Manila Standard - 2018 April 5 - Thursday

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NFA abolition pushed; Du30 sets crisis meet By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

MALACAÑANG on Wednesday said it is VOL. XXXII • NO. 49 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net considering abolishing the National Food Authority (NFA) for creating an artificial rice shortage with statements about how its buffer stocks have dwindled to zero. “There is already a proposal from the Department of Finance to do away withthe quantitative restrictions, and definitely this will lead to the abolition of the NFA because we will now allow private traders to buy and sell this rice here in our country,”Cabinet Secretary LeoncioEvasco, Jr, who is also the chairman of the NFA Council, said in a press briefing in Malacanang. However, Evasco said the NFA could only be abolished if there is enough rice produced in the country to feed the people. He also said Congress must pass a law to abolish the agency. In the same press briefing, Evasco criticized the NFA for causing panic with conflicting statements about a rice shortage that triggered the rise in the price of commercial rice. The Cabinet secretary said the council would only make recommendations about the fate of the NFA based on “hard evidence,” which means they would wait for the results of a special audit to be conduct- ALMOST GODFORSAKEN. The National Food Authority warehouse in Visayas Avenue in Quezon City is almost empty of buffer stock rice, while Malacanang says Wednesday it is ed by the Commission on Audit. Next page considering abolishing the NFA for creating “artificial shortage” with their statements about zero buffer stocks. Manny Palmero

Fraud? Pre-shaded ballots for Leni bared By Rey E. Requejo and Rio N. Araja

Cabinet told to restart work on peace talks By Vito Barcelo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte ordered his Cabinet Wednesday to work on the resumption of peace talks with communist rebels with clear instructions on the importance of forging a ceasefire agreement to stop mutual attacks and fighting while talks are underway. “Let’s give this another chance,” the President said. He also committed to provide support, if necessary, to replace the “revolution-

ary tax” that the rebels collect from companies in areas where they are active. Duterte said the “revolutionary tax” must be stopped. Earlier, Duterte expressed willingness to revive the stalled peace talks with communist rebels but called on the insurgents to stop committing atrocities. The President also said he wants the New People’s Army (NPA) to respect a bilateral truce and to stop collecting “revolutionary taxes.” In a speech in Mindoro during the in-

auguration of Lisap bridge, Duterte even offered to subsidize the peace talks and hinted at paying for the hotel accommodations of the rebels’ consultants. The President said he would be happy if the rebels would be true to their word. “If you really want it, you stop immediately. You and I, let’s have a ceasefire,” he said in Filipino. “Not one blast, even from a firecracker and I’d be happy.” He said he expected there to be obstructions along the way because their Next page

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EVISORS taking part in the recount to settle an election protest in the 2016 vice presidential race have found several unused or excess ballots from a town in Camarines Sur with pre-shaded votes for Vice President Leni Robredo, insiders said Wednesday. The discovery came during the continuation of the recount organized by the Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), to settle the protest filed by former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. against Robredo. Next page

Dengvaxia victims’ kin ready to sue Health officials

DRIVE-THROUGH BRIDGE. President Rodrigo Duterte leads the inaugural drive-through on the Lisap Bridge buring its inauguration Tuesday in Bongabong, oriental Mindoro. With the President are Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, Socorro Mayor Maria Fe Brondial and Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go. Malacañang Photo

‘Rude Rody’ tags UN human rights chief empty-headed PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has launched a foul-mouthed attack on the UN human rights chief, calling him “emptyheaded” in a row over international criticism of the deadly war on drugs. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, last month said Duterte needed “psychiatric evaluation” and that his verbal attacks on a United Nations rapporteur who condemned his anti-drug crackdown could not go unanswered. “Hey son of a whore, you commission-

er, I need to go to a psychiatrist?” asked Duterte in a speech late Tuesday. “The psychiatrist told me: ‘You are okay, mayor. You are just fond of cursing,’” Duterte said, referring to his former title. Duterte added he had been advised to refrain from commenting on the remarks of Zeid, a Jordanian prince, but he wanted to “seek revenge.” “Look, you have a big head but it’s empty. There is no grey matter between your ears. It’s hollow. It’s empty. It can-

not even sustain a nutrient for your hair to grow because his hair here is gone,” Duterte said as he touched his head. Duterte, 73, has launched curse-laden tirades on world leaders, including former US President Barack Obama and Pope Francis, as well as critics of his anti-crime crackdown. Duterte won a presidential election in mid-2016 after promising to eradicate drugs in society within six months by killing tens of thousands of users and dealers. Next page

THE relatives of four people who died after receiving Dengvaxia vaccine shots were set to file criminal charges against former and incumbent officials of the Health Department on Wednesday, an official said. “Today [Wednesday], four families will be filing four criminal cases,” Persida Rueda Acosta, head of the Public Attorney’s Office, told dzMM radio. “We will name names in our cases.” Acosta said pathologists had already completed the histo-pathological examinations on the cells of the four victims.

Kuwait taps Ethiopia for substitute maids KUWAIT CITY—Kuwait will recruit Ethiopian nationals to make up for a “deficit” in domestic workers, authorities said Tuesday, following the grisly murder of a Filipina maid in the Gulf state. Next page

Standard’s night ed leads Gumil awardees SANTA ANA, Cagayan—This coastal town in northeastern Philippines will host the national convention and literary workshop-seminar of GUMIL Filipinas, the largest formally organized group of Ilocano literary writers in the country and abroad. Next page

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HONOR BLANCO CABIE

Hey son of a whore, you commissioner, I need to go to a psychiatrist? The psychiatrist told me: ‘You are okay, mayor. You are just fond of cursing,’ —President Rodrigo Duterte, attacking UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein

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Sereno faces SC justices to fight ouster By Rey E. Requejo CHIEF Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno will show up during the oral arguments set by the Supreme Court on the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida seeking her ouster from the high court, her spokesman said Wednesday. Jojo Lacanilao said Sereno will insist on the dismissal of Calida’s petition for lack of jurisdiction.

“Yes, CJ [Chief Justice] will attend the oral arguments to answer the questions of justices, but her appearance is without prejudice to our jurisdiction challenge,” Lacanilao said in a text message to reporters. He made his statement even as Sereno found allies in opposition Senators Leila De Lima and Antonio Trillanes IV who asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to dismiss Calida’s petition Next page for lack of jurisdiction.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018

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Boracay closure hangs; LGU hits lack of plan A LOCAL executive of Boracay on Wednesday lamented that the national government has yet to come up with a plan on what to do during the proposed six-month closure of the island resort. Municipal executive assistant for Boracay affairs Rowen Aguirre said he is opposed to the planned closure of the island. “Total closure became the first option instead of the last. There was no opportunity to explore other options,” Aguirre said in a television interview. “This is our problem now. We are looking for their plan because obviously they did not think this through. We are crafting our contingency plan just now because we thought the national government, especially the agencies who proposed the closure, already know what to do. But they do not have any plan. They can’t even send a work plan,” he added. Local government executives in Boracay have prepared a six-month action plan for the rehabilitation, and not closure, of the island. The departments of the environment, interior, and tourism have recommend the closure of Boracay for six months, starting on April 26.

Manila food event seen pushing through By Joyce Pangco Pañares MADRID Fusion Manila, the first and only Asian edition of the so-called “most important gastronomy event in the world,” may still push through this year, but at a latter date, Tourism Promotions Board chief operating officer Cesar Montano said. In a statement, Montano admitted that initially, the TPB management considered the deferment of the days-long event until 2019 “due to the non-availability of participating international chefs and exhibitors.” “However, in light of new developments and change in logistical requirements which are advantageous to the government for the International Gastronomy Congress and the Fusion Manila International Gastronomy Expo, the Tourism Promotions Board is assessing the possibility of staging the fourth edition of Madrid Fusion Manila later this year.” The event, originally scheduled for this month, showcases the shared history of the Philippines and Spain through culinary and trade exhibits. Montano, however, did not elaborate on the “new developments” that revived the chances of holding the Madrid Fusion Manila this year. “TPB Management continues to recognize the impact of Madrid Fusion Manila in the promotion of our country as a focal point of gastronomic interest worldwide,” he added. Reports that Madrid Fusion Manila will be shelved came days ahead of the announcement of the organizers of another major gastronomic event, the World Street Food Congress, that it will no longer push through in the country. “Under circumstances beyond our control...it is with regret we announce the decision to cancel this year’s World Street Food Congress,” WSFC organizers said in their Facebook page. “Makansutra will be planning ahead for the next World Street Food Congress so stay tuned here. We regret any inconvenience caused.”

Sereno... From A1 In a petition for intervention, De Lima and Trillanes warned the high court justices against becoming “a party to a patent transgression of the Constitution.” “Any proceeding whose aim is to remove an impeachable public officer outside an impeachment trial in the Senate is a palpable violation of the Constitution,” De Lima and Trillanes said in their petition. “It is a diminution of the Impeachment Clause, a circumvention of the exclusive character of an impeachment and incompatible with the design of the Constitution.” Lacanilao’s statement came after the high court required Sereno to attend the oral arguments on April 10 at the Court Session Hall in Baguio City and answer the questions from her colleagues. Sereno’s appearance was ordered by the high court as a condition for granting her plea for oral arguments. But Lacanilao said while Sereno would attend the hearing, their camp will still argue that the tribunal lacks jurisdiction over the quo warranto case. Sereno’s supporters also said they will seek the inhibition of Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo- De Castro and other justices in the case. De Castro was among the justices who testified against Sereno in the earlier impeachment hearings before the House justice committee. April 10 will be the first time a sitting chief justice will face her fellow justices in an oral argument, and not as head of the Court but as a respondent in a case.

Ouster plot vs Alvarez, Pimentel, allies fizzles By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

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OUSE Majority Floor Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas on Wednesday played down the alleged coup plot against him and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

“If the report is true and they succeed, good luck to them,” Fariñas said in a text message amid the rumors he and Alvarez would be replaced. “That is not true,” Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III said and added the House leadership enjoyed the support of the coalition members. Albano is the majority leader of the House contingent to the Commission on Appointments. Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said there were no moves to oust Pimentel. “The change of leadership in both houses of Congress is always there. That’s no longer surprising,” Sotto said. He said Pimentel would remain the Senate leader when Congress resumed its session

on May 14. Earlier, Pimentel said he was willing to go anytime his colleagues wanted to replace him. He was prepared to leave his post. “I should be able to let go anytime. I know that,” said Pimentel who is also e president of the ruling PDP-Laban party. Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez, chairman of the House committee on housing and urban development, also shrugged off the alleged leadership change at the House. But opposition Rep. Gary Alejano warned that “a change in leadership will seriously derail the time table of the Duterte administration in pursuing [its] agenda, including Charter Change. “Rumors of a coup d’etat in the House have

Palace heeds SC on drug report MALACAÑANG said Wednesday it will comply with the Supreme Court order requiring police officials to submit reports on the killing of drug suspects since the implementation of the government’s war on illegal drugs. Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra said it was the policy of the executive branch to heed the high court. “Guess we have no other alternative except to comply,” Guevarra said. He made his statement even as the Philippine National Police said Wednesday it respects the Supreme Court resolution ordering it to submit data on the almost 4,000 documented killings in the government’s war on drugs. “The PNP respects the resolution of the Supreme Court, but we will take the legal recommendation of the Solicitor General on the matter,” said PNP spokesman Chief Supt. John Bulalacao. “We appeal for more time because we have to collate the investigation reports from the regions.” Senator Panfilo Lacson said it was just right that the Supreme Court gave its order. “It is right the [high court] demanded or ordered them to submit all the details of the more than 3,000 deaths on account of the legitimate operations on the anti-drugs operations,” Lacson said. “We tried during the hearings but somehow they failed to comply. But here there is a contempt issue involved, and it’s no less than the SC that’s ordering them.” Senator Joel Villanueva said the high court’s order reinforces the rule of law in

the country. “I hope the numerous drug suspects killed under Oplan Tokhang will find justice as the SC conducts its review of this operation,” he said. Guevarra said while the Office of the Solicitor General had earlier argued there were certain security concerns that must be addressed in connection with this matter, the government would comply with the high court’s order. “Is no need for Malacañang to issue a directive to the Philippine National Police to comply with the order. We will comply,” Guevarra said. “That’s the final order of the Supreme Court, all agencies of the government bound by that order are supposed to comply and follow.” Guevarra said the high court’s order would have no negative effects on the government’s war on drugs. “Don’t see any potential effect because the law enforcement agencies are not hiding anything with these documents, except for the security of the possible witnesses and so forth,” Guevarra said. He said the police will continue their war on drugs despite the high court’s order. Police officers visit the houses of suspected drug users and pushers to convince them to surrender. But some of their operations have turned deadly, catching the attention of human rights groups that accuse the government of undertaking a brutal campaign. Vito Barcelo, Francisco Tuyay and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Kuwait...

Maarifi said there were more than 15,000 Ethiopians currently living and working in Kuwait. Kuwaiti police in March 2017 detained a woman for filming her Ethiopian maid falling from the seventh floor without trying to rescue her. The 12-second video shows the maid hanging outside the building, with one hand tightly gripping the window frame, as she begs for help. Rights groups have voiced alarm over the plight of workers in the Gulf and other Arab countries, where migrant labour is regulated under a system known as “kafala”. The kafala, or sponsorship, system ties migrant workers’ visas to their employers, prohibiting workers from leaving the country or changing jobs without prior consent. AFP

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The Philippines banned its citizens from working in Kuwait after the body of 29-yearold Joanna Demafelis was found in a freezer earlier this year, bearing signs of torture. “We aim to open the door to the recruitment of Ethiopian workers to fill the deficit of domestic servants and reduce prices,” General Talal Al-Maarifi, head of Kuwait’s General Department of Residency Affairs, told AFP. Ethiopia five years ago instituted a similar ban, following reports of abuse and complaints that employment agencies lured its citizens to work under illegal and appalling conditions. The ban was lifted last Thursday.

Cabinet... From A1 destination would not be easily reached. The peace panels held four rounds of talks before Duterte cancelled the negotiations in November last year because of continued attacks by the NPA on government forces. The following month, Duterte declared the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and NPA as terror groups. Duterte said he wants the fighting and killings to stop so he could use government funds to build more hospitals and schools instead. However, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the government has no plans to withdraw its petition to declare the communist rebels as terrorists before a Manila court. Guevarra said Duterte’s latest pronouncement will not affect in any way the pending petition to declare the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group. “For as long as the requirements under the Human Security Act are met then the government will pursue its proscription action against these people regardless of the fact that coincidentally, they are supposed to be consultants in the peace process,” Guevarra said. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzano said he was pessimistic that anything good would come from resuing talks with the communists. Lorenzana pointed to the recent torching of

Dengvaxia... From A1 “PAO will continue to perform its job as mandated by President Rodrigo Duterte and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II” despite

construction equipment in Davao del Norte, which cast doubts on the credibility of the communists. Lorenzana was citing the recent torching of construction equipment in Davao del Norte, a factor that contradicts the communist sincerity as embodied in the provision in the bilateral agreement reached between the government. “If there would be talks, we should be assured and they have to prove that they can control their fighters on the ground. That is the question that I was asking even before,” Lorenzana said. Exiled CPP founding chairman Jose Maria Sison said they are ready to resume peace negotiations and finish draft agreements that were stalled when talks collapsed in 2017. Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate welcomed the prospect of renewed talks. “While we welcome President Duterte’s openness to the resumption of talks, it would be best if the two parties would not set preconditions for it to resume,” Zarate said. Senator Loren Legarda on Wednesday expressed her support for the resumption of the peace negotiations. Legarda made the statement in support of House Resolution No. 1803 authored by 61 congressmen urging President Rodrigo Duterte to resume the peace talks with the NDFP. With PNA, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz Health Secretary Francisco Duque’s administrative order that only the Health Department could conduct an autopsy on Dengvaxia-related deaths, Acosta said. “Next week there will be other cases to be filed. Rest assured we will help ferret out the truth,” she said. Rio N. Araja

been circulating since early last year but the Speaker, the majority floor leader and their minions seem to have a strong grip on the coalition,” Alejano said. “I think it will be difficult for any bloc or blocs to overthrow the current leadership.” Alejano said he and the other members of the opposition, including those in the Liberal Party, “are just curious outsiders in this majority coalition tussle.” He said the coup against Alvarez and his leadership could have been instigated by “a number of people who have been unceremoniously belittled or hurt by the current House leadership.” “This includes the former president [Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo] who was stripped of her position [as deputy speaker] because of her opposition to the death penalty. “There’s the Marcoses, Representative [Antonio] Floirendo [Jr.] whose district allocations were cut. And I heard even the majority’s minority-led Representative [Danilo] Suarez [of Quezon] are not happy.”

NFA... From A1 He said the audit was requested by the NFA Council in a resolution passed in February to find out if NFA is buying rice at the onset of harvest season, and at what volume they are doing this. To solve the dwindling supply of rice, Evasco said the government must speed up the buying of rice and give farmers incentive to sell their palay to the NFA. “There should also be an active monitoring on the warehouses for us to know whether there is rice hoarded or rice that should be brought to the market,” he said. He said President Rodrigo Duterte will meet with big rice traders on Thursday after the NFA made an alarming pronouncement over declining rice buffer stocks. “The President can ask these traders to help us rather than take advantage of the situation to make money at the expense of the consuming public,” Evasco said. At the same time, Evasco said the NFA’s dwindling supply should not affect rice prices, because the NFA stocks make up only 4 percent of total supply. Senate President Pro Tempore, meanwhile, said President Rodrigo Duterte should whip up his “compartmentalized rice team” into shape because rice is “a volatile political commodity.” “There seems to be policy incoherence. Or at the very least, instead of being on the same page, different parts of the orchestra are playing different music. The President should grab the baton and be the master conductor,” he said. “When the public receives mixed signals on the status of what they eat, it leads to market disruption,” Recto said. “Politically, a nation will tolerate all kinds of queues—MRT, passport. But rice queues must be avoided at all cost. And at present, there is no need to, because— thanks to our farmers—of the recent record rice harvests,” Recto also said. But Recto said there is a need to make rice affordable to the poor who cannot afford expensive, fancy varieties. “The poorest 30 percent of families spend 70 percent of their income on rice. And for many of them, 22 centavos for every one peso they earn are spent to buy rice,” Recto said. “To prove that they’re not forgotten, the government should deploy rolling rice stores to poor urban areas to show that there’s enough rice,” he said. Senator Nancy Binay, meanwhile, urged the NFA Council to reconsider a proposal to allow the NFA to increase its buying price for palay from local farmers to immediately boost its rice reserve. The NFA has objected to the proposal to add one peso to its buying price, saying this would mean P800 million in additional spending with no assurance that farmers would sell their grain to the NFA because traders are offering more. With PNA

‘Rude... From A1 Police say they have killed roughly 4,100 suspects who fought back during arrest, but rights groups allege the actual number is three times higher and accuse the authorities of murder. The International Criminal Court has launched a “preliminary examination” into killings in the anti-drug campaign. Zeid, who has criticized alleged extrajudicial killings in the drug war, last month said Duterte’s remarks about a UN rapporteur seeking to investigate the matter were “absolutely disgraceful.” Zeid last month also condemned Duterte’s statement ordering troops to shoot female rebels in the vagina. In Tuesday’s speech, Duterte defended the comments along with his war on drugs. “I am rude? I am really rude. There is nothing I can do about that,” Duterte said. “I kill people? Yes, I really kill people... go ahead and do drugs there. I already told you to stop.” Addressing human rights groups, Duterte said: “You are dreaming if you think you can jail me.” AFP

Fraud?... From A1

Insiders said the questionable ballots came from Baao municipality where a couple of wet ballots were also found Tuesday. It could not be ascertained how many preshaded ballots were found, sources said. The unused or excess ballots were found among the valid ballots with the Robredo votes, they added. The Marcos camp said the pre-shaded ballots provided further evidence of fraud in the vice presidential race. The Robredo camp, on the other hand, questioned the information about the preshaded ballots. “These could be rejected ballots that were mistakenly placed inside the envelope for unused ballots. Based on experience—due to the conditions inside the precincts—mistakes happen,” said Bernadette Sardillo, one of Robredo’s lawyers. She also questioned the leak of information from the Supreme Court. “We find the report ridiculous since at that time, only one ballot box was opened and this report surfaced immediately. How can this be reported that quick if no telephones or any mode of outside communication are allowed inside the revision area?” she said. Sardillo said she believed that this development could be another attempt by the Marcos camp to cast doubt on the recount process and to confuse the public. On the first two days of the recount, six wet ballot boxes were found from Bato and Baao towns in Camarines Sur. Marcos also questioned the missing audit logs from clustered precincts in Bato town. He said that 38 out of 40 ballot boxes from the town in Camarines Sur—one of the three pilot provinces he identified for the recount—did not have audit logs. On Tuesday, four of the 40 head revisors resigned from their duties only a day after the start on the recount. The PET has not officially confirmed any of these reports as the proceedings are supposed to be confidential. The Robredo camp expressed concern when one of the revision committees denied her claim to four ballots containing votes in her favor but which were found inside the envelope for unused ballots. Robredo through her lawyers Romulo Macalintal and Sardillo filed a motion of manifestation, informing the PET that a revision committee prohibited them from claiming the four ballots from the Baao, Camarines Sur because there was no space in the revision report provided by the PET. Macalintal said that by the time the Supreme Court is able to make any rulings on the issue, the revision in the clustered precinct will have already ended. This would mean that “these four ballots will now be treated as uncontested ballots to the prejudice of Robredo,” Macaintal said. Robredo “has been deprived of her right to register her claims,” he added. He said the vice president was prohibited from making any manifestation in the revision report. But Macalintal said the purpose of the revision committees would not be fulfilled if none of the parties were allowed to register their claims and objections before the head revisors from the Supreme Court. “If incidents such as this would need to be submitted to the PET for proper ruling, then, the revision, recount and re-appreciation of the ballots should be conducted before all the members present to expedite the proceedings,” he said.

Standard’s... From A1 The three-day affair starting April 20, which coincides with its 50th anniversary— with delegates from the country’s GUMIL chapters and those from Greece, Hongkong, Alaska and Canada—includes a workshop Ilocanos call “Dap-ayan” where budding writers are expected to hone their skills in the various literary genres. The annual convention, presided by the association president Vilmer Viloria, incumbent member of the Cagayan provincial board, will also see the giving out of executive leadership awards (for former presidents); Tan-ok Gumiliano (outstanding GUMIL member for helping the association achieve its vision in the past 50 years); Pedro Bucaneg and Leona Florentino Awards. Manila Standard night editor Honor Blanco Cabie, book author, 2011 Pedro Bucaneg Awardee and erstwhile president of GUMIL Filipinas (1995 to 1999) from Ilocos Norte, will receive the executive leadership award as well as Tan-ok Gumiliano. Cles Rambaud, managing editor of the weekly Ilocano magazine Bannawag and author of the updated Ilocano orthography, also from Ilocos Norte, will receive the Pedro Bucaneg Award while Eden Cachola-Bulong, from Ilocos Sur, who has written much on the role of women in the family, will get the Leona Florentino Award. The Bucaneg Award, named after the Father of Iloko Literature, is the highest award given by GUMIL to male writers for their contribution in enriching the culture of Ilocanos through their writings. The Florentino Award, named after the first Ilocano woman poet, is given by GUMIL to female writers whose writings have helped endorse the Ilocano culture. GUMIL Filipinas, founded in October 1968 with a national convention in Baguio City, has had 13 presidents—one each from Pangasinan and Isabela, six from Ilocos Sur, two from Ilocos Norte, and three from Cagayan. The 50—the number is equal to the years of GUMIL’s existence—Tan-ok GUMILiano Award include six women and 12 to be given posthumously.

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Palace: No impending Cabinet revamp By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

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ALACAÑANG on Wednesday said there is no impending revamp in the Cabinet, amid reports that Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II would be sacked by President Rodrigo Duterte due to the Department of Justice’s controversial decisions over drug personalities Kerwin Espinosa and Peter Lim.

The President earlier announced that several Cabinet officials would be fired after the Holy Week break, citing corruption as the main reason. Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra also rebuffed reports that Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III submitted his letter of resignation to the President last week, saying

it was all hearsay. “The President has no plans of reshuffling his Cabinet, because the Cabinet Secretaries are busy in implementing the programs of the administration. They were all invited to attend the Cabinet meeting,” Guevarra said in a press briefing. Meanwhile, Senator Francis Pangilinan said Aguirre should not only be sacked

but should also be charged with plunder and graft for the many “foolishness” he committed in his job. Pangilinan, who is also president of the opposition Liberal Party, noted the LP has long been asking for Aguirre’s removal from the DoJ. “From one blunder to the next, Secretary Aguirre, wittingly or unwittingly, has

been showing how unfit he is for the position,” the senator said. However, Guevarra said the Office of the President has not received any letter of resignation from either Bello or Aguirre. “The President has just returned from his Holy Week visit to his hometown [Davao City] and he has not given any statement regarding this

matter,” he added. Guevarra said Palace officials have not talked to the President since last week, adding: “If there will be movement in the Cabinet, it will be the President who will announce it.” Duterte earlier said he is not satisfied with the performance of some of his Cabinet members and planned to fire some of his top officials.

DOLE to Jollibee, Burger King: Regularize workers By Vito Barcelo THE Department of Labor and Employment ordered two popular giant fast food chains Jollibee and Burger King to regularize their workers under the government’s program to ban illegal work contractualization practice. Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod has ordered Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) to regularize 6,482 workers while Perf Restaurant, also known as Burger King, was directed to regularize 704 workers deployed by their contractors. Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said both Jollibee and Burger King must comply immediately with the order to regularize thousands of their employees as direct hire employees of both Jollibee and Burger King. “We understand that Jollibee is still appealing against the order arguing that these

BRIDGES FOR PASIG. Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, MMDA Chairman Danny Lim and DILG Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Dino are on board an MMDA ferry boat Wednesday during an inspection of the Pasig River for possible construction of bridges that would help solve the traffic problem in Metro Manila. Lino Santos

PPSC bans ‘secret rituals’ at PNPA after mauling THE Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) has ordered an absolute ban on ‘secret rituals’ among the ranks of cadets in the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA). The measure comes after an incident during the institution’s graduation ceremonies where underclass cadets mauled nine new police inspectors.

In a statement Wednesday, the PPSC, an agency under the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) which oversees the PNPA, said its Board of Trustees accepted the recommendations made by the board of inquiry that investigated the incident. The probe body, chaired by Dr. Romeo S. Magsalos, rec-

ommended that all activities of the Corps of Cadets should be sanctioned by the duly-constituted PNPA authorities and should be closely supervised by the Cadet Affairs Office. “In no instance shall any ‘secret rituals’ involving cadets be conducted,” the recommendation read. The board added that “as

deterrence to misconduct, neglect and undesirable behavior, the PNPA should actively prosecute offenses amounting to criminal acts before the regular courts”. It also recommended measures to strengthen the esprit de corps among the cadets and increase the capacity of the PNPA to closely monitor

cadet activities. Notably, the board also recommended the intervention of Interior and Local Government Officer in Charge Eduardo Año for the implementation of the policy where deployment to training units under the PPSC is a considered as a Table of Organization position. PNA

Pimentel urges LTFRB to hasten entry of TNVS players By Macon RamosAraneta WITH ride-hailing platform pioneer Uber exiting the country next week, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III urged the Land Transportation Franchise and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Wednesday to hasten

the entry of other transport network vehicle service (TNVS) players. Pimentel said the move would ensure competition and reasonable prices for Philippine TNVS users. Given these developments, he said it was incumbent upon the LTFRB to work overtime to process pending

Authorities nab ranking cop for casino playing By Joel E. Zurbano AUTHORITIES have arrested ranking police official who was caught Tuesday night playing inside a casino in Paranaque City. Metro Manila police director Oscar Albayalde identified the police officer as Supt. Adrian Antonio, 35, assigned at the Philippine National Police general headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City. Antonio was arrested for violating Article 231 (Disobedience) of the Revised Penal Code, Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees and Presidential Memorandum Circular 06-2016 which prohibit all government officials and employees, including policemen from entering and playing casinos. Albayalde said elements of the Paranaque City Police Station nabbed Antonio around 10:55 pm Tuesday at Pit 16 of the gaming area of City of Dreams Resort and Casino. “The apprehended person was monitored though CCTV inside the Pit Arena of the said establishment and caught in the act of playing baccarat. Subject had also an altercation with another player in the said Casino that revealed his true identity,” a report from the Southern Police District stated.

TNVS applications and to ensure that Grab would not take advantage of its monopoly of the TNVS industry. “The LTFRB announcement that there are three new ride-sharing companies that want to enter the country can only be considered good news if any or all of these companies actually get

to service our countrymen,” said Pimentel. Pimentel said the LTFRB should strike a balance between encouraging the entry of new players and the need for these players to comply with the country’s TNVS guidelines. “We need real competition, not potential competition. As

long as riders have zero options, they will be vulnerable to overpricing and poor service––and this is where the LTFRB must come in.” According to the legislator, LTFRB should also pay close attention to feedback from TNVS users and put in mechanisms to immediately act on rider complaints.

workers were long ago made regulars under the labor contractors or workers’ cooperatives,” TUCP president Raymond Mendoza said. “We remind both the Jollibee and Burger King managements that they must directly regularize these workers that were subject of the compliance order. These workers are undertaking tasks which are directly related to the main business of these fast food chains and working under the supervision of Jollibee and Burger King,” Mendoza said. This is an example of the worst form of contractualization, where a co-op or agency, in many cases without capital, equipment or direct control of the workers, poses as the employer, while the true employers—in this case, Jollibee and Burger King— evade their legal and financial responsibilities. This is economic sabotage of our social contract with our workers, Mendoza said.

‘Secret habal-habal service booming’ SOME groups in social networking sites are operating as illegal transport network companies (TNCs) for underground habal-habal operators, a transport advocacy group said Wednesday. The new transport agency Transport Watch told a news conference in Makati City more than 200,000 individuals have joined groups in Facebook which allow users to book their own habal-habal. Under the group, operators post specific time schedules and the routes they travel, and indicate their mobile numbers for them to book. “The underground transport service operators offer no insurance, no protection, nor proper training and accountability. Because of this, passengers’ lives are placed at risk,” Tony La Viña, former dean of the Ateneo School of Government and co-convenor of Transport Watch, said. Noemi Dado, the group’s convenor, said Transport Watch gives the people, particularly social media users, a platform to air their messages regarding the country’s transport woes to relevant stakeholders. “Transport Watch advocates are committed to push for policy and legislation that promotes better transport alternatives, road safety and education, as well as raise awareness of the Philippines’ transport issues to the media and their communities,” said Dado.

Socioeconomic rights to be added to Charter DENR CHIEF RECEIVES WATER JOURNAL. Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu receives the latest issue of the Water Environment Journal which has for its cover story the ongoing saga of Boracay and other relevant stories affecting the water and environment sectors in the Philippines. Shown handling a copy of the WEJ to Cimatu is Maynilad AVP for Government Relations Anette H. de Ocampo who also took up with the DENR chief Maynilad’s Water Services Inc. decision to earmark P1.7 billion budget this year to boost the company’s sewerage coverage within its concession area aimed at mitigating soil and water pollution due to direct discharge of untreated wastewater from Metro Manila households.

TO give the poor a more “effective tool” to fight poverty, the Consultative Committee (Concom) reviewing the 1987 Constitution will propose the inclusion of socioeconomic rights in the Bill of Rights of the new Charter it is drafting. Socioeconomic rights, which are classified under the second generation of rights, include adequate housing, food health care, education, social security and water, the panel said Wednesday. Concom chair and former Chief Justice Reynato Puno said the inclusion of socioeconomic rights in the Bill of Rights will make these rights at par with the first generation of rights, namely civil and political rights. This means the rights become guaranteed by and demandable from the state, and that

citizens may seek refuge in the courts anytime for their protection and for the enforcement of such rights. “We have studied the evolution of human rights, and it should be very evident to the eye that the protection that our Constitution gives to the entirety of human rights is insufficient as of now,” Puno said in a press conference at the Philippine International Convention Center. Puno explained that in the current setup, only civil and political rights are being “comprehensively” protected, while socioeconomic rights are left behind. He pointed out that socioeconomic rights are only enumerated in a section in the Constitution that is separate from the Bill of Rights. PNA

Comelec to simulate SK, village elections By Joel E. Zurbano A simulation of this year’s village and youth council elections will be conducted in Tondo, Manila on April 21, the Commission on Elections’ Project Management Office announced on Tuesday. This is in line with the ongoing preparation for the poll exercise, which was originally scheduled on Oct. 31, 2016, but cancelled and re-scheduled to Oct. 23, 2017 and then to May 14 this year.

Comelec-PMO director Teopisto Elnas said the simulation will be conducted at the Rosario Almario Elementary School in Tondo from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Actual voters in the Clustered Precincts No. 63 and 64 of Barangay 20, Tondo will participate in the simulation at 50 voters per precinct. Likewise, the ones that will serve as members of the Electoral Boards and Barangay Board of Canvassers are those designated in the concerned precincts,” said Elnas.

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Opinion

THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Trusting the process A ferry good thing THE Pasig River and its tributaries meander from Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay for some 25 kilometers, passing the towns and cities of San Juan, Quezon City, Taguig, Taytay, Pasig, Mandaluyong, Makati, and Manila, very much a prominent, or at least ubiquitous, part of those communities. It was a major transport route for goods and people during the Spanish colonial era, and as such was immortalized in Jose Rizal’s novel El Filibusterismo: “One morning in December the steamer Tabo was laboriously ascending the tortuous course of the Pasig, carrying a large crowd of passengers toward the province of Laguna.” However, since the 19th century that was the novel’s setting, the Pasig has become, in many parts, polluted with debris and virtually impassable. It’s good news, therefore, that officials from ten government agencies conducted an inspection of the river ferry system at Guadalupe, Makati, yesterday preparatory to pitching at the afternoon’s Cabinet meeting the establishment of the Pasig River Ferry Convergence Program. The plan, according to program manager Julia Nebrija of the Department of Budget and Management, is to increase the total number of ferry stations to 29 by 2022. Seventeen stations will be built in Manila, Mandaluyong, Makati, Taguig, Pasig, and Marikina in addition to the current 12 in Intramuros to Guadalupe.

nity to review and improve on the process so that next time around, time and resources would be conserved. Winning candidates could then focus on doing the job they were elected to do. Unfortunately, politics continues to rear its ugly head. We can only watch how this latest development will play out and how it will affect the discharge of duties —not that there is a lot—of the vice president. In the meantime, election officials should really be arming themselves on how to do their jobs, not for or against any one candidate, but for the higher end of making sure votes are counted and tallied properly.

T

HE Presidential Electoral Tribunal has agreed to recount the votes for 2016 vice presidential elections. Finally, we thought, the matter could be addressed and set straight. Soon after the recount started, however, four of the 40 head revisors resigned, prompting concerns on the pace of the proceedings. The reasons for the resignations were unknown, but the camps of both Vice President Leni Robredo and her challenger, former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. both said this will cause further delays. It is tempting to speculate on why exactly the revisors decided to quit at this crucial stage. Could they have faced undue pressure or interference? Did they see

the process as futile? What is certain is that this once more shows an unfortunate feature of Philippine elections that tends to undermine a more fundamental mark of democracy. An electoral protest is often seen as a battle among those who won and those who think they won. It is often forgotten that the question should be on how the votes were counted and tallied—the “who” should be irrelevant. Thus, a decision to recount votes in a particular race should be seen as an opportu-

When the revitalized ferry system is established, new novels and stories will be written about it and the travels and adventures that will certainly take place.

One ferry stop is likely to be built at the commercial/residential Rockwell area, given the volume of activity there. There will also be stations at Ayala Circuit Makati, Pasig City, and Quinta Market. There will be 24 air-conditioned boats fetching passengers every 15 minutes, to carry some 76,000 commuters a day or 19.8 million a year. The government also plans to construct 12 more bridges on the Pasig River. The ferry system is currently operated by the Metro Manila Development Authority. DBM Secretary Ben Diokno says that they are looking to bid out operations to a private operator by mid-year. He also said that they plan to establish the new ferry system by December this year to provide ease to travelers at the start of the hectic holiday season. As far as plans go, this is one of the best the government has ever had. There have been sporadic attempts through the years to make the ferry viable as a business, but it has been operating in fits and starts despite it being a logical and obvious solution to the motor traffic problem. I rode the ferry on several occasions many years ago, going from Guadalupe to Binondo. It was always a pleasant journey, back then best taken when not in a hurry, but perfect for whenever I craved fresh oriental lumpia, Savory chicken, and other goodies from the area. The river was a faster and easier route than driving from Makati to the heart of Manila. Stations added along Laguna de Bay would also give access to the lakeside towns and open up new Turn to A5

Rating the Cabinet members THERE are reports that Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II is on his way out of the Duterte Cabinet due to utter incompetence. Imagine, his prosecutors found no probable cause against self-confessed drug lords! I have been a journalist for nearly 70 years. I know that a president can only be as effective as his alter egos in the Cabinet. Santa Banana, a president may want change to come soon but if his Cabinet is lousy and incompetent, he will always fail. I have seen many presidents come and go in my career. I think the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos had the best and most effective Cabinet. My gulay, who can dispute the qualifications of Cesar Virata, Juan Ponce Enrile, Alex Melchor, O.D. Corpuz or Estelito Mendoza? I can go on and on. This is not to say that other presidents did not have good, honest and competent Cabinet. A president cannot micro-manage, so he must rely on the members of his Cabinet. If I were to score the Duterte Cabinet, I would give it 80 percent. In fact, I would give a failing grade if not for the presence of Secretaries Sonny Dominguez, Ernesto Lopez, Silvestre Bello III, Ernesto Pernia, Leonor Briones, Salvador Medialdea, Jesus Dureza, Arturo Tugade and Delfin Lorenzana, Roy Cimatu and acting Secretary Eduardo Ano. I cannot blame the President for appointing incompetent individuals tohis Cabinet. He had a narrow bench to choose from, being a city mayor, He could only rely on his former classmates, fraternity brothers – people he personally knew.

Even the best president is bound to fail if he or she does not have the right team.

EVERYMAN By Arpee Lazaro ONE day, while the Head was asleep, the Members of the Body met and started exchanging notes on what they were all doing. The Arms said “he enjoys sports so much that we do the most work”. To which the Legs replied “he can’t get anywhere without me so I do the most work.” And on and on the Members of the body bickered bantered amongst themselves bragging and complaining that each one did the most important work. Then someone noticed the Belly. Because the Belly hardly spoke a word during the discussion as it was busy digesting, the other Members of the Body went on a tirade against the Belly say-

More than the sum of its parts ing it was the laziest of them all. Agreeing, the Members of the Body decided to deny the Belly food as it seemed it was all it was doing; eating on the job. Because the Mouth wouldn’t open to let any food in, the rest of the Body didn’t have much to do. Later on the Arms were too weak to move, the Legs got wobbly and couldn’t support the body, and the organs began to fail one after the other. The moral of the story? If you are part of a body, you are all doing important work. In the human body as it is in government, all parts have a purpose. In government, all departments no matter how trivial they may sound, have an important job to do which in turn supports the other departments. The PCOO

or the Presidential Communications Operations Office has an important job to do: “to serve as the premier arm of the Executive Branch in engaging the citizenry and the mass media in order to enrich the quality of public discourse on all matters of governance and build a national consensus thereon.” Or in simple terms, the PCOO is the communication arm of the Executive Branch of government. Whatever it is that the government needs us to know, the PCOO will let us know about it. They have come quite a long way from just managing the government TV and radio stations. Under the leadership of Sec Martin Andanar, the PCOO has made huge steps in improving the

Luckily he is just on his second year. He can correct the mistakes he made. One of the albatrosses around his neck is Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo, who goes on excessive junkets. Sure, it is her job to promote the country abroad, but must she bring everybody as part of her entourage? Mr. Duterte said he would fire appointed officials if there was a whiff of corruption around them. What happened to this statement with regard to the tourism secretary? Why is he making an exception? *** The camp of Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno keeps on saying that the Supreme Court has no jurisdiction over the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida contesting Sereno’s qualifications to become the head of the judiciary. It was found she failed to submit her Statement of Assets, Liabilities when she was a professor at the UP College of Law. The argument for that petition was that Sereno did not possess the credentials to be the “first among equals.” I don’t know the law schools Sereno’s lawyers attended, but do they not realize that the Supreme Court deemed the petition justiciable, and as such could be deliberated, it acquired jurisdiction on the case. Oral arguments on the case will be held on April 10. Sereno should be present to answer questions from her colleagues. Yes I admit that am official like Sereno can only be removed by impeachment. But the quo warranto is a different case. It questions whether Turn to A5

Turn to A5 Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

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rative. I get my news from the PNA, despite what other netizens say. For me the PNA is both reliable and timely. News must alwayscome from the source, and in the case of government programs and policies, it needs to be disseminated by the PCOO to ensure that all the details are true and accurate. In the case of the badly written ID, certain protocols were breached. By this time, the PCOO has already identified which cog in the whole machinery has gone astray and they are fixing it. The image of the PCOO has been attacked so furiously by those who want to be in Andanar’s office. Certain personalities in the cyberspace have been launching attacks against the PCOO to make themselves look good in the eyes of the masses. It is nothing more than classic deflection, shifting of blame or projection, whatever you want to call it. There is one particular personality who keeps insisting that the PCOO is under incompetent leadership, while he himself has not even finished a college degree, a basic requirement for a government executive position. Perhaps it is his number of followers that he leverages on, thinking that having many followers in Facebook means that he is a big deal. However close he is to the powers that be, it still means nothing in the realm of public service. Slinging mud on the very government you have sworn to support is in no way a service to anyone, least of all to government. As the saying goes “do not taunt your neighbor with the blemish that you have yourself.” Before we see the bad in government, it wouldn’t hurt to see the good and the true. For starters, opening the doors of Malacanang to citizen journalists is a huge first that no administration has ever done before. Vast improvements in the facilities of PTV4, PNA and Radyo Pilipinas can be seen online and on TV. Anyone is welcome to visit the facilities, just send them a message on Facebook and your request will be processed.

facilities of PTV 4, Radyo Pilipinas and the PNA or the Philippine News Agency online. And for the first time, bloggers or citizen journalists have been given the chance to cover news inside the Malacanang. No longer is Malacanang exclusive to the Malacanang Press Corps. Upon assuming office Sec Andanar has made immediate changes to the rules allowing bloggers to cover the President’s activities, bending even the rules of the Presidential Security Group, the group that handles the close-in security of the President. Allowing unvetted outsiders within 5 feet of the President is any PSG man’s nightmare considering the various possible scenarios that might become a threat to the life of the President. Secretary Andanar is a seasoned radio and TV broadcaster. Before his stint with the PCOO, Andanar has almost 20 years of media experience. So why so much hate thrown PCOO’s way? Maybe because they think all that the PCOO does is digest the news and spit out press releases, which is nowhere as accurate as most haters would think. The PCOO’s mandate is clearly to engage the citizenry, not to censor freedom of speech. With the advent of social media, information can made more available and in real time, reporting as it happens. As the President decides, we immediately know about it. As the other senators and justices react, we know about it as well. For the first time in Philippine history, our opinions matter. We are now heard with the barriers of communication being drawn down and all of us are welcome to craft our own opinions and to assemble in groups to share these opinions with like-minded citizens. All this has been supported by the PCOO and more. But why do they need to engage the citizenry? Why can’t they just churn out Arpee Lazaro worked as online mereleases? Because some media agencies have been known to use the same releas- dia consultant for the PCOO from Janes but skewing the facts to fit their nar- uary to December 2017.

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she was qualified to be chief justice in the first place. If the Sereno camp cannot still get it, they must be dumb. *** Malaysia has deemed fake news as criminal in nature. Here we are still debating whether spreading fake news should be criminalized. This especially applies to public officials who peddle fake news, because they are subject to higher standards of accountability. But there are some quarters who claim that criminalizing fake news

would be an abridgement of rights and would curtail freedom of expression. In fact I was angered when presidential spokesman Harry Roque claimed that such a law would be against the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression and the press. I don’t know where Roque is coming from, but as a lawyer, he should be aware of the fact that these freedoms are not boundless. They can be curtailed by law. For example, press freedom is limited by the law on libel. This means that while we in media have the right to express our opinions, we cannot just trample on the rights of others. So yes, I say those who peddle fake news should be penalized by the law.

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Parts that make the whole

All the better to breathe with NEANDERTHALS had large, protruding noses to warm and humidify cold, dry air, a study into the distinct design of our extinct European cousin’s face suggested Wednesday. Using 3-D models of the skulls of Neanderthals, modern humans, and Homo heidelbergensis—considered to have been the common ancestor of both—an international research team found distinct breathing adaptations. Computerized “fluid dynamics” revealed that the shape of Neanderthal and human faces “condition air more efficiently” than H. heidelbergensis, suggesting that “both evolved to better withstand cold and/ or dry climates,” the researchers wrote in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Neanderthals could also move “considerably more” air through their nasal cavity than could H. heidelbergensis or modern humans -- possibly in response to higher energy requirements for their stocky bodies and hunting lifestyle. Neanderthals were thought to have required as much as 4,480 calories per day to keep them alive in the European winter. For a modern human male, 2,500 daily calories are recommended. A high-calorie intake requires more oxygen to burn the sugars, fats and proteins in our cells to produce energy. Take a deep breath Scientists have long debated over the reason for the Neanderthal’s face shape, which includes a large, wide nose and protruding upper jaw. One theory was they were built to exert more bite force. But Monday’s study said this was not the case. Computer simulations showed that Neanderthals “were not particularly strong biters” compared to humans. But “where the Neanderthal really excelled is in its ability to move large volumes of air through its nasal passage, indicating a very highenergy lifestyle.” The conclusion, said the team, was “that the distinctive facial morphology of Neanderthals has been driven, at least in part, by adaptation to cold” —both to “condition” cold, dry air, and to absorb more oxygen. Neanderthals emerged in Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East some 200,000 years ago. They vanished about 30,000 years ago—coinciding with the arrival of modern humans out of Africa. The two groups briefly overlapped and interbred, and today, nonAfrican people are said to carry about 1.5-2.1 percent of Neanderthal DNA. Long portrayed as knuckle-dragging brutes, recent studies have started to paint a picture of Neanderthals as sophisticated beings who made art, took care of the elderly, buried their dead, and may have been the first jewellers—though they were probably also cannibals. AFP

THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018

WE EXPECT a lot from President Rodrigo Duterte, the most trusted and approved president we had. We were convinced by his campaign promise that he would eradicate illegal drugs should he win the presidency. True to his word, the President has doubled his administration’s effort in fighting illegal drugs. The recent report of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency states that 123,648 drug suspects were arrested out of 91,704 anti-drug operations conducted from July 1, 2016 to March 20, 2018. Still, the President must take urgent action on other equally, if not more important matters such as education, health, social welfare, agriculture, and transportation. In order to achieve optimum results in these areas, the President relies on members of his official family. What can upset the President’s performance is the unsatisfactory performance of his Cabinet members. It has been said that Cabinet members are the President’s alter egos. Actions falling under their responsibility are deemed, generally, as actions of the President himself. Let me share one example. In December 2016, my province, Quezon, was one of the provinces badly hit by typhoon Nina. In our district, the third district of Quezon, several public schools, roads, bridges, and agricultural lands were damaged by the typhoon. After the typhoon, I called for a joint meeting of the local government executives, and the Secretaries and Region IV-A Directors of concerned government agencies, particularly the Department of Agriculture, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Education,

and the National Economic and Development Authority, to discuss the overall rehabilitation of the typhoon-stricken areas of the province. A year and four months hence, and some schools, such as those in the towns of San Narciso and San Andres, have not been rehabilitated by the DepEd, leaving our students suffering from dilapidated classrooms. Another matter of concern is Boracay. Last year, I also called the attention of concerned agencies, particularly the Department of Natural Resources, to look into the environmental hazards, and to find ways to improve water quality in Boracay. Now Boracay is being threatened by closure, as proposed by the DENR, together with the Department of Tourism and the Department of Interior and Local Government. Should this closure be pursued, losses to our

Cabinet secretaries are the alter ego of the President.

economy could reach P56 billion. The problem could not have gotten this far if the concerned agencies only acted upon the matter with urgency. Recent events also put the Department of Justice at the center of public criticism. Despite the President’s strong anti-illegal drug stance, prosecutors of the DOJ issued a decision dismissing the charges against self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, businessman and alleged drug lord Peter Lim, and other drug personalities linked in their network. Espinosa’s public confession, sworn before a Senate committee, was not included as evidence in the

complaint. To say that the nation was befuddled is an understatement. Now that the parties are allowed to introduce additional evidence on review, two key witnesses and respondents to the case were killed. Max Miro, right hand man of Espinosa died while resisting arrest on March 10. Jun Pepito was killed by yet unidentified riding men in tandem in December last year. Whether or not these deaths bear any relation to the cases against them, and their alleged bosses, is anyone’s guess. Metro traffic is a worsening problem. Our economy loses P3.5 billion a day due to metro traffic congestion, as reported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. While we wait for the fruition of the administration’s infrastructure projects that may provide long-term traffic solutions, I expect the Department of Transportation to at least provide urgent solutions to ease the current traffic condition. In the agricultural sector, we were alarmed by news reports on the depleting rice supply of our country. The National Food Authority announced that our rice supply is only enough for our country’s rice requirement for two days, and that its nationwide inspection revealed that no more NFA rice were available in the market. The arrival of imported rice is originally scheduled on June, but the agency is being pressured to make the imports arrive this month. We need not resort to rice importation only if our Agricultural Department got matters like this well planned out. We have enough agricultural lands, but what is the agency doing to maximize these? Food security is an urgent concern and I hope the Secretary of Agriculture is aware of this. Two years into the administration, we ask the President to review, and I state here, review the performance of his Executive family to determine whether their actions contribute to the progress of our nation.

Shut it down ONE positive result of the government’s plan to rehabilitate Boracay is that it has called the nation’s attention to the serious problem of environmental degradation in many of our premier tourist destinations. This is a refreshing development. The focus now is on the world-famous resort of Boracay and this is only because President Rodrigo Duterte has labelled the resort a cesspool and wants it restored to its pristine condition. The question remaining is whether to shut the resort down completely for at least six months or allow businesses to operate while the rehabilitation is going on. The better option is a complete shutdown to avoid delays and for all the rehabilitation work to be completed properly. Most importantly, of all, it will allow the environment to regenerate which will take time. This cannot happen if tourists are allowed while work is going on because the level of coliform is simply too high. The problem of Boracay, as everyone already knows, is not only limited to environmental degradation or the prevention of business establishments from discharging waste directly into the beach where people are swimming. A more important concern is the management of the island resort to make it sustainable for future generations to enjoy. It should be obvious to all that the 1,032 hectare island cannot support the number of people residing and vacationing there especially during the peak months. There are currently about 75,600 permanent residents in the tiny island which spikes to about 92,000 during the day. Clearly, the number of people in the island will degrade the environment even in the best of times. The problem has also brought to fore the inability of local government units to professionally manage their tourist assets and whether there might be a need for the intervention of the national government and non-government or-

A ferry... From A4

possibilities in tourism. Day trips and weekend visits to Laguna would be more feasible particularly for those without private vehicles, and lead to a boost in income for handicraft makers, restaurateurs, and hoteliers there. I assume that the ferry system program will go hand in hand with environmental rehabilitation of the river. It is considered eighth among the top 20 pol-

ganizations in the management of Boracay and other premier tourist resorts. *** In the old days, Baguio City was the ultimate Holy Week destination in the country. Everyone who matters in Philippine society together with ordinary folks who simply wanted to get away from the unbearable summer heat in the lowlands, always congregated in the city. The rich would be at the Baguio Country Club while the ordinary folks would be at Burnham Park, Wright Park, Mines View and others. Yes, people still come up to Baguio but fewer come each year. Traffic is heavy and the entire city is overcrowded. Baguio is now just one of the many tourist destinations in the country. The rich who have gotten richer simply fly

It is difficult to explain why the local government allowed so much destruction of the environment.

to Hong Kong or elsewhere while the rest would rather go to the many beach resorts that have sprouted all over the country. This year, there was hardly any Holy Week crowd to speak of in the city. The only remaining allure of Baguio is still the comfortable temperature all year round but is now getting warmer every year due to climate change. It is difficult to explain why the local government allowed so much destruction of the environment due to poor planning and uncontrolled construction. What has happened to Baguio is what we are witnessing in Boracay, but in a much smaller scale. While Boracay did it in just a couple decades, it took Baguio much longer and it is probably too late to be able to do anything about it. If President Duterte did not label Boracay a cesspool, nothing would have luting rivers in the world, according to a June 2017 study conducted by scientists of the Ocean Cleanup Foundation. And as a pathway for all sizes of plastic debris, the Pasig River contributes to the plastic waste that flows into the world’s oceans, more than half of of which “comes from just five countries: China, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka,” said hydrogeologist Dr. Christian Schmidt. A recent Rappler news item says that Presidential partner Honeylet Avanceña allegedly wants the rehabilitation of the

been done and Boracay would have been allowed to deteriorate further. Now, at least something is going to be done to address the environmental degradation. It also looks like the other tourist spots will get the much-needed government attention to stop further damage. What happened to Baguio, Boracay and others has not only shown the limitations of many of our local government units. Left on their own, local leaders fail in their duties to protect the environment. Rarely do we see LGU leaders who are forward looking, able to embrace the importance of planning and the necessity of employing competent people to help administer local government affairs professionally devoid of politics. Unfortunately, in many LGUs, politics is always mixed with everything that leaders do. Traffic and waste management are almost always bad because politics and corruption always get in the picture. If one looks at Boracay, the problem all started with the LGU allowing unrestricted construction, total lack of planning and perhaps corruption which is not always far away. Fortunately, Boracay’s problems can still be remedied. Baguio’s problem is a lot worse and much bigger and is hard to see how it can be solved at all. If we want to stop further environmental degradation of Baguio, the national government will have to enter the picture. Without it, there will be no driving force to get things done. One big problem is the biggest watershed of the city, the Busol watershed. There are now thousands of houses there. Another is Burnham Park, the only sizable open space in the city and still the premier tourist attraction. It is now being considered by the local government to become a huge parking area because of its inability to recruit competent traffic engineers to address the traffic problem and manage it more efficiently. Unfortunately, the city officials seem to prefer the easy solution, even disregarding the national government program of mandating LGUs to maintain sizable green open spaces to preserve the environment and allow the people open areas to enjoy. Pasig River discussed at this month’s Cabinet meeting. That’s another good sign for the river’s revival but I hope that this time around efforts will be more effective, thorough, and lasting than those in the past. And when the revitalized ferry system is established, new novels and stories will be written about it and the travels and adventures that will certainly take place. Dr. Ortuoste is a writer and communication consultant. FB and Twitter: @ DrJennyO

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THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DBM approves creation of 75,242 new teaching posts THE Department of Bdget and Management (DBM) has approved the creation of 75,242 teaching positions for kindergarten/ elementary, junior high school (JHS), and senior high school (SHS) for SY 2018-2019. This is in line with the request made by the Department of Education (DepEd) in order to address the inadequate number of teaching personnel in public schools nationwide. The funding requirements to cover salaries and other forms of compensation for the new positions shall be charged against the FY 2018 Built-in Appropriations (New School Personnel Positions). Notably, only filled positions will be covered by the DBM’s issuance of a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO). DBM Regional Offices and the DBM Organization, Position Classification and Compensation Bureau (OPCCB) shall issue the corresponding Notice of Organization, Staffing, and Compensation Action (NOSCA) direct to the DepEd - Division Offices for Kinder, Elementary, and SHS and to the DepEd- Implementing Units for JHS positions based on the deployment reports submitted by the DepEd. For more information, visit

www.dbm.gov.ph. For regular updates, follow the official Facebook and Twitter account of DBM: @ DBMgovph. At the same time, the DBM has released funds amounting to P804.86 million to the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) to cover the payment of pension arrears to World War II veterans for 2018. Specifically, the said amount will pertain to the settlement of Total Administrative Disability (TAD) Pension Arrears to 6,046 surviving spouses of deceased World War II veterans. The Total Administrative Disability (TAD) Pension is a monthly entitlement of PhP1,700 awarded to veterans upon reaching the age of 70. Living veterans receive their entitlement on a monthly basis, while arrears are awarded to surviving spouses of World War II Veterans and other eligible deceased veterans upon approval of requests made by PVAO. A total of P1.65 Billion has been allocated for the full payment of TAD arrears. As such, another PhP 841.87 Million is set to be released within the year for the same purpose, subject to submission of Special Budget Request to be supported by a list of pensioners/claimants.

IN BRIEF PCSO consults STL operators on IRR PHILIPPINE Charity Sweepstakes Office General Manager Alexander Balutan together with members of the Board on Tuesday met with Authorized Agent Corporations (AACs) from all over the country to assess and discuss some revisions of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Small Town Lottery. The consultative meeting was also for the purpose of addressing issues and problems concerning the shortfalls of STL operators in their Presumptive Monthly Retail Receipt (PMRR). At present, there are 83 AACs actively playing STL in the country. Dr. Alex Castillo, consultant to the Office of the Chairman, Anselmo Simeon Pinili, said 43 operators revealed why they were having a hard time paying their PMRR in general. Some of the problems were high PMRR, presence of bookies, lack of police support, politics and local government unit intervention, “peryahan ng bayan” or illegal gambling activities, number of draws, agent’s commission, logistics, natural and man-made calamities, holidays, TRAIN law, and prize fund winnings.

Ex-Palawan gov files MR on graft rap PALAWAN Gov. Jose Alvarez is urging the Office of the Ombudsman to reconsider his indictment for graft over the supposed questionable water supply contract between him and the Cagayan de Oro City Water District in 2005. He filed a 13-page motion for reconsideration, asking Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales to quash the graft case against. “No specific acts or any detail whatsoever were provided as to how herein respondent ‘conspired with public respondents by inducing or causing the board of directors to rule on the eligibility of RVW Consortium even before the bids and awards committee had the opportunity to rule on the issues’ and no evidence of whatever kind was cited to support such a sweeping conclusion,” his plea read. Alvarez, who was then a representative of Rio Verde Water Consortium Inc., allegedly connived with of conspiring with COWD's board chairman Raymundo Java, vice chairman Sandy Bass Sr., general manager Gaspar Gonzales Jr. and the board members. Rio N. Araja

‘PNP tattoo ban just an arbitrary rule’ A DUTERTE ally in the House of Representatives on Wednesday stood by his position for the lifting of the “no tattoo” rule among the recruits of the police force, saying the prohibition against tattoos National Police applicants could just be an arbitrary rule. This as Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, chairperson of the House committee on appropriations, said he will file a resolution “de-stigmatizing tattoos as far as the application process is concerned.” “There is no mention regarding a specific prohibition of having tattoos on applicants based on the manual for PNP members issued by the National Police Commission (Napolcom).” Nograles said Republic Act 8551, also known as the Philippine National Police Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998, also does not say that having tattoos is a ground to disqualify applicants who want to join the national police force. Maricel V. Cruz

LIE-IN PROTEST. Farmer-activists stage a lie-in protest rally in front of Department of Agriculture in Quezon City calling on the Duterte’s administration to stop the proposed introduction of the ‘Golden Rice.’ Manny Palmero

BIR files P15-M tax raps vs. three businessmen T

HE Bureau of Internal Revenue filed separate tax evasion complaints before the Department of Justice on Wednesday against three businessmen for their failure to pay taxes amounting to P15 million. The BIR accused respondents Jose Dyquiangco Jr., Wilson Gabuten Tan, and Lemuel Sibuma Consolacion of willful failure to pay taxes under Section 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997. The BIR said collection notices have been served to the respondents but neither have paid nor protested. “The respondents’ obstinate fail-

ure and continued refusal to pay their long overdue deficiency taxes, despite repeated demands, constitute willful failure to pay the taxes due to the government,” the BIR said in a statement on Wednesday. The BIR said Dyquiangco, who is a soft drinks dealer based in San Fer nando City, La Union, has total def iciency tax liability for taxable year 2007 amounting to

P9,312,001.59. Tan, who is engaged in tobacco trading and is based on Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, has a total deficiency income tax liability for taxable year 2009 amounting to P2,769,015.24. Consolacion, a sole proprietor of La Union-based pharmaceutical products supplier North Med Enterprise, is liable to pay an estimated aggregate deficiency Value Added Tax (VAT) liability totaling PHP3,469,678.71 from 2015 to 2016. Consolacion was also charged with deliberate failure to pay tax on 2015 and 2016 in violation of Section 254 of the Tax Code. PNA

FAKE COPS. Quezon City Police District Director P/ CSupt. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar present to the media in Camp Karingal the alleged fake members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) identified as Norberto Bernalez with his cohorts Armida Macarimbang and Norshiela Malibo who was big time drug pusher and was reportedly involved in carnapping and extortion. Confiscated from suspects were 50 grams of shabu worth 250.000 pesos, firearms, police uniform and badges. Manny Palmero

FAHIMA ‘Candies’ Alagasi, the 26-yearold household service worker from Pikit, Cotabato who suffered severe burn injuries after she was doused with boiling water by her female employer in Riyadh four years ago, is finally coming home, a party-list lawmaker representing overseas workers said on Wednesday. “I am pleased to report that a few hours ago, I received a phone call from Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Manila, (His Excellency) Dr. Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Bussairy, who informed me that Fahima can now leave Riyadh and come home anytime,” ACTS-OFW Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III said at a news conference. Bertiz's stament came after Saudi Arabia Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif paid the employer’s claim for US$66,000 in damages. The employer’s slander charge had been pending before an appeals court. “Dr. Al-Bussairy notified me that the retaliatory cases filed by the employer

By Rio N. Araja AT LEAST 20 consultants employed by the Pasay City government must return P258,571.79 for overpaid services in 2010, according to the Commission on Audit. CoA upheld a Sept. 8, 2011 notice of disallowance over the failure of Mayor Antonino Calixto and Maverick Sevilla of the city government's human resource management office to file a plea within the prescribed period of six months. "Wherefore, premises considered, the petition for review is hereby dismissed for having been filed out of time," its decision read. CoA's National Capital Region said the 20 consultants, 12 of whom were assigned at the city administrator's office, seven at the city mayor's office and one at the city treasury office, got an overpayment of their services as community and barangay affairs, peace and order, community affairs, barangay affairs, education affairs, local governance, legal matters, and revenue generation and tax collection consultants. In 2015, Calixto and Sevilla filed a petition for review, urging CoA to allow them to reimburse the overpayments of their consultants, to no avail. CoA rejected the plea, saying it "lost jurisdiction to entertain" the petition when the the prescribed period lapsed. On Sept. 9, 2011, the petitioners received a notice of disallowance from CoA, but appealed CoA's decision on March 2, 2012, or a total elapsed time of 173 days. In addition, CoA-NCR issued an order of the return of the consultants' overpayments on June 25, 2015, but Calixto and Sevilla filed a petition for review with CoA's central office two months after, or on Aug. 25, 2015.

CIDG arrests six fugitives after Lent

Pinay OFW scalded by Saudi employer to come home—solon By Maricel V. Cruz

Pasay gov’t told to return overpaid consultants’ work

against Fahima have been resolved through the intercession of Saudi Prince and Interior Minister Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif soon after his official visit to the President in Malacañang,” Bertiz said. Alagasi was only 22 years old when she dropped the lid of a thermos while preparing coffee for her employer. When she stooped to pick up the cap, her annoyed employer seized the thermos and poured all its contents on her back, scalding the worker. As a result, Alagasi suffered seconddegree burn injuries on her neck, a large part of her back as well as on her thighs. She reeled in pain unattended for three hours before her employer allowed her to seek treatment. “We consider Fatima’s repatriation as a heartwarming gesture from President Duterte, who brought up her case when the Saudi Prince paid a courtesy visit to Malacañang on Mar. 19,” Bertiz said. Bertiz said Alagasi ran away from her employer while she was undergoing treatment for her burn injuries at the Raseel

Medical Center, and sought refuge at a shelter run by the Philippine embassy in Riyadh. “She filed a complaint against her employer but the case was dismissed by a Saudi court,” Bertiz said. “The employer retaliated with false accusation charge plus a claim for US $66,000 (250,000 Saudi riyal) in damages against Fahima. The charge was dismissed by a Saudi judge, but the employer elevated the case to the appeals court,” Bertiz said. The case held back her repatriation for nearly four years. The employer also filed an absconding case against Alagasi after she fled, according to Bertiz. “We thank President Duterte and the Saudi Prince for intervening in this case. Without their help, Fahima’s dream of seeing her children would have been impossible. The false accusation and absconding cases filed by the employer against Fahima have been resolved. She has been cleared to leave Riyadh, and we intend to bring her home right away,” Bertiz said.

SIX fugitives, including two most wanted persons, have been arrested at the start of the month of April, the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said on Wednesday Detectives of the CIDG arrested six persons including two in Most Wanted Person (MWP) lists in separate police operations on Monday in Quezon City, Nueva Vizcaya, Iligan City, Compostela Valley and Bulacan. The CIDG Regional Force Unit (RFU)-2 in Nueva Vizcaya arrested Romy Sabungan in Barangay Kamandag, Ambaguio, Nueva Vizcaya under a warrant of arrest for robbery. Edward Mandipol was also arrested by CIDG RFU-10 detectives with other police units at Abuno Elementary School, Barangay Abuno, Iligan City on the strength of an arrest warrant for rape. The CIDG also nabbed two most wanted persons, one from Cordillera, and the other a rape suspect who is also one of Sipalay City Police Station’s most wanted. Diosdado Mejala, the fifth most wanted person of Police Regional Office-Cordillera, was arrested in front of the Police Retirement and Benefits Services office in Camp Crame, Quezon City on the strength of a warrant of arrest for murder. PNA

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

LeBron stars in Cavs’ victory L

OS ANGELES—LeBron James passed another NBA milestone on Tuesday as the Cleveland Cavaliers kept ahead of Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference playoff race with a win over first place Toronto. James’s 27-point performance in a 112-106 victory at the Quicken Loans Arena helped the Cavs improve to 48-30, leaving them one win ahead of the 76ers in the battle for third seeding in the playoffs. It was the 942nd time James scored 20 points or more, seeing him vault over Kobe Bryant into third place in the all-time list. Only Karl Malone (1,134) and Kareem Abdul Jabbar (1,122) have had more 20-point games. Meanwhile, the Raptors’ fourth

defeat in six games will fuel the anxiety felt by the Canadian franchise as they attempt to lock up number one seeding in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors fell to 55-22 for the season following the loss but breathed a collective sigh of relief after second-placed Boston blew a chance to close within one win of top spot. The Celtics slumped to a 106102 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks, with Giannis Antetokounmpo scoring 29 points and

grabbing 11 rebounds. In Cleveland, however, the 2016 NBA champion Cavs signalled they will be a threat for any team in the postseason as they attempt to reach the NBA Finals for the fourth year in a row. As well as his 27 points, James contributed 10 rebounds and six assists on a night when the Cavs starters shared the scoring evenly. All five starters made double figures, with Jose Calderon grabbing 19 points and Kevin Love weighing in with 18 points and 15 rebounds. ‘Terrible’ Lowry The Cavs’ defense also successfully shut down the Raptors’ offense, with Kyle Lowry restricted to just five points from his 28 minutes on court. “We know Toronto have been scoring at a high clip all year—our

last match-up here they put 70 on us in the first half,” James said. “So we knew we had to get the defense in order to get the win. It was a good game for us.” Lowry—who raised eyebrows by travelling to San Antonio on Monday to cheer on his former college Villanova in the NCAA championship game—had a miserable night on court, making one of seven three-point attempts. “I played terrible,” Lowry said, denying that his trip to Texas on Monday had affected his performance. “I’m a professional. I got back here on time. I ain’t missed nothing—just missed some shots,” Lowry said. It was left to DeMar DeRozan to provide Toronto’s focal point, with the 28-year-old finishing with 19 points. AFP

PBA coaches, pros hold Rotary basketball clinic

Patriots stun Kuyas, set Final 4 duel with Cagers UNFAZED by its rival’s perfect home record, Parañaque came through with another A-game in the most important match of the season yet to conquer Bulacan and usher the preseason champion to the exit door of the MPBL-Anta Rajah Cup. The Gamboa Coffee-backed Patriots turned back the Ligo Sardines-supported Kuyas, 7770, late Tuesday night to arrange a Final Four showdown with the Muntinlupa Cagers-Angelis Resort on Thursday to be held at the Batangas City Coliseum. Earlier, Valenzuela nipped Quezon City, 74-72, in a thrilling, down-to-the-wire match that could have gone either way. The Yulz-supported Classic got

INVITATION TO BUY IN THE NEGOTIATED SALE OF TWO (2) PARCELS OF LAND LOCATED AT CENTRAL BUSINESS PARK I – ISLANDS B & C OF THE BAY CITY, PARANAQUE CITY UNDER ITB NO. BACD18-001 The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is inviting offers to buy in the negotiated sale of two (2) parcels of land located at Central Business Park I – Islands B & C of the Bay City, Parañaque City under ITB No. BACD18-001. DESCRIPTION: Item No. Item Name Item

THIS summer, kids got to pay ball with their idols. Thirty children from the Betty Go Belmonte Elementary School participated at the Batang Rotary Basketball Clinic ’18 on March 24. The event, hosted by Rotary Club of Sta. Mesa District 3780’s President Jose Paulo Legaspi, featured PBA players and coaches. The kids learned from basketball stars, including the second-leading scorer in the league this season, GlobalPort Batang Pier’s Stanley Pringle, Jonathan Grey and Jeric Teng. “Basketball is the Filipinos’ favorite sport. We want to help kids not only develop physically, but also learn values like teamwork, perseverance, and humility. And of course, we want them to learn only from the best,” said Legaspi, a basketball fan himself. The basketball clinic participants were guided by coaches Giancarlo Nazario, Kane Rhogi Baylon, and Jhon Cabulong. The Parent-Teacher Association of Betty Go Belmonte Elementary School is the official Rotary Community Corps of the Rotary Club Sta. Mesa.

LOT 1 Bay City Properties Two (2) parcels of land purchased by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) from the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA): a. An area of 3,733 square meters (more or less) covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) No. 010-2014000775 under PAGCOR’s name and a Deed of Absolute Sale dated 19 February 2013; and b. An area of 156,626 square meters (more or less) covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) No. 010-2018000424 under PAGCOR’s name and a Deed of Absolute Sale dated August 16, 2017. Location Central Business Park I – Islands B & C of the Bay City, Parañaque City Total Land Area 160,359 square meters (more or less) Floor Price Php 37,233,130,000.00 (VAT Exclusive, Zero Rated) Land Title No/s. TCT No. 010-2014000775 is registered under the name of PAGCOR with an area of 3,733 square meters more or less; and TCT No. 010-2018000424 is registered under the name of PAGCOR with an area of 156,626 square meters more or less Property Use and Encumbrances The Properties are subject to a long-term lease initially in favor of Bloomberry Resorts & Hotels Inc. who built and operate the Solaire Resort & Casino thereon. However, the leasehold rights were later assigned to Sureste Properties, Inc. (“Lessee”). The lease period is up to July 11, 2033 and is extendible for another term under certain conditions. The Lessee has a Right to Match the highest offer for the Properties. The Lessee has mortgaged its leasehold rights over the Properties. In the same vein, the title and rights over the buildings, structures and other improvements thereon were likewise mortgaged to various lenders.

I.

GENERAL CONDITIONS: 1.

Disposal of the Real Properties for Negotiated Sale shall be on “AS IS – WHERE IS” and on “CASH” basis. The Offeror acknowledges that he has been given every opportunity to investigate, inspect and verify the REAL PROPERTY offered for sale to ascertain the actual conditions thereof as well as the status of the titles. The Offeror also accepts PAGCOR’s disclaimer of any warranty, implied or otherwise, that the assets conform precisely to the description available in the Invitation to Buy. Further, the Offeror, knowing the risks and assuming the consequences of eviction, accepts PAGCOR’s absolute waiver of warranty therefrom. Furthermore, Offeror acknowledges that participation in the Negotiated Sale shall be an express assent to the provisions herein.

2.

Prospective offerors must be Filipino citizens or otherwise authorized by law to acquire real property in the Philippines. In case of a corporation or partnership, 60% of its capital must be owned by Filipino citizens.

3.

Officers and employees of PAGCOR and their relatives within the 4th degree of consanguinity and affinity shall be ineligible to offer.

4.

No offer below the floor price shall be accepted. On the other hand, PAGCOR, in view of the provisions on Negotiated Sale as contained in Commission on Audit Circular No. 89 – 296, may negotiate a price which is higher than the floor price.

5.

The offer shall strictly be in Philippine Currency.

6.

PAGCOR shall deliver to the Best Offeror TCT Nos. 010-2018000424, and 010-2014000775 free from all liens and encumbrances except the Contract of Lease (and its addenda) executed between PAGCOR and Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels, Inc. (formerly Bloomberry Investments Holdings, Inc.) and the Deed of Assignment between Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels, Inc. and Sureste Properties, Inc It is expressly understood and agreed that the property shall be used exclusively for the purpose for which it was intended, i.e. that it serves as an integral part of the PAGCOR Entertainment City Project and is to be utilized for the purpose of developing and maintaining thereon a world-class integrated resort in accordance with the plans approved by the lessee and PAGCOR. The Best Offeror cannot use the property in any manner and for any purpose not consistent with PAGCOR’s Entertainment City Project and must conform to applicable zoning regulations and restrictions.

7.

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the game against the Toronto Raptors at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. AFP

All other applicable taxes including capital gains tax, transfer costs, registration fees, documentary stamps taxes and other expenses incidental to the sale and transfer of the assets shall be for the account of the Best Offeror or the Lessee, as the case may be, which shall be responsible in causing the transfer/issuance of certificates of title under its name.

9.

The Contract of Lease (and its addenda) between PAGCOR and the Lessee shall be registered and annotated on the title of the subject property. The lease contract shall be binding on the Best Offeror. As such, the Lessee’s security of tenure shall be respected and guaranteed.

10.

Where a re-survey or re-location of the land applied for is necessary, all expenses including the preparation of plans and other papers shall be defrayed by the Best Offeror.

pair of Berlin Paglinawan and Peter Torres of Team Bulldogs. Over at the Women’s Division, reigning national champs Catubag and Quilario of Tagum-PNP are set to defend their crown against challengers led by Coyah Abanto and Judy Caballejo of Team Air Force 1, Dzi Gervacio and Kassie Gormley of Team Wakanda, and Charo Soriano and Bea Tan of Seafront Residences.

Republic of the Philippines Province of Ilocos Sur MUNICIPALITY OF SANTIAGO

Construction/Improvement of Quirino Sports Tourism Complex (Drainage and Rubberized Track Overlay) Contract No. PB-CW-2018-010

INVITATION TO LEASE

The Local Government Unit of Santiago, Ilocos Sur is inviting to accept proposal from private individual or business entity for the lease of Multi-purpose BuildingsLocated at Santiago Covein Barangay Sabangan, Santiago, Ilocos Sur with an areas of 294.30 sq. meter two (2) storeybuilding and157.40 sq. meter one (1) storeybuilding. The Local Government Unit of Santiago, Ilocos Sur, pursuant to its power to lease its properties and to create and broaden its own sources of revenue under Section 3, 18 and 129 of the Local Government Code of 1991, and Executive Order No. 301 Series of 1987 decentralizing the authority to award lease contracts to heads of agencies; and in line with the policy of the Local Government Unit of Santiago, Ilocos Sur for transparency, invites the public, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), to submit their proposal for the lease of the Multi-purpose Buildings.

The proposals shall be subject to the terms and conditions prescribe in the Terms of Reference (TOR) prepared by the Local Government Unit of Santiago, Ilocos Sur. The Local Government Unit of Santiago, Ilocos Sur will be available only to prospective bidders upon payment of a nonrefundable amount of Ten Thousand Pesos (P 10,000.00) with the Office of the Municipal Treasurer of the Local Government Unit of Santiago, Ilocos Sur. Only those who have paid the non-refundable fee shall be allowed to submit Letter of Intent.

The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Provincial Government of Quirino now invites bids for Construction/Improvement of Quirino Sports Tourism Complex (Drainage and Rubberized Track Overlay). Completion of the Works is required by 180 Calendar Days. Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

3.

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

(SGD) ENGR. NESTOR C. PERALTA JR. BAC Chairman

4.

5.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Provincial Government of Quirino and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00 AM to 4:00PM.

SUBMISSION OF OFFER REQUIREMENTS 13.1 The Invitation to Buy shall form part of the Terms of Reference. 13.2 Submission of Offer Requirements shall be on April 17, 2018, 2:00 PM at Meeting Room A, 5th Floor, PAGCOR Corporate Office, AG New World Manila Bay Hotel and Casino, 1558 M. H. Del Pilar corner Pedro Gil Streets, Malate, Manila. 13.3 Offeror / authorized representative shall be present during the Negotiated Sale. 13.4 Offerors shall address and submit their Offer Requirements to: BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE FOR DISPOSAL (BACD) PHILIPPINE AMUSEMENT AND GAMING CORPORATION PAGCOR Corporate Office AG New World Manila Bay Hotel and Casino 1588 M.H. Del Pilar Street cor. Pedro Gil Sts. Malate, Manila.

14.

NEGOTIATED SALE AND AWARD 14.1 At least one (1) offeror must submit an offer not lower than the floor price for the Negotiated Sale of the properties. 14.2 In cases where there is one (1) participant, said participant shall negotiate directly with PAGCOR. The parties shall undertake negotiations to conclude a price both acceptable to each, which however must not be lower than the floor price. 14.3 In cases however where there are two (2) or more participants, they shall, in a group, openly negotiate with PAGCOR as to their best offers. In said group, each participant shall openly convey to PAGCOR their best offers. The highest offer shall be noted and each participant shall thereat be given the privilege to best the current highest offer until the same becomes uncontested. 14.4 The Offeror who provides the highest offer (the Bona Fide Offer resulting from the successful Negotiated Sale) shall be declared as the Best Offeror subject to the Lessee’s Right to Match as specified in Items 14.5, 14.6 and 14.7 below. 14.5 In case the Lessee participated in the Negotiated Sale but was not declared the Best Offeror, it shall thereat be notified of its Right to Match the highest offer (the “Bona Fide Offer”). If the Lessee signifies its affirmative intent thereto, its Offer Bond shall not be released and it shall have a period of one hundred twenty (120) days in order to successfully match the amount of the Bona Fide Offer. 14.6 In case the Lessee did not participate in the Negotiated Sale but was actually present thereat only for the purpose of exercising its Right to Match, it shall immediately post the required Offer Bond and shall have a period of one hundred twenty (120) days in order to successfully match the amount of the Bona Fide Offer. 14.7 In case the Lessee was not present during the Negotiated Sale, it shall be notified in writing of the Bona Fide Offer and of its Right to Match under the Lease Contract. If Lessee elects to exercise its Right to Match, it shall post the required Offer Bond within five (5) days from receipt of the written notice and shall have an aggregate period of one hundred twenty (120) days from said receipt within which to successfully match the Bona Fide Offer. For purposes of successfully matching the amount of the Bona Fide Offer, full payment thereof must be made by the Lessee within the one hundred twenty (120) day period above. 14.8 The Best Offeror, in case he/she is not the Lessee, shall be notified in writing in case the Lessee elects to exercise its Right to Match the Bona Fide Offer. 14.9 Post qualification for the Best Offeror or the Lessee, as the case may be, shall be conducted to verify the documents submitted, clear the Offer Bond, and submit other documents as decided upon by the BACD. 14.10 Awarding to the Best Offeror or the Lessee, as the case may be, shall be subject to the approval of PAGCOR’s Board of Directors. 14.11 Notice of Award shall be issued after the Board has granted approval. 14.12 In the event of a failed Negotiated Sale, PAGCOR may again resort to another Negotiated Sale consistent with applicable laws, rules and regulations.

15.

PAYMENT 15.1 The Offer Bond shall be considered as partial payment and the difference between the Offer Bond and the Bona Fide Offer shall be paid in the form of manager’s check from any Universal or Commercial Bank. 15.2 The remaining balance of the offer price shall be paid in full by the Best Offeror at PAGCOR’s Finance and Treasury Department (FTD) Cashier within forty-five (45) calendar days (inclusive of 3 working days clearing of manager’s check) from the receipt of the Notice of Award. In the case of the Lessee if it has elected to exercise its Right to Match the Bona Fide Offer, it shall pay in full the remaining balance within the one hundred twenty (120) day period, as provided above. 15.4 Failure of the Best Offeror to fully pay the Bona Fide Offer within the prescribed forty-five (45) day period shall result in the forfeiture of the Offer Bond in favor of PAGCOR to be applied as liquidated damages. Failure herein shall include withdrawal by the Best Offeror of the Bona Fide Offer. 15.5 Likewise, failure of the Lessee to fully pay the amount of the Bona Fide Offer pursuant to the exercise of its Right to Match shall mean forfeiture of the 10% Offer Bond in favor of PAGCOR.

16.

FAILURE OF PAYMENT 16.1 Failure of the Best Offeror or the Lessee, as the case may be, to fully pay the highest offer shall not immediately constitute as failure of the Negotiated Sale. 16.2 In the event the Lessee, if it opted to exercise its Right to Match, fails to successfully match the Bona Fide Offer within the one hundred twenty (120) day period above, its Offer Bond shall be forfeited in favor of PAGCOR. Consequently, the Best Offeror declared during the Negotiated Sale shall be notified in writing of the Lessee’s failure to successfully match the Bona Fide Offer and that a privilege is granted to it (Best Offeror) to be the awardee of the herein subject properties upon full settlement of the Bona Fide Offer within forty-five (45) days from receipt thereof. 16.3 In case the Best Offeror fails to fully pay the Bona Fide Offer, its Offer Bond shall be forfeited in favor of PAGCOR. Consequently, the Offeror which provided the Second Highest Offer during the Negotiated Sale shall be notified in writing of the Best Offeror’s failure to fully pay the Bona Fide Offer and that a privilege is granted to it (Offeror of the Second Highest Offer) to be the awardee of the herein subject properties upon fully paying the Bona Fide Offer within forty-five (45) days from receipt thereof. 16.4 Failure of the Best Offeror or the Offeror of the Second Highest Offer, pursuant to Items 16.2 and 16.3 respectively, to fully settle the Highest or Bona Fide Offer may be a ground for failure of the Negotiated Sale.

17.

PAGCOR reserves the right to disqualify any and/or all prospective offeror/s if found that they have submitted falsified documents and/or information, and the right to accept or reject any or all offers, to annul the process of Negotiated Sale, to waive any defects of formalities found therein and to accept such offer or a part thereof as may be deemed most advantageous to PAGCOR without thereby incurring any liability to the affected offeror or offerors.

18.

PAGCOR reserves the right to change any of the rules as it sees fit. Revised Terms of Reference will be issued whenever applicable. PAGCOR further reserves the right to amend the Terms of Reference any time prior to the conduct of Negotiated Sale. If the amendments are of a nature that will affect the offers, PAGCOR will entertain request to reschedule the Negotiated Sale.

19.

PAGCOR reserves the right to reject any and/or all offers, or declare a failure of Negotiated Sale, or not award the contract, if there is prima facie evidence of collusion between relevant public officers or employees of the agency or between the Corporate Disposal Committee or between the BAC for Disposal and any of the offerors, or if collusion is between or among the offerors, or between a offeror and a third party, including any act which restricts, suppresses or nullifies competition, or if the BAC for Disposal is found to have failed to follow the prescribed bidding procedures and procedures in Negotiated Sale, or for any justifiable and reasonable ground where the award of the contract shall not redound to the benefit of the government.

20.

All documents submitted by the offerors are presumed to be legally in order, that the person signing and executing said documents is authorized to do so and that the signatures appearing thereon are authentic and not forged. Any material defect or misrepresentation on the documents which will invalidate or render unenforceable the offers submitted shall cause the rejection of the offer and the forfeiture of any amount tendered to PAGCOR.

21.

All communications as regards the conduct of negotiated sale shall be addressed to:

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from April 5, 2018 to April 26, 2018 from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Pesos (P 25,000.00). The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents at the BAC Secretariat, Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino, upon payment of the applicable nonrefundable fee.

6.

The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Provincial Government of Quirino will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on April 12, 2018, 3:00PM at Special Projects Unit Conference Hall, 2nd Floor, Commercial Bldg., Capitol Compound, Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino, which shall be open to prospective bidders.

7.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before April 26, 2018, 2:00PM at Special Projects Unit Conference Hall, 2nd Floor, Commercial Bldg., Capitol Compound, Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the BD’s in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and the post-qualification.

8.

The Provincial Government of Quirino reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. For further information, please refer to: Engr. Dencio A. Pagbilao Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee Province of Quirino +639175007275 +639177756155

Bids and Awards Committee for Disposal (BACD) Thru the Secretariat: Ms. Shalee Nacino 2nd Floor, General Services and Engineering Department (GSED) PAGCOR House, 1330 Roxas Blvd., Ermita, Manila Tel. No. (02) 521-15-42 loc. 258

(SGD) DENCIO PAGDILAO BAC Chairman (MS-APR. 5, 2018)

13.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy-five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

PREPARED BY:

NOTED BY:

The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Provincial Government of Quirino, through the Trust Fund (LGSF-FA to LGUs FY 2018 intends to apply the sum of P 47,992,819.55 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for PB-CW-2018-010 Construction/Improvement of Quirino Sports Tourism Complex (Drainage and Rubberized Track Overlay), Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The Local Government Unit of Santiago, Ilocos Sur reserves the right to reject any or all bids, declare failure of bidding and not to award the contract for any justifiable and reasonable ground where an award will not redound to the benefit of the Local Government Unit of Santiago, Ilocos Sur.

MERRY JEAN N. CORRALES BAC Secretariat

OFFER BOND 12.1 Failure to post the Offer Bond shall constitute a ground to reject the offer. 12.2 Posting of the Offer Bond shall be a requisite for the Offeror/s, including the Lessee, to participate in the Negotiated Sale. 12.3 In case the Lessee does not participate in the Negotiated Sale, immediate posting of the Offer Bond shall be a requisite for the exercise of its Right to Match pursuant to the provisions of its Lease Contract with PAGCOR. 12.4 The Offer Bond shall be forfeited in favor of PAGCOR in the event of any of the following: 12.4.1 Withdrawal by any offeror of his/her offer during the conduct of the Negotiated Sale, i.e. from 2:00 PM on the day of the Negotiated Sale up to the time the highest offer has been declared; 12.4.2 Withdrawal by the offeror of his offer after the same has been declared the highest offer; and 12.4.3 Refusal of the highest offeror to accept the award/contract for any reason after it has been awarded to him. 12.5 Offer Bonds of offeror/s, except that of the highest offeror or the Lessee, in case the latter opts to exercise its Right to Match, shall be returned to them as soon as the highest offer has been declared or at a reasonable time thereafter and the waiver to file the Motion for Reconsideration/Protest has been signed by the respective offeror.

April 5, 2018 1.

The schedule of activities is listed, as follows: ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE Posting of invitation April4-20, 2018 Deadline of Submission of Letter of April4-19, 2018, 8am to 5pm at Intent and Issuance/Purchasing of Office of the MPDC TOR April20, 2018, 2PM at Office of the Opening/Review of proposal Municipal Mayor

12.

Republic of the Philippines PROVINCE OF QUIRINO Cabarroguis -oOoBIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID FOR

BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE Second Floor Santiago Municipal Hall, Santiago, Ilocos Sur

Lease of Multi-purpose Buildings

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

(MS-APR. 5, 2018)

OFFER REQUIREMENTS: 11.1 Inside an envelope: 11.1.1 Articles of Incorporation (AOI) / Partnership (AOP) for corporation/s or partnerships, and Proof of Citizenship (POC) for individuals. In case of Joint Ventures, the duly notarized Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) as well as the AOI, AOP and POC, as the case may be, for the partners constituting the Joint Venture. In the absence of a JVA, duly notarized statements from all the potential joint venture partners should be included, stating that they will enter into and abide by the provision of the JVA in the event that the offer is successful. 11.1.2 Latest General Information Sheet, if applicable; 11.1.3 Financial Statements, 2016; 11.1.4 Income Tax Return, 2016; 11.1.5 If through Representative, Special Power of Attorney (SPA) or Secretary’s Certificate. 11.1.6 Terms of Reference and Offer Bulletin (if any) with all pages signed by the offeror or the authorized representative; 11.1.7 Sworn Statement that each of the documents submitted in satisfaction of the Offer Requirements is an authentic copy of the original, complete, and all statements and information provided therein are true and correct; and 11.1.8 Photo copy of any government issued ID of the offeror or the authorized representative. 11.1.9 Duly accomplished Offer Form 11.1.10 Offer Bond - equivalent to 10% of the floor price in the form of Manager’s Check issued by any Universal or Commercial Bank payable to “Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation”. 11.2 The following details shall be written on the envelope: Upper left hand corner: Name of Offeror Address Contact Number Fax Number Center: BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE FOR DISPOSAL (BACD) PHILIPPINE AMUSEMENT AND GAMING CORPORATION PAGCOR Corporate Office AG New World Manila Bay Hotel and Casino 1588 M.H. Del Pilar Street cor. Pedro Gil Streets Malate, Manila. Name of Property: Bay City Properties ITB Number: BACD18-001(Negotiated Sale) 11.1 The Offer Forms shall be available at Room 202 Engineering Room (c/o Ms. Shalee Nacino) 2nd Floor, PAGCOR House, 1330 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita, Manila (10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.) upon payment of a non-refundable Offer Fee of P75,000.00.

ABS-CBN streams Beach Volley Republic live LOTTO RESULTS sent the country in the upcoming 2018 FIVB World Tour in Manila next month. Second place teams will receive P25,000, while third placers will take home P15,000. Jade Becaldo and Calvin Sarte of Team Ato Ni Bai will lead the contingent for the Men’s Division together with the likes of Henry Pecana and KR Guzman of Team Tigers, Rommel Pepito and Ranran Abdilla of Team Air Force 1, and the

Furthermore, it is understood that the ownership of the property does not confer to the Best Offeror the right to operate gaming facilities and business. A casino license or license to operate gaming operations is NOT part of the sale of the Property. Hence, the Best Offeror which shall thereafter be the Awardee of the Property shall neither have right nor authority to operate a casino or any other gaming operation. This paragraph shall be inapplicable should the Lessee be declared the Best Offeror or is able to match the Bona Fide Offer of the highest offeror. Pursuant to the Contract of Lease (and its addenda), the Real Property Tax, including arrears, penalties and charges, if any, shall be for the account of the Lessee.

8.

11.

THE country’s top beach volleyball players trek north to Pangasinan in Dagupan’s Tondaligan Blue Beach for Beach Volleyball Republic’s “BVR On Tour” National Championship, which will be streamed live on the ABSCBN Sports Youtube starting this Friday until Sunday. Sixteen teams for each division will battle for the top prize of P50,000 and get a chance to repre-

a big lift from Jeff Javillonar, who scored 15 points, including the marginal basket that sent Chris Gavina and his boys in a head-on collision with the Batangas City Athletics-Tanduay in the best-ofthree semifinals series. For the second straight game in the playoffs, ex-pro Juneric Baloria delivered the baskets that mattered the most for the Patriots. Baloria came out sizzling in the early goings as his three triples in the opening quarter helped the Patriots in establishing the tempo of the game. He finished with 16 points and eight rebounds on top of his steady three-point shooting where he hit four-of-seven treys.

(MS-APR. 3,4,5, 2018)

(SGD) ATTY. ANGELINE PAPICA-ENTIENZA Chairman Bids and Awards Committee for Disposal (BACD) PAGCOR

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

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

A8

THURSDAY, APRIL 5 5, 2018

Terrence Romeo (center) and Moala Tautuaa (left) expressed their gratitude to their former teams and the excitement over their direction with their new teams ahead.

Batang Gilas falls to Australia THE Philippines absorbed a 52-82 loss to Australia on Wednesday in the Fiba Under-16 Asian Championship in Foshan, China. Jay Rantall struck with 15 points, while Kobe Williamson added 14 points for the world’s No. 10-ranked Aussies. They also got 11 points and seven rebounds from Luke Travers as the Aussies went on to sweep their twogame assignment in Group B and advanced to the quarterfinals. The Philippines was relegated to the playoff round, where they will meet Hong Kong today for a chance to gain a quarterfinal seat. Earlier, the Philippines came away with a 62-57 triumph over Malaysia, with seven-foot center Kai Sotto shooting 16 points and hauling 18 rebounds. Batang Gilas led Australia, 11-8, on Sotto’s two charities, but the Aussies proved tough and pulled away on a pair of freebies from Kobe Williamson and a trey from Wani Swaka Lo Buluk in the second quarter. McLaude Guadana and RC Calimag had double-digit outputs for the Philippines with 11 and 10 respectively, while Sotto was limited to nine points on 1 of 8 shooting from the field. Rantall hit a 3-pointer to move the Aussies ahead by 10, 28-18, in the remaining 6:28 of the third,. Later, Williamson’s basket handed Australia a 38-25 halftime lead. Australia then unleashed an 8-0 burst behind the 1-2 punch of Williamson and Rantall in the third as they led by as much as 31 points. The scores: Australia 82—Rantall 15, Williamson 14, Travers 11, Capetola 9, Herbert 8, Wigness 8, Sawaka Lo 7, Jackson 6, Meakes 2, Madden 2, Tsapatolis 0. Philippines 52—Guadana 11, Calimag 10, Sotto 9, Andrada 8, Padrigao 5, Fortea 4, Lazaro 2, Cortez 2, Chiu 1, Go 0, Balaga 0, Bautista 0. Quarterscores: 18-13; 38-25; 73-40; 82-52. Peter Atencio

Team 90s sweeps 80s at ERJHS tilt TEAM 90s completed a sweep of Team 80s at the start of the ERJHS Alumni Sports Club “Battle of the Generations” basketball and volleyball competitions at the Barangay N. S. Amoranto courts in Malaya St., Quezon City. Team 90s defeated Teams 80s, 81-59, in basketball behind the efforts of Jay Santiago, Jerry Santos, Choy Santiago and Daniel Blyzma. In volleyball, Team 90s outsteadied Team 80s, 25-19, 25-20, 18-25, 25-22. ERJHS Hall of Famer and national team coach Dulce Pante was the special guest during the event supported by Barangay N. S. Amoranto chairman Von Yalong and kagawads Jonjon Tamayo, Chito Amoranto, Jerome Magallanes, Delia Kabigting, Jun Alba, Jeff Sigua and Joey Ligon. Pante made the ceremonial toss, assisted by ASC president Ed Andaya of Batch 81. Jay Santiago of Batch 98 finished with a game-high 18 points to lead Team 90s, which outscored Team 80s, 28-14, in the third quarter to win pulling away. Santos added 16 points, Choy Santiago contributed 13 and Blyzma had 12 for Team 90s of playing coach Michael de Castro.

Thailand to back on doubles in Davis Cup By Peter Atencio

T

HAILAND aims to get a crucial point in the doubles when it clashes with the Philippines in their coming Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group 2 tie this weekend at the Philippine Columbian Association indoor courts. “That (doubles) will be one of the points that we expect to win,” said Thai coach Peerapat Docmaiklee during a pre-match conference yesterday at the PCA grounds in Paco, Manila. Docmaiklee is keeping their Filipino rivals guessing over their choice of players until Friday’s draw of lots. But the Philippines feels it has a good chance of beating the Thais in their semifinal encounter. Filipino coach Chris Cuarto said the team’s familiarity with the conditions of the shell court after three weeks of practice has

made the squad ready for anything. “I would say that most of the players are comfortable with the surface. Most of them know how to play in the PCA,” said Cuarto. With the matches played on home soil, Cuarto feels that they can follow up on their 4-1 win over Indonesia in the first round two months ago at the Gelora Bung Karno Tennis Stadium Complex in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Thais will be fielding a young team in the tie, with Sanchai Ratiwatana being the most experienced.

Also seeing action are Sonchat Ratiwatana, Palapoon Kovapitukted, Jirat Navasirisomboon and Wishaya Trongcharooencharakul. The Ratiwatana twins are expected to make an impression in the doubles if they are fielded in. That’s because Sanchai is ranked 101 in the world, while Sonchai is at no. 123. The Philippines is ahead in its head-tohead confrontation with Thailand at 4-3, but the Filipinos absorbed a 5-0 whitewashing in Nonthaburi, Thailand last year. The Philippines will rally behind the games of veteran Johnny Arcilla, who is the oldest at 38, replac- ing Jurence Mendoza. He will have the help of teammates Francis Casey Alcantara, Jeson Patrombon, John Bryan Otico and reigning UAAP MVP Alberto Lim Jr.

Iniong vows to rebound at home turf BARELY five months since she was last seen in action, Filipina warrior Gina “Conviction” Iniong is raring to enter the ONE Championship cage once more with an attempt to put herself back on the winning track. Iniong’s most recent outing did not go her way as she suffered a unanimous decision loss to Japanese rival Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi in their rematch at ONE: Immortal Pursuit last November. After dealing with Iniong’s signature right hand and takedowns in the first round, Yamaguchi turned the tide in the second stanza by resorting to her superb grappling pedigree. On the canvas, Yamaguchi continuously pummeled Iniong with thudding strikes and tried to bring the bout to a close with savvy submissions attempts. Yamaguchi punctuated the marquee match-up by grinding out Iniong in the third frame, steering the former world title contender to a unanimous decision victory. “It was a tough loss. I was prepared for that bout, but I didn’t perform the way I should against a veteran like Mei Yamaguchi. She did her homework against me,” Iniong recalled. With the drive to reinsert her name into the winner’s column, Iniong chose not to wallow over her setback to Yamaguchi this past November as she jumps right back into action by squaring off with another ex-world title challenger in Jenny “Lady GoGo” Huang of Chinese Taipei. “I’ve taken the defeat in a good spirit. It’s back to square one for me, but I am not afraid to start again,” she stated. “It’s not a defeat. I think of it as a beneficial lesson.” Both outstanding ladies are slated to face each other on the undercard of ONE: HEROES OF HONOR, which takes place at the 20,000-seater SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines on April 20. “It’s a privilege to compete with a talented martial artist like Jenny Huang. I am ready to give my countrymen an exciting bout,” said Iniong, who is brimming with pride and excitement as she wants to quickly bounce back from the loss.

Cyna Rodriguez hacks her approach shot on No. 18

Cyna wrests 4-shot lead with 70 TARLAC—Cyna Rodriguez recovered with an early run of birdies then held sway at the back to shoot a two-under 70 and wrest a four-stroke lead over Thai Supakchaya Pattaranakrueang and Marvi Monsalve at the start of the ICTSI Luisita Ladies Championship at the Luisita Golf and Country Club here yesterday. Rodriguez, due for a big win after a series of so-so finishes in the circuit she used to dominate, bogeyed the opening hole but struck back with three birdies in a four-hole stretch from No. 4 then came through with a bogey-birdie windup to complete a 34-36 card that stood out in a sweltering day at the tight, hazard-laden layout. Pattaranakrueang actually seized control early with birdies on Nos. 2 and 6 but the Thai ace floundered at the tougher backside with four bogeys and slipped to joint second with Monsalve, who hit two birdies against four bogeys, at 74 as Princess Superal struggled with her iron play and hobbled with a 76 for fourth, six strokes behind her fellow Symetra Tour campaigner. “I’ve been practicing hard, especially on putting, with the guidance of coach Bong (Lopez). He helped build up my confidence

the last few weeks so I played relaxed all throughout,” said Rodriguez, a former threetime Order of Merit winner on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour who last won on the Ladies Philippine Golf at Riviera in 2015. With a huge four-shot lead, Rodriguez hinted at playing it conservatively in the last 36 holes but she stressed the need to come up with solid drives that are key to winning at courses as tough as Luisita. “One has to hit a good drive here to get good position to set up birdie opportunities,” said Rodriguez, who hit just six fairways and missed seven greens but more than made up for these with superb putting (27 putts). Runaway winner at Tagaytay Highlands and Riviera, Superal kept Rodriguez within striking distance with a oneover card after 11 holes. But she bogeyed the par-5 12th, recovered the stroke with a birdie on the next but dropped another stroke on the 15th and double-bogeyed the water-laced par-3 17th. “I struggled with my irons, hit them most to the right,” rued Superal, who, however, vowed to strike back for a crack at a third straight crown in the circuit sponsored by ICTSI.

Romeo, Moala thank former PBA teams By Jeric Lopez AFTER getting swapped, Terrence Romeo and Moala Tautuaa are grateful for their past and future in the Philippine Basketball Association. Immediately after the blockbuster by GlobalPort and TNT KaTropa Tuesday afternoon, Romeo and Tautuaa thanked their former teams for the opportunity they had before preparing themselves to move forward. In their Twitter accounts, both expressed their gratitude to their former teams and the excitement over their direction with their new teams ahead. “First of all, I would like to thank God dahil binigyan niya ako ng magandang simula thru GlobalPort,” said the multiple-time scoring champion from Far Eastern University. “Boss Mikee (Romero), salamat po sa suporta simula nu’ng nag-simula ako. Maraming salamat, GlobalPort” Tautuaa did the same to his now former team, the Tropang Texters. “Extremely grateful to have played for TNT,” said the top pick in the 2015 PBA Draft. “Learned a lot from the team and I just want to say thank you to everyone of my teammates and staff there.” The Fil-Samoan then showed his excitement as he moves over to the Batang Pier camp. “I’m excited to keep the ball rolling at GlobalPort! Looking forward to this chapter in my life! Always got to give thanks to the Lord.” Along with Romeo, big man Yousef Taha will also come over to TNT, while future first (2019) and second-round (2020) picks were also received by GlobalPort aside from Tautuaa. All the players involved will suit up for their new teams starting April 22, the start of the Commissioner’s Cup. Romeo, who had a shouting match with his GlobalPort coach Pido Jarencio in the team’s lone game in the quarterfinals last month, was reported to be unhappy with the Batang Pier as he allegedly sought for a trade before the season started.

UST, La Salle clash for title Matches today (Rizal Memorial Stadium) 8 a.m. – Ateneo vs UE (Men) 2 p.m. – AdU vs UP (Men) 4 p.m. – UST vs DLSU (Women Finals)

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas and defending champion De La Salle clash for all the marbles today in the UAAP Season 80 women’s football crown today at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. Kick-off is at 4 p.m. Also on tap in the resumption of football action are the men’s matches between early semifinalist University of the Philippines and last-place Adamson University at 2 p.m., and the 10 a.m. clash between titleholder Ateneo and University of the East. The Finals’ rematch was made possible after the Tigresses topped the double-round eliminations with 19 points, while the Lady Archers wound up second in the table with 16. Gunning for a third championship overall, UST hopes to avenge its 0-3 loss to De La Salle in the title match last season, as it has a deep offensive arsenal to boast with. Charise Lemoran and Shelah Cadag scored seven and six goals, respectively, while Mary Joy Indac and Hazel Lustan have combined for seven for the Tigresses. Shannon Arthur, who scored four goals in the tournament, will banner the Lady Archers, who are hoping to avenge their two defeats to the España-based side. De La Salle is also eyeing to tie Far Eastern University (10) as the winningest program in the league.

Sta. Lucia, Cignal try to boost bids Games Today (Filoil Flying V Centre) 4:15 p.m. – Petron vs Sta. Lucia 7:00 p.m. – F2 Logistics vs Cignal

STA. Lucia Realty and Cignal seek to boost their respective chances for a quarterfinal incentive when they tackle separate foes in the Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga Grand Prix today at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan. The Lady Realtors tip things off when they clash with unbeaten Petron at 4:15 p.m., while the HD Spikers battle reigning champion F2 Logistics in the 7 p.m. featured encounter of this prestigious women’s club tourney bankrolled by Isuzu and UCPB Gen with ESPN5 as official broadcast partner. The protagonists in the action-packed finals showdown last year—Petron and F2 Logistics—have already safely secured the first two twice-to-beat incentives in the quarterfinals, leaving Cocolife, Foton, Cignal and Sta. Lucia in a heated battle for the two remaining slots. Unfortunately, the Lady Realtors and the HD Spikers kicked off the second round of this tourney that also has Senoh, Mikasa, Asics, LGR and Grand Sport as technical sponsors on a sorry note.

IN BRIEF

BSP term deposits oversubscribed again

THE P110 billion worth of term deposits offered by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Wednesday remained oversubscribed despite the sluggish demand for the 14-day instruments. Data showed investors swarmed both the week-long and month-long deposits, resulting in total tenders of P123 billion, or P13 billion more than the weekly volume of P110 billion. The P50-billion seven-day deposits attracted total bids of P65.13 billion and fetched a weighted average accepted yield of 3.26 percent. The 28-day deposits worth P20 billion attracted total tenders of P29.24 billion. But the 14-day instruments amounting to P40 billion had a total bid of just P29.93 billion. “Liquidity is coming back to the banks hence the oversubscription. However, given the tax season in less than 14 days, the demand for the 14-day TDF temporarily stalled. But these results are consistent with the BSP’s liquidity forecasts for the week,” Bangko Sentral deputy governor Diwa Guinigundo said in a statement. Julito G. Rada

Cebu Pacific leads Manila-Sydney route

CEBU Pacific said it remains the number one carrier in the Manila to Sydney route with a 40-percent market share last year. Based on data from Australia’s Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics for the full year 2017, a total of 408,034 passengers flew between Manila and Sydney, up 10.76 percent from 2016. Of the total, Cebu Pacific flew 164,565 passengers between Manila and Sydney in 2017. Rivals Philippine Airlines and Qantas garnered a market share of 33 percent and 26 percent, respectively. Cebu Pacific offers the most number of seats between Sydney and Manila with five flights weekly. “We’re thrilled to have maintained our position as the key player on the Sydney-Manila route. We firmly believe that the Philippines is a great vacation choice for the Australian market,” Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing Candice Iyog said. “Our consistent growth in the Australia market augurs well for the impending launch of our direct service between Manila and Melbourne later this year.” Darwin G. Amojelar

Business

Grab: Transition of Uber drivers to push through GRAB Philippines said the full transition of accredited drivers of Uber Philippines to its platform will push through on April 8 despite the review of the merger by the Philippine Competition Commission. “As PCC conducts its review, Grab will continue to put our utmost support to ensure full transition of accredited Uber drivers onto our platform. To our driver-partners, we are doing our best to minimize any disruption of services so you can continuously get jobs,” Grab public affairs head Leo Gonzales said. “To our consumers, we are continuously improving our services to meet your daily transportation needs and we will always adhere to the regulatory guidelines on pricing,” he added. Gonzales said Grab Philippines officially received this month the notice of review on the Uber acquisition deal from the PCC . “As the quasi-judicial body mandated to implement the national competition policy and to enforce the Philippine Competition Act... , we expected that the PCC would conduct a review of Grab’s acquisition of Uber assets to understand the impact to consumers and driver-partners,” he said. Gonzales said the PCC could expect Grab’s cooperation in the review. “We will prepare the necessary documents and share information required by the PCC, and will closely work with the commission to address whatever questions and clarifications they may have. We are willing to collaborate with the government and regulatory bodies, as always, to ensure that we fairly address the needs of our stakeholders,” he added. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board counted 59,020 driver partners in the Philippines. The PCC earlier said it would evaluate and analyze if prices would likely increase after the acquisition, if ridesharing services would deteriorate or if passengers would effectively have less options. Darwin G. Amojelar

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018

B1

March inflation likely hit 5%—DoF By Julito G. Rada

T

HE Department of Finance said the inflation rate in March likely accelerated to as high as 5 percent from 4.5 percent a month ago using the 2006 consumer price index, driven mainly by faster increases in the prices of so-called sin products.

Using the new base of 2012 consumer price index, however, inflation rate in March might have settled at 4.1 percent, up from the prior month’s 3.9 percent. “Sin products are significantly driv-

ing the inflationary pressure. Of the 4.1-percent forecast inflation rate for March, sin products account for as much as 0.5 percentage point, much higher than their contribution of only 0.16 percentage point in the same month last year,” the DoF said in an economic bulletin released Wednesday. “The month-on-month price change which slowed down to 0.24 percent on average from 0.79 percent last month and 0.88 percent in January comes largely from tobacco which rose 8.27 percent, non-alcoholic beverages which rose 2.51 percent, and electricity, gas and fuels which rose 1.66 percent over the previous month,” it said.

Finance said sin products and nonalcoholic beverages were affected by temporary tax issues, while fish appeared to be still affected by rough seas. Vegetables, meanwhile, were hit by unfavorable weather. The government is set to release the March inflation data today. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas laat week said inflation in March 2018 likely settled within the 3.8-percent to 4.6-percent range (based on the 2012 index), driven mainly by higher power rates and prices of petroleum products. The bank regulator said it considered all recent developments and information that could affect price dynamics before

coming up with the March inflation projection. “The BSP Department of Economic Research projects the 2012-based March 2018 inflation to settle within the 3.8 – 4.6 percent range... Adjustments in electricity rates owing to increased power generation charges as well as higher prices of domestic petroleum products, reflecting recent depreciation of the peso, are expected to contribute to upside price pressures,” Bangko Sentral said. “There were also observed higher rice prices during the month. Meanwhile, these upside pressures could be partly offset by lower liquefied petroleum gas prices,” it added.

Vista Land allots P50b to fund 2018 expansion By Jenniffer B. Austria

Century Pacific posts net income of P2.55b

CANNED tuna food producer Century Pacific Food, Inc. said net income in 2017 dropped four percent to P2.55 billion due to higher raw material prices. Century Pacific said in a disclosure to the stock exchange consolidated revenues, however, rose 22 percent after record sales of P34.50 billion on robust top line growth across all business units throughout 2017. “Amid a more challenging input cost environment, our businesses fared relatively well. During this time, we’ve adopted a more conservative approach towards price increases in the face of inflationary pressures. This has helped further solidify our market shares, increase sales volume, and puts us in a good position to benefit once raw material prices soften,” said Century Pacific executive chairman Christopher Po. The company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization remained largely unchanged year-on-year at just over P3.95 billion. Jenniffer B. Austria

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

LRMC AWARDS. The Public Relations Society of the Philippines recognizes Light Rail Manila Corp. for three of its stakeholder engagement programs at the 53rd Anvil Awards held March 26 at the Shangri-La at the Fort. At the awarding ceremony are (from left) PRSP president Jika Dalupan, ex-officio Ramon Bong Osorio, LRMC environmental and systems manager Louernie de Sales, corporate communications head Rochelle Gamboa, health safety, environment and quality director Val Reyes, engineering director Celso Villavicencio, general counsel Philip Ranada and 53rd Anvil Awards chairman Owen Cammayo.

Megawide, partner GMR criticize rival Naia Consortium By Darwin G. Amojelar MEGAWIDE Construction Corp. and partner India-based GMR Infrastructure Ltd., one of the bidders for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, slammed rival NAIA Consortium for its call on the government to expedite the issuance of notice to proceed. “The process has been set by the government and provided by law. It is there to ensure a clean and transparent tender. As members of the private sector, we must set an example and to work together even in competition, for the development of Naia and the country,” Megawide-GMR said in a statement. Megawide-GMR also said the NAIA Consortium’s “tweaked” points “are similar, if not the same, as the main points” of their proposal. “That they are willing to change their proposal to closely resemble ours validates the reliability and completeness of our proposal,” Megawide-GMR said.

“This validates that there is really no need for a third runway to maximize Naia’s capacity. We also remain firm in our belief that a leaner concession will allow the government to pursue its multi-airport strategy and support its plans to develop other gateways such as Clark, Sangley or Bulacan,” it added. The Department of Transportation assured the public last week that it would follow a “clear and transparent process” in reviewing the unsolicited proposals of Megawide GMR and the Naia Consortium. The DOTr and the Manila International Airport Authority will check if the documents and requirements of both Megawide GMR and the NAIA Consortium are complete before their submission to the National Economic and Development Authority, which will then grant the original proponent status. Once the OPS is granted, the proposal will undergo the Swiss Challenge where other companies can make competing offers while giving the original propo-

nent the opportunity to match them. “After undergoing a Neda evaluation, a proponent must first be awarded the Original Proponent Status, and their proposal submitted to a Swiss Challenge before they can even make mention of a Notice to Proceed. Let us respect this process,” Megawide GMR said. The Naia Consortium submitted a bid costing the upgrade at $7 billion and asking government for a 35-year contract period to recover the investment. The group plans to build a third runway that will complement the existing long runway and a smaller one crossing it. The second bid comes from Megawide-GMR, the same group that built the new Mactan terminal facility. It offered just $3 billion for the Naia upgrade and a contract period of only 18 years. Megawide said it offered a much lower cost estimate (and shorter contract period to recover investments), saying the airport’s capacity could be increased through proper management of airside operations.

VISTA Land & Lifescapes Inc. earmarked a record P50 billion in capital expenditures this year, up 34 percent from P37.4 billion spent last year, as the company plans to aggressively expand its leasing portfolio. Vista Land president and chief executive Manuel Paolo Villar said in a press briefing Wednesday the company aimed to build up leasable space to 1.4 million square meters, up 32 percent from 1.06 million sq. m. at the end of 2017. Villar said malls and commercial centers as well as offices for the business process outsourcing industry would comprise the bulk of the commercial space set to be rolled out this year. “We are confident about hitting out target 1.4 million square meters of leasable space by end 2018, given the pipeline of growth and positive response on the malls that we have opened,” Villar said. The group’s leasing business as of end 2017 accounted for 24 percent of the net income and 17 percent of revenues. Meanwhile, Vista Land said net income in 2017 rose 12 percent to P9.06 billion from P8.1 billion in 2016, while total revenues increased 13 percent to P36 billion from P31.8 billion a year ago. Real estate sales climbed 10 percent to P27.6 billion as the company launched 55 residential projects in 2017 with total sales value of P60.2 billion. Reservation sales grew 12 percent to P64.5 billion. Leasing revenues surged 28 percent to P6 billion from P4.67 billion in 2016 as it ended the year with 22 malls, 50 commercial centers and 7 BPO offices. “We are very pleased to report that 2017 is another banner year for the company. We are taking advantage of the synergies that we have unlocked between our residential and leasing business,” Vista Land chairman Manuel Villar said.

Metro Pacific finalizing deal to acquire a minority stake in Air21 of Lina Group

LAS PIÑAS BENEFITS. Las Piñas Mayor Imelda Aguilar (seated, right) signs an agreement with SM Southmall to allow the free entry of the senior citizens of Las Piñas City in its cinemas. Representing SM Southmall in the MOA signing is Gregorio Lanao Jr., regional operations manager of SM. The free movies at SM Southmall for senior citizens took effect on April 2, 2018. The senior citizens of Las Piñas may avail of teh benefit every Mondays and Tuesdays. Also at the signing ceremony are city council members Renan Riguera, Henry Medina, Felimon Aguilar III, Carlo Aguilar, Rubymar Ramos, Florante Dela Cruz, Ignacio Sangga, Bonifacio Riguera, Alfredo Miranda and Ben Quilatan and departments heads of the city government.

CONGLOMERATE Metro Pacific Investments Corp. will finalize a deal that will enable it to initially acquire a minority stake in logistics firm Air21 owned by the Lina Group. Metro Pacific chairman Manuel Pangilinan said in an interview at the sidelines of the opening of the national emergency operations center in Clark, Pampanga by the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation he expected the deal to be finalized within the second quarter of 2018. “I think it will close soon. Probably this quarter,” Pangilinan said, adding Metro Pacific would initially acquire a minority stake in Air21. Metro Pacific is negotiating with Air21 for an option to acquire more shares in Air21 in the logistics company. Pangilinan did not provide details on the deal, including the size of the transaction. Air21 founder Alberto Lina during the same event also confirmed that

both parties were in talks. “The Lina Group is in talks with them. So far we are still talking,” Lina said. Metro Pacific made initial foray into the logistics business in 2016 when it acquired the assets of midsized corporate logistics provider Basic Logistics for P2.17 billion due to strong demand for the services. Metro Pacific later formed a new company called Metropac Movers Inc. in joint venture with shareholders of Basic Logistics to provide logistics, shipping, freight forwarding and e-commerce services. MMI in 2017 added 31 new clients and increased its warehouse footprint to 235,000 square meters. It also purchased 512 trucks to serve warehousing, freight forwarding and trucking clients. MMI expects to achieve profitability in 2018 and is in active discussions for further opportunities in the logistics business. Jenniffer B. Austria

B2

Business

THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market declines; Jollibee tumbles

T

HE stock market declined Wednesday, weighed down by fears of a trade war between the world’s top two economies despite a recovery on Wall Street.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 51.05 points,or 0.6 percent, to 7,997.67 on a value turnover of nearly P7 billion. Losers edged gainers, 107 to 103, with 46 issues unchanged. Jollibee Foods Corp., the biggest fastfood chain, slumped 3.8 percent to P285, while SM Investments Corp. of retail tycoon Henry Sy Sr. slipped 1.5 percent to P960. Casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp. tumbled 4.2 percent to P13.70, while JG Summit Holdings Inc. of industrialist John Gokongwei lost 2.6 percent to P63. Several major markets in Asia, mean-

while, closed in the red. Markets in Japan and Australia clung on to marginal gains but China, Hong Kong and South Korea dipped into the red, delivering a mixed picture across the region. Tokyo opened strongly but stocks sank throughout the trading day, finishing only 0.13 percent up at 21,319.55. The broader Topix index closed with similar gains. The Japanese market was helped by an earlier bounce in US stocks and a weaker yen which helps exporters, said Hikaru Sato, senior technical analyst at Daiwa Securities. The dollar was trading at 106.56 yen against 106.60 yen in New York on Tuesday, rising from levels below 106 seen a day earlier. “But buying remained limited as investors are still concerned about several uncertain elements, including a US-led

trade war,” Sato told AFP. The United States has published a list of Chinese imports worth around $50 billion that could be targeted by tariffs—a significant escalation in the confrontation with Beijing. China responded sharply, saying it was ready to retaliate against what it described as a “unilateralistic and protectionist” move that serves neither country’s interests. The prospect of a trade war between the US and China “continues to cast a dark shadow over global capital markets,” warned Stephen Innes, an analyst at OANDA. China’s main market, the Shanghai Composite Index, closed down 0.15 percent to end the day at 3,131.84 points, erasing some healthy gains earlier in the session. Leading the decliners in Asia was the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong, which

was off 1.48 percent at 29,732.67 points in the afternoon. The Asia trading day followed a volatile session on Wall Street, where US stocks finished Tuesday with a strong rally. The Dow Jones Index closed up 1.7 percent and the broad-based S&P 500 was up 1.3 percent. The tech-heavy Nasdaq also finished in the black, up 1.0 percent, mainly on bargain-hunting after suffering a pummelling in recent days. Large technology companies that have been slumping all enjoyed gains, including Facebook, Google parent Alphabet and Intel. Amazon also pushed 1.5 percent higher as investors welcomed headlines which suggested President Donald Trump did not plan to follow up a series of irate tweets with concrete action against the company. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 59.2 3,190 107.5 1,735,210 3.08 8,000 138.9 1,778,360 1.65 182,000 35.2 99,100 7.33 3,100 16.14 20,300 18.86 2,156,200 3.39 15,000 1.56 3,000 830.5 100 0.55 280,000 85.05 3,451,120 1.3 5,779,000 12.58 34,700 22 10,600 54.9 94,140 235.6 1,700 123 540 87 90 44.7 47,100 229.6 1,185,550 91.5 23,300

190,351 187,796,429 24,640 248,334,560 296,630 3,486,175 22,723 327,274 40,734,954 49,160 4,680 82,525 154,060 295,323,101.50 7,405,120 411,176 234,445 5,168,460.50 401,088 61,989 7,825 2,118,485 272,297,196 2,135,762

154,580 -52,889,789 -20,444,785 -665,380 ,963,835.9997 32,207,125.5) -842,570 642,338 1,741,865 -100,601,868 1,847,153

INDUSTRIAL 38 1,070,300 13.68 506,700 0.61 1,850,000 1.27 94,000 20 32,400 0.238 7,740,000 170 130 3.61 6,692,000 17 1,616,700 299 30 51.85 426,560 33.8 450,500 84 24,490 100 1,640 2.13 904,000 10.42 90,300 11.18 2,219,800 15 4,463,100 10.8 1,162,000 7.48 35,200 5.48 1,135,000 1.7 1,000 17.2 841,100 65 74,220 25.7 35,200 9.8 126,400 17.7 2,447,600 2.54 2,378,000 285 1,021,530 53 180 5.03 298,100 3.3 44,000 27.25 575,200 16.2 33,400 21.25 2,129,800 324.2 97,520 0.191 180,000 7.76 14,000 2.85 1,618,000 5.05 53,100 9.15 352,400 5.43 125,200 8 117,200 1.51 749,000 12.76 82,600 54.2 652,040 633 55,450 4.85 100,000 2.16 195,000 3.4 22,000 2.25 352,000 14.66 322,300 5.46 6,900 0.138 200,000 1.05 2,000 150 646,480 2.62 1,000 1.98 1,767,000 0.96 114,395,000

40,951,295 6,972,322 1,103,520 120,260 655,551 1,836,570 22,480 24,431,550 27,494,726 8,970 22,114,158 15,908,815 2,008,102.50 162,451 1,927,550 939,974 25,062,496 66,469,102 12,551,206 263,300 6,190,477 1,700 14,427,184 4,822,096.50 899,955 1,237,215 42,509,478 6,139,440 297,675,910 9,540 1,512,118 141,870 15,673,405 541,378 45,018,900 31,581,086 34,330 109,768 4,611,340 268,412 3,227,630 676,791 924,120 1,124,060 1,035,676 35,359,278.50 34,960,475 485,000 428,780 74,820 787,860 4,737,448 37,398 27,500 2,050 97,242,413 2,620 3,498,000 105,727,380

,928,859.9997) 496,530 59,860 -5,180 -9,501,850 -3,622,846 -418,575 209,880 -769,468 -12,702,272 15,439,224 9,776,890 -11,944 -946,239 1,651,080 1,022,867 -355,749 16,789,906 -23,560 57,181,784 27,265 -220,338 29,661,425 12,784,756 15,280 547,000 31,456 -70,742 -594,940 675,000 -84,656 -1,581,488.50 2,598,895 -112,000 83,736 -35,765,146 -657,360 -1,272,580

33,100 93,449,595 39,836,632 25,250 31,400 4,067,440 1,679,990 415,576,575 8,500 1,472,577 14,475,142 386,973 4,500 540 2,070 86,013,375 526,710 110,806,079 24,727 104,530 204,965 112,525,977 4,753,550 112,845,487 27,040 88,200 6,631,290 21,476,570 10,160 50,471,471 462,196,900 269,640 2,458,820 763,630 459,708 292,100 906,650

-15,198,661 28,591,152 671,600 -15,621,180 -293,116 -6,843,264 -12,389,405 30,820,556.5) -174,862 -85,568,986 326,180.00 -34,564,735 52,950 820,620 12,440,802 254,028,035 2,065,180 35,808 -

1,245,409 2,565,600 272,548 87,720 431,290 449,808,640 860,140 2,745,050 1,171,005 16,281 34,140,600 76,030 148,810 6,982,550 227,950 9,289,770 69,241,210 44,640 12,070,200 6,060,900 5,393,780 61,311,220

4,620 -11,350 6,112 59,013,180 -135,940 -83,680 314,640 -930,050 9,900 -57,100 804,530 -8,492,150 2,103,930 41,740 2,325,670 28,055,570

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

59.7 110 3.08 140.6 1.65 35.2 7.33 16.1 18.9 3.26 1.56 820 0.57 86.4 1.2 11.94 23.7 53.95 236 112.3 87 44.8 229.2 92

59.7 110 3.08 141 1.67 35.25 7.33 16.14 19.14 3.39 1.56 830.5 0.57 86.9 1.31 12.58 23.7 55.1 236 123 87 45 232 92

59 107.5 3.08 138.6 1.6 35.1 7.33 16.1 18.84 3.26 1.56 820 0.55 85 1.19 11.8 22 53.95 235.4 112.3 86.5 44.7 228 91.05

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

38.8 13.86 0.62 1.3 20.4 0.243 173 3.66 17 299 51.95 34.9 73 95.9 2.14 10.4 11.4 14.6 10.74 7.47 5.54 1.7 17 65.5 25.3 9.7 16.7 2.53 296 53 5.03 3.17 27.45 16.28 20.95 324 0.19 7.9 2.9 5.01 9.21 5.49 8 1.5 12.72 54.45 624 4.85 2.22 3.4 2.23 14.7 5.4 0.137 1 150 2.62 1.97 0.85

38.8 13.88 0.62 1.3 21 0.245 174 3.7 17.2 299 52 37.8 88 108 2.16 10.42 11.44 15.2 10.86 7.57 5.54 1.7 17.32 65.95 25.8 9.88 17.7 2.66 299.8 53 5.15 3.3 27.45 16.38 21.4 324.8 0.191 7.92 2.9 5.13 9.28 5.6 8 1.51 12.76 54.6 633 4.85 2.22 3.44 2.3 14.74 5.48 0.138 1.05 151.8 2.62 2 0.97

38 13.62 0.58 1.27 19.64 0.234 170 3.6 16.96 299 51.7 33.8 73 95.9 2.1 10.2 11.16 14.6 10.74 7.44 5.38 1.7 17 64.5 24.65 9.57 16.7 2.53 285 53 5.02 3.15 27 16.16 20.85 322.4 0.19 7.76 2.82 5.01 9.12 5.08 7.8 1.5 12.3 53.9 624 4.85 2.16 3.38 2.22 14.64 5.4 0.137 1 149.2 2.62 1.97 0.83

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

0.305 69.5 13.7 0.93 6.28 0.65 0.66 920 1,700 7.2 12.5 7.4 4.5 5.4 0.207 1,168 6.95 64.5 4.81 0.66 5.13 20.1 0.69 5.38 3.38 0.044 1.13 3.22 2.54 141 975 0.86 1.8 631 275.8 0.26 0.191

0.305 71.35 13.88 0.93 6.28 0.65 0.68 921.5 1,700 7.3 12.62 7.5 4.5 5.4 0.207 1,168 6.95 64.5 5.36 0.68 5.15 20.1 0.71 5.41 3.38 0.045 1.22 3.4 2.54 142.2 975 0.89 1.81 680 276 0.27 0.208

0.3 68.8 13.6 0.9 6.28 0.62 0.65 912.5 1,700 7.2 12.38 7.3 4.5 5.4 0.207 1,149 6.94 62.8 4.81 0.66 5.08 19.7 0.68 5.33 3.38 0.044 1.12 3.22 2.54 138.8 946 0.84 1.76 631 270 0.245 0.191

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

6.63 1.03 15.26 2.14 0.85 41.75 3.69 4.61 6 6.03 0.45 1.07 0.99 0.295 0.45 31.75 0.65 0.124 1.74 1.55 1.04 4.69

6.69 1.03 15.98 2.19 0.86 41.85 3.69 4.73 6.2 6.03 0.45 1.1 1.03 0.3 0.475 31.9 0.73 0.124 1.74 1.55 1.05 4.74

6.59 1 15.26 2.13 0.85 41.2 3.67 4.61 6 6.03 0.44 1.07 0.99 0.29 0.45 31.4 0.65 0.124 1.73 1.52 1.01 4.63

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

0.62 0.405 0.57 3.95 33.2 19.7 2 3.16 34.6 1.01 17.42 0.82 6.43

0.68 0.42 0.58 4.26 33.2 19.98 2.03 3.27 34.8 1.01 17.7 0.88 6.69

0.6 0.395 0.56 3.92 33.2 19.48 1.94 3.16 34.2 1 17.06 0.82 6.41

0.67 0.4 0.56 4.26 33.2 19.6 2 3.21 34.3 1 17.2 0.88 6.55

287,297,000 4,170,000 2,819,000 3,713,000 100 2,295,200 694,000 28,000 6,890,300 391,000 96,600 89,000 3,918,400

187,572,510 1,716,650 1,599,180 15,627,310 3,320 44,833,582 1,357,470 89,540 237,050,710 391,210 1,673,150 75,120 25,779,931

-2,106,590 753,239.9997) -22,166,880 467,840 -27,568,685 -82,552 4,830,584

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

17.98 28.8 1.24 0.485 0.048 13 5.01 14.26 0.067 93.8 8.09 7.37 2.41 33.5 910 1,658 6.35 308 13.1 5.18 2.54 101 12.9 8.3 0.12 1.47 3.31 14.66 7.17 1.03 26.75 0.51 5.89 8.08 3.58 8.9 11.5 9.55 3.03 8.01 125 6.6 1,490 1.06 0.43 52 90 7.5 2.76 1.46 0.455 4.01 0.86 11.16

18 29.5 1.3 0.53 0.048 13 5.34 14.48 0.069 94.6 8.2 7.55 2.42 35 910 1,669 6.35 308 14.98 5.35 2.57 101 13.3 8.3 0.124 1.47 3.35 14.8 7.17 1.03 27.1 0.51 5.91 8.19 3.58 9.22 11.5 10 3.1 8.01 125 6.86 1,490 1.08 0.45 52.25 91 7.69 2.78 1.46 0.455 4.24 0.92 11.36

17.9 28.65 1.24 0.475 0.047 12.54 5.01 13.7 0.066 93 7.8 7.35 2.4 30.45 905 1,618 6.32 301.6 13.06 5.18 2.54 98.2 12.9 8.25 0.12 1.44 3.23 14.64 6.7 1.01 26.5 0.5 5.73 8.06 3.48 8.9 11.38 9.55 3.03 8.01 121 6.6 1,465 1.06 0.43 51.5 87.6 7.22 2.71 1.45 0.435 3.94 0.85 10.9

SERVICES 18 29.35 1.26 0.53 0.047 12.54 5.34 13.7 0.068 93 7.8 7.36 2.4 31 905 1,621 6.33 302 14.98 5.26 2.55 98.3 13.28 8.25 0.122 1.45 3.33 14.8 6.9 1.02 26.5 0.5 5.75 8.1 3.49 9.04 11.5 10 3.09 8.01 124 6.78 1,482 1.07 0.445 52 87.6 7.4 2.71 1.45 0.45 4.22 0.9 10.96

11,200 75,900 63,000 14,180,000 47,000,000 54,400 2,500 10,490,500 45,490,000 147,830 1,723,900 56,900 18,000 733,100 270 50,850 245,000 7,390 3,200 807,500 18,000 397,150 2,790,800 30,000 2,970,000 208,000 90,000 3,800 12,480,200 332,000 1,043,900 27,000 1,222,300 8,337,100 2,092,000 6,985,600 15,600 13,700 73,000 1,000 1,650 437,300 96,985 138,000 6,480,000 1,621,580 243,520 475,300 655,000 658,000 12,400,000 9,998,000 7,815,000 1,813,000

201,050 2,216,760 80,590 7,238,800 2,226,100 684,696 13,185 146,951,918 3,063,660 13,844,172.50 13,719,841 420,787 43,450 23,921,645 244,600 82,738,500 1,551,072 2,243,076 42,532 4,253,153 45,920 39,764,645 36,014,144 248,000 363,250 301,900 298,460 56,130 86,656,213 337,720 27,838,000 13,610 7,161,986 67,606,944 7,337,840 63,566,434 178,848 134,640 224,830 8,010 201,944 2,947,990 143,345,850 148,730 2,837,450 84,176,476 21,716,184 3,555,832 1,789,660 954,240 5,507,550 41,900,710 6,982,160 20,048,316

597,637.9998) -3,614,846 -248,357.50 -26,117 -29,040 -261,675 -70,006,710 -110,272 -3,576,246.50 9,672,246 10,200 2,709,115 -3,906,279 ,631,906.9999 5,092,700 1,566,244 6,170 7,293 1,430,720 -61,510 -28,794,296 -2,032,382 -6,323 215,090 704,700 983,550 -21,901,160 3,387,760

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

0.003 1.7 4.66 19 1.65 0.325 8.54 2.45 0.212 0.149 0.155 0.0094 1.5 6.19 1.25 0.62 0.9 0.013 0.012 2.24 6.16 15.7 31.75

0.003 1.79 4.69 19 1.65 0.325 8.8 2.59 0.217 0.151 0.155 0.0094 1.51 6.2 1.28 0.62 0.9 0.014 0.013 2.24 6.16 16.4 32.85

0.0029 1.7 4.66 19 1.64 0.32 8.2 2.4 0.212 0.149 0.154 0.0094 1.49 6.05 1.19 0.55 0.88 0.013 0.012 2.2 6.09 15.68 31.75

MINING & OIL 0.003 442,000,000 1.76 14,334,000 4.69 187,000 19 100 1.64 201,000 0.32 340,000 8.5 106,800 2.57 54,783,000 0.216 180,000 0.15 1,110,000 0.154 1,000,000 0.0094 10,000,000 1.49 40,000 6.09 656,300 1.22 569,000 0.58 738,000 0.89 358,000 0.013 38,000,000 0.012 13,200,000 2.23 179,000 6.1 388,600 15.76 10,273,200 32.85 3,110,300

1,316,100 25,187,000 874,520 1,900 331,640 109,900 907,792 135,038,250 38,430 165,700 154,500 94,000 60,130 4,005,091 689,400 431,510 319,320 496,500 161,500 398,560 2,374,922 164,998,732 100,929,955

8,026,900 -4,690 61,624,380 -77,000 -34,356 11,900 42,322 28,044,978 -18,259,740

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF F FGEN PREF G GMA HLDG PDR LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PNX PREF 3A SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

27.9 507 512 101.3 107.9 109.2 6.2 1.05 105 1,050 104.7 78.05 75.1 76.1 77.55 77 77.3

28 507 512 101.3 107.9 109.2 6.3 1.07 105 1,050 104.7 78.05 75.1 76.1 77.7 77 77.35

27.7 507 512 101 107.9 109.2 6.1 1.05 105 1,050 104.7 78 75 76.1 77.25 75.1 77.2

PREFERRED 28 259,700 507 300 512 40 101 50,710 107.9 10 109.2 910 6.1 445,300 1.06 40,000 105 130 1,050 155 104.7 10 78 12,500 75 15,600 76.1 100 77.7 22,700 76.5 64,660 77.3 71,720

7,271,055 152,100 20,480 5,121,713 1,079 99,372 2,732,530 42,110 13,650 162,750 1,047 975,032 1,170,363.50 7,610 1,755,810 4,955,726 5,538,767.50

-498,635 99,372 -1,858,695 49,952 -

LR WARRANT

4.65

4.65

4.3

WARRANTS 4.39 2,748,000

12,194,160

-142,110

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

5.8 3.4 3.66

6.13 3.48 3.84

5.71 3.4 3.66

6.02 3.4 3.74

20,310,593 212,700 20,608,430

96,993 -2,607,720

FIRST METRO ETF

123.6

123.9

122.6

740,930

121,887

112,039.20 180,519.60

-

MS

HOLDING FIRMS 0.3 110,000 69.35 1,343,000 13.6 2,904,700 0.92 28,000 6.28 5,000 0.62 6,463,000 0.66 2,532,000 915 453,550 1,700 5 7.26 202,900 12.4 1,158,600 7.5 52,600 4.5 1,000 5.4 100 0.207 10,000 1,150 74,650 6.95 75,800 63 1,750,410 5.32 4,700 0.68 157,000 5.08 40,100 19.8 5,682,800 0.7 6,856,000 5.33 21,121,600 3.38 8,000 0.045 2,000,000 1.19 5,598,000 3.39 6,425,000 2.54 4,000 141.2 357,880 960 480,880 0.89 311,000 1.8 1,371,000 658 1,170 270 1,700 0.245 1,140,000 0.194 4,520,000 PROPERTY 6.59 1.01 15.9 2.13 0.86 41.6 3.67 4.62 6.18 6.03 0.445 1.1 1.02 0.29 0.47 31.45 0.7 0.124 1.74 1.54 1.05 4.65

188,000 2,539,000 17,800 41,000 503,000 10,820,700 234,000 590,000 192,500 2,700 77,560,000 71,000 150,000 23,750,000 490,000 294,400 96,225,000 360,000 6,944,000 3,970,000 5,179,000 13,108,000

USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10.26 1.02

TRADING SUMMARY

10.26 1.02

SHARES

FINANCIAL

17,406,040

INDUSTRIAL

163,224,147

HOLDING FIRMS

121,198,457

PROPERTY

556,627,263

SERVICES

206,781,942

MINING & OIL

592,449,640

GRAND TOTAL

1,666,586,537

10.26 1.02

SME

3,380,100 62,000 5,449,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 123 6,010 DDS 10.26 1.02

10,920 176,980

VALUE 2,044.91 (down) 14.29 1,109,890,488.44 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,310.09 (down) 61.19 1,149,302,582.284 HOLDING FIRMS 7,980.61 (down) 66.06 1,965,459,786.15 PROPERTY 3,687.54 (up) 4.80 1,658.47 (down) 18.14 1,225,677,425.24 SERVICES MINING & OIL 11,438.13 (up) 230.06 1,002,296,427.92 PSEI 7,997.67 (down) 51.05 439,098,710.1159 All Shares Index 4,858.03 (down) 13.87 6,933,605,521.19 Gainers: 103; Losers: 107; Unchanged: 46; Total: 256

7-Eleven posts P1.3-b net income By Jenniffer B. Austria PHILIPPINE Seven Corp., the local franchise holder of convenience store 7-Eleven, booked a net income of P1.32 billion in 2017, up 12 percent from a year ago, boosted by store expansion and higher same store sales growth. PSC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange net income in the fourth quarter surged 26 percent to P669.6 million from P532.1 in 2016. System-wide sales in 2017 climbed 18 precent to P37.53 billion from P31.75 billion after opening 317 new stores and closing 27. PSC said same store sales started with a 4.4-percent decline in the first quarter due to the high base year effect. Sales started to pick up in the succeeding quarters driven by new product launches to boost full year same store sales growth to 3.7 percent. “2017 was far from our best year in terms of both same store sales growth and new store openings. The latter was a deliberate profit-taking move in response to reduced competitive activity, resulting in higher average new store sales, and the former due to high base effects in 2016,” PSC president and chief executive Jose Victor Paterno said “We had initially relied on an increase in SKU count to increase sales, but it failed to deliver as much as hoped. The bright side to all this is that in our struggle to improve sales for the year, we ended up laying the foundation for same store sales growth in the future by running experiments on assortment and looking deeper into pricing, as well as expanding new lines like coffee and fried chicken,” he added. Paterno said the company budgeted P3.5 billion in capital expenditures for 2018, with the bulk to be used to finance new store openings and renovations, and equipment acquisition in line with new product launches. Around 54 percent of all 7-Eleven stores in the Philippines are franchiseoperated and 46 percent corporateowned. Luzon has 1,802 7-Eleven stores, including 879 in Metro Manila, Visayas with 313 and Mindanao with 170.

Megaworld to issue notes worth $200m MEGAWORLD Corp., one of the leading condominium and office developers in the country, plans to issue $200 million in five-year senior, unsecured notes to refinance existing debt and fund general corporate activities. The property firm said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it set an initial price guidance of six percent coupon rate per annum for the $200-million offshore bond offering. The property firm earlier tapped J.P. Morgan as the sole book runner of the offering. Megaworld last issued dollar denominated fixed rate notes in 2013 when it raised $250 million from 10year US dollar-denominated fixed rate notes that will mature in 2023. Megaworld has $200 million in maturing notes this year after issuing them in 2011. Megaworld this year earmarked P60 billion in capital expenditures. The company is earmarking at least 80 percent of the expenses for construction of mostly residential, office and commercial developments in several townships across the country. It is allotting the balance for land acquisition and other investment properties. Megaworld reported a 12.7-percent increase in net income to P12.8 billion in 2017 from P11.3 billion a year ago, fueled by the positive performance of residential, office and commercial leasing businesses. Consolidated revenues rose 7.7 percent to P50.4 billion in 2017 from P46.8 billion in 2016. Residential sales, which accounted for 70 percent of the group’s total revenues, expanded 4.5 percent to P11.8 billion from P10 billion a year ago. Rental business, which covers both office and commercial space leasing, meanwhile rose at a faster rate of 18.2 percent to P11.8 billion in 2017 from P10 billion. Megaworld earlier said it expected rental income to reach P20 billion by 2020 with close to 1 million square meters of leasable space in its portfolio. Jenniffer B. Austria

Manila

Standard

TODAY

extrastory2000@gmail.com

Business/World

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018

B3

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

$50b in Chinese imports face tariffs

W

ASHINGTON― The United States has published a list of $50 billion in Chinese imports set to be hit by US tariffs, prompting Beijing to promise equally painful retaliatory measures in an escalating trade duel between the world’s two top economies. The move came a day after Beijing imposed duties on about $3 billion in US exports such as pork, wine and fruit, a countermeasure to US metal tariffs

that was widely seen as a warning Chinese officials will not hesitate to retaliate quickly. The new US list, published Tuesday―which includes electronics, aircraft parts, satellites, medicine, machinery and other goods―has yet to be finalized and is intended as a response to China’s alleged theft of American companies’ intellectual property and technology. “The proposed list of products is based on extensive inter-agency economic analysis and would target products that benefit from China’s industrial plans while minimizing the impact on the US economy,” the office of US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a statement. It identifies roughly 1,300 goods that

Making irrigation service free: Cost and benefit THE recent signing by President Rodrigo Duterte of the Free Irrigation Service Act (Republic Act No. 10969) is a classic example of violation of the good-management rule that a problem, once determined, must be quickly addressed in order to prevent the delay or cessation of the project or program to which the problem relates. Everyone, economists and non-economists alike, know that the inadequacy of water for farms has been largely to blame for the sustainedly poor performance of Philippine agriculture – and, by extension, the Philippine economy – but only with the passage of R.A. No. 10969 has remedial official action been taken. The Congressional hearings that preceded the passage of R.A. No. 10969 – Senator Ralph Recto deserves special mention for his effective participation therein – abundantly brought out the fact that the main culprit was the legislature’s repeated failure to fund the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) adequately and the fact that NIA’s finances were gravely weakened by the huge amount of irrigation service fees unpaid by farmers. One of the new law’s principal provisions is the condonation of all unpaid irrigation service fees. Mr. Recto and the other Congressional supporters of the Free Irrigation Service Act recognized that no change in the national irrigation situation could take place if the Commission on Audit (COA) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) continued to insist on NIA’s collection of the unpaid irrigation service fees. The choice facing the government, they argued, was between practicality – enabling the nation’s farmers to be more productive – and the requirements of COA and DBM. Practicality won. Having relieved the delinquent farmers of the burden of paying their unpaid irrigation service fees, R.A. 10969 proceeded to grant free irrigation to farmers growing food on farms up to 8 hectares in size. The irrigation service fee used to be 2 cavans per hectare during the wet season and 3 cavans per hectare during dry season. The House of Representatives had wanted to grant free irrigation to all food-growing farms; the Senate wanted to limit the benefit to farms of 5 hectares or less. A government policy of giving free irrigation services to food-growing farms has a long, long way to go. The Congressional hearings brought out the fact that of the nation’s 3 million hectares of irrigable land only 1.7 million hectares are irrigated. A very large backlog 1.3 million hectares is. The 2018 budget of the Department of Agriculture includes a P2.67 billion appropriation for the improvement, restoration or construction of small-scale irrigation facilities. Is the government’s incremental investment in irrigation likely to be worth it? The agricultural experts who testified before the Congressional committees unanimously gave an affirmative answer. With irrigation, the average 6-tons-per-hectare production of Philippine farms could easily rise to 8.3 tons. Such growth in productivity, if achieved on a wide scale, will sharply reduce the need for food imports and put an end to the Philippines’ long reign as the world’s No. 1 rice importer. The final word on this subject has to be one of caution. A rural and local-government-influenced program such as free irrigation service lends itself to corruption and political motivations. One can only hope that NIA and its mother institution, the Department of Agriculture, will take effective measures to ensure that only its intended beneficiaries benefit from the program. E-mail: romero.business.class@gmail.com Republic of the Philippines Department of Health CENTRAL OFFICE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

1.

INVITATION TO BID PROCUREMENT OF VARIOUS GOODS The Department of Health (DOH), through the General Appropriations Act CY 2018 intends to apply the amount of Ninety Six Million Philippine Pesos (PhP96,000,000.00) for the projects listed below. Bids received in excess of each ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening: IB No.

Name of Contract

ABC (PHP)

IB No. 2018-216

Procurement of HIV Rapid Diagnostic Test (Test 1) Procurement of ZIKA Testing Reagent Compatible with Existing Machine (Procleix Panther System) Total

Cost of Bidding Documents (Php)

Single Largest Completed Contract

75,000,000.00

50,000.00

21,000,000.00

25,000.00

At least Twenty-Five Percent (25%) of the ABC within the specified period in the Section III. Bid Data Sheet

IB No. 2018-217

2.

3.

4. 5.

6.

IB No.

Name of Contract

IB No. 2018216

Procurement of HIV Rapid Diagnostic Test (Test 1) Procurement of ZIKA Testing Reagent Compatible with Existing Machine (Procleix Panther System)

IB No. 2018217

7.

96,000,000.00

The DOH now invites Bids from eligible Bidders for the procurement of the above-caption projects. Delivery of the Goods as specified in Section VI. Schedule of Requirements. Bidders should have completed, within the specified years from the date of submission and receipt of bids a contracts similar to each of the above-cited procurement projects stated in the Bidding Documents. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138. Interested bidders may obtain further information from the COBAC Secretariat, G/F, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, San Lazaro Compound, Sta. Cruz, Manila and inspect the Bidding Documents at 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday. A complete set of Bidding Documents for each procurement package listed above may be acquired by interested bidders on 05 to 24 April 2018 from the address above and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB Resolution No. 04-2012, dated 24 February 2012, in the amount specified above. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that Bidders who are interested to participate shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. Bidding Documents Fee may be refunded in accordance with the aforementioned Guidelines based on the grounds provided for under Section 41 of 2016 Revised IRR of RA 9184. The DOH will hold a Pre-Bid Conference and the Submission and Opening of Bids at the COBAC Conference Room, G/F, Building 6, Department of Health, San Lazaro Compound, Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila, which shall be opened to all interested parties on the schedule given below: Activity (Date & Time) Pre-bidding Conference Submission and Opening of Bids 13 April 2018; 10:00 AM

Bids must Bids must be delivered to the address stated below. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated below: Form of Bid Security

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

8. 9.

24 April 2018; 09:00 AM

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

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

Two percent (2%)

Five percent (5%) No percentage required

Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted. The DOH reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. For further information, please refer to: COBAC-C Secretariat Department of Health San Lazaro Compound Sta. Cruz, Manila Tel. Nos. 651-7800 local 1625 to 1627; 1650 to 52 Facsimile No.: 741-9775; 740-6830 (SGD) MARIA FRANCIA M. LAXAMANA, MD, MHSA, CHS Assistant Secretary of Health COBAC - C Chairperson

(MS-APR. 4, 2018)

could face duties of 25 percent but remains subject to a review process that will last through at least May before it can take effect. China slammed the move as “unilateralist and protectionist”, and said it violated the principles of the World Trade Organization. “It serves neither China’s interest, nor US interest, even less the interest of the global economy... The Chinese side will resort to the WTO dispute settlement mechanism and take corresponding measures of equal scale and strength against US products in accordance with Chinese law.” The commerce ministry in Beijing said the countermeasures will be announced “in the coming days.” “We are confident and capable of re-

sponding to any US trade protectionist measures,” the ministry said. Over the last month, President Donald Trump has rattled markets and disregarded warnings from industry groups and members of his own Republican party in announcing punishing new tariffs on exports from major trading partners. The move toward trade sanctions on China, however, had received mixed reviews, with some support among lawmakers and industry bodies. The US-China Business Council said it agreed US companies suffer forced technology transfer in China―but warned against tariffs. “The American business community wants to see solutions to these problems, not just sanctions,” John Frisbie,

the council’s president, said in a statement. “China needs to substantially improve market access and competitive conditions for American companies selling to and investing in China in certain sectors, but unilateral tariffs may do more harm than good and do little to address the problems in China’s IP and tech transfer policies.” Monica de Bolle, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said Beijing was likely to retaliate again by targeting US exports of soybeans and Boeing aircraft―two politically sensitive sectors highly dependent on the Chinese market. “However, they can wait this out and see what comes out of the 30-day consultation period,” she told AFP. AFP

IN BRIEF Charged for vandalizing Chiang Kai-shek’s coffin TAIPEI―The protesters who vandalized the tomb of a former nationalist ruler in Taiwan have been charged in a case that highlights the divided opinion on how to deal with the island’s authoritarian past. Ten people splashed red paint on Chiang Kai-shek’s coffin in late February, on the 71st anniversary of a nationalist massacre estimated to have killed as many as 28,000. The activists demanded the government erase all tributes to Chiang and his son, saying they were dictators who oversaw the decades-long “White Terror” political purge that saw thousands executed. Taiwan has evolved into a full-fledged democracy since martial law was lifted in 1987, but it was only in December that a bill was passed to tackle the legacy of such injustices. Chiang’s mausoleum in the northern city of Taoyuan has been closed to the public since the incident and the protesters were indicted Tuesday for damage and disrespect of a public memorial.AFP

Kremlin demands apology from May MOSCOW―The Kremlin has demanded an apology from British Prime Minister Theresa May and her government, which implicated President Vladimir Putin in the nerve agent attack on a former double agent, saying this “idiocy has gone too far.” “Their theory will not be confirmed in any case because it is not possible to confirm it,” Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on a visit to Ankara Tuesday evening. “And the British foreign minister who has made accusations against President Putin, [and] the British prime minister will have to somehow look their EU colleagues... in the eye,” Peskov added in televised remarks. “And somehow they will have to apologize before the Russian side,” he added. “It will certainly be a long story, the idiocy has gone too far.” Britain has said it is “highly likely” that Russia was responsible for the attack on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in England using the Sovietdesigned Novichok nerve agent, but Moscow has angrily denied any involvement. AFP

GENERAL AUDIENCE. Pope Francis greets the crowd standing in the rain as he arrives for a weekly general audience at St Peter’s square on April 4, 2018 in the Vatican. AFP

Trump promises to deploy military to Mexican border WASHINGTON―President Donald Trump on Tuesday vowed to deploy the military to secure America’s southern border, as a caravan of Central American migrants headed north through Mexico toward the United States. The US leader has spent three days attacking the Mexican government for failing to block the estimated 1,500 people from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras from walking north toward the border. “Until we can have a wall and proper security, we’re going to be guarding our border with the military,” Trump told journalists. In an evening statement, the White House clarified that Trump’s plan involved mobilizing the National Guard―not active duty military troops, which would be barred by US law. Senior officials including Defense Secretary James Mattis, Homeland Security Secretary Kirsten Nielsen, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford and Chief of Staff John Kelly briefed Trump last week and follow-up discussions Tuesday, it added.

“President Trump and senior officials present also agreed on the need to pressure Congress to urgently pass legislation to close legal loopholes exploited by criminal trafficking, narco-terrorist and smuggling organizations,” the statement added. Trump accused Mexico of abetting and profiting from illegal immigration, which he pledged in his 2016 election campaign to halt. “The caravan makes me very sad that this could happen to the United States, where you have thousands of people that just decide to walk into our country and we don’t have any laws that could protect it,” he said. “If it reaches our border, our laws are so weak and so pathetic... it’s like we have no border,” added the president -- who lashed out at his predecessor Barack Obama for allegedly weakening border security, without elaborating on his claims. He also railed against the US Congress for not tightening laws on immigrants, and against Democrats for stalling the border wall he promised to build during his campaign. AFP

Republic of the Philippines Province of Batangas MUNICIPALITY OF LOBO

Republic of the Philippines Province of Batangas MUNICIPALITY OF LOBO

Invitation to Bid Design and Build Scheme for the Construction of One (1) Storey New Public Market at Barangay Poblacion, Lobo, Batangas CONTRACT ID NO. 8000-01-01-005-1.3.3

SUPPLY OF MATERIALS, LABOR AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION/ IMPROVEMENT OF WATERWORKS SYSTEM (DRILLING OF ONE (1) EXPLORATORY/ PRODUCTION WELL, CONSTRUCTION OF WATER TANK AND OTHER RELATED INFRA) AT SITIO KULAPIHAN, BRGY. PINAGHAWANAN AND SITIO SILYARAN, BRGY. CALUMPIT, LOBO, BATANGAS AND CONSTRUCTION/IMPROVEMENT OF WATERWORKS SYSTEM (DRILLING OF ONE (1) EXPLORATORY/PRODUCTION WELL AND OTHER RELATED INFRA) AT SITIO DUHATAN, BRGY. BIGNAY, LOBO, BATANGAS

The Municipal Government of Lobo, Batangashas received a Loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines towards the cost of and it intends to apply the proceeds of this Loan to payments under the contract for theDesign and Build Scheme for the Construction of One (1) Storey New Public Market at Barangay Poblacion, lobo, Batangas with the sum of Eighty Million Pesos (Php80,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) chargeable to payments under the contract for Design and Build Scheme for the Construction of One (1) Storey New Public Market at Barangay Poblacion, Lobo, Batangas/Contract ID No. 8000-01-01-005-1.3.3a. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bids opening. Municipal Government of Lobo, Batangas now invites bids for the Design and Build Scheme for the Construction of One (1) Storey New Public Market at Barangay Poblacion, Lobo, Batangas. Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II, Instructions to Bidders. Completion of the Works is required within Three Hundred Thirty (330) calendar days. Bidding will be conducted in accordance with relevant procedures for open competitive bidding as specified in the “Annex G”- GUIDELINES FOR THE PROCUREMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CONTRACTS FOR DESIGN AND BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS of IRR of RA 9184, with some amendments, as stated in these bidding documents and is open to all bidders from eligible source countries as defined in the applicable procurement guidelines of the said RA. The contract shall be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during post-qualification. The Approved Budget for the Contract for this project isEighty Million Pesos (Php 80,000,000.00). The Design and Build Contractor must have completed similar projects in the amount of at least fifty (50%) percent of the approved ABC in the five (5) years which are similar in nature provided further that the contractor has completed project in vertical structures/building. For the Pre-Detailed Design and Detailed Design portion of the contract, the bidder is required to hire the minimum number of people Project Coordinator, Architect, Civil/Structural Engineer, Electrical Engineer and Sanitary Engineer. For the construction phase the bidder is required to hire Project Manager, Project Engineer, Materials Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Foreman and technical personnel with relevant experience. Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Bids and Awards Committee of the Municipal Government of Lobo, Batangas and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00am to 5:00pm, Mondays to Fridays. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from April 05, 2018 to April 26, 2018 from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the bidding documents in the amount of Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000.00). It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) provided that bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. The Municipal Government of Lobo, Batangas will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on April 12, 2018 at 3:00 PM at the Office of the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, Municipal Building, Poblacion, Lobo, Batangas, which shall be open to all interested parties. Bids must be delivered on or before April 26, 2018 at 12:00 PM at the Office of the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, Municipal Building, Poblacion, Lobo, Batangas. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration or bid security in the amount of Php 1,600,000.00 in the form of Cash or Cashier’s/Manager’s check or Bank Guarantee issued by a universal or commercial Bank. Bid opening shall be on April 26, 2018 at 1:00 PM at the Office of the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, Municipal Building, Poblacion, Lobo, Batangas. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted. The Municipal Government of Lobo, Batangas reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. For further information, please refer to:

Contract ID No. 18-TF-005 The Municipal Government of Lobo, Batangas through the DILG-Locally Funded Projects and PCF Program, Salintubig 2018 intends to apply the sum of Eleven Million Nine Hundred Ninety Nine Thousand Five Hundred Thirty Seven & 44/100 Pesos (Php 11,999,537.44) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Supply of Materials, Labor and Equipment for the Construction/Improvement of Waterworks System (Drilling of One (1) Exploratory/Production Well, Construction of Water Tank and Other Related Infra) at Sitio Kulapihan, Brgy. Pinaghawanan and Sitio Silyaran, Brgy. Calumpit, Lobo, Batangas and Construction/Improvement of Waterworks System (Drilling of One (1) Exploratory/Production Well and Other Related Infra) at Sitio Duhatan, Brgy. Bignay, Lobo, Batangas/Contract ID No. 18-TF-005. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. The Municipal Government of Lobo, Batangas now invites bids for the Supply of Materials, Labor and Equipment for the Construction/Improvement of Waterworks System (Drilling of One (1) Exploratory/Production Well, Construction of Water Tank and Other Related Infra) at Sitio Kulapihan, Brgy. Pinaghawanan and Sitio Silyaran, Brgy. Calumpit, Lobo, Batangas and Construction/Improvement of Waterworks System (Drilling of One (1) Exploratory/Production Well and Other Related Infra) at Sitio Duhatan, Brgy. Bignay, Lobo, Batangas. Completion of the Works is required within Three Hundred Sixty (360) calendar days. Bidders should have completed a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.” Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, cooperatives, and partnerships or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines. Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Office of Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, Municipal Building, Poblacion, Lobo, Batangas and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested bidders on April 05, 2018 to April 26, 2018, 12:00 pm from the address below and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Pesos (Php 25,000.00) It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. The Municipal Government of Lobo, Batangas will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on April 12, 2018, 1:00 pm at the Office of Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, Municipal Building, Poblacion, Lobo, Batangas, which shall be open to prospective bidders. Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before April 26, 2018, 12:00pm. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB. Bid opening shall be on April 26, 2018, 1:00 pm at the Office of Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, Municipal Building, Poblacion, Lobo, Batangas. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted. The Municipal Government of Lobo, Batangas reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. For further information, please refer to:

ENRICO M. HOSMILLO SECRETARY Office of the Municipal Mayor 2rd Floor, Sotto Bldg. Mun. Compound, Poblacion,, Lobo, Batangas Tel No. 09558805252,

ENRICO M. HOSMILLO SECRETARY Office of the Municipal Mayor 2rd Floor, Sotto Bldg. Mun. Compound, Poblacion,, Lobo, Batangas Tel No. 09558805252,

Sgd. ISAGANI T. LABRADOR Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee Tel No. 09175452067

Sgd. ISAGANI T. LABRADOR Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee Tel No. 09175452067

(MS-APR. 5, 2018)

(MS-APR. 5, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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

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Makati allots P8.4b to health, education, social services

LoCaL goVernment units

thursday, april 5, 2018

By Joel E. Zurbano

WOMEN POWER. Leyte 1st District Rep. Yedda K. Romualdez addresses the leaders of different women’s associations in Region 8 during the recent Women’s Day celebration with the theme ‘Pinay Power: Making Change Work for Women’ at Price Mansion in Tacloban City. Ver Noveno

Estrada touts P4.3b spent on school projects By Vito Barcelo MANILA Mayor Joseph Estrada on Wednesday said the city government has spent P4.373-billion on infrastructure projects for public schools in Manila and vowed to improve the quality of education by providing modern computers and facilities to all high schools, colleges and universities run by the city. The former President said another P1.4 billion was set aside for various school projects intended for the growing number of students in Manila. “Since 2013 up to 2017, the city spent P4.3 billion for the infrastructure public schools,” Estrada said. He said the city has already constructed 62 new school buildings, repaired and rehabilitated 149 other school buildings. Estrada said he always desires to improve the welfare of new graduates and for those who will come after them. Speaking before teachers and parents at the high school graduation rites of Arellano High School, Estrada said he has been working very hard to provide Manila students with everything they need to complete their education. He said when he assumed the city top post, he observed the sorry state of the many school building in Manila in 2013. “There were more rundown school buildings than good ones, so, despite a limited budget—because Manila was bankrupt when I was elected, we worked hard to fix the school buildings and classrooms you use now,” Estrada said. The mayor said he cannot compromise the safety and security of the students and thus he started the rehabilitation of old and dilapidated school buildings and, at the same time, build more school buildings and classrooms.

ARMM asks for return of Marawi military land By Nash B. Maulana

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OTABATO CITY—The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao wants President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to give lands in war-torn Marawi back to the Maranaos by awarding them “substantial portions” of a colonial military settlement in that city.

On Tuesday, the ARMM Legislative Assembly passed Resolution No. 152, asking the President for “the disposition of the substantial portion of the Military Reservation in Marawi City, through (issuance of Presidential) Proclamation in favor of qualified residents or for Socialized Housing.” Maguindanao Assemblyman Khadafeh Mangudadatu, author of the resolution, said a rehabilitation program for Marawi residents displaced by the intense armed conflict last year should also include policy measures ensuring them the regularity of land tenure. Mangudadatu noted that most of the

Marawi land area has been partitioned by past Presidential Proclamations from the time of President Elpidio Quirino in 1953 to the start of President Fidel Ramos’s term in 1992. Maranao professionals based here have lauded the move, and some of them said Duterte could easily do this by the stroke of the pen, since there is now a law allowing long-time residents of military reservations to apply for family ownership of home lots for residential purposes. “Presidential Proclamation 453 has reserved 66,671,625 square-meters of public domain situated in Camp Keithley, now

Camp Amai Pakpak, City of Dansalan [now Marawi City] for military [use],” part of Mangudadatu’s resolution read. The same proclamation had, in effect, officially ended the US colonial forces’ occupational rights of the city’s erstwhile Camp Keithley when the Philippine military tenure of the camp started in 1946, under military governor Colonel Luis Marohombsar, a Maranao hero of the World War II Death March in Bataan. Last year, Ghazzali Jaafar, first vicechairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, also told a delegation of foreign journalists that he had asked the President to give Marawi lands back to the Maranao people. Camp Keithley has since been renamed Camp Amai Pakpak, after the leader of the local resistance against American colonial forces at the turn of the 20th century.

SELF DEFENSE.

Female teenaged residents of Navotas watch their instructor on how to execute proper karate moves against aggressors. Around 75 Navoteñas aged 13 to 19 years old joined the city government’s SAVE (She Against Violence through Empowerment), a three-day self-defense workshop. The short course is made possible through the partnership of the Navotas City Council for Youth Development and the Japan Karate Association. Jun David

Wanted: A name for Malolos’ busiest road, just off provincial capitol By Orlan L. Mauricio [First of two parts] MALOLOS CITY—Unknown to many residents of this capital of Bulacan, one of the busiest roads just a stone’s throw away from the Provincial Capitol here has no name. None of the 13 members of the current Sangguniang Panlalawigan have taken notice of this nameless road, although not too long ago, the provincial board was cited in a complaint by a retired judge before the Ombudsman for

renaming Andres Bonifacio Road in the city’s Barangay Tikay to Mighty Road. The change, the complainant contended, was to glorify the cigarette company whose plant is in the area, but which recently became controversial for its alleged multibillion-peso tax fraud and delinquencies. The road with no name lies in Barangay Mojon, the most populated barangay in the city with nine residential subdivisions and home to some 19,000 residents. It serves as a short cut from the barangay to McArthur Highway, the national road leading south to Manila or north to Pampanga.

The road used to be a mere threemeter-wide irrigation canal-barrier that primarily served farmers tilling the vast riceland beside the northern perimeter wall of the Bulacan State University (BulSU), where the oncepowerful transmitters of the Voice of the Philippines. Some 100 hectares of the area was later owned by the government thru expropriation proceedings. Sometime in 2000, then-President Joseph Estrada gave a meager fund to the Department of Public Works for the cementing and widening of the road to

about four meters, just barely enough to accommodate a sedan car and a tricycle travelling from the opposite direction. If two cars meet along the stretch, one must give way and settles in an “ear” located somewhere in the middle portion of the 700-meter long road. Through the years, the new diversion road became the short-cut route towards the Poblacion to avoid the daily traffic nightmare at the Malolos Crossing where Manila-bound commuters from the towns of Plaridel, Calumpit, Hagonoy, and Paombong converge. (To be continued)

Davao marks 162km of natl roads By F. Pearl A. Gajunera

NEW SCHOLARS. As SM Foundation winds up the screening of applicants to its College Scholarship program, it warmly welcomes its first batch of SM scholars from Butuan, the regional center of Caraga, pictured here. After hurdling the interviews and qualifying examinations, home visitations by a team from SM Foundation revealed the stories behind each applicant’s ardent desire to bag a slot in the program.

DAVAO CITY—Up to 162.895 kilometers of local roads here are set to be converted into national roads to keep up with the city’s development and its increasing population. “The Department of Public Works and Highways has requested the conversion of existing roads identified as local roads, into national roads and we have scheduled a committee hearing to fast-track this,” said Councilor Jesus Joseph Zozobrado III on Wednesday. Zozobrado said there are advantages that come with converting these local roads into national roads, and one of them is funding from the national gov-

ernment for their expansion. In a memorandum addressed to Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, District Engineer Wilfredo Aguilar said some of the roads must be upgraded to keep up with the recent development and the growing population in the city. “Given the situation we would like to request for validation of the identified local roads for conversion into national roads,” Aguilar said. Aguilar said it would be to the best interest of the public if the identified road sections are converted into national roads as this will then be included in the Regular Infrastructure Program of the national government.

HEALTH, education and social welfare services remain the top priorities of the Makati City government with a combined budget allocation of P8.4 billion for the year, up by 4.4 percent than last year. Mayor Abigail Binay said around half of the city’s total budget for the year has been allotted to the three components of the Social Development Sector, one of the seven sectors categorizing the services and functions of the city government. “We continue to enhance our programs and services which are most crucial to human development and social progress. By providing Makatizens free access to quality education and responsive health and social services, we empower them to attain their fullest potential so that they can actively take part in nation-building,” said Binay. She expressed confidence that major projects slated for the year will be fully implemented, with the city’s total revenue collections reaching almost P8.6 billion as of February. “Our constituents can rest assured that we are committed to providing them the best services we can afford,” said Binay. Acting City Treasurer Jesusa Cuneta said actual revenues from Business Tax reached P4.25 billion, or 48 percent of annual target, while Real Property Tax raked in P3.69 billion, achieving 80 percent of target for the year. Major health initiatives of the city include the Yellow Card comprehensive health insurance program, which covers the free medicines program, free outpatient services and subsidized hospitalization at Ospital ng Makati and partner-health providers. For education, the city boasts of Project FREE (Free Relevant and Excellent Education), which provides brand new school uniforms, black shoes and rubber shoes, and essential school supplies to public schoolchildren of Makati. Aside from its highly popular benefits for the elderly, such as cash gifts, free movies and birthday cakes, the city government also looks after the welfare of persons with disability, solo parents, women and children, and other disadvantaged groups through various programs.

In BrIef Joy tops survey for next QC mayor QUEZON City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte is a top choice for mayor in 2019, according to an online poll. In a statement from the Office of the Vice Mayor, a pre-election survey conducted by the online election watchdog Election Watch PH 2019, Belmonte garnered 3,545 votes or 59 percent of the total of 6,008 votes cast by netizens. Conducted from March 27 to April 3, the online poll pitted Belmonte and Crisologo in a head-to-head match that has reached 104,679 netizens. The online survey also garnered 787 comments and 577 “likes” and was shared 501 times. Election Watch PH was created in 2014. In the weeklong survey, netizens who voted for Belmonte cited Belmonte’s genuine public service, dedication, hard work, and her commitment to improve the delivery of basic services to the city’s three million residents. Rio N. Araja

Valenzuela installs solar water cleaner THE Valenzuela city government recently launched the solar-powered water cleaner in one of its barangays. The village officials expressed full support to the inaugurated project in Del Rosario Compound, Barangay Coloong. Leading the inauguration were barangay captain Wilfredo Ramos, Valenzuela City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Head Dr. Arnaldo Antonio, Carlos Oppus and Paul Cabacungan from the Ateneo Innovation Center, Benedict Balderrama from the Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies, Inc., Maricel Genzola from the Foundation for the Development of the Urban Poor, Erlinda Mosqueda from the Valenzuela People’s Organization Network, Angel Sales from Technical Assistance Organization Pilipinas, Inc., and members of the Del Rosario Compound Homeowners Association, the project’s beneficiary. Jun David

Put your money where it counts

Bernadette lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MstandardliFE thursday, april 5, 2018

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Life household

WORK HARD, EARN HARD. Make your money work as hard as you do by properly planning your finances and keeping your body healthy.

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arning money is no easy task, that’s why it is important we take every chance we get to maximize our hard-earned cash and make it work just as hard as we do. But where one should put his money if one has nary an idea where to properly put it? ignorance often leads to lapse in judgement. Proper financial planning is vital to make sure your cash grows and goes to something valuable. Bancassurance company BPi-Philam suggests investing your money in an insurance plan that safeguards you, your wealth, and your future at a budgetfriendly premium. “Life comes with its occasional uncertainties and it’s better that you’re prepared to handle those when they come up so you don’t dig into your savings in an emergency,” the company said in a statement.

Invest in insurance

Cute dogs don their Chinese New Year-themed costume for the ‘Kung Hei Arf Show’ event

Homeowners dress their dogs Dog-loving residents of amaia Scapes iloilo had a blast dressing their canine companions for the “Kung Hei arf Show” event. From frisky shih tzus to gentle bulldogs and from pint-sized chihuahuas to mini pinchers, dogs of various breeds showed off their amazing talents and their best ooTDs (outfit of the Day), while their excited humans looked forward to bring home the top prizes. at the end of the show, the following tandems of “humoms” and pets received awards and prizes from amaia: Vergie Dorrique and mini pincher gracie (Best in ooTD); Kiara nelida and shih tzu Kiara (Most Behaved); Melody Joy Emporial and shih tzu Bruce (Best in Costume); angele Bedia and shih tzu gail (Best in Tandem); and Lynette Labating and bulldog Xurvivor Xeuz (Best in Show). all participants were judged by Brgy. Kagawad Fred Jetulle, Brgy. Treasurer Christine abalajon and amaia Land’s project director for VisMin Joy Wong. “We would like to thank amaia Scapes iloilo’s homeowners and their pets for actively participating in ‘Kung Hei arf Show.’ The event turned out to be funfilled and exciting because of them,” said grace guinto of amaia Land. She added, “Community engagement activities such as this set amaia Scapes iloilo—and other amaia developments—apart from the rest. These prove that we are a thriving and vibrant community that shares the same vision and interests.”

For insurance beginners, Life ready Plus is a great starting policy. it is BPiPhilam’s unit-linked product in the Wellness Series for any Filipino looking to get started in securing the future. With it, you’ll get a two-in-one protection and wellness solution at an affordable P2,100 a month premium. This policy is suitable for young professionals who are beginning to build their financial assets. it provides you complete life protection coverage as much as 30 times the annual premium, which can help you and your loved ones during a time of need. You also get the option to add in riders, or additional benefits, to your policy to customize your coverage against life’s uncertainties, like accidents, hospitalization, or critical illness. The policy runs for an appropriate term, meaning you have it as long as you need it. aside from funding your life insurance, it also allots a portion of your premium into investments so you’ll have wealth being built steadily the longer you keep the policy. This way, you get

Consult and collaborate with your bancassurance sales executive to know the right investment plan for you

to grow your money without even hav- ness route to help you bridge the gap between the two ages. ing to think about how to do it. as you take steps toward being more active and reach certain goals, your Lead a healthy and active life another great thing about Life Vitality Status gets higher. The higher ready Plus being in the Wellness Se- your status, the more benefits you’ll ries is now, it’s integrated with Philam have. getting discounts to medical Vitality—a rewards-based wellness services, gym gear, memberships, and program designed to give you perks lifestyle services are all part of the tofor being healthy. You can also get an tal wellness package of improving both upfront additional coverage of 20 per- your financial and bodily health. You cent in your insurance plan through even get to receive up to 20 percent additional coverage in your policy in the the program. First, you take a health and fitness succeeding years with no additional fee assessment to determine your Philam if you keep your body healthy. Vitality age, or the difference between your actual age from your bodily age— Go to www.bpi-philam.com to know the closer they are, the healthier you are. how you can make your money work as The program then evaluates your well- hard as you do.

A dog showing off its best OOTD

Located at Barangay San Jose in San Miguel, amaia Scapes iloilo is amaia’s first economic housing development in the highly urbanized city, which is now regarded as the regional center of Western Visayas. it offers innovatively designed homes like Bungalow Pod, Carriage Pod, Single Home, and Twin Pod—all made affordable for hardworking ilonggos who aspire to have their own homes. The residential development provides accessibility to key retail establishments: healthcare facilities like riverside Medical Center and our Lady of Mercy Hospital; and learning institutions like the University of San agustin, University of the Philippines Visayas, and Central Philippine University. The Parish of St. Michael the archangel and the iloilo Technohub are also nearby.

Put your money into an insurance policy that safeguards you, your future, and your loved ones, and at the same time grows over time.

Life

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thursday, apri apriL 5, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

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Rose gold vacuum cleaner, anyone?

lame it on millennials for putting a premium on anything rose gold, but we have to admit, the color is truly elegant to merit the hype. From jewelry and phone cases, a vacuum cleaner now also comes in this chic, twenty-somethingapproved blush hue. elegance and efficiency come together in the new generation ergorapido vacuum cleaner from electrolux. The newest vacuum comes in a sleek rose gold finish—so you no longer have to hide it in the broom closet—and boasts a host of new features that deliver the cleaning benefits of a 2-in1 floor and furniture cleaner. The ergorapido’s ergonomic design makes cleaning effortless. It’s cordless, has a lightweight feel, and great maneuverability with its 180-degree easysteer trademarked function that lets you swivel around corners or under tables. It also comes with a detachable hand-held unit offering surface versatility, allowing you to keep shelves and tables dust-free, over and under. You can also clean better for longer with this elegant vacuum cleaner, as it comes with a high performance lithium battery. Its motorized power brush with a wide nozzle is great for picking up large crumbs and is optimized for generating strong suction. It also has DustSpotter leD lights to make sure you don’t miss a speck of dust in dark corners. Stubborn hair and fibers that always get stuck on your vacuum brush can The new generation Ergorapido vacuum cleaner now comes in sleek rose gold color and now also be easily removed thanks to boasts a host of new features that make cleaning easier and more efficient. the BrushRollClean, another trademarked feature, that gets rid of them by simply pushing a pedal. The ergorapido vacuum cleaner also comes with a variety of attachments tailor fitted to your every cleaning need, making it truly multifunctional. Treat your cushions to a deep clean with the BedPro mini attachment for effortless mattress cleaning and the Upholstery nozzle for sofas and car seats. If you need to clean hard-to-reach areas, there’s the flexi hose and the long crevice nozzle which cleans the tightest nooks. Finally, it is self-standing, making storage really easy—or why not display this beauty around the house? With its elegant design and extensive features, the electrolux ergorapido vacuum cleaner makes for a conversation starter. Its features allow homeowners to keep their spaces, from floors to countertops, dust-free.

Real estate firm opens new Market Center in QC KelleR WIllIamS, the world’s largest real estate franchise by agent count, has recently opened a new market Center in Gateway Tower Cubao, Quezon City. Since its launch on July 1 last year, KW Philippines has been helping professional-

ize the real estate practice in the country. From its Ortigas Center Regional Office, KW Philippines now runs three market Centers in the country. “We have formally opened KW Quezon City market Center at Gateway Tower to provide a venue for our ac-

Keller Williams Philippines regional operating principal Rolando C. Acuesta and KW Quezon City Market Center general manager Cecille O. Gamilla led the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Market Center on March 15.

credited KW associates to better access and serve the booming office and residential property market in the area,” said KW Philippines’ regional operating principal Rolando acuesta. KW Philippines is composed of a strong team of leaders with more than 40 years of experience in residential, commercial, and leisure real estate development. Together with regional controlling principal Steve Chien and Quezon City market Center general manager Cecille Gamilla, acuesta oversees the recruitment of additional agents to take leadership roles. aside from honing basic to advanced knowledge of real estate, KW Philippines also produces specialized agents in luxury homes, commercial, and land properties. “Recently, we also launched our first training module called ‘Ignite,’ which is meant to spark the selling career of the real estate agents in the Philippines. Soon, we will be rolling out more trainings that are par with the best real estate programs in the world,” shared acuesta. The KW Philippines Quezon City Market Center is located at 5th floor Regus Gateway Tower, Cubao.

Summer workshops

for young digital enthusiasts PaRenTS on the lookout for exciting and educational summer activities for their kids, and children interested in learning digital arts and robotics among others may enroll in Power mac Center’s latest series of summer workshops. The premier apple partner in the country will hold four intensive courses, with five-day sessions each. Courses include Game Development, Digital arts, 3D modelling and animation, and Robotics. The programs are open to all kids from 8 to 15 years old. Classes are divided into two batches—kids and teens—and modules are modified accordingly to match the depth of interest of each attendee. Workshops will be help in Power mac Center training rooms at Greenbelt 3, Trinoma, and Festival mall alabang. The first course, Game Development begins on april 9 at Greenbelt.

With the change in the academic calendar, PmC decided to extend the duration of the program to four months, from april to July, making it available to more kids in the metro. The fee is at P5,500 per course, inclusive of the use of apple devices pre-installed with applications, and all other learning materials required in each course. after the week-long workshops, each attendee will take home a certificate and a flash drive containing the individual projects they created. Reservation is validated by full payment and follows a “First come, first served” policy. Payment may be made at Power mac Center Greenbelt 3, Trinoma, or Festival alabang, or at the Training Center at 2l Cedar executive Bldg. 1, 1006 arnaiz avenue, makati City. For more details, email pbsi@powermaccenter.com or call (02) 5534211, 553-6399, 0908-8856277, or 0916-3586056.

Power Mac Center offers summer workshops for children and teenagers

Community market promotes camaraderie among residents

Residents participate in free Zumba workout session at the Acacia Estates community market

aCaCIa estates residents bond over shopping and fitness activities at the Taguig township’s weekend community market. Featuring an interesting mix of food, retail, and family activities, the bi-monthly community market, which kicked off on Feb. 24 at the acacia estates Town Center, aims to promote greater camaraderie among residents in the 150-hectare residential community. “Our objective is primarily to gather more of our residents here in acacia estates community. We want to develop a stronger community by developing a feeling of belongingness among residents,” DmCI Homes leasing manager Rida Ferrer said of DmCI Homes’ township development that hosts 25,000 residents of various condominium communities. market-goers can hop on from stall to stall to choose from a range of products that include assorted delicacies, household

items, apparel, and fashion accessories, which are offered by small entrepreneurs. “With most of the concessionaires coming from acacia estates, the community market is a great venue for interaction among our residents. In the coming weeks, we will have more fresh produce and organic products. So it’s really exciting for everyone,” said Ferrer. She added, “With the acacia Community market, small entrepreneurs of acacia Community are given opportunities to sell and feature their products and services to their own community.” apart from great finds in the bazaar, more exciting activities are lined up for residents in the coming weeks that include a dog race on april 28. “We have a dog race coming up in april. also being planned is a community run with residents and their pets which will be held from Ivory Wood to the Town Center, and many more fun activities for

the whole family,” shared Ferrer. During the kick off, a Zumba session brought together fitness enthusiasts in the community. acacia estates residents Clavelle Pantas and Judy Grace Jalandoni, who were among the participants in the workout session, welcomed the institution of the community market as it gives them an opportunity to mingle with their fellow unit owners. Pantas shared she met Jalandoni in Zumba sessions in their condominium community in acacia estates and they have become close since then. “I hope we can have activities like this regularly. It’s a great way to foster camaraderie and for residents to get to know one another,” said Jalandoni. Ferrer is optimistic the weekend market will attract more residents. She said, “Hopefully as we go on in the coming weeks, more people will be engaged.”

THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018

C3

nickie.standard@gmail.com

BIGGEST

Asia’s design reality show By Marane Plaza

HE Apartment, the biggest design reality competition in Asia is back on Sony Channel, and three Filipino contestants are vying to win the top spot.

T

Media personality and interior designer Cat ArambuloAntonio joins the judges' panel of 'The Apartment: Passion for Design.'

Fil-Kiwi model and beauty queen Stephanie Dods, interior decorator Jesy Cruz, and interior designer Eugene del Rosario are determined to provide stiff competition to nine other talented contestants from various backgrounds for the chance to win the biggest prize in the series’ history—the deed to a luxurious UMLand apartment at D’Lagoon, located in Iskandar, Malaysia. The three are hoping to follow in the footsteps of Cebubased interior designer-best friends Deankie Latonio and Tiara Sison won the third edition in 2013. “Filipinos are renowned for their exceptional talent and tend to do really well in reality series where their creativity and survival skills are put to the test under high pressure situations. The Amazing Race Asia and Asia’s Got Talent on AXN are two wonderful examples of Filipinos making the country proud. Now with The Apartment: Passion for Design on Sony Channel, the Philippines will show that the country can also excel in interior design,” said Armi Malaluan, Director and Business Head of Sony Television Networks, Asia. The Apartment: Passion for Design becomes extra special season with the inclusion of Filipino interior designer and media personality Cat Arambulo as one of two new judges. She is the first Filipino to join the judging panel of the reality television show. She joins Tyler Wisler, one of New York’s most influential and dynamic designers. International superstar and homestyle extraordinaire Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is the principal judge, while award-winning designer and author Jamie Durie returns as host and mentor. “My journey always has passion as its core. I’ve always empowered both men and women through my passion for all things fashion, beauty and high style. Being the first ever Filipina judge in the show has enabled me to inspire and motivate 12 talented and ambitious aspiring designers,” Arambulo shared. Will a Filipino contestant be the next interior design superstar? The Apartment: Passion for Design premiered on March 22 on Sony Channel, available on Cablelink Channel 39, Cignal Channel 120, Destiny Cable Channel 35, G Sat Channel 48, and SKYCable Channel 35. For more information and airing schedule, visit TheApartmentTV.com or @TheApartmentTV on Facebook and Twitter.

Special effects makeup course launched JAPANESE makeup distributor Utsukushi-sa Inc. is set to offer a certificate course on Special Effects Makeup Artistry for Screen and Media for eight consecutive Saturdays, beginning April 7 until May 26 at the School for Professional and Continuing Education (SPaCE) at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB). The classes were launched due to the increased need for special effects to create a look that may be specially needed for either editorials or movies, beyond the traditional uses in portrait or pre-nuptial shoots. Sessions will cover advanced makeup application techniques, plus primary and alternative materials for props. Students will likewise study the human anatomy to understand and determine how special effects on wounds and injuries come to life and look believably real. Classes will include special effects to create bruises, wounds and injuries, and ageing, as well as appropriate hairstyling. There will also be discussions on drag queen makeup, camouflage, face painting, and celebrity impersonation. To complete the training, there will be a character presentation project that will entail the use of all learnings. The module is priced at P56,550, with a complimentary kit from 727 Cosmetics that shall be used in class. For inquiries and registration, contact Lynn Garcia or Marlon Eusebio at 230-5100 local 3802, 400-5425 and 400-7408, or email space@benilde.edu.ph/

This module is designed for those who already have a fundamental understanding of basic, traditional and airbrush make-up.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Thursday, April 5, 2018

ACROSS 1 Cherish 6 Chases fly balls 11 Zig opposite 14 Chesterfields 15 Sun, in combos 16 Kimono accessory 17 Ill-suited 18 Concrete reinforcer 19 Pinch, in a way 20 Interstellar dust cloud 22 More than this? 24 Broken-off glacier 27 Like moccasins 28 Puget Sound port 29 Feel sorrow 31 As the — flies 32 Manx murmurs 34 Duffel filler 38 Oaters’ Tim — 39 — is me! 40 Crewmate of Uhura 41 Norse giant 42 Laconic 44 Wading bird 45 Khayyam et al. 47 Canal city 49 Followed upon 52 Lobby furnishings 53 NASA’s volcano-

exploring robot 54 Late breakfast 56 Spiral molecule 57 Oahu neighbor 59 Works a cure 63 Gross! 64 Sphinx site 65 Foul-up 66 Scrutinize 67 Takes a break 68 Fender mishaps DOWN 1 Tempe coll. 2 Oxford professor 3 Not on 4 Rocky Mountain entree (2 wds.) 5 Honor 6 Monsieur’s gesture 7 Loaf end 8 Actress Jessica — 9 — Scala 10 Postal device 11 Like city real estate 12 Cheapen 13 Jeered at 21 Dracula’s — Stoker 23 Persists (3 wds.) 24 Like dandruff

25 Pool shot 26 Gene-splicing bacteria (2 wds.) 27 Coach 29 Anchors 30 Feels grateful 33 Aquarius’ tote 35 Blake of jazz 36 Mrs. Kramden 37 Ploys 42 A little bit 43 Squared away 46 Milder 48 Wrote on glass 49 Actor —

Murphy 50 Sluggo’s girl, in the comics 51 Wind around 52 Pleases 54 Super deals 55 Engrossed 58 ID info 60 Prince Val’s son 61 MGM workplace 62 Alums-to-be

Last month's Binibining Pilipinas Coronation Night drew 10,000 fans, the biggest attendance in local pageant history.

Simply Red... From C4

Team YeY, a kiddie show on the ABS-CBN TVplus’s YeY Channel that showcases creative and informative activities every day, like dance, storytelling, and music, was recognized for its values-oriented and educational themes as it won its second Gandingan Award for the Most Developmentoriented Children’s program. “It’s a privilege to do something for Filipino children,” said Danie SedillaCruz, channel head of YeY. “Coming up with a program for them is a tough act in a sense that we want them to be entertained, but at the same time impart learning and good values. We want Team YeY to be part of this generation’s childhood. Not just for our hosts but more so for our viewers,” she added. Airing seven days a week, Team YeY allows kids to explore their creativity while learning new things, espousing good values, and having fun. The show is currently the only local variety and activity program for children. Each day at Team YeY brings a different themed activity led by the different kiddie hosts and tackles different topics while instilling the values of fun learning, teamwork and friendship. *** ABS-CBN, the country’s leading entertainment and media company, continues to dominate the digital space as it ranked the most viewed online content creator locally and 32nd globally, ranking ahead of global media companies like CNN, Bleacher Report, Buzzfeed Video, and ABC, according to data published by social video analytics and video intelligence platform Tubular. With over 18 billion views on YouTube, ABS-CBN provides its 15.8 million YouTube subscribers 16.6 million Facebook followers a personalized viewing experience. “The partnership with YouTube gives our audiences direct access to the kind of information and entertainment they choose to follow, while offering them a wide array of content that cater to their different needs and interests. In our goal to further expand our reach, we need to tap into all relevant platforms where our digital Kapamilyas are. Since YouTube can be accessed worldwide, we create and optimize video content unique to the platform,” said Dennis Lim, head of YouTube and Multichannel Network at ABS-CBN’s Digital Media Division. ABS-CBN’s leadership on YouTube boosts ABS-CBN’s transition into being an agile digital company with the biggest online presence among all media companies, and a growing list of digital properties that appeal to a wide array of audiences. ABS-CBN Entertainment, the most subscribed and viewed local YouTube channel, houses different types of content, including Kapamilya program highlights, exclusive celebrity interviews, full episodes of teleseryes, and teasers. Netizens, meanwhile, go to the country’s top local news channel, the ABS-CBN News channel, to get video reports aired on ABS-CBN’s, ANC’s, and regional newscasts and current affairs programs. ABS-CBN’s top channels also include

Star Cinema and Star Music. They are the most viewed and subscribed movie and music channels in the country. It continues to cultivate a roster of online creators through Adober Studios, formerly Chicken Pork Adobo, its multi-channel network. *** A huge crowd of over 10,000 highenergy fans gave Binibining Pilipinas its biggest audience turnout in its long, illustrious history when it held this year’s much-anticipated Grand Coronation Night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on March 18. Dubbed as the Most Beautiful Night in the Philippines, the country’s premier beauty pageant drew a massive audience in support of their favorite candidates that they hope would represent the country in international competitions. The excitement surrounding this batch of candidates was at its highest, and this led to the biggest number of ticket sales for the coronation night to date. With a bigger stage comprised of multiple stairs and landings, and dressed with LED monitors and lighted acrylic trimmings, it was one of the most striking presentations of the prestigious pageant, befitting the most beautiful women in the country. The Big Dome was filled with hordes of fans with lighted signs and letters spelling out their chosen candidates’ names; some even came with whistles and other paraphernalia to cheer their favorites on. It was a night of frontrunner triumphs and interesting revelations when the judges finally announced the new Queens. The appreciative audience cheered for 2nd Runner-up Samantha Bernardo and 1st Runnerup Vickie Rushton; they made a lot of noise when the new queens were called: Karen Gallman was named this year’s Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental; Michele Gumabao, Binibining Pilipinas Globe; Eva Patalinjug, Binibining Pilipinas Grand International; Jehza Mae Huelar, Binibining Pilipinas Supranational; and Ahtisa Manalo, Binibining Pilipinas International. But the loudest cheers erupted when favorite Catriona Gray was named this year’s Miss Philippines Universe. The Fil-Australian beauty who represents Albay had described joining this year’s competition as nerve-wracking. Her vocal and very passionate fans, collectively known as Catrionians, feel she is ripe to bring home a fourth Miss Universe title after Pia Wurtzbach. “The Binibini fans are wonderful,” says Stella Marquez Araneta, Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. chair. “They give so much love to the ladies; their support really boosts the candidates’ confidence, and sees them thru the trying periods in this competition. We will not be able to keep doing this without them.” The new Queens are now busy doing media interviews and other Binibinirelated appearances. Catch more of them on the official Binibining Pilipinas Facebook page (@realbbpilipinas) and the official website. For pageant fanatics, the Binibining Pilipinas 2018 souvenir magazine is also being sold at the Snaxx counter of Gateway Cineplex, 4th level, Gateway Mall.

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

C4

THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018

Romcom takes place Lolas’ talk show before ‘Eat Bulaga’ I WONDERED why the Kapuso network wasn’t keen on replacing the talk show hosted by the Eat Bulaga trio of comedians in women’s clothing at the time the Kapamilya network was giving the show a cruel beating in the ratings race. Well, at least, on March 13, the Kapuso network finally replaced it with Ang Forever Ko’y Ikaw, a romcom series with Camille Prats-Yambao and Neil Ryan Sese finally in not a contra vida role. Most observers say the casting of this romcom series isn’t as formidable as the series on the same timeslot on the Kapamilya network, Sana Dalawa ang Puso with ABS-CBN’s Jodi Sta. Maria and Richard Yap with Robin Padilla in his first full-length drama series. But the Kapuso people behind the daytime drama say the story will definitely bring love and kilig to the audience. Apart from Camille and Neil, the series also features a new Kapuso fair – Ayra Mariano and Bruno Gabriel. Ginny (Camille) and Lance (Neil) are single parents attached to their past though hoping to somehow get a new chance at love. Their lives are almost intertwined – they live in the same building; have the same taste in coffee; and even follow each other’s ‘alter-ego’ accounts online. Camille said she loves how the show instills its message to the viewers when it comes to love. “You know I think the really good part about this show is yung message nila tungkol sa love and how it will tell us that love finds you. And that you don’t really

have to find it. Kasi darating ‘yan sa’yo at the right time and right place,” she said. On the other hand, ISAH V. RED Neil shared that he is still adjusting to his new role as Lance as he was used to portraying character roles in his previous shows. “Challenge siya for me kasi sobrang iba talaga yung role ko rito. Unlike kapag kontrabida ka iba yung pag deliver mo ng lines. Dapat palaging mabigat. Dito, I need to tone it down talaga,” he shared. The story also highlights their journey as single parents including the challenges and accomplishments they encounter as they take care of their children Marione portrayed by Ayra and Benjie played by Bruno. The young Kapuso actress said she’s grateful to GMA for entrusting her this project and is equally happy to work with Bruno again. “Very comfortable na kami sa isa’t isa kaya I know this project is going to be amazing,” she said. Meanwhile, Bruno is glad to be working with Camille and Neil because he knows he is going to learn a lot from them. “I am really amazed at how they both are great in acting—mapa-intense man yung eksena or light. I learn new things talaga,” Bruno said. Well, now both Kapamilya and Kapuso are on an even keel and it depends on which show touches the sentiments of the audience when they are all getting ready for lunch or already having lunch at that time. We will find out when the ratings data for March comes out. Continued on C3

Sarah G is marking her 15th anniversary with a concert, which will celebrate her illustrious career as a singer, a TV personality and a movie star.

SARAH G ready to rock the BIG DOME

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OP star Sarah Geronimo is celebrating her 15th year in the business with an explosive concert entitled This 15 Me happening at the Araneta Coliseum on April 14.

Produced by Viva Live, the concert and events subsidiary of Viva Communications, the concert is one of the major entertainment events of the year. It is a rare show that will showcase Sarah’s myriad talents and accomplishments as a singer, actress and the country’s foremost concert draw these past 15 years. This 15 Me is Sarah’s first arena show in five years. The last one was Perfect 10, held five years ago. It was the first in

New Kapuso fair Bruno Gabriel and Ayra Mariano join Camille Prats and Neil Ryan Sese in the station's new romcom.

‘Art 2 Art’ unveils April episodes ART 2 Art continues to bring a variety touring cast of Miss Saigon in the United of conversations on art and culture in Kingdom and in Europe. its summer harvest of episodes airing in On April 15, the Saturday Group April. of Artists – represented by president Produced by the Manila Broadcasting Omi Reyes, former president Migs Company and hosted by “Ballerina ng Villanueva and art critic Cid Reyes – Bayan” Lisa Macuja, Art 2 Art airs look back to the group’s beginnings as it every Sunday, 3:30 to 4:00 p.m., on celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. radio via DZRH (666 khz on the AM On April 22, Art 2 Art pays tribute to band), on cable television via RHTV National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon (Ch. 129 on Skycable in Metro Manila, Abueva who passed away last Feb. 16. Ch. 18 on Cignal TV and Ch. 3 on National Museum assistant director Ana Cablelink) and online livestreaming Labrador and visual artist Toym Imago at http://dzrhnews television.tv. The share anecdotes and assess the legacy of show may also be viewed through the beloved sculptor. the Facebook account DZRH News Finally, on April 29, to celebrate Television. International Dance Day, Ballet OnApril 1, Lyric Opera of the Philippines Philippines principal dancer Denise honorary Parungao chairperson relates the Maestra Irma rigorous Potenciano training to and co-founder become a Sherwin Sozon ballerina and discussed the joys of their group’s performing that mission of make the effort promoting opera all worth it. through quality For inquiries, productions please e-mail and outreach art2artdzrh@ projects. gmail.com On April or visit the 8, stage Ballerina ng actor, singer Bayan page on and director Facebook. Past Joaquin Pedro episodes of the Valdes shares program may the journey that be viewed on has led him to YouTube, at the his forthcoming Art 2 Art with stint as a UK-bound stage actor Joaquin Pedro Valdes with Lisa Macuja member of the 'Art 2 Art' host Lisa Macuja channel.

showbiz history to be staged at both the Big Dome and the Mall of Asia Arena in two consecutive nights. This 15 Me, on the other hand, is a one-night-only outing that promises to be even bigger. The show is directed by Paul Basinillo with Teacher Georcelle as dance director and Louie Ocampo as musical director. Sarah, then only 14 years old and a regular of singing contests since she was three, won the Grand Prize at Viva TV’s Star for a Night talent show in 2003. She was launched to stardom armed with a hit cover of Celine Dion’s “To Love You More” and a blockbuster single by Vehnee Saturno titled “Forever’s Not Enough.” She would soon have a success studded career in music, motion pictures and television, as a TV host, product endorser and web star. Sarah has since then recorded 22 albums. Among these are Sweet Sixteen, Taking Flight, Perfectly Imperfect and The Great Unknown. She appeared in

box-office hits like Maybe This Time, A Very Special Love and others. Also, she is a regular in ASAP and was one of the coaches in The Voice Philippines and The Voice Kids Philippines. Sarah is at present, busy filming the musical comedy Miss Granny, which is her follow-up to last year’s I Finally Found Someone. Directed by Joyce Bernal, the picture also stars James Reid and Xian Lim. On the side, Sarah is also finishing work on her new album, her first after The Great Unknown of three years ago. Her latest single titled “Sandata” is now available online. Tickets to This 15 Me are priced at: VIP P4770; Patron, P3710; Lower Box Premium, P2968; Lower Box Regular, P2120; Upper Box, P1272; and General Admission, P424. Interested buyers can go to TicketNet online or call 911-5555 or Viva Live 687- 7236.

Pia Wurtzbach, other icons host new shows on Metro Channel BACKED by over 29 years as the country’s authority in style, Metro is available across print and digital platforms, and now on television. Metro Channel, the new cable television counterpart of premium lifestyle brand, Metro, is now airing on SKYcable channel 52 (SD) and channel 174 (HD) with fresh, original shows featuring real icons and leading purveyors of style in the country today. The newest lifestyle channel continues to feature iconic chefs Sandy Daza and Claude Tayag, along with a new breed of local talents such as Pia Wurtzbach, and Marc Nelson as hosts of various tastefully curated programs on food and travel, home and living, and fashion and style. Globetrotters will have their fill of new sights and scenes as the 2015 Miss Universe explores local and foreign destinations with a global Filipino as her guide in Pia’s Postcards. Meanwhile, beach lovers can explore breathtaking island destinations with model Maggie Wilson-Consunji and travel host Marc in Beached. Each episode takes viewers on the ultimate tropical adventure that will allow them to discover new shores and the exclusive accommodations and activities that come with it. Model, blogger and entrepreneur, Tricia Centenera gets up-close and personal with empowered women in Driven. At the Table, meanwhile, features the creative forces behind some of the most popular dining concepts in the metro today. Each episode features a guest chef who will share his cooking philosophies and expertise. Women of all ages will find inspiration in Women of Style, which highlights different ladies who embody flair in their daily lives—at home, at work, and at play —hosted by Joey Mead King. Tim’s Table lets viewers in on an intimate gathering with Tim and some of his Alister friends and guests as they share their views and opinions on interesting topics in the current and

social scene over a sumptuous meal. The new Metro Channel will also include these must-watch programs: EIC on The Move, which grants exclusive access to luxurious living hosted by Raul Manzano, editorin-chief of Metro Society; and Metro Home, a show that highlights stylish abodes and their owners/creators hosted by Anton Barretto and Stephanie KienleGonzalez. Chef JP Anglo and The Marketman Joel Binarama will also be launching their program, Show Me The Market. Mouthwatering food programs by Chef Claude Tayag (Chasing Flavors) and Chef Sandy Daza (Casa Daza and FoodPrints) also continue on the new channel.

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach hosts her own show on Metro Channel, the newest lifestyle channel on local TV.