Manila Standard - 2018 January 19 - Friday by Manila Standard

‘Hazardous eruption may happen soon’ By Rio N. Araja and Sara Susanne D. Fabunan AN AERIAL inspection of Mayon Volcano has shown a hazardous eruption could happen within days or weeks, an ofﬁcial said Thursday. But Paul Alanis, science research specialist of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said they could not tell exactly when the volcano would erupt. “There is no technology that could determine when a hazardous eruption Next page

SILENT ERUPTIONS. Aerial shot of smoke billowing from Mayon Volcano, which has experienced ‘silent eruptions’ but a major, hazardous eruption may or may not happen at all, according to volcanologists. Phivolcs Photo

VOL. XXXI • NO. 336 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

Clash over Con-Ass Alvarez: Cha-Cha rolls with or without Senate

Trump bares ‘Fake News’ awardees WASHINGTON, D.C.— Donald Trump unveiled the winners of his muchtouted “Fake News Awards” late Wednesday, hours after a maverick senator from the president’s own Republican party accused him of employing Stalinist language to “slur” and undermine the free press and encouraging authoritarian leaders such as President Rodrigo Duterte to do the same. Arizona lawmaker Jeff Flake leveled the broadside in an address from the Senate ﬂoor earlier in the day, delivering a one-two punch after veteran Republican John McCain penned an op-ed assailing Trump’s spoof awards. The brash Republican president announced his top 10 list—which included his regular targets CNN, The New York Times and Next page

By Maricel V. Cruz

PEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez on Thursday insisted that both chambers of Congress should vote jointly when they convene as a constituent assembly to amend the Constitution, and said the House of Representatives could convene itself for the same purpose without the senators. In a radio interview, Alvarez said the text of the 1987 Constitution was clear that Congress should vote jointly in a constituent assembly, and if the senators did not participate, the House could still get the approval of three-fourths of all members of the legislature to satisfy the requirement of

4 DIED HERE. Scene of crime operatives from Muntinlupa City police check one of four people who died during a shooting incident near the Muntinlupa City Jail on Thursday. (Story on A3) Norman Cruz

Arrest order Bill of rights’ proposed insertion defended, assailed Macon Ramosfor Budget ByAraneta and Rey E. Requejo usec out By Maricel V. Cruz THE Sandiganbayan’s Seventh Division has ordered the arrest of former Budget undersecretary Mario Relampagos who is believed to have fled the country to escape the criminal charges filed against him in connection with the pork barrel scam. In two separate minute resolutions, the anti-graft court said Relampagos’ lawyer himself had confirmed that the former Budget official had yet to return from his 31-day trip to the United States. “Relying on accused Relampagos’ good faith in alleging his grounds to the United States, this court Next page

THE proposal to insert the word “responsible” in the Bill of Rights to limit free speech protection came from

the Ofﬁce of the President, and not from the House subcommittee that proposed it, Deputy Speaker Fredenil Castro said Thursday. “It did not come from the subcommittee. It was from the Presidential Committee

on Human Rights secretariat,” Castro told ANC’s Early Edition. The amendments proposed include a change in Section 4 in the Bill of Rights to read: “No law shall be passed abridging the re-

sponsible exercise of the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.” Next page

NEARLY eight out of 10 Filipinos remain satisﬁed with the Duterte administration in the last three months

of 2017, a new record for the government, the latest Social Weather Stations survey said Thursday. In the survey conducted from Dec. 8 to 16, some 79 percent of respondents expressed satisfaction with

By Maricel V. Cruz and Rey E. Requejo TWO Supreme Court ofﬁcials on Wednesday said the P1.9 million spent by the ofﬁce of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on the venue for the third Asean Chief Justices Meeting in March 2015 at SharngriLa’s Boracay Resort did not go through public bidding.

the general performance of the national government, while 9 percent were dissatisﬁed—resulting int a 12 point-rise in his net satifaction rating to +70, classiﬁed by the SWS as “excellent.” Next page

Barbs swapped over Isabelle’s debut invitation right-hand man, Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, traded THE granddaughter of Presi- barbs online yesterday on dent Rodrigo Duterte and the the eve of the former’s 18th son of the chief executive’s birthday celebration.

By John Paolo Bencito DEBUTANTE’S BLUES. A video grab of Isabelle Duterte’s pre-debut photo shoot . twitter.com/ MlaStandard

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Sereno impeachment: 2 execs dish out more dirt

Govt chalks up record satisfaction rating By John Paolo Bencito and Vito Barcelo

the Constitution for Charter amendments. “For us, this complies with the requirement of the Constitution,” he said in Filipino on radio dzMM. Section 1, Article VII of the Constitution provides that “any amendement to, or revision of, this Constitition

Go’s son, Christian Lawrence, said the video that accompanied the invitation for the debut of presidential granddaughter Isabelle Next page

“It did not go through the Bids and Awards Committee [BAC]. I do not know what process it went through,” said Thelma Bahia, deputy court administrator and chairman of the Supreme Court’s BAC, who answered questions at the impeachment hearings against Sereno before the House justice committee. Next page

9 conspired to smuggle shabu—BoC By Vito Barcelo and Rey E. Requejo THE Bureau of Customs said Thursday there was “competent and convincing” evidence to prove a conspiracy among the nine people for the illegal importation of P6.4-billion shabu seized in Valenzuela last year. The agency has ﬁled Next page

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Taiwan up in arms vs Mainland flights By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan and Vito Barcelo TAIWAN on Thursday protested the unilateral launch of mainland China’s flight routes close to the media line of the Taiwan Strait, and urged consultation between the nations’ aviation authorities first. Meanwhile, China and other countries can explore the Benham Rise east of the Philippines for science expeditions, despite the communist nation’s territorial dispute with several countries over islands in the West Philippine Sea or South China Sea, Malacañang said Thursday. In a protest dated Jan. 4 but released to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Manila just yesterday, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said it was “unacceptable” that China decided to launch on the same day the northbound M503 flight route on the Taiwan Strait and the W121, W122, and W123 eastwest extension routes. “Mainland China initiated these four routes without prior communication with Taiwan and began flights on them the same day,” the TECO statement said. Taiwan believes the Chinese action violates the negotiation results reached between the Taipei Airlines Association and China Air Transport Association in March 2015, when China repeatedly pledged to use the M503 route only for one-way southbound flights, and not to activate the W flight routes until after confirmation through further negotiations. “The unilateral launch of these routes also runs entirely counter to international civil aviation regulations, disregards aviation safety, and disrespects Taiwan,” the MAC stressed.

Bill... From A1 During discussion on Charter change earlier this week, Castro defended the insertion of the adjective “responsible.” “This time, if you go around, there is so much abuse of this freedom. They think it is unrestrained. Therefore, we propose the insertion of that phrase,” Castro said. Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the proposal did not come from his office, but could not confirm that it came from the Office of the President. In the same ANC program, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay said inserting the word “responsible” in the Bill of Rights clause on free speech was dangerous because it gave the state the power to define what is responsible. “There is an inherent conflict there because if the government gets to define what is responsible speech, then they have the basic control over the amount of criticism they can get,” Hilbay said.

Arrest... From A1 granted his motion to travel,” the Sandiganbayan said. Needless to say, accused Relampagos, in failing to return to the country by Jan. 1, 2018, acted contrary to his representations to and in blatant contempt of this court. “Accused Relampagos’ intent to evade prosecution is unmistakable not only from his failure to return to the country as undertaken but likewise from his communications to his counsel.” The Sandiganbayan earlier allowed Relampagos to travel to the US from Dec. 2, 2017 to Jan. 1, 2018 to attend the meeting of The International Consortium on Governmental Financial Management, as well as to visit his daughter and three grandchildren. The Sandiganbayan also ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs to cancel Relampagos’ passport, which will expire on Oct. 14, 2019. It also ordered the prosecution to initiate the extradition case against him.

New Navy chief named and Reservists Affairs’ appointment was released on Jan. 16 but was made public only on Jan. 18 and signed by President EAR Admiral Robert Rodrigo Duterte. Empedrad, whose name Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Delfin was dragged into the Lorenzana on Wednesday dismissed a controversial acquisition of a proposition by a lawmaker to abrogate the frigate, was appointed as the new consummated P18-billion contract to acquire a modern frigate for the Philippine ﬂag ofﬁcer in command of the Navy. Philippine Navy, Malacañang Lorenzana was reacting to Rep. Gary announced Thursday. Alejano’s suggestion that the frigate procurement project be terminated because it The former Armed Forces of the Phil- was allegedly anomalous. ippines deputy chief of staff for Retirees He said the frigate project for the By Vito Barcelo and Francisco Tuyay

Navy could not just be scrapped in the absence of questionable conditions in the transaction. “There is a proper process prescribed in Republic Act 9184 and there are specific conditions that must be present in order to invoke it, none of which are existing at the moment,” Lorenzana said. Lorenzana endorsed Empedrad as Philippine Navy Chief effective Dec. 17, 2017. Empedrad’s appointment came amid a controversy involving the Philippine Navy’s P15.7-billion Combat Management System procurement plan for its two missile frigates.

TOKYO VISITOR.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte poses for a photo with Special Adviser for Foreign Affairs to the Japanese Prime Minister Katsuyaki Kawai who paid a courtesy call on the President at Malacañan Palace on Jan. 17, 2018. Presidential Photo

Clash... From A1 may be proposed by…Congress, upon a vote of threefourths of all its members,” Alvarez said. “We are the representatives of the people. We are the nearest link to the people, so why should a vote by the senators carry more weight than those of the congressmen,” Alvarez said. Alvarez said it was time to amend the Constitution to shift to a federal form of government that would give the country’s regions equal opportunities, since they would manage their own economies. Alvarez acknowledged, however, that proceeding without the Senate could bring challenges before the Supreme Court. Still, he said, he expected Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, party president of the ruling Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino, to speak out on the issue. He said PDP was founded by the Senate president’s father, former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr., who advocated a federal system from the start. Alvarez said he and President Rodrigo Duterte joined the PDP because they were convinced of the merits of federalism.

Sereno... From A1 Maria Carina Cunanan, assistant chief of the Supreme Court’s administrative services and procurement office, confirmed that no public bidding was done. On the other hand, the chief of the Court’s fiscal management and budget office, Corazon Flores, said there was no irregularity in the transaction. “We did not get a notice of disallowance from the Commission on Audit so our presumption was that the transaction was regular and the papers were complete at that time,” Flores said. Sereno, who has stayed away from the impeachment hearings, earlier denied using the ShangriLa presidential villa for herself alone, saying that it was used as well as the venue for the signing of the “Boracay Accord,” and a photo opportunity of the 10 Asean chief justices. Sereno said the resort charged P134,192.25 for the use of the presidential villa instead of the regular rate of P280,000. On Thursday, Sereno denied

Barbs... From A1 Duterte smacked of “a sense of entitlement.” “Ang weird makita nung pre-debut photoshoot ni... Parang may sense of entitlement ang dating. Nagpose pa siya sa likod ng seal... Weird, so weird...” the younger Go

Once Congress convenes as a constituent assembly, he said, they would discuss the structure of the federal government and proceed from there. Outlining the features of a federal system, Alvarez said the legislature should be streamlined. In the end, he added, all the concerns raised against the shift to a federal form of government would be addressed, and submitted in a plebiscite to the people for their decision. He said proceedings of the constituent assembly would be transparent to ensure that the proposed provisions would truly be beneficial to the people, and not serve the vested interests of lawmakers. On Tuesday night, the senators agreed in an all-party caucus to stay away from the House-initiated assembly and were unanimous in insisting that the two chambers vote separately on amendments. During the same caucus, Senator Panfilo Lacson proposed that any senator who joined the assembly would be expelled from the Senate. A working draft of the proposed amendments prepared by the House of Representatives would clip the power of the judiciary to check the executive branch by deleting a phrase in the Constitution that mandates judges to deter-

mine if government commits a grave abuse of discretion. The draft was prepared by a subcommittee under the House committee on constitutional amendments chaired by Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado. The draft measure seeks to delete an entire phrase from Section 1, Article VIII of the 1987 Constitution, citing “judicial overreach” in some cases. The proposal which is being deliberated in the House, also seeks to abolish the Judicial and Bar Council and delegate to the Prime Minister the power to nominate members and officials of the judiciary. “The Prime Minister shall nominate and with the consent of the Commission on Appointments, appoint the Chief Justices and members of the Supreme Court and Constitutional court, the collegiate courts, the Ombudsman and his deputies, and the chairmen and members of the constitutional commissions,” the proposal reads. The President’s allies also seek to amend Article III or the Bill of Rights to provide that only “responsible” exercise of freedom of speech, expression and the press will be protected. “No law shall be passed abridging the responsible exercise of the freedom of

speech, of expression or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances,” the proposed provision reads. The House on Tuesday approved a concurrent resolution calling for the convening of both chambers of Congress into a constituent assembly to introduce amendments to the Constitution. Mercado has said that voting on the proposal to convene the House and the Senate as a Con-Ass to rewrite the Constitution should be done jointly. Senators have opposed joint voting because they are outnumbered by the House, which has 292 members. Also on Thursday, a PDPLaban official said the party is not seeking to extend President Duterte’s term or cut short Vice President Leni Robredo’s six-year term, even though the proposed amendments would abolish her office. PDP-Laban vice president for international affairs Raul Lambino said the proposal to have a president with a fiveyear term and one chance for reelection would only apply to the next president. He added that although the Office of the Vice President would be dissolved under the PDP-Laban draft charter, Robredo would be allowed to complete her term in 2022.

allegations of impropriety in her appointment of the head of the Supreme Court’s technical working group for survivorship benefits. In a statement released by her office, Sereno denied that she appointed lawyer Jocelyn Fabian as chairman of the special committee because the latter was a fellow member of her Christian church. Sereno said Fabian was qualified for the position and underwent the regular application and screening process as she expressed “grave concern that her integrity and values—and even her Christian faith— are being unjustly besmirched.” “Considering her background, Attorney Fabian is unquestionably highly qualified and wellequipped to assist the judiciary in the identification and resolution of its financial concerns. Her unshakable faith and obedience to the Lord’s guidance have allowed her to contribute tirelessly to the study, implementation, and institutionalization of much-needed systemic changes of a 117-year-old institution,” the chief justice said.

Govt... From A1 Some 12 percent of the respondents were undecided. The government’s satisfaction rating is up by one grade from the very good +58 recorded in September 2017—better than the previous record of very good +66 achieved in June 2013 by the previous administration. The 12-point gain in the administration’s general net satisfaction ratings was due to high net satisfaction scores achieved in Mindanao, NCR, and Balance Luzon, combined with a steady score in the Visayas. The administration’s net rating stayed at “excellent” in Mindanao and NCR at +87 and +71, respectively. It stayed very good in Balance Luzon with +67 in December and stayed steady in the Visayas at a “very good” +57. The same survey also revealed that the administration got very good on five subjects, good on 11 subjects, and

moderate on two subjects in its Governance Report Card. The net rating of the administration was very good on: Fighting terrorism (+67), Helping the poor (+66), Building and maintenance of public works like roads and bridges (+59), Foreign relations (+55), and Providing jobs (+50). It was good on: Reconciling with Muslim rebels (+48), Telling the truth to the people (+47), Defending the country’s territorial rights (+46), Protecting human rights (+45), Reconciling with communist rebels (+43), Fighting crimes (+43), Eradicating graft and corruption (+42), Ensuring an efficient public transportation system (+42), Ensuring that no family will ever be hungry (+33), Solving the problem of extrajudicial killings or EJK (+30), and Ensuring that oil companies do not take advantage of oil prices (+30). It was moderate on: Fighting inflation (+24) and Resolving the traffic problem (+23).

said using his Twitter account @chrencego, which he has since taken down but not before netizens were able to take screenshots of the exchange that followed. Isabelle, while she was not named in the tweet, apparently felt alluded to and lashed back at the son of her grandfather’s most trusted Cabinet official.

“Weird lang dahil Papa mo yung kausap in the process... Omg!?!???? Shocker,” she said, pointing to Sec. Bong Go as the one who approved the pre-debut photoshoot inside Malacañan Palace. “You bash someone related to the person who your dad works for, konting tingin sa pinanggalingan. keep you feet on the ground (sic),” Isabelle

said, short of accusing the Chrence of being an ingrate. “+ you’ve been to places i’ve never been to. so don’t hit me with that entitlement bullshit. kasi you know who between the two of our families hold a bigger scandal. if you’ve lost that much respect for our family, i wont hesitate to spill everything i know about yours,” she added.

But Malacañang said Empedrad had nothing to do with the procurement that was made during the Aquino administration. In December 2017, former Philippine Navy flag officer in command Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado was sacked because of “insubordination.” Earlier, Lorenzana said Mercado was relieved from his post for “jeopardizing” the frigate acquisition project. Both Mercado and Empedrad worked with the technical working group handling the procurement deal since the Aquino administration.

Marcos gets only xerox copies of poll documents By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, junked the request of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to secure the original copies of documents pertinent to his protest against the election of Vice President Leni Robredo. In its resolution dated Jan. 10, but only released on Thursday, the 15-member electoral tribunal, resolved to allow Marcos to secure photocopies or soft copies of the decrypted ballot images, election returns and other reports for all the protested clustered precincts of pilot provinces Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental subject to the payment of incidental costs. “However, the custody of the official, printed and authenticated copies of the decrypted ballot images, election returns and audit logs from the protested clustered precincts of the said pilot provinces should remain with the Tribunal for the conduct of the revision proceedings pursuant to 2010 PET rules,” the PET resolution said. In a statement, the Marcos camp lamented that the PET resolution is a confirmation of the bias of justice in-charge

‘Hazardous... From A1 could take place,” Alanis told the Manila Standard. But he said Mayon Volcano was already experiencing “silent eruptions many times.” “The lava collapses are considered eruptions, silent or non-hazardous ones,” he said. As the volcano continued to spew ash, smoke and lava, the Diocese of Legazpi on Thursday called on the faithful to open their homes to evacuees to help decongest the evacuation centers. In a radio interview, Diocese of Legazpi Social Action director Rex Paul Arjona said they were hoping that the faithful would participate in the “Hararom na Pagranga sa Orog na Nangangaipo” program.

Trump... From A1 The Washington Post—using his preferred medium of Twitter, linking to a list published on the Republican Party’s website that crashed minutes after his big reveal. Flake slammed what he called the president’s dangerous disregard for the truth, and his designation of the mainstream news media as an “enemy of the people.” “Mr President, it is a testament to the condition of our democracy that our own president uses words infamously spoken by Joseph Stalin to describe his enemies,” said the senator, an outspoken Trump critic who is

9Fromconspired... A1 criminal charges for the importation of the illegal drugs against businessman Dong Yi Shen alias “Kenneth Dong,” customs broker Mark Ruben Taguba II, Chinese businessman Chen Ju Long alias “Richard Tan” or “Richard Chen, and five other people in connection with the shipment of about P6.4 billion worth of shabu from China in May 2017. ‘‘The respondents clearly conspired to import the illegal drugs, and that the criminal cases should be brought to trial,” Customs said in an 18-

Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa. “Senator Marcos had already made public last week the obvious bias of Justice Caguioa in his case and he said he would not be surprised if this kind of resolution would come out and he was correct. This is another clear confirmation that he is indeed biased against Senator Marcos and in favor of Mrs. Robredo,” Marcos’ spokesperson llllawyer Victor Rodriguez said. Rodriguez said while the PET is a collegial body composed of 15 justices of the SC, it is Caguioa, as the ponente in charge of the case, who decides and issues the minute resolutions regarding his protest. He also lamented that PET granted Robredo copies of the election-related documents without her shouldering part of the decryption cost. “So kami na pinagbayad ng lahat—toner, papel, sweldo—ayaw ibigay sa amin at pinagbabayad ulit kung gusto naming ng kopya. Si Mrs. Robredo na nag-oppose ay matagal nang binigyan ng kopya at libre pa itong binigay sa kanya,” Rodriguez said. Marcos lost to Robredo by 263,473 votes in the May 2016 vice presidential election. “We are campaigning to convince the residents of the surrounding evacuation centers to welcome evacuees to their homes,” Arjona said. Alert level 3 remained over Mayon Volcano as of Thursday afternoon. “We could not yet raise the alert level to 4 since we have not yet noticed a sustained lava fountaining,” Alanis said. A Phivolcs team, along with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, has conducted an aerial survey around Mount Mayon to get a clearer picture of the volcano’s situation. There was still no sign yet of lahar coming out of the volcano, according to Phivolcs Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Division head Maria Antonia Bornas. not seeking reelection this year. “When a figure in power reflexively calls any press that does not suit him ‘fake news,’ it is that person who should be the figure of suspicion, not the press.” Turning the tables on the president, Flake accused him of leading an “unrelenting daily assault” on the free press, even as his White House coined the term “alternative facts”—”as justification for what used to be called old fashioned falsehoods.” “2017 was a year which saw the truth—objective, empirical, evidence-based truth—more battered and abused than any time in the history of our country, at the hands of the biggest figure in our government,” Flake charged. AFP

page memorandum filed with the Department of Justice. The agency on Thursday also prodded the Department of Justice to indict the respondents in the case. Customs’ memo says the respondents may be held liable as co-conspirators, financiers, facilitators and or principals either by direct participation, indispensable cooperation and or inducement. The agency said the conspiracy was planned in utmost secrecy that it could not be proved by direct evidence. As a result, competent and convincing circumstantial evidence would suffice to establish the conspiracy.

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Du30 wants ban of OFWs to Kuwait

By Vito Barcelo

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte wants to impose a total ban on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers, particularly household workers to Kuwait following reports of sexual abuses.

“We have lost about four Filipino women in the last few months. It’s always in Kuwait. My advice is either we talk to them, tell them it’s not acceptable, or we impose total ban,” Duterte said during the launching of the Overseas Filipino Bank.

He said four Filipino workers in Kuwait were “lost” but he did not explain the reason or the identities of the OFWs. Even the Department of Labor and Employment is studying the matter to suspend or ban the deployment to Kuwait be-

cause of many incidents of abuses committed by Kuwaiti employers on Filipino workers. In his speech, Duterte said he does not want to quarrel with Kuwait but respect their leaders. “I respect their leaders but they have to do

something about this, [the abuses committed against Filipino workers]” he said. Kuwait has the largest concentration of domestic helpers or household service workers and by statistics Kuwait also has the highest incidents of abuses, according to DoLE records.

DFA asked to restore appointment slots for travel agencies

PDEA procures surveillance, communication equipment By Rio N. Araja

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan A GROUP of accredited travel agencies appealed to the Department of Foreign Affairs to reimpose their previously 1,000 allotted slots for passport renewal and application processing. Philippine Travel Agencies Association president Marlene Dado Jante said the yearly P500 accreditation fee to process passport imposed by the DFA would be useless if they do not have the 1,000 allotted slots. In a press conference, Jante said that the PTAA fully supports the DFA’s drive in weeding out unscrupulous individuals selling bogus appointments for passport processing but at the same time, they want their members operations to continue and expand. “We want the travel agencies appointment slots restored,” Jante said, requesting DFA chief Alan Peter Cayetano to hold consultation with them. Jante noted that apart from the P500 fee or P128,000 that the DFA receive every year for the accreditation, travel agencies are also required to submit a surety bond of P200,000. On July 31, 2017, the DFA “temporarily” removed the online appointment slots of travel agencies due to streamlining the passport process and “cleansing” unscrupulous and bogus ﬁxers.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has advised Filipinos to avoid seeking jobs abroad countries where incidents of abuse are rampant. DoLE also made an assurance that they are not neglecting any OFWs facing charges abroad.

FULLY EQUIPPED. Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director Aaron N. Aquino (left) together with MGen. Jesus A. Fajardo, AFP ASec/Deputy General for Administration of PDEA presents on Jan. 18, 2018 at PDEA Main Office, Quezon City, the PDEA Capability Enhancement Operating Units worth P90,405,940.00 newly purchased acquired surveillance and communication equipment to enhance their operational capability amid the rising stakes in the national antidrug campaign. The PDEA also equipped itself with additional surveillance, communication, protective, and office equipment, and motor vehicles which were presented to the media. Also shown are handheld radios, remote controlled aircrafts (drones), body cameras, tactical helmets during the press conference. Manny Palmero

CAAP shuts down Tacloban airport to repair damaged runway By Joel E. Zurbano THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines announced on Thursday it has ordered the closure of Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban to give way for the emergency repair of damaged runway and ensure the safety of aircrafts and passengers. Eric Apolonio, CAAP chief information ofﬁcer and spokesperson, said the agency ordered the closure of the airport last Wednesday to “repair

potholes on the runway due to the degradation of surface caused by continuous rain in the past weeks.” The closure of Tacloban Airport runway 18/36 resulted in the cancellation of several domestic ﬂights of Philippine Airlines, Cebu Paciﬁc Air and its sister airline Cebgo, and Air Asia to and from Manila and Cebu. Apolonio said CAAP already issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM C0047/18) on the airport’s closure

starting 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 17 until 9 p.m. on Jan. 18 due to emergency repairs. “The continuing deterioration of the runway surface had to be addressed immediately for the safety of all passengers and aircrafts operating in Tacloban. The public is advised to monitor updates from airlines operating at the airport for ﬂight cancellations and ﬂight arrangements,” said Apolonio. PAL spokesperson Ma. Cielo Villaluna said affected passengers will be assisted

in rebooking their flights or in refunding the cost of their tickets. She added any rebooking or refunding done within 30 days from original flight date will mean penalties and charges are waived. “PAL is seeking the understanding of affected passengers as this is a force majeure situation,” she said. Cebu Pacific Air officials, on the other hand, advised passengers and their clients to monitor its official website, Facebook page or Twitter ac-

count for further details as they become available. They said affected passengers traveling on those dates will be informed and would have the following options to re-route to the nearest alternate airports: Rebook at a later travel date within 30 days, free of charge, get a full refund or place the cost of the ticket in a travel fund for future use. “We apologize for any inconvenience these ﬂight cancellations may cause,” the airline said.

TO BEEF up its operational capability in addressing the problem of illegal drugs, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has equipped itself with more surveillance communications, protective and ofﬁce equipment and even motor vehicles worth P90,405,940. “With the persistent threat of illegal drugs in the country, PDEA continues to build up its capabilities, augmenting its operating units and drug enforcement ofﬁcers with the essential resources to thrive well in the war against drugs,” director general Aaron Aquino. To better monitor drug suspects and their illegal drug activities, he said, the agency purchased surveillance and intelligence and communication equipment consisting of 20 remote controlled aircrafts or drones and 166 handheld radios with a total worth of P10,270,000. According to Aquino, the newly acquired rveillance and communication equipment would strengthen PDEA’s intelligence and informationgathering and investigative capabilities. “In addition, PDEA procured 100 body cameras worth P2,900,000 to be worn by our agents during operations. They will be accompanied by members of the press or media presence during operations to ensure a culture of transparency,” he added.

4 farmers abducted in January—KMP By Bill Casas THIS January, four farmers were abducted by suspected military elements in separate incidents in North Cotabato and Davao Oriental, the militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas said on Thursday. The KMP said that intense militarization targeting farmers continue in rural areas in Mindanao and Luzon. Among the documented incidents are the following: Farmers Filjun Celeste Arpajo, 30 and Venjie Catampo, 28, of Purok Mahayahay, Barangay Marayag Lupon, Davao Oriental were forcibly taken by suspected military elements on Jan. 16, 2018 and used as guides. Last Jan. 9, Jarold Adiaton, 29 and Jane Solis, 26 both residents of Barangay Balite, Magpet North Cotabato and members of Balite Farmers Association

were forcibly taken by composite agents of 15th and 39th IBPA and Cotabato Provincial and Magpet Municipal police ofﬁcers inside their house. Meanwhile, Datu Maylan Andas, 59, a resident of Barangay Tempuran Magpet North Cotabato and a member of Manobo Aromanen Pasakkaday Association (MAPA) was also abducted while feeding his chicken on the same day. Students and teachers of Alcadev alternative school and nearby indigenous community in Barangay Deatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur continue to endure military harassment for almost a week now, said Antonio Flores, KMP secretary general. He added that militarization and human rights violations against farmers continue across the country, as justice continue to evade 100 farmers killed under the Duterte administration.

Police to probe shootout in ‘Munti’ By Joel E. Zurbano INSPECTION. Operatives from the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and Metro Manila

Development Authority inspect a dilapidated jeepney as they implement the ‘Tanggal Bulok, Tanggal Usok’ program along España Blvd. Manila on Thursday. The program aims to provide proper, safe, clean and efficient transport for Filipino passengers. Norman Cruz

Tesda offers jobs training, livelihood to Marawi workers SOME 10,000 internally-displaced persons from Marawi City are expected to beneﬁt from the Expanded Emergency Massive Skills Training Program which will be implemented by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. Director General/Secretary Guiling “Gene” A. Mamondiong

said that the EEMSTP aims to create job opportunities and transform IDPs into construction workers by offering construction-related courses in line with the Task Force Bangon Marawi project which assists the government in rebuilding lives in Marawi City. The target beneﬁciaries of this program will be the IDPs in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, Iligan

City, Lanao del Norte and Cagayan De Oro City. They will be identiﬁed in coordination with the concerned local government units, national government agencies and the Task Force Bangon Marawi. “In the interest of service and in order to immediately address the existing need of the Task Force Bangon Marawi for skilled workers in the constru-

tion sector and to continue assisting the government for fdisaster rehabilitation and recovery for rebuilding lives in Marawi City as a result of crisis brought by armed conﬂict, an Expanded Emergency Massive Skills Training Program for the Internally Displaced Persons from Marawi City is hereby adopted,” said Mamondiong in a Tesda circular.

AUTHORITIES are investigating a deadly shooting incident involving members of the National Police and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Thursday morning in Muntinlupa City. Killed in the incident were Jail Officers Felino Salazar and Elmer Malindao, both assigned at the BJMP Muntinlupa City; Police Officer 1 Jover John Lardizabal, assigned at the National Capital Region Police Office; and Arnel Rubio, a dismissed police officer. Salazar and Malindao were rushed to the Medical Center of Muntinlupa but attending physicians declared them dead on arrival due to gunshot wounds in their bodies. Southern Police District director Tomas Apolinario said Lardizabal

died on the spot while Rubio, who was dismissed from the police force in September 2016 for grave misconduct, also died upon arrival at the Hospital ng Muntinlupa. The incident took place near Muntinlupa City Jail in Barangay Tunasan around 8:30 a.m., according to Apolinario. Based on the statements of John Edades, Moldero Sogan and Richard Basiloy, all members of the BJMP Muntinlupa, they were outside their office when they heard successive gunfires nearby. The three responded and saw their two colleagues—Salazar and Malindao—lying on the pavement with gunshots wounds. They also noticed motorcycle riding men escaping from the crime scene, prompting them to open fire at the fleeing gunmen.

Opinion

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

An ill-advised move

EGARDLESS of the legal issues at hand, the move to shut down the news portal Rappler over allegations of foreign ownership is a mistake that could quickly backfire on the administration. The move was initiated by the Office of the Solicitor General, which urged the Securities and Exchange Commission in December 2016 to investigate the ownership of Rappler, which has been critical of the Duterte administration. This month, more than a year later, the SEC stripped the online news portal of its certificate of incorporation for allegedly violating the restrictions on foreign ownership in mass media and the Anti-Dummy Law. Rappler allegedly violated constitutional restrictions on ownership and control of mass media entities when it sold Phil-

ippine depository receipts to Delawarebased Omidyar Network, a fund created by eBay founder and entrepreneur Pierre Omidyar. The SEC said the sale contained “repugnant” provisions including the need for Rappler to obtain the consent of 2/3 of PDR holders on corporate actions. This provision, the SEC said, has made Rappler “subservient” to the PDR holder, which is a violation of the Constitution. “Where mass media is concerned no control whatsoever may be granted. 100-percent Filipino control means zero-percent foreign control. Control is any influence over corporate policy and not limited to ownership of stock,” the SEC said. PDR are instruments that give foreign investors a passive economic interest in Philippine company, and have been used, in fact, by broadcast giants ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. and GMA Holdings Inc. as a way to raise funds.

Against this backdrop, the SEC decision to revoke Rappler’s certificate of incorporation seems selective and arbitrary, particularly since it has not launched a similar investigation into other media organizations that have issued PDRs. Regardless of what the President’s spokesman says, one need not be in the opposition to view the move to shut down Rappler as an obvious attempt to silence critical voices. In going after Rappler in this manner, the administration has given the news portal even more prominence than it perhaps deserves, and makes it look like the victim of state oppression. Instead of strength, the move projects weakness and pettiness and suggests the administration is not robust enough to withstand critical news coverage. The case against Rappler is a regulatory issue; if there is something amiss in the news portal’s corporate structure, it should be fined and given the opportunity to cor-

rect its deficiencies. Beyond Rappler, the administration must recognize that it cannot control what independent media organizations say. In practical terms, what is the value of silencing Rappler, when the BBC, CNN, Reuter and other international news organizations continue to report and interpret the news in ways the administration might also find objectionable? If the Duterte administration were truly confident in its policies and program of government, it would embrace the view famously expressed by the English writer Evelyn Beatrice Hall, who wrote, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” The moderate voices in the President’s inner circle need to weigh in now before this ill-advised action leaches support away from the administration and becomes a distraction from the more important issues at hand. VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

Jimmy Bautista’s vision for PAL

A changing of the guard at CHED PENSEES FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO TATTY Licuanan was an acknowledged academic before she was plucked from the idyllic life of a professor and planted in the bureaucracy that is CHED. A CHED chairman is more than just primus inter pares. The chairman sets the tune, synchronizes the movements and promotes what she prioritizes in the same way that she consigns to the back burner whatever she may deem unimportant, if not impertinent. It is clear from her stewardship that she hailed from the private higher education institution sector. She all but smothered the autonomy that state universities and colleges used to enjoy under their

respective charters. But even with her comrades in private education, she had run ins. Her spat with Fr. Joel Tabora, SJ will long be remembered by members of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines. This was over CMO 46 on outcomes-based education and I sided with Fr. Joel on some legal points, although I have always recognized the merits of OBE. If there is anything I wish the next chairman of CHED would address, it is the issue of over-regulation. One aspect of this is the debureaucratizing of higher education. For starters, the practice of issuing “Standards and Policies” that eventually morph into inflexible rules should gradually fade into oblivion. Allow higher education institutions to structure curricula according to what they discern to

be the demands of holistic human formation as well as the needs of society, industry and government. That is one reason that Article XIV of the Constitution confines the role of the State to “reasonable regulation,” studi-

We expect leadership that does not kowtow to political interests. ously avoiding the word “control.” Higher education is never controlled, else it ceases to be higher education. After all, institutions that do a sloppy job at curriculum design and delivery of instruction pay the price:

No thoughtful student will want her credentials from a college or a university that society does not recognize for excellence. At the moment, the drive for recognition drives institutions into a chaotic web of criss-crossing, interlocking, confusing and conflicting demands. On the one hand, voluntary accreditation always earns an institution some points, but some accrediting institutions are notable, some are downright pathetic. Sometimes accreditors come from schools worse off than the schools they assess and evaluate. And what started off as a voluntary accreditation by peer institutions that had clustered themselves into organizations (PAASCU, PACU-COA, etc.) has been co-opted by the CHED, because of the control it has over the rec-

ognition of accreditors. Aside from that, several colleges and universities seek ISO certification—and many times, the agencies selected for certification purposes are ill-suited to certify educational systems, being designed principally for industrial or corporate settings. Then there is the CHED sponsored drive for Center of Excellence or Center of Development Status in connection with its typology. Some coherence must be brought into this mess—and once more, the principle should embody respect for subsidiarity: what institutions can do by themselves should be left to them. One reason for the excellence of the University of the Philippines is that freedom that it enjoys. Precisely because it can choose its professors and rank them as

it pleases, design its curricula, introduce innovations in methods of delivery, even create new programs without external restrictions, it is excellent. Should that not point in the direction higher education institutions should go? Intrinsic to the life of higher education is academic freedom, and overregulation always results in a bastardization of this precious freedom. Let every competent individual do the research he chooses to do. And when he is ready to announce and to teach, leave him free to do so. If is wisdom that he has, the wise will flock to him and hang on his every word. If it is garbage he has to offer, only fools will trail behind him. Finally, there is the very challenging matter of implementing the Universal Turn to A5

PRESIDENT Jaime J. Bautista has defined a new vision for Philippine Airlines—to become a fivestar airline and one of the world’s best by 2020, and a new mission—to deliver safe, reliable, efficient, and wholesale travel experience, one that captures the heart of the Filipino. He must summon not only his finance skills but also his marketing prowess to rebrand PAL as among the world’s best. Under the leadership of Chairman Lucio Tan, PAL has always bounced back every time it fell,” Bautista says. Jimmy has been the Kapitan’s most trusted executive. He has been the CFO of many companies in the legendary tycoon’s conglomerate which includes Philippine National Bank, Fortune Tobacco, Asia Brewery, Century Park Hotel, Eton Properties, and assets abroad, including Hong Kong, China, and Guam. On PAL, Tan told Bautista: “Let’s manage it properly.” At the helm, Bautista has quickly instituted reforms, policies and programs, all focused on one overriding objective—bring PAL to five-star status, beloved by Filipinos, balikbayans and foreigners alike, and with service, fleet, on-time performance, and amenities and management team that are world-class and second to none. In 2015, PAL scored its best year ever. It chalked up a net income of $134.42 million, 6.5 times the $20.4 million posted in 2014. “The year 2016 marked the third consecutive year of profitable growth for PAL,” gushes Bautista. Bautista’s profit and growth strategy has been hamstrung somehow by a markedly competitive environment brought about by the rise of no-frills, damn-the-market low-cost carriers and the new Asean Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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Opinion Should America be the world’s cop? tory and current events: when America retreats, the bad guys advance. It’s not a coincidence that after the US pulled its troops out of Iraq, Islamic State exploded onto the world stage. And while it’s easy to criticize America for its perceived failures in Vietnam and the first few years in Iraq, what about its obvious successes? After the Second World War ended in 1945, the Soviet Union sought to dominate the world. It failed for one reason: The United States stopped it. In 1991 they stopped Saddam Hussein and kicked him out of Kuwait. Later, they intervened to save the Balkans. The order the US has provided has not only had enormous security benefits for all the world, it has produced phenomenal economic advantages. Global GDP, just $11 trillion in 1980, doubled by the time the Cold War ended a decade later. By 2017 it reached $78 trillion. The debate over the value of an American supervised peace, Pax Americana, should have been settled long ago. But history only settles great debates for as long people remember the history. Many college students today could barely identify the Soviet Union, let alone explain how its plans to impose communism on nation after nation were defeated. Americans have lived in a relatively orderly world for so long that many have become complacent about maintaining it. Perhaps that explains why, in recent years, the United States has adopted a foreign policy that neglects to do the things that have made that orderly world possible: Commitments to global security, military forces adequate to meet those commitments, a willingness to intervene in regional crises to protect allies and to confront or deter aggressive regimes. If the world’s leading liberal-democratic nation doesn’t assume its role as the world’s cop, the world’s rogues will try to fill the breach. Then the world would be very much like it was in the 1930s, when Western self-doubt, war weariness, economic turmoil, American selfinvolvement and the rise of ambitious dictatorships combined to produce unprecedented death and mayhem. Not everyone grows up wanting to be a cop. But no one wants to live in a neighborhood—or a world —where there is no cop. Would you?

SHOULD America be the world’s cop? Whenever this question is asked, and it has been asked for nearly 100 years, the answer is usually no. Progressives will say that it suggests American arrogance. Who made America the boss of the world? Many conservatives, especially those with Libertarian leanings, will answer that what other countries do to their neighbors or even to their own people is no concern of ours. But here’s the question that is almost never asked. What’s the alternative? Well, one answer is the United Nations. That’s why the UN was formed after the Second World War - to maintain order and protect human rights. And that’s why there are UN peacekeepers around the world. But their record at keeping the peace is abysmal. To cite just one example, at least 500,000 people were slaughtered in Rwanda in 1994 while UN peacekeepers stood by. Furthermore, the United Nations’ nearly 200 members seldom agree on anything. And when they do marshal a peace-keeping force, its numbers are always small, they are poorly armed, and highly restricted in their use of the few weapons they do possess. They are much more likely to step aside when faced with aggression than to actively oppose it. What about dividing the world into spheres of influence? Is that really a good idea? Do we want a world where Russia gets to do what it wants toward democratic neighbors such as Latvia, and Iran dominates its region, and so on? Would such a world lead to peace or to ever more violent competition over the borders of those “spheres.” And, of course, there’s an idea that if America leaves the world alone, the world will leave America alone. If only. The Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky once said that you may not be interested in war but war is interested in you. Great powers don’t get to take a vacation and don’t get to take themselves off the terrorist target list. So, we quickly come to an inescapable conclusion: The United States is the world’s cop because there is no alternative. And everybody knows it. But what if Americans don’t want the job anymore? What if the cop walked off Eric Jurado is an indethe beat? The answer is clear and pendent investment banker well grounded both in his- and economic strategist.

Jimmy... From A4

Open Skies policy which opens the Philippines to predatory low-cost carriers in the region. The PAL management thus is focusing on three key areas: fleet modernization, international and domestic expansion, and the building of the PAL brand, what Bautista calls “innovations to build brand equity and deliver the desired customer experience.” The PAL president believes these three factors are crucial to the airline becoming five-star as early as 2020—barely two years from now. Indeed, every airline has the same class of airplanes, the same target markets, the same airports and amenities. Ultimately thus, what differentiates a carrier from the rest is service—and brand image. In

this regard, PAL has the upperhand. PAL Holdings had total assets as of Sept. 30, 2017 of P138 billion, P13 billion or 10.4 percent higher than the Dec. 31, 2016 balance of P125 billion. Total equity as of Sept. 30, 2017 amounted to P10.5 billion,, down by P3.5 billion or 25.2 percent. The decrease was brought about by the total comprehensive loss recognized for the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2017. For the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2017, PAL Holdings, Inc suffered a loss of P3.5 billion, a significant downturn from the P2.9 billion total comprehensive profits in the same period in 2016. Nine-month 2017 revenues totaled P98.6 billion, 15.6 percent higher than in 2016. Email: gmail.com

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Tax-deformed law

EVERYMAN

By Eric Jurado

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2018

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO WHOEVER conceptualized the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN did not do their homework. The ripple effects on the people’s lives are mostly negative. Finance Secretary Carlos Domingo and his team of consultants are reaping a cascade of complaints. Sure, there are benefits like employees earning less than P250,000 a year or P21,000 a month not anymore having to file their income tax return. This provision in TRAIN increases workers take home pay. However, the excise tax levied on fuel and petroleum has a ripple effect on consumers.The excise tax on petroleum products and softdrinks containing sugar sweeteners are passed on to the consumers. Gasoline and diesel distributors raised their prices at the pump. Consequently, transporters of products and people are also increasing their cost of fare and carrying

of products to the market. Transports groups like UV Express, taxis, jeepneys and buses are now asking the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to allow them to increase their fares to be able to afford the increasing cost of basic commodities, including electricity. The LTRB is amenable to a fare hike as long as it not arbitrarily too much “Fare is fair,” is the LTRB formula. Vegetables transported from Baguio and other provinces, meat and fish from their source, are those mostly affected. The government may achieve its goal of increasing revenue for big-ticket infrastructure projects at the expense of the small income taxpayers. As I have said before, I’m not so affected by TRAIN being a diabetic and a retired person. All these complaints against TRAIN are not mine. I’m merely airing the common people’s grievances so those in government will know what it has done. The lines are drawn At the Senate hearing on Wednesday, the senators and the resource persons—

law deans and former members of the 1986 Constitutional Convention— expressed their views on charter change. A drawing of the lines between the House pushing for a Constitutional Assembly and those who favor a Constitutional Convention to revise the charter is clearly emerging. Senator Ping Lacson now also wants the Senate to convene itself into a constituent assembly and do its own revision of the charter. Lacson’s proposal, Senate Resolution 580, which has gained the support of other senators, is to maintain the independence of the Senate and prevent its abolition under the Houseplanned parliamentary / federalism setup. The Senate also insists on separate voting on any revised Constitution. These are critical times for the country and its 30year old Constitution drafted and approved in a plebiscite during then President Cory Aquino’s revolutionary administration. She convened a Constitutional Convention to draw up the fundamental law of the land to replace the 1935 Charter.

Now the politicians in the House of Representatives want to do it all by themselves so they can advance their own selfish agenda. The people must be made aware of what the lowlifes in the lower house are planning. They want to shelve the 2019 mid-term elections so they can be holdover officials without having to campaign and spend money for their bid to stay in office. The House has a bigger plan and that is to install President Rodrigo Duterte as interim Prime Minister during the transition from bicameral to unicameral parliamentary system technically abolishing the Senate. What is suspect is that the House-planned system switch does not specify the duration of the so-called transition time. Although the President himself said he does not want to stay on longer than his single six-year term, speculation on the House end game of Digong as PM has not been easy to dismiss. What the President can do to squelch such rumors is for him to tell Congress to cease and desist. Federalism can still be pursued

through charter change done by duly elected constitutional convention delegates. This can be done within a year’s time without any draconian changes in the present setup until a subsequent referendum ratifies the revised Constitution. Someone suggested why not revise the charter with the job done by 21 senators and an equal number of congressmen headed by the Senate President and the House Speaker? The only problem to this suggestion is that both the Senate and the House are headed by President Duterte’s PDPLaban political party. How about throwing in an equal number of persons from the academe like law deans, captains of industry, and also leading and reputable members of media? Former 1986 Con-Con members Fr. Joaquin Bernas and Christian Monsod should also be included. Another suggestion by a concerned citizen is to abolish both the Senate and the House and let the defrocked legislators run for election as members of parliament or MPs under the revised charter.

China’s real offshore disaster By Adam Minter LAST Sunday’s sinking of an Iranian oil tanker 180 miles off the coast of Shanghai certainly looks like an environmental disaster. Depending on how many of the ship’s one million barrels of condensate were released into the ocean and not burned off, the accident could end up being one of the biggest oil spills in half a century. The irony? Even that wouldn’t represent the biggest disaster to befall the area. The fact is, thanks to massive overfishing in China’s territorial waters, there isn’t much marine life left to kill in the disaster zone. According to He Pemin of Shanghai Ocean University, those waters have been so denuded over the last three decades that fishermen “normally bypass the area and go further afield for a bigger catch.” It’s a dark twist to an accident that has the potential to send oil drifting to the California coast. And it should encourage the Chinese government to rethink how it manages its marine environment. The need is urgent: China’s hunger for

seafood is fast outstrippingits domestic resources. Consequences already loom, including food inflation, a depleted environment for the hundreds of millions of Chinese who live along the coast, and rising international tensions. Chinese fishermen traditionally concentrated on inland and coastal waters. But as the economy opened up in the late 1970s and private fishing fleets grew in size, those areas were quickly fished out. Seeing the industry as a jobs creator, local officials were loath to restrain it. The national government didn’t do much better. Instead of crafting policies to sustain inshore fishing (by controlling catches and combating massive coastal pollution, for starters), authorities offered subsidies and technical support to help fishermen venture further offshore into the East China Sea. (The money also supported other “blue economy” industries such as shipbuilding and offshore drilling.) In 1985, just 10 percent of China’s catch was netted in those far-flung fishing grounds; by 2000, it was 35 percent.

The shift was driven by a massive jump in China’s seafood consumption as its population has become more affluent. Growth has averaged 7.9 percent annually since the late 1970s. Chinese seafood consumption increased 50 percent in just the last decade, to 62 million tons annually. That accounts for nearly twothirds of global growth. China’s wild catch from its territorial waters is now around 13 million tons, up from around 3 million tons in the mid-1970s. Even China’s Ministry of Agriculture says that’s roughly 25 percent more than what’s sustainable. And it’s still not enough: China’s gone from being a seafood exporter to a seafood importer because of burgeoning demand. In the East China Sea, once one of the world’s richest fisheries, the toll has been extreme. As far back as 2006, environmental officials declared that 81 percent of the area was badly polluted. Catches— and fishing employment— were badly down. In 2016, China’s Ministry of Agriculture declared that there were “no fish” left at all.

Though an exaggeration, there’s some truth to the statement: Recent studies have shown that massive overfishing has so depleted large predatory fish that small fish and invertebrates —many of which are inedible for humans—are all that’s left to catch. As a result, China’s fishing fleet is venturing further from home than ever, infringing on others’ traditional fishing grounds and inflaming international tensions. To its credit, the Chinese government recognizes the problem and has undertaken several initiatives to slow the damage. Since 1995, it’s implemented seasonal moratoriums in key fisheries to help stocks recover. It’s established more than 250 loosely managed Marine Protected Areas, where species are theoretically protected from fishing, and rolled back some fuel subsidies for fishing fleets. Such measures have been limited in their effectiveness, however—as moratoriums end, fishermen rush in to make up for lost time—and they’re unlikely to resuscitate the East China Sea or any other

Chinese fishery. Instead, China needs to implement structural changes in the ways that it monitors and regulates fisheries. First, China needs to establish a transparent public process for collecting and sharing data on fisheries; one doesn’t currently exist, which makes informed fisheries management nearly impossible. Second, scientists must have equal standing with policymakers when catch limits and other such decisions are made. For too long, economics and politics have dominated the opaque process. Finally, China’s government needs to expand its Marine Protected Areas and centralize control over them. Currently, self-interested (or uninterested) local governments are in charge of enforcement, with predictable results. It’ll take decades to restore the East China Sea to its once fruitful past. But the alternative—a body of water so badly damaged that a major oil spill might not degrade it significantly—is hardly a future that China should accept. Bloomberg

The center must hold in Germany Bloomberg editorial AFTER four months of uncertainty, it’s a relief that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, its Bavarian sister party, and the Social Democratic Party have struck a preliminary deal to form a new coalition government. Their agreement isn’t perfect—coalitions are inevitably messy —but the outlined program is pragmatic and centrist. Germany needs to prove to itself, and to the rest of Europe, that platforms like this can work. Unfortunately, though,

A changing... From A4

Access to Quality Higher Education Act. There is no doubt that its provisions are beneficial. And since IRRs can neither expand nor derogate from the law, even in the absence of definite IRRs, I can recognize what will be so difficult to deal with. Is the State prepared

the pact isn’t signed and sealed. The SPD is wavering. Its leader, Martin Schulz, must sell it to delegates on Jan. 21 and then to the broader party ahead of a vote in March. If he fails, it will be serious setback for Germany and the European Union. The SPD, Germany’s traditional workers’ party, is divided between centrists and socialists. There’s no easy way to resolve their differences, and doing so is a longer-term challenge for Schulz and his successors. Right now, though, they need to recognize the opportunity before them. This is a mo-

ment to counter extremism in Germany while bringing forward much-needed reforms to the euro zone. The agreement makes a strong commitment to European integration, proposing an expanded EU budget with Germany bearing its full share of the cost. That suits the SPD fine. Domestically, the party got less than it wanted. It gave up its demand for a higher top tax rate. It also compromised on its proposal for a universal mandatory health-care system, agreeing instead that employers will pay more to cover their employees. But the deal proposes to invest

more in education, research and development, housing, elder care and student loans—all measures the SPD can claim credit for. In many places, the pact is suspiciously short on details. It talks of stricter immigration controls but doesn’t say much about integrating the immigrants Germany already has. There’s little on digital infrastructure, where Germany lags. And though the partners promise to reach the country’s 2020 target for carbon emissions, they don’t say how. (Coal provides 40 percent of the country’s energy;

the agreement is silent on the need to close coal-fired power plants.) All being well, the final agreement will fill these gaps. Even if the new coalition is formed, it will control barely half the seats in the Bundestag, not the 80 percent it did before. Six parties sit in parliament today, not four, and the fringes —including the anti-immigrant, far-right Alternative for Germany—are getting louder. Governing this new Germany won’t be easy, whatever happens. But the country’s best bet, and Europe’s too, is a revived alliance of the political center.

to absorb the costs that the law calls for? In state universities and colleges, students will not pay any fees at all, although these institutions are directed to devise schemes by which students may “opt out” of the no-fee scheme and contribute to their education. I do not see too many willing to “opt out.” A more practicable proposition would be socializing the collection

of fees—for the simple and straightforward fact is that many who are enrolled in state institutions can very well afford the costs of their education and should therefore not be entitled to the benefits afforded those who are truly at the economic and social fringes of society. The whole commission will have to put its act together—and the commis-

sioners are all worthy people. Commissioner Lilian de las Llagas, who is chairDesignate of the Cagayan State University, has given us all at CSU some fresh and challenging perspectives from which our university officials can pick their cues and leads. And we do not have any right to expect the new chair to wave a wand and make all our troubles burst like bub-

bles. We do have a right though to expect leadership that does not kowtow to political interests, that is born of the loftiest of ideals and that springs for an educated and an educator’s heart. ra n n ie_ a q u i n o @ c s u . edu.ph rannie_ aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph ra n n ie_ a q u i n o @ o u tlook.com

News

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘UV’ group seeks P2 fare hike By Rio N. Araja

BOUT 10,000 operators of UV Express vehicles belonging to the group Code X are asking the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to grant them a P2 per kilometer fare increase, citing the passage of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law.

Lino Marable, Code X president, said the public utility vehicle operators have to bear the brunt of the TRAIN law, which imposes higher excise taxes on fuel products, leading

to higher pump prices. “The time has come that we could no longer shoulder the high prices of gasoline, new PUV units and spare parts, and even the trafﬁc. These four fac-

tors have been the reasons why we have ﬁled a fare increase petition,” Marable said. The costs of new vehicles, fuel and spare parts have doubled since the last fare hike was approved in 2005. The TRAIN law that took effect on Jan. 1 has adversely impacted the transport sector, Code X said. But Aileen Lizada, LTFRB board memberspokesperson, warned public utility drivers and operators against any fare

increase on their own. A hearing on the petition is set on March 6. Last year, PUV drivers and operators ﬁled a petition to increase the base fare from P8 to P10. Efren de Luna of the Alliance of Concerned Transport Operators said then they had “valid grounds” to seek an increase. Taxi operators also urged the LTFRB to grant them a ﬂag-down fare increase from P40 to P60 also due to TRAIN. Airport taxi operators

also appealed to increase their P70 base fare to P100 and their per-350 meter rate from P4 to P7, while ride-sharing operator Grab Philippines wanted to increase its rates from P10 to P14 per kilometer to P11 to P15 per kilometer. In 2014, Code X also lobbied the LTFRB to defer higher fines and penalties for operators of public utility vehicles, saying more information was needed from a study by the Japan International

Cooperation Agency and that the imposition of the penalties was “premature and untimely.” “Unfortunately, the Jica study is yet to be completed resulting in a vacuum that colorum operators are trying to fill up,” Code-X said. “There are not enough new franchises to eradicate colorum operators,” the group added. “Yet there is high demand for vehicles to ferry the passengers to and from [their] place of work.”

Senate okays treaties with EU By Macon R. Araneta THE Senate has approved on second reading several treaties that will be beneficial to Filipinos and the country. Senator Loren Legarda, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said among the treaties was the Framework Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation Between the Philippines and the European Union (PH-EU PCA). It also includes the Agreement between the Philippines and the Federal Republic of Germany on Social Security (PH-Germany SSA); and the Agreement on Social Security between the Philippines and the Kingdom of Sweden (PH-Sweden SSA). “The Philippines has entered into social security agreements with several countries, especially those that host a sizable number of Filipinos, not only to protect the interest of our ‘kababayans,’ but also as a way to boost our diplomatic relations with other countries,” said Legarda. She said many overseas Filipinos do not have social safety nets, leaving them in precarious situations. Filipinos who migrate to countries that have coverage for foreign nationals are unable to accumulate enough insurance periods to qualify for full social security pensions, the senator noted. Many employers risk the payment of double contributions or dual coverage when sending a worker on a temporary basis to the other country. It is in this context that Legarda is seeking Senate concurrence in the ratification of the social security agreements with Germany and Sweden. Legarda said the PH-Germany SSA will ensure that more than 21,000 Filipinos living and working in the European state are covered with social security benefits, while promoting the Philippines as a retirement haven for qualified German pensioners under the Philippines Retirement Act.

I-ACT nabs 9 jeeps, cabs OPERATIVES of the InterAgency Council on Traffic impounded nine public utility jeepneys and taxi cabs for various violations during an operation in Sampaloc on Thursday morning. I-ACT officials said 30 other PUV drivers were also issued tickets for violations. The impounded PUVs were either dilapidated or “colorum”—operating without a franchise—while others were issued tickets for violations on faulty headlights and anti-smoke belching rules. The operation was led by Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chairman Martin Delgra and I-ACT chair Manny Gonzales, as they combed through the streets of España, A.H. Lacson, and Mendoza corner Dapitan. As of Thursday morning, traffic was notably light on España and Quezon Boulevards, Quezon Bridge, Lawton, and parts of Taft Avenue, as drivers avoided the I-ACT operation as part of the “Tanggal Bulok, Tanggal Usok” campaign, which is said to promote vehicle road-worthiness by requiring vehicles to go through safety and efficiency inspections. Bill Casas

DTI-PAB, ISO marks for Maynilad THE Integrated Meter Management laboratory of Maynilad Water Services Inc. recently obtained accreditation from the Department of Trade and Industry-Philippine Accreditation Bureau—earning for the firm a PNS ISO/IEC 17025:2005 certification, which affirms that it met international requirements for “competence of testing and calibration laboratories.” Maynilad’s meter lab is a facility dedicated for regularly testing the residential, commercial and industrial water meters of its customers. The DTI-PAB accreditation confirms the meter lab’s high standards in the efficient and precise measurement of water consumption, as well as the competency of Maynilad laboratory personnel in meter testing.

TOUGH JOB. A lone worker cleans a garbage-filled waterway in Manila on Wednesday, even as the country observes Zero Waste Month. AFP

Poe pitches National Transport Safety Board creation SENATOR Grace Poe has endorsed the approval of the proposed National Transportation Safety Board Act, which she said will be “the ﬁrst step towards safer roads for all Filipinos.” Poe said the NTSB can save lives, as the proposed law would improve transport safety in the country. “We should not only move when an accident happened. Policy recommendations should be based on facts and thorough research and not on knee-jerk reactions and band-aid solutions,” said Poe. In sponsoring Senate Bill No. 1637 on Wednesday, Poe said: “Let’s leave transport accidents on the big screen, as the outdated legacy of a bygone, more

hazardous era.” Poe’s bill seeks to consolidate overlapping efforts and mandates of various agencies in relation to investigating civil transportation accidents. “Compounding the situation is our convoluted governance of the transport sector,” the senator said. For one, she cited six local government units and four government agencies— the Land Transportation Ofﬁce, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group—have jurisdiction over buses that pass through Edsa, Metro Manila’s main highway.

“These agencies deal only with aspects of road safety, but not with road safety per se,” Poe said. The proposal also seeks to address the “conflicting responsibilities” of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines as a regulator, operator and investigator of air traffic incidents, which “have made the agency weak as a regulator and ineffective as an operator of airports.” A separate bill is needed to amend the CAAP law, Poe said. However, with regard to the investigative aspect of air traffic incidents, “it is the NTSB that should have jurisdiction for the purpose of making timely and comprehensive safety recommendations,”

the senator said. These will be separate from the ﬁndings of the CAAP, since the NTSB will be an independent and nonregulatory agency mandated to determine the probable cause of transportation-related incidents. In pushing for the measure’s approval, Poe cited the 109,322 road accidents in 2016, or about 300 accidents daily or 12 per hour. A total of 22,000 lives were lost due to road accidents in 2016, according to ofﬁcial data. Poe added a road accident “carries a hefty price tag” and can cost up to P3.47 million in terms of damage to property and lost productivity. She also called for stricter implementation of road safety laws and more stringent

rules governing issuance of driver’s license. Under the proposal, the NTSB will be a seven-member board which will investigate air, highway, railroad, pipeline and maritime accidents. The result of such investigation will be submitted to Congress within 60 days from completion. The NTSB will also proactively conduct studies on making the transport sector as safe as possible. As such, the board will look into the causes and determinants of accidents and help craft policies for their prevention. Poe also assured the proposed independent transport probe body will not be reduced to a mere paper tiger. Macon Ramos-Araneta

PCSO welcomes new chairman Pinili ALEXANDER Balutan, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Ofﬁce general manager, on Thursday expressed his full support to President Rodrigo Duterte’s appointment of retired police general Anselmo Simeon Patron Pinili to chair the lottery agency’s board. “I’m proud to say that General Pinili is my mistah [classmate] at the Philippine Military Academy ‘Matikas’ Class of 1983. The PCSO family welcomes his appointment,” Balutan said. Duterte signed the appointment of Pinili on Jan. 15 to serve the unexpired term of ofﬁce of erstwhile PCSO chairman Jose Jorge Elizalde Corpuz, which started July 1 last year and will end on June 30 this year. Corpuz, a member of PMA Sandigan Class of 1982, resigned as chairman owing to health problems and pressure

IN BRIEF

from his family, relatives and friends to stop working. Together with Balutan, Corpuz led PCSO to greater heights. The agency posted almost P53 billion in revenue collections from the PCSO’s various lottery games in 2017, a record high in the history of the charitable agency. Pinili was the head of the Office of the Special Envoy on Transnational Crime prior to his appointment at the PCSO. He was given a Distinguished Service Medal for serving 35 years in the government, and awarded the PNP Special Service Medal for being the Deputy Regional Director for Administration for two years at the Police Regional Office 11. During his term as the second high ranking officer of the Davao regional police, he initiated the peace talks between

local communist rebels in the municipalities of Sto. Thomas, Davao del Norte and Pantukan, Compostela Valley. He required a police blotter on every police mobile vehicle, which was aimed at bringing services to the doorstep of the people. Pinili was known for his countless initiatives and roadmaps of upholding quality service to all police stations under PRO 11, being the chairman of Regional Strategy Management Unit 11. He also facilitated the construction of nine police stations throughout Davao region. Meanwhile, Balutan thanked the President for his continued trust in his leadership and the institution. “Expect a harmonious relationship with me and Pinili,” Balutan said. “It would just be like working with Jorge [Corpuz].”

AFTER THE FIRE. Residents scrounge around for things they can recover from their homes after a fire broke out in Sitio Bright in Taguig City. An estimated 84 families were left homeless after the fire that reached the fifth alarm. Norman Cruz

NBI nabs man for nude photo blackmail By Bill Casas OPERATIVES of the National Bureau of Investigation Cybercrime Division arrested a Filipino-Pakistani for posting online nude photos of his girlfriend during an entrapment operation Tuesday evening along Timog Avenue in Quezon City. NBI Director Dante Gierran identiﬁed the suspect as Abdul Razaq Labii Bukhari from San Mateo, Rizal, who worked in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He was brought to NBI-CCD for proper booking procedures. Bukhari was presented for inquest proceedings for violations of Republic Act 9262 (Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004), Article 282 (Grave Threats) of the Revised Penal Code in relation to R.A. 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012), and RA 9995 (Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009). The victim alleged that she came to know Bukhari through Facebook, which later on led to a long-distance relationship. Using Facebook Messenger, every time they engaged in video calling, Bukhari was demanding the victim to show her private parts, which the latter did “out of love” for the suspect, without realizing the possible consequences. The victim then learned that Bukhari was married to another Filipina, so she decided to end their relationship. Bukhari did not accept the idea and continued to persuade the victim to undress on camera, then got mad after learning the victim had found a new boyfriend.

Sports

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Ababa, Salvador lead; Quiban 2 behind

EN. TRIAS, Cavite—Elmer Salvador charged back from a backside struggle with a birdie binge at the front but stumbled with a late bogey for a 72, enabling Jhonnel Ababa to gain a share of the lead halfway through the rich ICTSI Eagle Ridge Invitational at the Aoki course here yesterday.

sponsored by ICTSI and serving as Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. the sixth leg of the Philippine Golf Charles Hong matched Salvador’s Tour Asia. tournament-best 67 he spiked with A slew of others stood a stroke three closing birdies at the back and or two behind, including the best of three more at Nos. 3 , 6 and 9 as he the young and the old, guaranteeing forced a four-way tie at 142 with a spirited battle for the top $17,500 Indonesian Jordan Irawan, Keanu purse and ranking points in the re- Jahns and Joenard Rates, who carded gion’s newest circuit organized by 68, 70 and 72, respectively. CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK “Unlike in the first round, my putting was off today Republic of the Philippines 5.2.1 Based on the DENR-approved method of analysis, the parameter of concern (yesterday) with LAGUNA LAKE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY is below the method detection level (MDL) for at least ten (10) monitoring three putt miscues,” events; National Ecology Center, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City rued Salvador, seekTel. Nos.: 332-2346, 376-4039, 376-4072, 376-4049, 376-4061 Monitoring events shall refer to self-monitoring activities with a frequency of ing an end to a yearat least twice a month; long title spell. Tommy Man5.2.2 No change in technology and raw materials used in its operations or process; 22 November 2017 suwan, who shot an impressive 70 During the monitoring periods for purposes of effluent quality measurement, MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 2017-05 there should be no changes in technology and raw materials used in its Wednesday, strugoperations or process; gled with a 38 at the SUBJECT: Rules and Regulations Implementing the New General Effluent Standards pursuant to LLDA Board Resolution No. 523, s. 2017, entitled “Adoption of back and needed to Once exclusion of a particular parameter is approved, the establishment Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2016-08 of the Department birdie two of the last shall inform the Authority of any changes in technology and raw materials of Environment and Natural Resources as the New Effluent Standards for five holes to save a used in its operations or processes to verify if such exclusion is still valid This the Continuous Implementation of the Environmental Users Fee System shall be included as one of the conditions in its Discharge Permit; 73. The Thai bet slid (EUFS) and the Water Quality Guidelines for Surface Waters Within the to eighth at 143 and Laguna de Bay Region and for Other Purposes” The LLDA shall conduct validation tests, review of submitted SMRs, among others, fell four strokes off to verify if such a claim is valid In the interest of the service and in order to guide the Authority as regards the implementation of the pace. the new General Effluent Standards (GES) promulgated by the DENR thru Administrative Order No. Meanwhile, Tony 6. Grace Period (Sect ion 10.0) 2016-08 pursuant to Republic Act No. 9275 otherwise known as the Philippine Clean Water Act of Lascuña made his 2004, of which the LLDA adopted thru LLDA Board Resolution No. 523 series of 2017, and for the 6.1 An establishment may request for a 91·ace period of not more than five (5) years move after a disascontinuous implementation of the Environmental User Fee System (EUFS) in the Laguna de Bay to be able to fully comply with the GES, provided the requesting establishment Region, the following rules and regulations shall be adopted. trous 74, birdying submits a Compliance Action Plan (CAP). Cases wherein a grace period may be Nos. 5 and 6 coming granted shall be limited to any of the following: I. COVERAGE home to preserve a 6.1 1 Values for the GES have become stringent compared to the values in DAO 70 and earn a share These guidelines shall apply to all existing and/or new development projects , installations and 1990-35. In such cases, DAO 1990-35 shall apply during the grace period ; of ninth place at 144 activities that are required to secure a discharge permit, pursuant to LLDA Board Resolution No. 322 series of 2007 or the Modified Wastewater Charge System in the Laguna de Bay Region. with Korean Lee 6.1.2 New significant effluent quality parameters were identified for the sector. Jae Won (70), Dutch II. POLICY GUIDELINES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS OF DENR 6.2 The minimum content of the Compliance Action Plan to avail of the grace period are Guido Van der Valk DAO 2016-08 as follows: (74) and Arnold Villacencio, who ralThe rules and regulations implementing specific provisions of the DENR DAO 2016- 08, 6.2.1 description of the establishment; specifically those that pertains to the adoption of the GES are hereby promulgated, as follows: lied with a 69.

Salvador, hounded by poor putting at the back where he teed off, actually fell off the leaderboard with a twoover card after 11 holes but gunned down three birdies in a four-hole stretch from No. 3 to regain control, only to reel back with a missed green bogey on the eighth for a 35-37 card. Ababa also wavered at the finish

with a bogey on No. 18 after a tap-in birdie on the 17th in an earlier flight, finishing with a 71 and joining fellow Davaoeño Salvador at 139, two strokes ahead of a charging Justin Quiban, who rebounded from a mediocre opening 72 with a three-under 69 for a 141 heading to the last 36 holes of the $100,000 championship

6.2.2 justifications why it needs to request for a grace period (i.e ., new parameters, stricter parameters in the new DAO, etc);

1. General Effluent Standards (Section 7.0 of DAO 2016-08) 1.1

1.2

1.3

Discharges from any point source shall, at all times, meet the effluent standards set forth in Tables 9 and 10 of DENR DAO 2016-08 to maintain the required Class C water quality for water bodies within the Laguna de Bay Region, and Class SB for Manila Bay as mandated by the DENR;

6.2.3 process production flow (including flow rate, material balance, water , balance, etc), 6.2.4 characterization or nature of existing wastewater stream, historical trends of its regulated parameters based on the submitted SMRs (within the last three years to present);

With this new GES, industries shall only be required to monitor their effluent quality parameters determined to be significant to them. Results of laboratory analysis for all significant effluent parameters shall be submitted to the LLDA as part of its SelfMonitoring Report (SMR).

6.2.5 description of existing wastewater treatment facility, such as its type, design rate and actual capacity, date constructed/installed, projected useful life, etc.:

Wastewater generated by an establishment shall not be allowed to be reused for irrigation and other agricultural purposes without a valid certification issued by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in accordance with Administrative Order 2007-26 issued by said Department, and for subsequent amendment or issuance by the DA to conform with the new water quality guidelines and general effluent standards issued by the DENR;

Certification from the DA should be valid for the duration of the Discharge Permit issued to the said establishment.

1.4

Effluent quality monitoring procedures shall be in accordance with the Effluent Quality Monitoring Manual issued by DENR-EMB through Memorandum Circular 2008-008 as adopted by LLDA

6.2.6 proposed modification on the existing wastewater treatment facilities to address new and/or stringent parameters of the new DAO. 6.2.7 timeline of the establishment’s corrective actions and modifications, including annual projected milestones, to fully comply with the new standards within the requested grace period: 6.2.8 investment cost and other related expenses for the implementation of the CAP. 6.3

Compliance Action Plan submitted before the issuance of this IRR need not follow the suggested content. However, the establishment may opt to submit or the LLDA may request for submission of a revised CAP to include other details not considered in the earlier submitted CAP;

6.4

Filing for the request of grace period thru the submission of CAP shall be made at least three (3) months before expiration/revalidation of its Discharge Permit for CY 2018;

6.5

The start of the grace period is upon approval of the submitted CAP;

6.6

After approval ·of its Compliance Action Plan, periodic status of implementation, or annual progress report, shall be submitted to update the LLDA on the steps taken for the establishment’s approved compliance schedule, including milestones achieved, implementation challenges, among others;

6.7

Within the approved grace period, a moratorium is in effect which includes issuance of cease and desist and/or closure order, fines, and other penalties against establishment’s operations;

2. Significant Effluent Quality Parameters per Sector (Section 7.1) 2.1

In general, individual point sources of pollution shall be categorized into sectors consistent with the Philippine Standard Industrial Classification (PSIC, 2009). The significant effluent quality parameters for each sector or industry type shall be based on Table 8 of said DAO, for purposes of streamlining compliance and enforcement of the GES;

In cases where a certain establishment does not fall in one of the identified sectors in Table 8 of said DAO, the LLDA shall identify the most probable pollutants that the said establishment will discharge into the environment. These identified parameters will then be used for that particular establishment’s discharge permit, and for compliance monitoring and enforcement;

2.2

Wastewater treatment facilities of establishment that caters both process wastewater and domestic sewage shall be monitored for effluent parameters significant to them,including parameters intended for domestic sewage as listed in PSIC Code No. 37000;

2.3

However, DAO 1990-35 remains in effect during the grace period which must be complied with at all times. Thus, failure in any of the regulated parameters under DAO 1990-35 shall not be covered in the abovementioned moratorium;

The LLDA shall include additional effluent parameter/s other than those listed in their assigned PSIC Code for laboratory analysis, if this particular parameter/s is deemed significant based on actual inspection of its process or activities.

6.8

Failure to submit annual progress report or periodic status of implementation may form the basis for the cancellation and/or revocation of approved grace period. In such cases, the applicable general effluent standards for that particular establishment shall be enforced and complied with at all times;

6.9

The LLDA may grant an extension of the approved grace period provided that a catch-up plan was submitted six (6) months before the lapse of the grace period, provided also that the delay and/or implementation challenges was duly reported in its submitted periodic (annual) status of implementation. In no case shall the grace period be extended to an aggregate total of five (5) years;

3. Effluent Standards for BOD for Strong Wastewater (Section 7.2) 3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

Establishments with Strong Wastewater has to request and submit at least ten (10) monthly monitoring results or a minimum of twelve (12) monitoring results of a 6-month period showing that influent BOD is equal to or greater than 3,000 mg/L, at all times. Analysis of samples shall be from a DENR recognized, third-party laboratory. The LLDA may conduct validation tests, review of submitted SMRs, among others, to verify if such a claim is valid ;

6.10 After the lapse of the grace period, the new GES shall be automatically enforced Those establishments with verified influent BOD of at least 3,000 mg/L, the and complied with at all times. applicable effluent standards in Table 10 shall at all times be enforced and complied 7. Fines, Damages and Penalties (Section 12.0) with Laboratory analysis for influent BOD shall be conducted consistent with the analysis of effluent samples which shall be included in the submission of its Self7.1 Any person, both natural or juridical, found violating or failing to comply with any Monitoring Report; Order or Decision of the Authority or any provision of this Order, shall be liable under Section 28 of RA 9275, in the amount of: Since Manila Bay is re-classified into Class S8 pursuant to the continuing mandamus of the Supreme Court, all establishments directly draining into the Manila Bay with 7.1 1 PHP 10,000 per day of violation (minimum) , BOD as one of its significant effluent parameters and considered as strong waste shall comply with the maximum BOD value set in Table 9: 7.1.2 PHP 200,000 per day of violation (maximum), For parameters other than BOD, Table 9 shall apply.

71.3 The fines herein prescribed shall be increased by 10% every two (2) years to compensate for inflation and to maintain the deterrent function of such fines.

4. Modification of GES (Section 8.0) 4.1 4.2

7.2

Any person, both natural and juridical, may request for the modification of the GES as described in this section;

Appropriate fines and penalties as stated under LLDA Board Resolution No. 404, s. 2012, adopting the fines and penalties under Section 28 of RA 9275 shall apply;

7 3 The existing rates of fines and penalties to be imposed are without prejudice to the The request shall include a clear and scientifically valid evidence having a probative new sets of fees and charges that the LLDA Board of Directors may issue for the value to demonstrate that such modification is consistent with RA 9275 and its purpose. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Request for modification shall be submitted to the Office of the General Manager of the LLDA, actions of which shall be subject III. WATER POLLUTION CASE PENDING WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMITTEE to further consultation with the DENR: Those establishments with water pollution case pending before the Public Hearing Committee, the case shall be deemed recommended for dismissal if the noncompliant parameter is no longer included in the list of its new significant parameters The cut-off date for the computation of daily penalty and Environmental User Fee to be imposed, as pre-requisites for dismissal of the said case, shall be at the date of effectivity of this IRR

The requesting entity has to submit at least ten (10) monthly monitoring results or a minimum of twelve (12) monitoring results of a 6-month period , among other supporting documents, to prove that its request for modification is based on empirical and scientific findings or studies. The LLDA shall conduct validation tests, review of submitted SMRs, among others, to verify if such a claim is valid.

However, those who submitted a Compliance Action Plan, wherein the DAO 1990- 35 shall apply for the duration of the grace period, the case will remain active until it complies with the effluent standards set for the said DAO.

5. Modification of Significant Effluent Quality Parameters and GES Values (Section 8.3) 5.1

In cases where a particular significant parameter is present in an establishment’s waste stream but is not listed in Table 8 of the DAO, the LLDA shall require the IV. REVIEW AND AMENDMENT establishment to comply with such particular significant parameter:

The LLDA shall inform the establishment of the findings and of the need to include such parameter in the succeeding issuances of its Discharge Permit, as well as in the succeeding compliance monitoring and enforcement;

The establishment may file a motion for reconsideration within fifteen (15) days after receipt of such findings. The LLDA reserves the right to reject or accept the appeal based on justifiable grounds;

5.2

In cases where a particular significant parameter is not present in an establishment’s waste stream, such establishment may request for exclusion of such particular parameter in its succeeding monitoring regime and in its Discharge Permit, provided the following conditions are met:

The review of this Implementing Rules and Regulations shall be conducted after two (2) years of its implementation. or as may be necessary. V.

EFFECTIVITY This Memorandum Circular shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation, posting In the LLDA official website and upon acknowledgment of receipt Register (ONAR) of a copy by the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR)

JAIME C. MEDINA General Manager (MS-JAN. 19, 2018)

Top bets roll past foes in netfest TOP seed Patricia Velez and No. 2 Aileen Rogan rolled past their respective rivals in straightset fashions while Johnny Arcilla and Jeson Patrombon also came away with a pair of lopsided victories in the first PPS-PEPP Fr. Fernando Suarez Cup at the Colegio San Agustin in Bulacan last Wednesday. Velez trampled Ruth Demafelis, 6-3, 6-2, to arrange a quarterfinal clash with Mikaela Vicencio, who trounced Danielle Carranza, 6-3, 6-3, while Rogan eased past Mae Perez, 6-0, 6-2, for a duel with Alexi Santos, who overpowered Denise Bernardo, 6-1, 6-0, in women’s singles of the event held in honor of the healing priest and presented by Asiatraders Corp. with Slazenger and Dunlop as official balls. In other results, third seed Miles Vitaliano crushed Jenaila Prulla, 6-3, 6-2, for a faceoff with Regina Santiago, who scored a walkover win over Macie Carlos, while fourth ranked Frances Santiago posted a 1-0 (ret.) win over Noriko Yamada to seal a quarters clash with Rafaella Villanueva, who thumped Anna Demyer, 6-1, 6-2. Arcilla and Patrombon also stamped their class in the men’s singles of the event sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop headed by president/CEO Bobby Castro and sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines with the former beating wild card Wilfred Bentillo, 6-1, 6-0, and the latter ripping Carlo Halili, 6-2 6-1. Also advancing to the second round of the 32-player draw are No. 3 PJ Tierro, fourth seed Leander Lazaro, No. 5 Bryan Otico, sixth ranked Vicente Anasta, No. 7 Dheo Talatayod and eighth seed Mark Alcoseba.

Sports

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

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2018

Wesley grabs share of lead By Peter Atencio INDIAN grandmaster Bashkaran Adhiban, playing black, committed some bad moves with his retreating king and paid dearly for it. Cavite-born GM Wesley So capitalized on Adhiban’s misfortunes and pulled off his first win in the fifth round of the 2018 Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands. After Adhiban’s miscue in the 66th move, So went on the offensive with a well-protected passed pawn and forced his Indian foe to quit in 80 moves of an English Opening. So went on to grab a share of the lead with 3.5 points. The 24-year-old So is now at the top spot along with Anish Giri, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Viswananthan Anand. Giri, who held the lead with Anand the other day, drew with Gawain Jones in 25 moves of a Nimzo Indian Defense. Anand, who is seeking his third crown, halved his point with Wei Yi in 29 moves of a Petrov. On the other hand, Mamedyarov was also held to a draw by Fabiano Caruana in 43 moves of a Queen’s Gambit Declined. So will try to keep his share of the lead in the sixth round when he faces Wei Yi, who has 2.5 points along with three others.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives to the hoop against Chicago Bulls defender Lauri Markkanen (24) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. AFP

Dubs extend win streak W

ASHINGTON—Klay Thompson scored 38 points and Stephen Curry added 30 to spark defending NBA champion Golden State over Chicago 119-112 Wednesday, giving the Warriors a club recordmatching 14th consecutive road victory.

Thompson and Curry, nicknamed “The Splash Brothers,” overwhelmed from three-point range, with Thompson sinking seven three-pointers and Curry adding six, while Kevin Durant had 19 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. “Every night we come out it’s a different guy,” Thompson said. The Warriors outscored Chicago 32-12 in the third quarter to pull away, the Bulls being led by reserve

Nikola Mirotic’s 24 points. Golden State improved to a league-best 37-9 and moved two road wins shy of matching the all-time NBA record away win streak of 16 games, set by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1971-72 season as part of their overall record 33-game win streak. “It’s not about records,” Durant said. “We just want to play good every day. We want to keep getting better, build better habits.”

The Warriors could set a club record with a 15th consecutive road victory on Saturday at Houston, could match the NBA road win streak record of 16 games on January 30 at Utah and possibly break that mark on Feb. 2 at Sacramento. “Winning on the road is great,” Curry said. “You see opposing arenas empty out pretty quick.” But not all the news from Chicago was good for the Warriors. Rookie Jordan Bell was taken off in a wheelchair with what was later diagnosed as a sprained left ankle. X-rays were negative from more severe damage but a full diagnosis will not be made until an MRI exam Thursday.

Chicago’s Kris Dunn, averaging 13.6 points a game, chipped and dislocated two teeth with a face-first fall late in the fourth quarter. He was to undergo further evaluation Thursday. Carmelo Anthony scored 27 points while New Zealand center Steven Adams added 21 points on 10-of-12 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 114-90. Russell Westbook added 19 points, six rebounds and seven assists for the Thunder, who improved to 25-20. “We need to just stay disciplined. That’s what makes us win games,” Adams said. “We’ve got to focus on what

gets us in that spot in the first place.” Adams, a 24-year-old 7-footer, says he has found the best way to support superstars Westbrook, Anthony and Paul George, who had 13 points, is to simply play his own game inside. “It’s just finding ways you can help out the team,” Adams said. “You don’t have to be a stat guy. It will come back to you. These guys are great. The more you help them the more it comes back to you.” Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 21 points to lead seven double-figure scorers while Dwight Howard had 18 points and 15 rebounds in Charlotte’s 133-109 home win over Washington. LaMarcus Aldridge

Red-hot Sharapova sizzles at scorching Rod Laver Arena MELBOURNE, Australia— Unseeded Maria Sharapova Thursday showed she is a serious contender for the Australian Open by swatting aside a 14th seed who had given her major trouble in the past. Sharapova, back in the top 50 after a 15-month doping ban, demonstrated all the shot-making that made her a five-time major winner as she destroyed gritty Anastasija Sevastova 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) on Rod Laver Arena. The Russian, who faces Angelique Kerber next in a mouth-watering clash of former Australian Open champions, warned she was still improving less than a year after her comeback last April. “She’s had success here,” she said of Kerber, the 2016 title winner. “She’s had success playing out here in these conditions on these courts. I want to see where I am on that level.” The Latvian had thwarted

the Russian’s Grand Slam comeback in the last 16 of the US Open last year. In their next encounter in Beijing Sevastova was only denied after more than three grueling hours in a titanic three-setter. On Thursday, it was a different story as Sharapova sped through a sizzling first set in just 23 minutes for the loss of only nine points. “I played really well at the net, finished the balls off with a swing volley or good volley,” she said. “Something I’ve been working on, and definitely improved in the match today.” Sevastova characteristically fought back in the second but the only time the 2008 Australian Open champion and crowd-favorite wobbled was when serving for the match. “She never really lets up,” Sharapova said. “But I got

through it. I did the job in two, and that’s not something I did, you know, towards the end of last year. “I think that’s an improvement.” As temperatures soared towards 40 Celsius (104 Farenheit) on the hottest day of the tournament so far, it was a dramatic demolition. The Latvian, who reached back-to-back quarter-finals at the US Open in 2016 and 2017, briefly woke up to break the Sharapova serve for the first time early in the second set. The jolt to the Sharapova juggernaut was evident and she began to make unforced errors as service holds and breaks were exchanged. At 4-4 a backhand winner got Sharapova to break point and when a second screamer followed it was greeted by a double-fist pump from the Russian. AFP

Beermen battle Road Warriors By Jeric Lopez LEAGUE-leading San Miguel Beer has no plans of slowing down as it goes for a fourth straight win in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. The defending champions (3-0) aim on staying on top when they battle the slumping NLEX Road Warriors (2-2) at 7 p.m. tonight at the Cuneta Astrodome in the second game of a double-header that also features a bout between the Blackwater Elite (2-2) and the GlobalPort Batang Pier (1-2) at 4:30 p.m. in the curtain-raiser. Firing from all cylinders to start their season, the

Beermen are rolling as they are the only unbeaten team left in the tournament. San Miguel has been winning by an average of 8.2 points per game in its current three-game onslaught as its steadiness and poise continue to overwhelm opponents up to this point. Beermen coach Leo Austria is happy with his team’s start but is well aware that the bull’s-eye is always on their back. “It’s a good start for us as we try to defend our championship but we are also aware that all the other teams want to beat us. Everybody exerts extra effort and are more motivated whenever we face them. That’s something

that we prepare for every time,” said Austria. San Miguel Beer took down the Bolts, 88-76, last week. The Beermen will face a Road Warriors side that’s aching to get back on the winning track. After starting the AllFilipino at 2-0, NLEX is currently on a two-game skid. They suffered backto-back losses, the last one against the Magnolia Hotshots last Sunday, 105-94. Road Warriors coach Yeng Guiao will seek for more help and support for star rookie Kiefer Ravena, who has been carrying much of the scoring load for the team since his arrival.

scored 34 points to power the San Antonio Spurs over host Brooklyn 100-95. Australia’s Patty Mills had 25 points on 7-of-10 3-point shooting and Spaniard Pau Gasol had 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs, who are without Kawhi Leonard indefinitely due to a quadriceps injury. “LA [Aldridge] is the reason we have kept such a good record with Kawhi and Tony [Parker] out,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “We’d be in deep kimchi if he weren’t playing the way he is.” Kent Bazemore’s jumper with 3.6 seconds remaining, the last of his team-high 20 points, gave Atlanta a 94-93 victory over visiting New Orleans. AFP

World-class coach prepares track team By Randy Caluag

Russia’s Maria Sharapova serves against Germany’s Tatjana Maria during their women’s singles first round match on day two of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne. AFP

PH to host FIBA 3x3 World Cup THE country will celebrate its 120th Independence Day on the week that the FIBA 3x3 World Cup is held at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan this June. That is why a grand celebration is in the offing when thei five-day cagefest is held from June 8 to 12 with 40 teams from different countries fighting it out for top honors. Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Sonny Barrios said the municipal government will be preparing for much bigger festivities that will come. “Aside from basketball, this event will also be an Independence Day celebration,” said Barrios during its launch yesterday at the Bonifacio Global City Activity Center. Barrios said Senator Joel Villanueva, who is helping stage the tournament in his province, is currently coordinating with Bocaue Mayor Eleonor J. VillanuevaTugna to make things happen. For the organizers, holding the finals on June 12 is meaningful because Bulacan was one of the provinces which led

the movement for Philippine Independence way back in 1898. As host, the Philippines will get an automatic slot in tournament, which was won by Serbia and Russia in the men’s and women’s division last year. “After 45 years, gagawin ulit ang pinakamalaking basketball tournament dito sa Pilipinas. We are very excited about,” said Villanueva who was at the launch with SBP president Al Panlilio and Senator Sonny Angara. Villanueva later hooked up with visiting FIBA 3x3 managing director Alex Sanchez, who is now in the country to conduct an ocular inspection of the Philippine Arena. Last year, the Philippines finished 11th overall with a team composed of Kobe Paras, Joseph Quiñahan, Kiefer Ravena and Jeron Teng. Serbia, which beat the Netherlands in the finals, anchored its games behind Dusan Bulut, Dejan Majstorovic, Marko Savic and Marko Zdero. Peter Atencio

WORLD-class athletics coach Dan Pfaff believes that he will be able “to plant the seeds” that will be useful in preparing the Philippine athletics team in forthcoming international tournaments, including the Asian Games in Indonesia this August. Pfaff, a former professor and coach at the World Athletics Center in Arizona USA, is on his third day of the two-week training with 50 national coaches and athletes at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City under the Ayala-Dan Pfaff Advance Coaching Course. Organized by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association, with the support of the Ayala Corporation, the seminar puts emphasis on scientific studies including psychology, nutrition and biomechanics, moral behavior and sports medicine. “The goal is to give the coaches and athletes usable information that they can apply right away,” said the 64-year-old Pfaff who has trained 50 Olympians, including British athlete Greg Rutherford, the 2012 London Olympics long jump gold medalist. “We’re planting the seeds to grow crops to continue to be the resource [of future elite athletes].” Pfaff, an expert in sports science, said the mindset should be “how passionate are you, how committed are you to the task. Today the youth has many distractions. So one of the goals here is to change the culture somewhat where track and field becomes an exciting sport and we want students and athletes to get involved in that sport.”

LOTTO RESULTS

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6 DIGITS 00-00-00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

San Miguel Pure Foods eyeing share sale in Q2 B2

Treasury launches 10-year US bonds By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Philippine government launched Thursday a global offering for 10-year US dollar bonds due 2028. The government is raising $2 billion from the global bond offering, of which $1 billion will be used for budgetary support and infrastructure programs and the remaining $1 billion to redeem 14 issued bonds due between 2019 and 2037. “The settlement of the new bond offering is expected to occur on Feb. 1, 2018,” the Treasury said. Proceeds are expected to help cover the government’s budget deficit which is expected to account for 3 percent of the gross domestic product this year. The Bureau of Treasury said it tapped Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Suisse Securities Llc, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. Llc, Standard Chartered Bank and UBS AG Hong Kong Branch as joint lead managers for the new bond offering. The deadline of submission of offers for the bond swap will be early morning on Jan. 19, Manila time, while the settlement period is on Jan. 25. The government earlier said it expected to borrow 26 percent from foreign sources and 74 percent from domestic sources this year. S&P Global Ratings assigned a ‘BBB’ long-term foreign currency issue rating to the proposed benchmark-sized US dollar-denominated senior unsecured notes which represent direct, general, unconditional, unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the government. Moody’s Investors Service assigned a provisional (P)Baa2 senior unsecured rating to the bond offering. “The rating mirrors the government of the Philippines’ issuer rating of Baa2 with a stable outlook,” the debt watcher said. The government posted a budget deficit of P243.5 billion in the first 11 months of 2017, behind the P482.1-billion deficit target for the year.

Business

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

Ayala, partner Eton to spend P53b By Jenniffer B. Austria

ROPERTY developers Ayala Land Inc. and Eton Properties Philippines Inc. will invest P53 billion over the next 10 years to develop Parklinks, a 35-hectare mixed-use township along C5 on the boundaries of Quezon City and Pasig City, top executives said Thursday. Ayala Land senior vice president and strategic land bank management group head Meean Dy said the initial phase of the project

would include the construction of a regional mall, residential condominium buildings and an iconic bridge that would connect

Quezon City and Pasig City over Marikina River. The two companies would allocate at least 75 percent of P53 billion for residential development, 17 percent for leasing business including mall and ofﬁces and the remaining 8 percent for estate development. The shopping mall will have 58,000 square meters of leasable space and is expected to be completed by 2019. On top of the mall will be a 3,500-sq. m. sports complex. Ayala Land’s premier residential brand Ayala Land Premier will initially

develop five towers offering 1,688 units, while Alveo Land will build five residential buildings with 3,700 units. “Parklinks, an exemplary urban design expression, is a living testament to Eton LT Group and Ayala Land’s shared vision and commitment in providing sustainable excellent communities in urban centers to its valuable customers,” Eton Properties chief operating officer Jess Lucas said. The joint venture partners will also build a 25-meter-wide bridge spanning 110 meters in length.

This will create a new route to ease vehicular trafﬁc in the northeast and east of Metro Manila. The bridge will have dedicated lanes for bikers and pedestrian, allowing a safe and convenient movement within and around the development. Dy said 50 percent of the 35-hectare project would be devoted to open space, making it the greenest urban development along the C5 area. This is the third joint venture between Ayala Land and Eton Properties. In 2010, LT Group’s Eton Properties teamed up with

Ayala Land’s mass housing arm Amaia Land Corp. to develop a four-hectare property in Calamba, Laguna. Ayala Land’s middle income housing unit Avida Land also tied up with Eton Properties to develop a four-tower residential condominium along Edsa corner Reliance Street in Mandaluyong City in 2011. Parklinks is the ﬁrst estate development to be launched by Ayala Land this year. The property ﬁrm is set launch two more projects this year.

TV5 shutting down Interaksyon website THE online news portal of TV5 is shutting down effective the end of March as a part of the network’s rationalization program. Roby Alampay, editorin-chief of Interaksyon.com and Business World, said the news portal would cease operations by end-March, as TV5 would consolidate all digital news properties under news5.com.ph. “That consolidation translates to a rationalization of manpower as well. That affects around 20 regular staff, which is the entire InterAksyon team,” he said. TV5 earlier signed a long-term agreement with ESPN to reposition itself into sports and news network. Under the partnership,

TV5’s ‘Sports 5’ will be rebranded as ‘ESPN5,’ encompassing all sports coverage on TV5. In addition, ESPN will license to TV5 more than 2,500 hours additional programming per year form its portfolio of sports rights, original programming and studio programs. ESPN is 80-percent owned by ABC Inc., an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Hearst Corp. holds a 20-percent interest in ESPN. MediaQuest Holdings Inc. bought TV5 in 2009 from the Cojuangco family for P4 billion, and acquired MPB Primedia of Malaysia, a TV5 major blocktimer, for $16 million. Darwin G. Amojelar

STEELASIA’S REBAR SOLUTIONS. SteelAsia Manufacturing Corp. showcases its complete range of rebar products and rebar solutions at the 28th Philconstruct – the Philippines’ longest-running construction show and largest trade fair exposition held at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. Gracing the show are (from left) SteelAsia account manager Abner De Leon, senior manager Anthony Concepcion, consultant Teik Yeow Khoo, senior manager Edwin Lu and account manager Jeffrey Magsumbol.

Cargill eyeing another feedmill as part of investment plan in PH By Othel V. Campos US agriculture conglomerate Cargill plans to increase its investments in the Philippines and may build a new feedmill in the Visayas or Mindanao, a top executive said Thursday. Cargill Philippines president Philip Soliven said the company was identifying areas where it could put more investments. “We’re looking at a broad spectrum of investments in the Philippines. The Philippines is an attractive market for us. The business environment here remains positive and we are conﬁdent that our business will continue to

IN BRIEF Hot money posts net outflow

FOREIGN portfolio investments or hot money resulted in a net outflow of $205 million in 2017, a reversal of the net inflow of $404 million in 2016, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Thursday. The Bangko Sentral said the withdrawal of foreign funds observed in the first quarter subsequently declined in the latter part of 2017 as investors reacted positively to the various developments in the country, including the approval of the first phase of the tax reform program. Data showed that total inflows fell 8.9 percent in 2017 to $16.1 billion from $17.6 billion in 2016 while outflows declined to $16.3 billion from $17.2 billion. About 81.9 percent of portfolio investments were mainly in PSE-listed securities and 17.5 percent were invested in peso government securities. Net inflows were noted for other peso debt instruments and unit investment trust funds. The United Kingdom, the United States, Singapore, Luxembourg and Malaysia were the top five investor countries last year. Darwin G. Amojelar

FINTQ pushes sachet banking

FINTQ Technologies Corp., the financial technology unit of Voyager Innovations Inc., is pushing for ‘sacheted’ banking services to serve the unbanked Filipinos. “We have a bold goal of including 30 million Filipinos in the formal financial system by 2020. This may be a long shot for an economy that is still cash-heavy, but we know from the very start that unbanked families could be served better when banks tap the most ubiquitous device—the mobile phone - and the most pervasive touchpoint in the country—sari-sari stores,” Orlando Vea, president of FINTQ and president and chief executive of Voyager Innovations, the digital innovations arm of PLDT Inc. and Smart, said. The second Inclusive Digital Finance Report Vol. 2 titled Retail Financial Services in a Sachet Economy found that about 70 percent of Filipino families had no savings account, effectively tagging them ‘unbanked’ under the survey’s definition. However, this segment earns ample income and owns assets that can help banks and non-banks to design finan-

grow,” Soliven said during the company’s first news briefing in 70 years in the country. Cargill posted an annual growth rate of 11 percent over the last 10 years. In 2017, the netbook value of the company’s assets grew fourfold to P10.7 billion from P2.4 billion in 2004. “Last year was a significant year of investments for us in a very long time. We built two plants in a year. That says a lot. This year, we will have to make another investment decision,” Soliven said. The company teamed up with Jollibee Foods Corp. to form Cargill Joy Poultry Meats Production Inc.

that will operate a poultry dressing plant that can process up to 45 million heads annually. It will supply the domestic requirement of Jollibee and afﬁliate companies such as Mang Inasal, Burger King, Chow King and Greenwich. The facility in Sto. Tomas, Batangas was built to accommodate a calculated increase in capacity as de-

mand grows. Cargill also constructed a $12-million premix feeds plant under its animal nutrition category to serve medium to large livestock farms and feed millers. The plant manufactures premix feed solutions under Provimi brand. It is Cargill’s ﬁfth animal nutrition facility in the Philippines

and the ﬁrst plant dedicated to manufacturing Provimi premix solutions. Cargill is active in four business areas in the Philippines, including animal nutrition, poultry products, grains and oils and food and beverage ingredients. It began operating in the Philippines in 1947 and now has over 1,000 employees across 22 locations.

cial products that are affordable for the majority of the unbanked segment. FINTQ reignited the sachet banking model to allow partner banks and non-bank institutions to promote ﬁnancial inclusivity and accommodate the less afﬂuent segments. Darwin G. Amojelar

Petron tender offer gets $401m

PETRON Corp. said its tender offer drew $401.957 million from holders of $750 million, 7.5 percent undated subordinated capital securities. Petron said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the tender offer expired at 5 p.m. on Jan. 16 and “the aggregate amount of the securities validly tendered pursuant to the tender offer is $401.957 million.” Petron set the settlement date on Jan. 22. “The company has decided to accept for purchase the aggregate principal amount of $401.957 million of securities validly tendered with no pro rate scaling,” it said. Petron will use its new $500 million in senior perpetual capital securities to reﬁnance the previous the tender offer. The new offering carries a 4.6 percent rate a year. Alena Mae S. Flores

Clark registers more locators

LOCATORS inside Clark Freeport Zone increased 6 percent to 949 in 2017 from 895 in 2016, state-run Clark Development Corp. said Thursday. Locators inside Clark Freeport include 165 firms in the industrial sector; 125 in the ICT industry; 56 tourism locators; 218 service-related; 220 commercial companies; 19 developers; 44 institutional; 31 aviation-related firms; 53 logistics companies; 14 utilities; and four agro-industrial companies. The number of workers in Clark also rose 15.5 percent in 2017 to 107,997 from 93,467 workers in 2016. The industrial sector inside Clark is the biggest contributor of employment with 48,476 jobs or 44.89 percent of the total number of workers. The ICT industry, comprised mostly of business process outsourcing firms, followed with 23,439 workers or 22.7 percent of the total. Exports by locators in Clark Freeport hit $5 billion in 2017 or 50.6 percent higher than $3.32 billion generated in 2016. Exports did not include the $1.43 billion generated by Texas Instrument which reports directly to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority. Othel V. Campos

AXA-PRONOVE DEAL. Insurance company Axa Philippines appoints Pronove Tai International Property Consultants, a leading real estate services provider as its tenant representative. Pronove Tai is the exclusive real estate agent for Axa in the Philippines. Signing the agreement are (from left) Pronove head of portfolio management Gelo Cristobal and chief executive Monique Pronove, Axa Philippines chief transformation and operations officer John Hilson and head of facilities and business continuity Lui Matti.

20 gas stations told to explain price hike By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Department of Energy sent show cause orders to 20 retail stations to explain why they increased pump prices ahead of the anticipated implementation of the higher excise tax on petroleum products. Energy assistant secretary Leonido Pulido III said around 30 percent or 2,040 retail stations out of the 6,800 stations nationwide complied with the implementation of the higher excise tax under Republic Act No. 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and

Inclusion Act. Pulido said the department sent show cause letters to 20 stations, mostly dealer-owned in Metro Manila, which the department validated to have implemented the Train impact on pump prices. “We have asked them to explain and justify if indeed their old stocks have been depleted,” the ofﬁcial said. Records from the department showed four oil ﬁrms implemented higher excise taxes on Jan. 5 to 14, including Caltex, Petron, Shell and Flying V.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, head of the Senate committee on energy, called the attention of the department for its alleged failure to efficiently monitor the compliance of the oil firms to the Train Law. “For DoE, [they] can do better. We are relying on the DoE to protect the consumers,” Gatchalian said, as he asked the department to come up with ﬁndings and ensure that the public was not made to pay for higher prices based on the old inventory of the oil companies.

MPIC set to buy 3 logistics companies METRO Pacific Investments Corp. plans to acquire two or three logistic companies to expand its footprint in the logistics industry. MPIC chairman Manuel Pangilinan said the conglomerate would acquire two or three logistics companies in the coming years to expand its portfolio. “I think most likely at least one this year,” Pangilinan said. The company earlier said it was in talks with the family of businessman Alberto Lina to acquire Air21 Express. Air21, the former Philippine licensee of US-based logistics provider Federal Express, is now engaged in door-to-door courier delivery, cargo transportation, warehousing, crating, bulk shipments and mailing. Its contract with FedEx expired in 2012. Air21 also operates the premium airport bus service under the brand name UBE Express. MPIC ventured into the logistics and distribution business in May 2016 when it acquired the assets of mid-size corporate logistics provider Basic Logistics. It then formed a new company called Metro Pacific Movers Inc. in joint venture with the shareholders of Basic Logistics to provide logistics, shipping, freight forwarding and ecommerce services. MPIC’s subsidiary Premier Logistics Inc. signed a definitive agreement in January to acquire some of the assets and businesses of Ace Logistics worth P280 million. Pangilinan said the new venture would complement MPIC’s existing businesses. Darwin G. Amojelar

Business

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

San Miguel Pure Foods eyeing share sale in Q2 By Jenniffer B. Austria SAN Miguel Pure Foods Co. Inc. plans to conduct a share sale by the second quarter of the year to meet the 15-percent minimum public float requirement after acquiring the beer and drinks venture of parent firm San Miguel Corp. San Miguel chief finance officer Ferdinand Constantino said in an interview at the sidelines of the special stockholders’ meeting Pure Foods was now in talks with potential advisers and underwriters to conduct the share sale. “We will try do it by second quarter (a) follow on offering. Minimum (public

ﬂoat) requirement is... 15 percent,” Constantino said. Constantino declined to give an estimate on how much the company would raise from the share sale. San Miguel will have a 95.5-percent stake in Pure Foods after the consolidation. Shareholders of Pure Foods during the meeting approved the company’s acquisition of San Miguel’s 7.86 billion shares in San Miguel Brewery Inc. and 216.97 million shares in Ginebra San Miguel Inc. with a combined value of P336.35 billion as part of a move to consolidate the food and beverage businesses under one subsidiary.

Market extends retreat; GT Capital, Meralco drop

TOCKS fell Thursday in further consolidation, with select blue chips retreating after registering gains as investors continued to take proﬁts.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index dropped 28.25 points, or 0.3 percent, to 8,820.74 on a value turnover of nearly P10 billion. Gainers, however, edged losers, 113 to 103, with 54 issues unchanged. GT Capital Holdings Inc. of tycoon George Ty slumped 3 percent to P1,309, while conglomerate Ayala Corp. declined 2.4

percent to P1,035. BDO Unibank Inc., the biggest lender in terms of assets, lost 1.9 percent to P157, while Manila Electric Co., the largest retailer of electricity, slipped 1.3 percent to P326.40. Hong Kong stocks, meanwhile, closed at another record high on Thursday, extending a rally in line with global markets, following

data showing China’s economy grew much more than expected last year. The Hang Seng Index climbed 0.43 percent, or 138.53 points, to ﬁnish at 32,121.94. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.87 percent, or 30.08 points, to 3,474.75 and the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China’s second exchange, added 0.13 percent, or 2.46 points, to 1,924.20. Investors tracked another milestone on Wall Street but Asia-wide markets

struggled to keep up the recent momentum. But while the afternoon saw a slight wobble across the region and some analysts warned of a possible correction, traders remain bullish on equities thanks to a healthy global economic outlook, optimism over the impact of Donald trump’s tax cuts and strong corporate earnings. Market closed data showed the Chinese economy grew a forecast-beating 6.9 percent in 2017, the ﬁrst annual improvement since 2010.

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.7 1,594,000 59.9 5,180 115 7,986,690 3.87 25,000 157 5,463,620 1.99 420,000 37 484,400 10 900 15.68 700 31 1,771,900 9.47 2,700 0.7 17,000 1.7 38,000 980 1,240 0.59 199,000 98.2 10,196,420 1.33 9,487,000 13 9,500 26 28,300 56.4 96,350 240 620 104 320 89.5 80 54.7 1,387,570 251.6 925,280 1,975 410 89.9 29,970 1.24 299,000

6,333,120 307,761.50 877,432,531 96,830 861,638,598 822,560 17,877,525 8,997 10,988 54,808,680 23,486 11,600 65,010 1,215,200 115,230 989,428,960.50 13,087,920 123,572 716,320 5,462,756 148,810 33,710 7,160 75,715,468.50 232,378,908 811,300 2,694,157.50 371,140

215,550 172,118 290,619,993 7,820 -187,938,572 7,920 6,070,505 8,997 7,850 3,754,615 17,244 8,100 7,040 9,800 8,850 -83,367,666.50 342,970 8,064 7,635 -3,759,944.50 74,400 8,720 7,160 -3,956,381.50 20,824,914 29,925 1,029,290 32,600

40.4 10.74 0.62 1.31 17.26 0.212 128 5.19 15.78 172 54.1 19 60.1 58.6 95 1.9 5.57 10.62 12.1 15.4 13.04 7.9 5.68 1.65 15.86 62 29.5 9.98 17.92 1.97 271.4 58.45 4.1 3.1 20.8 27.7 18.1 19.18 325.6 0.195 8.91 2.28 4.85 9.07 5.6 8.2 1.79 12.36 64 6.3 537 4.78 2.2 3.98 1.77 15.06 5.44 0.131 1.15 167.2 2.88 2.06 29.95 0.8

INDUSTRIAL 41.15 1,807,800 11.12 2,977,000 0.62 282,000 1.34 102,000 17.5 3,900 0.213 1,140,000 128 70 5.2 2,973,500 16.14 242,100 172 110 54.65 545,050 19 7,800 62 914,490 58.6 2,920 95 140 1.93 101,000 5.57 7,200 10.9 12,300 12.32 8,517,800 15.4 375,600 13.06 6,122,800 8 825,100 5.68 711,900 1.75 21,000 15.9 1,263,700 62.95 60,000 32.3 2,425,400 10 2,254,400 18 6,823,000 1.97 1,239,000 279 1,484,360 59 1,700 4.1 58,000 3.11 14,000 20.8 900 28.05 1,661,500 18.1 808,900 19.4 1,160,600 326.4 376,350 0.2 1,360,000 9 300 2.39 9,121,000 4.88 337,000 9.09 2,542,400 6.15 562,700 8.2 258,300 1.8 1,475,000 12.5 328,600 66 639,070 6.3 4,500 537 102,530 4.81 117,000 2.2 5,000 4.02 24,000 1.79 327,000 15.44 2,541,700 5.48 40,800 0.132 4,910,000 1.15 159,000 168.7 1,438,270 2.91 233,000 2.09 3,781,000 29.95 300 0.8 478,000

73,802,905 32,546,408 175,610 134,320 68,070 243,550 9,018 15,631,032 3,882,214 19,100 29,796,241.50 148,488 56,698,212 173,827 13,800 192,680 40,104 131,640 105,001,310 5,800,268 81,336,726 6,591,955 4,046,776 36,830 20,091,188 3,754,226 76,326,395 22,543,966 122,777,914 2,449,730 411,238,562 99,967 238,080 43,860 18,720 46,579,480 14,708,046 22,613,424 122,822,330 269,020 2,691 21,468,220 1,641,530 23,174,880 3,436,128 2,129,091 2,656,390 4,117,850 41,151,499 28,535 55,646,015 561,360 11,000 97,040 587,230 39,263,842 223,506 649,280 185,530 244,652,761 675,830 7,914,270 8,985 386,010

4,064,045 -738,824 7,560 21,240 7,072 8,780 7,738 -6,864,670 1,575,554 8,720 885,747.50 7,888 28,644,680 10,000 7,680 7,798 7,700 93,219,692 3,192,444 -1,280,314 2,917,646 2,061,295 7,080 -7,110,062 1,269,151.50 697,405 -5,228,100 -103,944,678 8,040.00 248,046,018 8,992.50 8,480 6,490 18,720 -15,912,025 -7,091,180.00 3,429,794 -39,436,856 45,500 -4,103,350.00 9,980 -7,912,926 7,440 218,731 2,073,710 -308,630 -6,516,873.50 7,620 -22,785,485 4,820 8,800 8,200 -117,910 4,646,314 7,672 4,010 7,020 68,755,749 5,880 -6,240 8,985 8,600

0.3 76.55 15.9 0.99 6.9 0.395 0.46 1,028 1,464 7.55 14.7 7.55 4.99 5.6 0.19 1,300 7.8 77.85 5.45 5.69 0.69 5.63 22.25 0.35 6.72 3.63 0.043 1.29 2.05 2.63 129.5 2.53 1,036 0.78 1.65 199.9 280 0.21 0.182 0.192

HOLDING FIRMS 0.305 660,000 77.8 1,313,160 16 9,776,000 0.99 9,000 6.9 74,100 0.4 4,950,000 0.46 20,000 1,035 461,015 1,464 5 7.57 493,000 14.8 3,824,700 7.65 36,700 5 89,600 5.6 1,400 0.199 380,000 1,309 225,635 7.8 1,000 77.9 1,698,720 5.45 46,000 5.7 1,500 0.7 137,000 5.66 343,600 22.7 18,399,000 0.35 50,000 6.8 17,982,800 3.63 3,000 0.044 8,300,000 1.31 172,000 2.07 509,000 2.63 3,000 131.5 644,350 2.63 80,000 1,042 255,995 0.81 185,000 1.65 1,275,000 199.9 160 281 9,230 0.224 1,050,000 0.183 120,000 0.192 50,000

199,050 102,155,158 156,303,226 8,990 512,156 1,974,000 9,200 477,425,740 7,320 3,731,696 56,618,180 280,464 447,960 7,840 74,070 296,378,210 7,800 132,460,048 258,409 8,545 94,950 1,952,021 412,341,875 17,500 121,860,966 10,890 360,900 226,490 1,054,460 7,890 84,378,859 207,080 266,610,840 145,280 2,122,560 32,556 2,586,930 226,470 22,290 10,120

6,200 59,713,084 -1,855,004 8,000 21,655 9,200 -242,926,295 7,320 1,185,929 7,985,996 7,650 7,840.00 7,780 -66,744,940 7,800 -1,541,417.50 -10,080 8,545 7,000 157,095 -147,055 10,500 47,216,762 7,260 4,600 6,800 6,240 7,890 463,868 7,760 6,973,125 7,650 48,100 6,564 14,240 6,750 5,860 8,200

924,664 1,050,290 7,159,464 303,670 1,668,800 502,097,615 2,442,370 3,543,026 299,098 7,308 494,000 17,070 84,450 687,700 284,200 13,652,325 229,230

-40,841 1,120 -32,056 9,120 7,680 60,548,295 779,870 397,000 49,690 7,308 -33,700 10,350.00 8,190 6,540 8,900 380,200 7,920

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

3.98 59.95 102 3.91 159.8 1.98 37 9.99 15.7 31.3 7.81 0.7 1.69 980 0.57 97.65 1.41 13.44 25.45 57.5 240 109 89.5 56.4 252 1,995 90.15 1.3

4.45 59.95 115 3.91 159.8 1.99 37 10 15.7 31.3 9.89 0.7 1.76 980 0.59 98.2 1.44 13.44 26 57.5 241 109 89.5 56.4 253.2 1,995 90.7 1.3

3.6 58.05 101.3 3.87 156.9 1.94 36.7 9.99 15.68 30.5 7.8 0.67 1.69 980 0.57 95.1 1.32 12.76 25.2 56.4 240 104 89.5 54.4 250.4 1,975 88.5 1.24

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS ASIABEST GROUP BASIC ENERGY BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CONCRETE B CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP EMPERADOR ENERGY DEVT EUROMED FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE 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

40.95 10.9 0.63 1.34 17.68 0.214 128.9 5.3 15.78 174.4 54.2 19.72 62.5 61 100 1.9 5.57 11 12.1 15.6 13.4 8.08 5.68 1.77 15.9 63 30.3 10 18.14 1.97 277 59.95 4.1 3.2 20.8 28.5 18.22 20 330.6 0.2 8.91 2.34 4.99 9.25 6.7 8.39 1.8 12.7 64.4 6.35 550 4.82 2.2 4.1 1.77 15.1 5.48 0.133 1.17 167.4 2.94 2.06 29.95 0.86

41.15 11.14 0.63 1.34 17.68 0.22 129 5.36 16.14 174.4 54.9 19.72 62.5 61 100 1.93 5.57 11 12.4 15.6 13.4 8.08 5.73 1.77 15.94 63 32.65 10.08 18.16 2.02 279 59.95 4.24 3.29 20.8 28.5 18.3 20 330.8 0.2 9 2.46 4.99 9.25 6.8 8.39 1.82 12.7 66 6.35 551.5 4.82 2.2 4.1 1.83 15.58 5.48 0.133 1.17 173 2.94 2.11 29.95 0.86

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP BHI HLDG COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FJ PRINCE A FJ PRINCE B FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT JOLLIVILLE HLDG KEPPEL HLDG B 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 SYNERGY GRID TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.31 78.15 15.96 1 7.05 0.405 0.46 1,055 1,464 7.58 14.7 7.65 5 5.6 0.19 1,325 7.8 78 5.8 5.69 0.7 5.76 22.55 0.35 6.74 3.63 0.045 1.36 2.08 2.63 130 2.53 1,048 0.85 1.7 218.8 286 0.211 0.182 0.205

0.31 78.15 16.2 1 7.05 0.405 0.46 1,055 1,464 7.59 15 7.66 5 5.6 0.199 1,330 7.8 78.35 6.1 5.7 0.7 5.76 23.15 0.35 6.8 3.63 0.045 1.37 2.08 2.63 131.5 2.63 1,050 0.85 1.73 218.8 286 0.225 0.19 0.205

8990 HLDG A BROWN ANCHOR LAND ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CEBU HLDG CEBU PROP B CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST

6.28 1.06 13.42 2.28 0.96 44.5 3.88 5.1 5.78 6.09 0.48 1.12 1.17 0.218 0.445 40.25 0.66

6.28 1.08 18.74 2.28 0.96 45.2 3.9 5.1 5.78 6.09 0.48 1.15 1.17 0.218 0.445 41 0.66

6.2 1.04 13.42 2.19 0.93 44.45 3.83 4.99 5.62 6.09 0.475 1.12 1.12 0.216 0.43 40.25 0.63

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE IRC PROP KEPPEL PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP PTFC REDEV CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

0.137 1.9 1.37 0.78 4.89 4.83 0.325 0.36 0.6 4.76 31.25 20.7 2.14 3.22 39.5 1.05 9.21 0.86 5.93

0.147 1.91 1.38 0.79 4.89 4.96 0.33 0.375 0.6 4.8 35.95 20.7 2.17 3.22 39.5 1.05 9.21 0.86 5.95

0.137 1.88 1.35 0.77 4.89 4.83 0.315 0.36 0.59 4.74 31.25 20.1 2.08 3.2 38.9 1.04 8.42 0.84 5.92

0.137 1.89 1.36 0.79 4.89 4.95 0.32 0.37 0.59 4.76 35.95 20.3 2.11 3.2 39.2 1.04 9.14 0.84 5.95

330,000 15,417,000 2,248,000 203,000 3,000 53,722,000 38,940,000 2,550,000 1,018,000 290,000 300 5,590,500 450,000 54,000 7,018,500 307,000 12,900 57,000 1,188,200

45,710 29,157,500 3,060,910 158,800 14,670 264,583,890 12,514,050 932,900 604,890 1,381,600 10,315 113,978,355 958,680 172,960 275,884,355 319,350 112,438 48,240 7,067,727

3,240.00 -20,156,380 8,230 54,320 9,780 -19,528,160 -5,254,300 7,300 7,200 71,740 7,190 -41,240,315 6,420 -6,440 31,870,840 7,350 8,289 7,740 -2,869,634

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN HAVEN GRAND PLAZA HARBOR STAR INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY MELCO RESORTS METRO RETAIL MLA BRDCASTING NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG 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

21.45 34 1.4 0.44 0.047 12 5.38 11.1 0.069 99.8 9 8.53 7.28 2.43 32.95 1,000 1,762 6.02 21.9 12.36 4.6 112.6 13.62 8.35 0.139 1.44 3.24 15.78 4 1.21 21.55 0.52 4.16 8.13 3.7 18.64 2.88 10.84 11.3 2.9 9.5 108 7.14 1,460 1.29 0.375 54 99.85 5.71 3.14 1.53 3.04 4.09 0.99 8.84

21.45 34.4 1.42 0.44 0.047 12 5.38 11.2 0.07 99.8 9 8.66 7.29 2.77 51 1,000 1,762 6.02 22 12.36 4.82 112.6 13.62 8.35 0.14 1.44 3.42 15.78 4.18 1.21 21.9 0.55 4.56 8.39 3.7 18.64 2.9 10.84 11.3 2.9 9.5 108 7.2 1,485 1.29 0.375 54 100 5.71 3.16 1.54 3.44 4.25 1.07 8.87

20.3 34 1.38 0.44 0.045 11.6 5.05 10.88 0.069 99 8.8 8.5 7.28 2.43 30.05 1,000 1,707 5.98 21.25 12.36 4.6 111 13.62 8.32 0.139 1.38 3.24 15.78 4 1.16 20.7 0.52 4.11 8.13 3.63 16 2.86 10.84 11 2.8 9.5 106 7 1,450 1.27 0.375 53.4 98 5.53 3.11 1.52 3.04 4.01 0.99 8.61

SERVICES 20.95 34.2 1.41 0.44 0.046 11.66 5.05 10.9 0.069 99.25 8.8 8.51 7.29 2.65 51 1,000 1,732 5.98 21.95 12.36 4.73 111.8 13.62 8.34 0.14 1.41 3.42 15.78 4.09 1.19 21 0.52 4.56 8.24 3.65 18.48 2.87 10.84 11.1 2.8 9.5 106 7.18 1,481 1.28 0.375 53.75 100 5.63 3.13 1.53 3.33 4.24 1.03 8.65

312,300 23,800 209,000 270,000 25,000,000 97,300 9,000 5,782,600 6,840,000 226,540 5,900 514,000 1,000 487,000 2,855,100 10 60,280 637,200 94,800 700 8,812,000 496,950 9,900 140,900 780,000 220,000 79,000 500 733,000 999,000 2,048,400 34,000 2,350,000 7,789,800 405,000 6,600 1,654,000 47,500 37,800 11,000 800 13,460 1,349,900 132,320 1,139,000 20,000 2,081,180 503,710 49,600 292,000 927,000 8,570,000 4,429,000 23,022,000 9,279,300

6,511,965 812,915 292,360 118,800 1,155,000 1,134,716 46,036 63,826,858 472,260 22,500,697.50 52,100 4,378,643 7,285 1,279,870 127,035,110 10,000 104,343,830 3,818,719 2,075,120 8,652 41,809,800 55,595,885 134,838 1,175,127 109,160 306,880 266,230 7,890 3,022,980 1,179,290 43,227,250 17,710 10,137,660 64,506,710 1,475,090 110,088 4,747,840 514,900 416,160 31,000 7,600 1,427,469 9,486,734 194,949,255 1,457,480 7,500 111,860,220.50 50,285,223 275,530 913,170 1,419,680 28,255,030 18,363,590 23,705,010 80,484,056

10,680 8,400 4,400 9,400 1,131,156 8,070 15,929,156 7,000 409,160.50 8,100 126,907 7,285 84,620 381,575 10,000 -3,904,990 -70,255 8,652 550,600 15,692,652 -13,620 4,187 7,000 7,200 10,150 7,890 8,000 8,400 13,623,660 8,320 49,853,291 83,860 -178,660 7,588 -239,730 5,800 7,600 -231,061 7,140 95,679,090 -1,122,500 7,500 92,882,276 32,443,476.50 6,852 -62,530 141,310 -1,203,950 -246,570.00 41,080 38,233,242

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

0.0023 1.59 5 14.72 1.7 1.76 1.59 0.33 7.4 2.62 0.199 0.154 0.16 0.01 1.7 6.57 1.45 0.475 0.94 0.012 0.013 0.012 2.24 6.89 8.9 38.8 0.0072

0.0023 1.59 5 14.72 1.7 1.95 1.59 0.335 7.82 2.62 0.202 0.154 0.16 0.01 1.7 6.61 1.45 0.475 0.95 0.013 0.013 0.012 2.32 6.9 9.23 39.1 0.0072

0.0023 1.56 4.9 14.72 1.7 1.71 1.57 0.325 7.22 2.58 0.195 0.153 0.157 0.01 1.68 6.5 1.4 0.475 0.94 0.012 0.012 0.011 2.24 6.7 8.73 38.2 0.0068

MINING & OIL 0.0023 6,000,000 1.56 2,931,000 4.95 98,000 14.72 500 1.7 46,000 1.71 9,000 1.58 1,064,000 0.325 1,330,000 7.5 27,200 2.58 417,000 0.195 150,000 0.153 12,250,000 0.157 450,000 0.01 800,000 1.68 23,000 6.57 339,400 1.44 27,000 0.475 20,000 0.95 195,000 0.013 4,400,000 0.013 279,000,000 0.011 327,400,000 2.32 84,000 6.7 991,700 8.85 5,119,600 38.4 4,294,500 0.0068 8,000,000

13,800 4,594,530 483,220 7,360 78,200 16,390 1,678,920 439,700 206,069 1,080,290 29,600 1,875,780 71,100 8,000 38,920 2,229,064 38,480 9,500 184,330 53,800 3,368,800 3,894,000 192,590 6,720,175 45,496,568 166,082,640 55,000

9,200 7,950 -9,830 7,360 9,550 186,930 29,950 7,482 13,060 7,960 3,290 8,000 6,800 1,568,534 7,250 9,500 7,520 -262,600 1,200 -85,100 680,732 -1,842,237 -27,141,385 7,200

DD PREF FGEN PREF F GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2I

104.1 105 523 5.9 1,016 102 1.04 105.7 112 76 79.2 76.5 78.75 76.35 78.1

104.1 105 523 5.9 1,020 102 1.04 105.7 112 76 79.5 76.5 79 76.35 78.1

104 105 523 5.73 1,015 101.5 1.04 105.7 112 76 79.2 76.5 78.75 76.3 78

PREFERRED 104 370 105 10 523 1,290 5.73 609,200 1,020 4,025 101.5 10,250 1.04 3,000 105.7 500 112 890 76 5,230 79.5 20,090 76.5 800 79 45,700 76.3 12,800 78 7,000

38,500 1,050 674,670 3,502,460 4,105,410 1,045,215 3,120 52,850 99,680 397,480 1,592,828.50 61,200 3,599,875 976,780 546,150

-2,969,877 -

LR WARRANT

2.5

2.57

2.5

WARRANTS 2.5 351,000

883,690

5,295,673 39,710 6,379,260

-240,217 -1,032,620

100,815,895

9,345

PROPERTY 6.25 1.05 15.5 2.19 0.93 45 3.88 5.04 5.78 6.09 0.475 1.15 1.12 0.218 0.43 40.3 0.63

148,700 995,000 442,600 138,000 1,781,000 11,166,800 630,000 705,700 52,500 1,200 1,030,000 15,000 75,000 3,170,000 660,000 335,900 349,000

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

8.13 3.65 5

8.28 3.65 5.06

7.95 3.58 4.96

FIRST METRO ETF

133.5

134

133

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

41,304,466

INDUSTRIAL

79,562,756

HOLDING FIRMS

73,753,871

PROPERTY

165,668,021

SERVICES

123,052,342

MINING & OIL

656,769,385

GRAND TOTAL

1,142,816,288

8 3.58 4.97

SME

659,300 11,000 1,273,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 134 757,960

VALUE 2,231.10 (DOWN) 16.22 3,253,606,155.25 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,806.88 (DOWN) 2.84 1,837,380,530.712 HOLDING FIRMS 9,035.59 (DOWN) 60.05 2,134,449,453.30 PROPERTY 4,039.91 (UP) 7.61 SERVICES 1,645.04 (UP) 6.29 1,274,272,227.035 MINING & OIL 12,026.41 (DOWN) 108.76 1,125,054,788.353 PSEI 8,820.74 (DOWN) 28.25 238,972,732.413 All Shares Index 5,115.87 (DOWN) 5.60 9,976,286,803.06 Gainers: 113; Losers: 103; Unchanged: 54; Total: 270

Analysts surveyed by AFP had predicted 6.8 percent growth, which was better than the government target of around 6.5 percent. Seoul was slightly higher, while Taipei, Bangkok and Jakarta also rose. However, Tokyo dipped 0.4 after a late sell-off on profit-taking but still sits at 26-year highs, while Sydney was marginally lower and Singapore shed 0.5 percent. Wellington was also down. A survey by Bank of America found fund managers were upbeat about the outlook and see equities continuing to rise into next year. And Lucy MacDonald, chief investment officer for global equities at Allianz Global Investors, told Bloomberg Television: “It’s time for relative caution but we’re still overall pro-equity.” However, she added that “nominal returns in markets are liable to be lower than they’ve been in the recent past.” There was also a word of caution from Joachim Fels at Pacific Investment Management, who said “the fact that the fear is gone is the main reason why we should be worried.” Traders started on the front foot after Apple said will pay almost $40 billion in taxes to repatriate $350 billion following Trump’s tax cuts, adding that it will also boost jobs, hike wages and spend more on innovation. With AFP

PSE obtains nod to offer stock rights THE Philippine Stock Exchange on Thursday obtained the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission to conduct a stock rights offering worth P3.1 billion, a key development that could ﬁnally facilitate the merger of the bond and stock exchanges. SEC secretary Armando Pan said in a text message the regulator cleared local stock rights offering that could result in the reduction in stockbrokers’ ownership in the exchange to less than 20 percent as required under the Securities Regulation Code. The PSE plans to offer up to 11.5 million common shares to eligible shareholders at a price of up to P275 per share. The exchange plans to use the net proceeds from the rights offering to pay corporate debt, ﬁnance product development and fund capital expenditures. The PSE set the offering period tentatively on Feb. 5 to 9 and the listing date on Feb. 23. The planned rights offering is expected to reduce brokers’ ownership in the local bourse to less than 20 percent as required by the Securities Regulation Code. PSE president Ramon Monzon earlier said the local bourse obtained preemptive rights that will not allow brokers and institutional investors to exercise the rights offering The bourse earlier hired BDO Capital and Investments Corp. and First Metro Investments Corp. as the underwriter for the offering. It also invited Shenzhen Stock Exchange to become a minority investor by buying shares in the rights offer. Jenniffer B. Austria

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW

World

Manila

Standard

TODAY

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Tensions roil Congress as US shutdown looms

HEALTHY ECONOMY. This picture taken on January 17, 2018 shows people buying fruits at a market in Qingdao in China’s eastern Shandong province. China’s economy grew a forecast-beating 6.9 percent in 2017, picking up steam for the first time since 2010 despite its the battles against a massive debt. AFP

WASHINGTON―With barely two days before the US government runs out of money, and President Donald Trump feuding with the Democrats over immigration, Republican congressional leaders scrambled Wednesday to avoid an embarrassing federal shutdown. A bipartisan deal on immigration that would shield some 700,000 people from deportation lay in tatters after the president’s reported use of vulgar language during a tense White House meeting last week set off clashes with key Democrats. The opposition party has been pushing for any budget agreement to include a deal on the future of the so-called “Dreamers” who were brought to the country illegally as children and are set to lose their protected status on March 5. While some Senate Democrats have threatened to vote against a budget bill that does not

Couple who held captive 13 children to stand trial

OS ANGELES―A California couple arrested on suspicion of torture was due in court on Thursday after investigators discovered they were holding their 13 malnourished children captive in a suburban home. David Allen Turpin, 57, and his wife Louise Anna Turpin, 49, had registered their home as a school, but instead of teaching materials, investigators found signs of torture inside. County ofﬁcials investigating the case announced a press conference for 1500 GMT Thursday. The court was expected to announce charges a few hours later.

Sheriff’s deputies in Perris, a town southeast of Los Angeles, found three children shackled with chains and padlocks in their filthy, foul-smelling home Sunday after receiving an emergency assistance call from their 17-year-old sister who had managed to escape. She was so emaciated that officers first thought she was a young child.

Ofﬁcers also initially assumed all the other siblings to be children, but were shocked to discover seven ranging in age from 18 to 29. All 13 are being treated for malnutrition and undergoing other diagnostic tests. Mark Uffer, chief executive at the Corona regional medical center where the adults were being treated, described their condition as stable. David and Louise Turpin were booked on suspicion of torture and child endangerment with bail set at $9 million each. Neither was able to immediately explain why their children were restrained, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Police said there was no initial indication of sexual abuse, but cautioned that the investigation was still going on. Nor was there any indication that either suspect suffered from mental illness, Perris police chief Greg Fellows said, or that the children’s ordeal was linked to the family’s religious beliefs. Initial investigations have conﬁrmed that the couple were the biological parents of all 13 siblings, Fellows said. According to police, the family moved in 2014 from Texas to a middle class neighborhood of Perris, some 110 kilometers southeast of Los Angeles, homeschooling their children in their Spanish-style stucco house. A sister of Louise Turpin,

Elizabeth Flores, told ABC the couple kept to themselves. “This has been going on before they even had children ... they were real private, and they didn’t come around much,” said Flores. “We begged to Skype them. We begged to see them.” As a university student Flores lived with the Turpins for a while. “I thought they were really strict, but I didn’t see any abuse,” Flores said. But she said she did have disturbing memories of the husband. “If I went to get in the shower, he would come in while I was in there and watch me. It was like a joke. He never touched me or anything.” AFP

‘Jumanji’ leads box office pack over holiday weekend in US LOS ANGELES―Sony’s family film “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” had a lock on the top spot at the North American box office this holiday weekend, for the second straight week. “Jumanji,” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, funnymen Jack Black and Kevin Hart, netted $35.2 million over the Martin Luther King Day weekend, bringing its domestic total to $291.3 million in its fourth week out, industry tracker Exhibitor Relations reported. The film follows four teens who find themselves inside the video game world of Jumanji. In second place was Fox’s “The Post,” which pulled in $23 million over the Friday-Monday MLK weekend after heading into wide release. A critically-acclaimed film

starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, the political thriller recounts the nail-biting behind-thescenes story of the 1971 publication by The Washington Post of the Pentagon Papers, which exposed the lies behind the US involvement in the Vietnam War. Fox’s “The Greatest Showman”, which tells the story of larger-than-life circus impresario P.T. Barnum, netted $16.2 million for third place. “The Commuter,” a new action thriller from Lionsgate, took $15.8 million in its ﬁrst week, putting it in fourth place. In the ﬁlm, a man played by Liam Neeson takes his regular train ride home and is unwittingly enticed into a murder conspiracy by a mysterious woman, played by Vera Farmiga. AFP

Bus fire in Kazakhstan kills 52 ASTANA―Fifty-two people were killed Thursday when the bus they were traveling on caught fire in Kazakhstan, the central Asian nation’s emergency services ministry said in a statement. “On January 18 at 10:30 am (0430 GMT), a bus caught fire ... 55 passengers and two drivers were on board. Five people who managed to escape are receiving medical assistance. The rest died on the spot,” the ministry said, without elaborating on the cause of the blaze. The bus driver said the passengers were Uzbek nationals while the vehicle was registered in Kazakhstan, emergency services ministry official Ruslan Imanku-

lov told AFP. He also said that the fire spread through the bus extremely quickly. Video broadcast by Russian and Kazakh media showed black smoke and flames billowing from the vehicle on a flat stretch of road carving through a snowy steppe. A photograph taken later showed the vehicle completely charred. The ministry named the vehicle as a Hungarian-made Ikarus. These buses are still widely used in ex-Soviet nations, even though they are often decades old. The bus was headed from the Russian city of Samara on the Volga river to the town of Shymkent in southern Kazakhstan, the ministry said. AFP

include an immigration deal, Trump said he believed such an agreement remained possible. But time was running out, and a government shutdown “could happen,” Trump told Reuters, adding that there was still a possibility of him signing a short-term spending measure this week to avoid a shutdown. With a Friday midnight deadline looming, Republicans are angling for a temporary bill that extends federal spending into mid-February, re-authorizes funding for a threatened children’s health insurance scheme for six years, and scraps some health-related taxes―with no immigration-linked measure included. “I think cool heads hopefully will prevail on this,” House Speaker Paul Ryan told a press conference. Rank-and-ﬁle Republican congressman Jason Lewis made a more direct pledge. “We’re not going to shut the government down,” he said. AFP

US troops in Syria to counter Assad WASHINGTON―Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday US troops will remain in Syria not just to fight jihadists but also to counter the power of Bashar al-Assad and his ally Iran. In a speech on the US strategy to help end Syria’s seven-year civil war, Tillerson stressed that the mission of the US military is to destroy the Islamic State group and prevent its return. But he also made it clear that the openended deployment is intended to help create enough stability for Syrians to be able to remove Assad from office and reject Iranian influence. “A total withdrawal of American personnel at this time would restore Assad to continue his brutal treatment against his own people,” Tillerson told an audience at Stanford University. “A murderer of his own people cannot generate the trust required for long-term stability,” he said. “A stable, unified, and independent Syria ultimately requires post-Assad leadership in order to be successful.” The United States has deployed around 2,000 ground troops to Syria and its warplanes patrol over the east of the country, hunting remnants of the Islamic State group. The US works with the Syrian Democratic Forces, a militia dominated by Kurdish fighters which Washington sees as a basis for a 30,000-strong border force to hold eastern Syria. Assad’s Damascus regime has condemned this force as traitors, and US ally Turkey, wary of the presence of the YPG Kurdish militia in its ranks, is highly suspicious of its role. Tillerson insisted that Washington is not being dragged into the Syrian civil war as a combatant seeking violent regime change, nor into a long-term nation-building mission. AFP

For fast ad results, please call FLIGHT. A flock of northern pintails fly over Taudaha lake on the outskirts of Kathmandu. AFP

Notice of Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate

Advertising Department 832-5547

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. 5,12 & 19, 2018)

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that HERMA SHIPPING AND TRANSPORT CORPORATION, with #94 Scout Rallos St., Kamuning, Quezon City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a New Domestic Shipping Operator of Water Transport project (Oil Tanker-MT Maringal, 1,635 GT) with a capacity of 1,635 GT on a non-pioneer status with loadport located at Bataan. Any person with valid objection/s on the above-mentioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication. (SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Officer-In-Charge Infrastructure and Services Industries Service (MS-JAN. 19, 2018)

NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION Notice is hereby given that A MILLION VOICES PHILIPPINES “AMV” – Branch Office with principal place of business at Rm. 210 De Villa Bldg. 1153 M.H. Del Pilar Street, Ermita, Brgy. 667, Manila will be filing an application for dissolution with the Securities and Exchange Commission, effective October 01, 2016. Any person having claim against this company is requested to present the same at Blk 14 Brgy. 649 Baseco, Manila; Attention: MartePocholoLacson, for immediate settlement. This announcement will serve as a notice to all concerned of the legal dissolution and cessation of the operations of the Company. (MS-JAN. 19, 26 & FEB. 2, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW

LGUs

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

LocaL government units

friday, january 19, 2018

PET MICROCHIPPING. A proud Makatizen shows off his dog’s pet passport after his pet received the microchip implant at Barangay Kasilawan on Wednesday. The Makati

Veterinary Services Office began the microchipping of pet cats and dogs at Barangays Pinagkaisahan and Kasilawan. MVSO is expecting to microchip about 1,000 pets from the two barangays until Friday. The program kicked off last Oct. 9 at Urdaneta Village, followed by Magallanes Village, Dasmariñas Village, and San Lorenzo Village and will cover an estimated 32,000 pets within the year.

‘Translate foreign language signages’ By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City is requiring business establishments with foreign names and character signages to have local translations on them, too. Mayor Herbert Bautista approved City Ordinance 2604 of 2017, compelling businesses with foreign names or characters in their in-premise signboards to have accompanying English or local dialect translations. “There is a need for accompanying translations and/or its wordings in English, the meaning of the foreign language business names in the signboards and/or signages of the establishments in Quezon City for easy identification and information on the nature of businesses,” the measure read. District 5 Councilor Allan Butch Francisco authored the ordinance for the purpose of taxation and the identification of the nature of these different business establishments. The city government noted 74 of these foreign establishments across QC’s six legislative districts, all owned and operated by foreign nationals, are already complying with this. Restaurants, karaoke and sing-along bars, cocktail lounges, groceries and convenience stores, commercial buildings, hotels, inns and lodging houses are covered by the ordinance. Bautista tasked Garry Domingo, Business Permits and Licensing Office chief, and Isagani Verzosa, Department of Building Official chief, to enforce the measure.

BALANGA CITY, Bataan ―The Sangguniang Panlalawigan led by Vice Gov. Cris Garcia fully backs the professional growth of capitol employees. This was highlighted bythe provincial board’s passing of a resolution allowing Gov. Albert Garcia to enter an agreement with Petron Foundation for the study grant of Karen Balbuena, the Environment and Natural Resources Office-

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera DAVAO CITY―The City Council’s Committee on Tourism aims to surpass the city’s two-million tourist arrivals posted in 2017 with various measures and more events slated this year. Councilor Al-Ryan Alejandre, tourism committee chairman, said Wednesday there is a big chance Davao can surpass the number with a series of big events in the next few months. In February, the city will celebrate the Chinese New Year together with the China Town Council that will attract foreign and local tourists to the city, the councilor said. “We will also have the Ironman 70.3 challenge this March 25, we can expect a huge group of tourists through this event,” Alejandre said. As of Jan. 13, the number of participants for the 1st Ironman Challenge here has ballooned to 1,800. The race will start in Davao and end in Tagum City. Alejandre said that with the remaining weeks of registration, the number of participants can still reach 2,000, while the number of visiting tourists can triple at that time.

Census of seniors set

By Bill Casas

ANILA Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada has ordered a new, thorough documentation of senior citizens in the city to account for hundreds more who are not registered with the city’s Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs. Estrada said that as of Wednesday, about 142,000 registered senior citizens are already enjoying benefits from the local government such as free hospitalization in the six district hospitals,

birthday cash gifts, free movie passes thrice a week, and free maintenance medicines in health centers. Seniors who have reached 100 years old are also entitled to the P100,000 centenarian

cash gift, Estrada said. “There are more to come for the benefit of our senior citizens, like one of my plans for this year, to give P5,000 in burial assistance for those who pass away,” Estrada added. The mayor directed incoming OSCA officer-incharge Efren Manangan to devise a new formula to help senior citizens enjoy the wide range of benefits the city government is offering. “There really are a lot of seniors out there that need help, so I am asking OSCA personnel to speed up the

census for verification in the city’s 896 barangays with the help of our barangay officials, and to account those undocumented senior citizens,” Estrada said. “For all we know, a lot more senior citizens need our help. Even those homeless elderly I have asked to be accounted for documentation so we can take care of them and help them right away,” he said. Manila has a lot more plans for its seniors to make their lives easier and happier, the mayor added. Manangan said they are

now verifying the senior citizens in each of the city’s 896 barangays in close coordination with the barangay officials. Qualified senior citizens will be issued official OSCA and Senior Citizen identification cards they can use in their everyday transactions and in availing the services and programs of the city government, Manangan said. On the P100,000 cash gift for centenarians, Manangan explained that the program has been authorized by Ordinance No.

8483 approved by Estrada on March 17, 2016. Under the ordinance authored by then 3rd District Councilor Yul Servo— now the district’s congressman—every living centenarian shall, within 30 days from his or her 100th birthday, receive the cash gift from the city government. Even centenarians who reached the age of 100 prior to the passage of the ordinance shall also receive the cash gift, as long as they are residents of Manila for at least six months, the OSCA said.

Hold-up gang strikes again on Didipio road By Abe Almirol

PASSPORT ON WHEELS. Senator Cynthia A. Villar (right) and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano inspect the Passport on Wheels system launched at Villar SIPAG in Las Piñas, which served about 2,000 applicants. The senator lauded the DFA led by Cayetano who initiated the project that will make passport applications more accessible to Filipinos. Villar, as then vice chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, was principal sponsor of Republic Act 10928, the law extending to 10 years the validity of passports. Lino Santos

CABARROGUIS, Quirino ―A dreaded robbery gang preying on travelers along the access road to the mineral-rich village of Didipio in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya has reemerged after many years of hibernation, locals said Wednesday. Merilyn Gamdutan, a manpower service contractor doing business with the Didipio mine here, was one of the gang’s victims. “We were on our way home and midway while ascending uphill near the old log pond, a man with a long firearm suddenly came out of the dark. After a while, two more armed men emerged and shouted at us. They were demanded us to give all our bags and money which we obliged. They

asked us to get our of the vehicle so they can search inside the vehicle,” Gamdutan told the Manila Standard. Robbery along this road was frequent until about five years ago. Police have been hunting the leaders of the group believed to be remnants of an old gang called the “Ifugao Solid Group.” The victims were thankful no one was hurt by the robbers. “The PNP [Philippine National Police] unit previously stationed at the entrance of Barangay Didipio was no longer there,” observed Leslie Dinamling, a barangay worker in Didipio. Didipio has turned out to be a busy village when the gold-copper mine operated by OceanaGold started commercial production in 2013.

Nueva Vizcaya govt, NIA pour in P45m for communal irrigation projects By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—The provincial government and the National Irrigation Administration have allocated P45 million to repair and improve various Communal Irrigation Projects in the province. Engineer Roland Apaga, NIA provincial

chief, said the fund was raised through the P27 million counterpart of the provincial government and P18 million from the NIA, which will be used to roll out the “Balikatan Sagip Patubig Program.” “This will benefit eight communal irrigation projects in our province through the implementation of their repair and

Bataan backs capitol workers’ growth By Butch Gunio

Davao aims to break 2-m tourist mark

Integrated Coastal Management Program personnel in Monday’s regular session. Before unanimously adopting the resolution, clarifications from Board Member Aris Gaza were briefly tackled. Board Member Rey Ibe motioned for the passage of the resolution. The vice governor noted the provincial board already passed a similar resolution aiming to help capitol employees develop professionally.

Balbuena will participate in the Professional Masters in Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management Program, which is being sponsored by Petron Foundation. She will be studying for one academic cycle or 1.5 years starting this month at the University of the Philippines Diliman Marine Science Institute. Upon the completion of her studies, Balbuena is expected to become a coastal and marine management expert for the province.

improvement to further boost agricultural production among farmers,” he said. The target CIPs are the Paitan Communal Irrigation System and Poac Barobbob CIS in Bayombong town, Lower Calitlitan CIS,Tucanon CIS, Tucanon Smal Water Impounding System in Aritao town, Allay Nangcalapan CIS in Bambang town and the Limmansangan CIS

and Lower Sisi CIS in Kasibu town. An agreement was also forged between the provincial government and NIA for the BSPP implementation, which supports food sufficiency through irrigation development that in turn promotes participation and complementation of resources, in the spirit of devolution.

HAPPY DAY.

Students of Amadeo, Cavite National High Sschool play on the field in front of the new fourstory, 12-classroom building for 736 Grade 7 students of the campus last Jan. 15 during the formal turnover rites led by (inset, from left) Amadeo Mayor Conrado ‘Rading’ Viado, Amadeo High Principal IV Rufina Cortez, Dr. Amelita Penalba, PSDSAmadeo, and Cavite 6th District Rep. Luis ‘Jon-Jon’ Ferrer IV.

Mica Pineda stars in REP's first production for 2018

Life Culture and media

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com fRIday, januaRy 19, 2018

‘A Comedy of Tenors’

opens reP’s 2018 season

eperTorY philippines, or rep, opens the curtains to the 2018 season with the craziest cast of characters in A Comedy of Tenors from Jan. 26 to Feb. 18 at onstage Theater in Greenbelt 1. This hilarious operatic farce takes audiences to a hotel suite in paris where comical individuals get into rollicking misadventures.

The sequel to comedic genius Ken Ludwig’s Tony award-winning Lend me a Tenor, A Comedy of Tenors is set in the glamor of 1930’s paris where an opera producer attempts to put up the concert of the century. But as opening night draws near, the Ital-

ian opera superstar suddenly goes missing. While his hot-blooded wife, their daughter and her lover, a frazzled assistant, the harassed producer and three tenors with huge egos cause chaos on catastrophic levels. With flaring tempers, mistaken iden-

tities, secret romances, and all kinds of misadventures in one hotel suite, will the show go on? Find out in rep’s A Comedy of Tenors directed by theater veteran Miguel Faustmann and starring Lorenz Martinez, Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, Noel Rayos, Jeremy Domingo, Issa Litton, Arman Ferrer, and Mica Pineda. Call rep at 843-3570, or Ticketworld at 891.999 or log on to www.ticketworld.com. ph. for tickets. For updates and show schedules, log on to www.repertoryphilippines.ph, like and follow repertoryphilippines on Facebook and Instagram, and follow @repphils on Twitter.

The cast of Repertory Philippines's 'A Comedy of Tenors' include (standing, from left) Noel Rayos, Jeremy Domingo, Arman Ferer, Mica Pineda, (seated, from left) Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, Lorenz Martinez, and Issa Litton

The independent book bar will offer books and fiction-inspired drinks

Independent Book Bar opens at La Fuerza compound

Spearheaded by the founders of Komura; book fair, Warehouse eight is helping Kwago build a book bar at La Fuerza compound to provide a platform for authentic and alternative learning, as well as a literary playground where the Filipino small and specialty press community can showcase and sell their works, however experimental they may be. a tiny respite at the bottom of Warehouse eight, the book bar will be co-designed by artist Jem Magbanua who is known for exploring the nature of being by studying structures and spaces. The bar will offer fiction-inspired drinks that will be developed with the help of YdG Coffee founder Marco Tarog and Matthew Carpio. “Literature, coffee and a good conversation—this is what the book bar offers in three words,” Komura; co-founder and owner of Kwago Czyka Tumaliuan quipped. With a mission to bridge our local storytellers to a wider audience both here and abroad, Tumaliuan clarified that Kwago is not a bookstore, but a platform to nurture the craft and develop genuine connections among readers and writers. “Kwago is not only a bookstore, it’s an alternative learning platform. The bookstore is there to help sustain the independent press community, so they can make more weird, unpopular stuff, and afford to quit their full-time corporate jobs even if only a few people read and appreciate what they make,” Tumaliuan shared. Tumaliuan admitted that she doesn’t have enough funds to fully launch or operate this year, but Warehouse eight offered

to help and is co-organizing a two-day fundraising gathering at the Warehouse, 1 to 9 p.m. on Jan 27-28. The open fundraising event aims to share the vision of Warehouse eight and Kwago, as well as promote organic collaborations and support in the creative community. “It’s an open invitation to be part of the process of building our shared vision,” the Komura co-founders said. dionisio said that her relationship with Kwago is more of a partner rather than a tenant. She also confessed that she’s been looking for a way to use the little nook at the bottom of the co-working space, but it was hard to find a concept that can stand on its own yet genuinely resonates what the Warehouse stands for and vibes with the strong creative energy at La Fuerza. “I’ve always pushed for the space downstairs to be utilized in some way. It’s the first point of entry for our guests and tenants and it was hard to find a concept with its own identity, yet was also grounded to the essence of not just Warehouse eight but the energy of La Fuerza compound. and a breakout space for deep dialogues, learning, and a quiet cup of coffee fits,” Komura; co-founder and co-owner of Warehouse eight dionisio shared. “We’re giving a home to an idea we believe in and will help her bring it to life,” dionisio added. all sales from the bar and store will directly fund the construction of the book bar. Guests can freely donate furniture, money, artworks, zines, books, and other things that can be used and repurposed for the book bar.

Feng Shui must-read from Allen hopeS for harmony, health, and fortune to people’s lives, learn how you can have all these from Marites Allen as she welcomes the Year of the earth dog with a line of books for all 12 zodiacs compiled in the Chinese New Year 2018 Must Haves published by FrIGGa Charmed Life, in partnership with aBS-CBN publishing. The Chinese New Year 2018 Must Haves is a set of guides for full and daily advice on suitability and conflict regarding family, love, money, power, career, and more based on feng shui, a Chinese philosophical system of harmonizing everyone with the surrounding environment. This latest collection consists of an almanac, a planner, and a fortune forecast per Chinese zodiac for the Year of the earth dog. Marites believes that people need to prepare for a period of great change in 2018, and in order to manifest a happier life, better choices, and decisions must be made. “Mindful choices need not be painful.

Through the annual feng shui updates, horoscope books, planner, and almanac, we seek to guide you in planning and navigating your way through any given year,” wrote the British-Filipina national. The collection also includes guides on traditional preparation for the Chinese New Year happening on Feb. 16, tips on keeping safe during the ghosts month, and overall monthly forecasts for the whole lunar year. Celebrated as ‘The philippine Feng Shui Queen,’ the author has become the public face of feng shui in the country, catering to clients in business, government, and entertainment. She is also the first and only Filipina to be awarded to date the prestigious title “Master in Feng Shui” by the world-renowned International Feng Shui association. Collect all Chinese New Year 2018 Must Haves by Marites allen distributed by aBS-CBN publishing, available in FrIGGa Charmed Life Boutiques and leading bookstores nationwide.

Feng shui expert and author Marites Allen

The 'Chinese New Year 2018 Must Haves' by Marites Allen include (from left) 2018 Dog Fortune Forecast, 2018 Feng Shui Almanac, and 2018 Feng Shui Planner

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2018

‘Black’ captivates viewers with thrilling plot

BS-CBN’s newest Asianovela, Black instantly gripped Filipino viewers during its pilot telecast Monday night (Jan. 8) and debuted strongly on primetime with a national TV rating of 11.3 percent compared to its rival program with only 7.2 percent, according to data from Kantar Media.

Black opened its riveting tale with the story of Sarah, a woman who can see the shadow of death behind people who are about to die. Tension rose halfway when Sarah panicked and caused a scene inside a plane that was about to take ﬂight after she saw shadows all over the place--- a sign that everyone in the plane only had a few hours to live. She was accused of being a terrorist and was taken to the precinct where she crossed paths with detective Marlon

Han, who learned about her special gift. The show earned praises from netizens who immediately got hooked by the episode and became a trending topic nationwide. As the story continues this week, Sarah ﬁnally agrees to help Marlon in saving the lives of people who are about to die using her special gift. The show also unfolds the pages on Grim Reaper 444’s story. How will their lives intertwine? Don’t miss Black weeknights after The Good Son.

Topbilled by Korean stars Song Seungheon and Go Ara , 'Black' features the intertwined stories of Sarah (Go), a woman who can foresee death; and Marlon (Song), a detective determined to save and protect lives

The journey continues for ‘Ang Larawan’ AFTER a very successful run at the two-week MMFF where it screened to sold-out audiences, the Filipino musical based on Nick Joaquin’s play A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino is currently enjoying a third-week extension in several cinemas. Its theatrical run in the US began on Jan. 12, while several organizations and schools are set to hold several block screenings of the movie in the next few weeks. Before the culmination of the MMFF screening, the people behind the film released a statement in Filipino on the Ang Larawan The Movie Facebook page to thank everyone involved in their passion project. The statement said, “The journey that Ang Larawan took has not been easy. Every step was filled with challenges… Thankfully, many friends shared their talents, time, and financial resources to complete and bring the film to the market.” As the makers expressed gratitude for the production team, cast, crew, suppliers, the MMFF, cinemas, journalists, bloggers and the audience for their patronage, they also pledged to keep bringing the film to a wider audience as part of their mission to promote the beauty of Filipino culture.

Ang Larawan opened in in the US on Jan. 12, in Milpitas, San Bruno, Daly City, Union City, Vallejo, San Francisco, Orange, Carson, City of Industry, National City, and Burbank in California; Elizabeth in New Jersey; Woodridge in Illinois; New York; and Las Vegas in Nevada. The film is subtitled in English. The US screenings are being presented in co-operation with ABS-CBN’s The Filipino Channel (TFC). Other screenings include a Jan. 24 presentation at Cinema Centenario on Maginhawa Street, in Quezon City, with actress-producer Celeste Legaspi as special guest; and a Feb. 5 double feature with MMFF 2016 Best Picture Sunday Beauty Queen at the UP Film Center Cine Adarna. Culturtain Musicat Productions, the independent production company behind Ang Larawan invites organizations and schools to organize screenings of the ﬁlm to be held at either their respective venues or even in the cinemas— as a special event or a fundraiser. Stars and makers of the ﬁlm can grace these special screening for meet-and-greet and also to answer questions during the post-screening open forums.

The cast of the musical 'Ang Larawan' (from left) Paulo Avelino, Rachel Alejandro, Sandino Martin (seated) and Joanna Ampil

‘The Ghost Bride’ on iFlix

iFlix, the world’s leading entertainment service for emerging markets, is thrilled to premiere Star Cinema’s latest horror hit, The Ghost Bride. From today, subscribers in the Philippines will be able to stream and download Chito Roño’s latest chilling blockbuster, just two m o n t h s following its theatrical release – exclusively on iﬂix. The Ghost Bride revolves around a mysterious Chinese tradition called a ghost wedding. Kim Chiu plays Mayen, a young woman trying to save her family home while taking care of her ailing father. In return for a huge sum of money, she speaks to a Chinese matchmaker (Alice Dixson) and agrees to become a “ghost bride” to a wealthy

Kim Chiu in Chito Roño's horror flick about a woman who marries a dead person. Joining her in the cast are and Matteo Guidicelli (top, inset) and Christian Bables.

but deceased Chinese man. But when the dead man’s ghost endangers Mayen’s family and loved ones, Mayen has to find a way to save her family, and ultimately, herself. The Ghost Bride is Star Cinema’s third exclusive feature film on iFlix. The film is also the third time Kim has worked with the veteran film director, and is the actress’ first-ever solo leading film role. It also stars Matteo Guidicelli, Christian Bables, and Ina Raymundo. iFlix Philippines Head of Content, Marketing and Operations, Georgette Tengco said, “The release of The Ghost Bride on iFlix is a continuation of our commitment to provide our viewers with content that is fresh and in tune with what our subscribers want to watch. It is a good way to start our 2018, as we head towards increased hyper-localization of the content we offer on iFlix.” Now available to over one billion consumers across 24 territories throughout Asia, the Middle East and Africa, iflix has established itself as the clear market leader in video streaming. Offering consumers a vast library of top Hollywood, Asian and Middle Eastern regional, and local TV shows and movies, including many first run exclusives and award-winning programs, each subscription allows users to access the service on up to five devices, including phones, laptops, tablets, and television sets, for viewing wherever, whenever.

Motoring

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2018

Subaru goes ‘eye-tech’ Text and photo by Genevieve Tiu

ingapore—It was another stellar year for Motor Image Subaru as they chalked up an impressive 25,000 units sold in Southeast Asia, with the Philippines ranking third in the sales race. In line with this feat, Tan Chong International Limited, regional distributors of the Subaru brand, launched the new Outback and XV that are now equipped with the breakthrough EyeSight Driver Assist Technology.

The event was held at the recently concluded Singapore Motorshow 2018, wherein select members of the media and Subaru dealers were invited and ﬂown in to preview the cars. The program opened with a warm welcome by Glenn Tan, Managing Director of Tan Chong International Ltd., followed by an interview with Mr. Jinya Shoji, the Corporate Vice-President of Subaru Corporation. It was a long-time coming for the award-winning EyeSight technology, as it completes Subaru’s core technology pillars. Unlike common driver assist systems that use single cameras combined with radar tech, the EyeSight employs stereo cameras to identify surrounding vehicles, obstacles, trafﬁc lanes, and other items. This system also allows all features to engage simultaneously and work together as one unit, rather than waiting for separate cameras to

communicate individually with the system, thereby allowing only one feature to be used at any given time. The Subaru EyeSight includes a Pre-Collision Braking System that warns the driver of an impending collision, then employs the brakes if the driver fails to take action; Pre-Collision Throttle Management that alerts and cuts the engine output when the system detects a front obstacle and the driver mistakenly puts the car in Drive instead of Reverse; Lane Sway / Departure Warning that sends a signal to the driver when the car moves out of its designated lane; and, the crowd favorite, the Adaptive Cruise Control w/ Lead Vehicle Start Alert, which adjusts the speed of the car — from slow to stop — that keeps it at a steady (and safe) distance by monitoring the vehicle up front. This feature is especially helpful in Manila’s

Glenn Tan, Managing Director of Tan Chong Interational Ltd. and Jinya Shoji, Corporate VP of Subaru Corporation, led the launching of the new Outback and XV SUVs.

stop-and-go trafﬁc conditions as it senses if the front vehicle has started moving and will start up the engine to follow the lead. Motor Image gave attendees a chance to try each feature out for themselves during an afternoon test drive at the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, where a closed track was set specially for the contingent. Apart from the EyeSight, guests were also treated to a comparative drive between the Subaru

XV, Toyota CH-R, and Honda HR-V, which reinforced the strength of the Subaru symmetrical all-wheel drive. The best part is that the EyeSight has undergone on-road test runs in several countries, including the Philippines, to ensure the accuracy of the camera sensors. The launch of the EyeSight in the Outback and XV is a milestone for Subaru. To quote Glenn Tan, “It completes Subaru’s core

technology pillars to present a wholesome and attractive package for customers who are looking for the highest standards of safety, driving performance, and comfort in a car.” At the same time, the EyeSight is designed to enhance the driving experience by bringing conﬁdence and safety to the driver with every trip — not by overtaking him, but by being the driver’s number

one support system. According to Jinya Shoji, “We want to bring the fun in driving. With autonomy, it becomes very boring; there is nothing for the driver to do. Subaru needs to be fun and exciting!” And from what was showcased in Singapore, the future is looking as exciting for Subaru as they envision it to be. The EyeSight will also soon be available in the Impreza, Legacy, and all other Subaru models.

Suzuki reaps awards, ends year on high note

From left: MMPC Senior Vice President for Corporate Planning Yosuke Nishi, Santa Rosa City Vice Mayor Arnold B. Arcillas, MMPC President & CEO Mutsuhiro Oshikiri, DLSU Laguna Campus Vice Chancellor Dr. Gil Nonato Santos, and MMPC Vice President for Business Planning and Public Relations Renato S. Lampano

Diamonds in the rough: Mitsubishi’s next-gen cars

MITSUBISHI Motors Philippines Corporation held a two-day event to promote EV and PHEV technology as next generation cars. On December 5, a symposium on Electric Vehicles and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles was held at De La Salle University (DLSU), Taft Avenue, in Manila which was attended by engineering students and some faculty members from De La Salle University, Mapua Institute of Technology, and University of the Philippines. The topics discussed during the symposium includes Essentials of vehicle electrification to reduce carbon footprint on Philippine roads and the technical features of Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV plug-in hybrid electric vehicle SUV and i-MiEV pure EV by MMPC; Plans and initiatives in support of EV Growth in the Philippines by Meralco; Developing the Electric Vehicle Industry in the Philippines by Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP); Clean Air Program Priority Activities by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); E-Vehicles in the Philippines by the Department of Transportation (DoTr), Overview on the Philippine Electric Vehicle Industry by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); and Future Plans and Projects in Tapping more Renewable Energy Source by the Department of Energy (DOE). The next day over 100 students and professors from DLSU Laguna campus and University of Perpetual Help System Laguna have experienced driving the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and i-MiEV at the De La Salle University Laguna Campus. This event was also attended by Santa Rosa City Vice Mayor Arnold B. Arcillas who expressed the local government’s support on this environmental initiative of the company. The symposium and test drive activities are part of the joint study which Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) and MMPC have initiated in collaboration with the Philippine government, members of the academe, and Meralco in order to lower environmental impact to society through automotive electrification. “As a leading EV and PHEV manufacturer, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) together with Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) would like to accelerate the joint study project with the Philippine government, academe and Meralco on how vehicle electrification can reduce carbon emission in the country. We also believe that the involvement of the academe would play an important role in validating EV & PHEV technology which is designed to lower dependency on fossil fuels which is harmful to health and the environment” said Mutsuhiro Oshikiri, MMPC President and CEO.

PIONEER compact car distributor Suzuki Philippines ends the year remarkably, posting 34 percent yearon-year growth, expanding in key cities across the country and receiving back-to-back recognitions from renowned award-giving bodies. The strong performance of several of the company’s best-selling vehicles fueled the continued sales growth. The popular life utility vehicle (LUV) Ertiga was SPH’s chart-topping vehicle last year, contributing the biggest to sales with a 34 percent share. The alltime favorite hatchbacks Celerio and Swift followed, contributing 15 percent and 13 percent, respectively. Continued expansion initiatives brought the total number of dealerships opened last year to 11. Suzuki now has 66 dealership outlets across the country. Strategic brand-building efforts throughout the year also enabled the company to increase awareness about the different vehicles and their respective features. These brandbuilding projects include SPH’s inﬂuencer marketing campaign and sustained efforts such as those for the company’s car clubs, Team Suzuki Philippines (TSP). Before closing the year, Suzuki successfully launched the highly

anticipated new Vitara. Known for enhanced driving performance, this new-generation subcompact SUV incorporates modern elements with strong personalization features to make city driving even more enjoyable for Filipino drivers, specifically millennials. This was proven in a successful media drive that showcased the new Vitara’s top-of-the-line driving and safety features and stylish design. Recognitions from several awardgiving bodies affirmed SPH’s efforts to offer only innovative and reliable vehicles. Seven of the company’s popular, well-loved vehicles won accolades in the annual DOE Fuel Economy Run, 2017–2018 Auto Focus People’s Choice Awards (AFMCA), Car Awards Group, Inc.’s Car of the Year (COTY) awards and the 12th C! Magazine Awards. Stronger foothold in the PH market The significant growth in sales, continuous market expansion, and successive awards and accolades prove Suzuki Philippines’ stronger foothold in the PH automotive market. The Celerio, one of Suzuki Philippine’s best-selling hatchbacks,

bagged the Best Value-for-Money award in the standard mini category in last year’s Auto Focus People’s Choice Awards (AFMCA). The AFMCA aims to recognize the efforts of the automobile industry to provide best on-board features, style, performance and overall value. The Suzuki Vitara GLX won in the recently concluded 2017 CAGI Car of the Year awards under the Subcompact Crossover Category. The Ciaz was named Best Personal Commuter in the 12th C! Magazine awards for its fuel efﬁciency, roomy interiors and enhanced driving experience. In the 13th DOE Fuel Economy Run organized by the Department of Energy (DOE) in partnership with Petron Corporation, Suzuki Philippines’ entries—hatchbacks Alto 800 M/T and Swift M/T, Euro-4 equipped light commercial vehicle Super Carry and the recently launched subcompact SUV Suzuki Vitara GLX A/T— were recognized in their respective categories. The Alto 800 M/T and Swift M/T placed fourth and sixth, respectively, in the gasoline category with fuel economy ratings of 24.81km/L and 23.27km/L. The all-new Vitara was the second subcompact SUV to enter

the top 15 gasoline-powered vehicles with a 20.57km/L fuel economy rating. In the diesel category, the Super Carry performed well among the pickups and placed second with a fuel economy rating of 19.19km/L. The 2017 event, which ran by the theme “E-Power Mo” from November 20 to 21 in Clark, Pampanga, identifies fuel efficiency ratings for cars recently sold and made available in the Philippines. It aims to encourage car manufacturers and distributors to bring in more fuel-efficient vehicles in line with the common goal of environment conservation and wiser use of energy. Backed by its strong performance in 2017, Suzuki Philippines is confident of sustaining market momentum this year. The company is gearing up for more product launches and dealership openings as it aims to continue brand-building and expansion initiatives. SPH General Manager for Automobile Shuzo Hoshikura acknowledges the continued support given to Suzuki Philippines as the company marks a successful 2017 and looks forward to an equally, if not more, fruitful 2018.

Business and leisure: Motorbike sales on an upswing THE Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association is conﬁdent motorcycle sales will remain strong despite the negative issues affecting the industry, including the rising number of road crashes linked to motorcycle use. The country’s premier group of motorcycle manufacturers, in fact, projects sales will hit 2 million units by 2022 on the back of strong demand. Motorcycles for business use, which posted an 18 percent sales growth this year at 202,098 units compared with 170,979 units in 2016, are expected to continue on an upward trend because of the rising popularity of the cocooning trend. This trend is described as the preference of consumers, in particular millennials, to do activities such as working, entertaining and relaxing at home rather than outside. Anytime, anywhere internet connection is feeding the trend even further, with more people now ﬁnding it productive to complete tasks, even shopping, from the comfort of their own homes. This home-focused trend is shaping not just individual behavior but the business environment as well. Many businesses are modifying their service platform or strategy to

adapt to the trend. With online shopping growing traction, more products from food, fashion items to tech gadgets and even medicines and grocery items are ordered over the internet and delivered to customers’ homes. “More people are opting to spend more time at home. If they shop or run an errand, they do so straight from the house. As a result of this ‘in-home-staying’ lifestyle, we see an increasing demand for online shopping and grocery delivery, which then

fuels demand for motorcycles as a delivery transport option,” the MDPPA said. As more businesses expand their delivery services, demand for motorcycles is expected to rise further. The MDPPA assures they can meet the growing demand, particularly of small and medium enterprises. According to the MDPPA, its members are ready to take on the production challenges as they already have facilities capable of meeting the needs

FIELD DAY. Some 3,336 motorcycle riders converged in Koronadal City to try for a Guinness World record on Saturday April 29, 2017, occupying a kilometer -stretch of the main highway. File photo by Mark Navales

of a larger market. Aside from being a cost-efficient delivery vehicle, the MDPPA also sees motorcycles as a better transportation alternative to cars. With the worsening traffic congestion in major cities such as Metro Manila, commuters regard motorcycles as a faster mode of transport that allows them to navigate congested streets and reach their destinations with less time. The passage of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Bill will adjust the excise tax on automobiles and will definitely increase their cost. This, in return, makes motorcycles more affordable than cars. Personal-use motorcycles are adopted by millennials and skilled workers who view them as the most-practical and affordable vehicle for getting to their destination faster. These feature sleek and trendy designs that cater to young users besides offering better mobility at a more affordable price. Motorcycles with automatic transmission (AT) are popular among new users because of their ease of use. AT motorcycles, sales of which registered the biggest growth during the first half of this year, offer convenience and increased functionality.

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor DINO DIRECTO III Asst. Editor

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2018

Motoring

Honda’s full carbon ﬁber body NSX GT3 race car was a big hit at the TAS.

Custom cars dazzle at Tokyo car show

Toyota ﬂexed muscles with the GR Super Sports Concept by Gazoo Racing.

STi Performance showcased the BRZ Super GT and the WRX STi Nurburgring Edition.

Text and photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

hiba—The Tokyo Auto Salon is Asia’s biggest custom-car show. For a precious few days in the month of January every year, Japan plays host to car enthusiasts and geeks around the world as car manufacturers and custom car shops put their best food forward to dazzle patrons with the latest equipment, accessory and other go-fast goodies that make car fans weak at the knees. An estimated 300,000 visitors trooped to this year’s staging of the Auto Salon at the massive Makuhari Messe to witness automotive titans Toyota (TRD, TOMS and Modellista), Subaru (STi), Nissan (NISMO) , Mazda (Mazdaspeed)and Honda (Honda Racing) showcase their aftermarket products and race cars. Absent in this year’s TAS is the Ralliart division of Mitsubishi, which usually has one of the biggest display areas at the show. Honda stole the thunder with

The Viziv Performance Concept of Subaru might be the next generation WRX STi.

The Le Man’s winner and legendary Mazda 767B made its presence felt at the Auto Salon. uxury brand Lexus displayed their F Sport Super GT500 race car

the spectacular display of the new NSX GT3, whose body is made from carbon fiber. The GT3 version deviates from the production version NSX by coming to the party equipped with a twin turbo V6 matted to an XTrac six-speed sequential gearbox. Honda’s other star is the kitted version of the pint sized S660 by Modulo, equipped with a five-stage adjustable dampers to attack the “Touge”. Subaru’s drop dead gorgeous Viziv Performance Concept were one of the most popular variants on display at the TAS. The car had dramatic creases in the bodywork and box arches which is a throwback design of the old Group B cars of the WRC. For this year, STi also displayed the performance versions of the Levorg Wagon, the GT 300-spec BRZ and the WRX STi Nurburgring edition. Toyota flexed its muscles at the TAS with the unveiling of the Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Super Sport Concept, a concept car that incorporates hybrid technology honed through participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). The newly revealed GR Super Sport Concept is composed of mostly the same main parts as the TS050 Hybrid race car that competes in the WEC. Beneath the beautifully flowing and original form are a V6 twin turbocharger and a Toyota Hybrid System-Racing (THS-R) powertrain, which have been honed through actual racing. With its high-efficiency EV system and lean-burn engine, this next-generation super sports car is set to deliver both ultimate power and environmental performance. Formerly known as the Tokyo Exciting Car show when it was established in the 1980’s, the 36th staging of the TAS drew 440 exhibitors, showcasing 880 customized and tuned vehicles. Its popularity has grown down the years and currently considered as one of three biggest cars shows in the World in the same league as SEMA of the United States and Auto Mekanika of Germany.