Manila Standard - 2018 February 20 - Tuesday

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VOL. XXXII • NO. 9 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

LeBron is all-star game MVP again LOS ANGELES—LeBron James finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists to capture his third career NBA All-Star Game MVP as Team LeBron stormed from

behind to beat Team Stephen 148-145.

James, who was also MVP in 2006 and 2008, made 12 of 17 field goal attempts in 31 Next page

Outrage over 20 missing cats

By Joel E. Zurbano PUBLIC outrage broke out on social media after at least 20 cats living in the vicinity of the Shangri-La at The Fort hotel in Bonifacio Global City Next page

Rody backs China buildup in WP Sea SMASHING SUCCESS. Lebron James #23 of ‘Team LeBron’ raises the MVP award during the NBA All-Star Game as part of 2018 NBA All Star Weekend at Staples Center on Feb. 18 in Los Angeles, California. He carried his team to a 148-145 win over ‘Team Stephen’ in the first playground-pick-em-style NBA All-Star Game. James had 29 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists and several key plays down the stretch to secure the win and his third All-Star Game MVP. AFP

IS commander falls in Manila

By Francisco Tuyay and Rey E. Requejo POLICE presented an Egyptian accused of being a commander of the Islamic State and his Filipina partner Monday after they were arrested in an apartment in Ermita, Manila on Friday.

At a press conference, Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa identified the alleged ISIS leader as Fehmi Lassqued, an Egyptian national, and his girl friend as Anabel Moncera Salipada.

Dela Rosa said Lassqued was arrested on the strength of a search warrant after intelligence reports from the PNP’s foreign counterparts alerted them to an international terrorist hiding in Manila.

An ISIS flag, makeshift bombs, a .45-caliber pistol and ammunition were taken

from Lassqued during the raid, he said.

“At present, his status in the Philippines is a recruiter, but he was formerly a negotiator between ISIS and local officials in Syria and Turkey… so he is a commander of ISIS,” Dela Rosa said.

Records showed that Lassqued entered the country on July 26, 2016 through Iran using a fake passport.

Over the next year, he traveled several times to Malaysia and Turkey.

“He was traveling in and out of Manila,” Dela Rosa said, adding that the police and their foreign intelligence counterparts have yet to determine Lassqued’s mission in the countries he frequented.

Salapida told investigators she only met Lassqued in Manila, and said the suspect had not traveled to Mindanao.

The PNP has asked the Justice Department to prosecute Lassqued and

By Vito Barcelo, Francisco Tuyay and Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday suggested in jest that China make the Philippines a province as he defended China’s construction of military structures on the contested Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef in the South China Sea. In a speech during the 20th anniversary celebration of the Chinese Filipino Business Club, the President said the government is exerting more serious efforts to resolve the territorial issues in the South China Sea. In front of the Chinese businessmen, Duterte said the China could just make the Philippines a province, like Fujian.

He admitted that China is building military bases in the West Philippine Sea but said it would be silly for anyone to

think China will use such military assets against the Philippines.

“It’s not intended for us. The contending ideological powers of the world or the geopolitics have greatly changed.

It’s really intended against those who the Chinese think would destroy them and that is America,” he said.

Duterte also brushed aside the move of China to name undersea features in Philippine Rise.

“If they say there is a lot of oil

there, fine...Remember, that is ours. The whole of the China Sea, you have already claimed it…but this Philippine Rise is ours,” said Duterte.

He said any future scientific research conducted by foreign entities in the Philippine Rise will have to be cleared by the military first.

The Navy, meanwhile, has deployed a ship and two attack craft in the waters fronting the West Philippine Sea to ensure the country’s territorial integrity.

Lt. Sahirul Taib, public affairs officer of the Navy’s fleet based in Sangley Point in Cavite City, said that among the ships sent to Palawan waters were the BRP Nestor Reinoso and two newly-acquired multi-purpose attack craft (MPAC).

Taib said the three ships were part of the Navy’s Littoral Combat Force that sailed Feb. 15 from Naval Base Heracleo Alano, Sangley Point to the West Philippine Sea. Next page

Next page

ISIS SUSPECT DETAINED. Police

and army troops have arrested an Egyptian national they believe was a former commander of the Islamic State group along the Syria and Turkey border in a raid on a Manila apartment.

PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa identified the man as Fehmi Lassqued alias John Rasheed Lassqued and his Filipino woman companion Anabel Moncera Salipada.

Manny Palmero

Belo medical clinic in Alabang padlocked for selling cosmetics

By Joel E. Zurbano GOVERNMENT agents on Monday shut down a Belo Medical Clinic pharmacy branch in Alabang, Muntinlupa City for selling cosmetic and other pharmaceutical products not registered with the Food and Drug Administration.

FDA personnel padlocked the pharmacy situated on West Gate in Alabang and posted a notice stating the store “is hereby ordered closed and to cease and desist in conducting its business activity” for violating Section 11(c) of Republic Act No. 3720 or the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The food and drug regulator earlier ordered the Belo Medical Group to stop selling mislabeled cosmetics and drugs as the products were not registered and did not undergo certi-

fication process at the agency.

The subject cosmetics and pharmaceutical products include: • ZO Medical by Zein Obagi; • MD Glycogent Exfoliation Accelerator 10% concentration; • ZO Medical by Zein Obagi Foamacleanse Gentle Foaming Cleanser for all types; • ZO Medical by Zein Obagi Oclipse Sunscreen/Primer SPF 30 Protection; • Belo Illuminating Cream Alpha Arbutin+Liquorice; • Belo Prescriptives Keralyt 2 Cream; • ZO Medical by Zein ObagiMD Melamix Skin Lightener & Blending Creme Hydroquinone USP; • ZO Medical by Zein Obagi MD Melanin Skin Bleaching & Correcting Creme Hydroquinone USP; Next page

NO GO INTERFERENCE. Allies,

including Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, of President Rodrigo Duterte take turns in defending his special assistant Christopher ‘Bong’ Go who has been accused of intervening in the Philippine Navy’s P15.7-billion frigate deal during the 1st Senate national defense and security committee hearing on the AFP Modernization Program.

Radyo Pilipinas

Go: Aquino govt rushed frigates deal

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SPECIAL Assistant to the President Christopher Go told the Senate Monday no changes were made to the Navy’s P18billion frigate contract concluded toward the end of the Aquino administration, and that reports he had tried to influence the deal were merely aimed at tainting the Duterte administration.

“This was finished during the Aquino administration. Nothing was changed and nobody tried to intervene in the contract,”

Go said in Filipino, even as he dubbed reports about his involvement “fake news.”

“It isn’t good to hear, but this contract was a photo finish because it was rushed to completion just before the end of the Aquino administration,” he continued.

“The innocent have been dragged into this to taint the administration of President Duterte.”

Go said those hitting the project are out to scuttle the acquisition by the Philippine Navy of two missile-capable frigates Next page

Health hits Sanofi over ‘defective’ vaccine THE Health Department said Monday it will file a civil case against Sanofi Pasteur after it refused to refund the P3.5 billion it spent to buy the Dengvaxia vaccine, which the company later admitted could cause more severe cases of dengue among those that had not been exposed to the virus.

Speaking to ABS-CBN News, Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said the department would seek the help of the

Office of the Solicitor General, arguing that Sanofi had sold the country a defective product.

“It’s not the product that they promised it to be,” Domingo was quoted as saying in a mix of Filipino and English. “It’s like selling a car and saying it’s good, then having the defects discovered later on.”

“The product should be returned. You’re not absolved just because the defect Next page

‘‘

“If you want, just make us a province, like Fujian. Province of Philippines, Republic of China.”

—President Rodrigo Duterte said in jest during the 20th founding anniversary of the Chinese Filipino Business Club Inc.

News

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Frat victim's parents seek stiffer penalty

By Rey E. Requejo THE parents of University of Santo Tomas law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III, who was killed allegedly during the hazing conducted by members of Aegis Juris fraternity, were not satisfied with the mere expulsion from the school of the allegedly involved fratmen.

Horacio II and Carminia said that while they welcomed the expulsion of the eight students, action should also be taken against law dean Nilo Divina and other members of the civil law faculty implicated in the death of their son.

The victim’s parents said the university administration must also investigate the possible liabilities of Divina and the members of the faculty and not just limit its action on the fratmen who had actual participation in the hazing incident in September last year.

“They are as much involved since they knew about Atio’s death Sunday morning or noon and they did not even call the police to report or at least surrender to the police the fraternity members,” the parents said in a statement.

In an interview, Carminia believed that Divina and the other alumni of the fraternity should also be held administratively liable.

She cited the failure of the law dean to inform them of Atio’s death when he allegedly knew about it before the family did.

She also asked why the fraternity’s alumni members met in a hotel in Quezon City to cover up the hazing incident.

“Of course we still need more from them [UST], like what about their actions with regard to the faculty members, with the Dean.

They have to answer a lot. They need to ban the Aegis Juris from the university,” Carminia said.

Castillo’s parents also lamented the delayed action by UST, which was earlier criticized for its lack of immediate action on the matter.

IS...

From A1 Salipada for illegal possession of explosive devices and firearms.

Lassqued and Salipada were brought to the DoJ for inquest proceedings following their arrest in Ermita, Manila on Friday, Feb.16, by police and military agents.

The charge sheet ,signed by Supt. Carlito Narag Jr., sought the indictment of the suspects for violations of laws on the illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Assisted by lawyers from the Public Attorney’s Office, Lassqued and Salipada waived their right to immediate release from detention and opted to remain in detention to answer the charges in a preliminary investigation.

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong then set the hearing for Wednesday next week, Feb.28, for submission of counter affidavit of the respondents.

In an interview, Lassqued denied being an ISIS commander and claimed that authorities also forced him to admit that the explosive devices were also his.

“They forced me to say I am from ISIS and they put for me many weapons, and they told me to say this is mine and forced me to do that,” he said.

The suspected terrorist said he only went to the Philippines “to escape our country” even as he admitted possessing a fake Tunisian passport. Asked where he is from, Lassqued could not give a definitive reply.

Belo...

From A1 • Belo Prescriptives Acne Astringent; • Belo Prescriptives Belo White; • Belo Prescriptives DLC Peeling Creme; • ZO Medical by Zein Obagi MD Cebatrol.

“These products didn’t undergo registration process of the FDA, meaning they were not authorized to sell it. They must undergo and wait for the process, that they will be allowed to sell,” said Allen Bantolo, chief of the FDA Regulatory Enforcement Unit, in a television interview.

Authorities said all drugs and cosmetic products should undergo certification from the FDA to ensure public safety.

Five days ago, the FDA warned the Belo Medical Group they might face administrative and criminal charges for continuing selling unregistered cosmetic products.

FDA Director General Nela Charade Puno said several BMG employees “face contempt or obstruction of justice charges” for allegedly refusing to allow the regulatory agency’s operatives to inspect their clinic and pharmacy.

In August 2016, environmental group Ecowaste Coalition also demanded that Belo Essential Products line containing cancercausing “isobutyl paraben” be removed from the market shelves as these items pose health risks to the public.

The coalition’s demand came on the heels of FDA advisory reiterating its ban on isobutyl paraben and four other types of paraben in line with the Asean Cosmetics Directive.

Health...

From A1 was not immediately spotted,” he added.

The Aquino administration agreed to purchase P3.5 billion worth of Dengvaxia in 2015 for a nationwide vaccination program for schoolchildren.

But after some 830,000 children were vaccinated, Sanofi announced that the vaccine could lead to more severe forms of dengue if those inoculated had not been previously exposed to the mosquito-borne virus.

Sereno tax records messy—BIR

By Maricel V. Cruz and Rey Requejo

A

N ONGOING investigation by the Bureau of Internal Revenue reveals “discrepancies” in the tax records of Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, BIR deputy commissioner Arnel Guballa told the House committee on justice’s impeachment hearing on Monday.

But Guballa refused to reveal to lawmakers the details of its investigation on the matter, citing possible violations of “confidentiality rule” as provided under Section 270 of the National Internal Revenue Code.

“As of now we have made some observations regarding the declarations and there are some discrepancies,” Guballa said.

This developed as the House justice panel, chaired

by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, ordered the BIR to produce a copy of its report on the tax payment records of Sereno.

But the camp of Sereno debunked the allegation she did not pay taxes for her over P30-million income from the arbitration case against the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. Sereno’s spokesperson, lawyer Jojo Lacanilao, stressed the chief magistrate had paid her taxes correctly and was confident this could be proven in any investigation.

“Chief Justice Sereno faithfully paid the tax due to her earnings covering the years 2004 to 2009 when she was the co-legal counsel of the Republic of the Philippines in the PIATCO case,” he said in a statement.

According to Lacanilao, it was actually easy to verify that Sereno had “accurately and properly” declared all her earnings or attorney’s fees from the PIATCO case, where she served as counsel for the government.

Lacanilao said records from the BIR would prove that she paid all her taxes totaling P8.67 million.

Misamis Occidental Rep. Henry Oaminal, the committee vice chairperson, moved for the issuance of a subpoena duces tecum and subpoena ad testificandum to secure the findings of the BIR investigation.

“We have to issue a subpoena duces tecum so that the BIR also [would] have some document to immediately consult their legal adviser, which is the Office of the Solicitor General, and that would trigger the immediate procurement of the documents,” Oaminal said.

The committee issued a subpoena to the BIR after Guballa invoked Section 270 of the revenue code which provides that “BIR personnel cannot divulge information collected from taxpayers concerning the latter’s business, income or estate, as well as the secrets, operation, style or work, or apparatus of any manufacturer or producer, or confidential information regarding the business of any taxpayer.”

MORALE BOOSTER.

Supporters of Special Assistant to the President Christopher 'Bong' Go arrive in full force outside of the Senate while a public hearing on the Navy 's acquisition of frigates is being held at the Senate office in Pasay City.

Lino Santos

‘Love is love’: Televised gay kiss lights up Olympics PYEONGCHANG, South Korea—Gay freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy said it was a moment that he “never dreamed” possible as a child after he was filmed kissing his partner on live television at the Olympics.

It has been hailed by some as a landmark moment in Games history and the footage went viral on social media.

The 26-year-old American finished 12th in the slopestyle on Sunday but still found himself making headlines after kissing his boyfriend at the bottom of the slope while the TV cameras were on him.

Thrust into the global spotlight, Kenworthy tweeted on Monday alongside a still image of the now-famous kiss: “Didn’t realize this moment was being filmed yesterday but

I’m so happy that it was.

“My childhood self would never have dreamed of seeing a gay kiss on TV at the Olympics but for the first time ever a kid watching at home CAN! “Love is love.”

The tweet garnered hundreds of messages of support and Adam Rippon, the gay American figure skater, wrote in reply: “Wow okay I just whimpered to myself ‘so beautiful’”.

Speaking soon after the kiss was captured on camera, the British-born Kenworthy reflected on how times have changed in just a few years.

“The only way to change perceptions, break down barriers, break down homophobia is through representation,” he said.

“And that is definitely not something I had as a kid. I definitely did not see a gay athlete at the Olympics kissing their boyfriend.

“If I had it would have made it a lot easier for me.”

He added: “That was something I wanted at the last Olympics, to share a kiss with my boyfriend at the bottom and it was something I was too scared to do.

“To be able to do that, give him a kiss, have that affection broadcast for the world is incredible.”

Earlier at the Games in South Korea, Canadian figure skater Eric Radford became the first openly gay Winter Olympic gold medallist in winning the team event. AFP

Rody...

From A1

ternal security operations, particularly in Philippine Rise.

Aside from guarding Philippine Rise from intrusion of foreign forces, the Marine contingent is ready to assist in the conduct of patrol in the eastern and western seaboard of Philippine waters.

The Marines were deployed after China renamed five undersea features of the Philippine Rise.

Earlier, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the government will defend the country’s sovereignty but will continue to boost relations with China, denying it yielded “too much” and “too soon” to maintain friendly relations with Asia’s most powerful country.

“We have upheld our national interest and produced tangible benefits for our people in pursuing friendly and mutuallybeneficial ties with China,” Roque said.

Roque issued the statement in response to Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, who said the Philippines conceded “too much, too early, and too soon” to China.

“We have said in a numerous occasions that we will continue to defend our sovereignty and sovereign rights when we discuss our territorial and maritime disputes with China, while maximizing the benefits of our people by promoting economic and other relations with China in which they are no contentious issues between

us,” the Palace spokesman said.

Also on Monday, Ambassador to China Jose Sta. Romana said President Duterte’s critics are unable to grasp the country’s “paradigm shift” in foreign policy.

Sta. Romana, too, was reacting to Batongbacal’s statement.

“I think his statement will not stand in the face of evidence. I think it is certainly not true that we gave too soon,” he said.

He added that for a long time the diplomatic relationship of both the Philippine and China has been strained and now the two countries’ relations have turned around.

“I think a number of scholars have not caught up with the situation,” the ambassador said.

He said the Philippines has “not lost an inch from what we were controlling” when Duterte took over as president.

In fact, he said, the country has regained access to Scarborough Shoal.

Sta. Romana said scholars and critics like Batongbacal should have an open mind and be objective so they can see the positive change.

He added that the country will remain neutral as the “strategic rivalry” between the United States and China intensifies.

“We will remain neutral. We don’t want to be the sacrificial lamb in their strategic rivalry,” he said.

“For the Philippines, I think what is important is that we proceed from our own interest,” he added.

that will jumpstart the modernization of its fleet.

“We will not allow them to win because the truth is on our side. I am confident that the Senate will be a vehicle of truth than be used to advance self-serving interests. We place our full trust in the Senate to put an end to this [controversy],” he said.

Go pointed out that with President Duterte’s strong stance against corruption, his office receives thousands of complaints, such as those relating to the delays in the frigate project, and they are Senators Vicente Sotto

III, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Loren Legarda, Joel Villanueva, Manny Pacquiao, Richard Gordon and Sherwin Gatchalian also defended Go and insisted they do not believe that Go was involved in the frigate controversy.

Zubiri said he has known Go for the last 20 years and he can vouch for his integrity and honesty. Legarda said the hearing wasted Go’s time.

Opposition Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Risa Hontiveros questioned Go, but Trillanes later said it was up to the people to see if there was evidence linking him to the frigate deal.

Actor Robin Padilla, a staunch supporter of Duterte, said they addressed Go as “General” because he the highest official of their group

called “Rebolusyonaryong Pagbabago.”

Supporters of Go, most clad in red, trooped to the Senate, chanting Go’s name and carrying placards manifesting their support for the Palace aide.

In a press briefing at the Palace, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque described Go as a “man of integrity… with no desire to amass material wealth.”

Roque said Malacanang conducted a separate probe and the allegations of the online news site Rappler were untrue and unfounded, the presidential spokesman said.

Roque said it was impossible for Go to have intervened since the bidding was over and the project was already awarded to Hyundai.

With Vito Barcelo

Meanwhile, an anti-corruption watchdog urged the Justice Department to secure the records of the Dengvaxia vaccine amid reports of a cover-up in the investigation of the anomaly.

In a letter, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution Inc. asked the DOJ to subpoena or require the submission of all documents on the immunization project from the Department of Health, Department of Budget and Management and other agencies.

VACC lawyer Nasser Marohomsalic said the records should be secured for purposes of

preliminary investigation on criminal charges they filed against former President Benigno Aquino III and 19 others last week.

“Notably, the documents requested to be produced are material and relevant, and tended to establish the facts in issue,” said the letter addressed to Prosecutor General Jorge Catalan Jr. The VACC earlier claimed that some senior DOH officials were trying to cover up the anomaly and allegedly started to destroy evidence.

Among the documents sought by the complainants were the contracts with Sanofi

Pasteur and Zuellig Pharma Corp., purchase order, delivery receipts and technical papers for the implementation of school-based immunization program—all from the Philippine Children’s Medical Center.

The complainants also asked the DOJ to summon records for license and product registration of Dengvaxia issued by the Food and Drug Administration. ]The VACC and VPCI also sought the pertinent DBM documents, including the special allotment release order for the project, submitted to the DOJ. Rey E. Requejo, Macon Ramos-Araneta

Rear Admiral Gaudencio Collado Jr., commander of the Philippine Fleet, said the gesture of sending a navy vessel and two attack craft to Palawan was aimed at preserving peace and tranquility in the area.

The navy’s BRP Nestor Reinoso’s would be conducting patrol at the periphery of the Malampaya gas field, some 80 kilometers off Palawan, serving as deterrent to possible harassment from terrorists, he said.

The two MPAC’s are capable of maneuvering at high speeds and would soon be fitted with short-range missiles.

Lt. Junior Grade Maivi Neri, spokesperson of Naval Forces West based in Palawan, said the three Navy assets would be under the operational control of the Joint Task Force-Malampaya of the Western Command.

Neri said that aside from patrolling the Malampaya gas platform, the Navy ships would be sailing to nearby islands to support rescue operations and transport relief goods during extreme weather in Palawan.

On Friday, the Northern Luzon Command deployed hundreds of battle-tested Marines in the northern frontier in Cagayan province to support the Navy’s ex-

Go:...

From A1

OFWs in Kuwait ready to take another chance

By Mynardo Macaraig AFTER the murder of a Filipino maid in Kuwait, domestic helpers are streaming back to Manila with tales of abusive employers―but many are still prepared to take their chances overseas again.

For them, the sometimes brutal conditions and the hide-and-seek with Kuwaiti police are outweighed by the need to provide for their families at home.

“The mother of my boss, she would hurt me, she would hit me with a shoe with a thick sole. My body was bruised but I would not [go home],” said Marissa Dalot, 40, who labored for almost five years in the wealthy Gulf state.

“I did not want to go home. I wanted to continue working because my kids were still in school,” said Dalot, who finally decided to fly home over the weekend.

In all, some 10 million Filipinos work overseas in a wide variety of jobs and their cash remittances, which the central bank says totaled over $28 billion last year, are a major contributor to the Philippine economy.

But the issue of domestic helpers in Kuwait came into sharp focus with the death of Joanna Demafelis, whose body was found stuffed in a freezer.

A visibly angry President Rodrigo Duterte has alleged that Arab employers routinely rape their Filipino workers, force them to work 21 hours a day and feed them scraps.

Some 252,000 Filipinos work in Kuwait, many as maids, with reports of widespread abuse and exploitation.

“When will this inhuman treatment of these Filipino workers end?” Duterte said this month. AFP

LeBron...

From A1 minutes of playing time at Staples Center arena in downtown Los Angeles.

“I need to continue to show myself because every time I step on the floor I have to lead my guys or prove to myself that I am still able to play at a high level. I feel great,” said James, who is the All-Star Game’s all-time leading scorer with 343 points in 14 appearances.

James’ three MVPs ties him with Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson and Shaquille O’Neal. Kobe Bryant and Bob Pettit each won the award four times.

James acted as the player-captain this year under a new selection format designed to eliminate the all-star game blowouts of the past few years.

It paid off mightily as Sunday’s contest was highlighted by high-flying slam dunks, clutch defensive stops down the stretch and even a video review that went against James but their offensive juggernaut from claiming victory.

“It definitely worked out,” James said. “It worked out for not only the players, but the league and the fans, everybody.”

Under the new format, the top vote getters in each conference (James and Stephen Curry) were named captains and they got to pick their teams from the list of available players.

The first four picks had to come from the list of starters.

James revealed on Sunday who his top four draft picks were. AFP

Outrage...

From A1 disappeared after the hotel management commissioned a pest control firm to remove and relocate the animals.

Cats of BGC, a group of concerned residents and animal lovers in Taguig City, sought the help of the public, especially the social media users, to help them find the missing cats.

Members of the CARA (Compassion and Responsibility for Animals) Welfare Philippines also stepped into the case to address the issue but failed to find the missing animals as of press time.

CARA scoured the two locations mentioned by Shangri-La for the missing cats it had dumped, but residents and social media users claimed those areas did not exist in Taguig.

The Cats of BGC started posting angry comments on Valentine’s Day demanding the hotel management tell them where the animals were dumped or relocated as the fivestar hotel management was claiming.

“We are not an animal welfare group nor a registered organization,” the Cats of BGC said in its Facebook page.

News Ex-Sulu gov, son charged for failure to file SALN

PROTEST.

Members of transport group Piston held a protest rally at the Welcome Rotonda in Manila to rail against the phaseout of old jeepneys which they claim would put around 600,000 drivers and operators out of business.

Norman Cruz

By Maricel V. Cruz FORMER Sulu governor Abdusakur Tan and his son, Maimbung Mayor Samier Tan, are facing charges at the Sandiganbayan owing to their alleged failure to file their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

Based on the charge sheets signed by Assistant Special Prosecutor III Jorge Espinal, Abdusakur Tan was charged with five counts of violation of Section 8 of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees for allegedly “willfully, unlawfully and criminally fail[ed] to file under oath and/or submit to the Office of the Ombudsman” his SALNs from 2007 to 2011.

Samier Tan was charged with two counts of violating the Code of Conduct for his alleged inability to submit his SALNs for the years 2010 and 2011.

The law provides that the failure to file a SALN is punishable by an imprisonment of five years at the maximum or P5,000 at the maximum, as well as possible disqualification from public office depending on the court’s discretion.

The anti-graft court asked the Tans to post bail amounting to P50,000 and P20,000, respectively.

Kerwin’s lawyer shot dead along busy Cebu City street

T

HE lawyer of suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, who is also the vice mayor of Ronda in Cebu, was shot and killed on Monday, Feb. 19.

Vice Mayor and lawyer Jonah John Ungab was shot by unidentified gunmen after attending the hearing of his client.

According to Senior Police Officer 1 Winston Ybañez of the Cebu City Police

SSS to levy, seize and garnish delinquent firms’properties THE Social Security System is set to impose additional modes of collection starting April through Warrants of Distraint, Levy and Garnishment against about 60,000 delinquent employers nationwide causing the seizure and acquisition of personal and real properties and garnishment of bank accounts equivalent to the amount of unpaid contributions including interest and penalty.

The WDLG is provided for under Section 22 of Republic Act 8282, otherwise known as Social Security Act of 1997. These modes of collection are similar to the collection system of the Bureau of Internal Revenue against delinquent taxpayers.

Also, SSS launched early last year the Run Against Contribution Evaders, a program parallel to BIR’s Run Against Tax Evaders Program.

SSS president and chief executive officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said the new policy is to ensure that employers are unable to dispose their properties to evade their obligations in paying employees’ SSS monthly contributions.

“This is a warning against delinquent employers who

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

continue to ignore their responsibility with the SSS. With this new policy, SSS can now seize their personal and real properties as well as credits and other properties in the hand of the third party as payments to the delinquency owed by them,” said Dooc.

Dooc added that with the WDLG, SSS is hoping to collect more than P5.3 billion worth of contributions from erring employers on its pilot year.

Based on the WDLG guidelines, the SSS will issue a Letter of Authority and Preliminary Assessment Notice containing the amount of total delinquency to the employer.

After 15 days, a Final Assessment Notice Before Seizure will be sent to the employer with an instruction to pay the amount stated.

The employer must file a protest if it does not agree with the FANS issued by the SSS. Protest against the FANS must be made either in the form of Request for Reconsideration based on existing records within 15 days or a Request for Reconciliation based on newly discovered or additional evidence within 30 days from the date of receipt.

Binay bill seeks to promote Boracay zero waste policy

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Nancy Binay urged the Senate to investigate the need to promote a “zero-waste” tourism policy in the world-famous resort island of Boracay.

In filing Senate Resolution no. 313, she said the threats of inefficient waste management on the environment, especially on tourist destinations in the country still persist.

The Senate Committees on Environment and Tourism will jointly hear the resolution, with a committee hearing scheduled for March 2 on Boracay Island.

“What happens now determines what will happen to the world.

That is why it is imperative to conduct a multi-level inquiry on what is being implemented by the LGUs for us to strengthen environmental laws in line with the current environmental conditions facing the country,” she added.

Binay warned of an “impending ecocide” that can happen in the world-famous resort island of Boracay if over-commercialization, pollution, and other pressures are not mitigated.

“Boracay is at the crossroad due to over-commercialization, pollution, overcrowding nito. These are already recipes for ecological genocide, and it’s waiting to happen kung hindi natin aagapan,” she pointed out.

Binay said that a Japan International Cooperation Agency study done by Filipino and Japanese scientists warned of “eminent loss” in their research done from 2010 to 2015.

The Coastal Ecosystem Conservation and Adaptive Management study added that the island’s coral reef ecosystem has been seriously degraded by tourism-related activities.

“Over-commercialization has compromised the island’s natural beauty. But there is still hope. What we can do is to make Boracay a model of responsible tourism, at pagsikapan nating ibalik ang dating alindog ng isla,” she added.

Homicide Section, Ungab was driving his car and was about to make a right turn when the two gunmen approached his car at the driver’s side and shot him at close distance along S. Osmeña Street in Cebu City.

Ybañez said Ungab had a lady passenger inside the vehicle who was left unharmed.

Ungab had just come from a court promulgation relating to the case against his client.

Before the shooting, he told a television reporter that he had secured a certification from the Firearms Explosives Security Service Agency and Guards Supervisory Section in Central Visayas that Espinosa

had a license for his firearms.

“The police did not inform the court [that Espinosa] has a license[d] firearm.

We were able to secure a certification from FESSAGS during that time,” Ungab had said.

Cebu City Regional Trial Court branch 23 had acquitted Espinosa of Illegal Possession of Firearms, but convicted him of the gun ban violation under the Omnibus Election Code.

The case stems from a buy-bust operation that took place in Barangay Duljo-Fatima, Cebu City in 2010.

According to the police, Espinosa yielded packs of illegal drugs and a .45-caliber pistol he allegedly owned.

Party-list solon blames NFA for ‘skyrocketing’ price of rice A PARTY-LIST lawmaker on Monday blamed the National Food Authority for the sky-rocketing price of rice.

By airing baseless claims of a rice crisis, the NFA precipitated the drastic increase in the price of commercial rice, Anakpawis Party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao said.

At the same time, Casilao questioned the proposal of the National Food Authority to sell its cheapest rice at P32 per kilo, which is still more expensive than the present P27 it offers.

Casilao likened the plan to a food embargo because he said, “it denies the poor access to affordable basic commodities that include rice.”

The lawmaker also said that NFA has to explain why it let its affordable rice supply disappear as well as justify its rush to import rice.

Moreover, Casilao also criticized Agriculture Secretary Emanuel Piñol for opting to utilize land in Papua Guinea to produce rice for local consumption.

He said that this move was not only an insult to our local farmers but also an apparently clear manifestation of how the administration views the agriculture industry.

The Philippines has almost four million hectares of agricultural lands that can produce all the food needs of the country if properly utilized, Casilao said.

Casilao also dismissed as “antifarmer” and “anti-poor” the government’s continuing rice import. Maricel V. Cruz

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Opinion

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Over the moon for the new year

By Fred Dufour XIAN, SHAANXI PROVINCE, China—The Lunar New Year is truly something to behold in China. Starting a week before the holiday, the biggest human migration on earth occurs here, when hundreds of millions of Chinese travel to their home towns and villages to kick off a week-long celebration with friends and family.

It’s the biggest holiday in this country of 1.3 billion and one during which you can really feel just how important family is here. I think it’s much more important here than in the West.

People in the West often compare Lunar New Year to Christmas. But Christmas takes place over the course of one day and an evening. The Lunar New Year is a week-long whirlwind of food, family, fireworks and fairs. And it’s just assumed that you will go back to your family home to do so.

The build-up starts about a month ahead, when the ubiquitous lanterns start to appear in the streets, shopping malls and people’s windows.

Then the train stations begin to get busier. You can feel a change in the atmosphere. And the week before it just gets crazy. This year I decided to cover the celebrations outside of Beijing for the first time, so I took a train to Chengdu in the center of the country. It was so packed that dozens of people had to stand the whole way there. That’s 26 hours. And the most incredible thing? It was one of the loveliest and friendliest atmospheres that I’ve encountered. Coming from a country where grumbling is a national pastime, I have to say I was quite impressed.

The people were very polite to each other. To go to the toilet, you had to make your way through a wall of passengers and they all let you pass without so much as a sigh. I can’t imagine ever seeing such goodwill in similar conditions in Europe.

The big bang of the celebrations is usually on the eve of the New Year. In years past, that’s when the entirety of China seemed to set off fireworks to mark the occasion. They would start around 6 or 7 o’clock at night and last until dawn, with everyone in the streets—adults, children, old people. It was a really nice moment, when everyone seemed to be united in joy.

For a photographer, it’ was a dream assignment as not only were the fireworks very visual, but, because they were not as tightly regulated here as in the West, there were many more of them. So a photographer was like a kid in a candy store.

This year was different, though, as fireworks were banned in most major cities, as authorities seek to lower winter pollution levels. You still had some here and there, but it wasn’t anywhere near the scale of years past.

The days following the New Year are spent eating, going to fairs… .. eating, visiting family, eating, going to amusement rides... .. eating, seeing traditional shows.… ... eating, catching up on astrology news to see what the new year has in store for you (note to dogs -- it’s not looking good) and then eating some more. And then everyone heads back to their work lives. And the countdown begins for the following year. AFP

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Star power for a universal ill

J

UST ahead of the Bafta Awards in London Sunday night, some 190 British actresses lent their signatures to an open letter that denounced harassment, discrimination, sexism and abuse in workplaces in numerous industries around the world.

During the actual event, actresses donned black to express their outrage over the widespread practice and their solidarity with the victims and survivors of harassment and abuse.

Actress Emma Watson donated 1 million pounds to the UK Justice and Equality Fund, a movement that aims to make workplaces safe and to ensure support is available for anyone subjected to such treatment.

All these were spurred by the round of accusations against prominent men in show business who made their power felt by committing acts with impunity.

Beginning last year and with allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein coming out one by one, numerous victims of sexual harassment and abuse have come forward, some more decisively than others.

Weinstein is now far removed from the glamour of Hollywood—he is receiving treatment for his addiction. His reputation has gone to tatters. Similar tales of similarly powerful and accomplished men abound.

One by one, industries and workplaces around the world took notice anew and reviewed how they as organizations respond when these happen in their companies or agencies.

Along with these complaints surfaced the issues of gender pay gap, for instance, where men are paid more than women are even in jobs that entail the same level of responsibility, or skill, or risk.

Indeed because the noise came from and was sustained in Hollywood, the world took notice.

But this is not about being spectators to the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Instead we discover how all this is mirrored in the lives of the lowly, simple, humble person in the neighborhood.

Harassment, discrimination and abuse are universal monsters. Let the noise not be confined to big names. Let their efforts and their inspiration for strength and resilience trickle down to non-famous people leading less-thanmagical lives.

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Manalo as envoy LAST week, President Duterte announced that the island paradise of Boracay has become a cesspool. They threatened to close down numerous establishments. I asked: Whose fault is it?

After a few days, Secretary Roy Cimatu of the Department of Environment and National Resources said there were at least 51 businesses facing closure for their violation of the Clean Air Act. Many of them are posh hotels that did not connect their drainage and sewerage pipeline with the local government’s.

This explains why the beaches of Boracay are contaminated and foul smelling. Yuck!

Actually, this problem of Boracay is not new. It has been around for about 20 years but nothing was done about it.

Note that tourism secretary Wanda Teo claimed she knew about the problem. So why did she not do anything?

If Boracay degenerates, we will lose foreign tourists.

If you go to Boracay, you would easily see where the problem lies. it’s overpopulated with so many establishments. it’s so noisy you wonder how people can relax.

In answer to my question on whose fault is it, my answer is that it is the government that is culprit. ***

People are asking whether it’s payback time.

A defective constitution HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA (Part 4) THIS is the fourth and last part of a series of essays highlighting the defects of the 1987 Constitution. Since the government seems to be in the mood, as of the moment anyway, for charter change, this commentary ought to be considered

by Congress sitting as a constituent assembly, assuming that the administration’s plan to amend the current charter really takes off.

A day before Valentine’s Day this

year, two of the surviving drafters of Aquino, they branded charter change as the 1987 Constitution attended an as- an attack against national sovereignty sembly at the University of the Philip- and fundamental freedoms. One of them even declared that charter change is anti-Filipino.

Good grief! As pointed out in the previous essays, the 1987 Constitution is not the perfect charter some of It is not the perfect its surviving drafters allege it to be, charter they would have and that substantial amendments to it are definitely in order. In that sense, us believe. therefore, it is absurd to brand charter change as an attack against national sovereignty and fundamental freedoms, and to equate it to being anti-Filipino. pines in Diliman where they denounced The conclusions peddled by those who planned attempts of Congress to amend participated in that assembly are perfect the charter. Together with other allies examples of non-sequitur.

Turn to A5 of ex-President Corazon Cojuangco-

Last week in my column, I talked about reports that Secretary Teo traveled to many countries to promote tourism in the Philippines but that she brought her makeup artist, her clerk, and many others in her department whom she called “little people.”

But I thought President Duterte was against excessive spending during government travels. So how come Teo has gotten away with what she’s doing?

Now we are told by Teo’s spokeman that she brought her executive assistant, not her makeup artist. We are also told that among the little people are bookkeepers, messengers, and drivers who have worked at the department for so long. This was their reward for their years of service.

There is talk that when the tourism department partnered with Star Cruises of Malaysia, the secretary was able to secure ten cabins for her staff.

Is Teo now the exception to President Duterte’s policy? He has fired several officials who travelled too much so what is he going to do about Teo? *** “I did not commit a crime,” international evangelist and Kingdom of Jesus founder Apolo Quiboloy said. He arrived from Honolulu where he was detained because authorities found $350,000 on him along with gun parts in a suitcase.

The truth, however, was Quibuloy was detained and his private plane was embargoed after a female passenger admitted that said suitcase was hers. I wonder why she did that, it’s unbelievable.

We know that Quibuloy travels abroad preaching the gospel. It is not unusual for evangelists to have their private plane which they use to spread the word of God to as many places as possible. He also lives in a mansion.

Is that part of the good news that he preaches? *** I wonder whether President Duterte would be as vehement if an OFW was killed in Singapore or Hong Kong instead. A 29-year-old overseas Filipino worker came home in a box. She had been found in a freezer in an abandoned apartment in Kuwait.

Turn to A5

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Opinion In Kenya, anti-poaching dogs are wildlife’s best friends

By Fran Blandy MAASAI MARA, Kenya—Five-monthold bloodhound Shakaria gambols through the long savannah grasses of Kenya’s Maasai Mara reserve, her playful mood swiftly turning to keen determination as she is ordered to track a human scent.

Straining at the leash, she pulls her handler along an invisible scent path laid down for her until she finds a ranger hiding in the grass, pretending to be one of the poachers she is training to sniff out.

Shakaria is top of her class of five puppies being trained by American experts to join a tracker dog unit, which has become pivotal in the fight against poaching in the Mara Triangle, part of the vast Maasai Mara ecosystem in southern Kenya that merges into Tanzania’s Serengeti.

It is here that over one million wildebeest, and tens of thousands of other animals cross from Tanzania into Kenya on their annual migration, attracting hordes of tourists, but also poachers seeking an easy target.

Lema Langas, 30, a Maasai from the local community, who is warden of the canine unit, said the main challenge in the park was poaching for the commercial bushmeat trade, with dried meat exported to Uganda, Rwanda and further afield.

“Thomson’s gazelles, impalas, giraffes, buffalos and during migration season when the wildebeest are here they become an easy target... (poachers) put down wire snares or maybe they can chase them into valleys and use machetes to cut them,” he told AFP. Elephants, lions and other members of the famed “Big Five” also get trapped in the snares.

Rangers used to struggle to chase or spot poachers across the flat, seemingly endless grasslands, so the Mara Triangle first introduced two tracker dogs in 2009.

The unit is now comprised of four tracker dogs and two more trained specifically to sniff out ivory and guns at the entrances to the park.

“They use their noses to see, not like us who use the eyes,” said Langas. “So sometimes you are not able to see the footprint of the poachers... but when you suspect the poacher might have passed here you allow the dog to follow the scent... and you are able to retrieve that poacher at the end of the day.”

The bloodhound puppies are being trained by former police officers Linda Porter and her husband John Lutenberg, who spent decades hunting escaped convicts across the United States.

The couple trained and brought the first two dogs to Kenya in 2009, however one

A defective...

From A4

Anyway, several defects in the 1987 Constitution were taken up in the three previous essays in this series. This installment tackles the other remaining effects.

Pursuant to the principle of checks and balances obtaining in a democratic and republican system of government, each of the three branches of the government is vested with powers to prevent the other coordinate branches from becoming abusive. That way, government power is never concentrated on any single branch of government.

Under the 1935 and 1973 charters, the Supreme Court is empowered to promulgate rules governing court procedures.

Those charters also provide that the legislature has the power to amend those rules.

The power of the legislative to amend those rules is one of several legislative checks against judicial abuse. On many past occasions, the legislature enacted laws which amended rules of court procedure promulgated by the Supreme Court.

The 1987 Constitution, however, has a problematic version. Section 5(5), Article VIII thereof retains the power of the Supreme Court to promulgate rules of court procedure, but it is silent on whether Congress may amend such rules. In an obiter dictum (a non-binding, unsupported side remark) found in a decision of the Supreme Court involving a death row convict, it was mentioned that the failure of Section 5(5) to retain the power of the legislature to amend rules of court procedure means that Congress may not, under the 1987 charter, amend such rules.

One of the members of the 1986 Constitutional Commission which drafted the 1987 Constitution is Father Joaquin Bernas. In his treatise on the 1987 charter, Bernas points out that the failure of Section 5(5) to empower Congress to amend rules of court procedure promulgated by the Supreme Court was a clerical oversight, and it was not the intention of the Commission to take away that checking mechanism from Congress.

Further, Bernas cites Section 10 of the Transitory Provisions of the 1987 charter, which provides, among others, that the existing rules of court procedure in the country “shall remain operative unless amended or repealed by the Supreme Court or by the Congress.” This is a clear indication that it was never the intention of the 1987 Constitution to take away the power of Congress to amend rules of court procedure promulgated by the Supreme Court.

Moreover, Congress enacted Republic

Manalo...

From A4

A total ban on OFW deployment to Kuwait is just too much. Abuse of foreign workers is not their policy. The Department of Labor and Employment must have some guidelines on what to do when a worker claims to have been

was so terrified by all the unusual smells that it impacted his tracking.

The new crop of puppies were born in Kenya “and are progressing very fast,” Porter told AFP. In the late nineties, the Mara Triangle, which makes up a third of the entire reserve, was crippled by rampant poaching and such bad insecurity that one ranger recalls “tourists being robbed, stripped and dumped on the side of the road.”

Management of the reserve was then taken over by the Mara Conservancy, a publicprivate partnership with the local Maasai community.

While the dog unit has greatly reduced daytime poaching, other technology such as the use of a thermal imaging camera, has helped track poachers at night.

Meanwhile, the use of community scouts and “private spies” has strangled local poaching gangs on the Kenyan side of the border, and Langas says the majority of poaching now occurs on the almost invisible border between Kenya and Tanzania.

“The conservancy is hiring the sons and daughters from this community neighbouring the park... if the community learn there is someone having a bad intention to kill an animal,” they will come forward, he says.

A joint agreement between Kenya and Tanzania allows the rangers and their dogs to patrol deep into the Serengeti, with any poachers handed over to Tanzanian authorities.

“We are the first line of defence from Tanzania. We prevent poachers coming into the Mara and the Kenyan side,” said Asuka Takita, a Swahili-speaking Japanese vet, who helped start the canine unit.

“There is still a lot of work to do but we have caught over 4,000 poachers in the past 18 years,” she said.

During migration season, in July and August, the rangers find thousands of deadly snares set up in the park, and Langas recalls removing 511 in a single day last year.

Translating poaching arrests into convictions has long been a “major struggle” in Kenya, Takita said. However since Kenya boosted its wildlife law in 2013, this has improved.

“The fact that you are getting imprisoned for life or fined 20 million shillings ($20,000, 16,000 euros) is a deterrent. A huge amount of people—those small-scale poachers—are all deterred and that is great for us.”

Ivory poaching may garner the most attention, however a 2014 report by a government-appointed taskforce warned that bushmeat poaching was going largely ignored and had hit “unprecedented levels” in Kenya. AFP Act No. 9285, or the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act of 2004, which amends numerous provisions of the existing rules of court procedure promulgated by the Supreme Court. This law has been repeatedly implemented by the Supreme Court since its enactment. If Congress no longer has the power to amend rules of court procedure, then how does one explain the validity of Republic Act No. 9285?

If the principle of checks and balances is to be upheld, Section 5(5) must be amended to retain the power of Congress to amend rules of court procedure promulgated by the Supreme Court.

Another defect in the 1987 Constitution is its failure to specifically state how officials of the Office of the Ombudsman, other than the ombudsman himself, as well as members of Congress, can be made accountable for criminal or administrative wrongdoing.

There is an on-going legal dispute regarding the authority of the president to impose disciplinary sanctions on a deputy ombudsman. The ombudsman insists that disciplinary jurisdiction over the deputy ombudsman is vested by law exclusively in the ombudsman himself.

President Rodrigo Duterte, however, believes otherwise.

The jurisprudence on this issue is on the side of the ombudsman’s exclusive jurisdiction, but this legal doctrine is precarious because of the close 8-7 vote taken by the Supreme Court on this issue. This constitutional impasse could have been avoided if the 1987 Constitution had clearer provisions in this regard.

Another on-going legal dispute concerns the power of the ombudsman to remove an incumbent member of the House of Representatives for an infraction of law committed by such member. The Office of the Ombudsman believes it has the power to do so. Congress, however, insists otherwise, and maintains that Congress has the exclusive power to unseat members of Congress.

Again, this constitutional impasse could have been avoided if the 1987 Constitution had been more explicit in its provisions.

Finally, the creation of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) under the 1987 Constitution ought to be revisited. The power of the JBC to decide who may be considered by the president for appointment to judicial posts is an awesome power exercised by only seven individuals. That’s too much power vested in one body composed of unelected officials. If too much power should not be vested in any of the three branches of government, there is greater reason not to vest it in a smaller body like the JBC.

abused by her employers. *** The appointment of Iglesia ni Cristo Minister Eduardo Manalo as special envoy for overseas Filipino concerns has raised some questions. Is this payback time given that Manalo supported Duterte during the last elections? Does this not violate the separation of church and state?

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Ashoka Fellows, heroes and heroines FOR the next three weeks, as part of my commemoration of the People Power Revolution of 1986, I will write about heroes and heroines, the contemporary ones. For this column, with the help of colleague Mika Ortega, I write about Ashoka Fellows of the Philippines, a group of changemakers I work with. On Wednesday, Feb. 21, we will be inaugurating new Fellows into this global fellowship.

To say that the world is changing fast, at a pace so rapid we could barely keep up, almost sounds like the very thing a man my age would say. But, the world has indeed changed. And, it continues to change at a rate that we have never experienced before.

New technologies either advance or disrupt our way of life. The future of work is changing with digitization and artificial intelligence, possibly putting at risk BPOs and call centers. Even the way we interact with one another is shifting. It is only recently that we are coming to terms with how social media, for example, has greatly affected our mental wellbeing, our purchasing behaviors, and our politics.

The adage goes: “the only thing that is constant is change.” The sooner we acquaint ourselves with change, the better. I’ve spent a great part of my career working for the environment. So, an obvious lesson we can learn from climate change is that: first, not all change is good. But another, more important, lesson is that we need to change if we want to build a better society.

I’ve spent enough time in academe, development, government, and research, to notice how society’s problems are deeply entrenched and related. Circling back to climate change, we know that there are many interlinked factors that cause and worsen it. Conversely, there are many interlinked changes we need to make in order to manage it. This includes shifting to cleaner energy, supporting sustainable agriculture, reducing waste, protecting forests and seas.

The list goes on. Climate change is what we call a systemic problem which, in turn, requires a systemic solution.

Environmental scientist Donella Meadows defines a system as “an interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized in a way that achieves something. [A] system must consist of three kinds of things: elements, interconnections and a function or purpose.”

Systems are everywhere. They are in our own biology. Human bodies are made of systems (respiratory, circulatory, digestive, etc). Systems are also in sports, transportation, schools, organizations, and governments. But Meadows goes further and says that it is by having a “systems-thinking lens” that we may be “creative and courageous about system redesign.”

If we are to adapt to change, if we are to solve social problems, if we are to redesign systems, then we must have a systems-thinking lens.

One organization that is leading sys-

tems-thinking globally is Ashoka—the first and largest network of social innovators in the world. After meeting with Ashoka CEO and Founder Bill Drayton, who is also responsible for coining the term “social entrepreneur,” I helped bring Ashoka to the Philippines with my colleague Terri Jayme-Mora. Today, our Philippine board is led by the visionary Rico Gonzalez and we are housed in Co-Lab, a working space we share with a number of innovative organizations and enterprises.

I discovered Ashoka at a time when terms like social enterprise, social entrepreneurship, and social innovation didn’t even exist in the Philippines.

These were new concepts and I was energized by the prospect of bringing new ideas and new models to our country.

At the center of our organization is the Ashoka Fellowship. Ashoka finds high-impact problem-solvers and supports them through a lifetime membership to the world’s largest professional network for social innovators. The Fellowship puts a premium on human and personal connections across disciplines and sectors. This way, Ashoka Fellows get to build a global community. Our fellows receive peer-to-peer mentorship, collaborate with each other, and cross-pollinate ideas with some of the world’s best problem-solvers. They also

They all made a difference in their respective fields.

tions (PAPO), a necessary coalition that represents over 1 million patients nationwide.

Then, we elected more Fellows in 2014 and 2015. There is Cristina Liamzon of Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship (LSE) for her work in empowering thousands of overseas Filipino workers in 15 cities abroad.

Nanay Ines Fernandez of Arguaan was elected for her work in promoting child and maternal nutrition. Kevin Lee of A Single Drop for Safe Water is building systems for water governance by increasing the community’s demand for clean water as well as the government’s ability to provide these services.

Kevin is also the lead coordinator of the Humanitarian Response Consortium, responding to humanitarian crises in the country like disasters and conflict.

JP Maunes of the Philippine Accessible Disability Services (PADS) was elected for his work with Deaf communities in the country in preventing and reporting abuse, which occurs at 70 percent for deaf women and children. JP is also the team manager for the PADS Dragonboat Team, the first dragonboat team in the country fully-manned by persons with disabilities. They won gold in Hong Kong last year, a first for the Philippines. Then, there’s Laurindo Garcia of the B-Change group for his work in building communities of inclusion across Southeast Asia for members of the LGBTI, persons with disabilities, and ethnic and racial minorities.

I am proud to say that the Ashoka community in the Philippines continues to flourish. This Wednesday, the 21st of February, Ashoka is introducing the 2018 Fellows, three amazing social innovators as they join Ashoka’s global network.

There’s Zhihan Lee of BagoSphere, elected for revolutionizing the lastmile education. Through an innovative 6-month program for out-of-school youths, Zhihan and his organization matches them with employers in highgrowth industries. Their current employment rate is at 91%! Amina Evangelista Swanepoel of Roots of Health is empowering women and girls in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas by providing access to information about reproductive health.

And, Bai Rohaniza Sumndad-Usman of Teach Peace Build Peace Movement.

Her group is using education as a way to build lasting peace especially for children caught in conflict.

This year, we also have Anna Oposa of Save the Philippine Seas as Ashoka’s 2018 Affiliate. The Ashoka Affiliateship is a one-year mentorship and support program for innovators whose work are in earlier stages.

There are now a total of nine Ashoka Fellows in the country. These are leading social innovators with systemsthinking lens, ethical fibre, and integrity to create positive systemic change.

It’s heartening as we continue to find and support more Ashoka Fellows. It validates my faith in our people, that we are innovators, problem-solvers, and change makers. There is hope.

get to tap into Ashoka’s bigger network of change makers ranging from schools, universities, corporations, and other partners.

Ashoka’s selection process is one of the toughest, most rigorous in the world.

The results, however, are undeniable.

Majority of Ashoka Fellows change national-level systems within 10 years of their election. Ashoka’s foresight is also seen in its ability to elect Fellows before they reach global recognition, pre-dating other awards. A good example is Kailash Satyarthi from India, an international figure in fighting for children’s rights, who became an Ashoka Fellow in 1993 before he won the Nobel Peace Prize two decades later in 2014.

Several Ashoka Fellows have also been recognized by the Ramon Magsaysay Awards.

There are now over 3,500 Ashoka Fellows from 93 countries and the numbers keep growing. In recent years, Ashoka has expanded its reach in Asia, especially Southeast Asia. It was only in 2013 that we started electing Fellows in the Philippines.

The first Filipino Ashoka Fellow is Kythe Foundation’s Girlie Garcia-Lorenzo. Her work with Kythe has reached over 11,000 children with cancer and chronic illnesses. She is now championing for better access to universal healthcare as the President of the PhilFacebook page: Professor Tony La ippine Alliance of Patient Organiza- Viña (deantonylavs) Twitter: tonylavs

Light pollution threatens Chile’s dark skies IT SEEMS nothing can escape the inexorable spread of light pollution—not even the giant telescopes probing the heavens above northern Chile, a region whose pristine dark skies, long considered a paradise for astronomers, are under increasing threat.

The Atacama desert, 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) north of the capital Santiago, provides ideal conditions where astronomers study the stars in darkness so profound they appear like diamonds on velvet.

Scientists estimate that by 2020, Chile—a critically important country for optical and radio astronomy—ll host 70 percent of the globe’s astronomical infrastructure.

But the ever-expanding use of cheap light-emitting diode (LED) lighting in the booming South American country is starting to concern astronomers desperately trying to safeguard some of the world’s darkest skies.

“Unfortunately, as we have more and more white lights, the deterioration of the skies has increased by up to 30 percent compared to the end of the last decade,” said scientist Pedro Sanhueza.

Chile takes the problem of light pollution so seriously that Sanhueza heads up an organization called the Office for the Protection of Quality of the Sky (OPCC).

Its main task is to make the people of northern Chile aware of the particularly high night-sky quality and the negative impacts of light pollution.

Sanhueza says that though the qual-

ity is good, the sky over northern Chile is becoming “an area of risk,” threatening the profound nocturnal darkness required for the study of phenomena such as solar flares, planetary nebulae, black holes and supernovas.

Fueling the threat, he adds, are communities such as Antofagasta, Coquimbo and La Serena, where LED lights are increasingly used in homes, streetlights, store signs and billboards.

A study published in December in the journal Science Advances has shown that global lighting has increased in both quantity and intensity by about 2 percent per year from 2012 to 2016.

Urban boom At the Paranal Observatory deep in the Atacama desert, which houses the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope array—consisting of four telescopes—staff are doing all they can to limit light leaking out into the atmosphere.

After sunset, vehicles travelling around the observatory are prohibited anything but their parking lights.

Flashlights, if needed, are turned to the ground.

Astronomers’ residences at the base —2,635 meters ( 8,645 feet) above sea level—are dimly-lit, to avoid interfering with observation of the galaxies above.

But the urban boom has been an unstoppable reality for 20 years in northern Chile, where cities have felt the economic effects of the boom in copper, of which the South American country is the world’s largest producer.

Halos of light above towns are easily visible from observatories within a 150-kilometer (90 mile) radius.

We have measured the impact of this and we have already experienced difficulties making observations at 20 degrees above the horizon. That’s going to increase a lot and will prevent us from studying the furthest stars,” said Chris Smith, head of the observatory at Tololo, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the town of La Serena.

Hazardous to health Urban growth has gone hand in hand with huge infrastructure projects to extract copper and even the construction of a brightly-lit highway through the Atacama itself.

Smith is calling for more education in schools about the sustainable use of light, the need to use “warmer” sources of lighting that are less polluting, and to avoid turning them towards the sky.

“We are already seeing a big level of impact and we need to control it now,” Smith, an American astronomer, says —adding there can be “no question of shutting observatories down.”

However, this is what many fear could ultimately happen to the Monte Palomar observatory in California, which has had to drastically cut down its activities because of the light pollution from Los Angeles.

The Chilean government in 2012 approved a new lighting standard designed to cut down on pollution, but nevertheless, scientists acknowledge that it’s an uphill battle. AFP

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DENR vows faster ‘minahang bayan’ nods

By Rio N. Araja

E

NVIRONMENT Secretary Roy Cimatu on Monday vowed to fast-track the “minahang bayan” applications for the operation of smallscale mines, particularly in Benguet.

Following his order to shut down illegal small-scale mining operations, Cimatu recently visited areas in Benguet’s Itogon town that have pending small-scale mining permits at the Antamok area covered by the patented area of Benguet Corp. and the Gold Creek area within Gold Creek Mining Corp.’s patent.

On Feb. 14, Cimatu led the blasting of 18 illegal mine tunnels at Sitio Basa, Camp 4 in Tuba, Benguet.

This was an initial step to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ bid to crack down on illegal mining activities, the secretary said.

“We have to implement the law,” Cimatu said, adding that no small-scale mining activities should be undertaken outside a declared “minahang bayan.”

Several small-scale mine operations use sodium cyanide, which is highly toxic, he said.

Moreover, the small-scale miners do not have safety hazard control measures in their operations, Cimatu added.

“I sympathize with these people.

They’re doing a very dangerous job. I just hope they could find other ways to earn a living other than illegal mining,” he said.

Through the new National Task Force Mining Challenge, Cimatu led the DENR team in blasting the five mining portals found near the Philippine Military Academy on Valentine’s Day. The NTFMC is made up of officials of the DENR, the Philippine Army, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

During the national launching of the task force in Baguio City, Cimatu pointed out the need to seal the portals, since

small-scale mining operators have violated mining laws.

“We have to blast the entry points and the areas they have dug to ensure the none resurgence of their operations but in a safe manner,” the secretary said.

The crackdown on illegal mining is based on Special Order Number 201853 dated Jan. 26, creating the task force to strengthen the enforcement of laws against illegal mining and ensuring the filing of ether administrative, civil and criminal charges against the perpetrators and operators.

“This crackdown on illegal mining operating within the area of PMA have been operating for 10 to 12 years and because of this, we have to implement the law. It may hurt the people operating it, but we have to implement the law,” added Cimatu.

The former Armed Forces chief of staff said the blasting of the portals within the PMA boundary was legal since it is a timberland site. The academy plans to extend the area within a government lot to be awarded in a separate proclamation

by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Republic Act No. 7076, or the People’s Small-Scale Mining Act of 1991, requires that small-scale mining operations must be undertaken only within the declared people’s small-scale mining areas or “minahang bayan.”

Small-scale mining is the secondbiggest economic driver of Benguet province, affecting 23,000 miners of 70 associations and cooperatives. More than half of the associations are in Itogon, with an estimated 12,000 miners, according to the Benguet Federation of Small-Scale Mining.

PCSO asks BIR to help explain TRAIN tax on lotto winnings THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office is asking the Bureau of Internal Revenue to help them justify to the public the 20 percent in taxes imposed on lottery winnings worth P10,000 or more starting this year, as stipulated under the new Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN Law. PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan on Monday said the agency will invite BIR experts to explain the law for the benefit of the gaming public, as taxes on lottery winnings began last month.

“At first, [the tax] was just 10 percent.

We haven’t really explained the tax here. We are inviting experts from the BIR on how we will justify the taxes,” Balutan said.

On Friday, two lucky bettors won and shared the whopping P332-million jackpot in the PCSO’s Ultra Lotto 6/58 draw. The winnings are now subject to the new tax law.

“We cannot do anything, that is now the law. The problem is, the betting public might be dissuaded from playing. But according to our lawmakers,

that’s still a windfall. If you win P100 million and have to give back P20 million to the government, you’d still be happy with it,” Balutan said.

While the PCSO is still awaiting the betting public’s reaction to the new tax law, Balutan said the important thing is that the taxes will automatically go to the charity fund, which will be given out to the needy.

Balutan believes the betting public has renewed its confidence to the new leadership of PCSO as evidenced by its increasing revenues.

For instance, the January sales of the expanded Small Town Lottery hit P1.87 billion from P1.7 billion last December 2017, a 103.96 percent increase from the sales of the same month last year.

“This is the great thing happening now, the people are continuously patronizing PCSO’s gaming such as Lotto, Keno, Suertes, and STL. Of course, we are happy that the PCSO has increased earnings, which means we can help our people more, especially those that need medical services,” Balutan said.

PH-CHINA ISSUES. Philippine Ambassador to China Chito Sta. Romana (foreground) and former senator Rodolfo Biazon (right) discuss the West Philippine Sea and revolutionary government issues with Peter Lundgreen (left), CEO of Lundgreen Capital, on projections on the Philippine economy and the local stock market and currency during the Samahang Plaridel Kapihan sa Manila Hotel. Lino Santos

Orbos leaves MMDA, takes new traffic post

By Joel E. Zurbano THOMAS Orbos formally took his oath as Transportation undersecretary and bade goodbye to his post as general manager of the Metro Manila Development Authority to focus on his new job coordinating traffic plans between national agencies and local governments in the National Capital Region.

“MMDA will always be a part of who I am, and I am thankful for being part of an agency, which, despite being underequipped, remains dedicated to serving Metro Manila,” Orbos said.

“It is truly an honor to have worked and served with the people here at MMDA, from the directors to the laborers, who all take their jobs seriously, with their hearts to it. “I am glad that I am back on the

roads as undersecretary for the road sector,” he added.

Orbos served as the MMDA’s assistant general manager for planning during the time of then-President Benigno Aquino III, and eventually became the agency’s officerin-charge after being appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as GM. He led the agency for eight months until the present chairman, Danilo Lim, was appointed last May, and the responsibility of traffic management was given to the new MMDA appointees.

Orbos assured that despite leaving the MMDA, concerns regarding traffic especially in the metropolis will still be properly addressed through proper coordination and stronger cooperation among agencies through the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic.

During his stint at the MMDA, Or-

Bohol solon seeks Sandigan nod for trips

By Maricel V. Cruz BOHOL Rep. Arthur Yap has appealed to the Sandiganbayan to allow him to travel to Vietnam and Europe in the next two months for an official function.

In an urgent motion dated Feb. 15, Yap said his six-day trip to Hanoi, from March 4 to 9, was in response to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund’s invitation for a parliamentary field visit.

He said the IMF will be in charge of his flight and accommodation, and attached a copy of the IMF’s letter-invitation in his motion.

Yap also said his travel to Europe from March 23 to April 10 of this year will be “a combination of a family vacation and a meeting with government officials of the Netherlands and Belgium.”

The Bohol representative is a coaccused in the case of former Misamis Occidental Rep. Marina Clarete, owing to her alleged misuse of pork barrel funds amounting to P65 million from 2007 to 2009.

Yap is facing two counts of graft and one count each of malversation and malversation through falsification of public documents.

The lawmaker is also a co-accused of

British pedophile nabbed in Cebu ordered deported

former Nueva Ecija Rep. Rodolfo Antonino over the alleged misuse of P14.55 million in Priority Development Assistance Funds.

In seeking the approval of the court for his travel, Yap assured the anti-graft court of his return to the country.

“As the incumbent representative of the 3rd District of Bohol, he is committed to fulfill his mandate to his constituents. Moreover, his personal, family and business interests are here in the country. Hence, it would be very difficult or unimaginable for him to start a new life abroad, especially as a fugitive,” Yap’s motion read.

CSA students’ parents protest Dasma car policy

By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Immigration has ordered the deportation of a convicted British pedophile wanted by authorities in the United Kingdom.

Ordered deported was Leslie Charles Russon who was arrested in Sitio Campaog, Barangay Pitalo, San Fernando, Cebu by operatives from the bureau’s Fugitive Search Unit.

“Russon is a registered sex offender who was obliged by the court to periodically notify authorities about his location and address,” Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said.

However, the Briton stopped complying with these requirements in September 2015 when he fled to the Philippines, and did not return to the UK since then.

“We will deport him for posing a risk to Filipino children, whom he might victimize while he continues to remain in the country,” the BI chief said.

Morente added that officials from UK’s National Crime Agency, which sought Russon’s deportation, had warned that the Briton had no intention of returning to the kingdom, thus his continued presence here posed a risk to children.

bos, with the concurrence of the Metro Manila Council, introduced and implemented a handful of policies like the no-window hour, expanded number coding, and light trucks ban, all to ease the traffic in Metro Manila.

Orbos was replaced by Jose Arturo Garcia, who also served as MMDA’s Assistant General for Planning.

The 52-year-old “Tim”, as friends fondly call him, is the youngest of five Orbos siblings—three boys and two girls—from the province of Pangasinan.

His eldest brother, Oscar, was a congressman who also served as Executive Secretary and then Transportation and Communication secretary for the late former President Corazon Aquino, while the second eldest, Father Jerry Orbos, is a well-known Catholic priest and a newspaper columnist.

By Joel E. Zurbano

CHEAP RICE. A truck in Lucena City parks to unload sacks of rice for sale at the public market in the Quezon province, which merchants said would sell for less that P40 per kilo. Diana B. Noche

A NUMBER of parents of students in Colegio de San Agustin in Makati City are up against the “No Sticker, No Entry” imposed by the Dasmariñas Village Association on vehicles, saying the policy led to the suffering of students who are forced to walk and exposed to dangers going to school.

“What if something happened to our child or if there’s an emergency?” said one concerned parent, who requested anonymity.

“My child carries a heavy backpack so walking to school is an additional burden for him,” another parent stated.

Officials of the village association could not be reached at presstime. CSA is located on Palm Avenue inside Dasmariñas Village, one of the affluent neighborhoods near Makati’s central business district.

The parents claimed they have to leave their homes around 4 a.m. so their children would not be late for school, as they were diverted by DVA’s security guards to the Lumbang Gate, where traffic is heavy in the early morning hours.

Sports

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Team LeBron wins thrilling duel L

OS ANGELES--Team LeBron upstaged Team Stephen 148-145 in the NBA All-Star Game Sunday in a thrilling duel that featured spectacular plays at both ends of the court by the game’s premier players.

Playing-captain LeBron James finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists to lead all scorers in front of a sold out crowd of 17,800 at Staples Center arena.

“It was a great weekend and we capped it off the right way,” said Cleveland Cavaliers James, who was also named MVP of the game for the third time in his career.

Team LeBron staged a second-half rally and then got the defensive stops they needed in the fourth quarter to win the mid-February classic after trailing by two points at the half.

This year the league decided to go to a new selection format for picking the teams to try and make the game more competitive and it worked.

“We wanted to change the narrative of the all-star game being a joke,” said Team LeBron’s Kevin Durant, who was MVP of the 2014 all-star game. “We wanted to make it a real basketball game.

“Everybody just falls in line when the game tells you to.”

Last year in New Orleans, the Western Conference outgunned the East 192-182 in a game that lacked intensity and es-

pecially the clutch defensive plays that brought the Staples Center crowd to its feet on Sunday. Under the new format, James and Stephen Curry, the top two allstar vote-getters, got to pick their teams from a pool of 22 available players. The first four picks had to come from the list of all-star starters.

“You got to give credit to the new format,” said Team Stephen’s DeMar DeRozan. “You are playing with guys you normally play against twice a year. That changed it up and gave it a new-found energy.”

Golden State Warriors star Durant tallied 19 points and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George delivered 16 points for Team LeBron.

Four-time all-star DeRozan, of the Toronto Raptors, and Portland Trail Blaz-

ers Damian Lillard each scored 21 points while Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves tallied 17 points and 10 rebounds for Team Stephen. The 33-yearold James, who was playing in his 14th all-star game, scored the eventual winning basket on a finger roll layup with 34 seconds left in the fourth to make if 146-145.

James said the initial plan was to get the ball to Russell Westbrook and let him drive to the basket.

- ‘Play the right way’ “Sometimes you have to improvise when it breaks down,” James said. “We were able to do that. That’s the beauty of being on the floor with a bunch of all-stars.

“It doesn’t always work out but when you have guys with high basketball IQs, and guys that play the game the right way, it works out for the best.” AFP

Villar’s SIPAG Run lures 500 participants THE Villar SIPAG (Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance) successfully gathered 500 runners for the 3rd Las Pinas Run “Takbo Para sa Makasaysayang Zapote River,” to mark the 4th Zapote River Festival which commemorates the 1897 Battle of Zapote Bridge.

Runners from Las Pinas City set the pace at 6 a.m., while runners from Manila, Quezon City, Muntinlupa, Paranaque, Taguig and Cavite started their 4KM run at 7 a.m.

The 3rd Las Pinas Fun Run, an annual event, took off at Marcos Alvarez to F. dela Cruz St. BFRV and ended at the Molino Dam. The top 5 runners from each leg received P5,000 cash and a finisher’s medal.

The first five finishers were as follows: (Las Pinas) Immuel Camino, Ed Carlu Sabellano, Carlito Fantilaca, Marlo Bilog and Ronel Orand; (Other Cities) Jomar Angos, James Orduna, Reynold Villafranca, Elbren Neri and Aries Africa “The Las Pinas Fun Run brings so much joy to us because it promotes healthy and friendly competition among all participants and serves as a unique way of commemorating this historical event in our city, and the beauty and cleanliness of our zapote river,” Villar said.

Shazwan, Barredo to defend Prima badminton titles Kevin Durant (35) and LeBron James (23) double team Stephen Curry (center) in the final minute of the 2018 NBA All-Star Game at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

AFP

SEAG, Asean Para Games medalists to be honored ALL gold medal winners in both the Southeast Asian Games and ASEAN Para Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia get a share of the spotlight during the SMC-PSA (Philippine Sportswriters Association) Awards Night at the Maynila Hall of the Manila Hotel on Feb. 27.

The gold medalists will be recipients of a citation from the country’s oldest media organization headed by president Dodo Catacutan of SPIN.ph during the formal affair presented by MILO and Cignal TV. Sprint King Trenten Anthony Beram leads the SEA Games awardees, while the Para Games winners are bannered by tracksters Cielo Honasan and Cendy Asusano, and chess player Sander Severino.

All four emerged with multiple gold medals from the two biennial meets held one after the other in the Malaysia capital last August.

Beram won back-to-back golds in the 200m and 400m run, while Honasan, Asusano, and Severino completed a treble in their respective events.

The Filipinos finished sixth overall in the SEA Games with a total of 23 gold medals, while the para athletes bagged 20 gold medals to finish fifth in the Para Games.

Apart from the gold winners, there will be other citations to be handed out during the program which counts the Philippine Sports Commission as major sponsor and is backed by Mighty Sports, the Philippine Basketball Association, Globalport, Rain or Shine, Tapa King, and Chooks To Go. Beram will be joined on stage by fellow tracksters Aries Toledo, Eric Shauwn Cray, and Mary Joy Tabal, along with Nikko Huelgas, Kim Mangrobang, Eumir Felix Marcial, John Marvin, Brennan Louie, Reyland Capellan, Kaitlin de Guzman, Agatha Wong, Carlo Biado, Chezka Centeno, Kiyomi Watanabe, and Mariya Takahashi.

Completing the SEA Games honorees are Dines Dumaan, Samuel Morrison, the men’s poomsae team, the lawn bowls men’s fours, ice hockey team, and the men’s basketball team.

Meanwhile, aside from Honasan, Asusano, and Severino, the rest of the Para Games gold winners are Prudencia Panaliga, Rosalie Torrefiel, Roger Lopez, Gary Bejino, Ernie Gawilan, Arthus Bucay, Christopher Yue, Josephine Medina, Adeline Ancheta, the men’s chess team standard B2/B3, and the chess team standard/rapid P1.

It’s Defenders vs Kamao in UNTV Cup finals THE Senate Defenders defeated the AFP Cavaliers on Sunday at the Meralco Gym, 86-80, to book its first trip to the finals of the League of Public Servants, the UNTV Cup. The first two quarters were dominated by the Cavaliers, who led by 8 points at the half, 43-35.

But the Defenders regrouped in the second half, mustering all energy and skills to cripple the Cavaliers in all aspects of the game.

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa lahat ng supporters namin. Doon kumuha ng enerhiya at lakas ang aming players, doon sa support ng aming mga fans at siyempre gusto namin panalunin talaga ang championship para sa beneficiaries namin from Kythe Foundation [young cancer survivors] and Pangarap Foundation. Thank you

Games on Sunday

(Pasig City Sports Center) 3 p.m. – NHA vs AFP (Battle For Third KO match) 4:30 p.m. – Senate vs MalacañangPSC UNTV Cup Season 6 Finals Schedule Game 1: March 4 - Pasig City Sports Center Game 2: March 12 - SmartAraneta Coliseum Game 3: March 13 - Smart-Araneta Coliseum (in case needed)

sa UNTV,” said Sen. Sonny Angara.

On the other hand, Sen. Joel Villanueva added: “Sabi namin babalik kami, gagawin namin lahat, work hard, play defense, teamwork. To God be the glory!

Kasi ang mga pina-practice namin,

lumabas sa game.”

The Senate Defenders will face the Malacañang-PSC Kamao in the best-of-three finals series after the President’s men demolished the NHA Builders’ twice-to-beat advantage in the semis.

The knockout battle for third will be between the AFP Cavaliers and the NHA Builders on March 4, 3 p.m. at the Pasig City Sports Center.

Also on that play date is the start of Malacañang-PSC-Senate Game 1.

The champion gets P4 million, first runner up receives P2 million, second runner up pockets P1 Million while the third runner up will be awarded P500,000 on the play-for-charity basketball league originated by Public Service Advocate BMPI-UNTV CEO Daniel Razon.

The Senate Defenders jubilate after they beat the two-time champion AFP Cavaliers to secure a finals’ seat in the UNTV Cup at the Meralco Gym in Pasig City.

Muntinlupa faces unbeaten leader Quezon City in Rajah Cup Standings: Batangas City (4-0), Quezon City (4-0), Muntinlupa (3-1), Valenzuela (3-1), Paranaque (2-2), Navotas (2-2), Caloocan (1-4), Imus (0-4), Bataan (0-4)

DENIED of a win at home at the start of its campaign in the MPBL-Anta Rajah Cup, Muntinlupa faces another acid test when it battles unbeaten and league leader Quezon City in the main game at 9 p.m. today.

Expect a full house crowd at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex as the Angelis Resort-backed Cagers try to sustain the momentum of a three-game winning streak against the formidable Capitals supported by Royal Manila.

Muntinlupa has picked up victories on

the road since losing to Navotas in its first “It’s a different team now. You’ve seen game of the season, but its resolve will be them winning their last three games and measured tonight by Quezon City, which they’re starting to play better while gaining more confidence moving forward,” said Valencia. “On our part, we just have to stay Games Today consistent on what we’re doing. This will be (Muntinlupa Sports Complex) another tough test for us.”

7 p.m. – Bataan vs Imus In their last game against the Paranaque 9 p.m. – Muntinlupa vs Quezon City Patriots, the visiting Capitals were able to snatch a win and Valencia and his has remained undefeated in four games to troops are hoping to duplicate the feat of share the lead with the Tanduay-backed notching another victory on the road to be Batangas City Athletics. able to move up to solo lead.

Quezon City coach Vis Valencia sees a Winless teams Bataan and Imus collide different Muntinlupa squad from the one in the first game at 7 p.m. as either one that lost its first game of the season to the of them will finally break into the win one they’ve been seeing lately. column after five games.

M A L AY S I A N Shahrul Shazwan and national player Sarah Jane Barredo will defend their respective singles’ open crowns starting this week in the 11th Prima Badminton Championships at the

Powersmash Badminton Court in Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City.

Shazwan, last year’s men’s open singles winner, will return and prepare for the Sarah Barlongest and most redo in action prestigious badminton tournament in the country sanctioned by the Philippine Badminton Association and affiliated with the Philippine National Ranking System.

But Shazwan will be facing a daunting task in defending his title this year as 2016 Prima Pasta open singles’ champion Michael Kevin Cudiamat, R-Jay Baquiran Ormilla, national players Ross Leenard Pedrosa, Lanz Zafra and Arthur Salvado, among others, are going to challenge him for the title.

“I’m no longer part of the national team so my goal in this tournament is to get even with the Malaysian (Shazwan) if ever I will face him because he beat me last year.

I’m also willing to prove myself that I can still play,” said Cudiamat.

Last year, Shazwan beat Ormilla in the men’s singles open finals, while Barredo outplayed fellow national player Airah Mae Nicole Albo also in the women’s open singles’ championship of the annual tournament organized by Prima Pasta chairman Alex Lim. Barredo also guns for her third straight women’s open singles’ crown in the tournament backed by Babolat, SMART Communications, Boysen Paints, Morning Star Milling Corporation., Mabz Builders, ILO Construction, Monocrete Construction, Pioneer Insurance, Promax International, Regent Foods Corp., RFM Corp and Del Monte Phils.

Men’s doubles open reigning champion Peter Gabriel Magnaye and Alvin Morada and women’s open doubles’ titleholder Alyssa Ysabel Leonardo and Thea Marie Pomar will also shoot for their third straight doubles’ open crowns also this week.

LOTTO RESULTS 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 4 DIGITS 00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

Sports

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

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

Bullpups face Tiger Cubs, eye seat in finals Game today:

(Filoil Flying V Centre) 4 p.m. – NU vs UST (Jrs Semis)

NATIONAL University shoots for the remaining championship berth against a resurgent University of Santo Tomas today in the UAAP Season 80 juniors’ basketball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

The Bullpups are wary of the Tiger Cubs, who have won their last three door-die games, as they try to capitalize the semifinal bonus in the 4 p.m. match which will be aired live on S+A 23.

NU hopes to ride on its twin headto-head wins in the elimination round against UST. The Bullpups barely won, 89-85, in their first meeting and dominated the Tiger Cubs in the second round, 109-75.

A win will push NU to the best-of-three Finals opposite Ateneo, which is waiting in the wings after completing a 14-game elimination sweep.

Veteran Rhayyan Amsali will lead the Bullpups’ charge along with Terrence Fortea, Michael Malonzo, Matthew Manalang and Miguel Oczon.

UST dethroned Far Eastern UniversityDiliman in the first step-ladder match right after eliminating Adamson University in a playoff for the last semifinals berth.

The Tiger Cubs also defeated the Baby Tamaraws in the final day of eliminations to keep their season alive.

Playing in front of national TV audience, it’s time for Cansino, who has been solid during UST’s playoff run, to shine.

Prior to their three-game winning run, the Tiger Cubs have lost five straight which put their playoff aspirations in doubt.

UST will also bank on Kobe Palencia, Rhayjun Baquial, John Lina and Cyril Narvasa.

A Tiger Cubs’ victory will send the semis to a deciding game at 4 p.m. on Friday at the San Juan arena.

CHEERLEADING CHAMPS. Host Poveda performs one of its winning routines en route to a fifth straight midgets’ championship in the 48th WNCAA cheerleading competition on Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. Poveda’s juniors’ pep squad unseated St. Paul College Pasig to regain the crown it last won in the 43rd season, while Centro Escolar University snared the seniors’ crown for the fourth consecutive year.

Vargas gains majority nod to run for POC chief

By Peter Atencio

S

UPPORT to let Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines’ president Ricky Vargas and PhilCycling chief Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino run for posts in the Philippine Olympic Committee is gaining ground.

Majority of national sports associations have reportedly signed a petition, which would pave the way for Vargas and Tolentino to run for president and chairman, respectively, of the POC this Friday.

“That petition was signed by majority of the members. We will present that to the board,” said Vargas spokesman Ed Picson.

Elections are set to push through on Feb. 23, but Vargas is still unsure if he could be allowed to run or if he will be disqualified again.

His fate will be determined once a newly formed election committee of the POC deliberates on the provisions on the eli-

gibility of candidates that were approved last Friday.

“We don’t know (if we will be allowed to run). The decision to disqualify us will come after they (POC) form the Comelec,” said Vargas after yesterday’s closedoor general assembly meeting of the POC at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.

The election committee is now reassembled and expected to include former justice secretary John Agra, who will take the place of House Committee on Youth and Sports head Rep. Conrado Estrella III. He will be joined by former International Olympic Committee representative Frank

Elizalde and Bro. Bernie Oca of De La Salle University.

Vargas talked about his sentiments with Tolentino, who were both not allowed to run for president and chairman during polls held last year.

During the three-hour meeting, the body moved to approve the new resolutions into the POC constitution and bylaws regarding the qualifications of officials running for president and chairman.

One of the proposals that worries Vargas is that top officials of national sports associations, who have been active members of the Philippine Olympic Committee for two consecutive years are eligible for election for president and chairman.

The POC also resolved that the absence of an elected officer in an executive board meeting for at least three consecutive times, or a total of five in year, can be grounds for removal.

Vargas felt that different interpretations of active membership, wherein a member must have attended around 50% of their meetings, could disqualify them again.

UST booters reclaim top of the table

Standings: UST 10 pts, UP 10, DLSU 6, Ateneo 6, NU 4, UE 4, FEU 2, AdU 0.

Matches Thursday: (Rizal Memorial Stadium) 9 a.m. – UE vs DLSU (Men) 2 p.m. – AdU vs FEU (Men) 4 p.m. – NU vs UP (Men)

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas rode on Steven Anotado to turn back defending champion Ateneo, 1-0, and reclaim the top of the table Sunday in the UAAP men’s football tournament at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Anotado struck in the 77th minute from an AJ Pasion assist to help the Growling Tigers rediscover their winning form.

With 10 points, UST is actually level with University of the Philippines, which shared the spoils with Far Eastern University following a 1-1 draw, but the España-based side remains ahead via goal difference.

Anotado came in as a very early substitute, as Aljireh Fuchigami suffered a sprained ankle, making his first goal since returning after a two-year absence due to knee injury.

The Blue Eagles were stuck at sixth points.

The Fighting Maroons opened the scoring in the 4th minute, with JB Borlongan netting his fifth goal this season before the Tamaraws leveled courtesy of a 75th minute strike by Jung Donggyu.

In the other match, Patrick Valenzuela was on target as National University defeated Adamson University, 1-0, to level with idle University of the East at four points.

France’s Guillaume Cizeron performs with France’s Gabriella Papadakis as the back fastening of her costume is undone duing the ice dance short dance of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung. AFP

Tearful French skater’s worst Cocolife takes on nightmare after dress mishap Cignal in PSL tilt PYEONGCHANG—Tearful French figure skater Gabriella Papadakis called it her “worst nightmare” after she suffered an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction on Monday in the Olympic ice dance competition.

A heavy title favorite along with partner Guillaume Cizeron, Papadakis’s dress slipped during their routine in Pyeongchang but the French pair demonstrated remarkable composure and were in second place behind Canada’s Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.

The mishap happened when the 22-year-old Papadakis leaned backwards early on and Cizeron inadvertently unclipped the back of her green costume.

Her halter-top, complete with tassles and spangles, edged sideways to briefly expose her left breast.

The duo were still able to finish their short dance as Papadakis tried to keep her chest covered, but she left the ice in tears.

Compounding her embarrassment, the incident was replayed in slow motion on screens at the arena.

“It was pretty distracting, my worst

nightmare at the Olympics,” Papadakis said after drying her eyes.

“I felt it right away and I prayed.

“I told myself ‘you have to keep going’ and that’s what we did and we have to be proud of ourselves, delivering a great performance with that happening.”

Cizeron added: “It’s just frustrating to miss a few points because of a costume issue. It is not what we get ready for when we train.”

The Vancouver 2010 champions Virtue and Moir posted a short-dance world record score of 83.67 points to take a lead of 1.74 into Tuesday’s free dance.

Papadakis is not the first figure skater to have a wardrobe fail at these Games.

South Korean Min Yura won the hearts of skate fans on her Olympic debut after bravely battling on after a hook popped on her dress just seconds into her routine in the team short dance.

Focusing on executing her spins with partner Alexander Gamelin, Min had to keep adjusting her red top, winning rich praise from commentators for keeping her cool.

Games Today

(Bacoor Sports Center) 4:15 pm – Sta. Lucia vs Generika-Ayala 7:00 pm – Cocolife vs Cignal

BACOOR CITY—The vaunted strength and firepower of Cocolife will be put in an ultimate test Tuesday night when it battles Cignal in the Chooks to GoPhilippine Superliga Grand Prix at the Bacoor Sports Center here.

Action starts at 7 p.m., while Sta. Lucia Realty and Generika-Ayala tip things off at 4:15 p.m., hoping to bounce back from their respective setbacks in this prestigious tourney bankrolled by Isuzu, Rebisco and UCPB Gen with ESPN5 as official broadcast partner.

The Lady Realtors suffered a four-set meltdown to powerhouse Petron, 21-25, 25-18, 17-25, 20-25, while the overhauled Lifesavers collapsed in the face of Foton, 19-25, 25-22, 16-25, 22-25, in the opening-day salvo of this battle that also has Mikasa, Mueller, Senoh, LGR, Gold’s Gym and Grand Sport as technical sponsors.

Oconer eyes 1st Ronda Pilipinas title GEORGE Oconer of Go for Gold guns for his very first Ronda Pilipinas title when the 2018 edition presented by LBC unfurls in Vigan, Ilocos Sur on March 3.

Back after missing last year’s race to focus on the national team’s Southeast Asian Games preparation, the 26-yearold Oconer will be one of the favorites to win it all in the country’s biggest cycling race staking P1 million.

“I’m happy to be competing again in Ronda and I’m focused on winning it this year,” said Oconer, whose best came in 2015 when he wound up second to eventual champion Santy Barnachea.

Oconer is seeking to join an elite company composed of former winners Morales (2015, 2016), Barnachea of Team Franzia (2011, 2015), Irish Valenzuela of CCN Superteam (2012), Mark Galedo (2013) and Reimon Lapaza (2014).

Oconer, whose father is two-time Olympian Norberto, said he will bring in a fearsome team capable of challenging a heavily favored Navy Standard Insurance in this race presented by LBC and supported

by MVP Sports Foundation, CCN, Petron, Versa.ph, 3Q Sports Event Management, Inc., Boy Kanin, Franzia, Standard Insurance, Bike Xtreme, SH+, Guerciotti, Prolite, Green Planet, Maynilad, NLEX Cycling, Lightwater, LBC Foundation and PhilCycling.

Boots Ryan Cayubit, John Renee Mier, Jerry Aquino, Jr, Elmer Navarro, Orlie Villanueva, Arjay Arbastro and daredevil Jonel Carcueva.

Carcueva, a 22-year-old native of Minganilla, Cebu who debuted by finishing 12th overall in last year’s race, showed flashes of brilliance by finishing second to Navy’s Junrey Navarra in the second of two-leg qualifying race in Mandaue City, Cebu late last year.

“He’s talented, strong and fearless, he will be a big part of our campaign,” said Oconer of Carcueva.

A cool P1 million will be at stake in this 12-stage race that will be jumpstarted by the 40-kilometer Vigan criterium Stage One on March 3 and the 155.4km ViganPagudpud Stage Two the next day.

Also on tap are the 223.5km Pagudpud-Tuguegarao Stage Three on March 5, 135.2km Tuguegarao-Isabela Stage Four on March 6, 179.4km IsabelaNueva Ecija Stage Five on March 8, 111.8km Nueva Ecija-Tarlac Stage Six on March 9, 31.5km Individual Time Trial Stage Seven and 42.14km Team Time Trial Stage Eight both in Tarlac on March 10 and 11.

Sixers’ Redick in racial slur LOS ANGELES—Philadelphia 76ers star J.J. Redick defended himself on Sunday after the emergence of a video in which he appeared to use a racial slur to address NBA fans in China.

In an online video compilation of NBA players sending seasonal greetings to fans celebrating Chinese New Year, Redick appears to refer to “chink” fans.

“I just want to wish all of the NBA chink fans in China, a very happy Chinese New Year,” the 33-year-old says.

Redick responded to the controversy on Twitter early Sunday, blaming a verbal slip for his use of the word.

“Just saw a video that is being circulated of me wishing a happy new year to NBA fans in China,” Redick wrote.

“Clearly I was tongue tied, as the word I purportedly said is not in my vocabulary. I’m disappointed that anyone would think I would use that word.

“I love and respect our friends in China.”

IN BRIEF

BPO seen to sustain real estate expansion

LEECHIU Property Consultants said it expects total office demand to hit 1 million square meters by 2020 on sustained growth of the business process outsourcing industry and strong demand by online gaming and other industries.

LPC chief executive David Leechiu said in a news briefing total office takeup was expected to reach 937,000 sq. m. this year, 977,000 sq. m. in 2019 and 1.02 million sq. m. in 2020.

He said these targets were based on expectations that demand for BPO would be flat at 485,000 sq. m. from 2018 to 2020, while demand for online gaming was expected to go up by 15 percent annually.

Leechui said in terms of supply, property developers were to expected deliver P1.5 million sq. m. of office space in 2018, 1.7 million in 2019 and another 1.4 million sq. m. in 2020.

He said while surplus supply would continue to be high in 2018 and 2019, which was expected to hit 593,000 sq. m. and 746,00 sq. m. respectively, it was too early to warn about an oversupply of office space.

He said the BPO sector was expected to continue growing while online gaming and other industries were also expected to exceed expectations. Jenniffer B. Austria

Business

SSS warns 60,000 erring employers

THE Social Security System said it will impose additional modes of collection starting April through warrants of distraint, levy and garnishment against 60,000 delinquent employers nationwide.

SSS said this would cause the seizure and acquisition of personal and real properties and garnishment of bank accounts equivalent to the amount of unpaid contributions including interest and penalty.

The WDLG is provided for under Section 22 of Republic Act 8282 otherwise known as Social Security Act of 1997. These modes of collection are similar to the collection system of the Bureau of Internal Revenue against delinquent taxpayers.

SSS president and chief executive Emmanuel Dooc said the new policy would ensure that employers were unable to dispose their properties to evade their obligations in paying employees’ SSS monthly contributions.

“This is a warning against delinquent employers who continue to ignore their responsibility with the SSS. With this new policy, SSS can now seize their personal and real properties as well as credits and other properties in the hand of the third party as payments to the delinquency owed by them,” said Dooc.

LRT rehabilitation to last until December

LIGHT Rail Manila Corp., a consortium led

by Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp., said Monday it expects to complete the P500-million LRT Line 1 station rehabilitation program by the end of 2018.

“The station improvements are scheduled to be finished by end of 2018. The rail replacement was completed last January. The other works left are the rehabilitation of some of the trains.

We’re constantly upgrading the trains,” LRMC president and chief executive Juan Alfonso told reporters.

The LRT Line 1 improvement program includes the physical upgrade of the stations to improve accessibility, safety and security of over 500,000 passengers daily.

The improvement works also include steps to address ambiance, standardization of way finding and passenger information systems and convenience.

The company said since launching the improved Doroteo Jose Station in 2016, it had completed the improvements of five other stations: Pedro Gil, Gil Puyat, U.N. Avenue, R. Papa and Abad Santos. Darwin G. Amojelar

Third telco player required to have P20-b net worth

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Department of Information and Communications Technology on Monday issued the draft rules on the selection of a third major telecommunications player that will challenge the duopoly PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. Under the draft rules, the prospective bidders should have a net worth of at least P10 billion with a Congressional franchise to operate telecom services.

It said in case of a consortium, Filipinos should control at least 60 percent and at least one of the members should be a holder of a Congressional franchise.

Prospective bidders should not be a related party to any telecom group with a mobile and broadband wireless market share of at least 40 percent, it said.

The National Telecommunications Commission will assign frequency band ― 700 megahertz (MHz), 850 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2010 MHz, 2.5 GHz (gigahertz) 3.3 GHz, 3.5 GHz and 10.5 GHz to the new major player.

The new major player is required to post a performance bond equivalent to 0.005 of the amount of the committed investment for the first five years.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

B

SM Prime’s income climbs 16% to P23.8b

PH nuclear power still widely opposed

SOCIAL acceptance of nuclear power continues to be “very negative” driven by the “demonization” of the fuel source from various sectors, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said Monday.

Cusi said the country’s economic landscape would have been vastly different if the government had pushed for the operation of the 620-megawatt Bataan Nuclear Power Plant which was completed but was never allowed to generate power.

“The injustice committed against the people…if we utilized it [BNPP], our economic landscape would have been different,” the energy chief said.

The Philippines was plunged into a power crisis lasting for several hours every day in the early 1990s when the government decided to mothball BNPP on safety concerns.

Cusi said while BNPP could still be rehabilitated and repowered according to experts, the issue of social acceptability remained a challenge.

Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corp. and other international nuclear experts already presented to the department the results of the study on the 30-year old BNPP. Alena Mae S. Flores

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor

PSE NOW IN TAGUIG. Taguig City mayor Lanie Cayetano (left) and Philippine Stock Exchange chairman Jose Pardo (right) along with PSE officials ring the bells during the first trading of the Philippine Stock Exchange at the new PSE Tower in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig on Monday. Manny Palmero

PCC annuls Udenna’s purchase of 2Go Group

By Jenniffer B. Austria

T

HE Philippine Competition Commission said Monday it voided the purchase by Dennis Uy-led Udenna Corp. of KGL Investment B.V., which partly owns logistics and transport firm 2Go Group Inc. for failure to notify the anti-trust body of the deal.

PCC said in a statement both parties were also fined P19.6 million, equivalent to 1 percent of the value of the transaction, for the violation.

The anti-trust body said in an en banc decision released on Feb. 19 that the transaction, worth $120 million, met the P1-billion threshold for review, and as such, the transacting parties should have notified PCC of the acquisition.

“After careful consideration of the facts and evidence on record, the com-

mission hereby rules that respondents consummated the transaction in violation of the notification requirements under Section 17 of the Philippine Competition Act,” PCC said.

“The law is clear: an agreement consummated in violation of the competition law’s compulsory notification requirement shall be fined and is considered void,” it said.

Under Section 17 of the Philippine Competition Act, parties who fail to notify the PCC of a transaction that meets the threshold should be slapped with a fine ranging from 1 percent to 5 percent of the transaction value, and their business deal voided.

Udenna, in a statement, described the decision as unduly harsh and uncalled for, particularly considering the interest of Udenna Group’s many stakeholders and the decision’s effect on business.

“Udenna acted in good faith in consummating the transaction based on its interpretation of the newly-issued rules

of the PCC, which in Udenna’s opinion are ambiguous. At the time of completion of the subject transaction, the PCC rules were new, and Udenna had no guidelines, interpretative rulings or precedents to rely on,” Udenna said.

The company said it was reviewing its options which including filing a motion for reconsideration with the PCC, or through a petition to the Court of Appeals. I Udenna said it also had the option to submit to the PCC decision and file a notification with the anti-trust body.

PCC said it learned about the transaction when it was tipped off by a letter complaint on Dec. 28, 2016.

The agency said that in its investigation, the PCC Mergers and Acquisitions Office found that Udenna bought the entire shareholdings of KGLI-BV through a share purchase agreement dated July 28, 2016, and the deal was consummated as reflected in a deed of transfer dated August 19, 2016.

Manila Water acquires 18.7% stake in East Water of Thailand MANILA Water Co. Inc., a unit of conglomerate Ayala Corp., said it is venturing into Thailand’s water industry to further expand its footprint in Southeast Asia.

Manila Water said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it signed an agreement to acquire the 18.72-percent interest of Electricity Generating Public Company Limited in Eastern Water Resources Development and Management Public Company Limited (East Water).

“Manila Water marks another milestones in its regional growth, as it establishes its presence in Thailand through East Water. We recognize the opportunities this new market presents for us and we are eager to share the technical expertise and service quality which Manila Water has developed over the last twenty years,” Ayala Corp. president and Manila Water board chairman Fernando de Ayala said.

“From the conglomerate’s perspective, Ayala sees this development as a strategic entry point into Thailand.

With Manila Water leading the way, we hope to leverage our various capabilities to enlarge our footprint in the country,” he added.

East Water in a statement posted on its website said the transaction was expected to be closed in the first quarter of 2018.

East Water provides raw and tap water supply services in the eastern region of Thailand, the country’s main industrial area and home to several heavy industries, including automotive, electronics and petrochemicals.

It currently provides raw water to three provinces, holds concession contracts to operate in 11 different loca-

tions and delivers water to several industrial estates.

Manila Water president and chief executive Ferds dela Cruz said the deal was part of the group’s internationalization strategy with focus in Southeast Asia.

“East Water presents great potential as its future growth will mainly come

from the Eastern Economic Corridor, the Thai government initiatives to further deepen the country’s eastern seaboard into a leading economic zone in the Asean,” dela Cruz said.

The acquisition is subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions.

Jenniffer B. Austria

TOP TAXPAYERS. Belle Corp., the gaming and property unit of the Sy family, and sister company SM Prime Holdings Inc. emerge as the top realty taxpayers in Parañaque City in 2017. Belle is the operator of City of Dreams in Pagcor Entertainment City while SM, the country’s largest mall in the country, operates three malls in Parañaque. Mayor Edwin Olivarez (center), vice mayor Rico Golez (second from right) and Rep. Eric Olivarez (right) present a trophy to Roland Allan Brosas (second from left) and John Bryan Tarnate (left), both of SM Prime Holdings, during the 20th Cityhood anniversary celebration at the city hall’s multi-purpose gym.

PROPERTY developer SM Prime Holdings Inc. said recurring net income climbed 16 percent in 2017 to P27.6 billion from P23.8 billion in 2016, boosted by strong mall operations and robust take up of residential projects.

SM Prime said in a disclosure to the stock exchange consolidated revenues grew 14 percent to P90.9 billion in 2017 from P79.8 billion in 2016, while overall operating income improved 15 percent to P40.6 billion from P35.3 billion.

“SM Prime continues to benefit from the sustained overall economic progress of the Philippines that resulted in higher spending power for most Filipino families. This translated into consistent growth of our key businesses that include higher rental revenues of our malls, increased residential units sales and growing contribution of our other business segments,” SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim said.

Mall revenues jumped 9 percent last year to P53.2 billion from P48.6 billion in 2016 as rental income, which accounted for the bulk of total mall sales, climbed 11 percent to P45.3 billion The company traced the increase in revenue to rising contribution of rentals from new and expanded malls that were launched in 2016 and 2017, including SM City San Jose Del Monte, SM City Trece Martires, SM City East Ortigas, SM CDO Downtown Premier, S-Maison at Conrad Manila, SM City Puerto Princesa and SM Center Tuguegarao Downtown.

It said same-mall-sales growth was consistent at 7 percent across all mature malls. Cinema and event ticket sales improved 2 percent to P4.8 billion in 2017 while revenues from amusement and merchandise sales rose 8 percent to P3.1 billion.

SM Prime had 67 malls in the Philippines offering 8 million square meters of gross floor area and seven malls in China with 1.3 million sqm as of end-2017. Jenniffer B. Austria

Peso plummets to 11-year low of 52.34 a dollar

By Julito G. Rada THE peso on Monday sank to a new 11-year low of 52.34 against the US dollar, amid expectations of a wider trade deficit this year coupled with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ dovish monetary policy stance.

The peso lost P0.34 to close at 52.34 a dollar Monday from 52 per greenback on Thursday. It was the local currency’s weakest level in more than 11 years since it settled at 52.745 a dollar on July 19, 2006.

Total volume turnover reached $1.025 billion Monday, higher than $578 million worth of transactions in the previous currency trading.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng said in a report among the reasons for the peso’s weakness was the “wider trade deficit this year increasing by 16 percent to $35 billion” despite record-high remittances in 2017.

He also cited the market’s “perception of the economic team’s greater tolerance of a weaker peso.”

Cuyegkeng said these factors combined kept the peso on the defensive.

“Accommodative monetary and fiscal policies would boost growth and likely worsen the trade deficit in 2018.

These are ingredients for a weak PHP [Philippine peso]. Significant capital inflows would be need to offset such weak PHP fundamentals,” Cuyegkeng said.

Bangko Sentral early this month kept the benchmark interest rates steady on expectations of manageable inflation environment going forward.

It also cut the reserve requirement of banks to 19 percent from 20 percent to free up ample liquidity into the system.

“Capital inflows are needed in a large dose to provide some relief to PHP. BSP is likely to intervene to smoothen out volatility. But in the absence of a hawkish BSP and an FX policy the shows more tolerance for a weaker PHP significant capital inflows are needed,” he said.

B2

Business

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks rally; banks lead gainers

T

HE stock market surged Monday on bargain-hunting, with banking issues leading the rally on prospects of increased lending activities after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reduced last week the reserve requirement ratio.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index jumped 97.78 points, or 1.1 percent, to 8,710.22 on a value turnover of P9.7 billion. Gainers overwhelmed losers, 141 to 65, with 44 issues unchanged.

BDO Unibank Inc., the biggest lender in terms of assets, rose 3.8 percent to P156, while Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-largest, advanced 3.2 percent to P99.90. Bank of the Philippine Islands, the third biggest lender, advanced 3.7 percent to P124.40.

PXP Energy Corp. surged 17.5 percent to P14.48 after the government reported that China and the Philippines were discussing joint mineral exploration in the South China Sea despite an ongoing territorial conflict over the strategic waterway.

MacroAsia Corp., which provides aviation-related services, jumped 10 percent to P28.60.

The rest of Asian stock markets, meanwhile, mostly edged up in thin holiday trade on Monday, with Tokyo’s benchmark index surging nearly two percent as investors regained some confidence.

A weaker yen and continued gains on Wall Street last week helped push the bellwether Nikkei 225 index up 1.97 percent or 428.96 points to close at 22,149.21.

The broader Topix index was up 2.17 percent or 37.78 points at 1,775.15.

Stocks in Sydney and Seoul also ended higher, but trading was generally subdued in the region as many major markets, including in China and Hong Kong, remain closed for the Lunar New Year break.

“Japanese stocks this week will likely test a rebound” from sharp drops earlier in the month, Okasan Online Securities said in a note.

“Given falling volatility both in Japan and in the United States, we can expect a calm market,” it said.

In the markets that were open in Asia on Monday, the Australian ASX closed up 0.64 percent while New Zealand closed down 0.12 percent. South Korea’s KOSPI was up 0.87 percent.

The dollar, which fell below 106 to hit the lowest since November 2016 against the yen on Friday, rebounded to 106.53, compared with 106.25 in New York late

Friday.

“Investors were relieved to see the yen stop rising,” said Toshikazu Horiuchi, a broker at IwaiCosmo Securities.

“They will remain cautious about foreign exchange rates for the time being” as the dollar was still hovering around the 106 yen level, Horiuchi told AFP. Market sentiment was also boosted by a relatively positive end to the week in the US and Europe.

The Dow squeezed out a positive close, up 0.1 percent to 25,219.38 before a long weekend, the sixth straight positive close for the blue-chip index as it notched up its best weekly gain since November 2016.

European stocks were also broadly higher, with analysts saying trader optimism was rising, encouraging investors to jump back in after a dizzying price drops. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 59.3 5,370 124.4 3,912,690 3.75 30,000 156 3,653,360 1.67 1,770,000 36.1 185,100 15.5 41,100 26.35 1,616,400 3.69 487,000 8.6 3,600 1.64 5,000 935 330 0.53 789,000 99.9 3,746,340 1.64 4,387,000 13.52 61,000 24.55 1,600 57.1 80,450 240 610 103 70 46.8 196,600 255 331,900 1,974 25 90.5 10,760 1.2 37,000

318,743 484,942,307 112,370 566,772,191 3,053,260 6,672,780 632,880 42,568,445 1,810,600 30,960 8,200 313,000 418,380 368,987,021 6,982,400 811,766 39,490 4,585,438.50 146,374 7,210 9,041,395 84,765,108 49,350 971,600 44,460

309,896 21,646,703 -54,406,167 5,310 3,688,605 1,028,085 7,880 -66,514,706.50 160,420 -13,200 298,058.50 1,772,965 -15,061,468 -49,350 796,865 -

39.4 12.8 0.59 1.29 17.52 0.214 119.1 4.01 15.7 50 19.1 62 55 1.9 10.1 11.36 14.24 10.82 7.6 5.54 1.74 15.5 61.6 28.95 9.99 19.22 2 283.8 50.95 4.12 3.06 19.1 27.35 17.3 19.18 323 0.19 8.01 2.66 4.65 9.3 6.3 8 1.52 13.1 56.65 5.8 615 4.88 2.26 3.52 1.95 16.8 5.45 0.131 1.06 152.1 1.84 1.31

INDUSTRIAL 39.85 803,700 13 2,021,600 0.59 539,000 1.31 740,000 17.9 31,400 0.221 4,220,000 120 820 4.03 5,360,000 15.8 6,135,200 51.95 486,430 19.12 12,700 62 90 59.95 4,940 1.92 112,000 10.6 28,200 11.66 4,886,000 14.36 221,800 11.06 1,026,700 7.62 266,000 5.57 392,400 1.79 10,000 15.8 1,010,100 62.9 67,370 29.45 143,300 10 122,200 19.34 2,520,900 2 4,220,000 285 492,990 50.95 400 4.12 37,000 3.1 19,000 20.05 4,600 27.7 697,700 17.4 325,700 20 919,600 330 189,670 0.19 720,000 8.76 7,300 2.85 1,157,000 4.67 167,000 9.35 1,434,500 6.35 149,700 8.29 55,500 1.56 680,000 13.1 907,900 57.65 207,590 6 163,200 625 42,900 4.88 1,000 2.26 1,306,000 3.7 115,000 2.14 4,385,000 17.28 1,288,600 5.47 29,700 0.131 2,530,000 1.1 394,000 153 1,785,640 1.85 2,077,000 1.37 7,506,000

32,008,410 26,183,860 318,080 957,930 558,148 916,220 98,328 21,694,710 96,670,524 25,004,550 250,446 5,611 273,718.50 214,570 295,668 56,901,124 3,177,184 11,293,388 2,041,027 2,179,385 17,600 15,826,296 4,208,108 4,154,225 1,222,019 48,885,438 8,572,480 142,298,424 20,380 152,460 58,180 88,483 19,421,420 5,655,668 18,218,278 62,306,042 137,750 61,532 3,223,220 789,660 13,407,403 947,911 444,938 1,066,080 12,274,664 11,976,803.50 966,607 26,701,360 4,880 4,297,600 432,610 9,249,330 21,976,730 162,324 331,430 432,680 274,268,593 3,860,110 10,187,560

117,185 -1,190,204 21,500 -7,774,690.00 47,895,448 -50,362 28,800 1,691,954 1,858,388 -679,244 480,720 -825,951 6,715,540 3,407,394.50 14,500 -727,000 9,314,202 -206,400.00 1,308,172 12,240 12,851,990 -2,091,662 1,900,974 30,387,524 106,640 1,956,000 33,230 4,939,566 -200,375 7,200 18,218 -6,933,880.50 600,000 1,508,985 16,630 867,520 15,939,238 -78,600 -16,280 -106,620,865 220,210 -466,130

0.295 73 14.5 0.94 7 0.57 0.6 1,060 7.3 13.9 7.4 0.185 1,300 7.2 74 5.31 0.68 5.26 22.9 5.86 0.038 1.14 3.01 2.84 144.3 2.56 980 1.62 272 0.238 0.178 0.19

HOLDING FIRMS 0.305 150,000 76.45 851,610 14.72 8,448,000 1.02 152,000 7 5,300 0.58 19,880,000 0.61 3,821,000 1,089 317,590 7.48 708,100 13.92 2,120,200 7.61 215,400 0.185 170,000 1,330 76,655 7.2 200 75.95 1,241,400 5.31 11,300 0.68 504,000 5.28 2,493,200 22.9 944,900 6.05 33,026,900 0.039 10,400,000 1.14 382,000 3.06 12,370,000 2.89 25,000 145 274,100 2.57 51,000 985 300,880 1.71 1,286,000 280 6,740 0.244 230,000 0.178 290,000 0.19 100,000

44,450 65,062,445 124,724,118 147,250 37,100 11,486,750 2,316,150 343,716,120 5,287,272 29,643,438 1,631,980 31,480 102,185,920 1,440 94,538,208 60,010 349,450 13,180,707 21,846,245 197,265,917 397,100 439,190 38,751,720 71,750 39,760,173 131,730 299,627,160 2,184,080 1,851,548 54,920 52,160 19,000

24,700,567 24,010,988 730,200 13,755,655 2,156,161 3,607,878 -16,000,405 1,926,487.50 9,938,139.00 -7,074,410 33,090,656 404,730 -7,195,672 -45,582,920 -24,280 47,600 1,780 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

58.1 119 3.75 150 1.77 36 15.4 26.95 3.94 8.6 1.64 950 0.53 96.7 1.57 13.6 24.95 56.75 239.8 103 45.2 258 1,974 90 1.21

59.65 128.2 3.75 158 1.78 36.15 15.5 26.95 3.94 8.6 1.64 950 0.54 100.2 1.65 13.6 24.95 57.45 240 103 46.95 258 1,974 90.5 1.21

58.1 119 3.71 150 1.67 35.85 15.36 26 3.63 8.6 1.64 930 0.53 96.5 1.5 12.98 24.55 56.65 239.8 103 45.2 246 1,974 90 1.2

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

39.4 12.82 0.59 1.31 18.24 0.214 119.1 4.02 15.8 52 19.98 62.55 57 1.91 10.1 11.38 14.4 11 7.71 5.55 1.74 15.78 61.6 29.8 10 19.92 2.09 283.8 50.95 4.12 3.06 19.24 27.4 17.4 19.2 323 0.195 8.14 2.7 4.65 9.33 6.35 8.27 1.55 13.22 56.7 5.8 620 4.88 4.89 3.9 2.3 16.88 5.48 0.131 1.2 153 1.9 1.31

39.9 13.04 0.6 1.31 18.26 0.221 120 4.12 15.8 52 19.98 62.55 59.95 1.94 10.6 11.74 14.4 11.2 7.75 5.57 1.79 15.8 63 29.8 10.02 19.92 2.09 291 50.95 4.13 3.1 20.1 28.45 17.48 20 330 0.199 8.78 2.86 4.81 9.4 6.36 8.29 1.65 13.84 58.55 6.07 635 4.88 4.89 3.9 2.3 17.28 5.48 0.131 1.2 155.4 1.91 1.42

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

0.295 75 14.7 0.94 7 0.59 0.63 1,075 7.3 14 7.51 0.186 1,310 7.2 75.25 5.32 0.7 5.27 23 5.88 0.038 1.16 3.19 2.88 146 2.69 988 1.63 275 0.238 0.18 0.19

0.305 77 14.98 1.02 7 0.59 0.63 1,089 7.5 14.06 7.61 0.186 1,349 7.2 76.5 5.32 0.71 5.35 23.35 6.06 0.039 1.16 3.33 2.89 146 2.69 1,006 1.72 281.6 0.244 0.18 0.19

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 PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY

7.22 1.07 15 2.18 0.85 44.5 3.7 4.4 5.81 0.43 1.12 1.08 0.231 0.495 35 0.64 0.135 1.78 1.31 0.7 4.81 0.345 0.305 0.51

7.23 1.08 16.88 2.18 0.9 45.6 3.73 4.48 5.88 0.435 1.13 1.09 0.237 0.51 36.5 0.64 0.135 1.84 1.32 0.72 4.88 0.4 0.305 0.51

6.96 1.02 15 2.15 0.85 44 3.7 4.4 5.79 0.425 1.12 1.05 0.23 0.48 35 0.63 0.135 1.78 1.3 0.69 4.79 0.34 0.295 0.5

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

4 35.05 20 1.95 3.24 36.1 1 16.1 0.81 6.55

4.37 35.05 20.6 1.96 3.24 36.85 1.01 17.8 0.84 6.82

3.92 35 19.96 1.92 3.22 35.7 1 15.1 0.81 6.52

4.3 35.05 20.25 1.93 3.23 36.25 1.01 15.7 0.84 6.76

1,741,000 1,000 5,732,500 929,000 91,000 15,074,700 431,000 314,000 7,000 6,849,600

7,327,220 35,025 115,606,083 1,798,140 293,900 549,285,835 431,060 4,930,138 5,700 46,038,735

-251,850 -23,336,492 508,890 -135,660 -198,815,665 -31,236 -1,206,526

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN HAVEN HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM 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 PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

17.7 32 1.31 0.43 0.056 11.6 14.02 0.065 100.1 8.91 8.65 8.65 2.43 44.5 999.5 1,790 6.15 165 5.98 3.05 109.9 13.82 8.3 0.133 1.5 3.34 14 3.8 1.04 26.1 0.51 4.47 8.58 3.38 18.5 11.8 10.2 12 2.98 112 6.15 1,520 1.2 0.35 51 95 6.05 2.87 1.47 0.53 3.51 0.93 10.86

18 32.3 1.32 0.45 0.061 11.7 14.48 0.065 102.6 8.91 8.65 8.8 2.53 49.85 1,000 1,844 6.3 185 6.09 3.21 111.1 13.82 8.31 0.136 1.54 3.46 15.48 3.98 1.09 28.65 0.51 4.8 8.62 3.5 18.5 13.5 10.52 12.1 2.98 112 6.33 1,555 1.21 0.35 51.35 95.7 6.05 2.87 1.49 0.55 3.6 0.94 11.6

17.5 31.55 1.31 0.43 0.056 11.6 14 0.063 99.7 8.91 8.18 8.32 2.36 44.5 999.5 1,760 6.13 165 5.7 2.93 109.9 13.5 8.3 0.133 1.44 3.23 14 3.78 1.03 26.1 0.5 4.37 8.54 3.37 17.2 10.52 10.18 12 2.98 108.3 6 1,520 1.19 0.34 50.95 94.1 6 2.8 1.45 0.5 3.51 0.91 10.6

SERVICES 17.7 32 1.31 0.445 0.057 11.7 14.44 0.065 102 8.91 8.28 8.32 2.53 46 1,000 1,821 6.24 175 5.87 2.93 110.4 13.5 8.3 0.136 1.53 3.41 14.54 3.94 1.08 28.6 0.51 4.47 8.55 3.41 17.98 11.3 10.5 12 2.98 108.3 6.11 1,555 1.19 0.34 51 95 6.05 2.85 1.46 0.51 3.55 0.91 11.4

78,600 32,800 28,000 1,920,000 326,590,000 200 29,728,700 14,140,000 366,860 3,000 5,197,700 85,900 108,000 171,000 50 31,135 466,200 207,000 10,419,800 26,000 787,560 6,300 7,200 6,760,000 1,147,000 188,000 7,900 415,000 469,000 9,850,400 343,000 1,048,000 3,582,800 1,450,000 1,500 71,166,900 3,800 209,400 7,000 3,080 776,900 75,350 3,370,000 40,000 2,935,430 789,790 143,300 424,000 4,605,000 65,103,000 599,000 7,192,000 8,615,100

1,396,314 1,045,305 36,730 840,400 19,044,820 2,330 422,586,872 905,890 37,187,674 26,730 43,449,134 730,949 263,390 8,081,795 49,995 56,921,645 2,914,354 36,620,212 61,651,080 78,880 86,893,555 86,846 59,790 904,860 1,688,740 619,710 117,338 1,604,640 494,090 274,015,035 171,900 4,667,970 30,766,473 4,918,640 26,208 843,888,880 38,910 2,514,796 20,860 336,670 4,762,128 116,624,810 4,043,950 13,800 149,651,863 75,175,341 861,734 1,201,150 6,728,970 33,909,930 2,128,500 6,602,100 97,581,512

26,550 -35,600 -9,760 1,160 284,502,558 14,261,140 -72,439 210,000 28,680 -36,830 15,348,760 198,020 751,362 -34,142,294 16,584 -51,320 18,850 -8,360 -35,360 54,159,900 30,800 -22,074,403 -23,800 -14,070,058 -24,040 4,480 35,992,110 -1,842,010 -1,573,437.50 -27,854,058 218,450 4,718,380 130,180 -944,160 15,837,548

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK 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 1.99 4.99 20 1.76 0.31 7.35 2.39 0.195 0.147 0.158 0.0091 1.5 6.4 1.35 0.86 0.012 0.013 0.011 2.23 6.66 16 35.25 0.0068

0.0026 2 5 26 1.76 0.315 7.39 2.41 0.201 0.15 0.158 0.0093 1.54 6.48 1.39 0.88 0.013 0.013 0.012 2.98 6.82 17.5 36.35 0.0068

0.0022 1.7 4.96 15 1.6 0.31 7.35 2.34 0.195 0.147 0.158 0.0091 1.46 6.31 1.35 0.86 0.012 0.012 0.011 2.23 6.6 13.6 35.25 0.0068

MINING & OIL 0.0025 5,581,000,000 1.75 80,875,000 4.96 57,000 17.98 176,600 1.71 2,743,000 0.31 280,000 7.36 6,900 2.34 4,402,000 0.2 950,000 0.149 7,210,000 0.158 310,000 0.0093 23,000,000 1.5 401,000 6.4 1,426,000 1.38 180,000 0.88 103,000 0.013 58,200,000 0.012 17,000,000 0.012 70,200,000 2.5 2,607,000 6.6 2,243,100 14.48 52,836,500 35.5 514,700 0.0068 8,000,000

14,067,800 152,141,900 284,340 3,505,780 4,612,950 86,950 50,865 10,410,610 189,170 1,064,360 48,980 210,400 598,780 9,162,879 247,160 89,510 701,100 219,600 814,600 7,171,170 14,889,405 814,933,404 18,493,525 54,400

-455,800.00 743,790 -14,920 -16,000 39,250 -420,100 4,619,605 -124,800 152,270 1,800,231 -3,907,958 2,853,200 40,800

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FPH PREF C GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C

32.1 510 517 104 518 6.12 1,007 1,009 101.3 1.03 108.4 1,040 103 109 77.1 80.1

32.1 510 517 104.3 518 6.19 1,008 1,009 101.5 1.03 108.5 1,040 103 109 77.15 81.5

31.75 510 513 103.6 505 6 1,007 1,009 101.3 1.03 108.4 1,040 103 109 77 80.1

PREFERRED 31.75 2,900 510 4,000 513 50 104.3 520 505 10,000 6.19 58,600 1,008 12,180 1,009 9,400 101.5 1,300 1.03 100,000 108.5 80 1,040 780 103 39,000 109 32,920 77.15 1,480 81.5 4,260

93,020 2,040,000 25,690 53,970 5,051,700 359,928 12,277,100 9,484,600 131,890 103,000 8,675 811,200 4,017,000 3,588,280 114,109 346,309

0 -1,530,000 10,260 5,180 266,378 0 0 -66,490 325,455

LR WARRANT

2.24

2.4

2.24

WARRANTS 2.28 212,000

483,770

-

35,350,204 25,330 2,821,850 8,464,840

114,972 -3,322,000

MS

PROPERTY 7.22 1.03 15.5 2.16 0.86 45.6 3.73 4.48 5.88 0.435 1.12 1.09 0.235 0.49 35.5 0.64 0.135 1.83 1.31 0.72 4.85 0.395 0.3 0.51

3,276,900 10,693,000 70,300 229,000 3,326,000 6,557,400 456,000 523,000 162,300 8,970,000 82,000 305,000 6,850,000 2,590,000 357,000 190,000 40,000 5,326,000 2,509,000 264,000 13,320,000 523,510,000 2,940,000 3,191,000

23,295,158 11,178,070 1,101,058 493,210 2,923,060 297,358,100 1,693,630 2,312,260 950,699 3,851,050 92,100 326,220 1,588,160 1,295,350 12,828,705 120,780 5,400 9,711,360 3,285,550 187,840 64,594,620 196,366,250 880,400 1,612,200

-6,291,936 42,010 -290,600 110,140,985 -118,530 537,833.00 8,500 2,160 737,200 4,850 3,141,345 0 7,281,170 13,110 -21,476,060.00 -6,616,200.00 90,000 -

ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

5.85 2.81 3.94 3.51

6.79 2.82 4.1 3.94

5.74 2.81 3.76 3.51

FIRST METRO ETF

130

132.2

129.8

USD DMPL A2

10.3

10.3

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

24,553,446

INDUSTRIAL

65,293,631

HOLDING FIRMS

124,387,727

PROPERTY

627,609,84 0

SERVICES

585,379,062

MINING & OIL

5,916,629,839

GRAND TOTAL

7,352,534,260

10.3

6.79 2.82 4.1 3.93

SME

5,569,200 9,000 726,000 2,237,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 132.2 129,880 10.3

DDS

2,000

16,980,305 20,600

-18,186 -

VALUE 2,266.86 (up) 56.57 1,894,813,836.04 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,473.60 (up) 74.98 1,024,016,028.67 HOLDING FIRMS 8,830.61 (up) 33.56 1,718,042,905.46 PROPERTY 3,938.61 (up) 53.44 1,728.44 (up) 22.97 1,387,995,176.585 SERVICES MINING & OIL 11,908.20 (up) 201.85 2,546,435,293.118 PSEI 8,710.22 (up) 97.78 1,054,117,893.9134 All Shares Index 5,123.20 (up) 47.60 9,689,101,824.59 Gainers: 141; Losers: 65; Unchanged: 44; Total: 250

Govt keen on buying bond trading operator

By Julito G. Rada FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the government is keen on acquiring 66.67 percent of bond exchange operator Philippine Dealing System Holdings Corp. through the state-run Land Bank of the Philippines to further improve the capital market. “... Certainly it can move the capital market ahead. It is very important for us, you know the insurance companies want to invest in bonds, right now they can’t because there is no marketplace to do it, it hasn’t been developed,” Dominguez said in a briefing.

“We want to develop this market, it is not going to get developed when every time we talk to people who want to buy it they postpone it, so we might as well do it ourselves,” Dominguez said.

The finane chief referred to the recent announcement of the Philippine Stock Exchange on the postponement of its P3.16-billion stock rights offering to March, citing unfavorable conditions among global markets that affected the local bourse.

The PSE earlier said it was offering up to 11.5 million shares priced at P275 apiece in the stock rights offer. The exchange will use half of the P3.12-billion projected net proceeds the finance the acquisition of PDSHC. But Dominguez said a DoF’s own review of the PSE’s public statements about compliance in relation to the acquisition of PDS showed the agency first announced it in May 2013. “... So are these guys worth to be counted on? This is already five years, just to be compliant with the law. It is not as if we are asking them a special deal... ,” he said.

“We are forced to do this... we did not want to do this, it is not a priority for us but if the private sector cannot do it and we see the need for the improvement in the capital market (then) we will do it,” Dominguez said.

Land Bank president Alex Buenaventura last month said the state-run lender has started conducting its due diligence in the proposed acquisition of 66.67 percent of PDS. Buenaventura said in a statement Tuesday he had a “very fruitful meeting” with the Securities and Exchange Commission to discuss the procedure seeking an “exemptive” relief with the regulatory body.

Maynilad allots over P9b for ’18 water projects

By Othel V. Campos WEST Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. said Monday it is earmarking over P9 billion in capital expenditures this year for water and wastewater infrastructure projects.

“Our record investments have contributed significantly to the government’s job generation efforts while also improving water services for our over 9 million customers. We will continue on this track so we can sustain service level improvements in the West Zone,” Maynilad president and chief executive Ramoncito Fernandez said.

Maynilad will allot P6.5 billion of the amount to Maynilad’s water infrastructure projects to enhance supply and pressure in the West Zone.

Around P2.6 billion of the P6.5 billion budget allocation has been allotted for water sources, operations support and service expansion programs, which include the rehabilitation of water network facilities, upgrade and construction of pumping stations and reservoirs for better supply and pressure management, and installation of new primary, secondary and tertiary pipelines.

Maynilad will use the balance of P3.9 billion for water loss recovery or non-revenue water program that covers meter management, leak detection and repair, pipe replacements and district metered area management.

About P1.7 billion of Maynilad’s P9billion capex budget for 2018 will be spent for wastewater management projects to increase sewerage coverage and maintain network reliability.

The amount will be used for the construction of a sewer network for the sewage treatment plants in Las Piñas and Muntinlupa, installation of new sewer service connections, and maintenance of the existing sewer network.

The rest of the budget will go to the company’s customer service and information program, which covers the modernization of data management and information systems that will help to improve service delivery.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

Business/ World

Manila

Standard

TODAY

B3

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, World Editor

‘No idea we had a monster under our roof’ WASHINGTON―The couple who took in Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz after his mother’s death have described him as quirky but pleasant and seemingly on the right track, saying they had no idea they had a “monster living under our roof.”

Cruz, 19, moved in with James and Kimberly Snead of Parkland, Florida, in late November after his adoptive mother died earlier that month from complications of pneumonia, they told the South Florida Sun Sentinel in an interview published Sunday.

He was a friend of their son.

Prone to odd eating and sleeping habits and unused to any form of housework, he was nevertheless making progress in dealing with his grief and kept himself busy with adult education classes along with his job at a discount store, the couple said.

“I told him there’d be rules and he followed every rule to the T,” James Snead, 48, an army veteran and military intelligence analyst, told the paper.

“We had this monster living under our roof and we didn’t know,” added Kimberly Snead, 49, a neonatal nurse. “We didn’t see this side of him.”

Cruz killed 17 people at his former high school last Wednesday using an AR-15 rifle that he had legally purchased. It was the country’s worst school massacre since the horror at Sandy Hook six years ago that left 26 dead.

He also owned several other guns, including two other assault rifles as well as knives, according to the Sneads who own firearms themselves and did not find this unusual.

And his ultimate aim was to join the army and become an infantryman, something he had become excited about after a recent meeting with a military recruiter.

A profile has emerged of a troubled young man who was expelled from school last year for “disciplinary reasons.” AFP

BACK TO LIFE. Indonesian schoolchildren walk together at Sipandak Elementary School in Tiga Pancur village in Karo, North Sumatra, on February 19, 2018, as thick volcanic ash from Mount Sinabung rises into the air following another eruption. Sinabung roared back to life in 2010 for the first time in 400 years and has remained active since. AFP

4 Indonesians held for killing an orangutan JAKARTA―Four Indonesian men have been arrested over the killing of an orangutan shot some 130 times with an air rifle, police said Monday, in the latest fatal attack on a critically endangered species.

The suspects, farmers from the island of Borneo, admitted killing the animal, saying it ruined their crops at a pineapple and palm oil plantation, according to authorities.

“They meant to shoo away [the orangutan] but their actions instead killed the orangutan,” East Kutai district police chief Teddy Ristiawan told AFP. The suspects, who were arrested last week, will be charged with killing a protected animal and face up to five years’ jail and a maximum fine of about $7,400.

Ristiawan said a fifth suspect, a 13-year-old boy, was arrested but later released because he was a minor.

Villagers in Borneo’s East Kutai district discovered the male orangutan’s corpse riddled with pellets two weeks ago. Its mutilated body also showed signs of a machete wounds.

The gruesome killing came about a week after Borneo police arrested two rubber plantation workers and accused them of shooting an orangutan multiple times and then decapitating it.

The orangutan’s headless body had been found floating in a river on the island, which is shared with Malaysia.

The Indonesian portion of Borneo is called Kalimantan.

Bornean and Sumatran orangutans are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The Sumatran orangutan population is estimated to be just under 15,000, while about 54,000 orangutans are thought to live in Borneo, according to the IUCN. AFP

Relief turns to horror in crash of helicopter

S

ANTIAGO― They thought the worst was over.

The 7.2-magnitude earthquake that shook Mexico on Friday evening hit right near their hometown, the southern city of Santiago Jamiltepec, but the damage was minor.

No one died. People’s houses were still standing.

In fact, the entire country was breathing a sigh of relief. Unlike previous earthquakes that killed hundreds or thousands of people in Mexico, this one claimed no lives and left minimal destruction.

Still, there is always the fear of aftershocks.

So a group of residents of Santiago Jamiltepec, a town of 20,000 people in the mountains of Oaxaca state, set up camp in an open field for the night, fearing another quake could bring down their houses.

That is where they were when the Mexican interior minister and Oaxaca governor arrived in a military helicopter to survey the disaster zone.

The authorities are still investigating exactly what went wrong. But somehow,

the pilot lost control of the UH-60 Black Hawk, keeled over and crashed about 40 meters (130 feet) to the ground.

Interior Minister Alfonso Navarrete and Governor Alejandro Murat were unharmed.

But the helicopter plunged straight into the crowd on the ground, its rotor blades hacking people to bits.

Fourteen people were killed, including a sixmonth-old baby and a 10-year-old girl. Another 15 were injured, some losing limbs.

Two days later, the town is still in shock at the tragedy. Blood stains are still visible on the ground where the mangled wreckage lies, cordoned off by the military.

Clothing, chairs and toys still lie in the dirt around the wreckage.

“Every time I go home I have to walk by here and see this,” said a shaken Concepcion Ramirez, 54.

“It was horrific. We’ll never be able to forget it.”

Leopoldo Garcia, who lives nearby, said the helicopter circled overhead several times.

“It was flying very low.

Suddenly it started swaying violently and fell like a rock, with the blades right over those poor people. And that’s when the screaming started,” he told AFP. “That’s when people saw it: one person cut in two, another with his insides hanging out, others beheaded by the blades,” said another resident, who asked that his name not be used for fear of reprisals from the military.

“People were hacked to pieces,” their horrified relatives left to try and pick up the severed body parts, he said in a trembling voice.

The accident has been gutwrenching for the military, too.

“We came here to help people. That’s our job. But instead it just made things worse,” said an officer deployed to the zone.

Defense Minister Salvador Cienfuegos flew in to meet with families of the victims.

“I want to convey our condolences, on behalf of all Mexican soldiers,” he said.

“The defense ministry completely assumes its responsibility for what happened.”

But relatives were livid as they buried their dead this

weekend.

“No apology can fix this,” said Eduardo Morales after burying his cousin, 28-yearold Lauro Sanchez.

“This accident left orphans and widows. Who’s going to take care of those kids whose feet were totally mangled?” he asked in outrage.

Hundreds of residents took part in a large funeral procession on Saturday, carrying the colorful coffins to the local church amid sobs and screams.

Forty-year-old Lorenzo Zarate’s mother, Maria Margarita Sanchez, was so shattered she could barely speak.

“I can’t describe my sadness,” said the 63-year-old woman, burying her face in her scarf.

Virginia Suarez, a family friend, clutched her rosary as a priest in a purple tunic presided over the service.

“We’re all saying the same thing: how is it possible they died like this when all they wanted was to take shelter from the earthquake?” she said through a white veil. AFP

AS THE title of my most recent column – “Infrastructure program will produce huge trade deficits,” February 15, 2018 – the prospects look bad for near-term balance in the merchandise trade element of this country’s balance of payments (BOP). I reached that conclusion after examining the two sides, merchandise imports and merchandise exports, of Philippine external trade.

The contours of the imports side of the Philippine external trade ledger are already clear. They have been etched by the infrastructure program of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte and by the economic policymakers’ ardent pursuit of 7 percent annual GDP (gross domestic product) growth. The combined effect of these expansionary forces is already being felt by the economy: last year the current account of the BOP, of which the merchandise trade balance is a major component, turned negative to the extent of $700 million, moving from a $600 million surplus in 2016 to a $100 million deficit in 2017. A huge merchandise trade deficit caused that negative shift almost by itself.

There is nothing wrong, per se, with a country’s raising its demand for merchandise imports in support of a drive for accelerated economic development. But it is wrong for a country to incur a huge import bill that will be financed not by a corresponding rise in merchandise exports but by borrowings or by drawdowns on its international reserve. This, in fact, is how the merchandise-imports component of the Duterte administration’s Build Build Build program is going to be financed.

Why do I say this?

I say this because in the face of a Build Build Build import avalanche there are absolutely no prospects of this country’s being

able to generate, in the near term, merchandise exports sufficient to keep the nation’s external trade in balance. And the government – more specifically, the Department of Trade and Industry – has no realistic strategy for bringing about such a surge in Philippine merchandise exports.

What does the government have by way of a trade-balancing strategy? The closest thing to that was articulated by the Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning (and concurrently NEDA Director-General) in a statement he issued on February 9. “To drive exports growth, we are also looking at maximizing trade agreements with countries in the region. Export volumes may increase, especially for banana, coconut and other agricultural produce, by negotiating tariff structures and implementing free-trade agreements to bring down tariffs levied on Philippine agricultural exports in major export markets,” Ernesto Pernia declared. As against a coming cascade of heavy equipment, machinery and industrial supplies for the Build Build Build program, this country’s top economic policymaker speaks of discussions – “negotiating tariff structures,” “maximizing trade agreements” and “(bringing) down tariffs levied on Philippine agricultural products” – when he should be identifying the products whose export to other countries can be substantially increased within a relatively short time-frame and specifying the countries that are likely takers of incremental Philippine exports. The time for negotiating over tariffs and for maximizing trade agreements is surely long past; what this country should now be doing is engaging in an export drive on the basis of maximized trade agreements that embody lowered tariffs.

Moreover, it is nothing short of horrifying

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to have Secretary Pernia speak of an export drive involving agricultural products. There is no way that the increasingly wide gap between merchandise imports and merchandise exports can be closed with stepped-up exports of agricultural products. The two products that he singled out – bananas and coconuts – are traded in highly competitive international markets. How much more bananas and coconuts can this country export to such markets in the short term?

By now, AFFIDAVIT four decadesOF after the first ExLOSS port Priorities Plan (EPP) of the Board of I, RACHEL A. RIVERA, Filipino, of legal age, married and with Investments (BOI), Secretary Pernia should business address at PeopIe’s Technology Complex, Special Economic Zone. Governor’s Drive, Bo. Maduya, Carmona, beCavite, talking about of processed and after having beenexports sworn in accordance to law, do hereby depose and say that: agricultural products and of semi-processed 1. I am products the Senior made Supervisor and General industrial outofofCost mineral and for Best Chemicals & Plastics, Inc. other Administration indigenous raw materials. Instead, in 2 That we have inadvertently misplaced several Important 2018 Philippine economic policymakers files due to the transfer of our office location from Makati City to Alabang, Muntinlupa City to Carmona, Cavite are still talking about export-growth in-in October 1998, including our company’s original Meter Deposit Receipt withproducts.

Service Number 800168401 volving agricultural A more paunder Best Chemicals & Plastics, Inc. thetic registered situation it is difficult to find.

3. That we need to submit this Affidavit of Loss in compliance In the face of the present administration’s with the requirements of refunding the unclaimed Meter Deposit Refund (MDR) obsession with ushering in a “golden age of 4. That all statements herein are true President and correct to infrastructure,” the made choice facing the best of my knowledge and belief.

Duterte’s economic policymakers is beIn witness whereof, I have hereunto signed this instrument this, tween Build Build Build 13th dayscaling of Februarydown 2018, in the Carmona, Cavite. program and facing a succession of huge trade deficits, with all the dire implications RACHEL A. RIVERA of the latter stability for monetary

Affiant– especially the infl ationary impact of THIS a weakenSUBSCRIBE AND SWORN TO BEFORE ME 14 day of February 2018, affiant exhibiting to me her SSS Number 33ing peso – and for that key macro-economic 3005440-6 issued by Social Security System in Imus, Cavite. fundamental, external-debt-to-GDP ratio.

It is a harsh choice. th

E-mail: romero.business.class@gmail. com

Doc. No. 12 Page No. 04 Book No.14 Series of 2018

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I am the Senior Supervisor of Cost and General Administration for Best Chemicals & Plastics, Inc.

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That we have inadvertently misplaced several Important files due to the transfer of our office location from Makati City to Alabang, Muntinlupa City to Carmona, Cavite in October 1998, including our company’s original Meter Deposit Receipt with Service Number 800168401 registered under Best Chemicals & Plastics, Inc.

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That we need to submit this Affidavit of Loss in compliance with the requirements of refunding the unclaimed Meter Deposit Refund (MDR)

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That all statements made herein are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed this instrument this, 13th day of February 2018, in Carmona, Cavite.

RACHEL A. RIVERA Affiant

SUBSCRIBE AND SWORN TO BEFORE ME THIS 14th day of February 2018, affiant exhibiting to me her SSS Number 333005440-6 issued by Social Security System in Imus, Cavite.

Doc. No. 12 Page No. 04 Book No.14 Series of 2018

(MS-FEB. 20, 2018)

Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan (044) 766-2467,766-4839,816-6808 www.region3.nia.gov.ph

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JOSE Regio (MS-FEB. 20, 2018)

Email Address:nia03@yahoo.com Telefax No.: (044) 766-2467 TIN No.: 000-979-570-000

Invitation to Bid Improvement of Various Irrigation Facilities of Upper Gumain Irrigation Project, Floridablanca/Lubao/Guagua, Pampanga ITB No. NIAR3-2018-UPPER GUMAIN IP-9 The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3, hereby invites all interested Phil-GEPS registered contractors to bid for the project, through the General Appropriations Act of CY 2018, intends to apply the sum of Ninety Four Million Six Hundred Ninety Thousand Three Hundred Thirty Six Pesos (P94,690,336.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) for the contract for NIAR3-2018-UPPER GUMAIN IP-9. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

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Bidders must secure Site Inspection Certificate from IMO Office as a technical requirement for Eligibility and Technical Document (Envelop A). Non compliance will be a ground for disqualification.

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Only those Letter of Intent with a company profile, submitted by the owner or its authorized liaison officer, will be accepted to participate in the bidding

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The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3 now invites bids for Improvement of Various Irrigation Facilities of Upper Gumain Irrigation Project, Floridablanca/Lubao/Guagua, Pampanga. Completion of the Works is required within Three Hundred (300) calendar days. Bidders should have completed a contract similar to the Project.

The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instruction to Bidders.

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Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

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Interested bidders may obtain further information from NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3 and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., Monday to Friday.

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A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders on February 8, 2018 to February 27, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday February 28, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m except holidays from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Seventy Thousand Pesos (P 70,000.00).

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later that the submission of their bids.

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The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3 will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on February 15, 2018, 3:00 p.m. at NIA-R3 Office, Conference Room, Brgy. Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

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Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before 9:30 a.m.

(PST) of February 28, 2018 at NIA-R3 Office, Conference Room, Brgy. Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on 10:00 a.m. (PST) of February 28, 2018 at NIA-R3 Office, Conference Room, Brgy. Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

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All particulars relative to the eligibility screening, bid security, performance security, pre-bid conference/s, evaluation of bids, post qualification and award of contracts shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of RA 9184 and its revised IRR.

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The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3 reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariat/s; NIA – Region 3,Tambubong,

San Rafael, Bulacan

Tel No. (044) 766-4839 and 816-8608 (SGD) VIRGILIO J. ILAO BAC - Chairperson Noted by: JOSEPHINE B. SALAZAR Regional Manager

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Noted

Regional Office No. III

Avoiding huge trade decifits: government’s choice

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I, RACHEL A. RIVERA, Filipino, of legal age, married and with business address at PeopIe’s Technology Complex, Special Economic Zone. Governor’s Drive, Bo. Maduya, Carmona, Cavite, after having been sworn in accordance to law, do hereby depose and say that:

(Pambansang Pangasiwaan ng Patubig) : : :

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AFFIDAVIT OF LOSS

Republika ng Pilipinas

Office Address Telephone Nos. Website

Office Add Telephone Website

(MS-FEB. 20, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

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

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tuesday, february 20, 2018

LocaL government units

Malamawi’s White Beach and Basilan’s secret charms

Malamawi Beach in Basilan is as pristine as any beach can get, with powderwhite sand rivaling that of Boracay’s.

Ayunan Gunting-AlHadj

(First of 2 parts)

By Ayunan Gunting-AlHadj

Quezon City sees rabies cases drop 30 percent

By Rio N. Araja tHE Quezon City government has posted a 30-percent drop in rabies cases in 2017 due to Mayor Herbert Bautista’s massive vaccination program that started in 2016.

According to the city’s veterinary department, just 13 rabies cases were recorded last year, compared to 23 in 2016. dr. Marilyn traquena of the department’s anti-rabies program cited Bautista’s efforts to increase their budget from P4.2 million in 2017 to P4.7 million in 2018 to cover the costs of the vaccination program. she said the city has already vaccinated 158,280 registered dogs and cats, adding they are targeting to vaccinate 200,000 dogs and cats in 2018.

“Cases of rabies have gone down due to our house-to-house campaign for anti-rabies vaccination, and that the mayor has allocated a bigger budget to address the spread of rabies,” she said.

Meanwhile, the 37-member Quezon City council has passed City resolution 7086, adopting a local climate change action plan to be integrated to the comprehensive land use plan, comprehensive development plan and disaster risk reduction and management plan. in addition, the council also passed resolution No. 7099, adopting a disaster risk reduction and management plan aimed to strengthen the city’s resiliency in disaster response and management. in another development, the city’s Environmental Protection and Waste Management department, along with the Manila Water Co. inc., went out of its way to teach proper waste disposal, waste segregation, and the need to declog sewers to public school students in Project 3 through a storytelling and puppet show program.

Makati’s Caracol Festival set Feb. 25

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HE City Government of Makati, in partnership with Ayala land, will be holding its much-awaited annual cultural showcase, the 2018 Caracol Festival, on sunday, Feb. 25 at the Globe Circuit Events Ground, Circuit Makati in Barangay Carmona (former site of sta. Ana racetrack). the event will start with a parade of participants at 3 p.m., while the contest proper will start at 4 p.m..

Groups of students and residents, dressed in nature-inspired, colorful costumes, will be performing to a variety of musical arrangements as they vie for the top prizes in the costume and dance competition.

Makati Mayor Abby Binay invited the public to the festival, the city’s own version of Mardi Gras.

“We are inviting residents, tourists and the general public to come and join us in one of the most colorful and exciting events in the city dedicated to promoting a deeper sense of appreciation and caring for the gifts of Mother Nature, especially

among the youth,” Binay said. the festival name, Caracol, was derived from the spanish word for snail, with its shell regarded as a symbol of protection from the harshness of life. “to us in Makati, Caracol alludes not only to the city’s firm commitment to a healthy and sustainable environment, but also to its resiliency against disasters arising from climate change,” Binay said. the mayor also thanked the sponsors of this year’s Caracol. which include Circuit Makati, Ayala land, and the Make it Happen, Make it Makati initiative.

MCAo officer-in-charge May santillana said the festival will start with a parade of around 1,000 performers along A.P. reyes Avenue.

the highlight of the festivity will be a dance competition wherein the participants will be dressed up in colorful, nature-inspired costumes like flowers, insects and rare animals. there will be 12 competing groups this year—three in the elementary category, three from high school and six from the barangay clusters—three for each district. Each dance group will have 30 to 40 members excluding musicians and propsmen. they will be judged based on costume originality, beauty and creativity, and performance level of the dance. special awards will be given for the best costume and best choreography.

For the elementary category, participants dressed as flowers and insects will show off their talents in ballet or waltz.

High school students will be dancing to ballroom beats as aquatic animals, while the participants from the barangay clusters will be dancing to retro or pop music as endangered animals.

MAY, Habitat break ground on Silay housing project silAY, Negros occidental—the city government here with the Maritess A. Yong Foundation and Habitat for Humanity Philippines recently broke ground on a socialized housing project that addresses the lack of affordable and decent housing of qualified families in the Katuwang Community.

MAY Foundation contributed P44 million to build 86 houses and a community center for the Katuwang Community in the Bon-bon resettlement Project Phase iii, which comprises 546 houses in an area spanning 7.6 hectares. “i hope this village will be a model community in Bacolod,” said MAY Foundation chairman Micky Yong. “it is up to the home partners to ensure that this will uphold the highest standards of cleanliness and to make it a place which you will be proud to call home.”

Base Bahay Foundation inc., with the support of the Hilti Foundation, lent its cement bamboo frame technology to build high-quality, disaster resilient, and low-temperature homes at Bonbon that are suitable to the Philippine climate.

Breaking ground at the Bon-Bon Resettlement Project Phase III in Silay City, Negros Occidental are (from left) Debbie Jinon, barangay captain of Barangay E. Lopez; Maricen Jalandoni, General Manager of Base Bahay Foundation Inc.; Rick Hathaway, area vice president, Habitat for Humanity-Asia Pacific; Marcel Yong, son of philanthropists Maritess and Micky Yong; Micky Yong, chairman of Maritess A. Yong Foundation; Eugene Alava, CEO of MAY Foundation; and Booey Benin, representative of Silay Mayor Mark Golez.

Joy eyes free tuition at QC Poly

MEDICAL MISSION. Former Laguna governor Jeorge ER Ejercito Estregan (left) and

Pagsanjan Councilor John Paul “Jet” Ejercito (center) turn over free vitamins to residents of the Laguna town during the free medical/dental mission and feeding program for the elementary students of Francisco Benitez Memorial School on Feb. 13. With them are municipal health officer Lyra Leron Torres (right) and other municipal officials. Roy Tomandao

iF ElECtEd the next mayor, Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte wants 100 percent free tuition at the Quezon City Polytechnic University. rather than selectively giving out scholarships to a limited number of students, Belmonte said she would push for full free tuition for all QCPU students.

With its P19-billion annual budget, the city government is financially capable to fully subsidize the city-funded university, especially the tuition and miscellaneous fees, she said.

“At present, we have QCPU, but it does not offer free [tuition], just a socialized tuition at the moment,” Belmonte said, noting that the tuition the enrollees pay is calculated based on

their family’s socioeconomic status. “this is one of the challenges we face – we really need a higher education institution that provides full free tuition for the youth.

Unlike Quezon City, almost all highly urbanized cities in Metro Manila, such as Manila, Makati and Marikina are already providing full free college education, she lamented. “i think, such has not been the priority of the city government,” the vice mayor said.

Belmonte said she has already talked to the Commission on Higher Education about her proposal, and was told the QCPU only needed an accreditation to be able to start offering full tuition subsidy to the students. Rio N. Araja

Visitors of that famous island paradise called Boracay could now only wish they could travel back to a time when the sugar-white beach was only lined with palms and not concrete buildings and thousands of tourists. if they can’t travel through time, these tourists can just travel to another island that has an equally beautiful beach. it’s the island of Basilan, which is just off the coast of Zamboanga City.

Yes, no thanks to headlines about terrorist threats, Basilan hasn’t been the destination of choice for tourists, but that’s what makes it so appealing. its natural landscape and beaches have been preserved and remain free from inconsiderate tourists who tend to leave their garbage scattered all over. the beach in question is Malamawi, which is as pristine as any beach can get. its waters are crystal clear, and its white sand is at par with that of Boracay. it’s become a favorite place for local tourists.

Many of the guests also come from Zamboanga City, where it’s possible to catch a ro-ro boat to the city of isabela, Basilan’s capital. one could travel by tricycle to Malawali, which has a few amenities for those who might want to stay the night.

An elegant two-story hotel has rooms that can accommodate couples and small families. the theme for both architecture and interiors are distinctly Balinese. it also has a restaurant that serves full hot meals and snacks. the property of this resort is so vast it also includes a farm and a hill, where a view deck has been built. From this high vantage point, one can have a spectacular view of the hills and the sea that surrounds isabela City and a glimpse of Zamboanga City across the Basilan strait.

Nature lovers will also enjoy the drive through some of Basilan’s many rubber tree plantations. Forests of rubber trees frame both sides of the road; so thick high and are these trees they seem to form a natural tunnel. so abundant are these trees, we were told, that Basilan was once a top supplier of rubber for a major American tire manufacturer, which had co-owned one of the plantations here. the island of Basilan is no larger than Bohol but it has an eclectic culture, what with a population composed of the predominantly Muslim tribe called the Yakan and the Christians from Zamboanga City, commonly known as the Chavacano Zamboangenos, who also speak the most commonly spoken language here. the Chavacanos originated from the spanish-Jesuit settlement that established in the town of Fuerte de san Jose in 1635. indeed, first-time visitors to Basilan will be surprised by the numerous road and commercial signs written in spanish, which is the root of the language used here.

(To be continued)

Navotas gathers aid for towns hit by Mayon

By Jun David tHE Navotas city government has launched a “donation drive” to collect food and drinking water for residents directly affected by the Mayon Volcano eruptions in Albay.

Mayor John rey tiangco said the donation is in addition to the city government’s own relief goods worth P500,000 based on the minimum amount the city gave to the “Adopt-A-Municipality Program” initiated by presidential political adviser secretary Francis tolentino.

Mayor tiangco also called on donors to bring their donations to Navotas City Hall until Feb. 23.

“We have a group from Navotas that will go to Albay on Feb. 25 to deliver your donations and assistance from our city government,” according to the mayor’s announcement on Facebook.

Life

bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife

health and environment

@MstandardLIfe tuesday, february 20, 2018

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Andi Eigenmann

saves the beauty of nature NATURE WARRIOR. Actress, millennial mother, and surfer Andi Eigenmann captures the beauty as well as the real situation in every popular tourist destination in the Philippines.

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SELF-COnFESSED “professional mermaid,” Andi Eigenmann has always been passionate about immersing herself in the beauty of nature and exploring new places.

Her wanderings not only provided her stunning snapshots for her dreamy nature-filled Instagram feed, but also opened her eyes to the not so picturesque side of traveling.

“My greatest fear is that my daughter, Ellie, and other children would not get to enjoy nature as we do now,” shares the 27-year-old actress.

Eigenmann’s adventures in the sea— chasing the waves and soaking in the sun—allowed her to see the real situation behind the most beautiful destinations in the country.

“Seeing the situation and actually getting to know the locals who live in famous tourists spots made me decide to use my platform as a way to raise awareness and encourage people to take part in saving Mother Earth,” she says.

While she has yet to start her own environment-saving program or organization, Eigenmann has been proactively joining coastal cleanup drives, picking up garbage she sees in surfing spots and encouraging others to follow suit.

To document as well as share her advocacy milestones, the nature warrior always brings her trusted Fujifilm X-A3 camera during her adventures.

“I love how my Fujifilm X-A3 is so handy and easy to travel with,” muses Eigenmann. “It proves that you don’t have to be a professional photographer to take awesome photos.”

Sporting a cool retro design that’s perfect for millennials, the Fujifilm X-A3 is a selfie-optimized mirrorless digital camera with user-friendly touch screen operation and 180-degree tiltable LCD. With its Super Intelligent Flash system and newly-developed 24.2 megapixel APS-C sensor, not only is the camera easy to use, it accurately controls light output to capture excellent photos.

In addition, the Fujifilm X-A3 is also equipped with built-in Wi-Fi capability to connect to Instax SHARE for on-the-spot printing, transfer photos to a smartphone or tablet, or even enable remote-shooting.

It retails at P34,990 and comes in brown, silver, and pink colors.

With the help of her camera, Eigenmann is able to capture stunning images that showcase the natural wonders— the surroundings and the people—we should all be proud of as well as strive to maintain and protect.

Flow Spa offers a variety of treatments such as foot reflexology, massages, and facials

Wellness is bliss SEvERAL studies prove that a massage treatment, especially when done regularly, helps improve blood circulation, stimulate the lymphatic system, and ease muscles, among many other benefits to the mind and body.

An hour or two of spa session is perhaps the greatest gift your tired loved one could ever receive. Hence for the whole month of February, the Flow Spa at Marco Polo Ortigas Manila hotel offers a relaxing package couples can avail of for P8,600.

Flow Spa’s indulgent treatment package includes a 30-minute body scrub and 60-minute Swedish or Combination massage. Complete the relaxing night with romantic evening cocktails, unlimited wine, local beer, juice concoctions, and heavy appetizers at the Continental Club.

A garden of serenity and relaxation, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila’s Flow Spa offers a variety of treatments such as foot reflexology, whole-body massages, and rejuvenating facials by the brand Algotherm, a marine based line from France which utilizes seaweed extracts and other marine ingredients.

The spa’s February package comes with a night of cocktails at the Continental Club

The spa, located on the 22nd floor of the hotel, features a welcoming reception and a relaxing lounge, two double rooms and one single room.

Flow Spa is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m., or until 02:00 a.m. for inroom treatments. For more information, contact (02) 720-7777 or book online via www.marcopolohotels.com or email manila@marcopolohotels.com.

Seeing the not-so-picturesque situation in some tourist spots in the country, Eigenmann joins cleanup drives, picking up garbage she sees in surfing spots she goes to and encouraging others to follow suit.

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“Chemicals associated with mental retardation, neurological and behavioral disorders, endocrine disruption, reproductive harm and cancer, as well as those that pollute the oceans and poison aquatic life, have no place in one’s beauty and hygiene routine.” – Thony Dizon, EcoWaste Coalition

(read the story on C2)

Life

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tuesday, february 20, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Advocacy pageant campaigns for safe cosmetics PRETTY POISONOUS. Non-profit group EcoWaste Coalition staged Miss Toxic Pretty, an advocacy pageant that aims to promote critical evaluation on the purchase and use of personal care and cosmetic products.

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Ow toxic is your cosmetic product?

we might not know it, but some of the products we use on our bodies could be harmful, poisonous even, to our health.

On the eve of Valentine’s Day, non-profit group Ecowaste Coalition, in collaboration with the manila science high school, staged an advocacy pageant to promote critical evaluation on the purchase and use of personal care and cosmetic products. the event came on the heels of a recent investigation by the watch group indicating the unabated sale of banned imported mercury-tainted skin whitening cosmetics in the local market and in online shopping sites. “we have mounted this pageant to draw attention to cosmetic product ingredients that may cause serious health problems to consumers and the ecosystems and thus should be totally avoided,” said thony Dizon, Ecowaste Coalition’s Chemical safety campaigner.

“Chemicals associated with mental retardation, neurological and behavioral disorders, endocrine disruption, reproductive harm and cancer, as well as those that pollute the oceans and poison aquatic life, have no place in one’s beauty and hygiene routine,” emphasized Dizon.

Dizon urged consumers to “press for full information on chemicals in cosmetic products, including their health and environmental effects,” given the continued trade of counterfeit and hazardous cosmetics.

Participants in the past Good Autism Practice Conference

Conference on Good Autism Practice the pageant drew youthful candidates representing cosmetic ingredients of concern, namely, miss lead, miss mercury, miss triclosan, miss isobutyl Paraben, miss Dibutyl Phthalate, and miss Plastic microbeads. these cosmetic ingredients are either banned or restricted by the Food and Drug Administration, Asean, European union, and/or us regulations.

During the pageant, the audience, composed of 300 Grade 9 consumer chemistry students, had the opportunity to watch the seven-minute film “the story of Cosmetics,” which examines the pervasive use of toxic chemicals in personal care products, and the two-minute film “the story of micro-

beads,” which discusses how plastic particles in cosmetics are dirtying the oceans. the miss toxic Pretty pageant concluded with the candidates eagerly responding to the questions that delved on a range of issues, including the consumer right to product information, consumer access to non-hazardous products, and teenage views on “kutis-artistahin” and “brown is beautiful.” to reduce toxic exposures, the Ecowaste Coalition advised consumers to carefully read product labeling information, shun products with incomplete facts and misleading claims, select those with simpler and fewer synthetic compounds, and buy notified products that have passed the FDA’s quality and safety verification procedures.

Autism spectrum Disorder is a lifelong developmental and neurological disability that afflicts one in 68 people. it affects how a person acts and interacts with others, communicates, and learns.

A few decades ago, people in many countries viewed autism as a source of shame, embarrassment, and annoyance. the stigma attached to it kept families from seeking a diagnosis and treatment for their children, which in turn deterred them—parents and their children with autism—from participating fully in their communities, and from enjoying the same quality of life as their peers. in recent years, however, significant strides have been made to de-stigmatize autism. Parents of diagnosed children have generally worked to reduce the stigma of AsD by encouraging other parents to seek assessments for autism.

Pope Francis also weighed in on the issue when he recently told Roman Catholics worldwide to help with

“breaking down the isolation and, in many cases, the stigma burdening people with autism spectrum disorders, and just as often their families.” in support of such efforts, the Center for Autism and Related Disorders and the Professionals for Autism Foundation, a non-stock, non-profit organization committed to serve persons with autism and their families, organized the “4th Good Autism Practice,” a conference featuring Prof. Rita Jordan, OBE and prominent Educational Psychologist as guest speaker. the event, which will be held on Feb. 23 and 24, 2018 at the university of makati’s main theatre on J.P. Rizal Ext., makati City, will enlighten participants on how they can help “individuals with autism have happy, healthy, and empowered lives.”

For registration and more information, contact the GAP Secretariat at (02) 8208719 or (0906) 3548979. You may also email goodautismpractice@gmail.com.

First row, from left: Dr. Enrico P. Ragaza, president, Philippine College of Surgeons; Dra. Trixie J. Tiangco, co-founder and CEO, Cancer Registry Philippines Foundation; Ariel G. Cantos, CEO, Philam Life and chairman, Philam Foundation; Dra. Diana Payawal, Regent, Committee of Advocacies, Philippine College of Physicians; Max Ventura, president, Philam Foundation, Inc., with representatives from the Philippine College of Surgeons, Cancer Registry Philippines Foundation, and the Philippine College of Physicians.

An alliance for Filipinos’ health

Miss Toxic Pretty ‘beauty queens’ representing cosmetic ingredients of concern, namely, Miss Lead, Miss Mercury, Miss Triclosan, Miss Isobutyl Paraben, Miss Dibutyl Phthalate, and Miss Plastic Microbeads.

PhilAm Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of Philam life, has recently formed the Alliance for the Philippines’ health and Advocacy together with the Philippine College of surgeons and Philippine College of Physicians.

AlPhA was created to address the health challenges faced by Filipinos through data-driven and evidence-based health advocacies and projects. this is in line with the Philam Group’s ongoing “live Better” campaign that aims to make healthy living accessible to Filipinos and bridge the gap

between their health goals and their actions.

For its initial salvo, the AlPhA consortium in partnership with Cancer Registry Philippines under AlPhA 1.0, will undertake the establishment of a hospital-based cancer registry program in the country, with the goal of gathering data on cancer in the Philippines. “through the registry, we will be able to create a cancer database that will help our doctors generate information for better patient care and management,” said Philam Foundation president max Ventura.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

C3

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Simply Red...

'The Shape of Water''s Doug Jones and Sally Hawkins

From C4

Doug Jones takes on the shape of sexy amphibian in

‘THE SHAPE OF WATER’ D OUG Jones has made a career out of playing monsters, ghouls and creatures of myth. The former contortionist is a legend in sci-fi, fantasy and horror circles for his unique ability to morph into roles as diverse as the Thin Clown in Batman Returns, Joey in Men in Black 2 and the Silver Surfer in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. He recently played a series regular on Star Trek: Discovery, as the alien being Lt. Saru.

He’s best known for his collaborations with Guillermo del Toro, which started in 1997 with Mimic, and continued with roles in Hellboy and Hellboy II: The Golden Army, as Abe Sapien; Pan’s Labyrinth, as The Faun and The Pale Man; and most recently The Strain and Crimson Peak.

But their latest work together on The Shape of Water might be definitive.

Jones’ amphibian creature is both the love interest and one of the principal leads of del Toro’s film, and it requires every tool in Jones’ arsenal to realize.

Set in the height of the Cold War and during the space race, The Shape of Water brings its audience into a mysterious government facility in Baltimore where, in the deepest recesses of the lab, an amphibious creature (Jones) is being studied for its unusual abilities.

As Strickland (Michael Shannon), in charge of security, demands for it to be killed and autopsied, Dr. Hoffstetler (Michael Stuhlbarg) insists that the creature’s secrets can only be revealed with a lighter touch.

But it’s the facility’s quietest employee who realizes the truest connection to the creature. Mute cleaner Elisa (Sally Hawkins) feels a strange affinity with this mysterious visitor from the deep. And as the men in charge prevaricate, she resolves to

release the creature from its captors, with the aid of her friend Zelda (Octavia Spencer) and her next door neighbor Giles (Richard Jenkins).

Doug Jones, in the following short Q&A expounds on creating a sexy fish man, and the fruitful journey he’s had with del Toro.

Q: Guillermo is also always incredible sympathetic to “monsters” in his films: he wants to show their good side.

A: Oh gosh, yes. He’s the most quotable man in the world, as you know. He’s always said, “There will always be a monster on my call sheet.”

11 times now that has been me. Yet he’s a brilliant visionary at the same time.

He’s very grown up, but he’s never lost the child. That’s why you’ll see lots of child characters in his stories. Even in this story, in The Shape of Water, the role of Elisa is very childlike. Sally Hawkins is channelling this beautiful childlike character that does have a very vulnerable side. He taps into that, a familiar place in all of us, with every character that he creates. He really does.

Q: Where does the physicality come from?

A: First of all, you look at the ecology, the ecosystem, you’ve got human and you’ve got fish. You have to combine the two somehow. This fish man is a bit more

American actor and former contortionist Doug Jones is known for roles in the science fiction, fantasy and horror genres, often wearing heavy makeup to play nonhuman characters.

masculine, he’s more athletic even, I think. He’s more of a threat than other fish men I’ve played before. Especially with Strickland, he and I have a tete-a-tete a couple times where taunts me and I strike back. They’ve taken me out of my habitat. I’m scared, and so I’m reacting like a caged tiger. It takes Sally’s character to tame me, we’re both wounded souls in some way.

Q: How do you feel the allegory of the story reflects the world we’re living in?

A: Another thing that Guillermo does love to do, he loves to buck authority when authority doesn’t know what it’s doing. That’s another theme you’ll see in a lot of his movies. In this case, we have the US government trying to beat the Russians to space, or whatever, whatever that era was doing. Again, he loves the underdog. I think that comes from a place in him, where so many of us and so many of his fans and the lovers of his work are underdogs in our own life.

The Shape of Water opens Feb. 21 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox.

Themes & Motifs opens its 2018 season with its Half-A-Million Promo offering for soon-to-weds booking in what is known as Asia’s biggest wedding wonderland, Wedding Expo Philippines on March 17 and 18, at the SMX Mall of Asia. Every P1,000 worth of purchase in Wedding Expo Philippines is entitled to a raffle coupon for a chance to win P500,000.00 in cash.

Now on its 32nd edition of being the biggest and most comprehensive wedding fair in the country, Wedding Expo Philippines is the big event that the local wedding industry and soonto-weds gear up for. Free e-tickets for all-day access to the exhibits and grand sale of wedding-related products and services are available to soon-toweds pre-registered through www. themesnmotifs.com. WedExpoPhil is produced and organized by Themes & Motifs, the country’s most prestigious wedding fair organizer.

Wedding Expo Philippines will open its door to thousands of soonto-weds from all over the country and the rest of the world. The entire SMX Convention Center ground floor will be converted to a 10,000 sqm wedding wonderland with the most creative and most popular wedding suppliers showcasing only the finest and the best wedding ideas for the upcoming nuptial season. More than 400 of the country’s top wedding professionals will be gathered in this two-day grand celebration with a comprehensive showcase of the latest trends and the newest ideas in walking down the aisle. Wedding related products and services professionals such as fashion designers, caterers, photographers, videographers, limousine providers, invitation makers, hotels, venues, florists, and others will offer their new promos and great deals to soonto-weds visiting the event. Five exciting sub-events that will put the spotlight on the most popular supplier categories: Wedding Banquets Manila; KasaLitrato; Wedding Fashion Extravaganza; I Do HMU and Floral Fete. *** Once a Kapuso always a Kapuso, that’s perhaps the mantra of actress Jaclyn Jose who chose to remain a Kapuso when she renewed her contract with GMA Network recently.

“I’m happy kasi third time ko na itong magrenew with GMA 7. Hindi ako nawawalan ng trabaho at hindi ako pinapabayaan ng Network. Masaya talaga ako kaya tuluy-tuloy tayo bilang isang Kapuso. I know everyone here at family ko silang maituturing,” shared Jaclyn.

She is in the upcoming drama series The Cure with Tom Rodriguez and Jennylyn Mercado. “Maganda yung The Cure. Gusto ko yung role ko dito.

Seasoned actress Jaclyn Jose renews her ties with GMA Network.

Mahirap pero bago ito sa Pilipinas.

At pinaghahandaan talaga ang mga eksena kasi si Mark Reyes ang direktor.

Idagdag mo pa si Jennylyn and Tom. Makikita ng viewers na kakaiba ito at interesting.”

During the contract signing held at the Boardroom of GMA Network, Atty. Felipe Gozon, GMA Network Chairman and CEO, shared that he is grateful that Jaclyn continues to affirm her loyalty with the Kapuso Network, “We are very honored to have one of the best actresses in the industry. Pero hindi naman sa pagyayabang, the best actress should be in the best TV station.” *** From movie producer/director to mobile app developer, Coco Martin is becoming a real socmed meister.

Recently, he signed a deal with ABS-CBN licensing division for the app development company he heads, Cosy Mediatech, to develop La Luna Sangre Filter, a new app that allows fans of the series to enter the world of Tristan and Malia.

The new app is another exciting way of bringing well-loved characters of the hit primetime action series such as Daniel Padilla’s inked enigma Tristan, Kathryn Bernardo’s prophesized “chosen one” Malia, and even Richard Gutierrez’s vile and vicious Sandrino to the mobile world.

Coco co-founded Cosyn Mediatech in partnership with Synergy 88, a Philippine-based group of businesses in digital media entertainment. The La Luna Sangre Filter app is the company’s second venture, after the highly successful Ang Panday app released late last year.

‘Westworld’ Season 2 gets official premiere date THE Emmy®-winning drama series Westworld returns for its ten-episode second season same time as the U.S. on April 23 exclusively on HBO (StarHub CH 601) with same day primetime encore.

Viewers can now watch the Westworld spot, directed by series co-creator Jonathan Nolan, which premiered during Super Bowl LII, marking HBO’s first Super Bowl ad in 20 years.

Meanwhile, viewers can stream all ten episodes of the critically acclaimed first season of Westworld on HBO GO. There will be a weekend marathon of the entire

first season on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. on HBO SIGNATURE. The first season also airs every Saturday night on HBO from March 24 to April 21.

Debuting on HBO in 2016 to become HBO’s most-watched freshman series ever, Westworld is a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin. The season one cast included Anthony Hopkins, Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Ed Harris, Jeffrey Wright, James Marsden, Tessa Thompson, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Jimmi Simpson, Rodrigo Santoro,

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, February 20, 2018

ACROSS 1 Vexation 4 King Mongkut’s nanny 8 Oust 13 Tours turndown 14 Fills the camera 16 Evening-gown fabric 17 Make a note 18 Blockhead 19 Relating to a city 20 Come apart 22 Shining 24 Ebbets Field great 25 Clearings 27 Inspects 28 Gulls’ perch 29 Mosque topper 33 Cake toppers 35 Pal, slangily 36 Sped 39 Alcove 40 “Sesame Street” regular 41 Kind of knight 44 Carol 45 Sing softly 46 Persia, nowadays 50 Llama cousin 52 Sheer fabric 53 Eloquent speakers 56 Shrink 58 Sponsorship

59 Bovary and Peel 61 Lead balloon 62 Lake near Reno 63 Rodeo noose 64 Before now 65 Extends over 66 Two-BR units 67 Dime novelist — Buntline DOWN 1 Hurt 2 Mickey or Andy 3 Salad follower 4 Up and running 5 Bump 6 Carpenter’s tool (2 wds.)

7 Big flap 8 Liszt opus 9 Authority or control 10 Island off Italy 11 “Braveheart” group 12 Camping gear 15 Digresses 21 Process of gradual adoption 23 TV spots 26 Daily record 28 Price offered 30 Shelley offering 31 Rx writers 32 Dawn goddess 34 High note 35 Barbie’s friend 36 Way to satori

37 Galleon cargo 38 Small bill 39 Kept in shape 41 Whiteboard clearer 42 Sinbad’s transport 43 Traveler’s aid (2 wds.)

45 Paramedic’s skill 47 Broken in, as a horse 48 Glamour 49 Had to have 51 Fails to win

52 Entry permits 53 Mare’s morsels 54 Realize, as profits 55 Ottoman title 57 Steam engine inventor 60 Soccer player — Hamm

Shannon Woodward, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Ben Barnes, Simon Quarterman, Angela Sarafyan, Luke Hemsworth, Clifton Collins, Jr., Talulah Riley, and Louis Herthum. Joining the season two cast are series regulars Katja Herbers, Gustaf Skarsgård, and Fares Fares.

Based on the film written by Michael Crichton, the series was created for television by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, who are executive producers with J.J. Abrams, Athena Wickham, Roberto Patino, Richard Lewis, and Ben Stephenson

A scene from the HBO original series, 'Westworld.'

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

‘Kinky Boots’ returns

Enrique Gil shares the screen again with his perennial partner Liza Soberano in the new series, 'Bagani.'

ISAH V. RED

LIZA’s

grandfather approves of

ENRIQUE

By Marane Plaza

E

NRIQUE Gil and Liza Soberano’s ‘no label’ relationship might have taken a step forward as the young actor earns a new nickname from his eye candy’s grandfather who stood as the latter’s guardian growing up in the United States.

Enrique Gil was presented by Samsung Philippines as its new celebrity ambassador.

In a Samsung Philippines press conference held recently, Enrique revealed that Liza’s grandfather calls him “manu”, the term which is short for “manugang” or son-in-law.

“Her lolo was the one who raised her in the States. He just came here recently.

Sabi ng lolo nya, ‘Uy manu, halika dito’.

Nung nalaman ko na short for ‘manugang’ pala yun, I felt so happy and relieved at the same time. Her grandfather is very strict pero parang boto naman siya (sa akin),” Enrique shared in jest.

Enrique has been very vocal in the past interviews that his relationship with Liza has no label or not official yet, because he is respecting the young actress’s decision to keep her promise to her grandfather to stay single until a certain age.

“I’ve been waiting for her, and recently I’ve been so happy that she’s able to meet my family in Spain, too. My family loved her,” he said.

Quen’s new nickname from Liza’s grandfather certainly adds color into his life, just like Samsung Galaxy J2 Pro (which he is currently endorsing) does so into his life, too.

As the new face of yet another addition to Samsung’s J-Series, Enrique shared how his Samsung Galaxy J2 Pro makes his life even more colorful.

“Sometimes I like getting away from everything and just stay home to play video games. I’m a gamer, both me and Liza. I also like watching TV series and documentaries,” he said. “There’s something about the mobile device that just looks too good to be true. I like how Samsung’s always one step ahead of the game. Now, I can watch all the videos and play all the games I want in full clarity.”

Meanwhile, Enrique Gil’s looking forward for his fans to watch his latest epicserye on ABS-CBN in vibrant colors, too.

“Bagani is the biggest project that ABSCBN has given me. The story is original, new and unique and has been five years in the making. We started shooting last year.

It’s considered the most expensive TV series in Philippine history,” Enrique said.

In the fantasy-drama, Enrique Gil plays the character of Lakas, the son of an exiled clan leader, who meets Liza Soberano’s role, Maganda, who is one of the most skilled archers from a tribe of farmers. She joins Lakas’ group to battle the creatures that the gods sent down to punish humans for succumbing to greed.

WE CAUGHT up on Nyoy Volante at Mario’s on T. Morato recently. He, along with his wife and kid, were meeting some members of the press for the re-run of Kinky Boots, produced

by Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group.

The repeat of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical that took Manila by storm is limited and will start playing next month, from March 2 till the 18th at Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in RCBC Plaza in Makati.

So, we asked Nyoy how does he feel wearing the costume and the high heels again. The actor/singer simply said, “Overwhelming but I’m very glad people liked what I or should I say we did. It’s a privilege to play the role once again on stage.”

The repeat is due to an overwhelming demand for the re-staging of the show that features Nyoy Volante as Lola and Laurence Mossman as Charlie Price. Many more of the faces that made the musical a hit in July last year are also back in their costumes and singing their parts. With Director Bobby Garcia at the helm once again, it is sure to wow the audience with its familiar charm and enduring lesson that speaks to the core of families

Nyon Volante plays the lead Lola in the rerun of 'Kinky Boots.'

and found-families alike – one of acceptance and inclusion.

With sold out performances from its opening weekend, it quickly garnered everyone’s attention-- with critics urging audiences to experience the spectacle that it is, and fans reveling in their seats.

Nyoy said, “The role is really very challenging as it isn’t your ordinary theatrical piece. I have to really immerse and imbibe the character written by Harvey Fierstein, Lola, a drag queen who’s fueled by passion for shoes. Lola and his friend, Charlie, son of a shoemaker, who reluctantly takes up his father’s factory after his death, try to save the factory from bankruptcy, and they eventually find themselves part of an uncanny bond that forms between their two worlds.

Together they learn what it means to be each other’s friend despite their differences.” Nyoy apparently enjoys every moment he has as Lola in the play with the story coming alive with pop icon Cyndi Lauper’s music and lyrics.

For tickets, contact Ticketworld at (632) 891-9999 or visit www. ticketworld.com.ph. Continued on C3

KZ now a regular contender in ‘Singer 2018’ KZ Tandingan will continue to showcase Filipino talent in China’s top-rating show Singer 2018 as a regular contender, after placing third in the top four of the contestants’ overall rankings in her second episode as a challenger.

In an episode that aired Friday night, KZ performed a medley of popular Mandarin love songs that included “The Pain Which You Don’t Know,” which put her in sixth place.

The combined rankings from her latest episode and last week’s, where she placed first and beat her music idol Jessie J, put her in third place and made her a regular contender in the show.

KZ, who hopes to break into the Chinese music industry with her stint on China’s number one singing reality program, will perform again in the next episode and face a new challenger.

The soul singer earlier made headlines and set the online world abuzz after she joined the Feb. 9 episode of the show as a challenger and gave a winning performance of

KZ Tandingan moves on to the next round of competition in China's 'Singer 2018.'

“Rolling in the Deep.”

Singer 2018’s airs Friday nights on Hunan TV. Its current season will culminate in a live finale on April 13.

Binibining Pilipinas candidates bring cheer to wounded soldiers PROVING that they are not just beautiful but also compassionate, the 40 official candidates of Binibining Pilipinas 2018 visited soldiers confined at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Medical Center in Quezon City on Feb. 13.

With the help of the Makati Medical Center Foundation, the ladies brought cheer to the soldiers at the hospital’s Heroes Ward led by Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. chairwoman Stella Marquez Araneta, the Binibinis distributed food, clothes and toiletries. They also took time to interact with the soldiers and their families.

“This is an experience the ladies will never forget,” Mrs. Araneta said.

Binibining Pilipinas beauties with BPCI Chairwoman Stella Marquez Araneta visit wounded soldiers confined at the AFP Hospital.

This year’s batch features a medical doctor and several registered nurses who got to talk to the soldiers as if they were their own patients. Candidates from different provinces also had an opportunity to bond with soldiers from their hometowns. Some candidates also prayed with the patients for their recovery.

AFP Health Service Command’s Brig.

Gen. Edwin Leo Torrelavega also briefed the candidates about the sacrifices these heroes had to make to serve the country and the threats they faced, particularly those who fought terrorists in Marawi.

“The candidates’ visit will boost the morale of the patients. Gagaling sila hindi lamang sa tulong ng magagaling na doktor, gamot o magagandang pasilidad, kailangan din nila ng mataas na morale,” Torrelavega said.

This was just the first charity visit for the ladies who are vying for the chance to represent the Philippines in the most prestigious international pageants.

Coronation night is set on March 18, when winners of Miss Universe Philippines, Binibining Pilipinas International, Binibining Pilipinas Grand International, Binibining Pilipinas Supranational, Binibining Pilipinas Globe and Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental will be crowned.

For tickets to the coronation night, you may visit www.ticketnet.com.ph or call 911-5555.