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GAME ONE: IGUODALA, OUT; LOVE, DOUBTFUL OAKLAND—Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala will miss Thursday’s opening game of the NBA Finals with a bone bruise in his left leg, the

defending league champions conﬁrmed Wednesday. Iguodala, a 34-year-old swingman who was the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in

Golden State’s 2015 championship campaign and a key reserve in last season’s 16-1 playoff run to the crown. “Had some really good days.

Had some really bad days. You can’t put a number on it,” Iguodala said when asked when he might don his uniform again. Iguodala suffered the injury in

game three of the Western Conference ﬁnals against Houston and missed the ﬁnal four games of the series against the Rockets. Next page

VOL. XXXII • NO. 106 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

Dominguez

Pernia

Diokno

Trump meets the other Kim WASHINGTON—Days away from a historic summit with North Korea’s mercurial leader, US President Donald Trump held a White House meeting Wednesday with another famous Kim—reality TV star Kardashianto discuss prison reform Next page and sentencing.

‘Black Friday’ vs TRAIN set By Jimbo Gulle and Vito Barcelo

Trump

Kardashian

BSP looks into P100-bill misprint THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Thursday it was investigating some allegedly misprinted 100-peso bills and urged the public to present Next page them for verification.

Manila slides in children’s index THE Philippines fell to the 104th spot among 175 countries in the global ranking of the best and worst Next page

National ID gets past House bicam conference panel By Maricel V. Cruz THE House of Representatives on Wednesday night ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed law establishing a single, unified and streamlined national identification system. The measure, once enacted, would establish the Philippine Identification System aimed at ensuring the safety and security of Filipinos from threats of terrorism and lawless elements. The proposed measure will integrate multiple government IDs by establishing a single national identification system to be known as the Philippine Identification System or PhilSys. Next page

HE STOP TRAIN Network (STakeholders OPpose the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law Network) on Thursday announced it would hold “Black Friday” protests at key locations in Manila, Quezon City and Marikina to protest the rising prices of goods in the country.

The announcement came as the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines ﬁled a bill that seeks an additional P320 to the daily minimum wage, increasing the current minimum wage of P512 to P832 a day for workers in the private sector in the National Capital Region. In an advisory, the STOP TRAIN Network said it would hold simultaneous protests and a signature drive across Metro Manila as part of its campaign against the TRAIN law and nonstop price hikes. S TO P TRAIN said it

Minority senators demand probe of SolGen’s dealings

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rey E. Requejo SIX opposition senators filed a resolution seeking a Senate investigation, to be led by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, into the multi-million-peso contracts of Solicitor General Jose Calida’s security agency with several government offices. The proposed Senate inquiry was contained in Senate resolution initiated by Senator Risa Hontiveros, Minority Franklin Drilon, and Senators Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Francis Pangilinan, Trillanes and detained Senator Leila de Lima. The minority bloc urged the Senate committee on civil service, government reorganization, and professional regulation, chaired by Trillanes, to investigate the issue. “Considering that the solicitor general acts and represents the Republic and its people before any court, tribunal, body or commission as the ends of justice may require, it is of highest importance that the person occupying the office remains beyond reproach, acts in a manner that inspires confidence in the civil service and in the rule of law, and conducts himself with utmost integrity and decency,” the opposition senators said. Next page

would picket at Divisoria Market in front of the Dragon 8 mall and the Trabajo Market in Manila, the Cubao and Commonwealth markets in Quezon City, and the Marikina Public Market, all starting at 5 pm. The group will also protest at Carriedo in Manila near the LRT station at 4 pm. It said another group, Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns, would join their metrowide protest to denounce the price hike of school supplies and materials because of the Duterte administration’s TRAIN Law. Earlier, the economic managers warned that efforts to derail the TRAIN law would have serious repercussions. In related developments: • Trade Union Congress of the Philippines Assistant General Secretary Vicente Camilon Jr. said a minimum wage increase was reasonable for families to catch up with increasing prices of commodities. Based on the minimum wage matrix, an increase in NCR would entitle other regions to wage increase as well. This would mean an increase from P610 to P720 daily minimum wage in Luzon; from P605 to P686 in Visayas; and from P585 to P660 in Mindanao. Meanwhile, Malacañang said it did not oppose any call for Next page

From Russia with love? PH imports diesel By Vito Barcelo THE Philippines will import 240 million liters of diesel from Russia but that will only last for three days, and will not be enough to slow the increase in the prices of fuel in the country, an ofﬁcial said Thursday. Wimpy Fuentebella, an undersecretary at the Energy department, said the government was working out a deal with Russia for the delivery of diesel, which will be part of the country’s petroleum reserves and will not be for immediate public consumption. He said the diesel from Russia would arrive soon but will not be enough to pull oil prices down, saying “it is too little and is meant for stockpiling in case of emergency.” Fuentebella said the Philippine National Oil Co.-Exploration Corp. was now trying to seal a government-togovernment deal with Russia for the delivery of the diesel fuel. Russia is not a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, the group where the Philippines often buys its oil. Fuentebella said his department had instructed the PNOC-EC to engage in the retail trade or sell petroleum products from Russia and from other oil-producing nations that are not members of Opec. The Philippines’ top 10 crude oil suppliers are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, South Korea, Qatar, Russia, Oman, Brunei and Indonesia.

Sereno, Calida still at it, swap barbs

By Rey E. Requejo THE camp of ousted chief justice Maria Loudes Sereno said it was unfair for Solicitor General Jose Calida to blame his troubles on his role in unseating the top magistrate. “That’s unfair. That’s not true. You can’t be attacked if there is no basis for the attack,” said law-

yer Jojo Lacanilao, a spokesperson for Sereno. Calida has come under ﬁre after it was revealed that his family-owned security agency has cornered lucrative deals with other government agencies. Responding to the criticism, Calida blamed Sereno supporters. “Did I commit graft? No, I did not. They are angry with me because I won Next page

SNAP TO ATTENTION. The Commander in Chief, President Rodrigo Duterte, and the newly installed Presidential Guard Commander Col. Jose Eriel Niembra, execute a smart salute as the Philippine National Anthem is played during the PSG Change of Command Ceremony at the Malacañang Park on Wednesday. Niembra replaced outgoing PSG Commander Brig. Gen. Lope Dagoy, who will be the head of the 802nd Brigade Command in Leyte. The President congratulated Dagoy for his successful tour of duty as PSG commander. Presidential Photo

News

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Palace vows not to give away an inch of PH By Macon Ramos-Araneta ALACAÑANG on Thursday said the President will “never give away even an inch of territory” as the country ﬁled a diplomatic protest against China after its Navy reportedly harassed Filipino troops conducting resupply missions on Ayungin Shoal on May 11.

“The President, who is the chief architect of the nation’s foreign policy, will not sit on our rights and will never give away even an inch of territory,” presidential

spokesman Harry Roque said. “The current administration has acted on incidents which occurred in the disputed areas over the West Philippine Sea by taking diplomatic actions with China. Indeed, we will resort to all diplomatic initiatives when warranted but without fanfare,” he added. The Palace statement came as eight senators urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to file a diplomatic protest over the increasing militarization of the South China Sea by China. The signatories, mostly opposition senators, said the government must not allow China to continue posing a threat to Philippine interests in the West Philippine Sea and the security of the region.

“The Philippines has sovereignty over Kagitingan and Zamora Reefs, as well as exclusive sovereign rights over Panganiban Reef as decided by the Permanent Court of Arbitration,” the senators said. The West Philippine Sea is that portion of the South China Sea over which the Philippines has claims, they added. The senators said US intelligence sources reported that China had installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-toair missile systems on Kagitingan Reef, Subi Reef, and Panganiban Reef, which all belong to the Philippines. Furthermore, they noted that the existing mechanisms being pursued by the government had not been adequate to prevent the actions of China and said the

filing of a diplomatic protest was well within the rights of the government and upholds the primacy of diplomacy over the use of force under international law. “Should the government refuse or fail to file a diplomatic protest, such refusal or failure may be interpreted as an abandonment of our claim over the West Philippine Sea, which has been upheld by the Permanent Court of Arbitration,” the senators said. The senators quoted acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio who said that “failure to formally protest means the Philippines is acquiescing or consenting to the militarization, and worse, to the claim of China that all islands, waters, and resources within the nine-dash line form part of the Chinese territory.”

PH, China agree Bangsamoro bill okayed before Congress adjourns to ’properly manage’ maritime disputes THE Philippines and China on Thursday agreed to conduct dialogues to address issues in the disputed waters, according to Chinese state media, citing a statement from China’s Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs. They also agreed to “properly manage” maritime disputes. The statement followed a meeting between Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs Director General Yi Xianliang with Foreign Affairs Chief Alan Peter Cayetano and Undersecretary Enrique Manalo. “Both sides agreed that Beijing and Manila should follow the spirit of consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and properly manage maritime disputes through dialogue and negotiation,” Xinhua said. Manila and Beijing also agreed to “protect peace and stability of the South China Sea,” Xinhua said. China recently stepped up its militarization efforts in the disputed waters, installing military-grade runways, hangars, hardened storage for ammunition, and retractable roofs for anti-cruise missiles, prompting the Philippines to beef up its force in the area and file a protest.

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a minimum wage increase and would respect whatever the decision of Congress would be on the matter. • Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Filipinos were not crybabies for whining over the continued increase of prices due to the implementation of the TRAIN Law. “Let’s just say that the President perhaps—the President does not consider the Filipinos as crybabies,” Roque said, adding the President recognized the ordeal and hardship of many Filipinos due to the rising oil products. “Since the President was elected by the ordinary Filipinos, he cannot just turn their backs on them,” Roque said. Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno earlier said Filipinos should not be complaining too much about inflation since prices of oil in the Arroyo administration were much higher than at present. The Palace official said Duterte was aware of the situation and gave three marching orders in an attempt to ease the effect of the price hike to the citizens. “The President is not numb. Nobody wants for the price of oil to increase like this so he gave three marching orders to his Cabinet secretaries,” Roque said. Inflation rates now hit the 2 percent to 4 percent inflation rate target of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. President Duterte has emphasized the need to implement the TRAIN Law to raise more funds to run the country. “We have, all the while, [been] having problems, inflation is always there. There are many reasons, but also actually one of them is the TRAIN. But I need money to run the country,” Duterte said in his speech

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the quo warranto case and ousted their chief justice. Had I lost the case, they will not attack me like this,” Calida told CNN Philippines Thursday morning. President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. has also said Calida’s “enemies” are getting back at him for winning the landmark quo warranto case against Sereno. “They’re getting back at him, those who were hurt by the quo warranto ruling. It’s obvious,” Roque said in Filipino. The Sereno camp, meanwhile, warned the Supreme Court that it could end up in a constitutional crisis if it ignores a resolution filed by senators challenging her ouster through a quo warranto petition. The warning came after Sereno filed her motion seeking for reconsideration of the Court decision ousting her from the top judicial post after finding merit in the quo warranto petition filed by Calida. Carlo Cruz, a spokesman for Sereno, said a constitutional crisis could develop between the judicial and legislative branch if the Court ignores the position of the 14 senators who signed the resolution. “We are not saying that there is [constitutional crisis]; we are just saying that it is possible and we are doing everything we can with the help of the Supreme Court to prevent it,” Cruz said. “We will leave it, of course, up to the Supreme Court to determine whether or not this particular petition could result in what is perceived to be potentially a constitutional crisis,” he added.

SENATE Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Thursday the landmark Bangsamoro Basic Law had been passed by the body with major amendments and expressed hope the Senate version was compliant with the Constitution and withstand scrutiny by the Supreme Court. Zubiri made the statement after the 2nd Regular Session of the 17th Congress closed early Thursday morning as the Senate went on sine die adjournment after passing its version of the BBL. Senate President Vicente Sotto III formally announced the adjournment of the session around 2 am, due to the nearly 10hour long deliberation on SBN 1717 or the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, which was approved on third and final reading with 21-0 votes. “With 21 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, zero abstention, Senate bill is approved on third reading,” declared Senate President Vicente Sotto III. Senators Emmanuel Pacquiao and Leila de Lima, the latter currently detained, were not present during the hearing. In related developments: • Bangsamoro Transition Commission chairman Mohagher Iqbal on Thursday expressed hope a better BBL would emerge after both Houses of Congress passed their versions of the measure. Iqbal, also Moro Islamic Liberation Front implementing panel chairman, admitted the BBL version the Senate had ap-

during Wednesday night’s Presidential Security Group Change of Command ceremony at Malacañang Park. Some lawmakers call for suspension of the additional excise tax brought by TRAIN Law implementation while others suggest postponing implementation of the entire law amid rising inflation rate. “If you do not give it, fine,” the President said. For some skeptics, Duterte reassured them that he would never allow anyone to use taxpayers’ money in illicit activities and personal interest. “Congress was quite skeptic that it will just end up in corruption. That’s why I said, if that is how you think of us, me, then forget it,” Duterte said. “I will look for other ways of doing it, maybe longer. But if they said I will steal, then I don’t need that. What I can say, no transaction of government ever reaches me,” he added. Despite the limited resources of government, Duterte expressed optimism that his administration would be able to bring modest improvement to the Filipinos’ lives. “We will maybe reach a modest improvement. I do not see any fantastic happening but with the limited resources of our country, many were helping. I said a modest improvement of what we have now would be okay,” Duterte said. TRAIN is the first package of the comprehensive tax reform program envisioned by Duterte’s administration to correct a number of deficiencies in the tax system to make it simpler, fairer, and more efficient. According to the Department of Finance, TRAIN pushed up inflation by only 0.4 percentage point, lower than its projected 0.7 percentage point. Other factors, such as the rise in global oil prices and the better collection of ciga-

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The reality star entered the grounds of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue wearing a black suit and canary yellow stilettos, an AFP photographer witnessed. Kardashian was expected to meet aide Jared Kushner, who has spearheaded stuttering White House efforts at criminal justice reform. In the end, she met with fellow TV personality, President Donald Trump—formerly of “The Apprentice” and New York tabloid Fame. “Great meeting with @KimKardashian today, talked about prison reform and sentencing,” the president said in a tweet, accompanied by a photograph of the pair in the Oval Office, with Trump flashing a broad grin. Kardashian, 37, is known for her socialite TV persona, but has also called for the

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“I hope so,” said Lue when asked if Love would be able to play in Game 1. “But I’m still not sure. He’s going to go do some things today and see how he feels. But he is in the protocol still, so we’ll see how he feels.” Love had been averaging 13.9 points per game with 10 rebounds in the postseason this year. The veteran forward is a key pillar of the Cavs roster and will be crucial if Cleveland

proved was quite far from what the BTC had submitted. “But we are hoping that [in the end] it will be basically faithful to the Comprehensive Agreement to the Bangsamoro deal signed by the government and MILF. There are areas that are somewhat quite far from [our version],” Iqbal said in an interview on Wednesday night. • The Palace on Thursday thanked both houses of Congress for the passage of the BBL which was certified by President Rodrigo as urgent. “We are pleased that both houses passed their respective versions of the BBL. The certification was a signal that the President considers the BBL as absolutely indispensable in the search for peace in Mindanao,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said. “We are pleased that both houses of Congress agreed to come up with a final version of the bill during the break,” Roque told a Palace briefing. “We are also very pleased that they are aiming that for the President to sign the final BBL on the day of the Sona [State of the Nation Address] itself,” the Palace spokesperson said. Zubiri, sponsor of the bill, identified some of the amendments as the change from Bangsamoro territory to Bangsamoro territorial jurisdiction. “I’m extremely honored and elated to have passed the BBL last night that would

rette excise taxes drove inflation to 4.5 percent in April this year. As a result of TRAIN, disposable income rose about 15 percent on average for wage-earners as income tax rates were reduced, it added. DoF Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has warned that suspending TRAIN Law would derail the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program which is meant to sustain the economy’s high-growth momentum. He said suspension would possibly even imperil the free tuition program in state universities and colleges; salary hike for police and military personnel; and conditional cash transfer program. Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol gathered on Thursday agriculture stakeholders to discuss reports of an increase in prices of basic goods. Based on their discussions, Piñol said there was actually no reason for a price hike in basic crops and goods even with the implementation of the TRAIN Law. Citing farm producers, Piñol said it was unreasonable for market vendors to increase their prices when they buy from farmers and producers at a cheaper price. The Secretary added there was no shortage of supply of fish, vegetables and basic farm products to justify a price increase. Also, based on the agency’s calculation, the TRAIN only affected the price of basic commodities by less than 1 percent only. Piñol believes that some dealers or middlemen are taking advantage of the implementation of TRAIN Law to manipulate market prices. “The movement of the prices right now in the market is more likely caused by mere speculation than anything else,” Piñol said. DA will form a technical working group to study and create a list of suggested retail prices for agricultural products such as rice, fish, and crops. With PNA

lead to a long and just peace between government and the MILF,” said Zubiri. After almost 30 hours of interpellations and marathon hearings in five ARMM provinces, Zubiri said he was confident the Senate version was compliant with the Constitution. “We have weeded out provisions that earlier muddled our intentions to improve the lot of fellow Filipinos in Muslim Mindanao,” he said. He added: “We survived walking on a tightrope, balancing the search for peace, right to self-determination, governance and democracy and. And, we did it crossing party lines. Even at this early stage, the BBL is a legacy for all the efforts to bring about peace and progress in lands which most experienced poverty, inequity and war in the Philippines.” When they finally put ink to paper, he said “erstwhile rebels would lay down arms; that is the biggest promise we are moving to achieve with the BBL.” Under fiscal autonomy, he said the block grant was spelled out to be 5 percent of the net collections of the BIR and Bureau of Customs, down from 6 percent. He said it was easily the most contentious provision because it appeared that the National Government was subsidizing the Bangsamoro government at the disadvantage of Filipino taxpayers outside of the Bangsamoro territorial jurisdiction. Macon Ramos-Araneta and Vito Barcelo

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release of Alice Marie Johnson, a 62-yearold who has been in prison for more than two decades for a nonviolent drug offense. Fixing tough sentencing laws had been a priority of president Barack Obama’s administration, but he failed to win Congressional support, prompting a stream of presidential pardons and clemency actions. Trump has so far taken a more hardline approach, advocating a “lock-em-up-and-throwaway-the-key” approach to criminal justice. During his first year and half in office he has pardoned disgraced Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, a Trump supporter who was convicted of violating a court order to halt traffic patrols targeting immigrants. He also pardoned vice president Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff Lewis “Scooter” Libby. Last month, Kim’s rapper husband Kanye West raised eyebrows after tweeting about his “love” for Trump and describing him as a “brother” with whom he shared “dragon energy.” AFP

Citing the Constitution, the minority bloc said public officials must not, “directly or indirectly, practice any other profession, participate in any business, or be financially interested in any contract with, or in any franchise, or special privilege granted by the government.” The Constitution also mandates that public officials “strictly avoid conflict of interest in the conduct of their office.” The six senators also mentioned Republic Act No. 6713 which states: “A public official or employee shall avoid conflicts of interest at all times.” Such conflict, the law says, “arises when a public official or employee is a member of a board, an officer, or a substantial stockholder of a private corporation or owner or has a substantial interest in a business, and the interest of such corporation or business, or his rights or duties therein, may be opposed to or affected by the faithful performance of official duty.” The resolution detailed that the security agency was owned entirely by Calida’s family, with the solicitor general still owning 60 percent of shares as of Sept. 29, 2016 or two months after he assumed office while his wife and three children owned the remaining 40 percent shares at 10 percent each. It also cited a notification sent to the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 14, 2016 that Calida’s wife, Milagros, was listed as president and chairperson of Visai. Meanwhile, their children—Josef and Michelle—were listed as vice president and corporate secretary; and treasurer, respectively. “From August 2016 to January 2018, Visai won 14 government contracts, two of which were with the Department of Justice and amounted to P12.4 million and the nine of which were won after he assumed the position of Solicitor General,” the resolution stated. “So involved was the Solicitor General that in nine of the notices of award on the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (Philgeps) website, he was listed as the contact to Visai.” Calida has maintained there is no conflict of interest in his firm bagging DoJ contracts because the OSG is “independent and autonomous” except only when it comes to budget, which the DoJ prepares for them. He also said earlier that the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees requires that he resigns or divests, but not both. He added that the anti-graft law also does not prohibit his firm’s government contracts, saying that, under the Constitution, only Cabinet members are prohibited from having financial interest in government transactions.

are to upset the Warriors in their fourth straight NBA Finals meeting. Love has a history of concussion problems, missing games in March after sustaining a knock as well game two of the 2016 Finals. Iguodala was evaluated by team medical staff on Tuesday before being ruled out of Thursday’s home contest against Cleveland to begin the best-of-seven championship series—their fourth in a row against the Cavaliers. “The evaluation indicated Iguodala

is making progress,” the statement said. “However, the pain accompanying the bone bruise persists, as does inflammation of the nerve surrounding his left knee.” The Warriors held out hope Iguodala would return for game two on Sunday. “He is currently listed as out for game one of the NBA Finals and will be reevaluated again prior to game two,” the statement said. Iguodala is seen as one of the best Warriors defenders against Cavaliers superstar LeBron James. AFP

Dengvaxia bill hits a snag over lack of quorum By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte had certified it as urgent, but the Senate failed to pass the P1.16-billion supplemental budget intended for the victims of the anti-dengue Dengvaxia vaccine following its adjournment sine die early Thursday morning. Minority Leader Franklin Drilon questioned the absence of a quorum on the floor to discuss the Dengvaxia supplemental budget. He insisted they could not tackle the issue when it was raised by Senator Loren Legarda after 2 am. Drilon made his statement even as the chairman of the House of Representatives’ committee on appropriations on Thursday urged the Health department to tap its current budget to begin the profiling and monitoring of the Dengvaxia vaccinees. Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles made the suggestion following the Senate’s failure to approve the P1.161-billion Supplemental Budget to assist the victims of the Dengvaxia vaccine. “I am calling on the [Health department] to use their 2018 budget to assist our Dengvaxia victims even as we anticipate the Senate’s approval of the supplemental budget when session resumes on July 23,” Nograles said. “We should not wait for another two months before the [department] takes action.” Nograles said he was saddened by the Senate’s failure to approve the supplemental budget to aid the 900,000 Dengvaxia vaccinees, but the government should continue providing assistance to the victims. Drilon invoked the rule that there should be a quorum to take up any business. After the Senate’s approval of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law on third and final reading, several senators left the floor. “Mr. President, I raised the question of a quorum,” Drilon said when the session resumed around 2 am.

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The ID includes the individual’s full name, sex, birthdate, birthplace, address and nationality, as well as biometric information, said Senator Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the Senate public order committee. “This is a welcome development to boost the country’s security. We expect the President to sign this into law,” said opposition and Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, the chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs, said he expects “that the ratification of the bill would help law enforcement agencies arrest lawbreakers and those behind illegal activities, including banned substances.” Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu and Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles were optimistic the Philippine Statistics Authority will be able to efficiently implement the national identification card system once President Rodrigo Duterte signs the bill into law. “This is very important in our fight against terrorism and other lawless elements. We expect the PSA to immediately implement this after the measure becomes a law,” said Abu. “This will help interconnect the countless and redundant government IDs.

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In a post on its official social media accounts, the central bank said it was investigating the misprinted bills showing a picture of the late President Manuel A. Roxas with a split upper right lip. “The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has noted social media posts referring to alleged misprinted 100-peso banknotes and is looking into the matter,” the central bank said. The 100-peso bills were said to have been withdrawn from an automated teller machine in Quezon City. Central bank Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said they had yet to verify the authenticity of the bills.

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countries for children to grow up in, according to the latest report of Save the Children. The Philippines dropped eight places from last year’s 96th ranking despite its economic development due to the increase in malnutrition and stunting, which now affects more than one in three children under the age of five across the country, the aid agency said. The Philippines performed poorly in three different indicators: teenage childbearing, severe malnutrition and underfive mortality, Save the Children said. “It’s really disappointing to see the Philippines slide backwards in the index, and to see an increase in the stunting levels among children under five when so much work is being done to try to improve nutrition standards and reverse the trend,” Save the Children Philippines chief executive Alberto Muyot said.

News

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Opinion

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Mend fences instead of building walls

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Monica Lewinsky. See where it got him and wife Hillary Clinton’s presidential run against Trump. Voters were reminded of Bill’s indiscretion every time they see ALEJANDRO him at Hillary’s campaign sorties. They DEL ROSARIO see Monica instead of Hillary. And Trump benefitted from this Oval Office IS AMERICA isolating itself from the sexcapade. international community because of *** President Donald Trump’s misguided Meanwhile, opposition senators last policies? week questioned before the Supreme If Trump does have advisers, he Court Malacanang’s move to withshould listen to them. They would draw the Philippines’ membership in probably counsel him to mend fences the International Criminal Court. In a instead of building walls as he said he petition, Senators Francis Pangilinan, would to keep out illegal immigrants Franklin Drilon, Risa Hontiveros, Paufrom Mexico. But then, this is a presi- lo Aquino, Antonio Trillanes IV, indent who runs his government like he cluding the incarcerated Leila de Lima used to host his TV reality talk show said the executive decision is invalid “The Apprentice.” There is a world of without the concurrence of the Senate difference between running a TV show which is the final arbiter of all the treaand the reality of running the govern- ties the country enters into. ment of the stillThe senators most-power f ul sought the issuance nation on earth. of a high court hold Trump’s oft order compelling used phrase is the Department of Trump runs his “You’re fired!” Foreign Affairs and government like he used So what advisor the Philippine Miswould dare tell to host his TV reality sion to the United Trump to do this Nations to revoke talk show. or that and not the notice sent last risk hearing these March withdrawwords? ing the Philippine So they quit, membership to the which explains Rome Statute. the spate of resignations of officials in The Philippine is one of 121 countries Trump’s official family. A wag quipped that signed the Rome Statute. Only that at the rate Trump’s officials are three countries—China, Russia and resigning, First Lady Melania Trump the United States—are not members. might do the same. Let’s hope not—the The difference between the Philippines US president needs someone like Mela- and the US is that Manila signed the nia after a hard day at the Oval Office. ICC statute; the Senate ratified it. The Former President Bill Clinton made the US Senate did not ratify the UN treaty mistake of relieving his stress right inside on the concern it would place at risk the Oval Office with White House intern Turn to A5

BACK CHANNEL

Anything over nothing

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte just this weekend said he would not dare go to war with China despite what it has been doing on the territory we claim. China is such a military might that we will certainly lose anyway.

All Mr. Duterte’s actions have pointed to his desire to keep our warm relations with our giant neighbor. Until a few days ago, even after the Chinese Navy reportedly harassed Filipino troops conducting resupply missions on Ayungin Shoal, even after the deployment of missile systems on Fiery Cross Reef, Subi Reef, and Mischief Reef, among other incursions, the President said he believed that asserting our sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea would mean trouble that we cannot handle. Hence, he went for what he perceived was the alternative—doing nothing, staying nothing. We winced every time China pushed the limits anew, and the President looked the other way, his underlings trying to spin the inaction, emphasis on “trying.” We wondered why he would not even bring up a ruling favorable to us by the Permanent Court of

Arbitration. China says the PCA does not have jurisdiction on it, but the PCA took the matter up anyway and decided that China’s so-called nine-dash line did not have basis at all. We sought to explain Mr. Duterte’s too-accommodating posture —and found none except the promise of loans, investments and aid. We were aghast at his openness to undertake joint exploration and development in contested areas, believed to be rich in oil and natural gas. The hapless Foreign Affairs Secretary, Alan Cayetano, could do little else than agree with and defend the President’s position. Fortunately, this week, the Palace stumbled into some good sense and finally filed a diplomatic protest against China. We wonder why it never realized it had this middle-way option before, or if it did, why it never exercised it

in the first place. To a layman, a diplomatic protest sounds like a contradiction in terms. But there really is such a thing, and we support this action that elevates our concern to the international community. Still, never have the words “The President will not sit on our rights and never give away even an inch of territory” sounded so reassuring, even if they came belatedly. It will be foolhardy for anybody to think this is still a political issue just because the senators who filed Resolution 761 this week, urging the Department of Foreign Affairs to file the protest amid China’s increasing militarization, were affiliated with the opposition. This is a grave matter that should transcend political divisions. Will the protest achieve anything? It is too soon to tell, but at the very least it sends a message that we are not taking China’s bullying sitting down, and that we are doing something about the matter—by leaps and bounds better than doing nothing.

Travels through the Arab Spring By Ines Bel Aïba TUNIS—For so long, he was omnipresent, his face, framed by impeccably-coiffed, jet-black hair adorning all the front pages. On public television, you saw images of crowds chanting his name. If we dared to speak of politics in a café, we would whisper, so as not to attract unwanted attention. If you wanted to work freely as a reporter, you had to go abroad. Those days seem so long ago today, seven years after Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was overthrown in a peaceful popular uprising in Tunisia that sparked the Arab Spring. Seven years. Hard to imagine it’s been that long. On Jan. 14 of this year I found myself along with hundreds of other Tunisians strolling along Bourguiba Avenue, as they have each year since 2011, to mark the day that Ben Ali was ousted after a 23-year iron-fisted reign. Like every year, the atmosphere is a mix of joy and protests. Like every year, the scene takes me back. The seven years that have passed are a blur of moments of both grace, hope, atrocities and despair. Some dreams and hopes have come true, some have been dashed. But I can’t help but be grateful for the Tunisian revolt that started it all, that transformed the nation and allowed me to return to my home country to work as a journalist without fear and in total freedom. The Tunisian revolution began in December 2010, sparked by the selfimmolation of a vegetable vendor who was distraught after police confiscated his cart and produce in a small town of Sidi Bouzid, some 250 kilometers south of the capital Tunis. His suicide sparked what eventually turned into mass protests that fed on deep discontent after years of unemployment, inflation, corruption and lack of political freedoms in the country under Ben Ali’s rule. In January, Ben Ali fled, the first dictator to fall in what eventually would become known as the Arab Spring revolts. But while thousands of my compatriots were demonstrating in Tunisia, I was on assignment in Sudan, helping cover the referendum that would eventually give birth to South Sudan. It was my second reporting trip to Sudan and I loved the story, but I was desperate over not being able to cover the unrest at home. I obsessively followed what was happening on the news. On Jan. 14, 2011, I was reporting

on young Sudanese poets, when I get a call. “Ben Ali has gone! He has left Tunisia!” a colleague screamed on the other end of the line. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I was thrilled, but at the same time worried—now that the long-time dictator was gone, what and who would take his place? What was going to happen to the country? I had to return home, I wanted to be in my country at a time like this. Luckily, my bosses understood and allowed me to leave Sudan earlier than scheduled. I got to Tunisia three days after Ben Ali left. Like many of my compatriots, I was both euphoric and incredulous. My family met me at the airport and we headed straight to Bourguiba Avenue. The streets were nearly empty except for soldiers. After more than two decades of living in a police state, their presence was almost reassuring now that the dictator had gone and no-one knew who or what would replace him. The day was sunny and crisp and there was a whiff of freedom in the air. People driving by saluted the soldiers in the street. Some yelled “Thank you!” toward them. My first days back in Tunisia were spent with a permanent smile on my face. It was such a joy to see my country, where people were afraid to discuss politics in public for so long, being transformed into a noisy town square where everyone was talking about anything and everything political all day long. In the open. Not afraid. After a few days, AFP asked me to stay another week to help with coverage. I’m thrilled. I spent the next few days, from morning until the nighttime curfew, with the thousands of protesters who were camped out in the Kasbah, the seat of government, demanding the departure of the transitional government. It was during this sit-in that it I realized that sometimes journalism is a question of chance. One day, as I walked along the Bab Bnet Avenue toward government headquarters, I suddenly became aware of a strange commotion to my right, where a crowd had gathered. I hesitated whether to go check it out or not, since gatherings were nothing new. But then I saw a vehicle with a military plate, which intrigued me, so I forced my way through the crowd. When I got to the middle of the gathering, I found myself next to the army chief of staff, Rachid Ammar. At Turn to A5

TRAIN as TREN percent in 2015. The administration ended 2016 with 1.8 percent inflation rate. In the whole of 2017, the inflation rate almost doubled, to 3.2 percent . In the first four months of 2018, inflaTRAIN—Tax Reform for Acceleration tion averaged 4.1 percent—28 percent and InclusioN—is the most significant higher than the 3.2 percent inflation and far-reaching tax reform and legisla- in the whole of 2017, and 2.3 times the tion under the administration of President Duterte. This early though, some cynics dismiss it as just another TREN—Tax ReCynics say it’s Tax form Empowering None or No One. Reform Empowering The reason for such cynicism is high prices, unprecedented in the last 6.5 years. None. In Duterte’s first full month in office, in July 2016, inflation was a sluggish 1.3 percent, from a heartwarming 0.7

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whole-year 2016 inflation of 1.8 percent. The inflation spiral began at the same time that the TRAIN Law took effect, on Jan. 1, 2018. The inflation rate was 3.4 percent last January (compared with 2.5 percent in January 2017), 3.8 percent in February (3.1 percent in February 2017), 4.3 percent in March (3.1 percent in March 2017), and 4.5 percent in April this year (3.2 percent in March 2017). The 4.5 percent April 2018 inflation rate is the highest in the last six and a half years. It is the steepest price increase, in 29 years, since inflation jumped from 10.6 percent in 1989 to 19.4 percent in 1991. Now, inflation is bad for you and your pocket. It is like stealing money Turn to A5

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Opinion The real crisis CROSSROADS

JONATHAN A. DE LA CRUZ FROM Day One, President Duterte’s critics have been on a bitching binge, making it appear to those who care to listen in our country and in the world that he is the nation’s curse personified. Alternating between crying foul over alleged human rights violations in the administration’s war on drugs and its collateral impact including the detention of Senator Leila de Lima and shaming him all over the place and threatening him with impeachment, these critics must have expected that their every call will be met with approbation as has been their wont in the previous administration. But that has not been so. Instead, the country has moved on and our people have given President Duterte high approval ratings to this day. The crisis these critics have been hoping would happen has been largely in their minds. Lately, with the ouster of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, the ante has been upped with calls for retribution complete with walk outs and marches over the “loss of judicial independence” and the country’s plunge into dictatorial rule. Now, the calls for Duterte’s ouster has become shriller over the spike in the price of oil and other commodities and, yes, over China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea, a.k.a. the West Philippine Sea. The vast majority have largely ignored these calls and are making do with what they have and can afford in these trying times. The crisis

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the time, he was extremely popular, with rumors flying around (never confirmed) that he had refused to fire on demonstrators. I couldn’t believe my eyes—this man hadn’t said a word in public since Ben Ali’s ouster and there he was, a few centimeters away from me. I got really nervous (what if wasn’t him and I put out a wrong quote?), so I took a picture of his badge and questioned an officer nearby: “It’s really him? It’s really Rachid Ammar?” The officer nodded. After a few minutes, Ammar began to speak. I began to furiously take notes. As soon as he was done, I backed out of the crowd to call the bureau with alerts. “We are faithful to the constitution of the country. We will defend the constitution. We will not overstep its boundaries.” I was so caught up in the moment that I didn’t realize until later that evening, after a colleague told me, that I had got a huge “scoop.” As much as I loved covering the changes roiling my home country, I couldn’t stay there forever. I had been posted to Egypt for the past four years, where protests were also starting. I headed back to Cairo. I went to the bureau directly from the airport. It was a day after Friday January 29, when numerous people were killed by police during protests. The roads were nearly deserted. The building housing the headquarters of President Hosni Mubarak’s party, not far from Tahrir Square, was smoking, having been set alight by protesters the day before. I was so happy to be back among my colleagues, especially Jailan Zayan, my “sister from another mother.” The bureau was a busy beehive, with correspondents having arrived from the world over to help with coverage. It marked the start of crazy weeks of non-stop work. We spent most of our days and many of our nights between the bureau and Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the Egyptian revolution. We often slept at a nearby hotel, so as not to have to go home during curfew. Surreal scenes would jump out from the general blur of chaos that marked those days. Like one day, when Mubarak supporters riding horses and camels attacked protesters in Tahrir. The Egyptians’ humor was legendary and we often found ourselves laughing at the revolutionaries’ slogans. They even found something funny in the announcement that Mubarak was stepping down, made by his feared intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, honing in on a man standing in utmost attention behind him as he made the historic dec-

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from you. The 4.5-percent inflation rate of April 2018 means the P100 you had last year is worth only P95.50, today, without you having bought anything with the P4.50 you just lost. The other way of looking at high inflation is that it would have been better to have bought something with your P100 last year, say, a yard of cotton fabric, because that fabric is now worth P104.50. Which means that inflation encourages consumption and speculation and discourages savings (because inflation diminishes the value of your money over time when stored with a bank). Another impact of high inflation is higher cost of money. Naturally, banks have raised the interest rates for lending. Interest rates are the price for money given

remains up in the air. It appears that our people have better things to do than indulge in neverending calls for Dutertye to change his ways and do what his critics tell him to do. If they have something else to offer—like solutions to the hundred and one problems the country is facing every day which these guys have yet to articulate. What should we do with the war on drugs, for example? Wait for the drug menace to envelop the entire country altogether? Leave the communities with all kinds of zombies roaming their streets and committing all kinds of mayhem? Plead with the drug syn-

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2018

Raising the minimum wage is anti-poor

dicates to stop their illegal trade? Have more centers for drug dependents? What practical, immediate and sustainable solutions can these guys offer? Nothing of the sort that the administration has opted to do and for which an overwhelming majority of citizens have approved. What should we do with Sereno’s fall from grace then now that the woman has pleaded for reconsideration before the very Court which voted to oust her? If, as the ousted chief and her confederates have been saying all along, that the high tribunal has become an appendage of Malacañang instead of being an independent branch of govern-

ment, a willing tool of a vindictive President, then why go through this process at all? Why petition for reconsideration at all while in the same breath say one third of the entire court is biased? Why go through the trouble when one is already convinced that this Court cannot be trusted to do the right and just thing? Therein lies the real crisis. The critics continue living in their own world. They seem to be impervious to the fact that things are no longer the same. That there are indeed changes which have come about since President Duterte came to town. They just can’t accept that the writ, the manner by which things should be done which they have come to tightly embrace over their time in office, as it were, just a little more than a year ago can no longer hold. Apparently, their sense of place and entitlement has become a kind of second skin they cannot shed. They better start waking from their daydream. The world is moving on. Our people appear to have been so inured from all of the hopeful promises of a better future, the calls and moves of service to the people which so inveigled them in the past that any repeat of the same has become hollow and ineffective. The world is turning and things are changing which, in the majority’s view, may not be as clear and effective but better than business-as-usual. President Duterte offered to change things and he is doing so in his own unorthodox way. Our people have come to accept this kind of exceptionalism. The critics continue to spew the same tired lines and offer business-asusual solutions. So the President is getting his way.

laration. “The man behind Omar Suleiman” became such a sensation, replete with his own Facebook page, that his family at one point appealed to people to stop the jeering. The home of the Egyptian revolution was undoubtedly Tahrir Square, the symbol of all the hopes embodied in the protests. But Tahrir had a dark side, the scene of numerous assaults on women. One evening, I was in the square covering the appearance of opposition leader Mohamed el Baradei. I was less than a meter away from him, when I felt hands on my body, trying to take off my sweater. The crowd was so dense that I couldn’t tell who the culprit, or culprits, were. I had to scream at the top of my lungs to get myself out of there. It was just one of many such ugly incidents that I and my female colleagues had to live through as we went about doing our job. Despite the difficulties, we were all on a high, knowing that we were witnessing History. Especially for Jailan and me—I was a Tunisian living in Cairo, she was the daughter of a Libyan opposition activist forced into exile by Moamer Kadhafi. So when the Arab Spring storm reached Libya, it only added a notch to the emotional roller coaster that we had been riding for months. Between 2011 and 2012, I spent nearly four months in Libya. The first time I went was in September 2011, arriving in Benghazi. It was a magical time. Everything was open, extraordinarily so, a journalist’s dream. One day I attended a meeting of army officers. It was supposed to be closed, but “the journalist can stay,” one of them said. The officers then went on to proclaim Khalifa Haftar as the head of the Libyan National Army. We interviewed Haftar weeks later at a secret location in Tripoli. We were driven there without knowing where we were going. I felt like I was in a spy movie. In hindsight, all the ills that would befall the country in a few months, the tensions between the various militias, were already there in those heady first days of freedom. Even back then, we suspected that the transition from years of Khadafi dictatorship to democracy would be turbulent. But we also allowed ourselves to be carried away by the hopes of the Libyans, who found themselves free to speak after 42 years of a vicious dictatorship. In between covering the revolution, I got a chance to visit some breathtaking archaeological sites during my time there, like the magestic Leptis Magna, which I dreamed of seeing as a child. The Libyan experience marked me for a long time. I had a CD of Libyan revolutionary songs, which I knew by heart and which I made my poor friends listen to over and over again. I can rarely bring myself to listen to them anymore—he music that used

to lift my spirits in hope now leaves a bitter aftertaste as I think of the horrible situation that the country finds itself in. After my Libyan adventures I got back to Egypt, but the pull of the homeland was too strong and I returned to Tunisia in the summer of 2013—first for a sabbatical and then, from 2014, as the deputy bureau chief of the AFP bureau there. Champagne! The first months back home were magical. Just the fact of working in central Tunis, a neighborhood that I have always loved, filled me with joy. I savored working in my mother tongue (Egyptian Arabic is quite different from Tunisian Arabic). I loved the fact that I could get in touch with anyone, that you could write about anything, without worrying about censorship. But reality caught up with Tunisia as well. Already, in February 2013, the assassination of opposition activist Chokri Belaid sent a shockwave through the country. Then in July of that year, the same thing happened with an MP, Mohamed Brahmi. I learned of Brahmi’s death in the most unexpected way. A friend and I were leaving a store on Bourguiba Avenue when we heard a blood-curdling scream. It turned out to be the widow of Chokri Belaid who happened to have been a few meters away from us. She had just learned that Brahmi was killed the same way that her husband—shot in front of his house by men on motorcycles. Two days later, we went to Brahmi’s funeral. As with Belaid’s, numerous women attended, breaking with Muslim tradition that only the men accompany the deceased to their final resting place. Returning from the funeral, we saw another taboo being broken—t was the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, but it was super hot and people stopped at stores to buy bottles of water and juice that they would drink out in the open. Tunisia settled into an uneasy rhythm— moments of immense hope, broken up by despair. News that a human rights activist in Egypt had been forbidden from travelling abroad, that two Tunisian journalists had been killed in Libya. On the one hand, Tunisia held free and open elections for the first time in its history. On the other, it was shaken by bloody attacks, like the one on tourists on a beach in June, 2015, or when a young shepherd accused of collaborating with security forces was killed, his head brought to his mother in a plastic bag. Youth who openly fight against police brutality and for social justice and against homophobia. But also youth who have lost all hope of a better life in their country, many of whom drowned as they take to the seas in the hopes of reaching a better life in Europe. A veritable emotional roller coaster from which I have yet to get off. AFP

its military officials and soldiers from being put on trial when the US embarks on foreign wars which it does on the belief it is protecting freedom, democracy and human rights. Critics of the Duterte administration think the President is concerned that he might be haled to the ICC because of the

out as loans by the banks. Higher interest rate means higher cost of doing business, which adds to inflation. Interest rates should be higher than inflation rate. Otherwise, the banks lose money. If inflation is 4.5 percent and the interest rate is 5 percent, the half percent difference will not be enough to cover the bank’s operating cost (usually two percentage points) and the cost of that money (which is the interest yield of the deposit that was converted into loan, usually another two percentage points). Naturally, consumers and wage earners are aghast. Aghast because the commodities that have shown the steepest rise in prices are those that they need most and have the greatest impact on them. Food items like fish, rice, meat, vegetables, and non-alcoholic drinks like juices and soft drinks. These five items contributed 1.6 or more than a third (35.5 percent) of the 4.5 inflation rate in April.

The rise in rice prices was particularly galling, from 0.1 of inflation in January 2018 to 0.3 in April 2018, a three-fold increase. So people blame the TRAIN law. Taking effect January 2018, TRAIN slapped a P2.50 per liter excise tax on diesel, from zero before; a P1 tax on LPG, from zero; and a P7 tax on gas, from P4.35 per liter last year. The tax law also imposed taxes on soft drinks and any liquid that has sugar, except when the sugar comes from coconut or corn. More higher taxes per volume of such products will be imposed in 2019 and 2020. The effect is that diesel tax would have risen from zero based on the price in December 2017 to 20 percent by 2020. Fishermen use diesel fuel to go fishing. Farmers use diesel-fed irrigation pumps in their farms. Your jeepney driver uses diesel for you to commute. So do truckers when they bring meat and vegetables to markets.

True, the rich also use diesel in their luxury SUVs but in terms of number of users, more poor people use diesel than the number of rich who consume it. In number, the poor outnumber the rich by 90 to one. A number of legislators want either the suspension of the TRAIN taxes on fuels and other goods or an outright repeal of the law itself. They include Senators Bam Aquino and Grace Poe. President Duterte is cool to the idea. He concedes that TRAIN contributed to inflation, which is an old problem anyway. But he says he needs money to run the government. Indeed, Duterte has doubled the salaries of soldiers and teachers, to P40,000 monthly. He wants to modernize the economy by spending P8 trillion on infra during his presidency. Besides, Duterte already offers free tuition in college which means parents save P3.5 bil-

Critics continue to live in their own world.

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prices and taxes that results from raising the minimum wage both diminishes the gains of the monopolists and serves to create new and additional poor people, ERIC while worsening the poverty of those JURADO who become unemployed. Furthermore, the higher the minimum LABOR Secretary Silvestre Bello III wage is raised, the worse are the effects on Monday, May 28, said the Department of Labor and Employment will on poor people. This is because, on study a possible increase in the mini- the one hand, the resulting overall mum wage, amid increasing prices of unemployment is greater, while, on the goods. Bello said he had instructed other hand, the protection a lower wage wage boards to closely monitor the provides against competition from increasing prices of basic commodi- higher-paid workers is more and more ties, which is partly attributed to the eroded. At today’s minimum wage of newly implemented tax reform law. If P512 per day for non-agricultural jobs this situation persists, labor officials in the National Capital Region, for said a minimum wage increase across example, workers earning that wage the country could be implemented by are secure against the competition of August or September this year. Bello workers able to earn P600 or P700 per added that cash subsidies of P100 to day. If the minimum wage is increased P200 a month for Filipino minimum to P750 per day, and the jobs that wage earners are also being studied by presently pay P512 had to pay P750, then workers who previously would not have the department. The Makabayan bloc in the House of considered those jobs because of their Representatives also filed a bill seeking ability to earn P600 or P700 per day a P750 daily national minimum wage will now consider them; many of them for workers on Monday, which would will have to consider them, because also abolish wage boards. Bong Labog they will be unemployed. The effect of Kilusang Mayo Uno said the meas- is to expose the workers whose skills ure would provide “immediate relief” do not exceed a level corresponding to P512 per day to from high comthe competition of modity prices. better educated, Raising the more skilled minimum wage, workers presently however, is a forGreater economic able to earn wage mula for causing rates ranging u n e m p l o y m e n t freedom, not from just above among the least- greater government P512 to just below skilled members intervention, as the P750 per day. The of society. The further effect higher wages are, path to economic could be that the higher costs improvement for there will simply of production are. no longer be room The higher costs of everyone. in the economic production are, the system for the higher prices are. employment The higher prices of minimally are, the smaller are the quantities of goods and services de- educated, low-skilled people. Of course, the minimum wage has manded and the number of workers employed in producing them. These are all been increased repeatedly over the propositions of elementary economics years since it was first introduced, and that all educated citizens and political there has continued to be at least some significant room for the employment leaders should well know. It is true that the wages of the work- of such workers. What has made this ers who keep their jobs will be higher. possible is the long periods in which They will enjoy the benefit of a govern- the minimum wage was not increased. ment-created monopoly that excludes Continuous inflation of the money supfrom the market the competition of ply and the rise in the volume of spendthose unemployed workers who are ing and thus in wage rates and prices willing and able to work for less than throughout the economic system progressively reduce the extent to which what the monopolists receive. The payment of the monopolists’ the minimum wage exceeds the wage higher wages will come at the expense that would prevail in its absence. The of reduced expenditures for labor and minimum wages of long ago became capital goods elsewhere in the econom- nullities. To reduce and ultimately ic system, which must result in more eliminate the harm done by today’s minimum wage, it needs to be left ununemployment. Those who are unemployed else- changed. The standard of living is not raised where and who are relatively more by arbitrary laws and decrees imposing skilled will displace workers of lesser skill, with the ultimate result of still higher wage rates, but by the rise in the more unemployment among the least- productivity of labor, which increases the supply of goods relative to the skilled members of society. The unemployment directly and indi- supply of labor and thus reduces prices rectly caused by raising the minimum relative to wage rates, and thereby wage will require additional govern- allows prices to rise by less than ment welfare spending and thus higher wages when the quantity of money and taxes and/or greater budget deficits to volume of spending in the economic system increase. finance it. If raising the standard of living of the The policy is fundamentally antilabor and anti-poor people. While average worker is the goal, we should it enriches those poor people who abandon efforts to raise the minimum are given the status of government- wage. Instead, we should strive to protected monopolists, it impoverishes eliminate all government policies that the rest of the economic system to a restrain the rise in the productivity of greater degree. It does this through labor and thus in the buying power of the combination both of taking away wages. The principle here is that we need to an amount of wealth equal to the monopolists’ gains, and of causing look to greater economic freedom, not overall production to be less by an greater government intervention, as the amount corresponding to the additional path to economic improvement for eveunemployment it creates. The rise in ryone, especially the poor. FROM WHERE I STAND

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alleged human rights violations committed in his brutal war on illegal drugs. The Philippine National Police, which is at the forefront of the drug war, denied that EJKs are involved in suspects slain by authorities. The police claimed that the criminal suspects reportedly resisted arrest and in fact fired first during police team operations. We will never know who’s telling the truth—the police or the relatives of the slain suspects? But as they say, dead men tell no tales.

lion monthly on tuition. TRAIN itself exempts workers from income tax on income of up to P250,000 a year, giving them extra P15 billion monthly in cash. Plus the poor get doles, to the tune of P2.5 billion a month. Those are generous concessions from a government which runs on a deficit. That means people have extra cash— estimated by Finance chief Sonny Dominguez at P32 billion per month. That extra cash is now chasing goods which are in short supply. Example: Rice. To balance demand and supply, you raise prices. So you have inflation, the worst in 6.5 years. Government technocrats insist people should not single out TRAIN for the unprecedented and stratospheric rise in prices. So do we tell the poor to go buy and eat cake? biznewsasia@gmail.com

News

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Palace counting on Tulfo brods’ words to return P60-m DoT money

IN BRIEF ‘Freak’ gun accident hits Loot in the leg LUCK apparently is not on the side of Daanbantayan, Cebu Mayor Vicente Loot. Only a little over two weeks ago, Loot survived an ambush in Barangay Maya in Daanbantayan that injured his driver. On Thursday, the former general turned mayor almost killed himself in a “freak” gun accident inside his vehicle. Police Regional Office 7 officials reported that Loot was in his car, along with two others, when the incident happened at 8:40 pm Wednesday. The police said Loot, whom President Rodrigo Duterte included in his narco-list as a narco-general, was coming from a vigil for his supporter aboard his vehicle when he unknowingly sat on the gun, which accidentally fired and hit him on his left leg. He was immediately brought to Daanbantayan District Hospital.

By Vito Barcelo

Alvarez’s lawyers to help case vs Floirendo LAWYERS of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez will assist in prosecuting the graft case filed against Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr. for the allegedly anomalous land lease deal at the Davao Penal Colony. The anti-graft court's Sixth Division in a minute resolution dated May 23 granted the Ombudsman’s manifestation to allow lawyers Edgardo de Jesus and Paul Joseph Mercado to appear in the trial of the case filed by Alvarez. “As prayed for, Attys. De Jesus and Mercado are allowed to sit beside and assist the assigned prosecutors, who shall, at all times, be in control of the prosecution of the present case,” the Sandiganbayan said. However, the court prohibited De Jesus and Mercado from giving direct and cross examinations and raise objections during the trial since they were not deputized by the Office of the Ombudsman as special prosecutors. “In no case shall Attys. De Jesus and Mercado actually take part in, and appear on behalf of the Office of the Ombudsman in the proceedings in the present case,” the anti-graft court said. Mercado, a lawyer employed by the House of Representatives has secured an authority from the chamber's secretary general, lawyer Cesar Pareja, to “engage in limited practice of profession.” Maricel V. Cruz

PCSO spends P643m for medical aid in April PHILIPPINE Charity Sweepstakes Office through the Charity Assistance Department on Thursday said that it has spent P643 million for the month of April, benefitting 33,032 patients. “The P643 million is 25.53-percent increase in spending and 26.16-percent increase in the beneficiaries compared with the same period last year,” said PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan. The top three natures of requests include confinement with 12,458 beneficiaries at P272 million, requests for medicines with 10,899 beneficiaries at P106 million, and chemotherapy with 3,553 beneficiaries at P114 million. “Compared with the same period last year, confinement increased at 11.94 percent in cases and 14.77 percent in spending; requests for medicines increased at 25.36 percent in cases and 20.82 percent in spending; and chemotherapy increased at 20.65 percent in beneficiaries and 17.31 percent in spending,” Balutan said. To avoid processing delays, patients are advised to submit complete documentary requirements, which include personal letter to PCSO chairman or general manager, original/certified true copy of medical abstract signed by the doctor with license number, final hospital billing, endorsement from the hospital to accept PCSO guarantee letter, and photocopies of patient’s ID and immediate relative who will process the documents.

FOR THE DISAPPEARED. Members of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances gathered at the Quezon City Memorial Circle to commemorate the International Week of the Disappeared and express solidarity with the families whose loved ones have been taken from them. Manny Palmero

Sandiganbayan sets trial of ex-BI exec for plunder By Maricel V. Cruz

HE Sandiganbayan has decided to proceed with the trial of the plunder case filed against former Immigration Deputy CommissionerAl Argosino after ruling that the complaint filed by the Ombudsman against the former official “was able to state a series of overt acts” required for a full blown trial. Argosino will thus remain in detention. The former BI official is facing trial in connection with the alleged P50-million payoff from gaming tycoon Jack Lam in exchange for the release of more than one thousand Chinese casino workers caught working withhout permits at the Fontana Resort Hotel in Clark Field, Pampanga, in 2016. Argosino earlier questioned the validity of the charge sheet, claiming it only alleged “one criminal act of receiving and collecting a sum of money,” and not a “series” as required by Republic Act 7080. The anti-graft court ruled however that Argosino and his co-accused, dep-

uty commissioner Michael Robles, were accused of receiving the P50-million payoff in two installments. “Each instance of receiving or collecting a sum of money constitutes a separate act. Hence, the Information in the case at bar alleges the commission of acts in series,” read the resolution penned by Associate Justice Sarah Jane T. Fernandez. Argosino claimed that there was only one act because he was also indicted only for one count of direct bribery. The Sandiganbayan ruling, however ,said the series of acts did not need to be criminal in nature, because the plunder law only required that the ofﬁcial be ac-

HR claimants ‘victimized’ by lawyers, fixers By Rio N. Araja

REFORMATION CENTER. A Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency agent arranged the personal things inside the room for drug dependents during the inauguration of the 30-bed Balay Silangan All Female Reformation Center for Drug Offenders held in North Camarin in Caloocan City. Manny Palmero

Military awards P27.6-b cash rewards to 10 informants By Francisco Tuyay THE military has awarded P27.6-million cash rewards to 10 informants whose assistance led to the neutralization of 10 terrorists, including a US most-wanted operative. Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Carlito Galvez personally handed over the cash rewards to the 10 individuals whose identities were concealed for security reasons during simple rites at the Ofﬁce of the Joint Staff for Intelligence (OJ2) Multipurpose hall inside the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces. Col. Noel Detoyato, Public Affairs Ofﬁce chief, said the vital information shared by the 10 tipsters led to the killing and arrest of eight ASG members and cohorts, and two communist terrorist leaders in AFPinitiated operations backed by the Philippine National Police. Among those neutralized was Ahmad Akmad Batabol, also known as “Basit Usman” a prominent terrorist and an expert

cused of committing a series of “overt or criminal acts.” Argosino also argued that the case did not meet the P50-million threshold for the crime of plunder because he and Robles only had custody of P29.999 million. Records of the case indicate that P18 million of the amount went to BI intelligence chief Charles Calima—whom the Ombudsman cleared for merely conducting counterintelligence operations on Argosino and Robles—and P2 million went to alleged middleman Wenceslao Sombero Jr., while P1,000 had gone missing. Argosino also claimed he and Robles held the money in an effort to gather evidence against Lam and their turnover of the money to the Department of Justice in December 2016 negated their intention to acquire ill-gotten wealth. However, the court found these arguments to be matters of defense that were best threshed out in a full-blown trial. Associate Justices Karl B. Miranda and Zaldy V. Trespeses concurred in the resolution.

on bomb making with a P6.3-million bounty on his head. Basit Usman is considered a globally notorious terrorist and one of the associates of Zulkifli Bin Hir, alias Marwan, who was included in the US most wanted terrorist list. Marwan was killed in the Mamasapano, Maguindanao bloody fighting with elite Special Action Force which also resulted in the death of 44 police commandos. Also neutralized through the information provided by the tipsters were ASG members Muhiden Abdusalam Uyong, alias “Waning Abdusalam; Kirir Hamid Sahiron; and Mustapha Guindalangan alias “Tha.” Detoyato identified the ASG cohorts as Basit Balahim, alias “Ballan” and Regin Onsing Nazirin alias “Sahurun,” both with P1 million bounty; and Abdullah Mutalib and Aldimar Sangkula, alias “KompolKompol with a P600.000 bounty each. The communist terrorist leaders arrested were identified as Eduardo Genelsa alias ‘Lando’ with a P5-million bounty

and Ricardo Ampan Manili alias Joker with P4.9-million reward. The cash reward system that started in 2001 is aimed at encouraging citizens to boost the AFP and other law enforcement agencies’ counter-terrorism and counterinsurgency efforts. The system is also part of the military’s campaign towards a whole-of-nation approach in attaining the shared goal of a just and lasting peace and development for the country, Detoyato said. Meanwhile, at least ten policemen, including a middle-rank ofﬁcer assigned at the San Rafael police station, were ordered relieved by Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde after they were accused of conspiring in the robbery and kidnapping of a suspect they “arrested” last May 19. Following the relief of the 10 policemen, the Counter Intelligence Task Force ﬁled cases of kidnapping and robbery in band against the suspects before the Department of Justice.

THE Commission on Human Rights on Thursday cited more abuses committed on human rights violations victims (HRVVs) during the martial law by lawyers and fixers at the Human Rights Victims' Claims Board, who they claimed endorsed the quick release of their monetary compensation. In a statement, CHR spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said there were claimants who fell prey to such modus operandi. “It came to our knowledge about allegations of abuses by individuals and groups on the victims seeking financial reparation at the HRVCB,” she said. “There were some lawyers seeking a huge commission from the victims in exchange for the quick release of their claims. There were also fixers and even financiers taking advantage of several victims who did not have enough knowledge on how to encash checks, open a [bank] account or transact with a bank,” she added. She advised the HRRVs to only transact with the volunteers of HRVCB. “They [volunteers] are more than willing to assist the claimants on their concerns and queries,” she said. “We cannot turn back the hands of time. The reparation is just a small way of giving them the justice they need so much,” she added. Out of the 75,730 claims for monetary reparation, only 10,616 claims or 15 percent were approved by the HRVCB. The independent board gave HRVCB until May 12 to distribute the remainder of the P10 billion from the late President Ferdinand Marcos’ Swiss bank deposits recovered by the Philippine government. The deadline for the claims had already lapsed last May 12. “It is already in the hands of Congress to create another law to pursue the distribution of more claims for human rights victims under the martial law,” De Guia said.

MALACAÑANG said it was counting on the promise of the Tulfo brothers who earlier said that they would return the P60 million paid by the Department of Tourism for the botched television advertising contract. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque is conﬁdent that both Ben and Erwin Tulfo would return the money since they were the ones that voluntarily declared to give back the money to the DoT. The controversial P60-million advertisement placed by the government television network on Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo’s brothers led her to resign from her post as DoT chief. “We are counting on their word of honor that if they said that, they will really return it,” Roque said in a news brieﬁng at the Palace. The Palace spokesperson said Ombudsman Conchita Morales has already ordered an investigation on the controversial advertising contract between PTV4 and DoT. Roque said it’s now up to the Ombudsman to decide the fate of the Tulfo brothers and resigned DoT secretary Teo. The Commission on Audit had reported that the People’s Television Network Inc. has no memorandum of agreement or contract between the staterun media network and Bitag Media Unlimited Inc. of Tulfo, which produces the “Kilos Pronto” program, to air DoT advertisements.

House to probe mismanagement at PhilHealth A LAWMAKER on Thursday sought a congressional investigation into allegations of massive fraud and operational mismanagement allegedly committed by key officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. In filing House Bill 1928, Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves said the alleged anomalies reflect on the alleged lavish lifestyle of PhilHealth interim president Celestina Ma. Jude de la Serna who reportedly spends P3,800 daily in Philhealth money to pay for her hotel accommodation. Teves said De la Serna has been staying at Legend Villas in Mandaluyong for about a year now. “So flagrant were the abuses that Speaker Alvarez furiously left a meeting with De la Serna as she insisted that she was never made aware that her hotel expenditures are unacceptable in government,” Teves said following a meeting between PhilHealth official and House leaders last Wednesday. Teves, vice chairperson of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, asked House committee on good government and public acountability to conduct an investigation into “the gross financial and operational mismanagement, corruption, as well as the proliferation of fraud” at PhilHealth. “There should be a need to safeguard the finances of PhilHealth as it is the most important element to be able to provide quality healthcare,” Teves said. He also disclosed that De la Serna sought an audience with Alvarez last Wednesday to explain her side over allegations of mismanagement and fraud committed under her watch. He said De la Serna admitted being billeted in hotels while attending to her duties in Manila but claimed she did not know disbursing her expenses from Philhealth is “an unacceptable practice," Teves said. “We will dig deep into her other expenditures as our sources have claimed that many such expenses are wasteful and too extravagant,” Teves said. Teves said lavish spending is unacceptable especially when “majority of Filipinos cannot afford quality healthcare” because of the poor performance and mismanagement. Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered an investigation into De la Serna’s travel expenses. She allegedly spent at least P627,000 for her trips to and from Bohol in 2017. The Commission on Audit earlier disclosed that PhilHealth posted a net loss amounting to P8.92 billion in 2017. The amount was reportedly adjusted later by the audit agency to a still whopping P4 billion in net loss. Meanwhile, former PhilHealth president Alexander Padilla rejected allegations that he, in connivance with former Health Secretary Janette Garin, illegally diverted the P10.6 billion in PhilHealth fund intended for senior citizens to the Department of Health in 2015. Maricel V. Cruz

Sports

Manila

Standard

TODAY

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Army bets stun SEAG champs I

LAGAN CITY—Two Philippine Army bets rocked the 2018 Ayala Philippine Athletics Championship as they stunned two former Southeast Asian champions in the early-morning schedule of the 2018 Ayala Philippine Athletics Championships at the Ilagan City Sports Complex here on Thursday. Armed with a two-month highaltitude training in Baguio City, courtesy of their Wellness Center-Special Services Center commanding officer Col. Antonio John Divinagracia, Richard Salaño and Macrose Dichoso carried the fight for the Army bets in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and 10,000-meter, respectively. The 26-year-old PFC Salaño, a native of Marilao, Bulacan, secured the 3,000-m title with a time of 9 minutes 23.21 seconds as he frustrated two-time

(2013 Myanmar/2015 Singapore) SEA Games champion Christopher Ulboc, Jr. (9:39.43) and Da La Salle University’s Jomar Angus (9:57.91). “First kilometer tinantiya ko lang muna. Kabado rin ako kasi sabi nila runner, runner lang ako. Pero nang makita kong mas malakas yata ang training ko sa pang-apat na ikot, lumayo na ako,” said Salaño, a former gold medalist in the Central Luzon Athletic Association and University Athletic Association Most Valuable player during its 76th season.

“Wala, kulang na kulang pa sa training,” said a dejected Ulboc of the Philippine Air Force in the trackfest presented by Ayala Corp. and the City of Ilagan, with support from Milo, the Philippine Sports Commission, Foton, Cocolife, Rebisco and F2 Logistics. On the other hand, Dichoso nailed the 10,000-meter run in 39:41 and fended off the challenge of fellow Army Lady Trooper and former SEA Games (2009 Laos) marathon queen Jho-An Banayag-Villarama (0:30.87) and Lany Adaoag ng Team Titus (42:13.86) to inch a step closer to her national team aspiration. A daughter to a proud construction worker father and dressmaker mother, Dichoso wishes for this feat to finally be the answer to her long-running prayer of a national team call-up.

Richard Salaño

(second from left) of Team Da Rossa holds his medal after topping the sprint age group (25-29) in 1:16:15 in the TRI-Factor Asian Championship Series at CamSur Watersports Complex in Camarines Sur over the weekend. With him are (from left) CWC general manager Bing Rivera, Gerald Anderson Sr., host and athlete Elle Adda, and TRI-Factor founder Elvin Ting.

ERC CASE NO. 2017-115 RC

POWER

Applicant.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:

Line Transformers

Power Conditioning Equipment

For CLPC to pursue its mandate under its franchise and the EPlRA, it is necessary for CLPC to continuously invest in the improvement of its people, system and services to better serve its customers.

As such, CLPC, in pursuit of its duty to better serve its customers, and in accordance with Section 20 (b) of Commonwealth Act No. 1462 , hereby applies for the approval of the Honorable Commission to implement its Capital Expenditure Projects (CAPEX) for Calendar Year (“CY”) 2017·

CLPC’s 2017 CAPEX program is categorized as follows: a. Network; i. Substation Rehabilitation; b. Other Networks; and i. Line Rehabilitation and Maintenance ii. Residuals c. Non-Network Projects.

ERRORS & OMISSIONS

In Classified Ads section must be brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published. We will not be responsible for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

Meters, Instruments, and Metering Transformers

3,745,853.41

Streetlights and Simal Systems

1,293,719.85

Our apology.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES TARIFF COMMISSION

The “Other Networks” category is subdivided into the Line Rehabilitation/ Maintenance and Residuals. These projects are to be undertaken in order for CLPC to strengthen and improve the reliability of its distribution system, maintain voltage quality and to minimize transient tripping as consumer demand continues to grow and expand. There will likewise be projects that will be undertaken in support of government directives and to further minimize safety concerns.

The “Non-network” category on the other hand is subdivided into the following projects, “Telecommunications”, “Tools and Work Equipment”, “Unmanned Malagpas Substation” and “Computer Software”. These projects are driven by the necessity of updating vital facilities of CLPC that have become obsolete, of equipping CLPC’s workforce with the required tools to perform their tasks safely and efﬁciently, strengthening the monitoring and security of CLPC’s unmanned substation and the integration of the existing CLPC systems in preparation for the planned shift to Advanced Metering Infrastructure and Smartgrid projects. The total estimated cost of CLPC’s CY 2017 CAPEX is Php 82,759,739.43 and the complete list of projects, together with their corresponding estimated cost, is shown in table 1 below:

Project Summary

NOTICE OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION

510,000.00

Telecommunications

Tools and Work Equipment

7,090,929.79 1,859,762.72 4,623,886.00 82,759,739.43

The detailed justiﬁcations, technical analysis, economic analysis and alternatives considered, as applicable, for CLPC’s CAPEX for CY 2017 are discussed in detail in Annex “A” in support of this Application.

11.

The proposed CAPEX for CY 2017 will not have a direct impact on the current rates of CLPC until approved by the Honorable Commission as part of CLPC’s Regulatory Asset Base in the next applicable Regulatory Period.

Pursuant to Sections 1100 (Classiﬁcation Ruling) and 1603 (Function of the Commission) of Republic ActNo. 10863, otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), the Tariff Commission will conduct a public consultation on the draft Commission Order on the Rules of Procedure on Disputes Involving Tariff Classiﬁcation. A copy of the draft Commission Order is now available at the Commission’s website www.tariffcommission.gov.ph. Interested parties are encouraged to attend and share their views and insights on the subject matter. The consultation will be held on 19 June 2018 (Tuesday), 9:00 A.M., at the Tariff Commission Conference Room, 4th Floor West Insula Condominium, #135 West Avenue, Quezon City. For particulars, please inquire from the Research, Investigation and International Trade Analysis Service (RIITAS) at Telephone Numbers 926-8731 or 936-3319.

Public interest and necessity requires the immediate implementation, without delay, of the subject CAPEX projects. The loading and reliability constraints of the current substations are reaching critical levels, necessitating the purchase and upgrade of the relevant substations. Aside from these, in the event that the CAPEX projects are not immediately implemented, certain facilities of CLPC will be rendered obsolete which may then lead to power interruptions, furthermore, the additional load coming from existing and new customers may likewise not be accommodated. These negative consequences, which are detrimental to the livelihood and everyday lives of consumers may be tempered by the immediate approval of the 2017 CAPEX projects.

13.

Thus, pending ﬁnal approval, there is an urgent need for a provisional authority for CLPC to immediately implement its proposed 2017 CAPEX Projects. In support of the prayer for the grant of the provisional authority, attached as Annex “B” is the Judicial Afﬁdavit of Mr. Mark Sam Banluta, Engineering Group Manager of CLPC.

14.

The foregoing CAPEX for CY 2017 are indispensable for the systematic and economic expansion and rehabilitation of CLPC’s distribution facilities and ensuring compliance with safety, performance and regulatory requirements. The beneﬁt arising from these CAPEX projects will ultimately redound to the endconsumers of CLPC in terms of continuous, reliable and efﬁcient power supply. PRAYER

Pending trial on the merits, immediately issue a PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY authorizing CLPC to implement its Capital Expenditure Projects (CAPEX) for Calendar Year (“CY”) 2017.

After due hearing, render judgement making the approval of the Application permanent.

Other reliefs just and equitable under the premises are likewise prayed for.

Issued this 30th day of May 2018, Quezon City, Metro Manila.

MARILOU P. MENDOZA Chairperson (MS- JUNE 1, 2018)

Republic of the Philippines CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE Invitation to Bid for Project No.2018-2-42 (Second Notice) REMOVAL OF EXISTING SOLID WASTE OF ABANDONED DUMPSITE (SAFE CLOSURE AND REHABILITATION OF DISPOSAL FACILITIES) LOCATED AT BARANGAY 48-A, SAN ANTONIO, CAVITE CITY The CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE, through the SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET # 2018-001 with SangguniangPanglunsod Ordinance No. 2018-001 dated April 12, 2018 intends to apply the sum of FORTY TWO MILLION THREE HUNDRED NINETY EIGHT THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED FIFTY FIVE & 95/100 PESOS (P 42,398,955.95) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the REMOVAL OF EXISTING SOLID WASTE OF ABANDONED DUMPSITE (SAFE CLOSURE AND REHABILITATION OF DISPOSAL FACILITIES), LOCATED AT BARANGAY 48-A, SAN ANTONIO, CAVITE CITY. 1.

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

The CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE now invites bids for REMOVAL OF EXISTING SOLID WASTE OF ABANDONED DUMPSITE (SAFE CLOSURE AND REHABILITATION OF DISPOSAL FACILITIES) LOCATED AT BARANGAY 48-A, SAN ANTONIO, CAVITE CITY. Contractor must have at least Two (2) Sanitary Landﬁll, accredited by DENR. Completion of the Works is required ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY (180) CALENDAR DAYS. Bidders should have completed, within ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instruction to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as speciﬁed in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

The Commission has set the Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on 28 June 2018 (Thursday) at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.), at ERC Mindanao Field Office, Mintrade Building, Monteverde Avenue cor. Sales St. Davao City. All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant case may become a party by filing with the Commission a verified Petition to Intervene at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure, indicating therein the docket number and title of the case and stating the following: i.

The petitioner’s name and address;

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

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy ﬁve percent(75%)interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines. 4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from BIDS & AWARDS COMMITTEE – CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00 A.M – 4:00 P.M. DURING WORKING DAYS ONLY.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P 25,000.00).

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

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later that the submission of their bids.

Estimated Cost 1) The name and address of such person;

NETWORK PROJECTS

The BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE – CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on June 15, 2018 at MULTI-PURPOSE HALLBUILDING, CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S OFFICE, P. BURGOS AVE., SAN ROQUE, CAVITE CITY, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before June 27, 2018 AT 10:00 A.M. at the BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE OFFICECITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted. The CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder orbidders.

2) A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and

Substation Project a.

Upgrading of 15MVA Salimbao Power Transformer

28,709,318.53

OTHER NETWORK Line Rehabilitation/Maintenance b.

Tree Wire Installations

4,169,870.12

Load Break Switches Installation

1,158,769.44

Rural Electriﬁcation

2,124,492.46

3) The grounds relied upon. All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicant that they be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing. Applicant is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records ﬁled with the Commission during the standard ofﬁce hours. WITNESS, the Honorable Chairperson and CEO, AGNES VST DEVANADERA and the Honorable Commissioners ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAP-TARUC, and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 10th day of April 2018 in Pasig City. FOR AND BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION:

Residual e.

Poles, Tower & Fixtures

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal

6,539,225.37 1 2

Section 2 (b) of the EPIRA. Public Service Act

ERRATUM In the Notice of ExtraJudicial Sale of Real Property Under Act 3135 (as amended) published on April 20, 28 & May 4, 2018 Re: Regional Trial Court, Office of the Ex-Officio Sheriff,Quezon City, CHINA BANK SAVINGS, INC., Mortgagee vs. DELA PAZ, RANDOLF V., Mortgagor The mortgagor last name should have read as DELA PAZ and not DELA PAZA as published.

1,862,123.46

WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, CLPC respectfully prays that this Honorable Commission:

The major CAPEX project under the “Network” category is the “Upgrading of Salimbao Substation 69/13.8kV 15MVA to 20/25MVA” project. The project will involve the purchase and installation of a new outdoor type (OA/FA) 20/25 MVA, 69/13.8 kV three phase power transformer and the transfer of existing 15MVA power transformer to the proposed Tamontaka Substation. Also, the defective 10MVA power transformer which has a service life of 40 years this year will be permanently retired and removed from the system. This project aims to ensure compliance with N-1 requirements and to meet the demand of the incoming additional capacity in CLPC’s distribution system.

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

11,814,431.15

10.

12.

LOTTO RESULTS

7,257,357.13

ALLEGATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

Republic Act No. 9136, or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (“EPlRA”), under Section 23 thereof, obligates a distribution utility, such as CLPC, to provide distribution services and connections to its system for any end-user within its franchise area consistent with the distribution code. Further, distribution utilities share in the objective of the EPlRA to ensure the quality, reliability, security and affordability of the supply of electric power.1

Description

Total 2017 CAPEX

CLPC is a corporation duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with ofﬁce address at Sinsuat Avenue, Cotabato City. CLPC is duly authorized distribution utility of electric power to the end-users in the City of Cotabato, and portions of the Municipalities of Sultan Kudarat and Datu Odin Sinsuat, province of Maguindanao pursuant to its franchise under Republic Act No. 10637. It may be served with orders and other processes of the Honorable Commission through its undersigned counsel at the address indicated below.

Overhead Conductors and Devices

n. Computer Software

CLPC alleged the following in its Application:

m. Unmannded Malagpas Substation

Notice is hereby given that on 15 December 2017, Cotabato Light and Power Company (CLPC) ﬁled an Application seeking the Commission’s approval of its Capital Expenditure Projects for Calendar Year 2017, with prayer for provisional authority.

Dyip (3-3) at 4:30 p.m. in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena today.

NON-NETWORK

x - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

Ravena...

SPRINT AGE-GROUP CHAMP. Celebrity Gerald Anderson Jr.

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

AND

Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala and presented by Dunlop. Drixcyn Guillano, meanwhile, trounced Roger Lamparero, 6-3, 6-3, to pocket the boys’ 14-U title but the Roxas City bet fell short in the 16-U finals, dropping a tough 7-5, 6-4 decision to Marben Mosquera from La Paz, Iloilo. His 1-2 effort, however, netted him the MVP trophy in his side of the event backed by Asiatraders Corp. and sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines, made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg. Other winners were La Paz, Iloilo’s Nigel De Juan (10-unisex), Elemar Sealza (boys’ 12-U) from Alimodian, Iloilo, Reynan Mahusay (18-U) from Pontevedra, and Banico (12-U).

in taking a pre-workout drink that contained the banned supplement. Analysis of his urine sample that was conducted in a World Anti-Doping Association accredited facility in Montreal, Canada revealed the presence substances like 4-dimethylhexan-2-amine or methylhexaneamine, along with 1, 3-dimethylbutylamine, and higenamine. Meanwhile, a share of leadership is the aim of TNT KaTropa (4-1) when it duels with Columbian

nated their division’s THE Philippine Volleyball championship. Referees Federation-Tanduay Athfrom Pangasinan, Valenletics Under-18 beach and cia (Negros Or.), Balayan, indoor volleyball champiCavite and Balanga were onships finished with the brought in for exposure to out-of-town teams emergMetro Manila games. ing winners in the two-day In the indoor event, Unievent over the weekend at versity of the Cordilleras the volleyball courts of the won the girls’ division with Cantada Sports Center. Bong Tan Jr. Holy Family Academy of The sports center is fast becoming the volleyball center in the Angeles coming in second. In the boys’ division, Lyceumcountry boasting of two sand courts (one indoor sand) and two indoor Cavite was crowned champion, with courts, enabling one-day tourna- Harrell Home Integrated of Bacoor ments for both indoor and beach. grabbing second spot. A number of DepEd teams from There were no entry fees, even as complimentary food and fruit juices Pasay and Mandaluyong, Grace Christian College, Hope Integrated, flowed for two days. In beach volleyball, University of Balanga Volleyball Club and GMA the Cordilleras ruled the girls’ divi- Lady Knights were among the parsion with DepEd Pasay High School ticipants in the tournament supported by Lucio “Bong” Tan Jr. ang coming in second. National University boys domi- PVF Chairman Mikey Arroyo.

COTABATO LIGHT COMPANY (CLPC), Applicant.

ALTHEA Rose Martirez flashed top form and superb staying power as she came away with three division titles, including the premier 18-and-under crown, in the PPS-PEPP San Jose regional age-group tennis tournament at the Binirayan Sports Complex in Antique recently. The 14-year-old find from Central Philippine U dropped just seven games in ruling her age bracket, capped by a 6-0, 6-0 romp over Faith Banico from Siquijor in the finals then took the 16-U plum with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Rissa Cubos. As unranked bet in the 18-U side, Martirez proved tougher and better, yielding just three games, highlighted by a 6-0, 6-1 triumph over Princess Jimenez as she ran away with the MVP plum in the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan

From A8

Visitors rule Tanduay spikefest

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PROJECTS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2017, WITH PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

Martirez scores net 3-peat

(MS-JUNE 1 & 8, 2018)

For further information, please refer to: Ms. RAEJEAN E. VASQUEZ Head, BAC Secretariat Ofﬁce of the City Administrator Multi-Purpose Hall Building San Roque, Cavite City raejean_vasquez21@yahoo.com Telephone No: 046-431-0162

(MS-JUNE 1, 2018)

(SGD) Arch. ALLISON B. SANTIAGO City Administrator BAC Chairperson

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

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

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2018

Ravena can’t play in PBA, too THE 18-month ban on Kiefer Ravena is not just in FIBAsanctioned tou r naments, but in the Philippine Basketball Association as well. “We will follow the FIBA Ravena ruling and we will impose our own measures also,” said Commissioner Willie Marcial following a PBA Board meeting yesterday. Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas President Al Panlilio said officials from FIBA clarified that Ravena’s sanction will also include his stint in the professional league, as well. “It is very clear in the ruling na all leagues, even events, except for activities that relate to anti-doping. It is clear he is not allowed to play in any league,” said Panlilio. It was also decided that Ravena will not be allowed to practice with his team, but he can do workouts by himself. As far as his status is concerned, Ravena is technically not suspended by the PBA as he has been placed on the NLEX Road Warriors reserve list. Kiefer was banned by FIBA after he tested positive for three substances included in the list of Prohibited Substances by the World Anti-Doping Agency last February. Ravena said he consumed a preworkout drink called Dust during the Gilas Pilipinas-Japan game last February. He was picked for the random WADA Drug Test after the game. The test was done after the Philippines-Japan in Manila last Feb. 25 and on the second window of the FIBA 2019 qualifiers. During the testing, Ravena did not disclose in a form that he signed that he was taking any supplements. A remorseful Ravena said last Monday that he made an honest mistake

Turn to A7

The Golden State Warriors, led by Stephen Curry (left), are the odds-on picks to repeat as NBA champions, but don’t count out the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have the best player in the planet in LeBron James (right).

Dubs want to cement dynasty O

AKLAND—Defending champion Golden State and the Cleveland Cavaliers take their epic rivalry to historic levels with a fourth consecutive NBA Finals showdown—a challenge that both say never gets old.

It’s the first time in major American sports history that the same clubs have played for a crown four years in a row. The Warriors seek their third title in four years to cement their dynasty as the best-of-seven championship series starts Thursday. The Cavaliers, boasting superstar LeBron James in his eighth consecutive finals, try to level their rivalry with Golden State at 2-2. James has no patience for those that say the matchup has grown stale. “Teams have had their opportunities to beat the Cavs over the last four years, and teams have had the opportunities to beat the Warriors over the last four years,” James said. “If you want to see somebody else then you got to beat them.” It nearly happened as for the first time in 39 years both the Eastern and Western Conference finals went to seven games

before the Cavs downed Boston and the Warriors ousted Houston. Television ratings were up 40 percent from last year, when the Warriors went on a 16-1 playoff run to the crown. The conference finals game sevens produced the second-most NBA game viewers in US cable television and ESPN history. If those viewers were hoping to see a new set of finalists emerge, that’s just too bad, said Warriors guard Klay Thompson. “I think the rest of the NBA has got to get better,” Thompson said. “We’re happy to be a part of history. It’s pretty cool.” ‘Good, healthy rivalry’ Just as the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics dominated the 1980s, the Warriors and Cavs have built a strong rivalry in which each has lifted a trophy. “We respect each other as professionals

but there’s obviously some dislike because we’ve been facing it for four years and they beat us, we beat them,” Thompson said. “So there’s some natural competitiveness that brews between the fan bases and teams that makes for fun, energetic nights in this arena. So it’s a good healthy rivalry.” Warriors star forward Kevin Durant, who won his first title last year after the Cavs dethroned Golden State in 2016, says fans should enjoy the rivalry while they can. “It may not be as suspenseful as a lot of people want it to be or as drama filled, but that’s what you’ve got movies and music for,” Durant said. “If you enjoy basketball, I don’t feel like you should have any complaints because it’s a great set of players on both teams.” Some would argue that, saying the Cavaliers rely too much on James. Late night comedy show “Saturday Night Live” shared an internet video called “The Other Cavaliers” with a Roomba robotic cleaning device at point guard, a dog at center and teammates giving James back rubs, high fives and

providing anything else he needs “as long as what he needs isn’t basketball.” “I run the pick and roll,” actor Mikey Day says in the video. “That’s when I pick up LeBron’s laundry and roll it over to his house.” Punch to the punchlines The real Cavaliers reserves hope to add some punch to the punchlines. “He’s definitely a big part of our team. But if you watch the games, we have guys that have big moments,” said Cavs forward Tristan Thompson. “LeBron definitely has done a great job for us, but he’s not alone. He has help.” But James is a force to be reckoned with, Cavaliers guard Kyle Korver said. “I think the other team always knows that ... if you’re going to win the game you have to go through him,” Korver said. That means the latest installment of the Cavs-Warriors rivalry will add to someone’s legendary legacy. “Golden State is one of the best teams I’ve ever played. It’s one of the best teams that’s ever been assembled,” James said. “I don’t know where they will fall in my book, but they will have a nice chapter.” AFP

Pinoy bets rout foes in Pony meet HOST Philippines came away with a pair of abbreviated triumphs to kick off its twin drive for the crown in the PONY Asia Pacific Zone Mustang 9 and 10 Championships yesterday at Tanauan Sports Academy in Tanauan. Roj Palanog dished out a superb defensive effort as Phl Mustang 10 waylaid Vietnam in four innings, 20-2, to underscore its readiness to contend for the crown in the division it used to dominate before the shock upset loss to Indonesia last year. Palanog, son coach Joel Palanog, conceded only one hit and struck out eight Vietnamese batters to lead the home side to the morale-boosting triumph ahead of its next assignment against the defending champion Indonesians. Similarly making an auspicious opening-day performance in the event hosted by PONY Philippines headed by Tot Baseball president Boy Tingzon and co-hosted by Tanauan Mayor Tony Halili was the Phl Mustang-9 crew, which launched its title defense with an emphatic 24-9 rout of Indonesia. Cheered by home supporters, the Filipino batters tagged the Indonesian pitchers with 14 hits, easily converting these into 24 runs, spiked by two home runs, to set the tone for the big win. Phl officials, though, cautioned the teams against celebrating too much, too early, as their rivals might just be reserving their best bets in the homestretch of the qualifying tourney for the PONY International Mustang 9 and Mustang 10 World Series.

Coca-Cola backs Palaro COCA-COLA FEMSA Philippines is proud to have served as among the official sponsors of the Department of Education’s Palarong Pambansa 2018, held recently in the province of Ilocos Sur. “We applaud the efforts of the Department of Education on the annual holding of the Palarong Pambansa. Through this yearly sports competition, many student athletes are given the valuable opportunity to further develop their skill in their chosen sport. We further extend our congratulations to the student athletes themselves who, beyond attaining victories, have also formed lasting friendships, strengthened characters, and developed a healthy dose of camaraderie and sportsmanship towards their competitors,” said Juan Lorenzo Tañada, Coca-Cola FEMSA Legal and Corporate Affairs director. As a company that values and supports sports development in the country, KOFPH continues to provide for the hydration needs of both student-athletes as well as for the officials who ensure a safe and successful sporting competition.

Arcillas grabs lead with a 68 SILANG, Cavite—Erwin Arcillas, toughened up by a playoff loss at Luisita, put himself not only in contention again— but in the lead—as he moved up by two over Australian Damien Jordan with a second 68 halfway through the $100,000 ICTSI Riviera Classic here yesterday. While first round leader Michael Bibat tumbled with a wobbly finish at Langer’s backside which he tamed Wednesday for a 66, Arcillas leaned on his irons and hot putter to shoot six birdies, three on each side, to negate his three bogeys in another punishing day at one of the country’s toughest courses. With a six-under 136 aggregate, the unheralded 40-year-old shotmaker moved 36 holes away from finally ending a long quest for a crown after barely nailing it on a heartbreaker of a loss to Aussie David Gleeson in three extra holes at Luisita last month. “My putting was hot and my short game worked perfectly as well,” said Arcilla, who opened his bid with an eight-foot birdie putt on No. 10. He dropped a stroke on the next but hit birdies from short range on Nos. 15 and 16 then added two more on Nos. 2, a difficult 25-foot side-hiller, and a 12-footer on the next. He reeled back with missed green bogeys on Nos. 5 and 6 but recovered a stroke with a closing birdie to highlight his 34-34 card. “I’m sure many will be making their charge tomorrow (today) but I’m ready and will try to keep in step with them,” said Arcillas. Jordan took the challenger’s role by coming through with a rare two-eagle feat for a 67 for a 138 as Charles Hong bogeyed the 18th and dropped to solo third at 139 after a 71.

IN BRIEF

Mindoro Grid wins Malaya plant deal

THE Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. declared Mindoro Grid Corp. as the lowest bidder to operate and maintain the 650-megawatt Malaya thermal power plant in Rizal. Mindoro Grid offered P227 million for the procurement of the one-year operation and maintenance service contract of Malaya plant. Mindoro Grid beat the P258-million offer of Soosan ENS Co. Ltd., the other company that participated in the bidding on May 30. The Malaya power plant OMSC has an approved budget of P264 million which will be sourced from PSALM’s 2018 and 2019 corporate operating budgets. Mindoro Grid, however, will need to undergo post-qualiﬁcation evaluation before the contract can be awarded, in accordance with the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act. PSALM manages the Malaya through an OMSC. The current operator of the power plant is STX Marine Service Co. Ltd. whose contract will expire on Aug. 25, 2018. Alena Mae S. Flores

PAL plans to stop unprofitable routes

PHILIPPINE Airlines said Thursday it may drop some unprofitable routes to mitigate the impact of rising jet fuel prices. “There are routes that are not making money, so we will stop flying to these destinations,” PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista told journalists in a news briefing. PAL, whose profit was dragged down by high fuel prices last year, stopped flying Manila to Kuwait on May 16 because of weak demand and stiff competition. “The review of the routes is a continuing process. We have a corporate planning group that looks at all destinations and if the destinations that we plan is not profitable, we will discontinue this,” Bautista said. PAL’s fuel expense went up by $200 million to $749 million last year from $549 million in 2016. Jet fuel prices rose by another $13 per barrel in the first four months of 2018 from a year ago. Data from the International Air Transportation Association showed that jet fuel prices averaged $91.4 a barrel as of May 25, up by 41.7 percent from a year earlier. Darwin G. Amojelar

Robinsons Land to build dormitory

ROBINSONS Land Corp. is venturing into dormitory and shared office businesses. RLC president Frederick Go said in an interview following the company’s annual stockholders meeting the company would initially construct a dormitory under Go Dorm brand and a shared office space this year. Go said the dormitory project would allow workers to rent a space closer to their work place. He said the company would also expand its newly formed logistics and warehousing business. RLC is is building its second warehouse with 33,000 square meters of space in Calamba Laguna. “Digitalization is the biggest challenge now and one of the effects of digitization is e-commerce. So what does e-commerce needs? It needs logistics and warehouse so that is why we have ventured into the space. For office space, the disruptor is shared offices, so we are studying and we are going into that sector,” Go said. Jenniffer B. Austria

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2018

Duterte opens $1-b power plant BSP: Inflation likely hit as high P as 5.4% in May By Alena Mae S. Flores

AGBILAO, Quezon― President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday led the inauguration of the newly completed 420-megawatt unit 3 of Pagbilao coal-ﬁred power project that will help augment Luzon’s power supply.

The nearly $1-billion merchant power plant will also generate billions of pesos in taxes for the national and local governments in the coming years, the company behind the project said. “The completion of this project establishes Pagbilao Energy Corp.’s partnership with government in pushing the nation’s progress through a cost-effective and reliable power plant that complies with environmental standards,” said

PEC chairman Antonio Moraza. PEC is a joint venture of TPEC Holdings Corp. and Therma Power Inc., which are in turn wholly-owned subsidiaries of TeaM Energy Corp. of Japan and Aboitiz Power Corp., respectively. TEC, the joint venture of Tokyo Electric Power Co. and Marubeni Corp., currently operates the existing 735-MW Pagbilao coal plant. “The growth of the Philippine economy under the administration of President Duterte will certainly translate to a rising demand for energy in the coming years. This project will help address the country’s development needs moving forward,” said PEC president John Alcordo. The coal-ﬁred facility will be equipped with a ﬂue-gas desulfurizer and is designed to ensure compliance with all pertinent environmental rules and regulations, PEC said. “We view this project as an investment in the country’s future. This will light up homes and industries, give com-

fort to families, enable productivity and help create employment for Filipinos,” said Alcordo, who is also chairman and chief executive of TEC, the single largest Japanese investor in the Philippines. The newly-built power facility was developed and constructed at a cost of $976 million. Construction began in December 2014. It is located within the same complex, and is adjacent to the existing units 1 and 2, of the Pagbilao Power Station operated by TEC. Units 1 and 2 have a total generating capacity of 735 MW. “We believe this project is a testament that Epira [Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001] is working. The Philippine power industry has been transformed from a monopolized, politicized and heavily subsidized structure, to one that is competitive and bearing the true cost of power, allowing government to channel their resources to other social services. It is a truly herculean effort that we can be proud of,” Aboitiz Power chairman Erramon Aboitiz said.

SMC unit to build 1,000 hotel rooms in Caticlan By Jenniffer B. Austria SAN Miguel Properties Inc., the real estate arm of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., plans to build 1,000 hotels rooms in Caticlan, Malay, Aklan, which serves as the gateway to the resort island of Boracay. San Miguel president Ramon Ang said in an interview SMPI was expected to complete the ﬁrst 500 hotel rooms by 2019 and the next 500 rooms by 2020. He said the completion of the hotel rooms was in anticipation of the increased tourist arrivals in Boracay, once the expansion of the Caticlan

Airport was ﬁnished. San Miguel operates Boracay Airport in Caticlan. Ang said the hotels would offer overnight rates of around P2,000 which would be more affordable than hotel charges in Boracay Island. The planned hotel venture will also complement San Miguel’s planned P3-billion bridge project connecting Boracay Island to Caticlan. Under the plan, the 1.5-kilometer bridge will be used to transport tourists from Caticalan to Boracay. Ang said the construction of a bridge could also resolve the garbage and sewage problems on the island

and could be used as a safe way to deliver wastewater out of Boracay via pipes, which would be integrated into the bridge design. Maintenance and repair will also be easier to manage, he said. Ang said this would also resolve the garbage disposal issue, as daily refuse could be easily transported out of the island, removing the need to put up a dumpsite. “This will avoid a cleanup of Boracay every three years,” Ang said. He said San Miguel also planned to build a wastewater treatment plant in Caticlan.

By Julito G. Rada THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Thursday inflation rate in May likely hit as high as 5.4 percent based on the 2012 price index, faster than 4.5 percent in April, on the back of higher petroleum and rice prices. The Bangko Sentral said in a statement the May 2018 inflation likely settled within a range of 4.6 percent to 5.4 percent. “Higher domestic petroleum prices amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East as well as the sustained increase in rice prices present upward price pressures for the month,” it said. The Bangko Sentral said these price pressures could be partly offset by lower electricity rates in areas served by Manila Electric Co. along with lower prices of selected fruits and fish items as supply conditions stabilized last month. “Going forward, the BSP will remain watchful of evolving price trends and ensure that the monetary policy stance remains appropriate to maintain price stability that is conducive to a balanced and sustainable economic growth,” it said. Inflation in April climbed to a fiveyear high of 4.5 percent, bringing the first four months’ average to 4 percent, representing the upper limit of the 2018 target range of 2 percent to 4 percent. The Finance Department said the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law that took effect in January this year was not the only reason for the faster inflation.

Business

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market ends 4-day fall; RLC up

tocks rose Thursday to end a four-day slump, as fears of turmoil in Italy subsided while China moved to avoid an escalation of trade tensions with the United States.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, gained 27 points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 7,497.17, as ﬁve of the six major sectors advanced. The broader all-share index also went up 16 points, or 0.4 percent, to settle at 4,588.29, on a value turnover of P17.2 billion. Gainers edged losers, 102 to 101, while 41 issues were unchanged. Ten of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by developer Robinsons Land Corp. which jumped 10 percent to P22.05, after a top executive said the company planned to venture into dormi-

tory and share ofﬁce businesses. Megaworld Corp., the property development unit of Alliance Global Group Inc., climbed 6.8 percent to P4.86, while AGI also rose 2.5 percent to P13.30. BDO Unibank Inc., the country’s largest lender, gained 2 percent to P130.50. Meanwhile, Asian markets also rose Thursday, as reports about a compromise deal to avert the collapse of Italy’s coalition government provided relief to global markets. US and European markets also rallied, while the euro jumped after wallowing around 10-month lows against the dollar, helped by a surprise surge in German inﬂation. “What a difference a day makes,” said Greg McKenna, chief markets strategist at AxiTrader. “My hypothesis that the players... got the shock of their lives from the market’s reaction to their posturing and the

turmoil that ensued has proved correct,” McKenna said. “Italy may not be headed for a summer election. And that means the EU may not face a referendum on its future. Phew, storm in a teacup, nothing to see here, move along, please. At least that’s the take markets appear to go with last night,” he said. The gains continued in Asia, with Tokyo ending 0.8 percent higher, while Sydney added 0.5 percent, Singapore climbed 0.3 percent and Seoul put on 0.6 percent. Hong Kong added 0.9 percent and Shanghai ﬁnished up 1.8 percent, supported by data indicating a bigger-thanexpected rise in Chinese factory activity in April. Wellington, Kuala Lumpur and Taipei were also comfortably higher. In early European trade, Milan gained 0.5 percent, building on the more than two percent rise Wednesday, while Lon-

don and Paris each rose 0.2 percent. Frankfurt gained 0.1 percent. Oil prices were down slightly but holding up after they also rallied Wednesday in response to a report that said OPEC would likely lift output gradually, soothing concerns about a new supply glut. Crude markets have been hammered since OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and Russia last week indicated they could lift a cap on production, which has supported prices for two years, as an oversupply crisis eases. Investors are now looking forward to the release Friday of key US jobs ﬁgures, which could provide some idea about the Federal Reserve’s plans for raising interest rates. Payrolls ﬁrm ADP estimated US private sector job growth at 178,000 in May, down from 204,000 in April and slightly below analysts’ expectations. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, MAY 31, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 58.8 14,070 95 3,331,880 2.99 88,000 130.5 6,599,900 1.57 17,000 33.9 33,200 6.7 800 16.6 8,400 15.1 841,200 3.6 187,000 9.36 2,200 0.66 5,000 850 100 0.54 92,000 79.4 4,302,180 1.07 149,000 12.38 30,000 20.15 200 51 908,290 207.6 1,290 37.85 306,200 195 1,003,790 1,950 795 89 177,450 1.19 470,000

827,976 317,947,153 248,590 858,964,906 26,240 1,124,620 5,360 138,954 12,651,184 665,740 21,062 3,300 85,025 49,130 343,456,451 157,790 371,404 4,040 46,344,054.50 267,570 11,088,825 193,180,864 1,550,250 15,852,942.50 559,300

605,845.50 -102,238,357.50 12,476,074 -145,635 327,936 -85,025 -82,151,704 -11,670 -45,573,609.50 -135,040 -15,975,226 5,620,032.50 -

37.25 14.08 0.59 1.24 19.62 0.224 123 2.95 16.3 220 49 23.45 55 61 80 1.91 5 8.9 10.78 15.68 11.2 7.17 5.21 14.38 61.5 19.3 8.75 15.32 2 274 5.03 3.23 25.95 12.5 21.7 322.2 0.18 6.58 2.34 4.18 8.8 5.65 7.85 1.4 12.5 49.6 6.01 4.63 2.52 1.7 12.6 66.5 5.5 0.133 0.94 124.1 2.84 0.8

INDUSTRIAL 39.3 4,620,000 14.16 449,300 0.6 332,000 1.29 332,000 19.96 95,900 0.224 1,250,000 123 10 3.04 4,544,000 16.86 1,567,600 220 100 49.95 444,470 23.45 18,700 55 40 61.05 4,020 80 110 1.92 35,000 5 17,200 9 103,200 11.04 6,193,700 15.96 2,347,800 11.48 880,500 7.2 140,300 5.28 1,655,700 14.98 1,025,000 65.05 135,170 19.48 22,800 8.75 12,300 15.48 6,704,500 2.06 519,000 274 2,835,720 5.03 55,600 3.23 18,000 28.35 2,055,600 12.78 27,200 22.2 3,576,400 322.8 1,854,430 0.18 80,000 6.58 35,300 2.34 3,372,000 4.28 122,000 8.85 5,585,800 5.76 205,300 7.85 50,200 1.4 280,000 12.5 1,300 49.8 573,780 6.05 13,600 4.63 13,000 2.67 1,068,000 1.75 124,000 13.1 492,200 67 383,700 5.5 1,305,700 0.133 50,000 0.99 530,000 128 4,440,100 2.93 9,318,000 0.82 1,280,000

180,417,430 6,353,396 195,910 416,030 1,904,427 282,770 1,230 13,751,560 26,376,186 22,600 22,253,882 440,215 2,200 245,957 8,805 67,030 86,000 925,581 68,149,140 37,442,234 10,126,272 1,007,989 8,696,810 15,318,624 8,693,811.50 441,484 108,156 103,926,074 1,057,650 781,208,262 279,780 58,140 57,841,890 342,096 79,621,935 600,649,436 14,400 232,280 7,942,780 528,720 49,801,447 1,176,816 394,928 392,250 16,292 28,557,848.50 82,771 60,270 2,841,230 215,270 6,218,138 25,743,545 7,192,668 6,650 500,900 567,834,160 27,484,000 1,043,850

-4,099,415 -223,446 392,338 414,500 -946,730 505 -2,200 -745,016 1,179,826 1,839,168 6,161,398.00 -87,847 669,897 178,250 2,308,790 -39,825 3,751,010 -221,736,474 -1,061,565 140,158 -12,195,880 10,266,418 -216,680 -22,724,859 -237,328 112,000 -12,280,960 -34,080 -5,113,908 10,297,843.00 11,070 24,700 -101,880,384 -1,018,520 8,000

0.215 61 13.3 0.88 6.2 0.69 0.71 940 6.39 10.8 7.65 4.18 0.2 997.5 6.99 58.25 5.02 5.38 5.41 0.59 4.08 21.3 0.58 4.77 0.037 1.51 2.96 2.9 142.5 2.55 870 1.63 575 266 0.239

0.205 57.8 12.94 0.88 6.19 0.66 0.67 925.5 6.14 10.16 7.65 4.18 0.196 970 6.5 55.2 5.02 5.35 5.35 0.57 3.8 20.65 0.57 4.6 0.037 1.39 2.88 2.9 140.4 2.55 856 1.58 575 259 0.228

HOLDING FIRMS 0.205 5,300,000 57.8 19,072,520 13.3 21,249,600 0.88 10,000 6.2 64,200 0.66 1,842,000 0.68 506,000 940 1,031,890 6.14 2,247,900 10.8 18,838,200 7.65 500 4.18 3,000 0.2 360,000 970 350,040 6.5 1,600 57.1 8,780,750 5.02 100 5.35 27,400 5.35 39,000 0.58 95,000 3.8 26,344,000 20.65 1,439,400 0.58 200,000 4.65 80,883,000 0.037 1,200,000 1.48 32,546,000 2.91 1,360,000 2.9 35,000 142 270,340 2.55 15,000 868 853,120 1.63 32,000 575 20 265.8 4,680 0.234 3,540,000

1,109,320 1,104,119,684 281,354,376 8,800 398,029 1,236,760 346,180 967,638,240 13,859,837 200,730,930 3,825 12,540 71,960 340,035,735 10,449 500,405,805.50 502 146,701 209,091 54,980 100,362,470 29,757,710 114,280 377,620,340 44,400 48,021,880 3,966,980 101,500 38,337,850 38,250 737,348,145 51,060 11,500 1,239,494 820,350

-145,873,803 -5,282,846 274,000 95,450,675 -2,587,961 9,305,526 -43,308,120 -16,111,870.50 8,055 -44,010,580 4,406,475 9,144,230 -27,600 -247,800 11,073,068 -37,818,045 -11,500 -88,168 -

7.45 1.01 14.36 2.03 0.8 41 3.43 4.78 5.85 6.6 0.435 1.04 0.96 0.235 0.445 31.1 0.63 1.61 1.28

7.32 0.99 13.98 2.01 0.78 39.8 3.32 4.7 5.71 5.81 0.425 1.01 0.96 0.226 0.445 29.2 0.62 1.57 1.26

5,724,425 2,424,400 113,342 171,150 415,680 1,135,985,695 135,910 2,815,850 805,138 11,428 2,048,850 25,850 104,640 658,400 4,450 30,546,925 94,450 25,015,560 779,970

-446,172 88,000 -325,439,605 -10 940,000 -193,994 38,750 -20,800 14,400 48,300 -8,736,430 3,577,620 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

58.1 96.95 2.86 129.2 1.5 33.85 6.7 16.7 14.74 3.57 9.83 0.66 850.5 0.53 79 1.06 12.4 20.25 51.1 207.8 35.8 189 1,950 89.1 1.19

59 97.9 2.99 130.5 1.58 33.95 6.7 16.7 15.1 3.68 9.83 0.66 850.5 0.54 81 1.08 12.4 20.25 51.1 207.8 37.85 195 1,950 90 1.19

58.05 95 2.75 127 1.5 33.75 6.7 16.52 14.74 3.55 9.36 0.66 850 0.52 79 1.05 12.38 20.15 50.9 203.4 35.5 188 1,950 89 1.19

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

38 14.14 0.59 1.27 20.05 0.224 123 2.95 16.42 235 50.5 23.65 55 62 80.05 1.91 5 9.68 10.98 15.96 11.9 7.22 5.26 14.4 61.95 19.46 8.84 15.9 2.07 280 5.14 3.23 26.5 12.5 22.45 327.8 0.18 6.6 2.36 4.5 9.19 5.74 7.88 1.4 12.64 50 6.2 4.64 2.65 1.77 12.8 66.6 5.55 0.133 0.99 131.1 2.94 0.8

39.3 14.42 0.6 1.34 20.05 0.229 123 3.04 16.86 235 50.5 23.8 55 64 80.05 1.92 5 9.68 11.04 15.98 11.9 7.22 5.28 14.98 65.05 19.48 8.85 16.2 2.1 281.2 5.14 3.23 28.35 12.78 22.65 334 0.18 6.6 2.4 4.5 9.19 5.85 7.88 1.41 12.64 50 6.2 4.64 2.71 1.77 13.1 68.25 5.59 0.133 0.99 131.3 3.07 0.83

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

0.212 60 13.16 0.88 6.2 0.67 0.71 939.5 6.31 10.6 7.65 4.18 0.196 980 6.5 57.2 5.02 5.38 5.41 0.59 4.08 21.3 0.57 4.6 0.037 1.4 2.88 2.9 142 2.55 856 1.58 575 261 0.239

8990 HLDG A BROWN ANCHOR LAND ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CEBU HLDG CEBU PROP A CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE

7.45 1.01 14 2.03 0.79 40.6 3.33 4.75 5.85 6.6 0.435 1.04 0.96 0.226 0.445 30.1 0.63 1.6 1.26

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

IRC PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

1.07 4.57 0.62 0.44 0.51 2.55 20.1 2.08 3.3 37.3 1.08 11.28 0.82 6.6

1.07 4.86 0.64 0.475 0.52 2.62 22.05 2.08 3.3 37.8 1.1 12.48 0.83 6.95

1.02 4.57 0.62 0.44 0.5 2.55 20 2.02 3.25 36.7 1.08 10 0.82 6.5

1.02 4.86 0.62 0.455 0.52 2.6 22.05 2.06 3.29 37 1.1 10 0.83 6.95

413,000 48,783,000 57,893,000 5,210,000 2,961,000 1,465,000 12,781,200 219,000 49,000 102,018,400 369,000 7,302,900 63,000 6,642,100

424,230 235,452,950 36,361,880 2,408,050 1,510,750 3,799,500 273,432,305 444,590 159,440 3,778,983,235 400,110 81,379,862 52,260 45,570,463

54,365,200 -6,450 45,250 -510,000 2,590 165,500,460 10,250 586,182,310 688,618 26,730,141

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

15.62 26.7 0.45 0.044 12.8 5.03 10.8 0.054 89 7.4 7.7 2.24 19.2 1,523 5.7 310 3.94 2.25 83 13 8.21 0.112 3.8 15.2 4.16 1.03 26.1 5.8 2.97 18.78 10 11.82 9.5 2.85 126 5.48 1,288 0.98 0.35 47 88 7.88 2.16 1.18 0.435 4.9 0.83 11.26

15.98 27.15 0.49 0.044 12.8 5.41 11.14 0.055 89.75 7.4 7.7 2.24 19.2 1,616 5.7 312 3.94 2.25 84.5 13.3 8.21 0.112 3.8 15.2 4.3 1.1 26.45 6 3.01 18.78 10.26 11.82 9.5 2.99 128 5.57 1,300 1.01 0.355 47 88 7.88 2.19 1.19 0.445 4.9 0.84 11.28

15.62 26.3 0.45 0.044 12.6 5.03 10.7 0.054 87 7.18 7.7 2.24 17.84 1,523 5.63 299 3.8 2.08 82 13 8.21 0.112 3.8 15.04 4.13 1.03 25.9 5.4 2.97 18 9.6 11.82 9.3 2.85 126 5.46 1,270 0.98 0.35 46.35 86.6 7.79 2.15 1.17 0.435 4.8 0.81 11.2

SERVICES 15.7 26.3 0.47 0.044 12.8 5.41 10.8 0.054 87 7.25 7.7 2.24 18.16 1,616 5.69 312 3.87 2.08 84.5 13 8.21 0.112 3.8 15.06 4.3 1.08 26 5.71 2.99 18.76 9.69 11.82 9.3 2.85 128 5.57 1,295 1.01 0.355 46.7 88 7.79 2.19 1.18 0.44 4.83 0.83 11.2

8,500 101,100 5,750,000 400,000 90,200 3,000 28,436,900 3,700,000 176,150 528,900 100 2,000 332,500 129,010 553,000 23,640 313,000 22,000 5,654,440 33,400 2,500 280,000 2,000 17,800 857,000 1,580,000 5,694,500 6,265,000 320,000 10,800 16,230,200 200 5,300 111,000 270 217,700 315,375 4,403,000 2,450,000 434,400 150,840 157,400 134,000 168,000 3,110,000 15,504,000 2,128,000 763,400

133,116 2,732,715 2,701,350 17,600 1,154,160 15,850 308,378,360 199,810 15,457,488.50 3,829,323 770 4,480 6,120,092 206,549,160 3,143,164 7,261,130 1,204,870 46,100 474,595,579.50 434,268 20,525 31,360 7,600 268,638 3,588,250 1,694,390 148,091,925 35,569,406 953,640 194,640 160,763,920 2,364 49,510 325,610 34,290 1,200,230 407,893,170 4,389,350 859,250 20,304,935 13,226,144.50 1,232,114 288,610 197,880 1,366,800 74,856,740 1,743,200 8,553,790

21,980 113,750 255,600 29,856,994 -4,270,064.50 1,823,958 -197,724 40,753,800 -12,160 -96,090 37,315,723 -19,040 27,000 12,720 25,456,515 -4,458,245 -95,170 -2,830,276 -17,400 7,670 -219,200 -36,045,265 103,820 -9,584,790 -10,163,430 -114,180 52,800 -63,848,030.00 -820 4,362,708

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

0.0027 1.6 4.25 18.38 1.7 7.45 2.41 0.18 0.134 0.137 0.0096 1.62 4.75 1.15 0.51 0.9 0.012 0.011 2 5.14 12.22 28.5

0.0028 1.64 4.25 18.5 1.71 7.45 2.43 0.18 0.135 0.138 0.0098 1.62 4.92 1.15 0.53 0.92 0.012 0.011 2.1 5.5 13.4 28.75

0.0027 1.59 4.23 17.02 1.7 7.27 2.39 0.175 0.134 0.135 0.0096 1.5 4.74 1.11 0.51 0.86 0.012 0.011 2 5.12 12 28.5

MINING & OIL 0.0028 40,000,000 1.6 4,345,000 4.25 13,000 18.5 11,000 1.71 1,533,000 7.45 1,200 2.42 1,723,000 0.175 140,000 0.135 510,000 0.138 90,000 0.0097 7,000,000 1.53 319,000 4.92 2,215,000 1.11 4,000 0.53 128,000 0.88 153,000 0.012 12,700,000 0.011 700,000 2.01 174,000 5.5 258,100 13.12 7,089,300 28.6 754,600

109,100 6,995,840 55,230 201,388 2,612,550 8,760 4,147,880 24,600 68,840 12,320 68,200 500,650 10,643,070 4,480 67,580 136,710 152,400 7,700 352,090 1,332,780 92,043,872 21,569,420

40,750.00 55,230 72,300 0 -1,128,430 -23,470 -10,250 -623,781 -4,826,626 -7,568,525

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 ALCO PREF B DD PREF GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B LR PREF MWIDE PREF PNX PREF 3A SFI PREF SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

25.55 499 105 100.5 5.44 978 985 1.05 103.5 103 2.15 993 76 79.95 75.8 77 78

25.7 499 105 101 5.44 998.5 990 1.05 103.5 103 2.15 993 76.9 79.95 75.8 77 78

25 499 105 100.5 5.42 832 980 1.05 103.5 103 2.15 993 75.5 79.95 75.2 77 77

PREFERRED 25 190,100 499 200 105 30 101 180 5.44 494,800 998.5 4,060 980 2,770 1.05 75,000 103.5 380 103 10 2.15 1,000 993 100 76.9 18,930 79.95 10 75.25 502,710 77 2,800 77 359,610

4,820,865 99,800 3,150 18,130 2,691,710 3,386,555 2,717,820 78,750 39,330 1,030 2,150 99,300 1,433,107 799.5 37,828,798 215,600 27,709,970

-2,868,660 -2,690,624 -

LR WARRANT

2.51

2.6

2.5

WARRANTS 2.54 386,000

969,260

ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

5.5 3.03 3.35

5.54 3.03 3.44

5.01 3.03 3.28

5.08 3.03 3.29

6,721,568 3,030 9,853,420

-26,950 17,490

FIRST METRO ETF

115.5

116.2

115.1

2,294,478

20,883

USD DMPL A1

10.2

29,886

PROPERTY 7.32 1 14.36 2.01 0.79 39.8 3.4 4.7 5.71 6 0.43 1.01 0.96 0.229 0.445 29.2 0.62 1.61 1.28

777,900 2,429,000 8,100 85,000 528,000 28,431,500 40,000 595,000 139,400 1,900 4,750,000 25,000 109,000 2,890,000 10,000 1,027,700 152,000 15,705,000 618,000

TRADING SUMMARY

FINANCIAL

18,570,236

INDUSTRIAL

73,476,679

HOLDING FIRMS

229,453,663

PROPERTY

304,519,171

SERVICES

109,218,609

MINING & OIL

80,656,572

GRAND TOTAL

820,139,435

SME

1,279,200 1,000 2,943,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 115.2 19,840 10.2

DDS

2,930

VALUE 1,866.66 (UP) 16.28 1,805,617,711.67 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,757.91 (DOWN) 56.13 2,793,538,162.73 HOLDING FIRMS 7,329.53 (UP) 13.52 4,823,160,158.16 PROPERTY 3,755.30 (UP) 22.55 SERVICES 1,481.31 (UP) 12.21 5,668,398,109.59 MINING & OIL 10,021.60 (UP) 276.59 1,984,313,951.03 PSEI 7,497.17 (UP) 27.03 141,154,044.0355 All Shares Index 4,588.29 (UP) 16.98 17,235,059,885.25 Gainers: 102; Losers: 101; Unchanged: 41; Total: 244

Del Monte to hold IPO this month By Jenniffer B. Austria

FRUIT producer Del Monte Philippines Inc. plans to conduct a P17.5-billion initial public offering this month, after it obtained the approval of the Philippine Stock Exchange. Under the plan, DMPI will sell 587.437 million shares at up to P29.88 apiece. The offer shares represent 21 percent of the company’s outstanding capital stock. Offer period will be from June 8 to 18, while listing date was tentatively set on June 25. DMPI said the offer shares consist of secondary shares to be sold by shareholder Central American Resources Inc. which is a whollyowned subsidiary of Del Monte Pacific Resources Limited. Del Monte Pacific Resource is wholly-owned by Del Monte Pacific Ltd. Net proceeds from the offering will be used to partially prepay/repay certain facilities extended by DMPL and to refinance certain financial obligation of the DMPL group to significantly reduce its leverage position. DMPL tapped BDO Unibank Inc., BPI Capital Corp. and China Bank Capital Corp as the joint domestic lead underwriters and DBS Bank Ltd. and Nomura as joint international lead underwriters. Documents showed that up to 70 percent of the offer shares would be sold to domestic investors, while the remaining 30 percent would be sold to foreign institutional and retail investors. DMPI is primarily engaged in the production and sale of food and beverage products in the Philippines under the Del Monte brand such as fruit juices and juice drinks, packaged pineapple and mixed fruit, various tomato, spaghetti sauces and culinary mixes, and the export of these products under other brands. It produces pineapple in its 25,000-hectare plantation in Bukidnon and operates a processing facility with annual capacity of 700,000 tons. DMPI generated P26.7 billion in revenues in the fiscal year 2017.

Megaworld eyes P6.5-b sales from new BGC tower OFFICE and condominium builder Megaworld Corp. said Thursday it expects to raise up to P6.5 billion in sales from the newly launched residential tower within the 34.5-hectare McKinley West township in Fort Bonifacio. Megaworld said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the 25-story Park Mckinley West would have 514 units at an average price of P216,000 per square meter. Megaworld said the project would offer one-bedroom units with a floor area of 48.5 square meters; twobedroom units with up to 110 sqm; three-bedroom units with 212 sqm; four-bedroom units with 229 sqm; and five-bedroom penthouse units with 336 sqm. “In this residential development, we focused on a wider choices of unit layouts to cater to the varying requirements of urban condo dwellers who are looking for properties in this side of Fort Bonifacio,” Megaworld senior vice president for sales and marketing Noli Hernandez said. The project is expected to be completed by 2022. The new residential tower also offers generous amenities to residents including swimming pool (lap pool and children’s pool), fitness center, function rooms, yoga room and outdoor yoga deck. Other amenities include a pool deck with pool lounge chairs, outdoor sitting areas, water features, children’s playground, game room and a sky garden at the 15th floor. “From seasoned achievers to young professionals and executives, and rising entrepreneurs, Park McKinley West becomes a testimony of everyone’s accomplishment in life. We are tapping on this new generation of accomplished individuals to live in this rising business district,” said Hernandez. Park McKinley West is the third residential development launched in McKinley West. Jenniffer B. Austria

Manila

Standard

TODAY

IN BRIEF Russian FM Lavrov arrives in Pyongyang SEOUL—Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Pyongyang Thursday, an AFP photographer said, ahead of a landmark summit between Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Lavrov’s visit comes amid a flurry of diplomatic activity to organize next month’s summit, with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also meeting Kim’s right-hand man Kim Yong Chol in New York late Wednesday. Lavrov was met by Vice Foreign Minister Sin Hong Chol at the airport. “Sergei Lavrov, foreign minister of the Russian Federation, arrived here on Thursday at the invitation of Ri Yong Ho, foreign minister of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea)”, KCNA news agency said in a brief dispatch. It gave no further details but Russia’s Tass news agency said the two foreign ministers had begun talks at the Supreme People’s Assembly building in Pyongyang. The Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier they were expected to discuss “vital issues of bilateral relations and key international and regional issues”. AFP

Assad threatens US-backed Kurds DAMASCUS—Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has warned USbacked Kurdish forces he would not hesitate to use force to retake the third of the country they control. “The only problem left in Syria is the SDF,” Assad told Russia Today in an interview aired Thursday, referring to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces that has spearheaded battles against Islamic State group jihadists. “We’re going to deal with it by two options,” he said. “The first one: we started now opening doors for negotiations. Because the majority of them are Syrians, supposedly they like their country, they don’t like to be puppets to any foreigners,” Assad said. “We have one option, to live with each other as Syrians. If not, we’re going to resort... to liberating those areas by force,” he said. “It’s our land, it’s our right and it’s our duty to liberate it, and the Americans should leave. Somehow they’re going to leave,” he said. AFP

Evacuations urged as lava flow advances LOS ANGELES—Authorities urged people in Hawaii Wednesday to evacuate an area at risk of being cut off by a flood of lava from the erupting Kilauea volcano. “Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports that lava from several fissures continues to advance toward the Kapoho area,” a Civil Defense message said, referencing an area that was devastated during a 1960 eruption. “Residents of Kapoho Beach Lots and Vacationland are advised to evacuate. You are at risk of being isolated due to possible lava inundation,” the message added. Authorities had earlier advised that lava flow from Fissure 8 had blocked a major highway and caused an electricity blackout, and recommended evacuations of other nearby areas as telephone communications were cut. Meanwhile, a 4.5 magnitude earthquake with an epicenter at Kilauea itself was recorded on Wednesday at 11:00 am (0000 GMT). Although it was felt strongly in the area, authorities dismissed the possibility of a tsunami. AFP

Cuban leader defends Maduro on first visit CARACAS—Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel rallied to the defense of embattled ally Nicolas Maduro on his first foreign visit Wednesday, calling on Latin American nations to support his Venezuelan counterpart’s cause. The Cuban, who succeeded Raul Castro on April 19, was received with open arms by Maduro’s government—Cuba’s closest political and economic ally—on his arrival at Caracas’ Maiquetia airport. “Very happy to be in Venezuela; and long live the Bolivarian revolution, and also, long live President Maduro,” Diaz-Canel said. After being honored at the presidential palace by Maduro, Diaz-Canel stressed: “No matter how big the troubles and challenges may be, you can rely on Cuba—today and always. The support is unconditional.” Diaz-Canel said the main reason for his visit to Venezuela was to show solidarity with Maduro after his May 20 reelection was widely dismissed as a sham by the US, EU and 13 other Latin American states. AFP

World

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

122 pregnant whales killed in hunt T OKYO―Japan killed 122 pregnant minke whales during a highly controversial annual whaling expedition that Tokyo defends as scientiﬁc research but conservationists call “gruesome and unnecessary.”

The four-month expedition in the Antarctic ended in March after the ﬂeet killed 333 minke whales, according to a report submitted by Japanese authorities to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) last month. Of those, 122 were pregnant, according to the Japanese report, with dozens more immature whales among those killed. Humane Society International, a conservationist group, called the ﬁgures “a shocking statistic and sad indictment on the cruelty of Japan’s whale hunt”. “It is further demonstration, if needed, of the truly gruesome and unnecessary nature of whaling operations, especially when non-lethal surveys have

Anti-Kremlin journalist back from the dead, is applauded KIEV―Ukraine sought to justify faking the death of an anti-Kremlin journalist who appeared alive and well at a press conference in Kiev less than 24 hours after he was “murdered”, citing an alleged Russian plot to kill him. Onlookers gasped and applauded as Arkady Babchenko reappeared on Wednesday, introduced by the head of Ukraine’s security service, who said the murder had been staged in order to foil an attempt on his life by Moscow. Less than 24 hours earlier, Ukraine said the reporter had died from three gunshots to the back in the stairwell of his apartment building in a contractstyle killing in a case that provoked an outpouring of grief and a diplomatic spat. “Thanks to this operation we were able to foil a cynical plot and document how the Russian security service was planning for this crime,” security service head Vasyl Grytsak said at the press conference. Grytsak announced authorities had arrested the alleged mastermind of the plot, saying a Ukrainian citizen named only by the initial G. had offered to pay a hitman to carry out the killing after being recruited by Russian special forces and paid $40,000. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko later met Babchenko and wrote triumphantly on Facebook that “millions of people are celebrating” the journalist’s new lease of life. The planned attack was “organized from Russian territory” with the aim of “destabilizing the situation in Ukraine” and “killing one whom Russia fears most of all”, he said. “Thanks to Arkady and the Ukrainian security chiefs, for not allowing this scenario to be carried out in our country.” Anton Guerachtchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, likened the plot to a story from a crime novel, saying on Facebook that “Sherlock Holmes successfully used the method of staging his own death to efﬁciently solve complicated crimes”. But Moscow, later Wednesday, condemned the plot, with the foreign ministry saying “now the true motives are beginning to be revealed for this staging, which is totally obviously yet another antiRussian provocation”. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it was “great news” that Babchenko was alive but on Twitter she slammed the “propagandistic effect” of the set-up. AFP

been shown to be sufficient for scientific needs,” said the group’s senior program manager, Alexia Wellbelove. Japan is a signatory to the International Whaling Commission, which has maintained a moratorium on hunting whales since 1986. But Tokyo exploits a loophole allowing whales to be killed for “scientific research” and claims it is trying to prove the population is large enough to sustain a return to commercial hunting. It makes no secret of the fact that meat from the expeditions ends up on dinner tables. Japan’s Fisheries Agency defended the hunt, saying it was not targeting pregnant whales.

“We catch whales totally at random,” said Yuki Morita, an official in charge of whaling at the agency. “The IWC scientific committee recognizes the number of whales we hunt is at the level that is necessary for research, but not above the level that would hurt the conservation of the stock,” he added. “We’d like to stress here that the high ratio of pregnant females is noteworthy... This shows there are many mature females, suggesting we can expect growth in resources stock,” he told AFP. Japan has hunted whales for centuries, and their meat was a key source of protein in the immediate post-World War II years when the country was desperately poor. But consumption has declined significantly in recent decades, with much of the population saying they rarely or never eat whale meat. The submission to the IWC contains details of the scientific research that To-

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR THE APPROVAL OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURES (CAPEX) FOR THE YEAR 2017 IMPLEMENTED CAPEX AND THE PROPOSED 2018 TO 2020 PROJECTS, WITH PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY,

Project SCADA Service Drops Smarts Meters Growth Metering Equipment Refurbishment CT Analyzer

ERC CASE NO. 2017-111 RC

CABANATUAN ELECTRIC CORPORATION (CELCOR), Applicant. x-----------------------------------------------x NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 12 December 2017, Cabanatuan Electric Corporation (CELCOR) filed an Application dated 06 December 2017 (Application) seeking the Commission’s approval of its capital expenditures (CAPEX) for the year 2017 implemented CAPEX and the proposed 2018 to 2020 projects, with prayer for provisional authority. CELCOR alleged the following in its Application: THE APPLICANT 1. Applicant CABANATUAN ELECTRIC CORPORATION (hereinafter referred to as “CELCOR” for brevity) is a domestic corporation duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with principal office address at Brgy. Bitas, Maharlika Highway, Cabanatuan City. 2. It is a duly authorized distribution utility with a franchise area covering the entire territory of Cabanatuan City, Province of Nueva Ecija. The City of Cabanatuan is a chartered city under Republic Act No. 526 entitled “An Act Creating the City of Cabanatuan”. 3.

It was granted franchise renewal by an act of Congress under R.A. 9968 which extended its authority to operate and distribute power to the City of Cabanatuan for another 25 years beginning March 6, 2010 until March 6, 2035.

On August 15, 2015, CELCOR filed its CAPEX expenditure program for the year 2015, which was docketed under ERC Case No. 2015-150 RC. The said application is still awaiting the decision of the Commission.

The program of CELCOR, geared towards improving the services to its customers and ensuring its compliance with various performance standards of the Philippine Distribution Code, is required so that it can fulfill and comply with the stated requirements of Section 2 of its Congressional Franchise.

This application is being filed before the Honorable Commission for the consideration and approval of CELCOR’s proposed Capital Expenditure Projects for the period 2017 to 2021 in compliance with the requirements of ERC and other pertinent laws and rules.

A. CAPEX PROJECTS 7.

The CAPEX program of CELCOR was group into Network and NonNetwork with projects that would address the adequacy, safety, reliability, and efficiency of the distribution system and provide the Company with the necessary supporting facilities and equipment for the utility’s operation. Forecasted growth was matched with appropriate projects while compliance with regulatory and statutory requirement was given its due attention in both categories of the program. The following factors greatly influenced the program of CELCOR for the RY 2017 - 2020: a.

Capacity addition and improvement of load transfer capability. CELCOR’s analysis of the distribution system and demand forecast indicated the need to add capacity in substation, MV transmission line section, distribution transformers, and additional route for load transfer between substations. These projects will ensure that CELCOR can cope with the growing demand of its customers and will enable it to sustain the requirements of the franchise area for its growing economy.

Network efficiency and reliability. In addition to the necessary infrastructure for load growth, CELCOR has also programmed the projects that will improve the efficiency of its distribution system and the reliability of its transmission facilities. These are part of its core mandate which the Company needs to undertake to satisfy the demand of its Customers for reliable supply of power.

Regulated service, Metering facility, and support equipment. The forecasted growth in customer connections requires that it be supported by corresponding projects in the metering facility for both refurbishment and growth purposes. It includes the use of electronic meters which will provide a more accurate and dependable registration of energy consumption while providing power quality data for engineering analysis.

It is imperative for CELCOR to implement this program expenditures to eliminate concerns on metering facility’s inaccuracy and inefficiency as a source of losses. The projects under this category will enable CELCOR to cope up with the very stringent requirements of the system loss cap. Compliance with regulatory and statutory requirements. Apart from the forecasted growth and supply continuity, CELCOR is required to comply with the standards in power quality, service related indices, monitoring of electrical parameters, and maintenance of its facilities. These are mandatory requirements which CELCOR needs to report on a regular basis. Appropriate projects have to be set in place to satisfy these prescribed standards. Work station equipment, data processing software, and automation technology With the robust development in the franchise area, CELCOR is constrained to provide a more reliable service with emphasis on supply continuity and expeditious response to the transmission line concerns in the distribution system. CELCOR would like to use updated technology in operating its power facilities and to benefit from the cost saving that will be derived from lower operational expense while improving its system reliability with the use of SCADA. Complementary support and service efficiency improvement for distribution system operation.

The Network projects of CELCOR require complementing Non-Network project expenditures which will have an impact on its overall objective to improve its business and to be more responsive to the needs of its customers. The projects under this category are an indispensable and significant component of its mandate to provide for the conveyance of power within the franchise area and will serve both the employees’ working environment and data processing requirement. 8. Provided in the Annexes are the individual description of the Network and Non-network projects with their respective Gantt Charts and detailed discussion and information on the major component of the program expenditures. B. LIST OF CAPEX PROJECTS

Therefore, to fulfill the mandate of CELCOR as the duly authorized utility to operate the franchise area in the City of Cabanatuan, CELCOR is hereby proposing the following Network Projects for 2017 - 2020: NETWORK Project Bangad Substation Transformer Correction Schemes Distribution Rehabilitation and Upgrading Proiect Distribution Minor CAPEX Installation of Switch and Fixed Type Capacitors Installation of Mid-feeder Recloser and Sectionalizer Installation of Voltage Regulators Fault Current Indicators Smart Arresters SElL Labelling Street Light Project

Category Capacity Capacity

Cost 124,810,546.21 15,639,834.95

kyo says justifies the continued expeditions, including measurements on the weight and blubber thickness and stomach contents of the killed whales, and data on sighting locations. In 2014, the International Court of Justice ordered Tokyo to end the Antarctic hunt, saying it found permits issued by Japan were “not for purposes of scientific research”. Tokyo canceled the hunt the following year, but resumed it in 2016, also killing around 300 minke whales. Earlier this year, the fisheries ministry confirmed it was studying a possible upgrade to its aging lead whaling ship, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed to continue the hunts. “We will pursue all possibilities in order to resume commercial whaling, including opportunities at the September meeting of the IWC,” he told parliament, when asked to comment on the nation’s policy. AFP

Reliability

38,414,920.87

Reliability

13,074,265.71

Code SS-01 TL-01 BB-01 to BB-06 LL-01 to LL-010 Phases 1,2,3, and 4

Power Quality

9,699,802.00

PQ-01/ 02

Power Quality

6,518,981.50

PQ-03/04

Power Quality Reliability Reliability Safety Safety

9,785,119.50 1,632,000.00 241,800.00 218,845.44 13,462,798.31

PQ-05 FL-01 FL-02 FL-03 SL-01

The complete discussions of the proposals are described in the individual Project Description and Justification attached as Annex” A” . NON-NETWORK 10. And to improve the services that complement Network operations, internal business processing, and customer related services, CELCOR is proposing the following Non Network Projects for 2017-2020:

Category Automation Technology Service Drops Meters Meters and Instrument Transformers Testing Equipment Consumer Consumption Rover M Monitoring Remote Communication Communication Equipment Devices or Thermal Imaging Infrared Camera Tools and Measuring Instrument Amprobe Tic 300 AC Voltage Tools and Measuring Devices Detector Instrument Dranetz Explorer Power Quality Tools and Measuring Devices Analyzer Instrument Tools and Measuring Devices Fluke 381 AC/DC Clamp Meter Instrument Phenix Technologies Transformer Tools and Measuring Devices Test Set Instrument Tools and Measuring Devices HT9022 Power Quality Analyzer Instrument Fluke 1555 Insulation Resistance Tools and Measuring Devices Tester Instrument Engineering Analysis Software Engineering Software Lineman Tools and equipment Tools and equipment Computer and Server Upgrading Information System Equipment Microsoft Visual Studio Information System Equipment VMware Enterprises Information System Equipment Finishing works of new Building Structures and Improvement and additional Third Floor Site Development Structures and Improvement Refurbishment of old Building Structures and Improvement Emergency Generator Structures and Improvement New Truck with mounted Transportation Equipment articulated crane Renewal of L300 Vehicles Transportation Equipment

Cost 24,622,298.83 46,584,788.00 84,185,000.00

Code SSD-01 TSD-01 TSD-02

30,374,180.00

TSD-03

2,500,000.00

TSD-04

780,000.00

TSD-05

800,000.00

TSD-06

1,923,300.00

EDS-01

18,332.16

EDS-02

1,650,320.00

EDS-03

40,446.56

EDS-04

3,050,600.55

EDS-05

93,770.00

EDS-06

330,040.48

EDS-07

2,600,000.00 6,698,754.00 5,473,241.00 96,900.00 1,002,311.65

EDS-08 CNM-01 MIS-01 MIS-02 MIS-03

49,391,512.00

ADM-01

20,000,000.00 5,000,000.00 2,615,002.31

ADM-02 ADM-03 ADM-04

9,291,999.97

ST-01

3,862,500.00

SV-01

11. The complete discussions of the proposals are described in the individual Project Description and Justification attached as Annex “B”. C. SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR THE CAPEX PROJECTS The proposed projects of CELCOR for its Network and Non-Network projects shall be funded by its retained earnings and by an increase in capital stocks. 12. To support its requirements, the Board of Directors of CELCOR released Resolution No. 15-17, on May 17, 2017, approving the Distribution Development Plan that it will submit to the DOE which includes its CAPEX programs for the years 2017 to 2020.

PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

ALLEGATIONS IN FURTHER SUPPORT OF CELCOR’S PRAYER FOR THE IMMEDIATE ISSUANCE OF A PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY 13. CELCOR repleads all the above allegations in further support of its prayer for the immediate issuance by this Honorable Commission of an Order provisionally authorizing it to implement its capital expenditures for 20172020. Project Name Proposed New 25MVA Bangad Substation Distribution Rehabilitation and Upgrading Project Installation of Switch and Fixed Type Capacitors Installation of Midfeeder reclosers / Sectionalizers Installation of Voltage Regulators Other CAPEX (Network Projects) SCADA Regulated Retail Services CELCOR Main Office Development

Estimated Duration of the Project 1 year 3 years 3 years 3 years 1 year 3 years 3 years 4 years 1 year

Presented hereunder is the estimated duration of CELCOR’s proposed capital projects: 15. As of to-date, CELCOR will need at least four (4) years to complete the aforementioned capital projects. Thus, with the grant of a provisional authority, it would be able to immediately proceed with the projects to meet its customer’s requirements. 16. In further support of the aforementioned prayer, CELCOR attaches and marks as Annex “C” hereof the Sworn Statement executed by ENGR. EDWARD S. YAP. CELCOR’S COMPLIANCE WITH THE COMMISSION’S PRE-FILING REQUIREMENTS 17. In compliance with the Rules of Practice and Procedure of this Honorable Commission, CELCOR has furnished the legislative body of the City of Cabanatuan a copy of the present Application inclusive of its annexes. Copy of the Certification issued by the aforementioned legislative body attesting to the fact of service of a copy of the application and its annexes is hereto attached and marked as Annex “D”.

18. Furthermore, CELCOR had also caused the publication of the instant Application in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines. Copies of the Affidavit of Publication and the newspaper issue where the said Application was published are hereto attached and marked as Annexes “E” and “F” respectively. PRAYER WHEREFORE, in view of all the foregoing, it is respectfully prayed that upon the filing of the instant Application and pending hearing, an Order be immediately issued by this Honorable Commission provisionally authorizing CABANATUAN ELECTRIC CORPORATION to implement its proposed capital expenditures for 2017-2020, and that after due notice and hearing, the same be approved and considered used and useful within the Fourth Regulatory Period. Finally, CELCOR likewise prays that the aforementioned projects be considered as a deferred amount to be included in its Third Regulatory Period reset calculations. The Commission issued an Order with Notice of Public Hearing, both dated 28 February 2018, setting the case for initial hearing on 13 June 2018 at CELCOR’s principal office in Cabanatuan City. On 13 April 2018, CELCOR filed a Manifestation and Motion to Transfer Hearing Venue dated 12 April 2018 (Motion) praying to transfer the hearing venue due to non-availability of hall or room in its main office. Finding the said Motion in order, the Commission granted the same. Accordingly, the Commission hereby sets the instant Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on 13 June 2018 (Wednesday) at nine o’clock in the morning (9:00 A.M.), at the Nueva Ecija University and Technology (NEUST Campus) - Brgy. Sumacab Este, Cabanatuan City. All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant case may become a party by filing with the Commission a verified Petition to Intervene at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure, indicating therein the docket number and title of the case and stating the following: 1) The petitioner’s name and address; 2) The nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and 3) A statement of the relief desired. All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may file their Opposition or Comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before Applicant rests its case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following: 1) The name and address of such person; 2) A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and 3) The grounds relied upon. All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicant that they be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing. Applicant is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours. WITNESS, the Honorable Chairperson and CEO AGNES VST DEVANADERA, and the Honorable Commissioners ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAPTARUC and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 20th day of April 2018 in Pasig City.

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal (MS-MAY 25 & JUNE 1, 2018)

LGUs

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

friday, june 1, 2018

Street concert kicks off ‘Makati Makisalo’ party By Joel E. Zurbano

LocaL government units

Taguig: Use FB, social media to report smokers ThE Taguig City government on Thursday urged people to use their social media accounts to report smokers in public places and conveyances. Mayor Laarni Cayetano encouraged residents, workers and visitors in Taguig to directly report smoking concerns to the city’s official Facebook, Twitter and instagram pages “Smoke-Free Taguig” dedicated to the city’s campaign against smoking and vaping. “we are now stepping up the city’s initiative in fully implementing our campaign to achieve a smoke-free community, so we are asking everyone to give importance and protect the health of the general public,” said Cayetano. The city government also urged residents to follow the ordinance that prohibits smoking and vaping in public places and urges smokers to do so only in Designated Smoking Areas or DSAs. City ordinance no. 15, Series of 2017 says that DSAs should have highly visible and prominent “Designated Smoking Area” or “Smoking Area” signs, and a message that “Minors are not allowed within these premises.” The city opened a “one-Stop Shop” registration for DSAs earlier this month and continues to encourage building owners and locators in Taguig to properly establish designated smoking zones and have them registered with the city. Smoking and vaping in all forms of public conveyances, governmentowned vehicles, accommodation and entertainment establishments, workplaces, enclosed or partially enclosed public places, public buildings, and public outdoor spaces within the city are prohibited. Under the same ordinance, selling, advertising, and promoting cigarettes and/or Electronic nicotine Delivery System (EnDS) are not permitted within 100 meters from any point in the perimeter of a school, public playground, any office of the Department of health and attached agencies, hospitals and health facilities. Joel E. Zurbano

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada (center), a former smoker, breaks a cigarette stick along with other city officials as the capital city marked World No Tobacco Day on Thursday. It was the same scene in Muntinlupa as Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (center, inset) disposed confiscated cigarette packs from Oplan Sita operations of a local task force, and warned residents of the city’s smoking ban.

Manila hikes smoking fines By Vito Barcelo

AniLA Mayor Joseph Estrada on Thursday approved an ordinance raising the fine for smoking violators in the city from P500 to P5,000 and a three-day imprisonment as he led the observance of the “world no Tobacco Day” at the Manila City hall. Estrada, who himself quit smoking two years ago, signed City ordinance 7812, which revises the penalties for smoking in public places. he also directed all concerned City hall officials, including police and barangay officers, to strictly implement Manila’s smoking ban in a bid to lessen the risk of illnesses caused by using cigarettes and other tobacco products. The former President said smoking is prohibited in government offices, schools, hospitals, shopping malls, enclosed spaces, and other public areas.

The strict implementation of the nosmoking ordinance in Manila is in support of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive order mandating the same, Estrada said. The mayor also reminded everyone that smoking is bad for the health, citing a survey that 17 persons die every hour from diseases related to smoking such as lung cancer, heart disease, esophagus and mouth cancers, and others. The Philippine College of Chest Physicians also said some 900,000 Filipinos are suffering from various ailments due to second-hand smoke, Estrada noted.

According to health experts, tobacco, when smoked, is considered as one of man’s greatest killers. Every year, 87,600 Filipinos die of smoking-related ailments, including lung cancer and chronic lung diseases. Estrada said he wants to set a good example to young people by not smoking. “i stopped smoking, not just little by little but cold turkey. i suddenly stopped,” the mayor said. Estrada reiterated his call to all Manilenos to support the government’s initiatives and encouraged the people to stop smoking so the program would succeed and benefit the most people. A study done by the Food and nutrition Research institute showed that 47 percent of Filipino males and 16 percent of females are smokers, one of the highest rates worldwide. Moreover, one in three Filipino minors are already smoking by age 14.

MAkATi Mayor Abigail Binay asked city residents to join the city’s street party on Saturday, which will feature popular rock, indie and acoustic bands, and various artists. The party, starting at 4:30 pm. along Makati Avenue, is part of the “Makati Makisalo” 10-day festival marking the city’s 348th founding anniversary. “Everyone is welcome to join and celebrate with us. it is also an opportune time for Makatizens, especially the youth, to mingle with their local leaders in a casual setting. i am sure the millennials will have a great time watching the live performances of their favorite bands and artists,” Binay said Thursday. A performance by Adrinka, a local percussion group, which uses djembe (a goblet drum played with bare hands), will officially open the street party. The city government also announced it will implement road closures and traffic rerouting on Saturday, June 2, to celebrate the city’s anniversary. “The Public Safety Department [PSD] will be implementing road closures and traffic rerouting on Saturday starting at 1 am onwards,” said Romulo Salgado Jr., officer-incharge of the city’s information and Community Relations Department. Salgado advised motorists to avoid a stretch of Makati Avenue— from JP Rizal Street to kalayaan Avenue—that will be closed to traffic to give way for the parade and street party to be held in the afternoon until midnight. Motorists are also advised to expect heavy traffic and take the following alternate routes: vehicles coming from Mandaluyong City and Barangay guadalupe areas going to Ayala Avenue may take J.P. Rizal Street towards destination. vehicles going to Mandaluyong and JP Rizal areas may take P. Burgos Street towards destination. vehicles going to JP Rizal may take P. Burgos Street towards destination. The city government will deploy local enforcers to assist the motorists and manage the flow of traffic in the affected areas. The event will also feature various mainstream original Pinoy Music (oPM) bands and artists including Franco, a well-known rock band in the Philippine music arena with its hit track “Cast Away”. Franco Reyes, a native of Cebu, serves as the lead singer of the band.

MHI gives bamboo to Rizal group Showing keen interest in the environmental protection and economic potentials of bamboo, Marcventures holdings inc. has signed a partnership agreement that includes the company’s donation of 3,750 bamboo seedlings to a foundation engaged in community-based enterprise development in Rizal province. Mga Anak ni inang Daigdig will plant the seedlings in a 580-hectare area in Rizal that was awarded to the foundation under a stewardship agreement with the Department of Environment and natural Resources. headed by Fr. Benigno Beltran, MAiD aims to establish bamboo-based industries on its government-awarded land. These industries include a bamboo-shoot processing and the production of activated charcoal, animal feed, beauty products, barbecue sticks and chopsticks.

Fr. Beltran said MAiD also plans on engaging in bamboo furniture and construction materials later. To support these industries, MAiD will establish a bamboo tissue culture laboratory and bamboo incubator hub in the area. it also aims to develop the land for eco-tourism purposes. Mhi subsidiary Marcventures Mining and Development Corp. has launched its own Bamboo Plantation Development Program in the company’s nickel mining area in Surigao del Sur. The program seeks to develop an incomegenerating bamboo business that is managed by MMDC’s host communities and anchored on the company’s mine rehabilitation plan. To be implemented over a five-year period, the program includes the establishment of a 10-hectare demo bamboo plantation, business development, and market research.

Signing the partnership agreement are (seated from right) MHI president Isidro C. Alcantara, Jr., MAID executive director Fr. Benigno Beltran, and MMDC president Yulo E. Perez. Witnessing the signing are MMDC assistant vice president for Social Commitments Jose Dagala and MAID finance officer Nerie Beltran.

Tiangco brothers open HS building nAvoTAS Rep. Toby Tiangco and Mayor John Rey Tiangco recently led the inauguration of a four-story school building in navotas. navotas national high School now has an additional 16 rooms to accommodate some of its 4,000 students ahead of the opening of classes on June 4. “we put premium on the education of our youth. we want them to enjoy and feel comfortable while at school, so they would love learning,” Rep. Tiangco said. he thanked the Department of Education-navotas and the Department of Pub-

lic works and highways for their help and support in the construction of the building. Meanwhile, Mayor Tiangco said the city government will provide the needed facilities and equipment of the school. he also mentioned that the local government, together with Dep-Ed navotas, aims to reach the ideal student-classroom ratio and have single shift classes. An estimated 116 classrooms will be constructed this year according to oiCnavotas Schools Division Superintendent Meliton Zurbano. Jun David

Life

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

Culture and media

@MStandardLife friday, june 1, 2018

Ding saved the day in this one the SUPeRheRO AND the SIDeKICK. The Arts and Culture Cluster of the Dance Program of Benilde staged 'Ding, Ang Bato!, a dance musical based on Mars Ravelo's 'Darna' that chronicles the story of the Pinay superhero from the perspective of Ding.

hts villains ristine Crame) fig rano III) Ch by d ye la (p rlos Se Darna (portrayed by Ca alongside Ding

By danielle macadangdang

E ALL know the story of Darna: the red bikini-clad superhero created by Mars Ravelo who fights criminals and villains and whose human alter ego is known as the village girl Narda. But we don’t know her story from the perspective of “stone bearer” Ding. In the dance musical, ding, Ang Bato!, presented by the Arts and Culture Cluster of the Dance Program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, the story of the original Pinay superhero is told by Narda’s loyal and quirky deaf-mute brother Ding. The show has a way of captivating its audience in its own silent way. At the first part it presented the origin story of both Ding and Narda with a take on today’s society and politics at the end. It is an enthralling piece of production by an amazing group of students and a powerhouse production team. It presented a different version of Ding, played by Dance Program alumnus Carlos Serano III, and Narda, portrayed by AB Music and Production student Stacy

was met with a thunderous cheer and at that point you would be glad to have watched this play. Of course, the play itself wouldn’t be called Darna if the infamous gorgon villain was not present. Tina or Valentina (Natasha Cabrera) offered a funny take on the character. Completing the cast was Arman (Herc Ang), a childhood friend of Ding, Narda, and Tina, and the one who witnessed both villain and hero’s character development in the musical play. The play itself was an amazing tool to help raise awareness for deaf-mute people. The scores worked perfectly for each scene. The scenes' transitions offered a connection between the classic comics and today’s technological era.

review

Finding the Sun By Oscar Penaranda

The dance musical presented the story of Darna/Narda from the perspective of Ding

Abarca, where Ding is born deaf and Narda communicates with him through sign language. It follows the duo through their journey of loyalty, self-discovery, and empowerment. The brother and sister were living normally with their Lola Isabel (played by Paula Paguio), when a devastating event occurred and they were pulled into a different world far from where they grew up. Ding in the first scene was presented the mahigawang bato by Kawawang Engkanto (Kyle Confesor), and from then he took on the responsibility as the connection between Narda and Darna. The one thing that brought the house down during the production was the transformation of Narda into Darna (Christine Crame, Benilde’s Dance Program chair). The whole house was preparing for her entrance, and it was amazing. The lights, sounds, and projections worked through the audiences’ bones as she appeared in the middle of the stage looking all glorious and every bit of the hero we see in the comics. It

The portrayal of Ding is something hard to miss. The weight of Serano’s expressive face and how his character developed in the story were remarkable. Serano only did sign language to help steer the audience in the right pace of the story. The added touch of emotions in the gestures gave depth to the story. The tidal wave of empowerment through the songs managed to steadily build the plot into the turning point in which Ding, the deaf-mute brother, stole the show as he became the anchor of Darna/Narda. The Chris Millado-directed dance musical managed to break free from the typical storytelling and create a masterpiece of a character who's rich emotions made up for his lack of words. ding, Ang Bato! had a seven-day run, from May 15 to 21, at the SdA Theater, 5th floor of de La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Manila. Photos from DLS-CSB Facebook page

Finding the Sun is a collection of essays and articles by a variety of people from all walks of life, people who have seen and weathered many storms in their lives, and celebrated many joyful moments, small or grand, intimate or public. It is, so to speak, their letter to the world. Themes of Catholic life are common threads to their stories, like Tess Castañeda’s “Centering Prayer” and Neny Regino’s “Gratitude for Life,” along with the humanistic qualities of gratitude, patience, and love of family. Moreover, the penchant for the display (sometimes some might say over display) of awards and high positions and name dropping, one might notice in their writings, underscores the im importance and the stratification of power in their respective social worlds. In “St. Martin’s Bread,” Tess Isaac tells bittersweet memories of that beautiful land Mindanao and the ugly war that raged (and still does) and ravished the land, family lives, and town structures. One of my favorites is Bella Pilapil’s “Happily Ever After.” I could see the woman behind the writing, her confidence and wit, her off-the-mainstream attitude, and her personal rationale why she chose not to marry. She reminded me of a couple of aunts of mine. “Happily Ever After” is a cleverly constructed tale starting with the title. It is an appropriate style for her attitude and stance in life, pretty much all her life, that being your own person is a much worthier and satisfying goal

than just following conventional social norms and expectations. Light, witty, and at times biting, her personality shines through the writing. Pilapil talks of her “out-of-the-mainstream” attitude—humorous as life itself. It is a very interesting insight of a woman in her sixties who has been single all her life. I loved her spirit with a nostalgic bent.

Finding the Sun, a collection of essays and articles

The rewarding feelings of volunteerism is enumerated by Marite Cuervo in her essay, “A Life Helping Others.” Actually, “Nancy With the Laughing Face,” is a song for Frank Sinatra’s first wife Nancy, and the mother of Nancy Sinatra, the singer. It was the daughter that was named after the song that was inspired by her mother whose name she carried: Nancy. Nancy L. Ty, a multitasker of a woman, finds solace in Sunshine Place. In Clarita Villacorte Cabochan, “A Working Woman,” historic Baliwag town in Bulacan, made famous by what is now a legendary and revolutionary tune called “Jocelyn Baliwag,” inspired by a woman freedom fighter, is a major character in her story. The tune was sung by the people during the Philippine Wars for Independence against

Spain, the United States, and Japan; the terror and trauma of wars during and long after the wars and the interrupted and damaged lives the Second World War brought unto the country. Tess Castañeda’s “Centering Prayer” has several samples of running themes throughout many of the articles, such as: prayers and Catholicism integrated in daily living, providing comfort and community. In “Life Begins at 80,” Bert achieve Galano outlines his achievements starting with being the youngest guerilla in home his hometown at 8 years old. The many metaphors Mag used by Maggie Hayden in “What the Hell is She Up To” to describe life is a delight to read because she sprinkles it with her independent spirit. And the most touching of all the essays and the most candid is Neny Regino’s piece on her realization of the difference between loneliness and being alone, and coming to terms with pains and hurts, her moving narration on coping with loss and revival is indeed “Grateful for Life.” For after all, her essay is really what the book is all about! About the writer: Oscar Penaranda, born in Barugo, Leyte, is a US-based retired teacher. He has authored numerous stories, poems, and essays which have been anthologized internationally for about 40 years now. He has published two books: Seasons by the Bay (a novel in stories) and Full deck (Jokers Playing): Poems, a collection of poetry.

Entertainment

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2018

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor

How digital TV transformed the lives of Filipinos

A TALE of unbreakable

Wes Anderson’s new ﬁlm ‘Isle of Dogs’ is a stop-motion animation with canine heroes set in a near-future Japan.

Young Navoteños participate in the annual free talent and sports workshops organized at NavotaAs Sports Cam by the city government.

NAVOTAS KIDS get free talent, sports workshops SOME 1,000 young Navoteños attended the free talent and sports workshops by the Navotas City Government. Around 289 who joined the city’s Summer Youth Program (SYP) got the chance to get lessons in acting, dancing, drawing, playing guitar and arnis. Meanwhile, 865 trained under the NavotaAs Sports Camp Batch 17 where they learned how to play basketball, volleyball, badminton, taekwondo, table tennis, soccer, as well as instructions in judo, track & ﬁeld, poomsae, and swimming. “Young Navoteños deserve to have access to trainings and workshops that could develop and enhance their interest in arts or sports. We want them to enjoy and, at the same time, make the most of their summer break,” Mayor John Rey Tiangco said. The SYP, held once every year, is open to all Navoteños aged 7 to 18. The program was launched in 2000 during the term of then mayor and now Cong. Toby Tiangco to encourage the youth to discover and hone their talents. The sports clinic, on the other hand, is conducted thrice every year as part of the city’s campaign against illegal drugs. The program started in 2011, a year after the younger Tiangco took ofﬁce. The city has opened the registration for the NavotaAs Sports Camp Batch 18. Navoteños 7 to 21 years old may join the workshop. *** Love is truly lovelier and happier the second time around. Get to know more about the unconventional relationship among LJ Reyes, her son Aki and Paolo Contis. In this episode of Sarap Diva, LJ, Aki and Paolo show the wacky and funny side of their relationship. Together with Regine Velasquez and Inday Terry, they also share their thoughts about each other and the special bond that Paolo shares with LJ’s son Aki. Plus, Regine will teach a special breakfast dish that can be enjoyed by the family. All these and more only on Sarap Diva, Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. *** Tourism Secretary Bernadette Fatima Romulo Puyat guaranteed that Filipinos’ contagious love of country will make foreign visitors fall in love with the Philippines and its people, as she accepted the challenge of boosting the tourism industry as a key economic driver. Puyat made the assertion in her introductory remarks before the Commission on Appointments (CA) committee on tourism, leading to the rousing approval of her nomination as Secretary of the Department of Tourism (DOT) Tuesday morning at the Senate building in Pasay City.

Puyat’s father, former senator and current chairman of the Development Bank of the Philippines Alberto Romulo, and her elder sister Monserrat Romulo were present during the proceedings presided by Iloilo Rep. Jerry Treñas. As expected, the 49-yearold DOT head’s final confirmation breezed through the formalities at the plenary Tuesday morning. The new DOT head said she is banking on her experience as an economist, educator and government executive to advance her advocacies on culinary, farm tourism, heritage tourism and ecotourism. Puyat also assured that tourism would be an engine for investments, employment, growth and national development; that she would implement the National Tourism Development Plan 2016-2022; conduct regular consultation with stakeholders, and renew the country’s leadership position in global tourism organizations. She likewise promised to work closely with the Boracay Task Force, and would fully implement the Farm Tourism Law. The tourism chief also vowed “to prioritize improving polices on access, connectivity, and security as well as enhance programs on tourism infrastructure”. “Every challenge will be our chance to contribute to the growth of tourism and of the Philippine economy. It will also define our love of country and of the Filipino people,” she said. *** Cebu’s A-listers, such as Margie Lhuillier, renowned luxury designers Philip Rodriguez, Jun Escario, and OJ Hofer, and Miss Earth 2008 Karla Henry-Ammann gathered in Summer Soul, a midsummer night filled with great food, cocktails, and music, for Metro’s launch as the country’s first multiplatform lifestyle superbrand available in print, online, and now on television. In the theme #KeepCLAMandSavetheSeas, the festivities were led by Metro Channel hosts Joey Mead King of “Women of Style” and Tim Yap of “Tim’s Table” as guests arrived in their best all-white outfits at the Crimson Resort, Mactan. The fabulous benefit party kicked off with a luxurious sunset cruise overlooking the beautiful Cebu Skyline. Also in attendance were ABS-CBN Lifestyle Ecosystem head Paolo Pineda, Metro Channel head Lala Lazaro, Metro channel hosts Raul Manzano of EIC on the Move, Anton Barretto of Metro Home, Tricia Centenera of Driven, and Maggie Wilson and Marc Nelson of Beached. Catch the new shows of Metro Channel (SKYcable ch. 52 and ch. 174 on HD).

bond between boy and his dog

OX Searchlight Pictures and Indian Paintbrush bring together an all-star voice cast in Wes Anderson’s endearing breakthrough stop-motion animation Isle of Dogs that is exclusively screening in Ayala Malls Cinemas. Featuring the Koyu Rankin, Greta Gerwig, Yoko Ono, Frances McDormand, Live Schreiber, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Bob Balaban, Jeff Goldblum, Bryan Cranston, Scarlett Johansson, F. Murray Abraham, Tilda Swinton and Harvey Keitel as voice talents, Isle of Dogs is a grand adventure set in a near-future Japan in the grips of a canine crisis and mass anti-dog hysteria where a boy tries to find and rescue his dog in a place known as Trash Island. The story, with its chatty canines, furred femmes fatales, a boy aviator, an intrepid school reporter, mutant viruses, mythical isle and step-by-step unraveling of a big human mistake, developed over time and innumerable cups of tea. Taking the primary human role of Atari Kobayashi, the heartbroken Japanese boy who makes a heroic flight to search for his lost dog, is Koyu Rankin, a young Canadian actor who is bilingual in Japanese and English. Only 8 years old at the time of recording, Rankin makes his feature film debut in the role. “Atari’s dog was basically his best friend. Spots is all he ever had, and since he is an orphan, Spots was like his brother, basically. He’s determined to find him,

so that’s why he takes the plane and runs away from home,” says Rankin of why Atari risks everything to search for Spots. With its semi-fictional Japanese setting, its construction out of comic book-like chapters and its intercut themes of nature, heroism, technology, rescue and honor, perhaps it was only natural that the film would also reverberate with echoes of Japanese pop culture and some of Japan’s greatest film directors, from Yasujiro Ozu to Kurosawa to Seijun Suzuki, as well as the Japanese monster films of the ‘50s and ‘60s, with their climactic disasters. “We think of it as referring to a whole range of Japanese filmmakers and Japanese culture, but Kurosawa is the main movie influence,” says Anderson. While the sheer number of individual moving pieces, physical and thematic, that make up Isle of Dogs might be staggering, the paradox is that the prevailing core of the film is one of the most timelessly simple relationships on earth. “No matter what is going on visually, at heart this is an adventure film about a boy and his dog,” sums up storyboard artist Jay Clarke. From 20th Century Fox, Isle of Dogs started screening on May 30 exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas: Glorietta 4, Trinoma, Market!Market!, Cloverleaf

The Morillo family who owns an ABS-CBN TVplus shares with Coco Martin (second from left) their experiences with digital TV.

MANY Filipino families used to endure grainy television pictures just so they could watch an episode of their favorite program, including the Morillo family. When the TV signal would get weak, Romeo Morillo would go outside the house to fix their antenna. “I would climb our roof to fix the antenna, but when something causes it to move, the signal would get blurry again,” Romeo recounts. Since the Morillo family only had limited channel options on free TV, they would also go to their neighbor’s house to watch more TV programs. That is, until the arrival of the “mahiwagang black box” or the ABS-CBN TVplus. The box dramatically improved their TV reception since the picture quality became instantly clearer. Marilyn, Romeo’s wife, even shared that since they switched to digital TV, their family had more quality time together. “Since we had the TVplus, we’ve spent more time together. My two kids don’t even go outside often because they are happy with the cartoons they watch on YeY,” she said. The Morillo family is among the many consumers who have made the big switch from analog to DTT, so that they can enjoy its benefits, driving up sales of ABS-CBN TVplus boxes to five million as of May 3. The milestone even translated into higher viewership of CineMo and YeY, its two exclusive channels that have reported a 7 percent and 5 percent average audience share as of April. This indicates that CineMo and YeY are now the third and fourth most watched channels in Metro Manila, according to Kantar Media. Rolando Tupaz for instance, said tuning into CineMo is his way of enjoying quality content on digital TV. “Instead of leaving the house, I just watch CineMo so I can watch good movies,” he shares. Besides the better TV reception and wider selection of channels without any monthly and installation fees, the digital TV experience delivered by ABS-CBN TVplus enables families to subscribe to affordable pay-per-view services. Residents in some ABS-CBN TVplus coverage areas have also experienced the Kapamilya brand of entertainment and public service via the “Sorpresaya Truck” event, which aims to show gratitude to fans that have been supportive to ABS-CBN. Some of the network’s biggest stars visited barangays in Bulacan, Laguna, Pampanga, and Cavite to deliver fun games and special performances, while news and current affairs public service programs catered to people in need. Life-changing moments also happened to lucky TVplus users who joined and won in the Masaganang Pa-Thank You promo, which raffles off house and lots as the jackpot with the last one raffled off on May 28. The contest instantly changed the lives of three individuals and their families, one of which lost his home to fire twice before joining the contest. As more consumers bid goodbye to analog TV, more families like the Morillos and Tupazes will enjoy the significant impact of ABS-CBN TVplus in their lives. ABS-CBN is the first media and entertainment company in the country to make the historic switch from analog to digital terrestrial television to transform the TV viewing experience of Filipinos when it launched ABS-CBN TVplus in 2015. It continues to harness technology and innovation, as it transitions into an agile digital company with the biggest online presence among all media companies and a growing list of digital.

HOLLYWOOD

Fanning, Jolie reunite for ‘Maleficent’ sequel PRODUCTION has begun on the sequel to smash hit Maleficent, Disney announced early this week, with Elle Fanning and Angelina Jolie reprising their roles as Sleeping Beauty and her conflicted surrogate mother. The movie is being filmed at Pinewood Studios, near London and in locations around Britain, the world’s largest movie studio said in statement. “It’s bring your mom to work day on the Maleficent 2 set,” 20-yearold Fanning joked in an Instagram post that had been shared a quarter of a million times within an hour.

Alongside the message, she posted a picture of her in front of a laughing Jolie, who was in the famous Maleficent horns, as well as a pair of sunglasses and a toweling bathrobe. Maleficent, a modern retelling of the life of Sleeping Beauty’s archnemesis, cast an instant spell on audiences in 2014, debuting at the top of the North American box office and going on to gross more than $750 million worldwide. Joining Fanning and Jolie for the latest adventure are Oscar nomi- American actress and fashion model Elle nees Michelle Pfeiffer and Chiwe- Fanning (right) in a viral Instagram post with ‘Maleficent’ co-star Angelina Jolie (left). tel Ejiofor. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

of information by the Transmission Customer, conduct of required studies, and approval of the capital expenditure projects by the Honorable Commission. Hence, it is beyond the control of the Transmission Network Provider.

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION Pacific Center Building San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

TODAY

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE 2006 OPEN ACCESS TRANSMISSION SERVICES RULES (OATS RULES)

MODULE D:

ERC CASE NO. 2017-010 RM

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

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 22 December 2017 Petitioner National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) filed its Petition for the Adoption of the Proposed Amendments to the 2006 Open Access Transmission Services Rules (OATS Rules).

NATURE OF THE PETITION

MODULE E:

2. NGCP is a corporation created and existing under the laws of the Philippines, with principal office address at NGCP Building, Quezon Avenue comer BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City, where it may be served with notices, orders, resolutions and other issuances of this Honorable Commission through its Office of the General Counsel. It is the concessionaire which assumed the power transmission functions of the National Transmission Corporation (TRANS CO) pursuant to the EPIRA. 3. NGCP holds a franchise under Republic Act No. 95111 to engage in the business of conveying or transmitting electricity through high-voltage back-bone system of interconnected transmission lines, substations and related facilities, and for other purposes. The franchise also includes the conduct of activities necessary to support the safe and reliable operation of the transmission system.

(a)

The Transmission Customer shall collaborate with the Metering Service Provider on the conduct of testing, calibration and maintenance in a manner as prescribed by the PGC;

(b)

The Transmission Customer shall allow the Metering Service Provider to access the Metering Installation at all times;

(c)

The Transmission Customer shall provide the Metering Service Provider with a minimum spare for the said Metering Equipment, i.e., one (1) unit per set of instrument transformers and lightning arrester;

(d)

The Transmission Customer shall ensure that such Metering Equipment will be periodically tested and calibrated by the Metering Service Provider in a manner prescribed by the PGC. The Metering Service Provider shall be allowed to charge the Transmission Customer with the cost of such metering services until such time that the said cost forms part of the Metering Service Provider’s Metering Service Provider Charges (MSP Charges) computed pursuant to Rule F(AIII) of the OATS Rules;

BACKGROUND 4. On 11 February 2004, the Honorable Commission approved the OATS Rules which govern the services provided by, and outline the responsibilities of the Transmission Provider and the functions of the System Operator. The OATS Rules also set out the responsibilities of the Transmission Customers. 5. On 13 December 2006, the Honorable Commission adopted the 2006 Revised OATS Rules which contain the amendments and revisions to the provisions of the 2004 OATS Rules. 6. Considering that the 2006 Revised OATS Rules were adopted more than a decade ago, some of the provisions are no longer applicable and/or needs to be amended or updated. Hence, NGCP proposes to amend some provisions of the 2006 Revised OATS Rules and introduce new provisions in conformity with the provisions of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) Rules, the Philippine Grid Code (2016 Edition), the Feed In Tariff Rules, the Renewable Energy Act, and several resolutions and issuances of the Honorable Commission, the Grid Management Committee (GMC) and the Department of Energy (DOE).

(e)

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS

NGCP proposes to amend Module B5 (Communication and SCADA Equipment Requirements) by deleting the provisions requiring the Transmission Customers to secure and provide telecommunication facilities since Communication and SCADA Equipment are Transmission Assets, hence, the responsibility of the Transmission Network Provider.

NGCP proposes to amend Module B13.2 on the requirement for direct connection of end-users to harmonize with the DOE’s “House Rules Governing the Review and Evaluation of Direct Connection Applications of Industrial, Commercial and Other Qualified Electricity End-Users, Economic Zones and Economic Enterprises.”

NGCP proposes to exclude from Module B13.4 the collection of non-refundable processing fee from the Transmission Customer since this fee is considered part of the regular operating cost of NGCP. NGCP proposes revisions in Module B14 on the manner of providing services for the conduct of System Impact Study (SIS), particularly Module B14.2 on the determination of whether SIS is necessary; deletion of Modules 14.7 and B14.8; and revision of Module B14.9 on the cost of the SIS. The modification is in line with ERC Resolution No. 18, Series of 2015.2 In the proposed amendment to Modules B14.2 and B14.7, the Transmission Network Provider is designated as the sole entity authorized to conduct an SIS with the option to engage a third party under its supervision and control and with full responsibility and accountability therefor. Further, the costs for the engagement by the Transmission Network Provider of the third party shall be borne by the Transmission Customer, except in cases where the SIS is conducted by the Transmission Network Provider, the costs thereof shall be deemed included in its operation expenses. NGCP proposes to include provisions in Module B15 on the review of the Facilities Study undertaken by the Transmission Network Provider pursuant to ERC Resolution No. 18, Series of 2015.3 In the proposed amendment, the Transmission Network Provider shall notify and direct the Transmission Customer to submit the necessary Facilities Study which may be conducted by either a Third Party Provider or Transmission Network Provider.

NGCP proposes to delete Module C4 (Available Transmission Capacity of Power Delivery Service), considering that the provision of available transmission capacity and the time period required of the Transmission Network Provider to provide such capacity is subject to a long process, i.e. submission

27) NGCP proposes that instead of a written process, a process flow chart is more efficient in describing the application process. 28) NGCP proposes to modify the Relevant Schedules and Additional Requirements for new or modified connection to the grid as follows:

The Transmission Customer shall be required to consistently cooperate with the Metering Service Provider for any compliance with the requirements of the PGC and WESM Rules; and

Prior to the execution of the Service Agreement: OATS Services

Schedule C

Connection Point Drawings

Schedule D

Asset Boundary Information

MODULE F:

Schedule E

Authorized Representatives

15) NGCP proposes the adoption of the following table as matrix of charges for the Transmission Customers:

Schedule F

Other Information

Any non-compliance of the Transmission Customer shall be subject to Rule A13 of the OATS Rules.

Additional Requirements: Each Transmission Customer shall provide the following supplemental data requirements:

Transmission Customer Generator Customer, incl. DER and ESS Grid Connected

Prior to Commissioning Date:

Load Customer

Embedded

Distribution Utility

GridConnected End-User

1. Detailed Planning Data; 2. Protection Arrangement and Settings; 3. Electrical Diagrams; 4. Safety Rules and Local Safety Instructions; 5. Metering Requirements; 6. Proposed Maintenance Program; 7. Test and Commissioning Procedures; and 8. Statement of Readiness to Connect.

Regulated PDS Charge

Applicable

N/A

Applicable

SO Charge

Applicable

MSP Charge

Applicable

Connection Charge

Applicable

N/A

Applicable

RST Charge

Applicable

N/A

Applicable

N/A

Applicable

N/A

Applicable

As Applicable: 1. Load Shedding and Curtailment Procedures; 2. Contingency Actions; and 3. Critical Event List.

Excluded

Stand-by Facility Charge

9. A copy of the 2017 Proposed Amendments to the OATS Rules, containing all proposed revisions, wordings, deletions and additions is hereto attached as Annex “A.”

Pass-through AS Charge Universal Charge FIT-All Charge

N/A

Applicable

GMC Charge

Applicable

16) NGCP also proposes three (3) new charges, as follows: a.

Stand-by Facility Charge. NGCP proposes to include a Stand-by Facility Charge payable by Load Customers with Embedded Generators. This is a fixed charge where the computation of charges is similar to the Connection Charge, considering that Load Customer with Embedded Generator utilizes the transmission facilities during the time that its Embedded Generator is out of service. These transmission facilities may be considered as Stand-by Facilities utilized by the said Load Customers even on an occasional basis.

PRAYER WHEREFORE, NGCP most respectfully prays that this Honorable Commission: . 1. EXERCISE its rule-making power under Section 37 of the EPlRA, and Rule 21 of its Rules of Practice and Procedure; and 2. APPROVE the proposed amendments to the 2006 OATS, after notice and public consultation. Petitioner prays for other relief deemed just and equitable under the premises. Quezon City for Pasig City, 18 December 2017. Finding the said Petition to be sufficient in form and substance, with the required fees having been paid, pursuant to Section 2, Rule 21 of the Energy Regulatory Commission’s 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure (2006 ERPP), the same is hereby set for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements and expository presentation on the following dates:

Fit-All Charge. FIT-All Charges, as defined in ERC’s Resolution No. 16, Series of 2010, shall be collected and remitted in accordance with the guidelines approved by the ERC. Further, the rate, which is expressed in P / kWh, shall be established and set by the ERC on an annual basis upon petition of the FIT-All Fund Administrator.

As an alternative, subject to the approval of the ERC, the Load Billing Determinant shall be the contracted demand as set forth in the Service Agreement or the previous year’s highest coincident peak demand of the Load Customer, whichever is higher. This coincident peak demand is the maximum of the 15-minute interval sum of the demand measured from all its metering points in a month.

For those periods of time when Grid Connected Generator Customers draw power from the Grid for their own use, the charges relevant to Grid-Connected End-Users shall apply; and

For Renewable Energy (RE), the transmission charges may be billed in Peso/kWh derived from Peso/kW charge and fixed monthly charges.

Venue

Hearing Coverage

6 August 2018 (Monday)

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

Jurisdictional and Expository Presentation (for Luzon Stakeholders)

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

Expository Presentation (for Visayas Stakeholders)

ERC Mindanao Field Office, Mintrade Bldg., Monteverde Ave. cor Sales St., 8000 Davao City

Expository Presentation (for Mindanao Stakeholders)

8 August 2018 (Wednesday) Nine o’clock in the morning (9:00 A.M.) 9 August 2018 (Thursday) Nine o’clock in the morning (9:00 A.M.)

All interested parties are required to submit their comments on the petition on or before 20 July 2018 both in soft and hard copies. The hard copy shall be filed with the Commission’s Docket Section. On the other hand, the soft copy shall be sent via email to tariffs@erc.gov.ph. All comments must bear the proper case docket number for the instant case. The Commission shall cause the posting of the attached Notice of Proposed Rule-making as well as copies of the instant petition and all its annexes at its official website at www.erc.gov.ph. WITNESS, the Honorable Chairperson and CEO AGNES VST DEVANADERA, and the Honorable Commissioners GLORIA VICTORIA. C. YAP-TARUC, ALFREDO J. NON and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 25th day of April 2018 in Pasig City.

18) Other proposals for Applicability of Charges under Module F1.2 of the proposed amendments are as follows: a.

Date and Time

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

GMC Charge. NGCP proposes that the ERC-approved expenditures of the GMC be recovered through the proposed GMC Charge. The proposal ensures transparency on the true cost of carrying out the functions of the GMC as well as to ensure equitable sharing of costs among all customers.

17) Billing Determinant. NGCP proposes that the noncoincident peak billing methodology be shifted to coincident peak billing (coincident peak of the Transmission Customer’s system), consistent with the Decision in ERB Case No. 2001-901 entitled “In the Matter of the Application for the Approval of the Revised Unbundled Power Rates” dated 26 June 2002. In compliance with the said decision, NGCP respectfully manifests that it is now capable to provide the requirements for the coincident peak demand billing.

MODULE C: 9)

ANNEX A:

Standard Planning Data

MODULE A:

26) NGCP proposes for a mandatory pre-termination charges and shall be set out in the Service Agreement. The pre-termination charge is a charge levied when a Transmission Customer wants to terminate, ahead of time, the agreement with the Transmission Network Provider. This charge shall be computed based on the cost and other related expenses incurred by the Transmission Network Provider in terminating and disconnecting the Transmission Customer from the system.

Schedule B

8. The salient features of the proposed amendments to the 2006 OATS Rules are as follows:

NGCP proposes to delete Modules B2B.2 and B2B.3 governing Contribution in Aid of Construction (CIAC). In the proposed amendment, Module B2B.2 shall state that the Transmission Customer’s Connection Facilities that perform grid function shall be reclassified into Transmission Assets through a reclassification case. Thereafter, the Transmission Customer shall transfer the operation, control and ownership of the subject Connection Facilities to the Transmission Network Provider and the Transmission Network Provider shall pay the fair market price as agreed by the parties or, where no agreement can be reached, shall be determined by the ERC.

25) NGCP proposes to delete Module F(AV) 2 of the 2006 OATS Rules (Special Billing Provisions for System Impact and Facilities). This is pursuant to ERC Resolution No. 18, Series of 20156 which requires that the costs for the engagement by the NGCP of the third party shall be borne by the applicant or the prospective transmission customer. However, in cases where the NGCP shall conduct the SIS, the costs thereof shall be deemed included in its (NGCP) operation expenses.

Schedule A

(f)

7. Thus, this petition to initiate rule-making is being filed to seek the adoption of the proposed amendments to the 2006 OATS Rules.

24) NGCP proposes that the details of the Ancillary Services be referred to the Ancillary Services Procurement Plant (ASPP) and the Ancillary Services Cost Recovery Mechanism (AS-CRM), as updated and amended from time to time.

14) One of the major revisions in this module is in Module E11.3 where several conditions were enumerated for the ‘Meter Only’ billing scheme with reference to DOE Department Circular No. DC2016-05-0007.5 The conditions to be included in Module E11.3 are as follows:

THE PETITIONER

MODULE B:

23) NGCP proposes to remove the provisions on Interruption and Billing Adjustment (IBA) and Curtailment Billing Adjustment (CBA) found in Modules F(AVI) 1 of the 2006 OATS Rules. Pursuant to Article VIII of the Rules for Setting Transmission Wheeling Rates, the ERC, in NGCP’s 3rd Regulatory Period Final Determination on November 2010, adopted eight (8) indices on which NGCP’s performance will be measured. The IBA and ICA is already subsumed in three (3) indices adopted by the ERC, namely the System Interruption Severity Index, Frequency of Tripping, and System Availability.

13) NGCP proposes to delete Module D10 of the 2006 OATS Rules (Management of Energy Imbalance) since this provision is no longer applicable with the WESM in place.

1. This is a petition to adopt the proposed amendments to the 2006 Revised Rules, Terms and Conditions for the Provision of Open Access Transmission Service (OATS Rules) filed pursuant to Section 43 of Republic Act No. 9136 (EPIRA) and Rule 21 of the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure.

NGCP proposes to amend Module A8 (Creditworthiness) by: deleting “charge over asset” as a credit support and including letter of credit and surety bond as forms of additional credit support in Module A8.1; adding new provisions on credit support level for Prospective Transmission Customers and Connected Transmission Customers in Module A8.2, new provisions on credit support adjustment in Module A8.3; and revising the procedure on the application and replenishment of credit support in Module A8.4.

22) NGCP proposes to delete Module F(AIII) 5 of the 2006 OATS Rules which pertains to calculation of loss factor, since the loss factor has no effect on transmission charges.

12) NGCP proposes to delete module D8 of the 2006 OATS Rules (Alternative Ancillary Service Arrangement) in line with the requirement of the PGC GO 6.3.1.2 whereby NGCP as the SO shall be responsible for determining, acquiring, and dispatching the capacity needed to supply the required Grid AS.

In its Petition, NGCP alleged the following:

21) NGCP re-arranged the provisions in Annex FIV, Module F, or the provisions pertaining to the Connection Charges and Residual Sub-transmission Charges to provide clarity in the calculation of charges.

11) NGCP proposes to delete Modules D7.1 and D7.2 of the 2006 OATS Rules which require the System Operator to develop a yearly Ancillary Services Procurement Plan (ASPP) considering that the annual development of the ASPP may not be realistic due to a long approval process.

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE-MAKING

NGCP proposes to modify Table A3.3 (“OATS Module applicability for different Transmission Customers”), specifying that all modules shall apply to all Participants, namely Transmission Network Provider, Metering Service Provider, System Operator, and Transmission Customers.

20) NGCP proposes for a 50/50 allocation of power delivery revenue between the Grid-Connected Generator and Load Customers as can be found in the formulae set out in Modules F(AI) 4.3 and 4.4.

10) NGCP proposes to delete Annex I, Module D of the 2006 OATS Rules which provides the re-dispatch procedures until the commencement date of the spot market. The proposal is in line with the fact that, with the WESM already in place, the dispatch/re-dispatch will be undertaken in accordance with the WESM Rules and applicable WESM Manuals and Department Circular No. DC2017-05-0009.4

NATIONAL GRID CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (NGCP),

19) NGCP proposes to amend Module F(AI)4 of the 2006 OATS Rules to adopt the demand-based proportion in the allocation of revenue requirement for the Customer Segments of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, which has been the practice since the Second Regulatory Period.

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal

1 2 3

4 5 6

Entitled “An Act Granting the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines a Franchise To Engage in the Business of Conveying or Transmitting Electricity Through High Voltage BackBone System of Interconnected Transmission Lines, Substations and Related Facilities, and for other Purposes.” Entitled “A Resolution Adopting the Grid Management Committee’s Recommendations to Exempt Certain Power Plants from the Conduct of System Impact Study and Clarifying and Expanding the Requirementsjor a Thorough Conduct of Facilities Study.” Entitled “A Resolution Adopting the Grid Management Committee’s Recommendations to Exempt Certain Power Plants from the Conduct of System Impact Study and Clarifying and Expanding the Requirements for a Thorough Conduct of Facilities Study” Entitled”Declaring the Launch of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) in Mindanao and Providing for Transition Guidelines.” Entitled “Providing Policies for further improvements of the operations and metering installations of the Metering Services Providers (MSPs) in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) and Retail Market” Entitled, “A Resolution Adopting the Grid Management Committee’s Recommendations to Exempt Certain Power Plants from the Conduct of System Impact Study and Clarifying and Expanding the Requirements for a Thorough Conduct of Facilities Study”

(MS-MAY 24 & JUNE 1, 2018

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Motoring

RAMON L. TOMELDAN EDITOR

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2018

Even as driving ban takes effect, Germany still clings to diesel

Heavy duty, eco-friendly Hino rolls out new line of Euro4-compliant trucks

AKING its Total Support principle a notch higher, Hino Motors Philippines has launched he Experience Total Support campaign with the rollout of new heavy-duty trucks. The new 700 series from HMP, the exclusive distributor of Hino trucks and buses in the Philippines, aims to meet growing demand in the country’s trucking industry spurred by the rise in the number of development and infrastructure projects. The Euro 4 heavy-duty trucks likewise hope to provide businesses across the country with more options to address their logistical requirements and expand or upgrade their fleet. “The Total Support that Hino continu-

ally aims is to maximize operation and minimize lifetime cost of our lifetime business partners. We strongly believe that providing best-fit products and total support are indispensable as we support customers’ business and contribute to society and grow with them at the same time,” shared Hino Motors, Ltd. Chairman Yasuhiko Ichihashi. Powerful trucks for diverse logistics needs The new heavy-duty trucks from

HMP consist of the SS2P, SH2P, FS2P and FY2P models. The SS2P is a 6-wheeler truck with a high roof, 60 ton gross combined weight and 40 to 45 ton pulling capacity. The SH2P is another high-roof 6-wheeler truck but with 45.5 ton gross combined weight and 30 to 35 ton pulling capacity. The SS2P and SH2P trucks feature 16-speed transmission and 12-speed transmission, respectively. The FS2P comes in two models – the FS2PMUM with 33.1 ton gross vehicle weight and the FS2PMUD with 32.3 ton gross vehicle weight. Both are 10-wheeler trucks with 12-speed transmission and STD roof. The FS2PMUM comes with a 9m³ mixer body while the FS2PMUD has a 15m³ dump body.

Officials of Hino Motors Phils. board one of the heavy haulers.

The FY2P heavy-duty trucks are available in three variants – the FY2PUUM, FY2PWUD and FY2PYUA. The first two have STD roofs while the last has a high roof. All are 12-wheeler trucks with 12-speed transmission and 39.4 ton gross vehicle weight. The FY2PUUM features a 10m³ mixer body and CBU chassis, and the FY2PWUD has a 20m³ dump truck body. The FY2PYUA features a 32-foot OAL body for cargo requirements. Built to deliver optimum performance, the new line of heavy-duty trucks from HMP are designed for different applications and logistics needs. The trucks are likewise equipped to deliver greater customer experience. Broadening vehicle range Seeing the Philippines as a key market for HMP, the company continues to expand its line of trucks and buses to cater to the different markets in the country. It launched its models with P11C Engine last year to reinforce its position in the midrange segment. The heavy-duty trucks, meanwhile, target businesses with heavier requirements and those involved in development projects, which are expected to increase in number on the back of the government’s Build3X program. “We remain firm in our commitment to offer only the right and good-quality products and services to meet the right requirements of our customers and partners. Hino is zealous to growing its business in the Philippines, which is one of the fastest-growing markets globally in this industry,” said HMP Chairman Vicente T. Mills, Jr. “It is during these times of growth and changes that it is even more important to have a secure, reliable and efficient logistics partner for businesses to survive. Rest assured that Hino will continue to develop and deliver technologies and upgrade its products to meet your every truck and bus requirement,” said HMP President Hiroshi Aoki.

Nissan launches diesel-powered mid-size SUV THE new Nissan Terra, a name derived from the Latin word for Earth, was introduced to the region on Monday on a plain between two majestic volcanos at Clark. After its launch in China in April, the Philippines is the second market worldwide to receive the vehicle. Customers in the Philippines can pre-order the Nissan Terra, with deliveries starting from August 2018. Nissan will also introduce the new Nissan Terra in Thailand and Indonesia during this fiscal year, with the markets of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam to follow. Terra combines top-in-class engine performance with spacious comfort and advanced driving technology, allowing customers to take on any journey with confidence. “The new Nissan Terra is built on our more than 60 years of SUV heritage, which includes iconic models such as the Nissan Patrol,” said Ashwani Gupta, senior vice president for Nissan’s Light Commercial Vehicle business. “The Nissan Terra design is both capable and practical, reliable for everyday use while also giving our customers the ability to unhook from daily life and undertake adventure.”

With the new Nissan Terra, Nissan meets South East Asia’s increasing demand for mid-size SUVs and new cars in general. The SUV segment remains to be in the top three volume and growth drivers for South East Asia. The vehicle will be built at Nissan’s production hub in Thailand for the South East Asian market. “The new Nissan Terra is being built in and for South East Asia. It demonstrates our commitment to making innovation accessible to more customers in the region,” said Yutaka Sanada, Nissan’s regional senior vice president for the Asia and Oceania region. “This Terra also marks the latest step in our product offensive for the region. This is an important part of delivering Nissan’s mid-term business plan Nissan M.O.V.E. 2022 for this region,” Sanada said. Seating seven people comfortably, Terra comes with a full flat secondrow seat folding and tumbling seat function, making it ideal for urban but also off-road adventures with family and friends. “The ingenious combination of high performance, best-in-class cabin space and Nissan Intelligent Mobility features gives family and friends the confidence to go anywhere,” said Vincent

Wijnen, Nissan’s head of marketing and sales for the Asia and Oceania region. The Terra is equipped with a versatile ladder-frame chassis, reinforced to give it greater rigidity for an authentic off-road drive. It also features a five-link coil spring rear suspension system and rigid rear-wheel axle, ensuring that comfort and convenience aren’t compromised by its strength

and durability. The vehicle also features advanced technologies:Nissan Intelligent Mobility include Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning and Intelligent Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection. The Nissan Terra is the first SUV with the Smart Rear View Mirror, allowing drivers unobstructed views from a camera mounted at the back.

Nissan’s Terra features advance technologies such as lane departure warning and blind spot warning.

HAMBURG on Thursday became the first German city to ban older diesel vehicles from some highly polluted roads as public confidence in the once-loved technology goes up in smoke. A 1,600-metre (one mile) stretch of highway and a 580-metre section of another major road will be closed to older diesels. The port city is the first to act on a court ruling that such bans were a legitimate way for local authorities to reduce air pollution below European Union health thresholds. Judges at the Federal Administrative Court found in February that cities could “gradually” eliminate diesel vehicles, starting with the oldest, while allowing exceptions including for emergency services, local residents and businesses. “Germany has to do something” to improve air quality, said 37-year-old Sabine, who works on the Max-Brauer Allee, one of the roads hit by the ban. “We should abolish diesels,” she added. The cities of Stuttgart in the south and Kiel in the north are mulling their own diesel restrictions in the battle against air pollution, while Munich, Cologne and Duesseldorf are closely monitoring the Hamburg experiment. Diesel was long seen by Germans as a proudly homegrown technology that could help battle climate change, with lower emissions of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) than petrol motors. Patented by Bavarian engineer Rudolf Diesel in 1892, the fuel is subsidised to this day in a number of European countries.

Rudolf Diesel, inventor of the diesel engine.

But its reputation has lain in tatters since Volkswagen’s “dieselgate” scandal broke in 2015. Lip service The mammoth carmaker admitted to fitting millions of cars worldwide with “defeat devices” -- software designed to trick regulators into thinking cars met emissions standards. In fact, output of harmful fine particulates and nitrogen oxides (NOx), which can cause respiratory and heart diseases, was far higher than legally permitted. Diesel’s share of new car sales plunged from 47.7 percent in 2015 to 38.7 percent last year. Nevertheless, Germany’s federal government under Chancellor Angela Merkel has often appeared to take the car industry’s side. It has pushed back against diesel bans and rejects the idea of a “blue badge” drivers could stick on their windscreens that would identify the least polluting vehicles. Instead, Berlin has offered longerterm measures like a cash pot to extend public transport and build up cities’ electric vehicle fleets. That makes measures like those in Hamburg “just lip service from the politicians... I don’t think it will actually affect anything” said Felix Fischer, 49, who works in a bicycle shop on the Stresemannstrasse highway -- the other stretch to be closed to diesels. Diesel ‘a German child’ Some media have dubbed leader Merkel the “Autokanzlerin” or car chancellor, playing on her concern to protect a critical sector for the German economy. With some 600,000 jobs dependent on the internal combustion engine according to estimates from the Ifo economic institute in Munich, the chancellor’s centre-left coalition partners are just as concerned as Merkel’s conservatives to keep the technology alive. Many such jobs would not be replaced if the industry switches to less mechanically complex electric power en masse. Consulting firm SMP found firms can produce around 350 combustion engines per worker per year, a figure that rises to 1,600 for electric drivetrains. AFP