Manila Standard - 2018 August 22 - Wednesday

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VOL. XXXII • NO. 188 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

Hidilyn snatches gold; hoopsters lose to China

By Riera U. Mallari JAKARTA — Hidilyn Diaz added an Asian Games gold medal into her growing legend by topping the Women’s 53kg Division of the Weightlifting Competitions at the Jakarta International Expo Hall here on Tuesday night.

The silver medalist of the Rio Olympics submitted 92 kgs in the snatch and 207 in the Clean & Jerk for a total of 207, just enough to crush the challenge of Turkmenistan’s Kristina Shermetova, who had a 206 total for the silver.

Diaz’s gold catapulted the Philippine Delegation to 14th overall in the medal standings with one gold and four bronze medals barely two days into the Asian Games featuring Asia’s best athletes.

HEROES ALL. Hidilyn Diaz, the Olympic silver medalist, wins the gold medal for the Philippines in the women’s 53-kilograms event in the 2018 Asian Games weightlifting competition at Jakarta International Expo Hall A in Indonesia on Tuesday. At right, China’s Zhou Qi (bottom) blocks a shot by the Philippines’ Jordan Clarkson in their men’s basketball preliminary Group D game between the Philippines during the 2018 Asian Games, the Philippines nearly upsetting powerhouse China, falling 80-82 in the competition. AFP

With the gold dangling around her neck, the 2016 Philippine Sportswriters Association Athlete of the Year also stands to receive a cash windfall of P6 million—P2 million from the Philippine Olympic Committee, P2 million from the government through Republic Act 10699, which expands the coverage of incentives granted to national athletes and coaches and P1 million each from the Siklab Foundation and the Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Lee Hoong.

Meanwhile, a two-week-old Philippine team nearly pulled off a Great Wall-sized upset on China, yielding a close 80-82 setback to the favorites in the 2018 Asian Games Basketball Competition at the Gelora Bung Karno Basketball here Tuesday night.

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Xiamen charged P15m for mishap Sayonara: Tsukiji market relocates TOKY—Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji fish market will stop admitting tourists to watch its pre-dawn tuna auctions next month, as it prepares to move locations on Oct. 11, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.

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MIAA urges passengers to sue airline for resulting damages

By Joel E. Zurbano and Maricel V. Cruz

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CoA sees more ghosts, this time 580 Tesda ‘scholars’

By Rio N. Araja THE Commission on Audit has called the attention of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority on the “doubtful or fictitious students” enrolled in its accredited schools.

In an audit report, the commission identified AMA Computer College in Manila with 310 Tesda scholars, and Technivoc Institute Corp. with 270 listed scholars, who were supposedly involved in the irregularities under Tesda’s training-for-work scholarship program. Next page

IAMEN Airlines must pay the Manila International Airport Authority about P15 million for the recovery operation of its disabled aircraft that overshot the main runway of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Aug. 16.

PH needs citizens like Ninoy—Rody

“All we spent during the recovery operations will be charged to Xiamen Airlines,” MIAA general manager Eddie Monreal said Tuesday.

Monreal’s statement came as transport officials fended off criticism that the 36 hours taken to clear the runway was far too long, saying that “recovering a disabled aircraft is far different from towing a bus or a car.”

In an interview on the ANC news channel, Monreal said his agency replaced 14 units of edge lights that were damaged when the plane veered off the runway. This was done immediately, he said, because the edge lights are impor-

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday the country needs more citizens like former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., in commemoration of the celebrated opposition senator’s 35th death anniversary.

“In this time of real and lasting change, we need more citizens like him, so we can steer our country towards the direction where a brighter and better future awaits us all,” said the President in a statement.

Duterte said Aquino died while fighting to restore peace and democracy in the Philippines.

“More than three decades ago, Benig-

tant to guide pilots during takeoff and landing.

The crane used to lift the Boeing 737 jet off the runway and onto a flatbed cost more than P4 million to rent, Monreal said. Manpower and other equipment rentals brought the cost to about P15 million, he said.

Monreal also said it is up to the passengers or the airlines affected by the runway closure if they want to sue Xiamen Airlines for consequential damages. Dozens of flights were canceled or rerouted as a result of the runway closure, inconveniencing thousands of passengers.

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By Nat Mariano and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Rody, Joma taunt each other; Sara steps into the fray

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Make Eidl Adha meangingful, Bangsamoro told

By Nat Mariano COMMUNIST leader Jose Ma. Sison, who earlier suggested that President Rodrigo Duterte was in a coma, said Tuesday he was happy that his former student was in good health and that he might live long enough to stand trial for his crimes.

“I am pleased to see that Duterte is still alive and that there is a chance of him living long enough to be held accountable for his crimes against the people and be tried by the people´s court or by the International Criminal Court,” said Sison, who earlier observed “a darkness” in the President’s face in a Facebook post Monday.

“Unlike him, I do not have any death wish for Duterte. In fact, I wish him to live long enough to receive a warrant of arrest, unlike the so many thousands of victims of Oplans Tokhang and Kapayapaan,” he said, referring to those killed in the government’s war on illegal drugs and its anti-insurgency campaign.

no S. Aquino Jr. died while fighting to restore peace and democracy in the Philippines,” the President said. “His profound love of country has inspired a revolution that altered the course of our nation’s history and gave birth to the freedoms we enjoy today.”

He urged Filipinos to take the opportunity to reflect on the late Aquino’s sacrifice, honoring his courage and patriotism during the time of President Ferdinand Marcos.

Aquino, who was a political prisoner during the martial law years, was assassinated on the tarmac of the Manila International Airport on Aug. 21, 1983.

By Nash Maulana

FEAST OF SACRIFICE. Filipino Muslims gather Tuesday outside the Blue Mosque in Taguig City to offer a prayer in celebration of Eid l-Adha. Every year, Muslims sacrifice animals to mark this religious feast, considered one of holiest Islamic festivals. It honors the willingness of Ibrahim–Abraham among Catholics–to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God’s command. Lisa Marie David

COTABATO CITY―In their last “Feast of Sacrifice” Tuesday after 29 years, workers of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao were asked to instead support the installation of a Bangsamoro setup, even if it meant losing their jobs.

Alzad Sattar, assistant secretary of the ARMM Department of Education, delivered the Eidl Adha or Feast of Sacrifice sermon before thousands of employees who feared they could lose their jobs after Congress passed Republic Act 11054, the Bangsamoro Organic Law, and its signing into law by President Rodrigo Duterte.

ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman said the essence of Eidl Adha was to recall and even reenact the sacrifices of Abraham and his family thousands of years ago.

Eidl Adha is already a regular holiday, but Malacañang declared Aug. 21 again as a non-working holiday pursuant to Next page

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Senate urged to give priority to dengvaxia victims’ fund

By Maricel V. Cruz THE chairman of the House of Representatives’ committee on appropriations on Tuesday asked the Senate to give priority to the passage of the proposed P1.161-billion supplemental budget for the almost a million victims of the Dengvaxia vaccine.

Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles said the absence of the much-needed funding threatened the lives of the children who were administered the vaccine.

“The funds needed to monitor them and to prevent fatalities are still up to the Senate. These funds are needed now more than ever,” Nograles said.

“All this knowledge about the potential dangers of Dengvaxia will not be of any use if we fail to act. The ill-advised actions of the government put lives at risk, and only a well-informed response by the government can mitigate those risks.”

In a meeting with affected families in Binangonan, Rizal, on Monday, Nograles said he was hopeful that the supplemental budget would be approved by the Senate on Aug. 28, or when Congress resumes session, so that the funds could be mobilized for those who were injected with Dengvaxia.

High court asked to drop petition vs Bora closure M

By Rey E. Requejo

ALACAÑANG has asked the Supreme Court to dismiss a petition questioning the six-month closure of the world-famous Boracay Island resort.

In a 61-page comment, Malacañang, through the Office of the Solicitor General, sought the dismissal of the petition filed by three residents of Boracay seeking to nullify President Rodrigo Duterte’s Proclamation 475 that closed the resort to tourists and non-residents from April 26 to Oct. 25.

Meanwhile, Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod said Monday the more than 21,000 displaced workers of Boracay could claim their six-month compensation to the nearest Labor Department regional office amounting to P4,205 a month.

Only about 20 percent of the more than 21,000 displaced workers have claimed

the assistance and livelihood program of the government, including the P4,000 in financial assistance to be given to affected workers regardless of status.

Solicitor General Jose Calida justified the legality of Boracay’s closure, saying it did not violate any provision of the 1987 Constitution.

Instead, the chief state lawyer sought the dismissal of the petition in April and a supplemental petition in June filed by Mark Anthony Zabal, Thiting Estoso Jacosalem and Odeon Bandiola for lack of merit.

He disputed the petitioners’ assertion that the Executive had no power to close down Boracay.

He said Duterte issued the closure order in the exercise of his power as chief executive under Sections 1 and 17, Article VII of the Constitution and declared Boracay under a state of calamity on the recommendation by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

“In this case, the situation in Boracay Island called for a strong and urgent measure to address the human-induced hazards that have caused the degradation of Boracay Island’s eco-system,” Calida said.

“Evidently, Proclamation 475 is nothing more than the President’s exercise of his power of control over the executive branch of government, especially in addressing the state of calamity in Boracay Island.

“Had the President failed to act on the recommendation of the National Council to address the environmental disaster in Boracay, he would have violated his bounden duty under existing laws and the Constitution.” With Vito Barcelo

PH...

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“May his dedication to his cause serve as a guidepost for our current leaders in government as they advance the welfare of our people, especially the oppressed and marginalized,” Duterte said.

“This can only be achieved if we work together to institute meaningful reforms that will put an end to the many social ills that have obstructed our path towards becoming a mature and stable democracy,” he said.

At a ceremony to mark his father’s death, former President Benigno Aquino III said he would not run for office in 2019 and would help campaign for likeminded candidates.

Liberal Party president Senator Francis Pangilinan, meanwhile, promised that his revitalized party would work tirelessly to renew and strengthen democracy.

“We, who dream of a peaceful and prosperous Philippines, believe that only a strong democracy ensures this future for all Filipinos,” he said.

“Today, on this occasion, on this historic spot, hallowed by Liberal blood, we renew our commitment to do all these.

We will build a party rooted among the people, a party that defends democracy and fights for freedom for every citizen of the Philippines,” he added.

He also recalled the Plaza Miranda bombing on Aug. 21, 1971.

“We remember and honor the ultimate sacrifice of nine fellow Liberals, and the mental and physical scars of the 95 others who were injured here, this day 47 years ago,” he said.

“We remember and respect the brave Liberal heroes who held the line and resisted the specter of dictatorial rule, for all freedom-loving Filipinos.

Today, 47 years hence, we, new Liberal Party members, vow to continue the fight,” he said.

“Thirty-five years ago, Ninoy returned home despite warnings that he could be killed. Because he wanted to be with his countrymen in fighting the dictator.

“Ninoy fought a worthy battle. He sowed the seeds that kindled action toward reclaiming our freedom and democracy,” Pangilinan said.

MASS FOR NINOY. Vice President Leni Robredo along with former President Benigno Aquino and Senator Antonio Trillanes, flash the ‘Laban’ (fight) symbol used by the opposition at a Mass to commemorate the 35th death anniversary of Aquino's father Ninoy on Aug. 21, 2018. AFP

Xiamen...

From A1

At a press conference Monday, both Cebu Pacific Air and Philippine Airlines said they were considering filing a complaint against Xiamen Airlines for damages, revenue losses and inconvenience brought about by the accident.

Xiamen Airlines has issued a public apology, and 11 officials visited Monreal’s office Monday to explain their side.

Cebu Pacific announced that its operations had returned to normal after three days of flight cancellations.

It said passengers on all domestic and international flights flying out of Naia Terminal 3 from Aug. 17 to Aug. 21 could still opt to rebook their flights within 30 days.

The airline reiterated that passengers whose flights were canceled may still avail of the following options, without penalties: Rebook flights for travel within 30 days from original date of departure; convert into a travel fund for future use; or get a full refund.

Philippine Airlines, however, announced Tuesday it was still experiencing difficulties operating some flights from Naia’s second runway and said there would be more delays before operations return to normal.

“We struggled to operate some flights from the second runway, Runway 13/31, which could accept smaller aircraft,” PAL said in an advisory.

Officials said there were still flight delays and cancellations as dozens of flights from different airlines switched to that runway, not to mention the strong tailwinds that required closing Runway 13/31 at times.

“We exerted all efforts to take care of affected passengers who, we recognize,

Sayonara:...

Make...

From A1

From A1

After more than 80 years in operation Tsukiji, the world’s largest fish market and a popular tourist attraction in an area packed with restaurants and shops, will move east to Toyosu, the site of a former gas plant.

The market, which opened in 1935, is best known for its pre-dawn daily auctions of tuna, caught from around the world, for use by everyone from top Michelin-star sushi chefs to ordinary grocery stores.

The lively tuna auctions are considered a must-see for visitors to the Japanese capital―despite starting at 5:30am―and daily tourist numbers are capped at 120 people.

The early hour does not seem to put off the tourist crowds and “some tourists start lining up at around 2am”, the spokeswoman from the Tokyo metropolitan government told AFP. But access to the tuna auction will end on Sept. 15, as preparatory work for the move gets underway, she added. AFP

Republic Act 9849, the law providing for the inclusion of two Muslim festivities (Eidl Fitr and Eidl Adha) as part of the country’s national holidays This Feast of Sacrifice turns out to be ARMM’s last as a plebiscite on the BOL is set in November. The region, however, is currently hosting different tribal festivities in five representative villages of its seven major constituencies―Yakan, Maranao, Maguindanaon, Taosug, Sama, Indigenous Peoples and Filipino Chinese communities.

“We, my own family and the ARMM family have agreed to hold the prayer and the occasion here,” Hataman told reporters in Filipino.

Reorganization is in the offing in ARMM with a Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao created by the BOL (Republic Act 11054) imminently replacing it, and is seen to displace more than 6,000 rank-and-file or more employees.

Affected among 26,000 workers are

had to endure uncertainty, long waits and discomfort. We acknowledge, however, that our efforts were not enough at some of the critical times. And for this, we sincerely apologize and we assure you that we will strive to do more and make the necessary improvements for the benefit of all,” PAL said.

“There is so much more to do and there will regrettably be some more delays and retiming of flights. But we will do what we can to minimize the inconvenience to our valued passengers,” it added.

Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation issued a statement Tuesday saying that removing a stalled aircraft off the runway was not easy.

“Recovering a disabled aircraft is far different from towing a bus or a car. There are technical protocols and intervening factors that all international airports observe in recovering a disabled aircraft,” the department statement said.

“Allow us to work first so that we can address the problem entirely. Accusing, sowing intrigues and maligning our offices and officials will not help at this time,” the department added.

“In the case of the recent Xiamen incident, please note that in addition to its size and weight, there were also four tons of unused fuel at the wings that are highly combustible, necessitating extra care to avoid fire or explosion. Apart from passengers, we also think about the safety of the rescuers,” the department said. “One false move, the plane might explode.”

The department said all procedures in the airport emergency plan on aircraft recovery were followed, but strong winds and heavy rains and the muddy terrain made recovery difficult.

In an interview with GMA-7, Monreal bristled at the criticism and asked: “What do you think is the standard reasonable time?”

Muslim and Christian employees of the Offices of the Regional Governor, Regional Vice-Governor, regional line agencies and the Regional Legislative Assembly.

Millions of Muslims who perform the hajj pilgrimage in Islam’s holy cities of Makkah and Madina ceremonially reenact the experience of Nabi Ibrahim (Abraham), Nabi Ishmael (Ishmael) and his mother Hajara (Hajar) from Makkah to Muzdalifah and to Arafa and Mina in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

In the Hajj season, Sattar said, Muslim pilgrims from all over the world have to pay tribute to a woman’s sacrifice in Hagar’s frantic search for water between the Hills of Safa Al-Marwa in the ancient shrine that is now the Haram Mosque, where gushed forth a spring that gave Abraham’s family and many generations after them palatable water to drink―the Zamzam―which still flows to this day.

Comparatively, the events read in the Qur’an are also mentioned in Genesis 14:16 in which Hagar is said to have run between the ancient hills of Kadesh and Bered, as Abraham “journeyed from thence (Philistine) toward the south country…” (Genesis 20:1)

“Nobody can say what a reasonable time is for any particular situation because that is unique to every situation,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English.

“It depends on where the airplane went.”

An opposition lawmaker on Tuesday urged the Civil Aeronautics Board to look into possible violation of airline passenger rights when dozens of flights at Naia were canceled, delayed or redirected.

“Stranded passengers are entitled to certain amenities in case of terminal delay, even if it is due to force majeure or circumstances beyond the airline’s control,” Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr. said.

“In fact, there is an administrative order specifying those passenger rights as well as the obligations of carriers,” Campos, a deputy minority leader, said.

These include providing passengers with refreshment or meals, free phone calls, texts or e-mail and first aid if needed, and a rebooking or refunds.

Airlines are also supposed to provide customer service representatives who can address common problems, such as arranging for meals and hotel rooms for stranded passengers, settling denied boarding compensation, arranging luggage resolutions, and settling other routine claims or complaints on the spot.

“Airlines clearly have obligations. And the CAB should now ascertain which carriers lived up to their duties, and which of them neglected passengers during the Aug. 17-18 disorder,” Campos said.

Many passengers stuck at the terminal during the Naia mess had complained that nobody looked after them, and that they were basically left to fend for themselves.

Campos said the CAB is also supposed to have “complaints and assistance desks” that would help passengers whose rights have not been fully satisfied by a carrier.

Hidilyn...

From A1

Stanley Pringle, who fueled the team’s fourth quarter fightback, turned goat when his over-dribbling allowed Zhao Rui to pick his pocket in the dying seconds.

The pesky Chinese guard scooted home for the layup that tied the count at 80 all, before calmly sinking two free two throws in the final 45 seconds off a foul by cramp-stricken Jordan Clarkson for the insurance baskets.

With no time left to devise a lastditch play, the nationals were forced to launch a hurried attempt courtesy of Paul Dalistan, whose three-point try from way out bounced off the ring, enabling the Chinese to escape with the win.

“I don’t see this as a loss,” said Philippine team coach Yeng Guiao, knowing that with the gallant stand, they sent a message that they mean business in these games.

That message, hopefully gets into the nerves of Koreans, who the nationals take on at the start of the Knockout Quar-

Rody...

From A1

Sison also said he never said the reported coma was “certainly true.”

“I never claimed it to be certainly true, but I cautioned the readers of my Facebook Timeline that the report is subject to verification or negation by the public appearance of Duterte and by credible medical bulletin,” Sison said.

He insisted, however, that Duterte’s video appearance showed that his movements were sluggish, his arms were unsteady, and his face was darker than usual during a gathering with the Lex Taliones fraternity members.

“The video indicates that Duterte suffers from some serious illness, such as the aggravation of his self-admitted Buerger´s disease or his kidney problem due to frequent use of painkillers, including fentanyl,” said the top communist leader, who has been in a self-imposed exile in The Netherlands since 1987.

“He wishes me to live a thousand years but repeats his old death threats or his lie that I am sick and dying. He taunts that I am in and out of Dutch hospitals as an impoverished charity patient, while, on other occasions, he and his military propagandists claim that I wallow in a life of luxury in The Netherlands,” Sison said of Duterte.

“In very recent times, Duterte has publicly invited me to return or visit the Philippines but now he angrily tells me that he will conduct me to the Bilibid [prison],” he continued.

In a Palace briefing, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque debunked Sison’s claims, and said he is a “spent revolutionary, not a doctor.”

Roque then reassured the public that Duterte is fine, urging critics to stop wishing the President ill as spreading such misinformation about the President’s state of health constitutes a crime.

The President’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio criticized Sison.

In a statement, Duterte-Carpio said Sison’s false claim that her father was sick got her to thinking if he himself were not seriously ill, and if his Facebook posts were the work of his caretaker.

CoA...

From A1

State auditors said AMA was able to receive P13.65 million from Tesda-Manila broken down into P10.05 million in 2015 and P3.6 million in 2016 for the training of 455 student beneficiaries at the cost of P30,000 per scholar.

AMA’s Sta. Mesa campus accepted 310 student-scholars in 2015 to learn “career entry course for software developers NC IV using Java.”

CoA discovered the irregularities following the verification of the whereabouts of the scholars listed in the school’s registry.

“The documents supporting the paid disbursement vouchers... for the attendance of the 310 scholars claimed to have undergone said Java training were found doubtful/fictitious,” the report read.

Only 115 were reached through their listed phone numbers and addresses, while the other 195 were not found since the numbers listed next to their names were found to be either unreachable, invalid, incorrect, inexistent or assigned to a completely different person.

Out of the 115 who were located, 77 turned up to be real AMA students but were on other campuses and taking different courses. ‘‘The audit team’s validation for the training conducted/attended by the 77 students revealed that they were regular students of AMACC Fairview, Quezon City campus. Further, 12 students our of those 77 interviewed by the audit team disclosed that they were instructed to sign attendance sheets, training-forscholarship work program scholarship vouchers and identifications,’’ CoA said. terfinal Stage on Saturday.

The NBA stars of the game, Cleveland Cavaliers’ Clarkson of the Philippines and the Houston Rockets’ Zhou Qi and Dallas Mavericks’ Ding Yanyuang did not disappoint.

Clarkson fueled a fiery secondquarter assault as his three consecutive triples allowed the Philippines to level the count at 55-all with 2:30 left before halftime. He ended up with a gamehigh 28 points to go with four assists and eight rebounds in a scintillating debut for the Philippines.

On the other hand, the 6’7” Ding had seven points and five rebounds, while the 7’1” Zhou was a pain in the neck for the Filipinos inside with his 25 points and 12 rebounds, to go with 7 blocked shots, 3 on Christian Standhardinger.

The Fil-German, however, made up for it in the second half as he joined Pringle to preside over the Philippines’ offense.

Standhardinger hauled eight rebounds and scored 18, including two free throws in the final three minutes that finally gave the nationals the lead at 76-74, after trailing by as much as 12 early in the second quarter, 15-27.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Arroyo hits back at critics, proves she really was sick

By Maricel V. Cruz TO PROVE to all doubting Thomases that she was really sick, Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo showed her scars from several operations done in 2011 to correct a deformation in her neck.

In a television show, Arroyo showed her scars to media to prove that her ailment was real, and it was a life-threatening condition.

“The scars are still there. You even visited me Arnold at the hospital when I had the operation, right?” Arroyo told host Arnold Clavio.

“You even showed to the world the extent of my operation,” she added.

“And you can see the scars, it’s still there,” said Arroyo who turned her back for Clavio to show the scars, adding that the metal placed in her back eases the pain in her neck.

Arroyo underwent operations for cervical spondylosis, an age-related deterioration in the bones of the neck, causing a misalignment in the spine which in turn puts pressure on the nerves that transmit signals to the upper extremities.

A titanium plate was implanted in the part of Arroyo’s neck to realign the deformed spine.

The former president maintained that she will not run for the position of Prime Minister under a federal government.

Arroyo said those who spread that fake news are sowing intrigue.

“If you look at the draft of ConCom [Constitutional Commission], it is parliamentary [form of government], its presidential. So, I have no interest in the position of Prime Minister,” Arroyo said.

Ex-Naga dad links Leni’s brother-in-law to illegal drugs

By Rio N. Araja A FORMER councilor from Naga City, Camarines Sur on Tuesday accused the brother-in-law of Vice President Leni Robredo as behind the illegal drug trade in their province.

At a news conference in Quezon City, Luis Ortega, 81, backed the claim of President Rodrigo Duterte that Naga City is a hotbed of shabu.

He said 13 out of the 27 barangays in the city are involved in illegal drug activities He alleged that Butch Robredo, brother of the late Department of Interior and Local Government secretary Jesse Robredo, who served as a city mayor since 1988 for six terms, is involved in the drug trade.

Ortega said the vice president and even Naga City Mayor John Bongat as well as the city residents are aware of the proliferation of the illegal drugs in their area, even as he accused the mayor as the protector of Butch Robredo, who has gone into hiding in the United States.

According to Ortega, he tried repeatedly to request a drug list from Naga City’s Sr. Supt. Julius Munez in February 2017 and Region 5’s then Chief Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe on March 22, 2017, but his request was denied.

He added that drug transactions were done in a drug lair called “Isla.”

Ortega also implicated the police in the “worsening” drug problem in Naga City, saying that one police officer has even built a safehouse in the drug-infested Isla.

He, however, claimed he does not have an axe to grind against the Robredos, even as he threatened to file a plunder complaint against the vice president with the Office of the Ombudsman for the construction of a “substandard” P80-million riprap project and P200-million bridge.

Manila Standard tried to reach the Office of the Vice President and Robredo’s legal counsel Romulo Macalintal but was not successful.

ADOPT-A-WATERSHED. Manila Water president and CEO Ferdinand dela Cruz (fifth from left) receives a plaque of recognition from MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco for

MWCI’s support to the Annual Million Tree Challenge, a reforestation program of MWSS aimed at rehabilitating watersheds. Manila Water has planted 86,000 trees on the AMTC’s maiden year. With them are Manila Water Corporate Communications Head Jeric Sevilla, Manila Water Corporate Regulatory Head Nelson Victorino, DepEd Usec. Alain del Pascua, DENR Usec. Rodolfo Garcia, Manila Water COO Geodino Carpio, Manila Water Watershed manager Roman Corpuz , and Manila Water Corporate Project Management Group director Thomas T. Mattison.

‘Ninja cops’ deserve due process—CHR T

By Rio N. Araja

HE Commission on Human Rights hit President Rodrigo Duterte for offering a P5-million bounty to anyone who could bring to him a dead “ninja” cop.

CHR lawyer-spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said even “ninja” cops do not deserve to die despite their wrongdoing.

“Ninja cops or scalawags in the police force, the Commission agrees, are a disgrace to the institution and therefore, must be removed from the service,” she

said.

“However, like any human being, their lives are priceless too and should not be equated to any amount, however low or exorbitant it may be. Their removal from service must not be by death which promotes vigilantism and perpetuates the cycle of violence, worse

the breakdown of the rule of law but by due process which will afford them recognition of their rights,” she added.

She said erring police officers should be afforded due process and their constitutional rights.

By doing so, it does not mean tolerance of their wrong doings nor acquiescence but rather adhering to time honored principles of respect for human rights and the rule of law, she said.

Last Aug. 17, the President offered a bounty of P5 million to anyone who could take to him a dead scalawag cop after he expressed his disappointment over the number of bad police officers at the Philippine National Police.

Military blasts BIFF position, kills seven terrorists

By Francisco Tuyay THE planned attack by a group of Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters against military posts in Maguindanao was disrupted after military rockets exploded on their positions, blasting to death seven bandits and wounding several others Monday night.

The BIFF fighters whom the military authorities did not identify, were spotted gathered in an area apparently bracing for retaliatory attacks when hit by artilleries from 105mm howitzers launched by the military.

Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Battalion, said the firing of rockets against the BIFF elements under Imam Bongos was carried out after they received information from village officials on the presence of the militants in Sitio Kabasalan, Brgy.

Darampua in Sultan sa Barongis at 11 am Monday.

Of the seven BIFF fatalities, four of whom were identified only throught their aliases as Amir, Badrudin, Mutalib and Abdurahman.

Sobejana said Imam Bongos, a radical cleric, leads three BIFF factions under the command of Abu Toraype.

The latest BIFF setback brought to hundreds of militants killed this year, the biggest number of which was recorded in a firefight at the villages in Salbo, Kitango and Malngog, Maguindanao where 40 BIFF fighters were killed.

“We received information from concerned civilians giving the supposed hideouts of the BIFF group planning to launch an attack. Upon verification, we conducted surgical operations in order to prevent their plan,” Sobejana said.

“These [BIFF] group are said to be equipped with improvised ex-

plosive devices against military and civilian targets,” Sobejana added.

The firing of rockets where carried out in an intermittent manner depending on verified locations of BIFF militants, which started before noon Monday and lasted until late light on the same day.

Sobejana said the bombing forced the BIFF fighters to scamper to different directions and splintered themselves into smaller numbers as they retreated to safer grounds.

He said troops did not recover any dead bodies of BIFF fighters after the artillery shelling, except for information gathered by intelligence units on the ground.

Despite the aborted planned BIFF attacks, security forces will remain on alert to prevent future aggression by the terrorist group against detachment and posts not only in Maguindanao but also in adjoining provincies, Sobejana said.

DoJ warns public vs fake gov’t agency website

By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice on Tuesday warned the public against doing transaction with a website masquerading as the procurement agency of the Philippine government In an advisory, the DoJ cautioned anyone against doing business with Philippines Project Award Commission, which maintains a website called and is claiming to be the government’s central procurement agency to defraud the public.

According to the advisory, the fraudulent website also claimed to have the “Champs Court” and “Champion Court Business Consulting Agency” as its authorized agents.

The Justice department said that PPAC is neither a recognized state agency nor a legally registered corporation listed in the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The fake PPAC website reportedly conducts online public bidding, makes solicitation from foreign entities aside from issuing fake official receipts that are allegedly coming from Philippine government agencies, among other illegal activities.

The DoJ thus called on the public to be cautious in doing business online to prevent being victimized by unscrupulous websites.

The public is advised to report transaction attempts by the mentioned website to the DoJ Office of Cybercrime (cybercrime@doj.gov.ph); the National Bureau of Investigation (526-1294); and the Philippine National Police-Anti-Cybercrime Group (723-0401 local 5313).

The DoJ advisory added that the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System is the sole centralized electronic portal that serves as the official source of information regarding government procurement.

Gadon lauds DoJ decision on Sereno

EXPOSED. Former Naga City Councilor Luis Ortega exposed to the media the

alleged proliferation of illegal drugs in the Province of Naga City. In this photo, Ortega showed to media the list of alleged drugs protectors in the province during a press conference in Quezon City. Manny Palmero

LAWYER Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon on Tuesday welcomed the Department of Justice decision to forward the graft complaint against ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to the Office of the Ombudsman.

Gadon filed last January before the DoJ the graft complaint against Sereno, whom he accused of failing to file her SALNs during her 17-year stint as a professor at the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law. “I welcome the action taken by DoJ Secretary to endorse to the Ombudsman the complaint I filed against Atty. Maria Lourdes Sereno in connection with her failure to obey the law requiring all government employees to file SALN [Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth] every year,” Gadon said in a statement.

“I filed it at the time when the respondent was still clothed with immunity from suits notwithstanding to avoid prescrip-

tion of criminal acts as they were committed when Atty. Sereno was still teaching in a state university,” he added.

The preliminary investigation on Gadon’s complaints was shelved at the DoJ since, at the time they were filed, Sereno was still Chief Justice and was immune from suit.

Guevarra said he has endorsed the complaint against Sereno to the top anti-graft office after she was ousted as top magistrate via quo warranto proceedings.

In his complaint, Gadon accused Sereno of violating Republic Act 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees) and RA 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act).

He said Sereno violated RA 6713 when she submitted only three SALNs during her stint as a law professor at the UP College of Law from 1986 to 2006 prior to her SC appointment in 2012. PNA

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Opinion

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

The answer to the Naia mess TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

needed, however, is ready access and convenience of travelers.

If the inquiry proves that the incident was caused by pilot error, damages should be paid by the Xiamen owners.

But if the intention of the hearings is just to find solutions to the mess, we know very well that the real problem is incompetence.

If President Duterte must assuage the public’s outrage, he should do some housecleaning at Naia and the Transportation Department.

Doesn’t the President realize that tourism in the Philippines can take a beating after this mess? The airport is not only outdated—it is downright dangerous!

Congressional investigations are supposed to be in aid of legislation. I can’t think of a law that can solve what is happening.

SANTA Banana, here we go again!

The Senate and the House of Representatives have scheduled separate hearings and investigations on what happened at the Naia last week and over the weekend and even on to Monday when thousands of flights were canceled. A Xiamen Airlines aircraft skidded off the lone runway of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Because of the incident, the airport was a mess!

Why is there a need for a probe when we the people are already aware of what is wrong?

It is simply the incompetence of airport officials, including the Transportation department. They do not *** have foresight. We are all too aware The PDP-Laban political party of the Naia’s inadcame out with equacies. the names of 24 The problem “probables” for boils down to the 2019 senatoone thing—the There is no more need rial polls. lone Naia runway.

Among those There have been for an investigation. We listed, I can think many proposals already know what is of only the followto build alternate wrong. ing “winnable” airports, and with names: Senators multiple runways.

Koko Pimentel, Grace Poe, CynBut the governthia Villar, Sonny ment has taken its Angara, Nancy Binay and JV Ejercito. sweet time.

There have been unsolicited pro- Former MMDA chairman Francis Toposals from no less than seven con- lentino is also winnable considering glomerates to repair Naia. These that he was number 13 in the last elechave gone through the wringer of tion. the Investment Coordinating CounAnd then there is Ilocos Norte Gov. cil of the National Economic and Imee Marcos. And if House Speaker Development Authority. The geni- Gloria Arroyo runs, I believe she will uses there believe they know better top the slate. than businessmen.

I don’t know why the PDP-Laban Take, for instance, that San Miguel included the name of former Senator proposal. It would not require a sin- Lito Lapid. He himself however said gle centavo from the government. The he was uncomfortable as a senator. proposal was made some three or four And why include special assistant years ago. If the Duterte administration Christopher Go at all? Surveys say has enough vision for the future, that he is at the bottom of the list. Why proposal would now be on track. also include Ronald dela Rosa, unIn the meantime, while there are der whose incumbency at the Philipproposals to build alternate airports, pine National Police thousands were there is Clark International Airport killed? Now as head of the Bureau of with its four runways. Logic and rea- Corrections, he cannot even stop the son dictate that Naia and Clark could drug trade at the New Bilibid Prisons. complement each other. What is Turn to A5

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Bully pulpit

I

N THIS era of social media, the term “bully pulpit” has taken on a character that US President Theodore Roosevelt never imagined when he coined the phrase to describe the presidency as an excellent platform for speaking out. Nowadays, any demagogue with a few thousand followers on Facebook and Twitter can use social media to browbeat and bully other people.

A case in point was last week’s kerfuffle involving columnist and broadcaster Ramon Tulfo, who took to Facebook and Twitter to launch attacks on emergency room personnel at the Philippine General Hospital and University of the Philippines students, in general.

On the evening of Aug. 15, Tulfo and his entourage brought a nine-year-old girl to the emergency room of PGH, after his driver had bumped her in Navotas. They were immediately led to the triage desk, which assigns degrees of urgency to injuries or illnesses to determine the order of treatment among a large number of patients who need medical attention.

The triage officer that night attended to the victim and while attempting to perform his tasks, saw that several of Tulfo’s staff taking video recordings of the victim and himself. The doctor immediately admonished them to stop what they were doing. But instead of complying, Tulfo shouted at the doctor, cursed several times, and gave him the “dirty finger” several times.

The girl’s mother pleaded with Tulfo

to stop his harangue so they could focus on getting treatment for her child. When it was clear that neither the insults nor the video recording would stop, the doctor on duty left to call a senior medical officer to intervene.

Shortly afterward, security and police officers of PGH arrived and Tulfo was asked to leave the premises. His staff however, remained at the hospital and asked for understanding and “pasensiya” for their boss.

Later, Tulfo posted a video of the incident with the following account: “My staff and I rushed the child to the Philippine General Hospital emergency room.

“The ER doctor, Jay Guerrero, did not want to give the child first aid treatment, saying he didn’t want it recorded on video.

“No amount of pleading from me to attend to the young patient would budge the good doctor.”

Later on, on Twitter, he posted: “Most interns and resident doctors at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) are haughty

(matapobre). They don’t care much about their poor patients as all they’re interested in is learning medical skills. Why? They are rich kids who graduated from UP, premiere govt school. Shame!”

PGH has since issued a statement denouncing Tulfo’s behavior and demanding that the video on his Facebook page be taken down and that he issue an apology—all of which he has refused to do.

In its statement, the hospital said Tulfo disrupted ER processes and could have endangered the lives of patients. It also observed that the video taping of the incident and the subsequent uploading of the video violated the Code of Ethics of Media Practitioners “when the face of the minor victim was displayed in the Facebook video without prior consent and with the obvious displeasure of the minor and guardian.”

In refusing to take down his video—“not in a million years”—Tulfo said he wanted to make it “a point of discussion.”

Anyone not blinded by self importance and arrogance might see that he was on the wrong side of that discussion, and admit fault. But that is simply unthinkable for a bully, who would see this as a sign of weakness rather than as a sign of humility and decency.

Curiously, Mr. Tulfo has not referred to the nine-year-old girl in his subsequent social media posts. She is fine, thankfully, and was discharged the next day after a battery of tests—thanks to the good doctors and medical personnel of PGH.

Gateway to hell at Naia had to travel by road to Clark in Pampanga.

The chaotic situation at Manila’s premier gateway brings to the fore the government’s Build, Build, ALEJANDRO Build infrastructure projects. If the DEL ROSARIO government does not have the funds, then it should fast-track industrialist LAST week’s hellish situation at Ma- Ramon Ang’s plan to build a new airnila’s international airport brought to port in Bulacan, Bulacan. The prolight years of neglect and failure to posed project that includes four runupgrade the country’s gateway. Other ways costs P15 billion. This would neighboring countries like Singapore, be a big relief to passengers who are Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, South residents of Central Luzon. They Korea and even Indonesia can be will be spared the grief of traveling proud of their airports, while the Phil- long drive and heavy traffic to Naia ippines has been left behind. We are in Pasay City.

A consortium of companies that the only country in the world whose international airport has only one run- include Metro Pacific, JG Summit way which often has to be repaired be- Holdings, Aboitiz, Asia’s Emerging cause of cracks that make takeoff and Dragons and Filinvest proposed a P106-billion plan landing risky. to upgrade preThousands of sent facilities at departing pasthe Naia for a consengers, many cession period of of them overseas Take it out on 15 years to recovFilipino workers, er investments. were stranded at your non-performing The country Naia’s Terminal 1 officials, Mr. wants to bring in when the Chinese President, instead of foreign tourists. plane Xiamen AirBut how can we ways skidded off on yourself. when such a mess the rain-drenched up at the airport runway. The crippled plane on the greets them upon runway wrought arrival? Tourism havoc on departing passengers who Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat tried to get bookings on other airlines. expressed her concern that this latest OFWs were the ones most seriously blot on our airport will affect tourist affected by the airport closure as they arrivals. We were finally able to rid had work contracts that require them ourselves of the stigma as the worst to be back at work after taking a break airport in the world. This, after Naia’s in Manila and the provinces. The mad- three terminals were cleaned and dening scene at the departure lounge spruced up. But someone forgot the of Terminal 1 resembled an evacua- most basic requirement of an internation center for people displaced by the tional airport which is to have safe facilities and at least two other runways. continuous monsoon rains.

As a passenger I always experience Arriving f lights were diverted to Clark International Airport. Rela- arriving but having to go on a holding tives who came to meet the arrivals Turn to A5

BACK CHANNEL

Needed yesterday: A new Manila airport VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ THE best argument that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport should be shut down in the near future and that Manila needs an entirely new international airport now is the Xiamen Airlines Flight MF866 disaster near midnight of Aug. 16, 2018 when the aircraft’s apparently inexperienced pilot overshot the Naia runway amid heavy thunderstorm.

tion of 200 flights and affected more than The crash landing of the 43-ton Boeing 35,000 tourist arrivals and easily twice the 27 jetliner with 165 passengers (none of number of domestic passengers. For three whom was harmed) triggered the cancella- days, there was total chaos at Naia. The chaos spilled over alternate airports Clark and Cebu.

If you ask me, the pilots of that flight should have been arrested for economic Naia has become the sabotage, not to mention for possible act of terrorism. Amid the crash landing, there most religious airport in were wholesale violations of the Air PasAsia. You pray that your senger Bill of Rights by nearly every airline that use Naia. flight arrives or takes I estimate the loss to the economy in two off on time and without days of Naia’s paralysis at P3.7 billion. Avidelay. ation contributes 8.7 percent to GDP or the Turn to A5 Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

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Opinion

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018

A Hong Kong sojourn CROSSROADS

JONATHAN A. DE LA CRUZ IT WAS right after the successful premier of “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral”—a film about the life and times of General Gregorio del Pilar who held off American forces pursuing then General Emilio Aguinaldo, the President of the newly declared Philippine Republic – which was jointly sponsored by the Ateneo de Manila High School Class ’68/College ’72 and Assumption College High School Class ’69 that the trip to Hong Kong was finalized.

At the instance of Gaudencio “Goody” Hernandez, joint HS ’68/College ’72 Treasurer, members of the class(es) decided to pay a visit to Hong Kong to meet up with Eli Remolona, Resident Representative of the Bank of International Settlements for Asia-Pacific, and his wife, Marie. Goody, who was the country’s Representative to the Asian Development Bank during the PNoy administration, promised it was going to be a memorable trip or else he will reimburse all expenses. With that generous offer complete with promises of a gastronomic feast from no less than the lady host, Marie Remolona, and, of course, incessant pressure from the wives, we finally got together in Hong Kong last Monday, Aug. 20.

“Lahat naman kayo retired or pa-retire na so what’s wrong with doing this one trip on weekdays,” was the ladies’ chant that got 10 of us going after that nightmarish airport bedlam caused by the skidding Xiamen Airlines plane stranding thousands of travelers from late Thursday night to Sunday morning. That 48-hour nightmare was more than enough to setback our dream of a break out from our sluggish two million to three million foreign tourist arrival this year and probably up to the end of this administration—unless Transportation Secretary Art Tugade and his senior executives can find a way to fast-track the opening of a new airport with all the needed facilities to make our connections to the world a little more accomplished and proper.

Perhaps he can begin that process by asking for the resignation of MIAA GM Ed Montreal and his crew as well as

Needed.

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getting the airlines to a no-holds barred meeting just to find out why they allowed such a bedlam to happen at all. Why did they not declare Manila a “no go” zone after that Xiamen Airlines incident, say for 24 hours, knowing fully well that they could not get the airport back on track just like that instead of giving travelers all the promises and BS they could muster to the utter disgust of the thousands who had to agonize for hours only to be told a day or so after that they could not proceed.

Or even those hied off to other airports like Clark and Cebu without the needed ground support. Mea culpas and all kinds of apologies cannot compensate for this grand brouhaha. But that is another story. *** Back to our Hongkong sojourn. So, the 10 of us: Goody, me and Emily, Mike and Annie Molina, Dads and Techie Capellan Lito Bauza, Meenow Nivera and Benjie Atilano, got together with Eli and Marie

We have memories to make and moments to remember. for our first gastronomic work out at dinner in MAMA SAN, a hip Indo/Malay resto in what Hong Kongers claim was the original HK “Red District.” It was a hit, a truly memorable four-course dinner, made even livelier with tales of old, i.e., Loyola and martial law days, and new, work, travels and grandchildren.

Before that we had to pass by Eli’s office at the IFC Tower with views of the famous Hong Kong Harbor and, PCC, the tallest building in the city. Eli who is retiring this October after six years with the BIS, the so-called bank of central banks, showed us around and we had time to quiz (actually kid) him about the effect of the devaluation of the Turkish lira and the Venezuelan bolivar, among other serious monetary and economic concerns. Of course, we got the answers deemed proper not to rock the international monetary system. And the insights too on the cycles, moves and intrigues circling the all too hyperven-

tilated world of global finance.

That’s all that I can share for now on pain of opening up conversations about matters which may cause my friends, specially those left behind trying to make sense out of the developments the world over, hours of tension and aches. All I can say for now is try to relax, take the long view and have time with family and friends like what we are into. Life goes on and while there are troubles everywhere, the world is not falling apart as we have memories to make and moments to remember.

In any event, even as we are off talking about what might-have-beens we continue to discuss what could still be done as we enter the lastquarter of our lives.

Having struggled through college and immediately after, the martial law years, there is a sense of “giving back”—as in are we going to just let the country slid back into the chaos and ultra democratic ways of old where the class divide got even worse as the 1-percent rich got richer as the 99-percent poor got poorer in a country that has reached the 100-million population mark. Are there things we can do to make life a little better for the great unwashed and things a little brighter for those, our children, who are themselves making a go in another plane of struggle?

These times are made even more complex with technological advancement, climate change and political-cum-economic warfare. Is there a way to fast-track our country’s way to mid-level economy status before we all retire and reminisce on what might should have beens?

There is hope, I believe. If only because even as we enjoy each other’s company and walk through the byzantine streets of this ever-busy city we are still dreaming of organizing farming communities to plant coffee and cacao and assisting them to level up and supply the needs of the Starbucks of the world or of tapping the artisans of Mt. Province, Betis, Ilocos and Sulu to make the labels, maligns, furnitures and cravings which we believe will be treasured by generations yet to come. There is hope. After all, despite all the worries and apprehensions not knowing fully what’s going on we are talking about President Duterte’s frustrations and about Strumms almost at the same breath. Life goes on and we will make the most and best of what the world we live in will offer.

..

annual output of goods and services. GDP is about P17 trillion. Naia receives 66 percent of the country’s annual tourist arrivals of 6.5 million.

From Aug. 17 to 20, Philippine Airlines alone reported 34,000 passengers affected—29,500 passengers of 87 canceled flights and 4,500 passengers of 21 diverted flights.

Next Wednesday, Aug. 29, the Senate will investigate the Xiamen Airlines incident which has made Naia more now notoriously globally for its lack of competent and visionary management.

Senate Public Services Committee Chair Senator Grace Poe has denounced “something perverse about an absent administration by inefficiency, lack of compassion for citizens and people, and anathema to the country’s quest in good public services, tourism, investments, human resources, and similar sectors.”

“The incident is truly a jolting wake-up call and we cannot afford to be the epitome of the worst airport in the world again,” Poe winced.

The government has received at least four airport proposals.

The so-called Naia Consortium seeks to rehabilitate or expand Naia so it can service 47-million arrivals by 2020, from the present capacity of 31-million passengers per annum. The 2020 plan seeks terminal improvements, space rationalization and optimization of operations. It does not seek to build a new runway. Naia’s main problem is that it has only one international runway. There is a second runway but it is perpendicular, not parallel, to the main runway, virtually making Naia a single runway airport.

With Changi Airports as partner, the

so-called “super consortium” includes the Aboitiz Group, the Ayala Group, Andrew Tan, Lucio Tan, John Gokongwei Jr., the group of the late Andrew Gotianun, and Manuel V. Pangilinan of PLDT and First Pacific. They promise to spend P102 billion for the Naia rehab. The government seems to take them seriously because the group has been given a first proponent status.

Meanwhile, the Indian-Filipino group GMR-Megawide, already the operator of Cebu’s airport in central Philippines, wants to rejig Naia by improving efficiency (but not build another runway) so that it could handle more aircraft movements (taking off and landing) from 45 to 60 per hour (or one flight per minute). They promise to invest P156 billion.

Formidable is the partnership of Henry Sy Sr. and Wilson Tieng. It wants to build a new airport out of Sangley Point, the navy base, at a cost of $12 billion for the new airport to handle 120 million ppa on reclaimed area of 2,500 hectares.

The best proposal to me is the San Miguel Airport in Bulakan town, Bulacan on 2,500 hectares of flat- lands.

San Miguel Corp. president Ramon S. Ang wants to approach the crippling congestion and traffic at Naia the way Adam and Eve should have solved the apple problem. Rather than digesting it, sell it.

Today, Naia is in the wrong place at the wrong time. “It has no room for expansion,” say aviation experts.

Crucially, Naia has safety concerns.

North, south, east and west, pilots landing and taking off at Naia have to grapple with potentially fatal aerial hazards, namely tall buildings within 4.2 kms of their gaze.

Naia has become the most religious air-

port in Asia. You pray that your flight arrives or takes off on time and without delay (15 mins is allowable). Average delay at Naia is 43 minutes, both on the ground and in the air. And you pray that nothing untoward happens to you and your flight, like the Xiamen Airlines incident.

RSA wants to move the country’s gateway 27 kms to the north, in Bulacan where on 2,500 has. of land he commits to develop Asia’s most modern airport, with four runways initially, with the first two runways operational in six years, and passenger capacity of 100 million and double after that after 2023. Ang has also made provisions for even six runways, if needed.

San Miguel analysts believe the new Bulacan airport will create 40-million jobs, attract 20-million tourists a year, and contribute up to P1.53 trillion to the economy yearly.

Total cost of the “aerotropolis”: P735 billion to be raised and spent in tranches of P150 billion per year, so SMC’s debt ratios won’t be affected at all. San Miguel can borrow six times its earnings before interest, taxes, and depreciation.

SMC has borrowed only twice its EBITDA. No funding will come from the government. The airport will come complete with a seaport, a sprawling industrial estate (where electricity will be the cheapest in the land), a government center, a business center and will be linked to Manila by five major expressways.

The San Miguel Airport has already received no less than five regulatory government approvals. All that is needed is a final go-signal to proceed.

Meantime, let’s pray the curse of 866 will not visit Naia again.

er airlines. But even if they did, it took a full day and a half to remove the damaged Xiamen Air plane.

The pilot, a South Korean recruited by the Chinese airline, was found negative for drug and alcohol use. His plane, a 737-800 was like a beached whale on the runway obstructing arriving and departing flights.

Senator Grace Poe has summoned transportation and airport officials and airline executives to a Senate hearing on the incident. She wants to know why it took 36 hours to remove the crippled plane that led to the chaotic situation that paralyzed flight operations.

The Naia is handling 42-million passengers a year—way beyond its 30-mil-

lion capacity. Two other alternate airports aside from Clark could ease congestion of flights at Naia.

Transportation Secretary Arturo Tugade has apologized for the havoc that saw thousands of passengers stranded at the airport. But an apology is not enough. Tugade must make sure such an incident does not happen again by putting in place equipment that can clear immediately a plane crash on the runway.

His lack of foresight adds to the frustration of President Dutere that makes him think of quitting the presidency.

But instead of resignation, the President should instead fire his non-performing Cabinet officials. Take it out on them,

biznewsasia@gmail.com

Gateway...

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pattern circling over the airport because no runway and docking berth are readily available.

There is another proposal to build an alternate airport in Sangley Point, the former US naval base in Cavite. An upgraded Naia, Ang’s proposed Bulacan airport and the Clark International Airport in Pampanga could be the long-term solution to ease congestion of flights at the Naia.

Under the Passenger’s Bill of Rights, Xiamen Airlines will take care of the hotel, billeting and food expenses of its passengers. But the departing passengers on the hundred of cancelled flights had to fend for themselves as they massed at Terminal 1 trying to get booking on oth-

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A harrowing experience ing slots are still occupied. We will fly back to Taoyuan airport.”

Bedlam ensued. “But we are already in the Philippines. We can get out here LITO in Clark…open the doors!” so many deBANAYO manded in unison.

I asked the purser why we cannot indeed be allowed to disembark at Clark.

I WAS supposed to fly in Friday night. The answer: “There is no immigration at But some newbie pilot from Fujian’s this airport. No one can be allowed enXiamen Airlines skidded into the grass try.”

Thursday and fouled up the entire Naia.

Really? I wondered if she was telling I was rebooked on the afternoon flight the truth. for Manila Saturday, scheduled to leave It was 2:05 in the morning when we at four, and supposed to arrive at 6:30 that finally took off for Taoyuan in Taiwan. evening of Aug. 18.

Mercifully, the crew served another hot Up until almost noontime of Saturday, meal. The last one, an early dinner, was I watched the TFC news which finally served at 5:30 in the afternoon, minutes confirmed that the airport would re-open after takeoff, when we were all blissfully by noon. Earlier that morning, the hapless unaware that nightmare awaited us as we Xiamen Air plane was towed away. approached the country’s “international” I heaved a sigh airport(s). of relief, and by 1 We landed at 4 pm, I was on the in the morning, way to the Taoyuan Sunday, the 19th Technically we airport. I checked of August. We in at 1:45, done by had not “left’’ Taiwan, were cocooned 1:50, and cleared in the plane from because we had immigration by 4:15 pm to 4 in 2 pm. The plane not “arrived” in the the morning, three was scheduled to Philippines. hours longer than a leave at 4:05, later direct flight from adjusted to 4:15. the Middle East to Everything seemed Manila, an hour or normal. so shorter than a direct flight from LonIt was about five minutes before five don to Manila. that afternoon that we took off. The plane Oh, the ghost month; Xiamen Airlines; was quite full, with so many seniors and a spooked Fujian pilot who was blind-siddifferently-abled people on wheelchairs, ed by rain; and a Naia with its complex and so many young infants with their of subsidiary airfields unable to predict parents, many of whom were bumped off the “apocalypse” of an “airgeddon” comfrom their Friday flight as well. pounded several times over.

We expected to make Naia at 6:45 that To cap the exhausting night and day, evening, and after the airline meal at we were told we had to wait, because about 5:30, I fell asleep. I looked at my technically we had not “left’ Taiwan, bewatch when I woke up, and it was already cause we had not “arrived” in the Philip7:30. I peeped at the window and noticed pines. A special immigration lane was that we were encircling the Bulacan- being set up for us.

Bataan air corridor.

They gave us rebooking instructions, The pilot announced that he was and it was not until 4:40 that I ambled not yet allowed to land at Naia be- into the arrival section, waiting for cause the “traffic” was bad. We just my sleeping driver to rise at 4:10 that continued going round and round the morning, and drive all the way to the air corridor. It was already half past Taoyuan Airport, finally arriving to eight that night. I could see other collect me a few minutes before five. planes with their blinking taillights It was almost six, with the sun already going round and round and thought peeping in the gray clouds when we got this was what one of my favorite home. songs warble as “round…like a circle This is not written to blame anyin a spiral…running rings around…” one. Nobody expected it could happen. except it wasn’t funny anymore.

The airport manager, Ed Monreal and I even wondered, what if somehow the CAAP tried everything possible to the pilots of these planes made the clear the runway fast, but soaked sod wrong calculations, and the “circles and weather and a paucity of equipment in a spiral” collided with each other? slowed down the process.

Oh no, it won’t happen…but then DoTr’s Secretary Art Tugade apoloagain, what if one of these planes was gized, and wearily said that the “ina Xiamen, or a China Southern? Per- cident served as an eye-opener—a ish the thought. reminder for us to take a second look Then the pilot announced that the at the processes, procedures and proplane was running low on fuel, and tocols of concerned agencies, and airhe had to land at Clark, refuel, and lines.” wait there for instructions that there Indeed, and I sympathize even in my was space for our plane at the Naia vexation over such a harrowing experiterminal had. It was 9:05 in the eve- ence. Thank God this septuagenarian’s ning when we touched down upon body can recover easily enough from the Clark runway. such experiences.

I called up Manila and told the driver But as I write this on a Sunday noon, waiting for me at the airport to go home after a few hours of shut-eye in my Taipei and just await further instructions. apartment, I realize that the wages of preThen the minutes and the hours passed vious government neglect and inaction away, as did the passengers’ patience and the lack of any long-term planning, which began to wear thin. The babies vision if you may, is taking its toll, and were crying; some men demanded that painfully. we be allowed to disembark in PamA single runway, with a shorter and panga. “And the days [hours] dwindled perpendicular (can you imagine that?) down, to a precious few…September…” second. We should have built a bigger I consoled myself while listening to the and more adequate terminal as early as in playlist I had compiled earlier on the mu- the ’80s, but up to now, we have not made sic track. any decisions.

Except this was August yet, then I reA North Rail that would have made alized that the ghost month began last Clark a better alternative got mired in August 11, and would end by Septem- corruption issues, and a modern termiber 9. nal that is just being started now under Ahhh…the things your mind plays Duterte, because the previous adminiswith in times of stress… ‘‘when the tration did not prioritize it, all these are saints [ghosts] go marchin’ in,” Louis shortcomings which compound our misArmstrong on the playlist I should have ery these days. included.

Our benighted country—oh, what a Then the pilot made an announcement country!—has not had any real longin his Sinitic English: “The situation in term, no, not even medium-term vision Manila is hopeless; it does not look like for two generations running, maybe we can land there anytime; all the park- more.

SO I SEE

The answer...

From A4

At any rate, the race promises to be II scrapped it. interesting.

With the appointment of Menardo Guevarra as secretary, perhaps the issue *** can be revisited, and the relocation can be Malacañang should make addressing pursued. the jail problem a priority. In jails here, inmates are living in subhuman condi*** tions.

The debate about the health of the PresThe Bureau of Jail Management and ident will not stop until the Palace comes Penology had stated that city and provin- out with a medical bulletin. cial jails are 162 percent over capacity.

Mr. Duterte knows that his health conThere was a proposal to relocate the dition is a national concern. Malacañang NBP, but I don’t know what happened to should realize we cannot have an ailing it. Former Justice chief Vitaliano Aguirre head of state.

News

A6

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IBP defends beleaguered 3 lawyers in drugs case

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Integrated Bar of the Philippines on Tuesday took a strong stance against harassment and intimidation that the police authorities might have employed against the three lawyers who were arrested by the policemen for allegedly obstructing the execution of the search warrant against Time in Manila bar, a suspected drug den, in Makati City last week.

IBP national president Abdiel Dan Fajardo stressed that lawyers should not be treated as if they were in criminal conspiracy with their clients when performing their duties.

“It is the sworn duty of lawyers to use all lawful means to defend their clients. They should not be harassed, intimidated or treated like criminals when performing their duty,” said the IBP, the country’s mandatory organization for lawyers.

But Senator Panfilo Lacson said the public should not be too quick to condemn the Philippine National Police over the arrest of the three lawyers.

“Let us not be too hasty or harsh in condemning the NCRPO, without getting their side of the story. There is such a thing as presumption of regularity,” said Lacson, who headed the PNP from 1999 to 2001.

He noted videos taken of the raid at the Makati City bar showed that the NCRPO officers asked the lawyers who they were representing, and arrested them after they could not give clear answers.

He also said the videos showed one of the police officers explaining to the lawyers that their entering the scene and taking videos without prior authorization might constitute obstruction of justice.

While the lawyers said they represented one of the establishment’s owner, Lacson pointed out that they did not provide names.

Furthermore, the senator said the NCRPO team’s report indicated the three lawyers roamed inside the premises, took pictures in every floor and touched items “as if doing their own search without authority,” which may have contaminated the evidence.

In taking the cudgels for the PNP in this case, Lacson pointed out the PNP leadership had shown it was sincere in cleansing its ranks of rogue members, and deserved at least a chance to have its side on the issue heard.

Urgent need to boost aqua sector raised

By Macon Ramos-Araneta CITING that total fisheries production dropped to around one million metric tons during the first quarter of 2018, which was 3.03 percent lower than its level during the three-month period in 2017, Senator Cynthia Villar stressed the urgent need to boost the country’s aquaculture sector.

Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, said the move would spur production and income of fresh water fish farmers.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority from January to March 2018 showed the decline in fisheries production was across the three subsectors of the fishing industry - commercial, municipal fisheries and aquaculture.

In particular,downtrends were noted on roundscad (14.40 percent), yellowfin tuna (11.66 percent), milkfish (7.38 percent) and tilapia (5.43 percent).

“With the decrease in fisheries production, our fish farmers have to think of finding new strategies and adopting modern technology to increase their produce and boost their income, especially those engaged in the aquaculture business.,” said Villar.

“The east that government can do is to provide them basic information and help them hone their skills,’ Villar told the 30 participants who attended a fourday training of trainors for fresh-water aquaculture offered by the Villar SIPAG Foundation andthe Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources region IV-A at the Vintahanan floating village in Muntinlupa.

Villar encouraged the farm school and learning site owners, leaders of fishermen and farmers organizations,representatives of cooperatives and teachers from the Department of Education’s K to 12 Technology and Livelihood Education to take into heart the lessons and skills they learned from the training.

FUN RUN. Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco and his children lead Tuesday around 2,700 runners at the 2018 Takbong Laging Handa. The fun run was able to raise P400,000 which will be used to fund the various activities of boy scouts in Navotas. Andrew Rabulan

Another P447m allowed for PUV modernization

By Maricel V. Cruz

T

HE national government has allocated another P447 million next year to carry out the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, a lawmaker said on Tuesday.

“The fresh funding is on top of the P843 million allotted this year to support the program,” said Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, House appropriations committee member.

“The government is likewise arranging to provide another P2.2 billion in lowcost financing to help PUV operators and drivers acquire the newly configured buses, vans and jeepneys under the program,” Pimentel said.

Once available, the P2.2 billion will be coursed through two state-owned lenders—the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines—at P1.1 billion each, according to Pimentel.

He said the P2.2 billion was lodged in the “unprogrammed appropriations” of the proposed P3.757-trillion national budget for 2019.

Unprogrammed appropriations “provide standby authority to incur additional agency obligations for priority programs or projects when revenue collection

exceed targets, and when additional grants or foreign funds are generated,” according to the Department of Budget and Management.

“We have very high hopes that the modernization program, once completed, will offer the public an easier and safer way to commute in the years ahead, while enabling PUV operators and drivers to upgrade their vehicles,” Pimentel said.

“There is also no question the program will help improve air quality, because the new PUVs are meant to comply with lower emission standards,” Pimentel, also House transportation committee member, said.

The lawmaker from Mindanao also said he was counting on the program to help spur new jobs in the automotive sector.

Officially launched only in June last year, the PUV Modernization Program is being put into action by the Department of Transportation.

Under the program, all PUVs more than 15 years old will be phased out and

replaced with new models equipped with automated fare collection systems, digital security and dashboard cameras, Wi-Fi Internet connectivity, GPS tracking devices and speed limiters.

The new PUVs will run either on electric batteries with zero exhaust gas emissions, or on Euro 4 compliant diesel engines that discharge 68 percent less particulate matter, 57 percent less nitrogen oxides and 50 percent less carbon monoxide.

The modernization program also reforms the franchising system to reinforce regulatory supervision of PUVs. To build up accountability, enforcement and compliance, fewer new franchises will be issued to PUV operators and drivers who will be required to form themselves into cooperatives or firms.

In the case of jeepneys, for instance, each operator must have a minimum of 10 units to obtain a single franchise.

Thus, drivers running their own units will have to band themselves into groups of at least 10 members to secure a franchise.

Under the program, the DoTr will draw up new PUV routes in consultation with local government units.

An academy will also help reinstruct PUV operators and drivers on basic road discipline, courtesy and safety.

17 Chinese nationals nabbed to be deported

By Vito Barcelo THE 17 Chinese nationals who have been arrested in Neuva Ecija for making and selling counterfeit cigarettes valued at P200 million will be deported and banned from returning to the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration said Tuesday.

Customs and immigration authorities raided a warehouse in Gapan City, Nueva Ecija on Aug. 17 after weeks of surveillance, and caught 17 Chinese nationals caught making fake cigarettes.

Confiscated during the raid were fake cigarettes of assorted brands, six cigarette-making machines, cigarette raw materials, and fake Bureau of Internal

Revenue tax stamps stacked inside three boxes.

The government authorities raided the warehouse owned by a Chinese national after receiving intelligence report that the warehouse was being used to make counterfeit cigarettes.

“It was subjected to a three-week surveillance by our customs police following a tip from a reliable source that counterfeit cigarettes are manufactured inside the warehouse,” Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said.

Arrested were 16 males and a female, from Hu Bei, Fu Jian, An Hui, and Xi An, China.

They will be turned over to the Immi-

gration for deportation after serving their jail term for committing crimes which include the manufacture of fake products.

“We are still conducting followup investigation to confirm the identities of the suspects and the origin of the raw materials and cigarette-making machine,” the Commissioner said.

“The owner still have (sic) 15 days from the date of inspection to produce evidence of payment on the imported items, otherwise, a warrant of seizure and detention will be issued by the Bureau,” the Customs chief explained.

After inventory by the Customs authorities, the fake cigarettes and fake tax stamps will undergo outright seizure.

Bill raising workers’ leave near approval THE House of Representatives is poised to approve on third and final reading a bill raising the yearly service incentive leave of employees from five to 10 days, to boost the workers’ morale, wellness, and productivity.

Principally authored by Rep. Mark Go of Baguio City, House Bill 6770 seeks to amend Article 95 of Presidential Decree 442, as amended, otherwise known as the Labor Code of the Philippines.

The bill had already been approved on second reading when Congress went on a one-week break last week.

The proposed amendment provides that every employee who has rendered at least one year of service shall be entitled to a yearly service incentive leave of 10 days.

The provision shall not apply to those who are already enjoying such benefit, those enjoying vacation leave with pay of at least 10 days, and those in establishments regularly employing less than 10 employees or in establishments exempted from granting this benefit by the Secretary of Labor and Employment after considering the viability or condition of such establishment.

Go said the granting of paid leaves was beneficial to the employees and economically advantageous to the employers.

“The granting of such incentive boosts the morale and satisfaction of employees which is manifested in their increased productivity. Leave credits also minimize the risks of health and safety issues among employees which may be even costlier for both employers and employees in the long run,” said Go, member of the majority bloc of the House Committee on Labor and Employment.

At present, Go said the law does not require employers to grant sick and vacation leaves.

These work incentives are given based on the prerogative of the employers, either by expressed stipulation on the employees’ contract or through collective bargaining agreement.

What the Labor Code provides instead are service incentive leaves, according to the lawmaker. Maricel V. Cruz

PCSO donates P5m worth of endowment fund to Veterans hospital PHILIPPINE Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Alexander Balutan on Tuesday turned over P5 million worth of endowment fund to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

Receiving the check was VMMC director Dr. Dominador M. Chiong Jr. and Dr. Mariano Mejia, chief, Medical Professional Staff II. “VMMC is an endowment fund program partner hospital, and one of the priority programs of the government under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte is to uplift the health condition of the Filipino by providing financial assistance for various health and medical-related programs, medical assistance and services and charities of national character,” Balutan said.

The Endowment Fund Program Partner Hospital is a reliable partner of the government in giving muchneeded medical and health services to the poor and disadvantaged patients, which signified its intent and willingness to be PCSO’s partner in the implementation of the EFP. “The assistance per patient shall be comparable to 100 percent of PhilHealth case rates. Services include medical, hospital, laboratory for indigent charity patients [confined and receiving outpatient management],” Balutan said.

The assistance given to confined patients at the charity ward shall be based on the published case rates of

ENDOWMENT FUND. PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan (fifth from left) turns over Tuesday the P5-million grant to Dr. Mariano Mejia, Chief, Medical Professional Staff II of the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (fifth from right) with the members of Philippine Military Academy ‘Matikas’ Class of 1983.

PhilHealth, however, for outpatients accessing hospital medical services, the patient and the medical services should be covered by PhilHealth.

“Under the Memorandum of Agreement, VMMC shall be given one year to utilize the grant. Any remainder which will not be utilized shall be returned to

PCSO,” Balutan said.

The MOA also stipulated that if EFPH do not comply with its obligations, Endowment Fund Program Implementing Guidelines, and subsequent issuances of the PCSO, the agreement shall be terminated.

Sports

A7

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

P8m at stake in Bagatsing Racefest

T

HE Mayor Ramon D. Bagatsing Memorial Cup is bringing an Resorts World Manila Challenge of Jaqueline, Princess Eowyn and, River action-packed race card for the 10th year in a row, with over Champions, a high stakes race open to Island in the starting gate.

The Resorts World Manila Chalall 4 year old and above local and imP8 million in total prizes at stake.

The country’s premier horse racing club, the Manila Jockey Club, Inc., will be hosting the 10th edition of the Racing Festival on the weekend of August 25 and 26 at the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite, featuring the fastest thoroughbreds in the country today.

This special racing event is held in honor of the former Manila Mayor, Ramon D. Bagatsing Sr. who went beyond the usual call of civic duty and made it possible to realistically help people by making what they needed accessible and free.

Proceeds of the racing event will help fund the KABAKA Foundation Inc., an organization with the primary mission of caring for the sick and helping the poorest of the poor, the needy, and the less privileged of Manila. Founded

by Congressman Amado Bagatsing,

the Mayor’s son continues the legacy of selfless service to Manilenyos started by his father having helped over 50,000 residents of the capital.

The late mayor’s sons, Manila Congressman Amado S. Bagatsing and former Manila congressman and lawyer Ramon S. Bagatsing Jr., themselves longtime horse owners and breeders, established the event in 2009.

For the past decade the legacy of the Bagatsing Cup and the Mayor Ramon Bagatsing Racing Festival continues to bring in a record number of viewers, participants and sales both on and off the race track. The record breaking sales of P43,281,228.00 was garnered from the 2014 edition of the Bagatsing Racing Festival, this memorial racing event remains the highest grossing racing festival for five years running.

The first headlining race is the

ported horses.

Among the notable horses running for the Challenge of Champions will be Hitting Spree, who won the prized MJC Founder’s Cup; an undefeated imported entry called My Ticket Home; and Salt and Pepper who is considered to be the best local horse in the country today.

Rounding up the list of entries are Eugenie, Mandatum, Scarborough Shoal, and Truly Ponti.

The Mayor Ramon D. Bagatsing Sr. 3 YO Open Classics remains the premier racing event of the weekend, pitting local and imported 3 year olds against one another where two horses from the start list are emerging as favorites.

Wonderland who was the winner of the 2nd Leg of this year’s Triple Crown Series and Pride of Laguna who is considered the best imported 3 year old horse in the country. They will be joined

by Dragon Butterfly, Filipino Emperor,

lenge of Champions and the Mayor Ramon D. Bagatsing Sr. 3 YO Open Classics will give out a total of P2.2 million in cash prizes. P1.2 million & P1 million (distributed) will be awarded respectively.

The cash prizes, along with the traditional gift prizes for the team of the winning horse, will be awarded by major sponsors namely Resorts World Manila, Philippine Racing Commission (PHILRACOM), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), the Manila Jockey Club, Inc.(MJCI), Solaire Resort & Casino. Racing event partners comprise of the following: City of Dreams, Mr. Eddie Gonzales’s EEG Development Corporation, Extreme TV, F.R. Sevilla, Stradcom, Andok’s Dokito Frito, and for the 1st time ever another Manila Mayor will support and sponsor a race - the Mayor Joseph “ERAP” Estrada Race.

Knights rip Cardinals for 5th victory Games Friday

(at the Arena in San Juan) 8 a.m. Letran vs EAC-ICA(jrs) 10 a.m. UPHSD vs LSGH (jrs) 12 nn Letran vs EAC (srs) 2 p.m. UPHSD vs CSB (srs) 4 p.m. Arellano vs San Beda (srs) 6 p.m. Arellano vs San Beda (jrs)

By Peter Atencio THE Letran Knights played with more coordination and cohesion this time around.

JP Calvo scored 20 points to lead the Knights’ big effort to post an 84-63 demolition of the Mapua Cardinals yesterday in the 94th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball tournament at the FilOilFlying V Sports Center in San Juan.

Larry Muyang added 15 points, as he muscled his way in the shaded lanes in the first period. The Knights took off to a 7-0 run that quickly paved the way for their fifth win in eight games.

“At least na-address na namin ang mistakes namin in the past two games. I’m happy we came out with a convincing win,” said Knights coach Jeff Napa.

John Quinto added 12 for the Knights which broke the game early, taking a 4021 edge at the tail-end of the first half.

Calvo then handed the Knights their biggest lead of 26, 65-39, with 9:46 still to play in the fourth.

Meanwhile in the juniors division, the San Beda Red Cubs banked on the heroics of Cyrus Llarena to escape with a 63-59 triumph over the Lyceum Junior Pirates.

The 18-year old Llarena was cool as ice in the endgame and sank two pressure-packed charities in the last 52 seconds to hand the Red Cubs a four-point cushion and claim their fourth triumph in seven games.

Red Cubs coach JB Sison said the boys are relieved as they were able to bounce back from their 51-52 setback loss to the San Sebastian Staglets last week.

Japan goes from hookers to podium at Asian Games TEENAGER Rikako Ikee spearheaded a golden night for Japan’s swimmers on Monday after the expulsion of four basketball players for using prostitutes rocked the Japanese team at the Asian Games.

Ikee, 18, won the women’s 100m freestyle and the 50m butterfly, Kanako Watanabe took women’s 200m breaststroke gold and Japan’s men beat Sun Yang’s China in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

Sun, China’s fearsome triple Olympic champion, won the Games’ inaugural 800m freestyle title but Japan still outshone their fierce Asian swimming rivals by four gold medals to three.

It provided a positive end to the day for Japan, who will host the next Olympics in 2020, after the four basketball players were caught paying for sex in a Jakarta red light district.

Yuya Nagayoshi, Takuya Hashimoto, Takuma Sato and Keita Imamura were spotted in the area wearing team jerseys and “paid for the services of prostitutes”, chef de mission Yasuhiro Yamashita said, according to Kyodo news agency.

“I just feel a sense of shame,” Japan’s chef de mission Yasuhiro Yamashita told reporters. “We deeply apologise and intend to give the athletes thorough guidance from now on.” AFP

NLEX eyes 3-0 start, Abueva makes Phoenix debut

By Jeric Lopez WHILE the National team continues to fight in the Asian Games, the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup rolls anew.

League-leader NLEX (2-0) shoots for a third straight win today when it faces debuting Magnolia at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Several hours prior, Calvin Abueva makes his much awaited Phoenix debut as the Fuel Masters collide with Columbian Dyip at 4:30 p.m. to open the show.

Enjoying one of the franchise’s best starts, the Road Warriors are looking to keep the ball rolling.

“We’re off to a great start. The players are stepping up for each other and we’re looking to capitalize on that,” said stand-in NLEX coach Jojo Lastimosa, who is currently calling the shots for the team as head coach Yeng Guiao is taking care of National team duties in Indonesia.

Over the opening weekend of the tournament, NLEX swiftly racked up two straight victories in consecutive playdates against sister team TNT KaTropa and NorthPort, respectively.

The Road Warriors look to continue their surge against the Hotshots and their returning import Romeo Travis.

After getting shipped by Alaska two weeks ago in exchange for Karl De Hesa and a future first round pick, Abueva now stares at a fresh start at Phoenix.

While the Fuel Masters play their first game, Columbian Dyip will try to bounce back from its opening day loss against Meralco.

SBU, Lady Altas jostle for fighting chance MAJESTIC STRETCH. Tang Lu of China competes in the women’s nandao event at the women’s wushu competition during the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on August 20, 2018. AFP

Pradera still team to beat in PAL Ladies Interclub PRADERA Verde will go to Davao next month armed to the teeth as it seeks to win the Philippine Airlines Ladies Interclub for the second straight year and keep traditional power Manila Southwoods grounded.

The Lubao, Pampanga-based squad will continue to lean on the talented Yuka Saso, and after losing Harmie Constantino and Tomita Arejola, has tapped three crack Malaysian age-groupers to complete its crew for the showcase that starts Sept. 19 at Rancho Palos Verdes.

Manila Southwoods, on the other hand, will be waiting for the proverbial final hour before unveiling its lineup,

with skipper Claire Ong trying to find the formula to regain glory lost at the Country Club in Cebu last year.

“We are actually just about to fix our lineup,” Ong said as the squad will wait until Aug. 30, the tournament deadline, to submit its roster.

Saso is in Jakarta, Indonesia and will be leading a formidable Philippine squad in the golf competition of the 18th Asian Games. She left the country without knowledge of who some of her teammates will be but expressed confidence on their title defense.

“The long hitters will have an advantage there,” Saso said. “But, you can

never be too sure. All the good players will be there and we always have to be at our best.”

Zulaikah Nusiana Nasser, Charlayne Chong and Vinisha Gunaseelan, a trio of 16-year-olds from Malaysia, will be joining Saso and holdovers Annika Cayabyab and Nicole Abelar and Rhianne Malixi and Luna Shin at Pradera.

Southwoods will most likely tap the seasoned Sofia Chabon, with Cebu, the third force in the Championship Division, likely to have LK Go as spearhead. Go is also in Jakarta with Saso and US NCAA standout Bianca Pagdanganan for the Philippines.

Fiery start up as PH Golf Tour Iloilo unwraps ILOILO—Jobim Carlos draws Jay Bayron in an early duel of the fancied bets while young Korean Kim Joo Hyung slugs it out with a fired-up tandem of Tony Lascuña and Clyde Mondilla kicking off the rich ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge at the Iloilo Golf and Country Club in Sta. Barbara here today.

Though the par-70, 6053-yard layout appears to be short by the men of the tour’s standards, it remains one challenging course ready to bring out the best or worst from the field, ensuring another tight start and a tighter finish in their battle for top honors in the 72-hole championship put up by ICTSI. “The course is too short but you need to be very careful. Playing the course is really tough because troubles are everywhere,” said Manila-based Dutch Guido Van der Valk, still in search for a followup to his breakthrough win at PGT Eagle Ridge last March.

He tees off at 8:05 a.m. with Kris Etter and Keanu Jahns on No. 10.

Carlos, the hottest player on the tour today with two victories, two runner-up finishes and two more top six efforts in the last six tournaments in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc, remains the top favorite this week. His amazing surge since posting his first victory at PGT Asia Riviera last June has also put him on top of the Order of Merit derby.

He missed nailing his third crown in two months with a playoff loss to Juvic Pagunsan in Negros last weekend.“Actually I lost because of my mistakes. But I think it will make me a

stronger, better player,” said Carlos.

But Bayron will provide the early challenge in their 7:35 a.m. encounter, along with amateur Jason Zaragosa, with the former, winner at PGTA Southwoods last June, also out to redeem him- self from a joint 19th finish at Negros last week which he co-led in the first round.

“I just have to stay focused and be able to make the right decisions,” said Bayron.

Kim, 16, also seeks to atone for his final round foldup at Negros where he succumbed to pressure while playing alongside Carlos and Juvic Pagunsan in the final round, together with Mondilla, the reigning PGT OOM winner who finally hit his stride in Binitin with a strong joint fourth effort but faltered in Negros and struggled to finish tied for 30th.

Jhonnel Ababa and fellow Davaoeño Elmer Salvador face off with Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia while Justin Quiban will have Rene Menor and Mars Pucay as rivals in what promises to be a frenetic start to the P3 million event serving as the third-to-last tournament on this year’s Philippine Golf Tour calendar.

Salvador underscored his readiness for a shot at the crown by ruling the proam tournament yesterday, teaming up with Peewee Aguirre, Piage Aguirre and Telius Ha to pool a 17-under 53, edging reigning Phl Masters champion Jerson Balasabas, along with Allan Celino, Degs Aldeguer and Tony Rosado by one.

Albin Engino, with Oskie Arenas, Dodo Chua and Kozono Takayuki, placed third with 55.

Quiban, who bucked the tight Binitin layout with precision driving to reign in Bacolod two weeks ago, hinted at taking a different approach this time, aware of the terrors waiting to pounce on every player’s miscue or lapses in decision.

Games today

8 a.m. – Arellano vs UST (men’s) 10 a.m. – La Salle vs Perpetual (men’s) 12 noon – FEU vs St. Benilde (men’s) 2 p.m. – National U vs San Beda (men’s) 4 p.m. – Perpetual vs San Beda (women’s) 6 p.m. – Adamson vs UP (men’s)

SAN BEDA and Perpetual Help will both look to stay alive when they try to knock each other out today in the lone women’s match in the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Collegiate Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

With their lowly identical 1-4 cards, the winner in the 4 p.m. clash will only tie St. Benilde at fifth and will need to hurdle its last assignment and hope fourth-running University of the Philippines to drop its last match to force a playoff for the last Final Four seat.

But the Lady Red Spikers and the Lady Altas aren’t looking too far ahead and would want to focus on their faceoff expected to go downto-the-wire.

Adamson (6-0), UST and FEU, toting similar 5-1 slates, clinched the top three berths in the semis with UP getting the inside track to the last spot with a 3-3 card. The Lady Maroons take on the Lady Red Spikers at the close of the single round elims of the mid-season conference of the league organized by Sports Vision on Sunday.

Meanwhile, top meets bottom in men’s play as unbeaten UST battles winless Arellano at 8 a.m. followed by the La Salle-Perpetual (both 2-5) at 10 a.m. FEU and St. Benilde, also posting identical 4-3 slates, square off at 12 noon before National U (6-1) tangles with San Beda (2-5) at 2 p.m.

Adamson and UP part ways at 4-3 as they collide in the 6 p.m. main dish of the tournament backed by Mikasa and Asics.

The women’s game can be viewed via streaming on www.abs-cbn.com/ livestream/pvl.

LOTTO RESULTS

Jobim Carlos

6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M+ 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M 4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

Sports

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

A8 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018

New scoring format excites PH bowlers PALEMBANG—Encouraged by the new scoring format, the Philippines seeks to end a 12-year medal drought as the 18th Asian Games bowling championships rolls off on Wednesday at the new Jakabaring Sports City Bowling Center here.

The Filipina keglers take the first crack in the six-game women’s trios scheduled at 10 a.m. (11 a.m. Manila time) at the state-of-the art, 40-lane facility built specifically for this quadrennial sportsfest inside the sprawling complex in this South Sumatran provincial capital.

Former Asian titlist and reigning Philippine Open bowling queen Liza del Rosario spearheads the country’s challenge, teaming up with Lara Posadas and Alexis Sy in one of the squads. The other team is composed of Dyan Coronacion, Lourdes Arles and Rachelle Leon.

“We’re excited over the scoring system that virtually levels the playing field. May laban na sila,” said national women’s coach Jojo Canare, referring to the system that awards an automatic 30 points for every strike made.

“Excited na sila over this change because ‘di na masyadong factor na mabigat ang kalaban like Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia,” Canare, a former national standout herself, added.

She bared that they already made simulations of the oiling pattern and conditions during their practice at their training facility back home using the oiling machine purchased by the Philippine Sports Commission.

“The conditions are nearly the same, although the lanes here are new.

Dito plantsado pa kung sa ating lanes may gasgas na,” Canare said. “Pero okay pa rin, laban kami.”

Her confidence was shared by national men’s coach and former Asian Games gold medalist Biboy Ravanes, who said that “on paper, we (the Filipinos) are considered the underdogs. But based on our practice yesterday (Monday), if we can make adjustments and execute properly, we have a chance.”

“Premium dito strikes, since new scoring format has 10 frames instead of 12. Lahat naman po diyan, mga strikers. Yes, there’s a possibility we can end our medal drought here,” added the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games men’s singles gold medalist.

Dormitorio crashes, quits from PH team SUBANG, Indonesia—Ariana Thea Patrice Dormitorio crashed in Lap 2 of the five-lap race to bomb out of the medals’ race in cycling’s women crosscountry on Tuesday in the 18th Asian Games.

Dormitorio was ranked first in the 12-rider field, but suffered the misfortune and had to recuperate from a left thigh injury at the Medical Tent.

“I’m somehow disappointed,” said Dormitorio, whose No. 100 ranking in the UCI made her the favorite in the race.

“Luck was not with me today.”

Dormitorio, who turned 22 recently, was first out of the start line, but being the lone Philippine rider in the race, she was gobbled up by two Chinese— eventual 1-2 finishers Yao Bianwa and Li Hongfeng—as they wound up Lap 1.

Then came the decisive crash in Lap 2 over the 4.5-km circuit PhilCycling MTB Director Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez described as less technical.

Dormitorio, whose father later/coach Donnie Domitorio that his daughter is resigning from the national team, underestimated a downhill curve and hurt her left thigh just above the knee. Doctors suspected her quad muscles were sprained.

Yao, 22, and an Asian Games firsttimer like Dormitorio, was unrelenting and crossed solo in one hour, 20 minutes and seven seconds. Li finished more than four minutes later, while Thailand’s Natalie Panyawan (1:26:11) earned bronze.

Yao, who has no UCI ranking, admitted she did not expect to win and acknowledged Dormitorio could have given her a tough fight if not for bad luck.

“The Philippine rider was strong and I am lucky to win,” she said.

The center portion of the Gelora Bung Karno Complex was transformed into a gigantic stage during the opening ceremonies of the 2018 Asian Games.

Crazy rich Asian Games

By Riera U. Mallari

J

AKARTA — The Asian Games may be this part of the world’s own, “little” version of the Olympics.

But to use the word little would be unfair to these games as there is nothing scant and meager in the Asiad, especially if we’re to talk about the budget needed to host this multi-sport spectacle.

As a matter of fact, the event’s latest edition, the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia, boast of what went down in history as the most expensive opening ever with a budget of IDR 700 billion (P26 million) and a cast of 10 thousand performers.

“The stage prepared by, Insya Allah is the biggest stage ever in the world, even compared to the Olympic opening ceremony everywhere,” said Wishnutama, creative director for the opening ceremony and closing of the 2018 Asian Games, during a press conference at the Indonesia Asian Games Organizing Committee office, Senayan, Central Jakarta.

That’s just for the opening and closing.

INASGOC’s total expenditure for the games, which currently host 15,000 athletes and officials from 45 countries, shot up to more than $3 billion, with the government projecting that it will produce immediate and long-term benefits for the country.

That is almost double than the $1.6 billion budget used by Incheon, Korea in staging the 17th, 2014 edition of the games, but still peanuts compared to the $18.37 billion spent by Guangzhou for the hosting of the Asian Games and Asian Para Games in 2010. The 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar had a budget of $2 billion.

Even the price of the tickets in the Indonesia Games is too steep for this booming Southeast Asian country that Vice Governor Santiago Uno was surprised at how expensive the tickets are, ranging from the Category A, which costs IDR5 million (P19,000) as the most expensive; Category B, which costs IDR1.5 million (P5,500); and Category

C, which costs IDR750K (P2,780) as the cheapest.

“We’ll check if the IDR1.5 million price is for VIPs, while the upper tiers can be cheaper,” Uno said. “One of the things we focused on was eliminating taxes on tickets so that they are more affordable.”

One participant, who definitely could afford the tickets is Michael Bambang Hartono, the 78-year-old billionaire tobacco tycoon, who may not be the oldest competitor at the Asian Games, but the richest.

Hartono, head of cigarette giant Djarum Group, is representing the hosts on their bridge team at the world’s second-biggest multi-sport event.

Hartono, along with brother Robert, was named Indonesia’s richest man by Forbes magazine, which also ranked him the 75th wealthiest man in the world, with a net worth of $16.7 billion and business interests ranging from tobacco, banking and communications.

If he wins, he said he’ll forego the 1.5 billion rupiah (US$102,000) cash prize that the Indonesia’s government gives to top medallists.

Incentives for the games vary from nation to nation.

In the Philippines, a gold medalist stands to get as much as P5 million ($98,000), which is double than what a gold winner in Hong Kong would receive.

Still, the bonuses from the former British colony isn’t something to belittle as HK’s athletes in the previous Asian Games in Incheon, Korea returned with six gold, 12 silver and 25 bronze medals and pocketed HK$9.5 million (US$1.2M). Previous to those games, the incentives totaled HK$10.3 million.

Foreign Affairs Sec. Cayetano on Sunday revealed that the Philippines also intends to bid for the hosting of the 2030 Asian Games.

Cayetano, also the Organizing Committee Chairman of the 2019 Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee, said they were encouraged by the support of Erick Thohir, the businessman who chairs the Indonesia Asian Games Organizing Committee as the latter brought up the idea of the Philippines hosting the 2030 Asiad.

Can the Philippines, which used to be known as the “Sick Man of Asia,” afford a P160-billion project called the Asian Games?

We can’t, but we will. After all, we are just crazy unrich Asians.

Michael Bambang Hartono, Indonesia’s richest man with a net worth of $16.7 billion, is taking part in the Asian Games as one of the hosts’ bridge players. AFP

Gold medalist to get P6M in incentives

JAKARTA—Filipino athletes got another million-peso reason to shoot for the 2018 Asian Games gold.

Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Lee Hoong Wee pledged an additional P1 million to a Filipino gold medalist, bringing the total cash windfall to P6 million.

The additional incentive goes with the P1 million assured by businessman-sportsman Dennis Uy through his Siklab Pilipinas Sports Foundation, the P2 million cash bonus from the Philippine Olympic Committee and the P2 million that the gover nment has promised through Republic Act 10699, which expands the coverage of incentives granted to national athletes and coaches.

The gover nment is also putting up a bonus of P500,000 for a silver medalist and P300,000 for the bronze achiever.

Silver medalists will also have an additional bonus of P500,000 from the Siklab Foundation, on top of the government offer of P1 million and the POC incentive of P500,000.

For the bronze winners, the foundation offers P250,000, to go with the government bonus of P400,000 and P300,000 from the POC. With so much support coming in for elite athletes, Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez said they can now focus on their work in grassroots sports development and leave the elite program to the Philippine Olympic Committee and the national sports associations.

“I am expecting the hard work on grassroots to greatly affect us. We will continue to do this. Because by strengthening the grassroots, we will strengthen the elite athletes,” said Ramirez.

Lopez settles for Asiad bronze

Pauline Lopez of the PH battles Xiao Feng of Macau.

JAKARTA—Pauline Louise Lopez settled for the women’s—57 kgs bronze medal of taekwondo on Tuesday after yielding a controversial match to a taller Chinese Zongshi Luo, 4-11, in the 18th Asian Games at Jakarta Convention Center Assembly Hall D here.

The 22-year-old Psychology student at Ateneo de Manila University could not hide her frustration and cried after the match.

She trailed 0-2 in the first round, sneaked in two points with the Chinese scoring two more for a 2-4 in the second.

The Chinese then pulled away in the third round with seven decisive hits.

Lopez rallied to 4-7 in the third round and landed two more kicks but they did not register on the electronic scoreboard. Her coaching staff vehemently protested and one of the match officials called the attention of the two members of the jury, who eventually awarded a point for the Filipina.

But Lopez was later meted three gami-jeom (deduction penalty) in the third round, dousing water on her bid to enter the gold medal round.

“I had the chance but the plan didn’t work according

to what it should be. I was going for it, I did my part but it’s just it was not there for me,” a disappointed Lopez said.

Lopez earlier won all her three straight matches to barge into the semifinals, where she was already assured of the bronze.

She kicked her way past the round of 16 in dominating Xiao Feng of Macau, 8-0, and then completely outclassed Gyani Chunara of Nepal in the quarterfinals, 20-0.

Earlier, Jenar Torillos lost on his first match in the men’s -58 round of 32 against Xiaoyi Chen of China, 2627, followed by Rhezie Aragon in the women’s -53kg as against Elaheh Shedaei of Iran, 2-10.

Darlene Mae Arpon won in the women’s -67kg round of 16 against Sangita Basyel of Nepal, 20-17, but lost in the quarterfinals against Jandi Kim of Korea, 0-29.

Rio Olympian Kirstie Elaine Alora failed to make it to the next round in losing her first match in the women’s +67kg round of 16, bowing out to Cansel Deniz of Kazakhstan, 7-8. Kristoffer Robert Uy also lost in his first match in the men’s +80kg round of 16 against Hongyi Sun of China, 7-9.

IN BRIEF

Business

NPC taps hackers to search dark web THE National Privacy Commission said it employed legitimate hackers to search the dark web and check potential threat to Filipinos.

NPC commissioner Raymund Liboro said the agency enlisted the support of legitimate hackers to help search for illegally acquired data particularly for ongoing cases.

“The whole information team is about seven people. I think four of them are legitimate hackers. Some of them have directly applied for that particular job specification,” he said.

He cited the case of the Uber breach in the US where the commission had to confirm if the personal data of some 47,000 Filipinos were uploaded to the web or were illegally used.

The IT team is tasked to monitor and scour the dark web for data that may afflict the Philippines and Filipinos. “If the information we are looking or verifying is found on the dark web, this means that the information was not contained. Then we’ll take the necessary actions,” Liboro said. Othel V. Campos

SM Prime unveils robust 3-year expansion program

By Jenniffer B. Austria

Marina, DOF team up to upgrade local boats

P

ROPERTY developer SM Prime Holdings Inc. unveiled a new roadmap designed to sustain a double-digit revenue growth over the next three years and expand its number of shopping malls, hotels, residential and office buildings.

THE Maritime Industry Authority said it teamed up with the Finance Department to push for the modernization of local boats.

The two agencies encourage the upgrading of wooden vessels into fiber-reinforced plastic boats. Marina said motorbanca owners could avail of the Municipal Development Fund from the DOF’s Municipal Development Fund Office upon the discretion of their respective local government units.

Under the MDF, motorbanca owners may have a more effective and reliable structure for their vessels, ready for the future implementation of Marina’s policy on modernizing the domestic shipping industry.

The MDF was initially allocated to provide concessional financing assistance to LGUs with revenue-generating sub-projects and other infrastructure projects. With the MarinaDOF partnership, the local maritime industry will now be included in the disbursement of the fund.

“The full implementation of the upgrading of motorbancas can only be achieved through strong collaboration and support from national and local government units. This partnership with the DOF is a good start for us,” Marina domestic shipping service director Sonia Malaluan said. Darwin G. Amojelar

SM Prime said in an investors presentation posted on its website the group aimed to have 10.8 million square meters of gross floor area across all its shopping malls by 2022, up from 9.3 million sqm as of end-2017.

It said at least 86 percent of the targeted 10.8 million sqm of GFA would be from Philippine malls and the remaining 16 percent from China malls.

Lower tariff seen not to ease inflation THE Committee on Tariff and Related Matters, chaired by the Trade and Agriculture Departments, proposed supply-side interventions to minimize the impact of inflation and reduce the prices of agricultural commodities.

“Based on the report of Tariff Commission, modifying the tariff rates will not have a significant impact on the prices of agricultural products because many of these have relatively lower tariff base already, or would have landed costs lower than local prices.

After consulting with various stakeholders as well as the current status of tariff rates, there’ll be minimum movement if we bring the tariff to 5 percent. So, this would not be the solution. Instead, we focus on supply-oriented actions and volume enhancements that would have immediate impact,” said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

Government agencies, in a tariff and related matters meeting on Aug. 15, tried to come up with potential solutions to reduce inflation.

The committee found that the reduction on most favored nation rates would not significantly reduce prices as the agricultural products were already being sourced from Free Trade Agreement partners under lower preferential rates.

“We need to focus our efforts in finding realistic and practical solutions to lower the prices while balancing the interests of both consumers and producers,” Lopez said.

Othel V. Campos

The company said that in 2018, it was expecting to have 9.6 million sqm of retail space with the opening of five malls: SM Center Imus, SM City Urdaneta, SM City Telabastagan, SM City Legazpi and SM Center Ormoc.

SM Prime said for its residential business, it was aiming to have 82 residential and 30 leisure projects by 2020, up from 49 residential and 16 leisure projects as of end-2017.

SM Prime said it planned to ramp up residential sales to 22,852 units by 2020, up from 17,259 units sold in 2017.

It said that in terms of office development, it planned to have 10 office buildings with 793,000 sqm of leasable space by 2020, up from seven buildings with 456,000 sqm as of end-2017.

SM Prime said for its hotel portfolio, it was targeting to have 2,460 rooms from 10 hotel projects by 2020, up from 1,501 rooms from six hotel projects as of 2017.

“Our expansion program should allow us to sustain double-digit growth

over the next three years. The growth will be driven by malls and residential operations complemented by our other businesses,” SM Prime said.

The property developer also aims to end 2018 with 56 residential projects, 594,000 sqm of office space from eight office towers and 1,510 hotel rooms from six projects.

SM Prime has a landbank of 1,279 hectares across 139 sites that could be developed over the next five to seven years.

SM Prime unveiled a five-year roadmap in 2013 that would be completed in 2018. The group then committed to spend P400 billion to support the expansion program.

SM Prime saw its net income go up 16 percent in the first half to P16.6 billion from P14.39 billion a year ago, on double-digit growth of mall revenues and residential sales.

First-half consolidated revenues increased 15 percent to P49.77 billion from P43.25 billion in the same period last year.

FINANCIAL STABILITY DEAL. Financial system regulators comprising the Financial Stability Coordination Council sign a memorandum of agreement to bolster its ability to manage risks. Representing FSCC member-agencies during the signing signing ceremony are (from left) Securities and Exchange Commission commissioner Ephyro Luis Amatong, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III; Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr., Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. president Roberto Tan; and Insurance Commission technical service group officer-in-charge Ma. Victoria Peralta.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018

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LandBank’s net income rose 5.4% to P7.8b in Q1

By Julito G. Rada STATE-RUN Land Bank of the Philippines, the fourth-largest lender in terms of assets, said net income rose 5.4 percent in the first half to P7.8 billion from P7.4 billion a year ago, driven by the sustained growth of its lending business.

LandBank president and chief executive Alex Buenaventura said revenues from loans climbed 30 percent in January to June from a year earlier. Data showed the bank’s gross loan portfolio went up 27 percent to P758.7 billion from P597.1 billion.

“LandBank remains among the most profitable banks in the country and we are confident about continued growth for the next half of the year. We work hard to maintain the bank’s sound financial position as the profits from our commercial banking operations allow us to further drive support to our priority sectors, especially farmers and fishers,” Buenaventura said.

LandBank also reported a return on equity of 13.4 percent in the first half, above the latest industry average and surpassed the ROE reported by the country’s four other top banks.

Net interest margin was also above the industry average at 3.32 percent.

It also remained the biggest government bank in the country, with total assets of P1.7 trillion as of June 30, a 14-percent increase from P1.48 trillion in the same period last year.

Deposits rose 15 percent to P1.5 trillion from P1.3 trillion in June 2017, while capital stood at P117.4 billion.

LandBank on Aug. 8 marked its 55th anniversary of promoting growth in the countryside through inclusive banking. It is the biggest lender to the agricultural sector, especially small farmers and fishers, cooperatives, microenterprises and SMEs. The bank during its anniversary celebration recognized its outstanding clients and partners at the Gawad sa Pinakatanging Kooperatiba, Gawad SME, Gawad Kaagapay and Gawad Countryside Financial Institutions awarding ceremonies.

Dominguez pushes bills to reform Govt set to approve TPLEx extension to San Juan ‘outdated’ real property valuation

By Darwin G. Amojelar

FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III pushed for the enactment of a bill to reform the country’s outdated real property valuation system to bring in more investments, invigorate the property market and generate additional revenues for local government units.

Dominguez said in a statement Tuesday his department supported Senate Bill No. 44 filed by Senator Panfilo Lacson and its counterparts, House Bill No. 2207 introduced by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and HB No. 68 by Albay Second District Rep. Joey Salceda.

Dominguez said the fundamental valuation reforms being pushed by the government in the real property sector were outlined in both measures.

Dominguez said in separate letters to Lacson, Salceda and Arroyo that they could count on the Finance Department’s full support behind their bills’ immediate enactment in Congress even as the DOF suggested several enhancement measures to their proposals to further strengthen the real property valuation and taxation system.

“Essentially, real estate is the most valuable asset and biggest financial resource. But its contribution to government revenues, particularly for local governments, has remained dismal due to outdated Schedule of Market Values, poor collection efficiency and tax administration and lack of uniformity in the valuation of real property,” Dominguez said. Julito G. Rada

The Public Works Department is expected to grant the original proponent status to San Miguel Holdings Corp. for the P23.95-billion extension of TarlacPangasinan-La Union Expressway to San Juan, La Union next month.

“Maximum of next month, we will issue OPS for TPLEx extension,” Alex Bote, director of DPWH Public-Private Partnership, said.

San Miguel’s unsolicited project involves a 59.4-kilometer four-lane toll road starting from the exit of TPLEx in Rosario to San Juan. The Rosario section of the expressway is expected to be completed this year, while its Pozorrubio section opened in December 2017.

The extension project would be di-

vided into three segments, with the first segment spanning 18 km from Rosario to Tubao. The second segment will stretch 23 km from Tubao to Naguilian and the last segment will run 18.4 km from Naguilian to San Juan.

San Miguel said the project aimed to promote the development of Northern Luzon and facilitate connectivity to Central Luzon and Metro Manila through high-speed and secured access.

San Miguel-led Private Infra Dev Corp. holds the concession for TPLEx, an 88.85-km, four-lane, high-speed toll road that connects Northern Luzon to Manila. It is designed to integrate with other major toll roads such as North Luzon Expressway and Subic-ClarkTarlac Expressway.

The construction of TPLEx began in

2010 in three phases. The first was completed in April 2014, running from Tarlac City to Carmen, Pangasinan.

The second stretching from Carmen to Urdaneta was completed in December 2014. The third section from Urdaneta to Rosario, La Union is expected to be completed in 2018.

TPLEx reduced travel time from Tarlac City to Gerona from 45 minutes to 10 minutes, benefitting 8,000 vehicles per day.

It reduced travel time from Tarlac City to Paniqui, Tarlac from one hour to 15 minutes and the travel time from Tarlac to Rosales from two hours to 30 minutes.

It also cut travel time from Tarlac to Urdaneta from two hours to 30 minutes and the travel time from Tarlac to Rosario from 3.5 hours to one hour.

Energy asked to review Euro 2 diesel importation

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Independent Philippine Petroleum Companies Association asked the Energy Department to reconsider its plan to import Euro 2 diesel and consult with the Bureau of Customs if such shipments would be allowed.

IPPCA president Bong Suntay met with Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi on Monday to air their concerns against making Euro 2 diesel available in their retail stations.

“IPPCA gave our side and explained to him why they should consider other means of lowering the cost of diesel other than by re introducing Euro 2 diesel back to the market,” Suntay said.

IPPCA informed Cusi that making available Euro 2 would take time and could not be done immediately even if the oil players wanted to do so.

“Oil importers are already finished with their fuel requirement procurement based on their actual volume. Adding a new product at this point was not considered in that volume requirement,” Suntay said.

He said fuel stations would require retrofitting and would take time and money.

Suntay said savings from Euro 2 would be “negligible” representing a reduction of only P0.28 per liter.

He said Euro 2 no longer had a Philippine National Standard,

after the government required oil companies to shift to Euro 4.

Suntay said Cusi agreed that the re introduction of Euro 2 diesel would only be optional to those who would want to sell it.

“But if he truly wants an immediate and doable way of reducing the price of fuel, our suggestion is to revisit the mandatory purchase of locally sourced ethanol which is more expensive than imported ethanol and reducing the CME [coco methyl ester] from 2 percent to 1 percent, “ he said.

Sources, however, the 2-percent CME price impact on diesel pump price was only P0.30 per liter based on current market prices.

CHINA BANK’S AWARDS. China Bank is recognized by the Chartered Financial Analyst Society Philippines for two of its Unit Investment Trust Funds—China Bank Dollar Fund and China Bank Balanced Fund—as the Best Managed Fund in their respective categories. Shown during the awarding ceremony at Shangri-La the Fort in Taguig City are (from left) CFA Society Philippines vice president for industry relations Erwin Avante and treasurer Cristina Gabaldon-Ong, China Bank investments and trading division head Norman del Carmen and investment officer and fund manager Marlon Galang and CFA Society Philippines president Christina Arceo.

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Business

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

HatchAsia to list P1.45b worth of shares with PSE

By Jenniffer B. Austria

HANABISHI SUPPORTS MARAWI. Hanabishi, the country’s leading home appliance brand, teams up with GMA Kapuso Foundation for the Rebuild Marawi Project, an initiative that aims to build and restore 18 classrooms in three elementary schools in Marawi City. Hanabishi will donate P500,000 worth of electric fans, water dispensers and other appliances to the schools. Shown during the signing of the partnership agreement are (from left) Hanabishi vice president for purchasing and merchandising Jevon Ong, vice president for finance and marketing Cherish Ong-Chua and president Jasper Ong, GMAKF founder and ambassador Carmela Tiangco and chief operating officer Rikki Escudero-Catibog.

Rooftop solar projects seen to reduce cost of electricity

By Alena Mae S. Flores ROOFTOP solar projects have the potential to reduce electricity cost in the Philippines to P2.50 per kilowatthour, according to a report published by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analytics.

It said rooftop solar projects could also bring around $28 billion or P1.5 trillion worth of new investments in the country by 2030.

The report titled ‘Unlocking Rooftop Solar in the Philippines’ said the Philippines had one of the most expensive electricity rates in Southeast Asia. It said a modernized policy could drive the uptake of solar through programs that would ensure power supply and cut prices.

“The government is in a position to change the longstanding status quo, which disproportionately puts fuel-price and foreign-exchange risk on consumers, while utilities and power generators remain insulated from market changes,” said Sara Jane Ahmed, IEEFA energy finance analyst and author of the report.

“As a result, power suppliers have no incentive to transition away from coal and diesel or to hedge against price-change and currency risks,” Ahmed said.

The report said the Philippines could start following global trends toward power sector modernization, energy efficiency and distributed storage.

Ahmed said every kilowatt of installed rooftop solar would mean a reduction in the need for imported coal and diesel power.

She said this could save the Philippines up to $2.2 billion annually in its current account deficit and $200 million per year in diesel subsidies.

The Board of Investments already approved eight solar projects through Solar Philippines Commercial Rooftop Projects Inc. worth P85.96 billion, or $1.65 billion.

“Solar, wind, run-of-river hydro, geothermal, biogas, and storage are competitive, viable domestic options that can be combined to create a cheaper, more diverse and secure energy system,” the report said.

Rooftop solar costs P2.50 per kWh (without financing expenses) to 5.3 per kWh (with financing expenses). Utility scale solar power costs P2.99 per kWh; wind, P3.5 per kWh; geothermal P3.5 to P4.5 per kWh; and run-of-river hydro, P3 to P6.2 per kWh. “Development of all of these more affordable options is still hampered by costly and unnecessary red tape.

The Philippine government can help break this logjam by adopting policies that inject more diversity―and more energy security―into the electricity system while helping lower consumer costs by enabling the uptake of cheaper, cleaner options such as rooftop solar,” Ahmed said.

HATCHASIA Inc., the gaming services unit of DFNN Inc., said it plans to list its shares with the Philippine Stock Exchange by introduction.

HatchAsia said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission it would list 275.162 million registered shares under the main board of the PSE with an initial price of P5.28 per share. This would enable the company to raise P1.45 billion.

The listing price was based on valuation and fairness opinion issued by independent auditor Punongbayan & Araullo.

Listing by introduction allows a company to join the PSE without having to sell shares to the public immediately.

Under the PSE rules, listing of securities by way of introduction may be appropriate when the securities of an unlisted issuer are distributed by way of property dividend by a listed issuer to shareholders.

HatchAsia, to qualify for listing by introduction, will distribute 8 million common shares as property dividends to stockholders of DFFN. Under the plan, DFNN shareholders will receive one HatchAsia share for every 40.5775 DFNN shares owned.

Founded in 2000 by DFNN, HatchAsia was created as an incubation business for fledgling start-up companies. In 2014, DFNN and Visayan Gaming Inc. signed an investment agreement to jointly engage in gaming-related business process management, outsourcing operations aand software development.

It diversified its business from being just a service provider into an electronic gaming outlet operator.

The company said it continued to diversify and search for opportunities in other segments such as payments processing and equipment distribution.

HatchAsia is 22.9-percent owned by DFNN, 21.8 percent by Kirk Arambulo and family and 14.7 percent by Visayan Gaming Inc. The balance of 45 percent is held by other small investors.

HatchAsia reported a net income of P8.9 million in the first quarter, down 20 percent from P11.2 million a year ago, as revenues rose one percent to P68.4 million.

PCC proposes new terms for 3 telco rd

By Othel V. Campos

T

HE Philippine Competition Commission on Monday proposed the inclusion of several pro-competition provisions in the terms of reference for the selection of a third telecommunications player.

The anti-trust body’s proposals included redefinition of related party; prohibition on mergers; voluntary return of frequencies; performance evaluation; and exemption from the commission’s review if competition issues are addressed.

The commission sought to redefine a related party as the company’s parent entity; its subsidiaries and affiliates; or any party that company exerts direct or

indirect control over.

It also defined related party as a company that is under common control by another person, the company’s directors, officers, shareholders and related interests, and their family members within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, as well as corresponding persons in affiliated companies, or juridical entity whose interest may pose a potential conflict with the interest of the company.

A related party also includes entities which have common economic interests and are not otherwise able to decide or act independently of each other.

The PCC also proposed a provision on the prohibition on mergers, combinations or becoming a related party with a dominant telco. It said that if a company or entity acquired a stake from a related party of the dominant player, the commission should be informed as soon as possible.

The commission also injected the provision that

requires the voluntary return of frequencies if the third telco player became a related party with a dominant telco.

“The participant or new major player will have to return the assigned radio frequencies without condition, even after the commitment period,” it said.

The PCC said the National Telecommunications Commission should also recall the radio frequencies within a prescribed number of days from failure of the participant to return such frequencies.

The agency proposed the constant monitoring and performance evaluation through information sharing and the clawback of spectrum in case of non-use and exemption from the commission’s review if competition issues were addressed.

“In the absence of the inputs in the terms of reference, the commission would be constrained to pursue a regular review of the transaction, in accordance with its mandate,” it said.

Govt spending another P447m for modern public utility vehicles THE government is spending another P447 million next year to carry out the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, a congressman said Tuesday.

“The fresh funding is on top of the P843 million allotted this year to support the program,” said House appropriations committee member and Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel.

“The government is likewise arranging to provide another P2.2 billion in low-cost financing to help PUV operators and drivers acquire the newly configured buses, vans and jeepneys under the program,” Pimentel said.

Once available, the P2.2 billion will be coursed through two state-owned lenders

– the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines – at P1.1 billion each, he said.

He said the P2.2 billion was lodged in the “unprogrammed appropriations” of the proposed P3.757-trillion national budget for 2019.

Unprogrammed appropriations “provide standby authority to incur additional agency obligations for priority programs or projects when revenue collection exceed targets, and when additional grants or foreign funds are generated,” according to the Budget Department.

“We have very high hopes that the modernization program, once com-

pleted, will offer the public an easier and safer way to commute in the years ahead, while enabling PUV operators and drivers to upgrade their vehicles.

There’s also no question the program will help improve air quality, because the new PUVs are meant to comply with lower emission standards,” said Pimentel, who is also a member of the House transportation committee.

He said the program would spur new jobs in the automotive sector.

Officially launched in June last year, the PUV Modernization Program is a priority project of the Transportation and Trade Departments.

Under the program, all PUVs more

than 15 years old will be phased out and replaced with new models equipped with automated fare collection systems, digital security and dashboard cameras, Wi-Fi Internet connectivity, GPS tracking devices and speed limiters.

The new PUVs will run either on electric batteries with zero exhaust gas emissions, or on Euro 4 compliant diesel engines that discharge 68-percent less particulate matter, 57-percent less nitrogen oxides and 50-percent less carbon monoxide.

The modernization program also reforms the franchising system to reinforce regulatory supervision of PUVs. Othel V. Campos

Nabas wind project expansion gets clearance for impact study

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Energy Department approved the grid impact study for the 14-megawatt expansion of the Nabas wind project in Aklan province.

PetroWind Energy Inc. formed a joint venture among PetroGreen Energy Corp. (40 percent), CapAsia Wind Holdings Cooperatief U.A. (40 percent) and EEI Power Corp. (20 percent) to develop and operate the Nabas wind project.

The first phase of the 36-MW wind farm was commissioned in June 2015.

The latest approval will pave the way for the conduct of a grid impact study for the proposed expansion phase.

“We’re looking at Nabas 2 expansion.

The president has signed the amended Nipas Act [National Integrated Protected Areas System] which which now allows, under certain conditions, to develop [power projects] inside certain protected areas,” PetroEnergy Resources Corp. vice president Francisco

Delfin said.

“We have already started geotechnical studies for Nabas 2 to optimize the possible EPC cost,” Delfin said.

PetroSolar Corp., another subsidiary of parent firm PetroEnergy, also plans to expand the 50-MW Tarlac-1 Solar Power Project by another 20 MW. “We are evaluating some EPC [engineering, procurement and construction] contractors. We have applied for BoI [Board of Investments] registration for Tarlac,” Delfin said.

The Tarlac-1 solar facility covers 55 hectares of industrial land within the Peza-registered Central Technopark in Tarlac City.

The project is the first solar plant of PetroSolar, a joint-venture firm which is 56 percent-owned by PetroGreen and 44 percent by EEI Power.

PetroGreen is the renewable energy holding company of publicly-listed PetroEnergy.

“The declaration of commerciality application shall be made soon [for the solar expansion],” Delfin said.

OFW FAMILY DAY. Bank of the Philippine Islands, in partnership with the local government unit of Bacoor City, celebrates OFW Family Day with more than 600 family members for fun activities and information-sharing, as part of the bank’s ongoing efforts to reach out to families of overseas Filipino workers. Shown are family members of OFWs attending Bacoor City’s OFW Family Day to learn more about how they can manage the remittances of their loved ones.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila Manila

Standard

World

TODAY

Madonna leads tribute to Aretha NEW YORK―”Queen of Pop” Madonna led an impassioned tribute to “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin on Monday as the music world paid its R-E-S-P-E-C-Ts to the superstar at the MTV Video Music Awards.

The show came four days after 76-year-old Franklin died of pancreatic cancer and the industry used the telecast to send Franklin off in style.

“She led me to where I am today, and I know she influenced so many people in this house tonight, in this room tonight,” said Madonna, who turned 60 last Thursday―the day Franklin died.

Franklin has influenced generations of singers with iconic hits including “Natural Woman” and “I Say a Little Prayer.”

But “Respect” (1967) was her signature tune and the broadcast ended with a recording of Aretha belting out the Otis Redding cover as the audience danced wildly.

“I want to thank you, Aretha, for empowering all of us. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Long live the Queen,” Madonna added.

Fast-rising rapper Cardi B―who recently became a mother―was expected to launch the show at New York’s Radio City Music Hall with a song but instead turned heads by simulating breastfeeding onstage.

She left performing duties to Canadian singer and songwriter Shawn Mendes, who treated fans to his acclaimed single “In My Blood,” which chronicles his struggle with anxiety disorder.

Cardi B started the show as front runner, narrowly taking more nominations than Jay-Z and Beyonce, who ended the evening with just one award―best cinematography―for their Louvreshot video “Apeshit.” AFP

B3

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Taiwan loses El Salvador to China B EIJING―China and El Salvador established diplomatic relations Tuesday as the Central American nation ditched Taiwan in yet another victory for Beijing in its campaign to isolate the island.

country,” he said.

Salvadoran Foreign Minister Carlos Castaneda, after signing a document with Wang establishing relations, said his country had made a “strategic decision” and taken the “correct and beneficial path for the people of both nations”.

The president of El Salvador, Salvador Sanchez Ceren, said in an address on national television Monday night: “We are convinced that this is a step in the right direction, which corresponds to the principles of international law, international relations and the inevitable trends of our day.”

The announcement in Beijing followed a decision by Taiwan to sever its ties with El Salvador after it learned the country was planning on recognizing Beijing.

“Losing [a] diplomatic ally is not an isolated incident. It is part of China’s string of saber-rattling and intimidation,” Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said at a press conference in Taipei.

The news came just after Tsai, who is trying to raise

Beijing has been using its economic clout to peel away international support for the democraticallyruled island, leaving it with only 17 diplomatic allies around the world.

Speaking in Beijing at the Diaoyutai Guest House, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi praised El Salvador’s decision to “recognize there is one China in the world”.

“This further goes to show the One China policy is in line with international norms, is the correct choice... and is the basis of China’s relation with any

Over a million in relief camps

RARE REUNION. South Korean Na Sung-pil (right), 51, talks with his North Korean relative Ra Soon Ok, 58, on the second day of a separated family reunion event at the Mount Kumgang resort on the North’s southeastern coast on August 21, 2018. AFP

Koreas to close checkpoints SEOUL―North and South Korea have agreed to close some guard posts along their border on a trial basis, Seoul’s defense minister told parliament Tuesday amid a rapid diplomatic thaw.

The Demilitarized Zone that has divided the peninsula since the end of the Korean War in 1953 is, despite its name, one of the most fortified places on earth, with the areas on either side of it bristling with minefields and barbed-wire fences.

Song Young-moo said the South would withdraw around 10 guard posts as part of confidence-building measures following the landmark summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the South’s President Moon Jae-in in April.

“What it means is that we will first withdraw one or two guard posts and gradually expand it,” Song told lawmakers, adding the North would take reciprocal measures.

“The North and South agreed to withdraw guard posts that are closest to each other,” he added.

“The closest is about 700 meters away and we will begin withdrawing guard posts that are within one kilometer.”

A defense ministry official told AFP the issue was still being discussed and declined to clarify whether the posts would be physically removed. AFP

BIDS and AWARDS COMMITTEE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IN THE THE MATTER MATTER OF OF THE THE APPLICATION APPLICATION IN FORTHE THECONFIRMATION CONFIRMATIONAND ANDAPPROVAL APPROVAL FOR OF OVER/UNDER-RECOVERIES OVER/UNDER-RECOVERIES FOR FOR THE THE OF YEARS 2015 2015 TO TO 2017 2017 PURSUANT PURSUANT TO TO ERC ERC YEARS RESOLUTION NO. NO. 16, 16, SERIES SERIES OF OF 2009, 2009, AS AS RESOLUTION AMENDED BY

BY ERC ERC RESOLUTION RESOLUTION NO. NO. 21, 21, AMENDED SERIES OF OF 2010, 2010, AND AND ERC ERC RESOLUTION RESOLUTION SERIES NO. 23, 23, SERIES SERIES OF OF 2010 2010 WITH WITH MOTION MOTION NO. FOR CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT TREATMENT OF OF FOR INFORMATION INFORMATION VISAYAN VISAYAN (VECO), (VECO),

VECO alleged alleged the the following following in in its its Application: Application: VECO 1.

1.

VECO is is aa domestic domestic corporation corporation duly duly organized organized and and existing existing under under VECO and by by virtue virtue of of the the laws laws of of the the Republic Republic of of the the Philippines Philippines with with office office and address at at J. J. Panis Panis Street, Street, Banilad, Banilad, Cebu Cebu City.

City. ItIt is is aa grantee grantee of of aa address legislative franchise franchise under under Republic Republic Act Act No. No. 9339 9339 to to construct, construct, operate operate legislative and maintain maintain aa distribution distribution system system for for the the conveyance conveyance of of electric electric power power and in the the municipalities municipalities of of San San Fernando, Fernando, Minglanilla, Minglanilla, Consolacion Consolacion and and in Lilo-an and and the the Cities Cities of of Naga, Naga, Talisay, Talisay, Cebu Cebu and and Mandaue, Mandaue, Province Province Lilo-an of Cebu.

Cebu. of

2.

2.

On 13 13 July July 2009, 2009, the the Honorable Honorable Commission Commission promulgated promulgated Resolution Resolution On No. 16, 16, series series of of 2009, 2009, entitled entitled “A “A Resolution Resolution Adopting Adopting the the Rules Rules No. Governing the the Automatic Automatic Cost Cost Adjustment Adjustment and and True-Up True-Up Mechanisms Mechanisms Governing and Corresponding Corresponding Confirmation Confirmation Process Process for for Distribution Distribution Utilities” Utilities” (the (the and “True-Up Guidelines”).

Guidelines”).

“True-Up 2.1. The The True-Up True-Up Guidelines Guidelines provided provided the the formulas formulas for for the the 2.1. determination of of the the Generation, Generation, Transmission, Transmission, System System Loss, Loss, determination 11 Lifeline Subsidy, Subsidy, and and Franchise Franchise and and Business Business Taxes Taxes Rates.

Rates.

Lifeline 2.2. ItIt likewise likewise provided provided for for the the calculation calculation of of overover- and and underunder2.2. recoveries on on the the said said rates rates due due to to the the variance variance in in the the allowable allowable recoveries cost and and the the revenues revenues billed billed using using the the applicable applicable formula. formula.22 cost

3.

3.

On 18 18 October October 2010, 2010, the the Honorable Honorable Commission Commission promulgated promulgated ERC ERC On Resolution No. No. 21, 21, Series Series of of 2010, 2010,33 wherein wherein the the Honorable Honorable Commission Commission Resolution amended the the formula formula for for the the calculation calculation of of overover- and and under-recovery under-recovery for for amended System Loss Loss and and updated updated the the timelines timelines set set in in Article Article 55 of of the the TrueUp TrueUp System Guidelines.

Guidelines.

4.

4.

On 15 15 December December 2010, 2010, the the Honorable Honorable Commission Commission promulgated promulgated ERC ERC On Resolution No. No. 23, 23, Series Series of of 2010.

2010.44 Resolution 4.1 4.1

(SGD) ENGR. DELIO H. DE LEON Municipal Engineer Chairperson, Bids and Awards Committee

MOVEMENT OF SCHEDULE FOR OPENING OF BIDS

The Resolution Resolution provided provided the the formulas formulas for for the the calculation calculation of of the the The senior citizen citizen discount discount rates, rates,55 the the calculation calculation of of the the subsidy subsidy rate rate senior 66 to be be charged charged to to subsidizing subsidizing end-users, end-users, and and the the overover- and and underunderto recovery in in the the implementation implementation of of the the senior senior citizen citizen discount discount and and recovery subsidy rates. rates.77 subsidy

4.2. ItIt also also provided provided that that the the ERC ERC shall shall verify verify the the over over and and under under -4.2. recovery in in the the senior senior citizen citizen discount discount and and subsidy subsidy rates rates once once recovery every three three (3) (3) years years to to coincide coincide with with the the time time frames frames set set forth forth every 88 under Article Article 55 of of the the True-up True-up Guidelines.

Guidelines. under

(MS-AUG. 22, 22, 2018) 2018) (MS-AUG.

BID SUPPLEMENT NO. 5548118-01 Re: DESIGN AND BUILD OF NEW PUBLIC MARKET

INC. INC.

Notice is is hereby hereby given given that that on on 27 27 March March 2018, 2018, the the Visayan Visayan Electric Electric Company Company Notice Inc. (VECO) (VECO) filed filed an an Application Application dated dated 22 22 March March 2018, 2018, seeking seeking for for confirmation confirmation and and Inc. approval of of calculations calculations of of over over or or under under recoveries recoveries in in the the implementation implementation of of automatic automatic approval cost adjustments adjustments and and true-up true-up mechanisms mechanisms for for the the period period of of 2015 2015 to to 2017, 2017, pursuant pursuant to to cost the Commission’s Commission’s Resolution Resolution No. No. 16, 16, Series Series of of 2009, 2009, as as the amended by

by Resolution Resolution Nos. Nos. 21 21 and and 23, 23, Series Series of of 2010.

2010. amended

For further inquiries, you may coordinated with the Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat at Tel. No. 319-76-80.

BIDS and AWARDS COMMITTEE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

COMPANY, COMPANY,

5. The The instant instant Application Application is is being being filed filed pursuant pursuant to to the the above above Resolutions.

Resolutions.

5.

Based on on the the formulas formulas on on the the various various automatic automatic cost cost adjustments adjustments and and true-up true-up Based mechanisms, VECO VECO incurred incurred overover- and and under under -recoveries -recoveries for for the the period period from from mechanisms, January 2015 2015 to to December December 2017, 2017, summarized summarized as as follows: follows: January 2015 2015 Generation Generation

(Over)/Under (Over)/Under Recoveries Recoveries

2016 2016

2017 2017

96,717,824.45 96,717,824.45

219,768,660.30 219,768,660.30

70,759,535.33 70,759,535.33

387,246,020.15 387,246,020.15

Transmission Transmission

9,231,571.14 9,231,571.14

(11,658,195.80) (11,658,195.80)

35,781,701.54 35,781,701.54

33,355,076.88 33,355,076.88

TO: ALL INTERESTED BIDDERS:

System Loss Loss System

10,023,333.97 10,023,333.97

3,235,466.39 3,235,466.39

11,618,856.23 11,618,856.23

24,877,656.60 24,877,656.60

Please be informed that the Opening of Bids for the above project originally scheduled on August 28, 2018, 10:30 AM, as published in Manila Standard, dated August 15,2018 is hereby postponed due to conflict of schedule by the BAC Members. In this regard, the Opening of Bids will be moved to August 30, 2018 (Thursday) at 10:30AM.

Lifeline Lifeline

1,167,119.08 1,167,119.08

(2,425,357.34) (2,425,357.34)

(1,219,604.39) (1,219,604.39)

(2,477,842.66) (2,477,842.66)

288.74 288.74

(3,747.50) (3,747.50)

(16,601.87) (16,601.87)

(20,060.64) (20,060.64)

117,140,137.38 117,140,137.38

208,916,826.10 208,916,826.10

116,923,886.84 116,923,886.84

442,980,850.33 442,980,850.33

For further inquiries, you may coordinated with the Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat at Tel. No. 319-76-80.

Please be guided accordingly.

(SGD) ENGR. DELIO H. DE LEON Municipal Engineer Chairperson, Bids and Awards Committee

Senior Citizen Citizen Senior Total (Over) (Over) // Under Under Recovery Recovery Total

Based on on the the foregoing, foregoing, VECO VECO has has incurred incurred aa net net under-recovery under-recovery in in the the Based amount of of PhP PhP 442,980,850.33 442,980,850.33 for for the the billing billing periods periods from from January January 2015 2015 to to amount December 2017.

2017.

December 6.

6.

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

people in the town remained in homes inundated by 10 days of torrential downpours that have battered the state.

Rescue teams in Chengannur on Tuesday finally reached the house of retired army officer K.G. Pillai, who said up to eight feet of water had engulfed the house where his family had lived since 1952.

“In the past there has never been more than one foot of floods and people are not used to this,” he said.

Many roads and homes around Pillai’s house remained inaccessible.

“Around 26 people moved into the first floor of our home” to take refuge from the floods, he said.

A senior army officer involved in the rescue operation in Chengannur said authorities believed most of the people left in town did not want to be evacuated and were instead seeking food and water. AFP

Statistical Data Data Sheets; Sheets; Statistical Reports on on Other Other Adjustments Adjustments Implemented; Implemented; Reports Actual Implemented Implemented Rates Rates Sheets; Sheets; Actual Summary of of Pilferage Pilferage Cost Cost Recoveries Recoveries Summary Uniform Reportorial Reportorial Requirement Requirement (URR) (URR) Template; Template; Uniform Lifeline Discount Discount Sheets; Sheets; Lifeline Senior Citizen Citizen Discount Discount Sheets; Sheets; Senior Consumer Bills Bills per per Customer Customer Class Class (Non-Lifeliner); (Non-Lifeliner); Consumer Consumer Bills Bills per per Lifeline Lifeline Bracket; Bracket; Consumer Consumer Bills Bills per per Senior Senior Citizen Citizen Discount Discount Level; Level; Consumer Rate Computations Computations (Generation, (Generation, Transmission, Transmission, System System Loss, Loss, Rate Lifeline and and Senior Senior Citizen Citizen Discount Discount Rate) Rate) Lifeline

MOTION FOR FOR CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT TREATMENT OF OF INFORMATION INFORMATION MOTION 7.

7.

Under Rule Rule 44 of of the the ERC ERC Rules Rules of of Practice Practice and and Procedure, Procedure, the the Under Honorable Commission Commission may, may, upon upon request request of of aa party party and and determination determination Honorable of the the existence existence of of conditions, conditions, which which would would warrant warrant such such remedy, remedy, treat treat of certain information information submitted submitted to to itit as as confidential. confidential. certain

8.

8.

Annexes “L”, “L”, “M” “M” and and “N” “N” contain contain information information on on customers’ customers’ personal personal Annexes details, which which are are confidential confidential in in nature. nature. As As such, such, VECO VECO respectfully respectfully details, requests that that the the foregoing foregoing documents documents and and the the information information contained contained requests therein be be treated treated as as confidential confidential and and privileged, privileged, and and not not be be disclosed disclosed therein to persons persons other other than than the the necessary necessary officers officers and and staff staff of of this this Honorable Honorable to Commission.

Commission.

9.

9.

Accordingly, VECO VECO hereby hereby submits submits one one (1) (1) copy copy of of Annexes Annexes “L”, “L”, “M” “M” Accordingly, and “N” “N” in in sealed sealed packages, packages, with with the the packaging packaging and and each each page page of of the the and confidential document document stamped stamped with with the the word word “Confidential”.

“Confidential”. confidential

TO ALL ALL INTERESTED INTERESTED PARTIES: PARTIES: TO

TO: ALL INTERESTED BIDDERS:

Republic of the Philippines MUNICIPALITY OF MULANAY Province of Quezon

ELECTRIC ELECTRIC

ERC CASE CASE NO. NO. 2018-026 2018-026 CF CF ERC

NOTICE OF OF PUBLIC PUBLIC HEARING HEARING NOTICE

MOVEMENT OF SCHEDULE FOR OPENING OF BIDS

Please be guided accordingly.

Annex E E Annex Annex FF Annex Annex G G Annex Annex H H Annex Annex II Annex Annex JJ Annex Annex K K Annex Annex LL Annex Annex M M Annex Annex N N Annex Annex O O Annex

Applicant.

Applicant.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- xx xx -- --

BID SUPPLEMENT NO. 5547786-01 Re: DESIGN AND BUILD OF NEW MULANAY GOVERNMENT CENTER

Please be informed that the Opening of Bids for the above project originally scheduled on August 28, 2018, 9:30 AM, as published in Manila Standard, dated August 15,2018 is hereby postponed due to conflict of schedule by the BAC Members. In this regard, the Opening of Bids will be moved to August 30, 2018 (Thursday) at 9:30AM.

CHENGANNUR, India―More than one million people have packed relief camps to escape devastating monsoon floods that have killed more than 410 people in India’s southwestern state of Kerala, officials said Tuesday.

About 50,000 homes have been destroyed, according to one Kerala legislator, and people are flocking to the camps as the scale of the desolation is revealed by receding waters.

A total of 1,028,000 people were now recorded in about 3,200 relief camps across the state, a state government spokesman told AFP. Six more bodies were found Monday, he added, taking the toll to more than 410 since the monsoon started in June.

At Chengannur, one of the worst-hit towns, more than two feet of water still blocked many roads as more rain fell Tuesday.

Army teams said several thousand

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

Republic of the Philippines MUNICIPALITY OF MULANAY Province of Quezon

(MS-AUG. 22, 22, 2018) 2018) (MS-AUG.

Taiwan’s international profile, wrapped up a Latin American tour which included stops in the United States, which drew criticism from China. She visited allies Belize and Paraguay during the trip.

Taiwan’s foreign minister Joseph Wu said Taipei “will not engage in dollar diplomacy with China”, adding that El Salvador had been asking for “huge funding” for a port development project, which Taiwan was unwilling to give because it would leave both countries in debt.

El Salvador’s move leaves Taiwan with a dwindling number of allies around the world as more countries switch recognition to China, which sees the self-ruling democratic island as a renegade part of its territory.

“El Salvador has made the choice to commit itself to one China with no pre-conditions, thus standing with most countries in the world,” Wang said in comments that seemed intended to preempt Taiwanese accusations that China had bought the small Latin American nation’s loyalty. AFP

PRAYER PRAYER WHEREFORE, itit is is respectfully respectfully prayed prayed that that the the Honorable Honorable Commission, Commission, WHEREFORE, after due due notice, notice, hearing hearing and and examination: examination: after 1. Confirm Confirm and and approve approve Applicant’s Applicant’s under-recoveries under-recoveries for for January January 2015 2015 1. to December December 2017 2017 billing billing periods periods and and authorize authorize VECO VECO to to collect collect the the amount amount to of PhP PhP 442,980,850.33 442,980,850.33 as as net net under-recovery. under-recovery. of 2. Treat Treat Annexes Annexes “L”, “L”, “M” “M” and and “N” “N” and and the the information information contained contained therein therein 2. as confidential, confidential, and and direct direct their their nondisclosure nondisclosure to to persons persons other other than than the the as authorized representatives representatives of of VECO VECO and and necessary necessary officers officers and and staff staff of of this this authorized Honorable Commission, Commission, and and issue issue the the corresponding corresponding Protective Protective Order Order in in Honorable accordance with with Rule Rule 44 of of the the ERC ERC Rules Rules of of Practice Practice and and Procedure.

Procedure. accordance Other just just and and equitable equitable reliefs reliefs are are likewise likewise prayed prayed for. for.

Other The Commission Commission has has set set the the Application Application for for determination determination of of compliance compliance with with The the jurisdictional jurisdictional requirements, requirements, expository expository presentation, presentation, Pre-trial Pre-trial Conference, Conference, and and the presentation of of evidence evidence on on 04 04 September September 2018 2018 (Tuesday) (Tuesday) at at ten ten o’clock o’clock in in the the presentation morning (10:00 (10:00 AM) AM) at at the the ERC ERC Hearing Hearing Room, Room, 15th 15th Floor, Floor, Pacific Pacific Center Center Building, Building, morning San Miguel Miguel Avenue, Avenue, Pasig Pasig City.

City.

San All persons persons who who have have an an interest interest in in the the subject subject matter matter of of the the instant instant case case may may All become aa party party by by filing filing with with the the Commission Commission aa verified verified Petition Petition to to Intervene Intervene at at least least become five (5) (5) days days prior prior to to the the initial initial hearing hearing and and subject subject to to the the requirements requirements under under Rule Rule 99 of of five the 2006 2006 ERC ERC Rules Rules of of Practice Practice and and Procedure, Procedure, indicating indicating therein therein the the docket docket number number the and title title of of the the case case and and stating stating the the following: following: and 1) 1)

The petitioner’s petitioner’s name name and and address; address; The

2) 2)

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

3) A A statement statement of of the the relief relief desired. desired.

3) All other other persons persons who who may may want want their their views views known known to to the the Commission Commission with with respect respect All to the the subject subject matter matter of of the the case case may may file file their their Opposition Opposition or or Comment Comment thereon thereon at at any any to stage of of the the proceeding proceeding before before Applicant Applicant rests rests its its case, case, subject subject to to the the requirements requirements stage under Rule Rule 99 of of the the 2006 2006 ERC ERC Rules Rules of of Practice Practice and and Procedure.

Procedure. No No particular particular form form of of under Opposition or or Comment Comment is is required, required, but but the the document, document, letter, letter, or or writing writing should should contain contain Opposition the following: following: the 1) The The name name and and address address of of such such person; person; 1) 2) A A concise concise statement statement of of the the Opposition Opposition or or Comment; Comment; and and 2) 3) The The grounds grounds relied relied upon. upon.

3) All such such persons persons who who wish wish to to have have aa copy copy of of the the Application Application may may request request from from All Applicant that that they they be be furnished furnished with with the the same, same, prior prior to to the the date date of of the the initial initial hearing. hearing.

Applicant Applicant is is hereby hereby directed directed to to furnish furnish all all those those making making such such request request with with copies copies Applicant of the the Application Application and and its its attachments, attachments, subject subject to to the the reimbursement reimbursement of of reasonable reasonable of photocopying costs. costs. Any Any such such person person may may likewise likewise examine examine the the Application Application and and other other photocopying pertinent records records filed filed with with the the Commission Commission during during the the standard standard office office hours. hours. pertinent WITNESS, the the Honorable Honorable Chairperson Chairperson and and CEO CEO AGNES AGNES VST VST DEVANADERA, DEVANADERA, WITNESS, and the the Honorable Honorable Commissioners Commissioners ALFREDO ALFREDO J. J. NON, NON, GLORIA GLORIA VICTORIA VICTORIA C. C. YAPYAPand TARUC, and and GERONIMO GERONIMO D. D. STA. STA. ANA, ANA, Energy Energy Regulatory Regulatory Commission, Commission, this this 18th 18th day day TARUC, of June June 2018 2018 in in Pasig Pasig City.

City. of

JOSEFINA PATRICIA PATRICIA A. A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT MAGPALE-ASIRIT JOSEFINA Oversight Commissioner Commissioner for for Legal Legal Oversight

In support support of of the the foregoing foregoing are are the the following following documents documents covering covering the the In period January January 2015 2015 to to December December 2017, 2017, attached attached as as Annexes Annexes of of the the period instant Application, Application, to to wit: wit: instant

Annex A A :: Annex Annex B B :: Annex Annex C C :: Annex Annex D D :: Annex

Summary of the Over/Under Recoverie Summary of the Over/Under Recoverie Computation; Computation; Proposed Scheme Scheme of of Refund/Collection; Refund/Collection; Proposed Supplier and and Transmission Transmission Data Data Sheets; Sheets; Supplier Power Bills Bills from from Suppliers, Suppliers, Proof Proof of of Payment Payment and and Debit/Credit Debit/Credit Power Memo; Memo;

Article 22 of of ERC ERC Resolution Resolution No. No. 16, 16, Series Series of of 2009.

2009.

11 Article Article 4, 4, Ibid.

Ibid.

22 Article Entitled “A “A Resolution Resolution Amending Amending Section Section 44 of of Article Article 44 and and Section Section 11 of of Article Article 55 of of the the Rules Rules Governing Governing the the Automatic Automatic 33 Entitled Cost Adjustment Adjustment and and True-Up True-Up Mechanisms Mechanisms and and Corresponding Corresponding Confirmation Confirmation Process Process for for Distribution Distribution Utilities”.

Utilities”.

Cost Entitled “A “A Resolution Resolution adopting adopting tlle tlle Rules Rules Implementing Implementing the the Discounts Discounts to to Qualified Qualified Senior Senior Citizen Citizen End-Users End-Users and and 44 Entitled Subsidy from from tlle tlle Subsidizing Subsidizing EndEnd- users users on on Electricity Electricity Consumption Consumption under under Sections Sections 44 and and 55 of of Republic Republic Act Act No. No. 9994”· 9994”· Subsidy Article 44 of of ERC ERC Resolution Resolution No. No. 23, 23, Series Series of of 2010.

2010.

55 Article 6. Article Article 5, 5, Ibid.

Ibid.

6.

Article 7, 7, Id. Id. 77 Article Section 3, 3, Article Article 7, 7, Id. Id. 88 Section (MS-AUG. 22, 22, 2018) 2018) (MS-AUG.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

Joyce Pañares, Issue Editor lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

B4

wednesday, august 22, 2018

LocaL government units

890 coconut farmers get cash incentives LEGAZPI CITY—The Philippine Coconut Authority in Bicol has disbursed incentives amounting to P3.2 million under the participatory coconut planting project, benefiting at least 890 farmers in the region.

Regional information officer Ed Bailon said the 890 farmers represent 85 percent of the 1,037 total farmer-participants who complied with all documentary requirements, validation and assessment.

“The first step to avail of the project is to enroll with the PCA regional office and the setting of their nursery for seeds nuts.

This project requires the coconut farmer to plant 75 seeds in a minimum of one-half hectares or a maximum of 750 seed nuts for 5 hectares,” Bailon said.

From 2017 to 2018, the national government has allocated P14 million for the program.

As of July, PCA Bicol received 2,340 farmer-participants, but only 1,037 passed the preparatory phase of the project.

“In the preparatory phase, farmer is required to satisfy the basic requirement which is operation of a nursery,” he said.

“The monitoring start from the setting of seedling nursery then followed by field planting, this means that the coconut seeds are already rooted.”

Under the project, a farmer-participant will be paid P18 per seedling with a maximum of 100 seeds per hectares and P22 per rooted (or stabilized) coconut seedlings with a total of 100 maximum seeds planted.

In Bicol, Camarines Sur has a total of 983 farmers from 15 municipalities enrolled in the project; followed by Masbate with 402 farmers from four towns; Camarines Norte with 340 farmers from eight municipalities; Sorsogon with 195 farmers from 10 municipalities; Catanduanes with 253 from three towns; and Albay with 167 farmers from six towns. PNA

Iloilo City eyes P500-m loan for Sports Arena ILOILO CITY—The city government is eyeing a P500-million loan either with Land Bank of the Philippines or the Development Bank of the Philippines to finance the construction of the Iloilo City Sports Arena.

During Monday’s regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the local council passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Jose Espinosa III to negotiate on behalf of the city government for the proposed loan agreement.

Espinosa, in his letter to the council, said the city government is “mostlikely co-host with the province of Iloilo when national sports events are being held yearly.”

These include the Batang Pinoy, Palarong Pambansa, Unigames and National Open.

He, however, said it is “unfortunate” that the city lacks basketball and volleyball courts that can pass the requirement for hosting a national tournament.

The lack of these facilities “limits the discovery of local aspiring athletes for amateur and professional level likewise to host games of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, National Collegiate Athletic Association, and Super Liga.”

“As a sportsman, I believe we owe it to our youth to give them the best sports facility that we can offer,” Espinosa said.

The mayor envisioned a 5,000-seat arena that can be offered to international games such as the Southeast Asian Games and Asian Games. PNA

COLORS OF THE RAINBOW. A child plays with colorful ribbons symbolizing rainshower at the ColorGram pop-up exhibit in SM Marikina. Norman Cruz

Zamboanga City placed under state of calamity

By Frencie L. Carreon

Z

AMBOANGA CITY—Zamboanga City has been placed under a state of calamity Monday evening amid a rice shortage and incessant price increases of the grain in the area.

Mayor Isabelle Climaco-Salaza convened the Local Price Coordinating Council as the City Council approved a resolution recommending the declaration of a state of calamity.

“The State of Declaration is to principally address the exorbitant and unconscionable price in the market. There are limited stocks avaialbe in the market contrary to the report of abundance as this was presented in the report of the city administrator and city agriculturist, the DA [Department of Agriculture] and DTI [Department of Trade and Industry],” the mayor said.

“With the created price monitoring

council in place, proactive measures can be made to peg prices and ensure no hoarding,” she added in an interview Tuesday.

Acting City Agriculturist Carmencita Sanchez reported rice prices in six districts as follows: Tumaga District where rice prices were between P55/kg and P68/kg; Ayala District, between P60/kg and P70/kg; Culianan District, between P58/kg and P65/kg; Manicahan District, between P56/kg and P70/kg; Curuan District, between P56/kg and P60/ kg; and Vitali District, between P46/kg and P60/kg.

“The LPCC has recommended to

President Rodrigo Duterte the price ceiling of P46.10/kilo for Premium/ Head rice and P37.50/kilo for wellmilled rice,” Climaco said, as she instructed the City Agriculturist Office to continuously monitor the prevailing prices of rice available in the local markets in all districts.

Driver Jess Lacastesantos said he was “fortunate” he was able to buy a sack at P1200 but was surprised that the price went up to P1500 the day after.

“I would have been happy but I thought how difficult life would be if this price increases become monthly,” he said.

City Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Officer Elmeir Jade Apolinario said the sudden price hike is due to the “shortage of rice supply and higher demand.”

Climaco’s next move was to secure available supply from hoarders and rice cartels as well as their protectors.

REVELRY.

Performers wave to the crowd on board one of the many colorful floats that participated in the 33rd Kadayawan Festival in Davao City.

Roy Tomandao

Baguio City seeks Red Orchid Award BAGUIO CITY—Baguio City is hoping to get its first Red Orchid Award from the Department of Health with its strict implementation of the “Smoke-Free Baguio” ordinance since May 2017.

The Red Orchid Awards is the DoH’s search among government hospitals, offices, and local government units that implement a 100-percent tobacco-free environment and meet the quality standards on tobacco prevention and control set by the World Health Organization.

Baguio has banned smoking in public places in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 26.

The city’s anti-smoking task force has met with the DoH validation team.

Gaby Keith of the city information office said the validating team was composed of a representative from the DoH central office and officers from a nationally recognized non-government organization that promotes clean air.

Aimed to combat smoking, the “Red Orchid” is the highest award in the national government’s search for a tobacco-free environment, followed by the the “Pink Orchid” (second place) and the “White Orchid” (third place).

The criteria for the award are as follows: efforts to implement a 100-percent tobacco-free environment using the WHO’s tobaccocontrol policies; monitoring of tobacco use and prevention policies; protection of people from tobacco smoke; offer of help to quit tobacco use; warning against the dangers of tobacco; enforcement of bans on tobacco advertising; and raising of taxes on tobacco products.

Since Baguio started its SmokeFree Baguio drive middle of last year, the city’s anti-smoking task force has apprehended over 1,300 violators. PNA

Nueva Vizcaya entrepreneurs, co-ops join Alabang trade fair

By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Cooperatives, livelihood associations and entrepreneurs here are set to participate in the annual trade fair “Nueva Vizcaya Goes to Alabang.”

Juditte Asuncion, Provincial Co-

operative Affairs Officer, said the marketing and promotion event which will be held from Aug. 24 to Sept. 2 seeks to help and assist local entrepreneurs in showcasing their products.

“These products are quality fresh vegetables and fruits, processed

food products, handicrafts and furniture to let other people be aware of the products that our province offers,” she said.

Asuncion said the trade fair has become an effective tool in promoting Nueva Vizcaya’s best produts.

She added that the provincial govern-

ment continues to provide assistance for the participation of various entrepreneurs in the province.

“This year, the provincial government approved more than P1 million for the general expenses of participating exhibitors and agencies concerned,” Asuncion said.

BoC chief trains guns on illegal cigarette factories NPA admits killing Isabela village chief, says victim a ‘military asset’ GAPAN CITY, Nueva Ecija—Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña has warned syndicates behind the manufacturing of fake cigarettes after inspecting an illegal cigarette factory in Nueva Ecija.

“This should be a strong warning to those who are doing this. Eventually, we will be able to trace you,” Lapeña said.

Lapeña was accompanied by Mayor Emerson Pascual in the inspection of the P200-million worth of fake cigars and manufacturing machines in Baran-

gay Pambuan Monday afternoon.

“This kind of illegal operation cannot be kept hidden at all times,” Lapeña said.

On Aug. 17, Customs police arrested 17 Chinese nationals, including a woman, who were caught making fake cigarettes inside the said warehouse.

Also seized from the suspects were fake cigarettes of assorted brands, six cigarette-making machines, raw materials and counterfeit Bureau of Internal revenue stamps.

“The warehouse was subjected to three weeks of surveillance by our police following a tip from a reliable source that counterfeit cigarettes are being manufactured inside the warehouse,” Lapeña said.

Lapeña said followup investigation is being made to identify the origin of the raw materials as well as the machines.

He said the bureau is looking at the possibility that the Chinese nationals may be part of a bigger syndicate. PNA

BACOLOD CITY—The New People’s Army has claimed responsibility over the death of village chief Rhoy Pagapang of Barangay Libas in Isabela, Negros Occidental on Monday.

The Leonardo Panaligan Command-Central Negros Guerrilla Front, in a statement released to the local media Monday night, said the 38-year-old barangay captain was a

“military asset.”

The rebel group said they have been warning Pagapang for his actions since they included him in their hit list in 2016.

Pagapang, a second term village chief, was shot to death by four unidentified men beside a sugarcane field in the neighboring Barangay Cabcab around 10 am on Monday. PNA

By Paola Navarette

W

hen it comes to makeup, Kathryn Bernardo likes it minimal and natural; her routine is pretty simple, no liquid foundation, just powder.

“I like doing my makeup but I don’t like changing my face,” said the 22-yearold actress. “That’s why I want my fans to learn how to also feel and look beautiful without too much makeup.”

So for her first makeup collaboration with homegrown beauty brand happy Skin launched before a huge crowd at the SM Megamall Fashion hall on Aug. 18, Kathryn made sure her collection consists of items that promote minimal makeup as well as flatter a wide range of skin tones.

“My problem before was to find the perfect makeup for me because I’m morena. I’m very proud that this collaboration with happy Skin is perfect for different skin tones, including morena girls,” shared Kath.

Dubbed Generation happy Skin, the limited edition collection is composed of four lip and cheek tints, five lipsticks, two powder blushes, three pressed powders, a mascara, and an eyebrow pen—all based on Kath’s makeup routine.

“Generation happy Skin speaks to a new breed of woman who believes that good skin is important but also that with little makeup, you can look beautiful,” said happy Skin co-founder Rissa Mananquil-Trillo.

Life

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

fashion and beauty

@MStandardLIFE wEdnESday, auguSt 22, 2018

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Kathryn Bernardo keeps it natural

‘NO MAKEUP ‘ MAKEUP LOOK. Kathryn Bernardo collaborates with local beauty brand Happy Skin to launch a makeup collection that consists of items that promote natural, minimal makeup look.

on Generation The limited editi ion is ct Happy Skin colle icks, lip and st lip of d compose wder blushes, cheek tints, po mascara, and rs, de w po pressed n. pe w ro eb ey

According to Rissa, Kathryn was highly involved in the creation of the products, from choosing the packaging which are all in pastel colors—her favorite—to naming the shades which are values important for her.

It took two years to develop and create the collection.

The collaboration is extra special because Kath and the happy Skin team made sure it would be accessible to her fans, which are mostly Gen Z and young millennials, as nothing costs more than P500.

The Generation happy Skin My Lips But Better Ultra Matte Lippie (P399), for instance, are richly pigmented and are handy versions of happy Skin’s moisturizing lippies— it can be easily slipped into a small clutch. They come in five wearable shades: Spunk, a flattering peachybrown hue; Authenticity, a beautiful nude pink; Courage, a timeless nude brown; Wonder, warm berry red; and Moxie, a striking deep red.

Kath said her favorite lippie shade is Spunk.

The Kiss and Bloom Water Lip & Cheek Tint (P299) gives a natural sheer

Kathryn Bernardo with the Happy Skin team, led by co-founders Jacque Yuengtian-Gutierrez and Rissa Mananquil-Trillo.

color that lasts throughout the day. It is available in four shades: pinkish red Serene, deep red Fearless, brownish red Prim, and warm red Dainty. her Instant Glow Longwear Powder Blush (P399) in Freedom combines peach and warm brown. While it is highly-pigmented, it is designed to look

natural for that sun-kissed glow. Meanwhile, Love, the other shade, is pinkish coral. Both blushes provide optimal skin hydration with its sunflower seed oil component.

The line was pre-sold on the Happy Skin website prior to the launch. The full collection will be available at Hap-

py Skin boutiques and website as well as on Zalora, Beauty MNL, and Lazada starting Aug. 23. Happy Skin is located at Greenbelt 5, Power Plant Mall, SM Aura Premier, Robinsons Magnolia, Ayala Malls The 30th, SM North Edsa, Alabang Town Center, Trinoma, SM Megamall, and Glorietta 3.

5 young fashion designers to watch out for

Organic linen suit dress with crumpled sleeves dyed with cochineal by Anna Galang

Off-white cotton twill cropped shirt with puff sleeves by Jeremiah Biadoma

The recent fashion show and exhibit featuring the works of graduating students of Benilde’s Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design and Merchandising program saw up-andcoming lots ready to take on the limelight with distinct pieces that break style conventions.

Of the nearly a hundred collections presented, five stood out and were handpicked by a discerning jury of esteemed fashion designers, chic trendsetters, glossy magazine fashion editors, lifestyle marketing experts, and branding professionals.

Sandro Dela Pena

Off-shoulder ruffle top and hand-painted wide leg pants by Jan Fernandez

A creation by Iya Poon

Sandro Dela Pena, whose sleek collection swept the Best Design Concept Award, rendered the Deepwater horizon Oil Spill tragedy into classy apparel that evoked pure optimism.

“That was the motivating concept behind the collection, which combined plain and silicone-treated textiles to mimic oil movement,” he said. his head-turning pieces depicted slender and streamline silhouettes from the oil riggers.

Anna Galang

Anna Galang’s label Ansuelta, which won the Best Brand Concept Award, only used organic materials—from fabrics specially imported from India to natural dyes such as carmine from cochineal insects and coffee pulp. More than being sustainable garments, her stylish pieces were likewise ideal for those with sensitive skin.

“In this day and age, it is not just about what your brand offers but also about what your brand is doing to change our finite world,” she said.

Jan Fernandez

Jan Fernandez bagged the Most Innovative Collection Award

Reversed sleeveless shirt in woodbridge, high waist trousers in treated denim, twill skirt add-on in soft rubber, and extended gloves in soft rubber by Sandro Dela Pena

as she maximized her channel to speak her thoughts on mental health issues.

Fernandez unraveled the inner workings of the mind through delicate handpainted ensembles.

“I’m here to tell the untold story, bringing you into the reality hidden behind all those masks,” she revealed.

Jeremiah Biadoma

Jeremiah Biadoma’s first collection, garnered the Best Surface Design Award, was inspired by a disco ball and the sparkling and reflecting lights in motion it produced.

“We often see disco balls … as [we] dance heavenly in tune. [Our] body feels alive and connected to [our] emotions, or either to be disconnected from the world, and to escape from our own reality to erupt in melancholic consciousness.” he discussed. his garments distinctively translated the complex beauty of the object through fabric origami patchworks.

Iya Poon

Iya Poon emerged as the Creative Talent of the Year, as she veered away from the traditional fabric and made use of one of the most crucial materials today—plastic.

“I wanted to tell a story: how plastic is slowly killing our planet,” she stated.

Poon decided to use her fashion design skills to raise awareness and manipulated the material to come up with sophisticated dresses. her collection, Faded Terrain, exhibited the constraints of the planet and how plastic suffocates the environment.

Life

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wednesday, august 22, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Jennylyn Mercado has been named the new brand ambassador of global makeup brand Max Factor.

Jennylyn Mercado

F

named ambassador of Max Factor

ilipino actress Jennylyn Mercado proves one does not have to conform to traditional definitions and standards of beauty. At 31, she says authenticity trumps unrealistic beauty expectations.

“in my own journey, what i’m aspiring now is to be real. And in that sense, we must be fearless,” shares Mercado.

And it was her individuality that earned her the title as the new brand ambassador of global makeup brand Max Factor.

“She’s beautiful inside and out, and this is because she is unburdened by the expectations of others. She lives by her own rules and leads life with such focus and gratitude,” says Rustan Marketing Corporation president Anton Huang. “i feel honored, surprised, and happy to be chosen as the brand ambassador of a global makeup brand. i’m very grateful for this opportunity to share my story, serve as an inspiration, and help other women discover their most beautiful self,” beams Mercado.

Mercado stars in the YoU X MAX FACToR campaign, which conveys the message to move away from unrealistic standards of beauty and find muses in

My Diamond offers pieces made of high quality diamonds and crafted by talented local artisans.

Jewelry made for you

Jennylyn Mercado (third from left) with Rustan Marketing Corporation general manager Francesca Colayco, president Anton Huang, and division manager Audrey Canta.

real women such as Jennylyn Mercado.

Through this empowering movement, Max Factor philippines not only brings to light the diverse beauties of women across ages, countries, and cultures, but also celebrates their beautiful journeys.

“For us, real beauty starts from within, and that there is no one way to describe it. As we go through our life

experiences, both the struggles and the triumphs, our true beauty becomes uniquely defined. We are all beautiful in our own right and we should proudly put our best face forward in everything we do,” says Audrey Canta, Division Manager.

Max Factor is available in leading department stores nationwide.

FoR the unversed and unacquainted about jewelry, buying that cherished life-long investment piece such as an engagement ring or a wedding ring, can be quite intimidating, especially with the amount of information one has to know about metals, gems, design, comfort, and maintenance, among others.

Hence, as billionaire philanthropist Warren Buffett put it, “if you don’t know jewelry, know your jeweler.”

My Diamond, one of the country’s top jewelers, eases the complexity of choosing jewelry by offering personalized jewelry design services that can help customers create that one-of-akind piece using the best materials, details, and designs, all adapted to their budget, taste, and lifestyle.

My Diamond’s expert and friendly staff will assist customers to get exactly what they are looking for, may it be a white or yellow band or a round

cut or a princess cut.

The local jeweler also offers price Quotation Request service, to help buyers ensure they can stick to their budget.

My Diamond offers high-quality diamonds, including authenticated pieces guaranteed by the Gemological institute of America. The top-tier cut, clarity, color, carat, and certification of My Diamond jewelry are assurances of true lasting value, fitting expressions of love and fidelity.

Finally, it claims each personalized piece is made with the excellent craftsmanship of the best and most talented local artisans.

My Diamond has stores at Ayala Center Cebu, Festival Supermall, Gateway Mall, Glorietta 4, Greenbelt 3, Lucky Chinatown Mall, Robinsons Place Manila, SM Lanang Premier Davao, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, and SM Aura Premier.

Morroccan style on Manila stage in CeleBRATion of Rustan’s Moroccan Festival, fashion designer Fatim-Zahra ettalbi unveiled her brand, Zain’s, latest collection called Footprint in the Desert.

The collection consists of 25 ready-to-wear pieces. These limited

and one of a kind pieces will be sold at a pop-up on the fifth f loor of Rustan’s Makati.

Zaïn is a new kind of Moroccan fashion, founded in 2015 from the desire to celebrate and revive traditional Moroccan craft and its exceptional

know-how by infusing it with contemporary air.

Timeless, wearable and, above all, feminine are just three words that spring to mind in relation to the brand. each piece is produced in limited edition by Moroccan artisans.

Diana Stalder’s whitening preparations and kits

Clinic offers whitening products without harmful side effects

BleACHinG treatments available in the market may cause harmful effects in the skin. The most common side effects of these are irritant contact dermatitis and ochronosis. irritant contact dermatitis is a skin condition caused by direct chemical injury to the skin, causing skin rashes and severe itchiness. ochronosis, on the other hand, is a pigmentary disorder of the skin caused by prolonged use of creams containing hydroquinone and mercury.

Hydroquinone, when used over a long period of time, can cause exogenous ochronosis (where skin turns bluish or black). While it is true that it is an effective skin whitening compound because it inhibits the production of melanin to cause the whitening of skin color, it can also damage our pigment cells when improperly used.

Mercury, on the other hand, particularly the ammoniated type, which is the most common in Chinese bleaching cream preparations, may cause ochronosis even in very low concentration if used for a long period of time. its cumulative effect may damage the kidneys or even cause neurological effects.

Skin clinic Diana Stalder offers a variety of skin whitening preparations and kits which have undergone clinical trials and studies to address the pigmentary skin problems without causing untoward effects to the skin.

Diana Stalder’s Casmara nacar Treatment is a professional personalized skin lightening and illuminating treatment in single-dose phases combined with benefits of an algae peel off mask. it cleanses, exfoliates, and whitens the skin, targeting skin color, localized or diffused marks.

Zain’s Footprint in the Desert collection is composed of 25 ready-to-wear pieces that celebrate Moroccan style.

Entertainment

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Simply...

Apart from maintaining its core services in protecting children at risk and are disadvantaged through a nationwide network of social services, Bantay Bata 163 gears towards protecting the country’s future generation from online abuse and exploitation.

From C4

Korean horror film opening today Critically-acclaimed horror-revenge thriller The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion is making Korean boxoffice movie history after hitting over the two-million admission record mark.

Directed by Park Hoon-jung (who is best known for films New World and VIP), The Witch is now considered a top-ranking Korean film in 2018 as it sailed through the busy summer boxoffice season with approximately $16 million (approximately P850 million) ticket sales in Korea alone.

Four formidable names in the Korean film industry are headlining the cast of mystery-action The Witch: Kim Dami (from Marionette), Cho Min-soo (from Pieta), Park Hee-soon (from The Age of Shadows and VIP), and Hoi Woo-shik (from Train to Busan).

The Witch tells the story of a young woman by the name of Ja-yoon, an exemplary daughter in every sense of the word – she helps out around the house and farm, and does very well in school. Conflict from within her started to surface when out of nowhere, strange people start showing up and approaching her on the streets, talking as if they know her.

Convinced that they have mistaken her for someone else, Ja-yoon’s life turns upside down when these strangers start invading her home. She falls into utter confusion when these strangers claim to know more about her than herself. She also begins to question her past when she discovers an inexplicable marking on her shoulder.

Billed one of the most important and the most successful Korean movies this year, The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion is a production of Gold Moon Film Prod. And Peppermint & Company, Inc., released globally by Warner Bros.

Pictures and locally distributed by OctoArts Films International. It opens in Philippine cinemas today.

Barbie rides the Smile Train Smile Train, the world’s leading cleft charity, has formally welcomed Barbie Forteza into the Smile Train family as the newest Celebrity Ambassador.

“I am very happy to be a part of Smile Train’s family,” says Forteza.

“I know that Ate Marian [Rivera] is an enthusiastic supporter of the charity and I couldn’t wait to jump on board and help in my own way.”

After the contract signing, Forteza visited cleft patients who have benefitted from Smile Train’s local programs and handed out teddy bears to bring smiles to their faces. She also spoke with the parents of the patients and with the local medical professionals who partner with Smile Train, eager to learn more about their journey.

“It is inspiring to see the brave smiles on these children’s faces after they’ve received their cleft surgery,” says Forteza. “Because of these children, I want to be able to spread the word about Smile Train and all the great work that they do for children with clefts. I want people to know that Smile Train provides more than just the training, funding, and resources for cleft surgery, but also supports essential comprehensive cleft care programs like speech therapy.”

Unknown to the local Smile Train team, Forteza offered a donation.

As she recently celebrated her 21st birthday, she found the charity fit and aligned with her values.

“Smile Train is very proud and excited to have Barbie become a part of our family,” said Kimmy CosetengFlaviano, Smile Train’s Area Director for Southeast Asia. “We are grateful to GMA Artist Center for making this partnership a reality as we know that Barbie will be able to help us reach more children with clefts who are in need of our help.”

BANTAY BATA 163

revamps Children‘s Village project

By Darwin Pesco

S

HELTERING young Filipinos suffering from all forms of abuse, Bantay Bata 163 relaunched its Children’s Village to help youngsters become more resilient and empowered members of the community As part of the foundation’s 21st anniversary in advocating for child welfare, the Children’s Village was unveiled in a press conference held at ELJ Communications Center, Quezon City.

With refurbished facilities and an enhanced program, the new home aims to help more children who are victims of child abuse, which has served as home for over a thousand young Filipinos since 2003.

“It’s Children’s Village version 2.0,” said Jing Castañeda, program director of Bantay Bata 163, as the new house for the abused children has new features. With its new programs like the Resilience Program, the children can have necessary life skills in preparation of their reintegration into the society.

After four years of temporary closure, the Children’s Village located in Norzagaray, Bulacan—through the help of partner organizations such as the local government of Quezon City—can now house and provide holistic healing for at least 120 abused children.

“Rehabilitation and healing must be complete,” Castañeda added explaining that the village will have a structured, therapeutic family-like environment. Children can stay up to one year, and after living in the Village, the foundation monitors them.

The “mini-DSWD” also has the Productivity Skills Training and Livelihood Development Program, which helps the children to have independent living after their life inside the village.

Also, the foundation presented a scholar of the Bantay Bata Foundation named “Len” and shared her experience inside the Children’s Village. It was a great experience for her, and it helped her stand up again after abuses she went through when she was a child. She shared that in the village she felt having a family.

“Bilang isa sa mga natulungan ng Bantay Bata, ito po ay malaking tulong sa kanila,” Len said as the Village helped her to develop her selfconfidence. She is currently taking up

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, August 22, 2018

ACROSS 1 Refraining from speech 5 Grimaces 10 Break into a system 14 Hunky-dory 15 Habitual 16 Leer 17 Dumas senior 18 Brazen 19 Not now 20 Promenade 22 First version 23 Tavern fare 24 Recent (pref.)

25 What kids often have removed 29 Big name in hotels 33 Plains tribe 34 Bound 36 Veer off-course 37 Motel of old 38 Tabloid seller 41 Forensic science tool 42 Connect 44 Basilica part 45 Play awards 47 Maxims 49 Most lemony 51 Go out with 52 1040 pro 53 Exploded

56 Misshapen 62 Rapier’s kin 63 Saddle extra 64 Toss 65 Top player 66 NBAer — Baylor 67 Many centuries 68 Peace offerings 69 Out of style 70 Climb out of bed DOWN 1 Sulk 2 Hawaiian guitars 3 Rain protector 4 Mascara site 5 Cone-shaped pouring aid 6 Crossing the ocean 7 Whey opposite 8 Roof edge 9 Furtive 10 Dragsters (2 wds.)

11 — Khan 12 Musical symbol 13 Lois Lane’s co-worker 21 Assumed name 22 Costa — Sol 24 California wine valley

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25 Accomplishes by unremitting labor 26 “— vincit amor” 27 Long-term baby sitter 28 Smacks 29 Crosses a river 30 Elvis recording 31 Mysterious inscriptions 32 Luau 35 Jr. naval officer 39 Bird enclosure 40 Jeweler’s lens

43 Affectionate ones 46 Cheekier 48 Mesh 50 Fuel rating 53 Porgy’s woman 54 — — no good 55 Swing a scythe 56 — monster 57 Old clothes 58 Elevator guy 59 Je ne sais — 60 Tall vases 61 “Anything —?”

63 Account exec

Jing Castaneda-Velasco, Estrelita Turingan from DSWD-NCR, and Dale Jimenez from Bantay Bata 163 talk about the Children's Village relaunch and its new facilities and an enhanced program.

an education course and now ready to take on challenges after she has learned to be resilient in the village.

“Kailangan namin ng tulong ninyo, we really need to make sure we invest in our children kasi sila ang kinabukasan ng ating bansa,” Castañeda said urging everyone to take part in the advocacy.

“It takes a village to raise a child, but we need love to build a village,” she concluded emphasizing the responsibility and duty of every citizen to protect the children.

Also, the foundation is gearing for the protection of country’s future generation from online abuse and exploitation for 80 percent of children and youth are experiencing some form of violence on the cyberspace as reported by the National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children in the country conducted by UNICEF. Protecting the rights of a child online remains a challenge but the foundation has a strong goal to fight abuses in the virtual world.

Additionally, the Bantay Bata has a partnership with Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to help children left behind by OFW parents who are also vulnerable to abuse.

For more information on the Bantay Bata 163 Children’s Village log on to www.abscbnfoundation.com or follow @abscbnfoundationkapamilya on Facebook as the foundation’s initiative needs support from a lot of people to continue its advocacy for children’s rights and protection.

Ronnie Henares, Jojit Paredes reunite for a concert IT WILL be the ‘70s all over again on Sept.

1, 8:00 p.m. at the Theater at Solaire Resort and Casino when Ronnie Henares and JojitParedes get together for a one-night rare reunion in Twofus…Reunion of Friends.

Today’s audiences instantly recognize Ronnie Henares as a mainstay in the popular comedy series Pepito Manaloto where he surprised people with his comic flair. Ronnie is also widely recognized as the manager in tandem with wife Ida, responsible for transforming steel-throated Ang Bagong Kampeon champ Chona Velasquez into the classy musical superstar Regine Velasquez. Others developed under their Primeline Management & Production, Inc., were Lani Misalucha, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Nanette Inventor, Tux, Gino Padilla and the list goes on.

Jojit, on the other hand, has since opted for a quieter life in the States.

But in the 70s, Ronnie and Jojit were the musical heartthrobs of the day. They were, in a manner of speaking, the equivalent of Leif Garrett and Rex Smith in the Philippines, with throngs of screaming and swooning fans.

How it started Close buddies from their La Salle grade school days, Ronnie Henares and Jojit Paredes together with Jim Paredes became lead vocalists of Les Violents, a high school band formed by the Paredes cousins. The band was formed to enter a “Battle of the Bands” competition sponsored by De La Salle High School. They won Second Prize.

“The high school band was the start of my musical partnership with Ronnie,” recalls Jojit. “We were invited to perform at all sorts of parties and gatherings.”

One of those gatherings was a weekend at the Laurel beach house in Matabungkay, Batangas upon the invitation of Lynnie Laurel. In the midst of the merriment, Ronnie and Jojit grabbed their acoustic guitars and started singing for the guests who were impressed by the two’s harmonious vocal blending.

T h e Twofus (pronounced as “Two of Us”) was born.

W i t h boyish g o o d

looks and (social) class-transcending appeal, the Twofus would become a big hit among college and university campuses, the invites coming initially from exclusive private schools and later from public schools as well.

Soon, Ronnie and Jojit would invade radio, print, and television. They shuttled back and forth gigs on prime time TV, musicals, live shows, road tours, concerts, and radio shows.

When the Twofus was introduced to Tower Productions, they turned composers for the first time, writing the movie theme for the fan flick starring Tina Revilla “Funny Girl.”

Ronnie and Jojit then became part of the highest rating prime time show that time, D’ Sensations, which featured Vilma Santos and Boboy Mortiz.

For a couple of years, Sunday evenings televiewers were enthralled by the Twofus. In record time, Ronnie and Jojit cemented their status as national teen idols.

But the time to pursue different paths eventually came. Ronnie Henares went into hosting, singing, dancing, acting, directing, producing, and managing the careers of future superstars. Jojit Paredes enjoyed a solo caeer as an actor, singer, and recording artist until he decided to explore new adventures in America.

The road back Some good teams, however, never lose their appeal.

The Twofus will captivate old and new audiences alike with hits from Chad and Jeremy, Mamas and the Papas, Everly Brothers, Beatles, Lettermen, Lovin Spoonfuls, Cascades and more.

Joining in on the fun are longtime friends of Ronnie and Jojit like music icons Jim Paredes and Boboy Garrovillo of the APO Hiking Society, funny lady Mitch Valdes, and the ‘70s top dancing duo, the AldeguerSisters.

Twofus…Reunion of Friends gathered together the best production team that includes director and writer Floy Quintos, musical director Roy del Valle, art director Christian Henares, the team of Sisa Hernandez Kalson for production, Francis Libiran for the wardrobe, and the very best session backup singers

Entertainment

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

C4

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018

What to expect in ‘Inday Will Always Love You’ 2nd season THE romantic comedy series Inday Will Always Love You (IWALY) is a massive hit as it continues to lord over its timeslot since it debuted three months ago. Also, the romantic comedy is consistently among the trending topics on social media every night.

As IWALY enters its second season, viewers can expect more things from the Barbie Fortezastarrer series. In the coming weeks, IWALY fanatics can look forward to bigger revelations as new characters and guest stars will be introduced in the primetime series.

Upcoming guest stars are Jean

Garcia, Kyline Alcantara, and Kim Domingo.

After Amanda (Gladys Reyes) successfully amassed everything that Philip (Ricky Davao) owns, Happylou (Barbie) and her family goes back to Manila to start again.

As they rebuild a new life, Philip is reunited with Florence, an “old flame” played by Jean Garcia.

Florence (Jean) helps Philip put up the small business, but Philip’s girlfriend Marta (Manilyn Reynes) smells a threat. A love triangle ensues between Florence and Marta, and IWALY fans will be treated to funny banters and

explosive catfights between the two veteran actresses.

Meanwhile, Happylou’s best friend Kimberlou (Tekla) reveals a secret: His mother doesn’t know he’s gay. As he reconciles with his mother, Kimberlou convinces Happylou to pretend to be his girlfriend. Watch out for the surprise celebrity guest who will play Kimberlou’s mother.

IWALY fans were on the edge of their seats as Happylou fought for her life after being stabbed a few days ago. As Happylou battles for her life, Patrick (Derrick Monasterio) realizes the danger

he and his mom (Amanda) has brought to the love of his life.

Patrick decides to slowly let go of Happylou for her own safety.

Will this mean Ernest (Juancho Trivino) gets a second chance to prove he is more worthy of Happylou’s love? Will Patrick continue to fight for his love amidst his mother’s will?

More exciting twists, heartwarming scenes and surprise guests are coming your way as Inday Will Always Love You hits season 2. Catch the rom-com series weeknights after Onanay on GMA Telebabad.

'Inday Will Always Love You' lead star Barbie Forteza with leading man Derrick Monasterio

GARIE CONCEPCION’S movie ready for big competition

Officers and executives of Sunland Development Corporation during the hotel's groundbreaking.

Red Hotel rising along Marcos Highway TRAVELERS to the eastern part of Luzon will soon see a stunning edifice on Marcos Highway in Marikina City as Sunland Development Corporation begins work on a 21-storey Red Hotel Suites.

Richard Lim, president and CEO of Sunland Development Corporation (SDC), dreams of expanding Red hotel every six months. He said this one in Marikina is the biggest, luxurious and most elaborate, just a stone’s throw away from malls and just a few kilometers from various tourist attractions in Rizal province.

It is scheduled to open on the 4th quarter of 2019. The ground breaking ceremony was held on July 22.

“This is Red Hotel Suites third branch and by far the biggest. It is expected to become a game-changer on the eastern side of Metro Manila,” said Lim, who reveals that red is his lucky color, during an interview. The other branches are in Cubao, Quezon City; and Pasay City.

Lim added, “Everyone is welcome at Red Hotel Suites, especially those (living) in Antipolo or Tanay, Rizal. You don’t have to go to Makati or Quezon City to enjoy the amenities of a luxury hotel. Enjoy our complete facilities at Red Hotel Suites in Marcos Highway, Marikina City.”

Travelers will surely appreciate the 250 big rooms. The 21-storey Red Hotel Suites is also home to an infinity pool at the top, bar, gym, sauna, swimming pool, four-floor parking area, big function rooms and restaurants.

Red Hotel Suites promises to change the hotel landscape in the area. It will surely become a landmark in ISAH V. RED the heart of Marikina, with its intricate and very detailed design, indeed, luxury has never been this close.

Its roof deck will have a wellappointed swimming pool where guests can also enjoy the 360º view of the Marikina skyline and its neighboring towns. Amenities at par with 4 or 5 starhotel can be enjoyed in this property by SDC. Parking will not be a problem as it has ample parking space for the guests’ security and safety. Commercial spaces are also available making it convenient for guests to shop and dine in one roof.

The area is also flood-free.

Red Hotel Suites is a relaxed, hip place that endeavors to provide guests with perfect stay at a more-thanreasonable price.

The rooms and suites are very simple and equally refined. They feature cleanlined, modern furniture with wood, marble and quality fabrics that lend a relaxed air. And the place feels more like home than a hotel.

Living up to the Red Hotel Suites tagline “Relax Enjoy Dream,” Sunland believes that luxury accommodation does not need to be expensive, but should be enjoyed by everyone. The group is scheduled to develop more projects on Roxas Blvd., North Edsa, Malate, Coron, Palawan; Davao, Cebu, and other cities. Continued on C3

Maymay takes ‘The Dream Tour’ to Baguio and Cebu MAYMAY Entrata, the MOR Pinoy Music Awards 2018 Song Of The Year winner for “Shanawa,” is taking Baguio and Cebu by storm on Sept. 14 and Oct. 19, respectively, for the continuation of the highly anticipated The Dream Tour Maymay in Concert series.

Maymay’s sold-out concert, her firstever solo major show held last Feb. 23 at the Kia Theatre, led the singer-actress to The Dream Tour, a Star Events production which commenced at Imus Sports Complex in Cavite last April 13.

The Wansapanataym Presents: Ikaw ang GHOSTo Ko star will be performing at the University of Baguio with her special guests—heartthrob performers Edward Barber, Zeus Collins, Migz Haleco, and Marlo Mortel.

Her onscreen partner, Edward, will also be joining Maymay in the tour’s Cebu leg to be held at Hoops Dome Arena, Lapu-Lapu City.

Fans will get to catch the 2017 Eduk Circle Awards’ Best Novelty Singer of the Year perform her hit songs such as “Kabaduyan,” “Toinks,” “Baliw,” and “Shanawa.”

After being hailed as the big winner in Pinoy Big Brother Lucky Season 7, Maymay has consistently topped radio charts with tracks from her self-

titled debut album produced under Star Music’s record sublabel, Star Pop. It reached platinum status just a few months after its release.

The Dream Tour Maymay in Concert tickets are now at SM Tickets or call 4702222. For more details, follow Star Music on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @StarMusicPH.

'The Lease' lead cast Garie Concepcion (center) flanked by co-star Ruben Maria Soriquez (left) and film director Paolo Bertola

By Nickie Wang

T

HE Lease, a paranormal thriller that features Garie Concepcion in her first leading role was supposed to have its commercial release last month but things do happen and the stars and directors just want to move forward since they are finally going to get the screens they need to share their film with local audience.

The film, directed by Italian Paolo Bertola and produced by publishing magnate Mario Alaman, is screening today along with some of the biggest releases including Sarah Geronimo’s Miss Granny, Crazy Rich Asians and Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation. But Bertola isn’t worried about the competition as they target a different

HOLLYWOOD

Maymay Entrata embarks on a concert series to promote her music in Baguio and Cebu.

market and has a different story to tell.

The paranormal film tells the story of the family of half-Filipino and half-Italian engineer Romano Gonzales (played

by Ruben Maria Soriquez), who moved to the Philippines with his family for a big project. They found a beautiful villa online, which captured the heart of the family.

However, on their first day in the villa, they immediately realize that they’re not alone. They start seeing things that even puzzled their house help. Their beautiful home turned into a living nightmare as each and every one of them is haunted by the unknown. The family will uncover a terrifying secret that will change their lives.

“Horror is not my genre but the producer presented a very nice script. It’s not the normal horror film you see these days so I agreed to do the film. Now we are planning to have an international release. We want to show the film in Italy and in Asia.

We are talking to some of the people who can distribute the film in different parts of Asia,” Bertola told MS Entertainment in an interview.

The director further said that it’s his first time to direct a film with an all-Filipino cast but very much familiar with how local actors and talents work as he’s had a

few film projects where he was part of the production team including a television series starring Derek Ramsay and a horror film under Regal Films.

“We had to control the acting since most Filipino actors tend to be very dramatic but other than that I don’t have any challenges, generally it’s good to work with Filipino actors since language is not a problem. Garie, in particular is a good actress. She’s able to memorize her lines easily,” Bertola shared.

Meanwhile, Garie revealed that starring in The Lease is a dream come true for her.

“This is my first horror film and my first lead role in a film. And I’m very excited and at the same time nervous. I love horror films and I always dreamt of being part of a horror film. So, with this film, it is a dream come true,” she stated.

Garie further said that she knew about the film and the call for auditions only on social media. She just tried her luck and felt lucky to get the part.

“I just found out the call for auditions on Facebook. I auditioned on the third day, and luckily I got the part. This project is really different because it’s a horror. It’s scary but there’s also a heart in the film. The movie is family-oriented too,” she said.

‘Crazy Rich Asians’ dazzles box office

HIGHLY anticipated rom-com Crazy ily in Singapore—and all the drama that Rich Asians—the first Hollywood film ensues.

It is the first Tinseltown film with a prewith a mainly Asian cast in a generation— dazzled the North American box office in its debut weekend, claiming the top spot, industry estimates showed Sunday.

The Warner Bros. adaptation of Kevin Kwan’s best-selling novel of the same name raked in $34 million since hitting theaters on Wednesday, box office tracker Exhibitor Relations said. Of the total, the film took in $25.2 million at the weekend.

Starring veteran actress Michelle Yeoh, British-Malaysian former BBC host Henry Golding and American sitcom star Constance Wu, the film tells the story of a American economics professor who meets her super-wealthy boyfriend’s fam-

dominantly Asian cast since The Joy Luck Club in 1993.

Shark thriller The Meg tumbled to second place in its second week, taking in $21.2 million. It stars action movie regular Jason Statham as a rescue diver who tries to save scientists in a submarine from an attack by a huge, prehistoric shark.

Mile 22, a new spy thriller-action flick starring Mark Wahlberg, opened in third place at $13.6 million.

Another debut film, prehistoric adventure tale Alpha, shared fourth place at $10.5 million with summer blockbuster Mission: Impossible - Fallout.

The latest installment in the M:I franchise has now taken in $180.7 million overall. AFP