Manila Standard - 2018 October 5 - Friday

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‘Hot rice’ burns 2 Customs men

By Nat Mariano and Macon R. Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, angry over the disappearance of 23,000 sacks of smuggled rice in Zamboanga, has suspended two officials from the National Food

Authority and the Bureau of Customs, the Palace said Thursday.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Zamboanga Port District Collector Lyceo Martinez and Customs Police District Commander Filomeno Salazar were placed under preventive suspension as the government Next page

VOL. XXXII • NO. 232 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

PNP targets teachers Those sowing ‘Red ideology’ face contempt raps

By Nat Mariano, Francisco Tuyay, Joel Zurbano, Rio Araja and Maricel Cruz

HILIPPINE National Police chief Dir. Gen. Oscar Albayalde on Thursday warned college professors who teach communist ideologies that they will be charged with contempt as he scolded students of state universities for biting the hand of the government that shoulders their free education.

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Albayalde made the statement even as Malacañang downplayed concerns that the hunt for conspirators in the Red October plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte will lead to a crackdown against student activists.

Armed Forces deputy chief of staff for operations Brig. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. on Wednesday identified 18 colleges and universities that have allegedly been tapped for communist recruitment.

“What if we charge teachers who instigate their students? They should also be charged for contempt for teaching such things to our students. We in the PNP sacrifice our lives for our country.

We are trying to save generations. Yet we teach these [rebellious Next page Oscar Albayalde

Some of the schools Red-tagged by the AFP.

Ultra lotto craze sweeps Palace

Barbers, Lagman hit the brakes on TRAIN’s excise fuel tax hike

By Nat Mariano THE President of the Philippines has joined the millions of Filipinos hoping to win the biggest lottery jackpot ever, the Palace said on Thursday as the prize money soared to P885 million.

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By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Uson

Bertiz

Bertiz draws ethics ‘Mocha isn’t off the hook just yet’ raps from workers Rody in hospital ‘for 2nd opinion’

By Nat Mariano

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday admitted that he sought a second opinion at Cardinal Santos on Wednesday after undergoing endoscopy and colonoscopy three weeks ago.

Duterte contradicted an earlier statement of his spokesman, Harry Roque, who denied the President was absent from an engagement Wednesday evening because he went to the said hospital.

“Three weeks ago I had my endoscopy and colonoscopy. I was about to have a Cabinet meeting [Wednesday] but [based on] the reading on my medical procedures, somebody advised my doctor to repeat and get some samples there for both (colonoscopy and endoscopy). So I stayed there for one hour in Cardinal Santos,” the President said yesterday.

“If it’s cancer, it’s cancer. If it’s third stage, no more treatment. I will no longer prolong my agony in the office,” Next page Duterte said.

By Rio N. Araja

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE Office of the Ombudsman said Thursday it will continue its investigation into complaints against Mocha Uson, despite her resignation as Communications assistant secretary.

Ombudsman Samuel Martires said Uson’s resignation had nothing to do with the ongoing probe of the complaints filed by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, Akbayan Youth and the Philippine Federation of the Death.

MIGRANT Filipino workers have turned against their supposed representative in Congress and filed an ethics complaint against him.

Migrante International, an advocate of migrant workers’ rights, filed the case against Party-list Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III of ACT-OFW on Thursday.

Chairman Arman Hernando of Migrante said Bertiz does not deserve a seat in the House not only because he does not truly represent the Filipino migrant workers but because of his alleged arrogance as a public servant. Next page

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I will donate P121 million for the legal fees of Trillanes.

—Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, on what she will do if she wins the Ultra Lotto jackpot

A PRO-ADMINISTRATION lawmaker on Thursday sought the repeal of the excise tax imposed on fuel under Republic Act 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law. House Bill 8369 by Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers seeks to amend Section 43 of the TRAIN Law that imposes excise taxes on all petroleum products, and to revert to the old rates based on the National Internal Revenue Code.

“Prices of fuel have increased significantly and will be much higher on the next tranche of implementation of TRAIN in 2019 and 2020,” Barbers said.

“The increase in fuel prices affects the prices of basic goods and services as producers or manufacturers may pass production costs to consumers.”

He said while the objectives of the TRAIN Law are laudable, it should be adaptable to change, especially now that prices have gone so high.

“As legislators, it is our duty to hear the cry of the poor,” he said. Next page

House votes ‘yes’ to P3.7-t budget

By Maricel V. Cruz THE House of Representatives on Wednesday night approved the general appropriations bill that provides a national budget of P3.757 trillion for 2019.

The House led by Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo approved the budget by voice vote after 11 days of plenary deliberations.

The House is expected to approve

I will not reject that. She does not need that because her family is awash in cash.

—Senator Antonio Trillanes IV

the bill on third and final reading before Congress adjourns next week.

Arroyo has been closely following the progress of the bill to ensure the House remains on track with its schedule to pass it on final reading before the Oct. 12 congressional recess. On Monday night, she and other House members stayed until the interpellations on the Defense department’s Next page

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friday, october 5, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PDP-Laban trims Senate bets’ list

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

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ENATOR Aquilino Pimentel III on Thursday said the number of the PDP-Laban candidates for senator was reduced to five or six from the initial 24 that was submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte.

He said their candidates should be advocates of federalism.

On the other hand, former senator Lito Lapid is joining the senatorial race in 2019 via the Nationalist People’s Coalition as he and his son, former Pampanga governor Mark Lapid, took their oaths as new members of the Nationalist People’s Coalition or NPC. Barely a week before the start of the filing of the certificates of candidacy for the May 2019 elections, Pimentel, also the party’s president, said only five or six were left on their list, but he

‘Mocha...

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On Sept. 28—the day Uson resigned—Martires said the Ombudsman’s Field Investigation Office sent a letter ordering her and Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar to file their own comment within 10 days on the complaint filed by the Philippine Federation of the Deaf.

The letter, signed by Asst. Ombudsman Joselito Fangon, told Uson to submit within 10 days a written explanation or comment on a complaint filed by four complainants over a video she posted on her Facebook page that mocked people with disabilities.

Uson also faces complaints about an earlier video in which her sidekick, blogger Drew Olivar, danced while pointing to his crotch and breasts as mnenomic devices for federalism.

Although Uson may no longer be suspended or dismissed, she could be disqualified from public office, effectively stopping her from running in the next elections.

Uson on Thursday shot back at Vice President Leni Robredo, whose spokesman had said her resignation would not spare her from liability for her lies and scandals.

Talking to UNTV, Uson said it was the vice president who was full of lies, and that even her position was a big lie—a reference to the election protest filed against her by former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

rody...

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Earlier in the day, Roque said Duterte decided to take a “day-off” on Wednesday, when he had been expected to grace the turnover ceremony of a P5-billion check by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

“There is a lot of wishful thinking.

They should be ashamed for wishing the President ill,” Roque said. “The more they wish him ill, the stronger [he] gets. Maybe they should reverse their wishes.”

Roque said he once looked into Duterte’s collar for marks of dialysis procedures, catching the President off guard.

“They told me before he underwent dialysis. You know what I did?

I peeked into his collar. He replied, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘I’m looking for marks of dialysis.’ But there was none,” Roque said.

“Please trust. If he has a serious illness, the President will know. He’s a lawyer, he knows his constitutional obligation. If there’s a ground to release it, he will. But for the time being, let’s continue to treat every medical record as confidential.”

Last year, in one of his speaking engagement, Duterte said that he has been experiencing migraines and back pains caused by problems with his spine.

He also admitted having Buerger’s disease which causes blockages in the blood vessels—a disease he acquired from excessive smoking during his youth.

House votes...

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budget were terminated at 6 am of Tuesday.

In last night’s period of individual amendments, House Majority Floor Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. said pursuant to parliamentary precedence, he proposed the creation of a small committee to receive

declined to name PDP Laban’s remaining candidates for senator saying they would announce the list next week.

In August, Pimentel sent a letter to Duterte, also the party’s national chairman, indicating the 24 names of possible senatorial bets.

Asked about the reason for fewer names, Pimentel said some had backed out to run for senator while others opted to run for other elective posts.

He cited the case of Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, chairman of the House of Representatives’ committee on ap-

propriations, who decided not to pursue his initial plan to run for senator. He also mentioned Quirino Rep. Dakila Carlo Dax Cua, who decided instead to run for governor in his province.

“We will tighten or we will be very strict in our vetting or selection procedure. And if we don’t complete the slate, so be it,” Pimentel said.

Aside from being advocates of federalism, he said, PDP-Laban nominees must have served the party and must participate in party activities and not only show up during the filing of COCs. “We’ll be strict. The nominees of PDP-Laban for senator must be federalism advocates, must have fully complied with the membership requirements, must have served the party, must have shown his or her face in party activities and not just appear when

its time for the filing of candidacies,” Pimentel said.

He said they were open to forging alliances with other groups, including the parties of reelectionist senators. But he maintained that those from other parties who wished to ally with PDP-Laban should be open to federalism.

He said they still could not tell how many parties there were. If they could not make a complete list, he said, their campaign manager would have the flexibility to enter into alliances because [we have to] remember that reelectionist senators have their own parties.

Pimentel, who is also seeking reelection, said entering into alliances “will be up to the campaign manager if he wants to come up with some tactical arrangement with other candidates who must be at least open to federalism.”

Narco-pol suspects can run, election lawyer says

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon to disqualify those in the government’s hot line 8888 and the presidential comdrug list and alleged corrupt individuals plaint desk in coming out with the recRamos-Araneta THE plan of the Interior department to ask the Commission on Elections to disqualify politicians implicated in illegal drugs and corruption in the coming 2019 midterm polls is unconstitutional, an election lawyer said Thursday.

Romulo Macalintal said under the Omnibus Election Code and the Local Government Code, only candidates convicted of a crime with finality were disqualified from seeking an elective post.

“To disqualify based on said list will violate the constitutional right of a person to presumption of innocence and right to due process or opportunity to be heard in any case, be it criminal or administrative,” Macalintal said.

He was reacting to the plan of DILG officer-in-charge Eduardo Año to submit a formal recommendation to the Comelec

PNP...

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ideas] to our students,” Albayalde said.

“In state universities, you are given free education by the government. And yet you have not yet graduated and you are already going against the same government that gives you free education.

Students in state universities are considered the cream of the crop. They should be the hope of the land,” he added.

Video telecon with Joma, films on martial law

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said they have received complaints from parents who were worried that their children were being “brainwashed.”

“Their children were subjected to like films showing; video teleconferencing with a terrorist leader like Jose Ma. Sison; and Martial law reenactments during break time of high school student, among others,” Arevalo said.

“As a good number of us in the AFP are parents ourselves, we join the multitude of parents wary of these creeping indoctrination of their children that tend to draw them into activism and radicalism. Beware of the wolves in sheep’s clothing—this we caution schools administration and parents about some members of the NPA infiltrating the schools,” he added.

Albayalde said the PNP will “engage” schools to “help” them stop the alleged infiltration.

He, however, clarified that cops will not be deployed to guard the 18 universities tagged by the AFP. Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Carlito Galvez, for his part, said he will seek a dialog with the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education to address the alleged CPP infiltration of private and state universities and colleges.

from seeking an elective post.

“We will submit our recommendations. If the Comelec will approve it, they will be disqualified,” Año was quoted as saying.

But Senator Francis Escudero said Thursday only the people convicted of a crime could be disqualified to run for public office.

He said the PDEA’s drug list was merely “validated” by it and its intelligence agencies and not by a court of law.

“While the DILG means well, those in the list [that has never been made public] were never afforded the right to due process, hence it cannot be used against them by the DILG’s mere say so,” said Escudero, a lawyer.

Macalintal said the DILG will use the existing ‘narco list’ and the corruption reports against local officials through

ommendation.

But he said there were several candidates who were in prison and yet they were allowed to run and serve while in prison.

“In a word, the final judgment is an indispensable requisite to disqualify any candidate running for an elective office,” he said.

He said the Comelec should stay focused on ensuring the conduct of peaceful and honest elections and not be distracted by such a baseless request.

“It will be a waste of time for the DILG to ask the Comelec to disqualify candidates in the 2019 elections based merely on an alleged list of persons allegedly involved in illegal drugs,” Macalintal said.

The DILG says that, since July 2016, around 300 local officials were either suspended or dismissed due to corruption allegations.

“We will take action on that. We will The Commission on Human Rights, make sure that whatever needs to be however, expressed alarm over the reddone will be done,” Galvez said. tagging or the practice of branding a person or an organization as being supGuardians of Constitutional portive of the communist movement.

“This blanket act of red-tagging enfreedoms Arevalo said it was not the intention of the dangers students and the youth and it military to red-tag the 18 schools, namely may give the AFP a license to arbitrarthe University of the Philippines (Diliman ily infringe the freedom of expression, and Manila), Polytechnic University of the the right to petition government, as well Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, as to assembly,” CHR spokesperson De La Salle University, University of Santo Jacqueline de Guia said.

Tomas, Adamson University, Far Eastern “The AFP should be more prudent in University, University of the East (Recto matters such as this,” De Guia added. and Caloocan), Emilio Aguinaldo College, Galvez himself admitted that the list reEulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of leased by Parlade is still being validated.

Science and Technology, San Beda, LySeveral colleges and universities in ceum, University of Makati, University of the military’s list have condemned the Caloocan, University of Manila, and Philip- military’s allegation that communist repine National University. bels have been recruiting their students.

“We wish to assuage the fear of our “UP as a national university is open to people about this recent development. all. We want our students to be exposed This was not intended to brand those to all views and opinions, and all sectors schools as communist,” he said. of society. There are so many issues stu“We do not censure, but as a matter of dents are concerned about. To call them fact guard and support freedom of speech, communist is trying to obscure the issue,” of assembly, and of redress of grievances. said UP Chancellor Michael Tan said.

But such should be done in a manner peaceDLSU president Bro. Armin Luistro deful and orderly, and with due respect to oth- scribed the “Red scare” as a “wild accusation.” er people’s rights. Because the moment they “To me, if there’s nothing substantial resort to violence, the AFP will be there to about the report, then that’s the only logiprevent lawlessness,” Arevalo added. cal explanation why they are even spilling Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque this out in the press. Media release of an said student activities need not worry intelligence report does not help any,” Luthat their rights will be repressed. istro told ANC’s Headstart.

“The President highly tolerates freedom UST Secretary General Fr. Jesus Miof expression. That’s one thing we have to randa said the burden of proof lies with give credit to the President,” he said. the military. “There is a perception that “It [identification of the 18 schools] is we are against the present government. not a cause of worry. It is just a statement Is that why we are being tagged?” of fact. We have no doubt that none of the “Such statement undermines the schools are openly supportive of such ini- safety and security of the students of tiatives [by the CPP],” Roque added.

Emilio Aguinaldo College as they are now looked upon as possible commuCHR alarmed, schools deny nists or rebels,” EAC legal counsel Joseph Noel Estrada said. recruitment

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, meanwhile, urged House leaders to expedite the approval of Joint Resolution 27, which seeks to suspend increases in the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law to tame inflation, which rose to a nine-year high of 6.4 percent in August.

Lagman said that “it is patently a flawed policy for the Philippines, an

oil-importing country, to impose additional and higher excise taxes on petroleum products, while oil producing countries are even giving subsidies to maintain at low levels the pump prices of gasoline to protect consumers.”

The situation is compounded by the increasing price of oil in the world market, which has breached the $80 per barrel mark, the highest since November 2014, he added.

Lagman said assurances from the government’s economic managers that infla-

tion is manageable would not lift the burden of spiraling prices of goods and services on the public, particularly the poor.

There were moves against the TRAIN Law in the Senate as well.

Senator JV Ejercito renewed his call to the country’s economic managers to put on hold the next tranche of excises taxes on fuel due to rising inflation and global oil prices.

“I urge our economic managers to consider postponing the next round of increases in excise taxes this January 2019,” Ejercito said in a statement.

and resolve amendments to HB 8169.

Andaya named the following as members to the small committee: For the majority: Committee on appropriations senior vice chairperson Maria Carmen Zamora, Representatives Federico Sandoval II and Corazon Nunez-Malanyaon; for the Committee on Rules: Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr.; and for the minority: Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, Representatives Anthony Bravo

and Edcel Lagman.

The deadline for the submission of amendments is set on Oct. 9, 2018, as Congress will adjourn on Oct. 12.

During the lump sum fund interpellation, Rep. Makmod Mending Jr. of AMIN party-list expressed concern that the release of the P3.5-billion fund for the rehabilitation of Marawi City, which is good for only a year, might be bogged down by bureaucratic delay.

He said the establishment of Task Force Bangon Marawi added a layer to the budget release process for the city’s rehabilitation. Previously, the budget only had to pass through the Office of Civil Defense and the Office of the President.

But House appropriations committee senior vice chairman and Albay Rep. Joey Salceda assured Mending that they would seek to extend the validity period of the Marawi rehabilitation fund.

barbers,...

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‘Hot rice’...

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investigates how the smuggled rice disappeared.

“The President was visibly upset with the missing 23,015 sacks of apprehended smuggled rice in Zamboanga City,” said Roque.

“The President has ordered an immediate and thorough investigation of this incident, and instructions were given for both the NFA OIC and Customs commissioner to immediately place on preventive suspension individuals who may be part of this scheme,” he added.

Roque said the suspension would prevent the two officials from tampering with the evidence or influencing the investigation.

On Monday, Customs and the National Bureau of Investigation agents recovered 5,000 sacks of rice at the Basulta Traders Corp. warehouse. Meanwhile, 3,000 sacks of rice at Suterville warehouse and 8,000 sacks at Kasanyagan Compound warehouse in Sta. Catalina were recovered the following day.

Roque quoted Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña saying the bureau has already sent a team to Zamboanga to investigate the incident.

“The President was furious because how do you lose 23,000 sacks? I mean, it’s incredible,” Roque said.

Roque said Customs officials may have connived with NFA personnel.

“I think it’s obvious because both agencies had some jurisdiction over the apprehended smuggled rice... They probably have a liability for this,” he said.

The NFA also came under fire at the Senate, where Senator Cynthia Villar accused officials from the agency who attended Thursday’s budget hearing of intentionally creating confusion.

In the hearing, Maria Mercedes Yacapin and Yolanda Nieves, NFA assistant administrator and assistant administrator for Finance, respectively, gave conflicting figures.

“Sometimes, they would say bags.

We are talking of metric tons, that’s our measurement. And then when are talking about local [rice], it would suddenly become imported. They’re saying different things,” said Villar.

bertiz...

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“A series of his unacceptable actuations in public, as well as his manifest conflict of interest with OFWs, have made him unqualified to represent the sector,” says Migrante’s complaint signed by Hernando.

“His conduct and ideals are unbecoming of an OFW representative. Thus we seek for his outright removal from office.”

Hernando also cited Bertiz’s alleged conflict of interest for being the owner of several recruitment agencies.

Lawmakers from the Makabayan Bloc and a migrant worker from Oriental Mindoro, Shiela Mabunga, joined Hernando in the complaint.

However, the House has yet to receive a sworn statement detailing the complaints against Bertiz.

At the NAIA Terminal 2 on Saturday morning, Bertiz scolded security checker Hamilton Abdul who had asked him to take off his shoes as part of security measures.

Bertiz then shoved his identification card at Abdul and tried to grab his ID card. His actions were captured by the closed-circuit television cameras inside the airport.

In her complaint, Mabunga related how Global Asia Alliance Consultants Inc. allegedly violated the provisions in her employment contract. Migrante said Bertiz was the president and chief executive of GAACI. Mabunga said in her written complaint that in 2013, she applied as a cook for deployment to Dubai with Keys Placement, a recruitment agency owned by Bertiz’s wife. Midpoint during the processing of her papers, however, Mabunga said her documents were transferred to Bertiz’s GAACI for processing.

Ultra lotto...

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Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said President Rodrigo Roa Duterte told him he took a chance to win big in the country’s Ultra Lotto 6/58.

“He said he placed a bet [on the lotto],” said Roque in a Palace press briefing Thursday.

“I heard of that news, so when I heard about it, I told my staff to place a bet in my stead too” he added, noting that there is a nearest lotto outlet near the Malacañang area.

According to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, the jackpot for the Ultra Lotto 6/58 is projected to hit P885 million by tomorrow’s draw.

No lotto bettor was able to win the six-digit winning combination 30-4153-04-02-54, which offered a prize of P849.578 million on Tuesday.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

THUMBS UP.

Water officials from the Philippines and Korea led by AWC and K Water president Hak Soo Lee and MWSS Reynaldo V. Velasco flash the thumbs up sign following the official visit of Korean water officials along with 11 other AWC and K Water personnel on Wednesday at the MWSS compound. Joining them are K Water vice president Park, AWC ED Yongdeok Cho, DA Bobby Cleofas, Manila Water president Ferdinand dela Cruz, Maynilad president Ramoncito Fernandez, Maynilad AVP Anette de Ocampo, engineer Frankie Arellano and lawyer Nelson Victorino, among others.

SC introduces direct payment of filing fees to LandBank

By Rey E. Requejo CHIEF Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro on Thursday announced that the Supreme Court has launched a pilot test in Valenzuela City, in which the payment of legal fees in court cases, like filing fees, is paid directly to the Land Bank of the Philippines.

De Castro said if successful, the project will be implemented nationwide to cover all courts and with the participation of other banks and online payment outlets.

The pilot test in Valenzuela allows the litigants who are filing cases in courts within the city to pay the fees directly to LBP branches. They would merely attach the deposit slips or receipts in their pleadings for filing with the courts.

Meanwhile, with the approval of the Court en banc, De Castro authorized the increase in the payment of transcript of stenographic notes from P10 to P20 per page.

Stenographic notes are needed by lawyers and litigants in the preparation of succeeding pleadings in their court cases.

The increase would benefit directly court stenographers nationwide. The P10 per page was set in year 2000.

Exempted from the payment of the transcript of stenographic notes are indigent litigants and those represented by the Public Attorneys Office of the Department of Justice.

The two reform measures adopted by the high court have been recommended

by Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez.

Marquez said of the amount collected from transcript of stenographic notes, one-third of the amount goes to the Judiciary Development Fund while the rest goes to the concerned court stenographer.

Last month, De Castro also ordered the implementation of salary increases, retroactive to July 1, for judges in the first level courts—municipal trial courts, municipal circuit trial courts, municipal trial courts in cities and Shari’a circuit courts.

2 elderly Pinoys killed in car accident in California TWO Filipinos were killed in a car crash in Palmdale, California, the Department of Foreign Affairs reported Thursday.

In an update sent to the media, the agency, through Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato, has extended condolences to the families of the victims.

Consul General Adel Angelito Cruz said the two, both in their 60s, were killed after the vehicle they were riding crashed into a construction truck on 14 Freeway near Palmdale Boulevard early Saturday morning.

The Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles said it is coordinating with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office, which is expected to release the full details on the crash.

Cruz, for his part, said that the Consulate General is ready to extend the necessary assistance to the families of the victims. PNA

Rechannel DILG budget to education, health

By Maricel V. Cruz

T

WO militant lawmakers on Thursday pushed for the rechanneling of the budget of the Departments of the Interior and Local Government and National Defense for ammunition, guns and bombs to the budget for education, health and other social services.

ACT Teachers Party-list Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro said the P3.757 trillion national budget for 2019 contains a bigger budget for ammunition and bombs compared to the budget for books, classrooms and learning materials despite the change in the budgeting system.

“We urge the House Leadership to rechannel the overflowing budget allocated for bombs, bullets and guns under the Department of National Defense to education for books, classroom materials and the construction of new classrooms,” Tinio said.

“We have pointed out in the past budget deliberations and again this year in the debates with the DND and DBM budget that the government continues to prioritize a budget for war instead of a budget that would provide millions of Filipinos with adequate, quality social services. People have been chanting ‘libro hindi bala, classroom hindi bomba’ in the streets because of this budget

prioritization of the government,” he added.

Castro, for her part, slammed the Budget department for approving and including budget increases for the salary hike of military and uniformed personnel. This, she said, while civilian employees would have to wait years for DBM to finish conducting their ‘study’ and if approved, would get small amounts given in tranches.

“Teachers, students and other government employees have long clamored for a higher budget for education and an immediate increase in their salaries especially in the onslaught of the TRAIN law with the record high inflation. It is high time that the Duterte administration hear the calls of its people and approve a budget for the people,” Castro said.

During the House appropriations committee hearing on the DND, it was revealed by the DBM through the interpellation of Tinio that there was a

‘Presidential instruction’ to include a total of P3.655-billion additional budget for the Philippine Army and the Philippine Air Force for provision of ammunition, MOOE requirements for capability upgrading, assault riffles, activation of 11 battalions and 1 engineering brigade, precision guided rockets, among others.

“We ask the DBM, why is it that if the military asks for a budget increase, the DBM is quick to approve their requests while civilian employees and frontline service providers are always faced with a negative response by the DBM?” Tinio asked. ‘‘It is clear that the Duterte administration has a high priority for its militaristic budget. Despite the change in the budgeting system and despite all other agencies receiving enormous budget cuts, the DILG and the DND still received high budget increases,” Castro said.

“We demand that the budget for education, health and other frontline services increase and items for the war waged against the people be slashed. This 2019 proposed budget is not a budget for the people. It continues to cut the budget for basic social services in the guise of the cash-based system. The budget for education and health have always been lacking and has never been adequate for the needs of the Filipino people while the budget for military have always been a top priority for the government.

It is high time that we change it,” she added.

USAID allots P250m for 3 more years of STRIDE project THE United Stated through the US Agency for International Development has allotted P250-million assistance to bankroll the extension for three years of its Science, Technology, Research, and Innovation for Development project in the Philippines.

USAID Mission Director Lawrence Hardy II said the additional assistance, which brings the total USAID investment in the innovation sector to nearly P2 billion since 2013, will expand collaboration between government, industry, and academia on initiatives that promote innovation and support inclusive growth.

Hardy made the announcement of the project extension at the Department of Trade and Industry’s Inclusive Innovation Conference in Pasay City with more than 250 representatives from

government, universities, and the private sector in attendance.

“USAID is a close partner of the Philippine government in investing in human capital development and employing science, technology, and innovation to bolster growth,” Hardy said, in a statement released by the US Embassy in Manila.

USAID, in partnership with RTI International, launched STRIDE in 2013 to boost the Philippines’ capacity for innovation-led inclusive economic development.

In the past five years, STRIDE has forged partnerships with over 380 industry partners, 110 Philippine academic institutions, and 25 US universities.

Through these partnerships, STRIDE has developed a network of researchers and entrepreneurs, established career centers at Philippine universities, ad-

vanced high-growth sectors, and created employment opportunities.

The US government, through STRIDE, has awarded scholarships for 57 Filipinos to study at US universities and issued 68 grants valued at over P270 million to provide advanced technical training to Filipino scientists and researchers in support of innovation.

Over the next three years, the project will build on this momentum by facilitating greater collaboration among key government agencies and helping partner universities share their knowledge and best practices with other Philippine universities.

“The project extension will enable more Filipinos to contribute to innovation, with the goal of further boosting inclusive, resilient growth in the Philippines,” Hardy said. Rey E. Requejo

BoC agents seize P15.4-m illegal drugs at CMEX, warehouse

By Joel E. Zurbano and Vito Barcelo GOVERNMENT agents intercepted P15.4 million worth of prohibited drugs smuggled at the Central Mail Exchange Center and a bonded warehouse in Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Customs commissioner Isidro Lapeña Jr. presented the contraband on Thursday and turned it over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for proper disposition.

Seized were 2.21 kilos shabu, 48 oil ampules and 12 pieces of small plastic containers with jelly marmalade that were found to have cannabis or marijuana content, and several boxes of Valium and Mogadon, concealed in five packages which arrived at the CMEX and FedEx warehouse in separate dates.

The shabu is estimated to have a street value of P14 million while the valium and mogadon worth more or less P1.496 million. The value of the marijuana is yet to be determined as of press time.

The illegal drugs from Thailand, USA, Africa, and Pakistan were hidden in foot and calf massagers, a religious frame, letter, boxing gloves and baseball jersey, and clothes.

Lapeña said the shipment consignees were identified as Melinda Dacallos of Caloocan City, Joseph Manialac of Angeles City, Logy Ramirez of Batac, Ilocos Norte, Edward dela Rosa of Las Piñas City, and Rico Delicano of Cotabato City.

The packages were sent by Naphet Inhin, Kaggwa Godfrey, Gino Zerimar, and Muhammad Sajid Raza.

“The interception of the seized illegal drugs would not be made possible without the profiling skills of customs examiners, CAIDTF, BOC-NAIA, X-ray Inspection Project, and the PDEA,” Lapeña said.

XIP head lawyer Zsae Carrie de Guzman said four of the five packages underwent x-ray examination.

“The x-ray machines stationed at the two warehouses showed a suspicious image which was tagged by the X-ray inspectors “for verification.” She said that packages marked by the X-ray inspectors undergo examination by the customs examiners in the presence of XIP. NAIA district collector Carmelita Talusan said “The Port of NAIA together with the Commissioner of Customs will unceasingly support the anti-drug campaign of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and will continue its vigilance in protecting the borders.”

GSIS new housing loan condonation set

BERTIZ’S VICTIMS. Migrante Philippines Chairperson Arman Hernando and

‘victims’ of ACT-OFW Partylist Rep. Aniceto Bertiz filed their complaints against the congressman before the Ethics Committee of the House of Representative. They also asked Congress to investigate Bertiz’s alleged misconducts. Manny Palmero

STARTING October, the Government Service Insurance System will offer a 100-percent waiver of unpaid penalties and surcharges to housing buyers and borrowers with past due accounts and are willing to settle their housing obligations in full.

The deadline for the submission of application to the condonation program is on Dec. 31.

“Majority of our existing borrowers stand to benefit from this program as almost 55 percent of our remaining 29,000 housing accounts are for cancellation, foreclosure or have incurred several months of arrears,” GSIS president and general manager Jesus Clint Aranas said.

“The program will lighten the burden of our borrowers as it saves them from the heavy load of having to pay the accumulated penalties and surcharges that have been imposed from unpaid amortizations. More importantly, it will give them the opportunity to save their

homes,” the pension fund chief added.

Aranas said the program is open to active or inactive members, as well as non-members, with deeds of conditional sale or real estate loan accounts that are in arrears or in default. Only accounts that have not yet been cancelled nor foreclosed are eligible for condonation.

However, accounts that have been cancelled but not yet uploaded as investment property, as well as those which have been foreclosed but the titles of which have not yet been consolidated in the name of GSIS, may still avail of the condonation program.

Buyers of rights and legal heirs of deceased borrowers may also apply for penalty condonation.

“We would like to remind all interested applicants to avail of the program before the set deadline to prevent the troubles caused by last-minute filing and avoid further penalty charges of at least one percent per month,” Aranas explained.

A4

Opinion

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Really? We have a third telco? retary correctly mentioned that there are a number of issues regarding the CROSSROADS restrictions under the Public Service Law of 1936 but “there’s a pending law JONATHAN which will allow them to come in as we DE LA CRUZ are redefining the terms of participation in the utilities sector.” That said, THAT is the question being asked by will Vodafone rush in, join up with a an anxious public after the Depart- local telco franchise holder and comment of Information and Communi- mit its billions and expertise for the cations Technology announced last purpose? Good luck.

Vodafone is just the latest in a list of Wednesday the long-awaited bidding for the country’s third telephone telco giants which have expressed incompany to be held Nov. 5. Thrice terest in the Philippine market. Early postponed for some undisclosed rea- on, the President had said that he presons, this announcement should be ferred a Chinese company to be the welcome news especially to a public third telco. That set the stage for a which has long been suffering from kind of semi-rush of Chinese compapoor and, yes, very expensive telco nies from China Telecoms to PCCW to Huawei and even ZTE, despite its conservice.

From the looks of it, however, the an- tinuing row with US authorities. Then, nouncement was met by a sigh and tem- there was some interest shown by Inpered hope that the promise would come dia’s Reliance Telecoms which is affiliated with that country’s number one to fruition sooner rather than later.

This tepid response is understandable conglomerate, Reliance Industries, and given the indicated bidding terms and even Tata Telecoms of the venerable conditions which, from all indications, Tata Industrial group. Of course, South unduly constrict the possibility of the Korean companies, Korea Telecoms and LG as well as big, proven telco the American telproviders particiecoms giant AT & pating at all. Who T, Japan’s KDDI among the world’s and even Norbest, for example, The public has long way’s Telenor in can or will be able suffered the poor and partnership with to comply with the the Bangladesh first three basic re- expensive service offered Grameen Group quirements for en- by the duopoly. have expressed intry by the bidding terest as well. date of Nov. 5?

Again, the First, having a question is: how nationwide telco franchise to start with. Except for the far have they gone to perfect their bid duopoly of PLDT/Smart and Globe, which requires three basic elements very few locals have such a franchise. which definitely cannot be ironed out Even if they do, they cannot possibly overnight?

In any event, we remain hopeful that comply with the second and third requirements, namely: Having a paid in time we will have a third telco to up capital of $10 billion and a 10-year do battle, as it were, with the duopooperating experience. Of course, they ly. That way we long-suffering cuscan partner with the world’s largest tomers, will have a better-than-even and marry their franchise with the chance to get the service we have long resources and experience of these been hungering for.

Quite apart from the millions of indiinternational service providers. The question is: Will they be able to enter vidual customers which a third telco’s into an honest-to-goodness partnership “positive disruptive presence” can bring to individual users, such a situaby the deadline? I doubt it.

Take the British giant Vodafone, for tion augurs well for the way we conduct example. Budget Secretary Benjamin our businesses, here and abroad. It is Diokno said he was able to talk with time we get out of the laggard category the top officials of Vodafone at the which we have long been occupying sidelines of one of the forum conducted together with the likes of Afghanistan during the roadshow of the economic and East Timor.

Similar to the situation in the power managers in London a week or so ago.

Diokno reported that the company’s top sector which has brought us to a high guns “appeared interested in entering priced, underserved (especially in the the market given the number of ques- provinces) situation, we cannot afford tions they were asking about foreign to have a telco sector which continues ownership and the like.” That is well to stagnate in the precipices of unreliand good. But if the questions revolved ability and backwardness. We hope around the issue of foreignownership, I that acting DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio doubt whether they would be satisfied Jr. will do our country and our people with Diokno’s answer. The good sec- right this time around. Sana.

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Boracay redux

B

ORACAY Island, once associated with wild parties and unrestricted tours, will reopen on Oct. 26 under strict state rules that aim to limit arrivals in the famous tourist destination.

Alcohol drinking and smoking will be banned along the beach areas of the island, while only 19,000 tourists will be allowed at any time. The government is imposing the rules to protect the island’s fragile ecosystem. Up to 40,000 beachgoers unwound on its sand and swam in its once-pristine waters during peak periods in the past. Boracay, before President Rodrigo Duterte ordered its closure to visitors in April, attracted two-million tourists annually, pumping about $1 billion in revenues into the economy.

Much has been done—or undone —on Boracay since Duterte described it as a cesspool and authorized its closure. Bars, restaurants and hotels were demolished to restore a 30-meter stretch of sand between the water and tour-

ist areas. Environment Undersecretary Sherwin Rigor said these would be off-limits to drinking, smoking, weddings, vendors, and massage providers—activities that can be done inside hotels and restaurants.

The government, in addition, will limit tourist accommodations to 6,000 hotel rooms, or half the current total. The rest of the hotel and vacation facilities are expected to go out of business after failing to comply with environmental and other regulations. Boracay hotels, according to the environment official, are now required to put up their own sewage treatment plants to clean up the island.

It is too early to tell if the government can successfully implement the rigid rules once tourism activities pick up pace on the is-

land. But authorities should be reminded of the environmental disaster that struck Thailand’s famous Maya Bay immortalized in the movie “The Beach,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

The Thai government is closing the beach indefinitely after a temporary ban on visitors just expired. Thailand, after shutting down the tourist destination in June because of beach erosion and pollution, learned later that the damage to the environment was worse than it had thought.

Maya Bay’s beach as well as the plants that cover it were completely destroyed.

Maya Bay’s shores have been degraded as a result of the 5,000 tourists flocking the area daily.

Trees and smaller vegetation, according to a Thai official, have been gradually uprooted after the white sands receded.

Lessons should be learned from the Thailand experience before Boracay turns into another wasteland.

Sign of a split It is a given that the CPP of exiled communist leader Jose Maria Sison has on many occasions publicly stated it wants Duterte out. Malacañang, howALEJANDRO ever, is the one giving Joma and the DEL ROSARIO CPP credence. Even Sison’s host country The Netherlands sees no more releTHE first sign of a split between the vance in him. It merely exercises tolerDuterte administration and the Armed ance in letting him stay in Utrecht. The Forces of the Philippines surfaced in liberal Dutch government perceives Sithe Senate this week. son as a relic of the past even as it conAsked by Liberal Party Senators tinues to mediate the on-and-off peace Francis Pangilinan and Antonio Tril- talks between the CPP and the GRP. lanes IV whether the opposition LibThe alleged Red October plot is a eral Party was involved in a coalition yarn being spread by Malacañang itself. with the CommuWhy? We don’t nist Party of the have the answer to Philippines and its this but there are armed wing New speculations the People’s Army, Palace is spinning General Galvez AFP chief Gen. the conspiracy Carlito Galvez contradicted what the web to gain categorically said: Palace had said about sympathy for the “No, sir.”

President and to This was a direct the supposed Red distract the people contradiction what October plot. from the rising Palace officials prices of fuel, who are purveying food, crime and the “Red October” unemployment. plot to overthrow So what is the President Rodrigo Duterte said. real objective of the Red October ploy?

The general also cleared Senators Is there another layer of Machiavellian Trillanes and Pangilinan of any com- men behind the President that his own plicity in the alleged Red October plot. Cabinet does not know about? Or this We commend Galvez for telling it so-called Red October plot borne out like it is. With his statement, he gave of the deep recesses of Digong’s own relief to the people who have enough mind to declare martial law in the enproblems for them to still deal with tire country? destabilization and a volatile political The difference between Duterte and situation.

Turn to A5

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Bangladesh kids turn the tide on climate change aboard floating schools

By Sam Jahan MOSAMMAT Rekha’s older cousins grew up unable to read and write, their tiny village so frequently cut off from the nearest school by floods that would rise suddenly in their remote corner of disaster-prone Bangladesh.

But seven-year-old Mosammat is learning her ABCs aboard a boat fitted with a classroom and play equipment that is helping children thrive even as climate change alters

the world around them.

“We can attend classes even during the rainy season, when our homes are barely above water,” the seven-year-old told AFP aboard the vessel in Chalan Beel, some 175 kilometers (around 110 miles) northwest of Dhaka.

Climate change is already taking its toll across Bangladesh, a densely populated and impoverished country the United Nations has identified as among the most vulnerable to a warming planet.

Millions in the low-lying nation are being forced to adapt to overflowing rivers, rising seas and increasingly extreme weather in a country frequented by destructive storms and cyclones.

Twenty-million people there could be made “climate refugees” by the end of the century, a UN panel has warned, turfed out of their homes as rivers swallow towns and seas encroach on coastal communities.

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Opinion Rice, poverty, insurgency VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ IT IS now abundantly clear that President Duterte’s No. 1 problem is not traffic, not drugs, not terrorists, and, not China, but food—the lack or the shortage of it, along with the current stratospheric prices of the people’s main food items—rice, corn, sugar, fish, meat, and vegetables. Plus rapidly rising prices of refined petroleum products, particularly diesel, LPG, and kerosene—the staple fuels of the poor and the middle class.

Decades of neglect by a succession of presidencies account for the current rice shortage and food insecurity.

The present rice crisis began with the Cory Aquino administration with her misplaced agrarian land reform program. Land reform cut up large agricultural lands making them inefficient, less productive, less profitable, and less attractive to investors.

Average farm holdings were reduced to 1.8 hectares per farmer. Banks didn’t want to deal with lands covered by land reform. Organized to be a bank for farmers, the state-owned LandBank became a commercial bank instead, charging higher interest rates than peer private commercial banks.

Land reform was supposed to curb communist insurgency which was an agrarian unrest. Instead, the New People’s Army reached its peak strength of 35,000 armed regulars during the Aquino presidency, more than double than during the time of Ferdinand Marcos.

Responding to a much stronger enemy, the army reacted violently and with viciousness. So more guns than rice cavans. The result: More human rights violations under Cory Aquino than under Marcos.

Even today, the government spends seven times more money to buy guns and war material than what it spends

Bangladesh...

From A4

In villages like Kalidaskhali on the banks of the Padma River, these forces are already reshaping lives by the hour.

As much as five meters (16 feet) of riverbank can disappear in a single day, consuming everything in its path, local government official Azizul Azam told AFP. More than 9,000 people have been displaced by the Padma in just five years, as the main tributary of the Ganges encroaches further and further inland.

“Today my backyard is gone. I had a cowshed over there... now it is just water,” said Rukaiya Khatun, watching helplessly as chunks of earth disappeared into the turbid water inching towards her home.

“The Padma has devoured everything.”

River erosion—though long a phenomenon in the delta nation—is rapidly accelerating due to climate change, said Atiq Rahman, a member of a Nobel Peace Prize-winning UN climate panel.

A warming planet has made monsoon rainfall more unpredictable across Bangladesh and melted Himalayan glaciers to the north, turbocharging the waterways that criss-cross the country.

Many have struggled to adapt as the

Sign...

From A4

Marcos is that FM had the best and the brightest people in his Cabinet.

They helped him plan and study the consequences of martial law. Foremost of these men was then-Justice and later Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile.

Say what you will about the man but Enrile helped Marcos lay the legal basis of a military rule including its consequences and how the populace will react to it.

Enrile could have been the President the country needed but then there is the belief that to be president is a destiny.

As they say, if it’s not in the stars, then it’s not meant to be.

We suggest the government focus on addressing and solving the gut issues of food prices made higher by the uncontrolled cost of imported crude oil paid by the government in dollar terms. This is why the peso has sunk even lower vis-a-vis the US currency. Food prices can be brought down to affordable level if agricultural production is given the utmost attention.

The Philippines is an agricultural country. Vast expanses of land, particularly in Mindanao where President Duterte is from, is not being fully planted

for agriculture. It’s still more guns than rice cavans.

Agriculture has only a budget of P49.8 billion. The Department of National Defense and the Philippine National Police have a combined budget of P356 billion. Actually, if government spends more money to produce food, it won’t need to employ nearly 500,000 soldiers and policemen to contain insurgency and keep the peace.

As former President Estrada said, “a hungry stomach knows no law.” Indeed, during Erap’s short-lived presidency, agriculture grew by 6.2 percent—a growth record that is still unbeaten.

The college dropout president focused on producing rice relentlessly and multiplying the carabao population.

It’s a vicious cycle.

Today, the NPA still has at least 5,000 armed regular fighters and is capable mounting raids on municipalities, including those within a 50-km radius from Manila. And the number of poor Filipinos remains the same—25 million.

The world reduced poverty to 10 percent of the population in 2015.

The Philippines failed to reach that 10 percent, one of the very few countries in Asia to fail to solve its poverty. Poverty stalks the land, bedeviling 21 percent of the Filipino population. What did the Philippines fail to solve its poverty? Lack of food.

Poverty in this country is a question of having adequate food at reasonable prices.

In fact, if you believe economist Cielito Habito, a country doesn’t even need to produce its own food to have food security. Singapore, he notes, imports 90 percent of its food and yet has food security.

The Philippines used to have record

foreign reserves of more than $80 billion. The country did not use it to import enough food. Instead, our Bangko Sentral lent $1 billion of those reserves to the bankrupt countries of Europe.

Land reform made our farmers poorer. It reduced agricultural growth in relation to economic and population growth. With reduced production, rice became very expensive, eating up more than 20 percent of expenses of households. Including other food items like cereals, fish, meat, and vegetables, food is 60 percent of household expenditures.

Less rice and less food on tables of households made Filipinos not only rebellious but malnourished. Filipinos are the most malnourished people in the entire ASEAN region. Because Filipinos were malnourished, they also became stupid, but not stupid enough to make them the most stupid among citizens of ASEAN. Because they were stupid, Filipinos elected the wrong leaders—who were/ are incompetent, corrupt, and vicious and with the wrong priorities.

The result is one of the worst income inequality ratios in the world.

Of 25-million Filipino families, only 100 have ruled the Philippines in the last 100 years. In the last 50 years, our seven presidents came from only five families. Now, that’s what I call inclusion. However, our tourism officials billed it as “it’s more fun in the Philippines!”

Meanwhile, our newly minted billionaires, who became atrociously rich by converting land reform areas into subdivisions and condos, invested more in casinos, than in agriculture.

Up to the 1980s, agriculture accounted for more than 20 percent of economic production, what we call Gross Domestic Product or GDP. Today, agriculture’s share, at 2000 constant prices, is a measly 8.5 percent, and going down. biznewsasia@gmail.com

river has turned, in the words of one villager, “wild and furious”.

Full steam ahead But elsewhere, local ingenuity is finding ways around the turbulent and unpredictable forces of nature.

Students at BRAC University in Dhaka last month unveiled a model for a floating bamboo home, one that could survive a flood or be easily relocated elsewhere in case of inundation.

In Chalan Beel, floating schools chug along rivers and lakes swollen by floods, bringing education to students long denied a chance to learn in one of Bangladesh’s poorest locations.

“Now, they have year-round education,” said Mohammad Rezwan, head of the Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha charity that runs the pioneering project.

Today they run more than 20 “floating schools” in the Chalan Beel area.

Other charities have replicated the idea in different parts of Bangladesh, where the world’s largest river delta empties into the Bay of Bengal.

Smaller models are equipped with desks, libraries and blackboards while more elaborate, twin-storey designs also boast slippery slides, monkey bars and swing sets for playtime.

Children even learn to use laptop computers, all powered by banks of solar panels atop the boats.

At night, once school is over, adults

come aboard to learn new techniques for farming in an extreme climate.

Rezwan said farmers were being taught how to plant flood-resistant crops in floating seed beds, a possible lifeline for rural communities who can lose a year’s harvest when the waters suddenly rise.

Bangladesh has invested more than $400 million into a new special agency for adaptation projects, including flood embankments, floating farm technology and mobile water-purification stations.

“It shows how seriously we are taking this,” said Mukhlesur Rahman Sarker, deputy chief of the government’s Bangladesh Climate Change Trust, of the new fund.

Simple local innovations have changed lives in a generation in Chalan Beel.

Mosammat Jharna, a mother of two, spent her youth hemmed in on all sides by water as unpredictable storm surges and fast-rising floods made walking to the nearest school impossible.

She now beams at the floating school anchored near her home—a symbol of hope for her children, no matter how the landscape changes in the future.

“My dream of educating my children, including my daughter, has come true,” she told AFP. “I don’t want to see them end up illiterate like me.” AFP

for rice and other crops. Hence, the country imports, rice, onions, garlic and even fruits.

We cannot understand this import mentality. Non-farming areas can also be used for raising cattle and other livestock. Yet, this not being done. We cannot blame the Duterte administration entirely for this. Past administrations have also been remiss in this department.

China, which has taken over our fishing waters in the West Philippine Sea, has offered to lease our agricultural land to help our farmers. We have allowed them to take over our territorial waters—are we now also going to let the Chinese also exploit our farmlands?

If we do, we might as well accept the idea that indeed we have become a province of China. This is the real Red China threat not just in October but a subservience that could lead to years of colonization like in the Spanish and American eras.

Good news, bad news First the good news. Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Secretary Margaux Uson has resigned from her post after a series of gaffes. The PCOO said Mocha was not forced to resign but did so as she is eying a senatorial seat in next year’s midterm elections. That is the bad news.

With her millions of Facebook followers, she could well win a seat in the Senate. She could continue to torment us under the mantle of parliamentary immunity.

Presidential Spokesman Roque meanwhile said six of the Presdent’s Cabinet are also running for the Senate. While he did not include himself among the six Cabinet officials, it is no secret that after the House, next on Harry Roque’s agenda is a Senate seat. But that might be a tough hurdle. Presidential spokesmen except Marcos ‘s press secretary and information minister Kit Tatad who was elected senator and even went on to become Senate Majority Leader, no presidential spokesman was elected senator. Will Roque break the jinx to win a Senate seat?

Roque is not even sure he will get President Dutert’s approval to leave the Cabinet. Because he is doing such a good job as presidential spokesman, he has become a victim of his own success.

As it is, it looks like Roque is going to be with Digong for the long run. Unless the President resigns from the presidency like he has threatened to. Perhaps that is why six of the President Cabinet are quitting to seek a Senate seat.

To abandon ship while the jumping is good must be in the minds of those quitting the Cabinet.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2018

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

The finest investment AN INVESTMENT banker was having tea at his family’s lakeside house in Russia one gloomy November afternoon in 2008, when a neighbor dropped by, upERIC JURADO set, and visibly exhausted by the ongoing liquidity crisis in Moscow. Declining tea in favor of a deep shot of whiskey, the neighbor proceeded to tell the banker that he failed to sell his chain of children’s clothing stores to a private investor. The investor, one of Ukraine’s wealthiest businessmen, had, in the neighbor’s words, gone “totally insane.”

Knowing there were numerous deal opportunities available, the banker was surprised and asked why the deal failed.

“I was surprised too,” the neighbor responded, helping himself to another shot of whiskey, “until I heard the reason.” He put his drink down and looked at the banker with eyes brimming with anger. “This guy is totally crazy about art and has spent over $100 million on some sharks and bulls in London on the day Lehman Brothers collapsed.”

The neighbor’s look begged a sympathetic response. The deal for his stores involved a mere $10 million. The liquidity crunch had forced him to either sell the firm or face bankruptcy under the pile of debt he had accumulated.

He couldn’t understand how, given the current condition of the global economic meltdown, someone could withdraw his investment offer and focus on art.

“How can art sell for nine digits, and more than my company?” the neighbor asked.

“Why not?” the banker’s wife replied. “It’s nice, and someone has the money.” The banker’s wife betrayed her belief that rules were meant to be broken and that everything was possible.

The neighbor refused to let it stop at that. “It generates no cash flow, has no liquidity, and there’s no one else on earth who would pay that kind of money again. This is silly.”

Art provides the The banker’s wife smiled and world with a sensory said, “Well, you’re the ones in finance, not me. It’s not the first time experience like no it happened, and I don’t think it’ll other. be the last. So, who is silly now?”

The banker’s wife was right. Art is not silly. Art is big business. The global art market reached an estimated $63.7 billion in 2017 and experts are predicting growth to continue.

The Philippines is following suit. Although a small player on the world stage, the digital age is seeing the globalization of art—broadening the Philippine’s reach and reputation as a serious player. The art market is more accessible and transparent than ever before and global investors are taking note.

Art is widely regarded among investors as a great portfolio diversifier. Its low correlation to stocks, bonds, and real estate makes art a valuable insulator, a store of wealth, and a great hedge against inflation. It also offers the rare benefit of “tangible pleasure” or “psychic income” as you hold. The key to a successful and profitable art portfolio is getting the right advice.

According to the Deloitte Luxembourg and ArtTactic Art & Finance Report 2017, 86 percent of art purchases were motivated by collecting with an investment view—a 26 percent rise since 2012.

The art market has come a long way over the last couple of decades. The globalization of art is seeing trades around the world made with greater ease and due diligence than ever before. Smartphones and connectivity, along with the rise of art fairs, have helped sales more than quadruple during this time.

The international art scene is becoming a place without boundaries and this presents the Philippines—traditionally disadvantaged by geographic proximity to the big players in the US and UK, and perhaps China—with huge opportunities.

According to art market research firm, Artprice, the Philippines achieved the 20th highest art auction sales in the world in 2017, and, Southeast Asia, as a region, is gaining significance in the global art market. Art auction totals in the Philippines have seen a steady upward trend with an impressive 90 percent increase in the last three years.

Auction totals are the only publicly accessible figures, and, while they act as a good barometer of the market, they only represent a portion of total sales. The secondary (auction) market for art is much smaller than our international counterparts—most sales of Philippine art happen through galleries, dealers, online, and via art fairs.

Art market success in investment terms is correlated with the basic economic principle of supply and demand. Quality and strategic control of an artist’s output to market, are key factors relating to long-term growth in pricing. In order to create their profile and underpin “value,” artists need strong management and marketing, coupled with consistency in pricing.

The role of a gallery or dealer is multifaceted and goes far beyond just putting on exhibitions, opening bottles of wine, and selling artists’ works.

Gallerists like Vita Sarenas of Finale Art File, for example, are responsible for seeking and supporting new talent. They help to facilitate their artists’ production of great works and introduce artists to their collector and curator base. The gallery essentially becomes the public advocate for the artist’s vision to a broader audience—allowing the artist to continue with the task of making great art.

Simply put, the upward trajectory of an artist’s career is often directly related to the expertise and commitment of the gallery or dealer representing them. Exceptional gallerists like Sarenas, who has been in business since 1983, are the market makers. Astute investors and collectors watch and are influenced by her—which artists she backs, and whom she promotes. Many collectors will actively seek her out to maximize their potential for profit or to build a highly regarded collection.

Good galleries like Sarenas’ Finale Art File act as a gatekeeper for quality.

As a collector or investor, one should have confidence in the gallery that is selling you the work. Reputation and trust are at the core. Finale regularly sells out shows, places artists’ works into public collections, exhibits at high profile art fairs, contributes to public lectures and publications, and is talked about and written about in the public arena.

Sarenas continues to strengthen Finale’s reputation and trust by recently partnering with watch specialist, Paolo Martel, and art collector, Jayson Ong. Together, they launched Finale Auctions, a premier auction house, which is well positioned to guide collectors and investors in the acquisition process and help build portfolios of important art, watches, and jewelry.

The bottom line: Art provides the world with a sensory experience like no other. To own a piece of this world is a dream, to view it a privilege, and to earn a rate of return on it, a bonus. Finale Auctions combines all three.

Finale’s auctions will be held on Oct. 13 and 14, 2018 at Warehouse 17, La Fuerza Compound, 2241 Chino Roces Avenue, Makati. E-mail info@finaleauctions.com; call 8132310; or visit facebook.com/FinaleAuctions.

FROM WHERE I STAND

eric.jurado@gmail.com

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News

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Pay rule for 2019 holidays

By Vito Barcelo THE Department of Labor and Employment released the pay rule guidelines for 2019 holidays to guide the employers in the private sector on how wages would be computed if their workers reported for work during declared nationwide holidays next year.

In the list of regular holidays are New Year’s Day (Jan. 1), Araw ng Kagitingan (April 9), Maundy Thursday (April 18), Good Friday (April 19), Labor Day (May 1), Independence Day (June 12), National Heroes Day (Aug. 26), Bonifacio Day (Nov. 30), Christmas Day (Dec. 25), and Rizal Day (Dec. 30).

Also included are the observance of Muslim holidays such as Eidul Fitr or celebration of the end of Ramadhan and Eidul Adha or commemoration of the ‘Feast of Sacrifice, the proclamations of which will be issued after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar (Hijra) or the lunar calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations.

For these holidays, the pay rules state that work done during these days shall be paid 200 percent of an employee’s wage for the first eight hours or, [(Basic wage + COLA) x 200 percent]; while for work done in excess of eight hours (overtime), an additional 30 percent of the employee’s hourly rate, or [(Hourly rate of the basic wage x 200 percent x 130 percent x number of hours worked)] shall be paid.

Meanwhile, work done during these days that also fall on employee’s rest day shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his/her basic wage of 200 percent, or [(Basic wage + COLA) x 200 percent] + [30 percent (Basic wage x 200 percent percent)]; while for work done in excess of eight hours (overtime), an employee shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his/her hourly rate, or [(Hourly Rate of the basic wage x 200 percent x 130 percent x 130 percent x number of hours worked)].

PAL launches Manila-Sapporo new flight operation on Dec. 7

By Joel E. Zurbano

L

EGACY carrier Philippine Airlines announced on Thursday it would launch the Manila-Sapporo (Chitose) flight operation on Dec. 7.

PAL corporate communications department head and spokesperson Ma. Cielo Villaluna said the Sept. 6 earthquake that hit Hokkaido made it necessary for the airline to make operational adjustments in the launch of its new PAL service to Japan.

Although the situation in Sapporo has normalized, December 2018 reflects pas-

senger build-up on the route making the said month most ideal for the commencement of thrice weekly services between Manila and Sapporo (Chitose), she added.

Flight PR 406 will be leaving the Ninoy Aquino International Airport every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1:55 am and arrive in Sapporo (Chitose) at 8:30 am.

The return flight PR405 leaves Sapporo (Chitose) on the same days at 9:45 am and touches down in Manila at 2:15 pm.

Villaluna said PAL’s brand new 168-seater Airbus A321 neo, with 12 seats on business and 156 on economy, would be utilized for the new flights to and from Japan.

Trains, subway lines/tram lines have resumed service as well as local and longdistance buses. Ferries to/from Hokkaido are operating and depart from ports such as Hakodate, Tomakomai and Otaru.

All expressways and regular roads are now open except for a few roads

near the epicenter.

Tourist attractions, shops, hotels and restaurants are operational.

PAL vice president for operations Ismael Augusto Gozon said Chitose Airport is about an hour from the dive bars to the city of Sapporo and it is 15 minutes by train, and 60 minutes by water service.

From Manila, PAL currently flies to Fukuoka, Nagoya (Chubu), Osaka (Kansai), and Tokyo (both Narita and Haneda airports); from Cebu, the airline operates flights to Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo, Narita.

Korean, Chinese deported by BI authorities

A KOREAN and a Chinese national, both wanted by authorities in their own countries, were ordered deported following their arrest in separate operations in Las Piñas and Manila, the Bureau of Immigration said Thursday.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the two aliens would be deported for being undesirable and undocumented aliens after the passports of the foreigners were revoked by their governments.

“We reiterate our warning to all foreign criminals who are hiding in the country. The long arm of the law will eventually catch you and we will send you back to your homelands so you will be meted punishment for your crimes,” Morente said.

BI FSU chief Bobby Raquepo identified the Korean as Go Yongsung, and the Chinese national as Lian Lilong.

Go was arrested at his residence along Vanessa Street in Las Piñas City and wanted for large-scale fraud and was the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the Suwon district court in Korea.

Documents from Korean authorities state that between December 2015 to June 2016, Go conspired with five other suspects in defrauding other Koreans of more than 37 billion won or equivalent to US$33 million, in a pyramiding scam using as front a company which they operated in Pasay City. Vito Barcelo

FRAMED SHABU. Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña turns over to PDEA representative Gerard Javier a kilo of shabu inside a holy frame during a news conference Wednesday.

The Bureau of Customs also turned over P14 million worth of shabu and P1.498 million worth of party drugs seized at the Ninoy Aquino International airport from Thailand, United States, Africa and Pakistan. Norman Cruz

Gatchalian vows to fight for budget hike

By Macon Ramos-Araneta RECOGNIZING the role of military reservists in disaster response and nation-building, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has vowed to fight for an increase in the budget of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Reserve Force.

Gatchalian commented during the Senate hearing on the budget of the

Department of National Defense the full potential of the country’s reserve force remained untapped due to budgetary constraints.

The senator said that the ₱14.1 million budget allocated to the AFPRF under the DND budget was not enough to provide training for the more than 700,000-strong reserve corps.

“Hopefully, we can allocate a sizable and respectable budget for our military reservists in 2019. ₱14-million is not sufficient to provide our reservists with adequate training and, I understand, that lots of our reservists spend their own money just to get trained,” said Gatchalian, who was given the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Philippine Army Re-

serve Force last month.

Data provided by the DND show that there are a total of 741,937 AFP reservists. 93,062 of these comprise the Ready Reserve Force Unit, made up of able-bodied personnel between 18 and 35 years of age who have undergone military training, while another 20,451 are part of the Affiliated Reserve Unit.

CALABARZON nurses undergo trainings DOH-CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) Regional Director Eduardo Janairo vowed to provide more significant trainings for nurses to increase their knowledge and competencies during the recent two-day “Hospital and Public Health Nurse Conference” held in Pasay City.

“We will provide the needed educational programs to ensure that their capabilities and qualifications respond appropriately to the health needs of the people and challenges of times,” said Janairo.

He said the conference would give essential updates, introduce new policies,

and strengthen the service delivery network to improve the quality of care in the community and hospital setting.

The nature of public health nurses’ work in hospitals and in the community, she said, is physically and emotionally demanding.

“They don’t just deliver care and provide physical and emotional comfort to patients and their families; their work also entails critical tasks such as monitoring and assessment of their patients and assists in the conduct of disease surveillance and initiating interventions in the communities to prevent outbreaks.” Macon Ramos-Araneta

Save the Children salutes Filipino teachers SAVE the Children Philippines this week expressed gratitude to Filipino teachers for their life-changing support to instill values of respect, tolerance and human rights to children.

In a statement issued in time for the National Teacher’s Month, Albert Muyot, CEO of the group, said teachers were critical partners in shaping the minds of children to become responsible individuals.

“Next to parents, teachers play an important role in protecting the rights of children against discrimination, physical abuse and genderbased violence,” Muyot said.

He said teachers spend the most number of hours with young people from preschool to college that are considered the most crucial years of a child’s life.

Save the Children partners with teachers in promoting Early Childhood Development programs that ensure children are physically and emotionally healthy and intellectually curious to prepare them for school success.

Teachers also influence young minds on the value of health and nutrition by eating the right kind of food in school—where they spend more than 6 hours a day, he said.

FIGHT VS RABIES. Pet owners bring their animals to the Philippine Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals along Recto Avenue in Manila to get them vaccinated against rabies and free consultation as the country celebrates World Animal Day on Sunday.

Norman Cruz

Sports Medina, Ancheta to lead PH campaign in Paragames

By Lito Cinco VETERAN internationalists AdelineDumapong Ancheta in power lifting and Josephine Medina in table tennis lead a 57 strong delegation of Filipino para athletes competing in 8 of 10 events to be contested in the Asian Para Games in Indonesia starting Oct. 13.

The 44-year-old Ancheta, the first Filipino athlete to win a medal in the Paralympics where she bagged a bronze in the 2000 event in Sydney, Australia, is also coming from another bronze-medal finish at the recent World Para Powerlifting Asia-Oceania Open Championship in Fukuoka, Japan.

“It’s hard to predict because China and Korea will also be there in Indonesia, but I will try my best to duplicate my finish in Sydney. What is good now is that there are a lot more para athletes being sent unlike before that you can count in one hand those who will be sent,” replied Ancheta when asked how she would do in the coming event.

Ancheta has also dominated the ASEAN para powerlifting scene the past years.

She also added that this is the bestprepared para team ever because of the sustained support they received from the Philippine Sports Commission.

“I believe a lot of athletes will be able to surpass their personal best records in Indonesia, this will be the measurement for us for the support we received,” she said.

“My dream is to reach my 6th Paralympics, the next one is in Japan in 2020,” she added.

On the other hand, Medina, 48, was more definite in her goal.

“A bronze medal at least. Competition here will be tough because of China primarily, but I will give it my best shot for sure. I just wish I had a longer time to train with my coach. Mga two months lang kami together though I have been training throughout the year,” she said .

Straight from Indonesia with just a day’s break, Medina is proceeding to Slovenia, where she qualified to the World Singles Para Table Tennis Championships.

Aside from powerlifting and table tennis, Filipino para athletes will also be entered in archery, athletics, badminton, chess, cycling, judo, swimming, and tenpin bowling.

Chef de mission is Kiko Diaz, who was at the sendoff party for the athletes, together with PHILSPADA and Philippine Paralympics President Mike Barredo and PSC Commissioner Charles Maxey.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2018

Ronaldo denies sexual assault L

AS VEGAS—Cristiano Ronaldo on Wednesday denied accusations by a former American model that he raped her in a Las Vegas hotel in 2009 and said his conscience is clear.

“I firmly deny the accusations being issued against me,” the Portuguese superstar tweeted in Portuguese and English.

“Rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in,” said the 33-year-old Juventus forward.

“Keen as I may be to clear my name I refuse to feed the media spectacle created by people seeking to promote themselves at my expense,” Ronaldo said.

“My clear conscious (sic) will thereby allow me to await with tranquillity the results of any and all investigations,” he added on his Twitter feed @Cristiano, which has nearly 75 million followers.

Kathryn Mayorga, 34, of Las Vegas, ac-

cused Ronaldo, in a 32-page complaint filed last month with a district court in Nevada, of raping her on June 13, 2009.

Las Vegas police this week said they were reopening a case filed on that date but did not identify the victim or the alleged perpetrator by name.

Mayorga’s lawyers are to hold a news conference in Las Vegas at 3:00 pm Pacific time (0000 GMT) on Wednesday to discuss the case.

Mayorga alleges in the lawsuit that she was pressured into signing a nondisclosureagreement to keep the alleged rape secret and is seeking no less than $200,000 in penalties and damages.

The complaint was first reported by the German magazine Der Spiegel. Lawyers for Ronaldo have reportedly threatened to sue the magazine over the story.

In the suit, Mayorga said she met Ronaldo, who was then 24 years old, on the evening of June 12, 2009 at the Rain Nightclub in the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

It said she accepted an invitation to join Ronaldo and others in his penthouse suite to “enjoy the view of the Las Vegas strip.”

She was invited to join guests in a hot tub but she declined because she did not have a bathing suit, the complaint said.

Ronaldo offered her clothing and then followed her into a bathroom where she was going to change clothes, it said.

After she refused his demand to perform oral sex and said she wanted to leave, Ronaldo pulled her into a bedroom and anally raped her while she screamed “no, no, no,” according to the suit.

“When Cristiano Ronaldo completed the sexual assault of the plaintiff, he allowed her to leave the bedroom stating he was sorry, he was usually a gentleman,” it said.

The lawsuit said Mayorga reported the alleged assault to police the same day and was examined at a local hospital.

It said the assault left her with “severe emotional and bodily injuries including but not limited to anal contusions, posttraumatic stress disorder and major depression.”

Under pressure from Ronaldo’s “fixers,” Mayorga settled the case “in exchange for a payment of $375,000 and non-disclosure of the sexual assault,” the lawsuit said.

It claimed the agreement should be voided because she was “incompetent and lacked the mental capacity to participate in negotiations and settlement of her claims due to the injuries suffered during the initial sexual assault.” AFP

PH men’s chess team bolsters bid in Olympiad

Shown during the launching are (from left) Jomel Jerezo - General Manager & Department Manager of MC Business Planning; Hideo Nishinaga - AVP & Adviser, MC Business Planning; Hiroyuki Yasunaga - Executive Vice President of Manufacturing; Susumu Mitsuishi – President; Beth Alejandro - AVP & Department Manager of MC Sales; and Masaichi Ogusu - Senior Assiatant Vice President, Supply Chain Management.

Honda PH unleashes game-changing models

HONDA Philippines Inc., the number one motorcycle manufacturer and distributor in the Philippines, introduces the All-New CLICK125i and CLICK150i.

The unveiling of the All-New CLICK is attuned to Honda Philippines’ ONE DREAM campaign, which aims to reach out to more Filipinos through their interests, with the message that Honda is part of their journey towards their dreams.

All-New CLICK 125i The All-New CLICK125i is powered by a 125cc Liquid-cooled, PGM-FI engine with Enhanced Smart Power and an ACG starter, making the model fuel efficient at 53 km/L. The model comes with the Combi Brake System and Park Brake Lock for added safety features.

Topping it off is the advanced full digital

meter panel which provides real-time fuel consumption, battery and change oil indicator, trip meter, and digital clock.

The new design makes a bold statement with its modern bold decals and All LED Lighting System (Dual Keen Headlight with position light, Tail Light, Front and Rear Winker). It also has a sporty muffler design with aluminium end cap.

It comes with an 18-Liter Ubox, making it a perfect storage place for a full-faced helmet or other riding necessities, equipping riders for any trip on the road.

The All-New CLICK125i comes in four modern color variants, namely the Anchor Gray Metallic, Vivid Blue Metallic, Nitric Orange, and Space Magenta Metallic. Price starts at Php 74,900.

All-New CLICK 150i

The All-New CLICK 150i is powered by a 150cc, Liquid-cooled, PGM-FI engine with Enhanced Smart Power and an ACG Starter and Idling Stop System, which gives the bike a fuel economy of 52km/L. The CLICK 150i also equipped with a full digital meter panel and an all LED Lighting. Meanwhile, it exclusively comes with a 3D emblem proudly signifying its name.

For more convenience and added security, the model also brims with advanced features namely the Smart Key System with keyless lock and unlock, ignition on/ off, Anti-Theft Alarm, and an Answer Back System. It also comes with new sporty wheel design with wider tubeless tires, wavy disc brake and a sporty aluminium pillion steps.

Eze’s monster game, treys from Peralta, Coronel key Altas victory nel in the extra period netted the University of Perpetual Help Altas an 85-77 win over the San Sebastian College Stags in the 94th Games Today National Collegiate Athletic Association (The Arena in San Juan) men’s basketball tournament at The Arena 8 a.m. EAC-ICA vs MU (jrs) in San Juan.

10 a.m. JRU vs Arellano (jrs) The 6’11” Eze finished with 25 points 12 nn EAC vs MU (srs) 2 p.m. JRU vs Arellano (srs) and 23 rebounds for the Altas as they stayed 4 p.m. Letran vs Lyceum(srs) on course in their goal to earn the last seat 6 p.m. Letran vs Lyceum(jrs) in the Final Four.

“It shows a lot of character from my players. It all boils down to the execution PRINCE Eze’s monster game and two of our plays, looking for Prince and Edgar triples from Rey Peralta and Jeffrey Coro- Charcos making a much-needed three-

By Peter Atencio

point play,” said Altas coach Frankie Lim after they forged their 10th victory in 15 outings.

Eze’s big game in regulation allowed the Altas to charge back from a five-point deficit in the fourth period at 57-62. His three-point play with 2:56 left put the Altas to within 62-64.

Peralta made all of his nine points matter, with his two charities tying the count at 64all in the next play, keeping the Altas in the thick of the fight.

Alvin Capobres had 18 points for the Stags, while teammate Allyn Bulanadi

made 16 with RK Ilagan.

Bulanadi’s trey and Capobre’s driving shot gave SSC a 69-64 lead in the last 1:49, but Jielo Razon, who knocked in 15 points, hit a basket with 1:10 left and Charcos completed a three-point play in the final 40.4 seconds as Perpetual Help tied the count for the last time in regulation, 69-all.

Coronel scored 15 points, including one of two treys which he and Peralta unloaded at the start of the extra period, pushing the Altas on top by six, 75-71, in the last 3:09.

Eze’s split charity with 2:02 to go gave the Altas a seven-point edge, 78-71.

National Cheerleading meet opens14th season on Oct. 6 GONE are the days when cheerleading is being used by collegiate events to spice up the competitions.

Cheerleading has become a centerpiece event and proof of this was the creation of the National Cheerleading Competition, which is now on its 14th season and about to unveil the first leg in Southern Luzon beginning Oct. 6 at the Robinsons Mall in Las Piñas.

NCC and ESPN5 forged a partnership that will bring in local cheerleaders in the country competing in different events of cheer, dance and drum line competitions.

Chot Reyes, former coach of Gilas Pilipinas, played for the Ateneo Blue Eagles during the 1980s and gave the importance of having the cheerleaders to rally behind their respective schools.

“Being a former varsity player myself, I knew the importance of the cheerleaders, trying to encourage our team every game and acting as our

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sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

sixth man during the competitions,” added Reyes.

But there’s a greater importance in staging the NCC, which could serve as a pool of creating athletes that could compete and win medals in international events like the SEA Games, Asian Games and the Olympics.

“I can say that cheerleading has the potential of winning a medal not just in the Asian level, but probably in the world level and hopefully, the Olympics. If we’re going to include cheerleading in the SEA Games, I can say that there is a great chance for us to win the gold medal,” added Reyes.

According to Carlos Valdes, founder of the NCC, what makes cheerleaders distinct from other athletes is the mentality of being fearless.

“It requires courage over anxiety, resolve over doubt, discipline over comfort. You really have to be fearless,” Valdes said.

DONATION. UNILAB recently donated transition bags and backpacks to the Triathlon Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Paratriathlon Committee for its grassroots programs to help promote the growth of the sport. Rockstar triathlete Reujen Lista, on behalf of UNILAB, made the turnover to PPTC Chairman Lito Cinco at the TRAP office in Pasig. Witnessing the turnover were TRAP officials Rick Reyes and Fabie David. Lista has also been extending help to paratriathletes through his own network of contacts.

tTHE Philippine men’s team turned back Zambia, 2.5-1.5, while the women’s squad routed South Korea, 3-1, to bolster their chances after nine rounds of the 43rd World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia Wednesday night.

International Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia provided the lone victory—a 60-move triumph over Kela Kaulule Siame of an Engish Opening on board three—for the Filipinos as Grandmasters Julio Catalino Sadorra and John Paul Gomez and IM Haridas Pascua drew with IM Andrew Kayonde, FIDE Master Douglas Munebga and Prince Daniel Mulenga on boards one, two and four, respectively.

That sent the 54-seeded Philippines in a 14-country tie for 20th place with 12 match points after once lurking outside the top 100 when it lost to lowly Lebanon in the fifth round.

The Philippines is now just four points behind Poland, which seized the solo lead after stunning top seed and reigning champion United States, 2.5-1.5.

Interestingly, the Americans have Cavite-born GM Wesley So as their board two chesser.

The Filipinos, whose trip is bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission and NCFP president Butch Pichay, were playing the Ecuadorians, who bested the South Africans, 2.51.5, in the 10th and penultimate round at press time.

In women’s action, WGM Janelle Mae Frayna, WFM Shania Mae Mendoza and WIM Bernadette Galas over WFM Wang Chengjia, WFM Roza Eynula and Kim Yubin on boards one, two and four, respectively to lift the Pinay chessers to the win.

Bacoor wins 2nd straight MPBL game BACOOR – Gab Banal had a breakout performance and the Bacoor Strikers won their second straight game by outlasting the Navotas Clutch, 81-75, in the MPBL Datu Cup at the Strike Gymnasium here.

The son of multi-titled champion player and coach Joel Banal erupted for a career-high 30 points and pulled down 10 boards as his double-double effort powered the Strikers to their sixth win in 10 games in a tie with the Laguna Heroes-Krah in third place of the team standings.

But by virtue of the win-over-the-other rule, the Strikers carry a more superior tiebreak score.

The loss was the sixth in 10 games for the Clutch, who lost back-to-back games. Navotas started the season with a 2-0 record, but has struggled ever since right after losing big man Rey Publico due to a knee injury as well as internal conflict with some of the players.

Banal, one of the top five scorers in the league, averaging close to 20 points per game, has returned a better player right after representing the country in two international tournaments.

Earlier, Parañaque also picked up its second straight win by dumping lowly Pasig, 87-69, in the other game.

The F2 Logistics-backed Patriots turned to ex-pro Harold Arboleda, who went an assist shy from posting a triple-double performance, while steering his squad in notching its sixth win in 11 games of this tournament put up

by Senator Manny Pacquiao with PBA legend and former league MVP Kenneth Duremdes serving as commissioner.

Sports

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

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2018

Young Chia Yen Wu (right) pulls away by five over 4 others, even as an eagle-aided 72 puts Cyna Rodriguez back in the mix

Gin Kings face Warriors, try to stay on top

By Jeric Lopez STAYING on top is the priority of league-leader Barangay Ginebra as it goes for a third straight win when it plunges back to action in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup. The Gin Kings (5-1) are bound for a stiff test when they take on NLEX (4-2) at 7 p.m. today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

In the opener, Blackwater (41) looks to bounce back when it goes on a collision course with slumping Meralco (1-3) at 4:30 p.m.

Despite having a depleted lineup, the Gin Kings were still able to muscle their way to the top at this point.

Ginebra is showing why it is the two-time defending champion as it still manages to get through with flying colors despite missing the services of key players Sol Mercado, Japeth Aguilar, Greg Slaughter, Jervy Cruz and Art Dela Cruz.

Now, Joe Devance, who has been Ginebra’s saving grace the past couple of games as his production and presence despite playing hurt were a big reason his team continues to excel, joins that long list of injured Ginebra players.

Devance is expected to be out for a month with a stress fracture in his foot.

Still, Ginebra coach Tim Cone is pleased with where his team is at right now and shares the Gin Kings’ battle cry at the moment.

“We’re happy with our start.

We got wins even with key players out,” said Cone. “Our goal is to stay in the top four until we get our guys back. Japeth and Greg are due to comeback this October eventually so for now, we need to go on with what we have and see if we can get more.”

Ginebra had difficulties in its last outing, but eventually came up with a tough 101-99 grinder over Phoenix last Saturday.

Boxing’s Olympic future in jeopardy L

OS ANGELES—Boxing risks being thrown out of the Olympics unless the sport’s ruling body addresses “grave” concerns regarding its governance, the International Olympic Committee executive board said on Wednesday.

A strongly worded IOC statement warned that the International Boxing Association must tackle governance issues at its upcoming congress or it could face sanctions.

“The Executive Board of the IOC today expressed its ongoing extreme concern with the grave situation within the International Boxing Association and its current governance,” the board said in a statement.

“These include the circumstances of the establishment of the election list and the misleading communication within the AIBA membership regarding the IOC’s position.”

The executive board, meeting in Buenos Aires where the Youth Olym-

pic Games begin on Saturday, said the troubles in the AIBA affect “not just the reputation of AIBA and boxing but of sport in general”.

“Therefore, the IOC reiterates its clear position that if the governance issues are not properly addressed to the satisfaction of the IOC at the forthcoming AIBA Congress, the existence of boxing on the Olympic programme and even the recognition of AIBA as an International Federation recognized by the IOC are under threat.”

The IOC warned in July that boxing could still be axed from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics if the AIBA did not put its house in order.

In February the IOC said they were

worried by the nomination of Uzbek businessman Gafur Rakhimov for the AIBA’s interim presidency.

However Rakhimov, who has been linked to organized crime by the US Treasury Department, is now the only candidate for the presidency to be voted on at the AIBA congress in Moscow in November.

In attempting to force change at the AIBA this year, the IOC had already suspended financial contributions from the IOC to the AIBA. Even though the IOC believes sweeping change is needed at the AIBA, the governing body voiced support for boxers themselves.

“At the same time we would like to reassure the athletes that the IOC will -- as it has always done in such situations and is currently doing at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 -- do its utmost to ensure that the athletes do not have to suffer under these circumstances and that we will protect their Olympic dream.”

Catalan leads Casino Filipino MMA winners

LIKE a hungry wolf, Ruel Catalan of Catalan Fighting System quickly pounced on a hapless victim in Dipolog Top Team’s George Mascardo to post an overwhelming victory and rule the Casino Filipino (CF) Battle Extreme Tournament of Superstars (BETS) VII last Sept. 14 at the CF Manila Bay in Ermita, Manila.

Catalan, who successfully sprang from a disappointing defeat last February to score his seventh win in eight professional outings, delivered solid strikes from the get go as he easily submitted Mascardo in the 1:18 mark of the opening round. The setback was the third in Mascardo’s fighting career and dropped his win-loss record to 7-3.

In the co-main event, Mark Gregory Valerio of One Revolt MMA remained unblemished in seven matches when he prevailed over Mario Sismundo of Team Boss MMA via referee-stopped contest in the 3:56 mark of the second round.

A heavy right cross from Valerio opened a deep cut on Sismundo’s left eyebrow, which bled profusely, forcing the referee to halt the fight.

Metacore Elorde NAIA’s Norman Agcopra, likewise, put an abbreviated

neth Chua (4837, Kevin Cu (4770), Raoul Miranda (4741), RJ Bautista (4721), Eric Aranez (4702) and Anton Alcazaren (4676).

Ladies -- Liza del Rosario (3960 in 20 games), Dyan Coronacion (3831), Lara Posadas (3821), Alexis Sy (3732), Abbie Gan (3665), Pure Anselmo (3655), Mades Arles (3608) and Rochelle Munsayac (3583).

With their scores carried over, the men and ladies will bowl a round-robin format and positioning on the 8th

TAIWAN—Cyna Rodriguez survived in another punishing day here and salvaged an even par 72 but Princess Superal this time failed to endure the exacting test and hobbled with a 75 as the Filipinas fell behind by seven to a young amateur who continued to flourish in severe conditions on a course she calls home.

Taiwanese Chia Yen Wu, 14, rallied from an opening 38 with three birdies in the last nine holes behind solid iron play to save a 71, leaving behind her erstwhile pursuers after two rounds of the Party Golfers Ladies Open at the wind-raked National Golf Country Club in Miaoli County here.

Just one-up over Thai Wanchana Poruangrong with a 67 in the opening round of the $100,000 event cosanctioned by the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour and Taiwan LPGA, Wu now heads to the final 18 holes with a 138 total and a whopping fivestroke lead over fellow Taiwanese Chen Szu-Han and Yu Pei-Lin, who shot 69 and 73, respectively, and Jackie Chulya and Poruangrong, who turned in 72 and 75, respectively, for 143s.

Superal, three behind after 18 holes of play, stayed within striking distance despite a 37 start but reeled farther back with a couple of missed birdie putts and back-to-back bogeys from No. 15. She wound up with a birdie-less 75 for a 145, which Rodriguez matched with her eagle-spiked 72.

“It was tough out there…the wind kept blowing from all over, forcing you to adjust your shot in an instant and making it a lot tougher to putt,” rued Superal, who put up a strong finishing kick to get into the mix with a two-under 70 Wednesday.

But there was no big windup for back-to-back winner of LPGT Highlands and Riviera last March as conditions turned from bad to worse at day’s end with the field also needing to deal with the biting cold spawned by rain showers in the closing holes.

Chen Meng-Chu blew an opening 34 with a 38 for a second 72 and 144 for joint sixth with Thai Supamas Sangchan, who rallied with a 70.

Rodriguez, a former three-time LPGT Order of Merit winner, celebrated in jest as she turned in her scorecard that yielded an eagle and two birdies against two doublebogeys.

“I’ve got no bogeys,” she paused.

“But made two double-bogeys,” She actually set in motion her rebound bid from an opening 73 with an eagle on the par-5 No. 3 but gave up the strokes just as quickly with a 6 on the next. After a par on No. 5, she dropped two strokes again the long, daunting par-4 sixth but birdied the par-5 seventh and got another stroke on No. 10 before settling for pars the rest of the way.

NU Bulldogs near badminton finals

Mark Gregory Valerio mercilessly pounds Mario Sismundo with solid strikes en route to a referee-stopped ending in the second round of their match in CF BETS VII held at CF Manila Bay in Ermita, Manila.

ending to his match against Farmon Gavarov of Korean Top Team/Top Gym BF by scoring a technical knockout victory over the latter in the 1:29 mark of the first round.

South Korean Hye Sun Kim of BK Wang Ho/Top Gym BF finally chalked his first professional win by prevailing over a favored opponent in

Anne Kristelle Sabadlab of Mindanao Ultimate Mixed Martial Arts via rear naked choke in the 59th second of the first round.

Hye’s compatriot Won Il Kwon of Kwang Gym/Extreme Combat also scored a referee-stopped victory against Team RLAN’s Herbert Faurillo in the first round.

16 bowlers gun for Bowling World Cup national titles, Vegas trip IT’S make or break for eight male and eight female pintopplers today as they gun for the 2018 Bowling World Cup national title at Paeng’s Eastwood Bowl and the trip to the 54th international event on Nov. 4-11 in Sam’s Town, Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 16 remaining aspirants out of an original field of 80 men and 44 ladies with their respective scores after two rounds are: Men -- Merwin Tan (4881 in 24 games), Nicco Olaivar (4871), Ken-

Rodriguez charges back, but Superal falters

game, the winner getting 30 points and both 15 each for a tie.

All semifinal and final matches will be best of 3 games, with the top finisher facing No. 3 and and the two others clashing in the semis. The winners will dispute the title and the right to represent the Philippines in the BWC international tournament.

Filipino star Krizziah Tabora bagged the international ladies’ crown last year, but she was unable to compete this time because she’s

on medical leave.

Four other Filipinos, led by Paeng Nepomuceno, emerged world champions. Nepomuceno won four times while Lita dela Rosa, Bong Coo and CJ Suarez triumphed once each.

Multi-titled Liza del Rosario got the chance to play in the international finals six times, placing second in Pattaya in 2001, third in Singapore in 2004 and fourth twice -- in Wroiclaw, Poland in 2014 and Las Vegas, Nevada in 2015.

NATIONAL University moved on the cusp of clinching an outright passage to the men’s Finals as the reigning four-time champions overwhelmed University of Santo Tomas, 5-0, Thursday in the UAAP Season 81 badminton tournament.

Everything went well for the mighty Bulldogs, as Ross Lee Pedrosa, Mike Minuluan and Dawn Cuyno won their respective singles matches while the pairs of reigning MVP Alvin Morada and Alem Palmares, and Minuluan and Cuyno hurdled their doubles contests.

Stretching its perfect run to 40 ties and sporting a 5-0 record in the season, NU goes for the elimination round sweep against winless University of the East at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.

In other ties, University of the Philippines turned back Ateneo, 3-2, while De La Salle scored a 4-1 decision over Adamson University to complete the semifinals cast.

The victory, the fourth in five ties, assured the Fighting Maroons of at least a playoff for the second twice-to-beat slot in the semifinals.

The Green Shuttlers, meanwhile, improved to 3-2 alongside the Blue Eagles in third place.

UP seeks to seal the No. 2 ranking in the semifinals with a win over De La Salle on Saturday.

The Falcons, who needed a win over the Green Shuttlers to stay alive, bowed out of contention, wrapping up their season with a 2-4 slate in fifth - an improvement from seventh place last year.

IN BRIEF

BDO’s Nestor Tan voted best executive BDO Unibank Inc. president and chief executive Nestor Tan was voted he Best CEO for Emerging Markets (Philippines) in this year’s poll of investors and analysts conducted by New York-based magazine Institutional Investor.

The category is a key feature of the AllAsia (excluding Japan) Executive Team, an annual ranking done by the publication which often serves as industry benchmarks.

Apart from the Philippines, the countries in the Emerging Markets category include Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

All the winners were determined by voting. This year, the publication had over 4,500 qualified voters, of which around 80 percent are portfolio managers/ analysts from the buy-side. The remaining 20 percent are analysts from the sell-side.

Joining Tan in the list of the country’s bests are JG Summit Holdings president and CEO Lance Gokongwei (ranked 2nd) and Ayala Corp. chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala (3rd).

Institutional Investor is a leading international business to business publisher, focused primarily on international finance.

Julito G. Rada

Business

Cebu Pacific, Visa team up for flash sale THE Philippines’ leading airline, Cebu Pacific, teamed up with Visa for the “SEA more with Visa” campaign which offers special seat sale fares to some of the most popular international destinations within its extensive flight network.

The sale marks the sixth year of partnership between Cebu Pacific and Visa.

The Cebu Pacific seat sale is exclusive for Visa cardholders. It will be available until Oct. 6, 2018 (or until seats last. Travel period will be from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2019.

“We thank Visa for continuously working with us to fulfill our vision of enabling more Filipinos to maximize their travel opportunities, not only within the Philippines but to international destinations as well.

We urge everyJuan to make use of this ongoing seat sale and book flights early, so that they may save up on airfare, and have more budget to splurge on other activities,” said Cebu Pacific vice president for corporate affairs JR Mantaring.

Manila to Kota Kinabalu is offered for as low as P294 base fare, while a quick escape to Brunei (Bandar Seri Begawan) costs P1,099 in base fare, or to Taipei, P1,199 base fare. Flights to Kuala Lumpur are also up for grabs for as low as P1, 494 base fare, along with flights to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam at only P1, 499 base fare.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2018

B1

Peso falls to new 13-year low of 54.32 per dollar

SEC warns public against 3 companies THE Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday warned the public about dealing with three companies that are allegedly soliciting investments without prior consent from the regulator.

The commission, in an advisory posted on its website, warned the public against investing in Nutriwealth Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Bibli Online Store and Kapa Community Ministry International Inc. It said the three companies were not authorized to solicit investment from the public as they have not secured the necessary license or permit as required under the Securities Regulation Code.

Based on information gathered by SEC, Nutriwealth was offering to the public investment opportunities termed as “savings” which involves a deposit of P1,000 up to P100,000 per month for a fixed term of 5 to 35 years with 12-percent annual interest income.

It also offers “double your Money in 5 years” with a minimum one-time deposit of P5,000 and a maximum one-time deposit of P100,000. Jenniffer B. Austria

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

CREBA’S 27TH CONFAB. The Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations Inc., the umbrella association of the housing and real estate industry, announces the holding of the 27th annual national convention. Slated on Oct. 17 to 20, 2018 in La Union, it is the biggest national gathering of stakeholders in the real estate and housing industry. Shown during the launching of the annual convention are (from left) Creba national chairman Charlie Gorayeb, La Union Governor Emmanuel Francisco Ortega and Creba national president Noel Toti Cariño.

World Bank reduces growth outlook to 6.5% T

By Julito G. Rada

HE World Bank on Thursday revised downward its 2018 growth forecast for the Philippines to 6.5 percent from an earlier estimate of 6.7 percent, saying that downside risks such as the slowdown in global trade could weigh on exports.

The bank, however, kept its 2019 growth projection at 6.7 percent and expects 2020 growth to reach 6.6 percent. The latest forecasts were contained in a report titled “Philippines Economic Update: Staying in the Course Amid Global Uncertainty.”

“The Philippines’ economic growth outlook remains positive, yet downside risks have increased. An expected slowdown in global trade in the medium term is likely to further dampen Philip-

pine exports,” the bank said.

“Nevertheless, baseline economic growth is projected at 6.5 percent in 2018, 6.7 percent in 2019, and 6.6 percent in 2020,” it said.

The bank said there were considerable risks to the current growth forecasts, including the increasing global uncertainty amid the trade tensions between the US and China and the rising interest rates in the US. This could raise external financing cost and further weaken the peso, it said.

“To manage these risks, maintaining strong macroeconomic fundamentals is key. At the same time, accelerating structural reforms to improve investments in physical infrastructure and make better use of capital, labor and technology to increase productivity remains a very important agenda for the Philippines,” Mara Warwick, World Bank country director for Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, said.

“In the long-term, sustaining high productivity growth is critical for the country to become a prosperous society free of poverty,” she said.

“The Philippines is fairly resilient against capital outflows compared to

many of its neighbors in the East Asia Region,” said Birgit Hansl, World Bank Lead Economist for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand.

“It has large foreign reserves, flexible exchange-rate, low public debt and robust remittance inflows. At this juncture, preserving the country’s resilience rests in large part on preventing the currentaccount deficit from widening too much and too fast,” she said.

The bank said the baseline investment growth outlook was positive and the planned senatorial and local elections in May 2019 were expected to lead to higher public spending and higher private consumption.

“However, persistent high domestic inflation could have a dampening effect on consumption and investment growth,” it said.

Inflation in the first eight months averaged 4.7 percent, above the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. The August inflation alone of 6.4 percent was the fastest in nine years, or since it hit 6.6 percent in March 2009. It was driven by faster increases in the prices of rice, meat, vegetables and fish.

THE peso closed at a new 13-year low against the US dollar Thursday after the Federal Reserve indicated more rate hikes are coming, a statement that bolstered the value of the greenback.

The peso lost P0.14 to close at 54.32 a dollar from 54.18 Wednesday. It was its weakest finish in almost 13 years, or since it settled at 54.425 on Nov. 22, 2005.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell was quoted in a briefing that the US central bank has “ways to go yet before it gets interest rates to where they are neither restrictive nor accommodative.”

“Interest rates are still accommodative, but we’re gradually moving to a place where they will be neutral,” he said.

“We may go past neutral, but we’re a long way from neutral at this point, probably,” wire reports quoted him as saying.

Security Bank Corp. said in its daily report it was “expecting market to trade with a higher bias on broad US dollar strength...due to better than expected US data...and hawkish comments from Powell.”

The peso partially recovered versus the dollar after the Bangko Sentral raised interest rates by another 50 basis points to 4.5 percent on Sept. 27 to temper inflation and address excessive exchange rate volatility.

The peso has been posting multiyear lows against the US dollar the past few weeks because of the country’s widening trade deficit and the escalating trade war between the US and China.

Data showed that the local currency depreciated 8.8 percent against the US dollar since the start of the year.

The country’s balance of trade-ingoods’ deficit hit $22.49 billion in the first seven months, significantly higher than the $13.055-billion shortfall a year ago.

Prakash Sakpal, ING Bank Asia economist, said in an earlier report that remittances were insufficient to cover the trade deficit on a sustainable basis and the current account in deficit.

Julito G. Rada

DOTr to revive Manila-Laguna cargo rail project

By Darwin G. Amojelar

SMC food unit gets nod to sell P142.8-b shares

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Thursday, October 4, 2018

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

54.2260

Japan

Yen

0.008731

0.4734

UK

Pound

1.294200

70.1793

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127590

6.9187

Switzerland

Franc

1.007861

54.6523

Canada

Dollar

0.777182

42.1435

Singapore

Dollar

0.724900

39.3084

Australia

Dollar

0.710200

38.5113

Bahrain

Dinar

2.654210

143.9272

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266667

14.4603

Brunei

Dollar

0.722282

39.1665

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000066

0.0036

Thailand

Baht

0.030912

1.6762

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

14.7642

Euro

Euro

1.148000

62.2514

Korea

Won

0.000889

0.0482

China

Yuan

0.145159

7.8714

India

Rupee

0.013635

0.7394

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.241721

13.1076

New Zealand

Dollar

0.651300

35.3174

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032540

1.7645

Source: PDS Bridge

By Jenniffer B. Austria

GRI SUMMIT AT CONRAD. The Global Reporting Initiative teamed up with the SM group of companies led by SM Investments Corp., the Australian Embassy in the Philippines, the Philippine Business for Environment and the Makati Business Club in holding the first ever GRI Sustainability Summit on Oct. 8, 2018 at the Conrad Manila which received the Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design Gold Certification in 2017. The summit will spur discussions on how to promote sustainable development and help bridge the gap in sustainability reporting.

Business groups ask govt to freeze next year’s oil tax hike

By Othel V. Campos The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other business groups asked the government to suspend next year’s tranche of oil tax hike under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law.

PCCI president Maria Alegria Limjoco said local businesses would be gravely affected by the additional tax hike, as prices of crude and other petroleum products were on an upswing since 2017.

“We will push for the increase to be suspended. It will be one of the business community’s resolution during the Phil-

ippine Business Conference that will be held on Oct. 18 to 19 at Manila Hotel,” she said.

Under the Train law, tax on diesel already increased to P2.5 per liter in 2018, with subsequent adjustments of P4.50 a liter in 2019 and P6 a liter in 2020.

The same goes for gasoline with adjustments of P7 a liter in 2018, P9 a liter in 2019 and P10 a liter in 2020.

Liquefied petroleum gas, which was not taxed previously, is now taxable by P1 a liter in 2018, P2 a liter in 2019 and P3 a liter in 2020.

Aviation gas was taxed P4 a liter; asphalt, P8 per kilo; kerosene, P3 a liter; naphtha, P7 a liter; bunker fuel, P8 a

liter; lubricating oil, P8 a liter; paraffin wax, P8 a liter; and petroleum coke, P2.50 a liter.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi earlier asked the oil industry to “reduce industry take” or profit to help mitigate the impact of high oil prices on consumers Data from the Department of Energy showed that gasoline prices posted a net increase of P10.40 per liter since the start of the year. Diesel prices climbed P10.70 per liter while kerosene cost jumped P9.35 per liter.

Gasoline now sells from a range of P53.55 to P66.35 per liter depending on the octane level while diesel sells from P45.65 to P54.90 per liter.

THE Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday approved the P142.8-billion share sale of San Miguel Food and Beverage Inc. Documents filed with the SEC showed that SMFB would sell up to 887 million in secondary shares owned by parent company San Miguel Corp. and another 133 million shares to cover over allotment.

The company earlier set an indicative offer price of up to P140 per share. SMFB plans to conduct the share sale this month.

The company hired JP Morgan Securities Plc., Morgan Stanley Asia (Singapore) Pte., UBS AG Singapore, Goldman Sachs (Sinagpore) and Duetsche Bank as the international book runners.

BDO Capital and Investments Corp. and BPI Capital Corp. were tapped as the local lead underwriters for the offering.

The planned share sale will enable the company to comply with the 10-percent minimum public ownership requirement of the Philippine Stock Exchange for listed companies.

The public float of SMFB is currently at less than 5 percent after implementing a share swap with San Miguel to facilitate the merger San Miguel Foods Co., San Miguel Brewery Inc. and Ginebra San Miguel.

If the P142-billion planned share sale of SMFB pushes through, it would be the largest equity deal in the local bourse and would easily surpass the P38-billion ($912 million) follow-on offering of LT Group Inc., the holding company of tycoon Lucio Tan.

THE Department of Transportation said it plans to revive the operation of a container cargo rail from Port Area in Manila to Laguna province.

The agency said it was looking at reopening the tracks towards the berths of Manila International Container Terminal and Manila North Harbor to restart the container cargo service between MICT to Laguna Gateway Inland Container Terminal in Calamba, Laguna.

International Container Terminal Services Inc. operated the cargo trains transporting containers from the port of Manila to Laguna using the PNR tracks from 1998 until it was discontinued in 2003.

ICTSI operates both MICT and the Laguna Gateway Inland Container Terminal.

Once operational, the link will help Philippine National Railways to haul cargo containers equivalent to 500 to 700 truck trips per day.

The DOTr sad it planned to purchase freight trains which would lead to the decongestion of the DelpanRoxas Boulevard-Osmeña highway corridor in Manila.

“These measures are being implemented amid the ongoing construction of the PNR North and South railway projects under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program of the Duterte administration,” the DOTr said.

The P105.31-billion PNR North 1 is a 38-kilometer line that will connect Malolos, Bulacan to NCR. It will reduce travel time between these two areas from over one hour and thirty minutes today to 35 minutes once the railway is fully operational.

The project is expected to serve more than 300,000 passengers daily in its opening year in 2021.

B2

Business

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks plunge; Metrobank tumbles

T

HE stock market plummeted Thursday ahead of the release of the September inflation data today, with investors weighing the effects of higher prices and the weak peso on the third-quarter earnings of companies.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index dropped 117.53 points, or 1.6 percent, to 7,093.34 on a value turnover of P4.3 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 122 to 68, with 51 issues unchanged.

JG Summit Holdings Inc. of industrialist John Gokongwei slumped 5.1 percent to P50.80, while major property developer Ayala Land Inc. tumbled 4.7 percent to P38.60.

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of assets, fell 4.4 percent to P66, while Security Bank Corp., the sixth-largest bank, declined 3.4 percent to P144.80.

The US dollar, meanwhile, continued to brush aside other currencies Thursday after further proof of the booming US economy sent Treasury yields surging, but Asian equities sank with more Federal Reserve rate hikes looking certain.

The prospect of borrowing becoming even more expensive rattled equity traders in Asia.

Hong Kong lost 1.8 percent with property firms hit by concerns the higher rates—the city’s monetary policy is linked to the Fed’s—will hammer the booming real estate market.

Tokyo ended 0.6 percent lower, while Singapore, Seoul, Taipei and Jakarta shed more than one percent. Mumbai was down 2.3 percent.

to its highest level in seven years, in turn fueling a surge in the dollar, helping it hit an 11-month high against the yen.

Hawkish comments from Fed boss Jerome Powell also provided momentum to dollar buying.

The greenback extended Wednesday’s gains against its major peers, with easing concerns about a row between Italy and EU leaders unable to staunch a selloff in the euro.

Higher-yielding and emerging market currencies were among the worst hit.

The Chinese yuan took a hit, despite mainland markets being closed. The dollar jumped 0.2 percent to 6.9 against the offshore yuan, with some predicting it could break 7 at some point.

The US unit hit a record 73.82 Indian rupees and a fresh 20-year high against the Indonesian rupiah, with the two countries battered by surging oil prices and an outflow of cash as investors shift attention to US assets. With AFP

Sydney added 0.5 percent while Shanghai was closed for a public holiday.

“This withdrawal of liquidity and gradual tightening of monetary policy” by the Fed is reverberating across financial markets, Bob Baur, chief global economist at Principal Global Investors, told Bloomberg TV. He warned US Treasuries would likely rise further “later this year, early next year—and I think that’s going to be a real problem for stock markets.”

A forecast-busting private jobs report, a surge in activity in the services sector and optimism in the retail market were the latest evidence that the world’s top economy is firing on all cylinders, helping send the Dow to a record close for the second day in a row.

However, the news also saw a sell-off in safe-haven Treasuries—a sign of confidence –sending the cost of borrowing

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2018

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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 PHIL NATL BANK PHILTRUST PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK

58.65 81.3 2.56 120 1.47 29.95 16.16 12.6 4.3 1.7 0.54 68.9 0.93 11.4 42.9 100.2 71 25.7 149.1 1,824 66

58.95 81.3 2.56 120 1.55 29.95 16.16 12.6 4.3 1.7 0.55 68.9 0.93 11.4 43 100.2 74.45 25.7 150 1,900 66.05

58 80.5 2.4 116.1 1.45 28.75 15.94 12.4 4.21 1.63 0.51 66 0.93 11.4 42.6 100.2 71 25.65 144.8 1,824 65.95

FINANCIALS 58 22,560 80.5 878,960 2.4 36,000 117 1,276,180 1.55 200,000 29 8,900 15.94 76,000 12.4 442,800 4.27 63,000 1.65 52,000 0.54 33,000 66 3,359,640 0.93 2,000 11.4 2,500 42.7 37,600 100.2 40 72.35 15,350 25.7 5,300 144.8 1,200,770 1,900 635 66 13,420

1,317,405 71,076,087 88,690 150,212,172 292,900 259,300 1,216,194 5,532,144 267,800 85,630 17,050 223,408,952.50 1,860 28,500 1,609,930 4,008 1,112,088.50 136,060 176,390,049 1,205,740 885,782.50

348,650 -18,814,518.50 -17,096,886 278,300 -17,485 290,346 -63,526,214.50 5,700 -540,840 -616,433 -67,457,901 -223,054

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

33.75 18.18 1.03 1.26 0.223 100.1 2.45 13.54 34.45 18.82 40 65 1.61 7.38 9.89 15.16 8.4 7.03 7.07 16.5 64.75 25.9 6.71 12.52 1.9 253 4.8 3.14 24.7 11.38 14.74 358.8 0.199 6.45 1.8 4.1 8.69 4.75 9 0.96 10.8 53.95 5.9 4.85 2.52 1.55 12.2 94 5.4 0.124 1.03 138 2.43 1.97 2.11

34.3 18.32 1.03 1.27 0.223 100.1 2.5 13.74 35.8 19.7 40 65 1.75 7.39 9.92 15.4 8.41 7.03 7.08 16.88 64.75 25.9 6.79 12.7 1.9 255.4 4.8 3.39 24.9 11.38 14.88 359 0.199 6.5 1.8 4.2 8.7 4.94 9.08 0.96 10.8 54 5.9 4.9 2.52 1.65 12.2 94 5.4 0.124 1.03 138 2.43 1.98 2.13

33.5 18.1 1 1.26 0.22 100 2.21 13.4 34.3 17.98 38.6 65 1.61 6.55 9.76 15.14 8.35 7 7.07 16.02 63.4 25.5 6.71 12.5 1.85 251 4.8 3.1 24.5 11.02 14.4 350 0.199 6.45 1.76 4.06 8.38 4.75 8.95 0.94 10.22 53 5.9 4.85 2.43 1.55 12.06 92.7 5.2 0.124 1.03 134 2.43 1.88 2.02

INDUSTRIAL 34.3 1,845,700 18.24 228,300 1.01 2,961,000 1.27 961,000 0.22 60,000 100.1 750 2.25 5,887,000 13.52 173,200 35.7 585,900 17.98 500 38.6 12,800 65 400 1.72 114,000 7.39 8,400 9.9 742,800 15.14 38,300 8.35 69,600 7.01 1,013,300 7.07 950,000 16.02 357,100 63.7 40,200 25.5 17,000 6.72 9,900 12.5 1,379,500 1.86 402,000 252 359,360 4.8 20,000 3.39 11,000 24.55 135,200 11.26 86,500 14.4 1,154,800 355 104,300 0.199 10,000 6.47 9,800 1.8 49,000 4.18 25,000 8.57 1,071,100 4.93 60,000 9.06 112,200 0.96 492,000 10.5 60,400 53.75 206,930 5.9 600 4.9 4,000 2.46 729,000 1.6 1,032,000 12.06 18,000 93 534,150 5.25 352,000 0.124 100,000 1.03 3,000 134 1,033,680 2.43 1,000 1.91 3,162,000 2.05 7,977,000

62,415,540 4,157,816 2,996,520 1,211,920 13,350 75,054 13,392,010 2,341,460 20,780,365 9,246 499,730 26,000 197,820 57,784 7,348,173 580,222 584,246 7,104,338 6,719,006 5,772,670 2,560,866.50 436,380 66,534 17,253,706 746,210 90,694,530 96,000 36,460 3,346,065 974,230 16,693,832 37,140,018 1,990 63,609 88,160 102,240 9,085,294 286,690 1,009,717 466,500 629,204 11,131,963 3,540 19,500 1,796,760 1,655,070 217,858 49,685,724.50 1,856,147 12,400 3,090 140,813,173 2,430 6,073,460 16,409,400

42,222,625 221,248 -5,050 -7,984,970 1,505,968 -89,450 -417,450 2,403,261 -504,840 -3,961,181 -3,674,664 -742,028 757,217.50 7,804,910 -185,230 -20,817,696 871,905 -495,440 -8,840,446 6,269,796 -88,160 12,540 -347,343 -47,600 960 -49,932 2,247,677 -129,042 10,957,890.50 -7,317,747 281,660 102,000

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

0.42 48.1 12.24 0.97 6.11 28.2 1.33 1.35 940 5.82 12.02 7.1 8.61 0.195 800 53.55 0.57 4.84 14.9 0.56 4.82 0.038 1.15 2.42 2.69 168.9 859.5 1.43 281 0.255 0.22

0.43 48.65 12.24 0.97 6.11 28.2 1.35 1.35 943 7 12.08 7.2 8.61 0.203 800 53.55 0.57 4.84 14.96 0.6 4.86 0.038 1.21 2.43 2.69 169.4 878.5 1.43 281 0.26 0.22

0.415 47.7 12.02 0.88 6.11 27.2 1.24 1.27 913 5.8 11.7 7.05 5 0.195 781 50.8 0.56 4.44 14.4 0.55 4.75 0.038 1.15 2.39 2.69 167.9 859.5 1.39 278 0.255 0.187

HOLDING FIRMS 0.42 5,560,000 47.7 1,757,200 12.02 1,013,000 0.88 111,000 6.11 20,000 27.75 52,200 1.24 11,657,000 1.27 2,378,000 919.5 238,320 5.8 620,400 11.8 4,765,900 7.1 2,209,000 5.88 6,500 0.203 110,000 783.5 62,360 50.8 983,050 0.57 7,000 4.65 103,000 14.72 2,754,200 0.55 1,619,000 4.85 11,396,000 0.038 11,500,000 1.2 35,000 2.43 520,000 2.69 1,000 169.4 265,930 875 734,740 1.4 888,000 281 1,440 0.26 1,530,000 0.213 40,000

2,347,150 84,233,305 12,217,098 97,970 122,200 1,446,585 14,901,690 3,090,320 221,061,510 3,618,245 56,511,350 15,684,904 40,340 21,690 49,197,475 50,579,839.50 3,940 466,120 40,644,766 905,780 54,906,190 437,000 40,690 1,250,830 2,690 44,867,072 638,115,675 1,235,940 404,580 390,900 8,070

21,000 -23,335,535 -6,821,202 122,200 -52,945 -84,620 -13,778,000 469,835 -118,196 348,480 -25,422,890 -4,956,532 152,350 -3,385,050 237,170 18,298,370 -48,000 1,126,989 1,289,290 -

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

7.27 0.83 2 0.64 40 2.43 4.4 5.3 0.435 0.23 0.4 8.27 20 0.55 0.11 1.44 1.15 2.44 4.16 0.64 0.45 0.435 3.87 31.5 20.3 2.03 3.19 34.6

7.29 0.84 2 0.64 40.1 2.49 4.59 5.3 0.44 0.23 0.4 8.41 20.5 0.55 0.11 1.47 1.15 2.48 4.25 0.64 0.45 0.435 3.98 31.5 20.3 2.03 3.19 34.6

7 0.82 2 0.62 38.6 2.43 4.35 5.28 0.435 0.226 0.4 8.27 19.52 0.54 0.11 1.44 1.11 2.33 4.1 0.62 0.44 0.415 3.87 31.5 19.6 1.96 3.19 34

1,740,482 720,650 50,000 247,540 337,868,010 757,480 1,388,060 100,640 474,250 18,160 16,000 586,649 15,309,266 293,100 35,200 3,452,180 17,110 25,229,210 22,827,980 11,252,570 603,450 171,300 640,470 1,439,550 8,382,494 120,420 3,190 268,891,255

-281,697 -94,469,075 -182,060 -4,080,694 -260,700 507,130 11,400 -526,280 -8,870,340 3,150 -1,226,377 -36,443,750

NAME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

1.1 6.4 0.76 6.05

1.15 6.49 0.76 6.05

1.08 6.25 0.74 5.9

1.15 6.36 0.74 6

1,069,000 65,000 239,000 3,043,300

1,176,330 409,689 178,940 18,188,156

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

11 21.6 0.48 0.041 1.9 8.41 0.061 67.55 5.29 8.51 2.25 22.5 890 2,210 5.36 302.4 2.73 2.04 95 11.6 7.7 0.115 2.35 3.11 15 3.6 0.89 17 0.42 5.85 7.08 2.41 1.4 7.42 10.98 8.9 3.38 100 4.22 1,400 0.86 0.37 44 79 7.4 2.35 0.89 0.57 5.19 0.67 10.8

11 21.7 0.48 0.041 1.96 8.41 0.063 67.9 5.34 8.52 2.25 23.35 890 2,220 5.36 313 2.8 2.04 95.1 12 7.7 0.125 2.43 3.27 15 3.7 0.9 17.42 0.47 5.85 7.1 2.42 1.54 7.6 11 8.9 3.39 100 4.29 1,400 0.86 0.38 44.9 79.2 7.5 2.38 0.89 0.58 5.2 0.68 10.8

10.6 21.4 0.465 0.04 1.87 8.16 0.06 67.2 5.2 8.5 2.25 22.3 890 2,198 5.28 302.4 2.6 2.04 94.15 11.6 7.6 0.114 2.35 3.11 14.98 3.57 0.89 16.5 0.42 5.85 7.06 2.35 1.38 7.36 10.98 8.9 3.38 99 4.1 1,380 0.85 0.37 43.1 77.05 7.2 2.3 0.77 0.54 5.19 0.66 10.7

SERVICES 10.6 21.4 0.47 0.04 1.88 8.16 0.06 67.3 5.27 8.5 2.25 22.3 890 2,220 5.3 313 2.62 2.04 94.15 12 7.6 0.117 2.37 3.2 15 3.58 0.9 17.16 0.47 5.85 7.08 2.36 1.52 7.36 10.98 8.9 3.39 99 4.23 1,394 0.85 0.38 44.9 79 7.5 2.31 0.8 0.54 5.2 0.67 10.78

10,500 39,100 2,040,000 3,200,000 4,169,000 2,446,200 17,810,000 32,140 622,400 5,000 3,000 36,000 100 45,970 248,400 710 1,238,000 13,000 742,910 5,800 13,300 480,000 3,342,000 39,000 7,200 526,000 64,000 1,182,500 380,000 200 6,056,900 137,000 14,000 1,202,200 26,000 300 3,000 2,030 208,000 58,595 1,255,000 660,000 1,054,900 1,120,940 38,400 15,839,000 24,309,000 43,333,000 447,100 1,283,000 467,600

112,860 844,365 965,250 129,200 7,983,590 20,272,809 1,079,220 2,166,407 3,275,719 42,558 6,750 805,920 89,000 101,810,630 1,316,624 220,324 3,292,400 26,520 70,297,657.50 67,410 101,780 57,050 7,956,280 124,650 107,924 1,887,440 57,060 20,192,532 161,950 1,170 42,907,120 325,190 20,440 8,959,054 285,900 2,670 10,150 202,690 884,410 81,722,290 1,068,110 245,150 46,460,065 88,057,278 277,277 36,946,920 19,890,480 23,886,890 2,321,974 852,820 5,034,340

-7,390 16,400 15,420 -3,569,883 -1,524,686.50 61,860 25,210 34,445,130 24,140 179,678.50 463,810 -53,920 -4,367,616 -10,561,401 -9,490 -93,675 -53,300 -290,870 -28,593,355 -481,120 -1,741,445 -6,827,144.50 11,222,180 1,325,330 -129,920 -50,910 2,490,710

1,608,500 5,797,050 102,060 639,136 13,260 628,480 150,000 33,041 914,020 68,920 426,880 1,150 99,280 3,130,980 12,440 138,090 797,530 233,800 366,100 287,870 2,492,720 186,617,502 26,381,645

-8,760 -1,020 77,850 -384,350 -846,340 8,319,632 1,636,810 -1,900 -722,272 28,500 -

MS

PROPERTY 7.25 0.82 2 0.64 38.6 2.43 4.4 5.3 0.435 0.23 0.4 8.3 19.54 0.54 0.11 1.45 1.11 2.37 4.1 0.63 0.44 0.415 3.93 31.5 19.68 1.96 3.19 34.1

242,800 871,000 25,000 393,000 8,641,500 311,000 313,000 19,000 1,090,000 80,000 40,000 70,700 771,100 534,000 320,000 2,376,000 15,000 10,565,000 5,536,000 17,859,000 1,370,000 400,000 165,000 45,700 422,500 61,000 1,000 7,871,700

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

-18,900 -3,717,365

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

0.0024 1.55 2.9 19.5 1.02 1.92 0.3 7 1.84 0.202 0.109 0.115 1.3 4.3 1.16 0.68 1.13 0.014 0.012 3.85 3.32 16.9 24.75

0.0026 1.6 2.95 19.5 1.02 1.92 0.3 7.11 1.85 0.203 0.116 0.115 1.3 4.31 1.2 0.68 1.16 0.014 0.013 3.85 3.32 17.3 25.1

0.0024 1.51 2.9 17 1.02 1.91 0.3 6.8 1.81 0.201 0.109 0.115 1.2 4.25 1.1 0.66 1.13 0.013 0.012 3.5 3.3 15.88 24.5

MINING & OIL 0.0026 656,000,000 1.51 3,737,000 2.95 35,000 17.04 36,700 1.02 13,000 1.91 328,000 0.3 500,000 7.1 4,700 1.83 499,000 0.203 340,000 0.115 3,710,000 0.115 10,000 1.2 82,000 4.26 730,000 1.1 11,000 0.67 208,000 1.15 695,000 0.013 17,200,000 0.012 29,900,000 3.5 79,000 3.32 751,000 15.9 11,304,300 25 1,055,900

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

19 489.8 100.5 100.2 102.9 489 5.13 944.5 95 1.04 99.8 1,010 1,049 102.1 981 75 77 73.4 75 75 75 75

19 490 100.5 101 103 489 5.13 945 98 1.04 99.8 1,010 1,050 102.6 1,000 75 77 75 75 75.2 75 75

19 489.8 100.5 100.2 102.9 489 5.1 944.5 95 1.04 99.8 1,010 1,049 102.1 981 75 76.3 73.4 75 75 74.5 74.5

PREFERRED 19 900 490 240 100.5 5,500 100.5 14,020 103 220 489 500 5.1 311,500 945 800 98 990 1.04 2,000 99.8 500 1,010 50 1,050 475 102.1 980 1,000 4,830 75 10,000 76.3 46,410 75 34,710 75 15,990 75.2 3,570 75 9,010 75 4,010

17,100 117,592 552,750 1,407,820 22,640 244,500 1,590,872 755,980 94,820 2,080 49,900 50,500 498,650 100,243 4,823,782.50 750,000 3,544,775 2,565,528 1,199,250 267,862 671,750 299,700

LR WARRANT

2.44

2.44

2.33

WARRANTS 2.33 86,000

201,810

-

2,131,305 2,122,440

-72,122 -165,680

697,030

4,280

ITALPINAS XURPAS

5.37 2.33

5.4 2.33

5.28 2.12

FIRST METRO ETF

108

108

107

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2

10.08 10

10.08 10

10.08 10

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

8,213,770

INDUSTRIAL

36,988,843

HOLDING FIRMS

63,068,695

PROPERTY

71,793,725

SERVICES

136,707,848

MINING & OIL

728,289,788

GRAND TOTAL

1,046,421,766

5.33 2.25

SME

399,500 953,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 107 6,490 DDS 10.08 10

21,840 32,950

220,147.20 329,500

139,500

VALUE 1,580.14 (down) 34.00 668,308,333.11 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,460.81 (down) 82.65 603,506,104.95 HOLDING FIRMS 6,997.82 (down) 90.60 1,309,120,773.00 PROPERTY 3,465.72 (down) 91.95 SERVICES 1,500.69 (down) 6.81 800,299,864.12 MINING & OIL 8,687.94 (down) 78.48 662,357,955.14 PSEI 7,093.34 (down) 117.53 257,058,831.02 All Shares Index 4,370.34 (down) 52.63 4,305,603,797.52 Gainers: 68; Losers: 122; Unchanged: 51; Total: 241

Monte Oro changes name, raises capital base to P1b

By Alena Mae S. Flores MONTE Oro Resources and Energy Inc., a wholly-owned unit of Apex Mining Co. Inc., changed its corporate name and increased the capital base to P1 billon after applying for a franchise to operate as a distribution utility in Iloilo City.

Apex also clarified to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Thursday Monte Oro was not acquiring Panay Electric Co. Inc. It said said Monte Oro, formerly known as MORE Minerals Corp., amended its primary purpose to a distribution utility, increased the capital stock to P1 billion and changed its name to MORE Electric and Power Corp.

“This company has applied for legislative franchise to operate in Iloilo City, which is still pending in Congress,” APX said.

Apex said Monte Oro assumed subscription of two billion shares by Prime Metroline Holdings Inc. to fund the project. PMHI is the single biggest stockholder of Apex, while Monte Oro retains 250 million shares in the company.

“This proposed project is subject to many approvals including a legislative franchise and a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the Energy Regulatory Commission. An appropriate disclosure will be made once the company has obtained the regulatory approvals for this project,” Apex said.

The Private Electric Power Operators Association earlier opposed the franchise application of Monte Oro, which is contesting the renewal bid of Panay Electric Co. that has been operating in Iloilo City for nearly a century now.

“Should MMC be granted the franchise to operate and maintain distribution and conveyance of electric power in Iloilo City, there will be a high risk of a power crisis occurring considering that MMC has no distribution system to operate and will build one from scratch,” PEPOA said.

“This development is deeply concerning to us as it puts a highly urbanized city like Iloilo at risk,” the association said.

Chelsea re-files bid with PCC to buy Trans-Asia

By Jenniffer B. Austria CHELSEA Logistics Holdings Inc. said it will wait for the approval of its planned acquisition of Trans-Asia Shipping Lines Inc. from the Philippine Competition Commission before proceeding with the offering of P5 billion in preferred shares.

Chelsea Logistics vice president for finance Ignacia Braga IV said in a recent interview the company re-filed its plan to purchase Trans-Asia, a deal earlier voided by the country’s antitrust body.

Braga said Chelsea Logistics wants to obtain PCC approval of the deal first before proceeding with the preferred shares offering, which is also pending with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Philippine Stock Exchange.

The PCC in July canceled Chelsea CLC’s acquisition of Trans-Asia for failure to notify the antitrust body of the 2016 deal, even though the size of the transaction fell under the compulsory notification threshold of P1 billion at that time.

The PCC also imposed a P22.8-million fine on Chelsea Logistics and parent Udenna Corp. led by businessman Dennis Uy. Braga said CLC recently filed a new notification with the PCC on the planned acquisition of Trans-Asia.

He said the new notification would be subject to review again by the PCC. Chelsea Logistics said it was not required to notify the deal with PCC since Trans-Asia’s net asset value at the time of the sale was “way below” the P1-billion threshold.

Chelsea Logistics in August filed with the SEC an application to raise as much as P5 billion from the sale of preferred shares to fund expansion and acquisition plans.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

World

Manila

Standard

TODAY

B3

Trump rebuked for mocking his court nominee’s accuser

AFTER THE QUAKE. A couple

make their way past a damaged mosque in Palu in Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi on Oct. 4, 2018, after an earthquake and tsunami hit the area. AFP

WASHINGTON―Three Republican senators key to Brett Kavanaugh’s approval to the US Supreme Court blasted President Donald Trump Wednesday for mocking the woman accusing his nominee of sexual assault, as he played to a crowd of thousands at a political rally.

The controversy over Kavanaugh’s nomination―which could be put to a final vote in the Senate as early as Saturday― comes ahead of November congressional elections in which Trump’s Republican Party will battle to keep control of Congress.

Still undecided on backing the conservative judge―whose appointment to the crucial, lifelong post has fueled a bitter partisan clash―Senator Susan Collins weighed in to denounce the president’s comments ridiculing Christine Blasey Ford as “just plain wrong.”

Senator Lisa Murkowski called Trump’s speech “wholly inappropriate” and “unacceptable” while Senator Jeff Flake, the third Republican swing vote,

Quake-tsunami kids traumatized P ALU, Indonesia― Many children have been separated from their families and are “in shock and traumatized” following Indonesia’s devastating quake-tsunami, aid workers said Thursday, as much-needed supplies trickled in to shattered communities.

A total of 1,424 people have been confirmed dead and over 2,500 injured after the monster earthquake struck Friday sending destructive waves barreling into Sulawesi island.

The disaster reduced buildings in the seaside city of Palu to rubble but, with transport links badly affected, aid has been slow to arrive and looting has broken out.

On Thursday police armed with guns stood guard outside petrol stations to

ensure order in long, winding queues.

Trucks carrying supplies have reportedly been ransacked en route to Palu.

Authorities initially turned a blind eye but have now taken a tougher stance, with police rounding up dozens of suspected looters and the military warning that soldiers will fire on anyone caught stealing.

While rescuers continue to comb through destroyed buildings, hope is fading that anyone will be found alive under the rubble. Authorities say over 100 people are still unaccounted for.

Hundreds have been buried in mass graves as authorities race to avoid a disease outbreak from corpses rotting in the tropical heat.

At least 600,000 children have been affected by the quake, Save the Children said, with many sleeping on the streets among ruins.

Attention has focused on the huge number of children left orphaned, or separated from their families in the chaos as buildings collapsed across Palu and people were swept away by huge waves.

Aid organizations are urgently working with the government to identify and reunite them with their relatives, the group said.

“It’s hard to imagine a more frightening situation for a child,” said Zubedy Koteng, the group’s child protection adviser, who is in the city.

“Many children are in shock and traumatized, alone and afraid. Young children searching for surviving relatives will have witnessed and lived through horrific experiences which no child should ever have to see.”

The Indonesian government initially refused to accept international help, insisting its own military could handle the response, but as the scale of the disaster became clear President Joko Widodo reluctantly agreed to allow in foreign aid groups and governments.

Twenty-nine countries have pledged aid, according to Indonesia, but the delay in inviting help and severed transport links means little foreign help has arrived.

Palu airport -- which was only accepting military flights in the early

stages of the disaster -- opened to commercial services Thursday but only a limited number, with aid workers given priority.

An Indonesian navy ship docked in the city Thursday carrying water, rice and food, which was loaded by soldiers onto trucks.

“We have to get to places where people need aid really quickly,” said first admiral Dwi Sulakson.

Desperate survivors, some crying, waited to get a spot on the vessel which was set to return to the city of Makassar in southern Sulawesi, and brief scuffles broke out with soldiers.

The United Nations has pledged $15 million from its emergency response fund. The Red Cross is dispatching ships loaded with supplies including field kitchens, tents, body bags and mosquito nets.

In a country with a long-standing problem with “fake news”, authorities vowed to clamp down after false reports related to the disaster circulated online, including one saying another quake had hit Sulawesi. AFP

IN BRIEF British minister slams ‘pariah state’ Russia BRUSSELS―Britain’s defense minister on Thursday condemned Russia as a “pariah state” after London accused Kremlin spies of mounting a campaign of cyber attacks on civilian bodies around the world.

Cyber experts from the UK have identified operatives from Russia’s GRU military intelligence as being behind a string of high-profile incidents, including an attempted hack on the World Anti-Doping Agency in Switzerland last year.

As he arrived for talks in Brussels with his NATO counterparts, Gavin Williamson said Moscow’s “reckless and indiscriminate” attacks had left it isolated in the international community.

“This is not the actions of a great power, this is the actions of a pariah state and we’ll continue working with allies to isolate, make them understand they cannot continue to conduct themselves in such a way,” Williamson told reporters.

Britain’s National Cyber Security Center has “high confidence” that the GRU was “almost certainly” responsible for a number of attacks, including the infamous targeting of the US Democratic Party ahead of the 2016 presidential election, according to sources in London. AFP

PRESENT.

Sarah Snyder attends Pop-In@ Nordstrom MCM at Chateau Marmont on October 3, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Guilty of ordering hit on her husband MIAMI―A Puerto Rican ex-beauty queen was found guilty Wednesday of hiring a hit man to kill her wealthy Canadian husband.

Aurea Vazquez Rijos―who spent several years in Europe as a fugitive―was convicted of hiring Alex Pabon Colon to kill Adam Anhang in September 2005.

The victim’s father, an emotional Abraham Anhang, told reporters at the courthouse doors: “I’m very happy, this has been almost 14 years of agony. And I believe justice has been done.”

Sentencing was set for January 31, 2019.

Prosecutors said the former Miss Puerto Rico Petite paid $3 million for the hit.

She had signed a prenuptial agreement six months before ordering the murder of Anhang, a Canadian real estate developer with properties in Puerto Rico, the indictment added.

According to court documents, at the time of his death he had a net worth of $24 million.

Shortly after getting married, Anhang began mentioning the possibility of divorce, court records showed, but under the terms of their agreement, Vazquez Rijos would receive much more as a widow.AFP

Ex-Prime Minister Najib’s wife accused of money laundering KUALA LUMPUR-The luxury-loving wife of Malaysia’s former prime minister was Thursday charged with money laundering and tax evasion linked to a multi-billion-dollar scandal that helped bring down the country’s previous government.

Rosmah Mansor, the 66-year-old wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, pleaded not guilty to 17 charges that could see her spend the rest of her life in prison.

Reviled in Malaysia for her lavish overseas shopping sprees and fetish for Birkin handbags as well as dazzling jewelry, Rosmah was released on bail after spending the night in detention at the office of the country’s anti-corruption agency.

Her husband is also out on bail on more than two dozen charges linked to the alleged plunder of state funds dur-

ing his nine years in power.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, 93, who came back from retirement to challenge Najib, has launched a crackdown against corruption in the previous government.

“There is no idea of revenge and anything like that... If you steal money, you will be charged in court,” the official Bernama news agency quoted him as saying.

In the charge sheets, prosecutors accused Rosmah of having “engaged directly in a transaction that involves proceeds of unlawful activity” in violation of laws against money laundering.

A dozen charges involved deposits to a single bank account belonging to her from 2013-2017, totaling more than seven million ringgit. The remaining charges were for dodging taxes on the deposits. AFP

Peru annuls Fujimori’s pardon, orders him arrested LIMA―A Peruvian court on Wednesday annulled ex-president Alberto Fujimori’s pardon for crimes against humanity and ordered the 80-year-old’s immediate arrest, officials said.

The South American country’s justice department said in a statement that the Supreme Court had “issued the arrest and detention orders against Fujimori so that he may be re-integrated into the prison establishment.”

He was pardoned last December on humanitarian grounds, but critics said the move was in exchange for Fujimori’s son helping then-president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski avoid impeachment.

Fujimori was 12 years into a 25-year jail sentence handed down for ordering two massacres by death squads between 1991 and 1992.

“This decision is inhuman, it’s unjust,” said his daughter Keiko, leader of the main opposition Popular Force party and seen by many as the heir to Fujimori’s political dynasty.

“Today is the saddest day of our lives, it’s painful,” a tearful Keiko told reporters, adding that she had yet to speak to her father since the court decision.

One of Fujimori’s lawyers, Miguel Perez, said on Chile’s RPP radio the decision was subject to appeal.

The pardon, issued by Kuczynski before he was himself brought down by a corruption scandal, triggered a wave of protests by human rights organizations and by victims of Fujimori’s crackdown.

Fujimori, a Peruvian of Japanese descent, has been living in Lima but has been hospitalized four times since his release last December.

After his arrest Wednesday, he was admitted to a clinic for tests after experiencing a drop in blood pressure and an accelerated heart beat, his doctor, Alejandro Aguinaga, told reporters. AFP

said there was “no time and no place for remarks like that.”

“To discuss something this sensitive at a political rally is just not right. I wish he hadn’t done it. It’s kind of appalling,” Flake said.

The stern lawmaker reactions raised fresh doubts over the fate of Kavanaugh, as the Federal Bureau of Investigation reviews allegations by three women that the appeals court judge drank heavily and engaged in sexually abusive behavior while he was a student in the 1980s.

The FBI was last Friday given a week to probe the accusations―with a vote in the Senate pushed back accordingly.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that the FBI was due to present the Senate late Wednesday with its highly anticipated supplemental investigation report and moved to end debate on Kavanaugh’s nomination―setting up a Friday procedural vote and a final vote as early as the following day. AFP REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 109, PASAY CITY

IN RE: PETITION FOR ADOPTION OF ZIGGY TIMOTHY UNO CHICO FIEL (Pursuant to Article 183 in Relation to Articles 185, 188 and 189 of the Family Code of the Philippines (E.O. No. 209 & Rule 99 of the Rules of Court SP. PROC. NO. R-PSY-17-27164-CV ERIK GORDON WEHNER, Petitioner. x---------------------------------------x

ORDER This verified petition for adoption was filed by petitioner through counsel alleging inter alia, that he is a Canadian citizen, 30 years old, married to Evelyn N. Chico, a Filipino, with postal at Unit 716 Balagtas Royale Mansion, Balagtas St., Pasay City; that Evelyn N. Chico had had a relationship with one Alley Patrick Fitz de Leon Fiel that gave birth to Ziggy Timothy Uno Chico Fiel on May 31, 2011; that after the birth of herein minor, Alley Patrick Fitz de Leon never communicated neither he gave support to herein minor and Evelyn N. Chico; that petitioner and Evelyn N. Chico were married on 24 September 2016 in Imus, Cavite; that from the time petitioner and Evelyn N. Chico got married, herein petitioner has live with them continuously up to the present thereby treating herein minor as his own child; that the petitioner is employed at the Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada; that Evelyn N. Chico has executed an affidavit of consent; that the petitioner has all the qualifications and none of the disqualification to adopt.

Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, notice is hereby given that the hearing of the petition is set on November 23, 2018 at 1:30 p.m. sitting at Room 302 Hall of Justice Building, F.B. Harrison St., Pasay City. All persons interested and may have opposition may appear and show cause why the said petition should not be granted.

Let copy of this Order be published in the newspaper of general circulation once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks at the expense of the petitioner to be chosen by raffle. Likewise, let copy of the this order be furnished the Office of the Solicitor General, the Office of the City Prosecutor of Pasay City for their comment and/or objection, the Local Civil Registrar of Las Piñas City and the court social worker. The latter is hereby directed to conduct social case study on the petitioner, the minor subject of adoption and the biological parents of the adoptee and submit the same on or before the scheduled hearing.

Meanwhile, the petitioners are further directed to appear on November 16, 2018 at 1:30 p.m. for the pre-trial and preliminary conference for the marking of exhibits on November 2, 2018 at 1:30 p.m.

SO ORDRED. Pasay City, 17 August 2018.

Copy furnished: Atty. Jaymark S.J. Cruz Counsel for the Petitioner Sison Madrona Law Offices 5/F Chemphil Bldg., 851 Arnaiz Ave., Legaspi Village Makati City The Solicitor General OSG Bldg., 134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City

(Sgd.) PAULINO Q. GALLEGOS Acting Presiding Judge SACP Ju-haree DC Tolentino G/F Hall of Justice Bldg., F.B. Harrison St., Pasay City Erik Gordon Wehner Evelyn N. Chico Unit 1716 Balagtas Royale Mansion Balagtas St., Pasay City The Local Civil Registrar Civil Registry Office Las Piñas City, MM.

(MStandard-Sep. 28, Oct. 5 & 12, 2018)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT & EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF QUEZON CITY PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK, Mortgagee, -versus-

FRE NO. 12389

GUIDO M. ESTORCO Mortgagor. x-------------------------------------------x NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE OF REAL PROPERTY UNDER ACT 3135 (AS AMENDED) UPON extra-judicial petition under ACT 3135, as amended

by ACT 4118 and pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Deed of Real Estate Mortgage executed on JUNE 28, 2018

by GUIDO M. ESTORCO, - Blk. 5, Lot 6, Sunville 5, Ampid 1, San Mateo Rizal, Mortgagor in favor of PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK., Mortgagee to satisfy the mortgage debt in the amount of Php 1,392,558.59 as of AUGUST 15, 2018, outstanding balance, plus accruing interest, penalty and expenses and other charges, together with all the lawful fees and expenses of foreclosure sale, the Office of the Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City and/or his duly authorized Deputy Sheriff, hereby announces that on OCTOBER 24, 2018 between the hours of 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Office of the Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff, Regional Trial Court, Hall of Justice Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, will sell thru public auction to the highest bidder for cash, in Philippine Currency, the following described real property/ies with all the improvements existing thereon, to wit: CONDOMINIUM CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 004-2018005743 Registry of Deeds-Quezon City SUN RESIDENCES TOWER 2 FLOOR LEVEL: UNIT: DESCRIPTION: UNIT AREA: VIEW (MARKETING):

21TH FLOOR 2127 STUDIO TYPE UNIT 20.00SQ.M. FACING QUEZON CITY

In the diagrammatic floor plan appended to the enabling or master deed of the condominium project annotated on TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE N-332801; N-332802; N-332803; N-332811; N-332805; N-332804; N-332792; 2010005992 which embraces and describes the land located at ESPAÑA BOULEVARD CORNER MAYON ST., QUEZON CITY with an area of (265.40, 121.10, 512, 274.00, 239.50, 3,080, 2,665, 4,163.20) Square Meter. xxx xxx All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned at the aforesaid office on the above stated date and time.

Interested parties are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title to the said property/ies and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

In the event that public auction should not take place on said date due to fortuitous event or if the same be declared a nonworking holiday, it shall be held on OCTOBER 31, 2018 at the same time and place without further notice.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, September 13, 2018.

(Sgd.) RANDY C. BERNARDO Sheriff IV (Sgd.) GREGORIO C. TALLUD Clerk of Court VII and Ex-Officio Sheriff WARNING: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface, or destroy this Notice of Sheriff’s Sale on or before the date of the auction sale under penalty of the law.

COPY FURNISHED: ATTY. NICEFORO L. AVILA, JR. GUIDO M. ESTORCO, 4th Floor PSBank Center Blk. 5, Lot 6, Sunville 5, Ampid 1, 777 Paseo de Roxas, corner San Mateo 1850 Rizal Sedeño St., 1226 Makati City (MStandard-Sep. 21, 28 & Oct. 5, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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

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friday, october 5, 2018

LGUs LocaL government units

Better CCTV HD cameras for biz required in QC

By Rio N. Araja QUeZOn City Mayor Herbert Bautista has approved Ordinance 2695, requiring higher definition cameras for closed circuit television systems for business establishments.

He said the prescription for such CCTV specifications would help maintain the local government’s peace and order campaign and the Quezon City Police District’s crime investigation.

The measure is pursuant to the Department of the Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular no. 2014-119.

Councilors Anthony Peter Crisologo and Ranulfo Ludovica of Districts 1 and 2, respectively, authored the measure.

The ordinance states that CCTV cameras should be installed at a secured location with maximum area of coverage, and that dummy cameras must be put up in conspicuous areas to deter possible criminal acts and protect real camera and their video footage. no business permit or permit to operate shall be issued or renewed unless these requirements have been met, the measure adds.

A P5,000 fine will be imposed on a violating establishment.

CCTV cameras should have a minimum resolution of two megapixels, must be able to capture video footages at 0.5 Lux Illumination, have auto-iris (either fixed or vari-focal) and infrared light emitting diodes (LeD) powerful enough to reach a distance of at least 20 meters for clear recording at 0.1 Lux (for areas where there is no sufficient lighting), the ordinance states.

Navotas buys 2 dump trucks, total now at 13

THe City Government of navotas has purchased two additional dump trucks, which were blessed Monday morning.

Both trucks can accommodate 8.8 cubic meters of trash.

Mayor John Rey Tiangco noted the need for additional trucks for efficient garbage collection of the City environment and natural Resources Office.

The city now has 13 dump trucks that collect residual wastes from 18 barangays.

From January to June this year, CenRO collected 147,224.61 cubic meters of garbage, of which 97,940.80 cubic meters were transported to the navotas sanitary landfill, Tiangco said. Others were recycled or made into compost. navotas is the only city in Metro Manila that has its own landfill. Last year, the local government earned around P30 million in tipping fees for its garbage collection. earlier, the city participated in the Waste Assessment and Brand Audit led by the Mother earth Foundation that sought to teach navoteños the importance of waste segregation at home. navotas has a memorandum of agreement with Mother earth for the implementation of the ecological Solid Waste Management Program.

The city also partnered with Caritas Kalookan and Catholic Relief Services to carry out the Municipal Waste Recycling Program in four barangays— Daanghari, San Jose, San Roque and Tangos South. Jun David

Employees of SM and their families and dependents queue for a consultation with the doctors and specialists tapped by the SM Foundation during their recent medicaldental mission in SM San Fernando in Pampanga.

ALL EYES HERE. The Banda Matanda Brass Band marches proudly through a crowd at the St. Francis of Assisi parish in General Trias City, Cavite, as one of 19 bands performing in the

‘Grand Pasayo’ as a prelude to the city’s fiesta. Most of the marching band’s current members are fourth- and fifth-generation descendants of the original Banda San Francisco de Malabon Grande—General Trias’ previous name as a town—which first played the Philippine National Anthem at the Aguinaldo mansion in Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898.

SBMA bans single-use plastics

By Butch Gunio

S

UBIC BAY FReePORT—Single-use plastics that are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled will no longer be allowed in workplaces of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. eisma said the agency has banned single-use plastics as part of its solution to the growing global problem of pollution.

Single-use plastics, or disposable plastics, include plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers, and soda and water bottles, which form most food packaging.

“We should show good example and walk the talk,” eisma said in a Sept. 19 advisory to SBMA employees.

“I implore everyone in SBMA to refrain from using single-use plastics in their workplace,” she added.

Canteens, stores and other food establishments in SBMA buildings have

already been advised not to use plastic articles anymore, eisma added. exempted from this regulation are goods in original plastic packaging, but these cannot be placed in a new plastic bag or container upon purchase by consumers.

SBMA will urge business locators here to join the “strawless” campaign, the recyclables collection program, and cooperate in an intensified anti-littering drive that will be implemented this October to strengthen the agency’s War on Waste campaign. eisma said single-use plastics account for most of marine pollution in the Subic Bay area, as could be seen from the trash that pe-

riodically piles up on the Freeport’s coastline after typhoons or heavy rains.

“These plastic items are not only pollutive and harmful to wildlife and humans alike, but they also become an eyesore that negatively impact on the image of Subic as a world-class Freeport,” eisma said.

“There is already a standing ban on the use of plastic bags and Styrofoam packaging in the whole Subic Freeport, and now we are backing this up with the ban on single-use plastics and our strawless campaign because there is really an urgent need to save the environment— and this includes public health—from further degradation,” she added.

According to SBMA ecology Center manager Amethya dela Llana, the intensified no-littering policy aims to stop the dumping or throwing of garbage, rubbish or any kind of waste in parks, roads, beaches, forests, rivers, streams, or on any open or public place in the Freeport.

Members of the KSK urban farming community in Pasig City stand in the middle of their blooming garden, while the plants at the KSK farm in Las Piñas City (inset) look ripe for the reaping.

Coke Sta. Rosa plant lauded in Green Awards One of the largest bottling facilities of Coca-Cola FeMSA Philippines, KOFPH, has been recognized by the City of Santa Rosa in Laguna for its contributions to environmental stewardship and economic development.

The KOFPH Santa Rosa plant received four awards from the local government unit and its partner organizations during the 2018 Lions Awards and Green Awards night for the City of Santa Rosa.

The plant was awarded the Sustainable Development Partner Award for its exceptional contribution and unwavering support to environmental protection and the economic progress of the city.

The Silakbo Sponsor 2018: Beyond Our Commitment to Sustainability award was also given to the plant for its significant contribution to the city’s environmental advocacy program, which seeks to conserve and protect the Santa Rosa Sub-Watershed.

“We are grateful that the City of Santa Rosa has recognized our efforts in the conservation and preservation of the environment. Sustainability has always been embedded in our operations—it is part of Coca-Cola FeMSA’s DnA,” said Juan Lorenzo Tañada, director for Corporate and Regulatory Affairs of Coca-Cola FeMSA Philippines.

“We have always sought to be in the forefront of the industry in terms of sustainable practices in our manufacturing process by promoting efficient and responsible management of water and energy,” Tañada added.

200 Las Piñas, Pasig urban farmers finish KSK gardening school KABALIKAT sa Kabuhayan Batches 173 and 174 recently completed their urban farming and gardening training courses at Las Piñas City and Pasig City, respectively. each batch had 100 participants.

A harvest festival at the demo farm in Barangay Talon IV, Las Piñas City was attended by guests from the barangay government, SM Southmall representatives, Savemore M. Alvarez, SM Super-

market, SM Hypermarket, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Macondray Plastics Products Inc. A participant, Joralyn Gongora, said she is grateful for the training, not only for learning urban farming techniques but also since her grandchild now eats vegetables.

Meanwhile, Batch 174’s harvest festival at Barangay Sta. Lucia in Pasig was attended by guests from the national Hous-

ing Authority, SM east Ortigas, Savemore Amang Rodriguez, SM Supermarket east Ortigas, DSWD and Macondray.

Mario Javeniar, a participant, said he intends to share what he learned with his neighbors.

Introduced in 2015, SM Foundation’s Urban Farming and Gardening Training aims to promote food security and provide an extra form of livelihood for the participants in urban areas. They

are taught smart farming using limited spaces or backyards and utilizing plastic containers as pots when possible.

“Many thanks to SM Foundation, a lot has changed for me and my family through this program,” said Gongora in Las Piñas. “In fact, my grandchild didn’t eat vegetables before, but thanks to this program he is eating greens now, and my family has been even more supportive of my efforts here.”

SM holds medical mission for own workers SAn FeRnAnDO CITY—The welfare of employees is crucial in any organization, as it affects their productivity and the organization’s growth.

Concern for its employees and their dependents prompted retail giant SM, through the SM Foundation, to initiate a medical-dental and diagnostic mission in SM malls every quarter of the year in predetermined malls.

Recently, at the Trade Hall of SM City Pampanga, SM employees and their dependents availed of these services. It was the third medical/dental and diagnostic mission held for their benefit.

According to SM Foundation executive director Connie Angeles, it is a grand medical mission for employees and dependents.

“We make sure that it is something special for them, so we ask the International College of Sur-

geons and the International Academy of Medical Specialists to join us,” Angeles said. not all the medical services being offered during the medical mission are affordable to the employees if they do it in hospitals or clinics, she noted.

Dr. Gil M. Vicente, president of both the International College of Surgeons and International Academy of Medical Specialists, said they tie up with organizations with the same advocacy, instilling in their members social responsibility.

Program partners for the medical mission were the Philippine Red Cross, Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko, and Watsons. Also lending support were Ideal Vision and the Philippine Academy of Medical Specialists Inc.

Life

bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLife

culture and media

friday, october 5, 2018

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The power of four (female artists) By cid reyes

H

aVE numerologists truly favored the number four? Sure, there is a lucky seven, and an ominous 13, and three (a love triangle?) is rife with tension and competition. But undeniably the arts and music have found a cohesive and convivial character in the number four.

Witness alone the changing of the weather in a yearly sequence of seasons: winter, spring, summer, autumn or fall. not only the climate but classical music has bequeathed to us antonio Vivaldi’s sparkling Four Seasons. and who better to render this music but a string quartet composed of two violinists, a cellist, and a viola player? and then there are the four temperaments which are dimensions of human behavior. To wit: Sanguine (lively, optimistic, buoyant); Phlegmatic (people person, loyal spouse); Choleric (goaloriented, analytical, logical), and Melancholic (loves tradition, does not seek novelty or adventure). and yet—interestingly—“Quattro” can tantalize us into analyzing the personalities of the artworks by the four participating artists, namely Eileen Bondoc-Escueta, irma Lara, Minda Ventanilla, and Jo Uygongco. indeed, it is a line from their artist Statement which triggered this provocative analysis: “The time has come for this band of different personalities to showcase their newfound passion.”

By virtue of having launched the artists Studio based in Fullybooked in Greenbelt, Bondoc-Escueta has perforce become the group’s rallying and inspirational figure. She had conceived “Quattro” as an all-women quartet of artists brought together “by fate or accident” into one happy blend of harmonious art-making. and now, bear in mind that artists too have mixed temperaments,

'Convergence' by Jo Uygongco 'Tree of Gold' by Eileen Escueta

'Twin Peaks' by Minda Ventanilla

perhaps part serene and part assertive, and in what ways their works may unpart intuitive and part analytic. We can consciously intersect and connect.

For Bondoc-Escueta, watercolor has see how their works evoke the subtle strains of their individual sensibilities, ever been the medium of favor and choice. Conducive is the gentle handling of her brushstroke which coaxes to come to light her images of delightful koi fish. But regard how the fierce look of an eagle can be mollified into a wizened stare by the sheer delicacy of pigments thinning into shadows. a foliage of jasmine blossoms seems to twinkle from the undergrowth; a burnished cluster of coconuts is imperiously perched atop an unreachable tree.

Lara shares Bondoc-Escueta’s fascination with the sensuously gliding koi. She favors, however, a more expressionist handling of the brush, where the physicality of the pigments is manifest, almost as if she were animating the forms into life. an element of fantasy, however, graces her works, notably where a woman’s comely face is made more alive in the presence of orchid blooms. The stillness of a sunset is equally a vivid experience for Lara. indeed, a sunset, too, is an inevitable 'The Beginning' by Jo Uygongco presence in the works of Ventanilla.

This time, however, serenity has given way to a blazing fervor, as if her skies were on fire. Her floral blooms, too, are in searing red, applied in impastos that set the work in tension against the delicacy of the flowers. Yet, Ventanilla can surprise with a soft-focus, almost mistily evanescent hibiscus bloom, where the passionate reds recede into the shyest shades of pinks.

While the floral images are distinctly representational, Uygongco opts for a more abstract rendition of her works.

Her lone orchid seems like a brief foray but still it is a marvel of marbling effects. Most of her works partake of this marbling technique, allowing the slowly coagulating pigments to merge into the 'In The Garden' by Minda Ventanilla` 'Friendship' by Irma Lara most lava-like blending of colors. The pace is slow, flowing, meandering, as if seeking its own final destination, and stops fairly short of dominating the space.

Hence, “Quattro” is a performance and a projection of four women’s passion for art, which no matter how late the calling, is more than just an act of making up for lost time, engendering regret and guilt. Did they discover art, or is it the other way around?

Like the four seasons and the four temperaments, these four women artists—Eileen, irma, Minda, and Jo— have had the good fortune of an ideal kinship, of finding the right time and place for the maturation of their selves and spirits.

Quattro is group exhibition of Eileen Bondoc-Escueta, Irma Lara, Minda Ventanilla, and Jo Uygongco ongoing until Oct. 17 at ArtistSpace, Ayala Museum in Makati.

'Dapit Hapon sa Nasugbu' by Irma Lara

'Joy Luck Club' by Eileen Escueta

Young piano virtuoso to perform classical pieces

By ayunan Gunting Piano prodigy Jenna Salliman will play the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Claude Debussy, and other great classical composers in her premier recital on oct. 7.

The recital will be held at the auditorium of the University of the Philippines College of Statistics in Quezon City, at 4:00 p.m. admission is free.

The program will include two works

by Bach: Prelude and Fugue in Csharp major BWV 848 and Prelude and Fugue in F major BWV 856. it will be followed by Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 6 in F major Op. 10 No. 2, Debussy’s L’Isle Joyeuse, Francisco Santiago’s Souvenir de Filipinas, and Charles Camille Saint-Saens’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor Op. 23.

The daughter of Basilan Governor Jim Hataman Salliman and wife annie started studying the piano at age 6 when her parents bought a new Yamaha Upright. She was in the 9th grade at the Phil-

ippine Science High School when she decided she wanted to undertake more studies in piano and be a classical pianist.

Her current mentor is anthony Say, a faculty member of the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music. He is currently the president of the Piano Teachers Guild of the Philippines.

Salliman practices the piano using her new baby grand after school hours.

She is currently a freshman student majoring in Statistics at the UP College of Statistics.

The 18-year-old pianist will be joined by Mary anne Espina who will perform as collaborating artist. Espina is one of the active classical musicians in the country. as a solo performer, she has given a number of solo recitals and was a featured musician in the Filipino artists Series of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. She has also been a featured soloist for the Philippine Philharmonic orchestra, The Manila Symphony orchestra, The FiLHaRMoniKa, and The UST orchestra.

Jenna Salliman will hold her premier recital at the University of the Philippines College of Statistics on Oct. 7.

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Entertainment

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2018

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor

ABS-CBN News EXPLOSIVE FINALE docu wins PH’s 1st Gold Dolphin in Cannes ABS-CBN made history as it won the Philippines’ first Gold Dolphin award from the prestigious Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards in France for the documentary Di Ka Pasisiil on the Marawi Siege.

The documentary produced by ABSCBN News’ Docu Central describes the realities of the months-long urban war in Marawi, Lanao Del Sur and the experiences of both civilians and journalists in the conflict that ravaged their city. It won Best Documentary under the Current Affairs, Human Concerns, and Social Issues Category at the 9th edition of one of the most prestigious award-giving bodies in the industry.

The award was received by journalists Jeff Canoy and Chiara Zambrano, who covered the conflict in Mindanao in 2017. According to Canoy and Zambrano, the win is a testament of the skill, passion, and creativity of all Filipino journalists across various newsrooms.

The Cannes win marks the third international award for the documentary, which also won a gold medal at the New York Festivals in the category Continuing News Coverage last April and the Certificate of Creative Excellence from the 2018 US International Film & Video Festival Awards. Locally, it won the Best Documentary Special award at the Gawad Tanglaw and PMPC Star Awards.

Canoy also recently won a first prize Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature for his long-form essay “Buhay pa kami’: Dispatches from Marawi,” an honorable mention award for Excellence in Explanatory Reporting at the Society of Publishers in Asia’s (SOPA) 2018 Awards last June, and was named this year’s Marshall McLuhan fellow, an award given yearly by the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines.

He currently hosts the 2018 Golden Dove Award for Best TV Public Service Program Red Alert on ABS-CBN and Red Alert sa DZMM, which both educate and inform viewers on how to prepare for calamities, natural disasters, and everyday hazards. He is also an anchor of the current affairs program Umagang Kay Ganda.

Meanwhile, Zambrano was named as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awardees in 2017 for her work in the field of Journalism and Mass Communication, including her coverage of Marawi and her work Spratlys, Mga Isla ng Kalayaan.

She is currently on leave from the network to pursue further studies in journalism in the United Kingdom after winning a prestigious Chevening Scholarship from the British Government.

Jeff Canoy and Ciara Zambrano receive the Gold Dolphin for ‘Di Ka Pasisiil.’

‘INDAY WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU’ fades out on high note

HAPPY ENDING? Fans are waiting if Happylou Magtibay would finally have the happy ending that she deserves in the final episode of the rom-com which is airing tonight.

F

ROM its grand debut in May to consistently winning its timeslot, there’s no denying that Inday Will Always Love You (IWALY) is a certified massive hit.

And up to the very end, viewers are in for more explosive scenes from the hit rom-com series headlined by Barbie Forteza, who plays the bubbly Happylou Magtibay.

Ericka (Kim Rodriguez) is back to put Happylou’s life in danger again. While on board a vehicle, a big accident involving her, Happylou, and Patrick (Derrick Monasterio) takes place forcing the car to plunge into the river. A life will be sacrificed.

Meanwhile, Amanda (Gladys Reyes) flees from the mansion after successfully retrieving the money she kept for herself. And until the very end, she will stop at nothing to ruin Happylou’s family.

Church bells are ringing and it seems there will a double wedding. But will Happylou and Patrick have a happy ending when Amanda continues to come between them?

Produced by GMA News and Public Affairs, IWALY marked Barbie’s return to primetime. It dominated not just the ratings game but also made a buzz on social media during its pilot episode last May 21. Since then it continued to be one of the top programs on the primetime block.

Barbie admits she feels sad that IWALY has reached its finale.

“Even good things must come to an end,” she shares, adding that she will definitely miss the new family she made in doing this project, most specially her co-stars.

Asked about her takeaways from doing the series, Barbie says she further learned “How to be a smart actor. Don’t just do the scene, work it.”

Viewers and netizens praised the way IWALY put Cebu on spotlight—showcasing the unique beauty and rich culture of the province. The cast went to Cebu not just once but several times during the entire making of the series to capture Cebu’s local flavor, the beautiful sceneries, the dialect, and the sights and sounds of the province.

Not only did IWALY paint the colorful stories of Cebuanos, it also showed the picture of a Filipino family putting their faith and their love for one another at the center of everything as they face and deal with every day’s struggle at life. IWALY has won the hearts of viewers all over the Philippines, enough that it was extended for another season last August.

Now that the series is coming to an end, Barbie only has words of appreciation to all the viewers who made IWALY a hit that it is.

“Thank you so much for watching the series since day one until the end. I will forever be grateful for your support,” she says.

IWALY also stars veteran actors Ricky Davao, Nova Villa, Tina Paner, Juancho Trivino, Charisse and Charlotte Hermoso, ‘Kimpoy Feliciano, Buboy Villar, Mzhayt and Price Tagg, and Super Tekla.

The series is directed by Monti Parungao, Rember Gelera, and Jeffrey Hidalgo with head writers Zig Dulay, Nathan Arciaga, and Volta de Los Santos.

Join Happylou as she fights for her happiness up to the very end. Don’t miss the finale of Inday Will Always Love You tonight after Onanay on GMA Telebabad.

Kapuso viewers abroad can also catch Inday Will Always Love You on GMA Pinoy TV. For the program guide, visit www.gmapinoytv.com.

‘Inday Will Always Love’ lead stars Barbie Forteza and Derrick Monasterio

Feeling the wrath of ‘Venom’ EDDIE Brock and his alter-ego, Venom, the most badass anti-hero is coming to town this October.

The film follows the adventures of Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy), a journalist that aims to uncover the secrets of the infamous Life Foundation founder Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed). Unfortunately, his obsession on Drake ruined his career and his relationship with his girlfriend, Anne Weying (Michelle Williams). In his darkest moments, Brock discovers one of Drake’s experiments and the alien symbiote, Venom, merges with his body.

Witness Eddie Brock and Venom’s quest as they become one and reveal their inner anti-hero.

An action-packed thriller, Venom movie experience becomes even better at IMAX theatres. With the movie shown on IMAX® screens, audiences will be immersed with the expanded 1.9:1 aspect

ratio because Venom was digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

In line with its Reel to Real initiative, SM Cinema also offers exciting surprises and giveaways to moviegoers. Exclusive Venom IMAX movie posters are up for grabs with the purchase of Venom movie tickets for Oct. 6’s last screening at select IMAX at SM Cinema branches. Lastly, regular Venom movie posters will also be given to moviegoers when they purchase Venom tickets at select SM Director’s Club Cinema untiul tomorrow. Stay tuned on SM Cinema Facebook and Instagram page for more details.

English actor Tom Hardy in a scene from the American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics.

Former sexy actress Klaudia Koronel

Klaudia Koronel misses showbiz

ONE time sexy star Klaudia Koronel is in town after years of self-imposed exile in the US. She married a Chinese American she met in Manila but recently got divorced.

We met the still very pretty Klaudia for lunch at a restaurant in Quezon City recently where she talked about her plans while in Manila and why she can’t stay long even if she wanted to.

“I’m here only for a couple of months,” she said. “I just came to dispose of some properties my former husband and I invested in (as part of the divorce settlement). But I have to go back to the US.” Her application to become a US citizen might just be approved sooner than she thinks, so she needs to be there when it happens.

Even so, many of her friends and fans are glad she came home, even for a while.

“I miss my family and friends terribly. Of course I miss show business. I’d like to make a comeback but my schedule is so tight I can’t find time to make showbiz a full time concern.”

Klaudia managed a facility for seniors and the sick while she was in the US and before she and her husband were divorced. Now, she works as a nursing assistant.

“I am now in California. I used to live in Arizona with my husband, but after the divorce I had to move to California.

While here, she was invited to make guest appearances in Mars on GMA News TV and two other shows on Net 25.

Sources close to this writer said that two competing shows of the same format are interested in the life story of the former sexy star to be developed as an episode on the weekly drama show.

She said that both want her to appear as herself in the episode either of the two would develop. So far, Klaudia hasn’t said which show she’d appropriate her life story to.

When Klaudia left Manila for the US, there had been rumors the sexy star lived a miserable life. She only laughed when she recalled hearing those stories. “Ridiculous!” she remarked and laughed.

“How could that be when I was managing a Home Care business in the US?” She came home to attend to some properties she was able to invest in with her earnings as a movie star, apart from the conjugal properties she and her ex-husband have.

“I sold a condominium unit in BGC. I felt bad because it was my favorite. It was just behind St. Luke’s and near ShangriLa and other establishments. I needed to dispose of it ASAP because we couldn’t look after it anymore. We leased it but we decided to let go of it.”

Klaudia also visited the other properties she has in Sta. Rosa, Laguana, Manila and Quezon City.

“I left in 2010, so whatever those properties earned it was enough for my daughter.

She also has properties in San Pablo, Laguna and Iloilo. “I don’t have problems with those but sometimes those that lease them leave with unpaid utility bills.”

When her citizenship has been finalized, Klaudia may be able to decide to make a comeback in Philippine show business. That will make her fans happier than glad.

Miss Universe Ecuador brings smiles to Smile Train patients The world’s leading cleft charity, recently welcomed Miss Universe Ecuador, Virginia Limongi, as she visited patients under the care of Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation of the Philippines, Inc., a Smile Train partner.

Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation of the Philippines has been a long time partner of Smile Train, providing comprehensive cleft and craniofacial treatment and care for patients. During Limongi’s visit, she learned about the importance of comprehensive cleft care such as pre-surgical orthodontics that helps prepare babies for surgery. She also witnessed how speech therapy is conducted for children and adults who have had cleft palate surgery.

“More than spreading the word on Smile Train is being able to educate the public on proper cleft care both before and after surgery,” said Kimmy Coseteng-Flaviano, Smile Train’s Area Director for Southeast Asia. “We are excited to have Virginia learn about the processes involved for these children in order to spread more awareness for the public.”

For more information visit smiletrain. org. Follow Smile Train on Twitter and Instagram @SmileTrainPh, and like us on Facebook at @SmileTrainPhilippines.

Motoring

Utes take center stage at Aussie festival T

HOUSANDS of revellers have flocked to the rural Australian town of Deniliquin in a rowdy celebration of their love of utility vehicles and the outback, with whip-cracking and bull-riding contests among the highlights.

The Deni Ute Muster, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this weekend, is the biggest festival of its kind in the world.

It draws some 20,000 revellers and 6,000 utility vehicles—known locally as utes—from across the vast continent to the small town of Deniliquin around 700 kilometres (450 miles) southwest of Sydney.

“It’s a gathering of utes, an iconic event that celebrates lots of rural Australia,” the festival’s general manager Vicky Lowry told AFP. The two-day event has outlasted other festivals held in Australia by embracing the nation’s rural heritage, including the ubiquitous ute commonly used on farms.

First built in Australia in the 1930s by the Ford Motor Company, the ute was believed to have been designed to specifically cater to local farming families, and has since become a symbol of the country’s outback culture.

Other highlights include so-called circlework competitions—where utes drive around a dirt track doing a variation of donuts—kicking up dust as thousands of spectators cheer them on.

But the main highlight remains the ute paddock, where Australians young and old party late into the night in front of large bonfires, setting up tents or swags —a rolled-up tent—beside their vehicles.

At the paddock, jumping on top of your ute to crack a whip or down a bottle of beer is a common occurrence, as is the blasting of country music.

“Well we come here with the boys... just come to get away from work and get drunk,” Lochie Donovan, 20, told AFP before jumping on the hood of a ute to empty a can of beer.

The event is also a chance for rural Australians, who often live hundreds of kilometres from the nearest town, to make new friends.

“It’s my first time, it’s been on my bucket list. I just wanted to come for a bit of a perv on the fellas. Cowboys are good,” Debbie-Jane Cornford, 42, who was attending her first ute muster, told AFP. The festival attracts top local and international country music singers, with American star Carrie Underwood headlining this year. AFP

Well-maintained cars stay longer on the road, says Kia.

Even older cars need genuine parts YOU MAY own an older Kia vehicle that you’ve spent hundreds of hours on the road and many thousands of kilometers in. You believe that your relationship with that older generation model is already a milestone in itself.

You can trust Kia to keep that partnership going for even more years and more kilometers through a regular Preventive Maintenance Service (PMS) program and by using Kia Genuine Parts. Contacting your trusted Service Advisor or calling (02) 310 58 43 or (0922) 822 5752 will help you on your inquiries on how you and your older Kia can spend even more thousands of kilometers on the road together.

Columbian Autocar Corporation, the distributor of Kia vehicles in the Philippines, is here to help your older car stay on the road by making the maintenance

of your car more convenient and accessible. Take your older Kia vehicle to your preferred dealership’s service bay to have Kia technicians will inspect, adjust and replace components to keep your car running smoothly and consistently. Following the prescribed PMS schedule for your vehicle will extend the service life of your older Kia even further.

All Kia dealerships have a slew of Kia Genuine Parts available for various Kia models of all ages as well as well-trained staff knowledgeable in the installation and maintenance of these cars and their corresponding parts. Kia Genuine Parts are manufactured to tight manufacturing tolerances to ensure functionality and a secure fit. These parts are all designed to deliver long-lasting performance and be reliable for even some of the earliest Kia models.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2018

C3

Beer and bull-riding: Australian revellers celebrate the outback in the Deni Ute Muster event.

Limited edition variants roll out

HONDA’S automobile business unit in the Philippines is all set to introduce the limited edition variants of the CRV, Mobilio and Civic this 2018 with enhancements which aim to deliver sporty and stylish vehicles to satisfy the needs and cater to the dynamic lifestyle of the Filipino Customer and their Families.

New CR-V Touring Diesel 9AT As Honda’s first ever Diesel Turbo available in its local lineup, the CR-V has been an exceptional model for Honda in the Philippines over the past year having sold 5,651 units as of September 2018.

To celebrate this great market acceptance of Honda’s 7-Seater Diesel Turbo, a limited edition New CR-V Touring Diesel 9AT will be made available this year. Integrated with a new and aggressive Front Grille, Running Board, Rear Bumper Protector and an Exhaust Pipe Finisher, the CR-V gets a sportier stance for a bold and sophisticated exterior styling. To add, in order to differentiate this New CR-V model from all other variants, Honda has equipped this limited version with a Touring Edition Emblem.

The CR-V Touring Diesel 9AT will be available for a suggested retail price of Php 1,738,000.

Mobilio 1.5 Premium CVT

With the strong demand for 7-Seater vehicles here in the Philippines, Honda is set to launch another varian the Mobilio 1.5 Premium CVT. This version of the Mobilio exclusively comes in White Orchid Pearl giving it a touch of elegance without spending a lot. The New Mobilio 1.5 Premium CVT is equipped with a Shark-Fin Antenna, Exhaust Pipe Finisher and a Premium Edition Emblem making it a stylish MUV for those living a well-rounded lifestyle.

Only 100 units of the New Mobilio 1.5 Premium CVT will be available for a suggested retail price of P968,000.

Civic RS Turbo CVT Civic has been Honda’s epitome of a sporty car here in the Philippines. It has always been a head turner because

of its sleek and sporty exterior, sharply defined character lines, and its sophisticated interior. The Civic has been one of Honda’s best-selling premier compact sedan and because of this warm acceptance, Honda has been continuously improving products to cater to the growing demands of the Filipino Customers. For 2018, 30 units of the Brilliant Sporty Blue will be exclusively available for the Civic RS Turbo CVT variant.

The Civic RS Turbo CVT Limited Edition is available at select Honda Dealerships with a suggested retail price of P 1,576,000.

As a treat to our customers, the New CR-V Touring Diesel 9AT and the New Mobilio 1.5 Premium CVT are available with an exclusive P 30,000 discount.

Carpool firm branches out to shuttle service WUNDER Mobility, the company behind the urban carpooling app “Wunder Carpool”, has added a new service to its portfolio: employee transportation shuttles.

One of the first customers for the new service is Nowcom, a leading BPO with more than 400 employees in Ortigas. The Japanese trading company Marubeni Corporation invested and collaborated on a proof of concept with Wunder Mobility and Nowcom, as a step towards their future mobility portfolio.

Nowcom has been using Wunder Shuttle in Metro Manila since last June.

The shuttles are available in multiple regions of Metro Manila. Mobile technology guides drivers according to passenger demand. “Our employees use the Wunder app to plan their daily commute.

The shuttle usage is completely transparent to the Nowcom management and we can easily control costs. Employees are reporting increased by having better and more reliable commuting options.” says Jay Kamdar, CEO of Nowcom.

Nowcom employees have responded positively to the introduction of the new shuttle service. The commute time was reduced by 44%, and employee satisfaction with the service reached nearly 100%.

“The pilot started with the morning shift.

Now, we are discussing implementing the services for the night shift, which lacks more reliable and safe transportation options”, complements Kamdar. QA engineer Josephine Cabrera from Nowcom affirms the service improved her commute

to the office: “Commuting has never been easier and more convenient, especially during rainy season when transportation is especially complicated. Drivers are courteous and informative.”.

Marubeni Corporation supported the project into new mobility services. ”In the automotive industry, we are in the middle of a once-in-a-century change. We will leverage digital technology to respond directly to changes in customer transportation demands. Marubeni has been collaborating with Wunder for the past 6 months and supported this project. We see a large market potential for this business model and are working to launch and expand our business with Wunder”, says Atsushi Suzuki, Chief Operating Officer, Automotive & Leasing Division of Marubeni Corporation. Marubeni Corporation

is one of the biggest trading companies in Asia, whose global revenue for FY2017 was approximately $68 billion.

Wunder Mobility is an international technology supplier for innovative and future-oriented mobility concepts. “Commuters in megacities like Manila spend on average 4 hours per day in traffic. Wunder Mobility wants to solve traffic in the most gridlocked cities of the world”, comments John Moura, product manager of the B2B platform. “Manila’s young population is embracing the culture of sharing. Wunder provides technology to simplify people’s routines so they can spend more time with their family and friends.”, he comments.

In the future, Wunder Mobility would like to create a mobility ecosystem including specialized vehicles to provide even more comfort to passengers.

Enhanced mobility. (From left) John Moura, product manager; Jay Kamdar, CEO of Nowcom; Atsushi Suzuki, CEO of Marubeni’s Automotive & Leasing Division.

Motoring

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

C4 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2018

GOING INTO HIGH GEAR

BAIC unwraps ‘dynamic duo’ Text and Photos by Diana B. Noche

I

T’S ALWAYS nice to see fresh faces at socials.

New attachments can get off to a good start and develop into a long lasting affinity. The same goes for new cars. You see one that makes your pulse go on at a breakneck beat and you swear you just gotta have it.

When Bayan Automotive Industries Corp. unveiled a pair of its latest vehicle models—the BAIC M50S MPV and the BAIC BJ20—at its flagship showroom in Makati City, the spontaneous reaction

was exactly like that. A sense of new confidence and instant affection for a vehicle whose understated style and technology have melded quite smoothly into a natural no-nonsense partnership. To the guests at

BAIC’s launch, the automotive industry has every reason to go into high gear once again with such cars.

Since 1958 when BAIC was established, it has prided itself on a confident pace, went about its undertaking, stuck to its guns without a flinch. To drop names, it has Daimler, manufacturer of Mercedes Benz and Hyundai vehicles for a partner and has the old reliable Universal Motors Corp. always there to stand by it like a kindly godfather.

The BAIC BJ 20 was initially launched in2016 for the global market after its debut at the Shanghai Auto Show in 2013.

It boasts refreshed design elements—a crossover sporty utility vehicle (SUV)— tailored for everyday driving pleasure

Carmakers brace for electric future AUTO industry executives gathering this week for the Paris Motor Show will be rubbing shoulders with unusual company: dozens of tech experts eager to tackle what many consider the ultimate connected device.

Electric vehicles are the stars of this year’s show, with premium brands like Mercedes and Audi finally jumping into the fray, but the promise of self-driving

cars is also on display with dozens of start-ups on hand.

“Each of these new cars requires 100 million lines of code: That’s five to six times more than in a Boeing,” Luc Chatel, head of the French auto industry association, told executives on Monday.

The enthusiasm for the electrified revolution is partly out of necessity, as regulators and local officials try to cut down on

Electric vehicles are the stars of this year’s Paris Motor Show. AFP

the smog chocking many large cities.

In Europe, carmakers are racing to comply with tough EU limits on CO2 emissions that take effect by 2021, and the introduction of tougher emission testing standards in the wake of the “dieselgate” cheating scandal.

After investing billions of dollars in new batteries despite a still-uncertain payoff, companies are also betting that

BAIC president George Chua makes a pitch during the launching of the “dynamic duo”, BJ20 and M50S.

and experience. The sunroof makes it a fun riding for everyone. Its exterior features a sleek design, classically boxy, and uncomplicated lines. The seats are upholstered in microfiber leather and contoured for passenger support and driver comfort. The fender and bumper have been extra toughened for a wrap-around impact safety. It has a 215mm of ground clearance, the highest in its class, and large 225/55 tires on 18” alloy rims. The BAIC BJ20 may not have been intentionally designed to scream on the freeway but with such refinements worked on it without sacrificing practicality, it makes a impressive presence that’s sure to get nods and repeated glances. The BJ20 sells for P1.148M and P1.228M for the

two editions.

Dreaming of a new class of vehicle to drive? When “standard” cars get bourgeoise, get a family car. Lay your eyes on the new BAIC M50s MPV, an update to the BAIC M20 three-row MPV. Engineered for max performance to suit the most hostile highway network, the refinements, like the comfortable seats (7 to 8 passenger capacity with ample room for extra load at the back) and a sensible micro-fiber leather upholstery make it a true family car that will be, at some point in time, an heirloom for the next generation.

What’s more, BAIC promises the new car smell will stick for a long, long while.

Life is short. Go for it. Happy driving.

electric cars will help their bottom lines.

More reliable and with fewer moving parts than combustion engines, electric motors require far fewer workers to install and service.

But industry chiefs know they won’t be able to develop the full potential of an electrified, always-connected future on their own.

Google, Nokia and French IT specialist Atos are among the tech groups sending staff to the Paris show with pledges to help automakers navigate their industry’s seismic shift.

“Obviously every company would love to do everything by themselves,” Carlos Ghosn, head of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, said in a keynote address Monday.

“There is an explosion around the services of mobility, where carmakers are going to play a role, in partnership with others,” he added, predicting that “we’re going to see in the Motor Show less and less car companies.”

Ghosn expects his group to sell 14 million cars by the end of 2022, of which 10 percent will be all-electric.

Steep prices, uncertain future But joining with tech companies means ceding part of the profit, not exactly a welcome prospect for an industry just recently back on a stronger footing after years of bailouts for many in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis.

Automakers are also grappling with lithium-ion battery costs that keep electric vehicle prices well above those of traditional cars—the new models are still loss-makers for most companies.

Mike David, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence, forecast that prices would not come down to competitive levels until 2025.

And with new technologies comes the chance for upstarts to jump in: Tesla’s market value is greater than that of Renault and PSA combined despite production snafus and recent blunders by its flamboyant founder Elon Musk.

Adding to the headwinds are changing consumer tastes: More people now live in urban centres where alternative modes of transport from cycling to scooters are flourishing amid the zero-emission zeal.

Many no longer see the need for owning a car, electric or not.

“Single-use vehicles are wasteful,” said Ian Simmons of Magna International, a parts maker specialising in “green mobility”.

Car-sharing and ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft—which are racing ahead with their own autonomous driving research—will require heavy tech investments in cars and city infrastructure, he said.

But with Audi and Mercedes showing off all-electric SUVs this week— w shortly after Ferrari announced an ambitious plan for hybrids—more buyers might be convinced their performance has caught up with combustion engines.

“Their arrival also dispels any doubts over battery or quality issues,” JATO analyst Felipe Munoz wrote in a research note.

The Paris Motor Show opens to the public on Thursday and runs until October 14. AFP