Manila Standard - 2018 June 9 - Saturday

VOL. XXXII • NO. 114 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

WEATHER

Storm ‘Domeng’ ushers in rainy season

sion “Domeng” had intensified into a tropical storm that would bring rain to THE weather bureau announced the Luzon including Metro Manila.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geostart of the rainy season on Friday, and at the same time said tropical depres- physical and Astronomical Services

By Rio N. Araja

Administration said Domeng was still not expected to hit land but it would enhance the southwest monsoon.

“The occurrence of widespread rainfall recorded in most Pagasa sta-

tions during the past few days due to the southwest monsoon [Habagat] confirms the onset of the rainy season over the western part of the country,” Next page

DARKNESS FALLS. Storm clouds envelop Metro Manila’s skyline as continuous rains brought by Tropical Storm ‘Domeng’ fall on the metropolis Friday. Lino Santos

‘Bring China to court’

Carpio prods PH to protest Sino bullying of Pinoy fishermen Govt eyes talks with Reds in July

By Vito Barcelo and Maricel V. Cruz EVIDENCE. Prosecution witness

Marcelo Adorco (right) is shown a bag of shabu by lawyers defending Kerwin Espinosa during cross examination on the confessed drug lord’s trial for drug trading at the Manila Trial Court Branch 26 on Friday. Norman Cruz

Duterte warns Cebu mayors in drugs anew

By Vito Barcelo and Sara Susanne D. Fabunan PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte reiterated his warning to all mayors who were being linked to illegal drugs to stop, saying there were still a lot of Cebu mayors who are included in the drug list.

“We have the drug problem.

I must say that here in Cebu, a lot of… One of the severe problems of Cebu is drugs and it has contaminated a lot of policemen here,” Duterte said during the inauguration of the new Mactan International Airport.

“As I’ve said, one day I am going to take an action against all of you. Cebu is impoverished because of drugs,” the President said.

“It used to be controlled by a mayor on the western side, and that would be… It’s Mabilog and I warned him repeatedly that, you know,” he said.

Duterte said he was not just mad at Mabilog but want him killed.

“Other mayors here are also in the list. Do not ever, ever think that you can fool government.

As I have repeatedly said that I will not hesitate to take you out if you destroy my country. There is nothing wrong in that statement,” the President said, his latest tirade against local officials in Cebu.

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PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said that formal peace talks with the communist rebels may resume in July as he called on the rebels to put down their arms to restore peace and order in the country.

In a speech before newly elected Central Visayas barangay captains in Lapu-Lapu City on Thursday night, President Duterte said he would be talking with Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison and will start the talks in July.

But in an interview with GMA News Online, Sison said talks could resume on June 28 in Oslo and lead to the signing of an interim peace agreement.

He said the formal talks would resume if the National Democratic Front of the Philippines negotiating Next page

Police out to stem fake crime reports POLICE Chief Oscar Albayalde on Friday tasked the Anti-Cybercrime Group to go after people spreading “fake crime” reports on social media.

He gave the order after the police received information that there were several social media posts about a string of supposed robberies that took place in Quezon City establishments in the past few days.

He also said the authorities had released the 474 Filipinos who were arrested in the Clark Freeport Zone in Angeles City for their alleged involvement in a multimillion dollar online stock trading scam.

The Filipinos were released “upon the recommendation of the inquest prosecutors of the Department Next page

SC to rule on Sereno plea mid-June

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Supreme Court is expected to rule this month on the appeal of ousted chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno of its decision to remove her as top magistrate after finding her guilty of violating the Constitution for failing to file a complete set of financial disclosures.

“We will decide it [with finality] because we want to move on,” said acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, adding that

the 15-member bench was “functioning normally” following Sereno’s ouster.

“We have been deciding cases normally, we will be holding oral arguments normally. We are doing our work normally . . . because we are still 14 in the Supreme Court.

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By Vito Barcelo and Maricel V. Cruz

A

CTING Chief Justice Antonio Carpio on Friday said the Philippines could use video of the Chinese Coast Guard apparently raiding Filipino fishermen’s catch in Scarborough Shoal, inside the country’s exclusive economic zone, to bring another complaint before the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The PCA had already ruled in favor of the Philippines in 2016 after finding that Beijing’s claims in the area were “excessive.”

“We can bring another case against China for not abiding with the ruling,” Carpio told reporters after speaking at a program marking the Supreme Court’s 117th anniversary.

Carpio, part of the team that argued the Philippines’ case before the PCA, said Manila could seek damages for economic losses suffered by Filipino fishermen from Beijing for violating the arbitral ruling.

However, Malacañang said it would first authenticate video captured by GMA News that showed the Chinese asking for fish from Filipino fishermen before filing a diplomatic protest.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said he had asked GMA to authenticate the video because it was “inconclusive.”

“If established, it’s a ground for protest.

Didn’t actually see any bullying,” Roque said in a text message.

GMA News reported Thursday that fishermen in the area complained that the Chinese Coast Guard were in the habit of sorting through their catch and taking the best without their permission.

In the report, cameras stowed on one of the boats showed the Chinese asking for fish, then leaving when fishermen told them they had not caught any.

Roque said he would ask the fishermen to submit their written statement to prove that they were bullied or that their catch was confiscated.

Former Foreign Affairs secretary Albert del Rosario, meanwhile, said President Rodrigo Duterte might need a fuller briefing from his people because of how he reacts to developments in the West Philippine Sea. Next page (Full statement on A4)

It ain’t over till it’s over for Cavs

CLEVELANDBloodied but unbowed, the Cleveland Cavaliers insisted they were far from finished Thursday despite needing a historic comeback to dethrone defending champion Next page

Innocent kiss can arouse one to sin

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

FACE THE PROBLEM.

A protester wears a mask criticizing comments, since rehashed, made by National Economic Development Authority officials on the country’s spiraling inflation on Friday. It was part of farmers and multisectoral groups marching to Mendiola in Manila to demand President Rodrigo Duterte to do something about the plight of the poor amid the rising prices of commodities. Lino Santos

AN INNOCENT kiss is not immoral but it can lead to arousal, which is a danger to one’s “chastity and continence,” a priest said Friday.

Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, made the Next page

Celebrity chef Bourdain dead NEW YORK—Celebrity chef and food critic Anthony Bourdain has committed suicide, according to the television network CNN, for which he took Next page BOURDAIN

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SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

’People power’ in new Charter?

T

HE Consultative Committee tasked by President Rodrigo Duterte to review the 1987 Constitution wants to give people the power to amend or revise the Constitution under its proposed federal charter.

This is among the proposed provisions approved by the subcommittee on Political Reforms and Leveling the Political Field.

It will be submitted to the en banc for final voting next week, Concom senior technical assistant and spokesperson Ding Generoso said Thursday.

Generoso said the Concom wanted to place this exercise of sovereign will under a proposed Article called “People’s Initiative, Plebiscite and Referendum.”

Officials said Duterte would receive the draft federal Constitution before he delivers his State of the Nation Address on July 23.

“ConCom is on track to submit the adopted draft on July 9 in time for the SONA (on July 23),” Generoso said in a press conference at the Philippine International Convention Center.

According to Generoso, the completed Articles were now being refined, edited for style and proofread for consistency.

There are only three remaining Articles to be finalized between now and June 14 namely: Federated Regions, Transitory Provisions, and Amendments.

The entire draft Constitution will be voted on in one en banc session tentatively on June 14 before Eid’l Fitr or the end of Ramadan, he added.

The first section of the proposed new Article is: “Section 1: The State recognizes and promotes the mechanisms of People’s Initiative as means of the sovereign people to directly propose revision of or amendment to the Constitution, or to propose, enact, amend or repeal laws, ordinances, or resolutions passed by any legislative body.”

The current Constitution also has provisions on people’s initiative but they are enclosed in Article VI. The Legislative Department and Article XVII Amendments of Revisions.

There is also Republic Act 6735 or an Act Providing for a System of Initiative and Referendum and Approving Funds Therefore.

Concom member and vice chairman of the Subcommittee on the Structure of the Federal Government lawyer Roan Libarios said creating a new article was

necessary to give people “direct exercise of democracy.”

“Having a separate Article on People’s Initiative gives this power of the people and the direct exercise of democracy and legislative power its due and deserved place in the constitution,” Libarios said.

“It emphasizes the great importance of this power of the people,” he added.

Under the provisions, to revise or amend the Constitution or propose, enact, amend, or repeal laws, proponents must first draft their proposal and petition.

Proponents may seek the help of the Solicitor General or the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for free.

Proponents must also gather the required signatures for their petition which they will submit to the Commission on Elections together with its draft proposal.

20% fare cut for students proposed

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Juan Edgardo Angara underscored Friday the need for Congress to pass a legislation that would institutionalize the grant of 20-percent fare discount to students to ensure they would continue to enjoy reduced transportation expenses in the future.

“If we want to provide long-term assistance to our students, we need to come up with a law to institutionalize the regulatory policy which can always be subject to change,” Angara said.

Angara issued the statement after the Department of Transportation issued a public reminder about the entitlement of students to fare discounts even during weekends and holidays, as well as the corresponding penalties for operators and drivers of public utility vehicles who violate such regulation.

In October last year, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board issued a memorandum circular stating that “students can avail [themselves] of the 20 percent discount from

Duterte...

Monday to Sunday, including summer breaks, legal and special holidays.”

Failure to provide the fare discount is a franchise violation that carries a penalty of a fine of P5,000 for the first offense, P10,000 and their vehicles impounded for one month for the second offense, and P15,000 and cancellation of franchise for the third offense.

According to Angara, there is always a possibility that the student fare discount may not be enforced effectively since it is just based on a circular issued by the LTFRB. Angara reiterated his call for his colleagues in the Senate to fast-track the approval of his bill that expands and institutionalizes the 20-percent transport fare discount given to students.

Angara, vice chairman of the Senate Education Committee, filed Senate Bill 945 that covers not only land transport but also MRT, LRT, airplanes, and passenger ships all-year round.

He renewed his call for the immediate passage of the bill as students throughout the country trooped back to school early this week.

From A1

“My job, my oath of office mandates me to protect the people and that includes the military. That’s our job, and to preserve the nation.

“Al of you mayors, including governors, don’t be confident. I would not let my country be destroyed by drugs,” he said.

At the same event, Duterte congratulated the newly elected barangay leaders and urged them to always be true to their mandate of serving the people.

“It’s not a threat, it’s just advice,” Duterte said.

Meanwhile, Human Right Watch took Duterte to task for promoting suspects in the Kian delos Santos killing, saying this was a “cruel afront” to the families of victims.

“They underscore the importance of an International Criminal Court preliminary examination into the killings and the need for a parallel United Nations investigation to ensure accountability for those deaths,” he added.

One of the suspects, Senior Supt. Chito Bersaluna, confirmed he had been promoted to police chief in Bulacan province.

Chief Supt. Robert Fajardo, another suspect, was promoted to chief of the PNP Highway Patrol Group.

In August 2017 police officers under the supervision of Bersaluna and Fajardo killed 17-year-old Kian delos Santos.

On Thursday, police in Angeles City confiscated P4 million worth of shabu in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Cutud.

The Regional Drug Enforcement Unit of the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) conducted the operation against Jay-Ann Salonga, 27, resident of this city, after receiving information that the latter sold illegal drugs.

viewers around the world for the “Parts Unknown” series. He was 61.

“It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain,” the network said in a statement early Friday.

“His love of great adventure, new friends, fine food and drink and the remarkable stories of the world made him a unique storyteller. His talents never ceased to amaze us and we will miss him very much. Our thoughts and prayers are with his daughter and family at this incredibly difficult time.”

On the network, anchors struggled to hold back tears as they recalled their late colleague in heartfelt recollections and urged people faced with despair or who know people who are struggling with depression to call a suicide hotline. AFP

From A1

of Justice to refer their case for further investigation.”

The Filipinos were employees of International Branding and Development Marketing Inc. “The charge against them remains and they will be given a chance to file their counter affidavits,” PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group Director Marni Marcos Jr. said in a text message.

Metro Manila Police Chief Guillermo Eleazar and Quezon City Police Chief Joselito Esquivel Jr. belied the posts on social media, particularly an alleged robbery in a restaurant on Times Street and another robbery at a coffee shop on Banawe Street.

Albayalde said they will file appropriate charges against the people dishing out disinformation on social media.

“Disgruntled cops” who have been dismissed from the police service could also be possibly involved, according to Albayalde.

“We’ve given a directive to the Anti-Cybercrime Group to possibly identify who are those spreading fake news,” Albayalde said.

“That is being worked on by our ACG and after we identify those people, we can file appropriate charges.”

Farmers and multi-sectoral groups march to Mendiola in Manila to demand genuine agrarian reform program and to end the political killing of farmers under Presdent Rodrigo Duterte's administration on Friday. Lino Santos

Govt...

From A1

panel “agrees to a stand down agreement” with the government negotiating panel.

The CPP and the New People’s Army, he said, should also agree to the stand down order for the formal talks to resume.

“The stand down agreement creates a favorable atmosphere for the resumption of the formal peace negotiations and the interim peace agrement to be signed in Oslo hopefully on June 28,” he said.

In the House, Bayan Muna Partylist Rep. Carlos Zarate assailed Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and the military for issuing statements that “spoil and sabotage” the peace negotiations between the government and the National Democratic Front.

“Stop monkeywrenching the… peace talks,” Zarate said, referring to the statements issued by Lorenzana and Army Maj. Gen. Rhoderick Parayno doubting the success of a stand down of forces between the government and the NDF. “They launch attacks on the peace process in all fronts but fail to put forward a paradigm that would effectively address the root causes of the armed conflict,” Zarate said. “Their default solution to the problem is still the USprescribed combination of psychological warfare and military counterinsurgency operations that they have been doing for decades and have been proven to be a failure and a waste of lives and resources.”

Zarate called on peace advocates to be watchful of what he called “spoilers and saboteurs” as both sides work for a comprehensive agreement on socioeconomic and political reforms.

By Rey E. Requejo THE Court of Appeals has sustained its decision nullifying a regional trial court order that allowed Mary Jane Veloso to testify against her alleged illegal recruiters through a deposition inside her detention cell in Indonesia where she is facing death sentence for illegal drug trafficking.

In a resolution dated June 5, the CA’s Former Eleventh Division, through Associate Justice Ramon M. Bato Jr., denied the motion for reconsideration filed by the Office of the Solicitor General and Veloso’s mother, Celia, together with about 3,000 members of Migrante International.

The appellate court stressed that the motions have no merit because the 1987 Constitution provides that Veloso’s alleged recruiters, Ma. Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao, have the right to face their accusers.

Veloso was arrested upon her arrival at the Yogyakarta airport in Indonesia for bringing a drug-laden luggage in 2010. She was sentenced to death.

The death sentence was temporarily put on hold last April 29, 2015 after then President Benigno Aquino III appealed her case to Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

Accused Sergio and Lacanilao were charged with human trafficking before Judge Anarica J. Castillo- Reyes of the regional trial court based in Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija.

They have been detained since then.

On motion by the prosecution, Judge Reyes ordered the Philippine Consulate in Indonesia to secure Veloso’s deposition from her cell in Wirongan Penitentiary.

When the trial court denied Sergio and Lacanilao’s plea to reconsider the judge’s order, they elevated the issue before the CA.

It...

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Celebrity...

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Police...

PROTEST MARCH.

CA: Mary Jane Veloso still can't testify from jail

’Bring...

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“The most recent illustration was the harassment of Philippine troops in Ayungin Shoal, of which the President had no knowledge,” Del Rosario said.

“Another example attributed to the absence of a less than full briefing appears to be the loss of effective control of Sandy Cay by the Philippines, which was not given much importance,” he said.

Del Rosario said if China acquires sovereignty over Sandy Cay, it could claim Subi Reef as part of the territorial sea of Sandy Cay. “This would aid in legitimizing China’s claim over Subi Reef, and would significantly reduce the territorial sea of Pag-asa Island,” he said.

In Congress, lawmakers denounced the Chinese for endangering the lives of Filipino fishermen by stealing their catch.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, an administration ally, assailed what he described as “kotong Coast Guard” of China.

“If it cannot feed its own troops patrolling contested areas in the West Philippine Sea, how can it assume a

SC...

From A1 We have a quorum in all our cases,” Carpio said.

On May 11, the Court voted 8-6 to grant the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida seeking the ouster of Sereno for failing to comply with the submission of the 10-year Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, when she applied for the office of the chief justice in 2012.

Sereno recently asked the Court to reconsider, saying the decision to remove her by granting a quo warranto petition was illegal because as an impeachable official, she can only be removed through conviction in an impeachment trial before the Senate, acting as an impeachment court.

Sources said the tribunal would likely vote on Sereno’s motion at an en banc session on June 19.

“The Supreme Court decides and we just must follow. We are governed by the rule of the majority, that’s how our democracy works,” Carpio said.

“You win, you lose... Whether it’s correct or wrong, we just have to accept it because that’s how we can move on. We have to accept the ruling because that’s the decision of the majority,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Court of Appeals declared as illegal the attorney’s fees that Sereno earned as part of the government’s legal team in the arbitration case against

position of leadership in a family of nations,” Albano said.

Magdalo Party-Iist Rep. Gary Alejano, member of the opposition bloc, echoed Albano’s view, saying “the Chinese Coast Guard is acting much like pirates bypassing small Filipino fishermen and stealing their catch.”

“If the Chinese consider the Philippines as a friend, they will not prey on small helpless Filipino fishermen? China does not seem to treat us as a sovereign equal anymore,” Alejano said.

“Trust is earned and we have to see that they are doing something,” he added.

Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting, another administration ally, said the recent issue on China must be raised through proper diplomatic channels.

“The very presence of Chinese Coast Guard elements in our Exclusive Economic Zone is already a challenge to our sovereignty.

“And these incidents are a cause for concern. However, we must also capitalize on the good diplomatic relations with the Chinese government which [President Duterte] has worked hard on. So these incidents must be raised through these proper diplomatic channels,” Tambunting said. the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (Piatco), builder of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.

In its decision, the CA’s 11th Division, through Associate Justice Ramon Bato Jr., reinstated the ruling of the Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court, Branch 213, which denied the government’s bid for enforcement of $6 million for the cost of arbitration proceedings before the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Court f Arbitration.

The $6 million constituted 25 percent of government’s total arbitration cost of $24 million, which the ICC International Court of Arbitration ordered Piatco to pay.

Of the total payment of $6,009,351.66, Sereno got $324,674.37 or about P17 million, court records showed. The government deducted 15 percent, leaving Sereno with $275,973.21 or about P14.5 million.

Acting on the motion for reconsideration filed by Piatco, the appellate court agreed with the RTC ruling, saying “the arbitration costs and expenses were incurred in ‘violation of the Constitution, relevant statutes, and other rules governing government expenditures’ of public funds.”

The CA upheld the ruling of President Judge Carlos Valenzuela of Mandaluyong City RTC, Branch 213, that the arbitration costs and expenses were in violation of government’s “long-standing policy against the incurrence of irregular, unnecessary, excessive, extravagant, or unconscionable expenditures or use of funds and property by the government.”

Golden State and win the NBA Finals.

The Warriors carry a 3-0 lead in the bestof-seven championship series entering Friday’s fourth game in Cleveland, where the Cavs had won eight consecutive playoff games until falling 110-102 Wednesday.

“By no stretch of the imagination do we think the series is over,” Cavaliers guard Rodney Hood said. “It’s win or go home now. The season is on the line. Leave it all out there on the court.”

Cavaliers star LeBron James, who scored 51 points in the series opener and had a triple-double in game three, still has blood in his left eye after a poke from Golden State’s Draymond Green in the opener.

“It’s just part of a war wound,” James said. “That’s what happens when you’re in the war sometimes, you get some injuries.

It hasn’t stopped me from preparing.”

No team in NBA history has rallied to win a playoff series after losing the first three games.

“I don’t pay attention to the history stuff,” Cavaliers guard George Hill said.

“We’re still a resilient team. Every guy in this locker room still wants to fight. But we don’t focus on history. History doesn’t mean anything.

Innocent...

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after a radio station asked his opinion about President Rodrigo Duterte’s kissing of a Filipino worker in South Korea.

“Kissing per se is not immoral, but it may be an occasion to sin,” Secillano said in an interview over the Catholic Church-owned Radyo Veritas.

“If it is something that leads to the arousal of one’s passion, then we may consider it a danger to chastity and continence.”

Secillano said there were kisses that were innocent while some kisses “are part of one’s culture.”

On Sunday, President Rodrigo Duterte’s official trip to South Korea turned became controversial after he called a married Filipina to receive a copy of the book Altar of Secrets, which was written by the late Aries Rufo and which exposes corruption in the Catholic Church.

Duterte then gestured to her and asked her if she would kiss him on the lips.

“Can you tell your husband that this is just a joke,” Duterte said in Filipino.

The crowd then cheered as the President kissed her.

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said Vicente Malano, Pagasa’s acting administrator.

Senior weather specialist Cris Perez said the weather bureau announced the start of the rainy season after the required amount of rainfall in the climate stations was met.

He said the western part of the country, including Metro Manila, will continue to experience scattered to widespread rain showers and thunderstorms.

But the showers and thunderstorms may be followed by dry periods that could last for several days to two weeks,” Malano said.

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SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Lawmaker’s motives questioned

by Grab PH TRANSPORT network company Grab Philippines, reacting to criticisms

by PBA Party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles, shot back and questioned the lawmaker’s motives. ”There seems to be a targeted attack on a company that has its drivers’ welfare as a major pillar in its strategy,” Grab Philippines country head Brian Cu said in a statement.

Nograles accused Grab Philippines of forcing its driver-partners to work like “slaves,” using “unfair sharing mechanism and humanly impossible quotas” as incentives.

“Grab is incentivizing modern-day slavery. While Grab executives like Brian Cu are splurging on things like joining a P35 million per share golf country club, their driver-partners hardly earn enough to be able to afford three square meals a day and keep up with the amortization cost of their vehicles,” Nograles said in a statement.

“We don’t know what the motivation of Congressman Nograles is but we remain confused about who he is fighting for,” Cu said.

“No one among Grab partners is being forced to drive long hours,” he said.

In a related development: • The Department of Transportation is rushing to amend a 2015 order that allows transport network companies (TNCs) to set their own fares, an official of an attached agency said Friday.

A draft is up for review with Secretary Arthur Tugade when he returns from Cebu where he led the inauguration of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Terminal 2, said Aileen Lizada, member of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

Department Order 2015-011 states the fares for transportation network vehicle services are “set by TNC (transport network companies), subject to oversight from the LTFRB in cases of abnormal disruptions of the market.”

“As long as DO is in place, they can have a different interpretation of it...”

Lizada told dzMM radio.

Makati City to increase cops’ visibility and mobility

By Joel E. Zurbano

INVOLUNTARY DISAPPEARANCE. Commission on Human Rights Chairman Jose ’Chito’ Gascon welcomes participants in a

news briefing Friday of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearance in the Philippines and the Asian Region at the CHR office in Quezon City. Also in attendance are (from left) Carlo Cleofe, director, Moro Human Rights Defenders Network; Nilda Sevilla, co-founder, Find; Natalia Munoz, co-founder, National Movement of Victims of the Crimes of Movice in the Department of Antioquia; and Khurram Parvez, chairman, Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearance. Manny Palmero

DILG: 32 face possible charges for Davao fire

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera

D

AVAO CITY—The Department of the Interior and Local Government has released names of 32 people who may be criminally charged for the Dec. 23 NCCC fire incident that killed 38.

On Friday, DILG OIC Secretary Eduardo Año said they had submitted the names of the individuals who would be facing possible charges due to the fire incident.

“We submitted the names for possible charges to the DoJ [Department of Justice] last March 9,” Año said. “We are still waiting for the response.”

Criminal charges for Violation Article 365 of the Revised Penal Code or Reckless Imprudence Resulting in Multiple Homicide were up against NCCC Mall employees: Helen A. Lim; Ivy Michelle A. Lim; Sharlene Faye A. Lim; Ivan Spencer A. Lim; Julie Ann C. Lim; and Ramon del Castillo.

Survey Sampling International

Philippines officials: Jose Antonio T. San Gabriel; Riza Lyn M. Ocampo; Rey R. Roble; Christopher M. Fanning; and David Ian Weatherseed.

AC Rockport Construction and Development Corporation officers and project engineers: Arturo C. Arrojado; Maria Lilibeth A. Olarte; Carmelie P. Arrojado; Danna Patricia P. Arrojado; Carmen S. Paluga; and Engr. Wilson Velasquez.

Former Office of the Building Official head Joaquin B. Cui Jr. will also face possible charges for violation of Sec. 3 of Republic Act 3019 or Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices.

Same charges are also up against Philippine Economic Zone Authority

PET starts recount of VP votes

By Rey Requejo THE Supreme Court, acting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal, has started the revision of votes from Iloilo province, the second of three pilot provinces identified in the election protest of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. against Vice President Leni Robredo.

PET insiders revealed that revisors commenced on Thursday the manual count of votes from ballots retrieved in Iloilo.

A total 2,264 ballot boxes from Iloilo will be revised by the tribunal. The revisors started the recount of votes from Ajuy town.

The revision process started even if it has not yet finished the recount on votes from Camarines Sur, where 43 clustered precincts from San Jose town were left to be revised.

The source said there were also 403 ballot boxes from Camarines Sur that have yet to be collected by the PET from the House of Representatives where these were also the subject of another election protest.

The camp of Marcos recently expressed alarm over reported anomalies found on ballots from Iloilo.

Vic Rodriguez, lawyer and spokesman of Marcos, particularly cited reports of ballots placed inside plastic containers commonly

used as household storage devices or picnic containers.

Aside from the ballots found inside household plastic containers, the retrieval team has also found wet ballots, ballot boxes with broken seals, boxes with damaged covers and metal boxes with no padlocks.

Several anomalies like wet ballots were earlier found in Camarines Sur, but it is the first time the PET has discovered ballots placed outside ballot boxes.

The PET retrieval managed to retrieve 2,264 ballot boxes from 2,740 clustered precincts in Iloilo.

The pilot provinces—Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental—cover 5,418 clustered precincts. After recount of these three provinces, the PET will decide whether to not to proceed with the recount on a total 132,446 precincts in 39,221 clustered precincts covering 27 provinces and cities identified in the protest of Marcos.

Marcos filed the protest on June 29, 2016, claiming the camp of Robredo cheated in the automated polls in the May 2016 national polls.

Robredo won the vice presidential race in the May 2016 polls with 14,418,817 votes or 263,473 more than Marcos’ 14,155,344 votes.

Marawi groundbreaking in July THE groundbreaking for the rehabilitation of battle-scarred Marawi City has been moved to the first week of July as the government is still selecting the private developer to rebuild the area, authorities said Friday.

Groundbreaking for the rehabilitation of the 250-hectare most affected area was initially set for the third week of June.

But Task Force Bangon Marawi chairman Eduardo del Rosario said Friday the government was still finalizing its negotiation with the Bangon Marawi Consortium, which proposed to rebuild the most affected area for P16 billion.

“And if there will be a successful negotiation that would be declared by

Monday [June 11], then on Tuesday [June 12] the Swiss challenge will start,” Del Rosario told reporters in Malacañang.

A Swiss challenge allows other interested developers to give counterproposals for the project covering Marawi’s ground zero that is composed of 24 out of 96 barangays in the city.

The government aims to finish by December 2021 the rehabilitation of the most affected area leveled by fivemonth fighting between government troops and Maute rebels last year.

Around P72 billion to P75 billion would have to be spent to rebuild Marawi and the towns of Butig and Piagapo in Lanao del Sur based on government estimates.

Mactan officials: Sansulana A.Pinagayo; Darlyn Nazareno; and Nicasio G. Mamites.

Bureau of Fire Protection Davao Officers: Superintendent Carlo T. Dueñas; Sr. Insp. Jeanny S. Calvario; Insp. Renero G. Jimenez; SFO4 Dioscoro M. Baja Jr.; SFO2 Joel L. Quismundo; SFO1 Roger B. Dumag; and SFO1 Leo C. Lauzon.

Violation of RA 9514 or the Comprehensive Fire Code of the Philippines particularly Paragraph 2(b) in relation to Paragraph 2(a)(3) were filed against PEZA plan evaluator Arvin Tero, five BFP Davao Personnel who are: Calvario; Baja; Quismundo; Dumag; and Lauzon.

Also, violation of Paragraph 4, Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code were up against Quismundo and Lauzon of BFP Davao and Tero of Peza.

Administrative charges for grave misconduct against Cui of City Building Official, Peza officials: Pinagayao; Nazareno; and Mamites, and BFP Davao officers: Dueñas; Calvario; Jimenez; Baja; Quismundo; Dumag; and Lauzon.

THE Makati City government will provide new motorcycles and body cameras to the local police to boost its crime-fighting capability, Mayor Abigail Binay announced on Friday.

On Wednesday, Binay turned over 22 brand new patrol vehicles for the City Police Department at the Circuit Makati grounds.

These include 18 units of Mitsubishi Strada and four units of Toyota Avanza.

“We will give our full support to the city police force; you will be duly rewarded for the services you render to our city,” she said.

Binay said the new patrol vehicles will help increase police visibility, which is an effective deterrent to crime.

She noted the police could also respond faster to emergencies, including crimes in progress, as a result of their enhanced mobility.

The mayor also welcomed some 100 new police personnel who were recently added to the existing 736-strong city police force.

She acknowledged the need for additional motorcycles to facilitate patrol operations in narrow streets and alleys, and to speed up response to crimes in progress especially during rush hour traffic.

Binay also pointed out that body cameras worn by the police would be in the best interest of both the law enforcers and the civilians, since recorded incidents can serve as evidence in the fair resolution of complaints or disputes arising from apprehensions.

“The use of body cameras will protect the police when an offender becomes abusive. At the same time, it will provide protection to residents against an abusive police officer,” said Binay.

“This will entail a level of transparency and good governance that will benefit the entire community,” the mayor said, adding that wearing a body camera will help the police to be better law enforcers who will be embraced by the community.

Binay also reminded the police to use the new government vehicles “correctly, properly and efficiently” and refrain from doing things that put the reputation of the police in a bad light.

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Opinion

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Dissents in Republic vs Sereno For his part, Justice Caguioa was of the opinion that the High Court did itself and its members a “disservice” by its failure to resolve its leadership issue internally. “This case marks the time when the Court commits seppuku SIX justices registered their dissent to —without honor,” Caguioa wrote. He the majority opinion in the Supreme opined that quo warranto is not a mode Court decision granting the quo war- for removal of impeachable officials ranto petition against Chief Justice under the Constitution. And even asMaria Lourdes Sereno. These are Jus- suming quo warranto is available, the tices Antonio Carpio, Marvic Leonen, alleged non-submission or incomplete Benjamin Caguioa, Estelita Perlas- submission of SALN to the JBC is not Bernabe, Mariano del Castillo, and a valid ground to question the eligibilPresbitero Velasco. ity of the respondent, the SALN not Removing Sereno from her seat with- being a constitutional requirement for out undergoing an impeachment trial the position of Chief Justice. Besides, in the Senate “is a legal abomination,” according to him, the one-year preAssociate Justice Leonen said in his scriptive period for the filing of quo dissenting opinion. Further in his dis- warranto lapsed one year after the apsent, Leonen warned of the precedent pointment of or assumption of office the landmark by the respondent decision set—a as Chief Justice in “grave” dimin2012. ishing of judicial According to independence Justice del CasSenior Associate and a “threat” to tillo, the decision the SC’s ability Justice Carpio, now of the majority has to assert Filipi- acting chief justice after granted the Solnos’ fundamental Gen powers to rights. Granting the ouster of Sereno, “remake the comthe quo warran- opined there is only position” of the to petition is to one remedy against high court, “causrender the Court ing the removal of subservient to an the Chief Justice— its members.” He aggressive Solici- impeachment. likened the power tor General. To of the SolGen to him, the solution a Sword of Damocles over the heads to address the of these officers, problems relating to a Chief Justice is for the Court the Filipino people cannot be assured to call her out or for her to be tried us- that they will discharge their constituing the impeachment process if any of tional mandate and functions without her actions amounts to the grave of- fear or favor. Without such assurance, fenses enumerated in the Constitution. there can be no guarantee that the priShe also has the alternative to have the mordial interest of the sovereign peograce and humility to resign from her ple is promoted.” For him, the SolGen’s office to protect the institution from move was a form of “constitutional ada leadership which may not have suc- venturism.” ceeded to address the divisiveness and Justice Bernabe wrote in her dissentthe weaknesses within. Granting a ing opinion that the OSG should have Petition for Quo Warranto against the questioned the discretion of the JudiChief Justice—an impeachable officer cial and Bar Council to include Sereno —is not the right way to address her in- in the shortlist of chief justice appliability to gain the respect of the branch cants. She pointed out that the OSG of government that she was entrusted “voluntarily admitted that the JBC’s to lead, he added.

Turn to A5

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

W

Liability, evidently

E ARE stumped by how President Rodrigo Duterte could easily and decisively distance himself from individuals he perceives as liabilities in the government, yet stand by his communications assistant secretary despite proof she does his agenda more bad than good.

Margaux Uson earned her stripes by being a member of a dance group, a popular blogger, and a campaign supporter of Mr. Duterte prior to her appointment to the Presidential Communications Office.

Hired supposedly for her “expertise” in social media, Uson lost no time stirring controversy by blurring the definite line that separated “news” and “opinion.”

Sometimes she also blurred the line between “reality” and “imagination,” for instance using a picture of Honduran soldiers

when referring to Filipino troops, using a photo of the body of a Brazilian girl supposedly killed by drug addicts here, accusing a school of forcing its students to participate in rallies, citing a yearold news story to counter opinion on the killing of a teenager accused of peddling drugs, and referring to a nonexistent article of the Philippine Constitution.

Among others.

When outed for these gaffes, Uson responds haughtily, refusing to own up to her mistakes.

Her army of online supporters emboldens her. The President’s unconditional support makes her believe she can get away with anything.

Most recently, Uson got into a fight with the sister of former President Benigno Aquino III for likening President Duterte’s act of kissing a Filipina worker in Seoul to the kiss given to Aquino’s father by two women just before he was assassinated in 1983. Duterte himself ordered Uson to apologize— but she refused, publicly defying him.

Still, Mr. Duterte backs her.

“For as long as she hasn’t been fired, she enjoys trust and confidence because all presidential appointees serve at the pleasure of the President,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said.

Close presidential aide Christopher Go was reportedly asked whether he thought Uson was an asset or a liability to the administration. His answer—“no comment.” We don’t purport to share many things with Go, but his answer was telling.

We know that appointees serve at the pleasure of the President.

But when these appointees encourage a disrespect of facts, and fan divisiveness, and display arrogance that bring the public only displeasure because, after all, we foot the bill for their hefty salaries, the President should know better than listen to haughty online voices of their supporters.

Uson has long been a liability to the Palace. We wonder how much more damage to his administration—and to his own authority and credibility—he will tolerate before putting her in her place, outside of his government.

That surreal Digong kiss Duterte solicited the kiss The full video showed that Duterte singled out the woman, “yung naka-puti” as he called her on stage first before asking for another because he had two books to give away. After receiving NO, I’M not yet finished with THAT the book, the two women were already kiss. Though I have written about this leaving the stage when the President on Facebook, the developments in the called her back.

The two returned. Duterte asked the past days, as well as reactions from both pro- and anti-Duterte deserve woman if she was single. She responded that she was married. Then the unmore contextualizing and analysis.

It pained and infuriated me to thinkable happened. Duterte solicited a watch that kiss because the woman kiss on the lips, first verbally, and REwas defenseless against the most PEATEDLY by putting his fingertips powerful man in the country. She did on his lips. As the PRESIDENT was not deserve the treatment she got. No doing this, the woman’s discomfort woman deserves that. What she did or was obvious by her body language. She did not do is irrelevant because it was covered her lips with her mobile phone, about power dynamics. The victim- and then put the phone between her and blaming that followed the incident the President. By this time, the crowd was even more painful. Many did was already unruly and loudly egging them on. And the not understand kiss happened. the kind of power If it was not trethat was at play. mendous pressure It was a game of on the woman, I dominance and What real choice did do not know what control displayed she have? Why blame is. What could an by the President ordinary woman of the Philip- her?

OFW do? Duterte pines. is the PRESIThe president DENT. This alone and an OFW instantly awes and Digong as the PRESIDENT is the most powerful per- overwhelms people. After all, how many son in the country. The woman is an ordinary mortals could go near the presiordinary OFW and obviously, a DDS. dent? She was in a no-win situation.

Reactions and justifications The power imbalance between them Reactions to the issue were varied. is great—by virtue of sex, age, and position. The woman knew and ac- While most that I have read put the knowledged this. Why else did she did blame squarely on Duterte’s misogyny, the utmost show of respect in Filipino not a few were victim-blaming subtly custom—“pagmamano”? She was in or overtly. Many said that she should the presence of an elderly man wield- have diplomatically refused. There were those who accuse her of being ing supreme authority.

Before the event, the woman posted complicit by her body language. A few on Facebook (this has since been de- even called her stupid. They said she leted) a picture of herself with Asec. consented to what Duterte wanted.

She was being blamed for what Mocha Uson. She wished to be able to go near the president, and consid- Duterte did.

Even in ordinary life situations, it ered herself lucky to be at the event.

Unsurprisingly, she was star struck, is very difficult to say no to a boss, a gushing, and giggling like a fan who teacher, a parent, a husband, and even a got the chance to be physically near boyfriend. Women face these situations her idol.

Turn to A5

POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO

Our President may need more help

By Albert del Rosario THERE appears to be an urgent need for our President to require a fuller briefing from his people as shown, for instance, by his reactions to developments in South China Sea and, in particular, the West Philippine Sea. Ayungin Shoal The most recent illustration was the harassment of Philippine troops in Ayungin Shoal, of which the President had no knowledge.

Sandy Cay Another example attributed to the absence of a less than full briefing appears to be the loss of effective control of Sandy Cay by the Philippines, which was not given much importance.

Our President seemed to dismiss

Sandy Cay as merely a sand bar, not worth protesting. The reaction to Sandy Cay was obviously a decision made without the benefit of being provided full information.

As advised by Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, should China acquire sovereignty over Sandy Cay, it could claim Subi Reef as part of the territorial sea of Sandy Cay. This would aid in legitimizing China’s claim over Subi Reef, and would significantly reduce the territorial sea of Pag-asa Island.

Consider consultations with CJ The expertise of Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio on the South China Sea is clearly unequalled. Our President may want to consider having his people closely coordinate with the Acting Chief Justice on matters related to the South China Sea.

Preserving our gains with the UN Of utmost primacy is the protection of the hard-earned gains of the Filipino people as handed down by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Arbitral Tribunal.

In this connection, following the Shangri-La Dialogue just held in Singapore, it is most opportune for the Philippines to commence work on drafting a resolution for adoption by the United Nations General Assembly this year.

The intended UN Resolution should request China and the international community to abide and implement The Hague Arbitral ruling of July 12, 2016.

Albert del Rosario is the chairman of the of ADR Institute and a former Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary.

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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Opinion

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018

Idiotic practice of hiring foreign law firms BACKBENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN THE previous administration of Benigno Simeon Aquino III knew beforehand that the petition which the government filed against China with respect to our claim in the South China Sea before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PAC) would not, as the saying goes, even touch first base, for the fact that China, at the outset, manifested it would not recognize or participate in the hearing.

China’s non-recognition of the PAC should have served as an advance warning that nothing will happen in bringing our case to the arbitration court. That should have put us on guard whether or not to continue hiring the services of international lawyers to argue our position before a court that would only listen to our side. Even if we win, as in fact won, such cannot be enforced as it has no power to enforce its decision.

Rather, many suspected the Noynoy Aquino administration collaborated and confederated with those foreign lawyers in mulcting our government to argue on a case it can never hope to enforce, but only to bill us an unprecedented fee that no lawyer in this country ever received for a single case. As revealed by the COA, the Philippine government hired Folet Hoag from 2013 to 2017 to defend our position for which we paid P149,060,125.6. Even non- lawyers know they were hired to represent us on a case that would end up to nothing, except that their client, the Republic of the Philippines, would be paying a huge amount for legal services. In fact, it elicited accusation from China’s Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin who raised a question as to “who was paying the wages of the judges that rendered the decision?”

Because of frivolities of our officials, often rooted on political vengeance to disallow projects involving foreign contractors, such as the decision of Noynoy to unilaterally cancel in 2011 the P18billion flood-control project, awarded to Belgium’s Baagerwerken Decloedt En Zoon (BDZ), has resulted in the Philippines being required to pay P800 million to a Belgian dredging firm for the cancellation of the Laguna Lake Rehabilitation Project (LLRP), which decision came out during President Duterte’s administration.

For canceling the project contracted during the Arroyo administration allegedly for being graft-ridden, the Noynoy government had to hire an American law firm, White & Case, to defend the government before the World Bank’s

That surreal...

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often. And many times, we give in and go along to avoid more “problems.”

This was no ordinary situation. She was in front of the PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES. Women, from birth, are generally socialized by all institutions in our society, starting with the family, to submit to men, to the elderly, and authority.

Contrary to some people’s assertion that women’s sense of inferiority is due to stupidity, it is actually LEARNED, dictated by our culture.

How was she supposed to react? We should remember that even Vice President Leni Robredo and Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat were victimized by Duterte’s misogynist actions.

Their being powerful women did not stop Digong from disrespecting them.

The woman in question was an ordinary OFW. Could she have embarrassed the PRESIDENT? What real choice did she have? Why blame her? How can people even think that she could say “no” given the context?

There are many opinions on what the woman should have done to thwart Duterte’s advances. It is easy for us to say things AFTER the incident because we have the benefit of hindsight. More importantly, we were not in the position of this woman. The issue here is Duterte’s misogyny. What the woman did or did not do is irrelevant.

Duterte was in full control of the situation. He could have stopped at any time if he had any sense of decency. In the first place, he should not have done what he did. He should not have wielded his power OVER the woman.

By his actions, Duterte did not only (again) disrespect women, he disrespected the Presidency.

Even some anti-Duterte folks were out to trivialize the issue by saying that this is a diversionary tactic. They say that people should not pay as much attention to this because our attention is diverted from the major problems faced by the country. The assumption here is misogyny is not an important problem.

I take offense with the thinking that there is a hierarchy of issues and

International Center for Investment Disputes (ICSID). Said foreign law firm billed the government P417,853 million for its lost legal services. Amazingly, the amount billed was more than one-half of the P800-million damages which the government was ordered to pay to Belgium’s BDZ. Another is the case filed against the Department of Transportation by the Metro Rail Transportation Corp.

(MRTC) for unpaid rentals before the Singapore-base International Chamber of Commerce-Court Arbitration.

MRTC alleged that DOTr violated the Built-Lease-and-Transfer (BLT) agreement which it claims is valid up to 2025.

Government’s decision to withhold payment of rentals was prompted after DOTr filed a graft case against former transportation secretary Joseph Emilio

Foreign businesses should be reminded that when they entered into contract with the government, that already constitutes their concurrence to exhaust all local remedies before going to a foreign arbitration courts.

Abaya and Busan Universal Rail Inc. (BURI), the maintenance provider of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) on Oct. 23, 1915. The complaint alleged that the Abaya-led agency facilitated the creation of BURI, which then took over the maintenance of the rail. Busan won the P3.8-billion contract to provide system maintenance, signaling systems, and overhauling services to the MRT3 but resulted in glitches caused

by BURI’s underperformance.

The OSG and the DOTr commissioned Paul Hastings, Janofsky for the legal dispute with MRT Corp. For the same case, the government also engaged the services of Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher and is now billing the government P200.809 million also for a lost case that had its origin with the Noynoy administration.

The COA is right in questioning the OSG for paying over P767.72 million in attorney’s fees for foreign law firms that represented the country in the three women’s issues are less important. This mindset plagues even so-called progressive groups. As a result, women and women’s issues are marginalized in terms of discourse and action. Women activists and feminists have been known to leave organizations because of such.

I do not subscribe to hierarchy of issues because subtly, it considers women’s issues as “pampagulo.” This is problematic at the very least. Women’s issues are as important because they affect AT LEAST half of the population.

Marginalization of women and our issues results in the silencing of half of Filipinos. Society is deprived of women’s contributions.

Misogyny thrives on this hierarchy because really, women are put at the sidelines. Nothing should stop us from addressing class, gender, and other issues simultaneously. That Duterte act in South Korea is part of the systemic misogyny that this administration wages against Filipino women, whether in position or not. This must be addressed.

As expected, Duterte’s minions came to the rescue. All sorts of absurd, some idiotic justifications were made but the President’s actions cannot be justified.

No excuse is acceptable.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the kiss was for fun and it was acceptable in Filipino culture.

Perhaps it was fun for the president but it was done by abusing the woman. Is something like that acceptable in Filipino culture? No, it is not particularly since Filipino culture is big on respect and this was about disrespect.

Presidential Legal Adviser Sal Panelo said that the kiss is just like one given to a grandchild. This is absurd since obviously, the woman could not be Duterte’s grandchild and the president’s behavior could hardly be mistaken for that of a grandfather.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian even chimed in comparing what Duterte did to married actors who, in playing roles also kiss married women. He added that the kiss was done to please the audience. The senator betrayed a very low understanding of women’s issues and in effect, trivialized what to many women was a serious breach of our right to be free from abuse.

international cases during the term of that lackluster Noynoy Aquino administration. What is ironic is that that foreign law firms are free to sue our government in venues of their choice while Filipinos of have difficulty in suing to enforce their valid own claim.

Carefully looking at the issue, one is reminded of Section 3, Article XVI of the hypocritically laden 1987 Constitution drafted during the time of Mrs. Aquino that inculcated into the minds of would-be lawyers the principle that “[T]he State may not be sued without its consent,” which provision is based on the generally accepted principle of law. While we are not saying the government cannot be sued for any wrongdoing; there are exceptions, if it enters into a contract with a private business entity. However, to minimize this possibility of foreign law firms seeking enormous damages for alleged violation of contract, they should first be required to seek the consent of our government, and only if it refuse could it seek the assistance of the local court until it is finally decided by the High Court. Only after this procedure has been observed by the aggrieved foreign party can it be allowed to seek the adjudication of its claim in a foreign arbitration court.

Besides, foreign businesses should be reminded that when they entered into contract with the government, that already constitutes their concurrence to exhaust all local remedies before going to a foreign arbitration courts. This explains why COA declared the engagement of private lawyers and the fees for the legal services and professional fees unauthorized in the absence of prior acquiescence by the OSG and its written concurrence is pursuant of COA Circular No. 95-011, as amended by COA Circular No. 980002 dated June 9, 1998.”

State auditors also decried B.S. Aquino’s Solicitor General Florin Hilbay’s failure to submit the contracts for foreign legal services within five working days from its implementation.

The ugly fact about this extortionlike charges brought against the government is we are also compelled to hire foreign law firms and pay them millions to defend us and only to lose the case, yet forbidding our own lawyer to appear before their chosen court for the flimsy reason that they do not have the license to appear in the court of their chosen turf. Thus, whichever way one would look at it, we are bound to lose because even if we win, we will still have to pay the huge amount of attorney’s fees for our defense. rpkapunan@gmail.com Duterte is the PRESIDENT of the Philippines, not an actor portraying a role. He carries with him the full powers and HONORS of the presidency wherever he goes. It was an official government event and he was there not as some entertainer to make people laugh.

The kissing was uncalled for and disrespectful of the office he carries. There are many ways of pleasing a crowd and if this was what the president aimed to do, he could have done so without being misogynist. Gatchalian’s comments help normalize sexism.

Mocha Uson’s attempt at equating the kisses on the cheek given to Ninoy Aquino by women just before he was assassinated with the kiss imposed by Duterte on an ordinary OFW woman was FOUL. She received a lot of flak from this and rightly so. The two incidents obviously cannot be compared.

Uson’s attempt was plain vile.

One was given by women out of respect and affection to a man who was coming home for exile to fight a dictatorship. The other was that of a President blatantly wielding his powers to get a kiss on the lips from a defenseless woman OFW. Comparing the two is gross.

I thought that nothing can beat Uson’s (evil) genius but Duterte himself did.

The PRESIDENT said that that kiss was brought about by BIOLOGY. He added that he has kissed more than a thousand women on the lips as a politician and that it is his STYLE. In one go Duterte made liars out of his allies. All their justifications were lies. By his own words, he admitted to being misogynist and that through the years he has been preying on women.

By saying that what transpired with the woman OFW is biology, he tells us that when he gets the urge, he acts on it without regard for anything else but to pleasure himself. He does this because he is powerful and he can.

This is the PRESIDENT of the Republic of the Philippines.

To parents out there, would you want your daughters to get that surreal Digong kiss? This misogyny must stop. bethangsioco@gmail.com @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EVERYMAN

Can the Senate interpret the Constitution?

By Jose A. Oliveros

der our system of constitutional government, the Legislative department is assigned the power to make and enact laws. The Executive department is charged with the execution of carrying out of the provisions of said laws.

But the interpretation and application of said laws belong exclusively to the Judicial department.” Senator Lacson emphasized this in his interpellation without adverting to the Endencia v.

David decision.

Continued the Supreme Court in said case: “We have already said that the Legislature under our form of government is assigned the task and the power to make and enact laws, but not to interpret them. This is more true with regard to the interpretation of the basic law, the Constitution, which is not within the sphere of the Legislative department. If the Legislature may declare what a law means, or what a specific portion of the Constitution means, especially after the courts have in actual case ascertain its meaning by interpretation and applied it in a decision, this would surely cause confusion and instability in judicial processes and court decisions. Under such a system, a final court determination of a case based on a judicial interpretation of the law of the Constitution may be undermined or even annulled by a subsequent and different interpretation of the law or of the Constitution by the Legislative department. That would be neither wise nor desirable, besides being clearly violative of the fundamental, principles of our constitutional system of government, particularly those governing the separation of powers.”

The pronouncement of the Supreme Court in the Endencia v. David case that the Judiciary is the sole organ empowered under the Constitution to interpret laws and the Constitution echoes Justice Jose P. Laurel’s ponencia in the 1936 landmark case of Angara v. Electoral Commission (63 Phil. 139) that “in times of social disquietude or political excitement, the great landmarks of the Constitution are apt to be forgotten or marred, if not entirely obliterated. In cases of conflict, the judicial department is the only constitutional organ which can be called upon to determine the proper allocation of powers between the several departments and among the integral or constituent units thereof.”

CAN the Senate interpret the Constitution? Please point to the specific provision in the Constitution that the Senate can interpret the Constitution.

These direct and pointed questions were directed by Senator Panfilo Lacson to Senator Francisco Pangilinan during the latter’s sponsorship of a proposed Senate resolution signed by 14 Senators, expressing “the sense of the Senate” on the decision of the Supreme Court in the quo warranto case filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

Pangilinan gave a circuitous answer but finally admitted that there is no specific provision in the Constitution giving the Senate the power to interpret the Constitution. But to extricate himself from an embarrassing position, Pangilinan stated that in crafting laws and during debates and deliberations on proposed laws, the Senate, from time to time, interprets the Constitution.

Pangilinan’s answer immediately reminded me of the late Chief Justice Fred Ruiz Castro’s dissenting opinion in Chavez v. Court of Appeals that “the past may have receded so far into the distance that our perspectives may have been altered and our vision blurred.” This is because in the 1953 case of Pastor Endencia v. Saturnino David (93 Phil. 696), the Supreme Court categorically ruled that under the Constitution, the Judiciary alone has the power to interpret not only laws but the Constitution as well.

A brief background of that case: In the 1950 case of Perfecto v. Meer (85 Phil. 552) the Supreme Court ruled that subjecting the salaries of justices and judges to income tax constituted diminution of their salaries which was prohibited under the 1935 Constitution. The decision was not received favorably by Congress, because immediately after its promulgation, Congress enacted Republic Act No. 590 which, among others, provided: SEC. 13. No salary wherever received by any public officer of the Republic of the Philippines shall be considered as exempt from the income tax, payment of which is hereby declared not to be diminution of his compensation fixed by the Constitution or by law.

Ruling squarely on the constitutionality of the above-cited provision of R. Jose A. Oliveros is a member of the A. No. 590, specifically its last clause, Philippine Bar. the Supreme Court declared that “un-

Dissents...

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grave abuse of discretion is not at all an issue. Despite voting for the retention of Sereno, Bernabe said she made no claim that Sereno “is or is not a person of integrity x x x In fact, if there is one thing that is glaringly apparent from these proceedings, it is actually the lack of respondent’s candor and forthrightness in the submission of her SALNs. Integrity must be threshed out in the appropriate case for certiorari,” Bernabe said.

Justice Velasco observes: “There was no attempt to assail and contest much less nullify the JBC’s findings that the respondent possessed all qualifications, the JBC’s decision must stand.” While Velasco agreed to quo warranto as a proper remedy, he clarified that the one year prescribed period for filing such petition had lapsed. He said that Sereno’s nomination and appointment “has not been timely challenged, much less nullified,” and that “the findings and qualifications should be respected.”

Finally, Senior Associate Justice Carpio, now acting chief justice after the ouster of Sereno, voted also to dismiss the quo warranto petition. Carpio opined that not only did Sereno allegedly fail to file her SALNs, she also committed an impeachable offense because of it. However, there is only one remedy against the Chief Justice – impeachment.

According to Carpio: “The House impeaches, and the Senate convicts. This is the only method allowed under the Constitution to remove a member of this Court. To allow any other method is to re-write the Constitution. To permit this quo warranto petition to remove an incumbent member of this Court is to violate the Constitution.

The grounds for impeachment are: culpable violation of the Constitution,

treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, and betrayal of public trust.

The catch-all phrase “betrayal of public trust” covers every conceivable misconduct by an impeachable officer, whether committed while in government service before the appointment, at the time of application for the office, or after appointment to office. Any misrepresentation on material matters at the time of application for office is an integrity issue subsumed under the phrase “betrayal of public trust.”

As I pointed out earlier, the repeated failure to file SALNs constitutes culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, grounds for removing an impeachable officer.

While the failure to file SALNs may also raise questions on the integrity, and thus the qualification, of an applicant for Justice of the Supreme Court, the relevant applicable violation, for purposes of removing such impeachable officer once already in office, is culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust. Only Congress, through the impeachment process, can remove an impeachable officer on these grounds If a court finds that an impeachable officer has committed an impeachable act, the court should refer the matter to Congress, for Congress to exercise its exclusive mandate to remove from office impeachable officers. No court, not even this Court, can assume the exclusive mandate of Congress to remove impeachable officers from office.”

In the next column, citing her motion for reconsideration, I will present the case of the Chief Justice, her legal arguments which is consistent with the dissent and her version of the facts which directly contradict Justice Carpio’s conclusions about her having committed an impeachable offense.

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News

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SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Du30 wants mass transport system in Cebu, Davao, Iloilo

IN BRIEF Joel Cruz files P20-m libel suit vs trader PERFUME magnate Joel Cruz has filed a P20-million libel suit against Brunei-based trader Kathy Dupaya over allegations that he sent her expired products.

Dupaya also alleged that Cruz lacked proper government documents, a charge Cruz denied.

Accompanied by his lawyer, Cruz, laughed off Dupaya’s claim, saying that he does business with multi-millionaires abroad so he had very little reason to personally seek out Dupaya.

He added that it was Dupaya who was the more excited when they were first introduced by a mutual friend.

Cruz also took exception on allegations that he sells expired products.

He also junked Dupaya’s claim that she had received P2 million worth of products from him, when in fact she only ordered less than P600,000. He brought receipts to support this.

Ex-Albay lawmaker pleads not guilty FORMER Albay congressman Reno Gutlay Lim on Friday plead not guilty in the graft charge filed against him at the Sandiganbayan.

Lim is accused of alleged irregulaties in the purchase of 8,000 sets of livelihood instructional materials and technology kits using his Priority Development Assistance Fund amounting to P27 million in 2007.

Lim entered his plea during his arraignment in the anti-graft court’s Second Division for four counts each of violation of Section 3(e) of the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices Act and malversation.

He was arraigned following his request for a seven-day trip to the United States.

In his travel motion, Lim said he will attend a business meeting in New York for business venture at India-based Metro Telworks Private Limited.

Lim said the meeting was initially scheduled from June 9 to 13 in Bangalore, India, but was rescheduled in New York. Maricel V. Cruz

DENR leads PH Eagle Week rites IN CELEBRATION of the Philippine Eagle Week, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has organized an outreach program to heighten the awareness of children on the importance of the national bird and its habitat.

Secretary Roy Cimatu said children from the Asilo de San Vicente de Paul Orphanage will be treated to a day’s fun and excitement at the Manila Ocean Park today as part of the outreach program. Some of the activities include painting workshop and storytelling session.

The outreach program is consistent with the agency’s vision of raising environmentally conscious children and preserving the environment for them and for future generations, Cimatu said.

Celebrating important conservation events like PEW with children helps “imprint wildlife conservation into their young minds,” he added.

“These children will inherit the country’s biodiversity resources. They are the next in line in being stewards of the environment, so it is important for them to learn the value of the Philippine eagle and all other species, especially those that are endemic to the Philippines that need to be preserved and protected as early as now,” he said. Rio N. Araja

FLAG HOISTING. Filinvest and its subsidiary companies gather in a momentous day to witness the hoisting of the Philippine flag at Filinvest City in Alabang. Commemorating the National Flag Month, together with representatives from Pronove Tai and the National Historical Commission, the event is aligned with ‘Salute to a Clean Flag’ advocacy which encourages the prominent display of the Philippine flag across the country. Norman Cruz

Ex-cop, PDEA agent, two others, held for kidnapping A

By Francisco Tuyay

DISMISSED policeman and his alleged cohorts—a former agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and an active traffic enforcer of the Metro Manila Development Authority and a civilian involved in carnapping and kidnapping of a Chinese businessman were arrested by authorities the other day.

The suspects, who were presented to PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde by Quezon City Police District director Chief Supt Joselito Esquivel Jr., were identified as PO1 Mark Anthony Roque, a dismissed policeman assigned at the PNP-Crime Laboratory based in Camp Crame; Arnold Camayang, a former PDEA agent; Alvin Jay Roque, a traffic enforcer of the Metro Manila Development Authority and civilian John Talaue.

Esquivel said the suspects were responsible in two kidnapping incidents of the same Chinese victim, Wu Shaowei along Congressional Avenue last May 25.

Investigation showed that Wu Shaowei, who was with an an errand boy, was

travelling on board a white Toyota Commuter Van. Upon reaching a Shell gasoline station near S&R Supermarket, his vehicle was blocked by two armed suspects onboard a gray Toyota commuter van.

The armed suspects, who introduced themselves as policemen, were later identified as Mark Anthony Roque and Camayang. They handcuffed the victims and transferred them to their vehicle while the van of the Chinese was driven by Camayang and later left parked at a Shell gas station in Balintawak, Quezon City.

The suspects initially demanded P3 million in exchange for their freedom.

The victim negotiated to lower the

RUNWAY REPAIRED.

Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Deputy Director General for Operations Capt.

Don Mendoza and CAAP Area 7 manager lawyer Rafael Tatlonghari personally check the portion of the 1,779-meter runway of the Tagbilaran Airport that underwent emergency repair on Friday. The airport will soon be replaced by the Bohol-Panglao International Airport in Panglao upon its expected completion and commercial operations this August.

Eric Apolonio

Solon assures funds for passage of bill on cancer care

By Maricel V. Cruz THE chairperson of the House of Representative’ committee on appropriations on Friday assured funds for the implementation of the measure that calls for better care of cancer patients in government hospitals.

Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, the panel'schairperson, was referring to House Bill (HB) 6210 which institutionalizes the National Integrated Cancer Control Program.

Nograles authored the biIl which he filed last August 2017 and had been approved by the House committee on health.

“Upholding the funding requirements of the measure will put it one step closer toward its enactment, which can’t come sooner for Filipinos whose loved one are afflicted by this curse of a disease,” said Nograles, describing cancer as a “growing and serious public health concern in the Philippines.”

“The key word here is ‘integrated’ because what we want to create is a health program that brings together efforts on cancer

awareness and treatment,” he said.

Nograles said that the envisioned National Integrated Cancer Control Program shall serve as the framework for all cancerrelated activities of the government.

The program’s objectives as are follows: 1) decreasing the overall impact and mortality of all adult and childhood cancer, 2) lessening the incidents of preventable cancer in adults, 3) preventing cancer recurrence and secondary cancer among survivors and people living with cancer, and 4) providing timely access to optimal cancer treatment and care for all cancer patients.

The proposed National Integrated Cancer Control Act also seeks to 5) make cancer treatment and care affordable, 6) improve the experience of cancer treatment and care among patients and families, 7) support the recovery and reintegration to society of cancer survivors, and eliminate the various forms of burden on patients, people living with cancer, suvivors and their families.

“Through this bill, the state will be able to provide more PhilHealth benefits for cancer patients and access to better medication

and health care services of the Department of Health [DoH]” Nograles said.

The bill establishes the National Integrated Cancer Control Advisory Board, which shall carry out the implementation of the program. The DoH secretary or a designated Representative not lower than an assistant secretary shall become the chairman in an ex-officio capacity.

Under the measure, the Board will develop standards to classify, accredit, and designate comprehensive cancer centers, specialty cancer centers, regional cancer centers, and cancer satellites or stand-alone clinics.

“This network of cancer care centers will be placed strategically around the country and be made easily accessible to patients,” Nograles said.

Perhaps the biggest concern of families with cancer patients is the daunting cost of the treatment, since it could push them deeper into poverty. The Davao solon acknowledges this and presents a solution in his bill by setting up the Cancer Assistance Fund.

demand to P300,000 and requested that they proceed to his residence at Congressional Village, Proj. 8, Quezon City to get the money.

Upon getting the money, the suspects drove away with two other vehicles of the victim:A Toyota Fortuner and another Toyota Commuter van, both parked at the garage.

The victims immediately reported the incident to the Talipapa Police Station (PS-3) for investigation. It later turned over the case to the CIDU and ANCAR at the QCPD Headquarters in Camp Karingal.

A tracker team was immediately formed to handle and investigate the case. Last June 6, 2018, 4 pm, a confidential informant spotted the white and gray Toyota Hi-Ace Commuter van parked along Bulusan Street, corner Amoranto in Quezon City.

A stakeout operation was conducted until the next day, June 7, 2018 that led to the arrest of Alvin Jay Roque and Talaue while they were on board the White Toyota van at 5:30 am. The operatives also recovered the gray Toyota Commuter van during the operation.

CEBU CITY—President Rodrigo Roa Duterte suggested that Cebu, Davao, and other big cities in the country should have a monorail system to address the worsening traffic problem.

The President made the suggestion during the inauguration of the Mactan Cebu International Airport Terminal 2 on June 7.

“It behooves upon the Department of Transportation to improve things including traffic. It falls under his jurisdiction.

And the only way the Cebuanos can escape the traffic, and maybe Davao and someday Iloilo—they are getting progressive, is really to go to mass transport system,” President Duterte said.

He added that small progressive cities may choose to have a Bus Rapid Transit system as they still have enough spaces to widen their roads and make broad highways.

“For new places and small cities like GenSan [General Santos City], which has very wide highways, they can maybe choose to use ’yung sa gitna [center lanes for BRT]. But for all others like Cebu and Davao, you have to go up.

Monorail or whatever, you have to go up,” Duterte said.

Meanwhile, Duterte appreciated the new MCIA Terminal 2 and praised its structural design. He commended DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade for the “beautiful” project.

“It’s a beautiful airport. Cebuanos are very lucky. You have the acoustics. It’s wood, it’s good for music. Very lucky. and I also commend my Transportation Secretary. It is the best sight I’ve ever seen in the country. It can compare with any airport in Asia,” he said.

Upon his arrival, the President led the unveiling of the Terminal 2 marker with the assistance of Tugade, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Legislative Liaison Secretary Adelino Sitoy, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Diño, MCIA general manager Steve Dicdican, and GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. president Manuel Louie Ferrer and board chairman Srinivas Bommidala.

Duterte’s entourage include Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, and actor Philip Salvador.

After the unveiling, President Duterte then toured and inspected Terminal 2’s facilities while being briefed

by Bommidala and Ferrer.

Dicdican said the new terminal will be fully operational on July 1 and will be opened for public viewing on the last week of June during office hours. PNA

DFA thanks Slovakia offer ‘Tagbilaran to repatriate remains of OFW airport runway THE Department of Foreign Affairs today expressed its appreciation to Slovakia for offering to bring home the remains of the Filipino financial analyst who was beaten to death in Bratislava last week.

The DFA, quoting a report from the Philippine Embassy in Vienna, said the family of overseas Filipino worker Henry John Acorda has accepted the offer of the Slovakian Government to repatriate his remains next week.

“We would like to thank the Government of Slovakia for its kind gesture of offering to bring home our late kababayan and reuniting him with his loved ones here in the Philippines,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano said.

Ambassador to Vienna Ma. Cleofe R. Natividad said the repatriation is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, June 13, 2018.

Ambassador Natividad said the Slovakian Government has offered to provide an aircraft to carry the remains and personal effects of Acorda and his mother and two siblings.

Acorda, 36, died last week from injuries he sustained after he was brutally assaulted by a local man in Bratislava who he earlier tried to stop from harassing a Filipina companion.

The suspect is now in detention and is facing manslaughter charges.

Acorda’s death has enraged Slovaks with no less than Prime Minister Peter Pelligrini condemning the incident and assuring that justice will be served. Sara D. Fabunan

repair complete’

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines on Friday announced that the preventive maintenance, repair, and patching works at the Tagbilaran Airport runway have been completed.

CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said the degradation of the runway surface was caused by continuous rains in the past weeks resulting in water to infiltrate under the runway and causing potholes and cracks.

Earlier, the CAAP Operation Center issued a notice to airmen (Notam CO411/18) advising aircraft pilots of the preventive maintenance works being done as the damage can affect runway and flight safety and can be dangerous to aircraft.

The preventive maintenance is a collaborative effort between the Department of Transportation, CAAP, local government unit, and private contractors enlisted to assist in the delivery and repair works.

CAAP Deputy Director General for Operations Capt. Don Mendoza together with CAAP Area 7 Manager Rafael Tatlonghari personally checked the portion of the 1,779-meter runway that underwent the emergency repair.

“The continuing deterioration of the runway surface had to be addressed immediately for the safety of all passengers and aircraft operating in Tagbilaran,” Mendoza said.

Tagbilaran Airport will soon be replaced by the Bohol-Panglao International Airport in Panglao upon its expected completion and commercial operations this month of August.

Sports

Manila

Standard

TODAY

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

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Visayas, Mindanao teams ready

T

EAMS from the Visayas and Mindanao competing in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League are expected to pull off a couple of surprises in the coming season.

PBA legends Kenneth Duremdes and Jojo Lastimosa believe so.

Duremdes, the 1998 Most Valuable Player and member of the PBA’s 25 Greatest Players, have seen how these teams played in their buildup for the coming season.

“They’re no pushovers, especially Davao Occidental and Cebu,” said Duremdes, current commissioner of the MBPL. Davao Occidental won the championship in the four-team preseason tournament held last month in Polomolok, South Cotabato and has stacked its line up with ex-pros.

The Tigers made a last-minute move to acquire ex-PBA champion Leo Najorda, veteran forward Mark Yee and talented guard Bonbon Custodio to join two other ex-pros

in the line up named earlier—Bogs Raymundo and Billy Ray Robles.

The Cebu Sharks, the lone Visayan squad joining this season, will have four ex-pros backstopping the team, including two-time PBA champion Jondan Salvador, forward Frederick Rodriguez, Cesar Catli and Patrick Jan Cabahug.

The Sharks will be handled by former San Miguel Beerman Gilbert Castillo.

Three more teams from Mindanao—the Zamboanga Valientes-MLV, General Santos City Warriors and the Basilan Steel— are also trying to prove their worth.

The Valientes have ex-Barako Bull guard Reed Juntilla, journeyman Leo Avenido, former Purefoods player Rob Sanz, and comebacking

players Jonathan Parreno and Noy Javier in the line up. The team also has Von Lanete, brother of Garvo and Chico, who are now both playing in the PBA, and former Imus Bandera center Arden Guiyab.

The General Santos City Warriors, who will be supported by Golden State College, will be handled by Ramon Pido, who played 20 years ago for the Pampanga Dragons.

Although they only have two ex-pros in Marlon Basco and Jeremy Bartolo, the team is confident of bringing a deluge of homegrown and amateur standouts to carry the fort.

Basilan will be counting on Jojo Tangkay, a tried and tested star guard who played for Sta. Lucia and Rain or Shine in the PBA. He will be supported by the Daa brothers — Dennis, who played for Sta. Lucia and Dino, former swingman of Letran — and will also be counting on its reliable supporting

crew headed by Mark Ababon, a crack guard from the south, former Parañaque Patriots center Jonathan Belorio, Mark Acosta and Clark Bautista among others.

“Historically, madaming magagaling na players from the south talaga,” said Duremdes, the pride of Marbel, South Cotabato.

His former Alaska teammate, fellow PBA great and now Bataan mentor Jojo Lastimosa, agreed with the commissioner’s observation.

Lastimosa was a pride of Cagayan de Oro and was part of the Visayan invasion during the early 1980s when he became the star player of Mama’s Love in the old PABL. “I think most of the guys who are now part of the Vis-Min teams (in the MPBL) have played here in Manila. They’re no different from the players from Luzon,” said Lastimosa.“ They’re at par with the teams here and I won’t be surprised if these teams beat teams from Luzon.”

Local bets hold ground in Cebuana net tourney LOCAL tennis talents, led by Penshoppe Mari Erquita and Eric Jay Tangub, held their ground against their visiting counterparts from adjoining provinces, winning 2 of the 9 individual titles at stake at the recent Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Championship Series leg in Molave, Zamboanga del Sur. The netfest, which also served as the last leg for the summer, attracted 157 entries.

Maria Judy Ann Padilla from Ozamiz emerged a double winner as she ruled the girls’ 12-under age group with a straight set 6-2, 6-1 victory over another local player Nina Faye Pontines.

She then teamed up with Nicole Marie Bubutan to beat the duo of April Rose Cuizon and Shane Lyl Saluta, 8-4, for the girls’ 14-under doubles’ crown.

Erquita defeated Garlandson Ardiente, 7-6, 6-0, in the finals of the boys’ 12-under and Tangub shocked Dipolog’s Stephen Zion Guia, 6-4, 6-2, in the boys’ 16-under, 6-4, 6-2.

Four other local players, though, bowed to their opponents in other finals matches.

“This is a good sign when we see local players in an area making good against veteran visiting players as in the case of Zamboanga del Sur players, who made it to the finals in 6 of the 9 individual championship matches. It shows the province alone has a lot of young players with the potential to do well in the future,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of the sponsoring Cebuana Lhuillier Group that has been sponsoring this national tennis grassroots program for the past 12 years.

photo 1

BRADLEY Weiss braces for a tougher, rougher challenge from an elite international cast out to foil his record bid in the XTERRA Off-Road Triathlon, which makes its grand return to Albay, Legazpi City on June 17.

But while the South African ace stressed his readiness to take on his fellow XTERRA warriors in the grueling 1.5km swim-28km mountain bike8km trail run event looking for a third straight victory after reigning in 2015-16, he also expressed his excitement racing on a course that features a breath-taking view of the majestic Mayon Volcano.

“I can’t wait to race again on such a dramatic scenery. It’s really going to be fun and memorable experience racing at Mt. Mayon, a very well-known volcano,” said Weiss.

The event, presented by the City of Legazpi and produced by Sunrise Events, Inc., was actually scheduled last March but was moved in light of the recent irregular behavior of Mayon Volcano, giving the cast more

The Philippine Ports Authority, Port Management Office of Agusan, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) for Engineering Projects, invites contractors registered with and classified by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) to bid for the hereunder contracts: Contract ID Contract Name Approved Budget for the Contract Source of Fund Location Scope of Work

CAGE SUMMER CAMP. Kids trom different schools in Metro Manila that participated in an advocacy event, ‘Wang’s Next Generation Summer Camp Free Basketball Clinic,’ graduated recently at the Aquinas Gym in San Juan City. Businessman/sports patron Alexander Wang, who owns the Wang’s Ballclub in PBA D-League, organized the noble event conducted by Wang’s head coach Pablo Lecas, with deputy mentors former PBA star Terry Saldana and Ed Medina.

DoJ tries to snap PNP’s winning streak THE DoJ Justice Boosters ramped up their endurance practices and are now all set to go up against the leading PNP Responders in the main game of the UNTV Cup Executive FaceOff at 5 p.m. on Sunday at the Pasig City Sports Center.

“We now have twice a week practice sessions to compete with other teams,” said DOJ coach John Agbayani Jr. PNP, meanwhile, will try to keep the top spot with a fifth straight win in as many starrs.

An elimitation-round sweep of its seven games will net the Responders this year’s off season title.

Coach SPO2 Alfred Cuarez of PNP said: “One game at a

According to Wilson Senior Brand Head Errol Cajefe Elicanal, the Wilson 3X3 National Finals was the first-ever event of Wilson sanctioned by FIBA 3X3.

“Because of the event’s overwhelming success, the group is planning to conduct the said basketball activity on a yearly basis to enthuse young players to continue their sporting passion and to optimize the exposure for Wilson as the official ball of FIBA 3X3,” Elicanal said.

Twelve-Under Champion was Zamboanga City (Team Universidad de Zamboanga) composed of team members Arwin Pedroche, James Yuan Ison (Most Valuable Player), Marco Polo Jumao-as and Lebron Nicholas Lim; while 13-Under Champion was Taguig City (Team Staglets) with team

time to prepare for the demanding challenge in the premier off-road triathlon.

Also on tap in the event, held as part of SEI’s decade of triathlon staging, are the duathlon (2km run14km bike-4km run) and the lite XTERRA (750km swim-14km bike-4km run).

Weiss is actually gunning for a follow-up to his XTERRA Danao victory last April but the veteran campaign remains wary of the field that includes New Zealand’s Sam Osborne, who placed second in Danao, third placer Kieran McPherson, also of New Zealand, 2016 XTERRA Asia-Pacific titlist Ben Allen of Australia, Japanese Takahiro Ogasawara, the 2016 XTERRA Saipan winner, Akihiro Maeda, also of Japan, Kiwis Alex Roberts and Olly Shaw and local ace Joseph Miller.

For details, visit www.albay.xterraphil.com or hashtags #XTERRAAlbay or social media accounts facebook /XTERRAAlbay, twitter @XTERRAAlbay or instagram @XTERRAAlbay.

Invitation to Bid

Games Sunday

(Pasig City Sports Center) 2 p.m. Ombudsman vs Senate 3:30 p.m. Malacañang-PSC vs GSIS 5 p.m. PNP vs DOJ

time, but as much as possible, we want to win until the end.”

Meanwhile, the MalacañangPSC Kamao and GSIS Thunder Furies are now both in a mustwin situations after absorbing successive defeats.

The Kamao and the Thunder Furies will clash in the second game at 3:30 p.m.

The Thunder Furies are hoping to end their losing streak.

“We tried scoring, but fatigue caught up with my players,”

coach Banzali said.

For now, GSIS, MalacañangPSC and off season defending champion AFP Cavaliers are at the bottom of the ladder.

In the first game at 2 p.m., the Senate Sentinels shoot for their fourth win in a row when they take on the Ombudsman Graft Busters.

Senate coach Mike Fermin vowed to ramp up their defense after ekeing out a close 79-77 win over the defending Armed Forces of the Philippines Cavaliers last May 27.

“We just have to prepare again. We need to fix some things. We need to review the tape to fix the lapses especially in the defense side,” said coach Fermin said.

CDO, Taguig lead Wilson 3x3 winners WILSON, a leading international sports gear brand actively involved in the promotion of various local and international sporting events for many years now, successfully concluded its first-ever Wilson 3x3 National Finals held recently at Toby’s Arena in Pasig City, with a Cagayan de Oro team leading the winners.

Champions representing various cities and provinces that participated in the Wilson 3x3 Basketball Challenge leg progressed to play in the recent Wilson 3x3 National Finals which is the tournament culminating activity. The participating champion teams hailed from Taguig City, Laguna, Cagayan De Oro, Roxas City, Ormoc City, Iloilo City, Zamboanga Del Norte, Cebu City and Nueva Ecija.

Weiss eyes 3-peat in XTERRA Albay

NRP-AGN-02-18 Replacement of Fendering System and Repair of Ferry Terminal Landing at Butuan POrt P18,376,828.00 PPA Corporate Funds for the Year 2018 (Repair Funds) Masao Port, Brgy. Lumbocan, Butuan City, Agusan del Norte 1.

General Expenses 1.1 Mobilization/demobilization 1.2 Provide Environmental Safety and Health Program (CHSP) in the execution of the project; 2.

Replacement of Fendering System 2.1 Demolition Works 2.1.1 Remove and dispose existing Timber Pile Cluster 2.1.2 Remove and dispose existing Tire Fenders 2.2Repair of RDF Concrete Backing, 2.1m x 1.90m x 0.6m 2.3 Construction of RDF Concrete Backing 2.3.1 Supply and deliver to site 10 units 0.456m x 0.45m Vertical Reinforced Concrete Pile; 2.3.2 Handle, pitch and drive 0.45m x 0.45m Vertical Reinforced Concrete Pile; 2.3.3 Supply and deliver to site 5 units 0.456m x 0.45m Batter Reinforced Concrete Pile; 2.3.4 Handle, pitch and drive 0.45m x 0.45m Batter Reinforced Concrete Pile; 2.3.5 Chip-off/cut and dispose driven piles up to cut-off elevation; 2.3.6 Supply, cutting and assembly of RDF Concrete Backing Rebars; 2.3.7 Forms/False Works for RDF Concrete Backing 2.3.8 Supply and place 3500 psi concrete for RDF Backing 2.3.9.a Supply and deliver to site 20 units-V Type Rubber Dock Fenders, 500mm (H) x 1500mm (L); 2.3.9b Installation of Rubber Dock Fenders 3.

Repair of Butuan Ferry Terminal Landing 3.1 Remove and dispose affected concrete pavement; 3.1 Remove and dispose affected concrete paving blocks and sand cushion 3.2 Supply, spread, compact and correct elevation of gravel base course, 200mm thk; 3.4 Rebar Works 3.4.1 Rebar Works for landing; 3.4.2 Rebar Works for Key 3.4.3 Rebar Works for Beam 1 3.4.4 Rebar Works for Beam 2 3.4.5 Rebar Works for stairs 3.5 Form Works for Landing and Stairs 3.6 Concrete Works 3.6.1 Supply and place 3500 psi concrete for landing; 3.6.2 Supply and place 3500 psi concrete for key, beam and stairs 150 Calendar Days

Contract Duration Required PCAB Port, Harbor and Offshore Engineering: Medium A Classification/ Registration Cost of Bid Document (P25,000.00), exclusive of 12% VAT.

Bidders should have completed, within the last three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a single largest completed contract (SLCC) similar to the Project to be bid and having a value of at least 50% of the approved budget for the contract to be bid, adjusted to current prices using the PSA consumer price indices and supported with corresponding certificate of completion/acceptance from project owner/agency.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criteria as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is restricted to duly licensed Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations or cooperatives duly organized under the law of the Philippines and of which at least 75% of the interest or of the outstanding capital stock belongs to citizens of the Philippines.

Interested bidders are required to submit to the BAC Secretariat of PPA, PMO Agusan a Letter of Intent together with the set of machine copies with original for presentation and authentication before the issuance of Bid Documents of the following: a) Valid PCAB License/Classification; b) Certificate of Completion/Acceptance of owner of the Single Largest Completed Contract within the last three (3) years similar to the project to be bid; and c) Certification of non-inclusion in the Consolidated Blacklisting Report issued by the GPPB. A complete set of Bidding Documents will be available to interested Bidders from the address below upon payment of the specified non-refundable Cost of Bid Documents, exclusive of 12% VAT. This Office is not electronically-ready to handle documents thus submission of bids / proposals electronically is not allowed.

The schedule of procurement activities is as follows: Procurement Activities

Members of the Team Ice Men from Taguig display their award after winning the Under-15 title of the Wilson 3x3 National Finals.

members James Matthew Ganotisi, Den Aeros Santos, Paul Lorenzo Lopez and Christensen Costillas.

For the 15-Under Division, hailed champion was Taguig City (Team Ice-Men) composed of Kyle Rivera, Julian Jugo, Jacob Cortez

Chase on for last 2 PVL semifinal seats semifinal round of the seasonSIX teams chasing the last two Games today opening conference of the league semifinal berths step up their 10 a.m. – PLDT vs IEM (men’s) organized by Sports Vision. respective drives today (Sat2 p.m. – Tacloban vs BanKo-Perlas (women’s) The Fighting Warays, one urday) as they clash in three 4 p.m. – Iriga-Navy vs BaliPure (women’s) explosive matches in the quar- 6 p.m. – Pocari-Air Force vs PetroGazz (women’s) of the league’s newcomers, have impressed a lot with their terfinal round of the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Reinforced Conference at heads-up games in the elims, barely falling short of the other outright semis slot with a third place effort. With the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

Tacloban, iriga-Navy and PetroGazz try to score a re- imports Amporn Hyapha and Patcharee Seangmuan peat over BanKo-Perlas, BaliPure and Pocari-Air Force, and locals Jovielyn Prado, Shola Alvarez and Heather respectively, as they seek to gain the head-start and the Guino-o, they hope to reassert their mastery over the momentum in the single round phase where the top two Jutarat Montripila and Lakia Bright-led Perlas Spikers, will join outright qualifiers Creamline and PayMaya in the whom they trounced in four in the elims last May 2.

(Most Valuable Player) and Aimeri Ascutia; and lastly, Cagayan De Oro (Team Sacred Heart Gusa) with team members Steven Ray Bernat, Rich Rafael Porcadilla and Jhunry Menaling (Most Valuable Player) rose as 18-Under Champion.

LOTTO RESULTS 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 4 DIGITS 00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

Schedule Time

Date

Venue

Period of Availability/ Issuance of Bidding Documents

9:00 AM -5:00 PM

June 05, 2018 – PPA, PMO Agusan Admin June 25, 2018 Building, Port Area, Butuan City

Pre-Bid Conference

10:30 AM

June 13, 2018

PPA, PMO Agusan Admin Building, Port Area, Butuan City

Deadline of Submission and Receipt of Bids Opening & Examination of Bids

9:00 AM

June 26, 2018

PPA, PMO Agusan Admin Building, Port Area, Butuan City

9:30 AM

June 26, 2018

PPA, PMO Agusan Admin Building, Port Area, Butuan City

The Philippine Ports Authority, Port Management Office of Agusan Bids and Award Committee will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on June 13, 2018 (Wednesday) at the PPA, PMO Agusan Administration Bldg., Port Area, San Francisco Street, Butuan City, at the time and place specified in the above schedule which shall be open to all interested bidders.

Bidders must submit their bids on or before the date, time and at the place specified in the above schedule. Late bid/s will not be accepted. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the forms stated in the Bidding Documents. Bids higher than the ABC shall automatically be disqualified at the bid opening. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below.

The Philippine Ports Authority, Port Management Office of Agusan reserves the right to accept or reject any Bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

Similarly, the PPA Port Management Office of Agusan assumes no obligation, whatsoever, to compensate or indemnify any bidder of any expenses or loss that said bidder(s) may incur in its participation in the pre-bidding and bidding process nor does it guarantee that an award will be made.

For further information, please refer to: MS. SHEERYL B. PEDEGLORIO General Services Officer A Head, BAC Secretariat-Engineering Projects PPA, PMO-Agusan Port Area, San Francisco Street, Butuan City 8600 Tel. Nos. (085) 342-6451/342-5352 Fax No. (085) 815-4434 Email Address: pmo_nasipit@yahoo.com (SGD.) JUANCHO I. TALILI Division Manager A, Port Services Division BAC Chairperson, Engineering Projects (MS-JUNE 9, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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

A8

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018

Sports

STRENUOUS TRAINING. Filipino Boxing legend Sentor Manny Pacquiao leads an early-morning uphill jog stretching eight kilometera in the winding roads of Sarangani leading to the Pacman beach. This is a part of Pacquiao’s strenuous series of trainings in preparation for his July 15 bout in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia against Argentine Lucas Martin Matthysse. Sonny Espiritu

Perlas PH falls to the Netherlands in Fiba 3x3

By Peter Atencio AFTER starting strong, the Perlas Philippines national women’s team bowed to fourth seed the Netherlands, 21-11, in the women’s division yesterday at the start of the 2018 FIBA 3x3 World Cup at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

The Dutch cagebelles, led by Karin Kujit, trailed by 2-3 to post their first win in Pool D. Kujit went on to finish with eight points, with Jacobine Klerx backing her up with six.

Janine Pontejos showed the way for the Filipinas with six points.

Top seed China took the lead in Pool B play after scoring back-to-back wins over France and Switzerland.

Yin Yung Li emerged as the tournament’s second highest scorer on Day 1 after she made seven points in their 16-14 beating of France.

She then struck with 11 points when China again won a close game, this time over Switzerland, 21-20.

In the men’s division, second seed Slovenia is now ahead in Pool B with two straight wins.

The Slovenian cagers first survived the big game of Michael Hicks in taking a 22-17 stopping of Poland.

Simon Finzgar, who drilled in six points against Poland, hit nine points when they got past Japan, 22-14.

World no. 5 Anze Srebovt, one of the players to watch out for in the Slovenian team, made five points against Poland and four in their match with Japan.

Hicks emerged as the most productive player so far, hitting nine points when Poland smothered Indonesia, 22-6, and nine in their losing game to Slovenia.

Meanwhile, the 19th seed Philippine national men’s squad, with Roger Pogoy, Troy Rosario and Christian Standhardinger joining up with Stanley Pringle in practice, plunges into action today.

The Ronald Magsanoc-coached squad will first face sixth seed Brazil at 3:10 p.m., before taking on Mongolia at 6:40 p.m.

Kerr: It’s our most difficult NBA season G

OLDEN State Warriors coach Steve Kerr says the defending NBA champions have endured their most difficult season in this year’s campaign, feeling the impact of a fourth consecutive NBA Finals journey.

The Warriors carry a 3-0 lead over Cleveland into Friday’s fourth game in the best-of-seven series, leaving them one win shy of their second consecutive title and third crown in four seasons.

“Every journey is a new one each season,” Kerr said. “Yet the cumulative effect of multiple journeys adds up, and we have felt that this year.”

At this point in Golden State’s fourth consecutive final versus the Cavaliers, the Warriors have played 82 playoff games over four seasons, the equal of an entire extra campaign.

“I think it has been our most inconsistent season. It has been our most difficult season,” Kerr said. “But our guys

sense the finish line, and they turned it on right from the beginning of the playoffs defensively.

“That’s been what has been key to get us to this point where we’re on the cusp.

Our defense has been fantastic through however many playoff games we’ve played. So that’s why we’re here.

“Now that we are one game away, we would like to eliminate inconsistency and put forth our best effort, our best game. That’s the plan.”

Even so, this Warriors squad is on the brink of joining the NBA’s top dynasties— the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics—as the only clubs to claim three crowns in four seasons.

“The finals brings the best out of you,” Warriors guard Stephen Curry said.

“And when the competition is as great as it has been every year we’ve been here, it tests you mentally and physically to get through these series.

“There have been so many different challenges we’ve faced. Some we’ve succeeded at and some we haven’t.

Definitely (I’m) a better player than I was before these four series have started and hopefully there will be an appreciation for that when it’s all said and done.”

Talent at ‘all-time high’ Kerr, himself a five-time NBA champion as a player, says the Warriors are topping the league at a time when the NBA boasts its greatest talents.

“It really is shocking when you see the talent,” Kerr said. “The talent level right now I think is at an all-time high in the league. AFP

Bayron outduels O’Toole for crown CARMONA, Cavite—True to his vow, Jay Bayron used a fiery start to regain control then held sway at the back and withstood John Michael O’Toole’s late-hole rally to snap a twoyear spell via a one-stroke victory in the ICTSI Manila Southwoods Golf Championship here yesterday.

Bayron, who said Thursday he would need a strong start to boost his winning chances after O’Toole joined him at the helm with a 66, birdied three of the first four holes to retake the solo lead, matched his rival’s birdies on Nos. 13 and 14 then came through with a clutch par-save on the 17th to hack out the thrilling victory on a closing six-under 66 card at the Legends course.

“It’s nice to win again. I thought my days were over but I was still able to pull it off here,” said Bayron, who tied the course record at 10-under 62 in the opening day and strung up a pair of 67s in weather delay rounds to finish with a whopping 26-under 262 total worth $17,500 in the third leg the Philippine Golf Tour Asia Season 2.

A former PGT Order of Merit champion but whose game went on a downswing after scoring back-to-back victories at Wack Wack and Riviera in Aug. 2016, Bayron seized a one-stroke lead with a 33 start then moved 2-up as O’Toole flubbed a six-foot par-putt off the bunker of the

par-3 No. 12. He then flashed steely nerves as he matched the American’s birdies in the next two, made a two-putt for par from the fringe on No. 17 then rode the final hole pressure with a routine par off a fairway bunker to secure the victory.

“It’s a battle from the first hole and I’m happy that my irons and putting clicked early on,” said Bayron, who opened with back-toback birdies against O’Toole’s pars then rolled in another putt from short range on the fourth to negate his rival’s birdie on the third.

He dropped a shot on No. 7 but matched O’Toole’s birdies on Nos. 8 and 10 to cling to a one-stroke lead before gaining another stroke as O’Toole bogeyed the par-3 12th.

“I had some misses out there but I’m okay with my game,” said O’Toole, who pulled to within one with a birdie on No. 17 and nearly forced a playoff after his birdie putt from 10 feet fell inches short of the cup. He closed out with a 67 for a 263 for second while Finland’s Teemu Putkonen took third place with a 269 after an eagle-spiked 64.

Aussie Tim Stewart slowed down with a 69 and ended up fourth at 272 while Micah Shin, who posted a big win at the adjacent Masters late last year, failed to measure up to Bayron and O’Toole’s birdie-duel and ended up with a 71. He slipped to fifth at 274 in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Jay Bayron holds his trophy after edging John Michael O’Toole.

Tiu catches fire, carries Rain past Elite

By Jeric Lopez RED HOT Rain or Shine capitalized on the absence of Henry Walker to uncork a strong finishing kick in the fourth and shrug off pesky Blackwater, 104-94, to be the first team through to the quarterfinals of the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup last night.

It was a rollercoaster contest between the two combatants but using momentum and experience, the Elasto Painters still had the last and most important say.

Chris Tiu once again came up clutch to save his team, hitting on three straight triples down the stretch to give the Elasto Painters the lift and leverage they needed against the hard-fighting Elite.

With the game knotted at 84-all and with 8:12 remaining, Tiu suddenly went on a scoring barrage as his consecutive triples jumpstarted the decisive 13-2 blast that gave Rain or Shine a comfortable margin, 9786, with 5:12 left and the victory in the process.

Overall, the sizzling Tiu knocked down a total of four triples in the payoff period when the game was on the line, scoring 12 of his 17 points in the fourth while also registering 10 assists to go with seven more rebounds.

Raymund Almazan led all scorers with his own double-double of a gamehigh of 26 points and 12 rebounds, while Reggie Johnson had 17 markers and 20 boards for another strong performance for Rain or Shine.

Without its high-scoring import Walker, who only played more than seven minutes as he injured his left shoulder, the Elite, despite fighting hard and gaining significant leads on several occasions, was unable to answer down the stretch.

“My shoulder just doesn’t feel right,” said Walker when asked about his status after leaving the game early.

The Elasto Painters recorded their fourth straight win to once again move to solo first place with their 7-1 card. They also clinched the first berth in the quarters.

As for the Elite, the setback officially eliminated them out of contention as it fell to 1-8 with only two games left in its schedule.

Philracom’s Triple Crown 2nd leg slated THE Philippine Racing Commission’s 2nd Leg of the 2018 Triple Crown Stakes series headlines a string of exciting stakes races this Sunday at the Santa Ana Park, Saddle and Clubs Leisure Park in Cavite.

Seven horses will compete for the 1800-meter race with a total of P3 million in horse prizes distributed as follows: P1.8 million for the winner; P675,000 for second place; P375,000 for third, and; P150,000 for fourth.

A breeder’s purse of P100,000 goes to the breeder of the winning horse.

The seven declared entries are: Box Office, Goldsmith, Perlas ng Silangan, Smart Candy, Speedmatch, Victorious Colt and Wonderland.

The 2018 Philracom Hopeful Stakes Race, with a distance of 1,800 meters, meanwhile, will be contested by nine declared entries which include Disyembresais, Foolish Heart, Jack Hammer, Misha, Royal Signal, Sheer, Talitha Koum, Tapster, and The Best Ever. Guaranteed prizes total P1 million with P600,000 going to the winner, as well as a breeder’s purse of P30,000.

The second accompanying stakes race, the 2018 Philracom 3YO Local Horses Stakes, will also run at a distance of 1,800 meters and will include the following entries: Aphrodisiac, Barrett Browning, Courageous, Hamlet, Lourdes Drive, Princess Eowyn, Sheltex Magic, The Barrister. Guaranteed prizes total P500,000 with P300,000 allotted to the winner.

Garcia is PH representative to FISU event in Kazan, Russia VOLUNTEER Ann Janeth G. Garcia has been designated by the Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines to represent the country in the Federation of International University Sports Volunteer Leaders event in Kazan, Russian Republic from June 14 to 22.

Her journey to the host city of the 2013 Summer Universiade has all the blessing and support of the FESSAP, which has participated in the FISU event for the last several years.

Garcia’s inspiring story is worth sharing to all student athletes who aspire to become leaders in their field of endeavors.

It all started way back in early 2014, when Garcia, then a student athlete from Mapua University, was chosen to repre-

sent the Philippines in the taekwondo competitions of the 28h Summer Universiade in Gwangju City, South Korea in July of the following year.

“I was just an average taekwondo athlete but was chosen because of dedication, hard work, and self-determination,” said the 21-year-old Garcia. “I may not have been the best, but I certainly was blessed.

“After my Gwangju stint, I chose to remain with FESSAP in another capacity, not because I needed to but because I wanted to. I was one of the many volunteers in various international sports events hosted by FESSAP such as the World University Cycling Championship and the recent World University Golf Championship, both of which turned out

to be a success in terms of organization and manpower.

“Because of my involvement in those events, I gained self-confidence, knowledge, was exposed to cultural exchanges and was able to foster friendship with participants from other countries.

“As an executive member of the FESSAP Athletes Committee, I was entrusted to form my own team. It was not smooth sailing in a leadership role but my persistence and perseverance bore fruit in the end, knowing full well that FESSAP always had my back,” she said.

The FISU Volunteer Leaders Academy is a unique platform for volunteers and representatives of National University Sport Federations and Continental Uni-

versity Sport Federations for networking and exchange of best experiences in the delivery of major sporting events.

As of April this year, a total of 96 countries have nominated their representatives to the event.

“I am very grateful for the FESSAP for being a part of my journey in life.

The hard work of the men and women in the FESSAP has made me for what I am now,” Garcia said.

FESSAP has been in the forefront in the promotion of university sports in the country and elsewhere through its grassroots programs and the enhancement in the personal growth of student-athletes which it envisions to be potential leaders of our country in the future as well.

Ann Janeth Garcia

IN BRIEF

Solar Philippines eyes ADB funding support

SOLAR Philippines urged the Asian Development Bank to take the lead and finance merchant solar power plants to spur market competition and reduce power costs.

“Merchant solar power plants are a very viable investment in the Philippines, considering that WESM (Wholesale Electricity Spot Market) prices are around P5 per kilowatt-hour and our contract prices are P3 per kwh. We can actually sell at a higher price if we are selling to the spot market,” Solar Philippines president Leandro Leviste said.

Merchant power plants are those without power supply contracts with utilities while WESM acts as the country’s trading floor of electricity.

“But because local banks are not used to financing merchant projects... have not been able to get those off the ground. So if any development bank can finance the first solar merchant power plants in the Philippines, we believe that that will persuade other financial institutions to follow and perhaps, at that point, the politics of signing bilateral contracts in the Philippines would become irrelevant,” Leviste said.

Alena Mae Flores

South Korea key to PH economic development

SOUTH Korea is playing a major role in the economic emergence of the Philippines, which is now moving to an even higher growth plane as the Duterte administration speeds up its ambitious $170-billion “Build, Build, Build” program, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said.

Dominguez, in a speech before leaders of South Korea’s business sector during the Philippine delegation’s visit to Seoul June 3 to 5 led by President Rodrigo Duterte, said prudent fiscal management, a manageable debt service load and more robust revenues were expected to improve the Philippines’ sovereign credit ratings.

He said South Korea’s role in the Philippines’ rapid growth was best demonstrated by its funding support for two key “Build, Build, Build” projects—the Panguil Bay Bridge in northern Mindanao and a new international container port in Cebu, which are both scheduled to begin this year and due for completion by 2020.

South Korea is also the Philippines’ sixth largest source of official development assistance. Julito G. Rada

Business Trade deficit increased to $3.62b in April—PSA T

By Julito G. Rada

HE country’s tradein-goods deficit in April widened to $3.62 billion from a $1.55-billion gap a year ago as imports surged 22.2 percent while exports fell 8.5 percent, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority on Friday show.

The PSA said total external trade in goods in April reached $13.84 billion, 8.8 percent higher than $12.73 billion recorded during the same month in 2017.

Total exports dropped 8.5 percent to $5.11 billion in April from $5.59 billion a year ago, the fourth consecutive month of decline, dragged by the decrease in non-electronic manufactured products (wood manufactures, machin-

ery and transport equipment, chemicals, processed food and beverages, and furniture and fixtures) and agro-based products.

Total imports rose 22.2 percent to $8.73 billion in April from $7.14 billion a year ago, up from a tepid increase of 0.3 percent in March this year.

Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said the government should seize the benefits of free trade agreements with other countries and forge new ties to expand the market for exports.

“The current turnout of imports is encouraging. But much has to be done to create an environment that is necessary for exporters to thrive. The signing into law of the Ease of Doing Business Act of 2018 is a step in the right direction,” Pernia said in a statement.

He said the new law could reduce business costs, encourage wider participation among firms, and attract foreign investors—eventually boosting exports in the near to medium term.

The 8.5-percent decline in exports for the month of April was brought about by

the decreases posted by six out of the top 10 commodities led by exports of machinery and transport equipment (45 percent); gold (25.2 percent); ignition wiring set and other wiring sets used in vehicles, aircrafts and ships (24.4 percent); coconut oil (23.9 percent); other manufactured goods (2.1 percent); and electronic equipment and parts (1 percent).

The 22.2-percent increase in imports in April, meanwhile, was triggered by the increase of the top 10 major import commodities.

These were miscellaneous manufactured articles (49.1 percent); plastic in primary and non-primary forms (41.5 percent); telecommunications equipment and electrical machinery (33.6 percent); transport equipment (31.4 percent); iron and steel (30.8 percent); other food and live animals (29.4 percent); mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (27.1 percent); organic and inorganic chemicals (25.1 percent); industrial machinery and equipment (24.1 percent); and electronic products (15.2 percent).

DICT, NGCP tie up in broadband facility

THE Department of Information and Communications Technology has teamed up with National Grid Corp of the Philippines and National Transmission Corp. for the use of spare optical fiber to speed up the implementation of the government’s national broadband plan.

DICT under the agreement received an indefensible right of use or in certain fiber optic cores, vacant lots, tower space and related facility of NGCP, the current concessionaire of the Transco-grid.

The total length of the dark fiber network is 6,154 kilometers, spanning from Luzon to Mindanao.

“We express our commitment to serve this nation with this partnership with DICT and Transco,” NGCP chairman and chief executive Anthony Almeda said.

“We welcome this opportunity to take part of the National Broadband Plan of the government to address the long standing issue of Internet connection quality in the Philippines,” he added.

Darwin G. Amojelar

BSP survey says consumers more confident for Q2 CONSUMER confidence turned more optimistic for the second quarter of 2018, with the overall confidence index increasing to 3.8 percent from 1.7 percent a quarter ago, results of the latest Consumer Expectations Survey conducted by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show Friday.

“The higher index indicates that the optimists increased and continued to outnumber the pessimists,” the Bangko Sentral said.

The confidence index is computed as the percentage of households that answered in the affirmative less the percentage of those who replied in the negative with respect to their views on a given indicator.

According to respondents, their positive outlook for Q2 2018 was mainly brought about by their expectations of an improvement in peace and order, additional income, availability of more jobs, effective government policies and increase in family savings.

For the next quarter and the year ahead, consumers’ optimism remained generally steady, as the index showed a fractional decline from previous quarter’s survey at 8.7 percent from 8.8 percent and at 23.1 percent from 24 percent, respectively.

“The relatively steady outlook for the next quarter and the year ahead stemmed from the counterbalancing of the number of respondents that reported more positive views on the economy, in anticipation of more jobs and additional income, versus those with negative views due to expectations of higher prices of goods,” the Bangko Sentra said. Julito G. Rada

DOOSAN EXECUTIVES. Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi (second from right) along with Undersecretary Donato Marcos (left) and Assistant Secretary Gerardo Eguiza Jr. (back center) meet with the executives of Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction on June 6, 2018. Doosan is one of the leading producers of nuclear reactors, energy boilers, turbines and generators and other energy equipment worldwide.

Employers’ group supports subsidy of P500 for workers

By Othel V. Campos THE Employers Confederation of the Philippines expressed support to the proposed P500 monthly subsidy for minimum wage earners.

“We have nothing against the proposed subsidy especially if it will be coming from the CCT (conditional cash transfer),” said Ecop acting president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. “Anyway it can just be a re-allocation of the subsidy,” Ortiz-Luis added.

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines earlier proposed the monthly subsidy and conveyed it to President Rodrigo Duterte.

The employers’ group said the proposed wage increase might have took into consideration the current level of inflation and the effects of

rising fuel costs.

“So long as the (wage) hike will not burden employers and small companies, we’re okay with it,” Ecop said.

The Department of Labor is considering the proposal of the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of Philippines to extend the much-needed salary increase of P500 monthly to minimum wage earners.

The labor groups earlier proposed an P800 per day minimum wage nationwide, a suggestion that remains unacceptable to the government and employers’ group “The pain of inflation triggered by a wage hike will worsen the plight of the rest of the wage and salary workers,” Ortiz-Luis said, adding that merely minimum wage earners benefit from any wage adjustment.

The estimated number of minimum

wage earners nationwide stands at 3.2 million, or less than 8 percent of the total Philippine labor force.

The estimated number of minimum wage earners in the National Capital Region stands at 952,485.

The employers’ group said “setting a national minimum wage will greatly impact on enterprises, especially the micro, small, and medium enterprises located in the regions which provide lower minimum wages as compared to the National Capital Region, and will definitely hamper business operations due to the dramatic increase in minimum wage,” Ortiz-Luis said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority said there were 911,768 micro, small and medium enterprises in 2016, broken down as 820,795 (micro), 86,955 (small) and 4,018 (medium).

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018

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F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Ban gko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, June 8, 2018

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

52.4590

Japan

Yen

0.009117

0.4783

UK

Pound

1.342500

70.4262

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127453

6.6861

Switzerland

Franc

1.019992

53.5078

Canada

Dollar

0.771010

40.4464

Singapore

Dollar

0.749850

39.3364

Australia

Dollar

0.762500

40.0000

Bahrain

Dinar

2.650200

139.0268

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266674

13.9895

Brunei

Dollar

0.747049

39.1894

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000072

0.0038

Thailand

Baht

0.031309

1.6424

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

14.2831

Euro

Euro

1.180100

61.9069

Korea

Won

0.000933

0.0489

China

Yuan

0.156419

8.2056

India

Rupee

0.014835

0.7782

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.251572

13.1972

New Zealand

Dollar

0.702600

36.8577

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033594

1.7623

Source: PDS Bridge

DBP posted net income of P1.09b in first quarter STATE-RUN Development Bank of the Philippines, the eighth-largest lender in terms of assets, said Friday net income in the first quarter declined to P1.09 billion from P1.29 billion a year ago, due largely to higher provisioning for credit losses in compliance with new regulations.

DBP president and chief executive Cecilia Borromeo, however, said the bank remained on track to achieve its financial targets this year.

She said the “overall average cost of funds has been on a steady decline while operating costs have been kept to a minimum.”

She said DBP’s gross income rose 9 percent from January to March this year to P5.77 billion from P5.29-billion year-on-year, while net worth grew 3.5 percent to P47.8 billion from the P46.19 billion a year ago.

Total deposits increased 32.5 percent in the first quarter to P428.5 billion from P232.3 billion in the same period last year, due mainly to the opening of new branches in several parts of the country.

Borromeo said DBP would broaden its branch network this year by opening 10 new outlets while expanding its ATM network, which has increased by 81 machines, bringing the bank’s total number of ATMs to 710 nationwide as of May this year.

“We ended the first quarter with 81 more ATMs, which is 40.5 percent of our target of 200 new ATMs this year,” Borromeo said.

“Out of the number, 69 ATMs were installed in provincial sites, in line with our commitment to bring banking services to the underserved areas,” she said.

Borromeo said DBP would aggressively target one million depositors in the next five years, focusing mainly on small depositors residing in underserved areas of the country as part of its advocacy of financial inclusion.

“We want as many Filipinos to have their own deposit accounts, and we would want them to go to DBP, and to trust us as their bank.” she said. Julito G. Rada

Grab claims cancellation rate down 50%

By Darwin G. Amojelar GRAB Philippines said driver cancellations fell 50 percent after the announcement of its campaign to improve overall passenger ride experience and driver behavior and welfare.

Grab country marketing head Cindy Toh said the company registered a 50-percent drop in cancellation rate after its “Better Trips” campaign.

Driver cancellation rate has gone down to 4 percent in May from the 9-percent average in March.

“Our continuous approach towards driver discipline and quality has significantly improved driver performance resulting in a decline in booking cancellations,” Toh said.

Grab also said driver productivity improved due to enhancements on the

driver app allocation system and new features. As a result, full-time drivers are now taking 10 percent more rides on the average per month. This allows the company to serve more passengers despite the current undersupply of cars.

To further motivate drivers, Grab also launched the Ka-Grab Driver Challenge, composed of various categories that allows drivers access to special incentives based on good performance and ratings.

In line with its promise to improve complaint resolution time through an expanded customer experience team, Grab announced that 80 percent of complaints are now resolved within six hours.

Toh said the top passenger complaints were mostly items left in the car and booking cancellations.

ENVIRONMENT DAY. Nickel Asia Corp. marks the 2018 World Environment Day by “plogging”—a term mixing the words jogging and “plocka upp,” a Swedish name for pick up. Units of NAC—Cagdianao Mining in Dinagat Island, Hinatuan Mining and Taganito Mining in Surigao del Norte, Dinapigue Mining in Isabela and Manicani Nickel Project in Eastern Samar—simultaneously jogged while picking up trash on June 5 in celebration of the International Environment Day.

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Business

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks retreat; Ayala Land, Now fall

T

HE stock market declined Friday on profit-taking, in step with the rest of Asia after Wall Street retreated overnight.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 62.57 points, or 0.8 percent, to 7,740.74 on a value turnover of P5.3 billion. Losers beat gainers, 116 to 83, with 41 issues unchanged.

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of assets, dropped 3.1 percent to P80, while major property developer Ayala Land Inc. lost 2.4 percent to P40.80.

Now Corp., which is bidding to be the third major telecommunications firm, slumped 4.9 percent to P9.95. SM Investments Corp. of retail tycoon Henry Sy Sr. slipped 1.4 percent to P917.50.

The rest of Asian markets retreated on Friday at the end of a broadly positive week, with traders turning their attention to a Group of Seven summit that could see world leaders clash with Donald Trump over his latest tariff provocations.

While there remain concerns about a possible trade war and other geopolitical issues, equities have enjoyed a positive run since last Friday’s strong US jobs report that fueled optimism in the global outlook.

The euro has also held on to its latest gains on expectations the European Central Bank will soon start winding down its crisis-era stimulus, while oil added to Thursday’s rally as Venezuela struggles to produce and export.

Japan’s Nikkei ended 0.6 percent down with dealers unmoved by news confirming Japan’s economy shrank for the first time in two years in January-

March.

Hong Kong sank 1.7 percent after a six-day winning run and Shanghai slipped 1.4 percent despite forecastbeating trade data.

Sydney lost 0.2 percent, Singapore was down one percent and Seoul dropped 0.8 percent. Taipei and Jakarta were also sharply lower.

As leaders arrive in Quebec for the G7 meeting, there is talk that Trump could expect some harsh words after he imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada, Mexico and the European Union.

The move has led to retaliatory measures and sparked fears of a global trade war.

“Usually (the G7 summit is) a nonevent for markets but with all the focus on escalating trade tensions amongst long-standing allies, there’s a good reason for investors to be chary as this meeting is unlikely to follow an orderly

arrangement of discussion,” said Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trade at OANDA. “Even more so as Canada and Mexico have retaliated against a range of US exports and the EU has promised to do so as well.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have said they expect tense discussions, while France’s Emmanuel Macron said governments should not be shy about making deals without Washington.

The White House’s stance on environmental issues is also expected to be on the agenda.

However, there is hope over ChinaUS trade talks after they reached a deal allowing Chinese telecoms equipment maker ZTE to pay a $1.4 billion fine instead of being hit by a seven-year ban on selling to US firms. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 59.35 6,140 99.3 676,600 2.99 12,000 137.1 1,537,540 1.65 466,000 34.5 274,600 16.68 39,300 14.76 236,000 3.5 56,000 1.49 8,000 0.55 850,000 80 4,332,540 1.14 4,943,000 11.98 13,000 20 1,500 50.7 149,460 206.8 630 33.1 346,800 200.6 188,310 1,960 150 89 25,790

364,375 67,212,450 35,440 209,719,026 747,750 9,465,155 652,362 3,487,494 196,080 12,220 465,380 348,506,421 5,688,070 156,032 30,040 7,577,059 130,368 11,254,605 37,807,596 293,100 2,295,279.50

302,685 -14,106,220.50 32,450 -10,201,297 311,950 213,396 -2,338,194 -172,096,319 -170,220 4,984 -7,571,994 68,310 435,430 5,473,276 -68,250 -

38.2 13.82 0.6 1.26 19.86 0.223 110 3.2 16.12 255 48.5 24.8 53 61 87.95 1.92 4.8 8.71 10.52 16.02 11.56 7.17 5.26 14.6 61.6 20.65 8.89 15.34 2.2 280.4 51.95 5.02 16.74 26.95 12.22 22.5 332.4 0.187 6.8 2.26 4.35 8.99 5.93 7.7 1.4 12.1 48.45 5.96 4.6 2.31 3.65 1.94 13.12 66.1 5.15 0.136 128.1 2.97 1

INDUSTRIAL 38.2 3,088,700 14.1 506,000 0.62 934,000 1.28 36,000 19.9 20,900 0.223 2,110,000 110 1,250 3.33 7,479,000 16.28 58,300 255 140 50 415,960 25.6 519,400 54 3,670 61 960 87.95 10 1.92 113,000 5.1 5,500 8.71 49,500 10.6 4,057,600 16.12 78,800 11.56 9,200 7.19 355,000 5.44 340,400 14.62 450,800 62 204,430 20.65 480,800 8.94 95,500 15.42 1,033,200 2.3 2,676,000 284 235,220 51.95 330 5.1 25,300 17 1,800 27.05 353,300 12.26 204,000 22.5 1,117,800 338 262,400 0.188 150,000 7 13,200 2.27 152,000 4.49 133,000 9 592,400 5.94 29,600 7.7 86,900 1.41 244,000 12.5 112,700 48.6 599,300 6.1 12,100 4.6 23,000 2.54 1,712,000 3.65 5,000 2.07 569,000 13.14 1,587,400 67 29,880 5.15 325,400 0.136 30,000 131 1,004,050 3.11 19,603,000 1.15 85,637,000

118,417,890 7,120,272 575,700 45,540 415,883 474,670 137,500 24,697,680 945,180 36,358 20,775,277.50 14,198,170 194,760 58,648 879.5 217,420 27,140 438,072 43,787,274 1,272,026 107,018 2,548,371 1,826,319 6,653,268 12,665,019.50 10,376,285 850,062 15,943,568 6,088,850 66,489,594 17,143.50 127,422 31,448 9,551,955 2,506,228 25,437,035 88,627,022 28,160 90,553 347,400 598,620 5,358,035 175,819 672,677 344,140 1,396,564 29,133,600 72,130 105,800 4,178,790 18,250 1,156,620 20,916,644 1,995,731.50 1,690,263 4,080 130,485,739 60,384,730 95,336,900

3,034,965 165,396 99,500 -5,471,510 -937,040 2,927.50 -93,080 175,960 29,250 -480 -362,672 -4,557,308 230,740 16,282 -59,597 604,526.00 -3,269,006 429,297.50 -8,660,545 36,592 1,765,108 -11,230 11,038,290 -1,963,055 212,932 567,605 16,754,566 -66,160 854,290.00 -5,950 -268,637 -485,940 -1,347,250 11,920 105,800 -2,571,352 -27,781.50 -20 61,991,494 -3,783,070 -81,350

0.31 64 13.2 0.95 6.2 0.69 0.7 980 6.4 11.42 7.6 0.197 1,017 60.05 5.6 0.61 4.11 21.3 0.66 5.16 0.038 1.48 3 141.7 926.5 1.66 553 264.4 0.23 0.22

0.285 62.05 12.94 0.94 6.2 0.67 0.68 960 6.22 11.12 7.5 0.197 995 59.05 5.5 0.55 4.05 20.55 0.58 5.01 0.037 1.27 2.95 139.8 907.5 1.61 509 257.8 0.226 0.21

HOLDING FIRMS 0.285 9,920,000 64 650,110 12.98 3,287,000 0.94 93,000 6.2 2,200 0.68 2,954,000 0.69 386,000 966.5 577,810 6.31 8,740,100 11.12 5,933,800 7.5 165,200 0.197 30,000 1,000 277,180 59.35 2,106,360 5.5 1,200 0.56 436,000 4.08 2,122,000 20.55 1,145,400 0.58 4,042,000 5.01 13,295,200 0.037 8,600,000 1.27 10,030,000 2.96 593,000 140 128,510 917.5 134,590 1.65 222,000 553 80 264 3,960 0.23 380,000 0.218 480,000

2,905,400 41,272,298.50 42,713,796 87,460 13,640 2,002,590 266,770 558,227,335 55,150,415 66,368,238 1,240,959 5,910 277,527,772.50 125,088,449 6,620 249,800 8,597,720 23,553,405 2,494,130 67,326,868 318,400 13,106,460 1,760,600 17,995,849 123,590,850 366,630 42,850 1,029,754 86,890 103,420

7.34 1.04 15.4 0.84 41.65 3.38 4.8 6.04 6 0.46 1.03 0.96 0.232 0.43 28.5 0.62 0.119 1.65 1.3 1.18 4.94 0.66 0.435 0.53 2.62

7.18 1.02 15.06 0.8 40.8 3.38 4.75 6 6 0.445 1.02 0.96 0.226 0.425 27.55 0.62 0.119 1.61 1.28 1.1 4.85 0.64 0.43 0.52 2.56

21,016,282 868,040 186,568 916,290 210,201,130 60,840 453,770 180,806 600 24,346,050 42,220 502,080 760,390 221,050 33,759,405 399,900 3,570 3,167,420 481,230 6,092,630 115,792,470 14,718,250 478,550 1,308,070 8,333,220

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

59.35 99.8 2.94 136.5 1.72 34.6 16.5 14.84 3.51 1.59 0.56 81.5 1.2 12.46 20.1 50.7 207 33.9 202 1,950 89

59.35 100.2 2.99 137.1 1.72 34.6 16.7 14.86 3.51 1.59 0.56 81.55 1.21 12.46 20.1 51.35 207 33.9 202.2 1,960 89

58.5 99 2.94 134.2 1.42 34.4 16.5 14.74 3.5 1.49 0.54 80 1.12 11.98 20 50.65 206.8 32 200 1,950 88.95

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS ASIABEST GROUP BASIC ENERGY BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CONCRETE B CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP EMPERADOR ENERGY DEVT FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR LMG CHEMICALS MACAY HLDG 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 SWIFT FOODS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH VULCAN INDL

38.7 14.04 0.61 1.29 20.1 0.228 110 3.26 16.22 262 49.95 24.8 53 61.05 87.95 1.93 4.8 9.2 10.84 16.22 11.8 7.2 5.44 15.02 63.15 22.8 8.9 15.6 2.2 283 51.95 5.02 16.82 27.5 12.46 23 339.8 0.188 6.89 2.3 4.4 9.19 5.95 7.81 1.4 12.4 48.45 5.96 4.6 2.42 3.65 2 13.2 67.35 5.2 0.136 129.8 2.98 1.05

38.7 14.1 0.63 1.3 20.1 0.228 110 3.35 16.28 262 50 30 54 61.2 87.95 1.95 5.1 9.2 10.88 16.22 11.8 7.2 5.44 15.06 63.15 22.8 8.94 15.6 2.3 284 51.95 5.1 17.98 27.5 12.46 23 339.8 0.188 7 2.3 4.56 9.19 5.95 7.81 1.44 12.5 49.15 6.1 4.6 2.57 3.65 2.07 13.3 67.35 5.29 0.136 131.4 3.14 1.18

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

0.31 63.5 13.2 0.94 6.2 0.68 0.7 980 6.22 11.42 7.6 0.197 1,017 60.05 5.6 0.61 4.08 21.3 0.66 5.16 0.037 1.43 2.99 141.6 926.5 1.65 510 261 0.226 0.22

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

7.29 1.04 15.26 0.82 41.6 3.38 4.76 6.04 6 0.45 1.03 0.96 0.229 0.425 28 0.62 0.119 1.65 1.28 1.18 4.89 0.66 0.435 0.53 2.58

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

20.55 2.08 3.28 37.95 1.09 9.87 0.8 6.85

20.55 2.09 3.28 38 1.11 10.32 0.8 6.96

20 2.06 3.25 37.5 1.08 9.84 0.8 6.73

20.35 2.08 3.25 37.7 1.09 9.98 0.8 6.96

2,990,700 174,000 37,000 4,965,600 957,000 539,300 4,000 3,722,900

60,856,845 361,240 120,310 187,303,460 1,039,620 5,421,515 3,200 25,455,767

-31,826,565 74,750 -29,293,815 -23,913 -1,129,843

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE 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 MLA BRDCASTING NOW CORP PAL HLDG PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

15.96 26.5 1.33 0.475 0.045 12.64 4.99 11.4 0.058 87.7 7.56 7.19 2.29 19.34 1,690 5.6 304.2 4 87 13.02 8.22 0.113 1.41 4.14 15.04 4.01 1.13 25.7 4.33 5.52 3 2.9 2.82 17.12 10.48 9.05 123 5.24 1,314 0.99 0.355 47.7 87.8 8.7 2.15 1.27 0.435 4.95 0.84 12.2

15.98 26.5 1.33 0.54 0.045 13 4.99 11.42 0.059 87.7 7.76 7.2 2.3 21.4 1,690 5.6 312 4 87.05 13.02 8.22 0.119 1.73 4.3 15.04 4.2 1.13 25.7 4.33 5.67 3 2.99 3 18.68 10.54 9.05 123 5.24 1,319 1 0.36 47.95 87.8 9.1 2.18 1.27 0.435 5.09 0.86 12.3

15.8 25.8 1.33 0.475 0.045 12.64 4.99 10.98 0.055 86 7.52 6.99 2.29 19 1,623 5.55 304.2 3.83 86.8 13.02 8.2 0.113 1.41 3.9 15.04 3.94 1.06 25.05 4.2 5.52 2.98 2.77 2.75 17.12 9.8 9.05 123 5.1 1,278 0.97 0.355 47.7 87.8 8.7 2.1 1.25 0.425 4.9 0.82 11.92

SERVICES 15.86 26.4 1.33 0.51 0.045 13 4.99 10.98 0.055 87 7.62 7.2 2.29 19.46 1,660 5.58 311.8 3.9 86.95 13.02 8.21 0.117 1.62 3.95 15.04 4.09 1.06 25.35 4.29 5.52 2.98 2.86 2.86 17.12 9.95 9.05 123 5.2 1,319 0.97 0.36 47.9 87.8 9 2.11 1.27 0.43 5.02 0.84 11.96

4,900 21,200 21,000 56,130,000 1,700,000 5,700 1,000 5,901,300 10,340,000 151,350 1,218,100 120,300 13,000 386,100 34,240 198,000 3,950 498,000 2,069,550 5,000 12,100 10,000,000 11,711,000 945,000 1,800 1,872,000 1,017,000 1,161,100 54,000 4,243,200 864,000 3,439,000 173,000 1,700 14,088,400 900 190 385,600 48,110 5,191,000 170,000 645,900 103,800 544,800 1,413,000 597,000 4,500,000 8,078,000 3,702,000 5,356,000

78,048 557,175 27,930 28,739,300 76,500 72,264 4,990 65,938,308 578,320 13,176,839.50 9,303,483 863,366 29,790 7,728,385 56,834,345 1,103,463 1,227,282 1,950,960 180,016,334 65,100 99,322 1,164,180 18,806,040 3,775,370 27,072 7,564,780 1,098,320 29,303,460 233,030 23,516,022 2,581,520 9,800,060 489,100 30,820 141,209,204 8,145 23,370 1,986,488 62,649,865 5,093,820 60,850 30,937,190 9,113,640 4,880,110 2,990,820 752,280 1,939,150 40,450,740 3,145,780 65,026,698

7,980 38,700 -21,668,112 -5,951,810 -56,400 743,727 -58,380 -6,007,725 66,550 -13,270,112.00 23,200 -45,680 10,620 699,170 -1,695 80 -12,410,315 -134,200 281,979.00 6,025,320 -438,960 19,427,755 110,628 -71,781 -550,660 -9,579,810.00 13,740,506

665,000 2,917,020 88,220 38,976,950 1,450 774,600 728 26,459,740 351,730 188,360 25,800 664,330 3,991,760 121,610 34,200 98,200 110,600 2,050 143,860 9,408,984 88,614,625

-48,000 -4,450 -383,435 -1,450 -22,800,000.00 -128,190 1,100 -418,090 -73,213,925

MS

PROPERTY 7.34 1.03 15.3 0.82 40.8 3.38 4.79 6 6 0.46 1.02 0.96 0.232 0.425 27.9 0.62 0.119 1.65 1.29 1.1 4.9 0.65 0.43 0.52 2.6

2,909,300 844,000 12,300 1,117,000 5,100,200 18,000 95,000 30,100 100 53,520,000 41,000 523,000 3,330,000 520,000 1,204,800 645,000 30,000 1,938,000 373,000 5,424,000 23,642,000 22,732,000 1,110,000 2,508,000 3,219,000

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

0.0028 1.6 4.41 35 1.45 1.69 7.28 2.31 0.191 0.134 0.0086 1.57 5.05 1.1 0.9 0.012 0.012 2.05 5.31 13 30.55

0.0029 1.62 4.48 43 1.45 1.7 7.28 2.31 0.198 0.136 0.0086 1.57 5.05 1.14 0.9 0.013 0.012 2.05 5.48 13.38 30.55

0.0027 1.59 4.4 28.7 1.45 1.68 7.28 2.28 0.185 0.134 0.0086 1.52 4.89 1.07 0.9 0.012 0.011 2.05 5.3 12.84 29.75

MINING & OIL 0.0027 239,000,000 1.6 1,829,000 4.48 20,000 28.7 1,096,100 1.45 1,000 1.69 457,000 7.28 100 2.3 11,595,000 0.195 1,850,000 0.136 1,390,000 0.0086 3,000,000 1.52 432,000 5.04 795,000 1.12 110,000 0.9 38,000 0.013 7,700,000 0.012 9,500,000 2.05 1,000 5.3 27,100 13.04 721,000 30 2,953,900

59,000 -1,471,879 -1,837,998 97,640 -166,594,180 -34,581,730 -22,264,150 210,316 -45,555,210 9,150,107.50 -199,980.00 -22,089,055 -4,880 -32,435,967 112,480 -1,497,834.00 -14,373,145 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PNX PREF 3A SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2I

25.1 493 512 101.1 101 109 515 5.4 966.5 974 100.2 1.05 103 1,021 102.3 970 77 79.9 76.7 76

25.5 499 512 101.1 101 109 515 5.4 966.5 974 100.2 1.07 103 1,021 102.8 970 77 79.9 76.7 76

25.1 493 508 101.1 101 109 515 5.4 961 970 100 1.05 103 1,021 102 970 77 79.85 76.7 76

PREFERRED 25.1 832,500 499 1,040 508 110 101.1 1,000 101 30 109 40,000 515 1,100 5.4 4,000 961 22,430 970 15,000 100 160 1.07 73,000 103 210 1,021 700 102.8 7,720 970 9,100 77 450 79.85 50 76.7 16,450 76 5,600

20,900,945 512,960 55,920 101,100 3,030 4,360,000 566,500 21,600 21,555,690 14,550,080 16,012 77,910 21,630 714,700 793,209 8,827,000 34,650 3,993.50 1,261,715 425,600

-12,525 -

LR WARRANT

2.48

2.5

2.38

WARRANTS 2.48 265,000

640,290

-

ITALPINAS XURPAS

5.12 3.25

5.14 3.36

5.04 3.25

5.12 3.28

2,406,214 3,141,460

7,191 46,190

FIRST METRO ETF

115

115.7

115

501,678

19,618

-559,444 -26,405,005 -120,000 -584,350 -52,270 -14,879,085 1,187,210 29,900 52,780 29,528,810 144,950 -64,500 -437,840 -

USD DMPL A1 USD TECH B2

10 1.02

10 1.02

10 1.02

103,100 102,000

-

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

15,374,851

INDUSTRIAL

140,150,418

HOLDING FIRMS

77,510,141

PROPERTY

146,562,067

SERVICES

160,756,207

MINING & OIL

285,041,319

GRAND TOTAL

826,821,064

SME

470,900 950,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 115.4 4,350 10 1.02

DDS

10,310 100,000

VALUE 1,925.89 (down) 16.60 836,637,875.96 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,865.4 (down) 7.80 863,713,331.26 HOLDING FIRMS 7,664.86 (down) 87.10 1,639,774,923.93 PROPERTY 3,804.22 (down) 43.70 1,502.77 (up) 3.17 792,418,062.07 SERVICES MINING & OIL 10,195.13 (down) 48.88 890,747,423.38 PSEI 7,740.74 (down) 62.57 250,189,242.176 All Shares Index 4,690.10 (down) 33.76 5,279,533,073.22 Gainers: 83; Losers: 116; Unchanged: 41; Total: 240

Robinsons Bank plans P5b worth of LTNCTDs to fund expansion

By Jenniffer B. Austria ROBINSONS Bank., the banking unit of JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group, is raising P5 billion from the issuance of Long Term Negotiable Certificate of Time Deposits.

Robinsons Bank said in a disclosure to Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. it obtained approval from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to issue up to P5 billion in LTNCTDs. The LTNCTDs will have a tenor of at least five years with a fixed interest rate to be determined prior to the launch date. The minimum investment is P50,000 with increments of P10,000.

The bank will use proceeds from the fund raising activity to support business expansion plans and diversify the maturity profile of funding sources.

ING Bank is the sole lead arranger and selling agent, along with Robinsons Bank.

JG Summit last month announced a P3-billion recapitalization plan for Robinsons Bank to support the company’s expansion.

JG Summit plans to put in P1.8 billion into the bank, while Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc., the retail holding company of the Gokongwei family, will invest another P1.2 billion.

The P3-billion capital infusion will enable the bank to meet the P15-billion minimum capital required by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in operating a network of over 100 branches.

Robinsons Bank in 2017 posted a net income P310 million, up 20 percent from P260 million in 2016, while revenues jumped 31 percent to P4.5 billion from P3.4 billion a year ago.

Robinsons Bank operateed 146 branches and 248 automated teller machines nationwide as of the end of 2017.

JG Summing owns 60 percent of the bank while RHHI holds the balance.

Globe launches bid to rehabilitate Boracay Island GLOBE Telecom Inc. has launched long-term conservation and sustainability plan for Boracay Island, starting with its initiatives to help address untreated sewage that is causing pollution into the waters of the island.

Globe executives recently signed an agreement with key leaders of Manila Water Foundation and Boracay Island Water Company (Boracay Water) for the donation of a communal septic tank in Sitio Ilaya, Balabag, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan.

Globe and its partners will also provide 8,000 packs of Vigormin— a low-cost, organic solution to boost the removal rate of organic pollutants in septic tanks for improved quality of used water—to over 4,000 households in Boracay.

“I am very happy Globe came to us and asked what we can do. Because of our ties with Globe and Boracay Water, we sat down one afternoon and shared some ideas. In Boracay, there are low-lying areas that sewer lines cannot reach,” Manila Water Foundation president Geodino Carpio said. “This initiative will help ensure homeowners and tourists in Boracay will have a safe and decent place to stay in.”

While the country’s top tourist draw is being closed from tourists for six months, Globe, along with partners, is drumming up its efforts to help the government rehabilitate the island.

“Boracay has always been very close to the hearts of every Filipino.

Recently, it became the center of everyone’s attention. As Filipino citizens, it is our responsibility to help out and contribute in our shared purpose to rehabilitate Boracay. Beyond business, we will help make the island a safe and sustainable ecotourism destination through replicable and scalable solutions” Globe senior vice president for consumer mobile Bbsiness Issa Cabreira said.

World

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018

B3

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

MILITARY PARADE. Syrian rebel fighters sit behind deployed machine guns during a military parade near the southern city of Daraa, with a surface-to-surface missile seen on a vehicle in the background. AFP

Trump diplomacy faces summit test QUEBEC CITY―President Donald Trump embarks Friday on four days of summitry that could tip the world toward trade war or nuclear peace, and perhaps show whether he is in fact a deal maker extraordinaire or one-man wrecking ball.

The US president kicks off with a twoday sojourn at Chateau in the rolling Quebec countryside, which would be nice were fellow G7 leaders not furious over his rash of protectionist trade sanctions.

Once that is out of the way, he jets on to Singapore for a landmark summit with Kim Jong Un to discuss the equally difficult issue of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

The topics may be very different but the stakes are equally high―on one hand the prospect of tit-for-tat sanctions that could hobble the global economy, on the other a nuclear standoff with the bellicose North Korean regime.

And both meetings were framed almost entirely by Trumpian bluster―a bareknuckle attitude toward confronting even the closest of allies, and a threat that if North Korea does not abandon its nukes, Pyongyang will be bombed out of existence.

In his first year and a half in office, Trump has approached diplomacy as a blood sport, warning interlocutors, whether friend or foe, to capitulate or suffer the consequences.

The 71-year-old businessman has repeatedly demanded “big”―declaring stark ultimatums and broad-stroke threats in the way most politicos dole out platitudes.

As Trump prepared to depart Washington his aides touted that as a feature, not a bug, hailing what they called “500 days of winning on the world stage.” AFP

US allies set for Trump showdown

Q

UEBEC CITY― America’s closest allies braced for a showdown with President Donald Trump at the G7 summit Friday, as anger at being slapped with trade tariffs by their most powerful member threatened to split the club.

Four days before Trump’s ice-breaking summit with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, the US president can expect a far chillier reception when he hops across the border to Canada for a meeting of the world’s richest industrialized nations.

Much of his fellow members’ anger stems from Trump’s recent imposition of tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, but relations had already been soured by the US pullout from an international climate accord and a deal designed to contain Iran’s nuclear program.

While the Trump administration has characterized their rift as a family quarrel,

his fellow leaders appear to be itching for a fight with a US president―the G7’s traditional patriarch―during the two-day summit in the Canadian countryside.

Trump himself is expected to be the last leader to arrive at the Group of Seven to arrive in French-speaking Quebec, trailing his counterparts from Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Japan as well as the host Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

And the White House confirmed that he would be the first to leave, flying out at 10:30am (1430 GMT) on Saturday.

Barely 500 days into his presidency, Trump has developed a knack for alienating his fellow leaders while pursuing his

Xi and Putin meet as tensions persist BEIJING―Chinese President Xi Jinping treated his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to a state visit on Friday as the neighboring giants forge closer ties in the face of US diplomatic and economic challenges.

Putin, re-elected to his fourth Kremlin term in March, arrived at the grandiose Great Hall of the People in Beijing for talks with Xi, who could stay in power for life after the term limits were lifted this year.

The two heads of state reviewed a military honor guard and greeted flagwaving children during the welcoming ceremony before retreating into the vast building.

The most powerful Russian and Chinese leaders in decades, Xi and Putin have built closer ties while US President Donald Trump has labeled both countries as economic rivals that challenge US interests and values.

Xi and Putin are “soul mates who want to make their countries great again”, Alexander Gabuev, senior fellow at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told AFP. AFP

N. Korea’s summit bill: Who’s paying?

SINGAPORE―North Korea has a habit of making others pick up its overseas travel tabs, and experts say either Singapore or South Korea is likely to get stuck with an eye-watering bill for next week’s historic North-US summit in a luxury resort.

Preparations are in full swing for the June 12 meeting on an island off Singapore, with the authorities readying to lock down the city-state.

Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump are reportedly set to stay at pricey hotels―although sanctions-hit Pyongyang will almost certainly not pay its own way.

“Pyongyang has been conditioned to expect others to pay for any ‘diplomatic outreach’ the reclusive regime makes,” SungYoon Lee, a Korea expert at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, told AFP. Singapore’s Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said at the weekend that the wealthy city-state was willing to bear some costs to play their part in the “historic meeting”.

Those costs could be quite significant.

Even by expensive Singapore’s standards, the hotels reportedly under consideration to host Kim and his team would leave the average wallet a lot lighter.

The five-star Fullerton Hotel, an imposing building on Singapore’s waterfront dating back to the British colonial era, has a $6,000-a-night presidential suite that may appeal to the young leader’s penchant for luxury.

“America First” foreign policy, a pushback against a global trade system which he sees as working against US interests.

Even Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron―who have both previously shown a willingness to swallow their differences with Trump―have voiced their willingness to cut the US adrift if they cannot reach some kind of consensus at the summit.

“The American President may not mind being isolated, but neither do we mind signing a six country agreement if need be,” Macron said in a tweet on Thursday amid warnings that the summit may end without a joint statement from all G7 members. AFP

FIRST CABINET MEETING. Spanish minister of industry Reyes Maroto (C) and the rest of the new ministers attend the new socialist government’s first cabinet meeting at La Moncloa palace in Madrid. AFP

Hong Kong education turns into a political battleground HONG KONG―The culling of key phrases from a history textbook and a push to instill Chinese national identity in students has raised fresh concerns that education in Hong Kong is under pressure from Beijing, as it seeks to stamp out any hint of pro-independence sentiment.

Student-led protests demanding democratic reform for semi-autonomous Hong

Kong and the emergence of an independence movement have posed an unprecedented challenge to Chinese authorities in recent years.

To quell youth rebellion, officials on both sides of the border are emphasizing the need for students in the city to learn more about mainland history and to understand Hong Kong in a national context.

But critics accuse the government and

Beijing of “brainwashing”.

The blacklisting last month of commonly used terms in a school textbook raised questions about whether history was being rewritten altogether.

“Our concern is about whether there is direct interference or if there is any self-censorship involved,” Ip Kin-yuen, lawmaker for the education sector and a democracy advocate, told AFP. AFP

Tempers fray, fists fly in India’s daily battle for water NEW DELHI―When the water truck finally chugged into the Delhi slum, there was a stampede. It is a scene repeated daily across India as temperatures rise and the vital resource gets ever scarcer.

Young men clambered onto the roof and jammed a tangle of multi-colored hose pipes inside, passing the other ends to friends waiting with containers in the shouting crowd below.

All 10,000 liters were gone in min-

utes, lugged away in jerry cans and buckets dangling on bike handlebars. As the lorry left, people ran after it, desperate for any last drops.

“It’s a real battle, every man for himself,” Raj Kumari, one of dozens of people in the Sanjay Camp slum who wait hours for this brutal daily ritual, told AFP. “There are fights and arguments, even injuries,” the young woman said. “We

have to get [our containers] filled even if someone gets crushed or loses an arm or leg.”

No one was hurt this time but injuries are common and anger is growing at the authorities.

Earlier this year a 60-year-old man and his student son died in the capital after scuffles over a water tanker, reports said, prompting protests by hundreds of angry locals. AFP

Ortega, bishops discuss violence MANAGUA―Nicaragua’s Catholic bishops on Thursday met with President Daniel Ortega over reviving the stalled talks to quell a political crisis that rights groups say has left 134 people dead but emerged from the closed-door meeting without a formal plan to head back to the negotiating table.

Ortega requested a “period of reflection” to consider a proposal from the Nicaraguan Episcopal Conference (CEN), which said the bishops had presented “the pain and anguish of people who have suffered in recent weeks” during the “frank and sincere meeting.”

The CEN did not elaborate on the details of its plan, but in a statement said it “reflects the feelings of many sectors of Nicaraguan society” and was awaiting a reaction from Ortega, whose leftist administration is linked to the bloody unrest.

Silvio Jose Baez, the auxiliary bishop of Managua, said Ortega “asked us for a period of reflection to give us an answer, which we asked he give us in writing”―after which they will consider the feasibility of renewed negotiations. AFP

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

B4

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018

Lyrical bandbox of serviced apartments in Makati

‘PLAYFUL INTERIORS. Alveo introduces a new model unit design for the Portico. In partnership with Modernbrands Inc., the one-bedroom unit shown here is designed by Per Weiss, creative director of Innovation Living Denmark. Weiss’ design focuses on flexibility, and showcases a ‘playful’ concept of enlarging condo spaces by combining form and function.

VIP TREATMENT. A new lounge for guests opting for a recharge. Expect an all-day concierge, as well as a ‘happy hour”, small buffet, and an outdoor barbecue during the early evenings.

IN THE heart of Makati City is a premier serviced residence address, Ascott Makati.

The property is built into the edifice of Makati’s largest shopping complex, Ayala Center, which is replete with dining and entertainment options, and a stone’s throw from the country’s major corporate offices. Everything is within walking distance, and the nightlife is incomparable.

Enjoying a rebirth The newly renovated apartments and facilities at this establishment sets the benchmark for luxury living in the city. Two years ago, the 362-unit Ascott Makati was completely revamped.

The apartments at Ascott Makati now feature expansive living and dining areas, designer interior, new furnishings with plush fabrics in soft neutral colours and rich blue tones, lavish fittings, fullyequipped kitchens with new appliances, home entertainment systems and wireless internet connection. Guests can choose from a range of elegantly designed studio, one- to three-bedroom apartments as well as three penthouses that come with a balcony. Some of the apartments also have floor to ceiling windows with breathtaking views of the city.

Main hook Renovations have more advantages over building a brand-new hotel. Taking

something dated and giving it a new look and feel, while maintaining the clientele and the trademark, is a winwin, especially if done right. Ascott Makati’s main hook is its employees who consistently provide superior customer service experiences to each guest. Couple that with new and improved aesthetics and facilities.

For example, there is now an executive lounge for VIP guests, and a premiere food and beverage venue operated by Myron’s.

All 362 suites, regardless of size, are bright and open. The bleached wood floors give each room a warm and cozy feel. Color splashes of teal and bronze on a white backdrop give off a very ethereal and inviting tone.

Ascott Makati also offers facilities for guests to relax and recharge, as well as sustain their health and fitness routines. An outdoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, tennis court and a fully equipped fitness gym are available.

Indeed, making guests feel pampered in an atmosphere that is both intimate and indulgent is what the Ascott brand is known for.

The Ascott Limited has three awardwinning serviced residence brands, with more than 290 properties in 100 cities, spanning more than 25 countries in four continents.

Urban courtyard living

TALE OF TWO TOWERS. Alveo Land COO Rufino Gutierrez and Anton Sanchez, general manager for north operations, inspect a scale model of the Sandstone and Travertine.

A

LVEO Land’s Portico, a 3.6-hectare mixed-use condominium complex combining high-rise residences and townhouses with a retail development, recently bagged key plums at the 2018 PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards.

These were the Best High-End Condo Development in Metro Manila, and Best Residential High-Rise Development (Philippines).

“Portico is Alveo Land’s first development in Ortigas, introducing an ideal living experience that’s easy, seamless, and interconnected,” said Rufino S. Gutierrez, Alveo Land’s COO, at a recent press briefing.

P10B development “It has a classic and contemporary

design with vertical and townhouse residences, quaint shopping and dining experiences, and green open spaces that form a refreshing retreat away from the buzz of nearby business districts,” he explained.

Gutierrez added that the P10 billion development, combining two

residential towers (the Sandstone and Travertine), as well as its townhouse cluster (the Brownstone Villas and a townhouse cluster), connects easily to other CBDs like Makati, BGC and even Vertis North in QC via C5, EDSA, Shaw Boulevard and Ortigas Avenue.

He pointed to recent infrastructure developments such as the BGCOrtigas Link and the Mega Manila subway that will further strengthen links to these key locations, making Portico’s address more appealing.

Varied living spaces The Sandstone is a 43-storey structure with a high-glass ratio façade, and only 11 units per floor.

The Travertine is a 45-storey residence offering more varied living spaces.

Portico has studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units, with unit sizes ranging from 30 to 130 sqm.

About 65% of the district will be allocated for lush landscapes, foot paths and pet-friendly elements, Gutierrez revealed.

Still “quite a steal” The Alveo COO pointed out that the development’s prices are still “quite a steal”, but as the Portico’s amenities start taking root, unit prices for both the towers and townhouses will naturally go up.

“Prices in the area are still good at P180 per square meter compared to P220 to P240 per square meter in BGC,” he said. “The Portico will be patterned after Serendra, with similar densities, open spaces and walkable communities.”

HARMONIOUS BALANCE. Mixed media art and bright interior design concepts give many a guest a reason for the odd selfie. The interiors are credited to Manny Samson and Associates.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOWN SOUTH. Calmar Land Development Corporation (CLDC), one of the more aggressive developers in Southern Luzon, is pressing forward with its current home developments in the region in time for its 30th year.

Established in 1989, CLDC has more than 20 residential projects and close to 500 hectares of land developed and set for further development or expansion in Quezon, Batangas and Laguna area. “As we open new projects and new phases in current projects, our commitment to remain relevant to the market, remains,” said Raymundo Alonso, chief operating officer of CLDC. The company recently launched the Promesa project in Pila, Laguna (Seen in photo), geared to provide more affordable house and lot packages for starting, or small families. Promesa Pila offers townhouses and duplex types, which can be availed either as a Family Starter or Complete Series. Promesa projects feature mixed use commercial and residential spaces, and amenities that homeowners can enjoy.

Homes in a Promesa project start at Php 900,000.00 to around Php 1.5 million, and are available through Pag-IBIG financing.

SUBIC COMMUNITIES BENEFIT FROM SEAWEED FARMING

P2.5 B REVENUE FROM STORAGE. Property developer Anchor Land recently broke ground for Juan Luna Logistics in Binondo, Manila, its fifth warehousing facility. “Anchor Land continues to be a proactive business partner of local entrepreneurs in building and strengthening their respective businesses by providing efficient solutions to their logistical requirements,” said Anchor Land CEO Steve Li said. Juan Luna Logistics is a modern storage building that offers spacious units with a density of only eight (8) units per floor. Catering to local entrepreneurs who are engaged in wholesale trade, the 29-storey building will be located in front of 168 Shopping Mall, one of the most popular wholesale shopping centers in Divisoria.

The company expects to generate P2.5 billion in revenues for this facility. At the ceremony were (from left) Engr. Jimmy Chua and Arch. Ivie Malibiran of Anchor Land; Asya Design partner project-in-charge Joana Raguin; Engr. John Paul Carrrillo and Jason Li of Anchor Land; Hypro Construction president Apollo Dionisio; Asya design partner design supervisor Louie Miranda; and Hypro Construction Engr. Michael Molina and Engr.Salvy Sebial.

Redondo Peninsula Energy, Inc. (RP Energy) recently partnered with the private and public sectors for a seaweed farming project that will benefit two barangays in the province. The memorandum of understanding with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 3, fisherfolk group Subic Bay Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Fisherfolk Association (SBIFARMFA), and Farm Capital Corporation, the company behind the brand Weedera. The collaboration involves the set-up of two pilot seaweed nurseries in Barangay Cawag and Barangay Matain in Subic. These nurseries will later expand into seaweed farms. RP Energy facilitated the establishment of the seaweed nurseries. The company is also responsible for the social preparation and coordination with the two beneficiary organizations of the project, the Parola Fisherfolk Neighborhood Association (PAFNA), and Samahan at Ugnayan ng Mangingisda sa Matain (SUMAMA) of Subic. At the signing of the MOU were Weedera president Neil Huele; RP Energy president Angelito Lantin; SBIFARMFA representative Reynaldo Miranda; and BFAR regional seaweed coordinator Marlon Alejandro. Also present were Meralco PowerGen’s VP Litz Santana;, Sitio Parola leader Crystalyn Reyes; and RP Energy CSR officer Jason Gavina.

Life

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

travel and leisure

@MstandardLIFe

You’re free to relax

C1

saturday, june 9, 2018

Independence Day staycation suggestions F Ree yourself from work and worries, and experience the freedom of a relaxing getaway at these premier hotels which offer deluxe amenities, fun activities, and discounted room rates in celebration of the Philippines’ 119th Independence day.

Suite escape in Ortigas

take advantage of the remaining sunny days and gather up the gang or the whole family for a relaxing staycation at discovery suites Ortigas.

For P4,000++ per night in a Junior suite, or P4,500++ in a One-Bedroom suite, or P6,875++ in a two-Bedroom suite, or P8,525++ in a three-Bedroom suite, you can put your feet up, relax in your posh room, indulge in a buffet breakfast at Restaurant 5, and get access to high-speed Internet connection for multiple devices, indoor pool, fitness center, and children’s playroom.

Maximum of two children, 12 years old and below, may stay with their family free of charge. My discovery elite members get an additional 5 percent discount. travel period is from today until december 30.

Call (02) 719-8888 for inquiries and reservations.

Relax in your very own suite right in the heart of a central business district at Discovery Suites Ortigas.

Café Ilang-Ilang will serve a sumptuous buffet spread with a side of cultural dance performances on June 12.

Grand festivities at The Grand Dame Celebrate all the wonderful things about being a Filipino at no less than the country’s pride, the Manila Hotel. the 105-year-old five-star hotel celebrates the Philippines’ 119th Independence day with sumptuous gustatory offerings: a special lunch (P2,600 nett) and dinner (P 2,995 nett) buffet spread will be served at the famed all-day dining restaurant, Café IlangIlang on June 12. the Manila Hotel’s food and beverage team has specially prepared a prime roasted calf, which will be the piece de resistance for lunch and dinner at Cafe Ilang-Ilang, in commemoration of Philippine Independence day. the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant also offers cuisines of the world, including Filipino, Mediterranean, european, Pan-Asian, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Halal, and a wide array of mouthwatering desserts. to fully imbibe the spirit of Philippine Independence day, the Centro escolar University dance troupe will regale dining guests for lunch at Cafe Ilang-Ilang and at the lobby stage, with special cultural dance performances, highlighting traditional Philippine folk dances.

In addition, the Manila Hotel team will be garbed in traditional Filipiniana to add to the splendour of the Philippine Independence day celebration.

Call (02) 527-0011 extension 1261 to 1264 for inquiries and reservations.

Take a break from the stress and pollution in your room with a view at Discovery Country Suites in Tagaytay.

Cool down in Tagaytay savor the cool breeze of tagaytay in discovery Country suites’ tastefully-designed rooms and lovely backyard overlooking taal lake.

Rates start at P5,625++ per night for a deluxe suite and P6,975++ for a Premier suite, inclusive of country breakfast for two at Restaurant Verbena, Internet access, wine and cheese for two at sundown, plus milk and cookies for two at turndown.

Families can be together in one room as maximum of two children, 12 years old and below, may stay with their family free of charge using existing bedding. An additional surcharge of P2,000++ applies for weekend stays.

My discovery elite members also get an additional 5 percent discount. travel period is from June 10 to december 20.

Call (02) 529-8172 for inquiries and reservations.

mercury rising

By BoB zozoBrado

Binondo’s big surprise

The Blulane Hotel’s majestic stairway from the lobby to the mezzanine

My eldest son is a “man about town,” much like myself, when I was still his age. He runs his own marketing consultancy, Brandish (more info at www.getbrandished.com) and makes it a point to try new things, go to new places, and do new activities that he reads about in the papers.

Just the other day, he came home raving about a new destination right in the heart of old Manila—Binondo. He told me that I should make it a point to visit this newly opened world-class accommodation near Chinatown because I would enjoy myself there. He knows me and what I want, and I trust him, so I’ll visit the place soon.

In fact, let me share with you my son’s detailed account of his experience at the Blulane Hotel, chronicled in his blog which may be accessed through his website. this is now my eldest son, Juan Carlos lobregat Zozobrado, talking:

Some of the hotel’s sought after Chinese culinary treats

Just a few minutes from the world’s oldest Chinatown in Binondo, I discovered modern luxury in true Hong Kong style. side-by-side with the local Filipino-Chinese stores and the lovely intricate pagodas and arches is the Blulane Hotel and its 17-story wonder that brings together the classic Binondo feel and the vibrance of today’s glamorous hospitality establishments.

located in close proximity to Old Manila’s renowned tourist landmarks, the hotel was established primarily to cater to the whims of local businessmen and foreign visitors, as well as those of domestic tourists. It provides guests with that exceptional mix of world-class service and state-of-the-art facilities for a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

Turn to C2

Life

C2

saturday, june 9, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Shopping in Singapore

Shop till you drop during the Great Singapore Sale happening today until August 12.

This luggage lets you bring back more

s

InGAPoRE is recognized for its two seasons: summer and shopping.

In fact, surveys reveal that, despite its small size, it is one of the most popular destinations visited in the Asia Pacific.

According to the Mastercard Future of outbound travel in Asia Pacific (20162021) Report, international outbound travels by Filipinos are estimated at 3.4 million trips in 2016 and are forecasted to grow by an average of 4.4 percent per year to reach 4.3 million trips in 2021.

More visitors are expected to flock to the Lion city for the Great singapore sale which started on June 8 and will run until August 12.

Love shopping? Here’s where you can snag the trendiest finds at irresistible prices, plus more amazing perks when Head over to Sentosa Island for some serious shopping via the Singapore Cable Car which you use Mastercard. allows you to enjoy the lovely sights of the Lion City.

shop at the glitzy orchard road

Known as Asia’s most famous shopping street, orchard Road covers 2.2 kilometers of luxury brands, homegrown labels, and trendy high-street fashion collections. Pedder on scotts is where you can score 100 brands for footwear and accessories, while the iconic tAnGs— — orchard rchard Road’s first department store—boasts a vast collection of clothing items from international labels and local brands such as Aijek, Max tan, In Good company, ompany, and carrie K. For a minimum spend of sGD350 on your Master-card, you’ll receive sGD20 worth of Ion orchard shopping vouchers. You can also get a 30 percent off on your stay at Holiday Inn orchard Road when you book in advance.

sories, and collectibles centered on superman, Batman, wonder woman, the Flash, Green Lantern, and more.

After all that shopping, sit back and relax with a glass of wine. For a minimum spend of sGD120 on your Mastercard when Despite its smal Singapore is on l size, most popular de e of the stinations in the Asia Paci fic.

shop for last-minute souvenirs at changi Airport

shop for the family at Vivo city

singapore’s largest retail and lifestyle destination offers a plethora of options for the whole family. Vivo city ity is home to a series of artworks, an open playground for kids, and a rooftop amphitheater. stock up on the latest fun and stylish outfits for the young ones at Avenue Kids, then grab some haute coutureinspired pieces from Australian retail brand Forever new. comic book lovers will revel in Dc comics superheroes, a retail concept featuring clothes, acces-

Asia’s favorite playground, Resorts world sentosa, home to over 45 retail outlets, is in the heart of sentosa Island. It’s an absolute shopping paradise with specialty stores like Hershey’s chocolate world, luxury designer brands, high-end home furnishings, and so much more.

Mastercard makes the most out of your stay on sentosa Island by giving up to 20 percent off on dining attrac outlets, spas, and world-class attractions including iFly singapore, Madame tussauds singapore, sentosa 4D Adventureland, and more. You also pack get special offers on admission packages and annual passes to Universal studios singapore, s.E.A. Aquarium, and Adventure cove waterpark, so you’ll have exciting experiences to look forward to all year.

dining at Putien or tungLok, t enjoy a complimentary bottle of red or white wine.

shop for collectibles and unwind on sentosa island

singapore’s premier island resort getaway brims with spa retreats, lush rainforests, beaches, and shopping choices.

A Well-deserved Massage. once you’ve checked in to your room, you might want to treat yourself to a relaxing, rejuvenating massage at the spa on the 16th floor. on that level, you’ll definitely feel closer to heaven, like I was, with any of the swedish, shiatsu, or the other spa services. I certainly decided to pamper myself with a massage, to live a little, and enjoy a long-deserved “me” time.

Forgot something? complete your shopping list right before you head home at changi Airport where you’ll find over 350 stores of luxury goods and necessities.

Enjoy 10 percent off when you use Mastercard at so chocolate, the largest Master confectionery store of its kind offering popular classics like toblerone, KitKat, and Hershey’s, as well as premium brands including Godiva and Valrhona.

Get your niece or nephew a new backpack or character-themed utensils for school from the Little shop. For travel needs like handbags and luggage accessories, make a stop at trunk and co so you can avail up to 10 percent off on regular-priced items.

raoke staples to rid myself of the blues. the smiling bartender was ready to From C1 whip up a surprise mix for me which, he said, could wash out anybody’s worBut, why did I have so much fun at ries and troubles away. It did. the Blulane Hotel? First things first. of course, the hotel’s crowd drawer is what does one do in such a place? Here its array of delicious culinary treats that are some of the things I did which you chinese cuisine is known for, courtesy might also want to put at the top of your of the Hong Kong chefs. they have this to-do list, after you have checked in: unique combination of Roast Duck with The Staircase Selfie. the Japanese Maki, which was so moment I walked into the hotel, good, I couldn’t get enough I was greeted by the warm and of it. And, their Dong Po Pork YOUR wEEkENd CHUCkLE smiling staff. then I received with steamed Buns made it an even warmer welcome from very difficult for me to have I’ve often wondered: If one synchronized swimmer the majestic staircase which just one piece. seafood lovers drowns, do the rest drown, too? takes one to the Mezzanine. will drool over the Fried crabs whether you’re a business exbasted with salt and pepper. ecutive, a “staycationer,” or I really like the Blulane Hoa millennial on the loose, the tel and its warm and friendly urge to take that mandatory photo with Cozy Up to Your Bed. After the cheongsam-clad staff who treats each the hotel’s grand staircase will be irre- “life-changing” massage, you will want guest like family. My overall impression sistible. I think I snapped quite a number to snuggle up in your room and enjoy its of the hotel is one that provides an atmosof shots right there. amenities, being your refuge from life’s phere filled with the world-famous FilipiSatisfy Your Sweet Tooth. If you pressures and stressors. I enjoyed the no hospitality, coupled with an authentic fancy dessert and other sweet treats, calming and culturally-rich view of the Chinoy touch. the coffee shop is just a few steps Binondo cityscape, where the chinese More information on the Blulane away from the grand staircase. You will pagodas and arches blend with its mod- Hotel may be obtained from (02) 777surely find a quick excuse to break that ern high rises.

2258 or through reservations@theblustrict diet once your eyes spot those Sing Your Heart Out. After a little lanehotel.com I’m glad I discovered scrumptious confectionery treats. I’m rest inside my well-designed room, I Binondo’s new surprise! sure you’ll get tempted easily, like I decided to make it a Videoke night and was, by their best-selling Mango Roy- trotted off to the penthouse on the 17th For feedback, I’m at ale and their chocolate Fudge Brownie. floor. I tackled all the classics and kabobzozobrado@gmail.com.

Binondo’s...

GLoBAL luggage brand American tourister recently launched its curio line, the luggage that lets travelers “Bring Back More” from their journeys, at sM Makati. this latest line of luggage is made for millennial travelers who are always on the hunt for exciting stories and authentic travel experiences. these globetrotters bring home not only memories, but tokens of a life lived to the fullest.

American tourister tapped fivetime Ballon D’or winner cristiano Ronaldo to be the face of curio and the brand’s 2018 marketing campaign “Bring Back More.”

As a frequent traveler himself, Ronaldo personifies this concept. with his suitcase as his constant trav-

el companion, he brings back more memories, experiences, and memorabilia from every trip.

Inspired by the beat of the world, curio features an impactful concentric circle design inspired by retro vinyl records. Its zipped polypropylene case is expandable, providing one the flexibility to increase his packing space to store the most exotic souvenirs from around the world.

Its stylish and functional design— with double wheels, a fixed three-digit recessed tsA lock, and 360-degree spinner wheels for smooth rolling comfort—is endorsed by the Red Dot Design Award 2017.

The new Curio collection is available at all branches of The SM Store nationwide.

The Curio collection is made for millennial travelers who are always on the hunt for exciting stories and authentic travel experiences.

F R E Q U E N T F LY E R

AirAsiA lAunches new loyAlty progrAm Low-cost airline AirAsia brings to the Philippines the Freedom Flyer Programme, designed to reward loyal guests with an easier, faster, and better way to earn AirAsia BIG Points.

First launched in Malaysia, the overhauled loyalty program features a unique membership status system based on how often the guests fly, regardless of how much they spend on fares or how far they fly.

Each guest automatically becomes a member, starting with Red status where they will earn up to 20 BIG Points per P125 spent (subject to foreign exchange fluctuations). Gold members earn up to 40 BIG Points, Platinum up to 70 BIG Points, and Black up to 120 BIG Points. In addition, long-haul and Fly-thru flights count as two one-way, short-haul flights for membership status qualification purposes, making it doubly rewarding to travel with AirAsia X.

“Introducing the world’s first Freedom Flyer Programme is our way of saying thank you for making AirAsia the world’s best low-cost airline and for helping AirAsia reach its half a billion guests flown milestone,” said AirAsia BIG Loyalty acting chief executive officer sereen teoh.

Guests with a minimum of 100 BIG Points can now pay for their flight bookings with BIG Points on airasia.com. other privileges include 90 percent off on flights during monthly promotions like Final call sale and Final call sale X exclusively on the AirAsia BIG Loyalty app, plus 24-hour priority redemption for RED Hot PIso sALE. “we appreciate our guests deeply and we wanted to give them more opportunities to travel to new, incredible places,” said AirAsia Philippines chief executive officer captain Dexter comendador.

Visit airasiabig.com for more information.

AirAsia BIG chief commercial officer Victor Kaw, AirAsia Philippines chief commercial officer Gilbert Simpao, AirAsia BIG acting chief executive officer Sereen Teoh, AirAsia Philippines chief executive officer Capt. Dexter Comendador, and Tricia Centera with the airline’s cabin crew.

Entertainment

From C4

Helle Thorning-Schmidt, former Prime Minister of Denmark, paid Mayor John Rey Tiangco a courtesy visit at the latter’s office at the Navotas City Hall.

As chief executive officer of Save the Children, Thorning-Schmidt checked on the nutrition programs and activities of the city.

Tiangco, through the Navotas City Health Office, reported that Navotas has Operation Timbang Plus, Community Deworming and School Monitoring, Supplemental Feeding Program, Micronutrient Supplementation Program, among others.

From 2.06 percent in 2016, the city’s malnutrition rate has dropped to 1.6 percent last year.

Asked by Thorning-Schmidt what drives his continued support to the city’s nutrition programs, Tiangco answered, “Family.”

“Just like every Filipino, I value my family. We want our families to be safe, healthy, and have a better chance in life. We can only secure that if they are healthy and well nourished,” he said. *** Nominations are now open for the 2018 Glory Awards. This year, the aim is to be more proactive in discovering exceptional alumni of the University of the PhilippinesCollege of Mass Communication (UPCMC).

The “Glorys” will be a highlight at the annual homecoming of the college on Sept.

15. “We’re committed to honor deserving UP MassComm alumni each year in every communication field. Our selection criteria will focus on the intrinsic merits and impact of their work,” said Malou ChoaFagar, president of the UPCMC Alumni Association.

She explained that a technical committee

Resorts World Foundation, bringing to 170 the total number of classrooms that we have donated around the Philippines.

We have always believed that the ultimate investment is in supporting the youth, the future professionals, and leaders of this country,” said Sian.

In line with RWM’s commitment to promote environmental sustainability, the green building compliant school’s toilets utilize less water than conventional ones allowing efficiency through the use of low flow faucets in lavatories. Sufficient external shading is provided by concrete ledges and aluminum, with operable child-safe windows that allow for a high volume of fresh air and ventilation.

Rainwater harvesting and the use of local plant species around the campus make Mandaluyong Addition Hills Elementary School among the most eco-friendly educational institutions in the country today.

“We thank the City of Mandaluyong and its officials for generously allocating the land on which the school has been built.

We also thank PAGCOR for its continuous guidance and support, and the Department of Education, including its teachers and nonteaching personnel for patiently molding our youth to become productive citizens of our country,” added Sian.

The RWPCHFI was incorporated to contribute to nation building by engaging in community activities for charitable, educational, cultural, artistic, and scientific purposes.

would take the initiative to seek out potential awardees and search their record of achievement. This will do away with the requirement to submit voluminous supporting documents, Fagar said.

UPCMC alumni are encouraged to send in their nominations. Fagar added, “For simplicity, we will only require a singlepage letter from the nominator stating why their nominee deserves the award.”

If necessary, the technical committee may request nominators to further substantiate the track records of their nominees, she added.

To qualify, nominees must have majored in any of the four undergraduate disciplines of UPCMC: journalism, broadcast communication, communication research, or film and completed at least 60 units in UP. Nominees who did not do their undergraduate studies at UPCMC but completed their Master’s degrees or PhDs at UPCMC are also qualified.

One-page nominations can be emailed to upcmcaa@gmail.com or sent to the UPCMC Alumni Office, 2/F Plaridel Hall, Ylanan Road, UP Diliman 1101 Quezon City. A board of jurors composed of former Glory winners, well-respected media practitioners, and CMC professors will select this year’s awardees. Deadline for submission of nominees is Sunday, 5:00 p.m., June 17, 2018.

“We thank our alumni association for enshrining the legacy of excellence of our founding dean, Dr. Gloria Feliciano, through the Glory Awards,” said incumbent UPCMC Dean Elena Pernia.

The 2017 winners were Roby Alampay (print and online journalism), Lan Mercado (social advocacy), Sari Dalena (film), Raul Castro (marketing communications), Lauren Dyogi (television arts), Marissa Flores (broadcast journalism), and Joy Buensalido (public relations).

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Saturday, June 9, 2018

ACROSS 1 Aphrodite’s child 5 West Indies republic 10 Obey 14 Alaskan city 15 Valuable thing 16 Brat in “Blondie” 17 Masculine principle 18 Back of a book 19 Landed 20 Heartens 22 Yardsticks 24 Co. honcho 25 For argument’s — 26 I-beam lifter 29 Well-worn 33 Go very fast 35 San — Obispo 36 Glove leather 38 ISU location 39 Shorthand pro 41 Take the bait 42 Weight unit 43 Blemish 44 Subtle difference 46 Defensive walls 49 Proper 50 USC rival 51 Wild duck 53 Ethically neutral 56 First to arrive

60 Pumice source 61 Japanese port 63 Good hopper 64 Hamilton-Burr clash 65 Sits for an artist 66 Jam-pack 67 Melodies 68 Type of jacket 69 Secure

nickie.standard@gmail.com

exchange at SM Lanang Premier

Resorts World Foundation donates 6th school in Mandaluyong

Simply Red...

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Philippine-Australian cultural

From left: DepEd Mandaluyong Superintendent Dr. Nerissa Losaria, former Mayor Benhur Abalos, Mayor Menchie Abalos, Congresswoman Queenie Gonzales, former Congressman Boyet Gonzales, RWM President & CEO Kingson Sian, PAGCOR SVP Atty. Edwin Bermudez, and PAGCOR VP Jimmy Bondoc.

RESORTS World Manila (RWM), through its foundation the Resorts World Philippines Cultural Heritage Foundation (RWPCHFI), formally turned over on Friday the newlyconstructed 42-classroom Mandaluyong Addition Hills Elementary School to the City of Mandaluyong.

The 4-storey building is the first green building compliant public school in the country.

This corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, aligned with RWM’s CSR vision of making communities win, is in partnership with the City of Mandaluyong, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), and the Department of Education (DepEd).

In attendance from the local government of Mandaluyong City were Congresswoman Queenie Gonzales and former Congressman Boyet Gonzales, Mayor Menchie Abalos and former Mayor Benhur Abalos, Vice Mayor Anthony Suva, Sr., city councilors, barangay captains, and officials.

Representing RWM were its President and Chief Executive Officer Kingson Sian and Chief Legal and Corporate Services Officer Atty. Georgina Alvarez.

Also in attendance were PAGCOR Senior Vice President Atty. Edwin Bermudez, PAGCOR Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility Group Jimmy Bondoc, and DepEd Mandaluyong Superintendent Dr. Nerissa Losaria. School officials, teachers, parents, and students were also present at the ceremony.

“This is the sixth school donated by the

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018

30 Put on guard 31 Making do 32 Trench 34 Bakes in a casserole 37 Bug repellent 40 O’Hara plantation 41 Deputy sheriffs 43 Pet lovers’ grp.

45 Eurasian mounDOWN tains 1 “Orinoco Flow” 47 Wall paintings singer 48 Backed finan2 Chestnut or bay cially 3 All, in combos 52 Computer com4 Earthworm parts 5 Too big a hurry 6 Side 7 Egyptian goddess 8 Kayo count 9 Repetition 10 Physician 11 She, in Cannes 12 Bahrain VIP 13 Sprinkles 21 Eddie’s cop character 23 Banjo cousins 25 Amaze 26 Exchange pleasantries 27 Unfounded report 28 Basketball venue

mand 53 “Hawkeye” Pierce 54 Part of Hawaii 55 Done with 56 Move gingerly 57 He directed Marlon 58 Me 59 Fish story 62 Not worth a —

A

S PART of the recent Philippine– Australia Friendship Day 2018 celebrations at SM Lanang Premier, some of the most amazing Filipino and Australian talents collaborated in a delightful mini concert that highlighted the cultural exchange between the two countries.

earlier launched their book Fart of a Fly, showed they their skill with music as well as the written word with their keyboard and harmonica duo performance.

Asia’s Queen of Songs Pilita Corrales wowed the audience with her dazzling performance of classic English, Visayan, and Spanish songs. At the same time, she shared with the audience that Australia is like a second home to her because she began her career in the Land Down Under. Today, she has a street named after her and is married to author Carlos Batuto Lopez.

Jeremy Donovan then gave guests a breathtaking performance using the Didgeridoo, a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians in Northern Australia, of which he is part. He later collaborated with Davao City band Thea in a performance that highlighted how music knows no boundaries.

No less than Aus- tralian

Ambassador to the Philippines, Her Excellency Amanda Gorely, attended the launch together with embassy’s Political and Public Affairs Counsellor Clare Duffield together with Davao City Administrator Atty. Zuleika Lopez and Peace Adviser to Davao City Government Hon. Irene Santiago. SM officials led by SM Senior Vice President for Marketing Millie Dizon and SM Lanang Premier Mall Manager Nick Santos welcomed them.

The weeklong festival in Davao featured a series of education, cultural, and sporting activities to celebrate this longstanding and vibrant friendship with Mindanao and with the city of Davao.

The Philippine-Australia Friendship Day 2018 at SM Lanang Premier is one of the many exciting cultural events at SM’s premier malls.

A joint project of the Australian Embassy and SM, the celebration was held in time to commemorate t h e 72nd year of diplomatic relationship between Australia and the Philippines. Australia first opened its first Consulate General in Manila on May 22, 1946, and the event highlighted the warm relations between the two countries especially the Australia Global Alumni, as well as milestones in bilateral relations and cultural exchange.

The mini concert began with Davao City’s Madayaw Cultural Ensemble performance of the Mindanao Folk Dance, “Vinta”, which highlighted the rich Muslim heritage in the region.

Australian authors Jay Maclean and Carlos Batuto Lopez, who

Asia’s Queen of Songs, Pilita Corrales sang her way into the audience’s hearts during the event.

What about a biopic to match all the drama?

ARIAS ALWIN IGNACIO IN HOLLYWOOD, the lives, trials and tribulation of historical and political figures are celebrated through films.

Whether they are popcorn and soda guzzling fares such as Michael Douglas in American President, Bill Pullman in Independence Day or Harrison Ford in Air Force One, without a doubt, these titles earned mammoth domestic and global box office grosses.

American dramas had their fair share of presidential shows, The West Wing with Martin Sheen, Commander In Chief with Geena Davis and Scandal with Kerry Washington, are premium examples.

Oscar and Golden Globe trophies for best actor or best actress were awarded to Daniel Day Lewis as Lincoln, Gary Oldman as Sir Winston Churchill in The Darkest Hour, Meryl Streep as Margaret Tatcher in The Iron Lady.

And yes, even Forest Whitaker, who gave life to Ugandan dictator Idi Amin for the film in The Last King of Scotland, brought home the golden trophy.

Thus, I cannot help but wonder, will all of us ever see the day, when our Philippine presidents, their biopic given a green light in Hollywood or will there be a Filipino film company ambitious and brave enough to bank roll on such a Herculean undertaking?

Some presidential figures and

Mocha Uson and Kris Aquino

situations I’d love to watch as a motion picture, topping my wish list is about President Ramon Magsaysay - his last business meetings, family time and a little love story backgrounder, the final twenty four hours before the fatal plane crash in 1957. The story may also include the national mourning that followed and how it scarred the hearts and lives of the Filipinos who witnessed it that time and their recollection of what transpired will surely be a tearjerker.

Before, he became a “hero” and she the first female President, the “normal lives” of the Aquinos, Benigno and Corazon and their ‘‘happy” and “peaceful” years in Boston.

The former parents of the Aquinos are being talked about again because of the mistress of doom and gloom, Mocha Uson. Kris Aquino said a mouthful on a Facebook Live and IG story

post addressed to the assistant secretary.

We can expect the unexpected soon. Will it be a real debate or hair pulling and catfight with television coverage?

Moving on, yes, we already have a musical about her, even a documentary that carried her name and showed her being the Evita Peron of Southeast Asia. Wouldn’t it be bombastic if the book, Primitivo Mijares’ The Conjugal Dictatorship spring to life and become the be all and end all film about Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos?

The Marcoses are still in power and even film master Mike De Leon warns in a Facebook posting, “Marcos Jr. is a heartbeat away from the presidency, Imee will advise Bongbong how to do away with Duterte once they don’t need him anymore, and Imelda, although ugly and fat now...is still alive.”

How about the 16th Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, the 16 million people who made him victorious, will they be thrilled to view a movie about him as the bida? Or will we see him as a kontrabida?

There is only one star that can portray him, the comedian Jose Manalo of Eat Bulaga. And, I am certain he will mind the fact that a comedian will give him life in a future film. Most of his antics, foul mouth and language, temper and executive decisions, to mention a few, do not make us laugh.

Well, let us just allow history to roll, complete the cycle and be his judge and executioner.

Anyone out there dreaming of making our Presidents’ lives movies? Drama or comedy, your pick.

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

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Entertainment

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018

HEART EVANGELISTA

loses other twin, is devastated KAPUSO star and Sen. Chiz Escudero’s wife, Heart Evangelista, shared on her Instagram account on June 6 that she had lost the remaining twin she is carrying exactly a week after she revealed that one of her twins had died.

“I take comfort knowing that you’re up there with your twin. There are not enough words to express how heavy my heart feels but I know it’s important to share this because it’s part of my motherhood journey,” she wrote.

Heart and Chiz said they found out about her miscarriage last week.

“For some it might be early on but for us, we were so ready to meet you, little one,” she admitted. “Carrying you made me feel like a completely new person. Just the thought of you taught me what unconditional love feels like.”

“The doctor told me that there really

wasn’t anything we could’ve done, that this happens to a higher percentage of first-time moms. I know this is ISAH V. RED true because so many of you have been open with sharing your experiences.

Your kindness and positivity in sharing about your own miscarriages remind me to be strong.”

“I am so grateful for all your love throughout this entire journey. It’s not the end, just another chapter. I take comfort knowing that you’re up there with your twin. I don’t question God about this sad time, I trust in His timing and plan. I hope you all understand that I’ll be taking some time off but your support and kind words will be felt, even if I’m not able to reply.

“I’m not looking for answers, just peace. For what it’s worth, I already had a name for you. My Mira, funnily enough, I already loved your smile. I know you’ll find your way back to me,” she ended her post.

I can only commiserate with Heart and Chiz. I know how much they want to have their own kids, and when Heart announced she was pregnant, a lot of us were overjoyed.

And when we learned she lost the other baby, we felt the devastation of a first-time mom losing the baby she was carrying. Now, this news about losing the remaining twin was doubly distressing not only to Heart and Chiz but to all her fans that have been waiting all along for her and Chiz’s baby.

Be strong Heart, and the next time you find out you’re on to motherhood, take care and make sure the baby and you are healthy till it sees the light of the world. Continued on C3 Heart Evangelista, with Sen. Chiz Escudero, expressed her joy and excitement as she confirmed her pregnancy in a social media post early last month.

Exploring movies you never thought you’d watch “STEPPING out of your comfort zone” may sound like a tired cliché from a fortune cookie, or from people who just had to give you an advice, but cynicism aside, everyone should do it.

Try something that you’ve never tried before and you’ll be better for it. Don’t worry, you can start small. Order something different at your favorite restaurant. Wear that outfit your stylish friend picked out for you. Read a book you wouldn’t normally read. Or, watch a movie you don’t think you’d like.

Yeah, watch a movie. You don’t even have to go to the movie theaters and buy a ticket. Go on FOX+ and just pick a movie you haven’t seen yet, or let your friend pick a movie for you. Pick one that’s not from Hollywood and promise yourself not to give up on it. It’s available anyway, why not watch it? And what’s the worst thing that could happen? You don’t like the movie, but now you know what you’re saying no to.

Try one of the foreign language movies. Don’t let the language trip you up, that’s what subtitles are for. And subtitles are great, they make you really pay attention to just one screen instead of going on Facebook while the movie’s on. If you’ve never tried watching a Korean movie, start with a genre you like (baby steps).

Asian movies have interesting storytelling techniques that are different from Hollywood’s and they are far from predictable.

If you’re not ready for a foreign language, take a quick left turn away from Hollywood blockbusters and go for the smaller movies starring actors you don’t know.

The world is big, and adventure can start with making an unexpected choice from a wide array of movie genres from FOX+.

You can download the FOX+ app to your devices, and the movies will follow you wherever you go.

For more info, and for your free 30-day trial, visit http://www. foxplus.com.

Mon Confiado (left) as Emilio Aguinaldo and Paulo Avelino (right) as Gregorio del Pilar in ‘Goyo Ang Batang Heneral’

Stars’ character journey in ‘Goyo:

Ang Batang Heneral’

T

HE wait is over for moviegoers who have been anticipating the film Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral starring Paulo Avelino as the titular Gregorio del Pilar. The epic historical movie unspools nationwide on Sept. 5.

Also excited for the movie are Goyo stars Mon Confiado, Art Acuña, and Alvin Anson. The three actors were part of the 2015 movie Heneral Luna and will continue to play pivotal roles in its much-awaited sequel.

Mon’s role as Emilio Aguinaldo is one of the most memorable in Heneral Luna, earning him acting nominations and praises from movie critics. His nuanced portrayal of the first President of the Philippines is easily one of the many highlights of the Antonio Luna biopic, making many viewers question whether Aguinaldo was really a hero or a villain.

“People had mixed reactions on my portrayal of Aguinaldo in Heneral Luna,” Mon said. For him, one of the biggest cliffhangers of Heneral Luna is his character’s participation in Luna’s death. “Many are asking who killed Antonio Luna. May involvement ba talaga si Emilio Aguinaldo?”

Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral sees Mon’s Aguinaldo grappling with the consequences of his action in Heneral Luna. This, apart from trying to maintain his position as president of the Philippines, means Mon has to depict the “human side” of Aguinaldo that shows both his love of the country as well as his political ambitions and personal interests.

“His biggest struggle as a human is his being president in Goyo. Gusto niyang magtagumpay yung bansa natin, but at the time I guess gusto niyang ma-maintain yung power nung pagiging leader niya sa bansa natin,” he said.

Besides doing additional research and reviewing his Heneral Luna performance to make his acting consistent, Mon also had to lose weight to accurately depict a leader who is in the throes of war.

“N’ung magsisimula na kaming mag-shoot para sa Goyo, ang unang sinabi sa akin ni direk Jerrold (Tarog), kailangan ko raw magpapayat. ‘Magpapayat ka, kasi

‘INDAY’ gets overwhelming love

Barbie Forteza as the bubbly Happylou Magtibayin in "Inday Will Always Love You.' American actress Katherine Waterston in a scene from the blockbuster movie 'Alien Covenant,' which is available on Fox+ app.

dalawang buwan kayong tumatakas, dalawang buwan kayong ‘di kumakain’,” Mon shared. “Yung mga eksena, halos bundok lang. Halos di talaga ako kumakain para ma-maintain yung pagkapayat. In a way, it helped me experience their struggle.”

The same goes for Alvin Anson, who played General Jose Alejandrino in Heneral Luna and Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral.

Alejandrino is one of Antonio Luna’s trusted comrades; his role in Goyo is informed and motivated by Luna’s death in the previous film.

“There’s really a big change in his character. Alejandrino has a lot of questions about Luna [and his death] that will be answered in Goyo,” he said.

Alvin says he relates to Alejandrino because he sees “a lot of things that happened in the past, that were shown in Heneral Luna and Goyo, are still happening up to now.” He added, “I guess most of the time, we’re still not learning from our history.”

This, for him, is the beauty of Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral as it allows the general public, especially the youth, to have a glimpse of the past. “I’m just very proud to be part of this project. [Like Heneral Luna, I know this will] have an impact on our youth,” he said.

Art Acuña found his role as Manuel Bernal, one of Antonio Luna’s main allies, to be both physically and emotionally challenging.

In 2017’s Angelito, the short film that bridges the events of Heneral Luna to Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral, Bernal finds himself on the run as the men of Gregorio del Pilar pursue him after Luna’s death.

In Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral, Bernal’s story expands, showing the audience his fate in the hands of Del Pilar after Luna’s assassination. For Art, the difficulty in playing his character is in properly depicting a person whose spirit is being challenged by his opponents.

“The physical stuff, anybody can do that. But yung spirit mo ang china-challenge dun. Yung soul mo. Makakaganti ka ba? Kung hindi, ano maiiwan mo para maalala ka nila, para maalala ka ni Goyo?” he said.

Reflecting on the impact of playing a historical character like Bernal, he added: “Basically, they’re just people. They can be from any century. Even if it’s modern times or old times, your heart is the same; your spirit is the same. You fight the same, you cry the same. So, really, I don’t get too academic about it. I just trust my instincts.”

Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral, directed by Jerrold Tarog, is produced by TBA Studios, Artikulo Uno Productions, and Globe Studios.

INDAY Will Always Love You (IWALY) continues to win the hearts of viewers—consistently topping the ratings and dominating the trending topics online for the last two weeks.

Since its primetime telecast aired on May 21, the Kapuso Network’s latest primetime offering has been both the ‘most-watched’ and ‘much- talked about’ series on its time block not only in Metro Manila but also in Cebu.

“I feel so overwhelmed [by the positive feedback],” shares Kapuso actress Barbie Forteza who plays Happylou Magtibay, depicted as a bubbly, optimistic, and strong character in the series.

She adds that she is “proud of our show” and seeing how viewers and netizens have been loving IWALY reinforces her belief that “all the hard work of everyone totally paid off.”

Her co-star and leading man, Derrick Monasterio, agrees. “The response from people watching our show has been incredible, [it] feels so good and heartwarming,” shares the Kapuso heartthrob who plays Patrick in IWALY. The series sees the return to the small screen of the much-loved DerBie love team.

Senior actress Manilyn Reynes, who plays Barbie’s mom in IWALY, is elated by the show’s great performance.

“Everything’s overwhelming—the way our viewers let IWALY in[to] their hearts, the way they

support and love the show. These things mean so much to us and will serve as inspiration for us to do [more for the show]. Happy ako that we are clearly sending the message that the show is trying to impart: [which is] to hold on to the things that truly matterlove, respect, faith and family,” she adds.

With Cebu and its culture taking the spotlight in this Kapuso rom-com series, the cast had to travel and stay in Cebu. They had to go from one place to another to capture the authenticity of Happylou’s journey as a Manila-based lechon store assistant who traveled to the said province to work and look for her father.

It is no wonder that more Cebuano viewers continue to support them every night. Their rapport on the set and their great chemistry on-cam have been rewarded by commendable ratings performance since its pilot airing.

“I thank everyone for watching and tweeting about our show,” shares Forteza. “It wouldn’t be a success if not for them. I am grateful especially [for] the support of our beloved Cebuanos,” says Forteza.

What’s in store for the viewers in the next weeks to come?

Says, Forteza: “There will be more kilig, drama and a lot of twists so I hope they will keep [on] watching.”

Inday Will Always Love You airs week nights after Kambal, Karibal on GMA Telebabad.