Manila Standard - 2018 May 4 - Friday

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VOL. XXXII • NO. 78 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIG. This handout image obtained from the French Museum of Natural History on Wednesday shows an archaeologist at work at the site of an archaeological find at Kalinga province in northern Philippines. Were early humans in East Asia more than half a million years ago clever enough to build seafaring watercraft? AFP

Cayetano sets ‘loyalty check’ on diplomats

Kalinga find: More clues on early humans in PH

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

PARIS, France—Were the early humans roaming east Asia more than half-a-million years ago clever enough to build sea-faring watercraft and curious enough to cross a vast expanse of open sea?

This and other questions arise from the discovery in the Philippines of a butchered rhinoceros skeleton and the stone tools probably used to carve away its meat, researchers said Wednesday.

The find pushes back the arrival of the first homo species on the island chain tenfold to 700,000 years ago, they reported in the journal Nature.

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Naked Trump statue goes for $28,000 at auction LOS ANGELES, United States—A naked statue of Donald Trump, complete with a distended belly and jowly sneer, is to go on display at a Haunted Museum after a paranormal investigator bought it at auction.

Julien’s Auctions announced Wednesday it sold the artwork—believed to be the last of the controversial statues not vandalized or destroyed— for $28,000 (23,000 euros) at its biannual auction in Los Angeles. Next page

DIPLOMATIC ROW. The Philippines’ former ambassador to Kuwait Renato Pedro Villa (center) speaks to newsmen shortly after arriving at the Manila airport Wednesday while Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano (left) listens. The Philippines has welcomed an olive branch from Kuwait over the two countries’ miagrant labor row, days after President Rodrigo Duterte announced a permanent ban on Filipino workers going to the Gulf State. AFP

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Kidnap raps vs rescuers Kuwait issues arrest warrants Palace orders CoA: Go after grafters in Tourism, PhilHealth ILIPINO diplomats are facing kidnapping charges after videos of them rescuing

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

By Vito Barcelo

NO BALLS. But the auction buyer intends to put the acquisition at his Haunted Museum in Vegas.

IN THE wake of a diplomatic row with Kuwait, diplomats are being asked to sign a statement of support for Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, a foreign affairs insider said Thursday.

In an interview, the Department of Foreign Affairs insider said that Cayetano is already playing the game of “divide and conquer” by promoting his favorite career diplomats and giving a hard time to those who have “questionable loyalty.”

“Cayetano is asking for a loyalty check by asking career officers to sign a statement in support of his leadership,” the insider said.

“I have no plans of signing, but it sill exposes all of us to a witch-hunt

MALACAÑANG on Thursday tasked the Commission on Audit to file cases against erring government officials before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said it was CoA that published on its website details of the controversial P60million advertising contract between the Department of Tourism and the government-owned PTV 4 in which commercials would be placed in a show “Kilos Pronto” produced and hosted by the brothers of Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo, Ben and Erwin Tulfo.

The CoA report also claimed that PhilHealth officer-in-charge Celestina Ma. Jude de la Serna made several

travels abroad that cost the government P627,293.04 in just one year despite the agency’s net loss of P8.92 billion, based on its 2017 unaudited financial statement posted online.

CoA also said it found irregularities in the way the state-run People’s Television Network Inc. handled its 2017 budget.

In its 2017 audit report, CoA said almost P10.5 million received by PTNI officials and employees as Economic Relief Allowance and incentive for their coverage of the Southeast Asian Games was disbursed without approval from the Office of the President, in violation of the law.

CoA also questioned PTNI’s payment Next page

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distressed Filipino workers in Kuwait were posted and spread on social media, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said late Wednesday night.

“They were charged with kidnapping,” Cayetano said, insisting that they violated no diplomatic convention and committed no crime.

Kuwait has issued warrants of arrest against the three Filipino career diplomats, who are holed up in the Philippine embassy, while four embassy employees who also participated in the rescue operations have been detained.

The three diplomats who are facing kidnapping charges are DFA-Office of

the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) executive director Raul Dado; DFA-Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations (OUIER) officer Muammar Hassan; and DFA-Assistance-to-Nationals officer Francis Baquiran.

These three were part of the Rapid Response Team formed and led by DFAOUMWA Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola, Cayetano’s political appointee and former aid when he was still a senator. Next page

Con-Com proposes: Empower Duterte to declare state of war THE Consultative Committee is studying a proposal to insert a provision in the Constitution that would give the President the power to declare a state of war if Congress is unable to do so.

“In the event Congress is unable to convene, the President, as Commanderin-Chief, has the power to declare the existence of a state of war and shall exercise all powers necessary,” reads the proposed new line.

The line was presented to reporters on Thursday.

In the House,Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said there was no stopping President Rodrigo Duterte’s proposed constitutional amendments to effect a federal-presi-

dential form of government.

He said the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino was pushing for federalism to ensure inclusive development, particularly of the poor and neglected areas of the country.

“We need to prepare for the future,” Alvarez said. He said the congressional leaders will not surrender their effort to push Cha-Cha despite the latest Pulse Asia survey showing that a majority of Filipinos or 64 percent oppose it.

On Wednesday, President Duterte’s Consultative Committee to review the 1987 Constitution voted to unanimously adopt its proposed provisions meant to Next page

Dengvaxia raps mount: Sixth case filed vs Garin, Duque and 34 others

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta ANOTHER criminal complaint has been filed before the Justice department against former Health Secretary Janette Garin, incumbent Health secretary Francisco Duque III and other incumbent and former health officials in connection with the Dengvaxia mess.

The complaint, which was filed by the family of another student who died after being inoculated with the controversial anti-dengue Dengvaxia vaccine on Thursday, accused Garin and other respondents of reckless imprudence result-

ing in homicide.

The parents of 13-year-old Jansyn Bataan, from Caloocan City, sought the indictment of Garin, Duque and 34 others, including the executives and officers of manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur Inc. and distributor Zuellig Pharma Corp.

That would be the sixth complaint filed so far by the families of the victims of the Dengvaxia vaccine through the assistance of the Public Attorney’s Office.

In other developments: • Parents whose children were vaccinated with the anti-dengue Dengvaxia on Thursday said that Health Secretary Next page

NO, NO, NO. Members of the Quezon City Public School Teachers Association, at a news conference Thursday in Quezon City, who will serve as Board of Elections Inspectors in the May 14 polls cry out ‘No’ to 5 percent withholding tax on poll service pay and demand their protection from election-related violence during the election period. Manny Palmero

Robredo blasts smear campaign, blames Marcos camp

By Rio N. Araja VICE President Leni Robredo on Thursday broke her silence over “lies” and an organized misinformation campaign being waged against her on social media, vowing to fight back against attacks on her persona.

Saying it is “dangerous to keep silent on false claims and lies,” Robredo said allowing such misinformation to continue would only help shape the mindset of the

people.

She said it is “everyone’s responsibility” to call out lies, as she spoke to reporters at the sidelines of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ Central Luzon Regional Conference and Mandatory Continuing Legal Education in Pampanga.

“Many opinions have been shaped by lies. We have kept silent for much too long. That is wrong. I must admit, that is not right. But it is not yet too late to correct. And now we have realized it is

wrong to [just] keep silent. We really have to call every time the attention of others of what is wrong,” the vice president said.

Robredo also turned to social media to answer those who hurled false accusations against her, saying such a move was important, particularly in the ongoing electoral protest filed by former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. against her at the Supreme Court acting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal.

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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

China installs missiles on SC Sea—report

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EIJING—Beijing Thursday reasserted its right to build “defense” facilities in the disputed South China Sea, but declined to confirm reports it had installed new missiles on artificial islands it has built in the region.

The Chinese army installed anti-ship and air-to-air defences on outposts also claimed by Vietnam and the Philippines over the last 30 days, US network CNBC reported Wednesday, citing sources close to US intelligence.

If the information is verified, it could pro-

Two senators see no reason to file reso on quo warranto

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Francis Escudero and Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III on Thursday rejected the call to the senators to pass a resolution asking the Supreme Court to suspend its quo warranto proceedings against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

Jailed Senator Leila de Lima wants her colleagues to heed this request.

“No. The House has not yet even impeached her,” Escudero said.

He said there was no impeachment case before the Senate to even speak of.

It would be presumptuous for the Senate to assume that one would be filed sometime in the future against Sereno.

“So what so-called right will the Senate as an institution be asserting and fighting for? Our putative right to try a non-existent impeachment case?” Escudero said.

He said if, indeed, Sereno’s rights to due process were being violated, the proper forum to ventilate the issue was the Supreme Court.

Sotto said he was not inclined to support a resolution in Sereno’s case.

“Firstly, it would be best that we take a hard look at the separation of powers embodied in the Constitution. We cannot interfere in the work of the SC in the same way that they cannot interfere with ours,” Sotto said.

In her Solidarity Message for the Coalition for Justice that was read during a brief ceremony at the Senate, De Lima underscored the Senate’s sole prerogative as an independent branch of government to decide on the impeachment trial.

“Together, we should speak out and stand up for the Constitution and the system of checks and balances in government. Collectively, we should stand against a grave miscarriage of justice,” De Lima said.

“As enshrined in the Constitution, the SC does not have the authority to remove a member of the Court, which can only be done via impeachment. It is the sole prerogative of the Senate to hear and decide impeachment cases.”

The convenors and members of the Coalition for Justice held a brief press conference at the Senate building on May 2 to urge the senators to pass a resolution pressing the high court to suspend the quo warranto petition against Sereno.

Solicitor General Jose Calida has filed a quo warranto petition seeking to oust Sereno, whom he accuses of “unlawfully holding” her post due to her alleged failure to make a full disclosure in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

Kalinga...

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Earlier archeological clues from Luzon island—tools at one site, pre-historic animals remains at another—hinted at the presence of primitive human species, echoing the way Homo erectus and Homo floresiensis probably populated the Indonesian archipelago during roughly the same period.

But until now, the earliest confirmed evidence of hominins—the scientific term used to group modern and early humans— in the Philippines came from a single, 67,000-year-old foot bone unearthed in the Sierra Madre Mountains.

“We had the extraordinary luck to find a nearly complete, disarticulated rhinoceros,” said Thomas Ingicco, a palaeoanthropologist at France’s National Museum of Natural History and lead author of the study.

Analysis of the bones from the extinct species—Rhinoceros philippinensis—left no doubt “that it showed ridges left by tools,” he told AFP. Some of the cut marks were made while removing flesh, while others came from specialized tools designed to remove nourishing—and no doubt delicious—marrow.

Ingicco and his colleagues also uncovered the skeletal remains of other potentially tasty critters, including brown deer, monitor lizards, freshwater turtles and stegodons, extinct mammals combining elephant and mammoth features. AFP

voke renewed tensions between countries bordering the strategically vital maritime region.

At a regular briefing on Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying neither confirmed nor denied the deployment.

“China’s peaceful construction in the Spratly archipelago, including the deployment of necessary national defence facilities, is aimed at protecting China’s sovereignty and security,” she said.

“Those who don’t intend to violate [this sovereignty] have no reason to worry,” she said.

The South China Sea issue has been brewing for years, with China, the Philip-

pines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam making competing claims in waters with vital global shipping routes and what are believed to be significant oil and natural gas deposits.

In addition to land-reclamation efforts on reefs it controls and building civilian facilities there, China also has air bases, radar and communications systems, naval facilities and defensive weaponry in place including landing strips able to accommodate military planes.

The new Chinese missiles were reportedly deployed on Fiery Cross Reef, Subi Reef and Mischief Reef, according to CNBC. They are all in the Spratly archipelago located in waters south of mainland China

between Vietnam and the Philippines.

Beijing’s territorial claims, based on its own historical records, have also pitted it against the United States.

While Washington takes no position on the sovereignty claims, it has raised concerns that Beijing is “militarizing” the South China Sea. But the US Navy itself frequently sends warships and aircraft carriers to patrol the area.

China’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment but has previously stressed that the islands were “part of Chinese territory” and that it was up to China alone to decide what it does there. AFP

Kidnap...

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Villa arrived on Wednesday after he was declared as persona non grata and was asked to leave the country.

The diplomats expressed dismay at Villa’s fate.

“The first time this has happened in our years of service as career foreign service officers and to great media fanfare,” the diplomats said.

“Our distress is compounded by the fact that this Filipino ambassador is a colleague known to us and to many others, including the thousands of OFWs he has served—to be an upright and decent man and a devoted, hardworking, public servant,” the diplomats said.

Villa, they said, was a capable career diplomatic officer and chief of mission.

They added that he “may be the first OFW in the history of the Philippine foreign service to become a career ambassador.”

The letter also wrote that “the diplomats trust that the resilience of the foreign service corps shall manifest itself, as it always done, and that these developments shall merit due reflection and the resolve to never allow this to happen again.”

Cayetano, however, said the uploaded videos were no publicity stunt.

“If I will be using it for politics, I should have come to Kuwait, and rescued the Filipina myself,” Cayetano said in an interview with reporters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.

Cayetano made the statement following calls for him to resign by a group of unnamed career diplomats.

“There are a hundred million Filipinos, anyone can criticize. But the criticisms are obvious. How many times have I told you, ‘Please, I don’t want to be interviewed.’ You get angry at me because you said I could no longer be interviewed since becoming Secretary of DFA. But when I get interviewed, some would say I’m into politicking,” he said.

Cayetano said he accepts criticisms that would help improve his work.

“We will listen and we will adjust. If it will not help, sorry but we are focused on our jobs. We have to solve the problems all over the world, not only in Kuwait,” he said.

On Wednesday, a separate letter from unnamed DFA career diplomats, asking Cayetano and his appointees to resign, was published in a daily newspaper. The resignation call was allegedly sent to Malacañang, but the DFA said the Office of the President “has not seen such a letter.”

Cayetano said it was their right to call for

his resignation.

“I respect that. But don’t use the name of the department and the career officials unless they are really the ones calling [for my ouster],” he said. “If the President wants me to go, I will go happily and I will continue to support him. If a majority in the Department of Foreign Affairs says, ‘We cannot follow you’, I have no business being there.”

Cayetano revealed he had meetings with the majority of the career diplomats, and the reception, so far, is “they understand.”

“They might not necessarily agree with our direction, but they understand,” he said.

Cayetano said the government is taking “multiple routes” to repair diplomatic ties with Kuwait.

At around past 11 p.m. on Wednesday, Cayetano, together with DFA officials including Undersecretary Ernesto Abella, accompanied Villa upon his arrival in Manila.

The envoy arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on board Philippine Airlines Flight PR 669 around 10:40 p.m., a week after the Kuwaiti government declared him persona non grata.

Cayetano said the country will move forward after Villa’s departure as the Philippines’ top envoy to Kuwait.

While he confirmed talks are on-going, Cayetano refused to go into detail when asked if he will be meeting with his Kuwaiti counterpart soon.

He continued: “The who, when, how, leave that to us first because we don’t want to box anyone [in]. We’re taking multiple routes, so the efforts of the Department of Labor and Department of Foreign Affairs are parallel but we’re going in the same direction.”

In the next few days, the DFA will be focused on a list of priority items, including the repatriation of about 800 distressed Filipinos at a shelter.

Cayetano said they will also negotiate with Kuwait to allow diplomats served with warrants of arrest to come home.

“As we continue with our engagement with our Kuwaiti counterparts, we would like to ask for the kind patience and understanding of our people, most especially those who have been affected by the recent misunderstanding,” Cayetano said.

“We assure everyone that the Philippine government will remain guided by the national interest in seeking solutions that would be beneficial to all concerned.”

The official guaranteed that the agency is following an objective—to ensure the welfare of overseas Filipinos abroad. With PNA

A DFA insider said others involved in the rescue, which was not coordianted with Kuwaiti authorities, were DFA spokesman Elmer Cato and Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson.

Cayetano insisted Wednesday the well publicized rescue operations were in line with international law.

“We did it ourselves, which is acceptable, and it is a duty under international law, but it caused commotion among them,” Cayetano said.

“That’s why I said I apologized if our actions seem to violate your sovereignty. But let me assure you, it’s in the spirit of protecting our nationals,” he said.

In the aftermath of the Kuwait row, 13 diplomats asked Cayetano in a letter to review the DFA’s protocols on the use of social media and questioned the act of releasing sensitive information to the public.

“Part of our duty to the country and this institution is to share our views—-tempered by the counsel of experience—-to help our principals make informed decisions,” the letter dated April 27 said.

“We therefore call for a review of the department’s protocols on the use of social media in the documentation and conduct of its work particularly in situations of great sensitivity and critical circumstances, where lives must be protected and the highest level of professionalism and discretion is needed,” the diplomats said.

Arriola, the source said earlier, brought along with the administration’s “spin-doctors,” bloggers, during the uncoordinated rescue mission.

When Cato released the two videos to the media, a blogger who was formerly appointed by Cayetano, RJ Nieto, posted the rescue videos on his Facebook page.

There were also videos of entertainerturned-government official Uson which showed that she was in Kuwait interviewing OUMWA executive director Dado, telling the public that the RRT was about to rescue a Filipino.

Another video also showed that she was inside a car and telling her viewers that they were on the way to rescue Filipinos.

The videos angered Kuwait, which expelled Ambassador Renato Villa and ordered the arrest of those involved in the rescue operations, which it viewed as a violation of its sovereignty.

Cayetano...

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The “loyalty check” came after a letter to the Office of the President was leaked to the media asking President Rodrigo Duterte for Cayetano’s resignation due to his gross incompetence that led to the diplomatic row with Kuwait.

The letter was confirmed by a highranking diplomats saying that except for his “closest associates and friends,” majority of diplomats want Cayetano out of the office, citing how he weakened the DFA’s role, responsibility, and accountability in foreign policy making and execution.

In an interview, a high-ranking official who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the decision to release and publicize the video showed Cayetano’s “weakness in the command and control protocol,” and that out of delicadeza, he should instead resign.“Cayetano being booted out, I think the mood is yes, except for his closest associates and friends,” the source said, confirming that some diplomats have written a letter to the Office of the President calling for him to step down.

The source said majority of the people in the DFA were “frustrated and demoralized.”

The insider said that Cayetano’s closest associates and friends were now on their withhunt for the principal suspect behind the letter.

“The letter is clear proof of conflict and demoralization within the DFA,” the insider said.

Another source shrugged off the loyalty check, calling it “a cheap trick.”

Cayetano said that he would “happily”

Naked...

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The infamous statue by a West Coast anarchist collective is one of a series depicting the 45th president in the nude, but without testicles.

In August 2016—during Trump’s then improbable bid for the White House—the statues appeared in public spaces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Seattle and Cleveland, garnering international attention.

The four other naked Trumps—titled “The Emperor Has No Balls” were confiscated or destroyed. In one cheeky response, New York officials pointed to regulations banning “any unpermitted erection in city parks, no matter how small.”

The sole surviving copy was rescued

by La Luz de Jesus Gallery on Hollywood Boulevard before it could be taken and melted down.AFP

step down from his post if Duterte asks him to.

He said that during the arrival of former Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Villa, who was expelled and declared persona non grata by the Kuwaiti government after videos of embassy personnel rescuing Filipino workers circulated on the internet.

“If the President tells me to go, I will go happily and I will continue to support him.

If a majority in the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) says we cannot follow you, I have no business being there,” Cayetano told reporters Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

“But so far, I’ve had meetings with them, they understand. They might not agree with our decisions, but they understand. So the calls are normal, it’s politics but I think you can judge whether this last year we stepped up or we’ve slacked off in taking care of the concerns of our OFWs,” he added.

The DFA, in a statement, earlier disputed a newspaper report which claimed that career diplomats want Cayetano to quit, saying the alleged call does not represent the views of the “entire Foreign Service Corps.”

In the Palace, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Cayetano, and Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo—both embroiled in controversies—continue to enjoy the President’s full trust and confidence.

“The two Cabinet members stay at their posts. Why would they resign?” Roque said in a press briefing, dousing speculation that two were on their way out.

However, Roque confirmed that the Office of the President is now looking into the P60-million ad placement by the Department of Tourism in a TV show produced and hosted by Teo’s brothers, Ben and Erwin Tulfo.

Dengvaxia...

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Francisco Duque III should either resign or be fired for his alleged inaction and coverup of the supposed perils of the Frenchmade drug.

In an April 4 letter, Sumachen Dominguez, Maricel Matias, Myra Cruz and Jessica Leongson said they wanted President Rodrigo Duterte to replace Duque with a Health chief with a “heart” to assist “victims.” *Eduardo Janairo, regional director of the Health department in Calabarzon, on Thursday issued instructions to all provincial Health representatives to immediately implement the approved guidelines for Dengvaxia claims in the region.

“This financial assistance amounting to P50,000.00 is a directive from the Office of the President. It must be given straightaway,” Janairo said.

Palace...

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of P1.3 million for a supposedly non-existent parking lot extension.

In a press briefing, Roque said the Ombudsman should look into alleged graft and corrupt practices so cases can be filed against the government officials.

“That’s why the CoA exists. That’s why the Ombudsman exists,” he said.

He said it is not the President’s duty to conduct an investigation.

“If they have enough evidence, they should press charges. Sometimes the CoA report is not enough and will not stand in court. So the Ombudsman has to investigate and has to do its own case buildup,” he said.

“You know the President when it comes to corruption. He will fire [the person] if found guilty,” he said.

The President, Roque said, has repeatedly warned public officials who are suspected of committing unlawful acts or abusing their power.

PhilHealth on Thursday defended De la Serna’s expenses.

“They are aboveboard because we believe we have legal bases and we shall respond to the audit observation,” Israel Francis Pargas, PhilHealth vice president for Corporate Affairs Group and spokesman, said in an interview.

Pargas said that the questioned travel expenses were allowed by the PhilHealth board as well as the Governance Commission for GOCCs. He said De la Serna’s trips were supported by documents such as travel authority and certifications signed by the appropriate offices.

The Public Attorney’s Office earlier filed five separate complaints for the families of Aejay Bautista, 11; Angelica Pestilos, 10; Lenard Baldonado, 10; Zandro Colite, 11; and Abbie Hedia, 13―all schoolchildren who died allegedly due to multiple organ failure after getting Dengvaxia shots.

The Justice department is set to conduct a preliminary investigation hearing on the consolidated case on May 15.

Duque was named a respondent in the cases of Bataan and Hedia because it was during his tenure when the two victims died. Bataan died in January and Hedia in February.

The parents of Hedia also filed separate a charge of obstruction of justice against the incumbent Health chief for his supposed refusal to share the master list of children inoculated with Dengvaxia, and also for issuing orders that allegedly further prevented PAO from effectively investigating the cases of death.

DoJ: Napoles faces loss of protection

By Rey E. Requejo THE Justice department said Thursday the coverage of suspected pork-barrelscam architect Janet Lim-Napoles in the government’s witness protection program will expire this month.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Napoles’ provisional coverage will end on May 26 after three months, since she was admitted to the program on Feb. 27.

“After that, we will reevaluate whether her admission in the WPP should be extended or terminated,” Guevarra said.

He said he would look into Napoles’ eligibility as a state witness in the porkbarrel cases based on the affidavit she submitted to the Justice department, where she had implicated more names in the controversy.

“Napoles’ provisional admission to the WPP covers security protection for witness duty only,” Guevarra said.

“Her request for transfer to a warehouse has been repeatedly denied by the Sandiganbayan, which has jurisdiction and control over her person.”

The Justice department placed Napoles under WPP coverage, but she remains in detention at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig and was not transferred to the custody of the program.

Under the Witness Protection Act, before a person is admitted into the WPP he or she should execute a sworn statement describing in detail the manner in which the offense was committed and his or her participation therein.

If, after the examination of his or her sworn statement and other relevant facts, and the department is satisfied that the requirements of the law and its implementing rules are met, then the applicant could be admitted into the WPP for full coverage with several financial benefits.

Among the requirements of the law for a WPP applicant to qualify as a state witness is that he or she must not be the most guilty of the crime committed.

Con-Com...

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strengthen the Philippine political party system in the new Constitution it is drafting.

During its en banc session, the Concom voted to adopt three proposed provisions on Political Party Registration (Section 3), Party Candidate Selection and Nomination (Section 4), and Party-Switching Ban (Section 5).

These sections constitute a proposed new article in the Constitution to be called “Political Rights, Suffrage and Political Parties,” Concom member Julio Cabral Teehankee said.

Some Con-Com members proposed inserting the provision giving the President the power to declare a state of war to the line in the 1987 Constitution that goes: “The Congress, by a vote of two-thirds of both Houses in joint session assembled, voting separately, shall have the sole power to declare the existence of a state of war.”

However, adding that line is a mere proposal at this point. The Con-Com subcommittee in charge of the provisions on the legislative branch has yet to vote on it.

“It was pointed out to us that there may be a situation when Congress cannot possibly meet and therefore may not be able to declare such a situation [state of war],” Con-Com member and former justice Antonio Nachura explained the rationale behind possibly adding that line.

He said that would even allow the President to “exercise other powers” related to a state of war, including the declaration of martial law.

In the 1987 Constitution, the President can declare martial law by himself but must notify Congress in writing within 48 hours and Congress may revoke the declaration.

Asked how the Con-Com proposes to provide a check on a possible abuse by the President of this power to declare a state of war without Congress, Nachura said it was up to Congress to assert itself.

“Congress itself should provide the safeguard. If Congress can meet at any time after that, they can undo what the President did,” he said. Maricel V. Cruz, with PNA

Robredo...

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She dismissed reports that she lost 21,000 votes in the ongoing manual recount, citing the misinformation was just designed to discredit her and to condition the people’s minds.

“Obviously, that is just propaganda.

Maybe, that is just meant to condition the minds of the public. But I ask, if you are claiming you won, why do you have to resort to fake news? There is no such need to do so if you really think you won,” the vice president noted, referring to Marcos.

“Some say the news come from an insider information. That’s not true. What is true is that this came from a public relations machinery of Mr. Marcos. You could see, like for example 5,000 votes were allegedly reduced [from my total votes]. I find it hard to believe such came from an insider since it [report] was written in the same manner. So, it is very obvious this is a propaganda,” she said.

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US defies China’s warning on WPS dispute

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HERE’S no stopping the United States from conducting freedom of navigation operations in the disputed islands in the West Philippine Sea.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim said the US is concerned over China’s actions and its statement warning Washington to stay away from the

disputed waters, but said that the US will continue “to protect important international rights for everybody, including the Philippines.”

Kim said China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea suggest “that they are moving towards militarization.”

“We are concerned. I think we are concerned anytime a claimant, including China, takes aggressive unilateral actions towards militarization, which is clear what they have done and I saw the report,” Kim told journalists in Manila.

The US has accused China of encroaching and militarizing the South China Sea following reports that Beijing has installed missiles and radars on artificial islands it built on the waters.

China also reportedly sent Chinese military vessels in one of the Philippineclaimed features, called the Mischief Reef (Panganiban Reef), that it now controls.

China has dismissed The Hague tribunal’s decision on a case filed by the Philippines that invalidated its virtual claim over nearly the entire waters in July 2016. It

also refused to participate in the proceedings done under the auspices of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea both signed by both the Philippines and China.

The South China Sea, or West Philippine Sea has been a significant ssealane where oil and natural gas have been discovered in several areas. The islets and islands or parts of it within the region are being claimed not only by China and the Philippines but also by Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

“We have called on countries to refrain from reclamation and militarization of the reclaimed land and we will continue to do so,” Kim, adding that “it is very important for us to be present” in the South China Sea. Kim said the recent visit of US warships, along with aircraft carriers, USS Carl Vinson and USS Theodore, Roosevelt, as well as the USS amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard in the country are “directly relevant to the situation that we have in the South China Sea.”

Lacson slams PDEA for releasing narco list Dumb and cruel.

This was how Senator Panfilo Lacson described the decision of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to release in public a list of barangay chairpersons and councilmen allegedly linked with illegal drugs.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs said the intelligence report on officials involved witih illegal drugs should only be used to gather evidence and should not be released in public.

The senator also said that PDEA should verify their intelligence reports and if warranted, file cases against the erring barangay officials.

But Lacson lamented that because the agency has al-

ready release the narco list, those who were really involved could have hidden or destroyed the evidence linking them to the drug trade.

Earlier, the Palace said that PDEA released the list to warn the public and inform them on who not to vote into office in the upcoming barangay elections.

But Lacson countered that barangay residents themselves already knew those officials involved in illegal drugs, and will still continue to vote for them if they think the officials were included in the list for political reasons.

Lacson also warned that the PDEA itself could face charges if barangay officials complain because of their tarnished image.

Only courts can order BI on Fox’s fate VACCINE MESS. With the help of the Public Attorney`s Office under lawyer Persida Rueda Acosta (right), families and relatives of children vaccinated with Dengvaxia on Thursday, May 3, 2018, filed criminal raps against Health Secretary Francisco Duque III before the Department of Justice. Norman Cruz.

Du30 names Bato as Bucor chief; Guerrero to Marina

By Vito Barcelo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has formally appointed retired Philippine National Police chief Ronald Dela Rosa as Director of the Bureau of Correction (BuCor) while former Armed Forces chief Rey Leonardo Guerrero was named administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARI-

NA). The president signed Guerrero’s appointment on April 26.

He will serve as Marina administrator until July 22, 2022.

Guerrero replaced former Marina administrator Marcia Amaro III who was fired by President Duterte due to “excessive travels.”

Marina regulates shipping activities in the country and controls the issuance of seaman’s book, con-

sidered as the passports of Filipino seafarers.

In announcing Guerrero as Marina chief during the recent AFP Change of Command rites, Duterte has commended Guerrero’s exemplary leadership that led to the successful facilitation of the clearing and reconstruction efforts in wartorn Marawi City.

He said the military was also able

to prevent the resurgence of any terrorist threat “that could have escalated to another conflict and hampered the city’s progress” under Guerrero’s leadership.

The Commander-in-Chief also noted “unparalleled” increase of number of communist and terrorist surrenderees from less than 800 to more than 5,000 during Guerrero’s tour of duty.

Faeldon maintains innocence on P6.4-b shabu smuggling

FORMER Bureau of Customs head and now Office of Civil Defense deputy administrator Nicanor Faeldon maintained that he did nothing wrong in the operation that lead to the seizure of P6.4 billion worth of shabu in Valenzuela in May last year.

The said drug shipment have an estimated weight of

602.2 kilograms “I have done nothing wrong, hinuli ko ’yan e so dapat magpasalamat kayo sakin [kundi] nasa kalsada dapat yan kundi ko nahuli,” he said Wednesday.

He added that the people behind the operation should be commended as they have received the information at

that time about the illegal drugs, with an estimated weight of 602.2 kilograms, by 10:30 a.m. and managed to seize it within three and half hours.

The Ombudsman’s Special Panel of FactFinding Investigators recommended the filing of criminal charges for vio-

lation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019) against Faeldon, Import Assessment Service Director Milo Maestrecampo, Risk Management Office Chief Larribert Hilario and Accounts Management Office Chief Mary Grace Tecson-

Malabed.

The panel also recommended the filing of administrative charges of Grave Misconduct against Faeldon and BoC officials Joel Pinawin and Oliver Valiente, as well as Gross Neglect of Duty and Grave Misconduct against Tecson-Malabed and Maestrecampo.

DoJ starts probe against suspects in bitcoin scam

PLDT told to regularize 7k plus workers

By Vito Barcelo

THE Department of Labor and Employment has ordered the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company’s and its 35 contractors to regularize the 7,306 workers and pay them monetary benefits amounting to P51.5 million.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said he has denied PLDT’s motion for reconsideration after the department found out that the company was engaged in labor-only contracting activities and for violating general labor standards.

The PLDT and its contractors appealed to the DoLE that it be allowed to

By Rey E. Requejo DoJ starts PI on cryptocurrency scam The Department of Justice has started the preliminary investigation against people who fraudulently amassed P900 million by luring investors to pour money in the scam involving cryptocurrency.

During the preliminary investigation, 10 respondents submitted their counter-affidavits before Assistant State Prosecutor Charlie Guhit.

But primary respondents Arnel and Leonady Ordonio failed to appear during the preliminary investigation.

Aside from the Ordonio couple, there are 34 other respondents identified by 28 complainants.They are facing a complaint for syndicated estafa.

The authorities arrested the couple in an entrapment operation last April 4 in Ilocos Sur. Reports said that the couple, through their company NewG Bitcoin, allegedly lured around 50 people to invest in bitcoin.

Under the scheme, the investors were promised a 30-percent return of investments with payouts every 15 days. It is similar to a pyramiding scheme where there was an upline or the one who asks people to invest, and a downline, the one who invests. Investors had the option to invest P90,000 and P160,000 per slot.

MALACAÑANG is leaving it to the courts to decide if they would prevent the Bureau of Immigration from deporting Australian nun Patricia Fox. “Unless they appeal or challenge that order of the [BI], unless they get a TRO [temporary restraining order] from the CA [Court of Appeals] that it is grave abuse of discretion then it is final and executory,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

Fox was ordered to leave the country by May 25 for allegedly violating the conditions of her stay in the country by engaging in political activities and joining anti-government demonstrations.

The immigration bureau, meanwhile, said the missionary nun can come back to the country only as a tourist, but only after the resolution on the deportation charges filed against her.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has joined the clamor to allow Fox to stay, and even tapped lawyers from President Rodrigo Duterte’s alma mater, San Beda College, to appeal the BI order revoking Fox’s missionary visa.

But the President, who led the distribution of lands in Mulanay, Quezon on Monday, has already made known his thoughts on the matter.

The President said that he would not allow any foreigner to criticize him and his policies on Philippine soil.

He even said that the government only enforced the BI order which was approved by then-Justice secretary and now Senator Leila de Lima in 2015 that prohibits foreigners from participating in rallies.

continue hiring workers under the contractual scheme.

In a resolution signed on April 24, Bello dismissed PLDT and its 35 contractors’ appeal for lack of merit while the four of its contractors’ appeal were granted.

Bello likewise ordered the contractors found to be labor-only contractors to cease and desist from further engaging in contracting activities including Activeone Health Inc., Aremay Enterprise, BBS-VPN Allied Services Corp. Philippines, Best Options Assistance, Inc., Comworks Inc.; Consolidated Management Resources; Curo Teknika Inc., and Diar’s Assistance Inc.

Better pay sought for teachers in poll

LABOR WOES. Labor group leaders tear copies of the signed Executive Order No. 51 of President Duterte on contractualization as they hold a press briefing in Manila yesterday.

Norman Cruz

SEEKING better compensation and protection for teachers who will choose to serve in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on May 14, Department of Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones reiterated her petition to the Commission on Elections for the exemption from the imposition of withholding tax on their honoraria.

In April, the Education chief appealed to Comelec that teachers who opt to

render their time, energy, and safety to ensure the integrity of the ballot must not be encumbered by such toll on their meager allowance.

“Prior to the effectivity of ESRA, no poll honoraria were ever subjected to income tax. Now that ESRA has improved the compensation package of our volunteer-teachers, it is only fitting that they truly benefit from their hard-earned compensation,” Briones pointed out.

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Opinion

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Is the nation against Charter change?

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

is not yet determined how many regions PENSEES we will have, and how asymmetrical “asymmetrical” will be! There are very FR. RANHILIO good reasons for going federal, and I am not convinced by the reasons against CALLANGAN it. But I grant that others may perceive AQUINO things differently. But it behooves us all A RECENT survey supposedly shows to know what the arguments might be that a majority of Filipinos are against for rejecting federalism and how sound Charter change. And I am convinced or unsound they might be.

Federalism is clearly pivotal, because that the task of rewriting the Charter should continue, full speed ahead. if we indeed opt to be a Federal Philippines, then obviously the Constitution These are my reasons.

Until I have heard what the reasons of 1987 will no longer do. You cannot of the so-called majority are for reject- have the benefits of a federal republic ing the revision of the Fundamental and reject the constitutional change Law, I shall consider the survey results that makes that possible. Now, if it is an interesting, if quaint, numerical da- federalism that the people purportedly tum, and hardly anything more than reject, what solutions can one have so that. Genuine discourse—that is legiti- the vexatious and enervating national mating—commences when reasons are problems for which federalism has been conceived of advanced, reasons as a solution? are challenged and My fear is that reasons are vinthe results of the dicated.

Unforsurvey are the tunately, a survey Let the new mathematization does not capture of an ad hominem: that. Perhaps, it Constitution be drafted.

I do not want Dumight even be And when we debate terte.

Cha-Cha safe to say that the its merits and demerits, is Duterte’s idea. polls we have here Ergo: I do not do not want that! then let us have the want Cha-Cha. In the absence reasons.

And if that were of reasons, we the case, it would are either in the be just one more realm of whim or disturbing indicasheer irrationality.

Tastes in art have their reasons, that is tor of stunted political maturity—to why there is universally acclaimed art: say nothing of the infantile “illogic” Monet is art while my doodling will, that begets it. If this is the case, as I suspect it is with many of our counwith very good reason, never qualify.

At this time, no definitive draft of the trymen, then there is every reason to new charter has as yet been presented. ignore the fallacy and to proceed acIn fact, what the Consultative Commit- cording to the dictates of reason. Much tee constituted by Executive Order No. besides the legitimacy of law does not 10 is not THE draft. It will be A draft, rest on mere numerical superiority. I with the peculiarity that it is by inten- am sure that no tax measure would ever tion to be the President’s draft which win popular support, but tax measures he, quite obviously, expects his party- are passed into law.

Let the new Constitution be drafted. mates in Congress to espouse. So, if pollsters are right about their numbers, And when we debate its merits and demerits, then let us have the reasons. It what was the majority rejecting?

Since the center of gravity in Charter is only then that acceptance or rejection change is the transition to a federal can be discursively redeemed. As for configuration, is it this that they are numbers, the voice of the majority is rejecting? But except for draft provisions not the voice of God—not necessarily! in the different proposals bandied about rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph by different interest groups, there is rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph no definite delineation yet between rannie_aquino@outlook.com national and regional powers. In fact, it

F

Bulacan airport

INISHING the big infrastructure projects in the pipeline is the Philippines’ ticket to sustained economic progress. Their completion without much delay will lead to increased investments and higher number of foreign tourists, and will create more jobs.

The completion of infrastructure projects, including farm-tomarket roads, airports, seaports, rail networks and storage facilities will open up many economic opportunities, especially in the countryside, and boost the government’s objective of significantly reducing the poverty incidence.

Major credit watcher S&P Global Ratings has so far endorsed the government’s infrastructure thrust, raising its outlook on the Philippines’ credit rating from “stable” to “positive.” It cited the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program and the P8.4-billion “Build Build Build” program, under which massive investments in infrastructure are set. Proceeds

from the tax reform will partly fund the infrastructure projects, estimated at about $160 billion over the next five years or up to 2022.

President Duterte last week expressed his intention to build all major infrastructure projects quickly to fulfill his election promise. This includes the P735.6-billion Bulacan airport of San Miguel Corp., which the National Economic and Development Authority board headed by the president himself approved.

The project in the coastal town of Bulakan in Bulacan province is by far the single-biggest infrastructure project of the Duterte government. The second largest is the 25-kilometer, P355.6-bil-

lion subway in Metro Manila, which aims to decongest the metropolis of heavy traffic that is causing around P3.5 billion in economic losses daily.

The unsolicited airport proposal of San Miguel, meanwhile, involves the construction, operation and maintenance of Bulacan International Airport over an area spanning 2,500 hectares. Once completed, the project will be able to accommodate 100-million passengers yearly by its opening year in 2023.

President Duterte so far has shown the political will to push ahead with major critical infrastructure projects. Foreign financial institutions also have backed the program.

It is now up to the implementing government agencies to take the lead and clear all the legal, technical and physical obstacles that could mar the implementation of the projects.

Wanda woman and the superdeal calling for Teo’s resignation.

According to the CoA report published in its website, the P60 million was in several checks for PTV 4 to air ALEJANDRO DoT’s advertising in three-minute and DEL ROSARIO six-minute commercials in the brothers Tulfo (Ben and Erwin) segment of the AS MUCH I would not want to com- program “Kilos Pronto. The program ment on the P60-million ad placement has many listeners among the masses, deal scandal, I have no choice but to particularly taxi and jeepney drivers. do so because it has turned into such a Secretary Teo claimed she did not stench of irregularity involving a Cabi- know anything about the DoT’s mulnet member of President Rodrigo Du- timillion ad placement on her brother terte. Knowing the President is against Ben’s radio TV commentary program “any whiff of anomaly” (his words) on People’s TV 4. But the Commisinvolving his official family, we can sion on Audit found it hard to believe expect Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo that the head of a major government Teo to get the axe. department would The controvernot know anything sy has snowballed about a deal inthat opposition volving millions lawmakers now of pesos. That’s Will Teo spare the want her to resign practically admitor be fired. The President the task of ting she does not militant Maka- firing her? know anything bayan party list about what’s going bloc demanded on in her departTeo’s resignation ment. out of delicadeza.

If so, then who Anakpawis Rep. signed the deal on behalf of the DoT Arnel Casilao said the law is clear— allocating P60 million for the Tulfo she should resign. media outlet? There must be some kind Will Ms. Teo spare President Du- of Wonder Woman in the DoT who has terte the task of firing her? Before the more power than Secretary Teo. Now, stinking super deal, no one even knew that’s a wanda for the tourism lady boss Secretary Wanda Teo was a Tulfo. But not to know about it. she is a Tulfo and the law prohibits apChinese chef and his chicharon pointing or doing a deal with a govFor eating a piece of chicharon, a ernment official’s immediate relative. Filipina waitress Rutcher Taer was beaten The Teo-Tulfo deal is a clear case of up by a Chinese chef in a Pasay restaurant. corruption and conflict of interest. It The victim complained to police she was took the CoA to expose the anomaly hit from behind and pinned to the floor and some quarters are wondering by the Chinese named Wang Chung Ping why President Duterte has been silent who stepped on her back. The victim about it. ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio said Wang also often shouted invectives Tinio joined the chorus of lawmakers Turn to A5

BACK CHANNEL

Why the San Miguel airport?

2. Contiguous area of project site to match it or fails to match it.

I don’t know of any Philippine com- (2,500 hectares) 3. Number of runways (four; even six pany, Filipino or foreign, which can match the parameters of the San Miguel if government wants it) 4. Delivery date (five years for the airport project, in terms of: 1. Cost (P735.63 billion or at least $14 first two runways) 5. Distance from the present Naia (27 IN THREE to four months, San Miguel billion with no government borrowings) kms north) Corp.’s P735-billion massive airport 6. Technology (state of the art, inproject in Bulacan will be subject to a volving the world’s largest and best enSwiss challenge. dowed suppliers of services, materials I don’t know why that kind of project and equipment like steel, engineering, approval by the government is named The company has construction prowess, and finance) after the Swiss (maybe because Switalways believed in profit 7. Advanced planning (San Miguel zerland is a neutral country and does with honor.

Corp. president Ramon S. Ang first pronot favor anyone, except the Pope who posed the airport in 2013 to the governis guarded by Swiss guards) but it is a ment and since Day One has prepared good system for a project proponent to every aspect of planning, engineering, proceed with his project, after everyone envious or ambitious is given a chance Turn to A5

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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

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Opinion Soft landing in PH-Kuwait row CROSSROADS

JONATHAN DE LA CRUZ ALL is well, that ends well. Or so it seems.

After the diplomatic spat between the Philippines and Kuwait which saw the expulsion of our envoy, career diplomat Renato Villa, and the recall of the Kuwaiti ambassador for consultations, the stalled bilateral talks meant to review and reform our present worker (especially household workers) deployment program to that Gulf country is reported to resume within the week.

That is good news given the otherwise cordial relations between the two countries. We have more than 200,000 workers in Kuwait and Kuwait has multi-million dollar investments here.

President Duterte, who had earlier declared a permanent deployment ban of workers to Kuwait, said: “I am not going to attack anymore because we have ongoing talks ...I’ve decided not to add to anything because they [Filipino workers] are still there..so it’s just soft landing for me..soft landing..I am not going to make careless remarks because so much is at stake.”

That conciliatory gesture from the President was duly reciprocated with praise and respect by Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al Jarallah who noted that his country “...appreciated the contributions of [the] Filipinos who are working in various sectors in Kuwait.” He said his country is keen in maintaining the safety and rights of all expatriates including Filipinos.

A number of prominent Kuwaiti businessmen, even some members of the ruling Al-Sabah family, interviewed by local media even recalled that during the first Gulf War, it was only the Filipino workers who stayed and kept their offices and households safe from burglars and other mayhem makers.

It was DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu who remains the country’s Special Envoy to the Middle East in a concurrent capacity who recalled the same observation of our countrymen’s heroic and loyal service in Kuwait during a

hastily called meeting in Davao among President Duterte, Secretaries Alan Peter Cayetano and Silvestre Bello III and the Kuwaiti Ambassador and his senior officials the week before the escalation.

At the start of that tense meeting, Cimatu who was himself in Kuwait during the war, reminded the Kuwaiti ambassador that the Filipino workers proved themselves as they stayed in Kuwait all throughout the war even as most other expatriates left the country with their employers.

“Our workers stood by you in your hour of need, so we expect some measure of gratitude on your part by treating our workers well and making sure that they get their just due,” Cimatu said.

The diplomatic channels have reopened and the bilateral discussions have resumed.

That broke the ice and the meeting was considered a success—until the release of that controversial “rescue video” by DFA Assistant Secretary Elmer Kato which apparently got members of the Kuwaiti Parliament on the warpath. It also surprised President Duterte who was in Singapore over the weekend and put him in a bind.

The President said he would take care of the matter and urged everybody to keep calm. As of this writing, we were informed that the diplomatic channels have reopened and the bilateral discussions have resumed.

We are now being told that Bello will proceed to Kuwait by next week to finalize the reformed RP-Kuwait Labor Agreement and, perhaps more importantly, reassure our workers that the Duterte administration is on the ball to ensure that their safety and welfare will be justly enhanced. Of course, he is expected to bring President Duterte’s good wishes when he calls on the Kuwaiti Emir and, as should be the

case, bring home similar expressions of good wishes and assurances from the highest Kuwaiti leadership that our workers will be treated as properly and humanely as possible. SANA NA NGA. *** What was PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino trying to achieve anyway? This question is being asked Aquino released the list of barangay officials on the so-called narco list without even a by-your-leave from President Duterte and, better still, from the courts.

Really now, what prompted the otherwise well regarded police officer to release this list? Raw, validated or whatever, it remains a mystery. And now it is the butt of whispering and condemnation.

President Duterte himself had advised Aquino early on against releasing any such list.

He even told Aquino to just file cases against those suspected to be involved in the drug trade. Even the normally soft spoken Senator Greg Honasan castigated Aquino for the premature disclosure, as the same would unfairly subject the officials to trial by publicity and violate their rights.

Honasan’s mistah and former PNP Chief, Senator Ping Lacson, was even more aghast at the PDEA move. “Publicizing the intelligence report did not make sense. First, it could warn the persons concerned and second, they could be open to harassment or even risk of life which makes such move dumb and equally bad on both counts.”

Of course, the Commission on Human Rights issued a statement of concern saying the release of the list violated the rights of those listed and destroyed their lives. It was good they did not include in their statement a line or two against the “excesses” of the Duterte administration which has been de rigeur in their previous issuances.

With such bipartisan condemnation of his act, it is best for the PDEA chief to acknowledge his mistake and make amends. He can file the necessary cases soonest to avoid further damage.

After all, he insists the list has been validated and that the agency is ready to go to court. So go.

Tokyo digital art museum looks to ‘expand the beautiful’

By Anne Beade THE waterfall appears to run down the wall of a room and across the floor, but the flow is an illusion—a digital exhibit at a new interactive museum in Tokyo The flower-filled waterfall is the work of Japanese collective teamLab, known internationally for their innovative “digital art” that combines projections, sound and carefully designed spaces to create otherworldly, immersive experiences.

After exhibitions around the world, they are opening this summer a museum dedicated entirely to their unique brand of artwork.

The space is being billed as a first, a digital museum with artwork that envelops and interacts with visitors.

One space features a bucolic rice field, another is filled with seemingly endless hanging lamps that illuminate as the visitor nears, the light moving from one lamp to another around the room.

Elsewhere, a waterfall filled with flowers appears to flow over a hill or waves crash along the walls, throwing spray towards the ceiling.

The exhibits are designed to flow into one another and interact with each other and the viewer. Some follow visitors or react in different ways when they are touched.

“We have created a borderless world made up of pieces of artwork that move by themselves, communicate with each other and mix perfectly with others,”

Wanda...

From A4

at her. Perhaps he wanted to taste her but she won’t let him?

This abusive Chinese must think the Philippines is already a province of China and he can do anything he wants against our people. No wonder Taiwan is resisting being taken over by mainland China.

teamLab co-founder Toshiyuki Inoko, 41, told AFP. “I would like this space to become a place where we can remember that borders do not exist in our world,” he said.

Some exhibits also encourage visitor participation—in one, viewers are “propelled into space” by bouncing on a trampoline in the midst of an intergalactic projection, in another they can dance in unison with performers who appear as translucent silhouettes.

Inoko, who has a background in physics, founded teamLab in 2001 with four fellow Tokyo University students, but the collective didn’t make its artistic debut until 2011, with a show at a gallery in Taipei.

Three years later, New York’s Pace Gallery began promoting their work, and in 2015, they organized their first exhibition in Japan, drawing nearly 500,000 visitors over 130 days.

Since then, they have shown across the world, with exhibitions in London, Silicon Valley, China and elsewhere and the collective has grown to some 500 members.

Liberating art They describe themselves as “ultratechnologists”, who combine expertise in speciality fields, including engineering, robotics and architecture, with hands-on manual labour to produce art.

While teamLab works are now in several permanent collections, the new museum will be the first permanent space completely devoted to the collective’s pieces.

The cost of the project has not been disclosed, but a team member told AFP that each piece of artwork can cost around $1-2 million.

The collective will have some 50 exhibits in the space covering 10,000 square metres (more than 100,000 square feet) in the bayside Odaiba area of Tokyo.

They have partnered with property management company Mori Building, and secured support from Japanese companies ranging from Panasonic to Epson.

Dubbed the Mori Building Digital Art Museum: teamLab Borderless, the facility will open its doors on June 21, charging 3,200 yen ($29) a ticket.

Maintaining the artwork requires a bank of 520 computers and 470 projectors, but the real key is the set of sophisticated algorithms that generates images in real time.

The artworks are “neither prerecorded animations nor images on loop,” says teamLab. The collective say they want to use digital technology to “expand the beautiful.”

“Unlike a physical painting on a canvas, the non-material digital technology can liberate art,” they say in an explanation of their work.

“Because of its ability to transform itself freely, it can transcend boundaries.”

“The fact that the universe transforms with the presence of the other is very important for us,” Inoko told AFP. “I am as much a part of the artwork as the other visitors,” he said. AFP

Filipinos need not go work in the Middle East to be abused by their Arab employers. They can be abused right here in their own country. Have we gotten so low no one respects us anymore?

Winning international beauty pageant titles like Miss Universe, Miss World or Miss International does not really elevate us a people. Singapore which has yet to win any world beauty title is respected for its educational attainment and its robust economy.

The Chinese chef, Bureau of Immigration investigators found out, was an undocumented alien who was working without the necessary papers. Deportation is too easy for this cruel SOB. He should be cooked in boiling oil and made into chicharon. If he likes chicharon so much he should just buy the popular brand Lapid’s. One thing about Lapid—just add the letter “A” at the end and it comes out as “lapida” or the Tagalog word for grave marker.

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Social justice’s hidden agenda things? Well, whatever the champions of social justice decide this week. But first, last, and always, it is the cause of economic redistribution.

ERIC According to the doctrine of social JURADO justice, the haves always have too much; the have-nots, never enough. You don’t TRY this at your next party. Ask your have to take my word for it. That is preguests to define the term “social justice.” cisely how a UN report on social justice It’s not Charades, but it should gener- defines the term: “Social justice may be ate some interesting conversation, espe- broadly understood as the fair and comcially if your guests are on the political passionate distribution of the fruits of left. economic growth. Social justice is not Since everyone on that side of the possible without strong and coherent respectrum talks incessantly about social distributive policies conceived and imjustice, they should be able to provide a plemented by public agencies.” Let me good definition, right? But ask 10 politi- repeat that: “Strong and coherent rediscal leftists to tell you what they mean by tributive policies conceived and implesocial justice and you’ll get ten different mented by public agencies.” answers. That’s because social justice It gets worse. means anything its champions want it The UN report goes on to insist that: to mean.

“Present-day believers in an absolute Almost without exception, govern- truth identified with virtue and justice ment, labor unions, universities and are neither willing nor desirable comcolleges, private foundations, and pub- panions for the defenders of social juslic charities claim at least part of their tice.” Translation: if you believe truth mission to be the and justice are conspreading of socepts independent cial justice far and of the agenda of wide. the forces of proHere’s a state gress as defined Beware of what will policy from the by the political left, 1987 Philippine be done in its name. you are an enemy Constitution: of social justice.

“The State shall Compassion— promote social or social justice— justice in all phasis when governes of national development.” Here’s the ment takes your money and gives it to mission statement of the Philippines’ someone else. Greed is when you want Social Security System, but it could be to keep it. the mission statement for a thousand The underlying point of social justice, such organizations: “To manage a sound then, amounts to a sweeping indictment and viable social security system which of a free society. shall promote social justice and provide It suggests that any perceived unfairmeaningful protection to members and ness, or sorrow, or economic want must their families…” In short, social justice be addressed by yet another government is code for good things no one needs to effort to remedy that unfairness, that argue for—and no one dare be against. sorrow, or that economic want.

This very much troubled the great All we need to do is invoke the abraeconomist Friedrich Hayek. This is cadabra phrase, social justice, and we’re what he wrote in 1976, two years after on our way. winning the Nobel Prize in Economics.

The invocation of social justice al“I have come to feel strongly that the ways works from the assumption that greatest service I can still render to my the right people—the anointed few— fellow men would be that I could make can simply impose fairness, prosperity, the speakers and writers among them and any other good thing you can think thoroughly ashamed ever again to em- of. And the only institution capable of ploy the term, social justice.” imposing social justice is the state.

Why was Hayek so upset by what Keep in mind that the conventional seems like such a positive, and certainly wisdom among political leftist elites is unobjectionable, term? Because Hayek, that conservatives are the ones who want as he so often did, saw right to the core to impose their values on everyone else. of the issue. And what he saw frightened The self-declared champions of social him. justice believe the state must remedy Hayek understood that beneath the and can remedy all perceived wrongs. political opportunism and intellectual Anyone who disagrees is an enemy of laziness of the term, social justice, was a what is good and right. And the state pernicious philosophical claim, namely must therefore coerce them to do what is that freedom must be sacrificed in order socially just. And that, as Hayek prophto redistribute income. esied, is no longer a free society.

Ultimately, social justice is about the Is that the kind of society you want to state amassing ever increasing power in live in? If it isn’t, beware of what will be order to do good things. What are good done in the name of social justice.

FROM WHERE I STAND

Why...

From A4

financing, management team, and project execution and thus enjoys what you call the first proponent or first mover advantage and a short learning curve once notice to proceed is given) 8. Ancillary amenities like a seaport, a cargo hub, an industrial estate (where locators can expect cheap electricity and water since SMC is Luzon’s biggest electricity producer and will operate Luzon’s biggest water resource), an above and underground link from Bulacan to Manila, Makati, and the present Naia plus several connecting expressways 9. Project track record (SMC operates 100 industrial plants, 55 percent of Luzon’s toll roads, and the bulk of Luzon’s power plants) 10. Size (SMC is the country’s largest conglomerate in sales which this year will exceed P950 billion, 5 percent of the national output of goods and services or GDP, the most profitable with profits hitting P65 billion to P70 billion this year, has the biggest retail network involving some 700,000 sari-sari stores, and 11. Reputation (Today, the world knows only of three things about the Philippines: Rodrigo Duterte, the president and strong leader; Manny Pacquiao, the boxing champion, and San Miguel, the conglomerate and its beer.)

Why San Miguel for our airport?

In the 2004 movie “Troy,” Achilles, played by Brat Pitt, slays the giant warrior of a man with a single leap and a single stroke of his sword onto the enemy’s left shoulder and then asks the roaring crowd: “Is there no one else?” The slain warrior’s king, of course, doesn’t like what he saw, but is advised by his commander, “We need him.”

We need San Miguel’s airport like we needed to rewrite our history from one of mediocrity to one of greatness.

All our lives, we have lived by a culture of smallness. We celebrate defeats like the Fall of Bataan but not victories like the conquest of Lapu-Lapu of the arrogant intruder Magellan (Do we have a Lapu-Lapu holiday?).

The best marketing gimmicks are in sachets or tingi and not wholesale. We still plan of travelling fast, in 30 minutes, the 50 kms. from Balintawak to Malolos while other nations are planning to go to the moon or Mars, millions of miles and light years away. Still, the Japanese will do it for us, not our own Filipino engineers, and by using cheap Filipino labor. We think connecting Clark and Subic with 71 kms. of railway is great when in fact, the Philippines used to enjoy the longest railway system in the entire Southeast Asia. The Philippines built Asean’s first expressway (the NLEX today), the first elevated rail-

way (LRT1), the first aqueduct, and Asia’s first water and sewerage system (Nawasa) when most Asians had no access to potable water and treated sewage.

In the 1970s, the Philippines was an export powerhouse with export earnings ten times those of South Korea, Taiwan, and Hongkong.

The San Miguel airport brings us back to a bygone era of greatness when Filipinos were builders of men, of economies, and of nations. We should think like the Vietnamese. In five years, Vietnam became the biggest rice exporter and biggest coffee exporter. It cut its unemployment to half of ours.

The San Miguel airport has many benefits. They include: 1. Massive employment. Manila will attract 20-million tourists. Every tourist arrival creates two jobs so that’s 40-million jobs, enough to solve the country’s unemployment four times. A five-star hotel needs four workers per room.

2. Additional one percentage to GDP growth rate.

3) It will cut cost of air travel drastically. A one-hour flight in the Philippines is about $300; in Vietnam it’s $50; in Europe it’s 60 euros.

4. It will cut cargo cost by 90 percent, from $10 per kilo to $1. Electronics requires just in time assembly and delivery which an airport can provide.

5. It will solve Metro Manila’s traffic which costs us P3 billion per day.

6. It will revitalize industry and make the Philippines an export powerhouse again (electronics and transport parts are our No. 1 export).

7. If the 650 hectares of old Naia are sold as a real estate deal it will generate P2 trillion, enough to build Manila’s most modern business city (Makati’s Central Business District is only 100 hectares; that of Fort Boni 250 has.), and enough to jumpstart President Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” and solve poverty almost overnight. His Free College costs only P60 billion a year. College education is the best way to lick poverty.

8. It will not drain government resources.

Financing will be handled by San Miguel whose current borrowings is only one-third of its allowable debts.

9. It will make Duterte a great president.

10. It will make the Philippines truly a great nation, overhaul our culture of smallness, and make every Filipino proud of himself.

But will San Miguel make money? Of course, but not much—only 7 percent return per year. SMC will recover its cost in 15 years.

But then San Miguel has always believed in profit with honor. More importantly, San Miguel’s business is not beer or any other product or service. It is development. biznewsasia@gmail.com

News

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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

US to donate addl P182m for Marawi victims UNITED States Ambassador Sung Kim on Thursday announced the US would povide an additional P182-million assistance for the people displaced due to the Marawi City conflict in 2017.

This amount brings to nearly P1.4 billion the total contribution of US government, through US Agency for International Development, for the total recovery of the southern city.

“Together with our partners on the ground, we will build transitional shelters, repair water and sanitation facilities, provide social support, establish safe spaces to protect women and children from exploitation and violence, and, hopefully, in the process, also help jump-start the local economy,” Kim told reporters at the US Embassy in Manila.

Last January, the embassy allocated an additional P330 million to support young women and men to enhance job skills and attain livelihoods.

The United States, through USAID, has been a key partner of the Philippine government in the recovery, stabilization, and rehabilitation of Marawi City and its surrounding areas.

USAID’s early assistance involved restoring access to water and distributing desks for schools where displaced students are enrolled. It also provided health clinics in Marawi City and surrounding areas with supplies and services to combat tuberculosis and support maternal, newborn, and child health needs. PNA

NPA hit man slain, 4 others are captured

By Francisco Tuyay

NPA REGULARS NABBED. Calabarzon Regional Director C/Supt. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar presents to media Thursday at Camp Paciano in Laguna the arrested members of New People’s Army identified as Luis Etolarde Alano, Shirley de Guzman Martinez, Felicidad de Mesa Villegas, Cristy Ramos Lacuarta and Ismael Salazar, nabbed during an encounter between the Laguna Police and the guerrillas at Barangay Kabulusan, Pakil, Laguna. Manny Palmero

Du30 distributes land titles to Bondoc farmers

‘Misdeeds will never Military nixes be tolerated’ ransom payment

By Joel E. Zurbano

MILITARY authorities have urged the families of the four kidnap victims—two police woman and two civilians snatched

by Abu Sayyaf-affiliated terrorist group— not to succumb to the ransom demand by the kidnappers.

“We are discouraging them [to pay], and to trust us in our efforts to rescue them [victims] safely,” Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the military’s Joint Task Force Sulu, currently pursuing the terrorist kidnappers, said Thursday.

He said paying the ransom demand would only encourage them to continue in their kidnapping activities.

The terrorist kidnap group had been reportedly asking P5 million and P300,000 for the release of the two policewoman and two of their companions, but PNP chief Oscar Albayalde refused to give in saying “that’s a terror activity, so we do not give in to these kinds of demands to them we consider terrorist.”

Police woman P02 Bennierose Alvarez and P01 Dinah Humahad, along with Jakosalem Ahamad Blas and Faizal Ahidji were on their way back to Jolo town after strolling on the Quezon beach when flagged down and forcibly taken by the ASG last week.

Sobejana, for his part, said they could not compel the families of the kidnap victims to pay ransom just to ensure the safety of their loved ones.

“Of course, we understand the sentiments of the families who want to make sure that their loved ones will go home safe and alive but on our part, we are doing our best,” said Sobejana.

“We cannot compel them [victims’ families] not to give in…but for us, we will stop ransom payment…we need to do all we can,” he added.

Two days after the kidnapping incident, ground troops on a search and rescue mission encountered a terrorist group believed to have had a hand in the kidnapping.

As troops pursue the ASG bandits, a constant coordination with local officials and religious leaders in the area was progressing to convince the suspects to just free the victims.

Sobejana tagged the group of Mujir Rada as responsible for the kidnapping of the four victims. Francisco Tuyay

NATIONAL Capital Region Police Office Director Camilo Cascolan said he would never tolerate any misdeeds of police officers and warned that chiefs of police would also suffer the consequence if they did not take full responsibility over their personnel.

This developed as Cascolan revealed his office was now investigating cases of police personnel involved in various irregularities.

He said the probe was in line with the NCRPO’s intensified Internal Cleansing Program.

The NCRPO chief ordered his men from the Discipline, Law and Order Section, Regional Investigation and Detection Management Division-Pre-Charge Section, and Legal Service to hasten their investigation on erring cops.

“As much as we are eager to clean our ranks, we have to observe speedy but thorough investigation,” said Cascolan.

Cascolan earlier ordered the relief and the filing of criminal and administrative complaint against the three policemenbrothers who confronted a man in his house following a traffic incident in Caloocan City.

The policemen were PO3 Ralph Soriano, assigned at the Northern Police District; and PO1 Rendel Soriano and PO1 Reniel Soriano, both members of the Drug Enforcement Group based in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Cascolan reminded all police officers that he had zero tolerance on erring, abusive and tardy policeman. He said the NCRPO was working overtime not just to fulfill his commitment but also to lead by example and be the encouragement of every policeman.

Cascolan reiterated his directives to all District Directors, Chiefs of Police and Station Commanders in Metro Manila to perform well their respective task and duties as well as to monitor and ensure that their men were doing well and recognition would follow.

“More than any award, I would like to emphasize that recognition or even a simple appreciation to (sic) the good deeds that you do for the organization and for the public will definitely bring you pride and feeling of satisfaction,” he said.

By Vito Barcelo and Rio Araja

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte distributed land titles to farmers of Bondoc Peninsula covering 639 hectares of land under the government’s agrarian reform program, the Palace said.

At least 387 farmers received the certificate of land ownership awards (CLOAs) from the President in a simple awarding ceremony in Mulanay, Quezon province.

In a related development, Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones on Thursday said a continuation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program was likely.

At a news conference, Castriciones said President Duterte wanted to resume land reform.

“He wants a second phase of land reform. We need Congress, according to the President,” he said.

About 500,000 hectares of land across the country could still be placed under the agrarian reform program, he said.

“I was instructed by the President to cover all available lands under the program. He sees land in Mindanao which are productive. Even the mountainous areas are planted with coconut and rubber,” the agrarian reform chief said.

After 26 years, CARP expired on June 30, 2014.

Despite the program’s expiration, the Department of Agrarian Reform continued to distribute over six million hectares of land to farmers with notices of coverage.

He said the government idle lands did not do any good for the government and it was better given to the farmers so they could develop them into farm.

“They can plant coconut or rubber since

COURTESY CALL. Newly installed Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group C/Supt. Dionardo Carlos (center) Wednesday calls on Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Director General Capt. Jim Sydiongco (right) to discuss aviation safety and security issues. With them is CAAP Director General Capt. Don Mendoza (left). Eric Apolonio

‘It‘s more fun in PH’ ad puts Jimenez on spot

By Rio N. Araja FORMER Tourism secretary Ramon Jimenez is facing charges of graft and corruption before the Office of the Ombudsman for the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” advertising campaign of the Department of Tourism during his tenure.

The National Bureau of Investigation initiated the filing of the charges against Jimenez for his supposed connivance to award and extend twice a tourism advertising campaign project that cost almost P1.2 billion for three years.

Also charged were Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr., who was then an assistant secretary at the DoT during the award of the ad campaign, and lawyer Guiller Asido, ex-chief operating officer of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority and now administrator

of the Intramuros Administration.

The NBI urged the Ombudsman to charge the accused who are still active in government service to be charged with administrative cases of gross negligence of duty and serious dishonesty.

The bureau said the department should have not awarded the ad campaign contract to the advertising agency Dentsu over its failure to comply with documentary requirements, citing the extension of the ad contract twice in 2013 by Jimenez and his co-accused.

This proved “a conspiracy to circumvent the National Government’s Procurement Law and processes,” the bureau said.

Based on the NBI findings, the ad agency that won the contract should not even have been awarded the original advertising campaign project in October 2012 costing P200 million, because it

these lands are mostly hills and mountains,” Duterte said in Filipino.

However, the President said he needed the cooperation of Congress for it to materialize.

Duterte said the government would be able to earn money as the economy grows, adding that with less corruption, government programs would succeed.

The President noted that agriculture had always been the missing link in the country’s economy, as he proposed that other areas must look at Mindanao as the model for agriculture development.

He noted that the region had succeeded in cultivating rubber, coconut and upland palay.

The program aims to empower agrarian reform beneficiaries through equitable distribution of agricultural lands and support services to local farmers.

The CLOAs covered areas in Hacienda Matias in San Francisco, Quezon, which has been one of the disputed areas in the Bondoc Peninsula.

The Matias properties have been among the largest land acquisition and distribution targets in Quezon province along with the Reyes and Tan families, covering thousands of hectares under each family name.

Since President Duterte assumed office in 2016, DAR made two CLOA distributions: one in October 2017 in San Narciso covering 1,270 hectares and another one in April 2018 in the same municipality covering 780 hectares.

was found in July 2012 to be “ineligible” to participate in the project by the special bids and awards committee created by former Tourism secretary Albert Lim. The investigation also showed the Tourism department and its special bids and awards committee ignored basic bidding rules and short-listed Dentsu instead of doing so with one other company.

DoT’s technical working group and the bids and awards committee gave the winning company the highest technical rating over the other bidder, but the original advertising campaign contract landed with Dentsu in October 2012.

Jimenez extended the original contract on Feb. 1, 2013 to June 30, 2013 at higher cost of P400 million, and included a 2 percent professional fee for the ad agency.

A MEMBER of the New People’s Army hit squad was killed while four others, including three amazons, were captured during a clash with government troops in Laguna Wednesday afternoon, police said Thursday.

C/Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, director of the Calabarzon police office, said the clash was between operatives of the Laguna Mobile Force Company and Regional Intelligence Unit and an NPA rebel band on board a van.

He identified the slain rebels as Ismael Criste, alias Ka Maeng, a member of the Rebolusyonaryong Buwis sa Kaaway na Uri of the NPA’s Cesar Batrallo Command operating in Laguna province and nearby towns in Southern Tagalog.

The captured rebels were Luis Etolarde Alano, 44 of Tanauan, Batangas; Shirley de Guzman Martines, alias Shee, 47 of San Antonio, Quezon; Felicidad de Mesa Villegas, alias Ka Felly, 60 of Barangay Banilan, Pakil, Laguna; and Cristy Ramos Lacuarta alias Tintin of Dao Nasunugan, Capiz City.

Eleazar said the clash occurred at about 4:30 p.m. along a checkpoint setup by the troops in Barangay Dambo, Pangil town, only 12 days before the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

Records showed that Alano and De Guzman were reportedly members of the Cesar Batrallo Command while De Mesa and Ramos belonged to the Special Partisan Unit of the NPA. The military’s Southern Luzon Command based in Camp Nakar, Lucena City identified Cristy Ramos as the alleged leader of the NPA rebel band the military had encountered.

Military authorities said the rebel band was tasked to conduct atrocities against government troops in Sta. Cruz and Alaminos, both in Laguna.

Recovered from the slain and captured rebels were four caliber 45 pistols; and Intra Tec.9mm sub-machinegun; a garand rifle; a .38 cal. revolver and two hand grenades.

HK firm to build integrated resort

By Vito Barcelo CHINA’s biggest real estate developer will build a multi-billion dollar integrated leisure and entertainment resort at the country’s entertainment city of Parañaque that would cater to Filipino and foreign visitors.

The Landing International Development Limited said Thursday it had received approval from the Parañaque City Council to develop and operate an integrated resort in the Philippines after leasing 9.5 hectares of land earlier this month.

The Hong Kong-based company said that Parañaque City Council had passed a resolution approving and granting the request of Landing Resorts Philippines Development Corp. to operate a resort in the Entertainment City in Barangay Tambo, Parañaque.

The Chinese company said that the integrated resort would include a Filipino culture theme park, an indoor waterpark, an indoor movie-based theme park, a convention center, hotels, a retail mall and other commercial and entertainment facilities.

The Landing International, which owns and operates Korea’s Jeju Shinhwa World, did not mention if a casino would be built but the company d e s c r ibed the proposed facility as a leisure and theme park.

Landing International Development’s chairman and executive director, Dr. Yang Zhihui has met with President Rodrigo Duterte and discussed the proposed multi-billion project that would create hundreds of jobs in the country.

PCSO official clarifies agency does not provide gas allocations for ambulances AN OFFICIAL of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s Charity Assistance Department clarified Thursday that the agency does not provide repairs and gas allocation for ambulances donated to local government units and other institutional partners.

But if there are violations on the use of the donated vehicles, this should be reported immediately to the PCSO for appropriate action, said Dr. Larry Cedro, Assistant general manager for Charity Sector.

“Part of the Memorandum of Agreement between PCSO and the local government unit is this, once the deed of donation was signed, the responsibility of ambulance use and maintenance automatically goes to the beneficiaries,” Cedro said during a press

conference at the Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club in Lipa City, Batangas.

The event highlighted the 2018 First Quarter Report of the agency led by PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan, who disclosed the agency’s P15.9-billion earnings from its various lottery games.

One of the complaints that came out was that some donated PCSO ambulances are being used by government officials for personal purposes, and most of the time during emergency situations, patients shoulder the gasoline expenses, which should not be the case.

Cedro clarified that under the MOA, beneficiaries are responsible in making sure the vehicle is in top condition, and that the vehicle is readily available for use by their constituents.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

Manila

Standard

TODAY

A7

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Carlos-Padilla’s 69 sets pace in National Pro-Am golfest J

OBIM Carlos and new partner DJ Padilla bucked the wind and heat and banked on an early eagle feat to fire a threeunder 69 and grab a two-stroke lead over Jelbert Gamolo and Rupert Zaragosa at the start of the Delimondo National Pro-am at Splendido Taal Golf Club in Laurel, Batangas yesterday.

Carlos, 25, and Padilla parred the first two holes from No. 8 where they started in a shotgun start then eagled the par-5 No. 10 then added three birdies against two bogeys in the alternate-shot format that put the pair in command of the 84-pair starting field.

“We played steady and had an almost trouble-free round,” said Carlos, joint 12th with then teammate L. Lagman in last year’s inaugural staging of the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. “The wind was strong and we’re lucky to finish with a 69.”

While Carlos and Padilla leaned on a strong start, Gamolo and Zaragosa overcame a bogeybogey opening from No. 14 with three birdies in the last 10 holes as they carded a 71 to stay in early contention in the 54-hole tournament sponsored by Delimondo.

Tonton Asistio and Jude Eustaquio, who

nipped Gamolo and then teammate Jolo Magcalayo in a playoff to rule the inaugural staging put up by ICTSI last year at Mt. Malarayat, wavered in windy condition, fumbling with three bogeys and a double-bogey against two birdies for a 75 in a tie with the Elmer Salvador-Oliver Gan, and John Kier Abdon-Raymund Sangil pairs.

Turning in identical 74s were Artemio Murakami-Takuya Kawamura, Jhonnel AbabaJaemin Koo, Zanieboy Gialon-Ian Dagatan and Richard Sinfuego-Lorna Tabuena.

The other fancied teams, however, struggled and turned in soaring scores, including Clyde Mondilla and Jeric Hechanova, who bogeyed the first four holes and failed to sustain their fightback of birdies on Nos. 8 and 10 with three straight bogeys from No. 13 before dropping Amateur DJ Padilla lines up his putt as Jobim two more strokes on No. 16 for a 79.

Carlos looks on.

tions like Rotary and Lions, among others, will be invited to take part in the 10-miler and fivekilometer fun run. A kiddie’s three-kilometer run will also be staged in the family-oriented run that also features food and music festivals.

“We want to create an iconic family-oriented festival right in the middle of the year,” said P7’s Eric Coronacion, who added that dialysis patients will be ferried to the Scout Barrio grounds for a picnic at noon and before the 2:30 p.m. runs.

Twelve Baguio bands have already confirmed their participation, including the PowerPuff Corn, led by Ceasar Salcedo. The music part will start at 12 noon and will play until midnight.

Food booths will open at 8 a.m.

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR CONFIRMATION AND APPROVAL OF CALCULATIONS OF OVER OR UNDER RECOVERIES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AUTOMATIC COST ADJUSTMENTS AND TRUE UP MECHANISMS LIGHT

COMPANY,

ERC CASE NO. 2018-012 CF

INC.

Applicant. x-----------------------------------------------x NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 22 March 2018, an Application dated 16 March 2018 was filed by applicant Bohol Light Company, Inc. (BLCI) seeking the Commission’s confirmation and approval of calculations of (over) or underrecoveries in the implementation of Automatic Cost Adjustments and True-up Mechanisms.

BLCI alleged the following in its Application: 1. BLCI is a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with principal address at BLCI Building, Ramon Enorio Street, Tagbilaran City, Bohol. It is a distribution utility with franchise and Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to operate electric light and power services in Tagbilaran City.

2. This application is filed pursuant to the following resolutions of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC): (a) Resolution No. 16, Series of 2009, entitled, “A Resolution Adopting the Rules Governing the Automatic Cost Adjustment and True-Up Mechanisms and Corresponding Confirmation Process for Distribution Utilities,” (b) Resolution No. 21, Series of 2010, entitled, “A Resolution Amending Section 4 of Article 4 and Section 1 of Article 5 of the Rules Governing the Automatic Cost Adjustment and True-Up Mechanisms and Corresponding Confirmation Process for Distribution Utilities,” and (c) Resolution No. 23, Series of 2010, entitled, “A Resolution Adopting the Rules Implementing the Discounts to Qualified Senior Citizen End-Users and Subsidy from the Subsidizing End-Users on Electricity Consumption Under Section 4 & 5 of Republic Act No. 9994·”

Aboard his trusted Honda Civic Hatchback, Ram Rafanan of Globe Spade Racing Team Baguio City clocks 45.97 seconds in the first stop of the 3-leg Race Motorsports Club Phoenix Pulse Technology Slalom Invitational Challenge at Robinsons CYAN Place Calasiao, Pangasinan.

MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Pro league extends Passport on Wheels AVOID the hassle in securing a passport.

The Philippine Basketball Association has extended the deadline on its ‘Passport on Wheels Services’ to help more fans in need of a passport.

To allow more of its fans to avail of the service, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial has instructed his staff to put up a satellite counter on venues where the games are scheduled to be played. The special counter will issue DFA forms to fans applying for or renewing their passports.

“This is our way of giving back to the fans.

This is just a simple project but it will benefit those who are in need of a passport,” said Marcial.

PBA personnel manning the special counter will issue DFA forms only to ticket holders of the day’s scheduled games. A fan can avail an application form for three applicants maximum.

All application forms must be submitted at the PBA office or at the special counter where the games are played not later than June 10.

Rombawa, Bernardo share net honors THIRD seed Allen Rombawa posted a win and a runner-up finish while Denise Bernardo took the girls’ 18-and-under crown as they bagged the MVP honors in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala San Pablo regional age-group tennis tournament at the Alina and San Pablo Tennis Courts in Laguna last Wednesday.

Rombawa dominated JT Bernardo, 6-1, 6-1, in the boys’ 16-U finals but yielded the 18-U diadem, 7-6(3) ret., to fellow local bet Cesar Mestiola due to bum stomach. The No. 2 Bernardo, on the other hand, survived a first set scare and the Los Baños bet ripped top seed Anna De Myer in the second frame to fashion out a 7-6(3), 6-0 victory in the premier division of the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop headed by president/CEO Bobby Castro and presented by Dunlop as official ball.

Seven others shared the spotlight as no player scored a double victory for the second straight tournament in the annual circuit sanctioned by the United Tennis Philippines, made up of PPS-PEPP Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and BMeg to underscore the level playing field.

Lucena’s Gabrielle Zoleta also upended De Myer, 6-1, 2-6, 10-7, to snare the 16-U plum; Sta. Rosa’s Melody Dizon took the 14-U diadem with a 6-2, 6-0 romp over Elise Cruz; Ma. Sophia Moreno from Lipa, Batangas bagged the 12-U trophy with a 6-4, 7-6(9) thriller over Isabelle Marasiga; Sta. Rosa’s Marco Macalintal trounced Kurt Balela, 6-1, 6-1, in the boys’ 14-U finals; Andre Coladilla from Magdalena, Laguna tripped

LONG before the gun has been fired for the Kalayaan Trail Run Music Festival, 40 dialysers have been delivered to kidney patients at the Baguio General Hospital Dialysis Center.

Bong Reyes of the organizing Project 7 said that the 40 dialysers, each worth at least P3,000, were given before the June 9 run at the Scout Barrio ground and around the neighborhood of Camp John Hay. “This is a run that will benefit kidney patients,” said the former Palma-Urbano barangay captain.

Reyes, meanwhile, said he expects runners from the Philippine Air Force Reserve to which he belongs and others from the other military branches like navy and army.

Members of civic organiza-

BOHOL (BLCI),

Rafanan, Alfonso fastest in Phoenix Slalom Invitational RAM Rafanan of Globe Spade Racing Team Baguio City clinched the overall and the Production Front Wheel and novice best time of the day by clocking 45.97 seconds in the first stop of the 3-leg Race Motorsports Club Phoenix Pulse Technology Slalom Invitational Challenge held last April 22 at Robinsons Place Calasiao, Pangasinan.

Glen Alfonso of Speedjav Nueva Ecija Racing Team, on the other hand, bagged the Production Rear Wheel best time of 47.30.

The 2018 Race Motorsports Club Phoenix Pulse Technology National Slalom Series is also supported by major sponsors Federal Tyres and 3K Batteries, New SR KYB Special Shock Absorbers, Robinsons Calasiao and Robinsons Malls, and backed by Starbright Body Kits, plus media partners Stoplight TV, C! Magazine, Auto Car Magazine and Power Wheels Magazine.

It is also aided by the different clubs, headed by Speed Limits, Wholesome Concepts, Speed Jav, Greenlight La Union, Globe Spade Racing Team, Team Kuneho, Cabanatuan Auto Club, Jepay Motorworks and privateers from Tarlac and Pangasinan.

The 2nd Slalom Invitational will be on Aug. 19, still at Robinsons Calasiao Pangasinan….

Meanwhile, the third leg of the 2018 Phoenix Pulse Technology National Slalom Series is on May 6 at Robinsons, Novaliches.

For details, contact Bing Bang O. Dulce at nos.

928-6951 or 0917-8119337; email racemotorsportsclub@yahoo.com or message the organizer’s Facebook account Race Motorsports Club.

Some of the official results: Novice Modified A: 1st Ram Rafanan 47.03; 2nd Christian Manuel Tan 49.29; 3rd Rainier Tinio 51.66 Novice Modified B: 1st Ram Rafanan 47.03; 2nd Glen Alfonso 47.30; 3rd Rainier Tinio 48.62; 4th Jan Nico Pineda 50.33 Novice Modified C: 1st Glen Alfonso 47.34; 2nd Rainier Tinio 48.28; 3rd Ram Rafanan 49.03 PRO Stock A: 1st Glen Alfonso 46.42; 2nd Jeff Capiral 47.12; 3rd Daryl Flores 50.94 Pro Stock B: 1st Joey Vergara 47.69; 2nd Norland Orpilla 47.98; 3rd Jhon Guintu 50.40 Pro Stock C: 1st Jeff Capiral 48.93; 2nd Roswell Macapagal 49.32; 3rd Mico Sagoainit 49.51

Kalayaan Run donates 40 dialysers to patients

Adrian Cagitla, 6-4, 6-2, to clinch the 12-U title; while Frank Dilao, also from Sta. Rosa, held off sibling Vhiele, 4-1, 5-4(6), for the 10-unisex crown in the event backed by Asiatraders Corp.

Rombawa and Bernardo also pulled off a victory each in doubles with the former teaming up with De Myer to rout Dizon and Shaira Silva, 8-2, and the latter partnering with Mestiola to crush Adrian Cagitla and Coladilla, 8-1. Other winners were the Dilao brothers, who whipped Al John Rombawa and Roden Sianson, 8-1, for the 10-U title; and CagitlaColadilla, who took the 14-U plum with an 8-3 victory over Draven Flores-Athan Tee.

LOTTO RESULTS

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF QUEZON CITY CHINA BANK SAVINGS, INC., Mortgagee, -versusFRE NO. 12186 DELA PAZA, RANDOLF V., Mortgagor. x------------------------------------------x NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE OF REAL PROPERTY UNDER ACT 3135 (AS AMENDED) UPON extra-judicial petition under ACT 3135, as amended by ACT 4118 and pursuant to the terms of the Deed of Real Estate Mortgage executed on August 2, 2016, by RANDOLF V. DELA PAZ, Mortgagor, with residence and postal address at 808-C Dr. Famella St., Brgy. Plainview, Mandaluyong City, in favor of CHINA BANK SAVINGS, INC., Mortgagee, to satisfy the mortgage debt in the amount of P1,714,895.81 as of January 30, 2018 in/exclusive of interest, penalties, attorney’s fees and other charges together with all the lawful fees and expenses of foreclosure sale, the ExOfficio Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City and/or his duly authorized Deputy Sheriff, hereby announces that on May 31, 2018 between the hours of 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the office of the Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff, Regional Trial Court, Hall of Justice Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, will sell thru public auction to the highest bidder and for cash, in Philippine currency, the following described real property/ies with all the improvements, to wit;

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 004-2016006614 REGISTRY OF DEEDS, QUEZON CITY “A PARCEL OF LAND (LOT 20-J OF THE SUBD. PLAN (LRA) PSD-395090 APPROVED AS A NON SUBD. PROJECT, BEING A PORTION OF LOT 20, BLK 1 (LRC) PSD-4786, LRC REC. NO. 5975), SITUATED IN BRGY. HOLY SPIRIT, QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA, ISLAND OF LUZON BOUNDED ON THE NE. POINTS 1-2 BY LOT 20-K ROAD (4.00 M. WIDE) OF THE SUBD. PLAN, ON THE SE., POINTS 2-3 BY LOT 8; ON THE SW., POINTS 3-4 LOT 19, BOTH OF BLK. 1 (LRC) PSD-4786, AND ON THE NW., POINTS 4-1

BY LOT 10-1 OF THE SUBD. PLAN xxx CONTAINING AN AREA OF FORTY TWO (42) SQUARE METERS, MORE OR LESS.” All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned at the aforesaid office on the above stated date and time.

Interested parties are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title to the said property/ies and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

In the event that public auction should not take place on the said date due to fortuitous event or if the same be declared a non-working holiday, it shall be held on June 7, 2018 at the same time and place without further notice.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, April 17, 2018 (Sgd.) JAIME JOHN G. QUINAGORAN Sheriff IV (Sgd.) GREGORIO C. TALLUD Clerk of Court VII & Ex-Officio Sheriff WARNING: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface, or destroy this Notice of ExtraJudicial Sale of Real Property on or before the date of auction sale under penalty of the law.

ATTY. SIMEON T. ASIA, JR. CHINA BANK SAVINGS, INC. ALCALA DUMLAO ALAMEDA TAN ALANO MANINGDING & JANDA Attorney and Counselors-At-Law Annex, 8th Floor, China Bank Savings Building, 314 Sen. G. Puyat Avenue, Makati City (MStandard-Apr. 20, 28 & May 4, 2018)

Copy Furnished: RANDOLF V. DELA PAZ 808-C Dr. Famella St., Brgy.

Plainview, Mandaluyong City

3. Under ERC Resolution No. 21, Series of 2010, the ERC directs BLCI to file a consolidated application for approval of the over/ under recoveries based on the formula on the various automatic cost adjustments and true-up mechanisms and corresponding confirmation process pursuant to the abovementioned resolutions covering the period from January 2015 to December 2017, except for the Senior Citizen Discount/ Subsidy which covers the period from March 2011 to December 2017· 4. In the ERC decisions dated January 13, 2014 and August 4, 2014 in ERC Case No. 2012-009 CP, which was BLCI’s earlier application pursuant to Resolution No. 16, Series of 2009, as amended by Resolution No. 21, Series of 2010, ERC directed BLCI to refund over recoveries and to collect under recoveries in such amounts stated in the said decisions.

5. At the time BLCI received the decisions, there were outstanding true-up mechanism for Generation (AGRA), Transmission (TRAM), System Loss (System Loss Recovery), Lifeline (Lifeline Recovery), and for other items, but despite BLCI’s implementation of such guidelines, BLCI still incurred the following under / (over) recoveries: GENERATION Allowable Generation Revenue 1, 863,786.759.94 Actual Generation Revenue 1,855,892,274.98 Under Recovery 7,894,484·95 SYSTEM LOSS Allowable System Loss Revenue 180 648,526.26 Actual System Loss Revenue 180,624,911.44 Under Recovery 23,614.82 TRANSMISSION Allowable Transmission Revenue 257,155,791.65 Actual Transmission Revenue 259,738,519.82 Over Recoverv (2,582,72 8.17) LIFELINE Lifeline Discount 26,252 ,986.75 Lifeline Subsidy 26,606,022.78 Over Recovery (353,036.03) SENIOR CITIZEN Senior Citizen Discount 205,721.91 Senior Citizen Subsidy 242,669.37 Over Recovery (36,947.46)

6. Therefore, BLC! seeks approval to collect from its consumers, or refund to them as the case may be, the said under/ Cover) recoveries, which were computed based on documents submitted in support of this application.

RELIEF BLCI prays that the Honorable Commission APPROVE this application, and GRANT other equitable relief.

The Commission has set the Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on 29 May 2018 at two o’clock in the afternoon (2:00 P.M.), at the ERC Hearing Room, 15th Floor, Pacific Center Building, San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant case may become a party by filing with the Commission a verified Petition to Intervene at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure, indicating therein the docket number and title of the case and stating the following: 1) 2) 3)

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

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may file their Opposition or Comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before Applicant rests its case, subject to the · requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Energy Regulatory Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following: 1) The name and address of such person; 2) A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and 3) The grounds relied upon.

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicant that it be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing. Applicant is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours.

WITNESS, the Honorable Chairperson and CEO AGNES VST DEVANADERA, and the Honorable Commissioners ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAP-TARUC and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 6th day of April 2018 in Pasig City.

FOR AND BY AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION:

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal (MS-MAY 4 & 11, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

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

A8

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Houston Rockets shot down

by Jazz LOS ANGELES—The Utah Jazz started strong then held their nerve to beat the top-seeded Houston Rockets 116-108 on Wednesday and level their NBA playoffs second-round series at one game apiece.

Australian Forward Joe Ingles scored a playoff career-high 27 points and star rookie Donovan Mitchell added 17 as Utah used a big fourth quarter to thwart a second-half comeback bid by superstar James Harden and the Rockets in Houston.

Ingles, a 30-year-old who played internationally as a pro for eight years before landing in the NBA in 2014, drained seven of nine three-point attempts.

That included two late in the fourth, when his three from the left corner with 4:25 remaining took the Jazz lead to 108-96.

Rookie star Mitchell’s 17 points included an one-handed dunk off the rebound of his own missed shot—an emphatic jam that keyed Utah’s 16-2 fourth-quarter scoring run.

“To be honest I was just trying to shoot a floater and grab a rebound, but I was up there so I figured why come down with it,” Mitchell said.

Moments before, Mitchell had forced Harden into a 24-second violation, just one solid defensive move from a Jazz team that held the vaunted Rockets offense to 24 percent shooting in the final period.

“The biggest thing is we defended,” Mitchell said. “We’ll take this win, but we need three more.”

NBA scoring champion Harden notched 32 points with 11 assists and seven rebounds for the Rockets, who erased a 19-point first-half deficit to take a five-point lead in the third quarter.

“We came out a little too lackadaisical,” said Harden. “We were kind of going through the motions.”

Just when it looked like the potent Rockets had warmed up and might pull away, the Jazz responded and were up 86-85 heading into the final period.

“They’re obviously a good team,” Ingles said of the Rockets, who posted the league’s best record in the regular season. “They made runs—we knew they were going to make runs. AFP

PVL newcomers target big finish in second season

Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) goes up for a shot against Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) in the second half during Game Two of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on May 2, 2018 in Houston, Texas. AFP

FIVB World Tour unreels at Sands SM by The Bay T

HE Philippines’ top players will leave everything on the sand court against a field of much-taller and experienced competitors as the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour main draw blasts off today (May 4) at the Sands SM By The Bay. Action will start at 8 a.m. the country’s four women and men’s teams will vie for ranking points for other FIVB beach volley tourneys.

Sisi Rondina and Dzi Gervacio, will lead the Philippines charge along with the Charo Soriano and Bea Tan, Karen Quilario and Lot Catubag, and wildcard entries DM Demontaño and Jackie Estoquia.

Langkawi Open silver medalists Katja Stam/Julia Wouters of the Netherlands and top-ranked Michelle Amarilla and Erika Bobadilla are tipped to contend in the women’s main draw.

“I may be small, but I can compete toe to toe. I won’t let this opportunity pass me by. I’ll do my very, very best to make Filipinos proud. This is also for me,

my family and all those who believe in me,” said Rondina, the most battle-tested among the Philippine team members.

The home crowd support will be the key to go further in the $10,000 onestar tournament organized by the Beach Volleyball Republic.

“Ilalaban namin ang bandera ng Pilipinas,” said Rondina, who was a member of the national team that made it to the quarterfinals in last year’s 29th Southeast Asian Beach Volleyball Championships in Singapore.

BVR national champions Jade Becaldo and Calvin Sarte, Kevin Juban and Raphy Abanto, James Pecaña and KR Guzman, and Ranran Abdilla and Edwin Tolentino comprise the Filipino cast in the men’s division.

Columbian Dyip battle dangerous Alaska Aces

By Jeric Lopez

Games Sunday

2 p.m. – Tacloban vs PayMaya 4 p.m. – Creamline vs Petro Gazz

NEWCOMERS Petro Gazz and Tacloban brace for an uphill battle against the seasoned squads while Navy-Iriga vows a resounding comeback when the Premier Volleyball League unveils its second season on Sunday (May 6) at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Bannered by a mix of commercial league veterans and former college stars, the Petro Gazz Angels have shown great promise in their tune-up matches with coach Jerry Yee confident of whipping up the team into one fighting, cohesive unit in time for the opening.

“So far, so good. It’s a matter of polishing their games since smooth naman ang transition nila from defense to offense,” said Yee, also citing some of his wards’ familiarization with each other’s game.

Former La Salle standouts Stephanie Mercado, Wensh Tiu, Cienne Cruz and veteran playmaker Chie Saet will team up with former St. Benilde mainstays Rachel Austero, Ranya Musa, Djanel Cheng and Rica Enclona, ex-Pocari Sweat hitter Cai Nepomuceno and Alyssa Layug of Technological Institute of the Philippines.

Yee also boasts of power-hitting imports in Kadi Kullerkann of Estonia and Anastasia Trach of Ukraine while UE’s Mary Anne Mendrez is also expected to join the squad.

A slew of talented players will also anchor the Tacloban Fighting Warays’ bid in the league organized by Sports Vision with Jovielyn Prado, Regine Anne Arocha and Mary Anne Esguerra of reigning NCAA champion Arellano U raring to prove their worth against the fancied teams in the fold.

Former Power Smashers coach Nes Pamilar will also have in his arsenal the likes of San Sebastian’s Vira May Guillema, UE’s Judith Abil and FEU’s Kyle Negrito along with Jan Eunice Galang, Seth Rodriguez and Bangladesh Pantaleon with Thai legend Patcharee Sangmuang as one of their two imports.

Simon Fruhbauer and Jorg Wutzl of Austria, who ruled last weekend’s edition in Langkawi will chase back-to-back 1-star men’s titles, with Petr Bakhnar and Taras Myskiv of Russia, also a silver medalist in Malaysia, and Sweden’s Martin Appelgren and Simon Bowman as main contenders.

Everyone was accounted for and the Filipino teams have wrapped up their preparations for the 16-team women’s and men’s main draws. The eight Philippine pairs’ first opponents were only known last night after the drawing of lots for women and men is set tomorrow.

The round-of-12 and quarterfinals are scheduled on Saturday, with the semifinals and finals on Sunday.

The opening ceremony yesterday was graced by International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) technical delegate Liu Chang, Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. secretary general Ricky Palou, BVR adviser Tony Boy Liao, BVR cofounder Bea Tan and EPlus Philippines Managing Director Kalvin Sangalang.

Spain’s Belen Carro and Paula Soria chat as they watch men’s matches at the 2018 World Volleyball Tour at the Sands SM by the Bay, Pasay City. Carro and Soria will compete in the next day of the competition. Ey Acasio

SURPRSING Columbian Dyip will get tested as it looks to convince more people that its early surge is real in the resumption of the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup. The Dyip (2-1) hopes to continue pulling off shockers as it goes on to face the Alaska Aces (1-1) at 4:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum today.

Following that is a sibling tiff between Meralco (1-1) and still winless NLEX (0-2) at 7 p.m.

Unexpectedly, Columbian has changed the complexion of the tournament this early by impressing in its first three games, winning two of them to raise eyebrows.

After victories over Blackwater and NLEX, both blowouts, in its first three outings, the Dyip caught people’s attention as it suddenly eclipsed its win total of just one in the Philippine Cup with the eliminations not even halfway.

Columbian coach Ricky Dandan expects his improved team to be tested by the hungry Aces.

“We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves. We will continue to be tested. Our plan will be tested by Alaska,” said Dandan. “I have repeatedly talked to them (Dyip players) about guarding against slippage.

That’s our enemy right now— getting back to our old ways.

We have to guard against that and stay close to have a chance against Alaska.”

Batangas Athletics exceeded expectations

By Peter Atencio THE people behind the success of Batangas Athletics-Tanduay in the MPBL Anta Rajah Cup never expected the team to go that far.

But, when Jhaymo Eguilos made a jumper with 59 seconds to go, and the team scored a 68-66 verdict over the Muntinlupa Cagers-Angelis Resort, former mayor Dondon Dimacuha and team sponsor Lucio “Bong” Tan Jr. were overjoyed.

Batangas went on to wrap up their campaign in their best-of-five title series by winning three of four games in the finals.

They finally realized that Batangas will have the crown when in the next play, Muntinlupa center Pari Llagas bungled two of his free-throw attempts in the final 1.2 seconds.

“Kami sa Batangas City as masaya. Nung binuo ang team ay wala naman talaga kaming expectations,” said Dimacuha.

Dimacuha talked about the team’s success during a victory bash two weeks ago at the Sheraton Hotel in Manila with Tan. In their final game, Moncrief Rogado, a native of Cebu, scored 14 points and Kier Quinto added 12 to lead Batangas.

Allan Mangahas tallied 23 points and 9 assists, and Dave Moralde made the game-winning basket, as the Muntinlupa Cagers Earlier, Muntinlupa-Angelis Resort won the Batangas Athletics-Tanduay 82-77 in Game 3 in their home court in Muntinlupa.

The MPBL is a regional men’s professional basketball league in the Philippines that was launched by boxing icon Manny Pacquiao last August.

The league featured both a regional commercial and barangay-level format with teams on the commercial side to have a home locality in addition to a corporate sponsor.

On the other hand, Tan took note of the home-and-away format of the tournament, and the various venues the team played.

He believed that the team had a great start this way.

Lady Spikers prevailed over tougher field DE LA Salle was early to realize the extremely competitive field in the UAAP Season 80 women’s volleyball tournament.

As the team went 4-2 late in the first round, National University was looking formidable with a perfect 4-0 record, Far Eastern University and Ateneo were then locked in a tie in third spot while Adamson University was also doing well.

The Lady Spikers’ 18-25, 25-15, 19-25, 22-25 loss to the Lady Falcons last Feb. 24 served as a reminder that it simply takes hardwork to remain on top.

“Very hard kasi start ng elimination shaky ‘yung team e. Twice kami natalo so, yun ang sinasabi ko sa kanila, ‘pag nagstart ang season ‘di naman tayo masyadong ready,” said De La Salle coach Ramil de Jesus.

After that rough patch that they encountered, the Lady Spikers went on a rampage, winning 11 straight games to annex their 11th crown overall.

“Sa haba ng season, naayos namin kung ano ‘yung naging problema ng team.

Ready naman sila na maayos ang sarili nila,” said De Jesus.

In the playoffs, De La Salle never yielded a set, sweeping National University in the Final Four and Far Eastern University twice in the Finals.

Everything went on La Salle’s way this season with a relatively injury-free campaign, which keyed its championship run.

Next season will be a new beginning for the Lady Spikers, who will miss Finals MVP libero Dawn Macandili, Kim Kianna Dy and Majoy Baron to graduation.

LET ME TRY AGAIN. Caster Semenya—here in file photo after winning the athletics women’s 800m final during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games—will bid to move the spotlight from new IAAF rules for female athletes who have high testosterone levels firmly back to the track as the Diamond League gets under way in Doha on Friday. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

IN BRIEF

Manila

Standard

Business

TODAY

D&L’s net profit rises 12% to P744m

CHEMICAL and food ingredient manufacturer D&L Industries Inc. said it posted a net income of P744 million in the first quarter, up 12 percent from P663 million a year ago, on strong growth of exports and domestic sales.

D&L president Alvin Lao said in a news briefing that its non-food business, aerosols, specialty plastics and oleochemicals accounted for two-thirds of the net income in January to March, while the food businesses contributed the balance.

First-quarter revenues climbed 2 percent to P6.39 billion, with domestic business accounting for 78 percent of total sales and exports contributing 22 percent.

Lao said he expected the domestic business to sustain its growth in the next quarters, as customers continued to place orders. He said the company planned to open more stores, add new items and products in their offerings.

“The indication is that domestic sales will remain strong and we have sufficient capacity from our existing plants to meet the increasing demand,” Lao said.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Coca-Cola backs plastic recycling

PLASTIC bottle caps of Coca-Cola beverages are now being upcycled to gaskets for water ram pumps under the Agos Program, a water accessibility initiative of The CocaCola Company in the Philippines.

“We have always been looking for alternatives to the rubber gaskets for a long time, and we have also tried other alternatives. Then we thought, why not develop the gaskets for the ram pumps with recycled plastic? We started with scrap HDPE pipes and plastic caps from PET bottles,” said Auke Idzenga, founder of Bacolod Citybased Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc. Upon realizing that plastic bottle caps can be recycled to make ram pump spare parts, the beverage player’s local bottling partner, Coca-Cola Femsa Philippines, signed a partnership with AIDFI and the foundation to donate used plastic bottle caps and scrap high-density polyethylene to the organization.

Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines has turned over 65 kilograms of HDPE and 625 kg of polypropylene caps.

As a grantee of The Coca-Cola Foundation and implementing partner of CocaCola Foundation Philippines in the Agos program, AIDFI has been developing a ram pump model that is cost efficient and can easily be maintained. Inspired by the Precious Plastic program of Dutch engineer Dave Hakkens, AIDFI started developing small-scale plastic recycling machines.

The Agos program includes the installation of hydraulic ram pumps–a technology that utilizes the force of gravity to bring water to a higher location without the need for electricity or fossil fuel. This brings water into reservoirs, which then supplies the resource into common taps near households.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

HALL OF FAME AWARD.

Teleperformance, a leading provider of outsourced omnichannel customer experience management services, receives the Hall of Fame for the Outstanding Community Project Award from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority. Shown is Teleperformance Philippines managing director Travis Coates (right) receiving the award from Peza directorgeneral Charito Plaza and political adviser Francis Tolentino at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

BoI approved P195-b projects in 4 months

THE Board of Investments said it approved P195.7 billion worth of investment projects in the first four months, up 28 percent from P153.1 billion a year ago.

“The strong macroeconomic fundamentals and the continuous policy reforms sustained the increase of investments in the country,” said Trade Secretary and BoI chairman Ramon Lopez.

“We also expect that foreign direct investments will pick-up, as its outlook is always long-term which will generate more jobs and business opportunities,” Lopez said.

Trade undersecretary and BoI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo said the bulk of the investment projects in April came from the six air transport projects of Philippine Airlines Inc. with a combined investment of P19.05 billion.

The biggest single project approved in April was the P15.2-billion project of MWM Terminals Inc., a public-private partnership project known as the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange along Coastal Road. Othel V. Campos

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

BSP ready to adjust rates on inflation data

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will not hesitate to tweak the benchmark interest rates if the April inflation figure exceeds expectations, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said Thursday.

index, still within the inflation target range of 2 percent to 4 percent this year.

The Bangko Sentral said that inflation in April likely accelerated to as high as 4.7 percent from 4.3 percent in March, on the back of higher oil prices and power rates.

Interest rates remain at 3 percent for overnight borrowing, 3.5 percent for overnight lending and 2.5 percent for deposits.

Meanwhile, the Asean+3 Macroeconomic Research Office said the Philippine economy was expected to grow 6.8 percent this year, one of the fastest in the region, driven by the government’s higher fiscal spending and the recovery of exports.

The 2018 projection was faster than the actual economic expansion of 6.6 percent last year. The Philippines is forecast to outperform China (6.6 percent), Indonesia (5.2 percent), Japan (1.3 percent), Malaysia (5.3 percent), Singapore (3 percent), Thailand (3.9 percent) and Vietnam (6.6 percent). Only Myanmar is seen to grow faster at 7 percent this year.

“The Philippines economy is forecast to grow by 6.8 percent in 2018 as exports are expected to remain buoyant while hurdles to budget execution are gradually being overcome,” AMRO said.

B1

Metro Pacific’s income climbed 27% to P3.8b in first quarter

By Jenniffer B. Austria INFRASTRUCTURE conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. said Thursday consolidated net income climbed 27 percent in the first quarter to P3.8 billion from P3 billion in the same period last year, on strong volume growth across units and higher ownership in power business.

Metro Pacific said that in terms of contribution in net operating income, power distribution and generation business accounted for P2.4 billion or 54 percent of the total, followed by tollroads with P1.1 billion or 24 percent and water with P800 million.

The group’s hospital group contributed P190 million, while the rail, logistics and systems group accounted for the remaining P35 million.

Metro Pacific president and chief executive Jose Ma. Lim said while the company managed to post strong first-quarter earnings, the domestic toll road and water businesses were underrecovering because of the delayed tariff adjustments.

“Robust growth in volumes in recent years does not in any sense change the need to bring these businesses into line with their agreed contract provisions,” Lim said.

Metro Pacific has yet to collect P10 billion in revenues from delayed tariff adjustment on tollroad business and another P12 billion for delayed tariff adjustment on water business.

The issue on delayed tariff adjustment on water is now back with the Singapore High Court after the Philippine government filed an appeal.

Metro Pacific proposed that the government allow the company to recover revenue backlog by applying it to the tariff over the remaining concession life together with a gradual increase in the next two to three years to bring the tariff to contracted levels.

Guinigundo said all pertinent data would be considered by the Monetary Board in its policy meeting next week. He said the members of the board would particularly watch the April inflation data that would be released by the Philippine Statistics Authority on May 4.

“Let us see on May 4 what is going to come up of PSA,” Guinigundo said at the sidelines of 51st Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank in Mandaluyong City.

“If it [inflation rate] is higher than 4.3 percent, then it means something. If it is lower than 4.3 percent, 4.2, 4.1, then we have to reassess all the numbers. You know our position here. We keep on monitoring those numbers. We don’t just focus on what we see today, but you have to look at it at a medium-term perspective especially with respect to the medium term,” Guinigundo said.

He said the Bangko Sentral would also consider other factors. “But again you have the discipline of inflation targeting. You just don’t move the policy rate without considering all of the factors that METRO PACIFIC INVESTMENTS CORPORATION we normally consider in the context of inflation targeting. We look at both price and monetary conditions. We look at the trend in output,” he said.

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS Inflation in the first three months averaged 3.8 percent based on the new 2012 consumer price Please be advised that the Annual Meeting of the stockholders of METRO PACIFIC INVESTMENTS CORPORATION will be held on Friday, 18th day of May 2018,11 a.m. at The Grand Ballroom A, Shangri-La at the Fort, 3rd Avenue corner 30th Street, Crescent Park West District, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Philippines for the following purposes:

SM Prime set to open second Pangasinan mall SM Prime Holdings Inc., the country’s leading shopping mall and residential developer, said it will open its second mall in Pangasinan province Friday.

SM Prime said in a disclosure to the stock exchange SM City Urdaneta Central, the group’s 69th mall in the Philippines, would open with 42,000 square meters of gross floor area.

“We are excited to be a part of Pangasinan’s growing economy. As Pangasinan is at the heartland of the Philippines and the gateway to Northern Luzon, SM is a committed partner in further building on this strategic and dynamic province through SM City Urdaneta Central.

This new mall complements the existing offerings of SM City Rosales, which is our first mall in Pangasinan,” SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim said.

SM City Urdaneta Central is strategically located beside the densely populated subdivisions of the city, nestled at the center of Barangay Nancayasan and Poblacion along MacArthur Highway―a main thoroughfare en route to top tourist destinations in the northern part

of the Philippines. SM City Urdaneta Central is dubbed as Pangasinan’s gateway to urban shopping.

SM City Urdaneta Central will open with 84 percent of space lease-awarded, with two-floors bringing in new levels of shopping, dining and entertainment experiences to the hundred-thousand population of the city and to the millions of tourists passing through the province.

Locals and tourists can also enjoy the convenience of its 706 parking slots at the basement and open grounds.

Aside from being the third largest province in the Philippines, Pangasinan also benefits from the influx of tourists heading to Northern Luzon through the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway for easy access.

SM Prime is set to open three other malls in key cities this year. The company already opened SM Center Imus in Cavite on Feb. 16 and is scheduled to open SM City Telabastagan in Pampanga, SM City Legazpi in Albay and SM Center Ormoc in Leyte.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Pilipinas Shell doubling investment to P2b

By Alena Mae S. Flores PILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corp. unveiled its plan to double its annual investment in retail network expansion to P2 billion starting this year.

PSPC said it was allocating an average of P4 billion annually for capital expenditure, including P1 billion for retail expansion.

It said the annual capex would stay at P4 billion, but the budget for retail expansion would increase to P2 billion, with a target to put up 70 retail stations in 2018 and make further inroads into non-fuel retailing through deli2Go and Select.

“As far as capex is concerned, our typical plan is P4 billion per year. That is how our outlook is for at least three to four years. The big shift is before, we were spending P4 billion and from that, only P1 billion was for retail.

For the forward years, at least half of that, P2 billion will be for retail,” PSPC president and

chief executive Cesar Romero said.

Romero said the company aimed to open 70 stations annually.

“For stations built, we remain on our commitment of 50 to 70 per year on average. Despite our growth, we do not hesitate to close.. underperforming stations,” he said.

The company opened 66 stations last year, ending 2017 with 1,044 stations nationwide.

‘The business that will have less investment will be manufacturing, the refinery…We completed our major expansions plus a major turnaround. It is really in good shape. The money freed up from the manufacturing investment can now be diverted to retail,” he said.

“We invested $140 million in the refinery. Now, we no longer need to invest similar amount of money for manufacturing. We will continue to pour in money for the supply chain.

It allows us good profitability as we have one of the most efficient supply chains in the country,” Romero said.

I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X.

Call to Order Certification of Notice and Quorum Approval of the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on May 26, 2017 Report of the President and Chief Executive Officer Approval of the 2017 Audited Financial Statements Ratification of the Acts of the Board of Directors and Management for the year 2017 Election of the Directors for the ensuing Year Appointment of External Auditor of the Company for the year 2018 Other business that may properly be brought before the meeting Adjournment

Minutes of the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders is available at the website of the Company, www. mpic.com.ph and will be distributed to all stockholders as of record date along with the Information Statement.

The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on the 18th day of April 2018, as the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting.

In compliance with the SEC Advisory dated May 6, 2015, a copy of the Interim Unaudited Financial Statements of the Company as of and for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 with Management Discussion and Analysis, shall be posted in the website of the Company (www.mpic.com.ph) on or before May 11, 2018. A hard copy of the same Interim Unaudited Financial Statements will be provided to any requesting shareholder, free of charge, as soon as said Interim Unaudited Financial Statements becomes available but in no case later than May 11, 2018.

Very truly yours,

ANTONIO A. PICAZO Corporate Secretary Makati City

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

B2

Business

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock index crashes to one-year low S TOCKS plummeted to a one-year low Thursday, following a sell-off in New York as investors keep an eye on top-level talks between China and the United States on trade.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, lost 200 points, or 2.6 percent, to close at 7,535.10, the lowest in more than a year, or since it settled at 7,522.98 on April 19, 2017. It marked the equity market’s single-day loss this year and widened the bellwether’s total losses to 12 percent since January.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also tumbled 96 points, or 2.1 percent, to settle at 4,602.48, on a value turnover of P7.2 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 128 to 50, while 52 issues were unchanged.

Nineteen of the 20 most active stocks ended in the red, with only GT Capital

Holdings Inc. avoiding a drop. Conglomerates SM Investments Corp. and Metro Pacific Investment Corp. led losers Thursday.

Most Asian markets struggled Thursday as the tariff spat between the world’s two biggest economies returns to the fore. A US delegation—including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross sat with Chinese officials in Beijing, with both sides tempering expectations of a quick resolution.

Trading floors have been swamped with worry since US President Donald Trump began this year threatening a series of tariffs on billions of dollars worth of goods, with an emphasis on China, which he claims is gaining an unfair trade advantage over the US. Both sides were tempering expectations for the gathering with Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for China’s foreign ministry, telling reporters it was “not re-

alistic to resolve all issues through only one round of negotiations”.

While China has announced tit-fortat moves, it has also unveiled a series of measures placating the White House but there are still worries the two sides could spiral into a potentially damaging trade war.

“When you think about the things that have been weighing on the market... I think the one that is really weighing the most heavily is trade and that’s why the market tends to swing the most violently on every new piece of news,” Michael Jones, chairman of RiverFront Investment Group, told Bloomberg TV. Fresh upheaval in Washington added to the uncertainty on Wall Street as it emerged Trump’s attorney Ty Cobb on Wednesday became the latest lawyer to quit his legal team as a probe into the presidential campaign’s contacts with Russia presses on.

All three main indexes in New York

ended down, despite another positive round of earnings reports including from Apple.

And the losses filtered through to Asia, where Hong Kong fell 1.4 percent, Singapore shed 1.5 percent and Seoul eased 0.7 percent. Taipei was one percent off, while Bangkok and Jakarta also retreated.

However, Shanghai ended up 0.6 percent and Sydney added 0.8 percent while Wellington put on 0.6 percent.

The dollar dialed back slightly after rallying Wednesday on the back of expectations the Federal Reserve will lift interest rates at least twice more this year. But the greenback is still around three-month highs against the yen and near four-year highs against the pound.

The central bank acknowledged an uptick in inflation while continuing to pledge further gradual increases in borrowing costs as the economy ticks along.

With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, MAY 3, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 58.5 13,490 99.95 1,526,080 3 25,000 126.8 2,173,900 1.45 263,000 34.8 117,500 16.74 2,500 17.2 995,300 3.42 3,000 0.65 7,000 890 10 0.57 202,000 83.5 8,221,870 1.12 114,000 52.2 177,210 219.6 2,900 108 220 86 200 38.5 81,600 204 793,940 1,945 145 89.5 165,840

793,714.50 152,732,411.50 75,150 281,014,323 377,900 4,101,100 41,850 17,148,422 10,180 4,550 8,900 113,180 695,028,470.50 126,530 9,297,027.50 636,878 23,760 17,200 3,143,865 163,037,476 281,525 14,671,586

511,236 -91,315,766 -112,005,927.00 1,431,205 -4,808,116 -2,627,459.50 -22,410 -685,976.50 -1,193,470 -45,829,944 -106,975 719,649.50

37.6 14 0.56 1.26 19.86 0.225 116 3.37 16.3 51 24 62 69 1.9 5.2 9.6 10.46 15.5 11.98 7.16 5.34 15.1 63.1 19.82 9.24 16 2.03 275 4.97 26.25 14.26 23 323.2 0.19 6.65 2.44 4.75 9.16 4.7 7.84 1.4 11.82 52.1 5.97 1.99 1.9 14.04 65.25 5.45 0.98 138.1 2.51 3.1 22.05 0.84

INDUSTRIAL 37.6 471,000 14.5 1,083,900 0.59 1,523,000 1.26 82,000 20.3 22,800 0.227 1,320,000 116 1,000 3.4 13,408,000 16.58 338,400 51 404,000 24.1 14,700 62 2,000 69 4,460 1.9 111,000 5.2 4,500 9.6 43,200 10.5 2,697,300 15.84 5,132,900 12.18 345,900 7.18 315,000 5.38 914,200 15.3 322,100 64.9 93,400 19.96 118,600 9.39 33,200 16.5 1,473,900 2.06 594,000 275 919,090 5.12 13,200 26.45 149,500 14.26 109,000 23 2,244,500 323.4 353,860 0.19 350,000 7 26,200 2.5 1,536,000 4.75 97,000 9.28 624,000 5.04 128,100 7.84 4,000 1.42 1,920,000 11.82 55,300 52.1 184,930 6.19 3,300 1.99 37,000 1.95 319,000 14.2 69,600 66.35 335,340 5.48 258,500 1 29,000 138.3 1,539,800 2.51 225,000 3.18 14,653,000 22.05 200 0.86 4,241,000

17,872,120 15,543,968 876,980 104,120 454,145 299,790 116,000 46,697,750 5,587,876 20,864,933 354,340 124,000 309,631 212,710 23,400 421,352 28,727,360 81,149,760 4,165,580 2,261,256 4,911,132 4,929,086 6,017,409.50 2,384,356 310,186 23,887,068 1,224,670 255,290,344 66,224 3,957,995 1,560,986 52,356,370 114,940,122 66,500 176,710 3,835,840 462,960 5,774,528 621,114 31,360 2,713,760 661,672 9,708,475 19,767 73,670 616,530 988,854 22,250,277.50 1,414,938 28,710 213,813,549 567,210 47,071,900 4,410 3,637,180

-8,092,590 1,661,472 49,935 -22,500 -12,125,520 631,500 -420,390 -3,304,060 39,722,722 2,045,020 -1,146,994 -1,074,542 -2,021,020 -773,139 -10 -49,150.00 -117,280 -124,415,690 95,835 -15,822 -16,804,165 10,385,702 431,500 -157,270.00 1,575,248 -31,360 25,560 -2,702,634 -48,630 -106,520 13,028,887.50 46,722,114 133,550 -1,284,880 -51,340

0.3 68.95 13.2 0.9 6.54 0.76 0.76 950 6.71 10.9 7.64 0.227 1,037 7.05 61.8 5.28 0.65 4.63 20.5 0.66 5.2 0.041 1.16 3.27 139.8 950 265 0.239 0.27 0.2

0.3 63 13.1 0.9 6.41 0.66 0.68 905 6.55 10.4 7.5 0.212 1,000 7.05 59 5.28 0.64 4.45 20.2 0.6 4.98 0.039 1.12 3.2 137 900 257 0.239 0.241 0.2

HOLDING FIRMS 0.3 40,000 63 1,280,090 13.14 13,531,400 0.9 4,000 6.54 3,300 0.67 254,248,000 0.7 42,502,000 905 262,060 6.6 212,300 10.4 12,183,000 7.62 43,400 0.226 570,000 1,000 102,860 7.05 300 59.85 2,439,700 5.28 900 0.64 3,000 4.46 200,000 20.35 1,990,500 0.66 7,130,000 4.98 43,306,100 0.041 38,300,000 1.15 238,000 3.22 1,825,000 138 201,710 900 333,980 265 7,560 0.239 300,000 0.27 46,350,000 0.2 120,000

12,000 82,105,604.50 177,847,098 3,600 21,166 184,693,110 31,041,190 238,521,130 1,400,945 129,274,442 329,152 124,750 103,977,010 2,115 146,117,221.50 4,752 1,930 899,280 40,514,780 4,564,120 220,363,858 1,510,300 268,930 5,876,180 27,834,285 304,523,455 1,960,862 71,700 11,953,330 24,000

-69,449,144.50 -5,630,056 3,274,460 -99,621,740 -282,059 -7,808,428 -24,131,815 -43,787,844.50 -542,450 13,191,060 20,480 54,534,597 -12,650 64,200 -11,985,095 -153,220,560 -509,816 71,700 78,000 -

6.9 1.19 14.7 2.09 0.84 41.5 3.45 4.59 0.47 1.03 0.99 0.244 0.46 32 0.66 0.129 1.69 1.3 1.1 4.54 0.62 0.48

6.8 1.13 14.7 2.09 0.82 40.6 3.38 4.51 0.45 1.03 0.96 0.238 0.445 31.3 0.64 0.12 1.66 1.26 1.05 4.36 0.59 0.445

1,991,889 42,685,900 4,410 313,500 530,290 363,247,900 183,840 2,975,360 2,577,350 13,390 398,200 1,482,630 9,050 6,195,680 2,112,100 3,690 17,211,320 3,155,090 1,210,460 29,511,600 31,960,630 8,835,950

137,070.00 -46,810 31,943,820 -50,920 -189,500 36,150 441,265 -1,649,700 -6,045,930 -4,270 -4,078,050 -49,060 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

58.85 102.5 3.04 132.2 1.39 34.9 16.74 17.42 3.43 0.65 890 0.56 86 1.1 53.5 219.4 108 86 38.55 207.6 1,945 90

58.9 102.5 3.04 132.2 1.54 35 16.74 17.42 3.43 0.65 890 0.57 86.5 1.14 53.5 220 108 86 39.5 209.8 1,945 90

58.5 99.2 3 126.8 1.38 34.8 16.74 17.2 3.33 0.65 890 0.56 82.55 1.09 52.15 219.4 108 86 38.3 204 1,925 85

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

38.7 14.18 0.58 1.27 20.5 0.23 116 3.61 16.48 51 24.3 62 73.5 1.95 5.2 9.94 10.76 15.5 12.3 7.2 5.4 15.58 65.15 21 9.4 16.02 2.08 285 4.97 27.15 14.5 24.55 329 0.19 6.77 2.6 4.81 9.28 5.1 7.84 1.5 12 53.25 5.97 1.99 1.99 14.5 66.5 5.48 1 141.8 2.55 3.23 22.05 0.9

38.8 14.5 0.6 1.27 20.5 0.233 116 3.62 16.58 52 24.3 62 73.5 1.95 5.2 9.94 10.76 15.92 12.38 7.2 5.4 15.58 65.15 21.45 9.4 16.5 2.09 285 5.13 27.15 14.5 24.55 329.8 0.19 7 2.6 4.81 9.29 5.1 7.84 1.5 12 53.25 6.19 2 1.99 14.5 66.75 5.48 1 141.8 2.58 3.3 22.05 0.9

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT KEPPEL HLDG A LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA PRIME ORION SAN MIGUEL CORP SM INVESTMENTS TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.3 68.95 13.18 0.9 6.41 0.71 0.72 940 6.68 10.88 7.64 0.214 1,020 7.05 61.8 5.28 0.65 4.63 20.2 0.6 5.2 0.04 1.15 3.27 139.8 950 260 0.239 0.255 0.2

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

6.8 1.18 14.7 2.09 0.84 41.5 3.45 4.58 0.465 1.03 0.98 0.244 0.46 31.6 0.66 0.129 1.69 1.3 1.05 4.53 0.62 0.475

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

0.58 4.05 18.3 2.11 3.24 34 1.09 11.16 0.82 6.74

0.58 4.1 18.32 2.28 3.25 34.2 1.1 11.3 0.82 6.85

0.54 4.02 18 2 3.15 32.8 1.04 10.32 0.82 6.65

0.55 4.1 18 2.07 3.15 32.8 1.07 10.34 0.82 6.85

9,442,000 2,093,000 2,160,700 4,392,000 1,757,000 5,818,400 4,868,000 1,053,000 1,000 2,802,000

5,253,710 8,577,940 38,942,372 9,377,460 5,613,670 192,479,545 5,182,580 11,282,596 820 19,009,271

7,990.00 122,050 -20,730,540 14,000 4,501,500 -137,659,360 -10,900 -91,772 8,404,397

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA JOCKEY MELCO RESORTS METRO RETAIL MLA BRDCASTING NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG 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

16.6 27.8 1.34 0.475 0.048 12.6 12.78 0.056 88.6 8.8 6.9 8.06 2.25 23 1,539 5.6 301.6 4.12 2.29 86.95 8.25 0.114 1.43 3.38 4.54 1.02 26.15 4.26 6.8 3.21 17.98 8.1 11.78 9.5 8.1 128 6.1 1,399 1.03 0.445 46.5 90 6.68 2.46 1.3 0.46 4.75 0.9 10.7

16.6 27.85 1.34 0.51 0.049 12.6 12.78 0.056 88.6 8.8 6.9 8.46 2.25 23 1,539 5.6 305.8 4.12 2.3 87 8.25 0.114 1.55 3.4 4.54 1.03 26.3 4.26 6.85 3.21 17.98 8.16 11.78 9.5 8.1 128 6.13 1,399 1.03 0.46 46.5 90.5 7.4 2.46 1.3 0.49 4.84 0.9 10.8

16.2 27.4 1.33 0.475 0.048 12.58 12.1 0.054 87.25 8.7 6.72 8 2.2 22.1 1,500 5.55 301.6 4.04 2.29 84.55 8 0.114 1.4 3.26 4.4 1.02 25.65 4.24 6.8 3.15 17.98 7.88 11.7 9.5 8.1 120 5.95 1,365 1.01 0.445 45.6 88 6.68 2.35 1.25 0.445 4.65 0.87 10.64

SERVICES 16.5 27.5 1.33 0.485 0.049 12.6 12.1 0.055 88.5 8.7 6.88 8 2.2 22.8 1,500 5.58 305 4.04 2.3 84.9 8.2 0.114 1.55 3.27 4.5 1.03 25.8 4.24 6.83 3.18 17.98 7.99 11.7 9.5 8.1 120 5.95 1,365 1.01 0.445 46 90.5 7.17 2.41 1.27 0.455 4.79 0.89 10.74

39,500 30,800 122,000 9,500,000 10,300,000 74,200 7,480,900 8,100,000 93,960 9,200 150,800 129,900 16,000 39,700 29,220 126,800 2,880 487,000 20,000 1,169,820 67,000 220,000 1,235,000 161,000 2,062,000 21,000 1,418,900 48,000 3,002,300 152,000 500 2,042,600 3,800 7,100 300 15,950 261,900 46,495 1,376,000 8,460,000 25,400,600 615,180 400,400 424,000 1,119,000 94,160,000 1,750,000 3,068,000 407,900

651,080 848,920 162,460 4,689,300 498,400 934,902 91,578,804 449,360 8,255,054.50 80,341 1,024,390 1,054,666 35,250 897,410 44,191,895 706,897 876,362 1,979,830 45,900 99,701,720.50 544,800 25,080 1,862,870 531,680 9,174,260 21,530 36,533,640 203,840 20,491,146 481,150 8,990 16,297,826 44,654 67,450 2,430 1,921,548 1,575,789 63,945,850 1,406,560 3,799,450 1,168,446,285 54,807,632.50 2,852,021 1,015,650 1,434,510 44,205,750 8,326,980 2,687,550 4,376,772

26,800 176,000 -136,080 -17,746,944 -6,344,696 27,872 10,140 61,600 -2,285 2,254,775 -199,660 -14,323,565 20,150 -975,570 -1,359,980 -12,720 3,686,055 180,350 -50,964.00 6,300 30,956 -25,937,615 -84,310 -249,200 -27,149,480 -2,128,593 296,032 -327,670 438,540 3,446,400 -248,620 -24,020 2,550,602

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

0.0028 1.77 4.31 1.62 0.315 7.59 2.35 0.207 0.138 0.145 1.51 5.4 1.22 0.53 0.99 0.012 0.012 2.24 5.76 14 30.4

0.0029 1.77 4.34 1.64 0.32 7.59 2.42 0.21 0.14 0.145 1.53 5.44 1.22 0.58 0.99 0.013 0.013 2.24 5.8 14.2 30.5

0.0028 1.71 4.3 1.62 0.31 7.45 2.3 0.207 0.138 0.145 1.48 5.27 1.18 0.53 0.96 0.012 0.012 2.13 5.75 13.68 29.75

MINING & OIL 0.0029 151,000,000 1.72 1,568,000 4.3 296,000 1.62 354,000 0.32 170,000 7.45 200 2.36 1,345,000 0.208 90,000 0.138 2,900,000 0.145 340,000 1.48 214,000 5.28 610,000 1.18 32,000 0.58 931,000 0.96 482,000 0.013 9,100,000 0.012 27,500,000 2.2 26,000 5.75 58,500 13.72 997,500 29.75 1,438,500

422,900 2,712,690 1,277,090 575,540 53,050 1,504 3,179,830 18,670 401,440 49,300 323,230 3,251,686 38,960 523,110 471,640 109,300 330,100 55,990 337,817 13,760,312 42,838,855

-75,250 -650,440.00 639,990 39,150 -318,900 295,560 8,400 -134,391 -1,027,240 -36,213,680

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF F GLO PREF P GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B LR PREF SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2F

26.6 500 510 101 106.9 506 1,000 998 1.05 995 76 79 75.2 77.25

26.6 500 510 101 106.9 506 1,000 998 1.05 995 76.05 79 75.25 77.45

26 500 510 101 106.9 506 1,000 998 1.05 995 75.2 78 75 77.25

PREFERRED 26.05 553,400 500 130 510 200 101 30,000 106.9 10 506 110 1,000 10 998 180 1.05 1,000 995 720 75.2 2,050 78 21,290 75 31,600 77.45 13,020

14,713,430 65,000 102,000 3,030,000 1,069 55,660 10,000 179,640 1,050 716,400 154,973.50 1,668,120 2,371,056.50 1,007,999

-1,361,430 -

LR WARRANT

2.75

2.8

2.69

WARRANTS 2.76 818,000

2,222,420

-

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

5.43 3.2 3.27

5.5 3.29 3.27

5.3 2.98 3.21

5.32 3.15 3.22

730,800 872,000 379,000

3,904,577 2,728,890 1,225,510

23,263 -38,790

FIRST METRO ETF

119.9

119.9

116.8

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 116.8 26,720

3,140,881

38,908

25,398 2,652

-

MS

PROPERTY 6.82 1.16 14.7 2.09 0.83 40.75 3.38 4.59 0.455 1.03 0.99 0.238 0.445 31.3 0.64 0.12 1.66 1.26 1.06 4.36 0.59 0.46

292,200 37,082,000 300 150,000 643,000 8,901,800 54,000 649,000 5,620,000 13,000 412,000 6,150,000 20,000 195,600 3,256,000 30,000 10,305,000 2,482,000 1,127,000 6,687,000 53,017,000 19,230,000

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2

10.2 10.2

10.2 10.2

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

14,886,891

INDUSTRIAL

61,480,746

HOLDING FIRMS

475,866,544

PROPERTY

199,728,966

SERVICES

189,265,559

MINING & OIL

199,575,855

GRAND TOTAL

1,142,814,598

10.2 10.2

10.2 10.2

SME

DDS

2,490 260

VALUE 1,909.12 (down) 51.16 1,342,702,304.89 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,932.50 (down) 188.89 1,038,394,901.785 HOLDING FIRMS 7,511.03 (down) 269.66 1,820,301,076.23 PROPERTY 3,561.00 (down) 51.97 1,518.13 (down) 25.36 1,183,487,274.89 SERVICES MINING & OIL 10,409.96 (down) 66.05 1,746,332,903.105 PSEI 7,535.10 (down) 200.97 70,744,123.079 All Shares Index 4,602.48 (down) 96.60 7,212,967,200.00 Gainers: 50; Losers: 128; Unchanged: 52; Total: 239

Aboitiz Group’s net income rose 3% to P4.8b in first quarter

By Alena Mae S. Flores ABOITIZ Equity Ventures Inc., the holding company of the Aboitiz Group, said Thursday consolidated net income rose 3 percent in the first quarter to P4.8 billion from P4.7 billion a year ago, on lower one-off losses representing net unrealized foreign exchange losses.

“Our diversified portfolio gives us the resilience to sail through varying business cycles. The underlying strength of our core operations and a vibrant economy keep us optimistic on our longterm fundamentals,” AEV president and chief executive Erramon Aboitiz said.

Power accounted for 64 percent of total income contributions, followed by banking and financial services with 30 percent.

Aboitiz Power Corp., the power arm of AEV, saw its net income decline 9 percent in the three-month period to P4 billion from P4.4 billion a year ealier.

The company recognized non-recurring foreign exchange losses on the revaluation of dollar denominated liabilities amounting to P1.2 billion, versus a non-recurring loss of P577 million in the first quarter last year resulting from the movements in the peso-dollar exchange rates.

Aboitiz Power’s core net income in the first quarter amounted to P5.2 billion, up 4 percent from a year ago, without the one-off adjustments.

“Despite the one-off adjustments we had to incur in the quarter, we continue to see modest growth of the group in both our generation and distribution businesses,” Aboitiz Power president and chief operating officer Antonio Moraza said.

Moraza said the company continued to see improvement in plant reliability and availability which resulted in significant financial contributions.

“Our DU [distribution utility] business also continues to grow, thanks to growing regional economies,” Moraza said.

AEV’s banking unit Union Bank of the Philippines increased its first-quarter income contribution by 32 percent from P1.1 billion to P1.4 billion, on higher revenues.

The food business under Pilmico Foods Corp. and its subsidiaries reported a net income of P264 million in the first quarter, or 10 percent lower than P292 million a year earlier.

Philab’s net revenue hit P1.4b in 2017 HEALTHCARE company Philab Holdings Corp. reported a record net revenue of over P1.44 billion in its first year of operations as a publicly listed firm.

Philab completed a backdoor listing with Alterra Capital Partners Inc. and changed its name to Philab Holdings Corp. in late 2016.

It said net income increased P106.3 million or 4,226 percent from the reported loss of P2.5 million in 2016 to a profit of P103.8 million in 2017.

Earnings before interest and taxes grew P347 million or 29,419 percent from a loss of P1.1 million to a profit of P346 million.

Assets increased by 2,142 percent to P3.422 billion from just P153 million in 2016. Total stockholders’ equity also increased P612 million or 2,352 percent, from P26 million in 2016 to P638 million in 2017.

Philab said the revenue and profit growth were driven by the successful business ventures it closed last year.

“We are pleased with our performance and the progress that we have achieved for the past year and we will continue to amplify our projects this year to exceed our profit margin,” said Philab Holdings chairman and chief executive Tom Navasero.

Philab recently closed its first tranche of a foreign private placement with Epitrek Ventures Ltd. worth P250 million out of P1 billion total investment, and its subscription agreement of P500 million with Yamazaki Financial Ltd. The funds will be used for the company’s expansion plans in molecular diagnostics and genetics.

The firm said the Department of Education also lifted its suspension and allowed subsidiary Philab Industries to participate in DepEd’s bid for 2018.

“The past year was a testament of what the firm can achieve. We are optimistic in sealing more partnerships this year and reaching greater heights,” Navasero said.

Standard

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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

B3

World

Manila

extrastory2000@gmail.com

Army worm attack devastating Africa

IN BRIEF Trump hints at imminent news on detained Americans WASHINGTON—US President Donald Trump hinted Wednesday that there would be imminent news about three Americans detained in North Korea, after sources said they had been relocated ahead of their possible release.

The development comes as Trump is preparing for a historic summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, following months of tense saber-rattling over the North’s nuclear and missile programs.

“The past Administration has long been asking for three hostages to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail. Stay tuned!”

Trump wrote on Twitter.

Two of the three hostages were detained in 2017, after Trump had assumed office.

The United States has been demanding the North free Kim Haksong, Kim Sang-duk and Kim Dongchul and reports have said the two sides were close to reaching a deal on their release. AFP

France’s Macon laughs off delicious faux pas SYDNEY—French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday laughed off the global sniggers he prompted after describing the wife of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as “delicious”.

The faux pas—”delicieux” in French can also mean “delightful”— caused widespread mirth, with one Sydney tabloid mocking up a nearly full-page photo of Macron with the cartoon head of Pepe le Pew, the lovelorn French skunk.

“A newspaper had some fun and it made me laugh a lot, especially since in the original cartoon the character has a French accent,” Macron told reporters shortly before leaving Sydney at the end of a twoday visit.

Macron, who demonstrated his excellent grasp of English during numerous speeches and remarks in Sydney, added that “there is not a European leader who gives all his speeches in English”.

The incident occurred at the end of a joint press conference on Wednesday when Macron turned to Turnbull and said: “Thank you and your delicious wife for the warm welcome”. AFP

Scientist off to Switzerland to end his life SYDNEY—Australia’s oldest scientist, wearing a top labeled “aging disgracefully”, has left the country for Switzerland to end his life at the age of 104, saying he is resentful that he must go overseas to die.

David Goodall does not have a terminal illness but his quality of life has deteriorated, and he has secured a fast-track appointment with assisted dying agency Life Circle in Basel.

He got on a plane in Perth late Wednesday surrounded by friends and family saying their final goodbyes, euthanasia advocates told AFP. He will spend several days with other family in Bordeaux, France, before heading to Switzerland where he is due to end his life on May 10.

“I don’t want to go to Switzerland, though it’s a nice country,” he told broadcaster ABC before leaving.

“But I have to do that in order to get the opportunity of suicide which the Australian system does not permit. I feel very resentful.” AFP

Support for S. Korea’s Moon hits record high after summit SEOUL—President Moon Jae-in is enjoying record support from the South Korean public in the wake of a historic summit with his North Korean counterpart, pollsters said Thursday.

More than three in four voters approved of Moon, according to pollster Realmeter—an all-time high for any South Korean president at the end of their first year in office.

Realmeter said the result reflected “mounting public expectations for the North’s denuclearization and the establishment of peace on the Korean peninsula” following Moon’s meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday.

The president’s support rose more than eight points to 78.3 percent in the week following the summit, where the two leaders agreed to work towards a permanent peace treaty.

Since his May 2017 election, Moon had projected a stable and downto-earth style while communicating closely with voters, Jeong Han-wool of public opinion firm Hankook Research told AFP. AFP

BORN AWARDS. A general view at The BORN Awards in America Celebration on May 2, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California. AFP

KISUMU, Kenya―On farms across Africa, a seemingly innocuous brown and beige caterpillar is waging a silent war, devastating rural incomes and posing a major threat to the continent’s food supply.

In just two years, the so-called fall army worm has colonized three-quarters of Africa, according to the British-based Center for Agriculture and Biosciences International or CABI. Its favorite food is maize, also known as corn, the staple on which over 200 million small-holder farming families depend for their livelihoods.

The fall army worm is believed to have made its bridgehead in West Africa after being accidentally brought in from South America, its native home, by sea or air cargo.

It was first detected in Africa in 2016.

“Since then, it has very rapidly spread across the entire continent. It’s reportedly now causing damage in more than 40 countries,” said Boddupalli Prasanna, an expert at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico.

The larval, or caterpillar, army worm is perfectly adapted for destruction.

Growing up to about two inches, it nestles in the leaves around the head of maize. AFP

Mahathir probed for ‘fake news’

K

UALA LUMPUR―Malaysian opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad is under investigation for allegedly spreading “fake news” after claiming his plane was sabotaged, police said Thursday, just days before a closely-fought election.

Veteran ex-premier Mahathir, 92, is seeking to oust his former protege, Prime Minister Najib Razak, in the general election next Wednesday at the head of an opposition alliance.

As campaigning got underway at the weekend, Mahathir claimed that there had been an attempt to sabotage a plane he had chartered to prevent him heading to the island of Langkawi to formally register his candidacy for the election.

He still made it to the island by taking another plane. Malaysia’s civil aviation authority and the charter company said there was a technical issue with the plane but rejected the allegations of sabotage.

Kuala Lumpur police said a report had been lodged accusing Mahathir of spreading “fake news” under a controversial new law, which critics say is aimed at cracking down on dissent before the poll.

“We have opened an investigation [into Mahathir] under the anti-fake news law,” the capital’s police chief Mazlan Lazim told AFP. “We will conduct the normal process of investigation.”

Local media reported that the police complaint was lodged by a group that supports Najib’s party, the United Malays National Organization, which said Mahathir’s claims of sabotage had caused anxiety among Malaysians.

Mahathir dismissed the claims and challenged the authorities to take him to court.

“They can charge me in court. I have no fake news. Only truth,” he was cited as saying by The Star newspaper.

The law aimed at combating fake news was pushed through parliament last month despite an outcry by the opposition and media watchdogs.

It punishes dissemination of any news deemed “wholly or partly fake” with up to six years in jail or a hefty fine.

Critics say it is aimed at silencing criticism of Najib, and in particular the scandal surrounding the sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. Najib is battling allegations that billions of dollars were looted from the fund―which he set up― in a campaign of fraud and money-laundering. The leader and 1MDB deny any wrongdoing. AFP

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is inviting all interested bidders in its forthcoming public bidding for the Procurement of Janitorial Services for a Period of Three (3) Years under ITB No. PB18-05-004OLO. Brief Description Location Required Personnel Janitorial Shift Rotation

Procurement of Janitorial Services for a Period of Three (3) Years.

Olongapo Satellite Casino – #580 Rizal Avenue, East Tapinac, Olongapo City Thirty (30) regular, trained and healthy, of legal age Janitors.

Janitorial shift rotation (inclusive of one (1) hour break) Main (Olongapo Satellite): a. First Shift –6:00 am to 3:00 pm (5 personnel) b. Second Shift – 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm (5 personnel) c. Third shift – 9:00 pm to 6:00 am (5 personnel) Subic Satellite: a. First Shift –6:00 am to 3:00 pm (3 personnel) b. Second Shift – 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm (3 personnel) c. Third shift – 9:00 pm to 6:00 am (3 personnel)

Working Hour Contract Duration Approved Budget for the Contract Source of Funds:

Venezia: a. First Shift –6:00 am to 3:00 pm (2 personnel) b. Second Shift – 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm (2 personnel) c. Third shift – 9:00 pm to 6:00 am (2 personnel) Seven (7) days a week; 365 days a year For a period of three (3) years commencing from the date specified in the Notice to Proceed.

Five Million Nine Hundred Ten Thousand Eighty-Four Pesos PhP5,910,084.00), VAT Exclusive, Zero-Rated Transaction, for a period of one (1) year, or Seventeen Million Seven Hundred Thirty Thousand Two Hundred Fifty-Two Pesos (PhP17,730,252.00), VAT Exclusive, Zero-Rated Transaction, for a period of three (3) years.

Corporate Budget for CY 2018

Bidders should have completed, within the last three (3) years before the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using 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.

Reimbursed for paying porn star

PAGCORwill hold a Pre-Bid Conference, which shall be open to prospective bidders.

Asked by reporters on Air Force One earlier WASHINGTON―Donald Trump reimbursed his long-time lawyer Michael Cohen over a this month about the deal, Trump said: “You’ll $130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy have to ask Michael Cohen. Michael is my attorDaniels, former New York mayor Rudy Gi- ney. You’ll have to ask Michael,” he said.

Pressed on whether he knew where Cohen got uliani said Wednesday, appearing to contradict the president’s own statements on the matter.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, claims she had an Republic of the Philippines affair with Trump in 2006 CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE and was paid the sum as Invitation to Bid for part of a “hush agreeProject No.2018-2-42 ment.”

REMOVAL OF EXISTING SOLID WASTE OF ABANDONED DUMPSITE (SAFE CLOSURE AND REHABILITATION OF DISPOSAL FACILITIES) “They funneled it LOCATED AT BARANGAY 48-A, SAN ANTONIO, CAVITE CITY through a law firm and The CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE, through the SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET # 2018-001 with the president repaid it,” Sangguniang Panglunsod Ordinance No. 2018-001 dated April 12, 2018 intends to apply the sum of FORTY TWO MILLION THREE HUNDRED NINETY EIGHT THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED FIFTY Giuliani, who recently FIVE & 95/100 PESOS (P 42,398,955.95) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the REMOVAL OF EXISTING SOLID WASTE OF ABANDONED joined Trump’s legal team, DUMPSITE (SAFE CLOSURE AND REHABILITATION OF DISPOSAL FACILITIES), LOCATED AT BARANGAY 48-A, SAN ANTONIO, CAVITE CITY . told Fox News host Sean 1.

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

Hannity.

2.

The CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE now invites bids for REMOVAL OF EXISTING SOLID “That was money that WASTE OF ABANDONED DUMPSITE (SAFE CLOSURE AND REHABILITATION OF DISPOSAL FACILITIES) LOCATED AT BARANGAY 48-A, SAN ANTONIO, CAVITE CITY. was paid by his lawyer, Contractor must have at least Two (2) Sanitary Landfill, accredited by DENR. Completion of the way I would do, out the Works is required ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY (180) CALENDAR DAYS. Bidders should have completed, within ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract of his law firm funds or similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instruction to Bidders. whatever funds, it doesn’t 3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary matter. The president repass/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”. imbursed that over a peBidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at riod of several months,” least seventy five percent(75%)interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

Giuliani said.

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from BIDS & AWARDS COMMITTEE – CITY He added that the payGOVERNMENT OF CAVITE and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00 A.M – 4:00 P.M. DURING WORKING DAYS ONLY. ment did not represent a 5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address campaign financing violabelow and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of tion because it was “not TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P 25,000.00).

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government campaign money.”

Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided The sum was wired to that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later that the submission of their bids.

6.

The BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE – CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE will hold a Pre-Bid Daniels just days before Conference on May 18, 2018 at MULTI-PURPOSE HALL BUILDING, CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S the November 2016 presiOFFICE, P. BURGOS AVE., SAN ROQUE, CAVITE CITY, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents. dential election, and there 7.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before MAY 30, 2018 AT 10:00 A.M. at the had been suggestions CoBIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE OFFICECITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB hen could have fallen foul Clause 18. of campaign finance laws 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. because it represented 8. The CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul a contribution aimed at the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby preventing negative press incurring any liability to the affected bidder orbidders.

9.

For further information, please refer to: from arising.

Ms. RAEJEAN E. VASQUEZ Trump had previously Head, BAC Secretariat denied all knowledge of Office of the City Administrator Multi-Purpose Hall Building the payment to Daniels, San Roque, Cavite City raejean_vasquez21@yahoo.com before admitting last week Telephone No: 046-431-0162 that Cohen struck a “deal” (Sgd) Arch. ALLISON B. SANTIAGO City Administrator with the porn star on his BAC Chairperson behalf. AFP 1

(MS-MAY 4, 2018)

InvItatIon to BId for the Procurement of JanItorIal ServIceS for a PerIod of three (3) YearS under ITB No. PB18-05-004olo

All particulars relative to Pre-Bid Conference, Detailed Evaluation of Bids, PostQualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its IRR. The schedule of bidding activities is listed, as follows: Activities

Date, Time and Venue

1. Issuance of the Bidding Documents 2. Pre-Bid Conference 3. Deadline for the Submission and Receipt of Bids 4. Opening and Preliminary Examination of Bids

May 4, 2018 (Fri) to May 29, 2018 (Tue) May 15, 2018 (Tue), 3:00 p.m., Conference Room, Mezzanine, Casino Filipino Angeles, MacArthur Highway, Balibago, Angeles City May 29, 2018 (Tue), 2:00 p.m., Conference Room, Mezzanine, Casino Filipino Angeles, MacArthur Highway, Balibago, Angeles City May 29, 2018 (Tue), 2:00 p.m. onwards, Conference Room, Mezzanine, Casino Filipino Angeles, MacArthur Highway, Balibago, Angeles City

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Procurement Section (PS), acting as the BAC Secretariat, of PAGCOR and/or inspect the Bidding Documents at PS OfficeMezzanine, Casino Filipino Angeles, MacArthur Highway, Balibago, Angeles City during office hours of PAGCOR from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders 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 (PhP25,000.00).

Prospective bidders may also download the Bidding Documents free of charge from the following websites: www.pagcor.ph and www.philgeps.gov.ph and may be allowed to submit bids provided that bidders shall pay the applicable fee of the Bidding Documents not later than the deadline for the submission and receipt of bids.

Prospective bidders should present to PAGCOR’s Finance Section located at the Mezzanine, Casino Filipino Angeles, MacArthur Highway, Balibago, Angeles City, during office hours of PAGCOR either the Payment Slip which may be secured from PS or a copy of this ITB in effecting payment for the Bidding Documents.

Bidders shall bear all costs associated with the preparation and submission of his bid, and PAGCOR will in no case be responsible or liable for those costs, regardless of the conduct or outcome of the bidding process.

Bidders should note that PAGCOR will accept bids only from those that have paid the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents.

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 venue of the bid opening. Late bids shall not be accepted.

PAGCOR assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of their bids.

In accordance with Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) Circular 062005 - Tie-Breaking Method, the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) shall use a nondiscretionary and non-discriminatory measure based on sheer luck or chance, which is “DRAW LOTS,” in the event that two (2) or more bidders have been post-qualified and determined as the bidder having the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid (LCRB) to determine the final bidder having the LCRB, based on the following procedures: a) In alphabetical order, the bidders shall pick one rolled paper. b) The lucky bidder who would pick the paper with a “CONGRATULATIONS” remark shall be declared as the final bidder having the LCRB and recommended for award of the contract.

PAGCOR 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 in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

Please address all communications to the BBAC thru Procurement Section, Mezzanine, Casino Filipino Angeles, Balibago, Angeles City Tel No.: (045)892-5073 local 116.

(SGD) GLECY B. DANGA Chairperson Branch Bids and awards committee (BBac) casino Filipino-angeles (MS-MAY 4, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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

B4

friday, may 4, 2018

32 towns, 50 villages in Calabarzon poll hotspots

By Roy Tomandao CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna— The Police Regional Office 4A has identified 32 towns and cities and 50 barangays in the Calabarzon region as areas of concern in the coming May 14 Barangay and SK elections.

In a statement, Calabarzon Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar said the 82 places were “election watchlist areas” or hotspots now under alert status by the Philippine National Police after the assessment coming from the different stations in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.

Eleazar said the assessment was based on history and “current intense rivalry” among the contending parties that could motivate people to engage in violent acts, employment of private armed groups, or proliferate loose firearms in the hands of unqualified individuals.

Areas were also classified according to serious armed threats posed by the New People’s Army and other rebel groups.

Based on PNP records, these areas of concern are Rosario, Tanza, Carmona, Maragondon and the cities of Trece Martires, Dasmariñas, Imus and Bacoor in Cavite.

In Laguna, the areas of concern are Calauan and the cities of San Pedro and San Pablo.

Group tackles problems with Galas market

By Rio N. Araja DUE to complaints raised by vendors and market-goers, Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte has formed a multi-sectoral group to improve the operation of the Galas public market and its planned renovation and upgrading of facilities.

The group will meet regularly to work on the issues raised during the “Talakayang Bayan” public forum last week and come up with recommendations and proposals, she said.

“Our only objective is to uplift the lives of our market vendors and bring in [physical] improvement of our market,” Belmonte said.

The newly formed held its first consultative meeting yesterday at the city hall’s Carlos Albert Hall.

The group is composed of representatives from the Galas Market Vendors Association, punong barangays of Area 22, Galas police station, and the city’s Market Development and Administration Department, Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department, Department of Public Order and Safety, Engineering Department, City Architect Department and Business Permit and Licensing Office.

LGUs LocaL government units

NPA GUNS. PRO4A Regional Director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar (second from right) and Laguna Provincial Police Director Senior Supt. Kirby John Kraft (second from left) hold the

recovered firearms and ammunition from the members of New People’s Army Sparu unit that led to the death of one suspect and the arrest of four others at a checkpoint run by members of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion led by Chief Insp. Marlon Cabataña (right) in Barangay Dambo, Pangil, Laguna on Wednesday. Roy Tomandao

Manila hosts walk vs poverty

By Vito Barcelo

M

ANILA Mayor Joseph Estrada will lead thousands of people who will join Iglesia Ni Cristo’s “Worldwide Walk vs Poverty” on May 6, as part of the religious group’s fund-raising program to support its various feeding and medical mission programs in the country.

Mayor Estrada also expressed confidence that Manila’s poor communities would be among the beneficiaries of the event to be held in multiple venues around the globe.

The mayor said the event is expected to duplicate the INCs’ charity walk in 2014 where at least half a million people participated and placed it on the Guinness Book of Records as the largest group of marchers in a single day.

“The INC and the Manila city government are always cooperating with the aspirations of providing aid to the most Filipinos in the country,” Mayor Estrada said.

The Manila chief executive said the worldwide event will be simultaneously held at 358 sites in 44 different countries,

33 territories and across 18 time zones.

Estrada said the Worldwide Walk is a concrete manifestation of the caring, giving and sharing spirit of the Iglesia Ni Cristo.

Mayor Estrada has already directed the city’s Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau to coordinate with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Philippine National Police to enforce traffic rerouting to minimize traffic congestion in Manila.

He also ordered Manila Police District Director P/Supt. Joel Napoleon Coronel to cooperate with the INC and the FYM Foundation to ensure the orderliness of this activity and the safety of the participants.

He said the road closures in Manila will start midnight of May 5 until 10 p.m. of May 6, as thousands of participants along Roxas Boulevard will converge and walk from Manila to Pasay City.

The event will start from 6 a.m. onwards on May 6, along Roxas Boulevard in Manila.

In 2014, the Philippines broke two world records with the Iglesia ni Cristo’s Worldwide Walk for victims of typhoon Yolanda.

Guinness World Record adjudicator Kirsty Bennet told Filipinos that the “INC Worldwide Walk 2014” has beaten the record for largest charitable walk in 24 hours after drawing 519,221 participants.

The Manila mayor said that in 2014, the charity walk benefitted the victims of Super typhoon Yolanda that almost destroyed Central Visayas in 2013.

The proceeds helped finance the INC’s first-ever resettlement and ecofarming community in Leyte—the most devastated province by the strongest typhoon that ever happened in history.

WASTE FORUM.

Senator Cynthia Villar (center), chairman of the Senate environment committee, tells the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines ‘Building the Road to Zero Waste’ Waste Management Forum that she intends to amend the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 to make it more attuned to the needs of the present times.

Lino Santos

EMB to carry out P3.5-m greening for Santiago City

By Ben Moses Ebreo SANTIAGO CITY, Isabela—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environment Management Bureau will carry out a greening system for this city to improve its environment.

Cesar Siador, EMB regional director, said a feasibility study is under way for the implementation of the P3.5-million greening system for the city.

He said the greening scheme is focused on restoring the good quality of the city’s inland bodies of water and to improve its air quality.

Siador said they have recently distributed 1,000 bamboo propagules to the city government to initially start the greening program.

He also said the Calao-DelinquenteDiadi River System-Water Quality Management Area with its governing board is currently crafting a strategic plan to improve its water quality.

The deteriorating water quality of the CDDRS which also serves as source of irrigation water for farmers was caused by indiscriminate dumping of various wastes.

The CDDRS stretches along the 13 barangays of Santiago City and nearby towns where several villagers are being blamed for the water pollution.

“The CDDRS-WQMA will be forming a Technical Working Group to prepare the baseline data that will further improve our strategic plan. Various support and assistance from national and local government agencies including peoples’ organizations will be tapped for this long-term plan,” Siador said.

Bong Go, Strike Revilla in Bacoor youth shootout CHRISTOPHER Lawrence “Bong” Go, the Special Assistant to the President, recently held a three-point shootout with the youth of Bacoor City, Cavite to promote physical activities and the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.

The people of Bacoor warmly welcomed Go who led “Strike for Go! 3 Point Shootout” at Strike Gymnasium upon the invitation of Bacoor Rep. Strike Revilla, a former city mayor.

Go, who recently participated in the kickoff leg of PBA All-Star Week 2018, showed his basketball skills particularly sharpshooting from the three-point line, earning praise from Bacooreños.

“I am glad to witness the agility and excitement of Bacooreños in basketball, as well as your support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s war against illegal drugs,” Go said during the exhibition at Strike Gymnasium, which was erected

when Revilla was still mayor of Bacoor.

Go also earned the admiration of those who attended the event when the presidential assistant with the rank of Cabinet secretary gave a pair of shoes to a young lad who joined the basketball shootout barefooted.

“I thank Rep. Revilla for his full support for President Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs from the start. I also thank all Bacooreños,” said Go.

Great commercial potential for BPSU mango products

By Butch Gunio

Special Assistant to the President Christopher ‘Bong’ Go (left) and Cavite Rep. Strike Revilla flash the fist before their sports exhibition.

ORANI, Bataan—The Bataan Peninsula State University-developed mango products have great commercial potential, according to a top university official.

Product development and commercialization is component of the existing BPSU and Commission on Higher Education Discovery-Applied Research and Extension for

Trans/Inter-disciplinary Opportunities Research Grant (DARE TO) project entitled “Sustainable Mango Production through Science and Technology Innovations and Support Mechanisms for Capacity Development in Central Luzon.”

“Our mango products have been awarded ‘Promising Products’ by the provincial government of Bataan with DTI Bataan and Bataan Peninsula Tourism Council

Foundation,” BPSU Research Development Director and Project Leader Dr. Hermogenes Paguia told mango growers who attended the Farmers’ Field Day and Harvest Festival on Mango held at Joves Farm, Barangay Dona, Orani on Monday.

There are times that the price of mango dives because of abundant yield.

Processing mango fruit can be alternative,” he explained.

Life Culture and media

Architect Ed Calma poses with Pacita Abad's Sepoc Wall

Pacita Abad’s never-before-seen

trapuntos on exhibit

Artists, art connoisseurs, diplomats, and newsmakers gathered at the De La salle-College of saint Benilde’s Museum of Contemporary Art and Design at the opening night of “Pacita Abad: A Million things to say,” a retrospective exhibit of the late Filipino-American contemporary painter’s renowned and never-before-seen trapunto pieces.

Co-curated by her nephew, Londonbased contemporary artist Pio Abad, the show aims to deviate from self-exoticization and instead suggests a productive re-construction of her categories of self and her place in the history of art. the display likewise introduces serious examination of her body of work and its expansive contemporaneity. the bone-white walls of the gallery serve as the perfect backdrop for the large-scale psychedelic trapuntos. the exquisite obra maestras, which seemed

like oil paintings at first glance, reveal a three-dimensional form of art handstitched, padded, and quilted with swatches of precious hand-stitched textiles like the indonesian ikat and batik gathered from her travels. Her artworks are adorned with accoutrements such as sequins, beads, shells, buttons, tiny mirrors, bits of tin and glass, rickrack, and rhinestones.

Abad’s major trapuntos are known for their vibrant colors, which evoked her life as a southeast Asian woman, a Filipina traveling to other developing nations as an expat’s wife. Her life’s journey and experiences, crossing countries, economies and culture, were painted and stitched together in form of contemporary art ahead of her time.

The “Pacita Abad: A Million Things to Say” is on display until July 1.

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @mStandardLifE friday, may 4, 2018

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The soul of Hong Kong A

City that never sleeps, Hong Kong is bursting with energy that never fails to exhilarate visitors. But despite its ultra-modern way of living and towering skyscrapers, tourists can still feel the rich history of the Asia’s World City. this month of May, Hong Kong invites everyone to commemorate its ancient roots with four traditional celebrations that will fill the streets with colorful parades, rousing rhythms, and festivities.

tin Hau Festival

Witness how locals flock by the thousands across Hong Kong to celebrate the birthday of tin Hau and pray to the Goddess of the sea for safety, fine weather, and full fishing nets for the coming year. One of the highlights of the tin Hau festivities is the three-hour shap Pat Heung (“18 Villages”) fa pau parade in yuen Long happening on May 8. the procession will be featuring the Hong Kong Police Band, about 30 fa pau groups, lion dancers, dance groups, and marching bands.

Shallow Greens of Apo Reef by Pacita Abad serves as a colorful background for (from left) MCAD deputy director Chris Green, MCAD director and curator Yeyey Cruz, co-curator Pio Abad, and DLS-CSB president Br. Dennis Magbanua FSC.

Learn how to paint a bag

PuBLiC relations professionalturned-visual artist Ginny Guanco leads a painting workshop for boys and girls, aged 8 to 16 years old, on May 26 at the Gateway Gallery.

During the half-day Paint-Me-ABag workshop, Guanco will teach participants painting techniques on fabric bags and develop their confidence in branching out to other clothing items such as t-shirts, denims, jackets, and sneakers. she will also

guide the students on the rudiments of basic drawing, shading, and adding highlights on designs.

Workshop fee is P1,500, inclusive of workshop materials. To register, contact Gateway Gallery at (02) 588-8300 or send a direct message to its Facebook page at GatewayGalleryPH. Gateway Gallery is the art museum of Araneta Center. It is located at the 5F Gateway Tower, Araneta Center, Quezon City.

Cheung Chau Ban Festival

Be a part of the celebrations and learn about Hong Kong's exciting history through the festival’s papiermache effigies and lion dancers which tell the tale of when a plague devastated Cheung Chau more than a century ago and villagers paraded through the island’s narrow streets disguised as deities to drive away evil spirits.

Buddha-bathing Festival

Buddha’s birthday is one of the most spiritual and unique festivals celebrated in Hong Kong. At Buddhist temples across the city, devotees gather to pay their respects by bathing Buddha statues in water, a ritual believed to help purify the soul. Festivities for the deity is held from April 27 to May 22.

tam Kung’s Birthday

On May 22, devotees will celebrate tam Kung’s birthday in the oldest temple dedicated to him. tam Kung is a man believed to have learned the secret to remaining forever young.

Ceremonies for the festival include traditional dragon and lion dances and a colorful street parade.

Visual artist Ginny Guanco leads a workshop where she will teach young participants how to paint bags.

Akin to the many provincial fiestas Filipinos celebrate all over the country, Hong Kong’s traditional celebrations are also bursting with culture, lively colors, vibrant sounds, and mind-blowing visuals that will leave visitors in awe they will never forget.

A city that celebrates not just the vibrancy of modern times, but both artfully and sacredly commemorates its ancient roots, these traditional celebrations will let tourists experience and discover the very soul of Hong Kong like a local.

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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018 Nickie Wang, Issue Editor

nickie.standard@gmail.com

What will Kristel do with her P2-M ‘PGT‘ prize?

KRISTEL De Catalina emerged as the grand winner of ABS-CBN’s talent search Pilipinas Got Talent after beating nine other amazing and jawdropping acts in the show’s grand finals dubbed as “The Greatest Showdown” held last weekend at the Bren Z Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.

For her, she is still on cloud nine.

It was her inspirations, her family especially her son and God, who made her win the competition.

“I am overwhelmed. I have mixed emotions and I still can’t believe it. It was my family, who believed in my talent and God, who gave me this skill, which pushed me to win this battle,” said Kristel.

Kristel, who garnered a final score of 99.67 percent from the viewers’ text and online votes and judges’ scores, took home P2 million in cash plus a vacation package. She is now the sixth grand winner since Pilipinas Got Talent was launched and the first solo female act to win the competition.

When asked where will she use the cash prize, she explained, “I’ll save it for my son’s education. He is still seven years old so the two million will go a long way.”

Joining Kristel in the top three acts were para dance sports athletes Julius and Rhea who garnered 84.6 percent of the combined votes and judges’ scores and Joven Olvido with 79.05 percent.

Kristel wowed the jampacked venue with her breathtaking aerial stunt and emotional spiral pole dancing act. When Kristel auditioned, she was immediately sent to the semis

when judge Vice Ganda chose her as his Golden Buzzer act. Kristel then topped the public’s votes in a semifinal round that earned her slot at the grand finals.

Pilipinas Got Talent remains to be one of the most successful talent-reality shows on Philippine television. The show’s sixth season truly made its mark by breaking numerous records. PGT season 6 debuted strongly by hitting an all-time high national TV rating of 43.3 percent on its pilot telecast, which is one of the highest ratings recorded by a weekend program for 2018.

Meanwhile, Pilipinas Got Talent: The Greatest Showdown remained as the most watched weekend program with 37.5 percent national TV ratings last Saturday (April 28) and 39.7 percent last Sunday (April 29) when the grand winner was announced.

It is also the first Kapamilya show awarded with the YouTube Gold Creator Award for having a million strong community in the said video sharing website. It also has a million followers on its official Facebook page.

Still on the online world, PGT season six has the highest combined views on Facebook and YouTube compared to its past seasons.

Lastly, the show has given viewers one of the most diverse lineup of acts in PGT history.

Pilipinas Got Talent is hosted by Billy Crawford and Toni Gonzaga with judges Freddie “FMG” Garcia, Angel Locsin, Robin Padilla, and Vice Ganda.

POWER COUPLE. Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo’s ‘La Luna Sangre’ and ‘She’s Dating the Gangster’ will soon be seen by global audience.

A

FTER winning Favorite Foreign TV Actor and Actress in the recent Face of the Year Awards in Vietnam, Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla are set to conquer Myanmar with the acquisition of La Luna Sangre by MKCS Global as well as Latin America with the acquisition of She’s Dating the Gangster

by Spanish-language movie channel Cinelatino.

Through a distribution deal signed

by ABS-CBN with MKCS Global, four teleserye titles that also include And I Love You So, Born For You, and FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano season 2 are on their way to Myanmar’s biggest FTV channels, MWD and MRTV 4.

MKCS Global and ABS-CBN have started doing business in 2011. Since then, the two have been partners in providing quality Filipino content to Burmese audiences. Some ABS-CBN dramas that already aired in Myanmar were Born For You, Broken Vows, Brothers season 1, Be My Lady, and All of Me.

‘Pilipinas Got Talent’ season 6 grand winner Kristel De Catalina delivered an emotional yet powerful performance that garnered 99.67 percent of combined votes during the show’s grand finale.

Laugh while you win THE kings of Manila’s stand-up scene opulently-appointed rooms, fine oriare bringing the laughs to Winford Ma- ental cuisine, grand event halls, and nila Resort and Casino (WMRC) at 8:00 world-class gaming and entertainment. p.m. tomorrow at the Hippodrome Bar The resort also features a well-equipped and Lounge. fitness center, wellness spa, and heated Featuring acts from leading local roof deck pool. stand-up club Comedy Manila, WMRC Visit www.winfordmanila.com for members and guests will be treated to an more information or call the Winford evening of winning wit from funnymen Manila Resort and Casino reservations James Caraan, Anthony Andres, Red hotline at +63 (2) 528-3600 for inquiries Ollero, Ryan Rems, GB Labrador, and bookings. and Alex Calleja.

And because everyone should be free to laugh, admission to Comedy Manila is free of charge for all WMRC members and guests who are 21 years old and above.

VIP tickets are available for members and guests who prefer premium seating for the show for Php 1,250 nett per person. Each ticket includes a VIP seat near the Hippodrome stage and is consumable on food and drinks at the venue.

WMRC offers luxurious indulgences for the Funnymen James Caraan, Anthony Andres, Red Ollero, entire family, from the Ryan Rems, GB Labrador, and Alex Calleja

KathNiel invades Myanmar and Latin America

Meanwhile, aside from She’s Dating the Gangster, other Star Cinema movies namely Unexpectedly Yours, Four Sisters and a Wedding, Bride for Rent, Always Be My Maybe, and Extra Service will be available throughout Latin America, as well as the United States and Canada, via their cable, satellite, and IPTV services with ABS-CBN’s deal with Cinelatino.

“We are certainly proud of this win early on this year and our goal will always be to continuously provide highcaliber programs and movies with cast and storylines that appeal to various

cultures. We are certain that this will also boost our continuing efforts to introduce new talents to the global stage.” said Macie Imperial, ABS-CBN’s VP for Integrated Acquisitions and International Sales and Distribution.

Championing the business of storytelling for 65 years, ABS-CBN has succeeded in growing its international business and has now sold over 40,000 hours of content worldwide.

“With the success of our dramas, we are very optimistic that we can penetrate more markets that have not been previously tapped,” added Imperial.

MYX Music Awards celebrates 13th year at the Big Dome THE Philippines’ hottest hit makers and music video creators will be honed by the country’s number one music channel MYX in the 13th MYX Music Awards, now made even bigger with the MYX Squadfest, happening for the first time at the Araneta Coliseum on May 15.

Hosted by the MYX Squad—VJs Ai dela Cruz, Robi Domingo, Donny, Sunny, Sharlene San Pedro, Turs Daza, and Iñigo Pascual, the MYX Music Awards welcomes on stage performances from OPM icons and breakouts acts, which include Angeline Quinto, Elmo Magalona, Erik Santos, Ex Battalion, Gloc-9, Janella Salvador, Karylle, Kiana Valenciano, Klarisse de Guzman, Kyla, KZ Tandingan, Morissette, Shanti Dope, Yael Yuzon, Yeng Constantino, Ylona Garcia, and other surprise guests.

The festivities will also kick off with the MYX Squadfest, a concert showcasing the hottest young artists on the verge of chart-topping success. These include rising performers such as BoybandPH, Claudia Barretto, Fern, Hashtags, Isabela Vinzon, Jeremy Glinoga, Kisses Delavin, Kyle Echarri, Maris Racal, Maymay Entrata, Tala, and Tony Labrusca.

A total of 17 MYX Music Awards will be given in different categories plus the MYX Magna Award, which will be accorded to an industry icon who has a tremendous contribution in the local music scene. Last year, it was producer Vic Del Rosario Jr. who was honored with the special recognition. Previous MYX Magna awardees include Ogie Alcasid, Sharon Cuneta, Gary Valen-

ciano, and Lea Salonga.

This year, James Reid, Jona, and Sarah Geronimo lead the competition, having been nominated for five categories each, including Song of the Year.

Following are KZ, Moira dela Torre, and last year’s Artist of Year Darren Espanto with four nominations each.

Fans may still vote for their favorites through myxph.com/myxmusicawards

until May 8 at 11:59 p.m.. MYX Music Award winners will be chosen from 60 percent fan votes and 40 percent artist votes.

Catch the #MYXMusicAwards2018 winning moments live at the Araneta Coliseum on May 15. Tickets are priced at Php 1,275 for VIP, Php1,060 for Patron A, Php 850 for Patron B, Php 530 for Box, and Php 160 for Gen Ad.

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advertise@manilastandard.net REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT FIRST JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 12, LAOAG CITY

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PROJECTS FOR CALENDAR YEARS 2018 to 2019 WITH PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION TO SURRENDER THE CO-OWNER’S DUPLICATE COPY OF OCT NO. 14714 ERC CASE NO. 2018-012 RC

BOHOL LIGHT COMPANY, INC. (BLCI), Applicant. x---------------------------------------------------x

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 One Hundred Fifty Five Million One Hundred Seventy Two Thousand Philippine Pesos (PhP155,172,000.00) for the projects listed below. Bids received in excess of each ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening: Cost of Bidding Single Largest Completed Documents (Php) Contract

IB No.

Name of Contract

ABC (PHP)

2018-238

Procurement of Auto-Disable Syringe with Needle and Mixing/ Reconstitution Syringe with Needle Procurement of Stool Examination Kit (Kato Katz Technique)

75,000,000.00

50,000.00

16,218,000.00

25,000.00

Procurement of NRL HIV Viral Load Reagents (Re-Bid)

40,194,000.00

25,000.00

Procurement of Filariasis Test Strip (Re-Bid)

23,760,000.00

25,000.00

2018-237 2018032-A 2018037-A

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

Total 155,172,000.00

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

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 04 May to 25 May 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. 042012, 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:

LILIA HERNANDEZ, Respondent x---------------------------------------------x

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:

SUMMONS

Notice is hereby given that on 15 March 2018, an Application dated 7 March 2018 was filed by applicant Bohol Light Company, Inc. (BLCI) seeking the Commission’s approval of its capital expenditure projects for calendar years 2018 to 2019, with prayer for the issuance of provisional authority.

IB No.

Name of Contract

2018-238

Procurement of Auto-Disable Syringe with Needle and Mixing/Reconstitution Syringe with Needle Procurement of Stool Examination Kit (Kato Katz Technique) Procurement of NRL HIV Viral Load Reagents (Re-Bid) Procurement of Filariasis Test Strip (Re-Bid)

2018-237 2018-032-A 2018-037-A

7.

11 May 2018; 10:00 AM

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

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.

8. 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.

9. 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) ROLANDO ENRIQUE D. DOMINGO, MD, DPBO Undersecretary of Health COBAC - C Chairperson (MS-MAY 4, 2018)

Republic of the Philippines Province of Bataan City of Balanga BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE OFFICE Invitation to Bid No. Infra -043-2018 043

The Provincial Government of Bataan, through the General Fund intends to apply the below listed project w/ corresponding Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected a bid opening.

Name of Project 1.

Construction of Bataan District Jail Facility Phase II Barangay Doña, Orani, Bataan

Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC) =P=500,000,000.00

The Provincial Government of Bataannow invites bids for the above listedProject.

Completion of works for Project No. 1 is within 540 Calendar Days. Bidders should have completed, at least one (1) contract that is similar to the contract to be bid. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

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

Bidding is open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Office of Bataan Bids & Awards Committeeand inspect the Bidding Documents from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the same office.

Bid documents will be available only to eligible bidders upon payment of a nonrefundable amount of using standard rates approved by GPPB as stated on their Resolution No. 04-2012 listed below.

Approved Budget for the Contract 500,000 and below More than 500,000 up to 1 Million More than 1 Million up to 5 Million More than 5 Million up to 10 Million More than 10 Million up to 50 Million More than 50 Million up to 500 Million More than 500 Million

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

The Provincial Government of Bataan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on May 11, 2018 at 10:00 A.M at Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan.

Bids must be delivered on or before May 25, 2018 at 1:30 P.M. at Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated on IRR of RA 9184 or Bid Securing Declaration in standard form.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend opening of Bids at Bataan BAC Office. Late bids shall not be accepted.

In case of the above dates is declared a special Non-Working Holidays, it will automatically reset on the next working days.

Other necessary information deemed relevant by the Provincial Government of Bataan Activities 1. Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid 2. Eligibility Check 3. Issuance and availability of Bidding Documents 4. Request for Clarification 5. Opening of Bids

2. In compliance with the Amended Rules for the Approval of Regulated Entities’ Capital Projects (the “Rules”), as approved in ERC Resolution No. 26, Series of 2009, BLCI submits for approval its capital expenditure program for CYs 2018 and 2019 with an aggregate total cost of PhP 107,731,752.00, summarized as follows: PROJECT PESCRJPTION I. BLCI-FUNDED Distribution Plant Land & Land Rights Structures & Improvements Station Equipment Poles, O.H. Conductors & Devices Line Transformers(Common) Power Conditioning Equipment Meters Information Systems Equipment Total Distribution Plant

Schedule May 4 - 10, 2018 Refer to date of Opening of Bids May 4 - 25, 2018 May 15, 2018 May 25, 2018

The Provincial Government of Bataan 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: Ms. Aileen C. Sagun Provincial BAC / PEO Bataan Provincial BAC / PEO Office, Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan 047-237-9316 bac@bataan.gov.ph

CY 2018

CY2019

0 690,000 4,807,716 11,160,787 1,862,705 778,753 7,397,869 1,324,849 28,022,679

0 1,067,000 560,000 14,791,225 1,955,840 157,440 11,910,592 10,352,849 40,794,946

0 246,000 288,000 3,640,000 1,378,740 570,000 266,649 44,800 2,764,499 9,198,688

0 120,000 215,000 5,344,000 700,688 2,000,000 163,800 48,400 2,230,724 10,822,612

37,221,367

51,617,558

6,265,998 2,950,015

6,579,298 3,097,516

SUB-TOTAL (Distribution PlantCustomers` Deposit)

9,216,013

9,676,814

Total

46,437,380

61,294,372

General Plant Land & Land Rights Structures & Improvements Office Furniture & Equipment Transportation Equipment Tools, Shop & Garage Equipment Laboratory Equipment Information systems Equipment Communication Equipment Materials, Supplies Inc. Spares Total General Plant Sub-Total (Distribution and General Plant-BLCI) II. CUSTOMERS DEPOSIT-FUNDED Distribution Plant Line Transformer Poles, O.H. Conductors & Devices

25 May 2018; 09:00 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:

TO: LILIA HERNANDEZ No. 303 Circle, Makai Wahiawa, Hawaii, U.S.A WHEREAS, on JULY 24, 2017, a verified Complaint was filed before this Court the contents of which is quoted to wit:

1. BLCI is a corporation duly organized and existng under the laws of Republic of the Philippines, with principal address at BLCI Building, Ramon Enorio Street, Tagbilaran City, BohoL It is a distribution utility with franchise and Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to operate electric light and power services in Tagbilaran City

Activity (Date & Time) Pre-bidding Submission and Conference Opening of Bids

4. BLCI submits the annexes attached hereto and described below in compliance with the requirements for each proposed CAPEX project as required under Section 3.2, Article III of the Rules.

ANNEX A B C D E F G H I J K L M-1 M-2 N O

DESCRIPTION Details of BLCI Proposed CAPEX Projects CY2018 & CY2019 Proposed CAPEX Projects & Feeder Maps Gantt Chart of Proposed CAPEX Projects CY2018 & CY2019 Summary of Results of Forecasting Models, Validity and Accuracy Test Capacity Performance Table Updated Fault Level Data of BLCI Load End SS from NGCP Wire Sizing and Economic Analysis Technical Simulation Backbone Line Projects Financial Analysis BLCI Distribution Development Plan (DDP) Distribution Transformer Economic Analysis Primary Line Economic Analysis CAPEX Application Book 1 (Network Projects and Its Technical Descriptions and Justifications) CAPEX Application Book 2 (Other Network and Non-Network Projects and Its Technical Descriptions and Justifications) Secretary`s Certificate Judicial Affidavit of Engr. Eulogio M. Signe

5. The annexes, and other supporting documents provide, among other things, the following information: (a) System Performance Assessment and Planning Process; (b) Major Project Description; (c) Project Cost Estimates; (d) Technical Analysis; (e) Economic Analysis; (f) Project Schedule; and (g) BLCI Distribution Development Plan.

6. The proposed projects are indispensable to meet the increasing demand and increasing number of consumers of ELC!. Thus, BLCI recognizes the immediate need to increase substation and feeder capacities, as well as the need for additional distribution transformers, kWh meters, wires, and other related equipment in the distribution system.

7· Moreover, the proposed projects directly aim to address safety, capacity, efficiency, security and enhance further the reduction of system loss, reliability and power quality in the distribution network. The proposed projects are the outcome of ERC’s CAPEX Planning Process and are consistent with BLCI’s Distribution Development Plan (DDP), the Philippine Grid Code, the Philippine Distribution Code, and other relevant government issuances .

8. Pursuant to Rule 20 of the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure, BLCI submits the Judicial Affidavit of Engr. Eulogio M. Signe in support of its motion for a Provisional Authority to immediately implement the proposed projects.

9· The issuance of a Provisional Authority will ensure BLCI’s timely compliance with its CAPEX program considering the arduous preparations needed and the works involved in the implementation of the proposed projects.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES FIRST JUDICIAL REGION REGIONAL TRIAL COURT BRANCH___________ LAOAG CITY IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION TO SURRENDER THE CO-OWNER’S DUPLICATE COPY OF OCT NO. 14714 AQUINO A. TUNGPALAN Petitioner -versus-

BLCI prays that the Honorable Commission (a) APPROVE its capital expenditure program for CYs 2018 and 2019 consisting of the above proposed projects, (b) ISSUE a Provisional Authority to immediately implement the proposed projects pending final resolution of this application, (c) GRANT final authority to BLCI to implement, construct, own, and operate the proposed projects, and Cd) GRANT BLCI other equitable relief.

The Commission has set the Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on 23 May 2018 at two o’clock in the afternoon (2:00 P.M.), at BLCI’s principal office, BLCI Building, Ramon Enorio Street, Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

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

3)

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

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may file their Opposition or Comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before Applicant rests its case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following: 1) 2) 3)

The name and address of such person; A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and The grounds relied upon.

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicant that it be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing.

Applicant is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours.

WITNESS, the Honorable Chairperson and CEO AGNES VST DEV ANADERA, and the Honorable Commissioners ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAPTARUC and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 10th day of April 2018 in Pasig City.

FOR AND BY AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION:

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal

Respondent x--------------------------------------------x PETITION COMES NOW, the Petitioner, through counsel, and to this Honorable Court, and by way of this Petition to Surrender of the Co-Owner’s Duplicate Copy of OCT NO. 14714, most respectfully avers: That the Petitioner is of legal age, Filipino, married to Lolita B. Bato, and with residence and postal address at Brgy. 42 Apaya, Laoag City, Philippines, where he may be served with notices legal processes of this Honorable Court; 2. That the Respondent is likewise of legal age, Filipino, a resident of Brgy. 42 Apaya, Laoag City, Philippines, but presently residing at 303 Circle Makai, Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States of America, where she may be served with Summons and legal processes of this Honorable Court; 3. That the petitioner and even his late father Roman Tungpatan are the absolute and registered co-owners of the parcel of land, designated as Lot No. 3738, with a total area of 83,939 square meters, situated at Brgy. 42 Apaya, Laoag City, Philippines, covered by Original Certificates of Title (OCT) No. 14714. A certified title copy of OCT No. 14714 is hereto attached and marked as ANNEX “A”, and shall be made an integraI part hereof; 4. That being the absolute and registered co-owner, the petitioner is in possession of the owners’ duplicate copy of OCT No. 14714. A machine copy of the owner`s duplicate copy of OCT No. 14714 is hereto attached and marked as ANNEX “B” and shall be made an integral part hereof; 5.That the respondent had borrowed the owner`s duplicate copy of OCT No. 14714 from the petitioner as she had registered deed of conveyance in her favour with the Office of the Register of Deeds of Laoag City, and the presentation of the owner`s duplicate copy is a pre-requisite for its registration; 6.That the deed of conveyance in favour of he respondent was registered and annotated at the back of OCT No. 14714, and thereafter respondent returned the said owner`s duplicate copy of the Title to the petitioner. However, unknown to the petitioner, respondent had requested for a co-owner`s duplicate copy of OCT No. 14714; 7. That the petitioner, being one of the heirs of Roman Tungpalan, among other heirs, had executed on September 8, 2014, a Deed of Adjudication and Sale in favor William B. Munoz, married to Susan F. Ancheta, conveying a portion of 1,331 square meters of Lot No. 3738, covered by OCT No. 14714. A copy of the Deed of Adjudication and Sale is hereto attached and marked as ANNEX “C” and shall be made an integral part hereof; 8. That the petitioner had caused the registration of me aforesaid Deed of Adjudication and Sale with the office of the Register of Deeds of Laoag City, after securing and complying all the requirement or its registration. However, the Register of Deeds of Laoag City had denied the registration of the aforesaid documents on the primary ground of failure to surrender and present the co-owner’s duplicate copy of OCT No. 14714, as embodied in the Formal Notice of Denial of Registration. A copy of the formal Notice of Denial of Registration is hereto attached and marked as ANNEX “D”, and shall be made an integral part hereof; 9. That the petitioner repeatedly demanded from the respondent, thru ____________________who readily admitted that the co-owner`s copy of OCT No. 14714 was given to the respondent, who refused and continuously refuses to lend or surrender the same to the petitioner or to the Office of the Register of Deeds of Laoag City, so that the registration of the said Deed of Adjudication and Sale should be accomplished; 10. That the petition is filing this petition before this Honorable Court in accordance with the provisions of Sec. 107 of P. D. 1529, and that the respondent shall be ordered to produce and surrender possession of Co-Owner`s Copy of OCT No. 14714 in favor of the petitioner or in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Laoag City; 11. That in the event that the respondent shall fail to produce and surrender the coowner’s copy to the office of the Register of Deeds of Laoag City, within a reasonable period of time, the same shall be declared null and void and to order the Register of Deeds of Laoag City to issue another Co-Owner’s Copy of OCT No. 14714; 12. That this petition is not intended to intended to defraud third person or persons but solely for the reason hereon stated PRAYER WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is most respectfully prayed of this Honorable Court, that after due notice, and hearing, a Decision be issued directing the respondent to surrender the co-owner’s copy of OCT No. 14714 to the office of the Register of Deeds of Laoag City for the registration of the said Deed of Adjudication and Sale.

Petitioner likewise prays that in the event that the respondent shall fail to surrender the same within a considerable period of time, the co-owner’s copy of OCT No. 14714 be declared null and void, and to direct the Register of Deeds of Laoag City to issue a new co-owner’s COPY of OCT No. 14714 with a notation that it was issued in lieu of the cancelled co-owner’s copy of the said title and to proceed with the registration of the aforesaid Deed of Adjudication and Sale.

Petitioner further prays for such other relief and remedies that this Honorable Court may deem just and equitable under the premises.

Laoag City, Philippines, June 1, 2017.

MELCHOR B. GUILLEN Counsel for Subsitute Defendants G/F Old Far east Bank Bldg.

Tres Martires St., Laoag City IBP OR No. 0990719-Laoag City-12-15-2016 PTR OR No. 4720297-Piddig, I.N.-1-3-2017 Roll No. 40253;MCLE Compliance No. V-0005288/1-8-2015

VERIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION I, AQUINO A. TUNGPALAN, under oath, do hereby depose and state: That I am the petitioner in the above-entitled petition; That I personally caused the preparation of the aforesaid petition; That I have read the same and all the contents herein are true and correct to the best of my own personal knowledge and/or base from authentic records; That I have not commenced any other action involving the same parties, subject matter and cause of action before the Municipal Trial Court, Municipal Circuit Trial Court, Regional Trial Court, Court of AppeaIs or Supreme Court; That there is no pending similar action before the Municipal Trial Court, Municipal Circuit Trial Court, Regional Trial Court, Court of Appeals or Supreme Court; That in the event that the petitioner may come into his knowledge of a pending similar action before any court of justice petitioner shall undertake to inform this Honorable Court within five (5) days from such knowledge.

AQUINO A. TUNGPALAN Petitioner/Affiant SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 1st day of June 2017 at Laoag City, Philippines. Affiant exhibited to me his OSCA I.D. No. 11670 issued on 12/4/2006 at Parañaque City.

WHEREAS, on MARCH 21, 2018. counsel for the plaintiff filed a “Motion For Leave To Effect Service of Summons by Publication.

WHEREAS, on April 2, 2018, the Honorable Nida B. Alejandro, Presiding Judge of this Court, issued an Order approving the same.

NOW THEREFORE, Lilia Hernandez is hereby summoned through publication and by registered mail. She is required to file with the Regional Trial Court, Branch 12, Laoag City-llocos Norte, Philippines her answer to the complaint filed against her in the instant case within sixty (60) days from notice, serving copies thereof upon the plaintiff, through their counsel Atty. Melchor Guillen. Failure on your part to do so as aforesaid, petitioner will take judgment against respondent by default and demand from said Court the reliefs prayed for in the complaint.

WITNESS, THE HONORABLE NIDA B, ALEJANRO. Presiding Judge of this Court this 2nd day of April 2048 at Laoag City, Philippines.

JANETTE ROSALIE S. MATA Legal Researcher II & Officer-In-Charge

(SGD) ENRICO T. YUZON BAC Chairman (MS-MAY 4, 2018)

Cad Case No. 14 G.I.R.O. Rec. No. 1137 Lot No. 3738 Laoag Cadastre OCT No. 14714

LILIA HERNANDEZ,

RELIEF

1) 2)

Cad Case No. 14 G.I.R.O. Rec. No. 1137 Lot No. 3738 Laoag Cadastre OCT No. 14714

AQUINO A. TUNGPALAN Petitioner -versus-

BLCI alleged the following in its Application:

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health CENTRAL OFFICE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

C3

(MS-MAY 4 & 11, 2018)

(MS-MAY 4 & 11, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Motoring

RAMON L. TOMELDAN EDITOR

C4

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Daring

but deadly The World of Freestyle Motocross

“I

T’S crazy what we do, there’s no limit. If you make a mistake, you can die.”

They are the chilling words of Japan’s Taka Higashino, one of the stars of freestyle motocross, the daring but not always death-defying sport which is gripping a worldwide audience.

After performing a series of high-risk jumps off ramps set up inside an arena in the French city of Tours, the 33-year-old Higashino, a veteran of the X Games culture, warned the sport is not for the faint-hearted.

In 2009, Jeremy Lutz, a 24-year-old Californian and an X Games gold medallist the previous year, was killed after a fall in competition.

Five years ago, Eigo Sato of Japan died after a training accident.

Sato’s death almost pushed Higashino to the brink of quitting.

“But as soon as I got back on the bike, I felt great. I know only that this sport makes me smile,” he said.

The more dazzling the tricks on their bikes, the better.

And the packed house in Tours got their money’s worth as riders flew more than 10 metres off the ground.

Once airborne, they take their hands and feet off their machines while allowing their bikes to somersault around them, twisting and turning at 180 degrees.

The dramatic shapes they make are reflected by their names -- ‘Tsunami’, ‘Kiss of Death’, ‘Cliffhanger’, ‘Shaolin’, ‘Superman’.

French star Tom Pages, one of the leading exponents of the sport, admits it’s a tough addiction to shake.

“Every time I go to the X Games or Madrid (where the high-profile RedBull X Fighters event takes place) I ask myself: ‘What am I doing there? I tell myself that this will be the last time,” he told AFP. “It’s too hard a life, the knot in your stomach, the urge to vomit.”

The sport of freestyle motocross -- or FMX -- enjoys a global circuit, boasting bright lights and dancing girls, and is run under the supervision of the international motorcycling federation.

There are two major centrepieces -- the RedBull X Fighters in Madrid in front of 25,000 fans and the long-established X Games.

Other events run in parallel -- in Mexico, the freestyle stars pull in crowds of 45,000.

Japanese rider Taka Higashino performs during a motocross freestyle show in Tours, on April 7, 2018.

Not bad for a discipline which has only been in existence for two decades.

It all started in 1997 when riders headed out to the deserts of America, leaping over sand dunes.

“They were real freestylers, tattooed, real trashers, people who had a high level in motorcycle racing but who preferred to party and do anything in the dunes, people who lived their lives,” said Charles Pages, the brother of Tom. Charles Pages is a former rider himself but after a serious injury, now acts as a judge.

He fell heavily competing at the Bercy arena in Paris in 2010, suffered a head injury and was in a coma for a number of days.

But he was still hooked and three years later he was back in the saddle before another accident in 2015 left him with a shattered ankle.

“I was depressed like never before, I couldn’t see the point in getting up in the morning, to eat, breathe, to live,” the 37-year-old recalled after realising his days of competing were over.

“Everything I did in my life was in relation to this sport.

Today, things are better, but the adrenaline I had when I was riding, I know I’ll never find it again.

“There has to be risk because that’s where the adrenaline is.” AFP

Suzuki’s triumphant troika A troika of Suzuki automobiles remains the Philippines’ market favorites, pulling up Suzuki Philippines sales in the first quarter of the year.

Ertiga, Celerio and Vitara models, contributed largely to the robust increase in sales for the first quarter. The three award-winning models combined accounted for 58 percent of the auto brand’s sales for the period, Suzuki said.

Suzuki Philippines ended up the first quarter of the year with flying colors, posting the highest year-to-date (YTD) vehicle sales increase in the entire local automotive industry.

Achieving 21.4 percent YTD sales growth in March, SPH strengthens its presence in the market and sets its sight on continued uptick in the months to come. It hopes to continue moving up the industry sales charts after taking the top 6 position in local automobile sales, a step up from its seventh rank in the first quarter of 2017.

The initial phase implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law slowed down the auto industry in recent months, with sales in nearly all auto categories declining. Suzuki Philippines cushioned itself from the negative impact by strategically deciding to keep its 2017 price list for a certain period in Q1. This buoyed up company sales further, with Q1 sales growth double that of the entire local auto industry.

“We were prudent with our marketing efforts for the first quarter of the year because we anticipated developments in the business landscape as a result partly of the TRAIN Law and of course other factors,” shared SPH Vice President and Automobile Division General Manager Shuzo Hoshikura.

“The Suzuki brand has been consistently driving forward, strengthening its market footprint nationwide. It would be a step back to not take advantage of all opportunities to resonate better with our key stakeholders, in particular reflect the resiliency of the Filipino people.”

Market favorites The well-loved family vehicle Ertiga continues to be the best-selling Suzuki vehicle with 33 percent share of sales.

The Ertiga delivers utility, power and cost efficiency, perfect for Filipinos looking for a vehicle that offers top-tier functionality. The 7-seater vehicle is designed to provide comfort with maximized accommodation capacity.

Celerio, the Best Value-for-Money awardee in the standard mini category in last year’s Auto Focus People’s Choice Awards (AFMCA), ranks second in terms of Suzuki sales with a 13 percent share. The hatchback features a 1-liter engine and a light compact design, delivering power and efficiency for a fun and versatile drive.

With a 12 percent sales share, the recently launched Vitara, becomes a Suzuki best-seller. The 2017 CAGI Car of the Year awardee under the Subcompact Crossover Category

Three for the road: Ertiga, Vitara and Celerio remain the darling of Suzuki salesmen.

boasts strong personalization features in its stylish design.

Delivering enhanced driving and safety, the new-generation subcompact SUV makes city driving more enjoyable for Filipino riders.

Marketing influence Targeted and effective brand-building efforts, specifically expansion and network building initiatives, contribute to strengthening the Suzuki brand’s foothold in the country.

Dealership openings in key growth areas such as Isabela -and soon in Rizal and Batangas -- widen the company’s reach, enabling it to serve more Filipinos while increasing brand visibility.

Hoshikura expressed his gratitude to the Filipino market for the warm support received by the brand in the Philippines.

“The active support we get from the local market inspires us to pursue our goal of sharing with more people the Suzuki Way of Life. The most we can do to return the warm market response is to deliver on the promise of providing Filipinos with only the best-value vehicles and services. We are truly grateful for all these opportunities that the Philippine auto industry continues to give us,” said Hoshikura.

Earlier this month, Suzuki Philippines participated for the first time at the Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) 2018, cementing the brand’s presence and competence in the market. Best-selling and award-winning Suzuki models such as the Vitara, Ciaz and Ertiga were displayed during the 4-day event. To celebrate the inaugural participation of Suzuki in MIAS, the soon-to-launch all-new Dzire with Auto Gear Shift (AGS) technology upgrade was also put on display.