Manila Standard - 2017 December 13 - Wednesday by Manila Standard

JOBLESS RATE ROSE IN OCTOBER AMID LOW UNDEREMPLOYMENT

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Urban Poor execs fired Junkets tripped all 5 commissioners, also failure to meet as collegial body By John Paolo Bencito

VOL. XXXI • NO. 299 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

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MANUEL SERRA JR.

MELISSA ARADANAS

Govt to run after those tied to dengue vaccine anomaly MALACAÑANG vowed Tuesday that President Rodrigo Duterte would go after those involved in the alleged onerous P3.35billion procurement of the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia. “The President is awaiting results of the investigation. And he has promised that after [the] investigation has been or have been conducted both by the Senate and the Department of Justice—he will run after all individuals who may have criminal culpability for this,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said in a

Palace news brieﬁng. At the Department of Education, Secretary Leonor Briones called for a “strong monitoring” of students administered with Dengvaxia. Briones issued DepEd memorandum 199, series 2017, ordering the surveillance of students from both public and private schools who have been administered with Dengvaxia whether by private practitioners or through community-based vaccination. Briones instructed school administrators and Next page

JOAN LAGUNDA

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday “fired” all five commissioners of the Presidential Commission on the Urban Poor including its chairperson, Atty. Terry Ridon, over what he described were unnecessary trips and failing to meet as a collegial body. “Today, I fired the whole of the [Presidential] Commission [for] the Urban Poor. One, because it’s a collegial body and I heard they never had any [hearing] except

NOE INDONTO

one or two,” Duterte said in his speech during the conferment of the 2016 Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities in the Philippines. Quick like a thunderclap, Ridon maintained he and the other agency ofﬁcials had served “with integrity and competence.” “We performed our mandate to the best of our abilities, with integrity and competence, despite the heavy burden of undertaking genuine reform,” his ofﬁcial statement read. But he still thanked Duterte for giving him and the four commissioners—Melissa Aradanas, Manuel Serra Jr., Noe Indonto and Joan Lagunda—the “opportunity to serve the nation.” He said public record could show that they had implemented with full integrity the promise of the President of a no-demolition without relocation policy. Next page

Alvarez: Treason rap vs CJ constitutes public trust betrayal By Maricel V. Cruz SPEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez believes the testimony of Supreme Court Justice Francis Jardeleza over his “treason” allegation against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno would constitute betrayal of public trust.

While treason is “applicable only during war,” he opined at a news conference Tuesday Sereno could still be liable for it. Alvarez said the testimonies of four SC justices last Monday at the House committee on justice were solid enough to pin down Sereno

as these were made “under oath” by no less than justices themselves. “All of these were ﬁrst hand information. How do you refute that? All the testimonies were made under oath. So there is a presumption of credibility and they were not afraid to attend the

hearings,” Alvarez said in a mix of Filipino and English. Alvarez said the fact that Sereno continued to refuse to attend the impeachment proceedings conducted by the House justice panel only proved she was hiding something. “The way I see it, she is

afraid to confront the truth... this is a constitutional process which impeachable ofﬁcials must respect,” Alvarez added. During the proceeding Monday, Jardeleza accused Sereno of treason when she “illegally secured” in 2014 Next page

House approves P3.7-t budget, Duterte to sign it before Xmas HOUSE appropriations committee chairman and Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles said the proposed P3.767-trillion General Appropriations Act for 2018 was ratiﬁed Tuesday night for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature before

Christmas. Meanwhile, President Duterte was set to sign his administration’s ambitious tax reform plan and the 2018 national budget as lawmakers ﬁnalized conﬂicting provisions in the tax-reform bill before Congress goes into

a break this week, a senior Cabinet ofﬁcial said. “The signing of TRAIN has been set on the 19th, together with the 2018 budget,” Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said in a text message to reporters. The Senate and the House

have until Dec. 13 to pass the tax-reform bill and submit it to Malacañang for President Duterte’s signature. The target implementation of TRAIN and the new 2018 budget is on Jan. 1, 2018. The ratiﬁcation of the proposed GAA followed two

weeks of deliberations by congressmen and senators who sought to harmonize the differing provisions of their respective versions of the proposed national budget for next year. Duterte is expected to sign Next page

SolGen justifies ML legality, LP senators buck extension By Rey E. Requejo SOLICITOR General Jose Calida justiﬁed Tuesday the legality of President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to extend martial law in Mindanao for one year, with Malacañang conﬁdent it could muster support for its extension. Calida stressed the extension had legal basis contrary to the claim of his predecessor, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay, that such extension would violate the Constitution because there was no more existing rebellion in the region after

Duterte’s announcement the Maute terrorist group had been neutralized by government troops. In Malacañang, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said “We look forward to the support which has been given in the past by Congress.” He added: “We have factual basis for the declaration of martial law and we see no reason why Congress will not give its usual support to this initiative of the Chief Executive.” In related developments: • Speaker Pantaleon Next page

MARTIAL LAW EXTENSION. Senators Panfilo Lacson and Vicente Sotto (back to camera, left) meet up Tuesday with Interior Undersecretary Eduardo Año, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea at the start of the closed-door meeting regarding President Rodrigo Duterte’s (right) request to extend martial law in Mindanao. Also present in the meeting at the Senate were National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, and Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Rey Guerrero. Lino Santos

Rody threatens military action in jeepney plan Jobless rate up, RUBBER bullets and truncheons will be used against jeepney drivers who will oppose the government’s jeepney modernization program, President Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday. He threatened military ac-

tion if jeepney drivers, particularly the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide or Piston, would oppose the government’s modernization plan. “I’m preparing the Armed

Forces and the Police to buy rubber bullets, prepare for truncheons,” Duterte said during the conferment of the 2016 Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities in the Philippines. Next page

Palace unfazed by legal hurdles in Sino telco bid By John Paolo Bencito MALACAÑANG remains conﬁdent it can overcome all legal hurdles to improve the telecommunications sector amid the planned entry

BLOGGERS XMAS PARTY. President Rodrigo Duterte takes a quick time off from the demanding hours of the presidency for a festive holiday mood and hosted Monday at the Malago Clubhouse a private party for pro-administration bloggers. Malacañang Photo

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of a Chinese ﬁrm as a third player in the sector, an ofﬁcial said Tuesday. “Because there’s a third operator that was invited to come in, that’s already fraught with challenges,” Presidential Spokesman

Harry Roque said. “There will be legal challenges, but we are conﬁdent we can overcome all these challenges.” China Telecommunications Corp. is studying investing Next page

underemployed down in October By Julito G. Rada UNEMPLOYMENT rate rose to 5 percent of the labor force in October from 4.7 percent a year ago, but the ranks of the underemployed sank to a 10-year low, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Tuesday. According to ofﬁcial data, areas with the highest unemployment rates are Ilocos Region (8.2 Next page

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Be vigilant, DFA tells Filipinos in NY

HE Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday called on the Filipinos abroad to exercise vigilance in the wake of another terror attack in the United States. The department issued the advisory after a rushhour bomb explosion at a major transport hub in New York left at least four people injured on Monday morning. The department made

NBI won't stop probe on right of way scam By Rey E. Requejo THE National Bureau of Investigation will continue its investigation of the alleged P8.7-billion roadright-of way scam despite the denial of former Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson of his involvement in it, an official said Tuesday. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said his department will await the outcome of the probe being conducted by the NBI to determine the culpabilities of Singson, former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and the other people implicated by whistle-blower Roberto Catapang Jr. in the right-of-way anomaly in General Santos City. “That’s his statement,” Aguirre said in reacting to Singson’s denial of his involvement in the alleged scam when he appeared before the investigation being conducted by the Senate public works committee led by Senator Manny Pacquiao. “Let’s wait for the termination of the investigation by the NBI and the Senate before we make a conclusion or opinion,” Aguirre said. Aguirre learned from Catapang that the syndicate involved in the alleged scam were submitting fake land titles of non-existent owners to allow them to claim from the Department o Public Works and Highways just compensation for the expropriation of their land that would be occupied in various government road projects. “Based on their signatures in the documents submitted to the NBI and on the testimonies of our witness, some high-ranking officials of the previous administration could have potential liabilities like former DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson who apparently approved and requested the release of payment of fake RROW claims,” Aguirre said. But Singson testified before the Senate that he was not involved in the scam, saying he was “not a corrupt secretary and definitely not a plunderer.”’ “I did not profit or gain anything from any of these land claims as accused by DoJ Secretary Aguirre,” he said.

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in the telecoms sector in the Philippines after President Rodrigo Duterte invited it to enter the country and challenge local phone carriers PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. The Chinese government, which controls its phone carriers, picked China Telecom to be the one entering the Philippines, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Sunday, citing information from a Cabinet meeting last week. China Telecom would have to look for a local partner with an existing franchise and a significant presence in the Philippines, Andanar said. The Department of Information and Communications Technology is urging telecommunications companies interested to become the third

Roque told reporters. Roque said the government would be praying for the speedy recovery of those injured. He added that no Filipino was injured in the incident. In its initial report to Manila, the Philippine Consulate General in New York said the incident involved the premature detonation of a pipe bomb at the Port Authority Terminal, the main

transport hub for buses going in and out of New York. Consul General Maria Teresa Dizon-De Vega said a suspect, who was also injured in the incident and reported to have been in possession of a second explosive device, was now in police custody. Immediately after the attack, the consulate issued an advisory requesting the 56,100 members of the Fili-

pino community to avoid the area and to be extra careful. Dizon-De Vega said she was relieved no Filipino was among the injured since the Port Authority Terminal was being used by Filipinos from New Jersey and nearby areas. Those include personnel of the consulate and the Philippine Mission to the United Nations who take their connecting subway rides to their

offices. The latest attack come more than five weeks after eight people were killed and 11 others injured in Manhattan after they were ran over by a truck driven by an IS follower. It also followed warnings issued by the terrorist group that it would undertake more attacks worldwide. PNA, with John Paolo Bencito

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be “abolished” but later backtracked and issued an erratum, clarifying that Duterte would only sack the agency’s five commissioners. “With sincerest regrets I would like to correct the statement I made on the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor during this morning’s press briefing. It is to fire, and not to abolish, the Commission,” Roque said in a statement. During the briefing, Roque cited two grounds behind Duterte’s decision to fire the commissioners. “Number one, it is, according to him, a collegial body, and they have not met as a collegial body. Number two, the commissioners are notorious for junkets abroad,” he said. “This kind of work performance has no place in the Duterte administration,” he

added. Duterte’s spokesman flatly denied the move had something to do with having a left-leaning commissioner, former Kabataan Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon as the head of the agency. Last Dec. 8, Duterte said he would be firing an entire commission after hearing allegations of corruption against them, but did not specify the agency in question. Duterte said he would not allow those officials to “bargain” for their posts. In a statement, Ridon insisted his trips were approved by the Office of the President and other agencies. “All trips were covered by Travel Authorities issued by the Office of the President and recommended by the Office of the Cabinet Secre-

tary involving international conferences relevant to the urban poor: poverty alleviation, public housing and climate change,” he said in a statement. “Further, these conferences involved a multi-agency delegation, including agencies under the Office of the President like PCUP,” he added. Ridon added the agency’s officials had faithfully discharged its mandate and thanked Duterte “for the opportunity to serve the nation.” Ridon said: “The public record of the agency can speak for itself: we had implemented with full integrity the presidential promise of no demolition without relocation,” he said in a text message. “We had represented gov-

ernment and given voice to the urban poor in international conferences on public housing, poverty alleviation and climate change, which was unprecedented in any administration.” PCUP was created by virtue of Executive Order 82 last Dec. 8, 1986. It serves as the direct link between the government and the urban poor in the formulation of policy and programs to address the needs of the society’s indigent sector. PCUP’s functions included evaluation of the government’s shelter-related or resettlement projects for squatters or informal settlers, as well as preparation of programs for the human development, basic services, and employment and livelihood of the urban poor. With Rio Araja

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a highly-confidential matter about the Philippines’ legal position over the disputed West Philippine Sea. Jardeleza, a former solicitor general, was surprised as to how Sereno managed to get the information when it was supposed to be classified as confidential and restricted. The “top-secret” document was the March 2014 memorandum of Jardeleza which cited his reasons to exclude the Taiwanese-occupied ItuAba from Manila’s arbitration case versus China. Then president Benigno Aquino III designated Jardeleza to head the Philippine delegation as the country’s chief government counsel. This, Jardeleza said, could have explained Sereno’s opposition to his SC nomination in 2014. In Monday’s House hearing, two incumbent Supreme Court Justices and a retired SC Justice denounced what they called Sereno’s repeated violations of the internal rules of the high court, imposing her will on the collegial body. In that hearing, deputy speaker and South Cotabato Rep. Ferdinand Hernandez said Justice Noel Tijam said Sereno “arrogated” upon herself the power of the court en banc when she assigned the Maute case to herself and in making it appear the court en banc agreed to transfer the trial of the cases in Cagayan de Oro City. Justice Teresita de Castro, who said the case was not actually raffled off and assigned to Sereno, called the process “irregular.” “I believe that the actions done by the Chief Justice from the time she assumed the position showed no respect for the court en banc,” De Castro told the House justice committee. For his part, Jardeleza echoed Hernandez’s observation and that the en banc was in fact very concerned of its

reputation as a result. “We are here to make sure that after these proceedings that the en banc in its entirety stands for the rule of law,” Jardeleza said The testimony of retired Justice Arturo Brion intensified the sentiments of the justices against the chief justice. He said since Sereno did not convene the Ethics Committee of the high court, the justices had to resort to correcting any transgressions of the rules in the en banc session. Brion said Sereno’s continued violation of the collegial nature of the court had generated negative sentiments. Brion recalled these resentments of the justices had surfaced during the en banc meeting where sometimes heated words were exchanged. De Castro said for her part she had been calling the attention of Sereno so she would not commit the same mistakes all over again. On a separate issue, Brion said he saw malice when Sereno invoked the unanimity rule in blocking the appointment of then Solicitor General Jardeleza to the high court. Brion said in his separate and concurring opinion on the case of Jardeleza vs Sereno, he stated that the Chief Justice “manipulated the processes of the JBC [Judicial and Bar Council] for her own end” to exclude Jardeleza from the list of possible appointees to the high court. He said Jardeleza passed the initial interviews with flying colors and no opposition was raised against his appointment but on June 5 Sereno raised a question of integrity against Jardeleza. Before this, or on May 29, Brion said Sereno prepared a letter to the court en banc saying several of their colleagues asked her to forego the traditional voting for the nominees to the vacant SC post. As a result, the SC did not vote for any nominee.

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school medical personnel to review the master list of students who received the vaccination, regardless of the number of doses received. The administrators and health personnel were tasked to identify these students and monitor them for any symptom. The Departments of Education and Health, in cooperation with local government units, are strictly monitoring the condition of students who received the anti-dengue vaccine. Roque said the President was standing by the recommendation of the DoH to hold Sanofi responsible. “We want...a refund of what we have paid already for the Dengvaxia,” he added. Roque also accused Sanofi of hiding material facts from the government when it decided to procure the vaccines for the government’s public health program. Roque said “There was

concealment of a material fact and that is that children who have not developed dengue may acquire the disease three to six years after the vaccination. “That was not a known fact when government decided to embark on the vaccination program.” DepEd said that even if the dengue vaccination program had been piloted in the National Capital Region, and Regions 3, 4A and 7, the memorandum also urged the other regions to monitor students who might have received the Dengvaxia. In a statement, DepEd noted the parents and teachers’ involvement in facilitating the surveillance system was essential. “They may help by reporting cases of vaccinated students with fever to the text line that DoH will set up. Health workers of rural health units [RHUs] shall act on these text reports,” DepEd said. DepEd also reminded schools about the implementation of DepEd memoran-

dum 152, series 2011 (Preventing Dengue in Schools), which requires schools to regularly conduct vector control. Schools will also conduct forums about the vaccination program and the campaign against dengue. “Parents are encouraged to participate in these forums,” DepEd said. The government has allotted more than P3 billion for the purchase of Dengvaxia vaccines manufactured by pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur. However, on Nov. 30, Sanofi Pasteur released the result of its clinical study, indicating that Dengvaxia might cause harm to recipients who have not been infected by dengue prior to the vaccination. The Department of Health has suspended the dengue vaccination program. About 800,000 students were already administered with Dengvaxia, but not all of them had prior dengue infection. John Paolo Bencito with PNA

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major player in the industry to invest in the installation of fixed lines to further improve the Internet service. “The main reason why we have one of the slowest and expensive Internet access in the region is that most of us, if not all, connect to the Internet via Globe and Smart mobile networks,” DICT officer-incharge Eliseo Rio said in a social media post on Tuesday. “But they have only 20,000 cell sites, such that around more than 5,000 subscribers share a tower when the more ideal ratio should be one tower per 1,000 subscribers. We need at least 67,000 cell sites to just compare with Vietnam,” Rio said. Among legal challenges that the Philippine Competition Commission had earlier asked the Supreme Court to weigh in May 2016 was the sale of San Miguel Corp.’s telecommunications unit to

industry giants PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom. The move comes after the 12th division of the Court of Appeals, acting on a petition from PLDT, recently blocked the antitrust body’s attempts to review the almost P70-billion transaction involving the disputed 700 Megahertz band. The 700MHz, previously almost fully controlled by San Miguel Corp., is an LTE frequency valued for its ability to efficiently cover wide areas and penetrate walls with highspeed mobile Internet. “Take note that we are still in the process of hearing a case involving the frequencies that was awarded to what should have been the third player and the buyers of that frequency are still challenging before the Supreme Court now whether or not the Competition Commission can even look into the merger,” Roque said. With Bloomberg and PNA

its statement even as Malacañang on Tuesday condemned the attack by a man believed to be a follower of the IS terror group. “Terrorism and hate have no place in society,” Presidential Spokesman Harry

He added unlike the past leadership of the PCUP, they represented government [in the international conferences on public housing, poverty alleviation and climate change] and gave voice to the urban poor. In his speech, Duterte alleged Ridon made several unauthorized junkets since he got appointed. “He was appointed September—but he traveled seven times. And to think The office is an urban poor agency, I simply cannot understand. I simply cannot understand why you have to be there, every pow wow in the international scene,” he added. Earlier in the day, Palace spokesman Harry Roque announced that the PCUP would

Alvarez on Tuesday said he expected Congress to approve the request of Duterte for a one-year extension of martial law. “Being a Mindanaoan, I do not see any reason why Congress will not approve his request for extension,” Alvarez said at a news conference. The House of Representatives and the Senate are set to convene in a joint session today (Wednesday) to decide on whether or not to approve Duterte’s request for a one-year extension of martial law in Mindanao. •In the Senate, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said the extension of the state of emergency was justified since there was rebellion on the ground and public safety required it. “And in their assessment, that’s somewhat subjective. They need a year to address the root causes of rebellion but nothing was sure there,” he said. He said the manifestation of rebellion in Mindanao was the siege in Marawi— the rebels are still there- the Daiwa Ismaliyah or Daesh affiliate, the Maute group.With John Paolo Bencito, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

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percent), National Capital Region (6.1 percent), and Central Luzon (6.0 percent). Unemployment actually describes workers who do not have jobs but who want jobs and are actively seeking jobs. Workers who are laid off or who quit their jobs but do not seek a new job are not considered unemployed if they don’t keep looking for work, ac-

into law the 2018 GAA on or before Dec. 19. ”President Rodrigo Duterte can proudly affix his signature to this measure on Dec. 19 following its ratification,” Nograles said, referring to their self-imposed deadline for the signing of the 2018 national budget. He said among the bells and whistles of the measure were the billions worth of benefits lined up for the education sector. These are the provision of an additional P1,000 cash allowance for public school teachers from the current P2,500 to P3,500 (budget allocation: P770 million); the increase of at least P10 million each for all State Universities and Colleges across-the-board for capital outlays to be used in the repair, rehabilitation, constructions of academic buildings and the purchase of equipment, among others (P3.7 billion); and the rollout of the free college education program under Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (P40 billion) to cover the free tuition and miscellaneous fees for college students in all State Colleges and Universities nationwide. “There is no stopping free college education in the country. This is truly a legacy-defining measure for the Duterte administration, and its implementation was made possible through the 2018 national budget,” Nograles said. The 2018 budget will also ensure the implementation of free Wi-Fi for all SUCs amounting to P327 million. Meanwhile, the House and the Senate have set aside an additional P62 billion for the increase of military and uniformed personnel’s base pay beginning Jan. 1, 2018. House Joint Resolution 18, which bears this effect, was approved on 3rd and final reading on Monday, Dec. 11. “This will double the basic pay of both the Police Officer 1 and Private from P14,834 per month to P29,668 per month. The funding requirement for this is already included in the 2018 General Appropriations Bill,” Nograles said. For the other ranks, the raise in base pay will be calibrated resulting in an average increase of 58.70 percent, he said. Maricel V. Cruz and John Paolo Bencito cording to economists. Underemployment, on the other hand, is a measure of employment and labor utilization in the economy that looks at how well the labor force is being utilized in terms of skills, experience and availability to work. This is different from unemployment in that the individual is working but is not working at his full capability, according to economists. Underemployment posted

its lowest rate in more than 10 years, a reflection that the country’s decent work agenda is moving forward, the National Economic and Development Authority said Tuesday. In the October 2017 Labor Force Survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority, a Nedaattached agency, underemployment rate or the proportion of employed wanting additional work hours declined to or was recorded at 15.9 per-

UN body: Protect kids from online perils NEW YORK/MANILA― Despite the children’s massive online presence―one in three Internet users worldwide is a child―too little is being done to protect them from the perils of the digital world and to increase their access to safe online content, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund said in its annual flagship report released on Tuesday. The State of the World’s Children 2017 is Unicef’s first comprehensive look at the different ways digital technology is affecting children’s lives and life chances, identifying dangers as well as opportunities. The group argues that governments and the private sector have not kept up with the pace of change, exposing children to new risks and harms and leaving millions of the most disadvantaged children behind. “For better and for worse, digital technology is now an irreversible fact of our lives,” said Unicef Executive Director Anthony Lake. “In a digital world, our dual challenge is how to mitigate the harms while maximizing the benefits of the Internet for every child.” The report explores the benefits digital technology can offer the most disadvantaged children, including those growing up in poverty or affected by humanitarian emergencies. These include increasing their access to information, building skills for the digital workplace, and giving them a platform to connect and communicate their views. But the report shows that millions of children are missing out. Around a third of the world’s youth―346 million―are not online, exacerbating the inequities and reducing children’s ability to participate in an increasingly digital economy. The report also examines how the internet increases children’s vulnerability to risks and harms, including the misuse of their private information, access to harmful content and cyberbullying. The ubiquitous presence of mobile devices, the report notes, has made online access for many children less supervised―and potentially more dangerous. And digital networks like the Dark Web and cryptocurrencies are enabling the worst forms of exploitation and abuse, including trafficking and ‘made to order’ online child sexual abuse. In the Philippines, the risks to children are high with the country being the number one global source of child pornography and a hub for the live-stream sexual abuse trade. Around eight out of every 10 Filipino children are at risk of online sexual abuse or bullying.

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“I’ll pull you. I don’t care if we go into turmoil.” Duterte said people “are being killed almost everybody slowly” with the toxic fumes coming from jeepneys. “You should see Manila at sunset. It’s not mist, but it’s floating all over the city.” Piston is protesting the PUV modernization program aimed at phasing out the jeepneys and replacing them with eco-friendly ones. Duterte earlier said he was giving drivers and operators until December 2017 to modernize their jeepneys. John Paolo Bencito

cent in October 2017. This is lower by 2.1 percentage points from the 18.0 percent recorded in 2016. The said rate represents approximately 893,000 less underemployed workers. This is so despite the decrease in total employment to 41.6 million in October 2017, lower by 0.3 percentage points from a year ago, and employment rate also being down to 95 percent from 95.3 percent in 2016.

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FULLERTON HEALTH ANNOUNCES PHILIPPINES MARKET ENTRY THROUGH THE ACQUISITION OF INTELLICARE GROUP

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Singapore– Fullerton Healthcare Corporation Limited (Fullerton Health) have announced that it has entered into agreements to acquire a 60% stake in the Intellicare Group, one of the leading managed care providers in the Philippines. The Philippines is an important market in Asia Pacific for Fullerton Health, underpinned by attractive underlying growth drivers. Completion of the transaction is subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions and is expected to complete in early 2018. The Intellicare Group was founded in 1995 and is strategically aligned with Fullerton Health’s vision of being Asia Pacific’s preeminent total healthcare solution provider. The Intellicare Group comprises three companies: Asalus, a health maintenance organisation (“HMO”) engaged in the delivery of managed healthcare services via comprehensive, systematic and preventionoriented health maintenance programmes; Avega, a provider of third party administration services to corporates as well as small and medium enterprises; and Aventus, a chain of nine outpatient multi-speciality clinics. Dr Michael Tan, Co-Founder and Group CEO of Fullerton Health, commented: “Today is an important milestone for Fullerton Health and takes us into our eighth country in Asia Pacific. With a population of over 100 million people, the Philippines offers great growth potential for the company, and the potential synergies between our two businesses, together with our operational and technological capabilities, will allow us to deliver increased benefits and services to even more corporates and patients across the country. This acquisition reinforces our strategy of developing a strong presence in markets across the region, and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the Intellicare Group to the Fullerton Health family.” Mario M. Silos, Chairman and President of Intellicare Group, said: “The investment by Fullerton Health, establishing them as our majority shareholder, is an exciting development for the Intellicare Group. It will enable us to tap into their expansive network and wealth of experience across Asia Pacific to ensure that we are delivering the most sophisticated care possible to corporates and patients throughout the Philippines. As the country’s preeminent HMO, we are committed to leading the managed healthcare space. Fullerton Health shares our values of ensuring that healthcare is efficient, accessible, affordable and compassionate, and the synergies created through this acquisition will enable us to uphold each of these and enhance our innovative and holistic approach to managed healthcare.” PAID ADVERTISEMENT

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Opinion

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

The first and her equals

OR better or worse, these are truly changing times for the Supreme Court. As one of the three independent branches of government, the High Court has always been the most silent, the least prone to fanfare. The other branches are mostly essentially popular. The justices, for their part, are traditionally seen as stoic. They let their decisions, which interpret the law and make up jurisprudence to guide future legal disputes, speak for themselves. Their decisions are always colle-

gial. They never speak about one another—actually, the justices rarely speak at all. It is always the institution of the Supreme Court that we see and hear, not the justices as distinct persons. The only peek into their individual minds are the dissenting and concurring opinions they may decide to write to explain their vote. These days, with the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, we seem to be seeing a transformation of the court. Now there is not one single infallible impenetrable institution.

As Sereno battles to save her job and most importantly her reputation, no less than four of her current and former colleagues have decided to subject themselves to questions by members of the legislative department. The gloves are off, it seems. In the past we did not doubt that the justices had their differences, professionally and personally. But they never went public about these. Today, fellow justices—those who are supposed to be Sereno’s equals even as she is ﬁrst among them—are speaking out. Apparently it was Sereno her-

self who broke protocol by habitually acting on her own without the support of the en banc. These were little things, the justices said, that became, over time, big things because they pointed to a blatant disregard for the court’s collegial nature. These are interesting times, indeed. We are not yet sure if this departure from established practices is good or bad for the institution, and ultimately for the people. Still, any challenge to the status quo is welcome, if it would help advance the practice of law, the conduct of public ofﬁcials—and the plain truth. TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Vaccine fiasco is criminal

IN MY almost seven decades as a journalist, I have never seen associate justices of the Supreme Court—three incumbent and one retired, and even a court administrator and clerk of court, testifying before the House Committee on Justice. The testimonies are to establish probable cause that Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno indeed committed impeachable offenses. I am convinced Sereno has lost the rectitude or moral integrity needed to make her primus inter pares—the ﬁrst among equals—in the Supreme Court.

Those responsible must be made to pay.

Scapegoating 101 LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES BY ALL means, hold the big pharma company liable. But don’t forget to go after those who purchased the anti-dengue vaccine and propagated its use, as well. I’m bothered by the growing clamor to hold French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi solely responsible for the anomalous purchase and use of P3.5 billion worth of its Dengvaxia vaccine. While I’ve always believed that Sanofi is to blame, it seems that the company is being made into a convenient scapegoat even for actions for which the Philippine government is responsible. So when the presiden-

tial spokesman, Harry Roque, said yesterday that President Rodrigo Duterte wants to hold the pharma’s feet to the flame, on the basis of the recommendation of the Department of Health, pardon me if I don’t jump for joy. After all, the DoH, particularly its head during the previous administration, Janette Garin, was Sanofi’s very willing partner in the procurement and distribution of the controversial drug. And even after the Duterte administration continued the vaccination program, it was still the DoH—with the help of many of its senior and mid-level officials who remained in office as holdovers—who ran the Dengvaxia show. That the department was neck-deep in its involvement in the scandal, from approval

to procurement to implementation, is as clear as the Sanofi logo on the tiny boxes containing the vaccine. Making matters worse is the fact that Roque him-

If it were any other agency that made the recommendation to go after Sanoﬁ, I wouldn’t be so skeptical.

self is not completely unbiased and uninvolved in the whole controversy. The presidential spokesman, when he was still a party-

list congressman, is known to have roundly criticized Duterte’s choice to head up the DoH; Paulynn Ubial was supposedly pressured by Congress to continue the Dengvaxia program and to extend its use to the Central Visayas region in exchange for her confirmation which, ironically, was withheld from her despite her acquiescence. But that’s what Roque said yesterday. The President, the spokesman said, “stands by the recommendation of the DoH to hold Sanofi responsible.” Now, if it were any other agency that made the recommendation to go after Sanofi—say, the Department of Justice, which is conducting its own investigation of the scandal—I wouldn’t be so skeptical. But if the DoH, now headed by Francisco

Duque, says it wants Sanofi to pay for the mess, it sounds like the department is just engaged in a massive, self-serving coverup. Note, as well, that Duque is himself subject to the same “pressures” that Senator Richard Gordon keeps talking about, since Duque still has to go through the same Congress wringer that ended Ubial’s stint as DoH head. How hard would it be to convince Duque that his own confirmation could hinge on letting his officials and the lawmakers who helped Sanofi get off the hook? And if we allow the former and present DoH officials and the members of Congress involved in the Dengvaxia scandal to walk, does this mean that Noynoy Aquino, his budget officials and everyone else involved get to do the

same? Say it ain’t so, Harry. If all the executives of Sanofi were lynched and all the company’s funds distributed to the families injected with Dengvaxia, it still wouldn’t alter the reality that the government bought the vaccine and used it on an unsuspecting public. *** Officials of Camarines Sur province are raising a howl over the allocation of P224.5 million in the proposed 2018 budget for the construction of a new airport in San Jose town, instead for setting aside funds for the improvement and upgrading of the existing Pili airport just 30 kilometers away. Congressmen led by Rep. Lray Villafuerte want to know if the building of an entirely new airport is better than improving the Turn to A5

Among those who testiﬁed before the House Committee on Justice, Justice Francis Jardeleza made the most damaging statements against Sereno. He said she committed treason when she used a top secret document pertaining to the West Philippine Sea in an attempt to block his appointment to the Supreme Court. Recall that Jardeleza told the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague that an island claimed and occupied by Taiwan should be excluded in the Philippines’ claim against China. In her rejection of Jardeleza’s appointment, Sereno called him disloyal, a Judas to the country. He then accused Sereno of treason. The other justices—Noel Tijam, Arturo Brion and Teresita Leonardo-de Castro—cited instances which showed Sereno’s lack of respect for en banc decisions. They also showed her lack of moral integrity. All these constitute Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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Opinion

TODAY, I adopt as my column John Gokongwei’s acceptance speech after receiving the Management Man of the Year 2017 award from the Management Association of the Philippines last Nov. 27, 2017. Here is John: I’d like to thank you for this recognition, which, funnily, comes 10 years after I retired and relinquished the management of the company to my brother James and my son Lance. I have to say though that the timing is impeccable. The mark of a good manager, as they say, is to make oneself dispensable, and I believe that 10 years hence, the business has prospered under their capable leadership, coupled by a bench of professional management. Just a few years ago, the conventional wisdom was that family-run businesses could not be as wellmanaged as non-family run businesses. But the research has shifted, and our experience as a group shows that a hybrid of family-led publicly-listed business works. When we listed JG Summit in 1993, we were among the first Philippine businesses to do so. Before that, we had built a pretty successful business, but in order to fulfill our ambitions of becoming a pan-Asean conglomerate, we would have to raise money in the capital markets and eventually in international credit markets. More so, unless placed under the spotlight of the public eye, a family-managed company would not be under pressure to perform. We would become soft and flabby. On the other hand, remaining family-managed would imbue the business with the stability, strong culture, and long-term vision necessary to see our investments bear fruit. This balance has allowed us to invest in capital-intensive businesses that bridged the first phase of our growth to our current one. It allowed us to provide local consumers with choices. For example, Cebu Pacific Air which has made air travel affordable to ordinary Filipinos. It has allowed us to contribute to our country’s manufacturing base, a step necessary to a nation’s progress, through JG Petrochemicals. It has allowed us to plant the Philippine flag in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Cambodia, and Laos, where Universal Robina is now a major player, and in Oceania, where we have acquired leading snack food companies in Australia and New Zealand. Is has allowed us to hold substantial holdings in blue-chip companies like Meralco, PLDT, and UIC in Singapore. This balance allowed us to shepherd these businesses, despite big risks and losses at the start, to reach their potential, without the short-term pressure of quarterly earnings calls. It allowed JG Summit to forge its own path, despite naysayers, who did not understand our investment choices at first and believed we were not focused enough. It allowed us to stick to our guns, and invest in industries like transportation, power, and telecommunications which would be essential not only for our growth as a company but a nation’s as well. Today, JG Summit and RRHI are among the top conglomerates in the country, family-led, but professionally run. Besides sustainability and succession, the mark of a good manager is to build value, create jobs, and make money for shareholders. Let me expound more about this.

First, build value. We have never been afraid to enter competitive markets but we always think of innovative products to introduce. For example, both C2 and Great Taste White shook up the consumer beverage and coffee markets when they were introduced. Sun Cellular and Cebu Pacific also shook up the telecom and airline businesses by providing choices to many Filipinos, thus improving their lives. Second, create jobs. Our group has created 60,000 Filipino jobs. Also, through the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, with its focus on education-to-employment, we are also making sure that we help talented but less- fortunate kids receive a fair shake in life. Third, we have created value for our shareholders. In 1956, when we put up Universal Robina with P3.5 million. This was from money I had saved from selling used clothing, old newspapers, and other knick knacks, plus some money from good friends to whom I am still grateful. In 1993, we listed JG Summit with a market capitalization of P6.3 billion. Today, our two holdings companies, JG Summit and Robinsons Retail Holdings are valued at P665 billion. I would like to thank my mother, Juanita, and siblings, Henry, Johnson, James, and Lily for being my partners in starting JG Summit. When we were still operating out of a small tindahan on Martinez St. in Cebu City, they acted as bodegeros, clerks, all-around handymen. They were with me from the very beginning. Next, I would like to thank the managers in this room, both family and professional, as well as to all our employees, past and present, who have accompanied me in this wonderful adventure. Without your commitment, talent, and your hard work, JG Summit and RRHI would not have grown to this size. We are a family-run business and you are part of our family. This award is yours as much as it is mine. Let us continue to grow JG Summit into a world-class company. It took me 75 years to come to this point. I hope you continue to forge your own path and continue to practice our brand of entrepreneurial management in a world that is changing very fast. I just interviewed a potential executive for one of our companies and the first thing I asked him was How do you see your industry in five years? I hired him because I believe that while no one can really read the future, he had a pretty good estimate of what it holds. To our customers, from those who bought the thread, soap, and candles I sold in the palengke when I was 15 years old to support my family, to those who buy branded goods from our Robinsons Supermarkets today, thank you for your patronage. We hope to continue serving your needs as the Philippine economy continue to grow from strength to strength. I would say that the best sign of my management skills has been to manage my many sons-in-law, most of them businessmen working with their own familyrun businesses, and one lawyer. Guess who is the most difficult to manage? Kidding aside. My wife Elizabeth and I always taught our six kids that choosing who they marry is the most important decision of their lives. I believe marrying Elizabeth, my lifelong partner and love, has been just that. Thank you for being a partner in this wonderful journey. biznewsasia@gmail.com

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Worse than the cure

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

Why family businesses are stronger and better

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO SMOKING is banned in public places. Scary graphic illustrations on the ill effects of smoking are required on cigarette packs. The government is waging a bloody war on illegal drugs. So Buhay Party-List Rep. Lito Atienza asks— why is Congress pushing hard for legalizing the use of marijuana? Sponsors of the House bill claim marijuana has medicinal beneﬁts. But there is no study by the World Health Organization saying marijuana has medicinal value. Atienza feels strongly about the controversial bill that he’s making the rounds of TV talks shows and mainstream media

to sound the alarm bells about the danger of making marijuana easily accessible. He cannot understand why Congress is getting involved with issues concerning the health of the people which is best left to medical authorities. But then he also mentioned the current controversy over the government’s P3.5-billion purchase of the dengue vaccine whose efficacy is questionable. Atienza said it is turning out that the Dengvaxia drug is worse than the cure for which it was intended. “This is a case wherein an ounce of prevention is NOT worth a pound of cure,” said Atienza paraphrasing the old maxim. “Now, our congressmen are also pushing for the legalization of marijuana for medical benefits without any scientific study supporting their claim,” said

Atienza, adding legislators should focus on the enactment of priority bills instead of intruding into matters that are best left to the medical profession. He pointed out there are more pressing issues lawmakers can concentrate on—the monstrous traffic problem in the metropolis, unemployment, runaway crime, housing and alleviating the plight of the poor. Atienza called on President Rodrigo Duterte to tell Congress to desist from pushing for the legalization of marijuana because the House bill is diametrically against the President’s anti-illegal drug campaign. Allowing marijuana on the false premise it has medicinal benefits is opening the floodgates to another form of addiction, said Atienza. The legalization of marijuana is being pushed by certain congressmen

headed by Isabela Rep. Rodito Albano who has not shown any authoritative medical study supporting his proposal. The Buhay Party-List representative warned that making marijuana legal would make young people , including teenage girls, to switch from cigarette to the even more addictive stuff. Tobacco growers can also find planting marijuana more lucrative than their original crop for cigarettes. The Ilocos region, including Albano’s province of Isabela, are known as tobacco leaf growers. Why is Albano wittingly or unwittingly killing his own people’s main livelihood? Strange. In the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing last Monday, it was learned that the French firm Sanofi Pasteur was fully paid the P3.5 billion by the

Aquino administration without his health officials undertaking due diligence. Sanofi did not disclose the Dengvaxia vaccine’s adverse side effect. The dengue vaccine anomaly could be another case of criminal negligence against Noynoy Aquino, former Budget Secretary Butch Abad and former Health Secretary Janette Garin. At the Senate hearing, Garin insisted there was nothing irregular about the Dengvaxia deal even if it was signed during an election year. Hmm. This has the familiar ring of the scandalous scam pulled by former Metro Rail Transit manager Al Vitangcol who has been criminally charged before the Office of the Ombudsman for contracting a little-known Pangasinan company without any experience in train maintenance and repair.

Why China is freezing? By Christopher Balding holds buy it from vendors Hebei were operating at 80 bureaucracy can some- handed CHINA is suffering from a frigid winter, but it can’t blame Mother Nature alone. Late last week, following a widespread uproar, ofﬁcials reversed a policy banning some provinces from using coal for heat—which had the inadvertent but predictable effect of leaving large swathes of the country freezing cold. China’s government has been keen to reduce airpollution levels, which are quite literally off the charts. State media rejoiced last month when data showed that China was only the second-most polluted developing country, behind India. With health concerns rising, and middle-class anger swelling, the coal ban was a well-meaning attempt to address the problem. Unfortunately, it made no sense. China generates almost 70 percent of its electricity from coal. House-

Vaccine... From A4

betrayal of public trust. The testimonies of these magistrates should be sufficient to make the House committee on justice to find probable cause to move the impeachment complaint to the next level. Betrayal of public trust, as provided for by the 1987 Constitution, as a ground for impeachment is so broad a concept. *** The responsibility and accountability for the mess that is Sanofi Pasteur’s Dengvaxia are clear. They all point to former President Aquino who saw the Sanofi executive not only once but twice in Paris, France. The same goes for Aquino’s Health Secretary, Janette Garin, who had dinner with the Sanofi executives for the implementation of the project. Since the cost of Sanofi’s Dengvaxia was P3.5 billion to the Filipino people, both Aquino and Garin should be charged with plunder, including former Budget and Management Secretary Butch Abad, who released the funds for it. The deal

pushing carts, while metal refiners use it on a huge scale to power their plants. Any attempt to reduce this consumption would require serious investment in alternatives and a gradual phasein. Instead, officials simply mandated the cuts, with little in the way of preparation. This led to a scramble for natural gas, one obvious alternative. But a lack of inventory, distribution and ready output caused a supply crunch. Production has risen by only 9.7 percent this year, with total consumption up 14.6 percent—not nearly enough to make up for the cuts in coal. Officials are expecting a shortage of up to 20 percent this winter. Prices in some areas have doubled. In Tianjin, near Beijing, they’re up 74 percent. Making matters worse, the ban has brought major industries to a near-standstill. Mills in the key steel regions of Tangshan and

percent of capacity in September; now rates are as low as 43 percent. Aluminum and other heavy industries are facing severe production limits through March 15, a mandated slowdown that could weigh heavily on gross domestic product. The public backlash has been swift. With millions of homes left with insufficient energy for cooking and heating, anger on social media grew so fierce that the government soon reversed course. Last week, the Ministry of Environmental Protection told local officials in 28 cities to ease coal restrictions and take measures to stabilize prices and supplies. All this was a perfectly foreseeable outcome to imposing steep cuts on the country’s primary source of heating and electricity without any alternative in place. So what happened? On one level, it’s another example of how China’s

times subordinate common sense to centrally mandated goals. In an analogous episode a few years back, a hurriedly constructed school track meant to impress a government ofﬁcialcame out as a rectangle, leading to instant social-media infamy. But the coal debacle also reﬂects a deeper problem. A country of 1.4 billion simply can’t change its energy mix overnight. China has made great strides in encouraging alternative fuels, but continued progress will require good planning, not just investment. Natural gas, which the government hopes will meet its residential energy needs, is widely available globally, yet China’s pipelines aren’t ready to transport it. Many of the country’s solar farms are sitting idle for similar reasons. Solving such problems is easier said than done. But rather than making heavy-

decrees, China should be thinking about market-based reforms such as carbon taxes, while working to improve infrastructure for alternative energies. A more transparent policy-making process would also help. There’s a reason that major public investments and policy changes usually require things like comment periods or impact reports. Such formalities lead to better regulation and reduce the risk of technocrats making well-meaning mistakes. A common refrain from China bulls is that democracy is too slow in solving problems. As anyone who has visited an American airport or subway system in recent years can attest, there’s some merit to this argument. But while central planning may seem more efﬁcient at times, far more often it leads to predictable foul-ups— with all-too-costly results. Bloomberg

was not in the 2016 national budget. It is also clear that at the time of the purchase of the vaccine, it was still on its experimental stage. It needed to be certified by the World Health Organization. No less than 733,000 public schoolchildren turned out to be Sanofi’s guinea pigs. Santa Banana, now Sanofi tells us that Dengvaxia is safe. Oh really? First, Sanofi said that the vaccine poses risk to those who intent have a history of dengue. Now, they claim it’s safe. It is good that Health Secretary Francisco Duque suspended the immunization program, and wants the P3.5 billion refunded. To me, what is important is to ensure that those reasonable for this mess should be held accountable and charged in court. And BS Aquino cannot deny that the Dengvaxia fiasco was politically-motivated since he negotiated and implemented it for political purposes— close to the 2016 polls! In other words, from the point of view of the former President and his health secretary, politics was the real reason for buying a vaccine not yet certified by the WHO.

*** Seven of the country’s biggest conglomerates are reported to be looking at rehabilitating and redeveloping the Ninoy Aquino International Airport—the strongest signal yet from the private sector on the pressing need to upgrade the busiest international gateway to the Philippines. The Dragons, as they are called, include Andrew Tan’s Alliance Global Group, Ayala Corp., Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., Manuel V. Pangilian-led Metro Paciﬁc Investment Corp., Goatianun-led Filinvest Development Corp., Gokongwei-led J.G. Summit Holdings Inc. and Lucio Tan’s LT Group. Actually, this is not the ﬁrst time that the private sector has set its eyes on the development of Naia as the main gateway to the country. Now, the private sector is at it again. But, I am doubtful it will go through since some bright boys of the Duterte administration can only deal with projects where they can get something for themselves. It’s almost always this way. San Miguel is not involved with the project

since San Miguel President and COO Ramon Ang has his own project to build an international airport in Bulacan, with four runways on a 500-hectare land near Manila Bay. There’s also the Japan International Cooperation Assistance project with Henry Sy Sr.’s SM Investments to put up an international airport at Sangley Point, Cavite. *** The reported plan of President Duterte to ﬁre Energy Regulation Commissioners or even to abolish the entire ERC in the process because of corruption brings to fore the question: Why abolish an entire commission when it’s only the commissioners who are reported to be corrupt? The President was reportedly mad at the ERC after the suicide of Francisco Villa Jr., who allegedly couldn’t stand pressure brought upon him by resigned ERC Chief Jose Vicente Salazar to approve procurement deals and hire consultants without proper bidding and procedure. But, if there are indeed corrupt ERC commissioners, why abolish the entire commission which has a purpose in regulating power

contracts and allied businesses? The President has already appointed former Justice Secretary and Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera, as ERC head who I know to have integrity and honesty. I am sure she would not tolerate corruption at the ERC. In fact, Devanadera, is already revamping the ERC to make the agency respond to both the power sector and consumers alike. The President should just let Devanadera use her experience as Solgen and DoJ secretary to make the ERC a clean agency. *** Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapena should be told about this. The former head of the Bonded Warehouse division is interfering with the functions of some 400 Customs employees assigned to that ofﬁce. Insider reports alleged that despite the presence of an acting Chief of the Bonded House division, Arnold Dela Torre, this former division chief often interferes with the activities of the division, particularly in the overtime pay of the 400 Customs employees. Just for what reasons, the division personnel say they don’t know.

Scapegoating... From A4

old one—a scheme that they say will only benefit one local politico’s family that has invested a lot of money in the land surrounding the new one in San Jose. The upgrading of the Pili airport, after all, is included in a 2014 master plan drawn up by the then Department of Transportation and

Communications. The San Jose proposal is only being pushed by the Partido Development Administration, which is reportedly deeply in debt and controlled by former Speaker Arnulfo Fuentebella. Villafuerte has written President Rodrigo Duterte, Congress leaders, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia and Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno to ask if the funds set aside in the

new budget cannot be realigned for the worthier improvement of the Pili airport. Villafuerte expressed fears that the San Jose gateway may end up as a white elephant, with the government ending up wasting much-needed funds that could be better spent for other projects under its ambitious “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program. In his letter, Villafuerte said that the National Economic Devel-

opment Authority has identified the upgrading of the Pili airport as a priority project as early as 2013 after conducting exhaustive studies on possible gateways to the province and the rest of the Bicol region. On the other hand, the San Jose airport plan has not undergone serious study; the various stakeholders and local residents of the province have not been consulted on the plan to build the new airport, he said.

News

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Bill gives waiters more ‘tips’ By Macon R. Araneta THE Senate has approved on third and final reading a bill which would allow restaurant and hotel employees 100 percent access to service charges collected from customers. Senator Joel Villanueva, principal author and sponsor of Senate Bill No. 1299, said restaurant and hotel workers were given only 85 percent of the total tips collected from customers. He said the sharing distribution had not changed since it became a law in 1975. On December 1975, then President (Ferdinand) Marcos institutionalized service charge into law under Section 14 or Presidential Degree 850. “The collection of service charge was optional but any amount collected shall be distributed 85 percent and 15 percent in favor of employees,” Villanueva, chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development, said. Once the proposed measure was enacted into law, Villanueva said, restaurant and hotel workers, whether regular, contractual, or agency-hired, would be entitled to a 100 percent service charge as long as they would directly deliver the service to their customers. “The bill does not make the collection of service charge mandatory to avoid interference with the right to management to exercise discretion in the operation of their business.”

ERC scored for ‘double standard’ By Maricel V. Cruz

PARTY-LIST lawmaker on Tuesday hit the Energy Regulatory Commission for imposing what he described as a “double standard” between the Manila Electric Co. and consumer groups who want to oppose questionable energy deals. “We cannot blame the people for thinking that ERC imposes double standard since they’re very strict with the rules when it comes to consumer groups,” Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate told a congressional hearing conducted by the House committees on good government and public accountability, and energy.

The congressional inquiry was in response to House Resolution 566 which Zarate had filed on the seven controversial power supply agreements (PSAs) that Meralco-affiliated generation companies (gencos) are applying for before the ERC. The resolution was among the resolutions tack-

led during the previous hearings conducted by the joint panel on the PSAs dubbed as “sweetheart deals” between Meralco and the ERC since these were accepted after the five o’clock in the evening April 29, 2016 filing deadline had lapsed. Thus, the double standard. “That is why the consumer groups cannot understand why we were so strict with the rules regarding intervention...there are instances that these things are accommodated,” Zarate said. “They should first implement the rules,” Zarate said of the regulatory body. PSAs at ERC include deals on the construction of coalfired power plants with the following entities: Redondo

Peninsula Energy Inc. (for a 225-megawatt [MW] plant); Atimonan One Energy Inc. (1,200 MW); St. Raphael Power Generation Corp. (400 MW); Central Luzon Premiere Power Corp. (528 MW); Mariveles Power Generation Corp. (528 MW); Panay Energy Development Corp. (70 MW); Global Luzon Energy Development Corp. (600 MW). Zarate, in filing HR 566, had claimed that consumers could lose up to P12.44 billion annually if all seven PSAs are given the green light. Consumer advocates Romeo Junia and Uriel Borja also decried the ERC’s alleged unfair treatment. “Despite the fact that their [gencos] applications were

mitted that they stayed open until 11 p.m. or close to midnight just to receive the applications. You should have had a competitive selection process [CSP] beforehand because that's what the rules said. Any application after 5 p.m. of April 29 will not be received without the CSP,” Junia said during the congressional hearing. Borja lamented the mounting legal expenses in connection with the challenging of such power deals. He claimed that Meralco does not have this problem. “The good thing about Meralco as far as their costs go, they [pass] it to their consumers but we, who represent consumer interests, will have to do it on our own.”

NCRPO deploys 9k cops for holidays

2 bankers deny role in fraud By Bill Casas TWO persons earlier named as “conspirators” in a bank fraud amounting to about P1.75 billion on Tuesday denied involvement, saying they are also victims of the bank’s former vice president who was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation. In a statement, lawyers Regie Tongol and Emil Joven said their clients Hubert Co and Sue Anne Sai were “erroneously charged by Metrobank as co-consprators” of the bank’s former vice president Victoria Lopez. Tongol said Co and Sai were never arrested. Only Lopez was arrested by the NBI. “In the news stories, your respective media organizations published/aired or broadcasted regarding sanctions imposed by BSP on Metrobank,” said the statement. “Please consider our statement regarding the findings and our willingness to show the other checks we have spanning almost a decade for the completeness of the investigation. We would appreciate it if you could also forward this to your respective news desks,” it said. Tongol and Joven issued the statement after their clients Co and Sai were named as “conspirators” in an investigation earlier conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation based on Metrobank’s complaint.

filed 5:30 p.m. onwards, and the other four cases that have no number obviously can’t be filed earlier because Redondo, the lowest numbered case was filed 5:30 in the afternoon. The others have higher numbers. Obviously there were [filed] after 5:30 p.m.’ said Junia, a representative of United Filipino Consumers and Commuters and Freedom from Debt Coalition. The ERC earlier denied Junia and Borja’s petitions to become intervenors on the PSAs after they belatedly filed their motions for intervention. The filing period is five days prior to the initial hearing of the case. “If you can recall Mr. Chairman in an earlier hearing, the ERC resource person even ad-

DEMOLITION JOB. A team from the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission dismantles illegal pig pens at the Baseco Compound, Tondo, Manila on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017. The demolition was conducted after findings that the pig pens unloaded waste in Pasig River. Norman Cruz

Bill raising discount on campaign ads okayed THE House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a measure seeking to increase by 50 percent the discount rates of political propaganda during campaign period. House Bill 6604, authored by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and House Majority Floor Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, seeks to amend Republic Act 9006 or the Fair Election Act to extend “equal opportunity among qualified candidates to avail [themselves of] affordable political propaganda.” The bill proposes to regulate the rates of political propaganda on television, radio and print by providing a discount of 50 percent to registered political parties and bona fide can-

didates during an electoral campaign period. “During the campaign period, media outlets shall provide registered political parties and bona fide candidates a discount of fifty percent [50 percent] for political propaganda on television, radio, and print,” Alvarez said in the bill. The measure provides that the Commission on Elections shall have the power to regulate the rates of political propaganda and prevent media outlets from increasing the rates to more than the average rates charged to regular advertisers one year prior to the start of the election period. Fariñas, for his part, said at present, the Fair Election Act mandates media outlets to charge political propaganda advertise-

ments a discounted rate of 30 percent for television, 20 percent for radio and 10 percent for print over the average rates charged during the first three quarters of the calendar year preceding the elections. To offset the losses from the discounts granted under the said law, Farinas said some media outlets circumvented the provision on discounts by raising the rates charged for political advertisements by almost 100 percent. “This practice by certain media outlets proved too cumbersome for most candidates who have meager campaign resources to avail of political advertisement in television, radio and print media,” said Fariñas. Fariñas added that in the previous elections. political

parties and bona fide candidates who have scarce resources to fun the exorbitant costs of media advertisements tend to seek for contributors to sponsor their advertisement and to whom they will be indebted to for the duration of their term of office. “This could provide an avenue for political corruption wherein politicians would be making decisions benefitting their sponsors while foregoing the interests of the public,” Fariñas said. Once enacted, Fariñas, the measure shall provide equal opportunity among qualified political candidates to avail of affordable political advertisements through the tri-media, such as, print, radio and television. Maricel V. Cruz

‘Kiko’ condemns death of 30 dogs LIBERAL Party president Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Tuesday bewailed the death of 30 dogs and warned that those responsible face maximum of 90 years in jail and/or a fine of P7.5 million. “We are enraged by reports that 30 dogs that were arranged to take part in an annual dog show died after being transported in a closed van,” said Pangilinan. “If 30 dogs died in the incident as reported, that would be 30 counts, with maximum penalties of up to 90 years’ imprisonment and/or P7.5-million fine,” he said. In a Facebook post, the Philippine Canine Club Inc. acknowledged the incident that it said happened on Dec. 2, 2017 during the Beagle Fanciers Club Dog Show. “However, we find the club’s action sorely lacking amid the tragic fate suffered by the dogs,” Pangilinan said. In the “Incident Statement” it issued, the club merely said it will have a trial board “to immediately commence a speedy and impartial investigation on the matter. Pangilinan said that while he respects the club’s internal processes, he said that the incident violated certain provisions of Republic Act 10631 or the Amended Animal Welfare Act. Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE National Capital Region Police Office has ordered the deployment of a total of 9,559 uniformed policemen to ensure peace and order and reduce crimes in critical areas in Metro Manila this holiday season. NCRPO chief Oscar Albayalde said the policemen will focus on street patrol along major thoroughfares, vital and financial installations, and places of convergence in Metro Manila such as Metro Railways and Light Railways Transit systems, shopping malls, churches, bus terminals and open commercial centers. “The presence of our policemen will be observed to ensure peace and order and make people feel safe,” said Albayalde. It has been noted previously that crime rates of robbery and theft increase during yuletide season. The NCRPO also urged ordinary citizens to help the government to prevent criminals from doing their thing by reporting them through social media accounts such as Facebook and Twitter. Albayalde said crime can happen to anyone at the most unexpected time, and to combat crime the public must be kept informed of the various modus operandi of criminals. The NCRPO issued safety tips prevent and lessen criminal activity this holiday. These include the following: • Day or night, do not walk in dark streets, alleys and unsafe shortcuts. • Stay away from dark isolated places or vacant lots at night.

These areas are hangouts of criminals. Do not take chances. • Do not walk between parked cars in parking lots. Avoid walking alone in unlit and uncertain places. At night, wait for buses, taxicabs or jeepneys in well-lighted areas. • When going to economically depressed areas (slums/ squatter’s area) communities, do not wear expensive jewelry and carry substantial cash. If you decide to go to such places, remove your jewelry; this may save your life or limbs. • Do not flash a lot of cash around when traveling. Money attracts the “bad eggs.” Commuter Safety: • When in a bus or jeepney, do not extend your hand out the window; your watch/jewelry could be snatched or your hand injured by another vehicle. • When you ride a cab, take the habit of getting the name of the cab, its plate number, and the cab driver’s name. This will be handy in case you leave something in the cab or if the driver tries to hurt or rob you. • Be careful with what you carry when riding on a crowded bus. If you are to carry so many things, take a cab home and check the cab well before alighting. • If you are to visit someone, call him/her for your expected time of arrival. This will be helpful in case an accident happens on the way. It is also advisable to always inform your relatives or neighbours where you are going and for how long you will be away.

Davao, Santiago City cited as most child-friendly cities By John Paolo Bencito

DAVAO City and Santiago City in Isabela on Tuesday were hailed as National Hall of Famers for ensuring child-friendly governance, along with three other local government units who were accorded the Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities in the Philippines. Davao City was recognized as the top child-friendly LGU in the Highly Urbanized City category, while Santiago City was recognized in the Independent Component Cities (ICC) category. Also recognized is Tagaytay City, Cavite for the component cities category; Salay, Misamis Oriental for the 4th to 6th Class Municipalities category; while Carmona, Cavite for the 1st to 3rd Class Municipalities category. The PACFMC is one of the strategies of CWC to fulfill the government’s commitment to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Panglao mayor charged with graft By Rio N. Araja

SENATOR-RESERVIST. Senator Loren Legarda, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, attends a bicameral meeting wearing her Air Force uniform on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017. Legarda is an Air Force reservist with the rank of colonel. Lino Santos

THE Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday ordered the filing of one count of graft and four counts of unlawful appointment under Article 244 of the Revised Penal Code against Bohol's Panglao Mayor Leonilo Montero. Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales also ordered Montero’s three-month suspension for simple misconduct. In July 2013, Montero appointed four losing candidates in the 2013 elections as consultants with a monthly wage of P25,000. He hired Noel Homarchuelos as municipal administrator and consultant for administrative services, Danilo Reyes as public information consultant, Apolinar Fudalan as public employment service office coordinator/ information technology consultant and Fernando Penales as infrastructure engineering consultant. The consultants were hired on a job order basis to serve the mayor without executing any contract of service or is-

suance of any appointment paper duly reviewed and approved by the Sangguniang Bayan. Upon investigation, the Ombudsman found the contracts and daily time records of the four consultants were not available. In a 2013 annual audit report, the Commission on Audit determined the “the payment of their services was effected even without their duly approved accomplishment reports and individual contracts in violation of Section 4(6) of the Government Auditing Code.” “The Local Government Code provisions prohibit and disqualify Hormachuelos, Reyes, Fudalan and Penales within one year after such election to be appointed to any public office in the government,” the decision read. “Respondent in appointing them to vital positions in the municipality, certainly granted them unwarranted benefits and caused due injury to the government equivalent to the amount of the compensation they received during the time of their temporary disqualification.’

Sports

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Greenwater leads by 4 strokes

Doves, Engineers, Sea Lions win in NCRAA

By Dexter See

AGUIO CITY—The Pucketts led Greenwater Golfers anew to 109 points as the Californiabased residents of one of the John Hay barangays ﬁnished with 227 at the par 69 course, hiking the team’s lead to four in Fil B action of the 68th Department of Tourism Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament at the Camp John Hay golf course on Tuesday.

Games Jan. 9

(The TIP-QC gym) 10 a.m. PSBA vs AIMS 12 noon UL vs TIP 2 p.m. St. Francis vs Olivarez

Gary led the family with 30 points, brother Douglas and nephew John Paul came in with 28 points, even as Winnie Opod had 23. Another Puckett, Brian, had 16

THE Technological Institute of the Philippines Engineers, the Olivarez College Sea Lions and the St. Francis of Assissi College Doves came up with stirring triumphs yesterday at the TIP gymnasium in Quezon City. The Engineers turned the tables on the New Era University Titans in the fourth period for a 60-49 beating that gave them their first win in the 25th National Capital Region Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament. The Sea Lions prevailed over the Philippine School of Business Administration Jaguars, 78-65, while the Doves turned back the De Ocampo Memorial College Cobras, 96-85, to catch up with the Engineers. All three squads now share the early lead with the University of Luzon Golden Tigers and the Asian Institute of Maritime Studies Blue Sharks. Terrence Lee Matignas fired 14 points for the Engineers, who trailed by five at the end of the third period, 36-41. Limiting the Titans to eight points in the last 10 minutes, the Engineers banked on a 15-0 blast to grab a 51-41 edge in the last 4:07. Jay Gadon shot 12 points, including five points that he scored during the breakaway. The Engineers will shoot for their second straight win against the Golden Tigers when action resumes on Jan. 9. Meanwhile, RJ Sunga unloaded 17 points for the Sea Lions, while John Jibb Larotin connected with 23 points for the Doves. In Group B, Norman Torreno top-scored for 21 points as the PATTS College of Aeronautics Sea

points and did not count for the second straight day. Baguio Country Club had 29 points from Ely Lagman, a pair of 26s from Jeff Razon and Philex Mines’ top man Euls Austin

and 25 from Bong Mandapat for 106 and 223 total as their one-shot deficit turned into four points as they head off to their hole course. They are followed by co-host CJH I, which shot 105 points for a 220 aggregate. Jeung Sek Jun led CJH with 28 points, Miggs Garcia had 27, and Shean Bedi and Monet Garcia counted with a pair of 25s. Camp Aguinaldo Golf Course improved with 105 points for a two-round total of 204 and a 17shot lead in Am B. Bladimir Arcillas and VJ Eugenio topscored with 31 points

each, even as Martin Jackain and Ricky Velasco chipped in 23 and 21 points, respectively, to count for the team. San Miguel Corportion shot 93 points for a 187 aggregate to remain at second spot. Counting for the team are: Rolly Valdez (26), August Cruz (24), Luis Sison (22) and Roger Crespo (22). At third spot is CJH Manor after a 92 and 185, just two off San Miguel. Jay Borromeo led Manor with 26, Jayson Yu had 25, while Jimmy Borromeo and Ronnie Samaniego counted in with 21 and 20, respectively. The CJH Development Corporation COO did not

Russian athletes want to compete in 2018 Olympics

Russian President Vladimir Putin (center) stands next to Alexander Zubkov, gold medalist in the two-man and four-man bobsleigh for Russia, during the Closing Ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics at the Fisht Olympic Stadium. Russia was banned on Dec. 5 from the 2018 Winter Games by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over its state-orchestrated doping programme—something it has always denied—but clean Russian athletes will be allowed to compete under an Olympic flag. AFP

Filipino... From A8

Wack Golf and CC), 3rd place (300 aggregate); Div 1 (0-5 HCP) Don Padilla (Forest Hills Golf), 5th place (304 aggregate); Division 2 (6-10) Mickey Tan (Sta. Lucia), 6th place (305 aggregate); Div 4 (16-20 HCP) Francis Talion (Ayala Greenfield Golf), 11th place (328 aggregate); Div 5 (21-25 HCP) Errol Chua (GolfPH), 8th place (325 aggregate)

Overall, Team Philippines’ five-man team (Katigbak, Cruz, Salivio, Leviste and Abarintos) ranked no. 7 in scoring points among 38 other countries and the two-man team (Payumo and Tan) finished 6th out of 74 teams after leading the tournament at the halfway point. Team Captain of Team Philippines is Errol Chua, while Edward Co is co-captain, who both made sure the players were ready to perform at their best for four

straight days and also led Team Philippines in bringing home one of the most prized possessions of the night--The 2017 Tumba Trophy. Named after the late Sven Tumba (WAGC Founder), the Tumba Trophy is given every year to the country that embodies the overall vision that Sven Tumba had, which is “Sport Promotes Friendship and Business”. Team Philippines not only excelled on the golf course, it did so by playing as a team,

MOSCOW—Most Russian athletes want to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang despite a ban on the country’s team, the head of the athletes’ commission at the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) said Monday. “We have talked to all the athletes in all the winter sports. The majority of these want to take part in the Games,” said fencer Sofiya Velikaya. “The scientific commission supports the position of those sports figures who have decided or may yet decide to compete with neutral status, as well as respecting the position of those who won’t participate. “Athletes are fully aware that there won’t be a flag or the Russian colours, but they will be representing Russia what-

making new friends and having the most spirit. Next year, there will be over 15 local qualifiers and a two-day National Final to determine the team to be sent to the World Amateur Golfers Championship to be held in Johor, Malaysia. Sta. Lucia Land Inc. was the title sponsor, while Philippine Airlines was the off icial airline par tner of Team Philippines at the World Amateur Golfers Championships.

Jordan sends inspirational message to Filipino athletes MICHAEL Jordan, basketball legend and Gatorade ambassador, addressed millions of Filipino sportsmen and women in a video message that is sure to inspire basketball-loving Filipinos. In the video, Jordan, the most decorated player to ever grace a basketball hard court, reminded Filipinos that greatness isn’t granted, it is gained, with each triumph earned through hard work, with dues paid for in blood, sweat, and tears. “I just want to tell you young Pinoy athletes out

count after an 18. PhilCan Toronto shot 81 points for a 167 total as their lead dwindled to eight in Fil E. John Borromeo shot 24 points to lead the Fil Canadian even as Jess Bangay came in with 23 points at the par 69 CJH link. Ron Protacio and Jerry Bangay added 18 and 16 respectively to count for the team. Fairgolf Club of Sydney matcheds PhilCan’s first day flight best of 86 for 159 and assume second spot and ahead of Eagles Masters II which came in with 73 and 154 to moved down to third from second.

Gatorade ambassador and global basketball icon Michael Jordan speaks to Filipino athletes

there to keep training, keep sweating, and keep working towards your goals,” said Jordan in the video clip. Jordan was one of the

most complete basketball players. He excelled on both sides of the court —as potent a scoring machine as he was as pesky a defender.

“In a basketball crazy nation such as ours, Michael Jordan has been a true inspiration to many generations of Filipinos. As Gatorade’s

first athlete ambassador, we look to continue his legacy through his unique partnership with our brand,” said Tony Atayde, Pepsico Philippines Marketing Manager for Hydration. “Gatorade’s dominance as the world’s number one sports drink is backed by contemporary sports science and has a long history of fueling sports greatness. And you don’t need to look further than Jordan for an example of that.” Despite our vertical challenges, Filipinos passion for basketball

runs deep. It is much a part of Filipino culture, and while not native to the Philippines, the sport is its most popular and its most loved. And for years, Gatorade has been fueling that love. “Fuel your performance with the best. I believe this then, and I still believe this now. Nothing hydrates better, nothing beats Gatorade,” Jordan advises the legion of Pinoy athletes. And everybody knows, when Jordan speaks, you listen. Check out the video at Gatorade’s official Facebook page.

Dewey Boulevard wins 2017 PCSO Presidential Gold Cup

VINDICATION. That’s what victory was like for the connections of Dewey Boulevard, lightly-regarded in the sales but who stormed to the wire to win the year’s most prestigious race. The 45th Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Presidential Gold Cup was held last Sunday (Dec. 10) at the Metro Manila Turf Club in Malvar, Batangas. Owned by Herminio S. Es-

guerra and trained by Ruben Tupas, Dewey Boulevard was sent off as third favorite in a nine-horse field behind Sepfourteen and Bite My Dust, the latter also Tupas-trained. Dewey Boulevard, guided by jockey Patricio Dilema, broke well and took the lead, followed by Tap Dance, Lakan, and Pinagtipunan by the rail. Past the judges’ stand, the favorite Sepfourteen was in fourth and paced by Bite My Dust. In the backstretch, Dewey Boulevard maintained a slight length’s lead over Lakan and the rallying Sepfourteen. In the homestretch, Dewey Boulevard pulled away from a hurrying Bite My Dust to win by an

amazing three lengths. The Esguerra stable took home the P4 million purse—P3 million from PCSO and P1 million from the Philippine Racing Commission. 2nd Bite My Dust (P1 million), 3rd Messi (P500,000), 4th Sepfourteen (P300,000), 5th Lakan. Total time: 2:05 (25’-24’24’-24-26’) for 2,000 meters. The day’s sales reached a healthy P37.35 million from about 303 terminals operational throughout the raceday. *** The victory with Dewey Boulevard is a memorable one for jockey Patricio Dilema, who has won the Gold Cup four times now.

He won previously in 2001 on Wind Blown (also owned by Esguerra), 2013 on Pugad Lawin (owned by Tony Tan), and 2015 on Dixie Gold (a Joseph Dyhengco horse). “Patty” is known for grandstanding before crossing the finish line at major stakes races, and this time was no different, the Metro Turf Board of Stewards duly fining him P1,000 for violating PR 76 L. I recall he did the same thing when he won the Gold Cup with Dixie Gold. Well, what’s a thousand-peso fine when his share of the purse will be something like P480,000? Still the winningest jockey in the PCSO Gold Cup is Jesus

Guce, who won six times over 22 years. The first was on Fiorella in 1976, followed by Red Annie in 1980, Fair and Square back-to-back in 1981 and 1982, Strong Material in 1995, and Real Top in 1998. It’s no wonder that Guce’s monicker was “El Maestro.” Given that Patty’s skills and strategy have gotten better since his debut in the late ‘90s or thereabouts, there’s every chance that he can equal or even surpass this particular record of Guce’s. *** Dr. Ortuoste is a Californiabased writer and researcher. Facebook: Gogirl Racing and Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @

ever happens,” she added. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) last week decided to ban Russia from the 2018 Games that run from February 9-25 over its state-sponsored doping programme. It said it would only allow “clean” Russian athletes to participate under strict conditions and under the Olympic flag. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in October said that it would be a “humiliation” for Russian athletes to compete under the Olympic flag. He has subsequently softened his stance, however, saying Russia will not boycott the Games and will not stand in the way of athletes who hope to compete as individuals. AFP

McKenzie upends topseed, captures 3 PPS net crowns ASHLEY McKenzie dished out top form and upstaged top seed Lyrah Repollo twice to claim the girls’ 14- and 16-and-under crowns in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Argao leg regional age-group tennis tournament at the Argao courts in Cebu last Monday. The fourth-ranked McKenzie, born to a Cebuana mother and Australian father, leaned on her baseline game to stun Repollo, 6-4, 6-2, in the 14-U finals then as No. 3, she upended second seed Bless Coderos, 6-3, 6-3, in the semis then repeated over Repollo, 7-6(2), 3-2(ret.) to pocket the 16-U diadem in the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop headed by president/CEO Bobby Castro. She later teamed up with sister Kimberly to nip Dec Montanez and Grace Lanete, 8-6, and seal the 14-U doubles crown, emerging the lone three-title winner in the five-day event presented by Slazenger and backed by the Unified Tennis Philippines, including PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg. Unranked Raymund Goco meanwhile, ripped second seed Gerald Gemida, 6-2, 6-0, to snare the boys’ 12-U plum then the Bogo, Cebu bet partnered with Mitch Laygo to rout Hans Cabellon and Clarence Tabura, 8-2, to win the 14-U doubles title and share the MVP honors with Ashley McKenzie. Coderos, from Consolacion, Cebu, made up for her earlier setback by holding off Beverly Enriquez, 2-6, 7-5, 10-4, to notch the 18-U crown while Kimberly McKenzie snatched the 12-U title with a thrilling 6-3, 3-6, 10-7 victory over top seed Corazon Lambonao. Naga, Cebu’s Vhon Tudtud played true to form and trounced Adrian Nacilla, 7-5, 6-2, for the boys’ 18-U diadem; Bohol’s Mike Dee held off Mark Albarracin, 6-4, 6-4, for the 16-U crown; Mandaue, Cebu’s Kenneth Tenepre, thwarted Cedrix Bravo, 6-4, 2-6, 10-8, for the 14-U plum; and Gio Manito from Pardo, Cebu turned back Shara Paliwag, 2-4, 4-1, 5-4(2), for the 10-unisex plum.

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

P0 M+ P0 M

Sports

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

Filipino golfers stamp class in world tilt

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017

Members of Team Philippines, led by Division 1 Champion, Tonito Payumo, display their awards and the Philippine flag.

Pacman lends boxers a hand G By Peter Atencio

IVING promising amateur boxers a chance to showcase their skills is an inspiring undertaking.

Senator Manny Pacquiao said this after he visited the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on Tuesday. The 38-year-old, eight-division world champion dropped by at the Sports Museum, gave P27,000 in cash to

NLEX continues its rise By Jeric Lopez NLEX tries to continue its climb in the Philippine Basketball Association. Recently relaunched with a new team logo, the Road Warriors are looking to pick up where they left off and improve on their satisfactory performance in the concluding Governors’ Cup last season. “We continue to focus on what we can do better as a team to continue our improvement,” said NLEX coach Yeng Guiao. With the addition of No. 2 overall pick Kiefer Ravena and the continued rise of backcourt generals Kevin Alas and Alex Mallari, the Road Warriors are expected to be an even more dangerous team as they look to get over the hump this coming season and be recognized as a contender. After abysmal performances in the first two conferences last season, NLEX bounced back strong in the third conference and held the tournament lead for some parts before settling for a fifth-place finish. The Road Warriors, who are already one month into their preparation, had several key pre-season wins the past couple of weeks. NLEX has cheduled games on Dec. 20 and 25, while the league opens its 43rd season this Sunday. Meanwhile, teams around the league continue their training camp as well as the season fast approaches. In a tune-up game yesterday, improved Blackwater pulled off a 98-89 victory over Governors’ Cup champion Barangay Ginebra at the Upper Deck Gym in Pasig City.

four members of the nat ional box i ng t ea m a nd later discussed his thoughts on the coming Philippine Sports CommissionAmateur Boxing Cup. “Ito ay pata may magbibigay pansin sa ating mga atleta lalo na sa mga

boxers,” said Pacquiao. Months ago, Pacquiao, according PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, had expressed his concern on the plight of many amateur boxers, who are not getting enough exposure. “Malungkot kasi siya kasi kulang ng atensyon ang mga boxers, lalo na siya ay considered as one of the greatest boxers in the country,” said Ramirez. The PSC chief said the staging of the series

of tournaments will be like the revival of the Go for Gold, an amateur boxing competition that the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines organized years ago. With the Alliances of Boxing Association of the Philippines joining hands with the PSC, the tournament will have 16 stages leading to the national finals on May 5 in General Santos City. Preliminary bouts in Mindanao will begin

from Dec. 16 to 17 in General Santos City. It will progress to the Luzon Prelims that will be set from Jan. 27 to 28 in Sorsogon. Bago City will be the next stop for the Visayas prelims from Feb. 3 to 4. The ultimate goal of the meets is to tap promising boxers, who will show potential during the competitions. It aims to encourage young boxers to develop their love for the sport during their formative years.

Pacquiao

Fiba expects 50,000 fans a day in 2023 World Cup TOP officials of the International Basketball Federation are expecting a daily turnout of more than 50,000 fans when the 2023 FIBA World is held in the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan. “We look forward to witnessing a FIBA Basketball World Cup Final played in a venue packed with more than 50,000 basketball crazy fans in the Philippines, a

country where basketball is a religion,” FIBA President Horacio Muratore said in a statement released on FIBA’S official website. The municipality of Bocaue, Bulacan is getting ready to welcome fans and delegates who will come to watch the games when it is held there in six year’s time. On the other hand, Filipino officials expect more

fans to come. With the availability of the the world’s largest indoor arena, a record crowd of over 57,000 fans could show up to watch. The Asian bloc composed of the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia won a bid that beat out the Argentina-Uruguay consortium last Saturday. The decision was made by FIBA’s Central Board after

the bidders gave their final presentations to support their candidatures to host the 19th edition of basketball’s biggest competition. The competition will see the group stage held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia, with the final phase to follow in the Philippine capital city of Manila. After losing their bid to the Asian bloc, the Argentina/

Uruguay bloc is now bidding for the 2027 FIBA World Cup. According to Muratore, FIBA will communicate to Argentina/Uruguay on the requirements for the hosting of its leading event at the beginning of 2018. The Central Board will vote to decide the host (s) of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 at its next meeting in June 2018. Peter Atencio

Graham is AMA’s no. 1 overall pick AMA Online Education went the unconventional way as it selected littleknown forward Owen Graham as the top pick in the 2017 PBA D-League Draft Tuesday at PBA Cafe in Metrowalk. The Titans banked on familiarity as coach Mark Herrera selected the FilCanadian wing as the best recruit out of the 201-man rookie pool. “Mabilis siya at allaround player siya. Naglaro na siya sa akin sa NAASCU at para siyang si Arwind Santos,” he said, comparing Graham to the 2012 PBA MVP. Graham is set to pair up with big man Andre Paras for AMA’s campaign in the 2018 PBA D-League Aspi-

rants’ Cup, set to tip off on Jan. 18. School-based squads peppered the draft proceedings which saw heralded aspirants drop down to the succeeding rounds. Wangs Basketball-Letran selected Jerrick Balanza at two, Batangas-EAC got Allan Richard Martin at three, CEU tapped Keanu Caballero at four, ZarksLyceum got CJ Perez at five, Gamboa-St. Clare picked Mohammed Pare at six, and JRU got Leonardo Esguerra at seven. Marinerong Pilipino nabbed Fil-Am swingman Kyle Toth at eight, Che’LuSan Sebastian picked RK Ilagan at nine, Mila’s Lechon got Jose Romeo Bellosillo at 10, and Go for

Gold-St. Benilde finished the first round with Kendrix Belgica at 11. Perpetual and AkariAdamson passed on their picks during the draft proceedings as they are set to field complete varsity lineups for the first conference. The draft also offered tons of surprises as Marinerong Pilipino nabbed collegiate standouts Alvin Pasaol (second round), Abu Tratter (fourth), and Vince Tolentino (fifth), while Che’Lu Bar and Grill-San Sebastian got Rob Ricafort (sixth) and Arvin Tolentino (seventh). The draft proceedings lasted through 18 rounds which saw 124 players picked by the 13 teams.

BATTLE FOR THIRD. Jaja Santiago of Foton smashes one against the defense of Joanne Bunag of Cocolife in the thirdplace battle of the Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga Grand Prix at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan. Roman Prospero

FOR the very first time, the Philippines sent a delegation of 14 (11 Players) to the World Amateur Golfers Championship and Invitational in Malaysia. And the team didn’t disappoint. Leading the charge for the Philippines was Tonito Payumo of First Gen Corporation and once the no. 1-ranked junior tennis player in the Philippines. Payumo was crowned Champion of Division 1, (individual handicap 0-5 of WAGI) with a four-day score of 74, 70, 81, and 70 (aggregate 295) to win by four strokes over Petr Bilek of the Czech Republic. Oliver Gan was 2nd runner-up with a 300 aggregate score tally, also in Division 1 of the WAGI, while Mabel Salivio garnered 2nd Runner-up honors in Division 3 (individual handicap 11-15 of WAGC) with a 293 aggregate. The World Amateur Golfers Championship and Invitational is the largest amateur golf tournament in the world and has been commemorated 22 times in numerous countries from around the globe. Every year, tournaments are held in over 45 different countries and the winners are sent abroad to compete in the World Finals. This year, the World Finals was held on Nov. 18 to 25, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The tournament had over 330 and more golfers from 38 other countries. After two practice rounds, all competitors played four days and 72 holes of competition in four of the top championship courses in Malaysia, namely The Mines Resort and Golf Club, Kota Permai Golf and Country Club, Sungai Long Golf and Country Club, and Templar Park Country Club. Representing the 2017 Team Philippines were: The World Amateur Golfers Championship (5-man team); Div 1 (0-5 HCP) Gerald Katigbak (Riviera Golf Club) 5th place (298 aggregate); Div 2 (6-10 HCP) Augusto Cruz (Beverly Place Golf), 6th place (305 aggregate); Div 3 (11-15 HCP) Mabel Salivio (Camp Aguinaldo Golf), 3rd place (293 aggregate); Div 4 (1620 HCP)Marc Leviste (Summit Point Golf), 7th place (305 aggregate); Div 5 (21-25 HCP) Alfredo Abarintos (Mt. Malarayat Golf), 11th place (305 aggregate) Also stamping their class in the tournament were the World Amateur Golfers Invitational (2man team); Div 1 (0-5 HCP) Tonito Payumo (The Orchard Golf/ Manila Golf Club/ Anvaya Golf Club), 1st place (295 aggregate); Div 1 (0-5 HCP) Oliver Gan (Wack Turn to A7

Arellano U booters held to 2-2 draw by Lyceum ARELLANO University bungled a two-goal edge, a chance of snaring a victory and the solo lead after it was held to a 2-2 draw by Lyceum in the seniors’ division of the 93rd NCAA football competition at the Rizal Memorial Complex grounds Monday night. The Chiefs struck hard early as they zoomed to a 2-0 lead on goals by national junior standout

Roberto Corsame, Jr. and Randy Guinabang on the 38th and 56th minute, respectively, but floundered in the end after Levi Malihan and Dan Paul Alegre answered with goals of their own on the 69th and 88th to salvage a draw. The draw gave AU a point to improve to 10 match points for a share of the top spot with College of St. Benilde.

The Blazers, however, had better goal differential, 21-6, to hang on to the No. 1 spot. A victory though would have catapulted the Chiefs to the top and would have been a fitting follow up to their stunning 2-1 win over the San Beda Red Booters, the reigning titlists, Thursday. San Beda sprung back to life and steamrolled Perpetual Help,

9-0, to remain just a point off the pace with nine. Nimrod Balabat fired a hat trick, scoring on the seventh, 71st and 72nd while James Pagsanjan chipped in a brace on the 48th and 61st. Aljo Paul Zabala, Adolfo Abada, Eric Manlapas and James Michael Eje accounted for the Red Booters’ other goals. LPU kept its grip on the No. 4

spot with five points. In the only other game, Mapua posted its first win by turning back Emilio Aguinaldo, 2-1. With Mapua’s Rosstel Mallare (15th) and EAC’s Marvin Lianza (33rd) exchanging goals, Antonnie Gal Cabra entered the fray and blasted away with turned out the match-clinching rocket seconds before stoppage time.

Ayala unit gets funding for Bataan power plant

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017

RCBC slams Bangladesh Bank IN BRIEF Factory output fell in October

THE country’s manufacturing output shrank 6.5 percent in October from a year ago, amid the sharp slowdown in the production of chemicals, tobacco products and textiles, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show. The decline in the volume of production index continued following the 4.1-percent drop in September. Data also showed that the value of production index decreased 6.3 percent in October, after falling 4.7 percent in September. The National Economic and Development Authority said an improvement in the delivery of business-related government services as well as innovation across all ﬁrm sizes should be aggressively pursued to boost manufacturing output. “Efﬁciency in delivering business-related government services or ease of doing business still needs to be improved. Ideally, business procedures across all national agencies and local government units must be automated,” Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said in a statement. Pernia said the government needed to create an enabling environment that would foster collaboration between industry and the academe, adding that market-oriented research would facilitate the development of innovative products and processes. Julito G. Rada

Globe’s signal suffers from interference

GLOBE Telecom Inc. said Tuesday it detected mobile service interference in more than 1,200 cell sites caused by illegal signal transmitters such as signal boosters, repeaters and radio frequency identiﬁcation this year. Globe said around 60 percent of the affected sites are in Metro Manila, with mobile customers within the affected sites’ area of coverage experiencing dropped calls, garbled lines, weak signal and slow browsing. The telecom company said that as of end-September, it was able to identify, locate and shut down about 210 illegal repeaters and RFID systems causing interference to its cellular network. The RFID systems found interfering with Globe Telecom’s network were found operating within the cellular frequency bands and outside the National Telecommunications Commission’s allocated frequency band for RFID. Globe said this appeared to be just the tip of the iceberg as less than 10 percent of the sites affected were actually cleared of interference. It said the number of illegal repeaters and RFID systems appeared to be increasing as well. Darwin G. Amojelar

PCC readies ruling on Goldilocks

THE Philippine Competition Commission said Tuesday it is close to issuing a decision on SM Investments Corp.’s acquisition of Goldilocks Bakeshop. PCC commissioner Stella Quimbo said the agency was nearing the end of the 60-day investigation and could close the case as soon as SM issued a response on the statement of concern sent by the agency. “The main concern here is how will the vertical relationship between SM and Goldilocks will be once the merger is approved,” Quimbo said in a news brieﬁng in Makati City. Another potential concern pertains to how SM will relate to competitors of Goldilocks and their ability to lease out spaces in SM Malls where Goldilocks is present. Competitors are also prey to information breach following a mall management protocol on payment operating system where SM can view all the tenants sales and even the prices of their products, Quimbo said. “Payment operating system is a centralized system that SM would have and which would allow SM access to very detailed information on sales, pricing, etc. not only for Goldilocks which it will own after the transaction but all the competitors to the extent that it will give undue advantage to SM,” Quimbo said. Othel V. Campos

By Julito G. Rada

IZAL Commercial Banking Corp. on Tuesday lambasted Bangladesh Bank for its alleged refusal to divulge ﬁndings on last year’s $81-million cyber heist.

Unidentiﬁed hackers stole $81 million from Bangladesh Bank’s account at the New York Fed in February 2017, using fraudulent orders on the Swift payments system. The dirty money entered the Philippine ﬁnancial system through a Jupiter,

Makati branch of RCBC and later on laundered by a number of individuals in local casinos. RCBC insisted that the incident was an “inside job” and the central bank of Bangladesh was engaging in a “massive coverup by maligning RCBC.”

RCBC said in a statement Bangladesh Bank should be compelled to disclose its findings which would be crucial to the global fight against cybercrime. It said while Bangladesh Bank was asked to share the results of the investigation, the latter was coming out with empty sound bites like “wiping out RCBC” which, coming from a Bangladeshi finance minister, was “extremely irresponsible”. “At least from five reports―Swift; FireEye, an international cyber security outfit; Bangladesh’s own finance minister; its gov-

ernment-appointed panel; and a Bangladeshi expert― point to a conclusion that somebody inside BB would have made the heist possible,” RCBC said. RCBC said it was also reported that Bangladesh Bank had no ﬁrewall to protect its system and used second-hand $10 switches, making itself vulnerable to hackers. In January, it said hackers also did trial runs but apparently Bangladesh Bank did nothing to protect its system. RCBC also mentioned reports that Bangladesh Bank terminated its contract with

FireEye. It said the Bangladeshi expert who came out with a similar ﬁnding disappeared. He was found days later already out of his wits. “Bangladesh police investigated some BB people but only for negligence. Up to now, we do not know if anybody has been taken to court,” it said. “BB should stop making RCBC its scapegoat. RCBC has revealed everything it legally could to the Senate and to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; BB, however, has concealed everything it could. The contrast is telling,” it said. On Bangladesh Bank’s

statement that it wanted RCBC to return the stolen money, RCBC replied: “If it was stolen by your own people, why ask us? We are actually a victim of BB’s negligence.” RCBC said it received the funds in February last year in good faith because they were cleared and authenticated by the New York Fed and Swift, whose secure communications system was used by banks all over the world for their transactions. Three global banks―Citibank, New York Mellon and Wells Fargo―remitted the funds to RCBC.

October trade deficit widened to record $2.8b

FAKE CIGARETTES DESTRUCTION. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III (center) leads the destruction, via the coprocessing method, of the first batch of some P3.316 billion worth of Mighty and Marvel cigarettes bearing fake tax stamps that were confiscated in separate raids in March this year by joint teams from the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs. The cigarettes (inset) were destroyed at the Holcim Philippines Geocycle compound in Norzagaray, Bulacan.

Foreign visitor arrivals rose 11.5% in 10 months By Othel V. Campos INTERNATIONAL visitor arrivals increased 11.5 percent in the ﬁrst 10 months to 5.47 million from 4.91 million a year ago, led by large number of tourists from China and South Korea, the Tourism Department said Tuesday. Tourism Decretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo said South Koreans remained the country’s top visitor market with 1.33 million arrivals, representing 24.33 percent of the market, followed by China with 810,807 arrivals or 14.8 percent. The United States dropped to third place with 785,269 or 14.34 percent of the arrivals; Japan, fourth with 490,857 visitors or 8.97 percent; and Australia, ﬁfth with 206,443 visitors or 3.77 percent. “With the surge in Chinese

and Indian arrivals, we are optimistic to hit the target of at least 6.5 million [in 2017] as set by the National Tourism Development Plan for 2017-2022,” Teo said. Compared to last year’s ﬁgures for the same period, Chinese arrivals jumped 39.3 percent, while India visitors rose 20.28 percent. Data showed that in terms of revenues, foreign visitor receipts recorded a doubledigit gain of 36.28 percent to P243.23 billion in January to September, up 36.6 percent from P178-billion earnings in the same period in 2016. “The department will continue aggressive marketing efforts, including through social media. We will promote emerging or developing destinations to entice more visitors from across the globe,” Teo said.

Office space demand expected to grow 13% in 2018—Leechiu By Jenniffer B. Austria OFFICE space take-up is expected to reach 850,000 square meters in 2018, up 13 percent from the projected 750,000 sq. m. this year, on strong demand from the resurgent business process outsourcing sector and sustained growth of online gaming companies. Leechiu Property Consultants chief executive David Leechiu said in a news briefing the BPO take-up was expected to hit 500,000 sq. m. next year, while online gaming, currently the fastest growing sector, was expected to lease as much as 350,000 sq. m. of office space. Leechiu said the expected “resurgence” of the information technology and business process management industry resulting from reaffirmed relations with the US and the bicameral version of the comprehensive tax reform law which would be friendly to the BPO sector. The recent upgrade of the Philippines’ credit rating is also a positive development, he said. Leechui said a number of the world’s largest companies were in the final stages of setting up shared services in the Philippines. “This serves as reassurance for the rest of the world that all is well in the Philippines,” said Leechiu. Leechiu said office take-up from the IT-BPM sector slowed down to 350,000 as of end-November this year from 485,000 sqm in 2016. The slowdown was offset by the 306-pervent growth in office take-up by the online gaming sector to 230,000 sq. m. from only 56,700 in 2016.

THE Philippines posted a record monthly trade deficit of $2.84 billion in October, as imports jumped 13.1 percent to $8.2 billion and exports rose 6.6 percent to $5.4 billion. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the October trade deficit was wider than the $2.22-billion deficit a year ago and $2.1 billion in September. This brought the total trade deficit in the first 10 months to $21.95 billion, compared to the $21.74-billion shortfall in the same period last year. Exports in January to October went up 11.7 percent to $53.1 billion, while imports rose 8.3 percent to $75.1 billion. The National Economic and Development Authority said the 6.6-percent growth in exports in October was supported by the double-digit growth in shipments of gold (297 percent); electronic equipment and parts (43.3 percent); metal components (21.9 percent); fresh bananas (20.8 percent); other mineral products (19.6 percent); and electronic products (13.8 percent). The increase in imports was attributed to the growth of demand for iron and steel (57.3 percent); organic and inorganic chemicals (40.4 percent); miscellaneous manufactured articles (28.1 percent); electronic products (23.3 percent); mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (15.9 percent); and telecommunication equipment and electrical machinery (13.1 percent). Neda director-general and Eeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said the continued exports growth, economic cooperation and trade facilitation initiatives would sustain trade gains going forward. Julito G. Rada

Business

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Ayala unit gets funding for Bataan power plant By Alena Mae S. Flores GNPower Dinginin Ltd. Co., the joint venture of of AC Energy Holdings Inc., Therma Power Inc. and Power Partner, has secured ﬁnancing for the second unit of its 1,336-megawatt coal ﬁred power plant, in Dinginin, Bataan province. AC Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ayala Corp. with approximately 50 percent economic stake in GNPower Diningin’s project, said in a statement the plant would support the increasing electricity demand in Luzon and Visayas. The cost of the GNPower Diningin project is estimated at $1.7 billion, with the debt component to be provided by Philippine banks which it did not

disclose. The company also did not provide a breakdown of the financing for the each unit of the power project. “GNPD’s contribution not only brings us closer to our 2020 target capacity but also addresses supply requirements in the 2020s, amidst medium term supply uncertainties in the power sector,” said AC Energy president John Eric Francia. The uncertainties include the delays faced by other major power plants as well as the future of the Malampaya gas field and liquefied natural gas. Construction of the first unit is under way for commercial operations by 2019. The second unit scheduled for completion by 2020.

Stock market declines; ICTSI, DMCI lead losers

HE stock market dropped Tuesday on proﬁttaking, with the Philippine Stock Exchange Index consolidating above the 8,300-point level.

The PSEi fell 24.51 points, or 0.3 percent, to 8,334.06 on value turnover of P6.6 billion. Losers beat gainers, 115 to 87, with 52 issues unchanged. Conglomerate Ayala Corp. declined 1.4 percent to P 1,025, while property unit Ayala Land Inc. gained 1.5 percent to P44.15. International Container Terminal Services Inc., the biggest port operator, lost 2 percent to P102.50, while DMCI Holdings

Inc., which is into water distribution, power generation, coal production, construction and property development, dropped 3.3 percent to P14.22. The rest of Asian markets, meanwhile, mostly fell after a recent rally as investors cashed in while also looking ahead to key central bank meetings that could provide some idea about monetary policy in the new year. Wall Street provided yet another record-breaking lead as the

selling that hit equities at the start of the month abates, while energy ﬁrms were supported by stronger oil prices. The week kicked off on a high following forecast-busting jobs data from the US on Friday, which reinforced the view that the world’s top economy is in rude health. But dealers cashed out on Tuesday, with analysts also pointing to thinning volumes towards the end of the year. Tokyo’s Nikkei ended down 0.3 percent, while Shanghai sank more than one percent by the close and Hong Kong was off 0.5 percent in the afternoon. Seoul shed 0.4 percent, Singa-

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.45 199,000 59.8 6,100 105 1,576,960 3.88 1,000 153 1,704,670 2 1,818,000 33 451,800 15.3 6,200 33.5 945,900 0.69 75,000 1.88 2,031,000 930 1,530 0.59 533,000 98.95 2,633,920 0.84 117,000 11.72 1,800 25 400 55.1 59,870 238 105,820 96 20 89.8 1,010 54.1 118,890 252 488,350 86.85 22,410 1.25 72,000

676,540 363,996 165,349,140 3,880 258,165,185 3,647,910 14,879,275 95,756 31,749,985 50,750 3,907,900 1,425,600 309,710 260,702,303.50 98,290 21,252 10,000 3,299,327.50 25,183,890 1,920 90,700 6,434,256 123,228,708 1,946,330 90,000

293,609 26,260,314 -55,004,154 -200,080 -3,704,120 20,222,365 -1,610 -52,200 163,735,511.50 -1,545,700.50 -24,794,840 951,499 -29,974,472 -79,053.50 -

38.8 12.5 0.66 1.34 16.5 0.22 98 4.64 16.08 151.1 42.15 20 62 67.9 1.9 5.68 11 11.6 14.62 11.02 7.19 5.8 1.54 17 62.2 23.8 11.5 18.6 2.42 248.4 4.4 3.21 28 18.5 17.24 316.8 0.199 8.45 2.4 5.91 9.24 7.2 8.42 1.55 11.8 59.9 6.42 531.5 4.98 4.51 2.05 13 5.21 0.133 1.18 141 2.98 1.9 25 0.76

INDUSTRIAL 39.25 1,082,600 12.72 1,587,300 0.68 144,000 1.35 286,000 16.72 12,700 0.225 160,000 105 30 4.66 10,016,000 16.18 1,006,600 151.1 260 43.45 518,500 20.45 6,200 63.95 200 67.9 70 1.93 42,000 5.68 8,000 11 14,100 11.7 3,697,400 14.66 67,100 11.16 196,900 7.25 574,900 5.82 3,330,800 1.54 1,000 17.04 702,800 62.9 150,450 23.9 287,400 11.5 3,500 18.8 514,500 2.46 10,121,000 249.4 1,774,780 4.45 783,000 3.45 28,000 28.15 3,454,400 18.6 67,700 17.3 2,578,200 318 472,510 0.199 50,000 9.08 23,600 2.53 2,435,000 5.92 183,400 9.27 4,342,300 7.31 2,057,000 8.49 15,600 1.56 556,000 12.1 248,500 61 159,660 6.69 2,900 533 27,500 4.99 359,000 4.54 5,000 2.12 434,000 13 102,100 5.35 376,300 0.135 400,000 1.18 492,000 144 413,680 3.1 57,000 1.9 2,501,000 25 500 0.78 1,749,000

42,468,155 20,126,682 96,730 386,540 212,412 35,750 3,080 47,215,750 16,186,778 39,286 22,166,580 125,695 12,595 4,753 80,500 45,538 155,170 43,315,862 989,852 2,189,434 4,152,219 19,384,958 1,540 11,981,712 9,428,814.50 6,977,330 40,296 9,655,210 25,274,380 442,571,746 3,523,120 93,320 97,129,575 1,265,622 44,622,488 150,071,056 9,950 211,328 5,992,450 1,092,892 40,372,814 14,930,370 132,383 866,780 2,985,336 9,575,248 19,382 14,911,305 1,794,240 22,610 906,520 1,328,468 1,985,243 53,960 598,160 59,425,463 172,560 4,807,330 12,800 1,362,700

-7,425,125 2,391,852 -13,841,090 0 4,250 -38,200 -2,244 26,774,666 211,088 -1,582,592 -1,643,527 5,477,157 -4,148,774 2,625,220.50 -19,440 -19,556 -2,228,236 -2,757,110 30,545,184 -388,230 -16,650 -22,004,850 -154,450 14,877,444 63,546,322 -908,690 -20,712,906 -258,278 -10,733 2,901,290 44,560 721,448 18,390 8,812,797 -19,500

0.315 70.6 16.12 0.99 7.08 0.365 0.38 1,030 7.5 14.68 7.89 5 1,190 69.55 4.76 5.5 0.75 5.7 18.82 0.33 6.58 3.85 0.044 1.1 2.06 111 2.9 997 0.8 1.88 285

0.3 67.9 15.76 0.97 7 0.35 0.36 1,016 7.4 14.14 7.75 5 1,161 67.8 4.76 5.11 0.63 5.58 18.42 0.26 6.48 3.7 0.043 1.07 2.06 109.5 2.66 985 0.79 1.8 279

HOLDING FIRMS 0.305 2,570,000 69.3 461,690 15.8 3,878,600 0.97 19,000 7 35,900 0.36 6,300,000 0.38 840,000 1,025 485,435 7.4 1,351,100 14.22 7,478,300 7.89 3,300 5 3,000 1,183 47,365 68 942,110 4.76 1,000 5.5 5,100 0.72 4,920,000 5.68 168,000 18.48 1,869,300 0.3 19,590,000 6.51 20,624,600 3.82 153,000 0.043 14,300,000 1.1 41,000 2.06 623,000 110.5 508,290 2.76 111,000 990 338,060 0.79 165,000 1.85 4,948,000 279 2,350

771,800 31,934,005 61,436,488 18,580 251,316 2,259,900 304,750 496,989,260 10,068,718 107,196,196 25,617 15,000 56,038,330 64,313,700 4,760 26,203 3,475,960 951,447 34,585,476 5,739,750 134,434,500 572,010 621,000 44,500 1,283,380 56,025,843 316,030 334,494,740 130,650 9,077,830 657,840

5.72 1.05 10.9 2.38 0.9 44.35 3.66 4.78 5.44 5.94 0.485 1.15 1.19 0.209 0.47 38.5 0.66 1.88 1.44 0.77 5.25 0.37 0.375 0.6 6.26

5.68 1.03 10.76 2.26 0.88 43.25 3.61 4.7 5.32 5.94 0.475 1.1 1.16 0.206 0.45 37.8 0.66 1.8 1.4 0.74 5.15 0.35 0.37 0.57 6.14

1,360,052 3,621,660 23,840 353,750 495,000 587,200,190 1,919,640 1,665,860 385,659 1,188 2,427,900 14,900 150,980 1,020,350 167,650 4,730,075 553,080 14,305,500 6,851,660 251,840 184,094,074 20,782,600 152,250 4,703,440 25,941,731

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

3.51 59.9 104 3.88 153 2.06 33.1 15.3 33.65 0.67 1.77 950 0.57 98.1 0.84 12.5 25 55.5 238 96 90 54.1 251.4 87 1.25

3.51 59.9 105.2 3.88 153 2.06 33.15 15.9 33.8 0.69 2.1 950 0.6 99.4 0.85 12.5 25 56.75 238 96 90 54.5 254.2 87 1.25

3.32 59 103.6 3.88 149.5 1.99 32.8 15.3 33.4 0.67 1.77 930 0.57 98.1 0.84 11.72 25 55.1 237 96 89.8 54 251.4 86.8 1.25

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

39.3 12.6 0.67 1.35 16.84 0.225 98 4.73 16.08 151.1 43.4 20 62 67.9 1.9 5.68 11 11.6 14.8 11.2 7.25 5.82 1.54 17.08 62.2 24.8 11.9 19 2.52 249.4 4.48 3.21 28.6 18.5 17.4 318.4 0.199 9 2.49 6 9.5 7.5 8.5 1.55 11.9 60.2 6.76 550 5 4.51 2.08 13.2 5.37 0.135 1.18 143.3 3.03 1.98 28 0.82

39.5 12.74 0.68 1.37 16.98 0.225 105 4.86 16.18 151.1 43.45 20.5 63.95 67.9 1.93 5.7 11.26 11.78 14.82 11.48 7.25 5.84 1.54 17.1 63 24.95 11.9 19.1 2.58 250 4.66 3.45 28.65 19 17.4 319 0.199 9.1 2.55 6.05 9.5 7.73 8.5 1.56 12.12 61 6.76 565 5 4.54 2.14 13.2 5.53 0.135 1.31 144 3.1 1.98 28 0.82

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

0.3 70.4 15.94 0.99 7.08 0.365 0.365 1,023 7.48 14.68 7.75 5 1,181 68.5 4.76 5.14 0.66 5.58 18.8 0.305 6.56 3.7 0.043 1.08 2.06 111 2.66 997 0.8 1.81 285

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

5.72 1.04 10.76 2.3 0.9 43.25 3.64 4.71 5.44 5.94 0.48 1.1 1.19 0.207 0.45 38 0.66 1.86 1.44 0.77 5.22 0.365 0.375 0.58 6.22

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

34.4 21.85 2.6 3.13 36.85 1.02 7.68 0.86 5.68

34.4 21.85 2.65 3.19 37 1.04 7.68 0.87 5.68

34.4 21.35 2.52 3.12 36.25 1.02 7.6 0.86 5.56

34.4 21.4 2.61 3.19 36.85 1.03 7.68 0.87 5.64

100 1,416,000 6,284,000 163,000 12,988,400 2,633,000 11,400 51,000 2,804,600

3,440 30,528,790 16,307,440 519,330 477,964,170 2,719,740 87,393 44,070 15,788,578

-14,115,585 -16,940,895 8,360 -3,332,813

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

18.3 35 1.47 0.465 0.043 4.98 10.72 0.075 101 9.02 8.62 7 4.19 4.15 1,000 1,690 5.8 18.18 4.98 2.61 103.5 12.98 8.74 0.14 1.33 15.5 4.7 1.2 21.4 0.53 5.54 7.36 3.86 2.79 10.94 5 143 8.14 1,448 1.28 0.35 50.5 93.75 5.85 3.06 1.7 3.93 1.06 8.21

19.56 35 1.47 0.465 0.043 5.4 10.78 0.075 101.6 9.38 8.79 7 4.2 5.9 1,000 1,700 5.84 18.18 5.07 3.01 104.6 12.98 8.74 0.14 1.33 15.5 4.84 1.23 22.2 0.53 6 7.43 3.9 2.79 10.94 5 143 8.14 1,454 1.29 0.365 50.5 94 5.85 3.47 1.73 4 1.07 8.25

18.3 34.8 1.35 0.465 0.041 4.98 10.32 0.072 100 9.02 8.52 7 3.45 4.15 1,000 1,680 5.79 18.18 4.82 2.6 102.5 12.98 8.33 0.136 1.33 15.5 4.48 1.18 20.6 0.53 5.54 7.22 3.86 2.62 10.94 4.81 140 8 1,437 1.28 0.35 49.5 92.1 5.82 3.05 1.66 3.74 1.03 8.14

SERVICES 19.04 34.9 1.46 0.465 0.043 5.03 10.32 0.073 100.7 9.38 8.7 7 3.7 5.6 1,000 1,680 5.79 18.18 4.88 2.75 102.5 12.98 8.37 0.14 1.33 15.5 4.48 1.23 22.1 0.53 5.75 7.3 3.89 2.68 10.94 4.81 140 8.04 1,440 1.29 0.36 50 94 5.82 3.18 1.66 3.8 1.03 8.22

175,900 76,200 26,000 200,000 58,800,000 15,077,800 8,630,700 11,430,000 307,230 11,200 1,080,900 10,000 2,195,000 389,000 200 113,860 312,700 600 10,403,000 168,000 1,466,800 1,500 281,700 3,440,000 193,000 800 6,412,000 499,000 3,279,800 10,000 5,475,600 3,639,400 170,000 9,369,000 4,500 3,000 2,730 6,034,100 125,005 49,000 640,000 165,970 147,660 23,500 7,390,000 3,111,000 3,621,000 5,780,000 1,418,800

3,321,840 2,660,290 37,410 93,000 2,457,100 75,543,687 91,005,152 833,850 30,934,270 103,036 9,350,358 70,000 8,358,980 2,047,320 200,000 192,023,825 1,812,203 10,908 51,383,430 471,970 151,602,608 19,470 2,355,692 476,810 256,690 12,400 30,007,340 600,820 70,984,105 5,300 31,650,362 26,581,484 659,350 25,178,260 49,230 14,845 385,669 48,502,729 180,281,615 62,850 232,050 8,299,823 13,836,303 137,403 24,140,590 5,218,930 13,930,330 6,048,640 11,587,819

883,378 -13,200 -12,259,714 3,038,299 -88,113 54,710 -34,672,730 -749,020 -17,445,733 19,470 41,100 -4,101,550 20,861,755 -107,720 6,519,597 -38,690 1,198,040 -271,999 -45,600 -10,948,730 -20,530 -479,022 3,941,517 823,540 -425,140 848,100 -59,360 -2,429,643

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

0.0022 1.6 4.53 1.7 1.7 1.6 0.32 7.48 2.64 0.242 0.159 0.158 0.01 0.0099 1.7 6.4 1.54 0.92 0.013 0.012 0.012 2.02 5.9 8.6 37.7 0.0066

0.0024 1.6 4.55 1.8 1.7 1.63 0.32 7.48 2.7 0.242 0.159 0.158 0.01 0.0099 1.71 6.45 1.55 0.92 0.013 0.012 0.012 2.02 5.91 8.67 38.35 0.0066

0.0022 1.56 4.5 1.69 1.7 1.57 0.31 7.03 2.62 0.229 0.155 0.155 0.01 0.0099 1.7 6.38 1.5 0.9 0.013 0.012 0.011 2.02 5.85 7.85 36.8 0.0066

MINING & OIL 0.0023 28,000,000 1.57 4,036,000 4.51 412,000 1.8 87,000 1.7 86,000 1.62 2,675,000 0.31 2,320,000 7.31 1,400 2.68 2,002,000 0.241 30,000 0.156 3,200,000 0.155 1,480,000 0.01 12,200,000 0.0099 1,000,000 1.71 101,000 6.42 840,700 1.55 37,000 0.91 70,000 0.013 2,300,000 0.012 100,000 0.012 2,400,000 2.02 7,000 5.9 489,300 8.14 8,760,300 36.95 1,529,700 0.0066 1,000,000

65,200 6,379,640 1,860,170 149,340 146,200 4,282,450 720,150 10,070 5,342,890 7,120 498,600 230,840 122,000 9,900 171,850 5,398,632 55,650 63,670 29,900 1,200 26,800 14,140 2,882,663 71,798,349 56,841,010 6,600

2,400 -54,200 200,500 -141,770 155,000 -9,900 -34,000 1,796,923 14,900 -572,491 1,590,586 -17,302,975 -

-10,238,525.50 -6,318,298 7,300 -266,330,205 -4,599,159 -66,715,902 -4,398,630 -14,092,870 81,804 15,390,994 150,400 -23,995,777 -51,500 -2,867,515 -44,211,415 -400,400 16,850

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF F FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PCOR PREF 2B PF PREF 2 PNX PREF 3A SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

34.3 525 108.2 104.6 109.8 115.6 523 5.48 1,025 101.4 1.08 109.5 1,050 1,142 1,003 103.2 77.3 82.35 78.5 81 76.5 78.5 81.1

34.35 525 108.2 106.5 109.8 115.6 523 5.5 1,030 102 1.09 109.5 1,050 1,142 1,003 103.2 77.4 82.35 78.5 81 76.5 78.5 81.1

34.3 523.5 108 104.6 109.8 115.6 523 5.43 1,025 101.4 1.08 109.5 1,050 1,142 1,003 103.2 77 80.2 76.5 81 76.5 78.2 77.8

PREFERRED 34.35 1,806,200 523.5 16,600 108 2,500 104.6 31,780 109.8 180 115.6 100 523 3,000 5.46 772,000 1,030 555 101.9 28,370 1.09 1,254,000 109.5 110 1,050 1,870 1,142 2,700 1,003 50 103.2 2,000 77.2 14,230 80.3 32,890 76.5 2,010 81 85,810 76.5 12,790 78.5 26,220 78.5 143,400

62,042,965 8,690,235 270,400 3,324,207 19,764 11,560 1,569,000 4,207,111 571,450 2,890,645 1,363,520 12,045 1,963,500 3,083,400 50,150 206,400 1,096,001 2,639,464.50 154,184.50 6,950,610 978,435 2,055,250 11,182,235

0 -4,148,061 561,150 10,030 60,294 -

LR WARRANT

3.09

3.2

2.86

WARRANTS 2.96 3,445,000

10,606,570

PHILAB HLDG ITALPINAS XURPAS

3.88 9.63 4.25

4.4 10.16 5.06

3.88 8.71 4.2

4.35 8.96 4.95

4,513,560 17,331,881 95,379,910

21,750 86,799 8,481,800

-352,199 242,474,150 -585,500 235,500 121,440 -198,100 -16,560 1,869,490 -551,760 652,400 10,977,104 106,500 171,825

FIRST METRO ETF

126.3

127

126.3

1,563,419

-11,394

PROPERTY 5.7 1.04 10.9 2.38 0.88 44.15 3.65 4.75 5.4 5.94 0.475 1.15 1.19 0.209 0.47 38.5 0.66 1.81 1.41 0.75 5.18 0.355 0.375 0.59 6.2

238,800 3,497,000 2,200 155,000 560,000 13,310,700 528,000 353,000 72,000 200 5,080,000 13,000 127,000 4,950,000 360,000 123,600 838,000 7,855,000 4,856,000 332,000 35,477,300 57,770,000 410,000 8,077,000 4,183,200

USD DMPL A1

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

13,394,316 60,699,106 102,257,103

PROPERTY

175,626,136

SERVICES

187,523,137

MINING & OIL

75,674,389

GRAND TOTAL

638,342,766

SME

1,075,000 1,862,300 20,203,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 126.6 12,350 10

DDS

1,700

17,000

VALUE 2,152.90 (up) 9.00 961,175,684.59 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,017.00 (down) 15.08 1,191,858,482.546 HOLDING FIRMS 8,412.21 (down) 87.99 1,507,319,751.30 PROPERTY 3,915.43 (up) 18.31 SERVICES 1,569.89 (down) 13.60 1,413,707,389.10 MINING & OIL 11,559.25 (down) 149.57 1,264,788,382.06 PSEI 8,344.06 (down) 24.51 157,133,351.12 All Shares Index 4,866.62 (down) 18.83 6,614,842,629.92 Gainers: 87; Losers: 115; Unchanged: 52; Total: 254

pore was off 0.2 percent and Taipei eased 0.3 percent. Bangkok and Jakarta were also lower, though Sydney closed up 0.3 percent. Despite the retreat analysts were upbeat for the region’s markets. “It’s been a few good days on Asia’s stock markets as last week’s swoon gave way to renewed conﬁdence,” said Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at AxiTrader. He added that “save for the recent weakness Asian stock markets have generally performed reasonably well over the past few months.” McKenna attributed the recent losses to proﬁt-taking and lingering concerns about China’s economy “rather than anything chronic or outright negative.” Focus is now on the last policy meetings of central banks in the US, Britain and the eurozone this week. While the Federal Reserve is expected to lift interest rates again, the key will be comments from bank boss Janet Yellen, which will be scanned for clues about its timetable for future increases. With Bloomberg, AFP

Vitarich unveils new rehab program By Jenniffer B. Austria POULTRY and feeds producer Vitarich Corp. plans to implement a debt-to-equity program and quasi-reorganization in order to wipe out the company’s P400-million debt and eliminate its deficit. Vitarich president and chief executive Ricardo Manuel Sarmiento said in a press conference the company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission its debt-to equity conversion plans, its second in a span of four years to revitalize the company. “By paying the company’s remaining debt with shares, the company will conserve as much-needed cash for its operations and its expansion plans,” Sarmiento said. “Also paying the remaining debt with shares instead of doing a dacion of its core assets will allow Vitarich to benefit from the rental income and future increase in real estate value of its noncore assets,” he added. Vitarich in 2013 converted P2.3 billion worth of debts held by Kormasinc Inc. into equity. Sarmiento said Vitarich was seeking SEC approval for the quasi-reorganization, which would enable the company to eliminate its deficit totaling P2.417 billion as of end 2016 after the planned debt-to-equity swap. “After the quasi-reorganization abolishes the company’s deficit, Vitarich can then already declare dividends to its shareholders from unrestricted earnings that will subsequently be generated,” Sarmiento said. Vitarich plans to secure SEC’s nod on debt-to-equity and quasireorganization by 2018. Vitarich, which exited corporate rehabilitation in 2016, has also been beefing up operations to boost its business. The company in October inaugurated its P250-million state-of-the-art feed mill in Panacan, Davao City, with a capacity of 100,000 bags per month. It has also expanded its feed mills in Iloilo and dressing plant in Davao.

World

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017

Calls to probe Trump rejected

ASHINGTON—The White House on Monday rejected calls for a congressional investigation of claims Donald Trump sexually harassed women, saying the American people had spoken on the matter by electing him president.

Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand called on Trump to resign, meanwhile, echoing a demand made the previous day by two other Senate Democrats, while a group of 54 Congresswomen backed Trump’s accusers in calling for a probe. Three women who claim they were sexually harassed by Trump before he ran for president urged Congress on Monday to investigate his behavior and allegations of misconduct. The three, who ﬁrst came forward during last year’s presidential race with their

claims of harassment, said they were speaking up again because of the current climate. In recent months, countless women have broken their silence about abuse suffered at the hands of powerful men in the worlds of entertainment, the media, business and politics, in the wake of the bombshell allegations that felled movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. “The environment’s different,” said Samantha Holvey, who claims Trump came backstage when she and other contestants in the 2006

Miss USA pageant were dressing. “Let’s try again,” Holvey said, in explaining her decision to repeat her allegations. Rachel Crooks, who says Trump forcibly kissed her on the mouth after she introduced herself to him at Trump Tower in 2005, urged lawmakers to “put aside their party afﬁliations and investigate Mr. Trump’s history of sexual misconduct.” Crooks voiced hope “that we will hold Mr Trump to the same standard of Harvey Weinstein and the other men who were held accountable for their reprehensible behavior.” Jessica Leeds, who says she was groped and forcibly kissed by Trump on a commercial ﬂight decades ago, said the president has not been held accountable for

“what he is and who he is.” The White House swiftly dismissed the claims as “false.” “The timing and absurdity of these false claims speaks volumes and the publicity tour that has begun only further conﬁrms the political motives behind them,” a White House statement said. Addressing reporters, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the president “has addressed these accusations directly and denied all of these allegations. “This took place long before he was elected to be president and the people of this country had a decisive election, supported President Trump,” Sanders said. “We feel like these allegations have been answered through that process.”

Gillibrand, a Democratic senator from New York, told CNN that Trump should “immediately resign.” “President Trump has committed assault according to these women,” she said. “And those are very credible allegations. “I think he should immediately resign and if he doesn’t we should have the investigation,” Gillibrand said. Democratic senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Jeff Merkley of Oregon also called over the weekend for Trump to step down. Democratic Senator Ron Wyden backed the call for a congressional investigation―which appeared unlikely to occur given the Republican control of both houses of Congress. “These women are right,” the senator from Oregon

said in a tweet. “If @realDonaldTrump won’t resign, Congress must investigate allegations by many, many women that he sexually assaulted and harassed them. No one is above the law.” Later Monday, Democratic Congresswoman Lois Frankel said she was leading a contingent of women representatives from the lower chamber in demanding a probe. “Americans deserve to learn the truth about the Commander in Chief, which is why I’m leading @ HouseDemWomen in calling for an investigation in Congress of the sexual misconduct allegations against @realDonaldTrump,” she tweeted, linking to a CNN report that a group of 54 women were involved in the effort. AFP

Bread turned into beer in fight against waste DRIFFIELD, UK―At a brewery nestled in rolling farmland in northern England, the process of making beer begins with dropping dozens of unwanted loaf ends, thrown away by a sandwich factory, into a large stainless steel tank. Add water, hops and yeast, and out comes the unmistakable golden beverage popular the world over. “We’re essentially substituting part of the malt for bread,” says Alex Balchin, head of the Wold Top Brewery, near Drifﬁeld in Yorkshire, of the brew which has no discernible bread-like taste. The brewery uses some of the tons of discarded uneaten bread in Britain to produce beer in support of an initiative ﬁghting food waste―and the idea is being exported around the world. Behind the concept of Toast Ale is Tristram Stuart, who set up Feedback, an anti-food waste organization. He began producing the beverage last year, drawing inspiration from a small Belgian microbrewery― Brussels Beer Project―that

started making beer from leftover bread, called “Babylone”, in 2015. “They explained to me that the ancient Babylonians actually invented beer to preserve bread and other grains that otherwise would be wasted,” says 40-yearold Stuart. “That was the original purpose of the drink.” Stuart’s research has found that “industrial quantities” of bread are being wasted globally, more than food aid charities can utilize, while the global craft beer brewing movement has continued to ﬂourish. “I wanted to set up a company that matches up local sources of wasted bread, local brewers, local non-profits, and build Toast Ale into a global company that turns bread that is perfectly good into beer that is even better,” Stuart says. The proﬁts, after partner brewers have claimed their production expenses, are donated to Feedback, while any grains left after brewing are recycled to feed livestock. AFP

PROTEST. Afghan demonstrators protest against the US and Israel in Badakhshan province on December 12, 2017. Afghans are demonstrating against US President Donald Trump’s decision to officially recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. AFP

Bomber strikes New York subway NEW YORK―A 27-yearold immigrant from Bangladesh detonated a homemade pipe bomb strapped to his body in a crowded New York subway passage during the morning rush hour Monday, wounding three people and putting the city on edge just six weeks after a deadly truck attack. Akayed Ullah told police investigators he wanted to avenge US air strikes on the Islamic State group and was also inspired by Christmas terror plots in Europe―choosing the location for his attack by Christmas posters on the subway walls, US media reported. But his bomb failed to detonate properly, leaving him the only one seriously harmed by the assault. President Donald Trump seized upon the failed attack to call for tougher US immigration rules, saying the current “lax” policy “allows far too many dangerous, inadequately vetted people to access our country”. “Today’s attempted mass murder attack in New York City―the second terror attack in New York in the last two months―once again highlights the urgent need for Congress to enact legislative reforms to protect the American people,” Trump said in a statement. The blast took place in the subway station at the Port Authority bus terminal, not far from the city’s iconic Times Square, sparking commuter panic and travel disruptions. A closed-circuit security video showed commuters scattering as the bomb exploded and one body― that of the bomber―on the ground after the smoke cleared. Authorities attributed the minimal damage from the simple device attached to Ullah’s chest to a malfunction. AFP

Nowhere to hide from Rio’s bullets

Double murderer appeals HK conviction HONG KONG―A British banker jailed for life for the horrifying murder of two Indonesian women at his upscale Hong Kong apartment in a cocaine-fueled rampage appealed against his conviction Tuesday. Cambridge University graduate Rurik Jutting tortured Sumarti Ningsih for three days―ﬁlming parts of her ordeal on his phone―before slashing her throat with a serrated knife and stufﬁng her body into a suitcase. Days later, and with Ningsih’s corpse on his balcony, the former Bank of America worker picked up Seneng Mujiasih, intending to play out the same fantasies. He killed her when she started screaming. Jutting, now 32, had pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility but was found guilty of murder with the judge at the time describing the killings as “sickening in the extreme”. However, Jutting’s defense team Tuesday argued that judge Michael StuartMoore had repeatedly given wrong directions to the jury during the trial last year when explaining how they should determine whether his state of mind had impaired his responsibility for his actions. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

COLD IN KASHMIR. A Kashmiri resident walks along a road following fresh snowfall on the outskirts of Srinagar on December 12, 2017. AFP

RIO DE JANEIRO―While the fighting in Rio de Janeiro’s crime war is done by commando-style police and heavily armed drug traffickers, a growing number of the victims look quite different: innocent, joyful children like Maria Eduarda. Firefights erupt in densely packed, poor favela neighborhoods, leaving thousands of people with nowhere to hide each time the shooting, involving Kalashnikovs and other military grade rifles, begins. AFP has investigated the stories of those caught in the middle, like 13-year-old schoolgirl Maria Eduarda, in a new multimedia report: “Stray Bullets: violence and broken lives in Rio.” With around 60,000 murders a year, Brazil is among

Tasmanian tiger doomed long before humans arrived SYDNEY―The Tasmanian tiger was doomed long before humans began hunting the enigmatic marsupial, scientists said Tuesday, with DNA sequencing showing it was in poor genetic health for thousands of years before its extinction. Scientists genetically mapped the animal―also known as a thylacine―using the genome of a pup preserved more than a century ago in a jar. The research revealed the creature began to undergo a decline in genetic diversity more than 70,000 years ago, leaving it less resilient to environmental change even

before Aborigines are believed to have ﬁrst inhabited the continent 65,000 years ago. “Our hope is that there is a lot the thylacine can tell us about the genetic basis of extinction to help other species,” said University of Melbourne biologist Andrew Pask, co-author of a study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution. Pask added the research may eventually enable scientists to clone the Tasmanian tiger and bring it back from the dead. “As this genome is one of the most complete for an extinct species, it is technically

the ﬁrst step to ‘bringing the thylacine back’, but we are still a long way off that possibility.” The animal was once widespread across Australia, but was wiped out on the mainland around 3,000 years ago, having likely succumbed to drought. They survived in the southern island state of Tasmania until 1936 when the last known one died in captivity at Hobart Zoo after the species was hunted to extinction in the wild. Scientists found the genetics of the animal to be more closely related to fellow Australian marsupial the Tasma-

nian devil than the dog-like dingo with whom it shared many physical features. The physical likeness of the two animals is among the best examples of what scientists call “convergent evolution”, whereby animals distantly related evolve to look similar as they adapt to the same environment. In the case of the tiger and dingo, their head and body developed similarly due to their meat-eating hunting techniques, even though the marsupials’ ancestry diverged genetically from the dog-like animals known as canids about 160 million years ago. AFP

the world’s most dangerous countries. Rio, host of the 2016 Olympics, has long been one of the hot spots. But as AFP’s investigation highlights, stray bullet incidents add a cruel twist to the wider crisis. People are shot outside church, in parks or in restaurants, in daytime or at night. Since the cheap construction of favela houses will not necessarily stop a bullet, even staying at home can be dangerous. Official figures for stray bullets are not released, but reports of incidents come in steadily. A count by Globo newspaper found that 632 people were shot by stray bullets in Rio state, at least 67 of them killed, in the first half of 2017 alone.

For Maria Eduarda Alves da Conceicao, sudden death came at the northern Rio school where she was known as a diligent student and mad keen basketball player. In a tough city, she was doing everything right. On March 30, though, everything went wrong. Just outside her school gates, police with automatic riﬂes were ﬁring on drug dealer suspects. It was the type of violent operation that would make top news in many cities around the world but is so common in Rio that it passes largely unnoticed. One burst of bullets tore past the school fence, hitting Maria Eduarda as she went to fetch water during gym class. AFP

Counterfeit 100-dollar bill said to be from North Korea SEOUL―A new high-quality counterfeit $100 bill has been found in South Korea, bank officials said Tuesday, prompting suggestions the sanctions-hit North might have resumed forging “super notes”. A team of forgery specialists at KEB Hana Bank have confirmed that a $100 note found at a Seoul branch in November was a fake, but which was almost impossible to distinguish from real banknotes, they said. “It was the first of a new kind of super note ever found in the world,” Yi HoJoong, head of the KEB

Hana Bank’s anti-counterfeit center, told AFP. Previous “super notes” were dated either 2001 or 2003 but the new forgery is dated 2006. The same methods including raised and dented printing and no-smudge inks that are normally used for real banknotes have been applied to the newly found super note, he said. “You need facilities worth some $100 million to produce counterfeit bills of this quality, and no crime rings would invest that much to make fake dollars,” he said. AFP

Villar SIPAG honors 21 top co-ops

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

wednesday, december 13, 2017

LGUs LocaL government units

INQUIRY. Leyte 1st District Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez (left) ask Region 8 Department of Public Works and Highways Director Edgar Tabacon for an update on the road and highways projects of the DPWH connecting Tacloban City and other municipalities in the province’s first district, especially the construction of the road to Babatngon Sea Port, during a hearing of the House Committee on Economic Affairs on Tuesday. Ver Noveno

Navotas passes new curfew ordinance By Jun David THE new curfew ordinance in Navotas City, which was previously junked by the Supreme Court due to apparent human rights violations of minors, is likely to be passed this time. Navotas City Mayor John Rey Tiangco said the new ordinance, authored by Councilor EJ Arriola, is now set to be signed and published by the high court this second week of December. “The draft ordinance has undergone revisions based on the inputs from various sectors. It will be immediately implemented once it is passed and has gone through legalities,” Tiangco said. The Supreme Court abolished the first curfew ordinance of Navotas along with that of the city of Manila after the Spark youth group was screened. Spark complained of the rules set out in the ordinance that it said were “strict and violent” and against the provisions of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act. It also discussed the basic rights of the youth, including the right to participate in organizations, religious rights, organizing and right to expression.

Subic signs port pacts By Butch Gunio

UBIC BAY FREEPORT—Working overtime to realize further development and expansion of the Port of Subic, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority is now networking with various ports in the United States to gain strategic knowledge and best practices for local application.

In a meeting with port officials in Los Angeles and Virginia Beach during a Philippine trade mission in the United States last month,

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma discussed Subic’s port expansion plans and business potential, as well as the necessary up-

grades to make Subic a global maritime trade player. “We’re definitely moving seriously now into the expansion and development mode for the Port of Subic because this is what Subic Bay is all about—global maritime business,” Eisma explained. “We may have the most strategic location and we may have the best potential in the region, but if our assets remained underdeveloped and underutilized, we’d end up zero just the same. So this is very, very important for

Subic—it must start now, and it must be completed within just a few years,” she added. Eisma said that in partnership with sister-ports, Subic will be developing a workable plan and a realizable timetable. “Along this line, I have signed last month a memorandum of understanding with John Reinhart, the CEO of Virginia Port Authority, for us to share best practices both in port development and trade promotion,” the SBMA official said.

ADOPTING the fire safety tactics of the United States’ New York Fire Department, the Quezon City Fire Marshal on Tuesday said fire incidents from January to November this year have dropped by at least 85 percent.

revenues, but also by developing downstream industries like arts and crafts, culture, music and related industries to promote a sustainable cruise tourism program. She said that a direct portto-port service route from the Port of Los Angeles to Subic Bay Freeport has also been discussed. This is being considered to cater to container port traffic demand between the West Coast and the Philippines, as well as increase efficiency and lower the cost of shipping.

32 trees to be cut within Pia-car lot

STRIKE A POSE. Together with lawmakers and justices of the high court, Cavite Rep. Strike Revilla (right) listens to the House Committee on Justice proceedings on the impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. Also in photo are SC Associate Justices (from left) Noel Tijam, Francis Jardeleza, and Teresita de Castro and SC Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez. Lino Santos

In an interview, Fire Marshal Sr. Supt. Manny Manuel attributed the significant decrease in the number of fires to their successful house-tohouse information drive for the public to know the safe practices to prevent an outbreak of fire. “Oplan Paalaala [Remind-

er] is very effective,” Manuel told the Manila Standard. “We give our hotline number to the people so they could immediately call us up before the fire gets big.” Moreover, the city fire district has continued to conduct safety lectures and drills, and even periodic inspections of

the city’s commercial establishments “all year round.” He also credited their improved radio communications equipment, the values formation of their personnel to “truly serve the country” and the professionalism within their ranks. “We have fire fighters

who have earned degrees in engineering, criminology, nursing and even education. When asked why they applied for work as firefighters, many of them told me they wanted to serve the country and our people, and they see themselves as heroes in their own small way,” he said.

Iraya inaugurates steel hanging bridge BUHI, Camarines Sur— Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp., in partnership with GMA Kapuso Foundation, recently inaugurated the steel hanging bridge in Barangay Iraya here. After its groundbreaking last July, the hanging bridge was officially turned over to the residents of Brgy. Iraya, made possible with the help of MMPC and other GMAKF partners as well. The construction of the hanging bridge will not only aid the students from Brgy.

“Likewise, we would be signing in March 2018 a similar agreement with the Los Angeles Port Authority, so that we can learn technical expertise, particularly in break-bulk operation and cruise ship terminal operation,” Eisma added. Eisma said that Jim MacLellan, LAPA’s Trade Development director, has recommended to maximize Subic’s potential to be the next cruise ship playground in the Asean region, not only by increasing cruise ship arrival and port

In BrIef

New York fire safety tactics pay off for Quezon City By Rio N. Araja

TWENTY-ONE outstanding cooperatives nationwide were recognized by the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance of Senator Cynthia A. Villar, former Senate President Manny Villar and DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, for their exemplary poverty reduction strategies. Each of the cooperatives received P250,000 as seed money to start a new business or expand their existing projects and customized Villar SIPAG bamboo trophy specially made by the Samahan ng mga Mang-uukit ng Paete. The awarding ceremony was held at the Villar SIPAG hall at C5 Extension Road, Brgy. Pulanglupa Uno, Las Pinas City. More than 220 cooperatives joined the search for the 2017 Villar SIPAG Awards, of which, 21 cooperatives were selected based on their projects’ effectiveness, significance, financial viability, sustainability and adaptability. “We take our hats off to these cooperatives for the wonderful jobs that they do and for all their efforts in helping reduce poverty in our country, particularly in the countryside,” Senator Villar said.

Iraya going to school safely every day, but also the residents to carry out their everyday routine efficiently. It is the first bridge built under GMAKF’s “Kapuso Tulay para sa Kaunlaran” project. This 30-meter hanging bridge is made of steel and concrete, with solar powered lamps installed to illuminate the way in the evening. During the celebration of Mitsubishi’s 100 years anniversary, MMPC donated P1 million to GMAKF to help construct the bridge.

CHRISTMAS GIVING. Residents of Mandaluyong City line up to receive their ‘Pamaskong Handog’ Christmas gifts from Mandaluyong Mayor Menchie Abalos in the city government’s annual gift giving held at the Mandaluyong City hall compound on Tuesday. Manny Palmero

BAGUIO CITY—Some 32 live trees that were planted within the compound of the Philippine Information Agency-Cordillera Administrative Region compound in Barangay Lualhati will be cut by the Office of the President to pave the way for a building that will house the offices and cottage of the Executive Secretary. However, the tree cutting will take some time, considering the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office requested the local government to issue the required clearance to process the permit that will be issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Based on an investigation as requested by Engineer Carlota A. Pauly, director IV, Mansion House, for the cutting of 27 live trees, the CENRO found out that the trees are within the PIA-CAR compound which is the property of the Office of the President. But the actual number of trees marked with paint to be cut by the Office of the President is 32, with diameters ranging from 6 to 8 centimeters and estimated heights of 2 to 4 meters, causing an uproar among environmentalists in the city. The tree species to be cut are caliandra trees that were planted by the PIA-CAR staff and registered as the site of their compliance to the government’s National Greening Program in 2011. The CENRO cited in its report that according to a staff of the Mansion House, the office of the President wants to remove and cut the caliandra trees to be replaced with Benguet pine trees. Dexter A. See

car autonomy bill to be heard Jan. 17 BAGUIO CITY—The House of Representatives Committee on Local Government has calendared for public hearing House Bill 5343, or the bill that seeks to establish an Autonomous Region in the Cordilllera, on Jan. 17, 2018, while awaiting the certification from President Rodrigo R. Duterte that it is one of the priority administration measures. Kalinga Rep. and Mountain Province caretaker congressman Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang explained the rescheduling of the earlier scheduled public hearing last Dec. 6 to Jan. 17 is to guarantee the participation of a greater number of lawmakers. They would be able to understand better the region’s renewed quest for autonomy and for the issues and concerns to be clarified by the Cordillera congressmen and concerned autonomy advocates, Mangaoang added. The resetting of the public hearing on the proposed Cordillera autonomy should not be a cause for alarm among our people because the members of the House are pre-occupied with various issues that are also a priority of the administration,” the lawmaker said. “We will work on what will be the developments in the scheduled public hearing considering that the Bangsamoro Basic Law has not yet been ironed out while the proposed charter change has yet to be put in place,” Mangaoang stressed. Dexter A. See

Life

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

wednesday, decemBeR 13, 2017

fashion & beauty

Feel the sparkle of Christmas BRIGHT LIGHTS. Filinvest City sparkles this holiday season as festive lights and sound show and other enthralling activities are happening until end of 2017.

hIS holiday season, experience the unique Christmas sparkle only Filinvest City can offer as it brings Christmas closer to the community.

The futuristic 3D-mapped giant Christmas tree offers a unique visual treat

Festive lights adorn the streets of Filinvest City

Dubbed as “Sparkle of Christmas at Filinvest City,” this year, the city literally sparkles as it adorns more streets with lights and as it enjoins its building locators to participate in its the first-ever Building Christmas décor contest where winners will receive generous prizes. Top billing the celebration is the annual Musical Lights Show that transforms the newly opened Spectrum Linear Park into a Christmas Wonderland. The festivities opened on nov. 23 for the whole family to enjoy: a curated bazaar and a magical, never before seen lights show. “Definitely, we are bringing in something new to this year’s Light Show to make the holidays even merrier and more delightful. It is not just a light show, but a holistic in-city Christmas celebration, which means more activities for families and friends to enjoy. So, it is really a community celebration. We are opening more space where people can converge and enjoy the holiday sights and sounds with the garden city as the backdrop,” shares Kate Ilagan, executive vice president of Filinvest Alabang Inc., Filinvest City developer.

Unbeatable comfort through innovative denim by offering a vast range of jeans that include key styles across a series of colors and washes to form that effortless, timeless wardrobe. As a renowned style purveyor, M&S consistently delivers quality, fuss-free, low-key pieces that bring comfort, style and most importantly, design innovation. At the M&S Denim shop, kick it up a notch with handful styles that offer flattering fits for every figure – from jeggings to relaxed slim and flare jeans – whichever you fancy, be thoroughly amazed with the thoughtful details and expert construction. Delight in one of the cult M&S favorites such as the Sculpt & LiftTM Jeans, which feature high power stretch fabric that retains great shape wash afDesigned for you ter wash. The jeans also feature innovaSince 1957, Marks & Spencer denim tive backstitching that lifts the bottom, has been giving men and women in- creating a perfectly sculpted, natuimitable styles and giving confidence ral silhouette. It is the most flattering

MArkS & SPenCer (M&S), the leader in quality British style, and an authority on innovations is getting down with denim in its “In(JeAn)ius” event, in celebration of its 20th anniversary in the Philippines. explaining the story behind the theme of “In(JeAn)ius,” Lucille Tolentino, M&S Philippines head of Merchandising and Marketing shares, “We decided to go with this fun, jeansinspired event, because what is more enduring and basic than denim? It is in every closet, it is a staple in every wardrobe, and it finds itself loved no matter what generation. And that’s how Marks & Spencer sees itself – a partner and mainstay in your daily life.”

M&S Denim shop offers a variety of styles for every figure—from jeggings to relaxed slim and flare jeans.

denim you will wear. whether skinny, slim or bootleg, paired with sneakers or high heels, Sculpt & LiftTM Jeans help build a strong, modern and ultraflexible wardrobe. In addition to its power stretch fabric for a smoother silhouette, M&S jeans focuses on signature fabrics such as the eco-friendly Ozone Wash Denim that uses less water and improves textile quality and finish. enjoy comfort, as well as sturdy longevity with every pair. rest assured, M&S jeans are built to last, giving you a flattering fit and stretching with you for all day comfort. For the jet-setting man, discover as well jeans, trousers, jackets, and suits with StormwearTM technology, which repel water, and protects wearers from wind and rain. Feel drier and more comfortable for longer with StormwearTM that never compromise. Turn to C2

First, there’s the Festino Market that brings together passionate artisans, curated merchants, and talented, up-andcoming chefs who source, grow, bake, make, and create products and wares that they sell, ensuring their goods are delicious, original, and designed to truly inspire–all in a chic and tastefully set-up al fresco market that’s also pet friendly. Come nightfall, gather around the major highlight of the “Sparkle of Christmas at Filinvest City”—the dazzling, state-of-the-art light show together with the amazing and futuristic 3Dmapped giant Christmas tree, a unique visual treat in the Metro that’s sure to delight, excite and leave viewers in absolute awe. Then, there are the scheduled live performances and enthralling musical entertainment. Christian Bautista was the opener on nov. 23. This is followed by other weekend performances by Spongecola, Ebe Dancel, Sandwich, and many more. You can also take part in the arts and craft workshop sessions that add to a

totally enriching and inspiring day, while other events to look forward to are the Festino Café pop-up coffee experience where you can savor thirdwave brews, as well as the automotive trunk show and test drive showcasing the iconic Mini, the sporty Lotus, and endearing Vespa. All these are situated in an expansive green park setting—the Spectrum Linear Park, Filinvest City’s verdant green spine—the perfect atmosphere to enjoy the event’s many fun offerings. “We, at Filinvest City, have always been keen about transforming the lives here in the Metro South, thus the idea of hosting an activity during Christmas to give back to the community was created. We are delighted that the Annual Christmas Musical Lights Show has become part of the holiday celebrations, not just of those in Alabang, but of people in neighboring locales as well. That is what inspires us to improve this tradition that we have started year after year,” Ilagan furthers. Indeed, the holiday season becomes extra special as you savor the invigorated Christmas sparkle only at Filinvest City. The Sparkle of Christmas at Filinvest City runs every weekend until Dec. 31.

Muji sneakers are reliable footwear you can wear everyday

Walk in comfort everyday A PAIr of sneakers is an essential part in everyone’s closet whether used for sports, running, or just for daily use. With its wide variety of functions, MUJI created its own – a pair of comfortable sneakers that won’t tire your feet.

The secret behind every MUJI Sneaker

MUJI sneakers are not sports shoes, nor special walking shoes. These are the reliable pair of sneakers that you can slip on everyday. With this purpose, MUJI designs sneakers that are easy to walk in and will not strain your feet. Behind its deceptively simple style are many beneficial details that you will feel with every step you take. MUJI Sneakers come with a removable cupped insole that has a generous padding at the arch and base of the toes to naturally guide your body to its best walking form. The outer sole is

designed in a wave shape for superior flexibility, which allows you to easily shift your center of gravity. In addition, these sneakers are pre-treated with water repellent technology to keep your feet dry and to prevent mud and puddles from staining its fabric.

Choosing the perfect pair

In choosing the best pair of sneakers, it is important for the contours of its insole to fit your feet correctly. The best time of the day to try on sneakers before purchasing is in the evening as feet tend to swell. Try them on with socks that you wear often to make sure that the sneakers fit the contours of your feet perfectly. MUJI is located at C1 Bonifacio High Street Central, Greenbelt 3, Power Plant Mall in Rockwell, and ShangriLa Plaza East Wing.

Life

wednesday, december 13, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

Some of the contestants of the World’s Best Models-Philippines, a new search that encourages models to develop confidence and realize their aspirations.

World’s best models I

T IS more than good. It is surpassing all the rest. An excellence in achievement. The superlative of well. And a model has many definitions. It is defined as a threedimensional representation of a person or thing.

How do we pick the world’s best models? With a lot of pageants proliferating and started since time immemorial - it is a fact that the best of anything and everything stems from a pretty face, a mind filled with wisdom and other attributes of the personality itself. More than just posing for a photographer or painter, a model is the sum total of beauty, intelligence, personality and the ‘it’ that goes beyond the eyes of the beholder. This is what a new search wants to achieve and introduce as they search for the title of the World’s Best Models - Philippines. On Nov. 14, Decisive Edge Integrated Media, Inc. launched the first, World’s Best Models in the country. The winners will represent the Philippines in Bulgaria. The categories are: Top International Model of the World (Senior Category), and Mr. and Ms. Teen Globe

(Juniors Category). This is the first time that the Philippines has been invited to field in representatives for these competitions. The Top International Model of the World is one of the biggest modeling competitions for male and female model across the world. It reunites models from different countries around the glove in a unique competition where models do not only compete for the title, but also have specific modeling activities, training and cultural activities. World’s Best Models - Philippines encourages men and women in the modeling industry to develop confidence and realize their aspirations because Decisive Edge believes that when men and women feel confident about themselves, they are empowered to make changes and attain productive lives for them and their communities.

The people behind the competition, led by Jackie Maniquis and Sarah Gaerlan, President and vice President of Decisive Edge together with ace fashion designers Edwin Uy and Dave Ocampo, say Decisive Edge Integrated Media, Inc. is an events management team, specializing in public relations, corporate communications, events management, production, as well as organizing beauty pageants and other activities for the fashion industry. Pageant Project Executive Director, Edwin Uy, is known on the wedding and beauty pageant scene. He started as a fashion accessory designer in 1990 and ventured onto the clothes scene in 1996. He has gained a name among celebrities and beauty queens for his evening gown creations and has garnered awards for several beauty queens at international pageants for “Best in National Costume,” “Best in long Gown,” and the like. Dave Ocampo involved himself in fashion endeavors, starting as a freelance fashion stylist for GMA-7 and QTv-11. He has also showcased his

Winners of the World’s Best Models competition will represent the Philippines in Bulgaria

collections in the Philippine Fashion Week from 2011 to 2015. He is known for his creations such as men’s wear, bridal gowns, RTW and swimwear. He is a co-founder of Designers Circle Philippines, a group of Filipino fashion designers whose vision is to bring forth

Filipino fashion excellence, cultural promotion and social relevance. One of the group’s visions is to be able to put up a scholarship foundation for poor but deserving and qualified models who cannot afford to go to school.

Hackett London Autumn/Winter 2017 THIS season Hackett london focuses on heritage design and quality craftsmanship with a collection fit for both the city slicker and country gent. The Autumn/Winter 2017 collection is broken down into four key themes; City Skyline, City Highlands, Mr Classicand The Journey.

City Skyline

The ‘Double T’ Moccasin comes in matelasse leather with a lozenge pattern and refined color palette of the season. The double T fastening also features on the spat of the riding boots.

The City Skyline theme showcases Hackett’s luxury Mayfair collection, of which tailoring and British cloth is at the heart. Key design details have been inspired by City skyline’s across the world which juxtapose thenew against old. This new tailoring collection is a reflection of the dynamic and energetic urban landscapes with a respectful acknowledgement of the past. Suiting jackets are introduced in a longer length paying homage to traditional British style and fabrics from renowned British mills such as Fox Brothers give a weightier and more authentic feel. Colors echo the skyline, with highlights of navy, sandstone and slate with pops of bold blue, contrasting shades of grey and Bordeaux. The shades and textures reflect citywindow panes and contrasting materials evident across the skyline. Key pieces include the Mayfair Broken Herringbone blazer and waist coat, Mayfair Glen Check Peak lapel Suit and the Mayfair large Scale Check Coat.

Tod’s Sella

The Journey

Tod’s Double T Mocassins come in refined color palette of the season

Tod’s Women’s Fall/Winter 2017/18 Collection WE lIvE in frenetic times, encapsulated in our work. We dream of ideal places immersed in nature to return to. This can be done at any time, even walking around town, by assuming a natural air, elegant as freedom itself. With its lifestyle of the highest italian quality, Tod’s presents a winter of outdoor spirit, designed for being outdoors even when inside you’re indoors, reassured by the softness of leather, adapted for going anywhere, with modern refinement. Accessories with crafted details and finishes define a wardrobe that takes us through the day with their sublime manufacture.

Boyfriend Coat

A versatile garment, pinched from the guy, that translates the spirit of the street into functional luxury using precious materials and fine taste.

and high heel lace up ankle boots, the line is a sophisticated and colorful take on old work shoe soles and new sreet influences.

Double T Moccasin

This brings an aristocratic outdoor taste into the realm of city luxury, ribbing and stitching of the ‘Sella’ are a sort of contemporary metropolitan architecture rooted in a long history of genuine saddle craft.

Double T

Quilts

Presenting a fresh approach to travelling in sartorial elegance, the Hackett Mayfair collection offers additional pieces to the ‘The Journey’ capsule collection this season. Each piece is designed for the gentleman on the go with garments containing thoughtful pockets for gadgets and laser cut heat

Unbeatable... From C1

The quilt evolves and its volumes change as it descends from the snows to the city; femiBandoliera nine luxury in The elDouble T Bandoliera which versatile egance of the elegance demost claslights itself with sic shoulder suprisingly interchangeable glove-like bag is revisited with a new elaborately sleeves in different leather and colors. graphic spirit evoking the leather and colours of riding saddles.

Being the style leader in denim, M&S goes beyond jeans, delivering perfect partner combinations for the empowered woman or man with tops, shirts, jackets, shoes and even bags to complete the stylish outfit. Whatever weather, occasion or destination, M&S helps you get dressed to impress and perform. living up to its philosophy of “life. Spend it Well,” you can trust Marks & Spencer for key pieces that will help you live your everyday life to the fullest – in confidence and comfort!

Tod’s is located at Greenbelt 4 and Rustan’s Shangri-La, Shangri-La Plaza.

On its 20th anniversary celebration, come together as the iconic Brit-

Creeper

A spring in the step with the creeper sole; a new rubber base for moccasins

Marking a milestone

Hackett London’s latest collection is composed of pieces made for the city slicker and country gent

sealed pockets designed to carefully carry items like tickets, passports and sunglasses. Suiting, jackets, outerwear and accessories are available in technical fabrics that offer comfort, breathability, water repellent and non-crease qualities. A key piece includes a pair of soft flannel trousers with an elasticated waist, stylish pleats and a thinner leg, a selection of jet setter shirts in seven styles for seven days of the week and the Wool Car Coat.

the green Highland Parka with leather and shearling details,wool check trousers in blue, grey and red as well as a tan leather jacket. The new tweed tote bag and rucksack and hiking boots in various colourways provides the finishing touches to the country/city aesthetic.

Mr Classic

Blending classic pieces with an urban approach, the City Highlands collection is for the gentleman who wants to feel contemporary yet remain firmly rooted in the traditions of British style. The collection offers warmth, texture and an earthiness of country style that wouldn’t be out of place in a field or walking through london’s Sloane Square. Key pieces include

New for Autumn/Winter 2017 and with a nod to Jeremy Hackett’s renowned book, Mr Classic, is a modern, sportswear influenced collection. In a colour palette of grey and navy the collection combines a sportswear and public school sensibility through practical and versatile pieces. Key items include a 1970’s style Hackett branded grey sweatshirt with matching shorts. The Hackett Autumn/ Winter 2017 collection is available across global Hackett stores. Hackett is exclusively available a

ish brand commemorates the Marks & Spencer lifestyle and discover how they made life more fun and stress-free. Anton T. Huang, president of SSI Group, M&S’s long-standing franchise partner, shares, “Customers are at the heart of everything we do at Marks & Spencer and we are delighted to be celebrating our twentieth anniversary with really exciting monthly raffle prizes for our loyal customers. We hope that customers will continue to enjoy our exceptional quality, stylish clothing and outstanding quality food for many years to come.” visit the nearest store and check out Marks & Spencer’s roster of styles and innovations, and discover what makes the brand truly unique. Try to splash on the StormwearTM’s water repellent collection, feel the

comfort of Insolia high heels and airf lex for men or do yoga with the Ergof lex men’s jeans. Check out the pure cotton non-iron shirt, which has a special fabric that does not need to be ironed. Arrive curious and amused, but leave amazed! Adding to the celebrations, Marks & Spencer’s loyalty customers will have the chance to win an overnight stay and spa package for two at the Shangri-la at The Fort and a buffet party for 10 at High Street Café, as well as a Marks & Spencer shopping spree worth P50,000. Another 10 customers will win P20,000 worth of Marks & Spencer gift vouchers. Other benefits of being a Marks & Spencer loyalty customer include birthday discounts, seasonal freebies, personalized shopping services, bonus points and more.

City Highlands

Manila

Standard

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017

TODAY

FDCP’s documentary program For fast ad results, please call

ERRATUM There was an error in Department of Heath Special Central Office Bids And Awards Committee publication last October 26, 2017. The Invitation to Bid should have read as: INVITATION TO BID FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF BRAND NEW C O M P U T E R I Z E D RADIOLOGY SYSTEM (CRS) IB NO. 2017-232

Advertising Department 832-5547

And not as published.

DZMM, UKG, TV Patrol celebrate milestones in Canada

"TV Patrol" anchor Noli de Castro puts on a show

DZMM Radyo Patrol 630, Umagang Kay Ganda, (UKG) and TV Patrol (TVP) put on a show for overseas Filipinos in Ontario, Canada on Nov. 18 in celebration of DZMM TeleRadyo and UKG’s 10th anniversary and 30 years of TVP. Dubbed as Gabi ng Pasasalamat: A Thanksgiving Show, the event featured iconic DZMM and TVP anchor Noli “Kabayan” De Castro, UKG anchor Winnie Cordero, DZMM anchor Ahwel Paz, TFC Adobo Nation anchor Ginger Conejero, Queen of Soul Jaya, and Kapamilya actor Xian Lim. It also showcased the wit, heart, and talent of Filipinos abroad with the contenders in UKG’s “Nanay Kong Kay Ganda” and DZMM’s “Global Pinoy Singing Idol” (GPSI) taking the stage. “Nanay Kong Kay Ganda” is UKG’s search for outstanding Filipino mothers, which will also go to Hong Kong this month. GPSI, meanwhile, is DZMM’s longrunning talent show for overseas Filipinos that will have its grand ﬁnals in February 2018. DZMM station manager Marah Capuyan shared that the show, which is a collaboration between ABS-CBN News and TFC, the Filipino Channel, received a very warm reception from Filipinos abroad, some of them even coming from outside Ontario. “We are very happy to be able to celebrate these major milestones with our Kapamilyas overseas. The fact that they took time - and for some traveled far - to be with us, warms our heart and inspires us even more to deliver to them news and public service through DZMM, UKG, TV Patrol, and other ABS-CBN News platforms,” she said.

LIFETIME® Asia, the entertainment destination for the highest quality dramas, movies and reality content is set to debut the first ever Korean Original Production by A+E Networks® Korea, The Best Moment to Quit Your Job. The series is an eight-episode, one-hour drama slated for a regional premiere on Lifetime Asia Sundays at 8 p.m., simulcast with Korea. The slice-of-life show explores the stifling reality confronting the working class who are just starting their careers. It delves into the issues faced by today’s youth, asking the question “How much should we sacrifice today for the pursuit of tomorrow’s happiness?” Directed by Jung Jung-Hwa (Flower Boy Ramen Shop, First Seven Kisses), The Best Moment to Quit Your Job is based on the webtoon series of the same title published by COMICA. Setting itself apart from the multitude of comedies, romance and fantasy shows, the drama series aims to “heal” by portraying relatable stories and real sentiments faced by many young adults in the working world. The Best Moment to Quit Your Job follows five millennial women on their quest to find themselves in the early days of their professions. Series lead actress, Ko Won-Hee (Strongest Deliveryman, The Silenced) stars as 26-year-old Yeon Ji, a rookie designer working

Republic of the Phillippines Department of Health National Capital Regional Office VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER BIDS AND AWARD COMMITTEE

FDCP Chairman Liza Diño (rightmost) with NHCP Chief History Researcher, Alvin R. Alcid (center) and Deputy Executive Director for Programs Veronica Dado during a presscon held at Cinematheque Centre Manila

ILM Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), in partnership with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), has launched a new program that aims to empower documentary filmmakers in the country. Called “SineSaysay: Documentary Film Lab and Showcase,” the new program encourages both amateur and professional filmmakers to join the agency to push documentary filmmaking in the country, advocating to make this form of cinema mainstream, as well as to educate and entertain the Filipino masses on the rich and colorful history of the Philippines. The project will have two elements. First is the film lab where 18 documentary filmmakers will go through a six-month residential program attending intensive workshops with the country’s seasoned documentarians until they are able to develop their projects. The next is the film showcase where the documentaries will be screened at the 2019 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, a noncompetition film festival that showcases Filipino films in theaters nationwide. Inspired by the success of Sunday Beauty Queen, which recently bagged the best international documentary award at the 5th London Labour Film Festival, the inaugural SineSaysay’s main objective is to develop documentary films focusing on often-unvisited events in our history that shaped our country to what it is today. “One of our initiatives for next year is to mainstream the importance of documentary films as a form. We are fortunate enough that the

NHCP is partnering with us in this project. Apart from pushing docu films, we also wanted to train the spotlight on Philippine history and highlight its importance,” FDCP Chairman Liza Diño told the press at a recent press conference held at Cinematheque Centre in Manila. According to Diño, SineSaysay will be divided into two categories: The Bagong Sibol Documentary Lab and the Feature Documentary Showcase. Bagong Sibol is open for emerging filmmakers working on their first or second documentary full feature films. Six projects and its fellows will undergo a series of workshops and consultations in developing their short documentary films. Of these, two projects will be awarded a grant of P700,000 to develop the full feature versions of their project. For the Feature Documentary Showcase, interested filmmakers who have worked on at least two documentary full feature films will submit a 5 to 10-minute trailer of the given topics. Four filmmakers will be given a co-production grant of P1 Million to produce a documentary full feature project aligned with the themes of the program. “People know documentary films based only on what they see on TV. It’s not bad because it’s a form of storytelling.

But there are so many other ways for us to appreciate this form. A lot of documentary filmmakers have been championing this in other countries where documentaries are recognized as much as feature films especially in European countries. I think, documentary films are very reliable in terms of giving factual, informative, educational, research based storytelling,” the FDCP chairman shared. The docus should fall under any of the four categories required by the NHCP: (1) Islam, the Bangsamoro and the quest for peace in Mindanao; (2) 150th Anniversary of Emilio Aguinaldo (18692019); (3) World War II in the Philippines; and (4) the feminist movement in the Philippines. “These documentaries are meant to be used as educational tools for students and teachers. We thought of partnering with FDCP because of their expertise on creating docus. Right now, more students find reading history books boring so we thought of finding ways to be relevant,” NHCP Chief History Researcher Alvin R. Alcid said. Application for SineSaysay is open until February 2018. For more information and a full list of topics, check out the FDCP social media accounts or send in your questions to info@fdcp.ph.

Lifetime® Asia to debut first ever A+E Networks® Korean original drama

Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City Telefax No. 294-4625 Email addressvmc_bac@yahoo.com InvItatIon to BId Procurement of varIous druGs and medIcInes cY 2018 PuBLIc BIddInG no. vmc-2017-031 1.

The Valenzuela Medical Center (VMC), through the General Appropriations Act/Income CY 2017, intends to apply the sum of Philippine Currency:TWENTY SIX MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED SIXTY FIVE PESOSAND 98/100 ONLY, (PhP 26,727,365.98)being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments for theProcurement of Various Drugs and Medicines CY 2018 under PB No. VMC-2017-031. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. The VMC now invites sealed Bids from eligible Bidders for the procurement of the abovecaptioned package.The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II, entitled“Instructions to Bidders”. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act” and is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or corporationswith at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to Republic ActNo. 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138. Only Bids from Bidders who passed the eligibility check will be opened. The process for the eligibility check is described in Section II of the Bidding Documents entitled, “ITB”. The Bidder with the Lowest Calculated Bid (LCB) shall advance to the post-qualification stage in order to finally determine the responsiveness of the bid submission to the technical and financial requirements of the project. The contract shall then be awarded to the Lowest Calculated And Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during the post-qualification procedure.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from theVMC and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00am-11:00am and 2:00pm-4:00pm starting December 13, 2017 6. The VMC will hold a Pre-bid Conference for this bidding activity on December 20, 2017, 1:00 pmat the Valenzuela Medical Center, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City.Only those who have purchased the bidding documents shall be allowed to participate in the Pre-Bid Conference. Those who have not purchased the bidding documents may act as observers andsubmit written queries, subject to the guidelines as stated in the IRR of RA 9184. 7. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount of Philippine Currency: Php25,000.00 for Php20M and above; Php 15,000.00 for Php10M – 20M: Php10,000.00 for Php5M – 10M; Php5,000.00 for 1M – 5M and Php1,000.00 for 1M below. The method of payment will be in cash, manager’s check, bank guarantee or surety bond. The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective bidder or his authorized representative. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity;Provided,that Bidders shall pay the nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. 8. Bids and eligibility requirements must be delivered to the address below on or before January 5, 2018, 10:00am, at the VMC BAC Secretariats’ Office. 9. Bid Opening and Eligibility Check will be on January 5, 2018at 10:00am. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late submission of bids will not be entertained. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Security in the prescribed form, amount and validity period. 10. The Valenzuela Medical Center reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariats’ Office Valenzuela Medical Center Annex Building, 2nd Floor, Padrigal St., Valenzuela City Telefax No. 294-4625 (SGD)JOSEPH T. NOCOM, MD, FPOA Chairperson Bids and Awards Committee (MS-DEC. 13, 2017)

INVITATION TO BID for the DISTRIBUTION LINE RIGHT-OF-WAY (ROW) CLEARING MAINTENANCE SERVICES FOR BUSUANGA ISLAND ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. (BISELCO) Public Bidding No. 17-006 BISELCO, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) will undertake Competitive Biddingfor Distribution line ROW Clearing Maintenance Services with the following terms: Contact Term : Contract Amount : Scope : Coverage

1 -year (open to renewal) 2,000,000.00 PhP 4-months massive cutting and trimming 8 months ROW clearance maintenance Primary & Open Secondary Lines Municipalities of Busuanga, Coron, Culion and Linapacan.

The schedule of bidding activities is as follows: ACTIVITIES Pre-Bid Conference Deadline for Receipt Bids/ Opening of Bids

SCHEDULE December 19, 2017 2:00 p.m. BISELCO Conference Room January 5, 2018, 2:00 p.m. BISELCO Conference Room

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified pursuant to Section VI of NEA Memorandum 2017-019: Revised Procurement Guidelines and Simplified Bidding Procedures for Electric Cooperatives IRR-RA 10531 (2017). The complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased at the BISELCO Office upon payment of non-refundable fee of FIVETHOUSAND PESOS (Php5,000.00). The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open to all interested parties; however, only those who have purchased the Bidding Documents may participate in the discussion at said conference.

Scenes from "The Best Moment to Quit Your Job" featuring Korean actress Ko Won-Hee

at a wet wipes factory who shares the frustrating reality of her work life with her friends. Also starring in the drama is Lee Chung-Ah (Vampire Detective, Lucky Romance, Flower Boy Ramen Shop) as Sun Hee, Yeon Ji’s superior with an extremely bad temper and is a lonely soul deep within. Adding a dash of glamour is singer Jei Kim (Vampire Detective, The Idle Mermaid), the leader of female K-pop group Fiestar. She takes the role of Yeon Ji’s roommate Nam Hee, an aspiring webtoon artist

who is optimistic and full of joy Jung Yeon Joo (Chicago Typewriter, A Witch’s Love) is in the part of Hye Young, a baker who dreams of having her own bakery Popular actor, Ko Kyung-Pyo (Strongest Deliveryman, Jealous Incarnate, Reply 1988) also makes a special appearance in the series as Yeon Ji’s ex-boyfriend, Lee Minu. The role reunites WonHee and Kyung-Pyo who also co-starred in the drama series Strongest Deliveryman, which completed airing two months ago

in South Korea. The Best Moment to Quit Your Job was tailored for Lifetime Korea, guided by the brand’s promise to viewers of “joy in ﬁnding oneself with Lifetime”. The series also represents the ﬁrst of South Korea-produced original titles from A+E Networks Korea to air across Asia on Lifetime, with more in the pipeline for 2018. Lifetime™ is available on SKYCable Ch 65 and Lifetime™ HD Ch 199; Cable Link Ch. 223; Dream Satellite Ch 28; Destiny Ch 44.

The Pre-Bid Conference, Submission and Opening of Bids shall be held at BISELCO Office, Conference Room, Mabentangen Rd., Brgy. Poblacion 6, Coron, Palawan. The bidders shall drop their duly accomplished eligibility requirements, technical and financial proposals in two separate sealed envelopes in the bid box located at the abovementioned address. Interested bidders may obtain further information from BISELCO BAC Secretariat with CP # 09756551525 during office hours. BISELCO reserves the right to waive any formality in the responses to the eligibility requirements and to this invitation. BISELCO further reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, or declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract, and makes no assurance that contract shall be entered into as a result of this invitation without thereby incurring any liability in accordance with Republic Act No. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

Noted by (SGD) RUTH L. GALANG General Manager

(SGD) ENGR. SELWIN Y. ALILI BBAC Chairman

(MS-DEC. 13 , 2017)

ISAH V. RED

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017

ISAH V. RED

FTER getting the surprise snub last year, the MMFF (Metro Manila Film Festival) execom and selection committees seem bent on appeasing mainstream producers like Regal Entertainment by passing their submitted entries to this year’s Christmastime Tagalog filmfest. Regal is definitely back on the circuit with Haunted Forest, some kind of a sequel to a couple of years’ Haunted Mansion. Regal’s version this year still belongs to the youth horror genre with the likes of Jane Oineza, Jameson Blake, Maris Racal, and Jon Lucas – all teen stars of ABS-CBN – playing the lead roles. Regal has peppered the cast with what the industry refers to as “veterans” something to mean these actors have been around five or more years than the lead stars. Among them are Raymart Santiago and Joey Marquez. Also the film features newer actors like Jerald Napoles, Betong Sumaya, Myrtle Sarrosa, Miho Nishida, among others. Comedian Beverly Salviejo is also in the movie along with Fiona Yang and Kelvin Miranda. Ian Loreños, a young filmmaker, directed the film. It is about the estranged relationship between a policeman (Santiago) and his daughter (Oineza) whose relationship gets no better when Santiago is assigned to a province. Oneiza hates being in the rural areas and there they face the challenge of coping with folk beliefs, including the dreaded “sitsit” that may strengthen or destroy her friendship with Maris, Jameson, and Jon. Haunted Forest could be the surprise hit of the MMFF as, traditionally, audiences like to have a screamfest during the holidays. Well, Regal knows what the audience wants, that is if it is playing its cards well in these times when movie tastes are a changing day in and day out. *** A new breed of “Hugot” singers are about to showcase their sentimental compositions and songs this Christmas Season, for this generations’ so called “Millennials”, also for the past generations’ “Titos and Titas. “ This December, Starirayblest Entertainment Productions is presenting music lovers the acoustic concert Senti Feels, Idaan sa Kanta ang Drama, featuring Korean singing sensation Jinho Bae; Mark Carpio, Kithara, Leera, and Mikoy Morales. The show on Dec. 15 at the Music Museum will also feature “hugot songs” from Lance Edward; V Josh Tribe; Deanne; RJ Agustin and Tim Sawyer.

NOT JUST YET. Heart Evengelista answers persistent question on when she's going to be a mom

REGAL BACK

on the MMFF block

From left: Jameson Blake, Jane Oineza, Maris Racal and Jon Lucas, lead stars of Regal Entertainment's MMFF entry, "Haunted Forrest"

Millennial singers and composers come together for this year's "Senti Feels,"a concert featuring "hugot" songs

Tickets ranging from P1,500, Then she moved her exhibit at her labor, kind of cliché but that is P1750 and P2,250 are up for Galerie Joaquin in San Juan City. wha it is really. grabs at Ticketnet Online (911But her major achievement *** 5555): SM Malls Ticket Outlets; in art was when her work was It’s either fight or flight for Music Museum (721-6726) or displayed as the Love Marie Malia (Kathryn Bernardo) call 0917-5842209. exhibit at Chan Hampe Halleries and Tristan (Daniel Padilla) Don’t miss this one “Hugot” in Singapore. this coming week after they night packed with good music, Now, apart from being one of discovered that they are bound all in support for original Filipino the more sought-after painter she to be enemies in ABS-CBN’s hit music industry. also does textile painting (she action series La Luna Sangre. *** handpainted several gowns made It turns out the man marked Will Heart Evangelista be a mommy in 2018? That’s the question many of her fans want answered when the New Year sets in on January 1, 2018. But how can she prepare herself for motherhood when she’s busy gathering things up for a major art exhibit in 2018. She said she has by now several pieces and is just trying to complete several more for the final number needed for the exhibit. “When I came out with my first exhibit, I was extremely nervous. I didn’t want them to see me. I wanted them to see my soul. This is what makes my "La Luna Sangre' lead stars Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla paintings more interesting. The realness of my by her friend Mark Bumgarber) with the cursed ink who Jethro life. And they and she paints on Hermes bags as (Dino Imperial) has been loved it,” Heart well. seeing in his premonition was said when she was She also decorated by herself Tristan, not Sandrino (Richard interviewed the her new house (no one has really Gutierrez). The vision was first time she put up seen it on the whole although again triggered when Tristan her work on exhibit her friends have seen clips of and Malia, who just admitted at the Ayala Museum. what she has been posting on her their feelings for each other, held Instagram account) and she said hands. when it’s done and over with she Aside from this, Sandrino will invite her friends to take a also revealed to Tristan that they look at it. are brothers and are connected At hindi na lang siya by blood. The Supremo is basta artist ngayon dahil determined to take Tristan to his naging matagumpay din side and together, rule the world. ang pagpipinta niya sa Will Tristan embrace his fate and mga Hermes bag at join the dark side? How will Malia maging sa mga gown accept Tristan’s real identity? Will na gawa ni Mark they accept or fight their destiny? Bumgarber. La Luna Sangre airs weeknights This Christmas she after FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano on will just be at home ABS-CBN and on ABS-CBN HD enjoying the fruits of (SkyCable ch 167).

"MMK" host Charo Santos-Concio (center) is elevated to the Anak TV's Makabata Hall of Fame

ABS-CBN still

the most child-friendly TV network

with 63 Anak TV awards

THE Kapamilya network nabbed 63 Anak TV awards for its child-friendly programs and personalities, including four Kapamilya stars elevated to the Anak TV’s Makabata Hall of Fame, including ABS-CBN chief content ofﬁcer and MMK host Charo Santos-Concio, along with Piolo Pascual, Anne Curtis, and Sharon Cuneta, voted Makabata Stars for seven years. Other Kapamilya stars who were named as this year’s Male and Female Makabata Stars include Bea Alonzo, Noli de Castro, Kathryn Bernardo, Liza Soberano, Julia Barretto, Daniel Padilla, Lea Salonga, Robi Domingo, Julia Montes, Joshua Garcia, Ian Veneracion, Anthony Taberna, Sylvia Sanchez, Susan Roces, Yassi Pressman, and Pia Wurtzbach. Six Kapamilya programs also made it on the list of top 10 household favorite TV programs including FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, La Luna Sangre, Maalaala Mo Kaya, It’s Showtime, Matanglawin, and TV Patrol. Meanwhile, ABS-CBN hit programs that earned the coveted Anak TV Seal were A Love to Last, Be My Lady, FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, Home Sweetie Home, Langit Lupa, Maalala Mo Kaya, Magandang Buhay, Matanglawin, My Dear Heart, Oyayi, Salamat Dok, Superbook, The Greatest Love, Umagang Kay Ganda, Wansapanataym, and Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids. ABS-CBN Regional programs were also bestowed with the Anak TV Seal including TV Patrol Negros (Bacolod), TV Patrol North Central Luzon, TV Patrol Northern Luzon (Baguio), Agri Tayo Dito, Buntag Mindanao, Mag TV De Aton Este (Zamboanga), Mag TV Na (Cebu), Mag TV Na, Magnegosyo Ta (Davao), Mag TV Na Amiga (Bacolod), Mag TV Na Atin To (Baguio), Mag TV Na Oragon, Magandang Umaga South Central Mindanao, Marhay Na Aga Kapamilya, Naimbag nga Morning Kapamilya (Baguio), and Salandigan (Bacolod). Anak TV Seal awardees were chosen by jurors composed of parents, teachers, NGOs, and other sectors of society on television programs. The iconic Anak TV Seal is given by the Anak TV Foundation, which advocates “television literacy and pushes the agenda for child-sensitive, family-friendly television in the Philippines.”