a blog post about sexual harassment at Uber, which she joined in 2015. Her revelations led to the ouster of Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and a change in the way startups and tech companies manage such complaints. #MeToo gained steam on back of this victory as well. So powerful has this movement become and so immediate its effects that Time magazine chose the “Silence Breakers”, the

Dr. Ortuoste is a California-based writer. FB: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @ jennyortuoste

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

POEA ‘domains’ hacked—group By Vito Barcelo

ORE than ﬁve-million overseas Filipino workers “sensitive information,” including addresses, health and ﬁnancial history, and other private details might have been hacked and stole after two fake government internet domains were found that were used to process, use, collect sensitive information of OFWs, according to an overseas Filipino workers advocacy group.

The Lilac Center for the Philippine Overseas Public Interest Inc. said Employment Administrathat somebody have used tion and registered two

Internet domains under the bmonline.ph and idole.ph which confused millions of OFWs. ‘This being the case, whoever owns the domain names bmonline.ph and idole.ph—and surely, it is not the POEA, could have access to valuable private data of five million or more OFWs.” Lilac Center president Nicon Fameronag said. He expressed fear that the person or persons who had registered the two domain names and who administer the two portals could have already ac-

cessed OFW data and used them improperly. Fameronag said bmonline.ph is the Internet site of the Balik-Manggagawa Online Processing Center which facilitates the issuance of overseas employment certificates to returning OFWs, while the https. idole.ph is the Internet portal of the controversial OFW ID Card. “Both Internet portals collect, access, use, disclose, or process private OFW data or information,” he said. He warned OFWs that

their privacy might be compromised when using the two portals. “By their domain names, .ph shows it is for commercial use and its registrar is a private businessman, hence, for profit, while the .gov.ph domain is solely for registration of Philippine government agencies. “The government’s Internet domain names policy requires subsidiaries, attached agencies, and nonautonomous components of top-level entities to register their domain names under

.gov.ph. They are not eligible to register separately,” Fameronag said. The .gov.ph domain is delegated from the root authority to the Department of Science and Technology’s Advanced Science and Technology Institute. On the other hand, the .ph domain name is administered by dotPH Domains Inc., owned by businessman José Emmanuel “Joel” Disini, chief executive officer. This company also holds and maintains the database of domain names .com.ph, .net.ph, and .org.ph.

MMDA extends dry run of HOV traffic scheme By Joel E. Zurbano THE Metro Manila Development Authority is considering extending for one more week the dry run activity for the implementation of the High Occupancy Vehicle lane, a scheme formulated to encourage motorists to engage in ride sharing and further improve traffic along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue. The move, according to MMDA supervising officer for operation Edison Nebrija, needs further studies to be conducted by the Technical Working Group to be formed by the agency in close coordination with the Department of Transportation. Nebrija admitted that heavily-tinted vehicles using the lane prevented the agency from apprehending possible violators. “Our assessment will continue until Friday. So far, the problem involves private motorists with heavily-tinted cars. The number of appre-

hension increased. So dry run until Friday and might extend the next week. We are hoping for the best that is why we will extend dry run for more public information,” he said. As of 1 p.m. Wednesday, the MMDA monitored about 2,000 vehicles used the special lane, while more than 700 didn’t comply with the policy while at least 800 were heavily-tinted. The new traffic measure bars vehicles with a single rider or occupancy from using the HOV lane, which is the innermost lane of Edsa, closest to the Metro Railway Transit Line 3 wall. The MMDA made the move after members of the Metro Manila Council, the agency’s governing board and policy-making body, rejected the proposal of lawmakers to implement an oddeven scheme along Edsa. With the new scheme, the agency hopes to decrease by 30 percent the number of private vehicles traversing along Edsa.

NO TO TRUMP. Members of the Muslim community in the National Capital Region held a rally at Kalaw St., in Manila to condemn United States President Donald Trump after he announced that he is recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Norman Cruz

BI deports Briton wanted for rape of minor in UK

Surigao del Norte mayor suspended By Rio N. Araja THE Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government to implement a one-month suspension order on Surigao del Norte's Mainit Mayor Ramon Mondano for simple neglect of duty. On June 14, 2016, Mondano issued a special permit allowing the conduct of cockfighting activities in Purok Masaya, Barangay Matinao on June 20 to 22 last year to celebrate the barangay fiesta. The cockfighting activity did not have any barangay clearance. “A clearance from the barangay where the activity is to be conducted is necessary before a city, or in this case, a municipality, can issue a permit for it. It was not shown that the purok leaders of Purok Masaya applied for a barangay clearance, hence, respondent Mayor Mondano should not have issued the Special Permit in their favor," the Ombudsman's decision read, citing the Local Government Code. “Although the issuance of special permits for special cockfighting activities is within his authority as municipal mayor, he is duty bound to require the presentation of the barangay clearance from Barangay Matin-ao before issuing a special permit to Purok Masaya. This he failed to do." In another development, Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales directed Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez to implement the Ombudsman's suspension order on Dapitan City treasurer Medelyn Pacatang for one year without pay for two counts of simple misconduct, two counts of violation of reasonable office rules and regulations, and gross insubordination.

FOURTH ALARM. Firefighters train their hoses on burning houses Wednesday after a fire

broke out in Loreto St. in Sampaloc, Manila. The fire, which reached the fourth alarm, injured an old man, while four others remain missing. Norman Cruz

THE Bureau of Immigration ordered the deportation of a British fugitive who had tried to rape a minor in the United Kingdom. The foreigner, identified as Mark Christopher Wyatt, was arrested by members of the bureau’s fugitive search unit at his home in Camiling, Tarlac. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said Wyatt’s arrest was sought by British authorities after the latter learned that the convict had fled the UK in violation of his parole or for breaching a supervision order and notification requirements. “We will send him back to the UK where he will be returned to prison because he left the country during his period of supervision,” the BI chief said. He added that “being a convicted child sex offender, his continued presence here

poses a real threat to Filipino children anyone of whom could be his next victim.” According to BI intelligence ofﬁcer and FSU chief Bobby Raquepo, Wyatt arrived in the country a year ago. Raquepo said the Briton was placed on the bureau’s wanted list in May this year after UK’s National Crime Agency, through the British embassy in Bangkok, alerted the BI about his presence in the country. Wyatt, the embassy said, was convicted in March 2015 for arranging a meeting with a child under 16 years of age after grooming and sending her pictures of his private parts. “He would go back to prison to serve his suspended sentence because he left the UK during the period he was under supervision,” Raquepo said. Vito Barcelo

Alvarez seeks Chinese help ‘Budget key to PH economic growth’ in twin-bridge project By Macon R. Araneta By Maricel V. Cruz SPEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez on Wednesday said he had bilateral talks with Chinese premier Li Keqiang last month where they had initial discussion on the possibility that China could provide funding for various infrastructure projects in the country. Alvarez said their bilateral talks were held at the close of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit held here in Manila. Alvarez said that among others, he is proposing to the administration to include in its “Build, Build, Build” program the construction of two bridges to link Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. “Ang gusto ko rito na ipanukala sa ating administrasyon na dudugtungin natin yung Luzon, Visayas at Mindanao sa pamamagitan ng bridges,

two bridges: yung manggaling ng Matnog [Sorsogon] connecting to Allen, Samar; at saka yung isa naman manggaling ng San Ricardo sa Southern Leyte to connect to Surigao City,” Alvarez said. The bridges may even include provisions to allow for trains to cross from Luzon up to Mindanao, Alvarez said. “Ngayon, kung may sapat na pondo pa, ay sa pagitan noon ay maglalagay tayo ng riles para naman maidugtong din yung tren magmula Bicol hanggang Samar, Leyte. And then from there also, Southern Leyte crossing to Surigao City at saka dumugtong na doon sa Mindanao railway,” Alvarez said. Alvarez said during his talk with Premier Li, he suggested to China to provide the funding for such crucial infrastructure project.

SENATE finance committee chairman Senator Loren Legarda on Wednesday said that the 2018 national budget will be instrumental in ensuring that the Philippines maintains its economic status as one of the fastest growing economies in the Asia-Pacific region. “The national budget is the lifeblood of the government. It is our investment for the future,” she said. Recently, Fitch Ratings upgraded the Philippines’ longterm credit rating from BBBto BBB, providing it with a stable outlook. She atributed this to the continued acceleration of the country’s GDP growth and the Administration’s sound fiscal policies. However, she said the greater challenge for government is to translate these economic gains into programs that would directly benefit all

Filipinos, especially the poor. Legarda said this is where the national budget becomes crucial, because the government should create a balance between supporting the economic agenda while also providing for the needs and promoting the general welfare of the Filipino people. She said this was the Senate’s thrust in crafting the 2018 General Appropriations Bill, which has now been ratified by the Senate. The Senate on Tuesday ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed 2018 General Appropriations Act. Legarda explained that the 2018 national budget prioritizes the needs of the people— education, healthcare, livelihood, shelter and sustainable growth. It provides for free tuition in state universities and colleges, support for farmers, increase in teachers’ allowance and base pay of military

and uniformed personnel, and the rehabilitation of Marawi City, among others. The 2018 General Appropriations Bill has a P40 billion funding for the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which would pave the way for free college education in all of the country’s SUCs, local universities and colleges and state-run technical-vocational institutions; P10 million for capital outlay for each SUC to address their infrastructure and equipment needs; P327 million for free Wi-Fi in SUCs and public places; and P250 million funding under the Commission on Higher Education for free tuition for medical students enrolled in SUCs. Under the Department of Education budget, cash allowances of teachers—intended for the purchase of classroom supplies like chalk, markers, paper, erasers and other materials—will increase from P2,500 to P3,500 per teacher.

Duterte: Stop displaying my face By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte chided government officials and offices for continuing to display his portrait, despite his repeated appeals to take them down. “Ang titigas ng mga ulo. You will not flatter me with my picture. Titindig ang balahibo ko niyan,” Duterte told Palace reporters whom he hosted a party on Tuesday. He then told journalists to remind public officials and offices of his order to take down his portraits and instead display photos of heroes. “Kindly remind them about my order, itong mga government offices, not to display my picture or the picture of [Special Assistant to the President Christopher] “Bong” [Go]. Hindi kami ’yung heroes,” he said. “It’s not yet our time to be there. We are not supposed to be in any corner [of government offices or schools],” he added. Without making any apparent reference, Duterte made the reminder a day after the Department of Labor and Employment issued an OFW Card bearing Duterte’s image. “I’m requiring everybody who really want to show a sense of loyalty to the country [to] display the pictures or paintings of our heroes,” he said. Malacañang issued on Sept. 15 Memorandum Circular No. 25 signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea urging government offices to display photos of Philippine heroes instead. Part of the Memorandum reads “All government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned or –controlled corporations, state universities and colleges and public schools of all levels, are hereby directed to display or exhibit the photographs, paintings or other forms of visual representations of Philippine Heroes in lieu of the photographs, paintings or other forms of visual representations of elected or appointed government officials.”

NCRPO gifts cop’s children ORPHANS and children of policemen who were killed and wounded in anti-drug operations were among the beneficiaries of this year’s Christmas Gift Giving Program for Kids of the National Capital Region Police Office. NCRPO director Oscar Albayalde led the distribution of gifts held at the St. Joseph Chapel, Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan Taguig City. He said the gift giving activity will be followed by a tour at the oceanarium in Manila. “This program aims to give joy and happiness to the beneficiaries and make them feel the essence of the yuletide season,” said Albayalde. As of September, more than 20 police officers in Metro Manila have been killed and 47 others were wounded since the government crackdown on drug dealing and its use began in July 2016. Since the crackdown started, more than 83,000 individuals, including 119 elected officials, 23 uniformed personnel, and 138 government employees, were arrested nationwide. Joel E. Zurbano

Sports

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Leonard back, but Spurs stumble L OS ANGELES—Kawhi Leonard made his long-awaited return from injury but could not stop San Antonio from an upset defeat in Dallas on Tuesday as LeBron James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a ninth straight win.

Leonard, who missed the first 27 games of the season due to a thigh muscle injury, made an impressive cameo in his 15 minutes on court, scoring 13 points and pulling down six rebounds. But whe n L e ona rd ex it e d as expe ct e d ea rly i n t he t h ird quarter soon after helping the Spurs into a 55-50 lead, the Mavericks came back into the contest to run out 9589 winners at the American Airlines Center. The defeat was a jolt for

San Antonio, who fell to 19-9 for the season. The Mavs improved to 8-20, led by 17 points from Harrison Barnes. In Cleveland meanwhile, the Cavaliers rained down a bombardment of threepointers on the Atlanta Hawks to secure a 123-114 win. Cleveland bagged a season-high 20 three-pointers during the game, with James scoring 25 points and tying a career-high 17 assists. Kyle Korver had 19 points—including six

th ree -poi nters —while Kevin Love had 17 points and 12 rebounds. Jose Calderon had 14 points. Happy to help James was satisfied with his tally of assists as much as his points total. “For me to assist my teammates making shots has always been an enjoyment of mine ... my teammates were excellent tonight,” James said. “We’re in a good rhythm right now. We know what we want to run, we know where guys are going to be out on the floor, we kind of know how defenses have been playing us as of late and guys are moving and sharing the ball extremely well. When the ball is moving, energy is behind it and guys are in rhythm.”

The Cavaliers improved to 20-8 and have now won 15 of their last 16 games to keep the pressure on Eastern Conference pacesetters Boston. Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said the Hawks had struggled to contain James’ passing threat. “I think they do a lot of double-teaming and tilting with the bigs so that allows LeBron to just pick the guys apart,” Lue said. ‘Embarrassment’ for Van Gundy Elsewhere Tuesday, Detroit Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy was left lamenting his team’s “embarrassing” performance after a seventh straight defeat in a 103-84 rout by the Denver Nuggets. “I’ve coached around 850 regular season games and

playoffs and that’s one of the worst ones I’ve ever had,” Van Gundy said. “We didn’t do anything tonight. We didn’t compete. That’s on me as a coach. I’ve got to find the answers...that was an embarrassment tonight.” After a solid start to the season the Pistons are now 14-13 in the Eastern Conference. Wilson Chandler scored 18 points for the Nuggets while Mason Plumlee had 10 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. At Madison Square Garden, Kristaps Porzingis scored 37 points and had 11 rebounds as the New York Knicks overcame the Los Angeles Lakers 113-109 in overtime. Enes Kanter had 14 points

and 11 rebounds for New York while Knicks rookie Frank Ntilikina added a career-high 13 points. The Lakers scoring was led by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with 24 points while Lonzo Ball had 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists. “You have to give them credit for making plays, but as a team you always look at what you can do better as a group, as an individual, and there is a lot tonight that we could have done better to give ourselves a better chance to win that game,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said following the loss. The Knicks improved to 14-13 with the win. The Lakers, who are 10-16 for the season. AFP

Saunders-Lemieux on Sky Sports PPV WORLD Boxing Organization world middleweight champion and British fighter, Billy Joe Saunders returns to the ring to defend his belt against Canadian slugger David Lemieux on Dec. 17 at the Place Bell, Laval in Quebec Canada, in a battle between speed and might, set to air live, commercialfree, and in high-definition for P99 via SKY SPORTS PAY-PER-VIEW. The United Kingdom’s Billy Joe Saunders (25-0, 12 KO), widely noted for his speed, will defend his WBO world middleweight championship for the fourth time on December 17th. He previously defeated American Billie Monroe Jr. in a 12-round match in September. Saunders is looking to prove that he is the best middleweight fighter in the world. Winning the match on

Aussie Open wildcard for Azarenka M ELBOU R N E —Two time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka, who has been locked in a custody battle over her baby son, was Wednesday handed a wildcard into January’s Australian Open. Tournament director Craig Tiley said every assistance would be provided to the former Belarus world number one so she can compete at the Melbourne event where she has achieved her greatest success. “Vika’s current situation is obviously very difficult for her and we have reached out to offer any support we can,” Tiley said. “As a two-time Australian Open champion we’ve awarded her a wildcard and look forward to seeing her back on court in Melbourne in January.” Azarenka returned from maternity leave in the middle of the year but was forced to skip the US Open in August after a Los Angeles judge presiding in a custody case over her son Leo ruled the child could not leave California until the matter had been settled. Azarenka, who has slipped down the rankings to be world number 210, said she was looking forward to returning to the opening Grand Slam of the year. “I’m so excited about coming back to Melbourne for the Australian Open, it’s my favourite tournament,” she said. “I’ve won there twice and always feel so comfortable on court and the city is great. AFP

on the 17th will bring him a step closer to that goal. David Lemieux (38-3, 33 KO), on the other hand, is a heavy-hitter who has been described as a dangerous fighter. The former IBF world middleweight champion is looking to regain his footing on the world championship stage after losing his belt to Gennady Golovkin in 2015. There is more on the line with this match as both boxers are looking to fight whoever will win the rematch between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin in a title unification match. Watch this match-up of speed and power live, commercial-free, and in high definition through SKY SPORTS PPV for P99. Visit www.mysky.com.ph/ boxingppv or call 418-0000, or your local SKY office to subscribe.

Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs handles the ball against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The Spurs bowed to the Mavs, 95-89. AFP

Navy stamps class in Regatta last leg, wins overall crown

Officers of the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation, led by PDBF president Doji Lopez (left) and secretary general Jen Escueta (center), are all smiles after successfully organizing the fourth and final leg of the CHERIFER Premium-PDBF Dragon Boat Regatta at the Manila Bay over the weekend.

PHILIPPINE Navy capped its campaign in the 2017 CHERIFER Premium-PDBF Dragon Boat Regatta with a bang over the weekend, sweeping all three events of the wellattended fourth and last leg to clinch overall honors in the series held at the Manila Bay overlooking the Baywalk along Roxas Boulevard. After rallying to edge Triton A in the thrilling 300-meter Women’s Small Boat race, the Navy paddlers settled down to handily rule the Mixed Standard and Men’s Open e Standard vents to wind up its stint on a high note in the circuit sponsored by CHERIFER Premium and organized by the

Philippine Dragon Boat Federation. Under an overcast sky and over calm waters, the Seamen led from start to finish in copping the Men’s Open division championship in one minute and 8.82 seconds over surprise runner-up Rogue Pilipinas (1:11.52) in the regatta also backed by Manila Ocean Park, Fitbar. LeMinerale, Red Bull and BangkaPro, which gave two snorkel masks as raffle prizes. Bruins finished a fighting third (1:11.94) in the final competition of the CHERIFER PremiumPDBF races, where teams from Philippine Army, Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine Air Force had to beg off due to mili-

tary training and their engagement in other pressing activities. Navy, likewise, topped the Mixed Standard contest (1:12.47), while Rogue Pilipinas (1:14.28) and Triton A (1:15.58) placed second and third, respectively, in the series also supported by the National Parks Development Committee, Manila City government, Nivea Sun, Tent City and Soundfreak. The Navy bets, however, flirted with disaster in the Women’s Small Boat race, needing a strong finishing kick in the last 75 meters to surge past Triton A in securing first place in 1:24.86 to the latter’s 1:25.07. RCP Sea Dragons A (1:29.19) took third spot.

Russia ban, nukes leave Olympics reeling SEOUL—Holding the Winter Olympics in a little-known corner of South Korea was never an easy proposition, but a ban on Russia and the latent threat of nuclear war have left the hosts hoping that things can only get better. With less than two months to go, a flurry of problems beyond their control have created a perfect storm for Pyeongchang Olympics organisers as they gear up for the Games at their mountainside HQ. Not only has Russia, the top medal-winner at the 2014 Sochi Games, been barred over a major drugs scandal, but North Korea has staged a series of nuclear and missile tests while trading threats of war with the United States. The Games have also been shorn of stars from the National Hockey League (NHL), which is snubbing the event after the International Olympic Committee refused to pay costs such as travel and insurance. “Dark clouds are hanging over the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics,” the South’s own JoongAng Daily said in an editorial this week. Public enthusiasm appears limited in the host country, where Unification Minister Cho Myoung-Gyon warned that another North Korean military provocation could deliver a “fatal blow” to the Games. But as the problems mount, organisers remain defiant. Lee Hee-Beom, president of the organising committee, told AFP: “Minister Cho has gone beyond his brief. I find it regrettable. Sport must be separated from politics.” South Korean President Moon Jae-In lamented that cross-border tensions were “higher than ever” before the Games—but hoped it was like “the darkness before dawn”. “It will be resolved in the end and this is only a matter of time,” he added according to Yonhap news agency. Personal insults Russia’s team was barred by the IOC over a “systematic” doping conspiracy culminating at the Sochi Games, where officials are accused of secretly switching urine samples through a “mousehole” in the laboratory wall. President Vladimir Putin protested the ban as “political” but said he had no intention of calling a boycott, leaving clean Russian athletes free to compete under the Olympic flag. AFP

Rep. Del Rosario receives taekwondo Kukkiwon award FORMER taekwondo champion and now Makati Rep. Monsour del Rosario has achieved a rare distinction when he was recently conferred the 2017 ‘Award for a Proud Taekwondo’ by Kukkiwon, the sport’s governing body. The award is the highest honor given by Kukkiwon to individuals who

have contributed to the development and expansion of taekwondo locally and internationally. Since the award’s creation in 2005, Del Rosario is only the first non-Korean to earn the honor. “I’m proud to share this honor with my fellow Filipinos. I hope this will inspire them to strive hard and never

give up on their dreams,” the Makati solon said. “As one of the pioneers of taekwondo in our country, I’m proud to have helped and seen its development. I thank Kukkiwon for recognizing my contribution to the sport’s growth.” Del Rosario was chosen to receive the award by a committee of taekwondo

grandmasters from hundreds of nominees from 209 countries. Del Rosario was selected mainly due to his bemedalled career, his role in developing and propagating the sport from the grassroots to the national and international levels, his leadership as Philippine Taekwodo Association secretary general, his merito-

rious service as taekwondo ambassador and his role as a legislator. During his competitive years, Del Rosario gave the Philippines countless gold, silver and bronze medals in the World and Asian Championships, Asian Games, Southeast Asian Games and Southeast Asian Championships.

UCI: Tour winner Froome failed drug test during Vuelta PARIS—Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome failed a drugs test for asthma medication during the Vuelta race in September, cycling’s governing body UCI said on Wednesday. The British Team Sky rider had twice the permitted level of legal asthma drug Salbutamol in his body. The UCI has asked Froome to provide more information but

has not suspended him. Team Sky said the 32-yearold rider had suffered from asthma since childhood and had been affected by symptoms during the Vuelta a Espana, the Tour of Spain, which he went on to win. But the team said he had taken no more than the allowable amount of Salbutamol. “During the final week of the Vuelta, Chris experienced acute

asthma symptoms. On the advice of the Team Sky doctor, he used an increased dosage of Salbutamol (still within the permissible doses) in the run-up to the 7 September urine test,” Team Sky said. The team said Froome had declared his use of the medication, adding: “The notification of the test finding does not mean that any rule has been broken.” Froome said the UCI was “ab-

solutely right” to scrutinise the test results. He said that during the race he had “followed the team doctor’s advice to increase my Salbutamol dosage”. “As always, I took the greatest care to ensure that I did not use more than the permissible dose,” he said. “Together with the team, I will provide whatever information it requires,” he added. AFP

Del Rosario

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

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

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

Sports

Manila Southwoods grabs 4-pt golf lead in Fil-Am tilt By Dexter See

Incoming PBA Chairman Mon Fernandez (eighth from left) and outgoing chair Rep. Mikee Romero (seventh from left) are shown with fellow members of the PBA Board of Governors during a presser for the league’s 43rd Season at the Okada Hotel on Tuesday in Pasay City. Lino Santos

PBA in rare show of unity; SMB, Ginebra, TNT favored P By Jeric Lopez

UTTING its dilemmas aside for this time being, the Philippine Basketball Association will indeed push through with its opening for the 43rd season this coming Sunday. In a rare show of unity, the PBA Board of Governors finally came together, despite doubts, to affirm that the season-opening Philippine Cup will indeed go on as scheduled on Dec. 17, during Wednesday’s off icial press conference at the Okada Hotel in Pasay City for the coming season. “Hindi puwedeng mawala ang PBA sa Pilipino, or ang Pilipino mawala sa PBA. That’s why we’re

all here. We’re a very solid group at this point,” outgoing PBA Chairman Rep. Mikee Romero of GlobalPort told the media in a press conference at Okada in Parañaque. “The problems that we have, we will deal with it internally, within ourselves, within the 12 of us. As we told you, this Sunday, what we should be watching are the players, the superstars of Philippine basketball. (The PBA has been here for) 43 years. Ang

masasabi ko lang, let the games begin.” Incoming PBA chairman Ramoncito Fernandez, on the other hand, promised another banner year for Asia’s first play-for-pay league. “There are a lot of plans. But definitely, what the board can promise its fans is that we will have an exciting year. We’ll continue to make the PBA relevant to the Filipinos,” said Fernandez. The league did not discuss the impasse involving Commissioner Chito Narvasa’s tenure. But the governors aired their insights heading to the fresh season ahead. For most of them, the consensus teams to beat for the AllFilipino conference aren’t hard to identify.

contender with their likewise intact and loaded roster. The Tropang Texters are likewise in the mix of the mentioned top teams. On the other hand, teams like Alaska, Meralco, Star and NLEX are mentioned as the most dangerous as any of them can be a dark horse. Meanwhile, the teams also revealed who their muses will be during the colorful opening ceremonies. Kia will have Phoem Baranda; NLEX, Rachel Anne Daquis; SMB, Jodie Tarasek; Blackwater, Ashley Ortega; Barangay Ginebra, Myrtle Sarrosa; Phoenix, Rhian Ramos; GlobalPort, Hillarie Parungao —@GlobalportPH; and TNT, Luara Lehmann.

Petron shoots for title; F2 tries to stay alive

Pirates capture Got Skills U-25 title CARL Lumbao fired 14 points to lead the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates to an 89-81 win over the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons recently to clinch the under-25 crown in the of the Milcu-Got Skills Elite Baskertball Showcase at the Buddha Care gym in Quezon City. Grecco Magbuhos delivered 13 for the Pirates, who fought their way out of an 81-all deadlock. Magbuhos’ triple in the final minutes pushed the Pirates ahead, 84-81. The Fighting Maroons drew 30 points from David Murrell. Three charities from Casper Percias in the last nine seconds pushed the Pirates ahead by eight points in the endgame. The Pirates entered the finals after Lumbao shot 11 points for the Pirates and toppled the De Ocampo Memorial College cagers, 89-78, in the semifinals. The Philippines’ Fighting Maroons repulsed the Letran Knights, 70-68, to reach the finals. Bright Akhuetie drilled in 19 points for UP. Peter Atencio

Perennial contenders San Miguel Beer, the three-time defending champion, Barangay Ginebra and TNT KaTropa, who are all usual semifinalists at the very least, are once again considered the teams to beat. Obviously, the Beermen are once again considered the heavy favorites given their championship core of four-time reigning Most Valuable Player June mar Fajardo, Alex Cabagnot, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross and Arwind Santos is very much intact. San Miguel Beer will begin its title defense right away in the initial game of the season this Sunday against retooled Phoenix at 6:30 p.m. Not far behind, many are also seeing the Gin Kings, the Governors’ Cup champions, as a heavy

BAGUIO CITY—Manila Southwoods came out with its guns blazing Wednesday and turned a seven-shot deficit into a four-point lead heading into a possible showdown at the shorter and much trickier Baguio Country Club golf course on Friday in the 68th Department of Tourism Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament. Luigi Paolo Wong once again showed his familiarity of the course he calls home as the La Trinidad, Benguet native matched his first day, four under performance worth 40 points to pace the Carmona, Cavite parbusters anew. The 16-year-old golfer, whose family resides at the nearby capital town, had five birdies against a lone bogey as he seized command of the individual crown on his debut with the most decorated ball club in the Fil-Am. The 15-year-old Joo Hyung Kim and Aidric Chan, who shot 25 points and did not count the previous day, both improved to a three-under 66 worth 39 each. Carl Corpus added a oneunder worth 37 for the team’s eye popping 11-under 155 performance that pushed their total to 301 points. Celebrating his 21st year with Manila Southwoods in what is considered as one of the longest and biggest amateur golf team competitions, veteran Junjun Plana shot 28 points and did not count. Wong also assumed leadership in the individual race with 80 points, followed by Kim who was four shots down with 76. “We’re proud with the way the boys played and it’s good we were able to gain some ground,” said non-playing coach Jerome Delariarte, who once was part of the winning Southwoods’ team during the late 90s and early 2000s. “Hopefully, we can pull off the win,” added Delariarte, who was with the Southwoods’ team that scored one of the greatest comebacks in Fil-Am history, the 2002 edition when the team was 16 shots down after day two but made a miraculous comeback that saw them beat Calatagan by a point at the end of the four-day competition. It was Southwoods’ sixth straight title in the premier Fil Championship flight.

Lindsay Stalzer (right), who used to don the jersey of Foton, is now the main star of Petron.

PETRON aims to chomp down on the jugular of rival F2 Logistics in Game 2 of the Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga Grand Prix bestof-three finals series tonight at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan. The Blaze Spikers would stake their chance for a quick kill and a second title if they drop their 7 p.m. match with the Cargo Movers seeking to extend their life in this season-ending conference bankrolled by Mikasa, Grand Sport, Senoh, Mueller, Island Rose, Cloudfone and UCPB Gen. After flirting with disaster in the quarterfinals, a confident and more prepared Petron squad showed up to demolish F2 Logistics, 25-14, 25-21, 25-16, in Game 1 of this title showdown that also has Gerflor

and Gold’s Gym as technical sponsors and ESPN5 as official broadcast partner. In that match, the Cargo Movers simply had no answer to the masterful performances of American imports Lindsay Stalzer and Hillary Hurley, as well as to the powerful services and relentless attacks of the Blaze Spikers’ crew. Stalzer and Hurley finished with 20 points apiece, while the Blaze Spikers dropped nine points from the service box and 42 markers from the attack zone to completely destroy the vaunted net and floor defense of the Cargo Movers. Venezuelan Maria Jose Perez was the lone bright spot for the Cargo Movers. She finished with 15 points, while the presence of American Kennedy Bryan, Kianna Dy, Majoy Baron and Aby

Games Today

(Filoil Flying V Centre) 7 pm – F2 Logistics vs Petron

Marano was hardly felt. Even star libero Dawn Macandili was heavily outplayed by the Blaze Spikers as she tallied only five excellent digs. Despite this impressive performance, Petron head coach Shaq Delos Santos still refuses to count the Cargo Movers out, saying their foes have what it takes to launch a massive comeback. “F2 Logistics is such a tough team to deal with. I’m sure they will make a comeback,” said Delos Santos, whose wards also knocked out the Cargo Movers in the finals of the All-Filipino Conference last July. “We have to prepare hard

and double our effort. Our good performance in Game 1 will be worthless if we won’t be prepared for Game 2. We have to maintain our good form from start to finish.” Delos Santos noted that F2 Logistics head coach Ramil de Jesus is a master tactician who is very good at making crucial adjustments. In fact, de Jesus is no longer rattled by the pressure of the finals after rallying De La Salle University to 10 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) titles and the Cargo Movers to the All-Filipino crown last year. “We failed our test in Game 1. Now, we have to go back to the drawing board to pass Game 2 and stay alive,” said de Jesus, adding that he just reminded the Cargo Movers to bounce back in his post-match speech.

POC inaugurates multi-purpose gym for kids in Leyte By Peter Atencio A MULTIPURPOSE gymnasium built on funds donated by the International Olympic Committee is now being used by residents in Barangay Binotong, Alangalang, a remote village in Southern Leyte. The facility was recently opened after Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco Jr., led a formal opening ceremony with residents of Montano Gawad Kalinga Community. Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, who is the International Olympic Committee representative to the Philippines, also graced

the simple turnover rites of the gymnasium, which will be known as the POC Activity Center. The POC chief and Cojuangco-Jaworski were greeted by over 100 school children, their parents and community officials. ``If we can train these kids properly in a proper venue, we can discover potential talents even in areas far from the city,’’ said Cojuangco in a statement. The multipurpose gym in Alangalang is the POC’s third in the province after building a similar facility in two other remote areas in the towns of Palo and Albuera. The constructions of the facility was

made possible through the efforts of top POC official and project director Tom Carrasco and POC executive assistant Gina Calaguas. Carrasco said the three activity centers were built using the donation of the IOC, Olympic Solidarity and Olympic Council of Asia for people who were displaced when Super Typhoon Yolanda hit Tacloban City late 2013. Around $150,000 were released through the IOC, Olympic Council of Asia and the Olympic Solidarity Fund for each of the project according to POC officials. The POC then went into a partnership with Gawad Kalinga and spent

roughly P4 million for each of the activity centers. Alangalang mayor Reynaldo B. Capon Sr. is now making the multipurpose gym available to serve all 10 barangays near Montano GK. The facilities can be used for basketball, volleyball and badminton, activities among others. Cojuangco-Jaworski said they expect the facilities to be maintained by the local officials. On the other hand, the POC plans to implement a program to sustain the high interest of the children for sports in these communities.

Dennis Uy to list shares of other ﬁrms in 2 years B2

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

ADB hikes growth forecast to 6.7%

HE Asian Development Bank on Wednesday raised its growth forecast for the Philippines in 2017 and 2018, on strong infrastructure spending and consumer demand.

IN BRIEF RCBC pursues expansion

RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp., the ninth-largest lender in terms of assets, said it will put up more branches in export processing zones catering to both local and foreign locators. RCBC president Gil Buenaventura told reporters the bank would continue to expand particularly in growth areas such as consumer and small and medium enterprises. “Actually, we are covering all sectors but I think we just want to maintain our niche market, increase our presence in the export processing zones,” Buenaventura said. “As you know, RCBC is the pioneer in the export processing zones and we want to make sure that we continue to enjoy that role in those areas. So I think if we ever do expand our branches, it will be in these export processing zones to cater to locators,” he said. He said RCBC had already complied with the previous 50 licenses given by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas “and therefore we just need about ﬁve more for next year.” Buenaventura said RCBC was eyeing a 10-percent to 12-percent income growth next year. In the ﬁrst nine months of 2017, RCBC’s net income reached P3.4 billion. Julito G. Rada

Golden Bay spending P4.5b in two projects

GOLDEN Bay Properties Inc., a developer led by the Wong family, is spending nearly P4.5 billion in two projects in the Bay Area next year. Golden Bay chief operating officer Jardin Brian Wong said the company, which started in the food business, was determined to make a mark in the real estate sector following the strong demand for office and residential spaces in the Bay Area. “We want to set a new trend for the business people in Binondo, where our companies and many Filipino-Chinese companies are headquartered. The Macapagal Bay Area is fast becoming a central business district and we want to present the opportunity that Fil-Chinese businesses can thrive outside our comfort zone. We want them to embrace change and progress,” he said. Aspire Corporate Plaza, the first of the two projects, is a P2billion corporate building that is now pioneering the sales, instead of lease arrangements, of office space. The 10-floor project is on its pre-selling phase with three and a half floors already sold to Filipino and Chinese companies. Othel V. Campos

More bitcoin platforms eye PH market

MORE bitcoin exchanges plan to operate in the Philippines to take advantage of the widespread popularity of social media and huge remittance market in the country, an official of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Wednesday. Melchor Plabasan, deputy director and head of Core Information Technology Specialist Group of the BSP, said in a news briefing 12 more companies applied to do business in the country. Two virtual currency or bitcoin exchanges are currently operating in the Philippines. “Of these 12, eight have already completed the documentation requirements while the four have completed the presentation of their business models,” Plabasan said. He said the 12 firms were mostly incorporated with parent firms operating abroad. Plabasan said these firms saw the Philippines as an ideal market for bitcoin business because of the country’s technologically-savvy citizens, widespread popularity of social media, high percentage of the population without access to banking services, growing business process outsourcing and IT sectors and huge remittance market, which is ranked third in the world. Rebittance Inc. and Betur Inc. are currently operating in the Philippines. Julito G. Rada

FINANCIAL INCLUSION. FINTQ, the financial technology arm of PLDT and Smart’s Voyager Innovations, and the Liga ng mga Barangay collaborate on enabling majority of Filipinos with financial tools and services that will help enrich their lives. Shown are (from left) Liga ng mga Barangay region 1 chapter president Mario Subagan, Interior and Local Government assistant secretary Ricojudge Janvier Echiverri, FINTQ managing director Lito Villanueva, Liga ng mga Barangay national president Edmund Abesamis, region 3 chapter president Romelino Gojo and Manila chapter president Philip Lacuna.

DoF pleased with bicam-approved tax reform bill By Julito G. Rada THE Finance Department said it was “pleased” with the final version of the first tax reform package under the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program despite some changes introduced by members of the bicameral conference committee. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the agency accommodated a number of other provisions that lawmakers wanted to include in the first Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion bill. Among the provisions that were not originally proposed by the DoF, but in-

serted in the final Train bill, were the increase in excise taxes on coal, minerals, tobacco and the introduction of a cosmetic levy. “We did not propose it in Package One. However, we respect the right of the legislature to introduce taxes as they see fit. It’s part of the law and we accept that,” Dominguez told reporters in an interview. Based on DoF estimates, the approved tax reform measure would yield around P130 billion in net revenue during its first year of implementation. “The net revenue effect is certainly very close to the bill that was passed in

the House. So we are very pleased that the legislature has given us the wherewithal to begin a really serious infrastructure program,” Dominguez said. Under the bicam-approved Train bill, the coal excise tax rate would be raised from the current P10 per metric ton to P50 per metric ton in the ﬁrst year of implementation, P100 in the second year and P150 in the third and succeeding years. The increase in coal tax was originally planned for the DOF’s tax reform package ﬁve. Asked if the insertion of the coal tax could pose a legal question later on as this pro-

vision did not originate from the House, Dominguez said the levy was not considered a new tax, and the bicameral conference committee only adjusted the three-decade old coal tax rate. “That issue was never brought up and besides it’s not a new tax. Coal is currently taxed at P10 per metric ton so it is actually only adjustment of a tax already existing,” Dominguez said. “I think what that [Constitution] refers to is a totally new tax cannot be introduced other than by the House of Representatives. However, if the tax already exists, they can adjust it,” he added.

The ADB said in a supplement to its Asian Development Outlook Update 2017 report that it raised its 2017 gross domestic product growth forecast to 6.7 percent from 6.5 percent and the 2018 outlook to 6.8 percent from 6.7 percent. “This outlook assumes that growth in the government’s infrastructure program will accelerate, supported by improvements in budget execution, with more large investment projects under way,” the Manila-based multilateral lender said. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the economy expanded 6.7 percent in the first three quarters of 2017 on accelerating investment and robust consumption. Last year, the economy expanded 6.9 percent. “The government is on track to achieve its target of spending 5.3 percent of GDP on public infrastructure this year. Meanwhile, household consumption remained strong despite moderating slightly from last year,” the ADB said. It noted that net exports turned positive in the first nine months, reversing a deficit in 2016. On the supply side, services generated nearly 60 percent of GDP growth, spurred largely by trade, business process outsourcing, finance and real estate services. Manufacturing contributed about 30 percent of

November auto sales rose 24% to record 40,799 units

Uber eyes extension of Naia-X to Bonifacio

By Othel V. Campos VEHICLE sales jumped 23.8 percent in November to a record 40,799 units from 32,966 units a year ago, ahead of the expected implementation of higher excise tax on automobiles next year. Data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association showed total vehicle sales rose 16.8 percent to 380,179 units in the ﬁrst 11 months, from 325,468 units in the same period last ear. The ﬁgures excluded those reported by other industry groups such as the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc. “November sales result is higher than the month of October because of increased sales of major assemblers and distributors. Carrying the momentum from November sales, the outlook for December remains strong driven by the good sales performance of key models from other brands,” said Campi president Rommel Gutierrez. Both passenger cars and commercial vehicles showed exemplary performance in November. Passenger car sales slightly rose 4.8 percent to 11,901 from 11,686 units. The commercial vehicle segment exhibited a more aggressive growth of 16.4 percent to 28,898 units from 24,825 units sold a year earlier. Campi and TMA attributed the good sales performance in November to continued promotions and stock availability.

MAMMA MIA AT THE FORT. Mamma Mia becomes the newest Italian restaurant to open at Uptown Mall, BGC offering authentic Italian dishes from morning until past midnight. Mamma Mia embraces the all day and night service concept by combining the restaurant and bar in a single venue seamlessly. Shown during the opening ceremony are (from left) Megaworld Corp. vice president and group head of retail partners management leasing Mylene Manlogon, Rigatoni Corp. president Giulius Ceazar Iapino and managing partners Sergio Candido Iapino, Antonio Carmine Iapino and Doris Samson.

PSALM forfeits P400-m performance bond of Filinvest power unit By Alena Mae S. Flores STATE-RUN Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. said Wednesday it forfeited the P400-million performance bond of FDC Misamis Power Corp., a power unit of Filinvest Development Corp. that administers the Uniﬁed Leyte geothermal power plants. PSALM said in a statement it had no other recourse but to invoke “administrator default” on the part of FDC Misamis as the “consequence of unilaterally rescinding the Indepen-

dent Power Producer Administrator administration agreement for the energy capacity of Mindanao Geothermal Power Plants [1 and 2].” The agency said FDC’s decision to rescind came amid efforts to resolve its outstanding ﬁnancial obligations to PSALM comprising of generation charges. PSALM said that based on provisions of the agreement, FDC’s arrears were computed at P404.995 million (inclusive of interest) as of Nov. 30. PSALM also terminated its IPPA agreement with

the expansion in GDP, with food processing a major contributor. The ADB also raised its 2017 growth outlook for developing Asia to 6 percent from 5.9 percent envisaged in September in Asian Development Outlook 2017 Update, as stronger than expected exports and domestic consumption fuel growth. “The unexpectedly strong expansion in Central, East, and Southeast Asia more than offsets a downward adjustment to growth forecasts for South Asia,” it said. Excluding Asia’s newly industrialized economies, growth is now expected at 6.5 percent this year, according to a new ADB report. The ADB kept its 2018 growth outlook at 5.8 percent. “Developing Asia’s growth momentum, supported by recovering exports, demonstrates that openness to trade remains an essential component of inclusive economic development,” said ADB chief economist Yasuyuki Sawada. “Countries can further take advantage of the global recovery by investing in human capital and physical infrastructure that will help sustain growth over the long-term,” Sawada said. Growth for East Asia was revised upward to 6.2 percent in 2017 from 6 percent, while the 2018 projection of 5.8 percent was maintained.

Phinma Energy Corp. and forfeited its performance bond because of alleged default as administrator of the Uniﬁed Leyte power plants. Phinma Energy, formerly Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp., and FDC are among of the winning bidders for the right to administer 40 megawatts “strips of energy” from the Uniﬁed Leyte power plants on Nov. 7, 2013. Shortly after winning the bid, however, super typhoon Yolanda struck Region 8 on Nov. 8, 2013, resulting in extensive damage to the ULGPP.

PSALM, however, defended its position to terminate the IPPA agreements, saying that it exhausted all diplomatic steps before the necessary termination of IPPA AAs was put into effect due to the administrator’s default. “In every decision we make, we ensure that we strictly followed what is written in the IPPA AAs, putting in mind that PSALM’s paramount role is to uphold the interest and welfare of the government and to protect it from ﬁnancial repercussions when issues arise such as

the non-compliance with contractual obligations,” PSALM ofﬁcer-in-charge Lourdes Alzona said earlier. PSALM said the IPPAs’ contractual obligations were privatization proceeds utilized for paying IPPs for the costs incurred in producing electricity. “Non-compliance will compel PSALM to contract new loans to shoulder these obligations to the detriment of the government and consumers. These borrowings will be recouped from consumers in the form of Universal Charges,” it said.

THE Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway or Naia-X, the extension of the Skyway to the airport terminals, Cavitex and Entertainment City, should go all the way to Bonifacio Global City in Taguig to maximize its potential for faster travel, according to transportation service provider Uber. Using anonymized data culled from thousands of trips, months before and after Naia-X was opened in June, Uber said Naia-X shortened the average travel time in and around areas it serves, even for those who did not take the new elevated expressway. Uber is making available its data to the Public Works Department to help guide the government on its infrastructure programs. “DPWH Secretary Mark Villar has embraced technology and Uber, through the online tool we call Movement, would like to be of help in every way we can,” said Uber general manager Laurence Cua. “Movement uses the power of big data to help government ofﬁcials and planners really understand the impact to travel times of the infrastructure projects and programs they roll out,” he said. Cua said Movement could help government planners determine improvements in travel times once the BGC-Ortigas Center link, the proposed bridge between Binondo and Intramuros or once the Stage 3 of the Skyway were completed.

Business

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Dennis Uy to list shares of other firms in 2 years By Jenniffer B. Austria BUSINESSMAN Dennis Uy is open to listing other companies he owns over the next couple of years after aggressively expanding his empire in the last couple of years. Uy said the company was confident of listing other businesses with good fundamentals and growth potentials that could meet expectations, adding it would depend on market conditions. Uy said listing the shares of his other companies would ensure full transparency and comply with the highest standard of good governance. He declined to identify which companies would be list with the Philippine Stock Exchange. Uy, who is a well known ally and supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte, already has three listed firms, namely 2GO Group Inc., Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. and Chelsea Logistics Holdings Inc. Uy though holding company Udenna Corp. has expanded his empire to include education, logistics gaming, real estate development, reclamation and convenience stores in less than two years. Uy obtained a gaming license for his first integrated resort and casino in Cebu called Emerald Resort and Casino, and acquired Bonifacio Global City-based school Enderun Colleges.

Market bounces back; URC, JG Summit gain T HE stock market bounced back Wednesday on better prospects for the Philippine economy as afﬁrmed by Fitch Ratings, which earlier this week raised the country’s sovereign rating by one level. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 25.55 points, or 0.3 percent, to 8,359.61 on a value turnover of P6.3 billion. Gainers edged losers, 97 to 96, with 43 issues unchanged. Universal Robina Corp., the biggest snack food maker, surged 4.2 percent to

P150, while parent JG Summit Holdings Inc. jumped 5.2 percent to P71.50. Globe Telecom Inc.,the second-largest telecommunications ﬁrm, advanced 3.5 percent to P1,739, while GT Capital Holdings Inc. of tycoon George Ty climbed 2.3 percent to P1,210.

Fitch raised the country’s long-term foreign currencydenominated debt to BBB with a stable outlook. The upgrade puts the Philippines on par with Italy and ahead of Indonesia. The rest of Asian markets, meanwhile, mostly rose Wednesday as investors await the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting, but the dollar slipped as a shock Democrat poll win in a staunch Republican senate seat fueled fears about Donald Trump’s tax cut plans. Tokyo fell 0.5 percent by

the close while Singapore shed 0.2 percent. But Hong Kong rallied in the afternoon to sit 1.4 percent higher in late trade, while Shanghai closed up 0.7 and Sydney rose 0.1 percent.

Editor’s note: We are re-printing the Dec. 12, 2017 daily stock market quotation because of technical problems encountered by the Philippine Stock Exchange on the Dec. 13, 2017 stock market quotation.

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.45 199,000 59.8 6,100 105 1,576,960 3.88 1,000 153 1,704,670 2 1,818,000 33 451,800 15.3 6,200 33.5 945,900 0.69 75,000 1.88 2,031,000 930 1,530 0.59 533,000 98.95 2,633,920 0.84 117,000 11.72 1,800 25 400 55.1 59,870 238 105,820 96 20 89.8 1,010 54.1 118,890 252 488,350 86.85 22,410 1.25 72,000

676,540 363,996 165,349,140 3,880 258,165,185 3,647,910 14,879,275 95,756 31,749,985 50,750 3,907,900 1,425,600 309,710 260,702,303.50 98,290 21,252 10,000 3,299,327.50 25,183,890 1,920 90,700 6,434,256 123,228,708 1,946,330 90,000

293,609 26,260,314 -55,004,154 -200,080 -3,704,120 20,222,365 -1,610 -52,200 163,735,511.50 -1,545,700.50 -24,794,840 951,499 -29,974,472 -79,053.50 -

38.8 12.5 0.66 1.34 16.5 0.22 98 4.64 16.08 151.1 42.15 20 62 67.9 1.9 5.68 11 11.6 14.62 11.02 7.19 5.8 1.54 17 62.2 23.8 11.5 18.6 2.42 248.4 4.4 3.21 28 18.5 17.24 316.8 0.199 8.45 2.4 5.91 9.24 7.2 8.42 1.55 11.8 59.9 6.42 531.5 4.98 4.51 2.05 13 5.21 0.133 1.18 141 2.98 1.9 25 0.76

INDUSTRIAL 39.25 1,082,600 12.72 1,587,300 0.68 144,000 1.35 286,000 16.72 12,700 0.225 160,000 105 30 4.66 10,016,000 16.18 1,006,600 151.1 260 43.45 518,500 20.45 6,200 63.95 200 67.9 70 1.93 42,000 5.68 8,000 11 14,100 11.7 3,697,400 14.66 67,100 11.16 196,900 7.25 574,900 5.82 3,330,800 1.54 1,000 17.04 702,800 62.9 150,450 23.9 287,400 11.5 3,500 18.8 514,500 2.46 10,121,000 249.4 1,774,780 4.45 783,000 3.45 28,000 28.15 3,454,400 18.6 67,700 17.3 2,578,200 318 472,510 0.199 50,000 9.08 23,600 2.53 2,435,000 5.92 183,400 9.27 4,342,300 7.31 2,057,000 8.49 15,600 1.56 556,000 12.1 248,500 61 159,660 6.69 2,900 533 27,500 4.99 359,000 4.54 5,000 2.12 434,000 13 102,100 5.35 376,300 0.135 400,000 1.18 492,000 144 413,680 3.1 57,000 1.9 2,501,000 25 500 0.78 1,749,000

42,468,155 20,126,682 96,730 386,540 212,412 35,750 3,080 47,215,750 16,186,778 39,286 22,166,580 125,695 12,595 4,753 80,500 45,538 155,170 43,315,862 989,852 2,189,434 4,152,219 19,384,958 1,540 11,981,712 9,428,814.50 6,977,330 40,296 9,655,210 25,274,380 442,571,746 3,523,120 93,320 97,129,575 1,265,622 44,622,488 150,071,056 9,950 211,328 5,992,450 1,092,892 40,372,814 14,930,370 132,383 866,780 2,985,336 9,575,248 19,382 14,911,305 1,794,240 22,610 906,520 1,328,468 1,985,243 53,960 598,160 59,425,463 172,560 4,807,330 12,800 1,362,700

-7,425,125 2,391,852 -13,841,090 0 4,250 -38,200 -2,244 26,774,666 211,088 -1,582,592 -1,643,527 5,477,157 -4,148,774 2,625,220.50 -19,440 -19,556 -2,228,236 -2,757,110 30,545,184 -388,230 -16,650 -22,004,850 -154,450 14,877,444 63,546,322 -908,690 -20,712,906 -258,278 -10,733 2,901,290 44,560 721,448 18,390 8,812,797 -19,500

0.315 70.6 16.12 0.99 7.08 0.365 0.38 1,030 7.5 14.68 7.89 5 1,190 69.55 4.76 5.5 0.75 5.7 18.82 0.33 6.58 3.85 0.044 1.1 2.06 111 2.9 997 0.8 1.88 285

0.3 67.9 15.76 0.97 7 0.35 0.36 1,016 7.4 14.14 7.75 5 1,161 67.8 4.76 5.11 0.63 5.58 18.42 0.26 6.48 3.7 0.043 1.07 2.06 109.5 2.66 985 0.79 1.8 279

HOLDING FIRMS 0.305 2,570,000 69.3 461,690 15.8 3,878,600 0.97 19,000 7 35,900 0.36 6,300,000 0.38 840,000 1,025 485,435 7.4 1,351,100 14.22 7,478,300 7.89 3,300 5 3,000 1,183 47,365 68 942,110 4.76 1,000 5.5 5,100 0.72 4,920,000 5.68 168,000 18.48 1,869,300 0.3 19,590,000 6.51 20,624,600 3.82 153,000 0.043 14,300,000 1.1 41,000 2.06 623,000 110.5 508,290 2.76 111,000 990 338,060 0.79 165,000 1.85 4,948,000 279 2,350

771,800 31,934,005 61,436,488 18,580 251,316 2,259,900 304,750 496,989,260 10,068,718 107,196,196 25,617 15,000 56,038,330 64,313,700 4,760 26,203 3,475,960 951,447 34,585,476 5,739,750 134,434,500 572,010 621,000 44,500 1,283,380 56,025,843 316,030 334,494,740 130,650 9,077,830 657,840

5.72 1.05 10.9 2.38 0.9 44.35 3.66 4.78 5.44 5.94 0.485 1.15 1.19 0.209 0.47 38.5 0.66 1.88 1.44 0.77 5.25 0.37 0.375 0.6 6.26

5.68 1.03 10.76 2.26 0.88 43.25 3.61 4.7 5.32 5.94 0.475 1.1 1.16 0.206 0.45 37.8 0.66 1.8 1.4 0.74 5.15 0.35 0.37 0.57 6.14

1,360,052 3,621,660 23,840 353,750 495,000 587,200,190 1,919,640 1,665,860 385,659 1,188 2,427,900 14,900 150,980 1,020,350 167,650 4,730,075 553,080 14,305,500 6,851,660 251,840 184,094,074 20,782,600 152,250 4,703,440 25,941,731

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

3.51 59.9 104 3.88 153 2.06 33.1 15.3 33.65 0.67 1.77 950 0.57 98.1 0.84 12.5 25 55.5 238 96 90 54.1 251.4 87 1.25

3.51 59.9 105.2 3.88 153 2.06 33.15 15.9 33.8 0.69 2.1 950 0.6 99.4 0.85 12.5 25 56.75 238 96 90 54.5 254.2 87 1.25

3.32 59 103.6 3.88 149.5 1.99 32.8 15.3 33.4 0.67 1.77 930 0.57 98.1 0.84 11.72 25 55.1 237 96 89.8 54 251.4 86.8 1.25

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

39.3 12.6 0.67 1.35 16.84 0.225 98 4.73 16.08 151.1 43.4 20 62 67.9 1.9 5.68 11 11.6 14.8 11.2 7.25 5.82 1.54 17.08 62.2 24.8 11.9 19 2.52 249.4 4.48 3.21 28.6 18.5 17.4 318.4 0.199 9 2.49 6 9.5 7.5 8.5 1.55 11.9 60.2 6.76 550 5 4.51 2.08 13.2 5.37 0.135 1.18 143.3 3.03 1.98 28 0.82

39.5 12.74 0.68 1.37 16.98 0.225 105 4.86 16.18 151.1 43.45 20.5 63.95 67.9 1.93 5.7 11.26 11.78 14.82 11.48 7.25 5.84 1.54 17.1 63 24.95 11.9 19.1 2.58 250 4.66 3.45 28.65 19 17.4 319 0.199 9.1 2.55 6.05 9.5 7.73 8.5 1.56 12.12 61 6.76 565 5 4.54 2.14 13.2 5.53 0.135 1.31 144 3.1 1.98 28 0.82

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

0.3 70.4 15.94 0.99 7.08 0.365 0.365 1,023 7.48 14.68 7.75 5 1,181 68.5 4.76 5.14 0.66 5.58 18.8 0.305 6.56 3.7 0.043 1.08 2.06 111 2.66 997 0.8 1.81 285

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

5.72 1.04 10.76 2.3 0.9 43.25 3.64 4.71 5.44 5.94 0.48 1.1 1.19 0.207 0.45 38 0.66 1.86 1.44 0.77 5.22 0.365 0.375 0.58 6.22

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

PTFC REDEV CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

34.4 21.85 2.6 3.13 36.85 1.02 7.68 0.86 5.68

34.4 21.85 2.65 3.19 37 1.04 7.68 0.87 5.68

34.4 21.35 2.52 3.12 36.25 1.02 7.6 0.86 5.56

34.4 21.4 2.61 3.19 36.85 1.03 7.68 0.87 5.64

100 1,416,000 6,284,000 163,000 12,988,400 2,633,000 11,400 51,000 2,804,600

3,440 30,528,790 16,307,440 519,330 477,964,170 2,719,740 87,393 44,070 15,788,578

-14,115,585 -16,940,895 8,360 -3,332,813

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

18.3 35 1.47 0.465 0.043 4.98 10.72 0.075 101 9.02 8.62 7 4.19 4.15 1,000 1,690 5.8 18.18 4.98 2.61 103.5 12.98 8.74 0.14 1.33 15.5 4.7 1.2 21.4 0.53 5.54 7.36 3.86 2.79 10.94 5 143 8.14 1,448 1.28 0.35 50.5 93.75 5.85 3.06 1.7 3.93 1.06 8.21

19.56 35 1.47 0.465 0.043 5.4 10.78 0.075 101.6 9.38 8.79 7 4.2 5.9 1,000 1,700 5.84 18.18 5.07 3.01 104.6 12.98 8.74 0.14 1.33 15.5 4.84 1.23 22.2 0.53 6 7.43 3.9 2.79 10.94 5 143 8.14 1,454 1.29 0.365 50.5 94 5.85 3.47 1.73 4 1.07 8.25

18.3 34.8 1.35 0.465 0.041 4.98 10.32 0.072 100 9.02 8.52 7 3.45 4.15 1,000 1,680 5.79 18.18 4.82 2.6 102.5 12.98 8.33 0.136 1.33 15.5 4.48 1.18 20.6 0.53 5.54 7.22 3.86 2.62 10.94 4.81 140 8 1,437 1.28 0.35 49.5 92.1 5.82 3.05 1.66 3.74 1.03 8.14

SERVICES 19.04 34.9 1.46 0.465 0.043 5.03 10.32 0.073 100.7 9.38 8.7 7 3.7 5.6 1,000 1,680 5.79 18.18 4.88 2.75 102.5 12.98 8.37 0.14 1.33 15.5 4.48 1.23 22.1 0.53 5.75 7.3 3.89 2.68 10.94 4.81 140 8.04 1,440 1.29 0.36 50 94 5.82 3.18 1.66 3.8 1.03 8.22

175,900 76,200 26,000 200,000 58,800,000 15,077,800 8,630,700 11,430,000 307,230 11,200 1,080,900 10,000 2,195,000 389,000 200 113,860 312,700 600 10,403,000 168,000 1,466,800 1,500 281,700 3,440,000 193,000 800 6,412,000 499,000 3,279,800 10,000 5,475,600 3,639,400 170,000 9,369,000 4,500 3,000 2,730 6,034,100 125,005 49,000 640,000 165,970 147,660 23,500 7,390,000 3,111,000 3,621,000 5,780,000 1,418,800

3,321,840 2,660,290 37,410 93,000 2,457,100 75,543,687 91,005,152 833,850 30,934,270 103,036 9,350,358 70,000 8,358,980 2,047,320 200,000 192,023,825 1,812,203 10,908 51,383,430 471,970 151,602,608 19,470 2,355,692 476,810 256,690 12,400 30,007,340 600,820 70,984,105 5,300 31,650,362 26,581,484 659,350 25,178,260 49,230 14,845 385,669 48,502,729 180,281,615 62,850 232,050 8,299,823 13,836,303 137,403 24,140,590 5,218,930 13,930,330 6,048,640 11,587,819

883,378 -13,200 -12,259,714 3,038,299 -88,113 54,710 -34,672,730 -749,020 -17,445,733 19,470 41,100 -4,101,550 20,861,755 -107,720 6,519,597 -38,690 1,198,040 -271,999 -45,600 -10,948,730 -20,530 -479,022 3,941,517 823,540 -425,140 848,100 -59,360 -2,429,643

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

0.0022 1.6 4.53 1.7 1.7 1.6 0.32 7.48 2.64 0.242 0.159 0.158 0.01 0.0099 1.7 6.4 1.54 0.92 0.013 0.012 0.012 2.02 5.9 8.6 37.7 0.0066

0.0024 1.6 4.55 1.8 1.7 1.63 0.32 7.48 2.7 0.242 0.159 0.158 0.01 0.0099 1.71 6.45 1.55 0.92 0.013 0.012 0.012 2.02 5.91 8.67 38.35 0.0066

0.0022 1.56 4.5 1.69 1.7 1.57 0.31 7.03 2.62 0.229 0.155 0.155 0.01 0.0099 1.7 6.38 1.5 0.9 0.013 0.012 0.011 2.02 5.85 7.85 36.8 0.0066

MINING & OIL 0.0023 28,000,000 1.57 4,036,000 4.51 412,000 1.8 87,000 1.7 86,000 1.62 2,675,000 0.31 2,320,000 7.31 1,400 2.68 2,002,000 0.241 30,000 0.156 3,200,000 0.155 1,480,000 0.01 12,200,000 0.0099 1,000,000 1.71 101,000 6.42 840,700 1.55 37,000 0.91 70,000 0.013 2,300,000 0.012 100,000 0.012 2,400,000 2.02 7,000 5.9 489,300 8.14 8,760,300 36.95 1,529,700 0.0066 1,000,000

65,200 6,379,640 1,860,170 149,340 146,200 4,282,450 720,150 10,070 5,342,890 7,120 498,600 230,840 122,000 9,900 171,850 5,398,632 55,650 63,670 29,900 1,200 26,800 14,140 2,882,663 71,798,349 56,841,010 6,600

2,400 -54,200 200,500 -141,770 155,000 -9,900 -34,000 1,796,923 14,900 -572,491 1,590,586 -17,302,975 -

-10,238,525.50 -6,318,298 7,300 -266,330,205 -4,599,159 -66,715,902 -4,398,630 -14,092,870 81,804 15,390,994 150,400 -23,995,777 -51,500 -2,867,515 -44,211,415 -400,400 16,850

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

34.3 525 108.2 104.6 109.8 115.6 523 5.48 1,025 101.4 1.08 109.5 1,050 1,142 1,003 103.2 77.3 82.35 78.5 81 76.5 78.5 81.1

34.35 525 108.2 106.5 109.8 115.6 523 5.5 1,030 102 1.09 109.5 1,050 1,142 1,003 103.2 77.4 82.35 78.5 81 76.5 78.5 81.1

34.3 523.5 108 104.6 109.8 115.6 523 5.43 1,025 101.4 1.08 109.5 1,050 1,142 1,003 103.2 77 80.2 76.5 81 76.5 78.2 77.8

PREFERRED 34.35 1,806,200 523.5 16,600 108 2,500 104.6 31,780 109.8 180 115.6 100 523 3,000 5.46 772,000 1,030 555 101.9 28,370 1.09 1,254,000 109.5 110 1,050 1,870 1,142 2,700 1,003 50 103.2 2,000 77.2 14,230 80.3 32,890 76.5 2,010 81 85,810 76.5 12,790 78.5 26,220 78.5 143,400

62,042,965 8,690,235 270,400 3,324,207 19,764 11,560 1,569,000 4,207,111 571,450 2,890,645 1,363,520 12,045 1,963,500 3,083,400 50,150 206,400 1,096,001 2,639,464.50 154,184.50 6,950,610 978,435 2,055,250 11,182,235

0 -4,148,061 561,150 10,030 60,294 -

LR WARRANT

3.09

3.2

2.86

WARRANTS 2.96 3,445,000

10,606,570

PHILAB HLDG ITALPINAS XURPAS

3.88 9.63 4.25

4.4 10.16 5.06

3.88 8.71 4.2

4.35 8.96 4.95

4,513,560 17,331,881 95,379,910

21,750 86,799 8,481,800

-352,199 242,474,150 -585,500 235,500 121,440 -198,100 -16,560 1,869,490 -551,760 652,400 10,977,104 106,500 171,825

FIRST METRO ETF

126.3

127

126.3

1,563,419

-11,394

PROPERTY 5.7 1.04 10.9 2.38 0.88 44.15 3.65 4.75 5.4 5.94 0.475 1.15 1.19 0.209 0.47 38.5 0.66 1.81 1.41 0.75 5.18 0.355 0.375 0.59 6.2

238,800 3,497,000 2,200 155,000 560,000 13,310,700 528,000 353,000 72,000 200 5,080,000 13,000 127,000 4,950,000 360,000 123,600 838,000 7,855,000 4,856,000 332,000 35,477,300 57,770,000 410,000 8,077,000 4,183,200

USD DMPL A1

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

13,394,316 60,699,106 102,257,103

PROPERTY

175,626,136

SERVICES

187,523,137

MINING & OIL

75,674,389

GRAND TOTAL

638,342,766

SME

1,075,000 1,862,300 20,203,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 126.6 12,350 10

DDS

1,700

17,000

VALUE 2,152.90 (up) 9.00 961,175,684.59 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,017.00 (down) 15.08 1,191,858,482.546 HOLDING FIRMS 8,412.21 (down) 87.99 1,507,319,751.30 PROPERTY 3,915.43 (up) 18.31 SERVICES 1,569.89 (down) 13.60 1,413,707,389.10 MINING & OIL 11,559.25 (down) 149.57 1,264,788,382.06 PSEI 8,344.06 (down) 24.51 157,133,351.12 All Shares Index 4,866.62 (down) 18.83 6,614,842,629.92 Gainers: 87; Losers: 115; Unchanged: 52; Total: 254

Seoul gained 0.8 percent, while there were also rises in Taipei and Wellington. The Dow and S&P 500 clocked up records on Wall Street, lifted by financials ahead of an expected interest rate hike by the Fed. Bloomberg News late Tuesday reported Republican senators as saying lawmakers in both houses of Congress were making progress in reconciling two tax reform bills and a final draft could be agreed imminently and it could go to a vote by next Tuesday. Bets on the marketfriendly tax cuts being introduced helped drive a surge in global markets this year and while equities have stuttered in recent weeks analysts suggested more gains could come. However, Doug Jones’ victory over the controversial Roy Moore in the usually deep-red Alabama senate vote cut the Republicans’ majority to 51-49, meaning any wavering could see them fail to push the tax cuts through. That sent the dollar falling from 113.51 yen to as low as 113.13 yen before it edged back slightly. “We could be in for a brush of bad news for the dollar with the latest Alabama election results shifting to Democrat Doug Jones,” said Stephen Innes, head of AsiaPacific trading at OANDA. “Given that this result could present some headwinds to US equity markets, dollar negativity will most likely be expressed through the dollar-yen.” With AFP

SBS raises P1.4b from rights offer CHEMICAL trader and distributor SBS Philippines Corp. successfully raised P1.41 billion from a recently-concluded stock rights offering. SBS said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it sold 302 million shares through rights offer price of P4.67 apiece. The offer price represents nearly a 20 percent discount from the stock’s closing price of P5.82 on Tuesday, the end of the offering period. Existing shareholders record as of Nov. 22 were entitled to subscribe to one share for every 4.1325 common shares owned. The 302 million shares issued from the offering will be listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange on Dec. 22. SBS said it would use net proceeds from the offering to support the capital requirements of the company’s subsidiary, SBS Holdings and Enterprises Corp., and provide for general working capital requirements. It also plans to fund prepayment of a term loan and the expansion its distribution network. The company tapped BDO Capital and Investments Corp. as the lead underwriter for the fundraising activity. SBS expects net income this year to hit P151.2 million, down from P1 billion recorded a year ago that included one-time gain worth P826.3 million from the sale of certain real estate investments. The company expects net income to reach P211.9 million in 2018, up 40 percent from the projected proﬁt this year. Jenniffer B. Austria

Business/World

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Leaders urged to act over Jerusalem

LAUNCHING. Sephora Collection 2018 Ambassador Elesa Anthony attends the Sephora Collection #Lipstories launch at Sephora Studios LA in Los Angeles, California. AFP

I S TA N B U L ― Tu r k i s h President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday presides over an emergency summit of the world’s main pan-Islamic body, seeking to marshal Muslim leaders towards a coordinated response to the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Erdogan, whose country holds the rotating chairmanship of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation will be hoping to unite often feuding Muslim leaders into a tough ﬁnal statement on the move by US President Donald Trump. Trump’s announcement last week prompted an outpouring of anger in the Muslim and Arab world, where tens of thousands of people took to the streets to

denounce the Jewish state and show solidarity with the Palestinians. The decision sparked protests in Palestinian territories, with four Palestinians killed so far in clashes or Israeli air strikes in response to rocket ﬁre from Gaza and hundreds wounded. Erdogan―who regards himself a champion of the Palestinian cause and at the weekend described Israel as a “terrorist state”―is looking for a tough ﬁnal statement against the decision. His top diplomat early Wednesday indicated that Ankara would be pushing for OIC states to, in a counter move, recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. “This step taken by the US legitimizes the occu-

Underdog Jones beats Moore

ONTGOMERY―Doug Jones, the Democrat who pulled off a stunning upset victory in Alabama’s nailbiter Senate contest on Tuesday, is considered a champion for civil rights in a state that played a seminal role in the 1960s movement for racial equality. Jones’ supporters erupted in cheers and jubilation as it became clear their portly, balding candidate had become the ﬁrst Alabama Democrat to win a US Senate seat in 25 years. “I am truly, truly overwhelmed,” Jones said as aides and volunteers hugged and cheered.

“We have shown the country the way that we can be unified.” It came at the bitter end of a vitriolic campaign centered on Jones’s Republican rival, Roy Moore, a Christian conservative accused of preying on teenage girls years before. Former White House strategist Steve Bannon had championed Moore as an antiestablishment fighter, and ultimately President Donald Trump threw his weight behind the embattled former judge even as other Republican leaders kept their distance. But Trump was quick to congratulate Jones, even though Moore had yet to concede defeat. “A win is a win,” Trump said on Twitter. Jones, 63, had never run for office before throwing his hat into the ring in Alabama― and as a believer in climate change and abor-

tion rights was initially given no chance in the solidly Republican state, where Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton by 28 points. The former US attorney earned his reputation with the successful prosecution of two members of the Ku Klux Klan for a 1963 dynamite attack on a black church in Birmingham, Alabama. The infamous Sunday morning bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, which left four young girls dead, helped galvanize support for the civil rights movement and came just months after Martin Luther King Jr was arrested for organizing non-violent protests against racial segregation in Birmingham. Jones was a prosecutor in a pair of cases brought nearly 40 years later which led to the conviction of two of the white suprema-

cists behind the attack. Bobby Frank Cherry and Thomas Blanton were sentenced to life in prison for their roles in the September 15, 1963 church bombing. “Justice may have been delayed, but it was certainly not denied,” Jones said of the case, which he called “the most tarnishing crime in Alabama in the 20th century.” While Jones was plainly the underdog at the outset of the race to succeed Jeff Sessions, who left his Senate seat vacant when appointed Trump’s attorney general, his Republican rival was a polarizing ﬁgure in Alabama. Moore was forced to step down twice from the state supreme court, the second time for disobedience to the US Supreme Court’s ruling legalizing gay marriage. AFP

Proposed Bangsamoro is the Philippines’ Catalonia There are similarities between Catalonia, the Spanish region whose quest for independence climaxed this year in an independence referendum, and the proposed Bangsamoro, which since the 1970s has been the goal of an often violent movement for “real autonomy.” There are dissimilarities too. One similarity is that the Catalonians’ agitation for independence from Spain and the Bangsamoro people’s quest for separation from this country are not new things. They have been in existence for centuries, surviving the administrations of colonial powers Spain and the US. In times past they were referred to in reports to Madrid and Washington D.C. as bands of “Moros” or “tulisanes” or “insurrectionists.” Today they are referred to by the more respectable names Moro Independent Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). On the other hand, the people of Catalonia in modern times have considered that region to be in a distinct and prideful part of Spain and regarded themselves as a people distinct from the rest of the Spanish population. Another similarity between Catalonia and the proposed Bangsamoro is that, in the absence of overpowering considerations, Spain and this country will never agree to give up Catalonia and the proposed Bangsamoro. In the ﬁrst place, the Spanish and Philippine Constitutions allow the grant of autonomy but not the dismemberment of the national territory. This provision of the two Constitutions was invoked during the Congressional hearings on the propose Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and in the pro-independence aftermath of the Catalonian referendum. In the second place, both the Spanish and Philippine governments consider Catalonia and the proposed Bangsamoro to be special to Spain and the Philippines for historical, cultural and social reasons. And, thirdly, Madrid and Manila are experiencing the fear that is experienced by all countries that are confronted by separatist movements: the fear that if one region is allowed to separate, other regions might wish to break away too. One of the dissimilarities between Catalonia and the proposed Bangsamoro are the sizes of the two regions in relation to Spain and the Philippines. Catalonia is a relatively small part of territory located in the northeast corner of one of Western Europe’s largest countries. In contrast, the proposed Bangsamoro covers about a third of this country’s second largest island plus a slice of Palawan. The proposed Bangsamoro territory is simply too large to stand a fair chance of favorable consideration. In any sensible discussion of BBL, the specter of the dreaded D word – dismemberment – looms very large. The other dissimilarity between the Catalonian and Bangsamoro situations is arguably the most important of all the relevant considerations. I refer to the position of the proposed Bangsamoro economy in relation to the economy of this country. Catalonia accounts for fully 24 percent of the Spanish economy. In contrast, because the proposed Bangsamoro is largely agricultural in character, has very little industry and has comparatively poor infrastructure, its share of the Philippine GDP (gross domestic product) is very small. The authorities in Madrid could not, and cannot, contemplate Catalonia’s ceasing to be a part of Spain. And, small though its place in the national economic scenario is, the Philippine government will not, and cannot, afford to think of letting the proposed Bangsamoro go. E-mail: romero.business.class@gmail.com

WAITING FOR RESULTS. Supporters of Republican senatorial candidate Roy Moore watch for results at an election night party in Montgomery, Alabama. AFP

‘Harsh Singapore laws stifling free speech’ KUALA LUMPUR―Singapore is increasingly using harsh laws to severely restrict freedom of speech and assembly, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday, urging authorities to let people publicly debate matters of national interest. A report from the New Yorkbased rights group said the ﬁnancial hub was an economic success, but it was time to relax the tough regulations that are not in line with international human rights standards. “Singapore promotes itself as a modern nation and a good place to do business, but people in a country that calls itself a democracy shouldn’t be afraid

to criticize the government or speak out about political issues,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. The city-state has long been accused of using tough laws to stiﬂe dissent, but Robertson said its use of them had been stepped up in recent times. Last month, prominent human rights activist Jolovan Wham was charged with organizing public protests without a permit over three small demonstrations staged in the last year. Singapore does not allow protests without approval from police, except in one corner of a downtown park. In August, the government

launched legal action against the grandson of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew over a Facebook post linked to a feud in the ruling family. In its ﬁrst major report on Singapore since 2005, HRW also described the case of a news website that was probed for allegedly breaking election rules and a blogger sued for defamation after writing about social and economic issues affecting Singaporeans. Singapore’s government did not immediately respond to request for comment. It has previously said its laws are aimed at maintaining peace and public order. AFP

pation,” of the Palestinian territories, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavsuoglu told a meeting of OIC foreign ministers before the summit gets underway at 0800 GMT. “We will never be silent,” he said, urging countries to recognize Palestine on the basis of its 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital. “This oppression diminishes the chance for peace and coexistence,” he added. But bridging the gaps in a Muslim political community that includes arch rivals Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran will be a far from easy task, let alone announcing any concrete measures agreed between the 57 OIC member states. AFP

Pedophile stopped from going overseas SYDNEY―A registered child sex offender was stopped at an Australian airport Wednesday, within hours of new laws designed to prevent convicted pedophiles from traveling overseas coming into effect. It is now an offense for registered child sex offenders―those convicted of the most serious forms of abuse in Australia―to leave the country without approval from law enforcement agencies. They also face having their passports canceled at the request of Australian authorities. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said a man was being questioned by Australian federal police after being stopped at Sydney airport under the new laws. “I can report that today a registered child sex offender was stopped here at the SmartGates and has been prevented from traveling overseas,” she said, referring to automated passport control systems, adding that the man’s name was on a government watch list. The new laws follow repeated episodes of child exploitation overseas, including a high-proﬁle case last year when Australian Robert Ellis was convicted of sexually abusing 11 Indonesian girls on the resort island of Bali. “Australia has up to 20,000 registered child sex offenders who have served their sentences but are subject to reporting obligations that help to protect the community,” Bishop had said earlier. “For too long, these predators have traveled overseas undetected, including to countries where weaker laws mean they have opportunities to commit heinous crimes.” Last year alone, 800 registered child sex offenders traveled overseas, often to developing countries in Asia, and about 40 percent did so without notifying police. “This will now stop,” said Bishop. The crackdown in Australia comes on the heels of concern about the growing role of technology in pedophilia, with the government proposing new offenses and tougher penalties targeting live-streamed child abuse and online grooming. AFP

US urges talks as N. Korea brags about its nuclear arsenal WASHINGTON―The United States is ready to talk to North Korea “without preconditions” but remains determined to force it to abandon its nuclear arsenal, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday. But even as Washington stressed the importance of a negotiated end to the standoff, Kim Jong-un vowed to make his nation “the strongest nuclear power and military power in the world.” President Donald Trump has promised that Kim will not be allowed to complete his effort to develop nuclear-armed interconti-

nental ballistic missiles capable of reaching mainland US cities. To this end, Tillerson has overseen a global diplomatic effort to isolate Pyongyang and stiﬂe its economy through UN sanctions and, ultimately, the threat of US military force. In two public appearances Tuesday, he warned that these efforts would continue until “the ﬁrst bomb drops” and that Washington “simply cannot accept a nucleararmed North Korea.” But he said the door to talks with Kim’s regime was open, and left the opening wider than he had

before, backing away from his former insistence that Pyongyang accept in principle to disarm. “We’re ready to have the ﬁrst meeting without preconditions,” Tillerson told a meeting of the Atlantic Council policy forum, speaking of the possibility of laying out a road map of goals. “It’s not realistic to say we’re only going to talk if you come to the table ready to give up your program. They have too much invested in it.” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, meanwhile, said “North Korea is acting in an un-

safe way not only toward Japan, China and South Korea, but the entire world.” “North Korea’s actions are not good for anyone and certainly not good for North Korea,” she added. A senior UN official returning from Pyongyang said that North Korean officials had told him it was important to prevent war but offered no concrete proposal for talks. “They agreed that it was important to prevent war,” Jeffrey Feltman, the UN’s political affairs chief, told reporters after briefing the Security Council on his trip. AFP

LGUs

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

thursday, december 14, 2017

239 complete veggie program in P. Princesa

LocaL government units

A farmer woman proudly holds up the pumpkin and green chilis she grew under the SM Foundation’s Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan rural farming program in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, while her two companions enjoy cutting ampalaya fruits straight from the vine (inset).

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—Vegetables farmers, 4Ps beneficiaries and college students from 29 barangays in Puerto Princesa and the municipalities of Aborlan and Roxas, 239 beneficiaries in total, recently completed their training under SM Foundation’s Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan rural farming program here. The culminating activity started with the Harvest Festival, where the fresh produce was sold to interested buyers. Activities that showcased the talents of the participants, a cooking contest featuring the vegetables harvested, and games were also held. The KSK Farmers’ Training Program is a social responsibility program of SM that aims to provide sufficient vegetables for marginalized farmers and an alternative means of livelihood. After the training, participants are more knowledgeable with the latest technologies in farming, and equipped with basic skills to help them become entrepreneurs. Present during the graduation ceremony were SM Puerto Princesa supermarket store managers Jhungie Analista and Adlyn Gonzalo; Palawan Research and Experimental Station OIC Librada Fuertes; head of provincial links Gray Bediores of the provincial social welfare office; City Councilor Victor Oliveros; and Provincial Coordinator for Sustainable Livelihood Amado Arce.

QC 2nd in ‘Kalasag’ awards By Rio N. Araja

UEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Wednesday said the city has placed first runner-up in this year’s national finals of the Gawad Kalasag (Shield Award) search for a highly urbanized city with the best disaster risk reduction and management program. QC qualified for the na- search, as it improved from tional finals after besting its 2016 standing as second the Metro Manila regional runner-up for the annual

award given by the Office of Civil Defense since 1998. Bautista personally received the award from Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Austere Panadero. “Thank you so much. This recognition is something to us. It boosts the morale of the people. It is a learning experience. Let’s go for No. 1 next year. We have a good system and we can make it better

and hopefully, when the time comes for an assessment, Quezon City is already okay. Thank you very much to Gawad Kalasag,” he said. The mayor then handed the award to Karl Michael Marasigan, chief of the city’s disaster risk management and reduction office, as a gesture to recognize the hard work of their men and women. Davao City was named this year’s overall champion, while Zamboanga City placed third.

Gawad Kalasag is also an acronym that stands for “Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan, Sariling Galing ang Kaligtasan” (Fighting Calamities and Disasters with Skills for Safety) organized by the Office of Civil Defense. The search is now on its 19th year. It aims to encourage local governments, institutions and establishments to come up with better disaster preparedness and recovery programs.

Gawad Kalasag specifically recognized the Quezon City government’s initiative to relocate families and informal settlements located along waterways and other high risk areas, and providing socialized housing and livelihood. Quezon City was also cited for consistently sustaining its DRRM programs by providing advanced capacity development activities not only to its constituents but also to

other stakeholders, and capitalizing on state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. The local government was also cited for creating the Quezon City Emergency and Information hotline 122 and the Emergency Operations Center, and the activation by the QC Public Affairs and Information Services Office of an emergency communications system in partnership with Smart Telecom.

City council ratifies MOA with QMC tenants THE Quezon City Council has ratified the agreement entered by Mayor Herbert Bautista and the tenants of the Quezon Memorial Circle. The Quezon City government administers the Quezon Memorial Circle along Elliptical Road. The city government has allocated portions of the QMC for restaurants, food stalls and plant stalls. The authority given to the mayor to enter into an agreement is pursuant to Section 455 (b) (vi) of the Local Government Code, which says the mayor shall represent the city government in all its transactions and sign in its behalf contracts and agreements upon authority of the Sangguniang Panglungsod. The QMC at present has five

restaurants, 19 kiosks, 13 food stalls, 39 plant stalls, 21 stalls from Agri-Aqua Network International, and seven others including the T.E.C. bike rental, Pedal n Paddle Inc., and the Philippine Mango Seedling. Meanwhile, Quezon City marked the end of a 16-day campaign against gender-based violence with a flash mob at the city hall compound Sunday night. The event coincided with International Human Rights Day. Quezon City under Bautista has become the only city in the Philippines that has enacted an ordinance against street harassment. The ordinance penalizes sexual harassment on women in public spaces. “Quezon City leads the way in terms of policy making in pro-

tecting women against sexual harassment in public spaces and Mayor Bautista is proud of that achievement,” City Administrator Aldrin Cuna said. According to Cuna, Quezon City is the only city among the 23 partner cities of the UN Women Safe Cities Programme that has acted on sexual harassment in public spaces. “What we are trying to deter here is the occurrence of public space sexual harassment. Sexual harassment can occur in so many environments pero wala pang penalties for public space sexual harassment. We are the only city in the entire world among the 23 other cities that are part of the UN program that was able to legislate and impose penalties,” said Cuna.

In BrIef BPsu, us lab sign mou for cookstove BALANGA CITY—The Bataan Peninsula State University and USbased Burn Design Laboratory have signed a memorandum of understanding for the design improvement of a BPSU-developed cookstove. BPSU president Dr. Greg Rodis signed the MOU in the Philippines while Burn Design Laboratory Executive Director Paul Means signed the document in New Delhi, India. Engineer Jonathan Lacayanga, BPSU Abucay Campus Director and inventor of the cookstove, and Means were in New Delhi last October as participants for the 2017 Clean Cooking Forum. BURN Design Laboratory is a nonprofit corporation that creates customized biomass stove solutions to meet the cooking needs of the developing world. It is based in Vashon Island, Washington. Lacayanga said Means is planning to visit BPSU by January to layout plans for the collaboration. Butch Gunio

ilocos norte, nYc boost youth events THE Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte through the Ilocos Norte Youth Development Office, in partnership with the National Youth Commission and Department of Education-Ilocos Norte, strengthened their inclusive youth programs at the “Dayalogo 2017” held at the Ilocos Norte Provincial Library last Dec. 4. “Dayalogo 2017” tackled issues on youth registration programs, youth governance, and community-based programs for out of school youth, and aimed to address these through implementing inclusive youth development programs. It was attended by representatives from the NYC headed by Commissioner James Ventura; Senior Board Member Matthew Marcos Manotoc; INYDO, headed by Executive Director Weenter Ventura; and up to 40 student leaders from DepEd Ilocos Norte, DepEd Laoag, and DepEd Batac. The Youth Organization Registration Program of the NYC is pursuant to Republic Act 8044 or the Youth Building Act, which mandates the NYC to register help and facilitate the establishment of youth organizations and serving organizations through the national registration program.

COMPLAINT. Laguna Lake Development Authority general manager Jaime Medina (left) raises his right hand to swear an oath as he formally filed a complaint at the Taguig Hall of Justice against an illegal dumpsite located in Taguig City, whose owners were identified as Matea Perez, Raul Roldan, Noel Dionisio, Constancia Cabansa and Paquito Delbo. Medina vowed to set more examples to protect the precious water resource. Norman Cruz

Batangas moms join Republic vs malnutrition P14-m infra A CEMENT firm recently launched an educational campaign to help curb hunger and malnutrition among children in Taysan, a remote community in Batangas. The Lusog Tibay program is Republic Cement’s follow-up initiative after crucial learnings from Kusina ng Kalinga in Taysan, a central kitchen the company recently set up in partnership with Gawad Kalinga, through which over 700 kids are provided free daily nutritious lunch meals for one school year.

“We observed that some parents were requesting for salty processed food to be served, in lieu of the nutritious vegetable dishes that the Kusina prepared. This led us to the realization that simply providing nutritious lunch meals in school is not enough. If we wanted to see long lasting positive impact on the children’s health, we needed to address nutrition at home as well through the parents,” said Nabil Francis, Republic Cement President.

The Lusog Tibay program is an educational campaign for parents on proper health and nutrition, lifestyle changes, and healthy habits that encourage and promote holistic family health and wellbeing. Said program was rolled out in six public schools in Batangas, namely, Taysan Central School, Mapulo Elementary School, Bilogo Elementary School, Pag-asa Elementary School, San Jose Elementary School, and Bagong Silang Elementary School.

GIFT TO INMATES.

San Pablo City Councilor Nap C. Calantraba (Center) turns over 610 new shirts for inmates of the Laguna city’s jail to Jail Chief Inspector Warren M. Geronimo (right) on Wednesday. Also pictured is Jail Senior Insp. Neil C. Mondano (left). Roy Tomandao

projects by Philex to Itogon

By Dexter A. See TUBA, Benguet—Philex Mining Corp. is set to turn over by yearend almost P14 million worth of infrastructure projects to its host town of Itogon in this province. The projects range from a concrete road and retaining wall, a drainage canal and grouted riprap with parapet wall, to a health center and science laboratory. Covering the company’s social-program accomplishments for the second and third quarters, the 33 projects were implemented in the town’s host barangay of Ampucao and the neighboring barangay of Dalupirip, said Roy Mangali, Assistant Vice President at Philex Mining and assistant resident manager at Padcal mine.

Life

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

shopping

thuRsday, decemBeR 14, 2017

Local weaves light up Ayala Avenue LIGHTS AND LOCAL PATTERNS. Wonderful streetlight decors featuring intricate Filipino patterns—such as inabel, t’boli, and yakan—adorn the whole stretch of Ayala Avenue, Paseo de Roxas, and Makati Avenue this holiday season.

(Photo by Rex Perzeus F. Sardinia)

nsPIred by the beautiful native hand woven fabrics from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, Makati welcomed the Yuletide season with a traditional street lighting ceremony—an annual tradition that transforms the premier business district into a Filipino Christmas haven.

Paying tribute to the cultural heritage of the Philippines, Christmas symbols with intricate Filipino patterns from various regions—Inabel and Burdado from Luzon, Banig Tikog from Visayas, T’boli, Ukil and Yakan weaves from Mindanao—illuminate the streets of the central business district, creating a festive and harmonious atmosphere. These patterns are applied to gigantic representations of Christmas symbols, transforming the streets of the city into truly Filipino Christmas landmarks. As the lights come alive, Makati’s wonderful streetlight decors once again wrap everyone in the magical spirit of the season.

Ayala Land Corporation leaders and Makati City representatives light up the streets of Makati CIty for the Christmas season.

The whole stretch of Ayala Avenue, Paseo de roxas, and Makati Avenue are adorned with colorful lights that bring to life the spirit of Christmas. This is the largest display of Christmas lights in the city and a well-loved Makati tradition that has brought the community

together. This year’s bright and energy efficient lights are courtesy of Firefly Lighting Corporation. Makati’s Christmas street lights continue to brighten up Christmas celebrations every year for everyone—from the thousands who work in the city to

those who call the city home, as well as those who visit its various business, lifestyle, entertainment, and cultural destinations. “Christmas is the highlight of the year for Filipinos, and we always want to make it special for everyone. By

mounting an exquisite Christmas display, and through the Festival of Lights, we provide venues for people to enjoy the spirit of the season,” said Shiella Aguilar, Ayala Land Project development Head for Makati

The best Kris Kringle gift is the one they won’t receive UnICeF Philippines recently launched its “Inspired Gifts” campaign, where you can donate and dedicate an Inspired Gift for children in need as virtual Christmas gifts to colleagues, friends, or family. UnICeF Inspired Gifts are the perfect monito/monita exchange gifts, ranging from P300 to P2,500, which include school and hygiene supplies, medicines and treatments for children who suffer from malnutrition, as well as seminars and training materials to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation. To give an Inspired Gift, individuals can visit inspiredgifts.unicef.ph and choose which gift to donate from a selection of items. Upon making their donation, the recipient of the Inspired Gift receives a personalized e-card from the sender. “Inspired Gifts can make your Kris Fruitas Holdings, Inc. opens the French-inspired food park, Le Village

French night market-inspired food destination InsPIred by the quaint charm and diverse offerings of French night markets, Fruitas Holdings Inc. (FHI) unveils Le Village—the city’s newest lifestyle park that offers Filipinos a dining experience similar to the night markets of the gastronomic capital of the world. A feast for the senses Opening its doors at the corner of e. rodriguez sr. Ave. and Cordillera street, Le Village is the newest dining destination in the city that mirrors the cozy and relaxing ambience of night markets popular in France. set amid a picturesque backdrop, food enthusiasts can hop from one chalet to another and indulge in a wide selection of food and beverages. “Fruitas continues to celebrate the spirit of innovation that drives our growth by consistently introducing not only new food concepts but also fresh and sophisticated dining experiences to Filipinos,” says Peter Carrillo, Marketing manager of Fruitas Holdings Inc. “With the Filipino taste becoming more diverse and foodies becoming more adventurous, we bring a different gastronomic experience from the usual food kiosks our company has been known

for.” Joining the 150 Maginhawa Food Park in Maginhawa, Quezon City, Le Village is the second lifestyle park under the Fruitas Holdings Inc. The company is set to open more lifestyle parks in the future to address the growing demand for food destinations that offer unique lifestyle experiences in the city. Le Village features a europeaninspired façade, framed with verdant open spaces, and a charming fountain at the center of the 1,648 sqm. lifestyle park. Apart from the interiors, diners will also be delighted as various classical music linger in the air as they enjoy their food. Ultimately, this new food park is expected to become a site to appeal to the different senses of diners. Al fresco epicurean dining Complementing this fresh gastronomic experience is the inherent vibe of celebration and camaraderie fostered by the ideals of the traditional French Christmas night market scene. during the holidays, French locals are known for gathering together to enjoy good food and drinks, along with the sights and gourmet treats offered by the members of the community.

With the Christmas season coming up, this same concept will now be translated into the exclusive city block that Le Village will occupy and open to Filipinos. “With the holidays just around the corner, we find it fitting to introduce a new gastronomic venue that will offer a relaxing ambience, while also giving diners a diverse selection of food and beverages. Le Village will be a perfect place for families and friends to dine and hang out under the cold starry nights,” says Carrillo. Le Village will be home to 15 various food stalls that will feature the finest choice of epicurean delicacies, including a wide selection of wines and drinks from La Petite Parisienne and The Pub; international food options from Munifico Pizzeria, Jack’s Burger, Chicken Cartel, Ahlee’s steaks, Kazam Kebab House, Mexi Kalye, Gochilla and shou Hand-Pulled noodles; Filipino favorites from JK8 Grill House, Kulinarya sizzling & Grill, Kuxina Filipino Fusion, and Halo-Halo Islands; and tasty desserts from sam’s Ice Cream & shakes. The food park is open Monday to sunday, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m..

With Unicef’s Inspired Gifts campaign, you can donate and dedicate gifts to underprvileged children

Kringle gift exchanges more meaningful by sending life-saving help to children who need it most,” says UnICeF Philippines deputy representative Julia Rees. “Corporations can ‘donate’ a week of their Kris Kringle exchanges to giving each other Inspired Gifts, while friends and family may choose to make an Inspired Gift on behalf of a loved one who lives far away.” UnICeF has been working in the Philippines for nearly 70 years to protect and promote the rights of children. Its programmes help children survive and thrive, spanning areas such as education, water and sanitation, health and nutrition, disaster risk reduction, and child protection. Inspired Gifts runs until Dec.31. Give now at inspiredgifts.unicef.ph.

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TODAY thursday, december 14, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

Game changing holiday at

The Body Shop

HE Body Shop makes early holiday shopping even more fun by giving its shoppers first dibs on game-changing favorites at awesome offers of up to 50 percent off.

After all, holidays at The Body Shop are all about giving love and about sharing. And The Body Shop’s Community Trade products are not only infused with natural ingredients, they also help save the environment and enrich people’s lives. The Body Shop sources some of the finest raw ingredients and handcrafted accessories from the four corners of the globe. They harness the skills of smallscale farmers, traditional artisans and rural—cooperatives who are experts in their field. The Body Shop adds their expertise to create effective products that are made with love and care. Game-changing products and game changing offers perfect for the holidays! The Body Shop’s holiday treats are available at all The Body Shop stores. The Body Shop now accepts SM Advantage Card for points earning and redemption, SM and Sodexo premium pass in all The Body Shop Some of The Body Shop’s game changing products, (clockwise) stores nationwide. Olive Body Butter, Drops of Light Eye Cream, and Lip & Cheek Stain

Be blemish-free for the holidays with The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Oil infused with Community Fair Trade organic tea tree oil from The Kenya Organic Oil Farmers’ Association (KOOFA).

Discover Japan at S Maison

Atsuko Yamagata’s ‘After Talk with Silence 6’ and book ‘Awareness of Light’ by Naomi ‘Shoko’ Matsumoto

MAll-goers were recently able to “Discover Japan at S Maison” through a celebration of its culture and arts. A joint partnership between the Sinag Arts Foundation and SM, the festival celebrates the many years of friendship between the Philippines and Japan through an art exhibition, food exhibit, cultural performances, and workshops at S Maison in Conrad Manila. The six-day celebration included the exhibition of art works by Manila-based Japanese artist, Atsuko Yamagata, who

comes from Sapporo, Hokkaido. Her artworks mainly use ink and bond, as well as handmade paper of pineapple or banana fiber, coming back and forth between accident and intention to create organic forms, The exhibition also highlights the Awareness of Light: Handbook and Archives of Technical Theater in the Philippines, a book by Naomi “Shoko” Matsumoto which documents the Asian way, specifically Japanese, the viewpoint and attitude to the discipline

of lighting design. The book also presents information about the full craft of theater making. The festival also included demonstrations of traditional Japanese crafts: Furoshiki or the Japanese way of gift wrapping – by Yoshiko Kitada; Origami making by Mariko Okeda, and the art of Ikebana Flower by Marc Tomas of Ikebana International Manila. Discover Japan is one of the exciting cultural events at S Maison, Conrad Manila.

The future of logistics innovation

ExECuTIvES of In1Go Technologies Inc., a 100 percent Filipino-owned IT Services and BPO Company offering a suite of value enterprise solutions to the consumer goods, petroleum, food, and other major industries, feted recently friends and clients to a night of music and revelry to introduce to its newest innovative product: 1Go loadr. 1Go loadr is a web and mobile enabled collaborative platform—an online marketplace—where both haulers and shippers converge to address the numerous delivery Republic of the Philippines Department of Finance Securities and Exchange Commission Markets and Securities Regulation Department IN THE MATTER OF : SEC MSRD order No. 36 : Series of 2017 CITYLAND, INC. : : Registration of Commercial Papers - Registrant : x-------------------------------------x ORDER Upon consideration of the Registration Statement and other papers and documents attached thereto filed on behalf of CITYLAND, INC., the Commission, in its meeting of 8 December 2017, favorably considered the application for registration of Seven Hundred Million Pesos (P 700,000,000.00) worth of Commercial Papers, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 8 and 12 of the Securities Regulation Code. Let a Certificate of Permit to Offer Securities for Sale be issued in favor of the subject company authorizing the sale and distribution of the aforementioned securities. Let this Order be published at the expense of the Issuer in a newspaper of general circulation and uploaded in its website within two (2) business days from its issuance. The corporation is hereby directed to furnish the Commission with a copy of the affidavit of publication of this Order. SO ORDERED. EDSA, Mandaluyong City, Philippines, December 8, 2017. VICENTE GRACIANO P. FELIZMENIO, JR. Director (MS DEC. 14, 2017)

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

served together with a copy of the petition and annexes to the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City; the National Statistician/ Branch 100, Quezon City Civil Registrar General of the Philippine Statistics Authority PERLITA O. ALVARICO, (PSA); the Office of the Solicitor Petitioner, General (OSG); the City -versusR-QZN-17-08678-SP Prosecutor’s Office of Quezon City.

NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION

YONGDEOK LEE, THE CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL, ET AL., Finally, let respondent Yongdeok Respondents. Lee be served with a copy of this x-------------------------------------------x

ORDER This is a verified petition praying unto the Honorable Court that a decision be rendered as follows: a. That the judgment of Divorce by Agreement Confirmation of Intention issued by the Judge Lee, Hye Seon in the Republic of Korea, be judicially recognized; b. Directing the Public Respondents, namely, the Civil Registrar General and the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City, to annotate the Judgment of Divorce on the Marriage Certificate of Yongdeok Lee and Perlita Alvarico; c. Declaring that Petitioner, Perlita Alvarico has the capacity to remarry. Finding the Petition to be sufficient in form and substance, notice is hereby given that the petition shall be heard before this Court sitting at Room 217, Hall of Justice Bldg., Quezon City Hall Compound, Quezon City on January 25, 2018 at 2:00 o’clock in the afternoon at which date and time, all persons interested may appear and show cause in writing why the petition should not be granted. Let a copy of this Order be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation chosen by raffle, and further

Order and a copy of the Petition at his address at 61 Sungcheol-ri Gojeon-myeon, Hadong myeon, Gyeongnam, South Korea by registered mail and also through private courier, both at the expense of the petitioner.

requirements of customers. Through a revolutionary mobile app that’s downloadable from the Google Play Store, or via the web at www.1go-load.me, haulers of varying scale – whether as an operator of just one truck or an entire fleet – can now gain access to a wide variety of goods and items for shipment, while shippers can conveniently find a reliable hauler with the right vehicle for their exact requirements. More than 2000 trucks are enrolled in the system that can take loads on-demand. Security and peace of mind are also assured thanks to real time, GPS truck tracking and monitoring. “With our extensive experience in servicing the logistics market, we saw a need for an app like 1Go loadr,” said Manny Miranda, Operations head of In1Go Tech. “With this, we aim to open up the space to smaller haulers by giving them access to a larger community.” 1Go loadr hopes to help increase productivity and convenience for both haulers and shippers by delivering the future of logistics collaboration.

Disney Tsum Tsum hats with adjustable closure

In1Go president Ramon Garcia with Claus Karthe

iPhone X at Power Mac Center IT’S finally here! Power Mac Center has officially launched the most anticipated iPhone x, widely regarded as the most sophisticated iPhone yet. At the stroke of midnight on Dec.1, the premier Apple partner re-opened the doors of its flagship store in Greenbelt 3, Makati City to welcome shoppers who lined up early the previous day to be among the first to get their hands on today’s hottest device. Before the selling started, guests were treated to free crash courses as well as live music mixes from

DJ Callum. Among the Power Mac Center brand ambassadors who graced the event were Maine Mendoza, Marc Nelson, Rico Blanco, Gab Valenciano, Sam YG, Jinno Rufino, Kim Jones, Jericho Rosales, Tommy Esguerra, Cesca Litton, Richard Juan, and Kaila Estrada. Meanwhile, the first 200 buyers received premium accessories worth up to P23,000 each. iPhone X is now available in select Power Mac Center stores nationwide. Price starts at P64,490.

The compliance to the Order dated 11 September 2017 filed by petitioner is hereby Noted. SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Metro Manila, November 8, 2017. (Sgd.) EDITHA G. MINA-AGUBA Presiding Judge Copy furnished: Perlita Alvarico-petitioner No. 106 B. del Pilar St., Brgy. Santolan Malabon City Atty Julie Racquel c. Malicdem-Counsel for the petitioner Sedigo and Associates Suite 506, ITC Bldg., 337 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Ave., Makati City Office of the Solicitor General-134 Amorsolo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City The National Statistician/Civil Registrar General-Phil. Statistics Authority, 3rd floor, NSO-CVEA Bldg., East Ave., Diliman, Q.C. The Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City-Quezon City Hall Complex, Diliman, Quezon City Office of the City Prosecutor, Quezon City

(MS-Dec. 7, 14 & 21, 2017)

Maine Mendoza is one of the first buyers of iPhone X at Power Mac Center

Tsum Tsum cotton hand towels

Disney’s Tsum Tsum

at SM Accessories Kids TSuM Tsum stuffed toys were first released in Japan in 2013. Based upon Disney and Pixar characters; the name Tsum Tsum is derived from the Japanese verb tsumu meaning “to stock” because these stuffed toys are designed to stock on top of each other. The stuffed toys have become a hit, and have been sold by Disney in the united States, Disneyland Paris and South Korea. Tsum Tsum mobile games and icons for online chat were also developed and have become a hit. The well-loved Tsum Tsum stuffed characters has now inspired apparel, accessories, footwear and other knickknacks faithful to the charm of the Tsum Tsum stuffed toys. Kids will love the delightful Tsum Tsum merchandise—tees, hats, bonnets, flip flops, hand towels, and novelties—now available at SM Accessories Kids-The SM Store’s Character Shop Department. It’s also double the fun until August 31, when a Php 1,000 minimum single receipt spend of any Disney Tsum Tsum products entitles one to a free Disney Tsum Tsum Eye Mask. Experience the Tsum Tsum charm from SM Accessories Kids-The SM Store’s Character Shop Department.

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Kathryn Bernardo

point to have a camera with me when I travel, or during shoots or events, because I like keeping memories,” adds Bernardo. “My camera is ﬁlled with photos of my dogs and my niece! But given the chance and [more] time, I want to enroll in a photography class. Being around professional photographers all the time like Mark Nicdao and Sara Black really inspires me to take photos the way they do,” she shares. Kathryn expresses she wants to learn how to eventually shoot uncanny and unique images, whether in portrait or street photography, using her Canon EOS M100, and share them in an instant just like a true millennial. “The Canon EOS M100 is a good start for me to learn how to shoot like them. The functions are so easy to manipulate and learn, and I get better quality photos and videos than what I used to get before. This makes documenting and sharing memories a lot easier for me, too,” Kathryn adds. Reigniting her love for photography is one of the many things the young star would like to pursue to be able to share more meaningful content on her social media, considering that she currently gives high priority to giving back to chil-

Gets M-powered

VEN at a young age, Kathryn Bernardo has always had an attachment with a camera. Aside from being always in front of it, she has always secretly wanted to learn more about photography, especially since she wishes to use the power of photography to change people’s lives. Canon Marketing Philippines, Inc. (CMPI) recognizes this personal desire of the “Teen Queen” thus making her the perfect ﬁt as the world-renowned camera brand partnered with her in launching its latest addition to its line of mirrorless cameras —the Canon EOS M100.

“We are very happy to welcome Kathryn Bernardo to the Canon family and officially make her part of #TeamCanonPH,” says Benny Yu, Consumer Group director of CMPI. “We know that Filipinos admire her beyond just being a celebrity. Her heart for others, particularly for children, is an admirable trait. We’re here to support her vision to use her rekindled love for photography to be a platform of inspiration that will eventually benefit others.” “Our latest addition to our mirrorless cameras, the Canon EOS M100, is a fit Budding photographer Kathryn Bernardo is the new face of Cannon mirrorless camera

for her as she brings her photography game a notch higher. It is perfect for her style with its sleek design, the pictures it produces deliver depth for strong storytelling, and its functionality enhances the experience of taking and sharing photos in an instant,” Yu adds. Kathryn, 21, discloses where her enthusiasm for photography comes from especially now that she’s endorsing the leading camera brand in the country. Watch her video here: http:// www.facebook.com/canonphils/videos/1652674808115932/ “Ever since I was young, I already loved taking photos. I always make it a

Champion racer JP Tuason joins 'Rev' on the ABS-CBN News Channel

Champion racer and entrepreneur JP Tuason

MULTI-AWARDED racer-turnedentrepreneur JP Tuason, the man behind the pioneering Tuason Racing School, joins seasoned sports anchor Paolo Abrera, talented indie musician Manskee Nasciento, and Angie King of Car Porn Racing in Rev, the newest motoring program to hit television.

JP Tuason is the President of Tuason Racing School, which provides Race Training Classes, Racing Team Management, Events Management including Teambuilding sessions for corporate clients, a California Superbike School for riders and motorcycling enthusiasts, and a

dren in need through the causes she supports. “Maraming may gustongtumulong, kulanglangsa awareness kung paano [There are a lot of people who wants to help but they just don’t know how]. Feeling ko job koyun [I feel that it is my job], to spread awareness and be able to encourage other people to help through what I share on social media—that includes the photos and videos I post,” says Kathryn. The uncomplicated technology, handiness, connectivity, and uncompromising quality of Canon EOS M100 are the things that Kathryn loves about her new camera. As it is the camera that suits the lifestyle of Filipino millennials like her, it is the perfect tool to add to the range of musthave gadgets, and for sharing professional-like quality photos and videos in an instant. The young actress at her prime, growing with such style and substance as the years ﬂy, truly speaks multitudes of her character and the success she has accomplished at this point in her life. #getMpowered to take your photos and videos like Kathryn, and share them in an instant with the Canon EOS M100. Get it now at Canon dealers nationwide or at http://www.lazada.

classroom and hands-on Educational Program that focuses on Road Safety and Defensive Driving Training. TRS is also the organizer of the highly popular Vios Cup races held annually. Airing on ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel every Friday at 8p.m., Rev promises a fun ride into the unique and exciting world of the Philippine automotive scene, and is sure to delight car lovers, local motoring and motorsports enthusiasts, as well as industry watchers.

Kapamilya stars in Just Love Bazaar opening POPULAR loveteam MaymayEntrata and Edward Barber, singers Jona and Klarisse De Guzman, and Hashtags member Zeus Collins entertained and thrilled shoppers a the recent opening of the Just Love: The ABS-CBN Christmas Bazaar at the ABS-CBN Vertis Tent. Open until Dec. 23, ABSCBN’s ﬁrst-ever bazaar offers Kapamilya followers a great shopping experience this holiday season with a wide array of items on sale, celebrity booths, daily

man Charo Santos-Concio and her grandchildren, the Concio sisters are also offering their pre-loved items, same with Magandang Buhay host Karla Estrada and soon, Bela Padilla as well. Merchandise from ABS-CBN shows like Goin’ Bulilit will also be available. The ABS-CBN Christmas shirt, “Just Love” is also available at the ABSCBN store. Other Kapamilya stars that have brought cheer to the shoppers include Hashtags Paulo and Nikko, Coleen Garcia, Carlo Aquino,

A joint venture of the country’s leading media and entertainment company and Ayala Malls, the ABSCBN Vertis Tent was ofﬁcially opened on Nov. 10 with a ceremony attended by ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio Lopez III, ABS-CBN

president and CEO Carlo Katigbak, ABS-CBN chief operating ofﬁcer of broadcast Cory Vidanes, ABS-CBN head of business development Paolo Pineda. Present for Ayala Malls were Ayala Land, Inc. senior vice president and commer-

BONIFACIO DRIVE, SOUTH HARBOR, PORT AREA, MANILA 1018, PHILIPPINES P.O. BOX 436, MANILA, PHILIPPINES Tel. No. (0632) 527-8356, Fax. No. (0632) 527-4855 HTTP://WWW.PPA.COM.PH

INVITATION TO BID

performances by Kapamilya artists, movie showings, and other fun activities. Vice Ganda and Alex Gonzaga lead the Kapamilya stars showcasing their products in the bazaar. Vice has a Vice Ganda Cosmetics booth, Alex has a Happy Cup booth, Ogie Alcasid is selling Bottled Tuyo, Maricar Reyes Poon will also be selling cakes, JC De Vera will bring his “The Burgery,” while Rufa Mae Quinto is selling bags and shoes. ABS-CBN chief content ofﬁcer and executive adviser to the chair-

Xia Vigor, Bugoy Drilon, Ylona Garcia, Mc and Lassy, DJ Jhaiho, Kisses Delavin, and Jason Dy. This is the ﬁrst public event to be done in the ABS-CBN Vertis Tent, which is located within the newly opened Ayala Malls Vertis North Complex in Quezon City. The tent has 1,200 seating capacity and is a perfect venue for special events, live shows, product launches, exhibits, and concerts, and will soon house other events that will bring the Kapamilya network’s content and its stars closer to the people.

dience. For inquiries and reservations on the ABS-CBN Vertis Tent, email santosgail.atmi@ayalamalls.com. ph. For inquiries on the Just Love Christmas Bazaar, email kapamilyabazaar@abs-cbn.com.

BONIFACIO DRIVE, SOUTH HARBOR, PORT AREA, MANILA 1018, PHILIPPINES, P.O. BOX 436, MANILA, PHILIPPINES TEL. NO. (0632) 527-8356, FAX NO. (0632) 527-4855 HTTP://WWW.PPA.COM.PH

INVITATION TO BID

FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PASSENGER TERMINAL BUILDING, PORT OF TAGBILARAN, BOHOL

FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PASSENGER TERMINAL BUILDING, PORT OF CATAGBACAN, BOHOL

The Philippine Ports Authority, through the Corporate Budget of the Authority for CY 2017, intends to apply the sum of P 70,414,112.12 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Construction of Passenger Terminal Building, Port of Tagbilaran, Bohol, (LFP BHL No. 0372017). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The Philippine Ports Authority, through the Corporate Budget of the Authority for CY 2017, intends to apply the sum of P 14,610,723.57 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Construction of Passenger Terminal Building, Port of Catagbacan, Bohol, (LFP BHL No. 039-2017). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The Philippine Ports Authority now invites bids for A. Demolition and Removal Works B. Construction of Passenger Terminal Building. Completion of the Works is required in 420 calendar days. Bidders should have completed a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

The Philippine Ports Authority now invites bids for A. Construction of Passenger Terminal Building. Completion of the Works is required in 240 calendar days. Bidders should have completed a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.”

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.”

Charo Santos-Concio and her grandchildren offer their pre-loved items at the Just Love Bazaar

cial group head Junie Jalandoni, Ayala Malls group head Rowena Tomeldan, and Ayala Land, Inc. commercial business group chief ﬁnancial ofﬁcer Ruby Chiong. Toni Gonzaga hosted the program while Erik Santos performed for the au-

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Philippine Ports Authority‘s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) for Engineering Projects and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on 14 December 2017 from the address below and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P 50,000.00). It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Philippine Ports Authority, provided that bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. The Philippine Ports Authority’s Bids and Awards Committee for Engineering Projects will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 27 December 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the PPA Function Room, 7th Floor, PPA Bldg., Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila, which shall be open to all prospective bidders. Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before 9:00 a.m. of 10 January 2018. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the bidding documents. Bid opening shall be on 10 January 2018 at 10:00 a.m. at the 7th Floor, PPA Building, A. Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidder’s representatives who choose to attend. Late bids shall not be accepted. •

Required PCAB Registration: Medium A - Building and Industrial Plant

The Philippine Ports Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. For further information, please refer to:

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, cooperatives, and partnerships or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines. Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Philippine Ports Authority’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) for Engineering Projects and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on 14 December 2017 from the address below and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P 25,000.00). It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Philippine Ports Authority, provided that bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. The Philippine Ports Authority’s Bids and Awards Committee for Engineering Projects will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 27 December 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the PPA Function Room, 7th Floor, PPA Bldg., Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila, which shall be open to all prospective bidders. Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before 9:00 a.m. of 10 January 2018. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the bidding documents. Bid opening shall be on 10 January 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the 7th Floor, PPA Building, A. Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidder’s representatives who choose to attend. Late bids shall not be accepted. •

Required PCAB Registration: Small B - Building and Industrial Plant

BAC Secretariat, Philippine Ports Authority 5th Floor, PPA Bldg., A. Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila

Telephone/Fax No. 527-47-35 527-83-56 to 83 loc. 539

PPA Website: www.ppa.com.ph

The first ever bazaar offers Kapamilyas a great shopping experience for the whole family

ADRIAN FERDINAND S. SUGAY Chairperson, PPA Head Office Bids and Awards Committee for Engineering Projects (HO-BAC-EP)

ADRIAN FERDINAND S. SUGAY Chairperson, PPA Head Office Bids and Awards Committee for Engineering Projects (HO-BAC-EP) M. Standard – Dec. 14, 2017

Standard – Dec. 14, 2017

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

Comedian and TV host Vic Sotto reunites with actress Dawn Zulueta in the MMFF offering "Meant To Beh"

Bossing glad he is back in MMFF this year Gabbi Garcia and Ruru Madrid add spice in the Sotto-Zulueta starrer family movie playing support yet equally important roles

HE name most moviegoers have become familiar with, year in and year out, on Christmas, especially with the annual Metro Manila Film Festival (that coincides with Christmas Day till a little over the New Year, is that of Vic Sotto, Bossing to his millions of followers in the six-day-a-week noontime show on the Kapuso network, Eat Bulaga! and the late-night Sunday gag-variety Bossing & Ai with AiAi de las Alas.

Lastyear, Sotto’s Enteng Kabisote 10 and the Abangers got the painful surprise when the MMFF Selection committee snubbed the film, the producers had to book it in theaters earlier than the festival. Its box office take was bigger than all of the eight films shown during the festival. It saddened Sotto that the festival had turn into a middling holiday activity and hoped the MMFF reconsider and would bring back films that would attract the crowd back to the plexes. Here he is in Meant To Beh, which a new set of members of the MMFF Selection Committee immediately gave a green and go for this years festival. No, its not a fantasy comedy, like last year’s Enteng, but a family movie with Dawn Zulueta, Ruru Madrid and GabJC Santos and Sue Ramirez join the cast of MMFF entry bi Garcia, Daniel Matsunaga, "Meant To Beh" Andrea Torres and the chubby

"Maynila" host Lito Atienza with daughter Angela Lei (left photo); Hero Angeles and Alex Gonzaga play embattled couple in an episode of "MMK" (right photo)

Eat Bulaga toddler, Baste. Director Chris Martinez said Sotto wanted a family movie, so he, along with the producers and Bossing, discussed how they’d be able to craft something that would appeal to everyone, child, adult, boys, girls, gay, lesbians… across the board, and the result is Meant To Beh. “This is one movie that all members of the family will truly enjoy. I’m excited to the hilt after I skipped the MMFF last year. I’m back with a good project that has lots of Filipino values to instill in their hearts and minds of the audience,” Vic said. *** We had lunch recently with former Manila Mayor now Congressman Lito Atienza, who wanted to share the good news about the weekly drama

anthology Maynila on GMA Network. With his daughter Angela Lei “Chi” Atienza-Valdepeñas whom Lito has passed on the day-to-day operations of the weekly production as executive producer, the host of the show said he is very happy the show has been on air for nearly two decades (19 years to be exact) after its premiere on Nov. 23, 1998. The Catholic Church through the Catholic Mass Media Awards has give the show a citation for being one of the longest running drama anthology on television. And Lito Atienza is very grateful for the honor given to the show. Chi said that when his father passed on the baton to her she was a little lost on how to go about the production. “My dad said, ‘you have been in show business, you will know how

to go about it.’ So, I had no choice.” Today the show’s ratings have been improving, and commercials are coming in in droves that sometimes she said she has to turn some down. Maynila airs Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. Its episodes feature stars from both networks (“We are a blocktimer, so we can feature stars from other networks,” Chi said) and remains faithful to its original vision of providing the audience with important life lessons. *** I watched last Saturday’s MMK. I am glad Hero Angeles is back on the Kapamilya network after a long time. He starred with Alex Gonzaga, their ﬁrst time to portray lovers on screen. The couple faced a difﬁcult challenged.

Although diagnosed with kidney failure, Riza (Alex) chooses to look at the brighter side of life and continues to live positively. While ﬁghting her disease, Riza meets and changes the life of Joel (Hero), a shy and hardworking breadwinner who learns to love himself and open his heart to love. As their relationship develops, Riza’s condition gets worse to the point where she will need a new kidney for her to survive. Because of his love for Riza, Joel decides to become her donor. This was the ﬁrst time I’d seen Alex doing a straight drama, and I can say she’d be good in other straight-dram roles. Hero has grown bigger (more mature) and lost his cutesiness, but he can move on to playing older characters.

Access FOX+ for 3 months GLOBE at Home has committed itself to transforming home entertainment from strict schedules to making primetime your time through its high-speed internet and partnerships with world class content partners. “The entertainment landscape has changed. Video content on demand has empowered Filipinos to watch their favorite movies and TV shows at their convenience and we’re giving our customers more options through the new Globe StreamwatchRoku Powered,” shares Martha Sazon, senior vice president for Globe At Home. From today, customers can experi-

ence a wider variety of content with Globe StreamwatchRokuPowered’s collaboration with FOX+, home to thousands of the latest Hollywood movies, TV shows, live sports and more. FOX+ is a video-streaming service in Asia promising an unrivalled combination of the latest TV series, first-run Hollywood blockbusters, hit Asian series and movies, live sports, thrilling documentaries and a big library of content all in one place in stunning high-definition. With over 10,000 hours of programming across multiple genres on FOX+, customers will have an unparalleled viewing experience as they embrace the

most popular content from global movie studios and television channels, as well as original FOX programming such as National Geographic original series, The Long Road Home, Titanic: 20 Years with James Cameron in December, and The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman in January. They can also enjoy blockbuster movies including Logan, Hacksaw Ridge and Hidden Figures. In addition to The Walking Dead, customers can also catch the latest episodes of popular series such as The Gifted, S.W.A.T., Homeland, Fresh Off the Boat as well as the latest U.S. number one series, The Good Doctor, and Trusted

in early 2018. Sports fans can also catch their favorite live sporting events including the NBA and the first tennis grand slam of the year, the Australian Open in January. “Viewers are always looking out for great content and we endeavour in bringing the best to them always. We are excited with extending the reach of FOX+ in the Philippines in our partnership with Globe At Home and bring to viewers a host of entertaining genres from movies to sports and series to documentaries all in one app,” said Jude Turcuato, SVP and General Manager, FOX Net-

works Group Philippines. Customers now have access to FOX+ for 3 months using Globe StreamwatchRoku Powered device. It’s easy to use and activate: simply plug the device on an HDMI-ready television, connect to your Globe At Home plan, and stream to enjoy hours of endless films and TV. Get Globe StreamwatchRoku Powered by adding P50 for 24 months to a Globe At Home plan or a one-time payment of P999. To know more and avail of this latest streaming device, visit www.shop.globe.com.ph/streamwatch.