Manila Standard - 2018 January 16 - Tuesday

THOUSANDS FLEE AMID MAYON ERUPTIONS LEGAZPI—The crater of Mayon Volcano was glowing bright red Monday, with volcanologists warning it could erupt within days, sending thousands fleeing from their homes.

More than 12,000 people have been ordered to leave a seven-kilometer evacuation zone, and there are warnings of destructive mudflows and toxic clouds.

Volcanic earthquakes and rockfalls have shaken the summit of Mayon over the last 24 hours, after a number of steam-driven eruptions, scientists said.

“It is dangerous for families to stay in that radius and inhale ash,” Claudio Yucot, head of the region’s office of civil defense, said.

“Because of continuous rains in past weeks, debris deposited in the slopes of Mayon could lead to lahar flows. If rain does not stop it could be hazardous.”

Lahar is the technical term for volcanic mudflows.

The volcano, a near-perfect cone, sits around 330 kilometers southwest of Manila.

Steam-driven eruptions and rockfalls began over the weekend, and the crater began glowing on Sunday evening, in what the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said was a sign of the growth of a new lava dome.

Lava last flowed out of Mayon in 2014 when 63,000 people fled from their homes.

“We think the lava now is more fluid than in 2014. This means the flow can reach further down [the slopes] at a faster rate,” Phivolcs head Renato Solidum said.

“We see similarity with eruptions where the first phase of the activity started with lava flow and culminated in an explosive or hazardous part. That’s RUMBLING MAYON. The glow (at top) of lava from the cloud-covered Mayon Volcano in Albay as it erupts is pictured from the capital city of Legazpi early Monday, what we are trying to monitor and help people hours after the Philippines raised the alert level for the country’s most active volcano twice in 24 hours Sunday—meaning a hazardous eruption is possible within days.

Next page Residents (inset) ride on the back of a truck as they are evacuated to a temporary shelter in Camalig. AFP avoid.”

Sanofi caves in to refund pressures

VOL. XXXI • NO. 333 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

FRENCH pharmaceutical giant Sanofi is to reimburse the Philippine government for leftover doses of an anti-dengue vaccine whose use was suspended due to health concerns, the two parties said Monday.

The manufacturer said the refund had nothing to do with safety issues and was meant to improve ties with the Philippine Health Department, which is investigating the deaths of more than a dozen children

injected with Dengvaxia.

Regulators stopped the sale and distribution of the drug last month after Sanofi warned the shots could worsen symptoms for vaccinated people who contracted the disease for the first time.

The Health department said in a statement it had issued a “demand letter” to the company’s vaccine unit Sanofi Pasteur to Next page

Rappler’s license revoked Phone call from Palace sends CHED head packing

By John Paolo Bencito CITING pressure from Malacañang, Commission on Higher Education chairman Patricia Licuanan on Monday resigned after receiving a phone call from Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea asking her to step down.

Although her fixed term expires in July 2018, Licuanan, an appointee of the previous administration, said “it is tie to go” to protect CHED from people who are determined to get her out of office with “false and baseless accusations.”

A Palace spokesman said President Rodrigo Duterte has accepted Licuanan’s resignation.

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SEC invokes violations of media ownership limit

Roque: OVP abolition beyond Palace control

By Vito Barcelo, Maricel Cruz and Macon RamosAraneta THE Office of the Vice President may be abolished under a proposed federal government and its abolition “ is beyond the control of the Palace,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Monday.

Vice President Leni Robredo, who was declared to have won a slim margin over former senator Ferdi-

nand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., questioned the possible abolition of the office of the vice president, the second highest position in the country.

In a press briefing, Roque said under a federal form of government, the OVP would be removed and would eventually be decided upon by the Filipino people.

“There’s talk about abolition of vice president under Charter change. That’s beyond the control of the Palace.

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By John Paolo Bencito and Jenniffer B. Austria

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N A move denounced as an attack on press freedom, the government stripped the online news website Rappler of its certificate of incorporation for allegedly violating the restrictions on foreign ownership in mass media and the Anti-Dummy Law.

NO TEARS. The photo illustration shows a woman reading the website of online newsportal Rappler in Manila Friday. AFP

Two ’shrinks’ called to testify on Sereno impeachment

By Maricel V. Cruz THE House committee on justice on Monday subpoenaed the two psychiatrists who reportedly gave Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno failing marks in her psy-

chiatric test, and asked them to bring her records from the Judicial and Bar Council.

The panel agreed to subpoena doctors Dulce Liza Sahagun-Reyes and Genuina C. Ranoy after an opposition member of the committee,

ABS Party-list Rep. Eugene de Vera, sought to obtain Sereno’s psychiatric records from the JBC. Reports earlier said the two psychiatrists hired by the JBC gave Sereno a rating of “4” on a scale of 1 to

5, with “5” being the lowest. The same report said this grade meant that while Sereno projected a “happy mood,” she also exhibited “depressive markers.”

The report said that after Next page

Duterte sets India trip for Asean summit

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WE DO, YOUR HONOR. Invited justices from the Supreme Court (from left) Samuel Martires, Lucas Bersamin and Diosdado Peralta take their oath to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth, during the continuation of the House justice committee hearing on the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. Ver Noveno twitter.com/ MlaStandard

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SEC to investigate the two Rappler companies “for any possible contravention of the strict requirements of the 1987 Constitution.”

“Revocation of certificate of incorporation on each respondent—Rappler Inc. being the mass media entity that sold control to foreigners, and Rappler Holdings Corp. being its alter ego, existing for no other purpose Next page

Compact cars no good for Uber, Grab—board

By Rio Araja

By Vito Barcelo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-India Commemorative Summit next week during his first foreign trip this year, Malacañang said Monday.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the trip to India was planned after Duterte’s bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narenda Mondi in November last year.

That was when officials from the Philippines and India

In a decision dated Jan. 11, 2018, posted on its website and e-mailed to reporters on Monday, the Securities and Exchange Commission revoked the certificate of Rappler Inc. and Rappler Holdings Corp. for supposedly failing to comply with Philippine laws.

The move comes after a Dec. 14, 2016 complaint sent by the Office of the Solicitor General, urging the

THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said Monday it plans to ban compact cars and hatchback vehicles for transport network vehicle services such as Grab and Uber.

Aileen Lizada, an LTFRB board member, said the agency had vetoed 2000-ccrated vehicles as part of the new requirement.

Based on the Department of Transportation’s Department Order 2015-011, an accepted vehicle type for TNVS should be a sedan, an Asian utility vehicle, a sport utility vehicle, a van, an SUV or similar vehicles.

“We follow a standard for all vehicles, such as Sedan, as long as these are 200-cc rated. For safety regulations, these are the technical requirements being complied by taxis,” Lizada said.

In addition, a vehicle must not be over three years old from the date of manufacture as reflected in the official receipt or registration receipt.

And the maximum age limit of the vehicle is seven years from the date of manufacture as reflected in the official or registration receipt.

There is no engine displacement requirement for a TNVS vehicle, but the hatchback is not specified as an accepted vehicle type for a TNVS vehicle.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

MILF cites need for BBL draft’s approval THE Moro Islamic Liberation Front on Monday warned of a possible leadership vacuum if the government fails to pass the long-awaited Bangsamoro Basic Law, a campaign promise of President Rodrigo Duterte, before the end of this year.

In a statement, MILF Vice Chairman Ghadzali Jaafar said he hoped that Congress would make good on its promise to pass the proposed BBL this year.

“We expect this to happen because in 2019 the terms of our assemblymen in the ARMM will end, and when it ends and there is no BBL there will be a vacuum,” said Jaafar, who is also chairman of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission.

Jaafar said the government should speed up the passing of the BBL bill, which was needed for the conduct of the plebiscite within the Bangsamoro government’s territory.

“If the BBL is passed by March or June, I think it will just be perfect because after its passage, the plebiscite will take place for the people to ratify or reject the BBL,” Jaafar said.

MILF peace implementing panel head Mohagher Iqbal said Congress could technically enhance the BBL but the changes should still be consistent with the signed agreements.

“Of course, when we submitted the BBL to the Office of the President and eventually to Congress, we did not say that Congress could not improve and enhance the BBL,” Iqbal said.

Iqbal said it was crucial that the law should be consistent with the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro and the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people. John Paolo Bencito

Roque:...

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As you know, it is Congress sitting as a constituent assembly that will propose amendments,” he said.

“I’m sure that because any proposed amendment to the Constitution will be subject to the ratification of the people, ultimately it will be the people who will judge this matter,” Roque added.

In related developments: • The House Committee on Constitutional Amendments, which will hold its deliberations today on specific amendments to effect federalism, estimates the government will spend P204 million if Congress convened as a constituent assembly to propose amendments to the Constitution as part of the proposal to shift into a federal system, while a constitutional convention could cost P11 billion.

“That’s how economical and effective, if we will amend or review our Constitution through a constituent assembly,” committee chairperson Roger Mercado added.

The Duterte administration has been pushing for a shift to a federal form of government as a means to address issues particularly in strife-torn Mindanao.

In an earlier interview, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said if Congress decided to convene as a constituent assembly this month, the proposed new federal Charter might be submitted for a referendum simultaneously with the scheduled Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections this May. In a constitutional convention, however, delegates are elected by the people to propose amendments or revisions in the Constitution.

“There are so many things that need to be reviewed. The program of our President on graft and corruption, the program on peace and order. Why is the need for a federal form of government because the President wants our local government units to be responsible on (sic) their own respective jurisdiction. We have to support them,” Mercado said at a news conference.

Rody-Joma ‘faceoff’ looms

By John Paolo Bencito

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OMMUNIST Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison says he welcomes the prospect of talking with President Rodrigo Duterte to discuss the possibility of reviving the terminated peace talks between the government and the communists.

“In the interest of the Filipino people and for the sake and purpose of resuming the peace negotiations, I am willing to have serious conversations with President Duterte,”

Sison said in a statement Sunday night.

He proposed that he and Duterte meet in a neighboring country for the one-on-one talk.

“Considering our mutual convenience and sense of prudence, we can meet in a country that is a neighbor of the Philippines. The chairmen of the GRP and NDFP negotiating panels can agree on the arrangements,” said Sison who has been in self-exile in The Netherlands since 1987.

“After the resumption of the peace negotiations, I can go to the Philippines for my first visit after a long time.”

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Monday the New People’s Army must first show humility and cited the communist rebels’ offensives against government troopers while the peace talks were ongoing.

“It is not as if the President said he [was] willing to resume the peace talks after he talked to Joma Sison. No. What he said was the NPA must first show humility,” Roque said.

While Duterte did indeed say he would be willing to talk to Sison, Roque said the talk was not a condition for the peace talks to resume. He insisted that power sharing would be “impossible.”

“He [President Duterte] wants the general acknowledgment [that] the NPA are human beings, are Filipinos, and that they respect the sovereignty of the Philippines,” Roque said.

He said the NPA needed to show sincerity by not launching attacks on government forces.

The government in November ended the

RAP SHEET. Social

Security System Commissioner Jose Pompee La Vina holds a complaint sheet against 21 executives of the SSS for multiple violations of the procurement law in the awarding of 253 media contracts valued at P150 million. La Vina says he will file before the Ombudsman charges of serious dishonesty, grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service during a press conference in Quezon City. Lino Santos

peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDFP following the escalation of attacks and violence by the communists.

In his exclusive interview with MindaNews on Friday, Duterte floated the possibility of talking with Sison.

Before Duterte terminated the talks with the communists, the long-stalled fifth round of the peace negotiations had been scheduled for Nov. 25 to 27, 2017 in Norway.

The Norwegian government had acted as third-party facilitator of the talks to put an end to the 48-year-old insurgency, the longest-running in Asia.

On Dec. 5, Duterte signed Proclamation 374 declaring the communists as terrorists and had them arrested under the Human Security Act.

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The 2,460-meter Mayon has a long history of deadly eruptions.

Four foreign tourists and their local tour guide were killed when Mayon last erupted, in May 2013.

In 1814, more than 1,200 people were killed when lava flows buried the town of Cagsawa.

An explosion in August 2006 did not directly kill anyone, but four months later a typhoon unleashed an avalanche of volcanic mud from Mayon’s slopes that claimed 1,000 lives.

Phivolcs raised the alert status to Alert Level 3 Sunday evening as 141 rockfalls were recorded in the past 24 hours.

Phivolcs resident volcanologist Ed Laguerta said this means that magma is at the crater and that hazardous eruptions are possible within weeks or even days.

Laguerta said the agency’s seismic network recorded two volcanic earthquakes and 141 rockfall events during the past 24 hours.

AFP, Rio N. Araja

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Rappler‘s...

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than to effect a deceptive scheme to circumvent the Constitution,” the SEC said in a 29page decision released Jan. 15.

Rappler allegedly violated constitutional restrictions on ownership and control of mass media entities when it sold Philippine depository receipts to Delaware-based Omidyar Network, a fund created by eBay founder and entrepreneur Pierre Omidyar.

The SEC said the sale contained “repugnant” provisions including the need for Rappler to obtain the consent of 2/3 of PDR holders on corporate actions.

This provision, the SEC said, has made Rappler “subservient” to the PDR holder, which is a violation of the constitution.

“Where mass media is concerned no control whatsoever maybe granted. 100-percent Filipino control means zeropercent foreign control. Control is any influence over corporate policy and not limited to ownership of stock,” SEC said.

Aside from revoking Rappler’s articles of incorporation, the SEC also declared void the Omidyr PDR for being a fraudulent transaction under the Securities Regulation Code.

PDR are instruments that give foreign investors a passive economic interest in Philippine company, a source told Manila Standard.

“But unlike the PDRs issued by other media entities, the socalled PDRs issued by Rappler don’t function that way and effectively give veto power over Rappler’s corporate actions to a foreign entity,” the source added.

Rappler said that they will continue to operate as it files the necessary motions for reconsideration with the courts to con-

Sanofi...

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refund P1.4 billion ($27.8 million) for unused supplies of the drug.

“Our decision to reimburse for unused doses is not related to any safety or quality issue with Dengvaxia,” said a statement from Sanofi Pasteur, which did not disclose the agreed amount.

“Rather Sanofi Pasteur hopes that this decision will allow us to be able to work more openly and constructively with the [Health Department] to address the negative tone towards the dengue vaccine in the Philippines today.”

Authorities have been investigating the deaths of 14 children who were among more than 830,000 given Dengvaxia last year in the world’s first public immunization program against dengue.

After the program began, Sanofi Pasteur released findings in November of a new study that showed Dengvaxia could lead to severe infections in some cases.

The disclosure triggered a public furore, with some parents blaming the vaccine for

test the SEC order.

“We intend to not only contest this through all legal processes available to us, but also to fight for our freedom to do journalism and for your right to be heard through an independent platform like Rappler,” they added.

In his State of the Nation Address on July 25, 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to investigate the ownership of Rappler, which has been critical of his administration, claiming that the news portal is “fully owned” by Americans.

Rappler denounced the SEC move as “pure and simple harassment” and said it has always acted in good faith.

“Now the Commission is accusing us of violating the Constitution, a serious charge considering how, as a company imbued with public interest, we have consistently been transparent and above-board in our practices. Every year since we incorporated in 2012, we have dutifully complied with all SEC regulations and submitted all requirements even at the risk of exposing our corporate data to irresponsible hands with an agenda. Transparency, we believe, is the best proof of good faith and good conduct,” Rappler said in a statement.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the SEC decision was “worrisome” but declined further comment until he read the resolution.

Another opposition senator, Risa Hontiveros, called the move “pure harassment and a clear attack on press freedom.”

“I urge the public and all media practitioners to defend press freedom and the right to speak truth to power,” she added.

Senator Grace Poe said the alleged violations of Rappler should first be studied but hoped this was not a move to silence any group or organization.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque, at one time a human rights lawyer, said the news outfit may appeal the SEC’s decision until it becomes final and executory.

Roque insisted, however, that “Rappler has to comply” with the constitutional prohibition on foreign ownership of media outfits.

“We respect the SEC decision that Rappler contravenes the strict requirements of the law that the ownership and the management of mass media entities must be wholly-owned by Filipinos,” said Roque.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines and the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines expressed concern over SEC’s decision, and called on all Filipino journalists “to unite and resist every and all attempts to silence us.”

“The SEC has apparently decided to reject Rappler’s contention that its foreign investors merely placed money in the outfit but do not own it, which it issued after President Rodrigo Duerte, in his state of the nation address last year, threatened to have its ownership investigated,” The NUJP said in a statement.

“It was but one of many threats Duterte has made against media critical of him and his governance, such as the Philippine Daily Inquirer and broadcast network ABS-CBN, whose franchise renewal he threatened to block,” they added.

“The NUJP declares it full support to Rappler and all other independent media outfits that the state has threatened and may threaten to shut down.”

FOCAP called the SEC move as an attempt to kill the online news site and said it would have a chilling effect on media organizations in the Philippines.

“Journalists must be able to work independently in an en-

vironment free from intimidation and harassment. An assault against journalists is an assault against democracy,” Focap said.

But administration officials defended the SEC decision.

Calida, who had sought the investigation of Rappler, applauded the SEC decision.

“This decision demonstrates that even influential media outfits cannot skirt the restrictions set forth in the Constitution,” Calida said in a statement.

“Rappler is free to seek redress before our courts. The OSG is ready to defend the sound decision of the SEC in any forum,” he added.

“This is not about press freedom. This is about violation of laws. Let’s make that clear,” Communications Assistant Secretary Ramon Cualoping said in a Facebook post.

“Press freedom is very much alive in the Philippines,” Cualoping said. “Just ask the Malacañang Press Corps and other journalists.”

Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson called the news outlet’s suspension “good news” and criticized Rappler’s alleged anti-administration bias.

She also said she disagreed with the notion that publc officials must have good relations with media, because some news organizations were simply out to topple the government.

Rappler was registered with the SEC on July 25, 2011 primarily to operate as news, information and social network services company. Its parent firm Rappler Holdings Corp. owns 98.84 percent of the company.

In 2015 Rappler Holdings issued Philippine Depository Receipts to Omidyar.

Several large media firms have issued PDRs to foreign entities, including ABS-CBN Inc. and GMA Network Inc. in a bid to raise funds.

their children’s deaths and a number of legislators accusing the government of endangering public health.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque has also threatened to sue the company if it had withheld crucial information on the vaccine.

Sanofi Pasteur has maintained that no death has been found to have been caused by Dengvaxia.

“Sanofi Pasteur strongly believes that this tone is due to a misunderstanding of the benefits and risks associated with the dengue vaccine,” its statement said.

It cited “a lack of awareness amongst the general public, particularly parents of vaccinated children, that the overall benefit of dengue vaccination remains positive in high endemic countries like the Philippines.”

During Monday’s flag ceremony, Duque dared those who accused the Health department officials of corruption.

“I encourage those who are painting the Department of Health in bad light to present evidence to substantiate their claims,” Duque said.

“I cannot allow accusers

to tarnish the good reputation of the Department of Health, which it has gloriously built over the years, by spewing unsubstantiated allegations,” he added.

Duque’s statement came after Dr. Francis Cruz, a former consultant of then secretary Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial in the DoH, claimed in a media interview that there exists a “mafia-like” group within the DoH, which is being linked to corrupt activities.

He also asked accusers to file charges before the Ombudsman if they can produce evidence of corruption in the department.

He requested health officials named in the allegations to respond formally and clear their names.

“While the allegations are still unsubstantiated at this point, I will order a review of the contracts entered into by the previous administration,” Duque said.

Despite the recent controversies hounding the DoH, Duque said he still has confidence in the long legacy of professionalism, competence and integrity which has once made the Health Department No. 1 among line

agencies of government in terms of integrity development efforts during his first term as Secretary of Health.

Ubial on Monday vowed to cooperate in any investigation that will be conducted into the alleged suspicious transactions involving health officials during the past administration.

Speaking in an interview over Unang Balita, Ubial noted that from the start, she has been fighting corruption.

She admitted that the alleged transactions will be “very difficult to prove” without documentary evidence and that there may also be a “coverup” among the officials and personnel involved.

Former Health secretary Janette Garin, meanwhile, challenged Cruz to file cases and show documents to prove his allegations.

She questioned the motives of Cruz while also insinuating that there might be some people backing him.

“I can assure you that during my time, there were no ghost deliveries of equipment, no ghost delivery of medicines,” she said. AFP, with Macon Ramos-Araneta

the test results were revealed, Sereno, who was chairman of the JBC, refused to renew the contracts of the two psychiatrists and terminated them in 2013.

The issue was raised in support of allegations of betrayal of public trust that lawyer Lorenzo Gadon raised in his impeachment complaint against Sereno.

In addition to the psychiatrists, the panel chairman, Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali said the panel would invite four other justices—namely incumbent SC Justices Mariano del Castillo and Andres Reyes, retired SC Justice Adolf Azcuna, Court of Appeals Justice Remedios Salazar-Fernando, and other court officials.

The committee will summon again Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro, who had earlier testified that Sereno unilaterally issued a temporary restraining order in violation of the collegial nature of the high court.

During the impeachment proceedings Monday, Justice Samuel Martires testified on the delay in release of benefits for the spouses of retired justices and judges who had died.

In his impeachment complaint, Gadon alleged that the releases of the benefits were delayed for as long as two years when Sereno assumed office and created a technical working group to handle the release of the benefits.

“Some of the claimants told me that processing of their papers only resumed after I filed the impeachment complaint, “ Gadon told the panel.

But the high court eventually decided, through a decision penned by Martires, to release the benefits.

But Martires clarified that he appeared before the impeachment committee out of respect for its invitation and that he was not a witness of the complainant.

“I came upon the invitation of this committee; I am not a witness of attorney Gadon. I came here because of the invitation, which I cannot refuse,” Martires said.

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“Although I vehemently deny the accusations against me, it is time to resign as my continued presence in CHED is inimical to the interest of the institution. It will only serve as lightning rod to attract more controversy that is distracting the agency from vigorously pursuing urgent reforms that will redound to the benefit of future generations of Filipinos,” Licuanan told CHED employees Monday.

She said the agency should focus more in doing its mandate, “especially at this critical time when it prepares for the implementation of Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.” Licuanan admitted receiving a call from Medialdea “over the weekend” asking her to resign. She did not say, however, if the pressure coming from the Palace stemmed from allegations of going on trips abroad without the approval of the President.

Duterte had earlier threatened to fire more government officials accused of corruption.

“I was first accused of excessive travel. When records revealed that I traveled eight times officially in 2017 [with only five of these trips paid for by government], five times in 2016, six times in 2015, two times in 2014, and only three times in 2013, the accusation turned to travel without authority from the Office of the President,” she said.

“When my office provided copies of travel papers signed by the senior deputy executive secretary authorizing me to meet specific commitments in line with CHED’s internationalization mandate and allowing me to travel business class to avoid the recurrence of vertigo, my ability to attend to CHED work for health reasons was maliciously peddled in social media even if I have worked consistently in CHED from 6:45 a.m. to after 6 p.m. on most days and took a sick leave only for half a day in 7.5 years in office,” she added.

Licuanan also slammed PBA Party-List Rep. Jericho Nograles for placing her in a bad light over her official travels abroad, despite getting the approval of Malacañang. With Rio N. Araja, Vito Barcelo, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Duterte...

From A1 signed Memorandums of Understanding on defense, agriculture, foreign service and cooperation in the field of micro, small, and medium enterprises.

Roque said the President will attend the India-Asean summit from Jan. 24 to 26.

“We place great importance on our relationship with India, which is considered an emerging economy,” Roque said.

“President Duterte’s participation is an outcome of his bilateral meeting with the prime minister of India at the sidelines of the 31st Asean Summit.

“The fact that the President decided to attend is also because of a personal appeal by the Indian ambassador that in 2012, the Commemorative Summit held in 2012 in India, the Philippines was the only country that was not represented by a head of state, and that is why he has confirmed his attendance.”

News ‘Suspend ERC officials immediately’ CONSUMER groups and civil society organizations are calling for the immediate implementation of the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman suspending four commissioners of the Energy Regulatory Commission for one year.

Member organizations from the Power for People Coalition, in a statement, asked ERC chairman Agnes Devanadera to respect the decision of the Ombudsan which suspended Commissioners Gloria Victoria Yap-Taruc, Alfredo Non, Josefina Patricia Magpala-Asirit and Geronimo Sta. Ana after being found “guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, aggravated by simple misconduct and simple neglect of duty.”

The Ombudsman also charged the four ERC officials, including the dismissed ERC Chairperson Jose Vicente Salazar with violation of “Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for allegedly causing undue injury to the government and giving unwarranted benefits to private parties,” pertaining to the exemption given to distribution utilities by the ERC from the Competitive Selection Process, which supposedly requires Power Supply Agreements entered into by the DUs to be subjected to public bidding.

Alena Mae S. Flores

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Labor, farmers group criticize govt on TRAIN

By Vito Barcelo and Bill Casas

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LABOR group criticized the government for not providing safety net measures to millions of poor Filipino families from abusive traders and profiteering activities due to the implementation of Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion.

“We are greatly concerned over government’s inadequate response to provide social safety nets to millions of poor Filipinos who are about to fall into deeper poverty due to inflation brought about by the implementation of TRAIN’s excise tax on fuel and sweetened beverages,” Associate Labor UnionsTrade Union Congress of the Philippines spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said.

The labor group earlier said that without fixed

wages and not covered by social protection benefits, informal sector workers are among those who stand to be worst hit by TRAIN. “An estimated around 15.6 million underground economy workers will be affected by the TRAIN law,” Tanjusay said.

The labor group is looking for the mechanics and the implementing rules and regulations of the TRAIN plan to dole out P200 a month to those poor economically affected by the

rise of inflation.

“This TRAIN is a strategic project of the Duterte administration yet it looks like the implementing rules are not ready and the government institution that would actualize the social safety net program for the poor is unprepared. Is TRAIN a big joke being played on poor Filipinos? Tanjusay said.

The group also slammed Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez for giving vain lip service on government protection to consumers.

“Stores and local markets have already irresponsibly increased the prices of basic and prime commodities even before their old inventories are used up. Government must step in to ensure consumer protection.

“There are laws and regulations against profiteering but we don’t see them, we don’t feel government is protecting us from profiteers and profi-

teering,’’ Tanjusay added.

Also adding its voice in opposing TRAIN is the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, which said that the new tax measure will severely affect rice farmers and threaten the country’s rice production and food security.

“TRAIN will definitely wreck our livelihood and drive us into a state of hunger,” said Danilo Ramos, chairman of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, in a statement.

“The overall rice production and consumption will be affected by TRAIN. TRAIN will cause worsening hunger among the poorest of the poor. Whatever minimal gain that low to middle employees will get from TRAIN will be easily offset and swept by rising prices of commodities, services and public utilities,” said Ramos.

Ramos said the new excise tax on oil products will result to a minimum 20 percent

additional cost in the use of fuel-run farm equipment.

He said that farmers will have to shell out more money out of their pockets for the added cost on production brought about by TRAIN. He added that from an average P33 per liter last year, diesel prices have gone up to at least P40 per liter, even as the cost of fuel prices are even higher in the provinces.

In a sample case study, the KMP said a rice farmer in Bulacan province tilling one hectare of rice land will have to shell out additional P294 per hectare per cropping for the use of mechanized hand tractor to pull and harrow rice lands during land preparation. This does not include added cost for the use of water pump for irrigation, use of dryer, payment for rice milling, transportation of rice produce and other daily expenses.

Pump prices go up

by P0.55/liter PUMP prices went up by P0.80 per liter for gasoline and P0.55 per liter for both diesel and kerosene effective 6 a.m. Tuesday to reflect the movement of world oil prices.

PTT Philippines, Eastern Petroleum Philippines and Seaoil Philippines issued separate advisories of the increase, which does not include the impact of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act. “PTT Philippines to implement the following price adjustments effective 6 a.m. Tuesday, January 16, 2018: Gasoline, P0.80 per liter and diesel P0.55 per liter,” the oil firm said.

The oil firms, however, did not announce the higher prices due to the implementation of the higher excise tax for petroleum products although some stations have already posted an increase in prices.

Alena Mae S. Flores

SSS commish files case vs EVP, 20 others ONE of the commissioners of the Social Security System— Jose Gabriel “Pompee” La Viña—on Monday filed administrative raps against SSS executive vice president Rizaldy Capulong and 20 others before the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged anomalous approval of 253 media contracts.

The contracts amounting to P146 million in 2016 to 2017 for advertisements of print, radio, and broadcast media outlets were coursed through direct contracting, he said.

He added the SSS should have resorted to public bidding, instead of direct contracting that violated the Government Procurement Reform Act to favor several media companies. Rio Araja

MARKET PROTEST. Militant group Bayan held a protest rally at the Trabajo Market in Sampaloc, Manila, dubbed ‘Saan aabot ang P521 minimum wage

mo?‘ as it challenges the Duterte administration on how far the P521 average daily budget allotment for poor Filipino families will go following the impending implementation of TRAIN or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion. Norman Cruz

BI warns foreigners: Respect Philippine laws THE Bureau of Immigration warned foreigners in the country to respect Philippines laws, as it ordered the deportation of more than 1,500 foreigner in 2017 for violating Philippine immigration laws.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said that the 1,508 aliens deported last year was nearly four times

higher than those expelled in 2016 when only about 400 foreigners were sent home.

Chinese nationals topped the list with 1,248, followed

by Koreans, 115; Indians, 33, Americans, 29 , Vietnamese, 13 and 11 Japanese.

Morente said the aliens were deported after they were found guilty of committing acts inimical to the

national interest and which posed a risk to public safety.

He said among the deportees were 232 alien fugitives wanted for serious crimes in their homelands and who hid in the Philippines to evade prosecution or service of sentence.

Immigration offenses of the other deportees included overstaying, working with-

out permit, being undocumented, and undesirability.

More than two-thirds or 1,145 of the deportees were Chinese arrested in 2016 at the Fontana Hotel in Clark, Pampanga for allegedly engaging in illegal online gaming operations.

“The Nov. 24, 2016 Fontana raid as the biggest single mass arrest of aliens in the

bureau’s history wherein some 1,300 Chinese workers were rounded up by joint operatives of the BI and PNP’s special action force,” Morente said.

BI Legal chief lawyer Arvin Santos said that the agency implemented mass deportation of aliens last year twice, the first in the bureau‘s history. Vito Barcelo

Printer APO asked to pay cost of passport upgrade

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano ordered printing contractor APO Production Unit to shoulder all the necessary expenses in improving the production and delivery of passports to the public even if the additional requirements are not stipulated in the 10-year-contract.

Cayetano announced that the DFA will disperse at least four mobile passport processing trucks in the National Capital Region to help “de-clog” its consular offices of the big volume of passport applicants.

In addition, Cayetano said the DFA is also waiting for the importation of new printing

machines to backstop APO’s production plant in Batangas.

Even in the absence of explicit provisions in the DFAAPO passport production agreement signed in 2014, all these improvements and additional requirements to improve passport production shall be “at the expense of APO,” according to the Foreign Affairs chief.

“It should be at their expense… They make their money per passport. I’m not a businessman, I can’t answer for them. But as head of DFA, ang tingin ko, since you make your money per passport,” Cayetano said, adding that APO would still make money because of the sheer volume of passport demand and the year-on-year inflation.

NEW COMMAND. Incoming Philippine Coastguard RADM Commandant Elson Hermogino (left) assumes his new command from Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade during turnover ceremonial rites at the PCG headquarters in Port Area, Manila. Hermogino replaced outgoing PCG Officer-in-Charge RADM Joel Garcia (right). Norman Cruz

Be discerning in requiring list of pushers, users, DILG told

By Rio Araja THE Commission on Human Rights on Monday called on the Department of the Interior and Local Government and barangay officials to be more discerning in carrying out the directive to submit a list of suspected drug pushers and criminals in their communities.

The statement came following remarks by DILG Undersecretary Martin Diño who had said that he would make sure all barangay chiefs submit a list of suspected drug pushers and suspected criminals in their area.

“We have consistently maintained that intelligence gathering in pursuing drug personalities and criminals is a function of law enforcement. But giving sanctions to barangay officials who would not comply may encourage a practice of unthorough submission of names just to avoid being penalized by the DILG,” Public Affairs and Strategic Communication Office chief Jacqueline Ann de Guia said.

Pending the issuance of its comprehensive guidelines, the CHR is open to join forces with the DILG to ensure that adequate safeguards are observed in operationalizing the directive.

De Guia said the interior and local government department must also present a clear process on how barangay officials would obtain valid information on suspected personalities and the ways to verify the integrity of the information.

The CHR said addressing the problem on the sale and use of illegal drugs is best achieved with the participation of all concerned, especially the community.

“At the same time, Constitutional guarantees, such as presumption of innocence and right to due process, are in place to ensure that human rights are protected at all times,” it added.

De Guia said they welcome community-based programs designed to strengthen the government’s effort to curb the issue of illegal drugs and criminality.

Du30 creates anti-corruption body, names Jimenez as head ByJohnPaoloBencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday has named members of his Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, with Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption founding chairman Dante Jimenez leading as its first head.

Duterte also named Gregorio Luis Contacto, losing senatorial aspirant Greco Belgica, and Rickson Chiong as commissioners.

In October last year, Duterte created the PACC after he threatened to investigate the Office of the Ombudsman, which he accused of partiality and corruption, after it pushed through with its investigation on the alleged hidden wealth of President Duterte and his family.

The President alleged that the Ombudsman favored the opposition Liberal Party on learning that none of its members were being investigated for the misuse of funds through the Disbursement Acceleration Program, which the Supreme Court ruled as illegal.

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Opinion

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Facebook’s facelift

S

OCIAL media giant Facebook’s founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced last week that users would see changes in their news feeds over the next few weeks.

News articles and marketing content have created an imbalance that is “crowding out the personal moments that lead us to connect with each other,” Zuckerberg said. Thus, users would have fewer of such intrusive, distracting material.

Research suggests, he said, that people are generally happier and have a better well-being when they use social media to connect with the people they care about.

It’s an acknowledgment that over the years, Facebook—with which almost everybody we know have an account —has changed from a tight-knit community of family and friends to a forum for an exchange of political views or a forum for business promotion.

The exchange sometimes turns nasty, if they were even based on real news in the first place. The promotions become shameless.

It could also be a reaction to accusations that social media companies have had a hand in the proliferation of fake news. Knowingly or unwittingly, users share and spread what appear to be news stories but which are not.

Social media have also been used by political operators to further their agenda, bring down their opponents, or sim-

ply sow chaos and confusion.

Filipinos, zealous Facebook users in general, would also benefit from the reimagination of their favorite site. While the reasons for using it may vary for each individual, there are some common themes: connecting with family and friends, wanting to keep up with what is happening in one’s not-so-inner circle, keeping up appearances, looking as though one were knowledgeable in current events and latest trends, getting a pulse of one’s “friend,” allaying one’s FOMO —fear of missing out.

After discerning why we are in Facebook in the first place, we can also look into how it is affecting the way we live our daily lives. Can we strike a balance between the need to know what is go-

ing on and the threat of distraction?

Filipinos also have to be aware that such sites are not so innocent as they look. They have algorithms that predict what we would likely want to see or hear or buy based on surfing history— and these may make us think we need or want something, even if we don’t. In the process, a faceless stranger registers a sale.

It will be interesting to know what exactly the changes will be and how they will change users’ experience. It will be even better if users, too, improve their awareness of why they are in social media in the first place. If we were to fight anything, it should be the attempt to turn users into mindless consumers—of products, services, information, ideologies.

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

A breakdown of morals THE recent holiday season gave me an opportunity to bond with some friends and relatives and exchange stories about what is happening to our families.

A common lament is that their children have separated from their spouses. Those who have gone abroad have obtained a divorce.

I once asked a priest about this trend. He said: “These are modern times, and the environment they live in.”

Separation or having extramarital affairs, used to be a big scandal. People who split up or had mistresses were talked about by family and friends. But now it seems like it is in

What is happening to our nation?

*** Truth is, traditional media is at a financial crossroads all over the world. The advent of the Internet and social media has rocked media to its very foundations, killing off circulation and drying up advertising; this is not a new or even a Philippines-specific problem for legacy media, which is still groping for a way to deliver the news at a time when costs remain the same (or keep escalating) while revenues inexorably go down.

Rappler, being an onlineonly news source pushing an unpopular anti-administration agenda, has had it worse than most traditional media. It was forced to subsist on investor handouts while being confronted with a declining online readership, engagement and subscriber base.

vogue. What is happening to our country, supposedly predominantly Catholic?

It seems to me that our children have become victims of mass communication and peer pressure.

Not to denigrate anybody, my gulay, we vote into office people who live with their common-law wives. We also vote into office gambling lords and drug lords just because they spread around their ill-gotten money like Robin Hood.

To me, there is a breakdown of morality in our country and loss of the old Filipino traditions we used to live by.

I am not here to preach.

I am also a sinner. All I am pointing out is that the Filipino values that our parents taught us are being eroded.

This is the tragedy of our times. *** On charter change, one of the provisions in the 1987 Constitution that President Duterte wants abolished is the one on party-list representation.

I say it’s about time. The

Turn to A5

Turn to A5

RIP, Rappler LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES UNFORTUNATELY, I cannot agree with colleagues of mine who say that press freedom is under attack because the Securities and Exchange Commission revoked online-only news outfit Rappler’s license to operate. Especially since I am of the belief that Rappler was headed for closure anyway, because of the same sort of financial trouble that has been hounding legacy media organizations since the explosion of the Internet and social media.

I’m not saying that SEC didn’t do its job when it ordered Rappler’s closure. As the decision of the government’s corporate regulator makes clear, Rappler vio-

lated rules on constitutional provisions on ownership of media companies; resolving that issue is well within the purview of the securities regulator.

But I find the decision heavy-handed. SEC did not have to rule on the Rappler case when it did, given the many other cases it had to resolve—including, yes, those of other media companies that may or may not have used the same Philippine Depositary Receipts that got Rappler into trouble with the laws against the use of “dummies” to hide foreign (and prohibited, in media) ownership.

As many media watchers know, Rappler was already in dire financial straits at the time the SEC decision was handed down. Maria Ressa, Rappler’s CEO, has for months now been attempting to finance com-

pany operations through “crowdfunding” in the company’s Web site—with unsatisfactory results, to say the least.

Also, the call for SEC to go after Rappler is not a new one. It was first broached in

SEC may have shut down Rappler, but it was already as good as dead.

traditional media by prominent Rappler critic and veteran newspaperman former Ambassador Rigoberto Tiglao of the Manila Times.

Tiglao has, since the middle of last year, asked SEC

to act on the news outlet’s apparent violations, on the ground that media should be spared from foreign influence. Rappler, Tiglao pointed out, has been acting against the national interest through its “efforts to portray—falsely—the country as one in which the streets are flowing with blood and littered with corpses as a result of [President Rodrigo] Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.” “[E]ven in an era of free-flowing capital, most countries in the world have maintained their restrictions on foreign capital in their media,” Tiglao wrote in July. “For good reason, since only its citizens must have primary control of the means of forming public opinion.”

I agree with Tiglao that Rappler has shown that it will play fast and loose

with its data-gathering, like when it first started peddling the unfounded claim late in 2016 that 7,000 people had been killed in Duterte’s war on drugs, in order to sway the public.

That figure was regularly reported, especially in the foreign press, and quickly extrapolated in time, even if there was no data—official or otherwise—to support it in the first place.

But I would have wanted the people themselves, through their outrage over Rappler’s unreasonable and baseless claims, to make that decision by voting with their wallets and their feet. I would have preferred Rappler’s “organic” death, which I believed would come sooner or later because of its unproven and— over the years—ultimately unsustainable business model.

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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

ONLINE

can be accessed at: manilastandard.net

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Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion

A BLOCK of congressmen identified with the political opposition has decided to challenge in the Supreme Court the legality of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act, which was enacted recently by Congress and approved by President Rodrigo Duterte.

They assail the TRAIN Act on two grounds—the law was ratified by the legislature in a session that lacked the requisite quorum; and the law itself is anti-poor.

Consumer groups and other similar sectors have expressed their support for the court petition against this new tax measure, but they are more concerned about the substantive aspects of the law, rather than the technical objections raised by the opposition lawmakers.

Supporters of the TRAIN Act, however, contend otherwise. The Office of the Solicitor General is expected to defend the validity of the law in the case now pending before the Supreme Court.

Since the TRAIN Act will drastically redesign the existing tax environment in the country, a discussion of the arguments in support of the law, and those against it, is in order.

Legislators responsible for the TRAIN Act contend that this new tax measure is pro-people because it calls for lower income taxes for individuals. They add that the reduction in income tax leaves individual taxpayers more money to spend on basic necessities. It is also contended that the reduction in income tax will be a big help to those in the lower and middle-income strata of taxpayers in the country.

While supporters of the TRAIN Act admit that there are considerable hikes in the taxes imposed on many consumer goods and similar products, the reduction in income taxes makes up for the hikes. They also stress that the infrastructure program of President Duterte will be needing the revenue to be raised under this new tax law.

Those opposed to the TRAIN Act argue otherwise.

They contend that the reduction in income tax is rendered meaningless by the tremendous increase in the taxes to be imposed on consumer goods, prime commodities, medicines, electricity, and fuel. In particular, the prices of gasoline and fuel products are expected to increase by three to four pesos per liter.

In turn, the marked increase in fuel prices will trigger a corresponding increase in the cost of transporting people and goods, which will inevitably increase the prices of practically everything else.

Moreover, the labor sector will demand an increase in wages, which will also add to the cost of manufacturing goods and the delivery of services.

Since the additional tax will increase the selling price of every consumer product, the twelve percent value added tax (VAT) currently imposed on every sale of consumer products will be computed against a higher selling price, which will necessarily mean a larger VAT on the sale of what are already very expensive prime commodities to begin with.

Critics of the TRAIN Act lament that the new tax legislation not only increased the taxes on prime commodities, but also reduced the tax on the importation

of luxury vehicles. The rationale for this manifestly pro-rich provision of the TRAIN Act is a mystery.

The critics maintain that it is easy for politicians to defend the TRAIN Act because politicians wallow in power, wealth, and privilege. More specifically, politicians have generous expense accounts by which practically everything they purchase, such as groceries, airline tickets, and automobile fuel, are paid for by the taxpaying public. In other words, it’s easy for members of Congress to impose higher taxes on basic commodities since they are hardly affected by such tax hikes.

It is also pointed out that the TRAIN Act comes at a bad time because many government officials have been wasting public funds.

Millions of pesos worth of dengue vaccines bought by the Department of Health from abroad have turned out to be unsafe.

Those vaccines are expiring soon, and there is no assurance that a refund will be forthcoming.

The Commission on Audit revealed that over a billion pesos raised from the infamous road users’ tax have been spent illegally by the Road Board. State auditors also disclosed that officials of the office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process have embezzled P662 million mostly in the use of luxury vehicles.

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista wastes public money on the purchase of decorative tiles bearing his initials, and in their installation in many major roadways in the city.

Officials of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office spent millions of pesos for an office Christmas party last December.

The chiefs of the Maritime Industry Authority, the Dangerous Drugs Board, and the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor went on several unnecessary overseas trips at the expense of the taxpayers. They were all fired by President Duterte.

Many judicial officials go on overseas trips which are either useless or unnecessary.

During the administration of President Benigno Aquino III, an estimated P186 billion in the Malampaya natural gas fund remained unaccounted for by his finance, budget, and treasury officials.

Also under Aquino III, numerous government officials identified with the Liberal Party were part of an all-expense paid junket to The Netherlands to watch a hearing on the international arbitration case the Philippines filed against Communist China regarding Chinese military expansionism in the West Philippine Sea. Many of those officials, including then House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte and then Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, were not even needed there.

Thus, if those needless expenditures of public funds did not take place, the TRAIN Act may not be necessary to enact at all.

At the end of the day, the fact that remains is that questioning the constitutionality of a tax legislation is always an uphill legal battle. That’s because the power of the state to impose taxes is one of its inherent powers. Thus, the TRAIN Act is presumed valid and its oppositors must prove otherwise in the Supreme Court.

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Thanksgiving, love, and praise

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

Pros and cons of TRAIN

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018

LAST Tuesday, starting midnight, up to Thursday early morning, I observed and marginally participated in the Traslacion activities.

I will not claim to have participated fully as a devotee but more from the sidelines, using both eyes of science and faith to make sense of the experience of this commemoration of the transfer from Intramuros to Quiapo of the image of the Black Nazarene.

As Wikipedia describes it, “The Black Nazarene is a life-sized image of a darkskinned, kneeling Jesus Christ carrying the Cross enshrined in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in the Quiapo district of the City of Manila, Philippines. The Black Nazarene was carved by an unknown Mexican from a dark wood in the 16th century in Mexico and then transported to the Philippines in 1606.

It depicts Jesus en route to his crucifixion. Pope Innocent X granted recognition to the lay Confraternity of Santo Cristo Jesús Nazareno in 1650 for the promotion of the devotion to Jesus through the icon. It was housed in several churches near Manila in the early decades, arriving in Quiapo Church in 1787 where it has been enshrined ever since.”

January 9 is actually not the Feast of the Black Nazarene but it is the day in 1787 the image was transferred (thus the procession is called the Traslacion) from Intramuros to Quiapo.

In a way, the Traslacions in other places, like my home city Cagayan de Oro, is not historically based. But peo-

ple probably do not mind this. My understanding is that Quiapo Church has been kind enough to provide other parishes replicas of the image.

I attended the midnight mass in Rizal Park presided over by Monsignor Hernando “Ding” Coronel, currently Rector of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (popularly known as Quiapo Church) and concelebrated by dozens of priests.

I listened to the homily of Cardinal Chito Tagle where he exhorted devotees to make Jesus, the Nazarene, “our way, truth, and life,” the center of their Traslacion. He meant not just the procession that was about to happen but everyone’s life journey which is full of Traslacions. That resonated with me as I am currently in transition from the Ateneo de Manila and the Manila Observatory where I had just retired to a new destination and mission that is not yet clear to me.

I lined up for the “pahalik” and kissed the feet of the image of the Black Nazarene displayed in the Quirino Grandstand. I also got to approach and touch the Andas, the carriage where the Black Nazarene would be mounted. During the actual procession, I would not dream of trying to go near the Andas.

So I took the opportunity to approach it before the midnight mass. I knew that a few hours later, and for the next 20-30 hours after that, the Andas would be carrying the image of the Black Nazarene that would be the object of devotion of millions and it would be difficult to approach it.

Someday, I might dare but not this year.

I did all of these, offering prayers, with intentions en-

graved in my heart.

I also used scientific eyes to observe and learn from what I was seeing.

Upon invitation of Monsignor Ding, my Ateneo de Manila college classmate and PHD student/advisee at the Ateneo School of Government, I joined him, Monsignor Clem Ignacio, currently Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Manila and former Rector of Quiapo Church, and many others at the command center.

Throughout those days, I mingled with devotees, observed their behavior, and listened to their conversations.

I thank Monsignor Ding for giving me access to the activities and to the command center. I told him I wanted to understand how they were approaching this annual event from a disaster risk reduction and management point of view but the truth is I also wanted to experience the Traslacion from the point of view of a Catholic, a fellow believer of the devotees.

I also thank Monsignor Clem for his role in propagating this devotion, in helping believers see the Traslacion as above all a spiritual experience. To prepare for my own participation, I read and benefited from the writing and interviews of Monsignor Clem, who was also my contemporary in Ateneo de Manila.

Using my perspective as a leadership and governance expert, I have to say I was very impressed with the coordination between government (local and national agencies), Church, and civil society (represented by the hijos who are of course the main heroes here). The police especially were very helpful. General Joel Coronel, Manila Police

Chief, should be congratulated for the good work that his men did to secure the devotees and ensure the Traslacion.

Someone once said that there is a method to the madness in the Traslacion.

For sure, there is a lot of up to date science behind the scenes to ensure the safety of devotees. Monsignor Ding’s dissertation PHD topic, with me as adviser, is disaster risk reduction and management and so he is able to tap into the latest knowledge to do this well.

In the command center were all the government agencies and citizen organizations that are ready to respond to any emergency.

I was impressed by their holistic and comprehensive approach to safety.

By midnight, in Rizal Park, there were already hundreds of thousands in Rizal Park participating in the mass, joining in the pahalik, and waiting for the procession to begin. At the height of the procession, there were millions of devotees, including those who actually joined as well as those who lined the streets.

There are many people with disabilities and illnesses and quite a lot of seniors and children. There were families, too.

Inside and outside Quiapo Church, during the day, there were also hundreds of thousands, maybe a million people, already at by noon.

Quiapo Church was full the whole day. I found myself asking: How will the hundreds of thousands walking with the Nazarene squeeze in? They will. They are always able to. Like many, I felt not just excitement but something more intense.

Many devotees came barefoot. Renee Fopalan explains why: “One of the

key characteristics of the procession is that people attend barefoot. Most people, at least. There’s more than one reason people attend barefoot. They say it shows humility, as in being barefoot, everyone becomes equal. Also, it’s a way to make sure that people don’t get hurt when they step on each other. Stepping on each other is inevitable.

People step on each other in the crush of the crowd, while some step on the sea of people going to and from the actual image.”

Cardinal Tagle once said about the Traslacion that “To understand the devotee, you have to be a devotee yourself.” I think I get that now. What amazed me most in this experience was to see people from all walks of life, majority poor but not exclusively, more men but quite a lot of women, old and young, join the Traslacion. The prevailing feelings I saw in these people were twofold: an overwhelming sense of gratitude and a deep and unconditional love for The Nazarene. People of course came with petitions and to experience mercy and forgiveness but these seemed secondary to the attitude of praise that I saw reflected in their actions.

So for me, definitely, I can’t be a skeptic anymore. I, too was filled with thanksgiving and love for the Nazarene, and can sing this song of praise with zeal: “Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, Dinarangal Ka namin! Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, Nilul’walhati Ka namin! (Our Father Jesus Nazarene, We honor Thee!

Our Father Jesus Nazarene, We glorify Thee!”)

Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

What if Trump was misheard?

By Stephen L. Carter OKAY, I’ll play. President Donald Trump has denied using nasty, vulgar language at a meeting Thursday with lawmakers to discuss immigration reform.

He supposedly referred to African countries and Haiti with a word that’s usually unprintable, but which we’ll get to in a moment. And in Trump’s usual graceless way, he proposed more immigrants from Norway.

What was the word? Well, I won’t quote it here, but if you’re reading this, you’ve already heard. Although news outlets chose various ways to handle what Trump said to the lawmakers, no one felt free to ignore it. One can hardly blame them.

Now Trump says he didn’t say the word everyone is reporting that he said.

Fine. Then unless everyone just made it up, he must have been misheard. That

A breakdown...

From A4

party-list system is one of the biggest anomalies of our time.

Records in the 1987 Constitutional Convention, whose delegates were chosen by the late President Corazon Aquino, will show that many delegates voted for party-list representation, but under a parliamentary system of government.

Actually, if you examine the party-list provision in the charter, it’s a copy of the constitution of Germany. However, the parliamentarians in the

RIP,...

From A4

Reports of Rappler’s topheavy management salary structure and above-industry standard rates for employees across the board were the envy of many, but made others wonder about the organization’s financial sustainability. If other media

possibility creates a mystery. If the president didn’t say what he’s said to have said, what might he have said instead that his guests could have mistaken? Here are nine candidates: “Wittol countries”—Perhaps Trump does not like nations that have been betrayed and have acquiesced in their betrayal rather than fighting back.

“Simple countries”—A good guess. Gets the first letter right. But what could it mean? Maybe places that the president finds easy to pronounce. (Goodbye, Namibia.)

“Biddle countries”— Maybe Trump doesn’t care for countries with strong central banks. In that case, we should favor immigrants from Panama, which has no central bank at all.

“Little countries”—Norway is just under 150,000 square miles. So maybe the president’s idea was that

we should prioritize immigrants according to the size of their countries of origin.

This would be Russians at the head of the list, but Brazilians, Argentinians and Algerians would all make the top 10. Also, 36 countries in Africa would rank ahead of Norway.

“Victual countries”— Could mean places where the people eat a lot, or places whose food Trump likes to eat. Geopolitically, could also mean countries at risk of being gobbled up by hungry neighbors. Ukraine, for instance.

“Mittle countries”— Maybe the president was saying that he prefers Norwegians to Scots who hurt people.

“Middle countries”— Perhaps a mispronunciation of “mittle.” Or vice versa.

If Trump meant and said “middle,” he might have meant Sweden rather than Norway. (Look at a map.)

Or he could have intended to say that he prefers immigrants who are middle class. If so, the president’s words might constitute a subtle rejection of the much-maligned EB-5 visa program.

“Grit hole countries” —Trump might not like immigrants who are doit-yourselfers. (Yes, a grit hole saw is a thing.) Or he might not care for Australians who like to fish for bream.

“Spittle countries”— Hmmm. No non-vulgar interpretation comes immediately to mind.

On a more serious note, the president has only himself to blame for the fact that literally no one seems to believe his denial. He’s given us too much evidence of his own tendency toward tasteless insult and what my father used to call low language. He’s stuck with the public image that he him-

self has created.

On this topic, Trump might profitably consult Gore Vidal’s novel “Lincoln.” Toward the end of the tale, Vidal gives us a fictionalized version of a true story: Rumors were spread in 1864 that when the 16th president visited Antietam after the great battle, he entertained himself by asking others to sing vulgar songs while the dead were being buried. In Vidal’s telling, Lincoln is asked by William Seward, his secretary of state, whether he is planning to deny the charges.

Here’s the reply: “In politics,” he had said to Seward, when the subject came up, “every man must skin his own skunk. These fellows are welcome to the hide of this one. Either I have established the sort of character that gives the lie to this sort of thing, or I haven’t. If I haven’t, that is the end.” Bloomberg

Constitutional Convention lost by one vote—I repeat, one vote.

But since the Aquinos have friends among the communist insurgents, then-President Cory allowed it to happen.

Now with so many partylist representatives known to be allies of the communist insurgency movement, there are questions about where the pork barrel funds are going, and who they are representing. We all know that most party-list representatives are not from the marginalized sector. A new Constitution should just delete them from existence. It’s a waste of peo-

ple’s money!

*** I like what is happening in connection with the efforts to have the Naia rebuilt. There would be more runways instead of the one that it has now.

We also need more terminals to accommodate the millions of passengers it expects to have in recent years.

The competition between the seven Philippine consortia— Aboitiz, Ayala, Alliance Global Filinvest, JG Summit and Metro Pacific and that of Megawide with the Social Security System is, to me, healthy.

In fact, the mega-consortium eyes Changi Singapore

as a partner, while the Megawide-SSS venture will have its Bangalore-based partner, GMR. Along this line, I also believe that the National Economic and Development Authority has already given the San Miguel Consortium to put up an international gateway in Bulacan.

Ramon S. Ang is already building the infrastructure to connect the airport in Bulacan to the old Naia and the Makati Central Business District. Ang has the 24-kilometer Magallanes to Balintawak connector road which will be operational in 2019.

One of things that gives RSA an edge is that his airport will have no subsidy from government and no loan guarantee which operators of Build-Operate-Transfer projects usually get. He also has the 88.85-kilometer TarlacPangasinan-La Union Expressway. The plan of Ang is not only to build four runways, but to handle 100 million passengers a year.

Let us also not forget the partnership between Henry Sy and the Japan International Cooperation Agency for an alternate airport in Sangley Point in Cavite.

The future looks great!

outlets were losing money, Rappler was burning the candle at both ends and getting hit twice as hard compared to its print-based competition —which still had advertising and circulation sales, no matter how greatly diminished, to rely on.

Another Rappler critic, RJ Nieto, who runs the popular blog ThinkingPinoy, used the official SEC filings of

Rappler since its inception in 2011 up to 2015 to come up with the figure of net total losses of the outfit for those six years at more than P194 million. In all those six years, according to Nieto, Rappler did not make any money, despite the regular and mindboggling (for an online-only news organizations) infusions of foreign funding from the Omidyar Network and North

Base Media.

SEC did not have to hasten Rappler’s demise, in my view, because the regulator only gave Rappler a reason to cry “suppression of press freedom” when it was in fact already drowning in a sea of red ink. Press freedom advocates are already saying so, in fact, conveniently failing to mention that Rappler’s funders could already have pulled the

plug on it, which was why the agency has been reduced to the media equivalent of begging for its next meal.

Rappler would have died anyway, given its unsustainable business model, the mismanagement that plagued its operations and its failure to understand and be sensitive to its market. SEC may have shut down Rappler, but it was already as good as dead.

News

A6

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

CA stops Ombudsman order sidering that he was reelected as governor in the 2013 polls.

The Supreme Court had voided the condonation doctrine in the case against former Vice President Jejomar Binay in 2015, but in proactive application.

Degamo also asserted that the dismissal order had no basis since the subject P10-million fund was already settled and accounted for as shown by the Notice of Settlement issued on May 30, 2017 by the Commission on Audit.

Earlier this month, he filed an administrative case against Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente and several others before the Office of the President for alleged graft and corruption and betrayal of public trust.

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Court of Appeals has prevented the Office of the Ombudsman from implementing its latest order dismissing Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo from service, in connection with the alleged irregularity in the use of the local government’s P10-million intelligence fund in 2013.

In a resolution released on Monday, the CA’s Visayas Station in Cebu City issued a temporary restraining order enjoining the implementation of the third dismissal order issued by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales against Degamo last month.

The appellate court’s TRO is effective for 60 days.

The CA granted the urgent relief sought in the petition recently filed by Degamo, found guilty of grave mis-

conduct by the anti-graft office and charged for violation of Section 3 (e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act before the Sandiganbayan.

Degamo’s lawyer Manuelito Luna said the TRO allowed his client to return to the top post in the provincial capitol.

In filing the petition, the governor accused the Ombudsman of committing grave abuse of discretion when it did not apply the condonation doctrine in the case con-

Apart from dismissal from service, the Ombudsman also imposed on Degamo accessory penalties of perpetual disqualification from holding public office, cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and bar from taking the civil service examination.

Based on the findings of the Ombudsman, Degamo submitted the province’s proposed 2013 budget in October 2012 to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, which included intelligence expenses worth P10 million.

The board approved the budget but omitted the intelligence fund.

Degamo then questionned the amount’s “deletion or non-inclusion of the item on confidential/intelligence fund, which veto was not overridden by the SP”

on Jan. 15, 2013.

Three months later, Degamo issued a memorandum ordering the release of the P10 million “without further delay.”

The Ombudsman said the fund was released on April 16, 2013 to the office of Degamo through a cash advance for the payment of expenses of intelligencerelated operations.

But a report from the Commission on Audit’s regional office found that the cash advance was made in the absence of an approved appropriation ordinance in violation of Section 305(a) of the Local Government Code and Section 4 (1) of the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines.

The Ombudsman echoed the CoA findings, saying the appropriation “does not contain any

item on confidential/intelligence fund, the release of the cash advance in the amount of P10 million was not supported by the necessary appropriation.”

Morales said Degamo clearly violated the two government codes, saying the governor had a willful intent to violate the law when he insisted on the appropriation of the P10 million.

This is the third dismissal order issued by the Ombudsman against Degamo.

The CA had downgraded the first dismissal while it issued a temporary restraining order on the second one in 2016.

The two previous cases stemmed from the alleged illegal disbursement of P143.2 million worth of calamity funds, both of which are pending at the Sandiganbayan.

WELL DONE. Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Alexander Balutan (center) presents before the members of the media the accomplishment report that showed the agency posting a P52.9-billion revenue for 2017, a record in the history of the Charity office, in simple rites at the Legend Villa in Mandaluyong City. With him are Florante Solmerin (left), PCSO’s deputy spokesman, and Roger Ramirez, department manager, Human Resources.

Former LRA official convicted, jailed for graft and estafa

By Rio N. Araja THE Quezon City Regional Trial Court has convicted a former Land Registration Authority officer for graft and estafa, and sentenced her to suffer a jail term of six to eight years and four years to 10 years, respectively.

Maybel Umpa, a former records

officer, was found guilty of violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code.

Based on court records, on Oct. 15, 2010, Umpa demanded and received P620,000 from the private complainant, Lory Malibiran, in exchange for facilitating an approved plan, tax dec-

Manila

Standard

2ndINVITATION TO BID for the Supply, Delivery and Construction of Line Extension for thirteen (13) Sitios FOR THE BUSUANGA ISLAND ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. (BISELCO) Public Bidding No. 17-003 Source of Funding: 2017 SEP GAA Subsidy BISELCO invites suppliers to apply for eligibility and to bid for the hereunder list of items:

Supply, Delivery and Construction of Line Extension for thirteen (13) Sitios

document where Umpa agreed to settle the amount she received from Malibiran. “[The] accused capitalized on her official function to commit the crimes charged. Without her position, accused could not have induced Malibiran to part with his money. In the same vein, accused could not have orchestrated

By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Customs turned over more than P128 million worth of seized hallucinogenic and addictive drugs to the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency, the biggest single haul of dangerous drugs at the Surface Mail Exchange Department in Delpan, Port Area, Manila.

Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said seized were five parcels containing various kinds of dangerous drugs which came from Pakistan and consigned to different persons.

“The price could even double because we only based our estimates on the available price as seen from the internet. This will even be higher when sold in the black market,” Lapeña said.

The parcels arrived in the country only this January on different dates.

One parcel consigned to Peter Parcon and found 37,820 tablets of Valium, 1,290 tablets of Temazepam, and 6.37 kilograms of unlabeled tablets. A certain Nasrin Akhtar was identified as the sender.

Another box sent by Qaiser Mehmood Poutt and consigned to Jocelyn Villarino and discovered 20,600 tablets of valium, 8,990 tablets of Pinnix (Alprozalam), 5,990 tablets of Madalin, 1,980 tablets of Stilnox (Zolpidem), and 8.62 kilograms of unlabeled tablets.

“Two more boxes of various medicines suspected to be dangerous drugs were sent by a certain Zahid Hussain and consigned to Rosalie Rosales. The parcels were seized after it underwent x-ray scanning and physical examination. BOC agents found 64,450 tablets of 10mg valium,” he said.

The BoC also discovered 5,990 tablets of Mogadon, 19,790 tablets of 10mg valium, and 16,790 tablets of 5mg valium which was declared as garments were sent

by Imran Abbas. They were consigned to Lucy Marpuri and Dang Solvino.

a scheme of receiving money from Malibiran, who believed that she could facilitate the titling of the property, which thus led him to part with his money in the amount of P620,000,” the decision of Judge Juris Dilinila-Callanta read.

The court ordered Umpa to pay Mabiliran P620,000.00 as actual damages.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CAAP satellite-based air traffic system completed

TODAY

Item/Description

laration and the titling of a real estate property in Rodriguez, Rizal.

After a couple of weeks, Umpa failed to fulfill and deliver her promise.

According to the witnesses, Umpa claimed “to possess the power and influence in producing and facilitating the titling of property.”

Prosecutors also presented a

Customs seizes P128m worth of drugs

Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) P 8,161,376.45

Delivery/ Completion Period 60

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

SCHEDULE January 19, 2018 2:00 p.m.

BISELCO Conference Room January 25, 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 in the revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184 otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

By Joel E. Zurbano THE construction of the P10.8-billion state-of-the-art computer and satellite-based air traffic system facility of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has been completed and is now fully operational.

CAAP Media Communication officer Gemb Garcia said President Rodrigo Duterte was invited to be the guest of honor and keynote speaker for the inauguration of the facility—Communication Navigation Surveillance-Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) system—scheduled this afternoon at the agency’s main office on MIA Road corner Ninoy Aquino Avenue

in Pasay City.

Aviation authorities said the CNS/ATM technology which includes a computer-based flight data processing system would enable aircraft operators to meet their planned times of departure and arrival and adhere to their preferred flight profiles with minimum constraints and without compromising agreed levels of safety.

With this technology, which started worldwide in 2000, the billing for overflights would be done automatically by computers so that there would no longer be lapses or flights that do not get properly billed.

The system development project was first conceptualized in accord-

ance with the International Civil Aviation Organization Global Air Navigation Plan.

The utilization of this system covers the Philippine airspace.

The project, which began during the administration of then President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo under the aegis of the ICAO, was supposed to be finished in 2005, then moved to 2007 and 2010 until it was finally abandoned for lack of funds.

Since then neighboring countries have adopted the CNS/ATM but the Philippines remains one of the few countries that lack this high-tech, satellite-based air traffic and communications system.

Judge inhibits self from handling De Lima case

The complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased at the BISELCO Office upon payment of non-refundable fee of TEN THOUSAND PESOS (Php 10,000.00).

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.

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.

(SGD) ENGR. SELWIN Y. ALILI BBAC Chairman Noted by RUTH L. GALANG General Manager (MS-JAN. 16 , 2018)

In 2013, the Commission on Audit cleared the resumption of the aviation surveillance project to modernize the CAAP’s system.

“CAAP, in consonance with ICAO standards, continues to drive our Area Centers to maintain a safe and secure air transport industry in the same manner that aircraft are guided by illumination coming from approach and landing lights to safely land at their designated runway,” said CAAP deputy general Capt. Jim Sydiongco.

Last year, CAAP got the approval of ICAO team which conducted an assessment to determine if the agency complied with international safety standards.

NOT AGAIN. Some P128 million worth of illegal drugs are turned over Monday by Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña to PDEA NCR Regional Dir. Ismael Fajardo at the Customs Office in Port Area, Manila. The parcels all came from Pakistan consisting of Valium tablets, and party drugs like Pinnix and Tamazepam. Norman Cruz

MUNTINLUPA City Regional Trial Court Judge Juanita Guerrero, the first judge who issued an arrest warrant against Senator Leila de Lima, has inhibited herself from further hearing the drug case filed against the detained lawmaker.

De Lima sought the inhibition of Guerrero from the case, citing “evident partiality and bad faith” in hastily issuing an arrest warrant that led to her detention without considering “the political undertones” of the case.

“The glaringly clear, singleminded over-eagerness to detain accused De Lima based on an invalid information that is irredeemably and irreparably

tainted and made defective by, among others, the rampant and blatant violation of accused De Lima’s rights, is quite evident,” De Lima’s camp lamented.

De Lima stressed Guerrero should have acted on the red flags “indicating serious infirmities and irregularities that attended the preliminary investigation of the case.”

She claimed that her constitutional rights should have been given greater respect by the judge.

In an order signed last Jan. 4, Guerrero insisted that a mere allegation of bias or partiality without proof is not a ground for a judge to inhibit from the case.

Rey E. Requejo

Sports

A7

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Venus leads exit of net seeds

M

ELBOURNE—Venus Williams and US Open champion Sloane Stephens led a string of seeds sent tumbling out of the Australian Open Monday in a calamitous day for American players.

Williams, who lost in the final to sister Serena last year, was stunned by Swiss star Belinda Bencic, fresh from winning the Hopman Cup with Roger Federer.

The seven-time Grand Slam winner, in her 77th major, struggled against a player who had never before beaten her to go down 6-3, 7-5 and deprive the tournament of one of its biggest names.

It is the first time since 1997 that there will be neither of the Williams sisters in the second round, with Serena not playing af-

ter giving birth to her first child.

“I don’t think I played a bad match. She just played above and beyond,” said 37-year-old Williams, seeded five.

Bencic, 20, said featuring with Federer at the Hopman Cup had helped a lot, with the Swiss legend giving her advice and tips.

“I think all the week it was so great learning from him on the court or off the court,” she said, adding she spoke to him briefly after her match and he “was very happy for me”.

Also out of the opening Grand Slam of the year is American bighitter CoCo Vandeweghe, the 10th seed and a semi-finalist last year.

She revealed she had been bedridden with flu for four days after slumping to Hungary’s Timea Babos 7-6 (7/4), 6-2.

With Stephens also sent packing, it was a bad day for the United States, in stark contrast to the last Grand Slam of 2017, when they all made the semis at the US Open, leaving the women’s draw in Melbourne more unpredicable than ever.

The 2014 runner-up in Melbourne and 24th seed Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia also departed, 6-2, 6-2 to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia.

And the US misery was compounded on the men’s side with

16th-seeded John Isner being toppled by Australian Matthew Ebden.

Other seeded casualties included 2017 US Open finalist Kevin Anderson, who was bundled out a in a five-set thriller by Britain’s Kyle Edmund.

Third seed Grigor Dimitrov survived, breezing into the second round, as did 10th seeded Spaniard Pablo Carreno-Busta.

Stay positive Stephens’ poor run since winning at Flushing Meadows in September continued, with the 13th seed crashing out to Chinese number two Zhang Shuai, who made the last eight two years ago.

The struggling Stephens put in an error-strewn performance on

an overcast and windy Melbourne day and has now not won in eight matches.

“I’m not going to get too down,” she said after her 2-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 defeat.

There was better luck for French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, who saw off Francesca Schiavone 6-1, 6-4.

The seventh seed raced through the first set on Rod Laver Arena against the veteran Italian who was bizarrely wearing a back brace on the outside of her shirt, before a tougher second set.

“I knew before the match that it’s not going to be easy. She’s very experienced player and she’s very long time on tour,” said the Latvian. AFP

2 Koreas in fresh talks on Olympics SEOUL—North and South Korea began talks Monday on performances by Pyongyang’s state artistic troupes at next month’s Winter Olympics in the South, after the North agreed to attend the Games.

Pyongyang agreed last week to send athletes, highlevel officials and others to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, easing months of high tensions over its weapons programmes.

The two sides agreed an art troupe would be part of the delegation. Four officials from each country started a working-level meeting to thrash out details on the northern side of the border village of Panmunjom soon after 10 am (0100 GMT), Seoul’s unification ministry said.

The North’s delegates include Kwon Hyok-Bong, a senior culture ministry official, as well as Hyon SongWol, the leader of the North’s famed all-female Moranbong music band.

The 10-strong band, established in 2012 with members

supposedly chosen by leader Kim Jong-Un, is known for its Western-style, synthesiserdriven music and sophisticated fashion style rare in the isolated nation, although most of their songs praise the regime.

Their numbers include the jaunty “Mother’s Birthday”, about the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, and the more soulful “We Call Him Father”, an ode to leader Kim Jong-Un. Such lyrics could fall foul of the South’s National Security Act, which bans praise for the North.

The band once cancelled a planned performance in Beijing in 2015 and returned home after Chinese officials took issue with propaganda images on stage featuring Pyongyang’s long-range missiles.

Seoul should negotiate carefully to avoid the embarrassment of having the North’s propaganda being promoted at the Olympics, said Cheong Seong-Chang, analyst at the Sejong Institute think tank. AFP

Sloane Stephens of the US hits a return against China’s Zhang Shuai during their women’s singles first round match on day one of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne. AFP

Davis powers Pelicans; Wolves roll over Blazers LOS ANGELES—Anthony Davis scored a season-high 48 points as the New Orleans Pelicans rallied from a 19-point third quarter deficit to defeat the New York Knicks 123-118 in overtime on Sunday.

Davis also had 17 rebounds for the Pelicans, who were down 16 after one quarter and behind by nine with four minutes remaining in the contest.

“I just kind of felt like tonight was definitely my night,” Davis said.

Jrue Holiday added 31 points, and DeMarcus Cousins had 15 points, 16 rebounds, seven steals and five assists and for

the Pelicans.

Holiday also had three baskets and a couple of free throws in overtime to help seal the win in front of a crowd of 19,800 at Madison Square Garden.

“We did a great job in the overtime,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. “AD was just huge for us, and when you get into those zones like that he’s really good.”

Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway each scored 25 points for the Knicks, who lost their third straight and 10th in their last 12 games.

Jarrett Jack had a season-high 22 points, and Enes Kanter fin-

ished with 18 points and 10 rebounds in the defeat.

Sunday’s loss was not a good sign for the Knicks, who start a seven-game, two-week, crosscountry road trip on Monday against Brooklyn.

“I think we’ve just got to do a better job of when we’re up 12, 15 points, we’ve got to take it to another level, another notch,” Hardaway said. “We haven’t been doing that these last couple of games.”

Elsewhere, Jimmy Butler scored 24 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves extended their win streak to five games with a 120-103 rout of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 20 points and 11 rebounds for his NBA-leading 37th double-double of the season for the ‘Wolves who recorded all five of their wins at home. It is just the third time in club history they have won five contests on a homestand.

Jamal Crawford came off the bench to score 10 points as Minnesota’s new veterans and young stars start to come together and learn how to close out games.

Damian Lillard scored 21 points, and C.J. McCollum and Pat Connaughton each had 18 for Portland, who were down by as much as 26 points.

Portland suffered their third loss in a row as injuries have taken their toll on the team this season.

Also, Goran Dragic’s 25 points propelled Miami to a 97-79 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks that pushed the Heat within one game of the Cleveland Cavaliers for third place in the Eastern Conference.

The Heat, a tad sluggish to start, used a 14-0 second-half scoring run to notch their seventh straight victory, tying the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics for the longest active winning streak in the league.

PBA players give fans a surprise visit PBA fans in three Metro Manila barangays got the surprise of their lives Thursday following the visit made by Hall of Famer Benjie Paras, Beau Belga of Rain or Shine, and Magnolia’s Rodney Brondial unannounced.

The three players were accompanied by officials and staff of the PBA, led by Officer-In-Charge Willie Marcial during their personal appearances in Barangay Marilag, Project 4 in Quezon City, and Barangays Jesus dela Pena and Tanong in Marikina as part of the new Corporate Social Responsibility program of the league dubbed ‘PBA Homecourt.’

Belga and Brondial went along with the group as part of their community work after being fined by the Commissioner’s Office for various infractions just before the holiday break. Under the league’s new CSR setting, players are given the chance to write off minor fines through appearances

in basketball courts within the metropolis.

On the other hand, Paras, the only player to become RookieMVP in a season, volunteered to go doing the rounds of barangays as a way of giving back to PBA fans.

“Masarap at magaan sa pakiramdam na makita mong napapasaya yung mga fans, especially yung mga bata,” said Belga, who did his share of taking selfies, photos, and autograph signings during the event.

A shootaround was held in all three barangay courts, with fans who made the basket receiving gift items, basketball, and select tickets from the PBA. League stickers were also attached to the barangay courts visited by the group.

Marcial said the event will be held every other Thursday, or on Saturdays when no out of town games are scheduled.

And like in its initial staging, the tour will be held unannounced.

“Mas maganda ‘yung masurprise mo sila,” said the league OIC.

PBA Hall of Famer Benjie Paras (left), Officer-In-Charge Willie Marcial (second from left) and Magnolia’s Rodney Brondial (right) lead a shootaround involving pro league fans.

Biado...

From A8

World Cup in Hermosillo, Mexico in early November and ended the country’s 14-year title drought in the showpiece.

The Filipina beat Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman of Malaysia in the final, 236-191, to become the fifth

Philippine bowler to rule the World Cup after the great Paeng Nepomuceno, the late Lita dela Rosa, Bong Coo, and CJ Suarez.

Less than two weeks before Christmas, Biado gifted the country with the World 9-Ball crown after defeating Ronald Garcia, 13-5, in an all-Filipino final in Doha, Qatar.

Biado, a gold medal winner in the Southeast Asian Games

in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and winner of the same event in the World Games in Poland, joined the legendary Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes (1999), Alex Pagulayan (2004), Ronnie Alcano (2006), and the great Francisco ‘Django’ Bustamante (2010) as among the past Filipino winners of the event considered as the premier 9-ball tournament in the world.

Magnolia’s Lee named week’s top PBA cager PAUL Lee got off to an explosive start in 2018 after steering Magnolia to backto-back wins in the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup. Lee captured his first PBA Press Corps Player of the Week award after averaging 17 points, 4.0 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks this year, leading Magnolia past KIA Picanto, 124-77 and NLEX (105-94), respectively.

The Hotshots opened the new year by hammering hapless KIA Picanto, 124-77 last Wednesday with Lee catching fire behind his strong third-quarter offensive.

The six-foot Lee, his left knee injury now a thing of the past after undergoing surgery in the offseason, banged all 13 of his points in the third quarter as Magnolia turned the tables on KIA, which took a two-point edge at halftime.

The 28-year-old “Angas ng Tondo” also made his presence felt in other departments, adding four assists and three blocks.

Four days later, the sweetshooting Lee upped the ante of his offense, firing 21 points, spiked by four triples in the Hotshots’ domination of the Road Warriors.

Although NLEX rookie Kiefer Ravena won his personal duel against Lee with a PBA career-high 31 points, the former University of the East star made the biggest baskets in the second half as Magnolia improved to 3-1.

Lee scored 12 points in the third canto, a stretch that saw Magnolia assert its dominance, before holding off NLEX’s fourth-quarter stand.

The Magnolia guard beat Alaska’s Calvin Abueva, Vic Manuel and Chris Banchero; GlobalPort guard Stanley Pringle, Blackwater big man JP Erram and Mac Belo, as well as San Miguel’s June Mar Fajardo and Arwind Santos for the weekly citation.

Rodman arrested for drunk driving LOS ANGELES—Dennis Rodman, a fivetime NBA champion and sometime buddy of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was released from jail on Sunday after being detained overnight on suspicion of driving under the influence, police said.

Rodman, 56, was stopped at 11:11 p.m. Saturday for a vehicle violation, said Lieutenant Rachel Johnson of the Newport Beach Police in Newport Beach, California, south of Los Angeles.

TMZ reported that Rodman failed a field sobriety test and was taken to the station, where he failed an alcohol breathalyzer test as well.

Johnson said Rodman was cooperative with police and was released shortly after 6 a.m.

“Dennis is taking this seriously and will take positive steps to address his personal issues,” Rodman’s lawyer, Paul S. Meyer, said in a statement to the New York Daily News. “He appreciates the professionalism of the Newport Beach Police Department.”

Rodman, a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in 1999.

He played 14 seasons in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks before retiring in 2000.

Last year, Rodman made headlines when he travelled to Asia hoping to arrange a trip to North Korea in a bid to “alleviate some of the pressures as far as communication between the US and North Korea.”

Rodman has made multiple visits to North Korea, where he has spent time with the country’s leader Kim—a long-time fan of the Bulls.

“I basically hang out with him all the time, we laugh, we sing karaoke, we do a lot of cool things together,” Rodman said in a 2017 British television interview. AFP

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

P0 M+ P0 M

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

A8

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018

So settles for 2nd straight draw at Tata Steel chessfest

Sports

By Peter Atencio FILIPINO grandmaster Wesley So escaped from an attacking rook with a draw in 30 moves last Sunday in the second round of the 2018 Tata Steel Chess Tournament.

A repetition of moves by a white-playing Maxim Matlakov in their Catalan Defense game allowed So to settle for his second straight draw after two rounds of the chessfest at Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands.

So fell to a six-way tie for third place with Peter Svidler, Vladimir Kramnik, Sergey Karjakin, Gawain Jones and Fabiano Caruana.

Russian-born Dutch GM Anish Giri grabbed the solo lead after he won over Kramnik in 35 moves of an English Opening.

Cue master Carlos Biado, World Cup queen Krizziah Lyn Tabora (inset, left) and ring champ Jerwin Ancajas (inset, right) came through with inspiring victories overseas in 2017 in a showcase of world-class Filipino talent that brought pride and joy to the country.

Biado, Ancajas, Tabora are co-Athletes of Year T

HE ever-reliable disciplines of billiards, bowling, and boxing delivered anew for Philippine sports in the year that has just passed.

Athlete of the Year honor.

Boxers Nonito Donaire Jr. and Donnie Nietes, along with golfer Miguel Tabuena were the co-recipients of the coveted award three years ago.

“The PSA is proud to announce Jerwin Ancajas, Krizziah Tabora, and Carlo Biado as its Athletes of the Year for 2017. They are truly deserving of the award for the great honor they brought to the country with their respective victories in the world stage,” said PSA president and SPIN.ph editor Dodo Catacutan.

The usual honor list made up of the President’s Award, Executive Award,

National Sports Association of the Year, major awardees, among others, will also be given out during the formal ceremony which has the Philippine Sports Commission as major sponsor along with Mighty Sports, Rain or Shine, Globalport, and the Philippine Basketball Association.

Ancajas, 25, began 2017 with a bang after retaining his International Boxing Federation junior bantamweight title with a seventhround stoppage (technical decision) of Mexican Jose Alfredo Rodriguez in Macau last January.

The native of Panabo,

Davao del Norte, who fights under the Manny Pacquiao Promotions, made two more successful title defenses against Teiru Kinoshita of Japan in Brisbane, Australia (6th round TKO) and previously unbeaten Irishman Jamie Conlan in Belfast, Ireland (6th round TKO) before the year ended.

Ancajas was later signed to a two-year, six-deal fight

by Top Rank Promotions, whose founder and CEO Bob Arum dubbed him as the ‘next Pacquiao.’

Not to be outdone was Tabora, who bagged the 53rd QubicaAMF Bowling

Giri grabbed a g7 pawn, and then forced a check with his bishop at endgame.

He has 2 points, half a point in front of Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, who all have 1.5 points.

Carlsen won in 36 moves of a 4-Knights Opening over Bashkaran Adhiban while Anand drew with Karjakin in 31 moves of an Uncommon Opening.

Mamedyarov turned back Hou Yifan in 48 moves of a French Defense.

Svidler drew with Wei Yi in 124 moves of a Gruenfeld Defense while Jones split his point with Caruana in 69 moves of a King’s Indian Defense.

In round 3, So is set to meet Karjakin, while Giri will seek to strengthen his position when he takes on Svidler.

Perpetual fends off SSC late fightback to regain top 4 slot PERPETUAL Help showed nerves of steel in the fifth and final set and fended off a late fightback by San Sebastian College to eke out a 25-22, 25-23, 7-25, 18-25, 15-11 victory and jump back into the magic four in the women’s division of the 93rd NCAA volleyball tournament at the Filoil Arena in San Juan City yesterday.

Ma. Lourdes Clemente fired a match-best 15 points, including 11 kills, while serving as the defensive anchor up front with four blocks to help the Lady Altas post their second win in three outings, which was good for a share of No. 4 with the Jose Rizal Lady Bombers.

Cindy Imbo scattered 14 and skipper Bianca Tripoli chipped in 12, while Necelle Mae Gual kept the attack going with 40 excellent sets.

The win also made up for a stinging 26-28, 18-25, 27-29 defeat to the San Beda Lady Red Spikers last Thursday.

The Las Pinas-based school, however, nearly blew it.

After showing grit early to snare the first two sets, the Lady Altas suddenly played flat, allowing the Lady Stags to fight their way back by seizing the next two sets and forcing the decider.

There, Perpetual Help recovered its rhythm and showed tremendous composure with the troika of Clemente, Imbo and Tripoli doing most of the damage.

The Lady Stags, who have been playing with only seven players, fell to their second straight defeat against a win.

Earlier, Lyceum of the Philippines University trounced Mapua , 26-24, 24-26, 25-21, 25-17, to claim its first win after two losses in a row.

The Lady Cardinals sank to 0-3 (win-loss).

Ring champ Jerwin Ancajas, golden girl Krizziah Lyn Tabora, and cue master Carlo Biado came through with inspiring victories overseas in a showcase of world-class Filipino talent that brought pride and joy to the country.

For doing their share to make 2017 a memorable one, the three will be recognized with the highest accolade to be handed out during the SMC-PSA (Philippine Sportswriters Association)

Annual Awards Night at the Maynila Hall of the Manila Hotel on Feb. 27.

Ancajas, Tabora, and Biado are all first time winners of the Tapa KingAthlete of the Year award handed out by the country’s oldest media organization every year in the annual tradition presented by MILO and Cignal TV. This marks the first time since 2015 that multiple awardees will be recognized for the Tapa King-

Wozniacki cruises into 2nd round

Foreign aces seek PGT Asia breakthough at Eagle Ridge

MELBOURNE—Caroline Wozniacki kept her quest for a first Grand Slam title on course at the Australian Open on Monday, cruising into the second round in straight sets.

On a day when a host of big names went tumbling, the second seeded Dane overcame tricky Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-2, 6-3 on Margaret Court Arena in an hour and 11 minutes.

(See related Australian Open story A7) She will next play either Japan’s Misa Eguchi or Croatia’s Jana Fett.

It had looked plain sailing for the woman who won the prestigious season-ending WTA Tour championships in Singapore when she raced through the first set in just 29 minutes and then took a 2-0 lead in the second.

But the 44th-ranked lefthander Buzarnescu, sporting a heavily taped shoulder, would not lie down and broke Wozniacki twice to lead 3-2.

Undaunted, the experienced Wozniacki, who first rose to world number one in 2010, reasserted her dominance, taking four games in a row to close out with a cry of “come on”.

“I knew it as going to be tough and I had to try to fight for every point,” said Wozniacki, who played an almost flawless match with just five unforced errors to her opponent’s 33.

“We know each other very well as we played each other like a million times in the juniors,” she said of Buzarnescu, who made her first WTA final appearance last week in Hobart. AFP

Thailand’s Pasavee Lertvilai and the 37 other foreign players, including two invitees, are eager to finally strike this week and end a string of heartbreaks in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Turn to A7

THAI Pasavee Lertvilai and John Michael O’Toole of the US seek to finally end the locals’ domination of the PGT Asia as they lead the crack foreign cast vying in the ICTSI Eagle Ridge Invitational beginning tomorrow (Wednesday, Jan. 17) at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club in Gen. Trias, Cavite.

The Filipinos swept the first five legs of the region’s newest circuit put up by ICTSI late last year and are keen on keeping their domination with another victory in the 72-hole $100,000 championship at the Aoki layout.

But Lertvilai and O’Toole along with the 36 other foreign players, including two invitees, are eager to finally strike this week and end a string of heartbreaks in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. Lertvilai and O’Toole lost in a playoff to unheralded Rene

Menor at PGTA Splendido last September with the former also falling short and settling for third at PGTA Wack Wack ruled by Tony Lascuna last November.

Indonesian Ian Andrew, who is also seeing action this week, placed third in the inaugural PGTA leg—the Aboitiz Invitational—at Manila Southwoods topped by Miguel Tabuena last August while Natchanon Varapornkittirat finished tied for seventh in the CAT Open at Luisita dominated by firsttime winner Justin Quiban last December.

Still, the local top guns, including PGTA third leg winner at Riviera Clyde Mondilla, will be going all out to extend their reign with a slew of others also raring to join the elite circuit of winners in the emerging circuit this side of the world.

They include veterans Jhonnel Ababa, Jay Bayron, Za-

nieboy Gialon, Mars Pucay, Orlan Sumcad, Ferdie Aunzo, Marvin Dumandan and Elmer Salvador and young turks Keanu Jahns, Jobim Carlos, Ira Alido and James Ryan Lam. Aside from Lertvilai and O’Toole, other foreign bets tipped to contend are regular campaigner Dutch Guido Van der Valk, who placed sixth at PGTA Riviera, Indonesians Elki Kow, Clement Kurniawan, Andrew Wirawan and Fajarwin Nuryanto, New Zealand’s Hayden Beard, Americans Paul Harris and Jacob Fleck, Aussies David Gleeson, Dane Mcardle and Andrew Campbell, Singaporean Choo Tze Huang and Koreans Park Jung Sung, Lee Sangun and Lee Jae Won. Meanwhile, the men of the PGT Asia will next tackle the Pradera Verde course in Lubao, Pampanga next week for the ICTSI Pradera Verde Classic on Jan. 24-27.

Team SEA dominates Pradera Ladies opener LUBAO, Pampanga—Team Southeast Asia picked up from where it left off the last time, blasting Team Philippines in two formats to seize a commanding 7.5-2.5 lead at the start of the Pradera Verde Ladies Challenge 2 here yesterday.

The visiting squad trampled the hosts in Scramble play in the morning, 3.5-1.5, then turned in a more imposing performance in afternoon play, scoring a 4-1 rout in the alternate shot to set in motion its bid for another lopsided result in the novel event among the region’s top jungolfers and amateurs.

Thai Onkanok Soisuwan and Michela Tjan of Indonesia crushed Harmie Constantino and Bernice Olivarez-Ilas in alternate shot, 4&3, the same result posted

by Thais Phannarai Meesom-us and Pimkwan Chookaew over Nicole Abelar and Tomi Arejola while Prampun Kultida and fellow Thai Pinkaew Trachuentong clipped newly crowned Philippine Ladies Open champion Yuka Saso and Sofia Chabon, 5&4.

Ashley Lau and Zulaikah Nasser of Malaysia capped Team SEA’s afternoon romp with a 1-up victory over Annyka Cayabyab and Mikha Fortuna.

The troika of Kristine Torralba, Kayla Nocum and Laurea Duque came away with a 5&4 rout of Charlayne Shing Ling and Audrey Tan of Malaysia and Shannon Tan of Singapore to avert a shutout loss for the hosts.

Earlier, Kultida and Nasser whipped Arejola and Torralba, 4&3, in Scramble

threesome of Ling, Tjan and Soisuwan nipping Chabon, Nocum and Duque, 1-up.

Constantino and Olivarez-Ilas hacked out a 1-up decision over Trachuentong and Meesom-us to deliver the lone full point for Team Phl while Saso and Abelar salvaged an all-square match with Lau and Tan to close out the morning matches of the event put up by Archen Cayabyab, Lubao Mayor Mylyn Pineda-Cayabyab and coach Norman Sto. Domingo last year.

But unless the Filipinas put their act together and rally in today’s best ball Team SEA, composed of Charlayne Shing and alternate shot, Team SEA could turn Ling, Michela Tjan and Onkanok Soisuwan, tomorrow’s singles matches into another read their line of putt on No. 17.. victory walk. Team SEA also took a 7-3 play with Chookaew and Tan holding in last year’s opener then cruised to a off Cayabyab and Fortuna, 2&1, and the 19.5-10.5 victory.

San Miguel sells stake in bond exchange firm B2

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018

B1

PH opens to small foreign retailers

By Othel V. Campos

T

HE Philippines is opening its market to small foreign retailers with a paidup capitalization of $200,000, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said Monday.

Lopez said the Philippines was now prepared “to allow many brands into the country.”

“With the retail liberalization law, we will be opening

up to medium-sized retailers to come over and have them create market access for our MSME Filipino retailers as well,” Lopez said in a news briefing.

Lopez

He said medium-sized foreign brands could now enter the Philippine market at almost 100 percent foreign equity, unlike in the past when they were mostly brought in by huge local retailers.

The government plans to reduce the current minimum paid-up capital for the retail industry to $200,000 from the current $2.5-million limit under the revised

Regular Foreign Investment Negative List.

The National Economic Development Authority proposed the lower paid-up up capital to attract more investors.

Local business groups, however, opposed the proposal, saying this could hinder the development of local MSMEs. The Philippine Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines said many

member companies started to ask the group’s stance on the issue.

PCCI president George Barcelon said there was no guarantee that foreign retailers would stay for long in the country, as they would have nothing to lose with the little amount they invested.

“Let’s be prudent in the sense that we want to attract legitimate companies with

substantial capital and technology to come and invest.

If we allow this very low threshold, then this is going to be the lowest threshold in Asean. If other countries are not doing this, then why should we,” he said.

Barcelon said foreign brands might even borrow money from local banks and crowed out local MSMEs that lacked credit support and business location.

Aseagas shuts down Batangas biomass plant

By Alena Mae S. Flores

GOOGLE’S SUPPORT. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (center) meets with Google Philippines country manager Kenneth Lingan (fifth from left) and IPG Mediabrands Philippines Inc. chief executive Venus Navalta (fourth from left) to discuss possible cooperation on increasing the digital presence of businesses in the Philippines, especially micro, small and medium enterprises. The department, along with Google and IPMB aim to equip MSMEs with marketing skills and encourage them to bring their businesses online. With Lopez are other officials of Google, IPMB and the Trade Department.

PAL eyes completion of ‘mega’ Mabuhay Lounge in 2nd quarter

By Darwin G. Amojelar PHILIPPINE Airlines said it expects to complete the construction of a “mega” Mabuhay Lounge at Ninoy Aquino International Airport by the second quarter.

PAL said it started the construction of a two-level International Mabuhay Lounge at Naia Terminal 2 that would showcase the best of Filipino food and offer world-class amenities including private work

stations, a meeting room, sleeping pods, showers, changing rooms and a massage room.

PAL aims to offer topnotch service and comfort that could redefine the experience of the airline’s business class passengers and frequent flyers, it said.

The flag carrier now offers nonstop flights from Manila to Toronto, London, Auckland, Vancouver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu and Melbourne.

It also operates the only

daily nonstop flights to Sydney and four weekly services to New York JFK via Vancouver.

The airline led by tycoon Lucio Tan said it would deploy new Airbus A321 NEOs by February and A350s by June for Brisbane in Australia, India and the US East Coast.

PAL received seven airplanes in 2017, including five Bombardier Q400 turboprops for inter-island flights and two Boeing 777-300ERs for long-haul

routes.

PAL’s complete fleet of ten 777s now fly to North America and London.

The airline also operated its first international flight to Clark with the arrival of an A321 from Seoul.

Other new routes include Seoul-Tagbilaran, Chengdu-Kalibo, Chengdu-Cebu, Manila-Kuala Lumpur, Cebu-Beijing and CebuBangkok.

PAL flies from Clark to Bacolod, Basco, Busuanga, Calbayog, Catarman,

Cagayan de Oro, Caticlan, Cebu, Davao, Masbate, Puerto Princesa, Tagbilaran, Virac and Seoul.

From Davao, PAL opened three new routes (Davao to Tagbilaran, Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga) using the new Q400s.

Ten domestic routes were opened from Cebu – Siargao and Camiguin (new PAL destinations) as well as to Cagayan de Oro, Caticlan, Legazpi, Ozamiz, Puerto Princesa, Surigao, Tacloban and Tagbilaran.

IN BRIEF Pure Energy buys 3 solar farms PURE Energy Holdings Corp. through unit Just Solar Corp. acquired majority stakes in three solar farms in Central Luzon with a combined capacity of 13.86 megawatts.

Pure Energy said in a statement it signed an agreement to initially buy 60 percent of Solar Powered Agri-Rural Communities Corp., owner of the three solar projects.

The three solar farms are Palauig in Zambales, Morong in Bataan and San Rafael in Bulacan.

The Palauig solar farm in Barangay Salaza has over 5 MW in capacity. It was included in the projects eligible for the solar feed-in tariff of P8.69 per kilowatt-hour under the second wave of installation target of the energy Department.

The Morong solar farm in Barangay Sabang also has over 5 MW in capacity, while the San Rafael solar farm in Barangay Pasong Inchik has a 3.82-MW output.

“This acquisition complements our existing renewable energy portfolio of hydropower plants and geothermal assets. We are optimistic because these power plants have huge economic potential in Central Luzon, and plans are underway to expand their respective capacities. We are excited to begin working and delivering electricity through renewable energy sources in this region,” said Pure Energy chief executive officer Dexter Tiu. Alena Mae S. Flores

GOCC dividends rise to P30.45b DIVIDENDS remitted by government-owned and –controlled corporations to the National Treasury in 2017 rose 9.8 percent to P30.45 billion from P27.73 billion a year ago, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Monday.

Domninguez said in a statement the 2017 dividend collections exceeded the P27.73-billion remittances in 2016, even if state-run Land Bank of the Philippines was exempted from paying its P6-billion dividends in 2017 to allow it to recapitalize and better serve the increasing development needs of the country.

Dominguez said had these dividends not been exempted, the total dividend would have reached P36.45 billion.

He said the DoF’s Corporate Affairs Group had aggressively promoted financial discipline among GOCCs. “For CAG. we are pleased to report that our dividend collections have hit P30.4 billion, up from last year’s P27.6 billion. And that is excluding the LandBank dividends of P6 billion,” Finance Undersecretary Antonette Tionko informed Dominguez at a recent DoF executive committee meeting.

Tionko said dividend collections totaling P30.45 billion last year came from 53 GOCCs, including the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, which had not remitted dividends for the past four years, but has now emerged as one of the biggest dividend contributors.

Julito G. Rada

MABUHAY NIGHT. Philippine Airlines and Mabuhay Miles – PAL’s loyalty program for frequent flyers – co-sponsor a free-admission Mabuhay Night party at Kalibo’s Magsaysay Park that kicked off the week-long Ati-Atihan festival. Guest performers entertained a huge crowd, ahead of the series of Ati-Atihan parades and street dancing.

ASEAGAS Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp., said Monday it decided to permanently cease the operations of its 8.8-megawatt biomass power plant in Lian, Batangas after encountering technical problems.

Aseagas suspended plant commissioning in November last year because of the unavailability of the supply of organic effluent wastewater from supplier Absolut Distillers Inc. and to assess whether to make the shutdown permanent.

“Our top consideration now is to balance the interests of all our stakeholders, including that of Aseagas’ employees,” Aboitiz Power president and chief operating officer Antonio Moraza said in statement.

Aseagas said it already prepaid its outstanding loan with the Development Bank of the Philippines amounting to P2.368 billion.

Total value affected by the plant closure is estimated at P3.7 billion, which represents Aseagas’ equity investment of P3.45 billion and the company’s remaining obligations of P250 million.

Moraza said despite these challenges, Aboitiz Power’s other projects were progressing as planned.

“About 500 MW of attributable capacity, mainly from baseload and hydropower plants, will come online in 2018. We are on track to meeting our 4,000-MW net attributable capacity target by 2020,” he said.

Aseagas is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aboitiz Power, through Aboitiz Renewables Inc., its holding company for its investments in renewable energy.

Aboitiz Renewables previously acquired all of the equity interests of Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. in Aseagas for P605 million.

Remittances grew 2% to $2.26b in November

By Julito G. Rada MONEY sent home by Filipinos working overseas increased 2 percent in November 2017 to $2.262 billion from $2.217 billion a year ago, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said Monday.

The figure brought cash remittances in the first 11 months of 2017 to $25.318 billion, up 4 percent from $24.341 billion a year earlier. The 4-percent expansion in the 11-month period matched the 4-percent growth earlier predicted for the year by the Bangko Sentral.

Espenilla said the top countries that contributed to the growth in cash remittances in November were the United States and Germany.

Cash remittances from both land-based and sea-based workers recorded increases of 3.7 percent and 5.1 percent, in January to November, respectively.

The bulk of cash remittances in the 11-month period came from the United States, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Japan, United Kingdom, Qatar, Kuwait, Germany and Hong Kong. Combined remittances from these countries accounted for 80.2 percent of total cash remittances.

Personal remittances, which include non-cash items, also grew 3.2 percent in November 2017 to $2.526 billion from $2.448 billion in the same month in 2016..

This brought personal remittances in the first 11 months to $28.242 billion, up 5.1 percent from $26.883 billion a year ago.

Bangko Sentral set to implement 5% leverage ratio for banks in July THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Monday it will start implementing a minimum 5-percent leverage ratio for banks in July this year.

The leverage ratio measures a bank’s capital as a percentage of on-balance sheet exposures and off-balance sheet items. The leverage ratio is a non-risk based measure, which serves as a backstop to the capital adequacy ratio, a measure of financial strength.

It is designed to constrain the potential build-up of leverage in the banking industry and to promote stability of the financial system.

The Monetary Board, the policy-making of the Bangko Sentral, recently approved the adoption of a minimum leverage ratio requirement for universal banks, commercial banks, and their subsidiary banks and quasi-banks in compliance with Basel III, an international regulatory bank-

ing accord proposed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.

“Beginning July 1, 2018, covered institutions must maintain a leverage ratio no lower than 5 percent,” the Bangko Sentral said.

The Bangko Sentral introduced the leverage ratio framework in 2015 under Circular No. 881 with the implementation limited to monitoring purposes. With the board’s recent decision, the leverage ratio will form

part of the Basel III minimum capital requirements, along with the 6-percent common equity tier 1 ratio, 7.5 percent tier 1 ratio and the 10 percent capital adequacy ratio.

“The leverage ratio follows a simpler and non-risk weighted calculation compared with the CET 1, Tier 1, and CAR computation. It generally uses the reported amounts of accounts on the balance sheet as well as offbalance sheet items, includ-

ing derivatives and securities financing transactions,” the regulator said.

“This complements the other Basel III capital requirements, which compare the level of capital to riskweighted exposures,” it said.

The approved policy effectively provides covered financial institutions until June 2018 to assess their compliance with the said framework and implement measures to meet the requirement.

Julito G. Rada

B2

Business

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market climbs; Megaworld declines

T

he stock market rose Monday in step with the rest of the region, with Wall Street once again providing a strong lead on the back of optimism about corporate earnings in light of Donald Trump’s tax cuts as well as the improving global economic outlook.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index gained 43.10 points, or 0.5 percent, to 8,857.72 on a value turnover of P5.6 billion. Losers, however, beat gainers, 109 to 99, with 52 issues unchanged.

Jollibee Foods Corp., the biggest fastfood chain, advanced 3.4 percent to P263.80, while Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures Inc. jumped 8.8 percent to P15.30.

Megawide Construction Corp. climbed 3.1 percent to P18.50. State-pension fund

Social Security System last week said it planned to form a joint venture with Megawide that will bid for the redevelopment of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

MacroAsia Corp., a leading provider of aviation-related services, tumbled 5.8 percent to P21.30 on profit-taking, while Megaworld Corp., the largest lessor of office spaces, fell 4.3 percent to P4.88.

Asian traders, meanwhile, continued their blistering start to the year on Monday

with most markets rising, while the euro extended its gains against the dollar.

Hong Kong stocks finally ended with a loss on Monday after a record run of 14 straight gains that had put the benchmark Hang Seng Index on course to hit its record high.

The HSI fell 0.23 percent, or 73.67 points, to close at 31,338.87. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.54 percent, or 18.45 points, to 3,410.49 after an 11-day run of gains.

The Hang Seng Index has climbed more than seven percent in its record run, supported by the broad global advance as well as a surge in mainland investors attracted by relatively cheaper valuations compared with Shang-

hai and Shenzhen.

Among other markets Tokyo ended 0.3 percent higher despite a stronger yen, with market heavyweight Softbank more than three percent higher on reports it could list its mobile unit, raising up to $18 billion in one of Japan’s biggest public offerings.

Sydney gained 0.1 percent, while Seoul and Singapore were each up 0.3 percent.

Taipei and Bangkok were higher though Wellington dipped slightly.

Jakarta was up 0.1 percent in the afternoon, despite a floor collapsing in the lobby of the building where it is based, injuring a number of people.

Local TV stations earlier reported that trade had been sus-

pended for an hour but stock exchange spokesman Rheza Andhika said trade continued as usual in the afternoon.

“Investors continue basking in the afterglow of US tax reform assuming there will be no end to this unstoppable run, which is now feeding off US domestic economic strength and a stronger global growth narrative,” said Stephen Innes, head of AsiaPacific trading at OANDA. “As we enter earnings season, the fear of missing out mindset takes hold, but if the markets remain at this pace, we could breach my 2018 year-end global stock market forecast before the end of February, which will for once leave me honestly lost for words.” With AFP

San Miguel sells stake in bond exchange firm

By Jenniffer B. Austria CONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. agreed to sell its four-percent stake in Philippine Dealing System & Holdings Corp. worth P80 million to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

The PSE said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Monday it signed an agreement with San Miguel to acquire 250,000 common shares equivalent to four percent of the total issued and outstanding stock of

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.3 8,294,000 59.85 11,510 116.5 1,344,780 3.88 5,000 163 1,623,680 1.92 157,000 37.15 752,400 15.68 10,500 30.7 3,207,400 7.8 300 0.7 1,000,000 1.71 42,000 975 220 0.57 176,000 107 1,912,880 1.14 2,555,000 12.8 13,300 24.5 9,800 57.2 947,060 243 1,590 104.9 610 88.5 9,160 56.85 326,550 254 183,870 1,940 475 90.8 84,040 1.24 145,000

25,430,510 687,820 156,459,777 19,480 267,734,253 301,850 27,973,675 163,502 98,835,180 2,340 700,000 71,960 214,500 100,630 205,216,786 2,941,270 165,100 240,100 54,221,501 381,862 62,040 815,195 18,585,983 46,975,750 924,050 7,604,398.50 179,800

684,235 -1,334,992 -301,361 1,099,720 3,727,675 -42,732,302 147,500.00 7,350 -11,890,669.50 -103,200 8,010 -1,963,306.50 10,697,896 981,972.50 -

40 10.62 0.61 1.34 16.98 0.213 120 5.27 15.46 155.2 52.2 62 58.6 1.9 5.3 10.54 11.42 15.4 12.76 7.88 5.58 1.77 15.84 62.6 28.25 9.98 17.8 1.99 255 58.25 4.09 20 27.95 18.08 17.96 329 0.197 8.78 2.24 4.94 9.19 5 8.3 1.77 12.34 63.1 6.31 545 4.82 2.04 4.01 1.77 14.12 5.45 0.133 1.14 163.1 2.83 2.01 24.85 0.8

INDUSTRIAL 41 1,302,500 10.72 1,049,300 0.63 964,000 1.35 203,000 17.48 51,200 0.215 310,000 135 330 5.3 6,251,600 15.78 604,700 155.2 80 53.8 483,680 62 10 58.6 2,550 1.91 151,000 5.53 7,300 10.82 45,400 11.52 2,354,600 15.46 1,516,800 12.88 344,500 7.9 1,330,600 5.65 2,100,400 1.77 5,000 15.84 1,788,800 62.95 79,580 29 233,400 10 170,100 18 829,700 2.09 2,068,000 263.8 1,256,670 58.25 10 4.13 99,000 20 400 28.25 1,558,700 18.1 734,100 18.5 4,014,000 333.8 159,270 0.201 730,000 8.93 9,700 2.25 3,040,000 5 219,000 9.2 5,696,600 5.1 95,400 8.3 2,900 1.79 466,000 12.34 251,700 64 248,270 6.31 10,000 556 22,310 4.82 9,000 2.05 38,000 4.04 22,000 1.8 113,000 15.3 7,256,700 5.5 337,400 0.133 1,200,000 1.15 261,000 164 1,265,260 2.9 54,000 2.03 1,452,000 25 2,500 0.8 522,000

53,160,705 11,242,356 602,350 273,830 878,228 66,050 44,580 33,409,454 9,432,390 12,704 25,653,141.50 620 149,799.50 286,980 39,900 487,576 27,102,648 23,455,942 4,439,084 10,529,446 11,834,508 8,850 28,418,716 5,007,625.50 6,725,985 1,702,468 14,892,736 4,272,670 327,980,076 582.5 408,180 8,000 44,269,070 13,290,402 73,655,638 53,080,154 144,590 86,953 6,860,320 1,088,340 52,624,218 482,388 24,178 830,740 3,131,300 15,895,589.50 63,260 12,386,285 43,380 77,740 89,810 204,900 107,145,558 1,855,291 159,890 302,910 208,492,776 153,900 2,944,640 62,345 420,480

324,155.00 -650,828 6,200 4,499,247.00 1,394,958 2,432,397 0 -1,590 -5,410 11,340,830 3,641,988 -542,778 3,961,070 8,523,840 -18,119,254 2,505,019 8,700 -932,446.00 -2,741,990 61,880,612 8,000 18,391,970 2,966,448 1,237,126 44,337,026 59,400 -1,059,540 3,693,765 25,000 284,180 785,896 4,657,870 -5,059,730 9,640 -65,130 59,037,314 548 -7,721,591 -

0.305 73.8 15.76 0.95 6.96 0.44 0.495 1,060 7.58 14.6 7.46 4.5 1,424 7.46 77.2 5.4 5.29 0.67 5.68 21 0.305 6.55 0.044 1.25 2.06 2.62 128.8 2.53 1,025 0.8 1.73 180.1 282.6 0.232 0.181

HOLDING FIRMS 0.305 230,000 74.85 687,670 15.98 4,774,600 0.99 63,000 7.05 500 0.44 1,950,000 0.5 1,110,000 1,085 189,470 7.61 672,800 14.94 963,200 7.65 338,000 4.5 34,300 1,439 88,405 7.8 200 78 826,270 5.4 21,600 5.29 600 0.68 231,000 5.73 206,600 21.6 1,274,100 0.325 310,000 6.55 15,533,500 0.044 7,900,000 1.37 749,000 2.06 9,000 2.63 9,000 132 223,710 2.53 11,000 1,040 222,375 0.86 77,000 1.76 242,000 180.1 30 285 5,150 0.232 30,000 0.182 20,000

70,250 51,362,985 76,076,508 60,610 3,516 860,200 550,600 205,287,645 5,155,070 14,338,022 2,536,241 165,560 127,252,110 1,526 64,406,979 116,656 3,174 156,300 1,182,915 27,525,725 96,250 102,876,834 350,700 1,013,270 18,540 23,660 29,321,913 27,830 231,453,445 62,330 419,080 5,403 1,467,184 6,960 3,630

10,782,576.50 -8,765,000 -54,450 118,280,085 939,073 4,305,232 -94,500 23,554,885 21,452,766 906,724 5,153,480 59,915,827 2,209,706 -4,017,140 8,520 -1,820

2,402,058 4,333,400 755,066 3,530,350 5,825,400 224,503,215 2,529,700 8,655,950 46,737 1,500,900 56,570 139,290 799,130 228,250 10,458,005 16,670 1,380 5,563,440 4,830,750 113,960 447,889,870 49,384,600

-1,993 -1,346 30,000 19,113,505 435,400 211,400 -86,500 2,637,620 -650 686,560 8,280 -154,453,362 -10,406,850.00

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

3.07 59.85 117 3.9 166 1.92 37 15.6 31.05 7.8 0.7 1.71 975 0.58 109.8 1.18 12.42 24.5 57.05 240 105 89 56 259 1,950 90.1 1.24

3.44 59.85 117 3.9 166.5 1.93 37.35 15.68 31.05 7.8 0.7 1.72 975 0.58 109.8 1.19 12.8 24.5 57.8 243 105 89 57.25 259 1,950 90.9 1.24

3.06 59.5 113 3.88 163 1.92 36.95 15.32 30.65 7.8 0.7 1.71 975 0.57 106.7 1.13 12.4 24.5 57.05 240 100.3 88.5 55.7 254 1,940 90.05 1.24

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS ASIABEST GROUP BASIC ENERGY BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG 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 LIBERTY FLOUR LMG CHEMICALS MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PHIL H2O PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP PUREFOODS RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO ROXAS HLDG SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VIVANT VULCAN INDL

40 10.78 0.65 1.35 17.88 0.213 135 5.27 15.5 160 54 62 59 1.91 5.3 10.8 11.66 15.5 12.88 7.88 5.58 1.77 15.94 62.95 28.25 10.04 17.84 2 257 58.25 4.13 20 28.25 18.1 17.96 329 0.198 9.11 2.25 4.97 9.35 5.03 8.3 1.8 12.5 64.1 6.35 551 4.82 2.05 4.08 1.86 14.12 5.5 0.133 1.18 164.8 2.86 2.05 24.85 0.82

41.1 10.84 0.65 1.35 17.88 0.215 140 5.4 15.86 160 54 62 59.05 1.91 5.53 10.82 11.66 15.5 13.1 7.96 5.65 1.77 16 63.1 29.2 10.04 18.02 2.1 264.2 58.25 4.13 20 28.75 18.18 18.5 334 0.201 9.33 2.29 5 9.4 5.12 8.39 1.8 12.62 64.2 6.35 567 4.82 2.05 4.12 1.86 15.3 5.54 0.134 1.19 166.2 2.9 2.05 25 0.85

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

0.305 73.8 16.1 1 7.05 0.445 0.495 1,065 7.68 14.6 7.6 5.01 1,429 7.46 78.95 5.4 5.29 0.71 5.7 21.35 0.33 6.61 0.044 1.32 2.06 2.63 129 2.53 1,032 0.8 1.73 180.1 283 0.232 0.181

0.31 75.3 16.1 1 7.05 0.45 0.5 1,094 7.72 15.06 7.65 5.01 1,445 7.8 78.95 5.41 5.29 0.71 5.73 21.85 0.33 6.69 0.045 1.39 2.06 2.63 132.9 2.53 1,054 0.86 1.77 180.1 285 0.232 0.182

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

6.19 1.09 13.42 2.28 1.03 44.35 3.89 4.96 5.77 0.485 1.12 1.14 0.217 0.445 40.8 0.66 0.138 1.87 1.38 0.82 5.1 0.345

6.19 1.1 13.5 2.28 1.05 45.5 3.89 5.05 5.77 0.485 1.12 1.16 0.219 0.45 40.8 0.66 0.138 1.89 1.39 0.82 5.11 0.35

6.11 1.05 12.52 2.2 0.98 44.3 3.83 4.9 5.77 0.475 1.1 1.13 0.217 0.445 39.9 0.64 0.138 1.86 1.37 0.77 4.87 0.32

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

0.36 0.58 5 32 21.3 2.08 3.2 39 1.03 8.1 0.83 5.95

0.36 0.6 5.06 32 21.35 2.14 3.23 39.6 1.05 9.39 0.86 5.95

0.355 0.57 4.68 30.45 21.1 2.04 3.2 38.9 1.03 8.1 0.83 5.92

0.36 0.58 4.95 30.45 21.15 2.08 3.23 39.35 1.05 9.33 0.84 5.95

1,310,000 4,218,000 2,232,100 400 1,046,800 809,000 2,267,000 5,621,100 1,965,000 29,000 105,000 2,201,600

470,700 2,475,260 10,906,569 12,645 22,261,560 1,681,470 7,259,030 221,278,390 2,051,340 267,014 88,220 13,074,356

5,900 176,900 -10,315,870 3,200,000 132,361,485 8,400 8,295 -4,788,577

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

22.2 34.85 1.43 0.435 0.044 11.98 5.05 11.4 0.07 99.7 9.06 8.42 7.34 2.22 30 1,745 6 21.6 4.45 2.63 108.5 13.62 8.33 0.141 1.41 3.07 15.6 3.9 1.13 22.6 0.54 4.35 8.2 3.68 18.66 2.99 10.92 11.38 2.77 111 7.31 1,420 1.28 53.55 100 5.55 3.09 1.54 3.35 4.09 1 8.7

22.9 34.85 1.43 0.445 0.045 11.98 5.05 11.48 0.071 100 9.06 8.46 7.34 2.36 34.05 1,760 6 21.95 4.45 2.79 112 14.48 8.34 0.142 1.41 3.16 15.78 3.94 1.18 22.6 0.54 4.35 8.4 3.71 18.66 3.03 10.92 11.56 2.78 111 7.35 1,440 1.3 55.05 100 5.7 3.16 1.56 3.84 4.09 1 8.85

21.8 34.45 1.38 0.435 0.044 11.98 5.04 11.16 0.069 99.6 9.06 8.37 7 2.22 25.05 1,710 5.95 21.2 4.21 2.62 107 13.62 8.33 0.141 1.38 3.07 15.12 3.86 1.13 20.9 0.53 4.2 8.2 3.65 18.64 2.86 10.9 11.2 2.77 108 7.23 1,398 1.27 53.55 96.1 5.55 3.06 1.53 3.2 4.02 0.98 8.55

SERVICES 22.3 34.7 1.38 0.445 0.044 11.98 5.05 11.18 0.07 99.6 9.06 8.4 7.1 2.34 34.05 1,710 5.97 21.9 4.27 2.63 112 14.48 8.34 0.141 1.39 3.15 15.14 3.89 1.14 21.3 0.53 4.2 8.3 3.65 18.66 2.94 10.9 11.56 2.78 108.9 7.35 1,398 1.3 54 97.9 5.7 3.14 1.56 3.78 4.04 0.99 8.7

371,700 24,500 21,000 620,000 15,000,000 700 8,000 5,066,400 9,350,000 107,850 100 1,002,800 42,800 55,000 1,380,400 29,610 287,200 22,800 4,474,000 45,000 370,500 15,900 130,700 3,230,000 335,000 18,000 4,200 521,000 313,000 7,074,600 115,000 282,000 4,704,400 843,000 4,000 3,271,000 17,100 38,600 12,000 2,700 420,800 71,910 3,556,000 2,040,270 693,070 16,000 427,000 1,057,000 31,274,000 368,000 1,276,000 2,825,400

8,292,405 848,990 29,280 274,150 660,200 8,386 40,380 56,714,542 654,480 10,764,312.50 906 8,424,930 303,828 125,870 44,961,035 51,479,580 1,718,704 493,945 19,276,840 120,620 40,837,264 225,278 1,089,038 456,820 468,760 55,590 64,812 2,033,390 363,800 152,138,965 61,020 1,194,760 39,279,110 3,092,720 74,602 9,623,770 186,430 436,760 33,340 295,848 3,063,912 101,526,665 4,554,940 110,590,780.50 67,572,208 90,829 1,322,170 1,637,860 112,871,900 1,489,950 1,265,350 24,713,622

497,835 -89,000 8,386 -1,717,814 1,690,584.50 167,600 -28,860 719,025.00 7,656,140 -800,610.00 11,165,435 -117,860.00 -279,030 -3,420 -14,564,995 295,379 459,300 104,628 -51,633 -13,960 -24,070,830 743,750 16,259,191 2,026,449 538,320 1,133,980 -1,270,780 -68,560 12,207,517.00

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

0.0023 1.59 4.9 14 1.75 1.59 0.325 7.18 2.62 0.194 0.155 0.159 0.0095 1.69 6.59 1.4 0.92 0.013 0.012 0.012 2.1 6.6 8.07 37 0.0069

0.0023 1.6 4.98 14.6 1.75 1.59 0.33 7.5 2.64 0.198 0.157 0.159 0.0095 1.69 6.71 1.49 0.92 0.013 0.012 0.012 2.1 7.09 8.25 37.75 0.0069

0.0022 1.56 4.9 13.98 1.72 1.58 0.325 7.18 2.61 0.19 0.153 0.158 0.0095 1.69 6.58 1.4 0.91 0.012 0.012 0.011 2.1 6.6 8.07 37 0.0069

MINING & OIL 0.0022 134,000,000 1.59 1,500,000 4.98 238,000 13.98 1,200 1.72 2,000 1.59 960,000 0.33 260,000 7.5 10,300 2.61 470,000 0.197 850,000 0.157 8,210,000 0.159 980,000 0.0095 5,000,000 1.69 82,000 6.66 1,159,000 1.48 16,000 0.91 238,000 0.013 19,800,000 0.012 3,400,000 0.011 4,800,000 2.1 78,000 7.05 3,768,100 8.19 1,154,600 37.1 385,300 0.0069 19,000,000

296,100 2,374,590 1,170,250 16,850 3,470 1,522,910 85,050 74,184 1,228,540 163,530 1,278,980 155,750 47,500 138,580 7,710,711 22,650 218,910 249,100 40,800 55,500 163,800 25,923,645 9,435,999 14,358,285 131,100

-269,500 6,990 -1,720 7,830 1,980,559 3,569,189 876,093.00 -638,510 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF F GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF MWIDE PREF SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

33.8 514 518 104.4 105.5 528 5.65 1,005 1,030 102 1.05 106 76.75 79 76.5 76.6 76.1 78.6 78

33.8 514 518 104.4 105.5 528 5.66 1,008 1,030 102 1.05 108 76.75 79.5 76.5 76.7 76.2 78.6 79

33.8 514 518 104.1 104 528 5.65 1,005 1,030 101.4 1.05 106 75.9 79 75.6 76.6 76 78.6 78

PREFERRED 33.8 26,500 514 20 518 4,110 104.4 630 104 10,300 528 2,710 5.65 170,800 1,008 3,370 1,030 1,690 101.4 7,210 1.05 2,000 108 520 75.9 680 79.5 56,050 75.6 1,400 76.7 33,300 76 30,930 78.6 7,520 79 5,970

895,700 10,280 2,128,980 65,622 1,072,505 1,430,880 965,590 3,394,950 1,740,700 735,120 2,100 56,120 52,064.50 4,431,940 106,110 2,552,960 2,353,110 591,072 471,530

-50,700 -682,710 54,000 -

LR WARRANT

2.36

2.38

2.35

WARRANTS 2.36 179,000

422,140

-

11,025,241 274,250 12,044,673

16,489 751,530

1,337,880

-

512,000 789,609.60

-

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 6.12 1.06 12.94 2.2 0.98 44.8 3.84 4.95 5.77 0.475 1.1 1.13 0.218 0.45 40.45 0.64 0.138 1.86 1.37 0.78 4.88 0.32

391,900 4,072,000 58,000 1,585,000 5,767,000 4,998,200 656,000 1,739,000 8,100 3,130,000 51,000 123,000 3,680,000 510,000 259,600 26,000 10,000 2,985,000 3,511,000 145,000 90,536,500 148,950,000

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

7.8 3.53 5.01

7.8 3.55 5.01

7.45 3.48 4.83

FIRST METRO ETF

133.3

134.7

133.3

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2

10.24 10.26

10.24 10.26

10.24 10.26

TRADING SUMMARY SHARES

FINANCIAL

24,016,885

INDUSTRIAL

55,537,374

HOLDING FIRMS

42,778,121

PROPERTY

298,433,811

SERVICES

104,465,336

MINING & OIL

206,588,128

GRAND TOTAL

735,822,847

7.63 3.48 4.83

SME

1,451,800 78,000 2,463,400

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 134.5 9,990 DDS 10.24 10.26

50,000 76,960

VALUE 2,305.37 (down) 20.28 1,048,318,115.55 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,591.15 (up) 119.66 1,269,163,663.05 HOLDING FIRMS 9,087.58 (up) 92.10 1,014,362,239.85 PROPERTY 4,040.63 (up) 19.96 1,618.62 (down) 0.96 1,207,569,855.31 SERVICES MINING & OIL 11,905.55 (up) 152.74 946,241,844.045 PSEI 8,857.72 (up) 43.10 946,241,844.045 All Shares Index 5,126.59 (up) 27.84 5,577,222,187.07 Gainers: 99; Losers: 109; Unchanged: 52; Total: 260

PDSHC. The PSE now owns of 61.03 percent of PDSHC after buying the San Miguel shares.

The PSE earlier signed similar purchase agreements with Bankers Association of the Philippines, Whistler Technologies Services Inc., Investment Houses Association of the Philippines and Financial Executives Association of the Philippines.

Other major shareholders of PDS that have not sold their shares in PDS to PSE include Singapore Exhcnage Ltd., Tata Consultancy Services Asia Pacific Philippines, Philippine America Life and General Insurance Co., Development Bank of the Philippines, Social Security System and Citibank NA. The PSE has been acquiring stakes in PDS, which operates the country’s local bond market, as part of a move to merge the two exchanges.

“From a corporate standpoint, maintaining the business operations of both the PSE and PDSHC while reducing operational costs through synergies can result in greater business scalability and profitability,” the PSE said.

“As the two companies have highly similar and integrated functions, there should be synergies that could be realized particularly from an infrastructure standpoint, particularly on the technology side,” the PSE said.

Menlo gets tender offer exemption on MRC Allied

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Securities and Exchange Commission exempted Menlo Capital Corp. from the mandatory tender offer rule involving 4.387 billion common shares issued by MRC Allied Inc. to the company.

MRC Allied disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange the SEC informe Menlo Capital granting the request on January 10.

SEC director Vicente Felizmenio Jr. said the commission found the transaction “consistent with public interest and protection of investors.”

The SEC gave Menlo Capital a so-called exemptive relief from the mandatory tender offer rule involving 4.4 million common shares issued by MRC Allied under a deed of assignment and conversion of debt-to-equity signed by the parties on July 19, 2013.

The mandatory tender offer rule states that if any acquisition of even less than 35 percent will result in ownership of over 51 percent of the total outstanding equity securities of the company, the buyer is required to make a tender offer to all the outstanding securities at a price supported by a fairness opinion.

Menlo Capital, an investment house whose shareholders include businessman Benjamin Bitanga and tobacco and airline tycoon Lucio Tan Jr., owns around 52 percent of MRC Allied.

The rest is owned by the public.

Menlo Capital signed a debt-to-equity agreement with MRC Allied in 2013 to allow the latter to reduce its liabilities.

Business/ World

B3

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, World Editor

Auto industry jobs down under Trump

GATHERING. Indian Hindu devotees gather to bathe during the annual ‘Magh Mela’ gathering at Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, in Allahabad on January 15, 2018. AFP

Tanker’s sinking raises fears over environment

B

EIJING―The sinking of an Iranian tanker off China could severely damage marine life, environmental experts warned Monday, as state media reported an oil spill covering up to 50 square miles at the scene.

The Sanchi, carrying 136,000 tons of light crude oil from Iran, went under on Sunday after a new and massive fire erupted, sending a cloud of black smoke as high as one kilometer above the East China Sea. The bodies of only three of the 32 crew members have been found since the vessel collided with the CF Crystal, a Hong Kong-registered bulk freighter, on January 6, sparking a fire that Chinese rescue ships struggled to extinguish.

Iranian officials said there was no hope of finding survivors among the crew of 30 Iranians and two Bangladeshis, prompting grief and anger among families of the sailors in Tehran.

“Oil spills from the ship are still burning” at the scene, China’s transport ministry said Monday.

An oil spill 11.5 miles long and up to 4.6 miles

wide surrounded the site as of Monday afternoon, according to the official People’s Daily newspaper.

Dramatic photos showed a huge column of black smoke rising from bright red flames.

Alaska-based oil spill consultant Richard Steiner called the accident “the single largest environmental release of petroleum condensate in history”.

“Given the poor condition of the hull of the ship after a week of explosions and fire, it is my assumption that none of the cargo holds or fuel compartments remain intact, and thus all of the condensate and fuel has been released,” Steiner told AFP. Even if only 20 percent of the vessel’s cargo was released into the sea, it would still be an amount about equivalent to Alaska’s disastrous 1989 Exxon Valdez crude oil spill, he said.

“I don’t know of any condensate spill into a marine environment larger than 1,000 tonnes, and most that we know of have been less than one tonne,” he said.

The Sanchi’s own fuel tank was able to accommodate some 1,000 tonnes of heavy diesel, according to Chinese media.

On Sunday state broadcaster CCTV cited Zhang

Yong, a senior engineer with China’s State Oceanic Administration, as playing down environmental concerns.

The Sanchi’s light crude would have “less impact on the ocean” than other kinds of oil, and “minimal” impact on humans, given how far the incident occurred offshore, he said.

But the sinking of the ship before more oil had a chance to burn off was “the worst situation” possible, Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, told the Global Times newspaper.

“The condensate oil, a kind of ultra-light oil on Sanchi, is different than other types of crude oil and is poisonous to marine life,” he warned.

Unlike crude, condensate does not form a traditional surface slick when spilled. Instead, it generates a toxic underwater plume of hydrocarbons invisible from the sea surface.

Whales, porpoises, seabirds, fish, and plankton in contact with these hydrocarbons in the East China Sea will either die quickly or develop “sublethal injuries” such as physiological impairment, reproductive failure and chronic diseases, said Steiner. AFP

Trump insists he’s ‘not a racist’

FIRE. This handout photo taken on January 14, 2018 shows smoke looming up over the trees as firefighters work to contain the area of a bushfire in the suburbs of Perth. AFP

WASHINGTON―President Donald Trump insisted Sunday that he was “not a racist,” after his reported denunciation of immigration from “shithole” countries triggered a global firestorm of criticism.

Trump on Friday tweeted a convoluted denial about the comments, which were reported by The Washington Post and The New York Times and confirmed by Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, who attended the meeting at which they were said to have been spoken.

“I’m not a racist. I am the least racist person you have ever interviewed, that I can tell you,” Trump told reporters at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, where

he was having dinner with Republican House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

The alleged expletive came during a Thursday meeting between Trump and legislators about immigration reform.

After lawmakers raised the issue of protections for immigrants from African nations, Haiti and El Salvador, the president reportedly demanded to know why the United States should accept immigrants from “shithole countries,” rather than―for instance― wealthy and overwhelmingly white Norway.

Trump also turned to the immigration issue on Twitter Sunday, reiterating his opposition to the visa lottery.

“I, as President, want

people coming into our Country who are going to help us become strong and great again, people coming in through a system based on MERIT. No more Lotteries! #AMERICA FIRST,” he tweeted.

In Florida, Trump also sounded upbeat on North Korea, after confusion emerged over whether he had suggested in an interview that he had a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. The president said he was misquoted, which recordings appear to corroborate.

“We’ll see what happens with North Korea. We have great talks going on. The Olympics you know about.

A lot of things can happen,” he said. AFP

DETROIT―A year after dressing down car makers for cutting US jobs due to trade agreements and automation, has President Donald Trump delivered on his vow to turn the tide?

The US president got some good news just four days before the Detroit auto show when Fiat Chrysler announced it would shift production of its Ram 1500 to Michigan, adding 2,500 jobs.

“Thank you Chrysler, a very wise decision,” Trump said on Twitter. “The voters in Michigan are very happy they voted for Trump/Pence.

Plenty of more to follow!”

Notwithstanding FCA’s announcement last week, the overall picture for US auto jobs has been much less impressive in the year since Trump became president, jobs figures show.

Net employment in the auto sector (manufacturing and suppliers) stood at 783,200 at the end of November, down from 788,900 at the end of 2016, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Overall, US auto employment was down slightly last year. Sales and production were also down, and employment is closely tied to output,” said Kristin Dziczek, an expert at the Center for Automotive Research.

Under pressure from Trump, General Motors promised last March to

add or retain 900 jobs in Michigan over 12 months.

But even if the biggest US automaker made good on that pledge, its overall US hourly workforce dropped to 52,000 at the end of 2017 from 55,000 a year earlier.

GM said the fall was due to shifting US consumer buying trends, which led to “actions we took at a few car plants in 2017 to adjust production as the market shifted from cars to crossovers/ SUVs,” said GM spokesman Patrick Morrissey.

“Consumer preferences have rapidly shifted from cars to crossovers and trucks,” said Dave Sullivan, an expert at AutoPacific.com, confirming GM’s stance.

Examples of GM factories hit by the company’s austerity include Lordstown, Ohio, where the Chevrolet Cruze is produced and Grand River, Michigan, which manufactures the Cadillac CTS and ATS and the Chevrolet Camaro.

Ford has reversed a promise to keep production of the Ford Focus in Grand River, Michigan and will shift the manufacturing to China.

Trump’s agenda includes tax reform, trade agreement rewrites, regulatory reform and workforce policy. With the exception of tax reform, “most of these issues have not yet been finalized,” said Keith Belton, who directors the manufacturing policy initiative at Indiana University. AFP

Woman, 57, on trial for poisoning seniors NICE―A French woman dubbed the “Black Widow of the Riviera” for allegedly seducing and poisoning wealthy elderly men, leading to the deaths of two of them, faces a life sentence as her trial gets under way on Monday.

Patricia Dagorn, 57, is already serving a five-year prison term for theft, fraud and sequestration involving an octogenarian in the French Alps in 2012 after he agreed to let her live with him in exchange for sexual relations.

The 87-year-old man, Robert Mazereau, was later assaulted.

The year before, police had already suspected Dagorn after the body of Michel Kneffel, a man in his 60s with whom she had been living at a residential hotel in Nice, was discovered in July 2011.

No charges were filed in that case, but the investigation was reopened after her conviction the following year, when police found vials of Valium and personal documents belonging to about a dozen different men, including IDs, bank

account details and health insurance cards.

That led investigators to another suspected murder case, that of Francesco Filippone, 85, whose body was found in his bathtub in an advanced state of decomposition in MouansSartoux, outside Cannes, in February 2011.

Dagorn had earlier cashed a check from Filippone for 21,000 euros ($25,600), money which she said was a gift to help her open a jewelery shop.

“She denies the charges against her in their entirety, including the thefts,” said one of her lawyers, Georges Rimondi.

When Dagorn was charged over the cases in 2015, Rimondi had described his client as a “fragile” individual who had been placed in foster care at a young age, and who says “she feels better with elderly people”.

“She is eager to explain herself,” said her other lawyer, Cedric Huissoud, adding that she had suffered during her years in prison.AFP

Lower House quantity, Senate quality WHILE reading the newspaper accounts of the exchange between Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and Speaker of the House of Representatives Pantaleon Alvarez about chamber-performance superiority, I was reminded of something that was said to me by the Cory Aquino era’s Speaker, the late Ramon V. Mitra Jr. In the course of the Pimentel-Alvarez exchange data were adduced that showed the number of bills filed and resolutions filed in the House of Representatives since the start of the current (17th) Congress. During that period 6,911 bills and 1,517 resolutions were filed; 2,100 bills were processed and 518 resolutions were approved. The data showed that the Senate passed only the General Appropriations Act for 2018, the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN) and 37 other Lower House-approved bills.

After calling the Senate “the slow chamber,” Speaker Alvarez rated the performance of the House of Representatives 8 on a scale of 10 and decried the Senate’s “sluggish action” on the bills forwarded to it by the Lower House. I have never known a Speaker of the House of Representatives (1) to be so confrontational in his relations with the leader of the Senate and (2) to be obsessed with speed in the work of the legislature. The Speaker’s onslaught against the Senate was startling, to say the least.

Mr. Pimentel, who is the son of a great former Senator and Senate president, reacted to Mr. Alvarez in a manner befitting his lineage. “I have responded to (the Speaker) before by saying that the Senate is the thinking chamber,” the Senate president calmly said. It was natural for the Lower House to produce more bills,

he said, because it is the origin of “local” bills, such as bills renaming hospitals and schools. “Let us judge lawmaking in terms of how the laws (Congress passes) improve the quality of life of Filipinos in particular,” Mr. Pimentel said.

Expanding on his statement that the Senate was “the thinking chamber,” the Senate President said this: “We (Filipinos) must change our mindset.

Quality, not quantity.”

The Secretary of Transportation in the administration of President Gloria M. Arroyo, Pantaleon Alvarez apparently has not moved out of the world of transportation; he seems to regard Congress as a Philippine National Railways or Light Rail Transit train.

For someone who is supposed to be knowledgeable about the purpose and work of a bicameral legislature, Speaker Alvarez appears unable to grasp the essence of the difference

between the lower chamber of a bicameral legislature – be it the House of Representatives, a Chamber of Deputies or a House of Commons —and the upper chamber. It will be highly useful for Mr. Alvarez to learn about the origin and function of the United Kingdom’s House of Lords. If he does, he will find that the principal function of the House of Lords, according to Walter Bagehot’s definite work on Britain’s governmental system, is “to delay” the process of conversion of House of Commons-approved measures into law. Delay does not mean deliberately obstructing that process; Bogehot explained. It means slowing down the process so that a full opportunity can be provided for a thorough review of a measure that has been sent up to the Lords by the Commons. The Lords can only delay; they cannot block legislation.

If one of the finest legislatures in

the world believes in the wisdom and efficacy of a bicameral legislature with a delaying mechanism, what basis does Speaker Alvarez have for insisting that this country’s counterpart of the House of Lords be “a bit more active” and less “sluggish” in dealing with measures approved by his chamber?

At the outset of this piece I spoke of something that the late Speaker Ramon V. Mitra Jr.—a sensible, independent-minded and courteous practitioner of governance—once said to me during his incumbency. “If I pass around a piece of toilet paper among the Congressmen, they will sign it.”

Monching Mitra said with all seriousness. That, Mr. Speaker, is what the Senate president was referring to when he spoke of quality over quantity.

E-mail: romero.business.class@ gmail.com

LGUs

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

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tuesday, january 16, 2018

LocaL government units

More cruise tours eye northern Luzon

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AOAG CITY—Cruise tourism in this northern part of Luzon is slowly picking up with the entry of more boats wanting to explore Ilocos Norte’s natural and man-made wonders.

Gov. Imee Marcos said the Royal Caribbean International—a cruise line brand founded in Norway and based in Miami, Florida in the United States— and other small boat operators have already expressed interest to include Ilocos Norte in their travel itinerary.

This as SuperStar Virgo, a Leo-class cruise ship owned and operated by Star Cruises, has continued to bring in tourists here since March last year.

On Sunday, over 1,300 passengers on board the 13-storey SuperStar Virgo safely docked at the privately-owned Omnico Natural

Resources Inc. Port located within the boundary of Badoc and Currimao towns.

This is the second winter call in Ilocos Norte of the leading cruise line in AsiaPacific since its first arrival in 2017.

With Ilocanos eager to welcome more visitors, Marcos hopes the cruise line industry here will be sustained.

“More boats are coming and we are trying to put together a package to benefit both the government and investors,” she said.

As the Currimao seaport being managed by the Philippine Ports Authority is apparently not ready yet to accommodate bigger ships due to its shallow waters, the Omnico port was temporarily used this time.

The arrival of the luxury ship also gave a boost to the province’s small and medium-sized enterprises.

Demand for local businesses—ranging from souvenir shops to mini cafeterias and sari-sari (small convenience) stores—has grown.

Luxury cruise ship SuperStar Virgo brings over a thousand tourists to Ilocos Norte, boosting sales of small and mediumsized enterprises in the province.

According to the provincial government’s SME Office, business establishments, namely Pitaya Dragon Fruit, Ilocos Coolers, Ilocos Empanada by Rosalbe in San Nicolas, Agnes Dragon Fruit, Sharetea Ilocos, Good Vibes Cafe, and Araceli Souvenir Shop in Bangui, among others, have increased sales from the arrivals.

Mary Grace Justo, SME staff, said the most in-demand products among the cruise tourists are fresh coconut and

DPWH expresses interest in P3.7-b Palawan skyway PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan—The Department of Public Works and highways is interested in assuming a large-scale plan to build a “skyway” here to ease the growing traffic problem.

Richard Ligad, the information officer of the city government, said representa-

tives from the DPWh’s Undersecretary for Planning Office recently met with Mayor Lucilo Bayron to discuss the possibility.

“The meeting only showed they [DPWh officials] are interested in the project. They want to adopt the city government’s proposal—meaning they have

funds to implement it,” Ligad said.

In 2017, the City Engineering Office drafted the skyway’s conceptual design with an estimated P3.7-billion budget. “hoping to get funding and finally solve our traffic problem, the mayor introduced the proposed project

to them [DPWh officials] last year,” Ligad said.

Crossing the Puerto Princesa Bay, the proposed twolane skyway will span four kilometers from City Baywalk in Barangay Mandaragat to Abanico in Barangay San Pedro to Sandiwa in Barangay Tiniguiban.

City Engineer Alberto

Jimenez said the DPWh would modify the CEO’s conceptual design.

“In the design, we want them to preserve our ecologically-sensitive mangrove area,” Jimenez said.

“And since it’s a national government project, it would be toll-free,” he added. PNA

Soldier wounded in clash with NPAs TACLOBAN CITY— A soldier was wounded in a gun battle between government troops and communist rebels on the outskirts of Lope De Vega, Northern Samar on Sunday afternoon.

The Philippine Army identified the wounded soldier as Corporal Artemio Bendo. he was given first aid in the camp before airlifted to a hospital in Catarman, Northern Samar.

Soldiers of the 43rd Infantry Battalion were patrolling the upland rebel-infested village of Sumuroy when they encountered a group of New People’s Army rebels. The firefight lasted for 10 minutes, according to a report by the police regional office here.

The rebels had undetermined number of injured fighters as they withdrew to the northwest direction upland. PNA

A conceptual design of the proposed skyway in Puerto Princesa.

mango fruit shakes.

“Malaking tulong itong pagdating ng cruise ship kasi kapag nasa Bangui lang ako, ang hirap magkaroon ng costumers. Tumaas ang sales namin” shared by 55-year-old-handcraft artisan Arceli Macaganda.

“With our 24 buses, lagpas isang libong turista ‘yan. Marami talaga ang matutulungang kapwa Ilocano,” said Jessie Duco Apostol, owner of JDA Tours which offers “city tours” in Laoag and Vigan. PNA

Zambo park, Mayon are protected areas–House

By Maricel V. Cruz ThE house of Representatives is scheduled to approve two measures declaring Mayon Volcano Natural Park in Albay province and the Pasonanca Natural Park in Zamboanga City as protected areas. house Bill No. 6394, authored by Rep. Fernando Gonzales of Albay, and hB No. 6449 by Zamboanga Rep. Celso Lobregat, seek to declare it the policy of the State to ensure the protection and conservation of the Mayon Park and Pasonanca Park, respectively.

The Mayon Volcano Natural Park is located in the Cities of Tabaco, Legazpi and Lagao and in the Municipalities of Malilipot, Sto. Domingo, Daraga, Camalig, and Guinobatan in Albay.

The Pasonanca Natural Park is located in Zamboanga City and covers a total area of 10,102.08 hectares.

The bills also prohibit vandalism such as mutilating, transporting, destroying, excavating or in any manner damaging any natural formation or object of natural beauty inside the said parks, including the removal, destruction and alteration of boundary markers and signs.

The two bills require clearance and permits for bioprospecting in the two parks to be obtained from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Protected Area Management Board Both bills designate the PAMB as administrator of the parks and prohibit hunting, collecting, catching, wounding, killing, destroying or possessing within the park or its buffer zone species of plants or animals or their by-products or derivatives, or transporting of these plants and animal species without prior approval of the PAMB.

Ilocos Norte marks 200th anniversary ThE Province of Ilocos Norte will celebrate its 200th founding anniversary or bicentennial this Feb. 2 through a series of events highlighting Ilocano culture and history.

According to Ilocos Norte Tourism Office Ianree Raquel, the bicentennial theme revolves around the question, “What makes you proud to be an Ilocano?”

“There is a need to come together as a province and really think about the meaning of what being an Ilocano is. This will be a time not just to look to the past, but also to examine the present and reflect on what we can do to bring the province forward.”

On the calendar are a bicentennial parade in Laoag City and in the Municipality of San Nicolas on January 26, and literary contests such as singing, digital poster-making, and quiz show to be held at Robinsons Place Ilocos on the 27th.

The “Tan-ok ni Ilocano Festival of Festivals” will then officially launch the bicentennial year on Feb. 2, a grand

showdown of festivals of the different cities and towns in Ilocos Norte that in previous years was usually held in the last quarter of the year.

On Feb. 15, the “Open Capitol” will be held, which is an office exhibit at the Provincial Capitol itself meant to promote transparency and openness. This will coincide with a centenary commemoration for the Capitol building.

This will be followed by the “I Love Ilocos Norte” Concert on the 16th together with the Sirib Awards, which is a program honoring Ilocano youth who have won or been recognized in national- and internationallevel competitions and the like.

The latter is being organized by the Ilocos Norte Youth Development Office, along with the “Taray ni Ayat” (“run of love”) fun run on Feb. 17.

Two centuries ago, the Provincia de Ilocos was split through a Spanish Royal Decree into what are now known as Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.

QC to dispatch rehabilitation needs assessment team to Marawi City MAYOR herbert Bautista has ordered members of Quezon City’s Disaster and Needs Assessment team to visit Marawi City and assess how the city government can assist in rebuilding the war-torn city.

The DANA team will be composed of the QC Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Engineer-

ing Department, General Services Department, City Planning Department, Social Services and Development Department, and the City health Department.

“We are responding to the instructions of Mayor herbert Bautista based on the appeal of the nation government to help in reconstruction and redevelopment of

Marawi after the siege. We are sending a disaster and needs assessment team to Marawi on the second week of January,” City Administrator Aldrin Cuna said.

Bautista has mentioned the city’s intention to provide aid during his State of the City Address.

“Ang contribution po natin talaga ay magtayo ng isang

elementary school, high school at health center para maitayo at maitaguyod agad ang mga kababayan nating mga taga-Marawi. Sana po, we, local governments must continue to help each other.

Ito ay tuloy-tuloy na ang hangad ko po personally ay maging tradisyon ng lungsod Quezon hanggang kaya natin,” Bautista said.

The DANA team aim will also gather insights and learn from what happened in Marawi.

“Mayor herbert has stressed na pag aralan din ang economic impact ng armed conflict doon may mga business and investors doon, how can they bounce back. Ito yung mga isa sa mga gustong makita ni may-

or. Yung socioeconomic impact. Hindi lang sa residents pati na rin sa mga investors and business owners. Pag nakita natin yung mga effects, at least dito sa ating syudad masimulan na natin pag aralan at mabigyan ng diin na magkaroon ng business continuity plans yung ating mga stakeholders,” Karl Marasigan, head, QCDRRMO said.

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ARANGANI has the unusual distinction of being one of the country’s youngest provinces and at the same time, one of the oldest.

In 1992, it was created to become the 75th of the 81 provinces out of the coastal municipalities of South Cotabato. Hence it is relatively one of the country’s youngest provinces. Oldest because it is home to one of the archipelago’s oldest prehistoric settlements found in the remote caves in Maitum town where 2,000-year old anthropomorphic burial jars were unearthed.

Fragments of the said jars can still be seen inside Pinol Cave, while an archaeological diorama is on display at the Maitum Municipal Hall.

This old world charm was showcased once more as Sarangani held the 15th MunaTo Festival to mark its 25th founding anniversary. MunaTo was derived from the B’laan phrase Muna To or “first people” who inhabited the area.

The centerpiece of the festivities was the street dancing competition topped by the James L. Chiongbian High School in Kiamba who presented the town’s Timpuyog Festival. The dance routine was based on the tri-people culture of the Tboli tribe, the Sangir Islamic community and the Visayan lowland settlers, particularly on the harvest, and warrior and hunter way of life of the natives.

The celebration also highlighted the exquisite culture and traditional weaving of its indigenous peoples— the Blaan, Tboli, and Tagakaolo, as well as the Maguindanaon and Maranao Moro communities. Taking the spotlight was Blaan master igem (mat) weaver Bai Estelita Bantilan, recipient of the 2017 Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan or National Living Treasure accolade.

“MunaTo celebrates the province’s rich cultural heritage, adventure destinations and natural wonders which are wonderfully interwoven together,” says Sarangani Governor Steve Solon.

He noted that this year’s festival is special as 2017 has been a banner year for the province in the fields of businesses, agriculture, and tourism.

Sarangani was named the country’s sixth most competitive province in the 2017 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI), 18 notches higher from its 23rd position the previous year.

Organized by the National Competitiveness Council with the Regional Competitiveness Committees (RCCs) and the United States Agency for International Development, local governments are ranked based on their scores on economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure and resiliency.

The province was also recognized

by Secretary Manny Piñol as the most successful Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Project of the Department of Agriculture because of its efficient and implementation.

Life

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

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tuesday, januaRy 16, 2018

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Sarangani’s 15th MunaTo Festival highlighted Blaan master igem (weaver) and 2017 Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan, Bai Estelita Bantilan

Sarangani’s SiLver SizzLer The 15th MunaTo Festival highlighted (clockwise) Pearl of Sarangani 2017 winner Juliana Palermo, Gov. Solon at the 4th Sarangani IP Congress, Rivermaya, Scuba divers at Maasim Reef in Sarangani by Iggy Tadlip

“Tourism is bright spot in the local economy, as we registered 980,972 day visitors and 107,730 overnight guests in 2016,” Solon said.

He pointed out that the province has also gained recognition as the country’s paragliding capital, with some flyable 300 days a year because of good winds and fair weather.

Located at the peak of Maasim, the SAFI Ranch Fly Site has been identified by aerosports aficionados as among the archipelago’s best fly sites, having hosted the International Paragliding Accuracy Competition (IPAC) in 2014, and the prestigious Paragliding Accuracy World Cup (PGAWC) in 2015.

Meanwhile, Sarangani Bay was declared by the Department of Tourism as the scuba diving haven of Soccsksargen Region following a safari which gathered the country’s leading dive tour operators and underwater photographers.

Spicing up the fete was the Pearl of Sarangani pageant won by Kiezel Mellado of the Municipality of Alabel who was awarded by former actress and DOT region 11 Tourism Officer Juliana Palermo and Pearl 2016 winner and Eat Bulaga Miss Millennial contestant Maria Carmela Villaruel.

Rivermaya brought festivities to an end as they rocked the night away with their well-loved hits before an adoring crowd at the Provincial Capitol grounds in Alabel.

The men behind the country’s top filipino-owned hotel brand AT THE helm of Waterfront hotels’ well-organized operations are four seasoned hoteliers whose vast knowledge of the hotel industry has made the chain the foremost Filipino hotel and hospitality brand. Their combined expertise, experience and dedication to excellence provide the foundation that guide the day-to-day operations and inspire the hotels’ exceptional level of quality in all the four properties.

They are Jean Francois Asimus of Waterfront Manila Pavilion Hotel, Anders Hallden Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino, Rex Benhur Caballes of Waterfront Airport Hotel & Casino Mactan, and Bryan Yves Lasala of Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao.

French hotelier Jean Francois Asimus, who now heads the Waterfront Manila Pavilion Hotel as general manager, is the most recent to join Waterfront’s roster of hotel executives. His career in the hotel industry spans 22 years and has seen him directing and managing Full scale luxury hotels in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the Maldives. He has also worked for prestigious hospitality brands in Paris and the UK. Asimus comes to Waterfront Manila Pavilion Hotel as a result-oriented executive with solid expertise in management. His skills in strategic planning and management, sales and marketing knowledge, and his proficiency on the implementation of standards and corporate strategies for hotels and residential properties will help facilitate more creative innovations at the Waterfront Manila Pavilion Hotel.

Already, Asimus is in the thick of overseeing the innovations and improvements that Waterfront Manila Pavilion Hotel is undergoing. Currently, the hotel is in the last stage of Internet reconstruction that features the latest communication technology from Australia – the first of its kind in the coun-

Waterfront Hotels general managers (from left) Anders Hallden, Jean Francois Asimus, Bryan Yves Lasala, and Rex Benhur Caballes

try. This puts Waterfront Manila Pavilion Hotel in the vanguard of advanced Internet and wireless communication in any hotel. “This will give our guests, especially those who are in the corporate sector or those who stay for leisure and a relaxing staycation, better access in the internet wherever they go inside the hotel,” Asimus weighs in on the benefits of the project.

Under his supervision, major renovations in the hotel’s facilities have likewise started to give clients more efficient service and comfort that’s out of the ordinary. By 2018, Asimus notes, Waterfront Manila Pavilion Hotel will offer a “brand new hospitality experience” to delight guests no end and open new market opportunities for the hotel.

With the coming of a new Executive Chef from Singapore, Asimus also sees a major revamp in the food menu. He says, “We are looking forward to the wide variation of the food selection in our dining outlets by mid-next year.”

Anders Hallden, the general manager of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino, has a quick smile and easygoing manner that makes running a humongous hotel seem like the easiest job in the world. In truth, he is a perfectionist whose keen attention to detail helps in running the hotel as smoothly as a well-oiled machinery. Hallden takes particular pride in the hotel’s portfolio of dining options that offer excellent food and memorable dining experience, such as Ting Gow, UNO, La Gondola, Mizu, and the Treff Bar, a

chic watering hole perfect for cocktails and after-dinner drinks.

“We also have outlets and services that operate 24 hours, like the Casino Restaurant, the gym, and room service.

We’re a hotel that never sleeps,” he points out. “Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino remains unequalled because we train everyone to expect the unexpected and to anticipate the needs of guests. When you train your staff well and do your research, you will always be a step ahead of the competition.”

Rex Benhur Caballes is a busy man.

Managing a hotel in close proximity to the city’s international airport puts an extra demand on one’s schedule, what with the coming and going of passengers all in need of assistance fresh from

their flight or in a hurry to catch the next. As hotel manager of Waterfront Airport Hotel & Casino Mactan, he is on his toes attending to the needs of guests and overseeing the hotel’s different functions to make sure that everything works to the ultimate satisfaction of guests.

The readiness to innovate, thinks Caballes, is what makes the Waterfront brand stand out from the competition.

He opines, “Over the years, a lot of hotels have surfaced and they create newer and unique kind of hospitality. But, Waterfront Hotels remained steadfast competing with all others. We at Waterfront are open to changes and innovations. It is also important to be flexible. We see that our guests are evolving and that we too should adapt. From there, we would know where to position our hotel through the kind of guests that we have.”

Bryan Yves Sato Lasala, hotel manager of Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao, says working in Mindanao, offers unlimited and exciting prospects. He says, “The stakeholders of the hospitality and tourism industry are doing a very good job at selling and marketing Davao and Mindanao not just as a destination but also as a place for conventions and events. There are already a lot of changes and improvements in Mindanao. With the advancement of technology and through social media, the people from Mindanao have become more aware of its beauty and grandeur.”

Service, he adds, puts Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao at the forefront of the developments in Davao. “It is service that guests visiting Davao will remember. And at Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao, we work hard to give them the excellent service that guests deserve, service that comes from the heart, service that makes them feel right at home, service that’s worth looking back to,” he says.

Life

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tuesday, january 16, 2018 isahred@gmail.com

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Music festival for Marawi

FIRST of its kind music festival, the Ishin-Denshin International Music Festival, featuring Filipino and Japanese pop music, was successfully held at the MOA Concert Grounds recently with the proceeds intended to go to the Manny Pacquiao Foundation for the rehabilitation of the people of Marawi City.

The Ishin-Denshin, a Japanese idiom meaning “what the mind thinks, the heart transmits,” was presented in Manila by Monde Luce Productions, headed by Irizuki Kazuyoshi, and in coordination with Miss Global Philippines Organization, led by its president and CEO Pauline Sofia Laping. The Ishin-Denshin musicfest was billed as a celebration of life, with the objective to unite Filipino and Japanese music lovers and showcase the vibrant character of the two different cultures.

“The relationship between our two countries, historically, has been very dynamic. There’s always been a lot of similarities and differences, but above all, there’s always been admiration and respect. What better way to celebrate the bond between our countries’ cultures than with the biggest music festival this side of the Pacific,” Kazuyoshi said.

Among the performers were Bamboo, Ely Buendia, Apl de Ap, Itchyworms, Roksteddy, Absolute Play, Barbi Almabis, Beni Beverly, Maria Gow together with DJ Ace Ramos, DJ Hello Kitty, DJ Daiki and DJ Shoyd who was excited

caption

to share the stage with some of the big names in the pop scene. Music fans of all ages got the best from all the performers as they explored new and exciting sounds that had never been heard before.

Text and Photos: Eton Concepcion

DJ Nir Deautsch from Israel, Diana Meneses, and Pauline Laping are flanked by models and beauty queens during the launch of InshinDenshin International Music Festival

New beachfront resort in Boracay

How to enjoy Boracay Nobody else shared the pool with me at the beautiful Hen

mercury rising

BY BOB zOzOBRADO

BEInG older and wiser, I have adjusted my travel patterns according to what I learned from experience, and I don’t mind sharing with all of you my “trade secret” on my Boracay travels.

The almost deserted beach along Station 2 which I had, practically, all to myself.

The first time I had the opportunity to visit that island was when I went there country. Much to my surprise, the bay- tanned bodies. It was an energizing walk, with colleagues from the international side pathways were not at all congested, and I got to see more of the people and the airline I used to work for many, many even during the day’s peak hours. The interesting things they do…and sell.

That visit taught me to always schedyears ago. It was at the peak of summer. beach was almost deserted at any given You can imagine how crowded the whole time of the day. At night, the bars and ule a Boracay trip right after the Sumplace was. Walking along the bayside restaurants were not crowded at all, and mer Vacation, or Semestral Vacation or the Christmas Holidays, and I have pathway in Station 2 was like navigating one could easily find a seat. done that through the across Tokyo’s Shibuya years. That way, I could pedestrian crossing, the really enjoy myself in world’s biggest, busiest YOUR TUESDAY CHUCKLE the island, basking in the pedestrian lane, where you sun on the beach without don’t really walk across, I have always liked the colors red, white and blue because, a hundred other bodies you “attack.” to me, they stand for freedom¼ until you see them around me, or taking a I remember that on that flashing behind your car. stroll without having to first visit, wherever I did navigate through an onsome walking, I got concoming crowd, or immetinuously bumped on both That was when I started to enjoy Bo- diately getting served in a bar or restausides by tanned bodies, slimy with tanning lotion, walking slowly and leisurely, racay and everything it had to offer. rant without having to endure a queue or milling around the many sidewalk Only then could I understand and ap- for what seems like an eternity.

Just a few days ago, after the Christvendors along the path. When I decided preciate why, through the years, it has to avoid the overcrowded pathways and consistently topped the list of Top 5 Is- mas exodus had dissipated, I decided to walk along the beach instead, I had to lands in the World. In fact, last year, sneak into the island to relax after too tiptoe or hop over bodies basking in the Condé nast Traveler proclaimed it as much “holiday-ing.” Just as I expected, sun, much like engaging in my childhood “The Best Island In The World” and the island was devoid of the crowds. Any described it as an “itty-bitty island, as part of the beach or the hotel poolside, I game of hopscotch.

After that first visit, I concluded that close to a tropical idyll as you’ll find in practically owned, as there was nobody Boracay will never be the place for me to Southeast Asia, with gentle coastlines else near me to share my “private” space.

What bliss it was to spend a few days de-stress. In fact, in the succeeding years, and transporting sunsets.”

Such recognition was based on the votes in such an idyllic setting, with nothing I begged off from a lot of invitations from my friends simply because my idea of a made by 300,000 readers of the magazine. but the sound of waves rushing to shore, beach destination is that which gives me Domestic and international visitors rave the cool wind blowing from every some peace and quiet that can take me about the island’s beaches, the powdery which way, and the sun gently working away from the constant hustle and bustle white sand and shallow blue water which is up my tan which I could “take home” and show off to friends. of city life. Boracay was far from being ideal for swimming and snorkeling.

So, if you need to spend a really relaxing During that second visit, I realized Boone…until four years ago.

Having been chosen as one of the racay’s potential as a stress reliever for holiday in “The Best Island In The World,” principal sponsors of the beach wed- harried city dwellers like me. In fact, I tweak your travel schedule. You’ll be conding of a very close business associate, I started to like the island, especially after vinced that Boracay really is. had to go back to Boracay, and this was I did a leisurely stroll along the bayside For feedback, I’m at right after the Summer vacation ended, pathway from Station 2 to Station 3, withbobzozobrado@gmail.com and classes had resumed all over the out having to maneuver between slimy

MöVEnPICK Hotels & Resorts is setting new hospitality standards in Boracay with the launch of a new resort on one of the tropical island’s most beautiful unspoiled beaches.

Overlooking the serene turquoise ocean at Punta Bunga Cove on the exclusive northwest coast, the 312-key Mövenpick Resort & Spa Boracay is a unique low-rise property with architecture designed to blend with the natural environment and a secluded 200-metre private beach.

The five-star beachfront property also offers a wide range of world-class facilities and attractions that appeal to guests of all ages, from the island’s biggest multi-level swimming pool spanning some 3,300 square meters, to the Sol Marina Beach Club, which plays host to international DJs and dance acts.

Conveniently located just 30 minutes from Caticlan airport, the luxury resort features 312 contemporary rooms and suites, most with sea views, while the seven bars and restaurants serve a wide range of high-quality cuisine for which Mövenpick is known for, with specialty options including Italian, Japanese and Korean.

Families are also well catered to with connecting rooms and suite options available, a generous children’s pool, and the Little Birds Kids’ Club, which, as part of the recently launched Mövenpick Family Programme, offers a choice of fun and engaging activities for young guests, with a focus on cultural and environmental awareness and immersion.

The program’s signature Power Bites menu is available too, featuring a wide range of creative and healthy childfriendly dishes.

Resort facilities also include a spa and fitness center and indoor and outdoor meeting and event venues designed to suit all occasions, from board meetings and group workshops to romantic weddings amid landscaped gardens or swaying beach palms.

“With its unique design, exclusive setting and several one-of-a-kind facilities, Mövenpick Resort & Spa Boracay

introduces a new style of hospitality to this tropical island and supports our ambitious expansion plans in the Philippines and wider Southeast Asia,”said Olivier Chavy, president and CEO, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.

“Boracay is fast emerging as one of the Asia’s leading beach destinations and the time is right for Mövenpick to cement its presence in this strategically important location.”

Mövenpick Resort & Spa Boracay is Mövenpick’s second property in the Philippines where it already operates the 245-key Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu. The Swiss hospitality firm is actively seeking opportunities to grow its portfolio across the island nation.

The new Boracay resort is set to quickly establish itself as a first-class dining destination, offering pan-Asian and international flavors at The Market, the resort’s all-day dining restaurant with regular themed evening buffets; authentic Italian fare, including neapolitan wood-fired pizzas, at Brezza; and top-quality Korean barbecue dishes and Japanese sushi at Ssäm.

Other options include The Café, serving fresh pastries and cakes, including local merienda favorites, and the venue for Mövenpick’s daily afternoon Chocolate Hour; the pool bar offering refreshing cocktails and light snacks; the Fun Pub, which is ideal for sports and Karaoke fans; and the aforementioned Sol Marina Beach Club, a stylish Ibiza-inspired beachfront venue where guests can chill out with DJ beats as a backdrop. This hip casual beach club hosts regular parties and live performances.

“Our resort is a foodie and fun-seeker haven in a top-class global beach destination,”said General Manager Albert Ocasio. “Its outstanding range of facilities also cater to all guest types, from families with children of all ages to couples looking for a romantic or wellness getaway and groups seeking an inspirational beachside venue.

Mövenpick Resort & Spa Boracay is nothing short of a private paradise for visitors of all ages.”

Movenpick Resort & Spa is the newest destination in Boracay, offering world-class facilities and attractions that appeal to guests of all ages

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018

1:43 MUSIC VIDEO

JASON ABALOS

doesn’t mind playing supporting roles HE HAS only positive words to say about his inclusion in the latest GMA prime time offering The One that Got away despite the general observation that it’s just a supporting part.

“It’s my first official soap for the Kapuso network and it excites me so much,” Jason Abalos avers. “I don’t mind if it’s just a supporting role in the meantime. As everyone knows, I’m just new in the GMA stable.

Whether it’s a lead or supporting part, I’m happy and grateful because it’s still work.

“Another thing, my character is nice. It’s not just the usual supporting role. Actually, it’s an interesting one---I’m a single dad in the story who’ll get involved with the character of Rhian (Ramos). Dennis (Trillo) and I will have a conflict over her. It’s something new and I’m glad to be assigned the part.”

Obviously, the award-winning actor is enjoying his stint as a Kapuso talent.

“Oh yes! For one, since I transferred in here in October last year, I had successive guest appearances in majority of their programs.

Even their game shows, I am able to visit and that’s something good. I feel happy because in the process, I get to meet majority of GMA stars.”

Apart from his successful career, the goodlooking lad’s love life is also on the upswing.

His relationship with steady Vickie Rushton is still going strong.

“I’m thankful that we’re very much okay at this point. Despite all the controversies, there’s no problem between us. In fact, we have joint businesses together. She just put up a party needs and flower shop and we co-manage a salon. She is a good businesswoman and truth is, she’s the one who influenced me to venture into it.”

Interestingly, Jason reveals his girlfriend’s up to something big and exciting this year.

“Yes, she is determined to join the 2018 Binibining Pilipinas pageant. Of course, I will give her my 100 percent support in the same manner that she supports my endeavours.

That’s why our relationship is strong,” he ends. ******** Ryza Cenon is proud that after 12 years since she made a name in Philippine entertainment via the renowned GMA star search offering StarStruck, she’s headlining a movie called Mr. & Mrs. Cruz opposite JC Santos.

“Yes! I’m so happy with this project.

After more than a decade, I was given the chance to be the female lead. It’s not actually my maiden potboiler since if you’ll remember, I already appeared in Lovestruck, Puso 3, Migrante, Diyos-Diyosan, Enteng Kabisote and the Abangers, and Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B. But this one is different because it’s mainstream and as I’ve said, I’m the lead. Of course, I feel some pressure since I don’t know the process,” she states.

In spite of this, the pretty Ika-6 na Utos villainess is so thankful with this positive turn of event.

“It’s a blessing because finally, I’m getting what I really want. Some might think that since I’m already 30 years old, it’s kind of late for me to be a female lead in a movie.

Personally, I also think that way. But look at Ate Jodi (Sta. Maria). She’s actually my inspiration. All the big breaks as a lead actress came to her at the latter phase of her career. This gave me hope and motivation to continue pursuing my dream and I’m glad that here came a huge chance.”

She is currently under Viva Artists Agency after leaving GMA Artist Center. Didn’t she have fears before coming to said decision?

“I know that it’s a big gamble. It’s risky. But I had to do it so I can move forward. Anyway, I still remain a Kapuso because they’re my priority when it comes to TV projects,” says Ryza.

for ‘Pasensya Na’ launched

L

OCAL music fans may stop holding their breath as the muchawaited launch of iconic Filipino boy band 1:43’s official music video for its second comeback single “Pasensya Na” finally happened yesterday.

Presented by world-class leather goods maker McJim Class Leather, the “Pasensya Na” music video was filmed by the 1:43 team in Taipei, Taiwan, early December last year.

“A song that evokes a universal theme and is presented by a worldclass brand like McJim deserves no less than a world-class treatment for its music video. That is why for ‘Pasensya Na,’ 1:43 decided to take its fans and everyone who considers themselves martyrs of love on an emotional rollercoaster ride in Taipei, Taiwan,” says 1:43 founder and manager Chris Cahilig.

Cahilig “If they love the song, they will surely get hooked on this visual and auditory treat of a video that we have prepared for them. ‘Pasensya Na’ is something that almost everyone can relate to as most of us—at one point in our lives—have been martyrs of love and slaves to our emotions,” Cahilig muses.

McJim recently picked the revitalized 1:43 as the second recipient of its Dreams Get Real OPM Advocacy Grant for “Pasensya Na”. Having been consistently supportive of Filipino

Members of the all-new Pinoy boyband 1:43, (from left) Art Artienda, Jason Allen Estroso, Wayne Avellano, and Ced Miranda

music, McJim likewise tapped 1:43 to further promote OPM by making it more appealing and relevant, especially to the younger generation. In fact, McJim— towards this end—successfully launched talent searches for the next big thing in the local music scene and sponsored the music of personalities like Tony Labrusca, X-Factor UK contestant JBK, Neo Domingo, Myrus, and 1:43.

“For decades, McJim has always adhered to its exceptional standards in product quality,” the company said in a statement.

“By taking on this advocacy, the brand shows its intent to pursue outstanding local music talents in the country and, in the process, help realize the potential of OPM as a world-class force.

“And right now,” McJim adds, “we can’t think of a better partner for this than the charismatic 1:43. We are confident that their heart-tugging second comeback single ‘Pasensya Na’ will inspire more young

Month of music in ‘Art 2 Art’ Artist Rolando ART 2 Art focuses Tinio), the on music in its three related January episodes, how thrilled ushering in a new they were that year of insightful the film has conversations with been receiving the country’s finest c r i t i c a l artists and leading acclaim. culture movers and Celeste and shakers.

Rachel sing the P r o d u c e d duet from the by the Manila B r o a d c a s t i n g Guests Celeste Legaspi, Rachel Alejandro and Girlie movie, “Kay Company and Rodis of 'Ang Larawan' tell 'Art 2 Art' host Lisa Macuja Saya ng Buhay hosted by “Ballerina (leftmost) how they brought their passion project to Noong Araw.”

On Jan.21, ng Bayan” Lisa the big screen. singer and Macuja, Art 2 Art airs every Sunday, 3:30 to 4 p.m., on radio musical theater actress Aicelle Santos via DZRH (666 khz on the AM band), – who incidentally was also in Ang on cable television via RHTV (Ch. 129 Larawan – talks about the next challenge on Skycable in Metro Manila, Ch. 18 on she faces as the lead star of The Sandbox Cignal TV and Ch. 3 on Cablelink) and Collective’s Himala: Ang Musikal. online livestreaming at http://dzrhnews Aicelle takes on the lead role of Elsa, television.tv. The show may also be viewed originally played by Nora Aunor in the television.tv through the Facebook account DZRH News film, a girl whose healing power draws throngs to her impoverished barrio.

Television.

After its year-opener featuring Asia’s Aicelle sings “Gawin Mo Akong Sining” Romantic Balladeer Christian Bautista on from the musical.

Finally, on Jan. 28, journalist Tina Arceo Jan. 7, the program presents the following Dumlao relates why and how she worked episodes: Yesterday, the producers and stars of on a book on Filipino songwriters titled Ang Larawan – Celeste Legaspi, Rachel Himig at Titik. It took four years for her Alejandro and Girlie Rodis – shared their to finish the 300-plus-page book, which stories on the making of the Metro Manila includes interviews with over 30 Philippine Film Festival’s Best Picture. Though it took music industry veterans, from rocker Jose years to bring the musical to the big screen “Pepe” Smith and prolific composer/singer (based on National Artist Nick Joaquin’s Rey Valera to lesser-known personalities play, with a libretto written by National behind well-known songs.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, January 16, 2018

ACROSS 1 Brownish yellow 5 Stockholm carrier 8 Big hunk 12 One more time 14 Sanskrit dialect 15 Summer hangout 16 Cheese portion 17 Fail to include 18 Remedy 19 Erie Canal city 21 Kind of daisy 23 Endeavor 24 Sault — Marie 25 Shaggy beast 26 Diet food type (hyph.)

30 Fence parts 32 Monastery title 33 Earthmover 37 Bitterness 38 Olympics prize 39 Sink one’s teeth into 40 Set aside 42 Sachet component 43 Tornado finder 44 Uncannily 45 Std. 48 Classified section 49 Youth org.

50 Leatherneck

52 Spider 57 Fuel cartel 58 Goose egg 60 Exciting 61 Memo 62 Was, to Ovid 63 Oman neighbor 64 Former senior 65 Shadowy 66 — -majeste DOWN 1 Deep voice 2 Repulsive 3 Carnival 4 Payroll deduction 5 No different 6 Boxing great 7 Remain unmoving (2 wds.)

8 Pet-adoption org.

9 Really awful 10 Ventricle neighbor 11 Desolate 13 Flower product 14 Small bunch of flowers 20 Website 22 Cuddled 24 Potato or egg — 26 Org. for Annika Sorenstam

Filipino music fans to appreciate OPM.” Written by Jason Dedal and arranged by Sonic State Audio Studio, “Pasensya Na” expresses the kind of love that is willing to give—and give some more—just as long as the beloved is happy.

“Handa akong gawin ang lahat-lahat ng gusto mo / Handa akong ialay ang aking buhay para lang sa’yo / Handa akong ubusin ang aking sarili, o mahal ko / Basta’t lumigaya ka lang kahit ako pa ang masaktan,” goes the song’s chorus.

“Pasensya Na” is McJim’s official soundtrack in its viral short film Sinturon, which earned millions of views in various Facebook pages in a brief span of time.

The emotionally engaging “Pasensya Na” music video can be viewed on 1:43’s official YouTube and Facebook pages, as well as on McJim’s digital platforms.

“Pasensya Na” may also be streamed in various digital platforms like Spotify worldwide, and is currently enjoying

27 Uttered 28 Is going to 29 Do a salon job 30 Less refined 31 Not pickled 33 Sweater letters 34 Pasta choice 35 Footnote abbr.

(2 wds.)

36 Feel sure of 38 Infuriated 41 “Slither” actor 42 Swell 44 That, in Acapulco

45 In between 46 Gas 47 Actress — Garbo 49 Pork sausage, briefly 51 Sealed a deal 52 Evictee from Eden 53 Loaf end 54 Entry form ID 55 Date in March 56 Unit of force 59 “Exodus” role

favorable airplay on FM radio stations nationwide. It follows the success of 1:43’s hit comeback single “Trapik Tralala,” which centered on love in the time of traffic gridlock.

“Whether it’s all about unrequited love, loving someone from a distance, or pining for a lost love, ‘Pasensya Na’ speaks for those who have given their lovers all they’ve got and are still found wanting.

If you have ever said sorry or ‘pasensya na’ to someone because loving them too much is simply not enough, this song speaks to you,” Cahilig says.

Still, Cahilig adds, “there is solace in music, and a song like ‘Pasensya Na’ comforts distressed lovers with the thought that you are not alone in your pain; you don’t have to go through it alone.”

The new 1:43 features four talented and charismatic young men – Art Artienda, Ced Miranda, Jason Allen Estroso, and Wayne Avellano. The quartet bagged the 2013 Star Awards for Music Song of the Year for the monster hit “Sa Isang Sulyap Mo” and scored the “Most Promising Performing and Recording Group” recognition at the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation’s 45th Box-Office Entertainment Awards.

1:43 is co-managed by Cahilig and Mario Colmenares of Primetime Events and Talent Management.

For booking inquiries, interested parties may send a message at chriscahilig@gmail.com or call 09054409521.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018

Who wore Tiffany at the Golden Globes Gal Gadot wearibg a chandelier diamond earrings

ISAH V. RED

A

Gal Gadot, Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie and more donned Tiffany at this year’s awards.

Tiffany & Co. is honored to be celebrating the strong and talented women at the 75th Golden Globe® Awards.

Tiffany is committed to helping drive change and will make a donation to TIME’S UP on behalf of everyone wearing the to support women everywhere.

Presenter Gal Gadot, who dominated the box office this year and empowered young women the world over, accessorized her look with Tiffany chandelier earrings and a diamond bracelet.

Nominee Greta Gerwig, the inspiring director and

writer of the critically acclaimed Lady Bird, took to the red carpet in an archival Tiffany necklace, a diamond ring and earrings.

Nominee Margot Robbie, honored for her captivating performance in I, Tonya, wore Tiffany earrings and white gold ring with pearls.

Tiffany & Co. also had the privilege of dressing presenters Natalie Portman who wore diamond earrings and a ring, Sarah Paulson who wore Tiffany HardWear earrings, Common who wore a dragonfly brooch and Tiffany CT60® watch, O.T. Fagbenle who wore a Tiffany Square watch, as well as Liev Schreiber who also donned a Tiffany CT60® watch.

Margot Robbie completes her black ensemble with simple Tiffany & Co. jewels

NEW ROMCOM

premieres on GMA

FTER My Korean Jagiya (Heart Evangelista and Alexander Lee), late night romantic comedy fans are in for a new hilarious series featuring three women, all sharing the same experience with the same guy as boyfriend. But, of course, he is now their beloved “ex.”

Lovi Poe, Max Collins, and Rhian Ramos play the girls that Dennis Trillo, at various points in time, were his girlfriends, and all of them ended up broken hearted when he broke up with them.

The series is called The One That Got Away, referring of course to Trillo’s character in relation to the three women, Poe, Collins, and Ramos.

At a certain point in the series, the three girls meet and funnily, all three of them are still yearning for the same man. What will happen then? Will they be friends, enemies, of frenemies?

This 2018, GMA Network starts the year with a bang proudly unveiling The One That Got Away, a sexy, romantic comedy series that will surely entertain and make Kapuso viewers believe in love, family, friendship, and all the craziness that goes with it. Kapuso’s opening salvo is all set to win the hearts of television audiences with its intriguing storyline and interesting mix of characters.

Three of the network’s sought-after leading ladies play the series’ interesting lead characters –Ramos as “Zoe”, Collins as “Darcy” and Poe as “Alex,” with the station’s Drama King, Trillo, as “Liam,” the man whom these women had a relationship with in the past.

The first ex-girlfriend, Alexandra Rey “Alex” Makalintal, is beautiful, independent, familyoriented and incredibly career-driven. She and Liam fell madly in love. Alex’s family loved Liam too, and Liam’s friends all liked Alex for him. But Alex’s career goals got in the way. She rejected Liam’s marriage proposal and they parted ways.

The second ex-girlfriend, Darlene “Darcy” Sibuyan, met Liam after he broke up with Alex .

They became friends until they fell for each other.

But when an opportunity abroad presented itself to Darcy, she decided to take it. The long distance relationship didn’t work for both of them, eventually breaking them apart.

The third ex-girlfriend, Sophia Elizabeth “Zoe” Velasquez is a swimwear designer and blogger who’s always out for fun. Her parents separated when she was young which is why Liam became her pseudo-family. However, Zoe’s possessive tendencies and Liam’s busy schedule are the reason their relationship fell apart. But ever since breaking up with him, Zoe regretted her decision and wants Liam back.

Dennis Trillo is William Dominic “Liam” Ilustre, the ex-boyfriend of Alex, Darcy, and Zoe. He is the ideal boyfriend – handsome, smart, loving, and a true gentleman. He manages his own organic farm and dreams of a big, happy family. He eventually meets a fatal accident and became comatose. When he wakes up, he see his three exes together in his hospital room.

Three perfectly lovely women are still in love with him. But who will win his heart again? More importantly, how does friendship thrive among Alex, Darcy, and Zoe if they were all once romantically linked with the same man?

Also featuring in this frenzied tale is a roster of talented actors with boyish good looks and arresting charm.

Ivan Dorschner is Inigo Sandoval, Liam’s college friend and a trust fund baby who graduated with a business degree. He loves traveling the world and meets a lot of women doing so. Later on, he falls in love with Darcy and this will cause a conflict with him and Liam.

Migo Adecer is Samuel “Sam” Isaac, Zoe’s mischievous half-brother. Since he came home from Australia, he moved in with Zoe and she assigned him to manage one of their coffee shops. He had a lot of girlfriends in the past. He also develops a crush

Greta Gerwig's feather-like gold and diamond necklace

Dennis Trillo in GMA's newest TV series

Gerald Anderson (left) and Jake Cuenca in 'Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin'

on Alex.

Jason Abalos, in his very first GMA project, is Gael Makalintal. He is Alex’s elder brother and a cool single-dad to his four-year old son, Nemo. He is also a chick-magnet and begins dating Zoe, causing a rift between him and Alex.

Also in the cast are Bembol Roco as Pancho Makalintal, Alex’s jolly father and a wannabe rockstar who now teaches music part-time; Snooky Serna as Fatima “Patty” Makalintal, Alex’s conservative mother who is also a hopeless romantic and owns a small antique shop; Luz Valdez as Maria “Mama Ya” De Los Reyes, Liam’s hip and motherly yaya who raised him like her own son; Ervic Vijandre as Joni, Darcy’s elder brother who already has a son; Ayra Mariano as Mikaela “Ekay” Makalintal, the kikay younger sister of Alex who dreams of becoming an actress and develops a crush on Sam; Ashley Rivera as Paris, a constant backstabber and segment host at the cable network Alex works at; Sophie Albert as Chanel, Liam’s current girlfriend and a sophisticated marketing executive for a local clothing brand; and Jason Francisco as Moi, Liam’s childhood friend who is also the crew leader at his organic farm and crushes on Onay, among others.

The One That Got Away airs right after Kambal, Karibal on GMA Telebabad. *** One of my favorite local soaps happen to be Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin that airs Monday to Friday, 11:30 a.m. on the Kapamilya channel. Actually, I discovered this series by accident, although I knew about it, until I was searching something to watch before lunch several months ago. I stumbled upon it on SkyCable 167, the HD channel of ABS-CBN (I prefer watching shows on HD as it’s images are close to reality, so unlike the images of SD (Standard Definition) that appear distorted on wide flat screen monitors).

Now, the show is counting just two weeks before its finale. And I am saddened by its imminent departure from the screen.

I like the narrative development of the soap and currently Carlos (Jake Cuenca) gets more cunning in plotting revenge against Gabriel (Gerald Anderson) using Lola Lydia (Gina Pareño) as bait to destroy his nemesis.

Despite his perfectly laid out ploys, Carlos still fails to end his rival’s life after Gabriel managed to escape the brutal hands of the syndicate. To ensure Gabriel’s downfall, Carlos has deceived Lola Lydia into trusting him and has threatened Gabriel that he would hurt the old woman once Gabriel does any move against him.

Carlos’ secrets, meanwhile, are starting to unravel after Bianca (Kim Chiu) learned about the millions of pesos he earned from the transaction he had with the syndicate.

Gabriel also discovered that Carlos is conniving with a shareholder to steal money from Tiger Shark, proving that the latter is the mastermind behind the company’s losses.

I am not surprised that it consistently leads in national TV ratings. Last Jan 8, the series recorded a national TV rating of 17.3 percent,

or a 10.2-point lead over The Lolas’ Beautiful Show with only 7.1 percent (according to data from Kantar Media). *** My friend and BBC World News anchor Rico Hizon has brought pride once again to the Philippines.

Rico’s global news show Newsday won the prestigious Best News Programme at the 22nd Asian Te l e v i s i o n Aw a r d s h e l d recently in Singapore.

Newsday beat four other nominated programs from CNN International, Al Jazeera and CNBC Asia Pacific. Rico’s other news show Asia Business Report was also nominated.

This is the first time a global news program presented by a Filipino won at the Asian Television Awards.

In his acceptance speech, Rico, the only Pinoy anchor on BBC News thanked his co-presenters Sharanjit Leyl, and Babita Sharma and Kasia Madera in London, the producers and directors from news gathering in London and Singapore for making this victory possible.

Newsday was launched in 2011 as a co-presented news program live from the BBC News global hubs in London and Singapore. Rico has anchored the show since the launch.

Celebrating his 15th year with BBC News this year, Rico is a multi-awarded journalist having won the Rotary Club of Manila Broadcast Journalist of the Year Award, The Outstanding Young Men or TOYM award for International Journalism and in 2014 was Highly Commended in the Best News Anchor category at the Asian Television Awards.

BBC News one of the most trusted sources of news has a global audience of 400 million.