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Hollywood star snubs Manila event By Nickie Wang AGENT Carter star Hayley Atwell decided to skip this year’s ComicCon Asia, citing perceived “political unrest” in the country. Atwell, who plays Peggy Carter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, was Next page

VOL. XXXII • NO. 40 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

Experts: Sereno ouster via quo warranto valid By Rey E. Requejo

HIEF Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno may be removed from her post by her colleagues in the Supreme Court through the quo warranto petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General, law experts say.

Contrary to Sereno’s argument, the law experts believed that the Court may also acquire jurisdiction

over the case to settle the justiciable issue of whether or not the chief justice post is covered by quo warranto proceedings in the Rules of Court despite it being an impeachable position under the Constitution. Law professors Tranquil Salvador and Butch Jamon, experts in remedial and political law, respectively, believed that the OSG was correct in ﬁling the case before the Supreme Court despite the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Sereno before Congress. Salvador said in a recent interview that Rule 66 Section 1 (b) of the Rules of Court can apply to Sereno since the OSG’s petition is anchored on the

Naia among 10 ‘most improved’ By Joel E. Zurbano THE Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the country’s premier gateway, made it to the top 10 most improved airports list in the 2018 Skytrax World Airport Awards. Next page

‘‘

We found an option now through Inday Sara

—Senator JV Ejercito, announcing that six reelectionist senators are seeking a partnership with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s political party, ‘Hugpong ng Pagbabago’

SERENO FIGHT. Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno talks Thursday during a forum in UP Diliman about women against ‘strongman politics’ and accuses her detractors of being funded by a ‘formidable machinery.’ She said: “ Now, the complainant and his enablers are endeavoring to bring up imagined trespasses committed by me as early as when I was just 26 years old and starting my career here in UP. It’s a wonder they didn’t try to dig up my high school record.” Manny Palmero

Six senators run to Sara for 2019 reelection bid SIX senators seeking reelection next year are discussing a partnership with the regional political party “Hugpong ng Pagbabago” led by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, Senator JV Ejercito said late Wednesday. Ejercito said he and reelectionists Grace Poe, Nancy Binay, Cynthia Villar, Sonny Angara and Bam Aquino were displeased with Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III’s “noncommittal” stance toward including them in the 2019 senatorial slate of the ruling party PDP-Laban. Ejercito said President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter is open to supporting the reelectionists, who will be known collectively as “The Force.” House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, the PDP-Laban secretary-general, reportedly wants to exclude the six senators from the administration party’s lineup next year, and Ejercito said Pimentel was vague about it. The Senate President told reporters last week that PDP has yet to ﬁnalize its senatorial lineup. “We found an option now through Inday Sara. She said, they may be a regional group but it’s very possible [for them] to adopt senatorial candidates. Next page

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio

PH, China cautious on joint oil exploration talks CHINA and the Philippines said Wednesday they will cautiously proceed with discussions on joint oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea, further reversing years of tensions over their competing claims to the region. The two states have long been embroiled in a bitter dispute over the waterway—with China claiming nearly the entire sea—but President Rodrigo Duterte has in recent years softened his predeces-

sors’ policy of opposing Beijing’s claims. The countries will “in a prudent and steady way advance cooperation on offshore oil and gas exploration,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters after meeting Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano. “The South China Sea disputes will no longer be a source of negative energy blocking the development of bilateral ties,” he added.

The Philippines said earlier this month it was in talks with a Chinese state ﬁrm over joint exploration and extraction in the strategic and supposedly resourcerich sea. Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also claim all or part of the sea, and proposed cooperation between Manila and Beijing has caused alarm among neighboring Southeast Asian countries in the Next page past.

Du30 gives Justice free hand on Janet By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will not meddle in the case of controversial alleged pork barrel queen Janet Lim-Napoles, giving Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre free rein on how to deal with resolving the multibillion-peso scam that has embroiled dozens of lawmakers. “It’s up to Justice Secretary Aguirre on how to handle Napoles under the government’s witness protection program,” Duterte said in his speech Thursday at the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte National Executive Coordinating Committee National Convention in Pasay City. Duterte said he does not micromanage the operations of government agencies and leaves the task to his Cabinet members to do what is best for the country. “I leave them alone [Cabinet secretaries] ... Si Vit Aguirre—I said about Aguirre, ‘Why is he caught up in the Napoles issue again? Well, it’s his strategy,’” the President said. However, Senator Grace Poe scoffed at the Department of Justice for “not doing its job” on the pork barrel scam. Poe said Thursday she was “bafﬂed” by the Aguirre-led agency’s decision to make Napoles, who has been tagged as the scam’s mastermind, as a state witNext page ness.

Lawmakers see danger, oppose SolGen petition By Rey E. Requejo LEFTIST lawmakers on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the quo warranto petition against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, saying it would set “a very dangerous precedent” that could be used against any impeachable officer. In a motion for intervention and an opposition-in-intervention, the Makabayan bloc of the House of Representatives sought the dismissal of the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida, making them the second group to formally oppose the removal bid on the same day. The lawmakers said the quo warranto case sets a “very dangerous and ruinous precedent that can even be used against any impeachable officer, including other justices of the Supreme Court who go against the wishes of and [are] in the crosshairs of the administration or interest groups,” Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said in a statement. Next page

Oust-CJ lawyer faces disbarment

PRESIDENTIAL LETTER. Foreign Secretary Alan Cayetano (left) passes on a handwritten letter to Chinese Foreign Minister and State Counselor Wang Yi from President Rodrigo Duterte to Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting Wednesday at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. Details of the letters have not been disclosed by either side. AFP

Boracay open during peak season—Palace By Vito Barcelo, Joel Zurbano and Macon Ramos-Araneta BORACAY Island will not be closed to tourists during its peak season, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Thursday, even as businessmen and residents of the world-famous summer getaway appealed to the government to reconsider its decision to shutter the island by April 26 for a massive cleanup and rehabilitation.

“Proceed to Boracay, especially since it’s [almost] Holy Week. I don’t think any closure will happen during the peak, peak season of Boracay. We are looking at possibly, if the President ﬁnally accepts the recommendations, [its] lean season,” Roque said.Malacañang also defended its approval of the construction of a multimillion-dollar casino-resort in the world-class beach retreat, as critics, Next page

A COMPLAINT for disbarment has been filed against lawyer Lorenzo Gadon arising from his alleged “disgraceful conduct” in the impeachment case against Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno. In his complaint filed last March 15, lawyer Wilfredo Garrido Jr. asked the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to immediately disbar Gadon and remove his name from the Roll of Attorneys for alleged dishonesty, arrogance and rudeness in the course of the impeachment proceedings in the House justice committee. The complainant accused Gadon of violating the lawyers’ Code of Professional Responsibility, particularly Canons 7, 8, 19 and Rules 7.03, 8.1 and 19.01 (A). He alleged that Gadon committed perjury several times during the impeachment hearings—as records of the House panel would verify—and also knowingly executed a false verification in his complaint stating he had personal knowledge of his allegations against Next page Sereno.

News

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Du30 insists on deployment ban if ... P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte says he will not lift the ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait if the Kuwaiti government disagrees with the mandatory provisions he included in a deal set to be signed by the Philippines and the Gulf state.

“I demanded several things. I said if these will not be approved, Silvestro Bello, Labor Secretary, I’m sorry, no lifting of the ban,” Duterte said during the Mayor Rodrigo Duterte National Executive Coordinating

Committee National Convention at the Cuneta Astrodome on Wednesday night. He made his statement even as the Department of Foreign Affairs on Thursday urged the remaining undocumented Filipinos in Kuwait who want to go home not to wait until April 12 to register for repatriation. In a statement, the department through Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola appealed to the undocumented Filipinos in Kuwait not to wait until the April 12 deadline to register to go home. The department issued the deadline after the Philippine Embassy reported a drop in the number of undocumented Filipino workers registering for repatriation in Kuwait.

During the 39th commencement exercises of the Philippine National Police Academy in Cavite on Wednesday, Duterte also outlined some mandatory provisions that would protect the Filipinos in Kuwait. He demanded that the Filipinos, many of them domestics, be guaranteed seven hours of sleep and be allowed to cook their own food. “We will not allow leftovers to be eaten by our countrymen. They should be allowed to cook their own food,” Duterte said. He also included in the MOU Duterte the non-confiscation of the Filipinos’ passports and the employers allowing the Filipinos to take rest days and holidays. “They must have a day off so they can go

Lookout order out vs Okada, says Justice

Lawmakers... From A1

By Rey E. Requejo THE Justice department has issued an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order against Japanese gaming tycoon Kazuo Okada, who has been charged with estafa by Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment Inc., the company managing Okada Manila. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II ordered Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente to require all immigration officers to prevent Okada from leaving the country. “We deem the issuance of an ILBO against the subject person prudent in order to at least monitor [his movements],” Aguirre said. A person subject to an ILBO may still leave the country subject to some requirements―including clearance from the Justice department. An ILBO is different from a court-issued hold departure order since the former only directs Immigration to be on the lookout for the subject and to verify the status of the case against him. A person subject to the ILBO should seek an Allow-Departure Order from head of the Justice Department. Okada served as chief executive of TRLEI, the local subsidiary of the Japanese firm Universal Entertainment Corp. and owner and operator of the casino resort-hotel Okada Manila, in April and May last year. TRLEI recently filed separate complaints for two counts of estafa against Okada before the Parañaque City Prosecutor’s Office and another for perjury before the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office. TRLEI accused Okada of illegal disbursement of company funds amounting to more than $3 million supposedly for his consultancy fees and salaries during his one-month tenure as CEO.

Hollywood... From A1

scheduled to grace the event slated for March 24 and 25 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. “We wish to inform everyone that Hayley Atwell has decided to cancel her appearance in the 2018 ComicCon Asia due to the perceived ‘political unrest in the country.’ In a message sent to us, Hayley said that ‘she is not comfortable making the trip’ at this time,” organizers of ComicCon Asia 2018 said in a statement on the group’s Facebook page. “While we maintain that ComicCon Asia remains a safe space for people who are united towards a common goal—that is, to shine a light on Asian artistry and talent—we respect the decision of Ms. Atwell and thank her and her team for their time during this whole process.” Organizers assured customers who already bought tickets to see the 35-year-old British-American actress that they will be given a refund.

Six... From A1

She also said she doesn’t like the PDP. At least now we found an avenue [to campaign for the elections],” Ejercito said. This developed as 13 out of the 23 current senators on Wednesday evening signed the consolidated bill banning political dynasties. The signatories were Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Risa Hontiveros, Loren Legarda, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Poe, Ejercito, Aquino, Binay, Angara, Ralph Recto, Leila de Lima, Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian, and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan. Among the signatories, Ejercito, Binay, Angara, Recto and Gatchalian have close relatives who are currently occupying various elective positions. The senator said the “initial understanding” with Hugpong ng Pagbabago was to include the six senators as “guest candidates.” He said when it comes to their performance, the reelectionists have shown their ability, and did their part in supporting the administration. “I hope they [PDP-Laban] fight for us. I hope there’s protection… I wish they’d take care of us,” Ejercito said. Duterte-Carpio lashed out at Alvarez last month after the latter called her “part of the opposition” because she decided to form a separate regional political party. The Davao mayor then used expletives to call out the House Speaker on social media. Poe’s camp also confirmed the senator, who ran for president in 2016, is open to running under Duterte’s party. Macon Ramos-Araneta

to church. If she’s a Muslim, then you allow her to go to the mosque. A Christian, allow her or him to go to church,” Duterte said. Before thousands of his supporters who campaigned for him during the 2016 elections, Duterte vowed to protect the Filipino workers, saying “the only fault of these [workers] is they are poor”. Last month, Duterte ordered the ban on the deployment of Filipinos to Kuwait, which was triggered by the killing of Joana Demafelis, whose body was found in a freezer, and the abuses Filipinos are suffering in Kuwait. There are at least 250,000 Filipinos working in Kuwait, according to government data. PNA with Rey E. Requejo

LEGALITY DOUBTED. Concerned citizens led by running priest Fr. Robert Reyes

(second from left) filed an intervention suit before the Supreme Court onThursday expressing their grave doubts on the legality of the quo warranto filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida. Related story on Page 1. Norman Cruz

Experts:... From A1

accusation that the Chief Justice failed to file all the required statement of assets, liabilities and net worth when she applied for her post in 2012. The said provision states that a quo warranto petition may be filed against a public officer “who does or suffers an act which, by the provision of the law, constitutes a ground for the forfeiture of his office.” “The assumption in the quo warranto petition filed by the OSG is that the appointment was void ab initio or from the beginning. This means that Sereno has been holding the position in de facto status and that she does not enjoy the rights accorded to such position, even including the privilege of being an impeachable official,” said Salvador, who teaches law in Ateneo School of Law and Centro Escolar University College Of Law. Salvador said the quo warranto petition is actually the more proper remedy to question Sereno’s stay in office than the impeachment case in Congress. Jamon agreed, saying the quo warranto petition filed by the solicitor general was valid. “Quo warranto can be filed in the Supreme Court and it is the mandate of the Supreme Court to resolve such [a] petition,” he said. The professor in De La Salle University College of Law added that such petition is a civil action filed to remove a usurper or an unqualified person from an important government post. Even former solicitor general Florin Hilbay and Integrated Bar of the Philippines, national president Abdiel Dan Elijah Fajardo, who are both perceived to be defenders of Sereno in the impeachment case against her, agreed that it would be best for the Supreme Court to resolve the quo warranto case. “The Court is the final arbiter of the Constitution, they have the final say. You might want to disagree with the Supreme Court but they have the final say,” said Hilbay, a constitutional law professor at the University of the Philippines college of law.

Boracay... From A1

including Senator Nancy Binay, questioned the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.’s release of provisional license to a unit of Macau-based Galaxy Entertainment Group. Roque said that even after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a rehab of the island paradise due to its worsening water pollution problem, the temporary closure will not affect the planned construction of casinos on Boracay because they still will have to be built. “But what I do know is there’s a moratorium right now in place for any further improvements in Boracay. So, like I said the last time: Caveat developer! Warning to the developer, they should know that all their development plans hinges on what the President will decide upon the issue of Boracay,” he said during a Palace press briefing. “Right now, there’s a moratorium on new improvements. So, they can’t build, even if they wanted to today, because of the moratorium,” he added, noting it would take three years to build the resort. The recommendation for Boracay’s closure, meanwhile, will take at least six months, the spokesman added. The group Boracay Tourism Stakeholders, however, said in their own press briefing that the move would only result in massive unemployment among the island’s residents and revenue losses for the enterprises currently there. With at least two million visitors yearly, Boracay brings in P56 billion in annual revenues for the country, they noted. Instead of a three- or six-month closure, the group proposed to the government to allow them to undertake individual rectification, cleanup and rehab of their respective properties for 60 days from April to May.

“Ultimately, it is the SC that will say what the law is and what rules will apply. Only the current composition can decide whether the Court is going to be passive and exercise judicial restraint, or whether it is going to be an activist court that will set precedent and create another avenue for the removal of a sitting Chief Justice,” added Fajardo in a separate interview. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has issued a similar opinion saying that Sereno may be removed by the Supreme Court through the quo warranto petition filed by OSG. He explained that while the chief justice is an impeachable official, the Supreme Court has the power to act and resolve a quo warranto petition against her once filed by the proper party. “If your appointment is void an initio or invalid from the beginning, I believe that a petition for quo warranto will suffice to remove you from your position notwithstanding the fact that you are an impeachable official,” Aguirre said in a text message. A quo warranto petition challenges the legal basis of one’s appointment and seeks the removal of the respondent from office because of lack of qualification or legal basis to continue holding such office. In their earlier testimonies before the House panel, Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta and Teresita Leonardo-De Castro slammed the failure of Sereno to meet the 10-year statement of assets, liabilities and net worth requirement during her application for chief justice post to replace the ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona. Peralta said this development puts into question the legitimacy of Sereno’s appointment as chief justice, which he said could be considered void from the start. De Castro, for her part, believed that it was “great injustice” for other nominees for the chief justice post knowing that the one appointed by former President Benigno Aquino III was actually not qualified due to incomplete requirements. Upon discovery of Sereno’s failure to meet the SALN requirement for the chief justice post, the OSG filed the quo warranto petition.

Du30... From A1

“The DoJ should be thoroughly doing its job. The DoJ should not rely on those involved in the case,” she said. Poe noted that what Napoles was doing —by offering to become a state witness and thus enter the WPP—is just “natural” to save herself. “You will say anything. She’s doing selfpreservation so why give premium on the testimony of a person who is part of this corruption?” the senator told reporters. Aguirre said the DoJ wanted Napoles to be a state witness and said she could be one if she is willing to shed light on the P10-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund scam. Napoles, who was earlier placed under “provisional” witness protection, was now ready to “tell all” she knew of the scam, Aguirre said. Napoles is currently detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City. She is facing multiple charges of plunder, graft and direct bribery before the Sandiganbayan for her alleged role in the scam. Earlier, a lawyer for Napoles admitted they sought legal advice from Malacañang for her to be taken out of her detention at Camp Bagong Diwa and be provisionally placed under the WPP. Poe said Napoles, as the alleged mastermind, was not worthy of government protection at all. The DoJ’s assertion that Napoles was “not the most guilty” in the pork barrel scam was questionable when pieces of evidence against her even led to the indictment and detention of several high-profile public officials, including three senators, Poe noted. For her part, Senator Leila de Lima said since Napoles was already in jail, she should rot in there for the rest of her life.

Named intervenors are Zarate, ACT Teachers Party-list Reps. Antonio Tinio and Francisca Castro, Gabriela Women’s Party Reps. Emerenciana de Jesus and Arlene Brosas, Anakpawis Party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Sarah Jane Elago. Former senator Rene Saguisag, Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Secretary-General Renato Reyes Jr., Aksyon Demokratiko affiliate Kaye Ann Legaspi, and National Union of People’s Lawyers Secretary-General Ephraim Cortez are also included in the list of intervenors. The intervenors also include Francisco Alcuaz, Bonifacio Ilagan, and retired colonel George Rabusa, all convenors of the watchdog group Movement Against Tyranny. Intervention is a remedy by which a third party who is not originally impleaded in a case may participate in its litigation to protect a right that may be affected by the decision on the case. Whether or not a party may intervene is at the discretion of the court. Earlier, a group of concerned citizens and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines also objected to the use of quo warranto proceedings to unseat Sereno, who is an impeachable public officer. The group of concerned citizens led by running priest Robert Reyes on Thursday filed an intervention case with the Supreme Court seeking to dismiss the quo warranto petition. The group warned that the use of quo warranto proceedings to unseat a public officer who has been functioning for a long time would disrupt public service. “Impeachment is the only possible course of action prescribed by the 1987 Constitution that can be undertaken to unseat an impeachable officer like the chief justice,” the group said. The petitioners added that Sereno’s appointment is valid considering the process that she went through including the screening of the Judicial and Bar Council, being shortlisted by the JBC and President Aquino’s decision to appoint her. “Any other charges, such as the incomplete submission of Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth or SALN and her psychological tests can be best explained in the course of a full-blown impeachment trial now at the doorsteps of the Senate,” the group said.

Oust-CJ... From A1

“Apart from lying, attorney Gadon is also skilled in harassing and haranguing his own colleagues in public,” the complainant said, citing the threats made by Gadon against the Chief Justice and the harassment suits he filed against court personnel who testified in favor of Sereno in the hearings. The complainant recalled that on Feb. 22, Gadon publicly tried to force Sereno to resign by dangling threats of supposed criminal cases to be filed against Supreme Court officials. Gadon made true his promise when he filed graft charges against them before the Department of Justice on March 12 after Sereno rejected his resignation call. He lamented how Gadon’s bid to oust Sereno “left a trail of ruined reputations, derailed careers, and shamed families.” “He [Gadon] has destroyed careers and reputations. He has demeaned his profession. He must be disbarred,” he said. “What is even more striking is that he did not mind if he had personal knowledge of the facts alleged in his complaints, or that he had adequate legal bases for the same,” he added. Garrido said Gadon’s impeachment bid has already become a “campaign of harassment against other civil servants.” “Attorney Gadon’s conduct should be judged regardless of the outcome of the impeachment complaint against CJ Sereno or the cases he has filed or threatened to file against other court employees. By and of itself, his conduct is disgraceful and a blackeye on the profession,” the lawyer said. Gadon shrugged off the disbarment complaint that he said was filed by a “lawyer who only wants to be popular by riding on the impeachment issue.” This is not the first disbarment case against Gadon. Earlier, lawyers Algamar Latiph and Musa Malayang filed a disbarment complaint before the Supreme Court against Gadon over his threats against Muslims in Mindanao during his failed senatorial bid in the 2016 elections. The complaint was based on Gadon’s television interviews during the campaign where he made hateful remarks against the Muslims in Mindanao when asked how he plans to address rebellion by some groups there. In the said interviews, he was quoted saying he would pulverize Muslim communities if they will not cooperate in the government’s bid to address the insurgency and rebellion problem in the region.

Join PMA, PNPA, Rody urges Moros By Vito Barcelo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte says he wants more Moros and other Filipinos to join the Philippine Military Academy and the Philippine National Police Academy. Speaking during the graduation rites of the PNPA in Silang, Cavite, on Wednesday, Duterte said the country needed more men who would serve and protect the country and called on the Moros, Ilocanos, Visayans and others to join the PMA or PNPA. “Not all the Moros of Mindanao are our enemies. Maybe next time there should be a percentage of the Moro people joining the PMA or the PNPA. We need them,” Duterte said. “Many of the Moro people who were soldiers were there and many died for our country,” he said, citing the battles during the five-month siege of Marawi by terrorists. “We cannot govern this country by just selecting from the other provinces without looking towards Mindanao. And we need officers trained and we need to work with them in Mindanao,” Duterte said. “But as a matter of fact, it should be divided among the tribes, the Ilocano, the Bisaya. That ought to be the Philippine National Police.” Duterte said he would also be looking forward to more police officers coming from the different parts of the country and vowed to try to have the money to enlist them.

10 Aegis fratmen face arrest—RTC

A REGIONAL Trial Court has ordered the arrest of the suspects in the hazing death of University of Santo Tomas law freshman Horacio Castillo III in September last year. Alfredo Ampuan, the presiding judge of Manila RTC Branch 40, found probable cause to charge the accused based on his evaluation of the Justice department’s resolution indicting them. He ordered the arrest of Mhin Weig Chan, Jose Miguel Salamat, John Robin Ramos, Marcelino Bagtang Jr., Arvin Balag, Ralph Trangia, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver Onofre, Joshua Joriel Macabali and Hans Matthew Rodrigo, all members of the Aegis Juris fraternity. UST expelled eight law students tagged in Castillo’s fatal hazing last month, but it refused to identify the students. Castillo died while undergoing initiation rites at the Aegis Juris fraternity on Sept. 17. His death put the spotlight on fraternities and their culture of hazing, prompting lawmakers to amend the anti-hazing law.

Naia... From A1

Naia landed on the 10th spot while Rome’s Fiumicino Airport came in first, followed by Australia’s Perth Airport and Canada’s Calgary International Airport. Completing the list of the 10 most improved airports were Taiwan Taoyuan, Athens, Nadi, Montreal, Moscow Sheremetyevo and Houston Intercontinental. “We are only as good as our last accomplishment,” said Manila International Airport Authority general manager Eddie Monreal as he welcomed the report. “The bigger challenge now is how to sustain it.” The Skytrax World Airport Awards are voted for by air travelers in the largest, annual global airport customer satisfaction survey. The survey is operated as an independent study, with no entry fees or charges to any airport, and the Awards ceremony is also provided to winning airports at no cost. The use of award logos and related information is free of any charge. The 2018 Awards are based on 13.73 million airport survey questionnaires completed by over 100 different nationalities of airline customers during the survey period.

PH,... From A1

Cayetano said at the press conference that China and the Philippines “are finding a common legal framework to conduct joint exploration and surveys.” “Our relationship... is in a golden period, and with very positive momentum,” he said, adding that the countries “are now ready to face more challenges together.” However, no further details on the nature of the agreed cooperation were given. Cayetano said last month that Manila would consult legal experts to make sure any accord would not infringe on Philippine sovereign rights. Duterte has described a proposed deal as akin to “co-ownership” of contested areas, saying this was preferable to the “massacre” of Filipino troops in a war with China. Duterte’s willingness to cooperate with China marks a turnaround from the stance of predecessor Benigno Aquino who accused Beijing of encroaching, occupying, and building structures on reefs and rocks that Manila claims as part of its exclusive economic zone. Aquino won an international arbitration tribunal ruling in 2016 invalidating Beijing’s claims, but Duterte set aside the ruling while courting investments and trade from the Philippines’ giant neighbor, the world’s second-largest economy. Wang said since 2016, the high level exchanges and political mutual trust have resulted in higher trade between the two countries.AFP and PNA

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FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

SC: R-II Builders has right to sue By Rey E. Requejo

HE Supreme Court has ruled with ﬁnality upholding the right of R-II Builders Inc. to ﬁle a case before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to recover more than P4 billion from two government agencies, in connection with the Smokey Mountain Development and Reclamation Project in Manila that started in 1993.

In a resolution released on Thursday, the SC denied the motions filed by the National Housing Authority and the Home Guaranty Corp. to reconsider its July 26, 2017 ruling that dismissed their petitions for lack of merit. “Acting on the petitioners’ separate motions for reconsideration… and considering that there is no substantial argument to warrant a modification of this Court’s resolution, the Court resolves to deny reconsideration with finality,” the resolution stated. The SC ruled that “no further pleadings or motions shall be entertained” and “let an entry of judgment in these cases be is-

sued immediately.” In its July 26, 2017 resolution, the SC dismissed the petitions ﬁled by NHA and HGC which challenged the 2015 decision of the Court of Appeals in favor of R-II Builders, owned by port developer Reghis M. Romero II. “After judicious consideration of the arguments raised by petitioners HGC and NHA, the Court resolves to deny the instant petitions for review on certiorari for lack of merit. Petitioners failed to sufﬁciently show that the Court of Appeals committed reversible error in issuing the assailed decision and resolution,” the SC ruled.

The high court stressed that the primary objective of R-II Builders in ﬁling a civil case before the Quezon City regional trial court “is to recover the residual value of the asset pool (Smokey Mountain Asset Pool or SMAP) in the SMDRP after its liquidation and the annulment of the instruments in question.” “We agree with the ﬁnding of the CA that based on the allegations in the complaint, as well as the reliefs prayed for therein, the suit instituted by respondent R-II Builders, Inc. was a personal action because its primary objective was the rescission of certain agreements,” the high court said.

PRESIDENTIAL INTERACTION. President Rodrigo Duterte interacts Wednesday with attendees of the Mayor Duterte National Executive Committee National Convention at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City. Malacañang Photo

FVR will no longer attend congressional inquiry on PhilExport By Maricel V. Cruz FORMER President Fidel Ramos will be spared from attending a congressional inquiry into allegedly disadvantageous lease contract involving the lease of a P7.5-billion ﬁve hectare government property for a measly P1,000 a year, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said on Thursday. Alvarez said there was no need for the House committee on good government and public accountability to

invite Ramos as one of the resource persons on the congressional probe into the alleged disadvantageous lease contract involving prime government real estate stretching over ﬁve-hectares on Roxas Boulevard. The deal happened during the Ramos administration. The committee investigation on the issue was in response to House Resolution1188 ﬁled by Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone asking the panel to conduct a review of the reported

non-performance by private parties Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. and Manila Exposition Complex Inc. of their obligations under the contract. The move to summon Ramos was raised by Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. Earlier, the House good government and public accountability committee, chaired by Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, summoned former President Benigno Aquino III to testify on the

Dengvaxia vaccine controversy. At the same time, Alvarez denied having made any comment on the issue raised by Evardone to the good government panel, saying he kept an impartial stance on the issue. Alvarez said he never stated that the Philexport deal was “worse than the Tadeco” (Tagum Agricultural Development Co. Inc.) lease of the more than 5,300 hectares of Bureau of Corrections land within the Davao penal colony.

53rd Anvil Awards Revilla to SC: Stop plunder and graft proceedings to name winners from 450 entries THE 53rd installment of the Anvil Awards of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines has received a record-breaking number of entries, a total 450 submissions, up by more than 10 percent from 404 entries last year. “We are very pleased and surprised by the volume of entries we have received. This is the highest number of entries in the history of PRSP,” said Owen Cammayo, chairman of the 53rd Anvil Awards. “The enthusiastic response from PR practitioners nationwide simply shows the growing importance and credibility of the field of public relations in the country. It certainly plays an important role in any company or organization,” he said. Presented annually by the PRSP, the Anvil is the symbol of excellence in public relations. It is given to outstanding public relations programs, tools and, now, even individual practitioners who, after careful screening and vetting by distinguished PR professionals and notable experts in various fields, have reached the highest standards of PR practice. Cammayo, head of Corporate Affairs and Communications of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, said PRSP had gathered some of the most groundbreaking and innovative tools and programs thus far. “Selecting the qualifying entries was a daunting task for our screeners and judges. The entries revealed a wealth of new ideas that flowed from the boundless creativity and ingenuity of Filipino communicators,” said Cammayo.

DETAINED former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. has again prodded the Supreme Court to stop the proceedings at the Sandiganbayan, in connection with the P224.5-million plunder and graft cases ﬁled against him for alleged anomalies involving his Priority Development Assistance Fund. In a seven-page manifestation and urgent motion for interim measures, Revilla reiter-

ated his plea for the high court to issue a writ of preliminary injunction or temporary restraining order enjoining further proceedings in his plunder case, particularly those for the reception of his evidence. Revilla stressed that the Sandiganbayan had compelled him to present evidence for his defense speciﬁcally against the 5,134 pieces of evidence it has admitted.

The former senator lamented that none of the 5,134 pieces of evidence had shown that the basic elements of plunder existed. “Given these injudicious circumstances, petitioner was constrained to give up several trial dates out of the 60 dates allowed by the Sandiganbayan for him to present evidence and he is already in peril of losing all the dates allowed for his defense,” Revilla said. Rey E. Requejo

CRY FOR JUSTICE. Militant workers from the Kilusang Mayo Uno demand justice for the victims of Manila Pavilion Hotel and Casino fire during a memorial program held in front of the hotel for the fire victims in the blaze Sunday. Norman Cruz

Farmer’s daughter wants list scrapped THE daughter of a peasant leader has asked the Department of Justice to abandon its so-called “sham terrorist list” which tagged her father as one of the more than 600 personalities that the government wanted declared as “terrorists” by the court. Novinm Murillo, daughter of Norberto Murillo, stressed that her father was a human rights defender, being a member of Alyansa’t Lakas ng Mamamayang Demokratikong Pilipinas and Kusog san mga Biktima 1081. “My father is a victim of an oppressive state that brands as terrorists those who fight for the rights of the people. We demand that Duterte’s sham terrorist list be junked,” Novinm said, in a statement released by human rights group Karapatan. “Many people have not heard of my father, Norberto Murillo. He is not a terrorist. He is a leader of small farmers in Leyte. A father to three children. He spent his life fighting alongside farmers. In the blink of an eye, he was branded a terrorist,” she added. According to Novinm, her father was detained at the Manila City Jail, along with activists she identified as Dario Tomada and Oscar Belleza who were also included in the DoJ’s terror list. She said the three were charged with “trumped-up cases of multiple murder for the so-called mass graves in Hilongos, Leyte, purportedly discovered by the military in 1984.” “I grew up seeing and knowing that my father worked alongside farmers, fisherfolk, drivers and the rest of ordinary people who are awakened from oppression and exploitation by those in power. My father may only be one of them, but greater are his principles and the life he chose to serve the people,” she added. Novinm said that if the government defined terrorists as “Filipinos who fight for the rights of the people,” then “the Philippines is full of terrorists.” Rey E. Requejo

Malacañang condoles with victims’ kin MALACAÑANG on Thursday offered sympathy to the families and friends of victims who died in a bus accident in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro last Tuesday. In a Palace briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. asked the media to pause for a prayer for the victims of the road mishap. “The Palace expresses its deep sympathies to the victims to their families and friends,” Roque said. Roque also urged bus drivers to observe extra caution when plying their respective routes especially as more people were expected to visit their provinces during the Holy Week and summer vacation. “We appeal to all, especially bus drivers, to observe extra caution especially as Holy Week and summer break is fast approaching where more of our citizens are expected to visit their respective provinces,” Roque said in Tagalog. Roque, meanwhile, said the Palace would await results of the investigation to find out whether officers of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board were also at fault for their negligence. “Let’s wait for the result of the investigation. If there are negligent government employees involved, there will surely be someone sacked,” Roque said. Roque, however, assured that justice for the victims’ families and friends would be served. “At present, we are sending our sympathies to the family of those deceased. We will reach the point where justice will be served to those who died in the accident,” Roque said. To date, the LTFRB has grounded 10 buses of Dimple Star Bus after one of the company’s units figured in an accident that killed 19 people in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. The LTFRB has directed Dimple Star to inspect and determine the roadworthiness of its buses and for its drivers and conductors to undergo road safety seminar during the effectivity of the suspension order. The LTFRB, meanwhile, assured that financial assistance would be provided to the victims. PNA

Opinion

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018

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Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Exiled Syrian doctors go back to work helping refugees in Turkey By Luana Sarmini-Buonaccorsi SAFA AL-HUSSEIN comes into the consultation room with her four-yearold daughter, Ahed, who has a leg injury she suffered during an attack on the northern Syrian city of Raqa. She is treated by a doctor and nurse, who are both Syrian like her. But this healthcare center is hundreds of kilometres (miles) from their native country, in the heart of the Turkish capital, Ankara. Turkey has taken in more than 3.5million refugees from Syria since the conflict began in March 2011. Since then, millions have fled the country or been forced into internal displacement. The Ankara centre’s medical team is partly made up of Syrian refugees. After seven weeks of training, administered by the Turkish health ministry and the World Health Organization, they are authorised to work in the migrant health centre, returning to careers they had in Syria. They take care of Arabic-speaking refugees in Ankara, the majority of whom are Syrian, in a setting that is as reassuring as it is functioning and safe. Extremely progressive The Turkish government has drawn up “extremely progressive legislation for refugees”, said Felix Leger, responsible for health matters in Turkey for the European Commission’s humanitarian aid organization, ECHO. ECHO partly finances the training provided to the Syrian refugee doctors and nurses. “A registered refugee has the same rights in terms of access to health and education as a Turkish citizen,” Leger said. But language and cultural barriers can be a major obstacle, so the idea emerged that refugee nurses and doctors could themselves help their compatriots overcome those issues, he added. The training consists of a week of theory classes, followed by six weeks of practical courses in which the Syrian medical staff follow their Turkish counterparts during consultations. It is a way of certifying the professional skills of those who often fled to Turkey without their diplomas. They can then work in one of 99 Turkish health centers available for migrants. So far, more than 800 doctors have been recruited at the end of their course at one of seven training centers, set up since January 2017. Trust issues Doctor Nidal Arap, who fled Aleppo in 2012, has been working in the Ankara center since last June. He says around 600 patients pass through each day. “Since [the patients] do not speak Turkish... they could not explain to the doctor what they had, what they wanted. But now they can come here, and get treatment in their language,” he told AFP during a visit to the center. Eight of the health clinic’s 10 doctors, and 10 of the 13 nurses, are Syrian. Arap is following the case of Ahed in particular, with whom he formed an immediate bond. “Her father was also called Nidal,” he says, smiling. “The first time she came, she clung to me and did not want to let me go.” Ahed plays with balloons given to her by the centre’s workers to help reassure her, as her mother tells AFP what happened to their family. “We were at home when an air strike hit, killing my husband and my daughter, and injuring Ahed,” Hussein said. After the first operation, the hospital staff in Syria recommended taking Ahed abroad for her care. Mother and daughter came to Turkey six months ago and heard about a center where “good Syrian doctors worked”. The child has been coming for treatment ever since. “Now Ahed can walk,” her mother says, smiling. Door-to-door The Syrian doctors also contribute to campaigns encouraging infant vaccinations organized by the health ministry and WHO. “These campaigns in the past ran into problems of trust between medical teams and target populations, simple people who come from regions affected by conflict and were scared,” said Mohammad Khattab, a doctor, who also came from Aleppo and arrived in Turkey in late 2015. “The presence of Syrian doctors and nurses alongside our Turkish brothers has greatly contributed to the success of these” door-to-door campaigns, he added. Turn to A5

The economic cost of Boracay

has essentially become the face of Philippine tourism that has rivaled equally-famous shores such as Bali, Indonesia; Capri, Italy; Santorini, Greece; and Bora Bora in Tahiti. Boracay’s environmental degeneration is a wake-up call for both the government and private sector, which must work together to ensure Philippine islands and other tourist destinations are protected and sustained through comprehensive master planning. Tourism spots should strike a balance between economic growth and environmental preservation. The culprits that caused Boracay’s degradation, meanwhile, should be charged in courts and face the consequences. Local government units that allowed the structures to sprout over the island without regard to the environment should also be held accountable for violating the regulations.

HUTTING down Boracay Island completely for one year in order to clean it up is an extreme measure. The island can be rehabilitated and restored near its former glory in partial stages without rankling stakeholders, especially the thousands of small workers and entrepreneurs who make a living in the famous tourist spot.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry early this week raised the same alarm, warning that Boracay’s total closure could negatively affect the Philippine economy. The business group suggested a partial shutdown, or one station of the island at a time, to give way to rehabilitation. Boracay’s contribution to the tourism industry and the economy as a whole should not be ignored. The tourism industry in 2017 was the third-biggest contributor to the country’s gross domestic product, with 20 percent of the total income generated by the sector coming from Boracay.

Over two-million local and international tourists visited Boracay last year, accounting for a 16-percent increase in island arrival from 2016. The island generated 17,737 direct tourism jobs, or 66 percent of the entire Western Visayas region. Also at risk is P56 billion worth of yearly tourist spending that will be lost once the imminent rehabilitation of the island starts. Boracay’s total closure, in addition, may boomerang on the Philippines. The island is the most prominent beach and leisure destination included in the majority of tour packages sold overseas. It

PENSEES FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO

The Senate as continuing body ONE of the clearest articulations of the theory of Senate as a continuing body is, as mentioned by Justice Antonio Nachura, the landmark case of Arnault v. Nazareno, G.R. 3820 (July 18, 1950). There, the Supreme Court held: “Like the Senate of the United States, the Senate of the Philippines is a continuing body whose members are elected for a term of six years and so divided that the seats of only onethird become vacant every two years, two-thirds always continuing into the next Congress save as vacancies may occur thru death or resignation. Members of the House of Representatives are all elected for a term of four years; so that the term of every Congress is four years. The Second Congress of the Philippines was constituted on December 30, 1949, and will expire on December 30, 1953. The resolution of the Senate committing the Petitioner was adopted during the first session of the Second Congress, which began on the fourth Monday of January and ended in May 18, 1950.

It is instructive that the 1987 Constitution and the 1935 Constitutions of the Philippines have staggered senators’ terms—thus assuring the continuity of the chamber.

Statement of concern on recent developments affecting the impeachment of Chief Justice Sereno THE Center for Excellence in Governance, a consortium of institutions committed to raising the governance standards in the country through its four advocacies, namely, the Institute for Solidarity in Asia or ISA (public governance), the Institute of Corporate Directors or ICD (corporate governance), the Center for School Governance or CSG (school governance) and the Center for Family Advancement or CFA (family governance), expresses its great concern in the current efforts to compel Chief Justice Maria Lourdes A. Sereno to immediately resign—an act which would effectively deprive her of the legal process mandated by our Constitution for resolving complaints filed

against her. Such a process serves to protect not only the rights of the Chief Justice but—more importantly—the legitimacy and effectiveness of our institutions of public governance. The Constitution is the fundamental law of the land, having been promulgat-

ed and ratified by the sovereign Filipino people. All three co-equal branches of the government are bound to respect and obey this Constitution. We urge our legislators in both houses of Congress—the members of the House of Representatives and, should the Chief Justice be impeached, the members of the Senate—to be circumspect in the exercise of their respective roles in the impeachment process. We enjoin them to utilize impeachment proceedings as an opportunity to strengthen, rather than weaken, our democratic institutions. We continue to believe that ours is still a government of laws and not of men— a government where the Constitution reigns supreme.

Had said resolution of commitment been adopted by the House of Representatives, we think it could be enforced until the final adjournment of the last session of the Second Congress in 1953. We find no sound reason to limit the power of the legislative body to punish for contempt to the end of every session and not to the end of the last session terminating the existence of that body. The very reason for the exercise of the power to punish for contempt is to enable the legislative body to perform its constitutional function without impediment or obstruction. Legislative functions may be and in practice are performed during recess by duly constituted committees charged with the duty of performing investigations or conducting hearing relative to any proposed legislation. To deny to such committees the power of inquiry with process to enforce it would be to defeat the very purpose for which that the power is recognized in the legislative body as an essential and appropriate auxiliary to is legislative function. It is but logical to say that the power of selfpreservation is coexistent with the life to be preserved. But the resolution of commitment here in question was adopted by the Senate, which is a continuing body and which does not cease exist upon the periodical dissolution of the Congress or of the House of Representatives. There is no limit as to time to the Senate’s power to punish for contempt in cases where that power may constitutionally be exerted as in the present case.” Here the Court links the “continuing” character of the Senate with the staggered terms of its membership, and concludes from its characterization that the chamber is a “continuing body” that its power to punish for contempt does not end with a congressional term. That of course does not answer the question why it has to be a “continuing chamber.” In its Resolution in the case of Neri

Turn to A5

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Opinion The Senate... From A4

v. Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, G.R. 180643 (September 4, 2008), the Court drew a distinction between the “continuity of the Senate as an institution” and the day-to-day business of the Senate. Of this, the Court, drawing from the Rules of the Senate itself maintained that the Senate of each Congress acts separately and independently of its predecessors. The Court thus proceeded to rule that the publication of the Rules of one Senate did not satisfy the requirement that rules be published, for succeeding Senates. We are therefore taken a step farther, but really not too far, for insofar as the “continuance” of the Republic’s institutions are concerned, this would not be peculiar nor particular to the Senate but to all institutions of the Republic laid down by the Constitution. But is there something more, something analogous to the Supreme Court’s “continuity” by which it takes judicial notice of its own decisions in previous cases and by which its present acts bind future acts of the Court unless a future Court should deliberately and collegially vote to alter its course. In League of Cities of the Philippines v. Comelec, G.R. 176951 (November 18, 2000) that saw the High Court twist and turn and pirouette of the issue of the cityhood of municipalities that aspired after cityhood status, the Court ruled that Congress is not a continuing body—without any specific reference to the Senate. “Congress is not a continuing body. The unapproved cityhood bills filed during the 11th Congress became mere scraps of paper upon the adjournment of the 11th Congress. All the hearings and deliberations conducted during the 11th Congress on unapproved bills also became worthless upon the adjournment of the 11th Congress. These hearings and deliberations cannot be used to interpret bills enacted into law in the 13th or subsequent Congresses. The members and officers of each Congress are different. All unapproved bills filed in one Congress become functus officio upon adjournment of that Congress and must be refiled anew in order to be taken up in the next Congress. When their respective authors refiled the cityhood bills in 2006 during the 13th Congress, the bills had to start from square one again, going through the legislative mill just like bills taken up for the first time, from the filing to the approval. Section 123, Rule XLIV of the Rules of the Senate, on Unfinished Business, provides: Sec. 123. x x x All pending matters and proceedings shall terminate upon the expiration of one (1) Congress, but may be taken by the succeeding Congress as if presented for the first time. (Emphasis supplied) Similarly, Section 78 of the Rules of the House of Representatives, on Unfinished Business, states: Section 78. Calendar of Business. The Calendar of Business shall consist of the following: a. Unfinished Business. This is business being considered by the House at the time of its last adjournment. Its consideration shall be resumed until it is disposed of. The Unfinished Business at the end of a session shall be resumed at the commencement of the next session as if no adjournment has taken place. At the end of the term of a Congress, all Unfinished Business are deemed terminated. (Emphasis supplied) Thus, the deliberations during the 11th Congress on the unapproved cityhood bills, as well as the deliberations during the 12th and 13th Congresses on the unapproved resolution exempting from RA 9009 certain municipalities, have no legal significance. They do not qualify as extrinsic aids in construing laws passed by subsequent Congresses.” But of course, nothing is new is really taught us that we already did not know, but it does make us careful about a possible difference in the characterization of Congress as a whole and one of its chambers! McGrain v. Daugherty, 273 US 135 (1924) is more helpful. It goes into the consequences of the theory of Senate as a “continuing body.” “Another question has arisen which should be noticed. It is whether the case has become moot. The investigation was ordered and the committee appointed during the Sixty-Eighth Congress. That Congress expired March 4, 1925. The resolution ordering the investigation in terms limited the committee’s authority to the period of the Sixty-Eighth Congress; but this apparently was changed by a later and amendatory resolution authorizing the committee to sit at such times and places as it might [273 US 135, 181] deem advisable or necessary. It is said in Jefferson’s Manual: • ‘Neither house can continue any portion of itself in any parliamentary function beyond the end of the session without the consent of the other two branches. When done, it is by a bill constituting them commissioners for the particular purpose. But the context shows that the reference is to the two houses of Parliament when

Exiled... From A4

Same tragedy On the floor below is a “safe space” for women and young girls, providing psychological and social support for migrants. Here too, trust is essential. “It is not an easy thing to build trust between that community and us so we have staff called health mediators to provide a bridge,” said Duygu Arig, humanitarian program regional manager for the UN Population Fund. The focus is on reproductive health and

adjourned by prorogration or dissolution by the king. The rule may be the same with the House of Representatives whose members are all elected for the period of a single Congress; but it cannot well be the same with the Senate, which is a continuing body whose members are elected for a term of six years and so divided into classes that the seats of onethird only become vacant at the end of each Congress, two-thirds always continuing into the next Congress, save as vacancies may occur through death or resignation. Mr. Hinds in his collection of precedents says: • ‘The Senate, as a continuing body, may continue its committees through the recess following the expiration of a Congress.’ And, after quoting the above statement from Jefferson’s Manuel, he says: • ‘The Senate, however, being a continuing body, gives authority to its committees during the recess after the expiration of a Congress.’ So far as we are advised the select committee having this investigation in charge has neither made a final report nor been discharged; nor has it been continued by an affirmative order. Apparently its activities have been suspended pending the decision of this case. But, be this as it may, it is certain that the committee may be continued or revived now by motion to that effect, and, if continued or revived, will have all its original powers. 25 [273 US 135, 182] This being so, and the Senate being a continuing body, the case cannot be said to have become moot in the ordinary sense. The situation is measurably like that in Southern Pacific Terminal Co. v. Interstate Commerce Commission, 219 US 498 , 514516, 31 S. Ct. 279, where it was held that a suit to enjoin the enforcement of an order of the Interstate Commerce Commission did not become moot through the expiration of the order, where it was capable of repetition by the commission and was a matter of public interest. Our judgment may yet be carried into effect, and the investigation proceeded with from the point at which it apparently was interrupted by reason of the habeas corpus proceedings. In these circumstances we think a judgment should be rendered as was done in the case cited (emphasis supplied).” This being the concept of Senate as a “continuing body,” the characterization is by no means effete, because business commenced by Senate in one Congress need not become moot on upon the end of the term of such a Congress. It would then appear that it was the Philippine Supreme Court that did not appreciate the full implication of the “continuing character” of the Senate. Obviously, when the framers both of the 1987 Constitution chose to stagger the terms of the Senators, they were obviously abiding by a concept of the Senate that is clearly of American provenance and vintage. The composition of the Philippine Senate under our ConCom proposals thus far is not too different from the composition of the Council of States under the Constitution of India that is one of the two houses of Parliament. The Council of States is “a permanent body,” with its membership serving in staggered terms. Quite interestingly, the Constitution of India underscores this difference by prescribing that “a Bill pending the Council of States which has not been passed by the House of the People shall not lapse on a dissolution of the House of the People”. By contrast, “a Bill which is pending in the House of the People, or which having been passed by the House of the People is pending in the Council of States, shall, subject to the provisions of Article 108 lapse on a dissolution of the House of the People.” Constitutional theorists have also remarked on the resiliency of the French Senate despite attempts of several strong presidents to dismantle it. De Gaulle tried to reform it out of existence, and lost, and resigned his office as a result of his defeat. French senators are chosen for nine-year terms, although a reform law of 2003 reduced the senatorial term to six years, one third of the membership of the Senate being renewed every three years and, in this sense, it is a continuing body. Precisely because the Senate we contemplate is a college of regional representatives, there is greater need for it to be a “continuing body” as American jurisprudence (and partly by Indian constitutional theory) has understood it: Principally, in the sense that business commenced in the Senate under one Congress need not be restarted from “ground zero” in the next Congress because of the “continuing” character of the Senate. It is instructive that the 1987 Constitution and the 1935 Constitutions of the Philippines have staggered senators’ terms— thus assuring the continuity of the chamber, in the same way that the French stagger the terms of their Senators. This fact alone suggests the continuing usefulness of the concept of Senate as a “continuing chamber” or body and the adoption of the concept by our Committee. rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@outlook.com gender-based violence, subjects which can be difficult to tackle. The mediators, selected from among people who have benefited from the health center’s services, undergo intensive training for five days, provided by UNFPA. One of the five mediators at the Ankara center, a mother of four originally from Aleppo who asked not to be identified, described how the women she approaches sometimes break down in tears as soon as she speaks to them. “Women trust us and cooperate with us because we have the same experience, we have experienced the same tragedy,” she said.

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018

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Donald J. Duterte FORMATION GARY OLIVAR IT HAD to happen, sooner or later. This latest nickname for the American president was seen on a protester’s placard in New Hampshire—the first state that gets to vote in US electoral primaries—after Trump said the other day that he might consider pushing the death penalty for “drug kingpins” who, because of their deadly trade, effectively commit multiple murder. Such a move would of course have to clear the US Congress as well as the Supreme Court, which among other things would have to rule whether such a drastic federal penalty is proportionate to the gravity of the offense committed. Evidently Trump thinks so, an opinion that is obviously shared by Donald’s “brother” Digong. *** But neither Trump nor other rightthinking Americans should need a Duterte to point out the gravity of the threat posed by the drug trade. The entirety of American culture today is awash in drugs, so much so that a wildly popular TV series like “Breaking Bad” could run for nearly ten seasons purely on the misadventures of a couple of social misfits who turn to baking crystal meth, or shabu. The reason drug usage gets away with a wink and a nod in the States—and can even end up being glorified like the heroes of “Breaking Bad”—is the reification of Rights and of the Self in that thoroughly self-absorbed culture. If I’m able to get away with doing something, no matter what it is, then it’s probably a Right that I’m entitled to, just because it’s something I want to do. It’s a pervasive way of thinking that cuts across ideological divides. On the far right, groups like the NRA are ready to die for their constitutional right to bear arms, even if that so-called right is clearly premised by the US Constitution on the existence of, and need for, a popular militia—one that, 250 years later, has long been replaced by a professional standing army. On the lefty-liberal side, the same groups who’d oppose Trump’s death penalty for druggies—let alone Duterte’s far harsher statements—are virtually certain to be the same people who’d cheer the Right of American mothers to murder a million unborn babies every year, vilify pro-life Catholics exercising their own free speech rights as “the new Taliban,” and want the US

State Department to coerce countries like ours to adopt abortion policies buried deep within “planned parenthood” and “responsible parenthood” programs. The hypocrisy—on human rights, unborn babies’ rights, drug criminals’ rights—is so rank, it makes you gag. But doesn’t an abortion ban drive women with unwanted pregnancies underground? Heck, yes, and of course it should. Murdering the unborn is a practice that deserves to be carried out with shame, in the shadows. Underground is where it belongs, together with purveyors of the drug trade—in their case, six feet under. *** Talking about hypocrisy may not be the best segue into a look at the latest news from our esteemed leaders in Congress. Or—maybe it is? Over at the House, the honorable congressmen voted a new divorce bill into law, 134-57 with two abstentions. It was noteworthy that after the vote, Duterte broke his conspicuous silence on the issue to reveal that, no, he was opposed to

But neither Trump nor other rightthinking Americans should need a Duterte to point out the gravity of the threat posed by the drug trade.

ladies and gentlemen approved, by 17-2, a new law creating a national identification system. The new national ID card can be used in all transactions with government, making it more convenient for our citizens to avail of public services. The ball is now with the House to come up with a similar counterpart bill from their end, which can then be consolidated into a single law for the President’s OK. The new ID card ought to be less controversial than divorce, except for the usual leftist claptrap about government invasion of privacy. But what may upset some other folks is a recent estimate from Neda that the new system may cost up to P24 billion to roll out. We hope we get to see the details about those imposing costs as soon as possible. *** We close with our occasional roundup of economic news, most of it, again, positive: The Philippines finally inked a new agreement for a P51-billion loan from Japan to finance the planned Metro Manila subway. This will be the first tranche for the P357-billion first phase of this ambitious project. Even if it breaks ground on schedule, it’s sure to be unfinished by the time Duterte steps down. That’s why we ought to elect the right man—or woman—again in 2022. AMRO, a regional think tank, expects our economy to grow even faster in 2018 and 2019 due to buoyant exports and higher domestic consumption driven by grand infrastructure projects like the new subway. But even with funds like the Japanese loans coming in, I’m not sure if we have the non-financial resources—technical talent, cooperative local governments, transparency and political will—to start up all those projects on schedule. All that growth is bound to take a toll on the country’s financials. The current account deficit more than doubled last year to hit its highest level since 1999, mainly because of strong imports. The overall balance of payments deficit also more than doubled last year, albeit still within government’s original target due to recordhigh inflows of foreign direct investments. And this early, the 4 percent inflation target for the current year is already certain to be breached. To put things in perspective, though, any fast-growing economy always runs the risks of overheating as well as overleverage. Even as we’re watching out for these risks, let’s not take our eyes off the prize.

the new bill, because it would be “disadvantageous” to children and abandoned mothers. Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who shepherded the bill through the House, has announced that he will be talking to the President to try and change his mind. After all, they share a common history of failed first marriages—one which unfortunately is all too common as well in our country, whether or not the couple is honest, or lucky, enough to split up and move on. We sense, however, that Duterte is being canny about the divorce issue, which isn’t part of his core agenda for governance. If the true believers in the Senate on either side of this issue win his vote against the other side, they ought to add their strength to the President’s on the isReaders can write me at gbolisues that do matter to him. Speaking of the Senate, those exalted var1952@yahoo.com.

Banking a revolution VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ AS PRESIDENT and CEO, Edwin R. Bautista’s greatest fear is waking up one morning to find that the bank he has helped steer and nurture into one of the Philippines’ most dynamic, profitable and innovative banks, has become irrelevant. That the McDonald’s, Starbucks, 7-Eleven, Ministop or even Watson’s outlet a block away from his highperched, elegant and sprawling Ortigas office has overtaken its business. To placate that fear, Edwin has launched what could be the most revolutionary transformation a local bank has undertaken—go digital. To do that, it has been procuring and harnessing various kinds of technology—blockchain, robotics, AI. Also, UnionBank has aggressively poached from larger companies wizards of technology and the digital game, given them lofty positions and lucrative deals to convert the bank, from analog to digital. The IT team is led by Chief Technology and Chief Transformation Officer Henry Aguda, a telco and IT veteran. “It is not just technology,” says Bautista, who has been with UnionBank since 1997, first as a senior vice president after hugely successful stints as a marketing whiz kid at Procter & Gamble, American Express International, and Citibank. “It’s about people. Our culture at Union Bank is people first— our shareholders, our employees, our clients, our communities.” Transformation began internally. Employees had to be taught the innards of digital banking, how to do coding, how to execute, how to deal with customers, and how to stop or blunt hackers. So UnionBank invited among the best minds on the topic to lecture employees. UnionBank believes that to expand the bank, you don’t need to build brick and mortar branches, because later, if not sooner, people will simply refuse to visit their bank. Thus, the bank has only a third to half (304) of the branches of the three leading banks BDO (1,103), Metrobank (704), and BPI (821). In fairness to BDO, Metrobank and BPI, whose branches sit cheek by jowl with each other on busy

Ortigas Avenue, each of their branches averages P3 billion in deposits, enough scale to operate a branch. UnionBank management thinks branches will soon become irrelevant. Because the smartphone can do just as well, and most probably at lesser cost, what a regular branch does. So UnionBank is re-purposing its employees, as marketers of its services, from bank tellers and managers. They become loans and investment officers and financial advisers. “Everything is on a smartphone. People are used to downloading apps or ecommerce and streaming movies. That’s the lifestyle of today and it will be so in the future,” Bautista figures. “We need to weave a complete digital flow from your device to the bank to the clearing house back to different banks back to the

UnionBank management thinks branches will soon become irrelevant.

phone all in that one click.” Not going to a bank at all will actually benefit the depositor or customer. Because such a visit usually costs money. “A bank is a high-transaction cost because of the number of tellers needed,” explains Bautista. The challenge then is to capture the customer who is not visiting his bank and service him. Otherwise, he will go to a remittance center, a 7-Eleven, a Starbucks, a McDo, or a drug store to do his banking. UnionBank has delivered on the digital promise. It says 90 percent of its transactions are now digital, from 20 percent five years ago. It has reaped awards and profits for the effort. It is AsiaMoney’s Best Digital Bank for 2017. The same year, Union was cited as the Domestic Retail Bank Year in PH by Asian Banking, Best Universal Bank by Capital Finance International, and Best in API (Application Program Interface) Innovation by Infosys. UBP posted a net income of P8.4 billion in 2017, compared to the P10.1

billion recorded the previous year. Excluding one-time gains from securities trading, core income was up by a robust 30.4 percent to P8.2 billion from P6.3 billion in 2016. Return on equity was 12.4 percent, and return on average assets was 1.5 percent. UnionBank also continues to be one of the most cost-effective banks in the industry with cost-to-income ratio of 53.9 percent. Total assets reached a new high of P622.1 billion, up 18.6 percent. Total loans grew 19.4 percent year-on-year to P281 billion. UnionBank’s loan portfolio is diversified, with consumer loans accounting to more than one-third of total loans. Total deposits rose 18.9 percent from a year ago to P447.6 billion. “We are pleased to continue making major headway on both our business and digital transformation strategies. Financial results were driven by recurring income across all customer business segments,” says Bautista. Simultaneously, he says, they were able to attain milestones on the user experience front: 1) EON Digital Bank as the first with selfie-banking feature in Asia; 2) The UnionBank mobile app and web versions with enhanced transactional capabilities; and 3) The launch of our concept branch, “The Ark,” that introduced the “future of branch banking” in the country. Amid investments in various digital initiatives, the Bank continues to sustain very solid profitability results. For 2018, UnionBank sees profits rising further. This year will likely be ‘very good’ for the bank, driven by continued loan and securities growth and expansion of the balance sheet, says Bautista. Total resources could easily hit P700 billion this year, he says, up from P622.1 billion in 2017. Lending activities are projected to sustain a growth of 25 percent this year, much faster than the industry pace. In December, bank lending in the country grew by some 19 percent. Consumer and small businesses now account for 70 percent of UnionBank’s revenue but by volume, they account for slightly less than 50 percent. The higher revenue contribution reflects the higher margins from these segments, Bautista says. biznewsasia@gmail.com

News

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Water Journal’ out on world water day IN LINE with the celebration of the World Water Day today, March 22, 2018, the Philippine Water Works Association, the umbrella organization of the country’s water supply industry, has released the special edition of the Water and Environment Journal co-published by PWWA and Media Touchstone Ventures Inc. Its cover story titled, Quo Vadis, Boracay? explores the problems affecting the premier island tourist attraction—which now serves as a test case on balancing infrastructure projects and sustainable development to include adequate sewage system. “This issue of the Water and Environment Journal focuses on this year’s World Water Day theme—Nature for Water—of bridging programs and projects together with other nations in ensuring that all of us have access to safe, quality and drinking water,” says publisher and author Melandrew T. Velasco. For PWWA president Eulogio F. Agatep II, this issue is a testament to a year of abundant blessings and opportunities for the association. Other stories for this issue include the landmark events of PWWA notably a recap of the 24th Philwater Conference held in Bohol and updates on its bid to host the International Water Association Conference in 2019 in the country. Former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos has also contributed a column piece titled Working Together for Climate Change. Other featured water executives include MWSS Regulatory Office chief regulator lawyer Patrick Lester Ty and Local Water Utilities Administration Administrator Jeci Lapus. This issue also serves as a special edition on MWSS as it celebrated 140 years as a water institution last Feb. 14, 2018 at the new world-class Multi-Purpose Hall and Cafeteria, formally launching its milestone coffee table book, its five flagship projects, and the unveiling of the water eco-tourism hub master plan by world-class urban planner architect Felino “Jun” Palafox. This issue also features updates of the programs and projects of Manila Water Co., Maynilad Water Services and Luzon Clean Water Development Corp. including their animated participation in the 1st Asia Water Week and Korea International Water Week in September 2017. There are two special stories in this issue. The first is about Kris Aquino, the new brand ambassador of The Healthy Family Purified Water, a product of Manila Water Total Solutions, where she talks about the importance of always drinking safe and quality water. The second special feature is on Estancia de Lorenzo, an eco-farm and leisure resort owned and managed by Dr. Eulalio D. Lorenzo, where the environment and the raw elements of nature are as vibrant and thriving as a new place to be in Mega Manila.

Manila City engineers face graft raps A MANILA city engineer official and two other engineers are facing graft cases before the Office of the Ombudsman for not implementing the ‘setback rules’ in a newly constructed building at Chinatown in violation of the National Building Code of the Philippines City Engineer officer-in-charge Rogelio Legaspi along with Engr. Reynaldo Algenio and Engr. Manuel Garcia were formally charged by Binondo Barangay Chairman Nelson Ty of Brgy. 289 Zone 27 for violating the country’s building code. In his 10-page complaint, Ty accused Legaspi and others for collaborating with businessman Gerie Chua and private contractor Jimi Lim to seize the public property and ignore the “setback law” when they constructed the 14-storey building owned by Chua. Chua and Lim, owner of Ironcon Builder and Development were likewise charged as private respondents in the case. Under P.D. 1096, a three-meter ease or interval in front of a building from the owner’s property line should be used as a public road, but in the case of Chua’s building at Ongpin Street, Ty said Legaspi gave favor to the use of the public road, despite knowing that it is a clear violation of the law. “The foregoing acts of herein respondent public officials who apparently tried to give reasonable favors and accommodation to private respondents Chua and Lim despite the blatant violation of the mandatory provisions of the Building Code of the Philippines to utter prejudice and damage of the general public in particular,” Ty said in his complaint. The Filipino-Chinese Community condemned the biased actuation, with Legaspi saying that they had been religiously complying with the building code while Chua illegally exempted him. The issue of the “setback law” was raised by President Rodrigo Duterte on Boracay Island due to the occupation of buildings and establishments built near the 30-meter buffer zone from the island’s seas. This led the President to order to shut down the Boracay operation for six months until the island was cleared of environmental issues. Vito Barcelo

MM mayors agree to MMDA ploys to ease heavy traffic By Joel E. Zurbano

VACATION TIME. The number of passengers start to build up at the Cubao Provincial bus terminal in Quezon City as they travel to their respective provinces for the Holy Week vacation. Manny Palmero

Fertilizer case vs Syjuco junked by Sandiganbayan By Maricel V. Cruz

ITING “inordinate delay” in the prosecution of the case, the Sandiganbayan's First Division has dismissed the graft charge ﬁled by the Ombudsman against former director general Augusto Syjuco Jr. of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in connection with the alleged anomalous purchase of farm inputs in 2004.

In a 12-page resolution promulgated on March 16, the anti-graft court granted Syjuco's motion to dismiss the case owing to violation of his right to a speedy trial. In the same resolution, the court also dismissed the case against former Vice Mayor Ramon Anino of Alimodian, Iloilo, and then-councilors Emmanuel Adricula, Aquiles Cabaluna, Miguel Ambong, Geefre Alonsabe and Job Almacen. The court also lifted the hold departure orders against Syjuco and his co-accused and ordered the release of their bail bonds. The case stemmed when Syjuco, a former Iloilo congressman, and his coaccused tapped Tawo Kag Duta sa Kauswagan Cooperative as nongovernment organization-partner for the acquisition of farm inputs for Alimodian town. The P5-million purchase was funded through the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani Program of the Department of Agriculture, that is in charge in the implementation of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act. The Ombudsman accused Syjuco and local ofﬁcials of Alimodian of conspiring with private respondents Timoteo Salvilla,

Edgardo Comoda, and Corazon Taladua, all of whom are executives of the nongovernment organization, when the municipal council passed a resolution authorizing the late Alimodian mayor Bernardo Ambut to purchase the farm inputs. Syjuco said the Ombudsman took almost 12 years to complete its preliminary investigation and file the case at the Sandiganbayan in November 2017. “The court found no plausible explanation why the Ombudsman needed these number of years just to determine the presence of probable cause to indict the accused-movants,” the resolution read. “To the mind of the court, the process of merely verifying a prima facie case, certainly, will not require 12 years in the context of the circumstances of this case,” it added. Meanwhile, the Sandiganbayan has recommended a six-year imprisonment for five Leyte officials who were found guilty of graft owing to alleged excessive allowances. In a decision written by Associate Justice Bayani Jacinto, the Sandiganbayan found Bids and Awards Committee members Edgardo Cinco, Luzminda Bibar,

Meonilo Reforzado, Ricardo Efren and Alfredo Canonigo of Tabontabon, Leyte guilty of ﬁve counts each of alleged violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. The anti-graft court failed to provide evidence to refute the accusations leveled them. “As against the documentary proof submitted by the prosecution, the said accused offered no defense that would supply any alternative context or justiﬁcation for their actions,” the decision read. The anti-graft court also asked the respondents to pay the local government the sum of P272,000 with subsidiary imprisonment in case of solvency. The Ombudsman accused the BAC members of having received P34,000 each in honorarium from January to May 2007—an amount beyond what was allowed by the Department of Budget and Management. It said the grant of honoraria sourced from bidding activities, for each BAC member must not go beyond 25 percent of his/her basic monthly salary, as per DBM rules. Based on prosecution's evidence, Cinco got a monthly salary of P15,314, while Bibar and Reforzado received P14,874 and P7,374, respectively. Similarly, Efren drew a monthly compensation at P6,288 while Canonigo had a salary of P4,277. The Sandiganbayan said the honoraria extended to the BAC members were sourced from the Annual Investment Fund of the municipality.

LOCAL executives in the National Capital Region have agreed with the three proposals made by the Metro Manila Development Authority to further improve the flow of traffic in the metropolis. This developed shortly after the MMDA met the Metro Manila mayors comprising the Metro Manila Council, the agency’s governing board and policy-making body, during its 12th regular meeting on Thursday. One of the proposals approved was the establishment of non-exclusive motorcycle lanes along Marcos Highway from Katipunan Avenue to Sumulong Highway and vice versa; Roxas Boulevard (from Naia/Mia Road to Anda Circle and vice versa, and Elliptical Road to Quiapo Quezon Avenue, España, Lerma, and Quezon Boulevard and vice versa). MMDA chairman Danilo Lim said the non-exclusive motorcycle lanes that were established along Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue, President Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard, Commonwealth Avenue, and President Carlos P. Garcia have been successful in instilling discipline among motorcycle drivers and have significantly reduced motorcycle related incidents in Metro Manila. “Owing to the large volume of motorcycle traffic along Marcos Highway, Roxas Boulevard, and Elliptical Road to Quiapo, it is imperative to likewise establish non-exclusive motorcycle lanes,” said Lim, who presided the MMC meeting held at the MMDA headquarters in Makati City. Under the agreement, the MMDA’s Traffic Engineering Center shall be responsible for the application of the necessary pavement markings and installation of the appropriate signage for the purposes of implementing the nonexclusive motorcycle lanes. The MMDA shall impose a P1,000 fine to violators. The mayors also agreed with the amendment of the uniform light truck ban policy that prohibits cargo trucks with a gross capacity weight of 4,500 kilograms and below on Edsa and Shaw Boulevard at certain hours of the day. With the approval, light trucks would be banned from traversing the two major roads from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. in order to further alleviate traffic congestion along Edsa, from Magallanes until North Avenue in Quezon City; and Shaw Boulevard within the jurisdiction of Mandaluyong and Pasig cities.

Pinoys should go beyond Earth Hour —Cimatu By Rio N. Araja

NO TO JUNK FOOD. The Quezon City Government has approved Ordinance No. SP-2579 or the ’Anti-Junk Food and Sugary Drinks’ which reflects the city’s proactive commitment in its partnership for Healthy Cities global network. The ordinance bans junk food and sugary drinks inside and within 100-meter perimeter in public and private schools. Officials of the World Health Organization, the Department of Health, Department of Education led by (from left), Dr. Ariel Valencia DoH, QC Councilor Irene Belmonte, Dr. Quintana of WHO, City Administrator Aldrin Cuna, Ramya Kancharla project officer City health, Helena Flora DepEd and Dr. Verdades Linga City Health link arms to signify their support to the ordinance. Manny Palmero

BI chief deploys 58 Immigration officers to airports By Vito Barcelo IMMIGRATION

Commissioner Jaime Morente pulled out 58 Immigration officers assigned in field offices and deployed them to the airports to ensure that adequate manpower is available to serve the traveling public before, during and after the Holy Week. Morente said he approved the recommendation of BI port operations division chief Marc Red Mariñas that BI officers assigned in field offices be temporarily deployed to the airports during the Lenten break. He said the personnel augmentation scheme aims to “minimize, if not eradicate, long queues of passengers” in immigration counters during the holidays when there is

an influx and exodus of large numbers of travelers to and from the country. Morente said he already signed personnel orders reassigning to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport 38 Immigration officers presently assigned at the bureau’s main office and its satellite and extension offices in Metro Manila. On the other hand, he disclosed that 20 other officers were reassigned and dispersed to the airports in Mactan-Cebu, Clark, Kalibo, and Davao. He said the officers were picked from various BI field offices situated in areas near the said airports in the provinces. According to Mariñas, all 58 officers will report to their new assignments next week

and will remain there until ordered to return to their old posts. “We will continue to monitor the situation in our airports and see to it that the traveling public is provided with quick, efficient and hassle-free service by our officers as they enter or exit our international airports,” he said. Mariñas, nonetheless, said that although the BI officers were instructed to be fast in conducting immigration formalities, they were also told to exercise extra vigilance in screening and assessing all arriving and departing passengers. “We should not allow the international terrorists and other unwanted aliens to take advantage of the occasion and sneak into our country undetected,” the BI official said.

ENVIRONMENT Secretary Roy Cimatu on Thursday called on the public to go beyond Earth Hour and make energy conservation a habit. He said there are other ways to address climate change than just to put out lights during Earth Hour. He urged millions of Filipinos participating in this year’s Earth Hour to take the next step and live an environment-friendly lifestyle that goes beyond the hour. “We must go beyond merely switching off lights for an hour if we really want to make a greater impact in ﬁghting climate change,” he said. “Let us regard every hour of every day as an opportunity to do more, so that nature may fully shine,” he added. Earth Hour 2018 that carries the theme “Let nature shine” will be observed tomorrow (March 24) from 8:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. “What will matter more in global efforts to tame climate change are the things we do between the annual celebrations of Earth Hour—they should, cumulatively, provide the cause for the celebrations,” Cimatu noted. He said it is high time people go beyond the given hour and make it a habit of using less energy and adopting other ecofriendly measures to mitigate the effects of climate change. “The challenge for us is to do more beyond Earth Hour, and on a continuing basis,” he said. There are many other ways to mitigate the impact of climate change beyond putting out unnecessary lights, the DENR chief said. “Among these are car pooling; cutting back on the consumption of goods that take large amounts of carbon emissions to produce, package, transport and market; switching to energy-efﬁcient appliances and devices; shifting to renewable energy, and raising more forests to serve as carbon sinks,” he said.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Sports

Standard

TODAY

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Villacencio wards off Superal, clings to lead

Kevin Love and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers walk off the court following the victory over the Toronto Raptors at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. AFP

SILANG, Cavite—Gretchen Villacencio straight Ladies Philippine Golf Tour crown bucked Princess Superal’s solid start with an with those early birdies and held sway with eagle-spiked two-under 70 then pounced on two more birdies on Nos. 7 and 12, only to her fancied rival’s late miscues to regain a slip back with late bogeys. But despite her shaky finish, she remained one-stroke lead after two rounds of the ICTSI Riviera Ladies Classic at Riviera’s Couples confident of nailing another crown with Cyna Rodriguez likewise moving into contention course here yesterday. with the day’s best 69 that put her Villacencio, who surprised the within two off Villacencio at 141 compact field with a lead-grabfor a crack at the top P150,000 bing 69 Wednesday, reeled back purse in the event sponsored by as Superal opened with back-toICTSI. back birdies to storm ahead and Rodriguez, three behind Vilstayed in front until she stumbled lacencio at the start of the day, with bogeys on Nos. 15 and 17 for birdied Nos. 2 and 3 then added a second 70, enabling the former another on No. 14 while parring to move in front again at 139. the rest to complete a bogey-free “I’ve been playing pretty well round that could hint at a big —from driving, irons and putfinish for the former three-time ting,” said Villacencio, despite Order of Merit winner. missing five fairways and three Villacencio Korean amateur Kim Hee Ji, who greens. She highlighted her 35-35 card with an opening 70, birdied No. eagle on the par-5 No. 7 off a solid 240-yard matched Superal’s “LEGAL NOTICE” 2 but tumbled withthata an two-bogey drive and a superb rescue shot that sailed over Notice is hereby given down to the public Extra-Judicialon Settlement of Estate she has eagled been executed by first the heirs of No. 7, which in the round. 220 yards and landed six feet off the cup. the late PACITA JHOCSON OCAMPO, namely: BENIGNO She would up with a 73J. OCAMPO, and dropped She bogeyed the next but recovered the OCAMPO, JOSE ELIGIO TEODORO ENRICO to OCAMPO, MARIA MICHELINE ESTELA O. fourthJOSE at 143 the event stroke with a birdie on No. 13 before watch- JHOCSON DUQUE, NILO in J. OCAMPO and organized JOSE LUIS J.by all ofGolf legal age and residents ofInc. Malate, Manila; Pilipinas Tournaments ing Superal stumble at the finish for that 70 OCAMPO, Greenhills, San Juan; Kaunlaran, Cubao, Quezon City, Las Min-jeong,City, therespectively, other Korean amaand a 140. Piñas Hwang City; and Mandaluyong adjudicating themselves the parcels of land consisting of Twoteur and one of the pre-tournament favorites “I know she’ll (Superal) bounce back tomor- among Hundred Ninety-Three Square Meters and Eighty Square (293.80 sq.m.), more less, located inAmateur the City after dominating the orPhilippine row (today). But I’ll be ready and will just try Decimeters of Manila and covered by No. TCT 74470; and consisting hereand lastNinety-Six January,Square hardly recovered from to enjoy my game to ease up the pressure,” said of Open Six Hundred Meters (696 sq.m.), or less, located in the Municipality of Cavinti, Province an opening 76 with a 71 as she joined Chihiro Villacencio, who honed her talent and skills at more of Laguna, and covered by TCT No. T-100945 per deed executed 26, 2018, before Notary Public Henry IkedaFebruary and Filipino amateurs MafyAtty.Singson the Fernando Airbase in Lipa, Batangas. D. Adasa, per Doc. No. 51; Page No. 12; Book No. II; Series and Missy Legaspi at fifth at 147. Superal pressed her bid for a second of 2018.” (MS-MAR.16, 23 & APR. 2, 2018)

LeBron sparks Cavaliers past Raps; Hornets win IronGirls starts Alveo Ironman THE IronGirls ushers in the Alveo Ironman 70.3 weekend today (Friday) with 600 participants all set for the 5k run at the scenic Azuela Cove in Davao City. The fun run for girls’ 12-years-oldand-above at 5 p.m. caps series of activities lined up in the first of the three-day event culminating in the Ironman 70.3 presented by Petron and held in Mindanao for the first time in a decade of triathlon staging by Sunrise Events, Inc. Sunday. The Alaska Run Out fires off the daylong action at 6 a.m. to be followed by the Bike Course Ride Out at 9 a.m. with the Ironman 70.3 Davao Expo Open, Sponsors Expo and Food Park slated from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The IronKids swim-bike-run, on the other hand, is set at 5 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday) with the local junior version of the Ironman staged to promote a well-balanced lifestyle for kids and at the same time serves as venue for family bonding. It will feature around 200 participants. Focus will then shift to Sunday’s big event, the Alveo Ironman 70.3 featuring five world champions gearing up for a blistering finish on a relatively flat and straight run and bike courses, hinting at a spirited battle of strength and stamina in the 1.9K swim, 90K bike, 21K run event. Close to 1,800 participants from 39 countries are vying in the inaugural Mindanao staging of the highly successful endurance series hosted by Davao and Azuela Cove.

EW YORK—LeBron James shrugged off ﬁve absent players and an ill coach with a virtuoso performance Wednesday, rallying the host Cleveland Cavaliers over NBA Eastern Conference leader Toronto 132-129.

The three-time NBA champion count on,” James said of Love. and four-time NBA Most Valuable “We’re all glad to have him back. Player scored 35 points, passed out I saw him in the corner and he 17 assists and had seven rebounds knocked it down.” George Hill added 22 points on with no turnovers, making the most assists in any NBA game by a player 10-of-11 shooting for the Cavaliers. Kyle Lowry led Toronto with without losing the ball. “I’ve never seen anything like 24 points while DeMar DeRozan it, to be perfectly honest with added 21. you—17 assists, 35 points and no Howard powers Hornets turnovers. It’s just amazing,” said Charlotte’s Dwight Howard Cavaliers associate coach Larry scored 32 points and grabbed 30 Drew, filling in as Tyronn Lue rebounds—the first 30-30 perforfights health issues. mance since 2010 and only the sec“What he does night in and night ond in 36 years—to lead the Hornets out, how he sustains it, it’s mind- to a 111-105 triumph at Brooklyn. boggling.” Howard was the first 30-30 player The Cavaliers, who made four since Love had 31 points and 31 redeals to revamp the roster, remain a bounds for Minnesota in a 2010 victhreat in the East at 42-29, well back tory over New York. of the Raptors’ record of 53-19 but “Congrats to @DwightHoward the new Mr. 30/30. Hell ofBLACK a night!!!” Love able to spot them a 79-64 CYAN half-time MAGENTA YELLOW tweeted after Cleveland’s victory. lead before rallying to win. The most recent 30-30 before “We’re working our tails off to keep this ship above water, to keep Love was by Moses Malone in 1982. At 32, Howard became the oldest it running tight with all the changes player with a 30-30 night since Wilt and all the injuries,” James said. “We just dug deep, came back Chamberlain at age 35. The Nets squandered a 23-point in the third quarter offensively and defensively. Everybody on the court in losing. Dario Saric, J.J. Redick, Robert contributed to this victory.” None did more than James, whose Covington and reserve Marco Belifinal assist was a pass to Kevin Love nelli each scored 15 points to power to set up a 3-pointer from the corner Philadelphia over visiting Memphis for a 128-124 Cleveland lead. 119-105. It was only Love’s second game The 76ers’ fourth win in a row back after missing 21 contests with also featured 14 points from Joel a broken left hand, but he managed Embiid plus 13 points, nine assists 23 points and 12 rebounds. and seven rebounds by Australian “He’s somebody I can always playmaker Ben Simmons. AFP

SKY offers NBA League Pass LOTTO RESULTS SKY subscribers can now watch all NBA games live with the NBA League Pass, a streaming service that gives basketball fans premium access to all games live and ondemand. Postpaid subscribers can avail of the NBA League Pass at a low price of only P499, which gives them a one-month pass. The amount will be charged to their billing statement. With the NBA League Pass, SKY subscribers can enjoy up to 1,400 games, including every available NBA game for the current regular season, NBA Playoffs, The Finals, All-Star Weekend and select pre-season and NBA Summer League games such as the Summer League and the Global Games series. NBA League Pass offers games in high-definition with live stats and multiple viewing options, including the NBA Mobile View feature that allows fans to zoom in on the action optimized for viewing on smaller screens of mobile devices.

With the addition of the NBA League Pass offering to SKY subscribers, SKY has further expanded its services on the digital platform, a move that supports ABS-CBN’s transition into an agile digital company. James Dumlao, Sky programming and packaging head, said that Sky subscribers who avail of the NBA League Pass can catch more NBA games on any screen as Sky carries complementing NBA broadcasts via Sky-affiliated channels, ABS-CBN S+A and FOX, which both broadcast the games. “We would like to give our subscribers the best sports offerings and to give them a new way to experience the NBA action on their smartphones, tablets, or PC,” Dumlao shared. Interested SKY subscribers can avail of the NBA League Pass by downloading the NBA app through the App Store and Google Play Store and visiting mysky.com.ph/nbaleaguepass to enroll their Sky accounts.

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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 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. 8. I have 3 child/children, whose names, dates and places of birth and residences are as follows: Name ONG, KYLE SABRINA ONG, KURT JOSHUA ONG, KRISTINE SHAIRA

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

am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of 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

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

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:

Name of School CHIANG KAI SHEK PHIL. CULTURAL HIGH P.S.B.A.

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 “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.”

am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of

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

OURS! Symone Hayden (left) and Darlene Ramdin of Generika-Ayala simultaneously keep the ball alive during their team’s outing against Cignal in the Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga Grand Prix at the Filoil Flying V Centre. Roman Prospero

LOCAL triathlon gets further boost as top Asian multisport brand TRI-Factor holds the third leg of its Asian Championship Series in Camarines Sur in May with a slew of rising and leading triathletes in the region expected to see action. Put up to provide multi-sport beginners, enthusiasts and veteran triathletes —even kids—a venue to hone their talent and skills in swimming, biking and running, the TRI-Factor have grown from organizing multi-sport events in Singapore to creating the premier shortcourse championship series across the Asian region. It features kids triathlon (100, swim5km bike-1km run), freshmen triathlon (200m swim-10km bike-2km run), sprint triathlon (750m swim-20km bike-5km run), standard triathlon (1.5km-40km bike-10km run) and long triathlon (1.5km swim-60km bike15km run). “We’re pleased to announce the TRIFactor Asian Championship series with new races in the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and China. Our purpose is to provide our athletes diverse race options throughout the year, catering to the specific needs of the athletes across Asia,” said Elvin Ting, manager director of organizing Orange Room Pte Ltd., during yesterday’s event launch at Alphaland City Club in Makati City. The Asian Championship 2018 series will kick off in Singapore on April 22 then to China on May 13 before action shifts to the Phl on May 25-27 at Camsur Watersports Complex in Camarines Sur. The TRI-Factor is also staged to promote an active and healthy lifestyle, particularly among the youth, and its Asian Championship leg will be held here for two years - 2018 and 2019, where hosting of more events including new race formats like CYCLE-RUN-CYCLE are being looked into. Its staging in the country comes at a time when local triathlon is enjoying tremendous boom with top-notch events held regularly across the country the last few years.

Matches April 5 (Rizal Memorial Stadium) 8 a.m. – Ateneo vs UE (Men) 2 p.m. – AdU vs UP (Men) 4 p.m. – UST vs DLSU (Women Finals)

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018

TRI-Factor Asian series boosts PH triathlon

UST remains on semifinal track; UE alive

SMBeermen favored but Hotshots unfazed By Jeric Lopez

T is on. Top seeds San Miguel Beer and Magnolia are ready to jump on each other right out of the box as they open their best-of-seven championship series in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup.

The top-seeded Beermen and the No. 2-ranked Hotshots start their war towards the jewel with Game 1 scheduled today at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with both teams seeking to draw first blood. Coming in, San Miguel Beer is once again the heavy favorite for good reasons. Three-peat defending champion San Miguel Beer is looking at rewriting history as it guns for a historic fourth straight crown in the All-Filipino conference. The Beermen know what’s at stake

and how prestigious of an accomplishment it can be if they continue their reign of supremacy. “We’re going for our fourth straight All-Filipino championship and the team knows how big of an achievement it can be for us,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria. “It will be history for us if ever.” “Siyempre finals na, so parehong gusto manalo ng championship. Para samin, ‘yung history na fourth All-Filipino talagang gusto namin makuha,” said fourtime reigning Most Valuable Player and

leading candidate for Best Player of the Conference June Mar Fajardo. On the other hand, Magnolia is looking forward to the challenge of possibly dethroning San Miguel Beer. “It’s given that we’re the underdogs, but we’re embracing the opportunity and the chance to win a championship,” said Star coach Chito Victolero. “Masarap kalaban ang champion, lalo ‘yung three-time na,” said Magnolia spitfire Mark Barroca. San Miguel Beer had a relatively easier road to the finals, having dispatched Barangay Ginebra, 4-1, in the semifinals. The Beermen had a longer rest, allowing Fajardo and star guards Alex Cabagnot and Chris Ross refresh and recuperate from minor injuries. On the other hand, Magnolia took a longer route as it took six games for it to dispatch NLEX, 4-2, in the previous round.

Siargao aligned with sports body

Elvin Ting (left), managing director of Orange Room and founder of TRI-Factor, and Christine Majadillas (right), managing director of One of the Kind Marketing, which handles TRI-Factor Philippines, pose with Ms. Earth Air 2016 Michelle Gomez of Colombia during yesterday’s launch of TRI-Factor Asian Championship Series at Alphaland City Club in Makati.

SIARGAO is aligning itself with the grassroots initiative of the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Sports Institute that aims to mold the character of children through sports. Surigao del Norte First District Representative Francisco Jose Matugas II (1st Dist.– Surigao Del Norte) co-sponsored the two-day Siargao Children’s Games festival, a United Nations Educational and Scientific Organization-recognized sports and youth development program, spearheaded by PSC and the PSI. The Games, designed for kids 12 years old and below, gathered more than 500 children in Siargao last weekend to participate in various traditional recreational activities that included Suot Lusot, Karirang Takbo, Tug of War, Karirang Talong and Bingo Went to Town. In his message during the opening of the festival, Representative Matugas hailed the holding of the Children’s Games as “inspirational” for providing the opportunity for children to enjoy and relive some of the traditional and mostly forgotten Filipino games purely for fun.

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas remained inside the Final Four range, while University of the East kept its hopes in advancing to the next round alive yesterday in the UAAP Season 80 men’s football tournament at the FEU-Diliman pitch. John Ian De Castro produced a hat-trick as the Growling Tigers rediscovered their old form with a 5-0 rout of winless Adamson University, while Kent Galaura’s second-half strike gave the Red Warriors a 1-0 win over National University in a heated match. Steven Anotado announced his return from a two-game suspension with an eighth-minute goal before Marvin Bricenio doubled UST’s lead with a 35th minute strike. De Castro then found the back of the net in the 54th, 81st and 89th minute for the Tigers to complete the domination. UST rose to 18 points, five clear of joint fifth placers NU and UE. Galaura went all the way in the 75th minute to score the winning goal for the Warriors, who like the Tigers have won their first second round match. “Honestly, sobrang thankful lang ako at nakuha namin ang game. ‘Yun ang target namin today, ang makuha ang three points. ‘Yung pangarap namin to be in the Final Four, nandoon pa rin,” said UE coach Fitch Florence Arboleda. Both teams went down to 10 men, as the Bulldogs’ Sean Epili and the Warriors’ Stephane Dagaraga were given straight reds. Aside from Dagaraga, UE will also miss Louie Polinag in their game against defending champion Ateneo when the tournament returns on April due to a second yellow.

Johnson, Rory upset in opener of Match Play AUSTIN—World number one Dustin Johnson and in-form Rory McIlroy suffered shock losses as the World Golf Championship Dell Technologies Match Play opened with a string of uspets on Wednesday. Defending champion Johnson was spent spinning to a 3 & 1 defeat in his opening group game against Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger, the world number 56 who is seeded 52nd for this week’s tournament at the Austin Country Club in Texas. Meanwhile McIlroy, who signaled his return to form on Sunday with a sensational victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, came back to Earth with a thud in his Group Six clash with Peter Uihlein. Uihlein, the 57th seed, took control of the match over the front nine, notching three early birdies to reach the turn at 4-up. A further birdie on the 10th took him 5 up, and although McIlroy staged a superb late rally with five straight birdies to trim Uihlein’s lead to two heading to the 17th, the 28-year-old held on to claim a 2 & 1 win. Uihlein later said he was relieved to have held off McIlroy’s charge after the turn. “It’s very difficult—he turned it on late. I felt that if I kept trying to give myself a chance I could get it done,” Uihlein said. “You can’t really control what he’s going to do. It was like a boxing match—if you land a couple of jabs you assume he’s going to land one eventually. But I was able to hold him off, which was nice.” The round-robin format the WGC Match Play has adopted since 2015 gives Johnson and McIlroy the opportunity to turn around their campaigns, with two more group games to come on Thursday and Friday before the start of Saturday’s straight knockout rounds. AFP

IN BRIEF

Think tank hits Meralco over coal

THE Center for Energy, Ecology and Development on Thursday criticized power retailer Manila Electric Co. for pushing power supply agreements with coal-fired power plant developers by using as an excuse the expected higher electricity demand during the dry months. “Meralco and its affiliate coal companies have pushed for the approval and operation of their coalfired power plants under the guise of protecting consumers from power outages,” Gerry Arances, executive director of CEED, said in a statement. He said the agreements were being questioned especially its impact on the environment and possible increase in power rates. The Office of the Ombudsman earlier ordered the suspension of four commissioners of the Energy Regulatory Commission over allegations of anomalous coal PSAs. Arances said some wind and solar contracts became cheaper than coal. He said that under the seven coal PSAs of Meralco, the average rate of coal electricity was P3.65 per kWh. Meralco recently received offers from wind and solar developers at a lower rate of P3.50 per kWh and P2.99 per kWh, respectively. Alena Mae S. Flores

Business

Truck prices rise because of Train

HD Megratrucks and Equipment Inc., the Philippine distributor of trucks and equipment from China and Japan, said Thursday it remains optimistic about business prospects this year despite the implementation of the Tax Reform from Acceleration and Inclusion or Train Law. HD Megatrucks president Daniel Chua told reporters his company raised prices by 5 percent to 10 percent because of the Train law. “This all natural. If the whole market is increasing, we cant’ do anything,” he said during the opening of a new HD showroom in Balintawak, Quezon City. Chua said despite the Train Law, he was optimistic about the company’s prospects this year because of the government’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ program. “The demand is growing quite good and we are targeting a 50-percent growth this year. Our market right now is about 30 percent and we want to get at least 50 percent of the market by a year or two,” Chua said. Chua said the company invested P10 million to P15 million for the new showroom. Darwin G. Amojelar

Budget reform bill ensures transparency

THE Budget Reform bill passed by the House of Representatives on third and final reading by 1588 vote Tuesday aims to ensure public spending integrity and accountability through greater transparency, fiscal responsibility, result orientation, efficiency and effectiveness. Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, House appropriations committee vice chair, said House Bill 7302 was expected to reform the country’s budget management system and support the government’s push to substantially increase investments in infrastructure. Salceda steered the measure’s plenary deliberation. He said the strategic elements of the breakthrough reform measure included a shift from an obligation-based budgeting to an annual cash-based budgeting making the appropriations law the authority of agencies to contract out and disburse funds within the fiscal year. It also enforces a one-fund-concept where money received by the national government will accrue to the general fund and remitted to the national treasury.

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018

By Darwin G. Amojelar

GLOBE-SHAKEY’S PARTNERSHIP. Shakey’s Pizza Asia Venture Inc., operator of one of the biggest and most iconic pizza store chains in the country, taps Globe Telecom and GCash to allow customers to order and pay for pizza, pasta, chicken and other favorite food and drinks with mobile phones. Shown during the signing of the partnership agreement are (from left) Mynt president and chief executive Anthony Thomas, Globe chief commercial officer Albert de Larrazabal, Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu, SPAVI president and chief executive Vicente Gregorio, SPAVI general manager Jorge Concepcion and Globe senior vice president for enterprise group Peter Maquera.

PT&T secures deal to use power grid for broadband By Darwin G. Amojelar

HILIPPINE Telegraph and Telephone Corp. said Thursday said it signed an agreement with state-run National Transmission Corp. for the potential use of the government’s national ﬁber optic backbone facility.

PT&T, a publicly-listed company that aims to become the country’s third major telecom player, said that under the memorandum of understanding, the company and Transco would create a technical working group to ﬁrm up the preparation for the eventual use of dark (unused) ﬁber in the country’s network of transmission lines. The TWG is meant to validate the technical feasibility study conducted by PT&T more than a year ago, which would give the company a head start in

case it was awarded the third telco slot. The technical feasibility study was presented to Transco board to demonstrate how PT&T could connect existing network of fiber optic cables or FOC to the power grid. PT&T said utilizing the dark fiber in the grid would allow them to have a true national backbone that could rival those of PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. It said that approaching Transco only after the awarding of the third telco slot would delay a potential mobile rollout by at least a year. “The MOU puts us one critical step closer to having a national fiber optic backbone. We have begun looking at this from a technical standpoint more than a year ago, knowing that it would take time to develop a national/regional roll out plan that includes this backbone. This was before the third telco discussion began to take shape in November of last year,” PT&T chief operating officer Miguel Bitanga said. “With the third telco bidding, all this means is we save on time should we

be awarded and can effectively roll out this segment of a cellular network more quickly. Without cellular/third telco it gives our ﬁxed broadband plans greater access to more areas nationwide,” he said. PT&T said that leasing the Transco assets would save ﬁve to 10 years of construction time and capital expenditures versus building one on its own. Meanwhile, the company said it was hopeful that the issues between Transco and the private sector-led National Grid Corp. of the Philippines about the country’s transmission assets would be resolved. PT&T said it was open to discuss the issues with Department of Information and Communications Technology, Transco and NGCP, if necessary. NGCP, which holds the 25-year concession contract to operate the country’s power transmission network, is comprised of the Sy family’s Monte Oro Grid Resources Corp., Calaca High Power Corp. and State Grid Corp. of China as technical partner.

Pilipinas Shell spending P4.3b for expansion By Alena Mae S. FLores OIL refiner and retailer Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. said it allocated a capital expenditure budget of P4.289 billion this year mainly to expand its retail business. Pilipinas Shell, the country’s second biggest oil refiner after Petron Corp., said it would spend P2.636 billion for retail and P1.653 billion for manufacturing and supply. “Capital expenditures retail principally relate to the planned establishment of new retail service stations,” the company said in a report to the stock exchange. Pilipinas Shell opened 66 new retail stations in 2017, closing the year with a total of 1,044 retail stations. It said capex for manufacturing and supply would support the refinery’s hydrogen optimization in 2018 and 2019. The company plans to spend another P2.338 billion in 2019. “Additional capital expenditures for manufacturing and supply also related to the improvement of existing supply and distribution sites,” Pilipinas Shell said. The company said it was expecting to fund the planned capital expenditures using cash generated from operations. Pilipinas Shell reported a net income after tax of P10.37 billion in 2017, up 39 percent from P7.44 billion in 2017, despite the aggressive competition and the two-and-a-half-month maintenance shutdown of its 110,00-barrelper-day Tabangao refinery in Batangas province.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

BSP keeps interest rates steady despite rising inflation

BIR files P1.7-b case vs gold trader

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue said Thursday it filed five separate criminal complaints with the Justice Department against gold trader Angelito Ocampo dela Peña for his alleged failure to pay taxes amounting to P1.7 billion from 2005 to 2009. Dela Peña is engaged in the business of buying and selling gold exclusively to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and is registered with BIR Revenue District Office No. 24-Valenzuela City. BIR said it was suing Dela Peña for a total deficiency tax liability of P1.732 billion from 2005 to 2009. BIR said Caloocan City records of investigation showed that an access letter was sent to BSP requesting for a certification of the transactions made by the respondent for taxable years 2005 to 2009. BSP replied by issuing a certification showing that dela Peña made transactions with the BSP during the five-year period. “The respondent’s obstinate failure and continued refusal to pay his long overdue deficiency taxes, despite repeated demands, constitute willful failure to pay the taxes due to the government,” it said. BIR said the cases against dela Peña were the 140th to 144th filed under the Run After Tax Evaders program under the leadership of BIR commissioner Caesar Dulay.

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

CEBU PACIFIC GETS A321CEO. Cebu Pacific welcomes the first of its 39 Airbus A321 aircraft, which will immediately enter commercial service in time for the summer peak travel season. CEB ordered seven Airbus A321ceo (current engine option) and 32 Airbus A321neo (new engine option) with delivery from 2018 to 2022. The A321ceo of Cebu Pacific boasts of seats made by world-renowned seat manufacturer Recaro. The seats are lighter and ergonomically designed—giving passengers more distance and legroom, while increasing seat capacity by 27 percent. Each seat is also equipped with a USB port which allows passengers to charge mobile devices inflight.

MTD set to award construction contracts for Clark govt center By Othel V. Campos PUTRAJAYA CITY, Malaysia - MTD Capital Berhad said it expects to award the ﬁrst of four major contracts for the P13.6-billion, Phase 1A of the National Government Administrative Center project in Clark to a major contractor by the last week of March. MTD Capital acting chief executive Kim Siew Tee said major contractors submitted proposals for Phase 1A of the NGAC project. “We have to clear this now. Time is of the essence,” he said. MTD Philippines Inc., the Malaysian conglomerate’s Philippines unit, said it was committed to deliver Phase 1A in one and a half years, or until Oct. 15, 2019 in time for the Southeast Asian Games to be held in Manila in November of the same year.

Tee said final negotiations were ongoing, but the mother company had yet to be apprised of the recent details. MTD Philippines said under its unsolicited proposal, it was expecting to finish the construction of a government office, two blocks of apartments for government employees and a sports complex with a stadium, an aquatic facility and two blocks of apartments for athletes not later than October 2019. Tee said the Philippine subsidiary would start earning from the project upon completion of the sports complex for a period of five years with the Philippine government having an option to accelerate payment to less than five years. He said for the government facilities, the payment option was still under final negotiations for a longer tenure of about

seven to 10 years. Tee said the Philippine government wanted a longer payment option of up to 10 years for the government facility component under Phase 1A. “BCDA [Bases Conversion and Development Authority] is a tough negotiator but fair,” the company said. MTD Philippines plans to tap the Philippine ﬁnancial market to raise about P9.5 billion for Phase 1A. Project equity is about P4.1 billion. The P121.8-billion NGAC is a component of the ambitious New Clark City project of state-run BCDA. Meanwhile, BCDA is inviting investors for the construction of an access road from Clark International Airport to New Clark City and for the operations and maintenance of the Clark airport.

THE Monetary Board, the policymaking body of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, kept the borrowing rates steady Thursday, but raised the inflation forecast for the year. Bangko Sentral Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr., who also chairs the board, said in a statement the key policy rates were retained at 3 percent for overnight borrowing and 5 percent for overnight lending. The corresponding interest rate on deposit facilities was also kept unchanged. “The Monetary Board’s decision is based on its assessment that while recent inflation out-turns show an elevated path in 2018, the latest baseline forecasts continue to show inflation remaining within the inflation target in 2018 and moderating further in 2019,” Espenilla said. He said the Monetary Board considered that prospects for domestic activity continued to be firm on the back of robust domestic demand, strong growth in credit and liquidity and a sustained recovery in global economic growth. “At the same time, the Monetary Board observed that the risks to the inflation outlook remain weighted toward the upside owing mainly to price pressures emanating from pending petitions for adjustments in minimum wages and transportation fares,” Espenilla said. Espenilla said the non-monetary measures such as institutional arrangements in setting transportation fares and minimum wages, unconditional cash transfers and transport subsidies were expected to help mitigate the inflationary impulses.

BoI approves P6.95b worth of investments

THE Board of Investments said Thursday it approved three expansion projects in the manufacturing sector with a combined cost of P6.95 billion. The agency said it approved the P3.99billion project of San Miguel Yamamura Asia Corp. as an expanding producer of glass containers, the P2.86-billion project of Philippine Resin Industries Inc. for the manufacture of suspension-type polyvinyl chloride or PVC resins and Metalcast Corp.’s P100-million project as an expanding producer of aluminum die cast parts for motorcycle and automotive parts. “Investor conﬁdence is real. The Philippines continues to be a magnet for investments, and this is due to the country’s improving business environment, sound macroeconomic policy, political stability, favorable demographics, and of course, our people, who have always been the country’s prime asset in attracting foreign investments,” said Trade Secretary and BoI chairman Ramon Lopez. SMC Yamamura is putting up a new glass facility in a 32,000-square-meter lot in its existing plant in Imus, Cavite. The company will upgrade to the latest machinery and equipment in the glass manufacturing industry with some technological innovations/improvements to the existing facility. The plant will expand by an additional 92,517 metric tons per year from the existing 145,701 MTPY capacity. It will produce all kinds of container glasses with sizes ranging from 45ml to 1250ml. The expansion of SM Yamamura aims to address the increasing demand for glass packaging products in the country and export markets. Philippine Resin’s P2.86-billion expansion in its plant in Mariveles, Batan will provide an additional 120,000 MT to its current annual 100,000 MT capacity. Formal operation is expected to start January 2019. The ﬁrm will use a state-of-the-art technology acquired through a licensing agreement with Japan-based Tosoh Corp., one the largest chemical and specialty materials companies in Asia. The P100-million expansion of Metalcast Corp. involves the installation of additional facilities and equipment to add 1,800 MT to the annual existing 2,850-ton capacity in its existing plant in Carmona, Cavite for export to clients based in Thailand and Japan. Othel V. Campos

Business

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rebounds; Ayala Land up

TOCKS rebounded Thursday from a three-day slump, on bargain-hunting after the benchmark index fell below the 8,000-point level a day earlier.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, jumped 215 points, or 2.7 percent, to close at 8,124.45, as the six major sectors advanced. Despite the Thursday’s gain, the bellwether was still down 5.1 percent since the start of the year. The heavier index, representing all shares, also climbed 101 points, or 2.1 percent, to settle at 4,890.17, on a value turnover of P8.4 billion. Gainers outnumbered losers, 122 to 75, while 47 issues were unchanged. Sixteen of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by property developer Ayala Land Inc. which went up 5.5 percent to P41.95 and conglomerate SM Investments Corp. which rose 5.3

percent to P980. PLDT Inc. gained 4.3 percent to P1,533. Meanwhile, Tokyo stocks closed 1 percent higher as bargain-hunting after three straight days of losses offset a stronger yen. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index edged up 0.99 percent, or 211.02 points, to close at 21,591.99, while the broader Topix index was up 0.65 percent, or 11.10 points, at 1,727.39. The dollar extended losses in Asia on Thursday after the Federal Reserve stuck to its target for interest rate hikes this year, but fresh fears of a trade war hit equity markets as Donald Trump prepared fresh sanctions on China. After one of the most anticipated meetings in recent months, the central bank lifted borrowing costs, as expected, to a decade high but indicated just two more over the rest of the year, confounding forecasts of three more. Jerome Powell, in his ﬁrst news confer-

ence since taking the helm, said the move was in response to a strong economic outlook that had been helped by December’s tax cuts, while improving jobs creation was lifting incomes and confidence. In response, the dollar sank against most other units in New York and while the Fed also said it saw a more aggressive path of hikes over the next two years as the economy continues to strengthen, the US unit failed to bounce back. It extended the losses in Asia, with talk of a monetary tightening trend in Europe and Japan adding to its weakness. “The statement would suggest it’s open season on the dollar and greenlights sellers to re-engage as the Fed failed to confirm any of the markets’ hawkish suspicions,” said Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trading at Oanda. The Fed rate hike was followed by Hong Kong’s de facto central bank as the two are linked via a currency peg. The dovish short-term outlook for US

borrowing costs provided optimism for Asian investors initially before a broad rally fizzled. Tokyo ended one percent higher after a three-day losing streak and Seoul closed up 0.4 percent. But trading floors remain edgy as it emerged Trump is expected to hit China over what Washington calls “theft” of US intellectual property. The move would further strain tensions with Beijing after the White House unveiled controversial tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, which sparked fury from world leaders. “The key risk is that it does not end with this modest baseline scenario” said Oxford Economics chief Asia economist Louis Kuijs, according to Bloomberg News. “More measures may follow, and titfor-tat responses could lead to escalation. Collateral damage in other economies will be significant and could further complicate the trade friction.” With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 59.5 11,360 112 3,866,360 3.2 82,000 143.5 2,246,490 1.67 318,000 34.9 176,700 15.46 2,200 29.85 938,900 3.39 48,000 895 70 0.56 385,000 84.95 5,908,860 1.28 2,860,000 12.3 41,100 55.3 207,350 240.8 4,740 108 650 45 35,300 248 356,310 1,930 15 90 268,310

676,089.50 424,076,577 250,650 323,455,733 522,090 6,167,475 34,014 28,102,550 157,160 62,650 211,930 496,378,192.50 3,522,790 505,534 11,442,745 1,140,464 69,215 1,575,035 88,117,434 28,950 24,146,723.50

-5,920 -137,272,320 -51,348,831 4,135,650 2,420,765 72,143,077 1,963,120 -585,279 22,520 3,717,372 3,557,664.50

INDUSTRIAL 39 2,821,700 14 1,432,700 0.58 170,000 1.29 619,000 22.75 481,600 0.217 780,000 165 120 3.69 1,572,000 17.54 374,000 280 220 50.8 530,000 22.5 59,200 59.1 248,550 76 3,620 85.25 10 2.05 927,000 5.3 30,200 10 16,000 11.78 1,355,300 14.5 1,142,600 10.74 59,600 7.5 65,800 5.85 828,500 1.64 23,000 17.08 1,306,500 64.9 19,310 24.05 69,900 9.85 12,000 16.1 5,727,700 2.25 4,117,000 286.8 573,890 52.55 190 5.02 24,900 3.33 1,000 18.78 1,000 26.25 618,500 16.14 48,200 20 139,000 330 627,810 0.193 1,160,000 7.8 3,600 2.79 308,000 5.01 209,000 8.8 1,326,600 6.09 33,400 1.51 411,000 11.3 123,000 61.4 903,530 6.05 45,000 560 19,170 4.72 8,000 2.16 220,000 3.45 4,000 2.22 1,227,000 14.6 887,100 5.3 11,800 0.134 720,000 1.05 86,000 152 802,580 2.63 1,000 1.94 2,412,000 0.87 127,282,000

109,699,565 19,720,590 96,950 799,370 11,318,010 169,470 20,370 5,853,670 6,540,268 61,600 26,309,960 1,343,570 14,961,669 270,629 852.5 1,867,680 160,540 158,104 15,635,432 16,542,832 648,782 497,595 4,787,164 37,730 22,127,718 1,261,708 1,689,180 117,111 94,026,546 9,272,690 164,489,332 10,000.50 123,694 3,330 18,778 16,209,965 779,238 2,779,064 206,591,656 219,680 28,200 871,700 1,037,950 11,657,314 199,772 623,490 1,388,138 55,641,488.50 273,750 10,925,435 37,680 481,250 13,800 2,738,590 12,967,282 62,470 96,570 87,830 121,121,415 2,630 4,702,840 106,134,910

33,650,890 2,641,540 -57,000.00 -191,490 -614,820 5,328,472 27,855 -26,893 10,620 1,000 8,619,582 3,431,412 8,492 -35,995 -1,583,371 1,650 -4,436,616 620,464 36,450 68,228.00 5,014,286 667,710 -59,961,304 -5,268,245 -21,000 1,820 -39,982,588 19,000 36,500 60,002 -4,265,390.00 -233,856 -20,684,504 -927,065 9,400 -8,560 653,200 -7,262,270 14,356,687 60,850 3,194,960

527,000 112,902,611.50 101,863,018 128,710 569,108 1,569,830 176,540 620,972,755 9,625 4,456,371 41,871,798 49,108 194,779,855 514,304 217,844,538.50 673,120 724,253 80,683,520 14,814,940 182,979,211 225,100 2,299,240 3,378,870 27,335,182 35,980 571,339,325 2,490 2,260,160 3,870,335 147,682 30,400 3,860

-29,133,003 -64,597,714 5,460 -134,560.00 -98,791,680 3,678,434 -588,086 -94,400,795 -24,228,002 485,848 11,178,018 1,302,820.00 -63,247,191 -633,020 4,436,681 159,140,665 -48,920 -136,180 -

3,558,780 10,431,880 424,546 104,810 2,979,200 694,392,565 2,074,180 574,560 656,433 3,900 10,794,250 30,890 81,350 3,990,340 276,450 12,382,710 492,360 252,480 14,656,740 58,189,430

68,232 -298,550 8,400 69,677,245 81,400 70,800 -872,600 184,910 2,429,220 -4,480 -6,789,520 -1,592,610

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

59.6 109.2 3.03 143.8 1.64 34.9 15.44 30 3.28 895 0.54 83.75 1.28 12.22 55.05 240 105.2 43.25 245 1,930 89.95

59.6 113 3.2 145.2 1.67 34.95 15.5 30.05 3.39 895 0.57 85.1 1.28 12.32 56.5 241.6 113 46 248.6 1,930 90

59 109 3.02 141.9 1.63 34.85 15.44 29.8 3.26 895 0.54 82.85 1.17 12.22 55.05 240 105.1 43.25 245 1,930 89.95

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 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 VULCAN INDL

38.1 13.68 0.57 1.26 22.5 0.225 174 3.66 17.42 280 47 23.5 61 71.65 85.25 2.06 5.3 9.88 11.24 14.26 10.54 7.31 5.66 1.64 16.3 64.3 24.75 9.75 17 2.17 285.4 51.3 4.88 3.33 18.76 26.15 16.2 20 326 0.189 7.85 2.85 4.95 8.75 5.96 1.52 11.5 61.2 6.2 583 4.71 2.32 3.45 2.25 14.78 5.25 0.135 1.07 149.7 2.63 1.96 0.74

39.8 14 0.58 1.3 24.95 0.225 175 3.78 17.54 280 51 23.5 61 77 85.25 2.08 5.4 10 11.78 14.6 10.9 7.62 5.85 1.65 17.1 66 24.75 9.96 17.2 2.32 288 54 5.02 3.33 18.78 26.35 16.2 20.2 330.6 0.194 7.85 2.86 5.04 8.85 6.09 1.54 11.5 61.85 6.2 583 4.72 2.32 3.45 2.28 14.8 5.35 0.135 1.07 152 2.63 1.99 0.9

37.8 13.58 0.57 1.26 21.95 0.216 165 3.64 17.3 280 47 22.1 59 71.65 85.25 2 5.3 9.86 11.22 14.1 10.54 7.31 5.66 1.64 16.3 64.3 24 9.53 15.9 2.14 282.4 51.25 4.88 3.33 18.76 26.15 16.14 19.8 325.6 0.188 7.8 2.78 4.91 8.7 5.96 1.51 11.1 61.2 6.05 555 4.7 2.01 3.45 2.17 14.4 5.25 0.134 0.99 149.5 2.63 1.9 0.74

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

0.31 69.9 13.24 0.91 6.78 0.57 0.58 918 1,925 7.24 12.78 7.4 1,211 6.96 62.5 0.68 5.07 19 0.73 5.31 0.045 1.11 3 134.1 2.57 930 0.83 1.82 697.5 265 0.23 0.193

0.31 69.9 13.44 0.93 6.78 0.57 0.59 938.5 1,925 7.37 13.3 7.56 1,233 6.96 63.5 0.69 5.25 19.2 0.78 5.47 0.046 1.24 3.19 139.5 2.57 980 0.83 1.85 697.5 272.6 0.235 0.193

0.295 68.05 13.12 0.91 6.5 0.55 0.58 918 1,925 7.2 12.64 7.4 1,204 6.94 62.05 0.63 5.07 18.6 0.68 5.23 0.045 1.11 3 133 2.57 923 0.83 1.76 500 263 0.23 0.193

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

6.4 0.98 15.7 2.07 0.85 39.8 3.65 4.74 6.06 6.5 0.435 1.07 1 0.248 0.45 30.65 0.64 0.118 1.66 1.4

6.5 1.07 16.04 2.14 0.87 41.95 3.76 4.78 6.06 6.5 0.44 1.12 1.03 0.265 0.46 32.45 0.65 0.13 1.71 1.59

6.35 0.98 15.7 2.03 0.83 39.75 3.64 4.7 6.01 6.5 0.43 1.06 1 0.243 0.45 30.2 0.64 0.115 1.65 1.38

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

IRC PROP MEGAWORLD 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

0.99 4.64 0.63 0.375 0.51 4.06 35 19.52 1.99 3.2 33.15 0.99 17.88 0.83 6.05

1.08 4.78 0.66 0.38 0.52 4.12 35 20 2.02 3.35 34.4 1.01 17.88 0.92 6.31

0.95 4.64 0.6 0.365 0.5 4.04 35 19.52 1.97 3.2 33.15 0.99 16.66 0.83 6.05

0.96 4.76 0.64 0.38 0.52 4.04 35 20 2.02 3.34 34.4 1 16.88 0.85 6.31

10,253,000 19,740,000 157,621,000 4,320,000 1,844,000 278,000 500 1,285,500 155,000 351,000 8,169,900 1,245,000 102,600 1,893,000 4,561,300

10,357,700 93,002,540 100,375,300 1,593,600 937,590 1,130,100 17,500 25,492,974 309,530 1,142,560 277,381,770 1,241,990 1,745,814 1,671,400 28,495,623

154,450 -20,223,600 -1,099,070 51,000 214,480 3,685,158 65,470 1,793,385 55,226 957,511

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

18.1 28.6 1.24 0.5 0.047 12.5 5.24 14.16 0.063 96.5 7.45 7.5 2.42 27.7 1,550 6.25 302 11.72 5.18 2.52 104.6 12.9 8.3 0.125 1.5 3.25 15.18 6.75 1 26.5 5.24 7.46 3.27 8.35 11.2 10.2 2.8 115.9 6.83 1,480 1.11 0.45 52.6 85 7.37 2.63 1.48 0.435 3.88 0.86 11.2

18.2 28.7 1.24 0.52 0.051 12.5 5.24 14.5 0.065 96.5 7.6 7.65 2.42 28.45 1,600 6.36 311.8 13.5 5.47 2.6 108 13.18 8.3 0.125 1.52 3.43 15.5 6.95 1.02 28.5 5.85 7.8 3.35 9.28 11.98 11 2.8 116.9 6.83 1,535 1.14 0.53 53.25 87.5 7.8 2.65 1.49 0.455 3.88 0.86 11.2

17.96 28.45 1.23 0.495 0.047 12.5 5.24 13.8 0.063 93 7.41 7.4 2.42 26 1,530 6.25 302 11.7 5.18 2.4 103.8 12.9 8.3 0.123 1.49 3.25 15.18 6.58 0.98 26.5 5.2 7.4 3.27 8.02 11.12 9.8 2.78 111.6 6.6 1,471 1.11 0.445 52.25 84.8 7.2 2.61 1.45 0.43 3.61 0.83 10.96

SERVICES 18.02 28.45 1.23 0.51 0.05 12.5 5.24 14.5 0.065 96 7.6 7.4 2.42 27.35 1,600 6.34 310 11.7 5.4 2.5 104 13.18 8.3 0.123 1.5 3.25 15.5 6.81 1.02 28 5.7 7.71 3.3 9 11.2 10 2.78 116.1 6.62 1,533 1.11 0.53 53 87.5 7.42 2.63 1.48 0.45 3.85 0.85 10.96

29,600 203,400 86,000 4,280,000 69,200,000 103,200 1,000 10,066,100 10,160,000 155,450 759,200 65,500 10,000 172,300 35,645 101,500 13,340 6,900 865,800 24,000 2,049,020 1,400 15,000 2,700,000 497,000 266,000 23,700 7,145,800 131,000 3,409,300 2,406,000 9,105,100 1,195,000 15,551,600 21,400 23,000 46,000 970,980 607,100 94,520 1,642,000 64,680,000 1,562,070 486,570 798,000 186,000 1,114,000 10,560,000 2,672,000 4,625,000 2,105,700

534,634 5,815,515 106,280 2,159,305 3,334,500 1,290,000 5,240 144,243,048 652,530 14,803,814 5,714,373 486,162 24,200 4,664,160 56,325,770 639,818 4,092,656 82,094 4,626,220 59,660 214,196,206 18,144 124,500 334,820 745,370 870,310 366,246 48,509,414 131,290 94,469,245 13,551,127 69,399,489 3,945,170 137,551,830 242,232 230,446 128,380 108,494,340 4,058,498 142,692,090 1,838,550 32,394,300 82,727,596 42,253,729 5,974,544 490,540 1,640,100 4,656,200 10,055,880 3,906,400 23,169,484

-14,700 466,250 68,299,092 -8,987,236.50 751,174 -191,515 -18,658,550 -780 1,845,903 -3,100 -428,124 314,190 -75,188 20,643,885 329,550 4,755,488 1,000 8,340 -33,136,488 56,826 -7,063,975 -31,330 -642,000 18,332,183.50 -9,899,995 1,775,314 15,780 333,910 230,850 3,813,650 74,060 3,191,994.00

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

0.0032 1.69 4.71 18.6 1.62 0.315 7.39 2.49 0.211 0.147 0.153 0.0094 1.42 5.94 1.19 0.85 0.012 0.013 2.22 5.84 14.76 29.9

0.0034 1.73 4.72 18.6 1.65 0.315 8 2.55 0.219 0.147 0.155 0.0094 1.43 6.19 1.25 0.9 0.012 0.013 2.22 5.95 15.18 31.6

0.0032 1.65 4.71 18.4 1.62 0.305 7.15 2.39 0.211 0.145 0.153 0.009 1.42 5.94 1.15 0.84 0.011 0.012 2.2 5.84 13.72 29.6

MINING & OIL 0.0033 861,000,000 1.7 11,431,000 4.72 314,000 18.4 13,500 1.65 245,000 0.315 960,000 7.68 71,300 2.47 3,071,000 0.219 60,000 0.145 9,280,000 0.155 500,000 0.0091 88,000,000 1.42 328,000 6 1,417,400 1.23 751,000 0.86 3,079,000 0.012 127,600,000 0.012 20,500,000 2.2 87,000 5.95 110,300 13.8 23,338,300 31.2 3,536,900

2,825,300 19,407,180 1,478,980 250,640 401,710 295,200 535,971 7,535,780 12,820 1,354,460 77,260 800,900 465,790 8,549,552 896,600 2,615,870 1,527,300 247,700 192,500 649,710 339,677,704 107,870,215

3,300 3,383,260 -1,536 1,972,510 1,831,768 12,400 -46,802 13,232,144 -10,391,710

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF F GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF MWIDE PREF PF PREF 2 PNX PREF 3A SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

28.05 511 102.1 102.7 6.26 1,003 101 1.04 104.6 1,000 102.1 77 76.8 78.9 77.1

28.05 511 102.4 107.4 6.32 1,003 101 1.04 104.6 1,000 102.1 77 76.8 79 78.85

27.5 511 100 102.7 6.1 1,003 100.7 1.04 104.6 1,000 102.1 77 76 78.9 77.1

PREFERRED 28 559,300 511 2,000 100.2 106,740 107.4 50 6.1 28,000 1,003 1,015 100.7 10,000 1.04 1,000 104.6 500 1,000 40,090 102.1 10 77 71,400 76 2,000 79 149,480 77.1 29,800

15,664,860 1,022,000 10,695,238 5,182 176,498 1,018,045 1,007,081 1,040 52,300 40,090,000 1,021 5,497,800 152,800 11,808,470 2,318,210

-3,506,400 -81,528 5,230 -

LR WARRANT

4.4

4.59

4.21

WARRANTS 4.47 3,200,000

14,081,950

ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

5.4 2.92 3.3 3.22

5.49 2.92 3.6 3.57

5.1 2.92 3.1 3.12

5.33 2.92 3.4 3.37

5,780,285 5,840 1,463,470 9,973,890

-36,260 296,400 1,475,750

FIRST METRO ETF

121.5

124.1

121.5

2,759,869

13,537

HOLDING FIRMS 0.305 1,770,000 69.4 1,634,560 13.2 7,695,500 0.91 141,000 6.54 86,100 0.57 2,795,000 0.59 304,000 937 666,380 1,925 5 7.3 609,800 13.3 3,215,900 7.56 6,500 1,209 161,005 6.94 74,100 63.5 3,446,170 0.67 1,008,000 5.17 139,700 18.64 4,315,200 0.7 20,478,000 5.25 34,671,200 0.045 5,000,000 1.14 1,966,000 3.13 1,082,000 139.5 200,010 2.57 14,000 980 596,080 0.83 3,000 1.82 1,260,000 560 6,600 272.6 560 0.235 130,000 0.193 20,000 PROPERTY 6.36 1.05 15.98 2.14 0.86 41.95 3.66 4.7 6.01 6.5 0.43 1.12 1.03 0.255 0.455 31.6 0.64 0.13 1.7 1.59

554,000 10,045,000 26,600 51,000 3,507,000 17,057,500 567,000 121,000 109,000 600 24,690,000 28,000 80,000 15,820,000 610,000 394,300 763,000 2,150,000 8,722,000 38,772,000

TRADING SUMMARY

FINANCIAL

18,493,682

INDUSTRIAL

165,077,618

HOLDING FIRMS

95,082,746

PROPERTY

339,641,128

SERVICES

237,323,678

MINING & OIL

1,157,011,297

GRAND TOTAL

2,016,182,062

SME

1,104,000 2,000 456,000 2,965,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 124.1 22,430

VALUE 2,092.61 (UP) 23.23 1,484,434,466.32 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,379.82 (UP) 153.04 1,128,507,411.24 HOLDING FIRMS 8,088.56 (UP) 230.38 2,387,027,398.39 PROPERTY 3,703.77 (UP) 152.78 1,703.50 (UP) 31.30 1,505,509,563.30 SERVICES MINING & OIL 10,939.62 (UP) 248.42 1,351,256,915.15 PSEI 8,124.45 (UP) 215.38 497,687,501.39 All Shares Index 4,890.17 (UP) 101.11 8,374,415,650.33 Gainers: 122; Losers: 75; Unchanged: 47; Total: 244

Metro Retail’s income rises 24% to P977m By Jenniffer B. Austria CEBU-BASED Metro Retail Stores Group Inc. said Thursday net income climbed 23.7 percent in 2017 to P977 million from P789.5 million in 2016, on lower finance cost and rationalization of operations. MRSGI, the retail arm of the Gaisano family, said in a disclosure to the stock exchange net sales rose 1.8 percent last year to P35 billion from P34.4 billion in 2016 following the opening of a new hypermarket and a new supermarket. Same-store sales fell 0.7 percent with decision to rationalize sales to resellers which were unprofitable. The company said transaction count went down 5.2 percent year-on-year in 2017, but more focused marketing and sales efforts resulted in an average basket size increase of 7.3 percent. Rental income rose 0.5 percent to P299.9 million from P298.4 million in 2016 with the opening of two new stores, leading to an increase in net leasable space. Cost of sales was flat at P27.4 billion. “Margins have improved in 2017 compared to 2016 due to a well-executed margin enhancement plan that included among others, negotiations with suppliers, improvement of share to business of outright sales, lesser clearance sale events, and rationalization of sales to resellers,” MRSGI said. Finance costs declined 22.8 percent to P17.6 million because of the payment of total outstanding loan of P950 million in March 2016. The company said it had minimal loans for working capital in 2017 and had nil loans outstanding as of end2017. MRSGI said as of end-2017, it was operating 52 stores with a total net selling space of 337,603 square meters. Of the 52 stores, 11 were in Metro Manila, 12 in Luzon and 29 in the Visayas. It also had nine warehouses nationwide, including three in Luzon and six in Cebu to serve as storage and cross docking facility for department store and supermarket items. MRSGI earlier said it was on track to doubling gross floor area by 2020 from November 2015 when it joined the stock exchange.

PSE faces time constraints to buy bond exchange THE Philippine Stock Exchange asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to act on its request for exemptive relief to pursue the acquisition of the bond exchange as the share purchase agreements with shareholders of Philippine Dealing System and Holdings Corp. are set to expire on March 31. PSE president Ramon Monzon said in an interview following the listing ceremony of P2.9-billion rights offering that he wrote a letter to the SEC regarding its request for the exemptive relief and that the exchange completed the rights offering. “We sent the letter last Friday but we have yet to receive a reply,” Monzon said. Stock brokers’ stake in PSE was now down to 21.38 percent, but excluding the 2.2-percent shares held by inactive brokers which were going through the process of revocation by the SEC, brokers’ ownership in PSE would be less than 20 percent. Monzon said the PSE was hoping that it would ﬁnally get the exemptive relief from the SEC before the end of month as the share purchase agreements it signed with various shareholders of PDSHC owning 72 percent of the bond exchange would expire on March 31. Shareholders of PDSHC could entertain the offer of state-run Land Bank of the Philippines, once the SPAs with PSE expired. LandBank earlier said it was willing to acquire a 66.7- percent stake in PDSHC at P360 per share, or 12 percent higher than the P320 offer of PSE. LandBank would also need to get an exemptive relief from the SEC and an approval from the Philippine Competition Commission. The Securities Regulation Code provides that no single group can own up to 20 percent of an exchange. One option being considered by PSE is to extend the closing of the date of SPAs. “We could extend, but I don’t know if that is the right thing to do. What is the extension for? What will change?” Monzon said. Jenniffer B. Austria

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IN BRIEF A daily swim for clean water MAKASSAR, Indonesia―Indonesian villager Mama Hasria swims upstream with about 200 empty jerry cans tied to her back, a daily trip she and other local women make to get clean water for their community on Sulawesi island. As a scorching sun beats down, Hasria makes the four kilometer (2.5 mile), hourlong trip along the murky Mandar river to clean water wells built along the riverbank. There, the 46-year-old fills up her cans with clean water made drinkable by the surrounding soil that acts as a natural filter and purifier. The work of Hasria and her fellow water collectors, who get paid about 500 rupiah (3.5 US cents) for each can, or $7 for the whole load, is vital for some 5,800 families in Tinambung district. Thursday is World Water Day, a UN initiative which this year focuses on “naturebased” solutions for sourcing potable water globally. It is a challenge in Tinambung where residents have complained for years about limited access to clean water in the remote fishing village. “We have to collect water from upstream for drinking and cooking,” Hasria said. “Water in the village can only be used for bathing and doing laundry.” Other communities struggle with similar challenges in Indonesia, which has myriad environmental problems and the dubious distinction of hosting the filthy Citarum river, which empties into the sea near Jakarta. A decade ago, the World Bank declared it the most-polluted river in the world. Faced with a health emergency after decades of failed clean-up efforts, the government is stepping in with the seemingly impossible goal of making the Citarum’s water drinkable by 2025. AFP

OSCOWInternational pressure mounted on Russia’s Vladimir Putin over the the Cold-War style poisoning of a spy on British soil, as an ugly war of words took a stinging new turn with comparisons to Hitler in the 1930s.

US President Donald Trump agreed with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron “on the need to take action to hold Russia accountable” following the attempted murder of former double agent

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. Trump expressed “solidarity with the United Kingdom in the wake of Russia’s use of chemical weapons against private citizens on British soil,” the White House said Wednesday after a phone call between the pair. However, the comments came a day after Trump called Putin to congratulate him on his re-election to the Russian presidency, drawing criticism for failing to condemn the poisoning or even mention the scandal. Britain and its allies say Russia was behind the attack on Skripal and his daughter, who remain in a critical condition after being poisoned in the English town of Salisbury with what London

says is a Soviet-designed nerve agent. But Moscow has angrily rejected the claims and on Wednesday hosted a televised briefing for foreign diplomats at which a senior official mocked Britain’s “island mentality” and “Russophobia”. Foreign ministry official Vladimir Yermakov said London itself could have been behind the poisoning of Skripal, a former Russian officer who sold secrets to Britain and moved there in a 2010 spy swap. “The British authorities are either unable to ensure protection from such a... terrorist attack on its territory, or they directly or indirectly―I am not accusing anyone of anything here―directed the attack on a Russian national,” he said. AFP

FASHION WEEK. A

model walks down the catwalk wearing a creation by Indian designer Divani during the Kuwait International Fashion Week in Kuwait City on March 21, 2018. AFP

As Facebook scandal widens, Zuckerberg vows to ‘step up’

SAN FRANCISCO―Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg vowed Wednesday to “step up” to fix the problems at the social media giant, as it fights a snowballing scandal over the hijacking of personal data from millions of its users. “We have a responsibility to protect your data, and if we can’t then we don’t deserve to serve you,” Zuckerberg said. It was his first public comments on the harvesting of Facebook user data by a British firm linked to President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign. Zuckerberg announced new steps to rein in the leakage of data to outside developers and third-party apps, while giving users more control over their information through a special toolbar. “This was a major breach of trust and I’m really sorry that this happened,” Zuckerberg said in a televised interview with CNN. “Our responsibility now is to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” Zuckerberg said he will testify before Congress if he is the person at Facebook best placed to answer their questions, and that he is not opposed to regulating internet titans such as the social network.

In The Name Of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF BASILAN BIDS AND AWARDSCOMMITTEE Provincial Capitol Bldg., Isabela City, Basilan Province, 7300 (InvItatIon to BId) for

SUPPLY AND DELIVERY OF 25UNITS MINI RICE MILL (W/De-STONER 10 kVA GENERATOR) (Diesel) INTENDEDFOR THE DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES, BASILAN PROVINCE. Under BaC PUBLICatIon 03-004-2018 1.The Provincial Government of Basilan intends to apply part of the sum of THIRTY MILLION PESOS (P30,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payment for the contract for the SUPPLY and deLIverY of 25 UnItS MInI rICe MILL (W/de-Stoner 10Kva Generator) (dIeSeL) Intended for tHe dIfferent MUnICIPaLItIeS, BaSILan ProvICne,CHarGeaBLe aGaInSt tHe PaMana ProGraMS Under tHe offICe of tHe PreSIdentIaL advISer on tHe PeaCe ProCeSS WItH Moa WItH tHe BaSILan ProvInCIaL GovernMent. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected a bid opening. 2. The Provincial Government of Basilan now invites bids for Procurement of Goods for the Supply and Delivery of 25 Units Mini Rice Mill (w/De –stoner 10KVA Generator) (Diesel) intended for the Different Municipalities, Basilan province .Bidders have completed within ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipts of bids, a contract similar to the project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II, Instruction to Bidders. 3.Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. 4. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines. Interested bidders may obtain further information from The Provincial Government of Basilan and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00am to 5pm. 5. A complete Bidding Documents may be purchased in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand pesos (P25,000.00) for the procurement of the contract by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fees for the Bidding Documents and ONE THOUSAND PESOS (P1,000.00) for Letter of Intent. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later that the submission of their bids. 6. The Provincial Government of Basilan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 10:00 am, April 2, 2018 at BAC Office, Provincial Capitol, Isabela City, Basilan Province, which shall be open to all interested parties. 7. Bids must be delivered on Bid Opening to the address below on or before 10:00 am, April 13, 2018 at BAC Office, Provincial Capitol, Isabela City, Basilan Province. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. 8. 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. 9. The Provincial Government of Basilan reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. 10.For further information, please refer to: The BAC CHAIRPERSON LGU- BASILAN Bids and Award Committee C/O BAC Secretariat Ground Floor, Provincial Capitol Building, Isabela City, Basilan Province, 7300 Fax No.: 062 200 3416 & 062 200 3417 (SGD) INTAN GORDANA A. ABUBAKAR Chairperson, Bids and Award Committee (MS-MAR. 23, 2018)

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018

Pressure increases on Putin

Beetle threatens cherry blossoms TOKYO―Across Japan’s capital, delicate pink and white cherry blossoms are emerging, but the famed blooms are facing a potentially mortal enemy, experts say: an invasive foreign beetle. The alien invader is aromia bungii, otherwise known as the red-necked longhorn beetle, which is native to China, Taiwan, the Korean peninsula and northern Vietnam. The beetles live inside cherry and plum trees, stripping them of their bark. In serious cases, an infestation can kill a tree, and experts are sounding the alarm. “If we don’t take countermeasures, cherry trees could be damaged and we won’t be able to enjoy hanami [cherry-blossom viewing] in a few years’ time,” Estuko Shoda-Kagaya, a researcher at the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, told AFP Thursday. The beetle was ﬁrst spotted in 2012 in central Aichi prefecture but has now spread across the region near Tokyo, according to the environment ministry. Experts say it may have entered in Japan with imported wood materials. In January, Japan’s environment ministry ofﬁcially designated the beetle an invasive alien species, meaning its import and transfer are banned. “The damage will spread further if we don’t do anything,” said Makoto Miwa at the Center for Environmental Science in Saitama. He said beetle larva should be killed with pesticide, and trees with serious infestations should be cut down to save others. The center has issued a guidebook with details on how to identify and kill the beetle, which grows up to three to four centimeters (1.2-1.6 inches). AFP

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INVITATION TO BID THE MUNICIPALITY OF NARVACAN, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites suppliers/manufacturers/distributors/contractors to bid for the hereunder contract: Name of Contract Procurement of Diesel Tractors Location: Narvacan, Ilocos Sur Brief Description: Supply/Delivery of 34 units 35HP Diesel Tractors (Brand New): Diesel Injection, Water Cooled 4-Cycle Diesel, 3 Cylinders, 2700 RPM, 31HP PTO Power with 6 PTO Shaft Spline, Gear Shift Transmission with 8 Forward Speeds & 8 Reverse Speeds, Internal Type Power Steering and equipped with Rotary Tiller and Brand new Tires. Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): P 34,000,000.00 Contract Duration: 60 Calendar Days Source of Fund: RA 8240 FY 2014 Prospective bidders should have experience in undertaking a similar project with an amount of at least 50% of the ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the Eligibility Check/Screening as well as the Preliminary Examination of Bids. The BAC will conduct post qualification of the lowest calculated bid. All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding Conference, Evaluation of Bids, Post Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of RA 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). The schedule of BAC activities are as follows: BAC Activities / Schedule 1. Issuance of Eligibility Documents – March 23-April 17, 2018 2. Issuance & availability of Bidding Documents - March 23-April 17, 2018 3. Pre-bid Conference – April 03, 2018 – 2:30 PM/BAC Office 4. Receipt and Opening of Bids (includes submission of Eligibility Requirements and Eligibility Check) - April 17, 2018 – 2:30 PM/BAC Office 5. Bid Evaluation – April 18, 2018 6. Post Qualification – April 23, 2018 7. Approval of BAC Resolution/Issuance of Notice of Award–April 24, 2018 8. Contract Preparation and Signing – April 25, 2018 9. Approval of Contract – April 26, 2018 10. Issuance of Notice to Proceed – April 27, 2018 The BAC will issue prospective bidders Eligibility Forms and Bidding Documents at the Office of the BAC Chairman, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, upon their payment of a non refundable amount of P 25,000.00 to the Municipal Treasurer’s Office, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur. The Local Government Unit of Narvacan reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of Bidding, or not to award the contract and assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expense incurred in the preparation of their bids.

Rehabilitation of Balungao – Sta. Maria Road, Balungao, Pangasinan Source of Fund – DILG-CMGP ABC – P47,393,131.00 Rehabilitation of Bani – Mabini Road, Bani, Pangasinan Source of Fund – DILG-CMGP ABC – P28,396,298.00 Rehabilitation/Concreting of Mabilao – Binday Road, San Fabian, Pangasinan Source of Fund – Construction, Repair and Maintenance of Various Roads & Bridges ABC – P25,000,000.00

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. 2.

The Province of Pangasinan now invites bids for Rehabilitation and Concreting of Roads.2 Completion of the Works is required One Hundred Eighty-Three (183) Calendar Days for Project A; One Hundred Twenty-Two (122) Calendar Days for Project B and Two Hundred Seven (207) Calendar Days for project C. Bidders should have completed, within ten (10) 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 nondiscretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Province of Pangasinan and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from March 21, 2018 – April 11, 2018; 8:00am to 5:00pm.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested bidders on March 21, 2018 – April 11, 2018; 8:00am to 5:00pm at the BAC Office, 2nd Floor Malong Building, Capitol Compound, Lingayen, Pangasinan and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Twenty-Five Thousand Pesos (P25,000.00) each for Project A, B and C.

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

The Province of Pangasinan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on April 2, 2018; 10:00am at BAC office, 2nd Floor Malong Building, Capitol Compound, Lingayen, Pangasinan, which shall be open to all interested parties.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before April 11, 2018; 10:00am. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Bids opening shall be on April 11, 2018; 10:00am at Conference Room 2nd Floor Malong Building, Capitol Compound, Lingayen, Pangasinan 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 Province of Pangasinan 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, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

10. For further information, please refer to: HILARIA J. CLAVERIA Provincial Budget Officer BAC Chairman Provincial Budget Office Finance Building, Capitol Compound Lingayen, Pnagsinan 075 5426574 EDWIN B. MENDOZA Supervising Admin. Officer BAC Secretariat BAC Office 2nd Floor Malong Building, Capitol Compound Lingayen, Pangasinan 075 6327840

March 23, 2018

NOTED: (SGD.) ZURIEL S. ZARAGOZA Municipal Mayor

(MS-MAR. 23, 2018)

WASHINGTON―President Donald Trump is poised to unveil sanctions against China Thursday for the “theft” of US intellectual property, a White House official said, teeing up a second potential confrontation in as many months. Spokesman Raj Shah told AFP that Trump will announce actions following an “investigation into China’s state-led, market-distorting efforts to force, pressure, and steal US technologies and intellectual property.” According to his schedule, released by the White House on Wednesday evening, he will sign “a Presidential Memorandum targeting China’s economic aggression.” Beijing has already warned the Trump administration against the move, urging him not act “emotionally.” It is just weeks since Trump shortcircuited White House deliberations and announced a raft of sanctions on foreignproduced steel and aluminum off the cuff. That move prompted the resignation of top economic advisor Gary Cohn, a global stock market sell-off, legal disputes and threats of retaliatory measures. On Wednesday Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned that the prospect of a trade war was a growing threat to the world’s largest economy. But the impulsive president is showing no sign of backing down. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer recently put a separate proposed package of $30 billion in tariffs on Chinese imports on Trump’s desk. And Trump appears to have agreed to at least that amount, as he tries to fulfill campaign promises to get tough on “cheating” by US trade partners, which he says have destroyed American jobs. The US trade deficit with China ran to a record $375 billion last year -- but US exports to the country were also at a record. AFP

“I am actually not sure we shouldn’t be regulated,” the Facebook co-founder and chief told CNN. “Technology is an increasingly important trend in the world; the question is more the right regulation than should it be regulated.” Zuckerberg said measures had been in place since 2014 to prevent the sort of abuse revealed over the weekend, but the social network needed to “step up” to do more. The scandal erupted when a whistle blower revealed that British data consultant Cambridge Analytica had created psycho2 Floor Malong Building, Capitol Compound logical proﬁles on 50 million Lingayen, Pangasinan Facebook users via a personality Tel. No. (075) 632-7840 Website@biddingandawards.pangasinan gov.ph, E-mail address: bacpangasinan@yahoo.com prediction app, created by a reINVITATION TO BID for searcher named Aleksandr Kogan. Rehabilitation/Concreting of Provincial Roads The app was downloaded by Solicitation No. PANG-2018-0461 270,000 people, but also scooped 1. The Province of Pangasinan, through the DILG-CMGP and Construction, Repair & Maintenance of Various Roads and Bridges- 2018 intends to apply the sum of One up their friends’ data without Hundred Million Seven Hundred Eighty-Nine Thousand Four Hundred Twenty-Nine consent―as was possible under Pesos (P100,789,429.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the following projects: Facebook’s rules at the time. AFP

Republic of the Philippines Province of Ilocos Sur Municipality of Narvacan BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

(SGD.) ELEUTERIO G. INES BAC Chairman

Trump prepares China trade sanctions

(SGD.)HILARIA J. CLAVERIA Provincial Budget Officer BAC Chairman 1. In the case of National Government Agencies, the General Appropriations Act and/or continuing appropriations; in the case of GOCCs, GFIs, and SUCs, the Corporate Budget for the contract approved by the governing Boards; in the case of LGUs, the Budget for the contract approved by the respective Sanggunian. (Section 5(a), R.A. 9184) 2. A brief description of the scope of Works should be provided, including quantities, location of project, and other information necessary to enable potential bidders to decide whether or not to respond to the invitation. (MS-MAR. 23, 2018)

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LocaL government units

friday, march 23, 2018

Estrada lauds Sta. Ana Hospital on 8th year of patient care MANILA Mayor Joseph Estrada has congratulated the doctors and staff of the Sta. Ana hospital of Manila on its eighth year of operation for being the premiere government hospital in Manila that provides quality cost effective health care. “I want to congratulate Director Dr. Clarita ‘Clara’ Reyes, all the doctors, nurses and medical staff for your hard work. With your dedicated and compassionate operation with the aim of achieving an outstanding care quality with results to providing quality patient care despite the serious pressures,” Estrada said. “You were able to demonstrate clinical excellence, commitment and professionalism and have provided the highest quality health to people’s cares in partnership with the city government and the community,” the mayor added. Dr. Reyes provided a brief history of the hospital and spotlighted the important role it plays to its commitment to giving excellent health care to the public. Sta. Ana hospital is situated in the 6th District of Manila and is the youngest among the other five district hospitals of Manila. It is Doh accredited Level II hospital with a 300-bed capacity license to operate. It is a member of the Philippine hospital Association; Philhealth accredited hospital, a member of the Philippine hospital Association and Philippine Society for Quality health Care. Sta. Ana hospital has its own unique contribution to the Philippine community, Reyes said. “Today, we celebrate our eight years of exceptional care for our people’s health, we look forward to reinforcing our commitment to excellence every day. Again, congratulations to us all in cooperating and sharing the best practice to deliver wider, significant services in health care,” she added. Sta. Ana hospital is also referred to as Operation Smile Philippines Manila Cleft Palate Center in the Philippines. The City of Manila, through Sta. Ana hospital, forged the partnership with OSP in 2011.

INAUGURATION. Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and officials of Rotary Foundation lead the inauguration of the Hearing and Balance Center at Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital in Binondo, Manila on Thursday with hospital director Dr. Merle Sacdalan-Faustino. With this new state-of-the-art equipment and technology, more Manileños who suffer from dizziness (vertigo), unsteadiness, falls or motion intolerance and hearing loss will benefit from this new project. Estrada thanked the Rotary Foundation, which donated much for the construction of the center.

Makati all geared up for Earth Hour event

By Joel Zurbano

AKATI City government officials, led by Mayor Abigail Binay, will celebrate on Saturday this year’s Earth hour, a traditional event aimed to raise awareness among residents, the business community, and other stakeholders on the importance of lower energy consumption.

The event will be held at the Fountain Area of Tower One and Exchange Plaza, Ayala Triangle Gardens, Ayala Avenue, where registration will start at 6 p.m. The city government has been participating in the global Earth hour celebration since 2008 to signify its commitment to contribute to the reduction of carbon dioxide emission. “We call on Makati residents, institutions and business establishments to once again show our solidarity with cities and nations around the world in healing our planet,” Mayor Binay said.

This year’s theme “Let Nature Shine” with #Connect2Earth, will officially start at 6:30 p.m. and the ceremonial switching off lights will be from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. City’s Department of Environmental Services chief engineer Leopoldo Parumog said the yearly celebration of Earth hour has helped in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the city. Based on DES records, last year’s Earth hour, in which households, establishments and institutions participated, resulted in over 16 million watts in total energy savings, which is roughly equiva-

lent to 8,943 kilograms of CO2 emission. Guests expected to attend the event include Jen Santos of ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Bantay Kalikasan, Archival Malforte-Earth hour Champion for Philippines, Louis Faure of Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm, Benj Paras and Ryan Melad of IM Agency. City officials will also be joined by representatives of the city’s partners in this year’s Earth hour, namely, Ayala Land, Ayala Property Management Corp., Akari, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Junior Chamber International Makati/JCI Makati Princess Urduja, Makati Commercial Estate Association, Make It happen Make It Makati, Manila Water Co., McDonald’s, and Manila Electric Co., San Miguel Foundation, Inc., Pacific Paint Philippines, Nestle Philippines, Philippine human Resource, and World Wide Fund for Nature.

TAGUM CITY—More than 3,000 sari-sari store and carinderia owners in Davao del Norte gathered to celebrate International Women’s Month at the JuanaFest 2018, an event organized by the Tagum City Council of Women Foundation Inc., in partnership with Coca-Cola Philippines. Most of the attendees are graduates of the Coca-Cola 5by20 Sari-Sari Store Training and Access to Resources program, a 12-session course that spans three months focused on strengthening their knowledge on micro enterprise and overcoming possible challenges in running a business. The program is implemented in Davao del Norte through TCCWFI. Seven TCCWFI-Coke Juana Best STAR graduates were recognized for the exemplary improvement of their business skills and management. Along with the rest of the Davao del Norte STAR graduates, they join the In Davao del Norte, the Coca-Cola 5by20 STAR Program was launched in partnership with TCCWFI in 2014. To date, more than 3,000 women ranks of more than 130,000 graduates from Tagum City and neighboring municipalities have graduated from the program. of the Coca-Cola 5by20 program in the Philippines. gram, we hope that we can help more Maquilan, 5by20 Lead and Sustainabil- pact Report, 96 percent of the participants reported growth in their sari-sari “As we continue implementing and women in their micro enterprise, and ity manager of Coca-Cola Philippines. “As shown in the latest 5by20 Im- stores,” she added. improving the Coca-Cola 5by20 pro- most especially their lives,” said Gilda

Farmers urged to plant bamboo MARARAG, Bukidnon—Farmers from Central Luzon attending the Northern Mindanao Consortium for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development First Farmers Encounters through the Science and Technology Agenda program here were urged to go into bamboo farming. “Operating a bamboo nursery is a profitable undertaking,” said Antonio Dominao, a bamboo nursery owner and speaker here, said to farmers at the second day

another student suicide in cagayan TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan— Barely a week after an 18-year-old male student hanged himself over tuition fee woes in Alcala, Cagayan, a 16-year-old female Grade 11 student jumped to her death from the fourth floor of FL Vargas College in Barangay San Gabriel here. A screengrab of an amateur video circulating in social media shows a girl falling from the fourth floor of a school building. Police quoted sources saying the girl told rescuers nobody could help her solve her problem. “You can’t do anything about my problems,” the victim reportedly said to a janitor who attempted to stop her from jumping. Since January, this is the third case of suicide involving students in Cagayan, prompting the militant group Anakbayan to call for urgent action from school and government authorities. Abe Almirol

cavite also marks Women’s month

Coke, micro-entrepreneurs mark Women’s Month in Tagum City

By Butch Gunio

In BrIef

of the program being held at Central Mindanao University Convention Center. “A bamboo seedling with an investment of P7, could be sold at P12 at the minimum or as high as P25,” Dominao said, citing his experience running a bamboo nursery in Barangay Impalutao, Impasug-Ong here. “I learned bamboo technology from researches of government agencies and continue to adopt latest technology,” he told farmers, having started his bamboo nursery in 1993.

CHINESE CORNER. The Parañaque City Public Library has launched the Chinese Corner Project, a partnership between the National Library of the Philippines and the National Library of China on the promotion of multicultural awareness specifically on Chinese education, language and literature. City information officer Mar Jimenez, on behalf of Mayor Edwin Olivarez and City Librarian Cissette Ricardo, NLP director Gilbert Adriano and Dolly Carungui, signed an agreement during the rites held at the third floor of the City Library, as several books were turned by NLC representative Joaquin Sy to the city.

TRECE MARTIRES CITY—True to his commitment in advocating women empowerment and gender equality, Cavite Governor Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla has started programs for the welfare of women and will spearhead the celebration of Women’s Month here. Cavite’s celebration will also carry the theme “We Make Change Work for Women” at the provincial gymnasium here. The event will be graced by Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, who will also be the guest of honor and keynote speaker. Remulla believes women must be given equal priority because they can also perform excellently in diverse fields of interest and encouraged them to enhance their individuality to be recognized in numerous socio-political and economic advancement.

munti runs WHo program for PWDs ThE City Government of Muntinlupa has partnered with The Birthright Educators Foundation Inc., a special education school, for the implementation of Community Based Rehabilitation to Persons with Disabilities living in the city. The SPED school has the capacity to transfer knowledge on CBR, a World health Organization-program to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities and their families through meeting their basic needs and ensuring their inclusion and participation. Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi and The Birthright Educators Foundation Inc. executive director Miriam del Rosario led the signing of a memorandum of agreement during the City’s PWD Action Planning Workshop last March 20.

Belmonte renews support for Du30 drug war in QC By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte on Thursday vowed to solidify support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs and corruption in the city. Belmonte said she is renewing her commitment to back the Duterte administration in joining a volunteer group that helped catapult the former Davao City mayor to power in the 2016 elections. She recently took an oath as new member of Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating Committee in Pasay City as a political adviser in the Quezon City chapter. The vice mayor thanked the MRRD-NECC for making her a part of the organization. “MRRD, for me, is a testament that the people can really choose their leaders, and these are from the grassroots,” she said. “This was the organization that really worked hard for President Duterte. But if you notice who they are, they’re not personalities, they’re just regular men and women who probably have personal experiences and they felt it would help change their experiences for the better,” Belmonte added. “I love that. This is a grassroots [cause]. It is for the grassroots, came from the grassroots, and expanded also because of the efforts of its grassroots leaders. They are all volunteers.” She reaffirmed her support to the government’s advocacies against illegal drugs, corruption, criminality, insurgency and poverty, saying: “I will defend the Constitution.”

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @mStandardLifE friday, march 23, 2018

Caritas Manila holds annual Alay Kapwa telethon

Ronald Ventura's artwork

Life culture and media

Angelito Antonio’s Family (1989) goes under the hammer at the 'benefit' auction at The Peninsula Manila's The Conservatory

Auction to raise funds

for scholarship

“S

TarT them young on the road to world peace and friendship.” These were the first words from a 1961 Manila Chronicle article announcing the establishment of the Filipino Scholarship Program at what was then the american School Manila, now International School of Manila. The Filipino Scholarship Program has allowed over a hundred hopeful students to study at the International School Manila, who upon their graduation gain entry into top colleges and universities in the Philippines, as well as in renowned universities abroad, such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, Cornell, and Princeton, among others. These scholars have gone on to pursue successful careers as entrepre-

neurs, humanitarians, lawyers, doctors, and architects. Now on its 57th year, the legacies of over 150 Filipino scholars of the program continue to inspire the next generation and make the ISM community proud. In 2012, ISM expanded the scholarship in honor of former guidance counselor Vicky SyCip Herrera and her 38 years of service to the school. The

Vicky SyCip Herrera Filipino Scholarship seeks to fund a fifth student with exceptional ability in each grade level from 8 to 12, in addition to the four that the school directly funds. Moreover, the VSH Filipino Scholarship offers additional assistance to the school’s four internally-funded scholars by underwriting the costs involved in their continuing education in sports and academic competitions held locally and overseas, among others. Scholars are selected by a committee composed of school administrators and counselors on the basis of academic merit, extra-curricular promise, and financial circumstances. Extra consideration is given to those who come from especially underprivileged backgrounds.

The art of printmaking PrINTMaKErS from Cicada Press and University of New South Wales art & Design in Sydney, australia, Chiang Mai art on Paper Studio, and the association of Pinoy Printmakers joined forces to stage a historical exhibit on printmaking. The By Hand: Rediscovering the Art of Printmaking exhibition traces the history of prints throughout the centuries. These studios are respectively represented by senior

lecturer Michael Kempson, Director Kitikong Tilokwattanotai, and President Benjie Torrado. Themed "Land, Sea and the Exchange of Ideas," the on-going exposition also features an adjacent studio, where professionals demonstrate the creation of art on paper. The exhibit at the SDA Gallery of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde is open to the public until April 14.

The 'By Hand: Rediscovering the Arts of Printmaking' exhibit traces the history of prints throughout the centuries.

Motorcycle-inspired artwork at Art Fair PH 2018

KTM Philippines, maker of high-performance and readyto-race motorcycles, presented the country’s motorcycle architectural landscape through various art pieces during the recent art Fair Philippines 2018 at The Link, ayala Center, Makati City. The company commissioned celebrated sculptor Pete Jimenez to use KTM motorcycles as Sculptor Pete Jimenez and Dino Santos of KTM Philippines the inspiration for his pieces. with the KTM-inspired sculpture With iron as his medium, Jimenez created an iconic orange frame of KTM bikes, pounded to form a heart, with motorcycle parts encased within, which he dubbed as “racing Heart.” The striking artwork is Jimenez’s visual gem of a pun, showcasing wit and artistic skill.

To support the VSH Filipino Scholarship, Gavel&Block, a subsidiary of Salcedo auctions, and the ISM will be mounting an auction, entitled benefit, on May 5 at The Peninsula Manila’s The Conservatory. Some of the pieces to go under the hammer are artwork by angelito antonio, Norma Belleza, ronald Ventura, and Fernando Zobel de ayala. There will be a four-day preview from May 1 to 4 at The Gallery in Peninsula. a catalogue will be up online at salcedoauctions.com starting april 16. Deadline for consignments is on April 6. Offers may be sent to info@ salcedoauctions.com or alumni@ismanila.org. For inquiries, contact Salcedo Auctions at (02) 659-4094 or International School Manila at (02) 840-8606.

CarITaS Manila, in partnership with radio Veritas 846, is holding its annual alay Kapwa telethon on March 26, Holy Monday, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. alay Kapwa is a Lenten Evangelization and fundraising program of the Philippine roman Catholic Church for social services for the less fortunate. Funds raised from the program will go to Caritas Damayan—the preventive health and disaster program of Caritas Manila—and will be used to help those affected by natural and man-made calamities, and to finance disaster prevention and mitigation programs. Proceeds of alay Kapwa Lenten 2017 collection were used to help in the rehabilitation efforts in Marawi, as well as aid victims of Surigao earthquake, typhoons Urduja and Vinta, and various fires and other disasters in Metro Manila. Manila archbishop Luis antonio Tagle appeals to the faithful to support alay Kapwa 2018. “With the increasing number and magnitude of disasters and calamities being responded by Caritas Damayan, our alay Kapwa funds get immediately depleted,” Cardinal Tagle said in his pastoral letter. “It is therefore our hope that we will be more generous in almsgiving this season of Lent.” radyo Veritas846 listeners who want to donate may call (02) 9257931 to 39 or 563-9311 or 562-0020 to 25. Phone lines will be open throughout the live broadcast and via live streaming at www.veritas846.ph. Donations can also be made online via ushare.unionbank.com/caritas.

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018 Nickie Wang, Issue Editor

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Making modern MARVELS

Sinag Maynila Co-Founders Wilson Tieng and Brillante Mendoza (center) with FDCP Chairperson Liza Dino (left), SM SVP for Marketing Millie Dizon (2nd from left), TIFF Director Takeo Hisamatsu (3rd from right), Unifrance Korea and Southeast Asia’s Jeremy Segay (2nd from right) and singer-actress Aiza Seguerra (rightmost) during the Sinag Maynila 2018 Gabi ng Parangal at Conrad Manila. From record-breaking bridges and tunnels to skyscrapers and subways, ‘Building Giants’ fuses actuality, unique photography, and CGI to explore the ingenious innovations behind massive superstructures.

FROM ancient civilizations to modern communities, structures larger than life have been built as testaments to a long-lasting legacy. Discovery Channel’s Building Giants deconstructs the engineering wonders behind these ambitious creations. From record-breaking bridges and tunnels to skyscrapers and subways, this blue-chip engineering series fuses actuality, unique photography, and CGI to explore the ingenious innovations that enable massive superstructures to be built and how they work.

Each episode follows the tension and drama that engineers face as they push the limits of technology. From vertigo attacks, to crippling weather conditions, Building Giants documents the challenges that come as engineers strive to construct marvels for the modern age. Battling with time and budget to complete superstructures, see what it takes to create a masterpiece in the 21st century. Building Giants airs every Friday, 8:10 p.m. on the Discovery Channel.

‘MUSIC AND MOVIES UNDER THE STARS’ goes to La Union FUN and romance will fill the surf town of La Union as Cinema One and MYX hold the first ever “Music and Movies Under the Stars” to the north featuring the film Love You To The Stars and Back on April 14. Happening at the Kahuna Beach Resort in San Juan town, “Music and Movies Under the Stars” liven up the summer in one of north’s top destination. Guests will be treated to the Open Air Cinema One screening of 2017’s hit Love You To The Stars and Back starring Julia Barretto and Joshua Garcia. In the film, determined Mika (Julia) goes on a road trip to find aliens and accidentally meets fun and loving Caloy (Joshua) whom she will give a free ride to until he reaches his destination. The newfound friendship leads to a series of adventures and a rare romance between the two. Leading music channel Myx brings fresh music live from rising artists—acoustic duo Leanne and Naara and indie-alternative rock band Autotelic. Myx’s very own VJs Robi Domingo, Turs Daza, Sharlene San Pedro, Ai Dela Cruz, Sunny Kim, and Iñigo Pascual add to the excitement as they host the event, along with comedian AGE may play a role in good health and fitness, but the number alone doesn’t define athletic performance. In the spirit of International Women’s Day this March, three female contenders of the recent Spartan Race in Pampanga, show that conquering the world’s most grueling obstacle course isn’t about seniority or youthfulness—it’s about having a passion for health and the right attitude towards adversity that matter most to overcome any challenge. Only a number International Wellness Coach Edna Hearsey Cross testifies to the importance of nutrition, exercise, and mindset to achieving great health and overcoming the Spartan Race. About 33 years ago, Cross suffered a major car accident that left her with mobility issues and pain. Before her ordeal, she had struggled with weight gain during two pregnancies, and had been going to a community gym to get back in shape. Fortunately, a fellow mom at the gym introduced her to a nutrition program that helped her get back on track. Soon

John Lapus. Have a great summer weekend at the “Music and Movies Under the Stars” in La Union. Like Cinema One on Facebook at facebook.com/Cinema1channel for more details on the upcoming event.

‘TALE OF THE LOST BOYS’ is Sinag Maynila’s best T ALE of the Lost Boys, a ﬁlm by Joselito Altarejos, was named the Best Film in the Full-Length category at the Sinag Maynila 2018 Film Festival’s Gabi ng Parangal held at Conrad Manila’s Forbes Ballroom.

The film, which also won the festival’s Best Screenplay and Best Editing awards, as well as the Sinag Maynila Box Office Award for garnering the highest ticket sales, is a story of the friendship between two men—Alex, a Filipino mechanic, and Jerry, a Taiwanese aborigine student who meet in Taipei, go on a road trip, reconnects with their mothers, and both discover a certain sense of identity and freedom. Meanwhile, Bomba (The Bomb), by Ralston Jover, won four awards including the first ever Best Director award and Best Cinematography for Pipo Domagas, Best Actress for Angeline Nichole gas Sanoy, and a Best Actor trophy for Allen Dizon who previously won the same award for Imbisibol in at the first Sinag Maynila Film Festival in 2015. Other awardees in the full-length category include El Peste, which won the Best Production Design, as well as the SM People’s Choice award that was based on the results of an exit poll held among moviegoers during the festival. Melodrama/Random/Melbourne! was awarded the Best Musical Score trophy, while Abomination won in the Best Sound category. The Duwende by Odin Fernandez, won Best Short Film Category; while Mahal Mahal, 2017 by Janine Santos won Best Documentary. A special Jury Prize was also awarded to Albert Almendralejo and Maricel Cariaga’s Journeyman Finds Home: The Simone Rota Story Story, the only feature-length documentary entry this year. Sinag Maynila’s distinguished board of judges for the Full-Length category included Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) Festival Director Takeo

SPARTAN RACE knows no age

‘Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge’ airs from Monday to Friday at 5:15 p.m. on Blue Ant Extreme, available on SkyCable HD channel 209 and Destiny Cable Digital channel 104.

‘The Tale of Two Boys’ director Joselito Altajeros (center) with Sinag Maynila Co-Founders Wilson Tieng and Director Brillante Mendoza.

Hisamatsu and Unifrance Korea and South East Asia Representative Jeremy Segay. The jury for the Documentary and Short Films categories included Cultural Center of the Philippines Arsenio Lizaso, National Commission for Culture and the Arts Commissioner for the Arts/ Head Hon. Teddy Co, and Film Director Lawrence Fajardo, whose ﬁlm Imbisibol was the Sinag Maynila Best Picture on its inaugural year. A joint project of Solar Entertainment, Centerstage Productions, and SM, in partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines and Cine Lokal, the festival seeks to inspire, educate,

and enlighten the viewing public by featuring films that reflect Filipino culture, while presenting social issues deserving of discussion among audiences here and abroad. These were showcased at SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM City North EDSA, SM City Fairview, SM Southmall, SM City Bacoor, SM City Manila, and SM Sta. Mesa. Founded in 2015, Sinag Maynila is spearheaded by CEO and Founder Wilson Tieng and acclaimed film director Brillante Mendoza. The Sinag Maynila Film Festival is made possible by McDonald’s, in partnership with FDCP, CineLokal and Jack TV. SM and SM Cinema is the official venue partner.

she healed and regained her strength. It was then that she began developing a taste for adventure. Now at 63, Cross continues to dare herself by competing in marathons and going around the world to climb mountains. Her secret lies in doing regular exercises such as running, yoga, and Pilates, powered by a daily dietary regimen that keeps her energized. Starting it young On the other end of the age spectrum, four-year-old Skylar Legayada simply lets her natural curiosity and eagerness to drive her enthusiasm for sporty activities. Along with other young participants, she signed up for the Kids Category in the recent Spartan Race for a chance to do what kids do best: play and make friends. With dreams of becoming like her favorite superhero, Wonder Woman, Legayada gets plenty of encouragement from her family to live an active lifestyle. Some of the exercises she likes doing with her parents include running and climbing the monkey bars or the Aframe at the playground. She also enjoys

training with her aunt, who also joined the Spartan Race. Challenging the self The recent Spartan Race Sprint in Pampanga proved daunting with more than 25 obstacles across a stretch of 13 kilometers. For first runner-up Melba Vergara, getting through the mud, barbwire, and fire required more than physical conditioning and skill, but also iron mettle. A seasoned runner in her 40s, Vergara knows that it’s the self that ultimately stands between the athlete and the finish line: “It is true that ‘age is just a number’, but it depends on every individual’s mindset. When competing, I don’t think that I’m older than my peers. The only thing I know is that I have the heart and determination for it.” With several Trifectas under her belt, Vergara prepares for tough events such as the Spartan Race by doing freerunning and bouldering. She also strives for moderation when it comes to her diet, listening to her body for what she needs and treating herself to dessert once in a while.

Motoring

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany renews his rivalry with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in Formula One.

Vettel seeks ‘ultimate satisfaction’ S

EBASTIAN Vettel says he is searching for the “ultimate satisfaction” of winning his fifth Formula One world title driving for Ferrari ahead of this weekend’s season opener in Australia. The single-minded German, who strung together four world championships with Red Bull before switching to Ferrari in 2015, is looking for his third Australian Grand Prix win in Melbourne on Sunday. Vettel, 30, is in a duel this season with defending Mercedes world champion Lewis Hamilton as they chase 1950s Argentine legend Juan Manuel Fangio’s mark of five world titles -- second only to Michael Schumacher’s seven in the all-time list. Vettel, who finished runner-up behind Hamilton in last year’s world championship, is confident he has the car to take down the Englishman and said it would be even more special to do it with Ferrari. “After you’ve won a little bit it becomes a bit special to win against the best,” Vettel told a media conference Thursday. “Now I am searching for the ultimate satisfaction to win with Ferrari, which is the greatest team in history.” Hamilton and Vettel have dominated F1 over the last decade with four world titles each and are expected to again fight out this season’s championship

with the Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen vying to make it a three-way battle. “That’s my ultimate target now...(to) win for Ferrari and win against the best, which arguably Lewis is one of them.” Vettel, who trumped Hamilton in last year’s Melbourne GP, has won 47 of his 199 GPs going back to his F1 debut with Toro Rosso in 2007. “It’s a long season. If it’s one race that’s a different story, but there are a lot of races,” Vettel said. “Based on winter testing I would say we are in good shape and could be in better shape, but it’s always like that.” Vettel said it was far too early to talk about equalling Fangio’s ﬁve world crowns heading into the ﬁrst of the 21race season. “Certainly, if it did happen then you would start to realise, but now I don’t see the point of thinking ‘what if?’,” he said. “I think nowadays the times are different, they are very different times to what Fangio achieved. Every era has its own challenges, certainly they were different back then. It’s not in my mind now.” AFP

Ford breaks ground for Isabela dealership FORD Philippines recently held a groundbreaking ceremony to formally kick off the construction of a bigger dealership in Isabela in a new location to better serve its customers in the province. With a total ﬂoor area of 1,580 square meters that can accommodate a 5-car showroom display, 10- service bays, 1 interactive bay and 3 body repair bays, the new Ford Isabela dealership promises to be the benchmark when it comes to automotive sales and service delivery. The new Ford Isabela will be one of the ﬁrst dealers in the Philippines to follow the new global dealership branding guidelines of Ford. It will also bring to life the Ford Guest Experience program, an enhanced sales and service process that harnesses the power of technology to deliver an enhanced customer experience. “The opening of the new Ford Isabela is in line with our commitment to improve the customer experience with a dealership facility that will pave the way for a conducive environment to facilitate world-class sales and service-related transactions. We’re very excited to open it this year and we are thankful to our dealer partners led by Levy Laus and his team for collaborating with us and sharing our vision to deliver better experience for our customers in Isabela,” says Bertrand Lessard, managing director, Ford Philippines. The new Ford Isabela dealership will be open by fourth quarter of this year

Hyundai tops in customer satisfaction HYUNDAI Asia Resources, Inc. garnered top honors for Customer Satisfaction in After-Sales Service in the Hyundai Asia-Paciﬁc distributorship network. The award, presented during the recently concluded Asia-Paciﬁc, Africa & Middle East Service Conference in Singapore, is a welcome follow up to HARI’s remarkable climb from seventh slot in 2016 to second spot in the 2017 J.D. Power Philippines Customer Service Index (CSI) Study.

Of the 11 automotive brands studied, Hyundai performed strongly in the ﬁve factors that comprise customer satisfaction in After Sales Service. HARI particularly stood out in “Service Quality” and “Service Facility.” The JD Power Study surveyed new vehicle owners who availed of maintenance or repair work at authorized dealerships between August 2016 and May 2017. HARI attributes its enhanced performance to having boosted its service

J. D. Power says Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. has garnered top honors for Customer Satisfaction in After-Sales Service in the Hyundai Asia-Pacific distributorship network. HMC Senior Vice President for Customer Experience Division Jaehoon Chang (center) presented the special award to HARI Senior Assistant Vice President for After Sales Service Operations Richard Gapasin (L) and Assistant Vice President for Technical and Quality Assurance Eric Ortiz last February 26, 2018 at the Asia-Pacific, Africa & Middle East Service Conference at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Singapore.

FASTLANE

Nissan Philippines Inc. President and Managing Director Ramesh Narasimhan (2nd from left) joins the opening of Nissan Butuan together with (from left) Congressman Lawrence Fortun, Agusan del Norte 1st District; Willy Tee Ten, President of Autohub Group; Uy Ching Siong, Vice Chairman of Millennium Gallery Motors Inc; Rey Desiata, Executive Secretary of Mayor Engr Ronie; Vicente Conde Lagnada, Mayor of Butuan City.

Nissan showroom opens in Butuan City

Joining Lessard during the groundbreaking ceremonies in Isabela are (from left) Councilor Benzi T. Chai, City of Santiago, Isabela; Margarita Delfinado, AVP for Dealer Development & Market Representation, Ford Philippines; Levy P. Laus, Chairman and CEO, Laus Group of Companies; Mayor Joseph Tan, City of Santiago, Rodel Gallega, VP for Marketing and Sales, Ford Philippines; and Lina D. Santos, First Vice President & Laus Ford Group Head.

BUTUAN– Just a few weeks after their Dumaguete launch, Nissan inaugurates another dealership, this time in Butuan, Agusan del Norte. Sporting the brand’s new retail visual design, the 2,000 sq. meters showroom, located at Kilometer 3, National Highway, Baan, Butuan City, accommodates up to 6 units. Nissan Butuan also provides the latest end-to-end customer service programs, designed to make car ownership better and more exciting. “We are focusing on bringing the Nissan brand of quality products and after-sales services to more customers around the country,” says Nissan Philippines Inc., President and Managing Director Ramesh Narasimhan. “We are happy to welcome Butuan to our growing dealership network.” The dealership comes equipped with the Nissan Express Service, which delivers complete Periodic Maintenance Service within 30 minutes, and the Executive Car Check-up, which provides a comprehensive, bumper-to-bumper assessment of any Nissan vehicle.

technician training program, and to the new and improved Fast Track Service that guarantees 30 minutes of preventive maintenance service repair. The leading auto firm is likewise making headway in digitalizing its service operations, starting with the establishment of a dedicated Fast Track online appointment system. This 2018, expect HARI to take bigger strides in building service teams of global caliber with the soon-to-launch Hyundai Dream Center Philippines (HDCP), which is envisioned to be a world-class training hub for automotive technicians, an even more beefed-up Fast Track service, and amplified connectivity throughout HARI’s 42-strong nationwide dealership fortress. “We dedicate this award to our Service teams all over the country who proudly embody the promise of Gusto-kung ano ang Gusto mo, Kaya naming ibigay. Kasama ninyo ang Hyundai sa biyahe ng buhay,” said HARI President and CEO Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo. Hyundai Philippines’ ongoing campaign, “Gusto Ko, Kaya Ko, Sama Tayo” transcends the standard definition of mobility. Beyond cutting edge design and technology, Gusto is driven by the power of the Filipino customer’s heart—their dreams, values, and needs.

Kia ready for the long weekend AS THE country prepares for another long weekend – packing clothes, cooking road trip food, creating playlists – it’s no longer enough to just load up on a full tank of gas and kick your tires and consider your car good to go. Columbian Autocar Corporation (CAC), the distributor of Kia vehicles in the Philippines, is making sure your travels this upcoming holiday weekend are hassle-free through its annual Motorist Assistance program. As Filipinos across the country prepare to hit the road to return to their families’ provinces or hit the beach with their friends, Kia’s trusted mechanics are preparing their workshop and tools so they can perform at the level for which they have become known for. Apollo R. Rosal, CAC After-Sales Director, says, “This upcoming holiday long weekend should be a time for reﬂection and a time for family. We at Kia want to make sure that your car is the last thing you need to worry about as you hit the road with your loved ones.” “We advise taking your car in for a 28-point check-up at our service centers to prevent any unwanted delays to your travel plans. As suggested, Kia’s 24/7 Care is available all-year round, but for this weekend, we’re preparing even more teams to provide not just manpower for our service bays but also roadside assistance along all the major thoroughfares that lead in and out of the metro.” Service teams from Kia Pampanga, Kia Marcos Hi-way, Kia Dasmarinas, Kia Batangas, Kia Pasay and Kia Pangasinan will be on standby, prepared to be dispatched to those needing serious technical support, vehicle assistance or towing services on Holy Wednesday (March 28), Maundy Thursday (March 29), Black Saturday (March 31), and Easter Sunday (April 1).

Motoring

RAMON L. TOMELDAN EDITOR

Driven to perfection

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018

The man to beat. Formula One’s fourtime champion Lewis Hamilton wants to speed up his bid for Juan Manuel Fangio’s five F1 title. Hamilton is fired up for the opening race in Melbourne: I will never stop; I will have no finish line.”

Can anyone stop Hamilton?

refreshed and hungry Lewis Hamilton has declared he’s ready to take the new Formula One season by the scruff of the neck -- which is bad news for his long-suffering rivals. The Mercedes driver is the man they all have to beat again, but at 33 it seems that Hamilton, the four-time world champion and now a veteran of the sport, wants to speed up rather than slow down. Hamilton, who has Juan Manuel Fangio’s ﬁve F1 titles in his sights, gave a glimpse into his mindset when he revealed that even after a record 72 pole positions, he feels he’s never driven the perfect lap. “I have never done the perfect lap, ever,” he said, according to British broadcaster Sky Sports. “The perfect lap? No, and that is what is so great about this sport: you never get perfect.” Hamilton added: “You get close, maybe. But imagine if in those 30,000odd laps, I did 1,000 or 10,000 perfect laps. That would really be boring. “If you played the perfect game time and time again, you would lose motivation because it is easy. You always have to move on to something more difﬁcult. “But there is no other class better than Formula 1 so if I was to perfect it, it would suck.” Formula One’s only black driver comes from humble roots in Britain’s Stevenage, a town outside London, and appears to thrive on adversity. Hamilton, who has adopted “Still I Rise”, the title of a Maya Angelou poem, as his personal motto, hit a bump in the road when he was criticised for mocking his nephew for wearing a dress, prompting him to

withdraw from social media and delete years of posts. But after his self-imposed silence Hamilton resumed posting in January, writing bullishly on Instagram: “I will never stop, I have no ﬁnish line.” ‘He is unbelievably fast’ Worryingly for Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and the Red Bull drivers, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, Hamilton also has the beneﬁt of what looks like an improved Mercedes this season as sets out to retain his world championship. Technical chief James Allison says the Mercedes W09 would “blow away” last year’s model, and the car showed no obvious weaknesses as it completed more laps than any other during pre-season testing. Former Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, the only man to deny Hamilton a sweep of the last four F1 titles, said the other drivers needed to make

the most of the Briton’s moments of inconsistency. “He has these periods when he is just not on it... you have to make the most of it, absolutely, and Sebastian did that pretty well last year,” the 2016 champion said, according to Sky. “When Lewis has his good weekends he is almost unbeatable, he is unbelievably fast and maybe the best guy out there. “The only way to beat Lewis is to be 100 percent with everything, do the perfect season. Otherwise there is no chance.” At last year’s season-opener, Hamilton finished second behind Vettel and it wasn’t until after the midseason break that he hit his stride, turning a 14-point deficit into a title victory by 46 points. This year, the 62-time grand prix-winner seems to have travelled to Melbourne fully focused on the job at hand: securing world title number five. He told ESPN: “That hunger that I had when I was eight years old; when the teachers said that I was never going to amount to nothing; when the other racing drivers’ dads said I was never going to amount to nothing; when the kids shouted abuse at the race track to me and my family. “That still powers me on through the races.” AFP

‘Halo’ sparks F1 debate IT’S THE most controversial Formula One introduction since the 2016 qualifying elimination clock, but unlike that ill-fated change the halo should last more than two races. The new cockpit head protection system, to give it its full name, is highly divisive: team principals, drivers and fans are split over whether it is the right safety solution when the new grand prix season roars into life in Melbourne this week. After years of research and development, the FIA settled on the halo -- a thong-like titanium and carbon fibre structure above the cockpit -- to protect drivers from flying debris following the fatal crashes of Jules Bianchi at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix and Justin Wilson in an IndyCar race in the US the following year. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff is firmly among the halo haters. “If you give me a chainsaw I would take it off,” he said at the launch of the team’s 2018 car last month. “I think we need to look after the driver’s safety, but we need to come up with a solution that simply looks better,” he added. Motor racing purists are aghast because they say grand prix racing is supposed to be an opencockpit formula; other fans moan it is just plain ugly; some drivers have said it restricts vision. World champion Lewis Hamilton doesn’t like the halo’s looks but said: “We have known for some time it was coming and I think after a few races we will forget it is even there.” But Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo complained it makes cockpit access difficult -- the Williams team even resorted to stepladders at pre-season testing to help drivers get in and out of their cars. Toro Rosso driver Pierre Gasly said he had ripped several race suits. “I don’t like it. It’s just a big mess to get in the car and get out,” he said. Haas pilot Kevin Magnussen also can’t stand it. “It’s difficult to get into the car, difficult to get out of the car, difficult to get the steering wheel on and off, just awkward and annoying,” he said. But not all drivers are against the innovation. “It’s going to save lives, no doubt,” said Williams’ Canadian teenager Lance Stroll.

And two-time world champion Fernando Alonso believes there “should not be any debate” over a measure that improves safety. The president of governing body FIA Jean Todt said that if the halo saves one life it will be worth it. “Last year we had 42 fatalities in motor racing. It’s unacceptable,” Todt told reporters in London last week. “Can you imagine how we would all feel if something happened and if we would have had the halo it would not have happened?” At least the halo has been well researched,

Cockpit head protection system unlike the last rule change to cause as much controversy. At the 2016 Australian Grand Prix, with barely two weeks’ notice, former F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone introduced a new qualifying system which saw the slowest car being eliminated every 90 seconds, in a bid to bring more edge-of-the-seat action for fans. It did the opposite, resulting in an empty track for much of qualifying, and was scrapped after just two races. The halo should last the season at least, but Todt offered some crumbs of comfort to those who can’t stand the sight of what resembles a bent scaffolding pole above the driver’s head. “If we are able to find something better, I am sure we will be able to over the years,” said Todt. Alonso agreed: “Aesthetics aren’t the best at the moment, and in the future I’m sure that the sport and the teams will ﬁnd a way to make it a little bit nicer.” AFP