Manila Standard - 2018 April 23 - Monday

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Hailstorm destroys Benguet crops ICE pellets rained down on an upland village in Atok, Benguet on Saturday afternoon, despite the rest of the country broiling in the summer heat.

Ironically, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Sunday people across the country were at risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, as the heat index went over 41 degrees Celsius in at least 14 areas, rising as high as 47.7 degrees in Sangley Point, Cavite.

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VOL. XXXII • NO. 67 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

Palace vows to double efforts to prop up Cabinet ratings THE Duterte administration will “double its efforts” in highlighting how it serves the public, especially the poor sector, to attain a comfortable life, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Sunday.

This came after the net satisfaction ratings of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet fell to “moderate” levels in the latest Social Weather Stations survey released Saturday.

Hailstorm and downpour hit Atok, Benguet Saturday. Local government officials were still assessing the damage to crops. Dave Leprozo Jr.

Twitter bots strike social media fears HONG KONG—It has been jokingly referred to as “Botmageddon”. But a surge in new, anonymous Twitter accounts across swathes of Southeast and East Asia has deepened fears the region is in the throes of United Statesstyle mass social media manipulation.

Maya Gilliss-Chapman, a Cambodian tech entrepreneur currently working in Silicon Valley, noticed something odd was happening in early April.

Her Twitter account @MayaGC was being swamped by a daily deluge of Next page follows from new users.

World’s oldest person dies at 117 in Japan TOKYO—A 117-year-old Japanese woman, thought to be the world’s oldest person, has died, a local official told AFP Sunday.

Nabi Tajima, who was born August 4, 1900, died around 8:00 p.m. (1100 GMT) Saturday at a hospital on her native Kikai Island in Kagoshima region, according to Susumu Yoshiyuki, a health and welfare official. Next page

What’s the rush?

CJ taunts justices

By Rey E. Requejo CHIEF Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Sunday questioned the decision of the Supreme Court to hold a special en banc session primarily to resolve the quo warranto petition filed against her

by Solicitor General Jose Calida seeking to nullify her appointment as the country’s top magistrate.

Sereno said she is puzzled why her colleagues would opt to decide on the quo warranto case during the Court’s decision-writing break.

“The month of May is a time that is supposed to be devoted to writing decisions in the many pending cases before the Court.

Anyway the session will resume on June 5, so what’s with the rush?” Sereno said in press conference over the week.

Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio Next page

“Many agencies have made significant strides in their respective areas and fields. The departments under the executive branch will continue to serve the nation and the best interest of our people by bringing comfortable life to disadvantaged and marginalized families, unmindful of the distraction and political noise,” Roque said in a statement.

“We shall therefore work double time

in highlighting policies and programs of the current administration that have the most impact to the lives of our countrymen,” he added.

Duterte’s Cabinet saw its rating fall to plus-28 in the latest SWS survey from the plus-38 it posted last December.

The SWS poll was conducted among 1,200 adult respondents from March 23 to 28. The net satisfaction rating is the difference between the percentage of

satisfied and dissatisfied respondents while ignoring the undecided.

The declines came came from all areas surveyed by the pollster. It dropped 29 points in Mindanao, seven points in Balance Luzon, two points in Visayas, and a point in Metro Manila.

But the Cabinet enjoyed a doubledigit increase in satisfaction ratings among the upper economic classes, SWS noted.

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Kuwait files protest, summons PH envoy

By Rio N. Araja

A

LAWMAKER on Sunday warned Kuwait against expelling Manila’s ambassador over a video that showed Philippine Embassy personnel whisking away an abused Filipino domestic away from her employer’s home in a diplomatic vehicle.

“If they throw out our ambassador, it will not be left unanswered,” said ACTOFW Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III. “We understand several members of parliament in Kuwait have demanded that the Philippine ambassador be kicked out over the incident portrayed in the video. This is totally uncalled for,” he added.

A Kuwait Interior Ministry statement SUMMONED OVER COMMENTS. Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Pedro Villa speaks during a press conference at the expressed “grave concern” over the in- Philippines embassy in Kuwait City on April 21, 2018. AFP cident shown in the video and warned that “the full force of the law will be brought to bear on those complicit in the wrongdoing.”

But Beritz said embassy personnel were only doing their jobs.

“We must stress that the Philippine government is duty-bound to safeguard its nationals wherever they may be,” PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said over tible to offering bribes.

Bertiz said. the weekend that he has fired two more “Do not go into asking them for extor“In extreme cases wherein Filipino government officials due to corruption and tion. I will fire you immediately,” Duterte THE Justice Department says it weldomestic workers are being physically vowed to sack any government employee said. “Dismissal. I do not have the tolercomes the plan of a lawyers’ group to battered or sexually abused, and cry out trying to extort money from the public. ance for stupidity and corruption.” question the Bureau of Immigration’s for help, our embassy is expected to take “The other day, I fired two – one [is an] The President offered advice on how to order prohibiting foreigners from joinappropriate action,” he added. undersecretary,” Duterte said in a speech deal with government workers who tried ing rallies in the country.

After the video became popular on in Legazpi City, Albay, without identify- to extort money from them.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guethe internet, the Kuwait Foreign Minis“If they go to you, the BIR, Customs, ing the officials. varra made the comment after the Natry summoned Philippine Ambassador The President said the two officials the police or whoever, and they ask for tional Union of People’s Lawyers said Renato Pedro Villa to hand him two dipmade applicants return to their offices money, slap them,” he said in Filipino. it would file a case questioning the reNext page lomatic protests. multiple times—making them suscepNext page striction outlined in a 2015 order to the bureau signed by then Justice secretary Leila de Lima.

“The DoJ welcomes any legal action questioning the state’s sovereign right to restrict the participation of aliens in domestic political activities and internal affairs of our country,” Guevarra said in

By Rio N. Araja a text message Saturday. and Macon Ramos-Araneta In other developments: ENVIRONMENT Secretary Roy Ci• Opposition Senator Antonio matu on Sunday issued a call to end imTrillanes IV on Sunday accused Presipunity for crimes against environment. dent Rodrigo Duterte of openly lying to In a State of the Environment Address the global community and thus alienatread by Undersecretary and Chief of ing itself whenever it denies the exisStaff Rodolfo Garcia during the national tence of extra-judicial killings. celebration of Earth Day in Manila, Ci“The whole world knows about it matu urged Filipinos not to tolerate enand these deaths have been witnessed vironmental abuse and help fill the gap and documented by multiple credible in the enforcement of laws on environsectors, individuals and organizations mental protection. both foreign and domestic,” Trillanes “We must cease being tolerant of ensaid. vironmental abuse, and take active part • Senate President Aquilino Pimentel in the strict enforcement of environmenIII on Sunday expressed dismay with tal laws, rules, regulations and ordinancthe European Union’s alleged meddling PARCHED EARTH. Two women walk past rice fields in Bgy. Calibuyo, Tanza, Cavite es,” Cimatu said. in the affairs of the Philippine governthat have dried under the hot summer sun. Weathermen forecast the temperature in The government needs the direct parment.

Metro Manila to reach 34 degrees Celcius on Monday. The hottest temperature ever ticipation of the citizenry in accelerating “The Europeans are micro-managing recorded in the Philippines is 42.2°C, taken in Tuguegarao City on May 11, 1969. Norus,” Pimentel said. man Cruz Next page Next page

Duterte resumes firing spree, ousts 2 officials, warns others

Earth Day event focuses on Boracay

DoJ chief unfazed by challenge to rules on aliens

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News

MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Tall order for Bato: Stop illegal drug trade in Munti FORMER Police Chief Ronald Dela Rosa must stop the connivance between some personnel of the Bureau of Corrections and imprisoned high-profile drug lords to curb the illegal trade in drugs, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Sunday.

He made the statement after Dela Rosa stepped down as chief of police to head Corrections.

Lacson made his statement even as the new head of the Metro Manila Police, Camilo Cascolan, on Sunday appealed to the public for information that could help neutralize a Chinese drug syndicate.

Authorities last week seized millions of pesos worth of illicit drugs from the Dragon Wu syndicate’s alleged laboratory in Malabon and warehouse in Marikina.

In an interview on dzBB radio, Lacson said Dela Rosa was facing a “heavy” challenge once he assumed his new position at Corrections.

“The first thing that should be done there is to stop the connivance between the Corrections personnel and the drug lords in prison,” said Lacson, a former police chief.

“Once Bato solves the drug problem inside Muntinlupa, the impact there and on the anti-drug operation outside would be big.”

Dela Rosa had earlier vowed to end to the illegal drug trade in the national penitentiary.

“I will succeed, mark my words, I will succeed,” Dela Rosa said.

“I will not give you the details, but I tell you, mark my word, I will succeed.”

Lacson said while Dela Rosa had the passion to end the illegal drug trade, it was only 10 percent of the actual equation.

“How he does it is another matter.

The mechanics, how to implement― the 90 percent is there,” Lacson said.

Kuwait...

From A1

The notes were “related to recent remarks by several Filipino officials which [amounted to] serious offenses against the State of Kuwait and [led] to the actions of some embassy employees in violation of the diplomatic norms governing relations between the two countries.

The Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported that Villa was summoned in protest over “inflammatory comments” that he supposedly made against the Arab state through a local newspaper.

Villa was also summoned over the “inappropriate behavior” of the embassy staff that rescued the Filipino domestic.

A GMA-7 video showed a Philippine “rapid response team” going around Kuwait to locate Filipino domestics who asked to be rescued.

The Arab Times reported Sunday that several Kuwaiti members of Parliament government have criticized Villa after he confirmed there was a team of Philippine officers rescuing distressed Filipinos.

The Kuwaiti legislators said the deployment of a Philippine rescue team in Kuwait violated diplomatic norms and infringed on the country’s sovereignty.

Villa on Saturday acknowledged the support and cooperation of the Kuwaiti government in addressing the concerns on the welfare of overseas Filipino workers in the Gulf state.

“We thank the Kuwaiti government for the extension of the amnesty program for undocumented foreign nationals, including Filipinos, as a result, we were able to bring home and reunite around 5,000 of our workers in the Philippines,” said Villa in a press conference with Kuwaiti reporters.

World’s...

Rody gives Joma 60-day ultimatum

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has called on Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison to return home and resume the peace negotiations with the government within 60 days.

“I created a small window―60 days. My proposal to Sison, I will not go there. We’re fighting for the Philippines, so you come here,” Duterte said during the 24th National Federation of Motorcycle Clubs of the Philippines’ Annual Convention in Legazpi City on Saturday night.

He made the statement even as soldiers from the 17th Infantry Battalion’s Joint Task Force Tala clashed with an estimated 30 New People’s Army rebels and forced them to retreat to Rizal,

Cagayan, on Saturday morning.

Northern Luzon Command spokesman Lt. Col. Isagani Nato said the encounter took place around 6:30 a.m. in Sitio Tallat in Barangay Masi.

The firefight lasted about 45 minutes and resulted in the retreat of the rebels who suffered an undetermined number of casualties.

Sison went into exile in The Netherlands in 1986.

Recently, Sison expressed openness and readiness to resume the peace nego-

tiations that Duterte canceled in November last year due to the series of attacks by the New People’s Army on civilians and government troops.

In response, Duterte said he was ready to give the communist rebels another chance to resume the peace talks.

He said the rebels could set up a camp where he could talk to them “minus arms.”

“I will pay for your [Sison’] fare, billeting and food. And your guerrilla front, you stay in one place, set up a camp,” Duterte said.

“Bring your arms inside the camp, you tell us where you are, you can go out of the camp minus the arms.”

Duterte said he would give Sison the complete freedom to move and order the military and the police to “be nice to you.”

“Take advantage of that 60 days. If it

DoJ...

Filipinos.

Reacting to the US State Department’s latest human rights report on the Philippines, Cayetano said the government’s campaign against criminality and trade in illegal drugs “seeks to promote the welfare and human rights of all Filipinos and stop the country from becoming a narcostate.”

In a statement on Saturday, the NUPL said it believes Immigration’s Operation Order SBM-2015-025, “which prohibits foreigners from joining, supporting, contributing or involving themselves in whatever manner in any rally, assembly or gathering whether for or against the government” is unconstitutional.

The group issued the statement after immigration authorities apprehended 71-year-old Australian nun Patricia Anne Fox in her home in Quezon City.

Fox was arrested Monday and was detained at the BI office in Manila, where she stayed overnight.

She was ordered released on Tuesday after Immigration established that she holds a valid missionary visa and a properly documented alien.

Fox was arrested following reports that she violated the conditions of her stay by engaging in political activities and antigovernment demonstrations.

Fox, who has been living in the country for 27 years, has made human rights and helping peasants her advocacies. She was arrested in 2013 for reportedly joining the protests in Hacienda Luisita.

On Thursday, Malacañang said foreigners were prohibited by law to engage in any political activity in the country.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque Jr. mentioned the prohibition in relation to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s order to probe Fox. Roque said the Australian national was now under preliminary investigation to determine if she should be deported.

PNA, with Macon Ramos-Araneta

previous stature as one of the most beautiful and pristine beaches of the world,” Roque said in a statement.

“This is a good wake-up call to everyone that we must not sacrifice the future ecological sustainability on the altar of economic growth and development,” he added.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, said the Senate investigation into the Boracay mess should include reported extortion by the island’s barangay officials, which could be used in the coming barangay and youth elections.

He noted that the extorted money from businessmen in exchange for the IDs to none-residents could be used to bankroll the electjon campaign of local village officials.

“They’re asking P400,000 to be issued IDs to employees,” Lacson said in an interview over radio DZBB. The issuance of IDs, he said, was directed by the DILG. Starting April 26, only workers and residents with IDs would be allowed to enter the island.

The IDs cost only P100 for renewal and P200 for new applicants Meanwhile, Senators Cynthia A. Villar and Loren Legarda warned of the further deterioration in the country’s wildlife and marine resources because of plastic waste.

Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, said the use of plastic products over the years has taken its grim toll on the country’s natural resources.

“Our marine waters are choking from plastic wastes that have been dumped into our waters,” said Villar, adding that the Philippines ranked third next to China and Indonesia in terms of estimated volume of mismanaged plastic wastes produced by the population that could potentially enter the seas and oceans.

She acknowledged that ‘the campaign against plastic consumption has been moving slowly because both manufacturers and users continue to be unmindful of the environmental, climate and health impacts of plastic use.’

in the atmosphere to evaporate faster and form thunderstorms, the state weather bureau explained.

Pagasa meteorologist Arial Pojas told radio DZMM pellets of ice sometimes form inside thunderstorms and fall with rain showers.

Meanwhile, according to data released by Pagasa, the heat index is the measure of the temperature that a person feels, and is essentially the “apparent temperature” felt by the human body.

That is is computed by factoring in the humidity as well as the ambient dry bulb temperature, or what people usually think of as air temperature.

Pagasa’s scale classifies heat index temperatures from 41 to 54°C as dangerous, at which level it said “heat cramps and heat exhaustion are likely” and that “heat stroke is probable with continued activity.”

Apart from Sangley Point, other areas

in the bureau’s “Danger” classification are San Jose City, Occidental Mindoro (45.8 degrees); Surigao City, Surigao Del Norte (44.6 degrees); Dagupan City, Pangasinan (44.6 degrees); and Cuyo, Palawan (43.6 degrees).

Also in the same group are Casiguran, Aurora (43.4 degrees); Daet, Camarines Norte (42.7 degrees); Aparri, Cagayan (42.6 degrees); Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecjia (42.4 degrees); Laoag City, Ilocos Norte (42.2 degrees); Cotabato City, Maguindanao (41.8 degrees); Tuguegarao City, Cagayan (41.8 degrees); and Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur (41.4 degrees).

Most of the Philippines will be in the “Extreme Caution” classification until Friday, April 27, according to Pagasa’s five-day forecast.

A ridge of high pressure area will cause temperatures to rise this week, Pagasa weather forecaster Ariel Pojas told DZMM.

Soon prominent Twitter users in Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka noticed the same phenomenon -- a surge in follows from anonymous, recently created accounts, adopting local sounding names but barely engaging on the platform, as if lying in wait for someone’s command.

While Facebook has received the lion’s share of international opprobrium in recent months over allegations it has been slow to respond to people and state actors manipulating its platform, Twitter has also faced accusations it has not done enough to rid the platform of fake users.

Most bots are used for commercial spam. But they have been deployed politically in Asia before. During the 2016 Philippines presidential election, there was a surge of organized bots and trolls deployed to support the man who eventually won that contest, the firebrand populist Rodrigo Duterte.

And after Myanmar’s military last year launched a crackdown against the country’s Rohingya Muslim minority, there was a wave of accounts that cropped up

supportive of the government on Twitter, a platform that until then had very few Burmese users.

With elections due in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia in the next two years, many hit by the Twitter follow surge in Asia are asking whether the Silicon Valley tech giants are doing enough to stop fake accounts before they are given their marching orders.

So far Twitter has found nothing untoward.

A spokesperson for the company said engineers were “looking into the accounts in question and will take action against any account found to be in violation of the Twitter Rules.”

A source with knowledge of the probe said they believe the accounts are “new, organic users” who were likely being suggested prominent Twitter users across Asia to follow when they sign up.

“It’s something we’re keeping an eye on, but for now, it looks like a pretty standard sign-up/on-boarding issue,” the source told AFP. But many experts have been left unconvinced by such explanations. AFP

From A1

“They want to run our laws on illegal drugs and even the Department of Justice.

Their interference is too much.”

• A US State Department report citing concerns over the “police killings” in the Philippines should be taken as constructive criticism, the Commission on Human Rights said Sunday.

Commission spokeswoman Jacqueline de Guia said they hoped the government would see the US report as an opportunity to show the world that the Philippines’ criminal justice system was working.

“It is important that we show our investigations are moving towards accountability,” she said.

• Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said Saturday President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against crime and illegal drugs protects the human rights of

Earth...

From A1

reforestation, coastal cleanups, conserving energy and popularizing lifestyles that would enable the country reduce its carbon footprint and enhance its resilience, he added.

Environmental abuse persists because there are people who allow, if not encourage, “irresponsibility to proceed with impunity,” Cimatu said.

He cited as a classic example the case of Aklan’s Boracay Island, which was ordered closed down temporarily to allow authorities to fix the environmental problems that have gone unnoticed and unresolved until they exploded into a major crisis.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque also linked Earth Day to Boracay.

“This year’s observance of Earth Day in the Philippines has stricken a resonant chord with the government’s resolve to clean and restore Boracay Island to its

Hailstorm...

From A1

The hailstorm in Atok, which sports the highest point in the Philippine highway system at 7,400 feet above sea level, wrecked crops in some farms and left ice on roads in Sitio Sayangan, Barangay Paoay, locals said.

Edward Haights, a local tourism coordinator, said the hail storm lasted for almost an hour.

The fourth-class municipality at the heart of Benguet province has average record low temperatures of 13 degrees Celsius, but Pagasa said there have been previous instances of hailstorms in Baguio and Metro Manila during the summer.

Atok is about 48 kilometers north of Baguio City, the country’s summer capital.

Higher temperatures can cause water

From A1

Twitter...

Tajima, who became the oldest woman in Japan in September 2015, could have been the oldest person in the world since Violet Brown of Jamaica died in September 2017 at age 117, Japanese media said.

Since Brown’s death, Guinness World Records has been investigating who is the oldest person in the world and was yet to recognize Tajima as such.

The oldest man in the world is 112-year-old Masazo Nonaka of Japan, the organization announced on April 10.

“Ms Tajima was living at a nursing centre for the elderly. In January, she became weaker, so she was taken to a local hospital,” Yoshiyuki told AFP. “She died there (Saturday) due to her advanced age,” he said.

Japan is known for the longevity of its people and has been home to several oldest title holders.

There are around 68,000 people aged 100 or older in the country, the government said last year. AFP

From A1

“I acquired well over 1,000 new followers since the beginning of March.

So, that’s approximately a 227 percent increase in just a month,” she told AFP. While many might delight in such a popularity spike, Gilliss-Chapman, who has previously worked for tech companies to root out spam, was immediately suspicious.

The vast majority of these new accounts contained no identifying photograph and had barely tweeted since their creation.

But they all seemed to be following prominent Twitter users in Cambodia including journalists, business figures, academics and celebrities.

She did some digging and published her findings online, detailing how the vast majority of accounts were recently created in batches by unknown operators who worked hard to hide their real identities.

She wasn’t alone.

succeeds, then I would like to thank God first and the Filipino people and the military and the police for their understanding,” Duterte said.

He said he could not fight the communist rebels forever, “same with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front.

“But the threat of terrorism remains very high. We are not fighting against our Moro brothers and sisters.”

Duterte said his administration was “well on its way” toward eliminating the social ills that prevent the country’s march toward progress.

“I seek your proactive participation in nation-building by upholding peace and order, preserving national security and eliminating the misfits in our society,” Duterte said. PNA

What’s...

From A1

has confirmed that the Court is set to resolve the case next month. Insiders said the justices will hold a special session on May 17 during their month-long recess to decide on Sereno’s fate.

Sereno, who has been on indefinite leave fsince March 1, also expressed concerns over information that there was already a draft decision of the Court, as reported by some media outlets, even before parties submitted their memoranda on the case last Friday.

She said this could be proof that her colleagues have already decided on the case even before hearing her side fully.

Sereno’s spokesperson, lawyer Josa Deinla, said the reported draft decision penned by Associate Justice Noel Tijam is not really surprising.

“The justice (Tijam) has exhibited manifest bias and prejudice against the chief justice and even refused to recuse himself from the proceedings,” she said.

Tijam and four other magistrates Associate Justices Teresita LeonardoDe Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin and Francis Jardeleza - were asked by Sereno to inhibit themselves from the case after they testified in the earlier impeachment hearings in the House of Representatives and supposedly demonstrated their biases against her. But all five rejected the plea for reasons to be explained in their opinions to be submitted upon deliberation on the case.

Some news organizations reported on a leaked draft decision by Tijam, which supposedly grants the petition and orders the immediate removal of Sereno as chief justice due to invalid appointment in 2012.

Duterte...

From A1

“You tell them, son of a bitch, I’ve already paid you. Why do I have to pay you again now?”

Duterte urged the public to use the government’s 888 anti-corruption hotline to report such officials.

The President also told government officials to be polite to the public.

“Be courteous to your employers, because they are the ones paying our salaries,” Duterte said.

“We are workers of government, and we are mandated to serve the public.

Then you have to be courteous and protect the money of the people.”

Duterte has said that he would fire any official on the mere “whiff or whisper” of corruption.

Palace...

From A1

Other parts of the survey noted that Mindanao continued to show huge support for Davao City native Duterte but not quite for his government.

The survey conducted in March showed the President still enjoyed an “excellent” 82% satisfaction rating in Mindanao, allowing him to maintain his “very good” 56% net rating nationwide.

But Mindanaoans surveyed had thumbs down for the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court, and the Cabinet, which all saw doubledigit declines in the region that pulled down their national numbers as well The Cabinet fell 29 points in Duterte’s home region, followed by the Senate (26), the SC (21), and the House (12).

The survey was taken when martial law was still in effect in Mindanao owing to the Marawi City terrorist crisis, SWS noted. The extension of military rule until the end of 2018 was announced last December, in the middle of the survey period, and was later upheld by the Supreme Court.

The region also anticipated Congress deliberations on a proposed law that will create the Bangsamoro region to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, as the March survey was held.

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News

MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018

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FDA agents raid Landers Superstore, seize goods

BIKER BOYS. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte takes time to appreciate the motorcycles on display at the 24th Annual Convention of the National Federation of Motorcycle Clubs of the Philippines at the Peñaranda Park in Legazpi City, Albay on April 21, 2018. Presidential Photo

Grab draws flak over erring drivers, vows crackdown

By Rio Araja GRAB Philippines is under fire over its defiance to remove a feature that allow its drivers to refuse passengers.

Since September 2015, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board had ordered Grab to remove such fa eature, but Grab did not do so, according to PUWERSA ng Bayaning Atleta Rep. Jericho Nograles.

The party-list lawmake added that Grab has not only been defying the guidelines of the LTFRB, but also the jurisprudence of the Philippine Competition Commission and Supreme Court as well as the laws passed by the House of Representatives.

“That is the modus of Grab. It is above the law,” Nograles told Buena Manong Balita over dzBB. “That is what you call refusal to convey. That is against the law.

What surprises me is that the feature to remove cancellation has not been removed from its (Grab) system even if the LTFRB issued a directive in September 2015,” he said.

“The specific instruction is really to remove the feature to know the riders’ destination and capacity to know the cost of the trip. The LTFRB believes that once the driver knows the destination and the cost trip, the chance to refuse a passenger is high,” he said.

According to Nograles, Grab’s internal point system is affected if a driver cancels a trip.

Another violation of Grab is that when a passenger cancels a booking, but the driver would only “cancel you later, Nograles said.

“That’s what you call refusal to convey, too. That is (also) against the law,” he said, reacting to a YouScooper’s comment.

Grab for its part vowed to crack the whip on erring drivers and threatened to ban them from its platform.

Two senators at odds over Dengvaxia report S

By Macon Araneta

ENATOR Panfilo Lacson yesterday dismisssed insinuations by Senator Richard Gordon that he did not sign the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee report on the Dengvaxia controversy because former President Benigno Aquino had helped him in his alleged involvement in the Dacer-Corbito double murder case.

In not signing Gordon’s draft report, Lacson stressed that knowing Aquino and having worked with him, he does not believe the former President is capable of committing graft and corruption.

But Gordon said he was not surprised that Lacson disagreed with his committee’s findings since he was a former ally of Aquino and one who helped him deal with the Dacer-Corbito double murder case.

In his report, Gordon recommended the filing of criminal charges against Aquino, former Health secretary Janette Garin, and former Budget chief Floren-

cio Abad for violation of the anti-graft and corruption law for the apparent haste in the procurement of vaccines.

Lacson, who was appointed by Aquino as rehabilitation czar after super typhoon Yolanda devastated the Eastern Visayas region, however, denied getting any help from the former Chief Executive.

The former PNP Director General had reportedly left the country the same day his warrant of arrest for the twin murders of publicist Salvador Dacer and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito, was releassd by a Manila court. He had been a fugitive for more than a year.

Speaking in an interview over radio DZBB, Lacson assailed Gordon for his unreasonable remarks when he simply aired his personal opinion on the findings of the Blue Ribbon committee.

Lacson said that it was impossible for Aquino to have helped him in his case because he spent most of his time hiding duringAquino’s term. He returned to the country on March 26, 2011 after leaving on January 7, 2010.

He said this means “shooting from the hip” that Gordon should attack him .

Lacson said there was nothing wrong in him saying that he ffound it difficult to believe that Aquino was capable of committing graft and corruption.

Despite the rift, Lacson said he would not initiate Gordon’s removal as chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

“For all we know, this will be a learning experience for all of us, for Dick and myself included, para alam mo na, mai-correct namin ang direction niya na tinatahak tuwing magkakaroon ng pagdinig ang Blue Ribbon,” he said.

BIG DOUGH. A boy takes delight in these doughnutshaped floaters on display at a seaside mall in Pasay City. Ey Acasio

Leave casino issue to Tourism, Pagcor , DILG usec warns colleague INTERIOR and Local Goverment Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Dino on Sunday said the issue on whether or not a casino should operate on Boracay island is best left to the judgment of the Deartment of Tourism and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

“Ang pagpuna sa isyu ng casino sa Boracay ay dapat nanggagaling sa tourism o Pagcor. Kaming mga nasa DILG ay dapat inaatupag ang mga pagbabantay at paggabay sa mga lokal na opisyal kung sila ay talgang tumatalima sa kanilang mga tungkulin (The issue on casinos in

Boracay should be discussed by the Department of Tourism or the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

We in DILG are in charge of guiding and guarding the local officials if they really are doing their job well,” Dino explained.

The official’s remark came as another DILG Assistant Secretary for Plans and Program Epimaco Densing III commented on the issue last week which, Dino said, is basically an encroachment to other agency’s “turf.”

Any establishment, whether it be a casino or a hotel, may operate any-

where “provided they comply with all the laws and regulations, including environmental ones.”

“Kung magiging kapakipakinabang lalong lalo na sa mga mamayang naninirahan sa lugar na mabibigyan ng kabuhayan dahil sa pagtatayo ng mga hotel o casino, bakit hindi? Kung ang mga ito naman ay sumunod sa mga batas at regulasyon bago magtayo ng kanilang mga istraktura. (If it would be beneficial to the residents, why not? If they adhere to and abide by the laws and regulations of the land before they are built),” Dino explained.

He added that as DILG Usec for Barangay Affairs, he will go to Boracay on the scheduled date of closure on April 26 to personally seek a clarification from officials of three barangays that have jurisdiction over the island.

Dino said he wants to know if these officials committed lapses in the conduct of their mandate which led to the sorry state Boracay is in now.

And if the local officials would be found guilty of negligence, Dino said he would recommend their suspension or imprisonment.

ALMOST P4 million worth of unregistered food and health products were confiscated by the Food and Drug Administration during a raid on Thursday (April 19) at the Landers Superstore in Manila.

FDA said the products seized from the membership grocery were either unregistered, un-notified (cosmetics) and/or misbranded or non-compliant with labeling standards.

The products included food items worth P2, 073,216; assorted drugs, P124, 569; assorted cosmetics, P1, 556,698; and medical devices worth P229, 969.

Ret. Police Gen. Allen Bantolo, chief of the FDA Regulatory Enforcement Unit, said the confiscated products were imported and being sold or ffered for sale by Landers Superstore in violation of Republic Act 9711 or the FDA Act of 2009.

He said the FDA agents, who were backed up by policemen from the Pandacan PNP Station, served two Summons with Preventive Measure Order (SPMO) signed by FDA Director General Nela Charade G. Puno against Landers Superstore located at 1890 Paz Guazon St., Otis, Paco, Manila.

Bantolo said his men, acting on intelligence report, first conducted surveillance at Landers in early March and conducted test-buys of the products that were then transmitted to the concerned FDA centers for product verification.

“We at the FDA are giving out warnings to all establishments, be they grocery or department stores, including drug stores and pharmaceutical firms, to refrain from selling or offering for sale imported but non-Philippine FDA registered food and health products,” he said.

“These imported products may be registered abroad from legitimate companies. But as long as they are not registered with the FDA, these products are not allowed by our laws to be sold in the local market,” he added.

All the confiscated products from the Landers Superstore, which were properly inventoried and packed in total of 167 boxes, were brought to the FDA office in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, for proper disposition.

According to Bantolo, the operation was a result of the filing of an administrative case against the General Manager/President of Landers Superstore which, based on the SPMO issued by the FDA, had been directed to stop selling and offering for sale products covered by the legal order.

Macon Ramos Araneta

Rice silos eyed to boost NFA storage space AGRICULTURE Secretary Emmanuel Piñol is considering purchasing modern silos, or huge structures used to store bulky grain materials, to address the National Food Authority’s.

“We have to decide whether to put up silos,” Piñol said Saturday.

The agriculture chief said he’s already looking into the matter, noting that NFA’s buffer stocks must be good for at least 60 days so the agency needs additional storage.

NFA Administrator Jason Aquino said the food agency’s existing warehouses could store stocks good for only 22 days.

Piñol saidbuilding silos where the NFA mainly buys palay or unmilled rice will increase the agency’s storage capacity.

He added that using silos will also improve NFA’s storage operations, since the stored palay would be the ones withdrawn first, ensuring freshness of grains for milling.

“The warehouse idea is outdated, if NFA will increase its stocks, we must modernize its storage system,” Piñol said.

Created in 1972 as National Grains Authority, NFA is the government agency tasked to ensure adequate supply of affordable rice and corn while guaranteeing reasonable return rates for Filipino farmers.

Piñol has confirmed the return of NFA, Philippine Coconut Authority as well as Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority to DA. He pushed for the immediate implementation of several initial intervention measures to address the agency’s most pressing concerns. PNA

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Opinion

MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018

‘Sovereignty’ EDITORIAL and the principles of logical analysis HE President’s de-

T

MY FIRST problem with “sovereignty” is triggered by my covert fondness for analytic philosophy. I may not necessarily subscribe to verification theories, but I do insist that we be responsible for the terms we use and be prepared to give a logical account for them.

And so, when we use the term “sovereignty,” exactly what are we claiming? What counts for sovereignty and what does not?

What propositions would count in favor of an affirmation of sovereignty or for its denial?

Whenever the Philippine government is called to task for the still unexplained deaths of already so many at the hands of lawenforcers or unknown mercenaries in the relentless drive against drug proliferation (itself a worthwhile end!), we cry “sovereignty” in an attempt to fend off all criticism.

Adelle Chua, Editor

Senate hopefuls

No end to endo

cision to no longer issue an executive order to stop “endo,” or the practice of hiring workers for less than six months to avoid regularization and payment of full benefits, seems to fly in the face of his campaign promise to end the abusive practice.

Labor groups who had been won over by Duterte’s promise had been looking forward to obtaining an EO by Labor Day, a hope that was fueled by the President’s spokesman—until his announcement last week that there would be no such order, after all, and that the President would follow Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III’s recommendation to leave it to Congress to pass a law.

The EO that labor groups had hoped for would have banned the

practice of short-term and unprotected work arrangements.

But business groups have been vocal in opposing such limits, pointing out that contract work is allowed under the Labor Code, and claiming that new restrictions would drive away investments and mean fewer jobs all around.

On the other hand, as a leftist lawmaker points out, the government itself is the largest employer of contractual employees.

How can the Duterte administration end “endo” when the Inventory of Government Human Resources shows that as of July 1, 2016, there are 721,282 contract of service, job orders, casual, and contractual workers out of the 2.3 million government employees, Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate says.

This figure is more than twice the 282,586 contractual workers in the public sector in 2008, he adds, with the top employers of contract work being the Depart-

ment of Public Works and Highways, the Department of Health, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Education.

In the University of the Philippines, the premier state university, 44 percent of employees are contractual. In UP-Philippine General Hospital, the number of contractual workers account for 36 percent or more than a third of the employees.

In the DSWD, a staggering 81 percent of workers are without regular status, Zarate added.

From the outside looking in, it would seem the President’s refusal to sign an EO on endo is a sign that the administration has buckled under the pressure of business and employers’ groups. Or, perhaps the President simply realized that if he really wants to end endo, he needs to start in his own backyard—something he may not be willing to do just yet.

If we see a threat to our sovereignty in a 71-year-old nun, then probably our sovereignty is not that secure.

But until we can give a logical account of that term, we are really using it vacuously! In fact the criticism can be appreciated as a tacit recognition of “sovereignty” understood as “the capacity of a government to make effective decisions within its territory and for its citizens.” So, we are criticized— not invaded, not punished, not forcibly enjoined—but criticized precisely because we are sovereign.

In other words, the very act of criticizing is a recognition of the distance!

One more thing: If by sovereignty, one refers to the “selfhood” of a nation, then that is clearly a relational concept. Sovereignty is realized in a community of nations: not only by way of negation—State X is not State Y—but also by way of recognition and support. Significantly, one of the Montevideo requisites of statehood is “capacity for foreign relations,” and with equal significance, “sovereignty” is not in the enumeration—presumably because “sovereignty,” with its indeterminacy, covers the entire spectrum of requisites of statehood.

So it does not do well for our claim to “sovereignty” to thumb our noses at other nations or to snub them. We cannot claim the protection of an international legal order if we disregard it.

And it hardly helps promote a “positive” acceptation of sovereignty as “sovereign with” rather than “sovereign against” to keep insisting that others keep off our turf. When others completely keep off our turf, we really shall have none, because, in the international arena, turf is a matter of international agreement and recognition, no matter our domestic protestations. Why can other states, particularly microstates, entrust such key issues as defense to other states without compromising their sovereignty?

Exactly for the reason I have just argued: that the more useful way Turn to A5

Criminalizing criticism THE case of Australian nun Patricia Fox who was detained by Bureau of Immigration authorities continues to draw flak from human rights groups.

The nun who calls the Philippines her second home after living here for 20 years was questioned and detained at the BI offices upon her return from Australia. Although she was later released, her case has fanned controversy among groups who are getting concerned over the Duterte administration’s apparent crackdown on critics.

The European Parliament has passed a resolution condemning the Philippine government crackdown on critics. The EU resolution was hailed by the international Human Rights Watch after Philippine immigration authorities also deported Socialist

to criticize the President and his policies,” said one lawyer succinctly.

Sister Fox denied being involved in partisan politics in the Philippines. The nun said she had only attended events The nun said she that called for poverty alleviation and had only attended health care for the poor. Malacanang, events that however, claimed it has photos of Sister Fox speaking at a protest rally called for poverty in Davao. So okay, she has been alleviation and photographed speaking at a rally. The health care.

Palace should have also presented an audio recording of what the nun actually said. Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, a lawyer, should know that is the rules of evidence in a case Party Deputy Secretary General like this.

Giacomo Fillibeck for criticizing Strangely, the Australian Duterte’s war on drugs and the alleged government has been silent on extra judicial killing of suspects.

Manila’s mistreatment of one of “It has now become criminal Turn to A5

THE Pulse Asia survey on “senatoriables”—field research of which was done from March 23 to 27—has the following names in the top 20: Grace Poe (with 97 percent awareness and 70.8 conversion to votes), Cynthia Villar, Pia Cayetano, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Sara Duterte-Carpio, Koko Pimentel, Serge Osmena, Erwin Tulfo, Lito Lapid, Bato de la Rosa, Jinggoy Estrada, Imee Marcos, Bam Aquino and JV Ejercito, in that order, having statistical chances of winning IF the vote was done on said period last month.

All of them have at least 90-percent awareness level, with varying degrees of conversion to votes. Erwin Tulfo, for instance, has 90-percent awareness compared to General Bato’s 98 percent, but the former has a higher conversion of

That is for now. Who knows what 2022 will bring?

36.7 percent voting for him compared to the latter’s 33.1 percent.

Robin Padilla is high on awareness at 97 percent, but only 26.2 percent will vote for him. Scanning through the list of more than 50 names however, he is the only Muslim candidate with a good chance of winning. Besides, the guy, for all his cinematic swagger, has the passion and love of country one seldom sees in celebrities. Lito Lapid, the former senator metamorphosed as a rebel commander in ABS-CBN’s never-ending Ang Probinsyano telenovela, has a re-invigorated 97 percent awareness, with 33.8 percent conversion. As things stand, should he decide to gallop back to the Senate, the probability of making it is high.

Gina Lopez, despite her high profile as an environmental crusader, is known by only 65 percent of the electorate, with only 14 percent vote conversion. If the survey was done a year ago, when Lopez was making waves as DENR Secretary, she would likely have scored higher on both metrics. Out of sight, out of mind, as they say.

I normally advise friends and clients who cast moist eyes in joining the “august” that they ought to have at least 70-percent awareness six months before E-Day and conversion of 25 percent before they plunge into the senatorial sweepstakes. That is not a cut-and-dried benchmark, and there are a lot of other things to consider, but then again, I reserve my thoughts for friends or clients.

Besides, it’s early days.

Unfortunately for the wannabes, they have to make a decision come the first week of October, which is Comelec’s deadline for a campaign that begins second week of February next year and elections on May. For all practical intents, the campaign period is really seven months instead of the legally mandated 90-day period. That is a lot of time to perk one’s awareness and strategize high conversion.

We did write in this space (February 7, 2018) a list of possible “moist eyes,” in reaction to Speaker Bebot Alvarez’ nomination of some likely PDP-Laban candidates for the 2019 senatorial race. Some 90 percent of the names we listed in that February 7 article were included in the Pulse Asia list of potential candidates.

At the time, no one had an inkling Turn to A5

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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Opinion A rules-based regional order IT COULD have it clear that his country been an auspicious will fundamentally opportunity for the advocate a rules-based Philippines. A year regional order, which after it got a favorable has clear implications on ruling from the China’s militarization Permanent Court of Arbitration in The of the South China Sea, including its Hague regarding its claims in the South revanchist challenge to freedom of China Sea, it assumed chairmanship navigation and flight in the disputed of the Association of South East Asian waters.

Nations. The role—and all the power This push for a rules-based and influence that came with it—could order and a legally binding Code of have been instrumental in sending a Conduct should invoke the landmark strong message to Beijing about the 2016 arbitration award, as all hinge centrality of Asean as a political force on the United Nations Convention on in the region. the Law of the Sea. The case, because Instead, the Duterte administration of its broad implications beyond the had all but surrendered the country’s claimant states, can thus serve as a extant claims in the disputed waters. reference point for the management Soon enough, surveillance photos and resolution of future disputes, showing two Xian Y-7 Chinese military including existing proposals on transport planes on Panganiban Reef resource-sharing.

(Mischief Reef) recently surfaced, a The ruling and the regional development that alarmed experts as stability that it could enforce can also it was the first time a military aircraft pave the way for economic prosperity. landed within the country’s exclusive The disputed region, after all, is an economic zone. important sea lane for global trade.

It was only the beginning, many In particular, it will likely steer feared, and could set a dangerous the Asean toward greater support for precedent vis-à-vis Chinese armed even freer regional trading regimes, presence in the area. Not too long whether through the proposed ago, a civilian aircraft landed on Transpacific Partnership Agreement Panganiban Reef a day after the Hague 11, of which Malaysia, Brunei, ruling, a brazen, Singapore and almost hostile act Vietnam are that emphasized prospective Beijing’s adamant members, and refusal to the Regional acknowledge both Comprehensive Asean must act the case and the E c o n o m i c decisively, and ruling.

Partnership soon.

And with the (RCEP), which Philippines unable counts 16 regional to consolidate its economies in the legal victory, the Asia-Pacific as implied surrender members. also compromised T h e Asean’s capacity to deal with China alternative—if Singapore or Asean from a position of strength and unity. fails to act, or to act quickly This is the complex situation that enough—could be dire. “If [China] welcomes Singapore’s chairmanship could land transports now, in the of the regional bloc this year. Already, future they might want to land many are predicting a stark contrast more provocative and destabilizing between President Duterte’s “non- types of assets such as fighter jets interference” stance and what the and bombers,” warns Collin Koh, prosperous city-state might set a research fellow at Singapore’s out to do. Worse, for the smaller Rajaratnam School of International states of Southeast Asia, the specter Studies’ Maritime Security of competing interests between Program.

Washington and Beijing has created Maritime law expert Jay an air of uncertainty the region hasn’t Batongbacal of the University of the seen since the Cold War. Philippines’ Institute for Maritime Foremost in this regard are Affairs and Law of the Sea said the reclaiming and reasserting Asean’s presence of the planes merely confirms centrality in shaping regional affairs, that Beijing had been operating in the cultivating coherence and unity area. “This means they’re going there among member states, and fostering both by air and sea,” he says, adding an open and stable regional security that the presence of fighter jets or environment. bombers could signal an expansion An unfinished task in this regard up until their operation “becomes is the long overdue Code of Conduct permanent.” in the South China Sea. Because the Are warplanes next, then? From Asean chairman has at his or her all indications, it is only a matter of disposal mechanisms that can shape time. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Asean’s annual policy agenda for the Peter Cayetano said the country might region and beyond—the Chairman’s file a diplomatic protest over the Statement, for one—Singapore has reported sighting, but there is little the opportunity to put this at front muscle in the pronouncement, and it and center. As the country is also the is noncommittal at best.

Asean-China country coordinator, it Clearly, then, in the context of can leverage this additional role to this undeniable threat, the need for manage the volatile relationship.

Singapore and Asean to act decisively, For his part, Singaporean Prime and sooner rather than later, is now Minister Lee Hsien Loong has made beyond question.

‘Sovereignty’...

From A4

to use the otherwise unwieldy concept of “sovereignty” today is to see it as entitlement to exchange and support by a community of states, rather than a solipsist stance that ignores all others!

Finally, the more touchy we are about “sovereignty,” the more we reinforce our uncertainty about it. How can a 71-year old nun threaten the sovereignty of the Republic? If we see a threat to our sovereignty in her, then probably our sovereignty is not that secure! But it is, and should be. Let her be; the Republic has greater battles to win!

Criminalizing...

From A4

its nationals. Roque defended the government’s action on the Australian nun. He said the country has the right to protect its sovereignty against foreigners engaging in partisan politics. How about also defending Philippine sovereignty against blatant violations of the country’s territorial waters against Chinese aggression?

The Chinese navy and planes have been spotted constantly hovering in the West Philippine Sea and airspace.

So, Harry, why not also give the bully

Chinese hell?

On another front, workers are demanding that President Duterte sign an executive order ending contractualization—known as “endo” or end of contract. This has been going on for decades with workers deprived of security of tenure as business establishments source their employees from recruitment agencies. The onerous practice of hiring employees from the manning agencies spares the business establishments from dealing with labor unions, paying employeeprescribed benefits such as bonuses, retirement and separation pay, and

MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018

A5

‘Tayo ang kalikasan’ TOMORROW, April 24, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will launch ‘Tayo ang Kalikasan, (We are Nature)” a citizens’ movement for environmental stewardship and sustainable development, in Laoag City. Envisioned as the DENR’s response to the need for more active and inclusive citizen participation in the daunting task of environmental protection and responsible use of the country’s natural resources, the movement serves as the focal vehicle for public and private, and local and international, partnerships.

This initiative has gained added significance, coming as it does right after the annual Earth Day celebrations which netted in the words of participants who combed the country’s beaches a record haul of debris, mostly plastic. In one Cavite town, the LGU encouraged citizens to clean the beaches by exchanging three sacks of garbage (again mostly plastic) with one sack of rice.

No less than Senator Cynthia Villar, Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Chair, has expressed alarm over the use of plastic products and its entry into the country’s water bodies. “The use of plastic products over the years has taken its toll.. our marine waters are choking from plastic wastes that have been dumped in these waters.”

In Antique, a province which once boasted of one of the cleanest and productive river systems in Panay Island, DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu exhorted local officials and addressed citizens groups to help clean up rivers. Otherwise, he said, they will end up with dried up river beds in no time at all. “Make it a habit, a part of your daily chores,” Cimatu said.

Indeed, we need intensive government intervention and citizen participation. As Cimatu says, government cannot do it alone. It can only create platforms and enforce laws to the extent that its resources can afford. That arrangement can even be upended if turf war among national government agencies (as in the case of the recent NFA

CROSSROADS JONATHAN DE LA CRUZ controversy showed) ensues, or worse if local government agencies turn a deaf ear to national agency plans and directives and actively countermand the same.

Case in point—Boracay. It is clear that the unrestrained over development on the island was abetted no end by the actions of the local government which issued building permits left and right, allowed big time land grabbers and syndicates to reign and essentially threw all environmental concerns to the wind.

This is government intervention with citizen participation.

Not that the concerned national agencies are blameless. Not at all.

They had their own share in turning Boracay into what President Duterte so graphically depicted as a ‘cesspool.’ Are the national agencies so blind they have not even seriously looked and resolved the case of the Atis, the original inhabitants of the island, who have been reduced to begging and staying on a small part of the island they once called their own?

Finally, the business sector and the residents are equally guilty in turning this gem of an island into a state of “uglification,” as renowned architect and urban planner Jun Palafox, described it. Indeed, a poisonous mix of business greed and citizen complacency coupled with government neglect has ruined Boracay.

Hopefully, if “Tayo ang

Kalikasan” takes hold in the hearts and minds of all concerned and turns eac citizen into an empowered environmental steward, perhaps the degradation will be arrested and we can have cleaner waters, better air quality and more livable communities. *** Interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states is a no-no.

Any right-thinking and responsible leader cannot and should not allow any kind of interference, benign or otherwise, in its country’s affairs.

Imagine what happens if tomorrow an individual calls on the United Nations to send a special rapporteur to investigate the reported discrimination of migrants from the Asian sub-continent who are also members of the UK-led Commonwealth grouping. Will Prime Minister Theresa May just step aside and welcome the UN team to do so? Or, better still, another concerned person petitions the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Zaid al Hussein and the European Union to inquire into the reports generated by the Black Lives Matter movement which, in the view of many, constitute a violation of the UN Charter on Human Rights? Will they ever get to land on US shores?

Indeed, this penchant by some groups to bring to the UN or any other outside body (or force) matters which rightfully belong and should be resolved internally through our own mechanisms is no longer proper. The country is not in chaos. We have a working system of government and we have leaders elected to uphold and implement the laws. We have a judiciary which can mete out punishment and legal means to redress any grievances even excesses of those in power.

What’s the big deal?

If things go the way these groups would like to happen, we might as well surrender our rights and privileges, the very essence of our citizenship in a sovereign country like the Philippines to the faceless, clueless and ultimately unelected denizens of these international bodies. And why would we want to do that?

that Special Assistant to the President Bong Go would even entertain the idea of running for senator, and it was only in mid-March when the possibility was raised. It thus comes as no surprise that his awareness rating is still 60 percent, with only 6 percent conversion.

Most likely, that 60 percent has breached the 70-percent threshold by now, but conversion is a function of the right mix, beginning with the right strategy, other than merely being the “pambansang photobomber.” There is plenty of time, and Bong has many friends who can help as far as vote conversion is concerned.

Another good friend, Harry Roque, has reached the 70 percent awareness threshold, but has only 8.7percent conversion.

The awareness will surely go higher because he is seen or heard almost every day in the news programs.

Clearly, the re-electionists will get re-elected, and some “balikbayans” like Serge Osmena, Lito Lapid and Jinggoy Estrada have very good chances of returning to their seats.

Balik-senadora Pia Cayetano is a cinch, being high up there with Poe and Villar. Re-electionist JV Ejercito’s chances are likewise good, but a brother-and-brother run for the

Senate may end up in each cancelling out the other. Mayor Erap, the former president, will have a hard time trying to patch up his sons and one could only wish him good luck as he does, the survey coming out on his 81st birthday at that.

Sad to see Mar Roxas, with 96 percent awareness, converting the same to a mere 25.4 percent of voters. He may not have fared well as presidential candidate last 2016, eclipsed by President Duterte by light years, but he was a damn good senator, just like Serge Osmena. Both deserve to return to the Senate, but my sources say they are both disinterested.

The administration would be welladvised to include most if not all reelectionists in a coalition ticket even if all but the Senate President is a PDPLaban member. If the President’s party decides on an all-member ticket, the chances are they would be hard put to get even four making it, despite the President’s personal popularity. Bam Aquino, the lone LP senator in Pulse Asia’s list of likely winners, could be pulled down by the opposition’s inability to put up a twelve-man slate for 2019, but even if he has spoken against the administration on the human rights issue, he ought to be credited for performing well in his first term.

With Poe, Villar, Cayetano, Binay, Angara, Pimentel as “shoo-ins,” there

would be room for only six more, and depending on which of the Estrada scions actually run, plus Imee Marcos and General Bato (although I am told he would go for a local post in his native Davao del Sur instead), Bam Aquino and Lito Lapid, plus Robin Padilla, the 2019 senatorial elections will be “sobrang sikip” for newcomers other than those the President himself handpicks and campaigns for.

Still, a lot can happen between now and September.

While the administration seems to have a surfeit of wannabes (Koko Pimentel listed 20 last week), and the opposition has too few, misplaced hubris on the part of the leaders of PDP-Laban in choosing their candidates could turn presently cooperative senators of the administration coalition into “independents” during the second half of President Duterte’s term.

This article would not be complete if we do not mention the stunning performance of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio in the first quarter senatorial dipstick. With 94 percent awareness level, and virtually half of that converted into votes, she too is a sure winner. Yet again, the word from Davao is she is staying put in our beloved South, where her city is now considered the political capital of the nation.

That is for now. Who knows what 2022 will bring?

remitting their share of employees’ Social Security System contributions.

After waiting for what they thought would be a Labor Day gift on May 1, the working class was disappointed when Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the President sent the endo issue to the House to handle since there are features in a Senate bill ensuring the security tenure of workers.

In our column last Friday, we wrote about former Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s fake story that he was being invited to speak before a Filipino group in New York. In his bid to travel from April 30 to May 30, Estrada claimed in

his petition to the Sandiganbayan that he was invited as guest speaker of the Pinoy Good Governance organization headed by Fil-Am businesswoman Loida Nicolas Lewis.

Lewis was surprised and aghast.

Why would her group invite someone facing plunder charges in connection with the Priority Development Assistance Fund, or pork barrel?

Because of Lewis’ disclaimer, government prosecutors have asked the Ombudsman to cite Jinggoy for contempt of court.

Disbarring Gadon Lawyer Lorenzo Gadon, chief complainant in the impeachment

case against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, now finds himself in a disbarment proceeding. Larry Gadon is the subject of disbarment because he flashed his middle finger at a crowd of Sereno supporters.

Lawyers are under oath to display the best public decorum and should not allow themselves to be provoked, even in the most trying circumstances.

In another incident, Gadon also exchanged invectives with a hostile crowd that had gathered in front of the Supreme Court on Padre Faura. Gadon justified his use of expletives by claiming some of the protesters were the first to call him names.

Senate...

From A4

A6

News

MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘PLLO spent too much on consultants’

By Rio N. Araja

T

HE Commission on Audit has questioned the Office of the President’s Presidential Legislative Liaison Office for the recruitment of 10 consultants and 20 contractual workers in 2017 not covered by the agency’s budget for salaries.

CoA said the P4.1 million in consultancy services expenses in 2017 was too much for too little return.

It recommended the PLLO, currently headed by Secretary Adelino B. Sitoy, to fire all of its consultants.

“Considering the number of personnel occupying the plantilla positions… hiring the services of the consultants can be dispensed with,” CoA said.

In the PLLO’s 2017 audit report released last April 18, CoA said the office only had 38 positions available, of which 36 were already filled up with 32 regular employees and four co-terminus personnel.

But the agency hired 10 consultants who did not render any expertise or special work, but still drew salaries of P30,000 to P60,000 per month.

Nine of them had no curriculum vitae but were still hired, and that no one submitted any progress/final reports as proof of output or accomplishment during the year.

“The curriculum vitae serve as basis to validate the technical expertise of the consultant to deliver the particular needs of the agency, which was the reason for hiring the consultant. None of the nine hired consultants submitted their approved Consultancy Progress/Final Reports, and/or any output,” CoA’s report read.

The PPLO adopted the “contract of service” form, Instead of the standard “contract for consulting services,” the state auditors said.

With the rate of pay they are receiving, CoA said the consultants should have been expected to render more expert or specialized work. “[The] tasks performed by these consultants overlap with the duties and responsibilities of regular personnel or can basically be provided by the contract of service personnel,” it said.

“The practice of hiring the services of consultants with these accomplishments may cause demoralization among the rank and file employees when it comes to the salaries they are receiving vis-à-vis

the duties and responsibilities they are performing,” the agency said.

A Contract for Consulting Services requires that the output or scope of work to be done by the consultant be explicitly defined.

“Verification of accomplishment reports supporting the claims for the period July 1-December 31, 2017 revealed that the tasks performed by these consultants overlap with the duties and responsibilities of regular personnel or can basically be provided by the contract of service personnel,” the COA said.

“The duties and responsibilities of one consultant who mainly functioned as an Executive Assistant can be performed by a regular employee or contract of service personnel of the agency given the specific instructions,” it added.

Some of the consultants were also found to have been paid twice the amount that the Office of the President — the PLLO’s head agency — compensate its consultants.

Among the tasks given to the consultants were to perform as liaison and public relations officers, review speeches of the PLLO Secretary, manage databases, serve as executive assistants, and support the Federalism campaign, among others.

“Stop the practice of hiring consultants for tasks which do not require expertise and that can be performed by the regular employees... Benchmark the rate of consultants hired by similar agencies as to the size and budget of PLLO,” CoA said.

“Practice prudency in spending government funds and discontinue the practice of paying exorbitant salaries to consultants,” it added.

Created in 1987, the PLLO is mandated to promote the legislative initiatives and generate maximum support for the President and his legislative agenda in Congress.

It is also tasked to officially orchestrate the formulation of the Executive-Legislative Agenda and all other concerns of the Executive Department having to do with the Legislature.

SOLAR-POWERED BUGS. A Girl Scout with the Brighton Venturers community shows two solar-powered insect toys as part of the celebration of Earth Day 2018 at the Harbor Square, CCP Complex Pasay City. Norman Cruz

Poll violence linked to deaths in Basilan village ISABELA CITY, Basilan – In a suspected case of election-related violence, a candidate for barangay chairman in Barangay Kumamburingan, Ungkaya Pukan, Basilan, was killed along with three other people in his own home on Sunday, the military said.

Brigadier General Juvymax Uy, commander of Joint Task Force Basilan, said witnesses reported armed men attacking the home of former barangay captain Usan Asani at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Asani was slain along with three others believed to be his relatives, and whose names were not released to the media.

Uy said according to the witnesses, the armed men only targeted the house of Asani, who recently filed his candidacy for barangay chairman.

tion of residents was helpful.”

“We commend the cooperation of the locals and the swift action of our security forces. While we cannot commit to zero election-related incidents, our troops together with different organizations will continue to work overtime to ensure that such imminent incidents will remain isolated and resolved,” he said.

“We are geared to ensure a safe and credible election this May 14,” the general added.

Uy said Task Force Basilan deployed troops to pursue the assailants.

“Upon receiving reports from the locals, we immediately conducted support to law enforcement operations with our police counterparts to pursue the suspected gunmen,” he said.

Gomez asks SC to stop recall petition

Pregnant woman dies, 9 hurt as van falls into ravine A PASSENGER van fell into a 40-foot ravine along a highway in Tagkawayan, Quezon before dawn Sunday, killing a pregnant woman and hurting nine others.

In a report, Chief Insp. Dandy Aguilar, Tagkawayan police chief, identified the woman as Sagira Haji Ebrehim.

The wounded victims were identified as Salmira Haji Ebrahim, Alnor Lomondot, Karen Galecia, Don Robert Galecia, Jericho Sablayan, Jonard Pusngan, Camadoleng Lomondot, and a certain Allan.

Police investigators said the victims, residents of Piagapo, Lanao del Sur, were bound for Manila when their van fell into the ravine along Quirino Highway in Barangay Francisco at past 4 a.m..

The van hit a roadside store and a waiting shed, before falling into the gorge, police added.

Van driver Alinor Lomondot and the wounded were initially rushed to the Marie L. Eleazar Memorial District Hospital in the town, but were later transferred to a hospital in Manila due to the severity of their injuries.

Police suspect that Lomondot fell asleep while driving the van. With PNA

The general said the military has not linked the attack to the Abu Sayyaf Group, which has long plagued the province.

“This attack is currently under investigation. So far we have no indicators linking this to a terror attack,” Uy said The incumbent barangay chairman, Hernie Asao, is cooperating in the investigation, the general noted.

Asao reportedly showed up at the headquarters of the 18th Infantry Battalion in Ungkayapukan and had his M16 rifle and M203 grenade launcher confiscated.

He will be facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and violation of the gun ban.

Uy said securing the May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in Basilan is “challenging but the coopera-

By Rey E. Requejo

THE SUPREME Court has been asked to stop the Commission on Elections from implementing its resolution mandating the holding of a recall election against San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez.

In a petition, Gomez through lawyer Analiza Sanchez said the Comelec committed grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction when its en banc approved last April 17 this year the recommendation of Deputy Executive Director for Operations Bartolome Sinocurz Jr. to certify the sufficiency of the petition for her recall.

This is even though Gomez claimed the private respondents failed to attach the original copies of the required supporting documents, including the list and signatures of the supporting petitioners for the petition for recall.

Gomez said the failure of the petitioners to attach to their petition original documents and annexes rendered it impossible for the election officer to ascertain compliance with the required percentage or total number of signatories for the petition.

“To be sufficient in form, the rule presupposes that the documents attached to the petition including those containing the signatures of the supporting petitioners are original. By failing to attach original documents, the movant was deprived of due process and the fullest opportunity to meet the accusations against her,” she stressed.

According to Gomez, since the petitioners failed to attach original documents or annexes to the petition, it is as if the petition was not under oath or unverified, adding that is essential that all the allegations therein are based on authentic records.

“Thus, the petition ought to have been dismissed outright for being a mere scrap of paper,” she said.

The local executive said that while it may be argued that the original documents can still be produced during the verification process, it does not remove the fact that even as early as the election officer’s determination on the sufficiency or insufficiency of the petition for recall, the contents of the documents attached to the petition are already the subject of inquiry and therefore at the time of the filing of the petition itself the original documents must already be attached.

Full medical exam for ‘DVIs’ sought

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

HEAT ESCAPE. A mother dunks herself and her two children in a drum of water rather than see them swim in the polluted Navotas River to beat the scorching summer heat. Manny Palmero

NoCot farmers gain P1.5m in post-harvest facilities LIBUNGAN, North Cotabato – Five farmer organizations in Libungan town recently received corn post-harvest facilities with a combined value of P1.59 million through the Mindanao Sustainable Agrarian and Agriculture Development Project (MinSAAD), a foreign-assisted project under the Department of Agrarian Reform.

Eduardo Suaybaguio, MinSAAD Project Manager, identified the five Peoples’ Organizations as Palao Farmers’ Association, Kitubod Farmers’ Association, Kiloyao MRDP-CFAD Consortium, Cabpangi MRDP-CFAD Consortium, and Sinapangan Farmers’ Association.

Each of the four farmer groups re-

ceived one corn sheller worth P120,000, while the Palao Farmers’ Association, as the lead PO, received the one unit corn mill, one unit corn sheller, one unit weighing scale, and one unit moisture tester with a combined amount of P1.11 million under the corn production, processing, and marketing sub-project of DAR-MinSAAD.

TO provide the necessary health response, Department of Health-Calabarzon Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo has pushed for a full medical exam for all Dengue Vaccine Individuals (DVIs) in the area.

“Because if there had been complications and adverse reactions from the vaccines from the children, we could have seen them immediately,” said Janairo during the Joint-Partnership Meeting with Parent Leaders of DVIs of the three affected regions – the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, and Central Luzon.

“My request to Health Secretary [Francisco] Duque is to immediately provide these children medical examination before entering new grade or transferring to a new school,” added Janairo.

He said this should be the first thing that the Department has done, provided them immediate physical examination.

“That’s why if a mother of a DVI requested for an x-ray, we need to give it

right away,” stressed Janairo.

“Just because a doctor said it is not needed, it doesn’t mean that we will not send our children for an x-ray. As parents, it is innate in us to find out for ourselves what is our children’s health status and ensure his/her safety,” he added.

However, for those that require special tests such biopsy, Janairo said they will endorse such request to the concerned units of the department for immediate action subject for approval of the health secretary.

According to Janairo, a proposal for a comparative study of DVIs and “nonvaccinees” who have died of dengue is being worked out to learn if the pre-existing health conditions are present and similar to non-DVIs. “This will give us a baseline information between the two subjects and will clarify if the same clinical presentation is found among those who died of Dengvaxia and those who have died of dengue but are not recipient of the vaccine.”

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

Manila

Standard

TODAY

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MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Davis, Holiday power Pelicans to 4-0 sweep of Trail Blazers

M

IAMI, United States – Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday combined to post one of the greatest duo performances in NBA history as the New Orleans Pelicans beat Portland 131-123 to sweep the Trail Blazers from the playoffs.

Davis delivered a franchise playoffrecord 47 points and Holiday tallied 41 to equal the NBA record (88) for most points by a pair of teammates in a single playoff game as the host Pelicans eliminated Portland in four straight games.

“We put the ball in these guys’ hands and they delivered for us,” said Pelicans point guard Rajon Rondo.

The 88 points allows them to join John Havlicek and Jo Jo White in the 1973 postseason and it beat Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen’s best total together by one point.

“Their stars really put on a show tonight,” said Blazers coach Terry Stotts.

The pair scored 28 of the Pelicans’ final 29 points in Saturday’s contest. Holiday nailed an 18-foot pull-up jumper that gave the Pelicans a six-point lead with 40 seconds remaining.

Rondo added 16 assists and Davis also had 11 rebounds and three blocks

Competition in Palaro heating up

By Peter Atencio COMPETITION during the Palarong Pambansa is heating up.

Department of Education undersecretary Tonisito Umali took note of this as the 2018 Palarong Pambansa ended last Saturday at the Quirino Stadium in Bantay, Ilocos Sur. The National Capital Region, which has kept the crown for the 13th straight year since the medal tally and the point system were introduced, only had an increase of 2 gold medals since last year.

The Big City athletes stayed as champions after they took in a total of 100 gold medals, 70 silvers and 50 bronzes.

Their last three gold medals came from basketball when they swept the secondary boys and girls, and the elementary division.

On the other hand, Region IVA(Calabarzon) is picking up, and so is Region VI (Western Visayas), which have increased their medal output this year.

From a 41-57-57 gold-silver-bronze medal tally last year, Region IV-A finished with a 55-50-73 total.

PSC holds Sports Science lectures BALUARTE, ILOCOS SUR - A total of 2,266 participants attended the Philippine Sports Commission-Philippine Sports Institute (PSC-PSI) Palarong Pambansa 2018 Sports Science Series held here from April 16-20.

Movement and Performance (Strength and Conditioning) of Nathan Futalan had the biggest turnout of attendees with 524 followed by Performance Assessment on Children (Sports Physiology) of Maria Daniela P. Santos with 474 participants.

Three other topics: Psychology of Coaching (Sports Psychology), conducted by Denise Ang; Sports Nutrition for Filipino Youth Athlete (Sports Nutrition) handled by Ashley Villa; and First Aid in Sports by Dr. Pilar Elena Villanueva gathered 434, 421 and 431 participants, respectively, who are mostly delegates from the 17 regions that joined the Palarong Pambansa 2018 that closed Saturday in Bantay, Ilocos Sur.

A lecturer speaks during the Philippine Sports CommissionPhilippine Sports Institute (PSC-PSI) Palarong Pambansa 2018 Sports Science Series held in Ilocos Sur.

for New Orleans.

The Pelicans series sweep of the Trail Blazers moves them into the second round for only the second time since the NBA returned to the city 16 years ago.

C.J. McCollum led Portland with 38 points. Al-Farouq Aminu scored 27, Damian Lillard added 18 points and Jusuf Nurkic had 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Elsewhere, Australian Ben Simmons became the first rookie since 1980 with a triple double in a playoff game, helping spark the Philadelphia 76ers over the Miami Heat 106-102.

Simmons scored 17 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and passed off 10 assists while J.J. Redick had 24 points to lead seven double-digit scorers for the Sixers, who seized a 3-1 edge over the Heat in their best-of-seven opening round series.

Simmons became the first rookie

since Magic Johnson to manage a triple double in a playoff game and at 21 is the third-youngest to accomplish the feat after Johnson and Cleveland’s LeBron James.

He’s also the first 76er with a playoff triple double since Charles Barkley in 1991.

And it came in a game where he was involved in a second-period scuffle.

After Philadelphia’s Robert Covington inflicted a hard foul upon Miami’s Goran Dragic, the Heat’s James Johnson took issue and shoved Covington, which prompted Simmons to confront Johnson as coaches and players entered to contain the melee.

Simmons received a personal foul for his trouble while Covington and Johnson were hit with technical fouls.

Joel Embiid, a 7-foot Cameroonian center, added 14 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots for the 76ers in his second game back after an orbital bone fracture around his left eye. He missed the first two games of the series but returned wearing a protective face mask.

Dwyane Wade came off the Miami bench to score a game-high 25 points, but the Heat face elimination in game five Tuesday at Philadelphia. AFP

Ruthless Rafa looks unbeatable MONTE CARLO, Principality of Monaco – World number one Rafael Nadal insisted he’s not an automatic favorite on clay, after easing into his 12th Monte Carlo Masters final with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Grigor Dimitrov on Saturday.

The 31-year-old Nadal needs to win an 11th Monaco title to retain the number one ranking ahead of Roger Federer, and will be widely expected to see off Kei Nishikori in Sunday’s final after the Japanese edged out Alexander Zverev in the other semi-final.

“I really don’t care if I am favorite or I am not favorite,” said Nadal, after beating Dimitrov for the 11th time in 12 meetings.

“I go on court, I try my best. I want to win. Doesn’t matter if I am the favorite or I am not the favorite.”

Nadal came through a tight first set but always looked too strong for Dimitrov and raced through the

second in half an hour.

“He’s playing very good on clay.

Simple as that. Tactically and everything else,” admitted Dimitrov.

“It hurts a lot of us, a lot of the players that are maybe not as physically strong.”

The top seed is bidding for an outright record 31st Masters title this week and extended his run of consecutive sets won on clay to 34 as he closed on a third consecutive Monte Carlo title.

“Being (in) 12 finals already here is something difficult to imagine.

To win 10 is difficult to imagine, too,” Nadal said.

“In our sport, there is not much time to stop and think about the things that have happened or not happened.

“When I retire, probably we will have the chance to think about it, how difficult all the things that I have done (were).” AFP

New Orleans Pelicans big man Anthony Davis (23) glides to the hoop past Portland Trail Blazers defender Jusuf Nurkic (27) during the second half of Game Four of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs at the Smoothie King Center on April 21, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Pelicans defeated the Trail Blazers 131-123 to sweep the series 4-0. AFP

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

001294

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF NARENDAR CHANGAMAL JESSWANI to be naturalized as Filipino citizen pursuant to Republic Act No. 9139.

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.

SCN CASE NO. x------------------ x

PETITION Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9139, petitioner hereby submits a petition for naturalization to become a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and respectfully declares: 1. My full name is 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 .

Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates after his victory against Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov during their semifinal match at the Monte-Carlo ATP Masters Series tournament on April 21, 2018 in Monaco. AFP

FEU, La Salle clash in UAAP volleyball finals THERE will be no De La SalleAteneo Finals this year.

La Salle swept past National University, 27-25, 25-22, 25-11, yesterday at the MOA Arena to book a 10th straight appearance in the UAAP Season 80 women’s volleyball tournament finals.

Earlier, Far Eastern University advanced to the title round for the first time in nine years with a 25-20, 25-21, 14-25, 25-19 decision of the Lady Eagles last Saturday.

Game One is on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Bernadeth Pons delivered MVPlike numbers with 17 points, 19 excellent receptions and 16 digs as the Lady Tamaraws ended a long

wait to make it to the title round.

Playing like there’s no tomorrow, Pons nailed back-to-back kills put FEU at match point before Ateneo scored three straight points to stay in the game.

But the Lady Tamaraws sealed the deal with Kyle Negrito scored a huge block on Jho Maraguinot, sending the green-and-gold clad gallery into frenzy.

Prior to this one, FEU last barged it to the Finals in the 200809 season and won its 29th crown in 2007-08 behind Rachel Anne Daquis.

With the triumph, the Lady Tamaraws ended the Lady Spikers-Lady Eagles championship saga that ran for six consecutive seasons.

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+ P0 M

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.

(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.

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 ROHAN 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 ROHAN 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, 23 & 30, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

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

A8

MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018

Columbian Dyip runs roughshod over Blackwater

By Jeric Lopez NEW name, new result.

Cellar-dweller last Philippine Cup, Columbian Dyip came up with a surprise right off the gates by annihilating the Blackwater Elite, 126-98, in a resounding opening game win in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

With a clean slate to work on, Columbian sent a statement that it is more competitive now, especially with a new king in town.

Guard Jeremy King, the former seldom-used spitfire of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, was a revelation, scoring a career-high 30 points, with five triples and seven rebounds, to turn heads and lead his squad to lopsided victory.

His backcourt partner Rashawn McCarthy remained consistent, adding 22 points as well for Columbian.

The Dyip did this with import CJ Aiken scoring only nine points. He had 22 rebounds though.

“We were aggressive all game and I think we’re able to contain Blackwater’s key players well,” said Columbian Dyip coach Ricky Dandan of his team’s keys to victory.

A third quarter explosion propelled the underdog Dyip to the impressive victory.

Columbian fired from all cylinders in the third, outscoring the Elite 28-17 to take full control and grasp a commanding 87-72 cushion heading the fourth quarter.

South Africa’s Bradley Weiss displays superb mountain bike riding skills to turn back Sam Osborne on his way to retaining the XTERRA Danao crown.

Weiss, Wasle survive heat to rule XTERRA Danao D ANAO, Cebu – Bradley Weiss and Carina Wasle bucked the odds, including the punishing terrain in the mountain bike part, the excruciating heat in the trail run and the tough field to reign as XTERRA Danao champions the second time around here yesterday.

Blackwater Elite player Allein Maliksi (18) tries to drive past Columbian Dyip defender Jackson Corpuz during their PBA Commissioner’s Cup game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum yesterday. PBA

Weiss rallied from third in the opening swim stage by topping the bike part then the South African ace sustained his charge in the closing run leg to retain the crown in the men’s pro division of the second of three XTERRA series slated here. He timed 02:16:28 with clockings of 0:19:09 (swim), 1:15:35 (bike) and 0:40:04 (run).

New Zealand’s Sam Osborne, who came in second to Aussie Ben Allen in the swim leg, struggled a bit in the bike part, enabling Weiss to seize control with the Kiwi settling for another runner-up finish in the premier endurance race billed as the Asia Pacific Championship and produced and organized by Sunrise Events, Inc. in 02:17:17.

SEI actually modified the course set-up in the bike (28k) and run (8k) parts with the 1.5k swim leg proving tougher with the strong current.

“The course last year suits me up a little bit more but I prefer this race because it is hard and intense and the gaps are short among racers, making it more exciting for us as well as for the spectators,” said Weiss, who beat Osborne by almost seven minutes in last year’s XTERRA edition set over 1.5k swim, 40k mountain bike and 10k trail run.

The temperature was so high Weiss just wanted to wrap it all up as fast as

Former multiple world champion Donaire bows to Briton

LONDON, United Kingdom—Carl Frampton delighted his Belfast home crowd with a unanimous points win over fellow former multiple world champion Nonito Donaire.

All that was at stake was the World Boxing Organization’s interim featherweight belt, not a fully-fledged title.

But by coming out on top by a margin of 117-111 on all three judges’ scorecards, the 31-year-old Frampton kept himself on course for a bout with the winner of next month’s International Boxing Federation title fight between Lee Selby and Josh Warrington.

WBO champion Oscar Valdez could also lie in wait for the 31-year-old Frampton, a former world title holder at both super-bantamweight and featherweight.

Prior to Saturday’s bout – which just carried on past midnight local time (2300 GMT) – Northern Ireland’s Frampton had rated Donaire, a seven-time world champion across four separate weight classes, as the most “accomplished fighter I have ever faced”.

But the 35-year-old Filipino did not appear to be at his very best in Belfast, although he did rock Frampton with several solid punches in the 11th round of 12.

“Nonito Donaire was dangerous from start to finish. I stuck to the game plan and at times my boxing was beautiful,” Frampton told BT Sport as he looked forward to having a world-title shot at Belfast’s Windsor Park – best known as the home ground of Northern Ireland’s football team.

“There is only one thing on my mind at

the moment – a world title fight at Windsor Park and I can’t wait to get there.”

Frampton, who split from promoter Barry McGuigan last year, before ditching Shane McGuigan, Barry’s son, as his trainer, added: “In the 11th round I was definitely hurt but I survived it and that’s what champions do.

“My trainer Jamie Moore deserves a lot of credit, the game plan was perfect. When it got close I needed to use my straight which I did. I wasn’t in the middle range too much and when I was, I got caught.

“But Donaire is a world class fighter and a world class gentleman.

“There is not a man on this planet at featherweight who is going to beat me at Windsor Park.” AFP

he could.

“It was so hot I just wanted it to be over,” added Weiss after successfully defending his crown, actually his third straight counting his 2016 feat in Albay.

Another Kiwi, Kiera McPherson, finished strong in the run leg in 0:38:28 to claim third place in 02:19:47 as Allen hobbled in the bike and run stages and wound up fourth in 02:23:48.

Frenchman Fabien Combaluzier placed fifth in 02:25:35 followed by Aussie Brodie Gardner (02:31:31), New Zealand’s Alex Roberts (02:34:04), American Will Ross (02:46:53) and Kiwi Mark Williams (02:48:55).

Wasle of Austria, who dominated her side last year by almost 30 minutes, also kept the women’s tiara in 02:49:38 (00:21:43/01:35:40/00:49:53), banking on a strong performance in the bike stage to edge Aussie Penny Slater, who timed 02:52:38 with clockings of 00:21:39/01:39:37/00:50:07).

Weiss and Wasle’s feats came on the heels of their victories in the Fedhealth XTERRA South African Championship, considered as the world’s biggest XTERRA event in Elgin-Grabouw last February.

Myriam Boisset of France placed third in 02:56:33 while Leela Hancox of Australia came in fourth in 03:03:58 and Kiwi Kristy Jennings finished fifth in 03:09:35.

Topping the relays were Karen Mae Indaya, Jessie Sanchez and Josept Emia (02:24:46) in the mixed and Ralph Arche, Roger Niere and Jezerel Baguio (02:48:38) in the male division of the event, presented by the Province of Cebu and the City of Danao and backed by venue hosts Coco Palms Beach Resort and Cebu Technological U, and 2Go Express, David’s Salon, Intercare, Motor Ace, Hyper on Cignal, AlcoPlus, DeVant, Sanicare and Storck.

Former multiple world champion Nonito Donaire stalks his opponent in this file photo. AFP

Azebedo tops Subic Bay International Triathlon PORTUGUESE journeyman Filipe Azevedo ended the dominance of the Japanese in the 25th edition of the NTT Asia Cup Subic Bay International Triathlon held this past weekend at ACEA Subic Bay in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Azevedo used a strong kick to outrun Korea’s Min Ho Heo (1:50:55) and Japan’s Takumi Hojo (1:50:59) with a winning time of 1:50:50 in the grueling 1.5 Kilometer swim – 40 Kilometer bike – 10 Kilometer run Elite Men’s contest organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines in partnership with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

On the distaff side in the event sponsored by Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), Arena, New Balance, Philippine Star, Gatorade, Omega Pain Killer Liniment, Standard Insurance, Lighthouse Marina Resort, Century Tuna, Gatorade, Subic Holiday Villas, Travelers Hotel, ACEA, Asian Center for Insulation and Solar Sports, China’s Zhong Mengying (2:01:19), Zhang Yi (2:03:44) and Yang Ling (2:04:49) swept the Top 3 positions in dominating fashion leading from start to finish from the swim leg to biking and superb runs of under 38 minutes under the sun.

The Philippines’ very own Kim Mangrobang settled for 8th place in the Elite Women’s race timing 2:07:09. The 2017 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist’s finish was good considering the very strong field of competitors.

The Philippines somehow salvaged its pride with the victories of JC Abad, Edward Macalalad and Julius Constantino in the Men’s Under-23 (U/23) contest. They finished with times of 2:03:33, 2:04:23 and 2:07:46 respectively.

IN BRIEF

Govt nuclear policy presented to Duterte

THE Energy Department said it submitted the proposed nuclear energy policy to Malacañang last week for the president’s approval.

“I submitted it already to the president. I submitted the papers, the policy direction for the national policy proposal for the country,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said.

“We are processing it [nuclear] as an alternative, as a power source,” Cusi said.

Cusi said that once it was approved by President Rodrigo Duterte, the next step would be its implementation and procurement.

“If the president approves that, then I will move forward to the next step and that is procuring. If the policy is already there, there should be implementation,” Cusi said.

Cusi also clarified the conflicting statements of Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corp. and Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Igor Khovaev on the mothballed 620-megawatt Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.

Cusi said Rosatom submitted its report to the department saying the 30-year old BNPP could still be rehabilitated but the Russian Ambassador said the facility was “absolutely outdated.”

“Rosatom said it can be rehabilitated but it would be very costly. But the objective there is not just to rehab but to find a final closure.

It’s 300 hectares of property so we have to do something about it. There should be a process,” Cusi said. Alena Mae S. Flores

IC raises warning on cryptocurrencies

THE Insurance Commission warned both the public and the insurance companies against cryptocurrency transactions.

Insurance commissioner Dennis Funa said in a statement over the weekend while it recognized the value of technological advancement on the use of cryptocurrencies, the commission also noted the corresponding risks involved in the use of cryptocurrencies.

“Thus, the public is being cautioned to act prudently whenever dealing in the acquisition, possession, and/or trading of cryptocurrencies,” Funa said.

“The apparent increase in the demand for cryptocurrencies and its popularity in terms of usage as a medium for payment and remittances worldwide makes cryptocurrencies prone to being used for facilitating illegal activities, such as scams, money laundering, and terrorism financing,” said Funa.

Funa said as cryptocurrencies were neither issued nor guaranteed by any government, its value was purely dependent on market demand and supply made them highly speculative and not suitable for investment.

He said to minimize the risks involved in cryptocurrencies, IC cautioned the public and all IC-regulated entities to act prudently whenever dealing in the acquisition, possession or trading of cryptocurrencies. Julito G. Rada

Business Ayala close to finalizing Kia distributorship in PH A

By Jenniffer B. Austria

YALA Corp. is close to finalizing the Kia distributorship deal in the Philippines, a deal that will enable the conglomerate to expand its automotive portfolio, a top executive said over the weekend.

AC Industrial Technology Holdings Inc., a wholly-owned unit of Ayala Corp., said it was now in the last stage of negotiations for the deal which was expected to be completed in the next quarter.

“We are now in the last stages of the

negotiations. Within the next quarter, hopefully we will be able to finalize,” AC Industrial president Arthur Tan said in an interview at the sidelines of the annual stockholders’ meeting of Ayala Corp.

AC Industrials plans to take over the distribution of the Kia brand in the Philippines.

Tan said the plan would initially build the Kia brand. “Part of it is brand building first because the brand is a bit weak.

So we have to work on that,” Tan said.

Tan said AC Industrial’s core automotive business would remain Honda and Isuzu.

“Kia approached us and we feel we have the capability of developing the brand to the market and size of the market that they can serve. That is the reason why we are partnering with them.

But clearly our core businesses remains Honda and Isuzu,” Tan said.

Ayala Corp. said in February it received a notice from Kia Motors’ Asia regional headquarters that it was being considered as a “preferred bidder to start negotiations.”

Kia cars in the Philippines are currently assembled and distributed by Columbian Autocar Corp.

AC Industrials actively pursued investments over the past couple of years as a part of a strategy to assemble a portfolio of businesses that develop, enable, manufacture and commercialize automotive and other industrial technologies.

It acquired a 94.9-percent stake in German automotive supplier MT Misslbeck Technologies GmbH in June 2017.

Warehouses yield illegal cigarettes

THE relentless campaign of the Bureau of Internal Revenue against counterfeit cigarettes yielded hundreds of mastercases of these illegal products with fake or no tax stamps in a series of raids conducted in Malabon City and Sta. Cruz, Manila.

BIR commissioner Caesar Dulay earlier formed a task force headed by revenue officer Remedios Advincula Jr., who led a BIR strike team that discovered the fake cigarette products.

The BIR operatives, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, found out large quantities of fake Marlboro cigarettes during a raid on a shabu factory located at No. 7, Tila St., Barangay Santolan, Malabon on April 17.

Around 150 mastercases of fake Marlboros were discovered in a leased property in Malabon. The team is working on seizing these products through the BIR. Follow-up operations on April 19 in Potrero, Malabon saw the BIR operatives again seizing hundreds of counterfeit cigarettes comprising of 28 mastercases of Winston Red, 20 mastercases of Fortune green, eight mastercases of Marlboro Red and 69 mastercases of Marvels Menthol.

The BIR strike team on April 20 confiscated a total of 32 mastercases of fake cigarettes in a raid conducted at Pearl Tower 1447, B-106, G. Masangkay St., Sta. Cruz, Manila. Julito G. Rada

EMPLOYERS’ CONFERENCE. The Employers Confederation of the Philippines holds the 39th National Conference of Employers at Marriott Grand Ballroom, Newport, Pasay City. At the ribbon-cutting rites for the two-day conference on April 18 are (from left) Cecile Varela, wife of former PCCI chairman Miguel Varela; Lea Soriano, wife of Ecop honorary president Rene Soriano; Mila Lacson, wife of Ecop chairman Edgardo Lacson; Mary Ann Almeda, wife of Ecop Calabarzon president and NCE 39 chairman Renato Almeda; Ofelia Dee, wife of Ecop president Donald Dee; and Marge Ortiz-Luis, wife of Ecop honorary chair and Philexport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr.

NTC cancels registration of Globe content provider for missing load THE National Telecommunications Commission revoked the certificate of registration of Got Deals Mobile Inc., a mobile content provider for Globe Telecom Inc., following an investigation into a complaint lodged by a netizen on alleged theft of prepaid load.

The NTC said in a recent decision it asked Globe Telecom to implement a strict opt-in system in order to protect consumers from unauthorized load deduction.

It said the decision should serve as a warning to all value-added service providers to faithfully comply with the provisions of the commission’s rules and regulations in the conduct of their business, as it was imbued with public interest which the state had the duty to protect.

Other public telecommunication entities are also enjoined to strictly

implement a stringent opt-in and verification system so that unauthorized load deductions will be averted, the NTC said.

VAS providers offer services outside the standard calls and SMS such as ringtones, wallpaper and infotext, among others.

NTC’s revocation order was triggered by a complaint filed by Feanne Hontinveros Mauricio, whose social media post on “load theft” caught the attention of netizens, who had similarly experienced unauthorized deduction from their pre-paid load credit.

Pre-paid subscribers complained that their load credits disappeared allegedly because of their supposed “subscription” to certain services of the VAS provider even without their knowledge or authorization.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018

B

GDP likely grew 6.8% in 1st quarter, says Moodys

By Julito G. Rada THE Philippine economy likely expanded 6.8 percent in the first quarter, faster than the actual expansion of 6.4 percent a year ago, on robust consumer spending and investments, Moody’s Analytics, a division of Moody’s Corp., said in a report over the weekend.

“The Philippine economy likely grew 6.8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, after a 6.6-percent lift in the December quarter. The economy is in somewhat of a sweet spot,” Moody’s said.

“Consumer spending is rising at a healthy pace, thanks to steady inflows of overseas worker remittances and a firm labor market. Investment has been robust and is likely to remain strong as the government boosts infrastructure development,” Moody’s said.

Moody’s said the upswing in external demand was lifting exports.

“With these factors and favorable demographics, the Philippines is likely to remain one of the fastest-growing economies in the region in coming years,” it said.

Private economists from First Metro Investment Corp. and University of Asia & the Pacific said in an earlier joint report the economy could grow faster than 7 percent in the first quarter, driven by the government’s higher spending on infrastructure in tandem with the robust manufacturing sector.

Citing latest available data, the economists said that for the first month of 2018 alone, the economy added 2.4 million jobs, the highest in a non-election year, with the industry sector― construction and manufacturing contributing the biggest boost―clearly making a headway.

Manufacturing also surged 21.9 percent in January, providing support to the robust job numbers.

Government spending surged 37 percent year-on-year in February, on the back of higher spending on public infrastructure and social services programs, according to the Budget Department.

Aboitiz spending P77b to expand business units CONGLOMERATE Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. said it plans to spend P77 billion this year to fund the expansion of its power generation unit and other businesses.

AEV chief finance officer Manuel Lozano said about P61 billion of the P77billion capital expenditures for 2018 would go to unit Aboitiz Power Corp. in support of the latter’s thermal and renewable projects and exploratory and operating activities.

The group’s food, infrastructure and real estate units will also spend P4 billion to P5 billion each this year, while banking arm Union Bank of the Philippines plans to invest P2.4 billion in 2018.

Lozano said the group’s food business under Philmico was aggressive

in expanding its core businesses in the Philippines while building new ones in the Southeast Asian region.

Pilmico plans to increase flour exports to Asean, while its farms business would epxand its animal stock to 20,000 sows and integrate the business through the value chain with a new meat processing plant.

Pilmico aims to expand its current monthly egg production from 4 million pieces in 2017 to 15 million pieces by quadrupling layers’ capacity.

Aboitiz Land, the group’s property unit, plans to launch three residential projects on top of its largest commercial project to date―The Outlets at Lipa.

Aboitiz InfraCapital, the group’s infrastructure unit, will start constructing the P14-billion Agua-Apo water project

in Davao this year.

Lozano said the construction of the project was expected to start soon, after securing nearly all the required permits needed to implement the project.

The company is also set to finalize funding for the project. Under the plan, APO Agua will supply up to 300 million liters per day of potable bulk water from Tamugan River, which will benefit more than 1 million people in Davao City. The group hopes to complete the project by 2020.

Lozano said the group’s cement unit, Republic Cement and Building Materials Inc., would continue with the debottlnecking of existing plants to improve the efficiency of these facilities.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Meralco chosen as preferred bidder for Ghana utility

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ESPENILLA ADDRESSES THRIFT BANKS. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. keynotes the 2018 Chamber of Thrift Banks Convention with the theme ‘Banking on Disruptive Technologies.’ Espanilla said the thrift bank industry posted a net income of P17.9 billion in 2017. He also discussed BSP’s own digitalization through the implementation of the National Retail Payment System.

POWER retailer Manila Electric Co. confirmed over the weekend it was selected as the preferred bidder to manage, operate and invest in Electricity Company of Ghana in West Africa.

The Millennium Development Authority of Ghana announced last week that the Meralco consortium was determined to have the highest combined technical and financial score and was therefore designated as the preferred bidder.

“The bid is for equity ownership and management of the concession company to take over the Electricity Company of Ghana, which supplies 80 percent of the population of Ghana through 3 million accounts,” Meralco senior vice president and head of customer retail services, corporate marketing and communications Al Panlilio said.

MiDA said in a statement that negotiations would soon begin to finalize all the agreements related to the implementation of the ECG transaction.

“We will still undergo negotiations process,” Meralco head of legal William Pamintuan said.

Meralco is the country’s biggest power distributor with over six million customers in its franchise area.

It already has a stake in a distribution utility in Nigeria, also in West Africa.

Meralco and partner Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Ltd. took over the operations of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc. and Yola Electricity Distribution Co. Plc. in November 2013.

MiDA received two proposals for the concession for the management, operation and investment in the electrical distribution business of ECG, in-

cluding Meralco and BXC Ghana.

The ECG Private Sector Participation Activity is one of five activities under the ECG Financial and Operational Turnaround Project of the Ghana Power Compact Programme.

The Ghana Power Compact is being undertaken with the support of the Millennium Challenge Corp., which is is helping the government of Ghana to transform the power sector through private sector participation and key policy and institutional reforms to provide more reliable and affordable power to Ghana’s businesses and households.

MCC is supporting the government of Ghana’s efforts to improve the management and efficiency of Ghana’s largest state-owned electricity distribution utility by bringing in a private sector operator to improve overall service quality.

B2

Business

MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Volatile trading to persist—traders

By Jenniffer B. Austria

T

RADING at the Philippine Stock Exchange is expected to remain volatile this week due to concerns on rising inflation and an increase in interest rates in the country.

First Metro Investments Corp expects the downward momentum to remain in the interim, with the market still trading below its moving averages.

“Trend followers are recommended to wait for a breakout above its downtrend line with a big volume before buying,” First Metro said.

With the inflation rate rising, investors are getting worried the domestic economy is overheating and that it may not be able to sustain a 6-percent to 7-percent growth.

Investors have also expressed con-

cerns about the planned second package of tax reform that focuses on the reduction in fiscal incentives and fresh tax hikes on businesses.

Online brokerage firm 2TradeAsia. com, however, said the current market downward trend could present buying opportunity for equity investors.

“The reality is there are people who prevail in these trying times versus those who are quick to throw the towel. This phenomenon explains volatility that presents buying windows,” 2TradeAsia. com said.

The 30 company-Philippine Stock Exchange Index last week declined 2.2 percent to 7,726.72 on volatile trading that saw the index hitting a low of 7,537 points. The broader All Shares Index dropped 2.2 percent to 4,687.29.

All major counters ended in red led by mining and oil (-4.35 percent), ser-

vices (-4.06 percent), holding firms (-3.26 percent) and financials (-1.66 percent).

Foreign investors were net sellers

by P2.9 billion, while the average daily trading value stood at P7.5 billion.

Weekly top price gainers were Megawide Construction Corp., which rose 10.9 percent to P23.85; Aboitiz Power Corp., which advanced 5.6 percent to P39.70; and Ayala Land Inc., which climbed 3 percent to P41.10.

Weekly top price losers were led by GMA Network Inc., which dipped 10.9 percent to P5.69 ; Puregold Price Club Inc., which declined 9 percent to P48; and East West Banking Coro., which fell 8.9 percent to P17.

Wall Street stocks, meanwhile, finished last week on a downcast note, falling Friday on worries about higher interest rates and tech giant Apple’s

prospects.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.8 percent to close the week at 24,462.94.

The broad-based S&P 500 shed 0.9 percent to end at 2,670.14, while the Nasdaq Composite Index tumbled 1.3 percent to 7,146.13 following a big decline in Apple, the biggest company by market capitalization.

The yield on the 10-year US Treasury rose ever closer to 3.0 percent, jumping 1.3 points to 2.95 percent, reigniting fears that Federal Reserve interest rate increases will dent the economy.

Investor unrest is due partly to uncertainty about how the US central bank might navigate the transition under a new leadership team following the replacement of Janet Yellen with new Chair Jerome Powell, said Maris Ogg of Tower Bridge Advisors. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

APRIL 16-20, 2018 Close Volume

Value

Asia United Bank Asiatrust Dev. 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. 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

59 59 134.00 106.00 3.14 1.48 34.4 6.7 16.66 17 3.4 8.87 1.53 850.00 0.560 82.9 1.09 12.2 23.90 54.10 87.75 110 228 43.95 225 1890.00 90.60 1.22

89,210 12,620 14,216,580 6,294,300 366,000 966,000 1,295,500 74,400 1,313,800 7,962,100 68,000 2,200 266,000 530 11,739,000 14,722,060 5,914,700 72,600 5,300 655,890 30 4,000 23,340 40,900 2,203,330 350 100,950 755,000

FINANCIAL 5,249,105.00 740,798.00 1,908,273,311.00 655,931,841.00 1,100,380.00 1,418,790.00 45,084,950.00 512,076.00 21,915,732.00 139,956,430.00 221,680.00 18,823.00 418,830.00 452,500.00 5,872,680.00 1,217,470,770.50 6,549,796.00 886,082.00 127,030.00 35,660,464.00 2,635.50 427,587.00 5,259,106.00 1,785,360.00 493,344,080.00 665,175.00 9,105,442.50 935,350.00

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.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

39.7 14.38 0.53 1.26 21 0.224 140 25.15 3.3 16.2 288 49 71.05 96.9 60 1.93 5.23 10 10.440 15 11.60 7.21 5.47 1.66 16.3 65.4 25.50 9.37 16.34 2.150 291.00 58.50 5.1 3.19 17.84 25.05 14.84 23.85 0.190 321.60 7.68 2.46 4.97 9.19 4.98 7.75 1.50 12.12 52.2 6.25 4.78 2 3.31 1.92 13.86 66 5.48 0.134 1.02 138 2.69 3.16 22.00 0.83

7,670,000 5,707,500 22,330,000 2,996,000 206,500 14,480,000 410 349,700 21,606,000 5,781,500 680 2,672,430 14,220 300 3,002,090 2,226,000 346,400 26,000 10,218,100 8,151,200 2,266,300 6,567,400 39,027,800 18,000 4,448,700 812,100 201,200 280,600 3,278,200 15,950,000 4,352,820 60 3,568,900 83,000 1,000 5,723,400 528,500 23,875,500 5,100,000 1,370,600 292,900 8,751,000 1,932,300 17,068,600 490,200 174,900 3,731,000 104,300 5,659,370 174,600 1,694,000 704,000 95,000 7,212,000 901,000 1,211,240 596,400 5,370,000 463,000 8,965,800 57,000 631,092,000 2,900 50,450,000

INDUSTRIAL 290,814,680.00 80,798,216.00 12,511,700.00 3,767,450.00 4,247,326.00 3,266,490.00 57,662.00 9,464,265.00 74,513,950.00 93,969,668.00 191,416.00 133,237,653.50 1,047,431.00 26,836.00 183,130,499.50 4,243,960.00 1,824,537.00 261,160.00 107,702,214.00 123,271,564.00 26,184,706.00 47,507,109.00 212,131,884.00 29,990.00 72,438,492.00 52,743,182.50 5,124,595.00 2,641,454.00 53,427,026.00 34,977,650.00 1,255,184,474.00 3,538.50 18,851,241.00 271,380.00 17,840.00 148,021,665.00 7,955,186.00 548,110,570.00 971,750.00 442,322,712.00 2,323,815.00 21,147,540.00 9,719,482.00 157,929,974.00 2,452,782.00 1,377,827.00 5,654,040.00 1,273,148.00 296,767,358.00 1,086,563.00 7,832,270.00 1,393,040.00 327,260.00 14,442,100.00 12,660,794.00 80,532,016.50 3,250,432.00 719,880.00 463,540.00 1,250,128,393.00 151,050.00 2,139,382,500.00 65,220.00 42,882,140.00

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

Mabuhay Holdings `A’ LT Group Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Keppel Holdings `A’ Jolliville Holdings JG Summit Holdings House of Inv. GT Capital Forum Pacific Filinvest Dev. Corp.

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

0.199 0.2000 0.2300 550.00 266.000 0.81 1.67 901.00 2.6 140.90 2.54 3.420 1.160 0.0410 3.36 4.64 0.610 19.16 4.79 0.65 5.3 5 61.05 6.90 1045 0.198 7.35 5.4 12.10 6.76 1703.00 919 0.640 0.600 6.48 0.90 13.14 68.65 0.295

HOLDING FIRMS 1,250,000 242,120.00 1,750,000 352,080.00 2,160,000 508,800.00 2,930 1,662,180.00 15,880 4,155,536.00 400,000 325,770.00 2,070,000 3,433,970.00 1,189,897 1,284,138,545.00 46,000 119,390.00 752,740 105,861,618.00 270,000 695,200.00 38,783,000 132,358,330.00 5,704,000 6,685,270.00 69,400,000 2,879,700.00 12,000 42,060.00 255,499,000 1,190,693,990.00 50,646,000 30,742,260.00 13,579,500 250,828,296.00 1,862,000 8,906,090.00 1,110,000 697,210.00 3,400 19,502.00 1,700 8,418.00 14,619,860 896,556,682.50 223,900 1,521,080.00 648,560 695,003,630.00 280,000 54,340.00 606,100 4,586,313.00 2,400 12,975.00 27,559,500 332,044,582.00 8,245,500 57,262,326.00 5 8,515.00 1,924,110 1,761,102,455.00 17,169,000 10,894,580.00 24,408,000 15,021,370.00 94,300 603,857.00 325,000 292,700.00 75,789,500 1,016,641,680.00 2,977,160 204,583,408.50 1,546,000 846,850.00

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’ 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.

6.700 1.02 14.68 2.030 0.830 41.100 3.44 4.51 6.06 6.42 0.440 1.03 0.980 0.265 0.460 31.55 0.690 0.121 1.71 1.30 1.12 4.05 4.4 0.550

2,328,100 17,265,000 277,400 690,000 13,780,000 65,739,800 1,655,000 5,381,000 214,000 7,700 184,997,000 206,000 869,000 178,120,000 640,000 2,193,400 7,749,000 1,250,000 26,943,000 19,805,000 34,770,000 6,000 115,739,000 463,655,000

PROPERTY 15,622,263.00 17,057,900.00 4,190,894.00 1,423,000.00 11,470,060.00 2,646,316,545.00 5,729,210.00 24,456,580.00 1,309,062.00 49,154.00 88,393,925.00 216,400.00 855,930.00 46,656,100.00 285,900.00 67,139,990.00 5,316,500.00 152,840.00 46,340,270.00 26,393,350.00 37,847,790.00 26,520.00 506,258,660.00 263,266,220.00

APRIL 10-13, 2018 Close Volume

Value

58

247,490

14,596,382.50

138.30 107.30 3.19 1.60 35.35 7.05 16.46 18.66 3.4 8.71 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

9,659,300 6,938,440 159,000 993,000 654,600 1,900 224,700 5,211,500 74,000 1,200 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

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 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

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

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

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

0.91

52,615,000

49,268,420.00

0.195 0.2010 0.2450 618.00 270.000 0.81 1.73 940.00 2.58 142.90 2.54 3.380 1.160 0.0460 3.65 4.93 0.690 18.7 4.9 0.67 5.76 5.29 62.80 6.88 1107 0.207 7.50

420,000 1,950,000 780,000 2,490 1,540 963,000 542,000 1,294,450 128,000 914,880 1,000 12,302,000 2,219,000 41,400,000 45,000 131,173,600 39,325,000 16,624,700 1,620,000 2,246,000 19,100 1,500 7,642,410 356,500 467,905 2,490,000 712,300

81,950.00 397,400.00 189,470.00 1,539,255.00 410,230.00 794,200.00 929,420.00 1,258,395,870.00 330,240.00 130,349,792.00 2,540.00 38,851,800.00 2,554,420.00 1,798,600.00 161,660.00 668,028,856.00 28,074,210.00 322,654,060.00 7,841,580.00 1,484,870.00 111,496.00 7,897.00 485,828,709.50 2,458,440.00 522,440,420.00 495,560.00 5,334,488.00

12.36 7.15 1703.00 956 0.660 0.650 6.48 0.90 14.18 68.30 0.305

20,086,700 5,567,800 60 1,557,540 6,860,000 29,131,000 77,300 644,000 30,175,500 4,378,020 2,370,000

248,020,892.00 39,605,798.00 100,295.00 1,479,853,075.00 4,512,510.00 18,939,440.00 493,518.00 584,090.00 422,437,102.00 265,524,152.05 712,050.00

6.800 0.98 15.10 2.170 0.860 39.900 3.48 4.67 6.18 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 96,200 900 192,510,000 302,000 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

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 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

STOCKS

APRIL 16-20, 2018 Close Volume

APRIL 10-13, 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 0.680 30.00 4.11 19.10 1.97 3.13 33.00 1.02 10.3 0.790 6.450

8,100,000 193,251,000 5,700 20,314,000 19,074,500 2,765,000 727,000 37,453,300 3,362,000 10,434,900 498,000 73,200,300

3,213,350.00 122,346,390.00 177,200.00 88,055,650.00 363,682,782.00 5,309,570.00 2,309,660.00 1,236,406,355.00 3,441,150.00 116,170,900.00 400,560.00 485,003,845.00

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ.

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

16.72 28.2 1.38 0.470 0.047 12.98 5.37 12.78 0.0530 88.3 8.8 6.9 7.54 2.1 22.50 905 1535 5.69 308.00 13.32 4.46 93.35 2.35 12.66 8.28 0.117 1.4300 3.32 15 5.00 1.04 27.90 18.50 0.470 4.41 6.8 3.25 7.650 11.36 9.50 2.86 125.00 6.50 1395.00 0.400 1.000 48.00 87.00 7.34 2.35 1.370 0.405 4.66 0.880 10.720

459,400 291,600 847,000 34,625,000 71,800,000 84,700 100 65,482,800 307,760,000 1,482,420 651,100 7,526,700 338,600 195,000 307,900 40 243,915 5,301,600 82,570 26,200 17,364,900 4,257,540 246,000 106,400 118,900 7,150,000 1,409,000 222,000 18,200 45,041,000 4,560,000 6,954,100 1,900 60,000 4,635,500 20,819,000 3,947,000 32,661,800 509,100 63,000 55,000 365,280 6,671,100 673,125 16,160,000 8,768,000 29,523,010 3,057,300 273,600 6,424,000 30,847,000 46,890,000 15,382,000 24,057,000 23,744,300

SERVICES 7,809,412.00 8,376,220.00 1,113,000.00 17,011,755.00 3,409,700.00 1,058,898.00 537.00 839,717,984.00 6,974,090.00 134,466,948.00 5,729,780.00 53,662,047.00 2,545,486.00 428,510.00 7,347,545.00 36,200.00 378,184,260.00 31,783,986.00 25,408,110.00 342,458.00 83,475,322.00 402,494,083.00 575,850.00 1,402,670.00 978,834.00 836,460.00 1,981,380.00 710,890.00 269,212.00 216,618,326.00 4,724,670.00 195,762,130.00 35,532.00 27,950.00 21,681,395.00 147,348,951.00 12,959,930.00 258,457,504.00 5,942,276.00 594,005.00 157,490.00 43,976,813.00 42,934,014.00 936,644,330.00 6,504,700.00 8,773,040.00 1,409,250,234.00 260,424,055.00 1,993,342.00 15,948,530.00 44,049,580.00 19,216,850.00 73,102,510.00 21,061,150.00 258,159,404.00

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

0.0028 1.73 4.45 18.50 1.4600 1.6400 1.63 0.300 7.37 2.320 0.202 0.144 0.147 0.009 0.0093 1.48 6.18 1.2 0.5100 0.9200 0.0130 0.0130 5.56 14.00 0.0120 2.2500 30.25 0.0064

MINING & OIL 1,214,000,000 3,521,800.00 128,002,000 238,187,390.00 597,000 2,680,580.00 43,700 787,766.00 186,000 272,070.00 58,000 93,880.00 3,993,000 6,488,700.00 4,760,000 1,454,950.00 117,400 876,847.00 126,372,000 303,318,500.00 1,300,000 263,210.00 29,650,000 4,250,900.00 9,030,000 1,366,040.00 11,000,000 99,400.00 2,000,000 18,600.00 2,429,000 3,461,080.00 19,717,900 121,614,925.00 108,000 127,570.00 6,457,000 3,264,445.00 1,579,000 1,406,240.00 350,000,000 4,460,500.00 165,300,000 2,155,200.00 6,184,500 35,547,236.00 22,894,200 329,355,892.00 205,700,000 2,466,000.00 167,000 381,510.00 4,132,900 125,789,600.00 18,000,000 116,500.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Alco Preferred B Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ DD PREF First Gen F First Gen G GMA Holdings Inc. GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B House Preferred Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred B 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

26.65 106 510 503 100.2 107.6 110.8 5.58 999 970 100.3 1.06 107 1160 102 111 970 76 79 75.4 75.2 76 76.45 76.2 75.75

1,242,800 2,000 5,590 23,540 130,430 11,930 4,500 1,455,700 2,040 10,710 111,000 281,000 110 5 120 20 7,260 1,620 107,220 14,220 16,150 82,980 22,410 164,820 79,360

PREFERRED 34,531,120.00 212,000.00 2,837,795.00 12,022,950.00 13,169,378.00 1,242,313.00 501,713.00 8,815,729.00 2,037,850.00 10,437,130.00 11,133,300.00 294,860.00 11,780.00 5,800.00 12,510.00 2,180.00 7,043,840.00 123,450.00 8,463,805.00 1,067,917.00 1,219,098.50 6,378,577.50 1,715,607.00 12,507,236.00 5,997,282.50

LR Warrant

3.000

WARRANTS & BONDS 9,978,000 29,526,530.00 SME 3,060.00 37,443,703.00 2,165,860.00 71,054,820.00

Value

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

17.56 28.9 1.36 0.530 0.049 12.3 5.4 12.90 0.0590 93.8

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

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

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

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

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

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

3,820,000,000 53,786,000 348,000 23,900 184,000 55,000 1,295,000 4,020,000 41,500 6,439,000 1,670,000 27,130,000 2,850,000 16,000,000 9,000,000 551,000 3,561,900 227,000 8,066,000 965,000 590,600,000 7,500,000 3,419,000 42,749,500 60,500,000 229,000 9,012,100 4,600,000

10,827,200.00 98,057,510.00 1,596,430.00 448,110.00 297,520.00 91,300.00 2,099,670.00 1,236,900.00 336,784.00 15,591,750.00 341,800.00 3,976,380.00 437,120.00 145,600.00 83,900.00 793,750.00 21,232,512.00 267,570.00 4,832,190.00 844,830.00 7,267,400.00 98,200.00 20,462,251.00 701,717,102.00 745,700.00 541,390.00 279,508,385.00 65,600.00

27.95 105 508 503 101.9 104 109.2 6.22 988 980 100.3 1.05 107.3

309,100 30 1,130 8,400 192,110 1,030 160,400 638,100 30 3,220 1,500 77,000 9,570

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 4,002,184.00 29,640.00 3,183,660.00 150,450.00 80,800.00 977,547.00

104.6 111 980 75.2 79.1 75.4 75.95 78 76.8 76 75.75

100 180 6,940 2,640 113,260 83,880 30,850 46,000 2,890 170,480 145,190

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

3.140

11,953,000

38,316,770.00

3.06 5.56 3.36 3.41

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

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

Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Philab Holdings Xurpas

3.06 5.02 3.28 3.23

1,000 7,284,900 684,000 20,661,000

First Metro ETF

119.6

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 123,960 14,720,054.00

120.5

36,150

4,395,655.00

10.3 10.24 1.02

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 12,550 129,265.00 12,690 129,918.00 141,000 143,820.00

10.3 10.2 1.02

3,500 6,860 173,780

35,550.00 70,122.00 177,255.60

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Vitarich Corp.

MRC Allied Ind. Oriental Pet. `A’ Boulevard Holdings Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Philodrill Corp. `A’ Phil. Realty `A’ Century Property Crown Equities Inc.

VOLUME 1,214,000,000 631,092,000 463,655,000 350,000,000 307,760,000 255,499,000 205,700,000 193,251,000 184,997,000 178,120,000

STOCKS Ayala Land `B’ Vitarich Corp.

Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Ayala Corp `A’ Puregold SM Investments Inc. Jollibee Foods Corp.

Universal Robina SM Prime Holdings Metrobank

VALUE 2,646,316,545.00 2,139,382,500.00 1,908,273,311.00 1,761,102,455.00 1,409,250,234.00 1,284,138,545.00 1,255,184,474.00 1,250,128,393.00 1,236,406,355.00 1,217,470,770.50

MPIC offers to acquire toll road project in Malaysia

By Darwin G. Amojelar METRO Pacific Investments Corp. has submitted an offer to acquire a toll road project in Malaysia.

“I think that is still under consideration. I know we’ve submitted a bid, an offer, rather for one of their tollways. [We expect the results] maybe in the next month or two,” MPIC chairman Manuel Pangilinan said.

MPIC is also looking at at tollway project in Indonesia.

MPIC currently has a 29.45-percent stake in Don Muang Tollway Public Company Limited, a major toll road operator in Bangkok, Thailand.

The concession for the operation of a 21.9-kilometer six-lane elevated toll road from central Bangkok to Don Muang International Airport and further to the National Monument, north of Bangkok in Thailand runs until 2034.

MPIC through Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. owns a 44.9-percent interest in CII Bridges and Roads, which has several road and bridge projects in and around Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

MPIC operates the North Luzon Expressway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway in the Philippines.

MPIC’s subsidiary, MPCala Holdings Inc., is building a four-lane, 47-kilometer closed-system toll expressway connecting Cavitex and South Luzon Expressway.

The P35.4-billion expressway will start from Cavitex in Kawit, Cavite and end at the SLEx-Mamplasan Interchange in Biñan, Laguna.

MPTC in addition is building an 8.3-kilometer toll road known as the Cebu-Cordova Bridge project, linking the island of Mactan to mainland Cebu through the municipality of Cordova.

The company is also building the NLEX-SLEX Connector Road, an eight-kilometer, four-lane toll road linking the North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway, passing through Metro Manila and using the existing Philippine National Railway alignment as its route.

Filinvest Land ready to boost leasing base

By Jenniffer B. Austria FILINVEST Land Inc., the property unit of the Gotianun Group, has set a medium term target of 1.5 million square meters in leasing portfolio that contribute 50 percent of the company’s net income by 2022.

FLI said in an annual report it would aggressively roll out new offices and shopping malls across its integrated mixed-use developments in Alabang, Quezon City, Makati, Bay Area, Ortigas, Cebu and Clark, Pampanga.

“Our medium-term target for 2022 is a build-up of 1.5 million square meters of gross leasable area,” FLI president and chief executive Josephine Gotianun-Yap said.

The property developer earlier aimed to build 1 million leasing space by the end of 2019.

FLI had 587,000 square meters in GLA at the end of 2017, contributing 30 percent of the company’s net income.

Gotianun-Yap said the company’s recurring income portfolio by the end of 2018 would already be close to 800,000 square meters of GLA with the addition of 210,000 square meters of office and retail space.

FLI plans to strengthen its position as the leading office developer in the southern part of Metro Manila with Northgate Cyberzone and build a significant presence in Visayas, specifically Cebu which is the largest city in Visayas and the second biggest in the Philippines.

It plans to be the pioneer office developer in the Clark Special Economic Zone and develop an office component in planned mixed-use buildings strategically located near transportation hubs in the Pasay Bay Area, Makati and Quezon City

Manila

Standard

TODAY

extrastory2000@gmail.com

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World

B3

MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

North Korean refugees find new pressures in the South

ORDINATION. Pope Francis incenses new priests during the episcopal ordination mass in Saint Peterís Basilica on April 22, 2018. AFP

IN BRIEF

Queen marks 92nd birthday with concert LONDON—Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 92nd birthday on Saturday with a star-studded, Commonwealththemed charity concert featuring Tom Jones, Kylie Minogue and Shaggy.

The monarch took to the stage herself at the end of the show at the Royal Albert Hall, where her son and heir Prince Charles led the crowd in a birthday “hip hip hip hooray”.

Her grandsons Prince William and Prince Harry, accompanied by his fiancee Meghan Markle, also watched performances by stars from around the Commonwealth, the 53-nation grouping that held its summit in London this week.

The queen usually celebrates her birthday in private, saving the pomp for her official birthday in June, but the concert was held in aid of a new youth charity, The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.

“This organization in your name will provide a platform for those working to make a difference in their communities across 53 countries. Your Majesty, Happy Birthday,” said Harry, who will be president of the trust. AFP

Iran says it will restart nuke program NEW YORK—Iran warned Saturday it is ready to “vigorously” resume nuclear enrichment if the United States ditches the 2015 nuclear deal, and said further “drastic measures” are being considered in response to a US exit.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters in New York that Iran is not seeking to acquire a nuclear bomb, but that its “probable” response to a US withdrawal would be to restart production of enriched uranium—a key bomb-making ingredient.

“America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment,” added Zarif, who is in the United States to attend a UN meeting on sustaining peace.

US President Donald Trump has set a May 12 deadline for the Europeans to “fix” the 2015 agreement that provides for curbs to Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for relief from financial sanctions.

Zarif’s comments marked a further hardening of rhetoric following a warning earlier this month from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that Washington would “regret” withdrawing from the nuclear deal, and that Iran would respond within a week if it did. AFP

SEOUL―When elite North Korean soldier Joo Seung-hyeon made his way through the Demilitarized Zone, avoiding minefields and watchtowers to defect to the South, he thought he was going to a prosperous new life.

The reality was more complicated than that.

Ostracized by Southerners who he says see their Northern cousins as “poor, uncivilized barbarians”, he was dismissed at countless interviews for menial jobs as soon as he revealed his thick accent. One restaurant paid him half the wages of Southerners.

But he persevered, eliminating his original tones by repeating radio broadcasts, earning a degree in his spare time, and following up with a PhD in unification studies―the first such doctorate ever earned by a North Korean defector.

Now he has written a book detailing the challenges faced by Northern defectors in what has become a radically different society.

The peninsula has been divided since a 1950-53 war, with little official contact be-

tween the two sides. A summit in the DMZ at which North Korea’s Kim Jong Un will meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in this week will only be the third such gettogether.

More than 30,000 North Koreans have fled poverty and repression in their homeland since the end the war to make a perilous journey to the South, and are often held up as a symbol of human yearning for freedom.

The goal of unification is enshrined in South Korea’s constitution and it welcomed them with great publicity, some of those arriving in the 1970s and 80s enjoying nationwide fame as “heroes.”

But the fanfare died down as the trickle of defectors turned into a torrent in the 1990s, when a famine in the North left hundreds of thousands dead.

Public sentiment soured and now many defectors bemoan difficulties finding decent jobs or making friends, with most of their knowledge and skills deemed outdated or irrelevant, and many Southerners viewing them with suspicion and contempt. AFP

Kim vows more economic reforms S EOUL―North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s promise to build “socialist economic construction” in his nuclear-armed but impoverished and isolated country could herald more Chinesestyle economic reforms, according to analysts―but he will never explicitly say so.

Alongside the declaration Saturday that the North had completed the development of its nuclear arsenal and no more atomic or missile tests were needed, Kim proclaimed that the “new strategic line” for the ruling Workers’ Party would be “socialist economic construction”.

The three words appeared a total of 56 times in the report by the official KCNA news agency on Kim’s speech and the subsequent party decision.

It has a long way to go.

For a time after the Korean War the North was wealthier than the South, benefiting from a Japanese colonial decision to concentrate industrialization there as it had more mineral resources and more hydroelectric power potential than the largely agricultural southern end of the peninsula.

But that situation reversed as the North― long considered one of the most state-controlled economies in the world―suffered from decades of economic mismanagement, worsened when the demise of the Soviet Union ended the financial support that had helped to plug the gaps.

Average incomes were less than one-twentieth of those in the South in 2016, according to the

most recent statistics available from Seoul.

Pyongyang itself does not publish figures even for GDP growth.

The situation has been improving as Pyongyang quietly allows the market to play a greater role in its economy under Kim. It recorded its fastest expansion in 17 years in 2016, according to the Bank of Korea, the South’s central bank―although that is threatened by recent UN Security Council sanctions imposed on sectors such as coal, fish and textiles over its weapons programs.

Kim intends to pursue “essentially the Chinese-style economic program he is busily implementing”, said Andrei Lankov of Korea Risk Group. “Economic reforms which are not going to be called economic reforms.”

In neighboring China and nearby Vietnam, Kim has two examples of Communist parties that have embraced capitalism without threatening the rule of the one-party state―even reinforcing their positions by delivering increasing prosperity.

Deng Xiaoping’s “Reform and Opening” in the 1980s started a decades-long economic

boom that propelled China from a lumbering backwater to the world’s second-largest economy and a crucial driver of global growth.

Beijing calls it “Socialism with Chinese characteristics”, and officials have long pressed PyongAUCTION SALE

yang to follow its example.

In public, Kim is having none of it. At the Workers’ Party congress in 2016―the first such meeting for 36 years―he pointedly decried “the filthy wind of bourgeois liberty and ‘reform’ and ‘openness’ blowing in our neighborhood.” AFP

Pujeda Trucking and Towing Services (PTTS), accredited towing contractor of SMC, will be transferring all impounded vehicles at the SLEX and Star Tollway Storage Areas in the coming weeks. All vehicles impounded more than six (6) months from this date shall be auctioned off. Owners who wish to claim their vehicles are advised to bring the original Certificate of Registration and valid IDs. For inquiries, please call the SLEX Storage Area at 09323321189, and Star Tollway Storage Area at 0932-5772663.

ACME PAWNSHOP 1st Level Glorietta 3 Ayala, Makati and its branches in Majalco Bldg., Buenavidez St., Legaspi Village, Makati and L & R Bldg., Pasay Road, Makati auction sale on May 05, 2018, 3:00 pm Alabang Town Center, Alabang Zapote Road, MJ Holding Bldg., Almanza Las Piñas, Circle C G14, #17 Manila Congressional Ave., Bahay Toro D1, Quezon City at 9:30TODAY am. All items pawned December 1, to 31, 2017. Notary Public

Standard

(MS-APR. 22 & 23, 2018)

(MS-APR. 23, 2018)

TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICES PHILIPPINES CORPORATION 32nd Floor G. T. Tower International, Ayala Avenue corner H. V. dela Costa Street,Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City

STATEMENT OF CONDITION As of March 31, 2018 ASSETS Due from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas P Deposit in Banks GS Purchased Under Reverse Repurchase Agreement with BSP GS Purchased Under RRA Sold Under Resale Agreement Loans and Receivables (Net) (Long-Term Portion of P58,049,866,218) Available-for-Sale Securities (Net) Real Property, Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (Net) Real and Other Properties Acquired (Net) Other Assets (Net) TOTAL ASSETS P

9,648,688,862 1,324,591,818 1,118,192,680 0 60,416,639,299 0 1,200,000 168,803,154 128,471,430 2,415,618,170 75,222,205,413

LIABILITIES Bills Payable Accrued Taxes and Other Expenses Deposit for future Subscription Other Liabilities TOTAL LIABILITIES

P

P

64,099,967,136 606,853,891 1,800,000,000 1,639,496,151 68,146,317,178

CAPITAL ACCOUNTS Capital Stock Retained Earnings Sub - Total Less: Treasury Stock TOTAL CAPITAL ACCOUNTS

P

P

2,900,000,000 4,175,888,235 7,075,888,235 0 7,075,888,235

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND CAPITAL ACCOUNTS

P

75,222,205,413

P

COMMITMENT AND OTHER CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS

PROTEST. Pakistani members of the Pashtun Protection Movement and student activists gather before the start of a demonstration in Lahore on April 22, 2018. Pakistani Pashtun activists have vowed to hold a banned demonstration in the eastern city of Lahore on April 22 after the authorities refused to issue a permit for the rally, just hours after officials cracked down on the group. AFP

Bangladesh’s factory disaster survivors await justice SAVAR, Bangladesh―The pain of waiting 10 hours with her leg crushed by bodies under the rubble of the Rana Plaza factory was hell for Nilufer Begum. But the five-year wait for justice has been just as agonizing.

Bangladesh on Tuesday marks the fifth anniversary of one of the world’s worst industrial disasters, a building collapse that killed more than 1,130 workers and spotlighted the Western clothing brands benefiting from the country’s low wages.

But there is mounting anger this anniversary over the glacial pace of the court case against those arrested in the aftermath of the tragedy.

The weight of three bodies and rubble crippled Begum’s right leg on April 24, 2013.

The 38-year-old has had to undergo operations that have cost twice the $3,500 compensation she received, forcing her to borrow from relatives and charities.

“I am counting the hours to my death. The muscles in my leg are wasting away. My kidneys are failing,” Begum, who now runs a grocer’s store near the factory ruins, told AFP. More than 2,000 injured workers from the

nine-story complex, which collapsed like a pack of cards, have similar stories.

Many have spent all their compensation on medical bills, according to ActionAid Bangladesh.

Begum says the slow wait for justice is the only thing that keeps her going.

“None of us wanted to enter the factories that day,” she recalled. “They forced us to work despite pillars that crumbled the day before. Five years have passed and no one has been tried or punished.”

“The building owner is having a great time in jail. All the other accused are out on bail. The factory owners and the managers who threatened to fire us if we didn’t work are free,” said the tearful mother of an 11-year-old boy.

“So many of us have lost limbs or been crippled. But now everyone has forgotten us and the disaster,” she added.

Rana Plaza’s collapse triggered international outrage.

European and US clothing brands―including Primark, Mango and Benetton―were pressured to improve pay and conditions at

the Bangladesh factories which employ some four million workers with wages starting at $65 a month, among the world’s lowest.

Groups which oversee safety upgrades say Bangladesh factories have improved. The 20 reported accidents last year was the lowest in recent years.

A group representing more than 100 European brands still warned however that “major life-threatening safety concerns remain” among the 4,500 textile plants.

The work to improve conditions has been faster than the trial of Rana Plaza owner, Sohel Rana, and nearly 40 others -- including factory officials and government inspectors who were charged with murder.

Rana was jailed for three years last August for failing to declare his personal wealth to Bangladesh’s anti-graft commission. He also faces the murder charges.

Proceedings are dragging on and prosecutors say a verdict could take five more years.

Prosecutor Mizanur Rahman blamed repeated adjournments. No witness has yet given evidence. “Some witnesses have already

Other Contingent Accounts

P

0

Note: 1. Held for Trading Securities comprise of Government Securities of P0 and Equity Securities - Common Shares of P0 2. Non-performing loans, net of allowance and ratio to total loan portfolio: P636,227,539; 1.03% 3. Classified loans and other risk assets: P 2,707,476,279 4. General loan loss reserve: P 602,667,165 5. Specific loan loss reserve: P535,449,257 6. Return on equity (ROE): 11.18% 7. DOSRI loans/advances and ratio to total loan portfolio: None 8. Past due DOSRI loans/advances and ratio to total portfolio: None 9. Deposits for Future Subscription is recognized as Equity per BSP Circular No. 762 pending BSP approval and submission of application for Amendment of Articles fo Incorporation with SEC REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) We, Marlon M. Pernez, Vice-President-Comptroller and Atsushi Murakami, President of the above-mentioned NBQB, do solemnly swear that all matters set forth in the statement of condition are true and correct to the best of our knowledge and belief.

(Sgd.) MARLON M. PERNEZ Vice-President-Comptroller

(Sgd.) ATSUSHI MURAKAMI President

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 18th day of April 2018, affiants exhibiting to me their SSS No. 03-9877612-7 and Passport No. TZ1056363 issued at Japan.

Doc. No. 309 Page No. 63 Book No. XXXIX Series of 2018

(Sgd.) ATTY. TEODORO D. VILLAPEÑA, JR. Notary Public for Makati City Appointment No. M-10, until 31 Dec. 2019 42/F GT Tower Int`l Ayala Ave. cor H.V. Dela Costa Street, Salcedo Village,Makati City IBP No. 019808/Bats/01-03-2018 PTR No. 6607893/Makati City/01-03-2018 MCLE Compliance No. V-0016629 Attorney Roll No.47647

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

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

B4

LocaL government units

monday, april 23, 2018

Albay to gain from scheme it pioneered: free college DARAGA, Albay—Albay, which pioneered the free college tuition program, stands to gain further from Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017 which. President Duterte signed into law last year.

The government will implement the law this coming school year.

Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, who pioneered the free college education in his province and who principally authored RA10931, said the province will have an initial batch of 30,000 enrollees under the program this year.

About 17,000 of them will enroll in state universities and colleges (SUCs) and 12,000 in local universities and colleges (LUCs).

In his social media account. Salceda recently shared a message from the Daraga Community College here, the first school to publicly announce a notice on the registration for UAQTE: Free College at DCOMC. “Registration, April 21 (GPA 85%); examinations April 23 to 28,” the college noted.

Whereas before only Albay had enjoyed the free college scheme, state colleges and universities around the country will now start admitting enrollees this June for free.

There are 112 SUCs and 78 LUCs presently accredited by the CHED and about 122 technical vocational institutions accredited by TESDA in the country.

The program will finally ease the once-perennial burden in the country’s education system: high cost or unaffordable tuition fees.

Salceda first introduced the free college tuition concept under his Universal Access to College Education program in Albay, where he was provincial governor for nine years until 2016.

The program helped 88,888 students complete their studies and served as the “inclusive tool and key to Albay’s poverty reduction from 41% in 2007 to 17.1% in 2015.”

As Albay’s congressman, he filed HB 2771 last year, based on “lessons learned” from his Albay program designed to help “solve the continuing paradox that while college education helps people escape poverty, Filipinos have to be rich to afford one.”

“Free tuitions and miscellaneous fees in state-run colleges and TESDA-accredited technical vocational schools is no longer just a dream. I am humbled to be the principal author of the law that has made this reality possible,” said Salceda in a recent interview in Legazpi City.

“I am not afraid to say that an Albayano Congressman is the Father of Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education,” he added.

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER.

Binan City Lone District Rep. Len B. Alonte-Naguiat walks the aisle among graduates (inset) as she served as the Commencement Speaker of Trimex Colleges’ 23rd Graduation rites. She received a plaque of appreciation from Ms. Fleurdeliz A. Constantino, School President (main photo, left) and Rachel C. Cruz, Chief Operating Officer of Trimex, in the rites at the Bellevue Hotel in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.The institution surprised Alonte with a video presentation of all grantees of the Iskolar ng Binan Laguna, which was one of Cong. Len’s flagship programs during her incumbency as City Mayor of Binan. In her speech, she reminded the graduates, ‘Never lose hope.

There are many obstacles along the way and there are times you will find yourself wanting to quit. Never give up. For any eventualities, don’t forget to lift your hands to the Lord.’

LOS BANOS, Laguna―The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) and University of Sto. Tomas have developed a technology to detect shrimp disease, which is better compared to detection methods available in the market, according to the expert researcher of the technology.

“We developed a technology to detect acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease

By Rio N. Araja DRUG use is a disease and not a crime, thus it needs a scientific approach, according to Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte.

Believing drug dependents deserve another lease in life, Belmonte said Sunday the people and the government should start seeing drug and substance abuse as a disease that needs curing.

She lamented the discrimination and stigma former and recovering drug users face in the society.

“We should approach the problem of drug dependency as a type of disease that affects behavior, and we should look at it as a health problem that needs sustainable treatment,” the vice mayor said.

Belmonte is the chairperson of the Quezon City Anti-Drug Abuse Advisory Council.

“Drug use is a disease, it is not a crime per se, unless you commit a crime as a result of it,” she said.

The vice mayor said it is high time to change the misperception that drug addiction is a “sin” that needs to be punished by the law, thus the “stigmatization or marginalization” of drug dependents even after they have recovered or declared clean.

“This is the reason why there is little sympathy for individuals who died of drug overdose compared to those who died of other causes, and drug dependents still find it difficult to look for meaningful work even after they have long recovered,” she added.

Meanwhile, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista welcomed the designation of Chief Supt. Joselito Esquivel as the new director of the Quezon City Police District.

Abby honors 2 new Makati centenarians GenTri fetes top

M

AkATI Mayor Abby Binay has personally awarded a check for P100,000, a plaque of recognition and a bouquet of flowers to each of the two newest centenarians of the city.

The mayor visited Vicenta C. Nuestro of Barangay Palanan and Gonigonda S. Brutas of Barangay Rizal in their homes on Thursday and Friday, respectively.

Both turned 100 years old this year.

“It is an honor to personally meet our centenarians. Looking at their happy faces while they share fond memories is truly a priceless experience,” Mayor Abby said.

“I also salute their families for having taken very good care of them. There is no better way to show how much we love and appreciate our parents and grandparents than doing our best to make sure they are happy and comfortable for the rest of their earthly lives,” she added.

The mayor was accompanied by Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo, Rep. Luis Campos, city and barangay officials during the home visits.

Mrs. Nuestro was born on February 14, 1918 and has been a resident of the city since 1970. She was married to the late Sotero Nuestro, a farmer, and they had seven children. She helped her husband with their daily expenses by sew-

biz taxpayers, real property tax payors for 2017

Makati Mayor Abby Binay (second from right) poses with the city’s latest centenarian, Vicenta C. Nuestro of Barangay Palanan, while handing over a P100,000-check, bouquet of flowers, and a plaque of recognition on Thursday at the latter’s residence. Also in the photo are Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo (left) and Kagawad (councilwoman) Michelle Bernal of Barangay Palanan (right). Nuestro is the 46th Makati centenarian to be recognized since the program started in 2012 through City Ordinance No. 2012-099.

ing, and later became a vendor at the Pasay Public Market until she was 90 years old. Nanay Vicenta said the happy life that she has with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren is one the reasons why she was able to reach 100 years of age.

Mrs. Brutas was born on January 30, 1918 to farmer parents inBato, Catanduanes. Being the eldest child, she helped her parents in the farm. She was married to Macario Brutas in 1944 and

they had seven children, two of whom died young due to sickness.

Mrs. Brutas stayed at home to attend to the needs of her family while her husband worked as a farmer and a fisherman.

When one of her daughters got married, she took care of her grandchildren who were left in the province under her care.

When her husband died, her children decided that she stay with them in Makati. She has been a city resident since 1998.

PCAARRD develops ‘efficient’ tech for shrimp disease detection

By Butch Gunio

Treat drug use as disease, not crime, Joy B urges QC govt

(AHPND) or early mortality syndrome,” Dr. Mary Beth Maningas, project leader of the study that developed the tech, said.

Maningas, of the University of Santo Tomas, led the DOST-PCAARRD Pathobiology and Molecular Detection of Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND)-Causing Bacteria in the Philippines Project.

She announced the tech during the council’s regular media conference for its researches in collaboration with other institutions held at DOST-PCAARRD In-

novation and Technology Center here.

AHPND has caused major economic loss in cultured shrimp production in China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Mexico, and the Philippines.

In the country, the disease is detected in Bataan, Bulacan, Cebu, Bohol, Sarangani, and General Santos City.

About 30 newsmen attended the science research media conference.

“AHPND is caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a pervasive bacterium that thrives in marine waters. To detect

LTO, police take traffic law refresher CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna―Combined teams from the Land Transportation Office and Highway Patrol Group both based in Calabarzon region recently conducted a one-day orientation and deputation training seminar workshop in Balete, Batangas.

The activity was attended by various law enforcement agencies and deals with the implementation of traffic rules and regulations and deputized transportation regulation officers from the region comprising Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.

According to the Regional Chief of Highway Patrol Group-4A Police Supt. Peter Dionisio, the workshop aims to refreshen and update their personnel on existing traffic code and other related laws and rules and regulations being implemented today.

Among the topics discussed were Driver’s Licensing and Motor Vehicle Registration, The Philippine Clean Air Act, Seat Belt Use Act of 1999, The Motor Vehicle Road User’s Charge Law, Anti-Overloading Act, Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013, Motorcycle Helmet Act of 1999, Children’s Safety on Motorcycle Act of 2015.

Clarissa Sulit, Chief of Operations Division of LTO4A, stressed the importance of the seminar workshop in enabling their enforcers to implement the salient features of special laws being enforced.

Among them are Anti-Distracted Driving Act, Road Speed Limiter Act of 2016, Public Service Act and guidelines and procedures on law enforcement and traffic adjudication systems. Roy Tomandao

the disease, we developed a diagnostic kit and heat block using loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP),” Maningas told the attending journalists.

“The technology addresses the need of Filipino shrimp farmers for diagnostic testing kit that provides results instantly,” she said.

“It is easy to set up, use, and is also cost cost-efficient as it only costs P300 per test.

The available detection methods in the market are expensive, have low accuracy, and are difficult to use,” the doctor added.

GENERAL TRIAS CITY—The local government led by Mayor Antonio “Ony” Ferrer has feted the city’s top 20 corporate taxpayers for real property and business taxes for 2017 as an incentive for private businesses and investors here during the first investor’s month celebration at the Bayleaf Hotel on Governor’s Drive in Barangay Manggahan.

House Technologies, Inc. topped the list of Top 20 Business Taxpayers, with Unilever Philippines, Inc. leading the Top 20 Real Property Taxpayers.

Vice Mayor Morit Sison and city councilors were also on hand to congratulate the taxpayers, based on City Ordinance Number 17-16, which institutionalized the city’s effort to strengthen relations with the private sector.

Ferrer said it was an effort of the GenTri LGU “to nurture the city’s locators with its co-players in the private and business sectors to maintain the city’s business-friendly environment and ensure sustainability of the city’s competitiveness.”

Aside from HTI, the other top 20 business taxpayers are Analog Devices General Trias, Inc.; Property Company of Friends, Inc.; American Power Conversion Corp.; The Purefoods Hormel Corp.; Unilever Phils, Inc.; Maxim Phils Operating Corp; Jae Phils, Inc.; Antel Holdings (Gen. Trias), Inc.; Enomoto Phil Mfg Corp; HRD Singapore PTE LTD; Lyceum of the Phils University, Inc; Analog Devices Phils, Inc; Magnolia, Inc; Phils Advanced Processing Tech, Inc; Duraville Realty & Dev’t Corp; Summerhills Home Dev’t Corp; and Waltermart Supermarket, Inc.

TRIBUTE TO ELDERS. Manila

Mayor Joseph Estrada personally hands over a P100,000 cash gift from the city government of Manila to three of the eight centenarians in a simple ceremony held recently at the city hall.

The remaining six were physically unfit to receive their checks. The cash gift program has been authorized by Ordinance No. 8483 approved by Estrada on March 17, 2016. ‘You are the living legends of Manila. We look up to you as our heroes,’ said Estrada.

Life

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

food

@mStandardliFE monday, april 23, 2018

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5 healthy and tasty dishes Gone are the days when healthy food is synonymous to bland meal. And as individuals turn to food for fitness, businesses are kept on their toes to always come up with dishes that are as healthy as they are tasty.

Inspired by the market’s growing desire for healthy and delicious food, Asian-fusion restaurant Buku Buku Kafe, located in Las Piñas and Cavite, curates yet another astounding list of comfort foods that will surely keep your stomach growl. Here’s our top five picks that are enough reasons for you to drive all the way down South.

The Rise of the Kalutong Pilipino

Lechon has been described by celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain as ‘the best pig ever.’

Seafood Arabiata

If you want to ditch rice this summer for an equally mouth-watering carb, try this pasta dish which has an assortment of fish, clams, shrimp dressed in smoky tomato sauce and garnished with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.

I Love You, Tofu

The modest tofu is packed with nutrients making it the perfect summer go-to meal that doesn’t compromise good taste. Buku Buku Kafe’s version is made up of tofu and meat balls with French beans, coriander, sweet and spicy sauce for dipping, and fried mushroom rice.

F

ILIPIno journalist and historian Carmen Guerrero-nakpil, in her essay “Where is the patis?,” argued that the first bastion of the Filipino spirit is the palate.

“A Filipino may denationalize himself but not his stomach. He may travel over the seven seas, the five continents, the two hemispheres and lose the savor of home, forget his identity and believes himself a citizen of the world. But he remains—gastronomically, at least, always a Filipino.

For, if in no other way, the Filipino loves his country with his stomach,” she said.

But with the influx of American diners and burger joints, of Korean BBQ joints (one even bearing the very Filipino name Romantic Baboy), of Japanese ramen houses, and of the several other restaurants and stalls selling international dishes like the proverbial hotcake, it has become more imperative to promote and celebrate our gastronomic heritage.

Two years ago, the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement lobbied for the national Commission for Culture and the Arts to request the President to declare April of every year as Buwan ng Kulinaryang Pilipino.

“Philippine food has been receiving a lot of recognition in the global food scene lately. Many have predicted that it will be the next big thing in food. But I personally think that there is still work to be done to encourage our countrymen and women to learn about, appreciate, and honor our rich culinary traditions as a strong pillar of our national cultural identity,” wrote PCHM president Chef Jam Melchor in the petition filed through Change.org.

Vegan Quesadillas

As the name suggests, it’s a super healthy and tasty quesadilla. The melted cheese, caramelized onions, spinach, and sautéed shiitake mushrooms with corn salsa, and mango chutney creates an explosive flavor as filling for the toasted tortilla wrap. This goes well with the restaurant’s signature House Tanglad juice or Green Apple Mint juice.

A spread of some well-loved traditional Filipino dishes: sisig, pochero, and kare-kare

The petition received the backing of nCCA chairman Virgilio Almario, and the commission created the draft proclamation in as early as August 2016.

Almario, in a follow-up letter sent to Malacañang in September last year, wrote: “The commission believes that food plays a vital role in maintaining connection in one’s cultural heritage and that it also serves as an important ingredient in maintaining the cultural identity of our country.”

The waiting game for a presidential action took 20 months since nCCA created its draft. And on April 13, President Rodrigo Duterte finally signed Proclamation no. 469 declaring the month of April of every year as Buwan ng Kalutong Pilipino or Filipino Food Month. “our vast culinary tradition and Halo-halo, which literally means to mix together, is one of the ‘top Filipino dishes that everyone should try’ according to Lonely Planet.

treasures should be appreciated, preserved, and promoted to ensure their transmission to future generations and to support the various industries, farmers, and agri-communities which benefit therefrom,” said Duterte.

The President likewise directed the nCCA and the Department of Agriculture to lead the annual celebration.

Duterte’s proclamation could not have come at a better time. on one hand, Filipino cuisine has held its ground in the international scene, and was even included in Bloomberg’s 11 Fancy Food Trends in 2017. But on the other hand, there are at least 50 Filipino food products that have landed in the Ark of Taste, an international catalogue of endangered heritage foods. “our longstanding culinary traditions need to be celebrated and preserved as well, especially since many of our culinary products and practices are slowly disappearing in the face of the globalization of food culture,” said Melchor.

“The Philippines has all the right ingredients to become an international culinary destination. So long as we can cultivate a homegrown appetite for and interest in our local cuisine, global recognition will soon follow,” he added.

And this should be the case not just in April of every year but every day of the year.

I’m at joyce.panares@gmail.com.

Lord Green

If you’re just looking for that perfect appetizer or a snack anytime of the day, this is something you can order without feeling guilty afterwards. The toasted Baguette slices already smell amazingly garlicky, pair it with an amazing roasted malunggay-cheese dip for a burst of flavor. This dish goes with Kamote chips on the side.

Green Papaya Salad

If you’re more on the serious side of fitness and really follows a strict diet, go for the this salad. Made up of shredded papaya with assortment of fruits and vegetables, and topped with honey-citrus dressing, this can be good starter or a standalone meal. This also goes well with the restaurant’s english breakfast tea.

Buku Buku Kafe’s is on the ground floor of SM Southmall Las Piñas and on the Lower Ground Level of SM Dasmariñas.

Life

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monday, apri apriL 23, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

RECIPE FILES

Chef Curtis Stone’s

kid-friendly summer dishes n

oW that school’s over, parents and their children can take advantage of the summer break to bond and share fun experiences together. one of the fun and productive activities kids can do is learn how to cook food.

Award-winning celebrity chef Curtis stone, the head judge on lifetime’s sizzling new show Top Chef Jr., dishes out recipes that kids can easily make with the help of their moms and dads.

Chicken Cassoulet with Fennel and Bacon preparation time: 25 mins. | Cooking time: 1 hr. 20 mins | serves: 4

Ingredients: 4 pcs 2 tsp 4 slices 1 pc 1 pc 1 pc 1 tbsp 1 tbsp 4 cloves 2 tsp 1 cup 1 150-oz can 1/2 cup 1/3 cup

whole chicken legs (thighs and drumsticks), excess fat removed olive oil bacon, coarsely chopped yellow onion, finely chopped fennel bulb, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces carrot, cut into 1/2-inch pieces finely chopped fresh rosemary finely chopped fresh thyme garlic, finely chopped fennel seeds, ground with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder reduced-sodium chicken broth cannellini beans, drained and rinsed panko (Japanese bread crumbs) freshly grated parmesan cheese Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure:

dium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until crisp. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Add the fennel and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until tender. stir in the rosemary, thyme, garlic, and ground fennel seeds and cook for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant. stir in the broth and beans.

4. Transfer the bean mixture to a 13×9×2-inch baking dish. nestle the

1. preheat the oven to 375°F. 2. Coat the chicken legs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. place the chicken legs on a large heavy rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes, or until they are golden brown and barely pink at the bone when pierced with the tip of a small sharp knife and much of their fat has been rendered. Remove from the oven; leave the oven on.

3. Heat a large heavy skillet over me-

The Jollibee Scarborough is the Filipino fast-food chain third store in Canada and the 40th store in North America

A taste of home in Toronto

chicken legs in the beans. in a small bowl, mix the panko and parmesan cheese to blend. sprinkle most of the panko mixture over the beans (don’t worry if the juices are soaked up by some of the crumbs) and the remainder over the chicken.

5. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the bean mixture is bubbling all over and the panko topping is crisp and golden brown. Then let it stand for about 15 minutes before serving.

Filipinos and locals alike in Canada’s east coast had an exciting treat early this month as Jollibee opened its first store in the Greater Toronto Area. on saturday evening—hours before the grand opening—hundreds of Filipinos already camped-out in front of Jollibee scarborough, located on 15 William Kitchen Road, eager to step inside the store to savor a taste of home.

Jollibee scarborough is the Filipino fast-food chain’s third store in Canada and the 40th store in north America.

Everyone’s favorite bee, Jollibee welcomed its very first customer, paul, who looked forward to enjoying the Jolly Crispy Chicken for the first time in six years.

“For us, nothing brings greater joy than to bring people together over great-tasting food and happy moments.

We are excited to bring to scarborough

the popular dishes that many now enjoy in different parts of the world,” said Jose Miñana, Jollibee Foods Corporation group president for north America. scarborough is home to an estimated 50,000 plus Filipinos, and is one of the most popular destinations for new immigrants to reside. The Greater Toronto Area, where scarborough is located, is the most populous metropolitan area in Canada with around 200,000 Filipinos residents.

“We look forward to bringing a familiar ‘taste of home’ to our countrymen in the Greater Toronto Area. Many may not know that this area is home to the largest Filipino community in Canada. And we won’t stop here—another location in Mississauga is in the pipeline for the year,” said Beth Dela Cruz, Jollibee north America vice president and general manager.

Mac and Cheese with Gruyere, Cheddar, and Bacon

preparation time: 15 mins. | Cooking time: 30 mins. | serves: 8

Ingredients: 6 slices ½ cup 2 cloves 2 tbsp 3 ½ cups 1 ½ cups 1 ½ cups 1 ½ cups 1 pound 2 tbsp 2/3 cup 1/3 cup 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Heat a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain, leaving the drippings in the saucepan. Add the shallots to the saucepan and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-low, whisk in the flour, and cook, whisking, for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and cream, then

bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips shallots, chopped garlic, finely chopped all-purpose flour whole milk, or as needed heavy cream, or as needed Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 6 ounces) white Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 6 ounces) penne unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for the baking dish panko (Japanese bread crumbs) freshly grated parmesan cheese finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat and simmer, whisking often, for about 10 minutes (do not allow the sauce to boil). Reduce the heat to medium-low and gradually whisk in the Gruyère and Cheddar cheeses. Remove the pan from the heat and season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper; it will seem thin at this point.

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. stir in the penne and cook, stirring often to prevent it from sticking together, for about 8 minutes, or until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain well.

4. stir the penne into the hot cheese

sauce. if the sauce becomes too thick, thin it as desired with more milk or cream. stir in the reserved bacon. season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. position the broiler rack about 8 inches from the heat source and preheat the broiler. Butter a 3-quart baking dish or individual crocks. spread the penne mixture in the baking dish.

6. in a small bowl, toss the panko, parmesan cheese, parsley, and melted butter to mix well. season with salt and sprinkle evenly over the penne. Broil, while watching closely, for about 2 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. let it stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.

Exotic Fruit Salad Passion Fruit Granita

San Marino Corned Tuna has the delicious taste of corned beef but is healthier because it is made of tuna, has less oil, and rich in Omega 3.

preparation time: 2 hrs. 30 mins. | serves: 4

Ingredients: 1/4 cup 1 pound 1 tbsp 1/2 pc 1 pc 1 pc 1 pc 4 pcs 1 tbsp

Procedure:

Canned tuna label advocates for healthy lifestyle

sugar ripe passion fruit, halved fresh lemon juice pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into bite-size pieces papaya, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-size pieces mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into bite-size pieces star fruit, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices kiwis, cut into bite-size pieces chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)

1. in a small heavy saucepan, stir 1 cup of water and sugar together over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. slowly bring the syrup to a boil; then remove it from the heat and let it cool completely.

2. spoon the passion fruit flesh into the cooled syrup and mix together. stir in the lemon juice. pour the passion fruit mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish and freeze it for about 30 min-

utes, or until the mixture is icy around the edges.

3. Using a large fork, stir the icy parts of the passion fruit mixture into the remaining mixture in the dish. Continue to freeze the mixture, stirring the edges into the center every 20 to 30 minutes, for about 1 1/2 hour longer, or until it is frozen. Using a large fork, scrape the frozen granita into flaky crystals. Cover and keep it frozen.

4. in a large bowl, gently toss the

A Filipino gets a collectible Jollibee plush doll for being one of the first 100 customers. (Inset) Filipinos ,who waited through the night, were surprised to see Jollibee welcoming them

pineapple, papaya, mango, star fruit, and chopped mint (optional). spoon the mixed fruit into serving bowls, and top each one with a large spoonful of granita. Garnish with mint sprigs, and serve.

sAn Marino Corned Tuna, which revolutionized healthy and delicious meals, advocates for healthy lifestyle and more family bonding among millennial families.

Food manufacturing firm Foodsphere inc. introduced the product in the market in september 2009 based on a thorough understanding of the needs of the Filipino consumers, achieved through stringent research, consumer insights gathering, and analytical R&D works.

The product is described by consumers as a reasonably priced canned tuna because of its healthy and delicious taste that one can get within arm’s reach.

Brenda V. Miranda, vice president for marketing of Foodsphere, inc., says

more and more millennial moms now put great importance to their family’s health and wellness. “A healthy diet is part of their habit—a lifestyle for them,” she says.

Miranda says eating healthy is important among millennial moms because they want to live longer to take care of their family and spend more time with them. san Marino Corned Tuna has the delicious taste of corned beef combined with the health benefits of tuna. it has less oil, contains lots of tuna, and is rich in omega 3.

Miranda says any san Marino Corned Tuna meal is easy to prepare as it goes well with rice, bread, pasta and vegetables.

MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018

C3

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Siblings Ranz Kyle and Niana Guerrero headline this year's YouTube FanFest.

Turn up the heat with LIFETIME™ CABLE channel LIFETIME™ is turning up the heat this month with a roster of new series, episodes of shows, and LIFETIME™ Original Movies that will keep you entertained all month long.

Catch Top Chef Jr., where 12 of the most talented young chefs from across the US are putting their dreams on the line and proving that they have what it takes to be the next generation of Top Chefs. Hosted by actress Vanessa Lachey and Top Chef Masters host Curtis Stone, it airs from Tuesdays to Thursdays at 8 p.m..

Get your contour kits ready because brand new series Glam Masters is about to be the highlight of your Mondays starting today at 8:30 p.m.. Executive produced by style icon and the contour queen herself, Kim Kardashian West and hosted by Emmy Award nominee Laverne Cox, this new show features four beauty bloggers who must prove they’ve got the talent, charisma, and creative vision to become the next Superstar Beauty Influencer and battle it out in a Tournament of Masters finale to become the ultimate Glam Master.

On April 25, coming-of-age drama

Story of a Girl takes you through the journey of 13-year-old Deanna Lambert as she tries to overcome what becomes of her reputation after a racy video leaks to the internet.

Don’t miss the LIFETIME™ premiere of 2017 Emmy® award winner for Outstanding Informational Series or Special Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, which follows the story of actress and ex-Scientologist Leah Remini as she explores what’s really going on inside the religion that she’s spent most of her life promoting and defending. It premiered on April 20, and airs every Friday at 9:00 p.m..

The paranormal gets personal as your favorite celebrities share their out-ofthis-world experiences on season 8 of Celebrity Ghost Stories airing Fridays at 10:00 p.m..

More of your favorite shows are coming out with new episodes, like the ever-fun, lighthearted The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Mondays to Fridays at 6:00 p.m., while new installations of UnREAL continue to follow Rachel and her struggle to make it in the outrageous world of unscripted television, Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m..

DIGITAL MEDIA

Y

YouTube FanFest back in Manila

OUTUBE has announced the return of YouTube FanFest, a festival connecting YouTube stars with fans #IRL, on May 11 at the World Trade Center.

Now in its fourth year in town, YouTube FanFest is an exclusive live show showcasing the biggest YouTube stars from the Philippines and around the world.

This year’s stellar lineup features a mix of talented international creators: Matt Steffanina, Sungha Jung, Merrell Twins, The Dominic Show and local sensations Janina Vela, Mikey Bustos,

Ranz Kyle and Niana Guerrero, Wil Dasovich, Alodia Gosiengfiao, Michelle Dy, Pamela Swing, AC Bonifacio and Renee Dominique. These YouTube stars are set to take the stage at World Trade Center, Pasay City, for a night filled with music, dance, and lots of fun.

As part of this year’s FanFest, fans will also get to explore the YouTube FanFest Festival where they can get up close and personal with their internet heros, and also experience the daily life of a YouTube star from shooting to uploading YouTube videos in themed booths and studios.

The Filipino YouTube community is on a historical rise. Today, the Philippines has over 230 channels that reached 100K subscribers, and more than 15 channels with 1M+ subscribers. That is a meteoric jump from just 70 channels with 100K subscribers and 8 channels

with 1M+ subscribers that YouTube announced last year.

“We’re delighted to host YouTube FanFest again in the Philippines for the fourth time to celebrate this new generation of YouTube stars. Started in 2015, The YouTube community here has turned a simple tweet it into a movement. We love coming here because of Filipino fans’ energy and enthusiasm, and to see international creators and homegrown Filipino talents shine on stage.” said Chris Schremp, YouTube’s Director of Global Online Partnerships.

Tickets are available via TicketWorld Manila. YouTube creators will also be giving away their own tickets to the show and meet & greet sessions via their social media channels. For more details, visit www.youtubefanfest.com/ph.

YouTube FanFest, co-presented by Globe Telecom and Vivo.

Experience paranoia in ‘A Quiet Place’ LEAN back in luxury at the Director’s Club as you watch the newest horrorthriller movie, A Quiet Place.

For most of us, silence can be a welcome break from our busy lifestyles.

But in the case of the Abbott family, silence is survival. When creatures that hunt by sound threaten their lives, this family of four must learn to communicate with each other and fight for their lives while living in complete and utter silence; one wrong move and the life of a loved one is put at risk – because if they hear you, they hunt you.

Starring Emily Blunt alongside her husband and director of the film John Krasinski, A Quiet Place will leave its

viewers shaking with anticipation and filled with paranoia as they step into the life of the Abbott family. Every move of the characters is tense with dread second-by-second as the unknown creatures lurk, able to terrorize the family with a single cry or a heavy footstep.

For a thrilling and unpredictable cinematic experience, A Quiet Place is sure to keep your heart pounding until the very end. Invite anyone you know to any Director’s Club or SM Cinema as A Quiet Place is still in theatres nationwide.

Book your tickets through the new website, www.smcinema.com or for an even more convenient experience, get the SM Cinema mobile app.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, April 23, 2018

ACROSS 1 Hornet kin 5 Boggy lowlands 9 Bristles with 14 Luau entertainment 15 Single entity 16 Tibet neighbor 17 Latin 101 word 18 Producing 20 Elk 22 Ms. Winehouse 23 Gets married 24 Big League events 26 Tractor-trailer 28 Root vegetables 32 Felt 36 Kimono fastener 37 Be of use 39 More recent 40 Vegas numbers 42 Wrapped up 44 Hurting 45 German pistol 47 Dwarf complement 49 Estuary 50 Takes a nap 52 Repudiated 54 Asian nursemaid 56 Mingle 57 Haik wearer 60 Leader of the

flock 62 Tall flowers 66 Installation of a monarch 69 “Jaws” portrayer 70 Rascal 71 Evidence 72 Prefix for “trillion” 73 Steal the scene 74 Pasture grazers 75 Polio vaccine inventor DOWN 1 Sigh of relief 2 Certain something 3 Smack 4 Hibachi sites 5 Outlaw 6 Helmsman’s dir.

7 Historic ship 8 Plant stalks 9 Tijuana aunt 10 Grows like ivy 11 Actress — Adams 12 Watch over 13 Hangs down 19 Deli loaves 21 Ocean fish 25 Distances 27 Males 28 Office kitties 29 Kareem —

-Jabbar 30 Long, narrow hilltop 31 Put up cedar shakes 33 Bound by oath 34 Hair-raising 35 Great fear 38 Work clothes 41 Investigate (2 wds.)

43 Meant to be 46 45 or 78 48 Roulette color 51 First name in cheesecake

53 Arm parts 55 Door in a plane 57 Farmland measure 58 Space 59 Golden Fleece ship 61 Denver’s height 63 Onetime Mets’ stadium 64 NBA’s — Monroe 65 Envelope acronym 67 Once called 68 Not just mine

A scene from the horror film, 'A Quiet Place.'

The cast of 'Glam Masters'

Kapamilya...

From C4

Online, ABS-CBN has already released webisodes that present a more indepth look at the different communities that show how to “just love araw-araw” featured in the station ID. ABS-CBN will also continue spreading love all summer as its official Facebook page launches “love o’clock,” with inspiring stories and reminders on how to show love every day published every 12 nn.

All Kapamilya programs will also come out with their own initiatives to promote ABS-CBN’s summer campaign.

Meanwhile, the lyric video for the newest Kapamilya summer theme song “Just Love Araw-Araw” is already nearing one million views just a week after its release, and has received praises from netizens for its creative execution, as well as its uplifting lyrics and melody.

“Just Love Araw-Araw” is performed by 30 Kapamilya artists led by It’s Showtime’s Vice Ganda, Anne Curtis, Billy Crawford, Karylle, Vhong Navarro, and “Tawag ng Tanghalan” hurados, together with “Singer 2018” contender KZ Tandingan and The Voice coach Bamboo.

“Just Love Araw-Araw” was written

by ABS-CBN Creative Communications Management (CCM) head Robert Labayen with Lloyd Oliver “Tiny” Corpuz and Paolo Ramos, also of CCM. The music, meanwhile, was done by hit Filipino composers Thyro Alfaro and Yumi Lacsamana with additional melody from Jimmy Antiporda.

ABS-CBN’s Summer and Christmas Station IDs have become a tradition not only for the Kapamilya Network but also for Filipinos all over the world who take inspiration from the messages of hope and love that the songs and videos bring.

ABS-CBN’s 2018 “Just Love ArawAraw” Summer Station ID on the ABSCBN Entertainment Youtube channel.

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

C4

MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018

KAPAMILYA STARS

spread love in new summer station ID

Evan Rachel Wood as Dolores Abernathy and James Marsden as Teddy Flood.

HBO’s futuristic

Banana Sundae and ASAP cast with Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto in ABSCBN Summer station ID.

OVER 200 Kapamilya stars featured in ABS-CBN’s “Just Love Araw-Araw” 2018 summer station ID show the many ways to spread love, care, and service this summer through meaningful activities that will benefit loved ones, the community, and the country.

Launched during It’s Showtime on April 14, the new station ID features the well-loved noontime show’s hosts Vice Ganda, Anne Curtis, Billy Crawford, Karylle, Vhong Navarro, Amy Perez, and Jugs and Teddy bonding and dancing with the residents of Scout Bayoran in Quezon City.

Sharon Cuneta, Angelica Panganiban, Joshua Garcia, Julia Barretto, and the cast members of Banana Sundae, ASAP, and TV series Araw Gabi and Since I Found You spent a day with the scholars of AM radio station DZMM and their parents at the Enchanted Kingdom enjoying different attractions and sharing meals.

To show the love for community and the importance of teamwork, Piolo Pascual joined the farmers of the Philippine Rice Research Institute in Munoz, Nueva Ecija, while The Blood Sisters stars Erich Gonzales, Enchong Dee, and Ejay Falcon participated in the repainting activity at the StoBoSa Hillside Homes Artwork, where residents work together to maintain the beauty of the popular tourist destination in Baguio.

ABS-CBN chief content officer and MMK host Charo SantosConcio spread wisdom and gave life advice to members of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, while the cast of FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, led by Coco Martin, taught bike-

DICK CLARK productions announced nominees for the 2018 Billboard Music Awards, which will honor the year’s most successful artists in 57 categories of music.

Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran lead the pack with 15 nominations each, followed by Post Malone with 13, Imagine Dragons with 11, Drake with 9 and Justin Bieber and Cardi B with 8. The “2018 Billboard Music Awards” will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, USA on Monday, 21 May at 8:00 a.m. on Blue Ant Entertainment.

Other top nominees are Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi with 7 nominations. In addition to Cardi B, other top female nominees include Taylor Swift with 5 and Camila Cabello with 4 nominations.

The 2018 Billboard Music Awards nominations include a cross section of artists with many seeing more nods than ever. Lamar, Mars and Sheeran received nominations for Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Hot 100 Song and Top Songs Sales Artist, among others. Post Malone received 13 nominations including Top Male Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Rap Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album, plus two

riding to kids from Kamuning Bible Christian Fellowship.

The newest Kapamilya summer station ID also encourages Filipinos to spread love in any way they can every day to give light and inspiration to each other’s lives.

ABS-CBN News journalists Kabayan Noli de Castro, Korina Sanchez, Ted Failon, Bernadette Sembrano, and Cathy Yang are seen spreading the “Just Love Araw-Araw” vibe.

Also featured are Jing Castañeda assisting patients in Salamat Dok’s “Hospital on Wheels,” and Julius Babao, Jeff Canoy, and Karen Davila helping out in the gardening and recycling activities of a school.

Showing their love for the environment are Jericho Rosales and Sam Milby, who participated in a beach clean-up in San Juan, La Union. Angel Locsin hiked up Mt. Batolusong in Tanay, Rizal to showcase the Philippines’ natural wonders, while Luis Manzano visited the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite.

Also featured in the station ID are the country’s hottest love teams, namely Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil, Nadine Lustre and James Reid, Janella Salvador and Elmo Magalona, Elisse Joson and McCoy De Leon, and Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber, who spread kilig in the communities they visited.

Kapamilya stars Kim Chiu, Toni Gonzaga, Maja Salvador, Boy Abunda, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach also appeared in the much-awaited station ID. Continued on C3

‘WESTWORLD’

premieres in the Southeast

By Nickie Wang

S

KY brings viewers back to the distinct universe of Westworld, HBO’s Emmyaward winning science fiction drama series as it premieres today at 9:00 a.m., with a same-day primetime replay at 10:00 p.m..

The drama, which debuted in 2016, tackles the rise of artificial consciousness and set in a wild westthemed amusement park populated by humanoid robots with artificial intelligence. The series boasts an ensemble cast which includes Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden, Thandie Newton, Ben Barnes, and Ed Harris.

At the exclusive media preview held on Thursday, members of the press and select SKY subscribers saw the first part of the ten-episode series that airs on HBO and HBO Go. “Reception of the series has been largely positive, and it had the highest rated season premiere for HBO originals. It even rated higher than that of Game of Thrones’,” the program host said and added, “We are lucky enough to see the first episode four days ahead

Ed Harris as the Man in Black, a sadistic veteran guest to the park looking to uncover Westworld's innermost secrets.

of our US counterparts.”

In its second season, the show delves deeper into the uprising of the robots that have now become sentient entities. After the chaos toward the end of Season 1, the fate of the entire Westworld was left uncertain.

It picks up from the commotion of the ending of the first season when runners of the amusement park were killed and the robots now have free reign over the park.

The first episode features the debut performance of Fares Fares as series regular and the return of Ed Harris reprising his sinister role.

Meanwhile, Maeve (Thandie Newton),

Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran lead 2018 Billboard Music Awards

Music heavyweights (from left) Bruno Mars, Kendrick Lamar and Ed Sheeran

nominations in the Top Streaming including Top Duo/Group, Top Hot and Top Selling Song categories.

Song (Audio) category. Imagine 100 Artist, Top Rock Artist, and two Voting for the two fan voted Dragons received 11 nominations, nominations in the Top Rock Song categories, Billboard Chart

now leads the humanoid uprising and believes her daughter is still out there somewhere in Westworld or in the adjacent property. The first episode reveals the start of her search of her daughter.

The action is expected to intensify as well as the complexity of the mysteries as the season goes through its entire run.

A new episode airs every Monday at 9:00 a.m. on HBO with a same-day primetime encore at 10:00 p.m.. It’s also available on HBO GO, best-viewed with the fiber-powered broadband of One SKY and exclusively available on SKY. Visit www.mysky.com.ph for more information.

Achievement Award and Top Social Artist, will open in the coming weeks and additional details will be available soon.

Meanwhile, Multi-platinum music superstar, Billboard chart topper and current The Voice coach Kelly Clarkson will host the threehour live telecast of the show, which will feature this year’s hottest musical acts, biggest performances, unexpected collaborations and buzzworthy pop culture moments.

The announcement was made

by Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Reality Group, NBC Entertainment.

“Kelly Clarkson has long been a Billboard chart phenomenon and has a first-hand understanding of what matters most in music today,” Telegdy said. “Her enthusiasm for all genres of music and her innate sense of humor will make for a truly memorable night.”

“To prepare me for hosting the ‘Billboard Music Awards,’ I already have 20 costume changes planned,” Clarkson said. “I will be flying in like my girl P!nk and calling Amy Schumer and Sarah Silverman for jokes. Well, or I’m just gonna show up and celebrate my favorite artists and get to know a few more. Yeah, maybe I’ll go with that plan.”