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VOL. XXXII • NO. 33 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

Amazon to prevent Top water brands Alexa from cackling tainted—study MIAMI, United States—The world’s leading brands of bottled water are contaminated with tiny plastic particles that are likely seeping in during the packaging process, according to a major study across nine countries published Wednesday. Plastic was identified in 93 percent of the samples, which included major name brands such as Aqua, Aquafina, Dasani, Evian, Nestle Pure Life and San Pellegrino. Next page

Amazon to prevent Iconic toy maker Alexa from closes US cackling stores NEW YORK—Toys ‘R’ Us said late Wednesday it will liquidate all of its US stores, heralding the end of what had been an iconic player in the American toy industry. “This is a profoundly sad day for us as well as the millions of kids and families who we have served for the past 70 years,” CEO Dave Brandon said in a statement. Next page

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She [Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno] has put herself in a position where she, in effect—I’m sorry to say this—destroyed herself as the chief justice. —former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

END OF THE ROAD. A bulldozer runs over 14 smuggled luxury vehicles while President Rodrigo Duterte and members of his Cabinet (inset) witness the condemnation and public destruction of contraband vehicles at Port Irene in Santa Ana town in Wednesday. Malacañang Photo

ICC doomed—Palace

PH exit to trigger ‘avalanche of countries’ opting out By Vito Barcelo and Rey E. Requejo

PALACE official on Thursday predicted “an avalanche of countries” will follow the Philippines’ lead and withdraw from the International Criminal Court, causing the UN-backed tribunal to collapse. “President Duterte’s decision to withdraw from the tribunal is the beginning of the end of ICC and may prompt other nations to opt out as well,” said Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque. No state, he added would “tolerate an unaccountable prosecutor conducting preliminary examination in brazen violation of the principle of complementarity.” In a press brieﬁng in Malacañang, Roque said that three other countries had

Pasay City fiscal charges Trillanes with sedition By Joel E. Zurbano and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Pasay City prosecutors ofﬁce has found probable cause to charge Senator Antonio Trillanes IV with sedition when he allegedly incited soldiers to shoot President Rodrigo Duterte during his privilege speech in October last year. Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Joahna Gabatino-Lim, however, dismissed the complaint of Conspiracy and Proposal to Commit Coup d’etat against Trillanes, Next page a known Duterte critic.

given notice to withdraw from the ICC. “One actually withdrew—Burundi— while two others relented,” Roque said. He said no other Asian nation would join the ICC because the Philippines was the one that had previously been trying to convince them to be members. “In the ﬁrst place, we don’t have universal ratiﬁcation,” Roque said, pointing out that only 124 countries out of 198 are members. Next page

Prosecutor blames CIDG for dismissed drug cases By Rey E. Requejo and Vito Barcelo ONE of the state prosecutors who dismissed the charges against Cebu businessman Peter Lim and self-confessed drug distributor Kerwin Espinosa defended their action Thursday, saying it was not their job to look for evidence. Former assistant state prosecutor and now Lucena City Regional Trial Court Judge Aristotle Reyes said their duty was to weigh the evidence presented to them and determine whether there exists probable cause to indict the respondents for the criminal offense they may have committed. “During the Senate hearing, Kerwin

Dengvaxia-linked poll raps baseless—Noy By Joel E. Zurbano FORMER President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday branded as harassment the complaint filed against him and his two former Cabinet members before the Commission on Elections in connection with the antidengue program implemented by the government during the 2016 election period. Aquino and former Cabinet members — Janette Garin (Health) and Florencio Abad (Budget and Management )— and other Health department officials were subpoenaed by the Comelec Law Division to answer the allegations made by two doctors and members of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption that they violated election laws when they start implementing the program. Aquino and Garin submitted their counter-affidavits. The Omnibus Election Code prohibits the release, disbursement, or spending Next page

Senator Antonio Trillanes

Free tuition for SUCs takes effect in June By Rio N. Araja

CHART EVIDENCE. Former President Benigno Aquino III shows a chart showing a list of a number of suspected dengue cases in the Philippines from 1995 to 2015 during a news conference at the Commission on Elections office in Intramuros, Manila. Norman Cruz

Arroyo cites PH gains in gender parity FORMER President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has lauded the gains achieved by the Philippines in advancing the rights of women. Cited as one of the most inﬂuential women leaders in the country, Arroyo, during a recent CNN Philippines interview in celebration of Women’s Month, said the country has achieved much in terms of gender equality and has, since her time, been the only Asian country to

made an admission, but it’s not our job to get the transcript otherwise we will be gathering the evidence. That’s the job of the CIDG [Criminal Investigation and Detection Group]. Why did they not do it,” Reyes said in an interview of radio dzZMM. “We rely on evidence submitted to us. We cannot, on our own, look for evidence for the parties. Otherwise, we will be acting as lawyers of the CIDG,” Reyes added. The CIDG said they did not include the confession of Espinosa during the Senate hearing in the complaint because he recanted his admission during the preliminary investigation and

rank in the top 10 in the world in terms of gender parity. Mrs. Arroyo helped the country close the gender gap in education and health during her presidency as the Philippines ranked sixth in the world, and the only Asian country to achieve gender parity during her time. Today, the Philippines ranks 10th. The former President said when she started her political career as

a senator in 1992, one of her advocacies was women’s rights. “When I was a senator, my women’s agenda was twofold–protection and promotion. Protection of women against abuses and promotion of opportunities,” she said. “For protection, I tried to enact an antidomestic violence bill that I got passed into law when I was already president. Next page

THE free tuition in all state universities and colleges, local universities and colleges and technical-vocational institutions will take full effect in June, the Commission on Higher Education said Thursday. Prospero de Vera III, CHED chairman, said they have already ﬁnished the implementing rules and regulations. “Majority of the Uniﬁed Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education board have already signed the IRRs,” he told radio dzMM. “We will start going around the country to explain the IRRs,” he said. On top of the free tuition, the government has allocated P8 billion to cover the free miscellaneous fees of students in June, he said. The Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act was signed into law last year mandating the non-collection of tuition and other fees in all 112 SUCs nationwide. Students who pass the admission test and retention requirements, have not taken any other course, and who are not overstaying qualify to avail of the free tuition and miscellaneous. “The philosophy in education has changed [a lot]. Before, everyone must pay tuition, and the government only gives a subsidy to those with scholarship grants,” he said. Next page

News

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018

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Sereno self-destructs—Enrile By Macon Ramos-Araneta

ORMER Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile says there is little chance Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno will emerge from her impeachment trial unscathed.

Enrile, who presided over the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2012, is reported to have volunteered to serve as a member of the prosecution panel in Sereno’s impeachment trial. “I am 95 years old. I have seen the history of our country from the time of Quezon all the way up to now,” Enrile said. “And this is the first time―the only time that I have witnessed a spectacle where members of the Supreme Court testified against their own chief justice.” Enrile said people normally looked up to the members of the Supreme

Court as untouchable people, as eminent examples of rectitude. “And here is a case where a person who became chief justice is the subject of a complaint by a big number of members of the court. You know, a situation like that shatters the political order,” he said. “Imagine, the Chief Justice belying her own Supreme Court about the nature of the leave that was granted to her. She said it was a voluntary leave for wellness, but the Supreme Court― her own Supreme Court―tells the public that it is not for wellness, it is

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public funds for any public official or employee, including barangay officials and those of government-owned or controlled corporations and their subsidiaries, 45 days before a regular election. The Comelec, however, grants exemptions to specific projects during the election ban when requested by concerned agencies. In a press conference, Aquino and Garin explained that no less than the Comelec told them there was no need for them to seek for an exemption in implementing the vaccination program despite the prevailing ban. “You will ask for an exemption to take away the gray area. But it is prohibited to disburse from March 25 until May 8. So why ask for an exemption if it is not yet covered,” said Aquino. He said the program did not begin inside the election period ban since the purchase order for Dengvaxia vaccine was tendered on March 9, 2016, which is 16 days before the start of the ban on March 25, 2016. In addition, the former President said logic dictates that they should not deprive the public from a life-saving measure just because an election is forthcoming. “The job of protecting the people’s health cannot be held in abeyance by the elections,” said Aquino. Garin added: “Based on our understanding, an exemption is not necessary since the disbursement of funds did not happen during the ban period.” Asked who in the commission told them that an exemption is unnecessary, Garin was not able to identify anyone in particular. “My director at the DoH asked the Comelec which of our public health programs required exemption, [and] we were told that an exemption is not needed because it is not covered by the election ban,” she said. Garin insisted that the program was purely a health project and was void of politics. “Everything is above board and is beyond politics. It is a purely health issue.”

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“Widespread contamination” with plastic was found in the study, led by microplastic researcher Sherri Mason of the State University of New York at Fredonia, according to a summary released by Orb Media, a US-based nonprofit media collective. Researchers tested 250 bottles of wa-

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“I am very disappointed with the result, but we no longer have the financial support to continue the company’s US operations,” he added. The statement made no mention of jobs, but news reports said the closure

if you do not comply with that, you betray the public trust. “Now she is on indefinite leave, and that is why the President appointed an acting chief justice. But the position of the chief justice is still not vacant because she is still there. So you have to find a mechanism to take her out.” Asked for his reaction to the statement of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez that the House would rather wait for the quo warranto petition to be resolved by the Supreme Court before they decide whether to elevate the case to the Senate, Enrile said: “Well, that is an option that they may have to take. I will not question their choice of remedies.” Enrile said the purpose of the quo warranto is to challenge the validity of the appointment of the public officer. “It becomes a judicial matter, it has to be litigated,” he said.

The poor pay the price of divorce ban

Free... “Under the Duterte administration, the philosophy is, free education is for all, while those who are in need shall be given government assistance,” he added. A P40,000 stipend a year will be provided to a poor student of any SUCs, while a student enrolled at a private institution will receive a P60,000 a year. “We give more to a student enrolled in a private college. We understand that a student sometimes has no choice if his or her home is just near the college location or if his or her chosen course is only being offered there,” he said.

an indefinite leave because of what is happening to her. “She has put herself in a position where she, in effect―I’m sorry to say this―destroyed herself as the chief justice.” If a Chief Justice tells a lie, Enrile said, then that is a violation of Article 11 of the Constitution on betrayal of public trust. Corona, Enrile said, was impeached because of the non-inclusion of assets in his Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth. He said the SALN is a part of the accountability of a public officer. It must be publicly revealed when he or she assumes public office so the people will know how much wealth he or she has. “Upon exiting from public service, you must file the SALN to show whether you increased your wealth during the time you served the government. Now,

FOR the well-off people like politician Pantaleon Alvarez, getting out of a bad marriage in the Philippines is pricey but feasible―but for the nation’s poorest and most vulnerable citizens it is nearly impossible. That’s because heavily Catholic Philippines and the Vatican are the last two places on Earth where divorce is outlawed. For the nation’s 100 million people, the only exit from a union gone wrong is an embarrassing―and labyrinthine―process that often amounts to a luxury. But lawmakers, including Alvarez, have launched a new legislative effort to legalize divorce that activists believe could transform the lives of impoverished women trapped in toxic marriages. The bill has been propelled forward by Alvarez, who is speaker in the House of Representatives and an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte.

In an interview with AFP, he said ending his first marriage cost him a million pesos ($19,200), which is more than triple what an average family in the Philippines makes in a year. Like thousands of Filipinos, he did it through a civil procedure called annulment, whereby a judge declares a marriage invalid, and generally because the spouses had a “psychological incapacity.” It requires applicants to undergo a mental exam, testify in court and sometimes even claim they or their spouse entered the union with a disorder like narcissism. The process can take anywhere from one to 10 years to wind through the creakingly slow and overburdened Philippine court system, costing at least $4,800. Since 1999, lawmakers have regularly filed a bill to legalize divorce, only to see it languish in committee limbo―until now.

For the first time ever, House of Representatives lawmakers are poised to approve the bill after backing it in preliminary votes. It would then head to the Senate where it faces opposition from conservative members. However, the bill enjoys rare bipartisan support, a sign Alvarez says of the urgency of addressing broken marriages. “It’s a badge of stupidity because we are the only nation that does not see the problem,” Alvarez, 60, told AFP. The legislation would allow divorce and exempt poor people from legal fees, listing domestic violence, attempts to engage a spouse in prostitution and irreconcilable differences among the grounds for splitting up. Not surprisingly, the country’s powerful Catholic Church, which counts about 80 percent of Filipinos as followers, has fiercely opposed the bill. AFP

ICC...

blamed for the deaths of thousands of suspected drug pushers and users in the government’s war on drugs. “This is not even part of the formal procedure of the court yet. But as a matter of principle, the fact that it started preliminary examination already violates the very fundamental basis by which we gave our consent to be part of the ICC,” he said. He said the ICC has also been used as a “political tool against the Philippines” because of the unfounded attacks against the President by ICC and United Nations officials. On Wednesday, Duterte insisted that the ICC has no jurisdiction nor will it acquire jurisdiction over him, as he said the Rome Statute was not effective nor enforceable in the country due to the lack of publication required by domestic law following its ratification in 2011. Even if the ICC has jurisdiction over him, the accusations against him “do

not fall under the enumerated grounds” of the international law, Roque said. The acts allegedly committed by the President are neither genocide nor war crimes, he added. Roque also said the President did not need the approval of the Senate to withdraw from the ICC. “There is no obligation to do so. Is there anything that says that the cxecutive needs to consult with the Senate when we withdraw from a treaty? None,” Roque said at a press briefing. Roque said even Senator Franklin Drilon admitted that the Senate had no say on the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, meanwhile, said the President’s withdrawal from the ICC was not aimed at avoiding the ICC’s examination of alleged human rights violations in the country’s war on drugs. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

denied the claim of prosecution witness Marcelo Adorco regarding his alleged involvement in the narcotics trade. In his testimony before the Senate, Espinosa named Lim and Co as among those who supplied his group with illegal drugs. Co is serving his sentence for drug dealing in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. Reyes said they dismissed the case since Adorco’s testimony was riven by numerous material inconsistencies. Assistant State Prosecutor Michael John Humarang, who along with Reyes recommended the dismissal of the case

to acting Prosecutor General Jorge Catalan, agreed, saying the CIDG did not present sufficient evidence against the respondents and relied only on the testimony of its sole witness. Reyes and Humarang expressed readiness to face any investigation on their role in dismissing the case. “I welcome the investigation. We stand ready to face the probe because our conscience is clear,” Humarang said. Reyes said the probe would give them the opportunity to clear their names. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Wednesday directed NBI Director Dante Gierran to build a case to determine possible wrongdoing by the prosecutors who dismissed the case. Aguirre also ordered the creation of another panel that will handle the mo-

tion for reconsideration filed by the CIDG. The new panel is composed of Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera, Assistant State Prosecutor Ana Noreen Devanadera and Prosecution Attorney Herbert Calvin Abugan. Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon will act as Prosecutor General for the case. The Office of the Solicitor General, meanwhile, said it would take up the cudgels for the CIDG, which is seeking a reversal of the dismissal. Solicitor General Jose Calida said he believed Adorco’s testimony was enough to indict Espinosa and the other respondents since he is an active participant and an eyewitness to the illegal activities.

ter in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Thailand, and the United States. The plastic debris included polypropylene, nylon, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is used to make bottle caps. “In this study, 65 percent of the particles we found were actually fragments and not fibers,” Mason told AFP. “I think it is coming through the process of bottling the water. I think that

most of the plastic that we are seeing is coming from the bottle itself, it is coming from the cap, it is coming from the industrial process of bottling the water.” Particle concentration ranged from “zero to more than 10,000 likely plastic particles in a single bottle,” said the report. On average, plastic particles in the 100 micron (0.10 millimeter) size range—considered “microplastics,”— were found at an average rate of 10.4 plastic particles per liter. AFP

could hit 33,000 of them. The debt-plagued retailer first filed for bankruptcy protection in September. “We’re putting a for sale sign on everything,” Brandon said earlier on a conference call with staff, according to the Wall Street Journal. Started in 1948 amid the postwar US economic boom, Toys ‘R’ US has 881 stores in US territories and nearly

65,000 employees globally, according to the company’s most recent press release last month. The New Jersey-based company was saddled with debt following a leveraged buyout in 2005 by a consortium that included the KKR Group and Bain Capital. Much like other retailers, Toys ‘R’ Us has been battered by competition from Amazon and other online retailers. AFP

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He added that even major powers such as the United States, Russia and China are not members of the court. “What’s important now is countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, countries which we have been convincing to join the ICC would not join the ICC now. Perhaps the Indonesians and Thais are now telling us ‘See, we told you not join the court, see what happened to you now,’” he said. Roque cited as “baseless, unprecedented and outrageous” the attacks against President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration, and the attempt of the ICC prosecutor to place the President under the tribunal’s jurisdiction. Roque said the ICC violated its “complementarity” rule when it began its initial examination into the complaint against President Duterte, who is being

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But Trillanes vowed to face the case against him. “I’m not like Duterte who’s afraid to face cases. I’ll face this case,” Trillanes said. He then referred to Duterte’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court. In November 2017, a group of lawyers led by former congressmen Jacinto Paras and Glenn Chong filed charges against Trillanes allegedly for inciting sedition and proposing a coup d’etat. The group cited as basis the statement of Trillanes during his speech that soldiers might shoot Duterte to fulfill his wish that he be shot if the allegations he had hidden wealth was proven. “Now, Mr. Duterte said he can be shot dead if there is P40 million in his

Asean leaders warned: Avoid a ‘dance with dictators’ SYDNEY―Australia must avoid a “dance with dictators” when it hosts Asean leaders at a special summit this week, and should make human rights a prominent issue, campaigners say. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will welcome heads of government or state from nine of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to Sydney from Friday, including Cambodian strongman Hun Sen and Myanmar’s under-fire leader Aung San Suu Kyi. But Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is a no-show, citing more pressing developments at home as he faces international censure over a brutal drug war that has left thousands dead. Australia was among several countries to raise concern about his crackdown at a UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva last year. This weekend’s meeting, initiated by Canberra, is focused on economics and counter-terrorism, but Turnbull has been urged to use the opportunity to publicly raise human rights issues. “Shutting one’s eyes and hoping that closer trade and security ties will somehow magically transform abusive governments into rights―respecting ones doesn’t work,” said Human Rights Watch Australia director Elaine Pearson. “The Asean summit shouldn’t just be an opportunity to dance with dictators, but a chance to publicly press them over horrific human rights abuses across the region.” A military crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine state that began in August has seen nearly 700,000 of the mainly Muslim Rohingya minority flee to Bangladesh, with pressure mounting on Aung San Suu Kyi after a top UN rights expert warned this week the situation bore “the hallmarks of genocide.” The Nobel Prize winner is due to stay in Australia for bilateral talks after the summit. Amnesty International’s director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific James Gomez said Australia and Asean leaders needed to take a strong stand against what was happening on their doorstep. AFP

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For the promotion of opportunities, I filed a bill that gave assistance to women micro-entrepreneurs. I got that passed when I was senator,” the Pampanga solon said. Mrs. Arroyo was also the principal author of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law when she was senator, as well as Republic Act 7882 or the Act Providing Assistance to Women Engaging in Micro and Cottage Business Enterprises, which made it easier for women to engage in business to support themselves and their families. When she became Vice President and concurrent secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways in 1998, she saw the problem in human trafficking, especially among women and children. As a result, she initiated the administrative bill that became the basis for the law on Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, which she signed into law as President in 2003. During her presidency, Arroyo was also able to get passed several key women’s rights legislations including the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and the Magna Carta for Women.

accounts. He said that in front of the soldiers,” said the complaint quoting Trillanes. The group accused Trillanes of committing “conspiracy or proposal to commit coup d’ etat and inciting sedition” for encouraging the military to go up against the President and that he should be indicted under Articles 136 and 142 of the Revised Penal Code. In his privileged speech on Oct. 3, Trillanes accused Duterte of having bank accounts with transactions amounting to over P2 billion from September 2006 to December 2015. But Manuelito Luna, the complainants’ legal counsel, said the speeches by Trillanes―including his privileged speech in the Senate―were not protected by immunity from suits. The complaint cited as another basis Trillanes’ speech during the launch of the Tindig Pilipinas movement on Oct. 14 involving Duterte’s alleged bank deposits.

News Boracay resort owners warned MALACAÑANG said Thursday the government would not hesitate to send the Marines and ”blow up” West Cove and other illegal structures in the shores of Boracay if resort owners would continue to defy orders to clean up the tourist-popular island. “The last that I heard is that the local government may even ask the President for assistance to call in the Marines if need be,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told a news brieﬁng. “So when I heard that report, I told them, send the letter because I’m sure the President will not hesitate to send in the Marines and even use dynamites to blow up that illegal structure there,” he added. The President earlier threatened to shut down the resort island of Boracay, which he described as “cesspool.” Later in the day, the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Interior and Local Government, and Tourism recommended the total closure of Boracay for up to a year so it can be rehabilitated. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, Interior ofﬁcer-in-charge Eduardo Año, and Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo announced their recommendation to the President on Thursday. “For public health, public interest, and general welfare, I recommend to the President the closure of Boracay island as tourist destination for a maximum of one year effective one month after the declaration,” Cimatu said in a statement. When asked on the latest development on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of the Interior and Local Government efforts to clean Boracay, Roque said the President would ask the assistance of Marines if needed to destroy illegal structures in the island. Vito Barcelo

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Vitangcol willing to help govt probe MRT mess

ORMER Metro Rail Transit general manager Al Vitangcol on Thursday said he was willing to name names of certain people allegedly involved in corruption in the MRT 3 in exchange for legislative immunity from suit.

Vitangcol, facing two counts of graft and one count of violation of the Procurement Law in connection with the allegedly anomalous PH Trams maintenance contract, said he had long wanted to reveal what he knew but had been prevented from doing so. Vitangcol made the statement after Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said he would refer Vitangcol to the National Bureau of Investigation to give his statement as regards the alleged anomaly. “I’m always willing to help anybody in the pursuit of justice and in the pursuit of the truth,” Vitangcol told reporters in a media forum in Quezon City.

He said no one from Malacañang had called to ask for his statements. Roque last week vowed to disclose more details on the alleged corruption, saying two individuals who were previously part of the MRT operations had come forward to give information on the corrupt practices of a certain “Pangasinan Group.” The group, he said, extracted twothirds of the P3.8-billion contract with Busan Universal Rail Inc. Vitangcol said his knowledge about the allegations were already included in his afﬁdavits. Vitangcol claimed a major party in

the previous administration received pay-offs from penalties imposed on the MRT maintenance provider at that time. “During my time, every month, we deducted from the P50 plus million maintenance fee this penalty...,” he said. “I would assume, just my own, since this was in the previous administration, we assume it the major political party at that time.” Vitangcol said he was suspicious about reports of two whistleblowers who were going to testify against transportation ofﬁcials of the previous administration. He warned that the two alleged whistleblowers could put up a smokescreen to divert attention away from those who are culpable for the mess in the MRT 3. Roque said the whistleblowers claimed a certain “Pangasinan Group” and several politicians pocketed two-thirds of the payment given to the MRT’s former maintenance provider, Filipino-Korean consortium Busan Universal Rail Inc.

Roque, Poe clash on ‘fake news, misinformation‘ issue SHOULD government ofﬁcials be penalized for spreading fake news or misinformation? This emerged Thursday as Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque assailed a proposed law seeking to penalize “fake news,” saying this would take away the public’s right to judge for themselves the veracity of any information. Roque, who said he attended the Senate hearing on fake news “in his personal capacity,” reiterated his stand that Senator

Grace Poe’s proposed law, Senate Bill 1680, was unconstitutional. “To begin with, there should be no law abridging freedom of expression. Any law which will criminalize fake news will obviously be a violation [because] it is a law that will abridge freedom of expression,” Roque said. Roque added: “What is the importance of regulating fake news? It’s because we want to uphold the truth. “If the objective is to uphold the truth,

it does not matter if it’s a legitimate journalist or a blogger that spreads false news. And that’s why my position is [that] there is no basis for singling out that only government employees should have liability when they spread false news.” But Poe said government ofﬁcials must be held to a higher standard. Unlike an ordinary citizen, she said government employees were required to submit Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth, among others.

‘Anti-dynasty provisions to address corruption’ THE anti-dynasty provisions the Consultative Committee wanted included in the proposed Charter change would address corruption, ConCom member said. In an interview, former De La Salle University dean Julio Cabral Teehankee said the regulated ban on political dynasties would prevent elective officials from accumulating power and increase the accountability of public officials. “The anti-dynasty provision is also part of strengthening the accountability of public officials because now they will not be able to accumulate political power and use that to perpetuate themselves to power,” said Teehankee, chairman of the ConCom subcommittee on political reforms. Last Wednesday, the ConCom tasked by President Rodrigo Duterte to review the 1987 Constitution unanimously approved anti-dynasty provisions that, if adopted under the new Constitution, would make dynasties a thing of the past. Under the proposed provisions, a political dynasty exists when a family —whose members are related up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity—maintains political control by succession or by simultaneously running for or holding elective positions. It covers relations that are legitimate, illegitimate, and half- or full-blood. PNA

Opinion

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL EVERYMAN

Sex and the beach By Eric Jurado THE weather bureau, Pagasa, officially declared the start of summer last Monday, and many couples are now happily planning their vacations. The London newspaper, The Daily Mail, however, listed the top 10 problems experienced by couples on vacation together. Topping the list was men looking at other women in bikinis on the beach. It takes massive willpower, in fact, for a heterosexual man not to look at bikini-clad women. And few men —even the nicest, finest, and most monogamously faithful and loving— have such willpower. So, the Daily Mail notes, this frequently causes problems when a couple’s itinerary includes a visit to the beach. And what exactly is the problem? The problem is that the wife or girlfriend feels threatened by his looking. And why does she feel threatened? Because she thinks he is comparing her to those women. And why does this disturb her? Here are three reasons. First, virtually every woman, no matter how attractive, thinks that when her man is looking at other women—other women in general, and in bikinis especially—he is finding them more attractive than her. Second, she thinks that he is therefore dissatisfied with her, which in turn arouses the unspoken but primal fear that he might leave her. And third, she is sure that her man will continue to think about these women long after they have disappeared from sight. Now let’s analyze these reasons. First, does the husband or boyfriend find these women on the beach—or for that matter anywhere else—more attractive than he finds his wife or girlfriend? Well, since I believe that only honesty works in the long run, the answer is sometimes, yes. He may very well find some of those women more physically attractive than his woman. But, here’s the point that most women, again understandably, don’t know: with very few exceptions, it doesn’t matter! You read me right. Of course, when looking at these other women, he may find some of them more physically attractive than the woman he is with. But—and here’s the good news—SO WHAT? Presuming he is attracted to you —and if he isn’t, it doesn’t matter if you’re vacationing in a monastery and all he sees are monks—he wants YOU. I repeat, he wants YOU. And if he does, all these other women don’t amount to anything. There’s another thing women need to know. Within seconds of their disappearing from view, he has no memory of any of these women. When in sight, they can take over his male mind. But out of sight, they are out of mind. It’s as if they never existed. Yes, the visual gets men’s total attention in a matter of seconds, but as soon as the woman he was focused on vanishes, most men forget what they saw in an equal number of seconds. Why does this come as news—and hard to believe news, at that—to most women? Because you, the woman, remember the women your man looked at. And you therefore think that he, too, remembers them. But let me assure you he doesn’t. Most men under torture couldn’t identify the women they looked at the hour before, let alone the day before, if they were shown photos of them along with photos of women they had never seen. And more good news! His seeing women who he thinks for that moment are more attractive than you has no bearing whatsoever on his being “dissatisfied” with you. Men find other woman attractive in large measure just because they are other women. Men are programmed by nature to want variety—indeed endless variety. That’s why God-fearing King Solomon had 700 wives and another 300 concubines, and secular Hugh Turn to A5

Trump’s trade war

S PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s “America First” protectionist agenda is wreaking havoc on global ﬁnancial markets. Market traders, for one, have become nervous and have been dumping their stocks on fears the US trade stance will result in retaliatory actions from America’s trading partners, and eventually curtail global economic growth.

The US last week announced US tariffs on imported steel and aluminum products, adding it would file a complaint with the World Trade Organization against Indian export subsidies. The White House, in addition, may impose tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Chinese imports, especially in the tech and telecommunications sector, in retaliation against alleged US intellectual property violations in the northern Asian nation. Early on in his presidency, Trump threatened to withdraw from the North America Free Trade Agreement, claiming that the arrangement stole jobs from the American

people and resulted in huge trade deficits against the US. Trump believes that Nafta benefitted Canada and Mexico more by moving out jobs and production facilities from the US mainland. Trump also was not a believer of the TransPacific Partnership, a trade agreement among Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. The US withdrew its signature from the pact, rendering the arrangement ineffective. A global trade war will likely follow if the US keeps on imposing protectionist taxes on the imports of major trading partners, instead of negotiating for a more equitable trade agreement. The trade war will eventually restrict the inflow and outflow of goods. It will reduce production from the warring nations and cut jobs in their production centers. Trump may realize the negative side of his America First policy late in the game. It will soon boomerang on him and on Americans who will be in danger of losing their jobs. Developing countries in Asia like the Philippines, meanwhile, should start expanding regional trade to soften the backlash of a major trade war involving the US and other economic powerhouses.

Truffle-addicted Kuwaitis flock to specialty souk By Salima Lebel WHITE or beige, but never black, the “desert truffle” is a rare delicacy with a dedicated marketplace in Kuwait, where remnants of the Iraqi invasion and changing weather patterns have decimated local production. Less prestigious and less expensive than its darker cousin, the Middle Eastern truffle is a prized ingredient for bedouins, who integrate it into their traditional rice and meat dishes or in sauces, boiled with onions. On the outskirts of Kuwait City, in the Rai industrial district, connoisseurs begin perusing the truffle souk at 9:00 am, surveying the various weights and colors and using their noses to select the best fungus by smell. Some barter while others go straight

for the top shelf, with the “Zebidi” variety especially prized for its use in traditional recipes. Demand is so high in the Gulf emirate’s market that each year hundreds of merchants compete for limited stall space during the cooler winter months. The market was devised by the municipality of Al-Rai, an industrial zone just northwest of Kuwait City, which oversees quality control and guarantees the traceability of the fungus. “We decided to build this market in 2006 to organize sales of this product, which you used to find in all sorts of corners in Kuwait,” said Faisal alJomaa, vice governor of Kuwait City. This year, he said, 520 merchants applied for one of the nine-square-meter (97-square-foot) stalls. Just 123 vendors secured space.

One of them was Iranian Abdel Ali Said, who has bought and sold truffles since the 1960s. “They come from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and beyond,” he said of his truffle selection. Prices range from seven to 20 Kuwaiti dinars ($23 to $67) per kilogram depending on the quality, according to Said. This year, the market is reportedly flooded with truffles from Libya. “That happens every six years,” said Kuwaiti merchant Mohammed al-Shammari on a recent day in the truffle market. “Production is cyclical. You also have a lot coming from Tunisia this year.” On a $10-k budget To drive home just how popular Turn to A5

In Colombia, birders find their version of Eden By Florence Panoussian DESPITE his small stature, 10-yearold Juan David Camacho has big dreams: pacing through Colombia’s jungle with binoculars in tow, he aims to spot all the bird species his country offers. It’s a mighty goal: Colombia boasts the greatest number of bird types on the planet—1,920, or 19 percent of those on the planet—a veritable paradise for birders. “We leave very early with our cameras, binoculars and tripods and we watch the birds until around noon, in silence,” says the young boy—continuing to scan the area to make sure he doesn’t miss a rare specimen perched on a branch in the forests near Cali. Since his father first took him birdwatching three years ago, his love of searching for feathered friends has come to rival even his passion for football, a favored pastime in Colombia. Once a month he journeys through the tropical forests surrounding Cali, the country’s third largest city with some 2.5 million residents. Nestled in the heart of the southwest’s massive green expanse, the Valle del Cauca, and the Andes Mountains, the area counts 562 species of birds, “much more than anywhere in Europe,” according to expert Carlos Wagner. War zones Camacho has already seen 491, capturing 200 of them in photos, the boy told AFP. In February he delivered a lecture— “Three years of passion for birds”—at the International Bird Festival, which brings some 15,000 people to Cali. Too short to reach the lectern on the stage, he grabbed the microphone to discuss the expeditions he has made with his parents, a computer scientist and a lawyer. Huge swaths of Colombia’s territory remain to be explored: for decades they have been deemed too dangerous to travel because of the country’s drawn-out armed conflict. An ongoing peace process with former FARC guerillas has birders like Wagner hoping access will someday be improved. The 40-year-old expert, who heads the bird festival in Cali, says the variety of ecosystems in the area—ranging from mountainous to tropical— allowed a great diversity of species to evolve. Wagner grew up in the surrounding countryside near the San Antonio forest, site of the first large-scale ornithological expedition in the area, which New York’s Natural History Museum carried out in 1910. Bird tourism Threatened by deforestation, this 900-hectare (2,225-acre) Eden was ranked as an “Area of Importance for Bird Conservation” in 2004 by BirdLife, a major British non-profit. But because Colombia did not legally recognize the designation, there was no guarantee it would be respected, said Wagner. Along with other birders and ecologists, he is working to sensitize residents in the area of the importance of preservation, no small feat. “We are great romantics, but farmers have needs: they cut down trees to cultivate,” he said. And though Colombia is a bird kingdom, observation tourism is poorly developed. The government, however, is growing aware of the potential source of income: in the future the tourism ministry projects nearly 15,000 observers might descend on the Latin American country per year to birdwatch, bringing in $9 million. Most birders traveling to Colombia currently originate from the United States, Canada, Argentina and the United Kingdom. In the San Antonio forest, a dozen places and guides already welcome observers, at a rate of 15,000 to 20,000 pesos (approximately five to 6.50 dollars) per visit. Olga Gomez, who raises rabbits, has transformed her small one-

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Opinion

EMERGING from the tunnel of a former highway along the River Seine in Paris, bikes zip past the cars caught in traffic on a road just next to them. “It’s great for cyclists, it’s safer,” says Kolestin Onaindia, though he is one of just a handful of riders taking advantage of the car-free thoroughfare on a weekday afternoon. Onaindia knows his perk comes with a price. Before he retired, driving to work along the same stretch of the riverbank near the Louvre museum was a quick 25-minute commute. Now he says the same drive would take twice as long. “For people who come and have to get across Paris, it’s a catastrophe,” he says. At least Onaindia had his own wheels. Tens of thousands of Parisians who use the city’s popular Velib bicycle-hire service have been forced off the roads since January by a shambolic rollout of new bikes that is not expected to be completed until this summer. Bike-sharing and car-free riverbanks were supposed to be flagships of Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s pledge to tackle smog in the French capital, which can get so bad that children’s football matches are canceled. She says her policies, first implemented while she was deputy mayor, have cut car traffic in Europe’s most densely populated city by 30 percent in the past 10 years. And she wants to go further, imposing stricter pollution rules with the goal of phasing out diesel vehicles by 2024, when Paris is set to host the Summer Olympic Games, and gasoline-powered cars by 2030. But the Velib fiasco and simmering resentment among drivers have turned up the pressure on the mayor, who now appears increasingly vulnerable to a 2020 election challenge despite her Socialist party’s nearly 20-year grip on the city. Misguided ecological utopia Hidalgo was dealt a setback last month when a court overruled the riverside road closures she imposed in 2016. The court accused her office of “inaccuracies” and “omissions”—or as her critics put it, false claims on supposed pollution benefits. A regional air pollution monitor recently gave a “mixed” review of the “pedestrianization” of the 3.3 kilometers (two miles) of highway, saying the benefits were offset by increased congestion and higher emissions elsewhere in Paris. And the move infuriated the roughly five million drivers who commute to Paris, who scoffed at Hidalgo’s claims

In Colombia... From A4

hectare farm into a bird paradise, complete with flowers to seduce winged visitors. “We’ve seen up to 25 species, including 18 hummingbirds,” said the 66-yearold woman with a smile. She says 1,000 visitors per year come to her La Conchita finca, or rural holiday estate. Magic! Further up on the mountain, at the Alejandria finca, clouds of hummingbirds in a dizzying spectrum of colors flutter among red saucers of sweet water, while others feast on bananas placed strategically on bamboo platforms. A French family from Amiens, north

Truffle-addicted... From A4

truffles are among Kuwaitis, Shammari pointed out that “three to four tons are imported daily, and sold fresh.” But for all its love of truffles, Kuwait’s own commercial cultivation and harvesting of the fungus has plummeted to zero since Iraq invaded the emirate in 1990. The risk of coming across an unexploded landmine left behind by the Iraqi army keeps Kuwaitis from scouting the desert for wild truffles. The only remaining production is purely for personal consumption. Kuwait’s truffle crops have also been hit by a changing environment. Unlike European truffles, which grow under tree roots, desert truffles spring up after rain, which means that volume and quality vary according to the amount of precipitation and the general weather. “Irregular rainfall, rapid urbanization and encroachment on the desert are all factors in the disappearance of

that road closures would encourage them to use public transport—an impractical option for many living in the suburbs. A committee set up to evaluate the plan’s effects found in November that there had been no meaningful decline in traffic, while jams on nearby routes had increased rush-hour travel times by up to 70 percent. “The reality is that 30 more minutes are being lost during rush hour,” said Pierre Chasseray of the 40 Million Drivers advocacy group, which has denounced Hidalgo’s “misguided ecological utopia.” Hidalgo rushed out another decree after the court ruling to keep the riverside roads closed, citing a poll which found 55 percent of Parisians in favor of the measure. But Chasseray’s group is preparing a fresh legal challenge along with business associations. #Velibgate Hidalgo’s other big headache is the overhaul of Velib, hailed as a model for major cities when it was rolled out 10 years ago, but which has basically been out of service since the start of the year. Critics say her administration made a huge miscalculation by thinking a system handling some 20,000 bikes for an estimated 300,000 users could be ripped out and replaced in just a few months. According to the Paris En Selle (Paris in the Saddle) association, just 80 of the promised 1,450 new stations are reliably working since the system’s new operator took over, because they are the only ones hooked up to the city’s electrical grid. A few hundred more work in theory, but are being temporarily powered by batteries prone to failure—so even if the Velib app says a station is available, users often find it’s impossible to take a bike. “If you have to take a gamble on whether or not the system is working, then it’s clearly not working,” said Paris En Selle spokesman Simon Labouret. City hall has had to deploy its own engineers to help install the new stations for Smovengo, an upstart operator whose previous bike-sharing programmes were limited to much smaller schemes in cities like Vancouver or Moscow. Smovengo, which has been fined three million euros ($3.7 billion) over the delays, has for its part lashed out at city officials for “serious shortcomings” in managing the handover. For riders, higher prices for the service are salt in the wound over what has been dubbed #Velibgate on Twitter. “We’re waiting for serious action to get out of this mess, to restore a public service that is absolutely essential for Paris,” Labouret said. AFP of Paris, marvels at the spectacle: “In our northern plains, trees have disappeared because of intensive farming,” says Marc Bulcourt, 62, a retired nurse. “We see fewer and fewer birds, but here it’s magic!” A multicolored tanager, one of Colombia’s 79 native bird species, zips over. “Any observer wants to see it at least once before dying!” says Wagner, pointing to the teensy turquoise, yellow and anise-colored bird. Spotting a rare condor is young Camacho’s current quest—the iconic bird of the Andes is dwindling in numbers, making it hard to sight. Once he has traversed all of Colombia, the boy wants to expand his birding universe to other countries, he says— adding that he aspires, of course, one day to become an ornithologist. AFP (local) truffles,” explained vice governor Jomaa. That has only increased desire for the delicacy, especially for making Kabsa, a spiced rice speciality common throughout the Gulf and the most popular dish in Kuwait. The main ingredients are long grain rice, red meat and truffles, used to flavor the broth while cooking. “Kuwaitis are addicted to truffles because they are rare and have such a distinct taste,” said Yousef Mohammed al-Khaled, a young truffle aficionado, who claims he can distinguish between various sub-varieties. Khaled said he spends up to 3,000 Kuwaiti dinars (nearly $10,000) each year on white truffles, which he incorporates into his diet twice a week, including family lunches on Thursdays, the last day of the workweek. Fresh truffles are only available from November to April in Kuwait, but some vendors sell a dried variation of the delicacy during the region’s scorching summer months in a bid to meet their customers’ cravings all year round. AFP

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Goodbye, ICC

Tempers flare as missteps mar Paris push to go green By Joseph Schmid

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018

FORMATION GARY OLIVAR THE President’s critics have been jumping all over his decision to withdraw our country from the Rome Statute, effectively withdrawing us from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. VP Leni said the obvious: The decision makes him look bad, in view of threats to charge him before the ICC on the issue of alleged EJKs. Senator Trillanes gloated that any ICC proceedings against Duterte could continue anyway, which is equivalent to saying that nobody can stop you from singing your heart out before an empty hall. *** As usual, though, the truth is much more complicated and presents itself only upon closer scrutiny. It may be helpful to consider the following: Duterte was fully authorized to withdraw from ICC. The Senate minority leader, Senator Drilon, commendably resisted the temptation to take a cheap shot and admitted that no further action by the Senate is required on Duterte’s decision. The aversion to Duterte among many officials in the UN and other international bureaucracies is well recorded, the latest one being the comment about his mental health from some Jordanian prince who enjoys the ponderous title of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Despite its formidable name, the ICC is far from being an omniscient court situated somewhere below the heavenly realms. There’s a respectable number of countries who aren’t members of ICC or are planning to withdraw, too, including Israel, Russia and even the United States. At least the first two are silent about or even support Duterte. But not the last one, supposedly our oldest and closest ally. The ICC is supposed to function as a court of last resort, intervening only when the local courts are unwilling or unable to adjudicate the crime in question. No evidence has been produced that Philippine courts are in that bind. The last point is something that particularly nettles the President, who to this day thinks and acts not only like the mayor he was, but also like the fiscal and prosecutor he used to be even earlier. It

is this: The ICC cannot claim jurisdiction over his person because it failed to publish the required notice of his case in the Official Gazette. This may seem trivial to non-lawyers, but even laymen should be able to appreciate how much mayhem might result if people could just be dragged into court at any time without even being told why. *** At about the same time the President was responding “Dutertively” to the ICC challenge, another judicial contretemps was taking place over at the Justice Department, where a two-man panel of prosecutors voted to drop drug charges against Kerwin Espinosa—the son of slain Albuera mayor Roland Espinosa—as well as equally notorious suspects like Peter Co and Peter Lim, for “lack of evidence.” Mr. Lim is a Cebu-based businessman and professed kumpare of the President who’s been identified by the PDEA as one of the country’s top five drug lords. He’s the guy whose drug

Despite its formidable name, the ICC is far from being an omniscient court situated somewhere below the heavenly realms.

replace the suspects in jail with Justice Secretary Aguirre if the suspects got off scot-free. Presumably properly chastened, Aguirre has ordered the NBI to investigate the prosecutors involved for possible “malfeasance, misfeasance, or non-feasance.” Subject to the NBI’s findings, though, we have a right to wonder: If the CIDG and the prosecutors turn out to be anything less than 100 percent blameless in this case, what kind of selfconfidence—not to mention financial resources--must the drug syndicates be enjoying in order for them to try and pull off a trick like this in an extremely highvisibility case like this? And if we’re faced with such arrogant self-confidence and huge resources—and now with cocaine from the Mexican cartels starting to flood the country together with Chinese shabu—how much legal leeway do these syndicates and their distribution chains from top to bottom have a right to expect from us? *** I’ll close this column with some positive economic news that should remind us why we ought to care about the success of this administration’s various initiatives. From the Bangko Sentral, we’re advised that the net inflow of foreign direct investment surged by 21 percent to $10 billion in 2017, the first full year of the Duterte presidency. This is direct investment that creates jobs, as opposed to portfolio investment or “hot money” which actually dropped last year by $205 million. And from DTI, Secretary Mon Lopez reports that total manufacturing investments were up last year by a whopping 244 percent. Manufacturing investment creates not just any kind of jobs, but jobs in the industries that we sorely need to build, or rebuild, if we want to get on a truly permanent growth track. Of course Duterte can’t claim all, nor even most, of the credit for this. I doubt that he’d say that anyway, if he were asked. But I think more and more businessmen will agree that his is the presence that makes the difference these days between yes and no, between stop and go, between the green light and the red. In a democracy and an open economy, that’s really all we have a right to expect from a president.

links were investigated by Congress itself way back in 2006. Many years later, two of his employees who testified against him wound up dead. As for Kerwin Espinosa, he had testified last year before the Senate no less, presumably under oath, that he was, indeed, a drug lord. Surely Senate testimony counts for something? But the PNP’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, in its wisdom, decided to exclude that testimony from its rap sheet against Kerwin because he reportedly recanted it during his preliminary investigation. This time, the President’s friends and not just his critics are up in arms over the decision to drop charges. For Readers can write me at gbolithat matter, Duterte himself was so furious that he reportedly threatened to var1952@yahoo.com.

FVR at 90 VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ ON MARCH 18, former President Fidel Valdez Ramos marks his 90th anniversary. He was born in 1928, in Lingayen, Pangasinan, to equally distinguished Filipinos, guerilla fighter and former Foreign secretary Narciso Ramos and educator and women’s rights activists Angela Valdez. Last night, at the Manila Polo Club, the board of trustees of the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation tendered a dinner in FVR’s honor and to announce the seven so-called FVR legacy projects. FVR was the 12th President of the Philippines, is best remembered for his ability to lead and his willingness to be led—not by astute advisors and political strategists, but by the people whom he served, and served well. Ramos is a soldier, diplomat, author, peace advocate and statesman. His public service spanned a total period of 51 years. Steadfastly and faithfully, Ramos promoted the principles of people empowerment and a culture of excellence that both led to global competitiveness during his term as President from June 30, 1992 to June 30, 1998. History appreciates him for three things—1) for saving Corazon Cojuangco Aquino from no less than seven coup attempts during her presidency, from February 1986 to June 30, 1992; 2) for quickly restoring power to a nation besieged by 12- to 18-hour blackouts at the peak of the power crisis during his predecessor’s time; and 3) for trying to unify the country by reaching out to all kinds of rebels—the military coup plotters led by army Col. Gregorio Honasan, the Muslim rebels led by Nur Misuari, and the guerillas of the New

Sex...

People’s Army of the Communist Party of the Philippines. To me, Ramos’ best lasting legacy should be his winning Asia’s first peaceful four-day People Power Revolution of Feb. 22-25, 1986 and dislodging a 20-year dictatorship under Ferdinand E. Marcos, a cousin. Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte credits Ramos for his decision to run for president and for winning the presidency. While communist insurgency dwindled to historic lows, Ramos achieved a peace agreement with military rebels (RAM, ALTAS, YOU) in October 1995

He is a soldier, diplomat, author, peace advocate and statesman.

and the MNLF southern secessionists in September 1996 which, won for him (together with Chairman Nur Misuari) and the Philippines the coveted 1997 UNESCO Peace Prize—the first for Asians. He also worked a modus vivendi with Congress whose members quickly joined his Rainbow Coalition. The deals brought peace to the land and enabled Ramos to attract foreign investments and legislate the most farreaching social and economic reforms through the passage of major pieces of legislation. Ramos then pursued, focused and converged programs to fight poverty in accordance with the will of the Filipino people expressed by 229 structural/reform laws enacted by Congress from

C) Certainly not thinking of them later. He looks at them because they are other women, whether they are more From A4 attractive, just as attractive, or less attractive. They are women in bikinis. Hefner had at least that many lovers. In sum, then, when your man looks at So he looks. Where there is basic domestic harthese other, perhaps even “more attracmony and mutual physical attraction, tive” women, he is: more than anything, your husband or A) Not comparing you to them, B) Not in any way becoming dissatis- boyfriend wants you. When he looks, he isn’t comparing, he isn’t getting disfied with you, and

1992 to 1998. Ramos exemplified the leader who always looked toward the strategic future and whose thumbs-up optimism—captured in descriptive phrases like “Caring, Sharing and Daring,” “Philippines 1500” and “Pole-vaulting”—propelled the economy and social welfare. He exudes positive energy that seems to burst from his cool and at times steely demeanor. During the years 1993-1997, the Philippine economy recovered dramatically and a comprehensive Social Reform Agenda was implemented that addressed long-standing problems regarding poverty, health, education and skills training, housing, environmental protection, children and the youth, the elderly and the handicapped, jobs and livelihood, agrarian reform and access to equal opportunity. Gross National Product growth averaged 5 percent annually. The total inflow of foreign exchange into the country outpaced forex inflows of the combined periods of rule of both Presidents Marcos and Cory Aquino. Average income of the Filipino family grew more during his administration than in the preceding two decades. He pushed for the deregulation of key industries and the liberalization of the economy. He encouraged the privatization of public entities, to include the modernization of public infrastructure through the expanded Build-Operate-Transfer law. Ramos also served as secretary of national defense (1988-1991) and chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (1986-1988) with the rank of general (four stars). His military/ law enforcement service of more than 40 years was capped by the peaceful, non-violent People Power Revolution at Edsa in February 1986, which threw out a dictatorial regime. biznewsasia@gmail.com satisfied, and he won’t have a clue later as to who he saw. So, when you’re back in your hotel room, put on your own bikini, and tell him you want him. Because again, more than anyone else in the world, he wants you. And if you don’t believe me, ask him. You’ll be glad you did. And so will he. Eric Jurado covers important issues with liberty as his guiding star.

News

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018

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LP senators warn vs polls postponement IN BRIEF SMC Tollways ready for Lent SMC Tollways, operator of TarlacPangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) in the north; and Skyway System, Naia Expressway (NAIAX), South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and STAR Tollway in the south, said it is ready with contingency plans for the expected surge in vehicles from Metro Manila this Holy Week. These include the implementation of enhanced traffic management measures and setting up of motorist assistance stations in strategic locations along its tollroads to aid motorists and provide safe and hassle-free travel. With an expected 10 percent increase in traffic volume, SMC Tollways said it will mobilize all operations staff, additional toll collectors, ambulant tellers and traffic management personnel during the busy week. Temporary toll collection booths will be installed to speed up transaction time at the toll plazas. All road works will be suspended.

Solon files bill on mental health A PARTY-LIST lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to grant a mental health wellness break to all employees and students. AGBIAG Rep. Michelle Antonio filed House Bill 7400, which seeks to institutionalize mental health wellness breaks of three days for both employees and students. The bill provides that employees are entitled to full compensation for those breaks, while students are excused from their classes with a condition that the break is availed of only during regular class days, and not on examination days. In her explanatory note, Antonio stressed the need for the government to address the mental health problem, considering that mental illness ranks third in the most common disabilities in the country— affecting one of five of the hundred million Filipinos. PNA

Bigger ‘moto’ plates bill OKd A JOINT panel in the House of Representatives has approved a substitute bill that addresses motorcycle crime by requiring larger license plates and other identification marks. The House committee on transportation, and on public order and safety chaired by Reps. Cesar Sarmiento of Catanduanes and Romeo Acop of Antipolo City, respectively, consolidated House Bills 5381, 5714, 5839 and 6226, authored by Victor Yap of Tarlac, Deputy Speaker Ferdinand Hernandez, Reynaldo Umali of Oriental Mindoro, and HB 6226 of Camarines Sur. “A person with criminal intent will always find a way to perpetrate his crime. Let us hope that this measure will truly aid law enforcers in apprehending such criminals, thus becoming an effective deterrent against criminality,” Acop said. Maricel V. Cruz

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

IBERAL Party senators have warned that the postponement of Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections will pave the way for a no-election scenario in 2019.

Senator Bam Aquino, co-author and co-sponsor of the SK Reform law, said there is no initiative in the Senate and no reason to postpone the Barangay and SK elections again. “Let us allow the public to vote for the leaders who will ﬁght for them to ensure the safety and comfort of their families,” said Aquino, referring to the House’s move to postpone the village polls to October 2018. On Monday, the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms voted 14-2 to postpone the Barangay and SK elections, which will be held in May. Senator Francis Pangilinan noted that the House’s act is an indication that it will railroad moves to amend the 1987 Constitution to pave the way for a shift in the form of government to federalism. He said this is an indication of the haste to implement changes in the Constitution to do it simultaneous in October, Pangilinan said, adding that moves to amend the Charter should not be hurried. “Napakahalaga ng ating Saligang Batas para madaliin ang pag-amyenda nito. Kailangan munang konsultahin ang lahat ng sector bago ito gawin upang matiyak na walang maiiwan,” he added. Pangilinan is visiting different parts of the country to consult different sectors regarding plans to amend the Charter as chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes. Senator Franklin Drilon said the House’s move proved his earlier revelation about a plot by administration allies in the House of Representatives to railroad the amendment of the 1987 Constitution for a shift to federalism so they can cancel the 2019 elections and extend their terms. He has earlier cautioned against plans to postpone the village polls to October to coincide with the plebiscite on a new Constitution.

FAKE NEWS HEARING. Simon Milner, vice president of Public Policy Asia Pacific for Facebook and Secretary Martin Andanar, Presidential Communications Operation Office, listen to Senator Grace Poe, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, as she presides over the continuation of the Senate hearing on the issue of fake news. Ey Acasio

2 House leaders back Bong Go’s Senate bid By Maricel V. Cruz TWO administration lawmakers on Thursday rallied behind the movement that urges Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go to run for senator in the 2019 midterm elections. Reps. Rodolfo Albano III of Isabela and LRay Villafuerte of Camarines Sur expressed belief that Go will be an asset to the Duterte administration by pushing for the legislative agenda of the President at the Senate. The two lawmakers made the statement after a movement called “Ready, Set, Go” was launched Wednesday to persuade Go to join the Senate race in next year’s polls. But Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting said the “Bong Go for senator” fever was “too early.” “He has not confirmed if he is running.

He is very busy helping the president. Better to leave him alone for the moment so he can do his job well,” said Tambunting, chairman of the House committee on games and amusement. Albano, majority leader for the House of Representatives’ contingent to the Commission on Appointments, said Go’s humility, loyalty and exposure to the grassroots being the President’s long-time aide are good qualities of a public servant. This, not to mention his competence to serve the people once he gets elected to the national post, Albano added. “He is a good friend and more than qualified for the job,” Albano said of Go. Villafuerte, who belongs to one of vote-rich Bicol’s most prominent political clans, said Go’s close ties with the President will help ensure that the Duterte administration has a

DILG to monitor use of subpoena powers DEPARTMENT of the Interior and Local Government officer-in-charge Secretary Eduardo Año on Thursday said that his agency would make sure that the Philippine National Police subpoena powers will not be abused. Año said that the power to summon documents and individuals given to select PNP officials under the new law will be strictly monitored. “The DILG will be on the lookout for any hint of abuse that may be committed by the PNP in carrying out its restored subpoena powers and we will see to it that this will be used only for the intention that it was granted,” Año

was quoted as saying in a press release. He added that the subpoena powers are not “universal for the whole PNP organization” as these will not be given to policemen who are at the precinct level. “[T]he law might have considered that this will be only used in circumstances when witnesses refuse to cooperate with police investigation,” he said. “This new law takes the best intention of the crime victims at heart because they may finally get the justice that they have been longing for as witnesses will now be obliged to appear before the police,” he added.

The DILG chief said that since several cases filed with the prosecutor and the courts being dismissed for “lack of or weak evidence,” the subpoena powers will help the PNP strengthen its cases and “ensure that justice is served.” He also agreed that PNP should be granted such power as other law enforcement agencies have it just like the National Bureau of Investigation. President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 10973, authorizing the PNP chief, the CIDG director and deputy director for administration to issue subpoenas on cases under investigation last March 1.

PH Army gains Hall of Fame recognition

PCSO earns P3.81b, up by 102 percent in two months PHILIPPINE Charity Sweepstakes Office General Manager Alexander Balutan has announced on Thursday that the Small Town Lottery posted P3.81- billion sales in two months, a 102.66 percent increase from the sales of the same months last year. “Last January, STL posted P1.87 billion sales, a 103.96 percent increase as compared with its P916.5 million sales in January 2017. While in February, STL posted P1,946,395,655, a 101.43 percent increase as compared with its P966,298,117 in February 2017,” said Balutan. Keno similarly rose by 16.91 percent in two months from P807.2 million to P943.7 million; Instant Sweepstakes Ticket earned P611.4 million in two months, a 100 percent increase from the same months last year; while no sweepstakes draw for two months this year. As previously reported, Lotto (6/42, 6/45, 6/49, 6/55, 6/58) and other digits (4-Digit, 6-Digit, 3-Digit, and EZ2) increased at 2.81 percent in January and February as compared with its sales in the same months last year.

reliable ally in the Senate who will vigorously push for its priority legislative agenda. “Bong Go will be an invaluable asset in the Senate. We need men like Bong Go who will help shepherd President Duterte’s high—and inclusive—growth agenda in the Congress,” Villafuerte said. “As President Duterte’s close-in aide for two decades, Bong Go has embraced as his own the President’s vision of transforming our country into a high-income economy in which all Filipinos get to enjoy the benefits of equitable growth. Bong Go likewise shares the President’s passion and dedication to effect genuine positive change in our society,” Villafuerte said. Villafuerte said he will personally campaign for Go in CamSur and the rest of Bicol once the latter decides to run in next year’s polls.

HANDCUFFED. Two alleged drug dealers are handcuffed during a police operation conducted in Manila on March 15, 2018. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced Wednesday that his government is quitting from the International Criminal Court, which has launched a preliminary examination of his deadly drug war. AFP

THE Philippine Army earned the Palladium Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame Award in rites held in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City. The Philippine Army’s Transformation Roadmap strategy was implemented in 2010. This was anchored on Dr. Kaplan and Norton’s strategy management system, known locally as the Performance Governance System. This genuine transformation strategy has enabled the army to gain numerous awards of recognition such as: the PGS Institutionalized Status in 2014, and the Islands of Good Governance in 2015. The Philippine Army recently passed the site on evaluation process, conducted on Jan. 22-24, 2018, by David McMillan, director of the Office of Strategy Management of the Palladium Group. The Philippine Army received the Palladium Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame Award for executing strategy in London, United Kingdom on March 14, 2018. Lt. Gen. Rolando Joselito Bautista, the commanding general of the Philippine Army, was accompanied by the Chief of the Army Governance and Strategy Management Office, COL Joel Paloma, as the Philippine Army was awarded at the Reimagine Strategy: Palladium Positive Impact Summit 2018 in London. The coveted award was bestowed by the Co-Creator of the Balanced Scorecard, and Harvard Business School Professor Emeritus, Dr. Robert S. Kaplan.

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FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Durant powers Warriors L

OS ANGELES—Kevin Durant scored 26 points as the Golden State Warriors shrugged off their injury crisis to overpower the resurgent Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.

ing the NBA champions at 55-55 at the break. But a lapse in concentration midway through the third quarter saw the Warriors produce a 12-0 run, giving them a 70-59 lead which ultimately proved decisive. The Warriors improved to 52-16 in the Western Conference, one win back from leaders Houston (53-14). The Lakers, who are outside of the playoff places, fell to 31-37. With Curry, Green and Thompson all missing, Durant shouldered the offensive burden for the Warriors, with support from Nick Young (18 points) and Zaza Pachulia, who had 10 points and 12 rebounds. The Lakers scoring was led by Julius Randle with 22 points, while Brook Lopez and Isaiah

NBA Finals MVP Durant also contributed ﬁve rebounds and six assists as a Warriors side missing Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green completed a 117-106 win in Oakland. The Lakers had gone toe-to-toe with the Warriors during an entertaining ﬁrst half, hold-

Thomas both had 20 apiece. - Wizards jolt Celtics Elsewhere on Wednesday, the Washington Wizards fought back from a 20-point deficit to jolt the injury-hit Boston Celtics with a 125-124 victory in double overtime. A Jodie Meeks three-pointer with two seconds remaining tied it for the Wizards at 106106 to send the game into the first period of overtime after the Celtics appeared to have done enough for the win. Boston rookie Jayson Tatum then blew a chance to win it for the Celtics in the first period of overtime, the 20-year-old levelling the score at 115-115 with a two-point layup but then missing a free throw that would have sealed a win. AFP

OAKLAND, CA - MARCH 14: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors handles the ball against Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. AFP

Hoka supports first full-distance PH Ironman QUORUM International Inc., the parent company of leading sports retailers Runnr and Toby’s Sports, has linked up with Ironman Philippines organizer Sunrise Events, Inc., making its top triathlon footwear Hoka the ofﬁcial shoe of the ﬁrst full distance Ironman Philippines. “Ironman has met such incredible fanfare in the Philippines and the same can be said about Hoka One One, the fastest growing running shoe brand in the country in 2017, making this partnership a big deal in the running and triathlon community,” said Toby Claudio,

president of Quorum Int’l. Inc. and founder of Runnr during yesterday’s contract signing at Runnr Store at Bonifacio Global City. “As the leading sports organization in the country, we continue to partner with companies that best represent our advocacy of promoting sports and fitness to Filipinos nationwide. Sunrise Events, Inc., a premier organizer of worldclass sporting events in the Philippines, definitely fits the bill.” The first-ever full distance Ironman Philippines will be held June 3 in Subic Bay with some

of the world’s top and rising triathletes expected to see action. “We are very happy to partner with Quorum Int’l. and Hoka for our first and only full distance race this year in celebration of our 10th anniversary. Quorum and Sunrise have been long-time partners and will continue to be. Together we will promote healthy lifestyle and grow the multisport community,” said SEI founder Wilfred Uytengsu. The first full-distance Ironman Philippines sold out its first 1,000 slots in 24 hours.

Carbonilla, Gom-Os lead tennis winners UP-AND-COMING and perennial leg winner Heinz Asian Carbonilla from Maranding, Lanao del Norte and Princess Debbie Gom-os, a native of Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte, led the winners in the recent Cebuana Lhuillier AgeGroup Tennis Championship Series leg in Dipolog City, ruling two individual age-group categories each. Carbonilla swept Neo Maratas from Zamboanga del Norte, 6-0, 6-0, for the boys’ 12-under crown and duplicated it with another straight-set victory over Dwayne Russel Daarol from Liloy in the finals of the boys’ 14-under of the tournament also backed by Dunlop Sports as the official ball. Promising Gom-os matched Carbonilla’s feat as she posted similar straight set wins over separate opponents. She had an easy 6-3, 6-3 win over Kristin Guia Margarette Bandolis from Tubod, Lanao del Norte in the girls’ 16-under, then came up with an even more impressive, 6-1, 6-1 win over Liloy native Jossah Mea Ranas in the 18-under finals. “We have been keeping an eye on Carbonilla as he has steadily improved over the years and keeps on winning consistently. He is a real product of this grassroots tennis developmental program we initiated 12 years ago,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of the sponsoring Cebuana Lhuillier Group. Another double winner was Zamboanga del Sur’s Garlandson Ardiente, who ruled the 10-under unisex category with a 5-3, 4-0 win over Kyne Solis from Tangub City, Misamis Oriental, then partnered with Solis to annex the 10-under unisex doubles’ crown. Other familiar names, who emerged winners were Zamboanga Sibugay’s Jose Maria Pague, who defeated Nilo Ledama from Pagadian City, 6-4, 6-1, in the boys’ 18-under finals in a win that thwarted his foe’s dream of copping a double as he earlier won the boys’ 16 & under crown, beating local bet Stephen Zion Guia 6-4, 6-0. The other female individual champions were Kristin Guia Margarrette Bandolis from Tubod, Lanao del Norte, who posted an easy 6-1, 6-1 win over Cebu City’s Hela Riza Coderos in the 14-under, and Christine Mae Gula Gula from

Cheerdancing tilt on ABS-CBN S+A

THE National Collegiate Athletic Association is all set to put an exclamation point to another triumphant season with the much-anticipated “NCAA Cheerleading Competition” that will be aired live from the SMART-Araneta Coliseum on ABS-CBN S+A and S+A HD channels on Friday, 3 p.m., with livestreaming on sports.abs-cbn.com. Defending cheerleading champion Arellano University Chiefsquad hopes to go backto-back after pulling off an upset over ninetime champion University of Perpetual Help System-DALTA Altas Perpsquad in Season 92. The Perpsquad is considered as the winningest cheerleading team in the NCAA and even came away with an unprecedented ﬁvepeat in 2009 to 2014.

LOTTO RESULTS

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

Dapitan City in the 12-under, where she disposed of another Dapitan City bet Eloisa Marie Laputan, 6-4, 6-4, when they met in the ﬁnals. The Coderos siblings, Phel Hazel and Pherl Bless, emerged as girls’ doubles’ 18-under champions, while

ERRORS & OMISSIONS

Eric Jay Tangub and Nik Alessandro Isagan copped the boys’ 18-under doubles’ crown. In the 14-under girls’ side, Laputan and Gula combined to win the title while Pete Harley Liquit and Daarol ruled the doubles’ side.

“LEGAL NOTICE” Notice is hereby given to the public that an Extra-Judicial Settlement of Estate has been executed by the heirs of the late PACITA JHOCSON OCAMPO, namely: BENIGNO OCAMPO, JOSE ELIGIO TEODORO J. OCAMPO, ENRICO JHOCSON OCAMPO, MARIA MICHELINE ESTELA O. DUQUE, JOSE NILO J. OCAMPO and JOSE LUIS J. OCAMPO, all of legal age and residents of Malate, Manila; Greenhills, San Juan; Kaunlaran, Cubao, Quezon City, Las Piñas City; and Mandaluyong City, respectively, adjudicating among themselves the parcels of land consisting of TwoHundred Ninety-Three Square Meters and Eighty Square Decimeters (293.80 sq.m.), more or less, located in the City of Manila and covered by No. TCT 74470; and consisting of Six Hundred and Ninety-Six Square Meters (696 sq.m.), more or less, located in the Municipality of Cavinti, Province of Laguna, and covered by TCT No. T-100945 per deed executed February 26, 2018, before Notary Public Atty. Henry D. Adasa, per Doc. No. 51; Page No. 12; Book No. II; Series of 2018.”

In Classified Ads section must be brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published. We will not be responsible for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

(MS-MAR.16, 23 & APR. 2, 2018)

ATLAS Mining

Runnr founder and Toby’s Sports president Toby Claudio (second from left) shakes hands with Sunrise Events, Inc. founder Fred Uytengsu after the contract signing making Hoka One, the award-winning shoe brand in triathlon, the official shoe of the first full-distance Ironman set June 3 in Subic Bay. Others in photo are Neysa Bacani (left), senior brand manager of Quorum Int’l, Inc., the parent company of leading sports retailers Runnr and Toby’s Sports and official distributor of Hoka One shoes in the country, and SEI general manager Princess Galura.

SCN FORM NO. 1 (R.A. NO. 9139)

am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of

001429

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF TOMAS KO ONG to be naturalized as Filipino citizen pursuant to Republic Act No. 9139. SCN CASE NO. x------------------ x

PETITION Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9139, petitioner hereby submits a petition for naturalization to become a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and respectfully declares: 1. My full name is TOMAS KO ONG, but I have also been known since childhood as TOMAS ONG, or I have been N/A . judicially authorized to use the alias name(s) 2. My present place of residence is 706 JADEGARDEN TOWN HOMES, DON PEDRO ST. City/Municipality of MARULAS, VALENZUELA Province of ____,and all my former places of residence are (please indicate periods of residence): 1993-2017, 706 JADE GARDEN TOWN HOMES, DON PEDRO ST. MARULAS, VALENZUELA CITY 1967-1993 1175 A. FERNANDO cor MA. GUERRERO St., MANILA

NOTICE OF THE 2018 AT ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS Notice is hereby given that ATLAS CONSOLIDATED MINING AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (“AT” or the Corporation) will hold its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders for 2018 (“AGM” or the “Meeting”) on 26 April 2018, 2:00P.M. at the Bonifacio and Jacinto Rooms (Meeting Rooms 2 & 3), Secretariat Building, PICC Complex, 1307 Pasay City, for the transaction of the following business: AGENDA Call to Order Proof of Notice of Meeting & Determination of Quorum I. Approval of the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) on 27 July 2017 II. Annual Report for 2017 III. Election of Directors (including Independent Directors) IV. Ratification of Acts and Resolutions of the Board of Directors and Management V. Appointment of External Auditor VI. Other Matters Adjournment Only Shareholders of record as of 28 February 2018 are entitled to receive notice of, and to vote at, the Meeting. The Shareholders’ list will be available for inspection at the principal office located at 5F FiveE-com Center, Palm Coast Avenue corner Pacific Drive, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City (1300) (the “Office”). The Stock and Transfer Book of the Corporation will not be closed. Any Shareholder who wishes to authorize a proxy to act for and in his/her behalf during the Meeting must submit a duly accomplished proxy to the Office on or before 20 April 2018. Validation of proxies is set on 20 April 2018. Please bring proper identification card/s to facilitate registration which will start at 1:00 p.m.

3. I was born on OCT. 11 1967, in MANILA, Philippines. I have been a resident of the Philippines since birth. At present, I am a citizen or subject of CHINA. 4. My father's name is ONG TIAN SEK and he was born on 21 JANUARY 1922, in CHINA. He is a citizen or subject of CHINA. My mother's name is KO KIM and she was born on 24 MAY 1932 in CHINA. She is a citizen or subject of CHINA. 5. My trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is GENERAL MANAGER and from which I derive an average annual income of P 240,000.00 , inclusive of bonuses, commissions and allowances. My wife's/husband's trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is HOUSEWIFE and from which she derives an average annual income of P N/A . (Where the above does not apply): I am exempt from the requirement of lucrative trade or occupation and from submitting income tax returns for the past three (3) years because I am a college degree holder [please state (1) degree obtained:____ , (2) name of school: ________________ and (3) years graduated: ______who cannot practice my profession (the practice of which requires a government licensure examination) by reason of my citizenship. 6. My civil status is MARRIED, I was married on JULY 5, 1993 in MANILA. My wife's/husband's name is VIOLETA CRUZ ONG and she/he was born on JUNE 8, 1968 in MANILA. She/he is a citizen or subject of PHILIPPINES and presently resides 706 JADEGARDEN TOWN HOMES, DON PEDRO ST. MARULAS, VALENZUELA 7. I am legally separated from my spouse; my marriage was annulled, per decree of legal separation/annulment dated N/A granted by N/A. (please indicate the particular court which granted the same). I am a widower/widow and my spouse died on N/A in N/A.

Pasay City, Metro Manila, 28 February 2018. Thank you. Maria Eleonor A. Santiago Assistant Corporate Secretary

8. I have 3 child/children, whose names, dates and places of birth and residences are as follows:

EXPLANATION OF AGENDA ITEMS

Name

Proof of Notice of Meeting and Determination of Quorum: The Corporate Secretary will certify that copies of the Notice and Agenda of the AGM with the Information Statement (IS) were sent to Shareholders of record as of 28 February 2018 as well as the date of publication of the Notice and Agenda in newspapers of general circulation. The Corporate Secretary will further certify the existence of a quorum. The Shareholders present, in person or by proxy, representing a majority of the outstanding capital stock shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Approval of the Minutes of the AGM on 27July 2017: The Minutes of the AGM held on 27July 2017 will be posted at the Corporation’s Website (www.atlasmining.com.ph). A resolution approving the minutes will be presented to the Shareholders for confirmation.

ONG, KYLE SABRINA ONG, KURT JOSHUA ONG, KRISTINE SHAIRA

Name of School CHIANG KAI SHEK

The President will report on the Corporation’s financial and operating results for the year 2017. The Audited Financial Statements (FS) as of 31 December 2017 are enclosed in the IS to be sent to Shareholders at least fifteen (15) business days prior to the AGM. The FS have been reviewed by the Audit Committee (AuditCom), approved by the Board of Directors (BOD) and audited by the external auditor. A resolution noting the Report and approving the FS will be presented to the Shareholders for approval.

PHIL. CULTURAL HIGH P.S.B.A.

The nominated directors were determined to be qualified and competent by the Corporate Governance Committee (CGCom)after their qualifications were duly reviewed. The Corporation’s CGCom recommends their election. The list of nominees and their profiles are provided in the IS and in the Corporation Website (www.atlasmining.com.ph) for the information and examination by the Shareholders. Ratification of acts and resolutions of the Board of Directors (BOD) and Management for 2017 All acts, resolutions and proceedings of the BOD, BOD Committees and the Management of AT from the date of the last AGM to the date of this Meeting, including all significant related party transactions if any, will be presented to the Shareholders for their ratification. A resolution noting, approving and ratifying all acts, resolutions and proceedings of Management, BOD and BOD Committees will be presented to the Shareholders for confirmation. Re-appointment of SGV as External Auditor The BOD, based on the recommendation of the AuditCom, endorses the re-appointment of SycipGorresVelayo & Company (SGV) as the Corporation’s external auditor for 2018. Other Matters Other business as may properly come before the meeting may be raised. The Chairman will decide whether such business may be properly taken up in the meeting or in another Shareholders’ meeting or other proper forum. (MS-MAR. 16, 2018)

Place of Residence Birth MANILA VALENZUELA CITY MANILA VALENZUELA CITY MANILA VALENZUELA CITY

9. I received my primary and secondary education from the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

2017 Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements:

Election of Directors (including Independent Directors):

Date of Birth FEB. 2, 1994 JUN. 11, 1995 AUG. 29, 1996

Place of Dates of Highest Grade School Study Completed MANILA 1976-1981 COMPLETED MANILA MANILA

1981-1985 1985-1987

COMPLETED 2ND YEAR UNDERGRAD

10. I am able to read, write and speak Filipino and/or any of the following dialects of the Philippines: TAGALOG. 11. I have enrolled my minor children of school age in the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philipine History, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

Name of Child

Name and Place of School

Date of Enrollment

ONG, KYLE SABRINA ONG, KURT JOSHUA

FEU - FAIRVIEW Q.C. CURRENTLY ENROLLED DELA SALLE GRAD. 2013-16 UNIVERSITY TAFT ONG, KRISTINE SHAIRA PHIL. LIANG SCHOOL- 2015-2016 MANILA

12. I shall never be a public charge. I am of good moral character. I believe in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution. I have conducted myself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of my residence in the Philippines in my relations with the constituted government as well as with the community in which I am living. I mingled socially with Filipinos and have evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions and ideals of the Filipino people. I have all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under Republic Act No. 9139. I am not opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group of persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing all organized governments. I

violence, personal assault or assassination for the success and predominance of one's ideas. I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy. I have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude. I am not suffering from mental alienation or from any incurable contagious disease. The country of which I am a citizen or subject is not at war with the Philippines and grants to Filipinos the right to be naturalized citizens or subjects thereof. 13. It is my true and honest intention to become a citizen of the Philippines and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and, particularly, to CHINA of which at this time I am a citizen or subject. I will reside continuously in the Philippines from the date of the filing of this petition up to the time of my admission to Philippine citizenship. 14. My character witnesses are MARTIN L. PAZ and GAVINO SIMON T. GO both Filipino citizens, of legal age, and residing at 2137 IPIL ST., STA CRUZ, MANILA and 21 ALVAR ST., LITTLE BAGUIO, SAN JUAN respectively, who have executed sworn statements attached hereto in support of my instant petition, together with: (a) brief biographical data about themselves; (b) detailed statements on the dates they first came to know me, the circumstances of our initial acquaintance and the reasons and extent of our continuing familiarity; and (c) the number of times they have acted as character witnesses in other petitions for naturalization. 15. Attached hereto as annexes and made part of this petition are the duplicate originals or certified photocopies of the following documents (please check the appropriate box): [ / ] a. Petitioner's birth certificate [ / ] b. Petitioner's alien certificate of registration (ACR) [ / ] c. Petitioner's native-born certificate of residence (NBCR) [ / ] d. Petitioner's marriage certificate, if married [ ] e. Death certificate of his/her spouse, if widowed [ ] f. Court decree annulling his/her marriage or granting legal separation, if such was the fact [ ] g. Birth certificates of petitioner's minor children [ ] h. ACRs of petitioner's minor children [ ] i. NBCRs of petitioner's minor children [ / ] j. Affidavits of financial capacity by the petitioner, duly supported by bank certifications, passbooks, stock certificates, or proof of ownership of other properties [ / ] k. Affidavits of at least two (2) credible witnesses who must be Filipino citizens of good reputation in petitioner's place of residence [ / ] l. Medical certificate from a government hospital stating that petitioner is not suffering from mental alienation or a user of prohibited drugs or otherwise a drug dependent and that he/she is not afflicted with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), or any incurable contagious disease. [ / ] m. School diploma and transcript of records of the petitioner from the school/s he or she attended in the Philippines [ ] n. Certifications stating that petitioner's minor children are enrolled in public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the DECS, where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality [ / ] o. Petitioner's income tax returns for the past three years [ / ] p. Petitioner's receipts of payment of income tax for the past three years 16. Other documents submitted by the petitioner in support of his/her petition: NBI CLEARANCE,R.O.C. PASSPORT, POLICE CLEARANCE, PROSECUTOR CLEARANCE, RTC CLEARANCE, PRAYER WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that petitioner be conferred Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No, 9139. Dated at Makati City, Metro Manila, this 7th day of MARCH, 2017.

TOMAS KO ONG Name and Signature of Petitioner Address: 706 JADE GARDEN TOWNHOUSE DON PEDRO ST., MARULAS, VALENZUELA Telephone Number: 0917-5308803

Right Thumbmark of Petitioner

Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) CITY/MUNICIPALITY OF MANILA) S.S. I, TOMAS KO ONG of legal age and a resident of VALENZUELA CITY after being duly sworn, depose and say that I am the petitioner herein, that I have read the foregoing petition and know the foregoing petition and known the contents thereof, and that the same is true of my own knowledge. TOMAS KO ONG Name and Signature of Petitioner SUBCRIBED AND SWORN to before me at MANILA, this 07 day of MARCH 2017.

(MS-MAR. 16, 23,& APR. 2, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

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

PSC backs Medina all the way

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018

By Peter Atencio

Magnolia’s Mark Barroca drives against NLEX’s Juami Tiongson in Game 3 of their teams’ best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup. The Hotshots won, 106-99, for a 2-1 lead over the Road Warriors.

Bagatsing elected MCC Chairman

THE Manila Cockers Club recently held a special meeting of the Board of Directors on March 7 at the Manila Golf and Country Club, Makati, with members electing former Rep. Amado S. Bagatsing as its new Chairman of the Board. Bagatsing is a six-term Congressman and former Chairman of the Games and Amusement Committee of the House of Representatives for seven consecutive years. He is also a well-known breeder and cockfighting enthusiast aside from being a leading horse owner for many years. Bagatsing believes that MCCI contributes greatly to the cockfighting industry in the country elevating it to a whole new level and providing an additional venue with a nationwide exposure for breeders to exhibit their brand. Breeders can now showcase their game cocks with the possibility of winning prizes offered by MCCI which usually amounts to P3,000,000 with an easy entry fee of P8,888.00. According to Bagatsing, the innovations introduced by MCCI with its new technology in the system of wagering, opened the door to many possibilities in Philippine cockfighting. Atty. Chino Paolo Roxas, legal counsel of MCCI, said the legality of sabong is beyond question as there is a national law that governs the same, namely the Local Government Code (R.A 7160). MCCI operates in accordance with the Local Government Code considering that the Municipality of Carmona has granted MCCI the license and authority to operate a cockpit within the San Lazaro Leisure and Business Park located at Carmona, Cavite. This law and the innovations introduced by MCCI on sabong is prescribed by the Electronic Commerce Act of 2000. The cockfights held by MCCI are broadcast live thru Cignal TV Channel 109 –a licensed satellite television network – and bets placed in MCCI’s betting terminals are accepted, transacted, and consummated in MCCI’s duly-licensed cockpit arena in Carmona, Cavite. The betting terminals of MCCI are likewise licensed by the respective local government units where they operate in accordance with the Local Government Code of 1991. These allow MCCI to revolutionize the game of sabong in this modern age.

Magnolia eyes solid 3-1 lead over NLEX By Jeric Lopez

NCE again peaking, can Magnolia sustain its momentum?

The Hotshots look to move closer to the finals as they go for a third straight win and a more commanding lead over slumping NLEX in their best-of-seven semifinal showdown in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. Ahead, 2-1, Magnolia looks to grasp a 3-1 lead even as the Road Warriors look to equalize when the two collide again in Game 4 today at 7 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. After dropping the series’ opener in heartbreaking fashion and losing Marc Pingris in the process, the Hotshots used those setbacks as their rallying point. Two games later, they suddenly find themselves ahead, 2-1, with all the momentum on their side. Magnolia coach Chito Victolero is hopeful his team can carry all the positives in their victories in Games 2 and 3 moving forward. “It’s about sustaining our aggressiveness and intensity. That’s what we want to carry in the next games in order for us to win again,” said Victolero. The Hotshots took Game 3, 106-99, Wednesday night, after their talented

young turks stepped it up. Jio Jalalon and Ian Sanggalan joined hands to give Magnolia some much needed lift to grab the upperhand in the series. The duo combined for 49 points, 25 for Jalalon and 24 for Sanggalang, as NLEX had no answer for them the other night. But it was Rafi Reavis’ key basket in the endgame on a putback off his own miss that sealed Magnolia’s win over NLEX, 106-99. Reavis scored only two points but provided the heft and muscle inside, leaving Jalalon, Sangalang, Rome dela Rosa and Paul Lee to carry the brunt of the offense as they made it two in a row over the Road Warriors following a 99-84 triumph in Game 2. “We wanted to sustain the momentum we got from our Game Two win. We have to dig deep as we’re undermanned,” added Victolero, who will be missing Marc Pingris for the remainder of the season after the power forward/center sustained an ACL injury. NLEX hopes to regain the touch it had in Game 1 to avoid a huge hole as it faces a must-win situation. Meanwhile, San Miguel Beer forward Arwind Santos was slapped a P25,000 fine for a flagrant foul and comments against officiating in his team’s 87-95 defeat in Game 3 of its own semis clash with Barangay Ginebra Tuesday night.

Games today

(Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium) 9 a.m. – UST vs AdU (Softball Finals) 12 noon – AdU vs DLSU (Baseball Finals)

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas goes for the jugular against defending champion Adamson University in UAAP Season 80 softball tournament today at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium. Ace pitcher Ann Antolihao will spearhead the Tigresses as they try to close out the best-of-three series against the Falcons and nab their first championship for the first time in eight seasons at 9 a.m. Adamson tries to end its own title drought in baseball against De La Salle in Game 2 scheduled at 12 noon. Jerome Yenson will work again for the Falcons as they seek for their first crown since the 2009-10 season. Antolihao had seven strikeouts and yielded only five hits to help UST beat Adamson University, 4-3, in the Finals opener last Tuesday.

Superal zeroes in on ICTSI title; Ikeda falters

Superal

TAGAYTAY – Princess Superal moved in the threshold of snapping a long title spell on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, pouncing on erstwhile leader Chihiro Ikeda’s early struggle and shaky finish to seize a six-stroke lead with a 69 in the second round of the ICTSI Tagaytay Highlands Challenge Highlands Golf and Country Club here yesterday. Superal went from one-down to two-up just after four holes as Ikeda fumbled with three straight bogeys from No. 2 with the former negating her bogey mishap on No. 5 with birdies on Nos. 7 and 9 before enduring windy condition at the back

and preserving the tournament-best one-under card. She actually stumbled with a bogey on No. 16 but holed out with a birdie and pulled away by six with a 140 as Ikeda dropped two strokes on the 16th and closed out with a bogey for a 76 and a 146. “My driving has been consistent and my irons worked well,” said Superal, who hit nine fairways and 11 greens, capping her superb round with 29 putts. “I hope my long wait is over and I’m really hungry for a win,” added the former US Girls Juniors champion, now 18 holes

Oranza is virtual Ronda Pilipinas champion TAGAYTAY CITY—Ronald Oranza of Navy-Standard Insurance conquered the mountain ranges of Cavite and Batangas to end up second behind teammate Jan Paul Morales in Stage 9 yesterday that practically clinched him the title in the Ronda Pilipinas 2018 presented by LBC. Oranza, 25, checked in behind Morales, 32, as the two clocked five hours and 47.13 minutes but it was enough to virtually seal the former his first ever Ronda title and the cool P1 million cash purse that goes with it. After nine stages and with still three left, Oranza has collected an aggregate time of 26:49:04, still a whopping seven

UST Tigresses go for jugular

minutes ahead of distant second Morales, who was 6.52 minutes behind with a total time of 26:55:56. Morales, the champion in the last two editions, has in fact already conceded to his younger teammate. “I’m happy to finish second behind a teammate, I think his time has come,” said Morales. Oranza, however, remained adamant that he will only celebrate only until the race is finished. “If it’s me, I will consider it a blessing. But we still have three stages to go and a race to finish so I have nothing to really celebrate about,” said Oranza, who hails

from Villasis, Pangasinan. It was an impressive effort for both Morales and Oranza as they dominated what race officials consider as a “killer stage” after negotiating mountain passes in Kaybiang Tunnel that connects Ternate, Cavite and Nasugbu, Batangas, and Leynes in Talisay. George Oconer of Go for Gold finished third in the stage in 5:48:23 to jump from sixth in the overall individual race the day before to No. 3 with 27:09:11, supplanting Jay Lampawog of Go for Gold Developmental team, Cris Joven of Army-Bicycology and Navy’s John Mark Camingao from old positions.

away from scoring a follow-up to her last LPGT win in 2016 at Eastridge, where she nipped then amateur Pauline del Rosario by one. Cyna Rodriguez blew a twounder card after five holes as she went on a roller-coaster ride with two more birdies against three bogeys and a double-bogey to finish with a 71. Though the former three-time LPGT Order of Merit winner moved up to third at 148, she lay too far behind at eight down heading to the final round of the 54-hole championship sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

PARALYMPIC bronze medalist Josephine Medina needs a coach and has been preparing for this year’s World Para Table Tennis Championships in Slovenia without one. And to make it to the tournament, Medina had to spend on her own. `Ìt’s true. I paid for all of my qualifying tournaments just to compete in the world championships,’’ said the 47-year-old table netter, who is ranked seventh in the world. Medina talked about her participation during the PSC-POC Media Group live chat at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Vito Cruz. Medina, who was afflicted with poliomyelitis that affected the length of her legs, pocketed the gold medal in a tournament in Thailand. This is right after taking home the bronze in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio De Janeiro. Medina followed this up with another singles’ gold medal in a meet held in Las Vegas on the same year. After that, she earned a silver and bronze during the Taichung Open in Taiwan July 2017, allowing her to book a slot in the Slovenia worlds on Oct. 15. Medina said she joined these tournaments out of her own pocket without financial help from the country’s national paralympic committee, the Philippine Sports Association of the Differently Abled. `Ì trained on my own but I’m thankful that I qualified. It’s another chance to give honor to our country,’’ said Medina. She is now one of eight platinum athletes identified by the Philippine Sports Commission to receive all-out support from the government. Medina pointed out that Philspada officials told her there was no budget for these three qualifying tournaments, forcing her to find ways to compete overseas. With the Asian Para Games in Indonesia barely six months away, she’s no longer confident in signing up a coach that could train and monitor her on a daily basis. ``Players from other countries have their own trainers and coaches. Here, I have to do it all by myself,’’ said Medina.

Rookie-laden Cubs ready THE defending champion San Beda University Red Cubs will have new faces when the 11th season of SM-NBTC (National Basketball Training Center) League takes place from March 19 to 23 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. Coach JB Sison said many of the veterans who have led the Red Cubs to numerous titles in the National Athletic Association junior division have graduated. That’s why, a rookie-laden squad will see action in the weeklong national ﬁnals and the annual high school all-star game. The cagefest features 32 high school basketball teams, including champion teams from various leagues from all over the Philippines, as well as from Filipino communities based in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States of America. Among the seeded entries are the recently crowned UAAP Juniors’ champion Ateneo De Manila, NCAA Juniors’ division titlist La Salle Greenhills, CESAFI kings University of Visayas and MMBL winner Chiang Kai Shek. Earning wild cards berths are the squads from National University, Mapua, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo De Cebu, San Beda College, San Sebastian, Letran, Hope Christian High School, and Adamson, who all made podium ﬁnishes in their respective leagues. Peter Atencio

IN VAIN. Rachel Ann Daquis of Cignal fails to keep the ball alive in the Chooks to Go Philippine Superliga Grand Prix against the F2 Logistics. Roman Prospero

IN BRIEF

PNB’s net income rises 14% to P8.2b

PHILIPPINE National Bank, the sixth-largest lender in terms of assets, said Thursday consolidated net proﬁt rose 14 percent in 2017 to P8.2 billion from P7.2 billion in 2016. Net interest income increased 13 percent from 2016, driven mainly by a 17-percent expansion in loan portfolio to P502.1 billion. Total deposits increased 12 percent or P67.4 billion, to P637.9 billion. Net service fees and commission income went up 16 percent, fueled by growth in loan and deposit-related services and improved investment banking fees. The bank also booked higher net gains on disposal of foreclosed properties at P3.9 billion in 2017 compared to P2.5 billion in 2016, in line with its continuing strategy of reducing non-earning assets. Trading and foreign exchange gains went down 22 percent. Operating expenses, excluding provisions for impairment and credit losses, increased 7 percent over the same period a year ago. Consolidated resources hit P836.2 billion as of end-2017, up by P82.2 billion or 11 percent from 2016. Julito G. Rada

Business

D.M. Wenceslao lines up 9 projects

CONSTRUCTION and real estate developer D.M. Wenceslao & Associates Inc. lined up nine projects over the next five years to expand its real estate footprint and broaden its sources of recurring income, a top executive said Thursday. DMWAI chief executive Delfin Angelo Wenceslao said in a statement three residential and six commercial developments were in the pipeline. The residential projects will provide a total salable floor area of 88,000 square meters while the commercial ventures would offer a total leasable area of 280,000 sqm. “We are also in a good position to avail of construction opportunities available in this golden age of infrastructure,” said Wenceslao. Projects in the pipeline include DMWAI’s first residential development, Pixel Residences, which is set to be completed by October 2019. Nearly half of DMWAI’s revenues come from recurring sources, or from leasing office and commercial space and land rentals. This has enabled the company to double net income to P1.56 billion in 2017 from P872 million in 2015. MWAI, which plans to raise up to P17.8 billion through an initial public offering in May, owns 57 hectares of land in Metro Manila. Jenniffer B. Austria

SMC board approves unit’s $650-m issuance

SAN Miguel Corp. said Thursday its board approved the subscription to perpetual securities amounting to $650 million to be issued by unit SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. SMC Global will use the funds “to partially finance the acquisition of the Masinloc power plant,” SMC said. SMC Global acquired the stakes of AES Corp. of the US and Electricity Generating Public Co. of Thailand in Masinloc Power Partners Co. Ltd. in December 2017 for $1.9 billion. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2018, subject to regulatory approvals. The transaction involves the acquisition of SMC Global of the 51-percent and 49-percent equity interests of AES Phil Investment Pte. Ltd. and Gen Plus B.V., respectively, in Masin-AES Pte. Ltd., 100-percent equity interest of AES Corp. in AES Transpower Pte. Ltd. and 100-percent equity interest of AES Phil in AES Philippines Inc. The board of SMC Global earlier approved the financing arrangements, including the issuance of $650 million worth of securities, in favor of parent company SMC to finance its projects. Alena Mae S. Flores

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018

By Darwin G. Amojelar

NEW NESTLE PLANT. Nestlé Philippines inaugurates a new malt production plant at its Lipa factory with a total investment of P2 billion for the 5,400-square-meter facility. The plant, which produces malt extract, a key ingredient in the manufacture of Milo products, is only the fourth such plant in the Nestlé world, the three others being located in Singapore, Nigeria and Australia. Leading the inauguration of the Lipa plant are (from left) Nestle Lipa factory manager Volker Hoeller, technical director Adnan Pawanteh, lifestyle and active beverages business executive officer Joey Uy, Milo business unit manager Willy de Ocampo, Nestlé Philippines chairman and chief executive Jacques Reber and malt project end-to-end manager Sebastien Saby.

BSP: Remittances jumped 9.7% to $2.37b in January By Julito G. Rada

ONEY sent home by Filipinos working overseas jumped 9.7 percent in January from a year ago, the fastest increase in 10 months, supporting economic growth this year, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show.

The Bangko Sentral said remittances reached $2.37 billion in January, up from $2.169 billion in the same month last year. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said in a statement remittances from both land-based ($1.9 billion) and sea-based ($5000 million) workers increased by 8.4 percent and 15.3 percent year-on-year, respectively. “By country source, the bulk of cash

remittances came from the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the UK, Japan, Qatar, Canada, Kuwait and Germany. The combined remittances from these countries accounted for more than 80 percent of total cash remittances,” Espenilla said. Personal remittances, which include non-cash items, also expanded 10.8 percent in January to $2.655 billion from $2.396 billion a year earlier, also the fastest increase in 10 months, or since the 11.8-percent expansion in March 2017. The Bangko Sentral said personal remittances from land-based workers with work contracts of one year or more hit $2.1 billion, up by 8.4 percent from a year ago. Remittances from sea-based and land-based workers with work contracts of less than one year rose 15.3 percent to $500 million. Remittances together with business process outsourcing receipts account for around $50-billion inﬂows annually and serve as a steady source of strength of the country’s external payments position.

Money sent home by overseas Filipinos reached a record $28.06 billion in 2017, up 4.3 percent from $26.90 billion in 2016 and exceeded the Bangko Sentral’s conservative 4-percent growth target for the year. The higher cash remittances in 2017 were supported by the increase in transfers from both land-based and sea-based workers by 4 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively. Personal remittances also jumped to a record $31.288 billion in 2017, up 5.3 percent from $29.706 billion in 2016. The 2017 level of personal remittances accounted for 10 percent of gross domestic product (which grew by 6.7 percent) and 8.3 percent of gross national income. Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corp. said it expected remittances from Filipinos working overseas to grow 5 percent in 2018, following a 4.3-percent expansion last year, as migrant Filipinos were likely to take advantage of the weak peso.

Fund managers pull out $545m of hot money FOREIGN fund managers withdrew their investments from the domestic financial markets in February to take profit from previous gains in the stock market amid the possibility that the US Federal Reserve may increase interest rates again. Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Thursday showed that foreign portfolio investments or ‘hot money’ recorded a net outflow of $545 million last month, a reversal of the $162-million net inflow in January. It was also higher than the $409-million net outflow registered in February 2017. The Bangko Sentral said in a statement the withdrawals could be attributed to “profit taking as well as investor reaction to news of possible rate increases by the US Federal Reserve due to an expected surge in inflation amidst implementation of the US government’s tax cuts.” Total inflows in February reached $1.028 billion, up from $981 million a year ago, while gross outflows hit $1.573 billion, also higher than $1.39-billion outflows in the same period last year. About 81 percent of investments in February were placed in securities listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange, pertaining mainly to holding firms, property companies, banks, food, beverage and tobacco firms and gaming companies. The 19-percent balance went to peso government securities. The United Kingdom, the US, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Luxembourg and Singapore were the top six sources of foreign funds in February. Julito G. Rada

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

Govt declares conglomerates’ P350-b Naia bid ‘complete’

New Cebu airport hub to open in June

GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. said Thursday it is on track to open the new terminal at Mactan Cebu International Airport by June this year. “As of February, the construction of the new terminal is at 96-percent completion and we are all excited to count the days until we open Terminal 2 to the traveling public,” GMCAC president Louie Ferrer said. GMCAC started a program called Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer earlier this year to ensure that T2 would be ready for operations by intensively testing its facilities, processes and policies, IT and airport systems and manpower readiness. “The most critical planning aspect for Terminal 2 opening is the testing of its operational readiness and the alignment of various processes. At this point, we are ensuring that all facilities and processes are ready for commercial operations in June. This is where our ORAT concept of preparing for the commissioning of T2 comes into effect,” GMCAC chief executive advisor Andrew Harrison said. The ORAT Program will be conducted in phases until the start of commercial operations of T2 in June. The ﬁrst phase will start with familiarization and walkthrough training for all airport employees, followed by different trial phases. Darwin G. Amojelar

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

FWD OPENS MALOLOS HUB. Pan-Asian insurer FWD Life Insurance opens a business hub in Malolos City, its ninth in the country and the first in Central Luzon. The new business hub will serve as home to the company’s growing agency salesforce in the city and nearby Bulacan towns. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony are (from left) FWD Life Insurance territory sales director Eric Jayson Hernandez, chief distribution officer John Johnson, president and chief executive Peter Grimes and head of agency distribution Mercedes Beltran.

Campi: New excise tax led to 3% decline in February car sales By Othel V. Campos VEHICLE sales dropped 3.2 percent year-on-year in February, following the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law which imposed higher excise taxes on passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association said in a joint report their members sold 26,176 vehicles in February, down from 27,040 units delivered a year ago. Data also showed that the February car sales plummeted 17.3 percent from 31,645 units purchased in January. “The slight decrease in February sales compared to the same period last

year suggests that the market is still adjusting to the new excise tax regime. Sales prospects remain positive as demand continues to be strong,” said Campi president Rommel Gutierrez. Total sales in the ﬁrst two months were still up 0.6 percent to 57,821 units from 57,465 units sold in the same period last year. The two industry groups said passenger cars and light trucks exhibited the biggest decline in February of 10.5 and 40.1 percent, respectively. Passenger cars sales dropped to 17,982 units in February from 20,098 units a year ago while lights trucks sales went down to 799 from 1,333 units. Sales of Asian utility vehicles declined 4.1 percent to 11,274 units from

11,751 units. Commercial vehicle sales increased 6.6 percent to 39,839 units from 37,637 units while light commercial vehicles performed better with 14.5 percent sales hike to 26,758 units from 23,635 units. Sales of trucks and buses categories IV and V also grew 11.5 and 6.6 percent, respectively to 671 and 337 units. Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. remained the market leader with 36.39-percent market share, followed by Mitsubishi Motor Philippines Corp. with 25.32 percent. Rounding the top 5 automotive players were Ford Motor Philippines Inc. with 7.82 percent; Nissan Philippines Inc., 7.37 percent; and Isuzu Phils. Corp. with 6.69 percent.

THE Department of Transportation declared as ‘complete’ the unsolicited proposal of seven conglomerates to improve and expand Ninoy Aquino International Airport at a cost of P350 billion. The Naia Consortium said it received a letter from the department on March 12 declaring that the group’s proposal to expand the main gateway was “in accordance with the documentary requirements” under the BuildOperate-Transfer Law. The consortium’s members are Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Alliance Global Group Inc., AEDC, Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. “This finding is a major milestone for an unsolicited proposal likes ours to progress in the bureaucracy. An incomplete proposal does not move forward,” Naia Consortium spokesperson Jimbo Reverente said. The ‘completeness’ criterion will be followed by the evaluation of the proposal and grant of an original proponent status. Reverente said after further evaluations and approval by National Economic and Development Authority, the proposal would be subject to a Swiss challenge. The proposal involves expanding and interconnecting the existing terminals of Naia, upgrading airside facilities and developing commercial facilities to increase airline and airport efficiencies, enhance passenger comfort and experience and improve public perception of Naia as the country’s premier international gateway.

San Miguel’s income rises 11% to P54.6b By Jenniffer B. Austria

CONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. said Thursday recurring net income rose 11 percent in 2017 to P54.6 billion from P49.35 billion in 2016, on the back of strong growth of oil unit Petron Corp. and food and beverage businesses. San Miguel said in a statement consolidated revenues jumped 21 percent in 2017 to P826 billion from 2016, as sales across all businesses continued to grow. Consolidated operating income increased 11 percent last year to P111 billion from P99.7 billion in 2016. Beer unit San Miguel Brewery Inc. posted a net income of P20.7 billion, up 17 percent from a year earlier, as sales climbed 17 percent to P113.3 billion. Volumes reached 260 million cases, up 13 percent from 2016, driven by favorable economic conditions and SMB’s strong marketing and integrated sales initiatives. Ginebra San Miguel Inc. also reported strong results for the fourth straight year, with net income rising 67 percent to P602 million while net sales rose 12 percent to P20.9 billion. Volume went up 10 percent to 27.7 million cases with ﬂagship brand Ginebra San Miguel and Vino Kulafu both continuing to post double-digit growth. San Miguel Pure Foods Co. Inc. recorded a 16-percent growth in net income to P6.9 billion as consolidated revenues improved 5 percent to P117.4 billion. Packaging unit San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Group reported P32.1 billion in revenues, a 17-percent increase over the previous year while operating income grew 16 percent to P3 billion. SMC Global Power Holdings Corp.’s consolidated revenues grew 6 percent to P82.8 billion, the result of higher realization prices from both bilateral and spot sales. Petron posted a phenomenal year, registering net income of P14.1 billion, up 30 perfect from P10.8 billion in 2016, as a result of continued focus on high-value segments and strong sales volume from both Philippines and Malaysian operations.

Business

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market sinks; BDO, Ayala tumble

HE stock market plunged Thursday following losses in Wall Street overnight as trade war fears return to the fore, with worries Donald Trump will go full-steam ahead with his “America First” protectionist agenda. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index sank 158.73 points, or 1.9 percent, to 8,190.01 on a value turnover of P7.6 billion. Losers beat gainers, 118 to 92, with 47 issues unchanged. SM Prime Holdings Inc. of retail tycoon Henry Sy Sr. tumbled 4.2 percent to P34, while sister ﬁrm BDO Unibank Inc., the biggest lender in terms of assets, lost 3.1 percent to P145.40. Conglomerate Ayala Corp. fell 3.1 percent to P1,006, while Robinsons

Retail Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group slumped 4.8 percent to P87. The rest of Asian markets, meanwhile, staged a recovery from early losses Thursday but investors stayed cautious. Investors were back on the ropes after the US said Wednesday it would take action at the World Trade Organization against Indian export subsidies. That came soon after it emerged Trump is considering tariffs on billions of dollars in Chinese tech and telecoms imports as he takes aim at alleged intellectual property breaches by Beijing. The news saw a return to volatility after a few days of respite from last week’s controversial announcement of levies on steel and aluminum imports. Adding to the unease among traders is the departure of market-friendly economics advisor Gary Cohn this month

and Tuesday’s sacking of moderate secretary of state Rex Tillerson. On Wednesday, Trump tapped conservative TV pundit and longtime freemarket advocate Larry Kudlow to replace Cohn. Tokyo ended 0.1 percent higher, while Hong Kong rose 0.3 percent. Seoul and Wellington also closed up, having been down earlier. But Sydney and Taipei each fell 0.2 percent, while Singapore and Jakarta lost 0.5 percent. Taipei eased 0.2 percent and Shanghai was marginally lower. Analysts said there is now a growing fear that the White House has set itself on a more hardline course, which could upend global trade as well as impact on key geopolitical issues, particularly the Iran nuclear deal. Trump is “cleaning house with the establishment picks and putting like-

minded thinkers around him,” said Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at AxiTrader. His “growing conﬁdence―born of success with tax and hopefully North Korea, among other things―means he is emboldened to prosecute his ‘America First’ agenda. That means... there is a real risk that a trade war actually breaks out,” McKenna added. “That ultimately can’t be good for growth.” There is now speculation the president will look to oust other top members of the White House including Chief of Staff John Kelly and Attorney General Jeff Sessions. All three main Wall Street indexes ended deep in the red, and the selling carried on early in Asia before an afternoon bounce saw losses pared and, in some cities, a return to positive territory. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 59.7 21,460 114.7 3,351,770 3.1 259,000 145.4 3,047,510 1.79 49,000 35.3 271,600 15.46 5,200 30.9 2,534,100 3.56 5,000 0.68 571,000 1.55 92,000 0.58 9,779,000 96 6,030,070 1.28 1,272,000 12.88 148,700 23.95 3,000 56.4 33,320 245 35,250 109 4,310 46.55 78,100 244 722,590 1,930 355 90 236,910 1.22 180,000

1,273,647.50 384,708,267 794,880 443,763,333 88,540 9,602,835 80,488 78,529,750 17,810 389,930 143,830 5,846,360 580,063,865 1,616,790 1,880,112 68,970 1,882,791.50 8,712,178 475,317 3,635,560 176,596,290 685,150 21,323,436 218,300

1,263,607.50 -266,784,999 -49,943,876 2,774,920 40,657,555 -184,230 -5,670 -70,751,867 295,260 -1,120,366.50 -5,951,732 214,130 -19,274,024 -968,119 -

39.85 13.66 0.57 1.32 18.98 0.219 140 3.87 17.02 312 49.55 26.1 61.05 64 86.1 2.02 5.2 10.14 11.66 14.46 11 7.63 5.82 1.81 16.68 65.2 27.05 9.5 16.7 2.69 282.6 51.15 4.82 3.13 18.18 27.15 16.5 20.4 329 0.2 8 2.76 5.25 9.16 6.06 8.4 1.55 12.42 60 6.05 622 4.87 2.5 3.41 2.49 15.36 5.44 0.135 1.02 147 2.63 1.91 24 0.95

INDUSTRIAL 40.05 2,018,100 13.8 893,600 0.6 2,030,000 1.33 270,000 19.36 13,300 0.228 910,000 141 1,570 3.99 3,642,000 17.4 1,066,600 346 1,200 50.95 563,400 28.4 153,400 63.45 90 68.4 5,910 86.1 760 2.02 1,900,000 5.53 96,100 10.14 28,100 11.74 570,800 14.68 413,000 11 322,200 7.64 505,700 5.82 7,310,700 1.86 36,000 16.94 1,640,900 66.5 44,890 27.6 231,400 9.6 59,100 17.1 5,633,500 2.69 39,534,000 284 1,140,780 51.15 10 4.93 1,592,000 3.29 156,000 18.98 2,400 27.5 559,500 16.5 156,000 20.7 1,053,400 330 386,270 0.22 120,950,000 8.07 15,200 2.85 414,000 5.26 1,351,700 9.19 4,281,700 6.1 177,600 8.4 6,500 1.56 601,000 12.74 11,300 60.45 2,651,790 6.05 10,000 623 18,420 4.87 6,000 2.51 176,000 3.41 5,000 2.62 14,678,000 15.36 1,393,900 5.47 78,400 0.139 1,010,000 1.04 65,000 147 853,070 2.63 2,000 2.01 10,122,000 24 600 0.95 13,816,000

80,868,110 12,315,634 1,199,260 357,860 256,410 204,990 222,450 14,487,830 18,578,776 386,606 28,798,365 4,282,785 5,518.50 381,596.50 65,436 3,869,350 513,705 286,418 6,674,756 6,013,886 3,547,662 3,894,836 43,423,476 66,410 27,636,844 2,977,525 6,373,275 565,950 97,501,928 115,692,120 324,615,520 511.5 8,090,000 526,670 45,622 15,364,085 2,576,256 21,769,615 127,484,092 28,337,020 121,952 1,178,430 7,212,106 39,420,273 1,078,587 54,800 938,080 140,448 160,654,580 60,500 11,477,860 29,220 444,980 17,210 38,423,120 21,741,876 429,446 137,560 67,400 125,963,947 5,260 20,110,820 14,400 13,700,780

2,923,235 3,487,264 354,000 1,340 3,868 151,960 17,477,056.00 -45,568 -204,080 25,490 10,180 2,377,678 2,420,038 367,374 -230,170 1,873,654 4,724,810 105,454 4,384,145 -21,208 -33,283,282 3,909,390 -218,728,120 25,250 -2,151,985 -47,782 10,983,175 -14,318,676 120,480 410,230 -9,496,819 280,800 -116,786,375 -990,490 3,490 2,218,470 1,093,012 -53,696,291 1,872,990 6,060

0.325 75.9 14.68 1 7.74 0.65 0.67 1,037 2,930 7.3 13.58 0.206 1,302 7.24 64 5.47 5.91 0.69 5.35 20 0.66 5.59 0.05 1.21 3.3 141.2 947 0.9 1.91 678 278 0.255 0.203 0.23

0.3 74.75 14.34 0.92 7.41 0.63 0.64 1,006 2,650 7.25 13.4 0.203 1,300 7.11 63.3 5.16 5.25 0.65 5.18 19.7 0.5 5.52 0.047 1.13 3.14 140.2 912.5 0.81 1.77 628 275 0.24 0.199 0.218

HOLDING FIRMS 0.32 4,800,000 75.85 1,787,550 14.52 1,419,100 0.95 870,000 7.5 96,600 0.64 7,296,000 0.67 2,405,000 1,006 361,985 2,650 65 7.3 322,200 13.5 3,382,000 0.205 340,000 1,300 69,435 7.2 6,600 64 3,021,070 5.47 1,000 5.31 21,700 0.68 874,000 5.22 40,900 19.9 1,496,800 0.57 71,136,000 5.59 16,943,900 0.05 122,400,000 1.15 2,108,000 3.15 2,433,000 140.5 201,450 912.5 365,140 0.89 444,000 1.84 11,954,000 648 1,160 278 170 0.24 1,670,000 0.202 2,480,000 0.225 2,100,000

1,484,650 134,245,439 20,607,384 814,340 727,917 4,671,380 1,567,410 368,133,555 184,680 2,349,868 45,597,826 69,320 90,275,935 47,111 192,895,420 5,408 122,950 571,780 213,399 29,618,550 42,421,370 94,241,050 6,022,400 2,430,730 7,750,640 28,318,964 338,189,015 374,220 22,367,070 747,485 46,974 420,190 498,210 467,210

-13,458,395 2,766,396 7,600 739,600 -80,379,790 1,787,294 -1,837,692 -18,666,510 -48,059,013.50 174,359 -1,187,772 5,647,640 -23,833,136 -235,200 -1,340 464,420 -7,613,907 -150,486,110 -223,600 19,444 -

7.03 1.09 17 2.14 0.89 41.55 3.78 4.94 6.4 6.5 7 0.44 1.1 1.02 0.3 36.1 0.67 1.79 1.41 1.01 4.8

6.95 1.03 16 2.06 0.86 40.3 3.71 4.72 6.13 6.32 6.05 0.43 1.06 1 0.275 33.4 0.65 1.76 1.39 0.87 4.74

5,882,710 11,476,110 355,050 143,500 1,545,620 619,509,950 1,021,730 10,459,740 1,628,041 586,810 123,680 9,147,350 68,940 1,000,000 16,430,600 31,685,075 302,270 3,947,550 3,943,880 6,405,810 120,929,790

-396,013 125,420 1,690.00 4,300 -195,470,185 -29,940 95,500 191,010 -967,300 10,100 16,100 3,774,760 -859,910 91,780 31,624,350

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

58.3 115.2 3.15 148 1.84 35.45 15.54 31.25 3.57 0.69 1.6 0.56 95.5 1.31 12.4 22.55 56.7 247 115.4 46.55 248.8 1,930 90 1.21

59.7 115.2 3.15 149.9 1.84 35.45 15.54 31.25 3.57 0.69 1.6 0.63 96.6 1.31 12.88 23.95 56.7 248 119.3 46.6 248.8 1,930 90.3 1.22

58.3 110 3.04 143.8 1.74 35.25 15.46 30.85 3.56 0.66 1.55 0.56 95.45 1.26 12.4 22.5 56.35 244 106.1 46.55 242.6 1,930 90 1.21

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

40.45 13.8 0.57 1.32 19.34 0.22 156 4 17.4 360 51.2 27.7 61.05 65 86.1 2.05 5.2 10.5 11.8 14.78 11.02 7.72 5.98 1.86 17.1 68 27.05 9.64 17.4 3 288.4 51.15 4.91 3.4 20.9 27.8 16.88 20.6 333.8 0.2 8.04 2.86 5.37 9.31 6.06 8.4 1.59 12.8 61 6.05 625.5 4.87 2.65 3.49 2.59 15.9 5.48 0.135 1.04 152 2.63 1.92 24 1.05

40.5 13.9 0.6 1.34 19.42 0.228 156 4.01 17.5 360 51.65 29.45 63.45 69.9 86.1 2.06 5.53 10.5 11.8 14.78 11.1 7.8 6.04 1.86 17.1 68 27.6 9.64 17.56 3.18 288.6 51.15 5.32 3.55 20.9 27.8 16.88 20.8 333.8 0.255 8.08 2.89 5.46 9.31 6.27 8.5 1.61 12.8 61.9 6.05 625.5 4.87 2.65 3.49 2.73 15.9 5.48 0.139 1.04 152 2.63 2.02 24 1.05

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

0.31 75 14.38 0.96 7.74 0.65 0.66 1,017 2,930 7.3 13.5 0.203 1,300 7.24 64 5.16 5.25 0.69 5.2 20 0.55 5.58 0.049 1.19 3.3 141.2 947 0.81 1.79 678 275 0.24 0.203 0.219

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

6.99 1.08 16.26 2.14 0.87 41.55 3.71 4.77 6.15 6.32 7 0.435 1.06 1.01 0.3 36.1 0.67 1.77 1.41 0.99 4.75

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

0.77 0.46 0.55 4.38 34.25 20.6 1.96 3.29 35.35 1 21.6 0.86 6.42

0.8 0.51 0.55 4.42 34.75 20.85 2.12 3.59 35.75 1.02 22.8 0.86 6.48

0.74 0.46 0.53 4.3 34.25 20.05 1.96 3.25 34 1 21.2 0.86 6.27

0.78 0.48 0.54 4.3 34.35 20.85 2.09 3.29 34 1.01 22 0.86 6.4

214,455,000 29,320,000 1,492,000 1,970,000 400 2,085,500 3,555,000 3,838,000 9,424,600 931,000 178,300 41,000 4,995,700

165,228,680 14,287,350 800,810 8,594,210 13,765 42,835,110 7,367,160 12,783,980 325,406,635 943,070 3,952,280 35,260 31,863,462

306,580 342,500 -41,540 11,775,420 313,610 9,900 -64,206,425 227,805 -9,095,341

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA 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 RACING PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

18 29.7 1.34 0.67 0.06 12.1 5.4 13.6 0.069 101.2 8.71 7.6 7.8 2.4 36.05 1,722 6.4 322 5.75 2.68 109 13.28 8.29 0.131 1.5 3.22 19.88 5.61 1.03 26.8 0.52 5.3 7.82 3.3 18.4 13 11.1 10.6 3.09 8.44 109 6.92 1,540 1.17 0.43 53.85 91.35 8.1 2.76 1.45 0.56 3.42 1.03 11

18.4 29.7 1.42 0.67 0.061 12.38 5.54 13.98 0.071 101.7 8.71 7.6 8.21 2.54 36.55 1,730 6.41 329.8 5.84 2.75 109 13.28 8.29 0.134 1.54 3.22 19.9 5.81 1.05 27.05 0.52 5.35 7.86 3.31 18.98 13.3 11.2 10.6 3.6 8.6 109 7.25 1,549 1.18 0.445 53.85 91.35 8.79 2.83 1.46 0.56 3.42 1.08 11.22

18 29.5 1.34 0.59 0.057 12.1 5.4 13.5 0.066 100 8.71 7.49 7.6 2.4 34.25 1,652 6.36 315 5.59 2.66 107.6 13.28 8.29 0.129 1.48 3.21 15.54 5.61 1 26.4 0.51 5.1 7.71 3.24 18.4 12.88 10.7 10.5 3.04 8.11 106.3 6.9 1,536 1.17 0.42 53 86.75 8 2.67 1.45 0.52 3.41 1.03 10.96

SERVICES 18.4 29.5 1.4 0.59 0.057 12.2 5.54 13.6 0.068 101.4 8.71 7.5 7.6 2.47 34.3 1,652 6.36 325 5.6 2.75 108 13.28 8.29 0.13 1.51 3.21 16 5.64 1.04 26.85 0.51 5.1 7.71 3.24 18.98 12.9 11 10.6 3.24 8.11 106.5 6.92 1,545 1.18 0.435 53.15 87 8.13 2.7 1.45 0.52 3.41 1.03 11.02

18,200 45,600 119,000 35,459,000 69,020,000 327,600 2,000 2,874,200 55,870,000 201,130 600 448,200 189,300 62,000 188,500 43,485 338,200 39,420 1,871,300 76,000 1,151,600 2,100 6,000 7,650,000 387,000 10,000 748,300 5,424,000 865,000 1,201,600 5,000 281,600 1,524,300 1,087,000 2,700 3,054,400 59,800 9,500 853,000 11,400 4,430 1,558,200 81,065 664,000 15,700,000 631,040 2,262,860 4,222,400 1,152,000 1,955,000 32,199,000 176,000 14,503,000 5,317,800

331,152 1,347,475 163,480 22,026,760 3,991,500 3,995,958 10,940 39,594,070 3,757,520 20,362,135 5,226 3,363,898 1,457,209 155,180 6,615,825 73,088,510 2,157,048 12,778,490 10,721,075 205,560 124,408,880 27,888 49,740 1,006,920 579,220 32,150 13,404,198 30,899,449 880,580 32,118,035 2,580 1,484,414 11,806,293 3,549,280 49,948 39,639,364 649,766 100,570 2,861,320 96,493 472,174 10,895,404 125,063,540 782,220 6,891,050 33,653,543.50 199,273,167.50 34,373,887 3,154,770 2,835,060 17,331,090 601,050 15,238,410 58,662,846

-2,840 -10,080 1,272,790 5,109,738 -105,600 561,493 600,200 380,000 -39,850 -47,779,210 -174,500 -102,077 -37,428,135 32,750 50,406 4,485,370 1,040 -182,620 88,370.00 5,566,270 -20,290 -4,220,560 42,198 -144,280 84,856 -39,657 -805,269 14,915,285 -30,610 1,026,700 15,878,318.50 -81,181,936.50 1,478,333 296,110.00 120,250 -29,530 164,160 5,200 9,487,420

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

0.0035 1.68 4.86 18 1.7 0.32 7.2 2.64 0.229 0.151 0.157 1.65 6.46 1.25 0.47 0.96 0.012 0.013 0.012 2.46 6.14 13.92 33.55

0.0038 1.68 4.86 18.28 1.7 0.335 7.25 2.71 0.229 0.151 0.157 1.7 6.5 1.25 0.5 1.2 0.012 0.013 0.012 2.47 6.18 14.46 33.55

0.0033 1.65 4.86 18 1.67 0.315 7.2 2.61 0.212 0.149 0.156 1.6 6.33 1.16 0.47 0.96 0.012 0.012 0.012 2.25 6.08 13.92 32.7

MINING & OIL 0.0037 6,803,000,000 1.65 2,350,000 4.86 83,000 18.28 2,100 1.7 647,000 0.32 2,250,000 7.25 2,000 2.63 7,813,000 0.226 240,000 0.149 8,950,000 0.156 100,000 1.6 1,368,000 6.38 1,520,100 1.19 758,000 0.485 960,000 1.02 20,744,000 0.012 1,400,000 0.012 700,000 0.012 19,200,000 2.45 126,000 6.1 2,171,600 14.34 2,006,900 32.9 2,038,000

24,624,000 3,901,250 403,380 37,828 1,093,110 730,400 14,474 20,836,630 53,170 1,340,830 15,630 2,238,660 9,710,969 909,520 466,200 22,717,570 16,800 8,800 230,400 291,150 13,245,965 28,692,106 67,075,250

71,600 -433,280 -9,720 23,380 -540,770 4,710 800 1,574,204 2,420 11,100 139,195 1,095,246 -20,888,560.00

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

28.75 518 101.5 110.3 6.2 1.06 108 1,035 990 109 76.95 78.3 75.05 78.1 76.5 76

29 518 101.5 110.3 6.3 1.06 108 1,035 990 109 76.95 78.3 75.05 78.1 76.5 76

28.5 518 101.5 110 6.2 1.05 108 1,035 980 106 76.95 78.3 75.05 78.1 76.5 76

PREFERRED 28.6 155,600 518 10 101.5 6,200 110 4,600 6.3 12,000 1.05 63,000 108 30 1,035 10 980 2,740 109 2,010 76.95 290 78.3 30 75.05 6,000 78.1 4,950 76.5 500 76 13,330

4,474,195 5,180 629,300 506,270 75,490 66,180 3,240 10,350 2,703,600 214,695 22,315.50 2,349 450,300 386,595 38,250 1,013,080

-577,850 71,087 -22,315.50 -

LR WARRANT

3.65

3.8

3.45

WARRANTS 3.48 3,252,000

11,598,230

540

ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

6 3.12 3.4 3.65

6 3.12 3.47 3.65

5.87 2.88 3.34 3.48

5.89 2.88 3.44 3.6

8,527,642 33,780 449,820 13,760,240

21,880 -1,077,920

FIRST METRO ETF

127

127.1

125.5

2,444,418

63,000

USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10.2 1.05

4,080 525

PROPERTY 6.99 1.04 16.9 2.06 0.88 40.3 3.74 4.92 6.39 6.5 7 0.435 1.1 1.02 0.275 33.95 0.65 1.78 1.39 0.89 4.75

841,800 10,868,000 21,700 69,000 1,765,000 15,248,700 272,000 2,144,000 258,900 92,300 19,100 21,060,000 65,000 997,000 57,630,000 928,200 462,000 2,224,000 2,830,000 6,903,000 25,456,000

TRADING SUMMARY

FINANCIAL

29,518,722

INDUSTRIAL

247,678,775

HOLDING FIRMS

266,207,386

PROPERTY

433,806,799

SERVICES

277,164,665

MINING & OIL

6,878,456,089

GRAND TOTAL

8,138,292,347

SME

1,441,100 11,000 133,000 3,851,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 125.5 19,340 10.2 1.05

DDS

400 500

VALUE 2,144.48 (down) 26.28 1,797,378,735.77 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,420.04 (down) 170.55 1,457,440,430.20 HOLDING FIRMS 8,202.05 (down) 158.32 1,579,098,658.30 PROPERTY 3,654.56 (down) 105.35 1,724.19 (down) 9.08 1,514,740,705.06 SERVICES MINING & OIL 11,403.05 (up) 7.28 1,019,094,873.87 PSEI 8,190.01 (down) 158.73 198,680,818.239 All Shares Index 4,966.44 (down) 69.41 7,591,666,890.26 Gainers: 92; Losers: 118; Unchanged: 47; Total: 257

Semirara allots P13b to increase production By Jenniffer B. Austria SEMIRARA Mining and Power Corp., the power generation and coal mining unit of the Consunji Group, is spending P13 billion this year up, or up 62 percent from the 2016 level, to boost capacity and extend the operating life of its facilities. Semirara said over half the total capital expenditures, or P7 billion, would go to the company’s subsidiaries—SemCalaca Power Corp. and Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp. It plans to spend roughly P4.7 billion to extend the life of conventional power plants and P2.3 billion to fund the regular maintenance of SCPC and SLPGC. The company said funding for the power segment investments would come from internally generated funds and medium to long-term loans. Semirara is also investing P6 billion to acquire dump trucks, excavators and other support equipment for its advanced stripping operations. The amount will be fully covered by internally generated cash. The company is not boosting coal production this year but it will need additional heavy equipment to move materials and accelerate the final rehabilitation of the South Panian Pit. “We plan to totally fill the southern portion of the Panian pit within the next two years so it becomes a stable landform. After that, we will undertake a massive reforestation program in the area to restore its ecological balance,” said Semirara president and chief operating officer Victor Consunji. The Panian Pit was closed in September 2016 following the depletion of mineable coal reserves. Semirara has since moved its extraction operations to the new mine sites in Molave and Narra. Semirara last week reported that unit 1 of SLPGC’s coal fired power plant was decommissioned due to an abnormal vibration of the equipment. It said detailed inspection of the unit would be done immediately. Unit 2 with a capacity of 150 MW, meanwhile, is undergoing regular planned maintenance outage with the target date for the resumption of operations set on the last week of this month.

PSE clears P6-b BPI stock rights offering By Julito G. Rada THE Philippine Stock Exchange approved the planned P6-billion stock rights offering of Bank of the Philippine Islands, the fourth-largest lender in terms of assets. BPI plans to offer 600 million shares with a par value of P10 per share. The bank added the offering period would start on April 16, 2018 and end on April 25, 2018. BPI tapped BPI Capital Corp. as the lead underwriter for the stock rights offering. BPI Capital will also be the sole global coordinator and lead manager, sole domestic manager, and domestic book runner and underwriter for the offering. Deutsche Bank AG, Hong Kong branch, Goldman Sachs (Singapore) and J.P. Morgan Securities plc will serve as joint international book runners and underwriters. The bank earned the 20th spot in the global rankings for project finance deals in 2017 and the sixth spot in the AsiaPacific region, according to the latest Thomson Reuters Project Finance International report. Thomson Reuters said BPI, a newcomer in the rankings, was among the top banks in the world that arranged the biggest project financing deals. This is the first time that a Philippine bank made it to the top 10 in Asia Pacific, besting other strong Asian and foreign houses. Project finance refers to the long-term financing of infrastructure, industrial, and other big projects where the debt and equity used to fund the project are paid back using cash flow from the project itself. BPI ranked 20th globally and sixth in Asia Pacific by acting as lead arranger of six project finance deals amounting to $2.8 billion. BPI’s net income in 2017 slightly rose 1.7 percent to P22.42 billion from a year ago. Excluding one-off gains from the sale of securities in 2016, net income rose 31 percent.

Manila

Standard

World

extrastory2000@gmail.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

TODAY

Russians see little hope for change under Putin

DAY OF SILENCE. In this picture taken on March 14, 2018, Balinese people prepare to pray during the Melasti ceremony prayer at Petitenget beach near Denpasar on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali. Indonesia’s bustling tourist island Bali is set to go quiet with Internet service and flights temporarily halted for a ‘Day of Silence”’ while young people get ready to pucker up. AFP

Conflict in Syria rages as war enters 8th year BEIRUT―Syria’s lacerating conflict entered its eighth year Thursday with the country riven by international power struggles, as Turkey encircled a besieged northern Kurdish enclave, while Russian-backed regime forces pounded into shrinking rebel areas near Damascus. The bloodshed, which has devastated huge swathes of the country since it started on March 15, 2011 when the government of President Bashar alAssad cracked down on mostly peaceful protests, has splintered into ever more complicated conflicts. In the latest fighting, Ankara-backed forces launched a bombardment of Afrin and closed in on the main city, in an offensive that could redraw the map in northern Syria. The development came as regime forces, backed by Moscow, broke into a key town in the beleaguered rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta late Wednesday, driving further into the last opposition bastion outside Damascus. More than 1,220 civilians―a fifth of them children―have been killed in the rebel-held enclave since the Syrian regime launched a ferocious air and ground offensive on February 18. International efforts have consistently failed to stop one of the deadliest wars of the century, with more than 350,000 people killed since the conflict first erupted, and more than half of Syria’s pre-war population of 20 million displaced. While the past few months saw the collapse of the Islamic State group’s “caliphate”―an experiment in jihadist statehood declared in 2014 in swathes of Syria and Iraq―world powers have since sought to carve out increased influence in the region. US-backed Kurds hold oil-rich territory in northeastern Syria covering 30 percent of the country and a motley assortment of Turkey-backed Arab rebels are cutting a third haven in the northwest. Ankara, which launched a deadly ground and air offensive against the Kurdish-majority enclave of Afrin on January 20, vowed on Wednesday that its encirclement of the main city “will have been completed by the evening”, a Turkish presidency source said. AFP

MOZHAISK, Russia―Retired rocket scientist Anatoly Alexandrovich has a blunt suggestion for how the Russian health care system could be improved: “Drop an atomic bomb on it”. The 77-year-old has spent the morning bouncing between various doctors’ ofﬁces in Mozhaisk, a town some 110 km to the west of Moscow, to get a prescription for medicine to treat a blood clot. “Doctors get annoyed at the patients and the patients at the doctors,” he says of the underfunded system. “If a doctor prescribes an expensive medicine in Russia, then the local administration shouts at them―then the department of health shouts at the local administration.” Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is set to win a fourth term in a landslide on Sunday, has laid out plans to double spending on health care over the next six years along with a raft of other measures to tackle social problems. But Anatoly, who has come with Soviet medals pinned to his chest for his hospital appointment, says previous declarations from the Kremlin have led to little change on the ground. “Over 18 years with Putin, nothing has got better. Corruption has got worse. The courts, the prosecutor, everything is corrupt. Power has merged with the criminal

underworld and Putin knows this.” The president has led a lackluster election campaign, declining to take part in televised debates and shooting no new material for his own advertisements. Instead, he and a compliant state media have sought to reinforce his image as the man who brought stability after the chaos of the 1990s, as well as restoring Russia’s standing on the world stage. It is a message that has proved popular with voters, nearly 70 percent of whom are expected to back Putin in the polls— according to state pollsters—though many of them acknowledge serious problems after almost two decades of his rule. Galina Belousova, a 30-year-old shop assistant who has brought her young daughter for an appointment at Mozhaisk hospital, believes it is harder to bring up a child now than it was during her grandparents’ time in the Soviet era. While her grandparents had stable employment, Belousova’s husband can ﬁnd only irregular work and might go more than a year without bringing in a salary. “Everything is getting more and more expensive... it seems like it was easier to live then than now,” she says, adding that monthly child support is barely enough for a pack of nappies. AFP

ily nor ministers will attend the football World Cup in Russia later this year. Alexei Sorokin, the chief of the World Cup organizing committee, said the boycott would have “no impact on the quality of the tournament”. “It is every fan’s choice whether to come or not.” Analysts said it was a softer response than initially expected, but allowed for further retaliation if necessary. Jonathan Eyal, of London’s RUSI military think tank, said it was a “ﬁrst step” in Britain confronting Moscow, given May chose not to expel the Russian ambassador to London, nor initiate a complete cutoff in relations. “So in many respects the prime minister was keeping some ammunition dry for a future confrontation,” he added. Britain’s Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson will call for additional military spending in a speech Thursday, according to the Daily Telegraph. “In the face of intensifying threats, we must prioritize investment in military capabilities,” the paper reported he will say. “We cannot sit back and let events overtake us.” On Monday May said it was “highly likely” that Russia was behind the attack, which left Skripal and his daughter in a critical condition and a policeman also in hospital. She said Moscow could be directly re-

sponsible or may have “lost control” of the nerve agent, and gave it until midnight Tuesday to disclose details of the Novichok program to the international Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). On Wednesday, she said Russia had responded with “sarcasm, contempt and deﬁance”. Moscow has said it is willing to cooperate but has accused Britain of failing to follow its own obligations for the investigation under OPCW rules, complaining that its request for samples of the nerve agent have been rejected. “The British government made a choice for confrontation with Russia,” the foreign ministry said, accusing London of pursuing a political agenda. At the United Nations, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia repeated Moscow’s denials and suggested the attack was a provocation aimed at tarnishing Russia’s image ahead of the World Cup and elections. “Russia had nothing to do with this incident,” Nebenzia told the council and again demanded proof of a link to Russia. “We have nothing to fear. We have nothing to hide,” he said. May has spoken to US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in recent days to rally international support. AFP

Britain expels Russian diplomats L ONDON―Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats over the nerve agent poisoning of a former spy and suspended high-level contacts, including for the World Cup, as the US joined it in blasting Moscow at the UN on Wednesday. British Prime Minister Theresa May told Britain’s parliament that Russia had failed to respond to her demand for an explanation on how a Soviet-designed chemical, Novichok, was used in the English city of Salisbury on March 4. At an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, America sided ﬁrmly with Britain, rejecting Moscow’s claim that it was not involved in the attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter. “The United States believes that Russia is responsible for the attack on two people in the United Kingdom, using a military-grade nerve agent,” US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the meeting held at Britain’s request. The White House also issued a statement that the US “stands in solidarity with its closest ally”. It added the incident “ﬁts into a pattern of behavior in which Russia disregards the international rules-based order, undermines the sovereignty and security of countries worldwide, and attempts to subvert and discredit Western democratic

institutions and processes”. NATO allies have expressed their support for Britain following the ﬁrst use of a nerve agent in Europe since World War II. “There is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian state was culpable for the attempted murder of Mr Skripal and his daughter,” May told parliament. “This represents an unlawful use of force by the Russian state against the United Kingdom.” May said 23 Russian diplomats believed to be intelligence ofﬁcers must leave Britain within a week. Britain also suspended all plannedhigh level contacts, including an invitation for Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to visit, but May said she did not want to break off relations entirely. She vowed to clamp down on Russians suspected of “hostile state activity”, freezing assets for those in Britain and detaining those arriving at the border. Neither members of the royal fam-

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health National Capital Regional Office SAN LORENZO RUIZ WOMEN’S HOSPITAL O. Reyes St., Santulan, Malabon City INVITATION TO BID PUBLIC BIDDING PROCUREMENT OF VARIOUS MEDICAL SUPPLIES ( SLRWH IB 2018-012)

SESSION.

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen gestures as she speaks during a session of the German Parliament in Berlin on March 15, 2018, one day after the new government was sworn in. AFP

The San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital, through the GAA intends to apply the sum FIFTEEN MILLION TWO HUNDRED FIFTY TWO THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED NINETY EIGHT PESOS AND SIXTEEN centavos only. (Php 15,252,998.16) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the PROCUREMENT OF VARIOUS MEDICAL SUPPLIES (SLRWH IB 2018-012). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The SLRWH now invites bids for the PROCUREMENT OF VARIOUS MEDICAL SUPPLIES (SLRWH IB 2018-012) Expected delivery is ten (10) days upon receipt of Contract. Bidders should have completed, within two years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

Interested Bidders may submit a Letter of Intent addressed to Dr. Noel D. Valderrama, BAC Chairperson and obtain further information from the Hospital Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat Mr. Allan G. Nieva, RRT ll and Ms. Juliet V. Chiquito at Telephone No. 293-9112 and inspect the Bidding Documents from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Mondays to Fridays from March 16 to April 3, 2018.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders on March 16 to April 3, 2018 from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Fifteen Thousand Pesos Only (Php 15,000.00)

Indonesia fights wave of fake news as presidential elections loom JAKARTA―Indonesia is battling a wave of fake news and online hate speech ahead of presidential elections in 2019, as a string of arrests underscore fears it could crack open social and religious fault lines in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country. The pluralist nation’s reputation as a bastion of tolerance has been tested in recent months, as conservative groups exploit social media to spread lies and target minorities. Police have cracked down, rounding up members of the Muslim Cyber Army (MCA), a cluster of loosely connected groups accused of using Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to attack the government and stoke religious extremism. Two of the group’s most high-proﬁle falsehoods were claims that dozens of Islamic clerics had been assaulted by leftists and that Indo-

nesia’s outlawed communist party was on the rise, according to police. Communism―and its hallmark atheist beliefs―remains a taboo subject in Indonesia, where the bloody purges under the Suharto dictatorship in the mid-1960s killed half a million suspected leftists. Gatot Eddy Pramono, the National Police’s head of social affairs, has said the group wants to destabilise government and “create social conﬂict”. Although the Southeast Asian nation has seen Internet hoaxes before―including smear campaigns against President Joko Widodo during the 2014 presidential elections―the recent clampdown reﬂects authorities’ mounting unease about their possible impact on election campaigning. Indonesia will hold simultaneous regional

elections in June, ahead of a presidential ballot in 2019. Last month, the communications ministry announced it was deploying new software to identify fake news websites, while Widodo― who has battled false Internet claims that he is a communist―inaugurated a new cyber security agency in January. Indonesia’s problem with internet hoaxes and misinformation campaigns reached fever pitch in the lead up to elections in Jakarta in late 2016 and early 2017, with incumbent governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, nicknamed Ahok, bearing the brunt of it. Ahok―the city’s ﬁrst Christian and ethnically Chinese leader―was lambasted by Islamic hardliners after an edited video appeared to show him insulting the Koran. AFP

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 non refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. 6.

The SLRWHwill hold a Pre-Bidding Conference on March 21, 2018 , 10:00 am at the SLRWH Training Room, which shall be open to prospective bidders.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before April 03,2018 ,10:00 am. 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 April 03,2018 , 10:00 am at SLRWH Training Room. 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.

The San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding , or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, with out thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: ALLAN G. NIEVA JULIET V. CHIQUITO SLRWH-BAC Secretariat SAN LORENZO RUIZ WOMEN’S HOSPITAL O. Reyes St., Santulan, Malabon City Website: www.slrwh.doh.gov.ph Email Address: slrwh.procurement@yahoo.com.ph Telefax No.2939112 Sgd: NOEL D. VALDERRAMA, MD SLRWH-BAC Chairperson (MS-MAR 16, 2018)

Motoring

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

B4 FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018

HARI’s

crown jewel F

EBRUARY gave Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. a consistent start in 2018, prompting HARI president and CEO Ma. Fe. Perez-Agudo to cite the trust and commitment its customers have to our “high-quality, best-in-class, and customer-focused products and services.”

The ofﬁcial distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the Philippines has registered 2,649 unit sales for the month of February 2018. This raised the total 2018 yearto-date Hyundai unit sales at 5,552, or a 1.5% increase compared to the 5,470 units sold during the same period of 2017.

The Passenger Car (PC) segment maintains its position as the main volume driver of sales by accounting to almost three-fourths of the total units sold, or 4,002 units year-to-date. The well-known Accent accounted for 2,363 units during this period. However, it was the Eon and

Elantra that played as the main growth driver for this segment with a year-to-date growth of 1.8% and 88.0% respectively. Although the Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) segment recorded only one fourth of the brand’s total sales, the segment was at the spotlight with all its models registering positive growth. This was led by the beloved Grand Starex whose January to February unit sales growth rose by 32.6%, or 512 units in 2018 com-

pared to the 386 units sold in 2017. This pushed the segment’s year-to-date sales to 1,550 units, a 18.1% growth from last year’s 1,313. The current administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program is showing signs of accelerating as government spending acted as the main economic growth driver. Analysts have forecasted this rising trend would continue until the end of the

year, along with buoyant business and consumer sentiments. This has cushioned any negative effects from rational expectations brought about by the recently implemented tax reform. HARI has still shown positive growth in the face of a weakening currency and the increasing prices. It just goes to show the brand’s capacity in seizing opportunities to generate good numbers in the coming months, Agudo said.

Petron’s Lakbay Alalay: Road trip evolves into Lenten safety advocacy

Caltex makes Lenten travel rewarding HOLY Week is just around the bend and drivers are preparing their cars for a long ride on possibly congested and sun scorched roads. But with Caltex Ka-Road Trip, motorists can expect assistance along key highways in the country from Holy Wednesday (March 28) to Easter Sunday (April 1). Groups of friends and families have exciting surprises waiting for them such as free product samples and goodies after fueling up at Caltex SLEX Northbound and SLEX Southbound. Motorists can also try their luck in the Liter Lottery promo that will be happening at speciﬁc timesduring the long weekend to get P10/liter fuel discount. Caltex, marketed by Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI), will ensure that drivers have safe andworry-free journeys with free vehicle check-ups. On-duty mechanics will be ready to aid automotive concerns during travels. Free emergency assistance will also be on-standby.

Toyota vehicle owners will also receive added care and assistance on selected Caltex stationsin Ilocos Sur, Quezon, Cebu and Davao. The Caltex Ka-Roadtrip motorist assistance program has been going on for several years nowproviding help to motorists in-need of assistance during major holidays in the country like theLenten and Undas seasons. Families can rest easy when they fuel up with Caltex to enjoy the cleaning power of Techronthat maximizes power to lighten your car’s load. With Caltex, travelers can focus on what reallymatters which are the people in the car and the memories brought by the journey. Motorists can ﬁnd the nearest Caltex station using the Caltex Locator app, available on bothGoogle Play and App Store. Find out more about Caltex at http://caltex.com/ph. The Caltex Liter Lottery promo for the Holy Week will run from March 28 – April 1 at the certain stations and time.

PETRON Lakbay Alalay, the country’s longest running motorist roadside assistance program, has evolved over the past three decades from a small group of Petron employees volunteering to spend their Holy Week break to provide emergency aid for car problems like overheating, ﬂat tires, and the like, into a comprehensive year-round program to ensure that with Petron, “the best ang biyahe.” Petron Lakbay Alalay has expanded its focus from ensuring a roadworthy vehicle to taking care of the wellbeing of the motorist and passengers. Now, the Petron Lakbay Alalay program is part of your journey, starting before the trip and extending even after you have returned home from your holiday travels. Very much in keeping with the Filipinos’ prayerful nature, Petron is encouraging everyone to say the Driver’s Prayer every time they get behind the wheel. To ensure that vehicles are roadworthy and properly maintained, participating Petron Car Care Centers and service stations offer free safety checks. If needed, you can then enjoy the convenience of having a preventive maintenance service using Petron’s range of world-class engine oils. Part of the public information materials for Petron Lakbay Alalay are safety reminders through banners like “Seatbelts save lives” and “Helmets on, headlights

Once you go black, you never go back LEVEL up and experience the call of the wild with Black Rhino’s latest wheels, the Roku, Barstow and Rotorua. Designed and engineered to take on the toughest terrain and extreme road conditions, Black Rhino has carved a respectable niche in the aftermarket industry as an innovator and trend setter in terms of wheel technology and design. Their visually appealing and rugged designs have won the hearts of enthusiasts in the United States, Europe and the domestic market. Product tested in the toughest trails, Black Rhino wheels are engineered to carry the heavy loads often associated with Trucks and SUV’s. Their extensive product line of wheels are hub centric or supplied with centering rings to ensure a smooth vibration free ride. The Roku comes in bronze and gun black ﬁnish; the Barstow in

Matte Bronze and the Rotorua comes in only in Gloss Black. All Black Rhino wheels are custom ﬁt for truck and SUV brands such as Toyota, Mitsubishi, Ford, Chevrolet, Mazda, and European makes as well. The Black Rhino truck and SUV wheels lineup is built with two types of vehicles in mind. The ﬁrst set-up is for Trucks or SUV’s with negative offset that works perfectly for those wanting an Extreme lift stance. The second is for more street friendly vehicles that you want to give that stylish look to set it apart from all other vehicles. Those who want to level up their game, Black Rhino wheels are available in dealers nationwide or call 7247176 (San Juan) or 877-8550 (BGC) or log on to www. conceptonewheels.com

on” along the major thoroughfares. The Petron Lakbay Alalay road safety component—tagged as the Best Biyahe Caravan—will now be going to seven schools, three communities, and 3 malls, in addition to the usual station activations during long holiday weekends. And, whether you’re going off on a road trip or spending staycation time at home, Petron

has its Bisita Gasulista campaign to ensure the safety of your family by checking your Petron Gasul LPG tanks for leaks and other dangers. To serve Holy Week motorists, there will be Petron Lakbay Alalay activations on Wednesday, March 28, from 7AM to 4PM, and on Thursday, March 29, from 4AM to 5PM at the following Petron service stations: North Luzon: PEC1 NLEX, Marilao Bulacan; Lakshore NLEX, Mexico, Pampanga; Parkville Km 42 Plaridel, Bulacan; and TPLEX Km 134 Northbound, Pura, Tarlac. South Luzon: PEC 3 SLEX, San Pedro,

Laguna; PNCC Km 44 SLEX, Silangan, Cavite; and Star Tollways, Malvar, Batangas. Visayas: West Diversion Road, Mandurriao, Iloilo City; Cebu North Road, Tabok, Mandaue City, Cebu; and LawAn, Talisay, Cebu. Mindanao: National Highway, Bo. Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental; Bgy. Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental; Diversion Road, Buhangin, Davao City; and National Highway, Ulas, Davao City, Davao del Sur. On Saturday, March 31, from 7AM to 4PM, and on Sunday, April 1, from 10AM to 8PM, the Petron Lakbay Alalay teams will be at: North Luzon: PEC 2 NLEX, Bocaue, Bulacan and TPLEX Km 134 Southbound, Pura, Tarlac. South Luzon: Star Toll, Lipa City, Batangas and MATES, SLEX Km 44, Silangan, Cavite. Since it was ﬁrst launched during the Holy Week of 1986, Petron Lakbay Alalay continues to be driven by the Lakbayanihan spirit of Petron employee-volunteers. This passion to serve has been nurtured for more than 30 years, continuing to promote safety through empowerment. This tradition of volunteerism is being passed on to the next generation of Petron’s rising stars, who will continue to ﬁnd ways to give Filipino motorists the best ang biyahe experience with Petron.

ArAw ng

DAvAo Supplement

LGUs LocaL government units

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com Friday, march 16, 2018

Davao honors 93 in ‘Pasidungog’ By F. Pearl A. Gajunera

AVAO CITY―The City Government of Davao has recognized 93 individuals and corporations who have shown efforts in the development of the city and to the day-to-day lives of Dabawenyos.

Through “Pasidungog” (Visayan for “honor”), the individuals and corporations that made an impact on the city were recognized as a sign of the city’s gratefulness for their deeds. Among the awarded “everyday heroes” or those private individuals who helped the community is Philip Duterte. Duterte is a public school teacher assigned in Barangay Gumitan, the farthest barangay in Davao, due to his determination to teach the Matigsalog tribe. However, he contracted malaria and died shortly after. Duterte’s death became an eye opener to the public and prodded officials and residents to immediately respond to the malaria outbreak in Gumitan. He left behind his wife and two sons. In 2017, Barangay Gumitan was declared malaria-free following the efforts of the City Health Office to continuously monitor the situation of malaria-carrying mosquitoes in the hinterlands. Mayor “Inday” Sara Duterte thanked the people who helped the city become what it is right now, especially the people who supported the local government all throughout the city’s journey. “This recognition is important as we enter our 9th decade as a city, because it serves to remind us that Davao would not be what it is today without Davaoeños and their friends helping each other,” she said. The Chinese Embassy was also awarded for its scholarship grants given to 15 Davaoeños who will study at the University of Naning in China. The City recently sealed a sisterhood agreement with Naning, China that led to the scholarship grants. Naning’s residents even held a cultural show in Davao to strengthen the cities’ sisterhood, as their leaders vowed to support each other and explore projects that can help their respective developments.

City employees show off talents, wares in ‘Araw ng Empleyado’

MICT is the flagship operation of ICTSI, the Philippines’ leading port operator with a portfolio of 30 terminals in 18 countries.

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera DAVAO CITY―The “Araw ng mga Empleyado” (Employees Day), which was held at the Rizal Park on Wednesday, became a venue for city government workers here to show off their entrepreneurial skills. Using their creative and livelihood skills, the city government workers wowed the public with their creations. “We asked a friend to train us for a few hours on how to make ice cream,” said Eric Antioquia, the administrative officer of the City Transportation and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO). CTTMO’s ice cream cups, which were sold at P19 each, came in various flavors such as chocolate, vanilla, mango and cheese. Their booth was made more attractive by the large freezer they borrowed for the day. “We pooled a capital of P7,500 and produced 600 ice cream cups; we were able to [recoup] our capital,” Antioquia said. They still have to decide what to do with the money they earned from the fair. Employees of the City Engineer’s Office had to close shop by lunchtime, as patrons wiped out their “dinuguan” and “puto” offering, which they sold for only P50 a bowl. Not to be outdone, the barangay women’s organizations showcased their different products in coordination with the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO). “We are selling scented candles. Our citronella product was sold out maybe because it drives away mosquitoes,” said Esperanza Capito, president of the Women’s Association of Barangay 34-D. The scented candles were sold at P100 for a set of three. Turn to C2

KEYNOTE SPEAKER. Davao City Mayor

Sara Duterte keynotes the opening of the three-day National Conference of Librarians with the theme: “Limang K Para Maging OK sa Aklatan” at Novotel, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City, then sits with librarians and city officials (inset). The annual event is spearheaded by the National Library of the Philippines in collaboration with the Quezon City Public Library, National Commission of Culture and the Arts, National Committee on Library and Information Science, and the ASEAN Public Libraries Information Network. The Quezon City government through the QC Public Library is hosting this year’s event.

House leader: Duterte admin doing ‘good job’ vs. unemployment By Maricel V. Cruz THE Duterte administration has done so much to address unemployment, a leader of the House of Representatives said. Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, the panel’s chairperson, made the statement in response to the results of the Philippine Statistics Authority’s January 2018 Labor Force Survey, which shows unemployment rate fell from 6.6 percent during the same period last year to 5.3 percent. “The reduction of 1.3 percent cannot be underestimated as it represents thousands of Filipinos who now have the ability to put food on the table,” Nograles said. The January 2018 unemployment rate is even lower than the 5.8 percent posted by Turn to C2

LGUs

C2 Friday, March 16, 2018

Communicators’ network unveiled in Davao By Ben Moses Ebreo

AVAO CITY―The nationwide launching of the Provincial Communicators Network was recently conducted here with the initiative of the Philippine Information Agency and allied agencies under the Presidential Communications Operations Office. This came as the concluding highlight of the three-day 1st National Information Convention attended by more than 2,000 information officers of local government units, national government agencies, civil society organizations

and private media practitioners, among others at the SMX Convention Center, Lanang Premier in this city. “This will strengthen our resolve to fight fake news and take up the responsibility of providing the public

Sara vows to support Bong Go’s Senate bid DAVAO CITY―Mayor Sara Duterte vows to support Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go once he decides to join the senatorial race in the 2019 national elections. Duterte said she is “more than willing” to support Go especially that he contributed a lot of things to her father, President Rodrigo Duterte. “Of course!” Sara told the media in an interview. “We will be so proud if there will be a senator from Davao City.” Mayor Duterte said Go is qualified for a public post, especially since “he already has a background in politics.” “He has been with the President since the 1990s, so he has a deep experience in government service,” the mayor said. Sara previously said she will be willing to support those who help her father’s administration, if they decide to run for the Senate. She previously endorsed Presidential Communications Office Assistant

Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson, a well-known supporter of her father. Go earlier said he has already dedicated his life to serving the President, who was mayor of Davao for over two decades. However, photos of Go have been circulating on social media regarding his possible senatorial bid. Go even posted photos on his social media account to support the rumors. A day later, a movement called “Ready, Set, Go” was launched to persuade Go to run for senator in the 2019 midterm elections. The event was organized by the friends of Go and Cabinet members, and was held at the Ilustrado Restaurant in Intramuros, Manila. Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said President Duterte will support Go “to the hilt” if he decides to join the senatorial race in the 2019 midterm elections. “This was what the President said and I quote verbatim: ‘I will support Bong Go to the hilt’,” Andanar said.

with timely, accurate and relevant development information that contributes to proactive citizenship, national progress and better quality of life for all Filipinos,” said Harold Clavite, PIA director-general. The event carried the theme “Spurring Development and Empowering Communities through Information” which was aimed at gathering government communicators, members of the national and regional media, communications and technology industries leaders and members of the academe to discuss ways to empower the communities through development communication.

Topics discussed offered understanding government programs and policies through the “Build, Build, Build Project of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, E-Power Mo (Energy Efficiency and Conservation) of the Department of Energy, Social Security System programs and Public Diplomacy by the Department of Foreign Affairs. The convention also opened up understanding on fostering safe and healthy media environment, Freedom of Information, Federalism and Barangay-Based Information Network; Promoting Responsible Digi-

City employees... From C1 Capito said the project is part of Mayor “Inday” Sara Duterte’s “Magnegosyo ta Day!” program, which provides capital to women entrepreneurs in the city. Capito said they now have 50 members, most of whom have attended the free livelihood training seminars. Among the courses taught to their members were chocolate making, household bleach and disinfectant peoduction, dishwashing liquid and fabric conditioner making.

House leader:... From C1 the same survey in January 2016, which covered the last full year (2015) of Duterte’s predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, the lawmaker added. The transition between the Aquino and Duterte administrations took place in mid-2016. “By this alone, one can argue that the Duterte government had the better remedy for unemployment when left to its own devices. As such we expect the unemployment rate to drop further as this administration plows on toward its aims of inclusive growth and development,” said Nograles, a presumptive member of the administration’s Senate slate for the 2019 elections. He said the government’s P8-trillion “Build, Build, Build” program is a surefire job creator since it is focused on the implementation of multiple big tickets infrastructure projects for the rest Duterte’s tenure. The initiative, which is billed to usher in a “golden age of infrastructure,” began in 2017. Nograles said the effects of Build, Build, Build is al-

tal Citizenship through learnings on countering fake news and empowering communities through media and information literacy. A session on Developing a Dynamic Development Communication Strategy also provided the participants lessons on grass roots communication, community broadcasting and mobilization, public relations, risk communication, civic engagement and nation building, digital media for social mobilization, disaster resiliency and orientation on the Government Information Centers and Information Volunteers Network, among others.

“I am set to receive P10,000 from Mayor Inday’s Magnegosyo Ta Program, and I will use it as additional capital for the business,” Capito said. The interest-free loan is payable up to two years. The CTTMO, CEO and CSSDO booths were just three of the 19 booths set up by offices of the city government as part of the Araw ng Davao 2018 celebrations. The other offices opted to set up booths that displayed handicrafts or ready-to-wear and second-hand clothing. The Araw ng Empleyado also featured a mini-concert, while the Social Security System put up an inquiry booth. ready reflected in the 2018 LFS results, with generated net employment reaching 2.4 million. “There are 719,000 new jobs recorded for the industry sector, mostly from construction with 424,000 and manufacturing with 269,000,” Nograles noted. Meanwhile, the agriculture and services sectors alone accounted for over 1.6 million new jobs (841,000 and 847,000, respectively), the PSA study shows. The total number of employed Filipinos as of January this year was 41.7 million, compared to just 39.3 million in January 2017, the latest LFS result revealed. “This is undeniable proof that President Duterte is landing jobs for his countrymen,” Nograles said. The National Economic Development Authority earlier credited the administration’s aggressive jobs fair campaign and livelihood assistance measures for the improvements in the employment situation. Meanwhile, the Department of Labor and Employment also revealed late last year that some 125,352 contractual workers have benefitted from Department Order 174―a directive rooted from President Duterte’s promise to stop contractualization in the Philippines.

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018

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Nickie Wang, Issue Editor

Catriona Gray’s JESSICA SOHO GAME PLAN first-ever Filipino NYF Best News Anchor finalist

on cultural “FOR all we know, appropriation, that’s part of the creative and artsy gimmick,” reacted pre-nup shoot, some beauty cultural sensitivity pageant observers and the likes, but when Mariel de still, with what Billy Leon, Binibining Pilipinas-International 2017, and Coleen did as “work,” for the reacted on Catriona Gray’s Ethiopian airline, the campaign has gained more awareness. manner of expressing herself. Now, who would disagree It all started during a panel when De Leon asked Binibining that the couple has never been Pilipinas candidates questions very effective endorsers of the about public speaking and self- campaign? Aside from the freebies the two expression. To paraphrase Mariel’s reaction got from doing such a job for the on Catriona’s s e l f expression,”I r e a l l y love your confidence and the way you speak, but sometimes it seems just a tiny bit scripted.” Upon hearing the feedback, Catriona n e i t h e r displayed lost of composure n o r nervousness. As a result, C a t r i o n a ’s r a b i d supporters took to social media to defend their candidate. The issue b e c a m e viral and all Mariel did Binibining Pilipinas frontrunner Catriona Gray was defend herself and her point, and made it clear that airline company, there’s monetary she was not being personal to gain regarded as a wonderful and Catriona, who like her, belongs glorious advance wedding present to the same company that trains for them. Who are the winners now? Not beauty queens. We believed and saluted her, because the netizens for sure hahaha! * ** in all these hulabaloos, Catriona has Still on the Binibining more to gain as she is indeed the most consistent and the most feared Pilipinas, Michelle Gumabao, another heavy favorite, was candidate in this year’s search. Besides, as what we all have reported to have been disqualified. This is because of the nude witnessed, she seemed not pictorial she did in the past when affected by what De Leon said. She is employing a strategy that she was among the most beautiful is way beyond local pageant’s and most sought after volleyball style. And that’s another winnable superstars in the country. But it was proven not to be true game plan, isn’t it? and some quarters called it as part * ** If we were to be asked about of a smear campaign for Michelle the controversial social media to lose her confidence and be reactions on the photo shoot Billy affected by such tasteless rumor. Though she had admitted to have Crawford and Coleen Garcia did in Ethiopia, we would easily say done the pictorial, neither her body that it attained its objective of nor any part of it had been exposed as spilling waters was made the truly promoting the place. As what the soon-to-be major part of it all, compensating husband and wife related, with her beautiful face as the main they were commissioned by theme of the shoot. The Binibining Pilipinas an Ethiopian airline to serve as models in their advocacy Charities executives found it too of helping Ethiopia’s tourism, shallow for them to even entertain it, being among the country’s such an item thus, putting an end to Michelle’s detractors’ wish for the major economy sources. Given the kind of reactions candidate to back out or lose hope. This Sunday, the grand the netizens created and with the night will be counter-reaction expressed by coronation Billy on what the social media happening and this piece firmly world called them as racists and believes that both Catriona and users, no one could ever deny the Michelle, candidates #20 and #19, fact that Ethiopia has gained more respectively, are a sure shoo-in to two of the major international popularity. Yes, there may be issues titles at stake.

A scene from the the afternoon drama, ‘Asintado,’ featuring Julia Montes and Cherry Pie Picache.

ROADCAST journalist Jessica Soho marks another milestone in Philippine broadcast history, this time around becoming the very ﬁrst Filipino news anchor to become a ﬁnalist at the prestigious New York Festivals Television & Film Awards.

Multi-awarded broadcast journalist Jessica Soho

HBO Asia and Hulu in Japan’s very ﬁrst co-production, Miss Sherlock will premiere globally across 20 territories in Asia on HBO Asia’s network of channels and services as well as on Hulu in Japan on April 27. Viewers can stream the series on HBO GO or watch it on HBO at 9 a.m., with a same day primetime encore at 9 p.m.. New episodes will debut at the same time every Friday. In this bold interpretation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, re-envisioned in Japanese and set in modern day Tokyo, the iconic characters – Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson are played by women. Yuko Takeuchi (Dog in a Sidecar, Flashforward) stars in the titular role as Sherlock while her crime-solving partner, Dr.

Soho is shortlisted in the Best News Anchor category for GMA News TV’s flagship newscast State of the Nation with Jessica Soho (SONA). Soho holds the distinction of being the country’s most awarded broadcast journalist with nearly 300 local awards and more than 30 international awards to date. She is also the first Filipina recipient of the highly acclaimed George Foster Peabody Award for her documentaries on the illegal trade of kidneys and the harrowing plight of Filipino boxers. She is a 7-time recipient of the “Most Trusted News Presenter” award of Reader’s Digest Asia. Known for giving depth and context to news headlines, State of the Nation with Jessica Soho remains one of the most trusted news programs on Philippine television today. Over the years, SONA’s credibility in handling interviews has already caught the attention of foreign and local newsmakers. In 2013, Soho was the only media professional invited by the United Nations (UN) for a one-on-one interview with then UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon during his visit to the Philippines in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda. SONA won a Silver Screen Award at the 2013 U.S. International Film and Video Festival (USIFVF) for its special coverage of the 2012 monsoon rains. A year before that, the evening newscast took home the Certificate for Creative Excellence from the same award-giving body for its episode on the outcome of Typhoon Sendong. In 2013, GMA Network’s coverage of Super Typhoon Yolanda—including that of SONA—won the prestigious George Foster Peabody Awards. The said award is considered as the Oscars of broadcast and electronic journalism. Soho also hosts the top-rating magazine show Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho and is the chief correspondent/ host of the investigative news magazine program Brigada. Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho remains as the most-watched show on its time block, and at the same time is always one of the trending topics in the Philippines every Sunday night. In documentary program Brigada, on the other hand, Soho leads the next generation of “Brigada” reporters as they discuss relevant stories and issues. A member of the GMA family throughout her career, Soho started as a news reporter covering the military and defense beats. In 1991, her report on the hostage crisis in Cagayan Valley in northern Philippines earned a Bronze Award in the New York Film and Television Festival. She served as First Vice President for News Programs of GMA Network until 2014.

Yuko Takeuchi as Miss Sherlock

Wato Tachibana is played by Shihori Kanjiya (Chiritotechin, Kuchizuke) In this eight-part, hourlong HBO Asia Original Japanese drama series, Dr. Wato Tachibana, is a surgeon who recently returned from a volunteer doctors’ mission in Syria and Sherlock, an investigation consultant to the police department, come together to solves bizarre and difﬁcult cases. Throughout the series, the pair solves mystery after mystery with Miss Sherlock’s extraordinary observation and reasoning skills. Other cast regulars in Miss Sherlock include Kenichi Takito, Tomoya Nakamura, Yukiyoshi Ozawa, Ryohei Otani, and Ran Ito.

Lorna ends Cherry Pie’s life in ‘Asintado’ IN THE Kapamilya afternoon series Asintado, Ana (Julia Montes) gets yet another reason to seek revenge against the Del Mundos after the wicked family’s crony Miranda (Lorna Tolentino) killed Celeste (Cherry Pie Picache). Celeste’s failed attempt to expose the Del Mundos led to her unfortunate death after Miranda caught her

breaking into her enemies’ mansion to find evidence that will prove their vicious deeds. After an intense scuffle, Celeste was shot by Miranda while trying to escape. Ana and her group then arrived at the house to save Celeste, who was already moments away from her death and ultimately failed to make it out alive. Despite being unsuccessful in

exposing their enemies, Celeste was able to retrieve a book owned by Ana’s dad, which reminded her of all the pain she went through and further ignited her fury to bring down the Del Mundos. How will Ana continue on her plans of revenge without Celeste? Find out in the series armed with love and revenge, Asintado, on ABS-CBN.

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife

culture and media

@MStandardLIFE

Life

FrIday, March 16, 2018

Maxine Syjuco’s

most intimate exhibit Visual artist, poet, and model Maxine Syjuco opens her private studio, where she creates her artwork, for her latest solo exhibition.

iewing an artwork right where it was made offers a different experience to the audience. The environment, the studio of the artist provides an atmosphere quite nothing like a traditional gallery or museum space provides.

This is exactly what visual artist, poet, and model Maxine Syjuco wanted to achieve in opening the doors of her private studio in Muntinlupa to the public for her latest exhibition. “By opening my private studio to the public, the audience will not only view but experience my works in the very same environment in which they are made,” shares the youngest daughter of artist and art critic Cesare Syjuco and visual and performance artist Jean Marie Syjuco. Using her philosophical, often twisted voice in storytelling, Syjuco creates surrealist introspections of the human condition and its fragile intricacies. For her latest, and perhaps most intimate, solo exhibit, dubbed Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame, Syjuco further explores her compulsion to dissect the subconscious mind—showcasing paintings of romantically-twisted imageries and dark fairytale-like dreams, such as transparently-clad children whose faces have been replaced by delicate paper boats, women falling from the weight of their own winged heads, and little girls morphing into ravenous cats and wolves. “There is a profound light in the darkness, and my art philosophizes the thin line between seeking that light, and giving in to the blackness that betrays us,” she shares. “My objective has always been to explore the idea of ‘depth’ to the fullest—to look beyond the surface by disheveling it, and to embrace the inner beauty that is invisible to the eye.” Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame is currently on view 24/7 by appointment until April 8 at ART LAB: Atelier Cesare and Jean Marie Syjuco. For appointments, reservations, and inquiries, contact 0917-534-0779, email artlabmanila@gmail.com, or visit www.facebook.com/ artlabmanila.

'Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame' exhibit features Syjuco's paintings of romanticallytwisted imageries and dark fairytalelike dreams, such as transparentlyclad children and women falling from the weight of their winged heads.

International music composition contest seeks to save Banaue Rice Terraces By mae Gianina Pascual BanaUe Rice Terraces is a Philippine national Cultural Treasure, hailed for its profound beauty that draws tourists from all over the world. But unfortunately, the famed terraces are gradually degrading largely due to neglect. according to Banaue Mayor Jerry Dalipog, one of the challenges in preserving the imprint of Banaue is the lack of interest of the local community in farming; many young ifugaos opt for more lucrative jobs and livelihoods. in a bid to preserve the Banaue Rice Terraces, Universal Harvester inc., and the Municipality of Banaue launched an international music composition competition that pays tribute to the music and culture of ricefarming communities in the area. The Banaue international Music Composition Competition invites composers from all over the world to create Banaue-inspired symphonies. The competition, which is part of the Banaue Rice Terraces Restoration Project, aims to create awareness on the current situation of the terraces and to encourage people to participate and help in the efforts of restoration and preservation of the natural treasure. “we want to let the world know that the Philippines is home to great wonders, not just in terms of natural resources, but also of inspiring talents from all over the world,” said contest organizer and UHi executive vice president Dr. Milagros Ong-How. Deadline for entries is on april 15. Twenty semi-finalists will be announced on april 20. These composer-fellows will be sent to Banaue to learn and experience local culture and music, which may help with their entries. Then, 10 finalists will be chosen to perform at the Finals night on July 25 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. A display of portraits of Banaue Rice Terraces that showcases the natural treasure's majestic beauty

Universal Harvester Inc. executive vice president Dr. Milagros Ong-How

One winner will win the US$12,000 grand prize. Two runners-up will get US$6,000 each. aside from the multimillion international music composition competition, the restoration project also launched the coffee table book A Banaue Story: Restoring a World Heritage Treasure, that raises awareness on the current situation of the terraces and describes the process to restore them. Visit www.banauemusic.org for more information on the music composition competition. Photos by Mae Gianina Pascual