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IGLESIA SETS NEW WORLD RECORD AT ANTI-POVERTY EVENT

THE Iglesia ni Cristo religious sect on Sunday claimed it broke the record for the number of people citing the same sentence after 23,235 of its members formed the sentence “Proud to be a member of Iglesia Ni Cristo” at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. “We broke the record for the largest human sentence with 23,235 participants,” said Erwin Briones of the INCPublic Information Office. The event was said to have shattered the record set by India in 2016 with VOL. XXXII • NO. 81 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net 16,550 people forming the sentence “You Can, You Will.” Brionese said they would also be attempting to break four more Guinness World Records: the largest photo mosaic, the largest charity walk, single venue, multiple venues and most number of nationalities. The human sentence formation was conducted in line with the INC’s “Worldwide Walk to Fight Poverty” which was held on Roxas Boulevard in Manila. The participants, upon finishing the event, were directed to drop their wrist bands located at the end of the finish line. The number of wrist bands would indicate the total number of people who participated in the event. The event aimed to beat its 2014 record of more than 500,000 participants from 129 sites across the world, situated in 16 countries. It was recognized as the largest charity walk across multiple venues held in 24 hours. The proceeds of the Second Worldwide Walk will be used to continue providing food and medical assistance to impoverished communities. The 2014 charity walk benefited the victims of typhoon “Yolanda,” also known as “Haiyan,” which devastated the Visayas in November 2013. It was WOLD RECORD. Members of the Iglesia ni Cristo from all walks of life participate in a simultaneous “Worldwide Walk to Fight Poverty” on a long stretch of Roxas Blvd. from the Cultural the strongest tropical storm recorded in Center of the Philippines to the Quirino Grandstand in Manila in an attempt to break a Guinness Record for the largest charity walk set by INC members in 2014. INC ended up with history. PNA another record for the most number of people reciting the same sentence. Norman Cruz and Ey Acasio

Bautista, national artist, passes on; 76 NATIONAL Artist for Literature Cirilo Bautista has died at the age of 76, according to the De La Salle University’s Department of Literature, where Bautista used to teach. The department confirmed his death in a Facebook post. “It is with deep sadness [that] we announce the passing of our beloved professor/mentor and perhaps the greatest poet in the annals of Philippine literature-Dr. Cirilo F. Bautista,” the department said without providing details. Next page

Soft stance on China hit

Maritime expert sees erosion of PH gains from UN ruling

HE government’s soft approach to China’s militarization of the South China Sea will erode the advantage the Philippines gained when the UN arbitral tribunal recognized Manila’s claim over disputed territories in the area, a maritime law expert said Sunday. “This ‘soft position’ is not working. The only thing happening is we keep giving and giving,” said Jay Batongbacal of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea. In an interview with radio dzMM, Ba-

tongbacal said China’s continued militarization would enable it to take control of the disputed area. He said the recent deployment by China of surface-to-sea and surface-toair missiles on three islands claimed in

the Spratlys claimed by the Philippines showed that its goal was to take control of the South China Sea. Batongbacal also hit President Rodrigo Duterte for blaming his predecessor, former President Benigno Aquino III for doing nothing to enforce the UN decision, noting that the tribunal’s ruling in the Philippines’ favor came after Aquino left ofﬁce, or during the Duterte administration. Duterte’s stand on China was a “total reversal” of the Philippines’ earlier position to assert its claim to its territory. He also said Duterte should stop insisting that the dispute with China would lead to war, which the Philippines would lose.

Muslim group out to break impasse with Kuwait

Cirilo Bautista

Female justice nominated to Ombudsman

By Nash B. Maulana

Valenzuela is a separate act punishable under a different provision of the Dangerous Drugs Law,” the DoJ chief said. Guevarra’s statement came after the Valenzuela City RTC, Branch 284, Judge Arthur Melicor granted the motion of three defendants—customs ﬁxer Mark Taguba II, businessman Richard Chen, and Teejay Marcellana—to dismiss the drug transportation and delivery case ﬁled by the DoJ against them. The court ruled that the prosecution’s

MALACAÑANG has sent a delegation of Filipino Muslims to help resolve the country’s diplomatic row with Kuwait, an official from the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos said Sunday. Dimapuno Alonto Datu Ramos Jr., director of the NCMF’s Bureau of External Affairs, told the Manila Standard that President Rodrigo Duterte sent his law school classmate Abdullah Mama-o to help initiate dialogue with Kuwaiti foreign and labor officials. Sources from among Filipino Muslim workers in Kuwait said lawyer Mama’o, the presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers, made possible a meeting with Kuwaiti diplomats on May 2 by exploring the “alternative avenue of cultural ties.” Accompanied by Consul-General Norodin Lomondot, Mama-o initially met Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah in a bid to restore relations strained by the death of a Filipino domestic who was found inside a freezer earlier this year, then by Kuwaiti anger at operations run by Philippine embassy personnel and diplomats to rescue distressed Filipino workers in Kuwait, videos of which spread through the internet. A similar delegation of Muslim Filipinos was sent to the Middle East in 1974 when most Arab countries and Iran imposed an oil embargo on the Philippines at the height of the Mindanao conflict. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said late Saturday that ties between the two countries were headed in “a positive direction,” after Kuwait allowed

By Rey E. Requejo THE Judicial and Bar Council has been asked to include Supreme Court Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro in the shortlist of nominees to replace Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, whose term will end in July. Retired Supreme Court justice Arturo Brion nominated De Castro, who is set to retire in October, in a letter to the JBC dated May 3, 2018, which cited her 45 years in government serivice. “Through all these years, she has served the government with competence, probity and integrity,” Brion said in his nomination letter. “Her long years in the prosecutorial service [almost 19 years] and in the Sandiganbayan [more than 10 years], not to mention her more than a decade of experience as an associate justice of the Supreme Court qualify her for the position of Ombudsman,” Brion added. Before her appointment to the Supreme Court in December 2007, De Castro served as presiding justice of the Sandiganbayan and chaired the special division of the anti-graft court that convicted former President Joseph Estrada of plunder in 2007. De Castro was elected president of the International Association of Women Judge and served a term from 2012 to 2014. Next page

“The President is very vocal when it comes to the issue of sovereignty… but when it comes to China, he’s very soft,” Batongbacal said in Filipino. Earlier, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano slammed critics who said the government has not acted on the militarization in the South China Sea, saying that diplomatic efforts were aimed at resolving the dispute. “Those who say we are doing nothing do not know what they’re talking about,” Cayetano said in Filipino late Saturday. “There are diplomatic actions being taken, and just because we don’t shout about it doesn’t mean we’re doing nothing.”

WELL DONE. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte receives a round of applause from former President now Congressman Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and other delegates during the 51st Asian Development Bank annual meeting at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel in Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City on May 5, 2018. Presidential Photo

DoJ asks Valenzuela RTC to rethink P6-b shabu case By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice will ask a Valenzuela City regional trial court to reconsider its decision dismissing the drug charges ﬁled against nine persons, including Chinese businessman Chen Julong, alias Richard Tan, and customs broker Mark Taguba, in connection with the smuggling in of P6.4 billion of illegal drugs last year. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the DoJ will ﬁle an appeal because it

was not guilty of forum-shopping when it ﬁled criminal charges against the accused before the Valenzuela City court. “We will ﬁle a motion for reconsideration of the order of dismissal in the Valenzuela case [for transport of illegal drugs]. There is no forum-shopping involved because transporting illegal drugs is a distinct act from importation [case before Manila City RTC],” Guevarra said, in a text message. “The act of importation ends at the Customs area. Transporting the drugs to

News

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Canceled bookings criminal— House T

HE House committee on transportation will consider criminalizing the cancellation of passengers’ bookings by the drivers of transport network vehicle services or TNVS and the refusal of taxi drivers to transport passengers to any destination, an official said Sunday.

PH-US WAR GAMES. File photo shows US Marines exiting an amphibious assault vehicle during an amphibious landing exercise on a beach at San Antonio in Zambales on April 21, 2015, as part of annual Philippine-US joint maneuvers. This year’s annual Balikatan war games resumes starting Monday focusing on disaster relief and counter-terrorism. (Story on A3) AFP

Sereno accuses SolGen of forum shopping, wants case dropped

Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento, the panel’s vice chairman, said they will resume the deliberations on several pending bills that will regulate TNVS when Congress reopens on May 15. “Rest assured that we are going to work on this to protect the riding public,” Sarmiento said. Rep. Raneo Abu, a deputy speaker, supported Sarmiento and urged the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to protect the riding public from abusive taxi drivers. “I strongly urge the LTFRB to ensure that the rights of the riding public are protected and that the rules regulating the TNVS are strictly and clearly implemented,” he said. Rep. Robert Ace Barbers called on the LTFRB to ﬁle appropriate charges against at least 500 partner-drivers of Grab Philippines for their alleged cancellations of passengers’ bookings and other violations. Rio N. Araja

CHIEF Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Sunday accused the Ofﬁce of the Solicitor General of forum shopping and usurping the power of the House of Representatives to initiate and prosecute impeachment cases. In her supplemental memorandum ﬁled with the Supreme Court last Friday, Sereno―through her lawyers led by Alex Poblador―again sought the dismissal of the quo warranto petition against her, and this time on the ground that the OSG is allegedly guilty of forum shopping. “The OSG has committed willful and deliberate forum shopping, which should result in the outright dismissal of the quo warranto petition,” Sereno said in a statement. Forum shopping is a party’s action of

looking for a court or judge that is deemed likely to render a favorable result. It is a prohibited practice. Sereno said all the elements of forum shopping were present in the case. She said the issue raised in the quo warranto petition and the Articles of Impeachment earlier approved by the House committee on justice were “not only related but identical.” She said the reliefs prayed for in the two actions were both seeking her removal from ofﬁce. “The forum-shopping in this case was willful and deliberate even though it was well-aware of the identical issues, subject matter, and relief sought in the impeachment proceeding,” Sereno said.

The OSG, in its quo warranto petition, claims that Sereno lacks proven integrity because she allegedly failed to file all of her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth when she was a law professor at the University of the Philippines. The Articles of Impeachment mounted the very same attack on her eligibility and qualifications based on her supposed nonfiling of SALNs as UP professor. Meanwhile, Sereno asked why none of the 33 members of the House committee on justice who approved the Articles of Impeachment “spoken against, objected to, or otherwise taken issue with,” the OSG’s “blatant arrogation” of the sole power of Congress to prosecute the impeachment case.

She also asked why Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez had taken a position that the impeachment process and the quo warranto proceeding may proceed simultaneously. “The answer is plain: Those behind the impeachment before Congress and the Petition before this Honorable Court are one and the same,” Sereno said. Sereno also hinted at the possible involvement of some members of the high court in the attempt to remove her from ofﬁce through constitutional and extraconstitutional means. “At the expense of the Constitution, law and settled jurisprudence, their singular goal and objective is to remove the Chief Justice from ofﬁce,” Sereno said, referring to those behind her ouster.

DoJ... move “clearly bears the hallmarks of forum shopping” and “betray [their] intent to secure favorable judgment from different courts.” Forum shopping happens when a case is ﬁled in two separate courts in hopes that one of them will rule favorably. It said the state prosecutors have ﬁled a drug importation case before a Manila court—with the same set of accused and based on same arguments— after it was earlier dismissed by another Valenzuela court. However, Guevarra pointed out that there is no forum-shopping involved and said he will seek the reversal of the Valenzuela court decision. The DOJ chief said the recent decision of the Valenzuela court will not affect the case at the Manila RTC.

“Those two cases are distinct from each other and are based on different provisions of the Dangerous Drugs Law,” he said. Apart from Taguba, Chen and Marcellana, the other defendants in the case included Li Guang Feng, alias Manny Li; Dong Yi Shen Xi, alias Kenneth Dong; Eirene Mae Tatad; Chen I-Min; Jhu Ming Jhun; and Chen Rong Huan. In November, Valenzuela RTC Branch 180 Judge Nena Santos also dismissed the drug importation charges against the nine accused due to lack of jurisdiction. The accused still have to face trial for similar drug charges reﬁled by the government prosecutors before the Regional Trial Court of Manila City. The case arose from the Bureau of Customs’ discovery of the shabu shipment at the Hong Fei Logistics warehouse in Valenzuela City on May 26, 2017 based on a tip from the AntiSmuggling Bureau of the China Cus-

toms. The P6.4 billion worth of shabu shipment has been a subject of congressional inquiries that led to the resignation of former Bureau of Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon. Senator Richard Gordon underscored the need for the DoJ to ensure that the case filed before a Manila RTC is an airtight case. “This was a very big shabu shipment and with the Duterte administration waging a war on drugs, it could be the centerpiece of this administration if the DoJ will win the drug case filed before the Manila RTC. I am glad that Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra is forming a new team to handle the case and strengthening it,” he said. The previous team filed drug importation charges at the Valenzuela RTC because the shabu was seized in a Valenzuela warehouse. In January, the Valenzuela RTC dropped the case for lack of jurisdiction saying that the alleged

crime of importation happened at the Manila port. Prosecutors immediately refiled the case at the Manila RTC Branch 46, which ordered the arrest \ of the customs brokers and Chinese middlemen. However, it turned out that aside from refiling the case at the Manila RTC, the prosecutors also refiled drug transportation charges before the Valenzuela RTC Branch 248 using the same facts, issues and arguments. Melicor junked the case on the grounds of forum shopping. Gordon said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has conducted a thorough investigation and submitted a comprehensive committee report complete with recommendations accompanied by sufficient information and evidence. Last month, the Manila RTC also issued hold-departure orders against the six foreigners indicted in the case. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

Bautista,...

Muslim...

From A1

A celebrated writer and poet, Bautista was in the hall of fame at the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, where he won nine awards for his poetry, fiction and essays. He also served as a judge for the prestigious award since 1980 and won five National Book Awards from the Manila Critics Circle and the Gawad Balagtas in 1997 from the Unyon ng mga Manunulat ng Pilipinas. Bautista graduated magna cum laude from the University of Santo Tomas with a bachelor’s degree in literature. He also graduated magna cum laude when he finished his master’s degree in literature at Saint Louis University in Baguio City. He finished his doctor of arts degree in literature at the De La Salle University. Bautista served as literary editor of the Philippine Panorama, a member of the board of advisers and an associate of the Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center of the De La Salle University, and senior associate director of the University of Santo Tomas Center for Creative Writing and Studies. In 2014, Malacañang conferred the National Artist for Literature award to Bautista for his contributions to Philippine literature.

an initial batch of 61 Filipino workers there to return home, even after the amnesty period ended on April 22. Cayetano, who welcomed the returning workers, said about 700 more were waiting to be sent home in the coming weeks from the embassy’s shelter in Kuwait. He added that he has instructed the embassy to give priority to the welfare of Filipinos because ties with other countries can always be repaired, unlike workers who are killed, raped or

beaten up. Cayetano said the two countries are “moving forward” on an agreement to protect Filipino workers in Kuwait that was being negotiated before a crisis developed over the Philippine embassy’s well publicized rescue missions, which led the Gulf state to expel Ambassador Renato Villa. Earlier, the discovery of the body of Joanna Demafelis in a freezer in Kuwait in February prompted the Philippines to ban the deployment of Filipino workers to the Gulf state unless there is an agreement to give them better protection. But Party-list Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III

of the ACTS-OFW rejected a draft of the agreement between the Philippines and Kuwait as “a toothless deal.” “It is basically a vague promise,” Bertiz said, adding that it does not spell out enforcement mechanisms such as labor inspections or penalties for Kuwaiti employers who deprive Filipino domestics of their rights. “Without the means of enforcement or coercion, we cannot expect reasonable compliance by Kuwaiti employers,” Bertiz said. Bertiz warned that Filipino domestic workers in Kuwait would remain at high risk of getting mistreated and exploited, even if the agreement is signed.

Cayetano acknowledged that the deployment of missiles by China was of “grave concern,” given the Philippines’ territorial claims in the area, but said there were other claimants as well. “It’s not just between the Philippines and China. It’s between China and the neighbors in the region. It’s between the claimants and non-claimants. It’s between the claimants and the non-regional players.” But opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV denounced Duterte for continuously allowing himself to be “a lapdog of China.” “We, as a nation, should be alarmed by China’s militarization of the West Philippine Sea [WPS],” said Trillanes. “Militarily, in the short term, we should fast track the implementation of the Edca , and encourage freedom of navigation patrols by the US and other allies,” he said. In the medium term, the senator said, the Philippines should strengthen our security alliances with the US, Japan, Australia and the Asean; and continue the modernization of its Armed Forces. “Diplomatically, we should reassert our victory in the Arbitral tribunal. We should also initiate a regional security summit to raise international awareness on the WPS situation,” he said. Also on Sunday, Muntinlupa City Rep. Rozzano Ruﬁno Biazon raised concern over the Chinese missiles. “Well, we already know the history. There was limited movement for our ﬁshermen [there]. So while its [China] military presence [in the area] gets stronger, our concern on restrictions is escalating. This is true not only of the Philippines, but other countries, too,” Biazon tod radio dzBB. The government must take diplomatic actions to manifest its displeasure over the “creeping militarization and creeping invasion” in the area, he said. “That is very alarming since it is our territory, some of the islets are within an exclusive economic zone, That is why we should have a corresponding action. We should not just ignore it,” he said. Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rio N. Araja

late former President Corazon Aquino and former President Fidel Ramos and the Chief Justice Hilario Davide Reform Award for the reforms she implemented in the Sandiganbayan. De Castro is a vocal critic of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, with whom she had a shouting match last month during the tension-filled oral arguments on the quo warranto case against the embattled SC chief in Baguio City. She was also among the five justices who testified in the impeachment hearings against Sereno in the House of Representatives earlier this year. A private citizen, Jocelyn Marie Acosta, recently asked Solicitor General Jose Calida to also initiate quo warranto pe-

tition against De Castro before the Supreme Court based on the same grounds used against Sereno, particularly the alleged failure to ﬁle Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth. Acosta said De Castro should be removed from her post for submitting only 15 SALNs when she has been in government service since 1973. However, Calida rejected the request, citing lack of basis and evidence. The JBC, the seven-member constitutional body tasked to screen nominees for positions in the judiciary and the Ofﬁce of the Ombudsman, has extended the deadline for application and nomination for the Ombudsman post from May 2 to May 15.

Morales, 76, is also a retired SC justice who was appointed by former President Benigno Aquino III as Ombudsman in 2011. She replaced Merceditas Gutierrez, who resigned on May 6, 2011 from the post to avoid an impeachment trial in the Senate, leaving an unexpired term until Nov. 30, 2012. In summer session last month, the SC dismissed petitions seeking to remove Morales from her post for alleged overstaying. Justices voted unanimously to dismiss the petitions ﬁled last year by former Metro Rail Transit Line 3 general manager Al Vitangcol and lawyer Rey Nathaniel Ifurung for lack of merit.

From A1

Female... From A1

A product of University of the Philippines College of Law, she joined the government in 1973 as law clerk and legal assistant in the Supreme Court. She then moved to the Department of Justice as a state counsel from 1978 to 1995 before her appointment to the Sandiganbayan. As proof of De Castro’s competence and integrity, Brion cited the numerous awards received by the retiring justice— including the Presidential Medal of Merit in 1998 for her service as one of the peace negotiators during the terms of the

Soft... From A1

News

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

Barbers back Con-Com bid to bring an end to turncoatism

FROM TRASH TO CASH. Miss Earth 2018 candidates take part in the Trash to Cash campaign to highlight the importance of recycling and responsible solid waste management at SM North Edsa in Quezon City since 2007. SM has been inviting everyone every first Friday and Saturday of the month to exchange their trash for cash in all 60 malls all over the country. Manny Palmero

Marines as distinct unit pushed THERE is a need for the House of Representatives to establish a Philippine Marine Cor ps as another independent ser vice under the Armed Forces of the Philippines to strengthen its mandate of eliminating the enemies of the State, according to Magdalo Rep. Gar y Alejano. House Bill No. 7304 or the “Philippine Marine Cor ps Act” authored by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, and House majority f loor leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, seeks to create “the PMC as a branch of service, distinct, autonomous, but complimentar y to the Philippine Ar my, Philippine Air Force and the Philippine Navy under the AFP.” “The Marines has done so much already with so little resources. They could do more given the chance to operate as a distinct AFP branch of service,” Alejano said. Alejano said his office is currently working on a measure that would reorganize the AFP and Department of National Defense to include the formal establishment of the Philippine Marine Corps as an independent branch of service. “Being a former Marine officer myself, I recognize the distinct need of the Marine Corps from that of the Navy. The Marines is a highly mobile amphibious force which can be readily deployed anywhere in the archipelago,” he said. “The Philippine Navy provides a platform on which the Marines could be projected from sea to land. The f leet and the Marines should have intertwined operations. However, it is a must that the latter be granted fiscal autonomy to allow them to chart its future,” he said. Rio N. Araja

TRAIN derails Pampanga school projects, says CoA T By Rio N. Araja

HE tax reform law has affected the implementation of various projects of the public education system in Pampanga, according to the Commission on Audit.

Only P5.805 million worth of projects involving construction and repair of school buildings bankrolled by the special education fund of Pampanga province were completed in 2017 despite a P131.11million allocation, the agency said. In an April 17 report, CoA said “the allotment for the construction/ repair of schools, as of December 31, 2017, incurred an obligation amounting to P87,628,250.83 for schools. However, upon verification only one has been completed at the cost of P5,805,000 equivalent to an accomplishment rate of 4.43 percent of the total P131,110,000 allotment.”

In money terms, the P81.83-million funding set aside for 21 projects was no longer enough. “Our validation showed that the unimplemented projects were returned for the adjustment of cost in the program of works due to the Tax Reform Acceleration Inclusion Law which was signed by the President on December 19, 2017,” CoA’s report read. “The bidding for 21 projects was deferred due to price adjustment as a result of the implementation of the TRAIN Law and provision of fire exits and other requirements of the Bureau of Fire Protection, thus implementation will be

in 2018,” the audit team said, quoting the province’s education official. Bureaucratic gridlock also took its toll on the projects as CoA pointed out the program of works was already submitted to the provincial budget officer as early as August 2017, or at least three “As it turned out, according to the provincial budget office, the allotment for the construction and maintenance of school was in lump sum without the corresponding supporting breakdown estimate for each of the 25 projects,” the audit team said. “Consequently, the students who were the primary beneficiaries of the use of the special education fund were deprived of the early enjoyment of the benefits from the priority projects… such as the construction of classrooms and school buildings and procurement of equipment as well as the provision of instructional materials,” it added.

MESS FEST. Kids and kids-

at-heart get dirty and messy as a Marikina mall launches its Summer Mess Fest where they enjoy the giant water slide, water guns, water balloons, kinetic sand, paints to smear on a friends face and later dance at a foam party. Norman Cruz

Senator chimes in with Duterte on teachers’ pay increase SENATOR Sonny Angara has expressed full support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to increase the salary of public school teachers. President Rodrigo Duterte, in a speech in Davao City on Friday, promised to raise the salary of public school teachers after the basic pay of the military and the police have already been doubled. “We support 100 percent the President’s plan to raise the salary of our

public school teachers. They are among the most underpaid workers, given their workload and role in the society. “Teachers are heralded as molders of our children’s future and second parents, and yet, they receive a basic salary that does not equate to their contribution,” he said. Angara’s Senate Bill 135 seeks to upgrade the minimum salary grade level of teachers from Salary Grade 11 to 19—doubling their current monthly

base pay from P20,179 to P42,099. The lawmaker stressed that the increase in salaries would attract more qualified and competent educators to teach in public schools. “Our teachers are considered to be the heart of the educational system. The government needs to give priority to their welfare and interests. Definitely, this would lead to an improvement in the quality of education in our public school system,” said the senator.

Angara has been pushing for teachers’ salary hike since his time in the House. Angara noted that the low salaries received by public school teachers have been a major disincentive for them to improve their skills in teaching and pursue further education and training. “Having inspired and capable teachers is probably one of the best investments our government could make,” he said. Macon R. Araneta

SURIGAO del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers on Sunday supported a proposal of the 25-member consultative committee led by retired Chief Justice Reynato Puno to adopt provisions in the Charter eradicating political turncoatism. “The rampant party-switching of politicians undermines democracy and brings confusion to the people,” he said. “Political turncoats or butterf lies f ly from one party to another whenever it’s favorable. They are like chameleons that change colors from time to time for survival,” he added. Barbers earlier filed House Bill No. 7431 or the “Anti-Political Turncoatism Act” seeking to put an end to such practice and penalize turncoats to restore the integrity of the party system. Barbers’ bill and Con-Com’s proposal similarly provide that no elected public official may change his political party affiliation during his term of office. Barbers measure bans a candidate for any elective public office to change his political party affiliation within one year immediately preceding an election, and one year following such election in which he participated but lost. On the other hand, Con-Com provides “any candidate for public office or any official of a political party is prohibited from changing political parties within two years immediately after an election and two years before the succeeding election. “HB 7431 applies to all elective government officials and shall likewise apply to independent and party-list candidates who, after participating in an election, shall join any political party within a period of one year following such election regardless whether he won or lost,” Barbers said. Rio N. Araja

PH-US war games start Monday, focus on terrorism, relief THE 34th staging of the two-week “Balikatan” military exercises between American and Filipino troops will formally start Monday. The annual maneuvers will kick off with an opening ceremony at the Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters in Quezon City while the closing ceremony will be held on May 18. This year’s exercises will focus again on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counter-terrorism and mutual defense, Lt. Liezl M. Vidallon, “Balikatan 2018” public information officer said. All Balikatan exercises will be confined to the Northern Luzon Command area-of-operations which includes provinces located in Northern and Central Luzon, she said. The number of participating troops from the AFP and the US Pacific Command will be announced later, Vidallon added. “Throughout [the] Balikatan [exercises] Philippines and US forces will be working shoulder to shoulder in information exchanges and live training events. This will enhance both forces’ interoperability in planning and execution of joints and combines operations to advance regional security cooperation and collaborative actions in addressing security concerns,” Vidallon said. In last year’s Balikatan exercises, around 2,800 Filipino soldiers, 2,600 Americans and 80 members of the Australian Defense Forces and 20 from the Japan Self Defense Force participated in the series of military maneuvers from May 8 to 18. Highlights of last year’s exercises were the urban search-and-rescue and collapsed structures exercises which were conducted at Fort Magsaysay, Palayan City, in Nueva Ecija. The former involved rescue methods for individuals trapped in collapsed structures, a common occurrence during massive earthquakes. PNA

Opinion

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

Adelle Chua, Editor

Guardian of the Constitution preme Court alone is constitutionally tasked with the power of final resolution. The Supreme Court is always right, not because it is infallible, but because it is supreme. “Right” therefore has a purely pragmatic sense. Not that the Supreme Court has no THE Supreme Court is commonly reasons. In fact, its reasoning in any assigned the task of “guardian of the particular case—technically, the “raConstitution.” In truth, since all pub- tio decidendi”—is what is doctrinal, lic servants take an oath “to uphold but jurists who do not share its posiand to defend the Constitution,” all tion may have equally persuasive reabranches of government, its agen- sons! And that is just another point: cies and instrumentalities are guard- While a Supreme Court decision reians of the Constitution. But because solves a dispute, either recognizing questions inevitably arise on what a demandable right or denying that the Constitution means in the face there is one, approving of the appliof multifarious cation of the problem areas, law in one case there must be a and rejecting branch tasked its application with the power in another, The Supreme Court of definitive inthat does not terpretation, thus and should not is always right, not judicial power— foreclose furbecause it is infallible, and with it, the ther academic power of judicial but because it is debate. And review. Justices the continuing supreme. of the Supreme discourse need Court are not not be idle. necessarily enFrom medieval dowed with hertimes, the dismeneutic prowputations of ess denied the rest of mortals. It jurisconsults eventually found their simply is that they are tasked with way into the decisions of judges. settling what could potentially be The so-called “counter-majoritarendless disputes. It is in that limited ian difficulty” is commonly raised sense that the judiciary, particularly against judicial review. How tenthe Supreme Court, is the guardian of able is it for 15 unelected men and the Constitution. women to set aside the enactment As popularly understood, judicial of the people’s elected representareview refers to the Court’s power to tives? The most direct answer of pass upon legislation or executive ac- course is that the Constitution so tion and to determine “constitutional- ordains. But what the discomfiity”—conformity or lack thereof with ture with judicial review does raise the Constitution. Once more, every is the possibility of other forms of agency or instrumentality of govern- constitutional review. In fact, one ment must do so. There is nothing of the established precepts of juexclusive to the judiciary about deter- dicial review is that the Court, out minations of that kind. But the SuTurn to A5

EDITORIAL

Not what good neighbors do

F A neighbor were to build a guard house in your backyard then mount a machine gun on its window, would you say, “We are conﬁdent that the gun is not aimed at us, because we’re friends?” Absolutely not. Viewed from this perspective, the words emanating from the presidential spokesman’s mouth as he answered questions about the surface-to-water and surfaceto-air missiles that China has installed on several Spratly islands that we own seem ridiculous to the point of being delusional. Even more ludicrous is that the administration is making such statements when the world— through a United Nations tribunal—has acknowledged the Philippines’ ownership over Fiery Reef, Subi Reef and Mischief Reef in the Spratly archipelago, and dismissed China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea as excessive. Reacting to criticism that the administration is not doing enough to protect the country’s territorial in-

tegrity, President Rodrigo Duterte lashed out at the United States and former President Benigno Aquino III for failing to stop China’s militarization of the region. “The only country who could have stopped the Chinese… was America,” Duterte said in a speech in Davao City. The President also mistakenly blamed Aquino for doing nothing after winning the case before the UN-backed arbitral tribunal— clearly forgetting the indisputable fact that the court decision was handed down after he (Duterte) came to power. In fact, it was Duterte who has done nothing with that decision, making it a point not to bring it up with the Chinese. We do understand that the Philippines has a lot to gain from cordial relations with China, the

lynchpin of Mr. Duterte’s policy to step softly when it comes to our conflicting territorial claims with Beijing. To the extent that China has offered the country more loans and investments, it is clear that there are distinct advantages of such an approach. It is also clear that taking a bellicose approach—the path taken by the previous administration—has not worked very well for the Philippines. But there must be a line that not even the most accommodating neighbor will not allow anyone to cross. Since Mr. Duterte has been so vocal about his excellent ties with our northern neighbor, having once expressed his great affection for their president, it behooves him to use those special relations now to register our stringent opposition to the missiles they’ve put on our territory. This is not what friends do. This is not what good neighbors do, regardless of whether or not they are aimed at us.

Nobility been inside the building. Fortunately, there was none, and our Meco staff and labor officials in Taipei found out immediately after. But the tragedy took the lives of two Thai contract workers, plus five Taiwanese fire fighters. On Monday, April 30, Taoyuan I HAD to do a double-take yesterday. Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan announced Since my articles take space Mondays that Taoyuan’s Fire Department Chief and Wednesdays, I have five days to Hu Ying-ta tendered his resignation write my column for the following Mon- over the disaster and he reluctantly acday. So sometimes I miss out on current cepted the resignation. events, and by the time I want to write Fire chief Hu had been a fire fighter about the issue, it has become stale. for 43 years, with a distinguished serAs is my wont, I scribble notes in vice record, and had conducted many my laptop from the time I submit my reforms in the Taoyuan fire departWednesday column (normally on ment, the mayor said. But the Taoyuan Tuesday morning) till Saturday or factory fire took the second greatest Sunday, as reference for my Monday loss of life for firemen in Taiwan for article the following week. the last eleven years. Imagine my surprise upon readFire chief Hu took the bullet even as ing the Manila he grieved for the Standard ediloss of his own torial yesterday, men. which had exSuch nobility actly the same is rare. The ﬁre chief took the title I used for *** my Mondaybullet even as he grieved Last May One, banked article! i nt e r nat ional ly for the loss of his own “What’s wrong celebrated as Lamen. with strong?” bor Day, we were the editorial title in a ceremony to asked. And the inaugurate Taisucceeding arwan’s Institute ticle debunked for National StraIan Bremmer’s tegic Research, cover story for TIME Magazine. a newly created agency. While waitAll I can now say is: I fully concur ing for Pres. Tsai Ing-wen to arrive, with yesterday’s editorial. the resident representative from the President Duterte did not have to United Kingdom broke the news in our deny he is a “strongman.” People elect- conversation, that less than an hour ed him precisely because he was, and before, the Dominican Republic had is, a “strong” leader. They are tired of announced they were breaking off full weaklings. diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Harking back to post-Edsa days, That event may have been the reason when the Filipino people were so for the president to be late by six minheady that they were able to topple a utes or so for the scheduled ten o’clock “strongman” who had stayed too long, ceremony. In Taiwan, everything is only to realize after a few years that done with clock-work precision. The “weak” leadership had been foisted trains run exactly on time, as in Japan, upon them. or the head of the rail system resigns. Imagine what could have hap- So too with official functions. pened to the country had there been a But an unexpected announcement “strong” Duterte-like president after from a full diplomatic ally must have Marcos? kept the president and the new foreign *** minister huddled for the official reacAs this space wrote Wednesday last, tion, I surmised. we were alerted to a big fire that razed Suddenly I remembered a Dominia Taoyuan factory in Taiwan on Sat- can Republic scholar in Kaohsiung urday night (April 28) by a Filipino I had met months before, and upon contract worker who was so concerned whom I was able to practice my little Turn to A5 that other fellow OFWs could have

Crossing the red line

WHILE leaders of North and South Korea held a historic summit along the Demilitarized Zone that resulted in a denuclearized Korean Peninsula, international observers are hopeful the two Koreas would someday sign a treaty for reunification. This evolved in East and West Germany with the reunification resulting in a more prosper-

China on the other hand has crossed the red line by installing and deploying cruise missiles on one of the reefs in the West PhilipChina has installed pine Sea. The Philippine governand deployed cruise ment, in its usual business-as-usual missiles on one of response, said it would file a diplomatic protest with the Chinese the reefs in the West Embassy in Manila but will “trust Philippine Sea. its friendship with China to smooth things out.” This latest Chinese provocation was f lagged by US intelligence satellite and has raised concerns ous Germany. The same thing could in the international community happen if the two Koreas decide to because it could impede the flow of unite. Turn to A5 Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

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

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Opinion The SCS and Kuwait conundrum CROSSROADS JONATHAN DE LA CRUZ THE Palace has spoken on the two hottest diplomatic concerns we are having at the moment—the reported continuing militarization by Beijing of the disputed areas in the South China Sea or, for political correctness by the standards of some quarters, the West Philippine Sea, and the DFA-led rapid rescue operations in Kuwait. On SCS/WPS, Malacañang has advised that the government “...will exhaust all possible diplomatic options..will resort to diplomatic protest as needed once there is a validation of the latest Chinese move on the disputed islands they have been occupying for sometime..” No need for harsh language or to send any vessel specially a gray one as the previous administration did at the first sight of pictures of “militarization” sent by US-based groups. President Duterte himself has time and again reminded the public, local and international, that the Philippines will not go to war over these islands. That will be a disaster worse than anybody ever dreamed of. Even the Americans. Better to hold our horses (including the Hague Declaration on our earlier claim) and wait for a better opportunity to have this and other possible winning cards on the table as and when our friendly initiatives towards Beijing get some traction.) Obviously, Malacañang has been chastised by the Aquino administration’s stridently anti-Chinese, anti-negotiations stance. Nothing but heartache and more Chinese reclamation in the contested areas came out of our braggadocio for six years. Plus occasional f leet visits and condemnation from the Americans and their allies. This time he would rather do things quietly, conduct even more research on the conflicting claims of the five countries presently in the area and people-to-people contacts with Beijing. We all know that war cries and shows of force have their limitations specially in cases such

Guardian... From A4

of deference to a co-equal branch of government, will not pass on the issue of constitutionality if it can resolve a dispute without doing so. The French have the Constitutional Council (the powers of which have also morphed lately) that reviews legislation prior to enactment. And to safeguard Parliamentary autonomy in respect to legislation, only by referral of the President of the Republic and limited circle of officials and legislators will the Council entertain petitions for “pre-view.” Habermas suggests another variant: The creation within the Legislature itself, of a body maintaining sufficient independence from the regular members of Congress and fairly representative of juridical thought in the country, to pass upon issues of Constitutionality. This is a proposal

Crossing... From A4

commercial cargo vessels which use the vital navigational lanes in the South China Sea. Parts of the South China Sea are contested by Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan. The militarization of the South China Sea by China could incur the wrath of US President Donald Trump and trigger an armed response from American jet fighters and warships. The Chinese are really pushing the red line. This is an alarm bell that the US raises when a military power like China or Russia exceeds its aggression. Last week Chinese laser weapons nearly sent down US fighter jets over Djibouti airspace in the Horn of Africa. China denied the incident but the US pilots maintained the laser attack happened. ***

as this. After all, as Bill Hayton, an acknowledged expert on China and the SCS dispute noted, there is no new territory that the Chinese are claiming or working on in the area. Said Hayton “....Most of the international media coverage on the ‘island building program of the Chinese’...contained an element of panic about China’s apparent ‘swallowing’ of the South China Sea..The scale of the construction tended to obscure the fact that China had not occupied any new territory; it had built on reefs it had

For now, a soft landing is best.

occupied for two decades...” In a word, they are merely consolidating their position in an area they believe and have said so, as part of their national territory and to strengthen their defense of their national interest. Which begs the question: if the Chinese are strengthening their hold over territories in the SCS/ WPS they have occupied for years, why are we hesitating to do the same in our own islands? Money should not be a problem. If we can allocate P157 billion for DAP, why can’t we allocate funds to buttress our hold on our own piece of property in the disputed areas? Better still, why don’t we ask the Americans, if they are so concerned about the Chinese take over of their own occupied areas? To ensure that the Chinese know Big Brother is watching? *** Now, as to the Kuwait issue, the Palace has also made things very, very clear after that botched (and diplomatically embarrassing DFAled rapid rescue operation) which led to the expulsion of our own Ambassador Rene Villa, the recall of Kuwait’s envoy in Manila, the issuance of arrest warrants on three other Filipino diplomats now holed up in the Embassy, the blacklisting of longtime Filipino residents

in Kuwait who assisted the 47-man rapid rescue group, the temporary stoppage of the repatriation of our nationals still languishing in our shelters in Kuwait and the halt in the deployment of our workers, even those skilled or on vacation, to that country. Soft landing muna. No need to exacerbate things. And proceed to back channeling. Which is as it should be at this point. There is no question that we should exert all efforts to ensure the safety and well being of our workers. There is no question that we should try as best we can to put in place the best possible working and living conditions for our nationals abroad whether in Kuwait or elsewhere. That is a responsibility we cannot outsource or renege on. But there is a limit to what we can do in the host countries. We cannot be their policemen. We cannot be their judges or justice system. We cannot be doing things as we please. We have to work with the authorities in the host countries at all times. Otherwise, if we do things on our own involving say, commercial disputes and employment ones. As in the case of our household workers. We cannot just be knocking at each and every house employing our nationals and start making all kinds of moves to “rescue” them if they as much as complain about their conditions. That is an affair needing the assistance and concurrence of the local authorities to do. That is what the DFA led posse did. Worse, they officially uploaded it on the DFA website and urged Duterte followers to copy and share. What were they thinking? That Kuwaiti authorities will just look the other way and let this to happen? Not at all. Even in Manila, any such intrusive operation will really be looked with utmost disfavor and dealt with accordingly. So for now, let the landing be soft. Let the spoken and written words be as diplomatic as possible. Let the stalled discussions on the proposed MOA to improve the working and living conditions in Kuwait resume and let this unfortunate incident in our relations be resolved as quietly and properly as possible.

for self-ref lection and self-correction within the Legislature itself. Finally, if, like Spain, we should opt to create a Constitutional Court, besides the Supreme Court, which of the two should pass upon the constitutionality of legislation or executive action? In Spain, it is the Constitutional Court that does so. So it was that the Spanish Tribunal Constitutional ruled that limiting the provisions on marriage to heterosexual couples violated the human rights of homosexual couples. Very clearly, to be able to fulfill its task of arbitrating disputes between branches of the government caught in a deadlock (what media commentators excitedly refer to as a “constitutional crisis”), a Constitutional Court should not be integral to the judiciary. It must stand above all three branches of government without itself constituting a fourth branch, endowed with constitutional power to settle disputes between branches of government. In my proposal then, it is only

when a dispute over the Constitution engenders or underlies an intractable conf lict between branches of government does the Constitutional Court rule. In all other cases, such as when an individual’s rights are alleged to be transgressed by legislation, the Supreme Court should be left to exercise ordinary judicial review. But to do its task, the Constitutional Court should be as much a political court (almost an oxymoron, politics, having dynamics of its own!) as well as a court of law. What I mean by this is that aside from being a body of legal eagles, there should be room on the court for political theorists and scientists, including hawks and doves who have crossed swords in the political arena. That should make it an interesting and most helpful mix of keen juridical thought and astute political savvy!

Red tide of Chinese gamblers There was an interesting article from Bloomberg News recently that didn’t draw much attention in the local newspapers. “An estimated 100,000 migrants, mostly Chinese, have f looded into pockets of the Philippines capital since September 2016, and the deluge is rippling through the city’s real estate market in ways that are unique among the world’s urban centers. While Chinese investors have been snapping up big swathes of high-end is motivated by something different: Manila’s housing in Hong Kong, London and New York for years to move their money offshore, this new rush booming gaming industry. More than 50 offshore gambling companies that cater to overseas Chinese punters have received permits to operate in the city since President Rodrigo Duterte’s government began awarding licenses 19 months ago. While bets are placed remotely,

the operators need Chinese speakers in Manila to handle everything from marketing and customer queries to payment processing for overseas clients. The resulting migration, while only a fraction of the metropolitan area’s 12.9-million population, is propelling home prices to record levels in neighborhoods favored by Chinese workers. It’s reinvigorating Manila’s commercial property market as owners convert offices and shops into gaming centers with card tables and webcams. And it’s boosting the bottom lines of local developers including Ayala Land Inc. and SM Prime Holdings Inc.” The story, headlined “Chinese Money Triggers a Dizzying Rally in Manila Property,” was published May 4. While hundreds of thousands Chinese gamblers come in from the Mainland, spur the economy and provide jobs to Filipinos, the influx poses danger to national security and is a serious concern.

rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@outlook.com

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

Hurting the masses ity prices was going to be “short-lived and should taper off over the coming months,” but even he conceded that the public needed to “remain vigilant against emerging price pressures and to implement mitigating measures immediately.” For good reason. The negative perAS THE administration of President ception cuts across geographic area and Rodrigo Duterte nears the two-year socioeconomic groups. In fact, only 1 mark, his once-unyielding popularity percent of Filipinos appear to be not seems to be undergoing its most severe bothered by the increase in the prices challenge yet. A recent Pulse Asia surof basic commodities. It doesn’t help that there are other vey revealed that nearly all Filipinos— a massive 98 percent—feel that the factors that exacerbate the situation, price of basic commodities has gone up from the increase in the global prices since January, signifying a broad con- of crude oil and the depreciation of the cern over whether or not they would be peso. A recent Social Weather Stations survey also revealed that the “joblessable to cope with the surge. And for good reason. The first three ness rate” has increased from 15.7 months of 2018 saw the inflation rate percent in December of 2017 to 23.9 shoot up steadily from 3.4 percent in percent in the first quarter of 2018. January to 3.8 percent and 4.3 percent This translates to an increase in the estimated number in February and of jobless adults March, respecfrom 7.2 miltively. The latter lion in Decemis the highest reber 2017 to 10.9 corded monthly Ordinary Filipinos million in March figure since 2018. 2013. seem to bear the brunt While TRAIN It is little surof what was envisioned is also enviprise then that as truly progressive sioned to create other metrics are jobs and ease following suit. policy. poverty via helpConsumer coning bankroll the fidence, per the government’s inlatest Bangko frastructure proSentral Consumgram and other er Expectations Survey, has likewise weakened in the social services initiatives, this kind of same period, dropping to 1.7 percent in impact is not expected to materialize the first quarter from 9.5 percent in the for another five years or so. And since previous one. As expected, the higher the Filipino consumer is already crying prices of goods, in addition to perenni- over the current price pinch, the situaally low income and a rise in household tion demands a more urgent response, expenses, are the main factors to ex- the gravity of TRAIN’s effect on inflaplain the “less optimistic” sentiments. tion notwithstanding. Unfortunately, faster than expected The Filipino consumer is by and large apprehensive going forward. In inflation can trigger other aspects of the the same survey, more respondents ex- economy, which could make matters pect their expenditures on basic goods worse for Filipinos. BSP announced and services to go up, including those that it expects inflation to settle close on electricity, food, non-alcoholic and to the high end of the target range of 3.8 alcoholic beverages, fuel, water, and percent for the year. BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo this week said transportation. To observers and consumers alike, the central bank would be ready to raise there is one clear culprit. The passage interest rates if needed. He explained: “If inflation is higher of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law last year—a banner than 4.3 percent, then it means somelegislation and considered a landmark thing. If it’s lower, then we have to reachievement of the Duterte govern- assess all the numbers. We will keep on ment—had many sectors anxious, un- monitoring those numbers. We have to appeased by the many assurances from look at it [from] a medium-term perthe administration’s economic manag- spective. What’s next in 2019?” This can help ease inflation as coners that the law’s effect on inflation would be minimal and that 99 percent sumers tend to save more when interof Filipino households would benefit est rates are raised to take advantage of higher returns, reducing disposable from tax cuts. Mere months into TRAIN’s rampag- income. Whatever the situation, one thing is ing journey, their fears seem to be not only founded. The situation appears clear. Part of the selling points of TRAIN to be even worse than initially feared. was relief for the ordinary folk. In the National Economic and Development short term, not only is this not happening, Authority Director Ernesto Pernia was they seem to be bearing the brunt of what quick to downplay the tax law’s im- was envisioned as truly progressive polipact—just 0.7 of the inflation at most is cy. For the Duterte administration, inflaattributable to it, according to his agen- tion appears to be the next battleground cy’s calculations—but the perception that may prove to be damaging political seems unabated, especially among the issue in next year’s mid-term elections. lower income and working-class seg- As with key government policy, a sense of urgency and responsiveness in executments. Recently, Pernia tried to assure the ing mitigating programs that would ease public that the uptick in commod- the burden of ordinary consumers is key.

Nobility From A4

knowledge of the Spanish language. She was studying in a Kaohsiung university as a full scholar of the government, and would be tapped as an interpreter and tour guide for visitors of the city officialdom who spoke either Spanish or English. The honoraria she received for such chores added to the stipend she got from Taiwan on top of the full scholarship. Would her scholarship be revoked by her government’s affront upon Taiwan, I thought? But on Tuesday May 2, the Ministry of Education stated that it is willing to help Dominican students so they could continue their studies if they wish, despite the severance of diplomatic ties between the Dominican Republic and Taiwan the day before. There are 91 students from the Dominican Republic studying in Taiwan, 21 of whom are enrolled under the Taiwan Scholarship Program. Another gesture of nobility. *** “What’s wrong with strong,” yesterday’s Standard editorial is the same question in my mind in response to all the flak DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano is getting these days on account of the rescue of Filipino nationals maltreated by their Kuwaiti employers. Kuwait expelled our ambassador to protest an “affront to their sovereignty.” Perhaps so. But would we rather see our government doing nothing to protect the lives

and well-being of our nationals toiling and suffering in some foreign climes? Diplomatic faux pas our intellectual elite may label the incident, but despite lapses, our ambassador and his secretary did the right thing. Pinoy muna, and damn the torpedoes after. *** There are two Filipinos I have to congratulate for their excellence in their chosen fields: Kenneth Cobonpue of Cebu City, who recently won the prestigious International Interior Design Association award for his “peacock chair” at a hospitality design fair held in Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Kenneth, who is likewise the chairman of the Regional Development Council for Region 7 by appointment of President Duterte, is truly a Filipino we can be proud of, making waves in furnitures and fixtures that have awed celebrities around the world for stunning creativity and flawless craftsmanship. Likewise I commend Mayor John Rey Tiangco of Navotas, whom I met in 2015 courtesy of my Malabon friend Norman Fulgencio, now chairman of the Postal Corporation, for his imposition of a curfew for minors from 10 at night till five in the early morning. John Rey has labeled the curfew time as “disciplinary hours.” That might seem draconian to some, especially since the Navotas fish port operates in the wee hours of brisk trading and minors are employed contractually by “consignitarios” to haul their purchased “banyeras” to their vehicles. But minors are likewise employed by crime syndicates and gangs, and for Mayor John Rey, enough must be enough.

News

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

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Maynilad invests P743-m for new pumping stations By Rio N. Araja WEST zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. is investing P743 million to build new pumping stations and reservoirs that would boost water pressure for 87,000 customers and connect one million more to its network. Ramoncito Fernandez, Maynilad president and chief executive ofﬁcer, said the new facilities to be constructed in Valenzuela City and Muntinlupa City will have a combined water storage capacity of 75 million liters. These will allow Maynilad to store more water for better supply management in the areas to be served. “We in Maynilad have made it our mission to improve the living conditions of our customers through better water access. Hence, we keep investing in the infrastructure enhancements needed to connect new customers and boost service levels for existing ones,” he said. The new facilities in Valenzuela and Muntinlupa are targeted for completion by the last quarter of 2019. These would enable Maynilad to bring surface water to residents in these areas who either rely on deep wells for their supply or have limitedto-no-water access. Other new pumping stations and reservoirs that would start operations this year are located in Bacoor and Imus.

OFFICER DOWN. Members of the Marikina City Police District hold a simulation exercise on how to respond to an active shooting incident. Manny Palmero

Gordon: Reopen Subic Bay Airport T By Macon Ramos-Araneta

O ADDRESS the long-standing problem of runway congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Senator Richard Gordon has proposed anew the reopening of the Subic Bay International Airport.

“I have long been calling on past administrations to resolve this problem because it affects our economy. A good international airport as the country’s gateway is essential to economic growth,” Gordon said.

The runway congestion has resulted in delayed ﬂights, both local and international. This has discouraged investors from bringing their businesses into the country as well as discouraged potential tourists.

Gordon himself experienced first-hand the inconvenience caused by Naia’s runway congestion recently. His flight to Istanbul on April 15, which was scheduled to take off at 9:45 p.m., was delayed for more than one hour at the runway. “We had to wait on the runway for more than one hour before we were given clearance to take off. I was afraid we would miss our connecting flight in Istanbul,” he said. Gordon said once the Subic Bay International Airport is reopened, flights from Naia can be diverted to Subic and to the Clark International Airport in

Clarkﬁeld, Pampanga. The senator said expressed optimism that Clark and Subic will provide seamless air transportation services given that they are only 30 to 45 minutes away from each other. “Why not open Subic Bay International Airport and divert ﬂights to SBIA and Clark International Airport to help ease the runway congestion at the Naia?” he said. He said passengers from Manila could take the ferryboat from Manila to Bataan and then proceed by land to Clark or Subic.

SAFETY MEASURES. Holger

Holst, Director for Technical Service at the Metro Clark Waste Management Corps. shows the open landfill having multiple layers of liners, including a 2.5 millimeter high density polyethylene material. It also includes recycling facilities, leachate storage and treatment pods as well as an environmental buffer at Capaz, Tarlac. Norman Cruz

‘Cascade DDR, climate initiatives to grassroots’ By Macon Ramos-Araneta TO ENSURE a more holistic approach towards resilience and sustainability, Senator Loren Legarda underscored the need to carry out disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and environmental conservation at all levels—from global down to the smallest community. Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Climate Change, made the statement during 10th anniversary conference of the International Climate Initiative in Bonn, Germany. “Despite all our laws and these programs, there is still much to be done,” she said. The greatest challenge, Legarda said, is not even funding these laws and programs, but to convince both the national and local governments on the urgency of taking action to address disaster risks and climate change impacts. Disaster loses have continued to mount because the resilience of communities remain a great challenge to local government units because many have not yet incorporated DRR initiatives in their poverty alleviation programs. “The protection, monitoring and assessment on the impact of the exploitation of protected areas in the country are great challenges. We must keep in mind that their preservation is critical to sustainable development, which is our fundamental goal for our society—beyond any revenue, proﬁt, and economic gain,” she said.

Manila churches start reciting prayer for brgy, SK polls

PH to host regional conference on ocean conservation By Rio N. Araja AS THE government tackles the environmental crisis in Boracay Island, the country will host a regional conference that aims to address ocean and coastal area degradation through the sustainable management and use of marine resources. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said the East Asian Sea Congress in November will have the theme “25 years of Partnership for Healthy Oceans, People and Economies: Moving as One with the Global Ocean Agenda.”

“True to its commitment to conserve and protect the marine and coastal resources of the country and the region, the Philippines is honored to host the East Asian Seas Congress 2018 through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and provincial government of Iloilo,” Cimatu said. “The country looks forward to a very dynamic exchange of knowledge, commitments to partnerships and joint action among all participants” during the regional meeting, he added. Cimatu said the issue of protecting

the ocean’s health has brought in deeper meaning with the closure of Boracay to pave the way for its rehabilitation from environmental degradation. “Boracay is a case in point of how neglect and blatant disregard of environmental laws lead to destruction of our land and seas and all the natural resources and biodiversity in them,” he said. The Philippines shuttered its most famous holiday island to tourists in April for a six-month clean-up, which the government has imposed with a muscular show of its security forces.

Coast guard boats were on patrol and assault riﬂe-wielding police were posted at entry points to the oncepristine island that has become tainted by heavy commercialization and overdevelopment. President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the shutdown after calling the resort a “cesspool” dirtied by tourism-related businesses ﬂushing their raw sewage directly into the ocean. During the closure, only residents with ID cards are allowed to board ferries to Boracay, which is home to around 40,000 people. With AFP

ALL churches and parishes under the Archdiocese of Manila on Sunday have started reciting the Prayer for the Barangay Elections in all masses as requested by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. This is in response to the circular letter released by Rev. Fr. Reginald Malicdem of the Chancery Ofﬁce of the Archdiocese of Manila on Prayer for the Barangay Election. The letter was addressed to all parish priests, rectors of shrines, chaplains of chaplaincies, and superiors of religious communities in the archdiocese. The prayer reads: “Lord God, we come to you as the Barangay Elections approaches. In Christ, you have given us the model of a servant who lay’s his life down for his sheep. Give us the wisdom to elect women and men who will work for truth, justice, and the upliftment of human dignity. We ask you to enlighten our minds and hearts—so that we may search for Shepherds after your Son’s heart to watch over our barangays.” “Teach us Christ’s way of looking at people—so that we will be able to give a voice to the poor, the powerless, the abandoned, and the oppressed. And ﬁnally, grant us the gift of discernment—so that we may wisely exercise the gift of suffrage as an expression of our desire for peace and love for neighbor.”

Sports

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Aussie Day seizes PGA lead at Wells Fargo Championship MIAMI—Australia’s Jason Day, seeking his 12th career US PGA title and secoind of the year, fired a four-under par 67 to grab a two-shot lead after Saturday’s third round of the Wells Fargo Championship. Day, who captured his lone major crown at the 2015 PGA Championship, stood on 10-under 203 after 54 holes at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina. On the same course where he contended before faltering late in last year’s PGA Championship, the 30-year-old Aussie will play in the final duo with American Nick Watney, who shot 66 to stand on 205 in quest of his first US PGA title in six years. “If I can hit a lot more greens and get the proxmitiy closer, I feel like I could, not run away from it, but do prettty well if I can make the putts,” Day said. England’s Paul Casey was in a pack sharing third on 206 that included Americans Aaron Wise, Bryson De-

Fernandez to open Marajaw cage meet PHILIPPINE Sports Commissioner Ramon “El Presidente” Fer na ndez will lead today’s opening ceremony of the Marajaw Basketball League at the Surigao del Rep. Matugas Norte provincial gymnasium in Surigao City. Surigao del Norte 1st District Rep. Francisco Jose Matugas II said the Marajaw Basketball League is part of the provincial sports tourism and sports’ ‘Kontra Droga’ programs, in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign to eradicate illegal drugs in the country, particularly among the youth. Matugas said the presence of Fernandez, one of the greatest players to have ever played in the country’s professional basketball league, will lend the much-needed boost to Marajaw’s aim of motivating the youth’s grassroots skills development in the various localities of Surigao del Norte. “In motivating their skills development, our youth will have something to look forward to when they focus themselves to play the game they love. MBL is just the start,” said Matugas. From the umbrella of the Marajaw Sports Program, Matugas said a broader sports platform will emerge to include other sports activities, such as football and the recently launched revival of traditional Filipino games for children of up to 12 years. Fifteen teams are vying for the Marajaw basketball championship, namely Surigao City, the municipalities of San Francisco, Sison, Taganaan, Placer, Gigauit , Bacuag, Claver, Tubod, Mainit and Alegria, plus Siargao teams such as Tuna Republic, Marlins, Socorro (Bucas Grande) and the Wave Riders.

Bulldogs, Doves nail close wins THE National University Bulldogs and the St. Francis of Assisi College Doves won closely fought games in the ongoing 24th Fr. Martin Cup summer tournament at the St. Placid gymnasium inside the San Beda-Mendiola campus in Manila. Manuel Mosqueda fired 18 points as the Bulldogs held off repeated comebacks of the Letran Knights to win, 8281, in the senior action of this cagefest supported by Cocolife. Adolfo Tolosa knocked in 13 points for the Doves as they stopped Emilio Aguinaldo College, 71-69. In another senior action, Adama Diakhite hit 30 points for the Diliman College Blue Dragons in their 80-60 smashing of the Frankie Lim-coached University of Perpetual Help Altas. In the junior division, the San Beda Red Cubs posted back-to-back wins, first getting 13 points from Kent Pelipel in their 115-37 demolition of Kidzhots. Josiah Alcantara drilled in 16 points for the Red Cubs as they won over First City Providential College of Bulacan, 90-55. Diliman Preparatory School escaped with an 80-79 triumph over Paco Catholic Foundation.

Chambeau and Peter Uihlein, whose 62 Saturday was one off Rory McIlroy’s course record. Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson fired a 64 to stand 10th on 208, one stroke behind South African Charl Schwartzel and Americans Johnson Wagner and Sam Saunders. Day, whose wife is expecting their third child in November, earlier this year won the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, making a birdie on the sixth playoff hole for his first PGA crown since the 2016 Players Championship. “This is exciting times for us,” Day said. Day took his lone bogey at the par-4 fifth when he found a fairway bunker off the tee and came up short of the green. But he responded with a birdie at the ninth after dropping his approach inches from the cup. Day hit a five-foot birdie putt at the par-5 10th, a 14-footer for birdie at 12 and back-to-back two-foot birdie putts at the 14th and par-5 15th.

Members of the Petron Blaze Spikers celebrate their Superliga title conquest. Roman Prospero

Blaze Spikers end 3-yr drought N

O more heartaches for Petron. The Blaze Spikers ended three years of frustration as they finally clinched the Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga Grand Prix crown before a roaring weekend crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Imports Lindsay Stalzer and Katherine Bell were the stars of the show as they spearheaded the Blaze Spikers to a thrilling 25-19, 25-20, 22-25, 25-18 victory over F2 Logistics in Game 3 of their best-of-three finals duel. It was such an emotional victory for the Blaze Spikers as they finally overcame three years of heartaches in what is billed as the toughest, most competitive conference in Philippine volleyball. And for Stalzer, there’s nothing sweeter

than being back on top. “Of course, it feels amazing,” said Stalzer shortly after winning her second Grand Prix title and second Most Valuable Player award in this prestigious women’s club tourney bankrolled by Isuzu and UCPB Gen with ESPN5 as official broadcast partner. “Last season left a bitter taste in my mouth. So, it’s so awesome when you set a goal and you work towards that goal every single day and it finally paid off. It’s

a great feeling for all of us,” said Stalzer, who admitted that the trail back to the throne was littered with a lot of tears and frustrations. After a painful loss to the Cargo Movers in the finale of the Grand Prix last year, the Blaze Spikers kept their core players Stalzer, Hillary Hurley, Rhea Dimaculangan, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Frances Molina, Carmela Tunay, Mika Reyes and Remy Palma intact with an ultimate objective of halting their three-year title drought. But things didn’t go on as planned. Hurley, the team’s best offensive weapon, crashed with an ankle injury that left Petron huffing and puffing in the crucial stretch of the classifications and the quarterfinals against Generika-Ayala. Then, the Blaze Spikers rolled the dice

and replaced Hurley with Bell. The gamble paid off as Bell led Petron to back-to-back wins over Cocolife in the semifinals. Then in Game 1 of the finals, she erupted with 42 points – the highest scoring output behind the 56 points tallied by Cuban Gyselle Silva last month. “Kath provided an immense support to me,” said Stalzer. “Just all the things she said to me, the appreciation and the maturity and the composure that she has, I’m so grateful and lucky that she joined our team. She’s a high class, high level player.” Petron coach Shaq Delos Santos said the win came at a perfect time as three years of failure in the Grand Prix of this tourney that also has Senoh, Mikasa, Asics, LGR and Grand Sport as technical sponsors have been hurting them.

Quitara, Calma bolster PPS tennis roster

BATANG PBA CHAMPS. Led by Champ Arejola, Kieffer Alas, Maco Dabao, Daryl Valdeavilla, Rolindo Sy, Sebastian Fry, Raffy Tan and Gian Casimiro, the GlobalPort Junior Batang Pier topped the Batang PBA tournament held recently at the Araneta Coliseum. The Junior Batang Pier capped their dominance in the event with a massive 109-48 win over the San Miguel Junior Beermen.

Ticzon named Navotas Clutch new head coach NAVOTAS Clutch has hired Richie Ticzon as its new coach. “Being a clutch player himself, we believe coach Richie is the best fit for our team,” said Atty. Rico Quicho, who is part of the management team of Navotas Clutch. “His attention to detail and passion to teach and develop young players demonstrate what Navotas Clutch is all about,” Quicho added. Ticzon was selected fourth overall by Pepsi Mega in the 1994 PBA draft. He earned the moniker “Velvet Touch” for his smooth shooting touch especially in

crunch time. He became an assistant coach at FEU, and would later serve as assistant to coach Junel Baculi at GlobalPort. He replaced Baculi the next conference and guided his team to the All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals. Joining him in the revamped Clutch coaching staff are assistant coaches Gabby Severino, Ed dela Torre, and Bernard de Guia. Meanwhile, Quicho also addressed rumors that some Navotas Clutch players will switch teams next season. Quicho said the team has imple-

mented the Protect 9 of MPBL, which means players included in the scheme cannot be signed by other teams without the proper release paper signed by the owner. “MPBL had come up with the Protect 9 in order to protect the 10 original teams from the high budgeted and well funded new teams,” Quicho said. “Navotas Clutch remains true to its objective of providing a basketball developmental program for young, dynamic and well motivated players rooted on proper skills and values,” he added. Jun David

Golovkin keeps world crowns

LOS ANGELES—Gennady Golovkin equalled the record of 20 straight world middleweight title defences with a devastating second-round knockout of Vanes Martirosyan on Saturday to retain his WBA and WBC belts. Golovkin ended the fight with a vicious series of right and left combinations that floored the heavy underdog Martirosyan, who appeared doomed from the outset of the hastily arranged fight at the StubHub Center. “The first round I was just looking, because I know he is a good fighter,” the 36-year-old Golovkin said. “The second round it was true business.” Martirosyan was in big trouble from the beginning of the second round as Golovkin rendered the challenger helpless by landing a right uppercut on the chin.

LAURENZ Quitara and Aubrey Calma hope to live up to the hype as they banner the field in the premier division of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Manila Southwoods age group tennis tournament unfolding tomorrow (Tuesday, May 8) in Carmona, Cavite. Quitara, member of the newly formed national 16-and-under pool by the Unified Tennis Philippines, gains the top seeding in the 16- and 18-U play but the Imus, Cavite rising star expects a tough outing against the likes of Joshua Molina, Elvin Geluz, Stefano Gurria and Jester Ocio with Sebastien Lhuillier, JT Bernardo and Nicolas Ison joining the hunt in the 16-U side. Calma, from Cagayan de Oro, also faces a formidable challenge from a slew of talented rivals, including Denise Bernardo, Erika Valencia, Kyla Poon, Francesca Cruz, Alaine Obra and Angel Fortadez in the 18-U category of the Group 2 tournament sponsored by PPS-PEPP headed by president/CEO Bobby Castro and presented by Dunlop, the official ball. Over 200 entries will slug it out for top honors in nine divisions with the boys’ side all drawing 32-player draws, according to host Jonathan Bernardo of UTP> For details, call PPS Sports Program Development director and event organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464. Jucutan and JT Bernardo, meanwhile, are expected to dispute the 14-U title with Joewyn Pascua, Nicolas Katigbak and Joaquin de Leon out to foil their bid while siblings Vhiele and Nhiele Dilao head the 12-U cast in the week-long event sanctioned by the UTP, made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg.

LOTTO RESULTS

CHESS OPENER. Gov. Antonio del Rosario’s Executive Assistant Suzzane Ignacio completes her move as Philippine Sportswriters Association awardee Al-Basher Buto ponders his during the opening ceremony of the ongoing National Age Group Chess Championships Grand Finals at Capiz Gymnasium in Roxas City, Capiz. With them are (from right) IA Wilfredo Neri, Capiz Sports and Business Consultant Carmen Andrade, Capiz Tourism and Cultural Affairs Officer Alphonsus Tesoro, NCFP Executive Director/Deputy Secretary General Red Dumuk and IA Gene Poliarco.

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

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

Sports

Wright hits game-winner for Phoenix By Jeric Lopez PERSISTENCE was the name of the game for Phoenix. Matthew Wright calmly knocked down the game-winning triple with two seconds remaining to lift Phoenix to an 89-87 comeback victory against debuting Magnolia for its second straight win in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City last night. Down by two in the waning seconds with the ball in hand, the Fuel Masters trusted their top gunner, who delivered, showcasing his shooting prowess with the game on the line by hitting from downtown to give his squad an 88-87 edge. Following a technical foul from Magnolia after the play, Wright then hit an additional free throw to stretch Phoenix’s lead to 89-87. Peter June Simon’s potential gamewinning triple at the buzzer didn’t find its mark, allowing the Fuel Masters to complete their comeback run. Wright and import James White led the charge for Phoenix with 19 points each, with the former adding eight assists and the latter 17 rebounds. Wright’s last-gasp scoring did the trick for Phoenix as it played catch-up for the entire game before its gameturning late surge. Despite trailing for most part of the game, Phoenix stayed within striking distance from Magnolia before snatching the win with a critical surge in the end game. Phoenix rose and persistently crawled its way back in the fourth, orchestrating a 12-2 run midway in the period to suddenly snatch the lead, 85-84, after a White basket with just over two minutes remaining. Earlier in the fourth, the Fuel Masters trailed the Hotshots, 82-73. Still, Magnolia retook the lead after a hook from Ian Sangalang and a free throw from Paul Lee gave the Hotshots the edge, 87-85, heading into the final seconds.

Kevin Love gives LeBron James a tight embrace after the latter buried a floater at the buzzer that lifted the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 105-103 win over the Toronto Raptors and a commanding 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal showdown. AFP

LeBron’s dagger shot nets Cavaliers 3-0 lead

ASHINGTON—LeBron James banked in an off balance floater at the buzzer, lifting the Cleveland to a 105-103 win over the Toronto Raptors and giving the Cavaliers a stranglehold 3-0 playoff series lead on Saturday. James took an inbound pass and drove the length of the court, cut to the left and sank the running one-handed dagger off the backboard to stun the Raptors’ bench. The 10-footer came just seconds after Toronto had tied it 103-103 on OG Anunoby’s three pointer with eight seconds on the clock. “I live for those moments, to be able to go out and come through for my team,” James said. “I had to get open. There were no more timeouts. I was able to hit a floater off the glass.” In the other second round NBA playoff

game Saturday, the Boston Celtics also took a commanding 3-0 series lead with a 101-98 overtime win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Both game fours are Monday night, and the odds are stacked against Toronto and Philadelphia. Of the 129 teams in NBA history to fall behind 3-0, none has come back to win. James finished with 38 points, Kevin Love added 21 and 16 rebounds and Kyle Korver 18 for the Cleveland, who can sweep the Raptors for the second consecutive year.

Kyle Lowry scored 27 for Toronto, who played most of the fourth with DeMar DeRozan on the bench. After winning two games in Toronto, the Cleveland returned home and did the same. James has Toronto’s number as he is 11-2 against Toronto in the past three playoffs. “We needed every bucket, every rebound, every possession,” he said. “That’s a gutsy win. We had to be patient and not feed off the physicality and continue to execute.” In Philadelphia, Jayson Tatum scored 24 points and Terry Rozier added 18 as the Celtics beat Philadelphia 101-98, reaching the brink of the NBA Eastern Conference finals. Jaylen Brown came off the bench to add 16 points for the Celtics while Al Horford contributed 13 points and Australian Aron Baynes grabbed 10 rebounds.

PayMaya off to flying start PAYMAYA bounced back strong from for PayMaya, which also drew 24 exa second set struggle and came away cellent sets from Jasmine Nabor, in a with a 25-8, 33-31, 25-20 victory over promising start in the league organized newcomer Tacloban at the start of the by Sports Vision and backed by Asics second season of the Premier Vol- and Mikasa. leyball League at the Filoil Flying V PayMaya dominated Tacloban in all Center in San Juan departments, proyesterday. ducing 50 attack With imports points against the Games Wednesday 10 a.m. – Air Force vs PLDT (men’s) Tess Roundtree 29 of the Warays. 12 noon – IEM vs Army (men’s) and Shelby SulThe High Flyers 4 p.m. – Iriga-Navy vs BaliPure (women’s) livan combining 6:30 p.m. – Petro Gazz vs Tacloban (women’s) also made eight with local ace blocks and scored Grethcel Soltones 11 aces against their in the third set, the High Flyers, who rivals’ one and six, respectively. used to carry the PLDT banner, comThe High Flyers imposed their will pleted the expected straight-set romp early but found a resurgent Fighting over the newcomers following a scare Warays with Jovelyn Prado spearheadin the second. ing their fightback in the second frame “We actually got to train as a com- as the latter saved two set points to plete team only last week, so the play- force a tie at 24. ers are still adjusting (to the system),” Tacloban kept fighting and forcing said PayMaya coach Roger Gorayeb, deuces in succeeding plays, even grabreferring to his FEU players who saw bing a 29-28 lead on Thai import Hyapha action in the UAAP finals. Amporn attack. But Soltones quickly Roundtree hammered in 20 attack countered with a kill before Aiko Urdas points and finished with 22 hits with blasted in a spike and a came up with a 11 digs while Sullivan added 15 mark- kill block to end the hotly disputed set ers and Soltones chipped in nine points and the 72-minute match.

Palami: Azkals need best preparation By Peter Atencio FOR a ﬁrst-timer, the Philippine Azkals national men’s football team will not have an easy time 2019 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup. Team manager Dan Palami said this after the Azkals got into a tough group again following a drawing of lots in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. “No easy group for a debutant in this competition. We will have to be in our best form and for this, the best preparation is needed,” said Palami in his online message to his followers on twitter. The Philippines got bunched in Group C with tough teams like South Korea, China and Kyrgyzstan. This will be their ﬁrst time in the tournament set to be held from Jan. 5 to Feb. 1 in the United Arab Emirates next year.

The Azkals will meet South Korea ﬁrst on Jan. 7 and then China on Jan. 11 before taking on Kyrgyzstan on Jan. 15. During Friday’s drawing of lots at the Armani Hotel in the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, defending champion Australia found itself in Group B with Syria, Palestine and Jordan. Top-ranked Iran heads Group D with teams like Iraq, Vietnam, and Yemen. Then, there’s Saudi Arabia in Group E with Qatar, Lebanon, and Korea, while powerhouse Japan is with Uzbekistan, Oman and Turkmenistan in Group F. Host United Arab Emirates, which will kick off the tournament against Bahrain, will also mix it up with Thailand and India in Group A. The top two teams in each group, along with the four best 3rd placers, will advance to the knockout stage.

Tacloban’s Hyapha Amporn tries to keep the ball in play as fellow import Sasiwimol Sangpan looks on during their match against PayMaya.

Japan wins FIVB World Tour gold JAPAN’s Ayumi Kusano and Takemi Nishibori put up a dominant performance over Spain’s Paula Soria and Maria Belen Carro, 21-14, 21-18, to claim the gold medal in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Manila Open yesterday at the Sands SM By The Bay. After the Spaniards saved three match points, Nishibori delivered the championship kill from a sublime Kusano and completed a perfect 6-0 campaign in the tournament organized by the Beach Volleyball Republic. “So happy. Perfect,” Kusano said. Japan overcame Spain’s height advantage with its speed and superb sand court coverage to claim the $1,000 top prize. “We used our brains,” said Kusano, who also won the Spike for Peace invitational championship at the Philsports Arena three years ago Paraguay’s Erika Bobadilla and Michelle Amarilla meanwhile got a big bounce back after missing the semis in Langkawi last week, winning the bronze at the expense of the other Japanese team made up of Tanaka Shinako and Fujii Sakurako, 21-17, 21-16. It was Paraguay’s first-ever medal in the FIVB World Tour, and Bobadilla and Amarilla will head back to South America with a lot of great Manila memories. “Well, we finished fifth (in Langkawi) so this was a lot better because we made it to the semifinals. Playing the last game I think is one of the best things for every player. You are so prepared mentally coming to a tournament. Playing in three days, four days or five days,” said Bobadilla.

Milo marathon champ conquers Borneo race KOTA KINABALU—MILO Marathon King Joerge Andrade once again proved his athletic mettle as he emerged victorious in his first international 42K race at the Borneo International Marathon Sunday in Sabah. Andrade is the second Filipino to win Borneo’s flagship marathon following Noel Tillor, a MILO Marathon regular from Cebu, who won the 42K race open division in 2016. The BIM stint is Andrade’s grand prize for winning the 41st National MILO Marathon National Finals in 2017 as part of MILO’s commitment in nourishing athletes’ ambitions to compete in the world stage. Andrade clocked in with a time of 2:54:14, leading against other local and international marathoners in the men’s open division from Kenya, Taiwan, Brunei, and Malaysia. Andrade was in a 2km lead against his opponents throughout the stretch of the race. But in the last 2km to the finish line, it was a close call for Andrade as he was only 400 meters shy from being outpaced by his fiercest competitor in the race, Noah Kutung Chepsergon of Kenya, who finished second with the time of 02:55:26. The uphill route in the 28th and 38th km marks also proved to be challenging, but Andrade did not frail and was determined to finish the race strong. “I

NMM King Joerge Andrade displays the Philippine flag after being awarded as the winner of Full Marathon Men Open Category in the Borneo International Marathon.

had a hard time when I reached the uphill slopes, add to that are my coughs and colds which made it extra difficult for me to focus,” he recalled. “But I just pushed myself and did not mind all the pains so that I can move further,” Andrade said. The 25-year-old was overwhelmed with joy at his achievement when he finally reached the finish line. “I never thought that I would win, especially against a Kenyan runner because all I think of was to do my best in this race. I am so happy that I succeeded this,” he said. The Unassuming Underdog

The young Digos native, an unknown in the elite running scene, took everyone by surprise – including himself – after claiming the MILO Marathon King crown from its defender, Jeson Agravante. The victory meant a great deal for Andrade, as the National Finals for him, was the ultimate running stage where all the country’s bests compete, “I believe that the National MILO Marathon is a prestigious event that is why I joined, and I was thrilled to be in the competition and be among my idols, the veteran elite runners,” Andrade said in a separate interview.

IN BRIEF Meralco seeks ERC nod on P21-b capex MANILA Electric Co. has asked the Energy Regulatory Commission to approve a capital expenditure program amounting to P21 billion for 2019. Meralco president Oscar Reyes said the P21-billion capex program covered the fourth regulatory period, or from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. Meralco, in an application with the ERC dated April 19, said the capex aimed to ensure the reliable operation of its distribution network and service and connection to meet the growing needs of over six million customers. Meralco plans to spend part of the budget for refurbishment projects to ensure sustained network efﬁciency, reliability and power quality and automation, innovation and technology. Also included in the capex program are projects that will comply with regulatory requirements and government prescriptions. They include distribution services open access rules on Meralco’s provision of the extension of lines and facilities for socialized housing initiatives of the public and private developers, Wholesale Electricity Spot Market metering requirements and retail competition and open access rules. Alena Mae S. Flores

Malayan Insurance keeps stability grade MALAYAN Insurance remains ahead in the country’s non-life insurance industry as global insurance ratings company A.M. Best re-affirms its stability grade for 2018, reflecting its strength and reliability in the Philippine market. The ratings reflect Malayan’s balance sheet strength, which A.M. Best categorizes as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. Malayan’s strong profile in the corporate segment of the Philippine non-life market is the largest in terms of premiums and second biggest in terms of capital and surplus. A.M. Best noted that Malayan managed credit risk by maintaining a panel of strongly rated reinsurance counter parties. The insurance company has retained its financial strength rating at B++ (good) while its issuer credit rating is retained at “bbb+” with a stable outlook for both categories, according to A.M. Best.

Business GDP growth likely hit 6.8% in Q1—Moody’s By Julito G. Rada

HE Philippine economy likely grew 6.8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, faster than the actual expansion of 6.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2017 and 6.4 percent a year ago, on robust consumer spending and higher government expenditures, Moody’s Analytics, a division of Moody’s Corp., said in a report over the weekend. “The Philippine economy likely grew 6.8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, after a 6.5-percent lift in the December [fourth] quarter. The economy is in somewhat of a sweet spot,” said Moody’s Analytics, which operates independently of the global credit rating agency Moody’s Investors Service. “Consumer spending is rising at a healthy pace, thanks to steady inflows of overseas worker remittances and a firm labor market. Investment has been robust and is likely to remain strong as the government boosts infrastructure development,” it said. Moody’s Analytics said the upswing

in external demand was providing a lift to exports which saw declines in the past months. “Along with favorable demographics, these factors are likely to see the Philippines remain one of the fastestgrowing economies in the region in coming years,” it said. The government is scheduled to release the first-quarter gross domestic product data on May 10. The local unit of Dutch financial giant ING Bank earlier revised upward its firstquarter growth projection for the Philippines from 6.5 percent to 6.9 percent, taking into account the acceleration of government spending during the period.

Megaworld’s Canuto to obtain PUP citation

ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng said in a report the full-year GDP growth in 2018 would likely improve to 6.8 percent from an earlier estimate of 6.7 percent. “Headline and core government spending growth rates accelerated in February to 37 percent and 35 percent, respectively. These annual increases are not just a result of base effects with February 2017 spending of near flat YoY,” he said. Cuyegkeng said the government policies of a “cash-based budget” and a one-year effectivity of the approved budget procurement program pushed government agencies to improve spending performance. He also said February’s spending acceleration resulted in a two-month average headline and core spending growth rates of 26 percent and 27 percent, respectively. The performance brought spending growth on track to a 31-percent growth for the first quarter which would be around 15 times faster than the first-quarter 2017 growth of only 2 percent, he said.

TRUSTED BRAND.

SM Supermalls senior vice president for marketing Jonjon San Agustin (left) receives SM’s sixth platinum award from Reader’s Digest retail and advertising sales director for Asia Pacific Sheron White during Reader’s Digest Asia Trusted Brands 2018 awarding ceremonies on April 26 at Marco Polo Hotel Ortigas. SM Supermalls joins the league of brands that scored a platinum award for exceptional performance and won in their respective categories with trust scores that outperformed competitors. Reader’s Digest hails SM Supermalls as the Philippines’ most trusted shopping mall brand.

THE Polytechnic University of the Philippines is set to confer an honorary doctorate degree to Megaworld Foundation president Francis Canuto during its commencement exercises set May 16 at the Philippine International Convention Center. PUP president Emanuel de Guzman said Canuto, who is also a senior vice president of Megaworld Corp. and its audit department head, would be conferred with Doctor in Business Administration, honoris causa, for his “unwavering commitment to real estate development and marketing.” De Guzman said PUP, whose graduates were the most desired by human resource ofﬁcials of companies, had been at the forefront of in the government’s role that our youth, particularly the thousands of economically-challenged but intellectuallygifted students, “get equal access to quality and relevant education.” Thus, Canuto is being honored for the role of Megaworld Foundation in sending poor but deserving students to school. The foundation was set up in 1997 by tycoon Andrew Tan as part of his belief that education is the answer to poverty woes.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

Pilipinas Shell starts operation of asphalt plant By Alena Mae S. Flores PILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corp., the country’s second largest oil firm, said it completed a P730-million bitumen or asphalt production facility in Batangas province. PSPC said it was in the process of starting up the bitumen facility inside the 110,000- barrel-per-day refinery in Tabangao, Batangas. “It has been mechanically completed in first quarter. It is literally being started up now and we should be ready with bitumen sales, most likely export by the end of the quarter or thereabouts. The bitumen facility has been completed and being started,” PSPC president Cesar Romero said. Romero said bitumen would be exported to China and other Southeast Asia countries where there was a shortage of the by-product. “Of course, we will also be looking at domestic sales. The facility is big enough to both be an export and domestic facility. We balance both,” he said. Romero said the bitumen facility provided PSPC with an option on what to do with excess fuel oil, given the decline in demand. “Demand for fuel oil is declining because of coal plants. You have stranded surplus fuel oil so with this, we can use those molecules at even higher value for us,” he said. PSPC is also set to complete in the fourth quarter its P260-million supply and logistics facility also in the Tabangao refinery. The supply and logistics project will reduce PSPC’s gate-to-gate time truck delivery by half, thus contributing to cost efficiency. The project is seen vital in PSPC’s operations with the increase in the throughput of the terminal up to 7 million liters a day, following the closure of the Pandacan depot in 2015. PSPC also unveiled a 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.

Vietnam toll road operator wants Filinvest eyes foreign partners for $200-m Clark casino Metro Pacific to raise investment By Jenniffer B. Austria

By Darwin G. Amojelar VIETNAM toll road operator CII Bridges and Roads Investment Joint Stock Co. is seeking additional capital from Filipino investor Metro Paciﬁc Tollways Corp. Pham The Chinh, general director of Ho Chi Minh City-based CII B&R, said his company would ask MPTC to invest an additional $50 million to fund Ha Noi Highway Expansion BOT project and Binh Trieu 2 Bridge (Part 2–Phase 2) BOT project. “We’re still negotiating with MPTC,” he said. Chinh said CII B&R itself would also inject additional capital equivalent to MPTC’s investment for the two projects. CII B&R operates a number of toll road projects in Vietnam including

AGUAS JOINS WORLD BANK COUNCIL. Insular Life

executive chairman Nina Aguas (left) joins the roster of World Bank Group’s Advisory Council on Gender and Development. Aguas accepted the invitation of WBG chief executive Kristalina Georgieva to serve a two-year term in the minister-CEO level council, which is WBG’s main consultative body on gender equality. With Aguas is International Finance Corp. head of Gender Secretariat Henriette Kolb at the World Bank’s headquarters in Washington D.C.

Rach Mieu Bridge (Phase 1), Sai Gon 2 Bridge, Phan Rang–Thap Cham Bypass (Phase 1) and DT741 road project. MPTC owns a 44.9-percent interest in CII B&R which operates 68.1 kilometers of roads used by 47,000 vehicles a day. It is also constructing 53 kilometers of new roads. MPTC which started as a toll road operator in the Philippines is expanding in Southeast Asia. MPTC owns a 29.45-percent stake in Don Muang Tollway Public Company Limited, a major toll road operator in Bangkok, Thailand. The concession for DMT runs until 2034 for the operation of a 21.9-kilometer six-lane elevated toll road from central Bangkok to Don Muang International Airport and further to the National Monument, north of Bangkok.

CONGLOMERATE Filinvest Development Corp. is looking for a foreign casino operator that will run a $200-million integrated resort and casino in Clark Freeport, Pampanga. FDC president Josephine GotianunYap said in an interview following the annual stockholders meeting of the company the conglomerate might select or come up with a short list of potential partners within the next three months. “We are doing a process now of selecting casino operator. But several parties have already approached us,” Gotianun-Yap said. Gotianun-Yap did not identify the foreign casino operators that expressed interest in teaming up with the company,

but said they were mostly casino operators with regional presence. FDC and subsidiary Mimosa Cityscapes Inc. secured a provisional license from state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. in April for the development of an integrated resort and casino at Filinvest Mimosa Plus + Leisure City. The project would include a casino, lifestyle mall, ﬁve-star hotel and events venue within the 201-hectare prime mixed-use sprawling townscape which is envisioned to become a premier leisure and business destination in the heart of Clark Special Economic Zone. The project would also involve the renovation of existing Quest Hotel and two championship golf courses and villas. Gotianun-Yap said the group would

initially construct the hotel rooms before the planned casino. Under the plan, FDC will expand the existing Quest Hotel and operate it under a new brand. “Our target is to have 600 to 700 hotel rooms,” Gotianun-Yap said. She said the final details of the casino project would be finalized once the company selected a foreign casino operator. Filinvest Mimosa + Leisure City is a joint development of FDC and real estate arm Filinvest Land Inc. FLI recently completed and fully leased out the first office building in the area. It will commence the construction of a retail strip and the first residential building within the quarter and break ground for a shopping mall later this year.

Bank users in PH still lower than other Asian countries BANK account ownership in the Philippines remains below the regional average in Asia-Pacific, according to the 2017 Global Findex report published by the World Bank. The report said 34.5 percent of Filipino adults had a formal account to save money, make or receive payments and receive wages or financial help. It said compared with Asean peers, the Philippines ranked in the middle, with Singapore [97.9 percent] and Cambodia [21.7 percent] at the opposite ends of the spectrum. “The country’s level of account ownership fell short of the average for East Asia and the Pacific [70.6 percent] and lower middle income countries [57.8 percent],” the report said. Formal account refers to an account held in financial institutions such as banks, cooperatives or microfinance institutions and can be an electronic

money account as well. Data, however, showed that formal account penetration in the country improved by 3.2 percentage points from 31.3 percent in 2014, translating to more than 3.7 million Filipino adults who opened an account in the past three years. “While gains are modest, the Philippines made remarkable strides in indicators pertaining to digital payments. The share of adults who used the internet to pay bills or buy something online grew by 6.3 percentage points to 9.9 percent in 2017, while those who made or received digital payments in the past year rose by 5.6 percentage points to 25.1 percent in 2017,” it said. It said the prospects looked bright as the Philippines took deliberate measures towards digitization. It cited the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’s effort to

continue to champion the National Retail Payment System, its flagship program for digital finance. This is supported by other government initiatives such as the digitization of government payments and implementation of the Philippine E-Commerce Roadmap. The government is also setting the foundation of a digital ecosystem through legislative measures such as the biometric national ID bill and Payment Systems Act. The 2017 Global Findex also highlighted key challenges to disadvantaged segments such as farmers and small businesses. Those who borrowed to start, operate or expand a farm or business declined to 4.2 percent in 2017 from 13.6 percent in 2014. One in five adults received payments for the sale of agricultural goods, slightly unchanged from 2014 to 2017. Julito G. Rada

Business

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Flat trading seen; eyes on rate hike S By Jenniffer B. Austria

HARE prices are expected to move sideways this week with a downward trend as investors await the outcome of the May 10 Monetary Board meeting and the release of the ﬁrst-quarter economic growth ﬁgures.

Analysts said most investors were already expecting the Monetary Board to increase the overnight rates by 25 basis points after the inflation rate rose to an over five-year high of year 4.5 percent in April. BDO Unibank Inc chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said the domestic economy probably grew 6.8 percent in the first quarter of 2018, citing median estimates. The estimated

ﬁrst-quarter gross domestic product growth is slightly higher than the revised 6.5-percent expansion in the ﬁrst quarter of 2017. Philstocks Inc. research head Justino Calaycay said investors remained cautious after the stock market index failed to sustain its recovery. “Optimism is a scarce commodity nowadays. At best, we experience and observe one of the cautious types. The PSEI has created a wide distance with the all-time high—a sour note for most. However, we’d rather look at the situation as a glass-half-full –the selling pressure appears to have dissipated, offering a signal that a bottom is near, if not reached,” Calaycay said. “We can aptly describe current market conditions as having “some drag, with little or no lift,” he added. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index last week dropped 2.3 percent to 7,546 while the boarder All Shares In-

dex declined 1.4 percent. All major sub-indices were also in red, led by property (-2.6 percent), holding firms (-2.3 percent), financials ( 2 percent), services (-1.8 percent), mining and oil (-0.6percent and industrial (-0.003 percent). Foreign investors were net sellers for the week by P1.37 billion, while the average daily value traded stood at P6.6 billion. Weekly top price gainers were LT Group Inc., which climbed 11.1 percent to P21.90; Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which rose 5.8 percent to P5.10; and East West Baking Corp., which advanced 5.8 percent to P17.12. Weekly top price losers were Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., which declined 10.6 percent to P62.20; Del Monte Pacific Ltd., which dropped 9.1 percent to P9; and GT Capital Holdings Inc., which lost 6.4 percent to P980. Wall Street stocks, meanwhile, pow-

ered higher Friday after a mixed US jobs report was seen as reducing the odds of faster Federal Reserve interest rate hikes. US stocks initially went sideways following the jobs data but began moving gradually higher after the open, with the Dow ultimately finishing up a solid 1.4 percent. Earlier, European stock markets rose, while oil prices pushed higher on speculation President Donald Trump will spike the Iran nuclear deal. The US economy added 164,000 jobs in April, which was below expectations. But the unemployment rate fell to 3.9 percent, the lowest since December 2000. Investors were cheered by signs inflation pressures remained tame, as average hourly wages rose just 0.2 percent. That figure was seen as reducing the odds the Federal Reserve will accelerate interest rate hikes. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

APRIL 30-MAY 4, 2018 Close Volume

Value

Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources China Bank Citystate Savings COL Financial Eastwest Bank Ferronoux Holding Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp. MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp. PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

59 128.00 98.35 3.02 1.67 35 7.35 16.5 17.12 3.49 8.78 0.65 1.53 850.00 0.590 83.05 1.09 12.2 22.65 52.20 86 108 218 38.7 205.4 1875.00 89.50 1.2

103,900 10,923,170 5,556,600 164,000 6,997,000 396,800 5,800 191,500 2,978,700 257,000 35,000 332,000 8,000 490 3,464,000 13,852,780 1,933,000 400 3,600 338,470 10,640 1,410 16,730 3,195,400 2,189,570 615 321,120 40,000

FINANCIAL 6,120,332.00 1,421,824,704.00 566,962,487.00 501,490.00 11,833,580.00 13,827,700.00 42,262.00 3,172,364.00 51,186,172.00 884,440.00 294,048.00 211,050.00 12,240.00 419,100.00 2,003,890.00 1,171,983,176.00 2,109,050.00 4,996.00 85,135.00 17,760,470.50 915,137.50 153,700.00 3,669,558.00 124,048,640.00 455,635,272.00 1,181,405.00 28,594,957.50 48,000.00

Aboitiz Power Corp. Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons. Asiabest Group Basic Energy Corp. Bogo Medelin C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings Century Food Chemphil Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Conc. Aggr. ‘B’ Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Eagle Cement EEI Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) Euro-Med Lab First Gen Corp. First Holdings ‘A’ Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp. Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide MG Holdings Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp. Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. Petroenergy Res. Corp. Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils. Pilipinas Shell Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings SFA Semicon Shakeys Pizza SMC Food and Beverage SPC Power Corp. Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp. Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp. Vivant Corp. Vulcan Ind’l.

37.5 14.44 0.59 1.28 20.25 0.227 115 24.30 3.35 16.72 251.2 51.6 72.75 81.7 62 1.97 5.2 9 10.560 15.86 12.10 7.18 5.39 1.79 15.48 63.7 19.82 8.63 16.1 2.050 275.40 55.00 5.1 3.27 17.84 26.05 14.24 22.65 0.190 327.00 7.00 2.4 4.74 9.28 5.35 7.85 1.45 11.86 52.35 6.15 4.84 1.96 3.59 1.94 14.1 66.35 5.2 0.134 1.04 139 2.51 3.22 22.05 0.84

3,893,300 3,080,200 5,691,000 1,078,000 101,400 8,620,000 1,480 40,200 41,250,000 2,358,700 420 2,118,660 7,560 20 1,202,780 820,000 10,500 97,200 10,483,600 15,208,200 4,194,800 3,462,800 5,938,000 5,000 1,407,900 163,860 346,100 211,300 3,989,000 2,658,000 2,942,600 330 56,000 9,000 2,100 1,293,200 753,300 11,861,000 2,430,000 1,391,730 33,800 15,731,000 711,000 3,345,600 204,400 31,200 2,640,000 958,600 4,522,930 102,800 99,000 403,000 72,000 4,409,000 201,400 838,150 2,771,800 11,110,000 543,000 9,111,540 436,000 93,499,000 200 23,732,000

INDUSTRIAL 148,837,895.00 43,966,620.00 3,350,320.00 1,353,300.00 2,020,876.00 1,965,480.00 170,721.00 983,310.00 143,671,680.00 38,942,818.00 106,158.00 109,413,147.00 527,827.50 1,634.00 69,769,925.50 1,622,480.00 55,840.00 923,220.00 111,681,044.00 239,655,042.00 50,816,866.00 24,914,911.00 32,018,531.00 8,810.00 21,727,328.00 10,581,623.50 7,155,659.00 1,932,359.00 63,593,224.00 5,432,610.00 824,367,724.00 18,628.50 278,879.00 28,290.00 36,282.00 34,605,350.00 10,888,446.00 282,418,205.00 461,940.00 451,081,888.00 228,942.00 39,978,620.00 3,377,090.00 30,973,476.00 1,831,509.00 246,381.00 3,765,660.00 11,427,902.00 237,148,028.50 616,419.00 477,600.00 783,520.00 254,390.00 8,394,720.00 2,876,124.00 55,374,948.00 15,168,967.00 1,532,880.00 543,000.00 1,273,291,023.00 1,101,530.00 307,688,450.00 4,410.00 20,827,370.00

Abacus Cons. À’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor À’ ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp À’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ Filinvest Dev. Corp. Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Keppel Holdings À’ Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. Lopez Holdings Corp. LT Group Mabuhay Holdings À’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. Pacifica À’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp À’ Seafront À’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Transgrid Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.300 62.20 13.20 0.90 6.45 0.660 0.660 916 6.37 10.80 4.967 7.60 0.213 980 7.06 60.20 5 5.86 0.65 4.54 21.9 0.640 5.1 0.0400 1.170 3.210 2.51 136.70 2.57 915.50 1.64 0.79 264.200 580.00 0.2390 0.2600 0.200

640,000 3,940,610 40,146,800 142,000 157,000 374,914,000 66,228,000 980,800 5,238,000 55,022,600 17,000 487,400 4,880,000 378,850 145,000 7,003,740 3,000 6,200 187,000 3,533,000 5,776,700 19,328,000 147,405,000 80,700,000 3,027,000 8,088,000 20,000 635,820 30,000 1,490,430 1,729,000 156,000 16,830 320 1,220,000 217,800,000 330,000

HOLDING FIRMS 191,250.00 260,332,794.00 526,689,796.00 125,730.00 1,019,046.00 266,367,440.00 47,249,570.00 705,220,410.00 34,558,593.00 597,106,422.00 83,820.00 3,703,394.00 1,095,390.00 385,955,805.00 996,223.00 427,428,830.50 15,000.00 32,813.00 115,180.00 15,532,550.00 116,995,771.00 12,302,410.00 750,555,378.00 3,158,200.00 3,516,430.00 26,203,050.00 50,800.00 87,949,815.00 77,100.00 1,378,472,600.00 2,877,600.00 123,480.00 4,364,874.00 176,990.00 298,040.00 61,653,530.00 66,930.00

211,020,600 273,767,000 8,600 336,000 1,493,000 38,719,300 2,465,000 3,402,000 97,800 2,100 29,180,000 18,000 1,053,000 28,820,000 350,000 1,161,800 8,363,000 190,000 21,350,000 6,307,000 6,487,000 1,000 45,431,000

PROPERTY 1,456,684,898.00 321,718,820.00 123,558.00 693,000.00 1,236,960.00 1,580,152,800.00 8,246,650.00 15,458,270.00 591,693.00 13,135.00 13,356,200.00 18,450.00 1,017,970.00 6,956,630.00 157,400.00 36,130,050.00 5,388,020.00 17,231,070.00 35,702,230.00 8,035,270.00 6,942,260.00 4,110.00 201,618,820.00

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Anchor Land Holdings Inc. Araneta Prop À’ Arthaland Corp. Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. À’ CEB Landmasters Cebu Holdings Cebu Prop. À’ Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. À’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp. Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Filinvest Land,Inc. Global-Estate Interport À’ Keppel Properties Megaworld

7.080 1.08 14.70 2.090 0.840 40.150 3.36 4.56 6.02 6.26 0.450 1.00 0.980 0.240 0.445 30.5 0.630 0.120 1.65 1.27 1.07 4.11 4.31

APRIL 23-27, 2018 Volume Value

58.9 130.00 103.00 3.18 1.45 34.4 6.47 16.32 16.22 3.48 8.78

202,190 15,241,820 4,886,410 204,000 473,000 1,099,500 4,800 880,200 11,220,400 135,000 5,500

11,787,499.50 1,988,645,695.00 513,247,592.00 619,990.00 677,010.00 37,590,745.00 31,154.00 14,513,566.00 181,058,796.00 466,370.00 47,306.00

1.53 880.00 0.580 83.5 1.07 12.2 23.80 52.45 81 108 220 38 214 1905.00 90.20 1.2

31,000 740 4,105,000 11,394,020 2,254,000 36,200 4,000 543,660 12,310 3,510 19,450 1,315,100 2,026,340 230 244,250 779,000

47,470.00 641,555.00 2,273,270.00 948,602,920.00 2,430,260.00 441,642.00 9,340.00 28,626,101.00 995,506.50 384,266.00 4,354,510.00 50,676,935.00 439,255,618.00 434,625.00 22,258,589.00 939,780.00

38.7 14.36 0.61 1.27 20.45 0.230 117 24.00 3.46 16 250 50 71 94 60 1.96 5.48 9.9 10.700 15.58 11.90 7.18 5.40 1.79 15.6 64.45 20.65 9.25 15.28 2.050 282.00 50.50 4.87 3.04 17.84 25.45 14.44 23.15 0.192 314.20 7.09 2.6 4.75 9.19 5.4 7.90 1.44 12.48 52 6.1 4.80 1.96 3.35 1.86 14 65 5.44 0.137 0.99 138.3 2.6 3.5

6,009,300 3,473,400 26,029,000 1,197,000 168,300 24,180,000 630 175,500 57,824,000 6,367,500 2,430 3,124,600 6,920 280 6,780 1,010,000 250,300 77,100 11,727,900 18,052,000 11,204,600 3,209,800 9,743,900 6,000 2,578,900 670,830 864,000 349,500 4,466,200 10,691,000 4,005,330 42,780 848,500 27,000 1,500 4,584,100 478,300 22,592,000 3,490,000 1,623,620 242,900 11,841,000 971,000 10,370,700 261,500 91,500 2,006,000 205,300 2,563,290 88,100 376,000 157,000 42,000 1,479,000 1,895,700 1,975,410 378,800 3,030,000 536,000 9,781,830 76,000 345,949,000

232,783,650.00 49,849,042.00 15,375,550.00 1,513,900.00 3,436,234.00 5,607,290.00 76,585.00 4,291,410.00 192,641,320.00 101,974,620.00 610,436.00 150,818,985.00 497,538.50 26,367.00 407,148.50 1,955,000.00 1,300,167.00 769,097.00 121,194,564.00 277,648,548.00 129,481,252.00 23,187,718.00 52,723,114.00 10,220.00 40,058,328.00 43,433,438.50 19,068,945.00 3,251,871.00 68,893,862.00 21,431,850.00 1,138,112,296.00 2,122,040.00 4,184,401.00 85,260.00 26,452.00 116,199,195.00 7,027,378.00 528,239,530.00 668,400.00 498,446,352.00 1,683,574.00 30,078,800.00 4,697,440.00 94,725,456.00 1,347,345.00 722,292.00 2,934,630.00 2,468,078.00 133,862,898.50 538,235.00 1,816,120.00 299,620.00 139,440.00 2,787,080.00 26,245,144.00 129,435,192.50 2,069,618.00 404,310.00 531,850.00 1,345,214,974.00 198,170.00 1,104,015,110.00

0.81

21,097,000

16,892,640.00

0.295 69.60 12.96 0.89 6.52 0.640 0.640 960 6.65 11.50

1,440,000 3,779,980 40,664,200 76,000 192,800 20,760,000 5,737,000 1,429,470 20,886,500 21,788,800

428,600.00 257,167,019.50 530,575,888.00 68,000.00 1,241,832.00 12,769,440.00 3,591,680.00 1,312,729,195.00 137,108,952.00 256,097,624.00

7.58 0.220 1047 7.04 62.60 5

1,600 40,480,000 506,685 18,500 8,497,250 300

12,101.00 9,381,110.00 518,815,720.00 124,188.00 512,830,677.50 1,500.00

0.65 4.53 19.7 0.570 4.82 0.0410 1.150 3.310 2.57 139.30 2.57 910.00 1.72 0.79 265.000 590.00 0.2390 0.3000 0.193

370,000 2,184,000 7,375,100 9,902,000 188,445,000 27,400,000 1,438,000 42,218,000 81,000 1,421,570 7,000 1,114,790 1,104,000 343,000 19,230 1,580 790,000 296,090,000 500,000

227,440.00 9,981,570.00 142,584,202.00 5,637,000.00 864,251,220.00 1,109,200.00 1,642,390.00 145,640,000.00 211,060.00 198,127,667.00 18,090.00 997,498,665.00 1,868,560.00 274,740.00 5,003,066.00 890,630.00 184,240.00 82,157,410.00 98,300.00

6.800 1.08 14.86 2.100 0.830 41.000 3.34 4.51 6.07 6.3 0.450 1.02 0.970 0.249 0.455 31 0.670 0.120 1.67 1.27 1.07

2,276,100 124,318,000 59,200 82,000 5,478,000 39,427,800 3,121,000 3,271,000 228,900 25,200 44,410,000 153,000 642,000 147,910,000 860,000 806,300 2,831,000 1,110,000 35,892,000 12,710,000 33,486,000

15,444,057.00 133,752,600.00 823,184.00 167,240.00 4,512,330.00 1,600,938,620.00 10,489,110.00 14,575,970.00 1,388,405.00 159,080.00 19,754,950.00 156,200.00 622,190.00 36,135,420.00 383,550.00 25,406,470.00 1,911,830.00 133,440.00 60,430,390.00 16,233,530.00 14,360,200.00

4.38

59,111,000

290,985,740.00

STOCKS

APRIL 30-MAY 4, 2018 Close Volume

Value

MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp. Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp. Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

0.590 0.4650 0.560 29.25 4.1 17.98 2.02 3.15 32.40 1.14 10.7 0.790 6.850

254,147,000 139,240,000 54,393,000 400 10,358,000 11,767,100 6,403,000 2,279,000 19,095,700 42,637,000 1,831,700 302,000 24,508,000

151,497,210.00 160,909,900.00 30,761,600.00 11,700.00 42,355,190.00 212,569,100.00 13,539,960.00 7,307,580.00 639,579,110.00 46,795,520.00 19,481,364.00 242,380.00 163,659,144.00

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ. Chelsea DFNN Inc. Discovery World Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. À’ IPeople Inc. À’ IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp. Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail NOW Corp. Pacific Online Sys. Corp. PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Racing Club Phil. Seven Corp. Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp. SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils. Wilcon Depot

16 27.5 1.38 0.485 0.048 12.8 5.39 11.90 0.0540 87.55 8.7 6.87 7.69 2.16 22.50 900 1475 5.56 307.00 4.15 84.8 2.30 13.28 8.22 0.155 1.3800 3.38 14.6 4.50 1.03 25.25 17.98 0.510 4.21 6.4 3.29 7.930 11.8 9.75 2.9 8.1 121.00 6.00 1366.00 0.435 1.000 45.85 90.20 7.15 2.39 1.310 0.435 4.82 0.890 10.780

170,200 120,700 222,000 13,720,000 53,400,000 358,100 33,000 39,942,300 52,230,000 288,170 21,100 875,100 676,500 25,000 285,100 510 99,205 948,800 20,490 3,100,000 9,656,870 75,000 25,200 92,700 1,690,115 4,592,000 206,000 9,300 9,924,000 430,000 6,400,300 800 74,000 315,000 8,117,800 1,038,000 20,201,000 204,300 18,100 61,000 300 229,090 8,745,200 208,740 24,180,000 5,023,000 27,371,400 2,064,630 492,300 2,183,000 8,820,000 166,330,000 14,389,000 13,591,000 3,167,900

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

0.0029 1.70 4.30 18.94 1.65 0.310 7.47 2.360 0.207 0.138 0.140 0.009 1.51 5.21 1.22 0.5800 0.9600 0.0120 0.0130 5.72 14.06 0.0130 2.2300 29.15

409,000,000 11,105,000 779,000 13,500 2,108,000 2,460,000 8,300 18,823,000 510,000 8,570,000 810,000 26,000,000 1,604,000 12,176,400 142,000 1,513,000 4,134,000 63,800,000 10,000,000 643,600 7,007,500 188,400,000 85,000 4,911,500

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

26 106 500 504 101.4 106.9 108 506 5.51 1000 970.5 100.3 1.05 107.1 1020 106.1 106.2 985 75.2 78 75.05 75.95 77.45 76.1 77 75.75

896,700 2,000 27,070 28,010 68,890 10 91,810 220 323,400 9,040 2,080 4,210 17,000 5,200 1,500 1,300 5,700 8,650 2,140 152,660 91,200 148,360 30,020 11,000 5,020 513,560

LR Warrant

2.750

WARRANTS & BONDS 2,084,000 5,694,840.00

APRIL 23-27, 2018 Volume Value

0.590 0.4650 0.560 29.05 4 18.40 2.06 3.2 33.90 1.02 10.64 0.820 6.550

332,149,000 137,520,000 233,691,000 100 4,588,000 18,769,400 3,874,000 459,000 25,365,400 3,897,000 4,291,300 217,000 25,725,300

185,662,940.00 65,520,400.00 142,999,750.00 2,905.00 18,354,830.00 340,547,462.00 7,848,460.00 1,464,670.00 840,677,150.00 1,926,780.00 44,404,519.00 172,740.00 167,225,052.00

SERVICES 2,785,382.00 3,338,345.00 297,670.00 6,719,650.00 2,616,000.00 4,526,656.00 173,247.00 486,870,434.00 2,795,280.00 25,458,663.00 184,294.00 6,010,811.00 5,327,544.00 54,710.00 6,610,595.00 465,580.00 150,143,020.00 5,287,219.00 6,234,690.00 12,707,180.00 820,305,422.50 172,180.00 331,404.00 756,190.00 2,104,080.00 6,590,070.00 682,760.00 138,950.00 44,606,610.00 440,940.00 163,511,555.00 14,072.00 37,870.00 1,343,280.00 53,921,629.00 3,310,380.00 161,563,514.00 2,407,926.00 175,453.00 179,570.00 2,430.00 29,184,978.00 51,786,627.00 293,541,905.00 10,677,100.00 2,845,220.00 1,260,286,695.00 184,885,688.00 3,474,803.00 5,235,440.00 11,501,510.00 76,130,650.00 70,809,630.00 11,960,390.00 34,068,096.00

16.4 27.7 1.38 0.475 0.048 12.5 5.35 12.02 0.0530 86.85 8.71 6.98 7.20 2.12 22.60 940 1509 5.60 306.20 4.14 84.25 2.31 13.3 8.29 0.114 1.4100 3.4 14.98 4.76 1.03 26.05 18.36 0.490 4.36 6.85 3.14 8.060 11.54 9.79 2.94 8.11 125.00 6.01 1434.00 0.430 1.010 47.50 88.60 6.79 2.36 1.270 0.425 4.79 0.870 10.900

466,900 179,600 1,305,000 13,090,000 61,200,000 761,400 100 41,329,700 65,070,000 398,900 21,500 4,283,500 165,600 58,000 197,600 20 213,700 1,858,200 36,030 7,791,000 7,036,810 61,000 281,600 44,000 14,340,000 462,000 210,000 25,900 19,724,200 1,102,000 13,239,200 800 194,000 682,000 12,329,800 4,215,000 79,222,000 17,600 14,500 145,000 600 506,000 2,872,600 252,810 26,870,000 6,578,000 12,282,900 5,912,090 897,600 1,630,000 13,990,000 64,900,000 42,633,000 49,563,000 8,227,700

7,321,190.00 4,996,595.00 1,813,670.00 6,134,500.00 2,894,100.00 9,537,338.00 535.00 508,048,578.00 3,586,590.00 35,113,774.00 187,376.00 28,740,177.00 1,205,283.00 127,170.00 4,554,115.00 18,800.00 321,605,060.00 10,393,561.00 10,949,412.00 32,882,900.00 605,611,279.00 141,220.00 3,745,254.00 364,560.00 1,622,540.00 643,050.00 693,900.00 382,862.00 95,800,982.00 1,111,640.00 349,966,375.00 13,800.00 96,300.00 2,967,200.00 83,174,023.00 13,444,040.00 632,132,295.00 198,374.00 138,208.00 406,370.00 4,866.00 64,221,202.00 17,741,006.00 356,616,465.00 11,180,650.00 6,690,920.00 583,729,470.00 520,887,765.50 6,211,645.00 3,805,290.00 18,069,390.00 27,386,200.00 208,753,020.00 44,625,000.00 89,349,134.00

MINING & OIL 1,170,000.00 19,077,780.00 3,360,800.00 252,192.00 3,433,410.00 780,900.00 61,856.00 44,518,900.00 106,230.00 1,189,370.00 117,220.00 230,100.00 2,385,090.00 64,353,815.00 171,950.00 849,430.00 4,023,910.00 806,300.00 122,000.00 3,647,149.00 99,141,166.00 2,248,800.00 183,500.00 146,416,275.00

0.0030 1.66 4.36 18.48 1.62 0.300 7.73 2.160 0.206 0.140 0.145 0.009 1.49 5.15 1.18 0.5400 0.9100 0.0120 0.0120 5.60 13.50 0.0120 2.1300 30.25

3,552,000,000 27,926,000 1,272,000 13,100 3,114,000 1,200,000 16,400 50,780,000 210,000 14,140,000 12,480,000 103,000,000 1,448,000 21,550,400 294,000 1,516,000 12,638,000 510,900,000 22,300,000 430,200 10,602,300 30,300,000 163,000 4,796,100

8,933,300.00 46,505,790.00 5,614,530.00 235,478.00 5,087,520.00 359,700.00 124,325.00 110,848,560.00 42,760.00 1,990,410.00 1,812,510.00 918,500.00 2,108,600.00 83,338,860.00 354,230.00 808,800.00 12,504,240.00 6,291,300.00 267,700.00 2,406,776.00 140,456,348.00 354,400.00 356,130.00 143,418,420.00

PREFERRED 23,945,155.00 212,000.00 13,455,990.00 14,136,240.00 6,948,234.00 1,069.00 9,905,313.00 111,320.00 1,771,540.00 8,769,700.00 2,035,150.00 422,227.00 17,990.00 538,717.00 1,530,640.00 137,930.00 605,340.00 8,573,675.00 161,813.50 12,023,060.00 6,844,579.50 11,265,492.00 2,308,099.00 836,950.00 382,440.00 40,100,402.00

27.45 104 508 503.5 101 106.9 111 504.5 5.55 999 977 100.2 1.06 107.1 1021 102 111 966 75.5 78 75 75.15 77 76.5 76.2 77

125,900 24,340 6,100 5,270 62,240 160 10 2,390 612,400 100 5,180 21,110 67,000 100 2,990 27,560 13,140 14,350 39,890 100,940 568,890 98,070 155,370 16,720 14,210 222,940

3,490,370.00 2,534,380.00 3,095,100.00 2,657,515.00 6,241,248.00 17,131.00 1,110.00 1,205,955.00 3,409,364.00 99,900.00 5,140,560.00 2,116,706.00 70,820.00 10,701.00 3,053,240.00 2,780,296.00 1,411,085.00 13,969,340.00 3,015,770.00 7,899,627.00 42,692,004.00 7,396,175.00 11,970,273.50 1,279,030.00 1,082,873.00 16,900,492.00

2.890

1,696,000

4,922,340.00

5.4 2.95 3.03 3.28

3,762,100 29,000 1,425,000 5,014,000

19,486,279.00 85,700.00 4,313,260.00 16,642,090.00

SME 28,541,958.00 3,040.00 5,774,680.00 8,040,280.00

Italpinas Makati Fin. Corp. Philab Holdings Xurpas

5.4 3.04 3.05 3.25

5,129,200 1,000 1,877,000 2,482,000

First Metro ETF

117.3

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 94,340 11,146,093.00

118.6

124,180

14,624,493.00

10.2 10.2 1.02

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 2,490 25,398.00 8,660 88,638.80 124,000 127,480.00

10.1 10.2 1.02

450 17,180 434,820

4,545.00 175,793.60 443,516.40

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining ATN Holdings A A. Brown Co., Inc. MRC Allied Ind. Wellex Industries 8990 HLDG Philodrill Corp. À’ Transpacific Broadcast Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. Phil. Estates Corp.

VOLUME 409,000,000 374,914,000 273,767,000 254,147,000 217,800,000 211,020,600 188,400,000 166,330,000 147,405,000 139,240,000

STOCKS Ayala Land `B’ 8990 HLDG Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. SM Investments Inc. Universal Robina Puregold Metrobank Jollibee Foods Corp. I.C.T.S.I. Metro Paciﬁc Inv. Corp.

VALUE 1,580,152,800.00 1,456,684,898.00 1,421,824,704.00 1,378,472,600.00 1,273,291,023.00 1,260,286,695.00 1,171,983,176.00 824,367,724.00 820,305,422.50 750,555,378.00

EastWest seeks partner, right offering worth P10b EAST West Banking Corp., the banking unit of the Gotianun Group, plans to raise up to P10 billion through a stock rights offering sometime in the second half of the year. EastWest chairman Jonathan Gotianun said the group was also looking for a strategic partner that could take up to 20 percent of the bank’s equity to help accelerate the bank’s growth. The bank last year obtained shareholders’ approval to increase the capital base to P50 billion to accommodate both deals. “What is clear is we want to grow the bank, I think we will look for equity,” Gotianun said, adding there were no specific discussions at the moment. Meanwhile, EastWest plans to conduct the rights offering to finance asset expansion. “We need to grow out assets and in order to have to have sufficient capital to go in line with it,” Gotianun said. He said EastWest parent company Filinvest Development Corp. would participate in the bank’s stock rights offering. “Our main focus is try to grow our base by improving our customer service and by improving our productivity,” Gotianun said. “Over the years, we have added branches and we think we have already reached a decent size and decent coverage since we are now is key cities across the country,” he said. EastWest, like other banks, is revisiting its digital strategy moving forward. The bank 447 branches across the country. “We are also also focusing on our digital strategy. It is going to be a big challenge but we think it is necessary,” Gotianun said. EastWest in 2017 registered a net income of P5.1 billion, up 48 percent from P3.4 billion in 2016. Net revenues reached P25.6 billion, 17 percent higher from a year ago. Core earnings that exclude trading and non-recurring revenues reached P24.2 billion, up 21 percent, as net interest income and fee-based income rose 19.8 percent and 29.2 percent, respectively. Jenniffer B. Austria

NLEX bares plan to issue P6-b bonds NLEX Corp., a unit of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., is considering the issuance of up to P6 billion worth of fixed rate bonds this month to finance toll road expansion. MPTC president Rodrigo Franco said the company was waiting approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission on the planned bond offering before proceeding with the exercise. NLEX in March filed with the SEC a bond shelf registration of up to P25 billion with an initial tranche of P4 billion and P2 billion to cover oversubscription. Rodrigo said the company was looking at a tenor of seven and 10 years for the first tranche of the bond issue. With interest rates expected to go up, Franco said the company was already planning a second tranche offering sometime in the second half of the year. NLEX is engaged in project development, design, construction, financing, operation and management of toll roads. It holds the concession on North Luzon Expressway, the largest toll road in the country, The tollroad company earlier budgeted P19 billion in capital expenditures for this year to finance the construction of new expressway projects to help solve Metro Manila’s traffic bottlenecks. The company is set to complete this year the NLEX Harbour Link, 5.8-kilometer project in Caloocan City. The P10.5-billion project will reduce traffic from Ports of Manila to NLEx by 10 minutes. The tollroad firm also also startedthe construction of the NLEX Harbour Link Radial Road 10. The P6.7-billion project, with 70 percent of the right-of-way issues resolved, is slated for completion by the first half of 2019. Jenniffer B. Austria

World Malaysia’s divisive vote fueling damaging ‘brain drain’

IN BRIEF N. Korea says peace talks not the result of US pressure SEOU—North Korea Sunday warned Washington that claiming Pyongyang was forced into talks by US pressure risked returning the peninsula “back to square one”, as the world awaits a landmark summit between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump The pair are set for the first ever face-to-face meeting between a sitting American president and North Korean leader, with a date and venue to be announced soon, Trump said Friday. Their meeting comes after a historic summit between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jaein in the demilitarized zone that divides their countries, during which Kim gave a tentative commitment to ridding the North of its nuclear weapons and facilities. Trump has credited his “maximum pressure” campaign of tough rhetoric and tightened sanctions for a breakthrough with Pyongyang, saying last week that Washington’s “strength is going to keep us out of nuclear war”. AFP

SINGAPORE―Malaysia’s racially divisive elections are fanning resentment among the minorities, and risk escalating a “brain drain” of disillusioned ethnic Chinese and Indians in an exodus experts say is hurting the nation’s economic ambitions. About 60 percent of Malaysia’s 32 million people are Muslim Malays but the country is also home to large minorities, with about a quarter of the population ethnic Chinese and a substantial number ethnic Indian. The Barisan Nasional coalition, which

has been in power since independence from Britain in 1957, has long promoted afﬁrmative-action policies that confer Malays and other indigenous groups with many advantages, including access to cheaper housing and priority in government jobs. The program, introduced in the 1970s after deadly race riots, was aimed at helping the poorer Malays catch up with the wealthier, more business-savvy Chinese and has been credited with creating a Muslim middle class and maintaining racial harmony.

But it has also been blamed for fueling resentment among ethnic minority groups and encouraging their better-educated members to move abroad. Some young members of the Chinese and Indian communities say they feel like second-class citizens in their own country, and that staying in Malaysia would likely limit their career opportunities as they hit ethnic glass ceilings. Gabey Goh, a 34-year-old marketing executive, is one of many Malaysian Chinese who have headed to neighboring Singapore, which is predominantly ethnic Chi-

HRW: Saudi detains thousands without trial DUBAI—Saudi Arabia has detained thousands of people for up to a decade without trial, Human Rights Watch said Sunday, slamming the country’s powerful crown prince for the “arbitrary detentions”. Official data from the interior ministry, analyzed by HRW, showed that authorities had detained 2,305 people for more than six monthssome for over a decade—without referring them to court. The ultraconservative kingdom, an absolute monarchy, has introduced a string of reforms in the past months, spearheaded by the country’s unchallenged Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, dubbed “MBS”, who was appointed heir to the throne in June 2017. Yet arbitrary detention appears to have “increased dramatically in recent years”, according to HRW. The group urged the authorities to “stop holding people arbitrarily”. AFP

McCain does not want Trump to attend his funeral WASHINGTON—Senator John McCain, 81 and battling brain cancer, has made clear he does not want President Donald Trump to attend his funeral, US media reported Saturday. McCain, a Vietnam war vet and respected senator from Arizona who has had a turbulent relationship with Trump, instead wants Vice President Mike Pence to represent the White House, The New York Times and NBC News said, quoting people close to McCain. McCain is also using a new book and documentary to express regret about not having selected former Senator Joseph Lieberman as his running mate in 2008 against Barack Obama and instead going with populist Sarah Palin, the Times said. McCain has been fighting an aggressive form of brain cancer for more than a year. He is currently back in Arizona, recovering from surgery for an intestinal infection. AFP

nese, more afﬂuent, and which she regards as having a more merit-based culture. “I was never very comfortable, and I never agreed and I don’t agree, with the afﬁrmative action policy,” said Goh, who left Malaysia more than three years ago. “There’s too much anger, too much of a divide.” In the run-up to Wednesday’s general election, Prime Minister Najib Razak has been accused of amplifying racial tensions as he scrambles to shore up his Malay voter base with moves that may further alienate minorities. AFP

Thousands flee after new quake

EILANI ESTATES-Thousands of people have been forced to flee after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake shook Hawaii’s Big Island, triggering the collapse of a coastal cliff and prompting fresh eruptions of a volcano that has been spewing lava near residential areas.

Stormy Daniels taunts fake Trump on comedy show WASHINGTON—Stormy Daniels, the real one, took on Donald Trump, depicted by Alec Baldwin, on the comedy show Saturday Night Live and taunted him saying the only way to end the furor over their alleged tryst was for him to resign. Daniels drew screams and applause when she appeared in the opening skit of SNL. She took a call at Trump’s request from his personal lawyer Michael Cohen, played by comedian Ben Stiller. Trump said he would just listen in as they spoke, and Cohen asked Daniels if she was alone. “What are you wearing,?” the fake Trump blurted out, to laughter, before cutting the faux Cohen out of the call. Trump has denied allegations from Daniels, a porn star whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, that they had an affair in 2006. But Cohen has admitted he paid her $130,000 just days before the 2016 election. Trump has denied the affair or knowing anything about the payment, until his new lawyer Rudy Giuliani acknowledged shockingly this week that Trump had in fact reimbursed Cohen for that payoff, which arguably may have violated federal campaign finance laws. AFP

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

extrastory2000@gmail.com

PASSOVER CEREMONY. Samaritan worshippers participate in an early-morning Passover ceremony at Mount Gerizim near the northern West Bank city of Nablus on May 6 , 2018. The Samaritans are a community of a few hundred people living in Israel and in the Nablus area who trace their lineage to the ancient Israelites that Moses led out of Egypt. AFP

Weinstein’s absence looms over Cannes CANNES―Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein once held court like a king at the Cannes ﬁlm festival, but this year it is his absence that will loom large over the competition. The world’s biggest ﬁlm festival has moved to align itself with the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment that has reverberated around the world since Weinstein’s downfall. The festival has condemned Weinstein’s “unpardonable behavior” after he was accused of four sexual assaults at Cannes over the years, including the rape of the Italian actress Asia Argento in his luxury suite when she was 21. Director Thierry Fremaux admitted that Cannes “will never be the same again” after the Weinstein scandal, and

said festival-goers will be warned about their behavior when they arrive at the huge French Riviera event, which starts on Tuesday. A flier saying “proper behavior required” will be handed out and a hot line and website set up for victims or witnesses of sexual harassment. Women also dominate the jury that awards the top Palme d’Or prize this year, including French actress Lea Seydoux, who has accused Weinstein of assault. The jury will be led by Australian actress Cate Blanchett, who helped launch the Time’s Up campaign to tackle sexual harassment in Hollywood and was one of the first to speak out against Weinstein. There will also be a talk about the place of women in film, but no unifying dress

theme, such as the black dresses worn at the Golden Globes in support of Time’s Up or white ribbons worn at the Cesars, the “French Oscars”. However, critics claim that the festival is only paying lip service to real change. “Cannes is a two-week celebration of male brains and female beauty,” said screenwriter Kate Muir, of the Women and Hollywood group which is pushing for great diversity in the industry. “Many wheeler-dealers and producers still parade with paid-for models or prostitutes on their arms, which makes female ﬁlm-makers deeply uneasy about what, precisely, is valued by the money men.” The Weinstein affair may have rocked the ﬁlm world, but the local tourism industry in Cannes expects little disruption. AFP

No injuries have been reported but several homes were destroyed or badly damaged by the quake Friday, the biggest to hit the island since 1975, authorities said. It caused small sea-level changes but no tsunamis. The US Geological Survey said the quake struck at 12:32 pm (2232 GMT) and was centered on the south flank of the Kilauea volcano, which first erupted on Thursday after a series of tremors. A 5.7-magnitude tremor hit the island earlier on Friday. The quakes prompted the Kilauea volcano, one of five active on the island, to erupt. The quakes temporarily cut power to thousands of households. The Federal Aviation Administration imposed flight restrictions over the area through Monday for all but relief operations. The quakes triggered rock slides on trails in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and caused a coastal cliff to collapse into the ocean. Officials ordered a rare closure of the park, which covers more than one-tenth the island’s total area. About 2,600 visitors were evacuated. “It is currently not safe to be here,” Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando said in a statement. Video footage showed orange magma gushing up from cracks in the ground and snaking through a wooded area. Molten lava could also be seen bubbling up through cracks on streets in the Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens neighborhood, where residents were ordered to evacuate on Thursday. The area is home to about 1,700 people and 770 structures, and some 10,000 people live in the broader district potentially impacted. AFP

Reimagining the future: Key takeaways from AFES 2018 JONNA BAQUILLAS

GREEN LIGHT WHEN we were kids, dreams were made of cotton candies and unicorns. We used to imagine, with wide-eyed wonder, what we will be when we grow up. The same dreamy hopefulness was the general mood in the Asian Forum on Enterprise for Society (AFES) 2018. Over 600 local and international delegates from different sectors convened for two days in Conrad Hotel, Manila, to collectively discuss the theme “The Future Re-imagined.” Going beyond imagining and moving towards shaping a brighter future ahead of us, the speakers and plenary sessions from different sectors and industries provided a platform for discussing issues, challenges and possibilities related to technology and IT infrastructure, securing the future, and sectoral engagement collaboration. Technology-driven future We are now living in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a term ﬁrst introduced by Klaus Schwab in the World Economic Forum. Schwab emphasized that this is characterized by the exponential transformation of technology, disrupting

almost every industry, and blurring the lines between the physical, digital and biological spheres. What then does the future hold? Cities are starting to get “smarter.” The future paves the way for more use of artificial intelligence and robots in order to make things better, faster, and more convenient for humans. Selfdriving smart cars, robots performing microsurgery, and automation of business processes using super computers are just a few of the offerings of the technology-driven future that is already starting now. The use of big data in business and in policy-making is also in demand now and is predicted to boom in the near future. According to Harvard Business Review, data science is the new sexy. In fact, it is identified as the sexiest job of the 21st century. Dr. Erika Legara, Associate Professor in Asian Institute of Management, pointed out the importance of data science in business decisions and government policies that it is now considered the “new oil.” Its use allows the creation of data-driven simulation tools that provide actionable insights and accurate forecasts for decision makers. Inclusive future The threat of automation of jobs is real, making people disillusioned about what the future holds for them. Schwab identified inequality as the greatest soci-

etal concern associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, citing that the greatest beneficiaries of the digital age are the creators, innovators, investors— increasing the financial disparity between those dependent on capital versus labor. However, aiming for an inclusive growth was reiterated during AFES 2018. Technology should be utilized to assist humans, not to alienate or put them to obsolescence. Education plays an important role to ensure that 21st century education focuses on competency-based learning and allow for learners to fail— because learning happens at the point of failure. Schools must be a safe place for students to fail, so they do not fail in life. Reinventing education so it does not focus on what to know but how to know makes one a life-long learner capable of adapting to the fast-changing future. Social enterprises help address social issues by building business models that allow for them to profit and at the same time provide solutions to these challenges. Most of them already focus on empowering the marginalized sectors by teaching skills and providing jobs to people in order to assist them in living better lives with their families, helping promote inclusive growth for the marginalized. Collaborative engagement A tripartite collaboration between the government, the industry and the

consumers is, therefore, a necessary ingredient in order to create a bright future not just for a few but for everyone. Industries are called to create business models that include the excluded. The government is expected to create policies that will help transition to a technologically-advanced future. Consumers, on the other hand, are encouraged to be socially responsible—to patronize businesses that take into account their social, ethical and environmental responsibilities. Amidst all efforts to plan for the future, magnanimitas—Latin for greatness of spirit—is one of the things that good governance needs in order to ensure that humanity is selﬂessly put in the center of decisions and plans, to promote human dignity and create a better world for everyone. Jonna Baquillas is a Doctor of Business Administration student at the De La Salle University. She teaches marketing, brand, business and retail management classes in Asia Paciﬁc College. She represented the De La Salle University in the Asian Forum on Enterprise for Society 2018 along with nine other students and faculty members from the Ramon V. del Rosario–College of Business and the School of Economics. For comments or reactions, she may be reached at jonalyn_ baquillas@dlsu.edu.ph.

LGUs

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

LocaL government units

monday, may 7, 2018

Salceda launches P100-m tech-voc program in Albay DARAGA—Albay Second District Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda has launched a P100-million pilot training program here that focuses on the technicalvocational aspect of the newly implemented Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, the new free college tuition law. The pilot program targets at least 8,300 youth beneficiaries. Salceda, principal author of RA 10931, said the program aims to address the “diverse range of skills and learning styles” of his constituents who may not avail of the free four-year standard college courses. RA 10931, he said, was designed to highlight not only the free four-year college courses, but also technicalvocational education, which was not given equal focus previously under the Technical Vocational Education and Training or TVET program. He said his pilot program aims to improve, maximize and enhance the services of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in Albay, the Daraga Human Resources Development College, the Daraga Community College—as pilot institutions—and later all other accredited tech- voc schools in the province run by LGUs, under the UAQTEA. Salceda said his 2nd District office has allocated 5,000 slots for Training for Work Scholarship (TWSP) with a budget of P25 million and 1,500 slots for the Special Training for Employment Program, with P15 million, administered by TESDA. Another 1,800 slots will also be allocated by June, with a budget of P54 million for the free TVET under RA 10931. He explained that giving special attention to the tech- voc aspect of the UAQTEA will allow the country’s educational program to answer the emerging global demand to bring back and revitalize technical-vocational training in schools. Citing recent findings on global educational trends, Salceda said focus on vocational training is hinged on the fact “that people have a huge and diverse range of different skills and learning styles.” An article published by Forbes Magazine titled Why We Desperately Need to Bring Back Vocational Training in Schools, states that), notes that “Not everyone is good at math, biology, history and other traditional subjects that characterize college-level work… And not everyone goes to college.” The latest figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics show that only “about 68 percent of high school graduates attend college; this implies that over 30 percent of them end up with neither academic nor job skills.” The same report said that almost 40 percent of students who begin fouryear college programs “don’t complete them, which translates into a whole lot of wasted time, wasted money, and burdensome student loan debts.”

ALL FUN AND GAMES.

Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go shows off toy bobblehead dolls of his likeness and that of President Rodrigo Duterte, then joins former professional basketball players in flashing their fists (inset) after their ‘Strike for Go! 3 Point Shootout’ with the youth of Bacoor City, Cavite. They promoted physical activities and the government’s campaign against illegal drugs at Strike Gymnasium upon the invitation of Cavite Rep. Strike Revilla, a former Bacoor mayor.

Binay gives out 1,500 Makatizen cards anew By Joel E. Zurbano

HE Makati city government led by Mayor Abigail Binay has distributed 1,500 of its Makatizen Cards to residents of Barangay Gen Pio del Pilar over the weekend.

Binay led the ceremonial launch and distribution of the ready-to-use multipurpose card on Saturday at the Gen. Pio del Pilar Elementary School-Main in 5560 P. Binay Street. Romulo Salgado Jr., Officer-in-Charge of the city’s Information and Community Relations Department, said the 1,500 successful registrants of Barangay Pio del Pilar are among the first batch of residents from district 1 to receive the cards. He said registered merchants, including fish ball vendors and GCash out-

posts, were on hand to allow the new cardholders to experience the card’s efficacy in real-time. Two months ago, the city government distributed the cards to 1,000 residents of Barangay Rizal. The Makatizen Card is a multi-purpose card which can be used by half a million residents and city hall employees for official, personal and financial transactions. The Card is a public private partnership project of Makati and G-xchange and

iBayad Online Ventures, Inc. It is a comprehensive universal card system which offers residents, students and city government employees expanded and improved access to government services. The card allows recipients to receive cash allowances, stipends, and other cash benefits, including those provided under the Makati Health Program (Yellow Card), Senior Citizens program (Blu Card), PWD card and Solo Parent Card among others. “Aside from making day-to-day tasks much more convenient for Makatizens, the project also allows greater transparency in the implementation of the city’s various social welfare programs, thereby ensuring that the right people receive the right benefits in the most efficient way,” Binay explained.

ERAP SHOWS LOVE. Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada distributed construction materials to around 185 families who lost their homes in a huge fire in Oroquieta St. in Sta. Cruz district recently. Each family received eight pieces of plywood, eight GI sheets, 25 pieces of various wood materials, and four kilos of assorted nails. Previously, he talked to beneficiaries of the city’s 4Ps program (inset), also assisted by Manila Department of Social Welfare head Nanet Tanyag.

Medical experts call for end to Dengvaxia confusion in Pasay gab PHILIPPINE medical experts called for an end to the spread of false and malicious information on the Dengvaxia vaccine in a recent multi-stakeholder forum hosted in Pasay City by the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination at the SMX Convention. Dr. Charles Yu, past president of the Philippine College of Physicians, who admitted to having his own child vaccinated with Dengvaxia, expressed alarm over the unnecessary panic and hyste-

ria felt by parents like him caused by wrong reports and erroneous claims on the dengue vaccine. “The stress from daily barrages from media causes stress on Dengvaxia parents like me. Do not listen to those who aren’t experts. They’re already being debunked by world experts, yet you still listen,” Yu said. He was referring to the recommendation of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization on the dengue vaccine released this April to the World

Former starlet nabbed for shabu By Rio N. Araja

THE Quezon City Police District has arrested a former sexy actress for illegal drugs in anti-illegal drug and anti-criminality operations. QCPD director Joselito Esquivel identified the former starlet as Katrina Santos, 26, of Malabon City. In an anti-criminality and law enforcement operation last Saturday at about 3 a.m. along Tagaytay St., near corner A. Boni Avenue, Barangay San Jose, police chanced upon a group of persons having a drug transaction, which scampered away upon seeing them. Santos was cornered and yielded a sachet of shabu. She was a former member of

the all-female sing and dance group Baywalk Bodies and made a few sexy films. In another development, authorities nabbed Holy Augilos, of Cubao, at about 9:15 p.m. on Saturday along General Mc. Arthur Avenue, Barangay Socorro, Cubao for possession of eight sachets of shabu worth P17,500. In another operation, Venzon Cruz, 27, of Antipolo City, and Joselito Sandoval, 52, of Cubao, were nabbed on Saturday at 8:45 p.m. inside Centro Apartelle at No. 107 12th Avenue, Brgy. Socorro, Cubao. Meanwhile, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista reiterated his call for the expansion of the senior citizen volunteer program to encourage more elderly people to get back into the mainstream of productive labor.

Health Organization, which confirmed the “public health value” of the vaccine, where the over-all population benefit of the vaccination is seen as favorable. Meanwhile, Dr. Edsel Salvana, an infectious diseases expert and an Outstanding Young Scientist 2010 awardee, clarified significant points of the report. “Dengvaxia vaccine efficacy is confirmed in seropositives. In other words, it is safe and effective when used properly in those with previous dengue infec-

tion. The risk in seronegatives is 0.2 percent or two out of 1000,” Salvania said. “It is the same level of risk on those people who had dengue, but had not been vaccinated for severe dengue, which is 4.8 out of 1000,” he added. The report also affirmed vaccination without screening in hyper-endemic settings, such as the Philippines, which means vaccination without pre-screening is permissible in countries with high cases of dengue. Jun David

Enough stocks until imports come, Bulacan rice traders say By Orlan l. Mauricio MALOLOS CITY—The country has sufficient rice supply to last until the arrival of the imported rice to beef up the government’s buffer stocks. Bulacan rice traders belonging to the Bulacan Rice Millers Association claim during a press conference during the launch of the “Tulong sa Bayan Caravan” initiated by the National Food Authority that the consuming public has nothing to worry about a rice shortage. “We have sufficient rice stocks and we are still in the process of procuring palay during these months of peak rice harvest season,” Elvira Cruz-Obana, NFA-Bulacan provincial manager disclosed. The NFA in Bulacan has coordinated with the BRMA to come up with “Tulong sa Bayan Caravan” as part of the rice traders’ commitment to President Rodrigo Duterte to supply rice pegged at P39 a kilo until the NFA’s rice buffer stock has been replenished. Obana said that rice traders from the Intercity Industrial Estate and Golden City, a major rice trading centers of the country based in Bocaue and Balagtas towns, respectively, have initially provided 3,000 cavans of commercial rice sold to the public at P39 per kilo. These will be sold to retailers and end consumers on a wholesale basis and in turn sold to the public at P39 a kilo. She added that no volume restrictions will made on retailers since the rice are to be sold to the public at P39 a kilo. Roderico Sulit, vice president of the Golden City Association explained that prices of ordinary commercial rice are being sold at wholesale price below P39/kilo. At this price, a 50-kilo sack will sell for P1,950. However, association members are selling ordinary commercial rice from P1,860-P1,900 that translates to a price range of P37.20 to P38 per kilo giving retailers a gross profit of P50P90 per sack, Sulit explained.

Caloocan hosts NCR peace and order assembly CALOOCAN Mayor Oscar Malapitan told the members of the National Capital Region’s Peace and Order Council that the number of crimes in the city have dropped due to the local government’s efforts such as road illumination, additional CCTV cameras, police visibility and an effective out-patient rehabilitation system for drug addicts. The NCR POC includes Metro mayors, Regional Directors of Philippine National Police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Customs, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Fire Prevention, and other government agencies related to peace and order. The region’s chairman, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista swore into NCRPO Chief Camilo Cascolan, as Vice Chairman of the regional council. Cascolan said he will continue with the Oplan Double Barrel and eradicate high value targets or crime leaders. Cascolan also reported that due to the current gun ban, they built 1,648 police checkpoints across Metro Manila that resulted in the confiscation of 69 firearms, 736 deadly weapons and 154 arrests. DILG, for its part, urged local governments to pass an ordinance in their cities to require businesses to place CCTV cameras in their premises before obtaining business permits. Jun David

BIKINI BODY WINNERS. Ceza-Nassim Mr. & Miss Bikini Body 2018 winners Michael Yhang of Olongapo City (second from left) and Jane Usison of Bacoor, Cavite each received a cash prize of P25,000 and a trophy after topping a beauty and body competition held at the Nassim Hotel and Beach Resort in Santa Ana, Cagayan. Awarding the prizes are (from left) Leonardo C. Cruz, deputy administrator for planning and administration of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority; Santa Ana Vice Mayor Catherine Ladrido, Ceza OIC in Santa Ana and Tuguegarao Laurence Umayam, and Mayor Darwin Tobias (right).

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com

AUTHENTIC TASTE. Kitsho Japanese Restaurant and Sake Bar offers nearly 300 dishes, such as sushi, sashimi, ramen, teppanyaki, yakimono, and bento, among others, that feature authentic Japanese taste.

JaPanese cuisine

@manilastandardlife @mStandardLIFE monday, may 7, 2018

Life food

served the way it’s meant to be served By Bernadette Lunas Photos by Rex Perzeus F. Sardinia

Purple for a healthy you

estauRants offering foreign cuisines here in the Philippines usually adjust the taste of the dishes they serve to the Filipino palate to accommodate what we are used to eat, in hopes of attracting more customers.

But Chef Mizumoto “Hiro” Masahiro didn’t think twice about serving the dishes of his country, Japan, the way they are meant to be served. “Our restaurant offers really authentic Japanese taste. If you go to Japan and taste Japanese food there, [we have] almost the same taste,” Chef Hiro told Manila Standard. If the words of the founder and co-owner of Kitsho Japanese Restaurant and sake Bar, located on the ground floor of Hotel Jen Manila in Pasay City, are not enough, guests and dignitaries of the Japanese embassy—who are Japanese like Chef Hiro—can attest to the authenticity of the dishes offered as they frequently dine in his restaurant instead of other Japanese restaurants scattered around the area. Chef Hiro doesn’t mess around with his promise of serving authentic Japanese fare as, he said, whenever there is any difference in the taste of the dishes his Filipino cooks prepare in the kitchen, he adjusts it back to the original. although wasn’t trained in a culinary school, the 53-year-old chef learned everything he had to learn in preparing and cooking Japanese food from his father who was a chef in tokyo, Japan before he moved to the Philippines, from his colleagues and bosses, and from more than three decades of practice. Practice did make Chef Hiro sharp as a knife in preparing and cooking Japanese food. In fact it was also practice, he said, that helped him speak Filipino pretty well; in his own words, “Practice lang talaga.” He’s been in the Philippines for about 10 years now. Chef Hiro is hands-on in the kitchen to ensure the quality of the food items they offer. “In the morning I go to the market by myself to buy all the ingredients, then after that I come back to the restaurant. af-

Chef Mizumoto ‘Hiro’ Masahiro, founder and co-owner of Kitsho.

ter the last call for lunch at 2:30 p.m., I take a rest, and then I come back at dinner service,” he shared. “I’m here almost every day; I have no day off.” Chef Hiro also trains his staff. this way, he said, guests can be assured that every dish that comes out of the kitchen tastes authentic. When it comes to Japanese food, Chef Hiro believes the most important factor is the ingredients used—from the sourcing to the handling. Hence for Kitsho, the chef said most of the ingredients are sourced from Japan, are handled properly, and are prepared and cooked the right way. Kitsho diners are offered a wide variety of Japanese fare, 280 dishes to be exact. some of the items in Kitsho’s menu include sashimi options such as Hamachi (yellowtail), Maguro (tuna), Uni (sea urchin), Ika/Ikasomen (cuttlefish), Tako (octopus), Aji (horse mackerel), Hotate (scallops), Shimesaba (marinated mackerel), Tai (sea bream), fresh king/norwegian salmon, as well as live lapu-lapu and lobster specials.

Kitsho’s homemade wasabi ice cream is an intriguing dessert with a slightly sweet taste and that distinct wasabi sting.

Turn to C2

I Have been living with diabetes for over a decade now. and while I may not be a poster girl for healthy eating, I remember—just as I remember to religiously take my medicines daily—that some fruit juices can be just as unhealthy as sugary soft drinks. I was thus pleasantly surprised when I learned that Welch’s 100 percent grape juice is good for people with diabetes as it contains no added sugars or sweeteners. “It is a happy drink because it contains 100 percent natural sugars. It is safe for breastfeeding women. It is safe to add to baby food. and it is safe for diabetics for up to three servings a day,” said Dr. Gia sison, a breast cancer survivor and chief medical officer of Global telehealth, during Welch’s recent #DiscoverWhatsReal event. “One serving is equivalent to 40 pieces of Concord grapes—skin, seeds, and all. It is rich in antioxidants and is very healthy,” added sison. sison said Welch’s has been a staple drink for her kids. “they grew up on Welch’s. It is like second milk to them.

and during summer, we do Welch’s grape ice candy—a very easy to do treat,” she shared. For Maria Paz sales of the nutritionist-Dietitians association of the Philippines, taking Welch’s 100 percent grape juice helps Filipinos eat the ideal portion of “glow” foods which cover fruits and vegetables. Data from the 2013 Food Consumption survey showed at least 69.3 percent of Filipino households do not fulfill the dietary energy requirements while only 39 percent are able to meet the daily intake of 400 grams of fruits and vegetables as suggested by the World Health Organization. “think purple when you think of your health. the intense color which can be found in grapes and mangosteen comes from polyphenols which are natural antioxidants that can help fight most chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases,” said sales. Better yet, drinking 100 percent fruit juice from grapes provides more polyphenols than eating the fruit, without causing weight gain. “at Welch’s, we value what’s real. We value family, we value health and wellness, and we value in sharing what’s good. For over 140 years, Welch’s has been providing families around the world with products that bring a happy balance of goodness and deliciousness,” said Welch Philippines vice president for marketing erika evaristo Rodriguez. Turn to C2

Chef Trisha Ocampo of CCA Manila prepares easy-to-make healthy snacks, including grape salsa which uses Welch’s 100 percent grape juice.

Life

monday, may 7, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Kris Aquino-designed chocolate packs

TWG’s Mother’s Day set menu includes appetizer, main course and cocktail

Tea gastronomy with mommy T

The recent Instagram posts of Kris Aquino show us how this feisty mother is willing to fight tooth and nail for sons Josh and Bimby. But more than a gutsy mom, the Queen of All Media also has a creative side. For Mother’s Day, Aquino designed two limited edition Toblerone Mother’s Day Art Packs in her favorite color pink. each Toblerone sleeve has a blank side where you can write a personal message to your mother, just like how Bimby will be revealing some of his promises to his mom on Mother’s Day through the art pack. Toblerone has also teamed up with four of the country’s most promising young artists for this year’s limited edition Toblerone Mother’s Day Packs. Alessandra Lanot, a designer and

watercolor teacher most known for her workshops, created delicate floral patterns for the brand’s iconic triangular peak packaging. Anina Rubio, a visual artist deeply inspired by nature, travel, and the great outdoors, came up with a heartwarming design that shows the sweetness of motherhood. Googly Gooey’s cute and whimsical take on the packaging design gives it a fun and youthful twist. Lastly, Toblerone Valentine’s Day Art Contest winner Louise Dimagmaliw made a feminine pattern that reflects the occasion’s high spirits. The Kris Aquino-designed limited edition Toblerone Mother’s Day Art Packs and the others are available nationwide in leading supermarkets, malls, and convenience stores.

ReAT the noblest woman in your life to an impeccable tea gastronomy experience at the TWG Tea.

From today until May 19, TWG Tea serves an exclusive Mother’s Day set menu that consists of aperitif, starter, main course, tea, and dessert. Start the celebration with a perfectly concocted cocktail of Moroccan Mint Tea, Gnawa Tea, yuzu juice, rum, and fresh mint. Designed to enhance the essence of warmth that signifies the occasion, start the meal with lightly pickled sliced beets with a blue cheese mousse infused with napoleon Tea, topped with tomato confit, fresh radish, tomato emulsion, smoked cucumbers, and ciabatta crumbs. Main course is a deliciously poached sea bass served on romaine lettuce in a

kombu broth, accompanied by summer vegetables and basil pesto with Matcha oil. Brimming with bold flavors, pair this course with a warm cup of Jasmine Queen Tea, a delicately fashioned green tea with jasmine flowers. Put a sweet end to this exquisite meal with strawberry mousse dome with dark chocolate and honeycomb bits, crowned with a Love Me Tea infused Chantilly cream.

TWG Tea’s Mother’s Day set menu is priced at P1,550, and is available at TWG Tea Salon & Boutique at Greenbelt 5, Shangri-La Plaza, and Central Square.

Kris Aquino-designed limited edition Toblerone Mother’s Day Art Packs

Strawberry mousse dome with dark chocolate and honeycomb bits

Ladies who brunch

Alfred restaurant serves a Sunday Brunch on Mother’s Day

Japanese... From C1

Sushi staples are Matsu/Take, Nigiri, Unagi/Anago (freshwater/sea eel), Ebi (shrimp), Geso (cuttlefish head), Kohada (gizzard shad), Tamago (egg omelet), Ikura (salmon roe), as well as sushi sampler plates. Rolled sushi, on the other hand, comes in many varieties like Kappa (cucumber), Oshinko (pickled radish), Kanpyo (dried gourd shavings), Negitoro (ground tuna and spring onion), Inari (sweet bean curd), and the popular California Maki with mango, crabstick, and cucumber wrapped in sushi rice and flying fish roe. Appetizers include Buta kakuni (Japanese braised pork belly), Ika shiokara (pickled squid with salt), Chawanmushi (steamed egg with seafood), and Itawasa (sliced fish cake) among many others. Tempura offerings are Enoki (golden needle mushroom), Kaki (oyster), Kanikama (crabstick), Tamanegi (white onion), Kakiage (assorted sliced vegetables with dried shrimp), and Ebi. Yakimono (grilled) dishes include Miso Yaki (beef tongue in miso), En-

START her special day on May 13 with a mouthwatering brunch buffet at Alfred. The 24/7 restaurant at Makati Diamond Residences serves a wide variety of dishes including salmon tartare eggplant crisps, chicken barbeque on bird’s nest kataifi, slow cooked uS beef belly, cochinillo with pinakbet rice, spaghetti al burro, Mediterranean crusted baked salmon, and grilled prawns. Remind mom to save room for indulgent desserts such as raspberry cream mille-feuille, honey and super moist chocolate ice cream, and fresh fruits. Standard beverages such as soda, chilled juices, coffee, and tea are included. The Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet is available from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm at P2,000 net per person. Call (02) 317-0999 or email dine@makatidiamond.com for reservations.

ishake Shioyaki (red Japanese salmon), Tori (chicken), and Gindara teriyaki (black cod). Teppanyaki options in the menu include Waton (organic pork), Yakisoba (sautéed egg noodles with vegetables and pork), Okonomiyaki (savory Japanese pancake), as well as uS and Wagyu beef sirloin and tenderloin options. Shabu-shabu specials and Bento Boxes are also available. Kitsho also serves fugu (tiger puffer fish), which is prepared by Chef Hiro who is licensed to prepare this rather deadly delicacy. endings are sweet at Kitsho with its homemade ice cream flavors like Matcha green tea, black sesame, and the intriguing wasabi ice cream, which features a slightly sweet taste and that distinct wasabi sting at the end of each scoop. In addition, there’s smooth Japanese cheesecake topped with soft-serve Vanilla ice cream. Aside from the regular menu, there are also Chef Recommendations and Seasonal menus, which change according to the season. For instance, this summer—although summer in Japan starts in July—Kitsho

serves kakigori, a Japanese-style halo halo, as well as seasonal fruits and vegetable items like eggplants and grapes, and dishes made of sea bass, among others. every weekend, Kitsho opens its buffet station, which offers appetizers, sushi, sashimi, and desserts. Main dishes like Shrimp Tempura, Beef Teppan, and Yakisoba are not displayed and are only cooked upon ordering from the ala carte buffet menu to maintain freshness and taste. Lunch buffet is priced at P1,232 (VAT inclusive), while dinner buffet is at P1,400 (VAT inclusive). Diners may opt to avail a drink-all-you-can package for an additional fee. Chef Hiro doesn’t make empty promises. His dishes are as fresh as they are sumptuous, with each bite transporting you to the Land of the Rising Sun—and only sticking to how a particular cuisine is made can make that possible; no compromises, no adjustments. “If people want authentic Japanese taste, they must come here,” declared Chef Hiro. Call (02) 795-8888 local 2312 or log on to www.kitsho.com.ph for inquiries and reservations.

Buffet restaurant serves healthy fare Quezon Buffet Restaurant takes pride in its affordably priced buffet and Filipino-Hispanic menu with a modern twist. For its latest offering, executive chef and partner Kalel Chan whipped up dishes made with healthy oil. Chef Kalel has chosen Doña elena olive oils to bring out the flavors of his dishes as well as ensure the healthfulness of his spread. Doña elena olive oils are known for their high levels of Vitamins A, e, and K, and 80 percent good fat percentage (monounsaturated oleic acid). Here are some of Quezon Buffet Restaurant’s dishes made with Doña elena olive oils:

Dulong Angulas al Ajillo with Crostini

This flavorful appetizer of cooked baby eels is made with Doña elena Pure olive oil, garlic, and chilli; along with baby shrimps, fresh herbs, and lemon. The crunchy crostini on the side lends a contrast to the soft and juicy texture of the dish.

Chef Kalel Chan

seafood and spices, this recipe is something no certified paella lover would ever want to miss.

Chorizo Gambas

easy to whip up and packs tons of flavor, this dish is even made more special with its in-house cured chorizo. Sautéed in Doña elena Pure olive oil with garlic confit and smoked pimiento, the result is seriously punchy shrimps and Aglio Olio with Spanish Sardines a sauce that’s ready for sopping up with oil-based and creamy without being a plain bread. overpowering, Doña elena Pure olive oil and extra Virgin olive oils prove Olive Oil Rosemary Cake to be an ideal ingredient to mellow out Presenting a plenty of interplay of a rich and strong taste. Lavished with flavors beginning with rosemary, black the aromatic grilled pimiento, garlic, and green olives, the dish is enhanced and sardines, every bite shows that it with the volatile taste of Doña elena only takes a few but quality ingredients extra Virgin olive oil. A rendition of to make a simple and satisfying dish. the banana cake that’s ideally enjoyed freshly-baked, this version is finished Paella Rice off with a glaze made of vanilla and Slow cooked and guaranteed no short confectioners’ sugar for an extra dose cuts involved, Chef Kalel keeps his of sweetness. recipe both tasty and nourishing with Quezon Buffet Restaurant is located Doña elena Pure olive oil. From the on the second floor of Fisher Mall in homemade chorizo to the assortment of Roosevelt Ave., Quezon City.

Purple... From C1

“More than a decade’s worth of research suggests that 100 percent grape juice can help support a healthy heart,” added Rodriguez. Welch’s, according to Rodriguez, has no direct competitor in the country for the 100 percent grape juice category. “Welch’s owns the vineyards so we are assured of the quality and supply,” she said. The grapes are grown and harvested by about 1,000 family-farmer owners in vineyards found across the united States and Canada. In the Philippines, we are present nationwide, and we are very strong in key cities. We import about 75 to 80 containers of grape juice a year,” she said. Grape berry crunch muffins paired with Welch’s fruit juices

I’m at joyce.panares@gmail.com.

Quezon Buffet Restaurant serves dishes made with Doña Elena Olive Oils

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Myx TV’s Miguel Santos at the Television Academy

Multiplatinum and global pop star Ariana Grande will open the 2018 Billboard Music Awards later this month.

ARIANA GRANDE to open

2018 Billboard Music Awards

ICK clark productions recently announced that multiplatinum, record-breaking superstar Ariana Grande will open the 2018 Billboard Music Awards with a show-stopping performance from her upcoming LP.

The pop songstress, who’s new single “No Tears Left to Cry” hit No. 1 on iTunes in 85+ markets and No. 1 on U.S. iTunes for seven consecutive days in its debut week, will join previously announced performers BTS, Camila Cabello, Dua Lipa and Shawn

AXN surely knows how to provide the fun and thrill in LAborUNION. The channel’s summer campaign concluded in a sunny and vibrant note as revelers joined the AXN Red Summer 2018, held on April 28 in San Juan, La Union. Weekend warriors braved the blazing sun as they trooped to the North Shore for the whole-day action-packed event. Hundreds tested their mental and physical skills and participated in the AXN Red Summer Challenge obstacle course. Starting the course is the Yamaha Maze, where the participants weaved their way through the maze to find their way out. The All-New Mitsubishi XPANDER’s Monkey Bars tested the challengers’ endurance as they swing from bar to bar to finish the challenge. Continuing the course is the Transitions Crawl challenge. Not minding the hot sand, the challengers crawled to get through the hoops on the sand while wearing crazy goggles. San Mig Light’s Balancing Act challenge tested the challengers’ wit as they tried to balance the scale with bottles containing sand on one end, and bottles containing water on the other. AXN ended the course with a splash of bucket of water. The top 3 male and top 3 female challengers with the least time were declared winners. Emerging victorious for the male category are Dan Fontanilla (champion), Cedric Riveral (first runner-up), and Justine Rial (second runner-up). For the female category, the winners are Cris

Mendes on a night filled with music’s biggest names. Hosted by The Voice coach Kelly Clarkson, the 2018 Billboard Music Awards will broadcast live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 21 at 8:00 am.m (7:00 a.m. JKT/ BKK) on Blue Ant Entertainment. The three-hour telecast will feature performances from this year’s hottest musical acts, unexpected collaborations and buzz worthy moments that celebrate 60 years of the Billboard Hot 100. Nominations for the 2018 Billboard Music Awards were announced earlier this month on NBC’s Today and on a livestream from Billboard’s New York office. Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran tie for the most nominations this year with 15 each. Voting for the two fan-voted cat-

LABORUNION

Hundreds take part in AXN Red summer challenge

Danica Leyba (champion), Jess Nunag (first runner-up), and Dan Katrina Leyba (second runner-up). Each received cash and exciting prizes from AXN and its sponsors. Course participants and non-participants alike also had fun at the different booths from sponsors and AXN’s sister

Monday, May 7, 2018

48 Advanced degs. 49 Gives in the middle 50 Grassland 53 Made from yarn 57 Come again? 58 Comics pooch 60 Wash away 61 Verdi princess 62 Spring or ebb 63 Hoops 64 Pantyhose woe 65 Airplane assignment 66 Stylish DOWN 1 — measure 2 Astronaut — Shepard 3 Drizzle 4 Small sizes 5 Art school subject 6 Wobbled, as a rocket 7 Gross! 8 Paris streets 9 Outbursts 10 Pleasant 11 Be different 12 Byron’s works 13 Tie the knot 21 Jamie — Curtis 23 CSA monogram 26 Deli salad 27 Tennis locale

It is a nonprofit organization devoted to the advancement of telecommunication arts and sciences and to fostering creative leadership in the telecommunication industry. The Television Academy, the only major organization devoted to the television and broadband screen entertainment industry, is made up of over 24,000 members, representing 30 professional peer groups, including performers, directors, producers, art directors and various other artisans, technicians and executives. The Television Academy recognizes excellence through its many annual award programs, the Primetime Emmy Awards, telecast prior to the fall television premiere season, is the flagship event for which the Television Academy is best known.

The no. 1...

nas Got Talent (36.9 percent), Bagani (33.2 percent), TV Patrol (28.8 percent), MMK (27.6 percent), Wansapanataym (27.5 percent), Home Sweetie Home (24.5 percent), The Good Son (20.6 percent), Since I Found You (20.6 percent), and Rated K (20.1 percent). Meanwhile, ABS-CBN also ruled across all timeblocks in April, particularly in primetime (6:00 p.m. to 12:00 mn) where it scored an average audience share of 50 percent, beating GMA’s 32 percent. The primetime block is the most important time of the day when most Filipinos watch TV and advertisers put a larger chunk of their investments in to reach more consumers effectively. The Kapamilya network also won in the morning block (6:00 a.m. to 12:00 mn) with an average audience share of 35 percent versus GMA’s 32 percent, in the noontime block (12:00 nn to 3:00 p.m.) with 45 percent, compared to GMA’s 33 percent, and in the afternoon block (3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) with 43 percent, beating GMA’s 35 percent.

From C4

ABS-CBN keeps its spot as the most watched network in April. The Kapamilya network ruled in both rural and urban homes, particularly in Metro Manila where it scored an average audience share of 42 percent, compared to GMA’s 25 percent, and in Mega Manila where it garnered 36 percent versus GMA’s 34 percent ABSCBN also kept its lead in Total Luzon with 41 percent versus GMA’s 35 percent, in Total Visayas with 54 percent over GMA’s 26 percent, and in Total Mindanao with 51 percent, compared to GMA’s 29 percent. Multinational audience measurement provider Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 2,610 urban and rural homes that represent 100 percent of the total Philippine TV viewing population. Part of the top ten list of most watched programs in April are FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano (41 percent), Pilipi-

From left: Host Jules Rodriguez, Jess Nunag (1st runner-up female category), Cris Danica Leyba (champion female category), Dan Katrina Leyba (2nd runner-up female category), Justine Rial (second runner-up male category), Cedric Riveral (first runner-up male category), Dan Fontanilla (champion male category), host DJ Chloe.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Buccaneers’ home 6 Round dwelling 10 Acknowledge 14 UFO pilot 15 Water, in Tijuana 16 Gradually disappear 17 Ravioli or linguine 18 A question of time 19 Mr. Flintstone of Bedrock 20 Give the right 22 Homeless animals 24 Having digits 25 Dixie fighter 26 Machination 29 Oblong pastry 33 Awful 34 The other guys 35 High spirits 37 Before Sept. 38 Dungeon hardware 39 Hamlet’s exclamation 40 Brown bird 42 Fictional sleuth — Wolfe 43 Biscotto flavor 45 Hunted down 47 Like Dolly the sheep

egories—Billboard Chart Achievement Award and Top Social Artist—will open in the coming weeks and additional details will be available soon. Billboard Music Awards nominees are based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring and social engagement, tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound. The finalists and award winners are determined using data reflecting a 12-month tracking period. The awards are based on the reporting period of April 8, 2017 through March 31, 2018. Since 1940, the Billboard charts have been the go-to guide for ranking the popularity of artists, songs and albums, and are the ultimate measure of success in music.

LOS ANGELES, CA – As Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off this month, Myx TV, the leading Englishlanguage Asian American entertainment network, represents strongly with Myx TV General Manager and Executive Producer Miguel Santos set to moderate a huge talk event organized by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences or The Television Academy – the organization that brings the Emmys to the world. Come May 16 at 7:00 p.m. at the Governors Room of the Saban Media Center at the Television Academy in North Hollywood, California, Santos will moderate “The State of Asian American Representation in Hollywood.” The featured panelists are Howard Meltzer, CSA, Showrunner/Writer Veena Sud, and Director/Showrunner Kulap Vilaysack. The talk is only open to Television Academy members. In recent years, people have seen the first primetime Emmy wins for writers and performers of Asian descent with Riz Ahmed, Aziz Ansari, Alan Yang, and Archie Panjabi, and there are more performers of Asian descent on television than ever before. However, while there are increased on-camera opportunities for AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) performers, their storylines remain limited. There is a large representation gap behind the camera as well. As the entire U.S. celebrates AsianPacific American Heritage Month, panelists from across television platforms and professions will discuss the state of Asian American voices in the industry. The conversation will be centered on performers, storytellers, casting and where we go from here for better representation in television. The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences was founded in 1946 — just one month after network television was born.

28 More gigantic 29 Pleasing note combination 30 Gamblers’ mecca 31 Like Tinker Bell 32 Hoist 34 Kind of farm 36 Lack 38 Shirt stains (2 wds.) 41 Luggage attachment (2 wds.) 43 North African port

44 Air passage 46 Outdo 47 Pantry item 49 Trapshooting 50 Climb a rope 51 “I did it!” (hyph.) 52 Falco or Sedgwick 54 Hue 55 Rim 56 Cubicle filler 57 Did exist 59 Ms. Lupino

channels. The Sony Channel Lounge provided free henna tattoos and hair braiding. The Animax booth treated everyone to free ice cream, and the GEM booth entertained everyone with games. Bands Nathan & Mercury and Dayaw provided the mood music in the afternoon.

ABS-CBN's top rating shows in April

MYX TV's general manager Miguel Santos

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

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

‘Black Panther’ leads MTV Movie and TV Award nods BLACK Panther, the breakthrough superhero film that has become one of the highest-grossing motion pictures of all time, on Thursday led nominations for the MTV Movie and TV Awards. The action movie about the fictional African kingdom of Wakanda led with seven nominations including Best Movie for the June 18 awards, which will be decided by public voting. Placing second with six nominations is Stranger Things, the Netflix series about supernatural occurrences in a small town in Indiana. The MTV Movie and TV Awards, like the channel’s signature MTV Video Music Awards, celebrate pop culture moments and pride themselves on being less stuffy than the industry’s benchmark Oscars and Emmys.

YUGEL LOSORATA

Categories include “Best Kiss” and “Most Frightened Performance.” In another contrast with the industry-led awards, the MTV prizes for the second year will be gender neutral with no separate competitions for men and women. Black Panther, a rare action film to celebrate black culture, has already become the third highest-grossing movie ever in North America since its release in January. Comedian Tiffany Haddish will serve as the host of the MTV Movie and TV Awards, which hands out statuettes shaped like popcorn boxes. Haddish stars in the comedy Girls Trip, which is also up for Best Picture, along with the action flicks Avengers: Infinity War and Wonder Woman and horror adaptation It. AFP

T’S something when you’re given a teleserye role you like to dig into. It gets juicier when the character is almost you in real life.

The breakthrough superhero film 'Black Panther' leads the MTV Movie and TV Awards with 7 nominations.

The No. 1 TV network according to Kantar Media

Century Mall Cinema hosts ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ celebrity screening Image from Pocoyo Wiki

THE network of choice for most Filipinos in April brought relevant lessons and news stories to more viewers, hitting an average

audience share of 45 percent, or a 12-point lead over its rival’s 33 percent, according to data from Kantar Media. Turn to C3

Julie Ann San Jose won’t deny the fact that her role for new musical romcom series My Guitar Princess mirrors her very own experience before she hit it real big. She plays 18-year-old Celina Raymundo who sings and plays guitar but whose mother Adele (played by Sheryl Cruz) disapproves of. To stress her point, she said that her loving and protective father, Jonathan San Jose, used to discourage her of joining showbiz. “I’ve been there too. Ayaw ng dad ko na mag-showbiz ako dahil sa intriga kaya I had to make a deal with him. Tatapusin ko ang pagaaral ko with good grades,” she informed. Fortunately she was able to make do with her promise, taking up 30 units per semester in the lead-up to graduation. She finished communication arts in Angelicum College two summers ago. She remarked, “I really worked hard for it and eventually managed to do it kahit nawawalan ako ng tulog. Binigyan ako ng strength ni Lord.” She often utters the line “Thank you Lord.” Celina’s mom surely has a more intriguing reason as to why she’s discouraging her daughter to pursue music in this TV series helmed by indie film director Nick Olanka and featuring a good-recall theme song Walang Kapalit. But Julie Ann and her fictional counterpart certainly lock together in terms of psyche and gift. It is a connection that should help strengthen the framework of My Guitar Princess. This offering from GMA Public

JULIA ANNE

SAN JOSE

in a role she knows too well

Julie Anne San Jose with her 'My Guitar Princess' leading men Kiko Estrada (left) and Gil Cuerva (right).

Affairs also stars heartthrobs Gil Cuerva as a 20-year old singer who falls for Celina and Kiko Estrada playing Justin, or that friend who eventually falls in love to his lady pal. Others in the cast are Isabelle de Leon, Jazz Ocampo, Marika Sasaki, Marc Abaya, Kier Legaspi, Frank Garcia, and senior actress Lui Manansala. “I was born to make music and it’s nice to be positive all the time,” related the 23-year-old recipient of “Diamond Record Award” from PARI (Philippine Association of the Record Industry) for her eponymous debut album released in 2012. Asked about her love for guitar playing, she replied with quick honesty, “I only play by ear. I was introduced to the instrument when I was seven and I was thought of playing basic chords.” Further she noted, “Guitar is usually my accompaniment when I write songs. I like it kasi challenging ang tiklada niya. Mamali ka lang ng konti sa tipa mo, out of tune ka na.” My Guitar Princess is written by Jessie Villabrille, Jerome Zamora, Conan Altatis and Mario Banzon who, like me, was a member of Ricky Lee’s 14th Scriptwriting Workshop (called “Katorse” in social media circles). Director Adolf Alix, Jr. is involved in its conceptualization. Julie Ann has all the reasons to be upbeat: “I feel great to be working and do stuff I love doing.” My Guitar Princess premieres today and airs weekdays before GMA-7’s Eat Bulaga. Kapuso viewers may also catch it on GMA Pinoy TV (www.gmapinoytv. com).