Manila Standard - 2018 September 5 - Wednesday

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PIÑOL OFFERS BOUNTY ON HOARDERS; RICE IMPORT SET

PEOPLE with vital information on rice Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel up to P250,000.

In other developments: Even as the NFA Council approved hoarders could get as much as P250,000 Piñol said his department now had a The government is trying to rein in pricThe National Food Authority said the immediate importation of 133,500 if they report them to the Agriculture de- “report-a-hoarder campaign that would es as a result of the surging inflation affect- Tuesday there is no shortage of rice in metric tons of rice to be allocated to Next page partment, an official said Monday. reward people who report hoarders with ing many commodities including rice. the country.

VOL. XXXII • NO. 202 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

TYPHOON’S WRATH.

This handout image, released by the Western Nippon Expressway Co. on Tuesday and received via Jiji Press, shows a tanker ship (right) that had smashed into a bridge connecting the city of Izumisano with Kansai International Airport, with the top part of the ship knocking away a part of the bridge.

At top, a truck sits helpless at a dangerous slant in this similarly handout photo released by the Kagawa Prefecture Police after it was blown over by violent winds of the strongest typhoon to hit Japan in 25 years. (Story on B3) AFP

Arrest Trillanes—Duterte Revokes amnesty for 2010 plot

Trillanes vows to void ‘stupid EO’

By Nat Mariano, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rey E. Requejo

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday ordered the arrest of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, the second presidential critic from the Senate to be threatened with detention.

By Rio N. Araja, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Rey E. Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz SENATOR Antonio Trillanes IV told reporters on Tuesday he has instructed his lawyers to study ways “to void this stupid executive order” of President Rodrigo Duterte revoking his amnesty for a failed coup attempt over a decade ago, adding it “has no Next page basis whatsoever.”

ORDERED ARRESTED

Pole dance sparks social media outrage BEIJING—A kindergarten principal in China trying to liven up a formal back-to-school ceremony with a racy pole dancer was fired after angry parents lit up social media with complaints. Next page

‘‘

My consistent view is we cannot abuse power to victimize opposition participants.

—Malaysian premiere-in-waiting Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim in a press briefing during the Management Association of the Philippines 2018 CEO Conference in Makati City.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV gives his statement at the Senate Tuesday where he is holed up—to avoid arrest—following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order which revoked the grant of amnesty, with opposition politicians condemning the order.

(Inset) PNP-CIDG personnel wait outside the Senate for Trillanes to appear. Ey Acasio

Trillanes, who is holed up in the Senate to avoid arrest, has also in the past accused Duterte of corruption and his son of involvement in drug dealing, drawing a pledge of revenge from the President.

Opposition politicians immediately condemned the arrest order as political. They compared it with the arrest of Senator Leila de Lima, who is behind bars on drug charges that she says are false.

Trillanes’ arrest order stems from an amnesty granted in 2010 over his involvement in a coup attempt against then-President Gloria Arroyo and another effort to overthrow her.

“The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police are ordered to employ all lawful means to apprehend... Trillanes,” said the order printed in the Manila Times.

The government said Duterte has canceled the pardon because Trillanes, a former navy officer, did not complete the Next page

Impeachment sufficient in form—House PH, Israel firm up

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE House of Representatives’ committee on justice on Tuesday found sufficient in form the consolidated impeachment complaint against the seven justices of the Supreme Court by 21 votes.

The committee, led by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Salvador Leachon, will next decide on Sept. 11 the sufficiency in substance of the complaint filed against Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Ber-

samin, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam, Andres Reyes Jr. and Alexander Gesmundo.

The seven justices allegedly took away the powers of Congress to impeach when they voted in favor of granting the quo warranto petition against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, the impeachment complainants claim.

Misamis Occidental Rep. Henry Oaminal, a member of the committee, filed the motion to declare the consolidated impeachment complaint a verified complaint Next page

Google, FB told: Share gains with media PARIS―Europe’s biggest news agencies accused Google and Facebook of “plundering” news for free on Tuesday in a joint statement that called on the Internet giants to share more of their revenues with the media.

In a column signed by the CEOs of around 20 agencies including France’s Agence France-Presse, Britain’s Press Association and Germany’s Deutsche Presse-Agentur,

they called on the European Parliament to update copyright law in the EU to help address a “grotesque imbalance.”

“The Internet giants’ plundering of the news media’s content and of their advertising revenue pose a threat both to consumers and to democracy,” the column said.

European Parliament lawmakers are set to debate a new copyright law this month that would force the Internet Next page

Duterte pays respects to Holocaust center

three deals on labor, trade

By Nat Mariano THE Philippines and Israel have signed three fundamental agreements on labor, science and trade as a way of strengthening their bilateral ties.

They signed the deals even as Malacañang said Tuesday the Philippine government was scheduled to sign an agreement with the Israeli oil firm Ratio Petroleum Ltd. that would cover energy exploration in Palawan.

“We are expecting an agreement on exploration to be signed between the Philippines and a company in Israel, Ratio Petroleum Limited,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque told reporters in Israel.

“It’s another foreign investor helping us to explore for energy in an effort to provide energy security.

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HOLOCAUST CENTER.

President Rodrigo Duterte visits the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Center in Jerusalem, on the western slope of Mount Herzl, Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, dedicated to preserving the memory of the dead; honoring Jews who fought against their Nazi oppressors and Gentiles who selflessly aided Jews in need. Presidential Photo

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, who has apologized for comparing himself to Adolf Hitler, visited Israel’s Holocaust memorial on Monday and said he hoped the world learned lessons “from the horrific period in history.”

The President held talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the second of a four-day visit to Israel, with defense deals and other areas of cooperation on the agenda.

All visiting leaders pay their respects at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, usually without much fanfare.

But Duterte’s Hitler remarks and other controversial actions, including his internationally condemned drug crackdown that has killed thousands, put his Next page visit in the spotlight.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

OFWs in Libya told: Take precautions T

HE Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday reminded Filipinos in Libya anew to take the necessary precautions after a state of emergency was declared in Tripoli amid the ongoing conflict in the capital.

According to latest reports, at least 47 people were killed and about a hundred of others were wounded as a result of fierce battles between factions in Tripoli.

Aside from the fighting, the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli has reported instances of looting, robbery, car theft and other crimes.

“The DFA is urging Filipinos, particularly those in Tripoli, to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary movement

as the situation in the Libyan capital is tense,” DFA Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato said in a statement.

“They should also prepare for disruptions in power supply and internet connectivity,” Cato added.

From the Embassy, Chargé d’Affaires Mardomel Melicor called on the estimated 1,800 Filipinos in Tripoli to make sure they have enough food and water to last a few days.

There are about 3,500 Filipinos in the whole of Libya based on the records of the embassy. About 1,850 Filipinos are in the area of Tripoli.

Melicor also made an assurance that the Embassy remains ready to respond to any request for assistance from the Filipino Community. In the event of emergencies, the Embassy could be contacted at: +218 91 824 4208 and +218

94 454 1283.

Clashes raged Monday on the outskirts of Libya’s capital Tripoli trapping residents indoors and hampering rescue efforts, as the UN called for talks after more than a week of deadly violence.

Fighting since August 27 between rival militias in the southern suburbs has killed at least 47 people and wounded 129 others, most of them civilians, according to an updated toll put out by the health ministry Sunday night.

Following a failed ceasefire on Friday, the United Nations mission to Libya invited the “various Libyan parties” to Tuesday talks for an “urgent dialogue on the current security situation in Tripoli”.

UNSMIL did not give further information on the guest list, but analysts said the chaos of changing alliances on

the ground made it difficult to predict who would be at the table.

“The situation is too fluid and the alliances are still volatile and changing,” said Jalel Harchaoui, a Libya expert at the University of Paris 8.

The Libyan capital has been at the center of a battle for influence between armed groups since the ouster and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

Libya’s UN-backed Government of National Unity on Sunday declared a state of emergency in Tripoli and its surroundings, as the violence cast doubt on general elections set for the end of the year.

The clashes initially pitted GNAlinked groups in the capital against the so-called 7th Brigade, a militia from the town of Tarhuna southeast of Tripoli the GNA says it presented with orders in April to disband. PNA with AFP

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requirements of filing an official application and admitting guilt.

Duterte is out of the country on an official visit to Israel.

Trillanes led scores of junior officers in taking over part of the Oakwood Premier in 2003 to protest Arroyo’s alleged corruption and mismanagement.

Duterte also wants Trillanes put on trial for his brief takeover of the Manila Peninsula hotel in 2007 after he and several armed followers seized the hotel and demanded Arroyo’s resignation.

The arrest order came a year after Trillanes had Duterte’s eldest son Paolo brought before a Senate public inquiry to face allegations—which he denied—that he was involved in drug trafficking.

Trillanes also accused the President of hiding unexplained millions in his bank accounts.

Duterte vowed at the time to exact revenge. “I will destroy him or he will destroy me,” he said in a speech.

Operatives from the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group were deployed outside the Senate building, apparently to carry out Duterte’s arrest order.

Duterte signed Proclamation 572 to revoke the senator’s amnesty given by former President Benigno Aquino III in 2010.

In the proclamation, Duterte said Trillanes did not file an Official Amnesty Application Form as per certification dated Aug. 30, 2018, issued by Lt. Col. Thea Joan Andrade, stating “there is no copy of his application for amnesty in the records.”

But the Palace defended the move as being “based on law and facts.”

“We are saying he was given amnesty by

President Aquino because of politics and the declaration of void ab initio is based on law and on facts,” said Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque in a press briefing in Israel.

“In the first place, he did not ask for the amnesty. It was given to him on a silver platter by the previous administration. So, when you did not ask for amnesty, you are not entitled to it,” Roque said.

Roque, who read the contents of the Proclamation No. 572, said the grounds for the declaration were Trillanes’ failure to admit his crimes or any involvement with illegal acts and his failure to file an application for amnesty.

“The acknowledgment [of the crimes] is important because the amnesty is an act of beneficence on the part of the State. It will rub out all the incidence like nothing happened, but it needs a confession-- which Trillanes failed to do,” Roque said.

Roque also dismissed claims that the Duterte administration is hitting back on one of its top critics, insisting there’s nothing political behind the call for the apprehension of Trillanes.

He also said that the revocation does not need concurrence of Congress.

“It’s not needed because first of all, it’s the job of the President to enforce the law.

So, when it was confirmed that Trillanes did not meet the preconditions for amnesty, the Executive declared it void ab initio,” said Roque.

“But Senator Trillanes will have his day in court, not only to prove his innocence on the charges of coup d’état against him, but also on the revocation of the amnesty. I’m sure he will go running to court,” he added.

Roque said they were not undoing Trillanes’ amnesty.

“We are not undoing it. It was never effective because he did not comply with the requirements, that’s the meaning of void ab

initio. There’s nothing to undo because it’s not valid from the very beginning,” Roque said.

Roque also denied claims that the move was sudden, saying officials began reviewing Trillanes’ case two years ago.

“It’s two years in the offing. There was maximum tolerance shown, but when it was confirmed that there was no compliance with the requirements set forth for the amnesty, the President didn’t have any alternative but to execute the law,” Roque said.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra echoed Roque, saying Trillanes’ amnesty never existed.

“It has never been valid for non-compliance with certain mandatory requirements,” he said.

He also denied that the revocation of Trillanes’ amnesty was politically motivated.

“It’s not a question of political opposition. It’s a matter of compliance with the law,” Guevarra said.

The Justice Department has sought the issuance of a hold departure order and an arrest warrant against Trillanes.

Calida declined to comment on Trillanes’ claim that he was behind the revocation of his amnesty.

A Defense department official said without the amnesty, Trillanes was considered back in active duty.

Defense department spokesman Arsenio Andolong said Trillanes would then have to face administrative and criminal charges in connection with the coup attempts against the Arroyo administration.

Aquino, who granted Trillanes pardon under his term, said he personally reviewed the records, vouching that the senator applied for the program.

In an interview with Rappler, Aquino called on the government to respect and recognize the amnesty.

Piñol...

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Trillanes..

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under oath in this application, admitted being guilty based on the application form provided by the Department of National Defense [DND],” said Trillanes as he emphasized that his amnesty certification passed through a process.

He said a 15-day period was given for any oppositor to file a motion for reconsideration. Since no objection was made, he said, the grant of amnesty is final.

He further showed a copy of court ruling from the regional trial court where his rebellion charge was dismissed. He said his criminal charge for coup d’etat was also thrown out by the court.

He reiterated his question involving the basis for his arrest. He also argued there can be no lawful arrest as indicated by the President to the PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines due to the absence of an arrest warrant.

“What crime? What court? This is the biggest stupidity he [President] did for this day,” Trillanes said.

He also thanked the Senate leadership under Senate President Vicente Sotto III and his colleagues for expressing their concern in his case. “We will be stronger if we unite,” he said.

But Trillanes said he applied for amnesty and complied with all the requirements.

Trillanes blamed Solicitor General Jose Calida for the move to revoke his amnesty, saying he wanted to stop a Senate investigation into lucrative government deals that his security firm had bagged.

He branded Duterte a coward for letting Calida do his dirty work.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto also said Trillanes IV was granted amnesty, not by one person but by the 11,189,671 people who voted for him.

Recto said Trillanes should be granted every opportunity to challenge the revocation of the amnesty in complete freedom.

With AFP

He spoke twice during his visit to the solemn memorial perched high in Jerusalem’s hills, saying he “could not imagine a country obeying an insane leader.”

“And I could not ever fathom the spectacle of a human being going into a killing spree... I would like to say that we are one in saying that this will not happen again.”

Duterte later read out what he wrote in the memorial’s guest book, saying “may the world learn the lessons of this horrific and benighted period of human history.”

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin also gave a brief lecture on Hitler to Duterte when they met on Tuesday.

“Hitler was actually representing the devil himself,” Rivlin said when the two men met at his Jerusalem office. “He was the devil on earth.”

Rivlin went on to say that Duterte’s visit to Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial on Monday must have illustrated to him the sensitivity surrounding any reference to Adolf Hitler.

“Probably you have realized yesterday the feelings when you have visited the museum of Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, to really feel the atmosphere, to feel the feelings of all the people that were part of this disaster,” said Rivlin, whose position is mainly ceremonial.

Duterte appeared to be listening attentively during Rivlin’s brief comments. He later spoke about trade and cooperation with Israel.

On Wednesday, Duterte will inaugurate a memorial near Tel Aviv commemorating the Philippines’ acceptance of 1,300 Jews fleeing the Holocaust.

Duterte’s visit to Yad Vashem led to criticism even before it took place, mainly due to comments in 2016 comparing himself to Adolf Hitler.

“Hitler massacred 3 million Jews. Now there are 3 million drug addicts [in the Philippines]. I’d be happy to slaughter them,” Duterte said then.

Historians say 6 million Jews died in the Holocaust.

Duterte later apologized and said the comments were aimed at critics who had likened him to the Nazi leader.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz published an editorial headlined “A Hitler admirer at Yad Vashem,” while left-wing politicians questioned why Netanyahu would welcome Duterte with open arms.

Netanyahu “is willing to whitewash an illegitimate leader, who took pride in massacring his citizens and violating human rights, and why?” Tamar Zandberg, head of the leftist Meretz party, wrote on Facebook. “Because Duterte is willing to support the occupation [of the West Bank].”

Israel’s government focused on what it sees as the positive aspects of Duterte’s visit, the first by a Philippine leader in more than 60 years of diplomatic ties.

AFP and Nat Mariano

Impeachment...

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and therefore sufficient in form. Nobody among the panel members who attended the hearing objected to Oaminal’s motion.

“All these complaints have met the requirement of sufficiency in form,” Oaminal said.

In his opening statement, Leachon warned against impeaching the seven justices while he recognized the duty of Congress to hear impeachment complaints.

“The implications of this proceeding are far reaching,”Leachon said.

“If seven justices would be eventually be removed, half of the Supreme Court would be empty and half would be the designated survivors. Even the Legislative Branch may be burdened with the gargantuan task of being prosecutors and judges. Nonetheless, we likewise recognize impeachment proceedings as an integral parcel of the constitutional system of checks and balances.”

Leachon, quoting a Washington Post article, said “an impeachment offense is a necessary but not sufficient justification for impeaching and removing an officer.

“Some bad acts can be tolerated.

Some call for less drastic responses than the extreme measure of impeachment, and so Congress has frequently tried other methods of reining in bad conduct before looking into impeachment.”

Leachon also appealed to his colleagues “to observe the highest standards of discernment in performing our mandate in initiating impeachment proceedings.”

Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi to ease the high rice prices in these areas.

“Delivery for the 33,500 MT is set for September 15-30 and 100,000 MT should arrive between October 1 and November 30, 2018,” it said.

On Monday, Piñol said Zambasulta is the only area in the country experiencing a rice shortage, which the NFA is monitoring.

Senator Bam Aquino on Tuesday called on the government to immediately address the issue of high BP or “Bigas at Presyo” that he says affects millions of Filipinos, especially the poor.

“If BP is too high, our livelihood will be endangered. Let us lower BP,” said Aquino, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN Law. • Former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday expressed his support for the return of the Oil Price Stabilization Fund that he believes will ease the effects of rising oil prices.

• Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Tuesday called on the government to freeze its plan to raise motor vehicle registration fees as it could be the third of the “triple whammy” against the owners of the 10.4 million vehicles who, he said, were still reeling from the higher taxes on oil and cars.

“When motorists are buying more expensive gas and spending more time on the road to reach shorter distances, then clearly it is not the right time to further jack up the cost of vehicle ownership,” Recto said.

• A legislator said Tuesday the dwindling catch of inland and saltwater fish should prompt the government to create a Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to address problem.

Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte of Camarines Sur said the recent importation of round scad best illustrates the sorry state of the country’s fish output.

Piñol said the reward money would be “provided by the private millers and traders who said that the activities of the hoarders affect their business.” The government would not shell out funds.

But Piñol did not say if cash was already available for the reward. ( He said they had inspected at least five warehouses in Marilao, Bulacan, where stacks of premium white and glutinous rice were discovered.

“They said they had documents, but that’s not the issue. The question is, why are you not releasing that to the public?

That is hoarding,” Piñol said.

He appealed to rice traders to sell their rice as it would be an “embarrassing moment” for them if they waited for the police to raid their warehouses.

Piñol said informants could call the agency’s hot line number 9219117. Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

“This is a clear case of political persecution, but I will not cower. There’s a time for reckoning for you and your minions,” he added in a written statement.

The political opposition also chimed in, with Vice President Leni Robredo saying Duterte just wanted to silence his detractors and to hide the problems besetting the country.

“There must be no politics here at the time when our fellow countrymen are faced with so many problems, such as hunger, poverty and lack of employment. As elected public officials, we are given the trust and authority to look for solutions, instead of pushing for our personal interests,” she said.

“We call on the [Duterte] administration to recognize the amnesty granted to Senator Trillanes and stop wasting the [people’s] money and time on feuds,” Robredo added.

Trillanes said Duterte and his allies were making themselves look stupid simply to get rid of him, and dismissed their claim that he had not complied with the requirements of his amnesty.

“This is a big stupidity. I would not be given amnesty if I did not comply with the requirements. I vowed before former [Defense] Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and defense officials can attest to this, so absolutely, these were all complied in the cases in civilian courts,” Trillanes told reporters in an interview as he demanded the basis for his arrest.

During the session, Trillanes delivered a privilege speech blasting the cancellation of his amnesty.

Trillanes presented a video showing that he filed his amnesty application and media interviews wherein he admitted that he, along with other Magdalo soldiers, “broke the rules in pursuit of moral cause.”

“It is clear from the video that I swore

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In a speech, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlighted the signing of the three bilateral agreements as he expressed gratitude to the historic visit of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“We’re going to sign here today three important agreements in trade, in science and, no less important, in caregiving,” Netanyahu told Duterte, adding his father had received compassionate care from a Filipino caregiver.

“There has been a remarkable phenomenon in Israel where thousands and thousands of families have taken heart from the support given by Filipino care workers to the elderly. I am one of those families, Mr. President.

“I, like many, many Israeli families, am deeply moved by this show of humanity.

And today we’re going to sign an agreement that will knock off as much as $12,000 from the cost of every caregiver.

“This is money that is taken away from the caregivers and the families, the Israeli families who so want their service. This is an ex-

ceptional agreement and I think it heralds the kind of friendship that we are developing.”

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III signed the Bilateral Agreement on the Temporary Employment of Filipino HomeBased Caregivers in Israel.

According to a statement posted online on the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website, the labor agreement will completely cancel all fees paid to agents and save thousands of shekels.

Meanwhile, the Memorandum of Understanding on Scientific Cooperation, signed

by Science and Technology Minister Ofir Akunis and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, will encourage and establish scientific cooperation programs between Israel’s Ministry of Science and Technology and the country’s Department of Science and Technology.

Lastly, the Memorandum of Intent on the Collaboration on Promotion of Bilateral Direct Investments, signed by Economy and Industry Minister Eli Cohen and Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, encourages bilateral investments between the two countries. With PNA

Alvarez ‘foe‘ regains post at CA after House shakeup

By Maricel V. Cruz HOUSE officials announced a revamp Tuesday that saw an enemy of the previous speaker reinstated as a member of the powerful Commission on Appointments.

Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr., had been ousted from the CA by then Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez in May 2107, after a public squabble over their mistresses. Alvarez himself was ousted in July 2018 and replaced by former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Floirendo replaces Manila Rep. Rosenda Ocampo on the CA. Meanwhile, House Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. named Sulu Rep. Munir Arbison, a member of President Rodrigo Duterte’s ruling PDP-Laban, as new deputy speaker, replacing Maguindanao Rep. Bai Sandra Sema, who has been moved to head the committee on Muslim affairs, which used to be under Lanao del Sur Rep. Mauyag Papandayan Jr. “I am thankful to the leadership of the House… and my colleagues for the trust and confidence in me as manifest in my election as deputy speaker. We are thankful for this will ensure the continued representation of the Mindanaoan people in the House leadership and the advancement of the welfare especially those from ARMM,” said Arbison, one of the principal authors of the Bangsamoro Organic Law and the first Tausug to be elected deputy speaker.

Arbison is on his second term as congressman and a former vice chairman of the House committee on public works and highways.

Representatives Feliciano Belmonte Jr. of Quezon City and Ana Cristina Go of Isabela exchanged their respective posts.

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Like most schools across China, the Xinshahui Kindergarten in the southern city of Shenzhen marks the start of the school year with a ceremony, usually consisting of performances and speeches.

But Monday’s edition, which included the risque pole dance, cost principal Lai Rong her job.

Videos circulating on social media showed a scantily clad dancer in hot pants shimmying up and down a pole to thumping music as stunned children in marching band uniforms looked on.

Others tried to mimic the sultry moves, with several small boys gyrating their hips and dancing around each other. In the background, shocked parents could be heard commenting about the suitability of the performance.

Many took to social media to express their outrage, threatening to pull their children out of school and calling for Lai’s resignation.

“Pole dancing at a school welcome ceremony? How can I trust my children with them? I’m going to pull my kid out and ask for a refund,” one parent wrote on social media platform WeChat.

“Is the principal an idiot?” another commented on the Twitter-like site Weibo.

In a text message to parents, Lai apologized for the “horrific viewing experience” and for not checking the dancer’s performance, adding that the dance was intended to liven up the atmosphere.

Hours later, local education authorities announced they had fired the principal and put Xinshahui under investigation. AFP

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giants to pay more for creative content used on their platforms such as news, music or movies.

A first draft of the law was rejected in July and the plans have been firmly opposed

by US tech firms, as well as advocates of Internet freedom who fear that the regulations could lead to higher costs for consumers.

“Can the titans of the Internet compensate the media without asking people to pay for access to the Internet, as they claim they would be forced to? The answer is clearly ‘yes’,” the column said.

The joint statement from the agencies, which are major suppliers of news, photos and video, said Facebook reported revenues of $40 billion (34 billion euros) in 2017 and profits of $16 billion, while Google made $12.7 billion on sales of $110 billion.

“Who could reasonably argue that they are not in a position to make fair payment for the content they use?” the agencies asked.

“What we are really talking about is introducing a fair payment by those who have ripped off the news. For the sake of Europe’s free press and democratic values, EU lawmakers should press ahead with copyright reform,” they added.

The column marks a new lobbying effort by media groups, backed by artists such as Paul McCartney, to sway European lawmakers as they prepare for a second vote on Sept. 12. AFP

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Two senators alarmed over suicide tries of teachers

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

AT LEAST two senators on Tuesday expressed alarm over the reported suicide of two teachers allegedly due to depression brought about by their heavy workload.

Senator Sonny Angara is pushing for the passage of the Teacher Protection Bill that aims to promote and improve the working conditions of public school teachers.

On the other hand, Gatchalian called on the Department of Education to address the root cause of teachers’ mental health issues.

Angara said it is not enough that teachers are assisted in terms of raising their salaries and providing trainings to strengthen their skills. Caring for their mental health is equally important.

“We must ensure a nurturing and safe school environment not only for our children, but for our educators as well,” Angara said.

With the recent death of teachers in Leyte and in Cavite in just two months, which are being blamed on their supposed heavy workload, various teachers groups have urged the Department of Education tto look into the mental health issues of public school teachers.

According to Angara, the incident underscores the importance of putting in place the implementing rules and regulations for the Mental Health Law or Republic Act 11036 so that psychiatric and psychosocial services can be accessible to public school teachers especially in rural areas where there are larger class sizes.

The senator has been pushing for wide-ranging reforms, including increasing their salaries under Senate Bill 135, to improve the quality of life of public school teachers in the country.

He has also filed SB 1870 or the Teacher Protection Act that seeks to formulate policies and establish support mechanisms for teachers in matters of student discipline and classroom management.

Under the proposed measure, the DepEd must ensure that there are enough guidance counsellors, who will serve as support personnel to teachers in matters of student discipline.

Moreover, the DepEd will be tasked to provide teachers the appropriate pre-service and in-service training on child behavior and psychology, classroom management techniques and positive discipline.

“With the increasing burden on teachers due to large class sizes, multiple shifts each day, and heavier tasks, there is an urgent need to provide protection to our teachers, who are already deemed overworked and underpaid,” the senator said.

Aside from the salary increase and protection of teachers, other reforms Angara is pushing include increasing the chalk allowance to P5,000 from P3,500 under SB 1871 and lowering the optional retirement age from 60 years old to 55 years old under SB 1872.

Gatchalian said he was truly awed by the teachers and amazed at their dedication, especially those who work beyond their required hours, often for very meager pay. It is no secret that our teachers are often overworked.

“I can only imagine the stress caused by their job—preparing lessons, teaching, and then grading papers, not to mention other non-teaching functions that they are assigned to do,” Gatchalian said.

The lawmaker also urged the Department of Education to utilize guidance counselors not only for school children but for teachers as well.

SLOW TRAIN. A train at the LRT Line 2 in Santolan, jampacked with passengers, chugs along towards Katipunan in Quezon City, as travelers endure the oven-hot coaches in the early morning hours. Sonny Espiritu

Nayong Filipino Foundation hit on controversial casino

By Julito G. Rada

B

UDGET Secretary Benjamin Diokno on Tuesday said the Nayong Filipino Foundation Inc. should be held responsible and accountable on the controversial casino theme park project in Parañaque City that was earlier scrapped by President Rodrigo Duterte due to the absence of a public bidding.

According to Rudolf Jurado, former chief of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, Diokno, along with Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, “removed the bidding process on [the] Nayong Pilipino contract.”

Jurado, who was sacked by Duterte last May, was blamed by Duterte over the controversy, saying Jurado agreed with a 75-year lease of the Nayong Pilipino property.

“We should not distract ourselves from the main issue here,” Diokno said.

“Ultimately, it is the GOCC governing board that has full responsibility and accountability for its decisions,” he said.

The controversy stemmed from the contract review by the OGCC where Jurado cited GCG Memorandum Circular No. 2018-02 as the basis for allowing the Nayong Pilipino Foundation Inc. to

lease the land even without public bidding.

Diokno said a review of the facts and law on the matter contradicted Jurado’s position. He said that in fact, an investigation by the Department of Justice has concluded that the NFPI lease contract with Landing Resorts Philippines Development Corp. was void ab initio or has no legal effect from the beginning.

“According to the DOJ report, the contract is a build-operate-transfer contract disguised as a lease contract, the implication of which is that the same should comply with the BOT law, which includes public bidding,” Diokno said.

In the interview, Jurado cited GCG Memorandum Circular 2018-02 which revoked a prior Memorandum Circular No. 2013-03 (Re-Issued), which specifically provides for the public bidding requirement for land bigger than a hectare

to be leased for more than 10 years.

Diokno said the revocation of which was misconstrued by Jurado to mean that public bidding is no longer necessary.

“On the contrary, it only emphasized the applicability of Executive Order No. 301, s 1987 on the lease of government property for private use, which authorizes the heads of the agency, to determine the reasonableness of the terms of the lease and the rental rates and enter into such lease contracts,” he said.

Diokno said this was reiterated in GCG MC 2018-02, which expressly recognized that though the proposed Major Development Projects and Contracts of GOCCs lie within the sound business judgment of the respective governing boards of the GOCCs, they are still mandated by existing laws, rules, and regulations to exercise extraordinary diligence in the conduct of business and in dealing with the properties of their respective GOCCs. In fact, the Governing Boards of GOCCs are constituted under Republic Act No. 10149, or the GOCC Governance Act of 2011, as “fiduciaries of the State,” with the “legal obligation and duty to always act in the best interest of the GOCC, with utmost good faith” and who “must exercise extraordinary diligence of a very cautious person with due regard for all the circumstances.”

‘Koko’ is top choice for senator in PDP-Laban survey SENATOR Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III is top choice of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan among 22 senatorial aspirants in a party survey taken during its recent leadership assembly in Pasay City.

Pimentel, the party’s national president, received 175 votes from 184 respondents, composed of the Party’s national officers, national government officials, members of Congress, local government officials and party leaders representing the private sector.

The respondents were asked to choose from a list of 24 senatorial hopefuls, composed of PDP-Laban officials, friends of the party, and incumbent senators due for reelection

in May next year.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who graced the occasion as party chairman, pledged his full support for the party and once again lauded PDP-Laban for being a “principled party” and encouraged its members to maintain the Party’s integrity.

The party has gained mass support, the President said, because public interest and good governance are always at the top of its agenda.

Presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio came in second with 155 votes, followed by Special Assistant to the President Secretary Christopher “Bong” Go with 153 votes.

Sec. Francis Tolentino (125), Presi-

dential Adviser on political Affairs, Davao City Congressman Karlo Alexei Nograles (116) and Senator Sonny Angara (112), occupied the fourth to sixth slots.

Former PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa, now head of the National Bilibid Prison, came in seventh with 110 votes, followed

by Sen. Cynthia Villar (103) and former senator and now Taguig representative Pia Cayetano (100).

Rounding out the top 13 positions were Maguindanao Cong. Zajid “Dong” Mangungudatu (95), Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque (87), and incumbent Senators JV Ejercito (85) and Grace Poe (85).

Macon Ramos-Araneta

16 applicants vie for SC associate justice post SOME 16 applicants are vying for the position of Associate Justice in the Supreme Court (SC), the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) confirmed Tuesday.

The position was vacated by Associate Justice Samuel Martires, whose early retirement was granted by the High Court’s en banc, after he was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to replace Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales whose term ended on July 26.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, JBC ex-officio vice chairman, said the aspirants for the post include SC Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, Court of Appeals Associate Justices Oscar Badelles, Manuel Barrios, Apolinario Bruselas, Jr., Rosmari Carandang, Stephen Cruz, Japar Dimaampao, Amy Lazaro-Javier, Ramon Garcia, Edgardo delos Santos, Ramon Paul Hernando, and Mario Lopez; Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Alexander Quiroz; Tagum City, Davao del Norte Regional Trial Court Branch 1 Judge Virginia Tejano-Ang; and CEU Law School associate dean Rita Linda Ventura-Jimeno.

He added that one “outsider” or lawyer outside the judiciary has also applied but his/her name has been withheld pending evaluation of documentary requirements submitted.

The JBC set the deadline for applications and submission of documentary requirements on Monday. It has yet to set the public interview of the applicants.

However, those who already had a previous interview will no longer undergo another interview.

At present, there are only 13 justices in the 15-member High Court. PNA

BoC posts P2.3-b revenue surplus

By Vito Barcelo

THE Bureau of Customs posted a revenue surplus collection of P 2.326 billion for the month of August, up by 4.7 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.

Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said the agency’s performance remains consistent as it has exceeded target for seven consecutive months.

“The bureau’s revenue collection for August reached P51.739 billion up by 4.7 percent versus its collection target of P49.31 billion,” Lapena said.

Preliminary data from the agency’s Financial Service show 15 collection districts to have significantly contributed to this positive revenue collection performance and these are Port of Batangas collected P12.716 billion, up 11.2% or P1.276 billion; Port of Manila collected P7.810 billion, up 5.1% or P382 million, Port of Limay collected P3.435 billion, up 14.2% or P428 million; Port of NAIA collected P3.106 bil-

lion, up 0.2% or P6 million; Port of Cebu collected P2.513 billion, up 12.9% or P286 million; Port of Davao collected P2.401 billion, up 51.4% or P815 million; and Port of Cagayan de Oro collected P1.913 billion, up 37.1 % or P517 million.

The ports also met its target were Port of San Fernando collected P397 million, up 47% or P127 million; Port of Iloilo collected P378 million, up 41.1% or P110 million; Port of Clark collected P147 million, up 13.1% or P17 million; Port of Tacloban collected P102 million, up 363.4% or P80 million; Port of Legaspi collected P33 million; up 40% or P9.5 million; Port of Zamboanga collected P24 million, up 1.2% or P300,000; Port of Aparri collected P7 million, up 43.7% or P2 million; and Port of Surigao collected P2 million, up 46.6% or P700,000.

However, Lapeña said that Manila International Container Port and the Port of Subic with a total collection of P14.782 billion and P1.478 billion, respectively did not reach their asssigned target.

GARBAGE. A mountain of garbage along Victoria Street, Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City are dumped in the middle of the road, causing inconvenience a speeding fire truck. Manny Palmero

A4

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A big hoax

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Bessang Pass – a battle which led to the surrender of Yamashita—to team up with General Zosimo Paredes to hunt for the Yamashita treasure. The twomonth hunt was financed by businessman Santos Pelaez.

My brother was skeptical but proFAKE news is unverified news— ceeded with the hunt, anyway. rumors or gossip.

Upon his return, my brother said it I have been a journalist for nearly seven decades. I have seen several was a fruitless expedition. The only forms of fake news. I myself have been thing they discovered was a case somesued 17 times. Of those, I have apolo- where in Nueva Vizcaya that contained gized four times because I was care- skeletons of soldiers.

Another example of fake news is less, or did not verify facts.

I have covered 10 presidents start- the so-called expose of Senator Ninoy ing from President Elpidio Quirino. Aquino that Marcos had some 400 During Quirino’s incumbency, his po- muslim soldiers massacred on the islitical enemies peddled fake news that land fort of Corregidor.

That exposé became headline news he and his wife had a “golden orinola.”

This fake news item stuck with them because it was reportedly an attempt for years. It did great damage to their of Marcos to invade and occupy Sabah.

The story was attributed to one Musimage.

There was also a rumor that Presi- lim soldier who escaped the massacre dent Ramon Magsaysay snuck out of —later called the Jabidah massacre— the Palace at four o’clock in the morn- after which the Senate condemned ing for a tryst with a woman in high Marcos. The Muslim group was reportedly headed places.

Then, during

by Col. Eddie the time of PresiMartelino, who dent Macapagal, assumed the name Abdul Latif. there was a rumor The problem with But if it really that his Executive happened, there Secretary Fenny fake news is that people would have been Hechanova and believe it. clamor for the his wife travelled head of Marcos to France with a by the relatives of suitcase full of cash to be depositthe Muslims. But ed in Switzerland. where were they?

Their host supposedly poisoned them The trouble with fake news is that with gas—which they survived. The people believe them and act on this belief. The ultimate victim is the truth. suitcase disappeared. *** Even at that time, money transfer I would like to pay tribute to two could be done through the wires!

But as far as I can recall, the big- Filipino businessmen—Ambassador gest hoax of the century was the so- Antonio Cabangon Chua of the Cabancalled Yamashita treasure. Tomoyuki gon Group of Companies, and Felimon Yamashita was known as the Tiger of Cuevas of the Cuevas Group of ComMalay because he reportedly raided panies. The two were my friends, and I and ransacked the temples of Malaysia, will always treasure our bond.

I consider the unsung heroes. In their Cambodia and Thailand for gold and lifetime, they gave back to people who treasure.

Thus, when Yamashita became needed help. They both had humble becommander of the Japanese imperial ginnings, and became blessed through forces in the Philippines, he reportedly sheer hard work and perseverance.

Tony was a cigaret vendor when he brought with him treasures from Malaya and other countries occupied by was a boy. He worked hard to provide for his mother. The late National Artthe Japanese.

That was, of course, pure nonsense, ist for Literature, Nick Joaquin, chronibut it did not prevent treasure hunters cled Tony’s life in a book called “The from all over the world to come here Saga of Antonio Cabangon Chua.”

He was a good friend to journalists digging. Some of them even went to and also to the Catholic Church because Fort Santiago!

Even Marcos believed it at the time. of his contributions.

Turn to A5 He called my brother Desi, the hero of

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Words have consequences

F

OR better or for worse, we have learned to take the outrageous utterances of President Rodrigo Duterte with a lot more than the proverbial grain of salt.

When he jokes about rape, we shake our heads but shrug it off, because the Palace assures us that Mr. Duterte is not a misogynist and has the utmost respect for women.

When he curses out world leaders for expressing concern about his bloody war on drugs, we are no longer surprised, telling ourselves that is simply his way and he will never change.

He even survived religious anger at his statement that God is stupid by offering a half-baked apology.

But Mr. Duterte should know by now that tolerance at home does not shield him from the consequences of his words when he is abroad.

On a state visit to Israel, Mr. Du-

terte has been pointedly reminded of an incredibly insensitive remark he made in 2016 comparing himself with Adolf Hitler. At the time, he compared his war on drugs to Hitler’s genocide of six million Jews. “Hitler massacred threemillion Jews… there’s three-million drug addicts. There are. I’d be happy to slaughter them.”

Duterte apologized for his remarks at the time, saying they were aimed at critics who compared him to Hitler—but the damage had already been done.

This week, Israeli human rights activists protested his visit while the newspaper Haaretz branded him “a Hitler admirer” in its editorial.

“Under the shadow of Duterte’s visit, Israel once again proves it’s willing to overlook leaders’ human rights violations for the sake of opportunities for arms deals and defense contracts,” the editorial read.

Urging Israeli President Reuven Rivlin not to meet a “mass murderer” like Mr. Dutere, human rights advocate

Eitay Mack said, “Certainly there is no place for a mass murderer and a person who supports rape, shooting women in their sexual organs and bombing schools to meet with Israel’s president.”

Thankfully, Mr. Duterte was more subdued in his remarks during a visit to Israel’s national Holocaust memorial Monday, saying the horror should never be repeated and that despots have no place in the modern world.

“I could not imagine a country obeying an insane leader, and I could not ever fathom the spectacle of the human being going into a killing spree, murdering old men, women and children. I hope this will not happen again,” he said.

“There is always a lesson to learn: That despots and leaders who show insanity, they should be disposed of at the first instance,” he said.

The words were appropriate, but would have been more credible coming from a leader who exercises greater care in what he says, whether at home or abroad.

San Miguel’s food gambit allowed to import rice and sell it at moderate prices. He also vows to increase rice production by organizing the country’s rice farmers as San Miguel’s contract growers for rice, providing them with seeds, fertilizers, credit, technical UNKNOWN perhaps to many, San supervision, warehousing and milling, Miguel Corp. is the Philippines’ larg- guaranteed market and pricing. The idea est food company. Its annual food and will put rice cartels out of business and beverage sales will likely hit P280 bil- put an end to predatory speculation on lion this year. Its annual profits from the price and supply of the staple food.

The rate of increase in prices or food and beverage are about P30 billion. Margins are high, about 20 per- inflation is reaching ten-year highs cent, in an industry that is very com- (probably more than 6 percent per year petitive and where margins are usually by this August). Why? Because there is not enough food supply. Food is 50 of in the single digits.

San Miguel is also the country’s larg- every 100 pesos of expenditure of some est retail organization. Its 95-percent- 24-million households in the Philipowned food and beverage subsidiary, pines. Of the 50 pesos for food, rice acSan Miguel Food and Beverage Inc. counts for 20 pesos. The poor among us spend much more has over 400,000 on food, as high as beer outlets, 60 pesos for every 141,000 spir100 of expenditure. its outlets, and RSA’s offer could 130,000 retail Ang has offered to be the greatest povoutlets for foods. erty alleviation It has 1,200 ramp up rice supply program ever done. chicken stations, Poverty is question 650 Monterey by being allowed to of purchasing powmeat shops, and import rice and sell it at er. If the poor could 530 Kambal moderate prices. buy more food at Pandesal stores. lower prices, they SMFB is also the will have enough biggest food sermoney to buy other vice provider in essentials—clothes, education, health the archipelago.

Listed in the stock market, SMFB is care, entertainment. It is called quality valued at P585 billion. That makes it of life.

You want to buy into San Miguel’s the country’s largest food company in food business? You can do now that San market capitalization.

So largest food company in sales, Miguel is doing a follow-on IPO. SMFB largest in profits, largest in market cap is making a follow-on IPO by selling and largest in retail network. Awesome. 887-million common shares at P140 per share, plus another 133-million shares to Nobody comes close.

This is why if there is any company cover over allotment. The 887-million that can solve the Philippines’ serious shares are valued at P124.18 billion.

(Disclosure: I don’t buy shares of rice shortage and shortages of other food items like fish, vegetables and companies I write about).

Briefly, here is why SMFB is a good meat, it is San Miguel. This makes San “buy” stock: Miguel such a good investment.

• SMFB the largest consumer name SMC President Ramon S. Ang has offered to ramp up rice supply by being Turn to A5

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

Velazquez’s ladies in waiting spruce up struggling Spanish town By by Marianne Barriaux IN 2008, SICK of watching his derelict neighborhood dying a slow death, Spanish artist Eduardo Hermida walked out of his studio and painted a mural inspired by Diego Velazquez’s masterpiece “Las Meninas.”

It was a spontaneous protest begging authorities to do something in Canido in the industrial northwestern town of Ferrol, dubbed Spain’s Detroit for its shrinking population and abandoned homes.

His friends joined in. As the years passed, so did other artists from as far afield as Taiwan and before he knew it, Hermida had created an annual urban art festival that has helped breathe life

into the neighbourhood, attracting visitors and new residents.

In April, a mural sporting the alleged signature of legendary street artist Banksy appeared overnight, generating breathless excitement.

Was this the famously anonymous graffiti star’s first foray into Spain, coming to the rescue of the struggling Galician town?

Unfortunately not. Banksy’s official website has since denied he was behind the stencilled image of two Guardia Civil police agents kissing, and the author’s true identity remains a mystery.

But the show goes on.

‘Agonizing’ decline During last weekend’s edition of the

event, now sponsored by commercial brands, artists from around Spain got busy on walls marked with a yellow “M,” indicating where they were allowed to work.

Some perched on aerial work platforms to spray-paint giant building facades, others delicately glued mosaics to the wall of a house in ruins The neighborhood has accumulated around 240 quirky variants of Velazquez’s 17th century painting, which depicts young Infanta Margarita with her ladiesin-waiting (Meninas in Spanish), wearing tight corsets and wide, bouffant skirts.

Cubist Meninas, a Menina with a Darth Vader head, another sporting the feminist Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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

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can be accessed at: manilastandard.net

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Opinion

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

LP’s tired, old solutions

The ‘nows’ of us

if not scrap altogether the increased tax on fuel, in particular kerosene and diesel.

Well and good. The problem is these are the same tired, old and ultimately unresponsive solutions to the kind of problem we are presently facing. Yes, there may be a need to finally put an end to the open war between the NFA Council and Administrator Aquino which has contributed to the deadlocks, delays in buying rice locally and importation.

But to suggest that Aquino alone was presiding over the incompetence and corruption at the NFA and that he is the root cause of the rice crisis as suggested by a leading light of the opposition is to over simplify the issue.It is as if it Aquino’s removal will cast a spell and presto! Rice will then flood the markets all the way to Tawi-Tawi.

It reminds us of the knee-jerk reactions in administrations past, especially those associated with the current LP leadership.

Unresponsive and hypocritical. It only reinforces the view that these guys continue to live in a lie. What are they sniffing, anyway? It is a tired response, as tired a solution as can be thought of, and is guaranteed not to put even a grain of rice on our tables in this critical week or two of the contrived crisis we are going through which the Liberal Party hopes can be the tipping point’ in their bid to shove President Duterte before his term ends. The sooner, the better.

Council, got to a point where their inventory was depleted to almost a day’s national consumption before they started the process of importation.

Unfortunately, the solutions profLITO fered, such as legislating rice tarrifBANAYO fication to lift the quantitative restrictions (something hardly any consumer LET me borrow from the title of a understands except for economic manmovie whose trailer I saw on TV while agers and academics) will not cure the on a recent visit to Manila. The movie present shortage quickly. It is not a is “The Hows of Us”—whatever that “now” remedy.

Former Neda director-general Ciel means to the plot of the rom-com.

Many of the proposed solutions to Habito wrote an article yesterday prothe rice crisis we are experiencing and moting the merits of brown or un-polwhich has been the subject of many ished rice instead of polished white rice. articles in this space are prospective He is right. Polishing palay removes 40 medium- and long-term remedies. Un- percent of its weight before it becomes fortunately, what matters to the Filipino white rice, sometimes less. Brown rice consumer is the present, the “nows” of yields 70 to 75 percent, and the difference is enough to solve the shortfall us, not the “hows” for the future.

As we await the Bangko Sentral fig- between what we currently harvest and ures of August inflation, no less than what we presently eat as a nation.

But how long will it take to educate the Department of Finance through its USec and chief economist Gil Beltran taste buds and eating habits?

Post-harvest facilities should have has said that it could reach 5.9 percent, a nine-year high, surpassing the July been improved, so that losses estimated at 5-7 percent due to primitive drying 2018 index of 5.7 percent.

The price of rice, despite all the as- of palay and improper handling could surances of DA and NFA, keeps mov- be reduced. But all these should have ing up. The seasonal surge in the price been done yesterday. The history of of vegetables in this monsoon period, how the Department of Agriculture even fish and pork, plus other external- through so many decades has been ities like the continued increase in oil wasting budgeted resources on lesser prices makes USec Beltran’s estimate priorities and corruption is legendary.

Whatever else anybody and his quite likely, if not even conservative.

The cost-push inflation continues to mother can decry, and whoever else anybody and his mother could blame, we hound the “nows” of every Filipino.

There is a standing rule that NFA’s need “instant” solutions to the rice supply and rice price buffer stocks at problem. any single time Unfor t unately of the year should there are no quick be 15 days of the fixes when probaverage national Unfortunately there lems have already consumption. multiplied several That’s anywhere are no quick fixes when times over. Imfrom 460,000 to porting rice, even 500,000 metric problems have already through the less tons, or close to multiplied several times time-consuming 10-million bags. gove r n ment-to But during over. government transthe lean months, actions, is not as which means the easy as buying period between “suka” from the the summer harvest (April-May) and the wet-season sari-sari store.

Even allowing the private sector crop, which is harvested September to November, the rule of thumb is that to import with or without a permit NFA must have 30 days inventory, or from the NFA will still take some some 0.9 to 1 million tons. This also time. You cannot airlift rice from coincides with our typhoon season, al- Vietnam or Thailand to the Philipthough there are late-comer typhoons, pines. Even if the Bureau of Customs and these tend to be the stronger ones. declares “open sesame” to smugglers Think Yolanda in early November, or at this time will not bring the rice fast Ondoy and Pepeng in late September, enough, except perhaps in the southPedring in early October, where not ernmost islands as the DA secretary only do warehouses get flooded, but proposes, but that is good only for worse, palay ready for harvest get inun- very limited quantities, because Sadated by massive floods, damaging the bah is not a surplus producer.

So what can be done? farmer’s crop.

We just have to wait for the ripenDuring these lean months in-between harvests, even the farmers become con- ing palay to be ready for harvest, and sumers, having already consumed the that means, relief can come only in rice they saved for their own family’s October-November. But will the prices abate enough? With the ex-farm palay consumption after selling most of it.

NFA stocks, despite its rushed prices having reached historically high imports, are somewhere around five to proportions, don’t be too optimistic seven days—so far from 15, let alone 30. that retail prices will normalize soon Government and media always blame enough.

In 2011, on the night of Sept. 25 and the cartels, the hoarders, portraying them as greedy villains who uncon- the whole day of Sept. 26, Typhoon scionably make hay while the consum- “Pepeng” struck, bringing with it ers suffer. They call for extreme meas- so much rain that cascaded from the ures like “raiding” the warehouses of slopes of the Sierra Madre. By Sept. the distribution chain, the millers and 27, the almost harvestable palay in Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Bulacan traders.

But how do you define hoarding in was destroyed. “Dumapa ang palay,” quantitative terms? How does a raider the farmers cried. Caked in mud after of the bodega declare that there is “too the floods subsided, the palay was much” being “hoarded?” It makes for a rendered useless.

The DA and NFA estimated the loss good soundbyte, but it will only worsen the situation. Despite the “most feared” at close to 500,000 metric tons. All lost president in decades, the prices move up, in a single day.

Let us pray that no such thing, or up and away. What does this indicate? no “Yolanda,” “Ondoy” or “Pedring,” There is a supply problem.

The logistical costs of hoarding at a “Milenyo” or whatever name Pagasa time like this do not justify prolonged calls a typhoon does not come visit storage in warehouses.

That early Central Luzon, or Eastern Visayas all palay harvests are being bought from the way to Iloilo and Mindoro, when farmers at historical highs also indi- farmers are about to harvest in October cates that there is a supply problem. or November.

In 2011, because NFA had ample The weather has not been cooperative, so many farmers had to delay their stocks, prices remained fairly stable planting. Again, that is not good news despite Typhoon “Pepeng” and its cascading rain. for the “nows” of the rice problem.

Now, we have little if any to “buffer” By now it is clear to everyone and his mother that whatever the internal a calamity of such proportions.

Maybe the Roman Catholic Church reasons, NFA imported too late. In rice as in almost every endeavor, “timing is can issue an “oratio imperata,” and storm the heavens with prayers of the everything.”

Quite inexcusable as well is how the faithful. And every Filipino, consumer NFA, whether the administrator or its as well as farmer, should pray.

CROSSROADS

JONATHAN A. DE LA CRUZ SINCE news of the shortage of NFA rice —meaning the edible and affordable variety, a good number of which were in the process of being unloaded in various ports across the country—got even grimmer with reports of weevil infestation in certain areas, exacerbated by bad weather, everybody got into the wave and started asking: “What’s happening?” These questions came with prescriptions galore on how to avert a “looming food crisis” as some sectors call it.

Well, at least the country is finally getting focused not only on the basic staple, rice, but on the state of our agricultural sector. For years on end, this has hardly been a sexy topic for decision makers in both public and private sectors for reasons which we will discuss in future columns. In the meantime, since we are focused on rice and soaring prices, the response of the Liberal Party is particularly worth looking into.

So, what has the party led by VP Leni Robredo and her allies in Congress offered to ease the rising prices of basic commodities, principally rice, in their first ever press conference on any matter of significance to ordinary citizens like you and me? Nothing new. Just the tired, old solutions wrapped with the usual criticism of the administration’s lack of foresight and competence.

Joined by LP President Francis Pangilinan and other party leaders, Robredo presented a number of options to address the “rice crisis” and the rising prices of basic commodities in this wise: First, fire NFA Administrator Jason Aquino whom they identified as the “root of the rice crisis” (wow).

Second, overhaul the NFA leadership (was she thinking of the entire NFA Council which has been at odds with Aquino to the point of blocking his earlier efforts to import rice to augment that agency’s buffer? Or only those who blocked his scheme or those who allowed the use of NFA funds to pay off debt with the government banks instead of using the same to buy rice for stocking or all of the above?).

Third, create a task force comprised of Cabinet members to address the rice emergency.

Fourth, suspend the higher excise tax on fuel.

Fifth, expand social protection measures and the scope of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

Sixth, certify as urgent and move for the passing of the “Bawas Presyo” bill filed

by LP Representatives Quimbo, Banal and Belmonte which seeks the return to zero of the excise taxes on kerosene and diesel.

Basically, the LP scheme consists of two parts: Fire Aquino, reform NFA’s policies on buffer stocking and rice importation by creating a task force composed of Cabinet members to oversee the work (will these people have any time just to even organize themselves?) and slow down implementation of the TRAIN Law by suspending the excise tax on fuel. That is, presumably until the passage of the “Bawas Presyo” bill that seeks to suspend

Velazquez’s...

From A4

slogan “Time’s Up,” a mermaid Menina with long blue hair and a scar on her breast campaigning for breast cancer, another whose face lines follow the cracks of a wall.

In Canido, they come in all colors and sizes, helping liven up a town that Hermida says has suffered an “agonizing and chronic” crisis sparked by the decline in its once buoyant shipyards.

“That pushed people to migrate, to leave, and there are lots of abandoned houses,” the bearded 52-year-old artist says.

Since 1981, Ferrol, also the birthplace of late dictator Francisco Franco, has lost more than 20,000 inhabitants according to Galicia’s statistics institute.

A big...

From A4

Cuevas, a ranking member of Iglesia ni Kristo, used to be a lowly fisherman in Cavite and a gasoline station attendant. Through hard work, he ended up owning that gas station. He sent his brother, the late Supreme Court Justice

San...

From A4

in the Philippines by sales, net income, and market capitalization.

• Huge capacity additions will drive long-term sustainable growth.

• SMFB’s San Miguel Brewery should be valued at a premium above its peers given its uncontested market leadership, proven track record, strong brand equity, and high profitability. SanMig is one of Asia’s oldest beers and is globally famous. SMC is the original PH multinational.

With the re-IPO, SMFB has incorporated back into the business its beer operation under San Miguel Brewery.

Well, I am sorry to say that it will take more than that to hijack the Chief Executive’s term.

But for now, that call for Aquino’s head and overhaul of the NFA leadership can stay and possibly activated only after the situation stabilizes and rice that is eatable and affordable is already in place.

Until such a time, maybe up to the end of October, hopefully earlier, we should get Aquino and the NFA Council with Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol to get together and do what needs to be done to hold the line.

They can start by coming together “in peace” and issuing a list of companies and persons whose warehouses are awash with rice but continue to withhold the same for whatever reason(s)—OK, let us just agree that these “bodegeros” are into hoarding and profiteering. This kind of behavior has to stop and now. As President Duterte said there is really rice in those warehouses but greed has set in.

It will take a “tokhang-on-rice hoarders” task force, not the Pangilinan contrivance to put the fear of the Almighty on these people and their allies in government.

Then, with the release of those supplies to be paid and funded by a special window from the DBM and the government banks, they can secure more imports for immediate delivery. After things calm down, then the call for a total revamp of the NFA leadership, possibly even the ouster of Aquino if justified,

can be revisited. But the problem of rice supply and pricing does not end there.

As former NFA Administrator and now Meco president Lito Banayo said, we have to go back to our commitments under the World Trade Organization which essentially frames the manner by which NFA can import and operate. As Banayo noted, we are now the only WTO member country still under a quantitative restrictions regime which means we can restrict the amount of rice allowed to be imported into the country.

That volume is determined by the NFA Council upon advice of the administrator.

As it turned out, the tug of war between the NFA Council and Aquino prevented us from importing rice much, much earlier as the volume and other issues such as who will import, government or private, and under what conditions remained unanswered until May or June this year.

Not enough time to avert an anticipated shortage. That continuing tug-of-war will probably be resolved soon with the rice tariffication scheme and with it whether the NFA as we know it today will survive.

But again even with that, the problem of supply and pricing does not end there.

We should take a serious look at how we have been handling our agricultural sector, especially that sub-sector dealing with rice and corn production.We do not need additional laws or even hearings to come out with a sustained, responsive and comprehensive plan. We only need to dust up and update all the studies which have been in placefor years. Reinvention of this very critical sector will definitely require wise and proper orchestration of such critical components as land use, irrigation and related infrastructure, seeds, funding support, mechanization, post harvest facilities, price support, education and training of a new breed of farmers, new technology, etc. etc.

The Liberal Party and its leaders, especially Senator Pangilinan who was the Presidential Adviser of Food Security and Modernization under the past administration, are well aware of these things. In fact, there was a wellorchestrated drive for self-sufficiency in rice and corn not too long ago under PNoy complete with annual budgetary allocations for six years. It was a pity we did not even hear a word about this program and how the billions of pesos in funding support was spent from Vice President Robredo and her allies in that press conference. Anyway, we will deal with that in our future columns.

As for the second leg of the LP response to our current problem—suspension of the TRAIN Law particularly the excise tax on fuel (kerosene and diesel) we can only suggest that the group take a look at the transcripts of the proceedings in the congressional hearings on the subject specially the submissions of the agencies comprising the Cabinet economic cluster and the testimonies of the experts including those who opposed some provisions or even the entire original submitted bill.

I hope that after reading, they would realize that suspension may only create more problems than offer solutions. And yes, if they are not satisfied with the earlier submissions, they can probably ask their colleague, Marikina Rep. and former Deputy Speaker Miro Quimbo, why all of a sudden he is reversing himself on this issue.

That’s all for now.

Between 1998 and 2017 the number of under-30s living there fell by nearly 47 percent.

In February, Zara, the high-street fashion favourite whose billionaire owner is Galician, closed its only store there.

Injection of youth Canido, perched high in town overlooking lush rolling hills, has been “one of the worst-hit” neighbourhoods, says Hermida.

But it has gradually changed over the decade helped in no small part by the Meninas, locals say.

While many dilapidated, single-storey houses remain, several new homes have sprung up.

A popular supermarket chain has also opened.

“There is a gynaecologist, fishmonger, restaurants with good food,” Hermida adds.

Jose Gandara, a 46-year-old newsagent

who has run a small shop since 1996, estimates that Canido’s population has doubled since the festival began.

“There are more customers... young people have come to the neighbourhood, couples, young people with kids.”

He says tourists from cruise ships that now dock in Ferrol trek up to the neighbourhood to see what all the fuss is about.

The concept of art helping revive a town is not new.

Fanzara in eastern Spain, for instance, has been revitalised by giant murals painted by street artists from around the world.

For Maria Fernandez Lemos, Ferrol’s 46-year-old urban planning councillor, the Meninas festival—and a close-knit community—has helped generate pride in a town that didn’t have much to go on.

“It’s had a huge impact,” she says. AFP

Serafin Cuevas, to school.

Ka Imon, as I called him, became rich during the Vietnam War when he supplied oil to Clark Air Base. He was also able to distribute drivers’ licenses until the end of the Arroyo administration.

He was the right-hand man of the late INC Supremo, Ka Erdie Manalo. He became the INC treasurer. He had busi-

ness in hotels, property development, insurance and automotives. I remember him and the late lawyer Leonardo Siguion Reyna because we would go with President Fidel Ramos and President Joseph Estrada on their foreign trips.

Like Tony, Ka Imon also knew how to pay it forward from his success.

What are they sniffing, anyway?

• Post consolidation, SMFB earnings will be more resilient and less volatile on the back of the structural change in sales mix.

• SMFB will be a predominantly commodities-driven business into a branded food and beverage powerhouse.

• Higher revenue contribution from the branded business will enhance margins and result in lower earnings volatility.

With SMFB’s IPO, San Miguel is parlaying the strength of the Philippine economy and the conglomerate’s leadership, strength, and marketing prowess in its old businesses—beer, beverages and foods. SMFB is spending P86.6 billion to expand—P5.3 billion for beer and P81.3 billion for food.

www.emiljurado.weebly.com The P86.6 billion beer and food expansion is 12 percent of SMC’s P742billion three-year capacity expansion, the largest in its 128-year history.

The P742-billion expansion makes San Miguel the single largest corporate investor in the Philippines, bar none.

SMC, of course, contributes 5.2 percent to the annual production of goods and services or GDP. The P742 billion does not include the P750 billion cost of a new airport San Miguel will build in Bulacan with government approval. The airport opens six years from the time construction is started, with four runways and capacity to serve 100 million passengers per year.

Of the P81.3 billion for food capex, P30.54 billion will build 11 feed mills,

SO I SEE

P10.887 billion will go to the expansion of its branded value added foods, P10.887 billion for nine new integrated poultry processing plants, P8.55 billion for flour milling and grain terminal expansion, P6.9 billion for a corn dryer, silos and warehouse; P1.1 billion for a slaughterhouse, and P469 million for a poultry breeding farm.

In terms of earnings before interest, taxes, and depreciation or EBITDA, SMFB makes close to $1 billion. EBITDA margin is 20 percent—very high for a food and beverage company in an industry where margins are single digits.

SMFB EBITDA rises by an average of 15 percent per year.

SMFB has three operating divisions—beer, spirits, and food. All

are booming businesses, enabling San Miguel to generate substantial revenues and bigger and bigger profits.

The economy has been consumerdriven for the past 10 years. Household expenditures account for 73 percent of the annual output of goods and services (Gross Domestic Product or GDP).

If you add government spending, consumer spending accounts for 84 percent of GDP. Filipinos should be spending more.

The savings rate is 29.8 percent Based on a GDP of P17 trillion, 29.8 percent translates into P5 trillion money looking for goods and services to buy or outlets to invest in. biznewsasia@gmail.com

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

3 big-time drug pushers in Taguig jailed for life

SC justices question minority’s standing

By Joel E. Zurbano A TAGUIG City court judge sentenced to life imprisonment three big-time drug pushers who were arrested with two kilos of cocaine worth P10 million in their possession during a buy-bust operation in 2011.

Mayor Laarni Cayetano lauded the decision penned by Judge Antonio Olivete of Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 267 against the accused—Jose Vastine, Edilberto Ty and Alberto Joaquin Ong. “This is a crucial victory in a crusade we’ve begun in 2010. The adverse effects of illegal drugs ripple from the individual to the community at large so we’ve maintained the offensive versus this industry. Each drug personality we pin down is definitely a win for the city,” said Cayetano in a statement.

Aside from jail term in New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, Olivete also fined the three accused a total P1.5 million and ordered Ong and Vastine to undergo rehabilitation for a minimum period of six months in a governmentcontrolled facility.

Authorities arrested Vastine, Ty and Ong in a buy-bust operation that turned up with two kilograms of high-grade cocaine worth P10 million in 2011.

Cayetano said the buy-bust against the three pushers was just one of the many police anti-drug operations in close coordination with the city government that resulted in the arrest of big fish in the illegal drug trade.

“We’ve always been confident that the people would win this litigation.

This is a fitting conclusion. It is proof that the city is committed to the safety and well-being of Taguigeños,” she said.

Tinga Drug Syndicate members Joel Tinga and Elisa “Ely” Tinga were also sentenced to reclusion perpetua for selling illegal drugs in September 2016 and February 2017, respectively.

Elisa was the third most wanted person in the list of illegal drug personalities. She was the seventh member of the Tinga Drug Syndicate who was arrested and jailed.

The Top 10 drug personalities in 2015 —Michael Butch Tan, Sancho Espiritu, Alfonso Dacquel, Richard Silvestre, Isidro Llagas, Mardie Talampas, Jackie Abone, Adonis Venus, Bags Malay and Rawie Castro—are now behind bars.

By Rey E. Requejo

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATORS. House Committee on Acounts Chairperson Yedda Marie K. Romualdez greets Tuesday members of House Media who are celebrating their birthday anniversaries in the month of September. House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo also greets 15 birthday celebrators and provided the cakes. Ver Noveno

House okays bill extending maternity leave to 100 days

By Maricel V. Cruz

T

HE House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on third and final reading a bill providing a 100-day maternity leave with pay to employees both in the public and private sectors by a 191 vote.

House Bill 4113, approved by the House in plenary session, would extend the current 60-day leave by another 40 days, as well as give employees the option to extend their maternity leave by another 30 days without pay.

This developed as Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas of Gabriela welcomed the measure’s passage at the Lower House.

“This is historic as this is the first time that the expaded maternity leave bill hurdled all the stages at the House of Representatives since we first filed the measure 10 years ago. We congratulate various women’s groups and partners of Gabriela Women’s Party for tirelessly pushing the Lower House to act on the 100-day maternity leave bill,” Brosas said.

Brosas said Gabriela would push for the

upper limit of the maternity leave period, 120 days, in the bicameral conference committee, similar to what is contained in Gabriela’s HB 1046 or the original maternity leave bill, and in the Senate’s approved version of the measure.

Gabriela said around 15-million workers in the government and private sector would benefit from the measure, noting, however, that the availment of the maternity benefits was voluntary and not mandatory.

HB 4113 provides that the 100-day paid maternity leave shall apply, regardless of the workers’ civil status, legitimacy of her child, and whether she gave birth through Caesarian Section or by natural means.

The bill also grants the maternity leave to employees “in every instance of preg-

nancy, miscarriage, or abortion, regardless of its frequency.”

Under Section 13 of the bill, the employee who avails herself of the maternity leave will be guaranteed security of tenure; and that her employer is barred from demoting or firing her for taking maternity leave.

The bill provides that a member of the Social Security System who has paid at least three monthly contributions in the 12-month period immediately preceding the semester of her childbirth or miscarriage shall be paid her daily maternity benefit.

This would be computed based on the average monthly salary credit for 100 days.

It adds workers in the private sector who are on maternity leave must receive not less than two-thirds of their regular monthly wages.

Employers in the private sector must be responsible for the salary differential between the actual cash benefits received from SSS and their average weekly or regular wages, for the entire duration of the maternity leave, the bill states.

Negros mayor gets prison time for graft THE Sandiganbayan has meted out six to 10 years imprisonment to Mayor Nelson Ruiz of San Jose, Negros Oriental, who was found guilty of graft for allowing the operation of a cockpit arena in a parcel of land that he owns in 2009.

In a decision dated Aug. 28, the anti-graft court’s Seventh Division also barred Ruiz from holding public office for life.

The case stemmed from Ruiz’s issuance of a license to a certain Felix Ramirez to operate a cockpit at the San Jose Sports Complex in barangay Cancawas, although he owns the land where the cockpit would be built.

Ramirez had to pay Ruiz a monthly rent of P10,000 for two years from January 2010 to December 2011 as contained in the contract.

“Indubitably, not only was accused Ruiz’s property indispensable for the cockpit to come into being, but accused Ruiz also stood to financially gain from its operation,” the Sandiganbayan said.

The anti-graft court also said Ruiz illegally granted the license to operate since the municipal council has yet to issue an ordinance formally approving the cockpit’s operation.

“Knowing fully well his involvement in the construction of the cockpit, accused Ruiz, as Municipal mayor, unilaterally issued the permit to operate said cockpit without an ordinance from the Sangguniang Bayan, and on the very same day, the cockpit paid the necessary fees to start operating,” the Sandiganbayan said.

“Accused Ruiz’s prohibited intervention, initially manifest in his issuance of a business permit to a cockpit to be constructed on his own land, was clinched by the lease contract confirming that he stood to benefit from said cockpit,” it added.

The Sandiganbayan, however, acquitted Ruiz in the related case for violation of Section 3(d) of the anti-graft law, citing the absence of proof that he used his position to influence the hiring of his daughter, Susan Logronio, as a cockpit cashier. Maricel V. Cruz

TWO magistrates of the Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned the legal standing of the opposition senators to file on behalf of the Senate a petition assailing the constitutionality of President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to unilaterally withdraw the country’s membership from Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

During the continuation of the oral arguments on the petition seeking revocation of the withdrawal from ICC membership due to lack of concurrence from the Senate, Associate Justices Marvic Leonen and Noel Tijam raised doubts on the legal standing of the six opposition senators—Francis Pangilinan, Franklin Drilon, Leila de Lima, Paolo Aquino, Antonio Trillanes IV and Risa Hontiveros—to file the petition before the high court.

Leonen asked Pangilinan if they represented the position of the Senate as collegial body.

Pangilinan cited Senate Resolution No. 286 expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the requirement for concurrence for the ICC membership withdrawal. He said the resolution was signed by 14 signatures out of 23 senators.

When asked if the resolution had been tabled for discussion in the Senate, Pangilinan responded: “The matter was not adopted by the Senate.”

Nonetheles, during questioning, Pangilinan admitted that the Senate concurrence to the ICC membership did not have the provision requiring concurrence again in the withdrawal, unlike in 17 other treaties.

When pressed why was that the case, Pangilinan could not provide a clear answer.

Leonen then called petitioners’ lawyer and former Akbayan Party-list Rep. Barry Gutierrez to the podium to explain the legal standing of the senators.

“Their principle of basis for standing is in their capacity as senators of the Republic,” Gutierrez explained.

Tijam also raised similar question involving the collegial position of the Senate.

“Should this Court act favorable (sic) on the petition and compel the Senate to give its concurrence to the withdrawal, will that not be interpreted as an intrusion to the powers of the Senate?” Tijam asked.

“Has the Senate asserted its authority to demand concurrence in the withdrawal form the Rome Statute?”

Tijam asked, to which Gutierrez replied in the negative.

In his comment, Solicitor General Jose Calida said the opposition senators have no legal standing to file the case in SC simply because of the lack of official stance of the Senate as a collegial body due to divided sentiment of senators on the issue.

Leandro Coronel, 70 HOME DEVELOPERS. Pag-IBIG Fund officers with the top 10 North Luzon developers at the Home Lending Accomplishment

Report in North Luzon. Top row (from left): manager Philip Keith; Housing Business Center head Danilo Catolos; area head Imelda de Guzman; manager Josephine Reyes; OIC-vice president Arlene Reyes; OIC-senior vice president Benjamin Felix Jr.; deputy chief executive officer Marilene Acosta; top developer Wilfredo Tan of Fiesta Communities; DCEO Alexander Aguilar; SVP Fermin Sta. Teresa Jr.; VP Joseph Quiboloy; HBC head Lydia de Castro; and OIC-manager Brenda Cao.

CHR grateful for budget approval by House panel

By Rio N. Araja THE Commission on Human Rights on Tuesday thanked Congress for the approval of its 2019 budget.

“We express our gratitude to the House of Representatives’ committee on appropriations, led by chairperson Karlo Alexei B. Nograles and vice chairperson Raul V. del Mar, for their full support to the cause of human rights through the unhampered approval of the budget of the Commission on Human Rights at the committee-level,” spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said.

“This shows that the HoR recognizes the expediency of the work of the Commission given the current challenging times wherein human rights violations are rampant and the culture of impunity is unabated,” she said.

The agency has proposed a P687,706-million budget, or -0.48 percent lower than the previous year.

De Guia said the decrease could be credited to lowered allocations for capital outlay.

The proposed budget is intended to strengthen the human rights protection, promotion and policy thrusts of the CHR, she added.

“Your confidence in us further boosts our impetus to steadfastly demand accountability from perpetrators, provide recourse for victims especially the most vulnerable ones, and fight for the core rights that define our humanity,” she said.

“We assure the Filipino people that every peso entrusted to us is judiciously spent in defense of human rights and the dignity of all. We thank all those who continue to stand with us—within and beyond the walls of Congress—our fight for human dignity,” she added.

CEB expands Change for Good THE Cebu Pacific Air announced on Tuesday the expansion of its Change for Good program in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef to all flights in and out of its hub at the Clark International Airport.

Beginning Sept. 1, 2018, passengers on all Cebu Pacific domestic and international flights to and from Clark will be able to participate and donate loose change, spare foreign currency or whatever amount they can spare to help vulnerable children in the Philippines receive proper nutrition in the first 1,000 days of their lives.

“We are very grateful to Cebu Pacific for further expanding our Change for Good partnership. Now, passengers boarding Clark flights can join in the fight to ensure that children in the Philippines not only survive but thrive. By donating any amount, you invest in the future of Filipino children,” said Unicef Representative Lotta Sylwander.

Change for Good was established by Unicef in 1987, in alliance with the global airline industry.

The alliance is designed to collect spare currency from passengers on board flights of partner airlines with the aim to reach millions of undernourished children in over 150 countries. To date, Change for Good is one of the longest-running efforts of the UN children’s agency.

Cebu Pacific is the first and only partner of Unicef for the Change for Good initiative in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

To date, CEB is also the only local airline partner who raises funds to benefit children in its home country.

All funds donated by passengers aboard Cebu Pacific flights for the Change for Good initiative benefit children in marginalized communities in the Philippines.

“We are immensely thankful to all our passengers who have donated to Change for Good for the past two years. The program is a practical way to put spare foreign currency or loose change to good use, rather than letting these become clutter in our homes,” said JR Mantaring, Vice President for Corporate Affairs of Cebu Pacific.

LEANDRO “DD” Coronel, political columnist, died on Monday after a brief illness. He was 70 years old.

Coronel was an active participant in online discussion of the burning issues of the day, a steadfast advocate of freedom of expression and unwavering respect for people’s rights.

He is survived by his sisters: Alice Paras, Gregoria (Baby) de Luna, Rosario (Charrie) Reyes, and Asuncion (Nini) Nuqui, and in-laws, nieces, nephews, and his siblings’ grandchildren.

Coronel’s funeral wake will be at the residence of his sister, Alice, in Brgy. San Antonio, Floridablanca, Pampanga, from Sept. 3 to Sept. 6.

His body will be cremated and inurned at the Eternal Covenant Memorial Park in Floridablanca.

Coronel applied for work at the World Bank in Washington, DC, as an undergraduate student.

He capitalized on his writing skills to rise from the ranks to become a writer/ editor and finally, senior press officer and spokesman.

He was one of only two Filipinos to hold the position of spokesman based in Washington, DC. The World Bank is a multilateral organization, with more than 100 member nations, tasked to assist poor countries in developing their economies through lending and technical assistance for specific projects. Coronel was with the bank from 1969 to 1997.

Coronel helped organize the World BankIMF Filipino Association even when forming national groupings were frowned upon by the two multilateral organizations based in Washington, DC. He was elected founding president of the association.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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Didal gets a new teammate tapos sa Asian Games na,” said Didal She was the favorite to win the women’s street skate gold here following her eighth-place finish in the 2018 Street League Skateboarding PRO Open in London, England.

Her manager Anthony Claravall and co-manager Jessica Ryon said they will make sure that Didal trains well for her next events.

Philippine Olympic Committee secretary general Patrick Gregorio was on hand upon her arrival, along with the staff and executives of Conrad Hotel, where Didal stayed overnight.

Mendegoria said Means is a specialist in park skateboarding and has had plenty of exposure.

Teaming up with Didal has been planned since he met Means’ parents six Didal months ago.

By Peter Atencio

A

SIAN Games gold medalist Margielyn Didal will have a teammate when she prepares for her next international competition.

The 19-year-old Didal will be paired with Christiana Means, an outstanding Fil-American skateboarder from Charlotte, South Carolina.

Hours after arriving in Manila, Didal met up with the 21-year-old Means and her parents.

“After the Asian Games, we are now strengthening the team. A gold medal is a gold medal. But the next big thing is the Southeast Asian Games and the Olympics,” said Philippine Skateboarding chief Monty Mendegoria, one of the well wishers, who met Didal and her entou-

UAAP teams vow to fight tooth and nail

rage upon their arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Didal, who learned skateboarding in the streets of Lahug, Cebu City, is set to receive around P6 millions in incentives after she delivered the Philippines’ fourth gold in the 18th Asian Games at the JSC Skate Park in Jakabaring Sports City last week.

She said her achievements are finally sinking in into her consciousness.

“OK naman. Hindi ako makapaniwala.

Hindi ako makatulog. Pinagsikapan ko ito.

Dati rati kasi, sa kalye lang ako nagi-skates,

By Ram Christian Agustin and Paul David Gelario

Pacman-led Senate nips Traders in UNTV Cup Games Sunday

(Pasig City Sports Center) 3:30 p.m. – Agriculture vs PhilHealth 5 p.m. – PNP vs GSIS

SENATOR Manny Pacquiao made his much-awaited appearance on Monday as the Senate Defenders opened their title-retention bid on a high note and pulled off a 73-70 thriller over Philippine International Trading Corporation Global Traders in the 7th UNTV Cup at the Smart Arabeta Coliseum.

Though the fighting senator buried two triples right in the first quarter, the Defenders trailed three-fourths of the way before coming through with a whirlwind finish to frustrate the debuting Global Traders.

“What a win to start our title-retention bid,” said Senate coach Mike Fermin. “Very scary, that’s why I told my players we can’t relax because everybody is after our heads.”

With Gary Sevilla and former PBA player Jeff Sanders at the helm, the Defenders outscored the Global Traders in the payoff period, 24-12, snatch the win.

Dr. Daniel S. Razon, president and CEO of BMPI, officially opened the annual tournament for public servants with the charity of the champion team getting P4 million.

The runner-up of the annual tournament for public servants gets P2 million.

All prizes, Razon said, are tax-free.

Sevilla led the Defenders with 20 points, while Sanders and Pacquiao chipped in 14 and 12 points, respectively.

The 12 participating teams have been divided into two groups with Senate, AFP, PNP, GSIS, DOJ and PITC comprising Group A while two-time champion Judiciary, Malacañang-PSC, Agriculture, NHA, Ombudsman and PhilHealth making up Group B.

Dr. Daniel S. Razon, president and CEO of BMPI, makes the ceremonial toss during the opening game between the Senate Defenders and the PITC Global Traders in the 7th UNTV Cup last Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Defenders won, 73-70.

ALL eight teams of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines vowed to fight tooth and nail in the coming 81st season.

“We know the task ahead of us,” Adamson Soaring Falcons’ head coach Don Allado said at a recent press conference Monday at the Mall of Asia Arena drumbeating the new season.

“As long as we stay healthy, we will have a good chance of winning some games. Our overall goal is to win a championship,” Allado added.

“I hope I don’t preempt the other coaches. Sorry if I do. We’re going to worry about ourselves and fight like hell to get there,” said Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles’ head coach Tab Baldwin, whose primary goal this season is not to defend the championship, but how to achieve chemistry.

“We are not necessarily defending the championship,” Baldwin said “Our confidence is how we’re really going to blend.”

When asked regarding the Blue Eagles’ long-term goals, Baldwin assured that his main focus was to approach the UAAP season one game at a time.

“There’s no guarantees, we have to prove ourselves game by game,” he said.

Most teams have a high ceiling of expectations regarding the defending champions.

“Everyone has a fair chance, but the rest, of course is Ateneo,” Far Eastern University Head coach Olsen Racela said. “With the way they played in the offseason, I think I’d be surprised if they lose a game in the elimination.”

National University coach Jamike Jarin drew laughter from the media after saying that the seating alignment of the coaches at the press conference indicated the weak and the strong teams.

“On my right these are the final four,” he said. “On my left, including me we’re trying to get to my right.”

Fil-Chinese cagers vow to keep titles FILIPINO-CHINESE Veterans Basketball Association hopes to extend its reign in two divisions as the 27th Asean Veterans Basketball Tournament fires off Monday in Hat Yai, Thailand.

Ironcon Builders owner Jimi Lim, head of the country’s delegation to the annual tournament and deputy president of the regional association, expressed supreme confidence they can re-stamp their class in both the 60-and-above y and 65-andabove- years divisions.

“We practice from time to time so we are all upbeat we can defend our titles in both divisions,” said Lim, who is bankrolling the country’s participation together with Rain or Shine’s Terry Que and Freego’s Eduard Tio. Aside from Lim and Que, other members of the 65-and-above team are former Crispa enforcer Bong dela Cruz, MICAA player Zotico Tan, Johnny Chua, James

Chua, Sonny Co, Antonio Go, Conrad Siy, Eddie Yap and Achit Kaw. “We have an intact lineup so we will go for a three-peat this time,” said Que. The 60-and-above squad, on the other hand, is going for a four-peat with Tio calling the shots this time after missing the event last year.

Leading the 60s are former San Miguel star Elmer Reyes, Crispa’s Noli Banate, ex-University of the East star Julio Cruz and former La Salle star Kenneth Yap. Other members of the 60s are Danilo Ching, Aries Franco, Andrew Ongteco, Danny Co, Jose Lao, Elmer Latonio and Ramon Mabanta.

The association, however, won’t be fielding a team in the 50-and-above this time.

Led by former rivals Allan Caidic and Benet Palad, and Gerry Gonzales, the 50s completed a three-peat last year following a runaway win over Kuching in Malaysia.

Members of the 60-above squad of the Filipino-Chinese Veterans Basketball Association pose during a recent practice. The 60s are going for a four-peat in the Asean Veterans Basketball Tournament fires off Monday in Hat Yai, Thailand.

FIRST INVITATION TO BID

INVITATION TO SUBMIT PRICE QUOTATION

INVITATION TO SUBMIT PRICE QUOTATION

BAC SB 18-003

BAC SB 18-002

(Pursuant to Section VI of NEA Memorandum 2017-019: Revised Procurement Guidelines and Simplified Bidding Procedures for Electric Cooperatives IRR-RA 10531 (2017))

(Pursuant to Section VI of NEA Memorandum 2017-019: Revised Procurement Guidelines and Simplified Bidding Procedures for Electric Cooperatives IRR-RA 10531 (2017))

1. THE BUSUANGA ISLAND ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE (BISELCO), through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) will undertake Alternative Mode of Procurement and invites interested entities to submit their Price Quotation for the Supply, Delivery and Commissioning of 4 units Air Conditioning Units with the following specifications:

1. THE BUSUANGA ISLAND ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE (BISELCO), through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) will undertake Alternative Mode of Procurement and invites interested entities to submit their Price Quotation for the Purchase of the following items:

3. BISELCO reserves the right to accept or reject any offer/ quotation, reject all offer/quotation at any time prior to contract award, to exclude any item or reduce the number of unit and the corresponding ABC as determined by BISELCO and to award the contract to the Bidder with most advantageous offer, without thereby incurring any liability to the interested entities.

(Sgd) Engr. Selwin Y. Alili BAC Chairman

1. Meter, KWH, 1 Phase, Class 200, 2W, 240V, Form IS, Socket Type, Electronic 2. Meter Base, CL 200, 4 Jaw

Spit Type Air Conditioning Unit, 3 TR, 230 Volts, 60 Hz, Single Phase, Ceiling Mounted Indoor Unit, Inverter Type 2. Any Interested entity must submit their quotation in a sealed envelope not later than September 12, 2018 at the BAC SECRETARIAT, BISELCO Bids and Awards Committee, BISELCO Main Headquarters, Mabintangen Road, Brgy. 6, Coron, Palawan.

Include the following eligibility documents in a sealed envelope: a. Certified True copy of Mayor’s Permit b. Certified True Copy of Tax Identification Number (TIN) or TIN Card c. Certified True Copy of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Certificate or Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Registration d. List of works done and respective clients.

Offer /Quotation exceeding the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) shall be rejected.

Description

Quantity

Unit

200

pcs

100

pcs.

1.) Busuanga Island Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BISELCO), through its Bids and Awards Committee, intends to apply the sum of Two Million Six Hundred Sixty-Two Thousand Eight Hundred Forty-Six and Twenty Centavos (2,662,846.20) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the CONSTRUCTION OF OFFICE BUILDING EXTENSION. Bids received in excess with the corresponding ABC per Lot shall be automatically be rejected at the did opening.

2. BISELCO now invites bids for CONSTRUCTION OF OFFICE BUILDING EXTENSION. Bidders should have completed similar projects for the past three(3) years. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the bidding documents.

3. Bidding will be conducted through Public Bidding procedures using nondiscretionary pass/fail criteria as specified in the National Electrification Administration’s (NEA) Revised Procurement Guidelines for Electric Cooperatives.

BISELCO, intends to apply the sum of SIX HUNDRED NINETY THOUSAND (PhP 690,000.00) pesos being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC). Bids received in excess with the corresponding ABC shall be automatically be rejected.

4. Interested Bidders may obtain further information from BISELCO Bids and Awards Committee Secretarial at address given below. A complete set of documents may be acquired by interested bidders starting on September 5, 2018 from the address below upon payment of a non-refundable fee of FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (5,000.00) for each lot for Bidding Documents.

2. Any Interested entity must submit their quotation in a sealed envelope not later than September 12, 2018 at the BAC SECRETARIAT, BISELCO Bids and Awards Committee, BISELCO Main Headquarters, Mabintangen Road, Brgy. 6, Coron, Palawan. Include the following eligibility documents in a sealed envelope:

5. The BISELCO BAC will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on September 11, 2018, 2:00 P.M. at the Conference Room of BISELCO main headquarters, Brgy.

6, Coron, Palawan. Attendance is optional, which shall be open only to interested parties who purchased the Bidding Documents.

a. Certified True copy of Mayor’s Permit b. Certified True Copy of Tax Identification Number (TIN) or TIN Card c. Certified True Copy of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC Certificate or Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Registration d. List of works done and respective clients.

6. Bids must be delivered at the address below beforeSeptember 24, 2018, 2:00 P.M. All bids must be accompanied with Bid Security of any acceptable form in the amount stated on ITB. Bids will be opened immediately after the deadline of bid submission in the presence of Bidder’s representative who choose to attend. Late Bids will not be accepted.

Offer /Quotation exceeding the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) shall be rejected.

7. BISELCO BAC reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to annul the bidding process, and reject all Bids at any time prior to the contract award, or not to award the contract, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected Bidder/s.

3. BISELCO reserves the right to accept or reject any offer/quotation, reject all offer/quotation at any time prior to contract award, to exclude any item or reduce the number of unit and the corresponding ABC as determined by BISELCO and to award the contract to the Bidder with most advantageous offer, without thereby incurring any liability to the interested entities.

8. For further information, please refer to:

BISELCO BAC SECRETARIAT Mabintangen Road, Brgy. 6, Coron, Palawan Mobile No. 09274483532 E-mail Address: biselco79@yahoo.com

(Sgd) Engr. Selwin Y. Alili BAC Chairman

Approved by:

Noted by:

Approved by:

(SGD) RUTH L. GALANG General Manager

(SGD) ENGR. SELWIN Y. ALILI BAC Chairman/TSD Manager

(SGD) RUTH L. GALANG General Manager (MS-SEPT. 5 , 2018)

(MS-SEPT. 5 , 2018)

(SGD) RUTH L. GALANG General Manager

(MS-SEPT. 5 , 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

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

A8

WEDNESDAY, S SEPTEMBER5, 2018

Pirates remain unbeaten in 10 tiffs Games Thursday (Filoil Flying V Centre, San Juan) 10 a.m. UPHSD vs CSB (jrs) 12 noon- AU vs Letran (jrs) 2 p.m.- UPHSD vs CSB (srs) 4 p.m.- AU vs Letran (srs)

By Peter Atencio CJ Perez, Jaycee Marcelino and MJ Ayaay controlled the boards and orchestrated the big plays that led the Lyceum Pirates to an 88-70 smashing of the San Sebastian Stags yesterday at the FilOil-Flying V Sports Center in San Juan.

The Pirates refused to take the Stags lightly and their decision not to allowed them to stay unbeaten after 10 games at the start of the second round of the 94th National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.

Perez shot 21 points and had nine rebounds for the Pirates, who took the helm following a 13-2 blast in the first period.

Marcelino added 17 points and six rebounds to the Pirates’ overall effort, while his twin Jayvee added 14.

“It was a good win for us. Before this game, I reminded this team not to be deceived of San Sebastian as a lowerranked team. That’s because they are playing like a Final Four team,” said Lyceum coach Topex Robinson.

Ayaay only had five points, but it was his triple midway in the first canto which gave the Pirates a chance to move away early at 16-10.

From there, Perez and Marcelino took charge underneath and the Pirates never looked back after taking a 27-13 spread when the second period got under way.

In junior action, the San Beda Red Cubs banked on the heroics of Art Oliva in the third period to post their fourth straight triumph over Jose Rizal University Light Bombers, 62-56.

Oliva went on to finish with 15 points with Justine Sanchez and the Red Cubs picked up their seventh win in 10 matches to stay in third.

“They’re (Light Bombers) a tough team. Hirap talaga kalaban. May hustle at physical. Pero masarap kalaban,” said Red Cubs coach JB Sison.

TEAMWORK. A

participant of the 4x100 relay sprints to the finish line as his teammate passes the baton to him in the last 100 meters. Peter Paul Duran

Federer: I struggled to breathe in defeat N

EW YORK—Roger Federer revealed he struggled to breathe during his shock 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/3) defeat to world number 55 John Millman at the US Open on Monday.

The 37-year-old five-time champion laboured to his earliest loss at the tournament in five years with his challenge sinking in the crushing humidity on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I just thought it was very hot tonight.

Was just one of those nights where I guess I felt I couldn’t get air. There was no circulation at all,” said 20-time major winner Federer who was bidding to clinch the US Open for the first time in a decade.

“I just struggled in the conditions. It’s one of the first times it’s happened to me.

“It’s uncomfortable. Clearly just kept on sweating more and more and more and more as the match goes on. You lose energy as it goes by.

“But John was able to deal with it better. He maybe comes from one of the

most humid places on earth, Brisbane!” the decision to build a roof on Arthur Ashe It was Federer’s first loss against a Stadium contributed to his problems. player outside the top 50 in 41 meetings The roof was open Monday, but the at the US Open. space above the cavernous arena has been He finished with 77 unforced errors reduced by the wings which help support and 10 double faults but had a host of the structure. chances to take wrap up matters in “I do believe since the roof is straight sets, squandering set points in on that there is no air circulation the second and third sets. in the stadium. I think just that He had also been a break to the good makes it a totally different US at 4-2 in the fourth but the errors Open,” said the world just kept piling up. number two.

Monday’s result meant “Plus conditions there would be no quarter-fimaybe were playing nal showdown with old rival slower this year on top Novak Djokovic who will of it. You have soaking now face Millman instead wet pants, soaking wet on Wednesday. everything.

“I knew I was “It was just in for a tough tough. I thought one. Maybe when John played a you feel like that, great match in difas well, you start ficult conditions.”

Roger Federer missing chances, Federer said he and I had those,” said did not regret his decithe Swiss. sion to invite Millman “That was disapto come and train with pointing. I was just him after the Australian happy that the match had suffered a first was over.” round loss at Roland Federer believes Garros. AFP

Cocolife Tigers whip visiting Valenzuela in Vis-Min MPBL NOT in our own turf!

This strong message was sent by Davao Occidental-COCOLIFE Tigers to the visiting Valenzuela Idols after posting a convincing victory at home, 92-85, in the Vis -Min Invasion of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League recently at USEP Gym in Davao City.

PBA veterans Bonbon Custodio, Leo Najorda, Mark Yee and prized catch Billy Robles combined efforts in containing the strength of the visitors from Metro Manila as they displayed endgame brilliance en route to the Tigers’ fifth victory in eight games.

Najorda’s back-to-back baskets with 5:03 in the final quarter broke the momentum of Valenzuela, followed by Custodio’s strong attacks to the basket in the ensuing plays, putting the team in safer grounds.

Their efforts preserved the win for the home team, owned by Claudine Bautista of Davao Occ. local government unit, backed by COCOLIFE president Elmo Nobleza, FVP Joseph Ronquillo and AVP Rowena Asnan.

“Kailangan namin manalo, lalo na dito sa homecourt. Nasunod ang gameplan nina coach at pinaigting ang depensa kaya kami nanalo,” said game’s Best Player Robles.

The win also pushed the team, managed by Bhong Baribar and Ray Alao, in strong contention for the next round in the South Division of the league organized by Sen. Manny Pacquiao.

Angelo Que (left), Jhonnel Ababa, Kim Joo Hyung and Damien Jordan brace for a power duel right in the first round.

Que joins title chase in Aboitiz golf DASMARIÑAS, Cavite—Angelo Que hopes to complete an unfinished business, cashing on a break from his hectic Japan PGA Tour campaign to lead the title hunt in the $100,000 Aboitiz Invitational starting today (Wednesday, Sept. 5) at the Orchard Golf and Country Club’s Palmer Course here.

Que battled Miguel Tabuena through four days of brilliant shotmaking at Manila Southwoods last year but fell short by one despite a 22-under card with the long-hitting shotmaker back in pursuit of the coveted crown in what has become a major championship that has eluded him at least twice.

The former three-time Asian Tour winner, who also placed second to two-time champion Elmer Salvador in the fourth edition of the event in Cebu in 2013, hopes to get going right in the first round of the fifth leg of this year’s Philippine Golf Tour

Asia in a duel with Tony Lascuña and Korean Kim Dae Won at 7:10 a.m. on No. 10.

With the par-72 Palmer layout in top shape, premium will be on shotmaking with the power-hitters given the slight edge on a course which differs from the tight layouts that the men of the tour had tackled in the Visayas and Mindanao swing of the PGT the last three months.

But Que will be as much tested as the rest of the field, including Jhonnel Ababa, one of the marked men this week following his victory in last week’s rain-shortened ICTSI Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational.

“I think I can score back-to-back wins,” said Ababa, who also ruled the PGTA fourth leg at Forest Hills last July. “I feel good, confident. I think long hitters have the edge on the par-5s, which are reachable.”

Kings face Northpoint, eye solo PBA lead

By Jeric Lopez TWO-TIME defending champion Barangay Ginebra wants to continue its fiery start as it shoots for the solo leadership in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup. In the final playdate before a prolonged break to support the National team in the second window of the FIBA Qualifiers, the Gin Kings (2-0) shoot for a third straight win when they take on listless Northport (0-3) at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

In the curtain-raiser hours earlier, San Miguel Beer (1-0) and Blackwater (1-0) square off in a battle of unbeaten teams at 4:30 p.m.

Currently, Ginebra is tied with Magnolia at the top with their identical slates, but the former has the chance to be in sole possession of first place leading up to the twoweek break.

The Gin Kings got to business right away after winning two games immediately over the weekend.

The back-end of that was an impressive 109-101 victory over Alaska last Sunday night, where resident import Justin Brownlee continued his dominance, scoring a season-high 45 points to spearhead his squad.

“I’m just so good to have Justin,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone, who expects his prized ward to lead the team’s quest against the win-hungry Batang Pier. “He’s been leading us constantly and I don’t expect that to change.”

Northport has yet to list a win in three games as it struggles to find its mark.

In the second game, both the Beermen and the Elite are looking to follow-up on their positive starts, but are set to separate paths after the night’s end with one of them about to taste defeat.

FEU fights UP in volley finals FAR Eastern University will be relying on its championship Game today 10 a.m. – NU vs FEU (men’s) experience as it braces for a title showdown with University of the Philippines in the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Collegiate Conference starting Sunday at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

The Lady Tams finished runner-up to absentee National U side here last year with the Morayta-based squad also taking home the silver in the UAAP Season 80 volley wars, making them armed with the needed experience in such title clashes to vie again for a crown.

That can’t be said for the Diliman-based squad, whose best finish in a high-level tournament was a Final Four stint in the UAAP three years ago.

“That’s really an advantage (experience) compared to the first-time UP, so in a way we have the slight edge,” said FEU coach George Pascua, whose No. 3 squad upended the second ranked UST in the Final Four in come-from-behind fashion in their best-of-three semifinal series, 2-1.

IN BRIEF

Hybrid sources to save Napocor P2.25b yearly

HYBRID sources of power supply, in combination with properly maintained generator sets, will enable state-owned National Power Corp. to save around P2.25 billion annually.

“Our study shows that there will be an estimated P1 per kilowatt-hour cost reduction if Napocor adopts a solar hybridization of its large-scale power plants, which will result in at least P500 million savings,” said European Union-funded Access to Sustainable Energy Programme strategic advisor Christoph Menke during the Powertrends 2018 forum.

ASEP is a joint undertaking of the European Union and the Philippine Department of Energy.

Through ASEP, the EU has allocated a grant of over P3 billion to assist the Philippine government in meeting its rural electrification targets through renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Menke said another study shows adopting hybridization in Napocor’s mini-grids and ensuring diesel gensets were running at optimal levels would result in a cost reduction of around P4.5/kWh, which is almost P2.25 billion in annual savings.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Business

Globe deploying more LTE sites in key areas

GLOBE Telecom Inc. said it accelerated the deployment of more long term evolution (LTE) sites in key cities and municipalities nationwide to meet customers’ growing demand for data.

The Ayala-led telecommunications firm said it remained aggressive in expanding its LTE coverage across the Philippines by deploying an additional 1,752 LTE sites carrying the 700Mhz and 2600Mhz bands during the first half of the year.

Globe senior vice president for Program Governance of the Network Technology Group Joel Agustin said Globe had now over 26,200 4G sites where about 12,000 are LTE stations nationwide.

“We are on course to fulfill our commitment of deploying LTE services to 95 percent of municipalities nationwide by the end of 2018,” Agustin said.

Globe’s mobile data traffic increased 40 percent with 390 petabytes from January to June this year compared with 280 petabytes in the same period last year.

Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Monetary Board, the policymaking body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, is expected to increase interest rates by another 25 basis points in its meeting this month amid lingering higher inflation expectations, the local unit of Dutch financial giant ING Bank said Tuesday.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng said in a report inflation rate would likely hit 6.1 percent in August, above the consensus of 5.9 percent earlier projected by most economists for the month.

“BSP is likely to act on its hawkish rhetoric this month on the back of a still elevated inflation report for August.

BSP has signalled its readiness to act after the aggressive 50-bps hike at the

PAYMAYA-POWERED SUPER ID. Lyceum of the Philippines University Batangas and PayMaya Philippines will provide high school and college students with PayMaya-powered Super ID that serves as a tool for attendance monitoring and as a prepaid card that can be used for cashless transactions inside the school premises. At the launching of the new ID are (from left) Smart assistant vice president for community development and partnerships Gabby Cui, Bb. Lungsod ng Batangas 2018 Quennifaye Espeleta, Smart South Luzon consumer business head Dhez Astorga, Smart vice president for Luzon John Palanca, Lyceum of the Philippines University Batangas senior vice president Erick Badillo, PayMaya head of consumer business Raymund Villanueva, head of communities Tisha Quinitio, Smart area manager Armi Villaroman, regional distributors Mark Go and Alex Yap and Luzon head for community development Richard Goce.

Malampaya firm asks SC to resolve P53-b tax case T

By Alena Mae S. Flores

HE Malampaya consortium filed a petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court seeking a review of the Commission on Audit’s findings that the operator owed the government P53 billion in corporate income tax.

“We can confirm that the Malampaya joint venture partners, together with the Department of Energy, filed a petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court after receiving the Commission on Audit’s decision denying the motion for reconsideration submitted by the Malampaya consortium,” Shell Companies in the Philippines, a member of the consor-

tium, said in a statement.

The Malampaya consortium operates service contract 38 or the Malampaya gas project in northwest Palawan, which supplies natural gas to power plants with over 3,000 megawatts of capacity in Batangas.

The consortium is led by Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. as operator with a 45-percent stake, Chevron Malampaya LLC also with 45 percent and state-run PNOC Exploration Corp. with 10 percent.

The Supreme Court case is separate from the arbitration cases field by the consortium against the national government with the Singapore International Arbitration Center in September 2015 and another arbitration case lodged with the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes filed in July 2016.

The cases stemmed from the decision of CoA in April 2015, which stated that the income taxes of the service contrac-

last policy rate meeting [on Aug. 9],” Cuyegkeng said.

He said the August inflation could already be at its peak.

“Market expects inflation for August to rise to 5.9 percent from July’s 5.7 percent. The surveys show a range of 5.8 percent to 6.1 percent. BSP expects inflation to gravitate to 5.9 percent for August and to be within its forecast range of 5.5 percent to 6.2 percent,” he said.

“We are less optimistic and expect a 6.1 percent inflation rate for August,” he said.

Inflation in July accelerated to a more than five-year high of 5.7 percent from 5.2 percent in June. This brought average inflation in the first seven months to 4.5 percent, above the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent set by the government.

Cuyegkeng also said the weakness of the peso could be another factor for the Monetary Board to consider in tweaking the policy stance.

“An extended period of emerging markets risk-off sentiment would keep PHP under pressure... We expect a 25bps BSP rate hike later this month and another 25-bps in the fourth quarter,” he said.

The government is set to release the August inflation data within this week.

The accelerating inflation rate compelled the Bangko Sentral to raise the benchmark interest rates on Aug. 9 by a rare 50 basis points to 4 percent in a bid to rein in inflation. The interest rates on the overnight lending and deposit facilities were also increased accordingly.

The BSP earlier raised the policy rate by 25 bps each in May and June 2018.

tors could not be assumed by the national government in its 60-percent share in the Malampaya proceeds. The CoA, thus, ordered the consortium to pay the national government P53.14 billion in taxes.

A source said hearings at the Singapore Arbitration Center were due to begin next week.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi earlier asked CoA to honor the sanctity of contracts of the Malampaya gas project because of its impact on foreign investments in the country.

Cusi sent a letter to CoA stating that “the foremost consideration in the mind of foreign investors in deciding where to invest is the predictability, certainty and consistency of investment rules and regulatory regime of a country.”

“It is therefore of fundamental importance that we observe the sanctity of contract in our commercial transactions,” he said.

Cusi said the COA decision eroded

B1

Dominguez said aside from ordering the BIR to ensure that importers were paying the correct taxes, he also directed the bureau and Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran to review the current policy of the SRA allowing farmers and planters’ associations that were awarded import allocations to sell their rights to traders.

Dominguez said local sugar millers and planters who sell their importation rights should also be taxed as they were making a profit from such a privilege.

Preliminary data gathered by the BIR showed that traders were paying local millers and planters who sold their rights for around P500 per bag.

“There is import duty and tax for that, and the one who received that payment for the right to import, he should also be taxed. [We will] talk to the SRA about this and raise all these issues,” Dominguez told BIR officials during the meeting. Julito G. Rada

PROPERTY developer Megaworld Corp. said Tuesday it will build a 25-story office tower for the global service center of JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., one of the world’s largest banks.

Megaworld said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the planned office tower in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City would have 700,000 square meters of gross leasable area, making it the country’s biggest single space leased to a single company and transaction value.

“Megaworld is proud to build the new home of JPMorgan Chase in Fort Bonifacio as it consolidates its existing Metro Manila operations under one roof—all in a state-of-the-art, prime and green office tower right at the heart of the booming Uptown Bonifacio. This multibillion peso deal with a single company is the biggest in the country’s office leasing industry,” Megaworld senior vice president Jericho Go said.

Raoul Teh, chief executive of JPMorgan Philippine Global Service Center, said Manila continued to be a major strategic hub for JPMorgan Chase.

“Through this landmark development, we are able to consolidate our presence to one location, so enabling us to bring our Manila-based employees together, facilitating increased collaboration while also demonstrating our commitment to providing them with various career opportunities within the firm,” Teh said The new development, strategically located along 38th Street corner 9th Avenue in Uptown Bonifacio, is a few meters away from the future Uptown Transport Hub beside Kalayaan Ave., the proposed Skytrain monorail system that connects Taguig’s Fort Bonifacio to Makati, the future Kalayaan Station of the Mega Manila Subway and the Fort Bonifacio Bus Rapid Transit System.

The structure will feature highly efficient office floors and innovative technology in building design and expects to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold certification.

Rehabilitation of Panian coal pit in Antique on track, says Semirara SEMIRARA Mining and Power Corp. said Tuesday the rehabilitation of the southern part of Panian pit in Antique remains on track.

“The company is on track in terms of the progress of the southern part of Panian pit’s rehabilitation. Given our pace, we expect to finish filling up South Panian in June next year, and then we can proceed with preparing the soil for plants and trees,” Semirara president and chief operating officer Victor Consunji said in a statement.

Semirara owns the country’s largest coal mining operations located in Semirara Island, Antique.

Semirara filled South Panian with 62.7 million bank cubic meters of overburden materials as of June, representing more than 50 percent of the end-2018 target of

120 million BCM. BCM pertains to the volume of earth lying naturally, which is neither loose nor compact owing to mine-site activities such as excavation.

“We also dedicated 25 dump trucks and four excavators for the rehabilitation work at South Panian,” Consunji said.

The company embarked on the rehabilitation of the southern part of Panian as a part of its five-year work program and budget submitted to the Energy Department.

Semirara will put humic acid, compost and other materials to restore nutrients in the soil and prepare it for reforestation after putting in the overburden materials. The company said it would plant tree species that are endemic to the area.

Alena Mae S. Flores

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

BIR forms task force to watch sugar industry THE Bureau of Internal Revenue said Tuesday it formed a task force to monitor sugar stocks and shipments to ensure that correct taxes are paid.

BIR commissioner Caesar Dulay said in a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III the task force would monitor not only importers, but also millers, planters, traders and dealers of refined sugar.

Dulay said he already wrote the Sugar Regulatory Administration in July asking for data on sugar importers.

BIR deputy commissioner Arnel Guballa said the bureau has already collated an initial list of millers and planters who sold their rights to import sugar.

“The Task Force on Sugar is undertaking inventory stock-taking, validate the volume of imports based on allocations, and ascertain the payment of correct taxes by importers, local planters and millers,” Guballa said during the DoF’s executive committee meeting.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

By Jenniffer B. Austria

BSP expected to raise interest rates again in September

By Julito G. Rada

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

Megaworld to build big BPO tower for JP Morgan

TripAdvisor cites Quest Plus Clark

CLARK FREEPORT—Travel website TripAdvisor commended Quest Plus and Conference Center here for its excellent service to clients despite major hotel renovations, key official announced Thursday.

“Our quest for excellent service doesn’t end here. This certificate of excellence from TripAdvisor inspired us to do more and we are very excited for what is yet to come,” said Quest Plus Clark general manager Patrick Beck.

TripAdvisor is a platform for travelers to share honest reviews, feedback and travelrelated content about hotels, restaurants and tourist spots around the world.

The certificate of excellence from TripAdvisor honors hospitality businesses that deliver consistent excellent service.

This is only given to approximately 10 percent of total businesses registered on the travel website. Quest Plus was consistent in its 4 out of 5 rating.

Despite undergoing renovations, Quest Plus Clark proved that inconveniences would not deter the staff and management in providing excellent service to guests and clients, said Beck. Jess Malabanan

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

BIG SHIP AT VICT. OOCL Seoul, a large capacity vessel with 8,063 twenty-foot equivalent units, docks at Victoria International Container Terminal, Port of Melbourne, Australia. The vessel’s arrival signals Melbourne’s growing ability to match the performance of its peers, Sydney and Brisbane, to accept the larger capacity vessels now being introduced into key Australian container trades. VICT, a fully automated container terminal, commenced operations at Webb Dock East, Port of Melbourne in March 2017. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Manila-based International Container Terminal Services Inc.

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

53.5040

Japan

Yen

0.009003

0.4817

UK

Pound

1.287400

68.8810

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127402

6.8165

Switzerland

Franc

1.031885

55.2100

Canada

Dollar

0.763942

40.8740

Singapore

Dollar

0.729182

39.0142

Australia

Dollar

0.721100

38.5817

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652801

141.9355

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266624

14.2655

Brunei

Dollar

0.726533

38.8724

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000068

0.0036

Thailand

Baht

0.030553

1.6347

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

14.5676

Euro

Euro

1.162500

62.1984

Korea

Won

0.000900

0.0482

China

Yuan

0.146552

7.8411

India

Rupee

0.014043

0.7514

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.242307

12.9644

New Zealand

Dollar

0.659900

35.3073

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032564

1.7423

Source: PDS Bridge

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks gain slightly; MPIC rises

S

TOCKS rose Tuesday in cautious trading, with lingering concerns on trade disputes among the US China and Canada capping the gains.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index gained 49.60 points, or 0.6 percent, to 7,881.82 on a value turnover of P5.9 billion. Gainers beat losers, 101 to 87, with 52 issues unchanged.

GT Capital Holdings Inc. of tycoon George Ty climbed 2.8 percent to P904.50, while Alliance Global Group Inc. of tycoon Andrew Tan advanced 2.6 percent to P14.70.

Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. increased 2.3 percent to P179, while Metro Pacific Investments Corp. added 1.6 percent to P5.54.

The rest of Asian markets mostly rose on Tuesday following recent losses but investors moved cautiously as they

await the latest developments in Donald Trump’s trade spats with China and Canada.

With US markets closed for the Labor Day holiday, there were few catalysts to drive business but dealers moved in to pick up beaten-down stocks.

However, there remains a sense of nervousness after Trump said he wanted to impose fresh tariffs on a huge swathe of Chinese goods by the end of this week.

There is also growing unease about emerging market currencies, with Argentina’s peso and the Turkish lira continuing to take a battering.

Hong Kong climbed 0.9 percent in the afternoon following a four-day sell-off, while Shanghai added 1.1 percent after falling for five days.

Singapore rose 0.1 percent and Seoul was up 0.4 percent, while there were also gains in Wellington, Taipei and

Mumbai. However, Sydney slipped 0.3 percent and Tokyo ended 0.1 percent lower.

Dealers are keeping a close eye on Trump’s next move after he said last week he wanted to impose tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports as soon as public consultation ends on Thursday, adding to the $50 billion already targeted.

Also, US and Canadian officials are still due to resume talks Wednesday on a revised NAFTA deal, after they failed to reach an agreement last week. That led Trump to tweet that he would leave his northern neighbors out of a final pact.

Mexico and the US have already struck a deal.

Friday then sees the release of key US jobs data, which could give a clue to the Federal Reserve’s plans for raising interest rates.

On currency markets, the pound con-

tinues to struggle under Brexit uncertainty as British Prime Minister Theresa May faces a rebellion in her own party over a Brexit blueprint.

The Turkish lira was slightly down at 6.6 to the dollar, having enjoyed a modest bounce Monday after the central bank said it would take the “necessary actions to support price stability.”

However, it continues to face headwinds as the bank has refused to lift interest rates to combat surging prices, putting pressure on the embattled economy.

The troubles in Turkey and Argentina, which has seen its peso collapse in recent weeks, are rattling markets on fears their crises could spread.

“For now most of emerging market woes can be attributed to country-specific issues,” Rodrigo Catril, senior foreign exchange strategist at National Australia Bank, said in a note. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 60 30,590 91.9 1,423,230 2.64 98,000 129.9 5,330,990 1.7 774,000 31.85 91,900 16.32 53,300 14.64 465,600 4.12 212,000 8.65 900 0.63 8,000 1.6 4,000 0.59 2,937,000 73.65 1,249,780 1 215,000 11.8 50,100 22 200 48.5 162,600 193 410 109.9 10 85.8 500 29 117,000 196 678,470 1,810 100 76.1 39,660

1,823,721.50 130,850,921 258,920 691,924,500 1,286,060 2,926,530 871,274 6,856,214 864,020 7,785 5,040 6,330 1,742,590 91,861,733.50 214,360 591,190 4,400 7,935,385 79,769 1,099 42,730.50 3,419,415 133,010,236 181,450 3,023,944.50

1,257,251.50 -88,861,426.50 -1,487,237 -33,800 19,110 -2,187,088 -50,998,413.50 0 -4,013,025 9,725 -871,725 9,507,675 -

36.4 16.54 1 1.19 0.225 3.22 14.2 193.2 32.5 19.08 45 1.8 5.05 7.4 10.4 16 10 7.27 7.03 16.76 64 29.4 7.3 13.6 2.17 282 4.94 24.1 13.16 17.88 366.6 0.182 6.8 2.07 4.15 8.95 5.8 7.95 1.03 11.5 55.45 5.85 4.8 2.49 3.09 1.67 13 98 5.6 1.13 141 2.5 2.03 1.86

INDUSTRIAL 36.9 950,700 17.34 1,368,100 1.03 13,891,000 1.23 1,049,000 0.229 5,160,000 3.22 4,382,000 14.5 443,900 193.2 20 34 2,642,000 19.48 11,500 45.95 1,502,100 1.8 37,000 5.05 1,200 7.4 16,700 10.46 111,200 16.24 882,800 10 652,600 7.28 114,400 7.03 4,741,600 16.9 323,900 64.9 98,080 30 531,800 7.3 1,288,300 13.84 467,700 2.19 408,000 286.6 575,500 4.94 45,000 24.1 1,123,900 13.2 342,900 17.88 6,171,700 372 129,910 0.196 520,000 6.9 4,600 2.08 8,056,000 4.15 7,000 8.97 1,026,500 6.17 2,323,400 7.95 10,100 1.06 2,797,000 11.5 35,900 55.7 1,934,290 5.86 281,100 4.8 5,000 2.49 87,000 3.1 51,000 1.69 318,000 13.04 1,578,800 102 868,880 5.8 219,700 1.19 2,256,000 145 678,810 2.5 2,000 2.08 2,287,000 1.97 16,387,000

34,893,915 23,229,626 14,336,540 1,258,930 1,177,320 14,138,050 6,436,180 3,864 88,653,820 221,182 67,596,135 67,290 6,060 124,680 1,167,264 14,338,160 6,545,434 833,108 33,376,825 5,476,078 6,358,603.50 15,938,040 9,404,705 6,514,994 895,060 165,059,598 222,550 27,127,785 4,525,814 111,067,780 47,863,932 96,650 31,343 16,676,370 29,080 9,214,824 14,112,418 80,295 2,983,380 415,708 107,771,496 1,661,704 24,000 216,740 157,840 535,290 20,556,022 87,543,884 1,271,545 2,606,900 97,141,564 5,000 4,737,550 31,704,510

2,257,140 946,454 193,600 -915,600 -6,401,180 -2,797,030 -15,366,240 -1,950 -67,499,820 -14,720 7,450 208,504 3,409,808 -4,813,536 -77,935 -14,246,191 -326,540 -807,733 -50,900 6,421,860 -372,464 44,574,732 -2,732,585 -1,118,168 -82,192,226 17,473,596 -397,440.00 -3,823,015 103,756 -737,070 -69,634,994 -338,964 24,000 19,543,000 11,573,641 17,100 29,271,500 5,000 -18,540 647,630

0.45 54 14.78 0.92 6.1 37.9 1.5 1.51 992 1,400 6.1 12.96 7.26 905 6 60.3 5.08 0.6 5.05 17.1 0.67 5.56 0.04 1.26 2.85 179.9 973.5 0.79 1.5 417 310 0.345 0.207

0.39 53.2 14.12 0.92 6.08 35.7 1.47 1.47 979 1,400 6.02 12.74 7.19 880 5.95 59 5.08 0.58 4.75 16.86 0.64 5.44 0.039 1.21 2.79 175 963 0.78 1.49 417 300 0.325 0.207

HOLDING FIRMS 0.445 58,050,000 53.5 1,105,590 14.7 7,335,500 0.92 295,000 6.1 148,600 37.1 213,100 1.47 10,701,000 1.49 1,951,000 985 152,090 1,400 5 6.03 3,024,300 12.96 2,680,900 7.24 172,700 904.5 109,010 6 900 60.3 1,656,570 5.08 1,600 0.6 138,000 5 4,644,000 17.04 1,242,400 0.66 3,466,000 5.54 26,416,900 0.039 9,600,000 1.22 690,000 2.79 746,000 179 557,520 971 213,350 0.79 13,000 1.5 28,000 417 10 310 149,210 0.345 9,200,000 0.207 50,000

24,757,200 59,195,259.50 107,176,656 271,400 906,410 7,781,215 15,845,900 2,893,450 149,942,195 7,000 18,248,552 34,567,334 1,250,319 98,058,210 5,375 99,405,068 8,128 81,210 23,126,200 21,125,010 2,261,420 145,813,127 374,700 847,610 2,095,990 99,578,054 207,101,420 10,170 41,770 4,170 45,136,592 3,093,450 10,350

-95,700 5,253,326.50 5,346,552 744,150 422,040 388,110 5,716,535 -11,490,681 23,258,844 -31,019,440 61,387,903.50 527,520 -6,062,818 7,040 7,678,356 141,000 428,609 53,830,955 -1,092,810 19,650 -

7.47 0.99 13.14 2.15 0.73 44.4 3.14 4.65 5.66 0.445 0.98 0.241 0.41 9.35 25.7 0.58 1.5 1.19 1.93 4.67 0.68 0.475 0.495

7.08 0.96 12.96 2.11 0.71 43.75 3.07 4.5 5.53 0.44 0.97 0.235 0.405 9.22 25.35 0.58 1.48 1.19 1.79 4.58 0.65 0.46 0.49

17,180,285 1,087,490 45,394 112,040 1,072,770 385,634,845 1,401,460 2,775,390 203,172 948,950 41,740 879,410 118,800 4,374,836 4,682,305 1,165,800 4,237,330 197,540 75,903,970 52,220,630 103,635,800 1,853,100 476,600

-9,641,220 5,184 45,897,215 -1,198,380 -349,300 22,000 9,300 -627,840 -1,165,800 -1,290,730 1,129,160 -11,023,200 429,620 47,250 -

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 FIRST ABACUS IREMIT MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PHILTRUST PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK

59 93 2.64 129.8 1.7 31.9 16.4 14.9 4.03 8.65 0.63 1.55 0.59 73.1 1 11.8 22 48.1 194.5 109.9 86 29 196.8 1,825 76.5

60 93 2.65 130.3 1.72 31.9 16.4 14.92 4.17 8.65 0.63 1.6 0.62 73.95 1.01 11.9 22 49 197 109.9 86 29.75 198 1,825 76.5

59 91.6 2.63 129.6 1.63 31.8 16.32 14.58 4.03 8.65 0.63 1.55 0.57 72.6 0.99 11.8 22 48.1 193 109.9 83.5 29 195.1 1,810 76.1

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION 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 MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PHIL H2O PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO ROXAS HLDG SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VULCAN INDL

36.7 16.54 1 1.2 0.23 3.22 14.5 193.2 32.75 20.2 46.5 1.83 5.05 7.5 10.46 16.1 10.1 7.27 7.03 16.82 64.85 29.85 7.3 13.6 2.17 282 4.95 24.6 13.4 18 368 0.185 6.81 2.07 4.15 9.02 6.44 7.95 1.03 11.8 55.85 6.01 4.8 2.49 3.1 1.68 13.02 102 5.6 1.13 142.9 2.5 2.04 1.86

36.9 17.34 1.06 1.23 0.23 3.24 14.5 193.2 34 20.2 46.5 1.84 5.05 7.66 10.56 16.3 10.14 7.3 7.05 17 64.9 30.1 7.31 14 2.22 288 4.95 24.6 13.4 18.06 372 0.197 6.9 2.08 4.18 9.06 6.44 7.95 1.11 11.8 56.1 6.15 4.8 2.51 3.1 1.72 13.1 102.5 5.8 1.19 145 2.5 2.08 1.97

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ASIABEST GROUP ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP BHI HLDG COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT JOLLIVILLE HLDG 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

0.39 53.85 14.32 0.92 6.08 36.05 1.5 1.5 985 1,400 6.02 12.74 7.19 880 5.95 59.95 5.08 0.59 4.75 16.88 0.65 5.44 0.039 1.25 2.84 177 970 0.78 1.49 417 300 0.325 0.207

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

7.19 0.97 13.14 2.15 0.73 43.9 3.13 4.63 5.53 0.44 0.97 0.235 0.405 9.22 25.6 0.58 1.48 1.19 1.82 4.6 0.66 0.475 0.495

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

3.49 21.5 2.01 3.21 38.45 1.15 7.1 0.77 6.39

3.56 21.6 2.03 3.21 39 1.22 7.23 0.77 6.4

3.49 21.4 2.01 3.18 38.4 1.15 7.06 0.77 6.27

3.51 21.55 2.03 3.18 38.7 1.2 7.22 0.77 6.4

2,595,000 5,133,500 32,000 285,000 6,104,800 18,222,000 392,900 50,000 2,382,500

9,152,220 110,446,130 64,360 908,820 236,292,560 21,780,710 2,814,689 38,500 15,135,831

1,351,150 -37,015,510 16,000 36,494,850 59,750 -11,510 5,114,858

2GO GROUP ABS CBN APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CHELSEA DFNN INC EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR INTL CONTAINER IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA JOCKEY MELCO RESORTS METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B 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

14 24.2 0.52 0.047 13.62 3.01 9.3 0.063 74.4 6.5 8.25 24 2,090 5.49 307 3.77 95 7.83 0.124 3.15 3.63 15 4.05 1.03 19.54 5.48 6.64 2.84 2.04 1.93 8.13 11 8.8 3.68 108.9 5.31 1,410 0.86 0.4 45.8 82 8.12 2.26 0.83 0.68 5.15 0.79 11.36

14 24.2 0.52 0.047 13.7 3.06 9.36 0.063 76.95 6.55 8.7 24.85 2,134 5.56 317 3.92 95.9 7.83 0.129 3.21 3.63 15 4.2 1.03 19.7 5.48 6.64 2.85 2.04 2.03 8.41 11.1 9 3.68 108.9 5.31 1,439 0.87 0.4 46 82 8.48 2.27 0.86 0.69 5.18 0.81 11.38

13.6 23.8 0.5 0.045 13.62 2.85 9.18 0.06 74.4 6.35 8.25 23 2,086 5.48 307 3.77 94.9 7.79 0.124 3.09 3.5 15 4.03 1.01 19.52 5.16 6.57 2.83 1.96 1.92 8.1 10.68 8.73 3.66 106 5.03 1,407 0.85 0.385 44.5 80 8.02 2.22 0.82 0.67 5.09 0.79 11.3

SERVICES 13.8 23.8 0.51 0.045 13.7 2.95 9.28 0.062 76.9 6.37 8.68 24.85 2,120 5.48 316 3.87 95 7.79 0.127 3.16 3.63 15 4.07 1.02 19.66 5.34 6.61 2.84 2.03 2.03 8.25 10.68 9 3.66 106.5 5.18 1,430 0.86 0.385 45 80.55 8.48 2.25 0.85 0.67 5.15 0.79 11.34

41,500 582,700 8,553,000 2,600,000 43,800 6,131,000 2,541,000 15,010,000 160,010 1,539,400 35,500 105,300 32,515 117,500 990 2,476,000 2,881,880 26,000 8,890,000 7,846,000 14,000 2,800 1,265,000 341,000 139,600 41,600 925,100 559,000 153,000 38,000 2,701,900 14,800 20,300 5,000 1,760 541,900 49,390 3,231,000 5,680,000 868,600 853,450 72,000 3,085,000 3,455,000 14,122,000 3,273,800 1,913,000 1,501,300

568,412 13,990,145 4,302,550 120,900 600,012 18,167,390 23,535,947 925,900 12,225,630.50 9,844,956 306,963 2,504,205 68,776,790 646,554 310,970 9,564,920 273,871,928.50 202,790 1,131,970 24,813,720 50,280 42,000 5,179,870 345,490 2,734,354 215,649 6,103,929 1,588,830 306,100 73,330 22,281,287 160,132 181,303 18,360 190,152 2,776,310 70,458,355 2,775,550 2,206,050 39,066,975 68,928,779 591,380 6,948,930 2,932,810 9,533,280 16,816,360 1,519,920 17,022,482

108,600 291,230 -6,632,417 228,984 -768,143 32,142,170 147,780 5,777,083.50 19,180 -646,730 -1,113,010 -101,000 209,644 -2,914,816 949,380 926,887.00 10,890 26,150 24,024,300 -139,870 80,000 -28,615,925 -32,124,291.50 414,680.00 15,710 -288,640 186,320 -11,771,138 45,480 -10,107,220

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK CENTURY PEAK DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A MANILA MINING B 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

0.0027 1.6 3.43 20.45 1.97 7.27 1.99 0.214 0.122 0.129 0.0081 0.0083 1.39 5.4 1.16 0.61 1.3 0.012 0.014 0.012 3.61 4.1 15.62 29.7 0.0082

0.0027 1.61 3.44 20.7 1.97 7.49 2 0.225 0.123 0.129 0.0084 0.0083 1.39 5.6 1.18 0.62 1.38 0.013 0.014 0.013 3.97 4.11 15.8 30.7 0.0094

0.0026 1.55 3.41 20.45 1.96 7.27 1.97 0.214 0.121 0.129 0.0081 0.0082 1.38 5.34 1.13 0.6 1.3 0.012 0.012 0.012 3.61 4.1 14.84 29.7 0.0082

MINING & OIL 0.0027 25,000,000 1.55 2,799,000 3.43 293,000 20.7 48,200 1.96 220,000 7.49 5,200 1.98 1,763,000 0.216 990,000 0.121 3,340,000 0.129 100,000 0.0084 4,000,000 0.0082 26,000,000 1.39 255,000 5.35 3,292,400 1.16 152,000 0.61 659,000 1.31 17,748,000 0.012 14,900,000 0.012 11,000,000 0.013 11,600,000 3.93 937,000 4.1 755,000 15.24 5,947,700 30.5 2,762,900 0.0085 64,000,000

67,100 4,406,780 1,002,130 988,320 431,400 38,574 3,493,670 215,510 405,150 12,900 33,000 213,300 353,650 17,899,520 174,700 399,690 23,685,220 180,800 134,000 143,200 3,613,960 3,098,000 90,362,558 84,218,330 544,400

34,320 -58,190 36,900 978,120 -1,065,763 187,040 -11,790 -328,350 4,491,808 -29,910,930 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B LR PREF PNX PREF 3A SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

23.75 502 500 500 5.31 987.5 1.04 99.6 986 77.4 80.2 75.5 75.5 76 76 76

23.75 502 502 500 5.33 987.5 1.04 99.6 1,000 77.4 80.2 75.5 75.5 76 76 76

22.95 501 500 500 5.3 987.5 1.04 99.5 985 76.05 80.15 75 75.5 75.6 75.95 76

PREFERRED 23.4 120,800 501 5,110 502 780 500 2,100 5.3 163,200 987.5 20 1.04 16,000 99.5 63,050 1,000 2,000 77.35 520,320 80.2 15,480 75 8,920 75.5 9,270 76 672,210 75.95 260 76 200

2,843,355 2,560,220 390,020 1,050,000 865,312 19,750 16,640 6,273,520 1,973,400 39,672,556 1,241,372.50 673,450 699,885 50,840,046 19,755 15,200

-169,080 -803,816.00 1,547,815 696,865 2,238,666 -

LR WARRANT

2.54

2.65

2.51

WARRANTS 2.61 958,000

2,476,320

-48,060

ITALPINAS XURPAS

5.71 2.8

6.86 2.8

5.58 2.72

6.6 2.8

213,613,939 3,791,420

-29,913,827 132,130

FIRST METRO ETF

116.8

117.1

116.8

597,787

121,684

41,559.20 39,911.40 10,000

-

MS

PROPERTY 7.45 0.99 12.96 2.11 0.72 44.2 3.07 4.61 5.66 0.445 0.97 0.241 0.41 9.23 25.45 0.58 1.49 1.19 1.91 4.65 0.66 0.47 0.49

2,381,100 1,116,000 3,500 53,000 1,485,000 8,746,500 453,000 605,000 36,700 2,150,000 43,000 3,690,000 290,000 473,100 183,400 2,010,000 2,841,000 166,000 40,321,000 11,264,000 156,126,000 3,960,000 970,000

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10.3 10.26 1

TRADING SUMMARY

10.3 10.26 1

SHARES

FINANCIAL

13,943,889

INDUSTRIAL

91,287,574

HOLDING FIRMS

154,055,078

PROPERTY

274,611,190

SERVICES

274,611,190

MINING & OIL

105,764,997

GRAND TOTAL

874,589,242

10.24 10.26 1

SME

34,566,800 1,374,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 117.1 5,110 DDS 10.28 10.26 1

4,040 3,890 10,000

VALUE 1,804.60 (up) 2.59 1,079,815,391.25 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,325.66 (up) 102.21 1,121,616,726.82 HOLDING FIRMS 7,819.58 (up) 53.32 1,470,863,737.97 PROPERTY 3,930.00 (up) 19.45 1,543.69 (up) 6.42 1,056,968,680.10 SERVICES MINING & OIL 10,075.57 (up) 107.20 1,056,968,680.10 PSEI 7,881.82 (up) 49.60 754,809,588.74 All Shares Index 4,795.86 (up) 23.69 5,938,234,960.34 Gainers: 101; Losers: 87; Unchanged: 52; Total: 240

PT&T vows to pay more fines and meet requirements

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE new management of Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Co. said it is willing to settle the remaining penalties and comply with all the requirements set by the Philippine Stock Exchange for the lifting of trading suspension.

“We paid what we were aware of as of August 31, and if there are additional penalties we will settle those as well to comply. We wish to cooperate with the PSE and have the fervent desire to resume trading on our shares,” PT&T said.

PT&Ts statement came after PSE said the company had not submitted compliant structured reports since 2004 and would remain under involuntary trading suspension until it completed the requirements.

Shares of PT&T were last traded on Dec. 9, 2004 when it closed at P0.33 per share.

PT&T chief executive officer James Velasquez on August 30 wrote a letter to PSE requesting the lifting of suspension and settled P635,000 in penalties imposed by the local stock exchange on August 31.

The PSE, however, informed PT&T on September 3 of additional violations from 2011 to 2018 amounting to P3.8 million.

“There has been some confusion/miscommunication but we will work closely and cooperate to the end with the PSE for the lifting of suspension. We wanted to inform our shareholders that PT&T is doing its utmost to comply with the requirements to lift the suspension to protect and pursue their interests,” PT&T said.

PT&T also assured the PSE that the company would follow all the rules for listed companies and remained committed to fair, accurate, complete and timely disclosure of material information.

Velasquez earlier said the company had the underlying assets and existing business to support its shares as well as competent management team and positive growth outlook.

PT&T reported a P38.2 million in net income in the first nine months ending March 31 this year from a net loss of P5.5 million a year ago.

The company registered an income of P37 million in fiscal year ending June this year from a net loss of P27 million a year ago.

SEC increases capital base of Oriental Energy

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Securities and Exchange Commission approved the increase in the capital stock of Oriental Energy & Power Generation Corp., an affiliate of listed Oriental Peninsula Resources Group, to P2 billion from P30 million.

Oriental Peninsula earlier announced its subscription to P300 million worth of common shares in Oriental Energy at a par value of P100 per share to be taken from Oriental Energy’s higher capital stock.

“The above transaction results to the corporation owning 30 percent of Oriental Energy. Oriental Energy is a renewable energy company majority owned by Citimax Group Inc., an affiliate of the corporation,” Oriental Peninsula said in a disclosure Tuesday.

Businesswoman Caroline Tanchay, who owns the majority of Citimax, is the company’s chairman, president and chief operating officer.

Oriental Energy will operate an 18-megawatt hydropower plant in Timbaban, Madalag, Aklan province. It also has hydro power projects in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon and and Odiongan, Romblon.

The board of Oriental Peninsula earlier approved a corporate guaranty to Oriental Energy’s loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines amounting to P2 billion to partly finance the Aklan hydro project.

Oriental Peninsula’s loan carries a fixed interest rate of 6.75 percent yearly, or the applicable repriced interest rate over a period of 12 years.

“The borrower shall utilize the amount to partially finance the project cost and related expenses pertaining to the construction of its 18-MW hydropower plant in Timbaban, Madalag, Aklan,” Oriental Peninsula said earlier.

The Timbaban hydropower plant is scheduled to start operations before the feed-in-tariff for hydro projects expires at the end of 2019.

Oriental Peninsula was incorporated on April 16, 2007 as a holding company designed to consolidate and operate companies that own mining tenements in the Philippines.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

World

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

LANDFALL. Local government wokers

IN BRIEF

remove a fallen tree along a sidewalk in Nagoya on September 4, 2018, as Typhoon Jebi made landfall around midday in southwestern Japan. AFP

TOKYO―The strongest typhoon to hit Japan in 25 years made landfall Tuesday, with more than a million people urged to evacuate as the storm battered the country’s west with violent winds and heavy rainfall.

Typhoon Jebi, with winds of up to 216 kilometers per hour, swept a tanker anchored in Osaka Bay into a bridge and partially flooded Kansai International Airport on an island in the bay.

But hours after it made landfall, there were no reports of major damage elsewhere and no injuries.

Images on public broadcaster NHK showed the top of the tanker had smashed into part of the bridge linking the city of Izumisano with the airport, but there were no reports of injuries.

Local media said runways and the basement of part of the airport had been flooded by the high waves whipped up by the storm. All flights were canceled at Kansai.

Jebi was moving fast on a northeast track and expected to weaken as it crosses Japan.

The severe weather has left tens of thousands without power and forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights as well as trains and ferries.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged people to evacuate early and ordered his government to take all necessary measures to protect residents.

Japan’s weather agency warned of possible landslides, flooding and violent winds, as well as high tides, lightning and tornadoes in a swathe of the Japanese archipelago.

Arriving on land, Jebi had winds of up to

Suu Kyi silence backed over Reuters reporters Y ANGON―A global outcry over the jailing of two Reuters journalists has been met with silence from Myanmar’s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a stony response that an official defended Tuesday as a reluctance to criticize the judiciary.

Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were arrested while reporting on atrocities committed during the bloody expulsion by the military of some 700,000 Rohingya Muslims last year.

A Yangon court on Monday found them guilty under the Official Secrets Act and handed them each seven years in prison, sparking outrage from the UN, EU and US as well as media and rights groups.

Suu Kyi was herself subjected to house arrest for some 15 years, relying on foreign media to highlight her plight.

A UN report last week accused her of failing to use her moral authority to stem the violence last year and called for the generals to be prosecuted for “genocide”.

Her silence on this case and the verdict―the sternest test

Belgium moves to save historic drinking dens

BRUSSELS―Belgians are famous for taking their beer seriously, but authorities are now moving to preserve some of the historic cafes where drinkers have been quaffing since the early 20th century.

In the heart of the village of Alsemberg, in the Dutch-speaking Flemish Brabant region, south of Brussels, the PastaCafe is one of those that has best kept its 1920s and 1930s decor.

The bar and dark woodwork are vintage, as are the leather headrests that remain on the wooden benches.

And cracks in the multi-colored floor tiles, which date from the dawn of the last century, show how many drinkers have trod there.

“They even had a horse in here once,” says manager Ilse Rillaert, showing a picture from the 1970s or 80s as proof.

The “charming, authentic” bar is the opposite of the modern “bling” drinking haunt, says the manager, who is in her thirties.

“There is a lot of warmth, people who come to eat here feel at home with an interior like this.”

Rillaert, who took over from her brother in 2013, says that the cafe, known to older locals by its old name De Hoorn, has served as the backdrop for an English-language costume drama by French director Francois Ozon, the 2007 film “Angel”.

It was also used by a Belgian Dutch-language pop group called Clouseau in the 1990s after they became locals because they lived nearby.

With a red-brick facade, typical of this part of Belgium and northern France, it is one of three cafes that the Flemish regional government said in August it planned to add to a selection of listed sites because of its “exceptional” interiors.

Belgium, whose thousands of beers have since 2017 boasted UNESCO World Heritage status, has hundreds of such old cafes or socalled estaminets.

“But if you want a completely intact interior, typical of the bourgeois cafes from the first half of the 20th century, there are only a handful,” says Joeri Mertens, a real estate heritage researcher for the Flemish region.

Seven of them have already been listed in the region and the three others nominated in August, including the PastaCafe, are set to be added next year after a routine public inquiry by local authorities.

The goal is to show future generations this furniture, stucco ceilings and vintage mirrors, even if it imposes some constraints on the bar owners themselves.AFP

in recent years to free speech in the country―has shredded her reputation even further.

But Aung Hla Tun, a former Reuters journalist who now works for the government as deputy Minister of Information, defended the Nobel Laureate’s reticence.

“Criticizing the judicial system would be tantamount to contempt of court,” he told AFP. “I don’t think she will do it.”

A whistle-blowing policeman had corroborated the defense argument that the reporters had been entrapped by police, who handed them documents over dinner shortly before their arrest.

But the judge chose to ignore the testimony.

Lawyers for the pair will appeal the verdict although the lengthy process could take months, if not years.

The country’s president, a close ally of Suu Kyi, could also pardon the reporters but experts say any immediate intervention is unlikely.

In April 8,500 people were set free in an amnesty, including 36 deemed to be political prisoners but there were still some 200 others, including the two Reuters journalists, facing trials linked to political activities.

Erstwhile Suu Kyi advocates overseas have been left dismayed by her attitude to the journalists’ ordeal so far. AFP

Strong typhoon Jebi batters Japan

SCN FORM NO. 1 (R.A. NO. 9139)

INVITATION TO BID for Delivery of Inorganic Fertilizer (46-0-0) Solicitation No. PANG-2018-1380 1.

The Province of Pangasinan, through the Calamity Fund, 5% Local Disaster Risk Reduction Mgt. Fund (PR#2018-08-7513)1 intends to apply the sum of Twelve Million Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine Thousand Pesos (P12,999,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Delivery of Inorganic Fertilizer (46-0-0) at PGO, Lingayen, Pangasinan (for use in the Rehabilitation assistance to rice farmers affected by flooding caused by HABAGAT and Typhoons “Inday” and “Josie”). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The Province of Pangasinan now invites bids for Supply and Delivery of Inorganic Fertilizer (46-0-0).2 Delivery of the Goods is required Seven (7) Calendar Days. Bidders should have completed from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the

4.

2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

(i) Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

5.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Province of Pangasinan and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during August 24, 2018 – September 14, 2018; 8:00 am to 5:00pm.

6.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on August 24, 2018 – September 14, 2018 at the BAC office, 2nd Floor Malong Building, Lingayen, Pangasinan and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Thirteen Thousand Pesos (P13,000.00).

001508

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF NEHA MOTIANI to be naturalized as Filipino citizen pursuant to Republic Act No. 9139.

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

7.

3

The Province of Pangasinan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on August 31, 2018; 2:00pm at BAC office, 2nd Floor Malong Building, Capitol Compound, Lingayen, Pangasinan, which shall be open to prospective bidders.

PETITION Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9139, petitioner hereby submits a petition for naturalization to become a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and respectfully declares: 1. My full name is NEHA MOTIANI, but I have also been known since childhood as NEHA, or I have been judicially authorized to use the alias name(s) N/A .

2. My present place of residence is Icon Residences 26th St., 3rd Ave. Tower 2 Unit 14 DE, BGC City/Municipality of Taguig Province of Metro Manila ____,and all my former places of residence are (please indicate periods of residence):

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before September 14, 2018; 10:00am. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on September 14, 2018; 10:00am at Conference Room 2nd Floor Malong Building, Capitol Compound, Lingayen, Pangasinan. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

9.

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

For further information, please refer to: HILARIA J. CLAVERIA Provincial Budget Officer BAC Chairman Provincial Budget Office Finance Building, Capitol Compound Lingayen, Pangasinan 075 5426574 EDWIN B. MENDOZA Supervising Admin. Officer BAC Secretariat

3

5. My trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is student and from which I derive an average annual income of P N/A , inclusive of bonuses, commissions and allowances.

My wife's/husband's trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is N/A and from which she derives an average annual income of P N/A .

(Where the above does not apply): I am exempt from the requirement of lucrative trade or occupation and from submitting income tax returns for the past three (3) years because I am a college degree holder [please state (1) degree obtained:_N/A_ , (2) name of school: __ N/A__ and (3) years graduated: ___ N/A___who cannot practice my profession (the practice of which requires a government licensure examination) by reason of my citizenship.

6. My civil status is Single, I was married on N/A in N/A My wife's/husband's name is N/A and she/he was born on N/A in N/A. She/he is a citizen or subject of N/A and presently resides N/A . (place of residence) 7. I am legally separated from my spouse; my marriage was annulled, per decree of legal separation/annulment dated N/A granted by N/A. (please indicate the particular court which granted the same). I am a widower/widow and my spouse died on N/A in N/A. 8. I have N/A child/children, whose names, dates and places of birth and residences are as follows: Date of Birth

N/A

Place of Birth

Residence

9. I received my primary and secondary education from the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

Place of School Humpty Dumpty School 15 East Capital Drive, Kapitolyo, Metro Manila Creative Learning School 52 Sta Rosa St.,Bgy Kapitolyo, Pasig Our Own English High Muwailih, School UAE Saint Paul College, Pasig St. Paul Rd., Brgy Ugong, Pasig City University of the East 2219 Recto Ave., Sampaloc, Manila

Name of Child

I am not opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group of persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing all organized governments. I am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of violence, personal assault or assassination for the success and predominance of one's ideas. I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy. I have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude. I am not suffering from mental alienation or from any incurable contagious disease. The country of which I am a citizen or subject is not at war with the Philippines and grants to Filipinos the right to be naturalized citizens or subjects thereof.

14. My character witnesses are Danielle Villanueva Bangato and Perla Dela Pena Jocson both Filipino citizens, of legal age, and residing at 7953 Teka St., San Antonio Village, Makati and 149 Scout De Guia, Brgy.

Sacred Heart, Diliman, Quezon City respectively, who have executed sworn statements attached hereto in support of my instant petition, together with: (a) brief biographical data about themselves; (b) detailed statements on the dates they first came to know me, the circumstances of our initial acquaintance and the reasons and extent of our continuing familiarity; and (c) the number of times they have acted as character witnesses in other petitions for naturalization.

15. Attached hereto as annexes and made part of this petition are the duplicate originals or certified photocopies of the following documents (please check the appropriate box): [ / ] a. Petitioner's birth certificate [ / ] b. Petitioner's alien certificate of registration (ACR) [ ] c. Petitioner's native-born certificate of residence (NBCR) [ ] d. Petitioner's marriage certificate, if married [ ] e. Death certificate of his/her spouse, if widowed [ ] f. Court decree annulling his/her marriage or granting legal separation, if such was the fact [ ] g. Birth certificates of petitioner's minor children [ ] h. ACRs of petitioner's minor children [ ] i. NBCRs of petitioner's minor children [ ] j. Affidavits of financial capacity by the petitioner, duly supported by bank certifications, passbooks, stock certificates, or proof of ownership of other properties [ / ] k. Affidavits of at least two (2) credible witnesses who must be Filipino citizens of good reputation in petitioner's place of residence [ / ] l. Medical certificate from a government hospital stating that petitioner is not suffering from mental alienation or a user of prohibited drugs or otherwise a drug dependent and that he/she is not afflicted with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), or any incurable contagious disease. [ / ] m. School diploma and transcript of records of the petitioner from the school/s he or she attended in the Philippines [ ] n. Certifications stating that petitioner's minor children are enrolled in public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the DECS, where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality [ ] o. Petitioner's income tax returns for the past three years [ ] p. Petitioner's receipts of payment of income tax for the past three years 16. Other documents submitted by the petitioner in support of his/her petition: Clearance (NBI, Barangay, MTC, RTC, Police, Office of Prosecutor) PRAYER WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that petitioner be conferred Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No, 9139.

Dated at Makati City, Metro Manila, this 7th day of MARCH, 2017.

Dates of Highest Grade Study Completed 2000-2001 Kinder 1

2001-2002

Kinder 2

2002-2004

Grade 1-Grade 2

2004-2013

Grade 34th Year High School

2013-2019

Bachelor’s Degree

11. I have enrolled my minor children of school age in the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philipine History, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality: Name and Place of School

NEHA MOTIANI Name and Signature of Petitioner Address: Icon Residences 26th St., 3rd Ave. Tower 2 Unit 14 DE, BGC Telephone Number: 502-7182

Right Thumbmark of Petitioner

Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) CITY/MUNICIPALITY OF MANILA) S.S. I, NEHA MOTIANI of legal age and a resident of Icon Residences 26th St.Tower 2, BGC, Taguig after being duly sworn, depose and say that I am the petitioner herein, that I have read the foregoing petition and know the foregoing petition and known the contents thereof, and that the same is true of my own knowledge.

NEHA MOTIANI Name and Signature of Petitioner SUBCRIBED AND SWORN to before me at Pasig City, this 16 day of April 2018.

Date of Enrollment

N/A

(SGD) HILARIA J. CLAVERIA Provincial Budget Officer BAC Chairman

2

4. My father's name is Narerdar Kumar Motiani and he was born on March 20, 1966, in Mirpurkhas, Pakistan.

He is a citizen or subject of Pakistan. My mother's name is Pushpa Motiani and she was born on October 26, 1971 in Sanghar, Pakistan. She is a citizen or subject of Pakistan.

10. I am able to read, write and speak Filipino and/or any of the following dialects of the Philippines: Filipino-Tagalog.

BAC Office 2nd Floor Malong Building, Capitol Compound Lingayen, Pangasinan 075 6327840

1

3. I was born on November 8, 1995, in 40 Santa Rosa Kapitolyo, Pasig, Philippines. I have been a resident of the Philippines since birth. At present, I am a citizen or subject of Pakistan.

Name of School

YAREN, Nauru―The Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru began in dramatic fashion Tuesday, with Chinese diplomats storming out of a meeting and a New Zealand journalist detained for interviewing refugees held on the tiny island nation.

After a low-key opening ceremony late Monday, tensions erupted almost as soon as formal business started on Tuesday, when China’s Du Qiwen attempted to address a meeting about climate change.

The meeting chairman, Nauru President Baron Waqa, stopped him from talking, prompting Du and the rest of the Chinese delegation to walk out.

The exchange highlighted the sensitivities over Beijing’s rising influence in the region, where Nauru backs Taiwan over arch-rival China in the battle for diplomatic recognition.

A few hours later, police took veteran TVNZ journalist Barbara Dreaver into custody as she was interviewing an asylum-seeker held on the island under Australia’s hardline immigration policies.

The plight of the refugees, particularly children, has threatened to overshadow the summit, despite attempts by Nauru authorities to control visiting journalists.

Dreaver said she was held for three hours, her footage was confiscated and her PIF media accreditation was revoked. AFP

13. It is my true and honest intention to become a citizen of the Philippines and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and, particularly, to Pakistan of which at this time I am a citizen or subject. I will reside continuously in the Philippines from the date of the filing of this petition up to the time of my admission to Philippine citizenship.

SCN CASE NO. x------------------ x

Name

Walkout, media bust mar Pacific summit

traditions and ideals of the Filipino people. I have all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under Republic Act No. 9139.

40 Santa Rosa, Kapitolyo, Pasig (1995) Valle Verde 6 (2007-2015) 11 Santa Clara (1995-1997) Icon Residences (2015-2018) 12 Saint Martin (1997-2003) 18 E Brgy. San Antonio (2003-2009) 2nd Floor Malong Building, Capitol Compound Lingayen, Pangasinan Tel. No. (075) 632-7840 Website@biddingandawards.pangasinan gov.ph, E-mail address: bacpangasinan@yahoo.com

162 kilometers per hour at its center, making it a “very strong” typhoon, the weather agency’s chief forecaster Ryuta Kurora told AFP. “This is [the strongest] since 1993.”

As the storm approached, Abe called a disaster response meeting and canceled a trip to western Japan.

“I urge the Japanese people to take action to protect your lives, including preparing and evacuating early,” he said. AFP

In the case of National Government Agencies, the General Appropriations Act and/or continuing appropriations; in the case of GOCCs, GFIs, and SUCs, the Corporate Budget for the contract approved by the governing Boards; in the case of (LGUs, the Budget for the contract approved by the respective Sanggunian. (Section 5(a), R.A. 9184) A brief description of the type(s) of Goods should be provided, including quantities, location of project, and other information necessary to enable potential bidders to decide whether or not to respond to the invitation.

May be deleted in case the ABC is less than One Million Pesos (PhP1,000,000) where the Procuring Entity may not hold a Pre-Bid Conference.

(MS-SEPT. 5, 2018)

12. I shall never be a public charge. I am of good moral character. I believe in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution. I have conducted myself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of my residence in the Philippines in my relations with the constituted government as well as with the community in which I am living. I mingled socially with Filipinos and have evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs,

(MS-SEPTEMBER 5/12/19, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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

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wednesday, september 5, 2018

LGUs FREEBIES FOR PUPILS. Makati Mayor Abigail Binay hands a set of school gear and supplies to a day care pupil at the Carmona Covered Court on Tuesday, at the start of the three-day distribution to cover the 44 city-run Child Development Centers. Each of the 4,068 CDC learners will receive two sets of PE uniform (T-shirt and jogging pants), black leather shoes, rubber shoes and school bag. Also in the photo are Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo and Ryan Barcelo, assistant department head of the Makati Social Welfare Department. To date, the city government through the MSWD operates 41 regular CDCs and three child minding centers located in various barangays, catering to 1,728 learners in District 1 and 2,340 in District 2.

By Romeo Dizon

Investments in Subic hit P2.85b in 1st half

By Butch Gunio

S

UBIC BAy FREEPORT—The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority has approved 45 new investment projects worth a total of P2.85 billion from January to June this year, bringing the cumulative investment commitments here to P499.6 billion.

Republic of the Philippines COMMISSION ON AUDIT Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines

RESOLUTION No. : 2018-018 Date : FEB. 01, 2018 Subject:

By Rio N. Araja

LocaL government units

‘Capas-Botolan road to spur CL growth’ SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—The P5.9-billion Capas-Botolan Road, one of the government’s major projects, will change Central luzon into a growth center of the country and will be finished as scheduled in 2022, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said Tuesday.

Barring serious setbacks, including the burning of equipment of the contractor by armed rebels and monsoon rains, the project will be finished as planned, Villar said as he inspected the project.

The road is 81.9 kilometers long and will pass Angeles City, Floridablanca, Porac and Sta. Rita, all in Pampanga.

This will reduce the travel from three hours to just one hour point to point.

Villar said about 15.80 kilometers was already completed worth P800 million last year, while the current budget of P550.3 million is for 10.085 kilometers, including the construction of 208.6 linear bridge structures.

“Our engineers are confident they will finish the project even before the deadline,” he added.

The Capas-Botolan Road will help transform Central luzon as the next growth center of the country instead of the crowded, trafficked, and floodprone Metro Manila.

The completion of the project will also spur developments of rice and corn-producing Tarlac, while the tourism site-rich Zambales will also be fully utilized for both local and foreign tourists.

Herbert hands new fire truck to QC firemen

Establishment of an Audit Evidence Management System (AEMS), Adoption of a Document Imaging System (DIS) and Creation of a Central Audit Evidence Management Services (CAEMS) under the Professional and Institutional Development Sector (PIDS), this Commission, and a Regional Audit Evidence Management Unit (RAEMU) under the Commission on Audit (COA) Regional Offices to Manage the AEMS and DIS.

WHEREAS, Section 2(1), Article IX-D of the 1987 Philippine Constitution vests in the Commission on Audit (COA) the power, authority, and duty to examine, audit, and settle all accounts pertaining to the revenues and receipts of, and expenditure or uses of funds and property owned or held by the government; WHEREAS, records management is a fundamental function of all government agencies, and COA, as a Supreme Audit Institution, has the responsibility of ensuring an effective and efficient management system to secure and preserve all audit evidence supporting audit conclusions and decisions arising from the audit of transactions of government agencies, as well as legal evidence for pending cases in judicial and quasi-judicial bodies, filed on the basis of the results of the audit of this Commission; WHEREAS, COA has been adopting a reshuffling policy wherein auditors who have been assigned for three years or less in a certain government agency are reassigned/reshuffled to other government agencies and in most cases, do not undertake proper or complete turnover of audit evidence as well as of other audit records;

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said the total investment pledges in the first semester of 2018 was 290 percent higher than the P731 million generated in the same period last year.

The first semester projects are also expected to generate 2,439 new jobs in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, she added.

“This is a significant harvest of business commitments and opportunities for Subic, and it only goes to show that this free port remains to be one of the strongest economic drivers in the country today,” Eisma said.

“It also goes to show that businesses continue to grow in Subic, because 13 business locators here have proposed expansion projects in the first six months,” she added.

The expansion projects are worth a total of P276 million and are projected to generate 286 new jobs.

According to Kenneth Rementilla, SBMA deputy administrator for business and invest-

ment, the biggest investment commitment the agency signed up in the first semester was made by Citic Hotels and leisures Corp., a brand that carries the world-renowned fivestar hotel chain Wyndham Hotel.

The Citic proposal was worth P1.34 billion and will generate 2,000 new jobs.

The second biggest new project was proposed by Air Juan Aviation for the operation of air transportation services and charter passenger flights to various points in the country. The firm will invest P671.47 million and hire 10 workers.

GGG Technology Inc., meanwhile, proposed a P200-million project that will involve an initial workforce of 110 to engage in manufacturing, assembly and refurbishing of high-technology consumer electronics.

The fourth largest project was that of First Aviation Academy Inc., an operator of aviation-related training and skills assessment center. It will offer various aviation-related courses to airline and non-airline employees and individuals, infuse P156.6 million into the business, and hire 28 workers.

The fifth biggest proposal came from Vortex Oil and Gas Solutions Corp., which will operate an office for the import and export, trading, selling and distribution of petroleum products with a committed investment of P100 million and a workforce of five employees.

WHEREAS, in many cases, the audit evidence are individually kept by the Audit Team Supervisors/Leaders/Members either in the premises of the audited agency, or outside, with no permanent custodian in charge of their preservation and safekeeping.

Neither is there one office/unit within COA that is responsible for the centralized management and preservation thereof; WHEREAS, upon reshuffle/reassignment, some Audit Team Supervisors/ Leaders/ Members take with them the audit evidence particularly those that also serve as legal evidence for on-going investigations, court cases, or merely in anticipation of investigations or court cases, out of fear of their loss or misplacement due to the absence of: (1) a system for their archiving and retrieval when needed; (2) a permanent or assigned custodian who is accountable for their safekeeping and preservation; and (3) a turnover system being enforced to ensure proper transfer of accountability over the audit evidence whenever there is change in audit personnel assigned to agencies of government; WHEREAS, history of the prosecution of various cases filed against erring government officials based on COA Audit Reports shows that many cases were dismissed because the audit evidence could no longer be presented/produced due to loss, damage, or misplacement; WHEREAS, a number of Notices of Disallowance and Notices of Charge including the supporting documents have been lost or misplaced in the custody of the Audit Teams due to the absence of proper turnover upon reshuffling, reassignment, transfer to other agencies, retirement and other modes of separation from the service; WHEREAS, in the absence of a single unit/office charged with the responsibility for the safekeeping of the audit evidence, often no person could be held accountable or responsible for their loss/damage; WHEREAS, at present, the Records Management Services of the General Services Office, Administration Sector, this Commission, and the Administration, Training and Finance Services in the COA Regional Offices, preserve and manage only copies of communications, COA policies, rules and regulations, and decisions on appeals, requests for condonation, write-off, installment payments and other Commission Proper actions; WHEREAS, to ensure the security and preservation of audit evidence supporting all audit conclusions, decisions and results of all types of audit conducted by all Audit Sectors, including those conducted by the Special Services Sector (SSS), Systems and Technical Services Sector (STSS), and Intelligence and Confidential Fund Audit Office (ICFAO), there is a need for the establishment of an efficient and effective management system for audit evidence and the creation of an office/unit to manage the same; WHEREFORE, this Commission RESOLVES, as it is hereby resolved, to establish an Audit Evidence Management System (AEMS) and adopt a Document Imaging System (DIS) primarily to: (1) secure and preserve audit evidence to support (a) the audit conclusions and decisions arising from the audit of transactions of government agencies; and (b) the Independent Auditor’s Report; (2) preserve and manage the audit evidence which serve as legal evidence for on-going and/or anticipated investigations and/or court cases; and (3) maintain electronic copies of certain audit evidence which can be uploaded and viewed online by authorized users; RESOLVED FURTHER, to create a Regional Audit Evidence Management Unit (RAEMU) at the COA Regional Offices to manage the AEMS and DIS thereat; RESOLVED FINALLY, to provide sufficient office equipped with security controls for the safekeeping of the audit evidence, as well as adequate plantilla of positions for CAEMS and RAEMU. This Resolution shall take effect immediately after publication in the Official Gazette or any newspaper of general circulation.

Quezon City, Philippines

MICHAEL G. AGUINALDO Chairperson JOSE A. FABIA Commissioner

ISABEL D. AGITO Commissioner (MS-SEPT. 5, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

ANTI-HUNGER DRIVE. Jomar Fleras (left), executive director of Rise Against Hunger Philippines, hands a special plaque to Tom Barbitta, chief marketing officer of RAH USA, as the international hunger relief non-profit organization celebrated its 20th year with ‘This is Possible,’ a global movement to end world hunger by 2030 aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #2. The event launched locally with the ‘Beacon of Joy,’ a gathering held at the Conrad Hotel Manila. Teddy Pelaez

QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista has turned over a new fire truck to fire marshal Sr. Supt. Manuel Manuel to beef up the capability of the Bureau of Fire Protection.

In a ceremony on Monday, Manuel accepted the symbolic key from Bautista and National Capital Region director Chief Supt. Roel Jeremy Diaz.

The pumper truck can be deployed to any fire situation. It has 1,200 water gallon capacity with a discharge capacity of 750 gallons per minute.

“This fire truck has a firefighting equipment even for a five-story building,” Manuel said of the truck to be based in Cubao’s Barangay Pinagkaisahan fire station.

“This will be of big help us to be able to further lower the high incidence of fire in Quezon City,” he said.

According to Manuel, the city’s fire cases have dropped 20 percent from 2017 to 2018.

QC has more than 20 fire trucks deployed in 26 fire stations.

“This is just the start of the modernization program of our agency with help from the mayor.

“Three other fire trucks would still be donated to us,” Manuel said.

Meanwhile, Quezon City on Monday hosted the kick-off of the 2018 National Crime Prevention Week at the Quezon Memorial Circle.

The celebration is pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 461 signed

by President Fidel Ramos that primarily aims to raise awareness on the importance of crime prevention and encourage the participation of the public.

Simultaneously, hundreds of police officers and barangay officials blew their whistles, Edilberto Pardinas of National Police Commission - Crime Prevention & Coordination Services said.

According to Quezon City Police District chief Joselito Esquivel, the city has provided several avenues in in reporting crime.

The city government is also conducting an intensive information drive to communities, encouraging the public to report suspicious behavior even on social media.

Smoke-Free Task Force nabs 1,504 smokers in Munti A FRIENDly reminder to residents and visitors in Muntinlupa City: Smoking in public areas is penalized.

As of August, the Muntinlupa Smoke-Free Task Force recorded 1,504 individuals violating Muntinlupa City Ordinance No. 17-072 or the Comprehensive Smoke Free Ordinance of the City of Muntinlupa and confiscated 459 cigarette packs from ambulant vendors.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi continuously urges the public to quit smoking and said that the local government will place stricter implementation of the No Smoking ordinance in the coming weeks.

Violators caught smoking or vaping in public places were charged with a fine of P500 to P5,000 and two to 14 hours community service. Penalty tickets were given by members of SFTF. Muntinlupa SFTF is composed of the City Health Office, PNP, Muntinlupa Traffic Management Bureau, Public Order and Safety Office, Public Information Office, among other local offices.

Muntinlupa City is one of the first cities in NCR to pass a local ordinance following President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 26 or known as the Nationwide Smoking Ban. Under Section 5a of Muntinlupa Ordinance No. 17-072, the use and distribution of cigarette and tobacco products are prohibited in the city.

It includes smoking or vaping in enclosed or partially enclosed public places, workplaces, public conveyances (whether mobile or stationary), except in Designated Smoking Areas duly approved and fully compliant with the requirements set by the City Health Office.

Thai princess still helping Leyte school hit by ‘Yolanda’

By Ronald O. Reyes DAGAMI, Leyte―The Banayon Elementary School in this town continues to receive assistance from Thailand’s Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and the Royal Thai Embassy after it was hit by Super Typhoon “yolanda” (Haiyan) five years ago.

Representatives from the office of the Royal Highness returned to the school for the third time on Tuesday to monitor the progress of their projects.

Ronelo Al Firmo, the schools division superintendent, thanked the Royal Princess

for her support, saying the project is a big help for the school to augment its schoolbased program and other projects.

Aside from the donation of a new school building which was personally inaugurated by the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 2016, the Thai princess also gave P200,000 as seed money for the school’s health and nutrition program, mushroom production, piggery, tilapia raising, and vegetable program.

“Having partners like them who provided resources to the school is really a blessing,” said Eden Dadap, project development of-

ficer IV of the Department of Education Eastern Visayas Regional Office.

Ma. Ivy Avelino, the head teacher of Banayon Elementary School, assured the Thai princess that they are maintaining the productivity of the projects with the help of the parents, community, and the local government unit.

According to Avelino, their vegetable garden and tilapia production have helped in sustaining the health and nutrition program for their 142 enrolled students.

She said malnutrition in their school is also being addressed by the projects.

Life

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

fashion and beauty

@MStandardLIFE wEdnESday, SEptEMBEr 5, 2018

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Timeless beauTy WORKS OF ART. The sculptures at Galleria Romanelli bring to light Salvatore Ferragamo’s creations’ artistic and timeless character.

F

lowers indeed bloom where they are planted.

In a new series videos by Italian filmmaker Marescotti ruspoli and interpreted by Maria Vera ratti, some of salvatore Ferragamo’s most famous and historical creations are interpreted in six hidden locations in Florence— the city with which the eponymous designer fell in love and in which he founded his maison in 1927.

Hidden outside the typical tourist and media circuits, these six gems of history, art, and outstanding beauty are all intimate and characteristic places of Florence, Italy.

Dubbed “Unexpected Florence,” the

video series shows a 1925 floral decorated shoe, placed next to a sophisticated crocodile top handle bag among the sculptures at the Galleria romanelli in Borgo san Frediano, where for almost two centuries veritable art masterpieces have been situated.

The court shoe designed for Marilyn Monroe in 1959, on the other hand, takes the leading role in the fresh twilight of Aquaflor, a charming fragrance workshop in Borgo santa Croce.

Among statues and wisterias, in the centuries-old gardens of Villa Bardini, there is the 1941 triangular patchwork shoe.

The open-toe sandal, a masterly example of elegance and comfort created in 1940, is accompanied by an ostrich

Ferragamo’s triangular patchwork shoes

top handle bag in the majestic gardens of Villa Corsini al Prato.

Meanwhile, the velvets and stucco works of the historical Teatro della Pergola, one of Italy’s most ancient theaters, offer a beautiful stage to the worldrenowned satin and rhinestone sandal created in 1938 for Indira Devi, Maharani of Cooch Behar, and to a precious matching evening clutch.

Finally, the round-tip pump made for a famous actress in 1954, together with an elegant clutch bag, is shown at Numeroventi Design residency, the eclectic hospitality and co-working space for artists newly opened a few steps from the Duomo.

Interpreted with sharp elegance and modern taste by ruspoli, the new un-

The 1925 floral decorated shoes

Ostrich top handle bag in the gardens of Villa Corsini al Prato.

Ferragamo’s crocodile top handle bag

ion between wonderful, unexpected Florentine locations and iconic models from the Ferragamo’s Creations A/w ‘18 collection brings to light the artistic, purely timeless character of both; united by a refined dialogue of shapes and colors, textures and atmospheres, as well as by the respective authors’ talent and passion for beauty.

The six videos of the “Unexpected

Florence” series, together with a range of selected images, are available on www.ferragamo.com, on the brand’s social channels, and in the most important salvatore Ferragamo flagship stores.

Salvatore Ferragamo is located at Greenbelt 4, Rustan’s Shangri-La, Rustan’s Makati, Newport Mall, and Solaire Resort and Casino.

margaret Zhang

collaborates with local retail firm leADING digital inf luencer and fashion blogger Margaret Zhang collaborates with The sM store in FashionisM as the campaign’s director, photographer, stylist, and model.

According to The sM store, “FashionisM is expressionism, individualism, activism, adventurism, conceptualism, empowerism, functionalism, futurism, modernism, minimalism, urbanism, athleticism, casualism, abstractionism, couture-ism, vocalism.”

In this campaign, Zhang shows how her

unique, sartorial style represents all facets of her life.

The 25-year-old influencer has built her career from age 16 and is now a young creative whose resume includes working with global brands such as Gucci, Dior, Uniqlo, and louis Vuitton, and for big fashion magazines such as Vogue, L’Officiel, and Harper’s Bazaar.

Zhang is in both Forbes Asia’s “30 Under 30” and Timeout’s “40 Under 40” lists, and was named Best Digital Influencer by ELLE magazine.

s from GTW by m Smyth, pant fro irt sh a in b Get a ca ssories. s from SM Acce and accessorie Zhang shows her ‘two sides’ in a shirt from Smyth, skirt from SM Woman, shoes from Parisian, and accessories from SM Accessories.

Leading digital influencer Margaret Zhang wears pieces from The SM Store for FashioniSM campaign.

SM,

Life

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wednesday, september 5, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Skin clinic introduces society of ambassadors

S

kIn care clinic Skin101 celebrates the unique things that make us beautiful—our skin, our beliefs, our passions—by introducing a roster of ambassadors with varied personalities, characteristics, and professions.

Dubbed the Skin101 Society, the group of ambassadors is composed of celebrities Jasmine Curtis, Yassi Pressman, André Paras, and Pauleen Luna-Sotto; beauty personalities Miss World Philippines katarina Rodriguez, Patricia Henson, Jeline Catt, kyla Zuniga, Erika Hocson, Patricia Mamac, Sam Lewis, and Patty Lloren; bloggers kim Cruz, Ira Oyco, katt Valdez, Mikyle Quizon; models kara Gozali and neil Dy; and artists Andrew Venzon, nathan Venzon, and Patty Tiu. “We’re very excited to have these beautiful individuals with us as we advocate for everyone to embrace what makes them unique,” said Dr. Jennie Francisco-Diaz of Skin101.

Coinciding with the Skin101 Society introduction, the skin clinic also announced its partnership with leading aesthetics company Merz Aesthetics.

“We’re also very pleased to be partnering with Merz, whose treatments we trust and whose values we share when it comes to owning your own brand of beauty,” enthused Dr. Francisco-Diaz.

Merz Aesthetics is the company behind Ultherapy, a skin lifting and

Tiffany T diamond band ring in 18-karat gold

SPOTTED

J.Lo sparkles in Tiffany Skin101 Clinic ambassador Kim Cruz having her Xeomin treatment, a highly purified aesthetic injectable from Merz, which the clinic offers.

tightening procedure that uses ultrasound technology, and Belotero, the clinic’s dermal filler that integrates seamlessly into the skin for natural looking results.

Skin101 Clinic will also offer Merz’s newest procedure, Xeomin, a highly purified aesthetic injectable that safely improves lines and wrinkles without compromising skin.

“We want to make sure that the treatments we offer patients are made to

highlight their features the way they want to,” said Dr. Francisco-Diaz.

Skin101 Clinic is located at White Plains, SM City Fairview, SM north Edsa Annex, SM City Taytay, San Joaquin, Valle Verde Country Club, Shangri-La Plaza East Wing, Market!

Market!, Ayala South Park Mall, Alabang Town Center, SM South Mall, SM City Sta. Rosa.

Go to www.skin101clinic.com for more information.

JEnnIFER LOPEZ truly sparkled on August 20 as she received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards wearing earrings from the 2018 Tiffany Blue Book Collection along with a selection of diamond bracelets and rings.

“The one-of-a-kind earrings Jen-

nifer wore are over seven carats of white and Fancy Gray diamonds and impeccably accentuate the detailing of her metallic Versace dress,” said renowned celebrity stylist Rob Zangardi.

In the Philippines, Tiffany & Co. is exclusively available at Rustan’s Makati and Rustan’s Shangri-La.

Jeniffer Lopez wearing pieces from the 2018 Tiffany Blue Book Collection. (Inset) Tiffany diamond bracelets in platinum

VANITY CORNER Dr. Jennie Francisco-Diaz (rightmost) with Skin 101 ambassadors (from left) Andrew Venzon, Nate Venzon, Neil Dy, Mikyle Quizon, Erika Hocson, Katt Valdez, Patricia Henson, Jeline Catt, Kim Cruz, Patty Tiu, and Kyla Zuniga.

Comfortable unmentionables WOMEn are familiar with that feeling—that freeSure, the world would probably be a better place ing moment when you finally take your bra off at without bras in the picture, but it is possible to the end of the day. no more elastic bands, straps, wear these unmentionables without looking foror uncomfortable wires digging into your skin. ward to finally removing them again.

Wireless and strapless

Underwear company Spanx has taken comfort to the next level with its Bra-llelujah wireless bra. This version is complete with the Bra-llelujah features—patented all-hosiery back that smooths out lumps and bumps, Spanx Smart Straps that mold to the body for a comfortable fit that won’t dig, and full bust support—all without the underwire.

For spaghetti straps and off-theshoulder outfits, Up for Anything strapless bra stays put all day sans the heavy feel. Thanks to the innovative Spanx’s SmartGrip technology and WithMe tape that provides a smooth grip around the body, this bra guarantees that it won’t fall down or let its wearer down. It is also created with patent pending elastic-free design and memory foam cups.

Dramatically defined eyes A swipe of mascara on lashes and a flaring line on lids can instantly give that effortless made-up look. Covergirl releases new go-to mascara and eyeliner that promise to make eyes pop.

The all-new Peacock Flare Mascara (P399) features a feather-fan brush with alternating shorter bristles that spiral around the wand. This is specifically designed to catch, coat, and separate every lash to achieve that flared-out, volumized lash look, hence the name, peacock.

Meanwhile, the Get In Line Eyeliner (P249) lets users create that stilettoPeacock Flare point cat eyes with Mascara its ultra fine tip that applies like butter for perfect precision.

Covergirl’s Peacock Flare Mascara is available in Waterproof Black and Black Brown, while the Get In Line Eyeliner comes in Teal Crystal, Bold Brown, Black Crystal, Black Vinyl, and Major Matte Black.

Get In Line Eyeliner

These two eye makeup products are available in leading department stores nationwide.

Best features forward Sport a glowing and well-defined look with the help of just one stick.

Ever Bilena’s Sculpt and Strobe Stick (P225) is a 2-in-1 cream-based stick that helps sculpt face to enhance facial structure and illuminate it for a glowing look. The Sculpt and Strobe Stick comes in Medium for fairer skin and Deep that is best suited for darker skin tones.

Spanx takes comfort and support to the next level with its Up for Anything strapless bra and Brallelujah wireless bra.

This sculpting and highlighting stick is available in major retail stores nationwide.

Bralette

On days when comfort is of utmost importance, Maidenform offers its bralette that is as comfortable as it supportive. The Casual Comfort Wirefree Lift Bralette is made of luxurious fabric that is incredibly soft, with wire-free cups and lightweight lift that gives just enough shaping support to flatter the figure while keeping up with the comfort and feel of a bralette.

It is designed with modern mesh sides, back, and trim for a lightweight, breathable feel. Its split front straps are back-adjustable, with a hook and eye back close for easy off and on.

Maidenform’s Casual Comfort Wirefree Lift Bralette

Spanx is available at Rustan’s Makati, Shangri-La, Alabang, Gateway, and Cebu. Maidenform is available in all leading department stores nationwide.

Sculpt and Strobe Stick

Entertainment

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

Discovery sparks kids’ curiosity with a new app

By Darwin Pesco

D

Enchong Dee and Angeline Quinto will join auditionees in Korea as the international leg of MOR Global Pop Icon continues.

ISCOVERY Kids app was officially launched to spark children’s curiosity through watch-play-learn experience while enriching youngsters’ world for exploration.

Angeline, Enchong headline ‘MOR GLOBAL POP ICON IN KOREA’ ABS-CBN stars Angeline Quinto and Enchong Dee will join the fun in South Korea as they headline the TFC Hour at the upcoming MOR Global Pop Icon in Korea event, happening on Sept. 30 at the Dong Sung High School Auditorium in Hyehwa-dong, in Seoul, South Korea.

The two Kapamilya stars will bring happy vibes at the global singing competition with Angeline’s all-time favorite hits and Enchong’s smooth dance moves. Also bringing color to the event are MOR 101.9 DJs Jhai Ho and Eva Ronda, who will be hosting the whole event.

The last round of on-ground audition was held on Sept. 2 at the Hyehwadong Church in Seoul, South Korea. After the auditions, the public could vote who among the finalists will be hailed the “TFC People’s Choice” awardee. The voting will start on Sept. 9 and will last until Sept. 23.

For details on how to vote, visit facebook.com/TFCKoreaOfficial.

The contestant who will be hailed MOR Global Pop Icon in Korea will fly to Manila for the MOR Global Pop Icon grand finals.

For the event on Sept. 30, gates open at 12:00 noon, with the TFC Hour happening at 4:00 p.m..For tickets, contact Roger Amboy at +821067201972.

For more details about the competition, visit and like facebook.com/TFCKoreaOfficial. Connect with fellow global Kapamilyas and follow @KapamilyaTFC and KapamilyaGlobalPR on Twitter and Instagram.

Simply...

From C4

“My songwriting started to blossom late last year, sometime in August as well. I was reading a post on Facebook and saw that Regine Velasquez was coming out with an anniversary album and was releasing 10 originals. So I asked Patty Mayoralgo, the one who shared the post, if she could help me send my demos to Regine. So, I sent the songs through email and then I got a call and said that she would be using it for her album. I almost didn’t believe it until she posted on her Instagram the song “Hugot” which became the second single from her album. Since the song was published under Viva, they asked me if I wanted to pitch a song for a teleserye for Viva Channel, so I wrote a song and I got surprised that it was chosen to be the theme song of the teleserye, “One Song,” which is also the title. After “Hugot” ane “One Song”, I felt like, maybe I have a place in this industry.

“After these songs along came the opportunity to write for the Filipino adaptation of the Movie Miss Granny which gave me over the top feelings after

In partnership with the country’s leading telco and digital services provider, PLDT Inc., and Smart Communications, the app was internationally introduced in the Philippines held at the Manila House, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

Filled with fun recreational activities for children, the app launch connected parents and kids to have enjoyment while learning. Also, celebrity parents like Denise Laurel and Neri Naig attended the amusing gathering.

Celebrity couple Vicky Belo and Hayden Kho also joined the merrymaking in support of their daughter Scarlett Snow for the little star has episodes in Discovery Kids. Making local contents for Filipino kids, one of the episodes of Scarlett was showcased, in which she demonstrated how to make a slime.

Before and after the event, kids enjoyed various playing stations that enhanced their skills. Besides, there were also coloring materials provided on every table to showcase their artistic side.

“We try to bring the best of everything in this app,” said Jay Trinidad, President and General Manager for Discovery Kids Digital. He even shared that the concept of the fun app started in a restaurant where he saw a lot of children using smartphones.

To make parents life easier, the app has over a thousand activities which include shows, videos, a strong games portfolio, digital books and much more.

On the other hand, Trinidad had a walkthrough of the app showing a variety of subjects and contents. Discov-

ery’s app features kid-friendly interface with intuitive kid-first navigation, which was designed for kids aged 4 to 7.

Contents are also based on popular characters such as Peppa Pig as it enhances children’s learning experience as explained by Trinidad.

App includes various contents such as shows like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and Transformers Rescue Robots; games like Wild Kratts: Monkey Mayhem, Nature Cat: Park Builder; digital books of Scaredy Squirrel and Goodnight Gorilla; shows from Discovery’s content library like Cupcake Wars: Kids and How Do They Do It: Kids Edition, and a lot more.

“Real kids doing real things in the real world,” the general manager emphasized because the app takes learning to new levels with an exploration of many fields from cooking to art to science. The app also helps to answer a vast of questions

for naturally curious kids.

The salient feature of the app is the downloading option where children can watch, play and read contents offline.

Parents can also access the app’s option to monitor children’s downloaded and viewed contents.

“We’ve worked so hard on this to make it really something that parents can trust, that kids will love,” Trinidad concluded as he encouraged moms and dads to give it a try.

Trinidad is also thinking of new features to be developed in the future like notifying the parents of their children’s interests to trigger more experiences beyond the app.

Discovery Kids app is now available for download to engage young minds of fun learning without boundaries. The app offers a free 30-day trial with a subscription of P129 per month after the trial period.

hearing the news that it got chosen.

“Up next are new songs that will be part of Jed Madela’s anniversary album.”

Still, Miguel dreams of collaborating with some contemporary artists in the industry, “Locally, I’d like to be able to write for Gary Valenciano, Morisette, and Darren Espanto.”

Internationally, his dream is to collaborate with Ed Sheeran, Jason Mraz, John Mayer, David Foster, Taylor Swift, Jessie J and Mariah Carey.

He says people should watch Miss Granny. “Miss Granny is a must watch because it is a movie for the whole family that shows our Filipino family values. This movie is also a reminder to everyone that we should cherish each moment we have with our loved ones especially with our parents and grandparents. One day they will be taken away from us and we do not want to have regrets when that time comes.”

Miguel Mendoza is truly living the life he is destined for. He doesn’t want to have regrets. He continues write new songs and tells numerous stories through his beautiful melodies.

Follow Miguel on Instagram at @ miguelmendoza and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/MrMiguelMendoza.

Catch him at his live weekly performances at Salvatore Cuomo in BGC and performances at The City Club & Balesin Island Club.

‘Game of Thrones’ star in new HBO Original film HBO Original Films’ My Dinner With Herve, starring Golden Globe® and Primetime Emmy® winner Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) and Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades franchise; The Fall) debuts same time as the U.S. on Sunday, Oct. 21 at 8:00 a.m., with a same day encore at 11pm, exclusively on HBO GO and HBO. Inspired by a real story, My Dinner With Herve explores the unlikely friendship between struggling journalist Danny Tate (Dornan) and Hervé Villechaize (Dinklage), the world’s most famous knife-wielding French dwarf actor, as it unfolds over one wild night in LA – an encounter that will have life-changing consequences for both.

The film also stars: Golden Globe® nominee Mireille Enos (Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot; The Killing) as Hervé’s longtime girlfriend, Kathy Self; Harriet Walter (Succession; The Crown)

as Danny’s newspaper editor, Fiona Baskin; Oona Chaplin (Game of Thrones; Black Mirror) as Danny’s girlfriend, Katie Nielson; with Oscar® nominee David Strathairn (Darkest Hour; Billions) as Villechaize’s longtime agent, Marty Rothstein; and Oscar® nominee Andy Mama Mia! Here We Go Again; García (Mama Ocean’s Eleven)) as Ricardo Montalbán, Villechaize’s “Fantasy Island” co-star.

Directed by Sacha November Gervasi (November Criminals; ), with a screenplay by Hitchcock), Gervasi and story by Gervasi & Eddie the Eagle; Sean Macaulay (Eddie ), the film is executive Hitchcock), The produced by Steven Zaillian (The Night Of; The Girl with the Dragon Sicario: Tattoo), Richard Middleton (Sicario: ), Day of the Soldado; The 5th Wave), Taking Oscar® nominee Ross Katz (Taking Chance; Lost In Translation), Jessica November Criminals; de Rothschild (November ), Sacha Reflections on Hollywood), Gervasi and Peter Dinklage.

Primetime Emmy® nominee Garrett Basch (Red Sparrow; The Night Of) and David Ginsberg (I Think We’re Alone Now; Get Low) serve as coexecutive producers.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, September 5, 2018

ACROSS 1 Put cargo on board 6 Tidbits for kitty 10 Ketch cousin 14 Prince Arn’s mom 15 Ess molding 16 Yodeler’s answer 17 Bit of dust 18 Dice toss 19 Very dry 20 Second-year student 22 Corny 23 Depot info 24 Not brunettes 26 Worked at a spa 30 Cassius Clay 31 Appropriate 32 Granary, often 33 Grammar class 37 Baroness Karen 39 Mo. multiples 41 Benefit, often 42 Pick up on 45 Andes empire 48 — and yang 49 H. Rider Haggard novel 50 Lake craft 52 Bar order 56 Blanch 57 Commandeer 58 Take back 63 Penalty

64 Ricky Ricardo 65 Knee-to-ankle bone 66 Follow 67 Gambling stake 68 Decorate 69 Places to sleep 70 Withered 71 Ms. Zellweger DOWN 1 Highland girl 2 Purina rival 3 Like a bass 4 Inscribes indelibly 5 Black Hills region 6 In a gloomy manner 7 Composer — Stravinsky 8 “People” person 9 Conger 10 Longing 11 Bitterly pungent 12 Bread choice 13 Ore deposits 21 Pageant figures 22 Painted tinware 25 Not keep up 26 — of honor 27 Vaulted semicircular recess 28 PDQ

29 “Pillow Talk” name 34 The Banana Boat Song (hyph.)

35 Director — Kazan 36 Tirade 38 Small falcons 40 More grouchy 43 Porcelain flaw 44 Finger count 46 Luigi’s farewell 47 Top athlete (hyph.)

51 Next to 52 Civilian clothes 53 Type of pear 54 Take to jail (2 wds.)

55 Papas or Dunne 59 Are, in Taxco 60 Poet’s black 61 Male parent 62 Compos mentis 64 “— Kapital”

Vicki Belo and Hayden Kho with their daughter Scarlet Snow attend the grand launch of Discovery's app designed specifically for kids.

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Thought-provoking family drama on artificial intelligence WHAT if memories could be remembered for you—or forgotten for you? Memories are sometimes all we have to lean on.

Sundance Film Festival winner (2017) Marjorie Prime takes us down memory lane taking place in a future intentionally left undefined where one’s fading memories are filled in by a program called Prime.

Adapted from a play written

by Jordan Harrison, Marjorie Prime reveals a future where one especially the elderly can have a ‘prime’—a kind of replacement memory system programmed to accompany and help people keep their minds sharp. Designed to be therapeutic as one deals with grief, primes can soften the blow of losing someone by having a hologram version of the dead.

Marjorie (Lois Smith) lives with her daughter, Tess (Geena Davis), and Tess’s husband, Jon (Tim Robbins). It was Jon’s idea to provide his mother-in-law with Walter Prime (Jon Hamm), a younger version of Marjorie’s late husband to keep her company.

But Walter Prime’s presence does not sit well with Tess, who is uncomfortable with this “fountain of youth version” of her dead father. As the story progresses, Marjorie passes away, and Jon brings a Prime version of Marjorie into the household, hoping to heal or resolve Tess’s troubled relationship with her mother.

Marjorie Prime tackles how much our identities are built on how we perceive these memories and director Michael Almereyda relates that it has something to say about the unreliability of memory, but also the mystery of memory.

“I think Jordan’s also suggesting that memory can have a healing power. I tried to sharpen those themes, by tossing in the explicit mention of William James’s idea that our memories are always fading and dimming—the scientific fact is that every time we retrieve a memory, we’re not going to the source, but to our last visit to that memory. And human nature can lead us to both clutch at the past, to try to recapture it, or to deny it altogether.”

Currently enjoying 89 percent rating freshness at Rotten Tomatoes, Marjorie Prime opens today in cinemas from CrystalSky Multmedia.

A scene from the futuristic family drama, 'Marjorie Prime.'

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

C4

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

JOANNA AMPIL

ISAH V. RED

MIGUEL MENDOZA reveals story behind Miss Granny’s theme song

is Jenna in‘Waitress’

A

TLANTIS Theatrical Entertainment Group is proud to announce that acclaimed and awarded musical theatre star Joanna Ampil will play Jenna in the hit musical Waitress, which opens in Manila this November.

Waitress tells the story of a pie baker named Jenna who, despite the mundanity and disillusionment of her life, finds comfort and reckoning in the simple magic of baking. With her two friends Dawn and Becky, she builds the courage to change her own destiny for the better.

Joanna has been on an award winning streak for her critically acclaimed portrayal of Candida in the film Ang Larawan. She most recently won the highly coveted URIAN award for Best Actress. She has performed in London’s West End in musicals such as Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Avenue Q, to name a few.

She continues to perform as Grizabella in the World Tour of Cats.

Waitress will be her first role back on the local Atlantis stage after her acclaimed performance as Frances in The Bridges of Madison County.

“I am beyond thrilled to have been asked by Bobby Garcia to play this highly coveted role. I’m a big Sara Bareilles fan. I heard that people were dying to play this part in Manila.

After doing some research on the role, I realized that this woman is ultimately a survivor and manages to cope with whatever life throws her way,” the seasoned stage actress said.

“I suppose I can somehow relate to that. It will be an exciting challenge.

But the idea of being directed by Bobby once again truly excites me. I had a wonderful experience working with him on ‘The Bridges of Madison County’ and this new show came as a

wonderful gift and surprise” she added.

Bobby Garcia, who directs the highly anticipated production says, “I always wanted Joanna to play Jenna, but I wasn’t sure that we would be able to get her as she is still touring the world in Cats.”

“But once again, the universe conspired to give us what we wanted and we were able to work out getting her to Manila in time for rehearsals. Joanna is one of the finest musical theatre performers we have in the country. And it is always a joy to come into rehearsals and work with her on creating a character and telling a story. I suspect she will be, once again, be unforgettable,” Bobby further said.

Joanna will be joined by Bituin Escalante as Becky and Maronne Cruz as Dawn. The role of Jenna was originally played on Broadway by Tony Award winner Jessie Mueller.

Waitress continues to play to sold out audiences on Broadway. Waitress is a proud partner of Royce’, ABS-CBN, CNN, and Discovery Suites Ortigas.

Waitress ticket holders are entitled to a free room upgrade at Discovery Suites when presenting their tickets upon check in. For more information, visit https://www.discoverysuites.com/ show-and-stay.

Catch Joanna as Jenna in Waitress, which opens on Nov. 9 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati. For tickets, contact TicketWorld at (632) 891-9999 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph.

‘Along with the Gods’ record-breaking sequel

‘Crazy Rich Asians’ still on top of box office IT HAS been another crazy good weekend for rom-com Crazy Rich Asians, which topped the box office for a third straight weekend amid a pretty good summer for North American theaters overall, industry watchers said Sunday.

The Warner Bros. film, with its mostly Asian cast, took in an estimated $22.2 million for the Friday-throughSunday period, dropping just 10 percent from the previous weekend, box office tracker Exhibitor Relations said.

The film’s estimated take jumps to $28 million when Monday’s Labor Day holiday is included.

The adaptation of Kevin Kwan’s best-selling novel, starring Michelle Yeoh, Henry Golding and Constance Wu, follows an American economics professor as she meets her super-rich boyfriend’s family in Singapore in a story about the clash of love, family and great wealth.

Century Properties' Joba Botana (left) with Manila Standard's Nickie Wang at the exclusive block screening of 'Crazy Rich Asians' organized by Century City Mall. The movie, which stars an all-Asian cast, now holds the record of the biggest opening ever for a foreign romcom.

Crazy Rich also helped boost the summer box office to what Hollywood Reporter called a “spectacular yearover-year recovery,” with domestic revenue expected to be up 14 percent over last summer.

Warner Bros. meanwhile scored another hit with shark-thriller The Meg, in the No. 2 spot again with takings of $10.5 million. Jason Statham stars as a rescue diver trying to save scientists trapped in a submarine being attacked by a huge, prehistoric shark.

In third spot was Tom Cruise adventure film Mission Impossible -Fallout from Paramount, which took in $7 million. Globally, the action blockbuster has earned $649 million, the best performance of any of the MI films to date.

Fourth went to MGM’s new Operation Finale, at $6 million and in fifth was Searching from Sony, at $5.7 million. AFP

Korean fantasy film 'Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days' is set to make another blockbuster history as it opens in theaters today.

BEFORE they became guardians, they were humans.

The secrets of their past and the memories of the guardians’ previous lives are finally unlocked in the record-breaking final chapter of Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days.

If they assist 49 souls get their reincarnations in a millennium, the three afterlife guardians Ganglim (Ha Jung-woo), Hewonmak (Ju Ji-hoon), and Deok-choon (Kim Hyang-gi) were promised to get their own reincarnations by the king of Afterlife, Yeomra (Lee Jung-jae). The three guardians choose Su-hong (Kim Dong-wook) as their candidate, but doubts were cast on their candidate, since he wreaked havoc in the living world by turning into a vengeful spirit.

In exchange for Su-hong’s fair trial, Yeomra tasks the 3 guardians to ascend an old man from the living world who has surpassed his allotted lifespan. While on the mission, they encountered a rogue god known as Household God (Don Lee) who was protecting the old man and his grandson from the afterlife guardians.

Eventually, Hewonmak and Deok-choon discover that the Household God was the afterlife guardian who ascended the two of them a millennium ago. To

get back their memories of their previous lives, they begin helping the Household God. Can they handle what they will discover from their previous lives? And how will it affect Su-hong’s trial?

According to Director Kim Yong-hwa, in The Two Worlds, they focused into building a believable world in order to focus more on character building and the relationships between them in The Last 49 Days. Another thing to look forward to in the movie is its CG effects and amazing production designs that make the worlds in the movie look more real.

Just like its high-grossing prequel The Two Worlds, The Last 49 Days recorded an all-time high opening admission in Korean movie history. The movie has the biggest opening week for any Korean film in North America, Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan as well.

Watch the Korean fantasy film that is set to make another blockbuster history.

Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days opens in theaters nationwide today from VIVA International Pictures & MVP Entertainment.

THEY say that behind every good song is a great story. That aptly describes this new song being played countless of times on the radio as it swiftly rose to the top of the charts and download count.

That’s what happens when you combine a superb material and a power performer like the Popstar Sarah Geronimo.

Miguel Mendoza, a product of Kapamilya talent reality search Pinoy Dream Academy and trained in Ryan Cayabyab’s School of Music, finished college at College of St. Benilde.

He might have been off the klieg lights for quite a while but remained busy writing songs. The latest of which was for Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez’s recent anniversary album.

Miguel also appears in stage plays occasionally. He is also an entrepreneur and a producer of on- ground corporate events. At the same time, he is managing his family’s business.

“Isa Pang Araw” is a song inspired from the loss of Miguel’s dad whom he loves so dearly. His father battled with the big “C” and Miguel knows that he is in heaven proudly looking down on him. Miguel says, “When you lose someone you love permanently, there is always a moment wherein you bargain with God and ask for even just one more day to be with that person.”

Miguel described how he felt when he first saw Sarah Geronimo performed his song, “I’m still not sure how to feel until now. I can’t believe I wrote something that touched so many people. Plus having a Sarah Geronimo choose this song to sing for her movie. I just can’t find the words to express how I feel. Seeing the song performed in a movie on the big screen was so mesmerizing. I couldn’t help but tear up in the part where she sings my song accompanied by flashbacks of moments she had with her family.

And while Miss Granny was having her flashbacks, I was also having my own flashbacks of good memories with my dad. I just really miss him.”

Miguel has collaborated with some of the local music industry’s big names. “First song I wrote was a collaboration with Mr. Ryan Cayabyab in 2006 during Philippine Idol. I was part of the top 4 and he told me that if I don’t make it to the next round, he would sit down with me and write a song. That song was titled “Here I Am,” which I performed at the Araneta Coliseum. I also wrote songs for my album Somebody way back 2010. I have three songs that I wrote there. All Tagalog and one song called “Ligaw na Damdamin,” which is a duet with a good friend of mine, Apple Chiu (for) whose album I also wrote.” Continued on C3

Singersongwriter Miguel Mendoza