Manila Standard - 2018 January 05 - Friday

ALL-CONSUMING WORSHIP.

A young girl kisses the hand of the Black Nazarene replica inside the Catholic Minor Basilica in Quiapo, Manila, five days to the Traslacion or passage on Jan. 9 while members of the Hijos de Nazareno clean-up the emblem (below right) in preparation for the feast of the thorn-crowned and cross-bearing dark statue brought to Manila by Augustinian priests in 1607. Millions of devotees pledge to participate in the annual procession starting at the bayside Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo, a distance of 2 kilometers. Norman Cruz, Ey Acasio

VOL. XXXI • NO. 322 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

Gun ban precedes Nazarene feast day

By Bill Casas THE Manila Police District will impose a 48-hour gun ban in Manila from Jan. 8 to 10 for the annual celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene next week, MPD Chief Joel Coronel said Thursday.

He said the gun ban will cover the temporary suspension of permits to carry firearms, except those of uniformed personnel, from midnight of Jan. 8 to midnight of Jan. 10.

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada has suspended classes and government work on Jan. 9 in the city to give way to the Traslacion or the Feast of the Black Nazarene.

Work in all courts in Manila will also be suspended on Jan. 9 due to the expected influx of devotees participating in Traslacion.

In an advisory released on Thursday, the Supreme Next page

Term extension bucked LP: Cat’s out of the bag on federal shift

By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Maricel V. Cruz and John Paolo Bencito

C

ITING “whispers within Congress,” Liberal Party president Senator Francis Pangilinan said the supermajority in the Senate and House of Representatives could be planning to extend by 10 years the term of President Rodrigo Duterte, who turns 73 on March 28.

Asked to comment on the opposition On Wednesday, Pimentel said Duterte’s senator’s assertion, Senate President Aq- six-year term may be extended “if really uilino Pimentel III said in Filipino: “I’m necessary” and “if he is amenable to it” busy. That’s a waste of time.” during the transition to federalism.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, on the other hand, said Duterte does not want to extend his term and would rather “cut short his term than lengthen it.”

He offered a similar message Thursday, saying a term extension was “out of the question.”

Roque reiterated the President’s pronouncements that should the Constitution get amended to pave the way for a federal form of government, he would even resign before his term ends in 2022.

“The President is considering shortening his term but has definitely rejected

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Sereno camp won’t take part in impeachment hearing CHIEF Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno reiterated that she will not attend the impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives.

This was bared by lawyer Carlo Cruz, one of Sereno’s spokespersons, in response to House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez’s renewed call for the top magistrate to attend the hearing and give her side on the allegations raised by lawyer

Larry Gadon in his impeachment complaint.

Alvarez said if Sereno has nothing to hide and is innocent of the allegations, she must appear before the hearing and answer the allegations.

Cruz said they believed the case against Sereno is weak and that there is no need for her to personally appear and refute Gadon’s accusations.

Marina chief ousted over 24 junkets

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday fired Marcial Quirico Amaro III as administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority after he allegedly went on six trips in 2016 and 18 trips in 2017—a number the Palace described as “excessive.”

The Alliance of Marina Employees, which allegedly wrote a letter to President Duterte informing him of Amaro’s 11 foreign travels in 2017, disowned the letter complaint that was cited as basis in one daily newspaper, calling the story “fake news.”

In a news briefing Thursday at Davao City, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque MARCIAL AMARO III

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Police team chief Palace easies curbs in Shaw shooting on foreign travels surfaces in Taguig THE leader of the Mandaluyong Police team that figured in the shooting that resulted in the killing of two people and the wounding of two others on Dec. 28 last year surfaced at the National Capital Region Police Office in Taguig City on Wednesday, an official said Thursday.

PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa identified the police official as Senior Inspector Maria Cristina Vasquez who had been absent without leave since Dec. 30.

He said Vasquez and nine other police officers would be placed under restrictive custody while the case was being investigated.

The nine other policemen were Next page

ALL heads of agencies in the Executive Department must now submit quarterly reports on government officials and employees traveling abroad, the Palace said Wednesday.

In a memorandum dated Jan. 3 and signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, the Palace said no official foreign travel shall be allowed unless the purpose of the trip is strictly within the mandate of the official or personnel, the projected expenses for the trip are “not excessive,” and the trip is expected to bring “substantial benefit to the country.”

Under the new set-up, no government official or personnel shall be allowed to depart for any travel abroad, even if such is for a personal or private purpose without cost to the government, unless the official has obtained the appropriate travel authorization from his or her agency.

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“There appears no real need for her to appear at this point because the evidence thus far presented has been wholly inadequate to establish any or enough impeachable offense to justify the filing of the articles of impeachment,” Cruz said.

But he said that Sereno appreciates Alvarez’s assurance that she would be treated fairly if she appears before the Next page impeachment hearing.

Tax evasion raps slapped on broker in shabu smuggle

By Rey E. Requejo THE Bureau of Internal Revenue on Thursday asked the Department of Justice to prosecute for tax evasion two people implicated in the case of the P6.4 billion worth of shabu smuggled to the Philippines from China in May last year.

BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay identified the two as Mark Ruben Taguba and trader Yi Shen Dong, a.k.a.

Kenneth Dong, who “willfully attempted to evade the payment of taxes by not filing their respective annual tax returns and quarterly value- added-tax returns.

Dulay said Taguba evaded paying P850.6 million in taxes in 2016.

Taguba also failed to file any income tax return or valueadded-tax return for the years 2009 to 2016.

The case against Ta g u b a was an offshoot of the inquiries c o n ducted by the Senate and DAVAO CITY MAYOR Next page

S

Sara Duterte lands on Magic 12 of preferred Senate bets in 2019 THE President’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, said Thursday she would seek a Senate seat only if her father’s critics push her into doing so.

The mayor made it to the so-called “Magic 12” of two surveys released by an online news site on preferred candidates for the 2019 elections.

“As long as the enemies of President Duterte don’t irritate me, then my slot should become available to all the yellows,” she said in Filipino, referring to the Liberal Party, which uses the color yellow.

The mayor said being “a responsible Dabawenyo, whether in public office or as a practicing lawyer,” was her contribution to nation building.

“If Davao City is strong, then that is the Dabawenyos patriotism at work,” she said.

In a survey attributed to the Social Weather Stations, Mayor Duterte was ranked n i n t h a m o n g preferred senatorial candidates for 2019.

The survey showed Senator Grace Poe in the lead, followed by Cynthia Villar, Senate President Aquilino

Pimentel III, Nancy Binay, Pia Cayetano and Juan Edgardo Angara Jr. Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. shared the seventh and eighth spot, while former senator Lito Lapid, JV Ejercito and broadcaster Erwin Tulfo shared the 10th to 12th spot.

But SWS director for communications, Leo Laroza, said SWS has not released anything regarding the 2019 elections.

Another survey attributed to Laylo Research Strategies showed the Davao mayor at fifth and sixth spot with Pimentel.

Others who made it to the top 12 were Poe (also first), Cayetano, Villar and Estrada.

Angara and Lapid both shared the seventh to eighth spot, while Ejercito w a s a t ninth.

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, Binay and PNP chief Ronald Next page

SARA DUTERTE

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Grab asks for P10-P13 fare hike R

IDE-SHARING firm Grab is proposing a 10-to-13-peso increase in its fares because of the higher excise taxes on petroleum products under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law.

The company will file a petition for the fare increase before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board within this week, according to Grab Philippines country head

Brian Cu. “The fare increase aims to cover the higher operating costs of our drivers due to the implementation of the TRAIN policy,” Cu said.

He made his statement

Sereno...

Term...

Sereno’s camp earlier said the allegations against her were “guesswork based on newspaper reports” and “hearsay sources.”

The Chief Justice faces a pending impeachment complaint in Congress for alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, corruption, other high crimes and betrayal of public trust.

The House Committee on Justice has voted to declare that there was sufficient ground to proceed with the impeachment proceedings filed by Gadon.

Gadon, in his impeachment complaint, alleged that Sereno failed to report or include in her SALN the earnings she made when she represented the Philippine International Airport Terminals Co. in the controversial case over the alleged irregularity in the construction of Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Sereno is also accused of purchasing a brandnew 2017 Toyota Land Cruiser worth P5.1 million using public funds.

The impeachment hearing being conducted by the House Committee on Justice is expected to resume on Jan. 15. PNA

even the idea of prolonging his term,” he added.

Roque also assured the public that the 2019 elections would push through, despite pronouncements by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, a key Duterte ally.

“The President has spoken on these issues. Number one, the President is the chief implementor of the Constitution and the laws of the land unless and until the Constitution is amended and ratified by the people, elections will push through in 2019 and what the President promises is if elections push through, we will have a credible and honest elections,” he said.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Pangilinan said no elections will be held during the 10-year transition period to federalism and a term extension would be pushed for “sitting offi-

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Sara...

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dela Rosa, meanwhile, shared the 10th to 12th place.

Junie Laylo, founder and principal pollster of Laylo Research, declined to make any comment on the supposed November survey, “as commissioned surveys are confidential in nature.”

Laylo has been Manila Standard’s resident pollster since the early 2000s.

John Paolo Bencito

Police...

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identified as PO1 Alfred Uribe, PO2 Nel Lemuel Songalia, PO1 Jave Arellano, PO1 Tito Danao, PO1 Mark Castillo, PO1 Julius Libuen, PO1 Bryan Nicolas, PO1 Albert Buwag and PO1 Kim Ruford Tibunsay.

Meanwhile, Mandaluyong Police Chief Moises Villaceran was ordered relieved as a result of the incident.

The shooting took place on Wack-Wack and Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong past 10 p.m.

That was when the police fired on a Mitsubishi Adventure that was transporting a woman wounded in an earlier shooting incident in Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong, thinking it was the getaway vehicle of the suspects.

The lawmen got this impression based on the report of village watchmen who earlier responded to a shooting incident in the area.

The wounded victim, Jonalyn Ambaon, was killed along with her companion while two others were hurt, including the vehicle’s driver and Ambaon’s live-in-partner. PNA

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Marina...

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announced Amaro’s termination, after much delay.

Roque said the Office of the President had received the AME complaint on Dec. 22, 2017.

The employee organization, however, denied lodging a complaint, as claimed in a newspaper report, which it described as “malicious and libelous.”

Roque said a check with the Transportation Department showed that instead of 11 trips, Amaro had traveled 24 times—three times sponsored by organizations that invited him, and the rest using public funds.

“The President has decided therefore to terminate his services,” Roque said, adding that the Marina chief received an honorarium and other sums for almost all of his trips abroad.

Before Amaro, Duterte also dismissed former Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor chairman Terry Ridon over “unnecessary trips.” He traveled seven times before he was sacked.

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Quarterly lists would have to be submitted to the Office of the President by agency heads, including information on those trips, the names of the concerned officials, their destination, the duration of their trip, the nature and purpose of their travel, its total cost and a brief statement on how the official complied with the criteria issued by the Palace.

“The requirement to submit quarterly lists of travel authorities issued shall also be observed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government with regard to foreign travels of local government officials,” the executive secretary said.

The heads of agencies should also provide the Office of the Executive Secretary with recommendations on the seminars and conferences attended by their traveling personnel.

Failure to comply with the guidelines in the new

even as Malacañang on Thursday urged the public to gloss over the impact of what it described as “minimal” and “temporary” increases on the price of basic commodities as a result of TRAIN. Palace Spokesman Harry Roque said the prices of basic commodities would increase because of the new tax reform package, but vehemently denied it would affect the poor.

“While adjusting excise

taxes would raise the prices of some commodities, we assure everyone that it will be minimal and it will be temporary,” Roque said.

A full-time Grab driver earns P3,200 to P3,600 daily, and of that amount, P800 to P1,000 is spent on gas.

“Our biggest worry is the day-to-day operations with regard to the fuel that the drivers need,” Cua said.

“If a fare adjustment is not made, this will [com-

promise] their income on a monthly basis.”

Once the fare adjustments are granted by the LTFRB, Grab assured its riders that those would be implemented only once there were “significant changes” in oil prices.

The average fares of Grab passengers were pegged at P150 to P170 as of December 2017.

Under the TRAIN law, an initial excise tax of P2.50 per liter will be

imposed on diesel this year, which eventually will increase to P6 by 2020. An excise tax of P7 will also be imposed on gasoline in 2018, which gradually will increase to P10 in 2020.

The Department of Energy has advised oil companies not to apply the new excise taxes on old stocks of petroleum products as those are levied on importation and not at the point of sale to consumers. PNA,

cials.”

Because there would be no elections, Pangilinan added, local officials would be appointed.

He said Congress would give the President the power to make laws before the federal government is formed, much like the dictator Ferdinand Marcos did during martial law.

He also said there would no longer be restrictions on foreign investments, so that China would be able to infuse billions in loans and investments in land and bodies of water.

Senate Minority Leader Senator Franklin Drilon echoed Pangilinan’s fears.

“The cat is out of the bag!” he said. “The real purpose of federalism is out—term extension!! LP will oppose such [an] immoral proposition.”

Another opposition member, Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, said he opposed junking elections in 2019, saying allowing people to

select their leaders was essential to democracy.

But Senator Panfilo Lacson chided Pangilinan, saying “the opposition need not invent the best antidote to Charter change.”

“No less than the two leaders of both houses of Congress have started campaigning against it, albeit subliminally,” he said.

Lacson was referring to Pimentel and Alvarez, who earlier assured the public Duterte would not stay President after his term ends in 2022.

Floating a no-election scenario or suggesting an extension of terms would not help their advocacy to shift to a federal form of government, Lacson said.

Earlier, Alvarez said convening Congress into a constituent assembly to amend the 1987 Constitution would be a top priority of the House in 2018.

He also said the proposed new federal charter could be ready for a referendum

in time with scheduled barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in May, if Congress can convene as a constituent assembly in January.

On Thursday, he clarified his statements on the 2019 mid-term elections, saying that senators elected in 2019 might have their six-year terms shortened if amendments to the Constitution to create a federal form of government are approved.

He also said he would be amenable to extending the term of senators whose terms ended in 2019 to avoid complications during the transition to a federal system of government.

Senator JV Ejercito, who belongs to the majority bloc in the Senate, said it would be difficult to get the public to accept a no-election scenartio.

“People look forward to elections, which is a referendum of all elected offi-

cials,” he said.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, on the other hand, said it would be difficult to revise the Constitution in just a few months.

For starters, Recro said, he has not read any details on federalism. “I expect to have elections on 2019,” he added.

Also on Thursday, Alvarez said he had no personal rift with Pimentel, after saying that the Senate was “the slow chamber” of Congress when it came to passing legislation.

Alvarez said there was nothing personal in his comments on the performance of the Senate under Pimentel, who shot back saying senators focus on quality, not quantity.

But Alvarez said the Senate should admit its shortcomings, including failing to pass a bill to reinstate the death penalty, which is on the President’s legislative agenda.

“If seven foreign travel is deemed excessive by the President, 24 travels is definitely excessive by the President’s standards,” Roque said.

“The point of the President is, we have to be selective [on] the trips that we will undertake and definitely 24 travels is excessive,” he added.

Roque said that all travels must always be related to the functions or mandate of the agency, must not be too costly, and must bring substantial benefits to the country.

“Let this be a reminder to all public officials that the President is serious in his mandate that they should lead modest lives, that they should be true to their calling, and that they should avoid unnecessary trips,” Roque said.

“This is the President’s unilateral decision to crackdown on foreign travels of government officials.

He believes that government officials should concentrate on their jobs here in the Philippines… Any foreign travel must conform [to] the guidelines,” he added. memorandum might result in the filing of administrative actions for misconduct, insubordination and other offenses under the Civil Service Commission Revised Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service and other laws against the traveling government employee and even his superior, Medialdea warned.

John Paolo Bencito

Gun...

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Coronel said the people who may have “compelling reasons” to seek exemption from the gun ban should simply avoid Manila during the ban.

DONATION POT. Policemen collect donations in Quezon City on Jan. 4, 2018 for the

benefit of the Marawi war-displaced residents as well as for the government troops who were assigned during the chaos. These donation pots can be found in all police stations in Metro Manila. Manny Palmero

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the House of Representatives into the P6.4-billion shabu from China where Taguba described himself as a businessman engaged in the trucking business and in the financing of various ancillary ventures such as logistics, brokerage, lending, trading and agricultural production.

“Taguba, however, was actually a player or fixer in the Bureau of Customs who facilitated the importation into the Philippines of goods of all kinds for a certain fee,” Dulay said.

Taguba admitted before the Senate and the House that his clients would pay him an all-

in sum ranging from P170,000 to P190,000 per container van.

Based on the congressional inquiries and data obtained from Customs, a total of 7,458 and 7,694 container vans were brought in by Taguba’s consignees for 2016 and 2017, respectively.

For 2016 alone, Dulay said, Taguba earned P1.27 billion.

The same year, Dulay said, Taguba bought a Chevrolet Trailblazer worth P1.5 million and a Yamaha Mio worth P69,900 aside from several lots he purchased in Cavite from 2014 to 2016.

Dong, a “middleman” in Taguba’s venture, testified before the legislative hearings that he earned a referral fee of P5,000 to P10,000 per con-

tainer van.

He also admitted not paying any taxes on the income he earned from his venture with Taguba, and that he contributed millions of pesos to candidates during election campaigns.

Dong also paid P850,000 in 2013 for a 2010 Toyota Fortuner, P4.5 million in 2016 for a 2010 BMW, and P2.4 million in 2016 for a 2013 Ford Expedition, Dulay said, citing documents from the Land Transportation Office.

He said Dong and his wife also acquired a townhouse unit in Parañaque City worth P3.55 million in 2013 as shown in documents obtained from the city’s Registry of Deeds.

He also recommended to Estrada a liquor ban and hoped an executive order on the matter would be issued.

If ordered by Estrada, the ban would prohibit the sale, distribution and consumption of liquor and other alcoholic beverages within a 500-meter radius from the vicinity of the procession route, including the Rizal Park and Quiapo Church, between 6 p.m. on Jan. 8 to 6 a.m. on Jan. 10.

“Establishments which are accredited by the Department of Tourism shall not be covered by this ban,” Coronel said.

Around 7,000 uniformed personnel will be deployed to secure the procession.

Coronel said intelligence authorities had monitored no “credible actual, direct threats” that would force them to cancel or postpone the event.

The public may also expect “intermittent shutdowns” of mobile phone signals within the vicinity of the carriage or “andas” along the procession route, he said.

Around one to two million people were expected to join the procession of the image of a dark-skinned Je-

sus Christ from the Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church, priest Douglas Badong of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene said on Wednesday.

On the other hand, almost 19 million are projected to participate in the 10-day series of activities marking the annual feast, which officially kicked off on Dec. 31, 2017.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines had also issued a no-fly zone within the vicinity and the airspace above the procession route, Coronel said.

With Rey E. Requejo

Proposed deal with Marcoses 'mooted'

By John Paolo Bencito and Rey E. Requejo THE proposal of a staunch loyalist of former President Ferdinand Marcos for a compromise agreement on the alleged ill-gotten wealth of the late dictator is “worthless” since the late strongman’s family already disowned the deal, the Palace said on Wednesday.

“Wala pong saysay iyong kanyang proposal ngayon, dahil hindi naman siya pupuwedeng magsulong ng isang proposal na hindi po kinikilala ng mga heredero ng dating Presidente,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a radio interview Wednesday.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, in a chat with reporters Thursday, said that he has not acted on the Sept. 19 letter of lawyer Oliver Lozano, who proposed three “alternatives” to the Marcos question in exchange for dropping all cases against the Marcoses.

A spokesman for former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the late dictator, said that Lozano is not affiliated nor does he represent the family.

Lozano’s proposed compromise agreement however, only covers a part of the wealth that was sequestered by the government, but “not judicially decided as ill-gotten” and the lifting of all Executive Orders on the sequestration of Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth.

Using the wealth, the letter claimed, will give “unifying Social Justice for All through massive economic development and worldclass rehabilitation as well as enable the government to settle the country’s foreign and local debts.”

In October 2016, an irritated Marcos Jr. said the government is free to grab the family’s alleged ill-gotten wealth should they find such.

The Department of Justice, meanwhile, practically confirmed the Palace statement, as it said that the proposed compromise agreement has not been discussed at the Cabinet level, nor was it ordered by the President for review.

“That has not been tackled in the Cabinet. I could not say anything about it because I have never seen it yet,” Aguirre said.

In fact, Aguirre said he has not received any order from President Duterte to review any compromise agreement with the Marcoses.

“We received no instructions from any higher ups.

In other words, we are completely ignorant about it,” he said.

However, Aguirre clarified that if the DoJ would be later on tasked to review the proposal, he would have no choice but to abide by such order.

“If it reaches us, it is just our obligation to read anything that was filed before us or sent before us. Bur there is no special effort to get it or read it, or to have anything or comment about it,” he said.

In a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte and coursed through Aguirre last Sept. 19, Lozano cited the need for an “appropriate action” on the alternatives regarding the compromise. The alternatives cited were compromise without congressional approval, compromise with optional congressional approval, and acceptance of donation from the Marcos family.

The letter was sent a month after Duterte disclosed that the Marcos family has expressed readiness to return the wealth accumulated during the 20-year presidency of the late president.

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BoC fails to hit target for 2017

‘Cracker victims told to seek treatment

By Macon Araneta

By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Customs failed to hit its revenue collection target for 2017 when it earned P457.333 billion P10.343 billion short of its assigned revenue target of P467.896 billion from January to December 2017.

“Though lower by 2.2 percent or P10.343 billion against the target of P467.896 billion, overall the revenue performance is at 98.5 percent, much higher compared to last year’s earning of P397 billion,” the BoC said.

Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said the bureau posted P44.450 billion in collection for December. It exceeded the P40.673-billon target for the month by P3.777 billion or 9.2 percent. This reflected 109 percent in collection performance of the bureau.

In November, the BoC collected an all-time high and record-breaking collection of P46.366 billion, 11.3 percent higher than the P41.66-billion target.

This is P9 billion higher than the average monthly collection of P35 billion.

“Despite the P20-billion deficit when I assumed office on August 30, the BoC gained steady increase in its revenue collection growth during the last quarter, reducing the deficit down to P10 billion,” Lapeña said.

Lapeña said that had it not for work suspensions due to the Asean Summit, jeepney strikes, and typhoon, the agency could have surpassed its assigned 2017 target.

The BoC is the second highest revenue generating agency of the government and mandated to collect revenues from imported goods and to suppress smuggling and other customs fraud.

Lapeña cited various reforms including the application of correct valuation in assessing customs duties on imported goods and to stop benchmarking and grease money that help increase revenue collection.

Under the BoC’s campaign against smuggling, customs agents seized more than P5.4 billion worth of cigarettes with fake tax stamps from February 2017 to June 2017.

The successful apprehension of fake cigarettes resulted to tax settlement with Mighty Corp. adding P30-billion revenue in the government coffers.

The bureau also seized P141.2 million worth of luxury cars at the MICP and P263.2 million worth of agricultural products.

BRIEFING. Members of MPD police are being briefed by a higher officer for the upcoming Traslacion 2018 at the MPD Headquarters in Manila on Thursday.

Norman Cruz

Cops, firemen ‘lectured’

by Du30 on procedures

By John Paolo Bencito

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OPS and fire officers received a dressing down from President Rodrigo Duterte, his close aide said Wednesday night, amid the wake of incidents which exposed weaknesses in government’s response capabilities.

Special Assistant to a photo of the President presidential guest house the President Christo- giving a talk to police in Panacan, Davao City, pher “Bong” Go shared and fire officers at the where he gave a “lecture”

on emergency response to fire officials, while the police were told about procedures on “warrant and seizure” (arrest and seizure).

Former Armed Forces chief Eduardo Año, BFP chief Chief Supt. Leonardo Bañaga and heads of the police and the Highway Patrol Group were also present during the

briefing.

A mall in Duterte’s native Davao City was recently hit by fire, claiming 38 lives.

The PNP meanwhile, has been under fire after several Mandaluyong cops in pursuit of a shooter mistakenly shot at a vehicle carrying the shooting victim and those who had come to her aid.

Gatchalian won’t apologize for cursing paid trolls

’

SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday said that he would not apologize nor did he regret trading barbs and using cuss words like “gago” (stupid) and “ulol” (stupid) on social media, since he believes that he was talking to paid “trolls.”

“These are trolls, these are paid individuals. Some of them are bots, automated. These are paid individuals, robots that are

designed to destroy you and to bring out the worst in you,” Gatchalian said, referring to those who had engaged him in social media at the time.

“So why will I apologize to these people who are designed to bring out the worst in you?” he asked.

“No, I will not issue an apology,” said the administration senator. He said he will not delete the tweets he

had already posted on his personal Twitter account @ stgatchalian.

Gatchalian said he had reached his breaking point after being accused of lying.

He admitted his outburst on social media was triggered when “paid and organized group of individuals” called him “ balimbing” or a political turncoat.

According to the senator, he has stayed with the Na-

tionalist People’s Coalition since he joined public service in 2001.

“So how can I be “balimbing” if I stayed with the party for the last 17 years? This is obviously a lie and this type of organized group is designed really to bring out the worst in you by throwing lies, by throwing profanity,” said Garchalian, a former mayor and congressman in Valenzuela.

Gatchalian noted that he has never cursed anyone in Valenzuela, even at times that he really wanted to “because of certain crimes and violations.”

He pointed out it was the fifth time he was attacked by netizens on social media.

He said his bashers dug up his old tweets and picked a few that they “turned into a big lie.”

Macon Araneta

Pinoys in Northeast US advised ahead of ‘bomb cyclone’

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan FILIPINOS in New England and other parts of the Northeast United States are advised to observe safety precautions ahead of a bomb

cyclone or strong snowstorm which is expected to affect the area on Thursday.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said as many as 340,000 Filipinos could be affected by the bomb cyclone—a meteorological

phenomenon called “bom- snow in the New England bogenesis” or area of rapidly states and from three to six declining low pressure. inches of snow in the New York, New Jersey, and ConThe DFA said the bomb necticut. cyclone is expected to bring “Our kababayans residhurricane-force winter winds ing in or visiting the Northand from six to 12 inches of eastern US are advised to

observe the necessary precautions, avoid non-essential travel, and have emergency contact numbers in preparation for this extreme weather situation,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Cayetano said in a statement.

Du30 seeks better PH-Indonesia security ties PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has expressed his intention to improve the Philippines’ maritime security cooperation with Indonesia to eradicate terrorism in the region.

On Wednesday, Duterte met with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, who paid a courtesy call at the Presidential Guest House in Davao City, where the two agreed to elevate cooperation on trade, maritime security and education.

“While declaring that the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in Marawi are in full swing, President Duterte said that he wants to intensify maritime security in cooperation with Indonesia as foreign and local terrorists continue to enter

and exit the country despite the military efforts to go after these elements,” a news release from Malacañang said.

The President also raised the possibility of the resumption of the Philippines-Indonesia routes to further strengthen trade.

The President likewise expressed interest on providing scholarships for Muslim students, especially those who are enrolled in the Madrasa institutions.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Marsudi expressed her interest in pursuing the joint education program between the Philippines and Indonesia to “spread the Islamic values” in Southeast Asian nations.

She added that the Indo-

nesian government wanted to confer 300 passports for Indonesian descents living in Mindanao.

Marsudi was accompanied by Indonesian Embassy in Manila Charge d’ affaires Budi Dhewajani, Consul General for Indonesian Embassy in Davao Berlian Napitupulu, and Indonesia Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director for Southeast Asian Affairs Deni Abdi, among others.

Undersecretary Enrique Manalo of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Undersecretary Lorna Dino and Director Marge Ballesteros of the Department of Education were also present during the meeting.

John Paolo Bencito

TAX EVASION. BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay (2nd from left) with Justice Undersecretary

Antonio Kho (leftmost) and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre file a criminal complaint against Customs fixer Mark Taguba for tax evasion of over P850 million. Taguba acted as the star witness in the recent 6.4-billion shabu smuggling in the country. Norman Cruz

DEPARTMENT of Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III on Thursday renewed his call for those who have suffered fireworks-related injuries to consult with the nearest health facility for proper wound management and prevention of infection as he warned that tetanus is a highly fatal disease.

“Blast wound injuries have always been closely associated with tetanus infection,” Duque said.

He noted how postexposure prophylaxis against tetanus has become standard procedure in combatants or law-enforcers who suffered injuries that break the skin.

He said that the decrease in pyrotechnicrelated injuries recorded at sentinel hospitals might not necessarily be equivalent to the percentage decrease of firecracker use or firecracker injuries suffered.

This is because there is presently an increased likelihood for fireworks injury victims to seek medical attention due to the successful advocacy efforts that have greatly increased awareness among the public about management of such injuries.

“It is quite possible that there were many more firecracker injuries in the past than those actually recorded and reported because many such victims did not go to health facilities for treatment of their injuries,” he said.

“It would surely mean an increase in our injury tally, but I urge all our countrymen who have suffered these injuries to come in for treatment,” Secretary Duque announced. “Tetanus infection is a serious health problem that should be prevented or dealt with as soon as possible,” he added.

Tetanus infection occurs when spores of Clostridium tetani pathogens enter the body through wounds or breaches in the skin such as the injuries caused by firecrackers, sharp objects, and various trauma events.

Fiscal spending on infra up by 44.8 percent in Nov 2017 FISCAL spending on infrastructure rose by 44.8 percent in November last year playing a key role in further raising government disbursements under its ambitious “Build, Build, Build” program, the Budget department announced Thursday.

A sharp uptick in infrastructure and capital spending as infrastructure disbursements reached P43.8 billion in November, higher

by P13.6 billion or 44.8 percent from P30.2 billion in November 2016.

The boost in infrastructure spending also buoyed total disbursements in November 2017, as it reached P252.1 billion, or a 10.4-percent increase.

In sum, national government disbursements from January to November 2017 have amounted to P2.494 trillion, up by 10.1 percent from the comparable period in 2016, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said.

John Paolo Bencito

A4

Opinion

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Price adjustments

E

MBARKING on an ambitious infrastructure program is by no means easy. It requires huge funding and is painful to many consumers once the effects of revenueraising measures take effect.

Some sectors of the economy fear, and rightfully so, that prices of some basic commodities and petroleum products will increase once the initial phase of the Tax Reform Inclusion and Acceleration Act, or TRAIN, is fully implemented.

Pump prices of gasoline and diesel

have just increased even without the enforcement of TRAIN because of rising crude prices in the international market. Petroleum prices will further rise because of TRAIN. The prices of certain commodities and services will inevitably climb, especially those dependent on the movement of petroleum prices. Higher transportation fares and electricity rates will follow, while the labor sector is expected to clamor for increased salaries to cope with rising prices.

Yet, TRAIN features provisions that will cushion the effects of soaring prices in the form of lower or zero income taxes. The savings

from the reduced income tax rate may not be a big relief for the salaried workers, but they will somehow temper the bite of increased commodity prices.

Still, TRAIN is not about simply raising revenues and adding to the burden of the poor. It will significantly fund P8.4 trillion worth of infrastructure projects designed to make an impact across the Philippines, and ultimately lower the poverty level of the Philippines from 21.6 percent to 14 percent by 2022 through more economic opportunities.

The Philippines, according to the World Economic Forum Global

Competitiveness Report from 2015 to 2016, ranked 95 in the overall quality of infrastructure. The Philippines was behind Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.

By building more infrastructure projects, the government hopes to lift about 10-million Filipinos above the poverty line. The construction program will essentially pump prime the economy, create more jobs and attempt to break the poverty cycle among the millions of Filipinos. Rising prices, thus, should be viewed as an interim phase of the all-important infrastructure program.

PENSEES FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO

A can of corned beef WHEN an employee appropriates for himself what belongs to his employer, the crime is qualified theft—the qualification arising from the relationship of trust that is itself a consequence of the employment relationship. The law allows for no qualifiers—“unless the accused is truly hungry,” “unless he is not paid just wages,” “unless he has tried his best to beg but has been refused.” It is the rigidity of the law that allows for the stabilization of behavioral expectations. I do not expect my possessions, as a matter of course, to be spirited away by others. Employers expect their employees to keep their hands off their shelves, unless it is to do work! If the law were so

I am not making matters unduly complicated.

Have position, will travel LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES GET a government job and see the world. And then get fired.

So, Marcial Amaro, administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority, is the third top government official sacked by President Rodrigo Duterte for excessive foreign travel.

The peripatetic Amaro reportedly went abroad 24 times in 18 months in office, including on 21 foreign trips at government’s expense.

The first two officials bitten by the travel bug and who were also removed were Dangerous Drugs Board Chairman Dionisio Santiago and Presidential Commission on the Urban

Poor chief Terry Ridon.

In Santiago’s case, Malacañang gave too much traveling as the reason for removing the DDB head, even if it was widely reported that he was forced to quit for publicly disagreeing with Duterte on how to implement the president’s war on illegal drugs. And Ridon was sent packing together with all his commissioners, for the same offense.

Amaro was a private shipping company executive when Duterte tapped him for the Marina post in August 2016. He has worked all his life in the merchant marine and the shipping industry and was named Most Outstanding Seafarer of the Year in 2003.

But Amaro has been accused of being an “absentee administrator” by various seafarer’s or-

ganizations and Marina employees because of his jones for travel. Last month, the agency’s employees wrote to Duterte to complain about Amaro’s absenteeism.

Duterte found proof that Amaro was a world-class junketeer and now Amaro is out of a job.

“Mr. Amaro is a disgrace to Marina and it does not deserve an administrator with this jet-setting lifestyle,” the agency’s employ-

ees wrote last December 21.

“We humbly pray and ask that he be replaced immediately lest he... cause more harm and damage to our beloved institution.”

The response of Malacañang was swift. But it was not as if Amaro was not given a chance to explain his frequent travels.

A spokesman for Amaro told a newspaper reporter right before the end of the year that both Malacañang and the Department of Transportation, which oversees Marina, told Amaro about the calls for his removal. Amaro was told to prepare a statement explaining why he needed to travel so much, which the spokesman said his boss really needed to do.

“There are a lot of important international meetings to attend to and he is not only representing

seafarers but the country, like [in] the meeting with IMO [International Maritime Organization],” his spokesman said. Amaro also promised to resign if it was proven that his trips were actually junkets on the taxpayer’s dime.

Well, it seems that Duterte found proof that Amaro was a world-class junketeer. And now Amaro is out of a job.

Those who still need proof that Duterte is serious about cracking down on jet-setting officials should look no further. Or they can just wait until the next travel-happy government executive is fired. *** Speaking of removing government officials, I’ve been told that the suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman of four out of five commissioners of the

Energy Regulatory Commission isn’t as simple as it’s been made out to be. A prominent but controversial holdover in the Ombudsman’s office who wrote the suspension order supposedly just capitalized on Duterte’s warnings for the ERC to shape up to push an agenda that conveniently favored a big Yellow power industry player, I’ve been told.

The Ombudsman suspended ERC Commissioners Alfredo Non, Gloria Victoria YapTaruc, Josefina Patricia Asirit and Geronima Sta. Ana for a year without pay for allegedly favoring electric power distributor Manila Electric Co. and an affiliate company. The 2016 exemption from a required selection process intended to make the cost of

malleable as to be rendered inapplicable whenever a consideration of mercy, benevolence, charity or human-heartedness became relevant, then it would be unable to do what a law should do: Allow persons to order and direct their lives according to protected expectations. I should be able to stand at a curb and wait for a passing cab without fear of being mugged or killed—precisely because there are laws that punish these acts and that guarantee my right to life. And I think it will be readily agreed by reasonable persons that there is everything to commend the precept that the property of others should not be appropriated or converted by others. The Decalogue, in fact, sets an even more exacting standard: To covet another his goods is already to offend!

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Opinion You love capitalism YOU love capitalism. Really, you do.

And you can’t stand big government. Really, you can’t.

Don’t believe me? Then I’ll just have to prove it to you.

Do you use an iPhone? Android? Macbook? PC? Read on a Kindle?

Watch TV and movies on Netflix? Videos on YouTube?

Shop on Amazon? Zalora?

Listen to Spotify?

Search on Google?

Send money on GCash? Coins?

Grab a ride with Uber?

Drive with Waze?

Book a room with Airbnb?

Are you on Facebook? Or Instagram? Or Snapchat?

You probably use many, if not all, of these things, and, if you’re like me, you love them. In today’s world, they’re practically necessities.

Where do you think they came from?

From entrepreneurs with great ideas and the freedom to test them in the marketplace. That is what is known as . . . capitalism.

Now consider some other things you probably do: Have you been to the LTO? Gone through security at Naia?

Mailed a package at the Post Office?

Called the BIR customer service line?

Or called any government office, for that matter?

What’s the difference?

Why is going to Uniqlo so fun but going to the LTO so painful? Because one has nothing to do with government, and the other is the government. One needs to satisfy its customers to survive and grow. The other doesn’t.

The purpose of government is not to create products. And we don’t expect it to. But if you thought about it for a few moments, you’d realize you don’t want the government involved in just about anything private business can do. That’s because profit-motivated individuals have to work hard to please their customers—you. Government agencies don’t have to please anyone.

Call that BIR service line or any government service line, if you doubt me.

Can you imagine if Steve Jobs had to seek government approval for every new design of the iPhone?

We’d have been lucky to get to iPhone 3G. Look at Uber. Just a few years ago, summoning a private car and driver in a few minutes that would take you where you wanted to go was truly a service available only to the wealthiest people. But now, thanks to capitalism, private rides are an affordable option for ordinary people all over the world. Until Uber came around, if it started to rain in Manila and you wanted to grab a cab, good luck. Too many rain-drenched people and too few cabs available. Uber had a better idea. Rain falls. Demand for rides spikes. Raise prices to give more Uber drivers an incentive to hit the road.

Ride-in-the-rain problem solved.

Airbnb is another example. Only a few years ago, if you were going on vacation with your friends or family, hotels were just about your only option. But hotels are expensive and often don’t provide all that much in terms of space, amenities or interesting neighborhoods.

If you wanted to find out if individual homeowners were making their homes or condos available for a few nights, you’d have to scour internet postings.

But then Airbnb came along, giving anyone with a computer or smartphone access to over two million homes in 190 countries. You can find places with hot tubs and pools; or, if you’re on a tighter budget, you can rent a room, or even just a couch.

Government never could have done this. What motivation would it have? How would it even know we wanted services like Uber or Airbnb? We didn’t know it, until risk-taking entrepreneurs made it possible.

Thanks to capitalism. And no thanks to government which, more often than not, just gets in the way.

Why? Because the government’s knee-jerk reaction is to regulate and control everything it can regulate and control. Otherwise, what would be the purpose of many government agencies and all those bureaucrats?

Cities across the globe are putting up barriers to slow down or shut down services like Uber and Airbnb. Making rules may be the only area where the government shows creativity. Economic growth has the best chance of happening in the absence of that rulemaking.

According to economist Adam Thierer, the internet, to use just one important example, was able to develop in a regulatory climate that embraced what he calls “permissionless innovation.” This approach to regulating allows entrepreneurs to meet their customers’ needs without first seeking government approval.

In sum, almost everything you enjoy using is a product of capitalism; almost everything you can’t stand is a product of big government.

So, do you love capitalism? Of course you do. You practice it every day. It’s time to preach it.

Eric Jurado is an independent investment banker and economist.

Have...

From A4

Power Supply Agreements more reasonable was cited by Deputy Overall Ombudsman Arthur Carandang as the reason for the mass suspension,

which left only newlyappointed Chairman Agnes Devanadera on board.

If Carandang’s name sounds familiar, it’s because he was personally appointed secondin-command of the anti-corruption agency

A5

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The third-happiest nation

EVERYMAN

By Eric Jurado

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2018

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO THERE were back-toback typhoons in Visayas and Mindanao. The chief magistrate is under fire.

Congress concurs with an unconstitutional one year extension of martial law in Mindanao. The police indiscriminately shoot dead two innocent civilians in Mandaluyong on false information given by barangay officials. Monstrous vehicle traffic persists in Metro Manila. There is a daily breakdown of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3.

Millions of Filipinos are unemployed or underemployed even as the onerous “endo” or contractualization continues. Millions seek gainful employment overseas even at the cost of being separated from families. Peso bills defectively printed further undermine the sinking currency.

There are more but I don’t have all day and I

have a deadline to meet.

No, it’s not fake news but yes, the international Gallup Poll listed the Philippines as the third happiest people on the planet. Given all the prevailing problems above, we must be insanely happy or Gallup is just plain crazy for polling the Philippines third happiest nation behind Fiji and Colombia. Perhaps the pollsters sent by Gallup to the country got the impression we are a happy lot because we seem to smile a lot. In the midst of all the natural calamities, our people sing and dance away all the challenges confronting us. Just watch the daily programming on your local TV channels and you’ll know what I mean. Commuters in the long lines at MRT stations are grumbling. No, they are not saying their morning prayers.

All these ills plaguing the country are reported daily by Philippine media.

Despite all the negative news, a Monday-to-Friday early morning TV program blares “Umagang Kay

Ganda!” There is either a total disconnect from the reality on the ground or the producers of the show who, like many others, have gotten inured to the suffering around us.

Despite all the problems facing Filipinos, an estimated 200,000 people flocked to Rizal Park to celebrate the New Year.

These are mostly the poor, homeless and jobless.They brought food to picnic at the Park and enjoy the fireworks that greeted the New Year at midnight. If the rich in their gated communities can pop expensive champagne, the masses have as much right to celebrate and enjoy the traditional New Year revelry.

In their one night of fun and frolic, however, the masses also left so much garbage at the Luneta. It required eight trucks to haul away the tons of trash the revelers left behind.

God, what a country!

Bashers will probably tell me to love it or leave it.

Pointing out the country’s problems does not make

me or anyone who does less patriotic than the rest of the pack who prefer the silence of the lambs. As a former ambassador I had the opportunity to acquire residency and even citizenship in other countries where I was posted. However, I opted to stay and live in the Philippines despite its warts and all. It’s the only country I have, know, and serve.

I’m not really a disciple of doom or someone with such a gloomy outlook. I am as sanguine as the next person who hopes for deliverance.

On the bright side, we welcome the news the Land Transportation Office is going to regulate the use of dark, heavily tinted vehicle windows.

Criminals using vehicles with heavily tinted windows are difficult to identify. Given the proliferation of CCTV cameras in street corners and some neighborhoods, it is still hard to identify the culprits even if the vehicle license plates are recorded on camera.

After phasing out the old jeepneys, the LTO is planning to do the same this year with dilapidated buses and trucks that add to traffic woes in the metropolis.

While it mean the loss of livelihood for drivers and transpo operators, a lot more people will benefit in getting to their place of work on time. The government, however, must upgrade the mass rail transport system so that less motorists will be on the road. The decommissioned jeepneys, buses and trucks can be deployed in the rural areas where transportation is scarce. But these vehicles must first undergo a total mechanical checkup to avoid fatal accidents.

I’d like to end this piece on a happy note. The Philippines’ Lisa Soberano was adjudged the most beautiful face in the world by an international magazine.

Miss Soberano is truly beautiful and just looking at her face will make one forget all the problems in the world. Lucky guy, this Enrique Gil.

Injap Sia’s story billion of which Injap owned P1.64 billion. In 46 months, thus, Injap’s wealth increased 20x, from P1.64 billion to P32 billion as of yesterday.

The boy and college dropout from Iloilo was creating wealth at the rate of P14 million a day. More if you use the peak DD market cap of P126 billion.

Indeed, DoubleDragon Properties Corp. is the hottest publicly owned Philippine company today. It is Injap’s dream is to make DoubleDragon Properties one of the largest, if not the largest, and one of the most profitable, if not the most profitable, realty company in the Philippines.

Injap plans to be the biggest mall developer in the country, with 100 malls by 2020, by building malls at the rate of 25 malls per year.

His DoubleDragon has become the Philippine’s fastest growing property company—in revenues, profits, and acquisitions.

Less than three years from it’s April 2017 listing, DoubleDragon became more valuable and a more desirable stock than its much larger and older rivals.

In capital gain yield to investors, DD is the second-best after Henry Sy’s SM Prime. Barely eight years old, DD clearly now is in the Big League. It

is disrupting businesses once dominated by the Big Boys—malls or retail leasing, office space leasing, hotels, and even a new area, the wholesale rental of factory buildings and warehouse sites.

DoubleDragon Properties Corp. is a narrative of unprecedented growth and sharp focus. And if you believe investors and analysts, it is the best company to invest in—today and in the coming years.

When he was 32 and an emerging businessman from Iloilo, Injap saw an ad in a newspaper for a nationwide contest—the person to send the most number of text messages in reply to survey questions will win a brand-new car.

“That contest taught me many lessons that I still carry with me,” Injap says now.

First, “I learned how to look at things one notch deeper, to analyze situations thoroughly and approach it from different angles. Do this, and you already start from an unbeatable advantage.”

Second, “I learned how to anticipate and provide the tools that Ernie needed—in that case, food and energy drinks—that would help us successfully hit our goal.”

Third, “I learned how to audit: Every day, I would set my alarm for 3 am, when I would call Ernie.

By listening to his voice, I would know if he slept or not. I learned how to audit because there wasn’t too much of a margin for error.”

Fourth, “I learned to deliver on my commitments.”

Lesson One was the same with Mang Inasal.

Recalls Injap: “When I set it up, I tried to scan for opportunities in the universe of fast food, and saw that there were no modern fast food barbecue chains yet in the Philippines at that time. It made sense to focus on inasal, the local specialty in Western Visayas. By looking deeper and analyzing the situation closely, I realized that it was a gap that had long been open but was not filled in yet.”

On Lesson Four, says Injap, “when I won the contest and the car, I gave Ernie the exact cellphone I promised.”

There is a fifth lesson though.

Reports Injap: “When I got the car, I didn’t keep it. I had other priorities at the time, so I sold the car. I liked it very much, but that experience taught me how to be practical, and how to sacrifice.”

Finally, a very important lesson: “Winning that contest was a very important turning point,” Injap points out. “Before then, I was so intimidated by the thought of compet-

ing on a nationwide scale.

Over time, I increased my confidence by paying closer attention to details, analyzing everything possible, and looking at situations in a far deeper way, beyond what was conveniently obvious.”

Inajp built from scratch the Philippines’ biggest chicken barbecue chain and the second largest restaurant chain, after Jollibee Foods Corp. and ahead of McDonald’s. He later sold Mang Inasal to Jollibee, making for himself at least P5 billion. Today, Mang Inasal has 470 restaurants, behind Jollibee’s 1,005, McDonald’s 520, and Chowking’s 496.

In 25 years of serial entrepreneurship, Injap put up no less than a dozen enterprises, a bakery at 17, a photo developing shop at 18, a hotel at 19, a laundry shop chain at 21, the first Mang Inasal restaurant at 26, acquired and grew the Deco’s Lapaz Batchoy at 32, all in his native Iloilo.

At 33, Injap was a multibillionaire when he sold 70 percent of Mang Inasal to Jollibee; at 35, was awarded an honorary doctorate and the TOYM award for entrepreneurship. In 2016, he became the Philippines’ youngest dollar billionaire, per Forbes, with wealth of $1.2 billion.

But when one raises the question of “justice,” the discussion becomes a little more complicated because, I have frequently stressed this point, “justice” is the asymptotic horizon of the law, yes, but it cannot simplistically be reduced to the law’s demands. Justice is a moral concept.

And the matter is far from a simple opposition between a tycoon and a mallowner on the one hand versus a puny employee on the other. Nor can it merely be an issue of P35 or so (whatever a can of

the corned beef may have cost) and the millions, if not billions raked in by the entrepreneur. And a question of morality triggers an entire array of questions: Was pilfering the item the only way he could quiet his growling stomach? Could he not have asked for the item? Was he being paid a just wage? While it is a proposition of morality that can be defended that one is entitled to whatever is needed to preserve one’s life and to stave off death, was this one such situation? And while thirtyfive pesos may seem to be “de minimis” can we lay it down as a rule that as long as one is hungry and the

cost of the product does not exceed thirty-five pesos, one is entitled to it? Once more, there is the principle of Catholic social doctrine that the “right to use” is superior to “the right to own” — that ownership must not be a hindrance to the use by all of the resources of earth. But can it be reasonably said that the businessman’s ownership of the goods in the mall was a hindrance to the employee’s use of the goods of the earth? Were that the case, then would it not follow that all ownership would be repugnant to the right to use?

The entrepreneur could have chosen to be forgiv-

ing, and I have no doubt that the mall owner in question is a charitable man. Was this a failing on his part? On the other hand, were he to let the incident pass what effect would that kind of condonation have on employee discipline and morale, and ultimately on the future of his business and the viability of the employment of all others?

I am not making matters unduly complicated.

Questions of morality are complicated. Issues of law likewise are, with the difference that in the case of legal questions, there is the letter of the law to which to turn, and the body of ju-

risprudence that has grown around the law by which to be oriented. And it does us all a disservice to reduce this to a rich versus poor issue, to vilify the mall owner as heartless and remorseless, and to characterize the employee as pitiful and exploited. Simplistic reduction is always unjust, and if we cry out for justice to be done, then that should start with doing justice to the ramifications of the issue.

by then President Noynoy Aquino in 2013 upon the request of Aquino’s controversial propagandist, former broadcaster Ramon “Ricky” Carandang, his cousin. This same Carandang disclosed last August that Duterte and members of his family amassed bil-

lions of pesos that were stashed in local banks, giving credence to earlier allegations made by presidential critic Senator Antonio Trillanes.

But why would an Aquino appointee suspend officials whom Duterte himself had threatened to fire,

after the President dismissed the commission’s chairman, Jose Vicente Salazar, for grave misconduct? Did Carandang suddenly get religion and is now a Duterte Diehard Supporter?

Some people don’t believe so. They say that

Carandang is only using the President’s anger at the ERC as a cover in order to go after the enemies on the commission of a major industry player that has long supported the Aquino family.

The mass suspension of the four commissioners,

according to these observers, also has the salutary effect (for the Yellow industry player) of effectively preventing the ERC from acting as a regulator of the power sector, because it will take time to find new officials to take their place. Neat, huh?

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ ONE of the most amazing entrepreneurial stories of the past decade has been that of Edgar “Injap” Sia II. Injap’s DoubleDragon Properties, formerly Injap Land Corp., was listed at the stock exchange in April 2014, with an IPO price of P2 per share. DD gained 50 percent on its first day of listing, valuing the company at P6.687 billion.

Yesterday, Jan. 4, 2018, DD closed at P40 per share, 20x its initial offering price in 2014, and valuing the company at P89.16 billion.

Injap owns 37 percent of DD, through his holding company, Injap Investments, Inc. Jollibee’s Tony Tan Caktiong owns a similar 37 percent of DD. With 37 percent of DD, Injap is worth P32.98 billion.

DD’s share price hit its highest, P56.60 on March 21, 2017, which valued DD at P126.2 billion of which Injap owned P46.69 billion, making him a US dollar billionaire. So from nine months ago, Injap is “poorer” by P13.7 billion.

But then three years and 10 months ago at the IPO price of P2 per share, DD was worth only P4.45

A can...

From A4

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A6

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Bomb shell kills 8, wounds 5 EIGHT workers of a lumber company were killed while five others were wounded after a mortar shell the victims were tinkering with accidentally went off in Zamboanga del Norte Wednesday afternoon, police said.

Chief Insp. Helen Galvez, spokesperson of the Zamboanga Peninsula regional police, said this occurred inside the Sirawai Plywood Lumber Corp. in Sirawai town at about 5 p.m.

Galvez said the dead included four members of the Timbulaan family— Robert, 9; Loed, 8; Ben, 6; and Jeofer 18; two from the Ballamban clan—Roel, 18, and Lade, 18; Marcelo Antogan, 21 and Junrey Sango, 18.

Still confined in hospital were Lito Timbulaan, 37; Joey Sundongan, 18; Edick Malanao, 18; Arnel Quemas, 15 and Junrey Quemas, 13, police said.

Initial investigation disclosed the victim Antogan found a mortar shell in an open field inside the lumber yard and eventually brought it to their bunkhouse.

There, Antogan, with his relatives and neighbors, tried to open the mortar shell but it suddenly went off, killing six of the victims on the spot.

Two of the victims were rushed to the hospital but died minutes later.

“Surrounded by relatives and neighbors, he [Antogan] tried to pry it open, using a hammer when it suddenly exploded,” Galvez said in the report.

Police said the mortar shell was among the unexploded ammunition used in blasting a large chunk of boulders inside the company.

Authorities are still investigating how the lumber company got possession of the mortar shell and the source of the explosive.

Francisco Tuyay

2 NPAs killed in clashes

By Francisco Tuyay

T

WO New People’s Army rebels were killed while a militiaman was wounded after hostilities erupted anew, barely days after the military resumed offensive against the terrorist group after the holiday truce ended.

The killing occurred in the outskirts of Baybay City in Leyte after government troops encountered dozens of insurgents at about 10:45 p.m. Thurs-

day, the military said.

Maj. Gen. Raul Farnacio, commander of the 8th Infantry Division, reported that a composite platoon of Scout Rangers

under Lt. Edgardo Bernas Jr. were on combat mission in the vicinity of Barangay Hilapnitan when they encountered some 20 rebels.

He said the firefight lasted for almost an hour, then the rebels retreated, leaving their two comrades dead while the government suffered no casualty, the military said.

In the clearing operations, the troops recovered the two slain rebels along with an M16 rifle and an

M653 rifle, before pursuing the rebels.

It was not known where the bodies were brought to.

Fighting also erupted on two fronts at the outskirts of Compostela Valley, a day after the holiday truce, wounding a militiaman following two separate rebel attacks in military post in the villages of Marapat and Cabuyoan.

Reports said the rebels hurled an Improvised Explosive Device 15 meters

away from the Colapogan detachment in Sitio Colapogan at about 9 p.m. last Tuesday.

The wounded militiaman was identified as Jerick Ciel who sustained a forehead wound.

Few hours after the attack at the Colapogan post, the rebels attacked the Cabuyoan detachment, forcing the soldiers manning the post to retaliate.

After 15 minutes of fighting, the rebels withdrew.

Maj. Gen. Noel Clement, commander of the 10th Infantry Division, condemned the rebel attacks.

“We strongly condemn the atrocities done by the terrorist NPA even during while ceasefire is in effect.

This incident shows that the NPA is not sincere in ending their insurgency problem,” Clement said.

“It’s about time the people unite against them so that we will have peace and development in our communities,” he urged.

No flight attendant of PAL arrested

By Joel E. Zurbano

NEXT IN LINE. Old and tumbledown buses and trucks are next up for the Duterte administration’s phaseout project, some of which are already impounded at the MMDA impounding area in Marikina City. Manny Palmero

House creates one-stop shop

By Maricel V. Cruz THE House of Representatives’ committee on energy has approved a bill seeking to streamline the process of securing the necessary permits for power generation projects through an Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop (eVOSS).

The substitute bill, with Ako Bicol partylist Rep. Alfredo Garbin, seeks to ensure consumer access to quality, reliable and secure electrical power at reasonable cost through measures that guarantee supply meeting demand in a timely manner.

Recognizing the role of the private sector in energy generation and distribution, the bill—once enacted—shall help power project proponents by improving the ease of doing business and bringing down steep transaction costs associated with the numerous requisites for such projects.

The bill also seeks to improve the transparency and accountability in the process of approving power projects as a means to deliver efficient and effective service to the public.

By eliminating duplication, redundancy, and overlapping mandates in the submission and processing of requirements, the bill would help ensure timely completion of energy projects.

To achieve its goal, the bill establishes the eVOSS under the supervision of the Department of Energy.

As envisioned, the eVOSS is an online system that allows single submission and synchronous processing or required data and information.

This portal also provides a single decisionmaking avenue for actions on applications for permits and certifications. eVOSS recognizes the legal effect and validity of electronic documents submitted in relation to applications for permits and certificates for power generation, transmission, subtransmission or distribution projects.

For convenience of project proponents, it uses an online payment system for applications, and provides a secure and accessible paperless processing system.

Its advantages include a unified permitting process, uniform templates for electronic documentary requirements, and simplified manner of compliance with mandated processing time, as well as in updating and monitoring of electronic documentary requirements.

‘Fewer injuries: Pinoys embrace Duterte’s leadership’ THE chairman of the House of Representatives’ committee on appropriations on Thursday said the 68-percent decrease in firecrackerrelated injuries on New Year’s Eve proved Filipinos had embraced President Rodrigo Duterte’s brand of discipline and leadership.

“It shows that, more than ever, Filipinos are now willing to follow directives that are for the greater good. This gives me great expectations and hope for our country and our people,” Davao City

Rep. Karlo Nograles, the panel chairman, said.

Nograles said the 68-percent reduction reported by the Department of Health last Monday could be attributed in large part to an executive order signed by President Duterte way back in June 2017.

The directive, EO 28, regulates the use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices, by Filipino tradition the highlight of New Year’s Eve celebrations.

More often than not, Filipinos still go out of

their way to purchase powerful and potentially harmful fireworks in the belief these were more effective in driving away evil spirits.

To promote safety from firecracker-related injuries, the EO says “the use of firecrackers shall henceforth be confined to community fireworks display.”

“As we all know, tradition based on superstition is always hard to break.

But Filipinos have now opened their minds to President Duterte’s style of leadership, which is tough but well-meaning,” Nograles said.

“This was evident when, upon his assumption of the Palace seat in 2016, hundreds of thousands of drug suspects voluntarily surrendered to authorities. Our countrymen understood that fighting the drug menace required a collective effort, which was Duterte’s message all along,” he said.

On Monday, the DoH announced that firecracker-related injuries recorded between Dec. 21, 2017 and Jan. 1, 2018 only amounted to 191.

There were 630 such injuries tallied from Dec.

21, 2016 to Jan.5, 2017.

Nograles noted that EO 28 was very similar to the strict regulation of fireworks being observed in Davao City, which Duterte himself implemented during his years as city mayor.

“Firecrackers not only threaten to lessen one’s fingers, but they may also cause potentially deadly fires. That’s why regulating them is of utmost importance. The people of Davao has (sic) embraced this, and the rest of the country has followed suit,” he said. Maricel V. Cruz

THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines on Thursday clarified there was no flight attendant of Philippine Airlines arrested for carrying illegal substance during a flight for Australia early this week.

Both CAAP and PAL management described the report that went viral on social media as wrong information or fake news.

“In response to a recent supposed news post of an alleged arrest of a PAL flight attendant for carrying illegal substances, the CAAP denies this apparent fake news item on a PAL flight attendant who was caught carrying P1.6 million of methamphetamine on board a PAL flight bound for Australia recently,” the aviation regulatory board said in a statement.

“Reports” showed that on Tuesday, a 23-year-old flight crew was arrested for carrying almost half kilo of methamphetamine aboard a scheduled flight for Australia.

The female crew, whose name was reported withheld while investigation was ongoing, was said to have been nabbed inside the aircraft around 8:30 p.m. after authorities received a tip-off from a reliable source.

The news item said the attendant was prevented from boarding a flight bound for Perth.

PAL management immediately sought the assistance of the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation to ensure that two bogus posts on two blogspots were taken down immediately.

The airline is also considering taking legal action against the blog sites for posting a picture of a PAL cabin crew member in her uniform with a fictitious story titled “PAL FA arrested for PHP16M worth of meth.”

Henrietta Fore is new Unicef exec director

HOMELESS FAMILIES. Some 150 families or almost 900 people become homeless after 50 houses are destroyed Thursday in Galicia Street in Manila—despite firefighters’ efforts to contain the blaze. Norman Cruz

NEW YORK—Henrietta Fore recently took office as Unicef’s seventh executive director, bringing to the role more than four decades of private and public sector leadership experience.

“I am honored to be joining such a remarkable organization, which I have known and admired for many years, and look forward to continuing Unicef’’s work to help save children’s lives, fight for their rights and help them realize their potential,” Fore was quoted as saying by her representative office in Manila.

United Nations SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres appointed Fore as Unicef executive director after consultation with Unicef’s governing board.

Prior to taking up this appointment, Fore served as chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Holsman International, a manufacturing

and investment company.

From 2007 to 2009, Fore, an American national, served as both the Administrator of the US Agency for International Development and as director of United States Foreign Assistance in the US State Department.

From 2005 to 2007, Fore was undersecretary of State for Management, the chief operating officer for the US Department of State.

Prior to that, she was the 37th director of the United States Mint, a position she held from 2001 to 2005.

Earlier in her career, at USAID, she was appointed as assistant administrator for Asia and assistant administrator for Private Enterprise (1989-1993).

She also served on the Boards of the Overseas Private Investment Corp., and the Millennium Challenge Corp.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

StandardENERGY Republic of the Philippines REGULATORY COMMISSION TODAY

FCPo

=

San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF THE POWER SALES AGREEMENT BETWEEN DAVAO DEL SUR ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. AND MAPALAD PARTNERS, INC., WITH PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY,

F

=

The arithmetic average of the values as of the December 31, 2015 of the United States Consumer Price Index for all Items; as published by the International Monetary Fund, provided that if the International Monetary Fund ceases to publish such indices, the relevant indices as published by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics shall apply.

Outage Factor as derived using the following formula to be used.

Where:

ERC CASE NO. 2017-085 RC

DAVAO DEL SUR ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. AND MAPALAD PARTNERS, INC., Applicant. x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - - - - - - - - - x

F=

Where: TMED

=

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 22 September 2017, Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (DASURECO) and Mapalad Partners, Inc. (MPI) filed their Application seeking the Commission’s approval of their Power Sales Agreement (PSA), with prayer for the issuance of a provisional authority.

F

=

A copy of the COC and the application for its transfer are attached hereto as Annexes “U” and “U-1,” respectively.

RATE IMPLICATIONS OF THE POWER SALES AGREEMENT 29. In order to determine the impact of the implementation of the PSA on DASURECO’s generation costs, an analysis was conducted taking into consideration DASURECO’s projected demand for 2017and available supply from other suppliers.

1 if the foregoing formula results in F being greater than1

30. The procurement of additional supply from MPI will help provide much needed peaking power to DASURECO and, based on the analysis, will result in a downward adjustment of over 10 centavos per kWh in DASURECO’s total generation costs.

A summation of the ED & TMED for a given Contract Year shall be made to determine true F during the Contract Year. Such yearly F factor shall be basis for adjustment of the CRF for the Contract Year. The adjustment shall be guided by the following conditions:

31. The results of the said analysis are summarized in the table below.

If: ∑ED = ∑TMED,F = 1

THE APPLICANTS

2.

Monthly Actual Energy Delivered TMED

Theoretical Maximum Energy Delivered being the Contracted Capacity multiplied by the hours in the relevant month, less any adjustments made for Allowed Outage, limitation due to dispatch order, Force Majeure of the Power Station, and allowable start-up time due to period of non-generation due to a Buyer dispatch order or an Allowed Outage, and any other hours as a consequence of Buyer’s failure to perform any of its obligations

DASURECO and MPI alleged in their Application the following:

1.

A copy of the said certification is attached hereto as Annex “T.” 28. Certificate of Compliance. This Honorable Commission has issued the necessary Certificate of Compliance (“COC”) for the power station subject of the present Joint Application. The said COC was issued under the name of Mapalad Power Corporation (“MPC”), which previously had the rights over the power station prior to its assignment to MPI. Although a transfer of COC from MPI to MPC is not required under the 2014 Revised Rules for the Issuance of Certificates of Compliance, MPI nevertheless filed an application for the said transfer.

If ∑ED > ∑TMED,F> 1, excess will be carried over to the next year, if the excess is attributed to an event initiated by the Buyer calling for the dispatch of the Power Station to deviate from the agreed Dispatch and Nomination Procedures (Schedule E), and which applies only on to scheduled maintenance of these generating units.

Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (“DASURECO”) is a non-stock, nonprofit electric cooperative organized and existing under Presidential Decree No. 269, as amended, with office address at Brgy. Cogon, Digos City, Davao del Sur. DASURECO has a franchise to distribute electricity in Digos City and the Municipalities of Magsaysay, Sulop, Sta. Cruz, Hagonoy, Malalag, Bansalan, Padada, Matanao and Kibalawan in the province of Davao del Sur, and the Municipalities of Don Marcelino, Jose Abad Santos, Malita, Santa Maria and Sarangani in the province of Davao Occidental.

If: ∑ED < ∑TMED,F < 1 1.2

Mapalad Partners, Inc. (“MPI”) is a corporation duly authorized and existing under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with principal address at 4th Floor, Alphaland Southgate Tower, corner EDSA and 2258 Chino Roces Avenue extension, Makati City.

Fixed Operation & Maintenance Fee (FOMF)

The Fixed Operation and Maintenance Fee (FOMF) covers the operating and maintenance costs of the Power Station. It shall be computed according to the following formula:

Copies of MPI’s Certificate of Incorporation, Articles of Incorporation (“AOI”), Certificate of Filing of Amended AOI with the attached Amended AOI, By-Laws, latest General Information Sheet, Audited Financial Statements, and MPI’s corporate structure are attached hereto as Annexes “A” and series.

3.

Joint Applicants may be served orders and other processes through the undersigned counsel.

NATURE OF THE APPLICATION

4.

Pursuant to Rule 20 (B) of the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure, approved by this Honorable Commission on 22 June 2006 in Resolution No. 38, Series of 2006, this Application is submitted to this Honorable Commission for its review and approval of the Power Sales Agreement (“PSA”) dated 22 November 2016 between DASURECO and MPI. A copy of the PSA is attached hereto as Annex “B.”

Where: FOMR CPIn

= =

CPIo

=

USDn

=

USDo

=

Fixed O&M Fee Rate of Php 194.3778/kw/month Consumer Price Index for Metropolitan Manila Area (National Capital Region), all items published by NEDA/NSO for the period of price determination Consumer Price Index for Metropolitan Manila Area (National Capital Region), all items published by NEDA/NSO for September 2013 (at 126.9, 2006 = 100) USD-Peso Exchange Rate for the period of price determination as published by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas USD-Peso Exchange Rate is at Php43/USD1

COMPLIANCE WITH PRE-FILING REQUIREMENTS 5.

In compliance with Rule 6 of the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure, Joint Applicants have furnished the legislative bodies of each of the local government units where they principally operate a copy of the present Application with all its annexes and accompanying documents.

F= TMED

=

Furthermore, Joint Applicants have caused the publication of the present Application in its entirety, excluding its annexes, in a newspaper of general circulation within DASURECO’s franchise area.

F

=

STATEMENT OF FACTS Necessity for Power Supply. MPI currently supplies 15 MW to DASURECO under an existing Power Sales Agreement dated 16 October 2013 (the “First PSA”) from the generation facilities located in the premises of DASURECO in Brgy. Cogan, Digos City, Davao del Sur (the “MPI Power Station”).

8.

The First PSA is expiring on 28 December 2017, or until receipt of a provisional or final approval of the PSA from this Honorable Commission, whichever is earlier. Upon the expiration of the First PSA, DASURECO will immediately lose 15 MW of supply.

9.

32. As mentioned above, the financial model attached as Annex “N” is hereby submitted under a motion to treat information confidential.

33. The financial model discloses the basis for the tariff under the PSA. It includes all the formulas and calculations as well as the assumptions and values considered therein.

34. In accordance with Section 1, Rule 4 of this Honorable Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (“ERC Rules”), Applicant MPI respectfully moves that the financial model be treated as confidential information for the following reasons:

1 if the foregoing formula results in F being greater than1 A summation of the ED & TMED for a given Contract Year shall be made to determine true F during the Contract Year. Such yearly F factor shall be basis for adjustment of the CRF for the Contract Year. The adjustment shall be guided by the following conditions:

Copies of the newspaper and the corresponding affidavit of publication are attached hereto as Annexes “D” and “D-1,” respectively.

7.

MOTION FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT OF INFORMATION

Theoretical Maximum Energy Delivered being the Contracted Capacity multiplied by the hours in the relevant month, less any adjustments made for Allowed Outage, limitation due to dispatch order, Force Majeure of the Power Station, and allowable start-up time due to period of nongeneration due to a Buyer dispatch order or an Allowed Outage, and any other hours as a consequence of Buyer’s failure to perform any of its obligations

The corresponding proofs of receipt are attached hereto as Annexes “C” and series.

6.

A copy of the said analysis is attached hereto as Annex “V.”

Monthly Actual Energy Delivered TMED

34.1. The financial model qualifies as a “trade secret” as contemplated under existing jurisprudence.

34.2. In the case “Air Philippines Corporation vs. Pennswell Inc,”1 the Supreme Court defined “trade secret” as follows:

If: ∑ED = ∑TMED,F = 1

“A trade secret is defined as a plan or process, tool, mechanism or compound known only to its owner and those of his employees to whom it is necessary to confide it. The definition also extends to a secret formula or process not patented, but known only to certain individuals using it in compounding some article of trade having commercial value. A trade secret may consist of any formula, pattern, device, or compilation of information that (1) is used in one’s business; and (2) gives the employer an opportunity to obtain advantage over competitors who do not possess the information.

Generally, a trade secret is a process or device intended for continuous operation of the business, for example, a machine or formula, but can be a price list or catalogue or specialized customer list. It is indubitable that trade secrets constitute proprietary rights.”

If ∑ED > ∑TMED,F> 1, excess will be carried over to the next year, if the excess is attributed to an event initiated by the Buyer calling for the dispatch of the Power Station to deviate from the agreed Dispatch and Nomination Procedures (Schedule E), and which applies only on to scheduled maintenance of these generating units.

If ∑ED < ∑TMED,F< 1 1.3. Variable Operation & Maintenance Fee (VOMF)

Procurement Process for Supply. Thus, DASURECO executed efforts to procure the appropriate power supply to replace the 15 MW.

The Variable Operation arid Maintenance Fee (VOMF) covers the cost of the use of, among other items, chemicals, lubricants and spare parts, that are directly related to the generation of the Power Station. It shall be computed according to the following formula:

10. In compliance with ERC Resolution No. 13, Series of 2015, DASURECO conducted a competitive selection process (“CSP”) in the procurement of its supply.

35. Also, the financial model was prepared and developed for the exclusive use of MPI, and is designed for the specific use of the company in its power generation business. Consequently, should the financial model be disclosed to the public, it could easily be copied or used by MPI’s competitors or other entities engaged in the power business for their own benefit, and to the prejudice of MPI. Thus, the commercial value of the said model will be diminished significantly.

Copies of a write-up on the process and the relevant CSP documents are hereto attached as Annexes “E” and series.

11.

NPC Certification. DASURECO has formally requested the National Power Corp. (“NPC”) for a certification on whether it will have available capacity and energy to supply DASURECO during the term of the PSA. NPC has not yet formally responded to such request.

A copy of the said request is attached hereto as Annex “F.”

12. Supply from PSALM. DASURECO and the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (“PSALM”) have a Contract for the Supply of Electric Energy (“CSEE”). The CSEE is in force until 25 December 2017 only based on the Letter of Agreement dated 1 December 2016.

A copy of the said Letter of Agreement is attached hereto as Annex “G.”

Where: VOMF VOMFR ED USDn

= = = =

USDo CPin

= =

CPio

=

13. Urgency of Supply. In order to help ensure sufficiency of power supply to DASURECO’s customers, the supply under the PSA must be already available at the expiration of the aforementioned supply agreement.

Copies of DASURECO’s DDP and supply-demand projections are attached to the Application as Annexes “H” and “I,” respectively.

16. Demand Side Management. A certification from DASURECO as regards demand side management is attached hereto as Annex “J.” 17. Under the law, no contract for the supply of power can become legally effective unless approved by this Honorable Commission. Hence, this Joint Application.

38. Further, all parties furnished copies of the present Application are not furnished copies of the documents subject of the present motion.

39. In accordance with Sections 3 and 4, Rule 4 of the ERC Rules, Applicant MPI reserves the right to use the financial model and its contents as evidence, and respectfully moves for the issuance of a Protective Order.

ALLEGATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY 40. As discussed above, DASURECO and MPI have an existing supply agreement dated 16 October 2013 for the supply of 15 MW from the MPI Power Station.

The Actual Fuel Cost (AFC) is the fee paid to the Seller as payment for the procurement and delivery of the fuel oil (Diesel) used in the operation of the WMPC Power Station. The Actual Fuel Cost shall be computed as follows:

41. The aforementioned supply contract will expire on 28 December 2017, or until receipt of a provisional or final approval of the PSA from this Honorable Commission, whichever is earlier. Upon the expiration of the said supply contract, DASURECO will immediately lose 15 MW of supply.

AFC = FCR X Specific Fuel Oil Consumption x ED Where: FCR

=

Specific Fuel Oil Consumption ED

=

42. Hence, unless a provisional approval is received before 28 December 2017, DASURECO will immediately lose 15 MW of supply after the said date. Thus, in order to help ensure sufficiency of power supply to DASURECO’s customers, a provisional approval of the supply under the PSA must be already available before the said date.

Fuel Price of Diesel Fuel Oil based on the weighted average of all fuel delivered during the billing period. =

0.265 liter/kWh

43. Since the issuance of a final approval the Joint Application may take some time due to the time needed by the ERC in evaluating the said Application, it would be best for DASURECO to have an available provisional authority by the time the PSA expires.

kWh delivered during the billing period 1.5 Value Added Tax

44. Since the MPI Power Station is already existing and operating, it can readily supply power to DASURECO under the PSA as soon as the prayer for provisional authority is granted.

The relative Value Added Taxes (“VAT”) of the above fee payments 12% shall be computed as follows:

ABSTRACT OF THE POWER SALES AGREEMENT AND RELATED INFORMATION 18. The Generation Facilities. MPI shall supply power under the PSA using leased modular diesel-fired power generating plants with a total net output of fifteen (15) MW located in the premises of DASURECO in Brgy. Cogon, Digos City, Davao del Sur.

37. In accordance with Section 1 (b), Rule 4 of the ERC Rules, an electronic copy of the financial model is contained in one compact disc and submitted in a sealed envelope marked with the word “Confidential.”

1.4. Actual Fuel Cost (AFC)

14. Since the MPI Power Station is already existing and operating, it can readily supply power to DASURECO immediately after the expiration of the First PSA provided the prayer for provisional authority is granted.

15. Demand Projections. Moreover, the supply from the MPI Power Station will help address the expected steady increase in the power demand in DASURECO’s franchise area. The expected increase is indicated in DASURECO’s Distribution Development Plan (“DDP”) and supply-demand projections.

36. Given the foregoing, the financial model qualifies as “confidential information” as defined under Section 2, Rule 4 of the ERC Rules.

Variable O&M Fee, in Pesos Variable O&M Fee Rate of Php 0.59/kWh kWh delivered during the billing period USD-Peso Exchange Rate for the period of price determination as published by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas USD-Peso Exchange Rate is at Php43/USD1 Consumer Price Index for Metropolitan Manila Area (National Capital Region), all items published by NEDA/NSO for the period of price determination Consumer Price Index for Metropolitan Manila Area (National Capital Region), all items published by NEDA/NSO for September 2013 (at 126.9, 2006 =100)

VAT= (CRF + FOMF+VOMF +AFC+ Start- Up Cost) x0.12

45. In view of the foregoing, Joint Applicants respectfully move for the provisional approval of the instant Application pursuant to Rule 14 of the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure.

1.6 Start-Up Costs (SC) The Buyer, on a pro rata basis of the capacity of the Power Station allocated to the Buyer, shall pay the Seller Start-Up Costs for the cost of starting up the WMPC Power Station after a period of shutdown due to any reason attributable to the Buyer. The Start-Up Costs shall be computed based on the prevailing price of diesel fuel at the time of the Start Up and paid in accordance with the following:

19. The MPI Power Station consists of 16 units of diesel generator sets and auxiliaries, with a total installed capacity of 1,070 kW per unit; 4 units of transformer package; 1 unit each of control room, switch gear, and oil water separator; diesel fuel tanks with auxiliaries and water tanks; 1 unit each of workshop and of office; and a transmission line from the MPI Power Station to DASURECO’s substation.

A copy of a sworn statement supporting the said motion is attached hereto as Annex “W.” INAPPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS 46. Certain documentary requirements contained in this Honorable Commission’s Checklist of Pre-Filing Requirements for Applications for Approval of Power Supply Agreement are not applicable to the present Joint Application.

A brief description of the technical characteristics of the MPI Power Station is attached hereto as Annex “K.”

A written explanation on the inapplicability of the said requirements is attached hereto as Annex “X.”

20. The Specific Fuel Oil Consumption (“SFOC”) rate of the MPI Power Station shall not be greater than 0.265 liter/kWh at site condition of 32 deg. C ambient temperature, and is based on the Plant’s use of diesel fuel with a density of 0.85 kilogram/liter.

A copy of a certification on the MPI Power Station’s SFOC rate is attached hereto as Annex “L.” 21. Salient Features of the PSA. 21.1. Supply of Power Requirements. Under the PSA, MPI shall make available, reserve, guarantee and deliver to DASURECO the contracted electric power (“Contracted Capacity”) of fifteen (15) MW and the Dispatchable Energy, as indicated in and subject to the terms and conditions of the PSA. 21.2. MPI shall have the option of supplying the Contracted Capacity or any part thereof, from other sources, provided that the cost of such supply is lower than or equal to the cost of supply from the MPI Power Station.

The cost of such alternative supply to DASURECO shall be a full passthrough cost to DASURECO. 21.3. Commencement of Supply. MPI shall commence supplying power on the date designated by MPI to DASURECO in writing as the date on which the MPI Power Station is ready to commence supply (“Commencement Date”).

21.4. Term. The term of supply and purchase under the PSA shall be for ten (10) years from the Commencement Date, unless otherwise extended or renewed by mutual agreement of the parties in writing.

21.5. Effective Date. The obligations under the PSA shall become effective on the Effective Date, which shall be upon this Honorable Commission’s approval of the PSA, including the pricing structure therein.

21.6. Transfer of Ownership. Ten (10) years after the Commencement Date, MPI shall transfer to DASURECO, the ownership of the MP! Power Station, free from any lien or encumbrance.

22. Purchased Power Rate. For the capacity drawn by DASURECO to MPI, DASURECO shall pay the monthly payments based on the following formulae: 1.

Monthly Payments The Monthly Payments shall be paid to the Seller on a monthly basis in accordance with the following formula:

Monthly Payments = CRF+ FOMF+VOMF +AFC+ SC+Taxes Where: CRF FOMF VOMF AFC SC Taxes

= = = = = =

Capital Recovery Fees Fixed Operation and Maintenance Fee Variable Operation and Maintenance Fee Actual Fuel Cost Start-Up Costs Value-Added Tax and other applicable taxes, if any 1.1 Capital Recovery Fee (CRF) CRF shall be computed as follows:

Type of Start-Up

Liters of Diesel Fuel Per Generator Set

Cold Start-up (more than 10 hours of shutdown)

60

Warm Start-up (less than 10 hours of shutdown)

40

1.

issue an Order declaring the financial model attached hereto as Annex “N” as confidential information within the purview of Rule 4 of the ERC Rules, as well as directing that the financial model be treated with confidentiality and be protected from public disclosure;

22.1. Sample computation. For reference, a sample computation of the rate is contained in Schedule C of the PSA.

2.

issue the corresponding Protective Order in accordance with Section 2 and 4 of the said Rule 4;

22.2. Equivalent PhP /kWh computation. A computation of the equivalent PhP / kWh for the fixed fees is attached hereto as Annex “M.”

3.

immediately issue an Order provisionally approving the present Joint Application; and

4.

after due hearing, render judgment approving the Power Sales Agreement subject of the instant Joint Application, as well as the generation rate and adjustment mechanisms indicated therein.

22.3. Basis for indexation. As indicated in the formulas above, the monthly fees to be paid by DASURECO are subject to adjustments based on various indices or factors in order to properly reflect the fluctuation of MPI’s costs in producing electricity.

= = =

USDo FCPn

= =

Capital Recovery Fee Rate of PHP 488.21/kw/month 15,000kW Average USD-Peso Exchange Rate for the month as published by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas USD-Peso Exchange Rate is at Php43/USD1 The arithmetic average of the values of the United States Consumer Price Index for all Items, as last published on or before the last day of such billing month by the International Monetary Fund; provided that if the International Monetary Fund ceases to publish such indices, the relevant indices as published by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics shall apply.

Joint Applicants pray for other just and equitable relief under the premises.

The components of the fees representing foreign currency-denominated costs are adjusted based on the foreign exchange rate and the appropriate price indices; those representing local costs are adjusted based on local price indices. The Actual Fuel Costs vary based on the cost of fuel purchases.

The Commission has set the Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on 30 January 2018 (Tuesday) at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.) at DASURECO’s Main Office in Brgy. Cogon, Digos City, Davao del Sur.

22.5. Financial Model. A copy of MPI’s financial model for the tariff is attached hereto as Annex “N.” As discussed below, the financial model is the subject of a Motion for Confidential Treatment of Information.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant case may become a party by filing with the Commission a verified Petition to Intervene at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure, indicating therein the docket number and title of the case and stating the following:

224.

23. Sources of Funds/Financial Plans 23.1. Cost of Equity. The project will be funded by equity. A breakdown of the cost of equity is attached here to as Annex “O.” 23.2. Project Cost. A breakdown of the total project cost for the MPI Power Station is attached hereto as Annex “P.” 24. Cash Flow.

24.1. Breakdown of Operating and Maintenance Expenses. A breakdown of the projected operating expenses is attached hereto as Annex “Q.” 24.2. Offtake Arrangement. Under the PSA, MPI shall make available, reserve, guarantee and deliver to DASURECO the Contracted Capacity, and DASURECO shall pay for such quantity of electric power. MPI shall utilize such Contracted Capacity to generate energy for DASURECO. 24.3. There is no minimum energy offtake under the PSA. As MPI will dedicate the Contracted Capacity to DASURECO, the Capital Recovery and the Fixed Operations and Maintenance Fees are computed based on the Contracted Capacity as well as on the proportion of actual energy delivered to the energy that could have been delivered.

24.4. Also, the capacity to be provided by MPI shall always be the Contracted Capacity. In case the actual capacity delivered by MPI, as per dispatch order or limitation of DASURECO for a given billing month is less than the Contracted Capacity, the difference between the actual capacity utilized by DASURECO and Contracted Capacity for that billing month shall be deemed delivered to and utilized by DASURECO. 25. Fuel supply. The fuel necessary for the operations of the MPI Power Station will be supplied by the supplier who offered the best terms after offers were solicited from reputable suppliers in the area.

Where: CRFR CC USDn

PRAYER WHEREFORE, premises considered, Joint Applicants DASUERCO and MPI respectfully pray that this Honorable Commission:

1.

The petitioner’s name and address;

2.

The nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and

3.

A statement of the relief desired.

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may file their Opposition or Comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before Applicants rest their case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following: 1.

The name and address of such person;

2.

A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and

3.

The grounds relied upon.

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicants that they be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing. Applicants are hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours.

WITNESS, the Honorable Chairperson and CEO AGNES VST DEVANADERA and the Honorable Commissioners ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAP-TARUC, and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 11th day of December 2017 in Pasig City.

FOR AND BY AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION

A copy of the relevant fuel supply agreement is attached hereto as Annexes “R.” 26. Environmental Compliance Requirements. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has issued the necessary Environmental Compliance Certificate (“ECC”) covering the MPI Power Station.

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal Service

A copy of the ECC is attached hereto as Annex “S.” 27. DOE Certification. The Department of Energy (“DOE”) has certified that the capacity of the MPI Power Station is consistent with the DOE’s Power Development Plan.

1

G. R. No. 172835, 13 December 2007.

(MS-JAN. 5, 2018))

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

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

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2018

Celtics trounce Cavs; IT receives ovation WASH I NGTON —Ter r y Rozier scored 20 points off the Boston bench to lead six double-figure scorers Wednesday and the Celtics routed visiting Cleveland 102-88 in an NBA Eastern Conference showdown.

Jayson Tatum and reserve Marcus Smart each scored 15 points, Jaylen Brown added 14 points and Kyrie Irving and Al Horford each contributed 11 and nine rebounds as the East-leading Celtics improved to 31-10.

“That shows what type of team we are,” Rozier said of the Celtics’ scoring depth.

“From day one we’ve always had that next man up mentality and we’ve kept it going.”

LeBron James led Cleveland with 19 points and added seven rebounds and six assists but the Cavaliers (25-13) had a season-low point total.

“Their defense was very good. They were very in tune to what we wanted to do execution-wise offensively,” James said. “They had a good defensive plan and they executed very well.”

Cavaliers big man Kevin Love injured his right ankle.

He had only two points on 1-of-11 shooting.

Cleveland’s Isaiah Thomas sat out a night after making his season debut, missing more than two months with a hip injury after being traded from the Celtics in the deal that sent Irving to Boston.

“I don’t know who we are and who we can be until we get it back consistently,” James said. “We haven’t played well as of late so we are trying to figure that out as well. We will be fine, though.”

Thomas exchanged hugs and smiles with his former teammates and when he was shown on the scoreboard videoscreen, Boston fans responded with a standing ovation. AFP

PH baseball team to be formed April

By Peter Atencio THE selection process and the training of members of the national team that could be sent to qualifying tournaments for the 2017 Asian Games will start April.

That’s when the coming season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines baseball tournament concludes and players from competing teams will be available.

Philippine Amateur Baseball Association secretarygeneral Chito Loyzaga said this as they await the start of the UAAP season 80 tournament this February.

“I’m sure that most of the players who will be joining will come from teams in the UAAP,” said Loyzaga.

The Ateneo Blue Batters will defend the crown after emerging undefeated last season.

Recently, the Blue Batters won the title in the recent WBSC Hong Kong International Baseball Open 2017 that was held from Dec. 14 to 17 in Kowloon, Hong Kong.

This gave the Blue Batters their third title in three appearances in the tournament.

The Blue Batters also won in 2014 and 2016.

They played against three other clubs hailing from Hong Kong, China and Australia.

The Blue Batters opened their international stint against Sydney University Baseball Club, with Radito Banzon leading Ateneo to a 12-7 victory over Sydney.

Terry Rozier of the Boston Celtics handles the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics won, 102-88. AFP

Champion Arellano U lives up to top billing A

RELLANO University opened its titleretention bid on a winning note as it overpowered Mapua, 25-10, 25-17, 2513, Wednesday in the women’s division of the 93rd NCAA volleyball tournament at the Filoil Arena in San Juan City.

Favored to win it all this season after retaining the core of their champion team last year, the Lady Chiefs didn’t miss a beat and came through with a quick, merciless straight-set victory to jumpstart its campaign.

Regine Arocha led the way with 12 points, but it was back-up setter Sarah Princess Verutiao, who

stepped up huge as she came through with 28 excellent hits on top of six hits in the absence of starter Rhea Ramirez, who was rested due to a shoulder injury.

Earlier, San Sebastian College leaned on a compact seven-player line up as it downed a listless Emilio Aguinaldo College, 25-16,

25-19, 25-16, to jumpstart its campaign.

Left with just seven warm bodies after the eighth of the nine players they enlisted—Julie Ann Tiangco—injured her knee a couple of weeks back, the Lady Stags made the most out it and made short work of the Lady Generals to claim their first victory.

All but one of the seven players contributed at least a point with skipper Joyce Sta. Rita, Dangie Encarnacion, Nikka Dalisay and Daurene Santos all coming up big by unloading 13 hits each.

Dannah Amponin

Games today (Jan. 5) (Filoil Arena, San Juan) 8 a.m.- CSB vs CSJL (jrs) 9:30 a.m.- CSB vs CSJL (m) 11 a.m.- CSB vs CSJL (w) 12:30 p.m.- JRU vs SBC (w) 2 p.m.- JRU vs SBC (m)

chipped in six, while libero Alyssa Eroa sneaked in a point.

Setter Vira Guillema ended up scoreless, but she was the fire that kept their attacking game going with 28 excellent sets.

“We expect a tough season because we lost a lot of players,” said SSC coach Roger Gorayeb in Filipino.

“We would be happy to just survive and maybe finish in the Final Four.”

The win also officially ushered in the post-Grethcel Soltones era for the Lady Stags as their three-time league MVP already played her final season last year.

Gorayeb said it could be a blessing in disguise for his team.

“In the past seasons, the players were relying too much on Grethcel. I hope it works the other way around this year for us and the players start working and playing hard themselves,” he said.

Eagle boosts Saso’s lead to 5 CALAMBA, Laguna—Amateur Yuka Saso gunned down a late eagle to spike a brilliant five-under 67 and threatened to smother the pro field with a whopping five-stroke lead over Pauline del Rosario and Thai Ploychompoo Wirairungreung after two rounds of the ICTSI Ayala Greenfield Ladies Challenge here yesterday.

Making up for her midround meltdown that enabled Thais Thanuttra Boonraksasat and Wirairungreung to grab a share of the first day honors at 72 Wednesday, Saso tamed the wind and the undulating surface of Ayala Greenfield Golf and Country Club with superb shotmaking, iron game and putting.

She hit two early birdies, negated a bogey on No.

5 with another birdie on the next then hit another birdie on No. 13 before capping her 34-33 card with a spectacular eagle on the par-5 17th off a solid 50-degree wedge shot from 80 yards that bounced once and rolled into the cup.

And while her fancied pro rivals hobbled on the hilly layout in windy condition and struggled on the tricky surface, the 16-year-old FilJapanese made it look easy and moved 18 holes away from humbling an elite pro cast with a 36-hole aggregate of five-under 139.

“I was just lucky to score this low as strong winds lashed the course all day. It was really fantastic,” said Saso, who also pounced on del Rosario and Wirairungreung’s shaky

finish to storm to a five-stroke lead heading to the last 18 holes of the P750,000 tournament sponsored by ICTSI. Del Rosario actually moved within one off Saso with a 33 start but the newly crowned Ladies Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit winner bogeyed two of the last five holes for a 70 while the Thai bogeyed No. 17 for a second straight 72 as they shared second with 144s.

Four Thais took the next spots but Punpaka Phuntumabamrung lay seven shots behind at 146 after a 72, Chonlada Chayanun pooled a 148 with a 73, Saraporn Chamchi matched par 72 for a 149 and Thanuttra Boonsarat skied to a 78 for a 150.

Yuka Saso celebrates her eagle on No. 17 that put her five strokes away from two rivals.

Castro, Hwang wrest control in PH Amateur Open SILANG, Cavite—Luis Castro and Korean Hwang Min-jeong battled through sun, drizzle and gale-force winds and came away with a 70 and 67, respectively, as they seized the lead in their respective sides at the start of the 2018 Philippine Amateur Open Championship at Riviera Golf and Country Club’s Couples course here yesterday.

Castro and Hwang leaned on their backside charge to take control with the former, seeking a follow-up to his inau-

gural Aguinaldo Open romp last year, hitting three birdies against a bogey for a 36-34 card and a three-stroke lead over Thai Nopparat Panichphon, Rupert Zaragosa and Korean Tom Kim. Aidric Chan, winner of last year’s NGAP Northern Luzon Regional, and Paolo Wong, who bagged the National Doubles title with Don Petil two weeks ago, also came up with late two-under cards to force a three-way tie for the lead in men’s play.

Hwang, on the other hand, sizzled with a four-birdie binge to post a huge four-shot margin over Korean Lee Ji Hyeon in the women’s division of the 72-hole championship sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation and backed by One Tagaytay Place Hotel Suites as official hotel Zaragosa, a former champion, and Cebu’s Weiwei Gao actually wrested control with 35s at the front but wavered in the last nine holes. Zaragosa

reeled from a double-bogey mishap on No. 15 while Gao faded with a bogeymarred 40.

Panichphon, meanwhile, fought back from a three-over card with backto-back birdies from No. 16 as the Thai moved into early contention in the country’s premier event serving as part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour.

Kim also squandered a frontside 34 with a closing 39 as he slid to joint second.

Alforque, Lazaro in Andrada net finals VENZ Alforque and Jules Lazaro lived up to expectations yesterday and reached the finals of the boys’ 18-under class in the 29th Adrada Cup agegroup tennis tournament at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Alforque, the top seed from Cebu, posted a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Darrylon Alano while Lazaro, the No. 2 seed from Malabon, advanced by beating Genemar Gerrick Zuno, 6-3, 6-1.

They will dispute the title today, the final day of the country’s longestrunning grassroots tennis tournament put up by former Philippine Lawn Tennis Association president Salvador Andrada.

The finals in the other age brackets will also be played today.

Lazaro, who turned 16 last October, was first to advance to the finals then spent time watching Alforque, a player he had never seen before, in action.

“All I know is that he’s the top seed and he’s a hard-hitter and that he’s also entered in the 16-under, a double entry,” said Lazaro of Alforque.

In the girls’ 18-under class, top seed Melanie Faye Dizon defeated Virvien Bejosano, 6-0, 6-2 to arrange a semis date with Gab Zoleta, a 6-2, 6-3 winner over Bianca Pica.

Also in the semis are Jhastine Red Ballado, who outlasted No. 4 Trace Llamas, 6-2, 2-6, 10-8, and Althea Fay Ong, who stunned No. 2 Angelica Alacala, 6-2, 6-1.

In the 14-under class, advancing to the boys’ semis are No. 1 Marc Andrei Jarata versus No. 5 Jude Hidaldo and No. 3 Exequiel Jucutan versus No. 2 Axl Lajon Gonzaga. In the girls’ side, in the finals are the top two seeds, Khyshana Brazal and Angeline Alacala.

SEA Games gold medalists lead PRUride PH cast SOUTHEAST Asian Games gold medalists Mark John Lexer Galedo and Marella Vania Salamat will head the men and women elite cast seeing action in the Pru Life UK’s PRUride PH 2018 beginning next weekend starting on Jan. 11 in Subic and Bataan and on Jan. 21 at McKinley West in Taguig City.

Free registration—through the official website http://PRUride.PH! — awaits Union Cycliste Internationale

license holders in the men and women elite, men and women under-23 and men and women junior categories for the PRUride PH Professional Road Race.

Besides the honor of wearing the national champion’s jersey to be awarded by the sanctioning Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling), the national federation for the sport, a total cash prize of more than P1 million will go to the top finishers in all categories—plus the chance

to ride in the Prudential RideLondon 2018 in July, all expenses paid.

The champions of the men and women elite categories for both PRUride Professional Road Race and PRUride Criterium will receive P50,000 each, while the men under-23 category winners for all races will bring home P20,000 each.

The prizes in the men elite races are scaled down to the 20th place with the second and third placers getting

P25,000 and P15,000, respectively.

The 136-kilometer road race for men and 120-km for women elite and men juniors is set simultaneously on Jan. 12 on a route that will start and finish at the Subic Bay Exposition and Convention Center. The route includes an arduous climb atop Mount Samat and a punishing ride over the hills of Morong in Bataan.

The individual time trial for all categories, meanwhile, will be staged the

next day on Jan. 13 over a 30-km (for professionals) or a 15-km course (for amateurs) also on an out-and-back course at SBECC. PRUride PH 2018 also offers the 100- and 50-kilometer Gran Fondo events on Jan. 14 in Subic.

Riders can also choose among the lineup of 14 race subcategories and display their skills on a circuit in the criterium race set on Jan. 21 at McKinley West.

Fruit juice firm bares IPO, taps First Metro

7 companies submit bids to build $2-b LNG facility

By Alena Mae S. Flores STATE-OWNED Philippine National Oil Co. said it received seven unsolicited proposals from the private sector to develop the country’s first integrated liquefied natural gas facility estimated to cost $2 billion.

The unsolicited proposals, submitted to PNOC’s technical working group, include the offers of Korea Electric Power Co., Lloyds Energy Group, China National Offshore Oil Corp., Energy World Corp., PT. Jaya Samudra Karunia and PT PGN LNG Indonesia/PT Bosowa Corporindo with local partner MOF Corp.

The seven proposals beat the deadline set by PNOC for submission, which was originally set for Dec. 31 but was later moved to Jan 3.

“Kepco’s [proposal] was returned because it did not comply with the requirements of an unsolicited proposal and they did not resubmit. Lloyds Energy’s first proposal was also returned but they resubmitted ahead of the other proponents and their proposal is the one being currently evaluated,” PNOC spokesman Ryan Tanjuatco said.

Tanjuatco said PNOC, together with its consultant, would evaluate all the proposals.

PNOC said a decision would be issued soon, as Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi announced that he wanted the groundbreaking of the LNG facility this year.

Cusi said he wanted the Philippines to become a trading hub of LNG once the terminal was completed.

PNOC intends to complete the integrated LNG terminal by 2020 or 2021, in time for the anticipated depletion of the Malampaya gas project in northwest Palawan by 2024. The Malampaya consortium said, however, natural gas from the Malampaya field could now last until 2027.

Lloyds is a Dubai-based company specializing in LNG development while CNOOC is one of China’s biggest energy firms.

CNOOC initially submitted its offer to the Energy Department but later on revised it for submission to PNOC.

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Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2018

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2018 growth seen topping 7%

By Julito G. Rada

F

IRST Metro Investment Corp., the investment banking arm of the Metrobank Group, said Thursday the economy is expected to grow between 7 percent and 7.5 percent this year, on the back of robust demand, the implementation of the first package of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program and the construction of massive infrastructure projects.

“We expect the growth of gines of growth are up and the Philippine economy to running at a faster pace,” accelerate this year. All en- First Metro president Rab-

boni Francis Arjonillo said in a news briefing in Makati City. The gross domestic product expanded 6.7 percent in the first three quarters of 2017 from a year ago.

“The country’s economy will remain as the best performing in Asean. We are experiencing a demographic sweet spot that will continue to push consumption expenditure. There’s a revival in manufacturing, and the country’s external position is strong,” Arjonillo said.

He said with the passage of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act, the government’s

‘Build, Build, Build’ program was anticipated to go “full steam ahead,” which would drive economic expansion further.

Under the program, the government wants to build more roads, bridges, airports, seaports, railways, water and irrigation projects around the country to spur more economic activities.

A 24-kilometer subway is planned to be constructed in Metro Manila to decongest the metropolis of heavy traffic.

Arjonillo said infrastructure spending as a percentage of GDP was anticipated

to grow by 6.1 percent this year.

Arjonillo said other factors that could drive economic growth faster this year are the rebound in exports, stable remittances from overseas Filipino workers, business process outsourcing revenues and growth in the tourism industry.

University of Asia & the Pacific professor Victor Abola said the massive infrastructure projects would be a critical factor for the faster growth of the economy. “A 7 to 8 percent growth with low inflation is doable until

BSP ready to adjust rates to curb prices

MOBILE ATM.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., one of the largest universal banks, introduces the country’s first neighborhood automated teller machine that enables the bank’s customers to do various regular banking transactions even through sari-sari stores, giving more Filipinos flexibility and accessibility when it comes to managing their finances. Tap N Wash Express Laundry, a small business enterprise in Parañaque City, is one of the first merchants of RCBC’s Cash Express Service. An RCBC customer support representative explains the contents of the Cash Express sales kit.

Mindanao power spot market delayed to Q4

COMMERCIAL operations of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market in Mindanao may be pushed back to October, the Energy Department said.

Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said some technicalities still needed to be resolved to activate WESM. “It’s been moved to June, second quarter but it could also be pushed back further to the last quarter, around October,” Fuentebella said.

The department earlier announced the launch of WESM Mindanao in the second quarter of 2018.

WESM is a centralized venue for buyers and sellers to trade electricity as a commodity where prices are based on actual use (demand) and availability (supply).

WESM began commercial operations in Luzon in June 2006 and in the Visayas in December 2010. It was created under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 to reflect the actual cost of electricity and reduce power prices through a more efficient production through competition.

Fuentebella said the Philippine Electricity Market Corp., operator of WESM, reported that the New Market Management System for WESM Mindanao remained to be completed.

“The system that PEMC is auditing to make it five minute intervals is taking longer so they are looking at October to make it online and applicable…We also target WESM Mindanao for June due to the readiness of the players,” he said.

Alena Mae S. Flores

IN BRIEF PCC clears FamilyMart deal

THE Philippine Competition Commission approved the acquisition of shares in Philippine FamilyMart CVS Inc. by Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc., a company led by Davao City-based businessman Dennis Uy. PCC said in a statement that following the proposed transaction, Phoenix would wholly-own Family Mart in the Philippines. PCC said in a decision made on Jan. 3 its Mergers and Acquisitions Office found that the transaction would not result in substantial lessening of competition in the relevant market.

PCC said there is no ability or incentive for the firms to engage in foreclosure after the acquisition. The antitrust commission also noted there would be sufficient competitive constraints from other players in the same market after the transaction.

PCC, the country’s anti-trust body, is mandated under the Philippine Competition Act to review mergers and acquisitions to ensure that these deals will not harm the interest of consumers.

PCC said it received 142 merger filings by local and international companies, worth a combined P2.171 trillion.

Of the total number of filings, 38 involved global deals. The Phoenix-Family Mart notification was the 119th transaction approved.

TV firms post better ratings

BOTH ABS-CBN Corp. and GMA Network Inc. on Thursday claimed higher audience television ratings in 2017.

Full-year data provided by multinational audience measurement provider Kantar Media, which uses a nationwide panel size of 2,610 urban and rural homes that represent 100 percent of the total Philippine TV viewing population, showed that ABS-CBN posted a nationwide average audience share of 46 percent in 2017, higher than rival GMA Network’s 34 percent.

ABS-CBN also ruled nationwide with an average audience share of 45 percent in December versus GMA’s 34 percent.

GMA, however, said it cemented its status as the number one broadcast network in the country after successfully concluding 2017 with remarkable nationwide television ratings performance based on Nielsen TV Audience Measurement’s full year data.

GMA said it registered a winning average of 42.5 percent total day people audience share in the National Urban Television Audience Measurement, ahead of ABS-CBN’s 36.8 percent. Darwin G. Amojelar

Philab taps global pharma firm

PHILAB Holdings Corp. said subsidiary Philab Industries Inc. formed a highly strategic partnership with multinational company Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A to distribute high-powered automated machineries for the processing and packaging of pharmaceutical products, such as medicines and food supplements.

IMA, a globally known Italian based multinational company, designs and manufactures automated machineries from processing, primary and secondary packaging until the end of line of pharmaceutical products.

Philab is the exclusive distributor of IMA pharma machines which already sold several units to Pascual Labs and Amherst Laboratories Inc. since the partnership started. It acquired the license to distribute IMA Group’s pharma equipment which completes Philab Industries’ healthcare line.

Philab said the partnership was set to impact the Philippine pharma industry in more ways than one. “It is important for our big pharma companies to use high technology equipment in producing large quantity of quality and consistent tablets and capsules to offer the Philippine market. This is where the expertise of IMA comes in with more than 50 years of reputation in the global pharma industry. Philab pursued this partnership to successfully satisfy the rising demands of the pharma industry,” said Paolo Cagalingan, executive vice president of sales and business development.

AirAsia PH flying to Osaka

THE Philippine unit of Southeast Asia’s largest budget airline said it will launch flights to Osaka, Japan from Manila in the second half of the year.

Captain Dexter Comendador, AirAsia Philippines chief executive, said the airline had entitlements of 14 flights per week between Osaka and Manila. “We are planning to use it in the second semester of the year,” he said.

AirAsia also plans to add international flights from Clark International Airport to Korea, Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore this year.

AirAsia launched commercial flights at Clark in 2012 before transferring its hub to Manila following a strategic partnership with ZestAir in 2013. Philippines Air Asia resumed flights from Clark with three weekly flights to Kalibo (Boracay) in March.

Comendador earlier said he expected revenues to reach P12 billion this year and about P15.6 billion in 2018. Last year, the airline posted P10.81 billion in revenues, up 21 percent from P8.93 billion in 2015. Darwin G. Amojelar

2022,” Abola said.

Abola said inflation was expected to go up to a range of 3.5 percent to 4 percent this year as a result of higher-than-expected oil prices and the impact of Train. Inflation in the first 11 months of 2017 averaged 3.2 percent, within the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent.

Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran said a GDP growth of at least 7 percent is doable this year. He said this would also enable the government to sustain a manageable inflation environment going forward.

PSBANK PROMO. Philippine Savings Bank congratulates Hanifa Panto (center), the winner of a brand new 2017 Toyota Innova J from its Win the Dream (57 Treats) raffle promo.

Presenting the ceremonial car key to Panto and her family are PSBank senior vice president and branch banking group head Francis Llanera (left) and PSBank Cainta-Felix branch head Sherman Grayda (right).

BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said Thursday monetary authorities will closely monitor the impact of the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act on consumer prices and will not hesitate to adjust the monetary policy stance if needed.

Espenilla said in a speech during the joint meeting of Rotary Club of Manila, Rotary Club of Makati West and Rotary Club of Forbes Park that he was expecting inflation to remain within the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent until 2019.

Espenilla said further increases in global crude oil prices might result in inflation trending in the upper bracket of the target range.

“Once the national government’s tax reforms take effect, there could be some transitory pressures on prices. On the whole, these reforms will result in productivity gains over the medium term. Also with these tax changes in mind, BSP looks out for possible price spirals,” he said.

“You can count on us to timely adjust the monetary policy stance to ward off any threat to our inflation target,” Espenilla said.

Train, the first package of the Duterte administration’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, took effect this month.

The Trade Department assured consumers that prices of commodities, particularly fuel and sugar-sweetened beverages, would not be affected by the tax measure until the third week of January.

Julito G. Rada

Infrastructure spending jumped 44.8% in November—Diokno INFRASTRUCTURE spending along with other capital outlays jumped 44.8 percent in November to P43.8 billion from P30.3 billion a year ago, as the government completed several infrastructure projects last year, data from the Budget Department show.

“The rise in infrastructure spending can be attributed to our ambitious ‘Build, Build, Build’ program, which will usher in the ‘golden age of infrastructure’ in the Philippines,” Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said in a statement.

The November data brought the 11-month infrastructure and other capital outlays to P486.5 billion, up 14.2 percent from P426.1 billion a year earlier.

Data, however, showed that on a month-on-month basis, infra and other capital outlays in November 2017 declined 14.9 percent from P51.5 billion recorded in October 2017.

The boost in infrastructure spending lifted total disbursements in November to P252.1 billion, up 10.4 percent over P228.4 billion a year ago.

Some of the major projects that contributed to the steep rise in infrastructure spending in November were the completion of road infrastructure projects of the Public Works Department such as flood control projects and the construction, concreting and widening of road networks nationwide.

The acquisition of various equipment under the Capability Enhancement Program of the Department of the Interior and Local GovernancePhilippine National Police, and payments for supplies, repair and maintenance of patrol vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard also contributed to the rise in spending for the month.

Diokno said in coordina-

tion with the line agencies, the Budget Department exerted all its efforts to ensure the expedient and prudent management of public resources.

“We have actively sought to limit underspending, defined as the deviation of program from actual disbursements, and expect to see even better results with the full-year 2017 disbursement report. In essence, the DBM will not let up in its reform initiatives and will strive for continual improvement,” Diokno said.

Under the P8.4-trillion ‘Build, Build, Build’ program of the Duterte administration, the government aims to build more roads, bridges, seaports, airports, railways and water and irrigation projects in the country to spur more economic activities.

Also included in the program is the construction of a 24-kilometer subway that will traverse Metro Manila

in a bid to decongest the metropolis of heavy traffic that has been causing the government billions of pesos in economic losses daily.

Data showed that from January to November 2017, total government spending reached P2.49 trillion, up 10.1 percent from P2.265 trillion seen in the same period a year ago.

“The statistics on government disbursements only bolster our thrust for efficient and effective public service delivery,” Diokno said.

Another major contributor to the robust spending in November was the expenses on personnel services, which increased 17.1 percent to P97.6 billion from P83.4 billion a year ago, on account of the release of the year-end bonus and cash gift of government employees, as well as the release of 2016 performancebased bonus of some agencies. Julito G. Rada

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Business

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

D&L’s Batangas project obtains fiscal incentives

By Jenniffer B. Austria D&L Industries Inc. said Philippine Economic Zone Authority will grant fiscal incentives to its planned manufacturing facility within the 26-hectare First Industrial Township-Special Economic Zone in Batangas province.

D&L said in a disclosure to the stock exchange unit Natura Aeropack Corp. received a certificate of registration from Peza as an ecozone export enterprise to engage in the manufacturing of coconut oil fractions and coconut-based surfactants and downstream consumer products.

D&L will be entitled to incentives such as income tax holiday for a certain number of years, and tax and dutyfree importation of raw materials and capital equipment.

It will also have to comply with the 50 percent export sales required for Filipino corporations in economic zones.

The NAC facility, which is scheduled to be commercially operational in 202, is expected to support the group’s growth expansion over the next 20 years.

The initiative is also part of the group’s strategic direction to expand the export business and focus on higher value and higher margin products.

Stocks extend rally; index registers new record high

T

HE stock market extended a rally Thursday in step with the rest of Asia and on more records on Wall Street overnight.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 15.70 points, or 0.2 percent, to a new record-high of 8,739.83 points on a value turnover of P9.2 billion. Losers, however, beat gainers, 121 to 86, with 47 issues unchanged.

SM Prime Holdings Inc. of retail tycoon Henry Sy rose 1.9 percent to P39.50, while Metropolitan Bank &

Trust Co., the second-biggest lender, advanced 2.2 percent to P106.90.

GT Capital Holdings Inc. of tycoon George Ty climbed 2.4 percent to P1,324, while Bank of the Philippine Islands, the third-largest bank, gained 2.4 percent to P112.70.

Tokyo, meanwhile, led another strong rally across Asian markets Thursday as

soaring oil prices helped energy firms post bumper gains.

Japan’s Nikkei plowed more than three percent higher at the beginning of its first trading day for 2018 as investors played catch-up with two days of advances elsewhere.

Like in New York, petroleum-linked plays were the standout as oil prices sprang to three-year highs on the back of a big freeze in the United States, tensions between major producers Iran and Saudi Arabia, and a weaker dollar.

Both main contracts jumped around two percent on Wednesday and built on those gains in early Asian exchanges.

“Geopolitics has become a bigger factor now that the Iranian protest movement has launched into the open in the past week,” Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at AxiTrader.

He added: “My sense is there is some expectation that President Trump may use the protests as a pretext to reimpose sanctions on Iran and possibly unwind the deal the previous ad-

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.35 66,000 60 14,000 112.7 1,596,700 3.91 224,000 160 3,416,360 1.96 197,000 33.3 472,800 9.06 300 15.7 52,200 32.4 1,425,600 1.71 14,000 1,020 1,890 0.58 153,000 106.9 4,728,230 0.98 713,000 12.6 63,000 24.5 600 56.8 69,080 240 6,050 117 1,450 55.2 111,330 249.8 1,506,510 1,925 210 86.8 5,570 1.24 418,000

222,170 838,924 178,174,619 872,740 548,259,980 386,760 15,742,055 2,718 819,510 46,381,375 24,070 1,828,500 88,780 503,050,256 701,710 799,622 14,700 3,936,358 1,451,340 172,667 6,161,905 377,174,872 407,435 483,414.50 521,000

808,025 62,687,161 -142,784,659 5,495,020.00 15,670 -16,980,640 -1,062,600 134,250,154 -98,700 -3,437,826.50 9,600 -414,762.50 -115,960,940 -19,750 20,750.50 -

41.1 12.1 0.61 1.33 17.1 0.216 129.8 4.85 15.5 49 60 60 1.9 5.31 11.1 14.56 11.92 7.57 5.58 16.6 61.8 26.6 10.5 17.88 2.07 253 58.55 4.08 3.28 18.2 27.55 18.22 17.8 327 0.199 8.31 2.17 5.82 9.18 5.84 8.4 1.64 12.72 61.95 6.75 528 4.9 2.32 4 1.89 13.16 5.42 0.131 1.17 151 2.87 1.88 24 0.78

INDUSTRIAL 41.4 892,100 12.26 554,900 0.62 245,000 1.34 1,580,000 17.6 14,400 0.217 320,000 129.8 950 5.3 9,562,000 15.5 1,087,600 52 1,170,200 63 435,620 62 1,890 1.92 111,000 5.38 17,000 11.22 1,349,400 14.6 4,195,300 12.12 91,700 7.62 1,607,900 5.59 7,040,200 16.6 3,964,000 62.9 74,290 27.3 170,400 10.5 198,300 18.54 904,800 2.15 1,803,000 255 617,010 58.55 20 4.15 165,000 3.28 1,000 20.8 1,200 28 3,829,100 18.22 178,300 17.8 650,100 327 446,310 0.204 150,000 8.67 8,500 2.18 2,151,000 6.02 280,100 9.18 2,672,900 5.9 102,900 8.4 196,000 1.72 3,112,000 12.98 116,200 62 222,270 6.75 100 530 25,710 4.96 2,998,000 2.32 80,000 4 35,000 1.89 915,000 13.38 268,900 5.42 17,900 0.132 7,320,000 1.18 235,000 156 1,345,460 2.98 7,000 1.9 2,659,000 24 200 0.78 418,000

36,859,090 6,794,438 149,750 2,117,060 254,470 69,480 131,478 49,234,070 16,917,188 61,916,455 27,638,826 113,709 211,630 91,180 15,123,510 61,711,306 1,103,002 12,252,449 39,388,807 66,188,732 4,647,855 4,622,730 2,098,634 16,506,738 3,824,550 157,152,856 1,171 676,650 3,280 24,440 107,216,255 3,273,294 11,587,860 146,448,404 30,130 70,887 4,712,930 1,654,373 24,820,631 603,807 1,646,715 5,287,910 1,492,136 13,907,639.50 675 13,624,660 14,897,770 188,540 140,340 1,746,950 3,556,428 97,588 970,510 275,600 208,318,864 20,230 5,032,590 4,800 326,190

-209,735 732,950 2,281,170 -8,659,314 2,921,300 -13,173,456.50 11,520 2,726,886 19,359,940 327,202 7,717,306 -18,906,107.00 -21,868,910 -123,679 -13,625 -1,583,344 -5,720,510 -92,720 -37,916,878 -926,230 448,578 -1,970,316.00 -16,697,174 13,930 379,190 -5,149,852 -35,190 6,406 795,076.50 -5,024,860 -34,790 -7,080 -443,650 -908,140 103,670,954 955,170 -

0.31 76 16.5 1.05 7.04 0.43 0.465 1,048 7.7 14.44 7.79 4.52 1,324 7.36 76.4 0.71 5.87 19 0.305 6.85 3.31 0.044 1.22 2.07 2.62 115.9 2.6 1,072 0.79 1.77 286.8 0.22 0.184 0.206

0.3 74 16.32 0.99 6.87 0.415 0.46 1,028 7.6 14.16 7.5 4.52 1,287 7.36 74.65 0.69 5.66 18.74 0.305 6.62 3.3 0.043 1.12 2.05 2.51 114.9 2.57 1,032 0.78 1.67 283 0.22 0.183 0.206

HOLDING FIRMS 0.31 350,000 76 1,231,740 16.46 6,978,900 1.02 132,000 6.98 162,500 0.42 1,620,000 0.465 1,560,000 1,040 431,010 7.68 11,383,500 14.44 6,671,200 7.51 146,000 4.52 2,000 1,324 221,445 7.36 8,600 75.7 2,098,360 0.7 170,000 5.79 1,971,800 18.76 1,628,600 0.305 60,000 6.78 24,553,700 3.3 28,000 0.044 6,200,000 1.19 217,000 2.06 224,000 2.6 72,000 115.9 416,530 2.57 137,000 1,050 1,138,305 0.78 92,000 1.77 3,604,000 286.8 2,320 0.22 30,000 0.183 100,000 0.206 220,000

108,400 92,631,631 114,635,078 132,010 1,117,773 689,750 717,850 448,638,895 87,596,540 95,270,528 1,100,121 9,040 290,244,930 63,296 158,840,811 117,400 11,421,139 30,566,718 18,300 164,492,930 92,500 270,700 249,730 460,840 185,430 48,043,254 354,170 1,200,439,380 71,860 6,236,390 657,650 6,600 18,370 45,320

51,167,243.50 2,332,434 -101,200 -112,701,715 2,994,708 -16,857,282 -43,460,325 27,064,283 9,948,725 -23,358,550 -39,920,314 1,704,020 -257,639,970 34,316 -6,600 -

6.88 1.06 12.8 2.37 0.88 45.55 3.86 4.8 5.8 0.49 1.18 0.228 0.455 40.95 0.66 0.137 1.9 1.45 5.32 0.35 0.355 0.63 5.72 30.1

6.67 1.02 12.12 2.28 0.87 44.1 3.83 4.71 5.5 0.48 1.17 0.22 0.45 39.95 0.64 0.137 1.86 1.43 5.21 0.34 0.35 0.6 5.47 30.1

17,273,614 4,814,250 306,702 671,590 451,150 426,973,720 1,613,760 2,232,780 360,810 964,200 113,890 1,833,660 243,050 9,254,970 68,470 6,850 20,216,780 2,567,660 106,474,454 6,019,050 519,300 5,738,390 3,484,331 3,010

-5,304,369 -68,621,115 184,620 255,360 -100 357,940 4,621,200 -26,650 2,246,850 8,515,948 -441,600.00 -113,206 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

3.4 58 110 3.83 161 1.96 33.2 9.06 15.7 33.2 1.73 945 0.58 105 0.99 12.78 24.5 57.8 237 120.1 55.4 251.6 1,975 86.8 1.25

3.43 60 112.8 3.91 161.2 2 33.35 9.06 15.7 33.3 1.73 1,050 0.59 107 1 12.78 24.5 57.8 240 120.1 55.5 254 1,975 87 1.25

3.35 58 109.8 3.83 159.1 1.96 33.2 9.06 15.6 32.15 1.71 945 0.58 105 0.97 12.6 24.5 56.8 237 117 55.2 249.6 1,925 86.7 1.24

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

41.45 12.2 0.62 1.34 17.52 0.218 139.4 4.87 16.1 49 64.85 60.2 1.9 5.31 11.2 14.58 12 7.57 5.63 16.86 62.55 26.6 10.6 18.2 2.11 255.4 58.55 4.08 3.28 18.2 27.8 18.4 17.86 330.8 0.199 8.31 2.18 6.06 9.3 5.9 8.41 1.64 12.72 62.4 6.75 528 4.97 2.36 4.02 1.94 13.4 5.5 0.133 1.17 151 2.88 1.92 24 0.79

41.55 12.38 0.62 1.35 17.86 0.218 144.2 5.32 16.1 65 67 62 1.92 5.38 11.28 14.9 12.18 7.68 5.64 16.92 63 27.5 10.7 18.58 2.17 255.4 58.55 4.15 3.28 20.8 28.1 18.4 17.9 331.2 0.204 8.67 2.21 6.06 9.4 6 8.41 1.74 13 62.8 6.75 530 4.97 2.54 4.02 1.95 13.4 5.5 0.135 1.19 156 2.98 1.93 24 0.79

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

0.31 74.5 16.42 0.99 7.04 0.415 0.46 1,040 7.61 14.16 7.79 4.52 1,293 7.36 75 0.71 5.7 18.76 0.305 6.78 3.31 0.043 1.12 2.05 2.52 115 2.6 1,040 0.79 1.68 286.2 0.22 0.184 0.206

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

6.7 1.04 12.5 2.37 0.87 45.5 3.84 4.77 5.8 0.49 1.17 0.228 0.45 40 0.64 0.137 1.89 1.44 5.28 0.345 0.35 0.61 5.56 30.1

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

21.55 2.07 3.13 38.75 1.03 9.08 0.85 5.98

21.55 2.11 3.21 39.5 1.03 9.08 0.85 6

21.3 2.07 3.13 38 1 8.8 0.84 5.97

21.3 2.08 3.21 39.5 1.02 8.9 0.84 6

2,571,700 618,000 41,000 20,341,600 3,694,000 7,100 121,000 1,307,200

54,858,945 1,285,030 129,150 799,236,450 3,714,330 63,958 101,940 7,838,033

-23,732,860 139,782,545 45,400 -1,075,817

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

19 35.1 1.37 0.46 0.041 5.7 11.56 0.07 100 8.9 8.68 6.68 2.38 17 1,870 5.88 21.85 11.7 4.7 2.63 108 13.7 8.33 0.14 1.39 3.07 16.4 3.8 1.17 22.6 5.1 7.85 3.87 2.88 11.1 2.8 8.42 116 7.65 1,500 1.31 0.355 49.3 97.35 5.78 3.25 1.58 2.72 4 0.98 8.3

19.76 35.75 1.38 0.465 0.042 5.7 11.72 0.071 100.7 8.9 8.78 6.99 2.38 17.68 1,875 5.9 21.9 11.74 4.8 2.63 108 13.86 8.33 0.141 1.41 3.14 16.4 3.91 1.2 23 5.1 8.07 3.88 3.1 11.1 2.8 8.42 117.9 7.65 1,515 1.31 0.355 50 97.4 5.78 3.25 1.59 2.83 4.05 0.99 8.3

19 35.05 1.37 0.46 0.041 5.32 11.3 0.07 99.6 8.9 8.53 6.68 2.3 16.02 1,835 5.86 20.75 11.7 4.52 2.63 106.4 13.2 8.3 0.14 1.37 3.07 15.4 3.74 1.16 22.4 4.78 7.61 3.84 2.86 11.1 2.76 8.42 113 7.45 1,460 1.28 0.355 49.3 93 5.5 3.17 1.5 2.68 3.95 0.97 8.26

SERVICES 19.7 35.15 1.38 0.465 0.042 5.42 11.46 0.071 99.65 8.9 8.55 6.7 2.31 16.3 1,850 5.88 21.8 11.72 4.62 2.63 107 13.2 8.33 0.14 1.37 3.14 16.2 3.86 1.17 22.55 4.8 7.8 3.86 3.1 11.1 2.77 8.42 113.4 7.5 1,470 1.28 0.355 49.35 94.3 5.65 3.18 1.52 2.72 4.05 0.98 8.28

92,900 43,700 129,000 400,000 24,800,000 38,900 8,403,100 5,010,000 195,280 300 1,891,600 7,500 64,000 95,200 23,885 209,200 105,900 2,800 3,973,000 10,000 453,560 63,500 139,000 1,690,000 177,000 7,000 1,900 3,393,000 125,000 2,274,200 2,016,700 11,710,000 398,000 45,715,000 1,000 96,000 100 10,410 2,315,700 130,805 2,673,000 70,000 3,206,800 1,074,930 55,900 622,000 10,140,000 634,000 548,000 3,619,000 6,189,300

1,801,304 1,546,355 177,870 185,800 1,016,900 211,260 96,390,146 353,120 19,497,939.50 2,670 16,271,644 50,425 149,420 1,548,288 44,237,775 1,230,333 2,274,495 32,818 18,643,520 26,300 48,542,562 875,808 1,156,710 237,040 244,620 21,710 29,526 12,921,800 145,980 51,755,940 9,848,020 91,911,093 1,540,920 136,867,660 11,100 267,910 842 1,194,707 17,421,563 193,374,465 3,444,190 24,850 158,336,300 101,872,920.50 313,780 1,989,410 15,603,430 1,726,550 2,189,410 3,527,280 51,214,617

-27,380 8,200 13,618,260 1,514,291 86,000 14,100 6,520 -2,039,320 -99,020 6,739,248 -28,000 410,550 84,280 11,237,129 -54,030 -60,340 56,000.00 -547,945 -1,086,418 18,873,740 -1,257,170 -95,411,040 -28,460,939.50 5,730 60,000 3,277,900 -28,500 -58,800 37,705,968.00

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

0.0023 1.58 5.01 13.56 1.75 1.6 0.315 7.3 2.69 0.208 0.154 0.155 0.0093 0.01 1.76 6.61 1.51 0.95 0.013 0.012 0.011 2.01 6.42 8.33 36.15 0.0075

0.0023 1.58 5.01 15 1.75 1.62 0.315 7.3 2.72 0.208 0.154 0.157 0.0094 0.01 1.76 6.62 1.51 0.95 0.013 0.013 0.012 2.01 6.58 8.39 36.7 0.0075

0.0022 1.54 4.8 13.54 1.75 1.59 0.315 7.06 2.66 0.208 0.15 0.155 0.0093 0.01 1.74 6.45 1.4 0.93 0.012 0.012 0.011 2.01 6.25 8 36.15 0.0075

MINING & OIL 0.0022 187,000,000 1.54 4,589,000 5 179,800 14.98 6,600 1.75 5,000 1.62 914,000 0.315 20,000 7.1 700 2.68 1,418,000 0.208 420,000 0.153 11,490,000 0.156 7,410,000 0.0094 90,000,000 0.01 9,000,000 1.74 151,000 6.49 1,695,800 1.5 53,000 0.93 89,000 0.012 32,100,000 0.013 2,800,000 0.011 23,100,000 2.01 4,000 6.25 2,738,000 8.05 1,605,400 36.3 526,300 0.0075 34,000,000

425,100 7,143,300 888,970 91,308 8,750 1,463,540 6,300 5,015 3,811,780 87,360 1,758,390 1,161,250 844,500 90,000 263,930 11,042,525 74,490 83,040 404,300 36,300 273,700 8,040 17,324,938 13,028,050 19,157,830 255,000

149,300 -16,400 -13,170 2,156,823 846,828 -275,147 -9,254,195 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF F GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF PCOR PREF 2B PF PREF 2 SFI PREF SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2I

35.2 528 540 108 104.4 108 5.57 1,020 102 1.04 1,130 1,005 2.1 76.5 81 76.5 77 81.5 79.8

35.2 528 540 108 104.5 110 5.69 1,020 102 1.06 1,130 1,005 2.1 76.7 81 76.5 77 81.5 79.8

34.9 528 516 107.1 104.3 108 5.55 1,020 102 1.04 1,130 1,003 2.09 76.5 80 76.5 76.5 81.5 77.5

PREFERRED 35 53,800 528 20 516 2,320 107.1 69,570 104.3 45,760 110 370 5.68 87,800 1,020 35 102 1,500 1.06 15,000 1,130 20 1,005 1,120 2.1 10,000 76.5 1,280 80 29,110 76.5 20 76.5 3,960 81.5 1,230 77.5 48,640

1,884,500 10,560 1,200,140 7,463,597 4,774,869 40,680 489,957 35,700 153,000 15,700 22,600 1,125,360 20,980 97,926 2,331,755 1,530 303,940 100,245 3,777,394

211,470 144,585 51,586 50,250 -1,992,175 -

LR WARRANT

2.41

2.55

2.4

WARRANTS 2.54 434,000

1,054,370

74,650

52,987,990 84,000 225,960 29,393,035

-132,074 499,537

776,164

9,105

26,250 525,919.40

69,200

MS

PROPERTY 6.81 1.05 12.2 2.31 0.88 44.25 3.84 4.79 5.75 0.485 1.18 0.223 0.455 40 0.66 0.137 1.88 1.44 5.25 0.34 0.35 0.62 5.6 30.1

2,541,500 4,612,000 25,100 289,000 518,000 9,590,900 420,000 471,000 63,400 1,980,000 97,000 8,250,000 540,000 230,700 105,000 50,000 10,778,000 1,783,000 20,271,800 17,550,000 1,480,000 9,379,000 628,700 100

ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

10.98 2.8 3.52 5.13

12.8 2.8 3.69 5.26

10.94 2.8 3.5 4.83

FIRST METRO ETF

131.9

132

131.2

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2

10.5 10.1

10.5 10.1

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

SHARES

193,734,238

INDUSTRIAL

68,712,413

HOLDING FIRMS

73,969,216

PROPERTY

121,107,546

SERVICES

145,644,833

MINING & OIL

413,956,769

GRAND TOTAL

1,027,629,176

10.5 10

12.2 2.8 3.64 4.91

SME

4,508,600 30,000 64,000 5,893,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 132 5,890 10.5 10

DDS

2,500 52,390

VALUE 2,251.98 (up) 11.34 2,421,779,656.29 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,344.29 (up) 44.91 1,188,637,684.159 HOLDING FIRMS 8,931.01 (up) 60.62 2,763,443,906.00 PROPERTY 4,054.24 (down) 14.26 1,618.41 (down) 18.37 1,518,222,838.945 SERVICES MINING & OIL 11,529.27 (down) 69.53 1,117,771,490.41 PSEI 8,739.83 (up) 15.70 79,788,893.2046 All Shares Index 5,059.75 (up) 5.10 9,173,120,700.25 Gainers: 86; Losers: 121; Unchanged: 47; Total: 254

ministration did which allowed Iran to increase its exports.

“That would take a significant number of barrels per day out of the market.”

Japan’s Inpex was more than percent higher, while in Sydney Woodside Petroleum climbed more than three percent. In Hong Kong CNOOC, Sinopec and PetroChina piled on between 3.5 and 4.5 percent.

Those gains were mirrored in wider markets.

Tokyo soared 3.3 percent, Hong Kong added 0.8 percent—putting it on course for an eighth straight gain—while Shanghai rose 0.7 percent.

Sydney rose 0.1 percent, Singapore added 0.3 percent, Taipei was up 0.4 percent 0.1 percent and Wellington gained 0.2 percent.

The positive start to the year for equities follows a stellar 2017 and Shane Chanel, equities and derivatives adviser at ASR Wealth Advisers, was upbeat about the future.

“There is a growing reason to believe that the US market will soon achieve strong economic growth as company expenditure and hiring increase,” he said.

The dollar held on to the previous day’s gains after minutes from the Federal Reserve’s December meeting showed policymakers upbeat about the outlook for the world’s top economy, which could lead to further interest rate hikes.

With AFP

Fruit juice firm bares IPO, taps First Metro

THE Lush Group of Companies, a food cart company offering and selling fresh fruit juices and shakes under the Fruitas brand, has tapped First Metro Investments Corp. as underwriter for a planned initial public offering this year.

First Metro head of investment banking group Jose Pacifico Marcelo said his company was mandated by the Lush Group, owned by businessman Lester Yu, to handle the maiden share offering scheduled in the first half of 2018.

Marcelo did not provide details on the offering, saying the Lush Group would file the IPO prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Commission within the first quarter of the year.

Lush Group plans to use the proceeds from the planned IPO to finance the group’s expansion plans.

From one brand in 2002, the Lush Group of Companies now owns 11 that include Fruitas, Buko ni Fruitas, Juice Avenue, The Mango Farm, Black Pearl, Cocktales, Cereal Chiller, Fruitas House of Desserts, Fruitas Ice Candy and Yesyes Yo! Frozen Yogurt.

Meanwhile, Marcelo said he expects fews IPOs tthis year. “We are not too optimistic on IPOs which is sad because these add depth to the market,” he said.

Another company planning to conduct an IPO this year is Philippine AirAsia, the local unit of Southeast Asia’s biggest budget airline.

The airline plans to raise as much as $250 million, according to BDO Capital and Investments Corp., which has been tapped to handle the deal.

Jenniffer B. Austria

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

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TODAY

Iran: US guilty of grotesque meddling UNITED NATIONS― Iran on Wednesday angrily accused the United States at the United Nations of meddling in its domestic affairs after President Donald Trump backed antigovernment protests.

Iran’s UN Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo said in a letter that the US government “has stepped up its acts of intervention in a grotesque way in Iran’s internal affairs under the pretext of providing support for sporadic protests, which in several instances were hijacked by infiltrators.”

Khoshroo charged that the United States had violated international law and the principles of the UN charter, and urged countries to condemn Washington’s statements.

“The president and vice president of the United States, in their numerous absurd tweets, incited Iranians to engage in disruptive acts,” said Khoshroo in the letter to the Security Council and to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

“The US Department of State went so far as admitting that the US government wants to encourage protesters in Iran to change their government, admitting that the US is engaged in interfering with the internal affairs of Iran through Facebook and Twitter,” he added.

The letter was released after Trump pledged to help Iranians “take back” their government and the White House weighed sanctions against those involved in the crackdown against demonstrators. AFP

World

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2018

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Trump slams ex-aide Bannon W

ASHINGTON―US President Donald Trump has unleashed a spectacular denunciation of one of his closest political allies, describing former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon as insane and irrelevant.

WHITEOUT. A snowplow clears a road leading to the French Alps ski resort of Les Menuires on January 4, 2017 after the region was swept by storm Eleanor. Winter storm Eleanor swept across Europe on January 3, bringing death, damage and disruption, snarling transport networks and cutting power to tens of thousands of people. AFP

Storm Eleanor brings death, disruption to Europe PARIS―Winter storm Eleanor swept across Europe on Wednesday, bringing death, damage and disruption, snarling transport networks and cutting power to tens of thousands of people.

Two people died on Spain’s northern Basque coast, the couple swept away by a huge wave, officials said, and another person had to be rescued after attempting to save them.

In France, a 21-year-old skier was killed by a falling tree at Morillon in the Alps where dangerous conditions forced the closure of several resorts.

More than a dozen others were injured by the storm across France, four serious-

ly, civil defense spokesman Michael Bernier told AFP as the country was lashed by what meteorologists termed the strongest winds in eight years.

On the French Mediterranean island of Corsica, where gusts of up to 140 kilometers per hour were recorded, winds fanned the flames of forest and scrub fires started by downed power lines, leaving three people injured.

At Lenk in central Switzerland, eight people were hurt when a violent gust of wind overturned a railway carriage while one person was injured by a falling tree in the southern Dutch village of Heesch.

Heavy winds forced authorities to close the airports in Strasbourg and BaselMulhouse on France’s border with Germany and Switzerland before they were reopened shortly after midday.

At Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport, most departures were delayed Wednesday morning and a handful of flights had to be rerouted before the winds eased.

The weather wreaked havoc with train services and motorway access in several French regions, the result of fallen trees, electrical lines and other debris.

About 225,000 homes across France were without electricity, while “particular-

ly intense” flooding was expected on the Atlantic coasts.

The Eiffel Tower had to turn away tourists in the morning because of the gusts before reopening later.

Eleanor barreled into continental Europe after whipping across England and Ireland, with the Thames Barrier, one of the largest movable flood barriers in the world, closed as a precautionary measure to protect London from swelling tides.

“We have seen some heavy showers push through across the south of the UK along with hail, loud thunder and lightning,” said meteorologist Becky Mitchell.

AFP

50 bodies recovered from Peru bus crash

FESTIVAL. Camels walk across the Liwa desert, some 250 kilometres west of the Gulf emirate of Abu Dhabi, during the Liwa 2018 Moreeb Dune Festival on January 4, 2018.

The festival, which attracts participants from around the Gulf region, includes a variety of races (cars, bikes, falcons, camels and horses) aimed at promoting the country’s folklore. AFP

Taiwanese probed over N. Korea oil sales TAIPEI―A Taiwanese businessman is under investigation on suspicion of selling oil to North Korea in violation of UN sanctions, prosecutors said Thursday, reportedly in connection with a ship seized by South Korea.

Seoul said last week it had detained a Hong Kong-registered ship in November suspected of transferring oil products to a North Korean vessel, contravening the bans imposed over Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear program.

Prosecutors said in a statement that the man, surnamed Chen, had falsely declared that a ship he chartered was bound for Hong Kong when it actually sailed to international waters to sell oil.

“We take this case very seriously and have immediately formed a task force to investigate this,” said the district prosecutor’s office in the southern city of Kaohsiung, where Chen runs a fishery company.

They did not comment on reports that Chen’s ship was the Lighthouse Winmore, which was impounded in November by South Korean authorities after it allegedly transferred 600 tons of oil to a North Korean vessel. AFP

LIMA―Peruvian emergency workers on Wednesday said they had recovered 50 bodies― six of them children―from a horrific bus crash over a cliff north of the capital Lima.

The coach plunged around 330 feet over a seaside cliff on Tuesday after a collision with a truck on a precarious stretch known as the “devil’s curve.”

It had been traveling from Huacho, 130 kilometers north of the capital, to Lima with 55 passengers registered and two crew on board. The vehicle landed upside down on rocks at the edge of the sea.

“We have finished the painful task of recovering the bodies. Fifty bodies have been recovered from the accident,” the regional head of Lima’s health service, Felic Palomo, told radio station RPP. “They have been identified by their next of kin,” he said.

Efforts to get at the bodies were suspended Tuesday night because the tide had risen and reached the bus, the police said.

More than 200 workers from the police, army and navy took part in the rescue and recovery effort. A police helicopter had to winch some rescue workers to the wreck of the blue bus while others made the precarious journey down on foot with the assistance of ropes.

Crews were still at the scene to ascertain whether any more bodies remained in the crushed bus. AFP

TODAY

counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 election will focus on money laundering.

The investigation by Mueller, a former FBI director, is looking into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to help get him elected―a charge the president has repeatedly and vehemently denied.

Donald Junior took a meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya in June 2016 after an intermediary promised material that would incriminate Trump’s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and then campaign chairman Paul Manafort also attended the meeting at Trump Tower in New York.

“The three senior guys in the campaign thought it was a good idea to meet with a foreign government inside Trump Tower in the conference room on the 25th floor―with no lawyers,” Bannon was quoted as saying in the book.

“They didn’t have any lawyers.

“Even if you thought that this was not treasonous, or unpatriotic, or bad shit, and I happen to think it’s all of that, you should have called the FBI immediately,” he said.

Trump responded quickly and cuttingly to the reported comments by Bannon, a former investment banker and the executive chairman of influential ultraconservative outlet Breitbart News. AFP

NOTICE OF LOSS

Notice of Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate

Notice is hereby given that on December 2017, the original title of Loyola Memorial Park Marikina under the name of the late Reynaldo D. Jaleco with following details: Lot 9, Block 223, Section M, Memorial Garden Terrace, Certificate of Ownership No. 91-48291 with Contract No. 025929 was lost as per Doc. No. 491; Page No. 99; Book No. VII; Series of 2018 before the Notary Public Atty. Michael Darwin M. Bayotas.

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late Flaviano Sarte Evangelista, consisting of real property (Lot 28,Blk. 25 of the subdivision plan, PSD-80465) was extrajudicially settled and acquired

by George Churchell A. Roluna, by means of a public document executed on 10th day of July 2017, before a Notary Public in Las Piñas City, Philippines, under Notary Public Atty. Millicent C. Smith, with Document No. 304, Page No. 62, Book No. I, Series of 2017.

(MS-JAN. 5, 2018)

(MS-JAN. 5,12 & 19, 2018)

Republic of the Phillippines Department of Health National Capital Regional Office VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER BIDS AND AWARD COMMITTEE Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City Telefax No. 294-4625 Email addressvmc_bac@yahoo.com

InvItatIon to BId Procurement of varIouS PatHoLoGY and LaBoratorY SuPPLIeS cY 2018 PuBLIc BIddInG no. vmc-2017-033 1.

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After the release of explosive excerpts from a new book in which Bannon reportedly described Trump’s eldest son’s meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer as “treasonous” and “unpatriotic,” Trump wasted no time Wednesday in firing back.

The embattled Republican president issued a response that was searing even by his combative standards.

“Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my presidency. When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind,” Trump said in a written statement.

Trump said Bannon― who engineered the New York real estate mogul’s link to the nationalist far right and helped create a proTrump media ecosystem― was “only in it for himself.”

US media said Charles Harder, a lawyer for Trump, had sent Bannon a ceaseand-desist letter accusing him of violating a non-disclosure agreement by speaking to the author of the book.

Trump’s fury appeared to have been provoked by the publication of startling extracts from “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House” by Michael Wolff.

Passages published by The Guardian and New York magazine quoted Bannon being highly critical of Trump’s son Donald Junior and daughter Ivanka.

Bannon, who left the White House in August, is also quoted as saying that the investigation by special

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The Valenzuela Medical Center (VMC), through the General Appropriations Act/Income CY 2017, intends to apply the sum of Philippine Currency: Thirty Five Million, Eight Hundred Seventy Four Thousand, Eight Hundred Thirty One Pesos Only (PhP 35,874,831.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments for the Procurement of varIouS PatHoLoGY and LaBoratorY SuPPLIeS cY 2018 under PB No. VMC-2017-023. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The VMC now invites sealed Bids from eligible Bidders for the procurement of the abovecaptioned package. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II, entitled “Instructions to Bidders”.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act” and is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or corporations 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 Republic Act No. 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

Only Bids from Bidders who passed the eligibility check will be opened. The process for the eligibility check is described in Section II of the Bidding Documents entitled, “ITB”. The Bidder with the Lowest Calculated Bid (LCB) shall advance to the post-qualification stage in order to finally determine the responsiveness of the bid submission to the technical and financial requirements of the project. The contract shall then be awarded to the Lowest Calculated And Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during the postqualification procedure.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the VMC and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00am-11:00am and 2:00pm-4:00pm (Monday to Friday) starting January 05, 2017.

The VMC will hold a Pre-bid Conference for this bidding activity on January 17, 2018, 10:00am at the Valenzuela Medical Center, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City.

Only those who have purchased the bidding documents shall be allowed to participate in the Pre-Bid Conference. Those who have not purchased the bidding documents may act as observers and submit written queries, subject to the guidelines as stated in the IRR of RA 9184.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount as follows: P1 - P1,000,000.00 – P1,000.00; P20,000,001.00-P25,000,000.00 – P20,000.00; P1,000,001.00-P5,000,000.00 – P5,000.00 P25,000,001.00-P30,000,000.00 – P25,000.00.

P5,000,001.00-P10,000,000.00- P10,000.00. P35,000,001.00-P40,000,000.00 – P30,000.00 P10,000,001.00-P20,000,000.00 – P15,000.00;

The method of payment will be in cash, manager’s check, bank guarantee or surety bond.

The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective bidder or his authorized representative. 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 non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

8. Bids and eligibility requirements must be delivered to the address below on or before January 29, 2018, 10:00am, at the VMC BAC Secretariats’ Office.

9. Bid Opening and Eligibility Check will be on before January 29, 2018, 10:00am. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late submission of bids will not be entertained. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Security in the prescribed form, amount and validity period.

10. The Valenzuela Medical Center reserves 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.

For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariats’ Office, Valenzuela Medical Center, Annex Building, 2nd Floor, Padrigal St., Valenzuela City Telefax No. 294-4625 (SGD)JOSEPH T. NOCOM, MD, FPOA

Chairperson Bids and Awards Committee

(MS-JAN. 5, 2018)

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LocaL government units

friday, january 5, 2018

DPWH hit for delayed completion of 2 bridges

By Robert A. Evora

PARADISE ON EARTH. El Nido’s Managed Resource Protected Area is featured in the docu-series Our Fragile Earth: Protected Areas of the Philippines. “Tourism has changed the economic landscape of this paradise. And as more visitors check it off their list of must-see places, the need to implement greater environmental protection has become more crucial,” Senator Loren Legarda said.

SPD warns vs KFR groups

By Joel E. Zurbano

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HE Southern Police District is now coordinating with the local police in Cavite in connection with a syndicate engaged in abducting minors and pushing them to beg for alms.

This developed shortly after operatives of the Las Piñas City police on Wednesday rescued a 3-year-old girl who was

kidnapped late night of Dec. 30 along Ilaya Street in the city. The abduction was reported to the police only on Jan. 2.

Authorities arrested two Cavite residents— Giselle Omayan of Bacoor and Cerio Cinolete of Kawit in connection with the abduction.

The suspects were charged with kidnapping before the Department of Justice.

“The suspects’ initial plan was to demand ransom money from the child’s parents but when they learned that the parents are jobless,

they decided to keep the child to beg for alms on the street in Cavite,” said SPD director Tomas Apolinario.

“We still pursuing investigation if there are other cohorts,” he added.

Apolinario said the female suspect was initially arrested in Zapote, Las Piñas.

“After interrogation, she admitted to the crime and divulged the name of her cohort and their location in

Cavite leading to the arrest of the other suspect and the recovery of the missing minor,” he said.

The SPD chief said the suspects also considered selling the child for P8,000 to P10,000. “But they are more inclined to teach the child to beg for alms.”

In 2012, the Department of Social Welfare and Development revealed that there were various criminal syndicates engaged in kid-

QC submits Furniture group wants CITEM subsidy restored priority projects list to DBM

By Romeo Dizon

By Rio N. Araja THE 36-member Quezon City council has endorsed a list of priority projects to the Department of Budget and Management.

The priority projects are part of the city’s development investment and annual investment program.

District 3 Councilor Franz Pumaren authored Resolution 7034 identifying and classifying into three major areas the priority projects as disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, social services and health.

A copy of the resolution has been forwarded to the DBM. The Budget department is allocating P65 million in local government support funds-financial assistance to local government units.

At least P22.898 million shall go to disaster response and mitigation to cover the purchase of rescue and special purpose vehicles.

CLARK Freeport, Pampanga —Members of the Pampanga Furniture Industry Foundation are bullish over a new government policy to expand the export of Philippine products—including agriculture, furniture and garments—to other markets, including Russia.

Reggie Lastimosa, president of PFIF, said the inclusion of new products, especially furniture and garments, gave new hope to the declining industry which was formerly the top export product of the province.

Lastimoso said the announcement of Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez gave them a second chance to

compete in the world market with the help of Center for International Trade Exposition and Missions.

He appealed to Lopez to restore a 50 percent subsidy in local and foreign trade exhibits as provided for under the memorandum of agreement between CITEM and PFIF. The subsidy was stopped in 2012.

Lastimoso said bringing back the subsidy will already cover half of their expenses so that they can compete anew in the local and international shows in Milan, France, Dubai, and Ambiente, which is the leading international consumer trade fair attended by 4,469 exhibitors from 100 countries in Frankfurt, Germany every year.

Makati extends working hours for tax payments THE city government of Makati on Thursday announced that the Business Permits and Licensing Office and other frontline offices will remain open after office hours and on weekends to accommodate applications for renewal of business permits and tax payments in time for the Jan. 20 deadline.

Makati Mayor Abigail Binay authorized the concerned offices to render overtime services for the convenience of taxpayers.

She also ordered the Finance Department to provide free lunch to the first 200 business taxpayers daily from Monday to Friday only, beginning Jan. 8 until Jan. 19.

“We have planned ahead for the greater convenience of our taxpayers, whom we highly value as our indispensa-

ble partners in sustaining Makati’s rapid economic growth and overall development,” she said.

Finance chief and acting City Treasurer Jesusa Cuneta said stubs for the free lunch will be given to clients upon payment of the amount due with the cashier. They may then proceed to the designated area at the ground floor lobby of Makati City Hall Building II to claim their free lunch.

Cuneta also said that clients will be treated to free-flowing coffee and biscuits daily on weekdays during the renewal period.

Moreover, BPLO chief Maribert Pagente said since Tuesday, BPLO has been open to serve taxpayers beyond office hours, and will also be open on weekends until Jan. 20. Joel E. Zurbano

‘Urduja’-hit schools in Biliran get help ROAD CLEARING. Members of a composite team from the Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety, Environmental

Protection and Waste Management Department and the Market Development and Administration conduct clearing and towing operations along Maginoo Street in Barangay Pinyahan and Arayat Street in Cubao. A total of five cars, four motorcycles and several illegally constructed vending stalls that were obstructing traffic were taken out during the operation.

Abaca farmers seek P37.8-m budget for rehab program TACLOBAN CITY—The Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority is seeking a P37.84-million budget to carry out a massive rehabilitation program of abaca farms in Eastern Samar province until 2021.

napping children and forcing them to beg for alms on the streets.

The DSWD said kidnapped children were usually brought to far places, sometimes even to the provinces, where they will be used to beg for money.

Criminal syndicates would beat up children who are not able to collect their quota for the day, the department said.

SA N FER NA N DO, Romblon—Residents of this island municipality have called the attention of officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways to act on the immediate completion of two bridges which remained unfinished for three years now.

The residents said school children bore the brunt of the unfinished projects as they have to shell out P10 each for every banca ride to reach the other side of the river.

Parents are also wary of the danger their children are facing whenever they take the banca ride given the river’s strong current.

Also affected are motorcycle owners who pay P200 to boatmen whenever they cross the turbulent river.

Punong Bridge has been impassable since it was demolished three years ago while the Olango Bridge was washed out by three successive typhoons, namely Urduja, Vinta and Agaton when they battered Romblon province last month.

Punong Bridge was demolished by a contractor hired by the DPWH to give way to the construction of a new bridge in 2014. It was replaced by a detour bridge which has been washed out by the turbulent Punong River several times in the past.

Reports said the contractor abandoned the bridge project after it ran out of funds to finish its construction.

Earlier, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar vowed to ensure that “all affected roads and bridges [damaged by typhoons] are passable by January.”

Of the total funding requirement, P7.55 million will be spent for the treatment of abaca diseases, P13.05 million for replanting, and P12.09 million for fertilization.

The remaining amount

will be used for capability training and mobilization.

Wilardo Sinahon, PhilFIDA Eastern Visayas regional director, said the rehabilitation works would cover 1,650 hectares and benefit 900 farmers in

poverty-stricken towns of Samar Island.

“The abaca industry in Eastern Samar has been damaged by diseases and natural calamities over the past years, which calls for massive and long-term re-

habilitation,” Sinahon said.

PhilFIDA is pushing for inclusion of the proposed project in the post-disaster response funding of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council to hasten budget releases. PNA

THE Department of Education has provided temporary learning centers in typhoonhit Biliran province as classes opened this week.

Twelve schools, including two that were totally destroyed, have been affected when Typhoon “Urduja” struck the province and several areas of eastern Visayas last month.

DepEd’s estimated damage cost on the 12 affected schools stood at more than P39 million.

Of this amount, P18.6 million would be needed

for the construction of school buildings while almost P21 million would be allotted for classroom repairs.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said the agency conducted Brigada Eskwela in Biliran on Dec. 27. Brigada Eskwela is the agency’s program that promotes volunteerism, preparing schools for the opening of classes.

Volunteers work together in cleaning and repairing schools, painting, tree planting. PNA

Life

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

Culture and media

fRIday, januaRy 5, 2018

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Julius Legaspi at Gateway Gallery

G Julius Legaspi's 'Ongpin Street,' 2017, pastel on paper

ateway Gallery opens 2018 with an exhibit by Julius Legaspi. the artist presents new pastel paintings in his fourth solo show, Paghirang.

the artist Reception is on Jan. 6, 6 p.m. at the Small Room of Gateway Gallery.

In this solo show, Legaspi again demonstrates his mastery of the pastel medium. his talent in rendering forms and tones in pastel is matched by his ability to evoke moods in his landscape, still life or genre paintings. he is a prolific artist whose artworks can be found in various art collections.

Legaspi, who hails from Bulacan, is a well-rounded artist whose time is not limited to visual art making. he is also a generous teacher, sharing his knowledge by con-

scapes, images that only a perceptive artist can see. he also dabbles in music as a songwriter and lead guitarist.

Paghirang will be open for viewing to the public on Jan. 7 and will run until Jan. 20.

Parts of the proceeds of the exhibit will go to Remote area Medical Philippines to support its medical missions.

Gateway Gallery is open daily, from Monday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and located on the fifth floor of Gateway tower, araneta Center, Quezon City. Gateway tower is the building in front of Kia theatre. It is the art museum of araneta Center and is run by the J. amado araneta Foundation.

ducting art workshops. he is also a mentor as he guides members of the Philippine Pastel artists to become better image-makers. he currently sits as president of Philippine Pastel artists. he is also a member of the Philippine art educators’ association which updates him with regards to art education.

Legaspi, who graduated at the UP College of Fine arts, is a follower of conceptual artist Roberto Chabet. this makes it easy for him For details on the exhibit, please contact jslegto create abstract pieces. he is however known aspi.ppa@gmail.com, gatewaygallery@aranfor his soulful still life and evocative land- etagroup.com or the number 09451143358.

Legaspi's pastel on paper creations, (from left) entitled 'Harbor' and 'Aetas of Zambales'

The mark of a true Mindanaoan artist when one hears about Mindanaoan art, images of bold colors and shapes, varied textures, and indigenous patterns easily come to mind.

In Davao alone, there are several noteworthy artists that showcase Mindanaoan pride through distinctive and dramatic art pieces that represent life, culture, history, and stories about the city. a recent art exhibit mounted by Phoenix Petroleum in Davao City showcased the talent of local artists and various representations of Mindanao. “the exhibit is a collection of excellent, diverse, and original artworks by selected intergenerational Davao-based artists. It is a showcase of emerging and established artists, carefully chosen and thoughtfully curated,” said Victor Secuya, Mindanaoan artist, curator, and one of the notable names on the art scene. a total of 12 artists participated in Beginnings and Beyond at SM Lanang Premiere in Davao City. each of the artists contributed two paintings that exhibit Mindanao’s vibrant culture as seen through their eyes. “the featured paintings are images of Davao and Mindanao filtered through the artists’ visual vocabulary, singular vision, and unique interpretation of Mindanao men, women, children, flora, and fauna,” said Secuya. the artists delved into the project with gusto, each one a professional storyteller making use of their 4x4 canvases as their

medium and their chosen art materials as their pens.

Misha Pueblas, one of the featured artists, made use of dried leaves, a non-traditional material in his art pieces to highlight the muted tones of his subjects and to give texture to the paintings. according to Misha, he paints with his heart, and he uses his life experiences in developing his masterpieces—a mark of a true Mindanaoan artist.

Alynnah Macla, proudly Muslim and Davaoeña, incorporated the hijab in her artwork and made use of mirrors that came in varying shapes and sizes to cover the faces of her subjects. according to her, Islam prohibits showing of the face so she masterfully conceals it through her choice of angles, the hijab, or by painting her subjects from behind. the mirrors also invite the viewers to relate to her paintings, making them feel one with her art.

Dadai Joaquin, impressionist and selftaught artist, exhibited her mastery of light through her paintings “Bougainvillea” and “Kariling.” her precise brush strokes helped define the direction of the sun as it shines upon its subjects, bringing each one to life and giving them a whole new meaning.

Seasoned artist Bong Perez translated to art Mindanaoan life from his point of view as a resident and as a tourist. his picturesque paintings captured real-life imagery that communicates the urban and rural life of Davao City. through his realistic representations, he was able to show to the world

everyday scenes from his hometown in tasteful, full-color masterpieces. exhibit curator and one of the featured artists, Vic Secuya, in his two-series painting, showcased his interpretation of his beloved island, Mindanao, depicting it through bright and vibrant colors and unique shapes that communicate movement and denote direction. his contributions to the exhibit, “Memories Of My Father’s Farm 1 and 2,” added a mysterious component to the lineup of artworks.

Pueblas, Macla, Joaquin, Perez, and Secuya are just five of the 12 featured Mindanaoan artists that create art with their hearts—making each and every artwork a memento of their life in Davao. the intricate details of their masterpieces are a reflection of their experiences, their passion, and the stories they want to convey through their paintings, and Phoenix Petroleum has provided them the opportunity to share their talents and carefully woven stories to the world.

“Mindanao is home to talented artists, and we want to provide a venue for them to share their stories about our home, through this art exhibit,” said Phoenix Petroleum President and CeO Dennis Uy, during the exhibit opening. the event was part of the company’s celebration of their 15th founding anniversary and 10th listing anniversary, being a company that started in Davao City and now a national brand.

Misha Pueblas used dried leaves to highlight the muted tones of his subjects the 12 featured artists were Venerando “Rey” Bollozos, Adolfo Buenaventura, Mariano “Anoy” Catague, Rogelito “Jun” Cayas, Amanda Echevarria, Louella

“Dadai” Joaquin, alynnah Macla, Gilbert Miraflor, Welehito “Lito” Pepito, teody “Bong” Perez, Mishael “Misha” Pueblas, and Victor Secuya.

Creations of (from left) Venerando 'Roy' Bollozos, Amanda Echevarria, Bong Perez, Welehito 'Lito' Pepito, and Alynnah Macla for the 'Beginnings and Beyond' exhibit that showcases the work of Mindanaoan artists

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TODAY FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2018 Isah V. Red, Editor • Nickie Wang, Writer

Thankful for the gift of family A

LDEN Richards has a lot to be thankful for, as he remains the man of the hour in showbiz. With endorsements left and right, acting jobs in between hosting stints and many more, it is common sense to figure out that he is living life to the fullest. People won’t even debate because the Pambansang Bae deserves it all.

InvItatIon to BId through Sealed BId In the auctIon/BIddIng of two (2) parcelS of land located at central BuSIneSS park I – ISlandS B & c of the Bay cIty, paranaque cIty under ItB no. Bacd17-002 (re-BIddIng) The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is inviting offers to buy through sealed bid in the auction/bidding of Two (2) parcels of land located at Central Business Park I – Islands B & C of the Bay City, Parañaque City under ITB No. BACD17-002(Re-bidding).

DESCRIPTION Item No. Item Name Item

Location Total Land Area Floor Price Land Title No/s.

Property Use and Encumbrances

I.

LOT 1 Bay City Properties Two (2) parcels of land purchased by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) from the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA): a. An area of 3,733 square meters (more or less) covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) No. 010-2014000775 under PAGCOR’s name and a Deed of Absolute Sale dated 19 February 2013; and b. An area of 156,626 square meters (more or less) covered by a Deed of Absolute Sale dated August 16, 2017.

Central Business Park I – Islands B & C of the Bay City, Parañaque City 160,359 square meters (more or less) Php 37,233,130,000.00 (VAT Exclusive, Zero Rated) TCT No. 010-2014000775 is registered under the name of PAGCOR with an area of 3,733 square meters more or less; and TCT No. 010-2014003181 is registered under the name of PRA with an area of 156,626 square meters more or less The Properties are subject of a long-term lease initially in favor of Bloomberry Resorts & Hotels Inc. who built and operate the Solaire Resort & Casino thereon. However, the leasehold rights were later assigned to Sureste Properties, Inc. (“Lessee”).

The lease period is up to July 11, 2033 and is extendible for another term under certain conditions. The Lessee has a Right to Match the highest complying bid for the Properties. The Lessee has mortgaged its leasehold rights over the Properties. In the same vein, the title and rights over the buildings, structures and other improvements thereon were likewise mortgaged to various lenders.

GENERAL CONDITIONS: Disposal of the Real Properties for auction/sale will be on “AS IS – WHERE IS” and on “CASH” basis. The bidder further acknowledges that he has been given every opportunity to investigate, inspect and verify the REAL PROPERTY offered to ascertain the actual conditions thereof as well as the status of the title/tax declaration. Bidder accepts PAGCOR’s disclaimer of any warranty, implied or otherwise, that the assets conform precisely to the description available in the invitation to Bid. Further, the bidder, knowing the risks and assuming the consequences of eviction, accepts PAGCOR’s absolute waiver of warranty therefrom.

2.

Prospective bidders must be Filipino citizens or otherwise authorized by law to acquire real property in the Philippines. In case of a corporation or partnership, 60% of its capital must be owned by Filipino citizens.

3.

Officers and employees of PAGCOR and their relatives within the 4th degree of consanguinity and affinity shall be ineligible to bid.

4.

No bid below the floor price shall be accepted.

5.

Bid shall strictly be in Philippine Currency.

6.

TCT No. 010-2014003181 is covered by a Deed of Absolute Sale between Public Estates Authority (PEA), presently known as Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), and PAGCOR. The land title is still under the name of the PEA, now the PRA. Expenses for the transfer of title from PRA to the winning bidder shall be for the account of the winning bidder.

PAGCOR shall thereafter deliver to the winning bidder TCT No. 010-2014003181 with the covering Deed of Absolute Sale between PAGCOR and PRA, and TCT No. 010-2014000775 free from all liens and encumbrances except the Contract of Lease (and its addenda) executed between PAGCOR and Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels, Inc. (formerly Bloomberry Investments Holdings, Inc.) and the Deed of Assignment between Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels, Inc. and Sureste Properties, Inc. It is expressly understood and agreed that the property shall be used exclusively for the purpose for which it was intended, i.e. that it serves as an integral part of the PAGCOR Entertainment City Project and is to be utilized for the purpose of developing and maintaining thereon a world-class integrated resort in accordance with the plans approved by lessee and PAGCOR. The winning bidder cannot use the property in any manner and for any purpose not consistent with PAGCOR’s Entertainment City Project and must conform to applicable zoning regulations and restrictions.

Furthermore, it is understood that the ownership of the property does not confer to the winning bidder the right to operate gaming facilities and business. A casino license or license to operate gaming operations is NOT part of the sale of the Property. Hence, the winning bidder of the Property shall neither have right nor authority to operate a casino or any other gaming operation. This paragraph shall be inapplicable should the Lessee be declared the highest bidder or is able to match the bona fide offer of the highest bidder.

7.

Pursuant to the Contract of Lease (and its addenda), the Real Property Tax, including arrears, penalties and charges, if any, shall be for the account of the Lessee.

8.

All other applicable taxes including capital gains tax, transfer costs, registration fees, documentary stamps taxes and other expenses incidental to the sale and transfer of the assets shall be for the account of the winning bidder who shall be responsible in causing the transfer/issuance of certificates of title under its name.

9.

The Contract of Lease (and its addenda) between PAGCOR and the Lessee shall be registered and annotated on the title of the subject property. The lease contract shall be binding on the winning bidder. As such, the Lessee’s security of tenure shall be respected and guaranteed.

10. Where a re-survey or re-location of the land applied for is necessary, all expenses therefore including the preparation of plans and other papers shall be defrayed by the winning bidder.

11. PRE-BID CONFERENCE DATE: January 15, 2018 TIME: 2:00 p.m.

VENUE: 5th Floor Meeting Room C, PAGCOR Corporate Office, AG New World Manila Bay Hotel and Casino 1558 M.H. Del Pilar corner Pedro Gil Streets ,Malate, Manila 12. INSPECTION OF PROPERTIES 12.1 Inspection shall commence on January 4, 2018 until January 25, 2018.

12.2 For schedule of inspection, please coordinate with Ms. Shalee D. Nacino, BACD Secretariat at Tel No. (02) 521-1542 local. 258.

13. BIDDING REQUIREMENTS 13.1 Inside a sealed envelope: 13.1.1 Articles of Incorporation / Partnership for corporation/s or partnerships, and proof of citizenship for individuals.

13.1.2 Latest General Information Sheet, if applicable; 13.1.3 Financial Statements, 2016; 13.1.4 Income Tax Return, 2016; 13.1.5 If with Representative, Special Power of Attorney (SPA) or Secretary’s Certificate.

13.1.6 6Terms of Reference and Bid Bulletin (if any) with all pages signed by the bidder or the authorized representative; 13.1.7 Sworn Statement that each of the documents submitted in satisfaction of the bidding requirements is an authentic copy of the original, complete, and all statements and information provided therein are true and correct; and 13.1.8 Photo copy of any government issued ID of the bidder or the authorized representative.

13.1.9 Duly accomplished Bid Form 13.1.10 Bid Bond - equivalent to 10% of the floor price in the form of Manager’s Check issued by any Universal or Commercial Bank payable to “Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation”.

Note: Bid Form and bid bond shall be placed inside a sealed A4 envelope 13.2 The following details shall be written in the envelope: Upper left hand corner: Name of Bidder Address Contact Number Fax Number Center: BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE FOR DISPOSAL (BACD) PHILIPPINE AMUSEMENT AND GAMING CORPORATION PAGCOR Corporate Office AG New World Manila Bay Hotel and Casino 1588 M.H. Del Pilar Street cor. Pedro Gil Streets Malate, Manila.

Name of Property: Bay City Properties ITB Number: BACD17-002(Re-bidding) Bottom: Do not open before 2:00 P.M., January 26, 2018.

13.3 Bid Documents shall be available at Room 202 Engineering Room (c/o Ms. Shalee Nacino) 2nd Floor, PAGCOR House, 1330 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita, Manila (10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.) upon payment of a non-refundable Bidding Fee of P75,000.00.

14. BID BOND 14.1 Failure to post a bidder’s bond shall constitute a ground to reject the bid.

14.2 The bidder’s bond shall be forfeited in favor of PAGCOR in the event of any of the following: 14.2.1 Withdrawal by any bidder of his/her bid during the conduct of the auction, i.e. from 2:00 P.M., January 26, 2018 up to the time the highest and second highest bid has been declared; 14.2.2 Withdrawal by bidder of his bid after the same has been declared the highest bid; and 14.2.3 Refusal of the highest bidder to accept the award/contract for any reason after it has been awarded to him.

14.3 Bid bonds of bidder/s, except that of the highest bidder, shall be returned to them as soon as the highest and second highest bid has been declared or at a reasonable time thereafter and the waiver to file the Motion for Reconsideration/Protest has been signed by the respective bidder.

15. SUBMISSION OF BIDDING REQUIREMENTS 15.1 The Invitation to Bid shall form part of the Terms of Reference.

15.2 Submission and opening of bids shall be on January 26, 2018, 2:00 p.m. at Meeting Room C, 5th Floor, PAGCOR Corporate Office, AG New World Manila Bay Hotel and Casino, 1558 M. H. Del Pilar corner Pedro Gil Streets, Malate, Manila.

15.3 Bidder / authorized representative shall be present during the auction.

15.4 Bidders shall address and submit their sealed envelopes to: BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE FOR DISPOSAL (BACD) PHILIPPINE AMUSEMENT AND GAMING CORPORATION PAGCOR Corporate Office AG New World Manila Bay Hotel and Casino ,1588 M.H. Del Pilar Street cor. Pedro Gil Sts. Malate, Manila.

15.5 No bids shall be accepted after the scheduled opening date and time.

16. AWARDING 16.1 At least Two (2) bidders must submit a bid tender for the properties to be auctioned. If there is only one offeror then there shall be a failure of bidding.

16.2 The bidder who offers the highest bid (the Bona Fide Offer resulting from the successful bidding process) shall be declared as the highest bidder subject to the provisions specified in item 16.3.

16.3 After the declaration of the highest bidder, the Lessee, in case he participated in the auction but was not declared as such, shall thereat be notified of his Option to Match the highest bid (the “Bona Fide Offer”) within one hundred twenty (120) days in view of the provisions of its existing contract with PAGCOR. If the Lessee did not participate in the auction, it shall be notified in writing of the Bona Fide Offer and shall have a period of one hundred twenty (120) days from receipt of such written notice within which to match the Bona Fide Offer. In order for the Lessee to successfully match the Bona Fide Offer, full payment must be made within the one hundred twenty (120) day period as stated above.

16.4 The highest bidder, in case he/she is not the Lessee, shall be notified in writing in the event the Lessee exercises its Right to Match the Bona Fide Offer.

16.5 Post qualification for the highest bidder or the Lessee, as the case may be, shall be conducted to verify the documents submitted and to clear the bid bond.

16.6 Awarding to the winning bidder shall be subject to the approval of PAGCOR Board of Directors.

16.7 Notice of Award shall be issued after the Board has granted approval.

16.8 In the event of a failed public bidding, PAGCOR may resort to Negotiated Sale consistent with applicable laws, rules and regulations.

17. PAYMENT 17.1 Bid bond shall be considered as partial payment and the difference between the bid bond and the highest bid price shall be paid in the form of manager’s check from any Universal or Commercial Bank.

17.2 The remaining balance of the bid price shall be paid in full at PAGCOR’s Finance and Treasury Department (FTD) Cashier within five (5) calendar days (inclusive of 3 working days clearing of manager’s check) from the receipt of the Notice of Award.

17.3 Failure of full payment within the prescribed five (5) calendar days or withdrawal by the winning bidder of his bid offer/price shall mean forfeiture of his 10% bidder’s bond in favor of PAGCOR to be applied as liquidated damages.

18. PAGCOR reserves the right to disqualify any and/or all prospective bidder/bidders if found that they have submitted falsified documents and/or information, and the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to annul the bidding process, to waive any defects of formalities found therein and to accept such bid or a part thereof as may be deemed most advantageous to PAGCOR without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

19. PAGCOR reserves the right to change any of the rules as it sees fit. Revised Terms of Reference will be issued whenever applicable.

PAGCOR further reserves the right to amend the Terms of Reference any time prior to the submission of the sealed bids. If the amendments are of a nature that will affect the bids, PAGCOR will entertain request to reschedule the bidding.

20. PAGCOR reserves the right to reject any and/or all bids, or declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract, if there is prima facie evidence of collusion between relevant public officers or employees of the agency or between the Corporate Disposal Committee or between the BAC for Disposal and any of the bidders, or if collusions is between or among the bidders, or between a bidder and a third party, including any act which restricts, suppresses or nullifies competition, or if the BAC for Disposal is found to have failed to follow the prescribed bidding procedures, or for any justifiable and reasonable ground where the award of the contract shall not redound to the benefit of the government.

21. All documents submitted by the bidders are presumed to be legally in order, that the person signing and executing said documents is authorized to do so and that the signatures appearing thereon are authentic and not forged. Any material defect or misrepresentation on the documents which will invalidate or render unenforceable the bids submitted shall cause the rejection of the bid and the forfeiture of any amount tendered to PAGCOR. 22. All communications as regards the conduct of public auction shall be addressed to: 1.

BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE FOR DISPOSAL (BACD) Thru the Secretariat: Ms. Shalee Nacino 2nd Floor, General Services and Engineering Department (GSED) PAGCOR House, 1330 Roxas Blvd., Ermita, Manila Tel. No.: (02) 521-15-42 loc. 258

Hard work, aside from charisma, good looks, and talent, Alden is mostly known for his humility and respect for the industry. He is thankful for the things he has achieved, and he wants to honor the people who were with him on his way to success.

But this year, what the Pambansang Bae is most thankful for is the time with his family. As he looked back the previous years, it was 2017 that gave him more opportunities to show how much he loves his family—and he feels lucky to have them by his side all the time.

“I just got back from Japan, and it really felt as the most wonderful time of the year.

Spending Christmas with my family and seeing them happy are my reward for myself,” Alden said.

Alden looks forward to 2018 with his chin held high, and he hopes that he will make his family proud again as he continues to work hard and prove that he deserves all the blessings he is given.

Republic of the Philippines Province of Bataan City of Balanga BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE OFFICE InvItatIon to BId no. goodS-084-2017 84

The Provincial Government of Bataan, through the Special Education Fund intends to apply the below listed procurement w/ corresponding Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected a bid opening.

Name of Project Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC) 1. Purchase of Instructional Materials for Distribution to Elementary Schools =P=11,553,750.00 in the Division of Bataan The Provincial Government of Bataan now invites bids for the above listed Procurement. Delivery of goods is required within 30 Calendar Days. Bidders should have completed, at least one (1) contract that is similar to the contract to be bid. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

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

Bidding is open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Office of Bataan Bids & Awards Committee and inspect the Bidding Documents from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the same office.

Bid documents will be available only to eligible bidders upon payment of a nonrefundable amount of using standard rates approved by GPPB as stated on their Resolution No. 04-2012 listed below.

Approved Budget for the Contract

Maximum Cost of Bidding Documents (in Philippine Peso)

500,000 and below More than 500,000 up to 1 Million More than 1 Million up to 5 Million More than 5 Million up to 10 Million More than 10 Million up to 50 Million More than 50 Million up to 500 Million More than 500 Million

500.00 1,000.00 5,000.00 10,000.00 25,000.00 50,000.00 75,000.00

The Provincial Government of Bataan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on January 10, 2018 at 10:00 A.MatProvincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan.

Bids must be delivered on or before January 22, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated on IRR of RA 9184 or Bid Securing Declaration in standard form.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend opening of Bids at Bataan BAC Office. Late bids shall not be accepted.

In case of the above dates is declared a special Non-Working Holidays, it will automatically reset on the next working days.

Other necessary information deemed relevant by the Provincial Government of Bataan Activities 1. Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid 2. Eligibility Check 3. Issuance and availability of Bidding Documents 4. Request for Clarification 5. Opening of Bids

Schedule January 03, 2018 – January 09, 2018 Refer to date of Opening of Bids January 03, 2018 – January 22, 2018 January 12, 2018 January 22, 2018

The Provincial Government of Bataan reserves 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.

For further information, please refer to: Ms. Aileen C. Sagun Provincial BAC / PEO Bataan Provincial BAC / PEO Office, Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan 047-237-9316 bac@bataan.gov.ph

(Sgd) ATTY. ANGELINE PAPICA-ENTIENZA Chairman Bids and Awards Committee for Disposal (BACD) PAGCOR (MS-JAN. 5,6, 2018)

OPTIMISTIC. Pambansang Bae Alden Richards looks forward to a brighter 2018

(SGD) ENRICO T. YUZON BAC CHAIRMAN

Wish Music Awards 2018’s spotlight on OPM WISH 107.5, Your No. 1 FM Station on YouTube, announced Wish Music Awards will be held on Jan. 15 at SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Now celebrating its third year, the Wish Music Awards aims to gather and recognize the year’s best and well-loved Filipino musicians and artists.

Breakthrough and Milestones Productions International, Inc. (BMPI) produces Wish Music Awards.

Wish Music Awards will pay tribute to local songwriters, bands, singers and artists who collectively contributed to the massive appreciation and support gained by Original Pilipino Music (OPM) from the public lately.

Having noticed the recent resurgence of OPM, Wish finds it fitting to put the spotlight to the men and women who helped rekindle Filipinos’ love for their very own -- OPM. Thus, the 2018 WMA will give thanks to the OPM legends while letting new and up and coming Pinoy musicians to step up their games and showcase their original brand of musicality.

Consistent with its mission to promote goodwill while promoting local music, the first Wish 107.5 Music Awards was remarkable for using parts of the proceeds of the event to donate to charities.

Held on Jan. 26, 2016, the 1st Wish MusicAwards had the big winners of the musical evening chose the beneficiaries of the prize. A total P1.1 million was doled out during that evening.

On the 2nd Wish Music Awards, Wish debuted the Wishclusive Elite Circle, an award category that reward performances uploaded on YouTube with the most number of views.

The introduction of WISHclusive Elite Circle was spurred by the phenomenal rise of Wish 107.5’s online digital platform since 2016. Today, Wish 107.5’s YouTube channel has earned a massive followings, brought largely by a diverse array of WISHclusive performances by local and foreign musical acts.

For the Wish Music Awards 2018, Wish announces that the major awards categories include Best WISHclusive Performance, WISH Original Song of The Year, and WISH Artist of the Year.

Other awards to be given are: WISH Promising Artist, WISHclusive Elite Circle Award, WISH Reactors’ Choice Award, and the WISH Music Icon.

Wish will choose the winners through a voting process, which comprises of online votes (15 percent) and the judges’ votes (85 percent).

Fans can cast their votes on the WMA website, www. wish1075.com/wishawards, using their Facebook and Twitter accounts. Wish says that it will count and it will only allow an account to make one vote per category per day.

Online voting ends on Jan. 15, 12 noon.

(MS-JAN. 5, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Motoring

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2018

C3

THE ART OF VINTAGE CAR PICKING

Old-school rides go online T

HEIR rarity on the road and headturning qualities make vintage cars appealing to a lot of people. But to own an old-school ride often means having to restore one.

For such a project, those in the know will point you to Alfred Perez, owner of Alfred Motorworks in Kamuning, Quezon City. The 45-year old knows both the triumphs and struggles of the process, having been in the restoration business 25 years and counting.

“Just imagine before, maghahagilap ka talaga, especially for the parts. Wala pang online noon and you’d really just look for kung anong meron dito sa Pilipinas. Pag wala, you fabricate, and even yung kokopyahan mo na pictures, hahanapin mo pa sa lumang libro na hahanapin mo rin sa Recto,” Alfred shares.

A haven for old books and all sorts of antique knick-knacks, Recto’s stores also stocked old automotive books and magazines. These publications, according to Alfred, were often the only source material restorers had back then.

However, as the Internet made information more accessible, hunting for vintage car parts has become an easier undertaking. People who have older cars parked in their garages for years or car parts gathering dust in boxes are now being found, thanks to online selling platforms like OLX. Vintage car hunters like Alfred, more commonly called “pickers” start their picking online, an experience which he says is always surprising.

“Marami na rin kasi ang napopost and when you’re buying or selling something, the inquiries branch out to other items you may not be necessarily looking for or selling.”

Having been in the business of restoring and collecting rare rides, including a 1918 Chevrolet pick-up truck, for over two decades, Alfred observes that appreciation of vintage cars is currently trending and no longer resonates with just older folks.

“Noon, my youngest clients would be around 50 years old.

Ngayon, hindi lang matanda ang nakaka-appreciate. Even those who are in their teens or in their 20s are looking to acquire much older cars that were around before

Alfred Perez stands beside the oldest car in his collection, a 1916 Chevrolet pick-up truck.

A pair of old-school pick-up trucks greets you at the entrance of Alfred Motorworks.

Motul celebrates Super GT championship success MOTUL has reached the chequered flag first again and celebrates yet another championship victory. As the Motul NISMO Autech team took victory at the final round of the 2017 Super GT championship season at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan, the No.37

they were even born,” he says.

And in a time when communication is first mostly digital, Alfred says using OLX has not only made the search process easier; it has also expanded his network within the vintage car community.

“Nakakatuwa kasi dati, manomano ang hunting. Now with a just a few clicks, you can find what you’re looking for. Minsan nagbebenta ka ng lumang steering wheel, then the person who buys that refers you to their own friends in search of different parts or cars.”

But just like any endeavor, vintage car hunting requires a careful approach. “Sa dami ng nagpopost, you need to really research.

Click on each post, read the details, and compare. Sa OLX itself, research na rin eh. In OLX, you can compare prices to find out the average price for what you’re planning to buy or sell,” advises Alfred.

No doubt, the enthusiasm for old-school rides is here to stay and will continue to grow. The good news is, you can start looking for them via a new-school route— you might just find the vintage car of your dreams through OLX.

Lexus Tom’s Keeper car – with Motul’s support – this past weekend clinched 2017 GT500 championship title.

Ryo Hirakawa and Nick Cassidy rounded off the season with a second-place finish to become the youngest champions in the se-

ries’ history at just 23 years old, and awarded the Lexus marque with its third championship title in 5 years, all with the support of Motul. This represents a 5th year in a row championship for Motul supported teams.

Motul extends its warmest

congratulations to everyone involved.

The No.37 Lexus TOM’S KEEPER duo needed to finish in the top-two to claim the title, irrespective of how their rivals performed. Although they were no match to the victorious No.23 Nissan of Ronnie Quintarelli and Tsugio Matsuda, second place was enough to lift the crown.

Quintarelli and Matsuda finished second in the championship following their - and Nissan’s - first victory of the season, ending two points behind Cassidy and Hirakawa in the final standings.

Both teams use products from Motul’s Motorsport Line as well as experimental lubricants that are specially developed by Motul, working closely with both factory teams.

As a leader in its field of lubricant technology, Motul is honoured to be involved with many different motorsport teams, championships and events around the world. Few have been as fruitful on such a regular basis as the highly competitive Super GT series in Japan. Motul works closely with most of the Japanese manufacturers to constantly upgrade and improve the lubricant technology available to its teams.

Petron refreshes Viber with Best Day stickers JUST in time for the new year, Petron has released a new set of Best Day stickers on Viber to help road warriors communicate with family and friends in new and fun ways.

In keeping with Petron’s mission to always give customers a Best Day, the stickers are designed to be upbeat and are sure to bring smiles to anyone who will receive them.

Stickers with commonly-used expressions like ‘good morning’, ‘cheers’, ‘u da best’, ‘wow’ and ‘lol’ are given a fresh and more colorful look. Motorists, on the other hand, can relate to stickers saying ‘road trip’, ‘labas tayo’ and ‘traffic, bes!’

Meanwhile, those needing encouragement can get their muchneeded confidence boost from the ‘kaya yan’, ‘kapit lang’, and ‘tara’ stickers.

The new #Pet ron Be stDay sticker set can be downloaded for free from the Viber sticker market only until March 11, 2018.

But once downloaded, the set will stay in your Viber app permanently. You may download the free sticker set at http:// b i t . l y/ V i b e rPetron2_ph.

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor DINO DIRECTO III Asst. Editor

C4

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2018

Motoring

Travel like a boss with Urvan Text and photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

W

HEN Nissan Ph unveiled the allnew Urvan middle of last year, I knew Nissan had a winner in its hands. With a headroom big enough for the average Filipino to stand and walk the length of this humongous van, plus suede covered adjustable seats comfortable enough to accommodate 15 individuals and 14 aircon vents strategically spread throughout the cabin, what is there to not like about this van? Well, the manual transmission.

As my face began to distort at the reality of driving this behemoth through EDSA and C5 traffic jams, Dax Avenido came over and assured me that an automatic version will be introduced before year-end 2017.

Lo and behold, Nissan made true to their promise and an automatic version of its beloved Urvan came knocking at my door a few

weeks before Christmas. With its variant sporting a “Premium” badge, this luxurious van was my test unit for an out of town event which coincided with my daughter’s birthday. It was the perfect vehicle for a family of six, with more space to spare.

Aside from its usual comfort amenities, Nissan’s Premium Urvan comes equipped with a

Llave can customize your Urvan and transform it into a King size limousine

powerful and zippy 2500cc inline diesel unit that is matted to a five-speed automatic gearbox.

This 129 bhp engine is perfect for a vehicle of this size and heft, which felt like driving a pretty fast Abrams battle tank. Driving it felt solid and despite the load that we had for that weekend trip, which included a small minibike, this baby hauled ass. Overtaking maneuvers were a cinch, and straight up sprints gave me a smile as one SUV tried to overtake without any success.

As we entered the San Fernando exit on our way to Pradera Verde in Lubao, we dropped speed and leisurely took in the rural sights, as we enjoyed the ride despite the road imperfections and bridge works along the way.

The suede covered seats was perfect for long drives because it can be reclined and there was enough leg room in between the four rows of seats. The Urvan’s climate control was excellent in keeping us comfortable inside considering the humidity of Lubao, which is one of the towns of Pampanga hard hit by the Mt. Pinatubo eruption. Half way to our destination, my passengers were already in lala land dozing off and being lulled to sleep by the cold aircon, comfy seats and classical music creeping through the cabin from the rear mounted speakers.

To make the fight for the domestic market share more exciting, Nissan is due to launch early this year a Premium S version of the Urvan. By adding half a million pesos to the Urvan’s P1.7M price tag, you’ll get a customized Urvan with four Captain’s chairs covered in genuine leather, a premium dash mounted Pioneer audio-video system, two Blaupunkt backrest mounted video monitors and a Blaupunkt dash camera. It also comes equipped with a plant approved aftermarket wheel from Rota. According to Atoy Llave, the country’s “custom” King, the Premium S can be ordered through Nissan’s network of dealers nationwide. It normally takes Atoy two weeks to rip apart and customized an Urvan to make it a Premium S variant.

Nissan’s popular people mover gets an upgrade and now comes equipped with automatic transmission.

Atoy’s custom urvan’s are also popular among celebrities and showbiz personalities. “For people in showbiz, they usually require two Captain’s chairs, a sofa bed and a mini-restroom, plus a large Plasma TV and a premium sound system,” he explains.

Nissan Ph says that the Urvan Premium’s maintenance costs are significantly lower than other vans in the same segment. It fur-

ther stated that it was also the first in the industry to offer warranty coverage for business use, allowing customers to have their vehicle serviced for the first three years, or 100,000 kilometers, whichever comes first, at no additional cost.

“Last year was phenomenal for the brand as our sales figures were quite encouraging which was beefed up further by the

NV350 Urvan. The NV350 sold 1,651 units which accounted for 31 percent of sales in the first and second quarter of last year. Now we continue to grow the business by entering a new segment with the Urvan Premium and the soon to be launched Urvan Premium S,” explains Ramesh Narasimhan, President and Managing Director of Nissan Ph.

Hyundai sparks GREEN Revolution in Marikina City TOP executives from Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. and Shaw Automotive Resources, Inc. led the groundbreaking ceremony of the Hyundai Marikina dealership along Sumulong Highway in Marikina City.

“We see the opportunity to further mobilize people in Marikina City, as it is a major gateway from Metro Manila to Rizal, and considered one of the richest cities in the Metro,” said SARI President Felix Limcaoco III. “We are optimistic that Hyundai Marikina will continue to bring in jobs, and provide the motoring needs of the community.”

With this soon-to-rise dealership, the SARI group is out to beat its successful launching of Hyundai Cainta in 2016.

Hyundai Cainta is the first in the HARI dealership network to embrace and implement the Hyundai New Dealership Experience (NDE).

NDE defines Hyundai’s highest standards in contemporary customer experience. It encompasses the whole spectrum of the customer’s journey with Hyundai, that is, from the physical facilities that comply with Hyundai’s Global Dealership Space Identity, to the warm and highly- knowledgeable Sales and After Sales team, to seamless connectivity with customers in the digital space. Add to this is the full integration of best green practices, not only in terms of design and construction, but also in day-to-day operations.

“With Hyundai Marikina to

complement Hyundai Cainta, Hyundai’s shared dreams of being the automotive force to reckon with in Eastern Metro Manila will soon be a reality,” affirmed HARI President and CEO Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo. “And, like Marikina City, Hyundai is at the forefront of sustainability and set to be known as the first fully green dealer network in the Hyundai global community. GUSTO niyo. KAYA niyo.

SAMA tayo sa biyahe ng buhay sa Marikina!”

Moving into 2018, NDE + Green is the gold standard for HARI’s dealership fortress as it continues to expand Hyundai’s presence in the emerging growth areas within and outside Metro Manila.

At the groundbreaking rites are Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. SVP – Trade Operations and Development Cluster Numeriano Cortez, Jr., Marikina City Business Permits and Licensing Office Department Head lawye Nancy Teylan, Marikina City First District Representative Bayani Fernando, Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro, Shaw Automotive Resources, Inc. President Felix Limcaoco III, HARI President and CEO Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, HARI EVP and CFO Ladislao Avila, Jr., SARI SVP & COO Doroteo Sornet, and SARI VP Maria Antonietta Alonzo.