Manila Standard - 2018 March 05 - Monday

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VOL. XXXII • NO. 22 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

Sereno strikes back at House; trial looms Razzies’ worst film: The Emoji LOS ANGELES, United States—One day before Hollywood honors the year’s best films at the Oscars, the Razzies honor the year’s worst—and the winner is “The Emoji Movie.”

The animated film beat other dud 2017 films such as “Baywatch,” “Fifty Shades Darker,” “The Mummy’’ Next page

PT&T reboots, joins telco fray

Chief Justice on leave Ma. Lourdes Sereno

By Rey E. Requejo, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon RamosAraneta

BUSINESS B1

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HE camp of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Sunday admitted that she will certainly be impeached by the House of Representatives, but said she was treated unfairly during the hearing of the impeachment complaint filed against her.

Sereno’s spokesperson Josa Deinla acknowledged that the chief magistrate’s impeachment in the House was forthcoming.

“She was denied of her constitutional rights under the Constitution. So in the end, we see that she will be impeached,” Deinla said in a radio interview.

The House committee on justice is set to vote on Thursday to determine if there is probable cause for the impeachment complaint.

Even before the proceedings started, Sereno’s camp had asked the committee chaired by Rep. Reynaldo Umali to allow her lawyers to cross-examine the witnesses presented during the hearings.

However, the House panel turned down the appeal and insisted on Sereno’s presence.

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SC employees wear red against Sereno

By Rey Requejo EMPLOYEES are set to wear red at the flag-raising ceremony at the Supreme Court this morning to show “love and support” to the 13 magistrates who compelled Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to take an indefinite leave.

Judges and staff in regional trial courts will also wear red today, according to an insider.

“The members of the judiciary support our beloved Supreme Court justices. We believe that their action was for the good of the entire judiciary,” said an officer of an organization of court employees who requested anonymity for lack of authority to speak for their group.

On Thursday, the justices issued a statement clarifying that Sereno had gone on indefinite leave following her spokespersons’ claims that she was just on a 15-day wellness leave.

They said the indefinite leave of the chief justice was a consensus among the justices during their session on Tuesday.

The statement was signed by Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr., Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, Diosdado Next page

PH-Sino joint venture problematic—Carpio

GENSAN SHOW. The Kalilangan Festival, the second biggest General Santos festival that has been celebrated for almost two decades, commemorates the foundation of the bustling city . Organizers say the festival is more than just about merry making as it affords every visitor the opportunity to learn about this city’s rich culture and heritage. During the Kalilangan Festival, there are several presentations prepared by the residents from different towns that showcase the history of General Santos from the time the first settlers arrived. After a day filled with exuberance, a magnificent fireworks display lights the night sky signaling the end of the festival. Teddy Pelaez

China vows to take action if US harms trade BEIJING—Beijing warned Sunday that it is ready to hit back at the United States if it harms China’s economic interests, fueling fears of a trade war after President Donald Trump unveiled steel and aluminum tariffs.

Trump’s announcement on Thursday sparked a flurry of counterthreats from other nations but its main trade rival, China, had avoided any overt warnings of potential retaliation until now.

“China doesn’t want a trade war with the United States,” Zhang Yesui, spokesman for the National People’s Congress, told a news conference on Sunday, the eve of the rubber-stamp parliament’s annual session.

“But if the US takes actions that

hurt Chinese interests, China will not sit idly by and will take necessary measures.”

Zhang warned that “policies informed by misjudgment or wrong perceptions will hurt relations and bring consequences no side wants to see.”

Trump’s announcement came as President Xi Jinping’s top economic aide, Liu He, met with US officials at the White House this week to discuss the fraught economic relationship.

During his visit, according to the official Xinhua news agency, Liu and his hosts “agreed that the two countries should settle their trade disputes by cooperation rather than confrontation.”

Since announcing plans to impose a 25 percent tariff on steel im-

ports and 10 percent on aluminum, Trump has shrugged off threats from other nations, boasting on Friday that “trade wars are good, and easy to win.”

China has been the main target of Trump’s ire over the US trade deficit since his presidential campaign, but its steel and aluminum exports to the United States are minimal.

While China is the world’s largest steel producer, it accounts for less than 1 percent of US imports and sells only 10 percent of its wrought aluminum abroad.

Steel producers in Canada, Brazil, Mexico, South Korea and Turkey rely far more heavily on the US market.

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ACTING Chief Justice Antonio Carpio has rejected the Duterte administration’s proposed joint exploration of the West Philippine Sea with China, saying it cannot be allowed unless it complies with the country’s laws.

Carpio made the statement even as he insisted that there is no way the government will give up its claims in the West Philippines Sea. “There’s absolutely no way under the Constitution for the government or for us to concede,” Carpio said, in an interview.

“If China’s national offshore companies will secure a contract with the Philippine government under Philippine law, there is no problem,” Carpio said.

However, Carpio warned that if the joint ventures would be with the Chinese government, it cannot be allowed because it would mean conceding half of the WPS belongs to China.

“That cannot be done because that is our exclusive economic zone. We cannot concede our sovereign rights,” he said.

“Even the President cannot concede our sovereign rights in the EEZ,” he added.

The senior Supreme Court justice also cited the ruling of the Arbitral Tribunal upholding the country’s exclusive sovereign rights over the EEZ west of Palawan.

The Philippine government has been asserting its sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea in the disputed South China Sea, where Beijing has asserted expansive claims and fortified artificial islands.

On Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte said that joint exploration with China may be likened to co-ownership of the disputed territorial waters.

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Graft court thumbs down Kentex plea

By Rio N. Araja THE Sandiganbayan has rejected the motion to quash filed by the general manager of Kentex Manufacturing Corp., paving the way for his trial over a fire that hit the company’s factory in Valenzuela City and killed 74 people in May 2015.

The anti-graft court ordered the trial of Ong King Guan, also known as Terence King Ong, after dismissing his claim.

The court dismissed the accused’s position that he would be a victim of double jeopardy after a lower court in Valenzuela City tried him for a separate graft case.

The Sandiganbayan maintained that double jeopardy could only apply when the accused had already been convicted in a separate court and was being tried again on the same case in another court. “[He] has not yet been convicted or acquitted, and that said case has neither Next page

PYROMUSICAL. Team Canada lights the night sky, taking its turn for the 2nd week of the battle for sky supremacy at 9th Philippines International Pyromusical Competition staged every Saturday from Feb. 17 to March 24, 2018 at the Mall Of Asia (Sea Side Ground), Pasay City. This year 10 participants from different countries join the competition. Norman Cruz

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News

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Slain worker’s family assured of govt aid, says OWWA head THE government will continue giving aid to the family of Joanna Demafelis whose death in Kuwait prompted the Philippines to ban the deployment of workers to that country, an official said Sunday.

Hans Leo Cacdac, head of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, said his agency will coordinate with Kuwait the extradition to that country of Demafelis’ employers, a LebaneseSyrian couple who were tagged in her death.

He said his agency will fly Demafelis’ parents to Kuwait so they could monitor the court proceedings against the suspects.

Cacdac made his statement even as the Labor department said the government will urged the Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia and Qatar to return home for a chance to get employed in the Philippines or elsewhere abroad.

The department said it intended to do that through the establishment of a Job Fair Task Force that will conduct a special job fair and skills profiling of the Filipino workers based in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

In an administrative order issued by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, the

PDEA regional chief, 61 others sacked—Aquino THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has relieved its regional head in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon―along with 61 other people―for “operational irregularities.”

Director General Aaron Aquino said he had ordered the relief of Region 4-A Director Archie Grande plus 61 agents and administrative and technical personnel.

“They were discharged after intelligence reports linked them to a series of unlawful arrests and extortion activities in Batangas and Cavite,” Aquino said.

He said Grande and the 61 others had also been involved in the unlawful issuance of the agency’s regional identification cards to confidential assets or informants.

Meanwhile, Aquino welcomed the Interior department’s decision to file administrative charges against village officials who will fail to activate their anti-drug-abuse councils.

He said this was response to the impending issuance of a DILG memorandum ordering village officials to establish functional barangay antidrug-abuse councils in their areas of jurisdiction within 30 days―or else face charges of dereliction of duty.

Rio N. Araja

China...

From A1

“The American action to put sanctions on other countries’ reasonable steel and aluminum exports in the name of harming national security is groundless,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.

Some US allies, like Canada and Australia, had hoped to be spared the tariffs. A US official said Friday no countries will be exempt, but added that possible exemptions to the measures would be considered on a caseby-case basis.

Australia warned that a trade conflict could put the brakes on global economic growth.

“That’s what concerns me, if we continue to see an escalation of rhetoric and, ultimately, action around tariffs applying for imports and exports across multiple economies... this will lead to a slow-down in growth,” Trade Minister Steve Ciobo told Sky News Australia Sunday.

Trump ratcheted up the rhetoric on Saturday, threatening a tax on cars from the European Union if it enacts retaliatory measures.

On Friday, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU was drawing up measures against leading US brands such as Levi’s and Harley-Davidson. AFP

Graft...

From A1

been dismissed nor terminated without his express consent,” the court said.

The anti-graft court previously dropped the cases against Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian, licensing officials Renchi May Padayo and Eduardo Carreon, because they were merely complying with the ordinance streamlining the issuance of a business permit.

supply-demand profiling and skills-job matching will be jointly conducted by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and Bureau of Local Employment.

Cacdac also vowed financial aid for the education of slain Demafelis’ sister, the repair of their home in Iloilo and livelihood assistance to their family.

“We will continue supporting our Filipino workers including the Demafelis family. We will condole with them in their time of grief,” Cacdac told dzMM radio.

Demafelis, 29, was found in a freezer in an abandoned apartment in Kuwait early in February, more than a year since she last had contact with her family here in the Philippines. Investigation found signs of abuse.

The ban on deploying Kuwait-bound workers will stay for despite the arrest of the suspects in Demafelis’ killing, Bello said last week.

Kuwait and Philippine officials are set to hold talks this week.

The rich oil-producing Gulf state, however, has yet to commit to signing an accord that will protect over 250,000 Filipino workers, many of whom are domestic workers.

Sereno...

From A1

Deinla said that once the impeachment complaint against Sereno is transmitted to the Senate, they will assert Sereno’s constitutional rights as an accused.

“We are confident that the Senate will recognize her rights to have a fair trial,” she said.

But Deinla said they are not certain whether Sereno would personally appear during the impeachment trial in the Senate.

“The decision on whether she will appear before the Senate is up to the chief justice. It’s a personal decision.

But definitely, her lawyers will be there at the outset and until the end to represent her,” Deinla said.

Sereno went on indefinite leave starting March 1 to prepare her defense for the looming impeachment trial in the Senate.

Last week, Sereno challenged her critics in the House of Representatives to immediately transmit the articles of impeachment against her to the Senate for trial.

“I ask only one thing from the political leaders, only one thing: Give me my day in the Senate impeachment court or admit that there is no probable cause,” Sereno said in an event at the University of Baguio last Friday.

“If they were so sure of their evidence even to the point of perjuring themselves with baseless accusations that they can prove that I committed a harvest of sins against the people, why not bring it to the Senate?” she added.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Sunday said the Supreme Court can nullify the appointment of Sereno and order her removal from her post.

Aguirre, an ex-officio member of the Judicial and Bar Council that vets candidates to judicial posts, disputed the assertion made by the Sereno camp that she could only be removed from office through conviction after an impeachment trial in the Senate.

He said that while the Chief Justice is an impeachable official, the Supreme Court has the power to act and resolve a quo warranto petition against her if it is filed by the proper party.

“If your appointment is void an initio or invalid from the beginning, I believe that a petition for quo warranto will suffice to remove you from your position notwithstanding the fact that you are an impeachable official,” Aguirre said in a text message.

A quo warranto petition challenges the legal basis of one’s appointment and seeks the removal of the respondent from office because of lack of qualification or legal basis to continue holding such office.

Aguirre said that the validity of

War on terror exacts heavy toll on Sayyaf

By Ben Cal

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HE government’s war on terror continued to gain ground after 97 Abu Sayyaf members, including 14 ranking leaders, were killed from Feb. 21, 2017 to Feb. 28, 2018, a military official said Sunday.

FARMERS’ DANCE. Women farmers from Eastern Visayas dance the Cha-Cha to express their indignation against the proposed Charter change and express their support to SC Chief Justice (on leave) Ma. Lourdes Sereno who is also against the administration’s campaign to revise the 1987 Constitution. Norman Cruz Sereno’s appointment over her failure to meet the 10-year statement of assets, liabilities and net worth requirement for the chief justice post is a justiciable issue that the Supreme Court should resolve.

The Sereno camp said the move to oust her through a quo warranto petition in the Supreme Court was “patently unconstitutional” and “mockery of the rule of law.”

Aguirre, on the other hand, said it is the duty of the Court to resolve any petition filed before it.

He added that a ruling from the Court would be needed as there is no clear jurisprudence on the strict application of JBC rules on the requirements for judicial appointments.

Suspended lawyer Eligio Mallari recently asked Solicitor General Jose Calida to file the quo warranto petition before the Court seeking to invalidate Sereno’s appointment as chief justice in 2012.

Calida was specifically asked to move for Sereno’s removal due to her failure to submit all her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth for 10 years, a requirement for the post.

If granted by the Court, the chief justice could be ordered to vacate her post without the need to complete the ongoing impeachment proceedings in Congress.

Sereno’s camp dismissed the possible quo warranto petition as an “ignorant attempt and parcel of the grand plan to harass, malign and humiliate the chief justice to force her to resign because her detractors know that the impeachment complaint lodged against her is baseless.”

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, chairman of the House committee on justice, said he was optimistic Sereno would be impeached.

In an interview over radio dzBB, Umali said “if she [Sereno] is that confident she will win the case, the more that we are confident that she will be convicted.”

Umali said there are strong grounds to impeach the chief justice over her unsound “psychiatric and psychological makeup,” confirmed by two doctors who reportedly gave her poor marks in her psychiatric assessment.

“Her persona showed in the psychiatric and psychological makeup that she had mood swings and so on and so forth. All of those came out,” he said, adding even her fellow justices at the Supreme Court expressed an aversion to her.

“There are even some... telling [us] that she is inhuman, mentally dishonest and [a] usurper…. How can she explain that 13 justices do not even like her?” he said, referring to those who pressed her to go on an indefinite leave of absence.

Umali said if she is acquitted, there would be chaos in the judiciary.

SC...

PH-Sino...

From A1

From A1

Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano Del Castillo, Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Marvic L eonen, Francis Jardeleza, Samuel Martires, Noel Gimenez Tijam, Andres Reyes Jr. and Alexander Gesmundo.

Only Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa did not sign the letter because he was on leave.

Judges and court employees had also held a Black Monday protest in support of then Chief Justice Renato Corona during his impeachment. Today’s mobilization, however, was not in support of his beleaguered replacement.

However, the Palace clarified that the President was just trying to simplify the term “joint exploration” when he used the term “co-ownership.”

For his part, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay said that Duterte’s statement may constitute an impeachable offense.

“A clear example of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust. The West Philippine Sea is exclusively ours. He’s giving it away,” Hilbay said on Twitter.

“There are 27 allegations [against her]. These will be voted one by one, and those allegations found to have probable cause shall be included in the articles of impeachment,” he said.

Over 40 prosecutors have been recommended to hear the impeachment trial, but they have voted for only 11, he said.

He said they have already started drafting of the articles of impeachment based on four grounds -- culpable violation of the 1987 Constitution, graft, betrayal of public trust and other high crimes.

“There are some [allegations] that have overlapped, or are almost the same,” he said.

In another development, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, an opposition lawmaker, said the attempt to unseat Sereno through a quo warranto petition could signal a weakness in the impeachment complaint.

“Any quo warranto petition questioning the authority or basis for Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to hold the position of chief magistrate is doomed to fail,” he said.

The opposition Liberal Party, meanwhile, accused the executive and legislative branches of the Duterte administration and some members of the Supreme Court of ganging up on Sereno.

“Is everyone toeing the line of authoritarianism and the stifling of dissent?” said LP president Senator Francis Pangilinan. “We hope we can allow the Chief Justice to have her day in court when the impeachment trial goes to the Senate,” said Pangilinan.

He noted that the bedrock of democracy is the rule of law and an independent judiciary branch with unfettered freedom to decide impartially, in accordance with its members’ conscience and facts. “Regrettably, what we are seeing is the slow weakening of judicial independence and dilution of checkand-balance that endangers democracy and ushers in the rule of autocracy,” the opposition senator said.

Without judging Sereno’s guilt or innocence, Pangilinan said they believe in her firm stance to fight the allegations against her through the impeachment process.

“It is a fight as well for the independence of the judiciary and for the democratic values instilled in our Constitution,” Pangilinan said.

Meanwhile, detained Senator Leila de Lima, also with the Liberal Party, thanked Senate President Aqulilino Pimentel III for acknowledging that, as a sitting senator, she can participate in Sereno’s impeachment trial.

De Lima and other Liberal Party allies, following the lead of then President Benigno Aquino III, played key roles in the impeachment of Sereno’s predecessor, Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2012.

Carpio and Hilbay were part of the government legal team that sued China before an international tribunal to assert Philippine claims in the West Philippine Sea. China refused to participate.

In 2016, the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines, invalidating China’s nine-dash line claim over the SCS and upholding the country’s exclusive sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea. But China rejected the arbitral decision, asserting it “indisputable sovereignty” over nearly all of the resourcerich waters. Rey E. Requejo

Brig. Gen. Cirilito E. Sobejana, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Joint Task Force Sulu, said at least 57 Abu Sayyaf members were also wounded, 79 were captured and 66 surrendered during the same period.

All in all, 299 bandits were neutralized during the period, cutting down the number of remaining Abu Sayyaf fighters to about 488 but were still considered a force to reckon with, Sobejana said.

On the government side, nine soldiers were killed and 109 others were wounded in 39 gun battles with the terror group in various parts of Sulu.

Sobejana said his troops also seized 251 firearms of various calibers during the period.

Since being named JTFS commander in February last year, Sobejana, a recipient of the Medal of Valor, the highest military award for gallantry in combat, has ordered his troops to sustain their offensive to “destroy the ASG at the soonest possible time.”

The Abu Sayyaf, which has links to the Islamic terror groups in the Middle East, is engaged in terror activities, including kidnapping for ransom, for over two decades.

Sobejana said that from Feb. 21, 1017 to Feb. 27, 2018, the Abu Sayyaf had kidnapped 45 people.

Of that number, four were beheaded, another four had escaped, 16 had were released and 11 were rescued, but 10 were still under Abu Sayyaf custody, Sobejana said.

Sobejana said those rescued included five Malaysians, four Filipinos and two Indonesians.

The Abu Sayyaf has also been involved in bombings, assassinations and extortion activities in the southern Philippines.

For their notorious activities, the Abu Sayyaf has been tagged as a terrorist group by the United Nations, Indonesia, Malaysia, Canada, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. PNA

Razzies’...

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and “Transformers: The Last Knight” to win an infamous Golden Rasberry award.

The year saw “Hollywood’s recycled trash heap attain an all-time high,” with a “toxic-level lack of originality,” the organizers said in a statement.

“The Emoji Movie,” the first animated movie to win the award in the Razzie’s 38-year history, also “won” in the categories of worst screenplay, worst screen combo and worst director.

Tom Cruise won in the Worst Actor category for his star role in another reboot of “The Mummy,” while a crossdressing Tyler Perry won in the Worst Actress category for “BOO 2!: A Madea Halloween”—the ninth “Madea” film.

Mel Gibson won the Worst Supporting Actor award for the comedy “Daddy’s Home 2,” and Kim Basinger won for supporting actress in the erotic thriller “Fifty Shades Darker.”

A video announcing the award winners included an “In Memoriam” segment, with pictures of Hollywood luminaries—including Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Woody Allen and Bill Cosby—caught up in sex scandals.

“Very sorry ... but we won’t be missing you—or your kind,” the video said.

The Razzies were created in 1980 as an antidote to Hollywood’s star-studded, back-slapping annual awards season, which climaxes Sunday with the Academy Awards.

Nominees rarely attend the Razzies, usually held in small venues somewhere in and around Los Angeles.

Sandra Bullock turned up in 2010 to accept worst actress for “All About Steve,” a day before winning best actress Oscar for “The Blind Side.”

Most of the Razzie categories are chosen by the 800 or so members of the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation, who earn voting rights by paying a $40 membership fee, with a $25 annual renewal. AFP

News

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018

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Senator says Con-Con most preferred mode of Cha-Cha

BACK IN BUSINESS. Weeks after authorities dismantled their makeshift stalls along the sidewalk of the busy Redemptorist road in Parañaque city , merchants are back with a vengeance and try to cash in on the rising demand for swimwear before summer officially sets in. Ey Acasio

23 ‘fixers ‘ arrested amid DFA crackdown THE Department of Foreign Affairs has launched a campaign against fixers who sold passport appointments slots, resulting in the arrest of 23 individuals during separate entrapment operations.

Ricarte B. Abejuela III, Acting Director of the Passport Division of the Office of Consular Affairs lauded the Southern Police District for its swift action, warned fixers that they would suffer the same fate if they continued with their illegal activities, and reminded passport applicants to shun individuals who say they can offer them passport appointments for a fee.

“Let us not patronize these unscrupulous individuals. Rest assured that the DFA is doing its best to offer the best services to the public,” Abejuela said, in a statement.

A police report identified the 23 fixers as Nenita Ugalde, 63; Noelito Ventura, 46; Marlon Narvaez, 35; Amalia Tagarilo, 44; Marilyn Tabay, 52; Michael Montel, 42; Alejandra Sacdalan, 48; Jonathan Tagarino, 46; Yolanda Villanueva, 45; Gina Carbon, 47; Maila Caluya, 47; Ligaya Banares, 63; Zaldy Pelonia, 52; Lilia Felix, 54; Roselyn Oliveros, 28; Rosalinda Zamora, 40; Criza Mae Castor, 24; Aileen Casita, 51; Marivic Arojo, 33; Mark Justine Doromal, 29; Ricardo Rojas, 50; Vilma Evite, 46; and Evangeline Soriano, 52.

Chief Supt. Tomas Apolinario, Southern Police District director, said the individuals were arrested in separate operations in Aseana, Parañaque; in Libertad, Pasay; and in Gate 3 Plaza in Taguig.

Apolinario said the operations, where policemen pretended to be passport applicants, were the result of surveillance work done on different DFA offices in the National Capital Region since Feb. 15.

The surveillance was done upon the request of the Department of Foreign Affairs, following reports there were fixers selling the passport appointment slots for a fee. Charges for violation of Republic Act No. 9485, estafa, among others, will be filed against the suspects.

Abejuela said passport applicants should avoid dealing with individuals who say they can offer them passport appointments for a fee.

“Scheduling an appointment online is completely free,” Abejuela said, adding that all Facebook postings offering passport appointments are scams.

He also noted that the DFA opens slots daily for the March to June schedule passport appointments.

DoH warned on Dengvaxia

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HE National Privacy Commission has asked the Department of Health to be circumspect in sharing sensitive personal information of individuals, saying it should only do so if it deems that such sharing or disclosure is authorized under law, adheres to data privacy principles, and there are reasonable and appropriate security measures in place to protect the data.

The commission issued an advisory opinion dated Feb. 26, 2018 in response to the formal request made by the DoH. Privacy Commissioner Raymund Enriquez Liboro said the disclosure to another government agency or private entity of a copy of the DoH master list of individuals vaccinated with Dengvaxia must be “provided for by existing laws and regulations or a data subject has given his or her consent.”

“We emphasize that the government is one of the biggest repositories of the personal data of citizens. The government or its agencies, however,

do not have the blanket authority to access or use the information about private individuals under the custody of another agency,” Liboro said.

The DoH Dengvaxia master list has recently been subject of access requests coming from the Public Attorney’s Office, some private organizations, and members of the media.

The information contained in the list is considered as sensitive personal information, and relates to minors, which the NPC identifies as a vulnerable group of data subjects.

In the advisory opinion, Liboro said personal data provided to government or public authorities may be

processed without consent when it is done pursuant to the particular agency’s constitutional or statutory mandate, and subject to the requirements of the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

In the case of the request by the PAO to obtain the DoH master list, this general rule does not apply. The agency, however, may be allowed access to the data of the specific victims it represents as their duly authorized legal counsel.

“Should the PAO be authorized as the legal representative of the minor data subjects, they may then be provided information on the particular data subject they are representing, subject to the presentation of proof of such authorization,” Liboro said.

As to the request of media and other private organizations, Liboro said the disclosure of statistical or aggregated data, without any personal or sensitive personal information, should suffice. Otherwise, the release of a copy of the master list in its raw version would be tantamount to an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.

PROTEST MOVEMENT. Militant groups hold a press conference to denounce several actions allegedly made by President Duterte on wide-ranging issues. Manny Palmero

Senators look into case of ‘vanishing’ cellphone load MOUNTING complaints about the vanishing prepaid cellphone load prompted Senator Benigno Paolo Aquino to investigate the matter today (March5) and find ways to address the problem.

In Senate Resolution No. 595, he directed the Committee on Science and Technology, of which he is chairman, to determine the capacity and readiness of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, other relevant government agencies and regulators to enforce the rules that will protect prepaid mobile phone subscribers.

Expected to attend the hearing are representatives from consumer groups, IT advocacy groups, DICT, Department of Trade and Industry, National Telecommunications Commission and telecommunication companies Smart, Globe and PLDT. As the country’s primary agency for communications technology, Aquino said the DICT is mandated under Republic Act No. 10844 or the DICT Act of 2015 to provide oversight over agencies governing and regulating ICT sector and ensure consumer protection and welfare.

According to the NTC, around 97 percent, or around 126 million, of the country’s 130-million mobile phone owners are prepaid subscribers.

“Let us not allow our countrymen to be robbed of their money. We cannot ignore these consumer reports of the disappearance of prepaid mobile credits, including mischarges, hidden charges and errors in opt out mechanisms,” said Aquino, chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology.

With the Department of Trade and Industry and the NTC both mandated to protect consumers of prepaid mobile

credits, Aquino said it is important that these two agencies are well-coordinated and must sufficiently facilitate and address consumer complaints.

“Let’s check and ensure that our government agencies and regulators are equipped with the systems, equipment and technical capacity to determine the compliance of telcos,” he said.

In addition, agencies such as the DTI and NTC should have the capacity to respond to complaint related to the abrupt expiration or disappearance of prepaid mobile credits, he said. Macon Araneta

FILIPINOS who attended the Senate’s panel deliberations on the proposed Charter change prefer constitutional convention as the mode of amending the 1987 Charter.

This was revealed by Senator Francis Pangilinan, chairman of the Senate panel, who said that while residents in the cities where they held the deliberations have mixed views on Cha-Cha as part of the proposed shift to federalism, it was clear that they favor con-con over constituent assembly.

Pangilinan, in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB, said: “Actually, hati. Merong mga pabor, meron ding mga kontra. Pero ang maliwanag, lahat ng pinuntahan namin ay ayaw nila ng constituent assembly. Sinasabi nila mas mapagkakatiwalaan nila ang proseso kung mas demokratiko at sila mismo ang pipili ng mga kinatawan nila para amyendahan ang Saligang Batas.” [Actually, people in those areas were split on ChaCha mode. What was clear was that they prefer Con-Con. They believed that the process would be more credible if the people themselves choose their represeantives to rewrite the Constitution.]

In Cagayan De Oro, sa Cebu and even in Manila, the prevailing sentiment is for Con-Con instead of ConAss, he added.

In Con-Ass, members of bothchambers of Congress will convene and propose constitutional amendments, while in Con-Con, the delegates are elected by the people.

Pangilinan said they will also conduct deliberations in other areas across the country, including Cotabato, Baguio and in the Bicol region.

He assured the public, however, that the panel will hear the comments of both sides—those who are in favor and not in favor of Cha-Cha. The Duterte administration has been pushing for a shift to a federal form of government as a means to address issues involving national security, economy and peace and order particularly in Mindanao.

Du30 stand on Benham well-grounded —Atienza PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s tough stance on Benham Rise, or the socalled the Philippine Rise, was well ground amid threats, according to Buhay Party-list Rep. Joselito Atienza.

“The entire 13 million hectares of Benham is rightfully ours. In fact, the Navy and the Coast Guard should step up their patrol operations there to forcefully assert our exclusive rights over the region and its natural resources,” Atienza said on Sunday.

He called on the government agencies to encourage Filipino fisherman to venture into Benham Rise “ and vigorously project the country’s rights over the region’s marine assets.”

Earlier, the President said he would “go to war” to defend Benham Rise, and that he would be the first to ship out to guard the region.

In 2009, the Philippine government formally asserted its rights over Benham Rise, Atienza said, no other country was interested to claim the island.

“This was why our assertion over the region was readily approved by the United Nations,” he said, adding China never claimed Benham Rise as part of the Chinese continental shelf.

“The outer limits of the Philippine seabed that we submitted to the UN’s Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf on April 9, 2009 encompassed Benham [Rise]. We had Benham surveyed and mapped.

We specified the location of the submerged region in our submission to the UN,” he noted.

The party-list representative earlier asked Malacañang to certify his bill seeking to establish a Benham Rise protection and development authority to safeguard and manage the resources found in the waters, seabed and subsoil of region rightfully belonging to the Philippines. Rio Araja

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Opinion

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018

Did Lozano perchance get his premise aright?

I AM inquiring into the premise of Oliver Lozano’s action—the very man well known for the jumping the gun on almost every potentially explosive legal contention. And so in asking whether his premise might be right, I do not have Meilou Serreno in mind. I am interested in an issue of legal theory: Whether or not quo warranto or any action questioning the validity of the appointment of an impeachable official should be given due course, or summarily shoved aside.

The president of the Republic of the Philippines is an impeachable official. So is the vice president. But there is nothing to prevent a defeated candidate for either office from filing a quo warranto action against the proclaimed and even incumbent official, questioning the legality of his election and the consequent validity of the proclamation. Miriam Defensor-Santiago questioned the incumbency of Fidel Ramos.

Bongbong Marcos is questioning the assumption of Leni Robredo to the office of vice president—and no one has ever suggested that because the office-holders can be removed only by impeachment, they are

Adelle Chua, Editor

Letting go

EDITORIAL

I

Liberal Party hypocrisy

T IS the height of hypocrisy for the Liberal Party to complain that the judiciary is being undermined by officials from all branches of government who appear to be conspiring to oust Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

Those who seek to oust Sereno, after all, seem to be following the play book of the Liberal Party six years ago, when its leader, President Benigno Aquino III, used the vast machinery of government—including the Justice department, the Finance department and even the supposedly independent Office of the Ombudsman—to go after Chief Justice Renato Corona with hammer and tongs, tarred and feathered and pilloried him in the press, then

dangled millions of pesos in pork to “encourage” senators at his impeachment trial to find him guilty.

The late Senator Joker Arroyo, who as only one of three senators who voted to acquit Corona, accused the Aquino administration of “outright bribery, right at the presidential doorstep.”

In the end, the basis of Corona’s conviction was his failure to declare all his assets in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth, an omission that many legal experts at the time believed was not an impeachable offense. None of this mattered to the Liberal Party faithful at the time, however, because their single-minded mission—with Mr. Aquino pointing the way—was to oust a troublesome chief justice of the Supreme Court at all cost.

It is especially ironic that Mr. Aquino’s handpicked replacement for Chief Justice Corona is facing a similar fate today for the same offense for which her predecessor was convicted. Indeed, we can say that it was Mr. Aquino and his Liberal Party thugs who opened the door to the abuse of the impeachment process.

Of course, the impeachment case against Sereno has yet to play out to its conclusion. For Sereno’s sake, we hope this administration is not as vindictive as the one it replaced.

That one hounded Corona with criminal cases even after his ouster, until his death from a heart attack in April 2016.

The Liberal Party members should remember this when they issue statements about “the executive and the legislative branches and some member of the Supreme Court ganging up” on Sereno “through the impeachment process and beyond the bounds of such [an] exercise.”

“Regrettably, what we are seeing is the slow weakening of judicial independence and dilution of check-and-balance that endangers democracy and ushers in the rule of autocracy,” the Liberal Party statement reads.

Predictably, the party fails to mention its own, special role in leading the country down this path.

Perhaps it should shed its false modesty and give “credit” where it is due—at its own doorstep.

IT IS by now a foregone conclusion that the House of Representatives, before it goes on its summer recess, will impeach Chief Justice on-leave Maria Lourdes Aranal Sereno.

When Congress resumes sometime in May, the senators shall convene as an impeachment trial court and sit as judges to hear the House prosecution team and the chief magistrate’s defense.

It will be the second time for the Senate to do so. The first was when the House suddenly mustered the numbers to impeach then-CJ Renato Corona.

There were no extended Justice Committee hearings to determine probable cause, as in the present case.

Malacanang decided it best to just send the case straight to the Senate.

Thus, the legal striptease to determine the chief magistrate’s fitness to lead the Court was left to the tender mercies of a very political trial. For the Senate does not judge, as in a judicial trial, “beyond reasonable doubt.” It determines whether the impeached official is yet fit to remain in high office. It does not decide under a “legal vacuum” of facts and evidence alone. It does not close its eyes and ears to public perception, which is very political.

Looking at the parallelisms, it would seem fairly obvious that the coup de grace against the late Justice Corona was the discrepancy in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

After what her peers have done to her, the Chief Justice is left with no choice.

This is the joy as well as the excitement of legal theory.

beyond any action for quo warranto or any equivalent writ that questions the validity of their election and proclamation.

Why should there be another rule for appointed though impeachable officials? In fact, elected officials should be more difficult to remove from office, precisely because of the sovereign act of the people by which they receive their mandates.

But, as the law stands, when a competent court or tribunal finds their elections void—for any reason set forth in the law—they can be compelled to relinquish office to their constitutional or statutory successors. In the case of appointive but impeachable officials, their appointments should be as open to legal scrutiny as other officials. If there is preponderant evidence to establish that their appointments are attended by one constitutional or statutory infirmity or the other, then what is there to prevent a competent court from so declaring the nullity of their appointments?

One will notice that in Article XI of the Constitution, on the accountability of public officers, “invalidity of appointment” or “irregularity of election” is not a ground for impeachment. And the obvious reason is because you use impeachment against an official who has been legitimately elected or appointed. But when the very election or appointment is questioned, you use another device for that: under the rules, the writs of quo warranto or certiorari (where it is alleged that the appointing officer gravely abused discretion) are available.

So much as we might dislike admitting it, Oliver Lozano might have it right this time—not in respect to Meilou Serreno necessarily, but in respect to the legal premise that the validity of the appointment of an Turn to A5

Yellow alerts again THE approaching summer months mean differently for the power sector.

The expected higher demand translates to a looming power supply shortage, which is saying much considering the country’s already precarious energy situation.

This came a bit early this year— demand historically peaks from mid or late March to May—when the Luzon grid was put into yellow alert on Feb. 26. The island’s power capacity was at 9,971 MW while peak demand reaching 9,349 MW at 2 p.m. and 9,081 MW at 11 p.m. This means reserve level fell below the required 647 MW at one point, prompting the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to declare a yellow alert.

What happened exactly? As is the case in previous years, it was a

What happened, exactly?

combination of many things going awry. Six power plants with a combined capacity of around 1,655 MW went on forced outage, per the Department of Energy. These include Pagbilao, GN, Makban, South Luzon Power Generation Corp. Unit, Malaya, and San Lorenzo. In addition, there were plants that were scheduled for maintenance: Angat, Calaca, Masinloc, Quezon

Power Philippines, and South Luzon Thermal Energy Corp.

As if that’s not bad enough, there was natural gas restriction from the Malampaya gas project in Palawan which reduced the supply of the Ilijan gas plant from 1,200 MW to 857 MW and the San Gabriel plant from 420 MW to 260 MW. Two other plants were derated or were on limited generation.

In the past five years from 2012 to 2017, the Luzon grid experienced demand outpacing capacity—demand grew by around 2,900 MW while additional capacity was only 2,600 MW, according to Meralco. This doesn’t bode well considering that the DoE predicts a demand growth of 4.9 percent for the island based on the National Economic Development Authority’s GDP targets. This means Turn to A5

Surely, Malacañang’s legal team knew this ahead of time, and thought it best to stage the legal striptease in the Senate composed of nationally elected legislators, with a surprise denouement as climax.

This time, however, the House leadership determined it better to do the striptease in its committee hearings. One could only surmise that they thought the impeachable official, in this case Sereno, would opt to resign as the hearings brought out unsavory matters about her past and likewise her conduct as the Chief.

Despite the unprecedented, some would say unthinkable, very public testimonies in the House Judiciary Committee by her peers in the Court would pressure her to resign, Sereno has decided to dig her heels.

Her reputation as Chief has been scathed, and scathed beyond repair in the process, even with an accuser like lawyer Larry Gadon fumbling in many a turn with clearly prevaricated statements.

Her moral ascendancy to lead the highest tribunal after the prolonged House hearings has clearly become questionable.

So her peers decided to end the spectacle that was damaging the ascendancy of the whole Court itself.

It was like twisting the knife, much beyond the spectacle of a number of them publicly excoriating the character of Sereno in the House hearings.

And this time, they acted unanimously. Even Justice Marvin Leonen, who normally voted with the CJ in many decisions, and who was expected to stand by her throughout this public ordeal, voted for her to take an indefinite leave of absence.

Her lawyers in the House spun the en banc pronouncement to soften the blow. They called it a “wellness leave,” seemingly voluntary rather than forced upon her by peers. The Court en banc could have left it at that, gloss over the misrepresentation for the sake of a sense of noblesse oblige.

But no, they decided to chafe at the misrepresentation, and pushed the knife deeper. It was not a “wellness” Turn to A5

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

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Opinion

OLEKSANDR Kovach takes a glass, swirls the wine a few times and raises it to eye level before taking a sip.

The 47-year-old vintner in the Transcarpathian region of western Ukraine is holding a wine tasting for tourists at his vineyard in the region’s largest city of Uzhhorod.

Kovach leads visitors to his softly lit wine cellar where a wooden table set with glasses awaits as mood music plays in the background.

He has doubled production of his own-label Kovach’s Wines in five years, and believes this is just the beginning.

Ukraine’s wine industry is enjoying a revival and branching out into more sophisticated wines after suffering a devastating blow from Russia’s annexation of its main vineyards in Crimea.

When Moscow seized the Black Sea peninsula in 2014, Ukraine lost more than half its bottled wines, mostly semisweet and dessert wines, according to the Association of Winegrowers and Winemakers of Ukraine.

But the loss of Crimea and the armed conflict in the east ironically gave a giant push to Western-style dry wines, especially in Transcarpathia and the southern Odessa and Kherson regions.

Since 2015, Ukraine’s production of dry wines has grown by seven to nine percent every year, the AWWU says.

“This is a huge leap forward,” says Kovach, who now produces 30 varieties of wine, only six of which are sweet.

The winemaker believes Ukraine has “finally got rid of” its Soviet legacy of sweet wines while adapting to “European standards”.

Exports of non-sparkling wines have more than tripled since 2014 to 332,000 decilitres in 2017, according to the winegrowers’ association.

“When the first wine festival was held here [in Transcarpathia] in 1995, few winemakers even differentiated red and white wine,” Kovach says.

“The grapes just grew by themselves, people collected them and processed them without understanding what they were doing.”

‘Special microclimate’ Transcarpathia is reviving grape varieties destroyed by Soviet collectivised agriculture, says Vasyl Nad, a 54-year-old winemaker in Beregove, a small town near the Hungarian border.

“This land has an advantage— a special microclimate where the temperamental European varieties do well,” says Nad, who runs Nota Bene winery.

The forested and mountainous region is known for its dry white wines made from the Riesling, Gewuerztraminer and Leanka grape varieties.

Now Transcarpathia holds nine wine festivals attended by about 150,000 tourists per year, according to the regional tourist information centre.

They especially draw wine lovers from Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic to the region, which also offers skiing and hot springs.

Yellow...

From A4

the grid will need an additional of at least 24,385 MW in new capacity, not to mention sufficient transmission and distribution investments to ensure power supply adequacy and reliability.

Unfortunately, there is little indication that the country’s energy bureaucracy doesn’t quite appreciate the gravity of the situation. To cite, while at least 93 power supply agreements are currently pending and might be able to make up for the shortfall in the near term, the economic momentum—not the least due to the Duterte administration’s Build Build Build program—will likely make the situation precarious anew.

After the hullaballoo at the Energy Regulatory Commission was resolved, the body should perhaps regain a sense of urgency and find a way to resolve the current backlog of PSAs. In fact, the joint House Committees on Good Governance and Public Accountability and Energy recently urged the ERC to immediately resolve the seven pending PSAs of Meralco via House Resolution No. 1741.

Aside from such woes in the capacity side, notoriously high rates—one of the highest in the region, if not the world— are also a perennial problem. A closer look at a typical consumer’s bill would reveal artificial charges that require further scrutiny by regulators. In 2010, for instance, average rates hovered at around P8.95/kwh. Fast forward to

For Ukrainians, a renewed interest in local wine is at least partly explained by politics.

After Russia-backed rebels sparked a long-running armed conflict in the east, many Ukrainians started buying local brands to support the shaky economy.

“Four years ago, our people didn’t know winemaking even existed in Ukraine,” says Sergiy Klimov, owner of the Like a Local’s wine bar in Kiev— the city’s first to offer a large selection of exclusively Ukrainian wines.

“When the public’s general interest grew, things started developing,” he adds.

‘Wine culture coming back’ “Thank God, the wine culture is coming back to Ukraine,” says 32-yearold Gergey Paraska, whose family of Hungarian origin has made wine for six generations.

Together with his brother, he is restoring the family’s winery in Bene, a small village in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains.

Paraska’s great-grandfather was exiled to Siberia and his vineyards were destroyed during the Soviet repression of peasants in the 1920s and 1930s.

When he returned, he got his three sons together and dictated to them the family’s secret recipes for 35 wines, which he still remembered.

Currently Paraska and his brother have managed to revive 18 of those family wines, which they sell under the Paraszka Pinceszet label.

In the next five to 10 years, Ukrainian wine will show “tremendous growth,” predicts bar owner Klimov.

“We have varieties that are typical only of Ukraine and they are unique,” Klimov says.

The devaluation of the Ukrainian hryvnia national currency has helped local wines compete against inexpensive Chilean, Argentine, French and Italian wines.

An average bottle of Ukrainian wine costs about 100-200 hryvnia (3-6 euros, $3.50-7.00).

“When the buyer chooses between imported wine for three euros and Ukrainian wine for three euros, he understands... what the quality is,” Klimov said.

Corruption However small wineries face bureaucratic obstacles.

Only 50 large Ukrainian companies are licensed to sell wine, and winemakers like Paraska and Nad can only sell their product in their own tasting rooms.

Winemakers say it is hard to obtain a licence in a country fraught with corruption.

“You have to collect 136 documents from seven ministries and pay $10,000 in bribes in order to buy a licence that costs 780 hryvnia,” Kovach says.

Yet they believe the future of Ukraine’s winemaking is with small manufacturers.

“Wine with real flair, something true and powerful, can only be created in small family wineries,” Nad says.

“This is where the person invests as much as possible—both his labour and his soul.” AFP 2017, after inflation and peso-dollar exchange adjustments, electricity prices actually decreased to P7.93/ kwh. Generation or supply charges and distribution charges—the two main components—in fact went down.

But consumers’ total amount due remains high due to a combination of so many charges: value added taxes in all bill components, including a reimposition of VAT on transmission on top of NGCP’s national franchise tax, excise tax on coal, Universal Charges, and Feed in Tariff Allowance to subsidize renewable energy projects.

Two of the items are due to the recently imposed Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law. All these pile up and are passed on to the consumer, who ultimately bears the brunt of a policy hardly scrutinized.

Considering the ripple effect of electricity rates, this might affect the envisioned benefits of the upcoming so-called golden age of infrastructure.

This doesn’t even take into considering the macro dimension—if the Philippine economy is indeed poised for takeoff, it can ill afford any disruption. An energy crisis will be disastrous for all industries, with repercussions to millions of consumers. Furthermore, with the initial effects of TRAIN and inflation pushing commodity prices higher than expected, Filipinos will get pissed if more taxes further drain their already thin wallets.

If this isn’t enough motivation to immediately address the dire power situation signaled by the too-early yellow alert, we don’t know what else will.

A5

Turkish female-only news site fights ‘terror propaganda’ ban

Ukraine revamps its wine culture after losing Crimea vines

By Olga Shylenko

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018

By Mahmut Bozarslan A NEWS website in the Kurdishmajority Turkish city of Diyarbakir, staffed only by women, has been repeatedly shut down by the authorities over alleged terror propaganda but it is refusing to give up the fight to publish.

Jin News Agency, from the Kurdish word for woman “Jin,” focuses on Kurdish and women’s issues and publishes in Kurdish, Turkish, Arabic and English.

Written for women, it is run by a female-only team from the accountant to the photographer, and editors to camerawomen.

The agency, set up in 2012, has come under pressure from the Turkish authorities who have closed it twice and shut off access to the agency seven times.

Turkish authorities accuse the agency of making “terror propaganda” for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which has waged an insurgency against Turkey since 1984.

The PKK is proscribed as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies and since the breakdown of a ceasefire in 2015 Turkey has launched a relentless crackdown against the group.

The crackdown has been wide, with media seen as sympathetic to the PKK finding themselves in the crosshairs of the authorities.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has argued there is no difference between a “terrorist holding a gun or a bomb or those who use their pen to serve their aims.”

Turkey stepped up the campaign after the failed July 2016 coup attempt, with dozens of media outlets accused of links to putschists and the PKK closed down.

‘What else can we do’ There are currently six legal cases against Jin News Agency accusing it of “terror propaganda”.

Its website is blocked in Turkey.

The agency rejects the accusations and says that the issue is one of press freedom.

It is continuing to publish news but the articles can only be read on social media and accessible via Virtual Private Networks.

Camerawoman Beritan Elyakut, based in Diyarbakir and working for the agency for five years, complained the website was unable to “reach the outside world”.

“What else can we do?” she added as she filmed a story ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, saying the website used six different domain names “but closures continued uninterrupted”.

The latest website domain, jinnews7. com, was blocked in Turkey on February 22 after AFP spoke to Elyakut.

The website, funded by subsriptions, tackles topics that are off limits for

Turkish media, including the fate of Abdullah Ocalan the PKK leader jailed for life by Turkey for terror offences.

It has offered its critical take on Turkey’s offensive against Kurdish militia in Syria and has also written about the disappearance in Iraq last year of two Turkish agents.

Critics say that the government has widened the definition of “terror propaganda” to an absurd width. But officials insist the measures are needed with the country fighting multiple terror groups.

‘Women are persecuted’ After the the news site was shut down the first time, the women journalists renamed the agency “Sujin” meaning “packing needle” in Kurdish.

But in August 2017, Sujin was shut down by another emergency decree and they then renamed themselves Jin News.

While it once had 60 journalists in text, photo and video working for the agency across the country including Istanbul, Ankara and the Aegean city of Izmir, this has now fallen to 25. Eight women work in the Diyarbakir office but most work from home.

“Women are persecuted, and as a women’s news agency we must show this,” said Safiye Alagas, a photographer who has been working with the agency for six years, adding that it had “become a target” as a result. AFP

Off the hook for mass murder, Khmer Rouge cadre turns to God

By Suy Se and Sally Mairs BREAKING into a broad smile, former Khmer Rouge cadre Im Chaem describes the relief she has felt since her baptism —part of a new spiritual journey for the 75-year-old after she dodged charges of crimes against humanity.

“My mind is fresh and open with blessings from God,” the frail but sharptongued grandmother told AFP from her stilted wooden home in a village outside Anlong Veng, the dusty Cambodian border town where the Khmer Rouge fought their last battles.

From radical communism to Buddhism and now Christianity, Im Chaem’s latest conversion marks another twist in a tumultuous life.

She was until recently facing charges of murder, enslavement, imprisonment and other “inhumane acts” linked to her time as a district official for the Khmer Rouge, a Maoist movement that brutally persecuted the religious and the educated in pursuit of an agrarian “utopia” in the late 1970s.

But the case was unceremoniously dropped by a UN-backed court last year, renewing criticism of government efforts to block further prosecutions against former regime members who still populate every rung of society.

In an unlikely turn, Im Chaem’s conversion this January was the work of a man who says he toiled in one of the forced labour camps she oversaw.

The pastor, Christopher LaPel, survived the gruelling ordeal and eventually escaped the regime that killed nearly a quarter of Cambodia’s population between 1975-79— including his parents and siblings.

Four decades later on a missionary trip in his Buddhist-majority homeland, LaPel saw Im Chaem’s name in the news.

“In my heart I felt that I would like to meet her,” US-based LaPel told AFP

Letting go...

From A4

excuse; it was an indefinite leave, the Court defined clearly.

What then, and how then, should the chief magistrate decide her own fate?

She could, as she persists on saying, not resign, and leave her fate to the senators in trial. She keeps stating that none of the accusations leveled against her are grounds for impeachment under the present Constitution.

Perhaps so, but while her predecessor in office had most if not the entire judiciary rooting for him, her constituency has been eerily silent. Even Court employees do not sympathize with her plight. And the recent action of her peers in the Court has stated in no uncertain terms that they have lost

Did Lozano...

by phone. “I just wanted to tell her that Jesus loves her and I love her too.”

LaPel, who has worked with other ex-Khmer Rouge converts, visited his former oppressor several times last year, bringing small gifts and holding prayer sessions.

Im Chaem says she embraced the new faith after seeing how it cured her son of a chronic illness.

Since then she has held Sunday services in an abandoned rice mill next to her home, fitted with red plastic chairs for pews, a wooden lectern and Khmer-language bibles.

40,000 deaths The septuagenarian, who enjoys gardening and spends mornings picking cashew nuts in a plot behind her house, also feels redeemed by the dismissal of her mass murder case.

Like many former cadres, Im Chaem fled to the jungle after the fall of the Khmer Rouge in 1979 and later settled in Anlong Veng, the movement’s last stronghold.

After the area was brought under government control in 1998, she resumed her political career, serving as a local official for premier Hun Sen’s party.

But her past was publicly unearthed in 2015 when the UN-backed tribunal charged her in absentia with crimes against humanity for alleged atrocities at a prison and worksite she oversaw as secretary of Preah Netr Preah district.

A prosecution document said some 40,000 people died from executions, starvation and overwork at the largest prison, Phnom Trayoung, between 1977 and 1979.

In a heavily redacted report explaining the case’s dismissal, judges questioned that figure but noted Im Chaem, who was deployed to the region to “purge” traitors, had authority over the prison and other security centres and labour camps.

They ruled to drop the charges because she was not one of regime’s most “senior” or “most responsible” leaders. An appeal is now pending.

‘I am still gold’ The Phnom Penh-based tribunal, which combines elements of Cambodian and international law and includes local and foreign judges, opened in 2006 with a remit to try top Khmer Rouge cadres.

But it has been plagued by controversy from the start.

More than a decade later, the court has only convicted three men, with several defendants dying before they could be brought to justice.

Efforts to reach further down the ladder have been openly opposed by strongman Hun Sen—a Khmer Rouge commander before he defected—who has warned that additional prosecutions could ignite fresh unrest.

For Youk Chhang, a Khmer Rouge victim who has devoted his life to documenting that dark chapter of history, the court’s dismissal was disappointing.

“Of course there are different levels of [responsibility], but they were all part of the system responsible for the deaths of two million of the population,” he said.

Judges said the decision to drop Im Chaem’s case was a matter of jurisdiction and did not exonerate her of any crimes. They admitted the court’s limited purview created an “impunity gap” for lower-level perpetrators.

Yet Im Cheam has taken the ruling as vindication.

She still defends her former bosses, insisting she believes they were unaware of abuses carried out on the ground.

She added that the charges against her were also “not true” but had not sullied her spirit.

“If I am gold, even if you pull me into a muddy pit, I am still gold,” she explained, adding that she was ready to forgive her accusers and move on. AFP

confidence in her leadership, that they in fact question her moral ascendancy to lead, thus stripping her effectively of the more important element of moral authority. All she stands by now is her “legal” authority.

Is she hoping that the Senate will pronounce her guiltless “beyond reasonable doubt”? In the case of Corona, Malacanang as it had been proven also beyond reasonable doubt, had to influence the senator-judges beyond suasion and via the infamous DAP, to get the required numbers.

Or will the Senate, seeing how impaired her ascendancy over the Court has become irredeemably crippled, decide for the more “political” reason, this time perhaps more noble?

Or, is Sereno hoping to cut a deal with the senator-judges? Pronounce her innocent, and then in an act of

“redemption,” resign? This kind of horse-trading, obviously possible behind closed doors, will always be publicly known, just as “transparent” as many “executive” sessions have become. Not even those who she deems “friends” among the senators will likely conscript themselves to this kind of show.

After what her peers had done to her, Maria Lourdes Aranal Sereno may have no other option left but to let go.

The Senate trial has now become irrelevant to her peers. They have decided, rightly or wrongly, whether for the lofty aim of preserving the majesty of the Court or repairing the institutional damage, or because of personal spite. They would rather be led by someone else.

The unkindest cut had already been inflicted. Judgment by the Senate would not only be anti-climax. It would be nothing more than spade of sod.

and leave the working out of practical consequences and its effects on persons and personalities to those who make From A4 it their business to take upon themselves the travails of impeachable official is an justiciable question that the others, for a fee! courts may lawfully pass upon. And that is the joy as well as the excitement of legal theory. One does not have to be rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph an advocate for anyone. One has merely to raise and to rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph wrestle with a knotty question of law and jurisprudence— rannie_aquino@outlook.com

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News

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

No sacred cows in Boracay cleanup—Villar

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

S

ENATOR Cynthia Villar, chairman of the Senate environment committee, yesterday assured the public there will be no sacred cows in the plan to demolish establishments in Boracay Island which were found to have violated environmental laws.

“That can no longer happen because the President has strict orders to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources,” Villar said in a radio interview on Sunday.

Villar earlier led an ocular inspection and a public hearing on the current condition of one of the world’s most beautiful beaches.

One of the establishments that the provincial government accused of occupying a wetland, D’Mall, said it has always complied with all government permit requirements, including securing an environmental compliance certificate from the DENR Region VI in November 2014.

“Aside from that, D’Mall has always complied with solid waste management regulations including daily garbage segregation and has been connected to the island sewer system since day one. D’Mall has also provided a drainage system throughout its complex, and more than a year ago started the planning and construction of an STP [sewerage treatment plant], which will be operational soon and will enhance its waste management and environmental protection,” it said in a statement on Sunday.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered the DENR, as well as the interior and tourism departments, to solve Boracay’s environmental problems as he threatened to close the resort island if these agencies fail to clean the tourist hot spot within 60 days.

Villar reiterated her appeal to Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu that instead of shutting down the entire island, only establishments with violations would be closed during the planned 60-day reha-

bilitation period.

The two-month plan will be presented to President Rodrigo Duterte in a Cabinet meeting today (Monday).

“How can we implement compliance when establishments which were compliant will also be closed? So we requested that only those that are non-compliant will be closed until they comply with the regulations,” she said.

For her part, Senator Loren Legarda said the main problem in Boracay Island is the weak enforcement of environmental laws.

“If we simply comply with environmental laws, especially the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and the Ecological Solid Waste Management [ESWM] Law, we would not have to be here,” Legarda said.

“We are all in this together. The problem in Boracay is also the problem of many eco-tourism areas and other communities in the country, which is why the government must strictly enforce environmental laws, while residents and business establishments should also comply with our laws,” added Legarda, who is the vice chairperson of the Senate environment committee.

The senator said the island must have sewerage and septage systems as she cited figures from the DENR that around 17.5 million liters of wastewater is generated in Boracay island every day and only about half of which is treated properly, while the other half is discharged untreated.

About 30 to 40 percent of the untreated wastewater comes from private homes, and the rest from business establishments, Legarda said.

NLRC to implement automated tracking system for all cases THE National Labor Relations Commission will set up an automated tracking system of all the cases from filing to execution, including its status on a real-time basis, providing public access on the status of cases, and status or execution.

NLRC chairman Gerardo Nograles said the innovation aims to provide accessible platforms for the public to avail all services of the commission for their convenience.

“Our goal is always to bring NLRC closer to the people,” he said.

Nograles said they have partnered with Asiagate Networks Inc. in setting up a comprehensive system for the filing of Request for Assistance and case tracking for execution or release of judgment award in labor dispute resolutions.

The system will enable workers and employers to file a personal or online RFA and complaint and track its status for execution or release of judgment award. Records may also be easily tracked in cases where the same are already in archives and/or for disposal.

The system will enhance, improve

and integrate the existing case tracking system and other disparate systems, making it possible for NLRC to provide a more clear and transparent flow of labor cases.

It will also install a comprehensive and complete online system for the case and performance monitoring including case profiles and statistics of cases.

A comprehensive database of all cases filed in the Single-Entry Approach will also be provided to Regional Arbitration Branches for compulsory arbitration of original cases, as well as to the Commission Proper. This will address the resolution of appealed cases, execution of final judgment, release of judgment award, and archiving and disposal of case records, with the facility of retrieval of related information.

The e-Case Tracking system is also expected to speed up the resolution of cases monitoring and strict observance of time limits in the conduct of case events, from filing to disposition, execution to release of judgment award, and archiving to the disposal of records. PNA

SIZZLING HOT. Pedestrians shield themselves from the scorching sun as rising temperature is felt around the metropolis even as summer has yet to start. Ey Acasio

Congress orders DENR to submit Tadeco report

By Rio N. Araja TWO House committees have directed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to submit a report on the land survey of the Tagum Agricultural Development Corp. banana plantation on or before March 16.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, chairperson of the House committee on public accountability, urged DENR’s Region XI director Ruth Tawantawan to coordinate with Ruben Tacugue, former municipal engineer of Panabo, for the land survey at Davao Penal Colony and its surrounding lands to determine the scope of banana plantation and end the restricted access of the residents in several areas.

“May we direct you to coordinate with engineer Tacugue on the said undertak-

ing and submit to the committees on good government and public accountability and on justice of the House of Representatives on or before March 16, 2018 a report on the survey thus conducted and all documents obtained from such undertaking,” he said.

At the same time, Pimentel reminded engineer Noel Basañes, officer-in-charge of Davao del Norte’s district engineering office of the Department of Public Works and Highways, to comply with their directive to submit “an inventory of these public roads and infrastructure projects.”

Tacugue earlier said the land survey was a welcome development to guarantee the access in areas that were allegedly barred from the public by security personnel of Tadeco.

The former municipal engineer made the disclosue during a previous House

hearing in connection with the allegedly onerous contract entered by the government, through the Bureau of Corrections, with Tadeco.

Earlier, the Sandiganbayan issued an arrest warrant against Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr. on graft charges filed against him by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez over Tadeco’s joint venture with BuCor. The anti-graft court recommended bail of P30,000.

Floirendo, however, insisted that the agreement was valid.

“All things considered, the filing of the case will reveal that the more than three-decades-old Bucor-Tadeco deal, which benefits thousands of inmates and their families and has provided livelihood to thousands of residents and workers, is valid and legal,” Floirendo said.

Aguirre seeks DBM, CoA help on Immigration funds JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has sought the help of the Department of Budget and Management and the Commission on Audit in the creation of a technical working group to draft the guidelines for the release of funds meant to augment the salaries and overtime pay of Bureau of Immigration employees.

Aguirre said he signed a letter on March 1 addressed to Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno and CoA

chairperson Michael Aguinaldo who were invited to form the TWG by March 13.

“The guidelines to be drafted by the TWG will pave the way for the release of the funds,” Aguirre said.

He said the creation of the TWG was in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s veto message on the fund allocation in the 2018 General Appropriations Act. “I will allow the establishment of a trust fund to be constituted from the

express lane fees and charges collected by the BI for the payment of salaries and overtime to employees of the BI … subject to such guidelines as the Secretary of Justice, the Secretary of Budget and Management, and the Commission on Audit may promulgate,” the President said in his veto message.

Aguirre asked BI employees to be more patient as the government resolves outstanding issues on their salary hike. PNA

Angara wants Healthy Nanay and Bulilit Act passed

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS. Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos cites her father’s naturalization decree for Filipino Chinese entrepreneurs’ success during the opening of the Destileria Limtuaco Wine Museum at Intramuros, Manila on Feb. 26. ‘The naturalization of the Chinese immigrants] changed the color of our economy. Certainly, the landscape that ensued has shown what truly vibrant and dynamic Filipino entrepreneurship can result in,’Marcos said.

AS THE country marks National Women’s Month, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara urged his colleagues to pass a bill that aims to improve the health and nutrition of mothers and children, reduce malnutrition, and end hunger.

Senate Bill 1537 or the Healthy Nanay and Bulilit Act, also known as the First 1,000 Days Act, seeks to scale up nutrition intervention programs in the first 1,000 days of life, which covers the nine months of pregnancy and a child’s first two years.

“It’s about time that we fully take care of them like what a mother is giving to her child,” stressed Angara, principal author of the bill.

In 2015, the World Health Organization reported that every day, about 800 women die around the world due to complications of pregnancy and childbirth. These deaths could have been prevented, WHO said. The same study showed a big gap in maternal and neonatal mortality between rich and poor households.

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MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Rockets nail 15 straight win L th

OS ANGELES— James Harden scored 26 points and Eric Gordon scored 29 off the bench as the Houston Rockets stretched their winning streak to a season-high 15 games with a 123-120 win over the Boston Celtics.

Chris Paul of the Houston Rockets handles the ball against the Utah Jazz of the Utah Jazz of the Houston Rockets at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. AFP

San Beda, EAC, Arellano rule NCAA spikefest THE first time is always the sweetest.

San Beda University, Emilio Aguinaldo College and Arellano University came through with performances to remember to clinch their very first titles in their respective divisions in the 93rd NCAA beach volleyball tournament at the Boardwalk in Subic Bay, Zambales Saturday.

Twice runners-up, twins Maria Jeziela and Maria Nieza Viray ended two years of frustration as they beat EAC’s Jaylene May Lumbo and Glyka Mariz Medina, 21-17, 21-10, to sweep their way to their first-ever crown.

The Virays, who lost to San Sebastian’s Grethcel Soltones and Alyssa

Eroa in the last two finals, completed their magical season with a perfect 11-0 record in the event backed by Chigo Airconditioning, MTC & Infoworks, Crab & Belly, SBHATSVB, Subic Park Hotel, Bayfront Hotel, Terrace Hotel, SBMA, Balipure, Mikasa and Smart and sanctioned ng Larong Volleyball ng Pilipinas Inc. “We’re so ecstatic because after two years of losing in the finals, we finally won it,” said Maria Jeziela, the adjudged MVP who like her sister is taking up Bachelor of Physical Education and Wellness.

EAC’s Paolo Cezar Lim and Joshua Mina edged Perpetual Help’s Joebert

Almodiel and Rey Taneo with a comefrom-behind 17-21, 21-17, 15-13 win to likewise book their first men’s crown.

The Lim-Mina tandem also wound up with a pristine 11-0 slate.

Mina was named MVP. AU for its part bucked a broken finger

by Adrian Villados as Jesus Valdez and reserve Zachary Dablo, 21-16, 21-18 to also take home its first championship in the high school division.

With AU up by a set and 14-13 in the second, Villados, the MVP, broke his right pinkie finger and was rushed to the nearby hospital but Dablo, his replacement, and Valdez held the fort to preserve the win and the crown.

Houston’s winning streak ties the second-longest in franchise history which was achieved two times during the Hakeem Olajuwon-era in the 1990s.

“We’re on a wave right now. We’ve got 20 games left we’ve got to take it one at a time and try to have fun with it,” said Harden after Saturday’s victory.

The Rockets best run of success alltime was a 22-game win streak during the 2007-08 NBA season.

It’s their second long winning streak of this season after Houston won 14 in a row beginning in November and stretching into December.

Marcus Morris had 21 points off the bench for the visiting Celtics, who had won four consecutive games since the all-star break.

Houston’s Gordon made one of two free throws to make it 123-120 with 2.3 seconds remaining.

Boston tried to answer but Marcus Smart’s three-point heave bounced off the rim at the buzzer to give Houston the victory.

“He almost made a lucky shot,” Harden said of Smart’s desperate attempt. “That’s a very good team over there. We just wanted to compete at a high level.

“Early on in the game they were hot, they made so many threes. We just had to compete, keep fighting for four quarters and we got a win.”

Harden said the their attention to defence was the difference maker.

“In the first half they were getting a lot of easy looks, they made us scramble defensively. The second half we picked it up a little more,” he said.

Elsewhere, Gary Harris scored 32 points, Will Barton added 23 and the Denver Nuggets did most of their damage behind the three-point line in a 126-117 win over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. AFP

Young GenSan Aquino turns back hands of time, lifts Kuyas boxer hogs CdO spotlight

By Peter Atencio MACASANDIG, Cagayan de Oro City—Promising General Santos City teener Rhohan de la Peña knocked out his rival, Jeesly Batiancila of Polomolok in one of the day’s sensational fights last Saturday at the Macasandig gym here.

A right hook to the jaw saw Batiancila reeling down on the floor towards the end of the first round of the junior boys’ flyweight division (50 kg) action of the 2018 Philippine Sports Commission-Pacquiao Amateur Boxing Championship’s Mindanao semifinals.

Enduring the scorching afternoon weather, De la Peña earned his place in the Mindanao finals tentatively set for May 5 in Davao City, along with 20 others.

The 16-year-old De la Peña felt he was a goner after he began retreating from his rival’s attacks.

“Ako ang dehado. Kasi ako ang umaatras at siya, sugod nang sugod. Kaya ang ginawa ko, nilakasan ko na lang ang isa kong suntok,” said De la Peña.

The 10th grader from Dadiangas North High School reached the 50kg finals with Cagayan de Oro’s John Palivinio, who prevailed over Digos bet Jester Dapidran in 1:33 of the third round via a referee stopped contest.

Eight homegrown talents from Cagayan de Oro City joined De la Peña in advancing to the finals.

Jessa Caranagan scored a win on points’ verdict over Malungon fighter Chein Sevelleno in the junior boys’ pinweight side, while Peter John Payla (44-46 kg) beat Gensan’s Gabriel de la Pena via a split decision and Mark Leter Durens got past Davao’s Reymond Albupera via RSC-injury in 52 seconds of the second round.

Also in the Mindanao finals are Kim Bryan Cabrillos (junior boys’ light bantamweight), Dave Bryan Caspe (junior boys’ bantamweight) and Elaide Pamisa (youth girls’ light flyweight), John Ignatius Macas (youth boys’ flyweight) and John Paul Panuayan (youth boys’ lightweight). AFP

IMUS – Former Ginebra star Marlou Aquino put on a vintage performance to help Bulacan end Batangas City’s sixgame winning streak with an 80-72 win Saturday night in the Anta-Rajah Cup at the Imus Sports Complex here.

In his finest game so far, the 6’9” Aquino, 45, produced eight points, four rebounds, two assists and a block as the Kuyas improved to 4-3.

Aquino’s performance earned raves from coach Chris Baluyot and Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes.

Games Tomorrow

(Bataan People’s Center) 7 p.m. – Valenzuela vs Muntinlupa 9 p.m. – Bataan vs Parañaque

“Kalabaw lang ang tumatanda,” said Baluyot. “Usually, nag-iensayo ‘yan, three days before or four days before.

Pero ngayon, tyinaga niya, nagsabi siya sa akin na gusto niyang makatulong sa team.”

“Galing pa yan sa isang exhibition game sa South Cotabato,” added Duremdes.

Also shining for the Kuyas was Jovit dela Cruz, who delivered the telling blows in the crunch. He drilled in six of his 14 points in the last two minutes to help the Kuyas repel Batangas’ rally.

Meantime, Orly Daroya hit a buzzerbeating triple to lift Imus Bandera-GLC Truck and Equipment to a come-frombehind 70-67 triumph over a tough Navotas Clutch-Big J Sports

Bong Tan

Tanduay U18 volleyball set THE Philippine Volleyball FederationTanduay Athletics Inter-School Under 18 Beach Volleyball Championships fired off Sunday at the twin courts of the Cantada Sports Center in Taguig City.

Squaring off against each other are National University, Recto Memorial High School, Calayan Educational Foundation (Quezon) and Colegio San Agustin. Teams from Batangas, Cavite, Mandaluyong and Bataan are also competing.

In the girls’ division, favorite Rizal Technological University is expected to face a strong challenge from Bataan National High School and teams from Quezon, Laguna, Cavite and Parañaque.

The event, limited to players born not earlier than March 5, 2000, is supported by sportsman Lucio “Bong” Tan, Jr. and Tanduay Athletics.

There are no entry fees. Complimentary meals and drinks will be served to all participants, officials and invited guests.

Contrasting wins for Flight, Rise in LGR tilt

FLIGHT and Team Rise pulled off contrasting wins to make a good impression in their respective divisions of the LGR Hoops Season 5 at the Cloverleaf Gym. Mark Chan finished with 24 points on top of six rebounds and a block to typify Flight’s dominance over Kingsmen, 80-67, in the Neophyte C division.

But Chan’s effort was overshadowed by Justine delos Reyes, who had a monster game, coming away with a double-double performance in powering Team Rise to a 74-59 triumph over the Tigers.

Delos Reyes knocked in 30 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in an MVP-type performance in the Novice A category of this event supported by Titan, Zarks Burger, NBA Store, BTV, Gatorade, Petron Blaze 100, Rain or Shine, Gold’s Gym, Bugsy’s and Kartilya.

Over at the North Greenhills Gym, Team Buckets outplayed Ayers Gym, 96-73, behind Matthew Sambrito’s double-double performance.

Sambrito finished with 14 points and 11 boards while also contributing five assists, three blocks and a steal as his overall performance was enough to rub off on the rest of the squad in winning the Novice C encounter.

In the Neophyte D category, Team DX nipped CKBL, 66-61, with Ralph Caballero leading the way with with 16 points and six rebounds to lead his team to victory.

Wilder goes 40-0

GOLF CHAMP. Miguel Tabuena (left) holds the replica of a Solaire Resort and Casino chip, symbolic of his victory in the 100th Solaire Philippine Open which he ruled via playoff over Thai Prom Meesawat at The Country Club last Saturday. With him is SRC president and CEO Thomas Arasi.

LOS ANGELES --American Deontay Wilder recovered from a seventh-round scare to retain his World Boxing Council heavyweight title on Saturday and keep intact his record of knocking out every opponent he has faced.

Wilder knocked down Cuba’s Luis Ortiz three times in the fight, finishing off the previously unbeaten challenger with a right uppercut as the referee stopped the fight with 55 seconds left in the 10th round.

The 32-year-old Wilder improved to 40-0 with 39 knockouts as he made the seventh defense of his heavyweight title.

Wilder knocked Ortiz down in the fifth and twice in the final round but Ortiz made him work for the victory at Barclays Center arena in New York. AFP

Vermosa hosts 300 multi-sport athletes in duathlon meet

LOTTO RESULTS

VERMOSA, the scenic suburban community in Imus, Cavite, will host 300 aspiring and veteran multi-sport athletes competing in the first-ever Vermosa Aquathlon on March 11.

Expect the Vermosa Aquathlon, organized by Bike King Philippines, to be a race that combines healthy and spirited competition in a family-friendly environment.

On March 11, participants as young as 7 years old to 50 and over will take on age-appropriate race distances. They

get exclusive, first use of the Vermosa Sports & Lifestyle Complex’s brand new Olympic-size swimming pool and its modern track oval, to be opened to the public on March 17.

The longest course is a 500-meter swim and 5-km run for standard distance and relay participants, while the shortest course is a 100-meter swim, followed by a 500-meter run for kids aged 7 to 10.

The event is also sponsored by TIMEX, Oh So Healthy, Robinsons Supermarket, Gardenia, ProHealth Sports and Spinal,

Nescafe Dolce Gusto and hydration partner Gatorade.

Medals and gift packs will be awarded to the finishers of each age-group category.

Participants and their supporters can check out a mini-Expo on the sidelines of the Vermosa running oval during the race for discounts on sports and active lifestyle items and delicious food from our sponsors SPEEDO, TYR, Amanzi, Light ‘N Up Marketing, Wicked Active Gear, The Cheese Cart, and Aquasphere.

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

P0 M+ P0 M

Sports

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

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MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018

Oranza grabs solo Ronda lead PAGUDPUD, Ilocos Norte—Ronald Oranza of Navy-Standard Insurance claimed his second lap triumph and watched teammate and reigning backto-back champion Jan Paul Morales falter under the pressure of the heavy guarding put up by his rivals in the Ronda Pilipinas 2018 presented by LBC. Riding the crest of his Stage 1 triumph in the Vigan criterium the day before, Oranza, 25, didn’t waste time and went with the breakaway group early before making his move in the final three kms to rule the 155.4km Vigan-Pagudpud Stage 2 in three hours and 34.13 minutes.

It was what Oranza needed to grab the solo lead from Morales of this race, presented by LBC and supported by MVP Sports Foundation, Filinvest, CCN, Petron, Versa.ph, 3Q Sports Event Management, Inc., Boy Kanin, Franzia, Standard Insurance, Bike Xtreme, SH+, Guerciotti, Prolite, Green Planet, Maynilad, NLEX Cycling, Lightwater, LBC Foundation and PhilCycling, and staking P1 million to the champion.

“It’s too early, but I’m glad to be up there,” said Oranza, a Villasis, Pangasinan native, who is back after skipping last year’s edition to focus on national team duties.

Navy’s Rudy Roque, CCN Superteam’s Sherwin Carrera and Go for Gold’s George Oconer checked in at second, third and fourth, respectively, with the same clocking as Oranza.

Oranza now has an aggregate time of 4:45:14 and will wear the LBC red jersey in today’s 223.5km Pagudpud-Tuguegarao Stage Three, the longest stage in this 12-stage cycling race considered the biggest in the country today.

Oconer, the biggest stumbling block in Morales’ three-peat feat bid, moved from third to second overall with 4:46:02, or just 48 seconds off the pace.

Ronald Oranza of Navy-Standard Insurance claims his second lap triumph and the solo lead in the Ronda Pilipinas 2018.

PSC hikes PH athletes’ allowances

By Peter Atencio

BY April, the Philippines will be at par with Malaysia in terms of allowances that it allocates to national athletes.

The Philippine Sports Commission will implement a new scheme that will see elite athletes under the “platinum” program get a monthly stipend of as much as P43,000.

For now, the full implementation has been put on hold until board members of the PSC resolves the amount it plans to give to non-medallists and former medallists.

“We will wait and see in April,” said deputy executive director Rachel Dumuk.

Currently, former medallists and non-medallists get P12,800 and P10,000 from the PSC. And if this is reduced, they will only get around P6,000.

“In our research, what the world champions and the Olympic gold medallists will get is even higher than what Malaysia gives to their athletes,” added Dumuk.

World champion billiards’ player Carlo Biado and bowler Krizzia Tabora were selected among the eight athletes, who will receive bigger allowances under the “platinum” classification from the PSC starting this year.

Their allowance will be P43,000, which is P3,000 higher than what Malaysian elite athletes are now getting.

Members of Canlubang gives team captain Luigi Yulo a victory ride after the team won the 32nd PAL Seniors’ Interclub (Championship Division) at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club. They are (from left) Dave Hernandez, Jun Bernis, Rolly Viray, Jomarie Limjap (President-NOGCC), Boyet Saragoza, Yulo, Damasus Wong, Jose Mari Hechanova, Abe Rosal, Abe Abena and Zaldy Villa.

Canlubang wins 10 PAL Seniors’ golf crown th

B

ACOLOD CITY – For Mike.

Canlubang cemented its dominance in the Philippine Airlines Seniors Interclub by winning its 10th title in 12 years Sunday and offered it to a team member who passed away last December.

“This is for Mike,” said Canlubang captain Luigi Yulo, referring to Miguel Preysler, a former national player based in Spain.

After a forgettable performance last year in Davao, Preysler vowed to return, but nine months following his return to Spain, he died of stomach cancer.

“We didn’t know about his condition, but it was uncharacteristic of him to play badly,” said Yulo, referring to the 37 points Presyler made in the first round at Mt. Apo. Canlubang rode on Abe Rosal’s 50 points to beat Luisita by eight points.

Rosal was even par through 16 holes before picking up on the 17th and settling for bogey on the 18th off the greenside bunkers.

The Sugar Barons also drew 46 from Zaldy Villa and the 44 from either Rolly Viray or Damasus Wong to return with 140 and 573 overall.

Seven points behind before the start of the round, Luisita failed to mount a rally and virtually threw in the towel as early as the 12th hole.

As the players walked to the tee mound of the 13th hole, Luisita skipper Jeric Hechanova walked over to Yulo to offer his hand in congratulation.

“Their young players are the ones who came through,” said Hechanova, referring to Abe and Pem Rosal, Wong and Villa.

“We will rise from this defeat and try to win it back next year.”

Eddie Bagtas, who fired 52 points at Binitin in the second round, struggled

with 44 points.

Benjie Sumulong was Luisita’s top scorer with 50 followed by Rodel Mangulabnan with 45.

Del Monte outscored both Canlubang and Luisita in the final round with 148 points, but still settled for third with 549.

Yoyong Velez shot the day’s best score of 52 to win the individual crown. Del Monte also collected a pair of 48s from Raul Minoza and Arnido Callo.

Since winning its first crown in 2006, Canlubang has lost only twice, a testament to its pool of talents and experienced coaching staff.

“We thought that Luisita made a poor decision sitting out Bagtas in the third round,” said Yulo. “He should have played at Binitin.”

The Interclub’s Platinum sponsors this year are Primax Broadcasting, RMN and Fox, while major sponsors are BusinessWorld Publishing, Rolls Royce, TV5, Philippine Standard.

Other sponsors include Boeing, Under Armour, Eton Properties and Asia Brewery.

Mandrake edges Centennial III for regatta title SUBIC BAY—Champion boat Centennial III, skippered by Judes Echauz, prevailed in the lone race of the IRC Racing Class I in the inaugural Subic Bay around Verde Island Passage Race and swept all of the six races of the Subic Bay Cup Regatta over the weekend here.

In the combined seven races, however, Hong Kong’s GTS 43 Mandrake III, helmed by Fred Kinmonth and Nick Burns, edged Centennial III for the championship by only 16 minutes and 18 seconds in the SBVIPR and a lone point in the SBCR races.

Event administrator Zed Avecilla said Mandrake won the overall title this year despite losing the SBVIP race to Centennial III. Avecilla said the combined and SBCR trophy was awarded to Man-

drake III after it accumulated a total of 6 points for both events (5 points in the inshore race and 1 point in the offshore race), winning by only a point against Echauz’s Centennial.

He explained that Centennial III garnered five points in the inshore race and scored two points in the offshore race.

On the other hand, Mandrake III won the SBVIPR by 16 minutes and 18 seconds in corrected time over Centennial, giving him a one-point lead.

“As the week progressed, it was difficult to recall that this series was a replacement to the Subic Boracay Race and Cup. As they say in the classics ‘The Show Must Go On’ and it did. Hopefully, all the inconvenience has been resolved and by next year the Boracay event will return,”

said Avecilla.

“The Organizing and Race Committees must be commended for making quick decisions to reschedule and run the event in Subic Bay,” said Captain Martins Rijkuris, Director of Asian Yachting Grand Prix.

The Philippine Sailing Association team, skippered by Emerson Villena, captured the title in the inaugural FarEast 28R competitions of the SBRC in this freeport zone.

“The Far East 28R one design class is not only an excellent opportunity for our Filipino sailors to compete with the best in sailors in the around Asia but also for international teams to visit Subic Bay, as the 2019 SEA Games will be held here and the keelboat onedesign racing is expected to make a return,” Avecilla said.

The fleet of participants, headed by Centennial III (left) in action during the inaugural Subic Bay around Verde Island Passage Race.

Quarterfinal PBA games begin today

By Jeric Lopez THE fireworks begin as the quarterfinals of the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup get underway with two explosive matchups right off the bat.

No. 3 Alaska starts its clash with No. 6 NLEX at 4:30 p.m., even as No. 4 Barangay Ginebra and No. 5 Rain or Shine do the same today at 7 p.m. as the two best-of-three series begin at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

While that part of the quarters is all set, the cast is still not yet complete.

As of this report, Phoenix and TNT KaTropa are figuring in a playoff to see, which team earns the No. 8 seed and the last seat in the quarters.

The victor of that will move on and face top seed San Miguel Beer with a twice-to-win disadvantage, while No. 2 Magnolia and No. 7 GlobalPort also have their own affair, with the Hotshots having the incentive.

After a sluggish start to their campaign, the Aces, since then, have been one of the most consistent teams coming into the post-season.

They have won seven of their last nine games entering their series against the Road Warriors, who also have seemed to regain their touch recently.

NLEX ended the elimination round winning four of its last five games to gain some steam.

When the two teams met, NLEX came out on top, 96-89.

In the other pairing, it’s been a roller-coaster campaign so far for both the Gin Kings and the Elasto Painters.

Still, they managed to crawl their way in the middle of the pack to avoid any disadvantages in the quarters.

In fact, these two actually met just last Friday in a classic triple overtime thriller in the last game of the elimination round.

Warriors seal Final Four cast

UNIVERSITY of the East completed an elimination round head-to-head sweep of National University following a 7-0 romp Saturday to bag the remaining Final Four berth in the UAAP Season 80 softball tournament at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The Lady Warriors ended up tied with the Lady Bulldogs at 7-5, and were able to claim the No. 3 ranking in the semis, while dropping the Bustillos-based softbelles at No. 4.

UE will face second-ranked University of Santo Tomas, which eliminated University of the Philippines, 6-2, in the Final Four on Thursday.

Defending champion Adamson University, which capped its elims campaign with a 10-0 rout of De La Salle, will play NU in the other semis pairing.

Finishing the elims with 10-2 and 8-4 cards, respectively, the Lady Falcons and the Tigresses need only to win once to advance in the best-ofthree championship series for the second straight season.

IN BRIEF BSP plans to add new tenor in auction THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas plans to add another tenor to its weekly auction of term deposits amid the oversubscription in the past few weeks as liquidity returned to the financial system after the holiday season, Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said over the weekend.

The term deposit facility auction under the interest rate corridor system currently has three tenors: the seven-day, 14-day and 28-day instruments. Bangko Sentral last month introduced the 14-day tenor in addition to the week-long and month-long term deposits.

“It is a process… We cannot accelerate the process without first monitoring the developments as well as the temperament of our counter parties,” Guinigundo said.

“So introducing another tenor will require, again, a return to the consultative table or consultation table with banks and asking them if it’s okay for them to make an additional tenor,” Guinigundo said, adding that what was remaining was the 21-day tenor.

He said the Bangko Sentral did not want to “surprise the market” and the addition of the 14-day tenor was based on its consultation with the banks that indicated their “strong interest” in an intermediate tenor. Julito G. Rada

SteelAsia unfazed by higher US duties THE country’s leading steel company said over the weekend a proposal by the United States to slap 25-percent duties on imported steel and 10 percent on aluminum will have no direct impact on the Philippines.

SteelAsia Manufacturing Corp., the country’s largest steel company and the largest producer of rebars in Southeast Asia, said the proposal would not impact on the Philippines’ steel trade.

“The Philippines is not a big trading partner of the US for steel. So, there will be no direct impact,” said SteelAsia president Adrian Cristobal Jr. He said indirectly, the new policy could divert commodity steel products from the US market to other markets including Asia.

US President Donald Trump said the new tariffs on steel and aluminum were aimed at China, as part of ramped up efforts to clamp down on dumping and unfair subsidies of foreign goods sold in the US. “We don’t believe there will be supply issues for construction steel as a result of the new US policy,” said Cristobal. SteelAsia supplies the country with 2 million metric tons of reinforced bars annually.

Othel V. Campos

MegaWatt to install 10-MW battery facility MEGAWATT Solutions, a subsidiary of SunAsia Energy, bagged the contract to install a 10-megawatt battery in the service area of Aklan Electric Cooperative to replace the capacity of its diesel peaking plant and provide reliable power to customers of Boracay.

MegaWatt Solutions’ first utility-scale battery energy storage project, the first in the country, intends to address Boracay Island’s fluctuating and volatile power demand.

The company expects to deliver 198 MW equivalent to 742 mWh this year to five customers including Akelco.

“Boracay’s peak is during the evening because it’s a party place. So in the morning, you charge the battery. It is a battery storage and it’s technology agnostic. This technology is American,” MegaWatt Solutions president Tetchi Capellan said.

Boracay has differentiated demand for power. Its capacity requirements are dictated by time, which means larger capacity needs to be delivered in the island when thousands of visitors arrive in Boracay during summer or at the peak season of December. Capacity, however, falls dramatically when tourists leave the island.

Akelco contracted MegaWatt Solutions to install the 10-MW battery and the partnership required the delivery of 40 megawatt-hours with half of the capacity dedicated for Boracay. Alena Mae S. Flores

Business LandBank set to spend P1.5b to purchase PDEx

By Julito G. Rada

S

TATE-owned Land Bank of the Philippines, the third-largest lender in terms of assets, will spend P1.5 billion to acquire a 66.67-percent stake in Philippine Dealing System and Holdings Corp., the operator of the bond exchange, within the next 30 days.

LandBank president and chief executive Alex Buenaventura said over the weekend the bank expected to“lock up” the deal in 30 days, which would involve the acquisition of two thirds of 6,250,000 shares in PDS. “If we buy 66.67 percent, that will be equivalent to 4,167,000 shares. If we buy at P360 per share, that will be a total buying amount of P1.5 billion.

So that is the total amount,” Buenaventura said.

He said the board during the bank’s board meeting on Feb. 27, 2018, unanimously approved the proposal to acquire 66.67 percent of the outstanding PDS shares at P360 per share payable in cash.

Buenaventura said the unanimous approval was made in support of the government’s program for financial

inclusion “Our offer of P360 per share is 12.5-percent higher than the PSE offer of only P320 per share. The acquisition by LandBank of PDS will not only serve as a potentially profitable investment of LandBank but also more importantly aligned with the government’s capital markets development program,” Buenaventura said.

He said the state-run bank had started its due diligence for the transaction and was currently in the process of securing the necessary regulatory approvals of the acquisition.

“LandBank is serious and we intend to move fast. We plan to lock this deal up in 30 days. LandBank has also engaged the Development Bank of the Philippines as the financial adviser for the transaction,” Bue-

naventura said.

He said the LandBank board decided to offer P360 per PDS share after DBP presented its valuation of shares of PDS on Feb. 27, 2018.

Buenaventura said the P1.5-billion acquisition cost of 66.67 percent of PDS would come from LandBank’s existing capital. As of end-December 2017, LandBank’s total capital reached P104.59 billion, up by 23 percent year-on-year.

The bank booked a net income in 2017 of P14.05 billion, up 4 percent from P13.58 billion in 2016 on the strength of its core businesses. LandBank is the largest provider of loans to small farmers and fishers, cooperatives and local government units.

“We will offer starting next week, so that will be March 5. April 5 will be the deadline to accept the offer,” he said.

He expressed confidence LandBank would acquire the said stakes given its more attractive offer of P360 per share compared toP320 per share bid of PSE. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III also expressed optimism that LandBank would acquire 66.67 percent of PDS.

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

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Sy, Tieng submit $12-b bid to build airport in Sangley

By Darwin G. Amojelar A GROUP led by the Sy family and businessman Wilson Tieng submitted an unsolicited proposal to the government to build a $12-billion international airport in Sangley Point, Cavite.

Sangley Airport Infrastructure Group Inc., a consortium composed of Solar Group’s AllAsia Resources and Reclamation Corp. and the Sy family’s Belle Corp., said the Philippine Sangley International Airport was envisioned to be a regional airport hub that could accommodate about 120 million passengers a year once fully developed.

The consortium proposed a concession period of 50 years.

Under the proposal, the project will start with the reclamation of about 2,500 hectares of land north of the Sangley peninsula, which will be used for the development of airport infrastructure and a commercial establishment to complement the project.

The plan also includes the development of airside and landside facilities and transportation infrastructure to service the passengers and ensure accessibility of PSIA. Another crucial portion of the PSIA development plan is the rehabilitation of Danilo Atienza Air Base, which will be later used as a general aviation airport to decongest Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals during the project development phase.

Upon inauguration, the Danilo Atienza Air Base area will be transformed into an “aerotropolis” district where service buildings, office towers, hotels, conference centers and other related developments will be established.

PEPSI’S LISTING ANNIVERSARY.

Group wants NFA to stop rice control

Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc., which trades under the stock symbol “PIP,” celebrates its 10th year as a listed company with a special bell ringing ceremony at the Philippine Stock Exchange. Leading the event are (from left) PSE chief operating officer Roel Refran, PIP independent director Rafael Alunan III, president Samudra Bhattacharya, chief executive Yongsang You, chairman and independent director Oscar Reyes, PSE chairman Jose Pardo, president and chief executive Ramon Monzon and directors Edgardo Lacson and Alejandro Yu.

THE Foundation for Economic Freedom called for the deregulation of the rice trade to avert sudden price increases because of the alleged ineffective and inefficient practice of rice importation by the National Food Authority.

“We agree with Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol and secretaries before him that there are rice traders in the market who manipulate the price whenever the market becomes vulnerable. Private rice traders start delaying the release of their stocks hoping that another week’s wait can give them a few more millions of pesos in profit, inducing a shortage for the price to start rising,” FEF said.

“When other traders learn about it, some of them follow hoping to get more profits. If the DA Secretary does not check this herding behavior quickly, a rice price spiral happens at the expense of the poor,” the group said.

It said while some groups argued that the rice economy became vulnerable to price manipulation because of the new tax reform law and could encourage rice manipulators to exploit the situation, it was not the case this year since the year started with a very low stock ratio.

The average ratio in 2017 was only 10.3 percent.

In years when the rice price is relatively stable, total NFA stocks are about 30 percent. In 2010, when the NFA warehouses were overly stocked with rice, the ratio averaged 52 percent.

NFA maintains rice stock for 30 days at the start of the three-month rice lean season of July to September, and for 15 days at any time for emergencies and natural calamities. Othel V. Campos

PT&T hires top executives for Govt receives offers from four companies to construct LNG facility telecom venture

By Alena Mae S. Flores

PHILIPPINE Telegraph and Telephone Corp. started hiring new executives to revive its operations and become a major telecom player.

PT&T said it elected James Velasquez as a member of its board of directors effective March 1 and will be the company’s president and chief executive.

Before joining PT&T, Velasquez spent nearly three decades at IBM, where he worked in various capacities and was the president and country manager of IBM Philippines.

He was responsible for the overall IBM business operations in the country and led the company to significant growth in both domestic and global offshore services.

Velasquez, a graduate of Electronics and Communications Engineering from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, is currently a senior executive for IBM Global Technology Services, Asia Pacific.

PT&T also elected Renato Garcia, an experienced leader in the telecommunications industry, as a member of its board of directors.

Velasquez and Garcia will replace Benjamin Bitanga and Gerardo de Leon as directors of PT&T, and will help guide the company to improving the Philippines’ telecommunications industry.

PT&T said Velasquez and Garcia’s election would be vital to the business strategy and future plans of the company which aimed to become the third major telecom player in the Philippines.

“We believe PT&T is in an ideal position to vie for the third telco slot given its technical expertise, solid track record and infrastructure to back it up,” Velasquez said. Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Energy Department said it received letters of interest from four companies to develop an integrated liquefied natural gas facility in the country.

Energy Assistant Secretary Leonido Pulido identified the four firms as Cleanway-Filipino and Resiro, a UK company; Tokyo Gas of Japan; local power producer First Gen Corp.; and China National Offshore Oil Corp.

“There are already four companies.

They have not submitted their formal

petition or application but there have been four preliminary conferences,” Pulido said.

The four firms already submitted letters of interests and request for preliminary conference.

“They submitted for the construction, establishment of the LNG integrated facility but excluding pipeline. Facility will be storage and regas,” the energy official said.

The interested firms will then submit a formal application after the preliminary conferences, the process of which forms

part of the Philippine Downstream Natural Gas Rules.

“We are all concerned about what to do for our power plants which rely on Malampaya gas that will be exhausted soon. In order to assure that there will be supply, the solution was to come up with PDNGR,” he said.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi signed last year Department Circular No. 2017-11-0012 which establishes the regulations “with respect to siting, design, construction, expansion, rehabilitation, modification, operation

and maintenance of the natural gas industry.”

The circular ensures compliance to policies on imported LNG from the loading to the LNG terminal, transmission and distribution system.

“Essentially, it allows rules that would determine who among several stakeholders can have the authority to put up the LNG integrated facility. Under this, our government corporations will just be one of several competitors so we can get a more efficient and good system,” Pulido said.

Firms plan to hire more in Q2, says BSP COMPANIES plan to hire more workers in the second quarter, amid the increase in demand during the dry season, a survey of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed over the weekend.

The latest Business Expectations Survey showed that the employment index for the second quarter increased to 29.9 percent from 24.7 percent in the last quarter’s survey.

“This indicates that the number of firms with hiring intentions increased relative to a quarter ago,” it said.

The percentage of businesses with expansion plans in the industry sector increased to 35.1 percent in the second quarter from 31.1 percent in the previous quarter.

It said the overall business sentiment improved in the second quarter, with the confidence index climbing to 47.8 percent from 39.7 percent in the last quarter’s survey, suggesting that economic growth could accelerate for the next quarter.

The reasons cited by respondents be-

hind their more optimistic outlook were the usual increase in demand during the dry season, enrollment and harvest periods and the anticipated higher level of household disposable income as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law took into effect.

Respondents also expect an increase in government infrastructure spending with the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program, higher tax revenues due to the Train law, expansion of businesses, new projects and investment opportunities, continued product development, new product lines and enhanced market strategies.

The survey, however, showed that the outlook of businesses on the economy turned less optimistic in the first quarter 2018 compared to a quarter ago, due to the usual slowdown in business activity after the holiday season and in part to the impact of the implementation of the Train law.

The overall business confidence index declined to 39.5 percent from 43.3 percent in the last quarter of 2017.

Julito G. Rada

PHILAM FORUM. Philam Life, in partnership with its fund management arm Philam Asset Management Inc., holds an economic forum entitled Accelerate: Fast Forward with TRAIn. The tax reform seminar featured guest speakers who gave pointers on what the lowered personal income tax, coupled with the increase in cost of goods, would mean to Filipinos financially. Shown are (first row, from left) Philam Life chief legal officer Carla Domingo, Mon Abrea, Edric Mendoza, Philam Life chief financial office Gary Ogilvie and Philam Life chief marketing officer Leo Tan. With them are (second row, from left) Pami chief executive Eric Lustre, Rex Mendoza; Philam Life chief executive Aibee Cantos, Pami head of investments Eduardo Banaag and Philam Life head of products Ten Paras.

B2

Business

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Volatile trading to remain this week

By Jenniffer B. Austria

T

RADING at the Philippine Stock Exchange is expected to remain volatile this week as investors sentiments continue to be weighed down by concerns on higher inflation and interest rates.

Online brokerage firm 2TradeAsia.com, however, said it was not worried about the possibility of inflation rate going up as the growth of the economy accelerates.

“For as long as this growth is paralleled by improved employment, there should be no cause for alarm. Our monetary officials are also there to ensure no unreasonable occurrences disrupt the system’s funds flow that could trigger runaway inflation,” the online brokerage firm said.

“For ordinary consumers/investors, it would all boil down on effective budget management and improve people’s zest to search for higher returns. And equities provide in general, a base where dividend yields may be obtained plus capital appreciation

prospects,” it added.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last week said it expects inflation rate in February to range between 4 percent and 4.8 percent from 4 percent in January.

Given the the local bourse’s current movement, analysts advised investors to carefully evaluate the the earnings prospects of companies this year.

The PSEi last week ended lower by 0.1 percent to 8,458.57 on volatile trading, while the All Shares Index was flat at 5,065.23.

Major sub-indices ended mixed, with holding firms, property and mining and oil closing in the red, while the financials, industrials and services posting weekon-week gains.

Foreign investors were net sellers by P3.9 billion, while average daily value traded stood at P8.7 billion.

Weekly top price gainers were Universal Robina Corp., which advanced 6.9 percent to P153; LBC Express Holdings Inc. which rose 6.8 percent to P15.36; and Puregold Price Club Inc., which advanced 6.5 percent to P52.20.

Weekly top price losers, meanwhile, were JG Summit Holdings Inc., which declined 10.7 percent to P64.70; LT Group Inc., which dropped 6.6 percent to P21.70; and

Ayala Land Inc., which fell 5.4 percent to P41.50.

Wall Street stocks, meanwhile, finished mostly higher Friday as bargain hunting of technology shares offset worries of a trade war after President Donald Trump vowed tariffs on imported steel and aluminum and many other goods.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished down 0.3 percent at 24,538.06, its fourth straight decline.

But the other two leading indices ended their threeday losing streaks.

The broad-based S&P 500 added 0.5 percent to end the week at 2,691.25, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index rose 1.1 percent to 7,257.87 Equity markets across Asia and Europe fell steeply following Trump’s announcement Thursday of the tariffs, which was followed Friday by a series of provocative statements on Twitter that seemed to invite a trade war.

US stocks also opened sharply lower before reversing course, with the Nasdaq gaining the most momentum as the session progressed.

“You had a pretty big downdraft yesterday for this and we still don’t know the details,” said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at Wunderlich Securities.

With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 2, 2018 Close Volume Value

FEBRUARY 19-23, 2018 Close Volume Value

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

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

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

59.35 155.00 118.20 3.48 1.58 35 8.2 15.4 28.4 3.6 8.65 0.65 1.62 900.00 0.520 98 1.65 12.7 23.90 57.10 86 104 246 47 247.2 1915.00 91.00 1.2

83,820 9,504,830 11,111,300 582,000 1,737,000 1,660,000 4,600 249,200 5,412,100 1,079,000 8,500 7,000 176,000 940 20,911,000 8,191,500 31,864,000 242,600 17,500 206,040 3,170 1,260 281,860 422,700 1,930,650 540 471,870 119,000

FINANCIAL 4,943,997.00 1,456,134,280.00 1,324,902,650.00 2,042,570.00 2,788,140.00 58,282,680.00 37,580.00 3,824,922.00 151,977,540.00 3,857,250.00 73,635.00 4,650.00 286,490.00 846,000.00 12,369,800.00 800,566,034.00 51,276,080.00 3,111,890.00 406,270.00 11,748,447.00 271,793.00 131,141.00 68,517,104.00 19,699,420.00 476,229,472.00 1,039,065.00 42,839,085.50 145,550.00

59.6 147.00 119.60 3.70 1.68 35 8.5 15.3 27 3.7 8.60 0.67 1.7 900.00 0.530 96.65 1.59 12.9 23.35 56.95 85.25 104 236.2 46.35 247.4 1930.00 90.00 1.2

32,520 13,729,020 9,750,440 361,000 3,149,000 1,229,900 7,000 223,700 4,091,700 914,000 25,300 10,000 267,000 1,650 2,775,000 14,896,300 91,398,000 127,100 33,800 360,830 790 2,660 75,970 765,900 2,103,750 405 88,790 181,000

1,917,538.50 2,085,280,464.00 1,191,828,345.00 1,341,160.00 5,457,550.00 43,918,065.00 102,306.00 3,451,544.00 110,351,375.00 3,364,140.00 221,390.00 6,680.00 439,720.00 1,506,850.00 1,477,610.00 1,454,582,418.00 156,581,760.00 1,668,218.00 826,910.00 20,704,753.00 67,365.50 274,080.00 18,049,262.00 35,501,135.00 532,371,304.00 788,450.00 8,002,399.50 217,300.00

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Basic Energy Corp.

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

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

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petroenergy Res. Corp.

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

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

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

39 12.86 0.56 1.28 19.28 0.216 108 22.95 3.74 16.2 340 51.65 53 99.9 63.9 1.89 5.245 10.4 11.540 14.18 11.14 7.88 5.75 1.8 14.48 62.15 28.00 9.90 19.2 2.190 298.00 60.00 4.55 3.15 19.80 26.7 17 21 0.188 334.40 7.98 2.72 4.90 9.16 6.28 8.00 1.55 12.80 56.7 6.2 4.85 2.93 3.4 628 2.3 15.8 5.21 0.133 1.06 153 2.74 1.9 24.00 1.62

8,011,000 6,617,100 2,409,000 2,698,000 338,300 19,110,000 1,500 459,200 20,041,000 5,809,600 4,190 3,007,590 6,350 90 401,780 846,000 144,400 142,500 7,767,600 2,832,000 5,872,600 4,190,200 9,903,400 50,000 17,815,000 1,619,270 546,800 295,200 11,344,300 26,666,000 4,106,160 13,890 6,242,000 69,000 800 6,160,800 3,257,000 15,035,100 2,570,000 1,679,800 51,000 11,772,000 2,069,000 12,785,200 3,490,300 163,500 5,460,000 5,557,900 1,048,120 213,800 6,017,000 4,990,000 131,000 111,350 39,400,000 3,881,000 1,003,500 31,240,000 802,000 5,175,870 789,000 27,459,000 2,400 71,699,000

INDUSTRIAL 310,236,360.00 85,547,366.00 1,362,100.00 3,428,370.00 6,365,046.00 4,180,510.00 162,694.00 10,709,340.00 73,303,760.00 93,667,142.00 1,196,684.00 162,549,051.00 344,850.00 8,818.00 25,608,626.50 1,607,700.00 762,419.00 1,493,978.00 88,471,104.00 39,971,354.00 67,153,126.00 32,832,171.00 56,144,660.00 89,150.00 259,403,756.00 100,433,025.50 15,634,190.00 2,937,928.00 213,859,570.00 60,275,600.00 1,212,663,926.00 749,153.50 29,768,100.00 211,170.00 14,972.00 165,627,195.00 54,034,910.00 315,935,400.00 495,900.00 551,183,332.00 409,531.00 34,345,380.00 10,201,547.00 116,949,575.00 23,025,402.00 1,317,996.00 8,442,660.00 71,332,308.00 59,583,215.50 1,308,081.00 28,863,110.00 15,880,540.00 445,680.00 69,185,515.00 98,032,760.00 61,257,420.00 5,335,552.00 4,268,740.00 823,430.00 767,661,126.00 2,076,910.00 51,561,220.00 57,670.00 119,321,660.00

38.65 12.9 0.58 1.3 18.2 0.216 108 20.00 3.77 16 250 51.5 55.6 82.1 62.05 1.89 5.43 10.6 11.200 14.12 10.90 7.65 5.53 1.73 15.32 62.8 29.50 10.00 18.6 2.140 282.00 47.20 4.45 3.05 19.98 27.4 17.04 20.7 0.196 319.20 8.11 2.88 4.75 9.10 6.3 8.00 1.58 13.00 56.95 6.3 4.80 3.3 3.61 625 2.1 16.44 5.48 0.131 1.05 143 2.65 1.88 25.95 1.68

7,559,000 7,975,300 3,343,000 3,088,000 688,400 16,730,000 1,720 74,300 34,931,000 11,463,600 6,610 2,760,570 12,730 10 138,790 1,170,000 79,300 97,500 26,049,500 1,215,900 8,485,900 1,426,700 10,042,200 96,000 7,577,300 603,950 589,800 468,600 10,438,200 18,174,000 3,205,020 560 5,211,000 65,000 6,500 3,992,600 1,254,000 8,634,400 5,570,000 1,077,100 209,100 19,632,000 499,000 8,999,300 3,003,300 260,300 1,994,000 3,347,000 2,300,400 716,400 378,000 13,968,000 728,000 228,070 25,037,000 7,594,700 650,800 15,020,000 1,340,000 11,161,800 759,000 21,239,000 300 85,263,000

297,687,530.00 102,844,818.00 1,946,740.00 3,981,990.00 12,619,274.00 3,635,690.00 195,514.00 1,446,374.00 137,505,600.00 182,084,376.00 1,416,923.00 142,323,445.00 274,157,553.00 821.00 8,548,062.00 2,217,090.00 425,982.00 1,024,930.00 300,158,600.00 17,411,336.00 93,314,872.00 10,765,225.00 55,563,814.00 167,320.00 116,647,958.00 37,605,329.50 48,155,315.00 4,680,871.00 199,078,456.00 37,972,770.00 914,721,172.00 27,921.50 22,644,730.00 199,250.00 124,975.00 110,789,745.00 21,674,080.00 171,136,118.00 1,061,760.00 350,441,576.00 1,678,634.00 54,002,150.00 2,335,690.00 83,258,220.00 19,962,540.00 2,099,374.00 3,135,610.00 43,697,786.00 131,750,724.50 4,319,288.00 1,802,150.00 55,657,840.00 2,665,140.00 144,336,015.00 55,912,450.00 127,865,102.00 3,535,722.00 1,965,990.00 1,425,890.00 1,651,461,842.00 2,051,320.00 39,637,670.00 7,785.00 132,174,490.00

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

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

Lopez Holdings Corp.

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

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

0.325 75.50 14.90 0.95 7.48 0.680 0.690 1050 1155.00 7.3 13.24 4.51 5.74 7.50 0.185 1330 7.24 64.70 5.13 5.25 0.69 5.21 21.7 0.330 5.75 3.31 0.0450 1.110 3.500 2.61 140.00 2.6 970.00 1.60 0.80 282.000 262.80 0.2420 0.1750 0.185

19,280,000 5,846,840 30,651,000 692,000 447,300 263,384,000 56,344,000 1,256,925 50 6,009,900 21,831,900 317,900 163,000 153,900 380,000 455,210 2,200 23,273,990 33,200 200 2,003,000 1,675,300 13,449,200 404,000 135,869,100 56,000 569,000,000 555,000 105,872,000 40,000 936,890 57,000 1,702,160 4,197,000 110,000 9,280 5,150 41,820,000 1,470,000 1,010,000

0.300 75.80 14.50 0.89 7.23 0.630 0.640 1060

1,760,000 4,975,950 38,913,400 4,727,000 1,078,600 105,525,000 24,833,000 1,697,940

524,450.00 377,090,273.50 571,399,728.00 4,585,750.00 7,999,715.00 63,055,070.00 15,259,950.00 1,815,638,205.00

7.54 13.60 4.56

3,196,400 14,838,900 4,000

23,867,169.00 204,163,724.00 18,240.00

7.50 0.185 1326 7.25 72.50 5.21 5.22 0.68 5.21 23.25 0.325 5.75 3.27 0.0390 1.130 3.340 2.55 141.00 2.67 960.00 1.64

1,086,400 170,000 447,310 53,200 8,537,560 78,000 13,300 3,386,000 7,428,900 11,098,100 890,000 219,175,800 1,000 156,000,000 1,111,000 65,561,000 206,300 1,906,210 86,000 1,708,310 9,867,000

8,160,379.00 31,480.00 598,427,095.00 386,626.00 636,074,456.50 435,584.00 70,450.00 2,282,840.00 39,127,072.00 250,645,335.00 274,050.00 1,277,207,727.00 3,270.00 6,269,100.00 1,268,060.00 215,761,880.00 621,710.00 274,319,654.00 223,160.00 1,668,130,615.00 16,598,840.00

284.800

19,940

5,566,182.00

0.2330 0.1720 0.188

2,600,000 1,500,000 2,440,000

601,940.00 266,640.00 462,850.00

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

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

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

Phil. Realty `A’

6.790 1.03 16.50 2.030 0.870 41.500 3.78 4.71 6.05 6.36 6 0.440 1.08 1.060 0.330 0.465 31.8 0.620 0.128 1.75 1.31 0.73 4.83 0.770 0.3150 0.510

3,631,500 69,067,600 374,900 695,000 10,667,000 100,574,600 4,738,000 5,457,000 5,209,400 373,300 40,200 43,230,000 95,000 400,000 2,104,370,000 7,340,000 4,039,100 1,126,000 1,370,000 40,514,000 12,197,000 3,408,000 111,758,000 5,292,386,000 7,320,000 24,657,000

6.880 0.98 15.12 2.180 0.880 43.900 3.75 4.5 6.1 6

7,109,700 39,723,000 219,000 1,649,000 11,330,000 52,629,400 3,683,000 8,064,000 1,410,800 40,200

50,041,402.00 38,836,780.00 3,432,794.00 3,522,350.00 9,829,370.00 2,354,324,845.00 13,591,740.00 35,483,820.00 8,395,138.00 242,400.00

0.425 1.08 1.040 0.290 0.455 32.95 0.620 0.134 1.79 1.32 0.70 4.75 0.580 0.3150 0.510

48,590,000 162,000 868,000 476,210,000 19,280,000 2,699,900 1,800,000 1,080,000 45,285,000 13,679,000 2,014,000 114,006,000 2,925,880,000 7,540,000 19,320,000

20,768,600.00 178,540.00 920,770.00 127,042,890.00 9,278,350.00 92,661,430.00 1,239,250.00 147,310.00 81,684,420.00 17,995,410.00 1,411,410.00 544,563,720.00 1,298,204,800.00 2,297,950.00 9,751,075.00

HOLDING FIRMS 6,055,700.00 447,093,562.00 455,328,910.00 635,450.00 3,350,154.00 178,905,030.00 38,743,340.00 1,332,870,750.00 66,005.00 44,129,827.00 298,764,384.00 1,783,269.00 930,780.00 1,146,268.00 70,300.00 606,936,270.00 15,936.00 1,601,419,924.50 171,162.00 1,050.00 1,349,420.00 8,885,982.00 302,050,395.00 192,250.00 768,827,268.00 193,680.00 26,795,300.00 619,120.00 388,554,180.00 102,920.00 131,595,599.00 153,520.00 1,626,172,240.00 6,631,770.00 88,000.00 2,613,674.00 1,225,286.00 11,383,930.00 259,490.00 187,120.00 PROPERTY 24,658,721.00 110,003,130.00 6,325,158.00 1,422,910.00 9,117,670.00 4,242,864,670.00 17,961,180.00 25,490,240.00 35,544,155.00 2,800,405.00 290,100.00 18,809,900.00 105,340.00 419,320.00 657,543,600.00 3,370,650.00 125,338,975.00 707,320.00 176,970.00 71,260,170.00 15,888,170.00 2,357,680.00 531,750,120.00 3,941,922,090.00 2,265,300.00 12,646,490.00

STOCKS

FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 2, 2018 Close Volume Value

Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

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

35.00 4.12 19.26 1.94 3.23 36.00 1 24.1 0.830 6.360

10,800 7,736,000 11,953,500 3,494,000 134,000 39,256,300 3,454,000 4,156,700 1,299,000 28,243,400

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

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

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

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

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

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Wilcon Depot

18.4 31.5 1.33 0.630 0.058 11.04 4.87 14.20 0.0680 100 8.71 7.45 8.88 2.58 45.10 970 1745 6.28 314.00 10.54 5.24 110 2.69 13.02 8.31 0.130 1.5900 3.12 15.36 4.26 1.02 28.00 17.98 0.485 5.33 7.6 3.25 13.080 10.38 10.98 2.83 8.44 110.00 6.95 1540.00 0.390 1.220 52.20 93.00 6.00 2.88 1.400 0.53 3.44 0.900 10.660

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

United Paragon

FEBRUARY 19-23, 2018 Close Volume Value

380,970.00 32,182,370.00 233,650,592.00 6,668,280.00 428,160.00 1,403,549,990.00 3,465,960.00 103,089,485.00 1,046,240.00 180,742,101.00

35.60 4.52 19.90 2 3.2 35.40 1.01 25.1 0.810 6.500

9,100 17,054,000 11,792,500 6,238,000 1,277,000 51,178,400 1,325,000 17,981,900 99,000 38,435,900

297,775.00 78,345,460.00 236,896,045.00 12,096,150.00 4,086,230.00 1,847,942,825.00 1,335,020.00 455,880,914.00 80,890.00 251,361,985.00

SERVICES 377,100 6,726,852.00 542,600 17,201,125.00 154,000 201,640.00 1,000,800,000 724,294,300.00 2,509,970,000 164,369,940.00 6,300 73,614.00 39,800 188,805.00 46,053,500 645,408,838.00 295,390,000 20,322,010.00 651,750 65,120,244.00 40,900 358,383.00 11,216,600 85,292,162.00 5,017,000 47,167,603.00 2,464,000 6,916,360.00 3,446,140 170,053,393.50 40 38,800.00 203,415 351,165,850.00 1,718,000 10,708,330.00 577,070 184,567,924.00 3,500 36,978.00 31,253,700 166,520,159.00 3,905,960 429,541,119.00 711,000 1,925,960.00 142,800 1,863,152.00 114,200 946,690.00 50,960,000 6,681,490.00 3,760,000 5,843,760.00 524,000 1,653,870.00 5,800 86,150.00 38,201,000 164,242,430.00 2,577,000 2,605,200.00 17,969,200 519,455,655.00 67,900 1,170,596.00 99,000 49,485.00 19,341,200 115,025,227.00 7,142,300 54,776,653.00 6,928,000 23,133,420.00 165,479,900 2,263,855,038.00 7,000 73,070.00 34,500 371,228.00 59,000 166,400.00 11,300 93,660.00 114,660 12,966,651.00 13,713,900 95,230,063.00 444,055 685,705,020.00 6,250,000 2,267,800.00 25,825,000 31,944,000.00 9,385,660 479,387,311.00 2,682,230 249,266,277.50 249,800 1,479,373.00 6,090,000 18,392,690.00 39,359,000 54,941,050.00 741,193,000 425,281,100.00 2,199,000 7,551,670.00 25,781,000 23,541,230.00 26,948,200 290,059,346.00

17.98 31.85 1.3 0.440 0.059 11.54 4.87 14.00 0.0670 99.5 8.9 7.6 8.26 2.45 40.00 960 1743 6.21 300.00 11.00 5.69 110 2.95 13 8.30 0.135 1.5200 3.3 14.38 3.99 1.04 28.70 18.00 0.500 5.12 7.85 3.38 15.700 10.2 11.00 2.9 8.64 113.60 7.20 1566.00 0.345 1.190 49.00 94.00 6.05 2.93 1.440 0.51 3.45 0.910 10.600

333,300 237,100 196,000 8,180,000 2,298,710,000 91,000 6,300 80,238,800 108,980,000 1,119,560 4,910 23,104,300 912,700 441,000 895,000 5,255 194,600 1,480,900 2,098,680 2,800 63,097,100 5,708,660 1,605,000 400,700 99,800 31,330,000 3,521,000 517,000 42,500 5,127,000 1,572,000 20,435,600 13,900 551,000 10,134,700 21,597,900 5,787,000 310,693,300 30,900 349,800 449,000 8,400 432,780 39,470,700 454,130 3,384,500 11,379,000 8,487,160 3,550,330 553,400 3,317,000 35,444,000 409,290,000 2,479,000 27,337,000 31,751,500

5,949,388.00 7,603,675.00 256,210.00 3,540,500.00 137,148,470.00 1,052,890.00 32,059.00 1,132,522,560.00 7,267,610.00 112,575,606.50 44,537.00 183,240,317.00 7,373,836.00 1,088,520.00 40,105,265.00 5,046,795.00 350,090,280.00 9,243,202.00 573,708,007.00 30,910.00 351,315,626.00 628,141,486.00 5,112,780.00 5,360,366.00 827,460.00 4,211,180.00 5,228,880.00 1,688,650.00 622,630.00 20,158,100.00 1,640,300.00 574,903,190.00 238,816.00 276,270.00 51,972,710.00 175,685,297.00 19,584,740.00 4,480,797,710.00 313,584.00 4,127,972.00 1,328,700.00 69,892.00 47,037,497.00 309,955,308.00 711,709,980.00 1,097,450.00 13,531,670.00 428,728,133.00 335,481,602.50 3,314,801.00 9,478,020.00 51,723,950.00 212,552,535.00 8,706,800.00 25,005,440.00 349,525,048.00

0.0030 1.61 5.00 17.78 1.8500 1.7100 1.69 0.300 7.40 2.300 0.255 0.147 0.152 0.009 0.0094 1.4 6.18 1.37 0.4500 0.9000 0.0120 0.0120 6.09 15.04 0.0120 2.2500 36.70 0.0067

MINING & OIL 21,133,000,000 61,537,000.00 81,261,000 138,443,220.00 1,240,900 6,215,748.00 27,100 469,340.00 254,000 448,260.00 2,185,000 3,776,600.00 12,709,000 21,311,970.00 2,730,000 829,150.00 31,700 229,419.00 14,037,000 32,550,890.00 20,130,000 4,963,050.00 24,719,000 6,065,180.00 10,240,000 1,564,600.00 39,000,000 353,100.00 32,000,000 216,500.00 6,017,000 8,479,700.00 4,510,600 27,971,927.00 1,107,000 1,466,750.00 1,270,000 547,100.00 1,137,080 947,230.00 245,700,000 3,029,900.00 100,000 1,200.00 3,038,500 18,524,475.00 109,426,900 1,900,912,976.00 130,900,000 1,508,700.00 564,000 1,294,670.00 12,338,500 458,179,820.00 32,000,000 218,200.00

0.0025 1.77 5.01 18.98 1.6200 1.6700 1.7 0.305 7.30 2.350 0.225 0.146 0.153 0.009 0.0096 1.45 6.19 1.4 0.4350 0.9200 0.0120 0.0120 6.22 17.12 0.0110 2.1800 37.30 0.0069

8,624,000,000 214,576,000 1,028,000 258,100 257,000 6,000 25,866,000 1,480,000 172,700 18,519,000 16,870,000 20,504,000 5,380,000 140,400,000 5,000,000 1,845,000 9,020,800 441,000 220,000 543,000 184,400,000 40,200,000 5,962,200 192,313,600 372,300,000 3,646,000 6,174,136 32,500,000

21,643,400.00 389,975,170.00 5,131,100.00 5,022,920.00 418,930.00 10,060.00 45,391,960.00 452,500.00 1,254,749.00 43,793,510.00 3,790,330.00 3,777,110.00 822,280.00 1,385,000.00 48,000.00 2,723,870.00 56,928,435.00 609,340.00 95,950.00 486,730.00 2,219,300.00 498,000.00 41,645,170.00 3,147,093,288.00 4,279,400.00 9,588,150.00 227,117,850.00 253,900.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

30.6 107 510 514 103.1 107.9 110.8 505 6.02 1010 1015 101.3 1.06 105 1034 1150 1000 105 109 77.2 80.25 77 76.6 80.3 77 78 77.7 2

333,100 400 2,820 360 126,000 420 29,800 47,880 713,000 20 200 41,800 2,038,000 2,620 31,640 940 5,970 31,070 170 29,720 150,510 46,640 306,800 137,720 2,400 134,970 165,700 12,000

31.45 108.9 501 516 103.6 103.5 111.5 520 6.16 1000 1005 101.6 1.03 108.4 1035 1100 1000 102 109 76.2 80 75.7 77

1,612,900 13,030 52,060 5,900 53,280 450 195,650 17,190 2,340,300 55,330 20,860 172,340 1,169,000 66,840 15,680 2,060 3,560 59,770 32,930 22,180 518,010 16,320 47,000

51,423,155.00 1,394,267.00 26,636,835.00 3,048,460.00 5,548,544.00 46,765.00 21,774,950.00 8,977,770.00 14,460,015.00 55,519,680.00 21,043,475.00 17,503,930.00 1,129,320.00 7,085,449.00 16,232,900.00 2,266,020.00 3,555,150.00 6,147,440.00 3,589,370.00 1,694,214.00 40,232,464.00 1,237,824.00 3,613,020.00

78 78.1 2.27

92,140 54,860 41,000

6,917,414.50 4,282,420.00 92,250.00

LR Warrant

3.250

WARRANTS & BONDS 36,968,000 120,261,650.00

2.280

1,767,000

4,045,740.00

2.81 6.1 3.98 3.63

46,000 44,499,800 2,617,000 10,311,000

134,810.00 312,747,205.00 10,282,060.00 38,985,240.00

PREFERRED 10,351,680.00 42,800.00 1,443,735.00 185,820.00 13,046,759.00 44,932.00 3,302,208.00 24,191,810.00 4,288,810.00 20,200.00 201,520.00 4,237,878.00 2,159,860.00 276,854.00 32,732,250.00 1,059,000.00 5,924,350.00 3,184,605.00 18,530.00 2,296,567.00 12,066,591.50 3,553,257.00 23,503,040.00 10,971,131.00 186,200.00 10,531,430.00 12,925,926.50 25,310.00

SME 96,280.00 127,621,442.00 8,310,740.00 29,340,770.00

Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Philab Holdings Xurpas

3 6.09 3.44 3.31

32,000 20,202,400 2,313,000 8,501,000

First Metro ETF

127.9

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 84,500 10,866,837.00

129.5

256,720

33,634,091.00

37,240 14,800 140,160

10.5 10.3

2,660 5,000

27,882.00 51,500.00

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. USD DMPL A1 10.46 USD DMPL A2 10.3 USD TECH B2 1.02

387,250.40 152,740.00 142,963.20

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining MRC Allied Ind. Apollo Global Crown Equities Inc. APC Group, Inc. Transpacific Broadcast Pacifica `A’ Boulevard Holdings ATN Holdings A Oriental Pet. `A’

VOLUME 21,133,000,000 5,292,386,000 2,509,970,000 2,104,370,000 1,000,800,000 741,193,000 569,000,000 295,390,000 263,384,000 245,700,000

STOCKS Ayala Land `B’ MRC Allied Ind. NOW Corp.

PhilexPetroleum SM Investments Inc. JG Summit Holdings Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. SM Prime Holdings Ayala Corp `A’ Bank of PI

VALUE 4,242,864,670.00 3,941,922,090.00 2,263,855,038.00 1,900,912,976.00 1,626,172,240.00 1,601,419,924.50 1,456,134,280.00 1,403,549,990.00 1,332,870,750.00 1,324,902,650.00

SM Prime still on track to hit profit, sales goals SM Prime Holdings Inc., the country’s leading integrated property developer, said it is still on track to achieve its P32-billion net income and P100-billion revenue targets this year despite the possibility of missing its goal of 75 malls this year.

SM Prime vice president for investor relations Alex Pomento said in an interview at the sidelines of SM Prime’s P20-billion bond listing at Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. the company was scheduled to open six malls this year to end the year with 73 outlets.

SM Prime had planned to build 75 malls under a five-year plan ending 2018.

The few malls, however, will will not affect the company’s ability to meet the P32-billion net income target by the end of 2018 from P16 billion in 2013.

“The new malls that will open this year will not contribute to earnings this year but in future earnings. So we are more fixated in the doubling of out the net income. All we need to do it achieve a 15 to 16 percent growth this year (to meet the target),” Pomento said.

“The mall openings is more of reference only. Although there is an intention to build up malls, there are constraints like getting permits. So we are not rushing ourselves just to meet the target number of malls,” he added.

SM Prime this year is slated to open SM City Urdaneta Central, SM City Telebastagan in San Fernando, Pampanga, SM City Legaspi, SM City Ormoc and SM City Dagupan in 2018.

Pomento said the company was reviewing its expansion plans in China given the sharp growth in the Philippines.

“We are calibrating of expansion program for China because we are still enjoying good growth in the Philippines. The focus of the group is Philippines although we are still open to other parts of Southeast Asia for as long as it would beat the returns we have in the Philippines,” Pomento said. Jenniffer B. Austria

Del Monte pushes IPO plan, eyes April listing DEL Monte Philippines Inc. is pushing through with its plan to raise P16.7 billion through an initial public offering scheduled in April despite the current volatile stock markets, the underwriter handling the transaction said.

BDO Capital and Investments Corp. president Eduardo Francisco said in a recent interview DMPI’s maiden offering at the Philippine stock market would push through as scheduled. He said DMPI would adjust some of the terms of the offering given the current market conditions.

“That will push through. If ever, we will just probably adjust the price. But DMPI has underlying assets,” Francisco said.

DMPI last month filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission an application to offer up to 559.464 million shares, presenting 20 percent of the company’s total issued shares, at a price of P29.88 apiece.

The company plans to use proceeds from the fund raising activity to partially prepay or repay certain loans which will allow it to deleverage and strengthen its balance sheet.

The company has tapped BDO Capital & Investment Corp. as issue manager, sole global coordinator and book runner for the offering.

It set the offering period tentatively on April 16 to 20 and the listing on April 27. DMPI will be the first company to conduct an IPO this year.

DMPI is the local unit of Del Monte Pacific Ltd. Approximately two-thirds of DMPL’s sales come from the Philippines under the Del Monte brand, and onethird from the export markets under the S&W brand and through a private label.

A market leader in canned pineapple juice and juice drinks, canned pineapple and tropical mixed fruits, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce and tomato ketchup, Del Monte is a household name in the Philippines. It operates one of the world’s largest fully-integrated pineapple operations, and has been expanding and processing pineapple for over 90 years, supporting its market leadership and high quality products. Jenniffer B. Austria

Business/World

From left are: Metro Pacific Investments Corporation chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan; EEI president and chief executive Roberto Jose Castillo; JAL chairman Masaru Onishi; Hitachi Asia Ltd. Philippine Branch and president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines Mitsuhiko Shimizu and president Chodai Philippines Corp. Satoshi Kato

PHILIPPINES–JAPAN ECONOMIC COOPERATION FOR the past days or so, we witnessed a plethora of news about the one concern that is probably foremost in the minds of the people: transportation. The news cycle was peppered with updates on airlines and airports, train lines and railways, and bus lines and terminals.

Any discussion on public transportation must consider its two-fold aspect: the vehicles which constitute the means by which public transportation is implemented; and the infrastructure which these modes of transport shall use. It is in this regard that the Duterte administration came up with its “Build, Build, Build” plan.

Relations between the Philippines and Japan grew stronger under the Duterte administration. Strength in these relations extends to all aspects, including national security. Witness the number of times that state visits have been made to both countries by both heads of state. The Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, even visited President Duterte at his residence in Davao City, something which goes beyond the usual official protocol.

I briefly recall the last visit President Duterte made to Japan in November 2017.

This was also on the occasion of the signing of several business agreements between MERALCO and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation of the Philippines and Hitachi and Itochu of Japan. We could not thank Hitachi enough for being a most gracious host to the MVP Group contingent.

The relationship between the Philippines and Japan is also stronger economically, and one organization at the forefront on this effort is the Philippines - Japan Economic Cooperation Committee or PHILJEC. PHILJEC was formerly known as the Philippine National Committee for Economic Cooperation with Japan (PNCECJ).

It was established in 1973 with much help from the Philippines – Japan Society, Inc. (PJS) that was, in turn, founded by former Philippine President and Senator Dr. Jose P. Laurel.

PHILJEC was organized to “promote, strengthen and expand trade, economic, scientific technological advancements, and exchange assistance to business endeavors in both the Philippines and Japan.” It was “designed to be a forum for private sector dialogue and the exchange of ideas geared towards the enhancement of PhilippinesJapan trade and business relations.”

Today, PHILJEC is being led by the following officers: Aniceto Saludo, Jr. as Chairman; Gerard Sanvictores and Edwin Umali as Co-Chairmen; Richard Albert Osmond as Treasurer; Ma. Elena Loinaz as Assistant Treasurer; JJ Samuel Soriano as Secretary-General; and Glenda Ferma as Assistant Secretary.

The following serve as Advisers to PHILJEC: Former Prime Minister Cesar Virata; Egmidio de Silva Jose; Francisco Eizmendi Jr.; Feliciano Torres; Fernando Zobel de Ayala; Francis Laurel; Tomas Alcantara; Eusebio Tan; and Roberto Jose Castillo.

PHILJEC Trustees are Aniceto Saludo Jr. (Chairman); Gerard Sanvictores; Edwin Umali; JJ Soriano; Ferdinand Ferrer; Carrie Bee Hao; Enrico Ingles; Jose Vicente Jimenez; Richard Albert Osmond; Philip Sanvictores; and Joseph Uy, Jr.

Recently, PHILJEC and its Japanese counterpart, the Japan-Philippines Economic Cooperation Committee (JPECC), conducted its 36th Joint Meeting over a two-day period here in the country, with the theme “’Build, Build, Build’ The first day of the joint meeting was a courtesy call on President Duterte and dinner at Malacañan Palace. This event was a dialogue between the President and the Special Philippine-Japan Investment Cooperation Group (SPJICG) and other key Filipino and Japanese businessmen.

The SPJICG was organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in partnership with leaders from the private sector with the objective of maximizing investment cooperation opportunities between the Philippines and Japan.

In this meeting, it was represented by DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, DTI Undersecretaries Rowel Barba and Ceferino Rodolfo, Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) Director Maria Lourdes Arcenas, and Private Sector Representative Franklin Evaristo President Duterte gave the Japanese businessmen the assurance that their projects will not be hampered by bureaucratic delays. The President likewise thanked the Japanese for their support to the Philippines, particularly in humanitarian assistance.

Worthy to note was what Transportation Secretary Art Tugade said in his speech about our country also having as much airports as in Japan. To quote the good Secretary, “In Japan, they have the option to decide where they fly, how they fly, and what fare they pay when they fly.” Indeed, the more airports there will be, the more that it will benefit the flying public and the Filipino people in general.

The second day of the joint meeting was dedicated to their plenary session at the New World Hotel.

The JPECC delegation was headed by Teruo Asada as JPECC Chair, also the Chair of Marubeni Corporation; Mitsubishi Corporation Chairman Ken Kobayashi; All Nippon Airways President Shinya Katanozaka; and Japan Air Lines (JAL) Chairman Masaru Onishi.

At the joint meeting, our Chairman, Manuel V. Pangilinan, presented on where he sees the MVP Group will be taking our infrastructure partnership with government in the areas of energy, transport, healthcare, water, and financial inclusion. His presentation was enthusiastically received by the participants.

All in all, economic cooperation between the Philippines and Japan looks very promising, especially in the realm of transport and infrastructure. It would be hard-pressed for this relationship to falter or fade. So long as the sun rises in the East, we could always look to the Land of the Rising Sun as our able partner.

From left: With Manuel V. Pangilinan, DOTr Secretary Art Tugade, PHILJEC ’s JJ Soriano and Hitachi Asia Ltd. Philippine Branch general manager Mitsuhiko Shimizu From left: Chairman of JPECC and chairman of the Board of Marubeni Corp. Teruo Asada; MVP; EEI president Roberto Jose Castillo; JAL chairman Masaru Onishi; general manager of Hitachi Asia Ltd. Philippine Branch and president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines Mitsuhiko Shimizu; PHILJEC chairman Atty. Aniceto G. Saludo, Jr. and president Chodai Philippines Corp.

Satoshi Kato

MVP with MPIC president and CEO Joey Lim, Meralco president and CEO Oscar Reyes, Meralco PowerGen president and CEO Rogelio Singson and delegation hosted by Hitachi in the Hitachi House

From left: With Former Philippine Economic Zone Authority director Lilia B. de Lima , DOTr Secretary Tugade, and Suisen, Inc. president Justin Bryan Uy

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MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

S. Korea’s Moon to send special envoys to North S EOUL―South Korean President Moon Jaein will send a team of special envoys―including Seoul’s spy chief―to the North on Monday to push for talks between Washington and Pyongyang on nuclear weapons.

The delegation, announced by Moon’s office on Sunday, is the latest chapter in a remarkable Olympics-driven detente between the two Koreas.

An intense rapprochement saw the two foes march together at the South’s Pyeongchang Winter Olympics that ended February 25, with the North’s leader Kim Jong Un sending his sister as a special envoy to the event.

Kim Yo Jong’s appearance at the Games’ opening ceremony made global headlines, marking the first visit to the

South by a member of the Kim family since the end of the Korean war.

Moon has sought to use the Pyeongchang Games to open dialogue between the US and the North in the hopes of easing a nuclear standoff that has heightened fears over global security.

He chose five top officials―including top national security advisor Chung Eui-yong and spy chief Suh Hoon―to visit Pyongyang on Monday, Moon’s spokesman said.

“The special delegates will have extensive discussions over issues including creating conditions for North-US talks to denuclearize the Korean peninsula and improving inter-Korea ties,” Yoon Young-chan told reporters.

The 10-member group―five top delegates and five supporting officials― would fly to the North’s capital Pyongyang on Monday afternoon before returning on Tuesday, Yoon said.

The delegation will then fly to the US to explain the result of the talks to officials in Washington, he added.

Suh is a veteran in dealings with the

North. He is known to have been deeply involved in negotiations to arrange two previous inter-Korea summits in 2000 and 2007.

The isolated, impoverished North staged its most powerful nuclear test and test-fired multiple missiles last year, including some capable of hitting the US mainland, in defiance of UN sanctions.

The North’s leader Kim and US President Donald Trump have also traded threats of war and personal insults, sending tensions soaring.

Moon, who advocates dialogue with the nuclear-armed regime, said last week that Washington needs to “lower the threshold for talks” with Pyongyang.

But the US has ruled out any possibility of talks before the North takes steps towards denuclearization, and imposed what Trump hailed as the “toughest ever” sanctions on Kim’s regime late last month.

On Saturday, a foreign ministry spokesman in Pyongyang called on the US to drop any preconditions for talks. AFP

Learning from a PR CATastrophe and emotion to keep the cats safe and ON THE very day supposedly filled with healthy, and the hotel’s actions breached love, several cats were reportedly taken the public’s confidence and trust in the out of the park they call home, in the JONNA BAQUILLAS brand. The cats are still not found, and dead of the night. The unfortunate incisadly, may never be. In the eyes of the dent broke the hearts of many and started REEN IGHT public, Shangri-La is no longer synonya series of backlash on a luxury hotel and mous to paradise. While the hotel is still a pest exterminator company, prompted operating its business as usual, only time will tell, and later by the unified action of pet lovers.

Valentine’s day wasn’t exactly a good day for Shangri-La on, financial reports and reputation analysis, how badly the at the Fort, PestBusters, Cats of BGC and the thousands of company is hurt by their irresponsible action.

The luxury hotel, along with other brands silently watchpet lovers who learned about the story. When the news broke out on Facebook that the four-legged members of BGC com- ing how this story unfolded, surely learned a thing or two munity were collected and removed by PestBusters upon the from this unfortunate incident. One thing stands out: animal order of Shangri-La, the news spread fast. By the end of the welfare is thankfully starting to gain a strong foothold in our week, the FB pages of both companies were inundated with country. Also, do not forget that cats rule the internet (or the one-star reviews and hateful comments, demanding for the interwebz for that matter). whereabouts of the cats. It did not help that the hotel isJonna Baquillas is a Doctor of Business Administration sued vague, half-hearted PR statements that only fueled the anger of the people. When those who put a negative review student at the De La Salle University. She teaches marketwere blocked from accessing their accounts, rage grew even ing, brand, business, and retail management classes in Asia more, accusing the hotel of using its resources to block these Pacific College. She has marketing and public relations experience in the retail industry and has written textbooks in people from their page. marketing and business ethics. Her rescued cats are celebriThe power of social media Social media has an obvious power now in making or ties and brand ambassadors, and has appeared in various TV, breaking a brand. From a 4.8-star rating on FB, Shangri-la print, and online campaign materials. She can be reached at Hotel’s rating dropped to 1.1 star with over 11,000 negative meow@pawsomecats.com. reviews. The original post of Marcelle Marcelino which triggered the outcry was shared over 12,000 times, along Republic of the Philippines with individual posts expressing their sentiments Department of Health over the incident.

CENTRAL OFFICE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE Connectedness and ease of communication in InvItatIon to BId social media makes spreading information (and unProcurement of varIous drugs and medIcInes fortunately in some cases, misinformation) a largely 1. The Department of Health (DOH), through the General Appropriations Act of 2018 intends public phenomenon now. Companies benefit from to procure the following projects listed below: this through positive user-generated content, most IB No. Name of Contract ABC (PHP) Cost of Bidding Documents (Php) 2018-076 Procurement of Tamoxifen 20mg Tablet 11,153,312.00 25,000.00 of the time amplified by the use of brand-owned 2018-077 Procurement of Filgrastin 300mcg Injection 14,457,080.00 25,000.00 hashtags. We’ve all seen brand content, particularly 2018-078 Procurement of Docetaxel 29,079,390.00 25,000.00 2018-091 Procurement of Cefixime 10,082,325.00 25,000.00 videos, that have gone viral in the past, and these 2018-087 Procurement of Albendazole 106,982,302.00 50,000.00 brands have definitely enjoyed the extra media mile2018-083 Procurement of Progestin Only Pill (POP) 120,000,000.00 50,000.00 Procurement of Depot Medroxy Progesterone 2018-084 79,560,000.00 50,000.00 age that their efforts have reaped. However, social Acetate (DMPA) Injectable 2018-172 Procurement of Simvastatin 20mg Tablet 84,082,000.00 50,000.00 media’s dark side reveals itself when something 2.

The DOH now invites Bids from eligible Bidders for the procurement of the above-caption scandalous or controversial happens, and controlprojects. Delivery of the Goods is required as specified in Section VI. Schedule of ling its spread is almost next to impossible. When Requirements. Bidders should have completed contracts similar to the cited projects as stated in the ITB. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding the first news of the missing cats broke out, ShangriDocuments, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

La issued a PR statement only after a few days— 3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nonwhich people found insincere, cold and lacking clardiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules ity. PestBusters was unreachable, and only agreed and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. on meeting with Shangri-La and other stakeholders when the issue has magnified in the following week.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens By then, traditional media have picked up the story, of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of and TV programs, newspapers and news sites conwhich grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183. tributed to an even wider reach.

4. Interested bidders may obtain further information from the COBAC Secretariat, Ground PR crisis lessons Floor, Building 6, DOH, San Lazaro Compound, Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila and inspect the Bidding Documents at 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday.

A case study research led by Larissa Ott and Petra Theunissen in 2015 looked into the effectiveness of It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS), provided that Bidders who interested to different strategies during a PR crisis, and shared the participate shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the following important points: submission of their bids.

1. Be sincere and authentic—Sometimes, straight5. The DOH will hold a Pre-bidding Conference and the Submission and Opening of Bids forward corporate statements are not always wellat COBAC Conference Room, G/F, Bldg. 6, DOH, San Lazaro Cmpd., Rizal Ave., Sta. Cruz, Manila on the schedule given below: received by the public, as they may be perceived as “talking down.” A sincere apology and a more perActivity (Date & Time) IB No. Name of Contract sonal approach in the official statements should have Pre-bidding Submission and Conference Opening of Bids been used by the hotel—which they did, issued by the 2018-076 Procurement of Tamoxifen 20mg Tablet 2018-077 Procurement of Filgrastin 300mcg Injection general manager– but only after three different state2018-078 Procurement of Docetaxel ments failed to pacify the anger of the people.

2018-091 Procurement of Cefixime 13 March 2018; 10:00 27 March 2018; 9:00 2018-087 Procurement of Albendazole 2. Be transparent–In a situation when an issue has A.M. A.M. 2018-083 Procurement of Progestin Only Pill (POP) already been blown beyond control, denial or diminProcurement of Depot Medroxy Progesterone 2018-084 Acetate (DMPA) Injectable ishing tactics will only fuel more negativity. Several 2018-172 Procurement of Simvastatin 20mg Tablet mistakes were committed by the hotel during this in6. Bid must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before the cident: the hotel gave wrong information on where date given above. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated below: the cats were released, and the company claimed that Amount of Bid Security Form of Bid Security some of the cats were adopted by its employees, but (Not less than the required percentage of the ABC) (a) Cash or cashier’s/manager’s check issued by a upon verification, these are not the same ones that are Universal or Commercial Bank. (b) Bank draft/guarantee or irrevocable letter of credit missing. Conflicting and untrue statements to cover Two percent (2%) issued by a Universal or Commercial Bank: Provided, however, that it shall be confirmed or authenticated by up for the wrongdoing only leave room for more a Universal or Commercial Bank, if issued by a foreign bank. doubts on the credibility of the company. (c) Surety bond callable upon demand issued by a surety or insurance company duly certified by the Insurance Five percent (5%) 3. Do not censor negative posts—What irked Commission as authorized to issue such security. most people is that after leaving a negative review (d) Bid Securing Declaration No percentage required on Shangri-La’s page, they were logged out of their Bid opening shall be at COBAC Conference Room, G/F, Bldg. 6, DOH, San Lazaro Cmpd., Rizal Ave., Sta. Cruz, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ accounts and had to undergo security checks to get representatives who choose to attend at the address above. Late bids shall not be their accounts back. They saw this as censorship, and accepted. a way to get back at the people who only expressed 7. The DOH reserves the right to reject any and all Bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not their disappointment. The hotel denied doing any of award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or this in their official statement but admitted in a news bidders. article that they “do report it [negative comments] on 8. For further information, please refer to: Facebook.”

Stakeholder management COBAC-A Secretariat Building 6 The cats were a regular source of joy in the park.

Department of Health People expressed how these furry creatures took San Lazaro Compound, Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila their stress away, or made the concrete jungle feel Tel. Nos. 651-7800 local 1625 to 1627; 1650 to 52 like home. One person even shared how the cats Facsimile No.: 711-6061/740-6830 prevented her from committing suicide. What Shan(SGD) ROGER P. TONG-AN, DMPA, MAN, RN gri-la failed to recognize is that the cats are part of Undersecretary of Health COBAC-A Chairperson its stakeholders, as cared-for members by the BGC community. People invested money, time, effort

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

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NSPC WINNERS. Las Piñas City Mayor

Mel Aguilar commends the campus journalists and their advisers from the city’s public elementary and high schools who were proclaimed winners in the recent 2018 National Schools Press Conference organized by the Department of Education. The winners were Deniella Mabansag (1st Place - Column Writing) from Moonwalk Elementary SchoolGolden Acres Annex; Sofia Urielle Riñon (1st Place - Science and Technology), Rona Carmi Padua (1st Place - Pagsulat ng Kolum), Vanessa Kate Manzano (2nd Place - Feature Writing), and Alieah Grace Rabacal (4th Place – Pagsulat ng Lathalain) from Las Piñas Science High School; and Leonard Jan Nogoy and Steven Carl Rabe (3rd Place Technolympics – Automotive Servicing) from CAA Senior High School.

Joemar Furigay received the award as the outstanding school paper adviser for high school. With the winners during their courtesy call to Aguilar at the City Hall were Schools Division superintendent Dr. Loreta Torrecampo and assistant superintendent Violeta Gonzales

OceanaGold bares paste backfill plant KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya—When miners extract ore from underground using the old-fashioned way, tunnels create void spaces underneath which poses the threat of ground subsidence in the future.

To prevent ground subsidence and other issues, Oceanagold—the operator of the Didipio gold-copper mine here—introduced its revolutionary “paste backfill” technology, the first of its kind in the Philippines.

“As the Didipio gold-copper mine begin its shift this year to purely underground mining, the multi-milliondollar revolutionary paste backfill plant will take the center-stage,” General Manager David Way of Didipio Operations said.

Didipio operation will utilize mine tailings or slurry from the processing plant as a material to fill gaps or voids left when ore is extracted underground.

The filling material, which is made up of sand-like ground rocks mixed with a special cement designed for the purpose, will completely harden in about 22 days after application.

To convert a wet slurry into a paste backfilling material, a long rolling flatbed was designed to reduce the moisture content of mine tails disposed by the gold-copper mill, then upon achieving the right moisture level, it will be mixed with cement and pumped back underground to fill gaps and access tunnels which are no longer in use.

Effective paste backfills eliminate the problem on flooding of tunnels as this would close crevices where groundwater flow, a mining engineer explained. Abe Almirol

Subic tourism windfall from 4-day Ad Summit

By Butch Gunio

S

UBIC BAY FREEPORT—The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority expects a huge bonanza for tourism establishments here with the hosting of the Ad Summit Pilipinas 2018 on March 7 to 10 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said with about 5,000 participants going to what is recognized as the country’s biggest advertising and marketing event, the four-day Ad Summit would provide substantial revenue to tourism-related establishments, as well as media mileage to Subic Bay. “It’s the hotels and restaurants and theme parks that would benefit most from this forthcoming event in Subic, and I hope that they’d make the best out of it,” Eisma said.

“But as a whole, the Subic Bay Freeport would be a winner in terms of promotion and media exposure and that is the best ROI [return on investment] that we get out of this event,” she added.

Eisma said the SBMA would receive some P8.7 million in direct and indirect benefits from hosting the four-day convention.

“This will be on top of the income to be made by business establishments in the Freeport, as well as accredited sup-

pliers during the event. So, the actual ROI is quite huge, overall,” she pointed out.

According to the SBMA Tourism Department, the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (4As), which organizes Ad Summit, has committed around P7 million in media mileage to the SBMA for the upcoming event.

These include press releases and feature articles in print and online media; posters, flyers and banners for marketing and promotion; official television commercial and radio plugs; as well as exposure on social media.

Meanwhile, organizers would also have to pay the SBMA close to P1.2 million in SBECC utility fees and ad permits.

Led by their local government officials, health workers welcome the unveiling of the renovated City Health Office of Ilagan City, Isabela spruced up health centers. The blessing and inauguration were attended

by Roxas Mayor Jonathan Jose Calderon, Roxas Vice Mayor Nick Sebastian, Ilagan Vice Mayor Vedasto Villanueva, and Ilagan Councilor Jay Eveson Diaz.

BDO Foundation aids Ilagan, Roxas in renovating health offices FOR BDO Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank, health is wealth, which is why it continues to pursue one of its main programs: The improvement of health centers all over the country.

The latest rural health units renovated by the foundation are in the province of Isabela—one in the municipality of Roxas and another in the City of Ilagan, the largest city in Luzon. BDO Foundation recently completed the rehabilitation of Rural Health Unit and Roxas Birthing Clinic, and City Health Office I Ilagan City.

The corporate citizenship initiative is part of the foundation’s ongoing efforts to help improve the healthcare delivery system in the Philippines, particularly in disasterstricken areas. The province of Isabela was placed under a state of calamity in 2016 when it was hit by Super Typhoon “Lawin.”

The project is aimed at making the health centers more responsive to the needs of the people, especially the underprivileged. The improvement of primary healthcare facilities empowers community doctors, nurses and midwives to deliver services more effi-

ciently. The two health centers are now better equipped to provide patient care.

Combined, the rehabilitated health centers in Roxas and Ilagan serve a total of more than 208,000 people from 61 barangays.

Led by their local government officials, health workers came out in full force to welcome the unveiling of their spruced-up health centers. The blessing and inauguration of the rehabilitated facilities were attended by Roxas mayor Jonathan Jose Calderon, Roxas vice mayor Nick Sebastian, Ilagan vice mayor Vedasto Villanueva and Ilagan

Foresters warn vs pine resin tapping BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Illegal tapping of resin from Pine trees in Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet and Mountain Province under the guise of an “experiment” has alarmed foresters.

The concern was triggered when Feliciano Jose, a senior official at the Forest Management Bureau stationed here, posted in social media a picture of a Pine tree with a deep V-shaped cut and a plastic collector tucked below it.

“What experiment? That is being done in Bukidnon where tons of resins have been exported,” Edgardo Cueto exclaimed when he saw the post.

“After consultation with stakeholders, we found out there is an existing provincewide ban [in Benguet] on [resin] tapping since the early 80’s. The application documents were

returned to the proponents,” posted Donald Marcelino.

“Pine resin tapping in Mountain Province is rampant, allegedly operated by Chinese businessmen,” Dante Sana commented.

Jose took the photo on his regular visited to the upland town of Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya where the vast Pine forest spanning the eastern side of the Cordillera start to extend west towards Benguet and up north towards Mountain Province. “There is also an application to tap Pine resin submitted to our office, that is why we conducted a visit,” he said.

Foresters also observed that clearing natural Pine forests for vegetable production in going on in areas covered by ancestral domain claim certificates or CADCs being issued by the National Commission on Indigenous People. Abe Almirol

councilor Jay Eveson Diaz.

The rehabilitated structures were turned over to local government officials in events led by BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito and BDO Foundation program director Rose Espinosa.

They were joined by BDO North Eastern Luzon area head Rene Gongora, BDO Isabela-Roxas branch head Silvino Ballad and BDO Isabela-Ilagan branch head Jonathan Soriano. Branch managers are instrumental in the foundation’s rehabilitation program as they help identify health centers that need support.

Greenpeace ship ‘Rainbow Warrior’ docks in Tacloban

By Ronald O. Reyes TACLOBAN CITY—The iconic Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior recently docked at this city’s port as part of its global campaign for climate justice.

“Having the Rainbow Warrior in Tacloban and indeed in the Philippines is very significant to us because this is the first time in the long and proud history of the environmental campaigning of the ship, that this is sailing in the name of climate justice and liability,” said Amalie Obusan, country director of Greenpeace Asia – Philippines.

Tacloban, known as “ground zero” of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” where over 7,000 people died last Nov. 8, 2013, has been at the center of group’s campaign on climate change awareness and to bring those responsible into justice.

“We need to do something, it’s a duty to act. I am inspired to hear your stories although much of it is quite painful but incredibly inspiring…It’s time to act, we have to make it sure the most responsible for climate change are accounted for,” Capt. Hettie Geenen, the ship Captain of Rainbow Warrior, told reporters during the welcome ceremony.

According to Desiree Llanos Dee, climate justice campaigner for Greenpeace Philippines, “the ship tour will serve as a global platform to help build support and solidarity with people most affected by the actions taken by greedy corporations that are historically largely responsible for carbon emissions and yet continue to line their pockets at the expense of people and the environment.”

Dee added that Rainbow Warrior’s visit “is a global journey of justice where we will continue to remind people of their own power and the power of their stories.”

“After the Rainbow Warrior leaves Philippine shores, the eyes of the world should be on the Inquiry Room at the Commission of Human Rights of the Philippines on March 27 to 28, as it has the potential to shift global understanding of corporate responsibility for climate change,” she added.

Joy: Exclusive health clinics for QC women

By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte on Sunday said she wants to put up community health clinics exclusive for women to ensure they get the best health care from the city government.

She said there are certain instances preventing women to go to all-gender health clinics out of fear or embarrassment.

“Let’s admit it, sometimes we’re too shy to go the doctors to consult our health issues, especially when it comes to reproductive health so I came up with this idea of ‘women only’ health clinics,” she added.

In time for the celebration of March as the National Women’s Month, she said if possible, these women health clinics must also be staffed by women doctors and nurses to make the patients more comfortable and open in seeking medical help.

Such special health clinics would be dedicated to treating common women illnesses such as ovarian, cervical and breast cancers; reproductive health issues and sexually transmitted diseases, she added.

“There are times we are embarrass to go to a health clinic to seek consultation, for example, for our irregular period. This is an important health concern because this condition is indicative of cancer,” she said.

PARTNERSHIP.

Philippine International Trading Corp. president and CEO Dave M. Almarinez (second from left) and Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña (second from right) display the agreement they signed to strengthen the procurement services program between their agencies on Feb. 28 at the Bureau of Customs offices in Manila. Flanking them are PITC vice president Christabelle P. Ebriega (left) and BoC Deputy Commissioner Gladys F. Rosales. Roy Tomandao

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A luxurious al fresco cooking Wolf’s powerful 54-inch outdoor grill that comes with a rotisserie

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HeTHer you live in a condominium unit with a compact balcony or in a mansion with a sprawling backyard, there is a Sub-Zero and Wolf outdoor kitchen suite to fit your need.

Money is no object, especially not if you are muttering SubZero and Wolf in the same breath. These, after all, are leading, if not legendary, USbased manufacturers of luxury appliances.

“We already have people buying our outdoor grill. With the outdoor-rated refrigerator and outdoor warming drawer, these complete the country’s most powerful al fresco kitchen suite to date,” said Stephen Sy, the self-made entrepreneur who started his Focus Global Inc. empire from selling Coleman jugs.

“When you have an outdoor grill, you don’t leave the cooking to someone else. You do it yourself. Your guests can join, too. You can really enjoy your outdoor space,” added Sy.

With Sub-Zero and Wolf’s outdoor kitchen suite, you can enjoy lamb chops cooked perfectly every time.

For multi-awarded chef Tony Boy escalante of antonio’s Tagaytay, who prepared an exclusive tasting menu during the launching of the outdoor kitchen suite, the experience of grilling outdoors with family and friends is priceless.

“Grilling is fun. You can entertain and drink while cooking. Nothing beats the taste and aroma of smoked meat,” he said.

The Sub-Zero outdoor-rated refrigeration drawer is engineered to take on ambient temperatures of up to 43-degree Celsius. Clad in heavy-gauge stainless steel that can withstand Uv rays, salt and moisture—elements that would corrode lesser quality materials—it is built to create a low-temperature, high-humidity environment that is key to optimum preservation.

“Since it is available in a 24-inch width, those living in condos or more compact areas can enjoy this powerful appliance in even the smallest corner of your outdoor living area,” said Sy. Wolf’s outdoor grill, on the other hand, puts precise control and guesswork-free cooking in your hands with its sophisticated heating system—direct heat from powerful gas burners evenly absorbed by a layer of ceramic briquettes and distributed uniformly to the top surface. The grill comes as well with a rotisserie system powered by an infrared burner, so you can rotate a whole chicken or even a leg of lamb without a hitch. Its 36-inch variety even has a dedicated infrared sear zone that does an excellent job at sealing juices and flavors. Together with Wolf’s warming drawer, which is available in 30-inch and 36-inch widths, these ensure serving perfect hot-off-the-grill meat every time.

Of course, an outdoor kitchen suite built to last a lifetime comes at a price, too. The 36-inch width grill fetches for about P450,000. It commands a higher price at around P642,000 if you buy it with the cart. The outdoor-rated refrigeration drawer, on the other hand, is priced at P396,000.

The six-digit prices may sound outrageous, but Sy, who brought to the country a few years ago Dornbracht’s 24k gold-plated faucets as well as Tempur pillows and mattresses, believes there is a market for premium, high-quality products like Sub-Zero and Wolf.

“Sometimes you have to create the demand. People don’t realize they need something until it becomes available,” he said.

I’m at joyce.panares@gmail.com.

A variety of open-faced sushi is available at Kitsho restaurant

Japanese feast for graduates

Several students will soon celebrate their graduation this month.

Such an important milestone deserves a fitting reward, shared with the graduate’s loved ones.

Kitsho invites a graduate and his five companions to celebrate over authentic Japanese fare as the restaurant offers its 5+1 promo, where a group of five diners can bring one more guest who get to eat for free.

Guests who opt to celebrate on weekends can partake of either the lunch buffet (P1,232/pax, vaT included) or the dinner spread (P1,400/ pax, vaT included). However, should they choose to dine in on weekdays, they could still enjoy the buffet spread with a minimum reservation of 15 persons. In addition, all dining guests can avail of a 15 percent discount on all a la carte items that are separately ordered. executive Chef Mizumoto “Hiro” Masahiro will prepare each dish with the amount of passion and dedication that’s culled from many years of experience.

Start your gustatory journey with delectable appetizers, whether they be sushi or sashimi. You could share the Deluxe assorted Sushi plate or the Matsu Nigiri Sushi platter. Diners may also opt for the Oshi sushi (rolled sushi) or any of the mouthwatering options from the Sushi selection.

Sashimi lovers, meanwhile, could savor the Chutoro, or Tuna Belly sashimi, as well as the equally tasty Maguro (tuna). Diners can also taste every option available in the Sashimi

Rolled sushi

selection or decide to settle for the sashimi specials—such as the lobster or lapu-lapu option—which requires at least two days preparation prior to the reservation date.

In between your delightful meal, make sure to try any of the main dish choices. You may opt for the wellprepared yakimono dishes, the wellconcocted bento boxes, or any dish from the meat selection.

Cap your Japanese feast with the sweetest of endings from an extensive dessert list available at Kitsho, which include homemade soft-serve ice cream flavors of matcha green tea, black sesame, vanilla, and wasabi.

Kitsho is located on the ground level of Hotel Jen Manila, right across the sprawling CCP Complex along roxas Boulevard’s sunset strip.

For reservations, call (02) 7958888 local 2312 or (02) 994-3623.

Chef Mizumoto ‘Hiro’ Masahiro whips up dishes in Kitsho’s kitchen Family and friends can take turns grilling chicken kebab al fresco, with a bottle of beer or wine or both.

Life

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monday, march 5, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Your coffee is on Grab as the on-demand transportation platform opens its GrabCafé pop-up at B3 High Street in Bonifacio Global City.

GrabCafé opens in BGC

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ROm bringing people to their destinations, Grab now wants to bring us coffee with the opening of its pop-up coffee store GrabCafé.

Southeast Asia’s leading on-demand transportation and mobile payments platform officially welcomed guests to the GrabCafé located at B3 high Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig on march 2. it’s open until the 11th.

“This new project is a coming together of Grab and our partners’ desire to indulge Filipinos with more rewarding experiences,” says Grab Philippines country marketing head Cindy Toh.

Powered by GrabRewards, users can use their ride rewards points from GrabTaxi, GrabCar, and GrabShare rides to purchase a special Grab blend made from homegrown coffee brands YardStick, El Union, and AndThen.

Grab users only need to open the app, head straight to the GrabRewards Catalogue, and use their points to redeem a special coffee treat when they visit GrabCafé pop-up.

“Your Grab experience goes beyond booking your ride,” enthuses Toh. She continues, “GrabRewards is a gateway to exciting experiences and offers. Even just for a limited time, we are very happy to reward our passengers with a well-deserved fix that comes in an outpouring of flavors brought by GrabCafé.”

“But we won’t stop there as we are committed to bringing more rewarding activities this year.”

Send food with love ThEY say the way to anyone heart’s is through their stomach. Take this gesture a notch higher by surprising your loved one with a delivery of their favorite food.

On-demand logistics company Lalamove delivers your gifts—even food—anywhere in the metro, 24/7. here are some food gift ideas from Lalamove:

A bar of chocolate

Auro Chocolate will answer all your sweet tooth cravings at an affordable price compared to international brands and gives you a chance to support local farmers with every purchase you make. This proudly-Filipino, bean-to-bar company creates world-class confections from criollo porcelana, one of the rarest cacao varieties found in davao.

To find out more about GrabCafé, follow Grab Philippines social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

A bottle of wine

Wine depot, a one-stop shop for wines, spirits, and coffee with a globally expansive selection, has been in the business for almost 15 years. it has recently started adapting to new technologies as they deliver the finest Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile through Lalamove. Preparing a fine dining setup at home?

Choose from Wine depot’s extensive wine selection and Lalamove will deliver it right at your doorstep.

A gourmet sandwich

Send your love in the form of Bun Appetit’s gourmet sandwich. it serves lobster, crab, and shrimp rolls that capture the perfect combination of seafood and buns.

Grilled goodness at convenience store

Bites

GRiLLEd meats are often served at home, on a weekend, when you have the luxury of time to savor their flavors.

But now it is possible to get your grilled favorites wherever you are, whenever you like, no matter how long or short is the time you have for eating. Convenience store Fami--

Jollibee Wasabi Fries

FamilyMart serves Grilled Bangus

lymart offers Grilled Rice meal that comes with barbecued meat or seafood, java rice, atchara, and toyomansi, for only P79. if you’re looking for the familiar f lavor of home-grilled goodness, nothing beats sinking your teeth into the tender, juicy meat of Familymart’s Inihaw na Liempo. For those who’d like to keep it lighter, Inihaw na Bangus Belly is sure to become your favorite.

Inihaw na Liempo grilled rice meal

These grilled rice meals are now available at FamilyMart outlets nationwide.

Wasabi fries FEELinG a bit adventurous with your snacking option? here’s an intriguing suggestion: wasabi-flavored fries.

Jollibee is giving everyone a surprisingly delicious kick with its new Wasabi Fries. According to Jollibee, the flavor of Wasabi Fries caters to those with medium to low tolerance for spice, while still enjoyable for those who yearn for that distinct wasabi kick.

Wasabi Fries is available at regular (P40), large (P65), and jumbo (P80) sizes, for dine-in, take-out, delivery, and drive-thru transactions.

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018

C3

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Simply Red...

From C4

'America’s Greatest Threat: Vladimir Putin' premieres on March 9.

Uncover mysteries, witness epic events of the past

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HIS March on History, the cable channel brings you a month full of exciting discoveries from riveting mysteries compelling secrets of some of the most epic events.

Every crime syndicate is ruled by a boss or the Kingpin. But behind every Kingpin is a legion of ruthless rivals dying to take his place. Get ready to plunge yourselves into the heart of organized crime as brand-new docuseries Kingpin premieres on March 12 at 9:55 p.m.

Go deep into how the once great and mighty Silk Roads are rising again, after disappearing under desert sands, as an army of Chinese engineers build the New Silk Road at a cost of trillions of dollars. The Silk Road Reborn premieres today at 10:50 p.m..

On March 31, at 7:05 p.m., join four entrepreneurs of China’s new economy in Generation Face Off. These contestants will go head-to-head in business challenges with the hopes that this highpressure environment will reveal their true business philosophies.

Solve the 700-year old mystery of

The Knights Templar, the most powerful fighting force of the Middle Ages who vanished overnight. In this new episode, see how Mikey Kaye and Garth Baldwin come to the conclusion that the Templars hid the treasures, estimated to fill 50 trucks with precious metal, in a massive castle in Paris. Catch Buried: Knights Templar and the Holy Grail every Thursday at 9:55 p.m.

On March 9, at 9 p.m., witness America’s Greatest Threat: Vladimir Putin as experts share their views on how the president of the Russian Federation plans to change the balance of power, overthrow the existing order, and threaten American supremacy.

While on Easter Week, Tuesday to Saturday, March 26 to 31, at 8:05 p.m. comes the epic story of the Knights Templar in Knightfall. Be transported to the elegance and grandeur of 10th century Europe the ruthlessness of royalty,

'Countdown to a Coronation (Sultan ofJohor Special)' will air on March 23

the political scheming, and the chivalry of these brave men in this riveting series.

Finally, witness the intricate preparations of Sultan Ibrahim of Johor’s coronation.

Though not compulsory in formalizing his position, Sultan Ibrahim wants to give his people the celebration they deserve. Catch Countdown to a Coronation (Sultan of Johor Special) on March 23 at 1:05 p.m.

A musical March at Shangri-La Plaza SHANGRI-LA Plaza gathers the most soulful balladeers and musical sensations starting with international artist Calum Scott who performed new hits and well-loved classics especially for mall guests this March.

Yesterday at 6:00 p.m., former Britain’s Got Talent finalist Calum Scott staged the Exclusive Live Performance at the Grand Atrium. The Philippines was the singer’s first Asian stop on his worldwide tour as he launches his highly anticipated debut album Only Human on March 9.

Calum’s Shang performance gave fans and music lovers their only chance to catch the chart-topping English singer perform live in Manila.

Mall guests can also enjoy Shang’s Throwback Thursdays featuring the greatest hits throughout the decades as they shop and dine at the East Wing.

Shang’s Throwback Thursdays begins on March 8 with a playlist of memorable songs from iconic artist Barry Manilow, March 15 with ABBA, and March 22 will feature the Carpenters, and performed by the Bernie Pasamba Quartet.

Shang is also a great supporter of OPM and will feature South Border and their famous RnB classics like ‘Rainbow’ and “Kahit Kailan.” Witness South Border

'Britain's Got Talent' finalist Calum Scott

perform all-time favorites from their Platinum records at 7:00 p.m. on March 10 at the East Atrium.

Also on March 10, all girl acoustic group The Three of Us with – Ivy Hermogenes, Thea Panaguiton, and Adora San Pedro –puts their own spin on popular songs at 6:30 p.m. at the East Atrium.

Continuing the OPM series, is former

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, March 5, 2018

ACROSS 1 Tail end 5 Metal fastener 10 Lassies 14 Archipelago dot 15 Fountain near Via Veneto 16 Put out heat 17 Elevator pioneer 18 Yokels 19 Wolf, to Pedro 20 Squealed 22 Ballerina Moira — 24 Camel stops 26 Recently 27 Grants 30 Caribbean nation 32 Flood barrier 33 Ears of corn 34 DEA operative 38 Chest-beater 39 Lack of experience 42 Musical scale note 43 Prickly sensation 45 Cafe au — 46 Camel kin 48 Bean or Welles 50 Married in a hurry 51 Gulch 54 Inclined 56 Oakland team 58 Perils

62 Fiery gem 63 Went on stage 65 Brief aberration 66 In — (as found) 67 Disturbing sound 68 Peace Prize city 69 Cheese from the Netherlands 70 Box-score info 71 Disney or Whitman DOWN 1 Type of squad 2 “Como — usted?”

3 Perched 4 Work with antiques 5 Emphasize 6 Tanker’s cargo 7 Dixie fighter 8 Festive nights 9 Letter to Santa, maybe (2 wds.)

10 Wobbly dessert 11 Love in a gondola 12 Defame 13 Yarn 21 Weighed down 23 Don the feedbag 25 Pushing 27 Kyrgyzstan mountains 28 Sobbed

29 With, to Henri 31 Help with a heist 33 Ta-ta in Turin 35 PDQ 36 Chariot race locale 37 Bonded with a protective metallic coat 40 Losers (hyph.)

41 Ms. Barkin of films 44 Thug 47 Robin Hood’s

weapon 49 Deli loaf 50 Sidesteps 51 Crawled out of bed 52 Swift 53 Saddle extra 55 That is (Lat.) 57 Glasgow citizen 59 Designer — Schiaparelli 60 Tiny stream 61 Position 64 Aunt, in Madrid

Side A front man Joey Generoso who rounds up the month’s musical line-up with a performance of his newest rock ballads on March 24, 7:00 p.m., at the Grand Atrium.

For inquiries, call 370-2597/98 or visit www.facebook.com/shangrilaplazaofficial. Follow the Shang on Instagram: @ shangrilaplazaofficial.

Philippines’ very own Dance Princess Maja Salvador and Thailand’s most adored pop singer and pianist Tor+Saksit join forces in their newest single “Falling Into You”.

With her successful teleserye on the side, Wildflower star Maja is surely on a roll as she dives in one of the biggest milestones in her career.

September last year, Maja flew all the way to Bangkok to meet and record the single with Thai heartthrob Tor. Coincidentally, this is Maja’s first time to collaborate with a foreign artist, and Tor’s first time as well to record an English single. Recently, Tor was in the Philippines for the promo and music video shoots.

While this dream partnership is a lot of firsts for both Maja and Tor, their passion and love for singing has always been a common ground. The single was recorded in Thailand’s finest and state of the art Karma Studios in Bang Saray, south of Pattaya. Victor Lau, a well-known musical producer and composer from Taiwan who has worked with Meteor Garden’s Vaness Wu, Cyndi Wang, and more, produced Maja and Tor’s most awaited single.

Penned by Tor himself with cowriters, the song highlights Tor’s smooth, swooning piano playing skills and vocals, complimented by her MAJAsty’s sultry, emotion-filled delivery.

Now released globally, “Falling Into You” will capture the hearts not just of Filipino and Thai fans, but every music lover all around Asia and the world. *** Ana (Julia Montes) rises from the ashes and plots her revenge against Samantha (Shaina Magdayao) for attempting to murder her in the Kapamilya afternoon series Asintado.

Infuriated after witnessing Samantha and Gael’s (Paulo Avelino) wedding, Ana takes matters into her own hands to seek justice for the death of her father and the near-death experience she suffered in the hands of Samantha.

Alone and with no one to rely on, Ana threatens to kill Samantha in order to protect her family. However, Samantha has some cunning schemes of her own and uses her influence to hunt down Ana and end her life, preventing her from winning Gael’s heart and once again ruining their lives. *** Asintado airs on ABS-CBN and ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167) Monday to Friday.

Inigo Pascual spreads his wings from being a performer to becoming a veejay as the leading music channel in the country, MYX, officially announces the singing sensation as the new member of the MYX Squad.

Inigo joins MYX’s roster of VJs -Robi Domingo, Sharlene San Pedro, Ai dela Cruz, Turs Daza, Sunny Kim, and Donny Pangilinan – in their daily task of hosting various shows and introducing the latest in the music scene.

The 20-year old singer revealed that it has always been his dream to become a MYX VJ, even when he was still living abroad.

“As a kid I was a fan of MYX already. So when I first became a guest celebrity VJ, I really told my handler, ‘One day I’ll be a MYX VJ!’ and it’s happening. It’s finally here, and I’m so excited to meet the MYX family and to be able to be a VJ for you guys,” gushed the “ASAP” Jambayan artist.

He may be new to the MYX Squad, but he’s definitely not new to the music scene—especially after topping various music charts with his hit single “Dahil Sa’Yo” last year.

Passionate about OPM, the new MYX VJ aims to promote local music more to his generation.

“If we want our music to be loved in other places, we should love it first in our own country. How are you gonna bring it to another country if you don’t even love your own?” said the young performer.

He also revealed that he’s excited to work with close pal Donny, and the ever-bubbly Sunny as he shares the same love for K-Pop. Catch VJ Inigo in the following shows: MYX International Top 20, Saturdays at 6pm; MYX Daily Top 10 Pinoy Edition, Thursdays at 1am, 7am, 12pm, and 8pm; and on MYX Versions, Pop MYX, Pinoy MYX, and My MYX. MYX is available via SKYcable channel 23. For more information on MYX programming, log on to www.myxph.com, like @ MYX.Philippines on Facebook, and follow MYX on Instagram (@myxph) and Twitter (@MYXPhilippines). *** ABS-CBN won its fourth Best TV Station Award at the Eastern Visayas State University-Ormoc City Campus (EVSU-OCC) Student’s Choice Mass Media awards since it was launched in 2015.

Of the 17 awards given, the Kapamilya network took home 11 to dominate this year’s edition of the said students mass media awards.

A number of the network’s public affairs shows won including Best News Program (TV Patrol), Best Morning Show (Umagang Kay Ganda), Most Influential Public Service host (Failon Ngayon) Ted Failon.

Meanwhile, the network’s toprating entertainment programs and personalities also proved to be the campus’ top picks.

Daily noontime variety show It’s Showtime won Best Variety Show, while comedian, actor, and host Vice Ganda won Best Comedian. His comedy talk show Gandang Gabi Vice won Best Comedy Show.

The horror-fantasy series La Luna Sangre won Best Primetime Series.

Kapamilya actors were also named among the most influential. Coco Martin (FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano) won Most Influential Actor, while Angel Locsin the Influential Actress.

Like other student award-giving bodies, the EVSU-OCC Students’ Choice Mass Media Awards honors excellent programs and personalities chosen by the university’s students and faculty.

Kate Valdez, Andre Paras, Klea Pineda, and Arra San Agustin look busy studying their scripts.

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018

‘HEART BEATS 2.0’ at SM City Bicutan LOVE was all around recently at SM City Bicutan in Heart Beats 2.0, the biggest Valentine concert in the South metro where families, friends and couples celebrated the most romantic time of the year.

Heart Beats 2.0 was a take-off from the successful concert last year, which brought magic of love and music together at the mall. And for this, the country’s premier progressive Pop and R&B band South Border and one of Manila’s best - DJ Matthew Carbonell returned to SM City Bicutan for another round of their most requested sound and great mixes. The concert was also top billed by True Faith, Hale, Kithara and Mark Carpio, who treated mallgoers to a night of musical throwbacks and current hits.

On the Heart Beats 2.0 live playlist were crowd-favorite Hale’s alternative rock sound, True Faith’s energizing medley of songs from their best-selling records in the 90’s, as well as South Border’s trademark R&B and Jazz music and most requested covers. More-

over, singer-songwriter Mark Carpio and up-and-coming band Kithara serenaded the audience with love songs, as well as covers of classic OPM love songs.

Setting the mood for the perfect date was a special outdoor and picnic-style screening of the highest grossing indie film in the Philippines, Kita Kita starring Alessandra de Rossi and Empoy Marquez, made possible by event partner, PBO of Viva Entertainment. This was made more enjoyable by a special Food Corner and Ball Pit for kids and the kid-at-heart.

The event was held in partnership with SMDC, Cablelink, PBO (Paborito ng Bayan), Sound Check Manila, Manila Concert Scene, Manila Concert Junkies, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Sun Cellular, Nixon, Gerry’s Grill, Jollibee, Titan Watches, Inasal Chicken Bacolod, Max’s Restaurant, Hukad, Fujifilm’s Instax and Ball Pit City.

Heart Beats 2.0 was just one of the many exciting events that happen at SM City Bicutan.

The country’s premier progressive Pop and R&B band South Border returned to SM City Bicutan to thrill mallgoers with their most requested sounds in 'Heart Beats 2.0.'

GMA is cooking up another colorful surprise THE atmosphere in the GMA compound is filled with excitement.

It seems like the Kapuso Network is busy prepping up a big and colorful surprise for the viewers.

Numerous posts on Instagram show the biggest Kapuso celebrities and news personalities together recently, wearing vibrant outfits and beaming with smiles.

In an Instagram post by Aiai de las Alas, she shared her appreciation for having close friends Jennylyn Mercado and Marian Rivera. She captioned, ‘‘Ang 2 sa peborit ko sa industriya si queen marian aka kambal and queen jen aka julia roberts of d phil (para saken) — busy kami today hehe kaming mga kapuso .. makikita nyo din yun soon.”

Glaiza De Castro, on the other hand, posted her photo on Instagram with Encantadia Sang’gres Gabbi Garcia and Sanya Lopez together with Mikee Quintos.

In a post by Solenn Heussaff, she is shown effortlessly looking glamorous with Heart Evangelista, Megan Young, Joyce Pring, and Iya Villania-Arellano.

Joyce Pring, meanwhile, posted another version of the photo with the caption, “Today on…how to publicly humiliate yourself and also find joy in it: join a photo with the most regal women and pretend like it’s [no big

deal],” which her followers disagreed on and commented that her beauty is also at par with the ISAH V. RED gorgeous ladies.

In response to Joyce’s post, Heart Evangelista reposted the photo saying, “YES, you can sit with US! #WomenUnite,” which proved how endearing she is on and off camera.

Suzi Entrata also shared a set of groufies as she ‘fangirled’ on her fellow Kapuso personalities. “Ang saya!!! managed to get pics with some of our network’s brightest from both entertainment and news and public affairs,” she wrote.

In a story shared by Rafael Rosell, he took a selfie video showing some of the artists during a break from what appeared to be a shoot. He was shown getting blinded either by the bright lights in the set or probably by the brightness of the stars that he’d seen in one room. “So many celebrities! So many celebrities!!!,” he quipped.

Employees were also spotted wearing colorful shirts all in one day and they, too, must be part of the latest Kapuso offering.

Stay tuned, mga Kapuso! *** BEC-TERO Music Thailand and Ivory Music and Video Philippines team up in bringing Asia the newest and boldest musical collaboration to hit the musical scene.

Continued on C3

(Left to right) Mikael Daez, Megan Young, Kim Domingo, Mike Tan, and Thea Tolentino are cooking up something special for the Kapuso viewers.

Couple Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes welcome some members of the press at the contract signing between them and Cignal Prepaid.

MARIAN, DINGDONG

team up in new TVC

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FTER constantly starring complementing leading roles in various television series on primetime to taking their relationship off-screen, Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes are adding yet another milestone to their already eventful lives.

The couple has teamed up in a new TVC that aims to attract additional 200 thousand subscribers for a Pay TV provider. Marian and Dingdong have now taken on an even bigger role as they pledge to become the new faces of Cignal Prepaid from the country’s leading Pay TV provider.

“With the lineup of quality shows that Cignal has, it really poises itself as the leading Pay TV provider in the country. And it makes us feel proud to be part of this project because whenever we endorse a brand, we make sure that we believe in it,” says Dingdong during a contract signing held on Feb. 26 at Solaire.

Propelled by the prestige persistently received by hailed Primetime TV King and Queen, it should not come as a surprise that the majestic tandem of Marian and Dingdong served as the top choice of Cignal Prepaid to be their new endorsers.

Marian Rivera first rose to fame when she portrayed the Filipino version of the Mexican drama, Marimar. This was where she met and co-starred with her

now-husband, Dingdong Dantes. The success of the reel-to-real couple led to more soap operas together. “DongYan,” a moniker given to them by their fans, has now become a household name.

The joint venture of Cignal Prepaid and DongYan leverages on both their ability to deliver premium content to their audiences. It is as if the Kapuso Royalties have personified the premium features that Cignal Prepaid offers.

Leading in the era of HD quality channels, Cignal has continually proven its strong market presence in the Philippine Pay TV market by accumulating at least 1.8 million subscribers to date.

Since its launch back in 2009, Cignal has delivered unique, diverse, and substantial pay TV channels to cater to

its audiences’ needs. It has maintained its number 1 status in having the most number of channels, with the widest selection of genres to offer. Cignal exclusive premium international channels include: BBC Earth HD, Disney XD, and FX HD. Cignal also manages channels such as PBA Rush, Hyper, Colours, and Sari Sari.

New and improved Cignal Prepaid also has become even more affordable with new pre-paid kit pricing - Get a Premium SD Kit for only P1,990 or an Ultimate HD Kit of only P2,790. Aside from this, TV viewers can now choose from different load denominations, depending on their budget.

Visit www.cignal.tv to learn more about their promos and packages.

Marian and Dingdong in Cignal Prepaid's latest TVC.