Manila Standard - 2018 April 16 - Monday

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US, allies vow renewed hits against Syria

Bon Jovi inducted to Rock’s Hall of Fame NEW YORK—Bon Jovi, the Moody Blues, Dire Straits, the Cars, Nina Simone and Sister Rosetta Tharpe joined music royalty on Saturday as they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Richie Sambora, the original guitarist for arena-packing rockers Bon Jovi reunited with the band for a rousing set at the Public Auditorium in Cleveland that included hits “You Give Love a Bad Name and “It’s My Life.” Next page

VOL. XXXII • NO. 60 • 4 SECTIONS 24 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

House taps P1.16b for vaccine victims

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump and his British and French allies on Saturday hailed their joint strikes in Syria in response to its alleged use of chemical weapons, warning Damascus that any repetition would be met with renewed firepower.

Hours later, the allies signaled their resolve to return to diplomacy, launching a new bid at the United Nations to investigate the chemical weapons attacks.

They circulated a joint draft resolution at the Security Council that also calls for unimpeded deliveries of humanitarian aid and enforcement of a ceasefire and demands that Syria engage in UN-led peace talks, according to the text obNext page tained by AFP.

By Rio N. Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta Bon Jovi performs at the 33rd annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Public Auditorium on April 14, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. AFP

Suicide pod: Press button, you’re dead THE NETHERLANDS—A controversial suicide pod that enables its occupant to kill themselves at a press of a button went on display at Amsterdam funeral show on Saturday.

Called the “Sarco”, short for sarcophagus, the 3D-printed machine invented by Australian euthanasia activist Philip Nitschke and Dutch designer Alexander Bannink comes with a detachable coffin, mounted on a stand that contains a nitrogen canister. Next page

Dutch designer Alexander Bannink explains how the “Sarco” euthanasia pod works as a woman experiences sitting in the device by wearing virtual reality glasses, on April 14, 2018 at the Amsterdam Funeral Expo. AFP

‘‘

If the Syrian regime uses this poisonous gas again, the United States is locked and loaded.

—US President Donald Trump, quoted

by US Ambassador Nikki Haley

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HOUSE resolution seeks to use the P1.16-billion refund from Sanofi Pasteur to treat and hospitalize children who become sick as a result of receiving the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.

Under the House resolution, the entire Sanofi refund would be used to monitor and care for the more than 870,000 children inoculated with the vaccine, which can cause severe cases of dengue among those who have not been infected by the virus before.

“This is a special appropriations measure, since right now, without the express authorization of Congress, the Sanofi refund is idle,” said Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel.

The French pharmaceutical company agreed to refund the Philippines for the unused vaccines, after Health officials suspended the mass vaccination program because of the health risks it posed.

The Department of Budget and Management had earlier called on the House to allocate the refund so that the Health department could use it to tend the vaccinated children.

Health officials said 65 children have died after receiving Dengvaxia shots.

Of the 65 mortalities, 13 were due to severe dengue infections, while the 52 others died of other causes.

Under the House joint resolution filed by Pimentel, the P1.16 billion will be used to pay for the hospitalization expenses (including reimbursement) in case of adverse effects following vaccination, including all in-patient checkup costs incurred, and outpatient medical examinations, including but not limited to diagnostic and confirmatory laboratory tests and medicines.

Relatives of children whose deaths may be linked to the Dengvaxia vaccine on Sunday supported Senator Richard Gordon’s finding that former President Benigno Aquino III bore some criminal liability for the inoculation of 830,000 schoolchildren.

Elvie Ligeralde, spokesperson for the National Federation of Dengvaxia Victims Organization, called on other parents and relatives of children who died of dengue after receiving shots of the Dengvaxia shots to support the Next page Gordon report.

FOODIES’ LANE. Reigning Miss Globe-Philippines 2018 Michele Gumabao, highlighted by hanging lanters, poses for Manila Standard during her visit to the Araneta Center’s Manhattan Row, a street lined with cafés, bars and restos and Foodestrian Art Lanes. Sonny Espiritu

Legal eagles back SC ruling on dubious contracts

By Rey E. Requejo TWO legal experts agree with the decision of the Supreme Court that clears government officials and heads of local government units of criminal, civil and administrative liabilities for ministerially approving contracts.

Former law deans Pacifico Agabin and Tranquil Salvador III said the ruling was correct when it held that mere approval of contracts that later on turned out to be

Facebook’s fact-check scheme draws support SENATOR Paolo Benigno Aquino IV welcomed a Facebook initiative to support a local fact-checking coalition to address the spread of fake news on its platform.

“With disinformation spreading like wildfire through social media, it’s encouraging to see Facebook take a stronger stance on this issue and partner with agencies that are genuinely fighting fake news,” Aquino said, referring to the social media giant’s partnership with Rappler and the Vera Files.

Facebook’s move came days after it was revealed that the accounts of 87-million users worldwide were accessed by Cambridge Analytica, a communications firm accused of harvesting data of millions of Facebook users to help Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

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irregular or deficient does not automatically make government officials liable.

“I agree with that decision of the Supreme Court,” Agabin, former dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law, said in a text message.

This doctrine, which grants the presumption of regularity on the approval of projects by heads of agencies or local executives, was already set by the Supreme Court in previous rulings, he said.

The latest decision in the case of former

Nueva Ecija Gov. Tomas Joson III is just a reiteration.

Salvador, former dean of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila law dean and president of Integrated Bar of the Philippines - Quezon City chapter, shared Agabin’s view, saying the decision was “a sound and reasonable ruling.”

“This has been well established by jurisprudence and was only reiterated in the Joson ruling,” Salvador said.

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Pre-poll violence claims two; 17,000 bids swamp Comelec

EARLY BIRD. Candidates for the Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan elections line up to file their certificates of candidacy during the first day of filing at the Comelec office in Arroceros, Manila on Saturday April 14,2018. Norman Cruz

TWO people were killed and two were arrested on the first day of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan election season, police reported Sunday.

Leonilo Arbonido, 59, chairman of Barangay Julugan 6 in Tanza, Cavite, was gunned down by motorcycle-riding suspects on Saturday. Arbonido was taken to the Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital but died while undergoing treatment.

On Sunday, a man identified as Themistocles Sulat was shot dead by a barangay kagawad, Richie Malicse, with a rifle in Barangay Busay, San Jose, Romblon.

In Bulacan, a businessman was arrested for the possession of a firearm

in violation of the election gun ban. In Police Regional Office 6 Office, a male suspect was arrested for after police manning a Commission on Elections checkpoint found he was carrying a revolver in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.

More than 17,000 certificates of candidacy were filed by aspirants for the May 14 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan on the first day of the filing period on Saturday, the Comelec reported Sunday.

Based on a report submitted by 339 cities and municipalities, as of Saturday, the total number of COCs filed for the forthcoming village and youth polls was 17,481.

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News

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

House...

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Gordon, the chairman of the Blue Ribbon committee, earlier lamented the cool reception that his report received from some of his colleagues in the Senate.

In the draft report, he recommended that Aquino, former Health secretary Janette Garin, former Budget secretary Florencio Abad and Philippine Children’s Medical Center executive director Julius Lecciones be held liable for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. “We hope the other senators will sign the report,” Ligeralde said.

Group members flocked to the Quezon Memorial Circle to dramatize their disappointment over the lack of support of some senators to file charges against the former president.

“We, as the leaders of the National Federation of Dengvaxia Victims Organization, strongly support the resolution of the Blue Ribbon committee about the Dengvaxia fiasco. The hearing was done fairly and objectively. We, the victims, demand justice. Let the facts and evidence speak for truth, and nothing but the truth,” Ligeralde said.

Those who joined the federation were the Parents Coalition Against Dengvaxia, Parents Alliance Against Dengvaxia and Dengvaxia Warriors.

“We support Gordon. We stand with the Public Attorney’s Office,” Ligeralde said.

Gordon on Sunday said he did not want to see Aquino jailed, but said he had to be held accountable for anomalies in the anti-dengue vaccination program.

“I don’t wish it that he be detained so it’s not plunder. I don’t want him to be jailed,” Gordon said in an interview Sunday over radio dzBB. In his draft report, Gordon described Aquino as “insensitive and unconcerned” when he allowed the purchase if Dengvaxia from French giant drug firm Sanofi Pasteur and allowed the mass vaccination of almost one-million Filipinos although the vaccine was still at its experimental stage.

While Aquino did not pocket money from the controversial program, Gordon noted that his acts still suggest that he committed graft and corruption.

He said the “undue haste” in the approval and purchase of the vaccine created doubts.

“It was last two minutes for the administration, they released P3.5 billion when the Dengvaxia was still unripe.

You did not take cautions in protecting the rights of the mothers, and their children,” further stated Gordon.

The senator said he was optimistic that a majority of senators will sign and approve his committee report.

“What I know is there were already 10 signatories. I think it’s easy to get the signatures of the majority,” he added.

Pre-poll...

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For the barangay elections, 13,982 COCs were filed, with 9,856 male aspirants and 4,126 female aspirants.

Those seeking the post of barangay chairman were 1,560 (male) and 426 (female). For barangay kagawad, 8,296 were male while 3,700 were female.

For the SK elections, there were 845 candidates who filed their COCs for SK chairman.

For SK kagawad, male candidates were 1,514 while female aspirants totaled 1,140.

The period for the filing of COCs will run until April 20.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the total number of barangays in the country was 42,041, as of Feb. 13.

The total number of voters is 78,017,088—57,384,446 for barangay while 20,632,642 for SK elections.

The number of polling precincts is 376,420.

Each precinct will be manned by three Board of Election Tellers or teachers.

The May 14 polls will be manual, as voters will have to right down the names of the candidates, one Punong Barangay and seven members of the Sangguniang Barangay.

For youth voters, they will be electing one chairperson and seven members of the SK for every barangay.

Out of the 5,744 election watchlist areas in the country, 3,448 barangays were identified as having intense rivalry between candidates, history of electionrelated violence, armed threats and partisan armed groups.

Meanwhile, 2,025 barangays also have intense rivalry between candidates, history of election related violence, and partisan armed groups.

The remaining 271 barangays are classified as highly critical areas where loose firearms and criminal gangs are prevalent.

The Bicol region has the highest number of election watch lists, followed by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. PNA

‘Sereno case unlike Corona’s’ T other. The difference is monumental,” Lacanilao said.

The petition of Solicitor General Jose Calida cited Sereno’s non-submission of the required SALNs to the Judicial and Bar Council during her application for the top judicial post in 2012 as a basis for asking the Court to invalidate her appointment.

But in the impeachment case against her in the House of Representatives, the Chief Justice is accused of non-declaration of her over P30-million income from the arbitration case against Philippine International Air Terminals Company Inc., the builder of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal III. Lacanilao said Sereno had fully declared everything in her SALNs. “From 2010, when she was first appointed to the Supreme Court, all the way up to her latest SALN, Sereno has faithfully complied with all the requirements in the SALN law,” he said.

Contrary to the claim of the impeachment complainant Lorenzo Gadon that

she received P37 million from the Piatco case, Sereno was only paid 30.3 million before taxes for the legal services rendered from 2003 to 2008, Lacanilao said.

The remaining amount after taxes had been spent over time for various asset acquisitions and investments, which were all reflected in Sereno’s current SALN. The rest went to the family’s tithes, offerings, living and medical expenses and other operating expenses.

Besides, Lacanilao said, the SALNs were only relevant to the question of integrity if the issue was ill-gotten wealth.

“There is no allegation in the petition that the Chief Justice has any such ill-gotten wealth, he said.

The camp of Sereno has announced that they had already recovered 11 of her 21 reported missing SALNs. They said nine of Sereno’s UP SALNs had been recovered aside from the 2002 SALN found in her files at the university administration office and her 1998 SALN that is with the Office of the Ombudsman.

`“Liability depends upon the wrong committed and not solely by reason of being the head of a government agency,” the tribunal ruled.

The Court made this ruling as it cleared Joson, who was found liable by the Commission on Audit for the P155.03-million construction of Nueva Ecija Friendship Hotel, now named Sierra Madre Suites.

The CoA found Joson liable along with members of the Bids and Awards Committee, the BAC Technical Working Group, the provincial accountant, and the provincial engineer.

Joson had filed a petition for exclusion from liability, arguing that “the determination of whether a prospective bidder is eligible or not is the exclusive responsibility of the BAC and if there is indeed a liability, the members of the BAC should be held liable since they are the persons directly responsible for the transaction.”

But CoA, in its 2015 decision, denied the petition and ruled that Joson was liable for the disallowed amount since “he failed to exercise due diligence in the performance of his duty.”

The commission also ruled that “being a signatory in the contracts, Joson is presumed to have prior knowledge that the bidding process was tainted with ineligibility.”

The Court disagreed and sided with Joson’s defense that he only approved the contract upon BAC’s recommendation to award the contract to A.V.T. Construction after evaluation of all the documents submitted by the firm and that he also only signed the contracts on behalf of the provincial government.

Citing the Government Procurement Act (Republic Act No. 9184), the Court said that determination of whether a prospective bidder is eligible or not falls on the BAC.

The Court said that even assuming that Joson did not ensure that the eligibility documents were attached to the contract, “it is settled that mistakes committed by a public officer are not actionable absent any clear showing that they were motivated by malice or gross negligence amounting to bad faith.”

“In this case, there is no showing that petitioner was motivated by malice or gross negligence amounting to bad faith in failing to ensure that the eligibility documents of A.V.T. Construction were not attached to the contract,” the Court said.

Lastly, the Court reiterated the doctrine it set in earlier rulings in 1989 and 2001, which held that “every person who signs or initials documents in the course of transit through standard operating procedures does not automatically become a conspirator in a crime which transpired at a stage where he had no participation.”

Among the contentious proposals, it would establish an independent investigation into allegations of toxic gas attacks in Syria with the aim of identifying the perpetrators.

On the humanitarian side, the measure demands medical evacuations and safe passage for aid convoys to be allowed to all areas.

Diplomats said it remained unclear when the council would vote on the proposal, and they were ready to allow time for negotiations to bring Russia aboard.

‘Perfectly executed’ Just before dawn on Saturday, the sounds of massive explosions and the roar of warplanes rang out across Damascus for about 45 minutes.

“A perfectly executed strike last night,” Trump tweeted early Saturday.

“Could not have had a better result.

Mission Accomplished!”

The targets included a scientific research facility near Damascus, and two chemical weapons facilities outside the city of Homs, the US military said, though reports said the buildings had been evacuated in recent days.

Syrian state media reported only three people injured, while Russia’s defense ministry said there were “no victims” among Syrian civilians and military personnel.

According to US officials, the operation involved three US destroyers, a French frigate and a US submarine. The vessels were located in the Red Sea, the Gulf and the eastern Mediterranean.

British Tornado and Typhoon war-

planes, American B-1 bombers and French Rafale jets also took part in the strikes.

Assad defiant The strikes were the biggest foreign military action so far against Syria’s regime.

On Saturday Trump, British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron huddled by telephone to discuss their joint action.

“By working together, in a coordinated fashion, we can definitively prevent the Syrian regime from carrying out chemical attacks against its own people,” Macron said on Twitter.

May has faced a backlash from her domestic opposition for launching the strikes without consulting parliament, while opposition lawmakers in the US warned Trump that any broader military campaign would require a well-formulated strategic vision—and authorization from Congress.

Assad responded to the strikes with a defiant vow.

“This aggression will only make Syria and its people more determined to keep fighting and crushing terrorism in every inch of the country,” he said.

Assad’s key ally Iran also slammed the attack, with supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei describing Western leaders as “criminals.”

The targets appeared to steer well clear of any Russian personnel or equipment in Syria, where Moscow launched a military intervention in support of Assad in 2015.

AFP

By Rey E. Requejo

HE camp of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Sunday rejected her critics’ comparison of her case to that of the late Chief Justice Renato Corona who was removed by the Senate sitting as an impeachment court.

The Senate removed Corona after finding him guilty of violating the law governing the statements of assets, liabilities and net worth by government officials.

Sereno’s lawyer Jojo Lacanilao said while Corona’s ouster after the impeachment trial was based on the issues involving his SALN, it could not be compared with Sereno’s case.

He said Sereno was not being charged for not declaring her income or for graft and corruption unlike Corona.

Corona himself admitted he had about P183 million in peso and dollar deposits that were not reflected in his SALN. “We have to remember that CJ Co-

Legal...

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“If the sole participation of the head of the local government unit is just to sign the contract and nothing more, then he should not be held liable,” he added.

In its decision on the Joson case released to the media recently, the Court held that the signatures of local government executives as well as heads of agencies in procurement contracts that are found to be anomalous or irregular are not enough to establish their criminal and administrative liabilities.

“Mere signature [of the head of office or local government unit] in the award of the contract and the contract itself without anything more cannot be considered as a presumption of liability,” read the SC decision written by Associate Justice Noel Tijam.

US,...

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The narrowly targeted pre-dawn military operation, which took aim at three alleged chemical weapons facilities, earned quick scorn from Russia, but a push by Moscow for condemnation of the strikes at the Security Council fell far short.

Trump and his allies ordered the mission in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack a week ago on the rebelheld town of Douma that left more than 40 people dead.

Washington believes both sarin and chlorine were used in the April 7 attack, a senior US administration official told reporters on Saturday.

Both the regime of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad and its ally Russia have denied all responsibility. Moscow slammed the “aggressive actions” of the Western coalition but has not yet responded militarily.

US ambassador Nikki Haley warned her UN counterparts that although the mission was designed as a one-off, that did not preclude further action against Assad.

“I spoke to the president this morning and he said: ‘If the Syrian regime uses this poisonous gas again, the United States is locked and loaded,’” Haley said at emergency Security Council talks.

Fresh diplomatic push Negotiations on the draft resolution put forward by the US, France and Britain are set to begin on Monday.

rona himself admitted that he had $2.4 million and his defense centered on his interpretation that he was not required to declare his dollar deposits because of the confidentiality of foreign accounts under the Foreign Currency Deposit Act,” Lacanilao said in a statement.

He recalled that Corona also did not declare P80 million in local currency deposits as he claimed the funds were commingled, mostly belonging to his children and his wife’s family corporation, the Basa-Guidote Enterprises Inc. “One cannot draw parallels between the two chief justices because their cases are entirely different from each

Suicide...

Facebook’s...

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“The person who wants to die presses the button and the capsule is filled with nitrogen. He or she will feel a bit dizzy but will then rapidly lose consciousness and die,” said Nitschke, who has been dubbed “Dr. Death” for his work to legalize euthanasia.

The “Sarco” is a device “to provide people with a death when they wish to die,” Nitschke told AFP. The inventors put a model of the device on display, together with a set of virtual reality glasses to give visitors a true-to-life experience of what it would be like to sit in the pod, before ultimately pressing the button.

Nitschke said he aimed to build the first fully-functioning pod before the end of the year.

After that, the design will be put online as an open-source document for people to download.

“That means that anybody who wants to build the machine can download the plans and 3D-print their own device,” Nitschke said.

Asked about the controversy surrounding euthanasia and legal hurdles, Nitschke said: “In many countries suicide is not against the law, only assisting a person to commit suicide is.”

“This is a situation where one person chooses to press a button... rather than for instance standing in front of a train.”

“I believe it’s a fundamental human right [to choose when to die]. It’s not just some medical privilege for the very sick. If you’ve got the precious gift of life, you should be able to give that gift away at the time of your choosing,” Nitschke said.

Thousands of visitors flocked to the annual Amsterdam Funeral Expo at the city’s famous Westerkerk, where all the latest trends in death, such as biodegradable coffins and a hot-rod funeral hearse were on display.

But the “Sarco” drew large crowds, many of them morbidly curious to try out the device’s chair and virtual reality glasses.

“It was really an experience and a strange thing to see. But very pretty and calm. You see the moon, you see the sea. It’s very calm,” said Piet Verstraaten, 52, from the eastern Dutch city of Venray.

Others, however, were not impressed.

“Well, I think it’s quite silly. It’s stupid. I don’t get it. I’m not interested in a real ‘Sarco.’

No,” said 52-year-old Rob Bruntink. AFP

Of that number, around 1,175,870 Filipino users may have had their Facebook information improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica, according to Facebook’s Chief Technology Officer Mike Schroepfer.

He actively participated in fake news hearings conducted by the Senate. During one of the hearings, Aquino urged Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar to help fight the spread of fake news through Facebook accounts using the name of President Duterte.

Aquino urged the PCOO chief to police his own ranks, saying blogs written by some of his employees in their private capacity hurt the image of the agency.

Also, he called on both supporters and detractors of President Duterte to stop sowing hate toward each on social media, saying the environment has become toxic. Macon Ramos-Araneta

Bon...

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R&B-infused progressive rockers the Moody Blues took the stage to perform “Your Wildest Dreams,” while New Wave pop songwriters the Cars played “Just What I Needed.”

Soul legend Nina Simone and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the gospel inspiration for early rockers, both of whom were posthumously inducted, and British rockers Dire Straits rounded out the 2018 Hall of Fame class.

The shrine to rock culture surveyed some 1,000 historians and music industry players to select the new inductees.

Bon Jovi, the hard rockers from New Jersey led by namesake Jon Bon Jovi, came out on top in a survey that drew 6.8-million fans, whose preferences were taken into account to give an extra vote to five acts.

With a string of quickly memorable hits such as “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “Wanted Dead or Alive,” Bon Jovi became kings in the 1980s, packing arenas on their exhaustive tours full of pyrotechnics.

Simone, who won induction on her first nomination, was widely considered one of the most influential singers of the 20th century who brought the sensibilities of classical music to gospel and jazz.

Raised in segregated North Carolina, Simone became a passionate advocate for racial equality, with her best-known song perhaps the civil rights anthem “To Be Young, Gifted and Black.” She died in self-exile in France in 2003.

Tharpe, who died in 1973, was chosen for her early influence on rock.

With her confident stage presence and distortion on her guitar, Tharpe took gospel music to new audiences in the 1930s and 1940s, helping set the stage for rock ‘n’ roll after World War II. Dire Straits, led by Mark Knopfler, emerged from Britain’s so-called pub rock scene of the 1970s, which emphasized blues roots and no-frills musicianship in an era of angry punks and flamboyant glam bands.

In its citation, the Hall of Fame credited the London band with its revival of Americana, saying, “Dire Straits dragged rock kicking and screaming back to its gritty, country roots using beefy guitar licks and bluesy vocals.”

The Cars, led by Ric Ocasek, went in a different direction, bringing the quirky electronic effects of New Wave to classically structured pop songs, generating a string of hits such as “You Might Think,” “Shake It Up,” and “Drive.”

The Moody Blues started in R&B but shifted gears sharply with 1967’s concept album “Days of Future Passed.” With its incorporation of classical music, the album helped create progressive rock, with its more ambitious structures. AFP

News

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018

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Local elections fund-raising chance for CPP-NPA

PLEA FOR JUSTICE. Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go (center) listens to the plea for justice by Analyn Jumamoy Legarda, sister of Ronald Jumamoy, an

Overseas Filipino Worker who died in Saudi Arabia in 2016. The meeting was held at the Matina Enclaves in Davao City on April 14, 2018. During the meeting, the Special Assistant to the President assured Legarda that the case of her brother will be reviewed and that an investigation will be conducted on why there has been alleged failure in assisting their family. Joining Go in the meeting are Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Labor Attaché Nasser Mustafa, and ACTS OFW Party-list Rep. John Bertiz. Presidential Photo

MWSS cites Maynilad’s wastewater treatment

CITING the urgent need to reduce wastewater and protect the environment, MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco commended two water concessionaires for embarking on multibillion-peso projects on waste water treatment and sewerage services.

MWSS concessionaires are mandated to have their respective water treatment programs that benefit their customers in line with the Supreme Court order to improve sewerage and water quality in Metro Manila.

“We need to reduce the quantity and pollution load of wastewater that we produce to help protect the environment and our water resources,” Velasco said.

Velasco cited Maynilad and Manila Water for working proactively to improve waste water treatment and sewerage services in their respective servicing area of coverage.

Velasco noted West Zone concessionaire Maynilad’s allotment of P1.7billion budget this year to increase its sewerage coverage as well as maintain its existing wastewater network.

Maynilad president and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez said that it is a challenge for them to facilitate the completion of wastewater projects given the impact to traffic of laying new conveyance systems.

“Nonetheless, these projects are important so we can catch harmful effluents before discharge to the environment. We need the support of local government and the communities to accelerate sewerage coverage expansion,” Fernandez said.

Maynilad will use about P1.4 billion from its allotted budget to lay some 35 kilometers of conveyance systems in Las Piñas and Muntinlupa. The laying of these two systems will serve to catch wastewater generated by households and convey these for treatment to the three Sewerage Treatment Plants in the area.

STPs in the area have a combined treatment capacity of 148 million liters of wastewater per day and can serve about one-million residents when fully completed.

In addition, P260 million will be used for sewer-network repairs and installation of new sewer-service connections in the West Zone. Thus, the remaining P70 million will fund the maintenance and operations o wastewater facilities to ensure the reliability of Maynilad’s sewer network.

Apart from the waste water projects, Maynilad recently inaugurated a P1.07-billion sewage treatment plant in Pasay City, which is part of the company’s investment plan to improve wastewater infrastructure and reduce pollution loading in water bodies.

The new STP in Parañaque is nearing completion.

Maynilad has three septage treatment plants, 19 STPs, 40 pumping stations, 22 lift stations and more than 500 kilometers of sewer lines.

ICC diminishes PH sovereignty—Gordon

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

S

ENATOR Senator Richard Gordon said Sunday he believes President Rodrigo Duterte has the right to protect the country from foreign entities like the International Criminal Court and its investigators.

He supported Duterte who had threatened to arrest the ICC investigators should they go to the Philippines to investigate the alleged state- sanctioned killings in his war against drugs.

But opposition senators slammed Duterte for threatening the ICC investigators whom Duterte said had no jurisdiction over him.

Gordon told dzBB radio that Duterte had the right to protect the country.

He said he would not sign the treaty making the Philippines a member of the ICC, describing it as a diminution of our sovereignty.

“Just imagine, another country will enter [our country] and investigate,” Gordon said.

But Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Sunday said Duterte’s threat to arrest ICC investigators might lead to the issuance of a warrant for his arrest.

He raised the possibility that the ICC might issue a warrant against Duterte if his administration would be making threats aside from not cooperating with the probe.

Trillanes said it was clear that Duterte is so scared of the case filed against him before The Hague-based by the ICC. “It would appear that he is really a coward. He’s a bully and he’s killing Filipinos: 20,000 of our people have already been killed,” Trillanes said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros slammed Duterte’s threat, saying he should stop acting like a “copycat” of the late dicta-

tor Ferdinand Marcos.

In a statement, Hontiveros asked why ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda should be arrested.

“Why, is she accused and guilty of high crimes? Is she involved in the systemic and large-scale killing of people?” Hontiveros said.

“Did she make numerous public statements in favor of extrajudicial killings?

Did she influence and command state security forces to inflict unjust and extreme violence against the public? Did she shield extrajudicial killers from the calls of justice and accountability?”

“As far as I know, it is President Rodrigo Duterte and his cohorts who are charged before the ICC with crimes against humanity.”

Hontiveros said it would be good for Duterte to stop making outrageous statements in an attempt to deflect the serious charges lodged against him and discredit the ICC. She said Duterte was only making himself look more guilty in the public eye by saying such things.

HANDSOME DIVIDENDS. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez is flanked by DoTr Secretary Arthur Tugade (left) and CAAP Director General Capt. Jim C. Sydiongco during the turnover of cheque for P6 billion in dividends. Eric Apolonio

3 Transport agencies remit P11b to Treasury

THREE state-owned agencies under the Department of Transportation and Communications have remitted P11 billion in dividends for 2017 to the National Treasury.

The ceremonial turnover of checks to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez was led by DOTr Secretary Arthur P. Tugade, Undersecretary for Aviation Capt. Manuel Antonio “Skee” Tamayo, CAAP director general Capt. Jim C. Sydiongco, PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago and MIAA represented by Cecilio A. Bobila, AGM for Airport Development and Corporate Affairs.

The event was held at the Asean Convention Center in Clark, Pampanga during the third leg of the press launch of the Philippines’s hosting of this year’s 51st ADB Annual Meeting scheduled for May 3 to 6 this year.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines remitted P6.22 billion, Philippine Ports Authority, P3 billion; and the Manila International Airport Authority, P2.01 billion.

CAAP had not remitted dividends for the past four years but now emerged as one of the biggest contributors to the national treasury.

CAAP’s recent remittance represent-

ed 68 percent of CAAP’s net income for 2017 amounting to P3.22 billion, including P3 billion worth of unpaid dividend arrears.

Tugade commended the attached agencies for their revenue contributions. “ This is our way of contributing to the government, especially as we usher in the Golden Age of Philippine Infrastructure,” said Tugade.

There are over 200 governmentowned-and-controlled corporations, mandated by the state to submit at least 50 percent of their revenue as dividends to the national government.

THE communist rebels see the elections as an opportunity to raise funds and anoint their chosen local officials, an official said Sunday.

Lt. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal, head of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command, says the New People’s Army usually tries to influence the results of the local elections in the farflung areas.

He says the NPA is again expected to ask the candidates in the coming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to pay for a “permit to campaign” in their bailiwicks.

“There are candidates they want to win, and it’s a chance for them to make money,” Madrigal said.

He says the Armed Forces is closely working with the Philippine National Police to neutralize the communists’ threat in the coming elections.

He says the operations against the communist rebels have been intensified due to the coming elections.

President Rodrigo Duterte has announced that his administration is again open to resuming the talks with the communist rebels.

On Friday, he assured leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front that they will be given safe passage for the next round of talks.

The CPP and the NDF have expressed preparedness to return to the negotiating table with the government.

Invest in PERA, save for sunset years, OFWs told SENATOR Juan Edgardo Angara has urged the Filipinos working abroad to save money for their retirement by investing their earnings in a Personal Equity Retirement Account or PERA, the country’s first-ever voluntary retirement account with tax incentives.

He said the Filipinos who leave their families and work abroad to give them a good life are making a big sacrifice.

“This is why we encourage our [workers] to save and invest their earnings here in the country so they can secure a comfortable retirement and be with their families,” said Angara, one of the authors of the PERA Law or Republic Act 9505.

PERA is a voluntary and personal account specifically for retirement, in which they can invest up to P200,000 annually. Non-workers may only make a maximum contribution of P100,000 annually.

Even if the worker is abroad, his or her spouse and children may open a PERA account in his or her behalf.

“PERA is a big help in ensuring that our workers abroad have money once they return to the Philippines,” Angara said.

Once a Filipino worker abroad reaches the retirement age of 55, all payments or distributions will be taxexempt. This can be either in lump sum, a pension for a definite period or for a lifetime.

Early withdrawals are allowed, if the worker has made contributions for at least five years, but it will be subject to a penalty―except in cases when the individual is totally disabled due to an accident or hospitalization.

“PERA investments have higher returns because it is a tax-free investment income,” Angara said.

“PERA supplements the social pension Filipinos can get from the SSS or GSIS. It especially targets [the Filipinos working abroad] who may not be contributing to either of these funds.”

A national survey on financial inclusion conducted by the central bank showed that only 11 percent of Filipinos save for retirement or old age.

Angara said PERA will help and encourage Filipinos to save for their sunset years or for emergency medical situations.

The central bank has accredited Banco de Oro and Bank of the Philippine Islands as PERA institutional administrators.

PERA investment products include unit investment trust funds, shares of stock of mutual funds, insurance pension products, government securities and other financial products. Macon Ramos-Araneta

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Opinion

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Drafting a Constitution CONSULTATIVE Committee to Study the 1987 Constitution—that is how we are officially called by Executive Order No. 10 that brought the group about. Most are lawyers.

The gurus of the Committee are former Chief Justice Reynato Puno, its chair, former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel, Jr, who is tatay to all of us, Justice Antonio Nachura, and Justice Bienvenido Reyes. We are an interesting mix of academics, lawyers, business persons, representatives of the military establishment and pointpersons of Muslim Mindanao and of the Cordilleras. There is only one woman in the committee, lawyer Susan Ordinario, who has pointed out that only her husband is “Ordinario.” But she more than amply supplies for ten women. Ably assisting us and catering to all our needs are the friendly and solicitous people from the Presidential Management Staff. A representative of the Executive Secretary sits as permanent observer.

C

Gangster governance

RITICS of President Rodrigo Duterte have taken him to task for his latest tirades against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, who faces ouster on two fronts—impeachment before Congress and quo warranto proceedings that question her eligibility for office before the Supreme Court.

The first assumes she is a legitimate chief justice removable only by impeachment; the second seeks to prove that she is a usurper, an illegitimate chief justice who is no longer subject to the impeachment requirement and may therefore be told to vacate the position that she has illegally occupied.

In a recent public relations offensive, the chief justice accused Mr. Duterte of being behind the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida, who after all,

reports to the President.

Angered by the accusation, the President had an outburst of his own, declaring himself the chief justice’s enemy and urging Congress to speed up the impeachment proceedings against her. Punctuating his attacks with his usual profanities, he also called the chief justice “bobo” (stupid) and said she should have left office a long time ago.

For this, opposition senator Leila de Lima mocked Duterte for his “gangster governance” and likened him to a mafia boss—or a silver screen villain “overacting according to script.”

But in this bad drama, the senator’s words, however, evoke a sense of deja vu—we have been here before, only minus the profanity.

After all, De Lima’s colorful term “gangster governance” might just as well have applied to her old boss, former President Benigno Aquino III, who used the power of his office and the full resources of the government to avenge some perceived personal slights and persecute his political enemies—former President

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the late chief justice Renato Corona.

Did the senator, then Justice secretary, not act like a mob lieutenant when she defied the Supreme Court to jail Mrs. Arroyo and detained her on charges that were eventually dismissed? Was she not, in fact, the barrel of the gangster’s gun that deprived Mrs. Arroyo of her basic human rights, when unlike her codefendants, she was denied bail?

Was Mr. Aquino not acting like a mob boss when he doled out billions of pesos in government funds to senators who would convict his enemy, the sitting chief justice? Did he not declare himself the chief justice’s enemy—much like the President did last week—and use the media to tar and feather his target?

We still recall Mr. Aquino sneering at a businessman in Tacloban City, who expressed fear of looting in the wake of the most powerful storm to devastate Eastern Visayas in 2013. Mr. Aquino’s words would have impressed any cheap hood.

“You’re still alive, aren’t you?” he snapped—just like a mob boss.

None of us has the illusion that we are drafting a perfect Constitution. Such a thing does not exist.

Different parts of the Constitution and varied concerns have been assigned to “sub-committees,” each with a chairman and a vice-chairman, but most of the time, the entire committee sits as a “committee of the whole” when debating sub-committee topics.

Every part of the 1987 Constitution has been open to study and to review. There are no limits to what we may review.

What is clear is that we set out to draft provisions for a federal republic, to delineate between the powers of the republic and those of the regions. (We have decided, at least for now, that they shall be called “regions,” not states.)

An overriding concern is likewise reducing marginalization of sectors and broadening the base of national discourse that leads to legislation and to administrative action. Obviously, we are of the belief that establishing a federal republic promises a more enduring solution to the vexatious problems brought about by the rightful aspirations of some Filipino communities for self-determination.

We have agreed that the tripartite system that the Americans bequeathed to us will remain: a government that distributes its legislative, executive and judicial powers to three branches.

Separation of powers in this way is the formula for inefficiency and the fertile breeding ground for withering impasses, but it has always been the hope of interdicting aristocracies and neutralizing aspiring autocrats and dictators that has kept this form of inefficient government a still popular configuration. We have agreed that the members of the Senate shall be representatives of the federated regions, while the House of Representatives will be the congregation of the elected representatives of the Congressional districts. Hearkening to the demand that dynasties be dismantled, the Committee has formulated and voted upon a self-executing provision against dynasties: forbidding persons related either by consanguinity or affinity to the second degree either from holding office—or aspiring for office—simultaneously, or succeeding each other. The basic provisions on the family have already been proposed, and a re-formulation of the Bill of Rights that will distinguish between “first-generation” (civil, political and human) rights, “second-generation” (social and economic) rights and ecological and environmental rights.

The sub-committee drafting Turn to A5

Just a trim EVEN as the price of rice went up and NFA rice was virtually nonexistent, even as oil prices were going up as well, partly on account of the tax reforms passed by Congress late last year, the effects of which have caused prices of other commodities to increase, and even as the peso lost strength, which the middle class wrongly considers a barometer of good economic health, President Rodrigo Duterte’s numbers in the first quarter survey of SWS remain “very good” at a net satisfaction rating of +56, down from +58 in December last year.

In effect, there was just a trim, not a cut.

Duterte’s political capital is intact.

His Metro Manila numbers are statistically the same, Mindanao is as excellent as before, the Visayas went up by 12 points, even. But for some reason, Balance Luzon went down by 11 points.

If we look at the income classes, the middle class and the higher income brackets are very good, but the dip was more pronounced among the poorest of the poor, the “E” bracket. Attribute that to inflation.

We await how the Pulse Asia’s first quarter reading compares. It should be out next week. Particularly interesting is how the members of the Duterte Cabinet are rated by the public. I would assume that the ratings of the Senate are steady, and likely too the House, though a dip is expected. As for the Supreme Court, we expect the ratings to be lower, considering the tug-and-pull happening in the fortunes of its chief-on-leave.

Pulse would also be announcing a

President Rodrigo Duterte’s numbers in the first quarter survey of SWS remain ‘very good’ at a net satisfaction rating of +56, down from +58 in December last year.

intolerable atrocities.

Syrian artillery defense tried to shoot down US B-1 bombers carrying out the bombing and missile attack. In a postmilitary briefing, the Pentagon said every military target was hit without any collateral civilian casualties nor any losses on the coalition side.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley in a statement at the Security Council warned Syria and Russia about the draconian air strikes hours before the three major allies carried out the attack.

British Prime Minister Teresa May said the military action against Assad was not about regime change but to

list of senatorial wannabes, and how they rank in terms of both awareness and acceptance at this point in time.

Those who want to join the ranks of the political elite will have to ponder their chances quite seriously. After all, they will need to file their certificates of candidacy by the first week of October, which is a scant five months away.

But more on that when the results come out. For now, it is comforting to note that the President’s satisfaction ratings are holding steady, still “very good.” And while he does not really care much about such indicia, his staff must use these as a guide on how they can optimize the use of public trust in our leader as they push for change and meaningful reforms. Conversely, hand in hand with other measurements of the public pulse, they can also use the numbers as a guide on where failures of governance are dragging leadership down. *** Finally, a national ID system will be in place within this year. Good sense has triumphed over the inanities of the leftist hecklers and fear-mongers.

As a senator who has been pushing for the adoption of a national ID for the last 20 years said, “if Duterte were not the President, this would perhaps still be in the realm of debate and unfounded fear-rattling.” *** Up here in Taiwan, tons of onions, millions of pieces if you want to measure thousands of tons, are being given away for free by the farmers, particularly in Changhua County.

Due to a bumper crop and the law

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Turn to A5

Striking Syria ENOUGH is enough. The last straw was the use of chemical weapons in rebel-held Gouma where men, women and children died from nerve gas poisoning. The United States, Great Britain and France acting on what they considered as legal and right carried out air strikes against the rogue regime of Bashir al-Assad. The joint allied attacks were launched from war planes and ships deployed earlier in the Mediterranean.

“Mission accomplished,” declared US President Donald Trump who served notice that allied planes are locked and loaded in case Syria again uses chemical weapons against its own people.

The coalition message to Assad was

The coalition’s message is clear.

clear. You cannot commit mass murder against your own people with the use of the internationally outlawed chemical weapons. The coalition-coordinated strikes against Syria is a resounding display of global action against

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

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Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion A bigger problem than financing logic behind the AT THIS point it has implementation of the become pretty clear that TRAIN Law is to help a lot depends on the sustain the massive success of the Duterte infrastructure buildadministration’s muchup, its effectivity—in vaunted Build Build addition to its other Build mantra. Just recently, the Asian Development Bank components—needs to be ensured.

Government must also respond said that the Philippines is currently amid a “golden age of economic growth” to the other perennial problems of following a five-decade expansion, infrastructure beyond the bidding which in the short term relies on the stage, from the securing of right of way, procurement, budget bottlenecks, success of the infrastructure program.

Build Build Build, ADB said, will and other issues of a “poor knowledge not only boost gross domestic product management” nature.

In many ways, the seeming difficulty —by up to 6.9 percent next year—but more importantly bring about the type in getting big-ticket projects off the of inclusive growth that has eluded so ground mirror the broader difficulty many generations by making a dent on of doing business in the country, and the only way to deal with that is to get poverty incidence.

But more than the political decision our act together. We need to improve to finally focus on infrastructure, governance at different levels, whether experts say that the decisive factor in business or infrastructure-related.

Is financing an issue? Only to the success of the Build Build Build agenda can in fact be summarized in a certain degree, Ang said. While debates are currently raging on the one word: execution.

Economic thinkers weighed in type of financing strategy that the during a recent roundtable discussion government must follow—the Aquino Public-Private organized by independent think-tank administration’s Stratbase Albert del Rosario Institute Partnership versus the traditional in which economist Alvin Ang’s paper Official Development Assistance— he said execution “Financing Inclusive issues will hound the Infrastructure” was program regardless. presented.

“This is not an To be sure, issue of whether PPP there is no question or ODA is better. that a broad and Execution is the It is ultimately an coordinated focus on more important issue of whether infrastructure as a thing in the the Philippines can pillar of development address the myriad of is long overdue, Build Build Build execution and process said Dindo Manhit, program. issues.”

President of Stratbase Thus, it’s really ADRi. the quality and pace “The impetus of response that for a massive ultimate matters. If infrastructure buildissues are addressed up is the country’s poor state of infrastructure, as in an organized and standard manner, evidenced by our poor performance in it ensures the certainty of funding several global rankings,” he said. “The availability and better rates for Philippines is one of the lowest in terms borrowing, for instance.

He explained: “The first half of of logistics performance, and the most problematic factor for doing business in 2018 is critical if it will reflect a much the country is inadequate infrastructure improved infrastructure spending and faster implementation of programs as supply.”

But deciding on investing on people are expectant of movement and infrastructure is one thing. Executing not just press releases. This same source the Build Build Build agenda on the of political capital might be eroded sooner when people’s expectations are ground is another.

For instance, Ang cautioned not met.”

Even so, the situation should that while infrastructure projects can theoretically already secure the be viewed as a glass half-full, said approval of the National Economic Aekapol Chongvilaivan, ADB Country Development Authority board and even Economist for the Philippines. He cites pass through the bidding process, the that the country has taken a $100-million actually execution can be delayed or loan for technical infrastructure preparation and innovation, the first deferred for several years.

“The MRT 7 is a prime example of time for the Philippines.

Another important dimension is this, as the contract was awarded and signed in 2008 and yet construction continuity. Since many big-ticket only took off eight years later in 2016,” government projects will unlikely be done when the Duterte administration he said.

The LRT extension to Bacoor Cavite leaves office in 2022, there should be a is another example, having broken guarantee that infrastructure plans and ground in May 2017. Right-of-way monitoring are continued. Otherwise, issues, however, have delayed the start the momentum that the agenda had gathered would not be sustained, the project to the middle of this year.

How to effectively address this has limiting their potentially paradigmto be a coordinated effort, he said. For shifting benefits.

A big chunk of political capital starters, since this is the first time that an administration has consciously put has been spent on President Duterte’s together an infrastructure plan, it needs Golden Age of Infrastructure and to take advantage of the President’s expectations are high. Pressure is now political capital in helping implement on government to start delivering real results. projects sooner.

The voters are waiting.

Funding wise, since part of the

Drafting...

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be for very much if the members of Congress choose to be cavalier in their dismissal of our proposals. But the President of the Republic constituted us to draft a constitution for him to submit to Congress as his proposal, and it is a tribute to him that he chose persons, some of who are not exactly his bedmates nor remotely his allies!

But it certainly will not speak well of Congress to be dismissive about the proposals of the Committee, after all, one of the reasonable misgivings about revising the Constitution through a “constituent assembly” is that Congress lacked the time—considering its already ponderous legislative agenda—to craft a new Constitution.

None of us has the illusion that we are drafting a perfect constitution. Such a thing does not exist. What we are writing is as best a proposal as we can muster for a people still in the process of honing its collective skills at statecraft and not yet completely habituated to the processes of reflexivity by which alone a nation’s legal system that legitimizes its political structures and dynamic can truly mature.

proposals on the economic provisions is far-advanced in its endeavors and a draft on the national territory is already on the table.

Obviously, the process of drafting includes presenting the results of research, choosing between available models, crafting one when none that exists is found suitable, discussions and exchanges (that can sometimes be heated and even overheated!), formulating the draft text, challenging the formulation and reformulating the constitutional proposition is the only way to go, and research has included listening to resource persons. On one day alone, we listened to no less than 12 resource persons. And it is the provisions on sub-national governments that are presently exacting the greatest toll on all of us in terms of work hours, research hours and debate hours, after all it is the first time we have them!

There is still much that needs to be done—and we do not have the protracted period that was given the Constitutional Commission of 1986. rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph And we all labor under the realization rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph that whatever it is that we do may not rannie_aquino@outlook.com

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018

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MAIL MATTERS

DepEd should partner with media for National Schools Press Conference FOR the very first time and in a major transparency move, the Department of Education has revealed the names of the judges who determine the winners of the National School Press Conference, the annual campus journalism competition of the best young scribes from the country’s elementary and high schools nationwide. DepEd did so through DepEd Memorandum Order No. 67 issued on April 11, 2018.

This is a major milestone in NSPC history because prior to this, the judges’ names were never officially disclosed. Unofficially, however, some school paper advisers and field offices of the DepEd find out who some of the judges were.

In an email on November 21, 2016, I asked Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis-Briones that the names of the judges be officially disclosed and some needed reforms in how the NSPC has been conducted be put in place.

Wanting to improve their performance and ranking in the NSPC, some schools and DepEd field offices invited some of the past years’ judges to train school paper advisers and campus writers. But some schools and localities had the mistaken notion that they had to have significant financial resources to get working journalists and expert communications practitioners to come to them to conduct training.

The reality on the ground is that the poor schools, towns, cities, and provinces cannot afford honoraria and travel expenses so they can have working journalists and media experts train their school paper advisers and campus scribes. Those who can afford are able to conduct better journalism training.

I wondered about this because part of a journalist’s job and role in society is to help promote media literacy and create the conditions which will produce future generations of journalists.

To remove financial capability

Just...

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of supply and demand pushing down prices, farmers would actually lose money if they were to bring their excess produce to the market, so rather than the onions rotting in their fields and warehouses, they would rather give these away.

In Nueva Ecija upon our central plains, however, onion growers are in crisis because army worms have eaten their crop to waste. It is estimated that more than half of their expected produce has been lost.

Last year, cabbage growers in Taiwan were the ones complaining about low prices because of a bumper crop, and were asking government to subsidize their losses.

Nakaka-inggit.

Back home, prices of vegetables (and meat and fish) are always on the high side, making our people consume too much rice as “lamang tiyan.”

Striking Syria From A4

enforce the United Nations law against the use of chemical weapons. She also said the US, UK and France carried out the military strikes after all diplomatic efforts failed to yield results.

President Donald Trump, on the other hand, made clear there is not going to be an indefinite US presence in Syria. Trump’s statement is seen by observers as the absence of a US-plan to put boots on the ground like when USled coalition forces invaded Iraq to oust Saddam Hussein.

Syrian supporter Russia condemned the US and its allies’ military action and warned of “serious consequences.” But Moscow has yet to respond militarily to the punitive move against Damascus’ chemical weapons program. Russia is believed to be supplying the nerve-agent component of Syria’s chemical arsenal.

Iran, a Syrian ally, assailed the US and its allies’ action as a “blatant attack against a sovereign state.” China, which

as a campus journalism training handicap and to level the playing field between rich schools and poor schools and among rich and poor cities, towns, and provinces, I now publicly ask the DepEd and the Philippine Press Institute, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, and the various press corps covering the major journalism beats to enter into a multilateral agreement on the provision of editors, reporters, columnists, photojournalists, and layout designers who will share their experience and expertise in journalism and the media arts at no cost to the students and schools, with costs to be borne partly by the DepEd budget and by sponsors, advertisers, and benefactors.

For the longest time, schools and DepEd field offices have been sending out personal invites directly to the journalists. Some schools naturally invite their journalist alumni.

This process of inviting working journalists and media practitioners has to be more than just personal connections. There should be an established system and working arrangement between the DepEd and the media sector.

Considering the maturity of online web publishing, perhaps the DepEd can also invite and include the software companies, the offices of Facebook and Google in the Philippines, and the firms that distribute cameras and audio equipment to participate in the conduct of the NSPC through the provision of their technical experts and maybe conditional use of equipment during the training sessions.

DepEd ought to temporarily suspend the Layouting and Page Design contests because many schools have not been designing their school papers themselves but have relied upon the printing shops and even some of those who have conducted training sessions to

design the school papers. DepEd rules require that the school papers be photo ready when given to printers.

DepEd should include the school papers in the DepEd Computerization Program and that the computers they distribute to the schools include genuine, licensed, and paid-for page design and photo manipulation software. I am certain some, if not all, of these firms can give education discounts and bulk acquisition discounts during public bidding.

The Philippine Press Institute’s Journalists’ Code of Ethics should be the journalism code recited at the start of the campus journalism conferences. For the longest time, our schools and the DepEd has been using the archaic Journalist’s Creed which emanated from the Missouri School of Journalism in the United States.

Newspapers and magazines have traditionally been the first venues for poets and creative fiction writers to become published. Now, the internet and social are new channels for creative writing. This considered, I ask the DepEd to formally create and include poetry and short story writing competition categories in the NSPC and trigger the rebirth of the literary pages in the school papers. The DepEd can surely work on this with the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas, the Palanca Foundation, the corporate foundations, and affluent patrons of the arts.

NSPC guidelines on Copyreading and Headline Writing should specify that contestants not simply identify and mark copy errors, but also rewrite the copy. I ask that the contest on Copyreading and Headline Writing be renamed, updated, and upgraded to Copy Editing and Headline Writing considering that copyreading narrowly describes what working journalists do and because copy editing is the workplace practice.

Earl Victor Rosero

*** But Taiwan, and so do Japan and South Korea, has become an “aged society.”

Not aging, but aged.

Those over 65 years old accounted for 14.05 percent of the total population as of end March, or one out of seven people in the country is considered a “senior” citizen. (We have a lower senior citizen threshold at 60).

According to the World Health Organization, if a society’s aging rate exceeds 7 percent of total population, then it is an aging society. If the rate exceeds 14 percent of population, it is “aged.”

According to Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior, old people accounted for more than 7 percent of its population in 1993. Twenty-five years later, with life expectancies getting longer and birth rates going down, Taiwan has become an “aged society.”

Taiwan’s percentage of old people is only lower than that of Japan and about the same as South Korea. But the aging

of Taiwan is growing at an alarming rate, and it is estimated that by 2025 or thereabouts, a fifth of the population would be above 65 years. Then, it becomes a “super-aged” society.

Because of over-population however, the Philippines is a “very young” society, with the median age a low 23.4 years.

While Taiwanese express “awe” each time we tell them about our young population, our policy-makers are in a quandary as to how to generate enough jobs to make our young people productive and working.

Taiwan hires migrant labor, with Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines ranking the three highest sources. We have close to 150,000 OFW’s working mostly in Taiwan’s factories.

As Taiwan reaches the “super-aged” status, the need to hire more foreign workers becomes acute. And while that may sound good for our army of unemployed, how I wish our domestic economy could grow fast enough to absorb our million entrants to the work force each year.

has its hands full in the South China Sea territorial dispute, said the situation in Syria is “dangerous.” But Beijing from the view of this corner is not expected to get involved in any military action in support of Syria.

They’d rather let rice rot Sacks of rice in the thousands were found rotting in a warehouse in Tacloban, Leyte. The rice stocks were confiscated when discovered by authorities to be smuggled.

But why store and let the rice rot when the consignee-smuggler did not claim the imported rice cargo? The National Food Authority could have just distributed the rice for free to our indigent countrymen reeling from the high cost of the basic staple. Hoarding by commercial traders to drive up prices is seen as the cause of the dwindling supply. The government on the other hand would rather let the seized shipment rot instead of giving it away to the poor.

This is a classic example of negligence if not sheer incompetence by NFA and Customs officials.

President Rodrigo Duterte has

threatened to abolish the NFA because the government agency allowed the supply of rice to reach crisis proportion.

By all means, do so. This is an agency whose functions can be taken over by either the Department of Agriculture or the Department of Trade.

It will be recalled the NFA was also involved in the alleged anomalous importation of rice from Vietnam and Thailand. A Senate investigation, however failed to prove wrongdoing

by NFA officials suspected of receiving kickbacks from the rice importation.

There was a time when the Philippines was a leading rice grower.

The International Rice Research Institute in Los Banos, Laguna was where Thais and other Asians went to learn about productive rice farming.

Why the reversal of role and fortune?

It’s the Philippine now importing rice from Thailand and Vietnam to augment our own supply.

It’s the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture to bring us back to being a rice-growing country.

Filipinos, after all, eat a lot of rice.

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News

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DepEd wants internet access in all schools THE Department of Education said it plans to provide every public school in the country with internet connectivity to improve teaching and learning processes.

Education Undersecretary for Administration Alain del Pascua stressed the importance of maximizing the use of available technologies in the classroom for the benefit of Filipino learners.

“We are eyeing the implementation of the DepEd Internet Connectivity Program which will be first implemented in five pilot regions. We have allotted a P1billion fund for the said program and we’ll be trying all platforms and devices to deliver internet connectivity to schools such as broadband and satellite,” Del Pascua said.

He said DepEd has plans to put up “e-classrooms” in public schools where traditional blackboards will be replaced by digital boards to allow teachers and learners to play videos, presentations, and other educational resources.

Del Pascua said these efforts “will be fulfilled in conjunction with the DepEd Computerization Program which aims to raise the information and communications technology literacy of learners, teachers, and school heads by integrating in the school system and providing information technology equipment to schools nationwide.” PNA

COOL RELIEF. Amid the sweltering summer heat, kids gamely frolic at the fountain area of Plaza Cervantes at Manila’s Chinatown. Ey Acasio

Unruly MRT-3 passengers will be charged—DOTr C LARK CITY, Pampanga—Citing public inconvenience and damages, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade on Sunday directed the management of the MRT-3 to identify the passenger who caused an unloading incident by leaning on or forcibly opening the train door Friday last week.

In a speech before business groups and investors at the Philippine Economic Briefing in Pampanga, Tugade expressed his disappointment over the incident, which resulted in the unloading of approximately 1,000 passengers at the Santolan-Annapolis station.

This was the first unloading incident recorded by the MRT-3 management since April 2.

“For the last 11 days, there was no unloading, it was smooth. Today, we have the first unloading. Do you know the cause? There was someone who put pres-

sure on the door. He was forcing it open even if it was already closed,” he said.

“It’s not about parts. It’s about this passenger. My instruction is to identify this person,” Tugade added.

The transportation chief said he wants charges filed against passengers who will disrupt train operations.

“From now on, passengers who will forcibly open train doors or who cause disruptions must be slapped with charges. I told the MRT to file cases and collect damages from them. A lot of people get inconvenienced because of the lack of discipline of some passengers,” Tugade said. PNA

PHILIPPINE Airlines will further boost its operations at its hubs in Davao, Cebu and Clark with the scheduled arrival of 15 new aircraft this year and another six in 2019.

PAL, which has recently achieved the status of an internationally-certified 4-Star airline, said the multi-hub expansion strategy aims to improve domestic and international connections while spreading the benefits of tourism and commercial activity across the country.

New routes and hikes in flight frequencies are being introduced as the flag carrier accepts delivery of five additional Next-Generation Bombardier Q400s and six new Airbus A321neos starting next month, along with four Airbus A350-900 trans-oceanic aircraft in June.

“We are no longer just a Manila-centric airline,” said PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista.

“Our new aircraft and our new hubs are a winning combination that will help expand our market reach both domestically and worldwide. This is imperative for a global airline, and we must sustain and build on our hard-won 4-Star rating,” he added.

PAL’s xpansion this year includes the following new routes: Davao-Siargao, Manila non-stop to New York (John F. Kennedy Airport), Manila non-stop to New Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay) in India, and Manila to Sapporo (Chitose) in Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido.

Great-grandson of the ‘Father of Tagalog Novel’ launches book

9 new parks to be constructed in Ilocos Norte

By Rio N. Araja IN LINE with the provincial vision of Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos for a more “livable, sustainable and resilient” home for Ilocanos, senior board member Matthew Marcos Manotoc said a least nine more children’s parks will be put up this year.

“Public spaces are really that important, not just for the community, but for families and even for individuals,” he said.

The first children’s-playground-cumfitness-park was opened in Laoag City right in front of the provincial capitol in December 2016.

Four other facilities have been put up in Batac City and in the towns of Badoc, Bacarra, and Dingras.

“It’s been shown that it has physiological and psychological effects, that humans are happier around nature,” Manotoc said.

“Hopefully, we can create more of these green spaces that can contribute to health and subsequently, increasing human productivity—and not just physical health, but also mental health,” he added.

New PAL planes to boost Davao, Cebu, Clark hubs

FISTS OF CHANGE. Thousands of supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte gather at the Quezon City Memorial Circle where the administration’s Biyaya ng Pagbabago program was launched. Manny Palmero

FILIPINO author Romeo Palustre Peña, a young writer and professor of language and literature from Catanauan, Quezon will launch today his first novel titled “Isang One Dalawang Zero” at the Polytechnic University in the Philippines Bulwagang Bonifacio in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

Renowned publishing house Visprint Inc. will publish Peña’s first novel, which is written in Filipino and will soon be translated into English.

Peña, currently one of the Executive Council members of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ National Committee on Language and Translation, is a great-grandson of Valeriano Hernandez Peña, known as the Father of Tagalog Novel in the Philippines.

Aside from the book launch in Manila, “Isang One Dalawang Zero” will also be launched at PUP Unisan in Quezon province on April 25.

Peña will also give a free lecture on literature. Seats are available on a firstcome, first-served basis. For more information, kindly contact Jomar Adaya of the PUP Institute for Language and Literature Studies at (02) 335.1787 or 335.1777 local 177.

Sports

A7

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Manila

Standard

TODAY

No Curry, no problem as Dubs win S

AN FRANCISCO—The Golden State Warriors fired a warning to their rivals as the NBA playoffs got under way on Saturday, routing the San Antonio Spurs 113-92 to serve notice they will not be dethroned easily despite Stephen Curry’s knee injury.

Klay Thompson scored a game-high 27 points on 11-of-13 shooting, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range, and Kevin Durant added 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to power Golden State.

“We played well. We played hard. We need to do even better next time,” Durant said before praising Thompson’s longrange heroics.

“Klay knocked down shots. He was really good. He was penetrating as well,” Durant said. “We won’t always make shots at that rate but we need to play good defense like that as well.”

In Saturday’s other games, Eastern Conference top seed Toronto outlasted Washington 114-106 while the Philadelphia 76ers trounced the Miami Heat 130-103.

New Orleans dug deep to defeat Portland 97-95 in the late Western Conference game.

Earlier, the host Warriors updated star guard Curry’s left knee sprain before playing, saying he was making progress and will be re-evaluated next Saturday.

Curry, who missed Golden State’s last 10 regular-season contests after the

March 23 setback, will intensify his rehabilitation work in the next few days with more running and lateral movement, the team said in a statement.

Curry averaged 26.4 points, 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds for the Warriors, who have played without several top players during the season due to injuries.

Despite the setbacks, Golden State won 58 games and are solid contenders for a third title in four seasons and fourth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals.

“We’re a championship ball club. We know what it takes this time of year in order to win,” said Warriors forward Draymond Green.

“We’re primed for this. A lot of people have tended to forget what we’re capable of. But we know, and we intend to show that.”

The Warriors struggled down the stretch of the regular season and finished

with only the third-best record in the NBA behind Western Conference leader Houston and Eastern Conference pacesetter Toronto.

“Everybody kept our individual games on point,” Durant said. “At the end of the season, our minds weren’t on it. They were on the playoffs.

“Today they were on the present.”

JaVale McGee scored 15 points and played aggressive defense while Green had 12 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds.

Reserve Rudy Gay led the Spurs with 15 points while LaMarcus Aldridge and Bryn Forbes each added 14 for San Antonio.

At Philadelphia, the 76ers overcame a spirited first half display from Miami before stamping their class on their series opener with a devastating second half display. AFP

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) tries to dribble past a San Antonio Spurs defender in Game One of Round One during the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 14, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. AFP

THE Philippine Paratriathlon Committee (PPTC) announced the formation of the national paratriathlon training team, initially composed of three athletes but with slots still open for prospective paratriathletes.

The athletes are the Nelmida twins, Jerome and Joshua, 17, both visually impaired paratriathletes, and Cebuano Alex Silverio, who lost his left arm in an accident years ago.

The Nelmidas have completed various aquathlon and triathlon races the past years including the ASTC Asian Paratriathlon Championship in 2015 and 2017 held in Subic. Silverio, who is aiming to be the first Filipino paratriathlete to qualify to the Paralympics in 2020, is Cebu’s very first certified triathlon finisher and enjoys strong support from the Cebuano triathlon community including Parklane International Hotel.

The coaching staff is headed by Anthony Lozada certified Level 2 coach under both the International Triathlon Union (ITU) and the World Swimming Coaches Association. PJ Rivera is assistant coach. Cebu-based Bobby Martinez was named as regional trainer-handler.

“We are looking at the Asain Paratriathlon Championship set this August in Legaspi, Albay as our centerpiece event that will also serve as a qualifying event for the national team. We are working on the inclusion of paratriathlon in the 2019 ASEAN ParaGames. We are coordinating with the Philippine Marines and the Philippine Air Force as possible sources of prospective paratriahletes,” said PPTC Chairman Lito Cinco adding that paratriathlon events will also be included in National Age Group Triathlon legs.

PSC holds seminar on sports journalism

Collapse of runner Batangas City Athletics subdue Muntinlupa Cagers, 78-74 spoils Games GOLD COAST, Australia—A marathon runner’s dramatic collapse struck a sour note on the last day of the Commonwealth Games on Sunday as hosts Australia finished runaway winners on the medals table with 80 golds.

Organizers defended the medical response but criticized bystanders for snapping pictures of a stricken Callum Hawkins, who keeled over two kilometers (just over a mile) from victory.

In temperatures nudging 30 degrees Celsius (85 Fahrenheit) in Gold Coast, Scotland’s Hawkins wobbled and went down twice, lying prone for some time before help arrived.

“I like many others was distressed to see a wonderful athlete like Callum collapse during the closing stages of today’s marathon,” said chief organizer Mark Peters.

“I was also concerned about the behavior of a small number of bystanders who chose to take images. This is not in keeping with the spirit of GC2018.”

TV commentators and viewers blasted Hawkins’ wait for medical assistance, while many also criticized the bystanders who took pictures.

Marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe tweeted that there were “big questions” for the organizing committee and medical staff.

“That should never happen,” she said. AFP

PPTC forms paratriathlon training team

BATANGAS CITY—Jhaymo Eguilos played a near perfect game, making all but one of his field goal attempts and the Batangas City Athletics-Tanduay survived another big fight back from the Muntinlupa Cagers-Angelis Resort before hacking out a 78-74 win in Game 2 of their best-of-five championship series of the MPBL-Anta Rajah Cup at the packed Batangas City Coliseum.

The Athletics can sweep the series with a win in Game 3 and become the inaugural champion of this fastest growing regional basketball league in the country put up

by Senator Manny Pacquiao with former PBA MVP Kenneth Duremdes serving as commissioner.

Eguilos hit 7-of-8 shots from the field on his way to finishing with 16 markers to pace the Athletics, who squandered a nine-point lead entering the final two minutes before Teytey Teodoro, the hero

of Game 1, came through with important charities to seal the win for Batangas City and allow his team to take a commanding 2-0 lead.

Leading 72-63 with only 2:23 left, Batangas City saw its advantage wiped out by a spirited charge from Muntinlupa, which unloaded an 11-3 run off Allan Mangahas’ three-pointer, Dhon Reverente’s jumper and a lay up from Chito Jaime.

But breaks of the game went Batangas City’s way as a miscommunication between Jaime and Mangahas resulted to a turnover and spoiled Muntinlupa’s chance of tying the game or grabbing the lead with a three-point conversion.

The Cagers were only trailing by two, 76-74, when Jaime decided to tap the ball to Mangahas during a rebound play.

Mangahas didn’t anticipate it, resulting to another extra possession for the Athletics.

Teodoro sank two free throws in the last five seconds for the final tally.

Muntinlupa engaged Batangas City in a spirited battle in the first 10 minutes of play and was in fact leading by a point by the end of the first period. The Cagers were held to just 10 points in the second period while allowing the Athletics to score 25 as the top seeded squad pulled away, 38-24 by half time.

Batangas City coach Mac Tan expected the finals to become a series of runs that he was left unperturbed even if Muntinlupa was able to come close in the endgame.

“That’s expected in the finals,” added Tan. “Basketball is a game of spurts, especially when you have two teams which really wanted to win. It’s just a matter of which team will want it more.

So I told the guys you have to show them that we wanted to win more.”

Hernandez, Arcangel share PPS MVP honors

OSWARD Hernandez upended top seed Jolo Basa in a thrilling duel, 6-4, 7-5, to snare the boys’ 18-and-under crown while Zia Arcangel ruled the girls’ premier side in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Legazpi leg regional tournament at Lignon and DPWH Tennis Club in Albay over the weekend.

The second seeded Hernandez actually struggled in the early going of the Group 2 tournament, needing an extra set to frustrate Francis Ibones in the second round. The Camalig, Albay ace disposed of Kevin Madrin in two before subduing Basa, who dropped just three games on his way to the finals.

Arcangel, on the other hand, downed Monica Fortuna twice, posting a 6-4, 6-2 victory in the 16-U finals and a 6-0, 6-1 romp in the 18-U championship to share the MVP honors with Hernandez in the week-long event sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop through president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Iriga’s Marcel Correa matched Arcangel’s twotitle feat as he bagged the 10-unisex title and the boys’ 12-U plum while Ligao City’s JC Gonzales took the boys’ 14-U crown and Marlo Correa annexed the boys’ 16-U trophy in the event backed by Asiatraders Corp., distributor of Slazenger/Dunlop as official ball.

Scotland’s Callum Hawkins (center) pours water on himself during the athletics men’s marathon final during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Southport Broadwater Parklands venue on the Gold Coast on April 15, 2018. AFP

CAOAYAN, Ilocos Sur – Almost 200 students and advisers from all over the country received training from the Philippine Sports Commission to prepare them for covering the 2018 Palarong Pambansa here, which opens today at the Quirino Stadium.

The Philippine Sports Commission’s Communicate Sports Seminar, which aims to teach campus journalists the basics of ethical sports journalism, partnered with the Department of Education and the Philippine Information Agency to train campus writers and their advisers to cover one of the most awaited multi-sports events in the country.

PSC Commissioner Charles Maxey, himself a former sports journalist, expressed his elation that “we have the opportunity to be with these young people who are the future communicators of our country.”

The seminar participants are expected to cover matches of the scheduled 28 sports where 15,000 students from all regions across the country will vie for 1,599 medals.

Assistant Secretary G.H. Ambat set the editorial directions of the writers on their Palarong Pambansa coverage.

“There are many stories that are waiting to be told,” said Ambat in her talk as she gave the participants some idea on possible topics.

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health CENTRAL OFFICE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE InvItatIon to BId Procurement of tB drugs for chIldren-re-BId IB no. 2018-160-a 1.

The Department of Health (DOH), through the General Appropriations Act of 2018 intends to procure the following project listed below: IB No. IB No. 2018-160-A

2.

3.

4.

5.

Name of Contract Procurement of TB Drugs for Children-Re-bid

Name of Contract

IB No. 2018-160-A

Procurement of TB Drugs for Children-Re-bid

Activity (Date & Time) Pre-bidding Conference

Submission and Opening of Bids

24 April 2018; 10:00 A.M.

08 May 2018; 9:00 A.M.

Bid must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before the date given above. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated below: Form of Bid Security

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

P0 M+

(a) Cash or cashier’s/manager’s check issued by a Universal or Commercial Bank. (b) Bank draft/guarantee or irrevocable letter of credit issued by a Universal or Commercial Bank: Provided, however, that it shall be confirmed or authenticated by a Universal or Commercial Bank, if issued by a foreign bank. (c) Surety bond callable upon demand issued by a surety or insurance company duly certified by the Insurance Commission as authorized to issue such security. (d) Bid Securing Declaration

7.

P0 M

8.

9.

Cost of Bidding Documents (Php) 50,000.00

The DOH now invites Bids from eligible Bidders for the procurement of the above-caption projects. Delivery of the Goods is required as specified in Section VI. Schedule of Requirements. Bidders should have completed contracts similar to the cited projects as stated in the ITB. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

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

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

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the COBAC Secretariat, Ground Floor, Building 6, DOH, San Lazaro Compound, Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila and inspect the Bidding Documents at 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS), provided that Bidders who 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-bidding Conference and the Submission and Opening of Bids at COBAC Conference Room, G/F, Bldg. 6, DOH, San Lazaro Cmpd., Rizal Ave., Sta. Cruz, Manila on the schedule given below: IB No.

6.

ABC (PHP) 105,600,000.00

Amount of Bid Security (Not less than the required percentage of the ABC)

Two percent (2%)

Five percent (5%) No percentage required

Bid opening shall be at COBAC Conference Room, G/F, Bldg. 6, DOH, San Lazaro Cmpd., Rizal Ave., 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.

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 its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: COBAC-A Secretariat Building 6 Department of Health San Lazaro Compound, Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila Tel. Nos. 651-7800 local 1625 to 1627; 1650 to 52 Facsimile No.: 711-6061/740-6830 (SGD) NESTOR F. SANTIAGO, JR., MD, MPHC, MHSA, CESO III Assistant Secretary of Health COBAC – A Chairperson

(MS-APR. 16, 2018)

Sports

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

A8

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018

Hotshots focus on positives ahead of start of conference

By Jeric Lopez

MAGNOLIA is sticking to the positives following its runner-up finish in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. The Hotshots want to carry over all the positives they learned from finally getting back to the finals as they prepare for the coming PBA Commissioner’s Cup. While the team is still in the process of healing its wounds after bowing to fourpeat All-Filipino champion San Miguel Beer in the finals, Magnolia coach Chito Victolero is positive that his wards can learn and improve after falling short.

“We’re still getting over the finals loss to San Miguel but there are a lot of things to be proud of that we can bring to the next conference,” said Victolero, who now has a finals appearance under his belt.

Looking back, Victolero is proud that his team progressed and got over the hump by getting to the championship playoff in the season-opening Philippine Cup. “Getting to the finals after just making the semis last season is already an accomplishment and a good start for us this season. Hopefully we can continue to progress.”

As for Magnolia’s incoming returning import Vernon Macklin, Victolero is high on what he can bring to the table.

“Without Ping (Marc Pingris), Macklin can come in and help us in the middle. He can do a lot of things,” said Victolero.

NATIONAL MOTOCROSS.

Peewee participants of the 2018 CEZA-Eastern Hawaii National Motocross Championships go at it at the world-class racetrack of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority in Sta. Ana, Cagayan on Sunday. Inset shows Mayor Darwin Tobias of Sta. Ana Cagayan delivering an inspirational message the riders at the opening of the firstever motocross championship at the CEZA, in partnership with the Eastern Hawaii Leisure Company Limited and the Local Government Unit. Joining him are CEZA’s Deputy Administrator for Administration Leonardo Cruz and Chief of Staff Mike Gonzales, EHLCL’s Ivette Garcia Director for Operations, Aljun Manlapaz, Property Manager and Stephan “Macky” Carapiet, President of the National Motorcyle Sports and Safety Association. Joseph Muego

Duterte asks students to inspire each other B

By Peter Atencio

ANTAY, Ilocos Sur—With seven gold medals stake on opening day in athletics, President Rodrigo Duterte urged student athletes to aspire for change.

Duterte, who graced yesterday’s opening ceremonies, encouraged young athletes seeing action in the 2018 Palarong Pambansa, to find inspiration among their peers.

“As you play with vigor and fairness, continue harnessing the strengths of each other as we proceed on the path towards real and lasting change,” said Duterte in his speech after the parade of athletes at the Quirino Stadium here.

The first medals of the Games will be in athletics, beginning with an early morning showdown in the secondary girls 3,000-meter run.

More medals will be won in the secondary boys javelin throw, the elementary boys shot put, the secondary boys long jump, elementary boys triple jump, secondary girls javelin throw and elementary boys shot put.

Five golds will be up for grabs in the special games for the disabled, and in long jump, 100-meter run for 15-year and under, and in level 6, and in shotput.

The Quirino Complex serves as the main venue, with around 40 sports disciplines to be played.

Around 1,311 medals for regular sports will be at stake, along with 24 for demo events, and 264 for the special games.

Action is also set to begin in archery, badminton, basketball, 3x3 basketball, billiards, boxing, chess, football, futsal, softball, gymnastics, tennis and volleyball.

The staging of the Games this year will be anchored on the theme, “Championing the Spirit of Young Filipino Athletes.

F2 Logistics open spiker Cha Cruz receives the volleyball during the F2 Logistics match against Smart.

Magnolia Hotshots combo guard Paul Lee (3) tries to dribble past San Miguel Beer big man June Mar Fajardo. PBA

Boomers rule hoop competition GOLD COAST, Australia - Australia’s supporting cast stepped up to capture Commonwealth Games basketball gold on Sunday as the “Boomers” battered sorry Canada 87-47 in a lopsided men’s final.

The hosts won the title without the likes of regular starters Ben Simmons, Joe Ingles, Matthew Dellavedova and Patty Mills, who were absent due to their NBA commitments.

“The depth of Australian basketball is really solid,” Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis told reporters.

“When these guys get the opportunity to play in the green and gold they are inspirational the way they go about their business.”

Canada, who were also missing their NBA contingent and selected a squad made up of college players, couldn’t buy a basket as they crashed by a record margin in a men’s Commonwealth Games medal clash.

“Playing Australia in Australia in a meaningful international game is a priceless experience for these young guys,” said Canada coach Kirby Schepp, trying to put a positive spin on the result. AFP

Luisita Golf and Country Club to host 2nd PGTA AN elite roster of 129 players, headed by the country’s top guns and a select international cast from the just-concluded QSchool, braces for a fierce showdown – all going for a strong start in the new season of the Philippine Golf Tour Asia which unwraps tomorrow (Tuesday, April 17) at the Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac.

Reigning PGT Order of Merit winner Clyde Mondilla and fellow PGT Asia leg winners Tony Lascuña, Jhonnel Ababa, Justin Quiban and Rene Menor hope to extend the locals’ domination of the region’s newest circuit put up by ICTSI that saw the Filipinos sweep the eight legs of the tour’s inaugural season.

Though PGTA OOM champion Miguel Tabuena, who won two legs like Ababa, won’t be around to honor a previous commitment to play on the Japan PGA Tour also slated this week, the depth of the local roster remains as formidable as ever, all raring to slug it out with the best and the brightest players from at least 17 countries.

They include Thai Sattaya Supupramai, who hopes to ride the momentum of his exploits in the PGTA Q-School last Saturday, also at Luisita, where he pooled an impressive 14-under 274 total, along with compatriots Sorachut Hansapiban and Itthipat Buranatanyarat, who finished among the Top 5.

South African Mathiam Keyser, who placed second to Tabuena in the ICTSI Luisita Championship last year, is also tipped to figure in the title hunt in the $100,000 championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

F2 Logistics posts straight victory over Smart

GEN. TRIAS CITY – F2 Logistics survived some scary moments down the stretch and completed a masterful 25-18, 25-18, 27-25 victory over Smart in the quarterfinals of the Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix Saturday at the Gen Trias Sports Center here.

Despite playing in a humid venue, imports Maria Jose Perez and Kennedy Bryan were still impressive as they delivered the crucial blows that broke the hearts of the Giga Hitters in this intense battle bankrolled by Isuzu and UCPB Gen with ESPN5 as official broadcast partner.

With the win, F2 Logistics would face the survivor between Foton and Sta. Lucia Realty in a best-of-three semifinal series of this prestigious women’s club tourney that

Games Tuesday 4:15 pm – Cocolife vs Cignal 7:00 pm – Foton vs Sta. Lucia

also has Senoh, Mikasa, Asics, LGR and Grand Sport as technical sponsors starting next week.

Perez, the reigning Most Valuable Player, delivered 17 hits while Bryan notched 15 kills and a block to finish with 16 points for the Cargo Movers, who effectively stopped Cuban sensation Gyselle Silva despite the absence of ace blocker Aby Marano.

Silva, who erupted for a record-breaking 56 points last week, was held to only 25 points while drawing very limited support from Serbian spiker Sanja Trivu-

novic and local hitters like Genie Sabas and LaRainne Fabay.

Trivunovic, Sabas and Fabay combined for only 16 hits for the Giga Hitters, who committed 20 turnovers in this match that lasted for one hour and 20 minutes.

But it wasn’t an easy victory for the Cargo Movers.

Despite erecting an 8-1 lead after the first technical timeout of the third set, the Giga Hitters caught fire to steal the lead, 18-17, on a powerful backrow attack by Silva.

Smart managed to hang on in the crucial stretch, 25-25, before veteran Cha Cruz delivered a sharp kill from the open position, followed by a service ace that sealed the victory for the defending champion.

IN BRIEF AirAsia bares Cebu flight to Shenzhen AIRASIA said it is expanding further into China with the introduction of its latest direct flights between Cebu and Shenzhen starting May 9.

“The addition of our first China route from Cebu hub enables us to further strengthen our network outside Metro Manila and open up new and exciting places to visit this summer,” AirAsia Philippines president and chief executive officer Dexter Comendador said.

“Cebuano travelers would be delighted to experience Shenzhen’s modern metropolis and marvel at how the southern city that links Hong Kong to mainland China built the world’s largest electric bus fleet, massive malls, contemporary buildings and amusement parks,” he added.

To celebrate the announcement, AirAsia is offering all-in promo fares from as low as P888 one-way available for booking today until April 22 and valid for travel between 9 May 2018 to 27 October 2018. Darwin G. Amojelar

Forum: Execution key to infra program EXECUTION will be the key to the success of the Duterte administration’s “Build Build Build” infrastructure program, according to a recent forum organized by the Stratbase ADR Institute for Strategic and International Studies.

“The impetus for a massive infrastructure build-up is the country’s poor state of infrastructure, as evidenced by our poor performance in several global rankings,” said ADRi president Dindo Manhit.

He noted the Philippines ranked one of the lowest in terms of logistics performance, and that the most problematic factor for doing business in the country was inadequate infrastructure supply.

Economist Alvin Ang in a study “Financing Inclusive Infrastructure” identified serious challenges that the government must overcome to deliver on the President’s infrastructure agenda.

The study said the infrastructure plan hinged on the Philippines’ execution of infrastructure projects. Othel V. Campos

Bulacan solar plant to expand by 30 MW CLEANTECH Global Renewables Inc. is expanding its 15-megawatt Bulacan solar power plant by 30 MW, an official said over the weekend.

“We are looking at expanding our Bulacan (plant). Thirty megawatts is our next phase,” CleanTech president and chief executive officer Salvador Antonio Castro Jr. said.

The company completed the first phase of 15 MW in San Idelfonso, Bulacan in 2016.

Castro said the company was scouting for buyers of the expanded output.

“Obviously, just like everybody else, we are looking for PSAs (power supply agreements). We are excited for the RPS (renewable portfolio standards), REM (retail electricity market) but we are seriously looking at the spot market,” he said.

He said a ready market would ensure the project’ bankability and avoid a delay of 12 to 16 months in collections by feed-in-tariff projects. Alena Mae S. Flores

Business

ERC gets court reprieve to keep 4 commissioners T

By Alena Mae S. Flores

HE Court of Appeals granted the petition of the four commissioners of the Energy Regulatory Commission to keep working in the agency despite the suspension order issued by the Office of the Ombudsman.

A 60-day temporary relief issued by the appellate court lapsed Thursday, raising concern among energy stakeholders who were waiting for the regulatory agency to act on several applications.

The appellate court immediately issued an injunction against the suspension order imposed by the Ombudsman against the four commissioners.

“The injunction is aimed at stopping the implementation of the suspension while the case remains pending,” ERC chairperson Agnes Devanadera said.

The Ombudsman ordered a one-year suspension on commissioners Josefina Patricia Asirit, Alfredo Non, Geronimo

Sta. Ana and Gloria Yap-Taruc in December for allegedly giving Manila Electric Co. an undue advantage when it extended the submission of its power supply agreement applications.

“This resolution will allow ERC to function unimpeded as a collegial body until the case is finally resolved if the CA will uphold the suspension imposed by the Ombudsman. If the case is resolved in favor of the four commissioners, then there is no suspension to speak of,” Devanadera said.

The CA’s 9th Division said in a resolution dated April 13 that “the petitioners and the Office of the Solicitor

General’s prayer for the issuance of of preliminary injunction is granted.”

The OSG represented the four ERC commissioners.

“Accordingly, the Division Clerk of Court is directed forthwith issue a writ of preliminary injunction enjoining the public respondents and/or any of their authorized agents or representatives from implementing/executing the Sept.

29, 2017 decision of the Office of the Ombudsman,” the CA resolution signed by associate justice Mariflor Punzalan Castillo and concurred by associate justices Danton Bueser and Henri Jean Paul Inting stated.

Devanadera said last week the ERC exceeded its target to resolve 100 cases during the 60-day TRO granted to halt the suspension of the commissioners.

“We have exceeded 100 cases resolved because they have been processed and ripe for resolution by the commission,” the ERC chief said.

Noveleta welcomes Cavitex extension NOVELETA, Cavite—People of this coastal town and nearby Rosario and City of Cavite welcomed the announcement of Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. to expand Cavitex by 14 kilometers under the segment 5 project.

A unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., CIC is set to propose to the Toll Regulatory Board the Segment 5 toll project stretching from Marulas, Kawit to Rosario town, traversing through Noveleta after approving the feasibility study.

Segment 5 of Cavitex will include a 9.5-kilometer toll road connecting Kawit to Noveleta and up to Rosario in Cavite with an estimated cost of P22.5 billion Noveleta Mayor Dino Reyes Chua said he was optimistic the expressway extension would boost the economy of his municipality and other neighboring towns and cities.

Dennis Abrina

FILIPINO INNOVATION. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (seated, right) and Science Secretary Fortunato de la Peña sign a memorandum of understanding to promote Filipino innovation, or “Filipinovation,” for entrepreneurs. Under the agreement, the Trade Department will merge One Town One Product and Go Lokal with the Science Departments oneSTore.PH hubs. ‘OTOPrepreneurs’ may now also use oneSTore.PH to sell their products. With the two secretaries are (standing, from left) Trade Assistant secretary Demphna Du-Naga, Trade Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya and Science undersecretary Brenda Nazareth-Manzano.

PAL’s 21 new aircraft to expand hubs in Davao, Cebu and Clark PHILIPPINE Airlines said it will boost its operations at its hubs in Davao, Cebu and Clark, with the scheduled arrival of 15 new aircraft in 2018 and another six planes in 2019.

PAL, an internationally-certified 4-star airline, announced a multi-hub expansion strategy to improve domestic and international connections, while spreading the benefits of tourism and commercial activity to the various regions in Mindanao, the Visayas and Luzon.

It said new routes and hikes in flight frequencies were being introduced as the flag carrier was set to accept delivery of five additional Next-Generation Bombardier Q400s and sixnew Airbus A321neos starting May 2018, along with four Airbus A350-900 trans-oceanic aircraft starting June 2018.

“We are no longer just a Manila-centric airline,” said PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista during a recent press briefing at Davao City for

Davao, Cebu, Clark and Manila media.

“Our new aircraft and our new hubs are a winning combination that will help expand our market reach both domestically and worldwide. This is imperative for a global airline, and we must sustain and build on our hard-won 4-star rating,” he said.

PAL said the 2018 expansion would include the following new routes: Davao-Siargao, starting with four weekly flights on March 25; Manila non-stop to New York (John F. Kennedy Airport) on Oct. 28; Manila non-stop to New Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay) in India by the fourth quarter of 2018; and Manila to Sapporo (Chitose) in Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido, by the fourth quarter of 2018.

PAL said the new routes to India were in response to the call of Trade Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo for a direct link to India, a potentially rich producer of future tourist visitors for the Philippines.

Philippine Airlines announces the expansion plans for its hubs in Davao, Cebu and Clark as part of its strategy to sustain its 4-Sstar rating and ultimately get certified as a 5-Sstar airline. PAL president Jaime Bautista (left) and PALexpress president Bonifacio Sam (center) pledged to strengthen its partnership with Davao City, represented by vice mayor Bernard Al-ag (right) during a gala night at Marco Polo Hotel Davao.

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

B

Remittances likely rose 14% in February

By Julito G. Rada MONEY sent home by Filipinos working overseas likely rose 14.7 percent in February from a year ago, faster than the 9.7-percent actual increase in January, Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. said in a report over the weekend.

“We expect a sequential uptick of remittances in February following a decline in the previous month due to the holidays. This should lead to sharp rise of 14.7 percent year-on-year,” HSBC said in a report.

The British bank said remittances from most regions expanded at a robust pace thus far, led by higher payments from Asia and the Americas.

“We expect overall remittances to rise at a faster rate this year after being at a below-trend pace in 2017,” it said.

Data from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed remittances grew 9.7 percent in January to $2.37 billion from $2.169 billion a year earlier, the fastest rate in 10 months since the 10.7-percent expansion in March 2017.

Remittances from both land-based ($1.9 billion) and sea-based ($0.5 billion) workers increased 8.4 percent and 15.3 percent, respectively.

The bulk of cash remittances came from the US, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the UK, Japan, Qatar, Canada, Kuwait and Germany.

Personal remittances, which include non-cash items, also rose 10.8 percent in January to $2.655 billion from $2.396 billion a year ago, also the fastest in 10 months since the 11.8-percent growth in March 2017.

Personal remittances from landbased workers with work contracts of one year or more totaled $2.1 billion, up 8.4 percent over the level recorded in January 2017.

Meanwhile, those from sea-based and land-based workers with work contracts of less than one year rose 15.3 percent to $500 million.

Remittances along with business process outsourcing receipts account for around $50 billion in annual inflows, supporting the country’s external payments position.

Money sent home by overseas Filipinos reached a record $28.06 billion in 2017, up 4.3 percent from $26.90 billion in 2016 and exceeded the Bangko Sentral’s conservative 4-percent growth target for the year.

Wilcon unveils plan to open 24 stores in four years

By Jenniffer B. Austria WILCON Depot Inc., a leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer, said it plans to open 24 stores over the next four years.

Wilcon said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the company was also on the lookout for potential sites for expansion to accelerate the store rollout.

“We expect these new opportunities coupled with a steady growth tack from our existing stores to drive our growth momentum,” Wilcon chief finance officer Mark Andrew Belo said.

Wilcon posted a net income of P1.35 billion in 2017, up 56 percent from P886.8 million in 2016, which covered just three quarters of operations from April 1, 2016, when the retail business was transferred from parent Wilcon Corp.

Net sales in 2017 amounted to P17.75 billion, compared with P12.3 billion in 2016.

Belo said the strong results were driven by a consistent same-store sales growth of six percent and the opening of five new depots in 2017.

Belo said sales from these five stores already comprised 2.5 percent of total sales for the year, although four of the five new outlets just started operating in the second half.

The company’s flagship format, the depot, accounted for 97 percent, or P17.198 billion, while sales generated by the smaller home essentials format stores comprised the balance of 3.1 percent, or P550 million.

“We attained our target margin expansion for 2017 with a 29.7-percent gross profit margin primarily by increasing

the contribution to total sales of our higher-margin products and more efficient sourcing process to achieve timely sales incentives and purchase discounts.

Gross profit margin in 2016 including the first quarter operations was 27.4 percent,” Belo said.

“The improved gross profit margin more than made up for the rise in operating expenses, brought about mainly by the accumulation of front-loaded expenses associated with new store openings. Operating expenses as a percentage of sales settled at 20.3 percent in 2017 while in 2016 operating expenses as a percentage of sales for the nine months of commercial operations closed at 18.6 percent,” he said.

The company currently operates 37 depots and small format stores across the country.

Dominguez: New Clark City to decongest Metro Manila THE development of New Clark City in Tarlac province will transform it into the country’s next big metropolis and decongest Metro Manila’s highlypopulated urban centers, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said over the weekend.

Dominguez said during the Luzon leg of the Philippine Economic Briefing at the Asean Convention Center in Clark Freeport Zone the New Clark City was envisioned to be a hub of agro-industrial activities, home to cutting-edge technology and logistics companies and host to wellequipped backup government centers and world-class sports facilities.

“It captures what the ‘Build Build Build’ program aspires to achieve: a coherent national logistics circuit that will support our country’s rapid and inclusive development,” Dominguez said.

Dominguez described New Clark City as the “showcase of the Duterte administration’s economic strategy.” He said

the development of New Clark City would be supported by the construction of railways going to Subic and to Manila and the expansion of the Clark International Airport, which would get a new world-class terminal building to accommodate a projected eight million passengers a year to help relieve the congestion at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Parañaque City.

The expansion project for the Clark airport broke ground in December.

“This, truly, is where the future begins.

We envision this as the hub of agro-industrial activities as well as the home for cutting-edge technology companies. Clark, in the near future, will be the growth driver for Luzon,” Dominguez said.

Other members of the Cabinet who attended the PEB to discuss the Duterte administration’s economic strategy to sustain the Philippines’ robust growth and make this inclusive were Secretaries Ernesto Pernia of the National

Economic and Development Authority, Arthur Tugade of the Department of Transportation, Mark Villar of the Department of Public Works and Highways and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. Dominguez said President Duterte’s economic strategy aimed to grow the economy by 7 percent or better in the medium term by embarking on an ambitious infrastructure program dubbed the ‘Build, Build, Build’ consisting of 75 flagship projects, of which 23 completed the approvals process and were ready to begin implementation.

He said the program would not be possible without the fiscal space created by many years of disciplined management of the government’s revenues and expenditures and the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law which would complement existing budgetary resources to hasten the infra buildup. Julito G. Rada

B2

Business

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks may weaken; eyes on Syria S

By Jenniffer B. Austria

HARE prices are expected to move on the downward trend this week, with developments over the weekend, including the US-led strikes against Syria, likely to rattle investors.

US President Donald Trump announced the US launched “precision” military strikes against Syria, targeting alleged chemical weapons sites.

Analysts said the rising geopolitical tensions could weigh on the equities market this week, with investors likely to stay on the sidelines or shift to traditional safe-haven assets.

Luis Limlingan, managing director for Regina Capital Development Corp., said developments overseas already resulted in thinner volumes last week.

Meanwhile, online brokerage firm 2TradeAsia.com said the market’s retracement by 12 percent since it

reaching a high of 9,058 points on January 29, could provide opportunities for investors.

“Bulk of this weakness was largely driven by ‘political rhetoric.’ Set aside against this backdrop, investors are awash with cash and are poised to re-invest in securities that can deliver healthy returns,” 2TradeAsia.com said, The PSEi last week declined 0.6 percent to 7,899.98, while the broader All Shares Index lost 0.7 percent to 4,794.65.

Except for the financials and industrial, which posted week on week gains, all other sub-indices fell, led by services (-1.5 percent), mining and oil (-1.2 percent), property (-1.1 percent) and holding firms (-0.1 percent).

Foreign investors were net sellers by P1.77 billion, while the average daily value traded stood at P6.5 billion.

Weekly top price gainers include Jollibee Foods Corp., which jumped 5.1 percent to P292.20 per share; Ayala Corp., which gained 4 percent to P956; and Alliance Global Group Inc., which advanced 3.8 percent to P14.18.

Weekly top price losers include Leisure & Resorts World Corp., which dropped 15.1 percent to P5.05;

2GO Group Inc., which lost 6.7 percent to P17.56; and Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc., which declined 5.5 percent to P84.90.

European stocks, meanwhile, ran into profit-taking Friday as many investors, wary of global uncertainty and US President Donald Trump’s volatile Twitter diplomacy, cashed out before the weekend, traders said.

Bourses in Paris and Frankfurt had posted solid gains earlier in the session after Trump put off a decision about military strikes in Syria, giving investor nerves a welcome break.

US stocks opened in positive territory, but quickly were under pressure after a batch of earnings reports from large US banks sparked a selloff in financial shares.

Although earnings from JPMorgan Chase and other large banks bested analyst expectations, the sector had risen in anticipation of the reports and the results— while good—were not strong enough to propel the stocks higher, analysts said.

“You had a sector selloff in financials,” said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at Wunderlich Securities.

“When the group started selling off, it took the whole market with it.” With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

APRIL 10-13, 2018 Close Volume

Value

Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources China Bank Citystate Savings COL Financial Eastwest Bank Ferronoux Holding Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

58 138.30 107.30 3.19 1.60 35.35 7.05 16.46 18.66 3.4 8.71 0.68 1.55 850.00 0.560 83.55 1.19 12.58 23.90 55.65 87.9 109 228 44.25 224.4 1905.00 90.10 1.22

247,490 9,659,300 6,938,440 159,000 993,000 654,600 1,900 224,700 5,211,500 74,000 1,200 18,000 41,000 440 746,000 11,732,330 3,549,000 22,400 10,300 277,370 240 3,580 10,090 82,800 1,764,950 340 34,290 7,000

FINANCIAL 14,596,382.50 1,328,307,220.00 733,603,996.00 497,280.00 1,597,940.00 23,131,995.00 13,292.00 3,670,190.00 98,701,998.00 249,610.00 10,452.00 11,720.00 63,970.00 374,000.00 407,090.00 967,052,901.50 4,239,530.00 275,548.00 242,825.00 15,437,974.50 20,975.00 399,686.00 2,307,578.00 3,681,950.00 399,583,242.00 648,625.00 3,110,088.00 8,540.00

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Basic Energy Corp.

Bogo Medelin C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings Century Food Chemphil Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Conc. Aggr. ‘B’ Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Eagle Cement EEI Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) Euro-Med Lab First Gen Corp.

First Holdings ‘A’ Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp.

Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide MG Holdings Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Pilipinas Shell Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings SFA Semicon Shakeys Pizza SMC Food and Beverage SPC Power Corp.

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

37.6 13.96 0.59 1.27 19.98 0.235 152.2 26.75 3.51 16.66 287 49.6 79.5 85.9 61.8 1.97 5.5 10.44 10.960 15.08 11.58 7.41 5.42 1.7 16.9 65.45 26.50 9.43 16.6 2.350 292.20 50.30 5.08 3.3 17.84 27.2 15.28 21.5 0.190 321.80 8.25 2.5 4.98 9.14 5.22 7.97 1.56 12.60 52.8 6.1 4.75 2.04 3.65 2.15 14.92 69.9 5.47 0.134 1.02 145 2.77 2.74 0.91

4,816,100 3,028,500 52,684,000 1,408,000 113,000 20,190,000 800 722,400 18,561,000 3,466,300 450 1,948,230 8,050 1,280 1,250 1,636,000 31,300 385,500 10,823,700 7,760,000 2,069,300 795,500 2,742,500 152,000 2,523,700 318,200 1,285,100 237,300 1,497,300 7,325,000 3,656,630 2,640 620,000 25,000 1,700 776,300 608,400 10,937,300 1,050,000 1,129,320 558,100 5,080,000 709,000 2,956,700 166,100 28,300 17,887,000 153,900 3,445,210 159,900 19,175,000 1,107,000 24,000 3,075,000 1,393,000 2,794,900 236,600 830,000 127,000 3,270,570 129,000 230,706,000 52,615,000

INDUSTRIAL 183,061,680.00 42,216,064.00 33,323,890.00 1,786,290.00 2,217,320.00 4,703,640.00 124,660.00 18,605,890.00 66,142,060.00 58,583,116.00 126,584.00 98,321,876.00 631,157.00 105,267.50 76,588.00 3,265,120.00 172,266.00 4,026,720.00 117,515,206.00 119,064,828.00 24,268,164.00 5,816,132.00 14,958,389.00 258,340.00 42,819,482.00 20,791,055.00 32,792,035.00 2,246,171.00 25,214,656.00 17,109,480.00 1,053,309,846.00 156,578.00 3,043,240.00 81,500.00 31,024.00 21,128,920.00 9,486,846.00 235,605,785.00 200,650.00 366,847,650.00 4,645,556.00 13,510,000.00 3,480,380.00 26,852,143.00 881,199.00 225,816.00 29,462,540.00 1,891,914.00 182,283,413.50 961,670.00 92,218,310.00 2,343,770.00 86,100.00 6,652,730.00 20,526,562.00 192,417,598.50 1,281,183.00 111,560.00 129,000.00 475,720,162.00 336,830.00 554,519,220.00 49,268,420.00

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A’ BHI Holdings Inc. Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Keppel Holdings `A’ Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Lopez Holdings Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

MJCI Investments Inc. Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp `A’ Seafront `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Transgrid Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.305 68.30 14.18 0.90 6.48 0.650 0.660 956 1703.00 7.15 12.36 4.5 7.50 0.207 1107 6.88 62.80 5.29 5.76 0.67 4.9 18.7 0.690 4.93 3.65 0.0460 1.160 3.380 2.54 142.90 2.58 940.00 1.73 0.81 270.000 618.00 0.2450 0.2010 0.195

2,370,000 4,378,020 30,175,500 644,000 77,300 29,131,000 6,860,000 1,557,540 60 5,567,800 20,086,700 181,000 712,300 2,490,000 467,905 356,500 7,642,410 1,500 19,100 2,246,000 1,620,000 16,624,700 39,325,000 131,173,600 45,000 41,400,000 2,219,000 12,302,000 1,000 914,880 128,000 1,294,450 542,000 963,000 1,540 2,490 780,000 1,950,000 420,000

HOLDING FIRMS 712,050.00 265,524,152.05 422,437,102.00 584,090.00 493,518.00 18,939,440.00 4,512,510.00 1,479,853,075.00 100,295.00 39,605,798.00 248,020,892.00 808,710.00 5,334,488.00 495,560.00 522,440,420.00 2,458,440.00 485,828,709.50 7,897.00 111,496.00 1,484,870.00 7,841,580.00 322,654,060.00 28,074,210.00 668,028,856.00 161,660.00 1,798,600.00 2,554,420.00 38,851,800.00 2,540.00 130,349,792.00 330,240.00 1,258,395,870.00 929,420.00 794,200.00 410,230.00 1,539,255.00 189,470.00 397,400.00 81,950.00

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Anchor Land Holdings Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ CEB Landmasters Cebu Holdings Cebu Prop. `A’ Cebu Prop. `B’ Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Filinvest Land,Inc. Global-Estate Interport `A’ Keppel Properties Megaworld MRC Allied Ind.

6.800 0.98 15.10 2.170 0.860 39.900 3.48 4.67 6.18 6.05 6.05 0.500 1.08 1.000 0.270 0.475 31.45 0.670 0.122 1.74 1.36 1.15 4.79 4.65 0.620

1,195,300 7,672,000 48,800 122,000 6,125,000 45,147,200 3,741,000 4,964,000 96,200 900 300 192,510,000 302,000 1,789,000 101,930,000 390,000 1,505,600 2,562,000 700,000 21,404,000 29,997,000 46,692,000 14,000 59,663,000 338,320,000

PROPERTY 7,897,351.00 7,538,890.00 744,030.00 260,910.00 5,278,880.00 1,828,690,265.00 13,147,820.00 22,970,410.00 592,490.00 5,445.00 1,815.00 91,463,950.00 326,360.00 1,739,480.00 27,823,700.00 177,950.00 48,559,125.00 1,734,080.00 86,030.00 37,454,590.00 41,509,110.00 55,466,180.00 65,140.00 274,714,440.00 215,027,550.00

APRIL 2-6, 2018 Close Volume

Value

59.55 134.60 108.10 3.08 1.69 35.3 7.3 16.16 18.84 3.5 8.71

28,090 7,717,190 7,740,820 13,000 1,631,000 483,700 37,300 153,300 6,047,900 204,000 1,500

1,673,053.00 1,069,827,361.00 847,041,096.00 40,260.00 2,687,370.00 17,047,135.00 253,663.00 2,465,624.00 125,676,254.00 705,600.00 13,059.00

1.56 875.00 0.540 83.9 1.21 12.6 21.90 55.50 87 114.2 231 44.95 229.8 1910.00 90.50 1.21

85,000 400 1,613,000 8,379,330 14,788,000 463,700 28,300 249,230 1,320 8,140 23,790 172,200 3,826,650 380 125,110 305,000

133,260.00 345,375.00 890,600.00 714,315,991.50 18,983,650.00 5,830,696.00 620,595.00 13,655,815.50 113,481.50 1,029,185.00 5,551,340.00 7,750,775.00 880,889,840.00 727,950.00 11,313,870.00 366,430.00

38.5 13.98 0.67 1.28 20 0.236 170 29.55 3.62 17.18 299 51.5 80.75 99.9 61.8 2 5.35 10.28 11.040 15.16 11.70 7.36 5.47 1.7 17.12 65.65 24.00 9.75 17.2 2.400 278.00 59.90 4.9 3.3

4,064,500 3,041,000 66,426,000 718,000 185,200 65,160,000 610 1,131,300 14,428,000 3,367,900 1,080 2,265,340 37,100 1,660 320 8,201,000 106,400 460,400 9,228,800 17,267,200 3,557,100 623,700 19,884,800 12,000 6,528,400 409,740 225,300 162,300 7,416,800 28,241,000 4,915,440 61,780 1,058,500 72,000

156,054,440.00 42,117,980.00 43,633,560.00 912,930.00 3,653,539.00 25,537,940.00 99,492.00 37,777,960.00 52,808,120.00 57,457,646.00 323,906.00 116,694,454.00 2,967,794.50 164,449.00 19,583.00 17,283,640.00 569,880.00 4,801,682.00 103,819,692.00 257,811,034.00 40,287,708.00 4,650,042.00 107,848,114.00 20,580.00 111,289,116.00 26,753,264.00 5,627,300.00 1,588,805.00 124,997,234.00 71,765,260.00 1,422,319,820.00 3,095,287.50 5,319,578.00 230,220.00

27.25 16.04 21.5 0.192 322.60 7.99 2.85 4.95 9.19 5.45 7.81 1.51 12.28 52.8 6.1 4.84 2.19 3.55 2.19 14.4

9,101,400 238,100 14,585,500 790,000 567,880 33,100 5,295,000 681,500 4,049,900 1,116,200 298,600 3,296,000 419,800 2,850,270 13,300 454,000 1,187,000 269,000 2,960,000 582,100

246,324,415.00 3,861,172.00 310,101,550.00 151,730.00 183,788,476.00 261,011.00 15,057,600.00 3,418,040.00 37,142,756.00 6,022,989.00 2,354,601.00 4,932,850.00 5,279,412.00 153,554,668.50 81,040.00 2,194,780.00 2,610,310.00 953,200.00 6,615,340.00 8,524,548.00

5.47 0.137 1.05 143 2.78 2.07 0.95

96,700 930,000 232,000 4,050,370 16,000 31,770,000 364,003,000

519,272.00 125,560.00 238,320.00 599,773,420.00 43,130.00 63,849,490.00 362,298,540.00

0.300 67.95 13.66 0.92 6.50 0.630 0.650 919 2150.00 7.19 12.46 4.5 7.49 0.207 1140 6.92 62.30 5.3

4,660,000 5,736,580 27,753,500 251,000 111,900 32,670,000 13,353,000 1,993,760 45 5,286,100 15,893,100 27,000 211,300 130,000 548,870 318,300 7,471,510 21,800

1,410,950.00 394,760,600.50 377,553,060.00 226,080.00 709,203.00 20,438,640.00 8,574,090.00 1,827,275,315.00 90,500.00 38,154,018.00 199,430,142.00 124,130.00 1,581,826.00 25,300.00 630,374,590.00 2,208,033.00 475,741,307.50 115,779.00

0.66 4.93 19.7 0.750 5.2 3.38 0.0450 1.180 3.210 2.54 142.00

1,867,000 1,080,200 16,912,800 60,274,000 125,649,900 8,000 30,600,000 14,042,000 12,029,000 4,000 1,394,400

567,630.00 5,487,357.00 335,448,667.00 43,322,690.00 668,658,510.00 27,040.00 1,335,500.00 16,786,920.00 39,902,030.00 10,160.00 197,223,034.00

976.00 1.72 0.84 270.000 650.00 0.2450 0.1960 0.215

1,496,540 2,439,000 5,982,000 9,960 9,310 2,300,000 7,820,000 230,000

1,442,617,715.00 4,307,570.00 5,782,390.00 2,691,800.00 6,163,400.00 577,930.00 1,584,000.00 49,270.00

6.540 0.99 15.72 2.120 0.900 41.000 3.63 4.61 6.19 6.05 6.03 0.470 1.06 0.990 0.285 0.470 32.15 0.690 0.124 1.76 1.46 1.24 4.26 4.52 0.620

986,400 13,412,600 53,200 211,000 10,714,000 34,539,500 1,730,000 2,184,000 470,600 6,000 2,700 257,300,000 411,000 2,726,000 653,710,000 820,000 1,324,800 113,211,000 2,540,000 30,273,000 44,616,000 43,431,000 1,000 55,569,000 719,575,000

6,503,466.00 17,991,700.00 817,820.00 452,560.00 9,495,290.00 1,427,335,530.00 6,334,760.00 10,110,540.00 2,860,958.00 36,300.00 16,281.00 117,183,800.00 446,640.00 2,697,370.00 188,491,950.00 376,750.00 42,252,350.00 80,966,780.00 315,640.00 52,106,530.00 68,397,930.00 49,003,330.00 4,260.00 257,945,200.00 463,943,050.00

STOCKS

APRIL 10-13, 2018 Close Volume

APRIL 2-6, 2018 Close Volume

Value

Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

0.4000 0.560 33.00 4.33 19.02 1.95 3.17 33.80 1.03 12.64 0.870 6.850

10,560,000 7,622,000 400 11,361,000 8,237,300 347,000 125,000 30,140,700 5,872,000 5,851,200 105,000 46,625,800

4,338,600.00 4,215,120.00 13,245.00 49,281,300.00 156,955,078.00 679,800.00 398,290.00 1,022,604,625.00 6,015,410.00 81,710,224.00 88,000.00 318,829,173.00

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Chelsea DFNN Inc. Discovery World Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Wilcon Depot

17.56 28.9 1.36 0.530 0.049 12.3 5.4 12.90 0.0590 93.8 7.4 7.40 2.18 26.10 900 1576 6.39 314.00 13.06 5.05 97.65 2.48 13.3 8.30 0.120 1.4700 3.42 15 5.05 1.05 28.70 20.00 0.450 5.22 7.79 3.32 8.490 11.5 9.60 3.07 120.10 6.30 1470.00 0.430 1.020 52.75 84.90 7.42 2.59 1.470 0.43 4.85 0.910 11.260

597,100 330,500 5,938,000 67,014,000 90,030,000 5,700 20,000 119,777,800 198,940,000 1,022,510 3,603,600 398,000 147,000 498,800 160 141,555 4,629,800 171,260 2,300 8,630,600 3,193,750 91,000 21,300 69,500 6,500,000 476,000 101,000 20,900 98,957,100 8,674,000 11,224,700 25,900 28,000 1,193,500 3,466,000 4,283,000 55,389,700 101,300 38,600 11,000 80,830 2,357,400 292,565 14,740,000 13,709,000 4,344,030 1,903,740 932,200 3,754,000 25,319,000 21,990,000 32,381,000 25,872,000 9,151,400

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Benguet Corp `A’ Benguet Corp `B’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining `A’ Manila Mining `B’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Oriental Pet. `B’ Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Phinma Petro Semirara Corp.

United Paragon

0.0030 1.85 4.52 18.50 1.5000 1.6600 1.63 0.310 8.01 2.470 0.210 0.148 0.154 0.009 0.0093 1.48 5.99 1.22 0.6100 0.8700 0.0130 0.0140 5.98 15.98 0.0130 2.2500 31.40 0.0065

MINING & OIL 3,820,000,000 10,827,200.00 53,786,000 98,057,510.00 348,000 1,596,430.00 23,900 448,110.00 184,000 297,520.00 55,000 91,300.00 1,295,000 2,099,670.00 4,020,000 1,236,900.00 41,500 336,784.00 6,439,000 15,591,750.00 1,670,000 341,800.00 27,130,000 3,976,380.00 2,850,000 437,120.00 16,000,000 145,600.00 9,000,000 83,900.00 551,000 793,750.00 3,561,900 21,232,512.00 227,000 267,570.00 8,066,000 4,832,190.00 965,000 844,830.00 590,600,000 7,267,400.00 7,500,000 98,200.00 3,419,000 20,462,251.00 42,749,500 701,717,102.00 60,500,000 745,700.00 229,000 541,390.00 9,012,100 279,508,385.00 4,600,000 65,600.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Alco Preferred B Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ DD PREF First Gen F First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B House Preferred Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC FB PREF 2 SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I

27.95 105 508 503 101.9 104 109.2 504.5 6.22 988 980 100.3 1.05 107.3 1021 104.6 111 980 75.2 79.1 75.4 75.95 78 76.8 76 75.75

309,100 30 1,130 8,400 192,110 1,030 160,400 3,000 638,100 30 3,220 1,500 77,000 9,570 3,000 100 180 6,940 2,640 113,260 83,880 30,850 46,000 2,890 170,480 145,190

PREFERRED 8,636,075.00 3,150.00 576,120.00 4,247,070.00 19,330,856.00 107,276.00 17,964,000.00 1,513,500.00 4,002,184.00 29,640.00 3,183,660.00 150,450.00 80,800.00 977,547.00 3,063,000.00 10,460.00 19,980.00 6,801,430.00 200,086.00 8,945,302.00 6,323,682.00 2,332,015.00 3,590,373.00 221,802.00 12,927,832.00 10,977,059.00

LR Warrant

3.140

WARRANTS & BONDS 11,953,000 38,316,770.00

SERVICES 10,758,722.00 9,556,990.00 8,732,880.00 35,909,460.00 4,342,080.00 70,064.00 100,332.00 1,514,920,644.00 12,179,260.00 95,193,630.50 27,221,302.00 2,938,334.00 330,750.00 13,527,210.00 144,100.00 224,453,445.00 29,686,587.00 55,276,786.00 30,650.00 43,869,938.00 313,029,153.00 222,040.00 280,458.00 573,400.00 777,810.00 690,280.00 334,250.00 1,632,056.00 497,605,163.00 9,539,680.00 321,781,740.00 448,776.00 13,900.00 6,189,711.00 26,803,448.00 14,429,590.00 475,335,964.00 1,163,664.00 360,295.00 33,790.00 9,914,252.00 15,122,343.00 428,259,755.00 6,327,000.00 13,986,820.00 227,032,336.50 163,949,975.00 6,846,294.00 9,740,440.00 38,326,500.00 9,559,350.00 155,196,020.00 23,772,010.00 102,188,362.00

SME 5,990.00 29,171,251.00 1,258,730.00 18,522,550.00

Value

0.4250 0.570 33.20 4.08 19.32 1.98 3.17 33.90 1.03 15.2 0.840 6.650

30,080,000 30,651,000 400 7,425,000 11,660,000 1,423,000 178,000 29,111,800 7,859,000 1,196,100 532,000 16,294,100

12,621,250.00 17,229,460.00 13,350.00 30,762,460.00 227,754,662.00 2,797,690.00 566,100.00 992,921,080.00 7,922,840.00 19,328,290.00 445,890.00 107,244,992.00

18.82 28.7 1.28 0.490 0.050 12.5 5.36 13.50 0.0640 92.9 7.71 7.50 2.24 27.80 905 1623 6.36 303.00 15.90 5.18 99.4 2.55 12.98 8.30 0.122 1.4700 3.4 15 5.95 1.12 27.00 17.00 0.500 5.24 7.81 3.45 8.270 11.5 9.70 3.1 121.00 6.71 1487.00 0.435 1.060 52.00 89.90 7.24 2.65 1.460 0.44 4.7 0.930 10.840

2,065,200 626,400 190,000 88,042,000 273,050,000 75,200 2,700 65,960,400 107,530,000 873,340 9,204,700 514,100 368,000 2,761,900 1,180 164,180 4,444,600 104,350 11,200 3,946,600 5,095,890 87,000 2,863,700 89,100 23,070,000 1,099,000 505,000 15,800 80,882,100 30,447,000 8,878,600 1,900 172,000 5,267,800 15,907,300 5,927,000 71,813,600 40,800 95,200 174,000 258,920 1,414,200 737,410 21,470,000 4,880,000 2,876,960 1,793,510 2,131,600 2,212,000 4,025,000 64,560,000 44,539,000 93,163,000 8,791,300

41,313,036.00 18,216,280.00 244,930.00 46,870,855.00 13,615,220.00 947,326.00 14,247.00 903,203,182.00 7,122,360.00 81,013,572.50 74,044,399.00 3,872,742.00 846,530.00 86,976,620.00 1,068,700.00 268,938,305.00 28,480,630.00 32,030,648.00 161,098.00 20,708,238.00 505,793,798.00 218,660.00 36,954,386.00 731,545.00 2,801,770.00 1,592,220.00 1,675,850.00 233,442.00 543,362,359.00 35,620,190.00 238,904,995.00 32,880.00 87,280.00 29,704,231.00 121,843,939.00 20,776,220.00 635,779,552.00 467,524.00 912,666.00 532,430.00 32,101,869.00 9,429,790.00 1,090,178,955.00 9,364,400.00 5,242,220.00 149,497,103.00 159,555,511.50 16,071,865.00 6,000,600.00 5,844,390.00 28,218,650.00 192,257,420.00 88,979,940.00 96,415,660.00

0.0028 1.78 4.60 19.00 1.6500

5,172,000,000 42,054,000 137,355,000 11,900 66,000

14,943,000.00 73,597,870.00 2,290,690.00 220,508.00 107,500.00

1.64 0.325 8.22 2.450 0.212 0.151 0.154 0.009 0.0094 1.5 5.99 1.2 0.6000 0.8900 0.0140 0.0140 6.06 15.68 0.0120 2.2300 32.35 0.0066

1,723,000 1,530,000 386,800 160,535,000 2,070,000 7,650,000 3,360,000 10,000,000 10,000,000 494,000 2,705,700 1,016,300 4,318,000 2,359,000 1,481,400,000 385,700,000 2,927,000 32,853,800 36,500,000 231,000 6,945,900 51,000,000

2,806,920.00 485,800.00 3,222,181.00 403,676,310.00 439,000.00 1,140,600.00 520,190.00 92,400.00 94,000.00 731,210.00 16,417,905.00 1,270,080.00 2,526,160.00 2,087,900.00 18,928,600.00 5,334,700.00 17,830,033.00 512,036,136.00 449,700.00 514,210.00 223,306,750.00 340,300.00

27.8 105 508 511 100.5 107.9 109.2 504.5 6.28 988 1000 100.5 1.06 107.5 1034 104.6

1,335,900 1,400 8,160 7,310 103,910 10 1,710 3,020 1,082,100 70 1,695 31,720 324,000 10,180 2,755 140

37,295,220.00 148,050.00 4,118,890.00 3,740,070.00 10,500,382.00 1,079.00 186,732.00 1,524,390.00 6,710,466.00 69,160.00 1,688,682.50 3,152,210.00 343,180.00 1,057,305.00 2,852,040.00 14,541.00

980 75.9 79 74.95 76.1 78 76.8 76 75.5

20,000 13,760 100,520 108,880 100 165,050 11,180 214,160 287,030

19,679,720.00 1,039,240.00 7,916,342.00 8,164,967.00 7,610.00 12,722,627.50 854,610.00 16,308,312.00 21,994,698.50

3.900

17,986,000

76,811,290.00

2.93 5.7 3.48 3.41

2,000 13,141,800 396,000 28,456,000

5,860.00 76,750,736.00 1,332,960.00 104,931,680.00

Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Philab Holdings Xurpas

3.06 5.56 3.36 3.41

2,000 5,199,700 384,000 5,370,000

First Metro ETF

120.5

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 36,150 4,395,655.00

121.1

43,030

5,257,131.00

10.3 10.2 1.02

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 3,500 35,550.00 6,860 70,122.00 173,780 177,255.60

10.2 10.2 1.02

100 16,620 295,300

1,020.00 170,155.20 301,384.00

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Oriental Pet. `A’ MRC Allied Ind. Vitarich Corp.

Boulevard Holdings Century Property Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Bloomberry Crown Equities Inc. Leisure & Resorts

VOLUME 3,820,000,000 590,600,000 338,320,000 230,706,000 198,940,000 192,510,000 131,173,600 119,777,800 101,930,000 98,957,100

STOCKS Ayala Land `B’ Bloomberry Ayala Corp `A’ Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. SM Investments Inc. Jollibee Foods Corp.

SM Prime Holdings Metrobank Bank of PI PhilexPetroleum

VALUE 1,828,690,265.00 1,514,920,644.00 1,479,853,075.00 1,328,307,220.00 1,258,395,870.00 1,053,309,846.00 1,022,604,625.00 967,052,901.50 733,603,996.00 701,717,102.00

NLEX’s ‘17 net income rose by 14% to P4.64b

By Darwin G Amojelar NLEX Corp. said net income in 2017 rose 14 percent to P4.64 billion from P4.09 billion in 2016 mainly due to the robust vehicle traffic growth in North Luzon Expressway and Subic-ClarkTarlac Expressway.

The company’s toll revenues reached P11.6 billion last year, up 10 percent from 10.5 billion in 2016 due to higher traffic volume in NLEx and SCTEx. NLEx vehicle traffic reached an average of 237,046 daily entries last year, 8 percent higher than in 2016, while traffic in SCTEx reached 54,566 in daily vehicle entries, up 21 percent.

NLEx contributed 84 percent of toll revenues, while SCTEX cornered 16 percent.

In addition to toll revenues, the company generated revenues of P174.4 million arising from advertising, toll services and utility facilities and rental and service income in 2017 from P157.4 million in 2016.

The North Luzon Expressway spans approximately 95 kilometers, or 527lane kilometers, and serves an average of 237,046 a day. It is the main infrastructure backbone that connects Metro Manila to Central and Northern Luzon.

SCTEx, meanwhile, is a 94-km, 2x2 expressway stretching from Subic-Tipo to La Paz, Tarlac, connecting the special economic zones in Subic and Clark and Olongapo City, to Tarlac City.

The toll road company earlier budgeted P19 billion in capital expenditures this year to build new expressway projects to help solve Metro Manila’s traffic bottlenecks.

It is spending to build the urban portions of North Luzon Expressway, such as the Harbor Link Segment 10 (including the R10 Section in DagatDagatan, Navotas City) and the NLExSLEx Connector Road project.

Expected to open this year, Harbor Link Segment 10 is a 5.7-kilometer elevated expressway traversing NLEx from Smart Connect Interchange and cross over Mac Arthur Highway in Valenzuela City with down ramps along C3/5th Avenue Interchange in Caloocan City.

Harbor Star buying solar energy firm

By Alena Mae S. Flores Listed Harbor Star Shipping Services Inc. through a unit acquired the entire issued and outstanding capital stock of Astroenergy Development F1 Inc., paving the way for its entry into the energy business.

ADF1 is an affiliate of Astroenergy Development Gensan Inc., which has the permit to operate a 25-megawatt to 75-MW solar power plant in General Santos City. The initial capacity of 25 MW capacity will be completed in the second quarter.

“The entry of TUGS in the energy sector is pursuant to its strategy to diversify its business interests focusing on core industries. By investing in solar power and General Santos City, TUGS positions itself in the energy sector of the future and a territory where major development will be seen in the next 10 years,” Harbor Star said.

ADG has received a certificate of commerciality from the Energy Department and has an existing approved power supply agreement from the Energy Regulatory Commission with South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative.

Socoteco II will purchase the entire energy output of the project.

Harbor Star said the acquisition of ADF1 is expected to provide additional revenues to the company and increase shareholder value.

“ADF1 has its own ancillary permits and contracts to support the expansion of the 25 ADGI solar power plant to 75 MW,” Harbor Star said.

ADF1 is a stock corporation incorporated on February 11, 2015. It is engaged in the business of generating power derived from solar energy and other viable sources of renewable power.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

TODAY extrastory2000@gmail.com

Business/World

FESTIVAL.

Beyonce Knowles performs onstage during the 2018 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival Weekend 1 at the Empire Polo Field on April 14, 2018 , in Indio, California.

AFP

Skepticism over Rohingya report YANGON―Myanmar’s government said it repatriated on Saturday the first family of Rohingya out of some 700,000 refugees who fled to Bangladesh to escape a brutal military campaign, despite UN warnings that a safe return is not yet possible.

The stateless Muslim minority has been massing in squalid Bangladesh camps since the Myanmar army launched a ruthless crackdown on the community in northern Rakhine state last August.

The UN says the campaign amounts to ethnic cleansing, but Myanmar has denied the charge, saying its troops targeted Rohingya militants.

Bangladesh and Myanmar vowed to begin repatriation in January but the plan has been repeatedly delayed as both sides blame the other for a lack of preparation.

According to a Myanmar government statement posted late Saturday, one family of Rohingya refugees became the first to return earlier in the day.

“The five members of a family... came back to Taungpyoletwei town repatriation camp in Rakhine state this morning,” said a statement posted on

the official Facebook page of the government’s Information Committee.

The post described the family as “Muslim”, in line with a government policy not to use the word “Rohingya”, which authorities do not recognize as an ethnicity.

Authorities determined “whether they were once living here” and provided the family with National Verification Cards, a form of ID that falls short of citizenship and has been rejected by Rohingya leaders who want full rights.

Photos posted alongside the statement showed one man, two women, a young girl and a boy receiving the ID cards and getting health checks.

It said that the family had been sent to stay “temporarily” with relatives in Maungdaw town.

The post did not mention any plans for further returnees in the near future.

The move comes despite warnings from the UN and other rights groups that a mass repatriation of Rohingya would be premature, as Myanmar has yet to address the systematic legal discrimination and persecution the minority has faced for decades. AFP

Allies launch new UN bid for Syria weapons probe U NITED NATIONS―Hours after striking Syria, the United States, France and Britain on Saturday launched a new bid at the United Nations to investigate chemical weapons attacks in Syria.

view stated three essential elements that enable the creation of an innoIAN BENEDICT vation ecosystem: (1) getting the ROSAS MIA right people involved (2) cultivatI WAS delighted to have particiREEN IGHT ing the network and (3) educating others. The first one makes sense, pated in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Global Startup Workshop 2018 (MIT because we need to consolidate various experts before GSW 2018) held in Bangkok, Thailand on March 26 to establishing the network itself and, later on, spread 28. With the theme “Dream big, dream tech,” the work- the pool of knowledge developed by the network by shop showcased how different emerging technologies educating others.

Glimpse of the PH innovation ecosystem such as blockchain, internet of things, artificial intelliIn the Philippines, what would be an initial glimpse gence, robotics, machine learning and big data, among many others, are opening up massive opportunities in of this innovation ecosystem when we include, for instance, the aspect of technological innovation? the business landscape.

For one, we have a number of business incubators, Together with my colleagues in the agritech startup Lungtian Solutions, I participated in the MIT GSW accelerators and co-working spaces including but not 2018’s startup showcase competition and got to meet limited to the following: Department of Science and venture capitalists, investors, students, professors and Technology, Impact Hub Manila, Kickstart Ventures, other professionals who have expressed interest in our Ideaspace Foundation, QBO Philippines, Launch gaventure. To say that the event was rich with experience rage, University of the Philippines Enterprise Center and learning is an understatement. More than that, we for Technopreneurship, and DoST-Peza Open Technolgot a wider perspective of the Southeast Asian and ogy Business Incubator.

These organizations contribute to the overall innoglobal markets.

If there was something valuable and actionable that vation ecosystem such that they provide training and I learned, however, it is the understanding and applica- mentorship to the startups—mostly tech-based—that tion of innovation ecosystems, which was consistently are being incubated. For instance, QBO Philippines is a public-private partnership between JP Morgan touched upon throughout the workshop.

Chase Foundation, Ideaspace Foundation, Department Value of innovation ecosystems But first, how do we describe innovation in its sim- of Trade and Industry and Department of Science and plest form? It involves the generation of creative and Technology that was created to help Filipino startups practical solutions to problems. An example of inno- grow and scale their business.

With the use of emerging technologies like the Invation is the practice of design thinking in business, which involves a rigorous and cyclical process of in- ternet of Things (IoT), for instance, how do we maxispiration, ideation and implementation of solutions to mize them to further contribute to this innovation ecocurrent problems. If we are to upgrade the conversation system?

Many initiatives are already in place, and it is just to an innovation ecosystem, this will involve the intermingling of various stakeholders such as companies, a matter of tracking them. MakeSense Philippines, experienced business leaders, researchers, government TechForGrowth Foundation and Gawad Kalinga, for officials and investors, among others, to work together instance, organized an “IoT Hackathon for Agricultural Good” in January 2018 that aims to develop techand generate innovative solutions. based agricultural solutions that will help address the critical issues of the agriculture sector. An example of an IoT project that was developed involved the use of applications and sensors that will hel monitor the humidity, temperature and light intensity of crops. These will help optimize the growth of crops, which will then increase food supply and provide higher yield and production for farms. Moreover, this is still a piece of the entire innovation puzzle we have to solve, and more concerted efforts should be undertaken.

The great thing about these events is that it brings together people from distinct backgrounds but similar interests. In this case, the people from the IoT Hackathon want to help solve agricultural problems in their own, unique ways. In essence, this is what an innovation ecosystem looks like. Once we learn to gradually adopt this interdisciplinary approach, we will also develop better and faster solutions to Source: MIT REAP: https://www.ntnu.edu/ihb/ societal problems. about-mit-reap Ian Benedict Mia is an undergraduate student curDuring the workshop, MIT also provided a stake- rently taking up AB Psychology and BS Business Manholder model of the innovation ecosystem that helps us agement at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business of De La Salle University. He is currently working further visualize this concept.

Entrepreneurs, universities, governments, corpora- part-time as a research assistant under the DLSU Centions and risk capital are all interconnected in several ter for Business Research and Development–Social ways and contribute to the overall innovation ecosys- Enterprise Research Network (CBRD-SERN), and is tem of a particular country, organization, or groups of an aspiring social entrepreneur. You may contact him people. A 2012 article by the Harvard Business Re- through ianbrmia@gmail.com.

G

L

United States and Russia.

On the humanitarian side, the measure demands medical evacuations and safe passage for aid convoys to be allowed to all areas.

The text calls for a ceasefire resolution adopted in February but which never materialized to finally take hold and “demands” that President Bashar al-Assad’s government engage in peace talks “in good faith, constructively and without preconditions.”

Several rounds of peace talks held under UN auspices in Geneva have failed to yield progress, deadlocked over demands that Assad make way for a political transition.

Negotiations on the draft resolution are set to begin on Monday, but diplomats said it remained unclear when the council would vote on the proposal.

Western diplomats said they were ready to allow time for negotiations to make every effort to bring Russia aboard.

Russia has used its veto 12 times at the Security Council to block action targeting its Syrian ally.

The new diplomatic push came after a stormy Security Council meeting called

by Russia, which branded the military action an “aggression” against Syria and sought condemnation.

The three allies circulated a joint draft resolution at the Security Council that also calls for unimpeded deliveries of humanitarian aid, enforcing a ceasefire and demands that Syria engage in UNled peace talks, according to the text obtained by AFP. The move signaled the West’s resolve to return to diplomacy after a one-night military operation that hit sites Western officials said were linked to Syria’s chemical weapons program.

Among the contentious proposals, the draft resolution would establish an independent investigation of allegations of toxic gas attacks in Syria with the aim of identifying the perpetrators.

Russia in November used its veto three times to bury a previous UN-led inquiry which found SCN FORM NO. 1 that Syrian forces had dropped (R.A. NO. 9139) sarin on the town of Khan 001294 Sheikhun in April last year.

The measure would instruct the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES to report within 30 days on SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION whether Syria has fully disclosed its chemical weapons IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF stockpile.

NARENDAR CHANGAMAL JESSWANI be naturalized as Filipino citizen The West has accused Syria to pursuant to Republic Act No. 9139. of failing to live up to its comCASE NO. mitment to scrap its chemical x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SCN - x weapons program, under a 2013 deal reached between the

The power of innovation ecosystems “The future is already here—it’s just not evenly distributed.” - William Gibson (August 31, 1993)

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MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PETITION Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9139, petitioner hereby submits a petition for naturalization to become a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and respectfully declares: 1. My full name is NARENDAR CHANGAMAL JESSWANI , but I have also been known since childhood as N/A or I have been judicially authorized to use the alias name(s) .

N/A 2. My present place of residence is 9627-B PILILIA ST., BRGY. VALENZUELA City/Municipality of MAKATI Province of ________and all my former places of residence are (please indicate periods of residence) COLON CEBU CITY 1951 TO 1963 ESTRADA ST. MANILA 1963 TO 1964 LEON GUINTO ST., MALATE, MANILA 1965 TO 1980 SINGALONG MANILA 1981 TO 1990 MULTINATIONAL VILLAGE PARAÑAQUE 1991 TO 2000 CABANILLAS ST. BRGY. LAPAZ, MAKATI CITY 2001 TO 2009 9627-B PILILIA ST., BRGY. VAL., MAKATI CITY 2010 TO PRESENT 3. I was born on DECEMBER 20, 1951, in DIPOLOG, ZAMBOANGA, Philippines. I have been a resident of the Philippines since birth. At present, I am a citizen or subject of INDIA. 4. My father's name is CHANGAMAL DOOLAMAL JESSWANI and he was born on __________, in INDIA. He is a citizen or subject of INDIA. My mother's name is GOPI CHANGAMAL JESSWANI and she was born on ______ in INDIA. She is a citizen or subject of INDIA. 5. My trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is SELF_EMPLOYED and from which I derive an average annual income of P300,000.00, inclusive of bonuses, commissions and allowances. My wife's/husband's trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is N/A and from which she derives an average annual income of P N/A .

(Where the above does not apply): I am exempt from the requirement of lucrative trade or occupation and from submitting income tax returns for the past three (3) years because I am a college degree holder [please state (1) degree obtained: N/A (2) name of school: N/A and (3) years graduated: N/A who cannot practice my profession (the practice of which requires a government licensure examination) by reason of my citizenship.

6. My civil status is MARRIED, I was married on DEC. 30, 2008 in SAN JUAN. My wife's/husband's name is TUSHI K. KUMAR and she/he was born on in SEPT. 29, 1969 in PAKISTAN. She/he is a citizen or subject of PAKISTAN and presently resides 9627-B PILILIA ST., BRGY. VALENZUELA, MAKATI CITY.

That bid however failed, with only China and Bolivia voting alongside Russia to condemn the air strikes. Eight countries opposed condemnation while four abstained.

Addressing the council, US Ambassador Nikki Haley said the United States was confident that the military strikes had crippled Syria’s chemical weapons program.

Haley warned that the United States was “locked and loaded,” ready to strike again if any new chemical attack was carried out in Syria.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the West of “hooliganism” and demanded that it “immediately end its actions against Syria and refrain from them in the future.”

“You are not only placing yourselves above international law, but you are trying to re-write international law,” Nebenzia said.

The United States, Britain and France launched air strikes in response to a suspected chemical attack in the rebel-held town of Douma a week ago that killed at least 40 people.

The council has met five times this week on Syria amid repeated pleas from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to end divisions over Syria. AFP

I am not opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group of persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing all organized governments. I am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of violence, personal assault or assassination for the success and predominance of one's ideas. I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy.

I have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude. I am not suffering from mental alienation or from any incurable contagious disease. The country of which I am a citizen or subject is not at war with the Philippines and grants to Filipinos the right to be naturalized citizens or subjects thereof.

13. It is my true and honest intention to become a citizen of the Philippines and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and, particularly, to INDIA of which at this time I am a citizen or subject. I will reside continuously in the Philippines from the date of the filing of this petition up to the time of my admission to Philippine citizenship.

14. My character witnesses are ZINNIA TARLIT VILLOTA and MA. CONCEPCION B. TEODORO both Filipino citizens, of legal age, and residing at 409J TAGUIG ST., MAKATI CITY and 226 BACOOD ST., STA MESA, MANILA respectively, who have executed sworn statements attached hereto in support of my instant petition, together with: (a) brief biographical data about themselves; (b) detailed statements on the dates they first came to know me, the circumstances of our initial acquaintance and the reasons and extent of our continuing familiarity; and (c) the number of times they have acted as character witnesses in other petitions for naturalization.

15. Attached hereto as annexes and made part of this petition are the duplicate originals or certified photocopies of the following documents (please check the appropriate box): [ ] a. Petitioner's birth certificate [ ] b. Petitioner's alien certificate of registration (ACR) [ ] c. Petitioner's native-born certificate of residence (NBCR) [ ] d. Petitioner's marriage certificate, if married [ ] e. Death certificate of his/her spouse, if widowed [ ] f. Court decree annulling his/her marriage or granting legal separation, if such was the fact [ ] g. Birth certificates of petitioner's minor children [ ] h. ACRs of petitioner's minor children [ ] i. NBCRs of petitioner's minor children [ ] j. Affidavits of financial capacity by the petitioner, duly supported by bank certifications, passbooks, stock certificates, or proof of ownership of other properties [ ] k. Affidavits of at least two (2) credible witnesses who must be Filipino citizens of good reputation in petitioner's place of residence [ ] l. Medical certificate from a government hospital stating that petitioner is not suffering from mental alienation or a user of prohibited drugs or otherwise a drug dependent and that he/she is not afflicted with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), or any incurable contagious disease. [ ] m. School diploma and transcript of records of the petitioner from the school/s he or she attended in the Philippines [ ] n. Certifications stating that petitioner's minor children are enrolled in public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the DECS, where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality [ ] o. Petitioner's income tax returns for the past three years [ ] p. Petitioner's receipts of payment of income tax for the past three years 16. Other documents submitted by the petitioner in support of his/her petition: ____________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________

7. I am legally separated from my spouse; my marriage was annulled, per decree of legal separation/annulment dated N/A granted by N/A. (please indicate the particular court which granted the same). I am a widower/widow and my spouse died on N/A in N/A.

WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that petitioner be conferred Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No, 9139.

8. I have one (1) child/children, whose names, dates and places of birth and residences are as follows:

Dated at Makati City, Metro Manila, this ___ day of _______.

Name ROBAN KUMAR JESSWANI

Date of Birth 02-11-09

Place of Residence Birth MANILA 9627-B PILILIA S T. , B R G Y. VA L E N Z U E L A , MAKATI CITY

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

Name of School FRANCISCO COLLEGE PACO CATHOLIC

Place of School MANILA MANILA

Dates of Highest Grade Study Completed 1969 to 1973 HIGH SCHOOL 1964 to 1968

PRIMARY

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

Name of Child

Name and Place of School ROBAN KUMAR CHILD LEARNING JESSWANI CENTER, INC.

Date of Enrollment 2012 to present

PRAYER

NARENDAT CHANGAMAL JESSWAN Name and Signature of Petitioner Address: 9627-B PILILIA ST., BRGY. VALENZUELA, MAKATI Telephone Number: _____________

Right Thumbmark of Petitioner

Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) CITY/MUNICIPALITY OF QUEZON CITY) S.S. I, NARENDAR CHANGAMAL JESSWANI of legal age and a resident of 9627-B PILILIA ST., BRGY. VALENZUELA, MAKATI CITY after being duly sworn, depose and say that I am the petitioner herein, that I have read the foregoing petition and know the foregoing petition and known the contents thereof, and that the same is true of my own knowledge.

NARENDAT CHANGAMAL JESSWANI Name and Signature of Petitioner SUBCRIBED AND SWORN to before me at MANILA, this 10 day of FEB. 2015.

12. I shall never be a public charge. I am of good moral character. I believe in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution. I have conducted myself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of my residence in the Philippines in my relations with the constituted government as well as with the community in which I am living. I mingled socially with Filipinos and have evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions and ideals of the Filipino people. I have all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under Republic Act No. 9139.

(MS-APR. 16, 20 & 30, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

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

B4

P41-m upland road project in Didipio begins

LocaL government units

monday, april 16, 2018

By Brenda Jocson

Negros celebrates 25 years of Panaad Festival BACOLOD CITY—Thousands of Negrenses converged at the Panaad Park and Stadium to kick off the 25th year celebration of the Panaad sa Negros Festival over the weekend.

The opening program was held at the stadium at 4 p.m. with Assistant Secretary Ricojudge Janvier Echiverri of the Department of Interior and Local Government as the guest of honor and speaker.

Echiverri came as representative of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

Echiverri, in his speech, said the Panaad Festival is where the Negrense showcases “their culture, artistry and hospitality.”

He added upon seeing the smiles on the faces of the crowd, the “warmth of the people here is the province’s gem.”

“One thing the Negros must be proud of is how the Negrenses manifest their hospitality, not just to their fellow Negrosanon but also to the tourists,” he told the crowd.

He said the Negrenses exemplify the Filipino’s most regarded character of friendliness, hospitality and genuine concern. “This distinct character of Negrenses are what the people in our world needs,” Echiverri said.

Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. declared the official opening of this year’s festival themed “Panaad@25: The Promise Fulfilled”.

It was preceded by a motorcade at 2 p.m. from the Provincial Capitol grounds that passed along the main streets of Bacolod City to Panaad Park and Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan.

Dubbed the “Festival of all Festivals,” Panaad, which means promise in Hiligaynon, is an annual celebration participated by all 19 towns and 13 cities of Negros Occidental, including its capital Bacolod City.

On Saturday morning, after a thanksgiving mass, Marañon and Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, with Board Members Salvador Escalante and Valentino Miguel Alonso, and Provincial Planning and Development Officer Ma. Lina Sanogal, festival executive director, led the ringing of the bell to signal the start of the nine-day festival.

The top provincial officials then proceeded to the ribbon-cutting ceremonies for various exhibits and fairs, including the Festival Costume Exhibit, Organic Village, Negros First Food Park, Livestock and Dairy Fair, EcoGarden Show, Trade Fair and Exhibit, and Bamboo Village.

The Livestock and Dairy Fair of the Provincial Veterinary Office featured the annual “Lechonaad,” which showcased roasted pigs and chickens.

Meanwhile, the afternoon program also included the raising of the Panaad and the local government units’ banners led by Sanogal and Board Member Victor Javellana.

The opening program was followed by the Best of Festival Dance Competition and the GMA Kapuso Night, which featured Kapuso stars Mike Tan, Martin del Rosario, Kate Valdez, and Enrico Cuenca. PNA

‘ECSTASY’ HOUSE.

Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in coordination with Malabon City police (inset) raided a shabu laboratory in Barangay Tinajeros, Malabon (pictured here) on Friday. Jun David

More LGUs face charges over open dump abuses

T

HE National Solid Waste Management Commission is set to file more cases against local government officials before the Ombudsman for reportedly violating Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, such as those who allow open dumps in their communities.

“We want increased compliance with RA 9003 to help protect public health and the environment,” said NSWMC Executive Director Eligio Ildefonso.

Ildefonso said the NSWMC is already validating more than 100 reports alleging various RA 9003 violations by several cities and municipalities nationwide.

“The validation will show if those reports are true, so we can file corresponding complaints against the erring LGUs,” he said.

The NSWMC, which is under the De-

partment of Environment and Natural Resources, aims to complete the validation by July this year.

Ildefonso said among the reported violations is the continuing operation of open dumps or ODs. He cautioned LGUs against maintaining ODs, saying RA 9003 has already banned them.

“No ODs shall be established and operated, nor any practice or disposal of solid waste by any person, including LGUs, which constitutes the use of open dumps for solid wastes, be allowed after the ef-

fectivity of this Act,” RA 9003 reads.

RA 9003 also disallows ODs as final waste disposal areas. Solid waste is “all discarded household, commercial waste, nonhazardous institutional and industrial waste, street sweepings, construction debris, agricultural waste, and other non-hazardous/ non-toxic solid waste,” the law reads.

Earlier, the NSWMC reported ODs nationwide except in Metro Manila.

The reported sites are in the regions of Ilocos (23 ODs), Cagayan Valley (13), Central Luzon (31), Calabarzon (26), Mimaropa (4), Bicol (29), Western Visayas (21), Central Visayas (103), Eastern Visayas (44), Zamboanga (27), Northern Mindanao (27), Davao (1), Soccsksargen (1), Caraga (14), Cordillera Administrative Region (19), and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (1).

MOBILE GANDA CARAVAN. Bulig Bugto founding president lawyer Boy Bolastig (standing) has a light moment with a senior citizen from Motiong, Samar. The Mobile Ganda Caravan project gives free haircuts, massages, and manicures to the indigent and seniors. Bulig Bugto is a nonprofit, non-stock organization of the province that aims to help disadvantaged Samarnon.

Lino Santos

SM Foundation rebuilds outpatient ward of Cavite Naval Hospital CAVITE CITY—The SM Foundation Inc. has opened the newly-renovated out-patient department of the Cavite Naval Hospital, its 135th health and wellness center it refurbished to date and the 24th military health facility it renovated across the country.

The facility will cater to the healthcare needs of both the sailors and naval and civilian personnel and their dependents.

As Connie Angeles, SMFI Executive Director for health and wellness, said: “This is in keeping with our commitment

to support our uniformed personnel for risking their lives and limbs to ensure our protection and the safety of our country.”

The project is the first partnership between SMFI and the Makati Medical Center Foundation Inc., headed by Marge Macasaet Barro and Ideaspace headed by Butch Meily, both subsidiaries of the MVP Group of Companies.

MMC and Ideaspace are providing software to the naval hospital so patients at the facility will no longer undergo time-consuming routine tests before

#OneBoracay beach cleanup today PRIVATE individuals and corporate members of the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association International, Philippine Tourism and Hospitality Officers and Marketers Association, Tourism Congress of the Philippines, and Philippine Travel Agencies Association have collaborated to show their support for Boracay.

Under the umbrella group, #OneBoracay, Save Boracay, their mission is to show solidarity with the government and all the communities and stakeholders in Boracay.

The groups will conduct a Beach Front Clean Up activity in Boracay on Monday from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. starting at the Rieseling Boracay Resort on Bolabog Beach.

This will be followed by a Job Fair at 1 p.m. at the Paradise Garden Re-

sort and Convention Center in Manggayad, Barangay Manoc Manoc.

“We want to show our love for Boracay and for the thousands of workers that will be displaced due to the closure,” HSMA president Christine Ibarreta remarked.

“We know that this small gesture will not even make a dent, but we are willing to help and this is just one of the activities we are planning to organize,” TCP president Jose Clemente III added.

Iñigo Pascual, Piolo Pacual, Nadine Lustre, James Reid, Sen. Joel Villanueva, Giselle Sanchez, Diana Meneses, Sam YG, Toni and Slick of Boys Night Out, Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez have expressed their support and have ordered their One Boracay, Save Boracay t-shirts.

being given the appropriate treatment.

The software would already contain their medical histories, Meily said.

The launch was keynoted by Rear Admiral Robert Empedrad, who thanked SMFI for the donation.

“This is just the beginning of SMFI’s support to the Navy,” he said.

Angeles said SM Foundation will take care of maintaining the facility, although the medical personnel and services will be provided by the PN. She asked the Navy “to please do your share

in taking care of the OPD facility.”

The OPD, located at the back of the 94bed hospital accredited by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and licensed by the Department of Health, caters to about 100 patients a day or 3,000 patients a month.

The renovated facility has clinics for prenatal care, family planning menopause, well-baby, bone and joint, ophthalmology and ENT, diabetes, osteoporosis, physical therapy and rehabilitation medicine, the DOTs anti-TB program of DoH, and psychiatric evaluation and management.

KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya—The P41.1million road construction project for Didipio village in this mineral-rich upland town will start on Monday, according to OceanaGold Philippines, Inc. officials.

David Way, OGPI general manager, said the 4.6-kilometer Dinaoyan Bypass Road project is funded by the company in partnership with the barangay government of Didipio.

It is expected to ease access to and from the far-flung communities here, making it easier to transport and save farm products from spoilage due to long hours of travel to the nearest trading centers in the province and in Quirino province.

“This project is significant especially for Didipio community as this will enable better access for farmers to the market for their produce, better family connections, and business connections as the travel time will be shorter.

It enables families from nearby communities and other places to visit each other more often,” Way said.

The Australian mining firm’s assets encompass the Didipio Gold-Copper Mine in this town of Kasibu, which started commercial operations in 2013.

Way said OGC has operated sustainably over the past 27 years, with a proven track record for environmental management and community and social engagement.

“We have a strong social license to operate and work collaboratively with our valued stakeholders to identify and invest in social programs that are designed to build capacity and not dependency,” he added.

Joy B: SK poll winners should learn how govt does accounting

By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte said those who would win in the upcoming Sangguniang Kabataan elections in May must go through a crash course on government accounting laws, so they could “stand on their own.”

“All elected SK officials, especially first-timers, must take up a crash course on government financial system,” she said, adding such should have been a requisite for all elected youth officials since they would directly handle public funds and properties.

“They should have training on proper accounting and financial management and administration, including pertinent laws. They should really know how to enter into contracts and use government funds properly,” Belmonte said.

“So, they could not be dictated on by their counterparts in the barangay,” she added.

Apart from having a technical know-how on handling the financial aspect of public service, the vice mayor said it is also imperative “that the value of accountability and transparency must be inculcated to the minds of the young leaders.”

With the youth council still hounded by allegations of corruption, nepotism, absenteeism, and lack of transparency, Belmonte said she still supports continued government efforts to revitalize SK as a viable force for youth development, service and participation.

To avoid repetitive projects and programs, she said the youth council must be given a set of “project menu” listing down specific projects they could implement.

She said she will hold a seminar for youths aspiring to run in May to back the youth the national government’s campaign to cleanse the SK ranks and insulate them from the culture of corruption.

GLITTERING DEBUT.

The Les Nereides Philippines was formally open to the public during a recent launching at Power Plant Mall in Makati City. Photo shows (from left) Martha King, Kristine Dee and Anne Tan Yambao, owners of the French custom jewelry store. Manny Palmero

Life

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

food

@mStandardliFE monday, april 16, 2018

C1

The real

Beijing

Duck

No. 8 China House prides itself in serving authentic Beijing duck.

recipe files

summer-inspired dishes This summer, treat yourself to three easy-to-do refreshing and delicious dishes that bring the flavors of the beach to your home.

Fish Finger in soft Taco with Avocado Aioli dressing Ingredients: 6-8 pcs 1 cup 1 cup 1 pc 1 pc 10 pcs or store bought)

A

T No. 8 China house, with its soft lighting and wooden interiors and the aroma of piping hot dim sum and Peking duck inviting you in, you can close your eyes and feel yourself transported to the only superpower in this part of the world. The waitstaff, however, are clad in muted maroon and aubergine instead of the usual bright red with touches of gold uniform. The floor to ceiling windows showcase the Bonifacio Global City skyline. There is an overall feel of understated elegance that has become the trademark of all Grand hyatt hotels worldwide.

it is one of seven food and beverage (F&B) options at the 66-story Grand hyatt Manila, which prides itself as the tallest skyscraper in the country.

No less than President Rodrigo Duterte unveiled the official marker of the property together with Metrobank founder and hotel owner George Ty in september last year.

“The Grand hyatt is very iconic, not just the imposing building with nice, warm touches but the location as well.

The Tys wanted a hotel that is bold and stands out. They did not want a cookie-cutter hotel,” said General Manager Gottfried Bogensperger in an exclusive interview days after No. 8 China house opened its doors to the public. “it is the same thing for our F&B stations. We want to stamp our own personality on things, including our restaurants. We want No. 8 China house to be authentic, and to achieve that we had to bring in seven Chinese chefs – four Cantonese, one from Beijing, one from

Jumbo prawns for seafood lovers

sichuan, and one from shanghai. You should not be afraid to make such investments, especially as this is our core business,” he added.

Perhaps the showstopper among the roasted meat offerings at No. 8 China house is its Peking duck, which is slow roasted for an hour in a specially built wood-fired oven using aromatic mango wood as fuel.

“We wanted to serve authentic Beijing duck, not the roasted duck that others pass off as Beijing duck,” said Bogensperger.

To ensure a stable and sustainable supply, Grand hyatt Manila partnered with Laguna-based EJG Mighty Duck Farm, inc. for a minimum of 500 ducks monthly.

“We asked the duck farm owner that we need these Mandarin ducks raised based on our specifications. The ducks needed to be at least three kilos each before they are ready for cooking. The manner of slaughtering the ducks had to be taught as well, because they have to remove the innards from under the wing so as not to break the skin,” said Bogensperger. it takes about 48 hours to prepare Beijing duck, and just like any authentic traditional meal, one may have the money to pay, but you’d still have to call in advance for this dish.

The duck is carved tableside by expert chefs and served alongside traditional condiments such as delicate Chinese pancakes, cucumber, hoisin sauce, and sugar.

“The beauty of an authentic Peking Duck dish is the manner of consuming it – knowing the right way to enjoy it defines if you consumed a roast duck or an actual Peking Duck,” said No. 8 China house’s chef de cuisine Masterchef Carson Luo. The delicacy can be consumed threeways: the crispy skin is served as first course, eaten after it is dipped in sugar to further enhance its flavor; the tender and flavorful meat delicately wrapped in thin pancakes together with crunchy cucumber and hoisin sauce as main course; and deep fried duck bones as last course. in the next six months, Grand hyatt Manila would have already opened all its F&B stations, namely The Grand Kitchen (all-day buffet that serves dishes cooked a la minute), The Lounge (where one can enjoy afternoon high tea with live entertainment from 2:00 p.m. onwards), The Cellar (which specializes in Mediterranean small plates and tapas together with a wine bar), The Pool house (for al fresco BBQ dining), The Peak (which features a grill restaurant, a speakeasy, and a whisky bar with cabaret and music lounge) and The Penthouse on the 66th floor for a residential style kitchen for intimate, private meetings that also has access to The Peak.

“By giving guests our full-attention and making them feel celebrated, we hope to build an emotional connection with them to ensure that their stay with us will be unforgettable,” said Bogensperger.

I’m at joyce.panares@gmail.com

fried breaded fish fingers, chopped or sliced shredded red cabbage shredded green cabbage small carrots, peeled and cut into julienne lime, juiced soft flour tortillas (prepared using MAYA All-Purpose flour pinch of salt

For avocado dressing: 1 pc ripe avocado 4-5 cloves garlic ½ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup sour cream 1 tbsp honey 1 pc lime, juiced salt and pepper Procedure: 1. in a bowl, place the cabbage and carrots and season with salt. set aside and chill until ready to use.

2. Grill tortillas for 10 to 15 seconds and keep right away in a sealed container to lock in and retain the moisture of the soft tacos.

3. Prepare avocado dressing: in a food processor or blender, blend all ingredients for avocado dressing except for salt. Process until well blended and smooth. season to taste.

4. Divide the cabbage mixture and fish among the tortillas. serve avocado dressing on the side or drizzle over the soft taco.

sweet ‘n spicy salmon poke in pineapple Brown rice serves: 4

Ingredients: 400 grams ¼ cup 2 tbsp 2 tbsp 2 tbsp

sushi-grade fresh salmon filet, cubed light brewed soy sauce brown sugar sesame oil rice wine or sake pepper to taste

For the dry seasoning: 1 pc nori sheet, grinded 2 tsp togarashi 1 tbsp white or black roasted sesame seeds 1 tbsp bonito flakes For the pineapple brown rice: 2 tbsp olive oil ½ cup pineapple chunks, drained 1 pc small finely chopped onion 2-3 cloves minced garlic 3-4 cups cooked brown rice 1 tsp prepared seasoning chopped coriander leaves Procedure: 1. in a bowl, marinade salmon with soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and rice wine. Mix until salmon are fully covered with marinade. set aside.

2. Prepare seasoning: Using a mini-processor or spice blender, process nori sheet and togarashi together until grinded or almost in powdered form. Add and mix in sesame seeds and bonito flakes, set aside for later use.

3. Prepare pineapple brown rice: heat oil in a sautéing pan and pan sear or cook the pineapple chunks until lightly brown or a little toasted. set aside. From the same pan, sauté onions and garlic

Peking duck served three ways

Turn to C2

Life

C2

monday, apri apriL 16, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Serenitea x Carmen’s Best rolls out two milk tea-inspired ice cream flavors IT WAS about in the early 2000 when iced milk teas were introduced in the country. It became all the rage, with tapioca pearls of varying sizes to complement the numerous tea (and non-tea such as fruit-, chocolate- or coffee-based drinks) concoctions. Eventually, even the choices for sinkers expanded to include grass jelly, coffee jelly, and nata de coco. Filipinos loved iced milk teas (sometimes called bubble teas), owing perhaps to our love affair as well with the ubiquitous sago gulaman samalamig.

Competition sprouted left and right, and even imported names from Tokyo, Taiwan, and Hong Kong were setting up shop in every available corner. Longevity or staying power in the business then became the one true test to gauge a milk tea brand’s success.

Serenitea, a homegrown milk tea brand, is marking its 10th anniversary this year—a feat amid the ever-changing domestic consumption demand.

“When we introduced the milk tea concept back in 2008, most people were predominantly into coffee. And some people thought that tea was about tea bags dipped in hot water.

We wanted to change that perception so we made sure that the taste of our milk tea suits the Filipino palate,” said Serenitea owner Juliet Chen.

Serenitea currently has 52 branches across the country, all company-

Korean lunch promos available at Bulgogi Brothers

New dishes

to try this week

Texas Roadhouse offers new pasta dishes

owned. And while most of its branches are in Luzon, it has presence in Cebu, Bacolod, and Iloilo in Visayas and in Davao in Mindanao.

And as a way to give thanks to its loyal customers over the past decade, it has partnered with Carmen’s Best Ice Cream, a boutique ice cream company known for crafting the best f lavors out of the freshest natural ingredients, to create two ice cream variants based on Serenitea’s bestsellers: okinawa Milk Tea and Hokkaido Milk Tea. For emphasis, that’s a milk tea-f lavored ice cream that will be used to add creaminess and f lavor to your favorite milk tea.

And these two ice cream f lavors will be exclusively available in Serenitea branches only.

According to Chen, Serenitea teamed up with Carmen’s Best last year with the latter’s ube ice cream. “The ubeflavored milk tea with Carmen’s Best ice cream became one of our fastest moving products,” she said.

“But this is the first time we’re doing something this big, coming up with milk tea-inspired ice cream flavors in time for our 10th anniversary. We want our customers to have the best and come back to the best.”

“This commitment is what Serenitea and Carmen’s Best are known for — offering quality and innovative products because our customers deserve only the best.” Joyce Babe Panares

L

ooKInG for new items to feast on? Texas Roadhouse and Bulgogi Brothers invite diners to come to their outlets to try new food options they offer.

Aside from its famous hand-cut steaks, falloff-the-bone ribs, made-from-scratch sides, and bread, Texas Roadhouse now offers new appetizers and pasta flavors to choose from. order the Appetizer Sampler, a platter filled with your favorite starters so all of you can have your own way of starting a great meal. Add Calamari Rings and enjoy tender squid seasoned and dusted with the restaurant’s signature seasonings. And if you love pasta, try Texas Style Bolognese Pasta, Buffalo Chicken Pasta, and Cajun Shrimp Pasta.

If you drop by every Thursday until end of May, you get to enjoy any 18 oz. margaritas for P195.

Meanwhile, delicious and authentic Korean lunch promos, priced from P235, are available at Bulgogi Brothers.

Try the Pork Belly, made more appetizing with a sweet-savory teriyaki sauce. or you may opt for the Beef Belly that is served with a sunny side egg, zucchini, and carrots. An equally delightful meat dish is the Beef Seoul Style which is made even more special because it is marinated in the restaurant’s own bulgogi sauce. Lastly, there’s the Spicy Chicken, a dish with that extra heat. All these lunch specials are inclusive of five side dishes: red kimchi, pickled kangkong, stir-fried anchovies, sweet corn, and Korean salad.

Texas Roadhouse branches are located at The Deck, Uptown Bonifacio and S Maison, Conrad Manila.

Bulgogi Brothers branches are at Newport Mall, Resorts World Manila, Greenbelt 5, SM Mall of Asia, Alabang Town Center, SM Lanang Premier, Evia Lifestyle Center, Venice Grand Canal.

Carmen’s Best’s Okinawa Milk Tea and Hokkaido Milk Tea ice cream flavors

Summer-inspired...

From C1

until translucent and aromatic. Add in the rice and put at least half amount of pineapple and a teaspoon of the prepared seasoning. Continue cooking until rice is aromatic.

4. To assemble: Place a cup of pineapple brown rice in a serving bowl, arrange on top pineapple chunks, marinated salmon, and coriander leaves. Sprinkle with little amount of prepared seasoning before serving.

Greek-style Roasted Corn Cob Salad

Thank God it’s Wednesday FooD lovers will have a new way to beat the midweek slump, as a revolutionary dining app offers 50 percent discount at select restaurants one Wednesday of each month.

Eatigo bring WoW Wednesday starting April 18 wherein app users can dine at half the price at some of the metro’s best-selling places, including Barcino, the home of authentic Spanish cuisines; Dillingers 1903, where steaks and pasta reign supreme; Alta at Ascott BGC, an American and Italian restaurant helmed by world-famous Chef Margarita Fores; Gelatofix, a lifestyle café specializing on a spectrum of dishes that complement their vast gelato f lavors; and Vengo, where you can find the marriage of a taqueria and coffee shop in one shop.

Check out more brands included in this promotion on the dedicated WoW Wednesday panel on the Eatigo app.

Download the Eatigo app on Google Play and App Store.

Ingredients: 2 pcs 1 tbsp a handful of each 200g 1 pc 1 pc 1 cup

Eatigo offers 50 percent discount at best-selling restaurants every Wednesday

chopped Japanese yellow corn in a cob melted butter, as needed parsley, finely chopped and mixed with grated parmesan arugula, lolorosa, frisee, lettuce feta cheese black and green olives, as needed cucumber, peeled, seeded, sliced onion cherry tomatoes, cut in half

For vinaigrette: ¼ tbsp red wine vinegar 1/3 cup olive oil ½ tsp dried oregano 2 tsp honey, optional salt and pepper Procedure: 1. Boil Japanese corn until soft.

2. Slice corn and brush with melted butter then dredge buttered corn with parmesan cheese and parsley mixture.

Set aside.

3. In a serving salad dish bowl, arrange the greens, olives, cucumber, onions, and tomatoes and top with prepared chopped Japanese corn.

4. Prepare vinaigrette: Put all the ingredients for vinaigrette in a salad dressing bottle with lid on and shake until well combined. Drizzle on salad.

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018

C3

nickie.standard@gmail.com

DIGITAL MEDIA

Captain Barbell, Darna, Lastikman in new mobile game

Kim Atienza, ABS-CBN Licensing head Karen Coloma, Anne Curtis, and Xeleb manager Vanessa Barrameda with cosplayers and YeY kids JM and Mich.

A

BS-CBN, in partnership with Xeleb Technologies, launches its newest mobile game, “Pinoy Komiks Heroes Battle,” featuring the most iconic superheroes from Mars Ravelo’s comics series—Captain Barbell, Darna, and Lastikman.

“Pinoy Komiks Heroes Battle” is a challenging puzzle game wherein players have to complete level goals within a limited number of moves. Successful moves have users fighting side by side with Darna, Captain Barbell, and Lastikman as they square off with their infamous foes and nemeses such as Valentina, Babaeng Lawin, Don Ramon, and Prof. Sixto.

Actress Anne Curtis, one of Xeleb’s co-owners, shared that users will love to play this game with the famous Pinoy

superheroes.

“We Filipinos grew up with Darna, Captain Barbel and Lastikman. That is why it is really exciting to battle alongside them in this new game,” the actress said.

Another Xeleb shareholder, Matanglawin host Kim Atienza, also added that comics is already part of the Filipinos’ way of life.

“It’s great to have this kind of game today since comics is a huge part of the Filipino culture,” Kuya Kim shared.

The new game also includes mystery boxes that players can collect by matching tiles beside it for a chance to win in-game currency or real world prizes.

The “Pinoy Komiks Heroes Battle” mobile game was recently previewed at the ABS-CBN booth in the ComicCon Asia 2018 held at the SMX Convention Center.

Explore the world of Pinoy superheroes in the new app, available for download via Google Play and the W00T Android App Market.

U.P. SAMASKOM kicks off ‘Live AIDS 32’ COMING off from the successful Live AIDS 31: HaLOLan, the U.P. SAMASKOM company members are back again for a brand new season of non-stop laughter.

Live AIDS (Ang Istoryang Dinebelop ng SAMASKOM) or Acts, Improvisations, Dances and Songs, is an annual musicalcomedy series mounted by UP SAMASKOM. It is the longest running comedy show in the country.

What started as a mere applicants’ batch project back in 1985 is now one of the most awaited events in the Diliman republic. Each year, Live AIDS has never failed to surpass the previous record number of fans who trooped to its staging venues on all performances.

For decades, Live AIDS has garnered fanatics and avid viewers who have steadfastly sought out the show, including known personalities such as Bianca Gonzales, Ricky Lee, Quark Henares, John Lapus, Rajo Laurel, Jigs Mayuga, Tim Yap and Vice Ganda. After all, it is the show which gave rise to the career of comedy stars Giselle Sanchez, Ate Glow, Michelle O’ Bombshell, Tuesday Vargas, and KaladKaren.

“Live AIDS made me the woman that I am today. As an artist and an entrepreneur, this show paved my way to achieve all my accomplishments

to date,” lauded Vargas, an alumna of the organization and a senior performer of the show.

As home to talented and diverse individuals from all walks of the university who have a passion for creativity and self-expression, Live AIDS has continuously lived on with its magic that fuels it: the collaboration between the members of UP SAMASKOM, student and alumni alike. This camaraderie and the trust that have formed within the “samahan” is what makes the magic of the show happen.

“This show bolsters one’s talent, skills, and self-confidence. It’s evident in our alumni members,” said another alumnus, Kaladkaren Davila.

Giving off a fresh take on socio-political

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, April 16, 2018

ACROSS 1 Radar screen 5 La Fontaine tale 10 Go separate ways 14 Fluency 15 Kitchen wear 16 Uh-huh (2 wds.)

17 Sleek 18 Drugstore buys 20 “Sour grapes” coiner 22 Milk qty.

23 Fairies’ rods 24 Spud 26 Involuntary movement 27 Stinker 29 Sporty socks 33 Walked haltingly 34 — minding the store?

35 Timber tree 36 Brigitte’s friend 37 Perfect 39 Before, in combos 40 Set of tools 41 Orderly 42 Lay in wait 44 Delight 46 Drink of the gods 47 Funny person 48 Sherlock

Holmes creator 49 Drive forward 52 Tot’s cover-up 53 Fast horses 57 Averts 60 Baha’i origin 61 Pay phone feature 62 Mooring site 63 Napoleon’s island 64 Bookie’s figures 65 Not tidy 66 Laundry need DOWN 1 — — grip!

2 Uncommon 3 Wife of Osiris 4 Startup band’s submission (2 wds.)

5 Obesity 6 Orbit extreme 7 Thorn 8 Take it easy 9 Capt.’s heading 10 “Treasure Island” subject 11 A — — apple 12 Cattail 13 Hardy heroine 19 Branches 21 Glazier’s unit 25 Most clearly organized 26 Dessert cart

27 Imitate 28 Sends forth 29 Gleeful shout 30 Sri — 31 Fragrant compound 32 Snakes do it 33 Fishing spot 34 Freshly painted 38 Bad hair — 39 Vein opposites 41 Does perfectly 43 West Coast campus 45 Bird sounds 46 Earls and dukes

48 Sour pickles 49 In that case (2 wds.)

50 Form for gelatin 51 Poke 52 Pain in the neck 54 The younger Guthrie 55 Rum-soaked cake 56 Parka closer 58 Allen or Reid 59 Hog’s abode

issues and pop culture without sacrificing the classic Live AIDS formula, the 32nd installment of one of the most anticipated events in UP Diliman will be helmed by four young directors, incorporating a brand new treatment on stage production and presentation, utilizing the classic brand of comedy that is quintessentially Live AIDS. With Live AIDS being a parody of our current experiences, it tackles the present, the new, the trending, and the viral, by fusing comedy with the hard-hitting realities of this twisted socio-political sphere in the country. The show gets inspiration from these daily phenomena and aims to provide a different take, by providing a night filled with fun, spectacle, and entertainment you will never forget.

One of the four young directors of this year’s instalment of Live AIDS, Bill Barrinuevo, stated that, “there is pressure to outdo ourselves every year. It is terrifying but it is a welcome challenge we take on. UP SAMASKOM is very passionate in creating a show that speaks out and entertains at the same time.”

Live AIDS 32 open today then on April 16, 20, 21, and 22. For more updates follow the group on Twitter and Instagram @UPSamaskom, and like its page at facebook.com/ upsamaskom. Tickets are available on ktx.abs-cbn.com.

Simply...

From C4

PLDT Home ambassador Kris Aquino is a certified social media icon.

Following a hiatus from her mainstream TV career, she re-established herself as the Queen of Digital Infotainment, gaining a massive base of fans who are continuously enamored by her wit, charm and captivating personality.

Kris continues to excite her followers with her “open book” lifestyle. This lead to authentic content ranging from partnerships with brands she trusts, to true-to-life conversations with people from all walks of life, fashion tips and hacks, and her parenting journey with sons Josh and Bimby.

December last year, Kris opened up her extraordinary house in an exclusive threepart video, in partnership with PLDT Home, the Philippines’ leader in digital services. While her house is always prominently featured in her videos, PLDT Home was given the premiere opportunity to provide everyone the grand virtual tour of Kris Aquino’s entire home. The videos showcased her family’s digitally powered and connected home powered

by PLDT, supporting their love of home entertainment.

In one of the videos, Kris is seen talking about her love for Korean Pop group BTS, which she watches via the all-inone entertainment box Roku Powered™ TVolution. She also shares how their PLDT Home Fibr-powered connection is consistently fast and seamless anywhere at home because of the Whole Home Wi-Fi service - a product-and-service package that connects the entire home to a strong all-in-one broadband and smart Wi-Fi network.

The videos have now reached a combined total of 14 million views on her social media pages making them among the most viewed in Kris Aquino’s official page.

Kris, herself, added, “It was super fun making that video. I hope they learned a few things along the way because building and nurturing this home has been a hugely rewarding experience for me, thanks to partners like PLDT Home.

We’re always cooking up new ways to excite our followers and our viewers so I’m excited for our next project.”

Relive Kris Aquino’s home tour again —part 1, part 2, and part 3— and check out Kris’ official Facebook page. To learn more about the PLDT Home products and services featured in the videos, visit pldthome.com. *** Chicago’s modern-day heroes are back to save more lives in the latest season of the medical drama Chicago Med, which returns on Sony Channel this month.

In the season premiere, things turn complicated for the doctors and nurses of Chicago’s state-of-the-art trauma center as Dr. Charles (Oliver Platt) prepares to testify against his shooter after he was shot outside of the hospital. Dr. Rhodes (Colin Donnell) worries about Robin’s behavior at home after her release from a rehabilitation facility. Dr. Manning (Torrey DeVitto) and Dr. Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) confront their feelings for each

Kris Aquino and her sons Joshua and Bimby

other once and for all.

Meanwhile, Dr. Choi (Brian Tee) and April (Yaya DaCosta) try to conceal their new relationship at work. Dr. Bekker (Norma Kuhling) gets off on the wrong foot with Dr. Rhodes when she poaches one of his patients.

Chicago Med Season 3 premieres on April 30, and airs 8:50 p.m. every Monday.

Sony Channel is available on Cablelink Channel 39, Cignal Channel 120, Destiny Cable Channel 35, G Sat Channel 48, and SKYCable Channel 35. ** * ABS-CBN’s online streaming and video-on-demand content platform, iWant TV, is releasing a new and original web series by award-winning director Pam Reyes titled #Adulting, a coming-of-age, light drama-comedy that follows four young Filipina women from different colleges who are about to leave the comforts of their university life for the first time.

Pam, the creative producer of the awardwinning movie Birdshot, said “#Adulting explores the lives of millennials and explicitly shows the bitter, harsh, but fun reality of a young woman’s struggle in modern day Metro Manila while tapping on relevant issues.”

When asked about what she expects from the series, she said, “I’ve always wanted to create something that shows the lives of young women in the Philippines.

It’s a unique perspective that I hope the audience will like. It’s cool to note that we shot this with a team that’s predominantly women. The four characters I co-wrote with Rae Red have different paths and issues. We both graduated from U.P. Diliman, hence most of the characters and situations are inspired by real life events.”

The main character, Aira, is a film graduate and aspires to be director but has to go through the ropes as a production assistant. It is through her character that the show throws inside jokes about the film industry. Lars, the ate of the group, comes from a long-term relationship and is struggling to choose between her dreams and her love life. Sab, the conyo quirky girl, is battling personal and mental issues while maintaining a seemingly positive life. Bulak, the Public Administration Ilongga graduate, is working her way to the work force but also working on her confusions about sexuality.

Adulting is a term used by millennials to show they’ve carried out duties and responsibilities expected of adults.

Rapidly transitioning into an agile digital company, ABS-CBN has the biggest online presence among Filipino media companies. It is the top local Youtube and Facebook publisher, ranking first among the most viewed online content creators in the country and 32nd globally. #Adulting premiered three full episodes on Wednesday last week for free exclusively on iWant TV.

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

C4

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018

An amazing dining experience 150 feet above the ground THE Sunday before I flew to the US on Wednesday, MMI Live treated Manila Standard to Dinner in the Sky, a thrilling dining experience designed for the adventurous.

Just imagine you’d be dining high up in the sky 150 feet above the ground on a table suspended in the air for an hour.

We were with other guests, around 20, all strapped to the chairs around a table with the chef (that time it was the good-looking Chef Hylton Le Roux of Solaire’s Waterside) and his two assistants attending to the guests.

The lift off was nothing one should fear of…you hardly feel until the table reaches the peak and if the wind factor is strong, you’d feel it’s swinging, but if the wind is light, you’d think you’re on a ship cruising the ocean.

All in all, the experience is exactly an hour, from the lift off to the descent, and by that time the four-course dinner is over.

The Chef prepared for the guests that night a Latin-fused menu starting with Tuna Tiradito aji Amarillo paste, lime pickled red radish and cassava crunch.

It was followed by Anticuchos de pollo (a chicken dish), tamarind habanera glaze, mojo verde, baby beetroot, and crispy concha corn.

Guests had a choice for their main course between Mexican Adobo spice Atlantic salmon, red quinoa, edmame,

Alden Richards never fails to make the fans swoon with his killer smile.

Hunancaina cream, and chili con salsa.

Or Cuban style slow cooked pork belly, Mojo sauce, agave ISAH V. RED roast baby carrots and spice refried beans.

I had the pork dish, which was really fantastic, And then for dessert, we had dulce de leche cheesecake dome, praline, and chocolate texture that the guests had to plate, the winner of which was given a cocktail voucher to the Waterside. My plate was in the top three, but I didn’t win the cocktail voucher.

That Sunday night was also the last night of Chef Hylton, and this week Dinner in The Sky has another chef.

And for the finale, a Michelin-starred chef will be flown in from Belgium, Chef Yves Matagne of Sea Grill in Brussels.

According to guys from MMI, the response to Dinner in the Sky was very encouraging. The concept has gone around 5,000 times in 45 cities.

The cost per head is P9,990 that comes with a four-course dinner, a view of Manila, but most of all the once-in-a lifetime experience of dining up in the sky.

Will I do it again? Why not? The food is good, the experience is fantastic. And it doesn’t happen very often. Not in the Philippines, at least. Continued on C3

HIGHCLASS DINING.

The author strapped down to a chair attached to a platform hoisted 150 meter above the ground.

KAPUSO STARS

charm Pinoys in US and Canada

G

MA Pinoy TV’s Sikat Ka, Kapuso was a huge hit among Filipinos abroad when the back-toback shows featuring Dennis Trillo, Jennylyn Mercado, Lovi Poe, Alden Richards, Betong Sumaya, and Dingdong Dantes took New Jersey and Toronto by storm.

The shows held at the Newark Symphony Hall, New Jersey on April 7 and Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto on April 8 were attended by excited Filipinos who came from different parts of America and Canada.

Fans travelled all the way from New York, Florida, Texas, Michigan, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton, St. Laurent and Montreal, Ottawa, and Windsor just to see their Kapuso idols perform on stage and get the chance to take photos with them.

The Kapuso artists, despite the cold weather, tirelessly prepared for the shows and gave their all to provide the Kapuso brand of quality entertainment.

They offered a variety of song and dance numbers that reminded the audience of home as well as laughter and kilig that the crowd surely loved.

Dennis expressed his gratitude to his fellow Filipinos for the warmth they received during their brief stay in the East Coast. “Kung gaano po kalamig dito, ganun naman kainit ang pagtanggap ninyo sa amin. Salamat po, mga Kapuso.”

Jennylyn also thanked everyone who supported their shows. “Thank you for coming here. I hope we can still see each other next time.”

Lovi was nothing but grateful for the love and energy that the audience gave her during their show. “That was amazing. We were tired because of the flight and rehearsals pero napawi pagod namin sa inyo.”

On the other hand, Alden said that spending time with his supporters in the US and Canada was his way of saying thanks to them. “We’re very happy to

see them. I’d like to thank them for their very warm reception. I hope we could go back and give them another show.”

Betong said seeing the venue filled with an excited crowd really made him forget about his jetlag. “Ibang iba yung pagtanggap nila sa amin, lalo na nung pag-labas namin sa stage, there were so many people. They boosted our energy.”

Lastly, Dingdong acknowledged his kababayans for their effort to come together to enjoy the concert with them.

“I know many of us are being entertained by GMA Pinoy TV, mga Kapuso of all ages. Thank you for your support. I hope all of you could go back to the Philippines soon.”

Sikat Ka, Kapuso is a GMA-produced event which aims to bring Filipinos abroad closer to home via its international channels GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, and GMA News TV International.

Partner carriers in the US and Canada also joined the party. Representatives from Charter Communications and RCN attended the New Jersey show while Canadian carriers Bell and Rogers set up booths at the Toronto show.

‘Pilipinas Got Talent’ makes waves online, hits 1M subscribers ABS-CBN’s talent search Pilipinas Got Talent was recently awarded with the Gold Creator Award by YouTube after hitting 1 million subscribers on its official channel.

PGT is the first Kapamilya show to have a million strong community in the video sharing website.

This proves that PGT not only dominates weekend programming but also conquers the online world as more and more netizens search and watch videos of the show’s audition and semi-finals performances. Every week, PGT also makes it to YouTube’s trending list with its videos earning millions of views in just a short period.

Meanwhile on Twitter, PGT is a consistent trending topic on weekends with its official hashtag on top of the list.

It also has a growing following on its official Instagram account, which some refers to as #feedgoals for its curated and well thought of posts.

During its pilot week, Pilipinas Got Talent already hit an all-time high na-

tional TV rating of 43.3 percent, one of the highest rating recorded by a weekend program for 2018.

As the semi-finals continues this week, the show gets closer and closer in completing its list of grand finalists. Who among the remaining semifinalists will join the Nocturnal Dance Company, Orville Tonido, Kristel De Catalina, Xtreme Dancers, Bardilleranz, and DWC Aeon Flex and compete for the grand prize of P2 million?

To vote, just text PGT NameOfContestant and send to 2366 for all networks. You can also vote via Google.

Just log in using you Google account and type PGT VOTE in the Google search bar. Click the photo of the act you want to vote for and press submit.

Only one vote per Google account or SIM. Make sure to watch the live episodes and wait for the hosts’ cue before you start voting.

Pilipinas Got Talent airs every Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 p.m. on ABSCBN.

Golden Buzzer acts Bardilleranz and DWC Aeon Flex made it through the grand finals of 'Pilipinas Got Talent' after an emotional semi-final round elimination last weekend.

Dennis Trillo dedicates his song to all Filipinos.

Lovi Poe flaunts her sexy side in a song number.

Dingdong Dantes serenades the crowd.

Big Dome glows blue, shines light on autism KNOWN as the Philippine mecca of sports and entertainment, the iconic Smart Araneta Coliseum showed that it was also a hub for good causes when it lit blue to raise awareness on autism.

On April 2, the Big Dome’s green gate was illuminated with blue lights as it joined the international community in observing World Autism Awareness Day. Other landmarks around the world like the Empire State Building in New York, the Niagara Falls in Canada, the Suez Canal in Egypt, the Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, the Sagrada Familia in Spain and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai had also participated in the cause.

People living with autism, their families, local government units and non-government organizations witnessed the event.

The Light It Up Blue event, a worldwide initiative that coincides with the UNsanctioned World Autism Awareness Day, is a symbolic way of standing up with and understanding people living with autism.

Last year, the Araneta Center showed its support with the “Big Dome Lights Blue” event, hosting performances by kids living with disabilities; a short talk by PACDLD (Philippine Association for Citizens with Developmental and Learning Disabilities Inc.) PACDLD founder Felicite Jean Gonzales, and the lighting of the Coliseum façade blue.

Newly crowned Miss Universe Philip-

pines Catriona Gray, Binibining Pilipinas International Ma. Ahtisa Manalo, Binibining Pilipinas Supranational Jehza Huelar, Binibining Pilipinas Grand International Eva Patalinjug, Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental Karen Gallman, Binibining Pilipinas Globe Michele Gumabao and Binibining Pilipinas second runner-up Samantha Bernardo graced the event as they aim to use their platform as beauty queens to raise awareness on worthy causes like this.

The Araneta Center, the J. Amado Araneta Foundation and the Gateway Gallery also teamed up with PACDLD in feting autism advocates.

Teachers Ma. Carmencita Guanzon-Borbon, Pilar Relovo Habito,

Josephine Villareal Nepomuceno and Fredeswina Tantengco-Javier; Special Olympics Philippines executive Ma. Cristina Zafra Canizares; developmental pediatricians Dr. Joel Lazaro and Dr. Alexis Socorro de Leon Reyes; social workers Angela Marina Luna Pangan and Ederlinda Lumaad Salud; and Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia were recognized for their efforts to raise autism awareness and help people with autism.

PACDLD founder Octavio “Ogie” SA Gonzales was also given a posthumous tribute for his contributions to the cause.

For more information on the cause, follow @worldautismawarenessday on Facebook.

Binibining Pilipinas queens grace the Araneta Coliseum's Light It Up Blue event.

Photo by Sonny Espiritu

D1

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018 advertise@manilastandard.net

CDC@25:

LAYING GROUNDWORK FOR THE FUTURE

By Peter Paul Duran

C

LARK Development Corporation (CDC) may be celebrating its 25th anniversary this week, but the entity behind Clark Freeport Zone’s hasty rise in recent years has the future at the back of its mind.

Clark – which houses a 4,400-hectare main zone and a 27,600-hectare subzone, with a 9,450- hectare New Clark City next on the agenda, is a modern industrial estate situated in Pampanga, planned to be transformed into an airportdriven, urban center targeting high-end, IT-enabled industries, aviation and logistics-related enterprises, tourism and other Freeport-related projects.

It now has a total of 949 locators and a total of $6.876B in exports as of December 2017. But the altitude where they right now did not come without turbulence and a shaky start.

From a P1-million net income some two decades ago, CDC can now boast that for the first time in its history, the Billion-peso mark has been breached, all the more making its silver anniversary much sweeter.

From Ashes to a Modern Freeport It wasn’t that easy for Clark. In 1991, Clark Air Base, home to the US 13th Air Force, was shut down after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo. The Americans left everything in haste and all that was left was an abandoned military base buried under tons of ash.

Then came the fruition of CDC, which since then, had been recognized as the lawful backbone of the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) since its inception in 1993.

Then, under the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the CSEZ was renamed Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ) by virtue of R.A. 9400.

Rising from the Ranks “It’s a milestone year for us because it’s our 25th anniversary and I think there are good things that are happening in Clark right now,” said CDC President and CEO Noel F. Manankil.

More than anyone, Manankil is best equipped to personify the rise of the government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC), having started his career as a financial analyst for the Corporate Planning Department back in 1996.

When the Ramos administration hailed Clark as a manufacturing and logistics’ hub for local and foreign companies, CDC had a lot of expectations to live up to. Thanks to the men and women of the state-run company, including former and current ones, the CDC delivered.

“The past administration and also the former presidents and heads really gave it a push. From the first management team up to the current management team, we have built on each other’s successes,” Manankil added.

Making sure that the Clark Freeport Zone would be one of the modern Freeports in Asia, CDC had been able to attract foreign and domestic locators to invest into the Freeport, with an excellent, adept and coordinated Management Committee proving to be pivotal for this endeavor.

Testament to this is the collaborative effort of their ManCom, which in true style, talked with the Manila Standard last Wednesday -- in full force -- to update us on the many exciting things in store for Clark.

Current Numbers For CDC, there are three drivers to the growth in the Freeport: their capability to entice more locators; driving additional exports; and taking advantage of the airport’s potential that is indispensable to achieving economic and tourism growth.

CDC noted that as of December 2017, they now have 108,000 workers compared to 93,467 employees in 2016. This

Clark Development Corporation ManCom composed of (from left) Engr. Alveen H. Tabag, VP-Engineering Services; Atty. Ramsey L. Ocaampo, Ph.D., VP-Security Services; Atty. Perlita M. Sagmit, VP-Legal Affairs; Noel F. Manankil, President/CEO; Evangeline G. Tejada, VP-Business Development and Business Enhancement Group; Noemi B. Garcia, Tourism & Promotions Division Head; Alizaido F. Paras, VP-Administration and Finance; and Anthony Emmanuel G. Tulabut, Communication Division Head.

Peter Paul Duran

indicates a 16% growth from the previous year. Manankil shared as well that during the time when the American bases were still located in Clark, there were only about 20,000 Filipinos employed in Clark Freeport Zone. Now, there’s a full five-fold increase in jobs’ generation and economic windfall for residents of adjoining communities.

“In terms of exports, we successfully recorded a 35% growth from 2016, which translate to an export value of US$6.9 Billion,” said Manankil.

Introducing Aerotropolis as its Development Pilot The GOCC has confidence that they are now moving forward and as part of their development strategy, they are banking on Clark being the new “Aerotropolis of Asia.”

True enough, CDC leans to the aviation and airport terminal sector as their anchor for Clark’s development. Although not part of CDC’s project, Manankil revealed that the construction of an additional terminal for the airport, which can hold 8 million people and host 500 flights a day, is a would-be monumental boost for the overall economic growth of the entire Freeport Zone Future Transportation Requirements Having an ‘aerotropolis’ on top of their development list and anticipating an influx of investment and visitors, CDC focused on building more infrastructure. Engineer Alveen Tabag, Next page

D2

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018 advertise@manilastandard.net

From D1

CDC Vice President for Engineering Services, realizes the advantage that CDC is self sustaining--it enables the corporation to prioritize and implement projects sooner, with the support of the national government readily approving such infrastructure projects.

“Last year, we spent around almost a billion and this year ang binigay sa aming budget is 1.8 billion worth of infrastructure projects, majority of which are roads and also tourism and sports facilities,” said Tabag, who is also busy devising a plan to enhance their Bus Rapid Transportation.

“We are focusing on mass transportation because with 108,000 employees, it’s becoming an issue. There has to be a more efficient mass transit system,” added Manankil, who added that they are tapping the Local Government Units to help them ease traffic especially routes going in and out of the Freeport.

15-minute rule Tabag then added that their main infrastructure project is the improvement of its road network, while still maintaining Clark’s existing traffic situation, where a commuter can move from one place to another in just 15 minutes.

“Fifteen minutes maximum. From work, you can go to the golf course can go to the mall, to the airport in 15 minutes. That is our promise,” Tabag said.

Manankil added: “Unlike sa Manila na from just one block to another is 15 minutes (laughs).”

CDC not only aims for a simple road widening as they strive to build infrastructure that people would normally see in a first-world setup. Hence, it will surely attract more tourists to visit in Clark.

Boosting Tourism “We want (tourists) to stay for the night when they land in Clark, and then maybe

and Promotions Division Head, whose office is also promoting MICE events (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) when they started with the MICE Convention in 2014.

“We also entice mga sporting events like marathons, biking and triathlon events because the area is clean and it promotes a healthy lifestyle. The area is really fit for those kinds of events,” she added as for 2018 alone, there are 102 calendared events slated in Clark.

“We’re embarking and looking more at the ecotourism adventure side of the area and we are working on this with the local government especially with Mabalacat city to promote Haduan falls,” added Garcia, who also showcased their one-of-a-kind Clark Museum and 4D Theatre.

Security and Progress Go Hand-in-Hand Meanwhile, VP for Security Services Atty.

Ramsey L. Ocampo, Ph.D shared that security must go abreast with the developments in terms of infrastructure, business and development.

CDC installed new surveillance systems to improve their response system, as well as modernize their capability concerning personnel training in terms of equipment and modern tactics.

“We are committed to the development of the business industry here as we are bent on recovering more land areas because we still have informal settlers here inside Clark. We are doing it humanely,” he said, while adding that a total of 180 CCTV cameras are installed inside Clark to monitor the city.

“Those are the three main aspects of security, that’s why I believe the future is very bright for Clark,” Atty. Ocampo said.

Only 1.7 crimes a month Peace and order isn’t a big issue to deal with inside Clark. So it’s safe enough (mind

try out other tourism destinations – we want that for Clark,” said VP for Business Development and Business Enhancement Group Evangeline G. Tejada. “Given that we have no natural resources, we’re making it for them.”

CDC has been very vocal that they are also allotting a huge amount for tourism facilities.

Knowing that they lack natural resources compared to other Freeports, the developer is more likely to build their own tourist spots, or just make Clark more attractive and cleaner.

In 2016, Clark bagged the Sports Destination of the Year award, and they want to hold on to that title. To make this possible, they are putting up more adventure-type destinations that offer sports activities.

“Part of our plans is the enhancement of our 20-hectare wide parade ground that is slated to accommodate sports events, including soccer, baseball and frisbee. CDC will develop various local parks, as well,” she added.

Believing that with more attraction comes more tourists, the company holds to the concept that more hotel accommodations will result in more locator-driven investment on tourism. In fact, Tejada revealed that the Marriott Hotel will open in September, as well as the Hilton Hotel. In addition, another hotel built by all-Filipino investors will soon arise beside Aqua Planet.

There could be a total of 5,000 rooms available for tourists, locators, and business travelers--a significant improvement from the current 2,300 rooms Clark offers right now.

Widus Hotel and Casino’s P15-B expansion project for their Tower 4 started Friday and is seen to bolster the commercial industry in Clark.

“Clark is starting to become one of the top destinations in the Philippines. In fact, Top Eight na siya,” said Noemi B. Garcia Tourism

the pun) to say that Clark is almost a “crimeless” city. According to Atty. Ocampo, they only recorded 20 petty crimes for the past 12 months!

To support this, Tejada said that banks usually prefer not to employ security guards on weekends, as they are confident and comfortable that Clark is really secured.

Emergency Response and Event Security CDC likewise highlights its emergency response and its disaster risk management as an integral part of making Clark more attractive to investors. Manankil reminisced that their experience with the Yokohama fire was an eyeopener even if it was declared fire out in three hours. With this, the company embarked on its modernization program in firefighting, search and rescue and security.

Also known for the annual Philippine Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, CDC also suggests a reorganization to put a unit that will be purely dedicated to events in coordination with their tourism. CDC expressed that they don’t dwell too much in law enforcement, as they focus more on developing their assets that will keep Clark safe and in order.

“It’s a mix of security, infrastructure, incentives and people. That I think would say is what made Clark successful, citing the parameters before at least for the last 25 years,” Manankil addressed.

Rapid Economic Growth Alizaido F. Paras, Vice President for Administration and Finance, recalled their modest start 20 years ago when they made a meager “toothpick figure” in their P1-million net income.

But now, they have remitted around P2.55 billion in cash dividends, while they recently declared a cash dividend of P700 million for 2017 that brings a total of around P3.25 billion in total dividends, which is more than the

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Filinvest Mimosa+ Leisure Cit�: Redefining the landscape of the north

Filinvest Mimosa+ is geared to enhance the business and leisure landscape in the North. rogressively adding value as it redefines the landscape of Clark, Pampanga is the newest premier destination in the north: the Filinvest Mimosa+ Leisure City, formerly Mimosa Leisure Estate. Sprawling at 201 hectares, it boasts of an integrated masterplan that seamlessly melds business and leisure into one impressive community.

P

TOWNSHIP ON THE RISE

BUSINESS HUB

Banking on Filinvest’s broad expertise in large-scale developments — with Filinvest City in Alabang and City Di Mare in Cebu serving as prime examples — it seeks to bring Mimosa to its full potential. Envisioned to become a balanced and eco-centric community, Filinvest Mimosa+ is setting the bar higher for innovative townships as it focuses on four components: leisure, business, residential, and nature.

With its prime location in the Clark Freeport Zone, Filinvest Mimosa+ also aims to provide investors and entrepreneurs a setting where they can grow and expand their business.

Included in its enhanced masterplan is the 3.6-hectare office campus—aptly called Workplus—that features six mid-rise buildings with a total projected gross leasable area of over 100,000 square meters.

"We envision a metropolis that is future-ready and yet very much nature-inspired. With Mimosa’s rich history and through our redevelopment masterplan, we want Filinvest Mimosa+ to be the top of mind destination for tourism and commerce in Clark and in the north," says Filinvest Executive Vice President Catherine Ilagan.

Already, two impressive green office buildings—1 Workplus and 2 Workplus, both equipped with a retail area at the ground floor and advanced fiber optic facilities—are fully completed and are ready to welcome corporations that are looking to expand their business in Central Luzon.

ENRICHED LIFESTYLE Also setting Filinvest Mimosa+ apart

Artist's perspective of Filinvest Mimosa+ al fresco retail strip

is how nature, the inclusion of greenscapes, verdant flora, and open spaces, takes center stage in the redevelopment of the estate, most notable of which is the now existing Acacia Park, with its pavilions, sitting areas and water features.

Complementing this are wide paths and bike lanes that make for a pedestrian, cyclist and eco-friendly community.

Filinvest Mimosa+ also seeks to be the preferred home away from home in the north with a residential phase that will offer fine midrise buildings for long term living options. Currently,

The award winning Mimosa Golf Course

Mimosa+ boasts of being the choice destination for topnotch accommodation and MICE facilities through Quest Hotel and Conference Center – Clark, with its newly refurbished lobby, 303 guestrooms, two luxury Grand Villas that are the ultimate in posh living, the well-known Mequeni Restaurant and Charley’s Bar, a swimming pool and fitness center, plus eight fully equipped function rooms.

Coming soon as well is an Events Pavilion that will feature an additional grand ballroom and meeting rooms designed to host world-class events—be it an intimate gathering, an exhibition, or large conferences.

Tourists and residents in the region can also look forward to the development of a hub for shopping, dining, and events. The lifestyle mall and the retail strip will house the best retail stores and unique dining concepts while its own four-hectare Event Grounds will be a prime venue for some of the biggest events in the country.

ENTERTAINMENT CITY Recently, Filinvest Mimosa+ has secured a provisional license from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) for the development of a high-end casino. The upcoming casino is expected to not only help position the estate as a distinguished leisure and gaming destination in Pampanga, but to further increase employment, investment, and entrepreneurial opportunities up north as well.

“Filinvest Mimosa+’s enviable location close to Clark International Airport makes it accessible to both domestic and international tourists.

Now that we have secured the permit for the development of the casino, we foresee further upsurge in tourist arrivals upon completion of the various components,” notes Josephine Gotianun-Yap, president of Filinvest Development Corporation. “Visitors can look forward to Filinvest Mimosa+ Leisure City with its offering of topnotch casinos and boutiques, among others.”

Filinvest Mimosa+ features office buildings for businesses looking to expand in Clark,Pampanga.

To date, a plethora of exciting events, including the 31st ASEAN Summit, 7th Clark-Miyamit Falls Trail Ultra, the Pilipinas Duathlon 2018 Leg 1, and the Color Manila Paradise Run, have already been held at Filinvest Mimosa+, thereby heralding its rising position as venue of choice in the region.

The new Acacia Park located across Quest Hotel is a lush and open space for outdoor activities.

In Mimosa+, Filinvest is creating a township that drives growth and innovation as it adds to the quality of life in the north. Through the continuous enhancement of the Mimosa estate, Filinvest aims to elevate modern living in the region.

To learn more about the many exciting things that Filinvest Mimosa+ has to Not to be missed, of course, is the offer along with all coming 150-hectare Mimosa Golf Course, developments, visit its website at which has played host to a number of www.mimosaplus.com.ph. prestigious tournaments. The no membership required golf course is among the elements that maintain a strong base of returning guests of varying skillsets at Filinvest Mimosa+, serving as the centerpiece of the estate.

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From D2

required dividend by the law.

“Rent income accounts for 90% of our total revenues and last year it was around P1.98 billion. Translated into net income, that accounts for 52% or around P1.03 billion in net income,” Paras explained. “That’s around 67 percent of our total net income for the last 25 years.”

Meanwhile, CDC noted that different sectors are contributing to its economic growth and highlighted that all workers of CDC contribute to its progress, along with the government.

On the other hand, income taxes play a key role in its progress, noting that they have more than a hundred thousand employees, citing the exponential factor that this creates.

Moreover, Clark has become an alternative for locals instead

going to Manila or flying abroad, as they create opportunities for employment and businesses. Today, there are 5,000 job vacancies at the Clark Freeport Zone and CDC has teamed up with the local government units to conduct trainings for their constituents.

One of the reasons why Clark is turning into an investment haven is because of its governance, too. Claiming that they are very strict with regard to corruption, Vice President for Legal Affairs Atty. Perlita M. Sagmit stressed that an automatic termination awaits a corrupt official, but they make sure that the case undergoes a legal process. “Even if there is only a hint of corruption, we look into that talaga and the repercussion is termination (if proven),” she explained.

The Future CDC knows that to turn Clark into a more modern industrial estate and premier service and logistic center, they need to have facilities for training, conferences, tourism and leisure in the Philippines. With that, infrastructure for these drivers has been laid out already.

“In a nutshell, we are modernizing the place in areas that we have identified to be our priorities. In coordination and having support also from our parent company BCDA, we have secure infrastructure also benefitting the New Clark City,” Manankil said.

This new endeavor from CDC and other stakeholders is a sprawling 9,450-hectare piece of prime real estate at a confluence of industry and agriculture, boasting of existing infrastructure and connectivity to Manila and the rest of the Philippines. NCC is poised to become the next big metropolis because of its strategic location.

Merging with nature, the heart of New Clark City is proposed to be a central park with business district wrapped around it, coupled with magnificent views of the hills. It is served by public transport, housing and industries form the other layers. A network of open spaces forms the bond between diverse, mixed-use districts.

CDC has successfully transformed a fledgling former military base into the billion peso-generating economic behemoth it is now today. The new Clark Green City is all but assured of the same path, nay, even more.

Now with the whole of Asia rearing its head towards the irresistible enticement of the New Clark City, expect CDC, along with its hardworking officers and the support from BCDA, to realize this monumental opportunity with the same tenacity and effort its leaders have shown in the past 25 years, and through the next 25 years and beyond.

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By Angelica Villanueva and Charles Dantes

F

Stepping out of one’s

OR the past 25 years, the Clark Special Economic Zone has reached several milestones in terms of generating economic growth that spills over to its surrounding communities. With 949 locators, the Freeport was able to generate a total $ 6.876B in exports as of 4Q of last year.

This could not be possible without the various industrial and manufacturing companies driving Clark’s export capabilities to a record high.

Some of these notable corporation include: 1.SFA Semicon PH – $3.074B 2.Texas Instruments-$1.83B 3. Nanox Philippines, Inc.-$1.06B 4. Yokohama Tire Philippines Inc.$223M 5. SMK Electronics (Phils.) Corp.$108M Other manufacturing companies boosting the growth are Sevencia Cheese Factory, La Rose Chocolate Factory, and O&G Leather Manufacturing Corp., together with existing ICT/ Services/Developers, such as Sutherland, Alorica, Iqor, FedEx, Scorp Phils, ePLDT. But the current thrust of the Clark Development Corporation, which oversees management of Clark, is to bolster its commercial and tourism attraction. At present, Clark has been known to hold colorful, fun and family-friendly events such as: Hot Air Balloon Fiesta Experience four days of flying the skies and colorful aviation with the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

Donning the tagline, ‘Weekend of Everything that Flies,’ the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta has been the target of many travellers trying to check off their bucket lists.

Color Manila Run and Sports Tourism Events Clark is the host of Color Manila Run in its last two races, with another one coming next year. CMR and CDC reached an agreement for an extension, according to Tourism and Promotions Division head Noemi B. Garcia, who believes Clark is a perfect choice for events like these, as the environment and facilities cater to events like running, biking and triathlon.

Sports and Adventure Facility Sun Valley Golf Clark Pampanga’s exclusive 18th golf course is played at the Clark Sun Valley Golf and Country Club. It has provided slopes, bushes, and ravines to create a thrilling course for golfers. The clubhouse is not just notable for its challenging course, but also for its terrific views of natural attractions like streams and waterfalls. Besides that, it has a magnificent landscape and a panoramic view of Mount Pinatubo.

Aqua Planet Everyone is going loco with this newly built water park at Clark, Mabalacat, Pampanga.

Aqua Planet is slowly making waves among those who want to experience an extraordinary adventure, what with its water activities that everyone in the family will surely enjoy. During the summer, expect a surge of pool enthusiasts to visit Aqua Planet.

There are over 25 over-the-top attracNext page

comfort zone at the Freeport Zone

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From D5

TRANSCONTAINER (TCL) PHILIPPINES, INC. “ A Leading Integrated Service Provider”

Please include full style office details of Pampanga Office (Bldg. 7585, Civil Aviation Complex, Diosdado Macapagal International Airport Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

tions in this 10-hectare park, with extraordinary and favorite spots being the Super Bowl, Flow Rider, Tornado, Octopus Racer, Mermaid Bay, Lazy River, and Boogie Bay. They also have a wave pool and different areas to explore and hang out.

To cater to the growing number of tourists, business travellers and adventureseekers, Clark has an upcoming hotel, MICE and other facilities in tow to address these needs.

Marriott Hotel by Widus Hotel & Casino It will add additional 236 rooms with a completion date slated 4Q this year. This is part of Widus’ P15-B expansion project for their Tower 4 and is seen to bolster the commercial industry in Clark.

Hilton Hotel Developed by Sun Valley Clark, this hotel will have 268 additional rooms, expected to be finished late this year.

Mirej Clark Medal Consortium Incorporated is the body involved in the completion of two projects that will add a total of 200 rooms, with the first 100 rooms expected to rise in fourth quarter of 2019, with the remaining 100 rooms to be finished in the same quarter of 2020 Royce Clark The Royce Clark by Royce Hotel and Casino, which will put up 700 additional rooms, is the biggest upcoming project to

date. Completion of this project is during the second quarter of 2021.

The Sharp Hotel and Sharp Hills Condos The 508 units of the hotel and condo building will be ready for the public in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Other upcoming projects coming to Clark in the near future are: Mimosa by Filinvest With the successful bid for the privatization of the former Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Freeport Zone, Filinvest Development Corp. (FDC) is now poised and ideally located to develop the estate and be a key tourism player in the northern region.

Clark Safari This could be Clark’s answer to Zoobic Safari, while Luminous Bike Path & Bike Hub is a planned project to promote healthy and active lifestyle through ecofriendly biking for the people at the Clark Freeport Zone.

With all the attractions now readily available to tourists local and international alike, together with business travellers and adventure seekers, a state-of-theart mass transport system is essential for easier access to all the activity destination inside Clark Freeport Zone. Hence, the CDC is investing on building a Bus Rapid Transit Terminal.

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Clark Development Corp. kicks off its 25th anniversary celebration

C

LARK FREEPORT— The 25th anniversary of Clark Development Corporation kicked off Monday with flag-raising ceremonies and a motorcade from this Freeport to the Cities of Angeles and Mabalacat in Pampanga.

Proclamation 80, which was signed by then President Fidel V. Ramos, designated the CDC as the implementing arm of Clark Special Economic Zone under the Republic Act 7227—the Bases Conversion Act. The proclamation was signed on April 3 following the twin devastation wrought by the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in June 1991 and the eventual pull out of the 13th US Air Force at the former Clark Air Base in Pampanga.

Aside from the flag-raising and motorcade, CDC has also prepared other events to commemorate the silver anniversary of the state-owned firm from being a desolated former US military base into one of the prime investment destinations in Asia today.

On April 6, CDC will hold a tree-planting event inside the Freeport, fun walk on April 13, and film showing on April 16-17.

On April 20, CDC will hold its anniversary celebration which will coincide with the service recognition of employees who have reached five years, 10 years, 15 years and 25 years.

And on April 27, the state-owned firm will have its annual jobs fair, where close to 100 companies here are expected to participate.

The Freeport is currently host to 949 locators and more than 108,000 employees.

CDC breaches P1B net income as it celebrates Silver Year

CLARK FREEPORT— For the first time in its 25th year of existence, Clark Development Corporation (CDC) was able to breach P1 billion net income since the state-owned firm became the government’s implementing arm for this Freeport.

CDC was created in 1993 to transform and develop the former US military base into a premier economic hub after the devastation brought about by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991.

Through strategic management, CDC has become one of the highest-earning government corporations in the country.

For 2017, it reached an unprecedented net income of P1.03 billion and made Clark as one of the major investment destinations in the country and Asia today. The figure is a 32 percent increase from the 2016 net income of P783 million.

Likewise, from 1993 to 2016, CDC was able to remit cash dividends of more than P2.55 billion to the National Treasury.

In a recent report to the CDC Board of Directors, President Noel F. Manankil, said that the net income for 2017 alone represented 27 percent of the P3.801 billion income generated for the first 24 years of CDC’s operations.

He attributed the unprecedented financial performance of CDC to the support of locators, investors, national leadership, the BCDA, CDC Board and stakeholders of Clark.

Manankil said that CDC posted a 20 percent growth in its gross revenues for 2017, earning P 1.98 Billion compared to 1.64 Billion in 2016. CDC only had a total revenue of P16.37 billion from 1993 to 2016.

Also, in its 25th year, growth on export value inside the Freeport has surged to $6.87 billion, a 35 percent upturn from the end of 2016 which was recorded at $5.08 billion.

While citing the increase of the export volume, Manankil also mentioned that there was also a growth in the number of locators inside the Freeport. At present, there are 949 locator-firms in Clark.

Some of the locators include industry leaders and renown global companies like Yokohama Tires, Texas Instruments, Samsung, Nanox, Premier Central Inc (SM), Foton, Mercedes Benz, among others.

With the increase of 54 locators at the end of 2017, employees inside the Freeport also reached more than 108,000 workers.

During the heydays of American troops at the former Clark Air Base, the employment peaked to only about 20,000 workers in their over 50-year stay at the military facility.

Committed to its mission of creating more productive economic activities, CDC, in commemoration of its 25 years, will continue to generate employment and investments for the country.

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As Clark economy booms:

Mabalacat welcomes changes, development

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HEN the doors opened for us at the Mayor’s Office of Mabalacat, it was apparent that this city seat was different from other government offices.

The room was teeming with constituents, all there with varied reasons, but with only one purpose: talk with the amiable father of the city.

Now the same could not simply be said with most mayor’s offices across the country, where to talk vis-a-vis, nay, even come near the desk of the highest leader in a city is all but a meek possibility.

In a long table lined with paperwork he meticulously reads one by one, sits Mayor Crisostomo “Cris” Garbo or “MCG” to the people of Mabalacat, who had endeared to him even if he has yet to reach a full year at the helm of Pampanga’s third city.

Last week, Manila Standard had the chance to talk with MCG but not before he resolved yet another issue of his fellow Mabalaqueño- one down of the many more lined up outside.

“We’re just focused on changes here,” said Garbo, and changes indeed were in tow--and realized--in only a short span of time since assuming office when the Commission on Elections en banc decided in favor of him after former Mayor Marino Morales’ certificate of candidacy was canceled by the commission.

Having had the second highest number of votes during the 2016 general elections, the former Pampanga First District Board Member was proclaimed by COMELEC as Mayor on June 27 of last year.

Now, MCG is steadfast in providing solutions to basic services like garbage collection, traffic management and beautification of public places that have been found wanting in recent years.

Backed by a team of appoin-

tees and consultants, with expertise from legal, change management, culture and tourism, heritage architecture, traffic and public safety, urban planning and business and investment, the Garbo administration stems its service from nine pillars.

These pillars include: Equal Access to Education; Excellent Healthcare; Economic Development; Better Employment Opportunities; Culture and Heritage Awareness; Strong Moral Values of Citizenry; Protection of Environment; Promotion of Peace and Order and; Integration of Science and Technology in Governance and Delivery of Services.

In just his first two months of office as mayor, he was able to empower the programs for health with services that cater to the indigent residents of the city. Mayor Garbo, likewise, aims to develop not only the programs for health, but also for education, gender and development, livelihood and infrastructure projects.

Having had some medical background, Garbo has prioritized medical and health provision programs at the top of his list, putting up a Central Pharmacy worth P15 million with seven city health officers helping man the facility converted from a part of the mayor’s office.

The physicians and 18 total specialists include two general surgeons, an orthopedic surgeon, two ophthalmologists, a nephrologist for dialysis patients, and an oncologist for the city’s cancer patients, all taking turns proving free check-ups.

Moreover, Mayor Garbo also spearheaded the augmentation of

the facilities and equipment of the city, resulting in new rescue vehicles, garbage and fire trucks, and two coasters.

This goes to show how well the city’s 2018 General Fund of P1.477-B, half of which is the GIE (gross income earned) from Clark locators, has been fully utilized to serve its purpose for the citizenry in terms of General, Economic, and Social Services.

In truth, Mabalacat, which houses 96% of the Clark Special Economic Zone and its residents composing 60-70% of Clark’s workforce, reaps the full benefit of having an economic zone right on their front lawn, so to speak. This leads Mayor Garbo to lead future programs focused on maximizing this leverage.

“We are now focusing on turning Mabalacat as a residential hub,” added Garbo, who also sees the fast-paced development of the New Clark City as a positive boost.

With the influx of huge land development companies cashing on the vast potential of this prime real estate, Garbo also puts emphasis promoting the local tourism of Mabalacat to entice more tourists apart from the attractions inside the Freeport zone, especially the Haduan Falls in Sitio Haduan.

Being a native of Mabalacat, Garbo shares he was born in the baranggay where the very same plot of land the new city hall stands. This tells you that the man really has genuine care for his own people, clearly showing in his actions and programs for Mabalaqueños.

After his quick chat with Manila Standard, it was off to the paperwork for the 25-year veteran of public service. Another batch of constituents came in, but it doesn’t seem to reduce the mayor’s enthusiasm even if the line would most definitely be finished well into the late afternoon.

He doesn’t mind anyway.

First one in, last one out.

Peter Paul Duran