twitter.com/ MlaStandard
facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH
S
manilastandard.net
Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net
LEAVING ON A JETSKI? DUTERTE SETS VISIT TO PH RISE By Vito Barcelo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will visit Philippine Rise from May 15 to 16, to assert the country’s territorial ownership of the vast continental shelf and to mark its renaming from Benham Rise, the Palace said Tuesday. Presidential Spokeman Harry Roque said the visit Next page
VOL. XXXII • NO. 83 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net
Wanda quits; probe still on By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Vito Barcelo, Sara Susanne Fabunan and Maricel V. Cruz
T
HE Office of the Ombudsman said Tuesday it has begun investigating the P60 million worth of Department of Tourism commercials that were placed in a TV show produced by Ben and Erwin Tulfo, the brothers of Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo, who resigned Monday over the scandal.
WANDA NO MORE. Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teshiba Tulfo-Teo, flanked by her brothers Ben (left(and Erwin, resigns Tuesday, according to her lawyer and spokesman Ferdinand Topacio, out of ‘delicadeza’ and not because President Rodrigo Duterte told her so, adding her decision to leave her position has been made ‘after a long and deliberate reflection and soul-searching with respect to the events that have transpired the past weeks.’ File Photos
Big Mak chomps McDonald’s at SC By Rey E. Requejo LOCAL burger company L.C. Big Mak Burger Inc. has won its legal battle against food chain giant McDonald’s Corp. over the popular “Big Mac” Next page brand.
Special envoy to rescue ‘rescuers’ in Kuwait By Vito Barcelo and Sara Susanne D. Fabunan PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has named Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers Concerns Abdullah Mamao as special envoy to Kuwait in a bid to restore the falling diplomatic ties with the Gulf state following reports of Filipino workers being abused by their employers there, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Tuesday. “He [Mamao] will be appointed special envoy to Kuwait and he was tasked to return to Kuwait immediately to make sure that all Filipinos who should be sent back home can return home,” the Palace official said. Mamao will fly to Kuwait to assist Fili-
pino workers who wish to be repatriated to the Philippines. Roque said Mamao’s appointment came after his successful efforts to ease a diplomatic row with Kuwait over operations launched by the Philippine embassy staff to rescue distressed Filipino workers there. He said Mamao’s task was to deal with the country’s “unsettled business” in Kuwait, including negotiating for the welfare of three Filipino diplomats wanted by authorities as well as four drivers detained over the rescue mission. “We want to see our three diplomats home. We want the four drivers completely cleared because they are residents of Kuwait. There’s about 800 runaways that we want to bring home,” Roque said.
“So the mandate of Secretary Mamao is to bring everyone home and to possibly normalize ties with Kuwait, sign the MOA [memorandum of agreement] if possible,” he said. He added Mamao will also see through the pending memorandum of understanding between Philippines and Kuwait on the protection of Filipino workers, in hopes of normalizing ties. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Roque, and other Foreign Affairs officials were scheduled to fly to Kuwait on May 7 to sign the labor deal between the two countries, but the trip was canceled after the latest diplomatic row. Roque said Mamao will talk with the Kuwaiti government about the deal ahead Next page of Bello.
Sereno vows no retreat: I’m no coward By Rey E. Requejo EMBATTLED Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said Tuesday she will not budge from her stand following the calls for her resignation. She faces the specter of being ousted by her colleagues at the Supreme Court who are expected to decide soon on the quo warranto petition filed against her by the Office of the Solicitor General. But Sereno said she will not step down and vowed to defend herself. “That resignation [call] is nonsense; that’s only for the coward,” Sereno told reporters at a forum on women at the Adamson University in Manila. “Our nation
Poll watchdog scouting for volunteers
needs heroes―-not just one but millions of heroes. That’s what we need now; that’s what the present time calls for.” Sereno said judicial independence and the freedom of the people would be threatened should her fellow justices vote to oust her on May 11. “Dictatorship will win and will prevail in the country if the quo warranto petition wins and judicial independence will be dead,” Sereno said. She made the statement after the Officers of the Philippine Judges Association and Supreme Court Employees Association reiterated their call for her to step down during the flag-raising ceremony at the Supreme Court grounds on Monday. Next page
By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan
Panel to probe Dengvaxia deaths By Vito Barcelo and Rio N. Araja PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the creation of a three-member panel of Asian health experts to determine if the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia was responsible for the deaths of several children injected with the vaccine, Malacañang said Tuesday. Presidential Spokesman Harry
Roque said the President wanted to look into the safety concerns raised against Dengvaxia, the world’s first dengue vaccine. The President will invite foreign pathologists to clarify the conflicting findings from the Philippine General Hospital and the Public Attorney Office in relation to the controversial dengue immunization program, Roque said. Next page
“Yes we’ve already done that,” said Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, when asked if her office had already started an investigation into a Commission on Audit finding that led to Teo’s resignation. In its report, CoA questioned the P60 million paid to Ben Tulfo’s show Kilos Pronto, saying that the DoT ad placements “were not supported with proper documents” as required by law. Teo at first denied knowledge of the ad placements, saying the project had gone through a bidding process that was reviewed by the DOT legal department. She also said the ad agreement was between the DoT and People’s Television Network Inc., which operates the stateowned PTV4, and that it was PTNI that decided to place the tourism commercials in Kilos Pronto, produced by Tulfo’s Bitag Media Unlimited, a blocktimer. Amid calls for Teo to step down over the conflict of interest, she submitted her resignation to the Palace Monday, her lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said Tuesday. He added that Teo had decided to leave before the Cabinet meeting Monday, after which she had a one-on-one meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte. Senators said Teo’s resignation would not stop a Senate investigation into the advertising agreement between the DoT Next page and PTNI.
FORUM ON WOMEN. Embattled both, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (left) and Australian missionary Sister Patricia Fox, appear as guest speakers Tuesday at the Women on Fire Forum at the Adamson University in Manila where they addressed issues separately confronting them. Resorting to free verse poetry in Filipino, Sereno expressed what she thought of the 71-year-old land reform and peasant rights advocate. Norman Cruz
THE National Movement for Free Elections said Tuesday it is looking to sign up as many volunteers as possible in time for the May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, following its approval as one of the poll watchdogs. “Namfrel has issued a general call for volunteers to observe the barangay and SK elections this month,” the group said. It said the volunteer work only involves observing the elections in the barangay where they are registered to vote. Namfrel said all volunteers are required to remain non-partisan throughout the election process. On Monday, the Comelec said it has accredited Namfrel and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting to serve as the poll body’s citizen arm during the coming elections. Senator Nancy Binay, meanwhile, appealed to the Bureau of Internal Revenue to waive the imposition of the 5 percent withholding tax on the electoral board’s honorarium and travel allowance in the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections. Next page
A2
News
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Robredo insists on vote-count threshold By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan FEARING that thousands of votes would be disenfranchised, the supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday urged the Commission on Elections not to abandon the 25-percent shading threshold it had set for the 2016 elections. This was following the Presidential Electoral Tribunal’s rule on the use of the 50-percent threshold in the protest case of former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who claims he was cheated in the vice presidential race that was won by Leni Robredo in 2016. The supporters of Robredo, led by running priest Robert Reyes Sr., Marj John Mananzan and former Commission on Human Rights chairwoman Loretta Ann Rosales, went before the Comelec headquarters to hand a letter and also express concern over the developments in the ongoing recount of the votes for the vice presidential race, particularly on the 50-percent threshold instead of the 25-percent threshold used in the 2016 polls. “That [the 50-percent threshold] is no longer a recount. That is counting anew and if they will use that [50-percent threshold] they should also do a recount of all the [winning candidates] including President [Rodrigo] Duterte,” Mananzan said reacting to the PET’s decision. In a one-page letter, Robredo’s supporters asked the Comelec to stand firmly with the 25-percent threshold that they have set and influence the PET about the ruling. “In order for truth to come out and for the people’s choice to prevail, the rule of law must be followed and consistently implemented,” the supporters said. “Comelec should not waver, it should not abandon its position.” When asked if they believed that the Comelec would meddle in the affairs of the PET, Mananzan and Reyes said they were not losing hope. “We are appealing to their integrity and love for the country and to their sense of order and procedure. We believe they will heed our call,” Mananzan said. “To the Comelec, be faithful to your mandate, to the people and not to someone else. You have the mandate to protect the people’s will, not somebody’s will,” Reyes said. Rosales said the PET must listen to the Comelec, citing “common sense and logic.” The Comelec, during the past press conferences, had consistently said that cases under the PET were outside their jurisdiction.
Sereno... From A1
They said Sereno would be doing the judiciary a favor by resigning, which they said would “give the entire judiciary the opportunity to move forward and get back to order.” Members of the Citizens’ Crime Watch led by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio also demanded Sereno’s resignation before the Court rules on the quo warranto case for her own benefit. The group said should she opt to resign, Sereno would get to keep her title and the honor of being a chief justice in the court records. But Sereno remained steadfast in her resolve to fight despite the reports that the majority of her colleagues were inclined to vote to invalidate her appointment in 2012. “We need to fight with all our strength. We should ignore those calls for us to retreat and resign,” Sereno said. Supreme Court insiders say at least nine justices want Sereno ousted, three are against and two are ambivalent about the issue. When asked about her next move, Sereno said she would rather heed the call of her supporters and continue serving the people. “I am only serving the people. I am listening and thinking about it,” Sereno said. “Now that you have heard their clamor, the people are telling me that it is time that I go back to the Supreme Court to continue working there.”
Panel... From A1
‘‘With conflicting testimonies from the experts of PAO and the PGH, the President is constrained to seek further advice from disinterested parties.” Roque made his statement even as the Commission on Audit said the Philippine Children’s Medical Center had conducted pre-procurement activities for a P3-billion Dengvaxia vaccination a month before the
Govt, Reds resume peace talks in Europe—Dureza T “Our team is now in Europe and we are informed that there are initial positive results so far,” Dureza added. He made his statement even as Rep. Tom Villarin on Tuesday doubted the peace efforts being pursued by the Duterte administration with the communist rebels in whatever channel it is being conducted. “Hope for peace springs eternal. It should be a national policy rather than war as an instrument of policy,” Villarin said. “But under Duterte who has waged
a war against his own people, the prospects of genuine peace is elusive.” Rep. Gus Tambunting said “every effort to secure peace must be encouraged and supported.” Dureza said he and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III briefed President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night on the peace process with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing the New People’s Army. They told Duterte that the “efforts to
resume peace the negotiations with the CPP/NPA/NDF were underway, with informal back-channel talks now taking place in Europe.” Dureza did not disclose who was representing the government, but Bello said a team “will return home soon to personally brief the President on the outcomes.” “We are doing our best to meet the deadline set by the President about the resumption of talks within 60 days,” Bello said. The latest effort to discuss peace with the communists was called a “last chance” by the Duterte administration that ends by 2022. Duterte has said the government will return to the negotiating table only when both parties agree to a bilateral ceasefire. Maricel V. Cruz
Wanda...
Teo handed her resignation to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea before the Cabinet meeting Monday afternoon, Roque said. In a press briefing, Roque said documents in connection with the deal are now with Medialdea, who will make a recommendation to President Duterte. Several government officials will be investigated, including top officers of the PTV4, which is an attached agency of Presidential Communications Operations Office headed by Secretary Martin Andanar. Andanar declined to comment on the issue. “Let us allow proper procedure, which is basically for PTV4 to comply with the Commission on Audit’s requirements,” he said. In a statement, Topacio said Teo’s decision to leave her position was made after “a long and deliberate reflection and soulsearching with respect to the events that have transpired the past few weeks. “ “We wish to clarify that there was no demand made on the part of the President for Secretary Teo to resign, and that the decision to do so was purely of her own volition,” Teo said. Topacio maintained that all the dealings of the DoT went through all legal processes and were above-board and done in good faith, and with a total absence of malice. Teo, he added, was guilty of no wrongdoing and resigned out of “delicadeza” and to spare the President from being hurt by the controversy. “I think she felt that as time went on and that the issue would not die down, it might also hurt the President,” he said. CoA said there was no agreement or contract between PTV4 and Tulfo’s company to air the tourism commercials on its show. Despite the lack of such an agreement, the government station paid Bitag P22.09 million in May last year; P18.69 million in November; and another P18.96 million in December. “Since there was no MOA wherein the terms and conditions of the agreement are supposed to be spelled out, there was also no basis for the computations on how the said three payments were arrived at,” COA noted. This was not the first time when Teo’s name was involved in alleged irregularities. Earlier, she drew flak for being a makeup artist on her trips to the United Arab
Emirates, Australia and Russia. But Teo said the “makeup artist” was actually her executive assistant. Early in her term, Teo also urged media not to report on negative stories such as the deaths in the government’s war on drugs, saying this was bad for tourism. Opposition lawmakers in the House welcomed Teo’s resignation, but Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano said the Duterte administration must file the appropriate charges against her. “Firing of officials allegedly due to corruption and just transferring them to other government posts has become the pattern of this Duterte administration. This is just to show that Duterte is against corruption but in reality no case has been filed against those who were fired by him. For the sake of transparency and accountability (and not just for accommodation), Duterte should file appropriate [charges] against Teo and all those who will be fired in the future due to corruption,” Alejano said. Anakpawis Party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao, member of the Makabayan Bloc, said the investigation against Teo should push through. “Teo’s resignation does not exonerate her from the issue of conflict of interest, involving [millions of pesos in] taxpayers’ money, it is obvious that her quitting is a save-facing act, accepting that the indignity will eventually pull down the President’s popularity,” Casilao said. Alejano said the Teo’s resignation “was the prudent thing to do.” “But given the blind loyalty of her family, I am sure Teo and her brothers will be rewarded with some other position and any investigation into the anomaly will be whitewashed,” Alejano said. Akbayan Party-list Rep. Tom Villarin said the resignation of Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo shows how corruption and incompetence has reared its ugly head in Duterte’s government. “While she professes no wrongdoing, it was very clear from the CoA report that the P60 million disbursements were not properly recorded. She should still be investigated and proper cases filed against her and the Tulfo brothers. This is a classic case of blatant abuse of power and public service used for personal profit,” Villarin said. Administration ally and Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting, for his part, said Teo’s resignation was a welcome development.
HE Philippines has resumed negotiating with the communists in back-channel talks in Europe, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza said Tuesday.
From A1
“Secretary Teo’s resignation only confirms the allegations of corruption against her… The Senate investigation must push through because we must know the extent of corruption at the DOT under her watch,” opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said. “Moreover, appropriate cases must be filed against her and those involved in the ad scam and other anomalies,” he added. Senator Nancy Binay, chairman of the Senate committee on tourism, had earlier filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the issue. Senators Panfilo Lacson and Francis Pangilinan also supported the planned Senate investigation. “Yes, it should, if only to strengthen the laws that have something to do with propriety in public service, not to mention anti-graft laws,” Lacson said. He also said Teo’s resignation did not come as a surprise. “It would be surprising if she did not,” he said. “It only shows that with authority comes responsibility and yes, accountability. It is true in any field of human endeavor, in private, more so in government,” said Lacson. “One common mistake of public servants is reaching a point when they fail to distinguish right from wrong. Worse, others do not know when to stop. That is why leadership is very important in situations that call for hard decisions,” Lacson added. Pangilinan said the inquiry should proceed as a “means of determining accountability and in order to send the signal that corruption and abuse will not be tolerated.” He said Teo’s resignation was a “welcome development.” “And we hope there will not be any reappointment to another post and that the necessary charges against all those involved be brought to bear,” he added. He said officials who were fired due to their involvement in corruption should no longer be given government position. Binay urged the President to immediately appoint Teo’s replacement so as not to affect the department’s projects, including a massive cleanup on Boracay Island. Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, meanwhile, said the Palace would continue its investigation into the controversial advertising deal despite Teo’s resignation.
Big... In a 13-page decision authored by Associate Justice Noel Tijam, the Supreme Court granted the petition of L.C. Big Mak Burger seeking to dismiss the contempt case filed by McDonald’s over the local firm’s supposed defiance of a 1994 court order barring it from using the brand “Big Mak” for its business name or any product. The SC ruled to set aside the 2017 decision of the Court of Appeals favoring McDonald’s. It also found the international food chain guilty of indirect contempt and ordered it to pay a fine of P30,000. The high court reinstated the 2014 decision of a Makati City regional trial court which not only dismissed the contempt petition of McDonald’s but also ordered it to pay a total of P1.2 million for
moral and exemplary damages and attorney fees to L.C. Big Mak Burger Inc. and its owner, Francis Dy. The SC said the appellate court erred in finding L.C. Big Mak Burger Inc. guilty of indirect contempt for its alleged continued use of the words “Big Mak” in its stalls and products despite an earlier court ruling on the trade infringement case. “Contrary to what respondent attempted to impress to the courts, it is not wholly true that petitioner continues to use the mark ‘Big Mak’ in its business, in complete defiance to this Court’s decision.” “Testimonial and documentary evidence were in fact presented to show that petitioner had been using ‘Super Mak’ and/or its corporate name ‘L.C. Big Mak Burger Inc.’ in its business operations instead of the proscribed mark ‘Big Mak’ pursuant to the ruling of the Infringement Court,” the SC said.
effectivity of a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Health. “Pre-procurement activities were conducted before the effectivity of the date of the memorandum of agreement by and between the DoH and PCMC. The date of the MoA as earlier mentioned was Feb. 19, 2016 signed on the same date,” the commission said. PCMC held a pre-procurement conference on Jan. 22, 2016, and posted an invitation to bid a day after. A pre-bid conference was conducted on Feb. 1, 2016,
while the receipt of bids/bid opening and bid evaluation was done on Feb. 15, 2016. A post-qualification was held Feb. 16, 2016. Roque said the team of foreign experts would come from neighboring Asian countries and would “absolutely” have no links with the Philippine government and with Dengvaxia’s manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur Inc. “With conflicting testimonies from the experts from PAO and the PGH, he is constrained to seek further advice from disin-
From A1
Poll... From A1 “In the spirit of public service, we are calling on the BIR to waive the 5 percent tax on the honorarium and travel allowance of election board [EB] in the barangay and SK elections,” said Binay, the chairman of the Senate committee on social justice. “Our public school teachers are voluntarily doing this so it is just proper that the state repay their services,” she added. Binay also pushed for the speedy disbursement of the EB’s honoraria and allowance. “Normally, after the election, this is given to the EB, but due to the electionrelated expenses even before the election, it’s better to give them immediately to the teachers,” Binay said. With Macon Ramos-Araneta terested parties, and that’s why he requested that the panel of experts should be foreign, should have no links absolutely with the Philippine government,” Roque said. But Roque said the government was trying to find out if the vaccine was the cause of the deaths of several schoolchildren as claimed by the PAO. “For now the President is waiting for a clearer scientific finding, and that’s why he is forming this three-man panel of experts to know what to do about this Dengvaxia issue,” Roque said.
Special... From A1 Kuwait is a top destination for Filipino workers, with some 260,000 Filipinos working there as of 2018. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, meanwhile, said those responsible for uploading videos of the rescue operations would be held accountable once the agency manages to repatriate the remaining Filipinos in Kuwait. Although Cayetano defended the uploading of the videos by saying this was done with good intentions, he acknowledged there was a need to “repair and review” the DFA protocol on using social media. “As I said, they will be held accountable, and we’re looking at what and why it happened,” Cayetano said, “As I said, good intentions may have bad results, that’s why we’re not excusing them,” he added. Tension between the Philippines and Kuwait increased further after DFA acting-spokesman Elmer Cato uploaded a rescue video where diplomats who were part of the Rapid Response Team, were seen helping Filipinos to flee from their allegedly abusive employers in Kuwait. The videos that angered the Kuwait government showed a woman running from a home and jumping into a waiting vehicle while another depicted a person sprinting from what looks like a construction site and then speeding off in a black sport utility vehicle. Kuwait had branded the rescues a violation of its sovereignty, adding fuel to a simmering diplomatic row between the two nations sparked by the murder of a Filipino maid.
Leaving... From A1
will also mark the beginning of the scientific research to be conducted by around 50 Filipino scientists. Roque said the scientists would accompany the President and would conduct scientific research on the 13-million hectare undersea region that lies east of Luzon. The President signed Executive Order 25, changing the name of Benham Rise to Philippine Rise, in a bid to assert the Philippines’ “sovereign rights and jurisdiction” over the area, Roque aid. The undersea region is believed to have vast natural natural gas reserves and other resources like heavy metals. The United Nations Commission on the Limits of Continental Shelf approved on April 12, 2012 the Philippines’ undisputed claim to the Philippine Rise by declaring the underwater plateau as part of the country’s extended continental shelf and territory. The UN ruling gives the Philippines the sole right to explore and exploit resources in the Philippine Rise. Earlier, the President warned other nations that he would go to war if they conducted “unauthorized” maritime scientific research in the undersea region. Also on Tuesday, the Palace said the Philippines is exploring all diplomatic options to deal with China’s move of installing missiles in several reefs in the Spratlys that are claimed by the Philippines. Roque noted that the previous administration and the United States did not act when China began its reclamation activities in the disputed territories years ago. The Palace official said the fact that the current government is not publicizing what it is doing does not mean it is not doing anything. He also underscored the President’s concern over the missile deployment inside the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone. A staunch critic of President Duterte at the House of Representatives threatened to file another impeachment case against the chief executive for his alleged dereliction of duty. Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano said his group contemplates the filing of the ouster complaint this year as the one-year impeachment immunity of the President expired Tuesday. Alejano said his group is looking at the supposed dereliction of duty on the part of the President for allegedly allowing the Chinese government to conduct survey in the Benham Rise and West Philippine Sea without informing the public. “One of the bases of the impeachment case we will file against the President would be dereliction of duty. He allowed the Chinese government to conduct the survey in the Benham Rise and West Philippine Sea without the public having known it,” said Alejano.
News Du30 orders release of P448m for displaced ‘Bora’workers By Vito Barcelo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the release of P448 million to the Department of Labor and Employment to financially help more than 18,000 workers who were displaced by the closure of the Boracay island for a sixmonth rehabilitation program. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the cash assistance represents 50 percent of the workers’ minimum daily wage to be paid to registered employees for the duration of the suspension of their work in the island. “This is part of the mitigation measures that DoLE has put in place through our Boracay Emergency Employment Program [BEEP] for the affected workers in the area,” Bello said. The Bureau of Local Employment said a total of 18,206 formal workers and 3,954 informal sector workers had been profiled as of May 1. Under the labor department’s Adjustment Measures Program, financial support equivalent to 50 percent of the prevailing minimum wage in the region will be provided to 17,735 affected formal sector workers for six months or from May to October 2018 for a total of P448 million. A separate emergency employment program is also available to informal sector workers with an allocation of P52 million. To benefit under the program are transport workers, haulers, vendors, and indigenous peoples who will be temporarily employed for 30 days to do coastal clean-up, as well as clearing and reforestation in mangrove sites in Boracay Island. The labor department has also allocated 200 slots for the youth who might be interested in the Government Internship Program.
Maute group sniper nabbed by police in Cubao, QC By Francisco Tuyay A HARDCORE sniper of the Islamic State-inspired Maute terrorist who survived in the last leg of the liberation of Marawi City last year was arrested by police operatives in Cubao, Quezon City Monday. The arrest came 15 days before the Marawi City siege anniversary. National Capital Region Police Office director Camilo Cascolan identified the Maute terrorist as Unday Macadato, who was collared by police operatives at his safehouse along Felix Manalo Street at 4:55 p.m. PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde along with Cascolan presented Unday to the media Tuesday morning in Camp Crame. Cascolan said the arrest of Unday were effected following a tip from an anonymous informant who reported a gun-toting man threatening passersby, bystanders and neighbors at his supposed hideout. Cascolan immediately dispatched police and intelligence units from the NCRPO headquarters led by Insp. Segundino Bulan and Supt. Andres Simbajon Jr. who went to the said address and eventually arrested Macadato.
A3
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com
CHALLENGE. Members of the Quezon City Police District conduct a Drug Test Challenge to Barangay and SK candidates held at Police Station 7 in Cubao Quezon City as part of the preparations for the May 14, 2018 Barangay and SK elections. Manny Palmero
Solon calls for joint patrols of affected countries in WPS By Maricel V. Cruz
B
AYAN Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate on Tuesday called for international cooperation especially by countries affected by China’s militarist actions. “The setting up of missile systems and the establishment of Chinese military bases in the WPS is very alarming and we must act immediately before our remaining territories are lost. More coast guard vessels should be deployed in the area. We should also encourage our fishermen to actively report the presence of Chinese vessels,” Zarate said. “It is also very important for now that we should push for the conduct of joint patrols with other affected countries like Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei because this can become a bigger deterrent to China’s plans,” Zarate added. Instead of justifying the Chinese’ aggressive action, Zarate said the government should also rally the international community in condemning and countering these latest Chinese actions. “China’s plans and actions are further aggravating the tension in the region and they should stop it. In February 2016, they set up surface to air missile launchers in Woody Island, which is
part of the Paracels claimed by Vietnam, now they installed missile systems in the areas claimed by the Philippines, if left unquestioned China may deploy missiles in Philippine territory” Zarate said. “The international community should now step in so as to deescalate tensions and demilitarize the area, especially since the international arbitral tribunal at The Hague, decided in favor of the Philippines on the West Philippines Sea issue,” he said. China has already reclaimed at least seven of our reefs such as the Panganiban (Mischief), Zamora (Subi), Mabini (Johnson South), Gavin (Gaven), Calderon (Cuarteron), Hughes (Kennan), Malvar (Eldad) and Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reefs, that are clearly within Philippine territory and exclusive economic zone but hardly anything has been done to address it, Zarate said. “We cannot also rely on the US to put in check the Chinese actions because
clearly, the US is only interested in ensuring its unhindered passage in the West Philippine Sea. Once the US interest is ensured, it will not hinder China’s actions,” Zarate said, citing a presentation on the “US Maritime Security Policies and the Philippine Claims,” made by Fullbright scholar and UP Prof.dr. Jay L. Batongbacal. “As long as the interest of the US is satisfied, it will just mouth motherhood statements on defending the Philippines but will not act to counter China. What we need now is to make a stand while relying mainly on our own strength and at the same time broaden our ranks here and abroad through a broad alliance to protect Philippine interests against China’s aggressive actions,” Zarate said. Meanwhile, former Solicitor General and lawyer Florin Hilbay rejected a Palace statement that China’s reported missile system in the South China Sea is not directed at the Philippines. In a television interview, Hilbay said the Philippines is actually the nearest country to the missile system that China has built, as reported by US network CNBC. “It’s false to say the missiles are not directed at us because it’s a missile system. It’s technically directed at everyone within the range of that missile system and we’re nearest to that missile system. It is in fact directed at us,” he said.
Destroy drug machinery inside Bilibid, DoJ tells ‘Bato’ By Rey E. Requejo DOJ chief to new BuCor chief: `Destroy the drug machinery’ inside national penitentiary The primary mission of newly appointed Bureau of Corrections Chief Ronald dela Rosa is to destroy the “drug machinery” inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City and other penal colonies nationwide. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Tuesday that he gave Dela Rosa a marching order to weed out illegal activities, particularly illegal drugs trade, inside the NBP. “There will be only one marching order for Chief Dela Rosa: Destroy the drug machinery inside the penitentiary,” Guevarra said in a text message.
Guevarra’s order came following reports that illegal drugs continue to proliferate inside the country’s national top penitentiary. The Justice secretary said he will meet with Dela Rosa on Friday to discuss plans to address the worsening drug problem correctional institutions. Guevarra exercises administrative supervision over the BuCor, along with other attached agencies of the Department of Justice, such as the National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Immigration, and the Land Registration Authority, Office of the Solicitor General, Office of the Government Corporate Counsel and Public Attorneys Office. On Monday, Dela Rosa, who recently retired as director general of the Philippine National Police, asked for the cooperation
of BuCor’s officials and employees to accomplish this task. He also called on BuCor officials and employees to do what is right as he plans to institute the necessary reforms in the agency and also not to be afraid of inmates, especially the high-profile inmates who wield influence inside the NBP. Dela Rosa warned high-profile inmates in the NBP that he will be relentless in going after those who continue their illegal activities inside the national penitentiary. He made the remarks during his visit to the high-profile inmates in Building 14 of the NBP’s maximum-security compound. Among the high-profile inmates currently detained in Building 14 are convicted drug lord Peter Co and kidnapper Jaybee Sebastian.
Federal competition authority eyed
TERRORIST. An alleged member of the terrorist group Maute ISIS identified as
Unday Macadato was arrested by the NCR Operatives and presented to the media by PNP Chief Dir. Gen. Oscar Albayalde at Camp Crame. Macadato was arrested by the PNP Operatives in Cubao in Quezon City. Manny Palmero
A CONSTITUTIONALLY mandated federal competition authority with national powers is being eyed in the new Constitution being drafted by the consultative committee tasked by President Rodrigo R. Duterte to review the 1987 Constitution. Con-Com member Arthur Aguilar, chairperson of the subcommittee on economic reforms, said this competition authority will have powers strong enough to ensure fair and healthy competition and go after monopolies, oligopolies, and cartels. These are among the practices that restrain trade and commerce, deny competition, upset freemarket structures, impose market domination or perpetrate rentseeking behavior. Aguilar said this competition authority can also prevent economic domination in any of the proposed
federated regions. “If we liberalize the economy, we want to make sure that no anticompetetive behavior emerges, especially when we create federated regions and they will have their own economic powers. They cannot be allowed to have their own monopoly,” Aguilar told reporters in an interview on Tuesday. This competition authority, he said, will have powers to intervene in the regions and prevent the capture of a region by one or two business groups, as well as anti-competitive behavior and practices. Under the proposed federal government, Aguilar said that federated regions are given economic powers and will become strong drivers of economic development. However, big business may go down to the regions and dominate from there. PNA
Bam, JV want TRAIN law suspended By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz SENATORS Bam Aquino and JV Ejercito on Tuesday urged the government economic managers to suspend the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law currently being implemented to arrest the rising inflation rate. After months of calling for a review on the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act, Aquino expects tomorrow’s Senate probe on TRAIN and inflation to produce tangible results, even look into the suspension of excise taxes. They said that while going around the country, the public complained about the high cost of commodities. Aquino cited the huge impact of TRAIN on the prices of our prime commodities that burden Filipinos. “We owe it to the Filipino people, especially the poor, to ensure that TRAIN is not making lives more difficult. We must look for immediate solutions, like the suspension of excise taxes,” said Aquino, one of the four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN law. Aquino was referring to the excise tax on petroleum products under the TRAIN Act, which imposes P7 and P2.50 additional levy on gasoline and diesel, respectively. As early as January, Aquino has filed Senate Resolution No. 597, urging the appropriate Senate committee to scrutinize the implementation of the unconditional cash transfer to ensure that it is sufficient to cover the increase in prices of goods and other services.
DAR seeks to extend CARPER By Rio N. Araja TO BE able to still cover 100,000 hectares of private farm lots under the agrarian reform program, the Department of Agrarian Reform is batting for another extension of the program four years after its expiration in June 2014. At a news conference at DAR main office in Quezon City, Undersecretary David Erro of the Policy, Planning and Research Office bared the agency’s plan to submit a draft bill seeking the extension of the program applicable “only for privately owned agricultural lands” once the House of Representatives resumes its session on May 15. “We will ask Congress to enact a law to extend the program so we could still be allowed to issue notices of coverage [NOCs], place at least 100,000 hectares of private farm lots under the program and distribute them to farmerbeneficiaries,” he told reporters. “When the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program [Extension with Reforms] had lapsed on June 30, 2014, DAR was allowed to process [land acquisition and distribution of] private lots with NOCs beyond that period,” he said. He said Secretary John Castriciones will ask President Rodrigo Duterte to certify the draft bill as urgent. Despite its readiness to transmit the bill on May 15, Erro said, DAR has not yet calculated the exact timeframe of the new proposed extension.
A4
Opinion
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Questions on Teo’s resignation vestigating the DOT mess. The Senate should find out why the government station sells its airtime and allows blocktimers to subsequently sell air time. PTV-4 is not a commercial staTHE resignation of Wanda Tulfo Teo tion. raises several questions. The Senate should also look into First, will her resignation erase her how government-owned and -conresponsibility and accountability for trolled corporations and financial inthe mess in connection with the De- stitutions spend their advertisement partment of Tourism’s advertising money. placements in the government televiSanta Banana, these are all cans of sion station? Wasn’t the conflict of in- worms waiting to be opened! terest apparent to her or her brothers, *** who had a blocktime arrangement I am sure Chief Justice Maria with PTV-4? Lourdes Sereno knows what hit her. Wasn’t there also conflict of interest The Supreme Court is expected to when Teo’s husband remained director hand down its decision on the quo of a corporation under the DoT? warranto petition which questions the In an earlier column, I said that the legality of her appointment owing to ad placement issue may just be the tip her lack of qualifications. of the iceberg. Being Chief Justice, Sereno must The findings of the Commission know what is going on—and what the on Audit that the Tulfos’ media com- decision will be. pany lacked the necessary paperwork Reports have it that Sereno is alshowed the utter incompetence of ready talking to some justices she still PTV-4 officials. And since it is Sec- considers her friends. She is packing retary Martin Anher things, aware danar who heads of the tsunami the Presidential coming her way. Communications Despite the seDoes this now erase Operations Ofcrecy attendant to fice, he must also her accountability? such high-profile be held accountdecisions, there is able. always a leak. I know this I know how TV first hand because and radio blocktimers operate. They buy airtime. It’s many years ago, I spoke with a Sutheir responsibility to solicit adver- preme Court justice at a wedding we tisements. both attended. This was a time when The role of the radio or television Senator Juan Ponce Enrile was charged network is to see to it that the block- and detained for his alleged complicity timer complies with its rules and with the many coup attempts of thenregulations. The blocktimer just has Reform the Armed Forces Movement to obtain approval from the station Col. Gringo Honasan. that the placements were done. But it Said justice confirmed to me that is the blocktimer who gets paid for it. the court had already decided on EnAn investigation would easily show to rile’s case, but a female justice close to whom the payments were made. President Corazon Aquino was withMy gulay, Teo cannot claim igno- holding the promulgation of the decirance on where the money went. sion. Teo resigned instead of waiting for I was threatened with contempt by the President to fire her. The fact that the Supreme Court. I was made to apher brothers said they would return the pear before the justices. I did appear, money made it worse for her—that’s but invoked my right as a journalist practically an admission of guilt. not to reveal my source. Senator Nancy Binay is bent on inTurn to A5
TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO
Adelle Chua, Editor
EDITORIAL
A firing offense
P
RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has fired Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo, after state auditors found that P60 million in advertising placements from her department found its way to a TV show produced by her brothers, Ben and Erwin Tulfo.
Given the President’s numerous statements that he would fire any government official over even “a whiff of corruption,” Teo’s departure certainly seems justifiable. Teo’s lawyer insists she was neither fired nor asked to resign when she met privately with the President after a Cabinet meeting at the Palace on May 7. “Her decision to leave her position was made after a long and deliberate reflection and soulsearching with respect to the events that have transpired the past few weeks,” her lawyer said. “Teo reiterates that she has done no wrongdoing, and that all the dealings of the DoT went through all legal processes, were
above-board and done in good faith, and with total absence of malice,” he added. A commonsense appreciation of the facts, however, tells us otherwise. For example, both Teo and her brothers insist that the ad placements were the result of a contract between two state agencies, the Tourism department and PTV-4, which merely offered the Tulfos’ TV show, Kilos Pronto, as a vehicle for the department’s tourism commercials. However, none of this changes the impropriety of having funds under Teo’s control finding their way into her brothers’ show, which hardly seems to be the ideal vehicle for ads promoting tourism. Furthermore, neither Teo nor her brothers can credibly claim ignorance. If the Tulfo brothers are as ethical as they claim, should they not have turned down money from the Tourism department since they knew it was run by their sister? And how much credence can we give to Teo’s claim that she did not know that of all possible shows, it was her brothers’ that benefitted from P60 million
worth of ads from her department? If this truly were the case, she should be fired anyway for being so careless with the people’s money. One of her brothers has since offered to return the P60 million—which seems to be a belated acknowledgment of wrongdoing. After all, why return the money if it were fairly, legally and ethically earned? Whether Teo was made to resign or she quit on her own accord, her departure is a welcome development in the administration’s efforts to clean house. But that should be the first, not the last step in dealing with this misadventure. Contrary to the presidential spokesman’s claim that it is not the job of the Palace but the Ombudsman to investigate corrupt officials, it is absolutely the President’s responsibility to initiate action against corruption, especially if it emanates from his official family. In this instance, the investigation should extend to PTV-4 and the government office that oversees it to determine why they would enter into what turned out to be an anomalous contract.
Waiving our rights far from the truth. I write often about Chinese transgression because they violate our territorial sovereignty. I have a lot of Chinese friends but it’s the ruling clique in Beijing that I find ALEJANDRO oppressive and the aggressor in the DEL ROSARIO South China Sea. Further affiant sayeth naught. FORMER Solicitor General Florin Teo’s replacement Hilbay expressed concern that due Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo Teo to our anemic and ambivalent stance on the South China Sea territorial gave President Duterte no choice but dispute, we might lose our sovereign to dismiss her for the highly irregular DoT ad placement on her brother Ben right in the West Philippine Sea. “For not invoking The Hague in- Tulfo’s radio-TV program on PTVternational arbitration court ruling in 4. Secretary Teo, however, claimed favor of the Philippines, the country she has not been fired but was merely could be waiving its right on the West asked by the President to explain her Philippine Sea where China continues role in the P60-million ad placement. its military buildup,” said Hilbay. He A late afternoon news report, however, said Teo had rewarned China signed. The Tulfos instead of comsaid they would plying with The return the P60Hague court rulmillion payment. ing could instead I don’t have a That is an act, be the one to raise however, which is the point that fixation against China; tantamount to adthe Philippines I am just writing about mission of guilt. defaulted on its the violation of our In legal circles, right. settlement by an Hilbay’s warn- territorial sovereignty. accused party ing should be gives the imprestaken into account by the Dusion that a crime terte administrahas been committion. But because of President Rodrigo ted or harm has been caused. Whom will the President appoint Duterte ‘s closeness to China and the fact the views expressed by Hilbay to replace Teo? Undersecretary Ricky came from a former official of the past Alegre seems to be a good choice but Aquino administration, it is doubtful the DoT is a plum post with high pay whether this sound legal advice would and all the perks. An outsider who be heeded. Hilbay comes with cred- helped in the Duterte presidential ible credentials. He is a member of the campaign seems a likelier candidate. Alegre is a former journalist and Philippine panel who argued Manila’s case in The Hague tribunal. He topped later a public relations practitioner. the Bar examinations of 1999. Hilbay These are the qualifications needed now teaches Advanced Constitutional to sell the Philippines to foreign and Litigation and Philosophy of Law at domestic tourists Placing ads in the domestic market like Teo did is not the the University of the Philippines. Some people are asking whether right market-audience approach. I have a hate-China fixation. This is Turn to A5
BACK CHANNEL
Not a strongman VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ
nilly violates people’s human rights, like press freedom, the right to assemble to seek redress for grievances, liberty, the right to travel (passports that take six months to process I think are
RODRIGO Roa Duterte denies that he is a strongman, contrary to the allegations of a TIME Magazine cover story, dated May 3, 2018, that classifies him as among the world’s strongmen. In the Philippine milieu, a “strongman” is a dictator, one who get things done, by hook or by crook, and willy
Duterte has created a new middle class.
a violation of this right), the right not to be arrested or jailed without arrest warrant, the right to confront witnesses, among other rights. These rights are enshrined in the Bill of Rights but are routinely violated—by the police, by the military, and political warlords, especially in the provinces and remote areas where media is not strong and pervasive, where the Catholic Church is quiet and timid, where the Left is not organized, and where unions are not strong and articulate. Turn to A5
Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard
Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandard.net
ONLINE
can be accessed at: manilastandard.net
MEMBER
PPI
Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers
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
Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua
Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor Opinion Editor
Emil P. Jurado
Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Jimbo Gulle City Editor Romel J. Mendez Art Director Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer
Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board
Opinion
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018
A5
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Three, maybe even five
Food
“Proud to be a member of Iglesia ni Cristo” easily outnumbered the 16,550 Indians who formed the sentence “You can, you will” which became the world record in 2016. In the case of the largest human mosaic contest, the 9,000 INC members who formed the “INC tri-colors with the biblical golden memorah in the middle” mosaic bested the Saudi Arabian record of 4,500 participants set in November last year. But more than the records set by last Sunday’s “Worldwide Walk Against Poverty,” what makes the event truly
Among the four countries, Indonesia leads in the production of rice and cereals (but still imports rice because it has to feed 261-million people out of LITO a land area three times bigger than the Philippines). It has become the numBANAYO ber-one contributor to world supply THERE are 105-million Filipinos re- of coconut (for more years than I can siding in scattered islands, the total recall, the Philippines was number one land area of which is 343,448 square in coconuts) and palm fruit. The Philippines which has the least kilometers. Not all of these islands are cultivable to food and other agri- rice production among the four councultural crops. But we are surrounded tries ranks eighth in global production, which unsurprisingly is dominated by by waters teeming with marine life. Taiwan is one big island, plus a few Thailand and Vietnam. (Incidentally, small ones, with 23-million people. the National Food Authority accepted The terrain is more mountainous than the bid offers from these two countries the Philippines, and all included, land for the planned rice importation of the area is only 36,197 square kilometers. government.) The good news is that we rank first Comparatively therefore, our country is almost ten times the size of Tai- in the supply of Manila hemp, our indigenous abaca. But that’s about it, wan, with five times its population. Yet Taiwan does not import rice, and the volume of production is quite small, abaca havand although it ing been substiexports very littuted in many tle of the staple, it uses by nylon. is self-sufficient. Shouldn’t we be Maybe our agOne reason for riculture policy that is its lower doing all these here in makers should per-person conour land? take a look at sumption of rice. other high value In the Philippines, crops to substitute the per-capita rice for the fixation on consumption is around 130 kilograms per year. In Ja- rice self-sufficiency, such as coffee, pan, it is 67 kilograms; in Taiwan it is cacao, fruits, and start modernizing our farm lands with the latest machinslightly more. ery and technology. Taiwan is willWhy is this? We eat more rice because viands ing to assist our farmers develop their are not plentiful and not cheap, as technical know-how. Also housed in the expo was an arcompared to our per-capita incomes. This is especially felt by our teem- ray of farm machines ranging from ing poor. Despite being surrounded cultivators, planters, seeders, weeders, by seas, fish is expensive. Meat is harvesters and grain dryers meant to for the middle class and up; the poor, maximize output and ease the work especially in the countryside, get to load of farmers. One of the technolotaste meat only every now and then— gies on display which may be of very a fiesta, a family celebration. Diets big use to our own farmers is a furare protein-deficient so carbohydrate nace dryer that utilizes rice husk to consumption (read that as rice most- take away moisture from the rice (we ly) makes up for it. Vegetables are have some at the NFA, but more are expensive as well, unless you grow needed). In all the greenhouses showcased at them in your backyard. Taiwan, our nearest neighbor, is the expo, farmers make use of mobile richer by far, though 50 years ago, the phone apps to monitor temperature, Philippines was economically better humidity and soil conditions and conoff. So let’s look at other Asean coun- trol the irrigators and watering systries—Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia. tems remotely. But what is amazing is Taiwan’s iniI won’t bore our readers with statistics, which I have cited in previous tiative to come up with such an expo articles. A few days ago, I was a visi- on a yearly basis, continuously assesstor to the Taoyuan Agri Expo, and was ing their agricultural capabilities as first ushered in to the Vietnam, Indo- against their neighbors and the rest of nesia, Philippines and Thailand Pavil- the world, most probably to find out ion. Taoyuan is the site of Taiwan’s where they could improve and lead in International Airport, and is an agro- terms of production. There is no end industrial city). The four Asean coun- to innovation. This despite the odds facing them, a tries are the focal points of the New limited land area to devote to agriculSouthbound Policy of Taiwan. While the pavilion was conceptual- ture and an aging work force, where the ized to give exhibit goers an idea of median age for farmers is 62 years old. Taiwan has been generally open to the culture of Filipinos and the other Southeast Asian people, the display migrant workers, but the need is more gave a stark contrast in what we have pressing for the agricultural sector achieved—and not achieved—in our now, with government opening work efforts towards self-sustainability visas to fill the emerging gap. Others would say, this again is an compared to our close neighbors. Part of the display were the coun- opportunity for us to “export” our tries’ agricultural harvests such as workers, our own farmhands to work spices, coffee, rice and other grains Taiwan’s fields, to further release wherein they ranked each country steam from the boiling cauldron of according to its yearly production or unemployment in our country. This early, I can see the workers lining up. contribution to world supply. But shouldn’t we be doing all these Indonesia, with its huge labor force and land area dedicated to agriculture, here in our land? If only we can provide a level playtopped the other countries in terms of production. This despite lagging be- ing field for our farmers so they can hind in the use of agricultural machin- cultivate their lands and maximize ery and technology, which Thailand, their yield, then we can give ourselves in contrast, has managed to capitalize a fair chance at achieving food selfreliance and sustainability. on efficiently.
CROSSROADS
JONATHAN DE LA CRUZ IT’S confirmed. The Iglesia ni Cristo Charity Walk held last Sunday, officially called “Worldwide Walk to Fight Poverty,” has broken three Guinness World Records: Largest human sentence, largest charity walk at a single venue and largest human mosaic. No less than Adam Brown, official adjudicator and representative of the internationally recognized and award-winning organization affirmed this as he presented the same to INC officials—the largest homegrown religious organization in the country—a day after the event. In addition, Brown advised that it is possible two more records may have been achieved during last Sunday’s event—largest charity walk at multiple venues and the highest number of nationalities in a charity walk—both of which are being verified. What is remarkable about these records is the fact that the INC itself set the earlier recognized ones. For example, last Sunday’s “charity walkers” who jammed the 1.6-kilometer stretch from the Cultural Center to Rizal Park along Roxas Boulevard beat the previous INC world record for the walk in a single venue set in 2014. With such affirmation, the record for the largest number of participants in multiple venues which was also set by the INC in 2014 will most probably be exceeded again, as last Sunday’s global march was undertaken simultaneously in 300 venues across 18 time zones more than the 2014 record of 129 sites across 16 countries. On the other hand, the 23, 235 participants who formed that sentence
Not... From A4
A basic premise of strongman rule is having a loyal, well-paid and wellequipped police and military. When those circumstances are pervasive, you have what you call a police state and the man ruling the place is called a strongman or a dictator. Strongmen also have a tendency to perpetuate themselves, thru hereditary succession or by rigging elections. Ferdinand Marcos was the typical Filipino strongman. He ruled for 20 years (December 1965-February 1986), the longest of any Philippine president, 14 of them under martial rule during which he was a one-man Congress, ruling by decree and executive order. To be fair, Marcos achieved rice sufficiency, built more infrastructure than all previous presidents before him, enforced an honest-to-goodness agrarian reform, solved the most severe energy crisis at the time, coped with most crippling foreign currency crisis, prevented the communists and Muslim separatists from dismembering the republic, and gave his countrymen a sense of purpose, vision, and their place in the family of nations. Then Marcos got sick in 1982. An ambitious would-be successor was assassinated in 1983, while Marcos was recovering from two kidney transplants in two days. Marcos was ousted in 1986 and died in exile, a broken man, in 1989. Rewriting or correcting history, President Duterte ordered Marcos’s burial, as a soldier and hero, at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. The beauty of the internet and globalization is that every ruler, dictator or strongman, now has a day of reckoning. He cannot escape prosecution, the retribution of justice, or at the very least, the harsh judgement of history. How does not a strongman or a dictator escape a harsh judgement? Well, write your own history. Revise school curricula to institutionalize your legacy. Have your own pool of loyal supporters and believers, including captive ones in the media that you helped
Waiving... From A4
Although it’s a little more expensive, projecting the Philippines’ interesting tourist spots on international TV and publications like what Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam are doing is the right step. These countries have a better foreign tourist-arrival rate than the Philippines. Terrorism on the road There is another form of terrorism going on the country’s roads. It is not terrorists who plough their vehicles into pedestrians. Nor is it road rage by outof-control, emotionally impaired drivers. These terrorists on the road are those
The Iglesia ni Cristo has set new records yet again.
commendable is the fact that like in 2014, it was done to raise funds for charitable causes. In 2014, the event was meant to raise funds for victims of Typhoon “Yolanda.” This time around, the funds will be for the benefit of poor communities in Africa where apparently the INC is making inroads as it continues its evangelization efforts in that part of the world. What can we say except congratulations and Mabuhay INC? To God be the glory indeed. *** So, what are we to do now? If we go by the logic of those who have been egging President Duterte to vehemently protest the militarization by China of the islands it has been occupying for decades in the Spratlys, also known as the Kalayaan Islands group, we should now issue similar protests against Viet-
nam, Malaysia and Taiwan. These countries together with Brunei have pending claims over parts of the archipelago. By all indications, they have also put in place military grade weaponry and equipment in their occupied formations. The Washington-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative has noted that Vietnam, more than China, has the most number of outposts in the area with 49 spread across 27 formations. Malaysia, on the other hand, is occupying five formations while Taiwan occupies the biggest “natural feature”—also known as an island—in the area. All of these countries have outposts otherwise known as military presence in their occupied formations with corresponding support facilities also known as landing vessels, military grade buoys and communications systems, a harbor and a landing strip and, of course, some artillery if not weapons systems ala China. Only Brunei among the five claimants does not have any military outpost in the area. Of course, we have a landing strip in Kalayaan island, a moored navy vessel and a contingent of Marines quite apart from some 200 or so civilians who have resided in the island for sometime. Given this information and, as of this writing, sightings of movements (maybe military in nature) in the occupied formations by each and every claimant except Brunei, how are we suppose to respond? File a claim before the United Nations? Protest the high heavens? Call in the US forces to enforce our Mutual Defense Treaty? Encourage year-round Balikatan exercises? We need some urgent replies from the usual sections and “keen observers” of the militarization in the area. Otherwise, if they cannot help us find a realistic and responsible answer to our queries the best they can do is ____. Alam nyo na.
put up or create. In claiming he is not a strongman, Duterte points out Filipinos are free to criticize him. He insists that he has never sent anybody to jail for criticizing him. “Kaya ako, andiyan ngayon sa TIME Magazine, isa daw ako sa mga strongman. Hindi naman ako strongman,” the President said in his speech May 4, at SMX Convention Center here during the 37th Philippine Principals Training and Development Program and National Board Conference. “Kailan pa ba ako naghari-hari dito sa Pilipinas?” [When did I become king in this country?],” he asked, amusedly. The TIME Magazine article, written by Ian Bremmer, narrates that “we are now in the strongman era.” The TIME cover, which came out on May 3, featured President Duterte, along with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. It writes: “In the Philippines, a rising tide of violent street crime helped elect Rodrigo Duterte, a former mayor who talked more like a Mob boss than a President, on his promises to wipe out the drug trade with his own brand of justice.” “This [strongman] trend is not confined to the US In every region of the world, changing times have boosted public demand for more muscular, assertive leadership. These tough-talking populists promise to protect “us” from “them.” Depending on who’s talking, “them” can mean the corrupt elite or the grasping poor; foreigners or members of racial, ethnic or religious minorities. Or disloyal politicians, bureaucrats, bankers or judges. Or lying reporters. Out of this divide, a new archetype of leader has emerged. We’re now in the strongman era.” “Perhaps the most prominent of these can be found in Russia. After the fall of the Soviet Union fed fears of economic chaos and political impotence, Vladimir Putin answered the call for a restoration of the Russia that had been the center of an empire for three centuries. He has promised to wave away Western vultures that would pick Russia clean by making trouble in neighboring states like Ukraine. Putin, a 65-year-old man
in a country with a male life expectancy of 64, embodies an image of Russian virility and swagger.” “Strongmen can also be seen across Asia. In China, memories of Tiananmen traumas and the horror of the Soviet collapse have pushed the Communist Party to keep a tight hold on dissent. In power since 2012, Xi Jinping has used an anti corruption campaign to sideline potential rivals while consolidating power on a historic scale. He has announced the dawn of a “new era” for China, or a golden age of expansion that will bring his country to the global center stage. And recently, he erased presidential term limits. The era of rule by party consensus is finished, at least for now. There can be no doubt about who’s in charge.” Reacting, Duterte said: “And for all I care, ‘yung security guard, police, general, o NPA o si Sison or a teacher or a gardener can criticize me… I will take that.” “I am just a government worker,” he added. “Kayo ‘yung nagsusweldo eh sa akin. Ngayon, okay sa akin ‘yun na ‘yung magsigaw sila diyan Gabriela, go ahead. You use your freedom of expression,” he further said. Duterte stressed that he will never agree to take criticisms from foreign nationals. “Pero kung foreigner ka, that is another thing,” he said. Amazingly, despite record high inflation in five years, President Duterte’s approval ratings remain very high. In the past, if the incumbent administration ran out of rice, it would lose the next election. Duterte has created a new middle class—our soldiers (140,000), our policemen (194,000), and our teachers (244,000). This class of wage earners now makes an average of P40,000 a month ($769 a current peso-dollar rate) or P520,000 a year (13 months times P40,000). These people become millionaires every other year. Without anybody looking, Duterte has become the Philippines’ most powerful President ever. If he can deliver on the economy, I would have no problem with Duterte as a strongman. He may be an SOB, but he is our SOB.
drivers whose usual excuse is that their brakes didn’t work. These killers and their owners/operators who are equally responsible for the mayhem and death of innocent civilians must be meted stiff punishment. More than a fine, driver and owners must be penalized with imprisonment so that companies take the necessary step to make sure public utility vehicles dispatched have working brakes. Next in line Supreme Court Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro has been nominated as the next ombudsman. She replaces outgoing Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales whose tenure ends this May. She is also a former Associate Justice of the high Court. Recall that De Castro testified against
SC Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno in the House hearing the impeachment case against the chief magistrate. Legal quarters are not surprised by De Castro appointment as Ombudsman. It was expected that De Castro would be rewarded for impugning the integrity and competence of Sereno. This is not to impugn De Castro’s competence. She is just as capable to be Ombudsman and let us not forget there were other associate justices like Francis Jardeleza et al who testified against Sereno at the House hearing. Meanwhile, who’s next in Digong’s firing list—Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano or Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III? Your guess is as good as mine.
biznewsasia@gmail.com
SO I SEE
Questions... From A4
For that, the Supreme Court cited me for contempt, not as a journalist but as a member of the Bar and officer of the court, According to the ponencia, I was writing as a lawyer. I consider that a strange decision. In fact, that case became a Bar question many years ago. *** The decision of the Court of Appeals to dismiss the administrative case against former Makati Mayor Junjun Binay over the allegedly fraudulent construction of the P2.28-billion Makati City Hall parking building may well be a landmark decision. The CA’s Tenth Division nullified the joint declaration by the Office of the Ombudsman which found Binay, along with 18 other city officials, guilty of serious dishonesty and grave misconduct for irregularities committed for alleged overpricing in the procurement of the architectural design
and engineering services and construction. In ruling against the Ombudsman, the appellate court said the anti-graft body or Sandiganbayan committed an error in ordering Binay’s dismissal since the Condonation Doctrine should have been applied. An erring public official is deemed forgiven for his acts in his past term once he is reelected. The CA was emphatic that given the factual circumstances ad the prevailing jurisprudence, Binay Jr.’s reelection in 2013 is a condonation of his administrative liabilities. Binay is now vindicated. Congratulations, Junjun. *** Another case of “whiff of corruption” being investigated are the travel expenses and allowances of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. OIC Celestina Ma. Jude dela Serna. Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said dela Serna spent P627,293 in just one year despite the agency’s massive net loss.
News
A6
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Add‘l charges filed against 25, broker in ‘order of battle’ By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Customs has filed additional charges against a customs broker listed on the “order of battle” and 25 others for the illegal release of 105 shipments at the Port of Manila worth at least P70 million. The bureau’s Investigation DivisionCustoms Intelligence and Investigation Service said two officers and several employees of Asian Terminals Inc. including officers of Federal Fortunes Worldwide Logistics Services, as well as their agents were named as respondents. The BoC said Julie Gamboa, known as ”Kimberly,” was included in the complaint after she was identified by witnesses to be the person who contracted the services of a licensed customs broker and trucking company, and the person who dealt with the owner of the warehouse where the recovered tiles were found. The instant Supplemental Complaint was filed in compliance with Commissioner Isidro Lapeña’s directive to ensure that all individuals who perpetrated the surreptitious release of the 105 containers are held responsible. “I will make sure that each and every individual involved in this reprehensible act will pay. No stones shall be left unturned. I have instructed the CIIS and Legal Service to exhaust all resources to ensure that everyone responsible for this illegal act will be put to behind bars,” Lapeña said. He said the complaints were filed before the Justice Department. Lapeña accused officials of ATI of conniving with importers and brokers to release 105 containers despite a standing alert order in March. The BoC said the accused violated the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act of 2016, specifically the provisions of unlawful importation or exportation and removing goods from Customs’ custody. Under the law, those found guilty face imprisonment of up to 40 years and a fine of up to P50 million.
NHA ends its contracts with 20 developers By Rio N. Araja THE National Housing Authority on Tuesday said it had terminated its contracts with at least 20 developers and issued notices of termination to 33 others tasked to build homes for the victims of Super Typhoon “Yolanda.” Due to a series of violations in their contracts’ terms and conditions, its contracts with the developers were stopped, the agency said. Among the violations were the minimal or non-deployment of necessary resources on site, non-issuance of building permit and incurring of over 15 percent negative slippage. NHA said they would conduct another bidding process for other developers to complete the housing projects for distribution to qualified beneficiaries. Those whose contracts were terminated were F.J. Tiu and Associates Construction & Dev’t Corp., Richmark Construction, LSD Construction & Supplies, St. Gerrard Construction Corp., Robig/Three W Builders Inc.-Joint Venture, Harley Construction/Three W Builders-JV, Eaglerock Construction & Dev’t Corp. and JC Tayag Builders Inc. with nine projects. Those issued with notice of termination were Prismodial Construction Corp./ EM Curerpo Inc. with two projects, FFJJ Construction with two projects, C.B. Tampengco Const. & Supply, Bumbaran Dev’t Corp., Urban (UCC)/Kit Properties, Specified Contractors & Developer, IPM Const. & Dev’t with two projects, Zephyr Construction, Edison Dev’t & Construction, St. Gerrard Construction with three projects, Robig/Three W Builders Inc-JV, Eddmari Const. & Trading with six projects, Victoria Dev’t & Construction Supply Corp., Hi-Tri Dev’t Corp., Oscar R. Sarmiento Construction with two projects, Eaglerock Construction & Dev’t Corp. wtih four projects and MRRM Trading & Construction with three projects. “NHA has been there for the last 42 years. I did not see any narrative and literature of blacklisting in the past. But in my stay for the last two years, I terminated a number of contracts,” NHA general manager Marcelino Escalada Jr. said. “The second level of this process will be blacklisting,” he added. According to Escalada, they were able to identify violations through the process of contractors performance evaluation system.
Binay mulls rap vs Ombudsman By Joel E. Zurbano
F
ORMER Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. on Tuesday said he was contemplating filing a complaint against the Office of the Ombudsman following a Court of Appeals resolution reversing the 2015 decision dismissing him and several other city officials and barred them from holding public office in connection with the construction of Makati City Hall Building II.
“That’s something that needs to be discussed with the family and the lawyers,” said Binay. In a statement, Binay said he and his family was thankful for the CA decision clearing him of administrative liabilities, saying it only proved that the Ombudsman singled out the Binays for “selective justice” because of politics. “First of all, we thank God because justice [was] served. We also thank the Court of Appeals for being impartial to our case,” said Binay. When asked about a possible return to political office, Binay said he would rather enjoy for now the time he had for his family and himself. Binay said the Ombudsman had, in other cases, invoked the condonation
doctrine in dropping complaints against other elected officials. But in his case the Ombudsman ignored the doctrine and the decision of the Supreme Court that its decision to junk the doctrine was prospective in nature and did not apply to him. In a 159-page decision written by Associate Justice Edwin Sorongon, the CA reversed the 2015 ruling of the Office of the Ombudsman, saying Binay was still covered by the 2010 Supreme Court decision that reiterated its 1959 condonation doctrine which extinguishes the administrative liability of an elective public official once reelected to the same post. The CA cited the SC’s ruling which states that “this Court’s abandonment of the condonation doctrine should be pro-
spective in application for the reason that judicial decisions applying or interpreting the laws or the Constitution, until reversed, shall form part of the legal system of the Philippines.” “When a doctrine of this Court is overruled and a different view is adopted, the new doctrine should be applied prospectively, and should not apply to parties who had relied on the old doctrine and acted on the faith thereof,” the CA’s ruling stated, quoting the SC decision. Binay had invoked the condonation doctrine when he challenged before the CA the ruling of the Office of the Ombudsman. Agreeing with Binay, the CA said the administrative complaint against Binay “pertained to acts which transpired before he was subsequently elected and continued in public office on May 14, 2013.” “It is uncontroverted that Binay Jr. served as the city mayor of Makati from June 28, 2010, and was re-elected into the same office on May 14, 2013,” it stated. “Considering that the present case was instituted prior to the ruling of the Supreme Court (on Nov. 10, 2015), the condonation doctrine may still be applied,” the CA decision stated.
IN BRIEF August 12 to be Natl Youth Day THE House of Representatives’ committee on youth and sports development has declared August 12 of every calendar year as National Youth Day. The committee, chaired by Rep. Conrado Estrella III of Abono party-list, approved the substitute bill to House Bill 7145 authored by Rep. Sarah Jane Elago of Kabayan Party-list. The bill proposes to declare a National Youth Day in solidarity with the observance of International Youth Day. The proposed “National Youth Day Act” mandates the National Youth Commission, in coordination with the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, to prepare and implement the annual program of activities to ensure meaningful observance of National Youth Day every year. The bill also provides that youth organizations and youth-serving groups in the country shall support the NYC’s efforts in promoting and facilitating related activities in private and public educational institutions nationwide. Elago said in her bill all schools, colleges, and universities were also enjoined to launch activities such as leadership trainings, youth empowerment workshops, basic mass integration, solidarity summits, and other similar events in celebration of National Youth Day. Maricel V. Cruz
NBI rescues 137 victims in Pasay, nabs 3
MILITARY EXERCISE DENOUNCED. Members of a militant group stage a picket Tuesday outside the bayside US Embassy in Manila to denounce the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (formerly Visiting Forces Agreement) and the ongoing RP-US Joint Military Exercise in Zambales. Ey Acasio
Political clans in Sulu unite to unseat Gov. Tan By Maricel V. Cruz POLITICAL clans in Sulu have joined forces to challenge the present provincial leadership for its alleged incompetence and alleged failure to maintain peace and order in the province. Rep. Munir Arbison of the second district of Sulu said he and several other political stalwarts and their families from the first and second district of Sulu formed an alliance to “unseat” incumbent Gov. Abdusakur Tan II for the alleged failure of the provincial government to stop alleged incidents of kidnapping as well as proliferation of illegal drugs that had long affected the peace and order situation in the province. Arbison said other members of the group were former governor Benjamin Loong (Parang), former governor and congressman Yusop Jikiri (Indanan), former governor Munib Estino (Panglima Estino), former congressman and mayor Hussien Amin (Jolo), Mayor Nasser Daud (Tapul), Mayor Wahid Sahidulla (Tongkil) former mayor Tambrin Tulawie (Talipao), former mayor Abdel Anni (Siasi),
Vice Mayor Juddin Pantasan (Omar), Vice Mayor Salam Asta (Pangutaran), and Vice Mayor of Maimbung. “The consensual total discouragement of the group was brought about by reports of very reliable resident-sources about the provincial government’s apparent lack of effort to resolve incidents of kidnapping that has sown apprehension and fear among the residents of Sulu,” Arbison, member for the majority bloc of the House committee on Mindanao Affairs, told reporters. “And again just recently, two police personnel were kidnapped by unidentified armed group. Moreover, per confidential reports to them, the allied politicians were also one in condemning the proliferation, use and sale of illegal drugs which has not been addressed and stopped by the provincial leadership,” he added. “The drug menace and its deadly effects have already gravely infiltrated the social structures and afflicted especially the youth of Sulu province.” Arbison, vice chairperson of the House committee on public works and highways, said their alliance was intended “to bring about that much and long-needed change in
governance” as the new political landscape also started to take shape in Sulu province. Arbison, however, did not mention as yet the gubernatorial candidate and others of the newly-formed Sulu political alliance should the mid-term elections push through in 2019. Last month, the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division ordered Tan Sr., a former governor, to pay a fine of P25,000 following his guilty plea to not filing his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth. Tan Sr. evaded a jail sentence with his guilty plea on the charges that stemmed from his alleged failure to file his SALNs from 2007 to 2011. Tan’s son, Maimbung Mayor Samier Tan, was also charged with violation of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standard for Public Officials and Employees for not filing his SALNs for 2010 and 2011. Section 8 (a) of RA 6713 requires public officials and employees to file their SALNs under oath within 30 days after assuming office, on or before April 30 of every year and within 30 days after separation from the service.
OPERATIVES of the National Bureau of Investigation have arrested three women allegedly engaged in human trafficking and rescued 137 people, including 25 minors, set for overseas deployment. Acting on information from a 16-yearold who was intercepted by Immigration officers from traveling to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the bureau arrested Patricia Lambino, alias Mommy, Rosie Lopez and Marilyn Filomeno on May 4. They are facing charges for violations of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, as amended by its expanded version, and of the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, the NBI said in a statement on Tuesday. NBI International Airport Investigation Unit agents and Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking and social welfare department representatives, meanwhile, rescued the female victims found in an apartment in Tolentino Street in Pasay City. Twenty-five of the 107 rescued people are from Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Sur and Cotabato, the NBI said.
24 arrested in Globaltech’s illegal gambling TWENTY-FOUR people were arrested in two separate operations by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and National Bureau of Investigation against Globaltech Mobile Online Corp.’s illegal “Peryahan ng Bayan” activity the other day in Negros Occidental. Retired Marine Maj. Manuel Fraginal Sr., executive assistant VI of PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan, said the joint operations were conducted on May 7 in the cities of Bacolod and Escalante. “Out of 24, 13 persons came from Burgos-Lacson St., Bacolod City and the other 11 from a house in North Avenue, from Escalante City [bet collection station],” Fraginal said, also Chief of PCSO’s Nationwide Inter-Branch Security Monitoring. The NBI team was led by lawyers Renoir Baldovino and Jose Gabriel Jr. One of the arrested persons was Lito Estember, provincial coordinator, who had earlier reported to the local media that he filed criminal charges of grave coercion and alarm and scandal against Fraginal in his previous operation against his group.
99 newly-hired BI officials deployed at airport terminals By Vito Barcelo and Joel Zurbano
THRESHOLD RULING. Former Commission on Human Rights chairman Etta Rosales, Sister Mary John Mananzan and supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo deliver letters Tuesday to the Comelec commissioners asking them to uphold Wednesday the 25 percent threshold ruling in the 2016 presidential local and national elections at the Comelec office in Intramuros, Manila. Norman Cruz
NEARLY 100 newly-hired Immigration officers have been deployed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to augment the agency’s manpower at the premiere port this summer at the height of the peak travel season. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said 99 freshly recruited immigration officers, who just completed their four-month training at the Philippine Immigration Academy in Clark, Pampanga, had reported to their assigned shifts and terminals at the Naia. Announcement of the deployment coincided with reports about long lines being back at the Naia terminals due to lack of personnel manning the Immigration counters.
But Immigration officials said the long lines being experienced were due to the “peak summer vacation season.” Immigration spokesperson Antonette Mangrobang said the long queues at the airport would likely be common until June because of the summer peak season passenger traffic. But some departing passengers noticed that only one immigration officer manned the counter, saying it should have at least four personnel to prevent long lines. “We have to admit we are experiencing lack of personnel but this coming weeks we will come up with the deployment of additional immigration officers. You can count on us that by next week the problem on long queues will be resolved,” said Naia chief Immigration officer Marc Red Mariñas.
Sports
A7
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
Iriga-Navy tests BaliPure mettle at Premier spikefest BALIPURE hopes Mhicaela Belen, Games today to spring a surprise libero Jennifer 10 a.m. – Air Force vs PLDT (men’s) with its young, Nierva, towering 12 noon – IEM vs Army (men’s) energetic crew as Alyssa Solomon 4 p.m. – Iriga-Navy vs BaliPure (women’s) 6:30 p.m. – Petro Gazz vs Tacloban (women’s) it kicks off its Preand Ivy Lacsina, mier Volleyball and Princess RoLeague campaign bles, who played against Iriga-Navy even as Petro for the Babes Castillo-mentored Lady Gazz and Tacloban clash in a duel of Bulldogs that dominated the inaugural opening day losers in the Reinforced PVL Collegiate Conference last year. Conference at the Filoil Flying V CenA slew of NU seniors team members ter in San Juan today. in Rica Diolan, libero Gayle Valdez, Fielding in a practically new squad af- Rosleyn Doria, Roma Joy Doromal and ter its mainstays, including coach Roger Audrey Paran will provide the expeGorayeb, moved to PayMaya during the rience and poise for the squad reinforced off-season, the Purest Water Defenders by Alexis Mathews. remain upbeat of their chances on a team They will be as much tested in their built around the core of young guns and 4 p.m. encounter with the Iriga-Navy rising stars of four-peat UAAP girls vol- Oragons, who will be bannered by imley champion National University. ports Macy Ubben and Lauren Whyte Two-time UAAP MVP and two-time with coach Egay Rusit also pinning his Finals MVP Faith Nisperos and three- hopes on his local veterans Grazielle time Best Setter Joyme Cagande will Bombita, Charmaine dela Cruz, Janet banner the team that ruled the PVL Open Serafica, Shyrra Cabriana, Reynelen Conference last year. Backstopping the Raterta, Hezzymie Acuña and Diane squad are UAAP Season 80 MVP Ticar among others.
PH WINS NCAA TITLE IN BANGKOK. President Rodrigo Duterte and Secretary Bong Go, Special Assistant to the president, welcomes at the Malacañang Palace the PH team which captures the 2018 Pacific Rim NCAA Championship in Bankok, Thailand.
Donaire Sr. joins Team Pacquiao F
ORMER General Santos City native Nonito Donaire Sr. was tapped to lend his expertise and beef up Manny Pacquiao’s think-tank in preparation for the Filipino’s title bid against Lucas Matthysse on July 15 at the Axiata Arena in Malaysia.
A week after opening training camp, Pacquiao added Donaire to help out in plotting tactical plans against Matthysse, the reigning WBA welterweight champion from Argentina. “Donaire will serve as one of the assistant coaches,” said Pacquiao, who did two trial rounds with the mitts with the father of former world champion Nonito Donaire (Junior). It was Donaire Sr.
who trained and honed his son, who later won multiple former world championships in three weight divisions. “So far, so good. I am happy with my current team,” said Pacquiao, who took two days off on Saturday and Sunday to rest and relax, coming off a controversial loss last year in Australia against local brawler Jeff Horn. Pacquiao went
scuba diving Sunday and was refreshed to do his road work the morning after. Pacquiao is trying to have an allFilipino line-up in his bid to win his 11th world title against a formidable opponent, who has knocked out 36 of his 39 foes for a whopping 92 percent ratio. Matthysse has only lost four times in his career. Long time friend and confidant Buboy Fernandez will still act as head coach along with assistant trainer Raides “Nonoy” Neri. Pacquiao is still about to name another team member soon, the person, who will help him in his strength and conditioning.
Senate, PNP win UNTV Cup Face-Off opener CABINET members of President Rodrigo Duterte (Malacañang Kamao) and the Senate Team (Senate Sentinels) proved they have what it takes to be competitive in the second UNTV Cup Executive Face-Off off-season games at the Pasig City Sports Center. The Kamao and the Sentinels engaged in a nip-and-tuck battle in the first quarter, with the Malacañang Kamao leading by just a point at 21-20. Malacañang increased its lead to seven points in the second quarter, 40-33, before the Sentinels snatched the lead, 58-55. The tandem of Senators Joel Villanueva and Sonny Angara eventually led the pack with a combined 33 points to lift the Senate team to a 7874 victory over Malacanang. The Kamao were led by Liutenant Commander Paul Yamamoto with 22 points and Assistant to the President Christopher Bong Go with 15 points. Anti-Corruption Commissioner Greco Belgica also contributed 15 points, while PAGCOR Vice President Jimmy Bondoc chipped in 5 points. Meanwhile, the PNP Responders exacted sweet revenge against defending champion and long-time rival AFP Cavaliers following a 9062 win. The Responders assaulted the Cavaliers with their intense offense that allowed them to dominate all quarters from start to finish. It can be recalled that in the last offseason finals, AFP defeated PNP, 75-71, in overtime. Philippine National Police Chief Police Director General Oscar Albayalde himself headed the PNP Responders. “Magagaling ‘yung mga kalaban namin kaya sabi ko nga talagang pinagpraktisan namin ito. Nagkaroon kami ng competition among ourselves doon sa Camp Crame para mapili talaga ‘yung players namin,” he said. On the other hand, AFP Cavaliers head coach, CPL. Cornelio “Sonny” Manucat III, said: “I have to give credit to the PNP, tingin ko mas prepared sila. Bawi nalang kami next time.” The best players of the game were PSupt Peter Limbauan, who scored 17 points and had 6 rebounds and one assist, while PSupt Joel de Mesa had 23 points, 3 rebounds and one assist.
UNTV Cup founder Kuya Daniel Razon leads the ceremonial toss during the game between the Senate and Malacañang teams at the Pasig City Sports Center to open the UNTV Cup Executive Face-Off.
Karate group wants to be reinstated
Malolot, Soto rule duathlon at Clark City CLARK GLOBAL CITY—A welcome break from scorching summer temperatures helped Mark Malolot of DeRosa-Corsa and Jennifer Soto of Team TriDelta emerge as the fastest male and female finishers, respectively, of the Clark Global City Duathlon on May 6. The top three men registered blistering times of under 2 hours and 30 minutes in the grueling long-distance 6km run-60km bike-4 km run. Malolot crossed the finish in 2 hours, 22 minutes and 32 seconds to be named first overall male and the 18-24 age-group champion. Team Podium BF Baguio’s Edison Morales was 2nd fastest overall and 1st place in the 40-44 age group at 2:25:58. Sante Barley’s Don Velasco rounded up the top three overall and bagged 1st place in the 30-34 category with 2:28:31. Jennifer Soto was the only female to beat the three-hour mark, clocking in at 2:59:31 to win 1st place in the female 40-44 age group. Fellow age-grouper Paynet-Amigo Tri’s Camilla Brooks-Chua was second fastest female with 3:02:04. Century Tri Hard’s Tiffany Batilo clocked in at 3:03:36 and placed first in the female 35-39 category. In the Bike King-organized event supported by Clark Global City, Udenna Group, Phoenix Pulse Technology, NLEX-SCTEx Metro Pacific Tollways, Standard Insurance, Oh So Healthy, Gatorade, On Shoes, Nescafe Dolce Gusto, Gardenia, Royce Hotel & Casino, TIMEX, and media partner Philippine Star, team DeCorsa-Rosa celebrities Gerald Anderson and Jake Cuenca proved their mettle in the sprint distance consisting of a 3 km run—30 km bike—2 km run.
Iglupas, Capadocia seal rematch in Pinamalayan TOP seed Khim Iglupas warded off Clarice Patrimonio, 6-4, 6-3, while No. 4 Marian Capadocia dominated second seed Aileen Rogan, 6-3, 6-1, to arrange a second straight title face-off in the PPSPEPP Pinamalayan Open Tennis Championships at the Bahaghari Tennis Club in Oriental Mindoro yesterday. Iglupas, 19, fought back from 3-4 down in the opening frame with a sweep of next three then broke away from a 2-2 game in the second by racking up the next three games to complete the straight-set victory in women’s singles of the event sponsored by Gov. Alfonso Umali Jr. The 18-minute romp likewise put the
Iligan City ace on track for a payback against Capadocia, who upended her in a thrilling 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(5) finale in last week’s Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Mac’s Crankit Open at the PCA courts. But Capadocia also primed herself up for a crack at a third straight championship as she overpowered Rogan in their side of the semis duel in the event backed by Palawan Pawnshop and held in partnership with the provincial government of Oriental Mindoro with board member Butch Buenaventura as event coordinator. She took the first three games then broke back in the seventh game before holding
serve in the ninth. The 22-year-old find from Antique sustained her charge in the second set, winning the first four games then breaking Rogan in the seventh game to clinch the match and zero in on the top P20,000 purse. “Fans are in for another exciting duel between the country’s top two players with Marian aiming for a repeat and Khim raring to get even. The battle for the men’s crown is also tipped to go down-to-the-wire with (Johnny) Arcilla and (Jeson) Patrombon staying on collision course,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
World Slasher Cup 2 semifinals blast off today FAST-PACED encounters of the 2018 World Slasher Cup Invitational 9-Cock Derby 2 resume at the historic Smart Araneta Coliseum today (Wednesday), with the semifinal round on tap. The six-day super big event, backed by Excellence Poultry and Livestock Specialists and Pit Game Media Inc. of CEO Manny Berbano, drew hundreds of entries from top breeders all over the world. Set to compete today, with two wins each are Jess Moradas, Rene Medina of California, Jun Ranola, Pol Estrellado, Jervy Maglunob, Julia Nicole, Ricky Magtuto, Tony Marfori, Gov. Claude Bautista, Marvin Rillo, Nelson Uy, Jun Lao, Boyet Legazpi, Amante Capuchino, Frank Berin and Mayor Francis Espiritu.
Bel Almojera of Florida, USA, Doc Ayong Lorenzo (DVH JSY Excellence), Jun Bacolod and Danny Buldog are within striking distance with 1.5 points each. A participant must score a total of four
points or more today to get a solid chance of bagging the championship. The 4-cock finals will be held on Friday (for participants with 2 to 3.5 points) and Saturday, May 12 (for participants with 4 to 5 points). Organized by the Pintakasi of Champions, the World Slasher Cup known as the Olympics of cockfighting is held twice a year every January and May. For patron and box tickets, please visit Ticketnet box office at Araneta Coliseum Circle (beside Yellow Gate) or call 911-5555. Please follow the WSC official website at www.worldslashercup.ph, or the official Facebook page at @WorldSlasherCupOfficial for updates, information, videos and other content.
A FACTION in the Philippine Karatedo Federation pressed for its reinstatement as the official national sports association, even as its leaders sought the unification of the two factions through an arbitration process under the Philippine Olympic Committee. During Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Tapa King Restaurant in Cubao, Jose Manansala Jr., president of PKF 1987 Inc., insisted his faction is the official NSA for karate by virtue of a court decision that has stopped the group of POC vice president Jose Romasanta from representing the sport. Manansala said his group, which represents some 30 karate clubs nationwide and five international groups, is amenable to the unification of all karate organizations nationwide, but indicated that this should be done by the POC arbitration committee, which handles NSA-related issues. Manansala said his faction has taken the initiative to ask the POC under the leadership of president Ricky Vargas and chairman Bambol Tolentino to reinstate PKF 1987 Inc. as the official NSA for karate. The PKP’s breakup took place in 2011 as an offshoot of a conflict between then POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr. and PKF acting president Go Teng kok, Manansala said. Romasanta, a key Cojuangco ally, formed a breakaway NSA, which was subsequently recognized by the POC. But the court acting on Go’s complaint ruled against Romasanta’s group, declaring as null and void its actions and stopping Romasanta’s lieutenants Raymond Lee Reyes and Enrico Vasquez from representing the PKF, said Manansala, who was accompanied in the public sports program backed by San Miguel Corp., Tapak King, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) by his secretary general Nesto Asido.
LOTTO RESULTS
6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M+ 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M 4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0 Manila
StandardNOTICE TODAY
Please be informed that the Interim Unaudited Financial Statements with the Management Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, or SEC Form 17-Q, as of 31 March 2018, of CONCRETE AGGREGATES CORPORATION will be available on the Company’s website by 10 May 2018. Upon written request, the Company’s stockholders shall be furnished copies of the said SEC Form 17-Q during the 17 May 2018 Annual Stockholders’ Meeting, free of charge. (Sgd.) JOSE ANTONIO V. EVANGELISTA III Corporate Secretary (MS-MAY 9, 2018)
Sports
Riera U. Mallari, Editor Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@thestandard.com.ph sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
A8
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018
SMB’s prized Fil-German makes debut By Jeric Lopez THE much-awaited debut of top pick Christian Standhardinger happens tonight. As if Philippine Cup champion San Miguel Beer isn’t loaded enough already, the Beermen unleash the prolific Filipino-German slotman in its debut game against Meralco in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup. The Beermen and the Bolts (2-1) go at it at 7 p.m. today in the blockbuster main event at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. In the initial offering, unbeaten co-league leader Rain or Shine (3-0) shoots for solo leadership and its fourth straight win when it goes up against Columbian Dyip (2-2) at 4:30 p.m. But all eyes will certainly be on the Fil-German Standhardinger, who led Hong Kong Eastern to a semifinal appearance in the recently concluded Asean Basketball League the team bowed to eventual champion Alab Pilipinas. While Standhardinger was disappointed about his former team’s failed bid at a championship there, he now looks forward to his new journey with the star-studded Beermen. He is already practicing with San Miguel Beer for three weeks now. “I’m so excited. I’m looking forward to help the team whichever way I can, whichever role that best fits me,” said Standhardinger. “I hope I can help the team win more championships.” He will now join an already-loaded Beermen frontcourt, led by four-time reigning Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo, Arwind Santos and import Troy Gillenwater as they take on the Bolts and their hulking import Arinze Onuaku.
Azkals ready for challenge THE Philippine Men’s National Team campaigns in both the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 and AFF Suzuki Cup 2018 will be difficult. But they will be up to the challenge said Azkals’ scoring ace Phil Younghusband following the conclusion of the draw ceremonies of the two tournaments last week. “We were excited to qualify and I am excited with the group we are in. It will be a difficult challenge, but this is part of our development and is very exciting for Philippines football,” said Younghusband. The Azkals will make their Asian Cup debut against Korea Republic on Jan. 7, 2019 at the Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai. Then, they face China on Jan. 11 at the Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The last match of the group stage will be against Kyrgyz Republic on Jan. 16 at the Rashid Stadium in Dubai. The Philippines secured qualification to the final round last March 27 after its 2-1 win over Tajikistan at the Rizal Memorial Stadium to win Group F with 12 points. “We dreamt that one day we will have a team in the AFC Asian Cup, and now it has become a reality,” said Philippine Football Federation president Mariano V. Araneta Jr. Peter Atencio
LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers gives a fan a low-five after scoring against the Toronto Raptors during the second half of Game 4 of the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Raptors, 128-93. AFP
LeBron dazzles in Cavs’ 4-0 sweep of Raptors
L
OS ANGELES—LeBron James led the way as the Cleveland Cavaliers wrapped up a series sweep with a ruthless demolition of the Toronto Raptors on Monday to book their place in the NBA Eastern Conference finals. James, the buzzer-beating hero of Cleveland’s epic victory in game three on Saturday, scored 29 points as Toronto’s bid to avoid the ignominy of a 4-0 series loss ended in a 128-93 pounding. Toronto had entered the playoffs as the number one seed from the Eastern Conference, and were desperate to avoid a third straight series defeat to James and the Cavs after losses in 2016 and 2017. But their fragility was underscored by a rampant Cleveland on Monday, with James leading a blowout win that ensures the Cavs will be well rested for the Eastern Conference finals, where they will play either Boston or Philadelphia. “It was a great series for us,” James said afterwards. “We had a lot of challenges, considering the dominance (Toronto) had in the regular season. But we had a great gameplan and we executed it.
“We want to continue to improve. I think we’ve done that from the seven-game series against Indiana to these four games.” James was once more the tormentor in chief for Toronto, contributing eight rebounds and 11 assists in addition to his 29 points. Four other Cavaliers starters cracked double digits, with Kevin Love scoring 23 points and Kyle Korver 16 points. J.R. Smith added 15 points while George Hill added 12. Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue said the Cavs’ defense and all-round offensive display had been crucial factors in the sweep. “I think defensively we’re playing pretty good,” Lue said. “And I think in this series, we made shots, a lot of different guys stepped up. “Four or five different guys getting double figures for us every night—that
was big for us. We’ve got to continue getting better but I like where we’re at right now.” Toronto’s miserable night saw DeMar DeRozan ejected in the fourth quarter while Kyle Lowry was restricted to just five points. Jonas Valanciunas was a notable beacon of resistance, providing 18 points off the bench. But it was too little, too late for Toronto, who were comprehensively outplayed in every department. ‘Emotionally drunk’ Raptors coach Dwane Casey said his team had paid the price for not being able to recover from shattering losses in games one and three. “We were emotionally drunk after game one and game three,” Casey said. “I thought we could bounce back, but we didnt.” DeRozan meanwhile was at a loss to explain yet another defeat to the Cavs. “They’ve just got our number. Things just don’t seem to go right for us,” DeRozan said, adding that the Jamesinspired Cavs were anything but a oneman band. AFP
Jumapao, Tabora lead PBF Open qualifiers AFTER rolling a record series of 819 the other day, Filipino bowling ace Jomar Jumapao retained his top seeding in the men’s open elimination rounds of the 2nd PBF Pagcor Philippine International Open at the Coronado Lanes at Starmall in Mandaluyong City. Last year’s finalist in the prestigious World Cup held in Mexico, Jumapao led six other Pinoy bowlers, who will qualify in the finals against a formidable foreign challenge from 10 other countries in Asia and Oceania. The Cebuano national team mainstay compiled 1520 after breaking the 800-series barrier the other day, while national youth standout Kenzo Umali placed closely behind Jumapao with 1497 in the tournament backed by Smart Communications, Cafe Puro and Boysen Paints. JP Macatula of MBA-Timbrepro and bowling great Paulo Valdez, who rolled the first perfect game of the meet late last week, are running third and fourth, with 1476 and 1467, respectively, followed by defending champion
and Asian Indoor Games silver medalist Kenneth Chua (1436). ``We’ll be facing the foreign bowlers in the finals. We’re expecting a different challenge but we’re ready,’’ said Jumapao, who scored his third 800 series after pulling off the trick in 2004 and 2010. National team head coach and international bowling Hall of Famer Paeng Nepomuceno ack nowl e d g e d Jumapao’s feat, saying anybody is capable of scoring a perfect game of 300 on a lucky day, but not all can consistently bowl a record series of 800.
World Cup champion Krizziah Lyn Tabora secured the No. 1 spot in the women’s open after rolling a total of 1515 while fellow national teammates Liza Del Rosario and Alexis Sy compiled 1407 and 1381. Promising young bowler Bea Hernandez placed fourth (1368), Dyan Coronacion fifth (1354) and defending champion Lara Posadas sixth (1353) before they face the best bowlers from Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, among others, in the finals. Jumapao
Palaro standouts join NU
CEMENT-POURING RITES. Philippine Olympic Committee Secretary General Patrick ‘Pato’ Gregorio (middle) joins hands with POC Deputy Sec Gen. Karen Tanchanco, Capas City Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan, AlloyMTD President Patrick Nicholas David, BCDA Vice President for Business Development Arrey Perez, and Engr. Ed Clariza of the Philippine Sports Commission during the first cement-pouring ceremony for the construction of the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac recently. The New Clark City is a project of the Bases Conversion Development Authority and was tapped by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano as venue for the centerpiece events athletics and swimming for the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games in 2019. Cayetano is the Chairman of the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee.
SPRINTERS Veruel Verdadero, Jessel Lumapas and Eliza Cuyom will soon see action for National University in the next two seasons of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. The three broke meet records in the recent Palarong Pambansa, with Verdadero and Cuyom surpassing the national junior marks in the secondary boys’ 100-meter dash and the secondary girls’ 100-meter hurdles, respectively. On the other hand, Lumapas smashed a seven-year-old course record in the secondary girls’ 400-meter run. Their coach Fernando Dagasdas said the three are being recruited by Hans Sy of the SM Group of Companies, which owns NU, some two weeks after they saw action for Region IV-A in the 2018 Palarong Pambansa in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. “Nag-commit na ang mga bata. Pumayag na ang kanilang supporter na si (Dasmarinas, Cavite) Mayor Elpidio Barzaga Jr. dahil mabuti na ito para kanila at magpo-focus din ang mga bata sa pag-aaral,” said Dagasdas. Verdadero, who still has a school-year left with Emilio Aguinaldo College, will join NU’s collegiate squad in 2019. Lumapas and Cuyom are set to join in the coming school-year. Cuyom made an impression when she went below the 15-second mark set by Julie Rose Forbes during the 2000 National Open, with her clocking of 14.5 seconds. In doing so, she erased the meet record of 14.9 seconds set by Michelle Pastasaja of Western Mindanao in 1996. Peter Atencio
Mondilla eyes Masters golf repeat CLYDE Mondilla sets out for defense of his young career’s most memorable victory, hoping to put together in three weeks time a game that had seemed to break up early in Mondilla the season. A tied for 24th in The Country Club Invitational, a 56th finish in the Solaire Philippine Open and missed cut stints in the Eagle Ridge Challenge and the Delimondo National Pro-am do not augur well for a player eager to make it two-in-row in the ICTSI Villamor Philippine Masters unfolding on May 23. But the reticent former national champion has vowed to do everything to get back in shape and regain the confidence he would need in his title-retention drive against a crack international field in the P2 million event put up by ICTSI in cooperation with the Villamor Golf Club, the home of the Masters. “I just need to practice more to get back into shape and at the same time polish my short game and putting,” said Mondilla, who rallied to edge Tony Lascuña, Jhonnel Ababa and American Nicolas Paez by one and snare last year’s revival of one of local version’s four majors. Meanwhile, Villamor is being spruced up in time for the blueribbon event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and backed by BDO, KZG, Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Sharp, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and PLDT. Though Villamor looks vulnerable to the tour’s long hitters, particularly the young turks, the tree-lined military layout remains challenging even to the toughest in the fold with dangers lurking in every corner of the tight layout. The Masters win also highlighted his four-victory romp last year, including the PGA Asia at Riviera that netted him the Philippine Golf Tour’s Order of Merit title.
SLTV.ph on SKY now at half price SLTV.ph, the first and only 24-hour channel dedicated to cock derbies in the country, is now available for P500 monthly on SKY Select from May 7 to August 6. Cock-fighting enthusiasts can add the channel to their selection for the latest broadcast of hackfights and derbies live from 1 to 8 p.m. It also airs replays, as well as sabong-related shows like “Champions of Excellence,” “All New Tukaan,” and “Young Ang Magaling.” To add SLTV.PH channel, SKY cable subscribers may call 418-0000 or visit www.mysky.com.ph/getsltv. Meanwhile, SKYdirect prepaid subscribers can buy the e-pin from partner merchants, distributors, and dealers nationwide and text SKYLOAD <space> BOX ID <space> PIN to 23667. Postpaid subscribers can text SKY to 23668 or call 418-0000. The channel is now available at half of its original price until August 6. For updates, follow @abscbnpr on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit www.abscbnpr.com.
F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Ban gko Sentral ng Pilipinas Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Currency
Unit
US Dollar
Peso
United States
Dollar
1.000000
51.8050
Japan
Yen
0.009168
0.4749
UK
Pound
1.355900
70.2424
Hong Kong
Dollar
0.127395
6.5997
Switzerland
Franc
0.997606
51.6810
Canada
Dollar
0.776458
40.2244
Singapore
Dollar
0.748783
38.7907
Australia
Dollar
0.751600
38.9366
Bahrain
Dinar
2.653435
137.4612
Saudi Arabia
Rial
0.266660
13.8143
Brunei
Dollar
0.745990
38.6460
Indonesia
Rupiah
0.000071
0.0037
Thailand
Baht
0.031407
1.6270
UAE
Dirham
0.272272
14.1051
Euro
Euro
1.192400
61.7723
Korea
Won
0.000927
0.0480
China
Yuan
0.157191
8.1433
India
Rupee
0.014896
0.7717
Malaysia
Ringgit
0.253614
13.1385
New Zealand
Dollar
0.701500
36.3412
Taiwan
Dollar
0.033545
1.7378
Source: PDS Bridge
Bloomberry’s income surged 71% to P3.69b in first quarter By Jenniffer B. Austria BLOOMBERRY Resorts Corp., the owner and operator of Solaire Resorts and Casino in Parañaque City, said Tuesday net income jumped 71 percent in the first quarter to a record P3.69 billion from P2.15 billion a year ago. Bloomberry said in a disclosure to the stock exchange first-quarter gross revenues hit P14.5 billion, up 26.6 percent from P11.3 billion it booked a year earlier. First-quarter gross gaming revenues surged 28.3 percent to P13.7 billion from P10.6 billion in the same quarter in 2017. “We are off to a good start. Our fundamentals are solid, our cost optimization initiatives are working, so we should be on track to making this a banner year,” Bloomberry chairman and chief executive Enrique Razon Jr. said. Bloomberry said Solaire generated its highest quarterly mass table drops and electronic gaming machine coinins in the first three months, which grew 17 percent and 23 percent, respectively. It said VIP gross gaming revenues grew 39 percent year-on-year to P7.11 billion. Non-gaming revenues also went up by 4 percent to P816 million, on higher retail and other income that came from additional rental income from new outlet stores at TheShoppes@ Solaire. First-quarter expenses increased 21.5 percent year-on-year to P7.829 billion, but on a sequential basis, declined 6 percent as a result of foreign exchange gains generated in the quarter.
Petron’s profit rose 4% to P5.8b in three months OIL refiner Petron Corp. said consolidated net income grew 4 percent in the first three months to P5.8 billion from P5.6 billion in the same period last year. Petron said the amount was also the highest quarterly income of the company in history. “Our financial and operating performance in the first quarter of 2018 is a strong indication that we are on track for another unprecedented year,” Petron president Ramon Ang said. Petron’s consolidated revenues increased 21 percent in the first quarter to P129 billion from P106 billion a year ago. “While we are focused on highmargin segments such as retail, we are also fast-tracking our logistics projects to further integrate our value chain, reflecting increased demand for Petron’s superior products,” Ang said. The company said stable and improved operating efficiencies at its Bataan refinery significantly contributed to the positive performance in the first quarter. Petron also sustained strong sales with combined volumes of 26.6 million barrels despite higher international oil prices and softer demand. The company said the strong volumes during the period was driven by a 5-percent increase in consolidated domestic sales equivalent to over one million barrels, or at par with last year’s volumes which reached alltime highs. The benchmark Dubai crude in the first quarter surged 20 percent to nearly $64 per barrel compared to the same period in 2017. Alena Mae S. Flores
Business Meralco customers to get lower power rates in May P By Alena Mae S. Flores
OWER consumers will enjoy lower electricity rates in May, after the cost of generation decreased, retailer Manila Electric Co. said Tuesday.
Meralco said in a statement power rates would go down by P0.5436 per kilowatt-hour for a typical household consuming 200 kilowatt-hours a month. This would translate into a decrease of P109 in the monthly bill of a residential customer, it said. Meralco said the lower May rate was due to the P0.4212-per-kWh decline in the generation charges. The country’s biggest power distribu-
tor said the adjustment this month would bring the overall rate to P10.0041 per kWh from P10.5477 per kWh in April. Meralco said the lower charges at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, the country’s trading floor of electricity, brought down the overall generation charges. Generation charges dropped to P5.0523 per kWh from P5.4735 per kWh a month earlier. Charges from WESM decreased by P1.0139 per kWh, despite the higher demand in the Luzon grid as several power plants went back online after their scheduled maintenance shutdown. Meralco obtained 22 percent of total requirements from WESM in the April supply month. Cost of power from independent power producers also fell P0.5920 per kWh due to Quezon Power Philippines’ return to normal operations from a sched-
uled maintenance. “The improvement in average plant dispatch more than offset the upward adjustment due to higher Malampaya natural gas prices resulting from the quarterly repricing that reflect recent movement of crude oil prices in the world market,” Meralco said. Meralco’s IPPs provided 45 percent of the company’s total energy requirement last month. Purchases under power supply agreements increased by P0.2096 per kWh due to scheduled maintenance outage of Pagbilao Unit 1 and Ilijan Unit 1 and the quarterly repricing of Malampaya natural gas. Meralco purchased 33 percent of its power requirements from PSAs. Transmission charges on residential customers slightly decreased by P0.0096 per kWh. Taxes and other charges declined by P0.1128 per kWh.
Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018
B1
IN BRIEF DBP, Alloy MTD sign P9.5-b Clark City loan THE Development Bank of the Philippines and AlloyMTD Philippines Inc. signed Tuesday a P9.5-billion loan agreement for the development of the National Government Administrative Center at the New Clark City in the municipalities of Capas and Bamban in Tarlac province. DBP chairman Alberto Romulo, DBP president and chief executive Cecilia Borromeo, AlloyMTD chairman Isaac David and AlloyMTD president Patrick Nicholas David led the signing ceremonies at the DBP head office in Makati City. MTD Philippines president Nicholas David said the P9.5-billion loan accounted for 75 percent of the P13-billion project cost to build the first phase of the center. The company will finance the balance of the project cost through equity. The project is a joint venture between Bases Conversion and Development Authority and Alloy MTD. “With this loan agreement, a worldclass facility will soon rise at New Clark City. The modern metropolis will be the next growth driver in Luzon and serve as a premiere center of economic growth, true to BCDA’s mandate,” said BCDA president and CEO Vivencio Dizon. Othel V. Campos
EDC allocates P6.1b for capital spending
LT GROUP STOCKHOLDERS. LT Group Inc., the holding company of tycoon Lucio Tan, is spending P10 billion this year to support the expansion of business units amid expectations of better business environment. Shown during LT Group’s annual stockholders meeting are (from left) LT Group directors Robin Sy, Peter Ong, Johnip Cua, and Florencia Tarriela; Carmen Tan, chairman Dr. Lucio Tan, LTG president Michael Tan and directors Janet Tan Lee and Wilfrido Sanchez. Related story on B2
Ayala Land’s three-month earnings reached P6.5b PROPERTY developer Ayala Land Inc. booked a net income of P6.52 billion in the first three months, an increase of 17 percent from the same period last year on the back of higher revenues from residential and leasing businesses. ALI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange consolidated revenues climbed 17 percent year-on-year to P36.98 billion in January to March. Property development revenues expanded 29 percent to P25.14 billion, driven by residential revenues which surged 34 percent to P21.77 billion. First-quarter reservation sales reached P31.5 billion, up 16 percent from a year earlier. Commercial leasing revenues rose 11 percent to P8.16 billion on increasing contribution of newly opened malls, offices, hotels and resorts. “With the sustained economic growth
of our country, demand for residential products across all market segments remained strong in the first quarter of this year. Our leasing businesses also continued their steady increase in contribution, as recently opened malls and offices stabilize and start making an impact to our bottom line,” said ALI president and chief executive Bernard Vincent Dy. ALI increased its stake in Malaysian property company MCT Bhd to 66.25 percent in the first quarter, as a part of of a strategy to establish presence in other Southeast Asian countries. MCT registered development revenues of P1.72 billion from sales and project completions in the three-month period. ALI also launched Parklinks, a 35-hectare mixed-use development along the C5 corridor in joint venture
with LT Group Inc. The company said that for the rest of the year, it planned to launch two more estates in emerging growth centers in the country. “We continue to introduce more sustainable mixed-use estates in the country. These estates have proven to be effective platforms for our diverse product lines and provide the backbone to create business districts and progressive communities,” said Dy. The property firm is set to open five new shopping centers this year, including One Bonifacio High Street, Ayala Malls Circuit Makati, Ayala Malls Capitol Central, The Shops at Ayala North Exchange and Ayala Malls Bay Area. It is also slated to complete three new offices and open 782 new rooms under the Seda hotels chain and 72 new rooms in Sicogon Island Resort in Iloilo. Jenniffer B. Austria
ENERGY Development Corp., the country’s largest geothermal and wind energy company, plans to spend about P6.1 billion this year, the same level as last year. “We’re looking at around P6.1 billion for this year. Around range-bound, around the same as the previous years. In the prior years, we had some growth projects... but since then, it’s all on existing operations,” EDC vice president for finance Erwin Avante said. Avante said EDC would earmark the bulk of the capital expenditure, or over P1 billion, for geothermal drilling. The company will also continue to invest in the reliability and resiliency of its power plants. EDC recorded net income of P1.5 billion in the first three months of 2018, down 54 percent from P3.26 billion in 2017. Consolidated recurring net income attributable to equity holders of the parent during the period stood at P1.81 billion, down 44 percent from P3.25 billion on year. Alena Mae S. Flores
Bulacan road bypass completed—DPWH
THE Department of Public Works and Highways completed the arterial road bypass connecting the North Luzon Expressway to the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway in Bulacan. The second phase of the arterial road bypass project, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, is a cooperation between the JICA and the DPWH. It opened recently ahead of its original schedule, and is expected to reduce travel time from Manila to Bulacan by 45 to 50 minutes. With the completion of the twolane 24.61km arterial road bypass, about 15,000 of the vehicles traversing the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway can be diverted to the bypass road, further reducing traffic by 40 percent. “This project will help promote seamless mobility of goods and people coming from the provinces in the north and central Luzon to Metro Manila, while helping spread economic opportunities to nearby growth centers,” JICA senior representative Tetsuya Yamada said. Darwin G. Amojelar
Robinsons, Hong Kong Land team up to build P5.6-b Pasig residential project ROBINSONS Land Corp., the property arm of the Gokongwei group, said Tuesday it formed a joint venture with Hong Kong Land Group to develop a P5.6-billion residential project in Pasig City. RLC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it signed an agreement with HKLG to form a 60:40 joint venture company that would acquire an 18,037-square-meter property in Bridgetown. The joint venture will build four tower residential condominiums on the site. The partners also plan to pursue other development projects. “This collaboration combines the experience, vision and financial capability of RLC and HKLG; bringing together local expertise and international design that stand as landmarks in key Asian cities,” RLC said. “The Bridgetown project is envisioned to transform the landscape of Pasig City, adding to it a well-planned township of mixed-use development with skyscrapers imbued with international appeal,” it said.
The planned joint venture was approved by the Philippine Competition Commission on May 4. HKLG is a leading property investment, management and development group in Asia. The group has interests in key Asian cities such as Hong Kong and Singapore. Hong Kong Land’s presence in the Philippines started in 1996 with minority interests in select development projects in the country. This is the second joint venture partnership signed by RLC this year. RLC teamed up with upscale property developer Shang Properties Inc. in March for a P10-billion residential complex with commercial component in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. RLC budgeted P24.6 billion in capital expenditures in 2018 primarily for construction of new malls offices and hotels. It said 56 percent of the P24.6-billion capex would be allocated for the development of malls, offices and hotels while 12 percent would go to mixedused developments and masterplanned communities. Jenniffer B. Austria
CLARK FAMILIARIZATION TOUR. Clark Development Corp. presidentand chief executive Noel Manankil (right) joins Bases Conversion and Development Authority president and chief executive Vivencio Dizon (third from left), CDC chairman Jose De Jesus (second left), Clark International Airport Corp. vice president Darwin Cunanan (left) and other members of the panelists from Surbana Jurong, AlloyMTD, Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corporation for Transport and Urban Development, Aecom, Filinvest and Budji+ Royal during the ADB Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines familiarization tour at Clark 4D Theater.
B2
Business
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com
Stocks rise; Globe, PLDT advance T HE stock market rose Tuesday ahead of the release of first-quarter GDP figures and the meeting of the Monetary Board Thursday with select blue chips leading the gains.
The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 44.29 points, or 0.6 percent, to 7,577.57 on a value turnover of P7.2 billion. Gainers edged losers, 98 to 96, with 48 issues unchanged. The government is set to release the gross domestic product numbers in the first quarter of 2018 on Thursday. Moody’s Analytics, a division of Moody’s Corp., earlier said the Philippine economy likely grew 6.8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, faster than the actual expansion of 6.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2017 and 6.4
percent a year ago, on robust consumer spending and higher government expenditures. Globe Telecom Inc., the second-biggest telecommunications company, advanced 4.1 percent to P1,645, while the larger PLDT Inc. climbed 2.6 percent to P1,380. SM Prime Holdings Inc. of retail tycoon Henry Sy Sr. surged 4.8 percent to P33.90, while casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp. rose 2.4 percent to P12.08 after reporting that it registered a record net income of P3.69 billion in the first three months of the year, up 71 percent year-on-year. Asian equity markets, meanwhile, continued Monday’s broadly positive performance, with Hong Kong leading the way ahead of the release of Chinese trade data. The Hang Seng piled on 1.3 percent, while Shanghai gained 0.8 percent, Tokyo finished 0.2 percent higher and Syd-
ney added 0.2 percent. Singapore added 0.3 percent and Taipei put on 0.8 percent with Wellington also in positive territory. But Seoul ended down 0.5 percent. Oil prices slipped in Asia on Tuesday morning from three-and-a-half-year highs as investors cautiously await Donald Trump’s Iran nuclear decision later in the day. The US president announced in a tweet that he would make an announcement at 1800 GMT on whether or not to tear up the agreement with Tehran and reimpose painful sanctions that could cut off crude supplies. Despite being urged by world leaders to keep it in place, there is a general consensus that he will refuse to preserve the 2015 pact, fanning fears of fresh turmoil in the already tinderbox Middle East. This—along with an output cap by Russia and Opec, rising US demand and an improving economy—has helped
send the price of oil to highs not seen since late 2014, though profit-taking saw both main contracts retreat Tuesday. “Oil has raced higher recently on the back of concerns that President Trump will exit the US from the Iran nuclear deal and that this would then lead to a further deterioration in the situation in the Middle East not to mention the disruption to oil supplies of Iran’s production,” said Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at AxiTrader. He added that there was a “perfect storm for higher prices” owing to cruderich Venezuela’s economic woes, which have been made worse by fresh US sanctions. However, Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trade at OANDA, said “we could be on for significant knee-jerk reaction (sending prices down) if the president walks back the more boisterous elements of hawkish Iran rhetoric.” With AFP
MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018
VALUE
NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP
FINANCIALS 59 48,560 97.35 1,470,880 127.5 3,189,950 1.57 288,000 34.8 115,000 7.34 200 16.4 35,400 16.04 1,934,700 3.52 28,000 1.48 76,000 0.62 13,642,000 82.5 6,752,940 1.07 462,000 12.2 21,200 21.5 16,500 52 992,640 211.6 6,160 108 1,010 38.6 25,100 197.1 445,670 1,948 5 89.4 88,040
2,861,887.50 143,327,911 408,912,269 446,490 4,027,565 1,468 580,530 31,475,172 98,780 112,610 8,744,900 557,701,505 493,050 258,670 358,075 52,521,616.50 1,315,470 109,090 971,440 87,968,017 9,740 7,862,372.50
2,404,909.50 -93,832,499 -48,798,275 -93,935 5,428,244 -32,941,604.50 -55,370 -190,358 312,344 -97,000.00 -46,399,862 9,740 -2,646,815
38 14.1 0.58 1.27 19.86 0.225 3.34 16.88 245.2 50.95 24.3 61.75 67.3 1.92 5.15 9 10.6 15.9 11.62 7.15 5.32 1.66 15.2 63.7 18.14 8.67 16.1 1.95 276.4 5 3.28 25.5 14.16 22.25 323.2 0.189 6.85 2.35 4.65 9.2 5.42 7.98 1.43 11.7 52.4 6.12 1.89 14.1 64.7 5.23 0.133 1.04 139 2.51 3.35 0.83
INDUSTRIAL 38.4 767,600 14.44 785,000 0.63 4,771,000 1.27 183,000 20.15 49,600 0.225 1,850,000 3.37 4,029,000 17 395,100 245.2 80 51.8 448,240 24.8 29,500 62 105,890 68 920 1.98 107,000 5.15 14,200 9 42,300 10.8 821,700 16.28 11,168,200 11.62 121,500 7.2 1,387,800 5.37 1,649,100 1.66 4,000 15.5 400,400 64 426,770 18.4 75,300 8.8 118,700 16.2 192,200 2.05 1,174,000 278 1,470,730 5.1 335,100 3.28 3,000 26.5 433,900 14.18 81,400 22.5 5,991,100 326 217,400 0.19 290,000 6.85 14,700 2.36 1,224,000 4.72 189,000 9.27 4,204,800 6.05 1,065,600 7.98 25,600 1.49 257,000 12.2 101,700 53.85 354,160 6.2 83,100 1.91 154,000 14.3 27,400 65.45 197,360 5.38 146,500 0.135 370,000 1.04 5,000 141 2,655,940 2.52 20,000 3.57 47,321,000 0.84 1,830,000
29,428,455 11,307,440 2,998,630 232,510 987,828 421,850 13,559,860 6,710,250 19,672 23,122,076 732,135 6,565,092.50 63,556 208,590 73,185 381,255 8,812,444 181,435,788 1,416,262 9,986,528 8,822,528 6,640 6,188,058 27,217,189.50 1,396,590 1,044,695 3,123,398 2,369,390 407,627,730 1,699,670 9,840 11,333,280 1,156,158 135,100,800 70,871,698 55,080 100,725 2,891,910 893,600 39,007,873 6,471,554 204,288 377,060 1,221,888 18,806,556.50 513,180 291,490 394,020 12,908,752.50 772,564 49,470 5,200 374,337,994 50,210 166,605,050 1,537,740
-2,158,200 -411,822 -14,750 -6,354,410 5,557,592 -1,910,721 124,250 1,295,092.50 -72,080 1,426,610 50,699,860 61,524 -8,887,607 -5,699,670 1,698,094 433,896.50 -582,452 405,016.00 -66,600 -76,301,796 100,000 -3,414,220 -18,462 -87,523,925.00 8,480,260 -204,150 8,265,220.00 -89,482 -60,648 -186,480 -216,338 3,426,391 513,180 -108,490 -537,776 10,460 17,757,543 42,670 1,898,790 -46,310
0.27 61.15 13.04 0.9 6.3 0.63 0.64 921.5 6.5 10.3 7.62 0.212 991 7 59.75 5.28 0.62 4.39 21 0.58 5.19 0.04 1.14 3.2 135 2.56 902 1.65 534 257.4 0.239 0.247 0.193
HOLDING FIRMS 0.27 4,460,000 61.6 2,838,210 13.04 4,672,700 0.9 1,000 6.56 6,300 0.63 24,369,000 0.64 4,597,000 935 209,130 6.6 2,122,300 10.46 14,548,700 7.62 11,200 0.212 170,000 1,011 98,200 7 69,100 61.5 2,434,260 5.79 700 0.63 110,000 4.48 1,704,000 21.7 3,644,300 0.58 876,000 5.21 19,854,500 0.04 1,500,000 1.17 425,000 3.2 1,621,000 136 195,420 2.56 71,000 905 215,110 1.7 336,000 560 2,340 264 2,110 0.239 200,000 0.248 9,710,000 0.193 720,000
1,237,650 175,839,749.50 61,554,668 900 40,512 15,562,470 2,973,520 195,182,630 14,015,450 152,362,400 85,354 36,190 99,345,225 483,710 148,106,406 4,002 68,230 7,660,150 77,407,740 512,960 103,416,451 60,000 493,460 5,206,790 26,543,071 182,290 195,021,290 568,060 1,314,680 547,214 47,800 2,415,180 138,990
-84,810,395 -21,632,262 1,604,600 10,044,990 2,816,786 -24,251,238 16,303,185 -3,294,567.50 451,040 -1,887,520 29,500 433,355 -18,720 974,760 -11,576,867 -59,879,665 11,870 -442,880 47,800 -
NAME
OPEN
HIGH
LOW
CLOSE
ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK CITYSTATE BANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FERRONOUX HLDG IREMIT MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PHILTRUST RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK
58.9 97.6 128.2 1.57 35 7.34 16.4 16.92 3.54 1.53 0.66 82.7 1.07 12.2 21.95 53.1 218 108.5 38.8 200 1,948 89.2
59 98 129.7 1.57 35.3 7.34 16.4 16.98 3.54 1.53 0.66 83.05 1.09 12.24 21.95 53.1 218 108.5 38.8 200.4 1,948 89.5
57.55 97 126.5 1.54 34.8 7.34 16.3 16.04 3.46 1.47 0.61 82.35 1.06 12.2 21.5 52 211 108 38.5 195 1,948 89.2
ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS ASIABEST GROUP BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP EMPERADOR ENERGY DEVT EUROMED FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE 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 SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VULCAN INDL
38.1 14.1 0.58 1.27 20.3 0.225 3.37 16.9 248 51.85 24.35 61.75 67.3 1.92 5.2 9.01 10.6 15.9 11.7 7.18 5.37 1.66 15.46 64.95 18.9 9 16.1 2.02 279 5.19 3.28 26 14.26 22.85 325 0.189 6.86 2.36 4.75 9.2 5.42 7.98 1.45 11.8 52.4 6.12 1.89 14.1 65.7 5.23 0.133 1.04 139 2.51 3.43 0.85
38.55 14.46 0.65 1.28 20.3 0.233 3.4 17 248 51.85 25.1 62 70 1.98 5.2 9.04 10.8 16.68 11.88 7.21 5.38 1.66 15.5 64.95 18.9 9 16.38 2.05 280 5.19 3.28 26.5 14.28 22.9 328.8 0.19 6.86 2.4 4.84 9.37 6.33 7.98 1.49 12.2 54 6.2 1.93 14.5 65.8 5.38 0.135 1.04 141 2.52 3.62 0.86
ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT KEPPEL HLDG A LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA PRIME ORION SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES SM INVESTMENTS SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG
0.28 62.4 13.2 0.9 6.54 0.66 0.65 928 6.5 10.46 7.63 0.212 991 7 61.05 5.28 0.62 4.48 21 0.59 5.2 0.04 1.16 3.21 136.5 2.57 904 1.65 551 258 0.239 0.248 0.194
0.28 63.6 13.32 0.9 6.56 0.66 0.67 940 6.7 10.64 7.63 0.215 1,017 7.1 61.8 5.79 0.64 4.52 21.7 0.61 5.25 0.04 1.19 3.24 137.5 2.57 920 1.7 589 264 0.239 0.25 0.194
8990 HLDG A BROWN ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CEBU HLDG CEBU PROP A CENTURY PROP CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE IRC PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP
7.36 1.08 2.05 0.86 40 3.39 4.57 6.15 6.28 0.45 0.99 0.237 0.445 31 0.63 0.12 1.67 1.27 1.07 4.26 0.61 0.455 0.56 4.11
7.36 1.1 2.05 0.86 41.05 3.39 4.6 6.15 6.28 0.46 1 0.239 0.445 31.9 0.66 0.12 1.67 1.28 1.07 4.35 0.62 0.46 0.56 4.2
7.01 1.03 2.02 0.82 40 3.38 4.51 6.02 6.28 0.45 0.96 0.236 0.445 30.8 0.63 0.12 1.63 1.26 1.04 4.21 0.6 0.445 0.53 4.1
VOLUME
NAME
OPEN
HIGH
LOW
CLOSE
VOLUME
VALUE
NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP
PTFC REDEV CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND
29.25 18 2.02 3.16 33 1.12 10.3 0.79 6.88
29.25 18.36 2.05 3.16 33.9 1.17 10.6 0.79 6.9
29.25 17.94 1.99 3.16 32.6 1.12 10.18 0.79 6.8
29.25 18 2 3.16 33.9 1.15 10.46 0.79 6.87
300 3,559,000 182,000 30,000 10,628,500 17,867,000 160,300 7,000 3,338,700
8,775 64,159,682 364,840 94,800 353,941,020 20,558,820 1,645,420 5,530 22,943,634
-2,099,422 83,950 -63,200 79,655,925 -11,600 -39,756 187,884
2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA GRAND PLAZA 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 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
16.5 27.7 1.38 0.48 0.047 12.8 12 0.054 87.85 8.7 7 7.4 2.26 22.5 1,580 5.6 306 12.04 4.3 2.28 84 13.3 8.23 0.116 1.4 3.45 14.32 4.76 1.05 24.6 4.21 6.35 3.24 8.01 11.88 9.89 3 127 5.95 1,345 1.03 0.435 46.95 90 7.14 2.32 1.31 0.435 4.95 0.87 10.86
17.4 27.7 1.39 0.49 0.048 12.9 12.12 0.054 89 8.79 7.18 7.7 2.26 23 1,687 5.65 307 12.04 4.38 2.28 84.5 13.3 8.23 0.124 1.43 3.51 15.18 4.77 1.05 24.6 4.25 6.4 3.25 8.37 11.9 9.89 3 128 5.99 1,392 1.08 0.435 47 90 7.18 2.37 1.31 0.44 4.95 0.88 10.98
16.24 27.5 1.38 0.475 0.047 12.64 11.58 0.053 87.75 8.7 6.96 7.4 2.26 21.7 1,580 5.54 302.2 12.04 4.13 2.28 82.2 13.3 8.23 0.116 1.38 3.33 14.32 4.6 1.01 22.2 4.16 6.2 3.22 8.01 11.7 9.55 2.9 125 5.9 1,345 1.03 0.42 46.1 87.4 7.13 2.3 1.3 0.43 4.79 0.87 10.82
SERVICES 16.3 27.55 1.39 0.48 0.047 12.64 12.08 0.053 89 8.79 7 7.7 2.26 21.8 1,645 5.56 307 12.04 4.15 2.28 82.9 13.3 8.23 0.118 1.42 3.5 14.54 4.67 1.03 23 4.16 6.2 3.24 8.28 11.9 9.55 2.9 127 5.99 1,380 1.08 0.425 47 87.65 7.16 2.3 1.31 0.435 4.79 0.87 10.94
381,800 23,400 12,000 1,240,000 27,500,000 60,800 13,682,600 3,570,000 249,850 2,900 1,000,000 200 1,000 34,900 72,760 382,900 3,770 700 1,109,000 4,000 955,310 600 9,000 10,550,000 1,107,000 168,000 8,700 959,000 117,000 10,950,300 238,000 3,520,700 664,000 7,515,300 39,900 1,500 35,000 31,680 155,500 88,915 13,355,000 4,520,000 187,200 1,298,290 14,700 444,000 111,000 7,390,000 1,037,000 1,067,000 191,600
6,490,088 644,270 16,580 598,900 1,295,000 776,894 163,118,904 189,290 22,182,471 25,266 7,053,444 1,510 2,260 762,600 119,482,330 2,126,067 1,148,200 8,428 4,699,080 9,120 79,287,309.50 7,980 74,070 1,267,330 1,540,060 585,450 125,448 4,473,960 120,520 253,033,820 997,230 22,162,049 2,150,960 61,965,741 474,016 14,801 102,940 4,023,569 926,654 122,380,325 14,085,450 1,933,150 8,722,285 113,807,987.50 104,913 1,030,860 144,480 3,222,450 5,003,500 929,140 2,088,568
939.9999 11,490 -18,405,890 2,957,934.50 49,902,025 -191,520 -29,080,432 3,450 -1,344,960 -32,101,975 -37,700 -7,700,533 570,380 -757,050 279,530 -47,657 -9,742,465 -1,559,470 -5,234,840 -6,933,439.50 70,587 -286,670 20,800 -465,650 518,100 875,040
254,100 2,742,260 21,540 13,110 26,210 115,830 72,000 8,724 7,405,880 6,170 75,600 65,800 8,800 18,600 182,930 3,494,874 10,680 66,060 148,650 92,200 1,681,000 5,872,158 15,832,088 67,305,985
624,530 37,800 893,088 18,000 -4,302,348 1,868,938 -15,765,320
MS
PROPERTY 7.35 1.03 2.04 0.84 40.1 3.38 4.6 6.02 6.28 0.45 0.99 0.238 0.445 31.25 0.66 0.12 1.66 1.26 1.04 4.25 0.61 0.455 0.53 4.17
8,556,600 31,630,000 127,000 1,121,000 9,231,700 35,000 1,083,000 9,300 100 3,100,000 679,000 3,130,000 20,000 237,000 10,000 100,000 16,910,000 1,731,000 1,136,000 10,094,000 39,220,000 8,410,000 7,251,000 3,274,000
61,362,964 33,339,960 257,980 934,210 374,387,855 118,330 4,968,160 56,051 628 1,398,900 665,750 741,470 8,900 7,422,985 6,390 12,000 27,880,610 2,187,010 1,194,720 43,010,460 23,932,930 3,810,300 3,900,670 13,610,430
-10,307,624 188,650 27,992,575 -3,380 -86,450 1,960,490 -21,502,850 34,290 -20,516,360 26,230 -74,700
ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK BENGUET A 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 B PHILODRILL PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING
0.0029 1.73 4.31 18.7 1.53 1.65 0.3 7.47 2.29 0.208 0.14 0.14 0.0088 0.0093 1.47 5.19 1.17 0.54 0.93 0.012 0.012 5.66 13.68 27.65
0.0029 1.76 4.32 18.8 1.55 1.65 0.3 7.47 2.29 0.208 0.14 0.14 0.0088 0.0093 1.5 5.21 1.23 0.57 0.94 0.013 0.013 5.66 14.1 28.4
0.0028 1.72 4.3 18.7 1.53 1.62 0.3 7.23 2.23 0.202 0.14 0.14 0.0088 0.0093 1.47 5.09 1.17 0.53 0.92 0.012 0.012 5.6 13.5 27.55
MINING & OIL 0.0028 89,000,000 1.74 1,578,000 4.32 5,000 18.8 700 1.55 17,000 1.62 71,000 0.3 240,000 7.47 1,200 2.27 3,273,000 0.207 30,000 0.14 540,000 0.14 470,000 0.0088 1,000,000 0.0093 2,000,000 1.47 124,000 5.19 674,900 1.23 9,000 0.57 122,000 0.94 160,000 0.013 7,100,000 0.013 136,000,000 5.65 1,043,800 13.6 1,155,100 28 2,421,400
ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF GLO PREF P HOUSE PREF A LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2B SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I
26.35 500 510 106.2 100.9 506 101 1.06 106.5 1,056 980 77 79 75.1 77.65 77 78.1
26.35 500 510 107 101.2 506 101 1.06 106.5 1,056 990 77 79 75.5 78 77.15 78.15
26.35 500 505 106.2 100.6 506 101 1.05 106.5 1,056 980 77 78.8 75.1 77.6 76.2 75.95
PREFERRED 26.35 215,600 500 10 505 2,440 107 1,360 101.2 77,350 506 10 101 30 1.05 231,000 106.5 10 1,056 50 990 70 77 130 78.8 1,150 75.1 8,320 78 456,370 77 89,770 75.95 2,550
5,681,060 5,000 1,234,070 144,720 7,815,279 5,060 3,030 242,610 1,065 52,800 68,800 10,010 90,680 625,768 35,459,469.50 6,912,580 199,072.50
-13,175 144,720 -4,240 24,882 -
LR WARRANT
2.85
2.85
2.76
WARRANTS 2.76 234,000
652,770
-
1,909,639 125,900 3,495,770
5,410 -19,270
2,202,520
11,710
49,852
-
ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS
5.45 3 3.19
5.55 3.04 3.23
5.37 2.99 3.17
FIRST METRO ETF
117.2
117.9
116.6
USD TECH B2
1.03
TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL
1.03
SHARES
30,572,419
INDUSTRIAL
102,020,409
HOLDING FIRMS
109,546,182
PROPERTY
182,977,469
SERVICES
119, 471,168
MINING & OIL
247,292,765
GRAND TOTAL
793,391,132
1.03
5.47 3 3.18
SME
352,700 42,000 1,097,000
EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 116.6 18,790 1.03
DDS
48,400
VALUE 1,886.54 (down) 11.21 1,416,522,052.24 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,054.47 (up) 54.99 1,9001,170,057.13 HOLDING FIRMS 7,610.70 (up) 33.47 1,363,393,226.42 PROPERTY 3,582.03 (up) 72.23 SERVICES 1,524.94 (up) 8.49 1,076,952,525.77 MINING & OIL 10,082.93 (up) 68.55 1,363,036,154.87 PSEI 7,577.57 (up) 44.29 105,531,073.094 All Shares Index 4,629.33 (up) 27.72 7,233,339,770.92 Gainers: 98; Losers: 96; Unchanged: 48; Total: 242
LT Group spending P10b amid challenges By Jenniffer B. Austria LT GROUP Inc. of airline and tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan is spending P10 billion this year amid a better but challenging business environment for consumer-related businesses due to higher taxes and rising inflation rate. LT Group president Michael Tan said during the annual stockholders’ meeting he expected tobacco to sustain a recovery this year while its liquor and beverage businesses could be affected by higher taxes. “We are not operating in level playing field which enables us to pass on additional taxes and no longer price products at economically unsustainable levels. But there may be a further drop in volumes due to higher prices,” Tan said. For the beverage business under Asia Brewery Inc., Tan expects tax on sugary drinks to negatively affect the sales volume of Cobra, one of the company’s top selling products. Tan, however, expects sales of bottled water to remain strong and the rollout of other products like soy milk and yogurt to boost sales. Tan said the additional tax in liquor products under package 2 of the Duterte administration’s tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion, meanwhile, would also affect sales of Tanduay Distillers Inc. But demand for liquor products may remain stable with the robust economy and new jobs to be generated from the Build Build Build infrastructure program of the government, especially in Visayas and Mindanao. Tan said the increase in inflation rate as well as the depreciation of the peso against the dollar and the higher fuel cost could result to higher production costs this year. He said Philippine National Bank’s transition to a united IT system would enable it to offer more services and products through mobile phones and over the web.
Phoenix unit starts building asphalt plant By Alena Mae S. Flores PHOENIX Asphalt Philippines Inc., the joint venture of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, TIPCO Asphalt Public Co. Ltd. of Thailand and PhilAsphalt Development Corp., broke ground on the construction of an asphalt plant at Calaca Industrial Seaport Park in Batangas. “The groundbreaking for the asphalt facility is a big development in our plans for Phoenix Asphalt Philippines. This new venture maximizes synergies of our well-established business in fuels with the construction sector, as we aim to provide a better and improved quality of asphalt in support of the government’s Build, Build, Build campaign,” said Phoenix Petroleum chief operating officer Henry Albert Fadullon. The three companies announced their joint venture to form Phoenix Asphalt in January that will manufacture, operate, market and distribute asphalt, asphalt-related products and other byproducts of crude oil, other petroleum products, and operate terminals and depots in the Philippines. Phoenix and TIPCO Asphalt each have a 40-percent stake in the joint venture while PhilAsphalt has a 20 percent interest. Fadullon earlier said the company planned to put up a bitumen plant in Calaca, Batangas within the year as part of the company’s aggressive expansion program. “Yes, we are planning to put up our own plant in Calaca, Batangas together with our joint venture partner. No capacity yet. Within the year, we will be having the aspalt business in place,” Fadullon said. Phoenix Asphalt, with a capitalization of P275 million, is part of Phoenix Petroleum’s aggressive expansion plan that started with the acquisition of Petronas Energy Philippines Inc. and Philippine FamilyMart, and the establishment of PNX Petroleum Singapore Pte Ltd. last year.
World
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018
B3
Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor
Hungary PM prepares for third term BUDAPEST―Hungary’s strongman premier Viktor Orban will be formally re-elected for a third straight term Tuesday, with the country’s beleaguered opposition facing an uncertain future. Orban was officially requested to form a new government by Hungarian President Janos Ader Monday, and will be re-elected to the post in the first session of the new parliament Tuesday. Meanwhile several hundred antigovernment protesters formed a human chain around parliament in a symbolic protest late Monday. Another anti-Orban demonstration expected to draw tens of thousands will also take place outside parliament on Tuesday evening. They are part of a grassroots civil protest movement that has sprung up since April’s parliamentary election, with opposition party leaders still reeling from the results. Orban’s ruling right-wing Fidesz party defied predictions of a tight contest by winning with a landslide 49 percent of the vote compared to under 20 for its nearest challenger, the nationalist Jobbik party. That helped Fidesz clinch a third consecutive two-thirds parliamentary majority in a row, granting Orban further legislative carte blanche to amend the constitution and speed up new laws. AFP
Retired American man accused of running sex tours BANGKOK—An American man has been arrested in a sting operation for allegedly running an online brothel service matching men in northern Thailand with Myanmar sex workers across the border, police said Tuesday. Police said Kenneth Viggo Albertsen, a 66-year-old living in Chiang Rai province on a retirement visa, is behind a website and Facebook page called “Burmese Border Chicks for Hire” that sold sex with Myanmar women for 6,500 baht ($200). The business brought women to meet clients on the Thai side of the border in Mae Sai, and also offered to “guide” men into Myanmar for sex services, police said. “He has been operating for at least 10 years,” Colonel Jirabhob Bhuridej, deputy commander of Thailand’s Crime Suppression Police, told AFP. Police said Albertsen was arrested after arranging for two Myanmar women, aged 25 and 18, to cross into Thailand and meet undercover officers who posed as clients at a hotel in Mae Sai. He and the two sex workers, plus another Myanmar woman who allegedly helped arrange the meet-up, have been charged with procuring prostitution, which carries up to 10 years in prison. AFP
MILITARY PARADE Libyans dressed in traditional costumes attend a military parade in the eastern city of Benghazi, during which Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar announced a military offensive to take from “terrorists” the city of Derna, the only part of eastern Libya outside his forces’ control. AFP
Top New York prosecutor quits Traumatized bears, wolves find solace at sanctuary N NYMFEO, Greece―Orphaned as an infant, three-year-old Patrick takes a wary view of visitors. He crouches low, licks his claws and starts humming―a bear’s equivalent of thumb-sucking. “It soothes him when he’s stressed,” says Melina Avgerinou, a caretaker at the Arcturos bear sanctuary in northern Greece. Patrick’s tale is typical of many bears that have found refuge in the Arcturos sanctuary at Nymfaio on the slopes of Mount Vitsi, some 600 kilometers northwest of Athens. He was less than a month old when found wandering near the Greek-Albanian border, his mother apparently killed by poachers. Too young to know the ways of the wild, he never learned to survive with-
out human assistance. The sanctuary released him to nature when he turned one, but he sauntered back just over a month later. “As he did not learn to fear humans, it’s not safe for him in nature, so he will stay here for the rest of his life,” Avgerinou says. Like Patrick, others here have psychological and physical scars. Barbara, an aged female, came from a Serbian zoo. Two decades on, she still paces nervously in her forest enclosure and shakes her head as if chained to a cage. Three-year-old Usko was found in Macedonia as a baby. He was paralyzed from the waist down, so Arcturos staff― amazed by his zest for life―fashioned a wheelbarrow that enables him to move around in an area with flat surfaces.
“There are a lot of problems with captive bears, mainly in the Balkans. The biggest problem is in Albania and [Macedonia] where there are still legal shortcomings,” Avgerinou says. “So there are still bears that need shelter... there are other sanctuaries in the Balkans and [elsewhere] in Europe, but they are generally full,” she adds. A still-suckling baby called Luigi― named after Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon―arrived in April after a fruitless two-day search for his mother. Two youngsters from Montenegro had preceded him and three more infant bears from Bulgaria will be added soon. Founded in 1992, Arcturos shelters bears and wolves mainly from the Balkans but has also taken large predators from as far away as Austria and Georgia. AFP
Former top Chinese official gets life in jail for bribery BEIJING―A former Chinese Communist Party official who was once tipped as a potential successor to President Xi Jinping was sentenced to life in prison for bribery on Tuesday, the latest senior cadre to fall in Xi’s sweeping anti-corruption crusade. Sun Zhengcai, a former Politburo member and party chief of the southwestern mega-city of Chongqing, was found guilty of taking more than 170 million yuan ($26.7 million) in bribes, the First Intermediate People’s Court of Tianjin said in a statement on its
website. Sun, 54, had once been tipped for promotion to the Politburo’s elite seven-member standing committee, which rules the country and is presided over by Xi. As the youngest Politburo member, Sun was even seen in some quarters as a potential successor to Xi. The court said the defendant had been given a “lenient” sentence in light of his willingness to cooperate with the investigation. In addition to his prison term, Sun’s
“stolen property has already all been confiscated,” the statement said. A photo posted on the court’s website showed the former leader in the dock, head deeply bowed as two police officers look on. Sun expressed “sincere repentance”, according to the court. He said he accepted the sentence and would not appeal. Sun had been accused of taking advantage of his position to seek profits for others and illegally accepting money, according to previous court statements. AFP
Taiwan hits back at WHO exclusion
WAITING FOR NAJIB. Supporters wait for an appearance by Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak of the ruling coalition party Barisan Nasional during a campaign event, ahead of the coming 14th general elections on May 9, in Pekan, Pahang, on May 8, 2018 . AFP
TAIPEI-Taiwan accused the World Health Organization of succumbing to political pressure from Beijing Tuesday after the island failed to receive an invitation to a major international meeting. China sees self-governing democratic Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification and has used its clout to diminish the island’s presence on the world stage since Beijing-skeptic President Tsai Ing-wen took power in May 2016. Last year was the first time in eight years that Taiwan was not granted access to the World Health Assembly (WHA)―WHO’s main meeting. This year’s WHA is to be held in Geneva from May 21-26 and the online registration deadline lapsed on Monday without Taipei receiving an invite. “We believe the WHO is a non-political organization pursuing the highest health standards for humanity and should not solely serve Beijing’s political will,” the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) -- Taiwan’s agency that handles official dealings with China -- said in a statement. Taiwan’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday it “regretted” that it had not been invited to the WHA. “Health is a basic human right, as well as a universal value regardless of differences in race, religion, political beliefs, economic or social situations,” the ministry said in a statement. AFP
EW YORK― New York state’s top prosecutor, a public champion of the #MeToo movement, resigned on Monday hours after being accused by The New Yorker magazine of physically assaulting four women.
It was an abrupt fall from power for Eric Schneiderman, the New York attorney general and a Donald Trump opponent whose office had launched multiple legal challenges against the Republican administration. “In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me,” Schneiderman said in a statement. “While these allegations are unrelated to my professional conduct or the operations of the office, they will effectively prevent me from leading the office’s work at this critical time. I therefore resign my office, effective at the close of business on May 8.” Two of the women spoke to the magazine on the record, alleging that Schneiderman repeatedly hit them, often after drinking, frequently in bed and never with their consent. Both say they sought medical attention after having been slapped hard across the ear and face, and also choked, the magazine said. The New Yorker said none of the women classified the behavior as consensual. Earlier, Schneiderman issued a statement denying that he had assaulted anyone or that he had ever engaged in non-consensual sex. “In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity,” he said. Schneiderman is the latest powerful man to fall in the wake of the avalanche of sexual misconduct allegations from women that have poured forth since the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke late last year and effectively ended the Hollywood movie producer’s career. In February, Schneiderman sued The Weinstein Company for failing to protect its employees from the disgraced mogul despite multiple complaints from staff. “We have never seen anything as despicable as what we’ve seen right here,” Schneiderman said then. He had also been instructed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to review a 2015 decision by the Manhattan district attorney not to prosecute Weinstein over allegations of assault. One of the women named in The New Yorker story described her experiences with Schneiderman as awful. Michelle Manning Barish said he slapped her after they had been drinking. “It was horrendous,” she told the magazine. “It just came out of nowhere. My ear was ringing. I lost my balance and fell backward onto the bed. AFP
LGUs
Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com
B4
wednesday, may 9, 2018
LocaL government units
Erap to get 46 new dialysis machines soon for GABMMC MANILA Mayor Joseph estrada vowed to install 46 new dialysis machines at the Gat. Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center as part of the city government’s move to help hundreds of kidney patients struggling to get free treatment. “At present, there are 26 dialysis machines at the GABMMC and these would be increased to 72 by the end of 2018, to accommodate hundreds of Manileños afflicted with kidney diseases,” the mayor said during the hospital’s 20th anniversary celebration. estrada said he initiated the free dialysis treatment when he was the President of the country, after witnessing hundreds of poor patients trooping all the way to the presidential palace to avail of free dialysis treatments, which led him to establish additional free dialysis centers and expand access to the life-saving treatments. The cost for each treatment was P2,000 to P2,500, which was hard to shoulder for poor patients, and poses risks to those would not get immediate treatment, he said. The former President also lauded the doctors, nurses, medical staffs and utility personnel of the GABMMC for their continued help to extend medical assistance to the poor families of Manila. estrada said that as mayor, he is now duty bound to give help to the needy. “I am privileged that I am now in a position to help our hospital achieve its most important mission: To assist and attend to the health needs of our people,” he said. estrada also led other activities where more than 500 young boys were circumcised, conducted hand hygiene workshop for kids, “Art by Batang Gat” painting contest, blood letting, free reading glasses, medical and hand cardiopulmonary resuscitation training course and Intravenous therapy workshop for nurses. he said that GABMMC is close to his heart, because in 1998 when he was elected President 20 years ago that he first visited the hospital. “I just mentioned this because that year was a very important chapter of my past,” he said. The mayor said he was proud that majority of Manileños supported his program that lift the city from billions of pesos from debt left behind by his predecessor to achieve his vision of modernizing the city’s hospitals.
Davao City office taps ‘Agribeshies’ By F. Pearl A. Gajunera
DAVAO CITY―The City Agriculturist Office plans to involve the youth sector in the agriculture industry through the help of schools and universities offering agribusiness courses here. Leo Brian Leuterio, CAO head, explained Tuesday that the youth in agricultural communities will work with the Agribiz Youth Club of Davao under various schools such as the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP). “The name of the group is Agribeshies, they are composed of the youth sector in the agricultural communities. They will work together with the Agriculture clubs of the school to further enhance their knowledge in agriculture,” Leuterio said. he said Agribeshies will identify an agriculture project that could be develop with the help of the CAO. The project will get support such as funding and monitoring to ensure that it will prosper. “The Agribiz students have the know-how of the science about agriculture, this will be a good training and exposure for the youth,” he said. Leuterio said Agribeshies will help achieve a bright future for the agricultural sector. On May 30, the CAO together with the USeP, Ateneo de Davao University, the University of the Philippines and some other institutions, will sign a partnership agreement for the start of the Agribeshies project.
‘FLORES’ PARADE. Models dressed in glittering gold gowns designed by renowned fashion designer Ol’e Morabe lead the parade in the 39th Flores de Mayo 2018 Ginintuang Ani
(Golden Harvest) Our Lady of Guadalupe parade at the SM Mall of Asia grounds on Sunday. The parade, organized by the Congregacion del Santissimo Nombre del Niño Jesus, was on its last hurrah, as it gathered top designers, models, beauty queens and other fashion industry stakeholders. Sonny Espiritu
E. Visayas nets P200m to address school woes
By Ronald O. Reyes
P
ALO, Leyte―Education officials in Eastern Visayas have remained thankful to both public and private stakeholders in the region after it solicited over P200 million in donations and signed 38 agreements in this year’s partnerships in education roadshow. “Thirty-eight perfected memoranda of agreement worth P200 million during the Regional Road Show for Partnerships. Thank you USec. Tonisito Umali for choosing Deped 8 as host for the Visayas,” said Ramir B. Uytico, regional director of the Department of education in eastern Visayas. he also lauded Tacloban City Schools Division Superintendent Thelma Quitalig “for the world-class hosting” of the event. eden A. Dadap, education project development officer IV in the region, also called the event a “milestone” as they
did not expect the presence of over 300 participants during its launching on Friday, May 4. “Isn’t this a blessing?” said Dadap. Dadap told Manila Standard that top donors of the event included City Savings Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, local government units, and private individuals, among others. Umali of the Deped’s Legislative Liaison Office, external Partnerships Service, and School Sports was joined by Leyte Gov. Leopoldo Petilla, municipal mayors, and officials from the 13 school divisions coming from six prov-
inces in the region. The roadshow aimed to strengthen existing partnerships among stakeholders and generate donations to address the educational gaps in the region particularly on the Adopt-a-School and Brigada eskwela programs of the over 4, 000 public schools in the region. Public schools in eastern Visayas, with over 1 million students, continue to be beset by various educational problems like congested classrooms, decreasing enrollment among elementary students, malnutrition, lack of non-teaching staff and Alternative Learning System faculty. They also face the lack of high school campuses in far-flung barangays, lack of school budget, low performance in the National Achievement Test, lack of data-driven system to track performances of schools, and high dropout rate, among others.
BJMP AWARD. Las Piñas City Mayor Imelda ‘Mel’ Aguilar (center) commended the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Las Piñas
for the awards given by BJMP–National Capital Region recognizing the outstanding efforts in jail management of Las Piñas City Jail. Both Male and Female Dormitories were ranked Number One among the Top Ten jail dormitories in the NCR for the first quarter of 2018. Likewise awarded were JCInsp. Reuben D. Olivo as Best Male Warden (Ranked No. 1) and JSInsp. Aileen M. Ramirez as Best Female Warden (Ranked No. 4) for the first quarter of 2018. Jail Warden Reuben Olivo received the certificate of commendation from Mayor Mel Aguilar on behalf of BJMP-Las Piñas along with members of the City Council: Carlo Aguilar, Filemon Aguilar III, Henry Medina, Florante dela Cruz, Bonifacio Riguera, Mark Anthony Santos, Rubymar Ramos, Ignacio Sangga, Ben Quilatan, Alfredo Miranda and Danilo Hernandez.
PSA opens satellite office in Ayala Malls Muntinlupa The Philippine Statistics Authority (formerly National Statistics Office) has transferred its office in Starmall Alabang to the Ayala Malls–South Park in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. The PSA relocated to a bigger space at the fourth floor of South Park (beside Timezone) to accommodate more number of clients from Metro Manila South and other neighboring cities applying for Civil Registry Documents, the agency said through the city government. PSA Alabang accepts applications for birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, and Cenomar (certificate of no marriage), among other civil services. Mayor Jaime Fresnedi welcomed the opening of the agency’s satellite office in Muntinlupa, giving easy access to government services for the locals. The Philippine Information Agency also expressed its interest in putting up an office in the city in partnership with Muntinlupa Public Information Office. PIA’s satellite office in Muntinlupa shall become the agency’s Information Center for communication practitioners in the Taguig, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Laguna, and other nearby towns. As part of its commitment in efficiently and effectively delivering services to Muntinlupeños, the City Government of Muntinlupa continues to forge partnerships with various agencies for installation of their satellite offices in the city. The Securities and exchange Commission recently put up its first satellite office in National Capital Region situated in Muntinlupa City hall to serve clients from the region and southern hub of Luzon.
San Mateo holds Balatong Festival, 2nd Cagayan Valley AAR Fiesta By Butch Gunio SAN MATeO, Isabela—This town is currently holding six-day 10th Balatong Festival and 2nd Cagayan Valley Agricultural and Aquatic Resources Research and Development Fiesta with various activities aiming to strengthen its position as “Mongo Capital of the Philippines.”
FESTIVE SUCCESS.
This year’s Subic Ay! Festival successfully ended over the weekend, highlighted by a medical mission, job fair, multi-services caravan, and fluvial parade for the Araw ng Mangingisda at Magsasaka (Day of Fishermen and Farmers). Subic Mayor Jefferson “Jay” Khonghun (pictured, on float) led the weeklong festival, which aimed to boost tourism in the freeport town. Manny Palmero
“Mongo farming improves the life of my constituents,” said Mayor Crispina Agcaoili in a press conference here on Monday. “We have prepared many activities to highlight the importance of this agricultural commodity in our town,” she added. Officials of this town said they have 7,000 hectares planted with mongo with
annual gross sales of P350 million. Agcaoili aims to boost the mongo industry by adopting science and technology innovations being promoted by concerned government agencies like PCAARRD. “It is good that our farmers are very receptive to new technologies,” the mayor added. PCAARRD Applied Communication
Division Director Marita Carlos, who was the guest of honor of the festival opening ceremony, said aside from production, Sta. Mateo farmers should start thinking processing mongo for added value. She cited sotanghon (glass noodles) that is made from yellow mongo. “Submit proposals to us and we will readily evaluate them,” she told CVAARRD and LGU officials.
Belmonte: Use the ballot wisely By Rio N. Araja A WeeK before the May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte on Tuesday urged voters to “use the ballot wisely to elect wellintentioned leaders and replace the ones they dislike.” She told voters to take advantage of the election as an opportune time to let their voices be heard for their future and the sake of their children. “Use the ballot to choose your leaders. If we feel that they have not served
us well, don’t vote for them. We will use the ballot,” Belmonte said. If by any chance their chosen candidates would not win, the vice mayor said the constituents must unite as one and be of big help to the city government. “In unity, there is strength. In unity, there is power. In unity, our voices can be heard,” she added. If elected as mayor in 2019, Belmonte vowed to ensure not to waste the people’s money by implementing projects and programs that have no real significance.
Life
Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE
fashion and beauty
wEdnESday, May 9, 2018
C1
Spoil your mom MS Life Mother’s Day Gift Guide
O
Swarovski Mother’s Day Collection
Treat her to jewelry pieces that are made especially for her special day. Choose from the floral-inspired, black and white color combination of the Latisha range or the delicately glamorous Sparkling Dance. Available at Swarovski stores and SSI-owned boutiques
ur mothers know best that’s why they always give us the best. On her special day, shower her with all the love and with one, or two, of these stylish gifts that she will cherish.
Anne Klein Silvertone Round Watch
A classy and timeless watch design that helps mom keep track of time in the most stylish way possible. Available at Anne Klein boutique and WatchR epublic
Bally Lottie
Celebrate her timeless style and femininity with this elegant pair of babouche slippers. Perfect for moms who prefer to go about her day sans sky high heels. Available at Greenbelt 5, Rustan’s Makati, Shangri-La Plaza, and Newport Mall
Gucci Guilty EDP Absolute Pour Femme
For the woman who breaks glass ceilings, this perfume that features notes of blackberry, Bulgarian rose, and goldenwood, is the perfect feminine fragrance with the right drop of masculinity. Available at SM, Landmark, Robinsons, and Rustan’s department stores
TechnoMarine Sea Beauty
Let her tell time in an elegant way with this 32-mm timepiece, which is created with the precision of the Swiss-ronda movement. Choose between a stylish rose gold and silver dial or a chic yellow gold and silver dial. This watch is also perfect for adventurous moms as it can withstand water pressure up to 30 meters. Available at TechnoMarine stores
Reisenthel Easyshopping Bag
Just because she’s going to the supermarket it doesn’t mean she can’t be stylish. This sophisticated collapsible shopping bag has carrying straps with grip handles and spacious interior, allowing her to carry as many grocery items as she can. Available at Make Room and Zalora
1902 EDT Pivoine & Rhubarbe
Young, on-thego mommas will stay fresh from day to night with this delicate, perfectfor-summer perfume that combines the scents of grapefruit and rhubarb with distinct accents of soft peony and smooth magnolia. Available at Rustan’s
John Hardy Bamboo Ring
This handcrafted ring symbolizes her pure heart, her elegance, and her unyielding support. She would appreciate to know that her ring sponsors the sowing of bamboo seedlings in some part of the globe. Available at Rustan’s
Spanx Bra-llelujah
Spoil mom with a full bust support minus the uncomfortable feeling of underwires. Available at Rustan’s
Ogon Quilted Passport Wallet
This wallet is designed to hold several cards, papers, and other essential travel documents. Perfect for the jet-setting mom. Available at Rustan’s
Max Factor Honey Lacquer
Give mom the gift of irresistibly shiny and nourished lips with this lacquer that combines the pigment of a lipstick, the shine of a gloss, and the nourishing benefits of a balm. It’s available in eight shades. Available at Rustan’s Alabang, Landmark Trinoma, Robinsons Ermita, and SM Makati
Tiffany & Co. Tiffany and Victoria Bow Earrings
Nuxe Nuxellence Eye Contour
Help maintain the beauty of her loving eyes with this eye skin care product that instantly smoothes and illuminates the entire eye area. Available at Beauty Bar
The understated elegance of this pair of bow earrings in platinum and diamonds highlights her strong yet feminine personality, much like the fire by which this piece was inspired. Available at Rustan’s Makati and Shangri-La
BaByliss Travel Dry 2000
The compact design of this foldable hair dryer allows mom to have a great hair wherever she goes. Available at Rustan’s, Watsons, and Zalora
Lladro Afternoon Nap
This heartwarming piece symbolizes every mother’s unconditional love. It will surely be one of her favorite home decors. Available at Rustan’s
Christian Loubotin Irishell Nappa
For the mother who likes to make an impact in every step she makes, this pair of elegant pointed heels is all she will ever need. Available at Rustan’s
My Diamond bangles
Perhaps nothing lasts longer than your love for your mom than diamonds. Give her the lasting gift with stylish sliding diamond bangles made of 18k white gold with 174 pieces of 1.25 carat diamonds or with a 14k white gold with 119 pieces of 0.77 carat diamonds. Or get her the classic baguette pave bangle of 14k white gold with 71 pieces of 1.44 carat diamonds. Get any of these at discounted price as My Diamond is offering 45 percent discount on all jewelry from today until May 13. Available at My Diamond concept stores
Maidenform Shapewear Instant Slimmer Waist Nipper
Longchamp Madeleine
This elegant and contemporary handbag is for that stylish tita who doesn’t want to look like a tita. Available at Greenbelt 5, Shangri-la Plaza, and Rustan’s
Every mother deserves to look her best, and this shapewear’s soft microfiber fabric smoothly and comfortably helps reduce waistline and midriff while providing an hourglass shape. Available at Rustan’s
Covergirl Outlast Allday Liquid Foundation
This liquid foundation will help mom look fresh, flawless, and put together even after her daily tasks. Available at SM Department Stores, Robinsons Department Stores, and Landmark Department Stores
Life
C2
wednesday, may 9, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com
Forever 21’s Swim and Surf Collection is composed of bikini tops and bottoms as well as one-piece swimsuits for different kinds of girls.
Swim, surf, and splash
H
aVe a lot of fashionable fun under the sun in this collection of swimwear pieces that are designed to stay put while you play.
Forever 21’s Swim and Surf Collection is composed of bikini top and bottoms as well as one-piece swimsuits for flirty or sporty, petite or plus-size. as a bonus, these pieces are easy to
dress up too—perfect for the beach to the bar OOTD—cover up with Forever 21 denim shorts or jeans, a printed kimono, a floral maxi dress, or a even a zipped-up hoodie from the activewear line.
Moms are the queen on May 13 at Araneta Center
This collection is available at all Forever 21 branches in SM Megamall, SM Makati, North Wing of SM City Cebu, The Block at SM City North Edsa, SM Mall of Asia, SM Lanang Premier, SM Aura Premier, SM City Fairview, SM City Clark, SM Southmall, SM Seaside City Cebu, SM City Iloilo, SM City Bacolod, Robinson’s Magnolia, and SM CDO Downtown Premier.
A pampering treat every mom deserves
Tropical prints for a fashionable fun under the summer sun
TreaT your mom to a fabulous Mother’s Day celebration courtesy of araneta Center’s Moms on Fleek promotion. every P600 single purchase receipt at any araneta Center establishment on May 13 entitles mommies to avail the following services for free: Skin analysis by Diana Stalder, eyebrow shaping and grooming by J.Cat Beauty, eyebrow threading by Nails. Glow, and make-up tutorial by Natural Looks at the Gateway Mall; express diamond peel by Vanity First, eyebrow shaping and grooming by Detail Makeover, and makeup tutorial by blogger mom Mhaan arambulo-Delos Santos at the Farmers Plaza; free
express diamond peel by Nisce skin and makeup tutorial also by Mommy Mhaan at ali Mall. Participating moms will also receive gift packs of beauty and skin care products from Natural Looks, Detail Makeover, Diana Stalder, and Dove. as part of the Mother’s Day celebration, the J. amado araneta Foundation (the CSr arm of the araneta Group) will be giving five lucky moms from Gawad Kalinga Tanay a makeover with free hair styling by Tony & Jackey and facial service by Vanity First. each mom will also be treated to a dinner with one kid at Four Seasons Buffet and Hotpot in Manhattan Parkview.
Stylish kids of summer CuTe children strutted their stuff on the runway in this season’s hippest trends at the recently concluded Shangri-La Plaza’s Sun up to Showdown Spring/Summer 2018 Fashion Show for Kids and Teens. Young models showcased the cool vibe of summer in Pastel Cuties and the light and easy easy Chambrays in soft blue and white. The vibrant season is matched with the playfulness in Fun Stripes, while the beach vibe prevails in the colorful prints and resort-ready rompers, dresses, shorts, and shirts in the Island adventures. Dainty Flower Girl florals are also in-season for the family’s little princess. Summer trends for teen girls include eye-popping pieces in Bold Stripes. Young girls bloom with charming floral prints paired together in Flower Garden. The sporty Track Star romps down the runway featuring track jackets and side-striped pants. The Crayola Brights color blocking takes everyone to summer’s bold and bright side, just as Goin’ Circles cools the senses with black and white polka dots. Meanwhile, Fringed Benefits has everyone swaying to the beat of summer. Plaid and checkered clothing finds their way to this season’s wardrobes in the Just Check-
ing selections. Hoodie Goodie hits the streets with hooded tops paired with quirky denim. Finally, Denim redux shows that the top-to-bottom denim trend is here to stay. The boys took to the runway in bold vertical stripe selections from Through Thick and Thin. embroidered Jeans will give a fresh, new take on denim for the guys. athleisure stays on trend with track jackets, hoodies, and side-striped pants. Summer unleashes cool sorbethues with pieces under the Sorbet Dreams category. The retro spirit pops up in Print Vibe with printed shirts inspired by the ‘60s to the ‘80s. Witness a youthful and sporty take on men’s florals from pieces under Boys Over Flowers. The boys can also beat the heat with short swim shorts in Short Time. Finally, New utility funks up street casual wear with long utility belts. These trendy looks are available at Calvin Klein Jeans, Folded & Hung, ForMe, GaP, Gingersnaps, Great Kids, Joe Fresh, Just G, Mothercare, Onitsuka Tiger, Osh Kosh B’Gosh, Paul & Shark, Penshoppe, Periwinkle, rustan’s Department Store, Skycastle, Superdry, Zara Kids, TrF, The Park, Oxygen, regatta, Memo, and True religion—all housed in Shangri-La Plaza.
Kids and teens showcase the hottest fashion trends this summer at the Sun Up to Showdown Spring/Summer 2018 Fashion Show at Shangri-La Plaza
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018
C3
nickie.standard@gmail.com
F
OR ABS-CBN’s music portal One Music PH, connecting the brightest Filipino artists and their fans in the digital world is serious business.
This year, One Music PH continues its landmark digital concert series— an intimate website special that allows artists to interact with their fans all over the world while performing. Opening this year’s run is OPM great Ebe Dancel, who will stage his first-ever digital concert called Ebe Dancel: Atin Ang Gabi on May 13, followed by Tarsier Records artists in July, Silent Sanctuary and Agsunta in September, One Music artists Volts Vallejo and Unit 406 in October, and an explosive flip top battle in November. One Music’s digital concert series kicked off in June 2016 with Yeng Constantino, who celebrated her tenth anniversary in the music industry and performed her greatest hits on the One Music stage. Since then, KZ Tandingan, Janella Salvador, Iñigo Pascual, Darren Espanto, Ylona Garcia, The Dawn, and the quartet of Loisa Andalio, Maris Racal, Sue Ramirez, and Kristel Fulgar have followed suit, each coming out with a different set, theme, and special guests. What makes One Music digital concerts even more fun and engaging is that they can be watched in all angles with their multi-camera setup. Fans may also interact and request songs for their idols to perform live through any mobile device or desktop computer. “Music is part of everyday life; in fact, for many, it is life. Hence, One Music is not just an online platform but a community that enriches music discovery,” said Joy Mesina, One Music PH’s editor-in-chief. Not only does One Music PH give the spotlight to the country’s most popular artists, but also to emerging new voices through its Be Discovered feature, which gives aspiring musicians a crack at stardom by allowing them to upload their work on the website. The first Be Discovered artist to make a crack in the industry is Volts Vallejo, the first-ever artist to have signed with One Music PH’s own record label and contributed to the Star Cinema hit Vince and Kath and James
TREAT yourself to a winning night with the cool, smooth vocals of Joey G. at Winford Manila Resort and Casino (WMRC) at 8:00 p.m. on May 12 at the Hippodrome Bar and Lounge. Featuring the unmistakable voice of the former lead singer of one of the Philippines’ premiere bands, WMRC’s Saturday Special with Joey G is sure to be a hit with music lovers from all generations. Known for his songs about romance, Joey G’s concert is also the perfect way to celebrate the Mothers’ Day weekend for couples who fell in love while being serenaded with his classic hits. Admission is free of charge for all WMRC members and guests who are 21 years old and above. To make the concert experience even more intimate, WMRC members and guests who are fans of Joey G can also get VIP tickets for only Php 1,250 nett per person. Each ticket includes a VIP seat near the Hippodrome stage and is consumable on food and drinks at the venue. WMRC offers luxurious indulgences for the entire family, from the opulently-appointed rooms, fine oriental cuisine, grand event halls, and world-class gaming and entertainment.
Platform for new Pinoy talents, digital concerts Cartoon Network Animate Your Life is a 16-day event in Singapore dedicated to all CN fans.
Watch Cartoon Network, win a trip to Singapore
One Music PH signed artist Volts Vallejo
official soundtrack. Unit 406, a band with a refreshing rock sound and also One Music PH’s second contract artist, is also starting to make waves after they interpreted a PPop Himig Handog song last year and released “Mandirigma,” which is part of the soundtrack of ABS-CBN’s newest fantasy series, Bagani. One Music PH’s Be Discovered feature has also gone beyond digital, with a campus tour that targets different colleges and universities in Metro Manila and aims to discover artists who will represent each campus. The campus tour, which kicked off at the University of Sto. Tomas in November 2017 and University of the Philippines Diliman last Feb. 17, will continue with legs in Lyceum University of Ma-
A side of Joey G at Winford
Former Side A frontman Joey G
The resort also features a well-equipped fitness center, wellness spa, and heated roof deck pool. Visit www.winfordmanila.com for
CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, May 9, 2018
ACROSS 1 Face 7 JFK lander 10 Boxtop pieces 14 Arise (2 wds.) 15 No, to a lassie 16 Rocky Mountain state 17 Fix a pump 18 Connections 19 Sub — (secretly) 20 Two-handed basher 23 Auditioners’ aims 26 Cries at a circus 27 Search party 28 Worse than bad 29 Plant sci. 30 Twice DI 31 Went back on one’s words 33 Kitchen utensils 37 Unit of energy 38 Small, in Dogpatch 39 Bow shape 40 Wahine’s welcome 41 Bin’s function 43 Asked earnestly 45 Victimize 46 Swiss cheese hole 47 Wooded hollow 48 Hits the mall 51 Windhoek’s cont.
52 Like Thor 53 Navy noncom (2 wds.) 56 Maui neighbor 57 Profile 58 Haphazard 62 In charge of 63 Slip up 64 Dined at the diner (2 wds.) 65 Ancient harp played by Orpheus 66 Still 67 In step with current fashions DOWN 1 TV hookup 2 Eur. country 3 Help letters 4 Early missionary 5 Beach scavengers 6 “En garde” weapon 7 Joust competitor 8 Country roads 9 Net 10 Commotion 11 Molecule components 12 First and third 13 Portion 21 Scribble 22 Each
nila, Adamson University, STI College, De La Salle University. Music fans also tune in weekly to the live online show “One Music POPSSSS,” whose current and fourth season is hosted by Iñigo Pascual, Maris Racal, and J Roa. It airs on One Music PH’s YouTube and Facebook pages and features musical guests and exclusive performances. One Music PH, which also offers audio and video streaming and music news, is only one of the digital initiatives of ABS-CBN, the Philippines’ leading media and entertainment company, which is rapidly transitioning into an agile digital company with the biggest online presence among all media companies, and a growing list of digital properties.
23 Dijon dads 24 Prevent 25 Fab Four member 29 Pantyhose shade 30 — Haggard of country 32 Slick 33 Ancient scrolls 34 Chief’s adviser 35 Is giddy 36 Move crabwise 42 Spring a leak 44 Festooned 46 Physical or
mental exertion 48 Ribbon holder 49 Cumbersome 50 Different 51 Blazing up 52 “Marvy!” 54 Yield to 55 Hit the books 59 Forest mom 60 Not just my 61 Geol. formation
more information or call the Winford Manila Resort and Casino reservations hotline at +63 (2) 528-3600 for inquiries and bookings.
CARTOON Network and Cignal are giving animation fans the chance to fly to Singapore for free to join their favorite cartoon characters at Asia’s biggest animation festival. Cartoon Network Animate Your Life is a 16-day event where visitors can immerse themselves in cartoon creativity and discover how the characters from The Powerpuff Girls, We Bare Bears, Adventure Time, Ben 10 come to life. To enter, subscribers have to watch Cartoon Network on Cignal Ch. 74 (SD) or Ch. 220 (HD). Pick one scene from a favorite show, take a photo of it, then tell us why you love it. Then submit your entry at www.cignal.tv/promos before May 15. Cartoon Network and Cignal will draw one lucky entry who will receive an allexpense paid trip to Singapore for four, including a three-day stay at a five-star hotel and admission to Cartoon Network Animate Your Life. The event spans over 6,000 square meters and features a fairground of fun inflatable obstacle courses, carnival games and creative workshops. Take a ride down the We Bare Bears log ride; defeat evildoers at the Ben 10 Boot Camp; explore the Land of Ooo and enter a bewildering maze of endless delights, and visit the City of Townsville and help The Pow-
erpuff Girls stop Mojo Jojo’s evil plans. There’s so much to do. In addition, there will be workshops hosted by leading animation figures behind Cartoon Network including John Fang, Executive Producer of Ben 10 from Cartoon Network Studios in Burbank, California; Glenn Bartlett, Executive Creative Director of Cartoon Network Asia; and Vaibhav Kumaresh, Founder of Vaibhav Studios and creator of Lamput. Games, mascot appearances of all characters, and full episode screenings will also be scheduled on-stage throughout the day. The latest stage schedule can be found on the Animate Your Life website. To cap off the experience, visitors will have the chance to create their very own personalized souvenirs at the Animate Yourself booth. Fans can create avatars of themselves in the likeness of their favorite Cartoon Network characters, and have them printed onto collectibles which will be available onsite. Cartoon Network Animate Your Life will open daily from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. from May 26 to June 10 at Gardens by the Bay’s Bayfront Plaza. For non-Cignal subscribers, get a chance to win by signing up for a cable subscription until May 15.
Tacloban City native crowned 2018 Reyna ng Aliwan NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD Chelsea Fernandez, a broadcasting student from Tacloban City, was crowned 2018 Reyna ng Aliwan Fiesta in glittering festivities on April 28. Representing the Sangyaw festival, Fernandez bested 19 other candidates from various regions throughout the Philippines in the much coveted search which has produced top national and international beauty queens. Chanel Mistyca Corpuz, representing the AbrenianKawayan festival was named first runner-up, with Lady Justerinnie Santos of the Singkaban festival of Bulacan, Ashanti Shane Ervas of the Niyogyugan festival of Quezon, and Shaila Mae Rebortera of the Sinulog festival of Cebu sharing second run-
ner-up honors. Fernandez also went home with the awards for Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening Gown, while Santos took home the award for Best in Festival Costume. Ella Mariz Cayabyab, who represented the Boling-Boling festival of Catanauan, Quezon was named Miss Photogenic. Fernandez’s win capped a day filled with so much pride for Leyteños, which began with 2016 Reyna ng Aliwan Cynthia Thomalla of Macrohon, Southern Leyte bagging the Miss Eco International title in Egypt at 7 a.m. Manila time, and ended with Tribu Buraburon of Buraen, Leyte representing the Kasadyaan festival, emerging victorious with the street dance championship. 2018 Reyna ng Aliwan winner Chelsea Fernandez
Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com
C4
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018
BRUNO MARS’
24K Magic is solid gold Pop and R&B hit-machine Bruno Mars hits the stage in Manila via a Smart Music Live engagement in support of the artist's 24K Magic album.
B
RUNO Mars fans got their heart’s wish not just once when the 32-year-old pop superstar jetted from Bangkok to Manila for a two-night concert at the Mall of Asia Arena on May 3 and 4.
The Smart Music Live presented show was the 108th pit stop of the concert dubbed 24K Magic World Tour, which kicked off in Antwerp, Belgium in March last year and is scheduled to culminate in Los Angeles later this year. The tour is in support of his 24K Magic album that has sold more 1.6 million units in the US alone. Opening his Philippine tour in Manila with “Finesse,” the first of a string of tracks from his latest album, the Grammy award-winning artist immediately set the mood and teased the hips of the thousand Filipino fans that trooped to the venue. He even asked the crowd to put down their mobile phones so they could dance and enjoy the concert. While the energy onstage was high with Mars gliding with “Treasure” and gyrating with “That’s What I Like” he politely asked the crowd to concentrate on the music and enjoy the show. “I’m gonna be honest with you, guys. We’ve never been to a place and see this many people not dancing. Manila, can we change that right now? Maybe just this night one, everybody put their phones down and dance.” “I’ve never seen so many camera phones raised up in my whole life. This makes me a little scary, you know. Because that means you can’t dance if you’re trying to get a shot,” he added. Then, he continued dishing out hits in succession, from the foot-tapping “24 K Magic” and “Chunky to his Unorthodox Jukebox’s third promotional single and emotional ballad, “When I was Your Man.” He kept a healthy showcase of the current album across the 90-minute show with show stopper “Uptown Funk” saved up for the encore. To call the show spectacular is an understatement. Mars was a total performer with a very reliable vocals and unlimited energy. The concert, on the other hand, can be likened to a big party lit up by pyro and flame machines and boosted by turbo blowers firing gold confetti over the audience especially when he sang “Locked Out of Heaven”—nothing but musical highlight. Clad in his trademark cap and pinstriped baseball shirt, the half-Puerto Rican half-Filipino music icon showcased his snazzy dance moves, amazing vocals, his undeniable charm and
With a dazzling backdrop, Bruno Mars and his crew shuffled, glided and spun, often in formation.
Bruno Mars and his crew do everything with finesse and style.
‘My Guitar Princess’ star Julie Anne San Jose (center) flanked by her leading men Gil Cuerva (left) and Kiko Estrada.
‘MY GUITAR PRINCESS’ strums on late morning TV CAN a girl realize her dreams and find her heart’s true desires through the music she anonymously creates? On Monday, viewers had a glimpse of how the power of music and love can change someone’s life with the musical rom-com series My Guitar Princess top-billed by Julie Anne San Jose. My Guitar Princess tells the story of Celina Raymundo (Julie Anne), an 18-year-old girl who loves to sing and to play the guitar but is a little insecure of her talent. Her mother, Adele Raymundo (played by Sheryl Cruz), disapproves and discourages her from singing. Yet the pull towards the inevitable proves to be strong. Celina’s talent will be the driving force for her to share her craft with other people. Will this strengthen the bond she has with her mother or will it tear them apart? Celina will also find herself caught between two guys who will fall in love with her—Elton Smith (Gil Cuerva)
and Justin Garcia (Kiko Estrada). Completing the cast are Isabelle de Leon, Jazz Ocampo, Marika Sasaki, Marc Abaya and One Up’s Ralf King. Playing important roles as well are Kier Legaspi as Elvis Soriano, Frank Garcia as George Garcia, Maey Bautista as Yaya Dolly, Rob Sy as Michael, and senior actress Lui Manansala as Manang Barbara. My Guitar Princess is the first-ever TV series in the Kapuso network by director Nick Olanka, who directed the indie films Ronda and Ang Huling Araw ng Linggo. This latest offering from GMA Public Affairs is written by Jessie Villabrille, Jerome Zamora, Mario Banzon, and Conan Altatis based on a concept by Executive Producer Shao Masula, film and TV director Adolf Alix, Jr., and SAVP Clyde Mercado. My Guitar Princess airs weekdays before Eat Bulaga on GMA-7.
‘Unang Hirit’ nominated in Monte-Carlo TV Festival GMA Network’s morning newscast, Unang Hirit, makes it as a nominee in the Live Breaking News category of the 2018 Golden Nymph Awards of the MonteCarlo Television Festival in Monaco. It is the sole Philippine nominee this year in the entire awards, alongside entries from Al Jazeera English, BBC News, Sky News, and Russia’s RT for the said category. The Monte-Carlo Television Festival has, for more than half a century, presented the very best of television from around the world. Over the course of the Festival, an international jury of leading actors and industry professionals attend screenings of all the programs in competition. The Festival culminates in the Golden Nymph Awards which will be on June 19 this year. Unang Hirit’s entry is its coverage of the Resorts World Manila attack in June 2017. What was initially thought to be an attack related to the ongoing siege of the ISIS-linked Maute group in the Southern Philippines was soon revealed to be the work of a lone gunman, a disgruntled gambler indiscriminately firing at casino guests and setting gambling tables on fire.
News anchor Connie Sison rushed to the scene and asked then NCRPO Chief and now PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde in a live ambush interview the questions the public was asking. As the event unfolded, Unang Hirit provided the first information about the attacker and put to rest speculations of a terror attack. A seasoned and relentless journalist, Sison also interviewed a worker who helped save escaping employees. She was also among the first to obtain a photo of the dead suspect. Reporters Vonne Aquino, Jay Sabale and Victoria Tulad were among the first at the scene as the attack began past midnight. By the time Unang Hirit aired, they have pieced together the complete picture which includes victims, witnesses, Resorts World officials and the authorities. Unang Hirit is the Philippines’ longestrunning morning show. For nearly two decades, it has been the morning habit of television viewers by delivering the day’s freshest news and featuring the latest personalities, places and trends. “Unang Balita” is the newscast within Unang Hirit and is anchored by Arnold Clavio, Rhea Santos, Ivan Mayrina, Connie Sison, and Susan Enriquez.
24K Magic Tour marks Bruno Mars' third visit to the country to perform for his Filipino fans after a concert at the Big Dome in 2011 and the 'Moonshine Jungle Tour' in 2014.
connection with the audience. “Manila, I can’t thank you enough. I am dedicating this song to each and every one,” Mars said while blowing kisses to the massive crowd when he performed “Just the Way You Are.” But prior to that, he made fans go crazy when he uttered “Miss na kita mahal,” an adlib to his “Calling All My Lovelies” performance. Then put a gold cordless phone close to his ear pretending to make a phone call to his imaginary partner and mum-
bled, , “Hey, baby, I’m in Manila right now. I just called to tell you...Miss na kita, mahal.” The entire concert was anchored on Mars’ talent and showmanship with his feet moving around the stage most of the time, not to mention his backing band that danced in formation with him while precisely hitting their instruments. Generally, he’s old school yet innovative. Probably, that’s what makes Bruno Mars an A-list artist who is destined to stay.
Hosts and anchors of the morning newscast, 'Unang Hirit.'