Manila Standard - 2017 December 18 - Monday

Duterte: Same-sex union OK

By Bill Casas

VOL. XXXI • NO. 304 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte told a gathering of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals Sunday night that he supports same sex marriage and assured the LGBT community that their rights would be “protected and nurtured.”

“There will be no oppression and we

will recognize your importance in society. I said I am for sex marriage. If that is the trend of modern times, if that will add to your happiness, I am for it. Who am I (to judge)?” the President said.

“If that is what will make people happy, I will give that to you. Why should we stop them? Why impose a morality that Next page

‘Urduja’ landslide kills 26 4 Biliran towns hard-hit; thousands left stranded

Wet X’mas?

New storm brewing in Mindanao ANOTHER typhoon is brewing this Christmas as tropical depression “Urduja” continued to batter several parts of Luzon and the Visayas.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said as of 5 p.m. yesterday, “Urduja” had slightly changed its course and was heading toward Aklan.

The center of the tropical depression was estimated at 65 kilometers south of Romblon, Romblon.

Packing maximum sustained winds of up to 55 kms per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph, “Urduja” was forecast to move west southwest at 15 kph.

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ANDSLIDES triggered by tropical storm “Urduja” (international name Kai-Tak) have killed 26 people in the island province of Biliran, in Eastern Visayas, a day after the storm pounded the east of the archipelago.

“There is a total of 26 people dead from landslides in four towns of Biliran. We have recovered the bodies,” Sofronio Dacillo, Biliran provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer, said.

Gerardo Espina, governor of the island province east of the much larger island of Leyte, gave the same figure for deaths

in an interview on ABS-CBN television.

The storm also left thousands of people heading home for Christmas stranded on Sunday.

The storm has weakened, with gusts of up to 90 kilometers an hour, after cutting off power and triggering landslides Next page

URDUJA’S WRATH. Whistling winds and driving rains from a raging Urduja has left an ugly cut of destruction including knocking down Caray Caray Bridge—parts of Eastern Visayas and Mindanao. In Almeria town in Biliran, water supply and electricity have not been restored by Sunday morning. Roads were flooded, bridges collapsed, street posts toppled, houses and vehicles destroyed as the storm barreled through the Visayas and Mindanao. Marlyn Casipit/ GMA News Online and AFP

Sereno haunted by Corona ‘ghost’—legal eagles House panel

By Rey E. Requjeo invites five more justices LEGAL and political experts say the impeachment case against Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno is the ghost of ousted chief justice Renato Corona coming back to haunt his replacement at the Supreme Court.

Former dean of the San Beda Graduate School of

Law, Ranhilio Aquino, said the Sereno case is a consequence of the impeachment and ouster of Corona in 2012, which lowered the standards for the impeachment of officials.

The grounds for impeachment as enumerated under Article 11 of the 1987 Constitution “used to be very high,” Aquino said.

“But when lawmakers impeached CJ Corona, the standards appeared lower as it seemed possible that any offense now can become a culpable violation of the Constitution. This (Sereno case) is an effect of the Corona impeachment case,” Aquino said in an interview.

The target of a vitriolic Next page

Court clears way for trial of 4 arms dealers

By Rey E. Requejo THE Court of Appeals has upheld a Justice Department resolution ordering the indictment of four officers of a firearm manufacturing company

for the unlawful sale of ammunition that were used in the massacre of 58 people, including 32 journalists, in November 2009 in Maguindanao.

The court’s Special Seventeenth Division denied the

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company’s appeal to reject the resolution for failure to show that the department erred in finding probable cause to indict the four for violation of the provisions of PD 1866.

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By Rey E. Requejo FIVE more associate justices of the Supreme Court have also been invited by the House of Representatives to testify in the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno when hearings resume in January next year.

This will bring to nine the number of Sereno’s colleagues who would testify before the House of committee on justice, which is conducting hearings Next page

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Aquino, two others, liable for vaccine fiasco—solons

By Macon RamosAraneta PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III would likely be held liable due to his failure to observe proper command responsibility in the procurement of P3.5-billion worth of Dengvaxia vaccine, Senator JV Ejercito said Sunday.

“But maybe only negli-

CEZA goes after illegal online game

gence because the case needs due diligence,” he said.

Ejercito made his statement even as Rep. Johnny Pimentel, chairman of the House committee on good government, said the officials responsible for the dengue vaccine mess were bound to face graft charges.

“The hustled purchase of P3.5-billion worth of

ADMINISTRATOR Raul Lambino says the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority has already implemented several reforms to eradicate illegal on-line gaming operations.

Since taking over the helm at CEZA in late July as administrator and chief

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017

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Military, police shift to offensive vs rebels

implemented by each courier company, in particular the use of ex-rays and dogs to sniff suspicious packages.

“PDEA also requested them to provide the agency a small and secured room to inspect suspected parcels containing dangerous drugs.

This would prevent possible security breaches and inside jobs,” Aquino added.

He said drug syndicates were always finding ways to transport illegal drugs, including the use of mail and parcel courier service.

“They believe that the safest way to move illegal drugs covertly is through the mail because detection is much lower due to anonymity and use of fictitious names to mislead authorities,” Aquino said.

“The absence of human contact in transporting dangerous drugs makes it nearly impossible to identify their owner.” PNA

Duterte: ...

out what I would say here,” Duterte said.

The President said he himself did not know if he wanted to be a boy or a girl when he was in high school.

“So from there we start are we normal? Yes. Are you normal? Yes.Is the tomboy abnormal? No, of course, not. Why? Because we are all creations of God,” he said.

Although nobody has admitted to being gay in his Cabinet, he said he would accept anyone who was qualified.

“Find me the brightest here in the Philippines – he might be gay, she might be a lesbian. I’d like you to nominate somebody because I [recently] fired the entire Commission on the Urban Poor,” he said.

In March, Duterte said that marriage was between a man and a woman and said the Philippines should not be forced to adopt the mindset of the West with regard to gender.

“Look at Time magazine (which carried a story on the blurring lines between male and female in the United States). There is no more gender because you can be a he or a she,” the President said during a meeting with the Filipino community in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

“That’s their culture. It does not apply to us. We are Catholics and there is the Civil Code, which says that you can only marry a [man and a] woman,” he said.

“The decision not to declare a suspension of military operations with the members of the New People’s Army over the Christmas holidays stays,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.

“Our defenders will not stand down as there has been a call on from the other side to launch offensives against state forces.”

Roque made his statement even as the Philippine Na-

tional Police said Sunday it had shifted to an offensive stance against the New People’s Army after its recently tagged by the government as a terrorist organization.

In a statement, the PNP said it had mobilized tactical and maneuver units for a coordinated offensive against the NPA alongside the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, the 66th Infantry Battalion under the

‘Urduja’...

passengers here are running out of money.”

Urduja has injured 19 and forced 87,700 people from their homes when it tore across the eastern islands of Samar and Leyte on Saturday.

The two islands bore the brunt in 2013 of Yolanda, which left more than 7,350 people dead or missing.

Urduja toppled power lines in 39 towns or cities and damaged roads and bridges, the national disaster agency said.

In the Leyte city of Tacloban, it brought flash floods of up to 1.5 meters and strong winds that left the city without power and water, according to its disaster office chief.

“The storm moved so slowly that it brought so much rain to our city. The floods resulted from four days of rain,” Ildebrando Bernadas, head

of Tacloban’s disaster risk reduction office, said.

Bernadas said 82 percent of Tacloban’s districts were flooded.

The storm also damaged farms and crops, bringing more misery to people who had been recovering from Haiyan’s destruction.

“We had a phobia from (Yolanda) which destroyed our coconut trees. We planted lettuce and eggplant but the new storm took them away too. It’s devastating,” Remedios Serato, a 78-year-old farmer in Leyte, said.

Ormoc Mayor Richard Gomez declared a state of calamity in his city.

“More work ahead. To the residents of this city Pls lend some of your valuable time to help our fellow Ormocanon,” Gomez said in a Facebook

post Saturday.

In an interview with radio dzMM, Gomez said the storm destroyed 2,000 hectares of rice or about 90 percent of Taclogan’s rice fields.

Malacanang on Sunday said relief operations would continue throughout the holiday season.

“Vital services, such as preparedness and response to disasters or calamities shall continue with their operations even during holidays,” said presidential spokesman Harry Roque. “The Department of National Defense, through the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and the Office of Civil Defense, in coordination with concerned agencies of the government, is closely monitoring any possible weather disturbance and is working

round the clock to render the necessary services,” said Roque.

“As for Typhoon Urduja, the Department of Social Welfare and Development has mobilized relief operations to the affected parts of the country,” said Roque.

“DSWD-OIC Secretary Emmanuel Leyco assured [us] that his agency has a stockpile of 368,000 family food packs worth P223 million, food and non-food items worth P393 million and available standby funds amounting to P245 million,” said Roque.

Also on Sunday, Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez reiterated her call to speed the passage of a bill to crate a national agency to focus on disaster response. Bill Casas, Rio N. Araja, AFP

the Supreme Court en banc could only be an impeachable offense if it reveals a pattern of violating the tribunal’s collegial nature.

Although a chief justice merely presides over the 15-member body and is not the judiciary herself, Sereno’s supposedly unilateral order to create a regional court administration office (RCAO) would not rise to the level of an impeachable offense, he said.

“If the allegation is violating the collegial nature of the Court in just one instance, I personally do not think that it would rise to the level of an impeachable offense. But if the prosecution can establish a pattern committed by the CJ, then I think that can be impeachable,” he said.

Institute for Political and Electoral Reform executive director Ramon Casiple said the move to oust Sereno could be seen as an attempt to avenge the Aquino administration’s treatment of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo and Corona.

Casiple said this much was admitted by the complainant in the Sereno case, lawyer Lorenzo Gadon, who was once a lawyer for Arroyo.

House...

proceedings in the House, which constitutes more than the majority of the 15-member bench.

On Nov.28, the SC allowed its justices and officials invited by the House to testify in the impeachment proceedings against Sereno.

Voting unanimously, Sereno’s fellow magistrates in the Court decided to allow members of the judiciary to testify in hearings on issues raised in the impeachment complaint.

The justices and court officials were allowed to discuss administrative matters raised in the impeachment case.

During his appearance before the House, Jardeleza accused Sereno of treason when she disclosed a highly confidential memorandum in the West Philippine Sea arbitration case in objecting to his earlier nomination for a post in the Supreme Court and excluding him from the shortlist of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) for alleged question on integrity.

Brion also testified before

the House on the same issue and said the Chief Justice committed misrepresentation and acted with malice.

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

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

Sereno’s camp on Sunday scored the “apparent psywar campaign” to condition the mind of the public for her removal as chief justice.

One of her lawyers, Winnie Salumbides, said statements made inside and outside the hearings of the House committee on justice were purely hearsay, personal opinions, innuendos and optics to persuade the public into thinking that there is a basis to oust the chief justice.

erning illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, are Victor Karunungan, Eduardo Santos, Lyn Demartin Justo and Melva Valdez-Libao.

Karunungan is the vice president and chief financial officer of Arms Corporation of the Philippines, while Libao is the compan’s accounting supervisor.

Justo is employed as a bookkeeper of Armscor while Santos acts as its sales representative.

“Far from such knee-jerk reactions, we simply relayed that, as a general rule, if the information is legally effica-

cious on its face, and there is no showing of manifest error, nor wanton exercise of the faculty conferred upon the public prosecutor, courts should not dismiss it for want of evidence because fact-discovery and evidence presentation may still unfold at the appropriate forum,” the court said.

In opposing the company’s petition, the Justice Department noted that, after a series of raids conducted by the police following the massacre, it was discovered that some of the firearms used by the perpetrators and others that were dug up in Maguin-

danao belonged to the Philippine National Police.

The discovery prompted then PNP Chief Jesus Versoza to form an investigating team that conducted the accounting of the PNP equipment at certain pieces of real estate in Maguindanao.

Several police operations yielded many pieces of ammunition in Maguindanao which were identified through their lot numbers, which appeared to be that of Armscor.

Investigation further revealed that there were two illegal procurements that involved Armscor and the PNP on august

21, 2008 and April 10, 2009.

Investigation disclosed that it was Police Supt.

Bahnarin Kamaong, then group director of the 15th Regional Mobile Group, Police Regional Office of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao-ARMM, who instructed SPO4 Nicasio Ardaniel to procure the 5.56mm ammunition intended for the PRO-ARMM. Ardaniel coordinated with Santos for the purchase of 500,000 rounds of cartridge ball 5.56mm full metal jacket combat ammunition on Aug. 21, 2008.

ulator, Lambino said, he had rationalized the grant of the master licensor agreements with the First Cagayan Leisure and Resort Corp. and the North Cagayan Gaming and Amusements Corp.

The two master licensors, he said, had agreed to cancel their operations in Metro Manila and return to the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport in Santa

Ana, Cagayan, in compliance with the provisions of Executive Order 13.

Malacañang released the directive early this year to strengthen the fight against illegal gambling and clarify the jurisdiction and authority of government agencies in the regulation and licensing of gambling and online gaming facilities.

The separate supplemental

agreements recently signed between CEZA and FCLRC and NGGAC would inevitably pave the way for the entry of new players, Lambino said.

“With this move, we have now leveled the playing field. This will allow new and more players to come in, which will mean greater revenue for the government―money that we could

use to help support the social programs and projects of the President and help us build new infrastructure in CEZA.” Lambino said creating a highly competitive business environment in CEZA was a confidence-building measure that would send the message that no entity would get any special treatment from the agency.

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ALACAÑANG said Sunday it has decided not to suspend the military operations against the communists rebels.

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in a region devastated by Typhoon “Yolanda” four years ago, state weather forecasters said.

Disaster officials on Sunday warned that more floods and landslides were possible and said 15,500 passengers were stranded because ferry services remained suspended in parts of the central Philippines.

“I’ve been stranded for three days, sleeping in the bus, and I just want to get home to my family for Christmas,” Eliaquin Pilapil, a 55-yearold farmer, said from a port in the town of Matnog in the eastern province of Sorsogon.

“We’re given food once or twice a day and some of the

Sereno...

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campaign pushed by then President Benigno Aquino III, Corona was removed from the top judicial post after the Senate voted to find him guilty for not declaring all his assets in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN). President Aquino replaced him with Sereno.

“We removed an impeachable official for such a thing as a misstated SALN. That made the grounds for impeachment very ambiguous because now, such an act as acting contrary to the Constitution can be taken as a culpable violation of the Constitution,” Aquino said.

Law experts then had argued that an erroneous declaration of a SALN could not be ground for impeachment as such an error could be corrected and therefore could not be considered a culpable violation.

Asked about the other charges against Sereno, the former law dean said they should be taken in their totality.

For instance, he said the charge that Sereno had acted without the knowledge of

Aquino,...

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Dengvaxia shots in 2015 may be considered highly detrimental to the government,” Pimentel said.

Ejercito said those who had greater culpability were the underlings, the secretaries because they should have done due diligence But Ejercito, chairman of the Senate health committee, admitted that the Aquino administration made the “rushed” procurement of the dengue vaccine in “good faith.”

Ejercito said the allotment of P3.5 billion for the vaccination program without Congress’ nod was still questionable.

He also said the Senate

committee on health may also conduct a separate inquiry into the vaccination program, focusing mainly on the health aspects.

“It is possible there can be a hearing on the health aspect to give a chance on health experts on moving forward on what to do,” he said.

“My concern here is the 800,000 parents who were anxious because their children were vaccinated. It is our duty to inform the public, especially those parents of the 800,000 [children], on the developments,” Ejercito said.

The House committees on good government and public accountability and health are also conducting investigations into the vaccination program.

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on the impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon.

Judicial sources disclosed that Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano del Castillo, Samuel Martires and Andres Reyes Jr. have also been invited by the justice committee to appear in the hearings.

Earlier, Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, Francis Jardeleza and Noel Tijam took the witness stand, along with retired associate justice Arturo Brion.

Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio was also invited to attend the Jan. 18 hearing, but he has not yet committed to testifying until he knows which charges against Sereno he will be asked about.

Should the other six SC justices decide to testify, this would bring to nine the incumbent magistrates testifying before the impeachment

Court...

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‘‘While we are n unison towards the conclusion for the jettison of the petition, an assessment of petitioners supplication before us did not perforce mean that the cart was placed ahead of the horse, so to speak. Neither did we pronounce a premature determination of petitioners culpability, the appellate court ruled.

Facing trial for violation of Section 1 of Presidential Decree 1866, the law gov-

CEZA...

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executive, Lambino said, he had canceled the enterprise registration of 164 Business Process Outsourcing firms that provided support services to offshore gaming operators.

And in a move that fortified the agency’s role as reg-

tury long insurgency.

He said the peace talks were called off because of the left’s ‘‘pure nonsense’’ demand for a coalition government, which he opposed by insisting he should maintain control over the military and the police.

Lorenzana said he will not ask Duterte to declare a ceasefire with the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, due to the heightened guerrilla attacks against state forces.

The Defense chief said suspending military operations the NPAs would leave soldiers vulnerable to assaults from the leftist combatants.

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency recently met with foreign express delivery and domestic courier services to strengthen the measures aimed at intercepting illegal drugs that are smuggled using the mail and parcel system.

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino arranged the meeting on Friday after the recent confiscations of shabu, cocaine and ecstacy that were concealed inside packages entering the country.

“The presence of officials of international and domestic delivery express providers shows their willingness to help address the rising incidences involving mail and parcel service as a mode of trafficking dangerous drugs, “Aquino said in a statement.

Among the matters discussed were the different screening procedures to detect illegal drugs being

701st Infantry Brigade conducted a Community Support Program in Barangay Araibo, Pantukan, Compostela Valley that resulted in the mass surrender of 290 Underground Mass Organization members on Dec. 12, 2017.

Roque said the communists were notorious for conducting treacherous attacks even when there were unilateral ceasefires in the past during which the military lost scores of defenders.

Declaring a SOMO [suspension of military operations] now is not to the nation’s best interest as it would only expose our defenders to enemy attacks and embolden them to commit more atrocities, especially during their

By Bill Casas

anniversary,” Roque said.

“However, we do not discount possibilities that there may be circumstances that may arise for government to reconsider its present position.”

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday said he would not recommend to President Rodrigo Duterte to observe a traditional Christmas truce with the communist fighters, signaling sustained hostilities following the collapse of the peace talks with the Maoist rebels last month.

Amid the continued clashes during the negotiations, Duterte on Nov. 23 signed a proclamation unilaterally scrapping the peace process with the communists that aimed to end nearly half-cen-

Anti-narcs keep an eye on mail, parcel deliveries

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is no longer working and almost passé?” he added.

Duterte said to institute same sex marriage, the law would have to be changed, because marriage is currently defined as a union between a man and a woman.

“But we can change the law,” he said. “I don’t have any problems making it [between a man and] a man or a[ woman or a woman] or whatever is the predilection of the human being,” he added.

Earlier, presidential spokesman Harry Roque described Duterte as a “President of all Filipinos.”

“This administration has long espoused inclusivity and sensitivity,” Roque said.

“We make no distinction.”

“We are all Filipinos enjoying our rights, freedom and equality before the law,” Roque added.

Duterte said he hoped there would be no discrimination based on sexual preferences.

“The only problem is there are some places in this world that continue to harass lesbians [and] gays and in some places, some are detained and even killed,” Duterte said.

He added that he was against such discrimination and bigotry because two of his brothers-in-law were gay.

“So, I was riding the helicopter and trying to figure

Wet...

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Tropical cyclone warning signal no. 1 remained in effect over the southern part of Mindoro, Romblon Palawan, Aklan, Antique and Capiz.

The new storm, once it enters the Philippine area of responsibility, would be named “Vinta.”

It was spotted at 1,950 kms east of Mindanao.

Rio N. Araja

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MoNday, deceMber 18, 2017

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Coal tax hike to jack up power bill – solon

By Macon Araneta

t

He coal tax provision of the tax reform for acceleration and Inclusion bill will become a “pure pass on charge” resulting in additional P13.2-billion in electricity costs that consumers inevitably will have to bear, Senator Win gatchalian said over the weekend.

“Despite my affirmative vote, I would like to put on record that I still maintain my reservations regarding the massive increase in the excise tax on coal that has made it into the final version of the law for the President’s signature,” he stressed. the two chambers of congress agreed on a

compromise tax rate of P150 per metric ton on coal, divided into tranches over the next three years upon its enactment. this means the excise tax will be P50 per metric ton in 2018, P100 in 2019, and P150 in 2020. the original Senate version proposed a “100200-300” graduated tax increase.

the senator, also chairman of the Senate energy committee, explained the negative implications of the tax hike: “the tax hike up to P150 after three years will result in an average monthly rate increase of P14.348 for a 200 kWh household served by a 100% coal contracted distribution utility.

He said this is equivalent to the price of half a kilogram of rice for 2.7 million households.

While proponents of the coal tax increase may downplay its effects as negligible, gatchalian pointed out that Filipinos are already struggling through the pain of paying the highest power rates in Southeast asia.

With this, gatchalian stresses its supporters “miss the point entirely.” the senator challenged his colleagues who like him were likewise alarmed by the looming electricity rate hikes to support the passage of future legislation that would aim to cushion the impact of the electricity hike on consumers.

DILG Asec takes over federal drive

AdOPTed MeMBeRS. Philippine Constitution Association president and former Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (5th from left) and Development Academy of the Philippines President Elba Cruz (6th from right) were adopted as honorary members of the Sambisig Philippine Military Academy Class of 1991 during their Christmas Party at the Philippine Army Gym at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City. Ver Noveno

takIng the cue from President Duterte’s renewed pitch for federalism, the Department of Interior and local government has designated assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya as the new administrator for the department’s federalism and constitutional reform program.

DIlg officer-in-charge catalino cuy designated Malaya to the position, replacing assistant Secretary epimaco Densing III. Malaya, formerly the executive director of PDPlaban Federalism Institute, served as assistant secretary of the Department of education and of the office of the President.

Malaya’s experience as head of the federalism institute and his broad network in the academe would help the department in advancing the administration’s campaign for the shift to federalism, cuy said. “as directed by President Duterte, the DIlg needs to let the local governments and the ordinary people appreciate and understand how federalism will be able to change the course of our country and lead it towards development,” cuy said.

“With Malaya at the helm of the campaign, I am confident we can make this happen, cuy said.”

Malaya is currently assistant Secretary for communication and capacity Development of the DIlg.

Malaya said the DIlg will start coordinating with other national government agencies and with the Presidential communications operations office next year to involve the entire government bureaucracy in the campaign.

“We have to have one voice and one messaging in the federalism campaign, otherwise, we would not be able to bring our message across to our countrymen on how a shift to federalism would impact on our country and our lives,” he said.

Malaya said the DIlg will work closely with the Senate and the House of representatives next year. before the House of representatives went on a holiday break, it has begun tackling in the plenary level the House concurrent resolution no. 9 which urges both houses of congress to convene a constituent assembly “to propose amendments to or revision of the Philippine constitution.”

Malaya said the DIlg will also coordinate with the kapisanan ng mga brodkaster ng Pilipinas and the mass media to better inform the public of the advantages of a federal form of government.

DIlg will start consultations with local government leagues to make the campaign more inclusive and the proposed shift to be more responsive to the needs of local governments.

Early Parents deny negligence on their part led to death of 4-yr-old son Xmas for Marawi ‘bakwits’

By Rio N. Araja

By Bill Casas In celebratIon of the season of hope, love and peace, the office of the Presidential adviser on the Peace Process has partnered with Duyog Marawi to spread the spirit of christmas to the communities of internally displaced persons from Marawi city over the weekend.

With the theme “Puso at Kapayapaan: Magbigayan at Magmahalan,” the IDPs marked the holiday season with christmas carols, coloring activities for kids, and peace lectures. oPaPP Undersecretary and executive Director Diosita andot expressed her delight at the opportunity to give joy to the bakwits, especially to the children residing in evacuation centers.

“What we would really like is for you to hear and feel how much we love you. that love has been there, ever since the crisis in Marawi began,” said andot.

James alih abdul of oPaPP’s early recovery and rehabilitation Project said there’s a lesson in seeing the kids in harmony with each other.

tHe parents of a fouryear-old korean boy who fell from the 39th f loor of their family condominium unit in bonifacio global city in taguig have broken their silence for the first time, explaining the pain they

have gone through.

In an exclusive interview, the father and mother of victim kim Do Young, who requested not to be named, denied there was negligence on their part.

“I, along with our househelp, was preparing our lunch when the incident happened [last Dec.

9]. there was no truth that my mother or husband was with us at that time,” the mother told the Manila Standard.

“I noticed my [fouryear-old] boy was out of my sight for just a matter of two minutes or less inside our unit, prompting me to search every corner

of the house, but we could not find him,” she added.

She said she did not expect the boy would climb their “two-feet high” window and would fall “accidentally.” “the design of the window is not good enough to prevent a small child from falling,” she said.

She called on the management of two Serendra condominium to come up with a better design of the window.

She, however, clarified the family does not have any plan to file a case or to seek any indemnification from the management.

“We just do not want a

repeat of the accident,” she said.

Police said the victim fell from the 39th floor condominium of the building in front of SM aura Premier. the boy was rushed to the St. luke’s Medical center-global city but was declared dead on arrival.

DAR to send home 91 militant farmers

By Rio N. Araja

FilMiNeRA ChAiRMAN NAMed. The Board of Directors of Filminera Resources Corporation appointed Gloria Tan Climaco (3rd from left) as its new chairperson, replacing Rolando Q. Amores who retired from the company. Climaco served in the cabinet of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as presidential adviser for strategic projects. Earlier, she was chairman of SGV & Co., a member firm of Arthur Andersen, S.C., and has served on the board of companies in the Philippines and Singapore. . Amores served as Filminera’s chairman from 2008 to 2017 and as its president from 1999 to 2007. He has spent over 45 years in Philippine mining and was one of the pioneers of the ATLAS Masbate Gold Project as Process Design Engineer. Flanking Climaco are Filminera’s officers, partners and investors (from left): Dale Craig, B2Gold Corp. vice president for operations; Mike Cinnamond, B2Gold chief financial officer and senior vice president for finance; Roger Richer, B2Gold executive vice president, general counsel and secretary; Ray Mead, Phil. Gold Processing; and Refining Corp president; and Crispiniano Acosta, Filminera president.

tHe Department of agrarian reform will be sending home at least 91 farmers to Mindanao who have been camping in front of its central office in Quezon city for more than two months. acting Dar Secretary John castriciones said he wanted the concerned farmers to be with their families for christmas, adding it is high time to listen to the reasons why poor farmers go to the streets to ventilate their grievances and issues.

During his first meeting with agency officials, castriciones raised the issue of how to help the farmers, led by Pedro arnado, kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas-Southern Mindanao chairman who wrote him a solicitation letter ex-

pressing their desire to go home for christmas. the letter was addressed to castriciones and other officials and was coursed through the office of director leomides Villareal of the Public assistance and Media relations Service. the Dar chief immediately convened a team to plan out the program for the send-off ceremony. the technical education and Skills Development authority through deputy director Diosdado Padilla will also distribute scholarship certificates as part of the package the government for the farmers on the other hand, Quezon city Vice Mayor Joy belmonte will provide the farmers with food and boxes of bottled water for their days of travel.

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Opinion

MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Out of touch

F

OR three decades, Jose Maria Sison, the founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), has lived in self-exile, in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The outspoken communist leader, now 78 years old, has not been in his homeland since 1987.

In photographs, the communist leader who talks of revolution looks well fed and comfortable—often in sweaters that emphasize he is far away from Manila’s sweltering heat. Occasionally, communist websites show him in the company of young women, as was the case when his cadres celebrated his 75th birthday in February 2014 in Am-

sterdam. In 2017, his own website posted a photo of him dancing with a sexy Filipino actress in Amsterdam—giving the military ammunition with which to criticize him for living it up abroad, while his New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, on the run, lack food and shelter.

Although Sison dismissed this as propaganda, the impression nonetheless remains that he is out of touch, not only with the rebels in the countryside, but also with Philippine society as a whole, which has since moved on after 1987.

In his latest pronouncements, Sison predicted that the extension of martial law in Mindanao and its possible implementation nationwide would lead the military and the police to withdraw their support from President Rodrigo

Duterte and overthrow him in the same way that former presidents Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada were removed from power.

“In such an eventuality, the CPP and NPA [New People’s Army] would be happy with the limitation of bloodshed and with the resumption of peace negotiations … under a new president or a transitory people’s commission,” Sison said.

But this pronouncement too, is yet another example of how out of touch Sison really is. That he would choose to predict the actions of the military is particularly ironic, given that he cannot even get the NPA on the ground to stop its attacks on government forces while peace negotiations were under way.

Sitting from his perch in the Neth-

erlands, Sison may believe he has all the answers. But there are two sides to being the titular head of Asia’s longest running insurgency. The CPP-NPA may celebrate every year of their existence—but if they have been unable to achieve their goals after almost five decades of trying, it might just mean that not enough people believe in their cause.

While Mr. Sison tries to remotely engineer a revolution from Utrecht, he might ponder Chairman Mao’s words: “If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it yourself. If you want to know the theory and methods of revolution, you must take part in revolution. All genuine knowledge originates in direct experience.”

Disney will rue its merger with Fox

By Joe Nocera

Normalizing abnormality MARTIAL Law is abnormal. If all things were as they ought to be, there would be no need to declare martial law. That is exactly the reason that it is one of the emergency powers vested on the president, one to which strict constitutional checks are applied. Martial law cannot be the way government is “normally” run. Even in the diluted form that is ordained by the 1987 Constitution, martial law is still meant to allow the government to cope with abnormality. To transform it into the way things are normally done is to pervert it and to lead government into a precipitous metamorphosis.

While the Supreme Court

was hearing arguments on the first challenge to martial law in Mindanao, this question was asked: What did martial law actually effect that the “calling out powers” did not? In sum, it is the increased presence and marked participation of the military in civilian government that seems to make of martial law a more draconian measure available to the chief executive. It is, however, in the implementation—what soldiers and policemen think their powers are and what civilians think their rights have become—that is the real measure of the effect of martial law.

I recently listened to one very articulate lady from Mindanao report that under the martial law regime that has been in place now for some time— thanks to the benignity of Congress—people think that their right to file cases against abusive men and women in

uniform has been pared down.

While, legally, there may really be no basis for that belief, the fact is that if the locals of Mindanao are made to believe that martial law has created a class of virtual Platonic guardians responsible only to their commanders but not accountable to the people, then that cannot be good for Mindanao and for the country at all.

And now, it seems that we are in for a one-year extension of martial law. I do not accept Senator Franklin Drilon’s position that because the Constitution sets the duration of martial law at 60 days, there is no Constitutional warrant for extending it by a year. Textually, the Constitution allows Congress to extend it to a year. That is exactly why the Executive Secretary appeared before a joint session of Congress to present Malacanang’s case

In the case of a one-year extension of martial law, I still have to be convinced. for an extension.

My problem with this generous grant of power to the chief executive lies elsewhere.

There are only two legal bases for martial law: invasion and rebellion. Since there is no claim of an invasion, we can set that ground aside and pay heed only to rebellion. The government has announced that Marawi has been liberated, and that the leaders of the city’s siege have been “neu-

tralized”—consigned to eternity. However, the Executive Secretary informed Congress that government intelligence was convinced that a rebellion is actually still in progress—since both terrorist groups associated with militant Islam and the CPP-NPA rebels—are still in a state of rebellion, have declared that there would be no let-up in their attempts to overthrow the government and have figured in occasional skirmishes with government forces.

Even assuming the truth of all these averments, my doubts are not allayed, because there is an important phrase in the Constitution that qualifies invasion and rebellion: “when public safety requires it.” When the means ordinarily available to government, such as the mobilization of the armed

forces, increased police presence and vigilance and the coopting of a civilian militia can cope with the rebellion that government claims to persist, then really, there is no justification for martial law. So government is burdened to prove two matters of fact: first, that there exists an actual rebellion; second, that public safety requires the declaration of martial law. I am not sure that it has made its case on these twin requirements satisfactorily.

Threat of a rebellion, conspiracies in the offing to take up arms against the government, seized documents pointing to a plot to topple the established order do not constitute rebellion. Significantly, the phrase “imminent danger thereof” that appeared in the 1935 Constitution has been excised from the 1987 Turn to A5

SO THE rumblings were right: the Walt Disney Company is going to buy most of 21st Century Fox for $52.4 billion, just the latest megamerger in the rapidly consolidating media business. Disney is going to get Fox’s movie studio, its 39-percent stake in the European satellite company Sky, its cable networks like FX and National Geographic, its regional sports channels and a majority ownership in the streaming service Hulu.

In the days before the deal was announced on Thursday, most of the analysis was practically euphoric. Daniel Ives, the head of technology research at the consulting firm GBH Insights, described to its clients, as a “home run” that would create “a much more formidable Disney on both the content and streaming front for years to come.” The New York Times said it “would supercharge Disney’s global streaming-service ambitions, threaten to undercut Silicon Valley’s entertainment aspirations and most likely prompt further consolidation in Hollywood.”

And Paul Sweeney, the U.S. director of research and senior media/internet analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence, said it would be “the defining legacy deal” for Disney’s chief executive, Robert Iger.

Indeed, Iger again extended his contract, this time to 2021, to oversee the ultimate deployment of the Fox assets.

I hate to be the skunk at the garden party, but Iger better hope this deal isn’t his legacy. If it is, I fear he’ll be remembered as this decade’s Gerald Levin, the former chief executive of Time Warner who merged his company in 2000 with the wrong partner (AOL) at the wrong time (two months before the internet bubble burst), and orchestrated one of the worst deals in history.

Disney is characterizing the Fox purchase primarily as a way to combat Netflix. The idea is that when you gather Disney and Pixar movies, along with Fox shows like The Simpsons and Fox-produced shows like Turn to A5

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Opinion

MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017

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Toward sustainable mining AT THE approach of Christmas, good cheer ironically seems to be in short supply.

Traffic has predictably gotten worse, while the MRT continues to be besieged by unending interruptions. A tax reform bill that is supposed to bring relief to many Filipinos is expected to have a burdening effect on low-income consumers, all while the Department of Health tries to control the fall-out from a controversial vaccination program.

The mining industry, which for years had been mired in controversy, will at least end 2017 in high spirits. Two Philippine miners have won top honors at the inaugural Asean Minerals Awards (AMA). Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC) in Palawan won in the Best Practices in Mineral Mining category, while OceanaGold’s Didipio GoldCopper mine in Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya bagged the citation for the Best Practices

in Mineral Processing category. The awards were given at the 17th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Minerals held at the M Gallery Hotel, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

The two members of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines bested several entries from other membercountries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or Asean, indicative perhaps of the level of standard for mining that these firms practice. Unfortunately, much of their efforts had been overshadowed by the highly emotional debate brought to fore by the appointment of the environmentalist and former Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez.

In fact, the Chamber this year, in coordination with the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau, has formally announced that it is adopting the Towards Sustainable Mining initiative, an emerging mining sustainability standard developed by the Mining Association of Canada.

COMP is the first Southeast Asian association to adopt the standard and only

the fourth outside of Canada to do so, after Finland, Argentina, and Botswana.

The mechanism is mandatory for all the Canadian operations of the association, although many members also voluntarily apply it to their international sites. Under TSM, the Philippine mining sector can likewise finally realize its vision of a country fully benefiting from a robust and responsible industry.

“There is so much that minerals development, done responsibly, can contribute to the economy of a nation and to the welfare of mining communities, as shown by numerous examples in the Philippines,” said Gerard H. Brimo, Chairman of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, and President and CEO of the Nickel Asia Corporation. “The adoption of TSM by members of the Chamber of Mines is intended to institutionalize practices that secure these contributions for the long term.”

Launched in 2014, TSM covers tools designed to improve the environmental and social performance of a country’s mining industry, includ-

ing engagement with civil society and enhanced transparency and accountability.

In particular, it requires mining companies to annually assess the performance of their facilities in key areas, such as tailings management, community outreach, safety and health, biodiversity conservation, crisis management, and energy use and greenhouse gas emissions management.

The results from the audit are freely available to the public and are subject to external verification every three years.

COMP said it will tailor its performance areas to the unique reality of the domestic mining sector while still strongly aligning them with the original intent of the initiative. For instance, if TSM is designed to be under the guidance of an independent, multi-interest advisory panel, the local implementation will also make use of a similar mechanism to perform the critical oversight function.

“It is our privilege to share our tools and expertise in sustainable mining practices with the world. With the Philippines’ adoption of TSM, we’re proud to say that our made-in-

Canada program is now in five countries on five continents,” said Pierre Gratton, President and CEO of the Mining Association of Canada.

These positive developments come after the interagency Mining Industry Coordinating Council officially voted to lift the ban on openpit mining issued six months ago by Lopez “provided that mining laws, rules, and regulations are strictly enforced.”

DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu, had said the agency would follow MICC’s recommendation, in what is a marked turnaround from the previous leadership’s staunchly antimining stance.

This string of good developments will boost the serious initiative of largescale mining firms under the Chamber of Mines to cleanse its ranks and weed out the non-compliant mining operations toward setting a high standard for responsible mining and self-regulation. The adoption of the TSM, which President Rodrigo Duterte himself cited as a viable system to implement, thus represents a major breakthrough for the sector.

Consider the consequences of #BelieveAllWomen

By Megan McArdle FIRST there was Harvey Weinstein, whose appalling behavior toward women was so amply documented by the New York Times and the New Yorker. The dominoes began to fall. And soon they reached into my own industry.

It wasn’t just Bill O’Reilly.

Now the cascading accusations were reaching deep into the heart of the mainstream media.

Charlie Rose … Matt Lauer …

Mark Halperin … even liberal outlets like NPR and the New Republic were not spared. For that matter, not even the New Yorker and the New York Times were spared: At the Times, star political reporter Glenn Thrush is under investigation, and the New Yorker has just fired its star political reporter, Ryan Lizza, over “improper sexual conduct.”

Some of these cases were clearly and inexcusably abusive—the actions egregious and the corroborating accounts damning.

Others, however, were less clear. Leon Wieseltier of the New Republic seems to have been accused mostly of making young women who were not his subordinates uncomfortable through risqué comments and the occasional clumsy pass. Thrush apparently is accused of hitting on

Normalizing...

From A4

Constitution. Nothing short of an actual rebellion is what the fundamental law requires.

I am not only advocating fidelity to a printed page—although that page is no ordinary one. It is, after all, the Constitution. I am, more importantly, reiterating what it is that we as a people opted for when we ratified the 1987 Constitution and the constitutions before it: We made a sovereign decision that we would have a government civilian in character and democratic in structure and operation—hence, marked by separation of powers and

younger women who work in his industry, and occasionally at his outlet, though he had no managerial power over them. And Lizza is accused of … what? We don’t know.

Normally when a publication decides to fire a reporter for cause, it does one of two things: It quietly announces their departure without stating a reason, giving the reporter some room to find another job; or, when the malfeasance may have impacted the reporting, it announces exactly why the person was fired, publishes the results of the internal investigation, and makes it clear which stories are being corrected or rescinded as a result of the reporter’s misbehavior.

The New Yorker did neither; after what appears to have been a fairly brief investigation, it announced that Lizza was a sexual abuser, but left the rest of us to guess at what sort of abuse might be involved.

Lizza, meanwhile, says: “The New Yorker has decided to characterize a respectful relationship with a woman I dated as somehow inappropriate. The New Yorker was unable to cite any company policy that was violated. … This decision, which was made hastily and

without a full investigation of the relevant facts, was a terrible mistake.”

Tavis Smiley of PBS reports a similar experience: “PBS launched a so-called investigation of me without ever informing me. … Only after being threatened with a lawsuit, did PBS investigators reluctantly agree to interview me for three hours.

If having a consensual relationship with a colleague years ago is the stuff that leads to this kind of public humiliation and personal destruction, heaven help us. The PBS investigators refused to review any of my personal documentation, refused to provide me the names of any accusers, refused to speak to my current staff, and refused to provide me any semblance of due process to defend myself against allegations from unknown sources. Their mind was made up.”

Now, I don’t know the truth of Smiley’s or Lizza’s cases; I don’t have enough detail to form an opinion.

And yet, that in itself seems disturbing. It seems safe to say that few of these men will ever work in journalism again; there is a blacklist, and unless they can conclusively clear themselves, most of their names are on it.

Some of these accusations are both clear enough and credible enough—with multiple sources and good documentation—that the economic death penalty is clearly justified. But what about cases like Thrush, where it’s not clear exactly what line is thought to have been crossed.

More disturbing still is what Lizza and Smiley both seem to be alleging: hasty investigations, reminiscent of the Star Chamber, in which the verdict appears to be predetermined and the accused is not offered adequate chance to defend himself.

Blacklisting people so cavalierly is hard to defend. But with “believe all women” the order of the day, that’s effectively the new regime we’re looking at. No outlet wants to be deemed insufficiently concerned with sexual abuse. And even if a company were willing to endure the public outrage, its lawyers seem likely to advise against it. After all, if you hire the guy who got accused of sexual harassment, and he does it again, the company is going to be on the hook for a whole lot of money.

Unfortunately, when we accept no limits on what constitutes a crime, and when we

lower the standards of evidence for believing a crime has occurred, we aren’t necessarily furthering the cause of crime-reduction.

Of course, some people might say that that’s just too bad, but we’re going to have to expect some casualties in the war on the patriarchy.

Women have left jobs for years because they couldn’t stand the harassment; have found their careers stalled because they wouldn’t play along; have spent far too many hours desperately trying to dodge creeping hands. Why should we weep because a few innocent men are now victims?

One answer is that “truth and justice matter.” That’s a good answer.

But if it doesn’t satisfy you, here’s another: Moral panics aren’t good for anyone, including the victims they’re trying to protect.

How can we risk adding insult to the already-grievous injuries of a woman who has been raped, by also demanding that she prove she’s not a liar? And yet, if we don’t, we risk convicting people who are innocent, and damaging our own cause.

If we reify too many weak or false claims, the norm will quickly slide toward “believe no women.” Bloomberg

checks and balances.

Martial law, in some way, alters the calibration—and that is the reason that there are constitutional limits and legal parameters. That too is the reason that aside from Legislative concurrence, the factual bases are now justiciable issues that the Supreme Court may pass upon.

While we are at it, let me return to a thesis I earlier advanced.

When the Constitution allows that the declaration of martial law be challenged “in an appropriate proceeding by any citizen,” I read the Charter as prescribing that the citizen make use of one of the available proceedings allowed by

the rules to challenge Martial Law—and clearly, this would be the office of the prerogative writ of certiorari. In law as in science, it is salutary to abide by the canon of parsimony— avoid unnecessary “special cases”, and that is exactly what the Supreme Court did when it ruled that a case challenging the declaration of Martial Law was “sui generis”. I can understand why it earlier held extradition cases to be sui generis.

They in fact are. But questioning the declaration of Martial Law? That is, to my mind, challenging government to show that it did not abuse its constitutional discretion

in declaring Martial Law. So, why the reticence about categorizing it as a certiorari proceeding?

Again, this is not merely a matter of procedural nicety. It is rather keeping the branches of government within their proper spheres.

The Supreme Court cannot arrogate unto itself the task of the Executive—and the Constitution allocates to the Chief Executive the power to determine whether martial law should be declared or not. The Supreme Court is not some kind of “second consul” like ancient Rome had that checks on the first consul’s determination. It is limited to

determine whether or not the President has acted whimsically and capriciously. That is to say that while the justices may disagree about whether martial law should be declared or not, absent any showing of whim, caprice or arbitrariness that is truly arrant and palpable, whether or not martial law should be declared should be an Executive decision—subject at all times and in every manner to the requirements of the Constitution. And in the case of a one-year extension of martial law, I still have to be convinced!

Disney...

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Homeland, and put them all on one streaming app, you’ll have a powerhouse that can go toe-to-toe with Netflix as well as Amazon.

I’m skeptical. First, Netflix and Amazon have what used to be called first-mover advantage; they have such a head start, both in terms of buzz-generating content and superb technology, that Disney is going to be hard-pressed to catch up. Second, most of what Disney is buying is tied to the cable bundle, which Disney has been loath to abandon.

“In the short term, adding Fox networks like FX will only add to that pricing power, and will probably help Disney’s earnings.

But over the long haul, as

subscribers continue to abandon cable TV, having all those networks is more likely to become an albatross.

The part of the Disney/Fox merger that makes the most business sense is combining the two companies’ movie studios.

Such a consolidation will save money (indeed, Disney doesn’t even want Fox’s studio lot), give Disney control of a tremendous library of 21st Century Fox movies, and add to Disney’s clout with movie theaters.

Perhaps too much clout, though: Disney and Fox together now control 40 percent of the movie business, and one has to wonder whether the Justice Department’s antitrust department will insist that the companies divest some of their movie assets to reduce their power over

the theaters. Given the government’s current opposition to the proposed AT&T-Time Warner merger, I suspect that the answer is yes.

Which of course would negate the point of the deal, at least in terms of the movie business.

It’s the television portion of the merger that really makes me wonder what Disney is thinking. Let’s consider first Disney’s current streaming strategy. With subscribers fleeing from its former cash cow, ESPN, it has announced that next spring it will offer a streaming version of the sports network to people who don’t have a cable subscription.

It’s also going to take back all the movie and TV content it currently licenses to Netflix and put it on its own Disney treaming service, which is expected to start up in

rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@outlook.com

2019. It will charge a monthly fee for each service.

But there is a catch, and it’s a fatal one: it’s not planning to stream any content that is on the existing cable channels. With the new Disney streaming app, that probably won’t matter all that much. Parents especially will probably subscribe to a Disney streaming service that includes Disney and Pixar movies. But will it put “The Americans” on that app if it is still on television?

Or any of the FX shows? If the answer is no, then the popularity of the new Disney app will be limited.

As for the upcoming ESPN app, I’m trying to imagine the caliber of games and other sports content it will show if it can’t overlap with anything ESPN is offering on cable television. Col-

China cannot be trusted CLAIMING that its continued military buildup in the West Philippine Sea is “normal,” China has shown the world that it cannot be trusted.

This, even after the international tribunal in The Hague had already ruled that its expansive claim in the South China Sea is illegal and in fact has no basis.

Recent satellite sightings showed images of Chinese construction of radar installations and fortifications on man-made islands. The Chinese piled up rocks and soil on the protruding reefs and shoals to convert them into islands.

Why? Because their nearest coastal line in Hainan is some 800 nautical miles from disputed waters also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

Call it ingenious engineering but it’s more an evil design to advance Beijing’s ambitious plan to claim sole rights to explore the possible oil, gas and mineral underneath the South China Sea to the exclusion of other parties who have more right to these resources. Two weeks ago, a pompous China issued a statement saying it is “unhappy” the Philippines signed a joint exploration contract in the disputed waters with Taiwan. But who cares if the Chinese are unhappy people when they cannot get their way through bullying their smaller neighbors?

China’s posture is a threat to the vital sea lanes through which trillions of dollars in commercial cargo carried by Beware the international vessels pass.

Chinese bearing China has crossed the red line and it’s time to sound the gifts. alarm bells. The new expression is no longer “beware the Greeks bearing gifts”—an allusion to how Athens overran and captured Sparta by leaving behind a large wooden Trojan horse containing soldiers. The Spartans pulled in the Trojan horse as a war trophy into its fort. And while the Spartans slept, the Greeks came out of the giant wooden horse, opened the gates to the enemy and laid siege to the city.

To make a long story short, there’s always a lesson to be learned from history: Beware the Chinese bearing gifts.

The Duterte administration should not be complacent simply because the Chinese has given weapons to fight the Maute/ISIS terrorists, funds to rebuild war-torn Marawi and more funds for infrastructure projects like building two new bridges across the Pasig River to ease vehicle traffic on Edsa.

There are more than strings attached to these “gifts.”

These are ropes with which to hang ourselves.

Our Tsinoy taipans are doing their best to contribute to the progress of our country. Industrialist Lucio Tan, George Ty, Ramon Ang, John Gokongwei , Andrew Tan are investing in much needed projects from housing to airport. They are already doing their share so we do not have to depend on a domineering China.

Battle in the Senate On another front, the battle lines are forming in the impending impeachment trial in the Senate of Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. That the articles of impeachment are going to be forwarded by the Senate to the House is a foregone conclusion. What is going on now is how the senators will vote. There are presently 19 senators in the upper chamber. Senator Leila de Lima is detained on alleged drug trafficking while Alan Peter Cayetano has moved to the Department of Foreign Affairs as Secretary.

Counting heads, Senators Ping Lacson, Richard Gordon, Koko Pimentel, Grace Poe, Tito Sotto, Loren Legarda, Cynthia Villar, Manny Pacquiao, Joel Villanueva , Sherwin Gatchalian, Greg Honasan, Nancy Binay, Edgardo Angara and Ralph Recto would probably vote to convict and impeach Sereno given the evidence presented by the House prosecution panel.

Voting along partisan lines, the Liberal Party members in the Senate—Senators Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros and Magdalo’s Antonio Trillanes III –would unlikely to go with the majority which needs at least 17 votes. A preponderance of evidence does not necessarily mean a sure conviction.

Known as knowledgeable lawyers, Senators Joker Arroyo and Miriam Defensor Santiago dissented to acquit the late Chief Justice Renato Corona. Senator Bongbong Marcos also cast his vote to acquit Corona.

There are questions whether detained Senator De Lima can vote in the impeachment trial. The answer, according to observer-lawyers, is no because De Lima has to be present in the Senate to hear the arguments in the case.

Why is the numbers game so crucial in the Sereno case?

While Sereno has made enemies within the high court, the Duterte administration needs a majority there given the case elevated to the SC on the constitutionality of a one year extension of martial law in Mindanao.

The petition was filed by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman and a group of congressmen who challenged the vote to extend martial law up to December 31, 2018.

The oppositors claimed that the Constitution only provides the extension of a proclaimed martial law up to 60 days.

gate-Bucknell basketball instead of Monday Night Football? Texas Tech-Mississippi volleyball instead of Atlantic Coast Conference basketball? How many sports fans would subscribe?

The big problem is that Iger is trying to do two conflicting things at once. He is trying to have Disney become a force in streaming while still trying to extract as much revenue as possible from the cable bundle that was once so good to his company. The deal with Fox won’t change that dynamic at all.

The Fox cable channel FX, for instance, currently requires users of its app to have a cable subscription. If that doesn’t change, as appears likely, Disney will lose cordcuttersjust as it is currently losing ESPN subscribers.

As for Hulu, it is unclear what Disney would be able to do with

it without the consent of Comcast, which will still own 30 percent of the service. And in any case, it is hard to envision what it might do with Hulu that would in any way harm Netflix.

The point is, the cable bundle is doomed. It may take awhile to disappear, but the day is coming when the vast majority of TV viewers will get their content streamed.

Disney has great content. There is no doubt that it could be used to let Disney compete with the likes of Netflix. But for that to happen, Iger has to stop worrying about shortterm earnings and Disney’s stock price—and take the plunge.

To put it another way, if Iger truly were looking to the future, the last thing he’d be spending Disney’s money on would be Fox. Wrong deal, wrong time.

Bloomberg

News

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

3 camps are Gulayan achievers D AVAO CITY—Three military camps in Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental joined this year’s awardees of Gulayan Achievers by the Department of Agriculture-High Value Crops Development Program.

This year’s big winners in Gulayan sa Kampo (GSK) are the 71st Infantry (Kaibigan) Battalion in Mawab, Compostela Valley, 25th Infantry (Fireball) Battalion in Monkayo, also in Compostela Valley, and the 28th

Infantry (Kamagong) Battalion in Mati City, Davao Oriental.

They were among DA’s ‎2017-2018 Gulayan Achievers.

DA 11 Director Ricardo Oñate Jr. lauded the Armed

Forces of the Philippines for their commitment to support DA’s advocacy to provide available and affordable food.

HVCDP coordinator Melani Provido also thanked the participating schools for their continued support to the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program.

“Our teachers became the second parent of our child (sic) and their influence plays a big role in molding their development. The time the teachers integrate the GPP program in their school, the students can now understand

that they too can produce quality and nutritious foods,” Provido said.

On the other hand, the Best School Garden implementers for 2‎ 017-2018 in the elementary container garden category are: San Roque Elementary School in Davao City—first place; Mawab Central Elementary School in Mawab, Compostela Valley Province—second place; and, Don Ricardo Briz Central Elementary School in Tagum City, Davao del Norte -- third place.

For elementary field garden category, the winners are New Bantayan Elementary School in Asuncion, Davao del Norte—first place; Cadalian Elementary School in Davao City—second place; and the New Albay Elementary School in Maragusan, Compostela Valley province —third place.

For high school container garden category, the winners are Andili National High School in Compostela Valley province -- first place; Dujali National High School in

B.E. Dujali, Davao del Norte —second place; and, Puntalinao National High School in Banaybanay, Davao Oriental —third place.

The winners for the high school field garden category are Manat National High School in Nabunturan, Compostela Valley province— first place; Manuel B. Guiñez National High School in Banaybanay, Davao Oriental —second place; and, Sacub National High School in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur— third place. PNA

Do not fill Xmas parties with smoke, says NVAP

By Macon RamosAraneta THE New Vois Association of the Philippines (NVAP) is calling on the public to spare Christmas parties they will be attending from being filled with cigarette smoke.

NVAP President Emer Rojas says members of hs group are hopeful smokers will allow their families and friends to fully enjoy the holiday season without being annoyed and worried over cigarette smoke.

“Let us stop ourselves from smoking, especially when we attend so many Christmas parties in the coming days,” said Rojas.

“The best gift we can give to our friends, families, and loved ones this Christmas is not to bring them the threat that come with cigarette smoking, particularly second hand smoke,” he furthered.

Second hand smoke is tobacco smoke exhaled by smokers or is given off by burning tobacco and is inhaled by persons nearby.

In the days leading to Christmas, offices, groups, and families are expected to hold parties to celebrate the joyous occasion.

Such parties provide opportunities to eat, drink, and smoke among relatives and friends.

Aside from sparing Christmas parties, the anti-smoking advocate said it would be good if smokers would make it their New Year’s resolution to quit smoking.Macon Ramos-Araneta

GOOD GOVERNANCE. For its relentless pursuit for sustainable progress and exemplary public service policies, Malabon City has become one of the top recipients of the 2017 Seal of Good Local Governance. Deemed as the highest accolade given to LGUs that consistently passed all assessment areas, the SGLG symbolizes integrity and good performance through continuing governance reform and sustained local development.

Malabon gets Seal of Good Governance FORT its relentless pursuit for sustainable progress and exemplary public service policies, Malabon City has emerged as one of the top recipients of the 2017 Seal of Good Local Governance.

Deemed as the highest accolade given to LGUs that consistently passed all assessment areas, the SGLG symbolizes integrity and good performance through continuing governance reform and sustained local development.

Under Mayor Antolin Oreta III, Malabon City is honored to have earned the award twice – the first in 2015 (along with the issuance of Good Financial Housekeeping Certification) and the most recent last November, the LGU said in a statement.

The award was presented to Oreta by DILG OIC Catalino Cuy, with Undersecretaries Eduardo Ano and Austere Panadero, DILG NCR Regional Director Maria Lourdes Agustin and Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Francis Tolentino.

As SGLG awardee, Malabon City shall be entitled access to the Performance Challenge Fund meant to subsidize various city projects.

The cash incentive will be used to sustain the health projects of the city, one of which is a modern birthing facility to help monitor the first 1,000 days of children, starting from the womb, it said in the statement.

Villar underlines need for farm mechanization

By Macon RamosAraneta

SINCE the Philippines lags behind its regional neighbors in farm mechanization, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, chair of the Senate agriculture and food committee, has underscored the need for this basically agricultural economy of 106 million people to catch up fast.

“Our country started late in our mechanization efforts compared with our Asian neighbors so there is a need for us to have a lot of catching up to do,” Villar told the National Forum on the Implementation of Agricultural & Biosystems

Engineering & Mechanization Regulations, sponsored by the Professional Regulatory Board of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering & Philippine Society of Agricultural Engineers.

She exhorted all stakeholders in the agricultural sector to work together in achieving or reaching mechanization targets.

All efforts, she said, must be geared towards the realization of our collective goal for the agriculture sector and the Philippines, which is an agricultural country.

The senator said the end-result of collaboration and concerted efforts was a response to

the mandate of the Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization Law, (AFMech Law) which is needed in the agriculture sector if the Philippinbes must be competitive.

The AFMech Law helps promote the development and adoption of modern, appropriate, cost-effective and environmentally safe agricultural and fisheries machinery and equipment to enhance farm productivity and efficiency to achieve food security and increase farmers’ income.

Based on studies, she said two of the barriers confronting farmers, fisherfolks and agricultural workers were the lack of mechanization and techni-

cal expertise.

Agricultural and fisheries mechanization refers to the development, adoption, assembly, manufacture and application of appropriate, location-specific and costeffective agricultural and fisheries machinery.

It uses human, animal, mechanical, electrical, renewable and other non conventional sources of energy for agricultural production and post harvest or postproduction operations consistent with agronomic conditions and for efficient and economic farm and fishery management towards modernization of agriculture and fisheries.

Aside from addressing mechanization, Villar recognized that the training regulations for the agri-fisheries mechanization sector will truly equip the industry players, particularly farmers and fisherfolks, with the valuable skills and know-how or the technical expertise that will really give them competitive edge.

At present, the TRs for the agri-fisheries mechanization sector is being rolled out.

Villar said line-up of TRs is truly impressive as it will equip trainees with relevant and advanced technical knowhow that will truly benefit the industry stakeholders.

OBITUARY Gonzales, 68 Ricardo Gonzales Jose, known to family and friends as” “Totoy,” passed away on August 13, 2017, at the age of 68 years.

He succumbed after a brief battle with NonHodgkins Lymphoma in his home in Project 4, Quezon City and was laid to eternal rest at the Manila North Cemetery.

A native of Baler, Aurora, Ricardo attended the National University and graduated with a degree in Architecture.

He worked for the National Statistics Office until his retirement after 38 years in service.

He is survived by siblings Edgardo, Benjamin, Maria Theresa and Angelito.

Pacquiao hails PH's fisherfolk

FAKE GOODS SEIZED. Customs Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Ricardo Quinto (left) and Intelligence Division

chief Gilbert Buanafe lead in the inspection of counterfiet goods with an estimated market value of P521.93 million seized in a warehouse in Pasay City the BoC said came from China. Norman Cruz

SENATOR Manny Pacquiao hailed Saturday the country's fisherfolk for their invaluable contribution to both the local and national economy.

He expressed tribute to the fisherfolk during the distribution and simple turn-over ceremony of 55 motorized banca to the beneficiaries at the fish port complex in Gen. Santos City.

"We are gathered here today to fulfill our commitment to improve the lot of our people especially those who are in need," Pacquiao said.

The 55 motorized bancas turned over to Sarangani and Gensan fisherfolk were part of the 1,000 motorized bancas to be distributed under the auspices of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Department of Agriculture.

Pacquiao thanked Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the Philippine Fisher-

ies Development Authority including local government units and private sector for the success of the project.

"Through the help and cooperation of these agencies, we were able to extend succor to our fisherfolk. This is just a beginning. We will continue doing these to uplift the living condition of our fishermen in different parts of the country," Pacquiao said.

The boxer-lawmaker added "Today, we recognize the hard work of our fisherfolk all-year round. And also today, we thank them by rewarding them."

According to him, giving out free motorized fishing boats to the fisherfolk was just one of the many ways to recognize their toils and sacrifices in helping provide food for the country.

He revealed the release of 200 more motorized fishing boats to beneficiaries in other parts of the country was now being processed.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

Sports

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Surigao is winningest golf squad

By Dexter See

D

ESPITE a sweep for Manila Southwoods in the premier flights, Team Surigao of Surigao Rep. and former Gov. Robert Ace Barbers proved to be the most dominant after winning four trophies in 12 flights, including two titles of the regular 68th Department of Tourism FilAm Invitational Golf Tournament that concluded Saturday.

That is beside the three individual crowns in three groups for Barbers’ men.

After leading Team Surigao I to third place in a highly competitive Fil A, Barbers’ Surigao I took the

championship trophy in Am D, while the Surigao Omni Pharma led a 1-2 finish in Fil E, with Surigao II as the runner-up.

Fil A was won by Batangas Barakos in dominant

fashion after firing 134 and 136 points at Camp John Hay during the first two days for a total of 465 and a 19-point win over San Miguel Corporation. SMC has a closing round of 109 and 446 total to overtake Surigao I, which had a fourth day sum of 103 and 443 total.

Surigao Omni Pharma, meanwhile, started with a two-point lead over Surigao II, then slowly increased this for the winning margin of 26 over the latter. Surigao II, on the other hand, gave up the second spot to eventual third place Eaglemasters, drew even on the penultimate round then, outshot the Davao group, 75-66, in the last round for the nine-point difference.

It was a totally dominant

Surigao team in Am D, starting with a 14-point lead on eventual second placers Cool Jocks. They increased it to 21 on Day 2, further improved it to 36 on the third, before settling to a 37-point shot win.

Uragun Golf was another 33 points down.

With its second-place finish in the Fil Championship, Forest Hills also took third place in the Am Championship, finishing behind Southwoods and Razons of Guagua.

Royal Northwoods finished second in Am A to add up to its third-place effort in the Fil Championship.

Co-host Camp John Hay has a 1-2 finish to count among the multi-winners in the annual competition, which gave away a Toyota Altis in the first week

of competition to retired police general Elmer Soria.

CJH scored a closing round 97 for 408 points for a twoshot victory on three-day leader Greenwater Golfers in Fil B. Co-host Baguio Country Club finished third after an 88 and 395 total.

Aside from its third-place finish in Am D, Uragun also took second place in Am E. San Miguel also took a second place finish in Am B finishing 18 points behind champion Camp Aguinaldo.

Dugong landed third, nine points behind the tournament’s presentor.

Fifteen-year-old Joo Hyung Kim led Manila Southwoods to the crown in the Fil Championship when he holed out with a two un-

der for 38 points, the first in the short BCC course in two weeks of competition. Southwoods assembled 137 points for 561 points and a 29-point win over first-round leader Forest Hills.

Southwoods Am team completed a double whammy at the CJH course and another dominating year when it closed with 134 and 501 for a 50 shot win over Razons of Guagua.

Joo, meanwhile sneaked past first- and third-round leader Jude Eustaquio of Forest Hills for the championship individual title. Joo’s closing round of 38 gave him 144 points to equal Eustaquio but won by virtue of the higher closing round. Eustaquio closed with a 33.

Dewey Boulevard bags PCSO Gold Cup

Rose wins Indonesia Masters

JAKARTA (AFP)-England’s Justin Rose fired a brilliant round of 10 under par to cruise to victory at the $750,000 Indonesian Masters Sunday.

Rose, who is ranked six in the world, was the form player at the Asian Tour’s season-ending event and finished 29 under for the tournament, eight shots clear of Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai.

The win caps a stellar end to the season for the Englishman in which he has won three tournaments in the past two months.

“That’s my largest ever winning margin at a tournament,” Rose told reporters at a press conference.

“To really do it at the end of the long season, to come here with my game in good shape and to deal with the jetlag, deal with the rain delays, to stay focused all four rounds, is something I’m very pleased about.”

Following a curtailed day of play Saturday, competitors had to complete their third round early Sunday before commencing with the fourth at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

After finishing his remaining 10 holes with seven birdies and one bogey for a third round six-under-par 66, Rose held a three shot lead over Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent going into the final round.

Rose started strongly with four birdies in a row before eagling the ninth to make the turn at seven-under-par 29.

everyone’s expectations and simply ran a perfect race, a true championship performance,” according to the multi-titled horse owner and breeder, who collected his third Presidential Gold Cup trophy.

Another significant factor that came into play for Dewey Boulevard was Esguerra’s decision to tap the services of veteran jockey Patricio ‘Patty” Dilema to partner the multiple stakes winning galloper. The proven journeyman rider is no stranger to winning the Gold Cup, having piloted the likes of Wind Blown, Pugad Lawin and Dixie Gold to stellar victories in the local classic.

“He handled him very, very well and their partnership was a perfect fit, like hand in glove,” said Esguerra, who also credited Dilema for setting a perfect pace with splits of 25.5-24.524.5-24-26 for a final clocking of 2:05 over the classic Jockey Patricio “Patty” Dilema raises his hand in victory following Dewey Boulevard’s wire-to-wire victory in the recent PCSO Presidential Gold Cup Race at the Metroturf in Malvar, Batangas.

2,000-meter route.

“As they say, pace makes the race and Patty made sure that they were in complete control of the race’s pace from the opening of the gates through the final stretch,” he The Eaglets will head into the Tomas overcame University of the ATENEO overwhelmed De La added.

Salle-Zobel, 87-63, to complete Christmas break with a perfect East, 106-99, to solidify its hold Esguerra and Dilema’s on third place at 5-2. a first-round sweep in the UAAP 7-0 record.

PERPETUAL Help has tapped multi-titled partnership has actually RJ Abbarientos and LJ GonzaEarlier, National University reSeason 80 juniors basketball tourmentor Frankie Lim as its new consultant with come full circle, having pinament yesterday at the Filoil Fly- bounded from last week’s 15-point les combined for 41 points to lead hopes of rejuvenating its campaign in time for loted Wind Blown to vicloss to Ateneo with a 103-79 over- Far Eastern University-Diliman to ing V Centre. the 93rd NCAA season next year. tory in the 2001 edition of Five Blue Eaglets’ players pro- powering of UP Integrated School. a 96-91 overtime conquest of Ad“I’ve been appointed as a team consultant the Presidential Gold Cup at RJ Minerva had 18 points and amson University to finish its first duced double-digits scoring with last month to help the team and also in recruitthe Santa Ana Park, which SJ Belangel leading the charge eight rebounds, while Rhayyan round stint with a 4-3 card. ment,” said Lim. was attended no less by then The Baby Falcons and the JuAmsali chipped in 13 points, seven with 23 points.

The decision came days after the NCAA President Gloria MacapagalJoaqui Manuel had 16 points and 13 boards, four steals and three assists nior Archers fell at 3-4 and 2-5, Policy Board reportedly lifted Lim’s indefiArroyo, the last time that a rebounds, Dave Ildefonso and Jason to power the Bullpups in claiming respectively, while the Junior Manite ban for figuring in a fight with San Sesitting Chief Executive has roons slipped to their sixth loss in Credo each scored 13 points, while their sixth win in seven contests. bastian volleyball mentor Roger Gorayeb ever graced the blue-ribbon CJ Cansino produced monster seven matches. The Junior WarKai Sotto also had a double-double five years back. racing event spearheaded by with 11 points and 16 rebounds on top numbers of 32 points and 25 re- riors, meanwhile, ended their first While Gorayeb has already served out his the PCSO. bounds as University of Santo round without a win to show. of four blocks for Ateneo. one-year suspension, Lim’s was never really lifted.

On Wednesday following an aggressive appeal by Perpetual Help through new Management Committee representative Frank Gusi, the NCAA reportedly decided to officially lift DOTTIE Ardina reunites with her including Chonlada Chayanun, who Jan Punzalan and Marvi Monsalve. it and allow Lim to accept any position related Korean amateur Hwang Min-jeong, former teammates as she rejoins the finished joint second in a strong Thai to the NCAA. Dottie Ardina Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, head- 1-2-3 finish in the Philippine Ladies who placed fourth and nipped Yuka reunites with Lim is expected to bring in his champiher former lining the compact but tough field in Masters at The Country Club two Saso for the low amateur honors in the onship experience having won four chamteammates as she Phl Ladies Masters, is also in the fold, the ICTSI South Forbes Ladies Invi- weeks ago. pionships as a coach and as was part of the rejoins the Ladies Also tipped to contend for the seeking another LPGT win after humtational which gets going tomorrow San Beda squad as a player that won it all Philippine Golf (Tuesday, Dec. 19) at the South Forbes crown are Jaruporn Palakong Naa- bling Superal and Rodriguez at Mt. in 1978.

Tour, headlining yuttaya, Sarinee Thitiratanakorn and Malarayat in 2015.

Golf Club in And with Lim, the Altas are expected to the compact but Other amateurs seeing action in Ardina, who spent the season about Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, along with make a run for their first ever seniors’ baskettough field in the to end campaigning in the Symetra Ayaka Morimitsu of Japan, and this the event backed by Custom Clubball title.

ICTSI South Forbes Tour and LPGA, gears up for a fierce year’s Luisita leg winner Euna Koh of makers, BDO, Meralco, Sharp, KZG, “It’s a good feeling to be back in the NCAA Ladies Invitational PLDT, Champion, Summit Mineral showdown with the likes of Symetra South Korea. and I hope to help Perpetual Help in a big way,” which gets going Former Philippine Ladies Open Water and K&G Golf are Laia Barro Tour campaigners Cyna Rodriguez said Lim, who also coached in Brgy. Ginebra Tuesday at the and Princess Superal, and the current champion Mary Grace Estuesta is also and Sam Dizon of The Country Club, for a couple of conferences.

South Forbes Golf toast of LPGT Pauline del Rosario in taking time out from her busy sched- Kristine Torralba and siblings Nikki Lim also brushed aside notion that he will Club in Sta. Rosa, the 54-hole championship capping ule to vie in the event organized by and Sam Bruce. eventually take over as coach and replace Nosa Laguna.

—end it//thanks Lim said the the record 11-stage circuit put up by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. that Omorogbe and JImwell Gican. also features recent Forest Hills stage coaching responsibility to the team ICTSI. “I’m just here as a consultant that was what But four aces from Thailand are champion Chihiro Ikeda, former leg will still be left to Nosa Omorogbe and chairman (Antonio Tamayo) and I have agreed out to spoil the local shotmakers’ bid, winner Sarah Ababa, Apple Fudolin, Jimwell Gican. upon,” said Lim.

THE stars finally aligned for businessman-sportsman Hermie Esguerra’s champion galloper Dewey Boulevard as he conquered the biggest and most coveted prize of them all on Dec. 10 by winning the prestigious PCSO Presidential Gold Cup against local racing’s cream of the crop at the Metro Manila Turf Club in Malvar, Batangas.

Now on its 45th running, the PCSO-sponsored Presidential Gold Cup is the highlight race of the local racing calendar and attracts the participation of the finest locally-bred gallopers in the country competing for the title as the year’s best.

“The staging of the Presidential Gold Cup is a reaffirmation of the PCSO’s commitment to support the local horse racing industry which has been its valuable partner in raising funds for charity for more than 83 years. Likewise, this classic event aims to recognize the champions of the sport and the improvement of the local breed,” said PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan.

Dewey Boulevard’s impressive wire-to-wire victory finally settled this year’s battle for local racing’s premiership title and elevated him to the elite roster of Presidential Gold Cup winners, an exclusive club of champions which also included former racing greats Wind Blown (2000 and 2001) and Real Spicy (2006), two of Esguerra’s celebrated campaigners who have dominated local racing during their prime.

“He definitely exceeded

Eaglets sweep basketball 1st round Perpetual Help Altas tap Lim

Ardina rejoins PH Tour, banners Forbes’ team

‘Stupid idea’ propels trail-blazing Silk Road runner Kai Markus THE world today is enough to make some people want to get up and just run to the ends of the Earth, so that’s what Kai Markus decided to do.

Troubled by what he sees as growing bigotry and division in the world, the German management consultant gave up a successful business to run the ancient Silk Road from Hamburg to Shanghai in a Quixotic

quest to show that we are all one.

Nine months, eight countries, 12,000 kilometres (7,500 miles) and two fractured heel bones later, Markus hobbled across a symbolic finish line in Shanghai on Saturday with a feeling of mission accomplished.

“OK, the world is turning crazy, you have to do something,” the 45-year-old said.

“If I want to talk about prejudice, I’m nobody, who will listen to me? So I thought about what I could do to wake up some people.”

Others have driven or biked overland from China to Europe. But Markus, whose wife is Chinese, could find no one who had run the route from sea to sea.

“Why not connect Europe and China along the

Silk Road, which is in all people’s minds at the moment?” he said, referring to Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s promotion of a revived eastwest trade and cultural corridor.

But Markus -- who won’t specify his politics to avoid riling sponsors -- is not a runner, and he got far more than he bargained for on an odyssey chronicled via Instagram, Facebook and

his website runmysilkroad. com.

- Road blocks Markus set out in March followed by friend Victor Neubauer, who drove a black 1984 Volkswagen Beetle towing a camper-van stuffed with protein powder, thousands of nutritional supplement pills and other supplies.

He ran in a freezing Russian spring and 52-Celsius

heat (125 Fahrenheit) in China’s Taklamakan Desert, through painful shin splints and stomach ailments, and four dozen pairs of running shoes.

Markus once ran through the night in a Chinese sandstorm when there was no accommodation available, and he nearly turned back several times when unforeseen costs or suspicious border officials blocked the way.

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

P0 M+ P0 M

Sports

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

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017

Cojuangco taps ex-PSC chairman Garcia

By Peter Atencio THE expertise of former Philippine Sports Commission chairman Ricardo “Richie” Garcia will be tapped for the coming 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

Garcia will play a big role in the coming biennial meet, and is expected to help in the organizational and operational aspects of handling the Games.

POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco gave Garcia his marching orders after discussions on the Philippines’ hosting of the 30th SEA Games got moving last week.

“We don’t have a name for his position yet. Right now, Richie Garcia will play an important role. He is one person with experience on the SEA Games.

He was part of the 2005 SEA Games organization,” said Cojuangco.

Cojuangco brought up Garcia’s role to Foreign Affairs secretary and SEA Games Organizing Committee chairman Allan Peter Cayetano during their discussions which also involved Philippine Sports Commission chairman William “Butch” Ramirez.

The role of Makati Congressman and taekwondo association secretary general Monsour del Rosario is also being finalized.

Cojuangco will go into final discussions with del Rosario if he will be the chef de mission in 2019.

Del Rosario had earlier said he may not be available because it’s an election year, and that he is seeking reelection when the Games finally come around.

So far, the organizing members have resolved issues concerning infrastructure the venues that may be tapped for the Games.

Saunders dominates Lemieux MONTREAL, Canada – Unbeaten Billy Joe Saunders threw down the gauntlet to four-belt champion Gennady Golovkin with a systematic dismantling of David Lemieux in his North American professional boxing debut on Saturday.

The 28-year-old Englishman kept his World Boxing Organization middleweight title by scoring a lopsided unanimous decision victory over Canadian crowd favorite Lemieux.

Saunders holds the only world title in his weight class that is not in the hands of Golovkin.

The Englishman is now eyeing a unification fight with the Kazakhstani fighter after racking up 25 straight victories before making his first appearance in North America on Saturday.

“Now fight me. We will see a different story. You be punching fresh air,” Saunders said of Golovkin.

Golovkin is in talks for a rematch with Canelo Alvarez on May 5 and if the pieces fall together the way Saunders hopes, the Brit could challenge Golovkin or Alvarez in late 2018 or sooner.

Golovkin holds the WBA, WBC, IBF and IBO middleweight titles. AFP

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) shoots a free throw during the game against the Utah Jazz on Dec. 16 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. AFP

James surpasses Bird; Leads Cavs past Jazz

L

OS ANGELES—LeBron James posted his 60th NBA triple-double on Saturday, passing Larry Bird for sixth on the all-time list and leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 109-100 victory over the Utah Jazz.

James scored 29 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and handed out 10 assists. It was his third tripledouble – putting up double digits in three statistical categories – in the four-game homestand that concluded Saturday.

His drive to the basket with one second left in the third quarter gave Cleveland an 80-73 lead going into the fourth, and he scored 10 points in the final period.

James had scored or assisted on Cleveland’s first 13 points. He connected on nine of his 15 shots from the field and made all 10 of his free throws.

Kevin Love had 15 points and five rebounds, and rookie Cedi Osman scored a career-high 10

points for Cleveland, who are 17-1 since November 11 and notched an 11th straight home win.

Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue earned his 100th regular-season victory since being promoted to the job on January 22, 2016.

The Jazz were without French center Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors, who were both hurt in a win over Boston on Friday. Gobert is expected to miss up to a month with a sprained left knee, while Favors suffered an eye laceration.

In New York, Michael Beasley had the hot hand as the New York Knicks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-96 on Saturday, spoiling the return of Carmelo Anthony to Madison Square Garden.

Beasley shot 11-of-18 from the field to tally 30 points as six players scored in double figures for the Knicks, who improved to 1613 on the season.

“Mike has been fantastic,” Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said. “He is engaged in practice, he talks with the guys, he is a smart basketball player.”

Beasley “really understands the game,” Hornacek added.

“Some of that stuff he does is effortless. He had a fantastic game.”

Elsewhere, Josh Richardson scored 28 points and coach Erik Spoelstra passed his mentor Pat Riley in franchise wins with his 455th as the Miami Heat defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 90-85.

Miami fended off a tremendous effort from DeAndre Jordan at the AmericanAirlines Arena. The star of a watered-down Clippers lineup scored 12 points and had 20 rebounds.

Jordan has a season-best four consecutive double-doubles and seven double-doubles in his last eight starts.

Anthony struggled in his return, making just five field goals and finishing with 12 points including none in the second half.

Anthony, who was featured in a highlight video during the introductions, heard cheers from the crowd of 19,800 but also a smattering of boos.

This was Anthony’s first trip back to the Garden as a member of the Thunder since being traded in September for Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott and a draft pick.

Anthony helped lead New York to its first division title in 19 years in the 2012-2013 season and averaged nearly 25 points per game in his six-plus-year stint with the Knicks.

But Anthony has scored more than 25 points just once in his last 26 games with the Thunder. AFP

McGregor wants to return to octagon for MMA fight NEW YORK - Mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor, touted as a potential opponent for Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, has indicated he wants his next bout to be a return to the octagon rather than the ring.

Caught on video by the celebrity news site while out and about in New York, McGregor was asked about Pacquiao’s announcement last week that he had opened talks to fight McGregor.

“I think a true fight is what I want to do next,” McGregor says in the video posted online on Saturday.

“MMA next.”

Ireland’s McGregor

hasn’t fought in mixed martial arts or boxing since losing a boxing bout to unbeaten Floyd Mayweather by a 10th-round technical knockout in their much-hyped bout in Las Vegas in August.

Showtime sports released final figures on Friday showing the crosscombat superfight drew the second-most North American pay-per-view buys in history with 4.3 million.

Only one other fight – Mayweather’s 2015 clash with Pacquiao – has ever drawn more, racking up 4.6 million pay-per-view buys.

Showtime said in a statement that global revenues, including ticket sales, spon-

sorship and international distribution, for Mayweather-McGregor had exceeded $600 million.

Former five-weight world champion Mayweather stopped Irish UFC fighter McGregor in the 10th round.

Showtime added that global revenues, including ticket sales, sponsorship and international distribution, exceeded $600m.

“The pairing of Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor brought together two very significant and distinct global fan bases in one truly unprecedented event,” Showtime Sports chief Stephen Espi- Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather face off during their weigh for noza said. AFP their superfight in this file photo. AFP

Narvasa resigns before season opens

By Jeric Lopez IN a breakthrough development, Chito Narvasa finally tendered his resignation from the Philippine Basketball Association yesterday just prior to the opening ceremonies of the 43rd season.

Through a snap press conference before the launch of the new season, the PBA Board faced media at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in unity and announced the direction the league is going.

The league, led by chairman Ricky Vargas of TNT KaTropa, announced that Narvasa, who has been the reason of the rift between member teams as they were previously split over his tenure, submitted his resignation from his post.

In his place, the board appointed Willie Marcial as the league’s Officer in Charge.

He will lead the day-today operations until a new commissioner is named in the near future.

In addition, Vargas was also tasked to serve another term as the league transitions.

NLEX’s Ramoncito Fernandez, who was supposed to be the incoming chairman, will wait it out and will take his turn next season.

Narvasa was given the go signal to lead the opening ceremonies as his final task before formally stepping down.

The league was finally able to officially open its 43rd season as scheduled after continued turmoil that plagued the league’s direction for the past month.

Fernandes overcame extreme poverty to become legend

ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes (on top) pounds his opponent inside the cage.

ONE Championship

LIFE is good for ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes.

The Brazilian is riding a 13bout win streak, has not lost a match since December 2010, and has become the world’s best bantamweight martial artist, possibly of all time.

He can add another milestone to his legendary career by defending his title against two-division world champion, Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen, at ONE: Iron Will in Bangkok, Thailand, on March 24, 2018.

Times were not always so kind for the 37-year-old Fernandes, who endured more tragedy and heartbreak than any child ever should.

Growing up in Manaus, Amazonas, with five siblings, Fernandes’ mother passed away when he was seven years of age. His father could not provide for the family, so he forced “The Flash” and his siblings to live with their aunt deep in the Amazon Jungle, where they had to hunt and feed off the land to survive. There, he contracted malaria, and nearly died.

“In the jungle, I always thought, ‘I can do better,’” he explains. “I had to get water, I had to help my aunt, I had to get the food and check on the fish. I had to do my job. Am I better than everybody? No. But I saw something different.”

Soon after his father rescued him from the jungle and helped him win his bout with malaria, Fernandes would discover a better life.

As a teenager, he worked odd jobs to help his dad pay the bills. But one afternoon, his life was changed forever when he stumbled upon a

nearby martial arts gym that was teaching Brazilian jiujitsu. There was one issue, however – he could not afford a gym membership. So he made a deal to clean the gym and help the owner by doing odd jobs.

Fernandes excelled at the discipline, and earned his black belt in 2002. In addition to that, he became a decorated grappler, as he won several major titles during his BJJ career. This included three IBJJF World Championships and three Pan American Championships, all in the black belt division.

Stock mart likely to track sideways, seeks fresh leads B2

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017

B

Dennis Uy investing P6b in Clark IN BRIEF Car industry expects sales to plummet in 2018 ISUZU Philippines Corp. said it expects a big drop in vehicle sales in the first month of 2018, or once the new tax measure is implemented.

IPC vice president for marketing Joseph Bautista said the Philippine automotive sector was facing rough times ahead in terms of sales under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion bill which was expected to take effect in January.

“By January we expect a big drop. The government targets to have this law implemented during the new year on Jan. 1,” he said. Congress approved a 4-tier tax scheme for automobiles, including a tax of 4 percent for vehicles worth up to P600,000; 10 percent for over P600,000 to P1 million; 20 percent for over P1 million to P4 million; and 50 percent for over P4 million.

Bautista said the vehicle associations were having a difficult time in coming up with sales projections for 2018.

The industry set a sales target of 450,000 units in 2017.

Automotive sales hit 380,179 units in the first 11 months, according to the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and Truck Manufacturers Association. The tally excludes sales of another industry group―the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc. Othel V. Campos

By Darwin G. Amojelar

C

LARK Global City Corp., an affiliate of Udenna Corp., the holding company of Davao City-based businessman Dennis Uy, plans to invest an initial P6 billion to develop a 177-hectare land in Clark Freeport Zone into a new central business district.

“[We are initially spending] P6 billion on our side. This is for roads, drainage and other development,” Freddie Placino, vice chairman of Clark Global City Corp., said.

“What we will do is like BGC [Bonifacio Global City]. We develop it horizontally and let the other developers participate in developing vertically.

Whatever mistakes in BGC [or] Makati, we’re correcting for [Clark Global City]. We will do [it] in phases over 10 years,” Placino said.

Placino said of the 177-hectare property of Clark Global City, 47 hectares were fully developed by the previous owner―Global Gateway Development Corp.

Potential locators of Clark Global City include multinational logistics companies, international schools, hotels, convention centers and business process outsourcing companies, he said.

CGCC completed the acquisition of

Global Gateway Development Corp., a company based in Cayman Islands on Nov. 14, with Bank of China, BDO Unibank Inc. and Philippine National Bank as its financial partners.

Aside from Clark Global City, Uy earlier acquired Chelsea Shipping Corp., 2Go Group Inc., Petronas Energy Philippines and Enderun Colleges Inc. He also plans to acquire the Family Mart convenience stores franchise with 67 stores from SSI Group of the Tantocos and Ayala Land Inc. Uy’s Chelsea also acquired more vessels as it pursued its goal to become the country’s prime mover of vital goods, cargoes and people.

Chelsea’s unit Trans-Asia Shipping Lines Inc. in July purchased a

Aboitiz spending P50b next year

Foreign debt dropped 5.6% to $72.4b as of September

THE country’s foreign debt declined 5.6 percent in September to $72.4 billion from a year ago, on higher repayments by the government and the private sector.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed that external debt fell $4.3 billion from $76.6 billion registered in September 2016.

The Bangko Sentral said the decline was due to net principal repayments by both the public and the private sectors ($2.9 billion); negative foreign exchange revaluation adjustments ($1.3 billion) arising from strengthening of the US dollar against other currencies, particularly the yen and the Philippine peso; and increase in residents’ holdings of Philippine debt papers issued offshore ($120 million).

“The peso’s depreciation during the period may have encouraged a shift in borrower preference from foreign to domestic financing to minimize exposure to exchange rate volatility,” the Bangko Sentral said.

External debt refers to all types of borrowings by Philippine residents from non-residents, following the residency criterion for international statistics.

The Bangko Sentral said on a quarterly basis, foreign debt also declined by $125 million or 0.2 percent to $72.4 billion in the third quarter from $72.5 billion in the second quarter. Julito G. Rada

Cooling technology firm bats for energy efficiency

A LOCAL cooling technology company said an energy efficiency campaign would save both consumers and companies billions of pesos from reduced demand and consumption.

Hi-Cool Engineering Corp. said it was supporting the Department of Energy and the efforts of some lawmakers to establish a national policy that promotes energy efficiency.

“We see the urgency of promoting energy efficiency because it is key to economic growth and sustainability and it will promote the competitive edge of local companies,” Theresa Acedillo Lapuz, HCEC director, said.

Lapuz said cooling systems for manufacturers and commercial establishments accounted for as much as 60 percent of electricity consumption based on Energy Department’s data. HCEC is a pioneer in energy efficient systems that helped customers significantly bring down consumption.

Lapuz said one client, International Wiring Systems (Phils.) Corp., was recently given the Don Emilio Abello Energy Efficiency Award after the manufacturer retrofitted its cooling system from an air-cooled type system to a water-cooled screw-type packaged system. IWSP, with a workforce of 6,000, supplies car manufacturers in Southeast Asia with automotive wiring harnesses.

6,348-gross-register-ton cargo vessel called MV Orient Spirit. The vessel, which has a capacity of 400 twentyfoot equivalent units, will be in operation by the first quarter of 2018 and ply the Manila-Cebu-Manila route.

The company also acquired Starlite Ferries Inc., a roll-on, roll-off and passenger ship operator in Batangas and other routes, to strengthen its position in the Southern Luzon (Batangas)-toNorthern Visayas (Calapan, Odiogan, Roxas) route.

Uy said he was open to listing his other companies at the Philippine Stock Exchange over the next couple of years, but did not name which companies would be listed with the local bourse.

By Jenniffer B. Austria

OML CENTER’S FIFTH ANNIVERSARY. The Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Foundation Inc. celebrates its fifth anniversary by hosting a mini climate conference and an evening of cocktails in Makati City in honor of the organization’s partners as well as recipients of its grants for 2017. The Lopez Group, through First Philippine Holdings Corp. and its subsidiaries, helped establish the OML Center in 2012 in an effort to help reduce the risks and manage the impacts of climate-related hazards in disaster prone areas. Shown are grant recipients Dr.Wilfredo Roehl Licuanan, representing De La Salle University (fourth from left) and Dr. Jorge Emmanuel of Silliman University (sixth from left). OML Center was named after Oscar Lopez (center), FPH chairman emeritus.

ABOITIZ Equity Ventures Inc., the listed holding company of the Aboitiz Group, said it plans to spend P40 billion to P50 billion in 2018 mainly to roll out more power projects.

AEV chief finance officer Manuel Lozano said the 2018 capital expenditure would almost match this year’s spending, as the company continued to secure funding requirements for major power projects.

A major capital spending planned by the company next year is the P13-billion ApoAgua water project, which is set to be country’s largest private bulk water supply facility with a fully renewable energy-powered water treatment plant.

Under the plan, Apo Agua will supply up to 300 million liters

per day of potable bulk water from Tamugan River to Davao City Water District, which will benefit more than 1 million people of Davao City.

Lozano said construction of the project was expected to start next year while completion would be in 2020.

AEV teamed up with J.V. Angeles Construction Corp. for the water project.

Meanwhile, the planned expansion of the group’s cement plant is expected in 2018 or 2019.

The group said it was also interested regional airport projects that the government planned to bid out.

The conglomerate tapped Vinci Airports of France to form the Maya Consortium to bid for the P108.2-billion regional airports.

The bidding for the bundled airport project was delayed.

Foreign portfolio investments rebounded to a net inflow of $107m in November—BSP

By Julito G. Rada FOREIGN portfolio investments or ‘hot money’ registered a net inflow of $107 million in November, a reversal of the $607-million net outflow seen a year ago, as investors cheered

the mostly positive third-quarter corporate earnings, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said.

“This may be attributed to positive investor reaction to news of favorable third-quarter corporate earnings; outcome of and pronouncements during the recently

concluded 31st Asean Summit; and the Senate’s approval of a higher personal income tax exemption of P250,000.00 annually, as part of the Senate version of the government’s tax reform program,” the Bangko Sentral said.

Foreign portfolio investments

are overseas funds that are temporarily invested in local stocks, government securities and money market. They are also called ‘hot money’ because of the ease they are invested in and taken out of the local markets.

The November net inflow was a

turnaround from the $563.42-million net outflow recorded in October. Despite the latest data, hot money in the first 11 months still recorded a net outflow of $634.53 million, a reversal of the $672.73-million net inflow in the same period last year.

B2

Business

MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

CEB renews Pioneer deal; Marsh of UK tapped again LOCAL airline Cebu Pacific has renewed its insurance cover with Philippine insurer Pioneer Insurance. It is the third time the airline has placed its annual cover with the insurer.

“This is a vote of confidence in us and we thank Cebu Pacific for appointing us for another year, enabling us to help them meet all their risk and insurance requirements,” said Pioneer president Betty Medialdea.

Cebu Pacific president and chief executive officer Lance Gokongwei said he was pleased with Pioneer’s service.

“Over the past two years we have developed an excellent relationship with Pioneer. They understand the risks we face and have developed innovative and effective strategies to help us manage them,” he said.

Unicon, a unit of JG Summit, Cebu Pacific’s parent company,

acted as the insurance broker in the transaction.

Pioneer has once again appointed the UK arm of Marsh, a global leader in insurance broking and innovative risk management solutions, as its reinsurance broker.

“With its commitment to transparency and disclosure and its extensive experience in the global aviation insurance market, Marsh UK was the ideal reinsurance broker for this transaction. Working with them to understand Cebu Pacific’s risk profile, we were able to find a cost-effective insurance solution that met Cebu Pacific’s particular needs,” said Medialdea.

“I am reassured that Pioneer is working hard on behalf of Cebu, and also that Marsh is assisting Pioneer as their reinsurance broker,” Gokongwei added.

Stock mart likely to track sideways, seeks fresh leads

By Jenniffer B. Austria

T

RADING at the Philippine Stock Exchange is expected to remain sideways this week, with investors quick to take profits after the market gains last week.

Analysts said foreign selling and elevated valuations were giving investors an excuse to cash in on gains to secure their profits.

With the ratification of the much anticipated tax reform bill by Congress, analysts said investors were looking for other catalysts that could push the market higher.

Investors will likely to monitor companies affected

by the tax reform agenda of the government and their adjustments to maintain demand for their products.

“The local market cheered the approval of the Tax Reform and Acceleration Inclusions scheme and all is set for the demand side. While the structure entails pass-on costs, it would be up to the consumers to adjust their spending prac-

tices based on the merit of the approved increase,” 2TradeAsia.com said.

“With bulk of the pricing for these items indexed to global pricing, it would now depend on listed firms’ heeding strategies to ensure margins are maintained and disruptions to demand are minimized,” it added.

The PSEi last week gained 0.4 percent to 8,337.04 from the previous week’s close, while the broader All Shares Index inched up 0.2 percent to 4,870.43 on mixed trading.

The sub-indices also ended mixed with financials,

industrial and holding firms posting week-on-week gains, while mining and oil, property and services registered week-on-week declines.

Foreign investors were net sellers by P376 million, while average daily traded stood at P7.4 billion.

Weekly top price gainers were Belle Corp., which advanced 8. percent to P3.98; GT Capital Holdings Inc., which climbed 8.2 percent to P1,271; and Cemex Holdings Philippines Inc., which rose 8.1 percent to P4.93.

Weekly top price losers, meanwhile, were Semirara

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

DECEMBER 11-15, 2017 Close Volume

Value

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources China Bank Citystate Savings COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

3.38 59.95 157.00 103.00 3.88 2.02 33.25 10 15.4 32.45 7.62 0.71 1.88 925.00 0.600 98.3 0.92 12 25.00 59.90 89.6 96.1 237.8 55.1 255 1924.00 86.65 1.26

344,543,000 63,790 10,448,910 8,790,960 4,000 4,594,000 1,497,700 2,400 16,000 4,634,800 2,100 114,000 8,573,000 1,700 6,000,000 12,745,120 9,850,000 28,500 52,600 948,100 2,210 840 127,030 4,076,700 2,279,920 74,580 199,050 318,000

FINANCIAL 2,972,700.00 3,812,845.50 1,598,025,135.00 917,802,934.00 15,540.00 9,224,290.00 49,624,360.00 23,517.00 248,266.00 153,706,845.00 15,978.00 78,030.00 16,795,970.00 1,585,050.00 3,657,880.00 1,255,768,123.50 8,966,930.00 337,210.00 1,315,000.00 54,105,582.00 198,260.00 80,650.00 30,190,096.00 221,313,167.50 575,085,224.00 143,566,490.00 17,267,708.50 399,790.00

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Basic Energy Corp.

Bogo Medelin C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings Century Food Chemphil Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Eagle Cement EEI Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) Euro-Med Lab First Gen Corp.

First Holdings ‘A’ Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp.

Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide MG Holdings Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pilipinas Shell Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings San Miguel ‘Pure Foods `A’ SFA Semicon Shakeys Pizza SPC Power Corp.

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

39.4 12.34 0.64 1.39 17.18 0.218 113.7 19.08 4.93 16.18 163 45 61.9 63.7 1.92 5.34 11.24 11.400 14.76 11.52 7.17 5.61 1.54 17.52 63 25.20 11.00 18.1 2.400 246.00 59.00 4.05 3.18 22.00 28.2 17.92 17.7 0.198 325.00 9.05 2.4 5.85 9.30 6.78 8.45 1.54 12.30 2.09 61 6.65 4.97 2.06 4.66 540 2.09 13.1 5.4 0.135 1.20 151 2.9 1.87 24.05 0.78

10,561,800 5,835,300 3,671,000 2,697,000 234,600 10,970,000 110 80,500 32,038,000 4,688,700 930 2,748,000 310 2,793,250 564,000 126,500 59,400 19,360,600 2,311,500 11,636,600 12,923,700 40,853,600 1,000 4,452,700 891,840 986,700 357,500 2,509,500 58,546,000 5,934,200 5,540 5,481,000 144,000 9,000 8,505,300 915,200 13,316,900 1,560,000 3,128,620 58,300 8,156,000 1,013,400 11,435,700 8,624,100 295,000 4,425,000 1,464,700 338,000 1,313,850 231,100 2,743,600 4,000 38,000 119,640 1,102,000 1,878,700 1,173,100 3,370,000 2,249,000 7,536,410 190,000 12,704,000 37,100 10,438,000

INDUSTRIAL 416,941,270.00 73,318,768.00 2,383,740.00 3,716,540.00 4,175,256.00 2,469,520.00 12,171.00 1,606,805.00 154,557,030.00 75,353,890.00 163,898.00 119,371,790.00 20,353.00 175,071,973.50 1,074,370.00 689,474.00 648,504.00 222,039,994.00 34,150,876.00 133,932,356.00 92,867,002.00 233,793,484.00 1,540.00 93,979,230.00 55,758,932.50 24,456,445.00 4,016,942.00 46,730,356.00 563,529,706.00 1,464,749,316.00 329,642.50 24,019,730.00 479,670.00 185,775.00 239,217,870.00 17,203,992.00 233,254,518.00 303,110.00 1,006,124,186.00 519,074.00 20,196,210.00 5,965,381.00 106,313,775.00 59,914,531.00 2,489,913.00 6,836,690.00 17,668,126.00 711,040.00 79,324,174.50 1,527,411.00 13,711,359.00 8,240.00 182,460.00 65,548,625.00 2,294,790.00 24,657,192.00 6,268,137.00 463,230.00 2,757,210.00 1,124,433,561.00 584,260.00 24,083,070.00 892,695.00 8,333,850.00

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Keppel Holdings `A’ Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Lopez Holdings Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

MJCI Investments Inc. Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion San Miguel Corp `A’ Seafront `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Transgrid Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.315 67.50 15.96 0.98 7.02 0.390 0.400 1006 7.45 13.86 5 7.79 0.182 1271 7.39 72.85 5.2 5.5 0.7 5.88 18.24 0.330 6.53 3.53 0.0460 1.050 2.070 110.20 3 974.50 1.70 0.78 279.000 180.00 0.2400 0.1940 0.188

5,690,000 6,394,480 23,568,900 145,000 122,900 36,820,000 7,910,000 2,097,560 26,862,400 43,532,800 50,000 91,900 10,000 945,700 174,900 7,365,760 3,000 5,100 10,186,000 4,023,200 11,291,318 32,870,000 133,733,600 771,000 65,300,000 621,000 1,212,000 1,760,100 1,762,000 2,308,390 33,376,000 198,000 9,570 10 440,000 90,000 510,000

HOLDING FIRMS 1,730,050.00 437,248,198.50 375,673,590.00 133,780.00 858,651.00 14,095,650.00 3,135,200.00 2,136,225,810.00 199,996,493.00 617,570,694.00 250,000.00 714,265.00 1,820.00 1,178,004,280.00 1,293,287.00 525,476,121.00 15,160.00 26,203.00 7,183,980.00 23,123,694.00 209,617,614.00 10,327,100.00 741,158,724.00 2,830,850.00 2,919,900.00 663,340.00 2,493,590.00 194,100,382.00 5,345,370.00 2,267,531,850.00 60,844,150.00 157,210.00 2,684,796.00 1,800.00 100,740.00 16,830.00 96,800.00

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Anchor Land Holdings Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ CEB Landmasters Cebu Holdings Cebu Prop. `A’ Cebu Prop. `B’ Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Filinvest Land,Inc. Global-Estate Interport `A’ Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

5.760 1.04 13.00 2.270 0.890 42.400 3.98 4.71 5.48 6 6 0.490 1.15 1.210 0.212 0.465 38.6 0.650 0.137 1.84 1.43 0.73 5.19 0.345 0.3700

1,999,400 32,093,000 138,100 1,214,000 13,556,000 59,136,700 5,215,000 3,392,000 522,100 200 400 29,850,000 110,000 425,000 23,930,000 610,000 983,500 5,112,000 3,330,000 52,277,000 18,850,000 1,646,000 139,228,400 226,720,000 8,310,000

PROPERTY 11,399,596.00 33,931,860.00 1,631,344.00 2,749,910.00 12,526,030.00 2,557,700,185.00 19,856,780.00 15,998,650.00 2,834,278.00 1,182.00 2,388.00 14,429,350.00 128,430.00 511,050.00 4,976,180.00 283,800.00 38,069,230.00 3,365,490.00 466,620.00 97,491,150.00 26,779,690.00 1,243,190.00 724,280,678.00 80,602,100.00 3,115,050.00

DECEMBER 4-8, 2017 Close Volume Value 3.2 59.8 148.00 103.50 3.89 2.14 33.1 9.06 15.1 33.7 7.73 0.65 1.7 975.00 0.570 96.15 0.83 11.86 25.00 55.10 87.5 100 239.8 54.5 250 1875.00 86.95 1.25

852,000 82,120 10,784,430 8,947,360 73,000 3,049,000 1,129,400 200 4,222,600 3,580,900 2,100 9,000 21,000 280 2,208,000 15,127,000 1,888,000 13,000 54,900 525,510 16,280 1,320 12,090 5,184,690 3,724,150 95 296,690 1,051,000

2,797,520.00 4,859,310.50 1,567,573,713.00 908,768,984.50 274,340.00 6,327,820.00 37,552,185.00 1,812.00 63,377,790.00 119,891,440.00 16,236.00 5,850.00 35,150.00 268,995.00 1,234,280.00 1,412,717,440.50 1,562,870.00 154,570.00 1,345,935.00 29,054,425.00 1,422,059.50 127,445.00 2,870,200.00 288,182,978.50 898,780,912.00 178,375.00 25,809,058.50 1,314,210.00

38.6 12.5 0.68 1.34 16.88 0.223 105 19.20 4.56 16.04 152 42.1 68 64 1.92 5.4 11.28 11.480 14.9 11.40 7.24 5.77 1.59 17.3 62 25.50 11.40 18.04 2.310 248.80 60.00 4.37 3.17 21.00 28.9 17.86 17 0.197 323.40 8.39 2.4 6.04 9.50 7.78 8.74 1.57 12.00

8,827,400 7,277,800 3,593,000 3,505,000 15,900 20,260,000 230 52,500 83,522,000 2,905,500 80 2,751,200 2,070 406,660 949,000 170,400 40,700 34,932,400 4,368,500 4,697,100 1,463,600 30,370,000 176,000 2,356,300 294,700 1,627,900 102,600 11,178,000 26,511,000 2,120,410 2,790 777,000 173,000 6,100 4,664,100 978,600 9,194,400 4,960,000 4,622,930 119,600 1,047,000 803,600 9,884,400 1,244,100 232,900 4,227,000 1,425,300

341,017,130.00 90,238,970.00 2,441,460.00 4,734,540.00 267,548.00 4,542,850.00 23,550.00 1,041,040.00 394,829,800.00 46,155,850.00 12,160.00 114,970,895.00 136,713.00 25,225,213.50 1,813,260.00 906,479.00 457,424.00 393,989,104.00 64,834,526.00 52,077,344.00 10,628,171.00 170,943,974.00 282,510.00 40,456,362.00 18,467,329.50 39,613,595.00 1,175,558.00 197,075,588.00 57,628,550.00 518,734,834.00 164,932.50 3,328,350.00 536,610.00 122,458.00 133,466,275.00 13,420,094.00 156,241,326.00 943,360.00 1,439,396,388.00 968,470.00 2,549,350.00 4,873,722.00 92,868,482.00 9,733,438.00 2,070,592.00 6,573,470.00 16,682,074.00

60.5 6.62 4.99 2.06 4.7 563 2.15 13 5.55 0.134 1.17 144 3.19 1.93 24.05 0.75

3,486,550 165,900 598,000 21,000 80,000 202,210 3,839,000 1,865,400 1,515,200 1,360,000 998,000 6,777,600 34,000 16,593,000 2,100 8,017,000

210,546,550.50 1,079,281.00 2,912,560.00 45,570.00 355,290.00 109,615,309.00 8,266,550.00 24,156,470.00 8,283,595.00 182,820.00 1,191,680.00 930,003,562.00 106,540.00 31,833,680.00 50,600.00 5,771,280.00

0.305 70.90 15.72 0.99 6.93 0.375 0.370 1030 7.42 14.32 5 7.80 0.184 1175 7.45 69.00 4.76 5.5 0.62 5.69 19

6,790,000 3,829,150 31,490,100 191,000 52,500 5,690,000 2,170,000 1,308,570 8,125,800 30,490,600 190,000 45,800 380,000 585,695 13,800 6,784,600 2,700 22,700 1,891,000 2,741,500 9,196,800

2,083,600.00 261,993,786.50 493,704,868.00 179,380.00 364,999.00 2,106,450.00 817,350.00 1,311,869,850.00 60,369,748.00 435,030,336.00 950,530.00 358,458.00 69,780.00 669,731,420.00 102,457.00 459,229,864.00 13,249.00 123,826.00 1,152,020.00 15,458,279.00 138,722,312.00

6.4 3.79 0.0450 1.100 2.060 109.90 2.66 980.50 1.94 0.79 284.600 183.10 0.2300 0.1800 0.198

83,503,200 1,276,000 86,900,000 658,000 1,009,000 922,650 270,000 2,192,820 65,221,000 154,000 42,200 100 510,000 500,000 620,000

536,195,497.00 4,827,060.00 3,877,100.00 718,010.00 2,076,580.00 100,639,363.00 731,800.00 2,112,522,640.00 128,537,380.00 122,460.00 11,933,076.00 18,310.00 122,680.00 90,230.00 123,490.00

5.690 1.04 10.74 2.320 0.890 43.000 3.66 4.75 5.44

1,999,000 25,606,000 38,400 575,000 9,827,000 36,029,000 2,447,000 4,524,000 321,400

11,333,070.00 25,593,410.00 411,456.00 1,339,770.00 8,564,570.00 1,527,068,850.00 8,914,250.00 21,391,710.00 1,734,033.00

0.475 1.12 1.180 0.211 0.450 38.45 0.650 0.140 1.80 1.39 0.75 5.2 0.365 0.3800

15,500,000 214,000 1,210,000 44,760,000 2,830,000 750,900 11,490,000 140,000 49,713,000 56,174,000 2,872,000 163,772,200 403,970,000 16,730,000

7,226,900.00 240,750.00 1,402,370.00 9,198,050.00 1,277,950.00 28,244,445.00 7,523,120.00 19,650.00 88,630,770.00 75,781,210.00 2,030,680.00 843,328,747.00 145,736,650.00 6,293,400.00

STOCKS

DECEMBER 11-15, 2017 Close Volume

DECEMBER 4-8, 2017 Close Volume Value

Value

Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

0.580 34.25 6.1 21.25 2.24 3.2 36.00 1.04 8.9 0.880 5.990

38,372,000 300 9,317,800 6,608,300 43,943,000 1,609,000 61,430,100 4,679,000 98,200 333,000 15,235,400

22,233,670.00 10,305.00 57,842,985.00 142,896,350.00 112,918,300.00 5,144,460.00 2,250,792,480.00 4,795,020.00 910,314.00 287,220.00 87,555,755.00

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ.

Chelsea DFNN Inc. Discovery World Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Phil. Racing Club Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Wilcon Depot

19.2 34.55 1.44 0.480 0.043 11.2 4.8 11.00 0.0710 98 9.38 8.99 6.65 3.24 18.32 980 1763 5.72 18.18 1014.00 4.81 105 2.88 12.98 8.35 0.145 1.5000 3.22 14.8 4.42 1.19 22.15 16.50 0.520 4.42 7.35 3.88 2.700 11.08 4.82 8.36 123.00 8.02 1500.00 0.355 1.280 49.20 92.25 5.80 3.21 1.660 3.85 3.98 0.970 8.200

1,248,300 519,500 2,084,000 4,680,000 132,500,000 27,900 35,627,200 74,060,600 72,870,000 1,332,550 12,900 5,504,100 103,300 10,576,000 4,964,300 10,230 403,135 1,793,000 23,400 100 63,745,700 6,102,570 4,635,000 2,500 1,713,400 221,510,000 52,717,000 389,000 93,600 25,401,000 1,752,000 13,188,000 19,200 282,000 31,499,600 43,747,200 1,593,000 23,567,000 18,200 37,000 2,300 56,830 13,745,700 663,455 4,120,000 3,503,000 3,832,600 1,727,010 115,500 15,155,000 24,134,000 62,227,000 7,527,000 47,114,000 10,668,200

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Benguet Corp `A’ Benguet Corp `B’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining `A’ Manila Mining `B’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Oriental Pet. `B’ Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Phinma Petro Semirara Corp.

United Paragon

0.0022 1.54 4.43 15.00 1.7000 1.9500 1.6 0.310 7.23 2.640 0.241 0.157 0.164 0.010 0.0100 1.79 6.16 1.59 0.4350 0.8800 0.0120 0.0120 5.75 7.90 0.0120 2.1300 35.10 0.0065 28

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Alco Preferred B Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ DD PREF First Gen F First Gen G FPH Pref C GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. GTCAP PREF B House Preferred Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I

35 108 540 521 106.5 109.8 115.5 510 523.5 5.442895 1030 101.9 1.1 106.4 1050 1142 1004 103.2 108.4 77 82.1 76 77.8 82.7 79.2 79.35 80.1

5,028,400 7,630 58,530 640 392,570 720 20,200 30 3,130 3,812,389 4,930 29,780 2,066,000 820 2,470 2,700 2,985 4,600 10,550 89,910 55,670 33,810 21,590 250,410 22,820 62,210 170,640

LR Warrant

2.840

WARRANTS & BONDS 9,088,000 27,111,700.00

SERVICES 24,980,831.00 18,077,855.00 3,128,840.00 2,213,800.00 5,636,700.00 310,116.00 181,034,467.00 798,821,886.00 5,299,310.00 133,152,797.00 118,982.00 48,722,898.00 697,135.00 38,320,540.00 55,304,140.00 10,149,200.00 692,478,750.00 10,316,609.00 423,592.00 1,014.00 319,147,098.00 636,993,015.00 15,640,470.00 31,610.00 14,324,005.00 34,352,570.00 89,409,630.00 1,216,280.00 1,405,498.00 115,521,940.00 2,094,480.00 294,771,205.00 310,074.00 148,020.00 168,316,869.00 321,863,398.00 6,144,090.00 64,516,620.00 201,284.00 179,875.00 20,025.00 7,444,921.00 110,516,980.00 973,899,115.00 1,492,800.00 4,522,020.00 190,147,920.00 160,114,583.50 676,238.00 49,621,070.00 40,286,920.00 232,791,070.00 29,320,440.00 48,185,940.00 88,263,442.00

MINING & OIL 1,346,000,000 2,971,000.00 18,439,000 28,963,700.00 2,159,000 9,689,120.00 7,300 104,448.00 189,000 313,390.00 260,000 451,960.00 16,495,000 26,344,080.00 3,390,000 1,052,050.00 39,000 286,602.00 7,169,000 18,922,340.00 110,000 24,890.00 39,550,000 6,253,880.00 16,890,000 2,680,620.00 34,600,000 338,290.00 18,000,000 179,900.00 308,000 538,950.00 6,485,400 40,885,571.00 1,004,000 1,514,340.00 90,000 39,850.00 747,000 682,340.00 24,300,000 309,800.00 261,500,000 3,148,000.00 3,524,300 20,565,411.00 21,317,700 175,242,629.00 606,000,000 6,849,600.00 82,000 172,140.00 23,576,900 1,371,364,285.00 22,000,000 143,600.00 PREFERRED 172,957,820.00 824,440.00 30,521,770.00 333,895.00 41,182,863.00 79,056.00 2,333,120.00 15,300.00 1,637,055.00 12,193,918.00 5,040,015.00 3,032,959.00 2,253,350.00 88,282.00 2,592,900.00 3,083,400.00 1,238,850.00 474,683.00 1,143,620.00 6,918,810.00 4,490,536.50 2,579,999.50 2,098,045.00 20,426,410.00 1,750,811.00 4,908,373.50 13,339,059.00

SME 71,781,247.00 500,970.00 9,600,660.00 260,204,730.00

0.610

90,412,000

54,332,640.00

6.32 22.20 2.65 3.19 36.50 1.03 7.48 0.870 5.650

13,914,500 6,832,200 31,546,000 549,000 76,651,300 2,043,000 4,200 768,000 34,964,000

87,743,217.00 150,180,115.00 76,390,780.00 1,744,940.00 2,769,213,575.00 2,080,210.00 31,183.00 642,080.00 169,780,142.00

18.36 34.5 1.45 0.475 0.045 11.5 5.03 10.50 0.0730 100.5 8.8 8.68 7.14 2.79 3.45 1000 1760 5.80 18.14 11.00 4.67 104.5 2.48 12.3 8.36 0.143 1.3400 3.07 15.2 4.40 1.21 21.35 15.90 0.520 6.49 7.3 3.90 2.830 11 4.81 8 137.20 8.33 1515.00 0.345 1.290 49.30 92.85 6.00 3.02 1.730 1.85 4.1 1.070 8.190

379,400 243,600 374,000 980,000 87,400,000 141,800 8,027,000 43,943,200 140,380,000 651,570 29,900 8,473,300 110,500 446,000 184,000 55 202,595 1,392,800 45,800 28,100 107,975,000 3,433,160 57,000 72,400 1,789,500 4,510,000 1,178,000 223,000 7,900 34,242,000 1,336,000 16,491,300 21,100 663,000 37,871,600 24,011,600 2,176,000 22,989,000 38,300 58,400 100 18,600 7,119,300 663,635 1,510,000 6,725,000 13,226,500 6,305,190 279,500 6,811,000 38,602,000 6,000 11,166,000 40,208,000 9,730,800

6,688,942.00 8,508,630.00 530,720.00 468,850.00 3,927,200.00 1,620,716.00 40,370,030.00 459,316,600.00 9,899,670.00 64,937,542.00 263,217.00 71,923,741.00 780,460.00 1,227,560.00 682,390.00 55,000.00 359,276,100.00 8,077,846.00 829,410.00 308,416.00 509,860,280.00 356,798,982.00 137,740.00 870,780.00 14,945,529.00 638,830.00 1,582,770.00 679,750.00 122,840.00 143,382,750.00 1,610,000.00 342,300,085.00 320,338.00 345,220.00 189,571,797.00 175,584,601.00 8,488,930.00 65,094,840.00 421,598.00 285,336.00 800.00 2,584,076.00 62,380,699.00 993,092,275.00 515,150.00 8,734,270.00 639,775,530.00 575,717,428.50 1,645,113.00 21,160,200.00 66,029,190.00 11,300.00 45,311,280.00 41,519,270.00 80,407,410.00

0.0023 1.62 4.65 14.90 1.6900 1.7100 1.64 0.325 7.30 2.590 0.235 0.151 0.151 0.010 0.0099 1.7 6.22 1.51 0.4400 0.9000 0.0130 0.0120 5.80 8.52 0.0120 2.0600 36.95 0.0060

739,000,000 19,821,000 847,000 13,800 10,000 211,000 95,498,000 3,060,000 26,900 9,524,000 400,000 15,080,000 14,310,000 37,600,000 228,400,000 609,000 7,626,500 290,000 1,220,000 1,215,000 36,500,000 209,000,000 2,127,700 40,599,900 125,100,000 65,000 20,473,800 4,000,000

1,701,200.00 32,044,090.00 3,973,810.00 206,110.00 17,070.00 361,460.00 162,929,000.00 974,500.00 194,525.00 25,030,280.00 90,110.00 2,282,070.00 2,155,060.00 374,950.00 2,283,470.00 1,024,620.00 46,267,166.00 426,870.00 538,600.00 1,059,390.00 438,700.00 2,913,200.00 12,649,497.00 361,484,014.00 1,436,600.00 134,170.00 754,995,895.00 27,000.00

34.25 107.8 524 530 105 106 116

3,226,300 20,070 700 60 851,280 22,150 34,400

110,824,310.00 2,164,668.00 366,800.00 31,715.00 89,303,118.00 2,298,516.00 3,978,224.00

522 5.42 1018 100.2 1.09 106.3 1050 1174 1002 103

5,210 4,208,000 1,750 130,810 7,493,000 500 50 30 460 1,290

2,717,065.00 22,712,066.00 1,796,710.00 13,202,698.00 8,242,970.00 53,150.00 52,500.00 35,220.00 461,105.00 132,875.00

77.3 82.5 76.25 78.15 81.05 79 78.1 80.1

1,980 26,900 85,600 27,870 46,600 1,600 493,040 163,570

153,024.00 2,189,675.00 6,542,000.00 2,178,390.50 3,785,115.00 126,110.00 39,033,870.00 13,101,957.00

2.850

11,132,000

29,852,890.00

10.12 2.88 3.22 3.75

9,507,900 422,000 480,000 17,969,000

96,543,173.00 1,219,550.00 1,503,240.00 62,712,710.00

Italpinas Makati Fin. Corp.

Philab Holdings Xurpas

7.85 3 4.17 5.29

8,089,500 167,000 2,395,000 54,787,000

First Metro ETF

126.8

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 105,450 13,393,396.00

125.8

106,450

13,179,023.00

10 10.3

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 10,000 100,000.00 22,470 230,862.00

10

11,000

110,060.00

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Philodrill Corp. `A’ AG Finance Oriental Pet. `B’ MRC Allied Ind. Island Info Megaworld Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Apollo Global Bloomberry

VOLUME 1,346,000,000 606,000,000 344,543,000 261,500,000 226,720,000 221,510,000 139,228,400 133,733,600 132,500,000 74,060,600

STOCKS Ayala Land `B’ SM Investments Inc. SM Prime Holdings Ayala Corp `A’ Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Jollibee Foods Corp.

Semirara Corp.

Metrobank GT Capital Universal Robina

VALUE 2,557,700,185.00 2,267,531,850.00 2,250,792,480.00 2,136,225,810.00 1,598,025,135.00 1,464,749,316.00 1,371,364,285.00 1,255,768,123.50 1,178,004,280.00 1,124,433,561.00

Mining and Power Corp., which declined 5 percent to P35.10; Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., which dropped 4.8 percent to P67.50; and Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp., which dipped lost 4.7 percent to P4.43.

US stocks, meanwhile, shot to new highs over the weekend on speculation that the Senate was close to an agreement on a tax overhaul package after fence-sitting Senator Marco Rubio reportedly said he’d support the plan. The dollar gained as investors assessed messages from the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank meetings this week.

All major equity gauges were higher, with S&P 500 Index, Dow Jones Industrial Average Nasdaq 100 Stock Index and Nasdaq Composite Index all leaping to fresh records. The small-cap Russell 2000 Index, whose domestically focused members stand to benefit most from tax cuts, added more than 1.5 percent.

Equities slumped Thursday when Rubio indicated he wouldn’t support the bill in its current form.

Uncertainty surrounding the fate of US tax reform has had investors on edge as they look to the end of a stellar year for equities. Money managers have shown signs of dialing back their appetite to take risk amid signals that the eight-year stock rally may not be far from its end.

With Bloomberg

PSE to get exemption from SEC’s regulation THE Philippine Stock Exchange expects to finally get a much-awaited exemption from the Securities and Exchange Commission on the brokers’ ownership limit this month, which will allow it to complete the purchase of nation’s bond exchange.

The PSE last week obtained the nod of the Philippine Competition Commission to proceed with the acquisition of a controlling interest in Philippine Dealing System and Holdings Inc. “We have been cleared by the PCC and that is an important hurdle for us,” PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon said.

Also boosting PSE’s confidence it will get the SEC approval is the filing of its plan with the corporate regulator to proceed with the stock rights offering. The PSE plans to issue 11.5 million common shares through a stock rights offering.

Monzon said the PSE obtained the approval of the brokers as well as strategic investors to waive their preemptive rights to subscribe to the stock the rights offering.

“In our computation with 11.5 million in stock rights, the final ownership of brokers in the PSE will be less than 20 percent, which is the required statutory requirement under the Securities Regulation Code,” Monzon said.

“Hopefully, SEC will see its way to approve the broker exemption because we have already filed the registration statement for the rights offering so this is not just a joke. SEC knows the filings we made so there is no doubt us complying with this,” he added.

The PSE plans to conduct the rights offering in February. The bourse earlier hired BDO Capital and Investments Corp. and First Metro Investments Corp. as the underwriter for the offering.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Business/World

Manila

Standard

TODAY

MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017

Bleeding yet breathing in 2017 AS Manila hosted the 31st Asean Summit IREENE LEONCIO last month, several activities among the REEN IGHT world’s top leaders circled around the theme “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World.” According to the event’s website, the theme reflects the Philippine government’s advocacy to promote unity with and among Asean member states and its global partners.

A forum entitled “Entrepreneurship in the Digital Economy” concluded the five forums of the Asean Business and Investment Summit. It discussed the role of the digital economy in its aim to increase inclusion in the region. Nick Nash, Group President of SEA Group, opened the discussion as he shared the three key dimensions on why Asean is a unique destination for global investors. One of the topics centered on the region’s great sense of optimism for the future.

The Asean region is unified in its optimism that cooperative businesses may bring forth benefits to all parties concerned. According to Michael Czinkota, a professor in International Business at Georgetown University and University of Kent, “Friends and adversaries do not require winners and losers. With all the physical, technical and information resources now easily available, we must search for the spiritual soul of business, and make it catch up with the physical body. We all must contribute to find new paths to help others by sharing their burden. They in turn must be willing to share ours.”

As we enter a new year, it may help to share optimism in our own communities, be it on our online feeds and offline relationships. We can take a uniting gaze at the pain our broken ties had caused by our differences in opinions, decisions and preferences. There is much room to foster optimism in our common aspirations; from a global, regional, local lens.

We may had been exposed to hurt and injustice from what had been amplified on the news in the outgoing year, yet it is still possible to emerge as one resilient society.

We can co-create optimism inspired by the lessons from our sufferings and other’s misjudgments. Sometimes, we need not to look farther to restore bonds within our own professional, social and familial ties. It may help to look at one’s eyes to apologize or extend forgiveness to those who had shaped us for who we are today.

I have never been more proud of being a Filipino than I am this year. We had been endlessly thriving and continuously hoping for clarity in dim.

I simply cannot say it enough: look how far we’ve come with a different take on optimism. We are bleeding, but we are still breathing. Happy New Year, Philippines! Manigong Bagong Taonpo sa inyong lahat!

G

BLASTOFF.

Russia’s Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft carrying members of the International Space Station expedition 54/55 blasts off to the ISS from the launch pad at the Russianleased Baikonur Cosmodrome on December 17, 2017.

The three-man space crew featuring NASA astronaut Scott Tingle and crewmates Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian space agency Roscosmos and Norishege Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency blasted off for a six-month mission at the International Space Station. AFP

L

Ireene Leoncio is an aspiring global citizen who was born and raised in Manila. She is on a study leave as a faculty member of the Marketing and Advertising Department of the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business of De La Salle University. Leoncio is currently a PhD Marketing research student in the United Kingdom and in-training to be a yoga teacher. She earned her master’s degree in Washington D.C. She worked for multinational companies managing global brands in Manila, New York City and the San Francisco Bay area.

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty and its administrators.

Evacuation ordered in wildfire fight LOS ANGELES―Evacuation orders were issued Saturday for areas in California’s Santa Barbara County as the state battles its third-largest wildfire since 1932, with winds and dry conditions threatening to help the blaze grow.

Santa Barbara’s Office of Emergency Management announced a series of mandatory evacuation orders as well as voluntary evacuation warnings for parts of the county on its Twitter account.

The OEM said that “due to extreme traffic on the County Website it has shut down.”

The so-called Thomas fire menacing Santa Barbara has already burned 259,000 acres (105,000 hectares) of land, destroyed over 1,000 structures and cost more than $100 million since it broke out on December 4, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

Conditions including winds, dry fuel and low humidity “will continue to support fire growth,” Cal Fire said.

More than 8,000 people are involved in battling the blaze, which is now 40 percent contained.

Cal Fire also warned that conditions were ripe for new wildfires to emerge.

“Over the weekend winds across northern California are expected to reach 30-40 MPH (4864 kilometers per hour). Wildfires can strike anywhere at any time,” it warned in a Facebook post.

Only two fires have burned more acreage in California so far this century: the Cedar Fire of 2003, and the Rush Fire of 2012, which scorched 273,246 and 271,911, respectively. AFP

B3

Measure eyed rejecting US move on Jerusalem U NITED NATIONS―The UN Security Council is considering a draft resolution affirming that any change to the status of Jerusalem has no legal effect and must be reversed, in response to the US decision to recognize the city as Israel’s capital.

Egypt circulated the draft text on Saturday, and diplomats said the council could vote on the proposed measure as early as Monday.

Breaking with the international consensus, US President Donald Trump this month announced he would recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv, sparking protests and strong condemnation.

The draft resolution obtained by AFP stresses that Jerusalem is an issue “to be resolved through negotiations” and expresses “deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Je-

rusalem,” without specifically mentioning Trump’s move.

“Any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded,” it said.

Diplomats said they expected the United States to use its veto power to block the measure while most, if not all, of the 14 other council members were expected to back the draft resolution.

US Vice President Mike Pence will visit Jerusalem on Wednesday, wading into

the crisis over one of the frain from opening embas- call on Israel to withdraw most controversial issues in sies in Jerusalem, reflecting from territory seized during the Israeli-Palestinian con- concerns that other govern- the 1967 war and have reafflict. ments could follow the US firmed the need to end the Israel seized control of the lead. occupation of that land. eastern part of the city in the It demands that all memThe Palestinians had 1967 Middle East war and ber-states not recognize any sought a toughly-worded sees the whole of Jerusalem actions that are contrary to draft resolution that would as its undivided capital. The UN resolutions on the status have directly called on the Palestinians view the east of the city.

US administration to scrap as the capital of their future Several UN resolutions its decision. state.

Israel’s UN AmRepublic of the Philippines Philippine Rural Development Project bassador Danny Invitation to Bid for the Danon “strongly Rehabilitation of Billoca-San Juan FarmtoMarket Road and 8 Bridges condemned” the Identification No. PRDP-IB-R001-ILN-001-000-000-2014 Loan No. 8421-PH draft, dismissing it as an attempt by December 18, 2017 the Palestinians 1. The Government of the Philippines (GoP) has receiveda Loan from the “to reinvent hisWorld Bank towards the cost of Philippine Rural Development Projectand it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this Loan to payments under the tory.” contract for the Rehabilitation of Billoca-San Juan FarmtoMarket Road “No vote or deand 8 Bridgeswith ID No. PRDP-IB-R001-ILN-001-000-000-2014-R1. bate will change 2. The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte, implementing partner of the Department of Agriculture, now invites bids for theRehabilitation of Billocathe clear reality San Juan Farm to Market Roadand 8 Bridges. Completion of the Works is that Jerusalem has shown below: and always will be Package Description Completion of Unworkable Works Days the capital of IsIII. Rehabilitation/Construction of 140 23 rael,” Danon said Caoayan Bridge and Rayuray Bridge in a statement.

IV. Rehabilitation/Construction 157 26 The draft resoof Camandingan Bridge lution calls on all 1 and Construction of CamandinganBridge 2 countries to re-

N. Korea ‘agent’ charged in missile sale plot SYDNEY―A Sydney-based “loyal agent of North Korea” has been charged with trying to sell missile parts and technology on the black market to raise money for Pyongyang in breach of international sanctions, Australian police said Sunday.

The 59-year-old naturalized Australian citizen of Korean descent, named in local media as Chan Han Choi, was attempting to broker illicit deals that could have generated “tens of millions of dollars” for North Korea, the Australian Federal Police said.

Choi was involved in discussions to set up a ballistic missile production facility and the supply of missile construction plans in addition to components, software and the transfer of technical expertise from Pyongyang, police alleged.

AFP Assistant Commissioner

Neil Gaughan told reporters the case was “like nothing we have ever seen on Australian soil”, alleging that the man was in contact with high-ranking North Korean officials.

“This man is a loyal agent of North Korea, believing he was acting to serve some higher patriotic purpose.”

The alleged agent’s plans did not involve other governments or officials, police said. Authorities did not reveal which individuals or entities the man was allegedly trying to trade with.

North Korea is under tough United Nations sanctions aimed at choking off revenue to Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs.

“This is a very important arrest, the charges laid are of the greatest nature,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters in Sydney.

“North Korea is a dangerous, reckless, criminal regime threatening the peace of the region. It supports itself by breaching UN sanctions.

“It is vitally important that all nations ... enforce those sanctions because the more economic pressure that can be brought on North Korea, the sooner that regime will be brought to its senses.”

Choi, who has lived in Australia for three decades, allegedly used encrypted communication services to facilitate the attempted trades, which included the transfer of coal from North Korea to entities in Indonesia and Vietnam.

Choi was refused bail on Sunday after being arrested in the Sydney suburb of Eastwood on Saturday. He faces a total of six charges, with maximum penalties of up to 10 years in jail. AFP

‘Titanic’ movie keeps that sinking feeling alive LOS ANGELES―Part saturnine elegy to doomed youth, part exaltation of the transcendent power of love, blockbuster disaster movie “Titanic” is delivering that sinking feeling to a whole new generation of fans.

Tuesday marks two decades since Rose vowed to Jack she’d “never let go”―before spectacularly reneging on her promise, sending her frozen-to-death paramour to a watery grave and leaving “Titaniacs” worldwide sobbing into their popcorn.

The anniversary has been celebrated with screenings across the United States, and audiences are still swooning over the young lovers played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet―now both Oscar winners and Hollywood A-listers.

“The Titanic story itself has a timeless quality. It seems to exist outside our daily lives. As this straight moral lesson, it’s something that fascinates us,” director James Cameron told fans at a Los Angeles screening to mark the milestone.

Winslet’s love-struck socialite and DiCaprio’s artistic drifter were fictionalized characters in a dramatization of the real-life sinking in 1912 of history’s most famous ship after it hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic.

The film, distributed by Paramount at home and Fox abroad, entered into movie history when it picked up 11 Oscars, including best picture and best director for Cameron.

With a worldwide gross of $2.2 billion, it was the most successful movie ever made until Cameron’s “Avatar” (2009) took $2.8 billion at the box office.

At an intimidating 195 minutes, the movie can feel in parts as long as the voyage on which it is based, but it earned mostly glowing reviews, and the theme song “My Heart Will Go On” became a global success for Celine Dion.

Cameron, 63, says he sold the idea to Fox executives with “probably the shortest pitch for a major movie in Hollywood history.”

“I whipped open this book and in the center is a beautiful doubletruck spread right across both pages of a painting by Ken Marschall, the best artist of the subject of the Titanic,” he recalled. AFP

Bidders should have completed, within the last five (5) years for Road Component and ten (10) years for Bridge Component, 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.

3.

Bidding will be conducted in accordance with relevant procedures for open competitive bidding as specified in the IRR of RA 9184, with some amendments, as stated in these bidding documents and is open to all bidders from eligible source countries as defined in the applicable procurement guidelines of the World Bank. The contract shall be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during post-qualification. The Estimated Project Cost for this project are shown below: Package III. IV.

Description Rehabilitation/Construction of Caoayan Bridge and Rayuray Bridge

EPC (PhP) 7,973,000.00

Rehabilitation/Construction of Camandingan Bridge 1 and Construction of Camandingan Bridge 2

9,870,000.00

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Bids and Awards Committee, Provincial Capitol, Laoag City, Ilocos Norteand inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00am to 4:00pm, Mondays to Fridays.

4.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders fromDecember 18, 2017 to January 19, 2018 from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the bidding documents in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (PhP5,000.00).

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the PRDP website (http://www.daprdp.net) provided that bidders shall pay the nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

As part of the transparency measures being instituted by the Department of Agriculture (DA) the bidders can virtually visit the site of the above-described subproject at http://www.daprdp.net where geotagged base photographs on 50 meter interval and track are viewable. The DA, however, requires that all potential contractors who will be awarded contract under the project shall have undergone geotaggingtraining provided by the PRDP Project Support Office.

6.

The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on January 05, 2018 at 10:00 A.M. at the Provincial Auditorium, Provincial Capitol, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte which shall be open to all interested parties.

7.

Bids must be delivered on or before January 19, 2018 at 10:00 AM at the Provincial Auditorium, Provincial Capitol, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration or bid security in the form of Cash or Cashier’s/Manager’s check or Bank Guarantee issued by a universal or commercial Bank in the amount provided below: Package III IV

Description Rehabilitation/Construction of Caoayan Bridge and Rayuray Bridge Rehabilitation/Construction of Camandingan Bridge 1 and Camandingan Bridge 2

Amount of Bid Security (Php) 160,000.00 198,000.00

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

The Provincial Government of Ilocos Nortereserves the right to accept or rejectany bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

9.

For further information, please refer to: LANI A. DAQUIOAG BAC TWG BAC OFFICE/PROVINCINCIAL ENGINEERING OFFICE Provincial Capitol Building Laog City, Ilocos Norte (077) 770-3848 or 772-20-49 Email address: bacilocosnorte@yahoo.com (SGD) JOSEPHINE A. RUEDAS BAC Chairperson

(MS-DEC. 18, 2017)

LGUs

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

B4

monday, december 18, 2017

LocaL government units

WINNING LANTERN. Sen. Cynthia Villar awards the grand winner of the Parol Making Contest, Andrew Flores, assisted by Las Piñas Mayor Imelda Aguilar (left) during the Las Pinas 12th Parol Festival 2017 and Street Dance Competition held at Villar Sipag Hall in Las Piñas City. Lino Santos

Beached whale rescued, herded back to open sea PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—A 15-foot whale was eventually pulled back into the sea Saturday afternoon after a team of environment, maritime, and coast guard authorities spent several hours to rescue it in Honda Bay here.

The large whale, suspected to be either a Bryde’s or Omura’s, was trapped on the sandy beach of Luli Island, a popular island spot in the said bay in Barangay Sta. Lourdes.

Vivian Obligar-Soriano, senior ecosystems management specialist of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office, said joint teams from the Philippine National Police-Maritime Special Operations Unit, Philippine Coast Guard, local Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff safely herded the whale back to a deeper part of the waters of the bay shortly before 2:30 p.m.

“We successfully released it back to the deeper part of the bay, and we didn’t see it again. We requested these authorities to keep a close watch on the marine mammal so, that when it comes back we can do something,” Soriano told the Philippine News Agency.

The shallow area on Luli Island, where it was shoved by waves and trapped, was cordoned off to keep people away during the rescue. PNA

Davao sees 170k Xmas tourists

D

AVAO CITY—This city expects around 170,000 tourists for Christmas this year, or around 10,000 more than last year, the city tourism office said.

Even without firecrackers or pyrotechnics displays, Davao has become a destination for domestic tourism because of its month-long Pasko Fiesta.

“We know that our fellow Dabawenyos are the ones who invited their friends and relatives to experience the celebration of

Christmas here in the city, “ Davao City Tourism Operations Office chief Generose Tecson said.

Tourists can experience the activities of the Pasko Fiesta sa Davao such as the “Kaon sa Davao” or the food festival along Palma Gil Street, and “Kan-anan sa Tribo” at the Magsaysay

Park’s Kadayawan Village, where people can experience the different food of the city’s indigenous tribes.

“We want them to experience how we celebrate as people. Despite our differences in our culture and traditions, we still unite and that’s our difference from other places,” Tecson said.

She said the visitors can also enjoy the lantern parade and the choral competition at City Hall.

Last year, Tecson said the number of city visitors

reached 160,000 based on hotel occupancy -- the year when a bomb exploded at the Roxas night market, killing 14 and injuring 70.

“We are really targeting last year’s arrivals. We’ve seen the trend that after the declaration of martial law our tourist arrivals decreased,” Tecson said.

“However, it was surprising that in July our tourist arrivals increased and during Kadayawan that was really terrific because there were many people who

came to Davao,” Tecson added.

Meanwhile, the ease of doing business in Davao City is expected to improve with the new Davao City Investment and Tourism building along Palma Gil St. expected to be completed by late-2018.

The four-story building will house both the Davao City Investment and Promotion Center and the City Tourism Operations Office.

It broke ground on Tuesday, Dec. 12 with an allocated

fund of P50 million.

“Our services offered in DCIPC will be much more accessible to our potential investors. The mandate of both DCIPC and CTOO is to promote the city. The only difference is that we are into the investment and they are into the tourism sector,” said DCIPC head Lemuel Ortonio.

“With this new building, the coordination and communication between these two offices will be easier and accessible and more

efficient because we are located in one building,” Ortonio added.

Investment and tourism go hand in hand, for both are integral drivers that push the economy forward with both being among the key priority areas of the city government, he added.

With the increasing attention that Davao City is receiving these recent times, comes an increase in investment opportunities as well as tourist arrivals and tourist

Education fair draws 2k sr. high students MORE than 2,000 senior high school students became more informed on their choice of future career paths in the recent Career Clinic at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City and the Taguig Education Fair at the Lakeshore Hall in Taguig City.

These activities were organized through the partnership of the Aboitiz Foundation and Edukasyon.Ph. The latter event was also held in coordination with the Department of Education’s Taguig-Pateros Division.

The Career Clinic, participated by over 300 Aboitiz Foundation’s high school scholars in Metro Manila, highlighted inter-

active sessions that oriented the scholars and their parents with different tracks and employment opportunities available in today’s context in the country.

Meanwhile, the Senior High School Fair gathered over 2,000 Grade 12 high school students in Taguig and featured talks from Taguig’s Public Employment Service Office, Every Nation Campus, and the Department of Trade and Industry.

These activities support DepEd’s K-to-12 program and aim to provide additional knowledge that will help the students decide on their future career paths.

“The Aboitiz Foundation

commits to continuously find better ways to help Filipino students to either study further, set up their businesses, or be employed,” said Maribeth Marasigan, Aboitiz Foundation First Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

“We will also continue to build classrooms, upgrade school facilities, provide scholarships and teacher training, and other efforts that will encourage young Filipinos to become lifelong learners. This is our contribution to advancing business and communities by co-creating safe, empowered, and sustainable communities,” Senior high school students line up for the recent Career Clinic at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City and the Marasigan added.

Taguig Education Fair at the Lakeshore Hall in Taguig City.

In BrIef region 1 cops told to enhance service LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Chief Supt. Romulo E. Sapitula, newly designated police regional director of the Ilocos region, has called on all police personnel in Pangasinan to enhance their service to the people.

Sapitula spoke before rank and file members of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office when he came to the province on Saturday, his first ever command visit since assuming the post of Police Regional Office 1 director.

He was welcomed by Senior Supt. Ronald O. Lee, Pangasinan Police Provincial director and his staff.

Chief Supt. Sapitula used to be the director of the Eastern Police District before replacing Chief Supt. Charlo Collado.

“We should work harder so that we can enhance our service to the people,” he said, adding that he intends to start some projects in Pangasinan soon.

“I would like to ask for your help. Since we are all policemen, we should help each other. The uniformed and non-uniformed personnel must be one in helping the people,” he said. PNA

Book details love, life and serendipity VILLASIS, Pangasinan—An inspiring book on love, life and serendipity, authored and published by Melandrew T. Velasco, Media Touchstone Ventures Inc. (MTVi) president and CEO, was formally launched here recently.

The legacy book entitled “Pete and Sol: Forever in Love” chronicles the remarkable lives and the enduring love of Peter Montilla Jr., and Soledad Obedoza-Montilla, who have been happily married for 47 years and counting.

The book launch was graced by

Bishop of Urdaneta Rev. Jacinto Jose, who gave the blessing and invocation; Villasis Councilor Judith Moulic Morden, who presented the Sangguniang Bayan resolution citing the Montilla couple as outstanding Villasenians; and Viva artist Sean Collado, who serenaded the couple and the guests.

Despite the many challenges, hurdles and difficulties they have faced together for over four decades, the Montilla couple has come out unscathed, and their love and relationship remains stronger than ever.

“They are like the grandparents or godparents to the people they serve at GK Namnama, overseeing their needs and their concerns,” said Velasco. “I was humbled to witness that the people whom they serve, admire and look up to Pete and Sol not only for their humanitarian work but for their humility, their compassion and their heart of service.”

The book traces the couple’s humble roots and childhood experiences, and their mindset growing up in such peaceful towns of Balaoan, La Union and Villasis, Pangasinan.

Paper on mango production lauded BALANGA CITY, Bataan—Dr. Hermogenes Paguia, Director for Research Development of the Bataan Polytechnic State University, has received a Certificate of Recognition for the paper “Science and Technology Model Farm on Mango Production in Pampanga” from Central Luzon Agriculture, Aquatic and Resources Research and Development Consortium.

This happened during the Experts’ Pool 4th Quarterly Meeting at Tarlac Agricultural University, in Camiling, Tarlac on Thursday, Dec. 14.

The paper was adjudged 2nd Best Paper in the Development Category in the 28th Regional Symposium on Research and Development Highlights held in Central Luzon State University, City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija last Sept. 28.

Paguia, project leader of the research, presented the paper in the regional symposium.

CLAARRDEC is a conglomeration of 30 member-institutions in Region 3 that include BPSU, responsible for planning, monitoring and evaluation, and technology transfer activities related to agriculture, aquatic, forestry, and natural resources. Butch Gunio

Pete and Sol Montilla (fourth and fifth from right) and their daughter Marisol pose with MTVi President and veteran author Melandrew Velasco and staff following the book presentation to the Montilla family in Villasis, Pangasinan.

Pampanga lanterns light up night sky SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—Giant and brightly-colored lanterns lit up the evening sky as this year’s ‘Ligligan ng Parul’ took center stage Saturday night at the Robinsons Starmills here.

Thousands of local and foreign tourists flocked here to witness the annual festival that gave the city the distinction of being the Christmas Capital of the Philippines.

The spectators were all eyes as the parol makers from barangays Dolores, Sta Lucia, Telebastagan, Sindalan, San Juan, San Nicolas, Calulut, San Jose, Del Pilar and Del Rosario showed their creativity and craftsmanship for the yearly competition of the best and grandest giant lanterns.

Loud cheers filled the air as the audience saw the grand display of spectacular lights, the interplay of colors and kaleidoscopic patterns of the giant lanterns to the beat of lively music.

Life

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

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

food

C1

monday, decemBeR 18, 2017

A coffee connoisseur’s go-to cafes in Singapore

SINGAPORE IN A CUP. Dapper Coffee, one of Andre Chanco’s recommended cafe in Singapore, is popular for its Golden Brew.

P

ASSIONS are very much like cups of coffee. They wake us up in the morning and keep us energized to pursue different possibilities. Over a perfect brew, people bond in the same way they would connect over mutual passions.

For Andre Chanco, founder of Yardstick Coffee (undoubtedly one of Manila’s finest coffee shops), passion and coffee are more than alike; they are one and the same.

Andre’s story started with a single espresso at Singapore’s premiere specialty coffee café, Papa Palheta. He swapped computers and codes for coffee machines and beans as he left his IT consultancy job to become a barista at the famous coffee house. There, he learned everything there is to know about the coffee industry, from green coffee sourcing and marketing, to mastering the art of roasting.

Drawing inspiration and guidance from Papa Palheta owner, Leon Foo, Andre returned home to put up Yardstick Coffee. The b2b enterprise and café was Andre’s way of strengthening the eventual boom of specialty coffee in the Philippines. Today, Yardstick supplies quality coffee beans and coffeemaking equipment to well-known cafés in Manila, and has been credited with

paving the way for the third wave coffee culture that most Filipinos now enjoy.

“Coffee is magical by how it connects people. My story comes with every cup of coffee that I serve. With every sip, people somewhat get a glimpse of the personal experiences that allowed me to make my passion a reality in Singapore. And now, having Yardstick back at home, we become connected even deeper because they get an actual taste of that passion,” shared Andre as he recounted his journey.

From his humble beginnings as a part-time barista at Papa Palheta, to his success with Yardstick Coffee today, Andre embodies Singapore’s newest destination brand: Passion Made Possible. More than just a tourism slogan, Passion Made Possible is all about how one’s passions can be ignited, fulfilled and deepened in Singapore with the possibilities it offers.

The coffee expert’s top picks Influenced by the Lion City’s thriving coffee scene and the infectious fiery

spirit of the local café-owners, Andre explored and developed his passion for coffee in Singapore and has a list of his favorite coffee hunts.

Very close to the coffee connoisseur’s heart is Papa Palheta. The famous coffee bean supplier pioneered specialty coffee in Singapore and became the model for Andre’s very own business. One of Papa Palheta’s retail arms is Chye Seng Huat Hardware Coffee Bar. Often mistaken as a run-down hardware store, this coffee shop is the opposite with its trendy industrial interior. At the heart of the shop, customers can find a 360-degree bar where baristas quickly serve their delicious drinks.

Chye Seng Huat offers top-quality concoctions that are sure to delight coffee lovers everywhere. Visitors can also check out the roaster, coffee school, and private coffee tasting room all housed in the same building. Chye Seng Huat served as an inspiration to Yardstick café’s look and feel.

Andre also recommends Nylon Coffee Roasters, a coffee bar which captures flavors from around the world with quality beans exported from Brazil, Ethiopia, and many more. Here,

Piolo endorses new Highlands corned beef HIGHLANDS, the brand that introduced the corned beef with Angus in the Philippine market, recently launched the new Highlands Gold Corned Beef with multi-awarded actor Piolo Pascual as brand ambassador.

According to Brenda V. Miranda, Vice President for Marketing, “Filipinos are very accustomed to eating corned beef but there are only a few offerings available in the market today. That’s why we wanted to provide a better option for our dear consumers.”

“Through Highlands Gold, we guarantee a high quality of corned beef satisfaction which our consumers will not find in their usual corned beef, ” Miranda said.

Highlands Gold is not only made from 100% Pure Beef but is made with imported and high-quality Angus.

As the product is made with Angus, Highlands Gold has real and natural beef taste that moms would love. Compared to ordinary beef, Angus has better marbling which makes the product more delightfully and naturally delicious and tender, according to experts.

They define marbling as the fine white streaks in beef which give the cut its flavor, juiciness and tenderness. The higher amount of marbling, a characteristic Angus is known for, the higher the quality is. No wonder steakhouses offering Angus steaks have good consumer following.

“Being one of the country’s top and trusted brand ambassadors, Piolo is known to be discriminating when it comes to the products he endorses. He only promotes products he patronizes himself,” Miranda shared.

“We are happy to learn that Piolo was already a fan of Highlands Gold even before we tapped him to endorse the brand.” she said.

As for Piolo, he considers it a blessing to be the brand ambassador of Highlands

Gold. Just like the many young wives and mothers today who have made the switch from their old corned beef brand to Highlands Gold, he is well-pleased.

“I’m happy when I tasted it. It is so good! It is something familiar yet new. I will never go back to my old corned beef,” Piolo said.

“And what I like best is that it’s not only made from 100% Pure Beef, it is also made with Angus Beef. I love its natural and superior beef taste!” Piolo added, “Hindi malitid ang Highlands Gold at hindi matabang. This is definitely my kind of comfort food,” said Piolo.

“Talagang makukuha sa tikim ang mga mommies with the new Highlands Gold Corned Beef, said Piolo in reference to the campaign tagline.

“Filipinos deserve the corned beef with Angus,” he said.

Highlands Gold comes in 150g, 210g, 260g, and 320g sizes and is available in all supermarkets and groceries nationwide.

Turn to C2

Coffee connoisseur Andre Chanco practices a hands-on approach in handling his business

Celeb chef spices up Golden Fiesta’s ‘Heart Healthy Camp’ kickoff at Nuvali “YOu are what you eat,” the famous saying goes. And for celebrity chef and fitness buff Jose Sarasola, eating healthy and thinking healthy start with choosing the right kind of cooking oil.

Sarasola, former Pinoy Fear Factor contestant and boyfriend of Japanese actress Maria Ozawa, shared his expertise in preparing heart-healthy meals during the kickoff leg of Golden Fiesta’s Heart Healthy Camp at Solenad 1 in Nuvali, Laguna, recently.

Sarasola treated the participants of the fun-filled fitness camp with a live cooking demo and food sampling using the heart-healthy Canola Oil by Golden Fiesta, the country’s leading cooking oil brand. The chef-actor showed the eager participants how to prepare simple, hearty meals like Golden Fiesta Lettuce Salad with Guyabano Vinaigrette, Golden Fiesta Bangus Back Fillet and Adobo Kangkong Duo, and Golden Fiesta Japanese Chicken Katsu in Curry Sauce.

“To be healthy, you have to eat healthy, and part of that lifestyle is choosing the right kind of oil. There’s a misconception that all oils are unhealthy—that’s not the case with the heart-healthy and versatile Golden Fiesta Canola Oil, which is not only good for frying but also for making sauces and salad dressings. It does not take rocket science to learn and make healthy meals at home,” Sarasola said.

“To reach the goal that you want in life, you have to really work hard for it. And when it comes to achieving that healthy lifestyle and physically fit body, Golden Fiesta Canola Oil is there to aid you,” he added.

The free-admission fitness camp was warmly received not just by scores of fitness enthusiasts but also by legions of young professionals, including families and groups of friends, who trooped to the Solenad 1-Flex Lot, as early as 6 a.m., to jump-start a hearthealthy life with a fitness regimen.

The morning was made livelier by a Zumba session led by top Zumba and yoga instructor Karen Buenvenida. Participants readily tried out an assortment of fitness routines and activities that were categorized into beginner, intermediate, and advance levels that matched their varying fitness requirements.

Each station was manned by professional coaches and trainers to ensure that participants were carrying out the exercises properly and safely. The workout activities in-

Celebrity chef and fitness buff Jose Sarasola holds a live cooking demo using Golden Fiesta Canola Oil

clude Pumps! Plyometric Box Jumps; Heart Skips! Low Hurdles; Heart Beats! Agility Ladders; Elastic Heart!

Fitness Band; Heart Swing! Kettle Bells; and Heart Waves! Battle Ropes.

Participants also listened to, and engaged in, “Heart Talks” conducted by licensed nutritionist-dietician and fitness specialist Fia Batua.

“We Filipinos can’t say no to fried food, but the good news is Golden Fiesta is promoting simple changes that we can do on a daily basis to improve our overall health.

We encourage everyone to start these simple lifestyle Turn to C2

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monday, december 18, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

TWG Tea Philippines turns 5 M

ARkiNG five years at the forefront of excellence in tea, lifestyle and gastronomy, TWG Tea Philippines proudly celebrated its 5th Anniversary last month.

Capturing the culture of innovation and passion for epicurean creativity since 2012, TWG Tea Philippines unveiled an exceptional treat to express their gratitude for five years of unwavering support from their valued guests.

TWG Tea invites you to indulge into your tea-infused exclusively offered in all TWG Tea Salons & Boutiques. Join the grand celebration and enjoy your most-loved dishes, including the Scallops Linguine, Beef Tenderloin, and Pan-Seared Seabass.

The celebration continues as TWG Tea once again takes the world of tea by storm with the launch of four new tea-infused dishes, balancing traditional methods and revolutionary tea infusion techniques, unveiled and included with their regular menu. Blended, infused, powdered, smoked, marinated, blanched, confit, seasoned or even pickled – these are just some of the many ways the 400 TWG Tea single-estate harvests and exclusive tea blends can be incorporated into culinary creations.

A remarkable addition to the menu,

Baked Chicken Gratin

a coffee...

From C1

each cup is meticulously made to bring out the beans’ original flavor, all with the right balance of sweetness. its coffee clientele appreciates the bar’s warm and easy vibe, courtesy of relaxing natural light and an uncluttered interior.

Other honorable mentions include Artistry, Common Man Roasters, Forty Hands, Geisha Specialty Coffee, and Dapper Coffee - specialty cafés which add their own twists to classic coffees.

From third wave artisanal cafés, to intimate neighborhood coffee shops, Singapore’s rich coffee culture is something every coffee lover should experience.

Visit Singapore and get a taste of inspiring passions stronger than any shot of espresso.

celeb chef...

TWG Tea’s take on the Nicoise Salad is infused with Matcha Green Tea that adds earthy notes to the perfectly seared tiger prawns and gives the salad another depth of grassy flavors. Another new inclusion is the Baked Chicken Gratin with Napoleon Tea, which adds a warm and sweet aroma to the chicken because of its French spices. This dish is topped with cream cheese, hollandaise, and broccoli florets, and served with potato gratin and spinach puree. The Neapolitan Beef infused with Comptoir desIndes Tea, accompanied with buttered asparagus and baby potatoes is a notable new inclusion, as the flavorful tomato sauce blends perfectly with the tea’s autumn spices. The uniquely imagined Pasta Puttanesca topped with pan-seared seabass fillet will keep you coming back for more, as the Eternal

Pasta Puttanesca

Summer Tea infusion gives the sauce invigorating aromas of summer sweetness, and complements the sweet and buttery flavors of the seabass.

TWG Tea’s New Menu is available at all TWG Tea Salons & Boutiques in Greenbelt 5, Central Square, Shangrila Plaza, and S Maison Conrad Manila.

Nicoise Salad

Holiday servings Sweet and bountiful surprises This season of goodwill, share best-loved goodies as thoughtful little gifts to family and friends, with Five-star award winner Marco Polo Ortigas Manila’s hampers and takeaways, perfect for the coming holidays.

Take this opportunity to share the holiday’s bests and express the season’s greetings with hampers that are prepared with love and care, perfect for the special friends and family. Express how special they are. Choose from a wide selection of chocolate characters, chocolate bars, soft and moist cakes, freshly baked cookies, nuts and biscuits, or Scottish fruit preserves, to name a few. Opt for premium and festive roasts. Show grand gestures with grand gifts to share in this grand fest. The hotel’s finest savories, such as Angus Prime Rib, Roast Goose, Honey Pineapple Spiced Glazed Ham, and Pork Belly, roasted to perfection, are perfect takeaways for that celebration at home.

Holidays are made more festive as Marco Polo Ortigas Manila invites you to a confectionary and delightful journey in Chocolate Tinsel Town: Sweet Christmas Celebrations. Experience the unforgettable combination of overflowing indulgent goodies, and sweet memories, made with love from the hotel’s chocolate factory these coming holidays.

To know more about the hotel and the other signature dining outlets of Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, visit www.marcopolohotels.com. Follow the hotel in Facebook at facebook.com/MarcoPoloOrtigasManila or @MarcoPoloManila on Twitter or Instagram.

Diamond Hotel’s Supermoist Chocolate Cake

All You Could Ever Want for Christmas

From C1

changes in your kitchen,” Batua said.

“Canola oil is one of the best and most nutritious oils in the market; it’s even healthier and cheaper than olive oil. Canola oil is rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids that are very good for the heart. You can use it for baking, frying, and as dressing,” she added. \Golden Fiesta Canola Oil is a rich source of cholesterol-reducing phytosterols, an all-natural plant extract that can reduce your body’s cholesterol level by as much as 15 percent. Scientific studies and trials show that consumption of two grams of phytosterols per day has the potential of diminishing one’s risk of developing coronary heart disease.

According to Carl Constantino, category marketing manager at NutriAsia, the Golden Fiesta Heart Healthy Camp is the brand’s way of reaching out to Filipino consumers and encouraging them to be more mindful of their food choices and to maintain an active lifestyle despite tight schedules.

“We are very happy that residents of Laguna and even of nearby areas took this opportunity to learn and enjoy new fitness techniques from fitness experts and enthusiasts—all for free,” Constantino enthused.

“Today, our camp participants brought home some useful tips from nutrition and fitness experts and learned how to cook their favorite fried dishes—plus new recipes that they can try at home—using heart-healthy Golden Fiesta Canola Oil.” After the Nuvali leg, the Golden Fiesta Heart Healthy Camp will proceeded to Track 30th at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and Eton Centris Walk in Quezon City.

Neapolitan Beef

Marco Polo Ortigas Manila’s Christmas hamper and Christmas takeaways

Sunday Roast at Epilogue Enjoy a sumptuous Sunday lunch with family and friends as Epilogue Fine Bistro in S Maison, Conrad Manila, offers its newest Sunday Roast promo. Feast on Epilogue’s special Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding, available in limited quantities every Sunday from 12 noon onwards for only P599. Taste the best of global travel cuisine only at Epilogue Fine Bistro.

Epilogue is a homegrown brand under the Food Revo- Epilogue special Sunday roast offerings lution Group.

To know more about Epilogue, go to www.epilogue.ph or visit Epilogue at G/F S Maison, Conrad Manila, Ocean Drive, Mall of Asia, Pasay City.

Diamond Hotel Philippines is granting your culinary Yuletide wish list with a savory and sweet line-up of treats. Choose from a selection of gourmet and gift ideas in different flavors, shapes and sizes for a grander celebration.

Serve an unforgettable holiday dinner with mouthwatering savories and sides. Bring the family together with a grand feast of scrumptious holiday classics featuring succulent U.S. Angus Beef Rib Eye, crisp and juicy Lechon de Leche, classic Christmas Turkey and the famous Porchetta with Truffle Rice. For guilt-free pleasure, opt for a platter of Baked Mediterranean Crusted Norwegian Salmon or Salmon Gravlax. These and more are all available for orders and delivery with a minimum purchase required.

Satisfy your Christmas craving and indulge your sweet tooth in melt-in-your mouth cakes and pastries. The hotel’s Christmas goodie offers are all you could ever want this season. Make your holidays more delicious with luscious cakes such as Supermoist Chocolate Cake, Baked Cheesecake, Mango Hazelnut and Le Royale. Add traditional holiday breads in your shopping bag like Christmas Fruit Cake, Lemon Calamansi Loaf Cake and Marble Cake, baked with the warmth of the season. Draw your attention to Christmas showstoppers specifically The Tree, Chocolate Barks and Salted Chocolate Truffles for a merrier vibe. And of course, be sure to take home boxes of the ever-crowd favorites: Christmas Macarons and Ube Ensaymadas.

Relax and enjoy quality time together as you make Diamond Hotel your home away from home this holiday season. Avail of gift certificates for an overnight stay or a dinner for two at any of the hotel’s restaurants and give them as presents. if you are looking for unique gifts to give, add to your list a Christmas Hamper or a treasure chest of luxuries specially curated for the holidays. For an exceptional Christmas feast, let the hotel’s full Catering Service set your Noche Buena table and other parties. Diamond Hotel chefs may also cook on location for that extra holiday experience.

To place an order for Christmas Goodies, Hampers, Party Platters or Gift Certificates, call Diamond Hotel at 528-3000 ext. 1121 or 1118 from 9am to 8pm, Mondays to Fridays; or e-mail restaurant_ rsvn@diamondhotel.com. Orders must be placed at least 3 days before day of pick-up or delivery and seven days prior to your event for the catering service.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017

Derrick and Barbie in ‘Almost a Love Story’ D E R R I C K Monasterio is happy that after three years, he will be paired anew with former screen partner Barbie Forteza in a grand movie project titled Almost a Love Story under BG Productions.

“It will be directed by Louie Ignacio. This is a romantic comedy which I’m sure will delight DerBie fans.”

It can be remembered that the two headlined successful soaps in the past like Luna Blanca, Paroa: Ang Kuwento ni Mariposa, Anna Karenina, and The Half Sisters. This will be the first time that they’ll do a film opposite each other.

“Of course, I’m glad with this development.

It’s been three years since we worked together on television. The movie will also be shot abroad, Italy in particular so it’s just exciting. We’ll stay there for more than a week. It’s a great bonus indeed.”

Derrick recalls how smooth sailing his screen partnership was with Barbie before.

“With her, it’s always fun on the set. I have only good memories of our working relationship. It’s a nostalgic feeling actually. Barbie’s such a good actress. When it comes to doing the scenes, she’s serious and you’ll learn from her discipline. But off-cam, she’s so bubbly.”

Now that they’ll be doing a film together, many of their solid fans fantasize that their on-screen romance translate into reality, this, despite the fact that Barbie and Jak Roberto’s relationship is out in the open.

“Honestly, my friendship with Barbie has remained intact despite the passing of times,” Derrick reveals. “Even if we don’t get to see each other that often, but when we do, you can see and feel the warmth and closeness. That’s what’s good in us!”

This early, many ask if Jak has nothing to be jealous about with their upcoming screen pairing.

“I don’t think that there’s a reason for him to feel that way. There is no point. Barbie is not my girlfriend. We will not sleep together in one hotel room while shooting in Italy. Ha-ha-ha! As I’ve said, there should be no cause for alarm because we’re professional actors. We’ll just do our job.”

It’s not a remote possibility that they might have a kissing scene in the movie. Is he prepared for such eventuality?

“Personally, if it’s really vital to the scene or story, it’s just okay with me. It’s part of my being an actor.

I will just follow what the script and director says.”

The handsome Kapuso hunk doesn’t want to disappoint the fans who still dream of seeing him and Barbie ending up together eventually. ]“It’s not for me to decide---it is fate. I don’t want to pre-empt things. If it’s going to happen, let nature take its course, right?” ends Derrick. ******** In spite of Jennylyn Mercado’s sexiness, Derek Ramsay still consider her All of You leading lady conservative.

“Yes! I’m not saying that she’s not sexy because she is. But in reality, she’s still conservative. For example her cover for the popular men’s magazine FHM, yes, it’s sexy but not that daring compared to others. Jen is sexy but at the same time, conservative,” he avers.

According to Jennylyn, their 2017 MMFF entry is one daring project for her.

“It’s sexy but not as daring as the other films I made with other leading ladies. It’s sexy in the sense that the story is very real. In fact, in most scenes, I can say that I wasn’t acting at all. Everything seemed to be so clear and words just came out of my mouth. I spoke from the heart!”

Comparing her work with English Only, Please, what changes in Jennylyn as an actress did he see in their latest starrer?

“I think she’s matured more remarkably! That’s what sets her apart from my other leading ladies. I’m not saying that my other screen partners are not good or immature but Jen is different. Perhaps, that can be attributed to the fact that she has a son already. Alex Jazz is her priority and works hard for him.

“Another thing, she’s also family-oriented. She works for them. And don’t discount as well the fact that she has already dealt with losing a loved one. These contribute to her maturity as an actress. You can see this in her movements before the cameras,” Derek states.

By Robbie Pangilinan

W

E OFTEN wonder where celebrities go after they disappear from the spotlight. One such guy is Philip Henson who used to be in That’s Henson, Entertainment and movies, like Putik Walang Hulihin si Nardong Putik, Katarungan and Piring ang Katarungan, Mo all Hanggang Saan ang Tapang Mo, in the 90s.

Ruel Gueco in real life, Henson now lives in Baltimore, Maryland, the same place where Coach Norman Black lived and played basketball in his high school days before he was drafted in the NBA. Henson recalls how he made it to Philippine show business.

“I was riding a bus home when a talent agent saw me and the rest is history. My second agent was inclined to commercial modeling; he introduced me to glam life of fashion and ramp modeling and also auditioning for VTR ads and print ad castings. It was really a joy of an experience. In fact, I’m still friends with some models from my batch,” he says.

Henson, whose best friend is Gary Boy Garcia, dated two celebrities in his time, Alice Dixon and Monica Hererra Hererra.

In 2000, Henson moved to the United States.

“It was quite an adjustment. The two years was full of heartbreaks but as I went along, I became solid as a rock. Stories about migration are true. It will change you for the better,” says Henson, adding that he misses showbiz at times but also enjoys living privately.

Philip used to be part of Kuya Germs’s (rightmost) “That’s Entertainment”’s Thursday Group

IT’S going to be a double musical excitement as OPM hitmakers Jessa Zaragoza and Dingdong Avanzado released their joint album, the much-awaited 20/30 Commemorative Anniversary Album to mark their 20th and 30th showbiz anniversary, respectively.

This special album has 10 beautiful tracks plus two bonus tracks featuring some of their original hits, exciting cover songs, and a duet from the couple entitled “Panghabangbuhay.”

Jessa’s versions include “Hindi Na Bale” featuring Michael Pangilinan, and “Maghihintay Sa’yo,” originally performed and popularized by Dingdong. It also carries the Phenomenal Diva’s songs “Ibigay Mo Na” and “Ikakasal Ka Na.” Dingdong, meanwhile, revived the OPM classic by Rey Valera, “Walang Kapalit.”

Also part of the album is his version of “Paalam Na,” a Rachel Alejandro song he originally composed which he performed this time with Angeline Quinto.

The commemorative album wouldn’t be complete without a medley of Jessa’s biggest hits “Bakit Pa,” “Pa’no Kaya,” and “Di Ba’t Ikaw,” but all performed by the original Prince of Pop. It also includes Dingdong’s “Wish I Could” sang by the couple’s daughter, Jayda Avanzado Avanzado, as well as the theme song of the new ABS-CBN Kapamilya Gold series Hanggang Saan entitled “Sa Ngalan ng Pagibig” sang by Jessa, plus bonus tracks “Bakit

DOWN 1 Phyllis Diller’s hubby 2 Bahrain VIP 3 Focal points 4 Shook 5 Pitches 6 Mom & Pop, maybe 7 Things 8 “NBA Friday” broadcaster 9 Mach 3 flier of yore 10 Truck stops 11 Unwelcome obligation 12 VIII, to Virgil 13 M, to Einstein 19 Pops the cork 21 Actress — Powers

The shy actor works hard every day. He wakes up at 6 a.m., clocks in at 7 a.m. in his Limo job, and by 3 p.m. he is done. He then proceeds to work for his own delivery business from 4 p.m. until about 11 p.m. and now currently doing a feasibility study for a plastic recycling business.

To keep fit, he does 20 to 30 push-ups, 30 situps and 20 leg raises on the floor upon waking up in the morning. He eats fruits and drinks juice in the morning before his usual breakfast. His diet is mostly moderate and balanced in consuming meat and veggies.

Henson has not lost touch with the Philippines.

In fact, his only daughter lives in Manila. She is into real estate and is engaged to be married.

Mo Ako Iniwan” (Jessa) and “Iibigin” (Dingdong).

Grab a copy of the couple’s 20/30 Commemorative Anniversary Album. For more details, visit Starmusic.ph, like Star Music on facebook.com/starmusicph, and follow it on Twitter and Instagram @ StarMusicPH.

Monday, December 18, 2017

50 Fiber- — cable 53 Pantyhose mishap 54 Hut 58 Sound thinking (2 wds.)

61 John, in Siberia 62 Grimace 63 “On call” device 64 Verne captain 65 Snakes do it 66 Astaire’s dancing sister 67 Waxed

Philip Henson now (left) is based in Maryland; he used to be a teen actor (right) and starred in a number of local movies

Jessa, Dingdong anniversary album

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Pool table cover 5 “The Eve of St. —” 10 Goner’s fate 14 Love, to Claudius 15 Slag 16 Quechua speaker 17 Riviera resort 18 The whole range (3 wds.)

20 Fairy tale brother 22 Blitzer’s channel 23 Pedro’s coins 24 Nuisances 26 “— Rosenkavalier” 27 Not as noisy 30 Family yacht?

34 Tough going 35 Octopus habitats 36 Can. neighbor 37 More than misled 38 Bitten 40 Latch onto 41 — — premium 42 Doggerel 43 Lake cabin, often 45 Speak up 47 Red-pepper sauce 48 Switch positions 49 An arm and a leg

WHERE IS Philip Henson?

25 26 27 28 29 30

Wrestling holds Blueprint Cheap heat Banal Hunches Mammoth Cave loc.

31 Offends 32 Violinist — Stern 33 Picasso’s name 35 I am, to Caesar 39 A Kennedy 40 Gritting, as teeth 42 — de Leon

44 Dwindles 46 Self-assured 47 Tree trimmer 49 Pounce 50 Resistance units 51 Tigger’s pal 52 Sincere 53 Hit the books 55 Maintain 56 Showed up 57 Be informed 59 Hot tub 60 Sooner than anon

OPM COUPLE. Dingdong Avanzado and Jessa Zaragoza release a join commemorative album that celebrates their career in music business

Henson says he can’t wait to be a grandpa. Even his plans and dreams are all set in his hometown.

He wants to put up a restaurant along the highway in Pampanga to be managed by his nephew. He would also want to try producing films.

“Maybe in a few years, I will go back to showbiz not just as an actor but a producer, too.

I figured actors should produce their own films, quality films like FPJ has FPJ Productions, Vic Sotto has MZet and the Revilla clan has their Imus Productions. I promised my dad I will be a movie producer someday. Probably be the Philippine version of Liam Neeson, doing action movies,” ends Henson.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017

COCO

MARTIN

does an FPJ, writes, directs, produces

‘ANG PANDAY’

S

O, Coco Martin is the new FPJ (Fernando Poe Jr. to his millions of fans from Aparri to Jolo).

No, I’m not saying the actor the Kapamilya network fondly calls the “king of primetime TV” has equaled the late “king of Philippine movies” in box office and popularity stature.

I am only referring to the actor’s enthusiasm to be a well rounded entertainment personality, something only FPJ was able to accomplish that led to his being esteemed be fellow movie industry workers and being given the royal treatment by the entertainment press as the “king of Philippine movies.”

FPJ, as he is known by millions of local movie loving Filipinos, was not only the actor they love to watch on weekends (at a time when new Tagalog movies were released weekly in movie houses across the archipelago). He was also their favorite storyteller (as director with the nom de plume Ronwaldo Reyes) and to his fellow movie-industry workers the kind producer who made sure everyone around him had work and properly compensated.

Coco Martin has looked upon FPJ for inspiration, especially when he was cast to play the part the “king of Philippine movies” essayed in Ang Probinsyano in 1997 when ABS-CBN acquired the rights to remake it as a series on television and premiered on Sept. 28, 2015 and remains up until today the top-rating series nationwide.

ISAH V. RED

Early this year, rumor mills spun stories Coco was planning to produce a new version of Ang Panday, which turned out to be true as the actor held talks quietly with people that could be involved in the production of the film.

“Mahirap po pala,” Coco said when asked how he felt about directing the movie.

“Honestly, nahirapan ako sa pagiging director pero ‘pag gusto mo ‘yung ginagawa mo, kahit mahirap, hindi ko siya tinitreat na napapagod ka or nahihirapan

ka. Ine-enjoy mo ‘yung bawat moment na ginagawa mo.”

That was what he told members of the movie press invited for a press conference sometime last month, which he repeated after the press preview of the movie at a Trinoma screen last Thursday.

“Bago ko gawin ‘yung pelikula, sabi ko sa sarili ko kung gagawa ako ng pelikula, gusto ko ako ang magpro-produce,”he said. “Kasi, siyempre, definitely first movie ko ito. Walang kasiguraduhan kung mababawi ko ‘yung puhunan, kikita ba siya. Sabi ko, ako na ang po-produce para if ever na pangit, hindi magustuhan ng mga viewers, wala akong ibang sisihin kung hindi ako.”

Coco knows movie producing is a risky business – he’s seen how some of the producers of films he was in lost a

lot of money. As to whether he will try to produce a movie again, Coco said it could take a while.

When it comes to being a director, he still feels slightly uneasy. “Nahihiya... nakakahiya pero paninindigan.”

Members of the press who swarmed and scrambled for seats in the cinema that showed Ang Panday had nothing but praises for the new director, saying the movie could be the biggest box-office taker in the coming festival.

Coco was exhilarated over the press’ reception of the movie, and feeling, like FPJ, gave away cash in a raffle draw in which several members of the press won from P5 thousand to a hundred thousand, making Coco now the most benevolent of all movie/TV actors, a peculiarity that endeared FPJ to the members of the press.

GMA programs, personalities honored by Anak TV anew STAYING true to its commitment of producing child-friendly programs, leading broadcast company GMA Network was once again recognized by the Anak TV Foundation, with several of its shows and personalities taking home the iconic Anak TV Seal Award on Dec. 8.

Arnold Clavio and Vicky Morales were elevated to the Makabata Hall of Fame after being voted as Makabata Stars for seven years now. Joining them was Vic Sotto. They join Mike Enriquez, Mel Tiangco, and Jessica Soho,

earlier elevated to the Hall of Fame.

Leading this year’s list of Kapuso Anak TV Seal awardees 24 Oras and 24 Oras Weekend, Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, and Wish Ko Lang. Also in the list were I-Witness AHA!, Pinoy MD, Born To Be Wild, and iBilib.

Several GMA News TV programs were also cited, like Ang Pinaka, Biyahe Ni Drew, Brigada, Day Off, Good News, I Juander, Idol sa Kusina, Investigative Documentaries, News to Go, Pop Talk, Quick Response Team, Reel Time, and Wagas.

Broadcast journalist Arnold Clavio (center) accepts iconic Anak TV Seal Award as he is elevated to the Makabata Hall of Fame

]Meanwhile, various programs and special coverage of GMA Regional TV (GMA RTV) were also honored with Anak TV Seals – GMA RTV’s Balitang Amianan (Luzon) and Balitang Bisdak (Visayas).

GMA RTV’s coverage of Baguio City’s flower festival, Kapuso Panagbenga Festival, and Cebu City’s Sinulog Festival, Pit Senyor Kapuso, earned an Anak TV Seal each.

These programs were affirmed as “child-friendly” by jurors.

Recognized as this year’s Male Makabata Stars

were Dingdong Dantes, Alden Richards, Drew Arellano, and Atom Araullo. Included in the list of Female Makabata Stars were Marian Rivera-Dantes, Maine Mendoza, Kara David, and Gloria Romero.

These personalities were chosen as the “most credible, wholesome, and worth emulating by the youth”.

Various Kapuso news and public affairs and entertainment programs were also selected as Household Favorite TV Programs including 24 Oras; Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, Eat Bulaga and Pepito Manaloto.

JANINE GUTIERREZ is WWF Philippines ambassador DZBB anchors and newsmen led by Mike Enriquez

DZBB still top in Mega Manila

GMA Network’s flagship AM radio station DZBB 594 is still the most listened to AM radio station in Mega Manila based on the most recent data from Nielsen Radio Audience Measurement.

November ratings data show DZBB posting a total week average audience share of 33.3 percent in November, winning over DZMM’s 28.8 percent and DZRH’s 11.2 percent.

From Monday to Friday, DZBB’s ratings dominance was driven by its topnotch delivery of news and fearless commentaries through Saksi sa Dobol B with Mike Enriquez; Sino? with Mike, Arnold Clavio, and Ali Sotto; Super Balita sa Umaga Nationwide with Mike and Joel Reyes Zobel; and Dobol B

Balitang-Balita with Melo del Prado.

Meanwhile, DZBB also kept listeners tuned in to its weekend line-up through its public service program MMDA sa GMA with Orly Trinidad in partnership with MMDA; Super Balita sa Umaga Saturday and Sunday Edition with Sam Nielsen and Cecil Villarosa; Super Radyo Nationwide with Francis Flores, and Buena Manong Balita with Rowena Salvacion.

GMA Network’s Vice President for Radio Operations Glenn Allona said, “Ang pagiging number one ng DZBB ay patunay na mas marami pang mga Pilipino ang tumatangkilik sa balitang walang kinikilingan at walang pinoprotektahan. As our way of

appreciation here at DZBB, mas lalo pa namin pagsisikapang makapaghatid ng Serbisyong Totoo sa ating mga Kapuso.”

Recognized as one of the most awarded radio stations in the country, DZBB recently won as the Radio Station of the Year in the 7th People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) Makatao Awards for Media Excellence.

DZBB is broadcast on theAM frequency 594 and is also audiostreamed online via www. gmanetwork.com/radio/DZBB. Super Radyo DZBB also airs on television with Dobol B sa News TV Monday to Friday from 6 to 11 a.m. on GMA News TV Channel 11 and GMA News TV International.

WORLD Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines “I am so glad that I am doing a lot more now to National Youth Ambassador Janine Gutierrez, a protect our environment. Our activities here in WWFpassionate advocate of proper waste management Philippines encourage everyone, especially the and garbage disposal, became an actual onyouth, to take an active role in protecting ground fundraiser for a day for WWFand preserving our planet because together Philippines’ “Fundraising Hour” activity at we can make everything possible,” Janine the Lucky Chinatown in Manila. said.

The festivities feature the “Adopt-aThis fundraising event is one of the activities of WWF-Philippines’ celebrity Panda” campaign, which allows shoppers ambassadors to spread awareness on pressing to take home a panda stuffed toy, a WWF environmental issues and introduce the pin, and an official adoption certificate for Individual Donor Program (IDP) to the P500. Those who choose to symbolically public. Through the IDP, everyone is adopt pandas can easily sustain the encouraged to directly contribute environment as all proceeds will in the conservation efforts of go to WWF-Philippines’ WWF-Philippines all over conservation programs. The the country by signing up at “Adopt-a-Panda” campaign booths in selected malls and will run until Dec. 31. venues all over the country Each and every contribution or online. will help WWF-Philippines’ campaigns and projects in As one of the newest celebrity ambassadors conserving natural habitats, of WWF-Philippines, resources and ecosystems Janine has already in the country as it carries supported several WWFout its mission to build a Philippines activities future where Filipinos live in the past year, including harmony with nature.

Earth Hour, Sustainable Food, Sustainable Future WWF-Philippines’ National Fundraising Dinner, Youth Ambassador Janine Partners’ Night 2017, and a Gutierrez spearheads WWF WWF-Philippines site visit in Fundraising Hour in Lucky Donsol, Sorsogon.

Chinatown