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ELECTION BY THE NUMBERS

7,915

out of 42,000 barangays marked as hot spots

poll-related deaths VOL. XXXII • NO. 88 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

671,168

Bishop warns faithful: Shun vote-buying

NCR

seats up for grabs

region with least hot spots at

20.63-m

By Rey E. Requejo

registered voters for SK

ON THE eve of barangay and youth elections, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas urged the faithful Sunday to reject vote buying as an attack on human dignity. “When they offer you money, they are putting a price tag on you. Get mad!” he said in a pastoral letter. “We are part of a bigger whole. Do not vote for your own sake. Vote thinking of the good of society. Remember

ARMM

region with most hot spots at

57.38-m

registered voters for barangay

1,415

SOURCES: COMELEC AND PNP

Sereno doomed by non-filing of SALN—insider EVEN if the Supreme Court had granted the plea of ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to dismiss the quo warranto petition against her, there is no way she would have survived an impeachment trial before the Senate, a Court insider said Sunday. “Granting that the Supreme Court dismissed the quo warranto petition against CJ Sereno, there is no way she can win an impeachment trial because the SC itself already found her of violating the Constitution for not ﬁling the statement of assets, liabilities and networth [SALN],” the source said. Although the vote on the quo warranto petition was 8-6, a separate vote established that nine of the 14 justices found that Sereno had violated the Constitution by failing to ﬁle the proper SALNs. “This is a clearly a ground for her impeachment for committing a culpable Next page

WEATHER Weak La Niña shortens dry season THE rainy days are coming and they’re likely to start on the last week of May, the weather bureau said Sunday. The agency declared the beginning of the dry season on April 10, but on Sunday said the dry season will be shorter because of a weak La Niña, which is characterized by an unusually cool ocean surface temperatures in the Pacific. “The rainy days are coming, and the earliest start will be the last week of May,” forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said. He said the Samar provinces will experience scattered rain showers and thunderstorms, while Metro Manila and the rest of the country will experience thunderstorms in the afternoon or evening.

VICENTE LOOT

EUFRANIO ERIGUEL

Pre-poll violence: 4 die, mayor survives ambush By Francisco Tuyay

MAYOR accused of drug trafficking survived an ambush Sunday, four months after President Rodrigo Duterte publicly threatened to kill him, while at least four other people were killed in the run-up to Monday’s barangay elections.

Retired police chief superintendent as one of the so-called “narco-generals” Vicente Loot, a mayor in Cebu province, protecting the illegal drug trade. had been repeatedly named by Duterte Loot on Sunday was on a boat arriving

with his family at a port in the Cebu town of Daanbantayan when unidentiﬁed gunmen opened ﬁre and wounded four people, police said. The mayor was unhurt. “We are looking at all possible motives and angles, including his being tagged in the narco-list, politics, or his previous work in the police force,” acting town police chief Senior Inspector Irish Dilem said. Loot told radio dzMM he was urging authorities to investigate the incident but refused to speculate on the motive. He denies links to drugs Duterte has launched an unprecedented war on drugs that has cost thousands of

lives. He first named Loot in 2016 as part of his so-called “drug list” of local officials, policemen and judges whom he accused of involvement in narcotics trafficking. Three other mayors on the list have since been shot dead, one of them while inside a jail cell. Duterte had lashed out at Loot as he questioned the source of the mayor’s wealth. In December 2017 he recounted a conversation he said he had with the official. “Did I not tell you during my meeting with [mayors], I told Loot, ‘You son of a Next page

JBC shortlist put to question By Rio N. Araja THE chairman of the House committee on justice warned Sunday that impeachable ofﬁcials of the Judicial and Bar Council who shortlisted Maria Lourdes Sereno for the position of chief justice in 2012 could face impeachment complaint before the House of Representatives. Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, who chairs the panel, made this observation after the Supreme Court voted 8-6 granting the quo warranto petition of Solicitor General Jose Next page

POLL READY. Members of the Manila Police District Command get final instructions from their superiors on Sunday, May 13, 2018, in preparation for their deployment to polling precincts in Manila for the Barangay and SK elections on Monday, May 14, 2018. Photo below shows volunteers unloading ballot boxes at the Las Piñas City Hall. Norman Cruz

Angara, ex-Senate president, passes away at 83 MEGAWORLD MAKES HISTORY. Property giant Megaworld made another history in this year’s Philippines Property Awards when it emerged as the country’s ‘Best Developer’ for the third straight year during the Gala Night in Makati City Friday night. The Megaworld Group, which includes its subsidiaries Suntrust Properties Inc., Empire East Land Holdings Inc. and Global-Estate Resorts Inc. received numerous winner and highly commended awards from various categories. Receiving this year’s ‘Best Developer’ award were Lourdes T. Gutierrez-Alfonso, chief operating officer, Megaworld and Kevin L. Tan, senior vice president and head of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, Megaworld.

Edgardo J. Angara

FORMER Senate president Edgardo Angara died of “an apparent heart attack” on Sunday, his son Senator Juan Edgardo Angara said. He was 83. “Sad to say my father[,] former Sen[ator] Edgardo Javier Angara[,] passed on from this life this morning at the age of 83, from an apparent heart attack,” the younger Angara said in a Twitter post. He said they were still arranging funeral ar-

rangements for his father. Angara, who served as senator from 1987 to 1995 and from 2001 to 2013, was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as a special envoy to the European Union in May 2017. He ran for vice president in 1998 but lost to then senator Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Angara was President Joseph Estrada’s Agriculture secretary from 1999 to 2001 and an executive secretary in 2001. PNA

News

MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Be in the pink of health, bets and voters told THE Health department on Sunday reminded the public to make sure they are in good health while casting their votes in today’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections as the weather will again be hot across the country. “Before voting, be sure to eat and take your maintenance medicines,” the department said. It also advised voters to wear comfortable clothes and to bring fans, umbrellas and drinking water when going to the polling precincts. In its forecast released on Sunday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the temperatures across the country on Monday will range from 24 to 34 degrees Celsius. The Commission on Elections earlier coordinated with the Health departmentin setting up ﬁrst-aid stations in the polling centers across the country. The majority of the 177,575 polling precincts in the 36,781 voting centers or public school classrooms nationwide are only equipped with electric fans, while others have no proper ventilation. PNA

Pre-poll... From A1

whore. General Loot, you are a general. I will kill you’. Because [he] used government for wrongdoing,” Duterte said during a disaster briefing. Duterte’s spokesman did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Sunday’s ambush. The ambush came on the eve of local elections on Monday and two weeks after authorities released a list of over 200 elected officials with alleged links to drugs. Rights groups criticized the issuance of what they called a potential “hit list.” Meanwhile, a former member of the House of Representatives and two of his companions were killed in La Union province. Chief Supt. Romulo Sapitula, director of Philippine National Police-Region 1, said Eufranio Eriguel, former La Union Second District representative, died on the spot when shot at close range by an attacker in barangay Capas, Agoo town at 7 p.m. on Saturday. Eriguel’s two civilian body guards Bong Tubera and Bobby Ordinario died upon arrival at the La Union Medical Center while eight other people were wounded. Barely 12 hours after the slaying of Eriguel, gunmen staged an ambush on Loot and his family Sunday morning in Cebu City. Eriguel was also on Duterte’s so-called narco list. Insp. Alfredo Padilla Jr., officer-in-charge of the Agoo, La Union police station, said the shooting seemed to have nothing to do with the coming barangay elections. Reports said the suspects on board a black Mistubishi Montero and a white Toyota Innova, alighted and hurriedly went to the front of the stage and shot at Eriguel. Two of his bodyguards tried to shield Eriguel and were killed. Eriguel was the husband of Sandra Eriguel, the incumbent representaive in the Second District of La Union. He survived in a bomb attack in April 2016 that left several people injured. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III on Sunday called on the Philippine National Police to forcefully, quickly, and effectively address the killing of Eriguel. “What we need is a professional and credible police force that can deter criminals and effectively deal with those who violate the law. I am encouraged by PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde’s efforts to discipline the police force,” said Pimentel. “But we will see if his measures would translate to increased effectiveness of the PNP in catching the killers,” he added. Eriguel is a member of the PDP-Laban, which is chaired by Duterte. In Davao City, the incumbent barangay captain of Pangyan, Calinan District, was killed in a shootout with police, who were about to serve a search warrant on Sunday morning. Antonio Guatno, who was running for another term in Monday’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, was suspected of having illegal firearms in his home. Police Regional Office 11 spokesperson Chief Insp. Milgrace Driz said officers from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 11 and Regional Intelligence Unit 11, tried to serve the warrant in Guatno’s residence. When they entered the house, Guatno drew his pistol and aimed it at the police, prompting them to shoot, Driz said. Two pistols were found in his house. In February, Guatno was also among the graduates from the Community-based Rehabilitation Aftercare Program of the Davao City Anti-illegal Drugs Council. With AFP, Macon Ramos-Araneta and PNA

‘PH-Kuwait ties back to normal’

ALACAÑANG said the Philippines’ ties with Kuwait had normalized as it announced the signing of a memorandum of agreement to provide legal protection to the Filipino workers in the Middle Eastern country. ‘‘Nagkaroon ng deklarasyon ang dalawang bansa na itigil na ang hidwaan and we will move on. Kaya the ﬁrst step in moving on is the MoA, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque told reporters late Saturday night upon his arrival from Kuwait with 87 repatriated domestic workers. Under the MoA, the Philippines and Kuwait will ‘‘uphold ethical recruitment policies, systems and procedures for the recruitment and employment of domestic workers, subject to the applicable laws and regulations of both parties. Senators commended the Duterte administration for its handling of the diplo-

matic row with Kuwait. “We give credit to the administration for moving quickly to diffuse the tension so as to ensure the protection and welfare of our workers,” Senator Juan Edgardo Angara said. “We are hopeful that the signing of the MoA would really lead to better working conditions and more humane treatment of Filipinos in Kuwait to put an end to the cases of abuse.” Senate President Koko Pimentel said the signing of the agreement was very good development. “We should rethink the ban once the agreement is signed and all the details are

in place,” he said. Senator Joel Villanueva also praised the efforts of the Philippine and Kuwaiti governments in forging the deal on the Filipino workers. “We hope that with this agreement, closer coordination and strict enforcement of Kuwaiti labor laws can prevent abuses against our workers,” he said. Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III hailed the MoA between the Philippines and Kuwait that “offers far greater protection to the Filipino workers” than a previous draft. “The signed MoA is vastly superior to the draft memorandum of understanding that we earlier rejected,” Bertiz said. Roque said with the MoA, the Filipino workers in Kuwait will now be governed by a standard contract. ‘‘Ang importante po ay 'yung standard contract din na papipirmahan sa lahat ng empleo ng mga domestic workers, hindi lang ng mga Pilipino kung hindi 'yong mga dayuhan na nagtatrabaho bilang

Sereno...

cases, along with petitions for certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, and habeas corpus, according to Article VIII of the 1987 Constitution. Sereno had sought the dismissal of the quo warranto petition against her, arguing that the SC lacked jurisdiction over the case. Being an impeachable officer, Sereno said, she can only be removed from office through impeachment and conviction in Congress. But the Court said assuming there would be an impeachment trial at the Senate was “speculation.” “Clearly, an outright dismissal of the petition based on speculation that respondent will eventually be tried on impeachment is a clear abdication of the Court’s duty to settle actual controversy squarely presented before it,” the Court said. “Indeed, the easiest way to lose power is to abdicate it.” The tribunal pointed out that the “possibility” of a constitutional crisis was no reason for the it to “abandon its positive constitutional duty” to take cognizance of a case it can decide. The Court also said it was “not arrogating upon itself” the power of Congress to discern whether or not an impeachable officer may be removed by impeachment. “Quo warranto proceedings are essentially judicial in character—it calls for the exercise of the Supreme Court’s constitutional duty and power to decide cases and settle actual controversies,” the high court ruled. “This constitutional duty cannot be abdicated or transferred in favor of, or in deference to, any other branch of the government including the Congress, even as it acts as an impeachment court through the Senate.” Reneging on this duty and failing to performs its judicial power would “amount to culpable violation of the Constitution,” the SC ruling said. A dissenter, Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, said that the Supreme Court committed a form of dishonorable suicide when it ousted Sereno through quo warranto proceedings. In his dissenting opinion, Caguioa branded the decision granting the quo warranto petition of the solicitor general and invalidating Sereno’s appointment to the top judicial post in 2012 as “seppuku” but “without honor.” “I view with deep shame and regret this day when the Court has ousted one of its sitting members upon the prodding of a mere agency of a separate coordinate department... This case marks the time when the Court commits seppuku - without honor,” Caguioa said, in his 64-page opinion. He agreed with the argument of Sereno that she could only be removed through impeachment in Congress and not through quo warranto proceedings. “Traveling this prohibited road will be at the expense and to the extreme prejudice

of the independence of the entire judiciary, the independence of the Court’s individual members, and the freedom of discourse within the Court,” he said. Caguioa, an appointee of former President Benigno Aquino III just like Sereno, believed that the quo warranto case was “an admission on the part of the Executive department that the grounds for impeachment... rest on shaky ground.” “No matter how dislikable a member of the Court is, the rules cannot be changed just to get rid of him, or her in this case,” he said. Caguioa was one of the six justices who voted to dismiss the petition filed by Calida. The other five in the minority vote were Senior Associate Justice Senior Associate Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr., Mariano del Castillo, Estela Bernabe and Marvic Leonen. Carpio agreed that the SC has no jurisdiction over the case because only the Congress can oust a sitting magistrate through impeachment process as provided under the 1987 Constitution. However, the senior magistrate concluded that the ousted Chief Justice was “liable for culpable violations of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.” He believed that such a finding could only be “endorsed to the Senate for the impeachment trial.” “If a court finds that an impeachable officer has committed an impeachable act, the court should refer the matter to Congress, for Congress to exercise its exclusive mandate to remove from office impeachable officers,” Carpio said in his 25-page dissenting opinion. “No court, not even this Court, can assume the exclusive mandate of Congress to remove impeachable officers from office,” he said. With Sereno’s ouster, Carpio will again serve as acting chief justice just as he did in 2012 after the ouster of the late chief justice Renato Corona after impeachment trial in Senate. Velasco agreed with Carpio’s opinion that the quo warranto petition should be dismissed but based on another ground. He disagreed with Carpio and believed that Sereno could be covered by quo warranto despite her being an impeachable official. But in his separate dissenting opinion, Velasco said the SC ruling on Calida’s petition was premature as it still needs trial in court. Leonen, for his part, said the SC has no power to remove the chief justice and that the petition should have been dismissed outright. “Even if the Chief Justice has failed our expectations, quo warranto, as a process to oust an impeachable officer and a sitting member of the Supreme Court, is a le-

From A1

violation of the Constitution,” the source said. “Even if she [Sereno] won the quo warranto case, her ouster is inevitable. She’ll only be prolonging her agony.” A former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Tranquil Salvador III, agreed, saying the Court’s finding that Sereno violated the Constitution would even restrict senators sitting as judges in an impeachment trial to make a contrary ruling. “In the event of impeachment trial, the finding of the Supreme Court that she failed to file her SALN can be used as grounds to impeach her,” Salvador said. On Friday, the SC voted 8-6 to grant the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida and ordered the ouster of Sereno after finding her “guilty of unlawfully holding and exercising the office of the chief justice” since her appointment in 2012. The justices who voted that Sereno committed s culpable violation of the Constitution were Associate Justices Noel Tijam, Teresita Leonardo-Castro, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza, Diosdado Peralta, Andres Reyes Jr., Samuel Martires, and Alexander Gesmundo. The Court insider said the prosecutors of the House of Representatives would have needed to merely file a judicial notice or manifestation before the Senate that the majority of the magistrates had already found Sereno guilty of violating the Constitution. “Had Sereno opted to resign prior to the vote on the quo warranto case, she could have retained her unblemished judicial career,” the source said. “With the SC ruling granting the quo warranto petition against her, Sereno’s record as top magistrate will be expunged, since she was found disqualified from and adjudged guilty of unlawfully holding and exercising the office of the chief justice,” the source added. In its decision written by Tijam, the Court said that no constitutional crisis could arise from the ouster of Sereno outside of impeachment because the Constitution has provided a mechanism on how to resolve conflicts between the branches of government. “Thus, there can be no constitutional crisis where the Constitution itself provides the means and bases for the resolution of the ‘conflict,’” the 153-page ruling said.. “To reiterate, the Court’s exercise of jurisdiction over an action for quo warranto falls within the ambit of its judicial power to settle justiciable issues or actual controversies involving rights which are legally demandable and enforceable,” the Court said. According to the tribunal, it exercised “original jurisdiction” over quo warranto

Bishop... From A1

those marginalized by previous leaders. Bayan muna bago ang sarili [Country first before self],” Villegas said. Villegas also appealed to elected officials to “respect the non-partisan nature” of barangays and stop using barangay leaders as political wards. “Tomorrow vote as a Filipino. Vote as a Catholic. Vote to restore all things in Christ,” he said. The archbishop’s call came as the Department of the Interior and Local Government received reports of harassment and vote buying from around the country. In an interview with radio dzBB, DILG Undersecretary Martin Diño said some of the reports involved congressmen, governors, mayors, town councilors and incumbent barangay chairmen. Most reports came from Mindanao, Metro Manila and Bicol and Northern Luzon, particularly in Ilocos provinces and Abra, he said. The reports would be collated and verified and submitted to the Commission on Elections for legal action, he added. The DILG has identified 8,000 barangay election hotspots, but the number could grow amid new reports of harassment and election-related violence, Diño said. As of Sunday, there were 25 election-

related deaths reported, he said. The Comelec said winners of the barangay and SK polls will be known within the day. Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said he expects that majority of the winning barangay and SK candidates can already be proclaimed before midnight. “We expect counting to be completed for the majority of barangays within the day because these are just small numbers [of votes],” Jimenez said in an interview. He said those that may just take longer to be completed are the bigger barangays. The Comelec has set the voting hours from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. for today’s elections. At the close of voting, Jimenez said counting and canvassing are expected to begin. In cases of ties between or among candidates, the poll ofﬁcial reminded them that the use of a coin toss or any game of luck is allowed under the law. This means drawing of lots, coin toss, or drawing of straws may determine who has the right to be proclaimed winners after a two- or three-way tie, he said. “It may be difﬁcult to accept for those who will lose [by luck]... but that is the policy in cases of deadlocks,” Jimenez said. In cases of two-way ties, the Comelec said coin toss is the most preferred method to break the tie. On the other hand, in cases of having more than two tied number of votes, the poll body said the method to determine the

domestic workers. The MoA ensures employers will provide food, housing, clothing and the registering of the domestic worker in Kuwait’s health insurance system. It also provides one month’s salary to workers for every year of service rendered after the expiration of the work contract. The agreement was signed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Cayetano and Kuwaiti Minister of Foreign Affairs Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. “Nagkaroon na po tayo ng mga safeguards para po mapangalagaan 'yong ating mga kababayan na magtatrabaho sa Kuwait, Roque said. He also announced the lifting of the deployment ban for skilled and semi-skilled workers to Kuwait, which he said was the next step in the normalization of diplomatic ties with Kuwait. He said the government was also considering lifting the deployment ban on domestic workers soon. Macon Ramos-Araneta gal abomination. It creates a precedent that gravely diminishes judicial independence and threatens the ability of the Court to assets the fundamental rights of our people,” he said. “We render this Court subservient to an aggressive solicitor general. We render those who present dissenting opinions unnecessarily vulnerable to powerful interests,” he warned. Lastly, Del Castillo slammed Calida for leading the Court to veer away from the Constitution. “In instituting this quo warranto proceeding, the SolGen urges this Court to take the road not taken. I am not inclined to take part in any constitutional adventurism, and I intend to remain within the clearly confined course that the framers of our Constitution have delineated,” he added. In the decision approved by majority of eight justices, the SC held that Sereno’s appointment as the 24th chief justice was null and void because she did not meet the requirement of integrity for such post. The majority found Sereno’s failure to file her complete statements of assets, liabilities and net worth while teaching law in University of the Philippines and when she applied for the chief justice post as a clear indication of dishonesty and a lack of integrity. The Court also ruled that the SC has the power to remove Sereno through quo warranto despite her being an impeachable officer and that the case could be resolved independently from the impeachment case before the Congress. Lastly, the Court explained that the oneyear prescription period for quo warranto cases is not applicable to the case against Sereno, which was filed by the solicitor general. Those who concurred with Tijam’s ruling include Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo - De Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza, Samuel Martires, Andres Reyes Jr. and Alexander Gesmundo. Apart from Sereno’s ouster, the SC also issued a show cause order requiring her why she should not be penalized for supposedly violating Code of Professional Responsibility and Code of Judicial Conduct “for transgressing the sub juice rule and for casting aspersions and ill motives to the members of the Supreme Court.” This means she is now facing administrative charges before the SC as a lawyer and not as a member of the Court, which could result in her disbarment. Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, who chairs the House committee on justice, said he would recommend to the House committee on rules’ meeting to stop the impeachment process against Sereno in light of the Court’s verdict. Rey E. Requejo and Rio N. Araja

winner could be any game of luck as agreed upon by all parties involved. Winning the elections through a coin toss or game of luck, however, will neither deprive the winner the right to be proclaimed like a normal top vote getter nor the loser the right to protest the election results. The Comelec warned voters against carrying sample ballots being handed out by barangay and SK candidates and supporters inside voting centers and polling precincts. “We discourage the use of sample ballots produced by campaign teams,” Jimenez said. “Just bring your own list.” Under the Omnibus Election Code, it is unlawful to undertake any electioneering on the day of election, for or against any candidate, within the polling place and within its radius of 30 meters. Violation of the said prohibition is considered as an election offense, which is punishable by one to six years imprisonment, removal of right to vote, and disqualification to hold public office. The barangay and youth elections are being held after being postponed twice. Officials in some 42,000 barangays have overstayed since 2013 while youth council posts were left vacant since 2010 after several laws were passed to defer local polls. The Comelec will do a manual count for Monday’s polls. The Armed Forces of the Philippines, meanwhile, said it has not monitored any serious threat to the polls Monday.

JBC... From A1

Calida to remove Sereno from her post due to her questionable qualiﬁcations. “If there is are impeachable ofﬁcers among them, they too might be impeached,” Umali said in Filipino over radio dzBB. “That’s dereliction of duty. Think about how the whole country was thrown into disarray because of what they did. This issue divided the nation,” he said. He called on the Supreme Court to investigate the manner in which Sereno was included in the short list of candidates vying for the chief justice post during the Aquino administration. “The Supreme Court should act because they have supervision over the JBC,” he said. “They should investigate how Sereno got through the process,” he said. “Was there a conspiracy?” The Supreme Court on Friday granted Calida’s petition to invalidate the appointment of Sereno.

News

MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Road Board abolition tops House item

POLL READY.

Public schoolteachers at Tala Uno Elementary School make do with plastic bags as containers as they prepare election paraphernalia for Monday’s Barangay/ SK elections at the Las Piñas City Hall. Norman Cruz

By Rio Araja AS THE House of Representatives will resume its three-week session tomorrow, leaders have pledged to expedite the passage of a proposed law seeking to abolish the Road Board to prevent the misuse of billions of pesos in road user’s tax. Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, chairman of the House committee on good government and public accountability, said Congress would immediately work on the passage of House Bill No. 6236 authored by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez seeking to abolish the Road Board and transfer its functions to the Department of Public Works and Highways and Department of Transportation. “The Road Board is allegedly a source of corruption for some of its officials since it was established and I totally agree with the proposal for its abolition. Many previous officials of the Road Board have allegedly amassed millions of pesos through kickbacks,” he said. He said Congress resumes session tomorrow and will adjourn sine die next week or June 1 to end the second regular session of the 17th Congress. Over the years, the Commission on Audit has uncovered illegal utilization of the Road Fund estimated to have amounted to P90.72 billion from 2001 to December 2012, Pimentel said. “Obviously, the Road Board is just another layer of bureaucracy, which became another avenue for graft and corruption,” he said. Alvarez citing CoA reports, said some P515.50 million of the Road Fund was used in 2004 to 2008 for payment of salaries, allowances, maintenance and other operating expenses, which were properly chargeable to the regular budget. In 2011, P62.52 million of the Road Fund was used for the Road Board’s engineering and administrative overhead expenses, according to CoA. In 2013, CoA uncovered findings of irregularities in the use of more than P1.66 billion of the funds.

Muslims clamor for BBL OK —solon A MUSLIM lawmaker on Sunday called on President Rodrigo Duterte to certify as urgent the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law and have this signed into law before Congress adjourns on June 1 as a special gift to them in time for the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. Anak Mindanao Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan made her call as the House joint committees on local government, on Muslim affairs and on the special panel on peace, reconciliation and unity are scheduled to approve the committee report tomorrow afternoon endorsing the BBL for plenary approval. “We are hoping that the President will certify the BBL as an urgent measure for Congress to expedite its passage into law before we adjourn sine die. This will be a best gift for us as we celebrate the Holy Muslim month of Ramadan,” she said. She said she expects the joint panel will approve the committee report of House Bill No. 6475 which seeks to provide the Basic Law for the Bangsamoro and abolishing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Ray Villafuerte urged his fellow lawmakers in both the Senate and the House of Representatives hold marathon sessions on the BBL bill when the Congress resumes session on May 15. “We need to speed up the approval of the BBL but this does not mean that we should do it in a haphazard manner, which is why we need to work overtime so we can go over its provisions and ensure that the law becomes an effective tool in bringing genuine autonomy to our Muslim brothers,” Villafuerte said. “We can hold sessions even on Thursdays and Fridays until late at night to speed up the bill’s approval,” he added. House Deputy Speaker Bai Sandra Sema reiterated her optimism on the swift passage of the BBL. “With the endorsement of President Duterte to the peace bill, we expect its immediate passage,” she said. HB No. 6475 provides the basic law for the Bangsamoro political entity and abolishes the ARMM in order to correct the historical injustices inflicted to Muslim people. Rio Araja

Senate resumes probe of P8.7-b land title scam T HE Senate will resume on Tuesday (May 15) its investigation into the P8.7-billion scam involving fake road right-of-way claims in General Santos City. This will be the third hearing of the Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, more commonly known as Blue Ribbon committee, and the Committee on Public Works, on the issue. Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Blue Ribbon panel, said the Committee is close to unmasking those behind the scam who have defrauded the government of billions of pesos in illegal ROW payments. He said the second hearing, which was held on March 23 in General Santos City upon the request of public works committee head Senator Manny Pacquiao, was so “enlightening” that they were able determine some of those involved in the scam. Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III was also present during the hearing. “We expect more names to crop up as we resume the investigation. We need to put an end to this long, simmering racket of ROW payments and a long, long racket of fake titles being issued right under our noses,” Gordon said.

Gordon

The pieces of land being offered for government’s right-of-way acquisitions now virtually comprise the size of the entire island of Boracay, said real estate experts. Gordon said the joint committee will make sure that all those involved in the scam will be charged in court. “We will make recommendations upon the termination of the hearings on possible

charges that may be filed against any person,” he said. Gordon will look into the possible involvement of some government officials in syndicates operating particularly in General Santos City that sought ROW compensation using fake land titles. After the second hearing, Gordon Committee is were close to unmasking the people behind the scam that may include personnel from the local assessor’s office and the Department of Budget and Management. The modus of the syndicates was to manufacture land titles that were already covered by the highway and then claim for just compensation of road ROW. Using only a special power of attorney and deed of assignment, the syndicates were able to make a claim. Gordon said these syndicates would not have succeeded in making false claims without the help of people inside the city assessor’s office, local and regional offices of the Department of Public Works and Highway, Land Registration Authority and the Commission on Audit. A long-running probe into the proliferation of fake land titles in the country has been conducted, particularly in General Santos City, where some 6,000 fake land titles are reportedly in circulation.

MWSS chief allays fears of water shortage METROPOLITAN Waterworks and Sewerage System Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco yesterday allayed fears of water shortage despite the onset of the dry season and the low water level at the La Mesa Dam. “The main water source of supply for Metro Manila is the Angat and Ipo dams. Despite the extreme hot weather, Angat Dam’s water level remains high at 194.3 meters which is 14 meter more than its required level of 180 meters. So there is adequate water supply to meet domestic and industrial demand in Metro Manila,” Velasco said. “The decrease in the water level of La Mesa Dam is a normal occurrence during the dry season where rainfall is nil, if not minimal, and water evaporation is high.”

PH RISE. Deputy Administrator Efren Carandang of the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority talks about the Philippine Rise, formerly known as Benham Rise, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency. On May 16, an allFilipino scientific research team is scheduled to visit the Philippine Rise, an important fishing ground for tuna fishermen from Infanta and Real in Quezon; Baler, Aurora; Catanduanes; and other adjacent provinces along the northern tip of the Philippines. PNA

Velasco made the assurance to customers of Manila Water and Maynilad following his meeting with Maynilad president Ramoncito Fernandez and Manila Water COO Ding Carpio to resolve the technical issues over raw water supply allocation due to increase demand of water by consumers during the summer months. The MWSS chief also reported that the National Water Resources Board has committed to increase water allocation from Angat Dam to La Mesa Dam by 172 MLD on top of the regular 4,000 MLD to cover the water in Metro Manila and its environs. Per the concession agreement, Maynilad is allocated 60 percent share of water while Manila Water, 40 percent. “Sixty-40 is not about

up to the last decimal,” Velasco said. National Water Resources Board executive director Sevillo David confirmed the assurance made by MWSS. Sevillo also called on the consumers to conserve water and be responsible in their water consumption. “The water reserve from Angat Dam is still enough to supply the overall needs of the residents in Metro Manila and the irrigation needs in nearby Luzon during this hot and dry season but of course, I call on everyone to conserve and preserve water—which is one of our basic commodities,” Sevillo said. Sevillo added that even though we are prepared to give additional allocation, the public should also be responsible in their consumption.

Filipinos suffer from TRAIN law —senators By Macon Ramos Araneta TWO senators have called for the suspension of the tax reform law, citing its adverse effects on the consumers. Senator Bam Aquino for one urged the government to put the welfare of poor Filipinos first, instead of letting them become collateral damage of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law. Senator JV Ejercito for his part urged the administration’s economic managers to take another look at the law and rein in the rising prices of basic commodities. “While infrastructure projects are important, let us not allow our poor counrymen suffer,” said Aquino, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of TRAIN. Aquino rejected the Department of Finance’s claim that funds for free college education and salary increase of uniformed personnel will be affected if the TRAIN Act is suspended. The government should balance statistics with the welfare of Filipino families carrying the burden of high prices of goods and services due to the TRAIN Law, he said. Aquino said the DoF’s pronouncement was baseless since the government has an unobligated appropriations amounting to P390 billion in the 2017 national budget. Aquino recently filed a measure seeking to suspend the TRAIN Law, particularly the excise tax on fuel, once inflation rate breaches the prescribed “target range.” In Aquino’s Senate Bill No. 1798, the excise tax on fuel under TRAIN was to be suspended when the average inflation rate surpassed the annual inflation target over a three-month period. During the TRAIN’s deliberation, senators approved Aquino’s amendment to include a safeguard where the implementation of TRAIN Law was to be stopped once inflation rate breached the “target range.” However, the provision was not included in the bicameral conference committee and the approved version of the measure. Senator JV Ejercito has called on the government economic managers to suspend TRAIN to arrest the rising inflation rate. Ejercito made the call after media reported that the headline inflation rate accelerated to 4.5 percent year-on-year in April, which was the fastest in more than five years. The full-year target is 2 to 4 percent. “It might be wise to consider suspension of the TRAIN law if the trend continues to breach the inflation threshold,” Ejercito said. Ejercito was already alarmed when the March inflation rate reached 4.3 percent, from the revised 3.8 percent in February. “The economic managers should seriously review the TRAIN law given the upward trend of the numbers. They should assess whether the increase in inflation is still manageable. Otherwise, implementation of TRAIN should be suspended and re-studied,” he said. During the Senate deliberation of the TRAIN, both the Department of Finance and the National Economic Development Authority had claimed that the measure would likely raise the inflation level by (just) 0.7 percent this year.

Opinion

MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018

Revisiting the Bill of Rights affairs, and also because the concept of human rights is a dynamically evolving concept. We settled for incorporating generally accepted principles of human rights law. Immediately, of course, it will be pointed out that there is already an incorporation clause in Article II (that IT WAS the particular article of the has been retained). But we have also put Constitution alarmists feared would be in a provision in draft Article VI (on the trimmed, curtailed, and shorn—the Bill Legislature) that makes it necessary for of Rights, and that was one reason they the President to obtain a majority vote of have used since against any attempt to the Senate before he denounces a treaty rewrite the Constitution. But there is one or withdraws the Federal Republic from hermeneutic principle that tends to be oc- membership. That way, unilateral acts of cluded when too much emphasis is placed withdrawal from human rights treaty obon separation of powers, and that is that ligations by the President will no longer it should not be assumed that the three be possible. The consent of the Senate branches of government share disparate will be necessary. Traditionally, the Bill of Rights was values and irreconcilable differences. So thought to enumerate rights that the cititoo, it is wrong zen could deto assume that mand against the members of the State: a the Consultative charter of proCommittee sit tective injuncas “instructed People should have tions against the delegates” who heavy hand of write as they are nothing to fear. the State. So, told. I have sat People v. Marti through most was one clasof the sessions sic case that of the Commitenunciated the tee and have traditional view actively participated in its debates—and not once have that the exclusionary rules would not apwe received any instruction on what to ply against the acts of private individuwrite. To be sure, we were given instruc- als. The draft has modified that, drawtions about when the draft was needed, ing inspiration from the Constitution of India. While it remains the prime duty of but nothing more beyond that. I am happy to report that at the sub- the State to safeguard human rights, it is committee level, our draft has more and as much a matter of State responsibility stronger provisions. I will point out only when it leaves individuals free to violate some of them. Initially, as proponent, I the rights of others. So the guarantees wanted all the human rights covenants of the draft Bill of Rights can also be and treaties to which the Philippines invoked against the intrusive actions of was a party to become part of the Bill non-state agents. There is now a distinct section on of Rights by incorporation. There was some hesitation about that on the part of the right to privacy. Where, in the other members, as they thought it would past, it was only a “penumbral right,” unduly bind the hands of future presi- it has been taken out of the shadows Turn to A5 dents in respect to the conduct of foreign

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Simplistic views

T IS facile and ultimately wrong, as many international news reports do, to portray the ouster of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno as a harbinger of doom for Philippine democracy and a sign that President Rodrigo Duterte is snufﬁng out all voices of dissent to bring about one-man rule. To reduce the Sereno case to these outcomes would be to ignore the circumstances around the chief justice’s removal from office, as well as the overall political landscape in which this drama has played out. For example, outsiders who report on Sereno’s removal consistently fail to put it in the context of the aggressive campaign that her patron, then President Benigno Aquino III, waged from 2011 to 2012 to oust her predecessor, Chief Justice Renato Corona. In that vicious campaign, Aquino left no stone unturned–orchestrating an aggressive and constant barrage of negative reports in the press about Corona and his family, and blatantly bribing lawmakers using pork barrel—to remove Corona by impeachment. When he succeeded, Aquino moved swiftly to replace Corona with a more sympathetic and politically friendly

chief justice, forgetting that there were qualifications to be met. One of these was also the weapon used against Corona during his impeachment trial — the failure to submit an accurate statement of assets, liabilities and net worth. Prior to the Aquino-led witch hunt, failure to submit an accurate SALN was not even considered an impeachable offense. Sereno’s patron, Mr. Aquino, changed all that—for Corona, Sereno and everyboy else. Much is being made, too, about the fact that Sereno was removed by a quo warranto petition rather than the constitutionally prescribed method, impeachment. Sereno herself has made this her battle cry, demanding her day in court before a Senate impeachment trial. Yet nobody can dispute the logic in the application of a quo warranto petition. First, the Supreme Court is

the final arbiter of the law. Second, Sereno would not enjoy the constitutional protection afforded to her impeachable position if she were found to have illegally occupied it all these years in the first place. If she occupied her position illegally, as the Supreme Court has found, then she may be removed by means other than impeachment. Of course, Sereno’s removal may have implications on other appointed officials, but then, so did Mr. Aquino’s actions seven years ago, when he moved heaven and earth to remove the head of the judiciary. While all that was happening, Sereno, then an associate justice, offered no warning that this executive interference was a danger to judicial independence. Quite to the contrary, she helped Aquino oust a sitting chief justice— perhaps in the secret hope that she would be chosen one day to replace him. This is the person that her supporters and allies today point to as a defender of democracy and as a beacon of righteousness wronged by the system. But like her colleagues in the Supreme Court, and armed with the knowledge of what went ahead, we simply don’t buy that.

And then what? very little of what we consume. And the price of rice, owing to the absence of low-cost NFA rice, which was entirely predictable, and preventable. While the direct cost of rice to inflation would be just a tad higher than one-half of one percent over-all, the impact to the D and E classes is quite big. WHAT a week! So many things hapWhich again explains why in the latpened, and all too quickly. There was est surveys, high prices were cited as the sudden departure of Secretary the major concern. To a great extent, Wanda Teo after a preceding week of the decrease in the leadership’s aprecriminations and the quick appoint- proval ratings could be attributed to the ment of Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat inflationary pinch. in her stead. If we had a less popular president We worked together when NFA was than Duterte, the alarm bells would be still attached to the Department of Ag- ringing. riculture, and I *** must say Berna Our worry is a perfect fit should be fofor her new cused on the r e s p on sibi l iworld comties. Bright, modity market. This week, some big articulate, very Prices of oil professional, news will supposedly keep going up, and needless to and Trump’s come from the Senate. say, a beauty to Iran decision behold. will push these As she asfurther. At 71sumes her new 75 dollars per challenge, we barrel, Ameriwish her well. ca’s shale fuel Tourism, as I have always maintained will once again be competitive, and in this column, is one of our economy’s in Trump’s rather distorted “America low-hanging fruits, and so is agricul- first” and “business first” mindsets, ture. Both impact greatly upon the live- what is good for business is good for lihood of our D and E income levels. America, and the rest of the world be *** damned. Secretary Ernesto Pernia bared the The cost of our “Build, Build, Build” first quarter’s GDP growth rate, and catch-up program will be affected bewhile it is within spitting distance of cause of the direct correlation between the target, it was tempered by inflation. oil and construction costs, and the only Some politicians were quick on the way to mitigate this upon the macrodraw, and asked for a stay in the imple- economy is to produce more from agmentation of the TRAIN law they just riculture, get direct foreign investments passed a few months before. Well, take coming in, and bring more tourists into their opinions with a grain of salt. Next our islands. year they will face re-election. Tall order in the short run, but doable. The spike in inflation was not really a *** direct function of tax reform. Sure, alThe week was capped by the denouecohol and tobacco prices rose, but then, ment of Meilou Sereno’s ordeal in the who cares? One of the main reasons hands of her peers. for increasing taxes was to discourage Siya naman kasi. these injurious vices to begin with. The When her peers forced her to go on cost of public health care which all tax- an indefinite leave, she should have payers must bear is a greater economic taken the cue, and resigned to protect “evil” than making bad habits costlier. the institution. External factors, over which we have Not being a lawyer, and with the little control, such as the ever-increas- plethora of expected reactions, the funing price of oil, is the biggest culprit. niest of which come from senators who Plus the exchange value of the peso vis- are in truth relieved that the burden of à-vis other currencies which affects our an impeachment trial upon them had Turn to A5 consumers greatly because we produce

Open season on all officials

THE die is cast. The Supreme Court in an unprecedented special en banc session last Friday voted 8-6 to oust Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. The verdict was based on Sereno’s alleged failure to file her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth when she was a law professor at the University of the Philippines. This, plus their view that Ser-

hurt Sereno the most, according to former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile. “The salary and other monetary benefits such as cost of living allowA change of heart ance, representation expenses, travel by those who ousted expenses, etc .will have to be returned her seems extremely by Sereno to the government since she was not eligible to receive these funds remote. related to the office in the first place,” said Enrile. Questions are being asked as to why the justices did not oppose Sereno’s appointment from Day One of her apeno was ineligible when then-President pointment by Aquino. Benigno Aquino III appointed her as the As I do not have the parliamentary imfirst woman Chief Justice and the youngmunity of our lawmakers when they are est, at 52, to the post in 2012. The ineligibility part is where it would Turn to A5 Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

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

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Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion

MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018

Malaysian tsunami

Cool summer surprise

shocked many was his turbulent relationship with his former deputy Anwar Ibrahim. Known for their father-andson-like closeness, few would have anticipated the acrimony that accompanied their split. After sacking Anwar in 1998, Mahathir denounced him as “morally unfit” for leadership. Anwar was jailed for up to nine years, charges he maintains were trumped up because of his objections against corruption on Mahathir’s part. But Anwar’s political and personal persecution ig-

orous demand brought about by the administration’s ambitious development agenda. Clearly, despite the additional capacity, the Luzon grid remains vulnerable to power interruptions, especially in light of forced outWITH news of inflation reaching ages of generation and transmission record highs (due to the implemen- facilities. Add the administration’s tation of the Tax Reform for Ac- much-vaunted “Build Build Build” celeration and Inclusion Law and program and the need for a reliable other factors), many consumers are and stable power supply becomes already bracing themselves for what even more crucial. And if this inclusive economic is customary during the summer months: a spike in their monthly agenda is meant to be inclusive, any disruption—much more an energy power bills. Historically, demand for electric- crisis—will not only be disastrous ity had always peaked from mid- for industry, its repercussions will March to May owing to the rise in be felt by millions of consumers. A look at the sector’s recent histemperature and people’s tendency to stay indoors. And the signs were tory should add another context rethere: Early this year, the shutdown garding the state of the industry and how it of several relates to power plants economic had led to a growth thinning of reand, thus, serves, promptpover t y ing authorities Industry experts and reducto declare a tion. Beseries of yelinsiders are concerned t we e n low alerts. By about a potential power 2012 and all indications, shortage in as few as 2017, the this year would Luzon be no different. four years. grid witM e r a l c o’s nessed announcedemand ment of lower outpacing rates for May capacity. thus comes Meralco as a welcome surprise. The company announced figures say demand grew by around a decrease of P0.5436 per kilowatt- 2,900 MW while additional capacity hour in overall electricity rates for was only 2,600 MW. Based on existing GDP targets for a typical household. Mainly due to the P0.4212 per kWh decrease in the the island, the grid will need at least generation charge, the adjustment is 24,385 MW in new capacity, not to equivalent to a decrease of around mention sufficient transmission and P109 in the bill of a residential cus- distribution investments to ensure power supply adequacy and reliability. tomer consuming 200 kWh. The Department of Energy had Bucking the yearly trend owed much to adequate power supply long declared that energy security and anticipation of demand, which and expanding access to energy are benefits everybody, including low- among its long-term strategic direcincome consumers for whom every tions. For the agency, the rationale is saved peso counts. From the De- clear: sufficient and reliable power partment of Energy’s list of existing promotes the growth of industry, in power plants in Luzon as of June particular the manufacturing sector, last year, there were a total of 1,125 which is in turn instrumental—if megawatt of installed generating ca- not crucial—in poverty reduction. Following the examples of counpacity added to the Luzon grid over the preceding year, from July 2016 tries like China and, recently, Vietto June 2017. Some 96 percent of this nam, a larger manufacturing sector use coal and natural gas to provide results in higher poverty reduction than a larger services sector, which stable and reliable power supply. Because of this additional gen- is the current profile of the domestic eration capacity, there were only economy. The Energy Regulatory Commisthree instances of Yellow Alerts in the Luzon grid from January 1 un- sion thus needs to move fast on pendtil August 29 this year compared to ing power plant applications. While 19 during the same period in 2016. the recent round of rate cut indicates The additional generation capacity that there is currently enough supply also allowed the demand in Luzon in the Luzon grid, there is a need to to breach the 10,000 MW mark this be one step ahead, and this means adyear and supported the country’s dressing the low reserve margin, dete6.5-percent GDP growth in the sec- riorating plants, and regulatory delays. In the medium term, the power ond quarter of 2017. But while this can be considered a situation truly depends on a numvictory for the energy sector, it can be ber of factors, including the entry of short-lived and tenuous. Just last year, new plants for added capacity, the there were already three instances of retirement of old ones, and the pace Yellow Alerts in the brief period be- of the demand. Some experts say tween August 30 and September 18, the interconnection of Mindanao to due to forced outages of transmission Visayas and the rest of the country is also a factor, as this can translate and generation facilities. Industry experts and insiders are to whether an area can make use of already concerned about a potential additional capacity. At the end of the day, while there power shortage in as few as four years, or by 2022 or 2023. This is, is relief in the May cuts, the bigger in no small part, due to the slow picture remains slightly dim, unless construction of new power plants, authorities step up and make such which may not be able to keep up good news more and more routine with what is envisioned to be vig- rather than a cool surprise.

CROSSROADS JONATHAN DE LA CRUZ MUCH has been said about the justconcluded Malaysian general elections which saw the once-invulnerable Barisan Nasional, the multi-racial, multicultural coalition which has ruled the Malaysian federation since independence in 1957 anchored on the Malay juggernaut United Malay National Organization toppled by a new coalition, Pakatan Harapan, and the reemergence of Umno’s leader and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad for 22 years into the driver’s seat. How will this new coalition headed by Mahathir realistically advance its winning “Change for Malaysia in the 21st century” (ala PRRD) movement in the face of charges that it is actually the same old grouping with a new twist —just a change of leadership? The Malaysian tsunami, as some observers have called it, was more a vote against then-Prime Minister Najib Razak and his crew who were charged with having mortgaged Malaysia’s future with their corrupt practices and wayward ways. Of course, as far as we and the rest of the Asean are concerned, we await with bated breath what a new Mahathir, the 92-year-old strongman of Malaysia for 22 years, will bring to the region. After all, we have a number of residual issues with him and his group—from their coddling, if we may call it such, of the secessionist forces in the South, to the unfinished business of our claim to Sabah and, of course, the presence of a Filipino community, both of the transient class as in our OFWs and residents, as in those in Sabah. These and other issues may find some answers with this very illuminating article “Mahathir: Malaysian Dictator to Giant Killer” from the South China Morning Post which I am abridging for our readers: Mahathir, known by some as “Tun M” or “Che Det,” excels at returning from the dead. He made MP in 1974 and was appointed to Cabinet by the next Prime Minister, Abdul Razak Hussein—father of the man he beat in the polls this week. From there, the course was set and his rise to power meteoric. But what

Revisiting... From A4

and enshrined as a distinct right. It is a constitutionalization of the policy behind the Data Privacy Protection Act but it goes beyond that—and includes protection against sleuthing and all forms of intrusion into privacy. The Committee was unanimously agreed, however, that it could not be invoked in the same way that the US Supreme Court used it in Roe v. Wade to include the right of a woman to decide on procuring an abortion. Under the rewritten Constitution, we have been adamant about protecting life from the moment of conception. The more specific right against searches and seizures has been broadened to include

Open... From A4

in session, I shall confine my opinion on the case within the limits and boundaries of what is allowed in sub judice. But then I can quote liberally the remarks and statements of those personalities who can comment in this landmark case, starting with principal figure Sereno herself. Sereno said the quo warranto case in effect took away from the Senate the sole right to try and impeach a sitting Chief Justice as prescribed in the Constitution. She warned this usurpation of the Senate’s duty could lead to widespread protests and a political crisis. “Today is the death of democracy,” said activist Juana Change as she and thousands of other Sereno supporters massed in front of the Supreme Court building on Padre Faura. Theirs is vox populi or the voice of the people against the decision of the eight justices who voted to oust Sereno. Some of the comments on the verdict: Senator Paulo “Bam” Aquino: “It’s a dark day for our country.” Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III: “The Senate through impeachment is the only body that can remove a Chief Justice.” Solicitor Genral Jose Calida: “What the justices did is an exercise in judicial independence.” VP Leni Robredo: “Let us not lose hope. We must always speak out against abuses by those in power.” Senator Panfilo Lacson : “The biggest

Asean and the world await Mahathir’s second coming to power.

nited the Reformasi movement, a slew of mass protests against Mahathir’s government that led to the formation of Parti Keadilan Rakyat. Together with the Democratic Action Party and Parti Islam se-Malaysia, they formed the first true threat to the Barisan Nasional coalition, which until this week had led the country for decades. Anwar’s coalition would erode the BN’s dominance and its two-thirds majority in parliament in 2008. Enter Najib, 64, Abdullah’s successor. And while Mahathir continued to serve as his adviser, bully, and mentor, enjoying his retirement while keeping one hand on the wheel; over time the allegations of Najib’s corruption became too much to ignore. Mahathir took a stand once again, this time not through a hand-picked proxy—there were few remaining who could meet his standards—but by entering the fray himself. He registered a new political party and joined the new opposition coalition, becoming the most vocal critic of those he had formerly collaborated with. Behind the grandfatherly demeanor and soft-spoken voice was ruthless determination, and age had done little to dull his wits.

Mahathir was known for his skeptical view of human rights. He punished states that stepped out of line such as withholding oil royalties from the state of Terengganu when residents elected an opposition party to government. He approved construction of the Bakun Dam in Sarawak, a project which displaced several thousand indigenous people. The speed with which he dealt with detractors earned him the moniker ‘mahafiraun.’ Mahathir’s relationship with Western powers and his history of anti-Semitic comments earned him a reputation as an irascible strongman in foreign media. He cultivated a Look East policy and was loudly critical of Western countries and their “arrogance” on all levels—in an infamous letter to a 10-yearold English boy who had requested that Mahathir stop felling rainforests, he wrote back “When the British ruled Malaysia they burnt millions of acres of Malaysian forests so that they could plant rubber … What your father’s fathers did was indeed disgraceful. If you don’t want us to cut down our forests, tell your father to tell the rich countries like Britain to pay more for the timber they buy from us. Then we can cut less timber and create other jobs for our people.” Mahathir’s fiercely protective attitude towards Malaysia extends from criticism of British rule to its newly strengthened economic ties with China. And all his human rights trespasses were momentarily laid aside by the voters on Wednesday night—helped in no small part by his legacy as part of the old guard of Asian politics and grandfather of the nation. A large portion of the Malaysian electorate possess lasting affection and respect for him because of various successes. Mahathir engineered rapid economic growth. He shifted the country’s economy from agriculturally based to a more industrialized one. He created a sense of civic and national pride through projects. Love him or hate him—and there seem to be very few bodies who fall in the middle of that spectrum—anyone would be hard pressed to deny that Mahathir has nothing but fierce love for Malaysia. Asean and the world await Mahathir’s second coming to power with hopes for better relations and a better life for all.

intrusive surveillance that may not include physical ingress into residence, office or enclosed spaces. Electronic forms of surveillance can presently allow for searches more violative of privacy than physical searches could in the past—and when this is the case, only a court-issued search warrant can legitimize surveillance of this nature. Quite interestingly, aside from civil and political rights, there are two other subsets in the Bill of Rights: economic and cultural rights (including the rights of indigenous peoples) and environmental and ecological rights. While critics will be quick to complain that this is going to far, one can never go too far in the matter of protecting rights that have all too frequently been consigned to secondary importance. The point to the inclusion of social and economic rights as well as

environmental and ecological rights was to make sure, as Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. articulated in groundbreaking fashion in Oposa v. Factoran, that these rights were justiciable and demandable— although the State’s response to demands for their enforcement might be calibrated differently from the enforcement of civil and political rights. People should have nothing to fear, and everything to be excited about, in respect to a Bill of Rights that took off from the 1987 Constitution, remained true to its spirit, expanded rights that needed recognition and allowed from ampler claims and more meaningful vindication of transgressions.

winners here are ‘ang mga abogadong pulpol [dumb lawyers]. They rob the Senate of the right to try the impeachment case.” Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te in an opinion posted on his Facebook/ Instagram: “I dissent” With the quo warranto verdict to oust Sereno, it is presumed the House justice committee will no longer send the articles of impeachment to the Senate since the justices’ ouster verdict is immediate and executory. It was not only senators who assailed the decision. Associate Justice Marvic Leonen voted to throw out the petition said: “The verdict is a legal abomination.” The quo warranto case filed against CJ Sereno made it an open season on all impeachable officials, said CJ spokesman Jojo Lacanilao. He said cases against any impeachable official can go all the way back to his/her high school days for whatever wrongdoing they might have committed. It eliminates the prescription period of cases or the time frame on when an official can be charged before the expiration date related to the case. Sereno has been chief Justice for the last six years. Sereno said she was not at all surprised by the outcome of the case and how the other justices voted. “The fight is not yet over,” said Sereno as she made known her plan to file a motion for reconsideration. But a change of heart by those who ousted her seems extremely remote. The Senate, however, announced it would hold a hearing on the quo warranto case tomorrow.

It was a close decision that saw eight justices—De Castro, Reyes, Bersamin, Martires, Gesmundo, Tijam, Jardeleza and Peralta voting to oust Sereno. Those who opposed the majority were Leonen, Carpio, Velasco, Caguioa, Bernabe and del Castillo House justice committee chairman Rep. Reynaldo Umali boldly predicted an 11-3 decision by the Senate impeachment court that would find Sereno guilty. Isn’t this a clear case of sub judice or prejudging case, or at the very least making a comment that could influence how the senators would vote? Former Chief Justice Hilario Davide expressed the view that a chief magistrate can only be removed by impeachment and the quo warranto case has politicized the Supreme Court. Critics also cited a rule that a case against Sereno for being ineligible should have been filed within one year upon her assumption of the post. Sereno has been chief justice for the last six years. Davide said that those who convicted CJ Sereno in the quo warranto petition will also be culpable for violation of the Constitution which states that a CJ can only be removed by impeachment. What Davide said is that those who voted to unseat Sereno via quo warranto can themselves be the subject of impeachment for violation of the Constitution. A cogent point that can be raised with the quo warranto verdict is: What will happen to the cases penned by Sereno as ponente or signed together with the other justices? Will the ruling in these cases be overturned or reversed?

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

And... From A4

passed over, I think that from a political standpoint, the timing of the decision was perfect for the administration. The ordinary man’s attention is on the barangay elections, too micro for something as macro and as “malayo sa bituka” as the controversial quo warranto decision last Friday. We were having our regular monthly board meeting when the decision was announced. The lawyers in the board immediately concluded that “the Solicitor General has now become the second most powerful official in the land.” Imagine if the OSG files quo warranto cases questioning the validity of future appointments? *** And then what after all the big events of the previous week? This week, some “big” news is supposedly coming from the Senate. What it is I won’t reveal as I do not want to pre-empt. Abangan na lang. Recall what Rep. Rey Umali predicted the day before the SC decision, where he said it was going

to be 11-3? As it came, it was a close 8-6. In the next few weeks and before Sona, lawyers will speculate on who the next CJ will be. Expect President Duterte to come up with a “sage” decision. *** Leaving back for Taipei on a very quick trip to Manila for our regular board meeting, we bumped into TECO Representative Dr. Gary Song-huan Lin, who was on the same flight. The friendly Dr. Lin will retire from a lifetime career as diplomat effective next month. We wish him well as he and Madamme Lin begin their “apo-stolic” mission. *** I normally look forward to the chicken arroz caldo served at the airport, and I took only coffee in the house before I left. To my utter dismay, the porridge was too thin, with very little chunks of chicken (shreds may be a better description) floating on sparse morsels of rice. The rest was rather tasteless “caldo,” or soup. Did the cook wake up on the wrong side of the bed, or is it the price of rice and chicken?

News

MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Multiple registrants found in Maguindanao

OTABATO CITY—The Commission on Elections in Maguindanao on Sunday has detected multiple registrants and removed about 3,000 voters from the list, a day before the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.

Lawyer Udtog Tago, provincial election supervisor, told reporters that the delisted voters were found to be multiple registrants or those who have registered more than once in the province. “The final number of voters in Maguindanao’s 36 municipalities is 634,323, more than 80 percent of this are expected to cast their votes on Monday,” Tago said. The town of Datu Abdullah Sangki has the most number of multiple registrants with 2,000. The more than 1,000 were from other towns. Tago explained that the Automated Fingerprint Identification System detected that the voters registered more than once. “As of [Sunday], the names of 3,000 voters have been crossed out from the list of voters,” Tago said. The delisted voters are expected to cast votes on Monday and will find their names missing in the voters’ list posted outside the voting precinct. PNA

SIGNED. Philippines’ Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, left, and Kuwaiti foreign minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khaled al-Sabah, hold a press conference after signing an agreement to regulate domestic workers at Kuwait’s foreign ministry in Kuwait City on May 11, 2018. Kuwait and the Philippines signed a deal on May 11 to regulate domestic workers, after a dispute between the two countries led to a ban on Filipino workers in the Gulf state. AFP Photo

Naga airport expansion on track—LRay By Rey E. Requejo A CONGRESSMAN from Camarines Sur on Friday insisted that the Camarines Sur provincial government had acted legally based on the instructions of the Department of Transportation and within the purview of the order issued by the regional trial court mandating the fast-track implementation of the Naga Airport modernization project. Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte said that it was Rep. Rolando Andaya who violated the law when he resorted to violence and harassment last month to protest the implementation of the air-

port modernization project in Pili, Camarines Sur. “It’s Andaya who chose not to follow the court’s order on the writ of possession,” Villafuerte said, referring to the directive of the Pili Regional Trial Court ordering the evacuation of the occupants in the land that forms part of the project. “It was Andaya who exercised threats and intimidation through violent means instead of letting the legal process take its due course,” Villafuerte said. “Nowhere in the decision of the RTC does it state that the CamSur provincial government should obey the law or that it

guards and Pili Mayor Tomas Bongalonta Jr. at the start of the clearing operations for the airport expansion project in Barangay San Agustin in the town of Pili. Based on the ofﬁcial police blotter entries, among those who complained to the police on April 18 were Lito Sumpay, Ryan Herrera, Saetiel Pielago and Angelo Refran—all of whom reported that Andaya had terrorized them with a knife and threatened them with harm if they did not leave CamSur right away. As for the writ of possession, Villafuerte said the motion of the lot owners involved in the case for the court to dismiss and recall the writ was denied by the RTC.

PN to procure torpedoes, missiles

Poll teachers’ honoraria should be tax free—Angara

ASIDE from the newly delivered Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Spike-ER missiles, Philippine Navy ships will be soon armed with torpedoes and with bigger and longer range surface-to-surface missiles. This was bared by PN ﬂag-ofﬁcerin-command Vice Adm. Roberto Empedrad. He added that the acquisition of such advanced weapons is needed as naval warfare has become “missilebased”. Empedrad stressed that the PN cannot continue to rely on ships armed with old armaments as it will solidly be left behind and outgunned by its other counterparts. “Naval warfare is becoming ‘missile-based’ and we cannot afford to be left out and we cannot afford to just use an old capability [guns] mounted on our old ships. We have to grow as a Navy,” the PN chief noted. Empedrad said the acquisition

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Sonny Angara said on Sunday that the the honoraria and allowances of teacher-volunteers, with annual basic salary of P250,000 and below, should be tax-free. “Teachers, with annual basic salary of P250,000 and below, who will be rendering services during tomorrow’s barangay and SK elections should get their tax refund at the soonest possible time,” he said. He said this is just a small thing compared to the sacriﬁces and dangers the teachers will be facing to watch our votes,” stressed Angara. Under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law, Teachers I and II, with Salary Grade 11 or with monthly base pay of P20,179, are exempted from income tax. Given the 5-percent withholding tax on the honoraria, Teachers I and II who will serve as chairperson of the electoral board will get a tax refund of P350, while those who will serve as members of the electoral board will get a tax refund of P300. To get the refund, the Bureau of Internal Revenue requires teachers to submit to the election ofﬁcers a sworn declaration stating that they are employed as teacher with Salary Grade 11.

violated the law.” Almost a dozen members of CamSur’s Sagip Kalikasan Task Force trooped to the Pili Municipal Police Station in the province last April 18 to report the acts of physical and verbal abuse that they suffered that same day in the hands of Rep. Andaya who wanted them to abandon clearing operations for the Naga airport modernization project that is part of the “Build, Build, Build” program of President Duterte. Eleven SKTF members complained to the police about the violent acts committed against them by a knife-wielding Andaya who was accompanied by his body-

of the Spike-ER missiles, which is now being installed at three multi-purpose attack crafts, is just the start. While this is going on, the PN chief said they are also studying the doctrine on to how use and where to deploy these missile-armed MPACs. The Spike-ER surfaceto-surface missiles along with its launchers arrived during the third week of April. These missiles are capable of penetrating 1,000 mm (39 inches) of rolled homogeneous armor and has a range of eight kilometers. As of this posting, the Navy has nine MPACs in inventory with another three units planned. Three of the above-mentioned craft are now being ﬁtted with the Spike-ER missiles and its launchers. The naval craft were activated in May 22, 2017 and were manufactured by Subic-based Propmech Corporation for P270 million. PNA

Villegas: The heart of a charity worker

GOOD HARVEST. Colorful vegetable -themed costumes symbolizing good harvest worn by children are displayed at the Sta. Ana covered court where a barangay fiesta is held in celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of the Abandoned. Norman Cruz

DoH trains health workers for Dengvaxia effect By Macon Ramos-Araneta TO ENSURE that health workers are ready to deal with Dengvaixa victims, the Department of Health (DoH) – Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) has started its three-day training for the ﬁrst of eight batches of health workers for Psychosocial Inter-

vention in preparation for community work in Dengvaxia affected communities in the region. Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo said health workers need to be mentally ﬁt and prepared in order to facilitate effective management and communication among dengvaxia affected families. “They must learn to exercise maxi-

mum tolerance, control their emotions, and be able to appease the anxieties of distressed parents,” he said. “We must reach out to each and every affected parent and ensure that they will be given the proper information and knowledge and assure them that the government is ready to provide assistance 24/7,” he added.

EVANGELINE “Vangie” Villegas, a staff who does the social worker routine at the office of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Alexander Balutan, understood the plight of patients who are coming over to seek financial or medical assistance. Vangie is a single mother who struggled to support four children, including a child who had a heart illness. She would always encounter angry patients during interviews but she has learned the art of handling them well. To calm the patients, Vangie patiently encourages them to settle down and that she is ready to listen to them until they will be able to tell their stories. “May mga pasyente ditong naninigaw, nagwawala. Minsan ang lakas ng boses rinig na rinig sa buong opisina. ‘Yun ang pinaka-ayoko sa lahat. Napapahiya talaga kami. Sinabi ko, sir kalma po kasi andito po tayo sa opisina,” Vangie said. In a day, Vangie interviews an average of 40 to 50 patients a day. “Some of them were from provinces,

complaining the slow processing of their requests or would follow up their previous requests,” she said. For the ﬁrst quarter of 2018, PCSO has catered to 120,356 beneﬁciaries of Individual Medical Assistance Program and has already released P2.35-billion IMAP assistance, a 39.96 percent increase from the same period last year. A 55-year-old native of Davao City, Vangie used to work as an airport supervisor in a concessionaire in one of the airline companies, but her salary was not enough to support her children, including her sick child who needed three vials a day for his treatment that time. “Isang vial P5,900 ang presyo, three vials a day ang kailangan n’ya. Nung time na ‘yun naghahanap ako ng malalapitan, doon ako humingi ng tulong kay [then] Mayor Duterte, mayor pa s’ya ng Davao noon. ‘Di ko pa alam ‘yung PCSO noon. S’ya yung tumulong sa anak ko,” recalled Vangie, referring to President Rodrigo Duterte who gave assistance enough to buy six vials.

Sports

MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Late Xie homer propels Chinese past Jr Blu Girls ROYEVEL Palma struck out Xie Jia Xin twice but the Pinay ace hurler failed to tag the Chinese for the third time who struck back with a game-clinching overthe-fence home run in the bottom seventh as China beat host Philippines, 1-0, at the start of the seventh Asian Junior Women’s Softball Championship at the Clark diamond in Pampanga yesterday. With two outs and two strikes, Xie, 18, from Sichuan, blasted Palma’s third pitch to deep center as the Chinese denied the Junior Blu Girls the victory to the disappointment of coach Isaac Bacarisas and their supporters who cheered for them throughout seven innings that lasted for two hours. “I saw the ball coming and I hit it solidly,” said Xie, who played last year in Panzhihua where China placed second to Chinese Taipei. Palma, from Iloilo, gave up two hits and fanned out 11 batters and outpitched Chinese counterpart Wang Yu Juan, who had three hits and struck out ﬁve Pinay

Warriors face season-best Houston WASHINGTON—Defending NBA champion Golden State, seeking a third title in four seasons, faces season wins leader Houston in a tantalizing playoff showdown between a powerhouse Warriors squad and a Rockets team assembled to beat it. “I like where we are. Our guys have rings. That’s a good position to be in,” said Golden State coach Steve Kerr, whose Warriors open the best-of-seven Western Conference ﬁnals at Houston on Monday in search of a fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals. “We’re going in here knowing we’re the defending champs, knowing we got a couple championships here the last few years. Let’s go get another one. It’s a nice feeling to have to go into a series with.” The Rockets, sparked by NBA scoring champion James Harden, were 2-1 against Golden State in the regular season and went a league-best 65-17 overall, seizing a home-court advantage in the series. After being ousted from the playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs in three of the past four seasons, the Rockets added star guard Chris Paul and 3-point threat P.J. Tucker to join Trevor Ariza, then watched Swiss big man Clint Capela enjoy a careerbest season with 13.9 points and 10.8 rebounds a game. “It’s going to be a ﬁght,” Capela said. “This team is going to be hard. There are going to be a lot of adjustments after every game. It’s going to be a chess game.” The clash between the two offensively explosive teams has been anticipated since the start of the season. “You wanted us. You got us. Now you’ve got to play the game,” said outspoken Golden State forward Draymond Green. “Their team is built to beat us, their obsession.

batters in a duel of right-handed pitchers. The hosts connected three hits – one in the fourth and two in the seventh frames – courtesy of Charlotte Sales and Erica Fernandez. Except for the Phl-China game, the three other matches ended in shutouts with defending champion Chinese Taipei blanking Korea, 7-0; Japan crushing Malaysia, 10-0; and Thailand demolishing India, 8-0. The Phl-China faceoff was close throughout until Xie hammered out the homerun as the Chinese underscored their drive for a ﬁrst-ever crack at the crown in six editions of the tournament dominated by Japan with three and Chinese Taipei two. “The Chinese made a solid hit. I didn’t expect she could do it since she was tagged out twice by Palma,” said Bacarisas. Meanwhile, AsaPhil president Jean Henri Lhuillier expressed his profound gratitude to the teams for taking time out to come to the Philippines for the competition.

Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (AsaPhil) president Jean Henri Lhuillier (standing, center) joins the Junior Blu Girls competing in the Asian Junior Women’s Softball Championship at Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.

Naito reclaims ONE world title

AKARTA, Indonesia—Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito of Japan reclaimed the ONE Strawweight World Championship, edging out Brazilian rival Alex “Little Rock” Silva via razor-thin split decision at the Jakarta Convention Center. Naito showcased his overwhelming wrestling skills to consistently bring Silva down to the ground, controlling the action on the canvas. Silva defended well against Naito’s attacks by resorting to his world-class Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but it was not enough to earn him the win as his Japanese foe’s grappling proved too much to overcome. In the co-main event of the evening, local martial arts superstar Stefer Rahardian of Indonesia sent the crowd into a rapturous chorus of cheers with a spectacular perfor-

mance, clinching his ninth straight victory with a submission ﬁnish of Himanshu Kaushik of India to remain undefeated. Leandro Ataides of Brazil solidiﬁed his position as a top contender in ONE Championship’s talented middleweight division by defeating former world champion Vitaly Bigdash via third-round stoppage. Making his ONE Super Series debut, Lithuania’s Sergej Maslobojev authored a stellar performance to the delight of the crowd by routing Croatian foe Antonio

Plazibat in their highly-anticipated rematch. Local female martial arts star Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol continued her winning ways, taking her third straight victory in the ONE Championship cage with a submission ﬁnish of Rome “The Rebel” Trinidad of the Philippines. After a brief exchange of strikes at the center of the mat, Gaol grabbed a hold of Trinidad’s neck in a standing guillotine. As Trinidad tried to fend off the submission, action transitioned to the mat with Gaol still holding on to Trinidad’s neck and the tap came shortly after. A gruelling featherweight showdown between Sor Sey of Cambodia and Victorio Senduk of Indonesia transpired inside the ONE Championship cage. Neither of the two would give each other any quarter for

UTP players vie in ITF Malaysia

Foreigners lead PBF MIKE CHAN of Hong Kong ruled the men’s open round 1 finals by a slim margin yesterday at the 2nd PBF Pagcor Philippine International Open at the Coronado Lanes at Starmall in Mandaluyong City. The 2014 Asian Bowling Federation Tour champion rolled a strikeladen series of 1781 to lead Shabbir Dhankot of India (1773), just eight pins ahead of compatriot Dhruv Sarda as the brace for the second round of the finale where the top six qualifiers are patiently waiting. Kayle Abad of PBA-Nobleland clinched the fourth spot and Praise Gahol wound up fifth with 1737 and 1723, respectively, in the two-week meet supported by Cafe Puro, Boysen Paints and Smart Communications. Saudi Arabia’s Hassan Alshaikh checked in at sixth (1721) followed by Filipino bowler Raoul Miranda (1713), Guam’s Arron Elliot (1700) and Hong Kong’s Michael Mak (1690). Completing the cut were 2017 Hong Kong Open champion Ammar Tarrad of Saudi Arabia, GJ Buyco of BTAPrima and Ivan Malig.

three whole rounds as both men traded their best offense all throughout the contest. However, Sor Sey was able to pull away in the third round, staggering Senduk with a series of solid overhand rights before dragging his foe to the canvas for a chain of ground-andpound. In the end, Sor Sey’s gallant effort was rewarded by the three judges at cageside with a unanimous decision victory. In a catchweight contest, Tetsuya Yamada of Japan claimed victory inside the ONE Championship cage, ﬁnishing veteran martial artist Eric “The Natural” Kelly of the Philippines by ﬁrst round submission. In a ONE Super Series bout, hard-hitter Ognjen Topic of Serbia emerged triumphant against Stergos Mikkios of Greece via unanimous decision in a three-round Muay Thai clash.

Yoshitaka Naito connects with a left hand to the head of Alex Silva. Naito scored a split decision to grab the ONE Championship Strawweight World title. ONE Championship

Jets topple Golden Knights in West series opener LOS ANGELES – Patrik Laine and Joel Armia scored 46 seconds apart in the first period as the Winnipeg Jets rolled over the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in the opening game of their Western Conference final series. The Jets pounced on the expansion Golden Knights from the opening puck drop on Saturday, scoring three times on their first eight shots against a shellshocked Vegas goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. “We did a good job of getting a good start,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “They are a great team. They have so much speed. It is going to be a long, tough series.”

Finnish forward Laine scored on the powerplay at 6:49 of the ﬁrst period to make it 2-0 and the Jets’ roaring start continued when Armia made it 3-0 at 7:35 after a successful challenge by the Jets’ coaching staff overturned a nogoal call by the referees. Mark Scheifele, with his leagueleading 12th goatl of the post-season, and Dustin Byfuglien also scored for Winnipeg who reached the National Hockey League semi-ﬁnals series by knocking off the Nashville Predators, the best team in the league during the regular season. Wheeler, who had three assists, is one of 11 American-born players on the Jets.

“I have always felt a special connection to the people here. But I am no different than any of the other guys,” he said in the Canadian prairie city. Scheifele, who scored his leagueleading 12th goal of the post-season, now has four more goals than any other player remaining in the playoffs. Armia had his second goal of the postseason waved off only to have it restored by a challenge, which overturned the initial goaltender interference call on the ice. Game two of the best of seven series is Monday night in Winnipeg before the series shifts to Las Vegas.

FIVE junior players from the Unified Tennis Philippines are currently competing in an ITF (International Tennis Federation) event in Malaysia as part of the new sports group’s commitment to provide the country’s future stars exposure in international play. Stephen Guia, Marc Suson, Pherl Coderos, Anna De Myer and Denise Bernardo are slugging it out against the region’s top junior players for top honors and ranking points in the 16-andunder division of the ITF Malacca International Junior Championship. “I am very thankful to UTP for the chance to play in the ITF Malaysia. I’m very excited as this is my first time to compete abroad,” said De Myer. The five along with 19 others were selected based on UTP’s national ranking system after over 125 UTP-sanctioned tournaments all over the country. The other players making u the firstever national junior tennis team, which will represent the country in several top tournaments sanctioned by the ITF and the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) are John David Velez, Brent Cortez, Rainier Selmar, Rupert Tortal, Macie Carlos, Alexa Milliam, Casey Padilla and Alexandra Eala (U14), and Michael Eala, Stephen Guia, Laurenz Quitara and Rovie Baulete (U16). “Not many people are given the chance to play abroad, so take advantage and seize the moment. This is your chance to excel,” UTP president and president/ CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier Jean Henri Lhuillier told the team members. They include U18 players Manuel Balce III, Marc Suson, Arthur Pantino, Bea Francesca Acena, Elizabeth Abarquez, Melanie Dizon and Aubrey Calma.

LOTTO RESULTS

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

MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018

Lady Warriors rebound, beat Perlas Spikers POCARI-AIR FORCE rebounded from a tough straight-set loss to PayMaya with an imposing four-set triumph over BanKo-Perlas to split its Tuguegarao matches in the Premier Volleyball League 2 Reinforced Conference at the People’s gym yesterday. The Lady Warriors quickly recovered from their 20-25, 19-25, 22-25 setback to the High Flyers Saturday although they needed to shake off a lopsided first set defeat to blast the Perlas Spikers, 1525, 25-15, 25-18, 25-22, for a 1-1 start in their title-retention drive in the seasonopening conference of the league organized by Sports Vision. Imports Maddie Palmer and Arnelie Love, who struggled for just a combined 15-point output against PayMaya, more than doubled their joint effort this time, finishing with 31 hits while local ace Myla Pablo improved from a 12-point debut with a 15-hit blast to help power the Lady Warriors to the one-hour, 35-minute victory. Palmer came away with 14 attack points and finished with 16 markers while Love took care of the net with Jeanette Panaga and produced four blocks for a 15-point output. Panaga added eight hits, including three blocks for the team’s 11, six more than their rivals. Pocari-Air Force likewise cashed in on BanKo-Perlas’ poor reception and delivered 11 aces. It was a disappointing loss for BanKo-Perlas, which came into the match brimming with confidence after hacking out a thrilling 22-25, 2516, 25-23, 17-25, 15-11 victory over fancied Creamline the previous night. But after a dominant first-set showing, the Perlas Spikers lost their sting, rhythm and poise in the face of the Lady Warriors’ all-out charge in the next three frames, enabling the defending champions to cruise to victory before a big Sunday crowd in the league’s first outof-town sortie hosted by the Province of Tuguegarao and backed by Toyota Tuguegarao, Globe, Mikasa, Asics, Puregood and Robinsons Malls.

Sports Alaska Aces forward Calvin Abueva (88) is hacked by TNT KaTropa defender Jayson Castro (left). The Aces trounced the KaTropa to gain a share of the PBA lead.

Alaska Aces trounce league-leading TNT By Peter Atencio

HE Alaska Aces took control right from the start.

Their outside shooting and transition attacks put the TNT Katropa Texters at bay for most of the game. Antonio Campbell showed the way with 23 points, 20 rebounds, four assists and four steals for the Aces as they smothered the Texters, 110-100, last night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. This handed the Aces their third win in four games, while handing erstwhile league-leading KaTropas their ﬁrst setback in four outings. This put them in a four-way tie for

the lead with the Meralco Bolts and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. Two triples from Jvee Casio and Campbell in the opening minutes of the game allowed the Aces to move away right away with an 8-0 run. They took charge with 12-2 edge with 9:17 left in the ﬁrst period before Kevin Racal’s trey unleashed a 10-0 run. Vic Manuel’s two charities with 3:12 remaining then gave the Aces a 16-point edge, 55-39. A pair of treys from Kevin Racal and Casio in the ﬁnal 9:33 of the fourth then widened the Aces’ edge to 22, 69-47. They took a 25-point advantage in the fourth off Rosario in the last10:04, 92-67. Jason Castro shot 18 points for

the Texters while Terrence Romeo, who will play for the national 3x3 team, drilled in 17 points and had eight rebounds. Manuel was again unstoppable from the ﬂoor as he ﬁnished with 29 points and 12 rebounds to win Player of the Game honors. The Aces (3 wins, 1 loss) thus tied KaTropa (3-1), the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (3-1) and the Meralco Bolts (3-1) at the top of the standings. The other teams include the Globalport Batang Pier (2-2), Columbian Dyip (3-2) and the Phoenix Fuelmasters (2-2). Bringing up the rear are Barangay Ginebra (1-2), the NLEX Road Warriors (1-3), the Magnolia Hotshots (1-1), the San Miguel Beermen (0-1), and the Blackwater Elite (0-5).

Thais in full force at LPGT Malarayat

AND STILL THE CHAMPION. UFC Bantamweight World champion Amanda Nuñes (right) connects with a hard right to the face of challenger Raquel Pennington. Nuñes stopped Pennington by TKO in the fifth round to retain her title. AFP

Tiger fires 65 to rise at Players Championship PONTE VEDRA BEACH, United States – Tiger Woods ﬁred his lowest career round at TPC Sawgrass, and his best score of the year, with a seven-under par 65 Saturday to share the early clubhouse lead at the Players Championship. The 14-time major champion took advantage of continuing hot and humid conditions to match Jordan Spieth on eight-under par after 54 holes. The duo ended their rounds nearly 90 minutes before overnight leader and fellow American Webb Simpson

was set to tee off leading by five shots at 15-under par. The previous best Players round by Woods was a 66 while his lowest this year in his seven prior events had been a 68 as he returns to US PGA Tour play after missing most of the past two years with back injuries. “I finally got off to a good start in birdieing the first couple of holes and I just kept it rolling,” Woods said. “I played a lot of good shots out there today and it was nice to see a few putts go in.

“Overall on the whole day I just hit a lot of quality shots and a 65 was probably the highest I could have shot.” Woods had an anxious Friday afternoon wait before joining Spieth and Justin Thomas making the cut right on the one-under mark. The 42-year old former world number one quickly lit-up the Florida course with four birdies in his opening ﬁve holes and had a huge crowd roaring with delight, cheers being heard as far as the course car parks.

THAILAND’S 13-player delegation sets out for another crack at the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour crown in the ICTSI Mount Malarayat Ladies Classic on Tuesday (May 15), all seeking a follow-up to compatriot’s Supakchaya Pattaranakrueang playoff feat at Luisita last month. Former LPGT leg winner Amolkan Phalajivin, young Onkanok Soisuwan, Jaruporn P Na Ayuttaya, Sarinee Thitiratanakorn and Piyathida Sangkagaro head the Thais’ bid in the P1.25 million tournament serving as the eighth leg of this year’s LPGT. The Thais have ruled three of the ﬁrst seven stops with the country’s perennial regional rivals going all-out for another victory in the 54-hole championship sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. TIranan Yoopan, who has had a number of near-misses in the circuit, is also due for a big win, along with Kanokwan Yospark, Goonlacha Paiboonpong, Paphada Wongwaikihphaisal, Pattraporn Kraturuk, Pimpadsron Sangkagaro, Pannapa Polnamin and CHommapat Ponthanarak. But the locals are also out to redeem themselves, including former three-time LPGA Order of Merit winner Cyna Rodriguez, who lost to Pattaranakrueang in a three-hole playoff at Luisita. Chihiro Ikeda, winner at LPGT Riviera last February but whose next campaigns were hampered by a wrist injury, is also raring to bounce back in top shape along with former leg winner Sarah Ababa, Lucy Landicho, Gretchen Villacencio, Apple Fudolin, Marvi Monsalve, Anya Tanpinco and Eva Miñoza. American Lisa Kang and Korean Choeun Bang are the other foreign entries vying for top honors in the event. Focus will also be on Alex Etter, who posted a strong runner-up ﬁnish with Jet Mathay in the Delimondo National Proam two weeks ago.

Lomachenko stops Linares to win 3rd title NEW YORK—Vasyl Lomachenko stopped Jorge Linares in the 10th round on Saturday to claim the World Boxing Association lightweight world title and a slice of boxing history at Madison Square Garden. Ukraine’s Lomachenko survived a sixth-round knock-down to set a record in claiming a world title in a third weight division in just his 12th professional fight. Lomachenko finished off the tightly contested bout with a fierce burst in the 10th, capped by a vicious left to the body that sent Linares down. “I prepared for the last few rounds, and my father told me, ‘You need to go to the body,’” Lomachenko said. Venezuela’s Linares slowly got to his feet, but referee Ricky Gonzalez waved it off at 2:08 of the 10th to give Lomachenko a victory by technical knockout that ended Linares’ 13-fight winning streak. Linares said he thought he could have continued and would be eager for a rematch. At the time of the stoppage, Lomachenko was up by two points on one judge’s card, Linares was up by two on another and one judge had it tied.

Dasma kids stamp class in chess ROXAS CITY, CAPIZ – Dasmariñas City Mayor Elpidio Barzaga’s wards exhibited the yields of a sustained grassroots development program when they romped off with ﬁve of 14 gold medals at stake in the National Age Group Chess Championships at the Hall of Governors here Saturday. Daniel Quizon and Kylen Joy Mordido, both ﬁve-gold and a silver winner in last year’s ASEAN Age Group Chess Championships (AAGCC), dominated the U20 boys and girls categories, respectively. Jerlyn Mae San Diego who swept all six gold medals in the AAGCC U14 en route to bagging a Philippine Sportswriters Association award ruled the U14 girls while Mark Jay Bacojo the U12 boys. Daren del la Cruz avenged her loss to Ruelle Canino in the AAGCC to emerge as champion in the U10 girls. Al-Basher Buto, Cainta, Rizal’s boy wonder, stole the thunder from the older champions by registering the only perfect score (in U8) in the event sponsored by Province of Capiz under Gov. Antonio del Rosario and Philippine Sports Commission and organized by National Chess Confederation of the Philippines. Aeron Keife Sinining (Escalante,Negros Occidental) and Vic Glysen Derotas (Cebu), U18; Cyril Felrod Telesforo (Ilioilo City) and Jarel Renz Lacambra (Manila), U16; Jasper Faeldonia (Manila), U14B); and Queen Rose Pamplona (Passi, Iloilo), U12G; Cyrus James Damiray (Tanza, Cavite) & Maria Teresa Lumangcas (Cagayan de Oro), U10 topped their respective divisions.

IN BRIEF Uniqlo to open largest outlet in PH, SE Asia

THE Philippine will host the largest Uniqlo store in the country and in Southeast Asia, Japanese retail holdings company Fast Retailing Co. Ltd. announced over the weekend. “We are honored and excited to open our first Uniqlo Global Flagship Store in the Philippines. Having been a member of the local retail scene since 2012, we remain committed to contributing to the local community and to being an integral part of Manila’s growth and future,” said Uniqlo chief executive for Southeast Asia and Oceania Satoshi Hatase. The new store is expected to open within the third quarter in Glorietta 5, along Ayala Avenue in Makati City. The new flagship store will be Uniqlo’s fifteenth in the world. Uniqlo stores represent the best and the latest of the brand, its LifeWear clothing and its famed customer service, all set in cutting-edge store design on a grand scale. Uniqlo chosen Manila as the new site of its newest flagship store to strengthen the foundation of its business in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia. Othel V. Campos

No collaterals in China loans, says Dominguez

FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the loans granted by China to the Philippines do not involve any collateral, like territories and natural resources, as what some quarters claim. “There’s no collateral here... it’s a sovereign debt... I don’t know what the other countries are doing, but here they are not asking us collateral,” Dominguez told reporters in a brieﬁng over the weekend. “Look, we borrowed $200 million, and there was no collateral for that. I don’t know what the other countries are doing,” Dominguez said, referring to the issuance of $200 million worth of Panda bonds in the onshore market of China latter part of March 2018. Dominguez said the government was upholding Philippine rights and that the country had a good credit standing. He cited the investment grade ratings previously given to the Philippines by global credit rating agencies Moody’s Investor Service, S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings. Julito G. Rada

Business Govt wants to further reduce call, SMS rates By Darwin G. Amojelar

HE Department of Information and Communications Technology wants to reduce interconnection charges between telecom operators in a bid to lower text and voice call rates.

The DICT issued Department Order No. 003 directing the National Telecommunications Commission to formulate concrete measures in reducing interconnection rates for both mobile voice and short message services to the minimum. Acting DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. said the Philippines’ calls and text service rates were among the highest in Asia. “Surely, the subscribers will

send more text messages that will really make up for the interconnection cost,” Rio said. Lowering and standardizing interconnection rates via the Memorandum Circular by the NTC would not only beneﬁt subscribers by being charged less for calls and text messages but would also favor the incoming third telco. Rio said having standard interconnection fees would eliminate the factor of choosing an operator on the basis of the current subscriptions of friends and families. PLDT Inc. and Globe cut the interconnection charges for voice calls by 40 percent or from P4 per minute to P2.50 per minute for mobile to mobile and landline to mobile voice calls in January 2017. Access charges for mobile to landline voice calls cost P3 per minute. This means that the existing retail rates for voice calls would drop to P5.50

per minute from the existing prevailing rates of P6.50 per minute. The access charge for SMS between mobile operators was reduced from P0.35 per SMS to P0.15 per SMS effective Nove. 30, 2011, but it was not implemented due to a pending case ﬁled before the Supreme Court. Telcos’ voice and text revenues declined because of the popularity of internet-based applications such as Facebook Messenger, Viber, Skype and Whatsapp. Globe’s mobile voice revenues fell 5.6 percent to P32.27 billion in 2017 from P34.19 billion in 2016, while SMS revenues eased to P23.14 billion from P23.19 billion. PLDT’s mobile voice revenues also declined 17 percent to P30.72 billion last year from P37.09 billion in 2016 while SMS revenues fell 20.4 percent to P26.04 billion from P32.74 billion.

PLDT awaits invesment from Tencent of China PLDT Inc. said it is still awaiting Tencent Holdings Ltd., a Chinese multinational investment holding conglomerate, for possible investment in Voyager Innovations Inc. “We have not received any word from, one way or the other from Tencent. In the meantime, we have a business to run, so we are assuming at least for the moment we will not have a strategic partner and we will proceed with our own plans with Voyager,” PLDT chairman Manuel Pangilinan said. Tencent is a leading provider of Internet value added services in China with services that include social network, music, web portal,s e-commerce, mobile games, internet services, payment systems, smartphones and multiplayer online games. Rival Globe Fintech Innovations Inc., Mynt, a wholly-owned unit of Globe Capital Venture Holdings under Globe Telecom Inc. and Ayala Corp., earlier signed a strategic partnership with Ant Financial Services Group. Ant Financial is an afﬁliate of Chinese billionaire Jack Ma’s Alibaba Group. Darwin G. Amojelar

GARLIC SUMMIT. Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol (third from left) holds bundles of garlic produced by the Uyugan Garlic Growers oduring his visit in Batanes province for the Garlic Summit on May 8, 2018. Piñol, along with Undersecretary Evelyn Laviña and other officials of the Agriculture Department, visited the smoke house used by Ivatans to store and process garlic to prevent them from getting diseases. While in Batanes, Piñol committed local garlic growers P30 million in credit financing under the Agricultural Credit Policy Council.

Cebu oil field starts production tests; drilling of 3 more wells up PRODUCTION tests are ongoing at the Alegria oil field in southern Cebu ahead of commercial production, the Energy Department said over the weekend. “Production testing is ongoing. If the flow is already stable, then actual production will succeed,” said Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who was informed about the latest developments in the country’s first land-based oil field. Cusi said during the production testing stage that equipment requirements would be procured as part part of the development plan approved by the department. “Projected production level is 400 barrels per day for two production wells. There is a plan this year to drill for three more wells,” said Cusi. China International Mining Petroleum Co. Ltd., the project proponent, already signed a one-year sales and purchase agreement with Tom’s Power

Petroleum Distributor Inc. TPPDI is a trading company incorporated in the Philippines that engages in the sales of petroleum products. CIMP will sell crude oil to TPPDI according to the increasing production quantity, but actual quantity would be determined upon loading. “It’s small [oil ﬁeld] but [it] will help Visayas and Cebu,” Cusi said. CIMP holds Petroleum Service Contract No. 49 which covers the Alegria oil ﬁeld, an onshore site in the fourthclass town of Alegria in the southern part of Cebu province. CIMP, a subsidiary of Polyard Petroleum International Group, acquired an 80-percent stake in the participating interest of the SC 49 project and became its operator in July 2009. The contract covers a 25-year production period. Alena Mae S. Flores

DENMARK EYES PH INFRA. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (left) meets with his Danish counterpart, Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs Brian Mikkelsen, to discuss trade and investment opportunities between the Philippines and Denmark, especially the Philippine government’s massive infrastructure program. Minister Mikkelsen said Denmark wants to be part of the development happening in the Philippines and expressed interest in bringing construction firms to participate in the Duterte administration’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ infrastructure program.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018

Higher coal sales boosted DMCI’s profit to P4.1b in Q1 By Jenniffer B. Austria DMCI Holdings Inc., the investment company of the Consunji family, said it booked a net income of P4.3 billion in the first quarter, up 5 percent from P4.1 billion recorded in the same period last year, lifted by the positive performance of coal mining, water and construction businesses. First-quarter consolidated revenues rose 8 percent in January to March to P20.3 billion from P18.8 billion a year ago. “Our power generation business suffered some setbacks this quarter because of the unplanned outages of Sem-Calaca Power Corp. and Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corporation,” said DMCI Holdings chairman and president Isidro Consunji. “But we believe that higher coal sales and average selling prices will more than offset the impact of these outages on our bottom line,” he said. SMPC recorded a 3-percent rise in net income to P4.6 billion in the first quarter, on the back of a 24-percent increase in the average selling price of coal. SMPC’s first-quarter net income contribution to the parent company rose 3 percent from P2.5 billion to P2.6 billion. Net income contribution of water utility firm Maynilad Water Services Inc. jumped 12 percent from P282 million to P315 million, driven by 4.8-percent increase in billed volume, coupled with a 2.8-percent inflationary rate adjustment on basic charge beginning Jan. 1 this year. Construction unit D.M. Consunji Inc. posted an 85-percent surge in net income share following the realization of variation orders from projects nearing completion. Its contribution to the parent rose to P336 million from P182 million a year earlier. Net income share of DMCI Homes declined 11 percent to P848 million from P950 million amid a slowdown in revenue recognition. Earnings contribution from off-grid energy business DMCI Power fell 12 percent from P87 million to P76 million on lower-than-expected provisional tariff granted to Aborlan power plant in Palawan.

Shell looking for local partner in renewable venture By Alena Mae S. Flores ROYAL Dutch Shell Plc. expects to set up a renewable energy company in the Philippines in partnership with a local partner within the year, a top executive said over the weekend. “Before the end of the year or earlier, we are hoping the company is already there. So by January we can start approaching customers or earlier,” said Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. president and chief executive Cesar Romero. “Renewables is something we’re excited about similar to LNG [liqueﬁed natural gas]. Everybody knows that the country is suitable for RE. We have a lot of sun and we’re island based. We’re really excited about the prospects of renewables in the country,” Romero said. He said the company would need a

local partner under the 60-40 ownership rule of the Constitution. Shell is a British–Dutch multinational oil and gas company headquartered in the Netherlands and incorporated in the United Kingdom. “What makes it a little bit tricky for us is there’s a 60-percent nationality requirement. Therefore, we can’t do it just on our own being classiﬁed still as a foreign company despite us being here for 104 years. Therefore we need to work with a partner by its very nature. We have to look for a 60-percent local partner,” Romero said. Romero said the Shell Group was committed to “participate and enter the renewable sector in the Philippines.” Romero said the company had not yet come out with the partnership structure and commercial arrangement for the renewable energy venture.

He said Shell Group had yet to decide on whether to invest in greenﬁeld renewable energy projects or acquire existing projects. “We have not gone to that level of discussions. Our priority is setting up of the company. We cannot do anything without the company in place, with 60-percent Filipino entity,” he said. He said potential partnership should have an “alignment of values.” “We are a ﬁrm believer of our business principles, good governance, talent development secondly. A company that also believes in our aspiration for renewables in the country to help grow the islands and improve air quality,” he said. Shell announced plans to venture into renewable energy in December 2016 which would signal a new phase in its business in the Philippines.

PH mobile Internet download speed improved in April THE recent Speedtest Global Index Report of Ookla for April 2018 reported that the Philippines’ average download speed for mobile broadband improved 88.31 percent from 7.44 megabits per second in July 2016 to 14.01 Mbps in April 2018. It also showed that the average download speed for ﬁxed broadband accelerated 122.76 percent from 7.91 Mbps in July 2016 to 17.62 Mbps in April 2018. The study showed that for mobile broadband, the country’s monthly average grew steadily from 7.44 Mbps in July 2016 to 7.7 Mbps (August 2016), 8.18 Mbps (September 2016), 8.56 Mbps (October 2016), 8.59 Mbps (November 2016), 9.53 Mbps (December 2016), 9.34 Mbps (January 2017), 10.07 Mbps (February 2017), 9.73 Mbps (March 2017), 9.71 Mbps (April 2017), 9.93 Mbps (May 2017), 10.32

Mbps (June 2017), 10.29 Mbps (July 2017), 10.47 Mbps (August 2017), 11.95 Mbps (September 2017), 12.31 Mbps (October 2017), 12.35 Mbps (November 2017), 13.45 Mbps (December 2017), 12.55 Mbps (January 2018), 12.67 Mbps (February 2018), 13.52 Mbps (March 2018) and 14.01 Mbps (April 2018). For ﬁxed broadband, the monthly average also continued to trend upward from 7.91 Mbps in July 2016 to 8.54 Mbps (August 2016), 8.76 Mbps (September 2016), 8.60 Mbps (October 2016), 9.35 Mbps (November 2016), 9.71 Mbps (December 2016), 10.16 Mbps (January 2017), 10.68 Mbps (February 2017), 10.81 Mbps (March 2017), 10.84 Mbps (April 2017), 10.96 Mbps (May 2017), 11.66 Mbps (June 2017), 12.43 Mbps (July 2017), 13.29 Mbps (August 2017),

13.41 Mbps (September 2017), 13.13 Mbps (October 2017), 14.42 Mbps (November 2017), 15.19 Mbps (December 2017), 15.67 Mbps (January 2018), 16.09 Mbps (February 2018), 17.32 Mbps (March 2018) and 17.62 Mbps (April 2018). Speedtest by Ookla is the global leader in internet performance testing and consumer-initiated network diagnostics with over 10.2 billion speed tests clocked worldwide. Speedtest Intelligence is a trusted and vital research and analysis tool used by businesses, industry associations and government agencies. In a recent report called Digital in 2018, it showed that Filipinos spent the most time globally using social media sites with an average of for hours per day on sites such as Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter.

Business

MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market looking for new catalysts By Jenniffer B. Austria

HARE prices are expected to resume their sideways movement after last week’s rally, with investors looking for catalysts that could sustain the market’s upward momentum.

With the release of ﬁrst-quarter corporate earnings report almost over and the much-awaited decision of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to raise interest rates, analysts said investors were now shifting their focus on the second phase of the tax reform agenda as possible catalyst that could affect the market over the near- to medium-term period. Package 2 of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion of the Duterte administration could include a reduction in the corporate income tax and the modernization of ﬁscal incentives.

Stock market investors will continue to monitor the inflation and foreign exchange rates and fuel costs, which are factors affecting the earnings results of most companies. “Challenges will be constantly present in economies gearing up with their fiscal expansion agenda. While the world is cognizant of geopolitical uncertainties, these headlines could work to investors’ advantage,” 2TradeAsia.com said. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index last week surged 2.73 percent to 7,752.11 points while the broader index climbed 2.26 percent to 4,709.15 as investors cheered the 6.8-percent gross domestic product growth in the first quarter of the year, as well as the move of the Bangko Sentral to raise interest rates by 25 basis points. Except for the mining and oil index, which declined 1.1 percent, all other sub-indices were in the green, led by

property (+4.91 percent), services (+2.3 percent), industrial (+2.2 percent), holding firms (+2.02 percent) and financials (+1.4 percent). Foreign investors were net sellers during the week by P1.8 billion. Turnover, however, remained thin with average daily value traded at P5.85 billion, down from last week’s average of P6.6 billion. Weekly top price gainers were Globe Telecom Inc., which rose 18.1 percent to P1,742; SM Prime Holdings Inc., which advanced 10 percent to P35.65; and Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which gained 6.1 percent to P5.41. Weekly top price losers were Concepcion Industrial Corp., which declined 6.4 percent to P58; Cemex Holdings Philippines Inc., which dropped 5.1 percent to P3.18; and SSI Group Inc., which fell 4.6 percent to P2.28. Wall Street stocks, meanwhile, finished a strong week on a mostly positive

note, with the Dow and S&P 500 rising modestly and the Nasdaq dipping. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.4 percent to close the week at 24,831.17, its seventh straight positive finish. The broad-based S&P 500 advanced 0.2 percent to end at 2,727.72, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index slipped less than 0.1 percent to 7,402.88. Analysts said a combination of mostly good corporate earnings and mild inflation had boosted confidence, allowing investors to look past myriad lingering risks on trade, monetary policy and US politics. Major indices rose more than two percent for the week. “Good earnings and mild inflation numbers are a great formula for the markets,” said Jack Ablin chief investment officer at Cresset Wealth Advisors. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

MAY 7-11, 2018 Close Volume

Value

APRIL 30-MAY 4, 2018 Close Volume Value

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

58.95 133.00 98.00 2.98 1.52 34.85 6.8 16.3 16.84 3.64 8.40 1.49 880.00 0.610 86 1.07 12.2 22.20 52.10 86.4 110 214 37.6 200.6 1900.00 89.00 1.2

120,040 11,321,880 10,073,230 101,000 1,982,000 943,300 4,700 241,800 4,339,500 479,000 4,200 96,000 250 54,064,000 18,704,970 1,853,000 41,700 38,200 1,610,080 1,450 1,670 59,370 233,300 4,004,580 75 338,920 50,000

FINANCIAL 7,069,551.50 1,460,064,064.00 975,767,747.00 310,450.00 3,137,760.00 30,086,220.00 32,220.00 3,980,290.00 71,406,058.00 1,702,470.00 36,350.00 142,820.00 218,000.00 33,877,410.00 1,561,544,118.50 1,967,000.00 508,770.00 829,515.00 84,692,298.00 122,643.00 180,552.00 12,579,896.00 8,885,440.00 787,640,462.00 142,865.00 30,222,545.00 60,300.00

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

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

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

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

38.95 14.68 0.6 1.28 20.15 0.228 141.8 25.00 3.18 16.98 251 51.4 70 84.2 58 1.97 5.15 9.3 10.880 16.3 11.78 7.20 5.30 1.66 15.58 63.8 19.10 8.78 17.76 2.160 285.00 54.95 5.14 3.13 17.10 27 13.42 22.65 0.188 328.00 6.85 2.45 4.50 9.60 5.8 7.98 1.46 12.44 53.8 6.2 4.84 2.02 3.7 1.93 14.1 64.95 5.39 0.132 1.00 143 2.52 3.52 22.00 0.86

7,156,200 5,510,200 8,598,000 488,000 172,300 7,630,000 520 63,700 43,447,000 1,336,000 850 2,410,740 15,070 700 1,946,250 392,000 196,600 145,400 15,730,900 16,702,800 1,376,600 3,204,470 11,780,900 27,000 2,773,500 701,490 1,117,300 370,700 4,371,200 9,970,000 4,222,470 10 510,900 45,000 20,500 3,999,200 1,563,200 12,732,000 1,010,000 1,322,800 80,400 8,269,000 1,748,000 13,986,500 2,821,700 81,500 1,213,000 299,100 1,676,020 183,300 4,000 1,434,000 35,000 747,000 831,800 1,917,440 456,900 3,980,000 100,000 4,907,580 29,000 217,615,000 300 9,534,000

INDUSTRIAL 274,430,385.00 79,677,530.00 5,326,260.00 615,670.00 3,428,013.00 1,738,370.00 73,416.00 1,583,315.00 143,606,340.00 22,598,206.00 212,862.00 124,418,132.00 1,014,125.00 59,696.00 111,755,044.00 762,180.00 1,017,325.00 1,326,792.00 169,571,560.00 271,018,626.00 16,150,574.00 26,482,758.00 62,838,984.00 45,060.00 42,867,994.00 44,853,749.00 20,808,266.00 3,254,439.00 74,503,414.00 21,251,770.00 1,180,616,358.00 549.50 2,591,619.00 142,190.00 351,802.00 105,782,750.00 21,482,710.00 285,404,285.00 190,720.00 433,859,718.00 544,656.00 19,869,690.00 8,003,590.00 131,545,147.00 16,564,380.00 650,096.00 1,799,890.00 3,636,908.00 89,304,836.00 1,126,420.00 19,360.00 2,977,490.00 128,920.00 1,422,710.00 11,903,900.00 124,841,056.50 2,415,843.00 531,890.00 99,330.00 691,919,803.00 72,890.00 789,147,880.00 6,600.00 8,046,720.00

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

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

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

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

0.260 62.85 13.60 0.88 6.54 0.650 0.650 970 10.7 10.38 5.21 7.54 0.212 1038 7.16 60.70 5.26 0.63 4.75 21.55 0.610 5.41 0.0400 1.170 3.220 2.60 137.90 2.56 918.00 1.63 0.83 263.800 545.00 0.2370 0.2550 0.193

28,050,000 8,733,730 19,011,900 156,000 323,000 54,458,000 8,524,000 947,140 13,517,600 34,575,600 200 490,700 1,970,000 619,865 83,500 7,879,420 26,900 1,177,000 15,541,000 24,277,500 10,630,000 136,391,800 16,600,000 928,000 5,989,000 65,000 732,880 150,000 981,150 1,380,000 55,000 17,640 2,650 900,000 45,440,000 1,870,000

0.300 62.20 13.20 0.90 6.45 0.660 0.660 916 6.37 10.80

640,000 3,940,610 40,146,800 142,000 157,000 374,914,000 66,228,000 980,800 5,238,000 55,022,600

191,250.00 260,332,794.00 526,689,796.00 125,730.00 1,019,046.00 266,367,440.00 47,249,570.00 705,220,410.00 34,558,593.00 597,106,422.00

7.60 0.213 980 7.06 60.20 5.86 0.65 4.54 21.9 0.640 5.1 0.0400 1.170 3.210 2.51 136.70 2.57 915.50 1.64 0.79 264.200 580.00 0.2390 0.2600 0.200

487,400 4,880,000 378,850 145,000 7,003,740 6,200 187,000 3,533,000 5,776,700 19,328,000 147,405,000 80,700,000 3,027,000 8,088,000 20,000 635,820 30,000 1,490,430 1,729,000 156,000 16,830 320 1,220,000 217,800,000 330,000

3,703,394.00 1,095,390.00 385,955,805.00 996,223.00 427,428,830.50 32,813.00 115,180.00 15,532,550.00 116,995,771.00 12,302,410.00 750,555,378.00 3,158,200.00 3,516,430.00 26,203,050.00 50,800.00 87,949,815.00 77,100.00 1,378,472,600.00 2,877,600.00 123,480.00 4,364,874.00 176,990.00 298,040.00 61,653,530.00 66,930.00

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

7.170 1.04 14.96 2.010 0.850 41.000 3.46 4.93 6.13 6.22 0.465 1.03 0.990 0.247 0.450 31.1 0.630 0.120 1.65 1.27 1.05 4.32 0.640 0.4800 0.560

340,196,200 74,073,000 2,100 545,000 5,978,000 35,301,200 799,000 7,036,000 94,500 24,300 45,040,000 188,000 25,031,000 59,960,000 780,000 1,804,500 899,000 200,000 63,146,000 5,352,000 4,441,000 61,764,000 508,869,000 56,450,000 21,526,000

7.080 1.08 14.70 2.090 0.840 40.150 3.36 4.56 6.02 6.26 0.450 1.00 0.980 0.240 0.445 30.5 0.630 0.120 1.65 1.27 1.07 4.31 0.590 0.4650 0.560

211,020,600 273,767,000 8,600 336,000 1,493,000 38,719,300 2,465,000 3,402,000 97,800 2,100 29,180,000 18,000 1,053,000 28,820,000 350,000 1,161,800 8,363,000 190,000 21,350,000 6,307,000 6,487,000 45,431,000 254,147,000 139,240,000 54,393,000

1,456,684,898.00 321,718,820.00 123,558.00 693,000.00 1,236,960.00 1,580,152,800.00 8,246,650.00 15,458,270.00 591,693.00 13,135.00 13,356,200.00 18,450.00 1,017,970.00 6,956,630.00 157,400.00 36,130,050.00 5,388,020.00 17,231,070.00 35,702,230.00 8,035,270.00 6,942,260.00 201,618,820.00 151,497,210.00 160,909,900.00 30,761,600.00

HOLDING FIRMS 7,780,700.00 534,748,793.00 250,344,092.00 137,960.00 2,084,396.00 35,075,570.00 5,555,360.00 895,177,760.00 126,746,455.00 361,393,014.00 1,042.00 3,619,294.00 417,710.00 630,424,180.00 585,209.00 474,695,696.50 147,524.00 712,660.00 72,909,370.00 519,218,820.00 6,345,270.00 727,630,502.00 663,600.00 1,064,940.00 19,402,700.00 162,920.00 100,029,958.00 384,530.00 892,821,860.00 2,287,810.00 43,850.00 4,589,716.00 1,484,810.00 217,550.00 11,479,810.00 359,940.00 PROPERTY 2,354,567,648.00 78,247,070.00 30,388.00 1,102,380.00 5,045,270.00 1,425,869,740.00 2,728,520.00 33,527,510.00 568,637.00 153,098.00 20,834,100.00 192,140.00 25,416,520.00 14,775,750.00 348,000.00 56,992,950.00 565,070.00 24,000.00 104,171,040.00 6,767,490.00 4,658,690.00 268,497,020.00 328,026,820.00 26,686,900.00 11,731,200.00

STOCKS

MAY 7-11, 2018 Close Volume

APRIL 30-MAY 4, 2018 Close Volume Value

Value

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

29.30 4 18.90 2.07 3.24 35.65 1.14 10.72 0.800 6.650

400 8,231,000 11,424,400 2,599,000 124,000 41,016,200 50,999,000 2,453,900 271,000 18,599,500

11,705.00 33,980,730.00 216,816,764.00 5,230,880.00 393,650.00 1,402,480,800.00 47,774,210.00 26,493,856.00 213,000.00 125,735,439.00

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

15.9 27.05 1.35 0.480 0.047 12.6 5 12.36 0.0560 92 8.7 7.14 7.70 2.26 21.40 940 1742 5.56 306.00 12.12 4.18 83 2.21 13.3 8.23 0.120 1.3800 3.48 15 4.61 1.03 26.20 0.480 4.31 6.44 3.26 8.160 11.68 9.54 2.94 130.00 5.98 1396.00 0.380 1.030 46.60 88.95 7.10 2.28 1.290 0.435 4.84 0.860 11.560

515,000 376,500 92,000 6,910,000 54,258,600 1,297,900 6,000 51,774,400 53,930,000 697,180 43,300 2,525,400 147,100 15,000 345,700 1,010 329,070 1,303,500 21,120 2,100 5,326,000 8,652,770 204,000 129,600 46,000 13,180,000 2,852,000 392,000 73,200 6,600,000 1,390,000 25,613,100 124,000 494,000 13,587,800 4,325,000 27,836,200 86,300 8,800 44,000 70,050 4,292,900 298,235 84,820,000 29,415,000 1,741,700 2,177,800 227,700 2,778,000 15,851,000 37,370,000 6,759,000 10,532,000 10,309,500

SERVICES 8,605,766.00 10,340,815.00 125,020.00 3,328,500.00 2,556,400.00 16,424,108.00 29,850.00 620,874,002.00 2,977,440.00 62,479,571.50 376,667.00 17,849,388.00 1,113,196.00 33,400.00 7,436,950.00 949,390.00 545,247,490.00 7,256,040.00 6,441,210.00 25,318.00 22,515,030.00 706,828,984.50 458,820.00 1,691,054.00 378,370.00 1,575,800.00 3,972,040.00 1,356,440.00 1,074,386.00 30,612,980.00 1,428,840.00 619,829,990.00 64,540.00 2,078,560.00 87,073,907.00 14,084,240.00 232,170,378.00 1,015,796.00 84,164.00 129,390.00 8,941,999.00 25,926,098.00 409,973,040.00 35,515,800.00 30,742,390.00 80,647,685.00 190,452,295.50 1,618,165.00 6,392,090.00 20,750,950.00 16,157,400.00 32,654,720.00 9,128,630.00 116,776,614.00

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

0.0028 1.69 1.69 4.20 18.88 1.5500 1.63 0.300 7.36 2.350 0.201 0.139 0.144 0.009 0.0093 1.42 5.1 1.21 0.5600 0.9600 0.0130 0.0130 5.60 13.48 0.0110 2.1000 29.00 0.0065

733,000,000 7,924,000 1,899,000 651,000 18,400 17,000 183,912,000 1,730,000 46,400 8,778,000 2,030,000 7,210,000 560,000 63,000,000 2,000,000 509,000 4,664,900 95,000 463,000 1,132,000 402,900,000 24,100,000 1,905,200 5,785,300 198,500,000 38,068,000 9,964,100 4,000,000

MINING & OIL 2,071,400.00 13,643,810.00 3,227,540.00 2,764,450.00 326,586.00 26,210.00 299,936,360.00 520,200.00 334,563.00 20,128,780.00 414,860.00 999,540.00 78,520.00 548,300.00 18,600.00 744,550.00 23,950,281.00 112,620.00 250,650.00 1,055,350.00 4,841,700.00 313,200.00 10,697,923.00 78,799,102.00 2,434,400.00 223,200.00 281,864,285.00 26,000.00

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

25.7 107 491 510 100.8 106.9 107 506 5.5 995 982 100.4 1.07 106.5 1020 1020 104.2 110.9 975 77 79.9 75.5 76.1 78 76.1 77 75.9

579,900 1,360 6,870 33,450 133,960 30 11,570 1,920 3,453,300 5,000 2,580 35,050 1,328,000 1,390 10,000 330 1,140 320 1,420 70,270 226,420 153,000 6,600 554,380 21,900 139,480 381,650

LR Warrant

2.760

WARRANTS & BONDS 1,004,000 2,797,140.00

PREFERRED 15,177,725.00 144,720.00 3,392,570.00 16,872,360.00 13,524,483.00 3,207.00 1,238,006.00 968,700.00 19,217,267.00 4,975,000.00 2,528,640.00 3,515,800.00 1,404,880.00 145,506.00 10,217,155.00 339,285.00 118,724.00 35,488.00 1,386,750.00 5,410,590.50 17,793,881.00 11,548,856.00 502,260.00 43,080,845.00 1,666,320.00 10,748,635.00 28,972,747.50

SME 12,955,024.00 1,477,620.00 13,845,310.00

29.25 4.1 17.98 2.02 3.15 32.40 1.14 10.7 0.790 6.850

400 10,358,000 11,767,100 6,403,000 2,279,000 19,095,700 42,637,000 1,831,700 302,000 24,508,000

11,700.00 42,355,190.00 212,569,100.00 13,539,960.00 7,307,580.00 639,579,110.00 46,795,520.00 19,481,364.00 242,380.00 163,659,144.00

16 27.5 1.38 0.485 0.048 12.8 5.39 11.90 0.0540 87.55 8.7 6.87 7.69 2.16 22.50 900 1475 5.56 307.00

170,200 120,700 222,000 13,720,000 53,400,000 358,100 33,000 39,942,300 52,230,000 288,170 21,100 875,100 676,500 25,000 285,100 510 99,205 948,800 20,490

2,785,382.00 3,338,345.00 297,670.00 6,719,650.00 2,616,000.00 4,526,656.00 173,247.00 486,870,434.00 2,795,280.00 25,458,663.00 184,294.00 6,010,811.00 5,327,544.00 54,710.00 6,610,595.00 465,580.00 150,143,020.00 5,287,219.00 6,234,690.00

4.15 84.8 2.30 13.28 8.22 0.155 1.3800 3.38 14.6 4.50 1.03 25.25 0.510 4.21 6.4 3.29 7.930 11.8 9.75 2.9 121.00 6.00 1366.00 0.435 1.000 45.85 90.20 7.15 2.39 1.310 0.435 4.82 0.890 10.780

3,100,000 9,656,870 75,000 25,200 92,700 1,690,115 4,592,000 206,000 9,300 9,924,000 430,000 6,400,300 74,000 315,000 8,117,800 1,038,000 20,201,000 204,300 18,100 61,000 229,090 8,745,200 208,740 24,180,000 5,023,000 27,371,400 2,064,630 492,300 2,183,000 8,820,000 166,330,000 14,389,000 13,591,000 3,167,900

12,707,180.00 820,305,422.50 172,180.00 331,404.00 756,190.00 2,104,080.00 6,590,070.00 682,760.00 138,950.00 44,606,610.00 440,940.00 163,511,555.00 37,870.00 1,343,280.00 53,921,629.00 3,310,380.00 161,563,514.00 2,407,926.00 175,453.00 179,570.00 29,184,978.00 51,786,627.00 293,541,905.00 10,677,100.00 2,845,220.00 1,260,286,695.00 184,885,688.00 3,474,803.00 5,235,440.00 11,501,510.00 76,130,650.00 70,809,630.00 11,960,390.00 34,068,096.00

0.0029 1.70

409,000,000 11,105,000

1,170,000.00 19,077,780.00

4.30 18.94

779,000 13,500

3,360,800.00 252,192.00

1.65 0.310 7.47 2.360 0.207 0.138 0.140 0.009

2,108,000 2,460,000 8,300 18,823,000 510,000 8,570,000 810,000 26,000,000

3,433,410.00 780,900.00 61,856.00 44,518,900.00 106,230.00 1,189,370.00 117,220.00 230,100.00

1.51 5.21 1.22 0.5800 0.9600 0.0120 0.0130 5.72 14.06 0.0130 2.2300 29.15

1,604,000 12,176,400 142,000 1,513,000 4,134,000 63,800,000 10,000,000 643,600 7,007,500 188,400,000 85,000 4,911,500

2,385,090.00 64,353,815.00 171,950.00 849,430.00 4,023,910.00 806,300.00 122,000.00 3,647,149.00 99,141,166.00 2,248,800.00 183,500.00 146,416,275.00

26 106 500 504 101.4 106.9 108 506 5.51 1000 970.5 100.3 1.05 107.1 1020

896,700 2,000 27,070 28,010 68,890 10 91,810 220 323,400 9,040 2,080 4,210 17,000 5,200 1,500

23,945,155.00 212,000.00 13,455,990.00 14,136,240.00 6,948,234.00 1,069.00 9,905,313.00 111,320.00 1,771,540.00 8,769,700.00 2,035,150.00 422,227.00 17,990.00 538,717.00 1,530,640.00

106.1 106.2 985 75.2 78 75.05 75.95 77.45 76.1 77 75.75

1,300 5,700 8,650 2,140 152,660 91,200 148,360 30,020 11,000 5,020 513,560

137,930.00 605,340.00 8,573,675.00 161,813.50 12,023,060.00 6,844,579.50 11,265,492.00 2,308,099.00 836,950.00 382,440.00 40,100,402.00

2.750

2,084,000

5,694,840.00

5.4 3.05 3.25

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

28,541,958.00 5,774,680.00 8,040,280.00

Italpinas Philab Holdings Xurpas

5.33 2.97 3.17

2,407,500 500,000 4,351,000

First Metro ETF

119.3

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 211,380 24,844,866.00

117.3

94,340

11,146,093.00

14,010 48,400

10.2 1.02

2,490 124,000

25,398.00 127,480.00

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. USD DMPL A1 10.14 USD TECH B2 1.03

142,081.80 49,852.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining MRC Allied Ind. Oriental Pet. À’ 8990 HLDG Vitarich Corp. Philodrill Corp. À’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. PremiereHorizon A. Brown Co., Inc.

VOLUME 733,000,000 508,869,000 402,900,000 340,196,200 217,615,000 198,500,000 183,912,000 136,391,800 84,820,000 74,073,000

STOCKS 8990 HLDG Metrobank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Ayala Land `B’ SM Prime Holdings Jollibee Foods Corp. Bank of PI Ayala Corp `A’ SM Investments Inc. Vitarich Corp.

VALUE 2,354,567,648.00 1,561,544,118.50 1,460,064,064.00 1,425,869,740.00 1,402,480,800.00 1,180,616,358.00 975,767,747.00 895,177,760.00 892,821,860.00 789,147,880.00

PAL reduced losses in Q1 to P201.67m By Darwin G. Amojelar PAL Holdings Inc., operator of Philippine Airlines, said net loss in the first quarter of 2018 fell 62 percent to P201.67 million from P533.97 million year-on-year mostly because of higher passenger revenues. Total revenues in the first three months amounted to P36.79 billion, up 12.7 percent from P32.65 billion a year ago. “The increase in revenues was attributable mainly to higher passenger revenues brought about by the growth in number of passengers carried and number of flights operated,” PAL Holdings said. Total expenses during the quarter increased 13.9 percent to P36.90 billion from P32.39 billion. PAL Holdings attributed the increase to higher expenses related to flying operations, passenger service, aircraft and traffic servicing, reservations and sales and general and administrative accounts, offset in part by the decrease in maintenance expenses. Flying operations expenses increased 18.4 percent mainly due to higher fuel costs and lease charges. The average fuel price surged to $88.24 during the period from $76.15 in 2017. Passenger service expenses increased 19.9 percent from last year’s P2.86 billion primarily due to the increase in the number of passengers carried and the number of flights mounted. The increase in flights operated during the quarter resulted in higher aircraft and traffic servicing cost by 11.8 percent over the year ago level of P4.31 billion. PAL earlier said it planned to increase its aircraft to 100 by 2020 from the current 85 to achieve its goal of obtaining a 5-star airline rating. The airline, owned by tycoon Lucio Tan, said new routes and more flight frequencies were being introduced, with the flag carrier accepting the delivery of five additional Next Generation Bombardier Q400s and six new Airbus A321neos starting this month, along with four Airbus A350-900 trans-oceanic aircraft starting in June.

Robinsons retail unit raises profit by 22% to P1.2b By Jenniffer B. Austria ROBINSONS Retail Holdings Inc., the retail holding company of the Gokongwei Group, registered a net income of P1.2 billion in the first quarter of the year, up 21.7 percent from the same period a year ago. Robinsons Retail said in a disclosure to the stock exchange over the weekend core net earnings, excluded interest from bonds, equitized net earnings from the 40 percent stake in Robinsons Bank and unrealized forex gains and losses, increased 13.7 percent to P958 million from P842 million year-on-year. First-quarter consolidated net sales expanded 12.6 percent to P29 billion from P25.7 billion a year ago, lifted by same store sales growth of 6.4 percent and contribution from new stores. “The robust revenue growth was largely due to increase in sales volume from the full year sales contribution of the stores that opened in 2017 as well as strong same stores sales growth,” year-on-year said. Robinsons Retail said all retail formats registered positive same store sales growth, substantially benefitting from the positive impact of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law on consumption. Among the company’s retail formats, specialty stores posted a 10.8-percent same store sales growth, followed by the supermarket segment at 8 percent, Do-It-Your-Own at 5 percent convenience stores at 5.5 percent, drugstores at 2.4 percent and department store at 0.9 percent. The supermarket segment continued to be the group’s largest segment, accounting for 46.8 percent of consolidated net sales and 42.8 percent of the consolidated EBITDA. Operating expenses rose 13.9 percent from P5.79 billion due to higher rent and utilities expenses and the accelerated store network expansion. The company spent P683 million in capital expenditures in the first three months of 2018.

World

TODAY

IN BRIEF BEIJING—Chinese authorities have barred five Western diplomats from visiting the widow of the late Nobel laureate dissident Liu Xiaobo, diplomatic sources said Sunday. Liu Xia, 57, has been under de facto house arrest despite facing no charges ever since her husband was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010, a recognition that deeply angered the communist regime. Liu Xiaobo died of cancer last year while still in prison after being convicted of “subversion”, making him the first Nobel laureate to die in custody since the era of Nazi Germany. The diplomats’ visit came following increased concern in recent days about Liu Xia’s psychological health. The diplomats, including a French and a German envoy and one representing the European Union, tried to visit her home on Friday morning but were turned away by officials at the gate to the complex, the sources said. The guards checked the diplomats’ identities before refusing them entry without giving a reason. AFP

BRUSSELS—EU leaders will seek to boost ties with the Balkans at a summit next week, but it looks set to be overshadowed by the rift with US President Donald Trump over the Iran nuclear deal. The meeting of European leaders with six Balkan counterparts on Thursday in Bulgaria comes as Brussels tries to counter the growing Russian influence in the region with promises of eventual membership of the EU. However, Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran accord, together with threatened trade tariffs that have also strained trans-Atlantic ties, will dominate a dinner of the EU leaders on the eve of the summit on Wednesday. “Policies of @realDonaldTrump on #IranDeal and trade will meet a united European approach. EU leaders will tackle both issues at the summit in Sofia next week,” European Council President Donald Tusk tweeted. For all the urgency over Europe’s attempts to save the Iran deal, arguably the so-called Western Balkans summit in Sofia is at least as important for the troubled bloc’s own future. AFP

ON GUARD. A policeman stands guard as Christians attend a Sunday mass at the Saint Petrus church in Bandung on May 13, 2018. A wave of blasts, including a suicide bombing, struck outside churches in Indonesia on May 13, killing at least nine and wounding dozens of others, the latest assault on a religious minority in the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country. AFP

Barred Iranian director gets a standing ovation CANNES—The new film by Iran’s Jafar Panahi, who is banned from leaving Iran, has premiered to a standing ovation at the Cannes film festival, with a seat left symbolically empty for the dissident director. Panahi’s children and the cast of “Three Faces”, which is vying for the Palme d’Or top prize, were welcomed with thunderous applause as they arrived for the gala screening late Saturday. The meditative story about the intertwined fate of three Iranian women is one of 21 movies in competition at the world’s biggest film festival. It is the second Iranian work in competition alongside Asghar Farhadi’s “Everybody Knows” starring Spanish star couple Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem. Panahi, 57, was banned from making movies and leaving the country after supporting mass protests in 2009 and making a series of films that critiqued the state of modern Iran. AFP

PARIS―A knife-wielding man who killed a man and wounded four other people in a suspected terror attack in central Paris was born in Chechnya and his parents have been taken into custody, a judicial source said on Sunday. The young Frenchman, born in 1997 in the southern Russian republic according to the source, was shot dead by police after carrying out the assault on Saturday evening near the city’s main opera house. “He had no judicial record,” the judicial source told AFP. “[The attacker] is French, born in Chechnya in 1997. His father and mother were placed in custody Sunday morning.” Witnesses said they heard the attacker shout “Allahu akbar” (God is great) as Parisians fled into restaurants and bars after realizing another possible terror attack was underway in a country already reeling from a string of jihadist assaults that have killed more than 245 people in the last three years. “I was taking orders and I saw a young woman trying to get into the restaurant in panic,” Jonathan, a waiter at a Korean restaurant, told AFP. The woman was bleeding and a young man fended off the attacker who then ran away, he said. AFP

Indonesia blasts kill at least 9 S

URABAYA―A wave of blasts including a suicide bombing struck outside churches in Indonesia on Sunday, killing at least nine and wounding dozens of others, police said, the latest assault on a religious minority in the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country. Indonesia, which will begin the holy fasting month of Ramadan this week, has been on high alert over attacks by militants, including some incidents claimed by the Islamic State group. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the Sunday bombings in Indonesia’s second-biggest city Surabaya. “Nine people are dead and 40 are in hospital,” East Java Police spokesman Frans Barung Mangera told reporters, adding that two police officers were

among the injured. The official death toll climbed from an initial two killed and may include those who succumbed to injuries in hospital. Three separate locations were hit by the bombings around 7:30 am (0030 GMT). Images from one scene showed a body lying outside the gate of Santa Maria catholic church and members of Indonesia’s bomb squad poring over the rubble. At least one of the attackers was killed

when they detonated their bomb at Santa Maria. It was not clear if any other perpetrators were among those killed or injured. “I was frightened... many people were screaming,” 23-year-old witness Roman told AFP after the blast at Santa Maria church. The attacks come several days after five Indonesian police officers and an inmate were killed in clashes at a highsecurity jail on the outskirts of Jakarta. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for that incident although police rejected its involvement. The Southeast Asian nation’s 260 million people includes significant numbers of Christians, Hindus and Buddhists but there are concerns over rising intolerance and militancy. Indonesian police shot and wounded a man who attacked a church congregation

in the town of Sleman with a sword during a Sunday mass in February. The radical Islamist, who had wanted to fight with the Islamic State group in Syria, injured four people. The archipelago nation of some 17,000 islands has long struggled with Islamic militancy and has suffered a series of attacks in the past 15 years -- including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists, in the country’s worst-ever terror attack. A sustained crackdown weakened the most dangerous networks but the emergence of IS has proved a potent new rallying cry for radicals. Hundreds of Indonesians have flocked to fight with IS, sparking fears that extremist outfits could get a new lease on life. AFP

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health CENTRAL OFFICE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

N. Korea to destroy nuclear sites ahead of US summit SEOUL—North Korea will destroy its nuclear test site later this month, ahead of a summit with the United States, it said Saturday, pledging to blow up its tunnels in front of invited foreign media. US President Donald Trump praised the North’s decision to dismantle the Punggye-ri test site in a ceremony scheduled between May 23-25, the latest step in leader Kim Jong Un’s charm offensive. “Thank you, a very smart and gracious gesture!” Trump tweeted. Dialogue brokered by Seoul has seen US-North Korea relations go from trading personal insults and threats of war last year to a summit between Kim and Trump due in Singapore on June 12. But skeptics warn that Pyongyang has yet to make any public commitment to give up its arsenal, which includes missiles capable of reaching the United States. Washington is seeking the “complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation” of the North and stresses that verification will be key. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

Paris knife attacker ‘born in Chechnya’

Envoys barred from visiting widow of China dissident

EU leaders seek to boost ties with the Balkans

MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018

Manila

Standard

InvItatIon to BId Procurement of varIous Goods 1.The Department of Health (DOH), through the General Appropriations Act of 2018 intends to procure the following project listed below: IB No.

Name of Contract

IB No. 2018255

Procurement of Purified Chick Embryo Cell Vaccine (PCECV) Procurement of Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food for >6-59 Months Children

IB No. 2018251

ABC (PHP)

Cost of Bidding Documents (Php)

160,000,000.00

50,000.00

242,742,000.00

50,000.00

The DOH now invites Bids from eligible Bidders for the procurement of the abovecaption projects. Delivery of the Goods is required as specified in Section VI. Schedule of Requirements. Bidders should have completed contracts similar to the cited projects as stated in the ITB. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the COBAC Secretariat, Ground Floor, Building 6, DOH, San Lazaro Compound, Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila and inspect the Bidding Documents at 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS), provided that Bidders who interested to participate shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

FRONTLINE. A man drinks in the main street of Vunduzi on the foothills of the Gorongosa mountains

on May 8, 2018, where Mozambican National Resistance w(RENAMO) leader Afonso Dhlakama died on May 3, 2018, as the village is placed on the frontline of the conflict between RENAMO and the Mozambican Ruling party Mozambican Liberation Front or FRELIMO. AFP

Minister on diplomatic tour to save nuke deal TEHRAN―Iran’s foreign minister departed on a whirlwind diplomatic tour early Sunday as world leaders scramble to salvage something from the wreckage of a landmark nuclear deal in the wake of Washington’s withdrawal. Mohammad Javad Zarif’s tour began two days after unprecedented Israeli strikes in Syria which a monitor said killed at least 11 Iranian fighters, triggering fears of a broader conflict between the two arch-enemies. State news agency IRNA confirmed Zarif departed in the early hours of Sunday morning. He will visit Beijing followed by Moscow and Brussels, a spokesman said, holding meetings with all of the remaining parties to the 2015 agreement. US President Donald’s Trump’s decision to abandon the nuclear deal has infuriated Washington’s allies in Europe as well as China and Russia. “China is highly concerned with the direction of the Iranian nuclear issue and is willing to maintain communication with all relevant parties, including Iran,” Geng Shuang, spokesman for China’s ministry of Foreign Affairs, said ahead of Zarif’s arrival. Before leaving, Zarif published a govern-

ment statement on his Twitter page, slamming the “extremist administration” of US President Donald Trump for abandoning “an accord recognized as a victory of diplomacy by the international community”. It reiterated that Iran was preparing to resume “industrial-scale” uranium enrichment “without any restrictions” unless Europe provided solid guarantees that it could maintain trade ties despite renewed US sanctions. Trump hit back Saturday evening, tweeted that the accord had failed to contain Iran’s militarism. “Iran’s Military Budget is up more than 40 percent since the Obama negotiated Nuclear Deal was reached... just another indicator that it was all a big lie,” he wrote. Zarif’s delicate diplomatic mission was complicated by reports of clashes between Iranian and Israeli forces in Syria on Thursday. The Syrian Observatory of Human Rights said Saturday that 11 Iranians were among the pro-regime fighters killed in strikes by Israel, which has vowed to prevent Iran gaining a military foothold in neighboring Syria. AFP

The DOH will hold a Pre-bidding Conference and the Submission and Opening of Bids at COBAC Conference Room, G/F, Bldg. 6, DOH, San Lazaro Cmpd., Rizal Ave., Sta. Cruz, Manila on the schedule given below: IB No.

Activity (Date & Time) Pre-bidding Submission and Conference Opening of Bids

Name of Contract

IB No. 2018- Procurement of Purified Chick Embryo Cell 255 Vaccine (PCECV) Procurement of Ready-to-Use IB No. 2018Supplementary Food for >6-59 Months 251 Children

22 May 2018; 10:00 A.M.

05 June 2018; 9:00 A.M.

6.Bid must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before the date given above. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated below: Form of Bid Security (a) Cash or cashier’s/manager’s check issued by a Universal or Commercial Bank. (b) Bank draft/guarantee or irrevocable letter of credit issued by a Universal or Commercial Bank: Provided, however, that it shall be confirmed or authenticated by a Universal or Commercial Bank, if issued by a foreign bank. (c) Surety bond callable upon demand issued by a surety or insurance company duly certified by the Insurance Commission as authorized to issue such security. (d) Bid Securing Declaration

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

Two percent (2%)

Five percent (5%) No percentage required

Bid opening shall be at COBAC Conference Room, G/F, Bldg. 6, DOH, San Lazaro Cmpd., Rizal Ave., Sta. Cruz, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address above. Late bids shall not be accepted. 7.

The DOH reserves the right to reject any and all Bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: COBAC-A Secretariat Building 6 Department of Health San Lazaro Compound, Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila Tel. Nos. 651-7800 local 1625 to 1627; 1650 to 52 Facsimile No.: 711-6061/740-6830 (SGD) NESTOR F. SANTIAGO, JR., MD, MPHC, MHSA, CESO III Assistant Secretary of Health COBAC – A Chairperson

(MS-MAY 14, 2018)

LGUs

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

LocaL government units

monday, may 14, 2018

Estrada: Go early to polls M

ANILA Mayor Joseph estrada advised all voters to be early to their respective polling places today to avoid long queues for the nationwide barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, as he reminded the public to be responsible voters and elect only officials with integrity and responsible leaders.

The mayor is expected to cast his vote at around 10 a.m. at Burgos elementary School in Altura, Sta. Mesa at Bgy. 581. Millions of registered voters are expected to troop to polling places to cast their votes for their village chairman, councilors and

youth leaders, the city chief executive said. The former president directed Manila Police District Director Chief Supt. Joel Napoleon ‘Jigs’ Coronel to ensure and maintain peace and order and to keep security in all polling places in Manila

where more than one-million voters are expected to cast their ballots. estrada reminded all Manilenos to avoid drinking liquor or carrying deadly weapons during election Day. he said school-teachers who will serve as election officers will be ready to assist voters by guiding them with the proper way to fill up their ballots. erap also advised all teachers to do their job honestly and be vigilant against opportunists who may create trouble. he said that if there will be no hitch-

es, voting centers may already be open as early as 7 a.m. Voters will have eight hours before the electoral board will close the precincts at 3 p.m. however, those who are near the polling centers at closing time will still be accommodated. “The poll clerk should see to it that those who are still lining up even after 3 p.m. will still be accommodated because that’s really the usual scenario. We really have last-minute voters. But we will still accommodate them,” the mayor added.

Teacher Michelle: ‘Mother’ to 100 children in Antipolo highlands IT’S hard enough to be a mother to one kid, let alone a hundred. Teacher Michelle Arevalo serves as mother to 123 students, mostly from indigenous tribes, at Libis elementary School in the mountains of Antipolo, Rizal. It is an arduous job that not many teachers are willing to take. “every year we have faculty members who ask to be transferred to other schools. No one can blame them,” she says. Arevalo and her fellow teachers leave their family homes in the city center on Monday mornings, and cross rivers and rough roads to reach the school. There they would sleep and work for the next five days. They see their respective families only on weekends. “During the rainy season, vehicles cannot pass. So, we have to walk for hours in the rain. Our students face those challenges too. And not all of them have boots, raincoats, and umbrellas,” Arevalo shares. Out of concern for the students, whom she individually calls “anak,” Arevalo takes her three teenage daughters’ old clothes, shoes, and bags, and distributes these to her pupils. She does not stop there. As the school’s teacher-in-charge, Arevalo created a Facebook account called “Bless Libis” to ask for help from kindhearted individuals and organizations. “Kinapalan ko na talaga ang mukha ko. Hindi naman masamang manghingi basta para sa ikabubuti ng mga bata. Para naman maiangat ang estado nila at maitaas ang confidence nila. Para di nila isipin na lagi silang kaawa-awa.” One of those who responded to the call for help was PLDT mobile unit Smart Communications, which donated a School-in-a-Bag to Libis elementary School. This is a big backpack containing a laptop, tablets, TV, a solar panel with batteries, pocket Wi-Fi, and educational content. The donation package also includes teacher training and yearlong monitoring. “The School-in-a-Bag has been

Students of Libis Elementary School in Antipolo, Rizal cross rivers without proper footwear to get to school. Teacherin-charge Michelle Arevalo (inset) has been asking individuals and organizations to help these students, whom she calls her ‘anak’ (children).

a big help to us. The children are not afraid to touch gadgets anymore. Akala nila nung una, sasabog. Iiyak-iyak sila dahil sa nerbyos. I would tell them, ‘Mga anak, hindi kayo habambuhay dito sa kabundukan. Mabuti yan para pag napunta kayo sa bayan, di kayo inosente,’” Arevalo says. “Now they are more excited to go to school. They are proud of our school, sosyal na daw kami.” Other organizations and individuals have donated items such as boots, umbrellas, school supplies, groceries, and toys. “Nanghingi din ako ng mga banig, kumot, at toiletries. I also think of their situation at home. Kung puwede lang ihingi sila ng bubong, gagawin ko,” she says. Gathering donations is a difficult job that Arevalo has voluntarily shouldered on top of her main tasks.

“Our classes start at 7 a.m. so I have to be up at 4 a.m. In the morning I teach five classes. In the afternoon I do school management work. I do office work, observe teachers, check lesson plans, and organize activities. Sometimes I would be called for a meeting at the city center. I would walk three hours to get there. If I’m lucky, a garbage or construction truck would let me hitch a ride. Kung wala, e di tumbling. At least, nakaka-sexy maglakad,” she says. Despite the challenges, Arevalo has stayed in the job for four years. “Hindi ko maiwan yung school sa ganitong sitwasyon kung walang papalit na willing magtiis. Sinong magkakawang-gawa at magbibigay ng concern? Kawawa ang mga bata.” She adds that while her life is hard, it is also very fulfilling as she feels the love of the community. “I sometimes

tease the parents that I’m leaving soon. Gusto na nga raw akong bigyan ng lupa ni chieftain, saka igagapos daw nila ako, huwag lang ako umalis.” “I am very willing to stay. Kung ako ang tatanungin, hangga’t di ako hihiwalayan ng asawa ko, hindi ako aaliis,” she says, chuckling. “I am happy in that mountain. I believe I have a mission there. Si Lord na ang bahala sa akin.” Teacher Michelle Arevalo remains upbeat despite the many challenges she faces. “Mahirap pero fulfilling. I have no regrets.” Those who wish to help Libis elementary School may visit the “Bless Libis” Facebook page. For individuals and organizations interested to bring the Smart School-in-a-Bag to more underserved schools, please e-mail TechnoCart@smart.com.ph or visit the Smart Communities FB page.

Mayor Tiangco to gov’t interns: Be courteous By Jun David NAVOTAS Mayor John Rey Tiangco has urged beneficiaries of the Government Internship Program to be courteous and respectful towards constituents they will meet at the city hall. In his speech during the orientation for the 32 GIP beneficiaries, Tiangco said most of those who go to the city hall need help and thus must be treated with utmost patience and respect. “People come to us because they have problems and need help. We must be patient with them and give them due courtesy. We should also offer them the best service we could provide,” he said. “You are fortunate to be given an opportunity to serve your fellow Navoteños. Nothing can compare to the joy and fulfillment you get from helping someone and making their life better,” he added. GIP beneficiaries will work with the city government starting May 16 until November. Last year, 34 interns were assigned at different offices at the city hall. The GIP is under the Department of Labor and employment. Navotas also has its three-month internship program run by the Navotas City Council for Youth and Development. Twenty Navoteños ages 20 to 25 had been chosen to work at the city hall or at the city courts.

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, together with local candidates vying for the post of barangay chairman in Barangay Sangandaan, join hands as a gesture of their commitment for the peaceful and orderly conduct of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in the city today. With them are Rep. Christopher ‘Kit’ Belmonte; Chief Insp. Rolando Lorenzo Jr., chief of the QC Hall Police Detachment, and QC Division of City Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Quesada. Manny Palmero

Bautista marshals QC vehicles for election By Rio N. Araja

QUeZON City Mayor herbert Bautista has ordered all city hall departments and offices to lend their governmentissued vehicles for use for the forthcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on Monday. Bautista reminded candidates to unite and work together to ensure an orderly and peaceful conduct of the local polls. In a memorandum released by the QC General Services Department, all city government vehicles will be

used to transport ballot boxes, election forms, supplies and other paraphernalia for distribution to designated polling centers within and around Quezon City. The vehicles were used to ferry election inspectors and other election materials from May 12 to May 14. “It is in this regard that all concerned are enjoined to temporarily turn over the government vehicles (buses, commuter vans, AUVs, and multicabs, among others,)” the memorandum read. Bautista urged the candidates from the city’s 142 barangays to commit to a

peaceful and orderly elections. “Let us set aside politics,” he said. Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte said the barangay and SK elections would be a critical one for the youth. She warned she would again recommend the permanent abolition of SK to Congress if elected youth leaders would not perform well or go back to their old ways. “This is a very crucial election for the youth because if we don’t see any changes. May be, there’ll be new arguments for its abolition, permanently,” she said.

Napocor energizes CalapanGalera line The National Power Corp. has energized the 69 kV Calapan-Puerto Galera transmission line in Oriental Mindoro, improving the reliability of power dispatch in the province. Witnessing the switch-on, energy Undersecretary Wimpy Fuentebella stressed the importance of strengthening infrastructure facilities to ensure resiliency and sustainability of structures and power supply; and to support the booming tourism in Puerto Galera and the entire Mindoro Island. “The Doe welcomes the developments in Mindoro’s transmission system being implemented by Napocor. The completed and ongoing rehabilitation projects are consistent with the orders of President Duterte and energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi in addressing energy resiliency and supporting the economic activities of the Mindoreños,” Fuentebella stressed. Napocor president and CeO Pio J. Benavides said: “The 41-km transmission line has undergone rehabilitation works which covered the replacing of wood poles with steel and the installing of new insulators, power conductors and other line hardware.” The completion of the P337-million rehab will consequently help the Oriental Mindoro electric Cooperative, Inc. (Ormeco) ease the operations of their 13.8 kV distribution line and record savings from a reduced systems loss, Benavides added. “It can contribute to the efficiency of electricity services that will result in more savings to Mindoreños,” he said. however, Napocor said that of the total 336 pole structures of the transmission line, six structures were not included in the rehabilitation due to right-of-way issues. “Right-of-way issues are the usual factors that hamper our energy projects. Nonetheless, we see to it that we find ways to resolve them either through further negotiations with assistance from the local government units or through re-routing measures,” Benavidez explained.

Foundation helps Capiz town rebuild health office The health workers of Pilar town in Capiz province aspire to achieve a noble goal. Led by their municipal health officer Dr. Ramon Alex Nolasco, the town’s doctors, nurses and midwives want to deliver high-quality healthcare to all Pilareños. It is a mission that motivates and inspires them to work hard 24/7. helping them achieve this mission is BDO Foundation, which recently rehabilitated Municipal health Office Pilar, which would benefit a catchment population of more than 46,000 people from 24 barangays. The initiative is aimed at enabling health workers provide patient care more efficiently to their constituents, especially the underprivileged. The new rural health unit was turned over to the local government unit and provincial health office in inaugural ceremonies led by BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito, BDO Foundation program director Rose espinosa, BDO Roxas-CityMall branch head Neil Villaruz and BDO Roxas-Pueblo de Panay branch head Jojie Aga-in. BDO branches support the foundation’s rehabilitation program by recommending health centers that need support. “Salamat gid, BDO Foundation! The rehabilitation of our health center will contribute to the health of Pilareños,” said Nolasco, as he accepted the new Municipal health Office with Pilar Mayor Gideon Ike Patricio. Provincial health officers and other local government officials witnessed the turn over the structure. BDO Foundation renovated the health center’s overall structure, reception and waiting areas, offices, consultation and treatment rooms, dental clinic, pharmacy, laboratory and birthing facilities. An activity area for children complete with books and toys as well as a waiting lounge for the comfortable use of senior citizens were built. The foundation also installed a proper breastfeeding station to give nursing mothers the privacy they need. The initiative is in line with BDO Foundation’s disaster response advocacy and rehabilitation program in provinces affected by calamities. Capiz and neighboring provinces were hit by Tropical Depression “Urduja” in 2017 and by Typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013.

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife

food

@mStandardLIFE monday, may 14, 2018

Rustic Mornings’ famous buttermilk pancakes served with special butter cream and classic syrup, and topped with a choice of fresh mangoes, banana slices, strawberry cubes, blueberry compote, and chocolate chips.

Metro’s breakfast queen

brings Rustic Mornings’ dishes to Makati Tokyo’s sought-after dessert delights Manila

UNdAy mornings are best spent in bed, allowing a bit more time to sleep in or pretend to be still asleep. The alarm clock rings, you stretch your limbs as if about to wake up, but return to slumber anyway. There’s even a precise Filipino word for this practice: mag-inin, which can also be used to describe the process of allowing cooked rice to “rest” and simmer.

The obvious result of this Sunday indulgence is that you will most likely miss breakfast, but really, this is what brunch is for. And at Holiday inn & Suites makati,

The bacon bar is not for the faint of heart.

Guests are spoiled for choice with Chef Portia Baluyut’s Waffable station at Holiday Inn & Suites Makati’s Flavors restaurant.

brunches for all Sundays of may are made even more special with its collaboration with Rustic mornings, hidden gem in marikina city started by

advertising executive-turned-chef/restaurateur Portia Baluyut. With no formal culinary training, but armed with a lifelong love for food and the creative process, Baluyut’s hearty and delicious all-day breakfast has made Rustic mornings the top breakfast place in the metro for three consecutive years since 2013 by looloo, a review and place discovery social network application. Baluyut is the second guest chef at Holiday inn’s Flavors Restaurant, following Pampanga’s famed chef dennis lim. “Sundays at Rustic mornings are the best. We have loyal customers coming from the far south of manila who continually ask me to open a branch in their area so it’s easier for them to visit and dine,” she said. “Having this collaboration with Holiday inn & Suites makati really excites me and is such a welcome opportunity because it gives those who would like to experience our food again a chance to do so without having to travel too far,” she added. chef Baluyut brings with her Rustic mornings’ famous buttermilk pancake with special butter cream and its very own classic syrup, topped with a choice of fresh mangoes, banana slices, strawberry cubes, blueberry compote, and chocolate chips. Her newest baby, Waffable, also has its own station

Turn to C2

AcclAimed to be among the finest and best desserts in Tokyo, the exquisite Original mille crepe, one of the cake creations of Tokyo’s Grand dame of Specialty cakes, madam Kazuko emy Wada, is now being served in 16 stores in manila. The Philippine branches of Paper moon cake Boutique and cafe of Tokyo are located at Glorietta, TriNoma, Sm megamall, Sm Aura, Uptown mall BGc, Sm mall of Asia, eastwood mall, UP Town center, Robinsons Place manila, Promenade Greenhills, edsa Shangri-la, Robinsons magnolia, Robinsons Galleria, evia lifestyle center, Vertis North, and Sm North edsa. Paper moon offers a fresh, distinctive slice of French specialty cakes and pastries created with meticulous Asian skill that is distinctly Japanese. it was founded by madam emy in 1985 in various locations in Japan such as Tokyo, Haneda Airport, Osaka, Kyoto, Ginza, and Kariwaza lake Town. in 1990, she continued to be the preferred cake and pastries purveyor of the

Strawberry Short Cake

biggest Japanese coffee chains, namely doutor and Tully’s, and fine French shopping brand Printemps, with her clients all clamoring for her extraordinary Paper moon specialty cakes, especially her signature Original mille crepe. more popularly known as “crepe cake,” madam emy’s Original mille crepe, which literally means “a thousand crepes,” is an exquisite creation of no less than 20 delicate, paper-thin handmade crepes layered with light pastry cream and topped with golden, caramelized crust. Turn to C2

Original Mille Crepe

Life

monday, may 14, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

recipe files

Wrap and roll PREPARE some wraps and roll ups for your next beach getaway, road trip, or picnic. Here are three recipe ideas: Ingredients: 2 tbsp 1 pc 1 pc 1 pc 1 pc ½ slice 3 slices ¼ tsp 1 cup

Some of the food choices available at The Corner Market, an indoor farmer’s market and food hall on the second level of The Podium.

King sue paella Burrito olive oil small onion, minced small tomato, diced small green bell pepper, diced chicken breast, cut into strips King Sue Chorizo Filipino King Sue Ham paprika cooked rice tortilla salt and pepper

Procedure: Heat the pan and pour in olive oil. Sauté the chorizo for a few seconds, then remove it from the pan and set aside. Sauté chicken breast strips in onion and tomato, and let the chicken cook for a few minutes. Add in the ham and chorizo, and season it with paprika, salt, and pepper. Add in the cooked rice, turn off the heat, and add the bell pepper. Wait till it’s done then serve on plate or wrapped in tortilla.

Where to eat at

The Corner Market

HE Corner Market, the country’s first ever indoor farmer’s market and food hall on the second level of The Podium, offers a new and exciting way to indulge in a wide variety of food choices. Inspired by La Boqueria in Barcelona, The Torvehallerne Market in Copenhagen, and the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, the creatively designed space spans 1,200 square meters, with 17 different merchants and a dining area that can accommodate 450 diners. Here are the dining choices available in this newly opened food hall: The Corner Market’s Catch of The Day by Cold Storage and The Meat Depot allow customers to choose their own kind of seafood or cut of meat and have it cooked on the spot— an elevated take on dampa dining. Fresh produce, f lowers, and graband-go salads, on the other hand, are available at Gusto, where everything is sourced from the Ojeda’s family farm in Rizal.

The curated mix of merchants presents a wide range of cuisines from all over the world, with a strong focus on local, emerging brands and one-of-akind concepts. These include Sari Salo by Myron offering homegrown hits like inasal sisig and Angus beef tapa, and Inari by Hamaru’s modern Japanese cuisine. Ca Phe Saigon serves heirloom Vietnamese recipes and a vertical basil garden where you can pick your own leaves to add to your pho. Asian culinary journey starts with Char Express’ Chinese comfort food favorites and the best char siu in town; followed by Easy Tiger, with its strong commitment to authentic Thai ingredients; and ends at Little Kaya, with everyone’s favorite dolsot bibimbap. On the other side of the globe, authentic Mexican tacos are available

at La Taqueria del Chupacabra. Diners may opt for a Mediterranean meal with Sultan’s menu of shawarma, kebabs, and moussaka. Got a craving for fried chicken? Head to Birdhouse for their famous salted egg lava chicken sandwich. Pizza Morena’s signature mozzarella, mascarpone, and Parmesan pie will satisfy any pizza cravings, while Barcelon de Calderon’s personal-sized paellas are perfect for a leisurely lunch. Of course, every meal should be capped off with dessert and a nice cup of coffee. Stockwell Café + Lounge’s third wave coffee will pair well with The Rabbit Hole MNL’s pastries and cakes like their best-selling ube frozen brazo. Finally, Sundays by Merry Moo has yummy soft-serve ice cream in handmade, flavored waffle cones. A complete meal at The Corner Market is available for less than 300 pesos, while a view of the bustling Ortigas can be had for free. With a stellar range of choices in a picture-perfect space, good food truly is just around the corner.

Healthy dark chocolate Villa del Conte’s decadent dark chocolate bar with crunchy toffee and sea salt is not only irresistibly delicious but is also loaded with bioactive compounds that can protect your skin from the sun as well as flavonols that can improve heart health by lowering blood pressure and improving blood flow to the heart and brain. This chocolate is available at Villa Del Conte stores in Greenbelt 5, Century City Mall, Shangri-La Mall, SM Megamall, and Robinsons Magnolia.

Villa del Conte’s 50% Dark Chocolate with Crunchy Toffee and Sea Salt

filling snack treats Japanese convenience store FamilyMart offers filling treats for breakfast or merienda. Quintessential breakfast fare Hash Browns and Spud Hub Spiral Fries, a flavorful twist to fries, are available for P29 each. Up the ante with some hot Jalapeño Poppers for only P49. For a midday treat, go for Cheesy Ensaymada or Ube Ensaymada for only P35 each. These and other food items are available at select FamilyMart convenience stores.

Tokyo’s... from c1

Paper Moon’s other specialty cakes include Mango Mille Crepe, Chocolate Mille Crepe, Strawberry Short Cake, Checkered Cake, and Ultimate Ube Mille Crepe. Madam Emy’s crepe cake and other specialty cakes caught the attention of

Filipino show business and entertainment mogul, Vicente “Boss Vic” del Rosario, Jr. during his frequent travels in Tokyo and New York. Known for having the instinct and the “golden touch” in tapping creative geniuses in all forms and transforming them into superstars, Boss Vic has convinced Madam Emy, who has gone into retirement in 2013, to let Filipinos experience the exquisite taste of the Original Mille

Crepe and her other signature specialty cake creations. Boss Vic and Madam Emy have then partnered through Viva International Food & Restaurants, Inc., the food subsidiary of the Viva Group of Companies, in bringing Paper Moon Cake Boutique and Cafe to Manila, and later on to the rest of Southeast Asia. Go to www.papermoon.com.ph for more details.

flour tortilla, 10-inch in diameter canned pineapple King Sue Hawaiian Ham King Sue Chicken Nuggets, strips King Sue Bacon Bits, cooked crisp lettuce leaves mayonnaise (as needed) grated cheese

Procedure: Spread mayonnaise on tortilla, leaving a half inch border around the outside. Arrange the lettuce leaves in the center of the tortilla, leaving a border of about 2 inches. Arrange the pineapple, ham, chicken, cheese, and bacon bits on top of the lettuce. To roll the wrap, first fold the uncovered rim of the tortilla on opposite edges of the circle toward the center. Roll the tortilla tightly. The mayonnaise on the edge of the tortilla will help seal it closed.

Ingredients: 1 pc 3 slices ¼ tsp 2 pcs ½ cup 1 pc 1 tbsp

BiTes

Jalapeño Poppers and Spud Hub Spirals

Aloha King sue Wrap sandwich

Ingredients: 1 pc 1 pc 2 slices 2 pcs

Taco Ala King sue white onion, diced King Sue Pear-shaped Ham, diced ground cumin taco shells lettuce, shredded tomato, diced salsa oil shredded cheddar cheese salt and black pepper

Procedure: In a deep sauté pan over mediumhigh heat, add enough oil to completely coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ham and season with cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook until the ham browns and is cooked through. Divide the ham mixture among the taco shells. Place the lettuce in the tacos, followed by diced tomatoes and shredded cheese. Top each taco with salsa, if desired.

metro’s... from c1

in the brunch buffet. There is also a bacon bar where one can get “high” on crispy pork belly strips served in large mason jars. Rustic Mornings also takes over Flavors’ omelet station, with Baluyut’s open faced omelets that include country omelet (potatoes, bacon, and green bell pepper); all veggie (zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, and tomato); and meat lovers (bacon, sausage, and garlic). Other brunch highlights are the Pinoy burrito made of parslied garlic rice with tinapa flakes in lumpia wrap-

per with cream sauce on the side, and the curry kofta balls. “We always want to bring a new and delightful experience to our guests. Having the top breakfast place in the metro team up with our chefs to bring a fun, relaxed, and comforting brunch experience is something we’ve been wanting to do for a while and is an experience I think our guests will find enjoyable,” said Andy Belmonte, Holiday Inn & Suites Makati hotel manager. The Sunday brunch comes with a complimentary sparkling white and red wine from the Philippine Wine Merchants. I’m at joyce.panares@gmail.com.

Entertainment

FILIPINO CONTESTANTS dominate design reality show's semi-finals

Filipino interior designers Jesy Cruz, Eugene Del Rosario, Stephanie Dods, and Malaysian Rachel Lee.

NOTHER hotshot interior designer is about to emerge as The Apartment: Passion for Design is down to its last two episodes.

Last Thursday’s episode revealed this season’s cream of the crop: Philippines’ Jesy Cruz, Eugene Del Rosario, Stephanie Dods, and Malaysia’s Rachel Lee. They have proven themselves worthy of the spotlight, demonstrating their flair for the unique and beautiful in every challenge they faced. They measured up against the exacting taste of the panel of judges: glamorous interior designer and media personality Cat Arambulo, one of New York’s most influential and dynamic designer Tyler Wisler, and international superstar and principal judge Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.

Talented interior designers all over Asia joined this biggest design reality TV series competition in Asia in the hopes of showcasing their creativity and passion for design to an international audience. This season is the first time there are three Filipino contenders, and all three made it through the semi-finals. Watch out who among the Final 4 will eventually make it to the final round by tuning in on Thursday, May 17, at 9:00 p.m. on Sony Channel. The grand reveal of the winner will air on the season finale on May 24 at 9:00 p.m.. The proud winner will walk away with the biggest prize in the series’ history, the deed to a luxurious UMLand apartment at D’Lagoon, located in Iskandar, Malaysia. The Apartment: Passion for Design is a Sony Channel Original Series created and produced by Imagine Group Entertainment, the leading entertainment production company in Asia For more information, visit TheApartmentTV.com or @ TheApartmentTV on Facebook and Twitter.

MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018

nickie.standard@gmail.com

GMA Network Best TV Station at 16th Gawad Tanglaw LEADING broadcast company GMA Network emerged as the big winner at the 16th Gawad Tanglaw (Gawad Tagapuring mga Akademisyan ng Aninong Gumagalaw) after winning the major awards in the television and radio categories during the awarding ceremonies held on May 5 at the Cinematheque Theater in Manila. GMA-7 was conferred the Best TV Station award while the Kapuso Network’s flagship AM station Super Radyo DZBB also proved to be top choice as this year’s Best AM Station. The longest-running investigative program on Philippine TV, Imbestigador, won as Best Investigative Program. Documentary program Front Row took home the Best Public Affairs Program award while Reporter’s Notebook won as Best Documentary Program. Meanwhile, the country’s first-ever reality sitcom on television,Pepito Manaloto, was awarded the Best Comedy Show. GMA News TV’s flagship evening news cast State of the Nation with Jessica Soho triumphed as this year’s Best News Program while investigative news magazine program Brigada took home the Best Documentary Program award. Winning the Best Magazine Show is infotainment program I Juander while Reel Time also snagged the Best Documentary Special Award for its “Hawla” episode. In the radio category, on top of the Best AM Station

recognition, GMA Network’s flagship AM station Super Radyo DZBB took home another award via IM Ready sa Dobol B, which won as the Best Radio Public Service Program. Several Kapuso personalities were also honored by Gawad Tanglaw. Ivan Mayrina won as Best TV Male Anchor for Unang Hirit whilePia Arcangel was named as Best TV Female Anchor for Saksi and 24 Oras Weekend. Tina Panganiban-Perez earned the Best Female Field Reporter award while Steve Dailisan won as Best Male Field Reporter. Veteran radio personality Jimmy Gil was conferred with the Natatanging Gawad Tanglaw sa Sining ng Radyo award. Meanwhile, The One that Got Away actor Bembol Roco was given the Presidential Jury Award for Acting Excellence. Hindi Ko Kayang Iwan Ka star Shamaine Buencamino received the Best Supporting Actress award for her performance in Paki. The Clash panelist Jay Oliver Durias was given the Best Musical Scoring award for Respeto. One of GMA Network’s creative consultants, Arjay Nuevas, in turn, was conferred the Natatanging Gawad Tanglaw sa Sining ng Panulat. Lastly, GMA News TV’s Winnie Monsod was conferred the Best Newspaper Opinion Columnist (English) for Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Gawad Tanglaw Awards recognizes the best in the fields of film, television, radio, and print. The board was composed of professors from different universities as well as media practitioners. 'Pepito Manaloto,' headlined by comedian Michael V., won as Best Comedy Show in the recently concluded Gawad Tanglaw.

Navy SEAL Team Six, World Cup greats on HISTORY THIS month, HISTORY takes you through a behind-the-scenes look into the untold stories of one of the most celebrated sports in the world, hidden treasures inside storage facilities, neverbefore-seen action inspired by some of the bravest men and women, and so much more. Season 2 of SIX, an edgy military combat series puts the spotlight on the men of Navy SEAL Team Six as they struggle with issues of trust and loss. Inspired by actual missions of elite force SEAL Team Six, SIX takes you inside the heart-pounding challenges these military men face, both on and off the battlefield, in their commitment to serve and protect. Watch the many life-and-death decisions the team faces starting on Tuesday, May 29, 9:55 p.m.. A 7-day, 24/7 mega television event, History of Football, presents a slate of original, globally focused documentary series of World Cup Films. This 5-episode series reveals the stories behind football’s most significant moments with the players, coaches, and fans that made them happen. The series starts with one of the most watched events in television history, said to be the greatest World Cup ever staged, Italia ’90. Immerse yourself in football’s most unforgettable moments from May 28 to June 3 at 8:05 p.m. with repeats from June 4 to June 10. Then go behind the biggest untapped

source of hidden treasures in Storage Wars where bidders who are out to land fast and large cash head to storage units and wait anxiously for a quick glimpse to see if the unit holds rags or riches. In this newest episode, storage owners notice something quite mysterious inside their unit, while the youngest bidder in the show paws his way through a decent locker. Storage Wars airs every Tuesday at 9:00 p.m.. Dive into the hidden world of the Swamp People where swampers fiercely preserve a dying way of life in the modern world and fight through the most

Monday, May 14, 2018

51 Took on a date 56 With, to monsieur 57 Vow 59 Wanting 60 Like a hermit 61 Royal honorific 62 Creepy 63 Struck silent 64 Blissful spot 65 Took to the slopes DOWN 1 Brubeck of jazz 2 Zest for life 3 Source of the Rhone 4 Spinks of the ring 5 Despotism 6 Connoisseur 7 Abruptly fired 8 Uproar 9 Admired 10 Arkansas mountains 11 Slightly used car 12 Moist 13 Blackthorn 21 Home furnishing 23 Not new 25 Gave medicine 26 Large lizard 27 As — — (generally)

Have you ever wondered how the most notorious criminals outsmart the law? Go in-depth into the inner workings of history’s most heinous crimes. In Evil Genius, you’ll find out how devious criminal masterminds orchestrate the most epic getaways. Catch new episodes every Saturday at 7:10 p.m..

The cast of Six, an edgy military combat series which will premiere on May 29.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Started up a card game 6 Crafted 10 Probabilities 14 Back street 15 Line of rotation 16 Ardor 17 Smoke or mist 18 Skirt slit 19 Hunter’s need 20 Caught in a trap 22 Rhine locale 24 Wimple wearer 25 Cubicle filler 26 Looking intently 30 Drops in (2 wds.) 33 Sarcasm 34 Melted together 35 — Wiedersehen 37 “Eva —” (Allende book) 38 Wielded 39 Ceremonial fire 40 Stout 41 Mark the herd 42 Frat letter 43 Swirling 45 Need for water 46 Cash dispensers 47 Melody 48 Hoard

important time of their year, the alligator hunting season. As a tropical storm hits the swamp, the hunters now risk crossing a treacherous lake and outrunning Mother Nature. Swamp People Season 9 airs every Thursdays at 10:50 p.m..

28 Dazed, with “out” 29 — — pig’s eye 30 Prompting 31 Anacin rival 32 Nomad dwellings 34 Eggy desserts 36 Tour de force 38 Pale yellow 39 Frat letter 41 Data unit 42 Royal chairs 44 Did the twist 45 Involuntary movement

47 Drained of color 48 Lavish party 49 Admit openly 50 Magritte’s name 51 Be, to Henri 52 Smell strongly 53 Garr of “Tootsie” 54 Actress — Falco 55 Did Easter eggs 58 Bail out

STAR Workshops head to Makati DANCE-LOVING children and teenagers now have the opportunity to learn from some of the best instructors in the country at the annual STAR Workshops at the Makati Cinema Square Dance Studio on all Wednesdays of May and June. Baby Ballet are for kids from ages 3 to 6 years old, while Ballet for Beginners are targeted for students from 7 to 13 years old. These courses focus on coordination, rhythm, creative movement and vocabulary through play and dance exercises. Lessons on hip-hop will be for children from ages 6 to 13 years old. To be covered are basic foundations of the different styles under this dance genre, such as locking, breaking and popping. Aside from upholding the diversity of styles, the class will also explore the dancer’s vocabulary while working hand-in-hand

with groove, coordination and technique. Kids are introduced to basic steps and forms, and taught dance combinations, while teens are challenged with more advance movements and variations. All sessions for ballet and hiphop will be from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Tuition is at P4,500. A P500 down payment will secure a space in the classes. Fees must be settled on or before May 26. Download the application form from https:// bit.ly/2q4jy9n, and kindly submit with two 2x2 ID pictures to the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Office of Culture and Arts (OCA) Office. For inquiries, contact 230-5100 local 1603, or mail culture.arts@ benilde.edu.ph. The DLS-CSB OCA Office is at the Fourth Floor Miguel Febres Cordero Building, De La SalleCollege of Saint Benilde, Taft Avenue Campus, Manila.

Entertainment

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

MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018

HOLLYWOOD ‘Black Panther’ director ‘never imagined’ being alive at 30 AFRICAN-AMERICAN director Ryan Coogler said Thursday he “never imagined” living long enough to make his groundbreaking superhero smash-hit Black Panther, having grown up in one of the most violent cities in the US. In Oakland, “death is constantly around us to the point where we are comfortable with it,” the star filmmaker -- who celebrates his 32nd birthday this month -- said at the film festival in Cannes where he received a standing ovation. “When I turned 30, I almost had a crisis because I never imagined myself being that age... 25 is the magic number -- you’re either dead or in jail by that time. “I saw a lot of evidence of good people who didn’t make it past that age, whether they went to prison or got murdered,” he told a packed audience, which included Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck whose documentary I’m not Your Negro was nominated for an Oscar last year. Coogler’s blockbuster features an almost exclusively black cast led by actor Chadwick Boseman as the first non-white superhero to get his own standalone movie. The Marvel action blockbuster -- which was screened on the beach in Cannes this week -- has already earned over a billion dollars at the global box office, making it one of top 10 highest grossing films of all time. “I grew tired of reading comic books about white superheroes and the black people stood just on the side,” said Coogler of Boseman’s character who rules over the fictional African nation of Wakanda. AFP

Black Panther director Ryan Coogler

Nine Inch Nails to sell most tour tickets offline only AMERICAN rock band Nine Inch Nails announced it will sell tickets for its upcoming tour from physical vendors, in a bid to avoid abuse by online ticket touts. On its website, the band said “limited quantities” of tickets will be available online at an unspecified later date -- but for the most part, fans will have to line up in person to get tickets for the Cold and Black and Infinite North American tour. “The promise of a world made better by computers and online connectivity has failed us in many ways, particularly when it comes to ticketing,” the group, founded in 1988, said on its official website. The announcement of the tour, which also features Scottish alternative rockers Jesus and Mary Chain, came as the American group released a six track mini-album entitled “Bad Witch.” The 26-date tour, from September to December, will see the bands play mid-size venues, such as New York’s 6000-capacity Radio City Music Hall and the Palladium in Los Angeles, which holds just under 4,000 people. For years, online ticket sales have been plagued by resellers using bots to instantly buy in-demand tickets to then offer at hiked-up prices -- meaning fans miss out on face-value seats. AFP

Members of the rock band Nine Inch Nails

Film shot in Incheon is CineFilipino’s best

Alec Figuracion’s 'The Eternity Between Seconds,' a film topbilled by TJ Trinidad and Yeng Constantino, won the top prize at the 2018 CineFilipino, besting seven other entries in the feature film category.

By Nickie Wang

LEC Figuracion’s The Eternity Between Seconds, a ﬁlm shot in Incheon, walked home bagged the biggest awards at the CineFilipino 2018 Awards Night held Saturday night at the KIA Theatre in Cubao, Quezon City.

JAMES REID is a risk taker A FEW years ago, James Reid went skydiving in Dubai and considers it one of the most thrilling experiences he’s ever had. “You know there’s fear of heights, right? I have the opposite. I love the adrenaline of being in high places. I also enjoy going to exotic destinations like Tibet, Cambodia and India,” he said at the media launch of the new Mountain Dew Idol which he endorses. “James’ passion for life and thirst for adventure makes him perfect for a brand,” said Katrina Paras, Flavors Marketing Manager, PepsiCo. “Whether it’s extreme sports, gaming, vlogging, or anything, as long as it gives you a thrilling, exhilarating experience, then you should chase it.” A brand known for championing thrill seekers, Mountain Dew aims to encourage all Filipinos to do just that, no matter how extreme it is. “I try to ﬁnd thrill in the everyday things and I’m also passionate about my craft. I’m not afraid to take risks and push boundaries,” he adds. With the new Mountain Dew Idol, you don’t need to spend a lot to just get your kicks. All you really need is a nice cold bottle of this tasty citrus refreshment to take your Singer actor James Reid in Mountain Dew's latest TVC experience up a notch and feel the thrill.

SNAPSHOT

THE country’s lone superstar Nora Aunor on Thursday signed a contract with GMA Network for an upcoming primetime series. Arriving early at the venue, La Aunor thanked the network for giving her the opportunity to do what she loves. In a pocket press conference held at the GMA Network Center, the seasoned thespian said, “Ang puso ko talagang nasa GMA.”

The Awards Night hosts (from left) Paolo del Rosario, Amanda Fernandez, Shawn Yao, and Mark Zambrano (photo from Mark Zambrano Instagram)

The film was the most decorated CineFilipino entry of the night being named Best Film and winning four other awards including the coveted Best Director trophy and Best Editing plum for Figuracion, and the awards for Best Cinematography for Rommel Sales, and Best Sound Design for Junel Valencia. “It’s a collective effort. This award is also for them. I couldn’t have done it without them,” Figuracion thanked the film’s cast and crew during his brief acceptance speech. The Eternity Between Seconds follows the story of a depressive self-help author (TJ Trinidad), and an anxious Filipina nurse (Yeng Constantino) who cross paths in Incheon airport where, together, they attempt to elude time. Snatching the 2nd Best Picture was Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus by Dwein Baltazar. It also bagged the trophies for Best Ensemble, Best Production Design for Marxie Maolen Fadul, and Best Musical Score for Myka Magsaysay-Sigua and Paul Sigua. This year’s 3rd Best Picture was Delia & Sammy, which is a film about an ill-tempered septuagenarian and her equally difficult octogenarian husband. It scored the highest acting honors for senior thespians Rosemarie Gil and Jaime Frabregas who won Best Actress and Best Actor awards, respectively. “This is my first Best Actor award, and it’s probably going to be my last,” Frabregas quipped before reading out a prepared speech. Other winners of CineFilipino Film Festival 2018 were: Short Features (Open Category) Best Film, Gabi ng Kababalaghan by Stephen Lopez; Short Features (Open Category) 1st Runner-Up, Siyudad sa Bulawan (City of Gold) by Jarell Serencio ; Short Features (Student) Best Film, Santa Nena by Tim Rone Villanueva (DLS-College of St. Benilde); Short Features (Student) 1st Runner-Up, Mark & Lenny by Gio Potes (UP Diliman); Best Supporting Actress, Ritz Azul for Mata Tapang; Best Supporting Actor, Nico Antonio for Delia & Sammy; Best Screenplay, Alpha Habon for Mga Mister ni Rosario; Supershorts Best Film, Orlie by Lino Balmes; and Supershorts 1st RunnerUp, Bente Kwatro Awras by Eunice Maximo. The jury members for this year’s CineFilipino Film Festival are John Badalu, Angeli Bayani, Vishal Dembla, Tony Gloria, Guido Zaballero,

Best Actor winner Jaime Fabregas (photo from cinelokal Instagram).

CineFilipino Film Festival director, Madonna Tarrayo (photo from cinelokal Instagram).

Dan Villegas, Armi Malaluan, and Doy Del Mundo. The festival director is Madonna Tarrayo, while the Head of Competition is Jose Javier Reyes. Five years after its debut in the industry, the CineFilipino Film Festival continues to showcase new filmmakers churning out exceptional stories. Organized by Cignal Entertainment and Unitel Productions, Inc., the festival committee made an important announcement during the awards night. From being a biennial film event, the Cine Filipino Film Festival will already be an annual film fest moving forward. A new category will be added to honor the best workers in making mini-series.