Manila Standard - 2018 August 25 - Saturday

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DFA gives P5k aid to stranded OFWs

By Joel Zurbano and Maricel V. Cruz THE Department of Foreign Affairs has released almost P2.8 million in financial assistance to overseas Filipino workers who were stranded by the recent closure of the main runway of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

A total of 381 affected workers received the cash assistance on Thursday, bringing to 559 the total number of beneficiaries who have been served since Wednesday, the department said.

The DFA said the cash assistance would be released Friday night in all three Naia terminals.

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VOL. XXXII • NO. 191 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

3 make JBC cut for SC chief Economy not overheating, inflation goal 2-4 %—CB

WHO WILL BE BLESSED?

Duterte gets shortlist amid impeach move

By Rey E. Requejo, Maricel V. Cruz and Nat Mariano

T

HE Judicial and Bar Council on Friday submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte a shortlist of three senior associate justices of the Supreme Court as candidates for the post of chief justice, which was left vacant following the ouster of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

THE economy is not overheating and inflation will fall within the 2-to-4 percent target next year, central bank Governor Nestor Espenilla said Friday.

He said inflation will peak in August or September and average above four percent this year, but he expects it not to breach 6 percent.

“The economy is not overheating.

What we are dealing with is the extra challenges on top of the immediate supply-side issues,” Espenilla said in an exclusive interview with ANC’s The Boss.

He said elevated inflation is the immediate challenge to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas,and “We continue to closely monitor the situation so that we will be able to act in an expeditious manner.”

Espenilla said oil is the primary inflation driver while the turmoil in Turkey and the normalization of monetary policy in the US and other markets add an “element of uncertainty.”

Espenilla raised the overnight borrowing rate by one percentage point in three successive policy meetings since May, bringing it to 4 percent after keeping it

The seven-member council chaired by acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio approved a shortlist of nominees composed of Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Diosdado Peralta and Lucas Bersamin for the top post of the judiciary.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, an ex-officio member of the council, revealed that De Castro and Peralta got six votes each, while Bersamin received Next page

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Rank Country

G

S

B Total

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

65 29 20 12 9 8 6 6 5 4 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1

45 29 26 11 9 5 5 4 7 10 7 2 4 3 1 6 4 3 1 1 0

26 42 28 8 14 6 14 20 11 7 23 4 12 0 6 9 5 1 2 0 6

China Japan Rep. of Korea IR Iran Indonesia DPR Korea India Thailand Chinese Taipei Uzbekistan Kazakhstan Mongolia Hong Kong, China UAE Singapore Vietnam Kyrgyzstan Malaysia Lebanon Macau, China Philippines

136 100 74 31 32 19 25 30 23 21 33 9 18 5 9 16 10 5 4 2 7

‘Asian Games’ is baby’s name

PALEMBANG—A sports-mad Indonesian couple have named their new baby ‘Asian Games’ to mark her arrival as the country kicked off the world’s second-biggest multi-sport event.

The little girl—full name Abidah Asian Games—was born about a month early in co-host city Palembang, just hours before Saturday’s opening ceremony, her parents told AFP on Tuesday.

“We already had a first name for

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—Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, after reports surfaced that he would be replaced by former broadcaster Jay Sonza, who Andanar said is “very close” to President Rodrigo Duterte.

Palace seeks NFA answer to pest-ridden imported rice TERESITA DE CASTRO • • • • • •

Votes received from Judicial and Bar Council: 6 Appointed to Supreme Court in December 2007 by then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Chairperson of SC First Division; retiring in October 2018 Twice bypassed for Chief Justice post during Arroyo and Aquino III administrations 45 years in government, started as law clerk in Office of the Clerk of Court in 1973 Named Presiding Justice of Sandiganbayan in 2004

‘‘

DIOSDADO PERALTA • • • • • •

LUCAS BERSAMIN

Votes received from Judicial and Bar Council: 6 Appointed to Supreme Court in January 2009 by then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Second-most senior applicant for Chief Justice; retiring in March 2022 Justice Audrey Peralta, his wife, applying to become presiding justice of Court of Appeals Wrote the ponencia that granted a hero’s burial to the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Vows to address gaps in drug cases so they are finished within 180 days.

• • • • • •

Votes received from Judicial and Bar Council: 5 Appointed to Supreme Court in April 2009 by then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Third-most senior applicant for Chief Justice; retiring in October 2019 Was Associate Justice at Court of Appeals, Presiding Judge of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Brother of former Abra Rep. Luis Bersamin Jr. and former Abra Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin.

Quizzed by JBC on “remarkable increases” in his net worth; said he would introduce reforms in the JBC to better screen applicants, weed out corruption in judiciary

MALACAÑANG is still waiting for explanation why the 133,000 sacks of rice imported from Thailand were infested with weevils, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Thursday.

“As of now, we’re waiting [to find out] why it happened,” Roque said in Filipino in a radio interview.

Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte already knew what happened to the imported rice, which arrived in Subic Bay on Aug. 2.

He said the rice could have been delivered to market were it not for the weevil infection inside the ship.

“This really should not have happened Next page

Bongbong steers clear from ‘succession’ issue

By Rio N. Araja

FORMER senator Fer“We all serve at dinand Marcos Jr. on Friday played down the pleasure of remarks by President Rodrigo Duterte the President. naming him or SenaI am not aware that Mr. Sonza Rody tells US: Return is seeking Balangiga bells first a PCOO or no arms buy talks

By Nat Mariano post.”

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said Friday there would be no discussion with high-ranking officials of the United States to buy arms and vehicles from the Philippines’ longtime ally unless the US returns the historic Balangiga bells to the country.

“If they did not return the Balangiga bells, there is nothing to talk about,” the President stressed in a speech to soldiers in Davao City.

He reiterated that the Philippines Next page

tor Francis Escudero as his preferred successor should he resign.

“I don’t think there was any question that the President was saying anything... unconstitutional,” he said. “I really do not know what that comment was referring to.”

AIRPORT ALTERNATIVE.

Marcos again refused to apologize for the abuses during his father’s martial law rule, even if this would enable people to “move on.”

“I have answered this question 1,000 times. My answer does not change… What do we have to apologize for?” he said.

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House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (center) reiterates Friday how Clark International Airport in Pampanga is the better alternative to Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila as far as traffic decongestion is concerned. The former president made this in the course of a tour on the expansion of Clark, following media questions whether she would push for Clark as an alternative to Naia in light of the Xiamen aircraft tragedy this month.

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sandigan denies Malampaya pleas

By Maricel V. Cruz

T

HE Sandiganbayan has denied the plea of Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. to be provided with the specific offenses he is accused of committing in connection with the alleged P900-million Malampaya Fund scam.

In the same ruling contained in a 75-page resolution, the anti-graft court’s Special Third Division

denied the motion to dismiss filed by Andaya, Masui City Mayor Nasser Pangandaman Jr. and alleged pork-barrel-scam queen Janet Lim Napoles.

Andaya, Pangandaman, Napoles and 22 other people are facing 97 counts each of graft and misuse of public funds through the falsification of public documents.

They are accused of diverting P900 million from the Malampaya funds allocated by the Budget department to the Department of Agrarian Reform in 2009, and in the process using 12 Janet Lim Napoles-led non-government organizations as conduits.

In denying Andaya’s plea, the Sandiganbayan

said “an objective and careful reading of the 194 informations in these cases reveals that there is nothing ambiguous or confusing in the allegations therein against him.”

Meanwhile, Pangandaman, who was then the Agrarian Reform secretary, complained about the alleged inability of the Ombudsman to file the case against him, thus his right to a speedy disposition of the cases was violated.

But the Sandiganbayan said the time that the Ombudsman spent in pursuing the case was only two years and two months from the time the complaint was filed before the Field Investigation Office in October 2014 until their indictment on Dec. 2, 2017.

Ampatuan furlough denounced; Justice for Maguindanao vowed

By Nat Mariano and Maricel V. Cruz JUSTICE will be served to the victims of the Maguindanao Massacre following the furlough given to the primary suspect and former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Zaldy Ampatuan, the Palace said Friday.

“We will make sure that there will be justice to the victims of the Maguindanao Massacre,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Friday in a radio interview.

He made the statement even as Maguindanao Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu on Friday denounced a court ruling allowing Ampatuan to attend the wedding of his daughter last Tuesday.

Mangudadatu questioned the order of Quezon City Judge Jocelyn SolisReyes allowing Ampatuan to attend the wedding of his daughter Bai Nor Aila Kristina Ampatuan at Sofitel Manila.

Ampatuan attended the wedding from 4 pm to 7 pm on Aug. 21.

Roque, who once served as a lawyer to some of the massacre victims’

Bongbong...

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He expressed gratitude for the people loyal to him and his family.

“Thank you for always staying beside me, helping and loving me,” he said.

Asked about his sister, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos’ disappointment that people could not move on from their father’s martial law regime, the former senator said he understood her frustration.

“What they have been talking about had already happened 32 years ago.

[That] was in 1986 when the government fell and we were charged with cases. There were decisions in those cases filed against us. It’s done. What else do they [critics] want (from us)?” he told the Nanka media forum organized by lawyer Larry Gadon.

He urged the public to focus more on the problems of the country, instead of wasting their time dwelling on the past.

“It’s all over,” he said.

He also said the Presidential Commission on Good Government has been abolished, although the agency still exists, and the House has passed a bill to abolish it.

The Palace, meanwhile, said there has been no threat to the President’s life, after he claimed that the US Central Intelligence Agency planned to have him assassinated.

“The President is not concerned with any threats to his life. He even said that if it’s your time, it’s your time. But as of now, there is no such threat to his life,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said.

In a speech Tuesday, Duterte said, “I know the US is listening. I’m sure it’s the CIA. That [agency] will kill me.”

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde clarified there is no information among the countries’ security officials about the alleged assassination plot of the CIA on Duterte.

“With regards to the CIA, we do not have information,” Albayalde told CNN Wednesday.

Economy...

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unchanged for nearly four years.

He said it is inaccurate to compare the Philippines to Turkey, which is also grappling with rising consumer prices.

“I wouldn’t even say that inflation is spiraling out of control. Yes, it has spiked because of largely supply-side factors, but our expectation is it will come back to target soon enough,” Espenilla said.

“As recent events have shown, we have demonstrated the ability to respond to the change in circumstances by moving policy rates when necessary.”

Espenilla said the central bank will continue to be data-dependent when deciding on monetary policy. He said having access to data, including those that may not be available to the market, “imposes a discipline” on the decision-making process.

“We adhere to that carefully, of being guided by the numbers, not by sentiment, not by public clamor or emotion. We have to calculate and look at those numbers,” he said.

families, said the fiscals and even the Palace opposed the furlough given to Ampatuan. “[First], it was objected to by the fiscals and the Palace. Second, the Palace found it unacceptable to give the furlough. And third, there is no implication that even with the furlough, Zaldy will be absolved,” Roque said.

He said the decision on the case would be based on the evidence.

Asked about the development on the case in the Supreme Court, he said many of the cases were still being investigated, but there already were decisions to absolve certain individuals although none of those accused had been charged as guilty.

“Well, the only mandate given by the President to the prosecutors is that he wishes that someone will be read of the charges this year,” he said.

In a press briefing on Thursday, Roque said Duterte was dismayed that a court allowed Ampatuan to leave jail so he could attend his daughter’s wedding.

Roque had earlier said that the furlough given would have no bearing on the case.

3...

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The JBC approved the shortlist and subsequently transmitted the names to President Duterte for his consideration in choosing the next chief justice.

The JBC voted on the shortlist of nominees despite the filing of impeachment complaints filed by opposition lawmakers against seven Supreme Court justices, including the three nominees to the top judiciary post.

The vote flew in the face of the claim of Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, who said the decision of the associate justices to oust Sereno through a quo warranto proceeding disqualified them for the post.

“The mere filing of the impeachment complaint is not enough to disqualify [them],” Guevarra said.

The two other aspirants—Associate Justice Andres Reyes Jr. and Tagum City Judge Virginia Tejano-Ang—did not make it to the shortlist.

Reyes failed to get needed minimum four votes to be included in the shortlist, while Ang was disqualified due to an adverse finding against her in an administrative case.

Guevarra also said there was an unwritten rule that a judge cannot apply for a position two levels higher than his or her current position.

Aside from Carpio and Guevarra, the JBC is also composed of ex-officio member Senator Richard Gordon, who represents Congress. The regular members include former Supreme Court Justice Jose Mendoza, former Integrated Bar of the Philippines official Milagros Fernan-Cayosa, and former judge Toribio Ilao Jr.

Rody...

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“would not forget” the massacre committed

by American soldiers against Filipinos fighters in Balangiga, a town in Eastern Samar, over a century ago.

“Now you say, ‘Ah, Duterte, that was a long time ago.’ Why? Can the passage of time cure an injustice? Just because it was 100 years [ago] so it is erased? Then, the bells are there.

And the memory still haunts everybody here because it was taken with blood and lives of our brothers and sisters,” said the President.

The President made this statement in response to a letter signed by three US officials―Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis―who all want to meet Duterte to discuss the country’s military’s modernization program.

The President read the letter out loud during the 12th anniversary of the Davao-based

‘Asian...

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her but didn’t have a last name,” new father Yordania Denny said, cradling the new arrival in his arms in the front room of their modest house in the north of the city.

So the parents, who now have three children, drew inspiration from what they regard as a “historic” moment.

“Such an event is rare. It only happens every few years. And not to mention that it’s in

Maguindanao 2nd District Rep. Zajid 'Dong' Mangudadatu denounces the furlough granted by the court to Zaldy Ampatuan, who attended his daughter's wedding Thursday. The lawmaker guested in a forum in Quezon City to discuss the Maguindanao Massacre, where 58 persons were ordered killed by the Ampatuan clan. Manny Palmero

The three shortlisted chief justice nominees were among the eight SC justices who voted to oust Sereno, despite her calls for their inhibition.

De Castro, Peralta, and Bersamin are the second, third, and fourth most senior magistrates of the 15-member bench.

De Castro, who has been in government and judiciary work for 45 years, will retire in October. If she is appointed, she would occupy the seat for less than two months, but the short term did not seem to faze her.

During the JBC’s public interview for the chief justice aspirants last week, De Castro discussed her extensive work at the Supreme Court.

“It is not as if I am going to start today working on projects that will benefit the Court,” De Castro said, when asked what she can do if appointed chief justice.

Peralta still has until 2022 before retiring from the judiciary, while Bersamin will retire next year.

President Duterte has until mid-September to choose his appointee.

A last-minute bid to stop the voting did npt prosper.

Private citizen Rhia Ceralde filed on Friday an opposition before the JBC seeking the disqualification of the applicants who voted in favor of the quo warranto ouster of Sereno.

Ceralde said De Castro, Peralta, Bersamin, and Reyes do not possess the constitutional requirements of “integrity, probity and independence” because they voted in favor of the quo warranto ouster, which was assailed by some legal groups supporting Sereno as an unconstitutional mode of removing a chief justice.

On Aug. 23, opposition lawmakers led by Lagman filed an impeachment complaints against seven justices, including the four chief

justice applicants, citing their refusal to inhibit themselves from the quo warranto proceedings as basis.

Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, meanwhile, has asked the House committee on justice to begin deliberations on the impeachment complaint as soon as possible.

“The most important thing is to expedite it one way or another so that it does not disturb the legislative agenda,” Arroyo said in an ambush interview in Pampanga, where she was delivering relief to an Aeta community Friday.

Arroyo was expected to have signed the transmittal letter for the House committee on rules, which will refer it to the justice committee.

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Doy Leachon, the panel’s chairman, said his committee will act on the complaint filed by opposition lawmakers as soon as it is referred to them.

The Palace on Friday said the impeachment complaints filed against the seven justices had no merit.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the Palace expects that the complaint will be discarded by the House committee on justice.

“The Constitution states that the Supreme Court has jurisdiction over quo warranto petitions. So, I don’t understand why this is an impeachable offense,” Roque said.

Solicitor General Jose Calida, who filed the quo warranto complaint against Sereno, said the impeachment complaints would fail.

“The impeachment cases against Supreme Court Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam, Andres Reyes Jr., and Alexander Gesmundo will not see the light of day,” Calida said in a statement.

Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command anniversary.

This was after Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday confirmed that the Philippines was eyeing to purchase submarines and other weapons from Russia as discussed during his recent visit to the country.

Lorenzana told reporters there were “discussions” with the Russians, “but they know that we are shopping and we have yet to decide where to buy,” noting that South Korea was also a possible supplier.

Duterte, meanwhile, said he is not interested in acquiring M16 rifles from the US, and was more interested in acquiring propeller planes for the anti-insurgency campaign.

In the first place, Duterte said he was unsure US Congress would approve the arms deal to the Philippines.

“How sure are you that I will get what I ordered? If I bought a dozen M16 rifles, will they deliver them?” Duterte asked, directing his questions to Pompeo, Mattis, and Ross.

He reiterated that the country needs more

propeller-driven planes for anti-insurgency operations.

“We don’t have any other enemies. NPA [New People’s Army], the ISIS, Abu Sayyaf.

We don’t need the M16. And yet they dangled before us after they insulted us,” said Duterte.

“I have said my piece about America. We do not need any M16s. It would be utterly useless to buy it. But I need attack helicopters and small planes for the counterinsurgency,” he ended.

He also revealed that US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim appealed to his office, asking to strengthen the security and trade cooperation between the two countries through talks.

According to Duterte, the American officials highlighted the track record of the US in supplying defense equipment to the Philippines.

“We are writing you to reaffirm this administration’s strongest support for your efforts to modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” they said. With PNA

Palembang— it’s rare for Palembang to host such an...event.”

The city’s residents are fiercely proud to be in the international spotlight, with banners lining the streets and TV screens showing the sports live in many restaurants.

Many Indonesians have only one name and many, but not all, Indonesian children have their father’s surname as their first name.

The new parents remained coy when asked if they hoped the name would help turn their daughter into a future sporting star.

“If she has the talent and motivation we will support and motivate her,” mum Vera said, although her husband hinted which sport he would prefer, saying that “Indonesia is good at badminton.”

They also said that they would allow Abidah Asian Games to change her name in the future if she does not have the same appreciation for the regional Olympic event.

The Aug. 18 to Sept. 2 Asian Games features 17,000 athletes and officials and is being held in the capital Jakarta and Palembang on Sumatra island. AFP

No formalin in round scad, says BFAR

By Rio N. Araja and Othel V. Campos THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said Friday samples of galunggong or round scad collected from the Navotas fish port, Balintawak and Farmer’s Market in Cubao had tested negative for formalin.

BFAR director Eduardo Gongona assured the public of his agency’s efforts to collaborate with other agencies to monitor if round scad tainted with formalin were being sold in the markets.

He made the statement even as Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said Thursday an initial 17,000 metric tons of round scad from Vietnam, Taiwan and China were expected to be shipped to Metro Manila next month.

Piñol has allowed the importation of round scad for 90 days starting Sept.

1 to boost local supply and prevent an increase in the prices of the staple Filipino fish dish.

“For Metro Manila, an initial 17,000 metric tons of galunggong from Vietnam, Taiwan, and China are expected to be imported by fisheries stakeholders―including fishing boat operators who will hang their nets during the closed fishing season―and organized fish vendors associations,” Piñol said in a Facebook post.

Gongona said the Agriculture department and the BFAR will continue to stay vigilant in ensuring that all the fish in the markets are safe and free of harmful substances.

“It must be noted, however, that based on the laboratory analysis, low levels of formaldehyde were detected, Gongona said.

Formaldehyde is a chemical compound that naturally develops when a fish dies.

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Stranded OFWs who are still in Manila may still claim the P5,000 cash assistance at the DFA Office of Migrant Workers Affairs but only until the end of office hours on Friday, Aug. 31, while those abroad can do so at any Philippine Embassy or Consulate General until Sept. 30, 2018.

Manila International Airport Authority general manager Eddie Monreal, meanwhile, said he would stay at his post despite calls for him to resign following the chaos at the airport caused by a Chinese commuter plane that overshot the main runway on Aug. 16.

Airport and aviation personnel took 36 hours to remove the disabled plane of Xiamen Air from the main Naia runway, sparking calls for a congressional investigation.

Lawmakers called on Monreal to resign and questioned his capability and leadership.

But Monreal refused to budge Friday, and said he would stay unless the appointing authority or President Rodrigo Duterte tells him to do so.

“I respect the opinion of those who wish for me to resign. But I will not unless somebody tells me, meaning the point of authority—the President. I’m just following orders,” said Monreal during a morning TV talk show.

“I can look people straight in the eye [and say] that I did my best,” he said.

Monreal said it was not easy to retrieve the damage aircraft given the heavy downpour, the plane’s weight, and its load of fuel.

“We’re talking of four tons of fuel,” he said, adding that they had to consider the safety of MIAA and aviation personnel.

Under the regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organization, the airline company, not MIAA, has the responsibility to remove disabled aircraft.

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because the people paid for this imported rice that did not reach us,” Roque said in

Filipino.

He said the Palace would look into the matter since the National Food Authority remains under the supervision of the Office of the President.

The rice weevil is a stored product pest which attacks several crops, including wheat, rice, and corn.

Roque said the government will continue to push for the rice tariffication measure to eliminate the government monopoly on imported rice.

“We expect that when there are many supplies, pursuant to the law of supply and demand, the prices will come down,” Roque said in a press briefing Thursday.

Duterte recently certified as urgent the rice tariffication bill, which aims to liberalize the importation of rice.

At the same briefing, Roque said the rice shortage being experienced in Zamboanga is now being addressed by the NFA. “The solution really is to bring in more supply into Zamboanga City,” he said.

Opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan reiterated his call for NFA Administrator Jason Aquino to resign, after reports surfaced about the infested rice—133,000 bags in Subic and 200,000 bags in Albay.

“The NFA cited inclement weather as the reason for the infestation. Is it another issue of lack of planning? Or did the imported rice arrive already infested? If the rice arrived in June, what are the reasons for the delay in unloading?” Pangilinan said in a statement.

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Angara quizzes DICT on free Wi-Fi for SUCs SAYING that only two of the 112 SUCs have been provided with free Internet connectivity under the department’s Pipol Konek! Free WiFi Project as of July this year, Senator Sonny Angara on Friday called on the Department of Information and Communications Technology to hasten the implementation of this project.

Data from the DICT said that the two SUCs with free Wi-Fi are Aklan State University and Caraga State University.

Angara, Finance committee vice chairman who sponsored and defended DICT’s budget, said that P327 million has been allocated to install Wi-Fi in all SUCs in the country this year.

“Tayo po ay nadidismaya sa napakabagal na pagpapatupad ng libreng Wi-Fi para sa ating mga magaaral,” he said.

He said that the Internet keeps Filipnos connected with our family and friends. “Malaking tulong ito lalo na sa mga estudyanteng malayo sa kani-kanilang pamilya,” the senator said.

Under the proposed P3.757-trillion budget for 2019, P280 million is allotted for the continuation of the free Wi-Fi in SUCs project.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

5.4-magnitude quake hits Eastern Samar EASTERN Samar was struck by a 5.2-magnitude earthquake at 12:33 p.m. on Friday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported.

Tectonic in origin, the center of the quake was located in Guiuan town, it said.

The Phivolcs said the center of the earthquake, which is tectonic in origin, was traced in Guiuan town, and was fetl at Intensity 2 in Borongan, Eastern Samar.

There were no reported damage but the Phivolcs said to expect aftershocks in the next few hours.

BI agents nab 5 Chinese fugitives FIVE Chinese fugitives wanted in China for economic crimes were arrested by Bureau of Immigration agents in Angeles, Pampanga.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the aliens were arrested during an operation conducted by elements from the bureau’s Fugitive Search Unit at the Carmenville and Pulu Amsic subidivisions in Angeles City, Pampanga.

According to Morente, he issued the mission order to apprehend the aliens at the request of the Chinese embassy in Manila.

Those arrested were identified as Yin Lei, Zhang Xianle, Chen Di, Chen Manping, and Pan Jia Wei. They were immediately brought to the BI detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending deportation proceedings.

“These fugitives are already undocumented aliens, as their passports were already canceled by the Chinese government,” the BI chief added.

He explained that once a foreigner’s passport is canceled, the latter automatically loses his privilege to stay in the country for being an undocumented alien. Vito Barcelo

HOTEL RAID.

NCRPO Chief Director Guillermo Eleazar and MPD Chief Supt. Rolando Anduyan reported the seven kilos of shabu estimated to be worth P40 million caught in possession of Taiwanese national Chong Chin Hao when he was arrested during a raid in Good Life Hotel at Tomas Mapua in Binondo, Manila on Friday, Aug. 24, 2018.

Norman Cruz

Du30 to send ex-NPA rebels to China to prove Joma wrong

D

AVAO CITY—President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday he will send former New People’s Army rebels to mainland China and Hong Kong to see the kind of communist government there, compared to the one being envisioned by Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman, Jose Maria Sison.

“Ang problema ang kinabuhi dili ingon ana. Dili ana ka sayon. Life has to evolve. Progress and development dili gyud nimo na madala sa rebolusyon.

Kung mag sige lang ug rebolusyon, sige lang ug patay, walagyuy mahitabo sa atong nasod (But life is not like that. It’s not easy. Life has to evolve.

Progress and development cannot be solved through a revolution. If you continue to rebel and kill, nothing will happen to a country),” Duterte told former rebels during a speech marking the 12th anniversary of the Army’s Eastern Mindanao Command at the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao headquarters here.

The President told former NPA rebels to observe the transformation of China and how its reformist leaders, such as Deng Xiaoping, began to propel the

communist country’s economy.

Once they are in mainland China or Hong Kong, Duterte said the former NPA cadres who have surrendered to the different units of the Eastmincom this year must compare the disparity between the Philippines and China by just looking at the latter’s economic progress.

The ex-rebels, he said, can then go back to the mountains to tell their former comrades about China’s economic progress.

The President urged those who remained in the communist group to “abandon” Sison and to “stop killing” to achieve their revolutionary objective of toppling the government.

Duterte maintained that the NPA “cannot win the war against the government.”

“Di man pud ninyo matumba ng gobyerno. Di gani mo makagunit og usa ka barangay (You cannot even topple the government. You cannot even control one barangay),” he said.

Duterte also expressed disappointment that the friendly relations he had with the NPA in Davao City failed to contribute to the peace prospects between both sides, adding that Sison’s brand of communism was to blame.

“Ang kadaot ang utok ni Sison, gusto pa kab-uton ang komunista nga sistema.

Dili na man na pwede (The problem is Sison really wants to achieve the communist system. That can no longer happen),” he said.

Duterte said even Sison has realized how hopeless the communist struggle has become that the CPP-NPA leader has resorted to lying about his health condition. By contrast, the President said Sison is sick as the latter is suffering from colon cancer that has already metastasized to his pancreas.

Still, Duterte remains optimistic with the peace negotiations with the communists, saying he is hopeful “something will be achieved in the future.”

“I want peace. Maybe the next generation will no longer face war,” he said. PNA

SC revamps composition of its three divisions

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has reorganized the composition of its three divisions following the retirement of Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. and the appointment of his successor Associate Justice Jose Reyes.

In Special Order No. 2585 dated Aug. 14, 2018, Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio ordered the revamp of the Court’s divisions with new chairmen.

With the appointment of Justice Jose

Reyes and the existing vacancies for the chief justice post and the seat left vacant by the appointment of Associate Justice Samuel Martires as Ombudsman paved the way for the new composition of the three divisions.

The SC’s First Division will now be chaired by Justice Diosdado Peralta with Justices Mariano del Castillo, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam and Alexander Gesmundo as members.

The Second Division will be chaired

by Acting Chief Justice Antonio

Carpio with Justices Estela PerlasBernabe, Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Andres Reyes Jr. and Jose Reyes as members.

Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro will chair the Third Division, with the following as members: Justices Lucas Bersamin, Marvic Mario Victor Leonen, Gesmundo and Andres Reyes Jr. De Castro is the current second most senior justice in the SC next to Carpio, while Peralta is the third most senior justice.

Makati trader in viral video nabbed

By Joel E. Zurbano POLICE seized firearms, grenades and several ammunitions during a raid at the residence of a Makati City businessman, who was featured in a viral video showing him and his wife beating a traffic enforcer in Barangay Magallanes.

The authorities also placed Arnold Padilla, 41, and his bodyguard Alfie Ortiz, 33, under arrest following the Friday morning police operation based on search warrants issued by Makati City Regional Trial Court Judge Elmo Alameda.

Elements of the National Capital Region Police Office served the search warrants at house numbers 18 and 23 along San Antonio Street in Magallanes Village.

The confiscated items include one .45cal Glock 21, one 12-Gauge shotgun, two MK2 hand grenades and various gun live ammunitions and magazines.

Padilla said the seized firearms have proper documents but he said that the grenades were planted by the

policemen.

Padilla and Ortiz were brought to the NCRPO headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. But the businessman was later rushed to St. Luke’s Hospital for medical attention.

Padilla and his partner were caught on closed-circuit television camera showing them verbally and physically abusing a traffic enforcer who flagged them down over an alleged traffic violation at the corner of Gate 1 of Magallanes Village and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue on Aug. 13.

NCRPO chief Guillermo Eleazar said his men sought the issuance of a search warrant against Padilla not because of the video that gone viral on social media, but because of the revocation of Padilla’s license to possess firearms.

Padilla will be charged with violation of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013) before the Makati City prosecutors office.

SOLAR PANELS DONATION. Tarlac Heritage Foundation, in partnership with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, and Tarlac Heritage Foundation co-founder Isa Cojuangco Suntay (center) pose with Muslim women, along with officials of the Philippine Army headed by Lt. General Rolando Joselito Bautista, Commanding General of the Philippine Army and 53rd Infantry (Matrapat) Batallion Commander Col. Marlowe Patria, 102nd Infantry (Igsoon) Brigade Commander Col. Bagnus Gaerlan, and the 1st Infantry (Tabak) Division Major General Roseller Murillo.

The foundation distributed 105 solar panels to at least 90 families-beneficiaries or a total of 700 residents in the island of Barangay Ticala, San Pablo, Zamboanga del Sur.

Police seize P4 millon worth of shabu from Taiwanese A SHORT chase led to the arrest of a drug suspect and the confiscation of at least six kilograms of suspected shabu (methamphetamine) in the Good Life Hotel at Binondo, Manila on Friday.

The police caught the fleeing suspect, certain Taiwanese named Chong Chin Hao, who hid a suspect inside one of the hotel’s rooms, as reported by the National Capital Region Police Office public information officer Senior Inspector Myrna Diploma in its official press viber report.

Diploma said that if the confiscated illegal substance turned out to be shabu, it would be valued at around P40 million.

NCRPO chief Director Guillermo Eleazar said that Manila cops on Friday ran after Chong after they accidentally spotted the Taiwanese “dropping bullets” in public.

The police said Chong fled and tried to hide inside a room at the Binondo hotel in an attempt to escape arrest, but was eventually cornered. The cops then raided the place and found illegal drugs and ammunition.

According to Manila Police District director Chief Superintendent Rolando Anduyan, who joined the search wearing civilian overalls, said that they found aside from the six kilos of suspected shabu an estimated 20,000 rounds of ammunition, and 388 sealed packs of chemicals suspected to be used in the manufacture of illegal drugs.

Misuari to enter plea on Sept. 21 on malversation, graft charges

By Maricel V. Cruz MORO National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari is expected to enter his plea on the scheduled Sept. 21 arraignment in connection with the graft and malversation cases filed against him at the Sandiganbayan.

A minute resolution released to the media by the anti-graft court’s Third Division Thursday said Misuari’s arraignment will be followed by a pretrial proceedings at 8:30 am on Sept.

21.

The resolution was signed by presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and Associate Justices Sarah Jane Fernandez and Bernelito Fernandez.

Misuari, the former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor, is facing two counts each of graft and malversation by falsification owing to the alleged anomalous procurement of educational materials worth P115.2 million during his term as governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Misuari and his co-accused allegedly conspired to give “unwarranted benefits, advantage and privilege” to MBJ Learning Tools, CPR Publishing and White Orchids Printing.

A4

Opinion

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Winner and losers in the proposed constitution economic rights, are explicitly recognized in the bill of rights, including the right to adequate food; universal and comprehensive healthcare; quality education; adequate and decent housing; livelihood and employment opportuniTHIS is the ninth and final column of ties. A new section on Environmental my series on the proposed constitution and Ecological Rights states that evedrafted by the Consultative Committee ry person has the right to a healthful appointed by President Duterte and led environment, clean air, clean water, by former Chief Justice Reynato Puno. clean soil, and clean surroundings; to As I wrote in my last column, this se- seek compensation for damage to the ries was written to engage the country environment; and to seek “immediate on the proposed constitution. I con- relief” from courts through the writ of sider the Puno draft as nothing more kalikasan and other protective writs.

All of these rights are self-executory than a proposal for discussion, debate, and revision as the process progresses. and actionable. Citizens can immeI am thankful that the administration diately file law suits against governhas said the same things and welcomes ment agencies and non-state actors to enforce their rights and seek redress if comments and suggestions.

In this column, I come up with a they are violated. Violations of human rights include score card and those not only identify who in guaranteed by the my view will be Constitution but the winners and also international losers if the proCharter change is human rights covposed constitution enants and treais adopted and necessary, but we must ties to which the ratified through do it properly.

Philippines is a the processes resignatory. quired by the 1987 To improve Constitution. To further the Bill be constructive, I will suggest how gaps and defects in of Rights, I propose that the current the draft can be addressed. At the end Section 11, Article II of the 1987 Conof this article, I will also suggest pro- stitution be incorporated as the first cess and what the right steps forward section of the new Article, thus the Bill to make this constitutional debate more of Rights should begin with this proclamation: “The State values the dignity productive.

Overall, my assessment is that the of every human person and guarantees main winners under this Constitution full respect for human rights.”

I welcome the political reforms proare human rights, the presidency (but in a way that is not necessarily good for posed in the draft Constitution are good. the country), anti-dynasty reforms, po- The anti-dynasty provisions are strong litical parties, lawyers, and the Federal and self-executory. Political parties are Commissions. The biggest losers un- given importance and supported. Senader the proposed constitution are local tors elected by regions and proportional governments, the Senate as we know voting will most likely enhance democit, the judiciary, and most serious of all racy. This will of course eliminate the Senate as we currently know it. Senathe economy and social justice.

Human rights is advanced in the pro- tors voting for constitutional change posed constitution which introduces must know that they will become more novel principles and concepts. As I like representatives with this change.

Turn to A5 wrote early in this series, social and

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Overdue overhaul

S

PECULATION is rife that Presidential Communications Operations Office Chief, Secretary Martin Andanar, is on his way out of the Duterte Cabinet.

The agency tasked to clarify the President’s message to the public has instead, on numerous occasions, muddled and twisted it. The PCOO has also been the subject of several controversies, training the spotlight on itself instead of bridging the chief executive and the people.

Through an insufferable series of gaffes and subsequent statements defending themselves, the PCOO has high-

lighted its incompetence and arrogance—a deadly combination anywhere, but more so in public service.

Through all this, Andanar has responded in a less-than-sterling manner, blaming his subordinates, threatening to ship them down South, and even believing somebody from his team is out to sabotage the office.

Their most controversial official, of course, is Assistant Secretary Margaux Uson, who has capitalized on her tremendous social media following and who mistakenly believes the number of followers equates with credibility. Her army of trolls has also been successful in shooting down critics, simplistically branding them either as “dilawan” or enemies of the people.

But now Andanar, uncharacteristically meek, says he serves at the pleasure of the President.

The question is, has the President been displeased enough?

We know we have been, and we have often wondered what hold Uson, Andanar and the PCOO in general have over Mr. Duterte that he could not even admonish them for their transgressions.

There are rumors of a possible replacement for Andanar—we wonder how deep the overhaul will go—but at this point we think anything other than the status quo would be an improvement.

We have three words for an impending overhaul at the beleaguered agency: It’s about time.

Connecting with our revolutionary past fices of those who gave their lives for us. Thus, my hunt for names began.

In the beginning I was only interested in names. But as I started poring over books, publications, and pictures, I realized how nice it would be for deDO YOU have a great, great grandfa- scendants to know not just names of ther or grandmother who fought during their ancestors but other information the Philippine revolution? This was the that may help in establishing real conquestion we asked people during the re- nection. So I went beyond names and cent HistoryCon on Aug. 10 to 12 at the included in my roster whatever details are available on specific revolutionists.

World Trade Center in Pasay City.

In the end, besides names, I also inI have written before that I have embarked on a personal project with the cluded in the list (whenever available) NGO TUKLAS (Tunay na Kasaysayan their places of origin; aliases; affiliang Pilipinas, Inc. ) to come up with a list tion (Magdalo or Magdiwang); ranks of names of those who were involved or positions in government held; batin the struggle for our independence as tles they fought; whether they were a nation. This initiative was prompted arrested, imprisoned, exiled, killed in by my own desire to find out if I de- battle, or executed; and whether they scend from revolutionists, and the fact lived after the revolution.

The plan was that that there is no to display and extant comprehenuse the list dursive roster of revoing the Historylutionists.

Con to know if As an ardent There is hope for our the present genstudent of history, eration is interalmost always, I country. ested in finding only read about out if they have familiar names of revolutionist anheroes in books cestors, and how that I have read and still read. In my conversations with they would feel if they realize that they friends, I routinely ask them to name could have the blood of a revolutionary 10 heroes from the top of their heads. running through their veins.

We called the list “Roster of Valor: A Often, people find it difficult to complete the 10. This is how much we are List of Heroes of the Philippine Revolution.” The first release displayed at the unfamiliar with our own history.

The struggle for Philippine inde- HistoryCon consists of almost 2,500 pendence lasted years even if we only names of revolutionists with whatever count from the foundation of the Kati- details about them that I could find.

The reception to the list was beyond punan (whose first Supremo was Deodato Arellano, not Andres Bonifacio our expectations. People, young and as many think for he was the third to old were very interested, and excited to have the title), to the capture of General find out if they descend from a revoluEmilio Aguinaldo in 1901. Yet, tens of tionist! The table containing the three thousands of those who were involved volumes of the names was almost alin the fight for the freedoms we now ways crowded. There were even times enjoy remain unknown. They are not when there were lines just so people accorded the recognition and respect would know if they have ancestors who they deserve from us. We have become fought in the revolution. an ungrateful nation blind to the sacriTurn to A5

POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO

Brexit nightmare: Video game shows grim vision of life after EU

By Kilian Fichou SET in a dystopian post-Brexit Britain, a new video game follows the struggles of a bouncer of foreign ancestry in a world of xenophobia and immigrant camps, but gamers are divided over its message.

The grim vision of the future played out in “Not Tonight,” which has a funereal version of “God Save the Queen” as its theme tune, reflects the fears of its creator, Tim Constant, who developed the game over 18 months as part of a three-man team.

Gamers play the role of a nightclub doorman who has recently lost his British nationality and is forced to do odd jobs to meet the demands of an authoritarian government, whose motto is “work hard, stay out of trouble, and we might let you stay in the UK.” The bouncer, now working in the

gig economy, checks the identity of characters via a few mouse clicks and decides whether to allow them into the bar, and later on in the game, whether to let them into the country.

The minimalist and colourful graphics recall the adventure games of the 1990s, while the story-theme evokes “Papers, Please,” the surprise 2013 independent success.

“If you look at politics and video games as a whole, they’re generally not approached because it can put people off,” explained Constant.

But for Olivier Mauco, founder of gaming website Game in Society and professor at Science Po university in Paris, bringing politics into the gaming world can be useful.

“It’s a chance for you to live in a dystopian Britain, which is very different, so it has an effect because you will understand the consequences and the im-

pacts—you will make choices, and you will try to reason with them.”

‘Overtly political’ The game was among the top 10 bestsellers on the Steam download platform when it was released last weekend, and received mostly good reviews, scoring a “very positive” average from users of the site.

But some users criticised the political message.

“Terrible. Propaganda. Refunded,” wrote user iPlay_Zombies.

“It’s all rather distracting with how in your face it all is while at the same time not really saying anything other than.....what? British people are evil and xenophobic?” added gamer Dr. Marker.

“Being so overtly political means it may not be as hard-hitting as it could be, it’s not going to be as punchy,” said Mauco.

Turn to A5

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Opinion

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018

A5

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Resilient and resourceful, Rohingya diaspora carve out new lives

Our military assistance pact with the US

mar army crackdown.

Their lives are on pause. But Mohammad Selim is refusing to waste time.

Inside his mud walled hut deep in the Kutupalong megacamp, he is teaching eight-year-old daughter Nasima Akhtar taekwondo.

Selim, now 34, was a Taekwondo champion in his youth but as a Rohingya was denied use of official sports facilities in Myanmar.

So for 18 years he crossed between Bangladesh and Myanmar to fight, ultimately representing his adopted country before violence made return to Rakhine impossible.

“We’re poor and have never been given respect,” he says. “But after I entered this sport, I learned what respect is... so I’m teaching it to my daughter,” he says.

Nasima, whose shyness evaporates when she trains, wants to follow her dad in competitive bouts.

“When I grow up I want to fight,” she says.

The Doctor Life was a battle from a very young age says Anita Schug, who was forced from Myanmar in the early 1980s but soared through education in Europe to become a neurosurgeon, working in German hospitals.

“If others worked 100 percent to achieve their goals I had to work at least twice as much as them,” the 37-year-old says from her current home in Solothurn, Switzerland.

“I got used to the challenges and as a result I went for the challenging tasks.

Neurosurgery, I saw it as a challenge and that’s why I went for it.”

Rohingya inside Myanmar are locked out from education and healthcare, destroying the human resources of the community.

For Anita and her two sisters, who are also doctors, their education will help to serve their community, one they say has “endless needs.”

Activism runs in the family, and Anita is now prominent advocate working with the lobby group the European Rohingya Council.

A warping of history by Myanmar’s army has cast the Rohingya as “Bengali” infiltrators to the Buddhist-majority country.

But, says Anita, “there is historical evidence that both Rakhine and Rohingya

community existed peacefully side by side for generations.”

The Peacemaker In Yangon, Aung Kyaw Moe, 35, works to diffuse tensions between all communities in a nation cross-stitched by different ethnicities and civil wars.

“We’re a peace-building organisation,” he says from the Yangon office of the Center for Social Integrity.

Through leadership seminars for young people from different minorities, education projects in Rakhine and the provision of basic humanitarian aid, he hopes his organization can make a small but important contribution to building tolerance.

But from bitter experience, Aung Kyaw Moe knows what it is to be on the outside.

“My registration says “Bengali”... it’s not something I claim to be. I am from Myanmar,” he says.

“I don’t want young people to go through my life.”

The Activist One of the largest overseas Rohingya communities is in Malaysia, a Muslim country where 75,000 Rohingya have fled.

But few Rohingya—especially women—have access to education, jobs and healthcare, something Sharifah Shakirah is trying to amend.

In a Kuala Lumpur classroom, more than two dozen Rohingya women study languages, crafts, religion and drama.

“I want women to feel like they can do things so they can stand for themselves,” says 25-year-old founder of the Rohingya Women Development Network.

“Education gives people hope.”

Originally from Buthidaung near the Bangladesh border, Sharifah joined her family in Malaysia when she was about five.

She challenges traditional values inside her community, railing against issues like domestic violence and child marriage.

That has prodded a negative reaction from some men, but Sharifah has no intention of stopping.

“They feel that [way] because they’re losing their power, and feel I should be in the kitchen,” she said.

But with Rohingya women on the very margins of an already vulnerable refugee community, Sharifah says her work is too important to be stopped by prejudice. AFP

This is because, unlike the 1973 and 1987 Constitutions, there is no specific article for local governments. Since the Federated Regions have exclusive power over local government units, it can in fact decide by itself which units can continue to exist and what powers and functions those units will have.

The 1991 Local Government Code can be repealed by each region and replaced with whatever it wants without guidance from and limitations imposed by the Federal constitution except the principle of subsidiarity earlier cited.

I strongly urge an Article on Local Governments, similar to the current Article X of the 1987 Constitution that would guarantee the status, role, powers and functions, and revenue powers and share of local governments as well as define its relationship with the Federal and Federated Regional Governments.

On the judiciary, I honestly think that the reforms proposed, while well-meaning, will not have good outcomes. Lawyers are big winners under this Constitution but this is not positive for the country.

I agree with Justice Vicente Mendoza’s critique that abandoning the one supreme court concept would be detrimental to judicial independence and the separation of powers. In addition, allowing Congress through the Commission on Appointments to appoint several members of the four federal supreme courts politicize very explicitly the appointment process and could be at the expense of the independence of the Justices appointed through this route. Having the Justices play a role in appointing each other could also lead to excessive politicking by jurists.

The right approach is to transform the current Supreme Court to constitutional court that will only rule on cases involving constitutional law and cases involving

conflict between the federated regions and those between the main branches of government and the proposed six federal commissions. All other cases should end at the Court of Appeals. An Administrative Appeals Court and an Electoral Appeals Court could be created but they do not have to be treated as equal to the Constitutional Court.

Finally, the biggest loser under the proposed constitution is the economy. Like Duterte’s economic managers, I am concerned about the design of the fiscal and revenue allocation system being proposed. It just does not add up. Everyone loses—the federal government, the regional governments, and local government units; for sure the people and especially the poor will suffer immensely.

Indeed, that rich regions will benefit more while poor regions will be worse off. We will have a poorer and more inequitable country with this proposed constitution.

On the economy, we must go back to do doing serious studies of our policy options.

Numbers must be crunched by professionals and we must debate options properly to make the right choices.

Charter change is necessary. I believe the 1987 Constitution has serious flaws. I am for a right design for federalism, one that works. But the need for such change must not be used an excuse for a power grab. Nor should we follow an artificial timeline. Debate must be encouraged, but solid, empirical analysis must be done first.

Charter change is necessary. But we must do this properly. A constitutional convention is the only acceptable way of moving forward and the best time to do is after the term of President Duterte in 2022. Hopefully there will be a national consensus by then on how to proceed.

why they, the sisters, are fighters. Being a fighter runs in their veins!

Even those who did not find a revolutionist ancestor received the list very well.

I assured them that the list is far from being complete so it really does not mean they do not have relatives who took part in the struggle. After all, I intend to continue this project so the list becomes more exhaustive.

Not a few inquired if the roster will be published because they said that they would want to have a copy. I just responded that for now, it is just a small initiative to pay tribute to our unknown heroes.

We asked people, especially those who found their revolutionist ancestors to write a note to their lolo or lola. We were able to collect almost 100 notes and we will bring this as our offering to the Mausoleum of the Veterans of the Revolution in the North Cemetery. This is another historic landmark that people have forgotten.

Reading the notes filled my heart with joy. It seems that this small project has struck a cord with those who saw the list.

The notes were from a grateful people.

Grateful and thankful to those who fought so our country is free. The notes beam with pride. Pride because the Filipino is a brave and courageous race.

I will end this by quoting some of the notes (without edits).

“Thank you for sacrificing so much for our country. We shall not forget you.”

“To our dear revolutionaries, Thank you for the new life you have given us, for giving up your life in order for us to live.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

“Brig. General Pantaleon Garcia, Salamat sa sakripisyo nyo at katapangan, mayroon kaming kalayaan! Ang inyong apo sa tuhod.”

“So proud to be a great granddaughter of Claudio Victa who fought for our independence.”

“Mga lolo, Ang inyong pinaghirapan ay hindi matatawaran. Nguni’t karamihan ngayon ay tila nakalimot na. Kaya humihingi ako ng tawad.”

“Para kay Marcelo Duria, Marahil hanggang sa ngayon nananalaytay pa rin sa ating pamilya ang dugong rebolusyonaryo.

Ngayon mas naiintindihan ko na. Kaya pala.”

“To all those who fought, known or unknown, Thank you for everything. For risking your lives to save countless others.

I may not know you but I am thankful for every drop of blood you spilled for us.”

I feel that there is hope for the country.

Let us continue to connect with our revolutionary past so we may not get lost now and in the future.

The Philippines is simply forced to buy them to allow their own bankrupt economy afloat. It is to break from that status that is considered threat to the US economy.

Take for instance our purchase of IT WOULD serve as a litmus test to the two Hamilton-class cutters that our defense agreement with the US have been docked in the US at a stagshould President Duterte proceed gering cost of P750 million. The with the plan to purchase arms from cutters made their début service 40 Russia and China. If the sale materi- years ago with some even consideralizes, it could put to a test whether ing them worthy for consignment to the US military assistance pact, the world’s biggest ship graveyard in which we signed in 1947, is still rele- Gadani, Pakistan to be cut to pieces vant or is already a scrap of paper de- for scrap metal. The purchase by that signed to ward off potential arms sell- lackluster Aquino administration of ers. Many are saying this for it seems a dozen T-50 trainer jets, a US made the sentimentalist pro-US lackeys are Lockheed Martin, but assembled in quivering in fear that breaking that South Korea at a fantastic cost of colonial chain might invite sanction more than P1 billion each. The jets from the US. were reclassified F 50 to denote that Maybe our purchase of P400 mil- they have been converted to fighter lion worth of 750 RPG-7B rocket-pro- jets just to make them palatable to the pelled launchers from Russia’s state- public. To this, day many are wonderowned Rosobonexport constitutes a ing just how could a dozen jets which violation to our defense agreement. lag behind by two generations to its Nonetheless, it can never be inter- present class of F 35 to intercept enpreted to restrain us from exercising emy planes that might cross our sea. our sovereign right as an independent Most dangerous, our military asstate. As in our right to freely engage sistance pact with the US has been in trade, our military assistance was politicized to cater to the demands not intended to supersede our right of their local lackeys. The end of the to secure arms for our own defense Cold War has redefined US role in the and security. This is why President South China Sea emphasizing on the Duterte had to reiterate that political US presence than in winning over its mantra that the Philippines will deal enemies. Our procurement of arms with any other to live up to our country providrole has become ed there are no dependent on the strings attached. whims that it has Our purchase become evident There has never of arms with Rusit is their interest sia, with China or been a free lunch in our than that of its with any country relationship with our allies it is trying not under sanc- former colonizer. much to protect. tion by the UN Take the case Security Counof the terrorists cil is an exercise siege of Marawi of our right as City. One could an independent clearly see the state. This cannot be aligned to what pattern in the disposition of US miliis economically, militarily and po- tary assistance to which it has conlitically beneficial to the interest of sistently and loudly proclaimed the the US. The US threat of sanction to country as its staunch ally. It was not punish Russia for its 2014 annexation until after June 2018 when the US deof Crimea, for its support for the As- cided to deliver humanitarian assissad government in Syria, and of the tance and for the recovery work of the charge of alleged Russian involve- City in the amount of P296.2 million. ment in the 2016 presidential elecWhile the country is nonetheless tion are issues that should be resolved grateful, it was expecting a military exclusively between the two. That assistance consistent to an existing should not be stretched to include the defense commitment that calls for Philippines even if the US has been that situation. Instead, the US sent dangling our unflinching loyalty drones and communications equipthrough the years. It does not even ment for their own use and Special have the right to block our arms pro- Forces to help in the battle which curement on the basis of the opposi- meant their direct participation in tion’s claim of alleged human rights the local conflict. The use of those violation by the Duterte administra- mat materials were intended only for tion for its vigorous campaign against their exclusive use. While China, for illegal drugs which they claim to have which we have no military assistance killed thousands of our people. agreement, it donated of P1.1 billion Except for the so-called “ironclad” on Nov. 15, 2017. In addition, it gave interpretation by the US of our mili- P370 million worth of weapons and tary assistance pact, the threat of heavy equipment for the rebuilding sanction is rather symptomatic of its efforts of the City. growing insecurity, characteristic Most political analysts now predict of a declining economic power. To US-Philippine relations could worsen begin with, our military assistance should the Duterte administration inpact with the US is a misnomer. All sist in acquiring weapons other than our arms procurement were all paid from the US. The US would logically through arms sales credit and soft find it odd to continue the military loans extended to us as client-state assistance pact with while the Philobligated in suppressing our own ippines persist in seeking assistance people to protect their interest and from other countries. The US would in doing the dirty job of fighting for argue that its commitment to defend them in countries where their impe- this country would only be good and rial interest has gone awry. In other effective for as long as we extend to words, there has never been a free them a monopoly in the purchase of meal in our relationship with our for- their costly armaments, and observmer colonizer. ing certain guidelines on how we are The second consideration which to use them often contrary to our own many of us have failed to take into national interest. account is that the Philippines has On the other hand, the Philippines become the most lucrative and prof- cannot continue these unequal relaitable outlet to what President Ei- tions that have already reached its senhower feared as “the US military peak of contradiction that aside from industrial complex.” The Philippines being costly would subject our leadhas become their dumping ground ers to political blackmail. In other for outmoded war materials. Often words, the direction to which the Duthey are being sold under pressure terte administration is going is telling to countries obligated as an ally to that our mutual defense agreement purchase them at extortionist prices. with the US has already outlived its The Philippines has become the ready usefulness and our parting of ways market for these weapons even if they would be mutually advantageous. would not serve to defend this country in the event of an all-out conflict. rpkapunan@gmail.com

By James Pheby and Aidan Jones DRIVEN from Myanmar over decades, Rohingya Muslims have been labelled the most persecuted people on earth. But resilience and ingenuity have led members of the stateless community to carve out new lives—everywhere from refugee camps in Bangladesh to the hospitals of Europe.

Many fled Myanmar as children. Some have been granted refugee status, others live in the shadows with no legal status or protection.

Half a million of the Muslim minority remain in their ancestral homeland of Rakhine state inside Myanmar—the country that denies them citizenship—in camps or hemmed in by hostile neighbours.

Their history is of oppression. But success stories are being forged and those who have escaped are often willing to give back to those left behind.

‘The Yorkshire Boy’ A “proud Yorkshire boy,” Nijam Uddin Mohammed arrived with his family in Bradford, in northern England, in 2008 after 17 years in a Bangladeshi refugee camp.

He is 36, or close enough.

Like many Rohingya, his parents were barred from registering his birth in Myanmar, part of a bureaucratic drive to erase their existence.

As a result, around half of Bradford’s 400-strong Rohingya community have been officially given the same date of birth: Jan. 1.

“My father, mum, my wife, my brothers, my grandmother, we all have the same birthday party,” he says, joking about the celebration expenses saved.

Nijam learned English and now drives a taxi and works as a part-time interpreter for the National Health Service.

But as the head of the British Rohingya Community charity he says his real calling is advocacy work for his people.

“I hope my children will [also] work for the Rohingya people to free them,” he says.

The Taekwondo champ Freedom is a long way off for the hundreds of thousands of new refugees who have poured into the camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, since last year, driven out by a merciless Myan-

Winner...

From A4

Likewise, the six Federal Commissions will also enhance democracy and accountability. They are well designed and their independence seem to be assured. I am particularly happy that the Commission on Human Rights and Philippine Competition Commission are elevated to become Federal Commissions.

The presidency is the biggest winner under the proposed constitution. But I do not consider this as good for the country as it guarantees the continuation of Manila imperialism and contradicts the decentralization objective of federalism as well as the expansion of the Bill of Rights.

The creation of an all-powerful Federal Transition Commission led by the President exacerbates this danger of despotism. With an imperial presidency, it is safe to bet that Imperial Manila will continue to dominate and federalism will only be in name.

I propose that we reconsider taking the mixed presidential-parliamentary route, with a weaker president but a strong federal and effective regional legislatures.

Ironically, two of the biggest losers in the proposed constitution are federalism and local autonomy.

As I wrote in my last column, the proposed constitution is bad for local governments and their autonomy, threatens their existence in fact, and most likely will reverse the gains achieved in our mixed experience of the Local Government Code.

Indeed, local governments could be completely destroyed and its status, role, powers, and revenue powers subjected to the whims of untested Federated Regional Governments.

Connecting...

From A4

It was a great experience on my part. I spoke with a good number of those who pored over the lists. Some even called their elders to ask for more last names that they could look for. There were those who knew that their ancestors were revolutionists but were not in the list. I asked them to send me details about their ancestors and I would gladly put them in and cite them, the descendants, as my source. To this day I still receive information about other revolutionaries who are not in history books. Some, complete with pictures of their ancestors in full uniforms of the Philippine Revolutionary Army.

Those who found names they thought were their ancestors were very happy.

They said they felt proud that they come from a line of heroes. A few were even on the verge of tears, grateful to know that their great, great grandfathers were fought for our country. I was touched by two young women, they were sisters, who found an ancestor in the list—a woman revolutionary! They carry the revolutionist’s last name (which is not a common surname), and they hail from the same place. They were quite emotional with their discovery. One said that it explains

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BACKBENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN

Brexit...

From A4

“It’s going to strengthen the pro and anti-Brexit positions, and risks dividing the audience.”

It’s a risk that Constant was prepared to take.

“I probably knew that there was going to be push back because of the Brexit argument,” he told AFP. “The Brexit vote has happened, so I don’t think, even if I do change people’s

mind, it’s gonna change anything. But it might make them think a little bit more about the situation, which is great.”

For the small team behind the game, Brexit has already had real consequences.

“The [graphics] artist on “Not Tonight” is Polish, he’s just moved back to Poland because he wasn’t sure what is going to happen.”

The game is currently available in English on PC via download platforms and will be released on consoles in early 2019. AFP

News

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

MMDA to continue vexed HOV

SC affirms denying Leila’s plea

By Joel E. Zurbano

By Rey Requejo THE Supreme Court has sustained its earlier ruling that denied the plea of detained Senator Leila de Lima for furlough to allow her to argue for the petitioners seeking to invalidate President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to withdraw the country’s membership from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

In an en banc resolution, the SC turned down De Lima’s motion for reconsideration seeking permission to allow her to “appear and personally represent herself” during the oral argument of the petition scheduled on Aug. 28.

On Aug. 7, the SC voted to deny De Lima’s plea to argue for the petition she and her fellow opposition senators have filed seeking to nullify the Palace’s decision to withdraw the country’s adherence to the Rome Statute for being unconstitutional.

Last Aug. 16, 2018, De Lima sought a reconsideration of the SC denial of her plea to join the oral argument.

However, in ruling againt De Lima, the high court denied her appeal after finding that no new argument had been presented to warrant a reconsideration of its earlier ruling.

The SC also directed that the oral argument on the consolidated petitions seeking to void the Philippine government’s withdrawal from the ICC would proceed on Aug. 28, 2018 at 2 pm at the Supreme Court Session Hall, as scheduled.

The oral arguments will tackle the petition filed by De Lima along with Senators Francis Pangilinan, Franklin Drilon, Paolo Benigno Aquino, Risa Hontiveros, Antonio Trillanes IV seeking to nullify President Duterte’s decision, for being violative of the Constitution, particularly Article VII, Section 21 of the 1987 Constitution, which provides that “entering into treaty or international agreement requires participation of Congress, that is, through concurrence of at least two-third of all the members of the Senate.”

STL vs Lotto sales heat up

T

HE Metro Manila Development Authority announced Friday it would continue enforcing the controversial traffic scheme that prohibits drivers without companions along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue during rush hoursfrom 7 am to 10 am and 6 pm to 9 pm.

This, after members of the Metro Manila Council, the MMDA’s governing board and policy-making body, unanimously agreed to continue the dry run of the Expanded High Occupancy VehicleTraffic policy pending a dialogue on its effect with Congress.

But senators were divided on the MMC decision, with Senate President Vicente Sotto III saying the decision was up to the MMC and the MMDA but they would have to defend their budget before the chamber.

“Well, if they want to not honor or give weight to the Senate resolution, it’s up to them but let’s see how their budget passes our committee on finance,” Sotto said in a text message to GMA News Online.

Sotto pointed to Senate Resolution 845, urging the MMDA and MMC to suspend the ban on driver-only vehicles in Edsa during rush hours and conduct a public consultation or hearing before implementing it.

“We have approved a resolution that

will extend the dry run and test the carpooling program of the MMDA,” said Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, head of the Council’s special committee on Traffic.

The MMDA is set to hold a dialogue with the Senate, members of House of Representatives, and Malacañang to convince government officials on the importance of the scheme.

But Bautista said they would have to wait for the assessment of the Expanded HOV Traffic Scheme that aimed to encourage motorists to engage in ride sharing.

“We have to continue the dry run, know the findings of the MMDA and the affected local government units regarding the Expanded HOV scheme on Edsa and inner cities,” he said.

The MMDA, in coordination with

Makati launches TB drive

MONITORING PRICES. Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez (middle) leads government officials in monitoring Friday prices of agricultural basic necessities and prime commodities to gauge the prices and supply situation in Manila’s Paco district. Norman Cruz

WHEN one says Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Lotto, Sweepstakes, and other digit games automatically come to mind.

While Lotto and other digit games are still the undisputed highest earning product of PCSO with an overall revenue of P2,591,971,830 for the month of July, Small Town Lottery is becoming a force to be reckoned with its current sales of P1,955,334,092, an increase of 57.94 percent compared to the same period last year.

Officials revealed in a press statement there was some Lotto vs STL competition happening in Mindanao and Visayas, but gave assurances to the gaming public they would balance this and they were on top of it.

At present, STL is earning almost P2 billion a month.

From 18 original STL operators, the agency has now 82.

In 2016, STL used to earn P4.7 billion a year vis-à-vis during President Rodrigo Duterte’s dministration where it earned P15.7 billion by the end of 2017.

Naga City posts highest monthly crime rate—PNP NAGA City in Camarines Sur posted the highest average monthly crime rate among the country’s 36 largest cities in the first half of the year, Philippine National Police data released Friday showed.

In a statement, PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Benigno Durana Jr., however, said that “based on the latest PNP data, among the major cities of the country outside of Metro Manila, Naga City is ranked No. 6 in the total crime volume during the period from January to July 2018.”

Also based on PNP data, Durana said Naga ranked No. 2 in terms of incidence of the so called “index crime” volume (crimes against person and property) compared to the other six provinces of the Bicol region.

Bicol region consists of the provinces of Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, and Sorsogon.

Index crimes under police methodologies are murder, homicide, physical injuries, car theft, cattle rustling, theft,

robbery, and rape.

“During the same period (January to July), Naga City also posted the highest average monthly crime rate, followed by Mandaue City, Iloilo City, Santiago City, and Cebu City,” Durana said.

Naga City has a population of about 200,000, roughly the same as Manila’s Sampaloc district.

According to data released by the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management Crime Research Analysis Center, Naga City had 202.80 average monthly crime rate from January to July 2018, the highest among the 36 cities in the PNP report.

In the top 10, aside from Naga City for the highest AMCR, were Mandaue City (169.49), Pasay City (141.84), Iloilo City (139.24), Makati City (130.74), Mandaluyong City (122.67), San Juan City (109.16), Marikina City (104.51), Quezon City (103.54), and Santiago City (96.56).

DoH nixes tale on progestin

‘ERAP SA MAHIRAP.’ Manila

Mayor Joseph ‘Erap’ Estrada distributes educational assistance to 110 schoolchildren under the city government’s Educational Assistance Program during a simple ceremony at City Hall’s Bulwagang Villegas on Thursday.

The beneficiaries are from District 1 where each public elementary and high school child received financial and educational assistance worth P5,000. With Estrada is Officer-inCharge of the Manila Department of Social Welfare Nanette Tanyag.

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Graft trial of ex-Occ Mindoro mayor to proceed

By Maricel V. Cruz THE Sandiganbayan’s Second Division has said the trial of former mayor Filemon Galsim of Santa Cruz, Occidental Mindoro in connection with the alleged overpriced lot contract sealed in 2012 will proceed.

In a resolution promulgated on Wednesday, the anti-graft court division denied for “lack of merit” the appeal of Galsim to dismiss his case.

Galsim is accused of graft for alleged

violation of Section 3(g) of the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices Act when he sealed a contract, in behalf of the local government, with a certain Teresita Asis Mercene for a 2,123-square-meter lot in Barangay Poblacion II. The Ombudsman said the lot owned by Mercene was overpriced by P260,492.10, and thus “manifestly and grossly disadvantageous to the government.”

It said the lot was purchased for P702.70 per square meter, or a total

THE city government of Makati has launched a massive information and awareness campaign on tuberculosis while intensifying screening for TB cases among vulnerable groups in the community.

The move, according to Mayor Abigail Binay, is in line with the nationwide observance of Lung Month this August.

On Friday, the Makati Health Department kicked off its activity at West Rembo satellite treatment center.

Simultaneous TB awareness classes were also held in several barangays including Rizal, Pembo, East Rembo, Pitogo, Tejeros, Guadalupe Viejo, Pio del Pilar and Singkamas.

Binay said: “The Philippines is one of 30 countries in the world with a high prevalence of tuberculosis. While cases in Makati are very few compared to other cities, we must not be complacent.

“The vulnerable sectors like the urban poor, elderly and inmates are still susceptible to the disease, often because of lack of awareness and inadequate monitoring.”

Binay expressed the city’s firm commitment to the goal of the Department of Health to eradicate TB in the Philippines by 2022.

By eradication, she added, the DoH means detecting all active TB cases and reducing the prevalence rate to 10 in every 10,000 patients.

Studies show that poverty, malnutrition, poor housing and sanitation can put patients at heightened risk of TB and make it harder for them to access care.

Binay, however, said she believed that stepping up awareness campaigns and lectures in urban poor communities will help prevent the spread of TB. She also called for increased screening for TB and active monitoring of patients undergoing treatment.

Joel Zurbano

On the other hand, the 10 cities on the list with the lowest AMCR were Bacolod City (40.77), Butuan City (40.14), Caloocan City (33.38), Iligan City (29.58), Olongapo City (27.61), Angeles City (27.10).

Davao City (25.96), Puerto Princesa City (25.22), Cotabato City (18.44), and Ormoc City (16.24).

In terms of Total Crime Volume (TCV), two cities from the National Capital Region topped the list with Quezon City at 22,019 and Manila at 12,424, followed by Cebu (6,324), Makati (5,517), Pasig (4,967), Taguig (4,541).

The five cities with the lowest TCV for the same period were Iligan City (734), Olongapo City (466), Puerto Princesa (466), Cotabato (400), and Ormoc City (253).

In terms of crime solution efficiency, or (CSE), Taguig City had the highest mark out of the 36 cities on the list with 95.46 percent. PNA CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

Standard TODAY NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

No

the five cities in the National Capital Region—San Juan, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Makati and Taguig—will create a study from the test run to determine the impact of the scheme to Edsa’ traffic flow.

While penalty shall not be imposed during the dry run, MMDA general manager Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. urged the motorists to cooperate.

“For our evaluation, we are calling on the participation of everyone. Participate in the carpooling program,” said Garcia.

According to Garcia, the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program had several major infrastructure and mass transportation projects in the National Capital Region lined up—the long term answer to Metro Manila’s traffic problems.

amount of P1.49 million when the prevailing market value then under Sangguniang Panlungsod Resolution 43 was only at a fixed price of P580 per square meter.

Galsim disputed the allegation.

But the Sandiganbayan stood by its decision against Galsim. “The court finds that the above-mentioned averments sufficiently charge the offense of violation of Section 3(g) of R.A. 3019.

They contain all the elements constituting the violation,” the resolution read.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Department of Health dismissed Friday reports that the new family planning method called progestin sub-dermal implant would result in abortion.

Like any other contraceptives publicly available, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the PSI had some temporary side effects like headache, acne or pimples, weight gain, and breast pain, minor bleeding, vaginal itching, and menstrual cramps.

“The DoH strongly promotes the use of implants for couples who wish to space their pregnancies,” he said.

He also advised couples to wait at least eighteen months before getting pregnant again to maintain the best health for the mother and child.

The implant, Duque said, consisted of a single, matchstick-sized rod that contained the hormone progestin.

He said the contraceptive implant was inserted in the left arm of righthanded women and vice-versa, and could provide protection up to three years.

“Some of the PSI’s advantages include ease of use, can be removed anytime, and is highly effective,” Duque said.

He likewise reminded first-time users to leave the bandage on the wound for a day to prevent contusion, to avoid getting the wound wet for three to five days, clean the wound every day, avoid sexual contact for a week, consult a doctor for any unusual feeling after the procedure, and return to the doctor after three months and every year thereafter for a checkup.

Sports El Tigre, Warriors down MPBL rivals FIERCE and fiery Mandaluyong El Tigre clobbered the Bacoor Strikers, 83-61, Thursday night and continued to rise in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Datu Cup at Strike Gymnasium in Bacoor, Cavite.

Ray Parks Jr. instigated El Tigre’s relentless attack and Joel Cunanan took over from where he left off as Mandaluyong notched its fifth straight win after losing in the inaugurals on June 12.

Showing why he’s the 26team league’s most celebrated player, the 6-foot-4 Parks sparkled with 28 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals before letting Cunanan, who pumped in 11 points in the fourth quarter, and his teammates finish the job.

With the count at 70-53 going to the last three minutes, many of the Strikers ‘ fans headed to the exits, resigned to their team’s third loss in four outings.

Actor Xian Lim was set in with 2:30 to go in the third quarter and El Tigre ahead, 53-39.

He played for 6 minutes and 30 seconds and posted one rebound, one turnover and three fouls.

The Strikers, who entered the court with a three-win run, got 21 points and 13 rebounds from Mark Montuano, while Gab Banal added 10 points and 6 rebounds.

In a battle between struggling teams,the General Santos Warriors subdued the Cebu City Sharks, 70-66.

Fighting their way back from a 13-point deficit, 60-47, the Sharks threatened at 66-64, following a triple by Patrick Cabahug, and 68-64, after a jumper by Rhaffy Octobre.

Warrior Leomer Losentes calmly canned two free throws with five seconds left, however, to seal their second win in six games.

Losentes and Delmar Mahaling paced the Warriors with 15 points each, followed by John Orbeta with 13.

A7

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Blackwater stops KaTropa in overtime

Peerless Carlos sets record 62, wrests control

By Jeric Lopez

Jobim Carlos takes another crack at a PGT crown

I

LOILO—Jobim Carlos ripped the Iloilo Golf and Country Club with a record eight-under 62 and stormed to a threestroke lead over Jhonnel Ababa in the third round of the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge and into the threshold of another victory in the Philippine Golf Tour here yesterday.

Five shots behind Guido Van der Valk halfway through the P3 million ICTSIsponsored event, Carlos closed out his brilliant 31-31 card in ideal playing condition the way he started it – on back-toback birdies – as he took control again at 10-under 200, three ahead of Ababa, who shot a second straight 68 for a 203, and four up on Joenard Rates.

Van der Valk failed to keep the momentum of his lead-grabbing 66 Thursday, fumbling with a three-over 73 and tumbling from top to joint fourth at 206 with Rene Menor (67) and first round leader Tim Stewart of Australia (71).

The bogey-free 62, which included birdies on Nos. 4, 6, 7 and 15, erased the previous low marks of 64 by amateurs Francisco Maravilla and Ponciano Saldana Jr. and put the hottest player on the tour 18 holes away from nailing a third victory in less than three months that also saw him post two runner-up efforts and a couple of top six finishes.

“The record was a bonus. I had a wonderful start in the tougher nine so I made sure to maintain the momentum,” said Carlos, who spiked his brilliant

round with two par-saves at the back to get another crack at the crown worth P550,000.

Rates broke the record earlier with a 63 built around three straight birdies from No. 4 and five more at the back that negated his lone bogey on No. 8 until Carlos beat it with that birdie-birdie windup.

Still, the diminutive Rates, who recorded his first and only victory at John Hay in 2014, relished the chance of slugging it out with Carlos and Ababa in the championship flight at 204.

“This is a good sign because I’m really hungry for a win,” said Rates. “I stayed focused on every shot and took advantage of the good weather.”

Just two behind Van der Valk after 36 holes, Ababa actually grabbed the lead with a scorching four-birdie run in the first six holes but reeled back on putting woes. He made three putts on Nos. 8 and 15, which had he made would’ve put him right within one off Carlos.

“This will all boil down to putting,” said Ababa, still confident of scoring a follow up to his PGT Asia Forest Hills leg victory last month.

The rest stood too far behind to pose a threat in the final round of the third stop of the four-leg Visayan swing organized

by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. with Erwin Arcillas firing a 67 to tie Keanu Jahns, who carded a 69, at 207, and Korean Park Jun Sung and Ramil Bisera shooting identical 68s for joint ninth at 208 with American Lexus Keoninh (69), Clyde Mondilla (70) and PGT Bacolod leg titlist Justin Quiban (71).

Despite his huge lead, Carlos remained wary of his rivals heading to the last 18 holes of the event backed by BDO, KZG, Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Sharp, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and PLDT. “It would be another challenge, just like what happened in Negros last week when I faced seasoned Juvic (Pagunsan) in a playoff. They (Ababa and Rates) also turned in great scores so I will have to keep in step with them,” said Carlos, who rallied to drag the fancied Pagunsan to a playoff before yielding on the second extra hole at Marapara last week.

But the way Carlos is playing of late —with victories at PGT Asia Riviera and PGT Apo, Ababa and Rates will have to come up with real low rounds and some kind of pressure to shake off the 25-yearold rising star, who holed in from eight feet on No. 12 and a difficult downhiller from 12 feet on the 16th to preserve his unblemished card.

31st MILO Little Olympics fires off in Marikina City

By Ram Christian Agustin WITH this year’s theme “Learn Life Lessons Where Champions Are Made,” 5,102 student-athletes from 997 primary and secondary schools of both public and private battle it out to claim the 31st Milo Little Olympics overall championship over the weekend.

The 2018 MLO action fired-off yesterday, August 24, until August 26 which commenced at the Marikina Sports Park in Marikina City with venues all across the city’s schools and sports facilities.

A total of 13 sporting events and two demonstration events simultaneously took place to emphasize the goal of the leading beverage brand about values the athletes can learn through sports. Meanwhile, for this leg, organizers added Football, Futsal and Sepak Takraw for the secondary girls division.

The showcased sports include athletics, badminton, basketball, football, gymnastics, lawn tennis, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, chess, sepak takraw, and scrabble. While ArnisAnyo and karatedo will be highlighted as demonstration events.

In a press conference before the grand opening ceremony Friday, Dr. Robert Milton Calo, Regional Organizer of the MILO Little Olympics for NCR- Southern Luzon, said that amid the monsoon weather this time of the year, student-athletes and school officials are still supportive of the MLO. He says that in the coming years, they could consider adjusting their timeline not coincide with the rainy season, especially considering that many of the delegates will come to the games right after their periodical exams which were moved after recent class cancellations.

“We are planning to adjust the date (of the event) to a month where we can avoid the typhoon, the rainy season, at least to a date with minimal rainfall,” he said as last year’s event was also met with terrible weather.

During the opening ceremonies, alongside the parade of the athletic contingents that included the MILO Officiating Officials, MILO Sports Olympic Flag and the like, the search for the new Ms. MILO Little Olympics Final Pageant likewise started.

The nationwide Inter-school junior sports event is endorsed by the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Olympic Committee, and the Department of Education.

A participant of the 31st MILO Little Olympics brings the symbolic torch to light the cauldron that would signal the start of the NCR-South Luzon leg sporting event organized by the country’s leading beverage brand.

SoKor demands swimming ‘assault’probe

RUN WITH A CAUSE. Nearly 100 ATI employees joined parents, students, teachers, law enforcers and community stakeholders in a charity Zumba and Fun Run event to help raise funds for a new canteen in Sta. Clara Elementary School in Batangas City.

SOUTH Korea have asked Asian Games organisers to investigate after swimmer Kim Hye-jin was allegedly assaulted by China’s Duo Shen after an altercation in the tournament’s training pool.

The Korean Sport and Olympic Committee said Duo kicked Kim twice in the belly after she was accidentally struck by the Korean as they were swimming on Thursday.

The committee said it has formally requested an investigation by the Games organising committee and the Olympic Council of Asia, after Kim said she wanted Duo to face punishment.

“As Kim said she wanted an official punishment against the Chinese athlete over her unsportsmanlike conduct of physical assault, the KSOC officially requested an investigation,” a Korean-

language statement said.

“It also urged proper action to be taken if the assault is confirmed, to prevent similar conducts from taking place again.”

The statement added that Korea’s team rejected an apology from Shen, a freestyle specialist who won four gold medals at the 2014 Asian Games, in line with Kim’s wishes.

Kim, 24, who placed fifth in the women’s breaststroke on Sunday, “unintentionally kicked the chest of China’s Duo Shen—who was swimming behind her—with her foot”, the KSOC said.

“Kim immediately apologised, but Shen followed Kim to the end of the lane and pulled Kim’s ankle down with her hand before kicking Kim’s belly twice with her feet.” AFP

ALLEIN Maliksi and Nard Pinto provided the spark in crunch time to lift Blackwater to a 104-98 overtime victory over TNT KaTropa in its debut in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City last night.

Maliksi and Pinto combined for 13 of the Elite’s 16 points in the extension as their successive scoring lifted Blackwater for their first win in the season-ending conference.

With the two’s scoring, Blackwater carved a 97-90 lead with under two minutes left to take the game away.

Maliksi scored a game-high 28 points while Henry Walker added 23.

Blackwater, riding high on its conquest of the 50th Pacific Caesar Pro Basketball Tournament in Indonesia last month, dropped TNT KaTropa to a 1-2 record which paraded new import Stacy Davis, who scored a teamhigh 23 points.

The teams ended up at 86-apiece at the end of regulation after Walker’s dunk with 37 ticks left in the fourth evened the count at 86.

Jayson Castro and Walker both missed jumpers in the dying seconds, sending the game to overtime.

Blackwater opened the game up like a house on fire, unleashing a 13-2 spurt right off the gates to gain control early.

However, TNT immediately answered to get itself right back into it and trim its deficit to only three, 1821, at the end of one.

The game was already knotted at 38-all at the half and it was tight the rest of the way.

The Elite missed the services of starting center Poy Erram, who is still in Indonesia serving the National team.

As of press time, Meralco (1-1) is welcoming debuting Alaska in their own duel.

Doping case hits Asiad, Ikee eyes history A WRESTLER from Turkmenistan became the Asian Games’ first doping casualty on Friday while Japanese teenage swimmer Rikako Ikee stood on the brink of a historic sixth gold medal.

Rustem Nazarov was disqualified from the Games in Indonesia after failing a pre-tournament test for the banned masking agent furosemide, the Olympic Council of Asia said.

Nazarov “has been disqualified from the 18th Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games 2018... and his results during the competition held on the 19th August annulled”, a statement said.

The athlete, 24, had competed in the men’s 57kg freestyle event and was defeated in his first match by India’s Sandeep Tomar.

Six athletes tested positive at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon including South Korean swimming star Park Taehwan, who was stripped of his medals.

Elsewhere Ikee, 18, topped the 50 metres freestyle heats in Jakarta as she drew closer to becoming the first woman to win six gold medals in any sport at a single Games.

Ikee, who is poised to become the face of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, swam 25.09 seconds in the morning session and afterwards said: “I just hate losing.”

“I’ll win through sheer willpower if I have to,” she added.

China’s Liu Xiang, who set a world record in the 50m backstroke earlier this week, will look to dash Ikee’s ambitions after winning her heat in 25.14.

Chinese triple Olympic champion and world-record holder Sun Yang will be the red-hot favourite in the men’s 1,500m as he looks for his fourth gold medal on the final night in the pool.

In co-host city Palembang, Indonesia won their first ever rowing gold in the lightweight eight, a victory which crew member Tanzil Hadid dedicated to the newborn baby he is still yet to meet.

Unified Korea, a team of North and South Korean rowers which is testament to warming ties, came fifth in the lightweight men’s eight and last in the women’s lightweight double sculls.

In cycling, South Korea’s Na Ahreum added the women’s time trial to her road race title, becoming the first Games cyclist to do so. AFP

Sports

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

A8

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25 , 2018

Ochoa adds 6th bronze to PH team’s haul JAKARTA—The battle for the bronze medal may have been an AllFilipino affair between Margarita “Meggie” Ochoa and Jenna Kaila Napolis, but this didn’t stop the two from going all out against each other in the Newaza Women’s -49kg event at the start of Ju-jitsu Competitions of the 18th Asian Games at the Jakarta Convention Center here on Friday.

In the end, it was Ochoa who bagged the bronze, the Philippines’ sixth in these games after she outclassed Napolis with a series of locks to earn a 2-0 victory.

“Masayang masaya po ako. Mas masaya po sana kung parehas kaming may medalya ni Jenna, pero kahit magkababayan kami ay fair play pa rin po at ipinakita namin ang best namin,” said Ochoa.

Ochoa and Napolis had to face each other for the sure bronze of the Philippines after fighting their own way up in the elimination round.

Ochoa, a 28-year-old Ateneo de Manila Management graduate, had to rise from the repecharge, while the 22-year-old College of De La SalleSt. Benilde student Napolis strung up two wins before losing in the semifinals.

Their own separate paths led to the battle for the bronze medal, the Ju-jitsu delegation’s first in the quadrennial games.

Ochoa won her first two matches against Yasmeen Joralkhatib of Jordan via superiority, before eliminating Siramlo Thadeepudsa of Thailand on points, 2-0. She lost in the quarterfinals to Thi Than Minh Vieduong of Vietnam via superiority, but rebounded in the repechage against Bayarmaa Munkhgerel of Mongolia.

Ochoa last won a gold in the Asian Championships’ Newaza -49kg event in 2018 in Aktau, Kazakhstan and had a bronze in 2017 in Hanoi, Vietnam. She was also the gold medallist in the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan in the -45kg division.

Napolis missed a chance to compete for the gold as she lost in the semifinals to Jessa Khan of Cambodia via a tap out. She won earlier against Santi Apriyani Savitri of host Indonesia in the Round of 16 and in the quarterfinals to Wadima Alyafei of United Arab Emirates.

Riera U. Mallari

Margarita Ochoa (left) of the Philippines grapples with Deepudsa Siramol of Thailand during the Jiu Jitsu 49kg women’s match at the GBK Center during the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia on Friday.

PH athletics team tries to end 24-year Asiad medal drought

By Riera U. Mallari

J

AKARTA—It has been 24 years since a Philippine team bagged an athletics’ medal of any color in the Asian Games.

That was during the 1994 Hiroshima Asiad, courtesy of Elma Muros, whose 6.41-meter leap in the long jump competitions was worth a bronze.

Philippine Athletics’ Track and Field Association president Dr. Philip Ella Juico fervently hopes the drought ends here in Jakarta.

“If everything goes right, like timing, pacing, many of our athletes like even Harry Diones and Janry Ubas, can also spring some surprises,” said Juico, who himself was appointed jury of the Asian Athletics Association in charge of the athletics’ disciplines these games.

Juico will be banking on his Lucky

13 in the athletics competitions which begin today at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Complex here.

The team will be led by Eric Shauwn Cray and pole vaulter EJ Obiena, who are both coming off impressive performances in recent Asian tournaments and therefore have the best chances of giving the Philippine athletics’ team a medal in these games.

Reigning Southeast Asian Games decathlon champion Aries Toledo begins the ball rolling with the 100 meters at 10 a.m. today before his 10:45 a.m. long jump competition and the 12 noon shot put. He winds up his busy decath-

lon day with the high jump later at 6:50 p.m. and the 400 meters in the night cap at 9:30 p.m.

Ubas, the bronze medalist in the long jump of the 2017 SEA Games and decathlon in the 2015 edition of the biennial meet, tries to qualify in the finals of the long jump at 6:50 p.m.

But what excites Juico is the association’s newest find, Kristina Marie Knott.

“The one thing good about Kristina Knott is, very few in Asia know anything about her. The first time they saw her in action was about a month ago in the Vietnam Open, which was the last tournament we took part in before the Asian Games,” said Juico.

The Fil-American Creative Writing student of University of Miami runs in the 100M heats at 6:30 p.m. today.

In the coming days, Cray, who is coming off a gold medal in the 400M hurdles of the 2017 Asian Athlet-

Fernandez battles Iran opponent

Gao shoots a 67, moves in contention JAKARTA—Cebuano Weiwei Gao sizzed with a five-under par 67 on Friday, boosting his medal hopes in moving into a tie for third place with Indiai’s Aadil Bedi in the in the men’s individual play after 36 holes of the 18th Asian Games golf competitions at the par-72, 7,206-yard Pondok Indah Golf Club course.

Following his even-par 72 the previous day, the University of Virginia freshman had a two-round tally of 139, just three shots behind pacesetting Japanese Keita Nakajima, who shot a 68 and a 136 aggregate, one-up over Korean second-placer Cho Hoyoung, who also fired a 68.

Gao combined with Lloyd Jefferson Go and Luis Miguel Castro, who both fired similar 71s, in pulling the Nationals up to 10th place, 15 strokes off the pacesetting Japanese squad in the three-to-count-four-to-play team competition. Rupert Zaragoza shot a 1-over 73 and did not count.

In the women’s division, Yuka Saso also gained ground, shooting a threeunder 69 and was in a three-day deadlock at fifth at 140 after carding a 71 in the opening round, five shots behind Chinese solo leader Du Mohan, who waxed hot with a six-under 66.

Counting Bianca Pagdanganan’s 70, the Filipina parbusters were in a threeway tie for fourth place with Indonesia and Malaysia at 143 after two rounds, seven shots off the frontrunning Japanese squad at 137. Leslie Go’s 72 did not count for the Philippines.

ics Championships and a silver in the 60M Run of the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, takes part in the 400M hurdles and the 4x100 relay with Trenton Beram, Anferenee Lopena and Clinton Bautista.

Beram is also joining the 800 meters, while Bautista is slated to compete in the 110m hurdles.

Obiena, the pole vault favorite in the SEA Games before he was sidelined by an ACL tear, is now fully recovered. He competes in the pole vault on Aug. 29, where he is one of the favorites.

Marco Vilog is the PH’s bet in the 800 meters, while Francis Medina takes part in the 400m Hurdles.

Mary Joy Tabal, who has been training in Tuscany for several months, joins the marathon tomorrow, while Marestella Sunang makes what could be her last hurrah in these games in the triple jump competitions on Aug. 27.

The PH Blu Girls link hands after bowing to Chinese Taipei, 3-6, in the 2018 Asian Games Softball Competitions’ Semifinals at the Gelora Bung Karno pitch Thursday night. The softbelles finished fourth overall.

PH quintet nearing chemistry

Yeng Guiao

JAKARTA—The Philippine national basketball team may just be three weeks’ old, but coach Yeng Guiao believes they are close to achieving the chemistry he wants to see in his wards in these 18th Asian Games.

And NBA star Jordan Clarkson is big a reason why.

“I have a good feeling that with Jordan Clarkson, and of course the way the players are playing, the way they are developing and the way we are getting that cohesion, I think things are even this time going to the game against Korea,” said Guiao, whose wards take on the Koreans on Monday, 11 a.m. at the Gelora Bung Karno Basketball Hall.

“Historically, the Koreans… it’s always hard to win against them, and most of the time our national team ends up losing,” added Guiao.

In his debut for the Rain or Shineled team, the 6’5” Clarkson collected 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the team’s heart-breaking 82-80 loss to the Chinese in the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games here.

Guiao also got solid performances

from Stanley Pringle, who scored 18 points, and Christian Standhardinger, who had 16 points and Lee had 10 points off the bench.

The Nationals finished No. 2 in Group D with the mighty Chinese topping the group elims with a 2-0 card.

The Koreans, likewise, dominated their rivals, completing a 3-0 record, thanks to the solid effort of naturalized player Ricardo Ratliffe, who averaged 23.3 points and 13 rebounds.

Aside from the 6’10” Ratliffe, who played as import for the Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok in the PBA last season, Korea will also have its deadly shooters like Lee Jung Hyun, Kim Sunhyung, Heo Ung, Heo Ilyoung, Jeon Junbeom and bigman Kang Sangjae.

Guiao, however, is confident the national team is ready for the challenge in their make-or-break encounter as the winner meets either Iran or Syria in the semifinal round of the Asian Games.

That confidence of Guiao emanates from the team’s gutsy stand against the Chinese.

JAKARTA—Mario Fernandez returns to Asian Games boxing hungry for a medal that shines brighter than the bronze he won four years ago.

But to achieve his goal in this 18th Asiad, the 25-year-old veteran from Valencia, Bukidnon, has to shake off complacency against his first fight on Saturday against Iraqi Jaafar Aldulridha Ali Al Sudani.

Fernandez—also a three-time SEA Games gold medalist that bagged his bronze from Incheon 2014—will face a less illustrious foe in Al Sudani, who never reached the quarterfinals of the Asian championships and whose best finish was fifth in the South Asia championships.

Fernandez fights a day after Joel Bacho and Nesthy Petecio opened the country’s campaign in boxing in the men’s welterweight and women’s bantamweight, respectively, at the Jakarta International Expo Hall.

Petecio faced Yin Jun Hua, a Chinese with a scary credential and who the Filipina met for fives atop the ring, winning their last encounter in the semifinals of the Korotkov Memorial Cup in Russia last May. Bacho, on the other hand, took on Iran’s Sajjad Kazemzadeh also on Friday night.

Bacho, an Asian Championships campaigner from Babatngon in Leyte, is expected to work a little harder against the Iranian, a bronze medal winner in last year’s Tashkent Asian Championships.

On Sunday, three Filipinos climb the ring—lightweight James Palicte, flyweight Rogen Ladon and women’s flyweight Irish Magno—and on Saturday, it will be light flyweight’s Carlo Paalam and middle weight Eumir Felic Marcial.

IN BRIEF DBP grants P2-b loan to Aklan hydro project

STATE-RUN Development Bank of the Philippines, the eighth-largest lender in terms of assets, signed a P2-billion term loan agreement with a renewable energy company for the development and construction of the 18-megawatt Timbaban hydropower plant in Madalag, Aklan province.

DBP president and chief executive Cecilia Borromeo said Friday the loan to Oriental Energy & Power Generation Corp. was part of the bank’s efforts to help broaden access to reliable and affordable electricity, especially in the countryside.

“DBP’s loan assistance to OEPGC reflects our continuing commitment to support the efforts of renewable energy firms in their quest to introduce clean energy technology,” Borromeo said.

The Timbaban hydropower project involves the construction and operation of a run-off river 18-MW hydropower plant in Barangay Ma. Cristina, Madalag, Aklan. It is the first hydropower project in the country to obtain a certificate of commerciality from the Department of Energy. It expected to be completed by April of 2019. Julito G. Rada

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018

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AP Renewables drilling new Tiwi, MakBan wells

AP RENEWABLES Inc. and Philippine Geothermal Production Co. Inc. on Friday signed a geothermal resources supply and services agreement for the supply of steam and drilling of new production wells in the Tiwi and MakBan geothermal projects.

The parties said in a joint statement the contract aimed to ensure the longterm operations of the two renewable power plant facilities.

APRI, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp., operates the 458MW MakBan geothermal power plants in the provinces of Batangas and Laguna, as well as the 289-MW Tiwi geothermal power plants in Albay.

PGPC is the steam field operator and geothermal resource provider to the power plants.

PGPC will drill 12 new production wells over a six-year period to increase steam availability for the power plant facilities by about 20 percent.

The agreement also ensures a more competitive fuel pricing in the long term. Alena Mae S. Flores

Rules on national ID released next month

THE government will release next month the implementing rules and regulations of the recently-signed Philippine Identification System Act that takes effect on Aug. 25, 2018, the National Economic and Development Authority said Friday.

Neda said in a statement concerned government agencies, along with the Philippine Statistics Authority as the primary implementing agency, were ready to enforce the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) Act, starting off with the drawing up of its implementing rules and regulations.

The PhilSys Act or Republic Act No. 11055, which creates a central identification platform for all citizens and resident foreigners in the Philippines, will take effect on Aug. 25, 2018.

The PhilSys Policy and Coordination Council, the inter-agency body that will formulate policies and guidelines to ensure effective coordination among the different agencies, convened in an orientation meeting on Aug. 15 to jump-start its implementation. Julito G. Rada

Alphaland’s profit jumped to P3.36b in first six months

By Jenniffer B. Austria UPSCALE property developer Alphaland Corp. reported a net profit of P3.36 billion in the first half of the year, a three-fold increase from P781 million year-on-year.

Alphaland in a statement attributed the strong first-half performance to the brisk reservations for its Baguio Mountain Lodges Project and sales of the new Balesin Private Villa. The company also noted the strong performance in rental incomes from Alphaland Southgate Tower and Alphaland Corporate Tower.

Alphaland said it planned to introduce two- and three-bedroom lodges in its Baguio project to sustain the property firm’s growth momentum.

The smaller lodges will sell for half of the price of the current large four-, five- and six-bedroom units.

Alphaland expects stronger sales in the second half of the year.

Alphaland is building four more Balesin private villas, which will be for sale to large corporations as incentive for their customers. The private villas will be completed before the end of the year.

Alphaland early this year launched a 250-room luxury serviced apartments project, The Alpha Suites. In just three months, it has already contributed to the company’s profitability.

The company’s office development, Alphaland Corporate Tower at Makati Place, consisting of 27,000 square meters, is now fully leased.

Alphaland reported a strong balance sheet, with debt just 8.6 percent against equity of 91.4 percent, the opposite of most property development companies.

RCBC LOAN. Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. has been tapped as sole lender to the maiden solar power project of the AC Energy-BIM Group Partnership in Vietnam. The 300-megawatt plant will be the largest solar power project in Southeast Asia. Posing after the loan signing agreement are (from left) Aldrich Ng, associate of RCBC Capital Corp.; Ryan Sinaon, vice president of RCBC Trust & Investments Group; Manuel San Diego, first VP of RCBC; Claudine del Rosario, FVP of RCBC Capital; Raoul Santos, senior VP of RCBC Trust & Investments Group; Jose Luis Gomez, president and chief executive officer of RCBC Capital; Elizabeth Coronel, first SVP of RCBC; Doan Huy, executive VP of the BIM Group; Nguyen Huong of the BIM Group; Nguyen Mai, CFO of the BIM Renewable Energy Joint Stock Company; Miguel De Jesus, SVP for International of AC Energy; Nguyen Vinh, member of the BIM Renewable Energy Joint Stock Company; and Miguel Fernandez, AVP for finance of AC Energy.

DOTr bares priority airport projects

By Darwin G. Amojelar

T

he Department of Transportation said two airport development projects are being prioritized to complement the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the Clark International Airport.

The agency said it was pushing for the construction of a new airport in Bulacan province and developing the Sangley airport in Cavite province to decongest Naia, give travelers more options and spread development across Luzon.

“The idea of having multiple airports is something that the world’s biggest economies do. Ideally, there should be

a train service linking these airports, which is also being pursued by the government. This complementation strategy was already part of the air transport roadmap from day one, and rest assured, that’s what we are going to do,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.

The new Bulacan airport, an unsolicited proposal from San Miguel Holdings Corp., was approved by the board of the National Economic and Development Authority on April 25, subject to resolution of pending issues, including a submission of “Joint and Several Liability” agreement

by SMHC and its parent company.

After submitting the revised concession agreement, along with the risk allocation matrix, the Neda and the Department of Finance submitted their comments on August 9 for consideration of SMHC. The DOTr will then start negotiations with SMHC to finalize the draft conces-

Landing’s tycoon head missing as shares plummet HONG KONG—Shares in an Asian casino operator plunged in Hong Kong on Friday as it said its tycoon head had gone missing, the latest setback for the firm after a project in Manila had been stopped.

Landing International Development said in a filing to the Hong Kong exchange Thursday that chairman Yang Zhihui could not be found, hours after its share price lost about 35 percent and was then suspended.

When trading restarted early Friday it dived another 16.22 percent to end at HK$3.15.

Mainland news site Caixin reported Friday that Yang was being investigated by Chinese authorities probing his ties with the head of state-controlled Huarong Asset Management and had been detained in Cambodia.

Landing said in Thursday’s statement it had “noted the fluctuation in the price and trading volume of shares of the company on 23 August 2018 and confirmed that the company has been unable to contact or reach Mr. Yang Zhihui... since 23 August 2018.”

“To the best knowledge of the board, the business operations and financial positions of the group are normal,” Landing said in its statement to the exchange, adding that the “temporary absence” of Yang would not affect its operations.

Yang is the company’s largest shareholder with a 50.5 percent stake. Landing said it was making attempts to contact him.

Landing said in a statement the company and its subsidiaries continue to operate as usual despite the temporary absence of the chairman.

Landing’s board headed by Zhou Xueyun added it expects the temporary absence of would not have any material adverse impact on the day-to-day operations and financial position of the Landing Group.

It said it was also determined to push through with the Nayon Landing, a US$1.5-billion integrated resort project in Manila’s Entertainment City, adding the resources were enough to complete the project by 2022. AFP

sion agreement and submit the same to the Neda ICC, and finally begin the Swiss Challenge process.

Sought for comment, San Miguel confirmed having received the consolidated comments of the DoF and Neda on the draft concession agreement for the New Manila International Airport on August 22.

“SMC is looking forward to completing the process, and finalizing the agreement with DOTr at the soonest time possible,” San Miguel said.

“SMC truly welcomes this development, as it brings the company another step closer to making the NMIA—the largest, most ambitious and most modern airport infrastructure project in the country—a reality,” it added.

The proposal includes the building of four parallel runways and a passenger terminal with a capacity of 100 million a year.

The DOTr also welcomed the proposal of the provincial government of Cavite to develop the Sangley Airport.

The approval process, however, will be defined after Cavite has determined the legal framework of the implementation.

While these projects are being developed, the Manila International Airport Authority board approved the grant of an original proponent status to the Naia Consortium for Naia’s rehabilitation project. The concession period will run for 15 years.

Tugade added that apart from these airports in Luzon, several others are undergoing various stages of implementation. Among them is the new Bohol (Panglao) airport, which will be opened within the year. The Bicol International Airport in Albay is also being constructed after 11 years of delay. The Siargao and Bukidnon airport are also in the works.

B2

Business

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market drops on profit-taking

T

HE stock market slipped Friday on profit-taking after chalking up big gains in the previous two sessions.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 37.56 points, or 0.5 percent, to 7,766.47 on a value turnover of P7.2 billion. Losers beat gainers, 122 to 76, with 54 issues unchanged.

IRC Properties Inc., which plans to build a $3.7-billion subway in Makati City, slumped 6.8 percent to P1.65, while Megaworld Corp., the biggest lessor of office spaces, lost 5.3 percent to P4.68.

Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. advanced 7.4 percent to P171.80, while unit San Miguel Food and Beverage Inc. rose 4.2 percent to P96. San Miguel Food plans to raise P142.8 bil-

lion from the sale of up to 1.02 billion in secondary shares before the end of the year.

The rest of Asian markets were mixed on Friday as China-US trade talks wrapped up with little progress being made, while the dollar held up ahead of a key speech by the head of the Federal Reserve.

The Australian dollar pared losses and stocks inched up after the governing Liberal Party elected a new businessfriendly prime minister, ending a period of political uncertainty.

Officials from Beijing and Washington finished a two-day meeting that saw what the Chinese side described as “constructive and frank” discussions on trade.

The low-level negotiations were the first since the world’s top economies began exchanging tit-for-tat tariffs in July and came as they imposed fresh

measures on billions of dollars more in goods.

“The two sides will keep contact regarding future plans,” China’s Commerce Ministry said in a brief statement, while the White House said the talks concluded after officials “exchanged views on how to achieve fairness, balance and reciprocity in the economic relationship.”

By the end of the day Tokyo was up 0.9 percent as a weaker yen helped exporters, while Shanghai added 0.2 percent.

Seoul gained 0.5 percent and Wellington added 0.2 percent. But Hong Kong lost 0.4 percent in the afternoon and Singapore slipped 0.8 percent with Taipei and Jakarta also down.

Sydney’s under-pressure S&P/ASX 200 fluctuated through the day and ended up 0.1 percent after the Liberals elected Scott Morrison as prime minis-

ter.

The former treasurer took the reins after beating hardliner and populist Peter Dutton, who had moved to replace Malcolm Turnbull in a shock revolt earlier this week sending Australian markets spinning.

The Australian dollar fell about 0.8 percent in the morning but clawed back in the afternoon to sit 0.2 percent lower.

Elsewhere on currency markets the US dollar fluctuated but was holding gains ahead of the annual Jackson Hole symposium of central bankers, where Fed boss Jerome Powell is due to speak later Friday.

While his remarks will be pored over for clues about the bank’s policy plans, they will attract more interest after Donald Trump’s criticism this week of its recent interest rate hikes and accusations it is not backing his economic agenda.

With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 59.9 15,140 92.7 929,190 2.68 12,000 128 819,230 1.71 214,000 31.05 734,900 16.36 4,500 14.44 288,600 4.12 189,000 8.67 300 1.55 2,000 805 30 0.55 374,000 72.5 1,699,320 0.98 120,000 11.96 1,700 21.9 1,000 47.25 445,500 196 103,110 88.05 350 29.3 88,300 199.3 266,520 83.55 240 1.24 88,000

897,625 86,180,622.50 31,500 104,561,669 363,970 23,161,135 73,642 4,167,542 774,530 2,601 3,100 24,150 206,610 124,334,177.50 118,030 20,332 21,900 20,806,810 20,209,911 30,817.50 2,586,835 53,101,896 20,060.50 109,120

292,575 -62,123,399 -31,975,387 -9,890,905 -1,345,522 -66,074,594.50 -12,587,190 227,570 -1,441,710 -19,118,173 -

36.05 16.9 0.99 1.26 0.235 3.22 14.68 210 33.9 20 47.2 72.95 1.84 5 7.6 10.16 15.6 10.2 7.25 7.05 15.64 63.6 27.2 7.2 13.6 2.07 284.2 4.98 3.21 24.1 13.34 18.8 361 0.183 6.85 2.17 4.14 8.97 5.2 7.89 1.03 11 55.6 6.05 2.48 3.05 1.69 13.14 93 5.4 0.129 1.03 138.5 2.07 1.76

INDUSTRIAL 36.9 1,027,900 17.18 1,351,600 1.02 23,899,000 1.26 3,855,000 0.24 640,000 3.23 1,426,000 14.7 264,200 210 60 34.9 1,495,000 20.6 22,300 49 1,200 72.95 120 1.84 6,000 5 9,100 7.6 4,500 10.18 2,182,500 15.62 172,400 10.2 165,100 7.31 1,576,500 7.05 2,437,300 15.8 474,800 63.9 2,780 27.2 786,000 7.22 460,400 14 884,000 2.1 2,042,000 288 582,540 5.1 21,000 3.26 7,000 24.15 1,683,700 13.4 650,500 18.8 893,200 366 169,730 0.196 1,910,000 6.85 13,000 2.18 161,000 4.27 53,000 9 3,711,300 5.2 141,400 7.89 200 1.03 883,000 11 531,200 55.9 30,950 6.1 32,200 2.57 573,000 3.08 178,000 1.71 355,000 13.14 1,538,400 96 4,563,340 5.45 113,200 0.129 250,000 1.03 175,000 143 555,230 2.08 4,869,000 1.76 17,373,000

37,696,575 23,063,688 24,798,080 5,004,920 150,560 4,669,900 3,883,562 12,600 53,168,700 449,375 58,200 8,754 11,040 45,500 34,240 22,246,364 2,690,256 1,689,010 11,480,025 17,186,420 7,498,426 177,573.50 22,009,400 3,338,844 12,302,844 4,298,010 167,498,724 104,820 22,700 40,954,950 8,715,984 16,909,856 61,933,004 360,510 89,061 350,070 224,740 33,423,829 742,001 1,578 914,700 6,082,386 1,728,489.50 195,140 1,454,210 550,770 604,450 20,260,672 450,843,493 613,223 32,250 182,620 77,844,534 10,142,320 31,355,160

-9,347,220 18,414 -491,240 -61,540 700 -1,828,386 -16,095,840 -48,290 9,200 -6,096 3,618,412 647,248 -1,062,512 -413,709 -13,569,133 2,103,328 53,049.50 5,864 -3,657,638 147,000 36,281,014 -38,275,080 -2,957,654 -4,371,380.00 12,788,082 -110,690 -111,331 -314,790 -5,103,110 281,387 -48,720 7,650.00 20,173,806 -40,059,707 26,216,094 -25,000 882,300

0.35 57.5 13.32 0.98 6.1 36 1.53 1.54 990 6 12.04 7.1 5.38 897 6 55 0.61 4.65 17.62 0.68 5.06 0.039 1.34 2.99 174.5 950 0.79 1.6 400 320 0.365 0.209

0.33 56.5 13.04 0.92 6 34.45 1.43 1.43 976 5.94 11.7 7.09 5 870 5.96 53.5 0.59 4.3 17.22 0.65 4.94 0.038 1.29 2.85 159.5 939 0.78 1.53 400 264.2 0.34 0.207

HOLDING FIRMS 0.34 19,250,000 56.7 1,158,630 13.18 8,769,100 0.92 12,000 6.09 8,500 35.15 145,800 1.48 47,990,000 1.47 14,003,000 990 176,340 5.97 8,672,100 12.02 5,339,200 7.09 800 5.38 1,700 870 168,460 6 1,700 54.85 2,101,700 0.61 604,000 4.45 9,041,000 17.24 2,523,600 0.65 2,674,000 5.02 12,675,900 0.038 21,200,000 1.3 651,000 2.87 1,346,000 171.8 5,047,830 948 243,070 0.79 38,000 1.56 1,412,000 400 20 300.8 186,250 0.355 19,840,000 0.207 1,080,000

6,543,600 65,999,288.50 115,506,514 11,100 51,146 5,065,170 71,650,250 20,932,990 173,453,355 51,855,499 64,013,108 5,675 8,538 147,784,930 10,168 114,508,419 361,760 40,514,370 43,663,934 1,765,720 63,216,039 807,900 851,510 3,884,540 849,735,830 229,705,520 29,650 2,192,230 8,000 55,838,954 7,003,250 224,200

-19,014,465.50 -16,933,480 433,350 2,808,860 -2,103,750 -38,592,005 578,312 -94,210,595 516,730 223,500.00 -36,166,550 264,550 14,931,706 26,600 6,590 31,850 -3,297,971 41,174,735 -23,400 -3,640,424 -177,500 -

7.68 0.99 13.54 1.94 0.73 44.05 3.12 4.6 5.55 5.9 0.46 0.98 1.04 0.246 0.495 9.81 26.95 0.59 0.124 1.54 1.19 1.82 4.94 0.62 0.57 0.5 3.6 20.95 2 3.21

7.19 0.96 13 1.94 0.72 43.6 3.07 4.46 5.52 5.9 0.445 0.94 0.98 0.238 0.405 9.55 26.1 0.56 0.116 1.48 1.19 1.65 4.68 0.61 0.52 0.49 3.46 20.25 1.99 3.2

25,189,535 3,732,990 462,880 1,940 601,050 602,535,905 457,130 3,056,800 240,864 8,260 1,225,350 114,220 913,050 2,612,830 4,833,150 3,919,579 7,036,375 551,000 102,320 19,086,280 572,390 114,597,410 240,586,440 7,472,680 28,418,680 1,787,400 5,701,370 63,619,460 49,970 1,651,790

25,897 44,050 -14,600 83,506,970 -429,230 -441,530 -337,700 600 47,750 -785,215 -433,260.00 5,594,930 -987,590 -86,564,750 115,900 -888,060 14,700 3,577,530 -28,844,380 956,800

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

60 95 2.62 128 1.7 32.25 16.38 14.5 4.08 8.67 1.55 805 0.55 73.6 0.98 11.96 21.9 46.5 196.5 88.05 29.4 202 83.5 1.24

60 95 2.68 129 1.73 32.25 16.38 14.52 4.15 8.67 1.55 805 0.57 73.8 0.99 11.96 21.9 47.25 196.5 88.05 29.5 202 83.7 1.24

57.45 92.5 2.62 126.5 1.7 31 16.36 14.4 4.01 8.67 1.55 805 0.55 72.5 0.98 11.96 21.9 46.4 196 88.05 29.1 198.2 83.5 1.24

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

36.9 17.02 1.07 1.26 0.235 3.31 14.74 210 36.15 20.9 50 72.95 1.84 5 7.62 10.3 15.6 10.26 7.32 7.06 15.7 63.6 28 7.4 13.7 2.16 293 4.98 3.27 24.7 13.4 19.02 365 0.195 6.87 2.19 4.2 9.03 5.25 7.89 1.04 11.84 55.7 6.05 2.55 3.1 1.74 13.2 93 5.46 0.129 1.05 140 2.1 1.92

37.2 17.18 1.12 1.36 0.24 3.32 14.74 210 38 20.9 50 72.95 1.84 5 7.62 10.4 15.68 10.26 7.32 7.07 15.96 63.95 28.7 7.4 14.16 2.16 293 5.1 3.27 24.7 13.42 19.1 369.6 0.197 6.87 2.19 4.28 9.05 5.34 7.89 1.05 11.84 55.95 6.1 2.58 3.2 1.74 13.2 103.4 5.48 0.129 1.05 143 2.12 1.92

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

0.34 56.65 13.32 0.92 6.1 36 1.45 1.47 990 6 12 7.09 5 895 5.96 55 0.6 4.39 17.62 0.68 5.05 0.038 1.3 2.98 160 940 0.78 1.6 400 264.2 0.355 0.209

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

7.68 0.99 13.2 1.94 0.72 43.8 3.12 4.58 5.55 5.9 0.45 0.95 0.98 0.246 0.405 9.7 26.95 0.59 0.119 1.54 1.19 1.8 4.94 0.61 0.54 0.495 3.5 20.55 2 3.21

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

38 1.15 7.26 0.75 6.38

39 1.15 7.29 0.75 6.4

37.6 1.13 7.2 0.75 6.26

38.5 1.15 7.22 0.75 6.34

10,259,500 12,000 317,700 102,000 5,466,700

393,954,495 13,760 2,296,504 76,500 34,625,948

77,110,535 -48,361 -12,965,894

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

13.78 25 1.43 0.62 0.045 13.5 3.35 9.74 0.06 73 8 6.6 8.99 2.37 26.3 910 2,032 5.45 316 4.16 2.07 92.8 12.06 7.85 0.123 2.97 3.51 15.04 3.85 1.03 20.25 0.435 5.69 7.1 2.94 2.02 2.1 17.78 8.2 11.18 8.71 3.73 114 5.13 1,444 0.89 0.37 46.85 82.85 8.18 2.23 1 0.67 5.19 0.82 11.66

14 25 1.43 0.62 0.046 13.5 3.43 9.74 0.063 74 8 6.6 8.99 2.38 26.4 910 2,034 5.6 325 4.2 2.07 93 12.06 7.85 0.125 3.05 3.67 15.04 3.86 1.05 20.25 0.44 5.69 7.15 2.94 2.09 2.1 17.78 8.38 11.18 8.71 3.73 115 5.2 1,444 0.89 0.385 46.9 82.85 8.37 2.28 1.01 0.72 5.45 0.83 11.66

13.78 24.75 1.43 0.57 0.045 13.5 2.8 9.55 0.06 71.9 8 6.47 8.21 2.27 25.3 910 1,993 5.45 305.2 4.1 2.07 89.5 12.06 7.85 0.121 2.94 3.51 15.04 3.74 1.02 20 0.435 5.53 7.08 2.83 2 2.1 17.78 8.18 10.88 8.7 3.73 112.3 5.1 1,414 0.87 0.37 46 81.25 8.18 2.22 0.9 0.66 5.12 0.8 11.56

SERVICES 13.78 24.8 1.43 0.58 0.045 13.5 2.95 9.68 0.061 72 8 6.47 8.7 2.37 25.45 910 1,998 5.5 319 4.13 2.07 92.5 12.06 7.85 0.123 3.03 3.67 15.04 3.78 1.02 20 0.44 5.55 7.09 2.89 2.09 2.1 17.78 8.2 11 8.7 3.73 112.3 5.18 1,439 0.88 0.375 46.5 81.95 8.37 2.26 0.95 0.69 5.12 0.81 11.58

12,000 53,000 30,000 25,124,000 4,900,000 1,979,900 32,588,000 5,419,800 37,470,000 657,350 2,500 3,100,900 99,200 17,000 103,100 50 50,640 613,900 7,970 1,412,000 10,000 6,822,650 1,700 10,000 6,700,000 2,308,000 9,000 2,000 1,099,000 694,000 174,500 130,000 267,900 1,741,200 579,000 336,000 10,000 100 1,769,500 13,700 1,700 1,000 111,150 677,300 58,450 2,031,000 1,360,000 389,000 408,270 9,800 7,301,000 5,536,000 114,113,000 3,288,900 2,649,000 5,194,000

165,520 1,320,960 42,900 14,728,680 220,600 26,728,650 97,183,760 52,448,440 2,288,450 47,812,178.50 20,000 20,174,156 851,983 39,100 2,662,345 45,500 101,316,865 3,393,405 2,483,390 5,861,540 20,700 632,179,572 20,502 78,500 817,050 6,929,800 31,750 30,080 4,156,950 712,170 3,494,310 57,100 1,491,396 12,346,749 1,666,650 688,860 21,000 1,778 14,547,864 149,410 14,801 3,730 12,670,304 3,464,547 83,301,565 1,786,590 508,350 18,093,875 33,443,021.50 80,931 16,421,450 5,235,410 79,450,010 17,416,022 2,138,340 60,233,078

13,780 3,800 0 346,550 763,280 -62,000 -24,949,854.50 -5,915,917 56,777,075 -1,230,328 224,180 -2,626,035 -3,090 -475,080 388,595 82,405 269,640 95,980 57,640 11,746 -28,546,705 -13,970 8,020,555 -30,219,070.00 66,798 -3,563,530 203,080 -467,620 1,957,908 -18,946,696

3,636,900 3,297,680 686,430 1,471,110 1,179,650 24,000 38,990 4,040,020 56,130 131,900 1,270 275,300 961,850 11,615,110 269,330 337,550 3,181,690 85,600 38,100 191,700 793,610 5,905,740 117,458,364 37,611,250 19,800

-5,200 -16,100 -45,990 -905,700 35,000 -1,329,260 -38,100 -104,830 -700,350 -87,608 -24,824,020 -

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 7.3 0.97 13 1.94 0.72 43.9 3.08 4.6 5.52 5.9 0.45 0.94 1.01 0.24 0.435 9.55 26.45 0.58 0.124 1.48 1.19 1.65 4.68 0.62 0.55 0.495 3.5 20.6 2 3.2

3,449,600 3,840,000 34,500 1,000 829,000 13,727,700 148,000 666,000 43,500 1,400 2,710,000 121,000 903,000 10,840,000 10,420,000 406,600 265,900 950,000 870,000 12,732,000 481,000 66,550,000 50,531,000 12,225,000 51,644,000 3,630,000 1,631,000 3,094,700 25,000 516,000

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

0.0026 1.61 3.55 20.75 1.98 0.3 7.38 1.98 0.208 0.121 0.127 0.0082 1.41 4.68 1.18 0.59 1.23 0.012 0.013 0.011 3.72 4.04 15.38 30 0.0066

0.0028 1.62 3.55 21.7 1.98 0.3 7.4 1.99 0.21 0.122 0.127 0.0082 1.42 4.72 1.19 0.59 1.23 0.013 0.013 0.012 3.72 4.08 16.7 30 0.0066

0.0026 1.59 3.53 20.7 1.96 0.3 7.25 1.97 0.207 0.121 0.127 0.0077 1.4 4.61 1.1 0.55 1.15 0.012 0.012 0.011 3.4 4.04 15.38 29.2 0.0066

MINING & OIL 0.0027 1,352,000,000 1.6 2,062,000 3.53 194,000 21.7 68,600 1.98 599,000 0.3 80,000 7.38 5,300 1.98 2,042,000 0.208 270,000 0.122 1,090,000 0.127 10,000 0.008 35,000,000 1.4 684,000 4.7 2,491,000 1.14 235,000 0.58 609,000 1.19 2,690,000 0.013 7,000,000 0.012 3,000,000 0.011 16,900,000 3.44 224,000 4.05 1,459,000 16.64 7,218,100 29.25 1,278,600 0.0066 3,000,000

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 DD PREF FGEN PREF G GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2B PNX PREF 3B SFI PREF SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

24.3 501 100.8 101 5.3 970 987.5 101 105 1,050 106 1.92 986 76.5 80 75.5 76.5 75.6 75.5 76

24.3 501 101 101 5.3 975 987.5 101 105 1,050 106 1.92 1,000 77 80 75.5 77 75.9 75.6 77

23.25 501 100.3 100 5.28 950 987.5 99.6 105 1,050 106 1.92 985 76.5 80 75.5 76.5 75.6 75.5 76

PREFERRED 23.6 54,900 501 100 101 31,250 100 5,000 5.3 599,300 950 5,600 987.5 30 99.6 710 105 510 1,050 220 106 2,100 1.92 3,000 1,000 1,660 77 10,930 80 20,800 75.5 2,000 77 19,530 75.9 109,850 75.6 18,900 77 51,570

1,326,430 50,100 3,147,680 501,908 3,175,390 5,360,420 29,625 71,418 53,550 231,000 222,600 5,760 1,641,500 839,175 1,664,000 151,000 1,498,810 8,311,260 1,428,216 3,956,729.50

-690,340 -3,175,390 19,030 493,350 -

LR WARRANT

2.35

2.38

2.32

WARRANTS 2.38 43,000

101,620

-

2,412,887 573,170

39,234 14,250

381,340

-

145.6

-

ITALPINAS XURPAS

5.08 2.83

5.1 2.85

5 2.83

FIRST METRO ETF

115.6

115.6

114.6

USD TECH B2

1.04

1.04

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

6,397,617

INDUSTRIAL

87,220,712

HOLDING FIRMS

188,196,833

PROPERTY

270,875,374

SERVICES

280,435,724

MINING & OIL

1,440,675,858

GRAND TOTAL

2,274,488,146

1.04

5.07 2.83

SME

480,200 202,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 115.3 3,310 1.04

DDS

140

VALUE 1,797.06 (DOWN0 25.97 441,834,755.20 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,265.81 (DOWN) 50.10 1,194,817,186.068 HOLDING FIRMS 7,608.68 (UP) 15.94 2,275,883,548.79 PROPERTY 3,905.10 (DOWN) 37.16 1,546.34 (DOWN) 9.30 1,635,899,362.67 SERVICES MINING & OIL 9,836.81 (DOWN) 2.55 1,472,649,094.94 PSEI 7,766.47 (DOWN) 37.56 193,332,150.403 All Shares Index 4,728.82 (DOWN) 3.76 7,217,787,025.97 Gainers: 76; Losers: 122; Unchanged: 54; Total: 252

Alsons says net income hit P120.3m in 6 months

By Alena Mae S. Flores ALSONS Consolidated Resources Inc. of the Alcantara Group, reported Friday a net income after tax of P120.3 million in the first six months of 2018, down 37 percent from P190.5 million year-onyear.

Alsons blamed the lower net income to higher costs and financing charges.

Revenues in the first half reached P3.48 billion, slightly lower from P3.58 billion on year.

General and administrative expenses increased 9 percent to P189 million from P172 million in the first six months.

Alson’s consolidated earnings before interest taxes depreciation and amortization (EBITDA)rose 11 percent to P1.15 billion from P1.03 billion in 2017.

“The substantial increase in consolidated EBITDA this year highlights our group’s solid operational efficiency,” vice president and chief financial officer Robert Yenko said.

The company is optimistic about future growth prospects, noting that in addition to three major projects coming on-line starting next year, it is actively pursuing new projects in the Visayas.

“Demand for power in the Visayas is likely to grow particularly in light of the economic recovery in Leyte and Samar.

We are seriously looking at the Visayas region as a potential market particularly for our diesel capacity,” Yenko said.

Alsons, meanwhile, said its key projects were all on track for completion starting early next year until 2022, even as revenues in the first half fell slightly on year.

The projects include the second 105-megawatt section of the 210-MW baseload coal-fired power plant of Sarangani Energy Corp. in Maasim, Sarangani province, the 15.1-MW runof-river hydro power plant at the Siguil River basin also in Maasim, Sarangani province, and the 105-MW baseload coal-fired power plant of San Ramon Power Inc. in Zamboanga City.

Alsons said construction of the Sarangani Energy Section 2 was more than 80 percent complete. It will start commercial operations within the first quarter next year.

UnionBank eyeing digital adoption rate of 80% in 2 years

By Julito G. Rada UNION Bank of the Philippines, the country’s ninth-largest lender in terms of assets and controlled by the Aboitiz Group, is aiming at an ambitious 80-percent share of digital adoption rate from the current 44 percent in a couple of years that will help the bank improve its bottom line. “... Because if they’re [customers] digital, one, they won’t withdraw all their money from their ATM, they’ll keep it there, and they’ll use it to buy things and when they buy in a POS [point-of-sale] terminal, the bank makes one and a half percent or one percent from the transaction in virtual discounts,” bank president and chief executive Edwin Bautista said in an event Thursday evening in Makati City. “... We make money and at the same time, we don’t crowd the tellers, they don’t go to the branch, our cash handling goes down, our cost goes down.

So revenues go up, the cost goes down,” Bautista said.

Bautista, however, declined to give the timetable for the 80-percent adoption rate. ”I really don’t know, that’s a number that is hard to tell because I think even DBS, they only have I think below 60 percent in terms of digital adoption,” he said.

He also said none of the old banks that transitioned to digital have reached anywhere near 70 percent. “... When we reach the magic number of 80 [percent], we can now consider ourselves a digital bank. That is more or less the yardstick... that you are more digital than anything. Well, when you cross 50 percent then you are already 50-50,” he said.

Union Bank posted an 8-percent increase in net income in the first six months of 2018 to P4.7 billion from P4.4 billion a year ago on the sustained strength of its customer businesses.

Net revenues rose 9.1 percent to P12.7 billion from P11.7 billion in the same period last year, translating into an annualized return on equity and return on average assets of 12.8 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively.

Total loans increased 18 percent yearon-year to P313.0 billion, with retail accounting for 33 percent of the total portfolio.

World

B3

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Mexico president selling jetliner

MEXICO CITY―Mexico’s leftist president-elect wants to sell the jetliner that comes with the job, calling it a wasteful luxury.

Now, he has a potential buyer who wants to use it as an uber-posh taxi for presidents, or guys like Mick Jagger.

This businessman, one Gustavo Jimenez Pons, made the offer Thursday at president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s office, the newspaper Reforma reported.

People seeking favors or other things from the new leader line up outside his office every day. Jimenez Pons, who is offering $99 million for the 300-seat Boeing Dreamliner 787, showed up and had to get in line like everybody else.

What he’s offering would be a cut rate price: Reforma said the plane is valued at $220 million.

Jimenez Pons wants to use it as a taxi, to the tune of $20,000 per hour.

His idea, Reforma said, is to rent the aircraft out to “presidents of other countries who do not have private planes, or rock groups like the Rolling Stones,” added the daily El Universal.

Lopez Obrador, who won a landslide victory in elections in July and will take power on December 1, has said he will never use the plane and wants to sell it, and will not use any private aircraft for that matter. AFP

Indonesian quake death toll hits 555 JAKARTA―A string of deadly earthquakes that rocked Indonesia’s Lombok island this summer killed 555 people and injured nearly 1,500, the disaster agency said Friday, with hundreds of thousands left homeless.

The picturesque island next to holiday hot spot Bali was hit by two deadly quakes on July 29 and August 5. On Sunday it was shaken by a string of fresh tremors and aftershocks, with the strongest measuring 6.9 magnitude.

Indonesia’s disaster agency said Friday most of the deaths occurred in the northern part of Lombok, with several also killed in neighboring Sumbawa island.

Many victims were killed by falling debris as the tremors rippled across the island, causing widespread devastation.

Whole communities were flattened, leaving cracked streets lined with rubble, caved-in roofs and collapsed buildings.

Some 390,000 people remain displaced after the quakes, the disaster agency said.

Aid organizations have vowed to step up humanitarian assistance on the island as devastated residents struggle in makeshift displacement camps.

They warned that access to food, shelter and clean water has been insufficient for some residents displaced by the disasters.

“We’ve deployed troops to isolated villages that are difficult to reach,” disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a statement. AFP

Ex-president Park’s sentence extended SEOUL―A South Korean appeal court on Friday extended ex-president Park Geun-hye’s prison sentence for corruption and abuse of power by one year.

The decision by the Seoul High Court means the former head of state, who was ousted after a sprawling graft scandal triggered mass protests, faces 25 years in jail in the case.

Park was convicted in April of receiving or demanding more than $20 million from conglomerates, sharing secret state documents, “blacklisting” artists critical of her policies, and firing officials who resisted her abuses of power.

Her 10-month trial highlighted shady links between big business and politics in South Korea, with Park and her close friend Choi Soon-sil accused of taking bribes from corporate bigwigs in exchange for preferential treatment.

At the time she was given a 24-year sentence but the prosecution appealed, seeking a 30-year term.

The Seoul High Court said Friday that Park had collaborated with Choi to “demand money and other business favors” from companies and and browbeat them into hiring Choi’s friends. AFP

FOREST FIRE.

Firemen pump water to extinguish the flames in a burning forest on August 24, 2018, in Klausdorf, northeastern Germany, as a forest fire raging 50 kilometres southwest of Berlin continued to spread.

Around 600 people were told to leave their houses in three neighboring villages in Brandenburg state as about 300 firefighters battled the blaze from the air with water-bombing helicopters. AFP

Trump warns on impeachment

W

ASHINGTON― US President Donald Trump has warned the US economy would collapse if he were impeached, as the legal chaos roiling the White House had experts saying his presidency is under threat.

Speaking on the eve of a closely watched meeting of central bank chiefs Friday, Trump also took aim again at his Attorney General, Jeff Sessions,

prompting a rare retort from the embattled justice department chief.

Days after Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen told a federal judge he made illegal campaign contributions at the president’s request―to silence women alleging affairs with Trump― the Republican leader told Fox News that an impeachment would only cause more turmoil.

“I will tell you what, if I ever got impeached, I think the market would crash.

I think everybody would be very poor,” Trump said on “Fox and Friends.” “You would see―you would see numbers that you wouldn’t believe in reverse.”

The US president then launched into a rambling statement on job creation and

other economic progress he said had been made during his presidency.

“I don’t know how you can impeach somebody who has done a great job,” Trump said.

Trump was dealt severe back-to-back blows on Tuesday when Cohen pleaded guilty to illegal campaign finance violations and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was convicted of tax and bank fraud within minutes of each other.

The Manafort conviction was the first case sent to trial by the special prosecutor probing Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

But an unchastened Trump appears intent on riding out the storm

A million Rohingya refugees face cash crunch

Hurricane Lane slams into Hawaii

HAWAIIAN OCEAN VIEW―Torrential rain struck Hawaii as Hurricane Lane moved toward the island state, triggering landslides and flash flooding.

At 0600 GMT, the National Weather Service said the hurricane was packing winds in excess of 195 kilometers per hour, despite being downgraded to category three.

Currently located some 230 miles south of the capital Honolulu, Hurricane Lane was expected to hit very close to the islands on Thursday night or Friday morning.

“Hurricane Lane is still a dangerous and powerful storm,” Governor David Ige told a news conference on Thursday afternoon.

Up to 12 inches of rain had already fallen before dawn, federal authorities said, with 30 inches expected in the worst-hit areas over the coming four to five days.

Over two feet of rain have already fallen at a couple of locations on the windward side of the Big Island, the National Hurricane Center said.

Emergency teams have set up 16 evacuation centers, with a further 19 due to open later as President Donald Trump, who has declared a state of emergency, urged Hawaiians to hunker down and prepare for the worst.

“Our teams are closely coordinating with the state and local authorities. You are in our thoughts!” Trump tweeted. AFP

CONCERT SERIES. Natti Natasha performs onstage as Spotify Kicks Off the Viva Latino! Live Concert Series in Chicago with Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny, Becky G and Jowell & Randy at Allstate Arena on August 23, 2018, in Chicago, Illinois. AFP

UN summit on TB seeks to put spotlight on the killer disease UNITED NATIONS―It’s the world’s number one killer among infectious diseases, but tuberculosis has been eclipsed

by HIV/AIDS as a focus of global attention and donor funding.

When world leaders gather at the United Nations next month, they will be asked to change that by committing to end the tuberculosis pandemic by 2030 and come up with $13 billion annually to achieve that goal.

A row between the United States and South Africa threatens, however, to cast a pall over the first high-level meeting on tuberculosis, to be held on the sidelines of the General Assembly meeting in New York.

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates whose global fund has done gamechanging work to boost public health in poor countries will be among the head-

liners of the TB summit on September 26.

“TB is not a disease of the past, but if the world works together to fight it, I have no doubt it can be,” Gates said in post on Twitter.

Two months of negotiations on a final declaration were scheduled to wrap up in July, but the talks have dragged on after South Africa opposed US proposals to delete language that recognizes the right of poorer countries to access cheaper medicines.

Medical charity MSF has applauded South Africa’s stance and urged countries to resist what it has described as “an aggressive push” by the US pharmaceutical lobby to restrict access to low-cost drugs.

Diplomats said negotiations were continuing on a possible compromise.

as Washington grapples with the latest upheaval in his tumultuous presidency.

The president has insisted he did nothing wrong after Cohen, his longtime private lawyer and fixer, implicated him in the illicit hush payments made before the 2016 election to two women who claimed to have had affairs with the Republican presidential candidate.

Although Cohen did not name them, the women were believed to be porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal.

Because the hush payments were intended to influence the outcome of the elections, they violated US laws governing campaign contributions. AFP

Last year, the World Health Organization sounded the alarm when it said tuberculosis had surpassed HIV/AIDS as the world’s number one infectious killer and was the ninth cause of death worldwide.

About 1.7 million people died from TB in 2016 out of 10.4 million worldwide who became ill from the severe lung infection, according to the WHO. A 30-point final declaration under negotiation would commit governments to end the global tuberculosis epidemic by 2030 by stepping up investment and innovation to fight the disease.

Governments would agree to mobilize at least $13 billion a year by 2022 for treatment and care and an additional $2 billion to fund research at a time when tuberculosis is becoming more resistant

to antibiotics.

Five countries are the hardest-hit by the TB pandemic: India, which accounts for a quarter of cases, Indonesia, China, the Philippines and Pakistan, but it remains unclear whether these nations are sending high-level officials to the summit.

Non-governmental organizations say leaders from key donor countries like the United States, Britain, France, Germany and Canada must turn up for the meeting to be groundbreaking.

“TB is not just a health issue. TB is an economic issue, a development issue, a security issue and we need leadership from heads of states,” said Paula Fujiwara, the scientific director of the Paris-based International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. AFP

COX’S BAZAR―With a repatriation plan in tatters and funding evaporating for a million refugees with evergrowing needs, the Rohingya Muslims who fled Myanmar to Bangladesh face a grim future one year after the latest eruption of a decades-old conflict.

Raids by Rohingya militants on August 25 last year across Myanmar’s Rakhine state spurred an army crackdown, which the United Nations has likened to “ethnic cleansing”.

Around 700,000 of the Muslim minority fled by foot or boat to Bangladesh, their villages ablaze behind them, in an exodus unprecedented in speed and scale.

The crisis has heaped enormous pressure on Bangladesh’s impoverished Cox’s Bazar district, which already hosted around 300,000 of the stateless group.

Myanmar says it is ready to take those who fled back.

But it refuses to recognize the Rohingya as citizens, falsely labeling them “Bengali” illegal immigrants.

A deal between Myanmar and Bangladesh to start sending them back has also gone nowhere, caught up in bureaucracy and mistrust, with fewer than 200 having been repatriated so far.

Myanmar’s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi this week said it was up to Bangladesh “to decide how quickly” repatriation can be done, while insisting the “terrorist threat” posed by Rohingya militants remains “real and present”.

Without safety, citizenship and compensation for homes and land torched or commandeered by the army since they fled, the Rohingya do not want to go back.

But life in the camps, among the most densely populated places on earth, looks set to get harder.

A UN-led appeal for around $1 billion to fund the refugees until March has yielded only a third of that sum.

The slow response has alarmed experts.

“Giving generally peaks in that first year [of a crisis]... then it’s much harder to fund,” Dr Peter Salama, the emergency response chief of the World Health Organization, told AFP. Without a major cash injection, “remarkable” success in controlling outbreaks of diphtheria, cholera and other diseases could be undone, he said, and provision of non-life saving help― such as family planning and mental health-will likely evaporate. AFP

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018

Rule-breaking designs for small bathrooms

T

IRED of your small, dark and uninspiring bathroom? Are you ready to finally give it an overhaul? There’s no better time to give your small bathroom a fresh look.

Small bathroom design is finally stepping out of the cookie-cutter bathtub, sink cabinet, mirror and toilet combination.

The latest small bathroom design ideas are fresh and revolutionary, rethinking what we all expect a bathroom design to look like. Wall-mounted toilets and sinks defy gravity. Cabinet doors are gone. Bold texture and patterns take over a small bathroom space.

Here are some rules to break, and open your mind to what your small bathroom should look like.

STORAGE Those large vanities with the deep cabinet space under the sink are really an inefficient use of space. Things get lost at the back of the cabinet. And the scale takes up so much real estate in your small bathroom design that your bathroom ends up looking smaller. So how do you solve the issue?

Get rid of clutter and unnecessary items. How many towels, cosmetics and hotel toiletries do you really need?

Replace the clunky bathroom vanity with a floating sink or cabinet or narrow open shelves. You’ll be less tempted to clutter your bathroom when the stuff is on display. And you’ll open a lot more visual space in your bathroom.

SPLURGE ON FINISHES Some of the most expensive items in a bathroom design are the fixtures, tile and finishes. Since you’re working with a smaller space, you need less. It’s time to break out of thinking that a small bathroom isn’t worth the money. Add a seamless glass shower door to your small bathroom Tear out the bathtub and add a modern walk-in shower surrounded by seamless glass. It’s a great way to save tons of space in your small bathroom.

A seamless glass door may be more expensive than a shower curtain, but will definitely be more durable. Not to mention, it will open up the space and add value to your home.

Not ready to give up on the bathtub?

You can still add a seamless glass shower, or tub enclosure.

TEXTURE, PATTERN Most designers tell you that dark colors or busy patterns are not a good idea in a small space. Think again. Strong patterns and textures add depth and play to a space, creating the illusion of more size and life.

WALL-MOUNT EVERYTHING Float everything, including the toilet, from your walls. It’s a great way to make cleaning easier, when you can access the floor below. Not to mention the space looks bigger, because our eye tends to judge space by analyzing the floor area. You also maximize valuable wall space, which is often left bare.

MIRRORS INSTEAD OF WALLS Mirrors do an incredible job at creating the illusion of more space. Want to add more space to your small bathroom design? Then add more mirrors.

MORE BLACK TO YOUR WHITE An all-white bathroom does feel brighter and lighter, but it can look a little cold or lack the depth your eye registers as space. Adding black to your bathroom, in the form of black walls or a black-and-white tile design or a black ceiling, adds the “POW!” your small bathroom is begging for.

CERTIFIED GOLD. The Insular Life Makati building at the corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas was recently awarded the gold level under the Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) by the US Green Building Council for its energy efficient design and environmentally-friendly features. The LEED is the globally recognized green building rating system in the world, which encourages buildings, communities and home projects to become healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green estates. First built in 1962 by the Cesar H. Concio, architect and former dean of the UP College of Architecture, this 14-storey building has undergone nearly two years of extensive renovations starting late 2015. The building features 20,000 square meters of common and leasable space and sports brand new systems and equipment, aside from an adjacent five-level parking building to fully serve its tenants, guests, and Insular Life clients.

FLEXIBILITY IS KEY. The Vantage, Rockwell Primaries’ first high-rise development in Kapitolyo, Pasig City, allows condo homeowners to convert their second room to a den, nursery, an entertainment room, or even into their home office. Rockwell Primaries recognizes the need for a more flexible condo unit that will cater to a client’s lifestyle. Enter The Vantage’s one and two-bedroom units that can be transformed into the space that one needs. The one-bedroom unit whose sizes range from 40 – 43 sqm, is slightly larger than the normal sizes of 1BR units.

Homeowners have the option to move around more, and personalize each nook and cranny according to their liking.

TROLLING FOR BEST PRACTICES.

Senior officials from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) recently visited the MactanCebu International Airport Terminal 2 as part of a tour of successfully implemented public-private partnership projects (PPP) in the Philippines.

The visitors wanted to to learn about the implementation, challenges and best practices in such projects. The delegation, comprised of members of the Lao PDR Ministry of Health and Ministry of Planning and Investment, also visited the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), the first intermodal transport terminal in the country.

Both MCIA and PITX are flagship projects of the Philippine Government under the Build, Build, Build Program. At the tour, coordinated by Polestrom Consulting Inc., were senior officials of Lao PDR, GMCAC chief executive adviser Andrew Harrison, and ADB consultant Cosette Canilao (center).

Life

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

young life

saturday, august 25, 2018

C1

‘Ang HulIng El BImBo’

breathes drama, nostalgia, and social relevance

CHILDLIKE WONDER. martina ‘mJ’ Paz delights the audience with her joyful performance in the third act.

By Brontë Lacsamana

I

F THERE was one musical force that defined the Philippines in the ‘90s, it would be the Eraserheads, composed of Ely Buendia, Marcus Adoro, Buddy Zabala, and Raimund Marasigan.

After providing the soundtrack of the the development of their friendship, to nation’s youth and transcending gen- their first encounter with Joy, up to the erations through their timeless tunes, fateful night that wrenched them apart, it’s only right that their discography be at least until the present day. adapted into a musical, like Mamma It may seem convoluted for a jukebox Mia for ABBA and Rak of Aegis for musical, but can any fan honestly expect Aegis. the Eraserheads’ work adapted This dream project came true on July 20, when Ang Huling El Bimbo,, a musical featuring many of their songs, premiered on Resort’s World Manila’s stage.

Aside from satisfying and exciting fans of various ages, the play offers a poignant and moving story about friendship, hopes, and dreams, with a heartbreaking depth and criticality that truly befits the The four young leads in front of Toyang’s Canteen.

Eraserheads oeuvre.

The story follows two narratives. The first takes in a shallow, straightforward way? place in the present day and features Director Dexter M. Santos shares, Hector, Emman, and Anthony, three “I’ve been an E-heads fan since high estranged friends brought to the police school, where we would constantly play station upon the death of their friend ‘Ligaya’ and ‘Pare Ko’ on our cassette Joy on an eskinita in Ermita (sounds fa- players. It’s been my lifelong dream miliar?). The other narrative is a flash- to create something as special as an back to their college life—starting with original contemporary Filipino musical their first meeting as roommates, then out of the E-heads discography, which

is very wide and tackles various substantial themes … It would have been a disservice to go the simple, nostalgic song-and-dance route.”

Aside from whipping up a plot with substance, the audience will be pleasantly surprised and delighted with some favorites (and even some lesserknown songs!) adapted so cleverly on stage, thanks to the ingenuity of musical director Myke Salomon. Notable examples are “Pare Ko” transformed into a catchy RoTC marching song, “Shirley” sung by the wonderful Sheila Francisco as Tiya Dely in cha-cha and mambo fashion, and (personal favorite) “With a Smile” becoming a haunting, sentimental graduation hymn.

“We wanted to explore different perspectives to flesh out the essence of the songs, and find out which of them would best serve the story,” elaborates Santos, who also serves as the choreographer.

“We didn’t want to be slaves to the songs, because really, what we set out to do was tell a good story using the songs.”

Art director Menchu LauchengcoYulo adds, “Because we follow two different timelines, the planning stage was important. During our brainstorming sessions, my fellow art director Michael [Stewart], playwright

Boo gabunada, Bibo Reyes, and Topper Fabregas as the young Emman, Anthony, and Hector performing ‘Tindahan ni Aling nena.’

Turn to C2

Taylor Swift stars in new instax commercial

Taylor Swift captures moments while on tour using her instant camera.

GLoBAL music superstar Taylor Swift Edition and instax Square Film Taylor gives a glimpse of her life on tour in a Swift Edition on oct. 20.

30-second commercial for Fujifilm inThe instax Square SQ6 Taylor Swift stax camera series.

Edition features a Shot by mugold-colored sic video dinewspaper pattern rector Dave on a black base Meyers, the for a stylish body ad depicts with a design Ta y - t a y — similar to Taycurrently lor’s latest album p e r fo r m i n g reputation. In a around the similar fashion, world on the the ring around TAY LoR the lens is meSWIFT reputallic for a luxutation STADIrious finish that UM ToUR— goes well with enjoying her the gold. instax instant A faithful camera. reproducThe way intion of Taystax enables lor Swift’s precious moautograph is ments to be capprinted on tured and printed the back of on the spot as the body. It permanent keepalso includes sakes is encapher exclusive sulated in the shoulder campaign slogan: strap and The Taylor Swift “Now or never.” film case.

Edition film with Taylor’s autograph “When I’m The origion tour I keep a nal Taylor lot of diaries and journals, and I like Swift Edition film, featuring Taylor’s to tape photos in [them] and write on autograph on a black frame simiphotos and give lar to the camera, them to somewill be released body. It’s kind alongside the of a really nice camera. memento from “It was regood times,” Tayally fun to work lor was quoted as with the Fujisaying in a profilm team to motional video. create a custom “There’s someinstax camera thing cool about because it was having a photo really awethat tangibly you some to get can hold in your to incorporate hands right after the iconography you took it,” she of reputation— Instax Square SQ6 Taylor Swift Edition enthused. the album and the Following the tour—and create a launch of the commercial, Fujifilm will camera that I feel like reflects that,” roll out instax Square SQ6 Taylor Swift shared Taylor.

Life

C2

saturday, august 25, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

A playlist for every moment

23rd TGIFriday’s Shake, Rattle and Pour Bartender Competition champion Ioanniesse Jara is flanked by first runner-up John Jerick Galacia and second runner-up Marinel Paguia.

Bartending contest winner shows flair and focus

LISTEN UP. Spotify has curated playlists that cater to every listener’s hobbies and interests.

M

USIC streaming platform Spotify has arguably saved many from boring commutes, awkward conversations with strangers, and music-less workout session.

But for those who are not aware, or those who want to spice up their listening hours, can check out Spotify’s curated playlists that cater to every listener’s hobbies and interests.

Pass the time during daily commute

You’ll easily spend an average of two hours on the road, so why not let the time fly by with a podcast? Press play on the award-winning Lore podcast or the NoSleep podcast if you love all things spooky and creepy. Learn something new with Stuff You Should Know, or discover more about your favorite albums with Spotify Studio’s Dissect podcast.

Hit the ground running in the morning

Whether you’re committed to living a healthy lifestyle or, you know, you’ve just been thinking about it, take a peek inside Spotify Running genre. There, you’ll find playlists arranged by the beats per minute (BPM) so every song you listen to will fit your exercise routine.

Start your day with the Morning Run (150-165 BPM) playlist, or run to nostalgic beats with the Runner’s Club (160 BPM) playlist. Prefer indie tunes? Give the Indie Kicks (150-155 BPM) playlist a try.

“THERE is no such thing as difficult.

It’s just a matter of how bad you want it,” said bartender Ioanniesse Jara.

He wanted to win so badly that he gave his all, with eyes, heart, and mind focused on the prize.

All his efforts paid off on Aug. 7 when, representing Solenad branch, he was declared champion of the 23rd TGIFridays Shake, Rattle and Pour Bartender Competition.

Jara brought home a plaque, a cash prize, the much-coveted TGIFridays propeller trophy, and the privilege of representing the Philippines at the AsiaPacific Barchamps to be held in Manila this October. The winner of the regional tilt will then move on to compete at the World Bartending Competition to be held in Dallas, Texas next year.

Jara hopes to duplicate what fellow bartenders Rizza Umlas and Jholan Penafiel have accomplished. Umlas and Penafiel were proclaimed World Bartending Champions in 2015 and 2017, respectively in historic competitions held in Texas, USA. “I am indeed very happy with this win and doubly excited over the prospect of representing the Philippines in the AsiaPacific competition. I will give it everything I’ve got!” enthused Jara.

This was not the first time that Jara

competed as he was named first runner-up last year. Not one to give up easily, he outdid himself and ultimately grabbed the title this year.

“I underwent rigorous training, on and off the clock, months before the competition. It was surely difficult. But it didn’t matter really. It was supposed to be difficult because if it weren’t, everyone would win,” he quipped.

He shared his job brings with it everyday challenges. “Overcoming these challenges on a daily basis fulfills me mentally and emotionally.”

Jara’s journey in this year’s competition began when he battled it out with 22 bartenders who were all winners in their respective branches. Before the finals, they had to go through the Compulsory Round.

At the end of the Compulsory Round, only the top eight finalists moved on to the Freestyle Round which gauged their overall competency and confidence through an eight-minute routine showcasing their flairtending style and guest interaction—while preparing four different drinks under pressure.

John Jerick Galacia won first runner-up while Marinel Paguia was named second runner-up. Both are from TGIFridays Glorietta branch.

Jara showing off his flairtending skills.

LOL at lunchtime

Take a break from real life and laugh out loud with Spotify’s Comedy genre. Let some of the funniest people on the planet tickle your funny bone with The Laugh List, or laugh about your love life with the Dating Issues comedy playlist. You can even have some fun with Amy Schumer as she dishes about life and pop culture.

The crowd cheering for their bets during the bartending competition.

Pop culture night

Explore a galaxy far, far away with the Best of “Star Wars,” or if you’re getting ready for date night, show your love for cinema with the Trending in Film playlist.

Are you more of a TV person? Jam to music from Netflix’s “Terrace House” and travel back to the ‘80s with “Stranger Things.” If you love all things Hallyu, fall in love with music from “Goblin,” “While You Were Sleeping,” and more with the Korean OSTs playlist.

‘ang Huling...

From C1

Dingdong [Novenario], musical director Myke, direk Dexter, and I needed index cards and whiteboards charting what went where.”

Since the story is told through a double helix narrative structure and features such a large and talented main cast, it becomes a lot for the audience to take in. Still, the themes that touch upon injustice, corruption, emotional trauma, and gender inequality, make the play set partly in the ‘90s quite timely and relevant. Kudos also to set designer Gino Gonzales and costume designer Marlon Rivera for evoking that colorful and nostalgic yet chaotic feel through the fragmented stage and color-coded clothing.

Santos also recalls past experiences that shaped his creative choices: “Vivid memories of ROTC training back when I was in UP Baguio influenced the percussive rendition and troop formations of ‘Pare Ko.’ It became an impassioned, collective rant by these young men instead of the usual inuman monologue

Unwind before bed

Staying up late? Kick back with some tunes from Chillax Sa Gabi, let out your feelings with #Hugot, or sleep with the lights on after listening to the Scary Stories playlist.

told on guitar … ‘Shirley’ and ‘Tik“What’s special about our play is that thusiasm of her character, “It was such man ang Langit,’ on the other hand, people of all ages can come see it and, an enjoyable yet emotional experience were given cha-cha/mambo and boogie whether they’re already fans of the E- working with everyone else.” twists, respectively, Another stand-out to highlight Joy’s is 10-year-old newcharacter who is decomer Martina “MJ” scribed as someone Paz, who shines who can dance.” alongside the rest of The ensemble the cast in her small cast pulls off all of but pivotal role near this, with no weak the end. With a bright link to be found. smile, she opens up The eight actors about how it felt to who play the young perform, “I’m actualand present-day ly very shy, but I love Joy, Hector, Emsinging and dancing man, and Anthony onstage. It was very, all embody the very fun.” angst of their story It seems the inand show such great fectious passion the command of their whole cast, crew, and characters. artistic team share has Jon Santos, OJ Mariano, and Gian Magdangal as Anthony, Emman, and Hector— Gian Magdangal three friends who haven’t seen each other in 20 years, reunited at a police precinct. been quite effective. as present-day HecFor a musical based tor, in particular, expresses such compel- heads or not, experience the music all mostly on a single song, it succeeded ling emotions with his powerful voice, over again in a completely different in telling a story of substance all while while Tanya Manalang as young Joy has way. After all, what’s the point of put- reintroducing the power of the Eraserthe charismatic ability to immerse the au- ting on this show for the current gen- heads to the whole audience, who redience in her whirlwind, and later down- eration if it’s not timely as well as fun?” acted with laughter, gasps, and shockward-spiral experiences.

Manalang says, reflecting the initial en- filled silence during all the appropriate

moments in the show.

Ang Huling El Bimbo does what its team has set out for it to do: it lives and breathes drama, nostalgia, fun, and social relevance.

The nature of a theater production is that it’s constantly evolving, and as it improves and gets cleaner until it ends its run in September, let’s hope the sold out houses are an indication of its lasting influence and return to the stage later on, so more people will be able to experience it.

What makes the Eraserheads so special isn’t really their legacy on OPM, but their impact on the average person, and this musical is able to do something similar, with just the right amount of tears and laughter on the side.

Catch Ang Huling El Bimbo at Resort’s World Manila until Sept. 2. Tickets are available at TicketWorld.

About the author: Brontë Lacsamana is a 21-year-old film student in UP Diliman. She enjoys reading books, traveling around the country, and meeting extraordinary people. She hopes to write a script that will someday be brought to life onscreen.

Entertainment Simply...

C3

nickie.standard@gmail.com

News anchor Mike Enriquez takes leave of absence to focus on his health

From C4

‘Barangay 143’ welcomes advertisers The first Filipino anime series Barangay 143 is set to hit small screens nationwide very soon and the excitement keeps on building up as fans and even advertisers look forward to this Philippine television milestone.

At the recent Barangay 143 Trade Launch, advertisers warmly welcomed the anime show and its voice cast led by Ruru Madrid, Migo Adecer, Kelley Day, and Julie Anne San Jose together with Edu Manzano, Pinky Amador, Jaime Fabregas, Cheska Kramer, Doug Kramer, Kendra Kramer, Archie Alemania, Kimpoy Feliciano, Roadfil Macasero, and Gary Lim. Producer and managing director of Synergy88 Entertainment Media Inc. Jackeline Chua was also present and graced the occasion.

Barangay 143 did not disappoint because aside from mounting a starstudded event, they also gave out big prizes such as trip to Korea, a brand new motorcycle, and a brand new car.

As early as now, fans eagerly anticipate the airing of Barangay 143 with netizens sharing their thoughts on the timeslot and the story. The show even got the attention of international content publications’ WorldScreen, Prensario, and C21Media and helped share the good news about this Philippine television milestone with the rest of the world.

Also part of the voice cast are Cherie Gil, John Arcilla, Sylvia Sanchez, Alice Dixson, Teresa Loyzaga, Pen Medina, Benjie Paras, Paolo Contis, Ping Medina, and Jerald Napoles while rapper Gloc 9 and Dea sang the theme song with the same title.

Aside from the anime series, Barangay 143 is also going around different barangays in the metro for its 3 on 3 Celebrity Challenge and Mini Concert. The series airs in October on GMA 7.

Videoke in ‘Sarap Diva’ Singing provides joy and solace to the heart and soul.

Whether there is a celebration or a heartbreak, every Filipino Barkada’s default hangout is a videoke bar or a karaoke party at home.

Today in Sarap Diva, three Kapuso artists will share their heartbreaks and ease it out by singing their favorite “Hugot Song.”

Together with her guests Kakai Bautista, Jason Abalos and Tetay, Songbird Regine Velasquez will entertain you with a lively discussion about loving, hoping and putting every emotion in singing.

“Clashers” Josh Adornado and Psalms David will also join the episode as the random live scorers in the Videoke Party.

Whether you are in tune or not, singing calms the heart.

Sarap Diva’s Hugot Videoke Party airs 10:30 a.m. today. Also seen on GMA Pinoy TV and GMA Life.

Can a bicycle charge your mobile phone?

Fresh from Inday Will Always Love You, Ayra Mariano joins Chris Tiu, James and Roadfill in how to make a cellphone charger powered by a bicycle.

She and Chris also test the bravery of the Macasero brothers in the “Fire & Ice Pre-conditioning Experiment.”

In “Bilibabols,” celebrities battle it out in the ping pong ball U-turn competition.

Also, the “Street Genius” team determines which beauty parlor product is the most explosive in propelling a bar of soap farthest from a special cannon.

Their team also discovers the effect of heating a styrofoam cup inside a pressure cooker.

Lastly, in “Huling Hirit,” the gang displays its creativity by decorating simple number figures with colorful illustrations.

All these on your favorite science show IBilib every Sunday morning on GMA.

By Darwin Pesco

GMA Network's senior broadcaster Mike Enriquez

F

OR radio DJs, receiving song requests from listeners is an essential part of their job. Listeners would often request their favorite song or whatever tune they want to hear at the moment to pump up their day. Seemingly, everyone has their own interpretations and connection to certain songs. And Barangay LS 97.1 DJs Papa Dudut, Mama Emma,and Papa Obet are no exception.

Dubbed as“Mr. Love Stories”, Papa Dudut is known for captivating the hearts of many listeners via his long-running show Barangay Love Stories. Spoken like a true romantic, he said that Jonas Blue ft. Jack and Jack’s new hit song ‘Rise’ is a current favorite because he thinks it’s the modern version of Phil Collins’ classic song “Against All Odds.”

Mama Emma, on the other hand, gets a kick out of upbeat songs. Hailee Steinfeld’s “Capital Letters” is always on her playlist during her daily train rides.

“It gives me positive vibes, ‘yung tipong gusto mong yumakap sa makakasabay mo sa MRT,” she jested.

Being the Barangay’s “Hugot Queen,” she proudly shares in her program Three Play that she commutes every day just like them and that she gets hugot inspirations from the people she observes in public transportation.

Papa Obet, also known on-air as “Mr. Love Songs,” mixes daydreaming with his playlist during his commutes to work. The favorite song that he imagines performing in front of a large crowd is his own version of “On the Wings of Love.”

“In my imagination, it’s a nice feeling when

Saturday, August 25, 2018

53 Animal ID device 58 Go wild about 59 Chopin opus 61 Shout from the bridge 62 Food additive 63 Less than 64 Chess player’s declaration 65 Stationery buys 66 Office worker 67 Still snoozing DOWN 1 Kublai — 2 Jellystone bear 3 Beat decisively 4 Electronic accessory 5 Brawl 6 Lie in the weeds 7 Gen. — Halftrack 8 End of some URLs 9 Ignatz’s pal (2 wds.)

10 Hurrah!

11 Immediately 12 Hull plank 13 Lose control 21 Famed lithographer 23 Had a bite 25 One over par

KAPUSO anchorman Mike Enriquez ended a vast speculations about his absence in the public eye for a long time through a statement clarifying the reasons behind his prolonged hiatus.

“I am currently on medical leave,” the senior broadcaster revealed as he is being treated for kidney disease and also scheduled to undergo a heart bypass operation in mid-September.

He also added that the doctors told him that he can return to his normal duties after two to four months of his

surgery.

“In the meantime, it is best that I rest and avoid stress to avoid any medical emergency before my bypass,” he emphasized.

While in a DZBB radio program Double A sa Double B, Enriquez had a talk with his colleagues, Arnold Clavio, Ali Sotto, and Joel Reyes Zobel, over the phone where he cracked jokes and had a light conversation with them. He also used the opportunity to thanked everyone for their support, wishes, and prayers for his good health.

Besides, GMA Network also released

Radio jocks share their own theme songs

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Actress — Sedgwick 5 Press agent 10 Swings offcourse 14 Parka feature 15 Scuttlebutt 16 Baroness Karen 17 Water, in Baja 18 Bakery comeon 19 Sanskrit dialect 20 Finds fault 22 Shocked 24 Water-power org.

25 Memory unit 26 Quays 29 Cloudscape artist Georgia — 33 Says it’s so 34 Heroic tale 36 Jacket feature 37 Jo’s sister 38 Young hooter 39 Some whiskey 40 Swimsuit piece 41 Actress Tyne — 42 Indiana cager 44 Thesaurus entry 47 Appetizer stick 48 Stinging insect 49 A Gershwin 50 Twists roughly

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018

26 Meadow babies 27 Each one 28 Meat avoider 30 Travesty 31 Young chicken 32 Grinding material 34 Wetlands area 35 Winner’s take 38 “Iliad” warrior 42 Job benefit 43 Cotton Belt state 45 Buyers 46 Pester

47 Roman statesman 50 Outer garment 51 Storm 52 Physiologist — Pavlov 53 Art class model 54 Idyllic spot 55 Melville captain 56 Short letter 57 Did a salon job 60 Amatol ingredient

people sing along and they clap their hand at the same time,” he said adding that he gets a little carried away and sings along before he realizes that he is on the bus with other passengers.

Meanwhile, when asked if they have their own theme song, Rivermaya’s ‘Umaaraw Umuulan’ is Papa Dudut’s pick.

“Whatever situation you are in, Papa Dudut will accompany you in the ups and downs of your life,” he said.

For Mama Emma, Zac Efron and Zendaya’s duet entitled “Rewrite the Stars” in the hit musical The Greatest Showman speaks volumes.

“I believe that you are the captain of your ship.

Ikaw ang kapitan ng iyong kapalaran. Kapag alam mong nandyan na, kunin mo na,” the “Hugot Queen” urged.

A classic, Papa Obet chose “I Believe I Can Fly” by R. Kelly which relays an inspiring message to believe in oneself. “Kapag bilib ka sa sarili mo at kinakaya mo, yung confidence mo, you can reach your goal,” he encouraged.

To get to know more of Papa Dudut, Mama Emma, and Papa Obet, catch them on Barangay LS 97.1 Tugstugan na! Listeners may also tune in via live audio stream at www.gmanetwork. com/radio/streaming/dwls.

a statement assuring support for the anchor’s recovery.

“We fully support him and are praying for his successful surgery and quick recovery. Together with our viewers all over the world, his friends and colleagues here in GMA look forward to welcoming back a healthier and stronger Mike Enriquez soon.”

Enriquez’s home network expressed.

Enriquez still continues to perform his function as the the Consultant for Radio of GMA Network, Inc. and as the president of RGMA Network, Inc. “I will be back,” cinched Enriquez.

‘Bagani’ finale hits Twitterverse by storm

By Darwin Pesco THOUSANDS of tweets rocked the social media platform Twitter as the curtain officially fell for the fantasy drama Bagani, which drew positive reactions from the viewers.

The epic finale of the hit series shocked fans all over the world and they took to social media to express their heartpounding sentiments for the series ender.

With the hashtag #BAGANIHulingLaban, the series’ finale generated 520,000 related tweets and set the second most tweeted episode of the series. Bagani has brought a storm to the social media since its pilot episode in March.

Summing up its impact on Twitter, the series had produced 26 million tweets, based on the data from Twitter Philippines. The first episode of Bagani with the hashtag #UnangSabakngBagani garnered 600,000 tweets, which left fans startled with its laudable special effects and overall production.

Also, the March 14 episode with the hashtag #AngSimulangDigmaansaBAGANI got 250,000 tweets for its action-packed scenes; while 214,000 tweets were both grabbed by the March 21 with the hashtag #SiBabaylanNgBAGANI and the March 22 episode with the hashtag #ApoatSarimawNgBAGANI. The action fantasy made Filipino fans gathered on Twitter to express their praises to the whole cast and production.

Fans followed the story of Lakas (Enrique Gil) and Ganda (Liza Soberano) which are the most tweeted characters respectively, followed by Liksi (Zaijan Jaranilla), Lakam (Matteo Guidicelli), and the supervillain Sarimaw (Ryan Eigenmann).

Even before the finale, fans had been guessing possible endings of the fantasy series. They also looked back on their favorite moments in the series like the “Pamatay na Galawan” dance craze, which left a lot of fans amazed especially when the other Bagani did their own versions such as Liza’s Bboom Bboom style.

In addition, the series has proven the Filipinos’attachment for local fantasy folk stories. The viewers commended the team and the actors for their stellar performance, which also showed values and learnings to everyone.

Even with a happy ending in Sansinukob where Lakas and Ganda have a beautiful family, a cliffhanger left the fans perplexed as the characters crossed to the modern world.

A sequel? A spinoff? Still, fans are left hanging.

A scene of Liza's Ganda and Enrique's Lakas in the 'Bagani' finale

Entertainment

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

C4

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018

Sarah G

ISAH V. RED

MNL48 signature song released

in her best element in

‘MISS GRANNY’ S

'Senbatsu' members of MNL 48 wear Japanese school uniform for the girl group's first single

GIRL group MNL48 has released its first single “Aitakatta—Gustong Makita”, a Tagalized version of AKB48 song of the same title on a stormy afternoon of Aug. 11 at the newly opened Movie Stars Café at Eton Centris in Quezon City.

Seven days later, the group had a live performance of “Aitakatta–Gustong Makita on ABS-CBN’s It’s Showtime and at the same time unveiled the song’s music video.

“Aitakatta” is the signature song of the highest selling idol group in Japan and MNL48 sister group, AKB48. The song was the first major single of the group and topped the Oricon Singles Chart, the Japanese music industry standard singles popularity chart, in 2006.

Apart from “Aitakatta,” a Tagalized version of “Sakura no Hanabiratchi–Talulot ng Sakura” and “Skirt, Hirari–Umiindak na Saya” in the group’s debut album that also includes its instrumental versions to complete the six-track record. The physical copies (CDs) of the album has been released this month by Hallohallo Entertainment Inc. (HHE) and Star Music. The album also includes the track list, complete song lyrics and ticket for the groups’ upcoming handshake event.

Based on AKB48’s tradition on costume and album launching, MNL48 used the Japanese school uniform as the official costume for their first single which sung by the top 16 members, also known as Senbatsu, namely Abby, Sela, Tin, Alice, Ella, Ash, Gabb, Jem, Sayaka, Faith, Lara, Grace, Quincy, Alyssa, Erica, and the elected Center Girl Sheki. Meanwhile, the songs on the debut album will hit the digital platforms iTunes and Spotify on Aug. 31.

In addition, the “Gustong Makita” official music video, directed by Japanese director, Sho Makino will also air Aug. 31 on MYX Premiere.

In an interview with the director during the shoot of the music video, he said that he is very happy to be part of the first single of the group.

He also added that the reason for choosing Intramuros and Manila Bay as the locations is because they wanted to showcase the historical places in the Philippines to the world.

The director mentioned that the original version of AKB48 “Aitakatta” music video was his inspiration for MNL48’s first MV, in hopes to share the Filipino culture and what “aidoru” (idol) really means.

After the MNL48 first general election on April 28, the first generation members went through and still undergoing rigorous development training in voice, dance and personality development as part of their journey as official members of MNL48.

One of the highlights of their journey so far was when Center Girl Sheki, Team Captain Alice and Rans flew to Japan to watch the AKB48 53rd World Single Senbatsu General Election. Just recently, the members underwent dance training with AKB48’s choreographer, Moe Sensei, who visited the girls from Japanto train them for their upcoming single, music videos and future performances.

Meanwhile, as the MNL48 prepares for its upcoming season on their online daily show, the fans can expect to see the members on their nationwide mall tours, TV and Radio guest appearances and their handshake event in September.

MNL48 is an all-girl sing-and-dance group, aging 15-20 years old with 48 members and 19 trainees. The group is the Filipino version and the newest sister-group of the highest-selling J-pop phenomenon, AKB48, which started in Japan in 2006 and now has franchise all over Asia, including BNK48 (Bangkok), JKT48 (Jakarta) and TPE48 (Taipei), among others.

To view the schedule of MNL48’s upcoming events and activities, visit MNL48 website, download MNL48 Fan Club app available on Apple Store and Google PlayStore, and follow their social media accounts for more updates.

Website: mnl48.ph; Facebook; Twitter; Instagram: @mnl48official and YouTube: mnl48. Continued on C3

INGER-ACTRESS Sarah Geronimo had faced harsh criticism for the roles she played in the past both on TV and the big screen. Most critics said that the characters she played were too cutesy they didn’t challenge her skill and capability as an actor. Audiences were even much harsher for calling the pop star complacent for not challenging herself to up her game.

Your ‘Monster Vacation’ awaits in Araneta Center Sarah Geronimo sings her heart out portraying the bubbly role of "Audrey de Leon"

But Sarah was doing her job and she was just fulfilling the requirements of the projects and parts offered to her. It’s her professional response to the material given to her like what any actors would do when portraying a role.

In Miss Granny, where Sarah plays a difficult yet passionate septuagenarian (named Fely) who regains her 20-year-old appearance after being photographed at a mysterious studio, the audience will see a compelling actor who is able to change your mood from being happy to sad real quick.

In my interview with the 30-year-old star, she admitted that her role was hard to play that she had an acting coach to guide her in delivering her lines including how her body would respond to a particular scene. She studied the character well and was involved in the creative process of the film.

“I needed that. I’ve been out of the acting scene for a while. I really had to study the role because the nuances of an old lady are different from a 20-year-old,” she said.

True enough, her hard work pays off as she redeems herself in this family comedy drama. Audrey, the name of her character as the 20-year-old Fely in the story, is impeccably tailored fit for her. Yes, it’s time to pay attention to Sarah as a reliable actor and a movie star.

Her commendable portrayal of Audrey can be likened to one of the lines uttered by Xian Lim when his character Lorenz was looking for the next big television star, “Wala ba tayong Nora Aunor...heart and soul…yung magtatagal sa industriya?”

We can hardly come up with a name who can give justice to this role except for Sarah, she was larger than life. She was charming and a magnetic force on the screen, her comedic timing was on point and when it comes to drama, she can surely melt your heart. Needless to say, her work in this film, her best performance so far, deserves an acting recognition.

Don’t get me wrong though, Miss Granny is not just all about Sarah Geronimo. Director Joyce Bernal has created interesting characters out of an already familiar tale. While the story focuses on the central character, roles played by Nova Villa, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nonie Buencamino, including Boboy Garovillo were given some screen time enough to endear them with the audience. In other words, it’s a strong support cast.

The adaptation is commendable, too. While it stayed faithful to the original version, it incorporated Filipino values that local moviegoers can relate to.

Miss Granny is now showing nationwide from Viva Films.

A salute to ‘extraORLYnary’ women Women of Orly flaunt their talent and style during the brand's grand launch

A COLORFUL “boho-themed” grand launch was held by international nail care brand Orly on Aug. 8 to celebrate its “Strength in Color” campaign and to recognize extraORLYnary women who embody individuality, style, and talent in their respective fields.

The event, which was held at the Blue Leaf Cosmopolitan in Pasig City and was attended by the brand’s international representative and executives who led a toast to Orly ’s brilliant and colorful years of setting the professional standard in nail care worldwide, and exclusively distribute by SprintAsia in the country.

Whether you are into mattes, gel or classic nail lacquer, Orly has you covered. From the concept of classic and elegant nail aesthetics to what’s next in nail art technology, the brand is always at the frontline in the field of nail care and enhancements. This global brand offers a breathable nail polish as a 1-step system (no base on top) and a 13-free formula. Orly is also halal certified and its “Builder in a Bottle” is the new innovation in hard gels and extensions.

Since 1975, Orly has been the leading maker of professional and retail standard nail color and care.

AWARD-WINNING ratings smash The Big Bang Theory will end with the finale of its 12th season in May next year, CBS said on Wednesday, lavishing praise on the long-running comedy.

Focusing on a highly intelligent but sociallyawkward professor and his group of scientist friends, Big Bang was the biggest comedy ratings draw on broadcast television for years, winning 10 Emmys.

“We are forever grateful to our fans for their support of The Big Bang Theory during the past 12 seasons,” CBS said in a statement released jointly with producers Warner Bros. Television and Chuck Lorre Productions.

The show, which will end its 12-year run on 279 episodes, is a rare example of a longrunning hit TV series that has managed to retain its massive viewing figures.

Through the years, Orly has created trendy nail lacquer shades that are vegan, cruelty-free, and free from harmful ingredients.

To represent Orly’s vast array of colors, six extraORLYnary women showcased their talent and individuality during the grand launch. Tim Yap moderated a panel discussion with Abbey Sy (arts), Soleil Ignacio (design), Georginna Desuasido (beauty), Sanya Smith (music), Ornusa Cadness (music), and Shaira Luna (photography)―all trailblazing women who often use their hands in their work.

Orly is perfect for empowered women who combine talent and style. It has become the everyday choice of nail polish lovers for all of their daily activities. With Orly’s continuing innovations in nail care technology, there’s little wonder why this leading breathable nail polish brand makes every woman feel truly extraORLYnary.

Orly Products are available at Pure Beauty branches, ZALORA, Watsons, Landmark, Robinsons, Cash & Carry, ICM, PCX, Lazada and BeautyMNL.

HOLLYWOOD

Next season of ‘Big Bang Theory’ to be its last

Focusing on a highly intelligent but socially-awkward professor and his group of scientist friends, "Big Bang" was the biggest comedy ratings draw on broadcast television for years, winning 10 Emmys

WHETHER you are gearing up for a planned break or only have enough time for a quick staycation, you can have your own version of a Monster Vacation with activities you and your kids will surely enjoy at the Araneta Center.

Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation opened nationwide on Aug. 22, and this is the perfect time to take your kids to the Gateway Cineplex or Ali Mall Cineplex to see Drac and his crew try and enjoy a wacky cruise. But what can you do after the movie?

In a global partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc., Araneta Center, Novotel Manila Araneta Centre, is offering fans of the movie the chance to stay Superior themed-rooms branded with the Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation until Oct. 31.

For a special family offer of only P6,500 nett, a family of four composed of two adults and two kids ages 15 and below can enjoy a “monsterrific” staycation in a customized Hotel Transylvania 3 themed-room complete with specially designed headboard, pillow and towel sleeves, glass stickers and door knob hangers. Plus, all four will each receive a Gateway Cinema movie ticket and complimentary buffet breakfast at Food Exchange Manila.

Your kids will surely love the Hotel Transylvania 3 welcome gifts that they will receive upon arrival, and the HT3-inspired menus and “mocktails” that you can order for them at the GourmetBar by Novotel or at the 6th Pool Bar and Lounge. The menu features items like Mavis’ Scream Cheese Pizza made with fresh tomatoes, basil and cheese, and Dracula’s Favorite – a concoction of guava, lychee, and cranberry juice with strawberry syrup.

A monster-sized Hotel Transylvania 3 Sunday brunch is also available at the Food Exchange Manila for a limited time offer of P1,200 nett featuring monstrous delights from six interactive stations.

The experience continues online. If you believe that your family deserves a Monsterrific Staycation at Novotel Manila Araneta Center, just tweet the reason why @NovotelManilaAC and use the hashtags #NovotelFamily and #HotelT3 #HT3atNovotelManila. You might just enjoy the special monsterrific family staycation offer for free.

For more exciting activities around the Center, visit www.aranetacenter.netwww.aranetacenter. net, or follow our social media accounts: @ aranetacenter on Facebook and Twiiter, and @ thearanetacenter on Instagram.

Drac in a ‘Hotel Transylvania 3’ themed Superior room in Novotel Manila Araneta Center

The last season attracted an audience of almost 19 million per episode, not far off its ninth season peak of 20.4 million.

It hit the headlines in its most recent seasons for a deal which meant its lead cast of Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kunal Nayyar, Simon Helberg, Kaley Cuoco, Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch all earning the same—estimated at a shade under $1 million an episode.

“There are many ways to look at the dozen years of Big Bang Theory as we draw to a close, but for me it will be the family that gathered each week to create a true labor of love,” tweeted co-creator Bill Prady.

Last year CBS premiered Young Sheldon, a prequel series starring Iain Armitage as a nine-year-old version of nerdy genius Sheldon Cooper. It begins its second season on CBS in September.

The main show’s final season premieres on Sept.

24. AFP