Manila Standard - 2018 July 5 - Thursday

Palace: No culture of impunity

By Nat Mariano

VOL. XXXII • NO. 140 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

THE Palace declared Wednesday there was no culture of impunity and viewed the killing of two town mayors in two consecutive days as an attempt to weaken the public’s trust and confidence in President Rodrigo Duterte.

“There is no culture of impunity in the Philippines as we do not condone any state-sponsored killing,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said, adding that the government continues to adhere to the rule of law and considers the recent killings of high-profile figures as an attempt Next page

SECURITY CONCERNS. President Rodrigo Duterte convenes the Joint Armed Forces of the Philippines - Philippine National Police Command Conference in Malacañang Wednesday evening amid the killing of two mayors in as many days and the growing threats to national security from communist rebels and extremists in Mindanao. From left: Special Adviser to the President Christopher Go, Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Labor Secretary and government chief peace negotiator Silvestre Bello III.

Town mayors fear for safety Bote’s murder: 3 possible motives under scrutiny

League president: It’s really scary to be a public official

By Ferdie G. Domingo

T

CABANATUAN CITY—The Philippine National Police is looking into three possible motives in Tuesday’s assassination of Mayor Ferdinand Bote of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija, police said Wednesday.

Chief Supt. Amador Corpus, head of Police Regional Office 3, said the crime could have been prompted by politics, the mayor’s quarrying business and possible conflicts in handling government projects that have links with his construction business.

Police have heightened security measures in the town and set up additional checkpoints.

Corpus said solving

By Francisco Tuyay and Macon Ramos-Araneta

HE League of Municipalities of the Philippines on Wednesday expressed alarm over the murder of two town mayors on two consecutive days, in Batangas and Nueva Ecija.

In a radio interview, Mayor Marife Brondial of Socorro, Oriental Mindoro, president of league, said all mayors were terribly worried about their safety.

“They are nervous, especially the female mayors,” Brondial said in Filipino, noting that many of them have asked her to request police security for them.

“It’s really tragic and ghastly, what’s happening to the mayors,” she said.

“From what is happening now, we can see that the killers have no fear,

no fear of God or respect for human life, so it’s really scary to be a public official,” Brondial added.

The league has condemned the murder of Tanauan Mayor Antonio Halili and Gen. Tinio Mayor Ferdinand Bote, who were killed Monday and Tuesday by unidentified assassins.

The LMP, she said, is coordinating with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and asking that supervision over the police be returned to the mayors.

Brondial said they have also sought

4 Moro terrorists killed trying to take over town

By Nash B. Maulana

SWEDEN

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DATU PAGLAS, Maguindanao— Four extremists were killed, as the military thwarted an attempt by an Islamic State-inspired armed group to occupy the municipal hall here in a nine-hour clash Tuesday.

Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commanding general of the 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division, said Army

ENGLAND

and police backed by local Moro militias blocked the attempt by a local terrorist group to occupy the seat of the municiapl government Tuesday.

Lt. Col. Harold M. Cabunoc, commanding officer of the 33rd Infantry (Makabayan) Battalion, said three soldiers and a local militiaman were wounded in the clash with a breakaway group of the Bangsamoro Freesom Fighters, which is reportedly inspired

by ISIS. They were identified as Cpl. Millard Bacatan and Pvt. Allan Cabildo of the 33rd IB, and, militiaman Musa

(Saturday 1400 GMT, Samara)

Kalim. No civilians were reported hurt in the fighting.

Field reports said the house-to-house close-quarters encounter lasted nine hours from 5 am to 2 pm Tuesday.

“In a swift combined arms operation at 5 am, the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade composed of the 33rd Infantry [Makabayan] Battalion, the 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion, and the 4th Special Action Battalion attacked the occupied positions of BIFF terrorists, led by Sulaiman Tudon,” Sobejana said in Next page a statement.

US firm on freedom of navigation

By Rey E. Requejo

URUGUAY

THE United States will continue to assert “freedom of navigation” in the disputed South China Sea despite Chi(Friday 1400 GMT, Nizhny Novgorod) na’s latest pronouncement that it cannot give up “even one inch” of its territory, an official says.

FRANCE

BRAZIL

(Saturday 1800 GMT, Sochi)

BRISBANE, Australia— Australian basketball legend Luc Longley We d n e s d a y blamed the Philippines coach for a shocking on-court brawl in their World Cup qualifier, alleging he incited his players to act violently.

He also hit out at Filipino players for taking

BELGIUM

And then there are eight

Connivance rap not fake news, Palace insists

By Vito Barcelo MALACAÑANG on Wednesday denied the Catholic Church’s allegation it was spreading “fake news” when it challenged Palace spokesman Harry Roque to reveal the names of the Church officials allegedly conniving with the rebels to oust President Rodrigo Duterte.

Roque stood firm on his claim there was a possibility that some Catholic Church leaders might be conniving with the communist rebels.

The communist rebels have been known for penetrating institutions, and the people should have learned from their history, Roque told dzRH radio in response to Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo who dared him to Next page name names.

Next page

Aussie Longley blames PH coach for brawl

RUSSIA CROATIA

US Ambassador to Philippines Sung Kim said Washington’s position on the South China Sea issue will not change, particularly its exercise of freedom of navigation as a way of protecting international law and principles.

“The South China Sea situation has always been complicated.

a dialogue with President Duterte to discuss the alleged involvement of some mayors in illegal drugs.

“It’s very frightening, especially for mayors on the President’s list,” she said. “They are so scared, it’s pitiful, saying they are not involved in illegal drugs and asking why they have been included.”

“We have courts, we have the Ombudsman. The DILG can file a complaint against an erring mayor, but the mayor shouldn’t be killed,” Next page Brondial said.

(Friday 1800 GMT, Kazan)

SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia—Just Uruguay v France (Friday 1400 GMT, eight teams remain from the 32 who Nizhny Novgorod) started the football World Cup in Russia. AFP Sport looks how each side Uruguay are placed ahead of the quarterfinals One of only two teams to win all on Friday and Saturday [Saturday and four games so far, Uruguay boast one Next page Sunday in Manila].

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

Rody sets aside P139b for PAF lamor Air Base in Pasay City and congratulated them for their 71 years of service, sacrifice, and commitment to safeguarding the citizenry and defending the HE government has Philippines’ sovereignty. earmarked over P139 billion “I also take this opportunity to recognize your contributions and accomplishments in air operations for for the modermization of territorial defense, counter-terrorism and internal sethe Philippine Air Force under the curity, international defense and security engagement Second Horizon of the Revised AFP as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster operations among others,” he said.

Modernization Program by 2022, He said PAF completed this year the acquisition of President Rodrigo Duterte has said. air defense surveillance radars, utility aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles to complement existing air The President made the remarks as he highlighted assets. the importance of investing in strategies and technoloIn addition, the government is also expecting the gies to allow government forces to perform their du- delivery of additional equipment and machinery in the ties effectively. following year.

The President made the announcement during the As the government intensifies its fight against the founding anniversary Tuesday of the PAF at the Vil- current challenges of terrorism and external security,

By Vito Barcelo

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Reds: No to coalition, yes to ouster

By Evalea Casaljay NATIONAL Democratic Front of the Philippines emissary Fidel Agcaoili denies the Duterte administration’s claim that the communist group is demanding for a coalition type of government.

In a statement on Tuesday, Agcaoili said they never demanded a coalition type of government, denying the statements of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Armed Forces Chief Eduardo Año and Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque.

“For the record, the NDFP has never put forward any demand for a coalition government,” Agcaoili said.

This has been clarified several times

by Prof. Jose Maria Sison to the GRP [Government of the Republic of the Philippines] and the Third Party Facilitator, on the Royal Norwegian Government, since October 2017.”

Agcaoili made his statement even as the communist rebels on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to remove President Rodrigo Duterte from office, belittling his supposed “independent foreign policy” aimed at reducing the Philippines’ reliance on the

4 Moro...

From A1

Led by Cabunoc, the government forces attacked the BIFF cluster of concrete houses in Sitio Mopac, Barangay Poblacion, about 500 meters from the municipal hall, Sobejana said.

About 500 families were displaced by the fighting but Datu Paglas Vice Mayor Mohammad Pendatun Paglas said evacuees had promptly returned to their homes after Wednesday morning.

Maguindanao Board Member Jhazzer Mangudadatu appealed to the youth among the residents to cooperate with and support the local campaign against terrorism, saying Islam originates from peace.

Ustadz Nando Khalifa, community spiritual leader of Datu Paglas, said this was the second attack by the extremist group in the town, after it was driven out in May 2017 when the Bangsamoro Dharul Ifta of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front ruled against violent extremism.

Khalifa, one of the founding MILF members, said the MILF fought side by side with the state against local extremists in 2017.

“Anyone who supports terrorism, anyone who sees terrorism as a legitimate [cause]; anyone who [resorts to] terrorism [by killing] innocent people, is a terrorist in our province,” he said.

Connivance...

From A1

Pabillo, a member of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Commission on Social Communications and Mass Media, said Roque should identify the Church officials he thought were linked to the CPP-NPA. “That’s not fake news. Its part of history.

The CPP-NPA is the world’s longest insurgency,” Roque said.

“Let’s not pretend to be blind and act as if we do not know the CPP-NPA. It can infiltrate different institutions and there is a need for us to guard our lines. I’ll stand by my statement.”

But the CBCP likewise stood firm that the Catholic Church was not behind any moves to oust Duterte.

Pabillo said the Duterte administration’s frequent destabilization claims were a sign of insecurity.

“That only shows how insecure they are,” Pabillo said.

“They are so blinded by their fears and their bias that they cannot see their mistakes.

They deflect on others their inefficiencies.”

With Nat Mariano

Bote’s...

From A1

Bote’s murder is now their top priority and encouraged anyone with knowledge of the crime to come forward and shed light on the killing. A special investigative task force has been formed to focus on the mayor’s murder.

Bote, 57, was shot dead in his Toyota Fortuner by still unidentified gunmen

United States.

The Communist Party of the Philippines made the statement on the 72nd anniversary of Filipino-American Friendship Day on July 4th, the 242nd anniversary of American independence from British rule.

The CPP said Duterte’s promise in 2016 to lessen the Philippines’ dependence on the US, which had previously criticized his war on drugs, had not translated into policy.

“Over the past two years, he has perpetuated US neocolonial rule in the country,” the group said.

Agcaoili said the Duterte administration had “adopted the false narrative of its arch enemy,” referring to the Aquino administration.

He said the Duterte administration was just using its attacks on the rebels to stop the peace talks that, he said, they had already won.

“At any rate, it looks like the orchestrated lies and attacks of Lorenzana, Año and Roque against Prof. Sison have sounded the death knell on the peace talks under the Duterte regime.

The peace spoilers seem to have won the day!” Agcaoili said.

US...

From A1 Our position has been very clear,” Kim said during the US Embassy’s celebration of the United States’ 242nd Independence Day on Tuesday night in Makati City.

“We believe that all countries should act according to international law and principles. We believe that freedom of navigation is an important way to protect our international rights and principles. Our position has not changed and I don’t expect that to change.”

Kim said the three visits of US carriers in the South China Sea this year “send an important signal that we care about developments in this region, we care about developments in the South China sea.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping said China was committed to peace but could not give up “even an inch of the territory left behind by our ancestors.”

Xi made the statement during the visit of US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to China last week.

Meanwhile, Kim said US-Philippine relations were “exciting and meaningful” due to their cooperation and partnership.

“Our economic partnership continues to be very strong,” Kim said.

“I want to make sure that our relationship continues to grow in all aspects, in our trade relationship and our robust security partnership as well as in culture, sports and people-to-people exchanges.”

Kim said the bilateral ties between the two countries were becoming more vibrant following President Donald Trump’s visit to the Philippines in November last year.

“We welcome the Philippines’ interest in future agreement with us,” Kim said.

“President Trump had a wonderful visit to the Philippines in November. I think the relationship is in great shape and future relations look very bright.”

Still, the relations between Manila and Washington became strained after President Rodrigo Duterte adopted an “independent foreign policy,” steering the Philippines closer to China and Russia and distancing itself from the US, its traditional ally.

However, recent developments have shown an improvement in bilateral ties, particularly after the US played a vital role in defeating the terrorists who attacked Marawi City.

Kim said Trump had already invited Duterte to visit Washington and “I think it’s just a question of scheduling as to when President Duterte will visit the United States.”

on a motorcycle, as he was departing the National Irrigation Administration compound in Cabanatuan City at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died instantly.

Investigators recovered 18 empty shells of cal .45 at the crime scene.

Corpus said investigators were still determining the exact number of suspects involved in the killing, but CCTV footage showed three suspects

Duterte called on PAF to remain vigilant, noting that “your chain of command does not end with me.”

He said he was proud to have witnessed the collaborative efforts of the Armed Forces in successfully reclaiming Marawi from the terrorist groups.

The President also recognized the PAF’s invaluable assistance that has been fundamental not only in liberating the Islamic city but also in bringing order and stability to Mindanao and the rest of the country.

Meanwhile, Duterte affirmed that he and the Filipino people would never forget the gallant men and women “who went beyond the call of duty selflessly, and fought for the freedom we enjoy today.”

“Be assured that we will remain steadfast in supporting the Philippine Air Force as we implement the necessary reforms that will enable you to become effective agents of genuine and lasting peace,” he added.

Town...

From A1

The LMP, with 68 member municipalities, will ask the President that supervision of the police be returned to the mayor who have been implicated in his list.

Other mayors on Duterte’s list who were killed are Rolando Espinosa of Albuera, Leyte; Reynaldo Parojinog of Ozamiz City; and Samsudin Dimaukom of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

The Commission on Human Rights, meanwhile, said it was wrong for Halili to be assassinated, even though he had violated others rights when he paraded drug suspects in a “walk of shame.”

Commission spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said on a TV interview that everyone, even those accused of human rights violations, has the right to be presumed innocent and the right to due process.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, dismissed claims that the recent killings were ‘inspired’ by President Duterte’s threats, and attributed the string of murders to the proliferation of loose firearms.

“Especially in local politics, if the political battle is so fierce... they resort to killing each other,” said Lacson, who served as Philippine National Police director under the administration of former president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada.

“It is incumbent upon the PNP to do something about it. How? Control the movement of firearms,” Lacson said.

He noted that the PNP could not even provide senators with the number of loose firearms.

“I reiterate my call to the PNP to conduct, or put in place a stricter firearms control or some control measures.

There’s too much proliferation of firearms, loose firearms. Not only loose firearms. It seems that every Tom, Dick and Harry [has a gun],” Lacson said.

He said the Philippines is just about the only country in Asia, where anyone can carry a gun.

Senator Nancy Binay said the string of killings show a disturbing pattern of lawlessness and indifference to the value of human life.

Opposition Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV expressed concern over the growing culture of violence under the present administration, and said the public should not grow numb to all the killings.

Earlier, Aquino submitted a Senate resolution calling for an investigation on the killings of priests Richmond Nilo, Mark Ventura, and Father Marcelito Paez, and attacks against other religious leaders of the country.

Palace:...

“A public hearing can be a venue for us to evaluate the festering culture of violence in our country,” he said.

Senator Leila de Lima said there is a killing spree on mayors. She noted that the path to this kind of impunity has been paved with the summary execution of thousands of poor Filipinos in Duterte’s drug war.

Ordered and goaded by Duterte, she said the violence of the drug war has long ago spilled over to the rest of society. It has claimed the lives of priests, lawyers, prosecutors, mayors, journalists, and labor, peasant, indigenous people and community leaders, she said.

De Lima said that in the case of Halili, a police investigation would be fruitless since Duterte himself had already justified his killing and excused the murder with his sweeping declaration that Halili was involved in drugs.

“How can the police still investigate when the President has already sided with the assassin?” she said.

“Once Duterte was allowed to justify summary executions in the drug war against the poor, murder became justifiable in this country. The question we should therefore ask is not what is happening to our country, but why did we allow Duterte to do this to our country?” she said.

Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday called on Filipinos to unite against the killing of priests, public officials, loiterers and the youth.

“Let us not allow that our country reach the peak of chaos. At times like this, our united voice is our weapon against the culture of violence and killings,” she said.

The National Bureau of Investigation, meanwhile, is looking into the possible link between Halili’s killing and illegal drugs, acting Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Wednesday.

Guevarra made the disclosure as the NBI started its fact-finding investigation into the murder.

“Yes, the NBI will look into that angle.

The NBI is expected to look at all possible angles and motives,” Guevarra said in an interview.

The Philippine National Police, which started its probe ahead of the NBI, is reportedly zeroing in on the possibility that Halili’s killing had something to do with illegal drugs.

Guevarra instructed the NBI to conduct its parallel probe on Tuesday.

A team of agents went to Tanauan in Batangas and met with several city hall officials to gather information in a bid to pinpoint the killer, believed to be a sniper, and determine the motive behind the killing. With Rey E. Requejo and Rio N. Araja

to erode confidence in the President, whose main platform of governance rests on fighting crime.

Roque was responding to Akbayan Party-list Rep. Tom Villarin, who blamed the latest killings on the President, whom he said had issued a license to kill as part of his anti-drugs campaign.

Roque added that the government will not be swayed from its focus to maintain and restore secure communities.

He added that the people see Duterte as their protector, as indicated by his high scores in public opinion surveys.

On Monday, Mayor Antonio Halili of Tanauan City, Batangas was shot dead by a sniper during a flag ceremony.

Mayor Ferdinand Bote of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija was ambushed in his

car by a motorcycle-riding suspect on Tuesday afternoon.

The Palace said the Philippine National Police would spare no effort to find and capture the killers of the two mayors.

In a radio interview, Roque assured the family of Halili that the government was continuing its investigation into his killing, even though the President has already linked him to illegal drugs.

“What the President said was just a suspicion,” Roque said in Filipino.

Roque said the President receives prompt police reports on the status of the investigation.

“The problem is, we cannot announce these because they are part of an ongoing and live police investigation,” he said. “Let’s let them finish their investigation.”

He assured the residents of Tanauan and General Tinio that they would find justice for the two slain local executives.

fleeing on a motorcycle.

In General Tinio, Vice Mayor Melvin S. Pascual of the opposition Liberal Party assumed the mayorship, the regional office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government said Wednesday.

Bote, who belonged to the administration PDP-Laban, was the second mayor killed this week, after Mayor Antonio Halili of Tanauan City, Batangas was killed Monday by a sniper.

Police said they were looking for a person of interest who was nearby at the time of the shooting.

Corpus dismissed suggestions that illegal drugs might have been involved, noting that General Tinio had no problem with narcotics.

DILG officer-in-charge Eduardo Año, meanwhile, said Bote was not in the President’s “narco-list” of politicians allegedly involved in illegal drugs. With Francisco Tuyay and Romeo Dizon

From A1

‘Drug testing not only way to end addiction’

By Rio N. Araja THE Dangerous Drugs Board on Wednesday said drug test was not the only way to avert drug dependency among students.

DDB chairman Catalino Cuy told other law enforcement agencies that a random drug test in schools should not be a stand-alone drug prevention approach for students.

“Random drug testing, be it for secondary or primary students, is only one among the strategies that can be implemented in schools to prevent drug use among the youth,” he said.

He reacted to the proposal of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to conduct a mandatory drug testing for teachers and students from grade four and up.

The DDB is the policy-making and strategy-formulating body in drug prevention and control.

“More than expanding the coverage of students who will have to undergo random drug testing, we feel that ensuring the implementation of other prevention programs in schools will have a better impact,” Cuy said.

The policy-making body said resources and logistics would also be a challenge if the mandatory drug test for grade four students and up was approved.

A random drug test could be implemented along with a comprehensive school-based prevention program in accordance with the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, following the guidelines in DDB Regulation No. 6, Series of 2003 as amended

by Board Regulation No. 3, Series of 2009, he said.

Aussie...

From A1

“gangster selfies” after the ugly clash.

The brutal melee in Manila involving players, fans and officials on Monday left the Australian team fearing for their safety, and they sought embassy help to fast-track their departure from the country.

They arrived home on Wednesday morning and assistant coach Longley, the first Australian to play in the NBA, where he spent 10 seasons, said the violence was the worst he had ever seen on court.

“I’ve never seen anything like that, not even on YouTube. I do believe that their coach Chot Reyes incited them to come out and thug us,” said Longley, who won three NBA championships alongside Michael Jordan at the Chicago Bulls.

“I think there’s video evidence of that.

Then he substituted a thug out there, who took three or four cheap swings at ‘Bubbles’ [Chris Goulding].”

Thirteen players were ejected after the all-in fight between the Gilas Pilipinas and the Boomers in the third quarter, which was hashtagged #basketbrawl as footage and condemnation went viral.

What was already a bad-tempered game erupted in the third quarter when Philippine player Roger Pogoy knocked Goulding to the ground and Daniel Kickert retaliated by flattening Pogoy with a flying elbow. AFP

And...

From A1

of the meanest defenses in Russia marshalled by talismanic captain Diego Godin, and a lethal strikeforce in Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez.

Cavani’s fitness is the big concern ahead of Friday’s meeting. The Paris Saint-Germain striker limped off with a calf injury after scoring twice to end Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal’s World Cup dreams in the last 16.

France After cruising through the group stage in underwhelming fashion, France kicked through the gears thanks to Kylian Mbappe’s blistering pace to blow Argentina away in a 4-3 World Cup classic in the last 16.

A very different task awaits in breaking through Uruguay’s brick wall of a defense that will not allow Mbappe the same space to exploit. But as legs start to tire in the latter stages, France’s strength in depth could start to make the difference.

Brazil v Belgium (Friday 1800 GMT, Kazan) Brazil Along with Uruguay, Brazil share the best defensive record, having conceded just once in four games so far and are slowly starting to hit their stride at the other end of the field too as Neymar struck his second goal of the tournament in the last 16.

After a disappointing 1-1 draw against Switzerland, 2-0 wins over Costa Rica, Serbia and Mexico have taken Brazil into a seventh straight quarter-final and they remain the favourites to erase the scars of a humiliating 7-1 semi-final thrashing at the hands of Germany four years ago.

Belgium Belgium will be the true test of how good the Brazilian back line is in Kazan on Friday, but coach Roberto Martinez has some big decisions to make after a stunning comeback from 2-0 down in the final 21 minutes avoided a shock exit to Japan in the last 16. AFP

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

‘Hacienda Luisita complied with SC ruling’

Travelers still carry bullets —Naia officials

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has ruled that the Cojuangco clan-owned Hacienda Luisita Inc. has fully complied with its judgment rendered seven years ago ordering the distribution to 6,296 farm worker beneficiaries of the unused or unspent balance from the P1.33billion sale of its three lots covered by the agrarian reform program, but were sold to private and government entities in 1996.

In a two-page resolution, the Court said that the three members of audit panel formed by the Department of Agrarian Reform have determined that there is no longer any unspent or unused balance of the sales proceeds available for distribution to the farmer beneficiaries.

In its decision issued on July 5, 2011, the Court directed HLI to pay the original 6,296 Hacienda Luisita farm worker beneficiaries the consideration of P500 million received by it from Luisita Realty Inc. for the sale to the latter of 200 hectares out of the 500 hectares covered by the Aug. 14, 1996 Conversion Order; the consideration of P750 million received by its owned subsidiary, Centennary Holdings Inc., for the sale of the remaining 300 hectares of the said 500-hectare lot to Luisita Industrial Park Corp.; and the P80.5 million paid by the government through the Bases Conversion and Development Authority for the sale of the 80.51-hectare lot used for the construction of the SCTEX road.

The SC also directed the DAR to tap the services of a reputable accounting firm approved by the parties to audit the books of HLI and Centennary Holdings Inc. to determine if the P1,330,511,500 proceeds of the sale of the three lots were actually used or spent for legitimate corporate purposes.

Allowances, fringe benefits of gov’t workers ‘taxable’ THE Supreme Court has ruled that allowances and fringe benefits received by government employees are subject to withholding tax.

Voting unanimously during its en banc session on Tuesday, the SC denied the petition filed by the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), and several associations of Regional Trial Court judges both in Manila and Iloilo City challenging the legality of the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s Revenue Memorandum Order (RMO) 23-2014.

“The Court, voting unanimously, ruled that all income received by an employee from his/her employer are presumptively taxable and subject to withholding; and the government, as an employer, has the duty to withhold and remit the proper taxes due thereon,” the high court said in a decision.

“An employee who claims exemption from withholding taxes has the burden to prove the factual and legal bases of the claim in the proper administrative and judicial proceedings,” the SC added.

Rey E. Requejo

PICKET AT THE SENATE. Cause-oriented groups picket at the main gate of the Senate in Pasay City, coinciding with the Senate inquiry into the alleged P8.2-biliion Barangay Health Stations scam, condemning the alleged corruption and incompetency of government officials during the term of former President Benigno Aquino III and former Health secretary Janette Loreto-Garin. Ey Acasio

LGUs to receive bigger IRA, Supreme Court rules

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE local government units are expected to receive bigger internal revenue allotments, representing their “just share” of all national taxes, not only the internal revenue taxes as provided for in the Local Government Code, according to a Supreme Court ruling.

In a landmark decision, the SC voted 10-3 to partially grant the petition filed by Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas who questioned the process of allocating IRA funds for the LGUs. This ruling will mean an increase in IRA funds for local government units, which include tax collections of other agencies apart from the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

“The court… interpreted the basis for the ‘just share’ of local government units under Section 6, Article X of the 1987 Constitution as being based on all national taxes and not only national internal revenue taxes, as provided in Section 284 of the Local Government Code,” the SC said in a media briefer.

Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-de

Castro, Presbitero Velasco Jr,, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano del Castillo, Estela Perlas Bernabe, Noel Tijam, Samuel Martires and Alexander Gesmundo voted in the majority.

Associate Justices Marvic Leonen, Benjamin Caguioa and Andres Reyes Jr. dissented, while Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza did not take part in the voting.

The ruling effectively allows allocation of bigger IRA funds for LGUs under the national budget.

Section 284 of Republic Act No. 7160, the law which created the LGUs, stated that provincial, city and municipal governments must receive 40 percent of the total national internal revenue taxes collected by the central government.

On the other hand, Section 6, Article X of the Charter stated that LGUs “shall have a just share, as determined by law, in the national taxes which shall be automatically released to them.”

The national taxes include customs tariffs and taxes collected by other state agencies such as the Bureau of Customs.

Internal revenue taxes, meanwhile, refer to taxes imposed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue such as income taxes, estate and donor’s taxes, value-added tax, excise taxes and documentary stamp taxes.

In his petition filed in January 2012, Mandanas argued that the IRA should include the revenue of the Bureau of Customs.

He specifically questioned the appropriation of P60.75 billion in funds from BoC collections to national projects.

Petitioner had argued that LGUs have been failing to perform their duties and responsibilities mandated by law, including the delivery of basic services and projects in housing, livelihood, health and education, because of the wrongful allocation of IRA funds.

Group claims TRAIN law wrought havoc on poor sector MILITANT group Tindig Pilipinas has slammed President Rodrigo Duterte for his failure to fulfill his campaign promises and instead wrought havoc on the poor sector with the implementation of the TRAIN law.

The group said the “TRAIN wreck has caused untold sufferings on the poor, caused higher inflation resulting to the prices of even the most basic commodities such as rice, fish and all the Bahay Kubo vegetables increasing dramatically.”

It added that “joblessness has risen and nothing has happened to their much ballyhooed Unconditional Transfer Program. The daily 6 pesos given to a family of 5 is hardly assistance at all, it is an unconditional insult to the poor.”

The group recalled that when Duterte became president, “he promised the

poorest of the poor, our most vulnerable sector of our society, that its assistance to them will no longer be conditional but rather be an Unconditional Cash Transfer Program, a doleout in the truest sense.’’

But after two years, they said, the DSWD has failed to provide cover to the 10 million families that the DoF already stated that will be adversely affected by TRAIN. “Social protection is meant to provide safety nets for the vulnerable sectors of society but we have not seen any coming from this government. On the contrary, not only has TRAIN further exposed them to risks such as hunger and horizontal violence, its implementation has made the poorest families even more buried in hardship and hunger. In short, the lives of the

poor have DUTERIORATED under this callous regime,” the group’s statement said.

“This government’s calumny and their callous statements are not in short supply, Secrerary Diokno called the poor “cry babies” and admonished them that one will never go hungry if one works hard, even while the jobless rate has gone up. Neda Secretary Pernia, with unerring indifference, told us to tighten our belts since inflation is already here, conveniently ignoring that inflation has gone up since the launch of Duterte’s TRAIN. DOF Secretary Dominguez arrogantly claims that inflation is a sign of a robust economy, conveniently forgetting that the Aquino administration was able to grow the economy while managing the inflation rate.’’

MORE air travelers are carrying bullets at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport despite the ban and numerous warnings about the danger of bringing in or carrying such prohibited items.

Security screeners at the Naia Terminal 2 recently apprehended and placed under questioning a Filipino-American female passenger bound for Laoag City after she was caught carrying a transparent plastic bag containing large quantity of ammunition shells.

Officials of the Manila International Airport Authority-Media Affairs Division, in its report, did not identify the passenger but stated “she is a Filipina with US citizenship who arrived on board PR101 from Honolulu and has a connecting flight to Laoag via Philippine Airline PR 2198.”

Inspectors led by Dominic Almazan conducted a manual search after X-ray scanning monitored an image resembling a large quantity of ammunition in the baggage owned by the said passenger.

Joel E. Zurbano

Ex-PNoy ally charged over P4-m pork scam A FORMER ally of then President Benigno Simeon Aquino III has been charged at the Sandiganbayan for allegedly misusing his P4.85-million pork barrel on “ghost projects” in 2008.

Former Iloilo congressman Niel Tupas Jr. was charged with two counts of graft, and one count each of malversation and the complex crime of malversation through falsification when he endorsed the Kabuhayan at Kalusugan Alay sa Masa Foundation Inc. (KKAMFI) as conduit for his Priority Development Assistance Fund allocations for livelihood projects.

Tupas’ pork funds were supposed to purchase buy hand tractors, water pumps and grafted fruit seedlings. But field investigators said the mayors of the municipalities of Ajuy, Batad, Estancia, Lemery, San Rafael and Sara in eastern Iloilo province denied having received the farm implements. Maricel V. Cruz

Mayor Sara’s HNP okayed as political party DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s political group has been recognized as a regional political party.

Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez confirmed that the poll body has accredited Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio’s “Hugpong ng Pagbabago” Party as a regional political party.

In a text message, Jimenez said this means that the poll body will allow the party to field candidates for the 2019 midterm elections.

“That’s confirmed. It was approved because they met all the requirements set by law,” Jimenez said. “It means they can field candidates as a political party from here on out, for as long as the party’s registration stays current.”

UP Beta Sigma celebrates 72nd founding anniversary THE UP Beta Sigma Fraternity commemorates its 72nd founding anniversary on Saturday (July 14) with a Grand Fraternity Ball at the Dusit Thani Hotel, Ayala Center in Makati at 6 pm.

Its theme for this year’s celebration is “Steadfast and True at 72.”

Former Supreme Court Justice Vicente Mendoza, the keynote speaker, will lead 15 other awardees for excellence, leadership and service. They are Enrique G. Araneta, Feliciano Calora, Matias Defensor, Oscar Guimatico, Orlando Peña, Benild Pires, Calixto Protacio, Conrado Rigor Jr., Ed Soliman, Vicente Tupaz, Ulysses B. Ulama, Ryan Jerome Lu, Douglas Mondoñedo, Alfonso Rodriguez and Cosme Santiago.

Probe on Samar ’misencounter’ sought

By Maricel V. Cruz

SENATE INQUIRY. Former Health secretary Janette Loreto-Garin, (leftmost), with

husband, Iloilo 1st District Rep. Richard Garin confer with Senate Committee on Health and Demography chairman Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito over yesterday’s first Senate inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the Barangay Health Stations project. Ey Acasio

THE Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives on Wednesday sought a congressional probe into the alleged ‘‘misencounter’’ between army troopers and police officers in Sta. Rita, Samar last June 25, 2018.

In House Resolution 1983, partylist Reps. Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna, Antonio Tinio and France Castro of ACT Teachers, Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas of Gabriela, Ariel Casilao of Anakpawis and Sara Elago of Kabataan, asked the House committees on national defense, and security and public order and safety to look into the incident.

At least six young police officers were killed and nine others injured in what security sources initially described as an “ambush incident” by army troops on Monday in the

backwoods of Sta. Rita in Samar.

Reports said the incident happened mid-morning between members of the Philippine National Police 805th Mobile Company, Regional Mobile Force Battalion and the 87th Infantry Batallion, Philippine Army based in Calbiga, Samar.

The group said the families of those killed and injured deserve justice.

“The families of the victims expressed their fears of a cover-up or a whitewash as President Rodrigo Duterte said that ‘‘nobody wanted it to happen’ and this was caused by ‘Murphy’s Law.’’ They fear that the case will be whitewashed like what happened with the Mamasapano case,” the group said.

Killed in action were PO1 Phil J Rey Mendigo, PO1 Edwin P. Ebrado, PO1 Wyndell S. Noromor, PO1 Rowel Reyes, PO1 Julie Y. Escalo, and PO1 Julius R. Suarez.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

COMMISSION ON APPOINTMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENT President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has submitted to the Commission on Appointments (C.A.) for confirmation the ad interim appointments of the following officers in the Armed Forces of the Philippines: To the rank of Major General Allen T. Paredes, AFP To the rank of Brigadier General Simeon Z. Felix, Jr., PAF (MNSA) and Glicerio G. Peralta, PAF (GSC) To the rank of Colonel Redentor E. Cabanizas, (GSC) PA, Monib T. Mamao, (GSC) PA, Emil J. Cruz, (GSC) PA, Daniel C. Alzaga, (GSC) PA, Cesar Marlon M. Yadao, (GSC) PA, Mario T. Robles, (GSC) PA, Ariel A. Tabaquero, (GSC) PA, Sergio R. Benitez, (GSC) PA, Reynaldo D. Bibat, (GSC) PA, Louis Pasteur M. Edma, (GSC) PA, and Cesar E. Tojong, (GSC) PA The public may submit any information, written report, or sworn/notarized complaints or oppositions in thirty two (32) copies on the above appointments to the CA Secretariat, 6th Floor, PNB Financial Center, D. Macapagal Blvd., Pasay City, Metro Manila.

For the schedule of the public hearings, the CA Secretariat can be reached through telephone numbers 834-2713, 831-1824, 831-0527, 832-9830, 834-2706 and 551-1989.

04 July 2018 HECTOR A. VILLACORTA Secretary (MS-JULY 5, 2018)

A4

Opinion

THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

What will the Sona be like? make bail because of poverty, so they suffer sub-human conditions in the jail. They live among hardened criminals and so they become hardened criminals themselves in the long run.

Now comes the Commission on Audit report that jail congestion nationWITH the daily killings of alleged wide has increased by staggering 612 pushers and users, local executives, judges, prosecutors and even clergy- percent because of the war on drugs, The CoA found that as of Dec. 31, men, our country is being ushered into 2017, the Bureau of Jail Management an era of violence and culture of imand Penology’s total jail population is punity.

I thus wonder what the President 146, 302, when the capacity is only will say at his State of the Nation Ad- for 20,653.

Santa Banana, no previous admindress later this month. istration has had that problem! The I have been a journalist for almost seven decades but I have never seen so sad part is that the Duterte adminmany killings happening under an ad- istration is not doing anything about ministration as I am seeing in this one. the problem.

The BJMPO is supposed to be unTrue, there were atrocities committed during the dictatorship of the der the Department of Justice, and late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, yet it the DoJ turns a blind eye to the but most of them were directed at the congestion problem. The inmates live communists and their allies. This con- worse than animals do. They are given flict prompted the declaration of mar- a food ration of P50 a day—I cannot think of a worse punishment, my gutial law in 1972.

I was in my teens during the Japa- lay!

I don’t know if the CoA report also nese occupation, and in Northern Luzon Filipinos killed their fellow Fili- includes the New Bilibid Prison and pinos, accusing them of collaborating the Correctional Institute for Women.

Santa Banana, with the enemy. there are now But going back over 24,000 jail to the President inmates at the —what will the NBP when it was President say durWhat words will built only for ing the Sona, giv2,400! With conen all the deaths President Duterte have victed drug lords that have so far for all of us amid all among them, no marred his ad- these killings? wonder the neministration? farious trade conWill he tell us tinues, with the that all these are connivance of part of the change corrupt guards, I that he promised wonder—what is former PNP Chief when he was campaigning?

The silent majority, I believe, has its Ronald dela Rosa doing?

I wonder too why former Justice own questions for the President, even Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II did not as there does not seem to be much outrage in what Mr. Duterte has been say- push through with the bidding for the ing. My gulay, have we sunk this low jail relocation project.

Something smells here. And the in our values? current Secretary Menardo Guevarra I think the reason he remains popular is that people are still giving him sees, hears and says nothing about it. *** the opportunity to redeem himself.

It is good that Senator Grace Poe I am disappointed, but I am not givis pushing for the investigation of ing up. I really am an optimist. defective Indian-made patrol cars *** I have been urging the Duterte ad- worth P1.8 billion. The probe will ministration to make decongesting include former Interior secretary jails a priority. This includes the Na- Manuel Roxas II and PNP Chief Alan tional Bilibid Prison. This has become Purisima.

Turn to A5 a vicious cycle. Those detained cannot

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Brawl mentality

T

HE Philippines lost to Australia by 36 points in a basketball game Monday night, but it appears the nation lost so much more.

ting the Filipino with a flying elbow.

The Philippine team’s coach, Chot Reyes was recorded as exhorting his players “to hit somebody.”

It might have been the push the losing team needed, but it did not serve the Philippine team—nor all of us, very well.

Expressions of regret were made, but real sentiments continue to be betrayed by the words that both camps used in the aftermath of the brawl. Reyes, for instance, insists they were standing up to their opponent’s bullying. The local team has apologized to fans and the basketball community—but not to Australia.

Meanwhile, an Australian basketball legend believes Reyes drove his players to

The game, held at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, saw an ugly brawl that resulted in the ejection of 13 athletes—four from Australia and nine from the Philippines. The International Basketball Federation or Fiba will investigate the incident and is poised to sanction those found to have committed violations.

The brawl took place after a local player knocked an Australian opponent to the ground; the Australian’s teammate retaliated by hit-

violence.

“Reyes incited them to come out and thug us,” said Luc Longley.

Fiba’s investigation is expected to put the erring players in their place, but the incident reveals a a serious violation of the principles that make us turn to sports in the first place.

There was also an imperative for our local team to keep tempers in check if only because we were the hosts.

Whatever the provocation, this is an embarrassing episode. Engaging in sports is supposed to clear one’s mind and promote good relations even with rival players. What happened was the exact opposite of that—as it was an abomination of the word “gilas.”

‘#BabaeAko‘ movement gains global recognition Mayor Sara posted on her Instagram account last week, “This is the first time I will say it out loud and I hate to admit it because I love my two brothers too much but yes I am the favorite child, so that #BabaeAko campaign is FAR from being “doomed,” as Davao doomed.”

City Mayor Sara Duterte said on soShe explained “What [President Ducial media, the #BabaeAko movement terte] doesn’t like lies not in the gender, co-founded by veteran journalist Inday but in the character, he has no respect Espina Varona and others has gained for weakness. And many women and international recognition. some men are known to be damsels TIME Magazine posted last June 30 in distress, that #BabaeAko included,” its “fourth annual roundup of the most she added. influential people on the Internet.” The Mayor Sara’s comments are probunranked list included mega-celebri- lematic because she is a woman herself. ties such as Korean boy band BTS, per- She did not elaborate so we wonder formers Rihanna and Kanye West, and where she’s coming from. She herself US President Donald Trump. has gained from the global feminist TIME said they “evaluated contend- movement that gave women the right ers by looking at to suffrage and their global impact run for political on social media office. If women and their overall did not fight for ability to drive their fundamental As a woman who is news.” rights against paWriting for not weak nor a damsel triarchal society the publication, in distress, I am proud over many decNaina Bajekal to count myself among ades, she would said, “Since taknot be mayor now. ing office in June them.

So the Presi2016, Philippine dent, she says, President Rodrigo was referring to Duterte, 73, has character, to the developed a repuflaw of ‘weaktation for rape jokes and sexist com- ness’? That would be an individual ments.” matter. Not all women are weak. Vice “But on May 20, a few days after President Leni Robredo, Senator Leila he stated that a woman should not be de Lima, former Chief Justice Lourdes the next chief justice, a dozen wom- Sereno, and other women in the politien—from activists to artists—decided cal opposition are not weak, far from it. they’d had enough. Under the hashtag Why generalize by bashing the en#BabaeAko (I Am Woman), they up- tire movement? Why say that ‘many’ loaded videos calling out sexism in the women are “damsels in distress”— Duterte administration.”

Turn to A5

EVERYMAN

The bigger story

By Richard Orsino A QUICK search online for “Terms of Reference 3rd Telco” and more than 10 pages of related stories awaits you in many of the top news sites in the country. But what exactly is the relevance and importance of the so-called “Terms of Reference” or just simply “TOR?” Quite a lot, given that it will be the general public’s and the government’s protection, ensuring that whoever the third telco will be, the general public, the government, and the tel-

ecommunications industry as a whole, will be the assured beneficiaries.

I may not be a legal expert but I do understand the many factors stipulated in the first draft of the TOR. And despite the months-long delay of its eventual release, I do find the first draft already quite exhaustive and extensive, to say the least. The enormous expectation of the general public, not to mention, the complexity of this whole exercise, really boils down to improving the telecommunications industry for the whole country, at the soonest pos-

sible time, making the rates affordable, with faster broadband speeds, that are at par with the rest of the world, and making it realistic and enticing for the new telco player to come in, given the immense expectation for it to improve the telecommunications infrastructure, almost instantaneously.

Let’s dissect the very first TOR that the Department of Information and Communications Technology through Acting DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio has released and let’s try to analyze how Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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ONLINE

can be accessed at: manilastandard.net

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Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager Head—Ad Solutions Circulation Manager

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Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor Opinion Editor

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Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Jimbo Gulle City Editor Romel J. Mendez Art Director Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion Here comes the second TRAIN OVERSIGHT DANILO SUAREZ THE Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act has had its wheels in motion for six months now. The TRAIN law’s benefits such as lower income taxes and additional funding for the government’s Build, Build, Build program are diluted by rising inflation rates, at a new five-year high record of 4.6 percent this May, and higher prices of commodities.

Given the present economic conditions in the country, it is difficult for the government to rely on the consumption practices of the Filipinos as a revenue stream. The new tax reform law has good intentions, but the changes in revenue sources, from income to consumption, threatens the government’s fiscal capacity to implement its projects.

The projected revenue deficit is aimed to be alleviated by the proposed second package of the TRAIN law. The second package of the TRAIN law shall reform the corporate income tax and investment incentives systems. It aims to gradually decrease the country’s corporate income tax, which is deemed highest in

Asia, to 25 percent, making it comparable with other Asean countries and therefore more attractive to foreign investors. The second TRAIN law will systematize the complex tax incentive system, and limit and remove some tax incentives and exemptions to certain industries making such incentives “transparent, targeted, timebound and performance-based.”

We must ensure the tracks are well paved.

As I have said in the past, I urge our fiscal managers to uphold revenueneutral policies that will maintain tax revenues. The Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs have reported increased revenue collections for the past years. If the targeted revenue collections have been met, why is there a need to look for additional funds? In the event that the proposed revenue targets do not meet the cost of the Build, Build, Build program, it would be advisable to just borrow

money to finance the projects instead of putting the burden on the consumers. Once the infrastructure projects of the government have been put in place, the economic conditions of the country will certainly improve. The improved and stable economy will yield better tax revenues and hence, there will be enough funds to pay for the said loans.

The second package of the TRAIN law shall be deliberated in the coming Third Session of the 17th Congress.

While we wait for the second TRAIN to come, I repeat my call to my colleagues in Congress to study other measures that will minimize the burden to the grassroots. We have other laws which are designed to increase and improve revenue collection such as the Lateral Attrition Law which reward government agencies performing efficiently and penalize those who are underperforming.

These are good laws, but these become futile because of the poor implementation of government agencies. Hence, I encourage also government agencies to review the implementation of existing laws before we legislate new laws that tackle the same problem. The second TRAIN is coming, but we must ensure that the tracks are well-paved before we let this TRAIN law be passed.

The misencounter DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA ONE of the perils when our soldiers and policemen go on combat operations is the danger of getting killed, not by the enemy but by friendly fire.

This is exactly what happened on June 23 in Santa Rita, Samar when elements of the Army on combat operation engaged the elements of the Samar Police Field Force that resulted in six Police personnel being killed and nine being wounded in varying degrees of seriousness.

From what has already been reported in the media, the Police numbering 33 were after a group of NPAs when they stopped, ostensibly for a short break.

In the same vicinity, an Army patrol composed of 17 soldiers who were apparently also on patrol and after the same NPA group detected the presence of armed men and engaged them in a fire fight.

Being located on a higher ground, the Army men were able to gain the upper hand and inflicted heavy casualties on the Police patrol before the fighting stopped. This is the story that was published in the newspapers. A Board of Inquiry, composed of Police and Army officials, has now been formed to determine exactly what happened and try to find out whether there was negligence or which side was at fault.

The families of those slain policemen are once again demanding justice which basically means a thorough investigation. Since the incident is being described as a misencounter, the establishment of a BOI was the right and proper move. I hope the Board can come up with its findings very soon.

There are a lot of questions on why there were so many fatalities and why it happened at all. Unfortunately, getting killed by friendly fire happens all the time in combat. Wars are replete with stories of soldiers getting killed by friendly forces. This is not only true here in the Philippines, but everywhere

#BabaeAko...

From A4

what’s the basis? How is the movement itself a “damsel in distress,” especially after seeing what it has achieved, among them a world-wide shout-out by a most prestigious and influential publication?

But then Mayor Sara’s words are a defense of the President’s sexist attitudes and pronouncements. That is understandable. He’s her father, after all. He created their family political dynasty that has placed them in power in Davao City for decades, and now the country. She is where she is because of him. And loyalty to family above all

What...

From A4

The amount is not small!

The appearance of Roxas and Purisima before a Senate investigation should reveal a lot, Even the police who use the cars say they are useless. Why set-

where there is fighting going on.

This was demonstrated during the siege of Marawi City where 10 or 11 soldiers were killed in the bombing sorties by our Air Force. During the United States invasion of the tiny nation of Grenada in the Caribbean in the 1980s, most of the American casualties, if not all, were due to friendly fire.

This was also true during the US invasion of Kuwait in Operation Desert Storm. Many of the US casualties there were due to friendly fire.

One tragic example of this was the case of the American football star Pat Tillman. In the aftermath of 9/11 he was one of the many young men who enlisted out of patriotism to fight in Afghanistan. On April 27, 2004, he

This will most certainly happen again.

was accidentally killed by his fellow soldiers in Afghanistan. It was initially described as a heroic death by the American Army but subsequent investigations later revealed the truth that he died due to friendly fire.

In the Samar case, President Duterte, as commander-in-chief, already assumed responsibility for what happened without waiting for the outcome of the inquiry. This may be due to his desire to stop the blame game before it even starts.

Harry Roque, his spokesman, also said that the Palace is hoping that this incident does not happen again. Unfortunately, getting killed due to friendly fire is going to happen again. That is just the way it is in combat. What we can only hope force is that it will not happen too often and too many casualties. Even in the best and most modern of armies that have all the necessary modern equipment, it is difficult to

prevent this phenomenon. Soldiers are humans and there will always be mistakes in judgment. With better training, standard operating procedures and tighter supervision, these things will happen less and less.

When the Samar encounter took place, lack of coordination was the obvious place to start. Was their coordination between the operating elements and at what level? What were the SOPs in place not only for the PNP but also the Army? Since whole of Samar is an insurgency area, who is the overall Commander when it comes to all combat operations. What sins of omissions were committed by those making decisions and those that are executing the orders? Combat operations whether they are large or small are not really that simple as we always see them in the movies. A lot of things can go wrong at any time even in small unit operations.

On the part of the higher-ups, thorough supervision is needed. This includes ensuring coordination and giving precise instructions.

On the level of the operating elements, small-unit leadership is vital.

The team leader’s right and precise instructions could spell the difference between life and death to everyone in the operating unit. As they say, be sure that your instructions can be understood even by an idiot.

In the end, perhaps the Board should also look at the training and quality of all those involved. Perhaps, something could be learned from it to prevent such things from happening. Training does not end when one graduates from a course. There is always a need for constant practice; one’s life will depend on it during combat operations.

Without prejudging the outcome of the Board of Inquiry, I believe there is a need for a thorough review of SOPs and the command arrangements between the PNP and Army elements operating in whole island of Samar to avoid a fire fight between friendly forces. The President and leadership of both services acted correctly in the aftermath of the tragic incident.

else is a Filipino trait ingrained in the culture.

Contrary to what Mayor Sara believes, the #BabaeAko movement is stronger than this present administration can contemplate. It comprises Filipino women standing against the excesses and abuses of those in power. It is composed of mothers fighting for their children not to be murdered in the drug war. It is made up of lesbians and transwomen struggling for their humanity to be recognized. It is participated in by women from the marginalized sectors who want better opportunities for education and livelihood. It is supported by men who are feminists, men who are allies of women in their journey towards true

equality.

Many pro-Duterte supporters and anti-feminists whine that people who oppose this government’s excesses are “paid”—bayaran. #BabaeAko is not a platform of paid actors. It is composed of people who volunteer their time, labor, and resources to organize marches and rallies. These are people who have a sincere desire for positive change in our society and refuse to remain keyboard warriors.

As a woman who is not weak nor a damsel in distress, I am proud to count myself among them. #BabaeAko!

tle for Indian cars when there are better brands in the market? *** My memoirs’ title is “Periodista— the Road Never Ends.” It is now printing under the auspices of Manila Times chairman emeritus Dante Arevalo Ang. It has a special chapter on three business tycoons whom I believe represent

the country’s nation builders. I consider them my heroes.

They are Henry Sy, Ramon Ang, and Roberto Ongpin. All of them are a cut above the rest.

I also have other chapters on other nation-builders. Watch out for my book.

Meanwhile, visit my website www. emiljurado.weebly.com

Dr. Ortuoste, a writer and researcher, has a PhD in Communication. FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2018

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Time window for infra program narrowing Philippine government project proposals presented to them are less than 100-percent ready for evaluation.

RUDY The second phase in the prosecution ROMERO of development projects is the evaluation of the projects by prospective WHEN it came into office in July financiers. In this phase, the projects’ 2016, the administration of Rodrigo claimed feasibilities—economic, Duterte announced that it would pur- technical and legal—are subjected to sue an infrastructure program consist- an examination intended to establish ing of 75 major projects—dubbed the whether the project is viable and will Build Build Build program—and that be capable of generating the expected most of the projects would be complet- economic and social benefits. If the ed before June 30, 2022, when Presi- examination yields negative results, dent Duterte’s term ends. Chief among the prospective donor institutions or the projects are projects in the field of governments will ask the Philippine transportation—railways, bridges and government—through the Neda (Naairports. tional Economic and Development The bigger the project, the longer Authority)—to review the projects the period needed for its preparation and make the needed project-proposal and implementation. Given the fact revisions. If the government has done that the Duterte administration has a good job of preparing the projects for just completed two years in office— financier evaluation, this phase of the one third of the President’s term—it prosecution of development projects can be said that the time window for can be expeditious and smooth. the Build Build Build program has sigNeedless to say, the construction of nificantly narrowed. I know whereof I the projects is the longest and most speak because I once worked for two difficult phase of the prosecution of institutions—one international and development projects. Delays in the one domestic—whose missions were/ release of funds, acquisitions of rights are to finance deof way, technivelopment procal glitches, cost jects. overruns and, let There are three us not forget, natphases in the prosural disturbances, It is highly probable ecution of develcan combine to opment projects that most of the Build delay and derail that are intended Build Build projects will even the most to be entirely or be inaugurated not by well-planned propartially financed jects. externally.

The Mr. Duterte but by his Although Mr. first phase is the successor.

Duterte has four preparation of years left in his the project. Proterm, abundant ject preparation experience has extends from the shown that the conceptualization of a project—e.g., last year of a Philippine president’s the decision to lay down the initial line term is a highly politicized time, with of a subway system—to the project’s the attention of the nation’s political being brought to the point where it is leaders focused on the upcoming elecready for financial evaluation. This tions. There is the added fact that a phase will involve putting together Philippine Chief Executive is usually the various components—economics, a lame duck in his last year in office. technical, legal and administrative— Thus, with two of his six years in ofof a project into a package that will fice zone, and with the sixth year givmerit financial approval. The prepa- en over to highly partisan political acration phase of a development project tivity—especially if the voters in the can be as short or as long as the gov- 2019 elections packs the Senate with ernment wants it to be; insufficiency oppositionists—the Duterte adminof political will and bureaucratic in- istration has, realistically speaking, ertia can make the preparation phase only three years with which to put in very long. place all the railways, airports, bridgMany of the Duterte administra- es and other big-ticket infrastructure tion’s infrastructure projects have items that it flamboyantly announced been in the pipeline for a long time, for completion during the period up their preparation having spanned two to June 30, 2022. The time window is or more administrations. Some offi- steadily narrowing. cials of the selected financing instiThe high probability is that most of tutions—these usually are the World the Build Build Build projects will not Bank, the Asian Development Bank be inaugurated by President Rodrigo and ODA (official development assis- Duterte; they will be inaugurated by tance) givers such as Jica (Japan Inter- his successor. Too bad for an infranational Cooperation Agency)—have structure-deficient Philippines. Worse been heard to say privately that some for Mr. Duterte.

BUSINESS CLASS

The bigger...

From A4

Interested parties who would like to participate in the search for the third telco must likewise first secure the selection documents from the National Telecommunications Commission and this will cost them P1 million each.

Only the interested parties who bear the proper documentation will be allowed to attend the pre-selection information session—with the date set by the selection committee. The draft TOR will undergo public consultations upon its release, as part of the market study, and its provisions will be modified, if and when needed.

Upon being officially chosen as the third telco, the new major player only has a total of 90 days to submit its roll-out plan to the National Telecommunications Commission. In the event of a breach of contract, the new telco player will only have six months to remedy or fix each breach. Failure to act on it will forfeit its performance security; monetary penalties will be imposed with a legal proceeding; and finally, the radio frequencies assigned to it will be recalled.

Thus, the first draft of the TOR really points out and addresses what the industry lacks and what it badly needs. It also penalizes the company if at any point in its contract it will be remiss in its agreed upon obligations and responsibilities.

At the end of the day, we are all looking forward to a better telco experience in the country and the first draft of the TOR proposed by Rio, at least from this own writer’s perspective, is a point in the right direction. The only question now is, will it get approved?

Now, that is the bigger story.

the selection of the country’s third major telecommunications player is seemingly playing out.

The new telco must meet three specific criteria within the first five years of its operations. The first is it should cover at least 40 percent of the national population. Second, its minimum broadband speed should be at least 20 percent of the agreed upon plan; and third, 40 percent of its income should be allocated for its annual capital and operational expenditures. This means that the first five years of the third telco will be crucial. To put it bluntly, the company’s overall performance will either make it a success or be a very costly investment, in its first five years of operating in the country.

The third telco player must also be able to provide the yearly minimum requirement of at least 30-percent national population coverage with a minimum broadband speed of 5 megabits per second. Nationally, the average broadband speed in the country is a paltry 2 to 3 megabits per second.

The company’s capital and operational expenditures should also amount to P40 billion. Additional points will be awarded the company if it exceeds the minimum requirements, but the points will be stopped once it reaches the maximum requirements—70 percent for national population coverage; 45 Mbps average broadband speed; and P130 billion for capital and operational expenditures. The third telco will really need to prove itself on the get go. There will practically be no honRichard Orsino is a local telecomeymoon period as the industry expects munication executive. no less.

News

A6

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

PhilHealth to pay claims

By Macon Ramos-Araneta CLAIMS of qualified patients who will be treated or confined due to leptospirosis, a bacterial infection caused by contact with rodent urine, would be paid by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

PhilHealth’s coverage for leptospirosis is worth P11,000.00 which already includes payment for doctor’s fees.

It will be paid directly to the accredited health care institutions.

However, for leptospirosis patients who will develop complications such as those that will need dialysis treatments, the health insurer said it would continuously provide financial support through a different benefit package for such procedure.

To qualify for PhilHealth coverage, members must have paid at least three months premium contributions within the immediate six months prior to the first day of confinement at any accredited HCIs. PhilHealth also reiterated that Kasambahays, Indigent, Sponsored and Senior

Citizen members are entitled to no balance billing or “Walang Dagdag Bayad” when the eligible patient is confined in ward-type accommodation in government hospitals..

To fully guide members in availing themselves of their benefits, PhilHealth encouraged members to call their 24/7 Corporate Action Center hotline at (02) 441 7442.

The announcement came in support of the Department of Health’s campaign to raise public awareness amid the increasing cases of leptospirosis in the country especially due to the recent flooding caused by torrential rains.

Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said the fatality rate of leptospirosis is a bit high, almost 10 percent.

“Out of 1,000 infected, we have confirmed that 99 died,” he added.

The DoH said there were 1,030 cases of leptospirosis reported nationwide to the DoH from Jan. 1 to June 9 this year, which is 41 percent higher than the number recorded during the same period last year.

Manila

Republic of the Philippines StandardENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

TODAY

San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR THE APPROVAL OF CONNECTION CHARGES AND RESIDUAL SUBTRANSMISSION CHARGES FOR CALENDAR YEARS 2014 AND 2015 ON SUBTRANSMISSION ASSETS OF THE NATIONAL GRID CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES, WITH PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY,

2009 CC/RSTC has not captured changes, modifications, asset disposals, new connections, increases or decreases in demand, and others related factors since December 200813, the base year of the 2009 CC/RSTC.

13. For sub-transmission assets used by two (2) or more Transmission Customers, NGCP adopted the formula in Clause F(AIV)7.3 of the Revised OATS Rules, as follows:

29. Considering all the changes, modifications, or additions to the asset base, and divested assets which should have been excluded thereto, there will necessarily be over or under recoveries as a result of the difference in the 2009 CC/RSTC level that was actually collected for CY2015 and CY2016 vis-a-vis NGCP’s proposed CY2014 and CY2015 CC/RSTC.

II.

Notice is hereby given that on 26 October 2017, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) filed an Application dated 11 October 2017 for the approval of the connection charges and residual subtransmission charges for calendar years 2014 and 2015 on the subtransmission assets of NGCP, With prayer for provisional authority.

NGCP is a corporation created and existing under the laws of the Philippines, with principal office address at NGCP Building, Quezon Avenue corner BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City, where it may be served with notices, orders, resolutions and other issuances of this Honorable Commission through its Office of the General Counsel. It is the concessionaire which assumed the power transmission functions of the National Transmission Corporation (TRANSCO) pursuant to Republic Act No. 9136, otherwise known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPlRA).1

= the Generator Billing Determinant as determined under F(AI)2.2, F(AI)2.3 & F(AI)2.4 or the Load Billing Determinant as determined under F(AI)3.2, F(AI)3.3 & F(AI)3.4 as the case may be, for the Transmission Customer at the relevant Connection Point

ΣBD1

= the sum of the Billing Determinants of all Transmission Customers at the relevant Connection Point.

On 15 January 2009, NGCP assumed the transmission functions of TRANSCO to operate, manage and maintain the nationwide electrical grid, as well as the operation and maintenance of the subtransmission assets until their disposal to qualified distribution utilities.

4.

Section 19, in relation to Section 43 (f) of the EPlRA provides that Transmission Charges shall be filed with and approved by the ERC and that the latter shall establish and enforce a methodology for setting transmission wheeling rates.

5.

Aligned with this, the Open Access Transmission Services Rules (OATS Rules) was approved by this Honorable Commission on December 2006. The OATS Rules prescribe for, among others, the methodology for calculating the appropriate level of Connection Charges (“CC”) and Residual Subtransmission Charges (“RSTC”) to recover the reasonable costs incurred in providing subtransmisison services referred to in Section 1.6.3 of the Rules for Setting Transmission Wheeling Rates (RTWR).

a.

Asset Composition. NGCP included all sub-transmission assets, including new assets commissioned and in operation as of 31 December 2012 and 31 December 2013 in the proposed CY 2014 and 2015 CC/RSTC, respectively, and excluded sub-transmission assets · which were divested by TRANSCO to qualified distribution utilities as of said. A copy of a document entitled “Sub-Transmission Assets Sale Per Region” is hereto attached as Annex “C.”

b.

Asset Classification. NGCP classified the assets based on the Valuation Report of Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) adopted by the Honorable Commission in NGCP’s Third Regulatory Period Final Determination dated 22 November 2010 (NGCP’s Final Determination). NGCP was also guided by ERC Resolution No. 4 Series of 2013 entitled “A Resolution Amending Resolution No. 26 Series of 2011” extending the deadline for the divestment of RSTAs until 31 December 2015. Lastly, NGCP applied the decisions of the Honorable Commission in several cases involving the reclassification of assets to transmission. Tables showing the list of assets reclassified as transmission assets. pursuant to the ERC decisions is attached as Annex “D” to “D-5”

8.

Thus, NGCP currently charges the 2009 CC/RSTC level approved by the Honorable Commission in its decision dated 06 July 2011 in ERC Case Nos. 2008-066RC and 2009-153 RC.

9.

NGCP is aware that under Module F(AIV)1.5 of the OATS Rules, the CC/ RSTC shall be updated annually. However, in its letters to the Honorable Commission dated 16 October 2013 and 08 October 2014, NGCP requested for the deferment of the filing of the CY 2014 and CY 2015 CC/RSTC to prioritize the submission by NGCP of several documents pursuant to the orders of the Commission in the pending CC/RSTC cases.

10. Nonetheless, NGCP hereby submits the proposed CC/RSTC for CYs 2014, a summary of which is attached as Annex “A,” and CC/RSTC for CY2015, a summary of which is attached as Annex “B.” The total CC/ RSTC to be collected from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao are shown in the table below:

CY2014 LUZON

1,105,750,762.92

1,025,736,240.48

265,915,501.80

249,199,072.80

VISAYAS

555,163,356.72

500,863,193.76

MINDANAO

770,021,551.08

736,428,505.32

2,696,851,172.52

2,512,227,012.36

TOTAL PHILIPPINES

* Exclusive of Franchise Tax FORMULAE USED IN THE COMPUTATION OF CYS 2014 and 2015 CC/RSTC.

11. In the computation of the CC, NGCP used the formula provided in Clause F(AIV)3.2 of the Revised OATS Rules, as follows: [ODRCi x WACC] + Di + Oi + Ti + Ri 12 Where: ODRCi

= is the Optimised Depreciated Replacement Cost of the Connection Asset or Residual Subtransmission Asset as determined under F(AIV) 4. 1, subject to Rule B20 of the OATS Rules;

WACC

= is the Weighted Average Cost of Capital as determined under F(AIV)4.2;

Di

= is the depreciation cost of the Connection Asset for the current year, as determined under F(AIV)4.1(c);

Oi

= is the operational and maintenance cost attributable to the Connection Asset for the current year, as determined under F(AIV)4.3;

Ti Ri

= is the corporate tax expense attributable to the Connection Asset for the current year, as determined under F(AIV)4-4; and = is the short-fall, or surplus, in the CC collected for that Connection Asset in the previous year, increased by an amount to reflect the time value of money calculated using the Weighted Average Cost of Capital as determined under F(AIV)4.2. If R is a surplus, it shall be expressed as a negative.

12. In the computation of the RSTC, NGCP used the formula provided in Clause F(AIV)7.2 of the OATS Rules, as follows: [ODRCs x WACC] + Ds + Os + Ts + Rs 12 Where: ODRCs

= is the Optimised Depreciated Replacement Cost of the Residual Subtransmission Asset as determined under F(AIV) 8.1, subject to Rule B 20 of the OATS Rules;

WACC

= is the Weighted Average Cost of Capital as determined under F(AIV) 8.2 of the OATS Rules;

Ds

= is the depreciation cost of the Connection Asset or Residual Subtransmission Asset for the current year, as determined under F(AlV) 8.1 (c) of the OATS Rules;

Os

= is the operational and maintenance cost attributable to the Connection Asset or Residual Subtransmission Asset for the current year, as determined under F(AlV)8.3 of the OATS Rules;

Ts

Rs

= is the corporate tax expense attributable to the Subtransmission Asset for the current year, as determined under F(AlV) 8.4 of the OATS Rules; and = is the short-fall, or surplus, in the RSTC collected for the Residual Subtransmission Asset in the previous year, increased by an amount to reflect the time value of money

32. The OATS Rules, under Clause F(AIV)1,3, states that the CC/RSTC will come into effect on the same date as the new tariff rates resulting from the final determination by this Honorable Commission of the MAR for the Third Regulatory Period take effect, 33. Further, Clause 6.2.1 (f) of the RTWR, provides that once the Honorable Commission is satisfied that the proposed rates comply with the RTWR and OATS Rules, then NGCP must implement those rates with effect from 26 December of the Calculation Year.

34. In this Application, the latest CC/RSTC level that most accurately reflect the current asset composition for each customer is the asset base used for the proposed CY2015 CC/RSTC. 35. Considering that the proposed rates were all computed in accordance with the provisions of the RTWR and OATS Rules, it is respectfully submitted that NGCP should be allowed to immediately implement the CY 2015 CC/ RSTC. 36. The issuance of a provisional authority will allow NGCP to timely recover its expenditures for services already rendered to the Transmission Customers.

37. Presently, NGCP charges the approved CY2009 CC/RSTC. The timely implementation of the proposed CY 2015 CC/RSTC will reduce, if not eliminate, the risk of under-recovery or over-recovery.

38. Thus, NGCP respectfully prays that it be given the provisional authority to implement the CY 2015 CC/RSTC commencing the billing month of January 2018.

d.

ERC Approved Weighted Average Cost of Capital (“WACC”). The Honorable Commission approved a WACC of 15.04% as provided in Section 6.2.1 of NGCP’s FD.6

e.

Depreciation. The depreciation was computed based on the prescribed asset life provided by SKM in its 2008 Asset Valuation.

39. In support of these allegations, NGCP submits a copy of the Judicial Affidavit of Ms. Agnes F. Dela Cruz, Head of the Tariff Design and Billing Management Division of the Revenue and Regulatory Affairs Department, a copy of which is hereto attached as Annex “E.”

f.

ERC Approved Operating . and Maintenance Expenditure (OPEX).

The ERC approved OPEX allocated for 2014 CC/RSTC is PhP 959.19Mn and PhP932.79Mn for 2015 CC/RSTC.

PRAYER WHEREFORE, NGCP most respectfully prays that this Honorable Commission:

Actual Taxes. Real Property Taxes paid in CY2014 amounting to PhP0.185M was used in the computation of CY2014 CCRSTC, while Real Property Taxes paid in CY2015 amounting to PhP0.238M was used in the computation of CY2015 CCRSTC. Billing Determinant (kW). Actual billing determinants (BDD) in kW-month and Billing Determinant Energy in kWh for CY 2012 and 2013 were used to allocate the cost of shared assets for CY2014 and 2015, respectively.

Collection of Deferred CC/RSTC for Disposed/Sold Sub-transmission Assets.

15. It will be recalled that the approved CC/RSTC of TRANSCO for CY 20077 was billed only in January 2008, hence, there is a one (1) year lag in the collection of CC/RSTC. 16. As a result of the 1 year lag, any change or modification to the subtransmission assets, including, but not limited to, asset disposals, new connections to the subtransmission assets, increases or decreases in demand and others related factors, will be considered in the computation of CC/RSTC only after the lapse of at least one (1) year from their occurrence.

1.

ISSUE a Provisional Authority to implement and commence the billing and collection of the proposed CY 2015 CC/RSTC beginning the billing month of January 2018.

2.

APPROVE the recovery of the computed CY 2014 and 2015 CC/RSTC provided in this application from all Transmission Customers.

3.

ALLOW NGCP to bill and collect under-recoveries resulting from the difference in the actual collection made by NGCP for CY 2015 and 2016 vis-a-vis the proposed CY2014 and 2015 CC/RSTC which should have been collected for the years CY2015 and 2016; and DIRECT NGCP to refund any over-recovery arising from such difference.

4.

ALLOW NGCP to bill and collect the deferred CC/RSTC for disposed sub-transmission assets;

5.

ALLOW NGCP to impose a 3% Franchise Tax on CC/RSTC to be reflected as a separate line item in the Power Bill.

Applicant prays for other relief deemed just and equitable under the premises.

The Commission has set the Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on the following dates:

17. In cases of sale, there are uncollected deferred CC/RSTC since the amount is not included in the purchase price of the sale.

18. Thus, NGCP should be allowed to continue billing and collecting the deferred CC/RSTC for disposed subtransmission assets until such time that the deferred CC/RSTC has been fully recovered.

IV.

CY2015

MERALCO

31. All the foregoing allegations are re-pleaded herein by way of reference in support of NCGP’s prayer for the issuance of a Provisional Authority.

Asset Values. NGCP adopted the SKM 2008 Optimized Depreciated Replacement Cost (ODRC) values rolled-forward to 2014 and 2015 in computing the CY2014 and 2015 CCRSTC, respectively.

h.

III.

INCLUSION OF 3% FRANCHISE TAX IN THE PROPOSED CYS 2014 AND 2015 CC/RSTC.

19. The OATS Rules provide for the pricing formula on how to recover the reasonable cost incurred by NGCP in providing efficient sub-transmission services to its customers.

20. One of the components of the formulae provided in Clauses F(AIV) 3.28 and 7.29 is the “tax expense.” These formulae were used by TRANSCO in the CY2007 and CY2008 CC/RSTC Applications, where it applied for, among others, the recovery of corporate income tax in the amounts of PhP885.7Mn and PhP1,130.00Mn, respectively.

21. However, NGCP is exempted from paying corporate income tax. Instead, NGCP is required under R.A. 9511 to pay a Franchise Tax equivalent to three percent (3%) of all gross receipts derived from its operation under said franchise. The 3% Franchise Tax shall be in lieu of income tax and any and all taxes.

22. Thus, the Honorable Commission, in NGCP’s Final Determination, allowed the recovery of NGCP’s Franchise Tax on its regulated services, i.e., Power Delivery Charge, System Operator Charge, and Metering Services Charges through a surcharge on its customer invoices, to wit: “The MAR in the Final Determination does not include the 3% national franchise tax that NGCP must now pay in accordance with RA 9511. As this tax is levied on total revenue .rather than income, the ERC has decided that this should be recovered through a surcharge on its customer invoices.

However, it does provide for the recovery of costs related to the residual subtransmission assets that will be transferred to the RAB at the beginning of the third regulatory period, in accordance with ERC: Resolution No 1, Series of 2009.”10 (Emphasis supplied) 23. It can be gleaned from the foregoing that the Honorable Commission considered the Franchise Tax as a pass through cost. This is bolstered by the issuance of ERC Resolution No. 07 Series of 2011,11 wherein the· Honorable Commission recognized that NGCP’s franchise tax is considered to be a pass through cost on the part of the distribution utility. Hence, the ERC approved the inclusion of the 3% national franchise tax billed by NGCP as part of a distribution utility’s total monthly transmission cost in the Transmission Rate Adjustment Mechanism formula.

24. Thus, it is respectfully submitted that NGCP should be allowed to impose a 3% Franchise Tax computed based on the gross receipts from CC/RSTC, through a surcharge on its customer Invoices.

25. Upon approval, the Franchise Tax shall be reflected as a separate line item in the Power Bill.

26. In view of all the foregoing, it is respectfully submitted that the proposed CY2014 and CY2015 CC/RSTC were designed and developed in accordance with the provisions of the RTWR, OATS Rules and pertinent ERC Resolutions. It sets forth fair and reasonable rates that will serve the public interest and convenience, and signal the efficient utilization of subtransmission facilities that will ultimately redound to the best interest and benefit of the consuming public.

V.

ALLEGATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION FOR PROVISIONAL “AUTHORITY/ INTERIM RELIEF

c.

g.

The OATS Rules further provide that the CC shall be paid by Generation Customers on new Connection Assets and payable by Load Customers on existing and new Connection Assets3 while RSTC is payable by Load Customers and by Generation Customers when they are accepting services from the Transmission Provider as if they were Load Customers,4 While the OATS Rules provide that the CC/RSTC will come into effect on the same date as the new tariff rates resulting from the Maximum Allowable Revenue approved by the ERC,5 NGCP’s applications for implementation of the proposed CC/RSTC for calendar years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 are all pending resolution by this Honorable Commission .

VI.

FACTORS, PARAMETERS AND VALUES USED IN THE COMPUTATION OF THE PROPOSED CY2014 and CY2015 CC/RSTC.

NGCP holds a franchise under Republic Act No. 95112 to engage in the business of conveying or transmitting electricity through high-voltage back-bone system of interconnected transmission lines, substations and related facilities, and for other purposes. The franchise also includes the conduct of activities necessary to support the safe and reliable operation of the transmission system.

3.

I.

BDi

14. In the computation of the proposed CC/RSTC, NGCP applied the following parameters:

NGCP alleged the following in its Application:

7.

30. Hence, in order to correct the level of charges being collected from the transmission customers, NGCP respectfully submits that, in addition to the proposed monthly CC/RSTC, NGCP should be allowed to recover under-recoveries as a result of the difference in the actual collection and the proposed charges. Corollary, NGCP shall refund any over recovery from the difference in the said collections.

Where: ERC CASE NO. 2017-100 RC

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:

6.

T

BD1 ΣBD1

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

2.

his supposed “envoy” Wilson De Vera for the contract.

Separate graft charges had also been HE Sandiganbayan on Wednesday reversed its earlier decision filed against Vitangcol in connection to stop two key witnesses in the $30-million extortion case with the alleged anomalous awarding of against former transportation official Al Vitangcol III from the MRT 3’s $1.15-million maintenance contract to PH Trams and its joint ventestifying through video conferencing. ture, Comm Builders and Technology The anti-graft court’s Sixth Division counts each of grave misconduct, se- Philippines Corp., in October 2012. said in a resolution it would now allow rious dishonesty, and unlawful solicitaThe pieces of evidence include the motion for partial reconsideration of tion and imposed upon him the penalty of printouts of alleged e-mail corthe prosecution after it presented enough dismissal from service with cancellation respondence between Rychtar and evidence on the inability of former Czech of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement Husek, which were earlier kept confiambassador to the Philippines and cur- benefits and perpetual disqualification dential for reasons of privacy. rent ambassador to Chile Josef Rychtar from holding public office.

However, the contents of the e-mail and Inekon board chairman Josef Husek Vitangcol was also accused of putting messages were not allowed by the to testify in open court. pressure on the Inekon representatives to court to be used as evidence against Vitangcol was charged with two enter into a joint venture agreement with Vitangcol.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

By Maricel V. Cruz

calculated using the Weighted Average Cost of Capital as determined under F(AIV)8.2 of the OATS Rules. If R is a surplus, it shall be expressed as a negative.

NATIONAL GRID CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES Applicant. x - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

1.

Sandiganbayan to hear evidence via telecon

VENUE

PARTICULARS

ERC Hearing Room, 15th Floor Pacific Center Building, San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

Jurisdictional and Expository Hearing

18 July 2018 (Wednesday)

Ten Thirty in the morning (10:30 A.M.)

ERC Visayas Field Office, St. Mary’s Drive, Banilad, Cebu City

Expository Presentation for Visayas Stakeholders

25 July 2018 (Wednesday)

Ten Thirty in the morning (10:30 A.M.)

ERC Mindanao Field Office, Mintrade Bldg., Monteverde Ave. cor Sales St.,Davao City

Expository Presentation for Mindanao Stakeholders

31 July 2018 (Tuesday)

Two o’clock in the afternoon (2:00 P.M.)

ERC Hearing Room, 15th Floor Pacific Center Building, San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

P r e - Tr i a l Conference and Evidentiary Hearing

i.

The petitioner’s name and address;

ii.

The nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and

iii.

A statement of the relief desired.

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may file their Opposition or Comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before Applicant rests its case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following: 1)

The name and address of such person;

2)

A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and

3)

The grounds relied upon.

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

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

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal

1

2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

28. As mentioned earlier, this is not the case since NGCP currently charges the 2009 CC/RSTC level approved by the Honorable Commission. However, the

TIME Two o’clock in the afternoon (2:00 P.M.)

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

OVER/UNDER RECOVERIES THAT MAY HAVE RESULTED FROM THE DIFFERENCE IN THE ACTUAL CHARGES COLLECTED VS. THE PROPOSED CY2014 AND 2015 CC/RSTC.

27. The OATS Rules provide that the CC/RSTC will come into effect on the same date as the new tariff rates resulting from the Maximum Allowable Revenue approved by the ERC.12 Hence, the proposed 2014 CC/RSTC should have been collected beginning the billing period January 2015 until December 2015; while the proposed 2015 CC/RSTC should have been collected beginning the billing period January 2016 until December 2016.

DATE 16 July 2018 (Monday)

11

12 13

Republic Act No. 9136 entitled, “An Act Ordaining Reforms in the Electric Power Industry, Amending for the Purpose Certain Laws andfor Other Purposes.”

Entitled “An Act Granting the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines a Franchise To Engage in the Business of Conveying or Transmitting Electricity Through High Voltage Back-Bone System of Interconnected Transmission Lines, Substations and Related Facilities, and for other Purposes.”

OATS Rules, Module F(AN)1.2 Ibid, Module F(AIV)S.2 Ibid, Module F(AIV)1.3 Page 94 ofthe Final Determination dated 22 November 2010.

ERC Decision dated 07 December 2007 in ERC Case No. 2007-007RC Supra, Note 3, Module F(AIV)3.2.

Module F(AIV)7.1 Calculating the Residual Sub-transmission Charge.

Page 2, Supra Note 5.

A Resolution Allowing the Distribution Utilities to Include in their Monthly Transmission Cost the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ National Franchise Tax Billing.

Supra, Note 4.

Page 21, Decision dated 06 July 2011 in ERC Case No. 2009-153 RC (MS-JUNE 27 & JULY 5, 2018

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sports

Manila

Standard

TODAY

A7

Smart-Army, Cocolife seek PSL 2nd slot

Rivera keeps slalom mark intact at 4-0; Douglas 2nd

Games Today: (FilOil Flying V Centre) 4:15 p.m. — Generika-Ayala vs F2 Logistics 7:00 p.m. — Smart-Army vs Cocolife

THE solo second spot in Pool B will be at stake when Smart-Army and Cocolife slug it out in the 2018 Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga Invitational Conference today at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

Game time is at 7 p.m. with both the Giga Hitters and Asset Managers looking for a chance to clinch the outright semifinal berth in this prestigious women’s club tourney bankrolled by Isuzu, UCPB Gen and SOGO Hotel with ESPN5, Hyper HD and Aksyon TV as official broadcast partners.

Prior to that, Pool A leader GenerikaAyala inches closer from sealing the outright semifinal ticket when it tackles F2 Logistics in the 4:15 p.m. first game of this league that also has Mikasa, Senoh, Mueller, Asics and Grand Sport as technical sponsors.

Action is tipped to heat up as the Lifesavers posted convincing victories over Foton and United AuctioneersUP while the Cargo Movers are fresh from a fourth-place finish from the 2018 Sealect Tuna Women’s Volleyball Championship in Sisaket, Thailand.

Meanwhile, Petron made a rousing debut when it crushed Foton, 27-25, 2519, 22-25, 25-17, late Tuesday at the Cadiz Arena in Negros Occidental.

National Team stalwart Ces Molina fired 15 points while Mika Reyes and Aiza Maizo-Pontillas chipped in 13 and 12 hits, respectively, for the Blaze Spikers, who made their first game after winning the Grand Prix last May.

Lim, Santiago rule Bike King TRI 2 meet

KRISTIANE Lim (Team Organique) and Ines Santiago (Team Herbalife) emerged as the fastest male and female finishers of the Bike King TRI 2 longdistance triathlon held at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone last Sunday.

Lim’s swift and stunning finish of 3 hours, 28 minutes and 11 seconds for the 2-km swim plus a challenging 60km bike course on NLex-SCTex and a 15-km run through the hilly Tarlac and Zambales roads, garnered top honors for him in the overall male and male 30-34 age group categories.

Sante Baraley’s Mervin Santiago (male 25-29 champion) was hot on Lim’s heels by 10 seconds to claim the 2nd fastest time, while Herbalife’s Ronald Molit (male 35-39 champion) came in 10 minutes after for the 3rd fastest finish.

Santiago came close to breaking the 4-hour mark with 4:05:32 and nabbed the overall female and top female 35-39 titles. Fitness First’s Petro Kuiper (female 50-above champion) swept in 11 minutes after for 2nd place overall, while her teammate Kaye Lopez (female 35-39 2nd place) followed two minutes after.

Other age-group champions in the event supported by Official Timekeeper TAG Heuer, Biogenic Alcohol, NLEXSCTEX, Standard Insurance, Vittoria, Smart, Gatorade, Nescafé Dolce Gusto, Saucony, Gardenia, Prohealth Sports and Spinal, ACEA Subic Bay, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Court Meridian Hotel & Suites, and Subic Holiday Villas were Matthew Westrup and Madeleine Argosino (1824), Andrea Villanueva (female 25-29), Jayline Balatibat (female 30-34), Edison Morales and Lezette Albarote (40-44), David Zimmerman and Vanj Endaya (45-49), John Villanueva (male 50-54), Dean Recupero (male 55-59) and Alfredo Santos (male 60-above).

Douglas Maningding of Speedmode Racing Team submits the second fastest time of the day in the 2018 RACE Motorsports Club Phoenix Pulse Technology National Slalom Series at Robinsons Novaliches.

Sharapova, Kvitova out L

ONDON—Maria Sharapova suffered her first opening round Wimbledon defeat and earliest Grand Slam exit in eight years on Tuesday when she was shocked by fellow Russian Vitalia Diatchenko, the world number 132.

Sharapova, the 2004 champion, was joined at the exit by 2011 and 2014 winner Petra Kvitova who was stunned by Belarusian world number 50 Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

However, two-time men’s champion Rafael Nadal and three-time winner Novak Djokovic eased into the second round.

Sharapova was cruising to victory at one stage on Court Two with a set and 5-2 lead before qualifier Diatchenko shrugged off a back injury to win 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 after more than three hours of tense action.

Sharapova Sharapova,

playing Wimbledon for the first time in three years after missing 2016 through a drugs ban and 2017 due to injury, gave up the match on her 11th double fault.

It was her earliest exit at a Slam since a first round defeat at the 2010 Australian Open.

“It’s always tough to assess your motivation levels after a first round loss but I won’t shy away from learning from my errors,” said 31-year-old Sharapova.

Eighth seed Kvitova was the bookmakers’ favourite for a third Wimbledon crown after winning five titles in 2018, including the grass-court tournament at Birmingham last

weekend, while amassing an WTA Tourleading 38 match victories.

But she slumped to a disappointing 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 loss to Sasnovich.

“When I was younger, I played better on the Grand Slams than the other tournaments. Now is the time when I’m playing better on the other tournaments than the Grand Slams,” said the 28-year-old Czech.

Kvitova is the fourth top 10 women’s seed to lose in the first round.

Number four Sloane Stephens and fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina were eliminated on Monday.

France’s Caroline Garcia, seeded six, was also beaten Tuesday, going down 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 to Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic.

World number one Nadal breezed into the second round with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 win over Israel’s Dudi Sela as the Spaniard returned to action for the first time since claiming his 11th French Open title.

Nadal, the Wimbledon champion in 2008 and 2010, also managed to avoid falling victim to a player ranked outside the world top 100 for what would have been the fifth time in his last six visits to the All England Club. AFP

PBA holds Blood Donation Drive on July 7 FOR the second straight year, the Philippine Basketball Association is holding its “Blood Donation Drive” this weekend.

The event for a cause will be held on July 7 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum from 12 noon to 3 p.m. at the Green Gate entrance just before the scheduled Commissioner’s Cup doubleheader pitting Rain or Shine against TNT Katropa and defending champion San Miguel opposite

Magnolia Pambansang Manok.

PBA players are expected to lead the noble project being held in partnership with Dugong Alay, Dugtong Buhay, a non-stock, non-profit organization headed by founder Nap Marilag and the Doctors and Nurses of Philippine Orthopedic Center and the Margarito Duavit Hospital.

Each donor will receive free upper box tick-

et, snacks and a souvenir short from PBA and Dugong Alay, Dugtong Buhay Inc. Walk-in donors will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Making the staging of the event for the second year in a row possible are Crystal Clear, Fitbar, Magnolia Healthy and Fruit Juice and Suigeneris lights and sound.

Donors are requested to register online @ PBA—The Official Website.

Ealas shine in ITF Junior net tourney tough win, he fell short and dropped UNIFIED Tennis Philippines naa 3-6, 7-6(6), 5-7 decision to top seed tional junior team players AlexRyoma Matsushita of Japan. andra Eala and Michael Francis “We congratulate Miko and Alex “Miko” Eala dropped a pair of for proving that the Philippine team three-set setbacks in varying fashis a force to reckon with. We also ions but impressed a lot by barging commend the rest of the UTP nainto the finals of the International tional team in this tourney for their Tennis Federation (ITF)-AGS Jusportsmanship and passion for the nior Tennis Championships in Jasport. Rest assured that I and their karta, Indonesia recently.

UTP family will continue to supThe unranked Alex, 13, bucked port them,” said UTP president Jean the odds and toppled seeded bets Henri Lhuillier. on her way to the girls’ singles fi- Alexandra and Miko Eala Other members of the squad nals but fell short of her comeback bid against top seed Priska Nugroho of Indonesia, were Bea Acena, Manuel Balce III. Melanie yielding a 2-6, 6-4, 1-6 decision in the ITF Group Dizon and Macie Carlos.

“Part of UTP’s mission is to continuously expose 4 tournament.

The seventh ranked Miko also upended No. 3 emerging Filipino junior tennis players to global comKaran Srivastava, 6-2, 6-1, in the quarters then blast- petitions, thus giving them the opportunity to hone ed fifth seed Odeda Arazza, 6-1, 6-2, to earn a crack their skills on and off the court against some of the at the boys’ crown. But after forcing a decider with a world’s best junior players,” added Lhuillier.

Pacquiao-Matthysse clash on SKY Sports Pay Per View EXCITEMENT has begun as Manny Pacquiao’s return to the ring draws even nearer in a battle against Lucas Matthyse at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on July 15.

The Pacquaio-Matthysse fight is set to air live via SKY Sports PPV for only P949.

With less than a month remaining, both Manny Pacquaio and Lucas Matthysse are stepping up their trainings for the coming match.

Pacquaio’s trainer even said that Pacman is nearing his peak and estimates that the Filipino boxer is already 80% in shape.

Proving the readiness of the 40-year-old boxer was also his sparring partner, George Kambosos Jr., who thinks that Matthysse will have a problem defeating Pacquiao, who could win via knockout.

“I believe Manny can knock Matthysse out…

Pacquiao’s hand speed, combination punching and power will lead to a knockout over Matthysse,” said Kambosos Jr. in an article at sports. abs-cbn.com.

To know the result of the Fight of the Champions: Pacquiao vs Matthysse, don’t miss the action live via SKY Sports PPV for only P949.

This is available to all SKYcable, One SKY, and SKYdirect subscribers nationwide.

By subscribing to the Pacquiao vs Matthysse PPV, subscribers will have access to the live, commercial-free and in high or standard definition viewing of the Fight of the Champions: Pacquiao vs Matthysse and replays on the same day right after the live event.

Call 418 0000 or your SKY local office or visit www.mysky.com/pacman to subscribe.

SKYcable and One SKY subscribers can also text PACMAN to 23662. For SKYdirect postpaid subscribers, they can text SKY to 23668, while prepaid subscribers can text PPV PACMAN <BOX ID> to 23667 (available to Globe Prepaid, TM or ABS-CBNmobile). SKYbroadband subscribers can also catch it online via SKY on Demand for the same price.

Register your SKY account number to Kapamilya Thank You by logging on to thankyou.

abs-cbn.com and receive points from any of your SKY subscription. You may use this points for SKY bill rebates, buy tickets for ABS-CBN shows, and more.

LOTTO RESULTS

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

TOUGH Gear Racing’s Milo Rivera emerged triumphant from an intense three-way fight in the fourth leg of the 2018 RACE Motorsports Club Phoenix Pulse Technology National Slalom Series at Robinsons Novaliches.

Rivera clinched the overall best time of the day with his 49.72 seconds, just enough to nip the challenge of his closest rival, SpeedMode Racing Team’s Douglas Maningding, who came in second in 49.84.

With the win, Rivera kept his spotless record intact after four stages.

His teammate/brother Estefano also broke the 50-second barrier with a 49.98 clocking, good for third.

Inigo Anton of Mark Young Race cars came in fourth with a time of 50.38, with Powee Base of PMMS Rennsport Racing Team finishing fifth with 51.10 and Richard Gallardo of JAF Racing Team coming in sixth with 51.22.

Milo’s time was also good for the Production title, with Maningding and Estefano rounding out the Top 3. Completing the Top 6 in the Production category were Gallardo (51.22), Carlos Anton (51.28) and Dr. Peewee Mendiola (51.64).

Meanwhile, Inigo Anton captured the Front Wheel best time, followed by Base, Gallardo, Carlos Anton and Ram Rafanan of Globe Spade Baguio City (51.84).

Base’s clocking was good for the novice best time, with Rafanan, Vegil Calayo of JAF Racing Team (52.64), Rainier Tinio of Cabanatuan Auto Club (53.12) and Rod Chang of JAF Racing (54.70) rounding out the Top 5.

The 2018 RACE Motorsports Club Phoenix Plus Technology National Slalom Series is also supported by major sponsors Federal Tyres, 3K Batteries, New SR KYB Special Shock Absorbers, Robinsons Novaliches and Robinsons Malls, with support from Starbright Body Kits, Auto Transporter, media partners Stoplight TV, C! Magazine, Auto Car Magazine, Power Wheels Magazine and Medical Team Aeromed.

The event was participated in by Team Big Chill, Tough Gear Racing Team, PMMS Rennsports, Speedmode Racing Team, G Spot Racing Team, Globe Spade, Autoforce Racing Team, Rodlea Racing Team, JIMBIG Racing Team, Team Orthodox, Cabanatuan Auto Club, JAF Racing Team, Pongga Racing Team and Mark Young Race Cars.

The fifth leg will be held on July 8 at Robinsosn Starmills, while the sixth stop is on July 29 at the NFA Compound, Cabanatuan City.

STATE OF VERMONT CHITTENDEN COUNTY SS.

IN RE: THE ADOPTION OF T.P.

CHITTENDEN PROBATE COURT DOCKET NO. 527-4-18Cnpr

NOTICE OF HEARING To: EDWIN P. ESCABAL You are hereby notified that a Petition Requesting the Adoption of T.P. and Petition to Terminate your parental rights had been filed with the Chittenden Probate Court in Burlington, Vermont.

You have been named the biological parent of the minor child.

If you wish to contest this petition, you must file a written answer to the petition by mailing it to the Chittenden Probate Court at P.O. Box 511, Burlington, VT 05402, tel. (802) 651-1518, and by sending a copy of your answer to Kurt M Hughes, Esq., P.O. Box 363, Burlington, Vermont 054020363, tel. (802) 864-9811.

The Petition to Terminate your parental rights is scheduled for hearing on Friday July 20, 2018 @ 10:00AM. Pursuant to 15A V.S.A. subsection 3-503(b), you are hereby informed that: (1) You have a right to be represented by an attorney, and you may be entitled to an attorney appointed by the court; and (2) If you fail to respond within 21 days after service and, in the case of an alleged father, fail to file a claim of paternity within 21 days after service unless a claim of paternity is pending, you may not appear in or receive further notice of the proceeding for adoption or termination and your failure to respond will result in termination of the relationship of parent and child between you and the minor unless the proceeding for adoption is dismissed.

Pursuant to 15A V.S.A. subsection 3-401 and 3-402, you are hereby notified that a Petition for Adoption of the minor has been filed. The petitioners therein request that they be permitted to adopt the minor. You must file a written appearance in the adoption proceeding with the Court in 21 days after service of this notice in order to participate in the proceeding and to receive further notice of the proceeding, including notice for the time and place of any hearing. Please note that you will not be permitted to appear in or receive further notice of the proceeding for adoption unless you also respond to the Petition to Terminate in the manner described above.

If you have any questions about the nature of this proceeding or the purpose or content of this notice, you may inquire by calling or writing the register of the Court.

Dated at Burlington, Vermont, this 19th day of April, 2018.

Docket Clerk

(MS-JUNE 28 & JULY 5, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

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

A8

THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2018

FIBA asks Gilas PH to explain side

By Peter Atencio

A Japanese fan cheers before the start of the Russia 2018 World Cup round of 16 football match between Belgium and Japan at the Rostov Arena in Rostov-On-Don. Asian teams weren’t expected to make an impact at the World Cup but a record points haul and some stunning performances against top sides have lifted their hopes for Qatar 2022. AFP

Beermen clinch seat in quarterfinals

By Jeric Lopez STAMPING its class methodically, San Miguel Beer kept rolling and cruised to a 115-106 rout of exiting Blackwater to formally clinch a berth in the quarterfinals in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City last night.

Now having a complete grasp of the chemistry they were looking for, the Beermen banked on a collective team effort in taking care of business.

Arwind Santos and Marcio Lassiter led seven San Miguel Beer chargers in double-figures.

Santos had a splendid showing with a double-double of 23 points and 15 rebounds for team-high honors, while Lassiter had 18 points and six assists.

Kelly Nabong added 13 markers, Alex Cabagnot and Renaldo Balkman accounted for 12 each, while June Mar Fajardo and Brian Heruela chipped in 10 apiece for the Beermen.

San Miguel notched its third straight victory and improved to 6-4 in the standings, keeping its tight grip on the No. 5 seed with a game left in its schedule.

Moreover, the Beermen assured themselves of a top six finish and avoided a twice-to-win disadvantage in the next round.

The Beermen, who actually trailed 28-34 at the end of one, gained leverage by closing out the first half strong after some early struggles.

Down by five in the waning minutes of the second canto, San Miguel Beer stepped on the gas pedal to finish the first 24 minutes with a 15-2 barrage.

From being down, 42-47, the Beermen suddenly took a 57-49 lead at the turn behind the offensive exploits of Lassiter and Santos.

The dynamic forward duo already combined for 28 points at the half, including five triples, with Lassiter dropping 15 and Santos hitting 13.

Carrying its momentum over to the second half, San Miguel Beer then put the finishing touches in the third, adding six more to its lead for an 84-70 spread heading into the fourth.

It was about adding insult to injury in the final 12 minutes for the Beermen, carving several 20-point leads before Blackwater managed to trim the difference in the final tally.

Bigger hopes for Asia in ‘22 Qatar World Cup H

ONG KONG—Asian teams weren’t expected to make an impact at the World Cup but a record points haul and some stunning performances against top sides have lifted their hopes for Qatar 2022.

South Korea’s 2-0 dethroning of defending champions Germany could have been viewed as a one-off, if not for Japan’s heartbreaking defeat to star-studded Belgium days later in the last 16.

Iran also came desperately close to beating Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, the European title-holders, in another sign that smaller teams may be closing the gap on the game’s traditional powers.

None of the Asian Football Confederation teams reached the quarter-finals, extending a barren run which stretches back to the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

But Japan, South Korea and Iran departed Russia with their heads held high and positive expectations for Qatar 2022, when the World Cup returns to AFC territory for the first time in 20 years.

“The AFC nations can take great en-

couragement from this year’s World Cup,” Andy Jackson of FourFourTwo magazine told AFP. “(They) can look forward to 2022 and an AFC-hosted World Cup in Qatar with the hope of being one of the nations causing some of the famous upsets we’ve seen so far in Russia.”

AFC teams amassed 15 points in Russia, their best showing yet—and overshadowing Africa’s representatives Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Tunisia and Senegal, who went home after the group stage with 11 points between them.

‘Stand with the world’s elite’ However, Saudi Arabia, another AFC side, never recovered from their 5-0 spanking by Russia in the tournament’s opening game, and Australia—the Asian champions—also had a World Cup to forget.

Despite looking competitive in their

group games against France, Denmark and Peru, the Socceroos failed to win a game and they went home without scoring a goal from open play.

Out of the Asian teams, Japan emerged with the most credit after they reached the last 16 and were 2-0 up against Belgium with 21 minutes to go—before the Belgians launched one of the great World Cup comebacks, clinching a 3-2 win in injury time.

“Japan showed great quality and character to battle bravely with one of the best teams in the tournament,” said AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.

“Their success exemplifies the great progress of Asian teams to stand proud with the world’s elite.”

Japan’s image was also burnished by images of their fans tidying up stadiums after games—while a picture of Japan’s spotless changing room, with a thank you note in Russian, went viral after the Belgium defeat.

“This Japanese team and its supporters left with their heads held high and their standing and respect in world football greatly enhanced,” Jackson said. AFP

Fans expected to fill Big Dome for KD’s return

Kevin Durant

SMART Araneta Coliseum, the Philippines’ Mecca of sports and entertainment, lives up to its reputation as backto-back NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant returns to the Philippines and caps off his visit with the “Hyper Court Team” AllStar Challenge here on Sunday at 4 p.m.

This is the second time Durant is visiting the country and the Big Dome, seven years after joining fellow All-Stars Kobe Bryant, James Harden, Chris Paul, and Derrick Rose, among others, for an exhibition game against Gilas Pilipinas national team.

This time, Durant leads a training session with select basketball players, and will share some of his workouts and training drills in the Hyper Court Team All-Star Challenge.

Fans registered for free tickets to the event at the Big Dome on the Nike website, which had unsurprisingly run out on the first day of registration.

Considered to be one of the best basketball players in the world, Durant’s already storied pro-ball career began with the

then-Seattle Supersonics in the 2007. He previously formed a talented young trio with Harden and Russell Westbrook in the Oklahoma City Thunder, was named Rookie of the Year in 2008, and won the Season MVP award in 2014. In 2016, he joined Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in the Golden State Warriors and won two consecutive titles, the latest of which came just last month via a sweep of the thenLeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers.

Durant is the latest NBA superstar to return to the hallowed halls of the historic Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Frequent Philippine visitor Bryant held his well- attended Mamba Mentality Tour at the Big Dome in 2016, which ended with an emotional tribute – a banner dedicated to the star player was unfurled across the red-and-white banner that read “Thrilla In Manila,” t h e world’s most popular boxing match in the history of the sport for which the Coliseum is widely known.

A LETTER from FIBA, the world governing body for basketball, has been sent to the Philippine and Australian federations following their bench-clearing incident in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifier at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan Monday night.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio said this as the disciplinary committee of FIBA gets ready to open proceedings following the controversial, riotous game between the Filipinos and the Australians.

Panlilio said they have already received the letter from the FIBA’s Disciplinary Committee, asking them to explain their side.

He said SBP will be ready with a presentation in a week’s time.

“FIBA has communicated last night. The letter cited a report from the referee, who submitted their statements and evidences,” said Panlilio.

A free-for-all broke between the two teams broke out with 4:01 left in the third period after Roger Pogoy was hit by Australia’s Daniel Kickert with a forearm to the Filipino’s neck.

Panlilio said the safety and wellbeing of the Australian Boomers have been assured when they left the country last Monday.

Basketball Australia chairman Ned Coten, who spoke to Panlilio when fighting erupted, said this was their main concern when they left venue because there were fans who got involved in the fracas.

Coten, in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald said the players and staff had not slept when they left Manila due to concerns over their safety and the travel home from Manila.

“Basketball Australia accepts a level of responsibility for the things that happened, as do the players,” said Coten. “What is not acceptable is the situation where you have officials and others in the field of play which caused the scenes you saw on footage.”

Panlilio said that if the brawl happened in other countries, it would have been different.

“Of course, there was jeering. But the Filipino fans started to entertain themselves, by doing the wave and by lighting up their cellphones,” said Panlilio.

Gilas jrs bow to Argentina BATANG Gilas still made it to the quarterfinals despite suffering three straight losses in their campaign in the 2018 FIBA Under-17 World Cup at the Newell’s Old Boys in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Their latest setback came at the hands of home team Argentina, 74-71, on Wednesday (Philippine time).

Gerry Abadiano, who tallied 17 points and two assists for the Filipinos, managed to put Batang Gilas ahead in the third quarter at 54-52 when he took command of a 5-2 run.

But the Argentinians held their ground, with Juan Scachi and Gaston Bertona leading a counterattack.

The Filipinos stayed within range but all attempts from Terrence Fortea, Kai Sotto and Abadiano were unsuccessful.

Batang Gilas has dropped its third game in a row in Group D, bowing to France, 95-54, and Croatia, 75-95.

But even with the losses, the Philippines still advanced into the Round of 16, where it will face Canada, ranked second in the world.

The Canadians are unbeaten after three games in Group C. It will be a knockout encounter for a quarterfinals berth on Thursday.

Peter Atencio

Carlos bucks rain, sizzles with bogey-free 64 CAGAYAN de Oro—Jobim Carlos dropped eight birdies before heavy rains fell and completed a stirring bogey-free 64, wresting a two-stroke lead over Korean Lee Song in the ICTSI Pueblo De Oro Championship here and setting in motion his drive for a second championship in three weeks on the Philippine Golf Tour.

Rains the past few days caused adverse conditions on some parts of the Pueblo layout, forcing the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. to use winter rules at the start of the P3 million tournament with Carlos making the most of it by gunning down four birdies on each nine, capped by a three-birdie binge from No. 15 for a pair of 32s.

But it also took Carlos a quick swing check on his iron game to get back into the groove after finishing tied for sixth at Del Monte Championship last week where he missed a

lot of greens despite solid driving.

“I called coach Carito (Villaroman) the other day and we corrected some minor details on my swing. And it did wonders,” said Carlos, who broke through at PGT Asia at Riviera last month then ruled the PGT Apo Invitational two weeks ago on a strong windup.

He birdied all par-5s, knocked down three more on par-4s inside 10 feet and banged in a six-footer on the par-3 11th, barely missing a 63 on a flubbed seven-footer on the last hole.

“The greens here are a bit tricky. You always have to be on the right side otherwise you’ll be in trouble because most are undulating,” said Carlos.

But a slew of aces kept Carlos within sight, including Lee, now eyeing no less than a victory after finishing tied for second with James Ryan Lam at Del Monte. The young Korean also spiked his 66 with four

birdies in the last six holes for a 34-32 card and trailed by just two.

“I had good iron shots at the back but I think my putter was hot,” said Song, who drilled in a 20-footer on No. 13 and drained a 33-footer on the last for two of his highlight birdies.

Tony Lascuña, due for a big win after a string of top 10 finishes, also turned in a solid 67, hinting at a putting contest in the next three days.

“The course is short so putting will be the key here. Whoever putts well will have a big chance at the crown,” said Lascuña, in joint third with Johvanie Abaño and another Korean Park Jun Sung.

Reigning PGT Order of Merit champion Clyde Mondilla finally moved into early contention after a number of missed cut stints in both the PGT and PGT Asia this year due to bad back.

A quick swing check propels Jobim Carlos to the early lead

IN BRIEF

GMA, ABS-CBN claim higher ratings on TV GMA Network Inc. and ABS-CBN Corp. both claimed higher television ratings for the month of June.

GMA said in a statement it increased its nationwide ratings lead in June after tallying strong ratings performance across all time blocks based on the latest data from the industry’s widely-trusted ratings service provider Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

From June 1 to 30, GMA posted a total day people audience share average of 41.6 percent in the National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM), which was ahead of ABS-CBN’s 38.3 percent.

Rival ABS-CBN Corp., meanwhile, said it recorded an average audience share of 45 percent in June versus GMA Network’s 32 percent, according to data from Kantar Media.

ABS-CBN also claimed it remained undisputed in Metro Manila, where it scored an average audience share of 43 percent against GMA’s 29 percent and beat other networks in Total Luzon, where it got 41 percent against GMA’s 36 percent. Darwin G. Amojelar

Singapore Airlines still upbeat on PH SINGAPORE Airlines Ltd. said it remains optimistic about its outlook in the Philippines due to the strong appetite for travel, especially from corporate and millennials.

“This market will continue to grow, a lot of opportunities for this market. We would love to do more flights in Manila if we could,” Balagopal Kundavara, general manager of Singapore Airlines, told reporters.

Kundavara said the airline was targeting between 80 percent and 90 percent load factor this year for Manila to Singapore flights.

SIA flies four times a day between Manila and Singapore and vice versa. The airline also flies to Singapore from Cebu and Davao.

Kudavara added that the Philippines was a “very important” market for Singapore Airlines, prompting the carrier to deploy New Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner to the market.

The 787-10 aircraft will operate on SQ915/ SQ918 flights to/from Manila starting July 3, 2018.

The 787-10 is the newest aircraft variant in Boeing’s Dreamliner family which boasts new cabin features, offering more space and convenience for travelers. Darwin G. Amojelar

Business

RCBC opens online forex trade platform RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp., the 10th-largest lender in terms of assets, became the first bank in the country to offer an online foreign exchange platform that allows clients and accountholders to buy and sell currency online.

RCBC said the Online FX Trading Platform was the only foreign exchange execution platform in the country that could be accessed using the web, eliminating the need for face-to-face or overthe-phone transactions when exchanging foreign currency.

The new product, developed by RCBC, allows bank clients to buy and sell foreign currency at any given time from the safety of their own homes, or even from other countries.

RCBC said to use the product, clients needed to enroll at least two different currency accounts with RCBC’s Online Banking platform. Once eligible, RCBC clients are free to buy and sell currency between their enrolled accounts.

RCBC’s Online Foreign Exchange product can easily allow the buying and selling of all major currencies such as US dollar, euro, Great Britain pound, Japanese yen, Singaporean dollar, among others, at very competitive rates “The Online FX Trading Platform revolutionizes foreign exchange transactions for the country. Never before has a Philippine bank been able to provide their clients a platform that allows them to trade foreign currency at their own time and place,” RCBC president and chief executive Gil Buenaventura said in a statement.

Interested clients are encouraged to go to their nearest RCBC branch for more information on RCBC’s Online FX Trading Platform.

RCBC is the financial flagship company of the Yuchengco Group of Companies. As one of the largest private universal banks in the country, RCBC is able to provide a wide scale of services through its thrift bank, investment bank, foreign exchange brokerage house, leasing company and overseas remittance companies. Julito G. Rada

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

B1

ADB lending $7b to support infra T

By Julito G. Rada

HE Asian Development Bank said it is lending over $7 billion mainly to support the government’s infrastructure projects.

The Ortigas-based multilateral lender signed an agreement with the Finance Department and the National Economic and Development Authority for an indicative $7.1-billion sovereign lending program to the Philippines from 2019 to 2021.

It said the proposed lending program would mainly support the government’s

‘Build, Build, Build’ program. About two-thirds of the ADB pipeline, or about $4.5 billion, would be allocated for projects to connect regions and communities and manage urbanization such as railways, bridges, roads and flood management, it said.

The bank said the remaining third of the pipeline would focus on policy support and social assistance in the areas of inclusive finance, capital market development, local government development and youth employment.

The agreement covers an indicative three-year rolling program that is revisited annually.

ADB reaffirmed its strong commitment to support the government in raising the country’s growth trajectory

and reducing poverty and income inequalities.

National Economic and Development Authority director-general and Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia witnessed the signing ceremony on June 29. Other officials who attended the event were from the Public Works, Transportation and Interior and Local Government Departments.

“I am very happy about this program,” Pernia said.

“ADB has been very cooperative and helpful in our objectives to sustain our economic growth and achieve inclusive development. This will help bring us closer to our longer-term vision of a prosperous, middle-income country

where no one is poor by 2040,” he said.

Finance assistant secretary Maria Edita Tan said the ADB was a very responsive partner for development. “When we asked them to consider co-financing some of the large infrastructure projects under the BBB program, ADB immediately stepped up to the challenge,” Tan said.

ADB’s Country Operations Business Plan 2019–2021 will focus on the strategic priorities of accelerating infrastructure and long-term investments, promoting local economic development and investing in people to support the government’s objective of reducing poverty incidence to 14 percent of the population by 2022, from the current 21.6 percent.

Govt spending P56b monthly in ‘Build, Build, Build’ —Dominguez

Taiwan notes success in drawing PH tourists MEET Taiwan, Taiwan’s Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conferences and Exhibitions promotion program, continues to solidify its presence in the Southeast Asian region with $1.46 billion in revenues in 2017 from $1.42 billion in 2016.

At least 290,000 foreign visitors came from the Philippines in 2017, a 68-percent increase from the previous year.

The Philippines comprised 13 percent of the total 2.18 million tourist arrivals in 2017 from Southeast Asia, said Jessie Tseng, executive director of Meet Taiwan.

The increase in the number of tourists could be attributed to the visa-free policy implemented by the Taiwan government starting in November 2017, after seeing 90,000 Filipino tourists flocked to Taiwan in the last quarter of the previous year.

Tseng added reforms in economic policies would entice Filipino businesses to avail of their MICE opportunities in Taiwan.

“The Taiwanese government spares no efforts to attract more MICE visitors from the Southeast Asian region under the country’s Southbound Policy,” said Tseng.

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

Members of the ‘Build, Build, Build’ team hold a news briefing at the site of the New Clark City, showcasing recent developments in the government’s infrastructure program. Shown are (from left) Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, MTD Clark Inc. president Nicholas David, MTD Clark Inc. chairman Isaac David, Bases Conversion Development Authority president Vince Dizon and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.

AlloyMTD of Malaysia investing P1.5b in Palayan IT park F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

53.4320

Japan

Yen

0.009043

0.4832

UK

Pound

1.319500

70.5035

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127471

6.8110

Switzerland

Franc

1.007760

53.8466

Canada

Dollar

0.761209

40.6729

Singapore

Dollar

0.732869

39.1587

Australia

Dollar

0.738500

39.4595

Bahrain

Dinar

2.638522

140.9815

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266645

14.2474

Brunei

Dollar

0.730194

39.0157

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.030120

1.6094

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

14.5480

Euro

Euro

1.165900

62.2964

Korea

Won

0.000898

0.0480

China

Yuan

0.150512

8.0422

India

Rupee

0.014589

0.7795

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.247463

13.2224

New Zealand

Dollar

0.675300

36.0826

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032739

1.7493

Source: PDS Bridge

By Othel V. Campos MALAYSIAN conglomerate AlloyMTD and the city government of Palayan agreed to develop a P1.5-billion information technology park in the capital of Nueva Ecija province.

The Palayan City Government Center and Central Business Hub is being constructed on a 30,013-square-meter property in Barangay Singalat. AlloyMTD Philippines, the local unit of the Malaysian group, and Palayan City will sign an agreement for the project which would involve the management of a business process outsourcing hub for 30 years.

The creation of the IT park was backed by a presidential proclamation signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on June 25, 2018.

The board of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority recommended the creation of the ITP pursuant to Republic Act No. 7916, or the Special Economic Zone Act of 1996, as amended by RA 8748.

The three-hectare government and business center will also serve as home to the satellite offices of at least 12 na-

tional government agencies.

The presence of government offices within the hub will make it easy for residents of Palayan City and other cities and municipalities in Nueva Ecija to transact business with the national government. The center serves as a onestop-shop especially for those who plan to work abroad.

It houses the satellite offices of the National Bureau of Investigation, Labor Department, Philippine Overseas Employment Agency, Trade Department, Department of Information and Communication Technology, Social Security System, Government Service Insurance System, Philippine Statistics Authority and Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

Extension offices of the Foreign Affairs Department, Education Department and Commission on Elections will also open in the centre.

As an IT park, the hub is entitled to all benefits given to special economic zones to make it more attractive to foreign investors who would want to set up their own BPO offices in Palayan City.

The two buildings housing the BPO centers now have a total of 4,000 seats.

FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Wednesday the economy is expected to grow 7 percent or faster over the medium term as the government increases spending for the ‘Build, Build, Build’ infrastructure program.

Dominguez said government spending on infrastructure in the first five months of 2018 reached P281 billion, up 42 percent from the same period last year. He said the amount was on top of private sector construction and public sector projects financed through public-private partnerships.

Dominguez said that with P281 billion invested on infrastructure in the five-month period, the government was averaging close to P56 billion a month in spending on ‘Build, Build, Build’.

He said with 30 percent of this spending going to wages, about P17 billion was infused into the economy a month in the form of additional income and purchasing power for workers.

The infrastructure program also generated 100,000 new jobs so far, spurring economic activity in related sectors and other multiplier effects, he said.

“Build, Build, Build will drastically alter the Philippine economic landscape. It will create over a million jobs per year. It will bring our logistics backbone up to par in a region that is growing very dynamically,” Dominguez said in a speech in Clark Freeport.

Dominguez said that combined with other reforms such as the long-due modernization of the tax system and improvement in the ease of doing business, the Duterte administration envisioned the infrastructure program to reduce poverty incidence by a third of the 2015 level of 21.6 percent to just 14 percent by 2022.

“This will be the absolute measure of success of our strategy of inclusive growth. This is the goal that has been set for us by President Duterte, and this is how we are implementing it,” said Dominguez. Julito G. Rada

Arroyo calls ERC an ‘unappreciated’ agency despite major achievements

By Alena Mae S. Flores

RETAIL CONFERENCE. Wilcon Depot Inc., a leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer, signs up as a platinum sponsor for the 25th edition of the National Retail Conference and Stores Asia Expo 2017 slated on Aug. 9 to 10 at SMX Convention Center Manila. Wilcon’s support gives the Philippine Retailers Association a major boost in its efforts to ensure the successful staging of the two-day NRCE 2018 conference and expo with the theme “Reinventing Retail”. Signing the partnership agreement are (from left) PRA chairman and Picture City president Paul Santos, newlyelected PRA president and Wilcon Depot senior executive vice president and chief operating officer Rosemarie Bosch Ong and PRA vice chairman Lorenzo Formoso.

FORMER President and Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Wednesday called the Energy Regulatory Commission an “unappreciated” agency despite its major achievements.

“You have achieved a lot, and if ERC were not around, none of those benefits to the people of the Philippines would have been around. So do not bash yourselves and do not allow others to bash ERC,” Arroyo said during the agency’s 17th anniversary celebration.

Republic Act No. 9136, or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, was signed into law during Arroyo’s term as president.

Arroyo cited the progressive developments in the energy sector, including the establishment of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market starting in Luzon, then in the Visayas and in Mindanao later this year.

WESM, created under the Epira law, is the country’s trading floor of electricity.

Arroyo said among the achievements of the sector included the interconnection of the Luzon and Visayas grids to the Mindanao grid, the 91-percent electrification of the households, the implementation of prepaid electricity and net metering for consumers with solar panels, reduction of the system loss caps and the adoption of net settlement surplus.

She said these would not have been possible without the regulator’s participation.

Arroyo said while ERC was ‘unappreciated’ as a regulator, the agency’s tasks and its continued existence were important to the country.

The former president and economist said market forces worked best in a competitive regime and should go hand in hand with the development of consumers’ choice of electricity supplier.

Arroyo said the Technical Working Group in Congress decided to adopt a bill that aimed to strengthen the ERC as authored by Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco.

B2

Business

THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market extends rally; PLDT rises

T

HE stock market climbed for the fourth straight day Wednesday, buoyed by continued bargain hunting and prospects of a solid economic growth despite higher inflation.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index surged 81.08 points, or 1.1 percent, to 7,348.42 on a value turnover of P4.9 billion. Gainers and losers were even at 100 each, with 56 issues unchanged.

Casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp. advanced 4.4 percent to P10.18, while PLDT Inc., the biggest telecommunications company, gained 2.4 percent to P1,299.

SM Prime Holdings Inc. of retail tycoon Henry Sr. rose 2.8 percent to P37, while BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender in terms of assets, added 2.1 percent to P128.60.

The rest of Asian markets were down Wednesday as trade tensions between the US and China continued to weigh on investor sentiment ahead of the imposition of new tariffs.

Hong Kong was flat at the open and later fell 1.0 percent, after a Tuesday sell-off that saw the market fall more than three percent at one point.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index also closed down 1.0 percent, with while Tokyo’s Nikkei was off 0.31 percent.

Wall Street ended the session down in a shortened trading day ahead of Wednesday’s Independence Day holiday, with falls in tech stocks pressuring the market.

Concerns remain for Shanghai, which is down more than 20 percent from its January high on concerns about a slowing economy, even before new US tariffs threatened by Donald Trump kick

in Friday.

China’s yuan is also under pressure, though it leveled after a rally on comments from central bank chief Yi Gang, who pledged to keep the exchange rate stable and avoid using the currency as a weapon in any trade war.

The unit has fallen around eight percent since the end of March, adding to fears about the economy as leaders struggle to cap massive debt while supporting growth.

Despite the central bank’s reassurances, “the markets remain very bearish on China... well over and above trade tensions, as waning growth momentum has contributed to diverging economic indicators versus the US,” said Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trade at OANDA. “Unless there’s compromise in the trade dispute, the yuan should remain

under pressure,” he added.

But there is little sign of an easing in the standoff between Beijing and Washington, with a Chinese court decision to temporarily ban chip sales by US tech company Micron Technology further souring the atmosphere.

While the case was primarily a dispute between Micron and a Taiwanese firm, the ruling comes after the US blocked China Mobile from the US market.

The move fueled “speculation the decisions were part of the tit-for-tat trade war,” wrote David de Garis, director of economics and markets at National Australia Bank.

Tokyo traders were cautious about the trend in Chinese stocks but “with the prospects that the yuan’s depreciation is bottoming out... buying back supported the Japanese market later,” Okasan Online Securities strategist Yoshihiro Ito said in a commentary. With AFP

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

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

59.6 88.2 2.9 126.7 1.47 33.5 16.46 14.42 3.43 8.68 0.68 1.46 0.54 74.65 1.13 20.8 48.3 195 117.4 28.85 200.2 1,855 87.15

59.6 88.2 2.9 128.6 1.47 33.5 16.46 14.78 3.52 8.71 0.68 1.46 0.54 74.65 1.13 20.8 48.3 195.1 117.5 28.85 203.4 1,855 87.4

57.25 87.2 2.9 125 1.47 33.35 16.4 14.42 3.43 8.68 0.68 1.46 0.54 73.7 1.09 20.8 48.25 185 117 28.5 198 1,855 87.15

FINANCIALS 57.25 10,250 88 2,129,070 2.9 5,000 128.6 2,151,880 1.47 10,000 33.4 36,800 16.4 75,800 14.64 266,300 3.51 19,000 8.71 14,200 0.68 3,000 1.46 2,000 0.54 37,000 74.6 3,032,590 1.1 723,000 20.8 200 48.25 13,800 195 7,400 117 400 28.6 16,300 203 322,180 1,855 90 87.4 6,030

599,735.50 186,774,277 14,500 272,745,258 14,700 1,230,350 1,245,332 3,890,528 65,420 123,336 2,040 2,920 19,980 224,890,568.50 799,050 4,160 666,460 1,429,473 46,900 467,695 65,163,419 166,950 526,517

-592,598.50 -60,478,104 -3,853,671 1,376,646 105,085,532 44,200 -33,780 -105,970 13,830,402 -87,150

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

34.75 15.74 0.58 1.17 26 0.238 3.1 15.9 192.1 48.4 22.7 65 1.87 4.95 8.3 10.2 15.8 10.8 7.3 5.14 14.82 61.1 21.4 7.11 14.28 2.37 260 39.6 5.17 3.3 28 11.22 20.3 354 0.188 6.98 2.2 4.1 8.97 7.1 7.69 1.27 11.82 51.95 5.95 4.61 2.23 3.4 1.91 12.48 61.3 5.35 0.127 125 2.52 2.51 20 1.45

35.3 15.8 0.58 1.2 26.7 0.244 3.1 16.2 192.1 48.4 22.7 65 1.87 4.95 8.3 10.22 15.8 10.86 7.3 5.25 14.98 61.1 21.4 7.11 14.66 2.56 260 39.6 5.29 3.32 28 11.38 20.3 358 0.193 6.98 2.24 4.12 8.99 7.65 7.7 1.31 12.1 52 6.08 4.61 2.31 3.4 1.94 12.48 62.55 5.35 0.13 125.5 2.52 2.51 21 1.55

34.65 15.68 0.57 1.16 24.8 0.233 3.05 15.9 192.1 47.35 22.2 65 1.76 4.95 7.8 10.16 15.7 10.74 7.16 5.14 14.58 61 21.25 7.04 14.28 2.35 251 39.6 5.11 3.23 27.1 11.16 19.96 350 0.188 6.82 2.2 4.09 8.82 6.81 7.69 1.27 11.82 51.6 5.95 4.61 2.2 3.4 1.84 12.32 61.3 5.2 0.126 123.8 2.52 2.46 20 1.44

INDUSTRIAL 35.15 1,537,700 15.8 799,100 0.57 694,000 1.2 448,000 25.2 86,200 0.239 860,000 3.07 2,040,000 15.94 543,600 192.1 10 47.5 496,700 22.7 12,900 65 150 1.77 349,000 4.95 1,000 7.8 17,800 10.18 534,300 15.76 64,900 10.74 20,500 7.25 1,301,800 5.19 855,100 14.66 2,579,300 61.1 27,650 21.25 22,000 7.04 70,100 14.48 1,036,000 2.51 7,938,000 259.8 1,220,700 39.6 200 5.15 90,000 3.23 6,000 27.2 171,300 11.16 129,600 20 795,300 358 381,680 0.191 1,670,000 6.86 22,500 2.2 3,043,000 4.09 54,000 8.85 354,100 6.81 5,648,500 7.7 40,100 1.31 133,000 12.1 18,900 52 858,930 6 20,000 4.61 1,000 2.2 204,000 3.4 2,000 1.91 130,000 12.32 7,200 62.4 182,810 5.3 44,400 0.13 530,000 124.8 1,290,390 2.52 5,000 2.47 1,162,000 20 8,300 1.55 9,990,000

53,731,535 12,585,702 395,600 530,120 2,175,800 205,670 6,265,520 8,720,390 1,921 23,781,750 287,895 9,750 620,530 4,950 138,940 5,441,092 1,020,406 221,510 9,403,285 4,428,021 37,821,920 1,689,205 468,950 494,977 15,025,212 19,639,090 312,920,260 7,920 467,953 19,690 4,687,435 1,450,204 15,917,265 136,123,472 318,650 154,252 6,694,640 221,280 3,153,634 40,930,757 308,760 171,830 227,888 44,596,107 119,950 4,610 460,610 6,800 245,530 88,768 11,391,573.50 234,220 68,790 160,993,897 12,600 2,876,380 168,700 15,084,410

-19,172,085 8,624,002 128,500 -85,940 -696,042 1,627,375 9,350 -123,240 7,116.00 -83,306 10,840 -2,812,290 671,103 -30,990,716 -1,196,222 -126,582 -6,319,876 -105,950 -61,180,838 -3,771,875 -14,618 -9,293,358 38,515,092 15,400 -1,684,681 -151,600 -17,748 -4,113,814 77,600 750,905.50 4,780 49,771,415 653,280.00 546,940

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

0.246 54 11.62 0.92 6 0.68 0.66 919.5 6 10.78 7.1 4.25 5.01 0.194 919 5.98 50.5 5.7 0.55 3.6 17.96 0.71 4.64 0.04 1.18 2.63 2.81 137.5 2.55 915 0.76 1.63 500 257 0.236 0.205

0.25 56.1 11.74 0.95 6 0.71 0.72 928 6.07 11.4 7.1 4.25 5.01 0.194 919 6.49 51.05 5.7 0.56 3.61 18.2 0.79 4.69 0.04 1.2 2.68 2.81 137.5 2.55 925 0.78 1.63 500 257 0.237 0.205

0.242 53.3 11.6 0.9 6 0.66 0.66 903.5 5.97 10.78 6.83 4.24 5 0.194 892.5 5.98 49.95 5.5 0.54 3.59 17.8 0.7 4.57 0.038 1.15 2.63 2.8 136.5 2.55 900 0.76 1.62 495 256 0.234 0.203

0.242 54.9 11.7 0.95 6 0.68 0.69 928 5.97 11.3 7.1 4.25 5 0.194 900 6.49 51.05 5.5 0.55 3.59 17.8 0.77 4.68 0.039 1.18 2.66 2.8 137.5 2.55 925 0.78 1.62 500 257 0.234 0.203

1,030,000 1,917,420 3,354,200 111,000 4,200 22,569,000 3,870,000 344,820 246,000 5,952,500 1,500 20,000 10,000 1,000,000 159,640 8,000 3,280,250 5,800 779,000 1,279,000 1,406,600 48,412,000 24,201,000 5,600,000 169,000 367,000 59,000 218,090 94,000 384,330 80,000 6,000 320 230 1,380,000 510,000

252,430 105,013,572.50 39,238,970 101,850 25,200 15,521,250 2,692,040 315,579,625 1,477,701 66,557,522 10,563 84,900 50,020 194,000 143,587,990 48,707 165,564,136.50 32,450 427,920 4,605,600 25,252,506 36,603,140 112,588,600 220,700 198,640 973,710 165,260 29,914,469 239,700 352,628,450 61,000 9,730 159,050 58,900 325,290 103,840

22,244,830.50 -6,964,336 -4,260 127,501,460 -648,082 29,616,856 40,675,575 875,041 3,220 4,790 -13,873,212 -93,310 -46,282,540 -4,786,606 123,303,110 -5,140 -

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

7.49 0.96 14.08 1.95 0.78 38 3.15 4.54 5.7 6.6 0.435 0.99 0.91 0.234 0.405 10.46 25.25 0.63 0.117 1.4 1.18 1.53 4.4 0.57 0.43 0.485

7.49 0.96 14.2 1.95 0.78 38.4 3.18 4.54 5.7 6.6 0.44 0.99 0.91 0.235 0.405 10.46 25.8 0.63 0.117 1.45 1.2 1.62 4.47 0.59 0.43 0.49

7.4 0.94 14.08 1.93 0.74 37.7 3.14 4.49 5.7 6.6 0.43 0.97 0.89 0.224 0.405 10.2 25.1 0.63 0.116 1.4 1.18 1.53 4.39 0.56 0.42 0.48

PROPERTY 7.44 0.94 14.2 1.93 0.75 38.2 3.16 4.5 5.7 6.6 0.44 0.97 0.89 0.226 0.405 10.2 25.25 0.63 0.116 1.42 1.2 1.59 4.45 0.56 0.42 0.49

1,128,300 2,497,000 3,100 215,000 2,767,000 6,245,900 137,000 150,000 5,300 1,100 410,000 273,000 953,000 6,430,000 110,000 5,783,400 762,100 1,000 90,000 9,195,000 1,011,000 17,175,000 26,486,000 20,468,000 5,130,000 460,000

8,395,692 2,367,550 43,660 416,450 2,064,300 238,131,445 433,270 674,610 30,210 7,260 178,200 265,500 853,150 1,464,510 44,550 59,193,344 19,280,165 630 10,460 13,125,520 1,203,050 27,131,820 116,977,130 11,670,540 2,177,350 223,450

NAME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

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

3.2 18.96 2.05 3.2 36 1.07 7.15 0.8 6.09

3.34 19.78 2.05 3.25 37 1.07 7.29 0.8 6.23

3.09 18.82 2 3.2 35.5 1.03 6.81 0.73 6.09

3.25 19.78 2.04 3.25 37 1.05 7.08 0.8 6.23

10,290,000 1,110,300 189,000 6,000 8,574,700 560,000 1,944,000 1,007,000 1,222,300

33,219,340 21,585,896 379,240 19,400 313,889,745 583,050 13,576,377 738,750 7,565,610

726,090 5,843,868 66,000 75,984,645 3,090 28,450 -1,892,870

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

15.18 24.8 1.38 0.465 0.043 13.5 5.03 9.79 0.052 67.7 8.8 7.2 6.84 2.16 19.58 1,640 5.4 240.6 3.11 2.1 78.5 12.98 8 0.143 3.19 4.08 14.9 4.07 1.11 24.15 4.16 5.25 2.59 2.72 2.57 17 9 11.02 8.52 3.35 120.5 5.18 1,268 0.85 0.36 46.5 79.7 8.11 1.85 1.16 0.43 4.86 0.77 11.7

15.18 24.8 1.38 0.465 0.043 14 5.9 10.18 0.053 68 8.8 7.2 7.47 2.16 20 1,693 5.4 265 3.2 2.1 79.8 12.98 8.02 0.146 3.29 4.16 14.9 4.2 1.12 24.3 4.33 5.25 2.65 2.74 2.78 17 9.07 11.02 8.52 3.45 127 5.18 1,299 0.87 0.36 46.5 81 8.4 1.93 1.16 0.45 4.94 0.77 11.9

15.12 24.25 1.38 0.46 0.042 13.5 5.03 9.79 0.052 66.65 8.8 7.03 6.84 2.16 19.3 1,618 5.38 240.6 3.11 2.07 78.5 12.7 8 0.139 2.9 3.8 14.9 4.06 1.05 23.95 4.04 5.13 2.59 2.58 2.57 17 8.95 11 8.52 3.29 120.5 5.12 1,268 0.85 0.335 45.8 79.5 8 1.83 1.15 0.425 4.86 0.75 11.7

SERVICES 15.12 24.4 1.38 0.46 0.043 14 5.9 10.18 0.052 67.45 8.8 7.09 7.38 2.16 19.86 1,693 5.4 265 3.17 2.07 79.5 12.7 8.01 0.141 2.99 3.85 14.9 4.17 1.05 24.05 4.29 5.19 2.59 2.68 2.78 17 9 11 8.52 3.41 121 5.12 1,299 0.85 0.35 46 81 8 1.85 1.15 0.445 4.92 0.76 11.9

8,300 207,500 30,000 1,230,000 6,200,000 2,000 1,000 8,404,000 3,460,000 677,360 100 1,887,800 7,600 1,000 57,700 20,755 77,400 9,970 572,000 66,000 719,310 2,200 33,000 16,030,000 32,137,000 856,000 200 215,000 1,839,000 442,900 90,000 306,000 219,000 432,000 11,000 100 1,841,900 4,200 1,500 121,000 1,370 189,300 52,810 1,327,000 820,000 944,700 347,380 504,400 2,087,000 502,000 24,620,000 1,379,000 690,000 1,294,000

125,678 5,046,445 41,400 566,350 265,500 27,500 5,813 84,672,012 180,010 45,443,800.50 880 13,382,003 52,687 2,160 1,140,622 34,873,805 417,769 2,591,170 1,814,920 137,260 57,233,475 28,060 264,407 2,280,290 99,252,730 3,343,440 2,980 887,830 1,960,810 10,680,580 381,520 1,591,094 571,010 1,150,440 28,480 1,700 16,598,214 46,214 12,780 408,020 165,655 972,198 67,909,995 1,130,730 286,350 43,471,005 27,947,310 4,063,017 3,914,830 579,920 10,867,400 6,757,910 525,550 15,247,518

-10,724,826 -16,577,962 -3,619,392 25,269,540 420,170 16,687,702 -1,600 -1,904,680 1,490 155,970 262,540 -1,148,850 -358,746 -5,490 -479,659 5,120 17,253,020 -320,790 -27,402,155 -18,000,008 -452,920 -346,080 -1,330,550 5,451,766

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

0.0025 1.47 4.02 19.44 1.69 0.3 7.15 2.17 0.187 0.128 0.127 0.0077 0.0079 1.53 4.59 1.29 0.51 1.36 0.012 0.012 0.012 3.16 4.8 10.7 30.3 0.006

0.0026 1.49 4.03 20.9 1.7 0.3 7.7 2.17 0.187 0.129 0.127 0.0077 0.0079 1.58 4.59 1.32 0.51 1.39 0.013 0.013 0.012 3.16 4.85 10.7 31.25 0.0063

0.0025 1.47 4.02 18.72 1.69 0.3 7.15 2.13 0.184 0.125 0.127 0.0077 0.0078 1.51 4.52 1.22 0.49 1.27 0.012 0.012 0.011 2.94 4.5 10.56 30.3 0.0059

MINING & OIL 0.0026 67,000,000 1.48 414,000 4.03 59,000 20 40,400 1.7 273,000 0.3 700,000 7.67 11,600 2.15 1,775,000 0.186 50,000 0.125 1,960,000 0.127 710,000 0.0077 1,000,000 0.0078 13,000,000 1.52 511,000 4.53 896,000 1.29 367,000 0.495 501,000 1.31 6,502,000 0.012 23,300,000 0.013 2,100,000 0.012 17,700,000 2.95 447,000 4.5 389,000 10.56 1,427,600 30.8 1,501,300 0.0063 4,000,000

167,700 613,010 237,500 798,667 463,930 210,000 83,426 3,814,570 9,280 249,180 90,170 7,700 101,500 783,210 4,068,540 460,290 249,420 8,578,320 279,700 25,300 203,400 1,357,910 1,757,230 15,115,864 46,264,705 24,100

17,500 4,400 -4,030 1,958,200 965,260 7,100 -264,500 6,870,865 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF F FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2B PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2F

24 495 505 100.5 102.9 107 501 5.24 997 988.5 99.5 1.05 103 1,072 103.9 107 1,000 76.3 75.95

24 500 505 100.9 102.9 107 501 5.24 997 988.5 99.5 1.05 103 1,072 103.9 107 1,000 76.3 76.5

23.1 495 501 100.1 102.9 107 500 5.24 997 988 99.5 1.03 103 1,072 103.9 107 1,000 76.3 75.95

PREFERRED 23.1 284,900 500 2,190 505 2,030 100.9 11,280 102.9 40 107 40 500 900 5.24 100 997 40 988 40 99.5 5,500 1.03 462,000 103 6,960 1,072 25 103.9 10 107 4,900 1,000 1,010 76.3 10 76.5 103,360

6,755,470 1,094,950 1,017,150 1,129,732 4,116 4,280 450,680 524 39,880 39,535 547,250 475,930 716,880 26,800 1,039 524,300 1,010,000 763 7,901,540

-5,793,470 -1,000,000 -

LR WARRANT

2.35

2.42

2.33

WARRANTS 2.42 63,000

148,420

-

4,184,895 7,229,240

6,192 116,740

591,246

-

15,150

-

MS -2,078,485 355,300 7,500 -8,228,435 -15,780 17,960 -6,270 -4,350 178,400 160 4,685,550 257,045 -255,670 16,000 82,720,050 20,100 -

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

ITALPINAS XURPAS

5.15 3.39

5.29 3.43

5.11 3.28

FIRST METRO ETF

108

109.3

108

USD DMPL A1

10.1

10.1

10.1

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

9,282,700

INDUSTRIAL

50,576,640

HOLDING FIRMS

129,005,375

PROPERTY

135,836,526

SERVICES

113,925,572

MINING & OIL

149,291,899

GRAND TOTAL

590,893,475

5.2 3.35

SME

803,100 2,165,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 109.3 5,440 10.1

DDS

1,500

VALUE 1,798.59 (up) 10.98 796,209,177.95 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,465.87 (up) 18.40 968,386,477.35 HOLDING FIRMS 7,252.76 (up) 71.59 1,485,532,962.58 PROPERTY 3,625.24 (up) 62.24 1,418.27 (up) 26.83 1,014,376,530.775 SERVICES MINING & OIL 9,669.62 (down) 42.18 579,256,857.651 PSEI 7,348.42 (up) 81.08 86,059,173.5104 All Shares Index 4,454.04 (up) 44.21 4,941,832,727.92 Gainers: 100; Losers: 100; Unchanged: 56; Total: 256

NLEX tapping bond market again in Q4 to raise funds

By Jenniffer B. Austria NLEX Corp., a unit of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., plans to go back to the bond market in the fourth quarter of the year to raise funds for the P16billion NLEx-SLEx Connector Road project.

NLEX president Rodrigo Franco said in an interview at the sidelines of the listing of the company’s P6-billion fixed rate bonds with Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. the toll road operator might issue a second tranche of bonds from its P25-billion bond shelf registration.

The company is finalizing the size of the second tranche of the bond offering. Depending on the condition of the market, Franco said the company might also opt to fund the connector road project through a bank debt.

He said the company was preparing the funds needed for the connector road whose construction is scheduled to start by early 2019.

“We are now doing some preliminary works for the connector road project but the full-blast construction will start by early next year,” Franco said.

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

The project is expected to decongest traffic in Metro Manila by providing an alternative entry to NLEx, bypassing Edsa and C5, which are both congested.

Franco said the company may also borrow roughly P12 billion to finance the construction of Cavite Laguna Expressway project.

“That will be through bank loan,” he said.

Calax, one of the largest publicprivate partnership projects, involves the construction of a four-lane, 47-kilometer closed-system toll expressway connecting Cavitex (Manila–Cavite Expressway) and South Luzon Expressway.

ATI reports record volume of shipments

By Darwin G. Amojelar ASIAN Terminals Inc. on Wednesday said it recorded its highest mid-year container volume due to the growing Philippine economy.

Manila South Harbor handled over 560,000 twenty-foot equivalent units of foreign containerized shipment in the first six months of 2018, bannered by a back-to-back 100,000-TEU performance achieved in May and June.

The volume represents nearly a five-percent increase year-on-year in step with the country’s economic growth pace.

ATI in May handled an all-time high single-month volume of nearly 105,000 TEUs, followed by over 103,000 TEUs in June.

While volume has increased, terminal efficiency and yard utilization at Manila South Harbor have remained optimum.

Aside from growing customer preference, ATI cited the efforts of the Bureau of Customs-Port of Manila, through the leadership of district collector Erastus Sandino Austria, as positive contributor to the volume upsurge, especially for promoting a private-sector and customer-centric philosophy at the POM, which have resulted in greater port efficiencies.

“Through ATI’s and BoC’s collaboration, we are ensuring the seamless flow of goods through Manila’s main gateway port for a robust supply chain,” ATI executive vice president William Khoury said.

ATI also credited the Terminal Appointment Booking System or TABS, an online cargo delivery scheduling system, for sustaining the orderly and uninterrupted flow of trucks and shipment at the port 24/7, as well as its employees, unions, port authorities and other stakeholders for contributing to its milestone achievements.

In anticipation of future growth and aligned with the government’s BuildBuild-Build Program, ATI is spending a minimum of P8 billion in capital expenditures this year to further increase the capacity and efficiency of the ports it operates, in line with its investment commitment with the Philippine Ports Authority.

World

B3

THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Ex-PM Najib charged with corruption

K

UALA LUMPUR―Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak was formally charged Wednesday with corruption linked to a multi-billion dollar financial scandal that contributed to his shock election defeat less than two months ago.

The first ex-premier in Malaysia to appear before a judge, Najib pleaded not guilty to three counts of criminal breach of trust and a separate charge that he abused his position to pocket 42 million ringgit ($10.4 million).

Each charge could see him jailed for up to 20 years.

The unprecedented court appearance came the day after the 64-year-old was arrested at his luxury home by officers probing how billions of dollars of state funds disappeared on his watch.

In court, the former leader appeared tired and hung his head often during proceedings.

Allegations of massive corruption were a major factor behind the electoral earthquake in May that toppled Najib’s long-ruling coalition and ushered in a reformist alliance headed by his 92-yearold former mentor Mahathir Mo-

hamad.

Wednesday’s court hearing was the latest step in a quick-moving investigation into alleged wrongdoing by Najib, his family and many of his close political and business allies.

“Najib is the first [former] prime minister ever to be charged in court in the history of Malaysia,” said Tian Chua, vice president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, a key political party in the current ruling coalition.

“It signals a new era where no one in public office will be immune from punitive action if they abuse power,” he added.

Najib is expected to be freed on bail later Wednesday after the court decided on a one million ringgit bond.

The former premier was also ordered to surrender his two Malaysian passports.

ERUPTION.

A plume of fresh ash is released as Mount Agung volcano erupts at the Kubu subdistrict in Karangasem Regency on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on July 4, 2018. AFP

Attorney General Tommy Thomas, who leads a 12-member prosecution team, had requested bail of four million ringgit in cash, but Najib’s lawyer Muhammad Shafee insisted his client was “not a flight risk”.

The court set a tentative date for the trial, beginning in February 2019.

“We have a strong prima facie case which we intend to prove in the trial,” Thomas told reporters after the hearing.

Thomas had to move the venue of his press briefing to a different part of the building after Najib supporters heckled him and demanded that he speak in Malay, the country’s national language.

“As far as we are concerned we have been fair,” Thomas said.

“Why should [Najib supporters] suspect we will not give a fair trial?”

According to an investigation by the Wall Street Journal, $10.6 million originating from SRC International Sdn Bhd, an energy company that was originally a sub-

Manila

Republic of the Philippines StandardENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

TODAY

rehabilitation of damage sustained by its transmission assets and other related facilities as a result of the FME. A copy of the FM PassThrough Amount Computation is hereto attached as Annex “E.”

San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

19. Further, the FM Pass-Through Amounts under this Application did not breach the Force Majeure Threshold Amount (FMTA) of PhP0.0336/ kWh in accordance with the RTWR. A copy of the FMTA Computation is hereto attached as Annex “F.”

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF THE NATIONAL GRID CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES FOR THE APPROVAL OF FORCE MAJEURE EVENT REGULATED FM PASS THROUGH FOR TYPHOON RUBY AND TROPICAL STORM SENIANG IN VISAYAS AND MINDANAO, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES FOR SETTING TRANSMISSION WHEELING RATES, WITH PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY, NATIONAL GRID PHILIPPINES

CORPORATION

OF

20. Also, NGCP considered the Net Fixed Asset Value of the transmission assets and other related facilities damaged by the FME Ruby and Seniang given that NGCP would have normally fully recovered the return of capital on said assets for the duration of their economic lives had these assets not been damaged or destroyed by the FME Ruby and Seniang.

ERC CASE NO. 2015 -205 RC

THE

JUSTIFICATION FOR THE ISSUANCE OF PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

Applicant. x - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

21. NGCP respectfully moves for the issuance of a provisional approval for the immediate recovery of the FM Pass-Through Amounts pursuant to Section 3, Rule 14 of the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 04 December 2015, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) filed an Application dated 02 December 2015 for the approval of its force majeure event regulated Force Majeure (FM) Pass-Through for Typhoon Ruby and tropical storm Seniang in Visayas and Mindanao, in accordance with the Rules for Setting the Transmission Wheeling Rates (RSTWR), with prayer for provisional authority.

22. NGCP needs to immediately recover the actual expenses incurred for the repair, restoration and rehabilitation of the damaged transmission assets and other related facilities. It must be emphasized that the occurrence of the aforementioned FME Ruby and Seniang required massive capital infusion, thus, the recovery of which should be allowed immediately in order to avoid any financial strain in the operation of NGCP and to allow the continuous provision of transmission service to the grid customers.

NGCP alleged the following in its Application: 1.

NGCP is a corporation created and’ existing under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with principal office address at NGCP Building, Quezon Avenue corner BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City.

It is the concessionaire which assumed the power transmission functions of the National Transmission Corporation (TRANSCO) pursuant to Republic Act No. (RA) 9136, otherwise known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA).1

2.

Under RA 9511,2 NGCP was granted a franchise to construct, install, finance, manage, improve, expand, operate, maintain, rehabilitate, repair and refurbish the present nationwide transmission system of the Republic of the Philippines.

3.

On 15 January 2009, NGCP assumed, transmission functions of TRANSCO including the operation, management and maintenance of the nationwide electrical grid.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

A. Typhoon Ruby 4.

5.

On or about 6 December 2014, Typhoon Ruby entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility with maximum winds of 215 kph and gustiness of 250 kph. Due to its intensity and heavy rainfall, NGCP’s transmission assets and other related facilities in the Visayas area were damaged causing widespread power interruption over the area. A copy of the Certification dated 26 January 2015 issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is attached herewith as Annex “A.”

23. In addition, the timely implementation of the FM Pass-Through Amount will allow the equal or even spread of the increases or decreases in tariffs from the initial implementation of the recovery of the cost.

24. A copy of the Judicial Affidavit of Agnes F. Dela Cruz, Head, Tariff Design and Billing Management Division, Revenue and Regulatory Affairs, in support of the instant Application, is hereto attached as Annex “G.” 25. Lastly, in compliance with Rule 6 of this Honorable Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, the pre-filing requirements of the instant application are attached herewith as Annex “H” and series.

PRAYER WHEREFORE, it is most respectfully prayed of this Honorable Commission to: 1.

DECLARE the Typhoon Ruby and Tropical Storm Seniang as Force Majeure Events (FMEs);

2.

GRANT Provisional Approval to implement and bill the FM Pass-Through Amounts to Visayas and Mindanao customers starting January 2016 billing month to December 2020 billing month or until such time that the amount incurred is fully recovered;

After the occurrence of Typhoon Ruby, in compliance with Article X of the RTWR, NGCP filed with this Honorable Commission a Force Majeure Event (FME) Notice regarding Typhoon Ruby dated 20 January 2015. A copy of the FME Notice regarding Typhoon Ruby dated 20 January 2015 is attached herewith as Annex “B.”

B. Tropical Storm Seniang 6.

7.

Polish Supreme Court’s chief justice defies ‘purge’ WARSAW―Poland’s Supreme Court chief justice showed up at work on Wednesday in defiance of a retirement law pushed through by the right-wing government but criticized by the EU as undermining judicial independence.

The European Union on Monday launched legal action against Poland over the reform, the latest salvo in a bitter battle over the sweeping judicial changes introduced by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) government that critics have slammed as unconstitutional.

According to Amnesty International, judges in Poland are “experiencing political pressure” in connection with the PiS judicial reforms that critics insist pose a threat to the separation of powers that is key to democracy.

Malgorzata Gersdorf has branded the PiS reform, which lowers the retirement age of its judges from 70 to 65, as a “purge of the Supreme Court conducted under the guise of retirement reform.”

Insisting that “the constitution gives me a six-year term,” Gersdorf, who is 65, has refused to comply with the reforms that require her to step down immediately, cutting short her tenure slated to end in 2020.

Chanting “Free courts!”, “Constitution!” and “Irremovable!”, several thousand supporters greeted Gersdorf early Wednesday as she made her way into the Supreme Court in central Warsaw.

“I’m not engaging in politics; I’m doing this to defend the rule of law and to testify to the truth about the line between the constitution and the violation of the constitution,” Gersdorf told reporters and supporters after re-emerging from the court. AFP

IN BRIEF 70 dead or missing in ferry accident JAKARTA―Some 70 people are dead or missing after a ferry ran aground off the coast of Indonesia, according to an updated official toll Wednesday, the latest deadly maritime accident in the Southeast Asian archipelago.

The KM Lestari was carrying about 140 passengers and dozens of vehicles when damage to its hull forced the captain to ground the vessel on Tuesday afternoon about 985 feet off Selayar island, near the larger island of Sulawesi.

Images from the scene showed terrified passengers clinging to the side of the tipped over ferry, while others floated in the sea awaiting help.

Waves swamped the boat’s deck, sweeping trucks and other vehicles overboard, as rescuers battled high winds and rough seas to pluck victims from the water.

Indonesia’s disaster agency said 29 people died in the accident while another 41 are still missing.

Nearly 70 people have been rescued, it added. AFP

Family of cave boy long for reunion MAE SAI, Thailand―Pheeraphat Sompiengjai’s family still have a birthday cake in the fridge waiting for his return home, as the discovery of the missing boy and his football team in a Thai cave brings joy to relatives but despair at the long rescue ahead.

Grilled pork and dessert had been prepared as a post-football birthday treat for Pheeraphat― known by his nickname ‘Night’who turned 16 on June 23.

Night’s relatives waited that evening to celebrate his birthdayhis 17th by Thai tradition. But he did not come home.

Instead Night, his 11 teammates and their 25-year-old coach made the ill-fated decision to walk into the Tham Luang cave after training.

The boys chipped in to buy snacks to take down to the cave to mark his birthday, relatives at Night’s village of Vieng Hom said on Wednesday.

They speculated it was those snacks that sustained them during the nine-day ordeal before they were found late Monday huddled in the dark on a muddy bank, flood waters ominously beneath them. AFP

8.

On or about 28 December 2014, Tropical Storm Seniang entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility with maximum winds of 65 kph and gustiness of 80 kph. The occurrence of Tropical Storm Seniang caused damage to NGCP’s transmission assets and other related facilities in the Visayas and Mindanao. A copy of the Certification dated 1 March 2015 issued by the PAGASA is attached herewith as Annex “C.”

2017

2018

2019

2020

P/kW-mo.

0.76

0.59

0.22

0.21

0.20

P/kWh

0.0016

0.0013

0.0005

0.0005

0.0004

Mindanao

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

P/kW-mo.

0.30

0.08

0.07

0.07

0.06

P/kWh

0.0006

0.0002

0.0002

0.0001

0.0001

4.

APPROVE, after due notice and hearing, the proposed FM Pass Through Amount to be collected from the Visayas and Mindanao customers starting January 2016 billing month to December 2020 billing month or until such time that the amount incurred is fully recovered, as follows; Visayas

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

P/kW-mo.

0.76

0.59

0.22

0.21

0.20

P/kWh

0.0016

0.0013

0.0005

0.0005

0.0004

Visayas

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

P/kW-mo.

0.30

0.08

0.07

0.07

0.06

P/kWh

0.0006

0.0002

0.0002

0.0001

0.0001

5.

APPROVE and ALLOW the recovery of the Net Fixed Asset Value of the transmission assets and other related facilities damaged by the FME Ruby and Seniang amounting to PhP16,556,597.57, given that it would have been fully recovered by NGCP if these transmission assets and other related facilities have not been damaged or destroyed by FME Ruby and Seniang; and

6.

EXCLUDE the proposed Pass-Through Amount from the side constraint calculation.

Under Section 1.3(a) of the Rules for Setting Transmission Wheeling Rates (RTWR), an FME is defined as a “typhoon, storm, tropical depression, flood, drought, volcanic eruption, earthquake, tidal wave or landslide.”

11. In relation to the occurrence of the FME Ruby and Seniang and pursuant to Section 10.1.1 of the same RTWR, NGCP is allowed to recover the cost it incurred in the repair, restoration, and rehabilitation of its transmission assets and other related facilities damaged by the FME Ruby and Seniang through an FM Pass-Through Amount.

2016

APPROVE the Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) amounting to Php 37,809,639.76 incurred by NGCP for the repair, restoration and rehabilitation of the damaged transmission assets and other related facilities due to the Typhoon Ruby and Tropical Storm Seniang as FMEs;

Immediately after the devastation of Typhoon Ruby and Tropical Storm Seniang, NGCP started the repair, restoration and rehabilitation of its damaged transmission assets and other related facilities to restore the transmission of electricity in the Visayas and Mindanao areas. As a result, NGCP incurred additional cost for the repair, restoration and rehabilitation of the said transmission assets damaged by Typhoons Ruby and Seniang.

10. Ruby and Seniang were categorized by PAGASA as “Typhoon” and “Storm” in its Certifications dated 26 January 2015 and 1 March 2015, respectively. Therefore, Typhoon Ruby and Tropical Storm Seniang fall within the definition of an FME in accordance with Section 1.3 of the RTWR.

Visayas

3.

After the occurrence of Tropical Storm Seniang, in compliance with Article X of the RTWR, NGCP filed with this Honorable Commission an FME Notice regarding Typhoon Seniang dated 12 March 2015. A copy of the FME Notice regarding Typhoon Seniang dated 12 March 2015 is attached herewith as Annex “D.”

FORCE MAJEURE EVENT CLAIM 9.

sidiary of 1MDB, was transferred to Najib’s personal bank accounts, a fraction of hundreds of millions of dollars from 1MDB that was allegedly funneled to him.

Najib and the fund deny any wrongdoing.

Since the election loss Najib has been banned from leaving the country.

NGCP prays for other relief deemed just and equitable under the premises.

The Commission has set the Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on the following dates:

DATE

TIME

VENUE

PARTICULARS

16 July 2018 (Monday)

12. Within three (3) months after the occurrence of the FME Ruby and Seniang, NGCP filed before the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) FME Notice Regarding Typhoon Ruby dated 20 January 2015 and FME Notice Regarding Typhoon Seniang dated 12 March 2015, pursuant to Sections 10.2.1 and 10.2.2 of the RTWR.3

Ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.)

ERC Hearing Room, 15th Floor Pacific Center Building, San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

Jurisdictional and Expository Hearing

18 July 2018 (Wednesday)

Nine o’clock in the morning (9:00 A.M.)

ERC Visayas Field Office, St. Mary’s Drive, Banilad, Cebu City

13. Thereafter, within twelve (12) months after the occurrence of the FME Ruby and Seniang, NGCP hereby files the instant FME Claim Application, in accordance with Sections 10.2.1 and 10.2.3 of the RTWR.

Expository Presentation for Visayas Stakeholders

25 July 2018 (Wednesday)

Nine o’clock in the morning (9:00 A.M.)

ERC Mindanao Field Office, Mintrade Bldg., Monteverde Ave. cor Sales St., Davao City

Expository Presentation for Mindanao Stakeholders

30 July 2018 (Monday)

Two o’clock in the afternoon (2:00 P.M.)

ERC Hearing Room, 15th Floor Pacific Center Building, San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

P r e - Tr i a l Conference and Evidentiary Hearing

FM PASS-THROUGH AMOUNT COMPUTATION 14. It must be noted that NGCP has not recovered any amount from its Industrial All-Risk (IAR) Insurance Policy procured from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) for the year 2014 as compensation for the damage and cost it incurred in the repair, restoration and rehabilitation of the transmission assets and other related facilities damaged by the FME Ruby and Seniang. Thus, it is but proper for NGCP to file the instant FME Claim Application to recover the cost it incurred for the repair, restoration and rehabilitation of its transmission assets and other related facilities damaged by the FME Ruby and Seniang.

15. The total cost NGCP incurred as additional FME Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) for the repair, restoration and rehabilitation of its transmission assets and other related facilities damaged by the FME Ruby and Seniang is Thirty-Seven Million Eight Hundred Nine Thousand Six Hundred Thirty-Nine and 76/100 (Php 37,809,639.76).

Further, the recoverable values of the assets destroyed (Net Fixed Asset Value) is Sixteen Million Five Hundred Fifty-Six Thousand Five Hundred Ninety-Seven and 57/100 (Php16,556,597.57). The breakdown of the expenses4 is shown in the table below: FME CAPEX

NFAV

FME

TOTAL VISAYAS

RUBY SENIANG Total

27,113,681.07

MINDANAO

VISAYAS

-

13,544,183.30

MINDANAO -

10,204,035.58

161,269.31

2,851,144.96

13,708,372.96

27,605,604.18

10,204,035·58

13,705,452.61

2,851,144.96

54,366,237.33

Visayas

P/kWh Mindanao P/kW-mo.

P/kWh

2016 0.76 0.0016 2016

2017 0.59 0.0013 2017

2018 0.22 0.0005 2018

2019 0.21 0.0005 2019

2020 0.20 0.0004

i.

The petitioner’s name and address;

ii.

The nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and

iii.

A statement of the relief desired.

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may file their Opposition or Comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before Applicant rests its case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following:

40,657,864.37

491,923.11

16. NGCP proposes the Force Majeure (FM) Pass-Through Amount, in P/kW-month, as additional network charges in the Visayas and Mindanao starting the billing period of January 2016 to December 2020, or until such time that the amount incurred is fully recovered, computed as shown in the table below:

P/kW-mo.

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

1)

The name and address of such person;

2)

A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and

3)

The grounds relied upon.

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicant that they be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing.

Applicant is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours.

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

2020

0.30

0.08

0.07

0.07

0.06

0.0006

0.0002

0.0002

0.0001

0.0001

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal

17. NGCP proposes the FM Pass-Through Amounts for the years 2016 to 2020 to allow the recovery of the CAPEX incurred relative to the FME Ruby and Seniang pending the reset process for the Transmission Services for the Fourth Regulatory Period.

18. Although the instant FM Pass-Through Amounts are not included in NGCP’s Third (3rd) Regulatory Reset Application, the same can be recovered pursuant to Section 10.1.1 of the RTWR where NGCP is allowed to recover the cost incurred for the repair, restoration, and

1

2

3 4

Republic Act No. 9136 entitled, “An Act Ordaining Reforms in the Electric Power Industry, Amending for the Purpose Certain Laws and for Other Purposes” Republic Act No. 9511 entitled “An Act Granting the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines a Franchise to Engage in the Business of Conveying or Transmitting Electricity Through High Voltage Back-bone System or Int~rconnected Transmission Lines, Substations and Related Facilities, and for Other Purposes” Please see Annexes “B” and “D”.

Exclusive of Permit Fees (MS-JUNE 27 & JULY 5, 2018

LGUs

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

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On third year, Navotas hospital launches EMR computerization ON THE eve of its third anniversary, the Navotas City Hospital launched an electronic medical record system for more efficient delivery of health care services.

NCH will now use Bahmni EMR to process patient check-ups, admissions, or discharge. It will enable health professionals to easily access a patient’s medical and treatment history.

Present during the launching were Mayor John Rey Tiangco, Rep. Toby Tiangco, and other city officials.

“A few years ago, we envisioned having a hospital of our own. Our city government did not want to build a mere facility that treats patients. We wanted it to offer quality services, services that are at par with private hospitals,” Mayor Tiangco said.

NCH opened to the public in 2015 with a 50-bed capacity. It offers services including internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, obstetrics, and gynecology, among others.

“This computerization program reflects our dedication to continuous improvement. By harnessing technology, we make our processes more efficient and effective,” he said.

“At the heart of our efforts to improve our processes is the desire to serve Navoteños better, especially those who have less in life,” he added.

On the other hand, Rep. Tiangco recalled the pre-planning stages of the hospital during his last term as Navotas mayor.

“We wanted to build the very first hospital in Navotas and give quality medical services to our constituents without the burden of expensive fees and payments.

However, it was impossible for our city to shoulder all the costs,” he said.

His administration started the mass enrollment of indigent Navoteños to the PhilHealth program to help ensure the hospital’s self-sufficiency and sustainability.

“We targeted 3,000 beneficiaries and we were able to initially distribute 500 PhilHealth cards. Now, around 30,000 Navoteños have PhilHealth coverage,” he said.

However, Rep. Tiangco reminded that quality service does not mean merely providing inexpensive or free treatment. Jun David

1ST PAL CLARK-SIARGAO FLIGHT. Philippine Airlines opened a daily Clark-Siargao service last Sunday, the flag carrier’s 13th flight out of Clark airport and the longest route for its Next-Generation Q400 aircraft. Shown during the inaugural flight’s send-off ceremony at Clark are Clark International Airport Corp. president Alexander Cauguiran (center); PAL Express manager for Luzon and Mindanao Charmaine Chavez (2nd from left); Tourism Department Central Luzon Director Carolina Uy (right); PAL assistant manager for Visayas Huge Descallar; and CIAC Engineering manager Federico Garcia Jr.

Makati sends medical specialists to villages

By Joel E. Zurbano

T

HE city government of Makati announced on Wednesday it has started sending medical specialists to villages to serve residents who find difficulties going to the hospital for health check-ups.

Mayor Abigail Binay said the Ospital ng Makati initiated this specialized health care through its new barangay community service program. She added the hospital is bringing health specialists to four selected barangays in the first district beginning last Tuesday.

OsMak, the premier tertiary hospital run by the city government, will be fielding specialists from Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and General Surgery to the health centers of Barangays Pio del Pilar, Poblacion, Sta. Cruz, and San Antonio. These barangays are all from Makati City’s District 1. The hospital is

in the second district.

“I would like to congratulate OsMak for consistently delivering quality healthcare to our constituents in Makati. This community service program is a big help to residents of barangays in District 1 who find it difficult commuting to the hospital for their check-ups,” Binay said.

“This is our way of bringing specialized healthcare to them because we want to considerably improve the quality of life of every Makatizen,” she added.

OsMak launched the program in partnership with the Makati Health Department who chose the four pilot baran-

gays. Under the program, second and third year residents from OsMak will take morning or afternoon duties from Tuesday to Friday. Morning schedule is 9am to 12noon while afternoon schedule is 1 pm to 4 pm.

The OsMak doctors will entertain both scheduled and walk-in patients in the said barangay health centers, especially discharged patients from OsMak who need follow-up checkups. Apart from screening patients who need specialized medical care, the doctors will also conduct lectures and training for health workers, patients, and their relatives.

The resident-doctors will also assist in the implementation of national health programs in the barangays. More importantly, the specialists will conduct lay fora on common surgical illnesses; communicable and non-communicable diseases; mother’s classes; and child protection workshops, to name a few.

NEW BUILDING. The Chinese

General Hospital and Medical Center, owned and operated by the Philippine Chinese Charitable Association, Inc., held a groundbreaking ceremony of their new 17-story building at the CGHMC Compound on Monday. Present were (from left) Jose Castañeda, Jr., vice chairman, PCCAI; Antonio Tan, vice chairman, PCCAI; Florante Dy, chairman emeritus; Dr. James G. Dy, chairman emeritus and president; Dr. Benito Goyokpin, chairman; Jameson Dy, PCCAI vice chairman and senior vice president for Overall Operation and Administration of CGHMC; and Dr. Modesto Llamas, medical director.

Lino Santos

Muntinlupa opens state-of-the-art City Animal Pound at Tunasan A STATE-of-the-art facility for animal impounding is now open in Muntinlupa City.

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi inaugurated the newly constructed City Animal Pound, managed by the City Veterinary Office, located at Pacwood Site, Brgy. Tunasan on Wednesday.

The new Muntinlupa Animal Pound is a 405-sq. m. facility with six ken-

ECO-TOURISM PARK. Pagsanjan

Mayor Girlie J. Ejercito (third from left) and former Laguna governor ER Ejercito (second from left) join the Municipal Council and Municipal Architect Mansly Kimhoko (left) in the unveiling Monday of the scale model of the Our Lady of Guadalupe shrine and chapel at Cosme St., Barangay DOS, Pagsanjan, Laguna.

The shrine features a 292-step Holy Rosary and Stations of the Cross, an evacuation center, souvenir shop, picnic grove and food stalls. Roy Tomandao

nel cages, 35 single cages, one surgery room, one euthanasia room, a storage room, and a foyer, which will serve as a receiving room for clients.

MAP aims to foster One Welfare, which promotes the care and well-being of abandoned, abused and neglected animals, and the health and safety of the human community in general.

Canine and animal welfare advocates attending the program were: Philippine Veterinary Medical Association President Dr. Joy Santos, K9 Volunteers Corp.’s Beulah Amanda Aquino, Bureau of Animal Industry - Rabies Focal Person Dr. Minnie Lopez, and BAI Luzon Rabies Coordinator Dr. Noverlee P. Calub.

BAI Rabies Focal Person Dr. Minnie Lopez lauded the opening of the City Animal Pound and said that MAP will serve as a model facility to local government units in the country.

BAI is set to host officials from Kenya and plans to direct the delegates to the local animal pound for benchmarking.

Training center molds GenTri youth GENERAL TRIAS CITY—Mayor Antonio “Ony” Ferrer, through the City Social Welfare and Development GenTri City Training Center, continues to offer free short courses to out-of-school youths and unemployed adults in the locality to provide them with better job opportunities.

The center moved to its new home in Barangay Santiago last Monday.

It offers massage therapy, electronic assembly and servicing, wellness massage, dressmaking food and beverage service, hair care and beauty care, bread and pastry productions, and kiddie chef training during summer.

Around 750 residents finished various vocational and technical courses in the center since it started in 2009, during the term of current Rep. Luis Ferrer IV as mayor.

The free training on various courses aims to help residents find employment or start their own home-based or backyard business to augment their income.

One of the graduates of the training program, Jennifer Dunluan—a mother of twins from Pasong Kawayan II—finished Bread and Cake making, Hair and Beauty Care, Dress making.

She now earns by selling cakes online and putting up a salon in the area.

Davao City warns erring workers after viral video

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera DAVAO CITY—The city government on Wednesday vowed not to tolerate erring employees regardless of their position in the public service.

This was after video of a driver of the Office of the City Building Official, under the City Engineer’s Office, went viral for illegally parking a city vehicle and blocking several privately owned cars while he was dining in a restaurant.

The driver was later identified as Roberto Limboy, a job-order employee of the city.

City Administrator Zuleika T. Lopez said a memo was already issued to investigate the matter.

“I have already instructed the Human Resource and Management Office to conduct an investigation with regard to the issue and to pass a recommendation of the possible punishment that the driver will face,” Lopez said.

She said the incident served as a reminder to all government employees to always act with professionalism, especially since their actions will reflect the image of the city government.

Lopez noted that city government employees should go the extra mile in doing courtesies to the public especially since Davao City has too many tourists and visiting business investors.

“It is our responsibility to market what Davao can offer. I strongly encouraged the employees to participate by exhibiting exemplary behavior in dealing other people,” Lopez stressed.

Erwin Alparaque, HRMO head, said he already summoned the Office of the City Building Official to advise Limboy to report immediately to his office.

However, Limboy has been absent since the incident went viral.

“I want to hear the other side of the story. Limboy will explain himself first before we make any decision.

There might be some misunderstanding that leads to the fateful incident,” Alparaque said.

“It is a basic knowledge that a driver should park his vehicle properly, especially when he is a government driver. He himself should follow the law, since his action will reflect the image of the city,” he added.

Alparaque said the worst Limboy could face is termination, once the outcome of the investigation is not favorable to him.

Limboy explained to his immediate head, engineer Grace Catubig, that he was helping a barangay captain and a village councilor conduct an inspection before the incident was recorded.

QC’s P5.18-b supplemental fund reviewed extensively

By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte on Wednesday assured the public that the city’s P5.18-billion supplemental budget, which would fund various infrastructure, maintenance and operating expenses, and other expenditures for this year was reviewed extensively by the city council.

“In the past, the supplementary budget is just a matter of course that is passed, but this time, we want to make sure that all the documentation is in place, the paperwork has been studied, and the project has been scrutinized,” Belmonte said.

Under Ordinance No. 20CC-408, the billion-peso fund was appropriated from the city government’s savings from the previous year.

The amount, the council said, shall be used to complete equipment requirements in public high schools, energy-efficient street-lighting, solid waste management system, legislative sector support services, and city-paid faculty allowances.

The largest portion of the budget is set to go to infrastructure, with P3.7 billion allocated for hospitals and health centers, power-related public infrastructure, and other buildings.

A budget of P800 million is earmarked for the redevelopment of the Amoranto Memorial Sports Complex in preparation for the country hosting the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

As the council’s presiding officer, Belmonte thanked the 37-member city council for their cooperation in the study.

“That’s a lot of money. That’s the budget of many cities already, and here [in Quezon City], that’s just a supplemental budget,” she said.

Life

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

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Angus Beef Kare-kare, Bagnet Pakbet, and Christmas Sotanghon are some of the many dishes Chef Lau serves at his restaurant, Guevarra’s. (Photos from Guevarra’s Facebook page)

He path had seem to have been laid for Rolando Laudico when he took a tourism course in college.

But his fascination for all things culinary drove him to run away and join a kitchen.

At the tender age of seven, little Rolando was spending time in the kitchen, exploring the first few inklings of his calling. However, when it was time to pick a degree, he took tourism then had intended to move to Hotel and Restaurant Management. But before he could do so he met his future wife, Jackie, and he delayed shifting again.

But the call of the kitchen was too strong and the future chef found himself dropping out of school to work in fine dining establishments La Primavera in Greenbelt as a dishwasher and at Carpaccio along Yakal in Makati as its first pizzaiolo (pizza cook). eventually, though, his parents discovered his changing of path.

“My parents found out that I quit college and they asked me if I was serious about cooking,” he recalls. “I said that yes, I was, and they decided to send me to culinary school. Back then, we didn’t have [culinary schools in the Philippines], so I went to the US to study at the Culinary Institute of America.”

Upon finishing his studies, now Chef Rolando Laudico or Chef Lau went on to work in the kitchens in France and Australia, until he decided to set a business here at home.

Upon returning to the country, Chef Lau set up a catering business that would be the cornerstone of his culinary empire. One of his first purchases was a La Germania oven range, in a fitting homage to the stove that gave him his first taste of culinary passion.

“It was the very first La Germania that I

The kid who ran away

to find his path bought using my own money,” shares Chef Lau. “And it’s still working today, almost 18 years after I first got it.”

That range, says the restaurateur, has been through a lot—it’s stood by the company day and night, moving from site to site, getting rained on and even occasionally dropped, but still going strong and helping him and his crew of dedicated cooks serve delicious, perfectly made dishes.

Today, when he’s not in his restaurants or attending to his many e ng a ge me nt s , Chef Lau is honing the talent of his

budding chefs at home.

His 10-yearold Kea has been baking since she was seven, just like her dad, and

commandeers the kitchen every so often to whip up her specialties. “Aside from my wife teaching her, she learns recipes on YouTube,” claims the proud dad. “More often than not, she does desserts, I think idol niya ang mama niya.”

Cooking also serves as a family bonding activity for the Laudicos. “We cook pretty much everything, and when we cook together, my kids usually help out with the ‘dirty jobs’ like peeling garlic or vegetables,” shares Chef Lau. Things could have gone very differently for Chef Lau and the people who have been touched by his cooking had he turned his back on the culinary arts to pursue tourism, but it now seems inevitable that he would have gone down this road.

“No other profession allows you to receive immediate feedback from your hard work. When you feed somebody and you make that person happy, for me, there is no other feeling like it. I love making everybody feel satisfied through my food creations!” he enthuses.

TRUE CALLING.

Before Chef Rolando Laudico became the revered chef he is today, he had to drop out of school to work as a dishwasher in a fine dining restaurant.

THe search for prime office spaces in ideal locations becomes an easier task with opportunities opening up in Manila’s central business districts. eton Properties Philippines, Inc. opens two new office buildings, ready to serve companies looking for new headquarters or expansion locations in Makati City and Quezon City.

Prime office spaces open in Makati, QC The eWestPod in Makati has six floors of spacious office spaces.

Thriving Makati headquarters

Located at eton Westend Square along Chino Roces Avenue is eWestPod which has six sleek floors of spacious offices well-suited for multinational companies’ local corporate headquarters or global support servicing. A complete range of amenities and other modern conveniences contribute to business responsiveness and uninterrupted operations.

Near the major thoroughfares of Ayala and Buendia Avenues, eWestPod provides workers easy access to the train, buses, jeepneys, cabs, and even tricycles. The location brings them closer to the vibrant and soulful side of Makati—its independent art galleries, quaint cafes, and unique concept restaurants and stores.

Further, major commercial centers are also just mere minutes away and the whole master-planned development features eWestMall, which houses Self-sufficient work district two floors of retail spaces, assuring no in QC shortage of lifestyle options for those A center of convergence in the north pursuing their careers in the area. of Manila, eton Centris at the corner of

edsa and Quezon Avenue is home to Centris Cyberpod Five. The building aims to fulfill the needs of the growing business process outsourcing sector

The 25-story Centris Cyberpod Five aims to fulfill the needs of the growing BPO sector in Quezon City.

round-the-clock operations. It offers 100 percent emergency back-up power, full 24/7 security system, sufficient elevators, and parking spaces.

Outside, BPO professionals can enjoy wide green spaces, restaurants, shops, fitness centers, an events center, and a supermarket. Residential options and a hotel are also being built to give employees working at Cyberpod Five a selfsufficient mini-district where they can work and play.

As the complex is connected to the MRT and has its own transport hub with buses, shuttles, jeepneys, and taxis, workers gain access to Quezon City’s shopping, dining, and entertainment destinations, as well as schools, hospitals, churches, and government offices.

Both eWestPod in Makati and Centris Cyberpod Five in Quezon City complete eton’s integrated communities in these areas, providing office spaces that inspire productivity and promote a wellbalanced lifestyle.

Working areas have been designed to cultivate creativity and efficiency, with ample space and provisions for flexible configurations to ensure smooth work flow and overall employee well-being, no matter the industry. With quick acwith 25 floors of fully-provisioned pre- cess to transportation, dining, retail, and residence options, the locations are also mium working quarters.

Areas are laid out to create a work- appealing to future employees seeking ing environment conducive to focused, 24/7 work-life balance.

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Rekindling hope at home

Representatives from Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc., Habitat for Humanity, Tacloban City Housing, and Kawayanville HOA officers with the recipients of permanent shelters in Tacloban City.

F

orTY two-year old Wilbert Agote and editha Casilagan, 75, are only two of the many locals in Tacloban City whose lives had been disrupted when super typhoon Yolanda struck parts of the country in november 2013.

Agote and Casilagan, just like other families in the area, have since then striving to restore normalcy in their lives. nearly five years since that fateful day, their hope to truly live a normal life was restored when they received their shelters donated by Shell, through its social arm, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc., as part of its Disaster rehabilitation Program.

In order to provide homes to Yolandastricken families, Shell has partnered with Habitat for Humanity Philippines in support of the latter’s rebuild Philippines campaign.

Shell donated close to P30 million to construct new permanent shelters for the families in the Province of Leyte whose homes were ravaged by the storm. on April 11, Shell turned over the 5th and final batch of houses to the residents of Tacloban City. A total of 146 houses were awarded to their new owners since the program started.

The recent batch of beneficiaries expressed their gratitude to Shell for helping them rebuild their lives.

Agote said, “I am truly grateful to Shell and HABITAT for giving us this house because we can now relocate to a place that’s far from danger.”

“Fishing used to be our sole source of livelihood but now that we’ve transferred here, I can explore other modes of earning income for my family,” he added.

Casilagan echoed this sentiment. She enthused, “Thank you very much to Shell! This is a great help to us.”

More than just giving them homes, Shell ensured that the families relocate to a safe place as most of them were formerly residing in danger zones.

“The area where we used to live was located in a no Build Zone near the shoreline. It’s not safe there as something like Yolanda, which almost wiped us out, can happen again.

We now feel safe here in our new home,” said Casilagan.

Committed to its role as a responsive and caring corporate neighbor, Shell has made strides in helping rebuild the lives of Typhoon Yolanda victims.

A beneficiary signs the certificate of acceptance and occupancy rules.

Raffle-off to determine the shelter unit to be assigned to the beneficiaries.

An unconventional job convention Wake Up Manila job fair is happening at the SMX Convention Center Manila on July 6-7.

IF You’re not new to job hunting in a number of job fairs, then you’re probably fed up with long, boring lines that just leave you tired and still unemployed by the end of the day.

Springboard Philippines, the company behind Wake up Manila job convention, saw a need for the solution to job mismatches. According to the company, job conventions should be an avenue for job seekers to realize they have the capability to be successful. Springboard Philippines envisions Wake up Manila to be an opportunity for job seekers to find their dream team.

Wake up Manila, happening at the SMX Convention Center Manila on July 6-7, aims to shake up the job fair scene a bit with its fun and engaging programs and activities.

Here are five reasons job hunting veterans and newbies should check out this unconventional job convention.

the JobCon. It involves having an actual conversation with the company’s Hr representative. According to Jake Go, chief executive of Springboard Philippines, there is even a possibility for applicants to land a job on the same day.

Spacious

At Wake up Manila, booths are evenly spaced out for people to have ample space to go around and comfortably apply, since it will be held at the SMX Convention Center.

Filtered

one of the problems that Wake up Manila organizers want to give a solution to is talent gap. usually, exhibitors participate in job fairs even without the intention of actually hiring and only to pool talent. Wake up Manila carefully filtered out companies that are serious about getting the ideal team picked for them. Some of the participating comEntertaining panies at the JobCon are BDo, DMCI You don’t have to browse through your Homes, Alorica, Concentrix, ePerforphone over and over again to escape bore- max, HGS, Philusa, and government dom while waiting for you turn; Wake up agencies such as DoLe and PhilHealth.

Manila is a fun-filled job convention that will have acoustic performances by Don Insightful de Leon of Happy Fingers and Jayson experts from various industries will Fernandez. raffle prizes will be given offer participants nuggets of wisdom. away such as mobile phones from my- Pope magazine’s Tata Mapa and motiPhone and gift certificates for your next vational speaker and host Howell Mastaycation at Savoy Hotel. balot will have a talk at the event.

Engaging Wake Up Manila is happening on July The job fair promises candidates the 6-7 at the SMX Convention Center opportunity to get to know different com- Function Room 3 in Pasay City from panies and meet their representatives at 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Entrepreneur rebuilds business from the ashes In 2016, a fire in Benguet made headlines as it destroyed a warehouse—one that was owned by entrepreneur Kenneth So, and one that provided stable jobs for a lot of workers.

So and his team, some of them very loyal employees that had been with him for a long time, could only watch as years of hard work went up in smoke in a matter of hours.

So’s business, Granville Corporation Supply Holdings, is a strong player in the competitive supply chain industry.

The company plays a key role in the logistics and distribution of fast moving consumer goods across key markets. He

employs 400 people to ensure prompt servicing of customers.

The fire destroyed Granville’s fourstory warehouse in La Trinidad, Benguet, including P52 million worth of grocery items. Fortunately, So had the foresight to get a comprehensive fire insurance coverage.

After the unfortunate incident, So was able to get back on his feet as soon as possible with the help of his insurance company.

AXA Philippines, through its general insurance subsidiary Charter Ping An, swiftly came to his rescue and went the extra mile to process his claim promptly.

The ease and speed with which So was

able to receive his insurance claims and the attentive and dedicated service he received from AXA helped ease his burden. “now, our warehouse is being rebuilt,” he shares. “This is the start of a new beginning.”

His loyal staff also rallied together during a truly trying time. The company is now slowly but surely recovering.

So’s experience with AXA is proof of the insurer’s unwavering commitment to its customers, backed by superior financial strength and worldwide reach, to be there when it is most needed.

Visit www.axa.com.ph for more information.

Kenneth So was able to rebuild his business with the help of his fire insurance coverage.

Entertainment Peter Jackson has given fans a special glimpse of his upcoming film, ‘Mortal Engines,‘ a movie based on the British series of novels by Philip Reeve.

POST-APOCALYPSE NOW: THE END OF THE

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SM Kids Casting Call winners announced DARA Havilah Rubin from SM Megamall and Raven Vaughn Nielson from SM City Cagayan de Oro walked the final runway with catwalk confidence to become the Grand Winners of SM Kids’ Casting Call 2018 at SM Megamall.

Dara and Raven displayed confidence in every step they took on the runway wearing the latest trends from SM Kids, and stood out in the fashion photo shoot. As winners, they will each take home P25,000 plus clothing sponsorship and a modeling contract with SM Kids.

This year’s SM Kids’ Casting Call 2018 search began in April at SM stores and malls throughout the coun-

ROM the Bible to Nostradamus, the Mayan calendar and the Millennium Bug, fatalists, fantasists and the fervently religious have long been fascinated by the end of the world.

Movie directors love nothing more than feeding our deepest fears concerning overpopulation, pestilence and nuclear armageddon—and the cinema-going public laps it up.

The glut of dystopian fiction coming to theaters and video-on-demand over the coming months includes Peter Jackson’s Mortal Engines, Kim Jee-woon’s Inrang and Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi’s Luxembourg.

Shawn Robbins, the chief analyst at Boxoffice.com, sees the genre as the “definition of escapism,” an art form that assuages the primal desire to get back to basics.

“These types of films are often viewed as pessimistic glimpses into the future, which is certainly one valid interpretation, but they can also be self-reflective in a positive way,” he told AFP. “It’s easy to see post-apocalyptic and dystopian film settings as part of our inevitable doom, but we can also take them as lessons and parables because, at the heart of any good story, the human condition is explored and challenged.”

Zombies, big rocks from outer space and our own weapons of mass destruction are often the cause of the fictional apocalypse, but not always.

This year’s breakout hit A Quiet Place unleashed carnivorous aliens, while in I am Legend, The Andromeda Strain, 12 Monkeys and the Planet of the Apes movies, the bad guy was a virus.

Geophysical disasters do for the human race in Soylent Green, Waterworld, and Wall-E, while technology is the enemy in Logan’s Run and the various Terminator and Matrix movies.

George Miller’s 1979-2015 Mad Max films have inspired an army of so-called “cosplayers” who meet up at festivals to live out their fantasies as road warriors seeing in the collapse of civilization.

Every summer, more than 2,000 desk jockeys leave their day jobs across America to decamp to the

Kim Jee-woon's futuristic crime thriller ,'Inrang,' is a live-action adaptation of a popular Japanese anime.

Wasteland Weekend festival in the heat of the southern Californian desert.

“It’s a chance to get away from the regular rat race life and have fun,” 52-yearold Joseph Hileman, a security supervisor from Concord, near San Francisco, told AFP on his seventh visit in 2016.

Filmmaker Mike P. Nelson’s own pulpy take on the apocalypse, a slick but bloody 95-minute shocker called “The Domestics,” came out in select US theaters and on video-on-demand

CARE and Protect Life on Earth (CAPABLE) Foundation, an outreach program established by award-winning actor John Arcilla, recently joined Globe Telecom’s nationwide volunteering program called Time Please, in a bid to entice more people to participate in activities that promote environmental awareness.

Globe, in partnership with The Walt Disney Philippines, last month launched ‘‘Time Please’’ to encourage and empower Filipinos—including companies, organizations, families, and friends—to provide volunteer activities or participate in existing programs.

“As a responsible corporate advocate, Globe can best serve the Filipino nation by ensuring that as we transform lives with technology, we also do our part in sustaining a safe and green environment for this generation and the next. In this effort, we are reaching out to individuals, communities, and companies to help us create a ‘Globe of Good’ through Time Please,” said Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications of Globe.

Running until Aug. 19, ‘‘Time Please’’ is open to individuals willing and capable to do volunteer work. To join, volunteers

Thursday, July 5, 2018

57 Fox’s prey 58 Countess’s husband 59 Bullied 60 Desktop symbol 61 RBI or ERA 62 Sports palace 63 Slips into 64 Avec’s opposite 65 2016 Literature Nobelist DOWN 1 Red-tag events 2 Shrimp 3 Lover in a play 4 Unrehearsed 5 Helium or nitrogen 6 Not hollowed out 7 Do pull-ups 8 Draws a bead on 9 Marine’s training site (2 wds.)

10 Army doc 11 Avoid a big wedding 12 Late bloomer 13 Cowboy gear 21 Cribbage counter 22 Annoy 24 Lay down 27 Gawks at

SM Kids Casting Call 2018 grand winners Dara Havilah Rubin (top photo) of SM Megamall and Raven Vaughn Nielson (right) of SM City Cagayan de Oro.

‘Heneral Luna’ joins Globe and Disney’s volunteering ‘revolution’

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Leaf of grass 6 Nature’s bandage 10 Lunch or brunch 14 Olfactory stimulus 15 Cincinnati river 16 Lanchester of “Bride of Frankenstein” 17 Reading aids 18 Airport vehicle 19 Pixels 20 Basin companion 21 Yankee uniform features 23 Pried 25 Roman statesman 26 Make faces 27 October’s stone 29 Entice 32 Trojan War leader 37 Establish 38 Spring bulb 39 Import vehicle 40 Hatched 42 Ell 43 Biblical prophet 44 Hippie’s digs 45 Stick fast 49 Minds 53 Deterrence 56 Painted tinware

over the weekend.

“There’s a slight bit of macabre fascination with the idea that we could all be done for at any time, whether people want to admit it or not,” he said in an interview.

“There’s a strange almost-fantasy in most people’s minds that this is something that could happen. And I think some of these movies give us that glimpse and allow us to be fearful for a moment but safe.” AFP

try. Twelve kids were chosen as finalists and they had a glimpse of life on the runway and photo shoots.

Other winners included 1st runners-up Aikaa Karmela Ong from SM City Puerto Princesa and Ethan Chandler Suyo from SM Makati who happily took home P15,000 cash plus clothes sponsorship.

Margie Jasmine Carpenter from SM City Davao and Rami Abou Kaff from SM City San Pablo were named 2nd runners-up and received P10,000 cash plus clothing sponsorship as well.

Clothing used at the SM Kids Casting Call 2018 final runway is available at SM Kids department of The SM Store.

28 Remunerated 29 Prefix for dent 30 Very long time 31 Beaded shoe 32 Garage occupant 33 Required 34 Cell habitant 35 Poetic tribute 36 Veto 38 Docility 41 Expose or reveal 42 Long sigh 44 Cage

45 Rose pest 46 Big Dipper neighbor 47 “Great blue” bird 48 Smooths out 49 Flashes of lightning 50 What I is 51 Ms. Verdugo 52 Car type 54 Brit’s farewell (hyph.)

55 OPEC country 59 Rascal

should form a group of two to four members as well as nominate a team leader who is at least 18 years of age and has an active Globe or TM mobile number.

CAPABLE Foundation President John Arcilla said the objectives of “Time Please’’ complements the focus of his foundation, which centers on taking care of the environment.

“Volunteerism is whatever you can share to the community in terms of time,

talent or resources,” said Arcilla, who is known for top-billing the independentlyproduced movie Heneral Luna.

Among the programs of CAPABLE Foundation are Fit Earth-Fit All, a weekly fitness and urban planting program; Sining Kalikasan, which teaches kids how to appreciate and care for the environment; and a Sunday school program aimed at teaching Science, Math, and English to in-school youth.

Actor and CAPABLE Foundation President John Arcilla joins Time Please volunteers for an urban planting 101 in Parañaque City.

With an aim to green communities one ‘Fit Earth Fit All’ session at a time, CAPABLE Foundation recently held an urban planting 101 program in Parañaque City, wherein it taught around 30 mothers valuable gardening skills. The program also aims to encourage mothers to plant their own crops and share their knowledge on gardening to other mothers inside and outside their community.

Interested individuals who want to join the programs of CAPABLE Foundation can register to volunteer at www.timeplease. ph. The group with the most number of volunteer hour credits at the end of the program will win an all-expense paid trip to Hong Kong Disneyland.

Companies with existing volunteer programs may e-mail bridgecom@globe.com. ph to enroll as a partner organization. ‘‘Time Please’’ supports Globe commitment to the nine UN Sustainable Development Goals and appeals to the Filipinos’ innate Bayanihan Spirit.

Banking on the Filipino propensity for helping people, the Philippines ranked 7th of 139 countries when it comes to the highest number of people volunteering their time, based on 2017 Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) World Giving Index.

Entertainment

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

C4

THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2018

By Michie Galanida

W

HILE FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano sits comfortably as primetime television’s mostwatched series, its lead star Coco Martin is set to hit the big screen with a project dubbed as the biggest collaboration (between two celebrated stars) of the year.

Kris Aquino shares beauty tips with the launch of her colab with Ever Bilena

KRIS

AQUINO’s

beauty mantra ON AND off-screen, Kris Aquino always caps her flawless look with perfectly shaped eyebrows. And just like any other women out there, she subscribes to “kilay is life” mantra.

At the launch of “Kris Life Kit,” her latest collaboration with Ever Bilena, Kris explained that while eyebrow pencils can create well-defined arches, the colored strokes can easily fade.

“Yes kilay is life, I have that feeling [like] my face and life is incomplete.

Even if I have done brow rejuvenation may kailangan ka pa rin idagdag, and I think all of the Filipinas feel that way. You can leave the house with just powder, but you can’t leave without kilay,” she said in an interview.

Aquino elaborated that eyebrow pencils can indeed create refined arched brows but colored strokes can easily fade. .“You have to set it with brow mascara so it will last a long time,” she said as she proudly presents the Brow Liner and Mascara; a dualended makeup stick which has a retractable unique “tear drop” shaped liner and a mascara on the other, that comes in shades Happy Taupe and Beyond Brown.

Aquino is also ecstatic to show her matte lipstick line that answers dry lip problems and chapped lips. Kris Matte Matic Lipstick’ distinct feature is that it produces a moisturizing balmy texture which lasts the entire day that comes in five shades: rosy pink (Life) and bright red (Love) – Laugh, Lucky, and Loyal are soon to be released.

She promised that more products would add up to her makeup line because she sees a “long-term relationship” with the company.

“We have already established a relationship in just close to six months.

I know gaano kalaki ang in-invest nila. It’s not a joke. For a company to believe in me and invest millions in a vision I had, matters a lot. I am only an endorser but I am also a stakeholder in this. It is really a long-term relationship,” she added. - Michie Galanida

After his directorial debut in Ang Panday in last year’s Metro Manila Film Festival, he is thrilled to direct yet another MMFF movie which would showcase his views of what big screen entertainment should be. His movie titled Popo En Jack: The Puliscredibles will be directed by Coco himself, again under his real name Rodel Nacianceno, while being one of the lead actors, too. He will share the billing with no less than Vic Sotto, and the phenomenal star, Maine Mendoza.

It’s a dream come true for Coco to work together with Vic Sotto in a project pegged as he biggest action-comedy film of the year saying that the he respects and idolizes the latter.

“This time, sa’kin yung konsepto, at the same time, nag-collaborate kami paano namin mas papalakihin. Paano mas pabibigatin yung action, at paano natin mas patatawanin ang ating mga manonood,” Coco told reporters at a recent event where he was introduced as the newest celebrity endorser

of King Cup Sardines.

At the event where the latest TVC for the brand was unveiled, the Kapamilya actor gladly brushed elbows with the members of the press and the blogging community. The 36-year-old TV personality also shed light on the viral video of him and his Ang Probinsyano co-star Yassi Pressman, who were caught “kissing” in a tent off-cam.

The video spread like wild wife prompting netizens to speculate that there’s more to it than for the show.

“Magkatrabaho, magkaibigan. Hindi naman kiss yun, beso-beso lang yun. Alam mo naman syempre na kapag umaga nagbabatian. Nabigyan lang ng malalim na kulay. Kase syempre alam mo naman yung mga fans, nakakataba ng puso tinatangkilik nila yung Ang Probinsyano, yung tandem namin ni Yassi kaya nakaka-proud kase nagugustuhan nila,” he clarified.

The revival of their characters’ romance keeps viewers glued to the primetime show as netizens once again raved about the heartfelt scenes of the estranged couple.

In one of the episodes that aired last week, Cardo and Alyana reminisced their memorable times together, which made them both emotional as they also remembered their last moments with their son, who died in a bombing incident.

Cardo and Alyana’s funny and dramatic scenes are also a huge hit among viewers, with FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano hitting its highest national TV rating of 45 percent for 2018, according to data from Kantar Media. It is also a consistent trending topic on Twitter, with various memes of kilig moments from the series surfacing online.

With Ang Probinsyano’s continued success, MS Entertainment asked the primetime king if the show will still be on air even longer than what most people expected. Coco responded, “Hanggang gusto ng mga manonood. Hangga’t may kwento kaming maibibigay sa mga Pilipino, nandyan pa rin ang Ang Probinsyano.”

Primetime King Coco Martin is outdoing himself by directing and acting yet again in an MMFF film entry.

New band Beat Per Machine bravely does electronica AFTER what may have been a prolonged period of hearing the same-sounding alternative rock bands over and over, some new Filipino acts have taken the brave route of sounding different and not-so mainstream. Thanks to the prevalence of digital-format release; indie bands can stay being themselves and still find ways to properly put out their music.

Up and coming band Beat Per Machine is a good case in point, with its commitment to delivering electronica — a genre encompassing and embracing electronic-based styles. Those who have already heard their recorded material or seen them play live agree that these guys are clear about the niche market they’re hoping to entertain — from their stage set-up to recording, and even to their photo shoot.

The four-piece combo was signed by Ditto Music and put out a five-track EP titled Better Than Machine. Their finest initial offering, “Isang Umaga,” establishes the band’s peep-into-the-future soundscape and short-butsweet lyricism.

“Our objective is to be heard and hopefully appreciated.

Big deal na sa amin yun. It’s big bonus if the mainstream market eventually takes our sound in,” expressed Owen Formento, the group’s vocalist who also dabbles in guitar-playing and electronic sampler.

This dude works in a national broadsheet company during daytime while at night rocks at bars like Saguijo (in Makati) frequented by underrated musicians and music listeners of certain depth. He wrote Isang Umaga for his wife who at the time of his writing was to become

YUGEL LOSORATA

Members of Beat Per Machine, an emerging independent band that plays electronica alternative music, electronic music and alternative Pinoy music.

a first-time mother. How he and his band carefully wrapped with loops and samples his lines like “Tumatawa na lumuluha/ Dahil Ikaw ang nasa isip ko” and “Ikaw ang hinahanap ko/ Ang dahilan sa paggising ko” showcases their skill at fusing gadgetry and gallantry.

Other tracks in BPM’s EP are “Manhid,” “Replica,” “Recovery Song,” and the engaging opening “Lazy Beat,” which features a melodically haunting riff to fit any tensefilled Black Mirror scene. That track’s title being vocally repeated throughout the song adds to the terrific terror — as if the whole thing is trapping you in a loop you find somewhat enjoyably crazy to be in.

Percussionist Mark Angelo Burce Manago put sense to the challenge of performing their songs live. “Medyo matagal kami mag-setup kasi we have to make sure everything, gadgets and softwares and all, are properly synced,” he reasoned.

The Fil-ectronica boys started collaborating after finding each other in some gig circle. They are now going around the bar and festival circuit doing their thing and their Manson-ish version of Eurythmics classic “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This).” They plan to release a full-length album soon.

Completing the lineup are Marion Claudio (synths) and Layne Harrison (lead guitar). Marion is a DJ from Houston, Texas who got curious of the group’s genre that he officially joined.

At the end of the day, Beat Per Machine, which for the group is a phrase ironically implying going back to basics, wants to send the message that they’re still the engineer behind the music and far from being mere button-pushers.

Thespian Agot Isidro joins HOOQ Filmmakers Guild search as one of the judges.

HOOQ launches Filmmakers Guild search season 2 THE largest Video-on-Demand service in Southeast Asia is embarking on Season 2 of the HOOQ Filmmakers Guild search for five scripts to be produced into pilot episodes.

With the success of the pilot season, HOOQ Filmmakers Guild once again gives filmmakers and film students a chance to turn their most imaginative TV series ideas into reality. Preliminary judging will be done by an esteemed and star-studded panel consisting of the top film talents around Asia who will select 5 scripts to be turned into pilots. Together with HOOQ subscribers’ viewership, the grand winner will be chosen from these pilots and then produced into a full-blown series.

Sheila Paul, HOOQ Philippines Country Manager said, “The second season is inspired by the success of Season 1. We hope that HOOQ’s continued support for filmmakers in the region via HOOQ Filmmakers Guild encourages more Filipino screenplay writers and storytellers to submit their scripts.”

Jeffrey Remigio, Content and Programming Head at HOOQ Philippines, pointed out, “There are so many talented Asian filmmakers but it’s about time a Filipino makes it to the finals and take the prize.”

HOOQ named two new judges from the Philippines to complete the panel for this year: multi-awarded actress Agot Isidro, known for her roles in Changing Partners, Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2: #ForeverIsNot Enough, and Mga Mumunting Lihim, and internationally acclaimed filmmaker Jun Robles Lana whose work includes Die Beautiful, Bwakaw, and Anino sa Likod ng Buwan.

Isidro said, “We are very excited to see the depth of talent from the region’s filmmakers. I have always believed that all they ever needed was a good break and this is it.” Lana added, “These are truly exciting times for Asian filmmakers and I am very proud to be part of it.”

Along with the judges from the rest of the region, Isidro and Lana will select five of the best scripts as finalists.

The chosen scripts from the participating countries; Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia will be given $30,000 each to produce a pilot episode which will premiere on HOOQ. Regional judges will name the Best Pilot and soon be converted into a full series exclusively on HOOQ in 2019.

HOOQ Filmmakers Guild 2018 started in May and will be open for entries until 31 July 2018. Applicants must be working as professionals in the film industry with prior film production experience. They are to submit the script and treatment for a series with a maximum of 13 episodes for a single season to qualify. There will be no restriction to genre, however submissions and productions must be in the language of the applicant’s country. For more information, please visit website https://campaign.hooq.tv/filmmakersguild2018-ph/

Internationally acclaimed filmmaker Jun Robles Lana