Manila Standard - 2018 October 8 - Monday

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VOL. XXXII • NO. 235 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

GOLDEN GRAINS. Several residents dry their palay crops on the highway in Manaoag, Pangasinan, unmindful of a prohibition imposed by the Department of Public Works and Highways. According to them, it is more practical to dry their crops on public roads and sell the produce right away to passing traders than go to a buying station which will entail cost, not to mention carrying the sackloads of rice . Manny Palmero

Another oil price hike in the offing What ails Du30?

Most Pinoys want to know—SWS

By Nat Mariano and Macon Ramos-Araneta SIX in 10 Filipinos said the people should be informed about the state of President Rodrigo Duterte’s health, viewing it as a public matter, an independent pollster said Sunday.

A Social Weather Stations poll said 61 percent of Filipinos believed the people should have knowledge about Duterte’s health because it is a public matter.

Meanwhile, 33 percent of those polled maintained that Duterte’s medical information should be kept private.

The proportion of those who said the President’s health was a public matter was highest in the Visayas at 65 percent, followed by Mindanao at 63 percent, Balance Luzon at 59 percent, and Metro Manila at 58 percent.

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By Alena Mae S. Flores and Macon Ramos-Araneta

B

RACE for a new round of steep increases in pump prices to reflect the situation in the world oil market, with diesel prices expected to up by as much as P1.50 a liter.

“Expect fuel prices to go up again next week,” said Unioil Philippines.

“Diesel should go up by P1.40 to P1.50 per liter while gasoline should increase by P0.70 to P0.80 per liter.”

World oil prices have been on the upswing due to the US sanctions against Iran, which could reduce supply.

There were also reports that global prices would go up last week after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries did not increase output following an unofficial gathering in Algeria.

On Oct. 2, the oil firms raised the price of diesel by P1.35 per liter, gasoline by P1 per liter and kerosene by P1.10 per liter.

This is the eighth consecutive weekly increase for gasoline and 6th consecutive weekly increase for diesel.

Department of Energy data showed that year-to-date total adjustments stand at a net increase of P10.40 per liter for gasoline, P10.70 per liter for diesel and P9.35 per liter for kerosene.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has assured the public that the agency is exhausting all options to mitigate rising fuel prices and called for the practice of fuel efficiency measures.

The Philippines is a net importer of oil products, which means that the country’s fuel supply is generally sourced from abroad, making the country vulnerable to changes in international oil price markets.

“Despite global forces affecting the country’s fuel prices, we are in constant communication with the oil industry players on how we can help the public amid the global oil situation,” Cusi said.

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Budget approval before House break doubted

Rody takes a break, hies off to HK with partner, daughter

By Rio N. Araja

By Nat Mariano

COMPOSTELA Valley Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora on Sunday hinted at the possibility that the proposed P3.757trillion national budget for 2019 may not be approved on third and final reading before the Oct. 13 adjournment of Congress.

But Zamora, vice chairwoman of the committee on appropriations, said Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was still doing her best to pass the budget on final reading this week.

She said sending the budget to the

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte went on an unscheduled trip to Hong Kong with his family on Saturday, three days after disclosing he had a medical examination.

In a Facebook post on Saturday night, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go uploaded photos of the President along with his common-law wife Honeylet Avanceña and daughter Kitty.

“Before fake news spreads, the President also needs time to rest,” Go said in his post.

He included another set of photos of Duterte shopping for clothes.

Go made his statement even as Ex-

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ecutive Secretary Salvador Medialdea defended Duterte’s unscheduled trip to Hong Kong.

“He has been working since June 30, 2016. Can they not allow him a weekend break?” Medialdea said in a text message.

Go, who accompanied Duterte, said they arrived in Hong Kong on Saturday morning, contradicting the statement of Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque.

Around 5 pm of the same day, Roque said Duterte was staying in his hometown in Davao City.

The 73-year-old President, however, stayed at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong in Wan Chai and was due to leave for home at 6 pm on Sunday.

TRYING IT FOR SIZE. President Rodrigo Duterte, inside a shopping store, on Saturday went on an unscheduled trip to Hong Kong with his partner Honeylet Avanceña and daughter Kitty. Courtesy of SAP

Palace working ‘double time’ to tame inflation, lower prices

By Nat Mariano AFTER President Rodrigo Duterte’s net satisfaction rating slid eight points in the third quarter, Malacañang on Sunday said the government is working “double time” to address inflation and bring down prices of basic goods.

“Regardless of the numbers, we assure everyone that the administration is working double time to ensure prices of basic goods become stable as we cushion the impact of higher inflation,” said Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque in a

statement Sunday, welcoming the results of Social Weather Stations’ latest survey of the Duterte administration.

Roque said the government has already taken measures to reduce the impact of inflation, to which he attributed the President’s eight-point decline.

“We received the lowest rating in fighting inflation. Nonetheless, public satisfaction remains ‘very good’ at +50 during the time when our people are feeling the hit of a faster inflation rate when the survey was conducted last September,” he said.

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TRYING THEIR LUCK. A lotto outlet at the Festival Mall in Alabang becomes a queueing lane, a scene commonly seen at the airport immigration area, after bettors form a line to try their luck at the P904-million jackpot. Eric Apolonio

Japanese soldier dies in car crash

Russian courts as absurdist theater

TOKYO—Japan’s military said Sunday one of its members was killed in a car crash in the Philippines during joint exercises with US and Filipino troops.

Suguru Maehara, a 38-year-old sergeant of the Ground Self-Defense Forces, was involved in the accident on Tuesday last week, according to a GSDF spokesman who confirmed his death.

“It is the first time a GSDF member has died during an overseas drill,” the spokesman said.

Maehara was delivering food supplies to members participating in the drill when the accident happened.

The exercise, codenamed Kamandag (meaning ‘Venom’), marked the first time Japanese armored military vehicles were used on foreign soil since the country adopted a pacifist constitution after its 1945 defeat in World War II.

RUSSIAN courts are sometimes described as a theater of the absurd, but it is television and cinema that have recently pushed political boundaries with their depictions of trials on screen.

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A comedy series called ‘House Arrest’ on a popular Russian entertainment channel is among several TV shows and films that have recently pushed political boundaries with their depictions of trials on screen. AFP

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NBI agents jump into case of missing rice in Zamboanga THE Justice department on Sunday ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to join the probe on the sacks of smuggled rice in Zamboanga City that went missing on Sept. 30.

“I have directed the NBI to assist the Bureau of Customs and the National Food Authority in the investigation of the missing 23,015 sacks of confiscated smuggled rice in Zamboanga City,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said in a statement.

“I will leave it to NBI Director Dante Gierran to determine if his agents down south could do a credible investigation or the Anti-Smuggling Task Force at the head office should do it,” Guevarra said.

The NBI is an attached agency of the Justice department.

Customs has already started looking into the incidents that led to the disappearance of the 23,013 sacks of alleged smuggled rice.

It was reported that President Rodrigo Duterte was upset upon learning of the missing sacks of rice that were intercepted from three vessels by the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and then turned over to Customs for inventory and the issuance of a warrant of seizure and detention.

On Oct. 4, two Customs officials in Zamboanga City were placed under “administrative relief” pending the investigation of the missing sacks of smuggled rice.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Customs Chief Isidro Lapeña had ordered the preventive suspension of Port of Zamboanga District Collector Lyceo Martinez and Customs police district commander Filomeno Salazar.

Roque said the two officials were suspended so they could not “tamper with evidence or influence the investigation.”

He said the incident showed there was smuggling, that smuggled rice was being sold in the market, and that there were warehouses hoarding rice.

He said Customs officials could be held liable for the missing sacks of smuggled rice.

To date, 16,000 sacks have been recovered from various privately owned warehouses. PNA

Russian courts...

From A1

A comedy series called “House Arrest” on a popular Russian entertainment channel has links to real, highprofile cases, while a new Leo Tolstoy biopic has parallels with opposition struggles today.

Several recent genre films have made mild digs at contemporary politics including “The President’s Holiday” this year, a mistaken-identity comedy about Vladimir Putin going incognito among ordinary people in Crimea.

The productions come as the Kremlin continues its crackdown on the opposition, and dramas tackling sensitive subjects are sometimes banned or simply never receive state funding to get made.

The weekly “House Arrest” on the TNT channel is based on the tribulations of a provincial mayor who is confined to his home after being caught taking a bribe in a sting by the security services.

Creator Semyon Slepakov said a friend who is currently under house arrest gave tips for added authenticity, but he refused to name names.

The real prison service even showed makers how to attach an ankle bracelet and gave the crew a special phone used by people under house arrest.

“House arrests were constantly being talked about,” Slepakov said in a recent interview in his office decorated with posters for US shows “Seinfeld” and “Californication.”

Top theater and film director Kirill Serebrennikov has spent more than a year in his Moscow flat awaiting trial on fraud charges in a controversial embezzlement case his supporters see as a crackdown on artistic freedom. AFP

What ails...

From A1

The survey also found that nearly half of Filipinos, or 45 percent of them, believe Duterte experiences problems with his health, 26 percent were not convinced he has health issues, while the remaining 29 percent were undecided about the matter.

The net belief that Duterte has health problems was highest in Metro Manila at +31, followed by Balance Luzon at +21, the Visayas at +14, and Mindanao at +12.

Asked how worried they are about Duterte’s health, a majority of those polled, or 55 percent of them, said they are concerned, while 44 percent were apathetic.

The survey, conducted from Sept. 15 to 23, came three days after Duterte revealed

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Jinggoy fails to void AMLC evidence F The case is in connection with the anomaly involving his Priority Development Assistance Funds or pork barrel funds.

In an 11-page resolution written by Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin, the high court dismissed for being moot and academic Estrada’s petition assailing the denial of the anti-graft court of his motion to suppress and exclude in the plunder case against him the AMLC inquiry report on the bank transactions related to

his alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam.

Nonetheless, the high court resolved to uphold the constitutionality of Section 11 of Republic Act 9160, or The Anti-Money Laundering Act, allowing ex parte applications by the AMLC for bank inquiry on those facing plunder charges.

Estrada, in his petition, argued that the filing of an ex parte application for an order to inquire into bank deposits and investments violates the constitutionally

mandated right to due process and right to privacy, among other things.

But the high court said the constitutionality of Section 11 of RA 9160 had been upheld in its decision on the Subido case on Dec. 6, 2016, where it ruled that the AMLC’s ex parte application for the bank inquiry order based on the provision “did not violate substantive due process because the physical seizure of the targeted corporeal property was not contemplated by the law.”

The high court also ruled as “unfounded and bereft of substance” the contention that RA 10167, which amended Section 11 of RA 9160, is an ex post facto legislation because it applies retroactively to bank transactions made prior to the effectivity of the amendment and imposes new legal burdens to already completed transactions.

The tribunal said the elimination of the requirement of notice, by itself, was not

Another oil...

6.7 percent in September.

“The government should immediately take action if there are reports of any unreasonable hikes in prices of petroleum products,” he said.

He noted that the task force plays a big role in holding erring businesses accountable, especially since oil firms belong to a deregulated industry.

To ensure fair competition, he said cartelization—or any concerted action by refiners, importers and dealers to fix oil prices—may be penalized with a fine ranging from P1 million to P2 million and three to seven years imprisonment under the law.

While no government agency is vested

with the authority to control the price of petroleum in the country, the law provides for safeguards and remedies to protect consumers from abusive practices of oil firms, he said.

News reports said pump prices of gasoline in Odiongan, Romblon have surged to as high as P71.17 per liter, and diesel at P57.46.

In Metro Manila, gasoline prices average P58.90 per liter, and diesel at P48.35 per liter.

Higher prices were also registered in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, where gasoline is at P62.70 per liter, and diesel at P49.90 per liter.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Dril-

By Rey E. Requejo

ORMER senator Jinggoy Estrada suffered another legal setback after the Supreme Court dismissed his petition seeking to stop the Sandiganbayan from allowing the inquiry report of the Anti-Money Laundering Council as evidence in the plunder case filed against him.

From A1

“We’ve been exploring higher and expanded fuel discounts to public utility vehicles, looking at nearby countries for lower priced supply and even went to unpopular options to ensure that consumers are protected from the impact of this global price situation.”

Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, meanwhile, called on the Department of Energy and the Department of Justice to assemble s task force to investigate unreasonable oil price hikes in some provinces as the inflation rate rose to a nine-year high of

Japanese soldier...

a removal of any lawful protection to the account holder because the AMLC was only exercising its investigative power at this stage.

The Court said the AMLC’s inquiry and examination into bank accounts were not undertaken whimsically based on its investigative discretion as the AMLC and the Court of Appeals were respectively required to ascertain the existence of probable cause before any bank inquiry order was issued.

In ruling Estrada’s petition was moot and academic, the high court said Estrada had already been granted bail by the Sandiganbayan on Sept. 15, 2017, where the anti-graft court denied his motion to dismiss the case for lack of merit and reconsidered and set aside its Jan. 7, 2016 resolution and instead granted him bail upon the submission and approval of bail in the amount of P1 million to be posted in cash. on renewed his call to suspend TRAIN 1, which they he blamed for the high prices of basic commodities. He warned of continuing increases if new excise taxes on fuel provided by the law are not suspended.

“No need to wait for three months. The President has the power to suspend the excise on oil,” Drilon said.

He said the President can ask a resolution from both Houses of Congress on the matter, and “Congress will give it to him.”

“He can certify a joint resolution to suspend the excise tax [on fuel]. He can do this because he has enough political clout.

He can do it in just a day,” Drilon said in Filipino.

From A1

Budget approval...

But Japan is not involved in the combat component of the military exercises.

The 10-day exercise is being held at a Philippine navy base facing the South China Sea, some 250 kilometers from the Scarborough Shoal—a territory claimed by Manila that was seized by China during a 2012 naval stand-off.

Local media reported that Maehara was in a vehicle driven by a Filipino near the naval base.

Another Japanese officer in his 40s who was in the same vehicle was injured with a broken rib. He was sent to a hospital with Maehara but was discharged on the same day, the GSDF spokesman said.

A Philippine spokesman for the exercises declined to comment.

The Philippines has ramped up military cooperation in recent years with Washington, its long-time ally, and also held joint naval exercises with Japan near Scarborough Shoal in 2015.

Japan has its own maritime territorial dispute with Beijing in the East China Sea, where China has built artificial islands and installed military facilities on them.

The US military stressed that Saturday’s exercise was not aimed at China. AFP

Senate was a big task due to several delays arising from the P52-billion insertions that were ordered realigned by Arroyo to important projects for the equitable and fair distribution of funds.

“Based on the volume of work that needs to be done and the fact that we’re still resolving all the matters taken up during the debates, we’ll try our best [to approve the national budget this week], but we may not have enough time to get it approved on third [and final] reading before the recess,” Zamora said.

“The committee is working round the clock to make up for the lag incurred during the plenary schedule, but rest assured that we’ll be able to pass the 2019 budget on time.”

The House of Representatives will begin its break on Oct. 13 and will resume session on Nov. 12.

After 11 days of plenary deliberations Congress, through viva voce voting, approved the national budget on second reading on Oct. 3.

The plenary debates on the budget measure suffered delays due to the discovery of the alleged P52-billion insertions by the former House leadership.

Last Wednesday, House Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. proposed the creation of a committee to receive and resolve the amendments to House Bill 8169 or the 2019 General Appropriations Bill.

The deadline for the submission of amendments is on Oct. 9.

From A1

GREEN ACTION. Members of the Ecowaste Coalition show off handcrafted bags and home decors made of recycled plastic at the Smokey Mountain in Tondo, Manila to mark the Green Action Week, a global campaign to support sustainable consumption with the help of individuals from informal waste recycling groups from Malabon and Manila. Norman Cruz

“We are taking measures, including the importation of rice and deposition of public officials involved in the rice crisis, to solve the shortage of supply of rice in the market,” he said.

According to the Social Weather Stations, more than six out of every 10 Filipinos were satisfied with the performance of the Duterte administration, which retained a “very good” net satisfaction rating of +50 percent in the third quarter of 2018.

The poll, conducted from Sept. 15 to 23, showed 65 percent of those polled were satisfied with the general performance of the current administration, 15 percent were dissatisfied, while the remaining 19 percent expressed ambiva-

lence on the matter.

The administration’s satisfaction rating dropped in all areas, except in Metro Manila.

It fell from “excellent” to “very good” in Mindanao (+67), both “very good” to “good” in Balance Luzon (+48), and in the Visayas (+42), but remained “good” in Metro Manila (+40).

The SWS enlisted 14 specific subjects rated by the respondents such as fighting terrorism, reconciliation with Muslim rebels, and communist rebels, helping the poor, fighting the inflation, food security, foreign relations, fulfilling commitments in international relations, fight against corruption, defending West Philippine Sea, infrastructure projects, Marawi City reconstruction, protection of human rights, and fighting crime.

The survey used face-to-face inter-

views of 1,200 adults. It had a sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages, and ±6 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

In an interview on the ANC news channel, political analyst Ranjit Rye, a professor of political science at the University of the Philippines said the slide in the President’s net satisfaction rating was due to his administration’s failure to curb rising prices of goods.

“There have been consistent drops in the administration’s performance rating over the last two quarters. Although in my view, this drop was not surprising given the fact that a big issue really is inflation,” Rye told ANC. Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, meanwhile, blamed mismanagement for the rise in the prices of commodities.

In an interview with radio dzMM, he said economic managers were not able to foresee that inflation would accelerate to levels not seen in almost 10 years.

The Duterte administration also failed stabilize prices of two basic commodities, fish and rice.

In another development, Congress has endorsed to the chamber’s plenary a draft constitution filed by Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and other co-sponsors seeking to create a federal form of government.

The committee on constitutional amendments, in an Oct. 2 report, said the panel has already considered the proposed measure and recommended its approval without amendments.

Arroyo’s proposal is separate from the draft federal charter of President Rodrigo Duterte’s consultative committee. With Rio N. Araja

that doctors found a growth in his digestive tract during a medical procedure, prompting him to undergo another round of tests.

Duterte’s state of health has always been a cause of concern and a favorite topic of rumors as he exchanged barbs with the Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison about each other’s health.

In a speech before doctors in Cebu on Sept. 21, Duterte first confirmed he underwent an endoscopy.

Two weeks later, Duterte revealed before members of the Philippine Military Academy in Malacañang that he had a follow-up procedure to check “samples” taken from him.

Aside from Barrett’s esophagus, the 73-year-old President also admitted suffering “perpetual pain” from other medi-

cal conditions such as Buerger’s disease, a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease, and a spinal injury, which he obtained from a motorcycle accident.

The Palace had previously said it will recommend to the President to bring in his personal physician to enlighten the public about his health to put speculation to rest.

Article VII, Section 12 of the 1987 Constitution states that in case of serious illness of the President, the public shall be informed of the state of his health.

“The members of the Cabinet in charge of national security and foreign relations and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, shall not be denied access to the President during such illness,” it says—but does not indicate what constitutes a serious illness.

The third quarter poll on President

Duterte’s health used face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults nationwide. The poll had sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages; ±4 percent for Balance Luzon; and ±6 percent for Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Senator Francis Escudero on Sunday said the procedures that the President underwent were diagnostic in nature and do not constitute findings.

“What the Constitution is referring to is the findings or conclusions on his state of health,” Escudero said.

The denials of his spokespersons notwithstanding, the President himself candidly admitted the tests that he went through, Escudero said.

“I think he will be equally candid with respect to the findings, if any, and his spokespersons should take the cue from their boss... and not second guess him as

regards his candidness and honesty with respect to this and other matters,” he added.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque and Presidential Assistant Christopher Go had denied rumors about the President’s health last week when he skipped a Cabinet meeting and an event at the Palace.

Roque said the President was only at his residence to take the day off. Go also denied suggestions that the President was in hospital.

But Duterte later said he had paid a visit to the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City to undergo tests, prompting him to cancel his meeting with the Cabinet on Wednesday.

Opposition Senator Francis Panigilinan, meanwhile, said it was difficult to take the President’s words seriously.

Palace working...

From A1

News

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018

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Lawmakers seen to affirm decision on impeachment

By Rio Araja

TRIBUTE TO TEACHERS The ‘Many Faces of the Teacher’ is an advocacy campaign seeking to extol the virtues of teaching by providing role models who can inspire excellence. It

recognizes leaders in the teaching profession as examples of true heroes who can be a source of inspiration and knowledge for their fellow teachers and students. It recognizes Filipino teachers who play a significant role in the life of a student, nurture and mold the character of future leaders and heroes, hence, becoming a force that shapes this nation. At the awarding rites are ( from left) : Saturnino Belen, chairman of Bato Balani Foundation; Lorna Belen, vice chairman of Bato Balani Foundation; Lodema Doroteo , the Many Faces Of The Teacher Honoree; Ruel Janamjam—The Many Faces Of The Teacher Honoree; Dr. Ricardo Jose—The Many Faces Of The Teacher Honoree; Dominic Ocampo—The Many Faces Of The Teacher Honoree; Armin Luistro, president of Dela Salle University. Teddy Pelaez

NBI joins probe of Lanao massacre T

By Rey E. Requejo

HE Department of Justice on Sunday directed the National Bureau of Investigation to probe the killing of five agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Kapai, Lanao del Sur last Friday.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra ordered NBI Director Dante Gierran to conduct a parallel investigation into the ambush incident that killed PDEA-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao agents Kenneth Tabulo, Kristine May Torlao, Joy Amar, Binzo Dipolla and

Diobel Pacinio.

“I have instructed Director Gierran to investigate the killing of five PDEA agents in Lanao Del Sur and identify the people responsible for this act of cowardice against our anti-narcotics agents,” Guevarra said,

in a text message.

The DoJ chief also tasked the NBI to build a strong case to be filed against individuals or group behind the incident.

Guevarra stressed that he required the NBI to prioritize this case and immediately submit a report.

The slain PDEA agents just came from a dialogue with former drug dependents in Tagoloan town when unidentified men shot their vehicle with assault rif les while at a secluded stretch of a highway in Barangay Malna, Kapai.

All five agents died on the spot from multiple gunshot wounds, while two others—PDEA agent Rachel Gentap-

anan and non-uniformed local police employee Normina Dicay—were seriously wounded.

Responding policemen and local officials recovered spent shells of rifle cartridges from one side of the highway from where the ambushers launched the attack.

Lanao del Sur Vice Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr. and ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman both offered cash incentives for informants who will help authorities identify the culprits.

Tagoloan and Kapai are hinterland towns in Lanao del Sur, where the PRO12 and PDEA-ARMM had neutralized over a dozen of high-profile drug rings in the past 24 months.

Barbers seeks stiffer penalty vs flying voters SURIGAO del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers is batting for the amendment of election registration period and the penalties against flying voters.

Barbers filed House Bill 8372 to amend the registration period from 120 days to one year before a regular election.

He also filed HB 8371 to impose a fine of P100,000 but not more than P1 million, and an imprisonment of not more than six years but not less than 12 years against a flying voter.

The twin bills would give the Commission on Elections enough time to validate the authenticity of the voter’s information and to purge the voter’s list, Barbers said.

HB 8371 is intended to help prevent corrupt officials from staying in power through vote-buying and use of flying voters.

The amendment of the two bills could result in a clean and honest election, Barbers said. Rio Araja

Gun licensing goes online

HEAD. caption

Former President Fidel V. Ramos receives Pangasinan Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil at the former leader’s office.

Lawmaker bats for creation of FVR library, museum Lingayen TO HONOR and enshrine the legacy of former President Fidel Valdez Ramos, Pangasinan Second District Rep. Leopoldo N. Bataoil urged his fellow lawmakers in both houses of Congress for the immediate approval of House Bill No. 8367 calling for the establishment of the Fidel V. Ramos Library and Museum in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

In filing the bill, Bataoil, a retired two-star police general and house committee chairman on Veterans’ Affairs, took cognisance of Fidel V. Ramos being the 12th president of the Philippines, as a retired 4-star general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and whose life as a public servant cannot be overemphasised.

THE chairman of the House committee on justice on Sunday said majority of the 292 members of Congress will affirm their report dismissing the impeachment complaint against seven justices of the Supreme Court.

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Paulino Salvador Leachon said there is no reason for the plenary to overturn the panel’s recommendation to set aside the impeachment charges against Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro, and Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam, Andres Reyes Jr. and Alexander Gesmundo.

Leachon hinted at the possibility that the final decision or the plenary action for the petition may happen when Congress resumes session after the Nov. 1, 2018 break.

After all signatures have been gathered in the committee report, he said, his committee would immediately ask House Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. to include their report in the order of business for a plenary action.

“The committee report is still being circulated for signature of voting members. That’s why we can’t still set with Congressman Nonoy Andaya for plenary schedule,” he added.

He gave the assurance that their report would be presented in the plenary after the break if they could act on it this week.

“Probably [when we resume]. For sure, we will finish it [complaint] when we get back,” he said.

The House of Representatives starts its break on Oct. 13 and resumes session on Nov. 12.

Earlier, the Leachon panel voted 23 against one, dismissing the consolidated impeachment complaint for failure to meet the requirement of sufficiency in substance.

The impeachment complaint was filed by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr. and Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano.

Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the Leachon panel to dispose of the complaint soon to ensure that the impeachment process would not hinder the other legislative measures.

The impeachment petitioners accused the seven justices of culpable violation of the 1987 Constitution when they voted in favor of granting the quo warranto petition against dismissed Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

“Known as one of the heroes of the 1986 People Power Revolution, FVR, as he is more popularly called, embodies the virtues and inimitable characteristics of a statesman, soldier and citizen,” Bataoil said.

According to the Pangasinan solon, the role President FVR played in the annals of Philippine history during his service in the military and term as achieving Philippine president can be recounted through numerous records, publications, writings, letters and essays, and other materials and objects defining his epoch in Philippine presidential history.

“His achievements must be properly enshrined and carefully documented

for the benefit and knowledge of generations to come. For this purpose, a library dedicated to his honor must be established and located in his hometown or any place significant to him such as his birthplace in Lingayen, Pangasinan,” Bataoil added.

The FVR Library and Museum shall be placed under the supervision of the National Library of the Philippines and shall be the sole custodian and repository of all materials and items related to the former Philippine president.

The bill on the establishment of FVR Library and Museum is expected to be certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte and is expected to have smooth sailing in the lower house under former

President now House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

If approved, the legacy of former President Ramos will certainly be housed in one establishment—similar to the presidential libraries and museums in the United States—where items, memorabilia, books, letters, videos and other objects and items will be kept safe, well protected and promoted.

“At the ripe of 90, FVR continues to soldier on as a senior statesman and a grateful nation owes him a debt of gratitude for his service, honor and duty to our beloved nation. This FVR Library and Museum is the best gift we can think of to honor his legacy,” concludes Bataoil.

THE perennial problem of gun owners over long queues at the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office may soon be over.

The Association of Firearms and Ammunition Dealers of the Philippines Inc. urged gun owners to avail of the new online system by the PNPFEO in applying for a License to Own and Possess Firearms and/or renewing their gun documents.

A longtime partner of the PNP in promoting responsible gun ownership, AFAD is helping the FEO in disseminating information that would help firearms owners secure their gun documents in the quickest and most convenient way.

World shooting champ and AFAD president Jethro T. Dionisio invited gun owners and prospective firearms buyers to visit the Facebook page of the Defense & Sporting Arms Show to check a video of this user-friendly system to learn the step-by-step process in creating an online FEO account.

Either applying for a new LTOPF/ gun registration/Permit to Carry Firearms Outside of Residence or for renewal of these documents, applicants are required to create an online account at www.feo-system.com before proceeding with any transaction.

Meanwhile, AFAD officials again stage the PNP Firearms Caravan at the 26th DSAS Part 2 slated on November 15-19, 2018 at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

This traditional undertaking aims to provide assistance individuals in securing LTOPF and gun registration by making available the support units from the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation for the processing of the requirements right at the events venue.

Applicants who wish to avail of the services of the PNP Firearms Caravan are advised to pre-register at www.afad.ph/dsas to avoid queuing at the entrance of Megatradehall exhibit venue.

A4

Opinion

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018

Why the worst rise to power tastes and views are differentiated. If we wish to find a high degree of uniformity in outlook, we have to descend to the regions of lower moral and intellectual standards where the more primitive instincts prevail. This does not mean that the majority of people have low moral standards; it merely means that the largest group of people whose values are very similar are the people with low FRIEDRICH Hayek was one of the 20th century’s greatest philosophers. While he is best standards.”

“Second, since this group is not large known for his work in economics, he also made significant contributions in political phi- enough to give sufficient weight to the leader’s losophy and law. He is most widely known for endeavors, he will have to increase their numhis book, The Road to Serfdom, written during bers by converting more to the same simple creed. He must gain the support of the docile World War II. Hayek exposed the danger posed to free- and gullible, who have no strong convictions dom by attempts to apply the principles of of their own but are prepared to accept a readywartime economic and social planning to the made system of values if it is only drummed problems of peacetime. Hayek argued that into their ears sufficiently loudly and frequently. It will be those whose the rise of Nazism was vague and imperfectly not due to any characformed ideas are easily ter failure on the part of swayed and whose pasthe German people, but sions and emotions are was a consequence of Collectivism readily aroused who will the socialist ideas that thus swell the ranks of makes personal had gained popularity in the totalitarian party.”

Germany in the decades liberty its victim.

“Third, to weld topreceding the outbreak gether a coherent body of war. of supporters, the leader History’s most nomust appeal to a comtorious dictators did not mon human weakness. rise to power randomly.

In one of the chapters of his book, Hayek ex- It seems to be easier for people to agree on a plains why the most despicable people always negative program—on the hatred of an enemy, end up with political power and why, to para- on the envy of the better off—than on any posphrase Lord Acton, absolute power always itive task.”

“The contrast between the ‘we’ and the corrupts absolutely: “The totalitarian leader must collect around ‘they,’ is consequently always employed by him a group which is prepared voluntarily to those who seek the allegiance of huge masses. submit to that discipline they are to impose by The enemy may be internal, like the ‘Jew’ in force upon the rest of the people. They [eco- Germany or the ‘kulak’ in Russia, or he may nomic and social reformers] still hoped for the be external. In any case, this technique has the miracle of a majority’s agreeing on a particu- great advantage of leaving the leader greater lar plan for the organization of the whole of freedom of action than would almost any posisociety. Others had already learned the lesson tive program.”

“Advancement within a totalitarian group that in a planned society, the question can no longer be on what do a majority of the people or party depends largely on a willingness to agree but with what the largest single group is do immoral things. The principle that the end whose members agree sufficiently to make a justifies the means, which to individuals is regarded as the denial of all morals, in collectivunified direction of all affairs possible.”

“There are three main reasons why such as ism, it becomes necessarily the supreme rule. numerous and strong group, with fairly similar There is literally nothing which the consistent views, is not likely to be formed by the best collectivist must not be prepared to do if it but rather by the worst elements of any soci- serves ‘the good of the whole,’ because that is to him the only criterion of what ought to ety.”

“First, the higher the education and intel- be done.”

Turn to A5 ligence of individuals become, the more their

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

All the measures except the one that counts HE Palace assured the public again over the weekend that the government was taking steps to address the high prices of goods after the country’s inflation—the rate at which the price of goods and services rises—climbed to a high of 6.7 percent in September.

T

Almost in passing, the Palace spokesman also mentioned the possibility that the next fuel tax rate increase could be suspended if the monthly average of crude oil hits $80 a barrel, under the administration’s Tax Reform for Inclusion and Acceleration law.

The President’s economic team, however, has been less than enthusiastic about foregoing the easy income from high excise taxes on fuel, which they insist has a minimum effect on inflation.

We tend to agree, however, with Senator JV Ejercito, who sees the next round of increases in excise taxes on fuel is going to plow into consumers like a freight train while our economic managers are dragging their feet and assuring us that all is well.

Ejercito notes that the TRAIN law allows the suspension of increases in the excise tax only if the price of oil stays at

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque trotted out what is now the familiar menu of measures taken to tame the impact of inflation, the foremost of which is to increase imports of agricultural products to boost supply and lower prices in the market.

The rate of inflation jumped to an almost 10-year high in September, according to data released Friday, putting pressure on President Rodrigo Duterte to act as the cost of food and fuel hit the country’s poor.

Consumer prices have risen every month this year, with food surging further after Typhoon “Ompong” smashed into the country’s agricultural heartland in Luzon in mid-September.

The Palace spokesman also said the government has given away cash and fuel subsidies to specific sectors affected by the high consumer prices.

or above $80 a barrel for three months.

Furthermore, the TRAIN law says the Department of Finance and the Development Budget and Coordinating Council must meet to review the implementation of excise taxes before recommending any suspension.

Worse, such recommendation would only be made on an annual basis, and any suspension shall not result in any reduction of the excise tax being imposed at the time of the suspension—which means relief will not come promptly, if at all, to consumers suffering under the yoke of high fuel prices.

All of this matters because contrary to the claims of the economic managers, high fuel prices will drive up the costs of all goods and services that need to be transported. The vicious cycle that ensues will hardly tame inflation, but feed it.

The required action is clear—find a way, either by amending the TRAIN law or refining its implementing rules and regulations—to allow the immediate suspension of any new excise taxes on fuel taxes. That’s the measure that counts.

Economics trumps politics Researchers can be sourced from NEDA or PMS to give the spokesperson adequate staff support.

Tell you what: Inflation may abate somehow with imported rice “flooding” the market, or so NFA and DA says. But that is not the end-all of inflation. Other staples are moving up. The peso is still depreciatHAVEN’T you noticed? The filing of cer- ing vis-a-vis the strong dollar. And worse, tificates of candidacy for local and national imported oil seems to be going up, up and positions is just a few days away, yet people away. seem disinterested.

And while hopes are being pinned on Focus is still on the surge in prices of ba- Secretary Alan Cayetano’s projection of a sic commodities, from oil to rice, vegetables deal with China on West Philippine Sea oil to poultry, to canned goods and fish, and reserves, fruition is going to be long in compractically everything else. ing, if at all.

In a politics-crazy country like ours, this The Filipino people are getting a practiis one for the history books. Finally, eco- cum on economics, albeit in not so pleasant nomics trumps politics. ways, jolting them even. But effective com*** munication can help salve, not solve, the deIf my good friend Harry Roque accepts velopments in our economy. to be the press secretary and presidential *** spokesperson rolled into one (as of this One can empathize with SAP Bong Go’s writing I do not know how he will decide), trepidation on whether or not to throw his I have an unsolicited hat into the senaadvice: Get an astorial derby, Presisistant who will be dent Duterte’s the government’s encouragement spokesman on econotwithstanding. nomic matters.

Focus is still on the Bong has not I have long adrun for any elecsurge in prices of basic vocated the need tive post, not even for a spokesman on commodities. councilor of Davao the economy in this City. Despite all space. I reiterate the the tarpaulins and need now. stickers volunIf there was a teered by friends spokesman for the and bootlickers, economy while Train 1 was being deliber- first-run jitters are but natural. ated upon in Congress, jeremiads of inflaNot so in the case of Political Adviser tionary effects following its enactment into Francis Tolentino, who has been mayor of law could have been foreseen and explained Tagaytay for three terms and ran for senator to the public, neutralizing discontent to a three years ago. He almost made it, placing great extent. first runner-up to the winning twelve. His When oil prices started to boil in the personal machinery must still be around; it’s world market, a good spokesperson could only a matter of oiling and revving. have forewarned the public on the effects *** of the international prices on the domestic Which brings me back to how economeconomy which is almost wholly dependent ics has trumped politics in the forthcoming on imported oil. mid-term election preparations.

The cacophony of disparate excuses on Few seem to be enthused at who will run the surge in the price of our staple food— for senator, other than the periodic results rice, could have been more cogent. In fact, of surveys which die down as coffee table a good economic spokesman could have talk the day after. It seems the forthcoming given the leadership early warning signals senatorial elections are so boring, so preon the likely increases, given the procrasti- dictable even. nation of the NFA and the NFA Council in The frontrunners have long been expectimporting the staple at the right time. ed to hog the top: Grace Poe, Cynthia Villar, Even the unseemly brouhaha over galung- Pia Cayetano, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, gong, the erstwhile “poor man’s fish” would Koko Pimentel. The brothers JV Ejercito not have happened if we had a spokesman and Jinggoy Estrada are nipping at each savvy enough on the economy. other’s chances, but their chances in 2019 Get a young man or woman who under- are still quite high, both of them or at worst, stands economics enough and has the abil- one cancelling out the other. ity to articulate its jargon into simple terms Bam Aquino, despite the rather paltry for the public to understand. You see many chances of his companions in the yet-to-beof them on national TV, as anchors for busi- filled up opposition slate, is still a houseness news, and get one or two on board.

Turn to A5

Neither here nor there THE job of presidential spokesman is a thankless, no-win situation. One is made to lie for his principal—or suffers being left in the dark.

This, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque found out when his boss Rodrigo Duterte himself announced that he had gone to the Cardinal Santos Medical Center for tests for possible cancer.

Roque had earlier said the President simply had some “private time.”

The President’s health is a matter of national concern, fueling speculation on his physical well-being.

The President himself added fuel to

Roque said he would ponder his fate over the weekend. the fire when he said “cancer na kung cancer,” and then remarked that Vice President Leni Robredo would make a “weak president.”

Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, who knows more about President Duterte than anyone else, then announced the President was taking a

brief rest in Hong Kong with partner Honeylet Avancena and their daughter.

Because he was left out of the loop, Roque said he would ponder his fate over the weekend. His run for a Senate seat in next year’s mid-term elections has also dimmed.

Presidential Communications and Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar confirmed Roque is on his way out he revealed that Duterte had offered Roque his post of secretary in a revamped and combined Presidential Communications Operations Office and Office of the Press Secretary.

The position of presidential spokesman is a far more important and highly visible role.

Whether Roque will accept what seems like a demotion will be known today.

Turn to A5

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

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Opinion

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018

Ratings in October YESTERDAY, while having a coffee a friend of mine who was intimately involved in the affairs of the Estrada administration, we recalled with a tinge of sadness the October events including media coverage, local and international, and, yes, surveys peppering the public mind during that period. My friend was particularly concerned that the revelations about a “Red October” plot to oust President Duterte is increasingly being discredited as ‘alarming’ and preposterous by various groups a number of which are associated with the core anti-Duterte critics.

“It is a pity,” my friend noted, that the security forces and, of course, the administration’s information net have been unable so far to convey the seriousness of the threat against Duterte and with it the very essence of democratic governance and the people’s choice.

After all, my friend harkened to note, despite his many indiscretions and ill-implemented initiatives, he is our duly elected president and plotting to oust him in the middle of his term is tantamount to treason in peace times. It is a betrayal of the people’s choice.

So what was his message? Despite the bumbling of the security forces and the administration’s information net, there really is a serious effort to oust the President before the end of his term. The tell-tale signs of such a move are all over the place if we go by the Estrada experience, as it were. And he directly pointed to elements within the US government (the deep state?) and anti-Duterte critics as the main players in this ouster play. I am no conspiracy theorist but I have to admit there is a possibility no matter how remote that what my friend told me is really in play and is likely to accelerate towards the end of the year up to early next year. The tell-tale signs of such a movement are quite compelling.

Remember, he said, early in President Duterte’s term, there was already a brawl, if we may call it such, between the newly installed administration and certain groups within the US government and their allies, in and out of America, resulting from the regime-change prescriptions of then US Ambassador Philip Goldberg. Goldberg, a veteran diplomat-disrupter, has been credited with managing regime change in at least two South American countries presided over by chief executives who were, in the eyes of his Washington bosses and their allies, were potential pains in the neck in the advancement of US interests.

As a result, Goldberg was about to be declared persona non grata by the administration but was recalled soon enough before that hap-

CROSSROADS

JONATHAN DE LA CRUZ pened. It took some time before Malacanang accepted a new US envoy and even a longer time before it named our own ambassador to Washington. But relations between our two countries had hardly thawed specially since early on PRRD announced that we will be adopting a more independent foreign policy, friends to all, enemy to none, and proceeded to enhance our relations and exchanges with China and Russia, both of whom are considered major rivals of the United States.

Just to put across that point, President Duterte has visited China thrice and Chinese President

What is the truth behind the ouster plot?

Xi Jingping is expected to make a state visit to Manila next month. Mr. Duterte has also visited Russia though the trip was cut short for a day due to the Marawi ISIS take over. On the other hand, as of this wrirting, I have not heard of any plans for him to visit America which is quite unthinkable considering our long-standing ties with that country. In fact, in earlier times, a state visit to Washington by a Philippine president was considered top priority and usually happens almost immediately after the turnover to the new Malacañang occupant.

And what has the increasing frequency of surveys being conducted and played out got to do with the ouster moves? Well, he said, these are meant to condition the public mind and loosen up public support for the administration as a prelude to an active oust campaign, the main elements of which have been and will continue to be played out up to the first quarter of 2019.

But before the critics jump like monkeys

as a result of the reported dropping of PRRD’s rating, they should take a look at the core findings and the public pulse on key gut political and economic issues which belie the highly negative headlines in traditional media.

Basically, the SWS said that PRRD ratings remain “very good” despite the continuing criticisms bordering on sedition being hurled his way and the drop in his ratings. Per the latest SWS survey, PRRDs net satisfaction rating remained “very good” at 50 percent but was dismal if compared to the 60-percent rating he got just three months back.

The third quarter survey conducted from September 15 to 23 showed that 65 percent are satisfied with PRRD while only 19 percent were dissatisfied. This is understandable, considering the extent of frustration of most of those in the C, D & E classes with high prices, traffic and other quality- of-life indicators.

The one thing going for the administration which was not present during the Estrada administration is President Duterte’s hands-on efforts to curb the decline in public support.

He has been tireless in his visits to camps, key sectors and communities in a rare display of active face-to-face interaction with a public that is anxious about the state of things. Then, there is PRRDs no-nonsense drive against corruption which in the eyes of the people has enhanced his moral standing.

Of course, in the key issues of concern which the SWS survey looked into, it is clear that a majority of our people continue to laud the ongoing efforts to alleviate our people’s situation and somehow ignite optimism that things will turn out for the better sooner rather than later.

Out of the 15 issues raised, five have improved to “very good” territory such as public works, poverty alleviation, Marawi reconstruction, human rights protection and counter-terrorism.

On the “good’ category” you have fighting crimes, reconciling with communists, maintaining foreign relations, defending sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea and fighting corruption.

The worst rating was in the government’s action to ensure no Filipino family will go hungry.

So there. With such an outcome it remains to be seen whether my friend’s worst scenario— that is, a disruptive regime change—will ever come to pass sooner than we can stabilize our situation, strengthen our democratic process and move on to greater heights. It is our duty, all of us, to ensure that such will never happen again.

Dapat lang.

A malicious spin LAST week, President Rodrigo Duterte cleared Davao-based businessman Michael Yang of any involvement in illegal drug trade, citing his close ties with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines, Zhao Jianhua, although this was marred by some media outfits playing a malicious spin on the President’s pronouncement, which initially placed the Chinese ambassador in cahoots with a suspected big-time drug lord.

Fortunately, one of the media outfits, Rappler, took down its headline depicting the Chinese ambassador as such before it could do any permanent damage.

This was after Duterte himself quickly corrected the grossly damaging misinformed headline in the afternoon of the same day.

Given the full text of President Duterte’s talk, it became clear to many how malicious the distortion in the headline and reports of some of the mainstream media and news sites were. Some of them are demonstrably US supported, which lead analyst to believe it was a media operation to besmirch the Chinese government and the very successful Chinese ambassador to Manila personally.

In the President’s talk it was clear he used the Tagalog term “daw” (or “so said” or “so says,” some translate it to “alleged” or “supposedly”) several times to the claims against the so-called wealthy ‘drug pusher’) to denote his skepticism. Still, malicious headlines portrayed the President as linking the two.

While the derogatory headline may seem to some in the Philippines to be a small error after it was admitted and taken down, for a Chinese official this is a serious matter. Besides, it was a severely unjust and unfair insinuation on the Chinese ambassador to Manila who has comported himself in the most exemplary manner throughout the four years he has been at his duties. This is one of the most effective and historic performance of a Chinese ambassador to the Philippines and at a most crucial period in the relations of the two countries at that. It also reflects China’s unassailable track record in the anti-illegal drug campaign.

Just less than two months ago, on Aug. 24 to be exact, the Asia Times reported that a joint anti-drug effort by Chinese and Vietnamese authorities busted a transnational heroin smug-

Economics....

From A4

hold name, and despite recent survey findings showing him slipping, could yet make it.

There seems to be little recognition of Chel Diokno, or Erin Tanada, based on present survey findings, despite the illustrious memory of their forebears.

On the administration front, Bato de la Rosa is in the winning circle, even if he would be an ideal governor in Davao del Sur, where there is

Neither..

From A4

As it is, Roque is neither here nor there.

His chances to win a Senate seat appears dim without the President’s support.

His staying on either as presidential spokesman or press secretary appear just as remote considering President Duterte’s uncertain health condition.

For sure Roque won’t be retained in a

visit to China in early May 2018.

Some 263 kilograms of narcotics, heroin and stimulants were confiscated and a fugitive named Wei Wenshi, who was wanted by Vietnamese police, was also caught in the operations. The report indicated that in July 2017 the Public Security Department in Chongzuo City, Guangxi received a tip-off that a Guangxi man surnamed Gan was in collaborating with a Vietnamese dealer Wei to smuggle drugs from Vietnam to the Pingxiang region for sale in China. Chinese authorities arrested the drug traders after eight months of surveillance and investigation.

Vietnam, which in other issues such as its disputes with China over the Paracels can be a tough nut to deal with for China, cooperates fully with China when it comes to illegal drugs interdiction. It has been a very fruitful collaboration on both sides. The Philippines should

learn from this and the Philippine media must stop all its past nonsense of associating all the drugs problems of the country to China without distinguishing the Chinese government’s efforts to support the international community in stopping the global drugs scourge from drugs traders from the civilian sectors that are in fact often operating from out of Hong Kong and Taiwan too.

In fact, to justify China’s anti-drugs war credentials would take a mile-long list of all the actions the Chinese government has taken to end the global scourge.

China strengthened its partnerships with UNODC, INCB and other international organizations, and in anti-drug cooperation platform in Great Mekong Sub-region, ASEAN and China Drug Control Mechanism, Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS. In 2016 alone, China successfully closed a total of 87 international and cross-border drug cases with more than 20 countries, and provided assistance, training and alternative economic development programs on drug control to these.

During Duterte’s state visit to China in October 2016, the Narcotics Control Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency signed a Protocol on Cooperation to deal with drug-related crimes between our two countries.

The NCB and the PDEA agreed to conduct and enhance cooperation in information sharing, data exchange, drug-related criminal investigations, repatriation of drug criminals, providing the Philippines anti-drug technical equipment. Since October 2016, around 200 trainees from the related Philippine law enforcement agencies such as PNP, NBI and PDEA have attended more than 20 training programs held in China.

China’s success in cooperative efforts with other countries has been brought to my attention as the most recent case of mainstream media misinformation (or disinformation) headlined a terribly wrong item.

As such, it is rather unfortunate for media outfits, just to sensationalize a news item, to apply a malicious spin on something which could have created an irreparable damaged on the country’s relationship with China.

hardly any opposition to him. Imee Marcos is another likely shoo-in for senator.

But even the administration is finding it difficult to amass 12 winning candidates unless it co-opts all the reelectionist senators into its fold.

So far, the administration (whether Hugpong or PDP) has announced the following reelectionists: Villar, Pimentel, Angara and JV Ejercito.

And balik-senadora Pia Cayetano. Hugpong also announced Jinggoy Estrada and Imee Marcos.

Then there’s Bato, Bong and Francis.

Quien mas?

As for the opposition, thus far it’s only Bam

Aquino, Diokno, Tanada, Alejano and Makalintal. Others previously mentioned have declared nolo interes.

Buoyed by survey results showing that Ang Probinsyano has resuscitated his chances for electoral comeback, Lito Lapid has announced his running under the Nationalist People’s Coalition. And Bong Revilla too, from the PNP Custodial Center where he has been withering the past four years.

And it’s only three days before Comelec opens up the candidate registration process.

Ho-hum.

gling ring. A series of joint operations resulted in more than 420 cases and the arrest of 483 suspects—41 of them identified as Vietnamese nationals, the news report citing An Guojun, a senior Chinese security official. The wanted ringleader and accomplices were arrested.

The success was attributed to the shared intelligence with Vietnamese officials after Vietnam’s director of Public Security Hu Jin paid a

This is just the latest in a string of media misinformation, or disinformation.

Leni Robredo presidency if and when she succeeds Duterte.

Robredo if she does succeed Duterte as provided in the Constitution, will be inheriting a government in crisis.

Inflation, at 6.7 percent, is the highest in nine years. Prices of prime commodities are further spiked by the excise tax on imported crude oil. The country’s foreign policy is torn between China and Russia on one hand against the US on the other hand. The president’s bloody war

on illegal drugs despite allegations of extrajudicial killing of suspects has not curbed the crime rate.

And then, there is the controversial proposal to shift to a federal/ parliamentary form of government pending before Congress. Robredo will also have to deal with the midterm elections next year, so her Liberal Party can recover lost ground to the PFP-Laban Party of Duterte and Pimentel.

Yes, indeed Robredo has a plateful of

A5

‘Sari-sari’ stores are closing on sugar-sweetened beverages was not as severely felt in supermarkets; in fact the rate of decline slowed down year-on-year, from 14.7 percent in February 2017 to 9.4 percent this year. Of the seven categories covered by the study, only energy drinks and ready-to-drink juices showed significant declines at 10.7 perDESPITE some assurances from the govern- cent compared to the 3 percent the year before ment’s economic managers that the worst is and 8.8 percent compared to 3.7 percent, reover inflation-wise, September came and de- spectively.

Even so, grocery stores—and drug livered an even more punishing blow. The unabated surge in the prices of food items pushed stores—have more or less remained stagnant. inflation to another nine-year high at 6.7 per- The number of groceries remained the same in cent, faster than the 6.4 percent recorded in 2017 after a 2-percent uptick the year earlier.

August and the fastest since the 7.2-percent Drug stores rose by a measly 1 percent after a level 2016. It was only convenience stores surge recorded in February 2009.

As with the previous months, food and that grew, at almost 4,300 as of the first quarter non-alcoholic beverages, housing, water, of 2018. This number, however, is minuscule power, gas and other fuels, and transport costs compared to the over one-million sari-sari remain the top contributors to inflation, the stores that dot practically every street in the Philippine Statistics Authority said. In par- archipelago.

As the Philippines is a consumptionticular, food and non-alcoholic beverages accounted for 38.34 percent, while housing, wa- driven economy, the broader picture is not ter, electricity, gas, and other fuels accounted any less dim. Untamed inflation, among other factors, had compelled the major multilatfor 22.4 percent. eral organizations to The adminislower their growth tration’s economic forecasts for the Philteam, which includes ippines. Groups such the Departments of as the World Bank, Finance, Budget and Any sensible Asian Development Management, and politician could benefit Bank, and the Internathe National Ecotional Monetary Fund nomic Development from listening to the slashed their projecAuthority, attributed sentiment on the tions by as much as the surge to the di4 percent to the more sastrous impact Tyground. modest mid-6 percent phoon ‘‘Ompong’’ level. had on the prices of “Inflation is higher commodities, in parthan previously exticular “supply dispected, and high inflaruptions” in Ilocos, Cagayan, and the Cordillera Administrative tion continues to erode the purchasing power Region. The “gloomy outlook on oil supply” of household and consumer confidence,” the and the winter-related pressure on demand are ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office said, according to reports. also factors, the PSA said.

Consumer confidence contracted in the “Thus, we urge a quick response to address this upside risk, including demand-side man- third quarter of 2018 for the first time since 2016, the group also noted. While the econoagement strategies,” the team said.

While conspicuously downplayed in my remains robust, the record inflation, it said, the briefings, it goes without saying that the has serious implications in the government’s government’s banner tax program, the Tax efforts to reduce poverty incidence.

It doesn’t help that there is a degree of pasReform for Inclusion and Acceleration Law— first implemented in January—remains a key sive insensitivity in the pronouncements of some government officials. Bangko Sentral factor in the continuing burden.

To cite, a Nielsen study found that while ng Pilipinas assistant governor Restituto Cruz, sales of the sugar-sweetened beverages are al- for instance, had dismissed the downtrends as ready weakening over the past years, the first “growing pains” as the economy “moves to a onslaught of TRAIN in the early parts of 2018 higher plane of growth.”

The assurances, even if they make ecodid the portfolio no favors and accelerated the rate of decline following the implementation nomic sense, are hardly comforting for the majority of Filipinos who feel the brunt of inof increased excise taxes.

What is even more alarming is that the flation every single time they troop to the sarihardest-hit seem to be the neighborhood sari- sari store or the market. With some forecasts sari stores, which collectively recorded the expecting inflation to peak at 7.4 percent in most pronounced dips in sales, with all sugar- December, there is a limit to the vaunted pataxed beverage categories, such as powdered tience of Filipinos.

What’s necessary are immediate, tangible juice and tea and carbonated soft drinks, posting an average decline of 8.7 percent year-on- measures. Safety nets. This includes the possible suspension of excise taxes on fuels in year on February.

If, going by the estimates of the Philippine case global oil prices average $80 a barrel for Association of Stores and Carinderia Owners, three straight months, effectively suspending a there are some 1.3-million sari-sari stores all provision in the TRAIN Law. Citing lost revover the country, and visited by 94 percent of enues, the Department of Finance predictably consumers, such dip in sales could paint a viv- opposes this, batting instead for the fast-trackid picture as to how exactly surging inflation is ing of the monthly unconditional cash transfer and fuel subsidy vouchers. affecting things on the ground.

Whatever it is, opinion polls consistently Because of a relatively low capital requirement and often hassle-free set-up, sari-sari reveal that a majority of Filipinos get a sense stores represent accessible options for Filipi- of the economy not from jargon-laden reports nos who wish to get into retailing. But if as in the business pages but in their day-to-day early as 2017, the number of sari-sari stores struggle making ends meet. It’s a task that is is already at a decline—falling by 1 percent getting increasingly harder these days. With year-on-year—the continuing surge in prices the 2019 elections just around the corner, any will not make things easier for the enterprising sensible politician could benefit from listening to the sentiment on the ground, reflected in Filipino.

Are the other retail segments doing bet- something as seemingly innocent as a neighter? Interestingly, the initial impact of TRAIN borhood sari-sari store.

Why....

From A4

“Once you admit that the individual is merely a means to serve the ends of the higher entity called society or the nation, most of those features of totalitarianism which horrify us follow of necessity. From the collectivist standpoint, intolerance and brutal suppression of dissent, deception and spying, the complete disregard of the life and happiness of the individual, are essential and unavoidable.

Acts which revolt all our feelings, such as the shooting of hostages or the killing of the old or sick, are treated as mere matters of expediency; the compulsory uprooting and transportation of hundreds of thousands becomes an instrument of policy approved by almost everybody except the victims.”

“To be a useful assistant in the running of a totalitarian state, therefore, a man must be prepared to break every moral rule he has ever known if this seems necessary to achieve the end set for him. In the totalitarian machine, there will be special opportunities for the ruthless and unscrupulous. Neither the Gestapo nor the administration of a concentration camp, neither the Ministry of Propaganda nor the SA or SS are suitable places for the exercise of humanitarian feelings. Yet it is through such positions that the road to the highest positions in the totalitarian state leads.”

“A further point should be made here: collectivism means the end of truth. To make a challenges to belie Digong’s claim of her being a “weak president.”

But then, life is full of surprises. Who would have thought that a local like Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte would win as president in 2016? Philippine political history has shown that senators and vice presidents are usually the ones who get elected as President but Duterte broke that cycle when he won with 16-million votes over rivals Mar Roxas, Grace Poe and Jejomar Binay.

totalitarian system function effectively, it is not enough that everybody should be forced to work for the ends selected by those in control; it is essential that the people should come to regard these ends as their own. This is brought about by propaganda and by complete control of all sources of information.”

“The most effective way of making people accept the validity of the values they are to serve is to persuade them that they are really the same as those they have always held, but which were not properly understood or recognized before.”

“It is not difficult to deprive the great majority of independent thought. But the minority who will retain an inclination to criticize must also be silenced. Public criticism or even expressions of doubt must be suppressed because they tend to weaken support of the regime.”

“The worst oppression is condoned if it is committed in the name of socialism. Intolerance of opposing ideas is openly extolled. The tragedy of collectivist thought is that while it starts out to make reason supreme, it ends by destroying reason.”

The bottom line: With great power and rigor of reasoning, Hayek sounds a grim warning to those who look to the government to provide the way out of all our economic difficulties. He demonstrates that fascism and dictatorship are the inevitable results of the increasing growth of state control and state power, of national “planning” and of socialism.

Collectivism makes personal liberty its victim. eric.jurado@gmail.com Death is a grim subject. But just for the record—Philippine presidents who died while in office included Manuel Roxas and Ramon Magsaysay who perished in a plane crash in Cebu’s Mount Manunggal.

We sincerely hope President Duterte will be able to finish his six-year term and stabilize the country’s economic and political situation. Otherwise, we all have to wait for the next presidential elections in 2022. Time is something we cannot afford to waste amid political and economic turbulence.

A6

News

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Solon hits destruction of ‘Yolanda’ donations L

By Rio N. Araja

EYTE Rep. Yedda Romualdez on Sunday took a swipe at the Bureau of Customs in Cebu for its lack of “malasakit” (compassion) for destroying four containers of donations intended for victims of the 2013 Typhoon “Yolanda.”

The destroyed goods include clothes, and the United States transported to diapers, toiletries, medical supplies and Cebu in 2014. canned goods from Belgium, Norway “I can’t believe that the Bureau of

Customs allowed this to happen when thousands of Filipinos suffer from hunger every day. It hurts to hear something like this. This is another insult to Yolanda victims five years after the tragedy,” Romualdez said.

Romualdez, one of the principal sponsors of the proposed Department of Disaster Resilience measure, reiterated her appeal for the Senate to expedite the passage of the bill approved by the House of Representatives on third and final read-

ing last week.

“I appeal to the Senate leadership to also fast-track the passage of the DDR bill as this would help drastically reduce, if not totally eliminate, the bureaucratic red tape that has caused many delays in the delivery of immediate assistance needed by disaster and calamity victims,” she said.

Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrat president Martin Romualdez also scored the BoC for such negligence.

“I just hope the President would know about it. He will surely get mad. The President all the way down to the victims will definitely abhor and condemn this. It’s like a mortal sin that should not have happened,” he said.

“We call upon all the authorities under the Department of Finance and Customs not to repeat this. That is entirely wrong,” he added.

EDIBLE ART.

Participants in the 14th Annual Hotel and Restaurant Tourism Week Skills Competition in Baguio City showcase their fruit carving skills.

At least 21 colleges nationwide and 14 tourism-oriented establishments joined in various disciplines in food preparation, housekeeping, baking, bartending and food preparations. Dave Leprozo Jr.

SSS earmarks P1.61b for storm victims

THE Social Security System said it has allocated P1.61 billion for the calamity assistance program for more than onemillion active members and pensioners who were affected by Super Typhoon “Ompong” in September.

SSS president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Dooc said that on Oct. 5, the SSS started offering calamity loan, advance three-month pension and direct house repair and improvement loan under the CAP for affected members.

“SSS recognizes that a large number of members residing in Luzon area are currently struggling to recover from the devastation of Super Typhoon Ompong. That’s why we are always here to give them financial assistance in this way to help pay for their basic necessities and rebuild their houses,” Dooc said.

Qualified members for calamity loan, advance three-month pension, and direct house repair and improvement loan are those with home address or property in calamity-stricken areas declared by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

NDRRMC-declared calamity areas are Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga,Tarlac, and Zambales.

Govt to tap X-ray experts vs illegal drugs

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Gatchalian urges college students to apply for TES

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian has urged the Commission on Higher Education to ensure sure all 300,000 slots for the Tertiary Education Subsidy under the Free Higher Education Law are filled up before closing applications.

“I hope CHED would ensure that all the 300,000 slots for TES are filled before they close the application period. The P16-billion TES budget will be wasted if it will not be used,” Gatchalian said.

The lawmaker issued the statement after CHED extended its deadline for TES applications to Oct. 30 after only receiving some 174,000 applications.

“If all the slots will not be filled up by October 30, I hope CHED will extend it again until the 300,000 are completed,” he said.

Gatchalian likewise called on schools to intensify their information drive on the qualifications, requirements, and benefits of the TES so that more students would apply.

The TES is separate from the free tuition scheme of state and local universities and colleges. It is designed to support the cost of tertiary education by providing allowances for books, transportation, boarding, and supplies, among others.

Stiffer penalties vs elderly abuse pushed

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Juan Edgardo Angara is pushing for the passage of a bill that aims to end all forms of senior citizen abuses by providing stiffer penalties and strengthening institutional support for elderly victims of abuse.

“Respect for our elders has been one

of the hallmarks of Filipino culture and society. Sadly, incidents of senior citizen abuse still persist and remain unaddressed,” Angara said.

Angara’s Senate Bill No. 1012 seeks to deter any form of abuse against senior citizens by clearly defining what constitutes abuse and providing stern penalties.

Under the proposed measure, senior citizen abuse refers to physical abuse; sexual abuse; psychological abuse; economic abuse such as withdrawal of financial support and controlling or misusing their own money or properties; and neglect or failure to feed, provide shelter, health care and protection to the elderly.

WITH drug smugglers becoming more sophisticated, Senator Richard Gordon has asked the Bureau of Customs to tap expert X-ray machine operators as well as experts in detecting drugs and other contraband.

“The drug war has taken a different tone, not only here but throughout the whole world. The illegal drugs entered the country through heavy equipment that are more sophisticated so that even our X-rays—the Xray technicians—should be taught. It slipped pass them,” Gordon said.

Gordon made the proposal following the discovery of illegal drugs inside electronic magnetic lifters shipped into the country.

The senator learned during a Blue Ribbon committee hearing on the P6.8 billion worth of smuggled drugs that the BOC does not have sufficient trained X-ray specialists to deal with such condition.

“It’s a new war on drugs that we’re fighting and we have to have new weapons. Not only should you upgrade your equipment, you have to have your people trained on how to operate the equipment,” he said.

Testifying before Gordon’s panel, Customs lawyer Ma. Lourdes Mangrobang said the empty magnetic lifters found in Cavite contained illegal drugs. However, her statement was countered by some of her colleagues.

LOVE AND GRACE. Irish Priest Fr. John Leydon leads a pet blessing at the Malate Church on Sunday in celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assissi, the patron saint of

animals. Norman Cruz

Sports

A7

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Laylo keeps National Rapid Chess Championship

PH table net bet opens PH campaign BUENOS AIRES—Jann Mari Nayre will open the Philippine campaign in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games late Sunday at the Table Tennis Arena of the Technopolis here.

The 18-year-old takes on Nicolas Ignacio Burgos of Chile in Group B of the men’s singles preliminary stage before facing Maciej Kolodziejczyk of Austria six hours later.Nayre, the first Filipino table tennis player to secure a spot in these Games featuring the best 18-under athletes in the world, will wrap up the elimination round against Khanak Jha of the United States the following day, hoping he could advance to the round of 16 on Tuesday.``I’m here to give my best, regardless of whom I’m facing,’’ said Nayre, whoHe made the trip to this Argentinian capital after winning the Rarotonga qualifiers in the Cook Islands in June after failing to medal in the recent Asian Games in Indonesia and the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Argentina president Mauricio Macri declared the beginning of the YOG during the opening ceremony at the Obelisco de Buenos Aires, where over 4,000 athletes from 206 countries are set to compete in 32 sports for the next 13 days.

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach graced the welcoming rites that featured an impressive display of lights and fireworks. ``You gave your best and this is why you are here,’’ Bach told the athletes. ``Every athlete is different.

We all come from different parts of the world but we are united through sports,’’ added the 1976 Montreal Olympics gold medalist in fencing.

Golfer Yuka Saso, the country’s Asian Games double-gold medalist, carried the flag during the parade of nations as the third edition of the YOG unfolded in full view of the Argentinian public, the first time in Olympic history that the opening ceremony was held on the streets.

Filipino-Norwegian Christian Tio is set to kick off his medal bid in kiteboarding, a new discipline under sailing in the youth Olympics on Oct. 8 (Tuesday in Manila), while fencer Lawrence Everett Tan will begin his campaign in the men’s foil event the following day.

Korea, Japan favored in PH Soft Tennis tilt POWERHOUSE soft tennis countries Korea and Japan are expected to dominate the 2019 Philippine University Soft Tennis Invitationals which started this weekend at the world-class Colegio San Agustin Indoor hardcourts in San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan.

Cambodia is sending a full team to compete in the different men’s and women’s divisions and together with Thailand, Malaysia and host Philippines complete the cast.

“It is heartwarming to have 15 teams from 6 countries this year compared to 7 teams from 3 countries last year.

Our friends in Asia and Southeast Asia really consider the Philippines as a sports tourism destination,” Philippine Soft Tennis Association president Col. Jeff Tamayo said.

Tamayo and PSTA secretary general Dr. Joven Sepino will also preside over a special meeting with Asia Soft Tennis Federation and Southeast Asia Soft Tennis Federation representatives for updates regarding the 2019 Manila SEA Games.

The 1st Asian Juniors Soft Tennis in Taipei, the prestigious Asia Cup in Thailand and the Asian University Soft Tennis Championships will be included in the agenda for 2019 activities.

Gen. Bunheng Chea of Cambodia, Korea Soft Tennis Association vice president Kim Hun Soo, KK Chin of Sabah Soft Tennis Association and Thailand’s Pipat Tungittiplakorn led their respective delegations in the 2019 edition of the Philippine University soft tennis event.

UPPA chairman and Rep. Mikee Romero (1 Pacman Party-List, 2nd from left) looks satisfied after briefing the POC officials – Chairman and Rep. Abraham Tolentino and Sec-Gen Pato Gregorio (4th to the right and extreme right). Also shown are (from left) UPPA Sec-Gen Jun Juban, UPPA president Coco Garcia, and representatives of Brunie and Thailand association.

Polo could give PH 1st gold in ‘19 SEA Games B

ARRING any scheduling glitches, polo could give the Philippines its first gold in next year’s SEA Games which the country will be hosting for the first time since 2005.

That’s because the first of three events calendared for the biennial meet – the 0 Goals Mix – will be held from Nov. 10 to 17 and will have its final on Nov. 29 – a day before the biggest sporting extravaganza t in the region officially opens.

“Hopefully, we can produce the first gold and set things in motion for Team Philippines,” said United Polo Players Association (UPPA) Chairman and Rep. Mikee Romero (1 Pacman Party-List) after a meeting with Philippine Olympic Officials, led by chairman and Rep. Abraham “Bam-

bol” Tolentino and Secretary General Pato Gregorio The 0 Goals Mix, according to Romero, will be played by two male and two female players.

“It’s going to be an exciting event,” said Romero.

The two other events are the 5-8 Goals slated on Nov. 20 to 26 with the final on Dec. 9 and the 2-4 Goals on Dec. 2 to 9 with final match on Dec. 9.

UPPA, headed by Coco Garcia, son of former Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia, with Hollywood film producer Jun Juban

as secretary-general, Tonio Veloso as executive-general and Jun Eusebio as vice chairman, stated that it is preparing at least six venues for the event.

They are the Miguel Romero Memorial Polo Field, Zobel Polo Field in Calatagan, Batangas, Alabang Country Club, BF Homes in Paranaque City, Manila Polo Cup and Pulilan in Bulacan Aside from the royalties of Brunei, also expected to field formidable squads are Indonesia and Thailand.

Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo, a businessman and politician from Indonesia, has vowed to form a highpowered team for the event.

Princess Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah and Prince Abdul Mateen will banner the powerful Brunei team that includes Prince Muda Bahar Bolkiah and Prince Abdul Qawi Bolkiah.

Impressive Miranda feat at Formula Renault EURASIA Motorsport driver Daniel Miranda marked his debut season in the Asian Formula Renault in impressive fashion, posting back-to-back podium finishes at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) recently.

“It wasn’t an easy journey for me moving from the Vios Cup into single seaters. But every race and every time I was on track, I got quicker and quicker. I’m really happy I ended 2018 with a double podium which made my team and family really happy as well. I would like to thank God for keeping me safe this whole season,” said Miranda, who also credited his family, sponsor Cebuana Lhuillier, his team and mechanics at Eurasia for his feat.

“I would like to congratulate Daniel for giving glory to the country. As a rookie, it was a very impressive accomplishment and I expect him to do even better in his

next races and Cebuana Lhuillier and I will be here to support him,” said long-time Philippine sports patron and Cebuana Lhillier president and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier.

Miranda qualified at fourth and had a great start to shoot up to second on the run to the first corner.

But he failed to sustain his pace and spent the next 15 laps defending his spot at third for a podium finish.

Miranda carried this momentum into Race 2 and wound up third again.

“I’m very proud of his accomplishments this year. We started the year thinking that a top eight finish would be fine, but Daniel surprised us with podiums in Shanghai and Sepang, which are some of the most difficult tracks in the calendar. With a season under his belt, I expect him to contend in every race next year,” said driver

GRANDMASTER Darwin Laylo won the 2nd annual Chooks to Go National Rapid Chess Championships last Saturday at the Activity Center Ayala Malls South Park in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

The San Roque, Marikina City bet Laylo put on a strong start and a stronger finish to run away with the Open crown with perfect 7 points to take home the top prize P20,000 plus the championship trophy.

“I didn’t look to defend my title, just to play my best,” said, Laylo, a member of the multi-titled Philippine Army chess team.

“I knew that this was a tough tournament with all the players. I just tried to play my best and now I am really happy,” added Laylo who is part of the coaching staff of the Ateneo de Manila University chess team.

Allan Cantonjos, playing under the baton of the Philippine Air Force Chess Team took solo second place with 6.5 points to receive P10,000 and a trophy.

Sharing third to sixth places were International Master Richelieu Salcedo III, Apollo Agapay, Jonathan Jota and National Master Alcon John Datu who got 6 points each.

In the Executive division, National Master lawyer Bob Jones Liwagon of Kidapawan City, rank of Captain and one of the top players of the multi-titled Philippine Army chess team under the baton of Army Judge Advocate (AJA) Colonel Maria Victoria Girao, split the point with Stephen Manzanero to score 6 points and create a two-way tie for first place with engineer Arjoe Loanzon, who brought down Narquingel Reyes.

Loanzon took the title via superior tie break points against Liwagon but the duo split the combined prize of 15,000 for their efforts.

Three players: Dr. Jenny Mayor, Manzanero and National Master Allan Sasot finished with 5.5 points.

Category winners were National Master Judge Rosendo Bandal Jr. ( most senior award) National Master Efren Bagamasbad (top senior crown) and Drigo Teves (top unrated).

Srihaan Poddar and Stephen Rome Pangilinan,meantime won the kiddies and junior plum, respectively.

Poddar unbeaten in seven games with perfect seven points while Pangilinan bested Christopher Khalil Kising, Eric Labog Jr. and Justine Diego Mordido in the tie break points to win the crown.

DanceSport Council holds national meet

Daniel Miranda celebrates after capping a stellar rookie Asia Formual Renault season with back-to-back podium finishes.

PTT Marketing Director Thitiroj Rergsumran (center) and PTT PH Foundation president Paul Senador (fourth from left) receive a dummy check from the organizing Subterranean Ideas, symbolizing part of the proceeds of the PTT Run for Clean Energy Year 2. PTT PH Foundation has been leading the efforts to preserve and conserve the environment through its CSR programs Sibol, Re-Greening the Marikina Watershed, Gas Up for a Tree and Bakajuan, among others. With them are program hosts DJ Adam of Wish 107.5, PTT Retail Training Manager Jonathan Espino and Randy Caluag.

THE DanceSport Council of the Philippines is set to host the 22nd DSCPI National DanceSport Championships at the Ballroom Hall of Valle Verde Country Club, Pasig City next Saturday.

According to DSCPI President Becky Garcia, a total of 270 DanceSport athletes all over the Country will compete in the ranking competition supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, Flawless, Muebles Italiano, Like-FM 105.9, Studio AK, Ballare Event Studio and The Greenery Bulacan.

World DanceSport Federation licensed adjudicators John Alan Winter of Denmark, Judit Sandor of Hungary, Kazuaki Watanabe of Japan, Joshua Low of Singapore, Roger Hou of Taiwan, Thu Trang Hoang of Vietnam, Pietro Del Bello of Hong Kong and George Tan of Malaysia will adjudicate in the competition.

Tickets for the 22nd DSCPI National Championships are available at the DanceSport Training Center, Philsports Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City and at the entrance of the Ballroom of Valle Verde Country Club on Oct. 13.

For other inquiries, call Anna or Lorien at 637-2314.

Beterbiev KOs Johnson, retains IBF light heavyweight crown CHICAGO—Russia’s Artur Beterbiev knocked out British challenger Callum Johnson in the fourth round on Saturday to retain his International Boxing Federation light heavyweight world title.

Beterbiev, 33, maintained his perfect record with his 13th knockout win in 13 professional fights.

The 33-year-old Johnson, in his first world title fight, lost for the first time, falling to 17-1 but not before a game effort to topple the champion.

Beterbiev, who fights out of Canada, waded in early and dropped Johnson late in the first round.

The knockout artist was clearly look-

ing to finish Johnson off in the second.

He had landed a string of punishing blows when Johnson nailed him with a left hook that sent Beterbiev to the canvas at 1:24 of the second.

Beterbiev managed to stave off Johnson for the rest of the round, and the two traded more big blows in the third.

Beterbiev put Johnson down for the second time with 37 seconds left in the fourth, landing two rights to the challenger’s head.

Johnson tried to rise, but he couldn’t beat referee Celestino Ruiz’s count before it reached 10 and it was over at 2:36 of the fourth. AFP

Sports

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

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018

SWP gets provisional recognition from POC

By Peter Atencio THE Philippine Olympic Committee granted provisional recognition to the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas.

The recognition, according to POC officials, is still subject to the approval of the International Weightlifting, the governing body of the sport.

Another group, the Philippine Weightlifting Association, which was headed by Roger Dullano, used to be recognized by the POC. The group of Monico Puentevella, which heads SWP, switched names in compliance with the PSC requirement of incorporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission after Dullano went to the United States.

Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee has finally cleared the Philippine Olympic Committee of its obligations amounting to $59,963.

According to POC officials, the amount represented financial assistance given to POC from 2013 to 2016.

The IOC decision relayed its latest communication to the POC through Olivier Niamkey, Head of Athletes Unit and Relations with OCA and Asian NOCs Olympic Solidarity Management.

Niamkey said the liquidation and the return of the money “were reviewed and approved and the file is now considered closed.”

“We are very grateful to the IOC for this accommodation.

They accepted the liquidation even if it was way past due. We learned a valuable lesson here in terms of our accounting systems and obligations which we need to improve on. We have to be more aware of sound financial management practices,” said POC president Ricky Vargas.

The amount has not been liquidated, or returned until recently.

It includes the $23,963 that was sent to the POC in 2013 for “Preparation of Organizational Manual” and in 2016 the $36,000 for “Assistance Logistics and PDT/SG Accommodation and Transport,” according to the IOC letter to the POC.

Khabib Nurmagomedov of Russia (left) charges at a fallen Conor McGregor of Ireland in their UFC lightweight championship bout during the UFC 229 event inside T-Mobile Arena on October 6, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. AFP

Nurmagomedov destroys McGregor L

OS ANGELES —Conor McGregor’s mixed martial arts return ended in a submission loss to Russia’s Khabib Nurmagomedov in Las Vegas on Saturday – a grudge match marred by a post-fight brawl.

Nurmagomedov improved to 27-0 in his professional career – 11-0 in UFC bouts.

The UFC lightweight champion had McGregor on the ground less than a minute into the opening round and kept the Irish fighter on his back for much of the fight.

McGregor managed to stay on his feet for most of the third round, but

the once feared striker couldn’t hurt Nurmagomedov and in the fourth, the champion took him down again, getting McGregor in a brutal rear-naked chokehold that had McGregor tapping out at 3min 3sec of the round.

Nurmagomedov had barely released his hold when he launched himself over the Octagon fence, apparently targeting McGregor’s train-

ing partner Dillon Danis.

As security tried to quell the chaos in the crowd, someone leapt in and took a shot at the exhausted McGregor, who eventually departed in a huddle of security personnel.

Nurmagomedov was also hustled out surrounded by security officers as the pro-McGregor crowd jeered and threw drinks at him.

UFC chief Dana White refused to hand Nurmagomedov his belt, saying he feared it would further inflame the crowd.

“If I put this belt on you, everyone’s going to start throwing shit into the Octagon,” he told Nurmagomedov.

Blackwater Elite guard Paul Zamar (8) uses a pick set by teammate Henry Walker to explode past his defender while Rain or Shine Elasto Painters Jewel Ponferada (15) and Ed Daquioag can only look on. PBA Media

Blackwater ties Ginebra at top of standings

By Jeric Lopez BLACKWATER regained a piece of the tournament lead after taking its second straight win at the expense of Rain or Shine, 99-93, in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup at the Sta. Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex in Laguna last night.

Five Blackwater chargers scored in twin-digits with Mike DiGregorio leading the way with 17 points, Nard Pinto 16 and Henry Walker 14.

The Elite improved to 6-1 to join Barangay Ginebra at the top of the heap while the hapless Elasto Painters remained without a win and fell down to 0-4.

Blackwater created some separation in the latter part of the second frame, unleashing a 18-5 run that gave it a doubledigit lead, 47-35, in the closing seconds of the first half.

The Elite then settled for a 47-39 cushion at the half.

Carrying its momentum into the second half, the Elite continued its surge in the third, extending its lead to 16 on multiple occasions.

Still, Rain or Shine continued resisting as it trimmed its deficit to a more manageable nine points, 73-64, heading the final canto to give itself a chance.

Enriquez seeks repeat at PPS SYDNEY Ezra Enriquez hopes to ride the momentum of her twin victories in Liloy last week as she guns for another “double” in the PPS-PEPP Salug regional age-group tennis 2018 which got under way yesterday, Friday at the Uswag Salug Tennis Courts in Zamboanga del Norte.

Playing before hometown crowd should also motivate Enriquez to shoot for another pair of victories against likes of top seed 14-year-old Rica Labrador and Princess Gom-Os in both the girls’ 16- and 18-and-under divisions of the Group 2 tournament sponsored and hosted by Mayor Jeffrey Lim and presented by Dunlop.

Jalia Elumba and Labrador, meanwhile, gear up for fierce showdown in the 14-U play while Faith Regencia aims for a second straight victory in the 12-U category after topping the Liloy stop of the three-leg Zambo del Norte tour of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Pera Padala age-group circuit.

Keen competition is also seen in the boys’ section with top seed Nilo Ledama, No. 2 Lex Estillore, third-ranked Jessy Elumba and No. 4 Jose Maria Pague heading the 18-U cast with Estillore and Ledama switching rankings in the 16-U side of the five-day event backed by Asiatraders Corp. and sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines, made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg. “The Zambo del Norte swing of the PPS-PEPP should encourage other provinces and cities to host more agegroupers to keep the youth busy and at the same time further expand the base of the sport,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

The ring announcer declared Nurmagomedov the winner after both fighters had departed.

McGregor was returning to mixed martial arts for the first time since November 2016.

In April, he attacked a bus filled with UFC fighters at the Barclays Center in April. The frenzied attack left two athletes injured.

McGregor pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in a Brooklyn criminal court in July in a plea deal that allowed him to avoid jail time.

All felony counts were dropped and he was ordered to do five days of community service. AFP

UP Fighting Maroons tame NU Bulldogs Games Wednesday (at the MOA Arena) 2 p.m. UST vs UP 4 p.m. Ateneo vs FEU

AFTER blowing a comfortable lead, the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons relied on team defense to escape with an 89-88 victory over the

National University Bulldogs yesterday at the Araneta Coliseum.

It took the combined efforts of Akhuetie Bright and the Gomez de Liano brothers, Juan and Javi, to stop the Bulldogs from making a final shot at the buzzer.

And their presence at the perimeter in the dying seconds allowed UP to pull off their third triumph in six games in the 81st University Athletic Association of

the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament.

The Fighting Maroons, with Bright topscoring with a career-high 21 points and 20 rebounds, got into trouble after Bright knocked in two charities in the remaining 1:03, and put UP in front, 89-83.

“It’s about learning and losing. I had a bad feeling every time we end a quarter. It’s not just the first or the fourth. It’s a culmination of what happened in the

past. And the important aspect is that we put this game behind, because we have a coming game on Wednesday, and we will all learn how to finish games,” said Maroons coach Bo Perasol as UP claimed their second consecutive win.

Perasol recalled past games of the Fighting Maroons, when they got a big lead, only to finish badly. Memories of those painful losses were brought forward in their game with NU. Peter Atencio

IN BRIEF

KRR eyeing MPIC as infra partner in PH KKR & Co. Inc., a global investment firm, is interested to invest in infrastructure in the Philippines through a possible partnership with Metro Pacific Investments Corp., according to MPIC chairman Manuel Pangilinan.

“They (KKR) are a private equity fund, they invest in quite a lot of companies around the world. Henry Kravis (KKR founder) was here last week, he was quite interested in what First Pacific is doing in the region, in Australia and Indonesia and, of course, here in the Philippines,” Pangilinan said.

“We talked about that and I think they are interested, once this (KKR investment in Voyager Innovations Inc.) closes to take a look at other opportunities,” he added.

When asked if KKR was considering to invest in Metro Pacific, Pangilinan said “that’s what they suggested, but nothing definite. I don’t want to suggest that we have agreed.”

Metro Pacific has interests in toll road, rail, power, water and electricity distribution and health care.

Last week, KKR and and China’s leading internet service provider Tencent Holdings Ltd. announced their investment in Voyager Innovations Inc. for $175 million.

Darwin G Amojelar

Business

DTI wants direct sugar importation THE Department of Trade and Industry will keep on pushing for the direct importation of sugar by food processors to boost the exports of Philippine food.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said over the weekend it was beneficial for the export industry if processors could obtain sugar imports at a cost of P1,700 to P1,900 per 50 kilogram bag.

“What we are after is to make the cost of production competitive enough so that manufacturers can produce at import volume level,” he said Exporters, he added, informed the department that they would rather not produce if they could not get hold of cheaper sugar.

Some food processors had scaled down production due to the high cost of local sugar, Lopez said.

The Export Development Council met Friday to discuss how to address production constraints.

“We’re slowly regaining the growth we lost. From a higher base of 20 percent last year, exports (are) now positive at 4.1 percent in June to July. It is our hope that exports will continue its good trend until yearend. Hopefully, we’ll hit 9-percent (growth) by yearend,” Lopez said. Othel V. Campos

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018

B

Parañaque transport hub set to open this month

By Darwin G. Amojelar

FDA rejects appeal of Tarlac medical center THE Food and Drug Administration has found no strong reason to reverse its earlier decision ordering the closure of the Dr. Farrrah Bunch Natural Medical Center in Tarlac province for selling unregistered health products to patients.

The FDA, in a decision on Oct. 2, 2018, dismissed the center’s appeal filed on August 20, 2018. The facility argued that the FDA had no jurisdiction over the case.

The Farrah Bunch Center claimed that the allegations of the FDA should be threshed out with and addressed by the Professional Regulation Commission, citing that they were the duties and responsibilities of a physician, FDA director general Nela Charade Puno said FDA had jurisdiction over the case by virtue of Republic Act 9711, which stated the FDA had the power and function to spot-check for compliance with regulations regarding operation of manufacturers, importers, exporters, distributors, wholesalers, drug outlets and other establishments and facilities of health products.

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

FINANCIAL LITERACY. Trade Secretary Secretary Ramon Lopez (fourth from right) signs a memorandum of understanding with First Circle Growth Finance Corp. chief executive Patrick Thomas Lynch (third from right) to provide financial education services to micro, small and medium enterprises assisted by the DTI Negosyo Centers throughout the country. With them are (from left) First Circle chief technology officer Tony Ennis, former Securities and Exchange Commission chairperson Teresita Herbosa, SB Corp. president Luna Cacanando, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Chuchi Fonacier, former Philippine Ambassador to the UK and Plantersbank founder Jesus Tambunting, SEC commissioner Ephyro Luis Amatong and First Circle chief commercial officer Axel Regnstrom.

Rising oil prices, inflation to cut 2019 growth to 6% D

By Julito G. Rada

BS Bank of Singapore said it expects a slower 6-percent gross domestic product growth for the Philippine in 2019 in case oil prices climb to $100 a barrel and inflation rate hits 5.9 percent.

The Singaporean bank said in a report titled “How Will Asia Cope with $100 Oil?” that a scenario of $100 a barrel could boost inflation by 0.4 percentage point, reaching 5.9 percent, beyond the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ target range of 2 percent to 4 percent.

“Inflation has been high in recent years due to higher commodity prices – way exceeding the BSP upper limit of 4 per-

cent. Oil imports account for more than 10 percent of total imports, hence have a big impact on trade. This year alone [until July], there was an additional $14 billion of imports which were mostly due to oil price increases,” it said.

DBS said it was expecting the current account deficit to reach 3 percent of the gross domestic product, which considered the weaker growth in remittances.

It said given that the Philippines economy was “currently overheating,” the Bangko Sentral would likely raise rate further by at least another 75 basis points to contain inflation.

“If oil goes to $100, there could be another 75-bps upside to the policy cycle. Widening trade deficit and possibly weaker consumption due to lower purchasing power, will adversely impact growth. Under this scenario, GDP growth in 2019 will only reach 6 percent compared to 6.7 percent in our baseline,” DBS said.

Data showed the GDP grew 6 percent in the second quarter, slower than the 6.6-percent expansion in the first quarter.

Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that September inflation accelerated to a nine-year high of 6.7 percent from 6.4 percent in August, driven by faster increases in the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages.

The September inflation was also faster than 3 percent a year ago. This was the fastest in more than nine years, or since it reached 7.2 percent in February 2009. This brought average inflation in the first nine months to 5 percent, over the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent set by the government.

The accelerating inflation compelled the Bangko Sentral to raise the borrowing rate by another 50 basis points to 4.5 percent on Sept. 27 amid the persistent signs of sustained and broadening price pressures.

MWM Terminals Inc., a consortium led by Megawide Construction Corp., said the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange will open later this month, with full commercial operations expected in November this year, three years after the concession was awarded to the group.

PITX is located beside the old Coastal Mall at Kennedy Road, Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City.

“Preparations for the opening are in full swing,” said MWM Terminal president Louie Ferrer.

“We will be on soft opening this October with full operations scheduled this November. We are working closely with the DOTr and affiliated agencies such as the LTFRB [Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Bord] to ensure that we are ready,” he said.

One of the flagship projects of the government to ease traffic congestion in inner Metro Manila, the 35-year buildtransfer-operate concession was awarded in 2005 to Megawide, an engineering and infrastructure conglomerate.

PITX will serve passengers from Cavite and Batangas going to Metro Manila, and vice versa.

Ferrer said PITX was designed to be “the first landport in the country,” providing ease of transfers between different modes of land transportation such as buses, taxis, jeepneys and other public utility vehicles.

The terminal building will have three levels. Departure bays for buses, jeepneys, and taxis are situated on the ground floor, while bus arrival bays are located on the second floor. The third floor is dedicated to private car parking facilities, AUV bays and will have a future connection to the LRT-1 extension project.

PITX has a terminal capacity of 200,000 passengers per day with an expected footfall of close to 100,000 passengers daily. The terminal systems are designed to be passenger-friendly, such as the assured seating system for buses, public information displays in multiple locations and ample seating throughout. Automated boarding pass scanners will ensure that passengers can board buses only during their chosen trip schedules.

Foreign reserves hit 7-year low of $75.1b THE country’s gross international reserves fell $2.77 billion in September to hit a seven-year low of $75.16 billion, as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas moved to temper the depreciation of the peso against the US dollar.

“The month-on-month decline in the GIR level was due mainly to outflows arising from the foreign exchange operations of the BSP, payments made by the national government for its maturing foreign exchange obligations, and revaluation adjustments on the BSP’s gold holdings resulting from the decrease in the price of gold in the international market,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas deputy governor Diwa Guinigundo

said over the weekend.

Data showed the September reserves fell from $77.93 billion in August and represented the lowest level in more than seven year, or since they reached $71.883 billion in July 2011.

Guinigundo said at $75.17 billion, the reserves remained as an ample external liquidity buffer and equivalent to 6.8 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income.

They were also equivalent to 5.9 times the country’s shortterm external debt based on original maturity and 4.2 times based on residual maturity.

“However, the decline in the GIR level was partially tem-

pered by the NG’s net foreign currency deposits,” he said.

Net international reserves, which refer to the difference between the GIR and total shortterm liabilities, also decreased by $2.77 billion to $75.15 billion as of end-September 2018, from the end-August 2018 level of $77.92 billion.

The Bangko Sentral was looking at a yearend reserve level of $80 billion, lower than the $81.5-billion level posted in 2017.

Bangko Sentral said the reserves level by yearend would be consistent with the revised balance of payments projection of $1.5-billion deficit from an earlier projection of $1-billion surplus. Julito G. Rada

Open Access model to democratize tower company policy, says Aquino SENATOR Paolo Benigno Aquino IV of the Senate committee on science and technology is pushing for the passage of the Senate Bill No. 1763, or the Open Access in Data Transmission bill, which aims to solve the issue “that has been a thorn on the side of many Filipinos for years”.

The bill is bound to facilitate the entry of more players into the different segments of the telecommunications and data transmission industry from network infrastructure to multiple services operations.

The Senate is leading the country in leveling up its broadband competitiveness in the global marketplace by transforming the “vertically integrated single network into a decentralized, distributed setting where services in different segments can be provided by different entities”, according to co-author

of the bill Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.

One of the earliest and most urgent application of the ‘Open Access Model’ is in the TowerCo program of the Department of Information and Communications Technology. The priority is in the country’s preparedness for the chosen third player to be able to operate soonest with a tower network infrastructure in place.

An ‘Open Access Model’ is meant to correct the laggard state of the Philippines’ internet connectivity, service delivery and cost expenditures by the sharing among different players of a common, physical infrastructure or a tower, according to the authors.

Alcatel-Lucent defined as early as in 2010 the ‘Open Access Model’ as the “separation of the physical infrastructure from service positioning across multiple operators.”

FINTQ’S AWARD. FINTQnologies Corp. brings home the Financial Inclusivity Award for its Mobile Crop Loan via Lendr during the first Agrow Awards 2018 at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. Shown during the awarding ceremony are (from left) presidential adviser for entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion, FINTQ managing director Lito Villanueva and Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.

Battle to win Iloilo power franchise rages in House THE hearing for the application of two competing firms for power distribution in Iloilo City has reached an interesting phase when the House committee on legislative franchises approved on second reading the application of former mining company More Electric and Power Corp. over the one submitted by the 90-year-old utility firm Panay Electric Co. which has been serving the city for decades. The franchise of Peco is up for renewal by January 2019.

The alleged rush approval of newcomer More’s application raised questions among various sectors, including several industry players whose franchises are also up for renewal.

In a letter to committee chair Rep. Franz Josef Alvarez of Palawan dated Sept. 24, Peco legal counsel Manases Carpio requested that the committee hold in abeyance the approval, saying there was a need for further public consultations.

Carpio asked the committee to look

into More’s track record and experience in power distribution, compared to Peco’s years of service to Ilonggos.

“It will be hard for More to put up the facilities at a very short time. What happens now to the people of Iloilo City in case the committee decides to grant the franchise to More? With elections to be held in just a few months, are the Ilonggos to be deprived of their right to vote and their vote be counted just because there is no electricity in polling precincts?” Peco assistant vice president Randy Pastolero asked.

Meanwhile, Peco brushed aside as “entirely false” and misleading allegations about non-refund of power generation surcharges which are customarily passed on to the end-users.

This developed as the Panay Energy Development Corp. urged the House committee to renew Peco’s franchise in recognition of the firm’s qualifications and efficiency as a power distributor.

Peco, in a statement, clarified that

the refund as determined by the Energy Regulatory Commission was ongoing, and that the amount involved had been substantially reduced from P631.33 million to just P34 million at present.

Peco said the refundable amount stemmed from the generation rates charged by the electricity generators and reflected the billing statements given to the consumers.

“We would like to clarify that the amount stated was first and foremost an issue in the generation component of the bill which comes from our power supplier and not the distribution component where in PECO derives its income,” Peco said.

Peco, Iloilo City’s exclusive power distributor over the past 95 years, buys electricity from the Panay Power Corp. which took over the power generation business in the island after tstaterun National Power Corp. collapsed, weighed down by indebtedness it could no longer afford to pay.

B2

Business

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

PSEi seen falling below 7,000 points

By Jenniffer B. Austria

T

HE Philippine Stock Exchange Index is expected to drop below the 7,000-point level over the near term period as overall sentiments remain negative due to inflation concerns.

“With an inflation figure that fell below expectations still failing to resuscitate the PSEi and halt the outflow of foreign funds, we should remain vigilant next week if the overall negative sentiment continues. Next support for the PSEi is now at its previous 2018 low of 6,923.67,” Papa Securities trader Gio Perez said.

BDO Unibank Inc. chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said investors were concerned about rising inflation rate as well the continued weakening of the peso and rising oil prices.

“Chartwise, the week’s close at 7,078.20 highlights the market’s continued march towards the 6,900/7,000 levels in the near-term. Any pullback (if any), could just be limited to 7,200/7,300 levels. The next key sup-

port after 6,900 levels is seen at 6,500 levels. Brace for impact,” he said.

While the economic officials hinted the 6.7-percent inflation rate in September was already the peak and there were clear signs prices would taper off by the end of the year, analysts said investors would still be on a wait-and-see mode to make sure inflation started to ease.

The PSEi dropped 2.7 percent to close at 7,078.20, the fifth straight week of decline, while the broader All Shares Index slipped lost 2.3 percent to 4,363.36 on foreign selling.

Except for the services index, which inched up 0.6 percent, all other counters ended in the red led by property (-3.67), mining and oil (-3.56 percent), holding firms (-2.91 percent), financials (-2.81 percent) and industrial (-2.28 percent).

Foreign investors were net sellers by P2.66 billion while the average daily value traded stood at P4.75 billion.

Weekly top gainers were PAL Holdings Inc., which rose 7.3 percent to P8.85; Wilcon Depot Inc., which climbed 5.2 percent to P10.84; and Manila Electric Co., which gained 4.7 percent to P356.

Weekly top price losers were JG Summit Holdings Inc., which fell 8.9 percent to P49.05; Universal Robina Corp.,

which declined 7.6 percent to P133.50; and GT Capital Holdings Inc., which dropped 6.8 percent to P764.

US and European stocks, meanwhile, tumbled Friday on worries about higher borrowing costs spurred by this week’s sudden jump in US Treasury bond yields.

Markets remained focused on yields of the 10-year US Treasury, which rose for the third straight day, this time to 3.225 percent.

Analysts said the sudden surge in interest rates had deepened worries about higher inflation and an uptick in costs for loans and mortgages.

Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley FBR, said the jump this week in yields had been “breakneck” and could be “disruptive” to stocks.

“The bond market has sold off all week and interest rates have been pushing higher, because traders are worried the Fed is going to have to be more aggressive in its rate hikes,” said FTN Financial’s Chris Low. “That tightening fear is finally starting to spill over into stocks.”

Among major US indices, the Nasdaq fell the most at 1.2 percent.

Earlier, London, Paris and Frankfurt all lost at least one percent. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

OCTOBER 1-5, 2018 Close Volume

Value

Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources China Bank Citystate Savings COL Financial Eastwest Bank Ferronoux Holding Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

58.45 115.20 81.00 2.40 1.36 28.85 6.87 15.1 12.38 4.27 8.59 0.64 1.73 825.00 0.520 66.2 0.91 11.5 42.95 73.5 100.2 184.1 25.5 144.8 1900.00 65.95 1.17

191,440 6,900,330 7,380,540 134,000 367,000 840,100 2,600 187,200 1,334,900 721,000 7,400 1,000 505,000 1,220 507,000 11,009,340 615,000 39,400 200,400 17,120 680 4,600 286,500 4,477,740 1,590 108,120 193,000

FINANCIAL 11,165,338.50 818,650,099.00 604,864,354.00 329,110.00 537,960.00 24,085,775.00 17,918.00 3,005,756.00 16,715,836.00 3,015,870.00 63,571.00 640.00 876,520.00 1,001,225.00 266,020.00 739,440,175.50 565,030.00 459,410.00 8,624,555.00 1,251,466.50 73,398.00 855,152.00 7,302,045.00 663,147,574.00 3,019,890.00 7,164,299.00 226,780.00

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Basic Energy Corp.

Bogo Medelin C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings Century Food Chemphil Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Conc. Aggr. ‘B’ Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Eagle Cement EEI Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) First Gen Corp.

First Holdings ‘A’ Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp.

Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide MG Holdings Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Pilipinas Shell Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings SFA Semicon Shakeys Pizza SMC Food and Beverage SPC Power Corp.

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

33.6 18.3 0.95 1.27 26.75 0.220 110 17.90 2.18 13.5 192 34 65 80.25 38 1.71 4.6 7.39 10.000 15.36 8.34 7.01 7.07 16.28 64 25.55 6.68 12.2 1.840 247.00 41.05 4.8 3.24 12.50 25.25 11.16 14.02 0.184 356.00 6.40 1.78 4.06 8.64 4.76 8.98 0.94 10.66 53.65 5.9 4.85 2.45 3.1 1.61 12 93.05 5.2 0.124 0.96 133.5 2.43 1.9 2.07

8,837,000 4,773,400 43,229,000 4,427,000 347,500 4,850,000 760 5,300 26,894,000 3,954,500 1,290 2,518,300 870 10 5,024,800 277,000 11,000 32,700 19,545,900 483,600 252,100 2,601,400 9,295,200 4,250,100 198,530 386,200 542,300 7,643,900 1,863,000 2,958,150 100 165,000 15,000 10,000 4,117,600 499,200 23,849,900 1,620,000 1,124,550 24,900 5,693,000 201,000 8,267,900 343,000 346,300 9,331,000 221,000 1,310,010 105,900 304,200 11,201,000 4,000 1,502,000 461,900 6,719,560 1,288,800 1,170,000 632,000 3,772,640 81,000 17,094,000 40,649,000

INDUSTRIAL 297,479,760.00 86,860,456.00 43,031,520.00 5,573,880.00 9,453,105.00 1,054,610.00 76,154.00 93,562.00 62,908,850.00 52,780,260.00 248,956.00 86,746,695.00 57,270.00 802.50 192,616,790.00 476,910.00 49,780.00 238,238.00 189,797,712.00 7,409,816.00 2,115,480.00 18,285,657.00 65,725,631.00 68,699,754.00 12,669,396.00 10,238,315.00 3,661,627.00 95,209,332.00 3,473,330.00 741,119,038.00 4,105.00 792,500.00 49,470.00 125,000.00 101,999,465.00 5,721,488.00 355,384,694.00 288,480.00 387,891,344.00 152,393.00 10,249,550.00 827,310.00 70,779,428.00 1,644,090.00 3,126,271.00 9,031,280.00 2,335,844.00 70,003,687.50 606,250.00 1,498,372.00 27,327,890.00 12,400.00 2,404,850.00 5,545,394.00 647,961,488.50 6,867,348.00 145,120.00 629,690.00 519,818,095.00 197,430.00 33,955,390.00 86,569,090.00

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Keppel Holdings `A’ Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Lopez Holdings Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp `A’ Seafront `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Transgrid Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.420 47.10 11.78 0.93 6.14 1.250 1.240 935 5.9 11.72 5.64 7.10 0.203 764 6.10 49.05 5.06 5.79 0.57 4.66 14.34 0.550 4.76 0.0370 1.180 2.360 2.69 172.90 2.55 870.00 1.40 0.83 281.000 320.00 0.2550 0.216

55,230,000 10,177,800 8,375,400 132,000 60,900 41,947,000 12,995,000 1,026,590 34,326,600 19,926,800 9,200 2,270,600 110,000 394,290 78,600 5,126,360 10,000 6,000 1,377,000 1,776,000 16,980,100 6,111,000 73,813,000 35,600,000 555,000 2,143,000 1,000 1,951,220 4,000 1,848,370 1,141,000 353,000 11,940 140 11,330,000 320,000

HOLDING FIRMS 23,308,600.00 483,316,065.00 101,456,024.00 116,910.00 372,369.00 54,263,540.00 16,927,560.00 946,013,600.00 199,916,588.00 234,377,874.00 53,272.00 16,116,891.00 21,690.00 313,125,920.00 496,587.00 262,730,399.50 50,600.00 37,090.00 734,480.00 7,278,860.00 247,871,834.00 3,449,310.00 349,298,570.00 1,349,400.00 673,410.00 5,181,640.00 2,690.00 333,214,584.00 10,200.00 1,613,329,545.00 1,590,700.00 288,410.00 3,343,580.00 45,980.00 2,943,850.00 68,110.00

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Anchor Land Holdings Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ CEB Landmasters Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

DM Wenceslao Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Filinvest Land,Inc. Global-Estate Interport `A’ Interport `B’ Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’

7.230 0.82 11.96 2.030 0.630 39.000 2.39 4.35 5.2 0.440 0.94 0.930 0.230 0.400 8.290 19.48 0.560 0.110 1.44 1.11 2.49 2.48 4.16 0.600 0.4450 0.430

2,056,900 4,308,000 7,100 145,000 1,862,300 36,799,700 4,333,000 795,000 239,900 11,470,000 211,000 418,000 6,030,000 870,000 405,600 1,856,700 662,000 560,000 11,512,500 3,041,000 52,866,000 26,198,000 39,659,000 111,446,620 7,770,000 1,030,000

PROPERTY 14,861,325.00 3,627,510.00 84,156.00 334,160.00 1,418,020.00 1,447,682,245.00 10,496,220.00 3,485,710.00 1,261,129.00 5,015,250.00 201,890.00 380,920.00 1,369,120.00 332,900.00 3,365,306.00 36,381,184.00 363,590.00 61,740.00 23,142,700.00 3,370,280.00 126,635,410.00 64,666,460.00 166,286,930.00 48,107,353.40 3,431,450.00 435,250.00

SEPTEMBER 24-28, 2018 Close Volume Value 59.2 119.80 83.30 2.57 1.58 28.85 7.79 16.2 12.64 4.3

278,500 7,613,600 11,401,790 77,000 82,000 527,600 400 24,900 2,260,300 2,265,000

16,457,134.50 897,069,832.00 950,687,703.00 190,380.00 122,080.00 15,473,760.00 3,116.00 404,186.00 28,830,584.00 10,279,490.00

1.62 849.00 0.510 67 0.93 11.5 43.00 84 125 188.5 25.3 154 1815.00 67.00 1.23

1,073,000 1,200 853,000 12,218,990 3,382,000 62,600 230,200 5,670 13,080 2,840 439,600 4,267,420 1,165 93,370 1,000

1,844,010.00 1,005,290.00 601,250.00 827,357,166.00 3,184,520.00 712,762.00 9,981,635.00 476,655.00 1,559,749.00 537,119.00 11,276,015.00 690,145,495.00 2,151,430.00 6,276,566.50 1,230.00

33.45 18.16 1.03 1.3 27.2 0.240

8,465,200 4,933,100 37,330,000 6,369,000 2,634,300 2,120,000

297,685,620.00 88,660,640.00 39,747,160.00 8,015,480.00 73,739,580.00 456,480.00

17.60 2.38 14.2 194 33.5 67.45

48,200 20,169,000 1,012,000 70 3,660,700 1,490

865,594.00 49,702,600.00 14,689,876.00 13,580.00 127,570,155.00 100,677.50

38.5 1.71 4.5 7.45 9.850 15.48 8.50 7.04 7.08 16.76 64.5 29.00 6.92 12.24 1.860 257.00

1,470,500 536,000 3,000 29,400 18,530,000 5,129,200 2,163,700 13,610,600 29,593,600 4,302,600 230,390 199,800 368,600 2,923,200 3,532,000 1,979,700

55,897,975.00 919,510.00 13,500.00 217,281.00 185,090,685.00 79,219,364.00 18,441,796.00 96,023,147.00 208,945,588.00 72,470,074.00 14,807,378.00 5,623,170.00 2,552,254.00 35,375,840.00 6,701,450.00 519,986,708.00

4.84

344,400

1,686,636.00

13.00 24.5 11.7 15.5 0.185 340.00 6.39 1.8 4.17 8.69 4.9 9.00 1.00 10.72 52.75 5.75 4.85 2.68 3 1.58 12 96.9 5.72 0.124 1.00 144.5 2.5 2.05 1.98

6,500 6,773,100 434,600 10,363,600 370,000 1,609,110 8,800 420,000 751,000 6,215,800 980,600 202,900 6,272,000 592,900 1,091,510 144,200 13,020,000 18,767,000 50,000 312,000 740,400 1,800,380 1,216,200 1,160,000 964,000 3,811,580 51,000 16,338,000 90,152,000

90,000.00 163,080,140.00 5,106,860.00 162,308,722.00 66,290.00 555,003,520.00 54,712.00 762,430.00 3,151,900.00 55,334,662.00 4,893,251.00 1,786,844.00 6,208,320.00 6,219,660.00 58,089,343.00 836,380.00 62,785,870.00 52,673,030.00 148,170.00 481,350.00 8,935,784.00 173,372,664.50 6,835,705.00 143,970.00 953,180.00 562,765,183.00 127,500.00 33,992,730.00 188,374,100.00

0.430 49.00 12.48 0.94 5.95 1.290 1.280 928 5.8 11.38 5.74 7.11 0.205 820 5.77 53.95 5.06

176,530,000 10,975,520 8,899,000 17,000 117,900 161,091,000 30,018,000 1,325,490 7,527,600 14,795,900 9,500 141,500 680,000 512,270 16,400 5,524,190 1,900

78,475,150.00 549,078,337.50 111,797,958.00 15,360.00 685,746.00 190,131,210.00 35,563,040.00 1,233,428,195.00 44,572,144.00 171,184,078.00 54,530.00 1,016,251.00 138,310.00 423,485,705.00 95,776.00 303,130,835.00 10,441.00

0.57 4.43 14.4 0.600 4.75 0.0400 1.190 2.450 2.58 169.50 2.55 904.00 1.40 0.81 280.000 348.00 0.2700 0.200

1,308,000 6,877,000 25,891,400 7,177,000 165,955,000 40,600,000 222,000 3,379,900 111,000 1,459,840 3,000 1,541,210 1,736,000 150,000 10,310 20 16,960,000 1,220,000

700,140.00 31,401,130.00 382,718,954.00 4,229,390.00 786,028,690.00 1,576,100.00 269,710.00 10,909,260.00 299,050.00 246,788,534.00 7,650.00 1,360,722,420.00 2,371,630.00 121,400.00 2,885,056.00 6,960.00 4,677,350.00 231,780.00

7.280 0.87 11.04 2.050 0.650 40.050 2.42 4.42 5.37 0.445 0.97 0.920 0.233 0.390 8.340 19.5 0.560 0.117 1.43 1.15 2.30

1,001,000 9,546,000 14,000 148,000 3,067,000 30,896,200 6,306,000 1,717,000 31,200 38,020,000 718,000 59,667,000 14,520,000 620,000 1,855,700 4,165,100 534,000 40,000 13,284,000 3,738,000 119,341,000

7,295,849.00 8,147,540.00 159,528.00 305,240.00 1,985,340.00 1,249,012,135.00 16,228,050.00 7,547,200.00 166,410.00 17,103,350.00 666,640.00 55,094,920.00 3,284,350.00 245,100.00 15,727,524.00 83,379,367.00 296,180.00 4,530.00 19,019,800.00 4,149,040.00 267,166,690.00

4.4 0.620 0.4450 0.435

62,251,000 701,173,000 4,470,000 1,550,000

273,479,870.00 483,534,530.00 2,005,900.00 673,950.00

STOCKS

OCTOBER 1-5, 2018 Close Volume

SEPTEMBER 24-28, 2018 Close Volume Value

Value

Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

31.40 3.88 19.80 1.96 3.15 34.30 1.14 6.3 0.740 5.900

83,000 1,850,000 4,430,100 1,082,000 128,000 49,940,800 9,001,000 676,600 459,000 12,323,700

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ.

Chelsea DFNN Inc. Discovery World Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail MetroAlliance A MetroAlliance B NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Wilcon Depot

10.64 21.5 1.43 0.460 0.041 13.02 1.85 8.12 0.0610 67.2 8 4.8 9.00 2.25 20.10 890 2270 5.25 312.40 11.32 2.62 9545 2.04 11.6 7.60 0.115 2.4600 3.2 14.26 3.45 0.96 17.10 16.00 0.470 5.82 7.06 2.30 1.51 1.65 7.300 10.98 8.85 3.39 100.00 4.23 1390.00 0.375 0.850 44.00 78.00 7.45 2.45 0.810 0.52 5.19 0.660 10.840

108,200 106,600 15,000 67,360,000 37,600,000 137,000 19,978,000 29,767,400 81,260,000 448,490 103,200 7,549,000 89,100 3,000 302,500 400 250,680 1,046,600 15,640 100 5,351,000 2,894,650 38,000 182,600 28,300 2,670,000 32,648,000 208,000 7,500 3,093,000 1,072,000 4,155,300 1,600 600,000 539,400 23,816,600 2,446,000 192,000 33,000 6,706,800 47,500 13,100 48,000 193,960 1,030,000 351,940 2,730,000 12,132,000 4,338,600 5,477,330 360,300 69,844,000 63,364,000 125,549,000 5,795,700 5,631,000 12,315,100

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Benguet Corp `A’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining `A’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Oriental Pet. `B’ Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Phinma Petro Semirara Corp.

United Paragon

0.0026 1.45 2.90 17.48 1.0200 1.92 0.300 7.08 1.830 0.201 0.110 0.110 0.007 1.27 4.23 1.12 0.6800 1.1000 0.0140 0.0130 3.27 15.74 0.0120 3.5000 25.10 0.0074

MINING & OIL 1,899,700,000 4,835,100.00 22,180,000 33,837,810.00 382,000 1,137,520.00 58,800 1,047,988.00 20,000 20,990.00 1,146,000 2,197,780.00 910,000 271,700.00 31,100 220,711.00 2,776,000 5,092,400.00 1,050,000 213,100.00 6,660,000 751,810.00 3,260,000 361,070.00 76,000,000 527,800.00 104,000 126,910.00 2,462,000 10,579,800.00 126,000 139,880.00 3,488,000 2,354,270.00 2,796,000 3,159,260.00 226,200,000 3,396,100.00 2,000,000 26,100.00 3,575,000 11,841,290.00 30,840,500 507,603,056.00 137,900,000 1,659,900.00 450,000 1,599,760.00 8,511,300 213,231,275.00 13,000,000 88,400.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Alco Preferred B Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ DD PREF First Gen G FPH Pref C GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B House Preferred Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC FB PREF 2 SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I

19 100.5 485 495 100.4 102 480 490 5.06 911 945 98 1.02 99.8 1010 1050 103 101.2 999 75 76 75 75 74.5 75.2 75 75

183,600 45,000 4,280 4,370 59,450 26,120 1,000 19,520 1,122,200 4,320 840 25,230 190,000 11,280 200 605 420 1,590 14,180 14,370 139,300 152,250 145,210 77,850 4,570 148,810 143,890

LR Warrant

2.310

436,000

Italpinas Xurpas

5.16 2.16

3,527,700 5,437,000

First Metro ETF

106.8 10.1 10 1

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

2,610,770.00 7,243,440.00 88,692,357.00 2,149,860.00 407,080.00 1,720,688,320.00 10,130,950.00 4,327,326.00 343,940.00 73,687,530.00

33.35 3.99 20.30 1.92 3.17 36.15 1.18 6.57 0.750 6.090

500 23,715,000 9,626,300 688,000 88,000 37,658,200 1,641,000 767,700 436,000 17,747,600

16,675.00 101,684,660.00 189,102,501.00 1,331,890.00 279,830.00 1,369,648,915.00 1,889,950.00 4,994,521.00 329,030.00 107,352,510.00

11.3 21.3 1.4 0.475 0.043

111,800 456,800 24,000 13,390,000 34,200,000

1,278,174.00 9,588,560.00 33,870.00 6,373,900.00 1,481,700.00

1.92 8.77 0.0600 70 8.12 5.5 8.61 2.23 22.40 900 2200 5.37 314.00 11.32 2.72 94.1 2.00 12.06 7.75 0.116 2.8300 3.53 14.2 3.61 0.96 16.00 16.36 0.420 5.79 7.05 2.45 1.56 1.49 7.310 10.9 8.25 3.37 101.80 4.39 1350.00 0.390 0.870 45.00 79.70 7.80 2.22 0.890 0.56 5.2 0.670 10.300

26,722,000 51,333,500 44,570,000 648,610 166,200 6,555,100 541,900 6,000 495,600 160 284,715 483,300 15,840 14,400 17,959,000 3,266,410 57,000 6,000 32,000 7,670,000 30,773,000 85,000 24,700 5,098,000 2,392,000 6,313,100 600 200,000 1,164,900 33,228,900 1,375,000 852,000 353,000 6,853,300 155,500 14,600 498,000 295,210 1,248,000 554,730 16,050,000 8,592,000 5,909,700 3,836,880 226,900 33,187,000 146,033,000 152,263,000 3,724,400 9,284,000 9,365,200

53,438,430.00 440,634,550.00 2,699,250.00 46,426,936.50 1,331,580.00 36,557,974.00 4,856,035.00 13,380.00 11,161,000.00 144,325.00 621,260,230.00 2,601,292.00 4,892,162.00 163,008.00 50,771,980.00 303,551,261.50 114,000.00 68,562.00 248,000.00 885,630.00 92,096,980.00 290,540.00 350,820.00 18,578,100.00 2,327,800.00 101,206,368.00 9,816.00 84,400.00 6,633,788.00 232,788,350.00 3,412,240.00 1,249,610.00 524,310.00 51,848,150.00 1,709,546.00 123,383.00 1,530,350.00 30,348,187.00 5,409,990.00 746,234,470.00 6,189,100.00 7,555,170.00 265,252,560.00 304,136,822.50 1,762,221.00 74,034,160.00 126,960,480.00 81,976,020.00 19,282,983.00 5,664,940.00 95,108,175.00

0.0023 1.48 3.01 18.40 1.0000 1.92 0.295 7.16 1.860 0.208 0.111 0.111 0.007 1.22 4.38 1.15 0.6500 1.1400 0.0120 0.0140 3.34 15.50 0.0120 3.6000 26.70 0.0068

658,800,000 4,718,000 282,000 25,900 112,000 1,714,000 240,000 53,300 5,768,000 1,930,000 8,100,000 3,200,000 81,000,000 498,000 1,986,000 237,000 21,391,000 7,685,000 373,500,000 9,400,000 5,471,000 7,642,300 80,200,000 356,000 3,782,000 23,200,000

1,923,200.00 6,997,350.00 867,450.00 466,668.00 112,000.00 3,291,160.00 70,850.00 382,905.00 10,733,110.00 394,330.00 893,180.00 367,860.00 571,300.00 637,690.00 8,747,910.00 260,480.00 14,652,170.00 8,710,530.00 4,486,400.00 121,300.00 18,491,580.00 121,049,228.00 913,300.00 1,276,810.00 102,428,830.00 468,600.00

19.2 100 485 495 99.5 103

761,700 500 6,230 6,070 136,560 68,980

14,865,396.00 50,000.00 3,021,570.00 2,984,910.00 13,633,281.00 6,969,267.00

490 5.17 973 945 95.2 1.04 104 1000 1047 99.6 103 1000 76.45 78.1 75 75.7 75 75 75 75

18,530 391,300 170 1,320 9,330 4,000 41,310 2,400 30 19,830 20,000 12,820 111,090 25,850 502,400 300 157,720 195,690 124,390 536,060

9,079,700.00 2,027,934.00 160,870.00 1,248,880.00 893,765.50 4,160.00 4,132,090.00 2,402,000.00 30,670.00 1,979,279.50 2,076,910.00 12,730,735.00 8,336,417.50 2,020,825.00 37,679,597.50 22,475.00 11,821,514.00 14,726,182.00 9,306,392.50 40,190,425.00

2.360

786,000

1,909,160.00

5.24 2.18

8,403,800 18,292,000

46,277,160.00 42,353,150.00

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 76,110 8,190,910.00

109.2

36,620

4,023,898.00

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 30,750 310,118.20 40,020 400,200.00 4,200 4,200.00

10.1 10.26 1

26,000 5,500 95,800

268,815.00 56,150.00 95,790.00

SERVICES 1,165,066.00 2,312,990.00 21,450.00 31,654,300.00 1,510,500.00 1,849,452.00 38,479,270.00 245,571,454.00 5,008,420.00 48,831,936.00 825,665.00 38,515,285.00 771,600.00 6,750.00 6,516,055.00 356,000.00 557,802,780.00 5,543,173.00 4,805,190.00 1,132.00 14,445,720.00 271,512,675.50 74,720.00 2,429,254.00 217,780.00 309,590.00 81,361,850.00 671,990.00 112,190.00 11,024,040.00 991,100.00 68,921,862.00 26,150.00 255,200.00 3,128,312.00 165,864,890.00 5,913,230.00 284,370.00 50,900.00 49,473,674.00 521,960.00 115,481.00 149,270.00 19,232,786.50 4,334,400.00 489,117,410.00 1,018,950.00 10,350,490.00 189,493,375.00 433,464,240.00 2,716,615.00 163,451,400.00 55,191,030.00 70,750,180.00 30,047,479.00 3,743,090.00 133,205,014.00

PREFERRED 3,497,082.00 4,513,700.00 2,075,904.00 2,142,282.00 5,948,965.00 2,650,000.00 480,000.00 9,564,340.00 5,717,461.00 3,911,575.00 792,465.00 2,410,100.50 194,220.00 1,138,348.00 200,500.00 633,985.00 43,208.00 164,884.00 14,147,347.50 1,078,285.00 10,666,244.00 11,428,886.00 10,854,990.00 5,820,800.00 342,862.00 11,119,159.00 10,732,080.00

WARRANTS & BONDS 1,023,480.00 SME 18,537,373.00 12,442,020.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Oriental Pet. `A’ Philodrill Corp. `A’ Transpacific Broadcast MRC Allied Ind. Boulevard Holdings Manila Mining `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

SSI Group APC Group, Inc.

VOLUME 1,899,700,000 226,200,000 137,900,000 125,549,000 111,446,620 81,260,000 76,000,000 73,813,000 69,844,000 67,360,000

STOCKS SM Prime Holdings SM Investments Inc. Ayala Land `B’ Ayala Corp `A’ Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Jollibee Foods Corp.

Metrobank Security Bank SMC Food and Beverage Bank of PI

VALUE 1,720,688,320.00 1,613,329,545.00 1,447,682,245.00 946,013,600.00 818,650,099.00 741,119,038.00 739,440,175.50 663,147,574.00 647,961,488.50 604,864,354.00

Ayala Land bares plan to sell P50b in new bonds MAJOR property developer Ayala Land Inc. plans to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission another P50 billion in debt securities program as the company remains positive about the overall domestic real estate industry.

Ayala Land chief finance officer Augusto Bengzon said in an interview at the sidelines of the company’s recent P8-billion bond listing ceremony with Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp., it planned to file late this year or early next year another shelf registration program after using up the P50-billion bond shelf program registered in 2015.

“It will probably be a similar amount to what we have filed,” Bengzon said when asked about the potential size of the bond shelf program.

The planned debt securities program will be a combination of all kinds of fixed-income instruments, including fixed-bonds.

Ayala Land on Friday successfully raised P8 billion from the issuance of five-year bonds representing the sixth and final tranche from the P50-billion debt securities program.

Ayala Land issued P47 billion worth of fixed rate bonds and P3 billion worth of Homestarter bonds.

With the latest P8-billion bond offering, Bengzon said Ayala Land had fully secured the company’s funding requirements for 2018.

Ayala Land this year programmed P111 billion in capital expenditures, up 21 percent from P91.4 billion spent in 2017.

The company will use the bulk this year’s capital expenditures for the expansion of residential projects and malls and land acquisitions.

Meanwhile, Bengzon said the bond shelf registration had been helpful in timely raising funds for the projects.

A shelf registration allows an issuer to register and sell under the same prospectus and other regulatory filing requirements a certain volume of securities that the issuer does not intend to use up right away.

The SEC allows the issuer a threeyear window to tap the shelf registration. Jenniffer B. Austria

Chelsea buying 6 more vessels for $100m in 3 years

By Darwin G Amojelar CHELSEA Logistics Holdings Corp. will acquire six additional vessels for $100 million over the next two to three years.

“We have six vessels (lined up)... two vessels every one year,” CLC president and chief executive Chryss Alfonsus Damus, told reporters Friday.

He said the new vessels would be used for unserved and underserved routes in Visayas and Mindanao, as well as for the expansion of existing routes.

CLC currently operates 16 tankers, 22 RoPax, 11 cargo vessels and 14 tugboats through Chelsea Shipping, Starlite Ferries, Trans-Asia Shipping Lines Inc. and Fortis Tugs. Investor and partner 2GO Group Inc., meanwhile, operates eight RoPax vessels, five cargo vessels and 11 fast craft.

The company on Friday inaugurated M/T Chelsea Providence, a 183.3-meter long medium-range oil tanker that can carry up to 54 million liters of petroleum and M/V Salve Regina, and a roll-on, roll-off vessel which can accommodate over 500 passengers and 41 vehicles.

“We have long dreamed of having our presence felt in the international waters and to commence our foray into the regional liquid carrier market.

Today, we are grateful to welcome our biggest as well as the Philippines’ biggest registered vessel–M/T Chelsea Providence,” CLC founder and chairman Dennis Uy said.

M/V Salve Regina, meanwhile, is a brand-new RoPax that will serve the Batangas-Caticlan route. It was built

by Kegoya Dock Co. Ltd., a Japanbased shipbuilder.

The company also acquired in March 2018 a floating dock named “Chelsea Exuberance,” which is programmed to keep its 83-strong fleet in the best condition and optimize the deployment of the ships.

Manila

Standard

TODAY

extrastory2000@gmail.com

PORT-AU-PRINCE―A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck just off the northwest coast of Haiti late Saturday, killing at least 11 people and causing damage to buildings in the Caribbean nation, authorities said.

The epicenter of the quake was located about 19 kilometers (12 miles) northwest of the city of Port-de-Paix, the US Geological Survey reported.

Government spokesman Eddy Jackson Alexis told AFP that 11 people were so far reported dead, seven of them in Port-de-Paix, the capital of Haiti’s NordOuest department.

Four others were killed in the town of Gros-Morne, about 50 kilometers to the southeast.

The quake, which was felt across the country, struck at 8:10 pm (0010 GMT Sunday) at a shallow depth of 11.7 kilometers.

Haiti’s civil protection agency said two minor aftershocks were registered, adding that no tsunami warning was issued in connection with the quake activity. AFP

Business/World

P

ALU, Indonesia―Aid poured into disasterravaged Palu on Sunday after days of delays as efforts ramped up to reach 200,000 people in desperate need following a deadly quaketsunami in the Indonesian city.

Plane-loads of food, clean water and other essentials were landing with increasing frequency at Palu on Sulawesi island, where a powerful earthquake and a wall of water leveled parts of the region and killed at least 1,763 people, officials said Sunday.

Looters ransacked shops in the aftermath of the disaster more than a week

ago, as food and water ran dry and convoys bringing life-saving relief were slow to arrive.

But the trickle of international aid to Palu and local efforts to help the survivors have accelerated in recent days.

Daisy chains of troops unloaded supplies directly onto trucks for distribution to villages around Palu or helicopters for delivery further afield.

More than 82,000 military and civilian personnel, as well as volunteers, have descended on the devastated city while Indonesian army choppers are running missions to deliver supplies to remote parts of the region that were previously blocked off by the disaster.

“They are in great need because the road is cut off and it’s accessible only by air”, Second Lieutenant Reinaldo Apri

told AFP after piloting a chopper to rugged Lindu district, some 40 kilometers south of Palu.

Tonnes of donations from Australia and the United States reached Palu on Sunday morning aboard Hercules military aircraft. A plane chartered by Save the Children also landed with emergency shelter and water purification kits as did another carrying a medical team from South Africa.

Teams of Indonesian Red Cross workers set up warehouses and fanned out to distribute supplies across the region, where the double-punch disaster reduced entire neighborhoods to rubble.

But relief workers face a monumental task ahead.

Getting vital supplies to affected areas has proved hugely challenging, with only

WASHINGTON―Conservative US judge Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court Saturday by a razorthin margin in the Senate, ending months of partisan rancor over his nomination and offering Donald Trump one of the biggest victories of his presidency.

Kavanaugh was sworn in shortly after the Senate voted 50-48 in his favor―a move that cemented the high court’s shift to the right under the Republican leader, who has chosen two of the nine sitting justices.

Protesters rallied in Washington and other US cities against the ascent of the 53-year-old judge, who has faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and been criticized for his angry partisan rhetoric.

The prolonged nomination battle has roiled American politics, disrupting the status quo on Capitol Hill and firing up both Republicans and opposition Democrats a month before crucial midterm elections. AFP

RIO DE JANEIRO―Brazilians head to the polls Sunday to elect a new president, with a far-right politician promising an iron-fisted crackdown on crime, Jair Bolsonaro, the firm favorite going into the first round.

Surveys suggest the 63-year-old former paratrooper, who wants to cut spiraling debt through sweeping privatizations and embrace the United States and Israel, could count on more than one in three voters in the vast Latin American nation.

But at least as many in the 147-million-strong electorate reject the veteran federal lawmaker, who is known for repeated offensive comments against women, gays and the poor, and for lauding the military dictatorship Brazil shucked off just three decades ago.

If Bolsonaro gets more than 50 percent of the vote to lead the field of 13 candidates, he will win the presidency outright. Otherwise, a run-off will be held on October 28. AFP

a limited number of flights able to land at Palu’s small airport, forcing aid workers to take grueling overland journeys.

The tens of thousands left homeless by the disaster are scattered across Palu and beyond, many squatting outside their ruined homes or bunkered down in makeshift camps and entirely dependent on handouts to survive.

“There is nowhere else to get food, nowhere is open,” said 18-year-old Sela Fauziah in Palu’s central market, where she queued with hundreds for essential food items being distributed by soldiers.

Things are even more desperate in remoter areas.

As a helicopter touched down the jungle-covered mountains and ravines of Lindu, villagers rushed to grab boxes of noodles and bags of rice and oil. AFP

Netanyahu wife on trial

Kavanaugh sworn in at US Supreme Court

Brazil votes for new president

B3

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Aid pours into Indonesian city

IN BRIEF At least 11 dead in Haiti earthquake

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

JERUSALEM―The wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu goes on trial Sunday for allegedly using state funds to fraudulently pay for hundreds of meals, part of a list of legal troubles facing the family.

The start of Sara Netanyahu’s trial will be the latest chapter in a saga intensely scrutinized in Israel, but dismissed by the Netanyahus as another “absurd” attempt to discredit them.

The premier himself faces possible charges in separate corruption investigations, leading to speculation that he will eventually be forced to step down.

Sara Netanyahu was charged with fraud and breach of trust in June.

Prosecutors accuse her of misusing state funds to pay for catered meals costing $100,000 (85,000 euros) by falsely declaring there were no cooks available at the premier’s official residence.

From 2010 to 2013, she, her family and guests received “fraudulently from the state hundreds of prepared meals”, the indictment read.

According to the charge sheet, the meals were ordered from a variety of well-known Jerusalem businesses, including an Italian restaurant, a Middle Eastern grill joint and a sushi establishment.

The trial, which could run for months, opens in the Jerusalem magistrates court at 1:30 PM (1030 GMT) with a hearing on whether it should be overseen by a panel of three judges instead of one due to the case’s “public sensitivity”.

It was due to start in July but was postponed for reasons that were not made public. AFP

PROTEST. Women demonstrators protest against the appointment of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh at the US Capitol in Washington DC on October 6, 2018. The US Senate confirmed conservative judge Kavanaugh as the next Supreme Court justice on October 6, offering US President Donald Trump a big political win and tilting the nation’s high court decidedly to the right. AFP

Saudi journalist believed killed in consulate hit ISTANBUL―Turkish police believe that prominent Saudi journalist and critic Jamal Khashoggi was murdered inside the Saudi mission in Istanbul after he went missing on Tuesday, according to an unnamed government official.

“Based on their initial findings, the police believe that the journalist was killed by a team especially sent to Istanbul and who left the same day,” the official told AFP on Saturday.

It came hours after police confirmed that around 15 Saudis, including officials, arrived in Istanbul on two flights on Tuesday and were at the consulate at the same time as Khashoggi.

The Washington Post contributor had gone to the consulate on an administrative errand but “did not come back out” of the building, police had told the state-run Anadolu news agency.

On the back of the preliminary investigation, Ankara announced Saturday it had opened an official probe into his disappearance.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency, quoting an unnamed official at the Istanbul consulate, denied the reports of Khashoggi’s murder.

“The official strongly denounced these baseless allegations,” the agency wrote, adding that a team of Saudi investigators were in Turkey working with local authorities.

Reacting to news of the alleged murder, the journalist’s Turkish fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, said on Twitter she “did not believe he has been killed”. AFP

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Losing my religion: How can we make our parishes more alive?

FR. BENJAMIN “DIDOY” MOLINA JR.

GREEN LIGHT

That’s me in the corner / That’s me in the spotlight / Losing my religion / Trying to keep up with you / And I don’t know if I can do it / Oh no, I’ve said too much / I haven’t said enough (R.E.M.) IF one attends any Sunday Mass in any parish, it would most probably be packed. Any observer would be tempted to say that the Catholic faith is alive and well in the Philippines.

We are not facing issues of parish closures and mergers, of churches being turned into museums. A closer look, however, would reveal disturbing trends. There are many people losing interest, getting turned off, or even not getting engaged at all with the church. Moreover, many parish churches have low retention rates among young adults. Could it be that the church is not perceived as relevant and attuned to the hopes and dreams, the joys and sorrows of the people? Given the cultural shifts happening in society where people, especially the millennials, are engaged in various ways of meaning-finding, could the church have been left behind and caught unawares? How does the church deal with the reality that God is missing but is not missed?

In countries where the lack of engagement in church are more pronounced, there are studies looking into the vitality of parishes. How can we say a parish is alive and vibrant? What can be done to revitalize dying communities? There are many qualities cited by many authors, scholars and practitioners. I would like to name three qualities that we can use to assess our parish communities to help us reengage people― especially the young―who may have fallen by the wayside.

Life-giving Sunday Mass Sunday Mass is the primary―if not the only―way most people get to interact with the priest and the parish volunteers. The parish leadership must make it a priority to make the community a very welcoming and inclusive community. It is moving to see people having a strong sense of belonging in the celebration of the mass where people are treated as equals, where people sit together and worship the same God. One of the most meaningful celebrations I have is when the church is full of children singing to their hearts contents, unmindful if they are off key. What matters is that they are praying twice, all because the liturgical music ministers guided them well. The priest must deliver homilies that are life-sustaining, where the Word of God meets the man on the street and the encounter brings about meaning and strength. If a priest is remiss in fulfilling this obligation in a loving and faithful way, an injustice is done to the community. Ultimately, the Mass is where God encounters the people, where the people find solace and comfort in God’s presence, inspired to face the daily grind because they have been fed their daily bread.

We have to ask ourselves, how have we made our Sunday Masses inspiring and life-giving?

Meaningful growth in faith Knowing comes before loving. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to love someone one does not know. Our parish communities should strive to provide learning opportunities that are sustained. This could take the form of catechism classes and bible prayer groups that do not just broaden the perspectives of the faithful but also widen their hearts, stretching, challenging them to show in so many concrete ways their deep appreciation for our loving God. This growth in faith leads to a more meaningful discipleship, through which every person makes a loving decision to follow Jesus whom one has come to know more intimately every day. How have we intensified our communal efforts to know God more clearly, in order to love Him more dearly and to follow Him more nearly?

Compassionate service to the poor The church may be a place for some to feel good, to find refuge, some semblance of peace and quiet. For others, the church is the place and the community to be good, to find co-pilgrims in the journey where everyone is challenged to be a better version of themselves. For many, the church is also a chance to go good, to share whatever God has given us to help others help themselves, empowering the least, the last and the lost to walk the path of healing and salvation towards Christ. How have we responded to the call to mission, to go wherever God sends us?

We hope that our churches will strive to be life-giving, to be signposts of hope for everyone, serving as meaningful places of encounter with our loving and forgiving Father. Our churches are faced with many problems and challenges but to quote the poet Ella Wheeler Cox, “no difficulty can discourage, no obstacle dismay, no trouble dishearten the man who has acquired the art of being alive.” I do believe that the same can be said of parish communities. When the parish community is alive and vibrant, parishioners feel the energy and excitement to be part of something bigger than themselves, to be agents of change in the church and in society, to be truly the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

Fr. Didoy Molina is a Doctor of Business Administration student at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business of De La Salle University. He took up philosophy studies in San Carlos Seminary and finished his theology studies in Loyola School of Theology, Ateneo de Manila and seminary formation in San Jose Seminary. He finished his MBA at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business. He is currently the parish priest of Christ the King Parish in Pamplona Uno, Las Piñas City. He can be reached at benjamin_molinajr@dlsu.edu.ph.

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF LAMIDO E-SERVICES PHILPPINES, INC. Notice is hereby given that the Board of Directors and Stockholders of LAMIDO E-SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. (the “Corporation”), in a meeting held on 15 December 2017, formally resolved to dissolve and close the Corporation effective as of 15 May 2017, subject to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s grant of its application to amend its Articles of Incorporation to shorten its corporate term.

All persons having claims against the Corporation are requested to present the same at 21st Floor, Philamlife Tower, 8767 Paseo De Roxas, Makati City; Attention: Atty.

Jose Just T. Santos, for immediate settlement.

Advertising Department 832-5547

(MS-SEPT. 24-OCT. 1 & 8, 2018)

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health CENTRAL OFFICE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE InvItatIon to BId Procurement of tB drugs for chIldren IB no. 2018-286 1.

The Department of Health (DOH), through the General Appropriations Act of 2018 intends to procure the following project listed below: IB No.

Name of Contract

ABC (PHP)

Cost of Bidding Documents (Php)

IB No. 2018286

Procurement of TB Drugs for Children

105,600,000.00

50,000.00

Largest Completed Contract The Bidders should have completed, within two (2) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project, equivalent to: a)

At least (2) similar contracts, and the aggregate contract amounts should be equivalent to at least twenty five percent (25%) of the (ABC) as required above.

b)

2.

3.

The largest of these similar contracts must be equivalent to at least half of the twenty five percent (25%) of the ABC as required above.

The DOH now invites Bids from eligible Bidders for the procurement of the above-caption projects. Delivery of the Goods is required as specified in Section VI. Schedule of Requirements. Bidders should have completed contracts similar to the cited projects as stated in the ITB. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

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

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the COBAC Secretariat, Ground Floor, Building 6, DOH, San Lazaro Compound, Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila and inspect the Bidding Documents at 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday.

5.

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

The DOH will hold a Pre-bidding Conference and the Submission and Opening of Bids at COBAC Conference Room, G/F, Bldg. 6, DOH, San Lazaro Cmpd., Rizal Ave., Sta. Cruz, Manila on the schedule given below:

Activity (Date & Time) Name of Contract Pre-bidding Conference Submission and Opening of Bids Procurement of TB Drugs IB No. 2018-286 16 October 2018; 10:00 A.M. 30 October 2018; 9:00 A.M. for Children Bid must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before the date given above. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated below: IB No.

Amount of Bid Security (Not less than the required percentage of the ABC)

Form of Bid Security (a) Cash or cashier’s/manager’s check issued by a Universal or Commercial Bank. (b) Bank draft/guarantee or irrevocable letter of credit issued by a Universal or Commercial Bank: Provided, however, that it shall be confirmed or authenticated by a Universal or Commercial Bank, if issued by a foreign bank. (c) Surety bond callable upon demand issued by a surety or insurance company duly certified by the Insurance Commission as authorized to issue such security. (d) Bid Securing Declaration

Two percent (2%) Five percent (5%) No percentage required

Bid opening shall be at COBAC Conference Room, G/F, Bldg. 6, DOH, San Lazaro Cmpd., Rizal Ave., Sta. Cruz, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address above. Late bids shall not be accepted.

7.

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

8.

For further information, please refer to: COBAC-A Secretariat Building 6 Department of Health San Lazaro Compound, Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila Tel. Nos. 651-7800 local 1625 to 1627; 1650 to 52 Facsimile No.: 711-6061/740-6830 (SGD) NESTOR F. SANTIAGO, JR., MD, MPHC, MHSA, CESO III Assistant Secretary of Health COBAC – A Chairperson

(MS-OCT. 8, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

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

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monday, october 8, 2018

LoCaL government UnitS

QC dad Ludovica seeks to curb land syndicates

This photo collage shows the various activities conducted by the Tacloban City government, led by Mayor Cristina GonzalesRomualdez, in observance of the Elderly Week from Oct. 1 to 7.

By Rio N. Araja TO PUT more teeth to the law against selling property using a fake land title, Quezon City District 2 Councilor Ranulfo Ludovica has filed an ordinance mandating lot owners who would want to sell their properties to coordinate with the barangay first.

In an interview, Ludovica said the 37-member city council has already passed the measure on first reading.

“I am pretty sure that my colleagues will back my proposed ordinance all the way down to its third and final reading,” he told the Manila Standard.

Ludovica vowed to end the rule of squatting syndicates in the entire city.

According to the councilor, professional squatters often victimize informal settlers who occupy government and private lands as well as danger zones.

“Many unidentified or unscrupulous individuals, commonly known as the squatting syndicates, are flagrantly claiming to be the owners or representatives of the owners of certain real properties in the barangay occupied by the informal settler families,” the proposed measure read.

The syndicated then offer to sell, or persuading the latter to buy, the said properties using or presenting a dubious, fictitious or fake land titles and other similar documents purported to be the proof of land ownership, it adds.

Ludovica said just the act of offering for sale or the deliberate persuading to buy the land being occupied by the informal settler families using fake titles must already be sanctioned.

Bring criminal liability age down, prosecutor says THE chief prosecutor of the cities of Navotas and Malabon is in favor of lowering the age for criminal liability.

At the Usapang Politika, Agrikultura at Komunidad media forum in Quezon City, Prosecutor Rennet Evangelista expressed his belief that many young children are now involved in various crimes.

“Yes, I support it,” he told reporters of the move of Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who filed Senate Bill 2026 seeking to lower the criminal responsibility to 13 “to adapt to changing times.”

The current law exempts children 15 years old and younger from any criminal culpability.

According to Evangelista, because of the government’s war on drugs, there are 30 to 50 drug-related cases being filed at the inquest proceedings every month.

There are 700 to 800 drugs cases have been filed before various regional trial courts in Malabon and Navotas, he added. Rio N. Araja

Tacloban honors the elderly

By Robbie Pangilinan

A

SERIES of events was held in Tacloban City to honor its elderly residents in observance of the Elderly Week on Oct. 1 to 7, kicked off by a region-wide “Walk for Life” celebration on Sept. 30.

Sponsored by Philhealth, Department of Health, and Department of Social Welfare and Development, participants walked from the DSWD Office to Leyte Park Hotel to advocate elderly healthy lifestyle, regular exercises such as Zumba and walking, and nutritious food intake and supplements for elderly persons.

A medical mission was held on Oct. 4 at Robinsons’ Place, focusing on dementia and bone-related illnesses commonly affecting 60 percent of the elderly. Tacloban City Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez sent her Cristina Learn & Earn Program team to give free haircuts and reflexology to hundreds of senior citizens during the medical mission.

The celebration culminated with the 2nd Coronation Night for the Search for Lolo King and Lola Queen on Oct. 6 at Tacloban City Convention Center/Astrodome. Mayor Romualdez congratulated this year’s Lolo King Leo Rama and Lola Queen Carmelita Yu. Tacloban City Councilors Aimee Grafil and Dr. Elvie Casal, Executive Assistant to the Mayor Dr. Gloria Fabrigas, and the other senior citizens organizations in Tacloban City graced the event.

“We give due respect to our elderlies who have contributed much with what we are today. I ask the younger generation to always uphold the rights of our elderlies at all times, because

someday we will be like them, let them enjoy their remaining years in life,” said Romualdez.

This year’s national theme is “Kilalanin at Parangalan, Taga-Sulong ng Karapatan ng Nakakatanda Tungo sa Lipunang Mapagkalinga.”

Romualdez said simple acts may be done to honor our elderly, such as offering them a seat, allowing them to be served first, kissing their hands as a gesture of respect, using “po” and “opo” in talking to them, assisting them and holding their hands in crossing the street.

Tacloban City has 18,000 registered senior citizens, according to Office of Senior Citizen Association head Rodrigo Cinco. Senior citizens in the city enjoy 20 percent discount in transportation fare, groceries, restaurant, medicines, free consultation at the Tacloban City Hospital & Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, and free movies every Monday at Robinsons’ Place.

STRONG ALLIANCE.

1-Pacman Party-list Rep. Mikee Romero (left) discusses the day’s issues and the public’s best interest with some lawmakers.

With Romero are (from left) siblings 1-Pacman third nominee Marlon Bautista Revilla and Bacoor, Cavite Rep. Strike Revilla, and 1-Pacman Rep. Enrico Pineda. In the 2016 elections, 1-Pacman party-list garnered 1.4-million votes. Lino Santos

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya— President Rodrigo Roa Duterte recently approved a law transforming the Veterans Regional Hospital in this town from a 200-bed to 500-bed capacity facility.

Duterte signed Republic Act 11081 last Sept. 28, which also covers the upgrading

VLOGGER ENDORSERS.

Mega Barkada vloggers show why authenticity matters as Mega Tuna recently launched its ‘Sarap Tuna’ campaign with brand ambassadors Ronan Domingo, Baninay Bautista, Deegee Razon, and Melissa Gohing (from left).

Norman Cruz

of the hospital’s facilities, health care services, increase of its health personnel, and its renaming into the Region 2 Trauma and Medical Center.

Dr. Cirilo Galindez, VRH chief, said the full transformation of the hospital will be done within three years based on RA 11081.

“We are grateful for the approval of this act from the Congress, Senate and

BPSU in food biz inception meeting BALANGA CITY, Bataan—The Bataan Peninsula State University Research Development Office recently conducted an inception meeting with Bataan food processors here.

“We want to know if the researches we will do here in the university could help you. You have to tell us what you need. If particular researches could not help you please tell us. We need your feedback so that we could modify or prioritize,” BPSU President Dr. Greg Rodis told about 50 local food processors in a meeting held at the main campus.

Dr. Hermogenes Paguia, BPSU Acting Vice President for Research, Extension, and Training Services, said: “We want our researches relevant to you that’s why we are presenting them to you first.”

Some of the researches presented were polvoron molder, plastic wastes processor, cashew nut shell charcoal making, and cashew oil making, among others. Food processors gave feedbacks to presenting faculty researchers. Butch Gunio

SSS loan program a hit in C. Luzon

Duterte signs law upgrading Bayombong’s Veterans Regional Hospital

By Ben Moses Ebreo

In BrIef

President Duterte. This will further improve our health services for the benefit of our patients,” he said.

RA 11081 was authored and sponsored by Rep. Luisa Cuaresma in 2016.

Galindez said the law will fill the gap of their present accommodation of patients not only in Nueva Vizcaya but from neighboring provinces in Cagayan Valley

and Cordillera Administrative Region.

He said that during their peak season, patients needing medical services can reach up to more than 300.

“RA 11081 will also pave the way for our filling-up of many crucial medical positions. This will redound to our improved and efficient delivery of health services especially for the poor,” Galindez added.

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga— Phase 2 of the P10-billion new Social Security System pension loan program, which aims to assist the declining financial capability of 1.3-million pensioners nationwide, was successfully launched in Central Luzon.

This was announced by Gloria Corazon Andrada, vice president of the government pension fund in the region, in a media forum Friday.

Andrada said that within two days of launching of the program, about P1.8 million in loan proceeds were processed by the agency, benefiting about 100 qualified pensioners in the region.

The beneficiaries came from pilot areas of Central Luzon, including the cities of Mabalacat and San Fernando in Pampanga, Malolos City in Bulacan, and Olongapo City in Zambales. Romeo Dizon

Onion farmers get PRDP fund assistance

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—The provincial government here recently gave funding assistance for farmers in Aritao town, the onion capital of the province.

The P2 million initial funding assistance for the onion farmers was sourced from the Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP).

The recipient farmers are members of the Federation of Onion Farmers (FOF), which is composed of 11 farmer associations in Aritao town.

A mechanized farm hand tractor was also turnedover to the FOF as additional assistance.

Governor Carlos Padilla said the provincial government will also give P1 million as counterpart to boost the onion industry in the southern part of the province, being the One Town One Product of Aritao.

“These funds are just initial releases for our onion farmers. Actually, P20 million has been allotted

to our onion farmers through the PRDP. The next release will be P5 million and so on until it will be fully released,” he said.

The PRDP is a six-year program (2013-2018) designed to establish the government platform for a modern, climate-smart, and market-oriented agrifishery sector.

It focuses on expanding market access and improving competitiveness while introducing reforms in the internal operations of the Department of Agriculture.

The program contributes to inclusive growth by unleashing the economic potential of rural producers by investing in targeted, climate resilient agri-fishery infrastructure and by upgrading value to agri-based enterprises identified in ground-validated Provincial Commodity Investment Plans linked to national commodity road maps. Ben Moses Ebreo

Life

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

food

monday, october 8, 2018

C1

Kuya J opens new doors

t

HE fastest-growing Filipino restaurant chain in the country, Kuya J, allows more to enjoy its sumptuous offerings and expands further its already growing family. the casual dining restaurant unveiled recently its unique franchise program during a festive event at the sMX Convention Center in sM Aura, Bonifacio Global City.

Kuya J’s franchise program offers potential investors a one-of-a-kind package in the form of in-house financial assistance and exclusive business development support.

Group president and chief executive officer Winglip Chang invited aspiring entrepreneurs to get a slice of the homegrown restaurant brand by signing up as franchisees.

“We have not only created a restaurant brand that is known to serve best-tasting dishes; we have also made it a home for one big happy family that shares the same values,” said Chang.

He continued, “With the launch of the new franchise program, we are able to welcome more members into our growing family.”

Kuya J has built a reputation for unique interpretations of favorite Filipino dishes such as roasted chicken, grilled scallops, bulalo, and crispy pata. It is also known for its distinctive Halo-Halo Espesyal, which guests had the opportunity to enjoy at the event. the event started with an energetic performance by the Far Eastern University cheerdance team. their teamwork was Kuya J Group Inc. president and chief executive officer Winglip Chang

Grilled Scallops

Crispy Pata

Kare-Kare

something Kuya J wanted to underscore as an important part of the brand’s success.

Bamboo capped the event off, serenading guests with some of his hit songs.

Aside from Chang,

Kuya J Group, Inc. chairman Lowell Yu, chief financial officer Francis Reyes, southeastasia Restail, Inc. president Gwen Lourdes Lim, and 8990 Holdings chairman emeritus Luis Yu, Jr. were also present at the event.

Go to www.kuyaj.ph for more information on the restaurant and its franchise program.

Age beautifully with every bite

Here are some of her innovative recipes: Ingredients: ½ cup 2 tbsp.

1 tsp.

1 tbsp. ¼ cup ¼ cup 1½ cup 1 tsp. ¼ tsp.

1 pc

Mangosteen Chutney diced onion minced fresh ginger minced fresh garlic sunflower oil raw or natural brown sugar apple cider vinegar mangosteen pulp (from about 6–8 mangosteens) Chinese five-spice powder white pepper bay leaf

Procedure: 1. Cook onion, garlic, and ginger in sunflower oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until onions are translucent.

2. Add sugar and continue cooking another minute or so until the mixture is sticky.

3. Deglaze the pan by adding the vinegar and scraping down the sides of the pan to remove any sticky bits.

4. Add mangosteen pulp and the rest of the ingredients. turn down the heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring often, until the chutney is thick and bubbly.

It Is true that we don’t have a choice when it comes to getting older, but we can choose how we will age.

For Grace O (Grace Ouano), Foodtrients—her own culinary brand and name for the natural anti-aging properties of food—is a unique approach to fresh, nutritional, and age-defying foods. she focuses on five categories of Foodtrients that are essential to healthful living: - Antioxidant: prevents and repairs oxidative damage to cells caused by free radicals; - Anti-Inflammatory: reduces inflammatory process in cells, tissues, and blood vessels, helping to slow aging and reduce risk of long-term disease; - Immunity Boosters: support the body’s resistance to infection and strengthen immune vigilance and response; - Mind and Beauty: enhancers that encourage vibrant skin and hair, and Grace O’s Age Beautifully Cookbook was named ‘The Best in the World’ by The Gourmand International Cookbook Awards in 2017.

Grace Ouano

Halo-Halo Espesyal

improve mood and mental agility; and - Disease-Preventing: reduces risk factors for common degenerative and age-related diseases.

Last month, she brought her “the Age Beautifully Cookbook: Easy and Exotic Longevity secrets from Around the World” to the Philippines. the one hundred-plus, easy-to-make recipes are built on foundations of modern scientific research and ancient knowledge of medicinal herbs and natural ingredients worldwide that promote health and well-being. the so-called Oscars of the food

world—the Gourmand International Cookbook Awards—last year awarded her recipe book as “the Best in the World” for the Innovative Category. Her book likewise bagged the Gold award in the specialty Cookbook category of the Independent Publishers’ Living Now Book Awards.

Grace O’s Foodtrients is proof that eating well does not mean sacrificing the foods you love. It boils down to making the right, healthy and delicious choices.

I’m at joyce.panares@gmail.com.

Ingredients: 1⁄4 cup 1 tsp.

1 inch 1⁄2 cup 2 pcs 1 can 1 pc 1 lb.

1 tbsp.

Shrimp and Moringa Curry peanut oil minced garlic peeled and thinly sliced ginger root sliced red onion red Anaheim chilis, seeded and cut into strips 19 oz. coconut milk orange or yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips peeled tiger shrimp (devein, if desired), sea salt and ground pep per to taste moringa powder dissolved in 1 tbsp. warm water

Procedure: 1. Heat the peanut oil in a nonreactive saucepan, such as copper or enamel-coated cast iron, over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and onion slices and sauté for 5 minutes.

2. Add the chilies and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add the coconut milk, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Add bell pepper, shrimp, salt, pepper, and moringa powder and simmer for 5 minutes.

Life

C2

monday, october 8, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

A taste of heaven

By Robbie Pangilinan

L

ike Manna from heaven in the Holy Bible, the breads this bakery serves taste heavenly.

“Manna from the Bible was a waferlike bread that tastes like honey sent by God to His people. We got inspired by that story. So we had this dream to be able to share quality breads that taste just heavenly,” says owner rosemarie rafael.

Manna Bakery and Café has assorted breads and pastries. their artisan breads include wheat loaf, white loaf, rye sourdough, brioche bun, classic pandesal, sugar-free breads, and many more. their savory breads include chicken and tuna empanadas, corned beef pandesals, and ham and cheese.

Pastry bestsellers are moist chocolate cakes and red velvet cakes. they also have carrot cakes, no-bake cheesecakes, and brazo de mercedes. their must-try fudge brownies, lemon bars, revel bars, assorted muffins, and cookies are perfect giveaways and gifts. rosemarie, or “Ut,” is proud of Manna’s home-cooked meals and breads that are freshly baked every day and do not have preservatives.

Ut is hands-on at Manna, despite her many other commitments. She is the president of Airspeed international Corporation and Linex Corporation, and the chairman of the Board of Directors of ASP Airspeed Philippines. She is also the chief executive officer of ephesians Management Corporation, president of Speedregalo and Signs and Wonders international. years ago, she opened the Coffee republic, her initial venture in the food industry, and now she has 1Sycamore Food Ventures, Manna Bakery & Café, and elephant express. “in any business you have to be handson, but at the same time i am lucky enough to be blessed with amazing staff and employees who are all hardworking, proactive, and dependable,” says Ut. the country’s flagship carrier, Philippine Airlines, is one of Manna’s clients and, according to Ut, are very satisfied with the quality of their breads and pastries as well as with how they deliver the products. “there are all kinds of challenges in any business but nothing is too difficult when your heart is in it,” avers Ut. Manna Bakery and Café is located at Dacon Bldg., Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City.

Cheese Roll

Corned Beef Pandesal

Hawker Chan’s best-selling Soya Chicken Rice (Hawker Chan Philippines/Facebook)

World’s cheapest Michelin-starred

restaurant opens in Manila

Lemon Bars

Cinnamon Roll

Ensaymada

Metro Manila’s bustling dining scene has just zoomed several notches higher when Hawker Chan, also known as the cheapest Michelinstarred restaurant in the world, opened on July 26. the internationally acclaimed Singapore-based restaurant brings to the Philippines its delicious dishes, including its best-selling Soya Chicken rice.

Hawker Chan’s global popularity belies its humble beginnings. the restaurant was founded by Malaysian chef Chan Hong Meng, the son of a farmer, who flew to Singapore in the 1980s and trained under a Hong kong chef. it was under his mentor’s guidance that he learned to prepare the now famous Singapore Soya Sauce Chicken and Noodle. in 2009, Chef Chan opened a small store at the Chinatown Com Complex, the largest open-air hawker center in Singapore, where he served Soya Sauce Chicken rice, which quickly caught the attention of diners across Singapore. in July of 2016, Michelin’s Singapore Guide debuted and among those recognized was Hawker Chan, making it “the cheapest Michelin-starred res restaurant in the world.”

Filipinos can look forward to the same mouthwatering dishes that have captivated people across the region as Foodee Global Concepts opens the first Hawker Chan at SM Mall of Asia.

Among the dishes offered at Hawker Chan Manila are its signature combina combination platter of char siew, roasted pork,

Hawker Chan founder Chef Chan Hong Meng (Photo from Hawker Chan Philippines/Facebook)

and pork rib, and the whole chicken platter, which are priced reasonably, or P100 to P150 on average.

“We’ve seen how Filipinos try to visit the top-rated restaurants whenever they travel, so we thought why not bring these restaurants to the country?

Since Pinoys love to visit Hawker Chan in Singapore, we thought we’d bring it here, and offer the same combination of great food and affordable luxury to them,” said Foodee Global Concepts chief executive officer rikki Dee. The 86-seater restaurant is located at the ground floor, Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia Complex.

dine out

Canned sardines as fresh as Papa P ACtor Piolo Pascual renews his contract as a local sardines brand’s ambassador.

Pascual extends his term as the face of Mega Sardines, coinciding with reintroduction of an exciting array of the brand’s variants.

Not too long ago, Pascual starred in Mega Sardines’ multi-awarded tV and radio ad, which showcased the brand’s unique and meticulous 12-hour catching-to-canning process. the process captures the company’s dedication to

bring only the best to Filipinos, para sa ikagaganda ng buhay.

“Mega Sardines is part of Filipino life so much so that it’s a staple in Filipino homes, and so is Piolo Pascual. His presence on our screens–– whether big or small––has been impactful over the years, and that’s why he’s perfect as Mega Sardines’ brand ambassador,” said Marvin tiu Lim, vice president of sales and marketing of Mega Global.

Mega Sardines will be launching a series of short films called #MegaGandaAngBuhay, which will showcase contemporary Filipino stories about their struggles, passions, and unwavering resilience.

All variants of Mega Sardines are available in supermarkets nationwide.

The new Mega Fried Sardines is exclusively available at SM Supermarkets, SM Hypermarkets, and SaveMore stores nationwide.

Verbena’s Country Pizza’s sauce is made from tomatoes grown in Tagaytay’s farms.

Bites and free drinks in tagaytay

Piolo Pascual (center) renews his contract as brand ambassador of Mega Sardines.

eNJoy tapas and sangria with a side of tagaytay’s cool breeze by the terrace of restaurant Verbena.

Discovery Country Suites tagaytay’s in-house restaurant offers diners two free glasses of sangria when they order any of Verbena’s tapas, including Potatoes & Chorizo, octopus in Vinegar, and Jalapeno & Corn Croquettas, for only P495 nett.

For those who prefer pizza and beer, they may opt to choose from Fourcheese, taco tostada, or Margherita Country Pizza that comes with two bottles of local beer for P700 nett.

Restaurant Verbena’s Tapas by the Terrace and Pizza & Beer promotions are available until Oct. 31.

Entertainment First look of the much-awaited ‘The Kid Who Would Be King’

The love team of singers Maris Racal and Iñigo Pascual will be one of the showcase performances in ‘One Music X’ in Abu Dhabi.

‘ONE MUSIC X’ to bring one epic weekend in Abu Dhabi

A

FTER bringing the house down during the first “One Music X” music festival in Dubai last year, it takes more than an hour of drive going to its next stop Abu Dhabi.

Gear up for a jam-packed weekend as “One Music X” brings its one-of-a-kind music festival experience in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 9 at the Mubadala Arena, Zayed Sports City. Gates open at 2:00 p.m..

ABS-CBN—through its record company Star Music, official FM radio arm in Mega Manila MOR 101.9 For Life!, music channel Myx, OPM music portal One Music PH, and The Filipino Channel (TFC)—brings together

various cultures that are connected by one thing which is love for music.

“One Music X Abu Dhabi” will have everyone singing along and moving to the beat of the different genres of music from the lineup of artists composed of KZ Tandingan, Iñigo Pascual, Maris Racal, Moira dela Torre, and Aegis.

Apart from good music, “One Music X Abu Dhabi” offers a lot of other activities that everyone in the family and group of friends could enjoy.

If you are in the lookout to try a variety of Filipino and international food, you will surely enjoy the number of food trucks that will make a stop at the venue, which offer pica-pica dishes down to complete meals and desserts.

You will also keep hydrated with the available stalls that offer different choices of drinks as you go all out in

cheering for your favorite artists and singing your hearts out.

For Platinum and Gold ticket holders, they get food and drink vouchers (AED 30 for Platinum tickets and AED 20 for Gold tickets) that they could use to purchase at the food trucks and drinks booths around the venue.

Meantime, you are in for a treat from the different booths around the venue which lets you get a few seconds of fame by being a VJ for a day, impress the crowd by performing your favorite karaoke piece, dedicate songs to a special someone, and win awesome prizes through the exciting games around the venue.

Ticket prices are as follows: Platinum for AED 275, Gold for AED 195, and Silver for AED 135. Purchase your tickets through this link: http://bit. ly/1MXAbuDhabi2018Tickets.

20TH Century Fox has just released the first look photo of the much-awaited The Kid Who Would Be King, written and directed by Joe Cornish (coscribe of blockbuster Ant-Man) stars up and coming actor Louis Serkis in the titular role.

Set for release in the Philippines in March 2019, The Kid Who Would Be King is an extremely exciting epic family adventure where old school magic meets modern world.

Louise Serkis (son of Andy Serkis and whose recent film credits include Alice Through the Looking Glass Glass, Taboo and Mowgli) stars in The Kid Who Would Be King as Alex, a teenager who thinks he’s just another nobody, until he stumbles upon the mythical Sword in the Stone, Excalibur. Now, he must unite his friends and enemies into a band of knights and, together with the legendary wizard Merlin ((Patrick Stewart), take on the wicked enchantress Morgana ((Rebecca Ferguson). With the future at stake, Alex must become the great leader he never dreamed he could be.

With a pedigreed team that includes world renowned cinematographer Bill Pope, who worked on the worldwide Pope hit the Matrix trilogy and the upcoming immersive Alita: Battle Angel, The Kid Who Would Be King also features exciting young actors Dean Chaumoo, Tom Taylor, Rhianna DoChaumoo ris and Angus Imrie.

Visit 20th Century Fox (PH) FB, @20thcenturyfoxph Instagram and 20centuryfox Twitter pages for more of the latest updates on The Kid Who Would Be King.

Young actor Louis Serkis in a scene from 'The Kid Who Would Be King'

HBO launches first horror anthology

’A Mother’s Love’ brings the story of Murni, a single mother who struggles to give her son Jodi a normal life.

HBO brings the scares with the new horror anthology, Folklore, a sixepisode hour-long series that takes place across six Asian countries. It premiered yesterday, Oct. 7 with A Mother’s Love, an Indonesian horror story about a Wewe Gombel, a Javanese female demon.

A Mother’s Love brings the story of Murni, a single mother who struggles to give her son Jodi a normal life. After several quarrels with her landlord, she decides to pack up and take refuge in an old and empty mansion which she has just been hired to clean.

One night, their peaceful stay is interrupted by weird sounds all throughout the house. As she searches for its source, she discovers

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, October 8, 2018

ACROSS 1 Put out a fire 6 Quip 10 Taxis 14 Urge forward 15 Auel heroine 16 Woodwind 17 Nap noisily 18 Complain 19 Dubuque’s state 20 Theater 22 Bodyguard 24 Top-left PC key 26 Garden veggies 27 Fierce fish 31 Frat letter 32 Spout, as Vesuvius 33 Coffee, in slang 36 Depend 40 Rough file 41 Traffic stoppers 42 Swing around 43 Leg joint 44 Unforeseen difficulty 45 Gamma follower 46 Elec. measure 48 James Joyce novel 50 Involve 54 One, in Frankfurt 55 Mexican port 57 Talk nonsensi-

cally 62 Heavy metal 63 In a short time 65 Imitated Bossy 66 Gator kin 67 Prefix for second 68 Leek cousin 69 Little child 70 Very, to Yvette 71 Hot dip DOWN 1 Kind of brake 2 Old Dodge model 3 Fairy-tale word 4 Arid 5 Copper or sulfur 6 Quick punch 7 Took a gander 8 Takes a nap 9 Evening gown fabrics 10 Small-change pouches (2 wds.)

11 Cabin or chateau 12 Leafy shelter 13 Grills a steak 21 Hearth residue 23 Earth-conscious org.

25 Bayou dweller 27 Job benefit 28 Baha’i origin

29 Stratagem 30 Outward show 34 — — standstill 35 Fashion 37 Building additions 38 Pear-shaped instrument 39 Fans’ cries 41 Ambitious one 45 Electric generators 47 Beaded shoe 49 Freedom, in slogans 50 Force out

51 Full of good cheer 52 Trout’s home 53 Of the moon 56 Sector 58 — fide 59 Get steamed up 60 Many August people 61 — St. Vincent Millay 64 Turndowns

a group of malnourished children locked in the attic. Murni reports this to the authorities who then save the children and return them to their families. But what she doesn’t know is she has just stolen the children from their adoptive mother – Wewe Gombel. Now, Murni must beware of the demon’s wrath.

A Mother’s Love will be followed by tales from Japan (Tatami) Singapore (Nobody), Thailand (Pob), Malaysia (Toyol), and Korea (Mongdal).

HBO’s first horror anthology is a modern adaptation of each country’s myths and folklore which feature supernatural beings and occult beliefs. Episodes are helmed by different directors from various

Asian countries, and are filmed in the local language of the country that the episode is based in.

Some of the actors that will headline their countries’ episodes are Korean actress Lee Chae Yeon from Running Man, Malaysian actor Bront Palarae from HBO Asia’s Halfworlds, and Japanese star Kazuki Kitamura from Godzilla.

Catch the exclusive premiere of “Folklore” on HBO Ch. 54 SD/Ch. 168 HD (For Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, Lipa-Batangas) or on Ch. 402 SD/710 HD (For Bacolod, Baguio, Cebu, Davao, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo). SKYdirect subscribers can watch on Ch. 22 HD. It is also available for streaming on HBO GO.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018

C3

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Simply...

From C4

Kuya Kim, Mariel Rodriguez Padilla, other celeb moms Against Invisible Kulob Stains Have you ever experienced wanting to wear a favorite shirt only to be overwhelmed by that nauseating kulob smell? With those occasional rainy days suddenly coming up, many people think that kulob smell is caused by indoor drying.

In truth, kulob is caused by invisible stains on clothes.

Mariel Rodriguez Padilla, Say Alonzo, and Joy Sotto are just some of those people wishing for kulob smell to disappear. A new online video answers their wish, thanks to Kuya Kim Atienza laying down the facts behind the new Ariel, and how its latest formulation gives the deepest clean that keeps clothes free from invisible kulob stains that cause the malodor.

Invisible kulob stains?

How exactly can you see them? How can you get rid of them?

There are many myths behind that kulob stench that attaches on clothes. Good thing Kuya Kim shared his personal explanation for this, “Marami na akong mga naririnig na kuro-kuro tungkol sa amoy kulob sa damit, lalo na kapag maulan ang panahon. Alam mo ba na ang amoy kulob ay sanhi ng mga mantsang hindi nakikita ng ating mga mata? Maaari ring ito ay nagmula sa hindi sapat na paglalaba ng damit na siyang dahilan ng pagkakaroon ng mga mikro-organismong nagbibigay ng mabahong amoy ng kulob!”

For the ever fashionable Mariel Rodriguez Padilla, the awful kulob smell can cut down her confidence even while wearing her bestlooking outfits. In the past, the start of the rainy season meant putting up with “kulob,” a problem she has finally conquered with the help of Ariel’s innovative formula.

Kulob has also been an issue in Say Alonzo’s and Joy Sotto’s households before.

Even with their children’s freshly washed clothes looking clean, there’s still a tendency for that foul kulob smell to persist. They shared that this problem gets even worse during the rainy season, which deeply troubled meticulous moms like them. It’s a good thing they don’t have to worry anymore, since Ariel’s superior cleaning power can now effectively fight against those invisible kulob stains.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018

ISAH V. RED

Jeff Canoy wins at NY Festivals, named 2018 Marshall McLuhan fellow

TAYLOR SWIFT to open 2018 AMA

DICK clark productions announced global superstar Taylor Swift is opening the 2018 American Music Awards with a performance of “I Did Something Bad,” marking her first awards show performance in nearly three years.

A 19-time AMA winner, Swift garnered four 2018 nominations and is the current record holder of most wins for Artist of the Year, a category for which she is nominated again this year.

Swift joins previously announced performers Benny Blanco with Halsey and Khalid, Cardi B featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin, Mariah Carey, Ciara featuring Missy Elliott, Dua Lipa, Panic! At the Disco, Post Malone ft. Ty Dolla $ign, Carrie Underwood and a moving tribute to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.

Hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross, the 2018 American Music Awards, the world’s largest fan-voted awards show, will broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 8:00 a.m. on Blue Ant Entertainment.

Swift is set to take the stage on the heels of her record-breaking Taylor Swift Reputation Stadium Tour in support of the charttopping and critically acclaimed album of the same name, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, marking her fifth leader on the chart. She is nominated for Artist of the Year, Tour of the Year, Favorite Female Artist – Pop/Rock and Favorite Album – Pop/Rock.

American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift will open the 2018 American Music Awards, her first awards show performance in nearly three years.

IN CHARACTER. Carla Abella, Gabbi Garcia, Sophie Albert, Shaira Diaz and Jasmine Curtis Smith are sisters in GMA Network's latest primetime drama, 'Pamilya Roces.'

PAMILYA ROCES

It’s campy—a funny and dramatic reflection of real life

By Nickie Wang

G

MA Network unveils a new spectacle that is all set to make an interesting debut later tonight, it’s called Pamilya Roces.

In interview with Joel Lamangan, who is at the helm of the series, the multi-awarded director said that Pamilya Roces is campy as it dramatizes a real story in a funny way.

“We cannot say that the series is inspired by real characters or it glorifies the idea of a patriarch having multiple families because we are just presenting a story that happens in real life. It can be anybody’s story, which makes it very relatable,” Lamangan told Manila Standard.

According to the director, who marks his return to GMA Network three years after his last television project, Pamilya Roces showcases different perspectives of a family that viewers will find amusing, but more importantly, witness relatable scenes that will tug at their heartstrings and endear them to its characters all throughout.

“It helps that this series has a brilliant cast. Everyone is professional, from the newbies to the senior actors. It makes my work much easier even if I have them all together in one scene,” Lamangan added.

As the title suggests, the series is all about the Roces family. The patriarch is Rodolfo played by Roi Vinzon. He is rich, easily tempted, and the root cause of this entire family drama.

On the outside, the Roces clan is perfectly happy and whole. They have wealth, power, and they own the biggest jewelry empire in the country. But that is just an illusion, because the truth is that the patriarch has not just one, not two, but three families.

One day, Rodolfo unfortunately gets a heart attack, all three families rush to his side. With this revelation, things get complicated. Suddenly, three women and five sisters find their lives outrageously and well, hilariously, intertwined.

The legal family is headed by Gloria Diaz as Natalia Austria-Roces, Rodolfo’s wife. She is beautiful, sophisticated and a former model who came from a well-off family. She has a very supportive sister, Camilla Austria, played by Snooky Serna. Camilla is kind, down-to-earth and treats Rodolfo’s children well.

Rodolfo has two daughters. His eldest is Crystal Rose Roces-Javellana, played

by Carla Abellana. She has always been independent and is being groomed to be the next CEO of their company.

Gabbi Garcia plays Jade Roces, the younger daughter. Spoiled, and very self-

absorbed, she is a famous social media influencer and her personality often clashes with her father.

Rodolfo’s second family is composed of Violet Balocboc, played by Elizabeth Oropesa, a former backup dancer. She will later on use her daughter, Amber Balocboc, played by Sophie Albert to get a larger share of Rodolfo’s wealth.

Playing equally vital roles are the members of the third family: Ana Roces as Lily Renacia, Rodolfo’s true love and the mother of Pearl and Amethyst played

by Jasmine Curtis-Smith and Shaira Diaz, respectively.

Joining the powerhouse ensemble are Rocco Nacino, Andre Paras, Christian Bautista, Mika Dela Cruz, and Manolo Pedrosa.

Pamilya Roces airs weeknights after Onanay on GMA Telebabad.

Christian Bautista and Andre Paras play support yet equally important roles in the latest drama.

A critique on Philippine Ballet Theater’s Cinderella production

By Nina Anonas I FRANKLY have not watched Philippine Ballet Theater (PBT) in a long time, perhaps years. I have also made a habit of not watching the classics unless I am certain that the dancers are superb. (My last full length ballet was in March 2018 at St. Petersburg, where the exquisite Tereshkina essayed the role of Giselle. I was in tears, in my seat, which I lucked out on. A couple gave up their seats and I and my better half swooped right in. But before that Giselle, the last classic I watched was in what feels like an eternity.)

But, in my support of my new student at the College of Saint Benilde, Michaella Carreon, who invited me, I decided to watch two Saturdays ago.

Michaella Carreon, by the way, was neat and precise in her performance of one of the fairies. It is gratifying to know that I can mentor the next ballerina in my classes. I was reminded of my staunch commitment to support all young, aspiring dancers. I was so pleased I went. I witnessed surefooted, purist dancing, not only from Veronica Atienza who delineated the lead role of Cinderella; the entire ensemble matched Atienza’s undertaking to fill each note with razor movements that shifted back and forth with ease, regardless of the en dehor and en dedan turns that mingled with the quick piqués and turns in fondu coupé derrière.

She was relentless in her portrayal of pursuing ideals that seem lost and archaic in today’s world; but nevertheless invigorating to viewers who want to forget the rate of inflation that looms outside the theater doors.

She leavened the phrases of Prokofiev’s music with a vulnerability and gentleness that were a

sharp juxtaposition to her articulate footwork and sweeping jumps. By all intents and purposes, and from what I saw were the capabilities of PBT’s male dancers, there was conceivably no need for the guest artist, Kristoffer Reyes, to have flown in from the Pamela Hayes Dance Company to partner the able bodied, Atienza, except if the considerations were for height requirements.

The pièce de résistance for the evening however, was Ron Jaynario’s choreography, which served as a fitting vehicle for the technicians of PBT. It reminded me of Balanchine’s work; similarly quick, each note impossibly occupied by a step, a demanding combination of movements with seamless transitions that still translated to lyricism on stage. The partnering maneuvers were multi–leveled and unconventional: Cinderella uncharacteristically ending the pas de deux with her

head cradled poignantly on the Prince’s knee; or the ballerina’s developpés and tours disappearing flawlessly into arcs and shapes by the deftly assistance of danseurs who simply melted into and away from the architecture of the work.

His choreography was incongruent, and yet congruent, there was a flash of an upturned hip and a turned in thigh; and yet it was very classical to its core.

The PBT dancers were more than able to concretize the demands of Jaynario’s movement vocabulary; including the work he devised for the stepsisters! Those boys will never underestimate pointe work ever again. But even they rose to the occasion, pitting pirouettes and hops en pointe against each other. They were, as planned, a perfect foil to the tender Cinderella.

Regardless of the one dimensional sets and some predictable costumes, the more significant point of discussion is that the company looks strong and ready for the next millennium. There was no need for a narrator. Cinderella’s story is, as they say as “old as the hills;” but PBT celebrated it intending to emphasize “the new,” with craftsmanship such as Jaynario’s and 21st century virtuosity, the story unfolded easily without the benefit of a verbal narrative.

Bravo to the Cinderella production. Bravo to PBT, a Filipino dance company with the verve, technique, and heart to rival the best in the world. Truly, the gift of beautiful, extraordinary dancing in one night.

Nina Anonas, professor and academic adviser at the College of Saint Benilde, Chairman of the Philippine Dance Cup, Examiner of the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet, Founding Member of the Association of Ballet Academies Philippines.

ABS-CBN News correspondent and anchor Jeff Canoy is on a winning streak, nabbing awards from the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, the prestigious Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards in France, and the Marshall McLuhan fellowship grant.

At the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards, he won first prize in the English Essay category, for his coverage of the “Marawi Siege” in 2017 with fellow ABS-CBN News journalist Chiara Zambrano.

His long-form essay “Buhay pa kami’: Dispatches from Marawi,” describing the realities of the monthslong urban war in Marawi, Lanao Del Sur moved the judges, awarding him the top prize. The coverage details the terrors of the war through the eyes of civilians and soldiers during the conflict that ravaged their city.

The piece also won an honorable mention award for Excellence in Explanatory Reporting at the Society of Publishers in Asia’s (SOPA) 2018 Awards in June.

Meanwhile, Jeff was named this year’s Marshall McLuhan fellow, an award given yearly by the Canadian Embassy in the Philippines for “embodying outstanding qualities in the field of investigative journalism” and recognizes journalists for the quality of their reports in newspapers, television and online.

Jeff credited his journalism idols and former winners of the McLuhan fellowship, including ABS-CBN chief of reporters Lynda Jumilla and ABSCBN News contributing editor and writer Inday Varona for inspiring his work ethic.

Later in September, Jeff received an award from the prestigious Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards in Cannes, France. The annual event in one of the most important film centers of world honors the “finest corporate films, online media productions and documentaries.”

In 2017, Jeff and Chiara were part of the ABS-CBN DocuCentral documentary on the war called “’Di Ka Pasisiil’ (Never Shall Be Conquered),” which detailed the experiences of both soldiers and civilians in the war that ravaged Marawi. It won the 2018 World’s Best Television & Films competition in New York under the category of Continuing News Coverage in April this year.

Jeff was an intern and production assistant for ABS-CBN before becoming a reporter covering the police on the graveyard shift, national police, national conflicts, and disasters beats. He credits his mentors like news veterans Nadia Trinidad, Jorge Carino, and ABS-CBN Integrated News head Ging Reyes for shaping his journalistic ethics. His likes being on the ground and being with the people affected directly by the events he covers.

“At the end of the day, it’s never about you, it’s always about the story,” said Jeff. “There’s so much more to learn.”

Jeff, who also appears in Umagang Kay Ganda, is the anchor of the current affairs program and 2018 Golden Dove Award for Best TV Public Service Program Red Alert both on ABS-CBN television and Red Alert sa DZMM, which educate and inform viewers/listeners on how to prepare for calamities, natural disasters, and everyday hazards. It is airedon ABS-CBN and ABS-CBN HD every Wednesday after Bandila and at 9:30 pm on DZMM TeleRadyo.

Red Alert sa DZMM airs on Sundays at 10 a.m. on DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 and DZMM TeleRadyo. Continued on C3

Broadcast journalist Jeff Canoy