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Osmeña got P7m from drug lord —DoJ

VOL. XXXII • NO. 45 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

By Rey E. Requejo

SURRENDERED FIREARMS. President Rodrigo Duterte leads the inspection of firearms handed over by surrenderers from the Abu Sayyaf Group at the Capitol in Patikul, Sulu on Monday. Joining the President are AFP Chief of Staff Rey Guerrero, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go and DILG Officer-in-Charge Eduardo Año. Malacañang Photo

Rody turns 73, vows no lavish party By Vito Barcelo and Rey Requejo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte turns 73 years old today and will celebrate his birthday in his home city of Davao— with no “lavish” party, according to the President’s trusted and close aide Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go. Next page

300-m people suffer from hepa B virus PARIS—Some 300-million people worldwide are living with the deadly hepatitis B virus, but only one in 20 received adequate treatment, researchers reported Tuesday. For expectant mothers carrying the virus—which can be transmitted

‘‘

Truth, however, is she failed to ﬁle her SALN 11 times... These are perjurious acts which bolster Sereno’s utter lack of integrity. —Solicitor General Jose Calida commenting on the Chief Justice’s motion for the SC to nullify the quo warranto petition against her.

A WITNESS of the Department of Justice has alleged that Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña received millions of pesos in payola from slain drug lord Jeffrey Diaz alias Jaguar. In his affidavit executed in November 2016 but was made public by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Tuesday, Reynaldo Diaz said the mayor received at least P7 million from the drug lord. Diaz, now under the witness protection program of the DoJ, is a self-confessed bagman and cousin of Jaguar, who was killed in a police operation in Las Piñas City in June 2016. “Mayor Tomas Osmeña received payola from Jaguar the amount of P2 million for hospitalization expenses in 2013 and P5 million during the 2016 elections,” Aguirre said, quoting from the witness’ affidavit. “The others listed in the payola are General Vicente Loot and four other police officers,” Next page Aguirre said.

Du30: I’ll step down from office in 2022

By Vito Barcelo

HE Palace on Tuesday said President Rodrigo Duterte has no plan to stay in power after the head of a constitutional commission he created said the term of president and all other incumbent elected officials would not be extended under the proposed federal constitution. In a statement, Malacañang spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte has no wish to extend his term, and has even offered to cut it short if a federal system is in place by 2020. Duterte has repeatedly said he would be willing to cut short his six-year term if a new constitution is in place. “The President… has no intention of staying a minute longer than what the term of the President provides under our Constitution,” Roque said. “The President has even stated that he would step down from the presidency earlier should the Philippines shift to a federal system of government as early as 2020,” he added. Former Supreme Court chief justice Reynato Puno, who heads the 20-member consultative committee, said Monday the President would neither be allowed to seek reelection nor qualify for a term extension under the new federal constitution. Puno, tasked to review proposed amendments to the 1987 Constitution, said the six-year term limit would still be binding once the country shifts to a federal form of government. “By the time we have shifted to a federal form of government, a new president will be voted,” Puno said in a press conference Monday. Puno made the remark amid concerns of opposition lawmakers and critics that the shift to federalism would mean extension for Duterte beyond the end of his term in 2022. Earlier, the President said federalism is the only solution to the country’s Next page

Tribunal all set for VP ballot recount By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court, acting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal, is ready to proceed next week with the recount of votes purportedly to ﬁnally determine who between former senator Ferdi-

nand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Leni Robredo actually won the vice presidential race in 2016 elections. The PET’s supervised revision of ballots or manual recount of votes will start on April 2 for the resolution of the election protest ﬁled by Marcos

against Robredo. This will be the ﬁrst recount of votes to be conducted by the PET under the 1987 Constitution. Earlier poll protests involving the 2004 presidential race between then Next page

Lifestyle check on officials eyed THE Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission on Tuesday said it will conduct a lifestyle check on all government ofﬁcials, even as it asked President Rodrigo Duterte to suspend prosecutors who dismissed the complaint against self-confessed drug dealer Kerwin Espinosa and Cebu businessman Peter Lim. In a letter addressed to the President, PACC Chairman Dante Jimenez recommended the preventive suspension of Assistant State Prosecutor Michael John Humarang, Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Rassendell Rex Gingoyon and acting Prosecutor General Jorge Catalan pending investigation on their possible administrative liability. It also called for a lifestyle check on Lucena Regional Trial Court Judge Aristotle Reyes, who was a member of the Department of Justice investigating panel that dismissed the complaint. The PACC said the prosecutors should be investigated by the Ofﬁce of Next page

ELECTORAL PROTEST. The Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, inspects the venue where the revision of votes for the Marcos-Robredo electoral protest to be held in April. Headed by lawyers Ed Ancheta, Ma. Carina Cunanan and Lemuel Arenas, the heretofore SC gymnasium has set up 50 tables for 60 contractual personnel at the 5th floor of the SC-CA building in Padre Faura in Manila. Normal Cruz

SOLICITOR General Jose Calida on Tuesday prodded the Supreme Court to grant his quo warranto petition seeking the ouster of Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno for failure to comply with the submission of the 10-year Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth requirement before the Judicial and Bar Council when she applied for the post in 2012.

By Rio N. Araja

In a 64-page reply to Sereno’s comment, Calida reiterated his plea for the SC to nullify Sereno’s appointment in August 2012 and remove her from the top judicial post for not complying with the submission of the 10-year SALNs requirement. Calida branded Sereno’s answer as “a litany of falsehoods” and proof of her “utter lack of integrity.” “Sereno’s repeated failure to ﬁle her

ENVIRONMENT Secretary Roy Cimatu on Tuesday said a plan to put up a resort casino in Boracay Island in Aklan ran counter to the government’s effort to free up some space in the island. Cimatu reacted to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.’s approval of a provisional license allowing the construction and operation of two casinos in the island. Pagcor chairperson and chief executive ofﬁcer Andrea Domingo gave the Galaxy Entertainment Group the green light to build a resort casino in a

SolGen bares Sereno’s ‘litany of falsehoods’ By Rey E. Requejo

‘Boracay casinos defeat rehab bid’

News

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PNPA alumni condemn mauling case T

HE Philippine National Police Academy Alumni Association said Tuesday the mauling incident involving cadets following the graduation rites in Silang, Cavite, last week was an “isolated incident.”

The group said beating up seniors in the

academy was not a tradition, contrary to what PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa had said earlier. “There is no tradition of hurting fellow cadets or any person for that matter,” the group said in a statement. “What happened was an isolated case and we do not condone such demeanor.” Dela Rosa earlier said the mauling of seniors by several underclassmen was an “onand-off tradition” in the academy, and that

it must stop. The PNPA Alumni Association condemned the mauling incident and said it had no place in the academy or in a civilized society. It said the cadets, if proven guilty, must face the consequences. The group said the nine cadets who mauled and injured six of senior students, as identified by witnesses, will face criminal and administrative charges. A National Police Commission official

said those proven guilty would face dismissal. Twenty other cadets will face administrative charges for their alleged involvement, PNPA Chief Joseph Adnol said. The cadets allegedly waited for the end of the graduation rites on Wednesday before beating up their seniors. They reportedly harbored ill feelings toward the upperclassmen for imposing strict rules on them.

'Peace bid gaining, no thanks to CPP' PRESIDENTIAL Spokesman Harry Roque on Tuesday said that, even without the peace talks, the government’s efforts to forge peace with the communist rebels were continuing to gain ground as evidenced by the surrender of NPA fighters. The Duterte administration says it will only talk peace with the communists if there is an “enabling environment,” and that President Rodrigo Duterte is committed to pursue peace even without formal negotiations. Roque made his statement after more than 60 lawmakers urged Duterte to resume the peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front after Duterte ordered the termination of the peace talks with the insurgents. Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison on Tuesday said the Congress’ cooperation was needed in order for the peace negatiations between the government and the National Democratic Front to resume. Sison made the statement after more than 60 lawmakers urged Duterte to resume the peace talks in a House resolution. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III has expressed support for the House resolution. Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines says it has yet to receive orders regarding the implementation of the suspension of military operations against the New People’s Army this Holy Week. “The SOMO is a political decision vested

upon the political leadership. The AFP is yet to receive orders to suspend the offensive military operations against the NPA,” AFP public affairs office chief Emmanuel Garcia said late Monday. Duterte terminated the talks with the communists after the failure of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army, to reciprocate his peace overtures. In a statement, Roque said while they thanked those who signed House Resolution 1803 for their support for the administration’s peace agenda, “genuine sincerity” on the part of the CPP-NPA -National Democratic Front must be present in order for the government to return to the negotiating table. “They must cease their hostilities against innocent civilians and government forces, end their extortion activities, violent streaks and wanton killings, lay down their arms and return to the fold of the law and live normal lives,” Roque said. “Right from the very beginning of his term, the President’s position has always been clear and consistent: He remains committed to peace. “However, we find it unfortunate that the communists have become spoilers of peace because of their penchant for double-talk and treachery. Their motives are not for attaining sustainable peace but rather to push for their greater control and influence.” Vito Barcelo, with PNA

Avoid #ATM posts on FB, police warn THE Philippine National Police on Tuesday asked the public to be more prudent in posting their whereabouts on social media this Holy Week as that might tip off criminals. National Capital Region Police Office spokeswoman Kimberly Molitas said the public should avoid sharing their locations through #ATM or “at the moment” posts as that might alert thieves that their homes were not guarded. “We have been repeating this time and again, especially to our parents, to manage their children using social media,” Molitas told reporters. “Based on our experience, it’s the posting of these itineraries that allows criminals to monitor if you are not in your house.” Molitas made her statement even as Malacañang on Tuesday suspended all work in government offices, classes in the public schools and state universities, and work in government-owned and -controlled corporations at noon today, Wednesday. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea issued a memorandum suspending work

starting 12 noon on March 28, but it will be work as usual for all law enforcement agencies. Meanwhile, Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio has declared a half-day work at the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals today, Wednesday. The high court’s Public Information Office also announced that the half-day work will also be in effect at the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court and the Court of Tax Appeals. But the courts in Manila City are exempted from the half-day work because Mayor Joseph Estrada had already declared March 28 as a no-work day. Many Filipinos are expected to go on vacation this Holy Week, and the NCRPO said the public must make sure their homes were well-secured in their absence. Molitas also advised the public to ensure that their houses were safe from fire while they were away. She said about 12,000 Metro Manila police officers would be deployed around the capital to boost security. Vito Barcelo and Rey E. Requejo

Tribunal... From A1

Lemuel Arenas, Edgar Aricheta and Ma. Carina Cunanan—that would supervise the proceedings. Arenas said the PET is now keeping about 1,400 ballot boxes from Camarines Sur, which would first undergo recount next week. The other ballot boxes are currently with the Commission on Elections due to storage issues, he said. Arenas said that once the recount on the first 1,400 ballot boxes is done, the PET will receive the other ballot boxes from Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental. For her part, Cunanan said the tribunal is expecting some 213 personnel to come in per day during the recount. These include 60 employees of the tribunal, psychometricians, lawyers and representatives of both parties, and the revisors. Members of the Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, Police Security Protection Group and PET guards will secure the venue round-the-clock. CCTVs were also installed surrounding the recount venue and the storage area. She added that the parties will not be allowed to bring in their own security. The ballot recount, as order by the tribunal, would cover the three pilot provinces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental, which were chosen by Marcos as the best provinces where he could prove the irregularities he cited in his poll protest.

President Gloria Arroyo and the actor Ferdinand Poe Jr., the 2004 vice presidential race between former vice president Noli de Castro and Senator Loren Legarda, and the 2010 vice presidential race between former vice president Jejomar Binay and former senator Manuel Roxas II never reached the level of a recount. The recount, to be conducted at the gymnasium of the SC-Court of Appeals building, will cover a total of 5,418 clustered precincts in Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental. As a prelude to the revision of votes, the PET opened the tribunal for ocular inspection to members of the media on Tuesday, but said they would not be allowed to cover the recount. The recount would be conducted daily from Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by 50 revision teams each composed of three members—a head from the PET and one representative each from the camps of Marcos and Robredo. Under the PET rules, revision of votes would cover verifying the physical count of ballots, recount votes of parties, recording objections and claims, and marking of the contested ballots. The tribunal also created an ad hoc committee composed of three lawyers—Jose

Lifestyle...

From A1 the President for gross neglect of duty and manifest partiality in the performance of duty that caused “undue damage” to the government. “Something is fishy. The dismissal of Espinosa drug case will not be taken sitting down by the PACC. Our mandate is to assist the Office of the President to investigate corrupt and erring public officials in relation to the performance of their duties, and this is exactly what we will do,” Jimenez said in a statement. Meanwhile, in a press conferece at the Manila Yacht Club, PACC Commissioner Greco Belgica announced at a press conference Tuesday at the Manila Yacht Club that the agency would conduct lifestyle checks on all government officials. The commission, which has jurisdiction over presidential appointees nationwide, will conduct the check on all government employees “who have taken [an] oath,” Belgica said. Public Attorney’s Office Chief Persida Acosta on Tuesday welcomed the PACC

recommendation to conduct a lifestyle check on all government officials. “That is very much welcome,” she told the Manila Standard. “This would ensure the smooth implementation of the anti-corruption campaign of the Duterte administration,” she said. Lawmakers, however, were less supportive. Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, an administration ally, seemed amused that the lifestyle checks were announced in the posh surroundings of the Manila Yacht Club. Maricel V. Cruz, Rio N. Araja “They better make it clear on what branch of government they will conduct their lifestyle check,” Albano said. Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, an member of the opposition, said the lifestyle check will duplicate the functions of the Ombudsman. Akbayan Party-list Rep. Tom Villarin, also with the opposition, echoed Alejano’s view. “The announcement by PACC is nothing new as the Ombudsman and the Civil Service Commission are the other agencies mandated by law to undertake lifestyle checks,” Villarin said. Maricel V. Cruz, Rio N. Araja

‘Caloy’ enters PAR, forecast to exit Thursday A TROPICAL storm named “Caloy” entered the Philippine area of responsibility around 8 a.m. on Tuesday, the weather bureau said. The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph, and was forecast to move north at 15 kph. The center of the storm was estimated 1,045 kilometers east of Surigao City in Surigao del Norte as of 5 p.m. The weather bureau said “Caloy” will not make landfall and is forecast to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Thursday evening or Friday morning. Rio N. Araja

Hefty reward for pork scam informer By Vito Barcelo

TIPSTER'S REWARD. Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General

Aaron N. Aquino hands a reward in the amount of P6,079,918.55 to PDEA-Special Enforcement Service (PDEA-SES),PDEA-Intelligence and Investigation Service (PDEA-IIS) during a simple ceremony on March 27, 2018 at the PDEA National Headquarters in Quezon City. Manny Palmero

Osmeña... From A1

Aguirre said he authorized the release of the statement of the witness upon request of the Task Force Commander Against Illegal Drugs of the National Bureau of Investigation. Aguirre called on “individuals possessing additional knowledge or information to come forward and corroborate the [statement].” Once the case buildup concludes, the NBI would file charges against Osmeña, he said. Aguirre said Osmeña and other implicated police officials may be indicted for providing protection to drug lords. Aguirre made the revelation about the investigation and case buildup against the Cebu mayor after Osmeña threatened to file graft and disbarment cases against him over his alleged interference in the tax evasion charges filed by the local government. Aguirre dared Osmeña to just file the graft and disbarment cases against him, saying there was nothing anomalous in his order to transfer the cases—against BDO and SM—from the Cebu City prosecutor’s office to the Justice Department in Manila. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies echoed Malacañang’s allegations that drug lords may be using some human rights groups to destabilize the government’s war on illegal drugs. The Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said human rights groups may be unwittingly used by drug lords to criticize the government’s unrelenting drive against illegal drugs. In a press briefing in Malacañang, PNP P/ Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, PDEA spokesperson director Derrick Arnold Carreon,

SolGen... From A1

SALNs, and her dishonesty before the JBC are demonstrative of her obstinate refusal to comply with the law and accordingly, her utter lack of integrity,” the Solicitor General stressed. Calida also accused the Chief Justice of fabricating her SALN for 2006 during her application for the SC as associate justice in 2010. “When Sereno resigned in June 2006 as a UP professor, she should have submitted a SALN as of 2006. Her 2006 SALN, however, bears no stamp receipt from UP, was only signed on July 27, 2010, the same day that she submitted it to the JBC and was not notarized,” he claimed. The chief state lawyer noted that Sereno’s SALN for 1998 was filed only in 2003, or five years beyond the period required by law, Sereno’s 2009 SALN was also belatedly filed on June 22, 2012, or three years late. “The 1998 SALN shows that she did not only file it late, she also belatedly accomplished it,” Calida said. “The 2009 SALN reflects that she was holding the position of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, when in fact, she was only appointed on August 16, 2010.” Lastly, Calida said Sereno committed gross misrepresentation before the JBC when she explained that the reason for her non-submission of SALNs was that she could no longer retrieve all her SALNs. “Truth, however, is that she failed file her SALN 11 times from 1986 to 2006,” Calida pointed out. “These are perjurious acts [which] further bolster Sereno’s utter lack of integrity,” he said.

and NCRPO spokesperson Kimberly Molitas said they are looking into the possibility that drug lords may be behind in the systematic attack on the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, which resulted in the arrest of 123,648 drug suspects since the start of the anti-drug operations. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque stood firm on his statement that drug lords are funding human rights groups to destabilize the Duterte administration’s all-out war against illegal drugs. “We stand by the statement we made on the possibility that some non-governmental organizations, instead of assisting the government fulfill its human rights obligations, have become unwitting tools of drug lords,” Roque said in a statement. However, PDEA spokesman Carreon said that the alleged drug money being used to attack the President is still a subject of further investigation by all law enforcement agencies. “You can see the attacks against the anti-drug campaign, while law enforcement agencies like PDEA and the PNP are making honest efforts on the ground,” he said. The PNP and PDEA also said that they are willing to give reports to the International Criminal Court investigators if they ask for details of the police operations against illegal drugs—but only with the approval from the Palace or the Department of Interior and Local Government. On Tuesday, PDEA announced that it has given a total of P7,525,235.19 in cash rewards to six informants who had helped in the arrest of drug suspects under its Operation: Private Eye. Director-General Aaron Aquino commended the informants identified through their codenames as Krugger, Jacpat, Mata, Keeper, BI-1 and Highway Man. With Rio N. Araja

'Boracay... From A1

23-hectare property in the island’s Barangay Manok-Manok, and billionaire Andrew Tan to open another casino in his 559-room Savoy Hotel. Cimatu said the two business operators must still seek the approval of the Department of Environment and Natural Resource’s Environmental Management Bureau before they could push through with the construction of their structures on the island. The construction of a new structure by the Galaxy Entertainment Group was against the government’s effort to clear and rehabilitate the Boracay Island, he said. When asked, he said “there is [contradiction]. It appears that way.” “We will be depending on the carrying capacity [of Boracay],” he said, referring to the department’s decision whether to issue an environmental compliance certificate or not.

300-m... From A1

to their children—that percentage drops to one in 100, they reported in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology medical journal. If left untreated, HBV can cause serious diseases of the liver, including cancer. An estimated 600,000 people die every year from hepatitis-B related liver diseases, making HBV a bigger killer than malaria. A test for HBV has been available since the early 1970s, but only one in 10 sufferers worldwide have been diagnosed. The virus is highly contagious via infected blood or other body fluids, and is mainly transmitted from mothers to their infants, or between children. There is no cure, but antiviral drugs have

THE Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission on Tuesday offered a hefty sum to whoever could give details for the conviction of persons involved in the multibillion pork barrel scam allegedly masterminded by Janet Lim-Napoles. The PACC said at least 25 percent of the total ill-gotten wealth would go to the whistleblower if the money would be recovered. “Big reward awaits everyone who would become whistleblowers and who would give us information that will lead to a successful recovery of ill-gotten wealth,” PACC commissioner Greco Belgica said. However, the PACC commissioner expressed doubts that Napoles was the “mastermind” of the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam, and merely a “willing beneficial” (sic) of the scam. The PACC believes that Napoles is not the brains behind the P10-billion pork barrel scam. On the other hand, Malacañang said it was the personal opinion of the PACC and not the government’s.

Du30:... From A1

many problems, including rebellion in Mindanao. “If by 2018, it’s done, I give you my word, I will step down as President,” Duterte said. “I have no ambition to stay long. Power, I don’t crave for it.” In his various speeches, the Chief Executive has mentioned several times that he wanted to leave office early, citing his old age. The President will be turning 73 on March 28. Roque earlier said the President would also celebrate his birthday in his hometown, Davao City. With PNA

Rody... From A1

In his statement, Go said the President was not keen on having a lavish birthday party even when he was still Mayor of Davao City. “Mayor Rody will be celebrating his birthday at home, with his family,” Go said. Go’s statement coincided with greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping who extended his “sincere congratulations and best wishes” while extolling the improvement in the bilateral relations since Duterte ascended to the presidency in 2016. Presidential Communications and Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar wished that President Duterte be blessed more, and appealed to the public to pause for one day, to render to the President, the honor and the gratitude deserving of a leader. Andanar described the President as “a man for every people, whom he vowed to serve and to make peace the bedrock platform for the country’s progress.” In his message, Andanar said “a grateful people celebrate his seventy-third year and pray that he be blessed for more. “Governance comes in many forms. President Duterte began by circumventing the layers of an inherited dysfunctional past, a difficult, ongoing task of cleansing; and major progress has been done. He immediately set to motion the fundamentals of the economy barely a month after his proclamation. Employment was prioritized and protected for both local and foreign-based workers.” “Prayers from his well-wishers during his birthday would surely make him very happy,” Go added. proven effective in coping with symptoms. A vaccine against HBV became available in the early 1980s. Since 1992, the World Health Organization has recommended a first dose within 24 hours of birth, but only half of newborns are vaccinated that quickly. “Most mother-to-child transmission occurs within days of birth, so the birth dose is vital,” said lead investigator Homie Razavi, a virologist at the Center for Disease Analysis outside Denver, Colorado. “All children need to receive this life-saving vaccine at birth, not just half of them,” he said. Of the 16 countries that account for more than 80 percent of infections among five-year-olds, only China has scaled up vaccines-at-birth to 90 percent. Half of these nations have yet to put such a policy in place. AFP

News

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Witness Tuason appeals denied request to US trip; cites health

NCRPO reports 68 unsolved cases involving riding in tandem

By Maricel V. Cruz PORK barrel fund scam state witness Ruby Tuason has appealed to the Sandiganbayan to reconsider her denied motion to travel to the United States for a medical treatment. The court’s Third Division said that it denied Tuason’s travel request because it did not specify the length of her trip. In her motion for reconsideration submitted last Monday, Tuason said she has reduced the duration of her planned stay in the US to 32 days from March 22 to April 22. “With due respect, accused Tuason moves for the reconsideration of the resolution and herein provides the speciﬁc details of her accommodation while in the United States of America,” Tuason said. Tuason said she plans to stay with her son, Francis Damian Tuason, in Las Vegas from March 22 to 28. The same is true for April 18 to April 20 while waiting for her ﬂight back to the Philippines. She added that she will then stay with her niece, Ana Marie Simonet, from March 28 to April 28 in Los Angeles, California while waiting for her scheduled medical treatment. Tuason also attached a letter from the Ombudsman signed by Special Prosecutor Edilberto Sandoval granting her request to travel. “Accused Tuason humbly manifests that even the Ombudsman found her request be reasonable and her expression to return to the country sincere and credible,” Tuason said.

Taiwan donates P3.8 million to family of quake victim Castro TAIWAN has approved a consolation, compensation and donation totaling approximately P3.8 million to the grieving family of overseas Filipino worker Melody Albano Castro. In addition to the consolation and compensation of P3.2 million, another additional donation in the amount of P600,000 collected by the Taiwanese community in the Philippines has been handed to the bereaved family of the overseas Filipino worker, Melody Albano Castro on Tuesday, at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Ofﬁce in the Philippines. The additional donation symbolized Taiwanese’s compassion, care and love towards the OFWs in Taiwan. Castro was one of the victims in the recent Hualien earthquake in Taiwan during February 2018. Based on the relevant regulations towards the foreign workers and residents in Taiwan, an amount of P3.2 million was pooled from the Taiwan government funds, insurance claims and Taiwanese donation as consolation, compensation and compassion for the grieving family of Castro. The Meco has designated an ofﬁcial to handle the processing of relevant procedures of the allocation of fundings. On top of the said P3.2 million, another donation of P600,000 has been made by the Taiwanese community, thus the total fundings amount to P3.8 million.

PASSION PLAY. As part of the Holy Week celebration, the city government of Caloocan staged a Senakulo (Passion of Christ) play along A. Mabini in Caloocan City on Tuesday. Andrew Rabulan

PNP to be more aggressive against colorum vehicles

OLORUM vehicles, beware!

Taking a cue from President Rodrigo Duterte’s direct order, Philippine National Police Chief said the PNPHighway Patrol Group will be more aggressive in going after colorum public transportation vehicles. Dela Rosa said the PNP-HPG will be the lead law enforcement arm of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in the government’s intensiﬁed anti-colorum campaign. “They [LTFRB] can just tap the services of our Highway Patrol units but right now, since the instruction of the President is very clear that Highway Patrol should conduct anticolorum operations, nandon yung ating highway patrol na nagi-i-spearhead sa panghuhuli ng colorum but of course they have to coordinate with LTFRB para naman maayos yung kanilang operations,” the PNP chief said. According to HPG director Chief Superintendent Arnel Escobal, his

agency has already impounded at least 32 colorum buses in the National Capital Region, Region 4-A, Region 7, and Region 11. “I am advising them damihan pa ninyo para luluwag itong Edsa. Ituloy ninyo panghuhuli n’yo. Alam ko marami pa diyan iyong double plate, kambal plaka, marami pa ‘yan para luluwag ang Edsa,” Dela Rosa said. Duterte had declared a nationwide crackdown against colorum passenger vehicles and said that he wants policemen to arrest its drivers and operators. He also told authorities to kill the drivers or operators if their lives would be at risk while making the arrest. Duterte’s strict orders came following the fatal crash of a Dimple Star bus crash in Occidental Mindoro, which klled 19 people dead and injured 21 others. The President had admitted that the government is to blame for not decisively curbing the proliferation of colorum passenger vehicles, as he said that laws and regulations against illegally operating units must be fully enforced.

Meanwhile, Criminal and Investigation Detection Group chief Director Roel Obusan said that the owners of Dimple Star Transport have been sent home after appearing before their ofﬁce in Camp Crame last Friday. “Hindi uusad yung kaso kaya kailangan umuwi muna sila...kasi dadalhin nila yung mga documents na kailangan to assist yung case na pineprepare ng Region 4-B kasi doon nangyari yung kaso,” Obusan said. “Kailangan namin silang palabasin at babalik din naman sila dahil sa mga dokumento na kailangan. We cannot go with the case kung wala yung mga dokumento na ‘yon. Kasi we believe ‘pag nakuha yung dokumento it can facilitate the ﬁling of the case,” he added. Recently, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista personally served the closure order against the bus liner at the Dimple Star bus terminal in Cubao. Authorities have impounded at least 44 Dimple Star units in Occidental and Oriental Mindoro following the tragic accident.

‘ASG hostages prevent full-scale military attack’ By Francisco Tuyay THE presence of the 10 remaining hostages of the Islamic State-inspired Abu Sayyaf Group had been keeping the military at bay in its operations, but ofﬁcials said they foresee the ASG’s eventual fall as government troops continue to gain strategic offensives in its anti-terror campaign in the ASG’s lair in Sulu province. Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of Joint Task Force Sulu, said despite the 10 hostages still in captivity by the ASG, the military have the upperhand against the terror group as the terrorist suffered a series of blunder following the ongoing massive operations. The ASG has previously kept more than 20 hostages including dozens

of foreigners but their number has dwindled to just 10 as a result of the military’s aggressive campaign. “Actually it’s nearing its end,” Sobejana said while expressing hope that they would soon rescue the remaining kidnap hostages which he said would allow them to ﬁnish off the notorious group. The 10 hostages include a Dutch national, three Indonesians and six Filipinos believed being held separately in the hinterlands of Sulu. Sobejana estimated the current strength of the ASG still operating in Sulu to about 300 to 400. He said that at least 10 composite battalions are in pursuit of the terror group. “Our priority now is to rescue/ recover all the kidnap victims so that our operations will not be restricted

though ground operations are calculated so as not to jeopardize the safety of the hostages,” Sobejana explained. At present, Sobejana said its antiterror operations has reached a favorable tempo but they still need to sustain it to accomplished their overall mission. Sobejana detaled the military’s anti-terror campaign during President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to Sulu where the military presented the 70 ASG bandits who had surrendered. Accompanying Duterte’s entourage in Sulu were National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero and other ranking military ofﬁcials. The highlight of the surrender rites were the presentation to Duterte of around 700 assorted ﬁrearms recovered by ground troops from the ASG.

BFP modernization measure pushed A PARTY-LIST lawmaker is pushing for the passage of a bill that calls for the modernization of the Bureau of Fire Protection. Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano made the call in line with the Fire Prevention Month, saying it is about time the capabilities and services of the BFP be upgraded “being the main agency tasked to prevent and supress all kinds of destructive ﬁres.” “Fire is a serious threat to life and property. Rapid urbanization and congestion in cities make ﬁre hazards more common and devastating. The BFP then needs to keep up with this predicament by improving the tools and methods at its disposal,” Alejano, a member of the opposition in the House of Representatives, said. Alejano’s proposal was contained in House Bill 2728 which provides for the Fire Protection Modernization Program. The program covers: (1) establishment

of fire stations and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in all local government units, (2) upgrade of existing equipment and services, (3) creation of specialized fire protection and related services, and (4) development of personnel. The bill proposes a budgetary requirement amounting to an initial P8 billion for the modernization program. “To fully realize a modern and responsive fire protection agency, I intend to forward a higher appropriation, based on the proposal of BFP, amounting to P80 billion for 10 years. Extending the modernization program to 10 years is a compromise so as not to burden the national budget also,” Alejano said. The bill also proposes the creation of a special fund solely for the retirement, disability, and death benefits for members and scholarship for dependents of firefighters. Maricel V. Cruz

POOR’S CALVARY. Members of an urban poor group staged a ‘calvary of the poor‘ with men and women carrying seven-foot crosses to symbolize the burdens of the Train Law during a protest rally in España, Manila at the start of the Holy Week. Norman Cruz

NATIONAL Capital Region Police Office chief Oscar Albayalde reported on Tuesday that his office has recorded 68 shooting incidents involving motorcycle riding-in-tandem suspects which had remain unsolved since the police force returned on the war against illegal drugs. According to data provided by his office, a total of 77 shooting incidents involving riding of tandem shooter occurred from Dec. 5 last year to March 13. Out of the 77, only nine of these incidents have been solved and cases were filed against identified suspects, Albayalde said. The NCRPO chief said that Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has ordered them to focus on solving riding-in-tandem cases. “We are trying on the solution itong mga cases na ‘to, ito yung instruction ni chief. Actually, he [has] given instruction to give focus on the solution of these cases,” Albayalde said. Still, Albayalde said that the 77 unresolved shooting incidents could not be considered as alarming as the police have not been remiss on their duties. “As much as possible, sabi nga ni chief, kung hindi man lang mazero, ma-minimize talaga yung mga ganyang incidents, yung mga ridingin-tandem incidents, yung motorcycle riding suspects, ito yung direktiba ng ating chief PNP,” he said.

CHR holds hearing to probe carbon effect on climate By Rio N. Araja THE Commission on Human Rights on Tuesday conducted its ﬁrst hearing to investigate the possible contribution of carbon to climate change and its impact on human rights. Commissioner Eugenio Cadiz, the national inquiry chairperson, said the investigation into the so-called “carbon majors” was in response to a petition of some typhoon victims, human rights groups and concerned citizens which was ﬁled in 2015. “The inquiry asks if climate change impacts human rights and, if so, whether ‘carbon majors’ have a responsibility for it,” he said. Carbon major companies are producers of oil, natural gas, coal and cement, and that most of them are nonstate transnational entities. “The Commission, mindful of its general mandate to uphold human rights in the Philippines, accepted the petition as the Constitution directs it to investigate and monitor all matters concerning the human rights of the Filipino people,” Cadiz said.

Transfer TNVS supervision to DOTr—solon By Maricel V. Cruz A HOUSE leader on Tuesday called for the transfer of supervision of ride-hailing services from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to the Department of Transportation in the wake of the recent acquisition by Grab Philippines of the Southeast Asian operations of its main rival Uber. Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said the buyout by Grab of its biggest rival in the business has led to a monopoly in the ride-hailing business in the country. “This monopoly would leave the public at the mercy of a single mega TNS company that would be able to dictate fare prices and be less enthusiastic in improving its services, knowing that riders are left with very limited options,” Villafuerte, vice chairman of the House committee on local government, said. Villafuerte made the statement after Grab announced last week that it had acquired Uber’s operations in the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia. Under the share swap agreement, Uber would be getting a 27.5 percent stake in Grab. Uber will shut down its operations here starting April 8 as part of the deal.

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018

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Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

National ID: yay or nay? THE Senate last week passed the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) Act of 2018 voting 17-2, paving the way for a national ID system that will unify various government agency numbers and forms of identification. Last September, the House of Representatives passed its version 142-7. The debate now is whether such an ID system is a good idea. First, let’s look at other examples around the world. There are around 100 countries with a compulsory ID system. ‘Compulsory,’ however, has different meanings for each system, with some requiring it be carried at all times, others upon reaching a certain age, and so on. There are countries with a noncompulsory ID, among them Japan, Switzerland, and Sweden. Still others have no such thing at all, including Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The United States has no national ID but for many transactions and activities, such as domestic airline travel, citizens are required to show some sort of official identification, usually a driver’s license or Department of Motor Vehicles state ID card. And every citizen and resident must have a “social” or Social Security Administration number—legitimate employment is impossible without one. The countries that eschew a national ID system cite reasons of privacy, among others. But there quite a few pros.

A cycle of violence

N A reverse twist on hazing, six new graduates from the Philippine National Police Academy received a farewell beating from nine of their lowerclassmen in a shadowy tradition in which cadets get even with their upperclassmen. Academy officials said the lowerclassmen waited for the graduates near their barracks following the graduation ceremonies on March 21. As the fresh graduates were packing up their belongings, the cadets attacked, beating them with paddles and rocks. Some of the victims suffered head injuries, and two of them eventually filed criminal charges against the nine lowerclassmen. PNPA Director Joseph Adnol said the cadets held grudges against their upperclassmen, who were said to be strict taskmasters over the last year.

Police officials seemed divided over the existence of this tradition of getting even. Expressing dismay at the mauling, PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said the tradition should be stopped because it promotes a “cycle of violence.” He said the tradition had been stopped before in 2005, but acknowledged that it was an “onand-off tradition.” Members of the PNPA Alumni Association, on the other hand, have denied that such a tradition exists. The PNPA director added that if such a tradition existed, it is not sanctioned by the academy. He described the mauling as an isolated incident. But such denials are neither credible nor helpful, given the PNP chief’s candid admission that it exists and surfaces from time to time. The first step in solving a problem, after all, is to admit that it exists. It may well be true that the PNPA does not sanction this tradition of getting even, but the

EVERYMAN

same can be said about universities and the barbaric practice of hazing. Refusing to sanction a surreptitiously observed tradition, or even to admit it exists, does not make it go away. The nine lowerclassmen apparently believed—wrongly, of course—that they were well within their rights to get even with their erstwhile taskmasters, but now they must pay the price. The PNP says criminal and administrative charges will be filed against them, while the National Police Commission has threatened to dismiss them if they are found guilty. The cadets must be punished, but it is difficult to consider this case without some regret that nine promising lives will go to waste, simply because the culture within the police academy was such that they felt it was all right to get even. The PNPA has a responsibility to make sure that other cadets will not believe the same thing and go down the same ruinous road.

Is this really a good idea?

“The National ID Debate: Is the Philippines Ready?” is a briefing paper prepared by the Foundation for Media Alternatives. It lists the following advantages: better delivery of and access to government services; financial inclusion (the ID can allow unemployed Filipinos and those without other forms of ID to open a bank account); law enforcement; public safety (counter-terrorism); and social inclusion (this ID is for all Filipinos, whether employed or not). The convenience promised by a national ID card is very attractive. We have all struggled with getting a TIN (tax ID), SSS (social security), and GSIS (government social security), having to go to different agencies, filling up and submitting similar requirements, and waiting in line. But glitches still abound. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s UMID (unified multi-purpose ID) system brings together SSS, GSIS, PhilHealth, and Home Development Mutual Fund numbers, but from my personal experience, government agencies still ask for their particular numbers when checking their databases. For instance, I recently went to an SSS branch and asked for an update of my contributions, showing my UMID card. There was some delay pulling up my information until I handed over my old SSS card. “Ay, meron ka pala niyan, bakit di mo agad pinakita,” the person assisting me said, going on to access my data. So what’s the UMID card for? Now, the cons. First, technical and logistical issues. There isn’t any guarantee the system will work properly, as India is now experiencing with their Aadhaar. Envisioned to help the government crack down on welfare fraud and corruption, the system is vulnerable to breaches and faux pas. A Washington Post report cites that clerical errors and other boo-boos have prevented people from availing of government benefits and services, claiming salaries, and going to school. The system is said to be so troublesome that “in some cases, mistakes Turn to A5

Sierra Leone ‘people’s pop star’ on life as govt enemy No.1 By Jennifer O’Mahony and Saidu Bah FOR a musician used to receiving personal insults from the president and anonymous death threats with the release of every new single, Emmerson Bockarie laughs a lot. The Sierra Leonean pop star, a thorn in the side of successive governments over his 15-year career, chuckles as he recalls the countless times politicians have sought to dampen his appeal, and the countless times they have failed. “Politicians make mentions of my

music on TV and radio. That means they hear the songs and are getting the message,” he notes with delight, settling down for an interview with AFP at his Freetown studio. Better known simply as “Emmerson”, the Afrobeat singer is the bete noire of Sierra Leone’s music scene, one of few successful artists who refuse to play political rallies or back a party in a nation where rappers and singers are co-opted for their youth appeal. With a new president due to be elected on Tuesday, Bockarie says he expects fresh inspiration for his soft yet

scathing lyrics—whoever wins—as the ruling All Peoples’ Congress faces off against the main opposition Sierra Leone Peoples’ Party. The two parties have ruled the country alternately since independence in 1961. “I stand with the people; I am with the country,” he enthuses. “It makes no sense for me to belong to a political party.” Consistent criticism Emmerson began making music in the local Krio language after Sierra Leone’s civil war ended in 2002, when he had just left school. Turn to A5

Some buffs raise notes for regional folk songs By Honor Blanco Cabie SOME Filipino culture buffs, among them musicians of small town bands, are raising notes for more open or covered auditoriums and stages for the country’s slowly fading out regional folk songs. They believe these songs can well keep up to the beat and melody as well as message of English songs that have made inroads in the industry. They say, on the sidelines of some weekend musical rehearsals, that these Filipino folk songs can have the same lilting tune and mighty message as, for instance, the American singer-song writer Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” or ”If I Had A Hammer” written in 1949 by Pete Seeger and Lee Hayes. Guthrie’s chorus has the lines: The sun comes shining as I was strolling/ The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling/ The fog was lifting a voice come chanting/ This land was made for you and me.// The song “If I Had A Hammer,” a Civil Rights anthem of the American Civil Rights movement, has the words: It’s a hammer of justice/ It’s a bell of freedom/ It’s a song about love between my brothers and my sisters/ All over this land.// Some sources say the Philippines, which has several regions with major regional languages and musical brands, is literally a treasure trove for folk songs that give sheen to the country’s over-all culture as a Southeast Asian nation. Sources say people in the regions, particularly the younger generations, should be exposed to this wealth of Filipino folk songs “since it is an essential way to pass down tradition that has been the signature of their ancestors.” There are also those who say singing these folk songs and helping the young ones appreciate the message helps preserve and protect these folk songs which cover a variety of musical styles although the song is commonly used to refer to a narrative song that uses traditional melodies to speak on a particular topic. Folk songs—the music of a nation, a sub-culture or a community of people—address social and political issues like work, war, and popular opinion and communicates a message and has a strong meaning about them. In the Philippines, these folk songs are abundant—from as far north as Ilocos Norte and Cagayan to the warrior-type Tausugs in Jolo in the far south—but are hardly known and heard, if at all, by young Filipinos. Ilocanos take pride in their folk song Pamulinawen, among others they have in their chests, a song addressed to, a euphemism, a stonehearted lady. Part of the lyrics: Pamulinawen/ Pusok indengam man/ Toy umas-asug/ Agrayo d’ta sadiam/Panunotem man/ Ti inka pagintutulngan/ ‘toy agayat/ agrayo d’ta sadiam.// The loose translation in English by an Ilocano musician: Pamulinawen/ please hearken to my heart/the one appealing/ has been under your spell/ please think of me/ the one you keep ignoring/the one beseeching/ enamored with your charm.// Bicolanos take pride as well, apart from “Katurog na Nonoy” and “Sarung Banggi,” the song “Babaeng Taga Bikol: Maogmahon sa Kabicolan (2x)/ Madia kamo sa Kabicolan/ Dae nindo malilingawan/ Babaeng tagaBicol. Which means—again loose translation—it’s nice to be in Bicolandia (2x)/ Come on over to the region/ and don’t you ever forget/ a lady from Bicol.// In the Cordilleras, the Bontocs have a funeral song on Inan Talangey. This is about the life of a dead person and is sung by two or three groups of people during the evening wake, a practice common in northern Philippines. The Kalingas also have their folk songs, like Banao, a lullaby song which relates the story of a baby

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sitter—perhaps a sibling or a close relative—while the child’s parents are out there in the farm. The song says the baby-sitter lulls the baby to sleep by rocking it in a forwardbackward movement of the torso and bending the knee a little, while singing: O-wah, o-wah, o-wah-wi-iyi-i/Nasigab man-tagibi-iyi-i/ Maid suyop no labvi/ Anosan ta’n bvobva-i-i-i/ Siya’t kopyan dji bvo-bva-i/ O-way adjo’t ligatmi-iiyi/ Man-i-goygoy no labvi/ O-wah, owah, o-wah-wi--iyi-i.// The loose English translation by someone who has gone to the area: Owah, o-wah, o-wah-wi-iyi-i/ Baby sitting is rather difficult/ No sleep at all at night/ We women can only bear/ That’s what women are born for/ Although there is much to suffer from.// The Kalingas also have their “Dangdang-ay,” another traditional song which became popular during the second world war. Kalingas say the guerrillas sang this song while they bade good-bye to their sweethearts, the women not wanting their lovers to go away while the men were promising they would return. Part of the lyrics: Ading di ka agsangit/ Agsubliyak mabiit/ Ading di ka agdanag/ Mabiit a mabayag/ Urray innak mabitay/ No diak gasat a matay/ Kastoy gayam ta ayat/ Pangkitaan ti rigat…// The English loose translation: My young one, don’t weep/ I’ll be back before long/ Don’t worry / It’s not that long/ I might be hanged/ If it’s not my fate to die/ This is love after all/ Mirror of difficulties.// One is reminded of the “Ballad of the Green Berets, “ a patriotic song in the ballad style about the Green Berets, an elite special force in the US Army. It is one of the very few songs of the 1960s to cast the military in a positive light, yet it became a major hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard charts for five weeks in 1966. It was also a crossover smash, reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart and No. 2 on Billboard’s Country survey. The song was written by Robin Moore and Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler, while the latter was recuperating from a leg wound suffered as a medic in the Vietnam War. The lyrics include: “Back at home a

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by Aadhaar operators have led to dogs, trees, and chairs reportedly being issued Aadhaar cards.” Other potential risks, says the FMA paper, to having a national ID are its use for surveillance and subsequent privacy right violations; infringement of civil liberties; costs (the Philippine Statistical Authority’s budget, which will implement the system, is P2 billion for 2018); data security (remember the 2016 leak of voters’ data from the Commission on Elections?); doubts of it effectiveness over crime and terrorism; and ‘function creep’ or the “use of a tool for purposes that go beyond its originally stated goals.” An example of the latter is again the Aadhaar. For 500 rupees and 10 minutes, its database can be accessed, according to the FMA paper citing a 2018 report.

Sierra... From A4

His first single “Yu Go See Am” ridiculed government officials stuffing their faces and skimming money off state funds while ordinary citizens went hungry. “The [then] president, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, was like: It’s better for them to sing than to go back to the bush and be rebels,” he explains, referring to the legions of child and youth soldiers. These days, he is heavily engaged in civic education, collaborating with four other artists on the song “Mi vote na mi life” last year to encourage voters deeply split along tribal and regional lines to consider policies when making their choice. “Emmerson songs are about issues affecting ordinary people,” explained Murtala Mohamed Kamara, publisher of entertainment publication the Salone Jamboree. “He has been consistent with his criticism and advocacy for change without bias to any government,” he added. No easy eh A typical Emmerson song will encompass mockery of politicians’ greed and uselessness, tributes to Sierra Leone and its long-suffering people, and some element of hope for the future. His lyrics about poverty—“wi weh no born mit money/ less opportunity/ still wi wan be somebody/ e no easy eh”— reflect the frustrations of young people in a country with high unemployment and enduring social injustice. “I started listening to Emmerson’s music in 2007, and I still love him for telling the truth,” fan Ophaniel Gooding told AFP. But his riotously successful songs have made him some powerful enemies. “I know there are propaganda machines out there organised by the government to go against my music on social media,” Emmerson says. “Sometimes you have phone calls, text messages, Facebook... ‘We will light you up. If I ever see you that will be your last day’,” he adds, eyes widening beneath the

young wife waits/ Her Green Beret has met his fate/ He has died for those oppressed/ Leaving her this last request/ Put silver wings on my son’s chest/ Make him one of America’s best/ He’ll be a man they’ll test one day/ Have him win the Green Beret”// In the lahar-devastated province of Pampanga are several folk songs, but one, according to patriotic minds, particularly stand out. This is the song titled “Capampangan Cu” whose lyrics include Ing balen cung Capampangan/ Sale ning leguan at dangalan/ Paraiso ne ning cabanalan/ Luclucan ning catuliran/ Mibait la qng candungan na/ Ding bayani ampong biasa/ Balen co uliran ca/ Lalam ning bandera.// Sources from the province say this is a patriotic song which elevates Pampanga, described as the place of the righteous, religious and law abiding citizens. Those in the Queen City of the South have their “Usahay” whose lyrics, partly, say: Usahay magadamgo ako/ Nga ikaw ug ako nagka higugmaay/ Nganong damgohon ko ikaw/ Damgohon sa kanunay…// A loose English translation puts some graphic image: Sometimes I am dreaming/ That you and I love each other/ Why are you the one I dream of/ And always dream of my loneliness…// The Tausugs of Sulo have their “Unu In Hi Langan” whose lyrics include: Unu in hi langan/ Sin hidlaw kan jungjungan/ Ayir bajanggang/ Sukkal banding di kapasangan/ Hi ula katumbangan/ Bang maisa kulangan/ Dayang in pagngnnan.// The loose English translation: What can I sing/ (To ease my) yearning for my beloved/ (Her) incomparable presence/ cannot be matched/ (My) dear idol and lover/ When lying in the chamber/ I utter the name of my beloved.// Culture aficionados say there are other regions rich in folk songs which need wider dissemination and appreciation by the younger generations– if only for the message of patriotism, love for kin and what the songs say of the community, the aspirations of the people, their laughter, their grief, and their dreams. Many ordinary Filipinos agree. (HBC, former literary coordinator for Northern Luzon of the Commission for Culture and the Arts, is a musician, a lyricist and musical arranger of the Tiger Boys Band.) The ease of having just one number for TIN, SSS, GSIS, PhilHealth, and all other agency numbers we need is incalculable. But imagine also the inconvenience caused by a system glitch. You could be refused service at the agency, be asked to comply with more requirements, and have to go back and forth till the matter is fixed. In any case, though, this system isn’t going to be implemented any time soon. Senator Panfilo Lacson says it will take five years for the PH system’s rollout “kasi wala masyadong technical or IT ability ang PSA.” So whether you’re nay or yay on this, there’s still time to study the pros and cons and find ways of strengthening such an ID system, for government to better serve the Filipino people. Dr. Ortuoste is a writer and communication consultant. FB and Twitter: @ DrJennyO brim of a baseball cap. And that is before his much-publicized war of words with outgoing President Ernest Bai Koroma, who is accused of failing to address corruption and the economic fallout of the 2014-16 Ebola crisis. “The president referred to me as a fly, that he would just blow me off,” Emmerson laughs, with a mock dismissive flick of the hand. Emmerson got his revenge by sampling a soundbite of Koroma’s hand-picked successor, Samura Kamara, in the opening strains of his election-inspired hit “Good Do.” The former foreign minister admitted during a February campaign debate that the ruling party was responsible for deplorable conditions in some parts of the country. “I blame the government,” Kamara is heard admitting, before Emmerson is recorded laughing over the presidential candidate’s words. ‘My fight’ The singer sincerely believes he provides an information service for citizens, the majority of whom are illiterate and only hear government “lies” from TV and radio. But the fierce pride of his fans takes a toll. He is separated from his wife, blaming the all-consuming nature of his music, and admits he has “no time” for himself. “Whatever happens in the country, people go ‘Emmerson!’ They go: ‘Where’s Emmerson?’ Am I a village, a town crier?” he asks, smiling with just a hint of irritation. Technology has also complicated his life. Previously he relied on CD and cassette sales to make money, and although YouTube and iTunes have given him a global reach, locals are now more likely to pirate his music. He is currently concentrating his energies on a label, Sugar Entertainment, that is nurturing a new generation of artists. But what motivates him on a daily basis is his “dream” for Sierra Leone, for a nation free of injustice and ethnic conflict, with jobs for everyone and a freer political system. But he will never be the one to lead his people to this brighter future. “If I go into politics who would be doing what I’m doing? We need me,” he said. AFP

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018

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Duterte at 73 SO I SEE LITO BANAYO IN A meeting with some friends in Davao City recently, the president was overheard saying in a mix of Bisaya and Tagalog, which is how Dabaweños speak, “It’s a hard life being president. The problems are awesome, almost beyond solution. And I can only do so much.” And then added, “if only I can stop being president, and lead a quieter life in my twilight years.” (This translation is not literal, the intention being to convey the message.) Today, Rodrigo Roa Duterte is 73 years old, by the grace of God and the strength of his genes, still up and sprightly, even if he carries with him the burden of rebuilding a nation populated by close to 106 million Filipinos. The other day, a highly respected journalist, Ambassador Rigoberto Tiglao, writing for The Manila Times, described Duterte’s popular acceptance, which till the latest survey is in the very high 80s, attributed this phenomenon basically to Duterte being a different kind of leader. He encapsulated the leadership qualities of Duterte as basically those of authenticity (never pretending to be what he is not); action-oriented; audacity (being able to take on anybody, be they oligarchs or politicians or even foreign countries, in defense of his country and his people’s interests); ability to focus on one problem at a time; and finally, empathy, a genuine concern for his fellowmen, especially the downtrodden and oppressed. Indeed, our president is so different from those who preceded him. Despite the foul language which many excoriate, he oozes with sincerity, and the people realize this. They

forgive him his lapses, just as they are more patient with him and keep faith in him, even as they suffer from the weight of the negligence, incompetence and corruption of the past, and to some extent, bear even with some of his under-performing appointees. Those who condemn his administration’s alleged human rights abuses and accuse him of being dictatorial have to square off with public perception that such possible excesses are necessary to stave off greater evils, to arrest the deteriorating situation, and more, to protect the people. This is something outsiders do not appreciate, but the Filipino people, or some 80 percent of them, do.

Our president is so different from those who preceded him.

After years and years of false promises, inaction, corruption and allowing problems to fester, they finally have a leader who is no nonsense, stern perhaps but sympathetic to their plight, and sincere. Four more years, Mr. President. To paraphrase Robert Frost’s immortal lines: “The woods (of retirement and rest) are lovely, dark and deep; but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.” Fare thee well, as you rebuild a nation and change mindsets and systems. Above all, God bless! *** Since those who would seek election or reelection have only six months to make up their minds, or for political groups to firm up their tickets (I decline calling them “political parties”), a good guide to decision-making would be the results of the first quarter

surveys, which should be coming out with their findings some two to three weeks from now. For the administration, the idea of an all PDP-Laban senatorial slate has fizzled out. What is more likely to happen is a 12-man slate composed of six reelectionists, namely, Senate President Koko Pimentel, Senators Grace Poe, Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito and Sonny Angara. Then, there will be a balik-senadora who always rates high in the surveys, former senator and now Deputy Speaker Pia Cayetano. That makes seven strong contenders. Then of course, Christopher “Bong” Go, the pambansang photo bomber, the loyal ally of President Digong, who has dedicated his entire adult life to serving his idol. Then Harry Roque, the presidential spokesman, and Francis Tolentino, the political adviser who was MMDA chairman in the previous government. There’s room for just two more. For a while, it was rumored that LP stalwart Bam Aquino might opt to join the administration coalition, but the latest news is he will not. Gov. Imee Marcos is making the rounds, feeling the electorate’s pulse, and there is no doubt that if she does take the plunge, she will be a strong contender, what with the vaunted Ilocano vote. There are two high-profile media persons also being considered, plus of course some “graduating” congressmen. All eyes will be on the first quarter survey. The second-quarter survey won’t be out until about the time of the President’s third Sona, by which time those who would run, or who would blink, should have already made up their minds. And the political groups or coalitions, “barkadahan ng mga politiko” you may want to call these, will firm up their slates a month after the Sona. Constitutional change will take a backseat until after May of 2019.

Bitcoin and blockchain VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ IN November 2008, Satoshi Nakamoto shared his paper on a popular cryptography blog where everyone is identified only by their online names. “A purely peer-to-peer version of electronic cash would allow online payments to be sent directly from one party to another without going through a financial institution.” It was an untraceable e-cash payment done directly and anonymously. Users download the Bitcoin (BTC) software onto their computer and they get a digital wallet or account number that comes with a private key (like a password that only the user knows) and a public key that everyone uses to decode each transaction. All numbers are a random string of 26-35 characters, so they are hard to remember. The software also gives you a ledger to keep track of every BTC account and anyone in the network who wants to decode a transaction can update it. To send BTCs, you use your account number, your private key, and a digital signature that is used only once for each particular transfer, and broadcast your payment online to other computers with a BTC software. After 10 minutes (it now takes longer) all the keys are decrypted. The transaction is verified and broadcast to the system. If everyone agrees, it is entered as a block into everybody’s ledger, which reflects the new amounts of BTC in each account. You can buy more BTCs with cash or credit card. If you want to earn BTCs, your computer can be a miner or one that decodes BTC transactions using the public key and digital signatures to verify that the transfers are valid, meaning you only spend what you have and it is sent from an existing account to another existing account. Miners need massive computing power and electricity to outrun all other miners trying to decode the same block. The first one to solve the code wins some BTC. Miners can also add a transaction fee to a block solved. Once verified, your transfer is linked to a previous block in the ledger that shows all previous validated transactions of BTCs in general, and your own BTC transactions in particular.

This is known as the blockchain because every transaction refers to a previous transaction involving that particular BTC. This is how they safeguard against double payment since it is difficult to fake a BTC’s origin. Also, you would have to create your own succeeding blocks to make your fake BTC transfer seem valid. But it would be almost impossible to overpower the network of miners who are racing to decode your block after you broadcast your transaction. Bitcoin accounts are identified by numbers but it is still possible to trace a particular transaction. Also, the public ledger allows everyone to see how much BTCs every account holds.

The following article was written by my lawyer-daughter Ivy Lopez Cabaltica. I adopt it as Part II of my March 21 column on cryptocurrencies:

At first, Bitcoin struggled like a startup. Nakamoto gave away 50 BTCs to anyone who signed up in 2009. He was the only one who verified the transactions and created the first blocks. Some treated BTC as a joke when it was offered as payment. In 2010, an online black market called Silk Road was the first to accept BTC as currency. Buyers used BTC to buy mostly drugs. The anonymity allowed buyers to pay for illegal activities. That’s when Bitcoin’s popularity spread and inexplicably, when Nakamoto disappeared. No one knows his identity. In 2013, the FBI shut down Silk Road and seized nearly 30,000 BTCs. The owner is now serving life imprisonment for drug trafficking. Early 2014, Japan-based Mt Gox, the only big Bitcoin exchange at that time, lost 740,000 BTCs, now likely worth over $3 billion. Some 2,000 BTCs were withdrawn from customer accounts stored in the exchange. Most of the money was never recovered and the owner was charged with embezzlement and data manipulation

in 2017. Mt Gox filed for bankruptcy and sold over $400 million BTCs early this year. At first, Bitcoins were worthless. Its price slowly climbed to $10 and stayed flat until 2013 when it rose to about $137. From then, it averaged about $200 until its explosive growth in late 2017 when it hit $19,000. Now it fluctuates around $8,000 depending on news and public hysteria. Because of the meteoric rise in price last year, many individuals and private ventures bought and sold bitcoins and established cryptocurrency exchanges. Stories abound of fantastic crashes and overnight riches. Others made their own cryptocurrency to make their own initial coin offering (ICO) in the hopes of making money when their own coin price goes up. You can easily create your own cryptocurrency in minutes. There are over 1,300 copycat currencies online, even joke ones that people still ignorantly buy. But in this case, being first matters. Bitcoin is still the highest priced and most recognized cryptocurrency. Majority of cryptocurrency ICOs, exchanges, and wallets are just quick money-making schemes. They use the words bitcoin or blockchain and the unknowing public buys it up. There is no regulation to set up a website or wallet; nor to make an ICO or an exchange to buy or sell Bitcoins; or offer Bitcoin investment advice. So victims just assume that what they find online is legitimate. Often, the website later just goes offline and disappears with the “investor’s” money. There is no trace and no recourse. Another scheme is to make an online Bitcoin digital wallet to keep it separate from an exchange which can be hacked, like Mt Gox. One bitcoin wallet, StrongCoin, claims only the user knows his private key as it is encrypted when he downloads their app. The user then buys or sends bitcoins to his digital wallet stored with StrongCoin. Then when the same user tries to use his private key, he is banned and there is no way for him to access his funds. There is no number to call and emails are ignored. But one customer used his 3G phone, which showed a different IP address from his current device, and he retrieved his Bitcoin. Others were not so clever. biznewsasia@gmail.com

News

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

New Davao to Siargao PAL route for surfers

PCSO team shuts down Globaltech ‘peryahan’ THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office has shut down the illegal operation of the “Peryahan ng Bayan” of Globaltech Mobile Online Corp. in Albay, declaring it as “economic sabotage.” Led by retired Marine major Manuel Fraginal, chief of the PCSO’s Nationwide InterBranch Security Monitoring, and elements of the National Bureau of Investigation, the agency conducted a simultaneous raid and padlocking of Globaltech’s peryahan (funfair) outlets, especially in Legazpi City. “This company owes you, the people, hundreds of millions of pesos, this is not the government’s money, but your money,” Fraginal said. He said Globaltech’s illegal operation was depriving the government of revenues. On March 23, Fraginal’s team padlocked the Globaltech outlet in Legaspi based on PCSO Board Resolution No. 51, s 2016, which terminated the Deed of Authority of Globaltech to operate a peryahan. The peryahan in the city was reportedly operated by Quebec Gaming Corp. under the authority of Globaltech. Earlier, PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan declared the operation illegal. “PCSO has not authorized any other entity to operate peryahan. Any operation of peryahan is unauthorized and illegal,” said Balutan. He urged the Philippine National Police to stop all peryahan outlets that reportedly resumed operations, but to no avail.

ACT OF PENANCE. Dressed as Roman soldiers, men scour the town plaza in Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro as part of its Centurion (Moriones) festival, which started on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Sunday with the ‘beheading’ of Longinus, the one-eyed Roman soldier who, legend says, regained his eyesight after stabbing Jesus while nailed at the cross. The activity is patterned after the Moriones festival of Marinduque province, where many residents of Pinamalayan trace their roots. Pinamalayan Tourism Office

Solons OK bill penalizing throwing stuff at vehicles By Maricel V Cruz

HE House of Representatives has backed a measure penalizing the act of throwing hard objects at motor vehicles while these are in motion or stationary, such as 20 years of imprisonment at the maximum.

The Lower House earlier approved on second reading House Bill 7163, authored by Majority Floor Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas. Fariñas lamented that unscrupulous persons who throw, for whatever reason, hard objects at motor vehicles, particularly public transport plying major thoroughfares. The bill provides that any person who throws stones, rocks, bricks, bottles, pieces of wood or metal, or any other hard object of any kind or character that damages, ruins, destroys or wrecks the

vehicle or causes death or bodily harm to its passengers shall be penalized with the following: • 25 years’ imprisonment and a fine of P100,000, in addition to the civil liabilities, if such act results in the death of any person; • Five years’ imprisonment and a fine of P15,000, in addition to the civil liabilities for medical expenses and rehabilitation, if such act results in any physical injury to a person; and • One year imprisonment and a fine of P10,000, in addition to the cost of repair of the vehicle.

“In the process [of throwing objects at vehicles], accidents result, putting the lives and limbs of passengers and damaging the vehicle itself. This practice has to be abated,” said Fariñas. The House leader said authorities are at a loss on how to prevent the commission of the act because at present, the culprits could be dealt with only with the crime of malicious mischief under Article 327 of the Revised Penal Code, punishable by a light penalty. Worst, offenders go-scot free and making this hazardous act a “habitual past-time,” according to Fariñas. “By penalizing the act of throwing stones and hard objects at vehicles and providing stiff penalties for the crime, people will be forewarned of the consequences of such crime, thereby serving as deterrent to future wrongdoers. Thus, the wellbeing of the travelers as well as the drivers and the owners of the vehicles is ensured,” said Fariñas.

LEGACY carrier Philippine Airlines has launched a Davao flight operation to and from Siargao Island, in response to the clamor of surfing aficionados worldwide. PAL Corporate Communications Department chief and spokesperson Ma. Cielo Villaluna said the new route, which was opened over the weekend, uses the fleet’s Bombardier Q400 Next Generation aircraft. “The four-star carrier opened the brand new, four times weekly DavaoSiargao service as part of the expansion of its Davao hub,” said Villaluna. Known as the surfing capital of the Philippines, Siargao is one of the country’s fastest growing tourist destinations. PAL also launched the new domestic operations and began operating daily flights between Davao and Tagbilaran in Bohol, from the current four times weekly offering. The flag carrier's Mindanao hub also links Davao to Cebu, Zamboanga, and Cagayan de Oro. “We envision Davao to become a major hub in our network in the years to come that will spur tremendous economic and tourism activities in the region,” said Harry Inoferio, PAL senior assistant vice president for Visayas and Mindanao. PAL is offering an introductory one-way base fare of P1,088 for the Davao-Siargao route, with the booking period until April 15 and travel period from March 25 to October 31. Late last year, PAL officials announced they would open new domestic and international routes to ease air traffic congestion problems at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. In December, the flag carrier inaugurated new routes out of Cebu to enhance the Visayan hub's connectivity with Northern Mindanao and the Bicol Region. The routes—Cebu-Siargao, Cebu-Camiguin, Cebu-Ozamiz and Cebu-Legaspi, also utilize PAL’s Bombardier Q400 Next Generation turboprops. Joel E. Zurbano

Be wary of bogus traffic enforcers, I-ACT teams, MMDA warns public By Joel E. Zurbano AUTHORITIES on Tuesday warned the public against bogus traffic enforcers flagging down erring motorists and extorting money from them. The Metro Manila Development Authority made this warning following reports that a driver went to the MMDA headquarters to redeem his license confiscated by a “traffic enforcer” last Monday on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue. “The citation ticket issued against the driver is a fake, and we don’t have a traffic enforcer with that name. We will investigate this. The motorist went here to get his license, but the problem is we don’t have it because [the arresting officer and ticket is] a fake,” said MMDA acting general manager Jose Arturo Garcia. “The agency does not have the motorist’s driver’s license. The person who apprehended him is not a legitimate traffic enforcer of the agency,” said Garcia. Garcia said the suspect traffic enforcer issued a fake traffic violation ticket to the motorist he apprehended for reckless driving along Edsa. He said the “enforcer” tried to extort money from the driver, a resident of Mandaluyong City. Garcia said motorists can ask traffic enforcers for their mission orders and check their uniforms to see if they are in their designated beat. “It is the responsibility of the traffic enforcer to carry his mission order at all times. If he does not have his mission order with him, he is unauthorized to apprehend and issue citation tickets,” said Garcia. The MMDA official, however, admitted that mission orders could also be faked, but drivers can check if the order has official signatures. In his complaint, the motorist claimed he did not doubt the supposed enforcer’s identity, since

he was wearing the agency’s uniform. Garcia said MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim has ordered his men to probe the matter. Meanwhile, Garcia reminded the public that a traffic enforcer cannot just confiscate a driver’s license for a simple traffic violation, except when the motorist is involved in a road crash. Garcia also urged the public to report dubious traffic enforcers who taint the image of the agency. “Motorists have the right to ask for the mission order, signed by their traffic sector heads,” he stressed. The MMDA is now considering replacing the uniforms of their traffic constables after these extortion reports. Two weeks ago, Inter-Agency Council on Traffic chief Tomas Orbos also came up with the same warning, saying a group of individuals are posing as I-ACT teams and conducting road clearing operations and apprehending erring motorists in Metro Manila. “Some motorists have informed me that they were accosted by enforcers claiming to be from I-ACT. We don't want the name of IACT to be tarnished. Its personnel were chosen carefully, not all enforcers qualify to be I-ACT,” Orbos said. I-ACT is special team composed of personnel from the MMDA, Department of Transportation, Police Highway Patrol Group, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and local government unit traffic officers. Orbos said their operations, by its very nature, must be a group of personnel coming from several agencies. “A group from one or two agencies does not make it an I-ACT operation. More so, one enforcer, even if he participated in an operation or wears that I-ACT vest,” Orbos pointed out.

Maricel Soriano namesake nabbed for drugs By Rio N. Araja THE Quezon City Police District has arrested a namesake of actress Maricel Soriano for drug involvement. Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, QCPD director, said a concerned citizen tipped off the police of the presence of Soriano, 37, along with her two companions—Jerald Sese, 32, and Cedric Ferreros, 40—in a shabu session at 3 Palawan St., Bago Bantay in Barangay

Sto. Cristo last Monday at 8 p.m. Responding policemen caught the suspects in the act of using shabu. Meanwhile, authorities also nabbed Allan Vivero, 25, and David Brianes, 37, while patrolling on Epifanio delos Santos Avenue in Barangay Veterans Village, Project 7. They caught Vivero with a gun tucked in his waistline last Monday at 8:30 p.m. Police also seized two sachets of shabu from the suspects.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Vaulter Obiena back in harness S

EVEN months after sustaining an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury on August 18, 2017, the day before leaving for the 2018 Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian Games, six months after a surgery to repair his injured knees and six months before the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association national pole vaulter, Ernest John Obiena, is back in harness.

Obiena’s absence from the track scene took seven months and it is therefore not surprising that the 22-year-old Electronics Communications Engineering student at the University of Sto. Tomas is just raring to go. Obiena, who is one of the country’s top bets for a podium finish at the Jakarta games, competed for the first time since his surgery in September last year at the Nantou Pole Vault Meet in Taiwan. In his first international competition, Obiena vaulted to a respectable 4.91 meters, opting for a 12-step approach, much shorter than his usual 18-step approach. In his report to PATAFA president, Dr. Philip Ella Juico, Obiena stated that “he took it easy by test-

ing the different vaulting poles he brought with him to Taiwan and just wanted to get the feel of international competition again. This is part of our training plan and eventually I will do 18 steps.” Obiena, who holds the Philippine record of 5.61 meters in the pole vault and was a bronze medalist in the 2017 Asian Athletics Championship at Bhubaneshwar, India. As part of his Asian Games preparations, EJ took part in a local meet over the weekend, after the Taiwan trip and vaulted to a height of 5.10 meters to the delight of a crowd that gathered at the Philsports track oval to see for themselves how Obiena would fare after what others thought was a career-ending injury.

P.5M Crankit PPS Open slated PHILIPPINE tennis gets a big shot in the arm as the MAC’s Crankit Tennis Academy of Australia ties up with the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala to put up a rich Open tournament next month at the Philippine Columbian Association courts in Paco, Manila. The MAC’s Crankit PPS-PEPP Open will also feature the juniors age-group championships, guaranteeing a huge cast of rising and leading players from the ranks and members of the national pool and team in the P580,000 tournament sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Puzon Philippines on April 21-29. Up for grabs in the Open are the men’s and women’s singles titles along with the doubles crowns in both categories. The men’s singles champion will receive P100,000 while the women’s titlist will get P50,000 with prizes distributed all the way down to the qualifiers. Registration is ongoing. For details, call the PPS-PEPP sports program development director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464. MCTA founder-coach Patricia Concon-Puzon is spearheading the staging of the event as part of the Australian group’s continuing effort to help boost Philippine tennis and produce future champions. Puzon, a former mainstay of the Philippine team and member of the Australian Tennis Professional Coaches Association with a Master Pro Level 3 title, has been conducting a series of tennis clinics nationwide the last few years, including the MCTA-ATPCA Tennis Teachers/Coaches Conferences. “My dream is to establish unity. The tournament is aimed at unifying all groups and focusing on doing everything together and at the same time give everybody a chance to compete, particularly those from the provinces,” said Puzon.

Philracom updating ‘Bluebook’ THE HOARSE WHISPERER JENNY ORTUOSTE

Bluebook is now undergoing scrutiny by the agency’s legal and licensing departments. The team involved with the book’s editing hope to finish its task by June this year, with printing to proceed after the Commission has approved the manuscript. Because it contains specialized technical material, the print run will most likely be limited and prioritized for the use of those actively engaged in the sport, particularly racing officials such as stewards and judges, trainers, jockeys, and horseowners. It is always helpful to have a printed copy of the rules handy, and books are easier on older eyes. They also allow highlighting and the addition of marginal notes, something that e-copies cannot let the reader do. We look forward to the publication of the revitalized Bluebook. It will certainly be an important achievement of the current Commission —Chairman Andrew Sanchez and Commissioners Ramon Bagatsing Jr., Bienvenido Niles Jr., Victor Tantoco, Will de Ungria, Lyndon Guce, and Jose Gutierrez Santillan Jr. Kudos to everyone at Philracom as it continues to provide quality services to its public, to the sport, and to the industry. * Dr. Ortuoste is a writer and communications consultant. Facebook: Gogirl Racing and @DrJennyO, Twitter: @hoarsewhsprr and @ jennyortuoste

THE Philippine Racing Commission, the government body tasked with supervising and regulating horseracing, is updating the agency’s ‘Bluebook’, or handbook of Philippine racing rules and regulations (PR), to reflect the latest amendments. The most recent version of the Bluebook dates to 2010 and was published during the chairmanship of lawyer Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II. (An e-copy is available for download at philracom.gov.ph.) Prior to that was a version dated 2001. The cover of this version was blue with the text also in blue, but that’s not where its name comes from. One definition of ‘bluebook’ is “a book of specialized information often published under government auspices.” The book’s actual title is simple—“Rules and Regulations on Horse Racing.” It is a slim volume that starts off with the Philracom charter, Presidential Decree No. 420. What follows are the PR, a dynamic collection of rules that undergo changes throughout the years as developments occur in the sport and in the industry. For example, the 2010 version has a section titled “Dress Code for Jockeys” (PR 29-D) that lists the gear that must be worn by jockeys competing in a race and particularly lists International Federation of Horseracing Authorities standards for helmets and racing safety vests. 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M+ In the 2001 version, vests are mentioned only in a general fashion: “use 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M of the safety vest by all jockeys…” DIGITS 0-0-0-0 Most amendments, however, are concerned with PR related to the DIGITS 0-0-0 conduct of races. The draft of the latest EZ2 0-0 version of the Philracom

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CEBU-BOHOL 230 kV INTERCONNECTION PROJECT AND NABASCATICLANBORACAY TRANSMISSION PROJECT, WITH PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY, NATIONAL CORPORATION PHILIPPINES,

13. As shown in the abovementioned data, the demand of Boracay Island will already exceed the capacities of the existing transformer in Manoc-manoc LES in the year 2017, and Caticlan - Boracay 69 kV submarine cable by 2018. The same simulation also clearly shows that by 2021, the cumulative demand of the load-end substations in Caticlan and Boracay will already exceed the capacity of the 69 kV line from Nabas Substation which will result to system collapse. 14. To avoid the system collapse, NGCP proposes to construct an additional transmission line and substation facilities to cater the growing demand of Boracay Island.

ERC CASE NO. 2 0 17-093 RC

GRID THE

15.

Applicant. x--------------------------------------------x

a. Caticlan CTS - Boracay SS: 1 circuit XLPE Submarine Cable of 100 MW capacity at 138kV, 2 km; b. Caticlan: 1 circuit XLPE Underground Cable of 100 MW capacity at 138kV, 8 km; c. Boracay: 1 circuit XLPE Underground Cable of 50 MW capacity at 69kV, 1 km; d. Nabas - Caticlan: ST/SP-DC, 1X795 MCM ACSR, 138 kV overhead line, 14km; e. Boracay SIS: 1XIOO MVA, 138/69kVand 2 x 50 MVA, 69/13·2kV; f. Nabas S/S: 2x138kV PCB + Associated Equipment; and g. Boracay S/S: 1X138 kV PCB and 4X69kV PCB + Associated Equipment.

NOTICEOF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 13 October 2017, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) filed an Application dated 09 October 2017 (Application) for approval of the implementation of the Cebu-Bohol Interconnection Project and the Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay Transmission Project, with prayer for provisional authority. NGCP alleged the following in its Application: The Applicant

16. The estimated cost of the proposed project is PhP 4,269.302Mn, with an implementation period of 35 months. The Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay Transmission Line Project is discussed in the ERC Documentary Requirements on the Proposed Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay Transmission Line Project attached as Annex “B.”

1. NGCP is a corporation created and existing under the laws of the Philippines, with principal office address at NGCP Building, Quezon Avenue corner B.I.R. Road, Diliman, Quezon City. It is the concessionaire, which was granted the rights and obligation to construct, install, finance, manage, improve, expand, operate, maintain, rehabilitate, repair, refurbish, and replace the Transmission Assets pursuant to R.A. 9136, otherwise known as the “Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001” (EPlRA). It may be served with notices and other processes of this Honorable Commission through its counsel at the address indicated below.

Justifications for the Issuance of Provisional Approval 17. NGCP is mandated to plan and construct transmission facilities to ensure reliable transmission service to its customers. Thus, it needs adequate transmission capacity to foster economic growth and serve growing demand of the load customers. Considering that planning, site development, right-of-way concerns and construction of the transmission facilities would take more than 3 years to develop and complete, it is critical for NGCP to act immediately and address issues early by undertaking the abovementioned projects.

2. Pursuant to R.A. 9511,1 NGCP was granted the franchise to operate, manage and maintain, and in connection therewith, to engage in the business of conveying or transmitting electricity through a high-voltage backbone system of interconnected transmission lines, substations and related facilities, system operations, and other activities that are necessary to support the safe and reliable operation of the transmission system2 and is authorized to charge its customers at the rates approved by the Honorable Commission.

18. A system collapse is imminent and Will be experienced as early as 2021, if the projects are not undertaken. It must be emphasized that the implementation periods of the projects are 50 and 35 months for the CebuBohol and Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay, respectively. Thus, it is necessary for NGCP to immediately commence the implementation of the proposed projects.

3. This Application is filed pursuant to, Section 9 (d) of the EPIRA which directs NGCP to submit any plan for expansion or improvement of its facilities for approval by the Honorable Commission. Hence, NGCP seeks authority from the Honorable Commission for the immediate implementation of the herein described capital expenditure projects.

19. In support of this application, NGCP submits the Judicial Affidavit of Engr. Christian B. Ereño, Head of the Visayas System Planning Division, Transmission Planning Department of NGCP attached as Annex “C.”

4. The subject projects will support the increasing demand for electricity of Bohol and Boracay’s load customers, and improve the reliability of the electrical system of the Visayas Grid.

PRAYER WHEREFORE, premises considered, NGCP most respectfully prays that this Honorable Commission:

I. CEBU-BOHOL 230 KV INTERCONNECTION PROJECT

1. Immediately ISSUE an Order PROVISIONALLY AUTHORIZING the implementation of Cebu-Bohol 230 kV Interconnection and Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay Transmission Line Projects; and

5. The Cebu, Leyte and Bohol Islands are radially interconnected through the Cebu-Leyte 230 kilovolts (kV) and Leyte-Bohol138 kV submarine cables. The LeyteBohol 138 kV submarine cable has a limited capacity of only 90 megawatts (MW).

2. After notice and hearing, APPROVE the Application for the implementation of the Cebu-Bohol 230 kV Interconnection and Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay Transmission Line Projects.

6. Bohol is highly dependent on power coming from Leyte. Although Bobol hosts several hydro- and oil-based power plants, their aggregate capacities are not sufficient to supply Bohol’s total demand. It is estimated that by year 2020, the demand of Bohol win reach 89 MW and by year 2021 will further increase to 95 MW. Thus, transmitting the needed power from the Leyte Island win absolutely overload the Leyte-Bohol138 kV submarine cable.

NGCP prays for other equitable relief. On 02 March 2018, Applicant filed a Motion to Set Case for Initial Hearing dated 01 March 2018 (Motion) praying that the instant case be set for hearing. Finding said Motion in order, the Commission grants the same.

Bohol Island, Actual and Forecast Demands, in MW 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 62 70 72 77 83 89 95 102 109 116 124

7. Shown in the table below is the actual demand (20152016) and forecasted demand of Bohol from 2017 to 2025. 8. To avoid the expected overloading of the Leyte-Bohol submarine cable, NGCP proposes to interconnect the Cebu and Bohol Islands through a 230 kV submarine cable. With the interconnection, the overloading of LeyteBohol 138 kV submarine cable will be avoided, and will provide the Bohol Island with another source of power coming from the Island of Cebu.

Accordingly, finding the instant Application sufficient in substance with the required fees having been paid, the same is hereby set for hearing on the following dates: DATE AND TIME

VENUE

18 April 2018 (Wednesday) ten o’clock in the (10:00 A.M.)

Metro Center, Tagbilaran City, Bohol

b. c. d. e. f. g. h.

Sibonga CTS - Loon CTS: 4x1600mm2 230kV XLPE, Submarine Cable, 30 km; Sibonga SIS - Sibonga CTS: ST-DC, 4X795MCM ACSR, 230 kV Overhead line, 2 km; Loon CTS - Corella SIS: ST-DC, 4x79SMCM ACSR, 230 kV Overhead line, 17 km; Corella SIS: 2X300 MVA, 230/138kV; Sibonga SIS: 6X230kV PCB + Associated Equipment; Corella S/S: 8x230kV PCB and 2X138kV PCB +Associated Equipment; Sibonga S/S: 2X40MVAR 230kV Reactor; and Corella SIS: 2x40MVAR 230kV Reactor.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant case may become a party by filing with the Commission a verified · Petition to Intervene at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure, indicating therein the docket number and title of the case and stating the following: i.

10. The estimated cost of the proposed project is PhP8,139.26Mn, with an implementation period of 50 months. The Cebu-Bohol 230kV Interconnection Project is exhaustively discussed in the ERG Documentary Requirements on the Proposed Cebu-Bohol 230 kV Interconnection Project attached as Annex “A.” II. NABAS-CATICLAN-BORACAY PROJECT

TRANSMISSION

11. The demand of the Island of Boracay is served only by the Nabas Substation through the single-circuit NabasCaticlan-Boracay 69 kV overhead line and submarine cable system. However, the demand in Boracay is projected to increase, which can no longer be accommodated by the Caticlan-Boracay 69 kV line. 12. Shown below are the historical and projected noncoincident peak demands of the load-end substations (LES) in Caticlan and Boracay Island:

The petitioner’s name and address;

ii. The nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and iii. A statement of the relief desired. LINE

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may file their Opposition or Comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before Applicant rests its case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following: 1) The name and address of such person; 2) A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and 3) The grounds relied upon. All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicant that they be furnished with the same prior to the date of the initial hearing. Applicant is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours. WITNESS, the Honorable Chairperson and CEO, AGNES VST DEVANADERA, and Honorable Commissioners ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAP-TARUC, and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 8th day of March 2018 in Pasig City.

LOTTO RESULTS

6/55 6/45 4 3 2

PURPOSE Determination of jurisdictional requirements and Expository Presentation.

19 April 2018 ERC Visayas Field (Thursday) at ten Office, St. Mary’s Expository o’clock in the morning Drive Banilad, Cebu Presentation (10:00 A.M.) City 26 April 2018 Paradise Garden (Thursday) at ten Resort and ConvenExpository o`clock in the morning tion, Boracay Island, Presentation (10:00 A.M.) Malay, Aklan ERC Hearing Room, Expository Presenta04 May 2018 15F Pacific Center tion, Pre-trial Confer(Thursday) at ten Building, San Miguel ence, and Presentao`clock in the morning Avenue, Ortigas tion of Evidence (10:00 A.M.) Center, Pasig City

9. The proposed 230 kV interconnection will have the following components: a.

The proposed 138kV transmission line has the following components:

FOR AND BY AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION:

JOSEFINA PATRICIA AGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal

2 3 4

An Act Granting the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines a Franchise to Engage in the Business of Conveying or Transmitting Electricity Through High Voltage Back-bone System or Interconnected Transmission Lines, Substations and Related Facilities, and For Other Purposes; 1d, Section 1 Based on actual meter reading; Based on the coincident demand forecast as of May 2017; (MS-MAR. 28-APR. 4, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

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

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018

Boston Celtics player Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the hoop against the Phoenix Suns during their game at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. AFP Inset photo shows Renato Balkman who played for the Petron Blaze Boosters in 2013.

Canino leads 41 qualifiers to finals RONALD Canino topped the boys’ 16-under division to lead 41 other qualifiers to the Nationals Finals in the 2018 National Age Group Open Championship Mindanao Leg held in Tagum, Davao del Norte over the weekend. Canino, a 14-year-old Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School student, finished with 5.5 points, ahead of Japeth Aaron Caresosa and Philgymn Villajuan, who likewise advanced by finishing in the top three with five points apiece. His younger sister, Rhea Jean Canino, also made it through by reigning supreme in the girls’ 14-under section after edging Lorebina Carrasco II via tiebreaks after the two wound up tied on top with four points apiece. Carrasco finished second and also made the cut along Shaina Grace Garcia, who finished third with 3.5 points in this event sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines headed by Butch Pichay and organized by Chess Events Internacionale. Antonella Berthe Racasa, daughter of “Memory Man” Roberto, ruled the girls’ 12-under category after denying another Canino, Ruelle, a title. Racasa and Canino ended up tied at the helm with 5.5 points but the former had a better tiebreak score to claim the crown. Aliyah Rae Lumagtad took No. 3 with 4.5 points. Among those who topped their sections and qualified were Tristan Frech Ibaoc, Jearaine Chato, Carl Zirex Chato, Aizel Jane Gicole, Mary Joy Tan, Haein Angelito Aparte, David Rey Ancheta, Clint Cavin Atoc, Kaye Lalaine Regidor, Stephen Louis Odi and Zhaoyu Capitilan. James Infiesto of CEI said the top three finishers per age category will advance to the National Finals set May 5-13 in Roxas City where the top three for each section will make it to the official team the country will field in the ASEAN Chess Championship set June 18-28 in Davao City. CEI will hold the Luzon Leg, the third and last qualifying tournament, set April 25-28 in Iba, Zambales.

PBA lifts lifetime ban on Balkman

HILIPPINE Basketball Association commissioner Willie Marcial gave Balkman a reprieve, ﬁve years after he received a lifetime ban from the local pro league after an incident during a Petron Blaze-Alaska Milk game in 2013.

“He wrote a letter of appeal then personally appeared in my office. But I didn’t decide just based on that. I solicited the thoughts of Commissioner Chito Salud and Arwind Santos. Both gave their thumbs up for the lifting of the ban,” said Marcial. Salud, then the league commissioner, issued the lifetime ban over the incident that saw Balkman grab teammate Santos around the neck. The former New Year Knick and Denver Nugget was also slapped a fine of P250,000 for his flagrant misconduct.

“I trust that he has learned his lesson and has become a better person and a more disciplined athlete. Good luck to him,” said Salud. Balkman has shown remorse for losing his temper and repeatedly expressing deep regrets for his action. He’s currently playing with Alab Pilipinas in the ABL and surely hopes a second chance in the PBA. “Balkman was apologetic and gave assurance for his behavior on and off the court. He has matured since the incident now that he’s 33,” said Marcial.

The reprieve opened the door for Balkman’s possible PBA comeback as early as the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup that fires off on April 22. San Miguel Beer, his team (Petron Blaze) during his outrage, still enjoys the rights of first refusal on Balkman. The incident occurred March 8, 2013 in a game eventually won by Alaska, 83-73. With 26.7 seconds left in the game, Balkman—who was guarded by Alaska import Rob Dozier—tried to score from underneath the goal but missed. Looking for a foul, Balkman addressed the referees. When teammate Ronald Tubid tried to restrain him, the former NBA first round draft pick shoved his teammate. Arwind Santos then confronted Balkman who put his hands around Santos’ neck.

Chess boxing lands knockout punch BERLIN, Germany—With his dental guard still in his mouth and a slightly queasy feeling in his gut, a shirtless Thomas Cazeneuve was exuberant after checkmating his opponent during a chess boxing bout in Berlin, the world capital of the unusual sport. Just as deft in the movement of his rooks as with his fists, Cazeneuve claimed victory against his Ukrainian challenger after seven alternating rounds of boxing and chess. The match played out before a crowd of curious onlookers drawn to the spectacle of the so-called “Intellectual Fight Club”. Chess boxing was born 16 years ago when its founder Iepe Rubingh brought to life a seemingly far-fetched idea from a French graphic novel, “Cold Equator” by Enki Bilal. Today, Rubingh has set his sights on introducing chess boxing to the Olympics and even looking at sending robots into battle, as the multidisciplinary sport gains popularity. The rules of chess boxing are simple. Three minutes of gentlemanly chess played on a board in the ring is alternated with three-minute bouts of intense boxing over 11 rounds—six of chess, five of boxing. The winner has to earn either a boxing

Daniel Biman (left) and Mohamad Kadija trade blows during a chessboxing fight at the Intellectual Fight Club IX in Berlin. Chess boxing was born 16 years ago when its founder Iepe Rubingh brought to life a seemingly far-fetched idea from a French graphic novel, “Cold Equator” by Enki Bilal. AFP

knockout or a checkmate on the chessboard, “You need to be good in both discibut either chess boxer can be disqualified plines, which can be quite complicated. for taking too long to make a chess move or But it’s true that one mustn’t be afraid of by breaking the boxing rules. being punched,” said Rubingh. AFP

Sangalang off to the North Pole By Peter Atencio

Veteran mountaineer Romi Garduce (left) talks to athlete and cancer survivor Louie Sangalang while they train under sub-zero temperature inside a freezer.

MULTI-SPORT athlete and cancer survivor Luisito “Louie” Sangalang was brimming with confidence when he flew to the northernmost point on Earth to as a sponsored athlete from the Philippines in the 2018 FWD North Pole Marathon. That’s because when 40-year old Sangalang departs for Tromso, Norway in time for the competition, on April 9, will bring with him important reminders and survival tips from one of the country’s top mountaineers and explorers, Romi Garduce. For the last three weeks, Garduce has trained with and imparted some of the lessons of survival that allowed him to climb the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest and complete a seven-summit expedition on the world’s highest mountains. Throughout his adventures, Garduce has gone up mountains and experienced

this under freezing temperatures. And these are the same conditions that will confront Sangalang, a professor at Jose Rizal University when not into triathlon or running long distances. “Kalahati nito, marathon. Kaya na niya iyan. Pero, iyung kalahati nun, ay di niya alam. And its about surviving a winter environment,” said Garduce during a sendoff for Sangalang last Thursday at the Clock In inside the Bonifacio Technology Center of the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. Sangalang, who will join 10 other runners sponsored by FWD from Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and Japan, will go from Tromso to Svalbard the following to prepare for the race itself. “Ang pinaka-importante diyan is how do you survive in this kind of conditions before you start racing. Racing is different. Anybody can race, but not everybody can survive in this kind of conditions,” said Sangalang, a father of three.

Boston Celtics eclipse Suns

LOS ANGELES—Jayson Tatum scored 23 points while Marcus Morris added 20 against his former team before leaving with an injury as the Boston Celtics held off the Phoenix Suns 102-94 on Monday night at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Al Horford added 19 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Celtics, who picked up their fourth straight win and moved within three games of Eastern Conference-leading Toronto. “Second night of a back-to-back, we needed a lot of energy to start with, and I felt like we did that as a group,” Horford said. Josh Jackson had 23 points, Tyler Ulis had 19 points and eight assists and Troy Daniels scored 18 as Phoenix took its 12th straight defeat and lost for the 22nd time in 23 games. The Suns have the NBA’s worst record, 1 1/2 games below the Grizzlies after Memphis’ win in Minnesota on Monday. Boston, already assured of a playoff berth, improved to 51 wins and 23 losses with their fourth consecutive win. Elsewhere, former first-overall draft pick Markelle Fultz delivered 10 points in his much-anticipated return as the playoff-bound Philadelphia 76ers crushed the Denver Nuggets 123-104. The return of guard Fultz, who was a top pick in the 2017 NBA entry draft, comes a day after the 76ers clinched their first playoff spot in six years. “He showed signs of why he was the first player chosen,” said coach Brett Brown. “Obviously the game is fast and it is elite and that is a good team. But the night could not have worked out better.” Joel Embiid scored a team-high 20 points and 13 rebounds and Ben Simmons had seven points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for the Sixers, who recorded their seventh straight win to move within one game of third place in the Eastern Conference. With 10 games left in the regular season, Philadelphia will use that time to determine how Fultz can fit into their playoff plans. Fultz played 15 minutes as a backup guard to Simmons and finished five-of-13 from the field with eight assists and four rebounds in his first game since October 23. AFP

Venus reaches Miami Open quarterfinals MIAMI, United States—Seven-time grand slam winner Venus Williams exacted revenge on reigning Miami Open champion Johanna Konta on Monday with a superlative display to book her place in the quarterfinals. In a repeat of last year’s semi-final —which was won by the British number one Konta—it was the 37-year-old American who showed no signs of fatigue to power home 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in two hours and 19 minutes. The three-time Key Biscayne champion now faces either Monica Puig or American Danielle Collins. It was an impressive display by the veteran Williams who seemed puzzled when quizzed about her longevity. “I don’t see what 37-years old has to do with it,” said Williams. “She couldn’t get a rhythm to her game which helped me but everyone I play makes it tough against me so there are no easy matches.” Williams also had to work hard in a three-hour battle on Sunday for her passage into the fourth round, fighting off three match points before eventually seeing off Kiki Bertens. It was the Briton who started the more assuredly on Monday. Konta broke the Williams straight away to set down an early marker in their first meeting since the semi-finals at Wimbledon last summer which resulted in home heartbreak for the 26-year old. Williams faced more breakpoints in the third although this time the danger was averted, thanks to some powerful serves. “You have to fight for every point,” she said. “Everyone is so good now. I feel very focused.” Just when the erratic Konta needed to put her foot on the accelerator, it was William who responded superbly to put her opponent firmly on the backfoot. Indeed, Konta’s game seemed to totally desert her. She hit just one winner in the second set as the American began to dominate and send the encounter into a decider which began with Konta receiving lengthy treatment for a back problem. “My body didn’t adapt to the conditions—it was quite swirly out there —and that puts strain on your body,” said Konta. AFP

IN BRIEF Meralco backs use of Malampaya funds MANILA Electric Co., the biggest retailer of electricity, is backing the government’s plan to use the Malampaya funds to spare end-users from higher rates. Meralco vice president and head of utility economics Lawrence Fernandez said the company fully supported the initiative at the House of Representatives to temper the rates from the universal charge and feed-in tariff. Both the universal charge and feed-in tariff are charged to consumers under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 and the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, respectively. Fernandez, in a letter to Lord Allan Velasco, chairman of the House Committee on Energy, cited pending petitions before the Energy Regulatory Commission to recover the stranded contract cost and stranded debt of National Power Corp. amounting to P71 billion. He said consumers nationwide would pay an additional P0.08 per kilowatt-hour in their electricity bill if the existing Napocor stranded debts component in the universal charge is collected over a nine-year period. Alena Mae S. Flores

GSIS says personal appearance required STATE pension fund Government Service Insurance System will reinstitute the personal-appearance requirement for old-age and survivorship pensioners to sustain a sound pension fund. Dubbed Annual Pensioners’ Information Revalidation, the program will be done to monitor the status of pensioners and ensure the pension of demised pensioners are discontinued immediately to avoid overpayment that may bring about ﬁnancial losses. Under APIR, GSIS requires old-age and survivorship pensioners to appear personally at any GSIS ofﬁce or use the GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System kiosk to activate their status and ensure the continuous receipt of their pension. GSIS will undertake the three-month reactivation period from March 23 to June 30, 2018. During this period, all pensioners who are 79 years old and below, regardless of birth month, must undergo the information revalidation process and reactivate their status.

Business Council begins technical review of 26 closed mines By Julito G. Rada

HE inter-agency Mining Industry Coordinating Council started the “fact-ﬁnding and science-based” review of an initial batch of 26 mines ordered suspended or shut down last year by former Environment secretary Regina Lopez. Finance Undersecretary Bayani Agabin, who represented the Finance Department at the MICC meeting on March 7, said the council conducted on-site visits to the mining areas early this month. He said the ﬁrst phase of the review covering legal, technical and environmental concerns would be completed within three months, while the social and economic as-

pects of the study would be done in another three months as requested by the technical review teams. “When we were looking at this, we set the period for review for three months. But when the teams were formed, the concern, especially on the economic study, is that they will need the inputs from the technical, the legal and the environment,” Agabin said in a statement. “If you will notice, the methodology for the social and economic aspects is that they will do a household survey. They were quite strict, the teams that we got. In fact, they didn’t want to continue on if there will not be an honestto-goodness scientific survey done within the affected communities. That’s how meticulous they are,” Agabin said. Marian de los Angeles, the overall coordinator of the TRTs, said experts comprising the teams were now in the field and began the review of the 26 mine sites. De Los Angeles said the second phase of the review focusing on the social and economic aspects would include a “social cost benefit analysis,” an “evaluation

of the changes in the ecosystem” and a “more in-detail look into the equity aspects” of the mining operations. Agabin earlier said 25 experts would comprise the five TRTs tasked to conduct the review of the 26 mining operations. MICC is co-chaired by incumbent Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III. Finance assistant secretary Teresa Habitan said the MICC tapped the Development Academy of the Philippines to implement and manage the “fact-finding and science-based” review process on the 26 mining operations. Assistant Secretary Mercedita Sombilla of the National Economic and Development Authority said the review should come up with recommendations on mining-related methodologies and procedures to maximize the benefits of mining and avoid damages; the list of inefficiencies/violations/ damages done by mining companies that were difficult to address by the DENR alone; and the appropriate penalties that have to be imposed for such inefficiencies/violations/ damages done.

PayPal attracts 1.5m Filipino freelancers MONEY movement platform PayPal has captured about 1.5 million Filipino freelancers using the app, based on the study entitled “Global Freelancer Insights Report” that included a separate result for the Philippine market. Company head of strategic partnerships in Southeast Asia Abhinav Kumar said the Philippines had a population of very optimistic freelancer market, with 86 percent claiming they expect growth on their businesses in the future. The Philippines has among the largest number of freelance service providers at 2 percent relative to country population. Nine out of 10 freelancers are below 40 years of age, with bias on female workers. Most of the Filipino freelancers surveyed are into data entry/internet research, virtual assistant and customer services catering to overseas base clients in the US, Australia and United Kingdom, three of the biggest clients of the Philippines. Data also showed that 8 out of 10 Filipino freelancers were using a freelancer platform, not necessarily PayPal, although most have already signed up with PayPal as their preferred payment platform. Othel V. Campos

URBAN FARMS. The Agriculture Department and the Aboitiz Group team up to set up small backyard farms in urban areas under the “‘Pagkain Para sa Masa’ program. At the hydroponics greenhouse at the DA-ATI grounds are (from left) Agricultural Training Institute director Luz Taposok, Barangay Vasra chairman Roberto Fortuno, Aboitiz Foundation first vice president and chief operating officer Maribeth Marasigan, Agriculture Undersecretary for special concerns Ranibai Dilangalen, ATI deputy director Alfredo Aton, Aboitiz Equity Ventures vice president for external corporate relations Christopher Camba, ATI chief for partnerships and accreditation division Renato dela Cruz and AEV-government relations manager Michelle de Guzman.

Panglao International Airport set to open in August THE New Bohol (Panglao) International Airport, the country’s ﬁrst eco airport, is expected to be completed by June and fully operational by August this year. The Transportation Department said construction of the new airport was now 80-percent completed, with the runway fully-paved and operational. “For its second phase, an additional 300 meters will be added to extend the runway from 2,500 meters to 2,800 meters after the operationalization of the airport. The runway was engineered to accommodate seven aircrafts at one time, including wide-body aircrafts for international ﬂights,” the department said. The agency said that since the Duterte administration took over in July 2016, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade ordered for a 24/7 construction sched-

ule to fast-track the completion of the airport. Construction then saw a huge jump from the previous 6.48-percent completion recorded on June 22, 2015 to June 30, 2016. The New Bohol Airport is on track to become the first eco-airport in the country, the department said. Dubbed as the “Green Gateway to the World,” it will serve as the premiere gateway to the province and island paradise of Panglao, a thriving tourist destination. The department said the airport would be held to the highest standards of green and sustainable structures and would primarily use natural sunlight and air. Solar panels will also be installed on the passenger terminal building roof, which can cover a third of the airport’s

energy requirement. Tugade, during the inspection of the project, ordered the PMO to form a committee to determine the various concessions to be placed at the airport once it was completed. “The entire process, from selecting of concessionaires for food, shops, souvenirs should be written down. The CAAP [Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines] is not the only one that will decide. There should be a committee that will decide. I want it mixed. There should be a variety of shops,” Tugade said. New Bohol Airport is expected to accommodate 2 million passengers in its opening year, an increase from the 800,000 passengers currently being accommodated by Tagbilaran airport. Darwin G. Amojelar

PH drew $774m worth of foreign funds as of mid-March FOREIGN portfolio investments or “hot money” posted a net inflow of $774.18 million as of mid-March, a reversal of the net outflow of $252.34 million a year ago, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show. Latest data from the Bangko Sentral showed that gross inflows since the start of the year hit $4.252 billion, while gross outflows reached $3.478 billion. The Bangko Sentral said portfolio investments in the first week of March posted a net inflow of $1.178 billion, and a net outflow of $20.98 million in the following week. Foreign portfolio investments are also called “hot money” because of the ease they are invested in and taken out of the domestic stock and money markets. Foreign fund managers withdrew their investments from the domestic financial markets in February on profit taking and in reaction to the possibility the US Federal Reserve would further increase interest rates.

Foreign portfolio investments posted a net outflow of $545 million in February, a reversal of the $162-million net inflow in January. It was also higher than the $409-million net outflow a year ago. The Bangko Sentral said the withdrawals could be attributed to “profit taking as well as investor reaction to news of possible rate increases by the US Federal Reserve due to an expected surge in inflation amidst implementation of the US government’s tax cuts.” Total inflows in February reached $1.028 billion, up from $981 million a year ago, while gross outflows hit $1.573 billion, higher than the $1.39-billion outflows in the same period last year. About 81 percent of investments in February were in securities listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange, pertaining mainly to holding, firms, property companies, banks, food, beverage and tobacco firms, and casinos and gaming companies. The 19-percent balance went to peso government securities.

The United Kingdom, the US, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, and Singapore were the top six investor countries in February with a combined share of 85.1 percent. Registration of inward foreign investments with the Bangko Sentral is optional under the liberalized rules on foreign exchange transactions. The issuance of a BSP registration document entitles the investor or his representative to buy foreign exchange from authorized agent banks and/or their subsidiary/affiliate foreign exchange corporations for repatriation of capital and remittance of earnings that accrue on the registered investment. Hot money posted a net outflow of $205 million in 2017, as the total withdrawals of $16.267 billion offset the gross inflows of $16.062 billion amid global uncertainties such as geopolitical concerns and the anticipation on the next policy moves of the US Federal Reserve. Julito G. Rada

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018

Privacy body asks Uber, Grab to clarify merger By Othel V. Campos THE National Privacy Commission sought a meeting next week with ridesharing service providers Grab and Uber to enlighten the agency on their merger, especially the provision on the processing of Filipino drivers’ and users’ data and the measures they would take to protect these data. “As the biggest TNV provider in the Philippines after the exit of Uber, we want Grab to demonstrate that they could ‘walk the talk’ when it comes to protecting personal data and upholding the data privacy rights of its drivers and users,” NPC commissioner Raymund Liboro said. “This sale does not affect our ongoing investigation into past Uber breaches that involved Filipino users. This investigation is continuing and a report would be out soon,” he said. Grab and Uber assured customers of continued protection of personal data following the merger. Liboro said Grab had committed to the commission that there would be no sharing of any user data between California-based Uber and Grab. Uber and Grab earlier issued public statements announcing the sale of Uber’s transport network vehicle service and food delivery business in Southeast Asia to Singapore-based Grab. “From these statements, we understand that the Uber service will no longer be available in Southeast Asia including the Philippines, from April 8, 2018. In the interim, Grab is to take Uber’s drivers onboard the Grab TNV platform,” Liboro said. Grab said Uber users needed to download and register with Grab to use its TNV services. Grab legal counsel John Paul Nabua assured NPC of its continued cooperation and compliance with Philippine data privacy and protection laws. Uber users and drivers will be required to register anew with Grab to allow them to use the Grab TNV platform, he said.

PAL plans to deploy first Airbus 350 for Manila-New York flights in June By Darwin G. Amojelar PHILIPPINE Airlines said it expects to receive its first Airbus 350 in June that will be deployed on the non-stop Manila-New York flights using the Polar route. The airline led by tycoon Lucio Tan said the first A350-900 was equipped with a luxurious, tri-class cabin, featuring the most modern inflight entertainment system. “The A350 XWB [extra wide body] will be deployed on the non-stop Manila-New York flights, using the Polar route,” the four-star airline said. PAL said it was also expecting the delivery of three A350s this year and another two next year. PAL said it would also acquire six A321 Neos and five Q400s aircraft this year. The A321neos will be utilized on the

non-stop flights to Brisbane, Sapporo, New Delhi and Mumbai. PAL said it would continue to beef up its flight networks originating from Clark, Cebu and Davao, as part of its “multi-hub”network strategy. A new Davao-Siargao route will open in March 2018, even as PAL hikes Cebu-Bangkok services from thrice weekly to daily for the upcoming April to October summer schedule. PAL earlier tapped Amadeus to upgrade its core technology systems in line with its goal to achieve a 5-Star global airline rating by 2020. The company said it would adopt the full Amadeus Altéa Suite, a complete passenger service system that aims to streamline and improve all core passenger processes, including reservation, inventory, departure control and flight management.

A freshly painted Airbus A350-900 jet, sporting the Philippine Airlines livery, rolls out of the paint shop inside the Airbus assembly complex in Toulouse, France, prior to the installation of two powerful Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines. PAL’s 1st A350-900, for delivery June 2018 is equipped with a luxurious, tri-class cabin, featuring the most modern inflight entertainment system. The A350XWB (extra wide body) will be deployed on the non-stop Manila-New York flights, using the polar route.

Business

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks climb on window dressing

HE stock market bounced back Tuesday on window dressing for the end of the ﬁrst quarter and big gains on Wall Street overnight.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index advanced 114.65 points, or 1.4 percent, to 8,047.03 on a value turnover of P6.6 billion. Gainers overwhelmed losers, 148 to 64, with 33 issues unchanged. Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of assets, rose 3.4 percent to P85.80, while Bank of the Philippine Islands, the third-largest bank, surged 5.2 percent to P115. Alliance Global Group Inc. of tycoon Andrew Tan climbed 2.7 percent to P13.08, while major property developer Ayala Land Inc. gained 2.5 percent to P41.10. Meanwhile, a wave of optimism ﬂowed across Asian markets on Tues-

day as fears of a US-China trade war receded. Speculation that Kim Jong Un was on a surprise secret visit to Beijing also lifted spirits—and the South Korean won—as the North Korean leader prepares for possible nuclear talks with Donald Trump. Hong Kong added 0.8 percent and Sydney ended 0.7 percent higher. Singapore put on 0.4 percent and Wellington rose 0.9 percent, while Taipei and Jakarta were all healthily up. Seoul rose 0.6 percent and the won climbed more than one percent against the dollar on speculation Kim was visiting Beijing. It would be his ﬁrst trip outside North Korea since assuming power at the end of 2011. If conﬁrmed, the visit would mark the latest development in the fast-paced shift towards an easing of tensions on the Korean peninsula. Shanghai ended up 1.1 percent. Chi-

nese investors, known for their often bizarre and superstitious buying choices, sought to make a profit off the rumored visit. Some firms with Jin in their name—the Mandarin character for “Kim” is pronounced “Jin” and means “gold”—soared. The gains on all markets chipped away at the sharp losses suffered last week in response to the White House’s decision to hit China with billions of dollars in tariffs. That came weeks after Washington announced levies on steel and aluminum imports—which have since been postponed for some countries—and sparked talk of a trade war that could batter the global outlook. However, nerves have been soothed this week as it emerged that high-level talks had been taking place between the world’s top two economies to find an agreement.

“Our base case is that there won’t be an all-out trade war,” Craig Macdonald, at Aberdeen Standard Investments, told Bloomberg News. “It’s a way of applying pressure to get some wins by Trump.” However, he said there would likely still be some volatility down the line, adding: “Our sense is that they will get some wins rather than all-out war, but it’s not something you can just dismiss. The tail risk is higher.” US markets surged, with the Dow and S&P 500 almost three percent higher and the Nasdaq piling on 3.3 percent— its biggest one-day rise since August 2015. Those strong performances continued in Asia, with Tokyo closing 2.65 percent higher thanks to a drop in the yen against the dollar, as traders shift out of assets considered safe in times of uncertainty and turmoil. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 59.7 4,560 115 1,730,720 3.2 9,000 140 2,443,530 1.65 448,000 35.1 120,700 15.68 512,800 18.24 2,350,300 3.47 17,000 9.32 5,300 0.57 10,000 85.8 5,335,250 1.22 910,000 54.05 42,580 238.4 5,000 115 330 44.9 29,500 242 349,970 1,930 60 90 49,730

271,954.50 196,284,624 28,830 341,892,953 756,720 4,233,465 8,049,108 42,822,094 58,080 49,396 5,460 453,162,050.50 1,056,450 2,301,051.50 1,192,738 37,469 1,330,345 84,701,276 115,800 4,475,655.50

208,899.50 -12,531,075 -144,086,698 85,360 852,810 -3,136 4,026,462 -71,148,419 101,040 -1,241,078 -92,976 781,965 -73,600,958 4,368,555.50

38.8 13.84 0.56 1.27 19.94 160 3.65 16.82 289 49.3 22.75 72.25 83 2.01 5.3 10 11.1 14.1 10.54 7.34 5.58 1.65 16.3 63.5 23.9 9.52 15.56 2.28 289.4 52.55 4.75 3 26.2 15.98 20.3 320 0.191 7.7 2.89 4.81 8.86 5.86 8 1.48 11.68 54.45 6.05 593 4.7 2.19 2.2 14.14 5.29 0.133 1.02 148.9 2.6 1.9 0.74

INDUSTRIAL 39 1,015,700 14 769,000 0.56 196,000 1.29 260,000 20 54,400 160 850 3.7 3,779,000 17.06 995,500 289 10 51 831,500 32 710,700 76.5 4,100 97 2,140 2.04 150,000 5.3 100 10.3 8,400 11.32 2,619,500 14.1 3,028,900 10.76 105,800 7.45 23,600 5.58 10,050,200 1.65 6,000 16.8 1,188,100 63.55 28,890 24.85 30,700 9.55 7,000 15.56 6,633,600 2.35 4,345,000 294.4 356,420 52.55 10 4.85 92,000 3.16 43,000 27 1,240,600 16 148,100 20.45 1,684,800 328 197,040 0.191 1,380,000 8 400 2.93 1,833,000 4.95 140,000 9.24 1,885,600 5.86 48,700 8 3,800 1.49 2,560,000 12.44 103,100 54.65 2,736,450 6.05 6,400 598 6,380 4.7 32,000 2.23 264,000 2.25 584,000 14.44 87,200 5.45 12,000 0.134 350,000 1.02 1,000 151.4 663,880 2.6 59,000 1.94 3,156,000 0.76 12,442,000

39,543,105 10,748,368 110,910 331,340 1,102,540 139,376 13,951,940 16,942,698 2,890 42,206,689 22,066,560 312,660 185,890 304,540 530 84,030 29,406,538 42,754,018 1,135,522 176,066 56,335,991 10,460 19,863,462 1,837,283.50 737,470 67,254 106,604,252 10,185,470 104,593,790 525.5 445,770 130,880 33,495,810 2,370,140 34,496,170 63,980,012 263,930 3,110 5,371,180 680,050 17,149,253 286,211 30,400 3,826,000 1,260,864 149,692,877.50 38,720 3,813,255 150,400 607,020 1,303,290 1,256,486 63,615 46,650 1,020 99,847,134 153,400 6,092,270 9,471,050

-17,845,710 4,849,214 146,875 634,580 -2,204,134 7,132,608 -118,560 -27,000 -14,451,838 5,701,666 658,426 -8,222 -37,032,804 3,926,784 192,654.50 -4,880 -55,055,708 563,170.00 -4,377,114 50,000 33,110 12,635,350 -36,754 15,801,145 -15,311,372 2,581,500 77,940 3,046,600 -11,200 2,985,900 -98,960 -1,199,235 65,630 33,600 576,800 -483,372 -21,576,366 -292,530 -176,820

0.31 70 13.16 0.94 6.4 0.59 0.59 963 1,930 7.34 12.48 7.5 4.7 1,179 7.23 63.5 5.22 0.68 5.05 18.98 0.83 5.33 0.046 1.14 3.29 142.5 2.57 959 1.81 725 274 0.226 0.2

0.305 68 12.98 0.89 6.22 0.56 0.58 945 1,930 7.15 12.24 7.3 4.7 1,152 6.93 63 5.22 0.63 4.8 18.8 0.7 5.2 0.044 1.1 3.14 139 2.57 930 1.71 632 261 0.226 0.191

HOLDING FIRMS 0.305 30,000 69.45 1,504,980 13.08 12,309,000 0.94 29,000 6.25 38,400 0.58 5,645,000 0.58 109,000 949 293,370 1,930 5 7.23 808,800 12.26 5,855,800 7.5 7,000 4.7 3,000 1,163 131,835 7.23 15,300 63.2 1,432,300 5.22 100 0.63 2,213,000 4.99 1,774,200 18.8 775,400 0.72 71,144,000 5.24 19,205,500 0.045 4,300,000 1.11 401,000 3.16 1,915,000 142.5 506,510 2.57 10,000 948 234,760 1.78 804,000 709 9,090 274 870 0.226 140,000 0.191 1,030,000

9,250 103,557,135.50 160,878,064 26,940 239,825 3,205,670 64,020 278,792,345 9,650 5,850,539 72,038,232 51,900 14,100 153,289,370 106,119 90,512,342.50 522 1,408,970 8,853,395 14,605,816 54,090,020 100,627,191 192,100 443,730 6,106,010 71,269,433 25,700 221,397,515 1,398,020 6,300,540 236,370 31,640 198,360

-53,529,861.00 96,417,276 -14,032,815 2,543,352 -28,882,530 -47,013,620 -26,890,949 866,467 -88,854 4,229,520 31,381,616 77,700 -30,120 7,119,551 -46,803,865 -343,500 -

6.75 1 16 2.14 0.86 41.15 3.73 4.7 6 0.445 1.03 0.26 0.46 31.85 0.64 0.121 1.67 1.58 1.1 4.68 0.6 0.405 0.55 4.06 34.05

6.6 0.96 15.02 2.13 0.84 40.3 3.66 4.62 5.94 0.43 1 0.25 0.45 30.7 0.62 0.121 1.64 1.5 0.96 4.61 0.55 0.39 0.5 3.99 33.2

3,003,236 5,643,050 590,406 29,930 579,490 555,728,460 1,097,520 895,110 73,162 10,712,900 501,830 2,747,850 189,200 10,951,805 4,420 1,210 13,692,110 12,382,780 17,488,670 40,436,100 60,347,670 954,850 13,743,470 1,213,570 16,925

53,920 -21,058 -162,205,435 -155,370 -1,339,500 3,000 -12,850 -2,055,600 -9,313,390 1,020,970 286,020 6,894,710 -720,920 -508,030 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

59.5 109 3.2 138.5 1.69 35.25 15.62 18.06 3.4 9.32 0.57 84 1.15 54.9 239 105.1 45.8 242 1,930 90

59.7 115 3.21 141 1.73 35.25 15.7 18.54 3.47 9.32 0.57 85.85 1.22 54.9 239 115.2 45.9 243.6 1,930 90

59.25 109 3.2 138.5 1.61 34.95 15.62 17.98 3.4 9.32 0.54 83.8 1.12 53.8 238.4 105.1 44.5 241.4 1,930 89.95

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

38.9 14 0.57 1.28 20.55 179.9 3.65 17 289 50.5 22.9 79.95 83 2.02 5.3 10 11.16 14.48 10.54 7.34 5.7 1.79 16.4 65 23.9 9.7 15.8 2.28 295 52.55 5.05 3.03 27 16.2 20.5 320 0.192 7.7 2.95 4.81 9.05 5.9 8 1.52 11.7 54.5 6.05 593 4.7 2.19 2.27 14.14 5.29 0.133 1.02 150 2.6 1.9 0.74

39.15 14.02 0.57 1.29 21.95 179.9 3.72 17.1 289 51 35 79.95 97 2.06 5.3 10.3 11.32 14.48 10.76 7.54 5.7 1.79 16.8 65 24.95 9.7 16.5 2.4 297 52.55 5.05 3.16 27.1 16.2 20.75 328 0.192 8 2.95 4.95 9.28 5.96 8 1.54 12.58 54.95 6.05 600 4.7 2.43 2.27 14.46 5.45 0.134 1.02 151.4 2.6 1.94 0.78

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 FJ PRINCE A GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT KEPPEL HLDG A LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA PRIME ORION SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES SM INVESTMENTS SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG WELLEX INDUS

0.31 68.1 13.06 0.89 6.4 0.56 0.59 951 1,930 7.19 12.4 7.3 4.7 1,152 6.93 63 5.22 0.68 5.01 18.98 0.83 5.2 0.045 1.11 3.22 140 2.57 940 1.74 632 265 0.226 0.2

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

6.74 0.99 15.02 2.14 0.86 40.3 3.66 4.66 5.94 0.43 1 0.255 0.45 31.25 0.62 0.121 1.67 1.53 0.99 4.61 0.56 0.4 0.51 4 34.05

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

20.3 1.95 3.13 33.6 1 17.4 0.82 6.32

20.45 1.99 3.18 34.5 1 18.26 0.82 6.44

19.5 1.95 3.13 33.6 0.99 16.2 0.81 6.25

20.2 1.96 3.17 34.5 1 16.2 0.81 6.3

1,888,200 789,000 127,000 8,666,000 290,000 324,100 10,000 4,527,600

37,671,657 1,544,400 398,330 296,010,405 289,750 5,431,480 8,120 28,496,611

-15,020,561.00 261,240 -5,894,145 44,382 -10,243,829

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL FAR EASTERN U 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 BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY MELCO RESORTS METRO RETAIL MLA BRDCASTING NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PAXYS PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

17.4 28.7 1.24 0.49 0.05 12.54 5.1 14.16 0.064 90.05 7.65 7.5 2.49 22.95 910 1,592 6.33 302.4 11.38 5.15 2.4 98.65 13.18 8.3 0.124 1.44 3.29 15.48 6.85 1.04 27.2 0.51 5.75 7.51 3.33 16.32 6.75 11.28 10 2.72 116.5 6.4 1,470 1.09 0.445 52.5 90 7 2.69 1.45 0.41 4.08 0.86 10.62

17.54 29.4 1.28 0.51 0.051 12.54 5.1 14.68 0.064 94.1 7.9 7.57 2.49 30.6 910 1,610 6.41 309.8 18 5.33 2.45 103 13.18 8.3 0.125 1.47 3.34 15.48 7.03 1.04 27.45 0.53 5.94 7.84 3.33 17.98 8.45 11.86 10.5 2.87 118 6.62 1,486 1.1 0.46 52.5 90 7.42 2.7 1.47 0.435 4.14 0.86 11

17.4 28.7 1.24 0.48 0.049 12.52 4.9 14.16 0.063 90.05 7.64 7.4 2.36 22.95 910 1,573 6.32 301.4 11.38 5.14 2.31 98.65 13.18 8.3 0.124 1.44 3.14 14.68 6.7 1 26.55 0.51 5.71 7.51 3.27 16.32 6.65 11.28 9.95 2.72 115 6.35 1,465 1.08 0.435 50.6 86.9 7 2.64 1.45 0.41 3.95 0.84 10.62

SERVICES 17.42 28.9 1.28 0.5 0.049 12.52 5.1 14.34 0.064 92.9 7.88 7.52 2.4 25.7 910 1,589 6.35 309.4 16 5.21 2.45 100.9 13.18 8.3 0.125 1.47 3.27 14.68 6.7 1.02 26.6 0.53 5.9 7.68 3.27 17.98 7.85 11.5 10 2.87 117 6.62 1,472 1.09 0.45 52.2 89.9 7.26 2.67 1.47 0.42 4.05 0.85 10.96

33,100 60,700 8,000 5,320,000 7,100,000 9,700 21,600 10,775,400 3,850,000 292,710 865,200 205,600 27,000 376,400 100 55,665 776,800 12,590 19,500 566,300 67,000 1,495,910 5,300 15,000 1,160,000 157,000 159,000 12,700 9,306,400 50,000 700,100 150,000 1,483,400 2,633,800 587,000 400 42,955,000 32,300 14,300 35,000 13,380 611,000 50,665 3,202,000 7,590,000 1,110,430 677,680 956,000 1,098,000 1,108,000 16,960,000 3,696,000 3,060,000 2,197,600

578,968 1,756,450 10,200 2,618,450 352,970 121,458 109,960 154,879,654 244,660 27,190,116.50 6,734,562 1,548,556 65,140 9,838,400 91,000 88,576,750 4,951,253 3,845,210 286,948 2,956,478 158,360 150,567,245 69,854 124,500 144,230 227,540 509,530 187,766 63,535,290 50,330 18,742,085 76,900 8,753,431 20,362,804 1,930,790 6,860 334,493,215 365,666 143,030 96,400 1,562,981 3,944,277 74,702,620 3,493,280 3,392,600 57,825,106.50 60,023,344.50 6,913,206 2,931,900 1,614,100 7,180,600 14,983,360 2,600,930 23,991,732

68,253,868 13,359,381.50 2,013,876 -36,000 8,280 7,868,745 -408 -97,908 -61,543,718 12,500 141,596 -2,337,870 -3,952,816 -4,425,133 224,570 2,660,578 699,411 347,815 -14,887,440 1,463,750 8,500 -19,156,091 -1,022,702 -8,652 1,541,360 1,238,320 84,200 8,646,850 6,277,714.00

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

0.0029 1.69 18.26 1.6 0.31 7.5 2.42 0.218 0.145 1.46 5.89 1.22 0.47 0.85 0.012 0.012 0.012 2.26 5.93 14.1 30.35 0.0067

0.0031 1.72 18.26 1.63 0.325 8.29 2.44 0.218 0.146 1.47 6.12 1.24 0.64 0.88 0.012 0.013 0.013 2.28 6.03 14.82 31 0.0067

0.0028 1.69 18.26 1.6 0.31 7.31 2.37 0.213 0.145 1.44 5.89 1.17 0.45 0.85 0.011 0.012 0.012 2.26 5.93 13.7 30.15 0.0067

MINING & OIL 0.003 2,182,000,000 1.71 3,482,000 18.26 200 1.63 1,021,000 0.325 750,000 7.79 26,200 2.42 1,272,000 0.215 30,000 0.146 120,000 1.47 87,000 6.11 590,200 1.2 333,000 0.58 7,880,000 0.86 213,000 0.012 78,500,000 0.013 2,700,000 0.013 10,200,000 2.28 27,000 6.01 1,047,800 13.98 5,661,400 30.6 3,882,000 0.0067 4,000,000

6,365,800 5,939,830 3,652 1,641,130 239,150 203,631 3,044,090 6,460 17,480 126,070 3,570,974 392,420 4,459,950 181,130 933,900 34,400 132,400 61,200 6,288,682 80,280,938 118,762,870 26,800

1,970,670 -3,947 126,480 1,060,141 -13,000 1,069,480 -3,104,502 -23,260,645 -

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

27.75 507 512 102 106 6.14 1,001 1.06 104.7 1,050 986 76.5 78.25 75 76.4 77.5 77 78.9 77.3

27.85 507 512 102 106 6.14 1,001 1.06 104.7 1,050 990 76.5 78.25 75 76.4 77.5 77 78.9 77.3

27.5 507 512 102 106 6.14 1,000 1.05 104.7 1,050 986 75.15 78 74.9 75 77.5 76.8 78.9 77.2

PREFERRED 27.6 2,316,900 507 1,000 512 17,100 102 30 106 10 6.14 100 1,000 12,500 1.05 81,000 104.7 4,500 1,050 290 990 2,000 76.5 89,170 78 136,940 75 507,900 75.1 34,900 77.5 26,000 76.9 99,000 78.9 30 77.2 85,700

64,211,040 507,000 8,755,200 3,060 1,060 614 12,507,500 85,060 471,150 304,500 1,976,000 6,795,267.50 10,715,320 38,092,090 2,619,106 2,015,000 7,622,200 2,367 6,617,040

-3,178,635 -1,503,762.50 150,100 -

LR WARRANT

4.38

4.57

4.37

WARRANTS 4.39 1,904,000

8,443,310

162,430.00

5,590,570 507,400 4,849,070

492,760 450 1,324,450

1,321,866

89,384

NAME

PROPERTY 6.6 1 15.9 2.14 0.86 41.1 3.7 4.62 6 0.44 1.02 0.26 0.46 31.05 0.64 0.121 1.64 1.57 1 4.63 0.58 0.395 0.55 4.02 33.2

452,000 5,787,000 38,300 14,000 683,000 13,615,400 297,000 193,000 12,300 24,600,000 499,000 10,670,000 420,000 351,300 7,000 10,000 8,306,000 8,022,000 16,873,000 8,735,000 104,034,000 2,400,000 26,317,000 303,000 500

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

4.81 3.08 3.27

5.16 3.4 3.38

4.8 3.07 3.2

FIRST METRO ETF

121.5

122.8

121.5

TRADING SUMMARY

FINANCIAL

14,524,770

INDUSTRIAL

71,143,327

HOLDING FIRMS

133,717,510

PROPERTY

252,934,892

SERVICES

138,201,602

MINING & OIL

2,303,870,379

GRAND TOTAL

2,917,161,788

5.03 3.39 3.31

SME

1,117,000 159,000 1,471,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 122.6 10,790

VALUE 2,085.76 (up) 45.12 1,163,653,728.99 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,391.77 (up) 103.50 1,176,368,191.734 HOLDING FIRMS 7,972.11 (up) 64.51 1,452,163,421.52 PROPERTY 3,672.72 (up) 71.47 1,669.35 (up) 15.36 1,268,440,262.41 SERVICES MINING & OIL 10,885.62 (up) 85.73 1,245,306,906.23 PSEI 8,047.03 (up) 114.65 232,749,273.45 All Shares Index 4,854.46 (up) 57.79 6,551,004,068.31 Gainers: 148; Losers: 64; Unchanged: 33; Total: 245

Basic Energy acquires stake in 2 Thailand companies By Alena Mae S. Flores BASIC Energy Corp. will invest P178 million (106 million Thai Baht) for a 15-percent stake in Vintage EPC Co. Ltd. (Thailand) and VTE International Construction Co. Ltd. in the next two months. “The share purchase agreement is targeted to be executed within the month of April, 2018 and the shareholders agreement is targeted to be completed within the month of April or May, 2018,” Basic Energy disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange. Basic Energy said it would acquire 7.5 million shares of Vintage EP for 10 Thai baht or a total of 75 million Thai baht. The company will also purchase 3.118 million shares of VTE International for 10 Thai Baht for 31.185 million Thai baht. Basic Energy last week announced would pursue a planned investment in the Thai ﬁrms. “The equity investment is part of BEC’s plans to be a major renewable energy and power company. With this objective, BEC was tacked to develop a robust portfolio of renewable energy projects such as solar, wind and biomass energy projects in the Philippines and abroad, that will provide BEC with a continuing stream of revenues in the short and mid-terms,” the company said. Basic Energy signed a term sheet with Vintage Engineering Public Co. Ltd. (Thailand) in November last year as owner of the two companies to initiate due diligence. Basic Energy remitted $2.622 million as of December 2017 as earnest money deposit and with the completion of the due diligence work. With the recent approval of its board of directors, the company would now proceed with the execution covering the share purchase and the shareholders agreements. The company said the execution of the agreements would be the basis for the conversion of Basic Energy’s earnest money deposit into equity in the companies.

Travellers says ‘17 profit down 93% to P242m By Jenniffer B. Austria TRAVELLERS International Hotel Group. Inc., the operator and developer of gaming and leisure complex Resorts World Manila, reported a 93-percent decline in net income in 2017 after a shooting incident in June. Travellers said in an annual report ﬁled with the Philippine Stock Exchange net income reached P241.7 million in 2017, down from P3.4 billion in 2017, while net revenues in 2017 declined 23 percent to P19.2 billion from a year ago level of P25.1 billion. Gross gaming revenue dropped 27.6 percent to P17.1 billion as the June 2 incident led to the closure of the gaming area for 27 days and portions of the non-gaming segment. The company said it was showing signs of recovery as gross gaming revenues in the fourth quarter of 2017 increased 21.5 percent to P4.3 billion from P3.5 billion in the third quarter. Hotel, food and beverage revenues, meanwhile, climbed 8.5 percent to P2.8 billion. Property visitation recovered, averaging 23,000 in the third quarter and 25,000 in nine months of 2017 “We are happy to see guests returning to the property and are excited to introduce Phase 3 of Resorts World Manila very soon,” said Travellers president and chief executive Kingson Sian “This development will be fully operational by the end of 2018 and will realize our vision to be among the premier world-class integrated entertainment and tourism destinations in Asia,” he added. The resort’s expansion will have three international luxury hotels including Hilton and Sheraton, adding approximately 940 rooms. It will also include new gaming and retail spaces, as well as six basement parking decks. The expansion is expected to be completed by 2018.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

StandardEXCERPT FROM THE MINUTES

18 19

TODAYOF THE REGULAR EN BANC MEETING OF THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS HELD ON FEBRUARY 28, 2018 AT TAGAYTAY CITY

xxx

20 21 22 23

Acting Chairman AI A. Parreño. Commissioner Luie Tito F. Guia Commissioner Ma. Rowena Amelia Commissioner Sheriff M. Abas

This pertains to the Memorandum dated February 26, 2018 of Commissioner Luie Tito F. Guia relative to the Memorandum of Atty. Abigail Justine M. Cuaresma-Lilagan, Acting Clerk of the Commission, submitting her recommendation for the cancellation of registration and delisting of party-list groups or organizations under the Party-List System. The Memorandum of Commissioner Guia reads: “Referred to the Commission (En Banc) is the Memorandum of Atty. [Abigail Justine M. CuaresmaLilagan] on the list of party-list groups, organizations and coalitions which may be cancelled or delisted pursuant to Rule 2, Section (i) of Resolution No. 9366, in relation to Section 6(8) of Republic Act No. 7941. After review of the reports forwarded to the office, the undersigned endorses the approval of Atty. CuaresmaLilagan’s recommendation on the delisting and/or cancellation of the registration/accreditation of the twentyfour (24) party-list groups, organizations and coalitions which either failed to participate or failed to obtain at least two per centum (2%) of the votes cast under the party-list system in the two (2) preceding elections. However pursuant to the Supreme Court’s pronouncement in Philippine Guardians Brotherhood, Inc. v. Comelec on due process, the undersigned recommends that these party-list groups, organizations and coalitions be accorded an opportunity to file a reconsideration on the delisting and/or cancellation of their registration/ accreditation within a certain period. “ The Memorandum of Atty. Cuaresma-Lilagan states: “This refers to the 139 party,list groups, organizations and coalitions duly-registered/ accredited by the Commission En Banc. Based on the records of this Office and the ERSD, there are several party-list groups, organizations and coalitions which may be cancelled or delisted pursuant to Rule 2, Section 2 (i) of Resolution No. 9366 in relation to Section 6 (8) of Republic Act No. 7941. Rule 2, Section 2 (i) of Resolution No. 9366 provides: ‘SEC. 2. Grounds for opposition to a petition for registration. - The Commission may deny due course to the petition motu proprio or upon verified opposition of any interested party, after due notice and hearing, on any of the following grounds: xxx i) It fails to participate in the last two preceding elections or fails to obtain at least two per centum (2%) of the votes cast under the party-list system in the two (2) preceding elections for the constituency in which it has registered. Xxx ‘ The Supreme Court in Philippine Guardians Brotherhood, Inc. vs. Comelec clarified that Section 6 (8) of R.A. 7941 provides for two separate grounds for delisting, and that these grounds cannot be mixed or combined to support delisting. It further ruled that groups that fail to obtain at least two per centum refers to party-list groups that failed to obtain at least two percent of the votes cast for the party-list system and failed to obtain a seat in the second round of seat allocation for the party-list system in the last two preceding elections. The following party-list groups, organizations and coalitions failed to participate in the last two preceding elections: 1 2 3 4 5

ACRONYM PARTY-LIST ARCAPP Alliance of Regional Coalitions Against People’s Poverty, Inc. BIDA Batang Iwas Droga Foundation, Inc. CHINOY Champions For Innovative Employment Small Farmers and Land Tillers Association of the Philippines, SABOD Inc. WPI Womenpower, Inc.

Further, the following party-list groups, organizations and coalitions failed to obtain at least two percent of the votes cast for the party-list system and failed to obtain a seat in the second round of seat allocation for the party-list system in the last two preceding elections: PWD No ACRONYM PARTY-LIST 1 DISABLED/PWD Pilipinos with Disabilities 2 SANLAKAS Sanlakas 3 ABANTE RETIREES Abante Retirees Party-List Organization 4 1-ABILIDAD 1-Abilidad, Inc. 5 PISTON Piston Land Transport Coalition, Inc. 6 ALE Association of Laborers and Employees 7 ANG PROLIFE Ang Prolife 8 ATING GURO Ating Guro 9 UMALAB KA Ugnayan Ng Maralita Laban sa Kahirapan 10 AMA Aaagapay sa Matatanda, Inc. 11 AMOR SEAMAN Association of Marine Officer & Ratings, Inc. 12 1-AALALAY Isang Alyansang Aalalay sa Pinoy Skilled Workers Inc. 13 MTM PHILS Mamamayan Tunga sa Maunlad na Pilipinas 14 ANG KASANGGA Kasangga sa Kaularan, Inc. 15 AGHAM lyansa ng mga Grupong Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya para sa Mamamayan, Inc. 16 MIGRANTE Migrante Sectoral Party of Overseas Filipinos and their Families 17 AWA T MINDANAO Anti War/ Anti Terror Mindanao Peace Movement 18 1-PABAHAY Isang Pangarap ng Bahay sa Bagong Buhay ng Maralitang Kababayan Inc.

2013 0.30% 0.30%

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

ACRONYM

PARTY-LIST

ABONO

Abono

108

One Patriotic Coalition of Marginalized Nationals

A TEACHER

Advocacy for Teacher Empowerment Through Action Cooperation and Harmony Towards Education Reform

Bagong Henerasyon

KABATAAN

Kabataan Party list

AKB

Ako Bicol Political Party

ALAYBUHAY

Alay Buhay Community Development

AN WARAY

An Waray

PBA

Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta

TUCP

Trade Union Congress of the Philippines

ADING

Advance Community Development in New Generation

ATING KOOP

AGAP

AGBIAG

AVE

Alliance of Volunteer Educators

ACT TEACHERS

Act Teachers

BUTIL

Butil Farmers Party

COOP-NA TCCO

Cooperative Natcco Network

ACT-CIS

Anti-Crime and Terrorism Community Involvement and Support, Inc.

GABRIELA

Gabriela Women’s Partylist

AMIN

Anak Mindanao

ABAKADA

Abakada Guro

YACAP

You Against Corruption and Poverty

ANAC-IP

Ang National Coalition of Indigenous Peoples Action Nat Inc.

ANGKLA

Angkla: Ang Partido Ng Mga Pilipinong Marino, Inc.

AAMBIS-OWA

Ang Asosasyon Sang Mangunguma Nga Bisaya-Owa Mangunguma, Inc.

BANAT

Barangay Natin

1BRO-PGBI

1-Bro Philippine Guardians Brotherhood, Inc.

BAY AN MUNA

Bayan Muna

LPGMA

LPG Marketers Association, Inc

AA-KASOSYO PARTY

Kasosyo Producer-Consumer Exchange Association, Inc.

ANG PAMILYA

Una Ang Pamilya

DIWA

Democratic Independent Workers’ Association

CIBAC

Citizen’s Battle Against Corruption

AASENSO

Ating Agapay Sentrong Samahan ng mga Obrero, Inc.

Ang Galing Pinoy

ALAGAD

Alagad Party-List

MATA

Ang Mata’y Alagaan

ANAD

Alliance For Nationalism and Democracy

APEC

Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives

AKBAYAN

Akbayan Citizens Action Party

l-SAGIP

Social Amelioration & Genuine Intervention on Poverty

lPACMAN

One Patriotic [Coalition] of Marginalized Nationals

ABAMIN

Abante Mindanao, Inc.

APPEND

Append, Inc.

AGRI

Agri-Agra na Reporma para sa Magsasaka ng Pilipinas Movement

AANGAT TAYO

Aangat Tayo

ANG NARS

Ang Nars, Inc.

SENIOR CITIZENS

[Coalition] of Association of Senior Citizens in the Philippines, Inc.

53 54

Agbiag Timpuyog /locano, Inc.

KALINGA ANAKPAWIS

1-AHAPO

One Advocacy for Health, Progress and Opportunity

111

1-LAMBAT

Isang Lapian ng Mangingisda at Bayan Tunga sa Kaunlaran

112

1-AAMOVER

1-A Action Moral & Values Recovery Reform of the Phils., Inc.

113

1-UTAK

1-United Transport Koalisyon

114

ALIF

Ang Laban ng Indiginong Filipino

115

A TAMB AY

Ang Tao Muna At Bayan

For your Honor’s information and appropriate action. 11

No 1 2 3 4 5

ACRONYM ARCAPP BIDA CHINOY SABOD WPI

PARTY-LIST Alliance of Regional Coalitions Against People’s Poverty, Inc. Batang Iwas Droga Foundation, Inc. Champions For Innovative Employment Small Farmers and Land Tillers Association of the Philippines, Inc Womenpower, Inc.

II. Failure to obtain at least two percent of the votes cast for the party-list system and failed to obtain a seat in the second round of seat allocation for the party-list system in the last two preceding elections: No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

ACRONYM DISABLED/ PWD SANLAKAS A B A N T E RETIREES 1-ABILIDAD PISTON ALE ANG PROLIFE ATING GURO UMALAB KA AMA A M O R SEAMAN 1-AALALAY

4 SABOD

BUHAY

Buhay Hayaan Yumabong

ABANG LlNGKOD

Abang Lingkod, Inc.

1-ABAA

1-Ako Babaeng Astig Aasenso

ALON

Adhikaing Alay Ng Marino Sa Sambayanan, Inc.

AMANA

Aksyon Ng Mamamayang Nagkakaisa

ANAKALUSUGAN

Alagaan Natin Ating Kalusugan

ANG PDR

Ang Partido Demokratiko Rural

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

KABAYAN

Kabalikat ng Mamamayan

1AAAP

1 Alliance Advocating Autonomy Party

18 MTM PHILS 19 ANG KASANGGA

MANILA TEACHRS’

Manila Teachers’ Savings and Loan Association, Inc.

20 AGHAM

Alliance of Organizations, Networks and Associations of the Philippines

21 MIGRANTE

Kalikasan Partylist

23 1-PABAHAY 24 COCOFED

ANUPA

Alliance of National Urban Poor Organizations Assembly

1-AANI

Usa An Aton Nahigugma Nga lroy Nga Tuna

CONSLA

Confederation of Savings and Loan Associations, Inc.

ASEAN

Academicians, Students and Educators Alliance, Inc.

ACTS-OFW

Acts Overseas Organizations

AMEPA OFW

Amepa OFW Access

ANG KABUHAYAN

Ang Kabuhayan

ADDA

Association For Development Agriculture and Fisheries, Inc.

CANCER PARTYLIST

Cancer Alleviation Network on Care, Education and Rehabilitation Inc.

CLASE

Central Luzon Alliance for Socialized Education

CWS

Construction Workers’ Solidarity

DUMPER PTDA

Dumper Philippines Taxi Drivers Association, Inc.

FICTAP

Federation of International Cable TV and Telecommunications Associations of the Philippines

GLOBAL

Global Workers and Family Federation, Inc.

KMM

Kaisahan ng mga Maliliit na Magsasaka

KGB

Katipunan ng mga Guardians Brotherhood, Inc.

KUSUG TAUSUG

Kusug Tausug

METRO

Movement For Economic Righteous Opportunities

MELCHORA

Movement of Women For Change And Reform

NACTODAP

National Confederation of Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association

Partido Mangagawa

SAMAKO

Sandigan ng mga Manggagawa sa Konstruksyon

SINAG

Sinag Tungo Sa Kaunlaran

TAMA

95 TlNDERONG PINOY

Filipino

Tanggol Maralita Tinderong Pinoy Party

0.14% 0.21%

PARTY-LIST

Coalition

Dedicated

Transformation

and

0.71% 0.37% 0.46% 0.43% 0.18% 0.24% 0.14% 0.43% 0.41% 0.31%

2010 NLE

2013 NLE 0.36%

2016 NLE Did not file Manifestation of Intent

NO PARTY-LIST Alliance of Regional Coalitions Against People’s Poverty, Inc. Batang I was Droga Foundation, Inc. Champions For Innovative Employment Small Farmers and Land Tillers Association of the Philippines, Inc. Womenpower, Inc. Pilipinos with Disabilities Sanlakas Abante Retirees Party-List Organization 1-Abilidad, Inc. Piston Land Transport Coalition, Inc. Association of Laborers and Employees Ang Prolife Ating Guro Ugnayan Ng Maralita Aaagapay sa Matatanda, Inc. Association of Marine Officer & Ratings, Inc. Isang Alyansang Aalalay sa Pinoy Skilled Workers Inc. Mamamayan Tungo sa Maunlad na Pilipinas Kasangga sa Kaularan , Inc. Alyansa ng mga Grupong Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya para sa Mamamayan, Inc. MIGRANTE Sectoral Party of Overseas Filipinos and their Families Anti War/ Anti Terror Mindanao Peace Movement Isang Pangarap ng Bahay sa Bagong Buhay ng Maralitang Kababayan Inc. Cocofed-Philippine Coconut Producers Federation , Inc.

WPI DISABLED/ PWD SANLAKAS ABANTE RETIREES 1-ABILIDAD PISTON ALE ANG PROLIFE ATING GURO UMALAB KA AMA AMOR SEAMAN

17 1-AALALAY

Workers

.05% 0.28% 0.34% 0.16% 0.73% 0.36% 0.32%

Isang Alyansang Aalalay sa Pinoy Skilled 0.57% 0.20% Workers Inc. Mamamayan Tungo sa Maunlad na Pilipinas 0.14% 0.03%

2 BIDA 3 CHINOY

Kapatiran ng mga Nakulong na Walang Sala, Inc.

Abyan Ilongo

Association of Marine Officer & Ratings, Inc.

No ACRONYM

Anakpawis

0.07% 0.61% 0.54% 0.45% 0.75% 0.16% 0.21%

IV. Failure to participate or failed to obtain at least two per centum (2%) of the votes cast under the Party-List System in the two (2) preceding elections, to wit:

KAKUSA

1-Abilidad, Inc. Piston Land Transport Coalition, Inc. Association of Laborers and Employees Ang Prolife Ating Guro Ugnayan Ng Maralita Laban sa Kahirapan Aaagapay sa Matatanda, Inc.

ACRONYM

Kalinga-Advocacy For Social Empowerment And NationBuilding Through Easing Poverty, Inc.

Akbay Kalusugan, Inc.

2016

Abante Retirees Party-List Organization

Sanlakas

COCOFED Cocofed-Philippine Coconut 0.23% Producers Federation , Inc.

1 ARCAPP

AKIN

2013

0.30% 0.36% 0.30% 0.27% 0.57% 0.51%

MTM PHILS A N G Kasangga sa Kaularan , Inc. KASANGGA AGHAM Alyansa ng mga Grupong Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya para sa Mamamayan, Inc. MIGRANTE Migrante Sectoral Party of Overseas Filipinos and their Families A W A T Anti War/ Anti Terror Mindanao Peace MINDANAO Movement 1-PABAHAY Isang Pangarap ng Bahay sa Bagong Buhay ng Maralitang Kababayan Inc.

PAR

PARTY-LIST Pilipinos with Disabilities

III. Failure to obtain a seat in the second round of seat allocation for the party-list system in the 2010 and 2013 National and Local Elections and did not participate in the last preceding elections: 1

PARTY-LIST Alliance of Regional Coalitions Against People’s Poverty, ARCAPP Inc. BIDA Batang Iwas Droga Foundation, Inc. CHINOY Champions For Innovative Employment Small Farmers and Land Tillers Association of the SABOD Philippines,Inc. WPI Womenpower, Inc. DISABLED/ PWD Pilipinos with Disabilities SANLAKAS Sanlakas ABANTE RETIREES Abante Retirees [Party]-List Organization 1-ABILIDAD 1-Abilidad, Inc. PISTON Piston Land Transport Coalition, Inc. ALE Association of Laborers and Employees ANG PROLIFE Ang Prolife ATING GURO Ating Guro UMALAB KA Ugnayan Ng Maralita AMA Aaagapay sa Matatanda, Inc. AMORSEAMAN Association of Marine Officer & Ratings, Inc. 1-AALALAY Isang Alyansang Aalalay sa Pinoy Skilled Workers Inc.

Partido ng Bayan ang Bida

110

I. Failure to participate in the last two preceding elections:

Ako an Bisaya

0.36%

1PACMAN

109 PBB

Considering the foregoing and after due deliberation, the Commission RESOLVED, as it hereby RESOLVES, to approve the recommendation of Atty. Abigail Justine M. Cuaresma-Lilagan, Acting Clerk of the Commission, to delist and/or cancel the registration/ accreditation of the herein Party-List groups, organizations and coalitions on the following grounds:

Adhikaing Tinataguyod ng Kooperatiba Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines

AAB

0.23%

Talino at Galing Pinoy

2016 NLE Did not file Manifestation of Intent

Awareness of Keepers ofthe Environment, Inc.

Anak Central

0.21%

2013 NLE

Alliance of Philippine Fishing Federations Inc.

104 AWAKE

107 ACP

0.14%

2010 NLE

103 ALL-FISH

Magdalo Para sa Pilipino

0.32%

0.31%

Serbisyo Sa Bayan Party

OFW Family Club, Inc.

0.21%

0.41%

Kilos Mamamayan Ngayon Na

102 SBP

MAGDALO

KALIKASAN TYLIST

0.43%

Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa

101 KM NGAYON NA

OFWFC

0.14%

Union of Nationalist Democratic Filipino Organization

0.36%

0.24%

UNIDO

0.16%

0.18%

100 RAM

Kamais Pilipinas (Kapatirang Magmamais ng Pilipinas Inc)

ALONA

0.43%

Una Ang Edukasyon

106 KAMAIS

0.46%

Tribal Communities Association of the Philippines

1-ANG DUKASYON

Arts Business and Science Professionals

0.16% 0.73%

0.03%

TRICAP

ABS

0.45% 0.75%

0.37%

0.34%

0.14%

Tingog Sinirangan (formerly Tingog Leytenhon)

1st Consumers Alliance for Rural Energy, Inc.

0.54%

0.71%

l-CARE

0.05% 0.28%

0.20%

T l N G O SINIRANGAN

0.07% 0.61%

0.57%

105 TGP

0.57%

In view of the foregoing, the undersigned respectfully recommends delisting and/ or cancellation of . registration/ accreditation of the following party-list groups, organizations and coalitions: NO

2016 0.36% 0.27% 0.51%

Finally, the following party-list group, organization and coalition failed to obtain a seat in the second round of seat allocation for the party-list system in the 2010 and 2013 National and Local Elections and did not participate in the last preceding elections: No ACRONYM PARTY-LIST 1 COCOFED Cocofed-Philippine Coconut Producers Federation, Inc.

Mamamayan Tungo sa Maunlad na Pilipinas Kasangga sa Kaularan, Inc. Alyansa ng mga Grupong Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya AGHAM para sa Mamamayan, Inc. M I G R A N T E Sectoral Party of Overseas Filipinos and their Families MIGRANTE AWAT MINDANAO Anti War/ Anti Terror Mindanao Peace Movement Isang Pangarap ng Bahay sa Bagong Buhay ng Maralitang 1-PABAHAY Kababayan Inc. COCOFED Cocofed-Philippine Coconut Producers Federation, Inc.

Meanwhile, the following are party-list groups, organizations and coalitions that do not fall under Rule 2, Section 2 (i) of Resolution No. 9366

IN THE MATTER OF THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CANCELLATION OF REGISTRATION AND DELISTING OF PARTY-LIST GROUPS OR ORGANIZATIONS UNDER THE PARTY-LIST SYSTEM

MTM PHILS ANG KASANGGA

22 AWAT MINDANAO

RESOLVED, moreover, that this Resolution is without prejudice to the fa ilure to fi le a Manifestation of Intent to Participate of retained party-list groups or organizations, and to the filing of any Petitions for cancellation or disqualification against any party, organization or coalition and/or its nominees for the 13 May 2019 National and Local Elections. Let the Education and Information Department (EID) cause the publication of this Resolution in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. SO ORDERED.

AL A. PARREÑO Acting Chairman

LUIE TITO F. GUIA Commissioner

MA. ROWENA AMELIA V. GUANZON Commissioner

SHERIFF M. ABAS Commissioner

Cc: Acting Chairman All Commissioners Executive Director Deputy Executive Director for Operations Deputy Executive Director for Administration Education and Information Department Office of the Clerk of the Commission (MS-MAR. 28, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

TODAY

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Chinese censors swoop down as rumors of Kim visit swirl SHANGHAI―Chinese censors scrubbed social media of unflattering references to Kim Jong Un on Tuesday, while superstitious investors snapped up shares resembling the North Korean leader’s name, as rumors swirled that he was visiting Beijing. The capital was under tight security, with a heavy police presence at the venues where President Xi Jinping usually hosts foreign dignitaries, fueling speculation that Kim was in town. State media and officials did not confirm whether Kim, or any other top North Korean official, was visiting Beijing after Japanese media reported that a special North Korean train had arrived in the city on Monday. Authorities deleted or blocked any mention of Kim, North Korea, or the supposed visit on the country’s heavily-used social media, even going so far as to bar insulting Chinese nicknames for him. Kim is often referred to on China’s internet by the moniker “Kim Fatty the Third”―as the third Kim to lead North Korea after his grandfather Kim Il Sung and father Kim Jong Il. AFP

10 Pakistanis arrested for ordering ‘revenge rape’ ISLAMABAD―Police in central Pakistan have arrested 10 men for ordering the rape of a woman as revenge for a rape allegedly committed by her brother, ofﬁcials said Tuesday. The incident happened on March 20 in Toba Tek Singh, a town in Punjab province 275 kilometers southwest of Lahore. “A boy named Waseem was caught in the act with a 16-year old girl and the whole neighborhood gathered demanding to kill the boy,” Naeem Yousuf, a local police ofﬁcial, told AFP. “The boy’s family then gave the girl’s family the option of raping any woman in their family,” he said. They chose a 40-year-old woman, who was duly raped by the brother of the 16-year-old girl. According to Naeem, the two families then drafted a written agreement about the “settlement” stating that they would forget the incident and hold no grudges. Abdul Majeed, chief of the local police station, said one of his staff obtained the written agreement and a case was lodged against the ten people from both families who signed it.

World GRIEF. People grieve at a makeshift memorial in tribute to the victims of a fire at a shopping center in Kemerovo on March 27, 2018. Russian authorities on March 26, 2018, denounced what they called “flagrant violations” of safety norms that led to the deaths of 64 people, many of them children, in a fire at a busy shopping mall in an industrial city in Siberia. AFP

US leads way in expelling Russians W

ASHINGTON―The United States joined Britain’s allies in Europe and around the world Monday in expelling scores of suspected Russian spies in an unprecedented response to a nerve agent attack. At least 114 alleged agents working under diplomatic cover were ordered out by 21 governments, dwarﬁng similar measures in even the most notorious Cold War spying disputes, and marking a British diplomatic victory. Washington led the way, ordering out 60 Russians, in a new blow to US-Russia ties less than a week after President Donald Trump congratulated Vladimir Putin on his re-election. Canada, Ukraine, Albania and most European Union states matched the move with smaller-scale expulsions, after Britain urged allies to respond to the poisoning of double agent Sergei Skripal. Russia has denied it was behind the attempted assassination, which left Skripal and his daughter gravely ill in perhaps the ﬁrst nerve agent attack in Europe since World War II. It warned that there would be a tit-for-tat response to those countries “pandering to British authorities” without, Moscow claims, fully understanding what had happened.

Republic of the Philippines Province of Ilocos Sur MUNICIPALITY OF SINAIT OFFICE OF THE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE (BAC) INVITATION TO BID FOR VARIOUS PROJECTS (INFRA) The Municipal Government of Sinait, through the R.A. 71712016 Projectsintends to apply the sum specified per Infra Projects below as being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the following various clustered projects to wit: Name of Projects CLUSTER VICONCRETING AND IMPROVEMENT OF FARM TO MARKET ROAD

Location Brgys. Paratong, Magsaysay, DLY, Cadanglaan, Calanutian, Cabarambanan, Sallacapo, Marnay, Cabulalaan, Tubigay, Quimmallogong, Jordan, Barikir&Sapriana,Sinait, Ilocos Sur

Approved Source of Duration Budget Cost Fund of Works (ABC) P29,803,245.11 R.A. 7171 280 cd

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health CENTRAL OFFICE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID FOR THE SUPPLY, INSTALLATION, COMMISSIONING, MIGRATION AND INTEGRATION OF DOH VIRTUALIZATION LICENSE FOR NEW BLADE SERVERS IB NO. 2018-101 1.

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. The Municipal Government of Sinait now invites bids for the said Project stated above. Completion of the Works is required as stated above under Duration of Works. 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. Instruction to Bidders. 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”. Interested bidders may obtain further information from Municipal Government of SinaitBAC Office and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

Bids must be delivered to the address above on or before April 17, 2018@ 9:30 A.M. atSinaitMun. Hall Main Bldg., Sinait, Ilocos Sur. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

The Municipal Government of Sinait reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. For further information, please refer to: BAC SECRETARIAT MPDC Office SinaitMun. Hall Main Bldg. (1st floor) Mobile # 09171420015 e-mail address: bacoffice_lgusinait@yahoo.com ( M S - M A R . 2 8 , 2 018)

(SGD) EMELFA C. INES BAC Chairman

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the COBAC Secretariat, G/F, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, San Lazaro Compound and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given above during 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on 28 March 2018 – 18 April 2018 from the address above and upon payment of an applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Philippine Pesos (PhP25,000.00). It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) provided that Bidders who are interested to participate shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The DOH will hold a Pre-bid Conference on 04 April 2018, 10:00 AM at the COBAC Conference Room, Ground Floor, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, Sta. Cruz, Manila which shall be open to prospective bidders.

Bids must be duly received by the COBAC-B Secretariat at the address below on or before 18 April 2018, 9:00 AM. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Bid Opening shall be on 18 April 2018, 9:00 AM at the COBAC Conference Room, Ground Floor, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, Sta. Cruz, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address above. Late bids shall not be accepted.

OPENING OF BIDS – APRIL 17, 2018 @ 9:30 A.M. @ Sinait Municipal Hall, Sinait, Ilocos Sur.. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives with the Authority of the Signatory who choose to attend at the address above. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The DOH now invites bids for the procurement of the above-captioned project. Delivery of the Goods is required within the period specified under Section VI. Schedule of Requirements. Bidders should have completed, within three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project, equivalent to fifty percent (50%) of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address above and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents The Municipal Government of Sinaitthru BAC will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on April 4, 2018 @ 9:30 A.M. at MPDC Office SinaitMun. Hall, Sinait, Ilocos Sur which shall be open to all interested parties.

The Department of Health (DOH), through the General Appropriations Act of 2018 intends to apply the sum of Eleven Million Philippine Pesos (PhP11,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Supply, Installation, Commissioning, Migration and Integration of DOH Virtualization License for New Blade Servers under IB No. 2018-101. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

BAC Office or MPDC Office – Sinait Municipal Hall, Sinait, Ilocos Sur.

ISSUANCE OF BID DOCUMENTS –March 28-April 17, 2018

But Western officials made it clear in announcing the expulsions that they shared Britain’s assessment that only the Kremlin could have been behind the March 4 incident in Salisbury, England. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Washington and its allies were acting “in response to Russia’s use of a military-grade chemical weapon on the soil of the United Kingdom.” The strong language contrasted with the warm words Trump shared with Putin last week, when he overrode his advisors’ concerns and congratulated his opposite number Putin on his election win. “The United States stands ready to cooperate to build a better relationship with Russia, but this can only happen with a change in the Russian government’s behavior,” Sanders said. US officials said that 48 “intelligence officers” attached to Russian diplomatic missions in the US would be expelled, along with 12 accredited

The DOH 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 it IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: COBAC B Secretariat Department of Health San Lazaro Compound Sta. Cruz, Manila Tel. Nos. 651-7800 local 1625 to 1627; 1650 to 52 Facsimile No.: 741-9775; 740-6830

to the United Nations in New York. The Russians have been given until April 2 to leave US territory and close the consulate―although the consul’s residence will be left open until April 25. “Once that deadline has passed the properties will no longer enjoy diplomatic status or protections,” a State Department ofﬁcial told AFP. “On the deadline day, Diplomatic Security will conduct a walk through to conﬁrm that the Russians have indeed vacated the premises ... we will invite the Russians to accompany us on that

Republic of the Philippines Province of Bataan City of Balanga BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE OFFICE InvItatIon to BId no. Goods-019-2018 The Provincial Government of Bataan, through the Special Education Fund019intends to apply the below listed procurement w/ corresponding Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected a bid opening. Name of Project 1. Purchase of Instructional Materials for distribution to Elementary Schools in the Division of Bataan

Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC) =P=19,444,750.00

The Provincial Government of Bataannow invites bids for the above listed Procurement. Delivery of goods is requiredwithin 30 Calendar Days. Bidders should have completed, at least one (1) contract that is similar to the contract to be bid. 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 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Bidding is open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Interested bidders may obtain further information from Office of Bataan Bids & Awards Committeeand inspect the Bidding Documents from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the same office. Bid documents will be available only to eligible bidders upon payment of a non-refundable amount of using standard rates approved by GPPB as stated on their Resolution No. 04-2012 listed below. Approved Budget for the Contract 500,000 and below More than 500,000 up to 1 Million More than 1 Million up to 5 Million More than 5 Million up to 10 Million More than 10 Million up to 50 Million More than 50 Million up to 500 Million More than 500 Million

Maximum Cost of Bidding Documents (in Philippine Peso) 500.00 1,000.00 5,000.00 10,000.00 25,000.00 50,000.00 75,000.00

The Provincial Government of Bataanwill hold a Pre-Bid Conference on April 3, 2018 at 10:00 A.MatProvincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan. Bids must be delivered on or before April 16, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated on IRR of RA 9184 or Bid Securing Declaration in standard form. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend opening of Bids at Bataan BAC Office. Late bids shall not be accepted. In case of the above dates is declared a special Non-Working Holidays, it will automatically reset on the next working days. Other necessary information deemed relevant by the Provincial Government of Bataan Activities 1. Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid 2. Eligibility Check 3. Issuance and availability of Bidding Documents 4. Request for Clarification 5. Opening of Bids

Schedule March 27 – April 2, 2018 Refer to date of Opening of Bids March 27 – April 16, 2018 April 6, 2018 April 16, 2018

The Provincial Government of Bataanreserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. For further information, please refer to: Ms. Aileen C. Sagun Provincial BAC / PEO Bataan Provincial BAC / PEO Office, Capitol Compound, BalangaCity, Bataan 047-237-9316 bac@bataan.gov.ph

(SGD) MARIA ROSARIO S. VERGEIRE, MD, MPH, CESO IV Assistant Secretary of Health COBAC –B Chairperson (MS-MAR. 28, 2018)

walk through.” Trump’s ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, welcomed the move and said: “Here in New York, Russia uses the United Nations as a safe haven for dangerous activities within our own borders.” Spokeswomen for the White House and the State Department, along with Haley and US ambassador to Moscow Jon Huntsman condemned the alleged Russian attack. But Trump himself, who usually likes to tweet or hold a press event for major announcements, was silent. AFP

(SGD) ENRICO T. YUZON BAC CHAIRMAN (MS-MAR.28, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Life

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

fashion and beauty

wEdnESday, March 28, 2018

Fluid movement FLOWING FASHION. Singaporean accessories and clothing label In Good Company launches its latest capsule collection composed of transitional pieces that reflect dressy resort wear alongside powerful tailoring and fluid drape work.

ailoRED drapes and folds are the highlights of in Good Company’s latest capsule collection.

Known for its characteristically modern and streamlined pieces, the Singapore-based accessories and clothing label explores the finer details of craft work and intricate handwork. the Capsule 13 collection offers transitional pieces that reflect dressy resort wear alongside powerful tailoring and the label’s fluid drape work. new textures and depth are created through the use of intricate handwork and craft techniques. the latest collection features pieces that showcase smocking, minute pleating on modern cropped tops, and trousers that end at neat lengths without revealing too much.

Sonny cotton twill paper bag waist pants

Dresses continue to feature strongly throughout the capsule, in styles that are softly draped and fluid, with panels that move as one walks. aside from highlighting intricate details, Capsule 13 features bright colors as well, in Good Company’s boldest color palette to date. Strong reds sit alongside sky blues, bluish pinks, sunny yellows, and summer orange, co-existing with navy pinstripes, rich blacks, and off-set by mid tones of terracotta and smoky pebble blue. these are colors that have been mixed to exact Pantone specifications. Designed to form the building blocks of an adaptable wardrobe, in Good Company reinterprets timeless silhouettes with clever detailing to create non-seasonal pieces for effortless, everyday style. its Philippine store is located on L2 at The SM Store Makati.

Redwood Priscilla twill dress

Known photographers will share techniques on how to get the perfect shot using Panasonic Lumix during the festival

High tech meets high fashion Multinational electronics company Panasonic delves into fashion as it partners with Manila Fashion Festival for its 8th season. the partnership, which gives birth to Panasonic Manila Fashion Festival, aims to blur the line between technology and fashion. art Personas chief executive officer Ronnie Cruz believes that joining forces with an innovative brand with the same vision will create a more worldclass festival that embraces technology and is consistently evolving with trends. Happening on april 10 to 13 at the Marquee tent of Edsa Shangri-la, the Panasonic MFF8 will mark the first photography and videography forum called “Secrets of the Pros,” where known players in the industry will share their techniques on how to get the perfect shot using Panasonic lumix. the event aims to present Philippine fashion through the products of the brand, particularly the cameras, television, and beauty tools. aside from featuring popular names and up-and-coming talents in the fashion industry, this year’s Panasonic Manila Fashion Festival will capture raw Filipino prowess more vividly, as talented designers from Cebu and Davao will also be participating to present their astounding ensembles.

the MFF8 stage will also present, for the third time, the graduation show of SoFa Design institute. The Panasonic Manila Fashion Festival schedule: • April 10 (8 p.m.): Anthony Ramirez, Jaz Cerezo, Rosbert Villar, Steph tan, Rob ortega, Cheetah Rivera, Martin Bautista, Basic Movement, Veejay Floresca, Patricia Santos • April 11 (3 p.m.): Secrets of the Pros • April 11 (8 p.m.): KC Pusing, Wilbur lang, Jinggay Serag, Harvic Dominguez, Yong Davalos, naoki, Dak Bonite, Daryl Maat, Chris Diaz, Rica Rico • April 12 (6 p.m.): SoFA Design Institute Graduation Show 2018 • April 12 (8 p.m.): Panasonic x Junca Salon Hair Show, Jandra Babiera, Reynier abello, neon island, arin, Garage Magazine (Menswear), Teofila, Mark Tamayo, Eve, Kim Gan • April 13 (8 p.m.): Davao designers (Aztec Barba, Edgar Buyan, Dodjie Batu, Benjie Panizales, Windell Mira, Bamba Limon, Emi Englis, Egay Ayag) and Cebu designers (Jun Escario, Dexter alazas, Philipp tampus, Protacio, Marichu tan, oJ Hofer, Mike Yapching, Philip Rodriguez) Go to www.manilafashionfest.com/ registration to register.

The Panasonic Manila Fashion Festival features popular names and up-and-coming talents in the Philippine fashion scene

Life

wednesday, march 28, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Pieces from Jewelmer’s Spring Blossoms and Petits Coeur collections

Small things and new beginnings beAuTiFuL things do come in small packages. Case in point: international luxury brand Jewelmer’s latest collections of jewelry made of South Sea Pearls. The Spring blossoms collection is an ode to beauty found in the present moment: a season spent in a foreign city, new beginnings, and the memories that unravel with them. each flower sculpted with diamonds and gold highlights the golden South Sea pearl. in presenting these rare marvels of nature, each blossom is a cherished memento of a moment that bloomed and of a life lived in full.

Meanwhile the Petits Coeur collection is an ode to every story of love in every form and encounter. The collection is composed of pieces featuring precious golden South Sea pearls linked to hearts made with lustrous diamonds and gold—symbolizing warm and lasting love. it shows that though love can unfold in the grandest of gestures, it is also found in little things: in familiar comforts, in someone who gives joy by just being there, or in the loyal company of furry creatures. For more information, visit www. jewelmer.com.

BELLA SPOSA. Bride-to-be Coleen Garcia celebrated her Italian-inspired bridal shower, hosted by F&C Jewelry, with family and closest friends.

Happenings at Coleen Garcia’s Italian-inspired bridal shower S

howbiz sweetheart Coleen Garcia set aside controversies as she recently celebrated her italian-inspired bridal shower hosted by F&C Jewelry.

Joining the bride-to-be were family and closest friends, including mom Maripaz ortega, Cesca Litton, Denise Laurel, Ria Atayde (her maid of honor), and Gino Santos (her man of honor). For the special gathering, titled “Amore,” buca di beppo restaurant in bonifacio Global City in Taguig was transformed into a beautiful vineyard, complete with rustic, wooden tables decorated with overflowing blooms and fruits. Guests were invited to dress in fun prints and patterns to fully imbibe the spirit of fun and romance. Garcia and her guests feasted on delicious graze of cold cuts, cheeses, and fruits, washed down with refreshing sangria. Dinner was an italian feast of buca di beppo specialties. Family and friends enjoyed fun games and shared wellwishes to the bride-to-be, taking the moment to reflect on love, friendship, and unforgettable bonds. in addition to taking home delicious cheesecakes courtesy of buca di beppo, guests were able to choose their own F&C From left: Rona Tai, Cesca Litton, Denise Laurel, Mica Javier, and Maika Rivera jewel, picking from a chic range of charms and necklaces. F&C, as the leader in fine jewelry, understands the importance of moments and milestones, and fashions fitting time- keepsakes, F&C offers Garcia and her loved one a rememless jewels to help immortalize these very moments. with brance that they will forever cherish.

Women’s wear label opens showroom when designer Patricia baligod was already having a hard time meeting with her growing list of clients in separate locations in the metro, she realized it was about time to open her showroom. “when #CustomSyne started picking up, i felt that everything was all over the place,” shared baligod. #CustomSyne is where she offers custom-made gowns and outfits, in addition to her Syne Label ready-to-wear pieces. She further related, “in a day, i’ll meet clients in Alabang, then go to Pasig, then Quezon City, then back to Alabang, all for fittings/consultations. As much as i want to meet all my clients, it was not very practical, especially because i usually had eight to 10 fittings a day. The travel time made it even harder to meet my clients’ schedules.” in her first year, baligod established her pop-up stores in Retail Lab, and most recently in Lanai Manila. Yet these locations aren’t enough for her to meet her clients. This is why she built her very own showroom in a popular destination for Manila fashionphiles: bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

Syne Label’s showroom in BGC Taguig

her showroom is a reflection of her personal taste and how she envisions Syne, as if the space is a human version of the brand’s lifestyle. “i styled it to be clean, white, spacious, and elegant—a space where clients will be very comfortable during consultations and fittings. it should feel like a home,” said baligod. As she began designing silk ready-to-wear clothing, the social media generation associated her as their trusted and approachable silk designer. with the help of it Girls Jessica wilson, Ava Daza, and Tricia Centenera who wore early Syne designs, she gained followers who turned into her most loyal consumers for her custom silk gowns. with the opening of her showroom, baligod plans to create more custom gowns and outfits for Juliana Gomez women looking for silk wear. in in SYNExLanai fact, she has recently launched Gold Slip Dress the #SynedwithSilk campaign to feature her clients in bespoke silk wear. “Moving forward,” she said, “#CustomSyne plans to produce more bridal and bridal entourage ensembles this year. we want to be the first in making an all silk bridal parade.” Syne Label’s showroom is located at Unit 17M Tower 2, The Morgan Residences, Florence Way, McKinley Hill Dr., Taguig City. To set an appointment, call 09175179379.

The Petits Coeur collection symbolizes love found in little things

va n i t y c o r n er

Mediheal sheet masks

BTS-APPrOvEd ShEET mASk The facial sheet mask brand bTS members use is now available on our shelves, as Genson Distribution inc. brings Mediheal to the country. Mediheal, which were developed at the beauty school of the prestigious Seoul university by a team of skin experts and dermatologists, offers a wide range of innovative and effective sheet masks and skin care products that cater to different skin concerns, such as acne, dull skin, dry skin, and uneven skin tone. each mask pack contains generous amount of essences, with ingredients that specifically target skin concerns. To get the most benefits from a Mediheal mask pack, put it on face and remove once the Mediheal logo prints appear. Mediheal is exclusively available at Watsons and SM Beauty Stores.

BrOw ExPErT PEnciL iF You believe that “kilay is life,” then you need an efficient tool to help you achieve polished, natural looking, and expertly made brows. To help those clueless on brows or those looking for multifunctional makeup that does the job quick and well, L’oreal introduces the 2-in-1 L’oreal Paris brow Artist Xpert. L’oreal brow Artist Xpert is available in seven shades, including Cool blonde, warm blonde, brunette, Ash brunette, Cool brunette, warm brunette, and ebony, designed especially for a wide range of Filipina hair colors. The brow pencil features a waterproof formulation that lasts for 24 hours. it comes with a triangular tip with a wide end for easy shading and filling and a narrow end for defining. it also has a built-in spoolie brush that blends harsh lines for a clean and natural finish. The L’Oreal Brow Artist Xpert is now available at L’Oreal Paris counters for P350.

L’Oreal Brow Artist Xpert in Ash Brunette

rEvivE yOur hAir wiTh cOcOnuT STRuGGLinG with dry, unmanageable hair? human nature’s 100 percent natural hair Revival Coco Mask aims to save your crowning glory by harnessing the power of nutrient-rich coconut oil. Coconut oil contains a high amount of lauric acid which helps reduce protein loss to help strengthen and repair your tresses. in addition, coconut oil provides better hair nourishment because it penetrates each strand to deeply moisturize hair, compared with mineral oil or sunflower oil. wrap your hair with a warm towel and leave the hair mask on for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and enjoy smoother, softer hair. Human Nature’s 100 percent Natural Hair Revival Coco Mask is available in all Human Nature branches for P329.75. Human Nature’s 100 percent Natural Hair Revival Coco Mask

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018

nickie.standard@gmail.com

‘JADINE REVOLUTION’ in Cebu and Davao

HEY rocked the Araneta Coliseum and the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando to the rafters last month, now James Reid and Nadine Lustre will take their JaDine Revolution Love Rules concert tour to the South. The next stop of the tour is at the University of Southeastern Philippines in Davao City on April 29. This will be followed by the Hoops Dome in LapuLapu, Mactan, Cebu on May 19. Tickets are now available for these dates. Aside from the tour, James and Nadine are also busy winding up work on their first big screen teamup in three years, Never Not Love You, that was partly filmed in London. James is also in the cast of the big-budget musical comedy Miss Granny with Sarah Geronimo, where he plays the leader of a rock band. Nadine, on the other hand, is preparing for her first solo film. As for music, Palm Dreams, James’ latest album of dance tunes, is a big hit with the singles “Cool Down” and “IL2LU.” Nadine has also dropped a new single titled “St4y Up” that will be part of her upcoming album from Viva Records. THERE is a huge crop of good TV shows the family can watch together if they know where to look. Families who just subscribed to SKYdirect Prepaid can enjoy great entertainment with a 15-day channel blowout where they can access all SKYdirect channels for free. Below, subscribers will find a list of entertaining shows depending on the fambam’s personality. The TV shows on the list are available on channels from SKYdirect Plan 450, the highest prepaid plan available. America’s Got Talent Where to watch: Blue Ant Entertainment (SKYdirect Ch. 35) If your fambam is the type that would stream audition clips online from various talent shows around the world, thenAmerica’s Got Talent is the TV show that is perfect for everyone in your family. Witness an incredible showcase of jawdropping skills every week and enjoy the banter of AGT hosts Simon Cowell, Mel B., Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandell after every performance. DC’S Legends of Tomorrow Where to watch: Warner TV HD (SKYdirect Ch. 36) Based on characters of DC Comics, Legends of Tomorrow is a spinoff of the Arrow and The Flash universe featuring characters such as Firestorm, Atom, Rip Hunter, White Canary,

TEAM REAL. James Reid and Nadine Lustre bring their sold out concert to their fans in Davao and Cebu.

Free shows on SKYdirect

Simon Cowell (center) flanked by America's Got Talent's judges and host.

Hawkgirl, Hawkman, Heat Wave, Captain Cold, Reverse Flash, Vixen, and Steel. Now on its third season, the actionpacked series revolves on Rip Hunter and his recruited team of heroes and villains who join forces to avert an apocalypse. The Jesus Strand: A search for DNA Where to watch: History Channel HD (SKYdirect Ch. 29) Families who are fascinated with the lives of iconic people in history will enjoy sinking their teeth into History’s The Jesus Strand: A Search for DNA, where a geneticist and a biblical scholar pastor team up to analyze samples from religious relics from history in search of the DNA of Jesus Christ. The show will premiere on March 31 at 8:00 p.m..

Cake Boss Where to watch: TLC (SKYdirect Ch. 32) Worldwide renowned baker Buddy Valastro and his family’s adventures are exciting and sweet. Families who crave to see how Buddy expanded their successful family business, Carlo’s Bakery, will find satisfaction in this TLC series that is now on its 9th season. All new SKYdirect prepaid subscribers with a minimum P99 initial load just need to text FREE450 <BOX ID> to 23668. The offer will be valid until the subscriber has not loaded his second prepaid plan. This promo offer runs until March 31. Visit mysky.com.ph/skydirect for more information.

Simply Red... From C4

will prove their vicious deeds. After an intense scuffle, Celeste was shot by Miranda while trying to escape. Ana and her group then arrived at the house to save Celeste, who was already moments away from her death and ultimately failed to make it out alive. Despite being unsuccessful in exposing their enemies, Celeste was able to retrieve a book owned by Ana’s dad, which reminded her of all the pain she went through and further ignited her fury to bring down the Del Mundos. Asintado airs on ABS-CBN and ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167). *** There’s nothing quite like the rich, delicious aroma of the Jollibee Yumburger, as seen in the bestselling product’s latest online video starring popular teen love team and Yumburger endorsers, Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto. The pair—popularly known among their fans as ‘JoshLia’—proves the iconic slogan langhap-sarap in a series of fun interactions with Jollibee diners and their favorite Yumburger. With a contemporary rendition of the mid-90’s OPM hit “O Lumapit Ka” playing in the background, Joshua follows the delicious aroma of the Yumburger, expecting it to lead him to Julia. After a couple of adorable mishaps, Julia finally unwraps her own Yumburger to help Joshua in his search for her. “Langhap-sarap is more than a claim or a slogan for the Yumburger,” said Cathleen D. Capati, Jollibee Marketing director for Flagship Category. “It’s a time-tested product truth that manifests itself as soon as you unwrap the burger. When you breathe in the mouthwatering aroma, it’s a preview of the unforgettable deliciousness that the Yumburger delivers with every bite.” The Philippines’ no. 1 langhapsarap Yumburger is a true fast-food classic that has captured the hearts and thrilled the taste-buds of Filipino diners for decades. At the core of the Yumburger is a 100 percent pure beef patty packed with meaty, savory flavors and complemented by Jollibee’s special burger dressing and soft buns.

Tanging Yaman, the heartwarming classic about a broken family brought back together by tragic circumstances, leads the Lenten season lineup of SKYdirect Free View during the entire month of March. Three siblings, long estranged from one another, must set aside their differences and come together for their mother and for their whole family. Its stellar acting ensemble is led by Gloria Romero, who plays the matriarch with a failing health due to Alzheimer’s, along with Johnny Delgado, Edu Manzano, and Dina Bonnevie, who play the siblings struggling to overcome old resentments. The movie swept top honors at the 2000 Metro Manila Film Festival, including Best Picture, Best Director for Laurice Guillen, Best Actress for Romero, Best Actor for Delgado, Best Screenplay for Guillen, Shaira Mella Salvador, and Raymond Lee, and the Gatpuno Antonio Villegas Cultural Award. It airs alongside the classic tearjerker Sarah, Ang Munting Prinsesa, starring a young Camille Prats. It tells the story of an orphaned heiress, who had to endure hardships in the hands of a cruel school principal because they thought she had lost everything when her father died. When her father’s friends find her she regains her old life and brings a better one to her newfound friends. Completing SKYdirect Free View’s Lenten Season offering is Dekada 70. Set in the tumultuous years leading to the 1986 EDSA Revolution, it is about how Martial Law affected a family as each member experiences its effects in different ways. It stars award-winning actors Piolo Pascual, Christopher De Leon, and Vilma Santos. SKYdirect prepaid subscribers with a minimum load of P99 and active postpaid subscribers can watch these movies for free on channel 28. *** Ana (Julia Montes) gets yet another reason to seek revenge against the Del Mundos after the wicked family’s crony Miranda (Lorna Tolentino) killed Celeste (Cherry Pie Picache) in the Kapamilya a f t e r n o o n series Asintado.” Celeste’s failed attempt to expose the Del Mundos led to her unfortunate death after Miranda caught her breaking into her enemies’ mansion to find evidence that The young Camille Prats in 'Sarah ang Munting Prinsesa.'

A terrifying movie premieres on Black Saturday Taylor Hickson in a scene from the horror flick 'Ghostland.'

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, March 28, 2018

ACROSS 1 Dotty 5 Applied henna 9 Cookie or candy 14 Very light brown color 15 Jungle warning 16 Jazzman — Blake 17 Vivacity 18 Slimy vegetable 19 Ring-shaped island 20 Commonplace 22 Weightlifter’s apparatus 24 Cattails 26 Princess Di’s niece 27 Gets the news 29 Joker (2 wds.) 34 Coke rival 35 Disappear gradually 36 “Fish Magic” artist 37 Badges 38 Knickknack stand 41 Card-game cry 42 Psyche components 44 Manipulates fraudulently 45 Ghostly noises 47 Florida tribe 49 Licentious fellows

50 New Year in Hanoi 51 Wardens’ fear 53 Sketchiest 57 Calorie counters 61 Greek epic 62 Not fake 64 Livy’s “it was” 65 A la — 66 Aspirin target 67 Moreno or Rudner 68 Wrapped up 69 Prevailing emotional tone 70 Picket-line crosser DOWN 1 Consider 2 Freedom org. 3 Kukla’s friend 4 Frozen plains 5 Hums 6 Linked 7 Maize unit 8 Lackluster 9 Equipped 10 Crocodile Dundee locale 11 Woodwind 12 Sour pickle 13 Shout 21 Condor’s abode 23 More skillful 25 Strut 27 Line of bushes

28 — Downs (racetrack) 30 Fateful date 31 Pond scum 32 Bridle parts 33 Studies 34 Bakery items 35 Conk out 39 Fast gaits 40 Ham it up 43 Place 46 Expulsions 48 Lacked 49 Muddied the waters

52 NW state 53 Bad habit 54 Politician — Cranston 55 Encircle 56 Bloke’s streetcar 58 Ambler or Clapton 59 Pro — (in proportion) 60 Iffy attempt 63 “The Name of the Rose” author

GHOSTLAND is a horror movie, directed by Pascal Laugier, where someone’s dreams become a nightmarish reality. The movie trails the tragic fate of a mother and her two daughters after inheriting a house from a relative who died. Colleen and her daughters during their first night encounter murderers in their new home. Fighting to save her daughters’ lives, the girls suffer a terrible trauma and their disparate personalities diverge even further. The eldest daughter, Beth, is said to become a famous horror author with a

perfect family, while her sister, Vera, can’t cope, and loses her mind to an unshakable sense of paranoia. Sixteen years later the daughters and mother reunite at the house where Colleen and Vera continue to reside. It is then that strange events begin to take place. French director and screenwriter Laugier began his career with the two short films Tête de citrouille (1993) and 4ème sous-sol(2001). He kicked off his career in 2011 as assistant director of Christophe Gans’ periodfantasy-action film Brotherhood of the Wolf, where he also directed the ‘making-

of’ documentary about the film. A die-hard fan of the horror movie genre, Laugier then directed Saint Ange (2004), the infamous cult movie Martyrs (2008), adored by the horror audience, and The Tall Man (2012), his first English speaking film starring Jessica Biel. “Ghostland is also the expression of the return of the repressed and perhaps of my ‘darkest side’ (laughs). If you’re afraid of displeasing by doing horror movies, then you should do something else,” said the director. Ghostland opens March 31 in cinemas from Axinite Digicinema.

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018

‘All-star Videoke’ out, ‘Lip Sync Battle Philippines’ in LAST Sunday, I watched the final episode of All-star Videoke that had Ruru Madrid winning the grand and final prize that he shared with GMA Kapuso Foundation’s beneficiaries, patients suffering from illnesses difficult to treat. It moved me for someone as young as Madrid to have the compassion to help persons in dire need of assistance. I hope there are more showbiz personalities with Ruru’s heart and consciousness. And, how sad the show (despite its quirks, I am not really a fan of transvestites or cross dressers on screen) will be off the air on April 1. But the Kapuso network says followers of the show should get ready for crazy yet delightful replacement on that time slot on Sundays. Lip Sync Battle Philippines returns for its third season. If you have a cable connection and you have Comedy Central on your menu, you could have watched the American version. It is really very funny and I am glad GMA has chosen to air its own version. The one you will start seeing on Sunday is now the third season in the Philippines. Michael V. and Iya VillaniaArellano also return as host and color commentator. Michael V. says he is excited to present the changes that will happen in this season. “Excited ako kasi sinala talaga namin yung mga battlers ngayon and magkakaroon ng bagong battles. So ang masasabi ko talaga, mas aabangan ito kasi yung mga napilingbattler, ready talaga sila.” Meanwhile, Iya

expressed her gratitude to GMA for giving her another chance to be work with Michael V. because of his warm ISAH V. RED personality. ‘I am just happy to be working with Kuya Bitoy because you know, he is very approachable and friendly and lahat ng galaw ko sa set, he is there to help and assist me so hindi talaga ako nahihirapan,’ she said. The game pits celebrities or personalities against each other in a lip sync battle for two rounds. They can lip sync the song/s of their choice. Then the crowd determines the winner of the battle after the two rounds have been completed. The winner gets the bragging rights to be the Lip Sync Battle Champion and gets the Lip Sync Battle Championship Belt. Making the third season more special are new things to look forward to such as the three-way battle and thematic episodes that will pave the way to a more intense head-to-head challenge of your favorite celebrities and personalities. Kapuso viewers can also expect guest color commentators who will participate in the show as they add more fun in the program. Continued on C3

A star

REGINE

VELASQUEZ

is looking for Regine Velasquez is hosting 'The Clash,' the newest search for the country's next singing sensation.

By Nickie Wang

H Michael V and Iya Villania

Snapshot

An Anvil for ‘Spoken Hugot’ ABS-CBN Corporation won a Gold Anvil Award at the 53rd Anvil Awards for “Spoken Hugot” in the multimedia PR tools category. “Spoken Hugot” was cited for giving its employees the chance to show their talents in spoken poetry and inspiring the Kapamilya community with their moving messages via its intranet site e-Frequency. The top ten ﬁnalists, who were determined via online votes, competed in the live performance dubbed as “Hugot Night.” During the awarding ceremony, attended by ABS-CBN Corporate Communications head Kane Choa (second from right), The Voice Philippines grand ﬁnalist Mica Becerro impressed the audience with her rendition of the song “All I Ask Of You.” The Anvil Awards is organized annually by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP).

UNDREDS of aspiring singers ﬂocked to SkyDome at SM North Edsa for the Manila leg of The Clash auditions. They were welcomed by Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez who personally cheered the aspirants and rendered song numbers which lifted their spirits.

Velasquez did the same thing when the search kicked off its regional auditions in Gaisano Island Mall Mactan in Cebu City on Feb. 17, at Sunshine Park in Baguio City on Feb. 24, and at The Annex Event Center in SM City Davao on March 10. Auditionees, on the other hand, gave

KAPAMILYA Box Office (KBO) launches its biggest offer of the year. Beginning this month, Globe, Smart, Sun, TM, Talk n’ Text, and ABS-CBNmobile’s subscribers can catch the bundle of five movies with a special highlight each weekend. This extended weekend, KBO unveils its Lenten selection, which includes the premiere of Sharon Cuneta and Robin Padilla’s comeback movie, Unexpectedly Yours on Thursday. In the movie Cuneta and Julia Barretto play mother and daughter, Patty and Yanni. Their quiet lives get an unexpected shake-up when love starts knocking at their door as Cocoy (Padilla), Patty’s friend from high school, and his nephew, Jason (Joshua Garcia), fall for the two of them. Also showing during this extended KBO weekend are heartwarming movies about family and love like Seven Sundays. It stars Ronaldo Valdez as Manuel Bonifacio, the father who sees his sickness as a chance to bring together his four children, played by Aga Muhlach, Dingdong Dantes, Enrique Gil, and Cristine Reyes. Then, follow the journey of a man who will face his responsibilities as a father for the first time and come to terms with

their best shot singing the piece they thought would spell their chance to move on to the next rounds of the competition. They patiently lined up and waited at the event venues hoping to make the cut. The seasoned chanteuse didn’t get to see them one by one but she knew for sure that the reality search was able to attract a number of talented singers, who may be the next singing superstars—exactly what they are looking for. “We are not looking for an all-around star here. We are looking for someone who has the talent and the voice to be a recording star. It’s a singing contest to begin with. It’s not a talent reality show where the winner eventually becomes an actor and performer,” Regine said in a recent interview. Talking about the auditionees, Regine said that she’s amazed with the number of people who auditioned to the new singing show. “A lot of people wanted to showcase their talent, especially when it comes to music and singing. In The Clash, sigurado ako na mapapakita nila ‘yon kasi iba itong singing competition na ito. It is open to all and it gives everyone a chance—bata

man o matanda, may experience man o wala,” she said. Regine added that once auditionees make the cut, they will go through personality development sessions, voice lessons and a make-over to prepare them for the big TV event. “We’ll run for 14 weeks and everyone will be given challenges, which means a contestants wouldn’t be able to stay in their comfort zone. It will challenge them to be versatile performers,” Regine shared. Serving as audition masters were musician and TV director Direk Bert de Leon for Cebu, South Border lead singer Jay Durias for Baguio, and OPM songwriter Vehnee Saturno for Davao. They also lent their expertise accompanying Regine during the Manila leg of the auditions. For the live show, Regine will be joined by Lani Misalucha, Christian Bautista and AiAi delas Alas as judges. The Clash’s regional audition was put together by GMA Entertainment Content Group and GMA Regional TV. For more information, follow its Facebook page @ TheClashGMA.

Lenten lineup on KBO

Joshua Garcia (left) and Robin Padilla in the blockbuster romantic comedy, 'Unexpetedly Yours.'

the new person it has made him. Set under the awe-inspiring northern lights of Alaska, Northern Lights: A Journey to Love, stars Piolo Pascual with Yen Santos and child actor Raikko Mateo. Meanwhile, Jodi Sta. Maria plays Chinggay, a woman in her 30’s looking for love in The Achy Breaky Hearts. After years of being single, Chinggay, (Sta. Maria) is now being

pursued by handsome men (Ian Veneracion and Richard Yap). Rounding up the Lenten line-up is In My Life starring the Star for all Seasons, Vilma Santos. John Lloyd Cruz and Luis Manzanoplay Noel and Mark, a gay couple living in the US. Their life is disrupted when Shirley (Santos), Mark’s mother, lives with them after being evicted by her ex-husband.

Easter treats at DreamPlay FAMILIES and friends looking for a Holy Week getaway can choose to visit City of Dreams Manila and avail of the Nobu family staycation package with complimentary DreamPlay access and more, or the Easter “Eggs-perience” at DreamPlay packed with thrilling activities and goodies for the season. The Easter Sunday egg hunt, inspired by DreamWorks Animation’s “How to Train Your Dragon”, is one of the highlights of DreamPlay’s “Dragon’s Ultimate Easter Eggs-perience” on April 1.

Guests who avail of the DreamPlay Easter package at P1,488 net per person get to also decorate their own plaster dragon egg, bake and design egg-shaped cookies, watch the limitedtime run of the “Book of Dragons“ movie in 4D, enjoy 10 percent discount on all How To Train Your Dragon merchandise and enjoy an all-day pass at the DreamWorks-inspired play space for the rest of the day. Meanwhile, Nobu Hotel staycation package during the Holy Week consists

of a minimum two-night stay with buffet breakfast for two at Nobu Manila restaurant, four DreamPlay passes, complimentary Zumba classes during the guests’ stay, and free shuttle services on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Black Saturday for the Visita Iglesia and other Lenten services at the Shrine of Jesus church, near SM Mall of Asia. The staycation package starts at P20,888.00 in a Nobu deluxe room, with booking period until March 28 and stay dates between March 29 and April 1.

Kids can build their own dragon and make it fly at How To Fly Your Dragon booth at DreamPlay in City of Dreams Manila.