Manila Standard - 2018 February 19 - Monday

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VOL. XXXII • NO. 8 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

Fantasy movie dominates at British film awards LONDON—Guillermo del Toro’s fantasy film “The Shape of Water” leads the nominations at Sunday’s Baftas, where Hollywood stars will again turn the red carpet black in solidarity with

World gets dancing to new viral song MIAMI, United States—It’s another viral dancing sensation. And once again, it’s from Daddy Yankee.

The Puerto Rican king of reggaeton who co-wrote “Despacito” has people around the world moving Next page

the #Me Too movement. about British wartime leader Winston The Cold War-era movie has 12 Churchill, each have nine. nominations, while crime drama All three are up for the best film “Three Billboards Outside Ebb- award, along with another World Next page ing, Missouri” and “Darkest Hour”,

It’s a go: Duterte aide to face Senate inquiry S

PECIAL Assistant to the President Christopher Go is not going to hide behind a closed-door executive session when he faces the Senate committee on national defense and security, which is investigating allegations of irregularity in the acquisition of frigates by the Navy, a Palace spokesman said Sunday.

PYRO-MUSICAL. Fireworks display by a team from Switzerland lights up the sky during the 9th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition in Pasay City, Feb !7, 2018. Teams specializing in pyrotechnics from the Philippines, Switzerland,USA, Germany, Austria, Canada,France, Italy, Taiwan, United Kingdom, China are taking part in the weekend fireworks until March 24 2018. Norman Cruz

While the panel was considering a closed-door session given the sensitive nature of the discussion, the Palace insisted on an open investigation, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.

“The stand of Bong Go and the President is no, let’s make it open tomorrow because the President is not hiding anything and Bong Go is not hiding anything,” Roque said in Filipino, and referring to Go by his nickname in a radio interview.

Roque said Go would bring only the truth to the Senate hearing.

“He will disclose everything. We will hide nothing. If there was incompetence, we are sure it was not the responsibility of this administration because it’s very clear from the timeline that the one that selected Hyundai was the Aquino administration,” he continued in Filipino.

The P15.7 billion purchase of warships has been marred by controversy after Go was accused of intervening in the selection of the combat management system

(CMS) for the two frigates.

But Navy flag-officer-in-command Rear Admiral Robert Empedrad welcomed the Senate investigation and expressed confidence that the truth will come out of it.

Empedrad said there was no anomaly in the FAP contract, which amounted to P16 billion including its weapon systems and munitions.

Empedrad also said Go did not intervene in the project.

“Tomorrow, the interview will be about that item. The way I see it is there is no anomaly and no problem,” Empedrad said in a mix of Filipino and English.

“There was no intervention.”

Earlier, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV claimed that Go intervened in the project.

Roque said that before Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana signed the notice of award to the winning bidder, he consulted all his lawyers and officers of the Philippine Navy.

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Justice prods Palace to assert PH rights over Benham

By Rey E. Requejo SUPREME Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has rebuffed the position of Malacanang that there is nothing wrong with China naming undersea features in the Philippine Rise.

China, Carpio said, has no right to name the undersea features in the area because the Philippines has the preferential right to do so, after it was declared part of the country’s territory.

“We have sovereign rights over Benham Rise because we have exclusive right to explore and exploit the oil, gas and other mineral resources in that area which has been confirmed by the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (UNCLOS) as part of the extended continental shelf of the Philippines,” said Carpio, who has been in the forefront of asserting the country’s rights over the disputed West Philippine Sea. Carpio, who was part of the govern-

ment’s legal team that handled the earlier protest against China’s incursion in disputed islands in the WPS before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, said the naming of undersea features is covered by guidelines set by the International Hydrographic Organization-Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IHO-IOC).

“Under the guidelines, the Philippines has the preferential right to name undersea Next page

‘Mindanao pacifist’ tapped for PDP-Laban senatorial slate

By Rio N. Araja PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has handpicked a senior administration lawmaker from Mindanao to join the ruling party’s senatorial bets in 2019, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said Sunday.

He said the President described the candidate, Maguindanao Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu, as “a steadfast Mindanao

pacifist.”

Other leaders of the ruling PDP-Laban party also endorsed Mangudadatu for his sincerity and hard work in pursuing peace in Mindanao, particularly for his role in averting an escalation of violence in the wake of the 2015 Mamasapano clash, Alvarez said.

Mangudadatu, vice chairman of the House committees on Muslim Affairs and

Mindanao Affairs, has accepted his party’s endorsement and thanked the President, Alvarez and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III for their trust in him.

“I am humbled by the vote of confidence given to me by PDP-Laban, Speaker Alvarez and President Duterte. I will work hard so that there will be proper representation for Filipino Muslims in the Next page Senate,” he said.

READY TO TELL ALL. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Special Presidential Assistant Christopher ‘Bong” Go. Malacañang Photo

SAF outnumbered, Food agency comes under fire suffers 6 wounded for ‘anti-poor’ trading strategy in clash with rebels

By Francisco Tuyay

WELCOME HOME. A government employee welcomes Filipina workers returning from Kuwait at the Manila International Airport on February 18, 2018.

After a horrific murder of a Philippine maid in Kuwait, hundreds of such women are now streaming back home, recounting their abuse and hardship—but also saying they are ready to work abroad again. AFP

SIX members of the Philippine National Police- Special Action Force were wounded while two other commandos were reported missing after they were ambushed by suspected communist rebels in the hinterlands of Antipolo City early Sunday morning.

Initial reports reaching the office of Chief Supt. Ma-o Aplasca, Southern Tagalog police chief, said the police commandos, all members of the 33rd Special Action Company, were traversing the Next page

BAYAN Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate on Sunday slammed the National Food Authority (NFA) plan to scrap the P27 per kilo NFA rice in favor of selling another rice variant at P32 per kilo.

“This is really anti-poor and the height of insensitivity as well as an added burden to consumers who are already overburdened by the skyrocketing prices of other commodities due to the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law,” he said.

“It does not make a difference when Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol said that we should plant rice in Papua, New

Guinea. The solution to the reduced agricultural land is to stop land use conversion and implement genuine land reform,” he added.

The NFA sells rice at P27 per kilo and P32 per kilo.

“The proposal also runs counter to the mandate of NFA, which is to ensure food security, and stabilize the supply and prices of staple cereals both in the farm and consumer level. You cannot ensure food security and stabilize prices by taking out the supply of affordable rice. On the contrary this would create instability and hardship to consumers,” Zarate said.

Rio N. Araja

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News

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018

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CHED told: Enforce free tuition

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

T

WO senators on Sunday told the Commission on Higher Education to heed the Senate’s call to implement the free college law in the second semester of school year 2017-18 to help ease the burden of Filipino families.

Senator Bam Aquino reminded Ched that, during the bicameral conference committee for RA 10931, representatives from both Houses of Congress agreed to implement the law by the second semester of 2017-18.

Senator Win Gatchalian told Ched to ensure strict compliance with the rules and regulations on the sue of tuition and other school fees as it prepares to consider the applications of hundreds of private higher educational institutions hoping to impose higher fees.

Last Monday, the Senate unanimously adopted Aquino’s Resolution 620, which

rallied the Upper Chamber to express a united front in support of the full implementation of the free college law.

Aquino also reminded Ched of its assurance during the budget deliberation for RA 10931 that the P41-billion budget for its implementation was enough to cover the tuition and other fees in state universities and colleges starting the second semester of 2017-18.

Principally sponsored by Aquino, the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act provides free tuition and miscellaneous fees to students in universities and colleges and TESDA-run vocational schools.

Iranian plane crashes into Zagros: 66 passengers feared to have died TEHRAN—All 66 people on board an Iranian passenger plane were feared dead on Sunday after it crashed into the country’s Zagros mountains, with emergency services struggling to locate the wreckage in blizzard conditions.

Aseman Airlines flight EP3704 disappeared from radar around 45 minutes after takeoff from Tehran’s Mehrabad airport, the airline’s public relations chief Mohammad Tabatabai told state broadcaster IRIB. It was the third disaster to strike Iran in recent months, after an earthquake that killed at least 620 people in Kermanshah in November and 30 Iranian sailors were lost in an oil tanker collision off China’s coast last month.

The ATR-72 twin-engine plane, in service for 25 years, left the capital around 0800 (0430 GMT) and was heading towards the city of Yasuj, some 500 kilometers (300 miles) to the south.

After conflicting reports on fatalities and the location of the crash, officials said rescue teams were still not able to find the wreckage.

“We still have no access to the spot of the crash and therefore we cannot accurately and definitely confirm the death of all passengers,” Tabatabai told the ISNA news agency.

He said the plane was carrying 60 passengers, including one child, as well as six crew.

Jalal Pooranfar, regional head for Iran’s emergency services, told the ISNA news agency rescue and relief teams had been sent to the possible area of the crash.

“But the helicopter could not continue its path due to snow and blizzard,” he said.

Seyed Noor Mohammad Mousavi, head of the local Red Crescent office, told the IRNA news agency a drone had been dispatched to help find the wreckage.

A total of 120 people from 30 different emergency teams were sent to help with the search, another Red Crescent official said.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sent a message of condolence, saying the news had “left our hearts overwhelmed with sadness and sorrow,” according to state television.

A man who missed the doomed flight told reporters of his mixed emotions.

“God has been really kind to me but I am so sad from the bottom of my heart for all those dear ones who lost their lives,” the unnamed man told the Tabnak news agency, which showed a picture of his unused ticket.

Decades of international isolation have left Iran’s airlines with ageing fleets of passenger planes which they have struggled to maintain and modernise.

AFP

‘Mindanao...

Mangudadatu, a member of the group that will review and consolidate the four Bangsamoro Basic Law proposals, has authored two measures that have been passed on final reading -- House Bill 5707 or “An Act Rightsizing the National Government to Improve Public Service Delivery” and HB 6893 or “An Act Regulating the use of Treatment Technology for Municipal and Hazardous Wastes, Repealing for the Purpose Section 20 of the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999.”

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“My main thrust and motivation will be toward a long lasting peace and progress not just in Mindanao but the entire Philippines. I pray and hope that the entire Filipino people will give me the trust and break the barrier of religious beliefs that has hindered long-lasting peace and sustainable progress in our country,” he added.

Fantasy...

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War II drama, Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk”, and Luca Guadagnino’s comingof-age romance “Call Me By Your Name”.

Del Toro, Guadagnino, Nolan and Martin McDonagh (“Three Billboards”) are up for best director alongside Denis Villeneuve for “Blade Runner 2049” -- an all-male lineup that has drawn criticism, particularly this year.

With Hollywood still reeling from the fallout of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, actresses look set to wear all-black outfits at London’s Albert Hall, just as they did at last month’s Golden Globes.

Bafta nominees Margot Robbie and

World...

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their hips with his latest song, “Dura.”

Millions of people have clicked on online videos inspired by “Dura” as aspiring dancers around the world—from fresh-faced children to top models to endearing elderly people—find their groove, with varying degrees of skill or stiffness.

“I’m beyond honored and feel very blessed. You make music for an audience,” Daddy Yankee told AFP. “And the audience has made this song in their own organic, spontaneous way.”

Daddy Yankee helped bring reggaeton—a Latin dance music, with roots in Jamaican dancehall and the style of

Under the law, students of both public and private colleges and universities may also apply for scholarship grants and loans.

The measure had been languishing in the legislative mill for years before it was passed during Aquino’s time as chairman of the Committee on Education in the 17th Congress. This was the 19th successful measure by Aquino in his four years as a senator.

Garchalian said Ched must ensure that the income raised from any tuition hikes it might approve were invested in higher salaries for teachers and non-teaching personnel, and in essential educational equipment and infrastructure.

“The tuition hikes should not be allowed if they will only line the pockets of school owners,” said Gatchalian, vice-chairman of the Senate Education Committee.

According to Ched Memorandum Order No. 3, Series of 2012, 70 percent of the income raised by increases in tuition and other fees will be allocated to

It’s a go...

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The findings are that the contract conforms with the law and there being no obstacles, it had to be signed.

Roque said if part of the bidding document were changed, this would be a violation of bidding rules, which did not happen.

The frigate acquisition project was started during the time of former President Benigno Aquino III but the Duterte administration signed the notice of award to winning bidder, South Korean firm Hyundai Heavy Industries, in August 2016.

Go could not have intervened because it had already been awarded to Hyundai, Roque said.

Earlier, reports said Go gave Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana a white pa-

Justice...

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features within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and ECS,” he said.

Because of this, Carpio suggested that the government should now name the undersea features in the Philippine Rise, which will be recognized as the valid names under the IHO-IOC rules.

“However, the Philippines must designate via presidential executive order its government agency that will be responsible for approving names for undersea features within the Philippine EEZ and ECS,” he emphasized.

Carpio said allowing China to name the features in area that is part of the Philippine territory would violate the country’s sovereignty and was therefore unconstitutional.

China renamed several undersea features in the Philippine Rise in submissions to the IHO-IOC in October 2015 and September 2017.

These are the Jinghao and Tianbao seamounts located 70 nautical miles east of Cagayan province, the Haidonquing Seamount further east and the Jujiu Seamount and Cuiqiao Hill, which form the central peaks of the undersea geological province.

Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza said Bei-

Allison Janney are among those who say they will repeat the gesture, which was a powerful statement by the A-list against a culture of sexual harassment and abuse.

‘Justice and equality fund’ It is not yet clear whether the Duchess of Cambridge will follow suit, however, when she attends with her husband Prince William, president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta).

Last year she wore a black Alexander McQueen gown with white flowers, but may be wary of being seen to breach royal protocol by aligning herself with a public protest.

In an open letter published Sunday before the awards, around 200 British stars demanded an end to sexual harassment and abuse.

Signatories, including Kate Winslet,

Emma Watson, Emma Thompson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Keira Knightley and Saoirse Ronan, expressed solidarity with the Time’s Up movement in the United States and called for donations to a new “justice and equality fund” for victims.

The letter to The Observer newspaper is addressed to “dear sisters”, as was a similar statement by US actresses last month, and calls for an international movement to stamp out a culture of abuse exposed by the Weinstein scandal.

Timed to fall between the Globes and the Oscars, the Baftas’ choices often mirror those of its American heavyweights.

“The Shape of Water”, a story of love between a mute cleaning woman and a mystery merman-like creature, is leading the pack just as it has been across the Atlantic.

hip-hop, that was historically associated with the marginalized Afro-Puerto Rican community—to a global audience starting with his 2004 hit “Gasolina.”

But “Dura” marks a fresh turn in the 41-year-old singer and rapper’s career as the song has taken off based largely on how fans appropriate it.

“Why have so many people—even babies—liked it?” he asked rhetorically. “Well, some things you can’t explain. It’s the magic of music, a magic that just happens and that you can’t understand.”

He has one theory. “Dura,” he said, harks back to “the rhythm and nostalgia for music of the late 1980s and early 1990s, that essence of reggae that inspired reggaeton.”

No excuse not to dance Daddy Yankee, whose real name is Ramon Luis Ayala, released “Dura” on January 18. The next day, Colombian model Andrea Valdiri posted a video on Instagram, barefoot in sweatpants and a loose white top, as she danced to “Dura” with her hands rubbing sensually around her body.

The video has been viewed nearly nine million times on her Instagram account and in Daddy Yankee’s repost. It also set off a rush of new homemade interpretations of the song—posted under hashtag #DuraChallenge.

Daddy Yankee’s original video has been seen nearly 200 million times on YouTube.

More recently, the 25-year-old Valdiri has been eclipsed as the #DuraChallenge star by a nonagenarian. AFP

the payment of salaries, wages, allowances and other benefits of teaching and non-teaching personnel, while 20 percent will be allocated for the maintenance and modernization of buildings, equipment and payment of other costs of operations.

Only a maximum of 10 percent is allowed as a return on investment for stockholders in private proprietary higher educational institutions.

In particular, Aquino highlighted the disparity in salaries between teachers in the public and private sectors, noting that entry-level teachers in private schools only earned about P13,000 per month― around P6,000 less than their counterparts in the public schools. He said private higher educational institutions should first allocate any additional income to close the “unfair” salary gap.

Gatchalian also reminded CHED to observe the utmost transparency during the consultative and decision-making processes required before any tuition increase was approved. per endorsing South Korean company Hanwha to provide the CM and criticizing the Navy’s choice of Thales Tacticos, a Dutch company.

Lorenzana then reportedly gave the paper to then Navy chief Ronald Joseph Mercado with a marginal note saying it came from Go and that a rebuttal must be submitted to the President addressing the concerns raised.

Empedrad submitted a report to Malacañang on Jan. 23, 2017 vouching for the efficiency of the Thales Tacticos CMS, but the debate delayed the frigate acquisition and the Palace later fired Mercado, who preferred the Dutch supplier.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Go should not be so confident because a witness or a document might surface to tag him in the irregularities. Macon Ramos Araneta jing’s move to assign Chinese names to five seamounts in the Philippine Rise does not have any impact on the sovereign rights that Manila enjoys over the 13 million-hectare extinct underwater volcano ridge.

“Those Chinese labels will not diminish the fact that under international law, Benham is part of the Philippine continental shelf. And all the natural resources found in the waters, seabed and subsoil of Benham belong to the Philippines and form part of our national wealth,” Atienza said.

Just the same, Atienza urged the Philippine government to proceed and give Filipino names to every seamount in Benham.

The Palace said last week it does not recognize the Chinese names and would protest China’s move.

On the other side of the country, China claims about 90 percent of the entire South China Sea but it is being contested

by Taiwan and four Asean members — Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.

In 2002, Asean and China signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea to address maritime disputes peacefully. More than 14 years have passed since the declaration was signed but parties have yet to craft a binding code of conduct.

SAF...

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vicinity of the public cemetery in Sitio San Josef, San Jose village, when they were attacked by the armed men around 6:30 a.m.

It was reported that the SAF troopers were overwhelmed by the volleys fired by the rebels, but they managed to fire back although outnumbered.

A team of SAF reinforcements arrived at the ambush site and traded shots with the rebels that lasted for an hour, after which the rebels withdrew.

The responding SAF troopers took their comrades to the Rizal Provincial Hospital System in Padilla, Antipolo City, where the medical condition of the four wounded SAF commandos were still to be determined.

It was reported that five other SAF troopers “cannot be located” after the firefight, but SAF spokesman Jonalyn Malnat said the supposed missing SAF personnel were all accounted for eight hours after the incident.

“They were all accounted for due to the immediate reinforcement of our troops,” Malnat said.

However, the authorities said two SAF members were still missing.

The incident was the first since Communist Party of the Philippines’ founding chairman, Jose Maria Sison, threatened to kill one soldier a day even and warned of more attacks against the military and the police.

President Rodrigo Duterte replied by saying he had ordered the military to kill five communist rebels a day.

Eight ‘hazing fratmen’ kicked out of UST THE University of Santo Tomas has ordered the expulsion of eight law students for their alleged involvement in the death of hazing victim Horacio “Atio” Castillo III. The university’s official publication, The Varsitarian, reported Sunday that the eight civil law students had been found “guilty of violating the Code of Conduct and Discipline” and were ordered expelled.

The students were not identified in the report.

The resolution was handed down by a fact-finding committee formed

by UST Rector Herminio Dagohoy on Sept. 19, 2017.

The committee investigation is ongoing and it vowed to continue its probe until all the students involved in Castillo’s death were punished.

“The University reiterates its commitment to ferret out the truth, determine liability and impose the appropriate sanctions,” the school said in a statement.

“In the Eucharistic Celebrations held at the UST Faculty of Civil Law, at the Santuario de San Antonio during the wake and at the UST Chapel during the day of mourning for the death of Horacio, UST has always been one with the Castillo family in the steadfast call for everyone to pray and work together to achieve justice for Horacio and for truth to prevail.

“It recommended a comprehensive review of the Student Handbook and the accreditation process for organizations.

It issued an indefinite moratorium on the recruitment and all other activities of all fraternities and sororities in the University.”

The University also repeated its ongoing campaign to work with the Manila Police District and the National Bureau of Investigation to identify the members of the Aegis Juris fraternity who ere involved in Castillo’s death.

Band-aid like device emits health data TOKYO—Palmreading could take on a whole new meaning thanks to a new invention from Japan: an ultra-thin display and monitor that can be stuck directly to the body.

The band-aid-like device is just one millimetre thick and can monitor important health data as well as send and receive messages, including emojis.

Takao Someya, the University of Tokyo professor who developed the device, envisions it as a boon for medical professionals with bed-ridden or farflung patients, as well as family living far from their relatives.

“With this, even in home-care settings, you can achieve seamless sharing of medical data with your home doctors, who then would be able to communicate back to their patients,” he told AFP. Slapped onto the palm or back of a hand, it could flash reminders to patients to take their medicine, or even allow far-away grandchildren to communicate with their grandparents.

“Place displays on your skin, and you would feel as if it is part of your body.

When you have messages sent to your hand, you would feel emotional closeness to the sender,” Someya said.

“I think a grandfather who receives a message saying ‘I love you’ from his grandchild, they would feel the warmth, too.”

The invention could prove particularly useful in Japan, with its rapidly ageing population, replacing the need for in-person checks by offering continuous, non-invasive monitoring of the sick and frail, Someya told AFP. The display consists of a 16-by-24 array of micro LEDs and stretchable wiring mounted on a rubber sheet.

It also incorporates a lightweight sensor composed of a breathable “nanomesh” electrode, and a wireless communication module.

“Because this device can stretch, we now can paste a display on things with complex shapes, like skin,” Someya said.

It can be placed on the human body for a week without causing skin inflammation, and is light enough that users might eventually even forget they are wearing it.

Along with medical applications, Someya hopes the device could eventually lead to wearable displays for joggers to monitor heart rates or check running routes. AFP

News

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018

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Water agency turns 140 years; landmark book launched

MWSS @ 140 BOOK. Water officials and guests (from left) Ramoncito S. Fernandez, president and CEO of Maynila; Melandrew Velasco, publisher and author of MWSS Commemorative Book; Edgar Dona, SMC Holdings head for Operations; Reynaldo V. Velasco, MWSS administrator; former President Fidel V. Ramos; DPWH-Secretary Mark Villar; Franklin de Monteverde, MWSS chairman and Ferdinand dela Cruz, president and CEO of Manila Water, proudly show the MWSS Commemorative Book entitled ‘From Carriedo to Balara: Celebrating 140 Years of MWSS and Ensuring Water Security’ at the formal book launch on Valentine’s Day at the MWSS Multi-Purpose Hall, Katipunan in Quezon City.

Solon warns vs ‘conflict of interest’ on dengvaxia

By Rio Araja HEALTH experts will do well to voluntarily disclose their possible conflict of interest in making any statement before the media in connection with the Dengvaxia probe, Rep. Johnny Pimentel of Surigao del Sur said on on Sunday.

The chairman of the House committee on good governance and public accountability said “the mere perception of a possible conflict of interest in this case is may be enough to taint or cast doubt on the opinion of a specialist, regardless of his or her credentials.”

He reacted to former health secretary Esperanza Cabral’s stance on the Dengvaxia cases as a resource person, saying Cabral served on the 11-member board of trustees of the Zuellig Family Foundation.

“We actually have two multinational pharmaceutical companies involved here, [and] not just one,” he said, referring to Sanofi Pasteur., the manufacturer of Dengvaxia, and Sanofi’s Dengvaxia distributor, Zuellig Pharma Holdings Pte. Ltd. He said the medical profession and the pharmaceutical industry “are to some degree connected.”

According to Pimentel, practicing physicians both in government and the private sector have been receiving offers from the pharmaceutical industry, such as advanced overseas scholarships, subsidized participation in international conferences and even lucrative consultancies.

“This is how moneyed pharmaceutical firms grow their influence -- by cultivating gainful relationships with physicians and regulators who also happen to be doctors,” he said.

“In this case, it is quite possible a number of experts offering their opinion on the [Dengvaxia] controversy may owe either Sanofi or Zuellig, or both, a debt of gratitude, which should be voluntarily disclosed in the interest of impartiality,” he added.

2 former port officials get indicted for graft T

By Rio N. Araja

HE Office of the Ombudsman has found probable cause to charge former Philippine Ports Authority general manager Juan Sta. Ana and former assistant general manager for operations Raul Santos with graft for the questionable renewal of a private port permit in favor of DMCI Mining Corp. in 2013.

In an 11-page resolution, graft investigation and prosecution officer Marian Mae Aldovino indicted the two former PPA officials.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales approved Aldovino’s resolution, ordering the filing of a graft case against Sta. Ana and Santos based on the complaint filed by then Agham representative Angelo Palmones on June 1, 2016.

Complainant questioned the PPA’s approval of a beaching permit, a temporary operating permit, a permit to

construct loading pier requested by DMCI Holdings Inc. and a three-month extension in 2011 and 2012.

The private firm DMCI Mining Corp. carried on the use of the port from DMCIHI and was granted a renewal effective for five years on May 30, 2013.

“All the elements of Section 3 (e) are present in this case. (Respondents) were not able to fully explain why the port permit was renewed on the basis only of the miscellaneous lease application and payment of occupancy fees,

in clear violation of PPA rules and regulations,” the Ombudsman’s resolution read.

“That public respondents, …gave unwarranted benefits, advantage and preference to DMCIMC is further shown in their inaction to complainant’s letters to them. Respondent Sta. Ana ignored complainant’s letters,” the Ombudsman said.

The Ombudsman, however, dismissed the complaints against private respondents Isidro Consunji, Rodolfo Cabuay, Ceasar Simbulan and Herbert Consunji for lack of evidence to substantiate allegations of conspiracy with the PPA. “Private defendants’ act of filing an application does not ipso facto mean they intended to conspire with public respondents. There is nothing on records to support complainant’s bare allegation that private respondents acted pursuant to a criminal design,” it said.

FAN-TASTIC. A merchant arranges bundles of abanicos (native fan) in his frontyard along Asuncion street in Tondo, Manila. Each abanico sells for P20 . Ey Acasio

Divorce bill likely enacted before May ‘19 polls, Lagman says A PROPOSAL introducing divorce in the country may be approved into law before the May 2019 elections or before the 17th Congress ends, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said on Sunday.

“I think before the 17th Congress ends, we can already have own own divorce [law],” he told a radio interview over dzBB. “It [divorce bill] is easier to enact compared to the controversial reproductive health bill,” he said.

Lagman said the Catholic Church was not completely against the divorce bill.

“We invited them. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines sent a representative for a discussion. And even if they said they are against absolute di-

vorce, they had also admitted that their church [tribunal] recognizes canonical nullification of a marriage,” he said.

“So I think the opposition coming from the Catholic Church and other religious denominations would not be that strong,” he added.

He allayed fears that divorce, if passed, would only lead to more separation of married couples.

“Based on the experience in other countries that have divorce law, spouses do not take advantage of it. In fact, countries in Europe with divorce decree have a low incidence of divorce application or instance of separation,” he said.

Two divorce bills have been transmitted to the House committee on popula-

tion and family relations chaired by Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones.

Lagman, head of the technical working group studying and consolidating the measures to be approved in the plenary level before the International Women’s Day in March, said divorce is intended to protect women from being victimized in their own marriages.

He maintained the divorce bill was “not for us, men. It is for the women.”

The divorce bill is pro-women, he stressed.

He said the technical working group is working out to make the process of divorce faster and cheaper, and that the group will meet tomorrow to discuss the measure to be approved by the mother

committee on Wednesday, he said.

According to Lagman, “there is a six-month cooling-off period after one has filed a petition for absolute divorce.

This is so since we still want to the couple the chance to reconcile. But after six months and there is no more chance [for a reconciliation], then we will proceed with the divorce proceedings.”

“However, there will be no coolingoff period if the ground is violence against the woman. There could be a risk that the female spouse could receive more battering,” he told Super Radyo dzBB. Physical violence is one valid ground to dissolve marriage through divorce, he added. Rio Araja

IN CELEBRATION of its 140th anniversary this month, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System has officially launched its landmark coffee table book titled “From Carriedo to Balara: Celebrating 140 Years of MWSS and Ensuring Water Security” on February 14, 2018 at the new world-class MWSS Multi-Purpose Hall with former President Fidel V. Ramos and DPWH Secretary Mark Villar as guests.

“This landmark book comes as a fitting gift and legacy for those who have served and worked in this institution and the Philippine water supply industry,” said MWSS Administrator General Reynaldo V. Velasco.

“I feel, as never before, how justly, from the dawn of the water agency’s colorful history to the present time, men have paid the homage of their gratitude and admiration to the memory of those who nobly served the metropolitan water agency, so that people living in Metro Manila and the nearby provinces will have access to efficient water system and safe and potable water.”

The coffee table book published by Media Touchstone Ventures Inc. is authored by Melandrew T. Velasco, more popularly known as the family biographer of FVR. The MWSS commemorative book is Velasco’s 26th authored and published books.

The MWSS commemorative book presents a travel through time. From the Carriedo Water works System, the first water system in the country built in 1882 emerged the Montalban system, the Metropolitan Water District (MWD), the National Waterworks and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA) and finally, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) in June 1972.

The book also details the journey of the successful privatization of MWSS. Through the Public-Private partnership (PPP) initiated by former President Fidel V. Ramos in 1997, the water system has given birth to three concessionaires, namely, Manila Water Company, Maynilad Water Services and Luzon Clean Water Development Corporation.

US envoy visits Iglesia’s global headquarters in Quezon City THE United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, visited (Iglesia Ni Cristo) INC Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo last Monday, February 12, 2018.

The US Ambassador’s visit to the Church’s international headquarters at the INC Central Office in Quezon City, Philippines, came about as the Church is preparing celebrations for its 50th anniversary of the establishment of congregations beyond the Philippine borders this year.

The visit of Ambassador Sung Kim is one of many conducted by international diplomats to the Executive Minister of the INC. “We are very happy with the visit of His Excellency US Ambassador Sung Kim to the INC Central Office to visit the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo,” said INC Minister Joel San Pedro, the protocol officer of the INC Central Office.

“The timing is perfect as the Church is celebrating its 50th anniversary in the West and has grown to around 300 congregations in the US alone,” he said.

It was on July 27, 1968 that the first overseas congregation of the INC was established in Hawaii, U.S.A. The second overseas congregation was established in California. At present, the Church comprises 6,000 local congregations and missions, in 142 countries and territories around the world, with its membership comprising of at least 133 ethnic groups and nationalities.

The INC, a global Christian Church that upholds Bible-based Christian teachings, was first registered in the Philippines on July 27, 1914, and will be celebrating its 104th anniversary this year.

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Opinion

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018

‘Sapientis est distinguere’ IT IS the way of the wise man to distinguish. We learned this at the University of Santo Tomas with the venerable Ariston Estrada in his justly authoritative pose impressing upon us the importance of distinctions. I find that wise counsel tills these days, even after all my shifting allegiances to phenomenology, process philosophy, logical analysis and postmodernism.

It is not only helpful to distinguish. It is necessary to distinguish, because the alternative is simplistic reduction—to ignore real differences and to construct indistinctness sine fundamento in re...without foundation in reality!

Just as splitting hairs is specious, refusing to recognize distinctions is not only logically problematic. It can have disastrous social and political consequences. Is that not why Muslim Filipinos have been fretting till this very day?

I have been paying close heed to the objections raised to the possible adoption of a federal configuration of sovereignty in the country. Separation of powers will refer under a federal Republic not only to the separation between the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary—that we will have to rethink if we choose a parliamentary

The main fear and objections are neither consequent nor attendant to a federal form of government.

form of government, besides—but also to the separation of the powers of the component states (regions is most likely what they will be called) and the national government.

It is feared, for one, that federalism will create enclaves of dynastic power and fiefdoms of families that already wield considerable power. In the first place, the rule of dynasties in the Philippines is not “caused by” a federal form of government, nor is it even logical to correlate the two, for we have had dynasties for some time now. The framers of the 1987 Constitution were well aware of this scourge to Philippine politics but incomprehensibly thought of leaving it to Congress to make the constitutional proscription operative— something that quite predictably never happened at all! Then, there is the fact that many Filipinos align themselves with families in power, lieges for life —not only their own, but the lives of the successors of the local barons. I am a foe of dynasties, of that all can be sure. But I should point out that in one truly provocative scholarly work —a doctoral dissertation submitted to Oxford University—Professor Pak Nung Wong who has done intensive studies on the Philippines described dynasties as one form of decentralization and devolution of what would otherwise be centralized power. My own commitment is to propose a self-executory provision in the draft constitution that will effectively bar dynasties.

And there has surfaced once more the fear that with a new Constitution, incumbents may in fact be making their way into term extensions. That of course is a possibility, but once more, there is neither legal nor logical necessity to it. The transitory provisions will have to be crafted with care, but the terms of office holders will certainly be restudied. In a parliamentary system, for one, a Prime Minister can be in power for as long as Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher were—and that is not a matter of constitutional infirmity. That is just the way of a democracy. After all, we do not have a limitless pool of leader material in the country!

Finally, there is the quite Turn to A5

Adelle Chua, Editor

Fat and thin

EDITORIAL

I

Charity begins at home

N THE aftermath of the Feb. 14 Parkland, Florida, school shooting in which 17 people—mostly children—were shot dead, the efforts exerted by the US government to impose human rights conditions on the rest of the world seem ironic indeed.

Even Amnesty International, which is much more outspoken about abuses elsewhere in the world, acknowledged in 2014 that gun violence in the United States—of which school shootings are the most tragic subset-were a human rights concern.

Statistics show that almost 100 American schoolchildren have died in these shootings in the last 13 years—including the 20 first-graders killed in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. In December 2012.

“Everyone has a right to se-

curity and a right to life that’s a missing part of the conversation right now,” one AI official said at the time.

Yet the shootings continue, with Congress refusing to pass the kind of legislation that would have kept the 19-yearold Parkland shooter from buying the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle that he used to rain death on the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School.

In fact, as townsfolk held yet another touching but politically ineffective candlelit vigil for the 17 killed in Parkland, others gathered 50 miles north to go to a 500-booth gun expo, catering to Americans who believe their constitutionally protected right to bear arms should be absolute.

Compared to some of the language reserved for other governments and other countries, AI’s post-Parkland statement was tepid: “While our thoughts are with the victims, survivors and families of this senseless attack, we know that is not enough. Our leaders must take action to protect people from gun violence. When people can’t go to school, or

to work, or to attend a concert without fearing that they’ll be shot, that is a human rights crisis. The current patchwork of inconsistent gun laws is not sufficient to stop gun violence.

We need reforms at the federal, state and local levels to protect everyone’s safety.”

Human Rights Watch, which has been so vocal in its criticism of the Philippines’ human rights record, does not even address gun violence or school shootings on the front page of its website.

Here, there are no calls for boycotts or trade sanctions.

There are no calls to ostracize politicians and legislators who refuse to support or pass reasonable gun control legislation.

The constitutional right to bear arms, it seems, far outweighs the right to life, even for America’s schoolchildren.

Where does a government that perpetuates this kind of an unsafe environment for its own citizens have the moral authority to tell other countries what to do about human rights?

Shouldn’t charity and human rights begin at home?

In our face IN MY last column, I wrote about China’s presence in the Philippine Rise where it carried out undersea research.

What China is doing on the other side of the Philippine archipelago facing the Pacific Ocean is disconcerting. It has already militarized a wide swath of the South China Sea by building artificial islands on the shoals, reefs and rocks.

The military bases China built in the Spratlys and the Paracels have also become a concern for Vietnam and Japan which both have territorial disputes with Beijing. The Philippine government, however, appears ambivalent in its approach to China’s aggressive agenda in the region.

This, despite the most recent report that China is installing surveillance

war, has protested Beijing’s renaming 142 seabed features of Philippine (nee Benham) Rise. Manila is also buying frigates and attack helicopters for self-defense purposes. It is also comforting to note that US warships A reader says have increased their ports of calls in it won’t be long the Philippines. The US has made clear before Beijing to China that it does not recognize its declares the claim of air and water space over the South China Sea. So far, China has not Philippines as its dared accost US warplanes flying over province. air space and warships sailing near its artificial islands.

Reader Mel Amado wrote in to say that at the rate China is encroaching facilities on Fiery Cross, known to us on our waters, it won’t be long before Beijing declares the Philippines as as Kagitingan Reef.

Amid all the military buildup in its province. Mel, the resident wit of the South China Sea, the Philippines, the Wednesday Club at the Pavilion without engaging China in a word Turn to A5

THAT was an interesting distinction made by Dean Ronaldo Mendoza of the Ateneo School of Government regarding that political malady called “dynasty,” which has become endemic throughout the country, fortified by the confusing system engendered by the 1987 Constitution.

Dean Mendoza distinguishes between “fat” and “thin” dynasties. (Reminds me of one of the original chichirya repackers in the country, which labeled its products “Fat and Thin” and copied the likenesses of Abbott and Costello, the then famous slapstick comedians).

There are indeed political clans with a gaggle of members holding different political positions in a province. Talk Ampatuan in Maguindanao, until the massacre dissipated their political strength. Or the Amantes and rival Plazas of Agusan. The Singsons of Ilocos Sur. And many other provinces where the governor is the father, brother or husband of the congressman, and their progeny are mayors and councilors, board members or barangay chairmen.

Mendoza observed that the poorest provinces in the country are governed by “fat” political dynasties. He presented

We have always decried the malady of dynasties but have done nothing to stop them.

his observations before the Senate where six bills seeking to ban political dynasties are being discussed.

“If we look at the evidence, anything with more than two family members is a fat dynasty”, the Ateneo dean said.

And he gives examples: Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Northern Samar, Sarangani, Sulu, Bukidnon, Siquijor, the Agusan provinces, the Samar provinces, Lanao del Norte, and more.

“These fat dynasties affect our anti-poverty policies…the business environment…governors where relatives sit as board members when under the Local Government Code, the provincial board (is supposed to) serve as the check and balance”, he explained.

And what are the “thin” dynasties?

Those with two, perhaps three in the same province? Such as where governor and the congressman being husband and wife, or brothers, or father and son?

The Constitution stopped short of a clear definition, and left it to Congress to define, and ban, political dynasties. Talk of asking dynasts to castrate themselves.

Of course, they did not do it.

The 1987 Constitution, flawed as it is, has lasted all of these 31 years, and that is because political families have made hay under the political framework it spawned.

Truth is, if we want dynasties, or the concentration of local and national offices under a family, all we really need to do is to return to a two-party presidential system and lift this hypocrisy called term limits.

Excepting the president, let every elected official stay in the same office for as long as his constituents want him to serve them.

And let a strong, loyalty-based party system winnow the chaff from the grain.

Let the parties choose among its members who ought to run for a particular office.

Most surely, competing interests will not allow dynasties to flourish.

Do away with the practice of political turncoats, which the 1987 Constitution and the non-passage of legislation has allowed. LDP under Cory or her surrogate brother Peping; Lakas and the “rainbow coalition” under FVR; the Lampp coalition under the short-lived Erap presidency; Lakas-Kampi under GMA; the LP under PNoy; and now, the PDP-Laban.

Recall how the Liberals would fit inside a Volkswagen Kombi before PNoy, or so the joke said. And how Turn to A5

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

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Opinion Three million hectares of untapped resources might come up, it is THE noise surrounding also crucial to stress the Benham Rise the legal and technical issue—most recently, dimensions of the issue, news of Chinese which ought to have exploration in the implications on the way 24-hectare region— that a national policy has unduly sidelined a practical aspect of an otherwise or strategy is formulated. Unlike the reclaimed islands west of the country, complex geopolitical issue.

While we can look at the dispute to cite, the Benham Rise is neither an from the lens of sovereignty and island, rock nor a low-tide elevation. diplomacy, rarely discussed is the It is a volcanic ridge, which is part of vast economic impact a marine our extended continental shelf.

That means it’s important to make configuration like Benham Rise can contribute to a country like a legal distinction between “sovereign the Philippines. In particular, it’s rights” instead of “sovereignty per important to also ask just what kind of se,” according to Article 77 of the natural resources might be harnessed United States Convention on the Law from the area, including food source of the Sea, which gives a coastal state and mineral wealth. Done well, the sovereign rights for the purpose of Benham Rise just might be a game- “exploring it and exploiting its natural resources.” changer.

In another section of UNCLOS, Luckily, in the ongoing committee hearings on a proposal to create a the wording on the law is clear: the Benham Rise Development Authority, Philippines has full and exclusive the committee’s chairman, Senator sovereign rights over “mineral and Sherwin Gatchalian, revealed that other non-living resources of the the gigantic undersea plateau has seabed and subsoil together with potential methane hydrates that living organisms belonging to could help contribute to solving the sedentary species.”

In light of country’s energy the news of woes.

Beijing naming “There are some features of many parties that Benham Rise, it’s want to go into easy to understand explorations with It is also crucial the kind of angry us, particularly reaction that the given the to stress the legal issue has habitually existence of and technical p r o d u c e d . methane hydrates; dimensions of the Previously, it will be good for C h i n e s e research,” he said. issue. applications for More than a Maritime Scientific year ago, a team of Research have marine scientists been rejected also found— because they unsurprisingly—a massive wealth of marine life in the refused to accommodate the required territory, from soft and hard corals, single Filipino scientist onboard—an fish and algae and sponges, including undeniable red flag, so to speak.

Even so, while politically a hundred-percent coral cover in challenging, in the task of the multiple sites.

“We saw terraces of corals, as far gargantuan possibilities that the as the eye could see,” marine scientist area raises, there is a benefit for Marianne Pan-Saniano, who was part the Philippines to collaborate with of the mission, was quoted as saying. other countries, especially more “It’s so exciting to know that we powerful and richer ones. And this have such a vast and pristine coral includes China. An outright kneereef ecosystem within Philippine jerk rejection, while recognizing the necessary wariness, can be myopic. territory.”

As with many things, a sober A separate expedition, this time composed of researchers aided by approach is possibly the best. technical divers from the Philippine Maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard, issues the reminder that Filipinos also documented a vast mesophotic have been exploring the Benham Rise reef ecosystem at depths of nearly for years, including oceaonographic research cruises and at one point even 500 feet.

But if the Chinese reclamation sending a Philippine vessel—with projects and militarization of the full Filipino crew funded completely South China Sea revealed anything, by the Philippine government—that it is that doing nothing in such a successfully brought back surveys of fraught issue can be taken as inaction. the region.

Needless to say, paying attention Gatchalian even warned that a lack of urgency in terms of tapping this to the geopolitical drama unfolding vast potential might serve as a tacit in the Benham Rise area and the economic repercussions of exploring invitation for a party like China.

“What is important here is the the area are not mutually exclusive. formation of a long-term strategy, In fact, they are mutually reinforcing. whether it is defense or other aspects,” The clearer, more cohesive the political decision, the more certain he added.

But while comparisons with the the economic benefits will be for situation at the South China Sea Filipinos.

In our face From A4

Hotel on UN Avenue, might have a point. China has been long claiming Taiwan as a renegade province. But Beijing has not dared carry out its threat to invade and retake the former Formosa. Nearer and just a few miles across the Taiwan Straits, the nowRepublic of China is equipped with modern jet fighters supplied by treaty ally United States.

Third telco player It is welcome news that there will be a third major telecommunication player. The Department of Information and Communications Technology announced that the bid submission for a new telco carrier will be set in May this year.

The entry of the third telco player is expected to give competition to the duopoly of Smart and Globe telecommunications.

Subscribers to Globe and Smart have been complaining of the slow delivery of text messaging and choppy reception of voice calls. Filipinos who are text addicts also decry the high cost of text and calls imposed by Smart and Globe.

Three firms—Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corp., NOW Corp. and Converge ICT Solutions Inc.—

are bidding for the third slot of telco carrier. Under the guidelines of the DICT, the bidder with the highest investment and given frequencies will be chosen to compete with Globe and Smart. DICT said the winning bidder must be ready to spend $4 billion for the first five years.

PAL buying bigger Airbuses In another positive development, national flag carrier Philippine Airlines announced it is purchasing several bigger Airbuses to add to its fleet. PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista said the company will buy the large Airbus 350-1000 for the airline’s long-range flights like a planned non-stop Manila-New York –Manila route.

PAL has already placed orders with the French firm for six A 359-900s with four expected to be delivered within the year to add to the airline’s fleet of 88 to replace some of its older Boeing planes, including the 777 Dreamliner being used in the Asia-US route.

PAL has also settled its arrears with the government on its Terminal 2 facilities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. It is now Cebu Pacific which is being threatened by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez that it would lose its franchise to operate.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018

A5

A movie a day for 60 years: cinema sustains a Berlin love

By Deborah Cole IT’S a love that was born in a cinema in 1950s Cold War Berlin and that has been nourished for over six decades by taking in at least a movie a day together.

At this week’s Berlin film festival, Erika and Ulrich Gregor, now in their 80s, are absolute fixtures.

Year after year, they can be spotted gingerly making their way, arm in arm, from theater to theater to catch as many screenings each day as they can.

“We’ve watched thousands and thousands of films together,” Ulrich, 85, told AFP in an interview at the Arsenal cinema they helped found.

“We’re curious and we want to be on the cutting edge, so to speak. So we watch five movies a day (at a festival), sometimes even six. And when we’re not watching movies, we’re talking about them.”

It’s that kind of shared passion that the Gregors say has kept their relationship thriving after nearly 60 years of marriage.

The pair met as students at West Berlin’s Free University in 1957, when Ulrich was hosting a film evening.

“It was ‘People on Sunday’,” a 1930 German silent film, “and there was one woman who had very strong views,” he said.

“Everybody loved the movie but I thought it was sexist and said so,” recalled Erika, 83.

“There was a stormy debate but I wouldn’t back down. When it was over I walked out and the moderator (Ulrich) ran after me and said ‘Please come next time’ and promised to show a film that was more humanistic. And he did, it was terrific.”

Polish films and vodka She was immediately taken with Ulrich, who stands two heads taller than

his petite wife.

“I thought he was the cleverest of all of them. And I think cleverness is something wonderful,” Erika said, adding: “Especially for men, who in general are not very smart.”

She ended up joining the film club’s board.

Ulrich returned from the Cannes festival one year raving about Polish directors such as Andrzej Wajda and Andrzej Munk.

Erika suggested they start showcasing cinema from behind the Iron Curtain—a controversial move with capitalist West Berlin on the front lines of geopolitical tensions.

“We hopped on a Vespa and rode to the Polish military mission in East Berlin and rang the bell,” she said.

“We said ‘hello, we’re students and we’d like to show some Polish films’.

They were quite surprised and offered us vodka. But they finally agreed and said we could come back and pick up the films.”

Ulrich said that because of “strong anti-communist prejudices” they had to fight hostile administrators to show Eastern European films, but Erika’s more impulsive style and his diplomatic skills “complement each other in a really special way”.

“Together no one can beat us because we’re always stronger.”

Eventually, children came too The Gregors married in 1960—a year before the Berlin Wall went up—and soon started a family. But it didn’t stop their nearly obsessive moviegoing.

“It wasn’t easy because we had two children. We were lucky because they could have hated the cinema—it took their parents away from them. But the kids got used to it and we raised them that way,” he said.

“It was a different time, when I see how mothers parent today,” Erika said.

“When I needed to go to the cinema I told them ‘I trust you so be good and Mama will be home again in a few hours’.

Eventually we started taking them with us to the movies.”

That meant bringing the children to film festivals as well: Venice, Locarno, Moscow and the biggest of all, Cannes, which they still attend every year.

‘What’s love?

The Gregors collaborated on writing about film history in books and articles, founded an arthouse cinema and ran a section of the Berlin film festival showcasing avant-garde movies that is still going strong.

They were early champions of filmmakers such as Wong Kar-wai, Theo Angelopoulos, Aki Kaurismaki and Belgium’s two-time Cannes winners JeanPierre and Luc Dardenne.

“Everything we did ended up being a shared project—you couldn’t draw a dividing line between my work and hers,” Ulrich said.

For all their love of cinema—and each other—both say that it’s a difficult emotion to capture on film.

“What’s love? It’s respect, it’s affection, it’s trust. But the love stories we love on screen are all tragic,” Erika said, citing Michael Haneke’s “Amour”, “The Cry” by Michelangelo Antonioni and Yasujiro Ozu’s “Tokyo Story” among their favorites.

Ulrich said as much as they both enjoy a satisfying ending, there’s still nothing quite like the promise held in the start of a film.

“When the cinema goes dark and an image appears, it’s a primal feeling that never fades. You’re electrified every time.” AFP

Myanmar farmers going against the grain with apps

By Athens Zaw Zaw A FREE app on farmer San San Hla’s smartphone is her new weapon in the war against the dreaded stem borer moth that blighted her rice paddy in southern Myanmar for the last two years.

As she watches her workers haul in this year’s harvest, the 35-year-old is in a triumphant mood, ascribing her victory over the seasonal scourge to advice received via the app about effective pesticide use.

“We used to just farm the way our parents showed us,” she told AFP, in her village of Aye Ywar west of Yangon.

“But after getting the app, I now see how we should be doing it... it’s better to use proper techniques rather than just working blindly.”

San San Hla is among a growing cohort of farmers who are turning to tech to address the knowledge gap in a country where two thirds of the workforce are employed in agriculture.

The sector accounts for some 28 percent of the country’s GDP, but yields are low with farmers cut-off from modern technology under decades of isolationist junta rule.

For people like San San Hla, apps could be the answer.

They are providing farmers with upto-date information on everything from weather, climate change, crop prices to advice on pesticides and fertilisers.

Chat forums are connecting farmers, allowing them to swap tips while experts are on hand to answer queries.

The “Green Way” app is the brainchild of two former agricultural students, who in 2011 set up a website for farmers, often working through the night to keep

Fat...

From A4

the PDP-Laban would fit in a tricycle, until Duterte had to run under its banner in 2016, and won. Or how FVR became president despite having no more than seven congressmen supporting him at the start.

Whatever its flaws, or the lack of distinguishing ideology, the Nacionalistas and Liberals were much better practitioners of the art of the possible.

They had conventions which chose who were to run for all positions. These conventions reached consensus on candidates. They winnowed the chaff from the grain. Rarely would a party allow the governor and the congressman of a lone district-province to be closely

‘Sapientis From A4

ludicrous suspicion that a federal system of government breeds a dictatorship. Honestly, I would like to know how. In fact, a well-thought out federal scheme is the anti-thesis to any concentration of power— whether in a rotting and decadent cesspool like Manila or in a person or a clique. When governmental power

it updated.

But at the time few farmers had internet access, recalls Yin Yin Phyu, 28, explaining the “idea just didn’t take off.”

Then smartphones arrived and everything changed.

As Myanmar opened its doors, telecoms companies rushed in to grab market share, thrusting Myanmar beyond the era of desktop computers and old-style mobile phones.

The cost of sim cards, once the tightlycontrolled reserve of the well-connected, or special branch spies, plummeted from an unattainable $3,000 in 2005 to $1.50 in 2013.

Competitors practically gave away smartphone handsets as they fell over themselves to build up brand loyalty.

Mobile penetration stood at just seven percent in 2012. By the end of 2017, smartphone penetration had rocketed to 80 percent.

A nascent tech hub followed and outside of agriculture, apps were created for everything from healthcare to Myanmar’s parliament.

Farmers, many among the country’s poorest, today find themselves with a mobile computer in their hands -- a gamechanger for the entrepreneurs behind ‘Green Way,’ who launched their app in 2016 and now employ 18 full-time staff.

“Green way’ is my dream to link farmers and experts,” Yin Yin Phyu told AFP. “The farmers can get help whenever they need.”

Some 70,000 farmers have already downloaded the app although she hears far more are accessing it through phoneto-phone sharing.

Field work Greater productivity at Myanmar’s

farms could reshape both its economy and society, says 71-year-old agricultural expert Myo Myint.

“Many workers migrate to other countries because they can’t make enough money to live from agriculture in Myanmar,” he says.

“Farmers need technology and investment.”

A 2017 World Bank study found farmers in some areas of the country still earn as little as $2 per day.

Productivity is also relatively low with only 23kg of rice paddy generated in one day of work in Myanmar compared to 62kg in Cambodia, 429kg in Vietnam, and 547kg in Thailand.

The founder of the “Golden Paddy” app says the new tech is not best suited to struggling farmers at the bottom of the ladder.

They do not have the time or resources to implement advice on changing seeds or fertiliser.

Instead, the apps are aimed at smallholder farmers to allow them to “become a little more commercial,” Dutchman Erwin Sikma explains.

Similar projects in other developing countries – in India and parts of Africa are still reliant on old-style phones and information by SMS. Myanmar now has the chance to leapfrog that era to become an agricultural trailblazer.

But that also means the country is in uncharted territory.

“We have a lot of first-mover disadvantages,” Erwin Sikma says.

“It’s a start-up in a completely new model in a completely new market or economy so we need all the help we can get.” AFP

related.

Even the choice of the eight senatorial candidates nationally were representative of the ethno-linguistic regions of the country then: an Ilocano, a Pampango, one or two Tagalogs, an Ilonggo, a Cebuano, a Waray, a Christian Mindanaoan, a Muslim.

Campaigns were party-run; teamwork was the guiding praxis. Why would highly qualified congressmen, governors and mayors choose a little-educated celebrity to represent them in the Senate of the Republic? Nowadays, any celebrity can run for senator, and likely win, regardless of educational qualification or experience.

Two standards operate: “sikat ba?” and “may pera ba?”

Thus there is no Muslim in today’s Senate, no Waray, and it’s been like that for two decades.

Some of those who served as senators

with great distinction were not hexed by term limits, and thus foist children with lesser abilities upon the nation. Recall Recto, Tanada, Laurel, Diokno, Puyat, Primicias, and other great names. They could have remained senator forever, because they had brilliance in the mind and decency in their veins. And their parties were proud of them.

There were governors and congressmen who got themselves re-elected term after four-year term, and with a few exceptions, they served their constituents well.

Term limits foster family dynasties, and the absence of genuine political parties stunt electoral maturity.

There are of course several other provisions in the 1987 Constitution that need to be revised. This is just my take on dynasties, that malady we always decry but have done nothing to stop.

is devolved in considerable measure to component states or regions, I do not really see how you can call that a prelude to autocracy.

So the main fear and objections are, to my mind, neither consequent nor attendant to a federal form of government. They are, furthermore, red flags to which such bodies as the Consultative Committee and, ultimately Congress, must be alerted so that the appropriate cautionary provisions might be clearly and without equivocation

inscribed into the fundamental law of the land.

Some relations, taught Thomas Aquinas, are per se. Others are per accidens. So far, the objections against federalism to which I have paid close attention because of the frequency with which they are raised are of the second kind! rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@outlook.com

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018 A6

News

TODAY mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DENR hits ‘governance failure’ in Boracay

By Rio N. Araja

T

HE regional director of the Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesWestern Visayas on Sunday hit the “failure of governance” in Boracay that led to the overpopulation and unabated and unregulated establishment of buildings in the once pristine stretch of tropical paradise.

“My heart bleeds for Boracay,” DENR Region 6 director Dr. Jim Sampulna said.

“There is failure of governance in Boracay. It as if there is no government there,” he added.

Sampulna said it is high time all stakeholders worked together to address the environmental violations before it is too late.

“I was given a marching order by DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu to take charge of the Boracay problem. To me, the number one tourist destination in the world is dying,” he said.

“If the local government unit will not participate or cooperate, I will ask the police to do it with us.”

Last week, Sampulna led a stakeholders’ meeting in Kalibo, Aklan to discuss the issues besetting the world-

famous island.

“It was a very positive meeting that had good results as everyone wanted to help fix the hounding issues of Boracay Island,” he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte gave the DENR, along with other concerned agencies, local government units and the business sector, six months to address the problems in Boracay.

Duterte has threatened to shut down the resort operations in the island if the problem festers.

Sampulna said the agency’s Environmental Management Bureau had issued notices of violation to 51 establishments in Boracay Island, part of the first batch of the 300 establishments identified by the EMB to have violated provisions in their environmental compliance certificate.

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health CENTRAL OFFICE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE Invitation to Bid for THE PROCUREMENT OF DIVALPROEX SODIUM 250mg MR TABLET AND VALPROIC ACID SYRUP IB NO. 2018-092 1. The Department of Health (DOH), through the General Appropriations Act of 2018 intends to apply the sum of Twenty Seven Million One Hundred Seventy Three Thousand Nine Hundred Nine Philippine Pesos (PhP27,173,909.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Procurement of Divalproex Sodium 250mg MR Tablet and Valproic Acid Syrup under IB No. 2018-092 Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening 2. The DOH now invites bids for the procurement of the above-captioned project.Delivery of the Goods is required within the period specified under SECTION VI. Schedule of Requirements. Bidders should have completed, within two (2) yearsfrom the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project, equivalent to at least twenty five percent (25%) of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

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

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

4. Interested bidders may obtain further information from the COBAC Secretariat, G/F, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, San Lazaro Compound and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given above during 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday.

5. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on 19 February – 13 March 2018 from the address above and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Philippine Pesos (PhP25,000.00) It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that Bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6. The DOH will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 27 February 2018, 10:30 AM at the COBAC Conference Room, Ground Floor, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, Sta. Cruz, Manila, which shall beopen to prospective bidders.

WALK FOR A CAUSE. United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim (middle in white shirt) and SM Cares Foundation head, Hans Sy (in blue shirt) joined thousands of Filipino children with Down Syndrome during the annual Happy Walk to raise awareness, acceptance and inclusion for all persons with Down Syndrome. Ey Acasio

5k attend walk for Down Syndrome

THE annual Happy Walk for Down Syndrome yesterday broke record attendance with more than 5,000 participants as the event was held simultaenously at the SMX Convention Center in Mall of Asia and in Cebu and Davao cities.

Hans Sy, chairman of the executive committee of SM Prime Holdings Inc., US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim and Thai Deputy Chief of Mission Urawadee Sriphiromya attended the event and took part in the dance numbers and

February 19, 2018 1.

The Government of the Philippines (GoP) has received a Loan from the World Bank towards the cost of Philippine Rural Development Project and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this Loan to payments under the contract for the Rehabilitation of Billoca-San Juan Farm to Market Road and 8 Bridges (Packages 3 and 4)/PRDP-IB-R001-ILN-001-000000-2014-R2.

2.

The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte, implementing partner of the Department of Agriculture, now invites bids for the Rehabilitation of Billoca-San Juan Farm to Market Road and 8 Bridges (Packages 3 and 4). Completion of the Works is shown below

8. The DOH reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

9. For further information, please refer to: COBAC-A Secretariat Department of Health San Lazaro Compound Sta. Cruz, Manila Tel. Nos. 651-7800 local 1625 to 1627; 1650 to 52 Facsimile No.: 741-9775; 740-6830

(MS-FEB. 19, 2018)

Package

(SGD.) ROGER P. TONG-AN, DMPA, MAN, RN Undersecretary of Health COBAC – A Chairperson

Republic of the Philippines Province of Ilocos Sur Municipality of Narvacan BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

3.

THE MUNICIPALITY OF NARVACAN, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites suppliers/manufacturers/ distributors/contractors to bid for the hereunder contract:

4.

5

Prospective bidders should have experience in undertaking a similar project with an amount of at least 50% of the ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the Eligibility Check/Screening as well as the Preliminary Examination of Bids. The BAC will conduct post qualification of the lowest calculated bid.

Completion of Works

Unworkable Days

3

Rehabilitation/Construction of Caoayan Bridge and Rayuray Bridge

140

23

4

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

157

26

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

Description

Estimated Project Cost (PhP)

3

Rehabilitation/Construction of Caoayan Bridge and Rayuray Bridge

7,973,000.00

4

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, ProvincialCapitol,Laoag City, Ilocos Norte and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00am to 4:00pm, Mondays to Fridays.

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 based photographs on 50-meter interval and tracks are viewable. The DA, however, requires that all potential contractors who will be awarded contract under the project shall have undergone geotagging training provided by the PRDP Project Support Office.

The schedule of BAC activities are as follows:

6.

7.

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.

The Local Government Unit of Narvacan reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of Bidding, or not to award the contract and assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expense incurred in the preparation of their bids.

The Provincial Government of Ilocos Nortereserves the right to accept or reject any 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:

(SGD)ELEUTERIO G. INES BAC Chairman

(MS-FEB. 19, 2018)

NOTED: (SGD)ZURIEL S. ZARAGOZA Municipal Mayor

for

PROCUREMENT OF DESIGN AND BUILD FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF MULTI-LEVEL PARKING BUILDING (STEEL STRUCTURE – DESIGN AND BUILD SCHEME) 1.

The Municipality of Boac, through the General Fund (20% CDF and SB# 2 2017) intends to apply the sum of TWENTY FIVE MILLION NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (Php. 25,900,000.00), being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Procurement of Design and Build for the Construction of Multi-Level Parking Building (Steel Structure – Design and Build Scheme). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The Municipality of Boac now invites bids for Procurement of Design and Build for the Construction of Multi-Level Parking Building (Steel Structure – Design and Build Scheme). Delivery of the Goods is required within 180 Calendar Days. Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, 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 through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat, Boac, Marinduque and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during 8:00am to 5:00pm.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on February 19, 2018 from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Php. 25,000.00.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS), provided that Bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

JOHANNE M. QUILLOPE BAC Secretariat Bids and Awards Committee Office F.R. Castro Ave., Brgy. 12, Laoag City (077) 770-3848 or 772-20-49 Email address: bacilocosnorte@yahoo.com (MS-FEB. 19, 2018)

(SGD.) DRA. JOSEPHINE A. RUEDAS BAC Chairman

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before March 12, 2018 2:00pm at 3rd floor New Municipal Building, Boac, Marinduque. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on March 12, 2018 2:00pm at 3rd floor New Municipal Building, Boac, Marinduque. 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.

7.

The schedule of BAC activities are as follows: BAC Activities a) Posting c) Pre-Bid Conference d) Receipt and Opening of Bids

8.

Schedule February 19, 2018 to February 26, 2018

b) Issuance of Bidding Documents

Bids must be delivered on or before March 22, 2018at10:00AMat theProvincial Auditorium, Provincial Capitol, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration.

8.

February 19, 2018

InvItatIon to BId

The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte will hold a Pre-Bid Conference onMarch 8, 2018 at 10:00AM at the Provincial Auditorium, Provincial Capitol, Laoag City, IlocosNortewhich shall be open to all interested parties.

The BAC will issue prospective bidders Eligibility Forms and Bidding Documents at the Office of the BAC Chairman, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, upon their payment of a non refundable amount of P 25,000.00 to the Municipal Treasurer’s Office, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur.

monopolize the operation of Small Town Lottery (STL) nationwide.

“Classmates and other Cavaliers (alumni) of the premier military school in Asia took turns approaching him and asking how he was doing amid all the unfounded accussations being hurled against him and the agency,” Balutan’s deputy spokesman, Florante Solmerin, said.

Among these classmates are former military chiefs retired generals Ricardo Visaya and Eduardo Año, now administrator of the National Irrigation Adminstration and officer-incharge of the Department of Interior and Local Government, respectively.

Republic of the Philippines Province of Marinduque MUNICIPALITY OF BOAC

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders starting February 19, 2018from 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.

All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding Conference, Evaluation of Bids, Post Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of RA 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).

BAC Activities / Schedule 1. Issuance of Eligibility Documents – February 19-March 14, 2018 2. Issuance & availability of Bidding Documents - February 19-March 14, 2018 3. Pre-bid Conference – February 28, 2018 – 2:30 PM/BAC Office 4. Receipt and Opening of Bids (includes submission of Eligibility Requirements and Eligibility Check) - March 14, 2018 – 2:30 PM/BAC Office 5. Bid Evaluation – March 15, 2018 6. Post Qualification – March 16, 2018 7. Approval of BAC Resolution/Issuance of Notice of Award – March 19, 2018 8. Contract Preparation and Signing – March 20, 2018 9. Approval of Contract – March 21, 2018 10. Issuance of Notice to Proceed – March 22, 2018

Description

Bidders should have completed, within the last 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.

INVITATION TO BID

Name of Contract Tourism Development Location: Narvacan, Ilocos Sur Brief Description: Supply, delivery and installation of 60 units Solar Powered Streetlights with built-in DC-CCTV, Bluetooth, WiFi, App Control, Playback Speaker, Warning Indicator, Motion Sensor, with Solar Panel 18V 130 watts LED lights, 13800 Lumens and with 12V 90AH Lithium-Ion Battery; 90 units Solar Powered Streetlights with Solar Panel 18V 130 watts LED lights, 13800 Lumens and with 12V 88AH Lithium-Ion Battery; Construction of concrete pedestals & installation of tapered poles with base plates and anchor bolts.

Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): P 20,000,000.00 Contract Duration: 150 Calendar Days Source of Fund: R.A. 8240

FORT GREGORIO DEL PILAR, Baguio City — The Philippine Military Academy Matikas Class of 1983 has slammed the vilifaction campaign of jueteng bagwomanturned-whistleblower Sandra Cam and her notorious gambling lord friend Atong Ang against their mistah, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Alexander Balutan.

Every cavalier who met Balutan, who earned the moniker “mandirigma” (warrior), during Saturday’s Alumni Homecoming, gave him words of encouragement to stand his ground against the likes of Cam and Ang who were “moving heaven and earth” to

Republic of the Philippines Philippine Rural Development Project Invitation to Bid for the Rehabilitation of Billoca-San Juan Farm to Market Road and 8 Bridges (Packages 3 and 4) Identification No. PRDP-IB-R001-ILN-001-000-000-2014-R2 Loan No. 8421-PH

7. Bids must be duly received by the COBAC-A Secretariat at the address below on or before 13 March 2018, 9:00 AM All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on 13 March 2018, 9:00 AM, 9:00 AM at the COBAC Conference Room, Ground Floor, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, Sta. Cruz, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address above. Late bids shall not be accepted.

PMA alumni slams attacks vs PCSO’s Balutan

the main walk around MOA. This year marks the third consecutive year that the US Embassy, led by its ambassador, has taken part in the Happy Walk, which is done in celebration of the National Down Syndrome Consciousness Month.

Kim said he is grateful for being invited once again to the event. “I am grateful to SM for hosting this wonderful event with the Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines Inc. (DSAPI),” he said during the event.

February 19, 2018 to March 12, 2018 February 27, 2018 2:00pm March 12, 2018 2:00pm

e) Bid Evaluation

March 13, 2018

f) Post Qualification

March 14, 2018

g) Notice of Award

March 16, 2018

Interested Bidders shall submit a Certified True Copy of Valid PCAB License for this project having the Category applicable for the contract specified.

Interested Bidders shall submit an Original / Certified True Copy of valid licenses issued by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) for design professionals, IAPOA No. for Architect/s, and Updated Professional Tax Receipts (PTR) of each professional.

9.

The Municipality of Boac reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

10.

For further information, please refer to: DENNIS M. JAMBALOS (BAC Secretariat) Tel. # (042) 311-1227, Office of the Municipal Treasurer, Isok I, Boac, Marinduuque.

(MS-FEB. 19, 2018)

(SGD.) LUNA EULOGIO R. MANRIQUE, MNSA, CESE MPDC – BAC Chairperson

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

A7

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Rookie rules NBA dunk contest L

OS ANGELES— High-flying rookie Donovan Mitchell launched an aerial assault on the basket and Devin Booker showed off his silky smooth shooting skills at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game skills competition on Saturday.

Utah Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell (45) slams the ball through the hoop en route to winning the 2018 Verizon Slam Dunk Contest at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Mitchell had two perfect 50 scores over four dunks to edge runner-up Larry Nance Jr. and win the Slam Dunk contest which capped the two day festivities leading up to the 67th All-Star classic on Sunday.

“Believe it or not I have been preparing for this since I was a kid,” Mitchell said. “Growing up I was a big dunker. I wasn’t really much of a basketball player.

“I just dunked and played defence and I watched a lot of Vince’s (Carter) videos.”

Mitchell needed at least a 47 point on his final dunk in the championship round to defeat Nance Jr. of the Cleveland Cavaliers and he did it by earning a 48.

Mitchell is leading his Utah Jazz team in scoring and is one of the frontrunners to win the Rookie of the Year award this season. He leads all rookies by averaging 19.6 points per game.

Saturday’s events included some of the more talented players in the league competing for three separate titles, comprising the Skills Challenge, Three-Point Contest and the Slam Dunk Contest It is part of the build up to Team LeBron and Team Curry taking the floor Sunday at Staples Center arena which is hosting the All-Star Game for the third time.

Mitchell joined the dunk field after 2016 Slam Dunk runner-up Aaron Gordon was forced to withdraw from the contest due to injury.

Mitchell has scored at least 40 points in a game twice, becoming the first Jazz player with multiple 40-point games in his rookie season.

His first perfect dunk score came in the semi-finals when he jumped over three people including his sister, Jordan.AFP

General assembly to decide criteria for POC election

By Peter Atencio WHOEVER has the numbers or not won’t matter.

What will matter is that sports officials who are seeking elective positions in the Philippine Olympic Committee are meeting the criteria that they have set, and will be approved by the General Assembly.

POC spokesman Prospero Pichay said this as the General Assembly meets today to discuss the resolutions that have been proposed during the executive board meeting last Friday.

The proposals concern the eligibility of officials and how they will meet the criteria that have been set.

“We’re not concerned about the numbers. We’re concerned about the IOC (International Olympic Committee) suspension. We are guided by the IOC letter that we should talk it among ourselves.

That’s our guiding principle. When things are going wrong, always bring it to the GA,” said Pichay in a statement.

Last Friday, the executive board passed a resolution which proposes that top officials of national sports associations who have been active members of the Philippine Olympic Committee for two consecutive years are eligible for election for president and chairman.

The executive board, through POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. will have their decisions subject for approval before the General Assembly in today’s gathering at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.

If approved, the new resolution will be amended into the POC constitution and bylaws, and affirmed by the POC elections committee.

On the legal side, lawyers of the POC will tackle the case that’s going on with the Pasig Regional Trial Court.

The next step is to designate an official representative of a national sports association to the POC general assembly during their extraordinary meeting. AFP

LeBron answers conservative commentators

Batangas Athletics Benavidez pummels Gavril to retain WBC crown outclass Navotas Clutch-Big J Sports FOR the fourth straight play date, another visiting team has conquered the home squad and won big in the MPBLAnta Rajah Cup. The Tanduay-backed Batangas City Athletics kept their composure down the stretch to outlast a tough Navotas Clutch-Big J Sports, 80-71, late Saturday night at the Navotas Sports Complex.

It was the fourth straight win of the Athletics, who climbed in a share of the lead with the Quezon City Capitals-Royal Manila with identical 4-0 win-loss record.

“Nakita naming mga coaches and also ni (Paul) Varila na he’s not getting anything down low. Ang ginawa namin since medyo slow yung bantay niya, we isolated him, lalo na late in the game,” said Batangas City head coach Mac Tan. “Ang hirap manalo lalo na sa away. Our plan was to shut up the fans, para ma-minimize yung energy nila, pero hindi namin nagawa. Luckily, we were able show our composure.”

Val Acuna led the way for Batangas City’s scoring production with 17 followed by Teytey Teodoro’s 14 and Bong Quinto’s 12-point output, but it was Jhaymo Eguilos’ doubledouble effort which carried the Athletics to their fourth straight win and their second consecutive of beating a home team.

Eguilos came away with 11 points on top of 15 rebounds and two blocks.

The loss was a painful one for Navotas, which dropped its second straight game and fell to 2-2.

Meanwhile, the Bulacan Kuyas-Ligo Sardines finally snapped a three-game skid and they did it with their returning coach Chris Baluyot in hammering out a 92-74 triumph over the Caloocan Supremos-Longrich.

Baluyot, who was initially inserted in the line up as a player, returned to his role as coach and took over from Ogie Gumatay a day before the Kuyas’ game against the Supremos.

But Baluyot is no stranger to coaching this team, having handled the Kuyas in the preseason and leading the team to the championship.

LOS ANGELES—David Benavidez outclassed Ronald Gavril to easily retain his WBC super-middleweight crown with a unanimous points victory on Saturday.

The 21-year-old champion from Phoenix dominated Romania’s Gavril to claim a deserved win at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Benavidez had beaten Gavril, 31, last September by a split decision to claim the vacant crown in one of the best fights of 2017.

An ill-tempered build-up to the rematch had seen Gavril vowing to right a wrong, claiming he had been robbed of victory in the first fight.

But on Saturday there was only one winner, with Benavidez using his

stinging jab and superior movement to toy with Gavril on his way to a resounding victory.

One judge scored it 119-109 while the two other cards had it 120-108 in favor of Benavidez, who improved to 20-0 with 17 knockouts after the win.

Benavidez, the youngest active champion in world boxing, said he had sought to exploit Gavril’s aggressive tactics.

“I knew he was going to come in aggressive – like I said before he’s a one-trick pony, he don’t know anything else but pressure,” Benavidez said.

“So I used that to my advantage – jabbed, boxed him all day and when I saw an opening I took it. I didn’t knock him out but he’s a tough son

of a gun.”

Benavidez said he was unfazed by the bad blood that had simmered between the two fighters before the bout.

“I don’t really care,” he said. “I had the better of him. Look at his face and look at mine,” he added.

Benavidez’s best moment came in the fourth round, when he rocked Gavril with with an uppercut followed by a left hook that sent the Romanian reeling into the ropes.

Gavril managed to dig himself out of that hole however, clinching successfully until the bell to survive.

It was only a fleeting respite though as Benavidez continued to pick him off at will with a superb exhibition of precision punching. AFP

WBC super middleweight champion David Benavidez (left) connects with a left to the head of Ronald Gavril during a title fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on February 17, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Benavidez retained his title by unanimous decision. AFP

Bike King TRI 1 fires off in Subic Bay Freeport Zone OVER 1,000 participants from Baguio to Cebu will test their speed, strength and endurance at the Bike King TRI 1 standard distance triathlon on Sunday, February 25, firing off from the Acea Resort in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Supported by official timekeeper TAG Heuer, Standard Insurance, official skin care Neutrogena, Vittoria, Nestle Dolce Gusto, Smart, NLEX-SCTEX, Prohealth Sports and Spinal, hydration partner Nuun, ON Shoes, Robinsons Supermarket,

Gardenia, Acea Subic Bay, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Court Meridian Hotel & Suites and Subic Holiday Villas, Bike King TRI 1 continues the tradition of being the most anticipated season-opener in the multisport calendar.

LeBron James answers questions during the 2018 NBA All-Star Media Day at the Verizon Up Arena. AFP

LOS ANGELES—A defiant LeBron James said Saturday he would continue to speak up about social issues and racism in America despite criticism this week from conservative commentators.

The NBA superstar says it is his duty as a parent and role model to use his platform to come to the defence of those that don’t have a voice.

“To be an African-American kid and growing up in the inner city with a single parent mother and not being financially stable and to make it where I am today, I feel like I defeated the odds,” said James.

The 14-time NBA all-star was responding to comments by Fox News presenter Laura Ingraham who said sports stars should stay out of politics, claiming James should “shut up and dribble.”

The 33-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio said he feels it is his obligation – especially as a father to three young children – to discuss equality.

“I would not just shut up and dribble,” James told reporters from a podium at the Los Angeles Convention Center after practice Saturday in preparation for Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game. AFP

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, FEBRUARY 19, 2018

Hirscher claims Olympic double with victory in giant slalom PYEONGCHANG, South Korea – Austrian Marcel Hirscher claimed his second Olympic gold of the Pyeongchang Games on Sunday, showing all his class to comprehensively win the men’s giant slalom.

Hirscher, who finally won an individual gold in the alpine combined on Tuesday after dominating the World Cup for the last six years, clocked an aggregate of two minuetes 18.04sec down the Rainbow 1 course at the Yongpyong Alpine Centre.

Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen claimed silver, 1.27sec adrift of Hirscher, with France’s Alexis Pinturault following up on his combined silver with bronze, a further four-hundredths back.

The 28-year-old Hirscher, a six-time consecutive World Cup overall champion, showed none of the nerves that afflicted American Mikaela Shiffrin in her failed attempt to defend her slalom title after winning the giant slalom the previous day.

He laid down a near-faultless first run on a course that saw many other racers come unstuck on a tricky, twisting run-in to the finish line.

That left him a very healthy 0.63sec ahead of closest rival Pinturault, Kristoffersen paying the price for a mistake to finish 10th, 1.31sec off the pace.

When the Norwegian took to the slope for the second run, he raced down in the fastest time in an impressive display of aggressive skiing, 0.04sec faster than Hirscher’s leg. AFP

NLEX Road Warriors rookie phenom Kiefer Ravena (15) dribbles past Blackwater Elite defender John Nard Pinto (10). The Road Warriors beat the Blackwater Elite, 93-90, during their 2018 PBA Philippine Cup match. PBA

Road Warriors turn back Blackwater Elite, 93-90

By Jeric Lopez

T

WO game-turning runs in the payoff period enabled the NLEX Road Warriors to come from behind and slay the Blackwater Elite, 93-90, and officially secure a quarterfinals berth in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan last night.

Olympic gold winner Marcel Hirscher (left) celebrates with his girlfriend after winning the Men’s Giant Slalom at the Jeongseon Alpine Center. AFP

Red Warriors, UST sweep first round DEFENDING men’s champion University of the East topped De La Salle, 4-1, while last year’s runnerup University of Santo Tomas overwhelmed University of the Philippines, 5-0, to complete a first round sweep in the UAAP Season 80 lawn tennis tournament at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

The Red Warriors’ reigning MVP AJ Lim pounded out a 6-0, 6-3 conquest of LA Canizares, Josshua Kinaadman hacked out a 6-1, 6-0 win over Rey Mayo, and Dolfo Barquin won after Betto Orendain retired in the third set, 3-6, 7-6, 3-0, in singles action.

Rogelio Estaño and RJ Saga bested Hans Asistio and Kyle Parpan in the first doubles match, 6-3, 6-4, before Jonah Cano and Qoqo Allian averted a shutout for the Green Archers with a 6-2, 7-6 victory over Jeric delos Santos and Justine Guira.

UE went perfect in four ties.

The Tigresses drew singles victories from Erika Manduriao, a 6-1, 6-1 victor over Willow Day, Kendies Malinis, who cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 win over Danielle Carranza, and Monica Cruz, who downed Dana Uy, 6-1.

Not to be outdone are the doubles pairs of Precian Rivera and Ingrid Gonzales, who turned back Therese Tan, Agnes Flores, 6-1, 6-1, and Genevieve Caorte and Meanne San Jose, who prevailed over Monica Cortez and Denise Gonzales, 6-3, 7-5.

UST, which won all of its three first round ties, is tipped to win after last season’s champion National University did not field a team this season.

The dynamic backcourt duo of Kevin Alas and rookie sensation Kiefer Ravena finally showcased what they are capable of playing together.

Alas led the Road Warriors’ charge with a game-high 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists in his best game of the tournament so far. Ravena remained steady, adding 23 points along with three boards and three steals.

The Road Warriors (6 wins, 4 losses) thus climbed into a tie at third place with the Alaska Aces (6-4) behind the leagueleading San Miguel Beermen (7-2) and the Magnolia Hotshots (7-3).

The other teams include the Rain or

Shine Elasto Painters (5-3), Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (5-4), the Phoenix Fuel Masters (4-5) and the GlobalPort Batang Pier (4-5).

Bringing up the rear are the Elite (4-6), TNT KaTropa (4-6), the Meralco Bolts (36) and the Kia Picanto (1-8).

The Road Warriors also officially advanced to the quarterfinals towing the Aces right along with them.

The Road Warriors won their fourth game in a row and are peaking at the right time.

“We weren’t at our best in the first three quarters but we stayed in it and gave ourselves a chance. The players stepped up at the right

time in the fourth quarter for us to steal the win,” said NLEX coach Yeng Guiao.

As for the Elite, the defeat was a big blow as it did not only see its two-game streak snapped, but its fate is not in its hand anymore. The Elite fell to 4-6 and now needs to win its last assignment and hope that the results of the remaining games of the other teams in the chase result in their favour.

Only the top eight teams will move forward in the next phase.

Down but not out heading to the fourth, the Road Warriors suddenly woke up at the right time.

NLEX, who was behind by nine through three quarters, charged off the gates and uncorked a swift 9-0 run to even things at 74-all with 10:37 remaining after a triple from Alas.

After Blackwater retook the lead for a brief stretch, the Road Warriors resumed their surge and once again orchestrated a spurt, conducting an 18-8 run midway the period to put themselves in a good position with a 92-86 advantage with just under two minutes left.

Foton foils Generika-Ayala in PSL action UST’s Lina Games Tuesday

(Bacoor Sports Center) 4:15 pm — SLR vs Generika-Ayala 7:00 pm — Cocolife vs Cignal

DINDIN MANABAT announced her return on a sizzling note as she powered Foton to a 25-19, 22-25, 25-16, 25-22 victory over Generika-Ayala in the opening salvo of the Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix yesterday at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig City.

Sidelined with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury last year, the power-hitting Manabat led the Tornadoes’ furious run in the third and

fourth sets to emerge victorious in this prestigious club tourney bankrolled by Isuzu, Rebisco and UCPB Gen with ESPN5 as official broadcast partner.

Manabat fired eight kills and a gamehigh five aces to finish with 14 points, while American import Brooke Kanda delivered 17 attacks and two blocks to emerge with 21 points for the Tornadoes, who are looking for a rebound after losing the Grand Prix crown to F2 Logistics last year.

Canadian reinforcement Elizabeth Wendell tallied 11 points in her debut in this tourney which also has Mikasa, Senoh, Mueller, LGR, Gold’s Gym and Grand Sport as technical sponsors.

Elizabeth Ann Wendell (left) of Foton tries to spike the volleyball through the double block set up by Darlene Ramdin and Mikaela Lopez of Generika-Ayala.

leads UAAP in rebounds Game Tuesday

(at the Arena in San Juan) 4 p.m. FEU vs NU

By Peter Atencio BATANG GILAS standout John Bismarck Lina is fast becoming the top rebounder of the season.

The 16-year-old, along with teammate, and top MVP candidate, CJ Cansino is now ahead of Ateneo rebound monster Kai Sotto with his average of 12.8 rebounds in the 80th University Athletic Association of the Philippines Junior Basketball Tournament (UAAP) junior basketball step-ladder semifinals at the Blue Eagle Gym. The 6-3 Lina accomplished this after he and teammates Rhayjun Baquial and Kobe Palencia came up with big plays at endgame, allowing the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs to stop the third seeded and defending champion Far Eastern University-Diliman Baby Tamaraws, 81-80.

“Ginawa ko iyung best ko para ma stop ko iyung binabantayan ko. At, mananalo kami dahil dun,” said Lina.

Lina came into the picture after Palencia, who had 11 points, then canned in one of two freebies with 8.3 ticks left, putting UST back on top, 81-80.

Arellano U targets twin celebration in volleyball Games today (Feb. 19)

(Filoil Flying V Center) 11 a.m.- UPHSD vs Letran (jrs) 2 p.m.- UPHSD vs AU (m) 4 p.m.- SBU vs AU (w)

ARELLANO UNIVERSITY eyes a double celebration as its women’s and men’s teams try shoots to finish off their respective foes today in the 93rd NCAA volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan City.

The Lady Chiefs leaned on a balanced attack to turn back the San Beda Lady Red Spikers, 25-15, 25-16, 15-25, 22-25, 15-6, while the Chiefs stunned the fancied Perpetual Help Altas, 12-25, 25-21, 19-25, 26-24, 159, to gain the early upper hand in their best-of-three duels.

Regine Anne Arocha and Jovielyn Grace Prado led three other players with double-digit scores by firing 14 and 13 points and should remain the focal point of the AU’s attack anew as it shoots for the jugular in their 4 p.m. showdown.

AU is gunning for its second straight women’s title and third overall.

AU coach Obet Javier stressed the need to play with killer instinct.

“We can’t afford to give them a chance to beat us just like what happened in our first game,” said Javier in Filipino.

The Chiefs, for their part, are expected to draw strength from Christian dela Paz, who starred with a 24-point effort in the shock win in the opener.

“I’ll just try to help the team win a championship,” said dela Paz, a 20-year-old transferee out of University of the Phl. Dela Paz outshone Perpetual Help’s Joebert Almodiel, the newly-awarded rookie MVP and Best Outside Spiker who was held to just 18 hits in his first finals appearance in the NCAA. Almodiel, a 20-year-old transferee from Southwestern U in Cebu, vowed to strike back strong.

“I felt the pressure. I hope to bounce back,” said Almodiel.

In the juniors’ division, defending champion Perpetual Help and Letran start their own best-of-three duel at 11 a.m.

The Squires twice defeated the Emilio Aguinaldo Brigadiers including the finals berth-clinching 25-23, 28-30, 25-23, 25-23 win to arrange an interesting title series with the Junior Altas, who are looking to clinch a fourth straight crown and 10th overall.

IN BRIEF Gatchalian lauds lower system loss SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian lauded the Energy Regulatory Commission for lowering the cap on the allowable rate of system losses that can be passed on to consumers in their monthly electricity bills.

“Lowering the recoverable system loss rate is a pro-consumer action that will reduce electricity rates and force electric companies to make their operations more efficient,” said Gatchalian, chairman of both the Senate Energy Committee and the Joint Congressional Power Commission.

System loss refers to the difference between the electric energy delivered to the distribution system and the power delivered to the end-users and other entities connected to the system.

ERC has mandated a staggered decrease in the maximum allowable pass-on charge for electric cooperatives to 8.5 percent to 12 percent by 2022 from 12 percent this year.

It also implemented a lower system loss of 5.5 percent for private distribution utilities by 2021 from 6.5 percent in 2018. Alena Mae S. Flores

Nipa sap as new bioethanol source THE Ethanol Producers Association of the Philippines is pushing for nipa sap as bioethanol feedstock which can easily be rolled out nationwide.

EPAP executive director Queenie Rojo said the bioethanol from nipa Sap was ready for replication nationwide because of its sustainable and renewable benefits.

“Since Nipa plant naturally grows in estuaries and serves as anti-erosion, climate change mitigation plant, nipa would be an additional source of income for the fisherfolk. We are looking forward to hundreds and thousands of minidistilleries popping up in barangays where nipa grows,” Rojo said.

The newly-launched National Bionenergy Research and Innovation center in Mariano Marcos State University in Batac, Ilocos Norte will help in the research and development of nipa sap as bioethanol source. Alena Mae S. Flores

Chinese firm, FMIC sign advisory deal CHINA National Heavy Machinery Corp., the third largest contractor of power projects and one of the top construction engineering companies in China, and First Metro Investment Corp. finalized a general advisory contract in the works since 2017.

Under the agreement signed by China National president Xiao Ping and First Metro president Rabboni Francis Arjonillo, First Metro will assist the Chinese company in contacting local government authorities to obtain the plan and policy of the Philippine government.

It will render general advice regarding local business landscape, laws, commercial issues, and regulations and provide assistance in referring technical specialists and advisors on legal, taxation, insurance, accounting, regulatory, and strategic matters concerning the projects chosen

by China National.

First Metro plans to create business partnerships, spearheaded by its newly established international desk. Othel V. Campos

Business Pure Foods building new two-hectare Laguna plant

By Jenniffer B. Austria

S

AN Miguel Pure Foods Company Inc., the food manufacturing unit of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., said it plans to open a new manufacturing facility for ready-to-eat products in Santa Rosa, Laguna by the first quarter of 2019.

SMPFC said in a statement the for export in the ready-to-eat forfacility, spanning 20,000 square mat, SMPFC said.

meters, would address consumer demand for convenience and capture a larger chunk of the fastgrowing segment.

Once operational, it will produce fully cooked viands and heat-and-serve meals to serve growing consumer demand for convenient, nutritious meals differentiated by home-cooked taste, rich quality, and the highest levels of food safety, it said.

The plant and commissary will also cater to foodservice clients’ operational needs for high-quality, healthy and easy-to-prepare meals. It will also yield products

The project was recently granted incentives by the Trade Department’s Board of Investments.

SMPFC said the new facility was also supportive of the DTI’s Inclusive Business program, through direct employment of locals and partnership programs with local businesses, farmers and animal growers, resulting in an integrated supply chain.

San Miguel earlier announced plans to consolidate its beer and liquor business under SMPFC via a share swap. The move to consolidate all food and beverage

businesses under SMPFC would make the company more attractive to investors, it said.

SMPFC also plans to conduct a share sale by the second quarter of 2018 to meet the 15-percent minimum requirement for listed firms as the consolidation would increase San Miguel’s share in SMPFC to 95.5 percent.

The planned share sale is expected to reach $1.5 billion, which could be the largest equity deal in the Philippines.

Combined revenues of the consolidated units for the period in review –San Miguel Brewery, Ginebra San Miguel and San Miguel Purefoods –amounted to P180 billion in the first nine months of 2017, up 11 percent from a year ago. It also represented 30 percent of SMC’s total revenues.

Operating income of the new food and beverage company rose 17 percent to P29.1 billion while earnings grew 21 percent to P19.55 billion.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018

Govt debt ratio climbs to 36.4% of GDP

By Julito G. Rada THE ratio of the government’s debt to the gross domestic product climbed to 36.4 percent as of end-June 2017 from 35.3 percent a year ago partly as a result of the weaker value of the peso against the US dollar, the Finance Department said of over the weekend.

The department’s Domestic Finance Group said in a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III that as government expenditures picked up in 2017 resulting in a higher deficit, debt ratios reflected the increase in programmed borrowings. “The national government operations impact the most on the GG debt ratios,” it said.

Data showed that NG debt (net of the Bond Sinking Fund, or BSF) reached P5.8 trillion as of end-June 2017, up by 10.3 percent from P5.3 trillion in June 2016.

“Because the BSF can only invest in government securities, and these holdings are considered intra-sectoral and netted from total outstanding NG debt, the decline in BSF holdings, combined with peso depreciation, led to higher outstanding NG debt for the period,” the DFG said.

It said the local government units’ debt reached P85.8 billion, an increase of 9.2 percent from P78.6 billion posted in the same period in 2016.

Government securities held by social security institutions declined P59.7 billion, far outweighing LGU loans held by the Municipal Development Fund Office which was up

by P3.5 billion, it said.

Early gasoline price rollback welcomed

NEW PSE HEADQUARTERS. The

THE Energy Department welcomed the decision of oil companies to reduce pump prices by as much as P1.30 per liter ahead of the weekly Tuesday implementation.

“The arrangement is every Tuesday but if there is a price reduction and if they implement it earlier, that is good,” Energy director Rino Abad said.

The oil firms cut gasoline by P1.15 to P1.25 per liter and diesel by P1.20 to P1.30 per liter and kerosene by P1.20 per liter starting Saturday.

This is the second weekly consecutive price rollback after the oil companies cut the price of diesel by P1.30 per liter, gasoline by P1 per liter and kerosene P0.85 per liter last February 13.

Phoenix Petroleum initiated the rollback, announcing the price of P1.15 per liter for gasoline and P1.30 per liter for diesel on Friday night while other oil companies followed suit.

Abad attributed the rollback to lower prices in the international oil market. Alena Mae S. Flores

Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. holds ceremonial closing bell ringing events on separate occasions at its Ayala and Tektite trading floors to mark the last time that the trading bell is rung in both locations.

On Feb. 19, PSE will open its new headquarters and trading floor at PSE Tower, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. At the last bell ringing ceremony at Ayala are (from left) PSE directors Wilson Sy, Amor Iliscupidez, Jesus Clint Aranas, Francis Chua and Vivian Yuchengo; Ayala Corp. chairman and chief executive Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala; PSE chairman Jose Pardo; PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon; and PSE directors Edgardo Lacson and Emmanuel Bautista.

Banks welcome BSP reduction of required reserves THE Bankers Association of the Philippines expressed full support to the latest move of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to reduce the current reserve requirement ratio from 20 percent to 19 percent.

BAP said in a statement over the weekend the cut would enable borrowers to have access to more sources of funds and more efficient cost of borrowing that was expected to propel more economic activity in the country.

“In a few weeks, we expect that BAP member banks will be able to extend additional credit to consumers and enterprises that require adequate funds for their personal and business needs,” BAP managing director Benjamin Castillo said.

“We are confident to this move of the Monetary Board for the gradual reduction in the reserve ratio which clearly demonstrates a strong regulatory framework and supports the BSP’s ability to further manage liquidity while policy rates are within its framework to continuously promote economic growth,” he said.

The reserve requirement (or cash reserve ratio) is a central bank regulation employed by most, but not all, of the world’s central banks, that sets the minimum amount of reserves that must be held by a commercial bank.

The policy-making Monetary Board of Bangko Sentral said the operational adjustment would support Bangko Sentral’s shift toward a more market-based implementation of monetary policy as well as its broad financial market reform agenda.

“The reduction will apply to the reservable liabilities of all banks and non-bank financial institutions with quasi-banking functions with reserve requirement currently at 20 percent,” it said. Julito G. Rada

B

Automotive industry revises 2018 sales forecast to positive growth

By Othel V. Campos THE Philippine automotive industry now expects sales to post growth this year, despite the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law.

Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers Association of the Philippines Inc. president Rommel Gutierrez said the group was no longer expecting reduced sales this year.

“The least we can predict is a flat

growth. It can go higher. We’re not seeing negative [growth in sales],” said Gutierrez.

Under the Train law, excise taxes for vehicles mostly increased, depending on the model and category except for the trucks, pick-up and other mass transportation vehicles.

Taxes rose high as 50 percent for tier 4 vehicles or those with value of over P4 million per unit. Vehicles under the luxury segment previously paid 25 percent excise tax.

Vehicles under tier 1 or those with value of not more than P600,000 are taxed 4 percent, up from 2 percent previously.

The entire sector breached sales targets in 2017 as automotive companies sold over 470,000 units.

About 65 percent of total sales were traced to the exemplary performance of the commercial vehicle category.

Combined sales of Campi and the Truck Manufacturers Association went up 18.4 per percent the Associ-

ation Vehicle Importers and Distributors reported a 14-percent increase in sales.

The industry is positive that the market will correct itself and start regaining lost opportunities before end-2018.

Gutierrez said the industry sales target of 500,000 units by 2020 was “very much within reach.”

“By 2019, we will be more closer to selling 500,000 units. We are even optimistic the industry may exceed that target in the year,” he said.

DoTR evaluating P350-b Naia offer

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Department of Transportation said it expects to complete in two months the evaluation of the proposed P350-billion rehabilitation and expansion of Ninoy Aquino International Airport submitted by seven of the country’s biggest conglomerates.

“The proposal was submitted. I haven’t gone through it but if it’s unsolicited, we have look at the merits of it, advantages of it. We have to study it in short. It will have to go through the usual process, evaluated initially by MIAA [Manila International Airport Authority],” Transportation Undersecretary for aviation Manuel Antonio Tamayo said.

“MIAA will go through it, make recommendation to us. We’ll study it as well, meet with proponents and again submit it to Neda [National Economic and Development Authority ],” Tamayo said.

Tamayo said he the evaluation

was expected to be completed in two months .

The consortium’s members are Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Alliance Global Group Inc., AEDC, Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

The proposal involves expanding and interconnecting the existing terminals of Naia, upgrading airside facilities and developing commercial facilities to increase airline and airport efficiencies, enhance passenger comfort and experience and improve public perception of Naia as the country’s premier international gateway.

The project is divided into two phases. Phase 1 includes improvements and expansion of terminals at the current Naia land area, while Phase 2 involves the development of an additional runway, taxiways, passenger terminals and associated support infrastructure.

REVILLA’S AWARD. PLDT Inc.

senior vice president and group controller and Smart chief financial officer June Cheryl Revilla (left) is the only Filipino speaker and awardee at the 5th World Women Leadership Congress held in Mumbai, India.

With her husband Bacoor, Cavite Rep. Strike Revilla (right), Chaye Revilla says “this Women Super Achiever Award becomes more meaningful because I am sharing it with the man who supports and empowers me.”

B2

Business

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Flat trading seen; traders cautious S

By Jenniffer B. Austria

HARE prices are expected to continue their sideways movement as investors remain cautious about rising interest rates and higher inflation rate.

Analysts said range-trading was likely this week until the US Fed Board provided a firm indication on a possible interest rate hike.

The timing of the rate increase from the Fed might continue to highlight this week’s trading, especially with the mixed signals between January’s and retail sales,” F. Yap Securities said.

“Our take is that more time will be needed for other confirmatory signals before the Fed committee considers tightening its policies,” it added.

BDO Unibank chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said investors remained cautious and not comfortable yet with the higher interest rates.

“Chartwise, the week’s close at 8,612.44 suggests the market to range between the 8,350–8,700 levels in the

near-term. Immediate support and resistance is seen at 8,350 and 8,800 levels, respectively,” Ravelas said.

Traders also expected a thin trading volume this week ahead of China market’s weeklong celebration of the Lunar New Year.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index, after three weeks of decline, advanced 1.3 percent last week to close at 8,612.44, while the broader All Shares Index climbed 0.9 percent to 5.075.60.

Except for he industrial index, which dropped 1.45 percent, all sub-indices ended in green led by mining and oil (+2.47 percent), holding firms (+2.11 percent), and property (+1.60 percent).

Foreign investors were net sellers by P3.2 billion, while the average daily value traded stood at P8.2 billion.

The weekly top price gainers were Bloomberry Resorts Corp., which rose 5.5 percent to P12; Security Bank Corp., which gained 5.3 percent to P258; and Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., which gained 5.2 percent to P75.

The weekly top price losers were East West Banking Corp., which declined 8.9 percent to P26.95; 2Go Group Inc., which fell 6.3 percent to P17.70; and Alliance Global Group Inc., which lost 5.9 per-

cent to P14.34.

Meanwhile, global stocks mostly rose Friday as investors continued to ramp up purchases as equities have stabilized following a bout of volatility earlier in the month.

The Dow finished narrowly positive, up 0.1 percent 25.219,38, following a choppy session. Despite the muted finale, the week was the sixth straight positive close for the blue-chip index as it notched its best weekly gain since November 2016.

European stocks were broadly higher, while the dollar rebounded after striking a new three-year low against the euro and touching a 15-month low against the yen.

“European stocks are higher today as traders’ levels of optimism rise,” said market analyst David Madden at CMC Markets UK. “The bullish momentum is growing, and the higher equity markets rise, the more it encourages other investors to jump on the bandwagon.”

Some, however, questioned the assumption stock markets were back in full swing, and had brushed off last week’s dizzying falls as a one-off correction.

With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

FEBRUARY 12-15, 2018 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

3.94 58.1 150.30 120.00 3.75 1.77 36 8.5 15.5 26.95 8.56 0.65 1.64 970.00 0.540 96.8 1.57 13.2 25.00 56.80 85.05 103 239.8 47 258 1880.00 90.00 1.19

4,125,000 28,810 4,098,580 7,653,240 131,000 1,872,000 1,231,500 1,200 201,500 3,400,000 35,100 16,000 106,000 430 6,342,000 8,614,300 62,044,000 150,500 300 308,180 1,180 220 5,630 1,166,200 1,696,400 115 136,550 542,000

FINANCIAL 17,024,560.00 1,714,895.00 616,943,209.00 905,899,126.00 486,340.00 3,470,960.00 44,749,780.00 10,210.00 3,098,794.00 95,020,220.00 308,185.00 10,430.00 175,270.00 409,800.00 3,500,700.00 834,706,588.00 105,503,460.00 1,956,686.00 7,585.00 17,696,102.00 101,436.50 22,660.00 1,344,014.00 57,192,935.00 423,218,430.00 217,025.00 12,426,095.00 649,970.00

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’ Conc. Aggr. ‘B’ Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Eagle Cement EEI Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) Euro-Med Lab Federal Chemicals 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.

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 12.88 0.59 1.3 18.26 0.215 120 19.98 4.01 15.7 160.8 52 59 82.3 61 1.96 5.6 10.6 11.460 14.4 11.02 7.70 5.55 1.75 1.76 15.78 61.6 29.00 10.06 19.98 2.070 285.00 50.90 4.08 3.12 19.24 27.4 17.4 19.08 0.194 322.00 8.22 2.75 4.64 9.35 6.38 8.27 1.52 13.00 56.65 5.8 4.88 4.5 3.88 618.5 2.31 16.62 5.48 0.131 1.07 153.5 2.75 1.9 24.05 1.32

5,389,500 4,551,800 3,268,000 3,971,000 187,800 7,909,000 380 31,500 35,803,000 3,049,500 310 2,160,970 11,160 10 747,440 3,176,000 61,600 226,100 5,949,700 1,429,300 3,615,700 2,257,700 24,607,800 818,000 7,000 2,879,800 796,870 637,600 241,300 9,257,800 63,768,000 3,511,480 2,740 447,000 110,000 7,200 5,626,700 1,219,300 16,297,700 5,220,000 725,520 86,100 24,890,000 707,000 4,319,000 683,800 145,000 2,489,000 24,247,400 1,532,880 359,100 735,000 53,880,000 4,005,000 354,960 56,997,000 4,325,800 687,900 15,910,000 2,232,000 4,372,610 322,000 15,772,000 400 77,473,000

INDUSTRIAL 213,196,735.00 58,659,322.00 1,937,230.00 5,106,090.00 3,437,056.00 2,053,830.00 41,998.00 605,010.00 143,805,820.00 46,883,756.00 54,190.00 113,937,341.50 660,370.50 823.00 46,604,898.00 6,320,620.00 343,511.00 2,440,968.00 68,354,916.00 20,788,060.00 39,962,556.00 17,072,738.00 137,623,150.00 1,453,180.00 12,320.00 45,309,962.00 49,333,935.50 18,686,480.00 2,417,724.00 187,323,206.00 139,770,480.00 985,446,454.00 130,612.00 1,824,040.00 341,370.00 138,768.00 154,641,660.00 21,392,692.00 309,464,948.00 999,310.00 232,563,012.00 711,605.00 69,580,170.00 3,349,420.00 40,281,781.00 4,214,502.00 1,189,247.00 3,870,800.00 310,679,620.00 88,012,981.00 2,095,639.00 3,598,560.00 121,806,660.00 17,697,800.00 227,500,695.00 140,173,950.00 70,572,600.00 3,762,323.00 2,134,770.00 2,431,560.00 679,274,524.00 887,840.00 29,661,840.00 9,620.00 101,363,920.00

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A’ BHI Holdings Inc. 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’ Keppel Holdings `B’ Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Lopez Holdings Corp.

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

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

0.295 75.00 14.34 0.96 6.87 0.560 0.630 1095 1054.00 7.3 13.80 4.55 7.59 0.185 1324 7.22 75.50 4.96 5.32 5.38 0.68 5.28 22.95 0.340 5.85 0.0390 1.170 3.050 2.55 145.10 2.69 989.00 1.64 0.76 278.000 0.2350 0.1800 0.190

970,000 3,854,840 37,591,400 8,874,000 44,300 301,906,000 74,344,000 920,615 25 5,038,800 14,785,000 5,000 150,200 100,000 256,925 9,200 6,360,210 9,800 13,800 300 3,575,000 6,094,000 5,036,300 160,000 230,708,900 107,400,000 1,130,000 168,366,000 523,000 1,881,280 181,000 1,270,700 3,379,000 2,000 18,260 1,370,000 630,000 1,270,000

HOLDING FIRMS 288,600.00 283,846,066.50 554,616,438.00 9,458,680.00 306,445.00 198,919,110.00 49,427,740.00 958,556,510.00 26,330.00 37,033,515.00 201,284,144.00 22,790.00 1,131,171.00 18,500.00 336,062,660.00 65,511.00 470,985,182.00 48,937.00 74,296.00 1,614.00 2,469,570.00 32,456,906.00 114,428,325.00 51,950.00 1,345,454,025.00 4,164,100.00 1,330,570.00 587,237,330.00 1,345,360.00 267,852,315.00 476,710.00 1,251,321,975.00 5,549,160.00 1,520.00 5,079,648.00 326,880.00 113,540.00 241,960.00

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’ 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’ Keppel Properties Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

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

7.220 1.01 15.00 2.180 0.850 44.600 3.7 4.49 5.8 5.76 0.430 1.08 1.060 0.231 0.495 35 0.630 0.135 1.79 1.31 0.70 4.29 4.8 0.335 0.3050 0.510 35.00

23,132,500 52,886,000 821,000 984,000 13,460,000 34,266,900 1,385,000 7,001,000 244,100 21,100 54,130,000 539,000 3,236,000 134,756,600 48,290,000 1,635,200 1,267,000 870,000 31,721,000 12,395,000 1,935,000 1,000 126,901,000 299,450,000 12,140,000 21,777,000 6,300

PROPERTY 160,495,784.00 52,784,280.00 15,210,695.00 2,129,600.00 11,680,530.00 1,517,237,240.00 5,072,040.00 31,392,460.00 1,398,132.00 120,709.00 23,861,550.00 586,550.00 3,481,840.00 41,131,510.00 23,888,600.00 58,790,775.00 804,200.00 118,810.00 57,040,640.00 16,394,600.00 1,388,120.00 4,290.00 620,278,640.00 100,200,950.00 3,764,200.00 11,230,040.00 219,370.00

FEBRUARY 5-9, 2018 Close Volume Value 3.79 59.6 150.00 117.90 3.78 1.84 36.15 9.02 15.4 28.95 8.79

1,308,000 60,860 16,182,200 8,389,860 249,000 1,298,000 1,624,900 63,100 111,400 6,617,000 272,000

4,595,440.00 3,606,496.50 2,434,483,279.00 994,027,331.00 921,200.00 2,409,450.00 57,853,880.00 569,316.00 1,739,640.00 187,945,095.00 2,693,109.00

1.65 970.00 0.530 95.5 1.6 13.12 248.00 58.00 87 103 239.8 48 245 1865.00 90.10 1.22

112,000 225 2,516,000 11,080,290 52,872,000 440,600 400 384,960 14,140 2,680 52,320 1,645,900 2,631,750 410 195,640 1,972,000

187,000.00 220,725.00 1,348,560.00 1,071,365,980.00 79,744,300.00 5,812,260.00 9,920.00 22,005,649.50 1,233,118.50 277,783.00 12,519,690.00 78,642,903.50 631,091,592.00 772,800.00 17,741,381.00 2,386,340.00

39.7 12.9 0.61 1.29 18.86 0.214 108.7 19.78 4.08 15.22 189 52 60

6,593,200 13,686,700 8,942,000 1,915,000 667,000 22,840,000 1,100 11,400 22,450,000 5,448,900 30 3,377,740 19,800

264,334,885.00 175,673,530.00 5,366,730.00 2,475,530.00 13,642,138.00 4,963,410.00 123,153.00 214,914.00 93,944,170.00 82,279,790.00 5,670.00 171,379,077.00 1,229,723.00

62.8 1.96 5.32 10.96 11.400 14.76 11.44 7.50 5.56 1.71

200,380 1,944,000 75,000 504,800 15,559,600 1,051,900 4,027,500 4,509,500 58,632,700 50,000

12,524,091.00 3,683,920.00 399,249.00 5,482,858.00 177,265,804.00 15,467,339.00 46,653,996.00 34,019,952.00 330,072,223.00 85,440.00

15.9 62 29.15 10.06 20.85 1.960 292.00 52.05 4.07 3.16 20.75 28.05 17.72 20.2 0.196 318.00 8.30 2.9 4.84 9.46 6.34 8.00 1.59 12.60 58.7 5.91 4.86 2.01 3.51 629 1.68 16 5.48 0.131 1.09 158 2.88 1.9 24.05 1.20

5,529,900 1,483,940 2,044,000 248,900 30,794,300 10,222,000 3,631,080 4,090 448,000 15,000 200 6,280,300 1,253,100 18,902,500 1,990,000 1,655,100 239,600 48,695,000 366,000 11,736,200 885,700 286,500 1,785,000 1,346,600 2,298,780 363,800 5,902,000 11,000 55,000 240,230 3,412,000 7,018,700 1,111,500 11,730,000 846,000 6,440,780 169,000 41,016,000 2,500 97,005,000

87,646,394.00 92,764,756.50 59,431,840.00 2,521,834.00 655,654,612.00 18,900,680.00 1,043,181,090.00 226,959.00 1,845,720.00 47,570.00 4,013.00 173,952,475.00 22,394,166.00 393,789,114.00 387,800.00 533,991,598.00 2,020,976.00 138,945,970.00 1,781,030.00 111,141,459.00 5,661,370.00 2,310,614.00 2,866,260.00 16,616,240.00 137,272,862.00 2,186,834.00 28,847,150.00 22,260.00 194,770.00 147,417,950.00 5,495,450.00 109,376,234.00 5,996,032.00 1,531,060.00 914,290.00 1,021,880,749.00 466,990.00 79,880,560.00 61,285.00 109,265,200.00

0.300 71.30 15.24 1.10 6.92 0.600 0.620 1005

1,150,000 5,943,400 61,013,700 9,660,000 59,900 303,259,000 82,455,000 1,805,390

347,700.00 433,796,351.00 941,558,606.00 10,491,930.00 416,515.00 179,161,410.00 49,430,640.00 1,846,034,715.00

7.5 13.80 4.55 7.44 0.185 1295 7.16 74.80 5.02 5.38 5.38 0.72 5.38 22.5 73.500 6.19 0.0380 1.200 2.850 2.50 145.00 2.57 985.00 1.64 0.76 280.000 0.2350 0.1800 0.192

6,247,500 33,990,800 500 582,100 120,000 578,725 235,000 9,552,060 37,800 400 900 6,606,000 4,308,600 13,958,800 2,201,960 103,711,300 93,500,000 1,122,000 31,194,000 728,000 2,740,520 642,000 2,959,750 6,606,000 210,000 25,100 3,110,000 260,000 860,000

46,435,439.00 472,272,446.00 2,275.00 4,331,491.00 22,200.00 753,582,795.00 1,683,280.00 708,478,471.50 202,503.00 2,147.00 4,842.00 4,710,590.00 23,442,067.00 315,589,615.00 156,122,946.00 646,614,238.00 3,716,400.00 1,326,090.00 84,816,550.00 1,821,610.00 398,862,931.00 1,651,830.00 2,925,814,742.50 10,806,200.00 166,450.00 6,983,514.00 740,520.00 47,220.00 164,520.00

6.300 0.93 18.00 2.170 0.880 43.950 3.63 4.63 5.85 6.03 0.460 1.15 1.120 0.240 0.430 36.6 0.630 0.137 1.79 1.35 0.76 4.29 4.9 0.340 0.3300 0.520 33.45

17,218,300 11,512,000 1,759,100 480,000 10,499,000 70,895,400 3,221,000 6,176,000 607,700 1,300 36,100,000 599,000 2,402,000 274,830,000 1,740,000 2,639,300 2,851,000 880,000 49,999,000 9,173,000 339,000 1,000 145,349,900 431,010,000 6,410,000 14,982,000 20,500

107,689,400.00 10,607,830.00 33,793,580.00 1,027,220.00 9,435,440.00 3,147,305,875.00 11,762,670.00 28,548,170.00 3,529,320.00 7,395.00 16,519,200.00 657,120.00 2,644,160.00 68,879,170.00 752,100.00 99,421,315.00 1,842,780.00 120,990.00 91,596,990.00 12,363,570.00 259,110.00 4,290.00 711,826,479.00 142,030,500.00 2,102,250.00 7,891,050.00 788,620.00

STOCKS

FEBRUARY 12-15, 2018 Close Volume

FEBRUARY 5-9, 2018 Close Volume Value

Value

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

3.91 20.00 1.95 3.23 36.10 1.01 16.4 0.830 6.550

6,874,000 7,456,500 4,150,000 333,000 29,777,000 3,016,000 2,828,100 571,000 27,865,300

27,157,570.00 150,631,188.00 8,252,620.00 1,073,700.00 1,064,021,460.00 3,041,030.00 49,924,705.00 464,410.00 180,941,336.00

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. Paxys 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

17.7 32 1.31 0.430 0.057 11.6 5.33 14.00 0.0660 100.1 8.7 8.65 8.40 2.42 44.00 965 1800 167.00 168.50 11.30 5.65 110 2.91 13.1 8.30 0.135 1.5200 3.55 14 3.80 1.05 26.00 18.00 0.510 4.47 8.55 3.38 13.980 10.3 12.00 2.98 8.2 110.00 6.15 1515.00 0.350 1.200 51.00 95.70 6.20 2.87 1.450 0.53 3.51 0.930 10.840

539,800 233,900 733,000 3,720,000 657,564,000 11,300 6,000 59,813,600 101,790,000 533,550 3,200 8,388,400 248,800 500,000 1,708,670 24,960 122,525 1,515,300 500,070 21,400 27,007,000 2,444,780 544,000 9,000 44,500 43,790,000 10,236,000 1,838,000 22,200 4,221,000 2,983,000 9,630,700 34,500 379,000 3,207,000 24,390,800 3,010,000 422,069,000 185,100 451,900 164,000 22,000 481,290 6,701,000 334,205 2,090,000 17,919,000 4,855,800 2,137,610 1,690,400 4,476,000 34,370,000 731,125,000 2,965,000 38,375,000 55,424,000

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Apex `B’ 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

0.0023 1.49 1.77 4.96 17.80 1.6600 1.6900 1.7 0.310 7.35 2.400 0.195 0.148 0.158 0.009 0.0094 1.46 6.4 1.38 0.4400 0.8600 0.0130 0.0120 6.64 12.32 0.0110 2.0300 35.15 0.0068

MINING & OIL 1,878,368,000 5,289,200.00 13,576,000 20,407,870.00 135,119,000 244,111,580.00 1,131,000 5,615,540.00 82,000 1,173,376.00 92,000 157,620.00 6,000 10,140.00 9,871,000 16,523,660.00 2,610,000 817,650.00 69,500 524,933.00 12,730,000 31,519,850.00 1,070,000 209,060.00 39,454,000 6,830,670.00 15,250,000 2,347,120.00 39,000,000 356,000.00 1,000,000 9,400.00 2,085,000 3,051,350.00 8,920,100 56,939,594.00 542,000 737,870.00 150,000 66,250.00 1,093,000 946,680.00 272,800,000 3,352,300.00 1,300,000 15,600.00 3,879,400 25,352,892.00 89,414,000 1,022,760,431.00 76,300,000 861,900.00 205,000 418,900.00 6,540,100 232,547,415.00 17,000,000 118,100.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Alco Preferred B Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ DD PREF First Gen F First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. GTCAP PREF A 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 Swift Pref

31.55 108 510 512 104 107.9 110.7 525 6 1005 1018 101.3 1.04 108.4 1041 1175 998 103 114 77 80 75.45 77 78.85 77 78 78 2.18

176,600 46,000 13,410 30,440 24,250 1,110 29,610 17,930 286,400 15 16,015 48,550 1,113,000 39,670 2,000 5 10,460 65,380 50 11,050 85,630 6,600 22,000 51,280 108,830 197,550 51,470 69,000

LR Warrant

2.260

WARRANTS & BONDS 3,300,000 7,567,000.00

SERVICES 9,838,114.00 7,489,530.00 959,610.00 1,621,300.00 41,303,530.00 131,080.00 29,816.00 817,375,188.00 6,621,500.00 53,500,002.00 106,360.00 74,553,305.00 2,089,191.00 1,300,240.00 93,174,577.00 24,086,400.00 218,618,045.00 36,774,458.00 84,150,480.00 268,694.00 154,668,337.00 268,855,334.00 1,615,270.00 113,632.00 369,390.00 6,027,500.00 15,976,950.00 6,419,610.00 327,786.00 16,318,670.00 3,131,050.00 247,182,115.00 626,264.00 202,560.00 14,408,820.00 211,754,710.00 10,281,890.00 5,475,901,103.00 1,861,922.00 5,273,362.00 463,690.00 180,420.00 52,301,990.00 42,966,135.00 513,473,240.00 727,400.00 21,588,070.00 244,125,336.50 203,309,780.00 10,433,524.00 12,936,170.00 48,787,010.00 428,569,830.00 10,648,880.00 36,665,380.00 616,742,308.00

PREFERRED 5,670,445.00 4,956,020.00 6,839,565.00 15,700,990.00 2,517,483.00 115,009.00 3,285,127.00 9,413,250.00 1,733,117.00 15,075.00 16,139,765.00 4,923,477.00 1,157,330.00 4,186,510.00 2,082,000.00 5,875.00 10,463,910.00 6,734,290.00 5,700.00 847,141.00 6,876,985.00 497,970.00 1,690,681.00 4,050,673.00 8,374,860.00 15,342,313.00 4,019,593.50 136,440.00

SME 127,300.00 108,870,833.00 74,159,270.00 30,923,620.00

4.26 20.65 2 3.24 35.00 1.01 19.4 0.820 6.390

3,029,000 11,803,100 3,744,000 889,000 60,429,800 831,000 5,522,700 279,000 52,073,700

13,049,480.00 242,889,055.00 7,372,380.00 2,869,230.00 2,144,803,805.00 840,340.00 104,632,408.00 226,640.00 327,727,404.00

18.9 32.9 1.35 0.460 0.045 11.58 5.39 13.26 0.0670 101.3 8.8 9.1 8.60 2.76 59.85 999.5 1775 6.03 176.30 12.68 5.64 110.5 2.85 13.5 8.30 0.141 1.5700 3.39 15.48 4.00 1.08 25.70 18.80 0.530 4.75 8.5 3.50 7.200 10.42 10.00 2.84 8.21 108.50 6.65 1530.00 0.355 1.200 50.10 95.10 6.24 2.88 1.400 0.61 3.74 0.970 10.740

648,000 88,200 467,000 2,820,000 104,000,000 10,100 15,600 92,559,600 57,840,000 1,064,280 250,600 7,576,400 158,800 958,000 4,942,980 500 201,495 2,240,700 1,618,940 14,100 48,976,600 4,257,640 326,000 19,200 103,200 30,770,000 9,876,000 144,000 221,500 4,755,000 2,545,000 37,952,100 14,500 1,780,000 4,862,000 21,614,400 7,648,000 277,628,500 65,700 139,500 71,000 29,700 826,610 1,897,000 934,470 1,880,000 30,739,000 8,023,500 2,168,200 4,955,800 6,088,000 33,712,000 872,799,000 3,942,000 32,838,000 56,747,500

12,348,558.00 2,890,815.00 628,630.00 1,236,050.00 4,682,900.00 117,830.00 76,089.00 1,191,183,374.00 3,879,090.00 106,266,062.50 2,205,226.00 67,387,200.00 1,364,877.00 2,542,780.00 305,305,863.50 496,275.00 363,507,085.00 13,322,278.00 280,072,437.00 164,614.00 273,211,148.00 463,770,946.00 952,170.00 260,266.00 856,635.00 4,423,920.00 15,919,680.00 478,580.00 3,411,282.00 19,013,540.00 2,687,270.00 938,537,285.00 266,418.00 907,220.00 21,747,000.00 186,923,819.00 26,940,330.00 1,842,257,803.00 693,430.00 1,399,087.00 212,130.00 244,333.00 87,215,523.00 12,824,873.00 1,437,047,775.00 649,700.00 37,378,910.00 408,835,432.50 206,293,184.00 29,786,389.00 20,509,220.00 47,883,370.00 560,568,270.00 14,694,330.00 31,559,810.00 573,529,628.00

0.0022 1.51

590,600,000 15,604,000

3,061,500.00 23,805,980.00

4.86 13.18 1.6900 1.6500 1.6 0.320 7.40 2.490 0.192 0.151 0.156 0.009 0.0098 1.5 6.42 1.39 0.4450 0.9100 0.0120 0.0120 6.46 8.38 0.0120 2.2700 35.80 0.0071

3,707,300 8,500 1,000 48,000 6,258,000 5,800,000 37,700 9,307,000 2,790,000 35,960,000 3,420,000 20,400,000 4,000,000 4,175,000 12,796,800 453,000 30,000 994,000 416,100,000 800,000 4,875,900 17,531,500 114,000,000 134,000 10,111,600 25,000,000

18,467,891.00 108,238.00 1,690.00 79,430.00 9,961,070.00 1,845,050.00 276,825.00 23,079,050.00 538,450.00 5,455,500.00 536,810.00 221,700.00 38,000.00 6,445,080.00 82,748,350.00 618,410.00 13,550.00 897,070.00 5,060,800.00 9,600.00 32,561,599.00 148,700,143.00 1,307,000.00 288,770.00 366,902,140.00 171,500.00

32.45 107.5 511 515.5 103.6 104 110.7 527 5.9 1008 1005 101.9 1.04 108.4 1041 1144 1001 105.4

613,700 19,920 1,180 4,340 22,930 1,310 31,000 1,380 281,700 1,955 5,510 102,150 2,901,000 120 540 550 10,065 480

19,935,555.00 2,126,133.00 604,910.00 2,241,040.00 2,378,554.00 136,635.00 3,437,940.00 721,095.00 1,642,449.00 1,968,795.00 5,561,440.00 10,384,942.00 3,016,430.00 13,008.00 562,140.00 629,200.00 10,083,470.00 50,456.00

77 80.5 76.3 76.65 78.85 77 76.8 78 1.96

27,430 116,820 13,180 61,290 35,160 24,600 80,100 153,180 1,000

2,101,190.00 9,430,125.00 996,332.00 4,761,942.00 2,790,875.00 1,905,650.00 6,197,465.00 11,960,186.00 1,960.00

2.370

1,810,000

4,300,510.00

2.9 6.82 4.61 4

13,000 14,676,400 10,600,000 5,096,000

38,790.00 103,625,227.00 49,940,360.00 20,696,600.00

Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Philab Holdings Xurpas

2.8 5.83 3.94 3.5

45,000 17,755,700 15,150,000 8,251,000

First Metro ETF

130

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 133,010 17,230,187.00

129.2

236,940

30,762,825.00

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10.2 10.28 1.01

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 12,140 124,132.00 6,000 61,680.00 97,460 969,404.60

10.5 10.28 1.01

12,300 26,120 12,000

126,463.20 268,113.60 12,129.60

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Transpacific Broadcast Apollo Global NOW Corp.

ATN Holdings A MRC Allied Ind. Oriental Pet. `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Prime Orion Apex `B’

VOLUME 1,878,368,000 731,125,000 657,564,000 422,069,000 301,906,000 299,450,000 272,800,000 230,708,900 168,366,000 135,119,000

STOCKS NOW Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

SM Investments Inc. SM Prime Holdings PhilexPetroleum Jollibee Foods Corp.

Ayala Corp `A’ Bank of PI Metrobank

VALUE 5,475,901,103.00 1,517,237,240.00 1,345,454,025.00 1,251,321,975.00 1,064,021,460.00 1,022,760,431.00 985,446,454.00 958,556,510.00 905,899,126.00 834,706,588.00

Ayala Land mulls over P20b from debt market MAJOR property developer Ayala Land Inc. plans to raise roughly P20 billion from the debt market to partially finance its P111-billion programmed capital spending this year.

Ayala Land chief finance officer Augusto Bengzon said in a recent interview the company would consider a bond issue after San Miguel Corp. and SM Prime Holdings Inc. had completed their respective offerings.

“You should expect us to be going out very soon, for a combination of bonds and we will also do some bilaterals because there are banks that continue to offer us very good rates,” Bengzon said.

“The capex roughly will require us to raise about P20 billion, so we’re looking at half from the retail bond segment, and the half from bilaterals owing to banks,” he added.

Bengzon said Ayala Land still had P18 billion remaining under its P50billion bond shelf registration earlier approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

This year’s P111-billion programmed capital expenditure is 21 percent higher than P91.4 billion spent

by Ayala Land last year.

Ayala Land plans to earmark 43 percent of the programmed spending this year for residential projects, 17 percent for malls, 12 percent for land acquisition and the balance for office, hotels and resorts and estate development.

Ayala Land is also set to roll out new leasing formats, namely Clock In, a coworking, offices, meeting rooms and virtual office service, and The Flats, a chain of affordable dormitories for rent to young professionals in need of living space close to their place of work.

The property firms plans to open Clock In in four new locations, namely Ayala North Exchange in Makati, Vertis North in Quezon City, The 30th in Pasig and Bonifacio High Street in Bonifacio Global City. Jenniffer B. Austria

PLDT set to expand broadband coverage

By Darwin G Amojelar PLDT Inc. will expand its ultrafast broadband coverage to six million homes nationwide by 2020.

“By 2019, virtually all of PLDT’s 1.2 million copper-based DSL subscribers will enjoy fiber-fast Internet.

PLDT will further expand its ultrafast broadband coverage to 6 million homes passed by 2020, reaching more areas of the country,” PLDT chairman and chief executive Manuel Pangilinan said.

As of last year PLDT had four million homes passed nationwide, up nearly 43 percent from the previous year.

Along with greater coverage, PLDT also increased the capacity of its fixed broadband network to over one million ports by the end of 2017, double the number two years ago.

The biggest increases in the number of ports or actual broadband lines in 2017 were posted in the provinces of Cavite, Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales, Cebu, Pangasinan, Bulacan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and Laguna.

“Because of this rapid expansion of fiber-fast world-class connectivity, PLDT customers are able to enjoy seamless viewing of their favorite movies, listen to their music playlist, play online games without any lags, or simply visit and engage on their social networking sites,” PLDT senior vice president and head of consumer market development Oscar Reyes said.

PLDT is deploying fiber-fast connectivity through the installation of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) facilities and the “fibrization” of its existing copperbased network through hybrid technologies, such as VVDSL and G.fast which are used extensively in Germany and South Korea, respectively.

FTTH can deliver speeds of up to 1 Gbps while hybrid fiber can provide data speeds ranging from 100 Mbps (for VVDSL) up to 500 Mbps (for G.fast) over copper lines.

Business/World

Front row, left: with (Ret.)General Efren Abu; Dr. Carmencita Reodica; Corazon Alma De Leon; Emily Abrera ; Ma. Elena Aquino - Cruz ; Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala; Evangeline Mayuga; Geenette Garcia ; (back row, left): Bernido Liu; Armando Salvador; Atty. Renan Osero ; Marianne Quebral; Lucy Lazo; Susana Madrigal; Dr. Conchita Manabat; Victoria Garchitorena; Roberto De Ocampo ;Gary Teves; Guillermo Luz

AN HOUR’S PAY FOR A CHILD’S LIFETIME “YOUR one hour can change a life.”

One hour’s worth of salary, that is. Think about it: There are 8,765 hours in a year, and if you can use just one hour to make a meaningful impact on a child, then that one hour is already worth her or his lifetime.

This is the essence of what the Children’s Hour Philippines is all about.

The Children’s Hour Philippines Foundation was founded in 1999 by businessman-industrialist, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, or JAZA, as he is fondly known.

The campaign started out in the United Kingdom as Children’s Promise, an end-of the millennium fundraising campaign led by thenPrime Minister Tony Blair. This idea grew globally, with the US-based International Youth Foundation (IYF) taking on the lead. At that time, JAZA was an IYF member.

In 2002, the campaign was relaunched with a renewed vigor to support children’s causes, particularly in health and education.

Back then, former President Corazon C. Aquino was made the honorary chair. It was a campaign she fully supported. That tradition of unselfish support continues with her daughter, Ballsy Aquino-Cruz, who is our honorary chair .

Recently, the Board of Trustees of Children’s Hour Philippines met and, among others, chose a new set of officers. I am honored to have been elected as the new Vice-Chairman of the foundation, to succeed Ambassador Bienvenido Tan Jr., our former Ambassador to Germany.

These are humongous shoes to fill.

Tito Benny was one of the founders and prime movers of the campaign in the country. He, too, wears many philanthropic hats, aside from the Children’s Hour, and he is also credited for having established other well-known charity organizations.

Both JAZA and Ambassador Benny have moved the Children’s Hour to the support and successes that it enjoys now. It has reached the status of an iconic brand . I hope, and pray, that I be able to do to the campaign what Ambassador Benny did before.

The new officers and members of the board of trustees of Children’s Hour are a virtual who’s who in Philippine business and society : Advertising wiz Emily Abrera as Chairman; former Finance Secretary and multi awarded -Roberto De Ocampo as Treasurer; and former Civil Service Commission Chairperson Corazon Alma De Leon, former Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General

(retired) Efren Abu, and Children’s Hour Executive Director Geenette Garcia as Executive Committee members.

The Board of Trustees are composed of Emily A. Abrera; Jose P. Leviste, Jr.; Jose Mari L. Chan; Dr. Conchita L. Manabat; Roberto F. De Ocampo; Marcia Y. Gokongwei; Cristina LimYuson; Corazon Alma G. De Leon; Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez; Marianne G. Quebral; Jose R. Soberano III; Anthony T. Huang; Gen. Efren L. Abu; Bernido H. Liu; Margarito B. Teves; Atty.

Michael T. Toledo; Wilfred Steven Uytengsu; Evangeline T. Mayuga; Susana A.S. Madrigal; Carmencita N. Reodica; and, of course, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.

The Children’s Hour Foundation Members are Robert Gothong; Carlos Dominguez; Guillermo Luz; Jose Cuisia Jr.; Justo Ortiz; Lisa Cheng; Lucita Lazo; Lydia Echauz; Narcisa Escaler; Patricia Licuanan; Regina Lopez; Robina Pe; Victoria Garchitorena; Vincent Fabella; Armando Salvador; Gen. Renato De Villa (ret.); Clinton Hess; Donald Patrick Lim; Jocelyn Ledesma; and Corazon De La Paz – Bernardo Ballsy Aquino-Cruz continues to serve as Honorary Chair. Corporate Secretary and Legal Counsel is Atty.

Renan R. Osero.

On March 5 of this year, the Children’s Hour will once again host its biggest fundraising event, the Children’s Hour Annual Benefit Lunch. It is my hope that this event, and the campaign itself, would encourage more people to contribute their one hour’s worth of salary for children’s causes.

This is an endeavor that is truly worth your time.

Member of Children’s Hour board of trustees, Jaime Augusto Zobel De Ayala

Children’s Hour executive director Geenette Garcia presents the financial highlights and foundation milestones of Children’s Hour Philippines Foundation for Fiscal Year 2017-2017.

B3

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Shooting survivor slams Trump at anti-gun rally F ORT LAUDERDALE―A survivor of the Parkland school shooting called out US President Donald Trump on Saturday over his ties to the powerful National Rifle Association, as several thousand rallied in Florida to demand urgent action on gun control.

Three days after a troubled teen armed with an assault rifle killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, 18-year-old Emma Gonzalez delivered a fiery address to a crowd of students, parents and residents in nearby Ft. Lauderdale.

“To every politician taking donations from the NRA, shame on you!” she thundered, assailing Trump over the multimillion-dollar support his campaign received from the gun lobby. The crowd chanted in turn: “Shame on you!”

“We are going to be the last mass shooting... We are going to change the law,” she vowed―slamming the fact 19-year-old gunman Nikolas Cruz was able to legally buy a semi-automatic firearm despite a history of troubling

and violent behavior.

“The question on whether or not people should be allowed to own an automatic weapon is not a political one. It is question of life or death and it needs to stop being a question of politics,” Gonzalez told AFP following her speech.

In Washington, the political response has made clear that the powerful NRA pro-gun lobby remains formidable, while Trump himself suggested the root cause of mass shootings was a crisis of mental health―making no mention of gun control.

“If the president wants to come up to me and tell me to my face that it was a terrible tragedy and... how nothing is going to be done about it, I’m going to happily ask him how much money he

received from the National Rifle Association,” Gonzalez said in her impassioned address.

“It doesn’t matter because I already know. Thirty million,” she said, citing the sum spent by the NRA to support Trump’s election bid and defeat Hillary Clinton.

She then ran through a list of the pro-gun lobby’s talking points―for example, that “a good guy with a gun stops a bad guy with a gun,” that no law could ever stop a madman intent on killing―answering each argument with “We call BS.” The young woman’s powerful address immediately went viral, with her name a top trending topic on Twitter.

Trump tweeted a day after the massacre that neighbors and fellow students had failed to flag Cruz to the authorities.

“We did,” Gonzalez fired back, her voice shaking with emotion as she insisted the community had done its best to raise the alarm. “Time and time again.

Since he was in middle school. It was no surprise to anyone who knew him to hear that he was the shooter.” AFP

Gun lovers defend rights amid calls for restrictions MIAMI―Pistols, rifles and ammunition are on display at a gun show in Miami, where Mike Vallone is buying an AR-15, a firearm at the center of debate on gun control as the weapon of choice of several mass shooters.

Why would the 55-year-old, who already owns about 50 guns, want another one?

“Because I choose to own them. I have the constitutional right to own them and I choose to exercise that right,” he told AFP on Saturday.

Vallone was visiting the gun show three days after a 19-year-old massacred 17 people at his former high school with an AR-15 in Parkland, about an hour north of Miami.

The semi-automatic rifle was also

used to carry out mass shootings in Las Vegas (58 dead), Sutherland Springs, Texas (26 dead) and Newtown, Connecticut (26 dead).

The media “makes it look like it’s evil,” Vallone said, holding the $600 gun he is about to buy. “This does nothing by itself. This takes a human being to take the rifle, point it and shoot someone.”

Every mass shooting reveals the deep fissures in American society between those who favor fewer restrictions on guns and gun ownership, and those who demand greater controls. The “right of the people to keep and bear arms” is guaranteed under the US Constitution’s Second Amendment, which was adopted in 1791.

“The focus on gun control is an error and it won’t stop someone determined to commit crimes,” said Vallone, raising a common argument among pro-gun advocates.

“I own guns, I choose to own guns, I choose to carry guns. That’s my choice.

It’s not for everyone, I absolutely agree with that. Everybody needs a background check, I’m having a background check right now,” he said, pointing at the gun vendor who was looking at a laptop.

In the US, adults with a clean criminal record can generally buy a gun, as was the case with Nikolas Cruz in Parkland.

Regulatory loopholes also allow for certain gun sales without background checks. AFP

Over-optimism among Filipino serial entrepreneurs RINGGOLD ATIENZA

GREEN LIGHT SERIALS entrepreneurs are those who start multiple successive businesses. They move on to another business as soon as the profitably of a venture is over or when they set up another business for just to experience the thrill of starting all over again.

An example of the latter is the successful serial entrepreneur Edgar “Injap” J. Sia II. Who would not know this man who started Mang Inasal as a small chicken barbeque restaurant in a mall park which has become one of the top-earning food chains in the country. He later sold the majority stake of Mang Inasal to Jollibee Foods Corporation and currently is now into property development.

Unfortunately, not many entrepreneurs are successful in their first few ventures, and so most of them fall into the former category. But the most interesting characteristic of serial entrepreneurs is that they fail many more times than twice. However, instead of going to the labor force, they persist as entrepreneurs. Business failure is a painful event, but their ‘I-will-risefrom-the-ashes’ attitude keeps them going.

All successful entrepreneurs would agree that failure is natural and is always part of the success. However, does it automatically imply that entrepreneurs who experienced more failure are closer to success? Not necessarily. For a failure to count as a driver to success, it should provide valuable learnings that entrepreneurs can carry over to their next venture.

A study led by Dr. Deniz Ucbasaran, Professor at Warwick Business School, in the United Kingdom,show that many serial entrepreneurs don’t learn from their past mistakes. Their research showed that instead of learning from mistakes, serial entrepreneurs, after failure, are just as apt to be overoptimistic as before. One compelling reason for such phenomena is because serial entrepreneurs tend to blame others or external events rather than themselves for maintaining their sense of control and self-esteem after a grave failure.

High level of optimism fuels motivation to continue forward but usually, it downplays some brutal facts of the business, which leads to poor

decision making such as overlooking risky projectsand over-committing or overinvesting in low-quality businesses. Over-optimism among budding serial entrepreneurs sure does backfire.

This case brought out my interest to study Filipino serial entrepreneurs. Initially, I gathered data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Database 2016, and found out that Filipinos have high entrepreneurial intentions and aspirations, but they also have a high business discontinuance rate. A signal that Filipinos have an optimistic attitude and serial entrepreneurial tendencies.

On December 2017, I conducted my own study among Filipino serial entrepreneurs in the country, and examined their tendency to be overoptimistic based on their personality traits and their previous entrepreneurial experience. In summary, the statistical model of my study predicted that people with higher conscientious (organized, mindful to the details and goal-directed) and higher risk attitude, have lesser odds of reporting over-optimism. People with higher emotional stability and agreeableness (kindness, empathy, and concern for other people) have higher odds of reporting over-optimism. Personality types play a role in whether we entrepreneurs will become over-optimistic in their ventures and in how they run their businesses.

There is a little attention given to our budding serial entrepreneurs in the country, and I hope that my research will result in a vibrant discussion among scholars and practitioners.

We should always remember that those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. Walter Wriston,an influential commercial banker in his time said, “Failure is not a crime. Failure to learn from failure is”.

Ringgold P. Atienza isan Assistant Professor of the College of Business and Management, Misamis University, and is pursuing, as a scholar, his Doctor of Philosophy in Business at De la Salle University - Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business. He is also a serial entrepreneur and had ventured on agriculture and technology. As a scholar, his research interests include personalfinance, entrepreneurship, management and sustainability. You can reach him at ringgold_atienza@dlsu.edu.ph.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT AND EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF QUEZON CITY UNITED COCONUT PLANTERS BANK, Mortgagee/s, FRE NO. 12073

-versus-

ROMEL T. TOLENTINO Mortgagor/s. x------------------------------------------x NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE OF REAL PROPERTY UNDER ACT 3135 (AS AMENDED) UPON extra-judicial petition under ACT 3135, as amended by ACT 4118, and pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Deed of Real Estate Mortgage executed on May 18, 2016 by ROMEL T. TOLENTINO – No. 52 California Townhomes, Katipunan Avenue, California Village, Kingsport, San Bartolome, Quezon City / Lot 15, B 3 Greccio Street, St. Francis, San Bartolome, Quezon City / Lot 1, Therester Townhomes, Katipunan Avenue, California Village, Brgy.

San Bartolome, Quezon City / Lot 14, Block 2, Therester Townhomes, Katipunan Avenue, California Village, Brgy. San Bartolome, Quezon City, Mortgagor/s in favor of UNITED COCONUT PLANTERS BANK, Mortgagee/s to satisfy the mortgage debt in the amount of P4,606,421.12 as of December 15, 2017 plust interest, penalties, reimbursements, other obligations and charges that shall still accrue up to the date of the public auction, as well as attorney’s fees, sheriff’s fees and all other necessary expenses that may be incurred or payable in the conduct of foreclosure sale, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City and/or his duly authorized Deputy Sheriff, hereby announces that on MARCH 6, 2018, between the hours of 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Office of the Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff, Regional Trial Court, Hall of Justice Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, will SELL through public auction to the highest bidder and for cash, in Philippine currency, the following real property/ies with all the improvements existing thereon, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 004-2016004994 Registry of Deeds-Quezon City Lot No.: 1 Plan NO.: Pcs-00-015147 Portion of: Lots 14-B-2 and 14-B-3, Psd-00-086462; 5975 Location: Barangay of San Bartolome, Quezon City, Metro Manila Boundaries: Line: Direction Adjoining Lot(s) 1-2 SW Lot 14-B-5 (Road Lot), Psd-00-086462 2-3 NW Lot 14-B-1, Psd-00-086462 3-4 NE Lot 12, Block 1, Pcs-5488 4-1 SE Lot 2, Pcs-00-015147 Tie point: LM No. 24, Piedad Estate Line Bearing Distance To corner 1 N. 63 56 W 759.35 m.

1-2 N. 07 31 W 6.12 m.

2-3 N. 82 29 E 7.88 m.

3-4 S. 07 32 E 6.12 m.

4-1 S. 82 29 W 7.88 m.

Area: Forty Eight Square Meters (48), more or less Description of Corners: Points 2 and 3 by old ps.cyl. Conc. Mons. 15 x 60 cm. and the rest by ps cyl.Conc. Mons 15 x 40 cm.

Bearings: true Declination: Date of Original Survey: July 16 to August 22, 1918 Date of subd/cons survey: January 14, 2016 Date of Approved survey: Feb. 10, 2016 Geodetic Engineer: Rommel T. Bautista Notes: All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned at the aforesaid Office on the above stated date and time.

Interested parties are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title/s to the said property/ies and the encumbrances thereon, if there be any.

In the event that public auction should not take place on said date due to fortuitous event or if the same be declared a non-working holiday, it shall be held on MARCH 23, 2018 at the same time and place without further notice.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, JANUARY 23, 2018.

(Sgd.) MANUEL S. PANLASIGUI Sheriff IV (Sgd.) GREGORIO C. TALLUD Clerk of Court VII & Ex-Officio Sheriff WARNING: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface or destroy this Notice of Sheriff’s Sale on or before the date of the auction sale under penalty of the law.

Copy Furnished: UNITED COCONUT PLANTERS BANK UCPB Executive Building, Makati Avenue, Makati City ROMEL T. TOLENTINO No. 52 California Townhomes, Katipunan, California Village, Kingsport, San Bartolome, Quezon City Lot 15, B 3 Greccio Street, St. Francis, San Bartolome, Quezon City Lot 1, Therester Townhomes, Katipunan Avenue, California Village, Brgy.

San Bartolome, Quezon City Lot 14, Block 2, Therester Townhomes, Katipunan Avenue, California Village, Brgy. San Bartolome, Quezon City.

(MS-Feb. 6, 12 & 19, 2018)

LGUs

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

B4

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018

RIVER DRIVE. Sen. Cynthia Villar (right photo) and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar step out of a special buggy to help inaugurate the fourth phase of the new Zapote River Drive (left photo) in Las Pinas City on Friday. The Villars were joined by Mayor Imelda Aguilar, other local government and barangay officials, and homeowners of different subdivisions in Las Pinas that stand to benefit from the road. Lino Santos

KSK teaches Marawi natives new vegetable farming tricks BALO-I, Lanao del Norte—Displaced residents of Marawi City are now better trained in sustainable vegetable farming.

A total of 221 evacuees from Ground Zero of the battle-worn city recently completed the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Farmers’ Training Program of SM Foundation in ceremonies held in Barangay Nangka here.

The graduates comprised Batch 155 of the program that has been helping small farmers to be self-sufficient in food, with a goal to end hunger in every farmer’s home.

The ceremony was attended by Lanao del Norte Gov. Imelda Dimaporo; Balo-I Mayor Ellias Ali; Lanao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo; Lanao del Sur Rep. Al-Arief Mangata; Evelyn Madrio from the Department of Social Welfare and Development Region X; Leticia Ditucalan, Provincial Agriculturist of Lanao del Norte; and Arsenio “Toto” Barcelona from Harbest Agribusiness.

Some of the evacuees of Marawi are now discovering how difficult it is to till the land for their subsistence and eventual affluence if they persist in doing so.

Even a thin, fragile-looking lady of 103 years old continues to try learning different farming methods from what she grew up with in rice and root crops when she “graduated” recently from the two-month KSK program of SM Foundation Inc. in partnership with Harbest. Her children who are also actively farming, were with her in the training program.

Some of the evacuees were well-off but stared at poverty in the eye when they evacuated to Iligan and Lanao del Norte and depended solely on the generosity of government and donor agencies.

Undoubtedly, many of the “graduates” came from humble origins and different religions, mostly Christians and Muslims, brought together in one evacuation center and forced to learn new skills together.

Their graduation showed just how old wounds and discriminations can be reduced, if not completely erased.

The graduates from Marawi city proper, were taught high-value crops farming for two months but could not harvest the fruits of their labor, as the day-long rain did not allow them.

But they had fun all day, from the games and food shared by SM Foundation and the inspiring talks of the local government officials along with SMFI Director for Livelihood Cristy Angeles and Harbest’s Barcelona gave them. They all urged them to move on with their lives and not depend on other people for their subsistence.

Bataan earmarks P219m for infra

By Butch Gunio

B

ALANGA CITY, Bataan—The provincial government of Bataan has allocated P219 million for the infrastructure and school building projects this year to speed up development in the countryside.

Board Member Rolando Z. Tigas, chairman of the housing and land utilization and infrastructure committees of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, explained the appropriation is intended for the improvement and construction of school facilities, flood control, improvement of farm to market roads and other programs.

These would create effective and efficient delivery of quality education, health, social and public services to residents, Tigas added.

A former mayor of Samal town and one of the most respected contractors in Central Luzon, the board member said Bataan Governor Albert Garcia is focusing on quality education, poverty allevia-

tion and improvement of road networks as key mechanisms for the socio-economic prosperity of the historic peninsula.

The governor has envisioned more infrastructure projects under the Public and Private Partnership mode to make accessible the numerous designated industrial growth centers, namely Mariveles, Limay, and Hermosa towns to prospective foreign and local investors, Tigas said.

He said the Department of Public Works and Highways in the province has earmarked P3 billion for the widening and improvement of the 70-kilometer Roman Expressway, which is becoming one of the busiest thoroughfares in Central Luzon.

The board member observed the op-

erations of dockyards and port terminals, the country’s largest petroleum refinery and expansion of export–oriented manufacturing firms at the Freeport Area of Bataan, petrochemical park, and others large-scale businesses have contributed to its heavy traffic.

Meanwhile, in Orani, Bataan, a brighter future awaits 64 drug reformists here after they completed training on courses accredited by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Felicito Payumo, president of the University of Nueva Caceres-Bataan, congratulated the graduates as they received their training certificates during the graduation rites at the Bahay Pagbabago earlier this week.

“You can now use whatever you have learned in case you want to apply for work as skilled laborer. If you want to put up small business, it is also applicable,” Payumo, former chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the Bases Conversion Development Authority, said. With PNA

CONTACTLESS APPREHENSION.

Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez (second from right) joins hands with (from left) Metropolitan Manila Development Authority assistant general manager Joe Campo, Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark De Leon, and Land Transportation Office Director Francis Rey Almora in a press conference Friday in Paranaque.

They launched the first unmanned contactless traffic apprehension system in the city, which would contribute to traffic alleviation in southern Metro Manila. Lino Santos

Belmonte bats for QC urban farm projects

By Rio N. Araja SAYING farming is not only for provinces, Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte on Sunday called on residents to back urban farming.

Belmonte urged the people to put up their own backyard farm and assured them of her support.

She said the Office of the Vice Mayor can provide start-up kits, such as farming tools, seedlings and fertilizers, to anyone interested, regardless of their socioeconomic status.

“Anyone who wants to set up their own urban farm in their backyard, just come and coordinate with us. We will give them seeds,” she said.

“We can do it in a house, we can do it vertically. There are all kinds of farming techniques. Space is not an issue,” she added.

In 2010, the vice mayor launched the “Joy of Urban Farming” program to spread green thumbs among city dwellers, and to make the people adopt the idea of cultivating their own food through organic methods and other alternative and innovative gardening methods.

From three pilot farms, one of which was inside the Quezon Memorial Circle, Belmonte now hosts 166 urban farms that can be found in different barangays, public elementary schools, day-care centers, churches, and even in areas maintained by various non-government organizations from Districts 1 to 6.

She vowed to help households and organizations with available vacant lots set up their own urban farms.

“They’ll get rakes, shovels, watering cans and they might get a greenhouse. We’ll give them all their seedlings, and of course the necessary trainings,” she said, adding hands-on trainings would also be provided.

The program teaches families to start farming in their own backyards that can provide food security or extra income, improve nutrition and reduce poverty.

“Urban farming is not impossible. You just have to be creative,” Belmonte said.

Searca’s published agriculture papers on Asia expanded online

By Brenda Jocson LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture here continues to expand the reach of its key knowledge resources in Asian agriculture and development through globally recognized academic databases online.

Leah Lyn Domingo, Searca public re-

lations specialist, said these databases or search engines share an illustrious history of providing library resources, mainly to academic institutions.

“But the increasing availability of the internet over the years enabled these resources to become directly available to individual internet users. The world’s countless researches and other academic collections are now available online

through these database services by subscription or for free,” Domingo said.

She said Searca’s select academic publications have been made available through online database services over the years to make knowledge resources on Asia easily accessible to wider audiences.

Papers published in the Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD), Searca’s international refereed

journal, and other publications of the center can be accessed online.

Domingo these are found at AgEcon Search (ageconsearch.umn.edu), Research Papers in Economics (RePec) (repec.org), the Emerging Sources Citation Index of the Web of Science (ESCI WoS) (clarivate.com), and recently, EBSCO Information Services (ebsco.com).

SMFI helps renovate Smokey Mt. health center

Officials of SM Foundation Inc., represented by Chito Macapagal, Corporate Affairs head and trustee of SMFI, and Executive Director Connie Angeles for health and medical programs, joined partners from the Philippine Business for Social Progress and the City of Manila as they get ready to release balloons to mark the turnover of the newly-renovated Smokey Mountain Health Center and Lying-In Clinic in Tondo to local officials led by Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada.

SM FOUNDATION Inc. and its partner, the Philippine Business for Social Progress, recently turned over the newly-renovated Smokey Mountain Health Center and Lying- In Clinic in Tondo, to local officials led by Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada.

The turnover was likewise graced by local health officials and the leaders of barangays benefitting from the newly-renovated health center. SMFI officials led by Chito Macapagal, Corporate Affairs head and trustee of SMFI and Executive Director Connie Angeles for health and medical programs represented the SM family.

The renovated two-storey health center comes complete with wards, waiting lounges, comfort rooms, wide-screen television at the waiting area, an activity center for children, a senior citizens’ lounge, pharmacy, TB DOTS and diagnostic and consultation areas.

MOVIES FOR SENIORS. SM City Taytay Cinema once again partnered with the Municipality of Taytay for the re-launching of the free movies for senior citizens of the Rizal town. Pictured are (from left) SM Regional Operations Manager for Cinema Mr. Bernard De La Rosa, Senior Assistant Vice President for SM Supermalls Ronald Allan Brosas, Taytay Mayor Joric Gacula, and Councilor Sharon Macabebe. Norman Cruz

Life

recipe files

‘lucky’ dishes

you can make at home

bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor E manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife

food

IF yOU want to usher good luck into your life with food, trust the Chinese to tell you which dishes to cook and to serve. Noodles (for longevity), dumplings (for wealth), and fish (for prosperity) are just some of the many “lucky” food items available.

Here are three easy-to-cook recipes that you can make at home, courtesy of Electrolux.

@mStandardLIfe monday, february 19, 2018

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Crab and Cheese Dumplings Cook time: 15 mins. | Serves: 6

One with nature

Ingredients: Main dish 1 box 8 oz cream cheese 3 tbsp chopped spring onion or chives 1 tsp garlic powder ¼ cup flaked crab meat or chopped crab sticks 1 pack wonton wrappers 1 egg + 1 tbsp water olive oil spray ½ cup homemade or store-bought sweet and sour sauce sweet and sour sauce ¾ cup sugar ½ cup white vinegar 1 tbsp oyster sauce 1 tsp garlic powder ½ tsp onion powder ¼ cup ketchup 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water Procedure: 1. Preheat your Electrolux Tabletop Microwave Oven with Grill & Convection to 200°C (400°F). Lightly grease a baking sheet.

2. Cream together the cream cheese, spring onion or chives, garlic powder, and crab meat or crab sticks; chill for 20 minutes.

3. Lay out the wonton wrappers in a single layer on the baking sheet. Put about 1/2 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of each wonton.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water until foamy. Dip your fingers in the egg wash and use

at Abuela’s

the same fingers to pinch together the corners of each wonton to seal the cream cheese inside.

5. spray the wontons with olive oil and bake using the top and bottom heat + fan function for 8 to 15 minutes until the edges turn golden brown.

6. Prepare the Homemade sweet and sour sauce. Whisk together sugar, vinegar, oyster sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and ketchup in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.

7. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until dissolved then pour into the sauce and stir until thick. set the heat to lowest setting until wontons are ready to serve.

No visit or stay at the eco-friendly Cocoon Boutique Hotel is complete without having a delicious meal at Abuela’s, where its vertical spice gardens, upcycled pieces of furniture, and overall zen vibe provide a sweet respite from every day city stressors.

I

T Is so easy to fall in love with Abuela’s Coffeeshop, the signature restaurant of Cocoon Boutique Hotel that is tucked in a quiet corner of the urban jungle that is Timog Avenue, six floors above the busy traffic. Easier, still, to forget that you are in Quezon City.

Steamed Fish with Herbs Cook time: 12-15 mins. | Serves: 4-6

Ingredients: 1 kg fresh fillet of sea Bream or Bass 1 lemon Pinch of salt Pinch of pepper Olive oil 1 clove of garlic or two, sliced Fresh herbs (coriander, fresh onion, oregano, basil, and flat parsley are all good options)

kle salt and pepper, put in the steam cooking dish.

3. Cut the herbs into 5-6 cm pieces.

4. Wash and slice the lemon and place on the fish.

5. spread the garlic slices on the fish.

6. Cook on shelf level 2 on the ‘Full steam’ function at the preheated temperature of 75°C for 15 minutes.

7. strain the stock into a small pan and bring to the boil. switch off the hob, add the butter and egg yolk, and Procedure: 1. set the steam oven to the ‘Full blend to a creamy sauce.

8. season with salt and pepper and steam’ function, temperature 75°C. 2. Coat the fish in the oil, sprin- pour over the steamed fish fillets.

Shrimp Finger Rolls

Prep time: 30 mins. | Cook time: 20 mins. | Serves: 6 Ingredients: 1 cup broccoli, cut in small pieces ½ cup thinly-sliced carrot ½ cup shredded cabbage 1 stalk celery, chopped 2 tbsp finely-chopped parsley 1½ tbsp minced garlic 2 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp ground ginger ½ tsp sesame oil ½ tbsp honey 1½ cup precooked shrimp, shelled (about 25 small shrimps) 2 egg yolks 8 egg roll wrappers water (to stick the egg roll together) ¼ cup melted butter Dipping sauce 1 ½ tbsp honey 1 tbsp hoisin sauce 1 tbsp vinegar 1 tbsp rice wine ½ tbsp sesame oil 1 tsp grated ginger ½ tsp sesame seeds Procedure: 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

2. In a big pan, saute the broccoli, carrot, cabbage, celery, parsley, and minced garlic in olive oil using your Electrolux Induction Hob Cooking Range. Add in the ginger, sesame

Here, you can close your eyes while waiting for your food, and imagine yourself transported to the probinsya of your childhood. Even at half past noon, you won’t suffer from the scorching heat of the sun, with a vertical spice garden that separates the al fresco dining area from the swimming pool providing a cool shade, and the gentle breeze caressing your face.

There are upcycled pieces of furniture, in keeping with Cocoon’s trademark of being the country’s first Green Hotel. This eco-friendly hotel, which bagged Trip Advisor’s Traveller’s Choice Award for four straight years now, nourishes the well-being of its guests through Abuela’s.

“Our menu may not be that extensive, but the items are carefully chosen. These are all comfort food – the kind that your grandmother would cook for you,” said Chef Cindy Cancio.

There is mongo soup and fried tawilis, bangus a la pobre, pork binagoongan, and pochero for guests looking for Filipino dishes. The restaurant’s Asian menu includes hot and sour soup, spring rolls, bokchoy in oys-

ter sauce, fish fillet with black beans and tofu, and Thai beef strips; while its Western lineup covers cream of pumpkin soup, Caesar salad, chicken cacciatore, fish and chips, barbecued pork steak, and pot roast beef.

For dessert, Abuela’s offers Ghirardelli chocolate decadent cake with strawberry cream, perfect with piping hot coffee to while your hours away, as well as leche flan, turon, and crème brûlée.

“Our menu is as old as the hotel.

We are in the process of adding more items in our menu, perhaps Japanese dishes, especially since a lot of guests are returning ones, and some of them have been asking if we have something new to offer,” shared Cancio.

But for guests thirsting for beerbelow-zero and great entertainment, Cocoon points them to its sisterhotel, Hive, which is a stone’s throw away and houses the beloved My Bro’s Mustache Folk Bar. “Hive has a longer drinks list, plus entertainment. Whenever we can, we provide a shuttle for our guests who would go to Hive for a nightcap,” said Cancio.

True to its commitment of being an environmentally responsible hotel with five-star amenities, Cocoon Boutique Hotel does rain and ground water harvesting for plant irrigation and general house cleaning, and uses LED lighting to further lower its carbon footprint. All its 39 rooms—which are very spacious and can house families comfortably—use inverter type air conditioners with non-ozone damaging refrigerants.

“We also have a waste segregation program with separate cans for biodegradable and non-biodegradable trash in all our rooms. Initially, we thought guests wouldn’t appreciate it but we were pleasantly surprised that it was something they noticed and praised,” said Justin De Guzman, Cocoon’s assistant team leader.

Its bathroom amenities are from the Reeco collection, which is certified by the European Union as having organic and natural-harvested ingredients, with no silicones or paraben that are harmful to the environment.

“We also don’t have plastic bottles in our rooms as we use plasticized cornstarch. We also use mason jars for complimentary water, and these are refilled every day,” added De Guzman.

The only “problem” when you are at Cocoon—whether you are eating at Abuela’s or staying for a night or two— is that it is very difficult to leave. But if you want to recharge and feel nourished and escape from the stressors of city life, do yourself a favor and go step inside the elevator and press the button for the sixth floor.

I’m at joyce.panares@gmail.com.

oil, and honey and sauté for another minute. Add in the precooked, shelled shrimps and toss; remove from the heat. Cool and toss in egg yolks.

3. Put 2 tablespoons of the vegetable and shrimp mixture onto an egg roll wrapper. Roll into an egg roll (check the directions at the back of the package on how to do this).

Process the remaining mixture and wrappers until done.

4. Brush the rolls with butter and place on a lightly-buttered baking tray.

Ghirardelli chocolate decadent cake with strawberry cream

Pochero paired with fresh watermelon shake

Life

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monday, february 19, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Mama Sita hosts a Visayas-themed dinner

Mama Sita Foundation welcomes guest with Visayan native delicacies such as Budbud Kabog, Barquillos, Pinasugbo, Otap, Banadas and more.

T

he Mama Sita Foundation recently hosted a dinner featuring local Visayan fare for the Filipino-American chefs and media from Los Angeles at Provenciano Restaurant. The event was part of the Department of Tourism – Los Angeles’s 10-day culinary tour in the Philippines.

Author Felice Prudente Sta. Maria share her experiences and thoughts on the Filipino cuisine.

The culinary tour aimed to familiarize young people on the many facets of Philippine food and culture. The Mama Sita Foundation welcomed the group of wide-eyed foodies at the M Café in the Ayala Museum Complex with freshly made santol sherbet topped with Labuyo hot Pepper Sauce.

Food Magazine’s Nana Ozaeta, and culinary authors Mickey Fenix, and Felice Prudente Sta. Maria were resource speakers during the Visayas-themed dinner.

Spotted at the two culinary affairs were Alvin Cailan, Angela Gomez,

Wyatt Conlon and Kim Trac of eggslut; Charles Raymund Olalia of Rice Bar; Johneric and Christine Concordia of The Park’s Finest; Billy Dec of Sunda; Chad Norman Valencia of Lasa; hillary eaton of LA Times and LA Weekly; Crystal Coser of Eater LA; Fay Castro of the Department of Tourism LA. Mama Sita Foundation recognized the young, progressive Fil-Am chefs who, despite the cultural and industrial challenges, are making good Filipino food for the dining public and are proud of their Filipino heritage.

Lucky meal deal GOOD luck and happy vibes filled the air at Shakey’s Paseo de Magallanes when TV personality edu Manzano and his son Luis, aka Lucky, launched Shakey’s 2018 Meal Deal.

The father-and-son Shakey’s brand ambassadors presented the newest commercial where edu tries to get lucky this year by wearing a polka dotted-attire from head-to-toe. Son Luis explains there’s a better and easier way to get lucky this New Year—by availing of Shakey’s hottest 2018 Meal Deal.

The meal deal comes with two large Thin Crust pizzas, two platters of pasta, 10 pieces of Chicken ‘n’ Mojos, 10 pieces mozzarella sticks, a platter of salad, and two pitchers of iced tea.

During the event, Shakey’s president and chief executive Vic Gregorio said, “We are really excited to welcome our handsome, fun, and engaging ambassadors, edu and Luis. They truly embody our brand— they’re fun, they’re family, and these guys are definitely pizza-persons.”

There was never a dull moment with edu and Luis, as they exchanged playful banter during the interview, giving a glimpse of how well the Manzano father and son knew each other. They also and played games, where edu’s team emerged as champion.

The Shakey’s 2018 Meal Deal features the new addition to the Shakey’s pasta choices, the Bacon & Cheese Fusilli. each meal package comes with a free SuperCard.

Visit www.shakeyspizza.ph for more information.

Get lucky with the Shakey’s 2018 Meal Deal

Have you tried the finest rum butter cake?

RheA Castro-Sycip has been baking since she was eight years old.

“It was my aunt who introduced me to it,” Castro-Sycip fondly recalls. “She gave me a stove top steam oven, more of a pan, actually. I started with coconut macaroons and just followed the recipe at the back of the desiccated coconut pack.”

That experiment was followed by baking lessons with heny Sison and Dorothy Ferreria. encouraged by family and friends to turn her passion into business, she recently started to accommodate orders for some of her specialties. her most popular creation is her signature Rum Butter Cake which took a year to develop.

Chef Rhea Castro-Sycip developed her signature Rum Butter Cake for a year Guests try Mama Sita’s Santol Sherbet with Rock Sea salt and Pure Labuyo Red Hot Pepper Sauce.

Billy Dec of Sunda, an active chef member of the DOT-LA tour, beside Mama Sita’s cart of Santol Sherbet with Labuyo Hot Pepper Sauce

“I am very critical of my work. I want it to be perfect,” she says.

The rich, golden ring-shaped treat is whipped up with free range eggs and artisan butter from Bukidnon, and carefully soaked in rum sauce using local and premium small batch rum. Packed in a pine wood craft gift box that adds a huge wow, it definitely makes for an impressive gift.

It is available in two variants, plain original and nut crumble. There are two sizes to choose from, seven-inch bundt pan and nine-inch bundt pan.

Other items on her menu are the hummingbird Cake (spiced cake made from sun-riped bananas and fresh Tagaytay pineapples in light buttercream frosting), Strawberry Shortcake (light sponge cake with pastry cream, dressed with chantilly cream and topped with Benguet Shoga Strawberries), Tres Leches Cake (yellow pound cake soaked in rich milk mixture), Malacanang Roll (sponge cake with dark chocolate ganache filling covered in boiled icing frosting), and On the Fence Brownies (chewy and moist, topped with roasted walnuts).

“I love desserts but I do not enjoy them overly sweet. A lot of those who have tried my cakes say they love it because they can have another slice,” she guarantees.

For orders and inquiries, email hello.flourpot@gmail.com or call (0917) 789-2352.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018

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nickie.standard@gmail.com

Angel no-show at BF’s Ex’s movie premiere

The cast of educational kiddie show, 'MathDali'

Simply Red...

From C4

MathDali, Knowledge Channel’s educational TV show that makes learning math fun and easy, has introduced 12 new short-form episodes to complement the show’s first season.

The first four episodes are hosted by actor-comedian Igi Boy Flores.

The new episodes follow a successful first season led by Kapamilya host and self-confessed math-geek Robi Domingo and feature relevant math lessons and strategies that adhere to the K to 12 Curriculum of the Department of Education (DepEd). Kids can expect to find fun and interesting ways to solve simple to complex math challenges like measuring perimeter, identifying the area of irregular plane figures, and other topics that could often intimidate learners.

Each episode of MathDali illustrates a math concept through real-life situations. According to Knowledge Channel Foundation President and Founder Rina Lopez-Bautista, the show aims to help students learn math by making the learning experience enjoyable and exciting, and by maximizing multimedia technology.

“The show is produced to help students develop conceptual understanding, critical thinking, and problem solving, allowing them to learn in new ways, making their viewing experience both fun and educational,” added Bautista.

The topics recommended by DepEd as cornerstones for higher-grade math topics cover various concepts found to be of the most interest for both educators and students.

MathDali airs every day at 10:20 a.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Knowledge

Channel available on ABS-CBN TV Plus, SKY Direct, and SKY Cable. *** ABS-CBN’s newest morning series Sana Dalawa Ang Puso instantly captivated the hearts of viewers as the series with daytime TV king and queen Richard Yap and Jodi Sta. Maria and with blockbuster king Robin Padilla, scored high in national TV ratings on its pilot telecast on Jan29.

According to data from Kantar Media, the show hit a national TV rating of 19.9 percent from combined urban and rural homes, or more than thrice the rating of its rival program Lola’s Beautiful Show ( 6.1 percent).

“Thank you, Kapamilya, for joining us in our pilot episode. We assure you that we will make you enjoy, laugh, cry, and feel ‘kilig,’” said Jodi in an interview with Richard in Tonight with Boy Abunda.

“For the viewers here in the Philippines as well as in other countries, we promise to bring back the hope and love we brought you before. We hope that you will make this a morning habit again,” stated Richard.

Sana Dalawa ang Puso airs before It’s Showtime on ABS-CBN and ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167). *** Auditions are on for GMA Network’s The Clash airing soon on the Kapuso channel.

Claiming it’s the home of original talent search shows, GMA Network is all set to unveil its newest singing contest, The Clash.

Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, known as Asia’s songbird, hosts the show.

The Clash paves the way to all singer wannabes who will compete against each other via a cutthroat search to be

the next solo singing superstar.

The competition is open to all male and female Filipinos, amateur and professional, 16 years old and above.

The auditions will be held on Feb. 24 at Sunshine Park in Baguio City; and March 10 at The Annex Event Center in SM City Davao.

Those interested to join the auditions should bring the original and photocopy of their birth certificate and two recent photos (a. 2x2 and b. full body shot). They also need to prepare at least two songs for the audition with minus-one or if a minusone is unavailable could perform them a l o n g with musical instruments.

The Clash, N e t w o r k ’s superstar airs this year.

G M A newest search,

ANGEL Locsin disclosed that Bela Padilla officially invited her to watch the premiere showing of her latest movie Meet Me in St. Gallen opposite Carlo Aquino, only she didn’t make it.

“I was with my family at that very moment so I wasn’t able to leave right away. I planned to follow afterwards but the traffic was bad so I just didn’t go. But in spirit, my support for them was there. I heard the film drew positive reviews and I’m happy for them,” Angel says.

Since they communicate, is there a possibility that she’ll become friends with Bela who happens to be the former flame of her current steady Neil Arce?

“I don’t see any reason why we can’t.

Bela is nice. I don’t remember any incident in which she did something nasty to me. I don’t have any issue with her so given time, I think we can become chums.”

This early, people are curious if she’s willing to do a project with Bela in the future since they’re both talents of ABS-CBN and Star Cinema.

“That would be great. As I’ve said earlier, I’ve no problem with Bela.

My only concern there is that the public might create issues on our collaboration. I think it’s inevitable and that’s something I don’t want to happen. Instead of focusing on the film’s merits, people will delve into the personal angle which would just add tension on the set.

“But I have high respect for Bela’s artistic gifts. She’s a good actress. I also admire her script-writing skills.

I happened to read the script of Last Night, which she wrote. It’s very good. I’m impressed! Bela’s so talented,” she adds.

Speaking of talent, the sultry actress was recently honored during the recently-concluded FDCP Film Ambassador’s Night in which her performance in the movie Everything About Her was cited. If remembered, she bagged a Best Supporting Actress trophy from Cambodia for her sterling portrayal of an agonizing nurse in the movie, which also top-billed by Xian Lim and Vilma Santos-Recto.

Apart from being a resident judge in Pilipinas Got Talent, Angel reveals she’ll be more visible this 2018.

“I just renewed my contract with ABS-CBN and I’m slated to do a soap opera and a movie. We’re on the planning stage already. I’m excited

this early,” ends Angel. *** Asked if he also plans to come up with a “tellall” book in the future in the tradition of Mark Bautista’s Beyond the Mark, Paolo Ballesteros says: “Nope! I don’t intend to write my autobiography. I believe there’s nothing to reveal anymore.

Millions of viewers get to see me in Eat Bulaga on a daily basis. Whatever you see on TV, that’s it. You just can’t fake it,” he avers.

The host-comedian, who headlines the upcoming film My Amnesia Love has another type of reading material in mind actually.

“If there’s one dream I wish to fulfill in the coming days, that’s to publish a book on makeup transformation which is my expertise. I’d like to compile all of them because that would be very much interesting. I know that it would eat up time though so I’m just waiting for a chance amid my hectic work schedule.”

Going back to Mark, the Eat Bulaga mainstay is hats-off to the singer-actor.

“It was brave of him to really come out and tell the truth about himself and had it documented. Not everyone can do that. So I really hope people won’t misjudge him. He just wants to express what’s real. I guess, his exposure to his new surroundings like New York also helped since people there are very open,” states Paolo.

Paolo Ballesteros

Award-winning British director to hold filmmaking lectures AWARD-WINNING British director and producer Craig Lines will apprise participants on terms, techniques and methods, demonstrate a basic understanding of audiovisual equipment and post-production software in Understanding Filmmaking, a certificate program in audio-visual production.

The four-session course is offered through The School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPaCE) at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB).

Lines has been a filmmaker for

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, February 19, 2018

ACROSS 1 Heal over 5 Hurt 10 LAX postings 14 Hamlet’s starter (2 wds.)

15 Earthling 16 Army wear 17 Clancy hero Jack — 18 Sweetheart (2 wds.)

20 Famed fabulist 22 Compass pt.

23 Laughs heartily 24 Triumphs over 26 Born as 27 Import vehicle 28 Ate like a king 32 Stovetop whistler 35 Word on a battery 36 Geisha’s accessory 37 What never to tell (2 wds.)

38 “Aloha!”

40 Gym event 41 Dash off 42 Ra’s symbol 43 Some pearls 45 Bolder 47 Disadvantage 48 Capp and Jolson 49 Supplant 53 Noted frontiersman

56 Assn.

57 Pago Pago locale 58 Condensation 61 Antacid brand 62 Slow pitches 63 Auto-racing family 64 Palm reader’s opener (2 wds.)

65 Interlock 66 Drizzling 67 Beauty-salon supply DOWN 1 Subway hanger 2 More demure 3 Lower in rank 4 Modernize 5 Quiet!

6 Granola kin 7 Pile up 8 Steakhouse order 9 Cable network 10 Says likewise 11 Fictional plantation 12 Love, to Caesar 13 Expresses grief 19 Pick up the tab 21 A Beatle 25 Forms a thought 26 Wrestling holds 28 Egg — yung 29 Matador’s foe

30 Poet’s black 31 Lowers the light 32 Actress Madeline — 33 Wiesel of literature 34 Layer 35 French wine 39 “The,” to Wolfgang 40 Ixnay, say (2 wds.)

42 Felt crummy 44 Brief rests 46 Leave no trace

47 Kind of ring 49 Sheath 50 Bring a smile to 51 Night sky streaker 52 Loosens 53 Liniment 54 Woodwind 55 Poets’ eyes 56 Prefix for “all” 59 Chewer’s buy 60 Strive

over 30 years, specializing in drama, and writing, producing and directing documentaries, entertainment and short films. He has worked as producer and director for BBC, collecting British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards, the UK’s version of the Oscars, among several other film and television accolades.

Students can expect to learn how to write and design a script, prepare for a shoot and direct their film, and manage post-production and dubbing requirements. They will eventually produce a project to show their mastery

of skills.

Undestanding Filmmaking will run for four Saturdays beginning Feb. 24, with each meeting running from 12:00 noon to 6:30 p.m..

For inquiries and registration, contact Marlon Eusebio or Cecile Juen at 230-5100 local 3802, 4005425 and 400-7405, or space@ benilde.edu.ph.

SPaCE is located at the Fourth Floor, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, School of Design and Arts (SDA) Campus, 950 Pablo Ocampo (Vito Cruz) Street, Malate, Manila.

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018

KZ hopes

The Kapamilya show topbilled by Coco Martin and Yassi Pressman is still the most watched TV series on primetime based on the data gathered by Kantar Media.

FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano’ remains unbeatable on prime time TV GUYS over at the broadcast complex on Edsa are possibly scratching their heads trying to figure out how they can beat FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano in the ratings. The Kapamilya nightly drama remains at the top of the list of the most watched program in the country. It brought action to more Filipinos on Jan. 29, beating its new rival show in national TV ratings.

The rival network will simply dismiss it as the Kapamilya’s claim based on the network’s anointed ratings agency, Kantar Media, where it recorded a national TV rating of 40.2 percent, or double that of Sherlock Jr.’s pilot episode that only posted 19.4 percent. Netizens were also hooked on the Kapamilya series as the show joined the list of trending topics on Twitter and earned thousands of tweets.

In the episode, Cardo (Coco Martin) got emotional after getting a glimpse of his family and his wife Alyana (Yassi Pressman), after having been separated for a long time. However, he might live away from his family for a bit longer as he continues with his mission, now that his friend Bruno (Janno Gibbs) is in the hands of Sen. De Silva’s (Joko Diaz) troop.

This makes Cardo more determined to expose the senator’s involvement in the country’s drug selling operations.

While Sherlock Jr. offers a refreshing tandem (Ruru Madrid and Gabbi Garcia) with a talking dog (some old trick being given new twist with a female actor’s voice (Mikee Quintos), it seems the audience at this time of the night still wants to know what will happen to Cardo and his friend Bruno so they’d rather stick around and ignore what the talking dog Siri could offer them. *** So, Kapuso’s anointed prime time queen renewed her loyalty vows to the network that gave her the biggest break including a title that she seems unable to drop even if her shows don’t amass queen-worthy

figures.

Well, her supposed rival, award-winning actress Angel ISAH V. RED Locsin had earlier vowed to remain a Kapamilya as she renewed her contract with ABSCBN on Jan 29.

Angel, who has been a Kapamilya for over 10 years, said, “I want to thank ABS-CBN for trusting me and for taking good care of me. I am looking forward to the projects that I will do for the viewers.”

The Pilipinas Got Talent (PGT) judge also revealed that she is slated to star in a movie produced by Star Cinema and in a teleserye with Dreamscape.

During her more than a decade of stay in ABS-CBN, she has done teleseryes that were big hits among audiences, including the The Legal Wife, Lobo, Imortal, and the last installment of the moonstone trilogy, La Luna Sangre. She has also served as a judge for PGT for two consecutive seasons alongside Vice Ganda, Freddie M. Garcia, and Robin Padilla. Continued on C3

Angel Locsin inks another contract with the Kapamilya network.

KZ takes center stage during the popular reality show's 6th episode that aired on Hunan TV on Friday.

‘Singer 2018’ stint puts OPM talents in global spotlight S OUL singer KZ Tandingan, who recently made headlines for her electrifying performance and beating her idol Jessie J in the fifth episode of China’s Singer 2018, said she hopes her stint in China’s top-rating show will open more opportunities for Filipino artists to showcase their talent worldwide.

“It makes me proud to be Pinoy. I’m just hoping that after this competition, many doors will open not just for me but also for Filipino performers now that foreigners recognize the artistry and excellence of Filipino performers.

I’m just really thankful that we were given this opportunity,” said KZ, whose jaw-dropping rendition of “Rolling in the Deep” featured a rap in Tagalog.

The Star Music artist also said that she hopes more OPM artists will be invited to compete in the next season of Singer 2018, which attracts over 200 million viewers weekly.

Singer 2018 is China’s most popular reality TV singing competition and pits professional singers from around the world against each other, as they vie to win audience votes.

“Out of the many countries they could have scouted for talents, they chose the Philippines. To be able to represent original Pilipino music (OPM) in a country that is not easily penetrated by international artists is already a prize that can’t be bought by money,” she added.

For her first appearance on the show, KZ said she defied recommendations to sing other songs, and ultimately chose to perform her unique version of the Adele hit – a personal decision that she believed would showcase who she is as an artist.

“I went to China and I was pretty

After winning in the fifth episode of 'Singer 2018' where she performed a jazz version of Adele's “Rolling in the Deep,” former X Factor Philippines grand winner KZ Tandingan is taking the Internet by storm.

sure no one knew me. Now they know a small Filipina girl who is singing her heart out in China’s number one show.

That makes me very proud. That’s the kind of impact I want to make as a Filipino and show the world. Your dreams will come true as long as you

believe that you can do it and you do what you want to do,” she said.

On Friday night, KZ returned on Singer 2018 stage as an international challenger. During the show that aired on Hunan TV, the 25-year-old singer performed a medley of Chinese songs.

NETFLIX’S latest original adult sciKalogridis – screenwriter of Shutter fi series Altered Carbon, based on the Island, Terminator Genisys , and the groundbreaking cyberpunk novel by upcoming Alita: Battle Angel , and a Richard K. Morgan, will transport the producer of White House Down and James viewers into a new reality that boasts Cameron’s record-breaking blockbuster of revolutionary visuals, extraordinary Avatar – says her love of Morgan’s story, action, and an intense landscape filled which won the Philip K. Dick award for with cutting-edge themes.

Best Novel in 2003 (and which the author Altered Carbon season 1 takes off from expanded in two subsequent books) and the acclaimed book with ten episodes its connection to elemental parts of that stars Joel Kinnaman, Martha the human experience fueled her Higareda, Dichen Lachman, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Chris Conner, Trieu Tran, Will Yun Lee and James Purefoy.

The stunning and richly detailed world of Richard K. Morgan’s acclaimed, influential and astonishing sci-fi cyberpunk novel Altered Carbon has been intriguing its readers’ desires for a potential filmed adaptation since it was published in 2002. Transporting it off the page, however, has proven elusive. It wasn’t until series creator and executive producer Laeta Kalogridis teamed with Skydance Television, and Netflix to launch Altered Carbon with a revolutionary, narratively expansive 10 episodes that Morgan’s epic was Swedish actor Joel Kinnaman in a scene from able to leap between mediums. the Netflix series, 'Altered Carbon.'

innovative adaptation of Altered Carbon.

Season one of the epic series is of a piece with the book, but stands alone in its own right.

“Morgan’s book is such a seminal sci-fi text,” Kalogridis says of the work that serves as the series’ blueprint.

“It’s a very serious sci-fi story about a technology that allows life to be extended indefinitely. Yet in no way was the story removed from completely identifiable human emotions. It has all the bells and whistles of great sci-fi, but at its heart is a very human story. And it was noir, which I love.”

The book has likewise earned glowing reviews from critics round the globe. The New York Times considers the novel as ferociously readable while the London Times says “This seamless marriage of hardcore cyberpunk and hard-boiled detective tale is an astonishing first novel.”

Altered Carbon Season 1 is now streaming in Netflix. Follow official Altered Carbon social pages: Twitter: @ altcarb / Instagram: @altcarb / Facebook: www.facebook.com/AltCarb/ The movie tie-in edition of Altered Carbon is available for Php 736.00 at any Fully Booked branch.

Another Pinoy talent shines on global stage Revolutionary novel now an epic series on Netflix A TEEN singer based in Dublin got a standing ovation from all four judges of

Teen singer Shaniah Rollo wows the judges of 'Ireland Got Talent' with her rendition of a Cindy Lauper classic.

Ireland's Got Talent, earning her a ticket into the next round of the talent search.

In an episode of the talent reality show that aired last week, 13-year-old Shaniah Rollo performed a rendition of Cyndi Lauper’s "True Colors" and received “four yeses” to move on to the next round.

While introducing herself, the teen singer said she and her family just moved to Dublin from the Philippines, and told judge Denise van Outen that if she won the 50,000 euro prize money, she would bring her brothers and sisters to Dublin.

“I want to use the money for my brothers and sisters to go here, so we can be a whole family, because I really miss them so much,” said Shaniah.

After she belted the first notes during her performance, the judges appeared to be instantly impressed as they exchanged looks, and had their mouths agape at one point.

"You've got the most amazing voice.

You sang that from your heart, you sang that for your siblings, and they will be so proud of you,” said Denise.

Ireland's Got Talent is the Irish version of the international Got Talent series created by Simon Cowell.