Manila Standard - 2018 November 16 - Friday

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Bells ring in Rody’s US visit ‘Balangiga’ returns to PH 117 years after VOL. XXXII • NO. 274 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

Conviction is enough, Suarez chimes in on Imelda MINORITY Leader Danilo Suarez says he shares the sentiment of human rights lawyer Rene Saguisag in connection with the conviction of Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos in seven graft cases at the Sandiganbayan antigraft court.

Suarez is one of the congressmen who are against Marcos’ arrest.

“He [Saguisag] said conviction is enough. It’s shameful enough that you are convicted already,” Suarez said.

“He is somehow saying that there is no need to jail the former first lady. She is already 89 years old.”

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Thursday President Rodrigo Duterte will not intervene in Marcos’ conviction because he does not tolerate his friends’ wrongdoings.

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Senate sets aside P10b for program to scrap rice tariff

FORMER Vice President Jejomar Binay said Thursday his daughter, incumbent Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay, deserved to be reelected in the May 2019 midterm polls because she performed well and had shown genuine compassion for her constituents compared to her predecessor.

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INGAPORE—President Rodrigo Duterte will visit the United States if his condition that the Americans return the historic Balangiga bells is met, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Thursday.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Vito Barcelo

AN INITIAL appropriation of P10 billion a year will be allocated to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund under the Rice Tariffication bill until all duties collected from the importation of rice can replace it, according to Senator Cynthia Villar.

Voting 14-0-0, the Senate on Wednesday night approved on third and final reading Senate Bill 1998 under Committee Report 440, or An Act Replacing the Quantitative Import Restrictions on Rice with Tariffs, Lifting the Quantitative Export Restrictions.

The measure would create the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund as a special rice safeguard duty to protect the rice industry from sudden or extreme price fluctuations.

Malacañang on Thursday expressed optimism that the rice tariffication bill will pass smoothly through the deliberations at the bicameral conference committee that will help ensure stable and lower rice prices in the country.

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Makati mayor deserves new mandate, says ex-VP Binay

By Joel E. Zurbano

By Nat Mariano

Binay said public services and government operations were ignored and declined during the time of Mayor Romulo Peña Jr. and these included significant benefits for residents he initiated during his term as Makati mayor.

“She showed very good performance. She deserves to be reelected,” Binay told a forum in Manila.

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In a press briefing during the 33rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit here, Locsin said Duterte will have to pay an official visit to the United States as he already confirmed that the bells—taken as trophies during the Filipino-American war—will be returned to the Philippines after 117 years.

“Well, they’re coming back so he [Duterte] will have to go there to the United States,” Locsin said.

Locsin recalled how he told then US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, last year that President Duterte said he would step foot on American soil only if the historic bells were returned to the country.

Locsin said he had already informed the President the other night about the US meeting his condition.

“He laughed,” Locsin said. “He said yes [to going to the US].”

Locsin’s remarks came a day after the President attended the ASEAN-US Summit, which was attended by US Vice President Mike Pence.

“Mike Pence is extremely convincing, he spoke very well, [and] he has a complete grasp of the different issues,” Locsin said, addRINGIN’ TO BE HOME. The Balangiga bells of the Philippines—two from Wyoming and one from the US ing that the Southeast Asian base at Camp Red Cloud in South Korea, taken as war trophies during the bloody Philippine-American war—are leaders tackled concerns marking time for their arrival back after 117 years, their echoes raising the spirits of Filipinos excited about the homecoming expected to hasten the ‘diplomatic and historical healing’ between the two allies. Photo by DFA’s Elmer Cato

DFA chief taunts media: Go, fly over China stations

China leader sets 1st state visit to PH in 13 years

Du30: Power naps keep me energized

By Nat Mariano

By Nat Mariano

SINGAPORE—Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. challenged Filipino journalists to verify reports that China has installed three weather stations in the disputed West Philippine Sea— even after the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced their installation last week.

“I don’t even know if there are weather stations. Apparently media knows (sic) about it, but nobody else seems to,” Locsin said in a press conference during the 33rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit here in Singapore.

Asked if the Duterte administration has made efforts “to at least verify” the reported installations, Locsin said the media will have to ask Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

“But I believe you should first verify it yourselves,” he said.

“If you heard that, it’s very easy to just fly over it. Don’t you have that capability? I mean that’s a story. That’s only my view, we can’t respond to something that just pops up in the Internet. Have you seen it? Apparently it can be done by media,” said the DFA chief, a former TV host and journalist.

Last week, the South China Morning Post reported that Beijing has started operating a maritime observation center, a meteorological observatory, a national environmental and an air quality monitoring station in artificial islands in the South China Sea.

SINGAPORE—Chinese President Xi Jinping is coming to the Philippines for a state visit from Nov. 20 to 21 upon the invitation of President Rodrigo Duterte, the Palace announced Thursday.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the two leaders will exchange views on areas of mutual concern and chart the course for the future PhilippinesChina bilateral relations.

Panelo could not say if there were any major agreements that would be signed during the visit, saying only that it was “a good opportunity to discuss certain issues that require attention.”

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said he still has to work on the arrangements for Xi’s visit.

“We’re working on that. There’s a whole list here of things to talk about. We’re still finalizing it. I have to go to Papua New Guinea for the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation Summit,” said Locsin in a press conference Thursday afternoon hours before the closing ceremony of the 33rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Singapore.

“Of course, I’ll rush back [to the country] immediately to finalize it,” he added. Next page

SINGAPORE—President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday made light of his penchant for daytime dozes after his office said “power naps” had caused him to miss a number of key meetings at the ASEAN summit in Singapore.

Duterte is attending the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting alongside a string of world leaders including Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Japan’s Shinzo Abe, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and US Vice-President Mike Pence.

But on Wednesday, the President missed four of the 11 meetings he was slated to attend, as well as a gala dinner hosted by Singaporean leader Lee Hsien Loong.

“What’s wrong with my nap?” the 73-year-old told reporters as he arrived at the summit venue on Thursday morning for another long day of meetings.

Asked if he felt fully rested he replied: “Still not good enough, but enough to sustain the endurance for the last days.”

Duterte’s no-shows on Wednesday prompted a statement from his office explaining he had only had three hours of sleep the night before.

“He took power naps to catch [up] on sleep,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said, adding that “some quarters are making a big fuss of the President skipping a few meetings.”

“We assure the nation that his aforementioned absence has nothing to do with his physical health and wellbeing which have been the subject of speculation,” he added.

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XI JINPING

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DUTERTE

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News

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Solons probe ‘planting of evidence’

es of Abra, Masbate, Zamboanga and Lanao del Sur which have been marred by killings apparently linked to the 2019 elections.

A councilor aspirant in Zamboanga, Teomila Nobleza, was planning to file her certificate of candidacy for the 2019 elections when unidentified armed man shot her dead.

In Placer, Masbate, Councilor Antonio de Ocampo, who is also planning to run in the 2019 elections, was killed by armed men while his child was wounded in the attack.

A day after the killing, Albayalde said they hadn’t had any vital information at hand as to the people who could shed light on the shooting incident that also resulted in the death of Concepcion’s security aide, Michael Ulep.

A Special Investigation Task Group has been formed but it has yet to establish the motive for the ambush.

But Albayalde is hoping that Concepcion, who is in stable condition in hospital

and under heavy guard, could provide crucial information leading to the identification of the armed behind his ambush.

“Hopefully she [the mayor] could identify the assailants but we have to give her space to recover fully,” Albayalde said.

While putting La Union in the election hot spots, Albayalde, on the other hand, has to wait for the decision of the Commission on Elections as to whether the poll body will put the province under its control.

Albayalde remained clueless as to the circumstances surrounding the ambush, saying the two politicians were not in the drug watch list, but linked the ambush to political rivalry based on previous incidents.

In light of the ambush, some candidates have requested police security.

Meanwhile, Alabayalde said a tracker team from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Region 3 had already launched a manhunt against gun-for-hire leader Ricardo Peralta.

is a time of solemn remembrance as we pay tribute to all those who gave up their lives From A1 during the Filipino-American War,” DFA Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato said about trade and economic development of in a statement. all the countries in the region with Pence.

The announcement was made by Defense US Embassy spokesperson Molly Secretary James Mattis during the Veterans Koscina assured the Philippines that the US Remembrance Ceremony at the Warren Air Department of Defense was committed to a Force Base in Wyoming, which was attendtimely return of the bells in accordance with ed by Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose their laws and policies.

Manuel Romualdez.

Although some US officials opposed atIn returning the bells of Balangiga to the tempts to return the bells, Koscina said the country, Mattis said the US picks up this genUS Defense Department already notified eration’s responsibility to deepen the respect Congress in August that it intends to repatri- between the American and Filipino people. ate the bells.

“History teaches us that nations with “The decision follows a year-long con- allies thrive. In returning the bells of sultative process with associated veterans’ Balangiga to our ally and our friend, the organizations and government officials to Philippines, we pick up our generation’s reensure appropriate steps are taken to pre- sponsibility to deepen the respect between serve the history of the veterans associated our peoples, linking the Western people, with the bells,” she said. the great State of Wyoming and people in In a statement, the Department of Foreign Philippines,” he said.

Affairs welcomed the gesture.

“We return the bells with consideration of “The Philippine government and the Fili- our present but also with utmost respect of pino people appreciate this gesture. Today our past,” he added.

Romualdez said the announcement marks a closure to the part of history that the two nations had in the 1900s.

“This is a very significant (event) that we have today, not only because these bells represent the long history that the Philippines and the United States had, but it brings to a close a part of our history—the FilipinoAmerican War in the 1900s,” he said.

“Of course, many people died in that war and we honor those people, but more than that, we also honor those people who died in the World War II and the many wars that we fought with the US,” he said.

Romualdez said the bells are expected to be shipped back to the Philippines by the end of 2018.

The two war artifacts will be refurbished in a facility in Philadelphia and transferred to one of the US Air Bases in South Korea, where the third bell is housed, before its transit to the Philippines.

“Before the end of the year we should expect these all three bells from Balangiga back in the Philippines,” Romualdez said.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III said the

imminent return of the bells would continue the process of “historical and diplomatic healing between the Philippines and the United States.”

He described the bells’ return as a timely and significant gesture that can only lead to the further mending and strengthening of relations between two traditional allies.

“We’ve insisted on getting them back for generations,” Pimentel said. “Now that the Balangiga bells are coming home after more than a century, we’re thankful.”

President Duterte called for the return of the Balangiga bells in his second State of the Nation Address in 2017.

Pimentel filed Senate Resolution No. 610 more than seven years ago on Sept. 28, 2011 seeking the return of the bells and other war artifacts taken by US troops at the turn of the 20th century. His father, former senator Aquilino “Pimentel, authored the first Senate resolution on the issue in 2002.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said the return of the bells would symbolize the renewed goodwill between Filipinos and Americans.

With Macon Ramos-Araneta and PNA

on the way to Abubakar. That’s how we did it in the old days,” he said.

Locsin, who was the permanent Philippine Representative to the United Nations, also dismissed the idea of filing a diplomatic protest.

“When I was in the UN, they would keep asking me to file notes verbales. I said no, I call that notes verbiage,” he said.

“Every time you send a note verbale and no one responds to it, what does that look like? When you keep sending those notes— I know some people say, just keep on sending them—what I keep calling it is banging your head against the wall,” Locsin said.

Responding to critics who accuse the Duterte administration of failing to assert the country’s rights, Locsin said the Philippines is “absolutely not giving up” its rights over the contested waters.

“I have repeatedly said not an inch, not an iota of sovereignty. I keep saying it. I said it also in the UN,” he said.

“The critics are saying, if you don’t repeatedly assert it, you’re giving it up. They don’t know their law.

I’m sorry, you know, not everyone went to a good school,” said Locsin, who finished his master of laws degree from Harvard University.

Locsin said that while China did not react to the President’s call for self-restraint in the disputed waters, it did favor the push for a code of conduct to govern disputes in the area.

“China didn’t say anything. But the Pres-

ident was very clear: Let’s exercise restraint and there was no response, which is you can interpret it as you want but it was rather bold of our President to bring it up. The use of the word restraint,” he said.

Malacañang has announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit the country next week.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte himself invited Xi to undertake a state visit to the country from Nov. 20 to 21 this year, adding this will be the first state visit of a Chinese President in 13 years.

“During the state visit, the two leaders will exchange views on areas of mutual concern and chart the course for the future of Philippines-China bilateral relations,” he said.

Duterte earlier urged Southeast Asian leaders to work for an “expeditious conclusion” to negotiations with China on a code of conduct (COC) for the disputed South China Sea, a process Beijing estimated would take three years.

“Well, we are the country coordinator for Asean-China, I will try my best,” Duterte told reporters during the sidelines of the third day of the 33rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Singapore.

“I made a very strong statement yesterday about the urgent need for a COC so that everybody will know, because when you claim an ocean... then that is a new development in today’s world,” he said.

He also said that with the prickly ties between China and the United States, a “bad miscalculation” could lead to a conflict.

increase in the number of permit renewals with 33,729 posted as of Sept. 10, which topped by more than 900 last year’s total of 32,790 renewals.

This shows that Makati remains the location of choice for local and foreign businesses.

With more revenues, Mayor Abby said her administration could continue expanding and adding new benefits for residents, particularly in health, education and social welfare.

Just last week, the Commission on Audit declared Makati as the country’s richest city, with total assets reaching P196.5 billion.

It is also the first and only local government to exceed the P100-billion mark.

For more than five years, Makati was outranked by Quezon City as the richest locality.

Since Mayor Abby took office in July 2016, the city government has implemented reforms at City Hall to facilitate business

registration and promote transparency, including an aggressive campaign against fixers.

She also ordered the strict monitoring of businesses for compliance with relevant laws, in line with her thrust to restore discipline and respect for the law in the city.

Under her leadership, Makati earned the first-ever ‘unqualified audit opinion’ of the Commission on Audit in the latter’s audit report for calendar year 2017.

This means that the financial statements of the city government conform with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and that they fairly represent the city’s financial accounts.

It was also in 2017 that the city posted, for the first time in 12 years, a two-digit increase in revenue collections.

Makati City also met the performance target set by the Bureau of Local Government Finance under the Department of Finance in 2017.

EVEN lawmakers on Thursday sought a congressional probe into what they claimed as the planting of evidence allegedly being used against the critics of the Duterte administration.

television series Ang Probinsyano as earlier stated by Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde.

He reminded the public that the use of police uniforms in the show was a violation of the law.

“Let’s face it: The PNP has done a lot of good deeds, and especially now,” said Lacson, a former police chief.

“I think it’s unfair to portray the PNP like that.”

The Makabayan Bloc filed the resolution following the arrest of National Democratic Front of the Philippines consultant Vic Ladlad over his alleged illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

“The planting of supposed evidence,

particularly firearms and explosives, is now becoming a serious pattern among security forces to unjustly charge the victims like Ladlad, Baylosis and Silva with nonbailable charges, placing them behind bars while cases are being litigated,” the resolution says.

The bloc said such scheme also violates the letter and intent of the Joint Agreement on Security and Immunity Guarantees, signed between the Philippine government and the NDFP in 1995. The JASIG supposedly protects people involved in the peace talks from surveillance, arrests, detention, prosecution, interrogation and other form of harassment during the negotiations, the resolution says.

In House Resolution 2305, the members of the Makabayan Bloc urged the House Committee on Human Rights and the Special Committee on Peace, Unity and Reconciliation to jointly investigate in aid of legislation the reported planting of evidence and filing of trumped-up charges by police and military authorities against activist and critics of the government, including consultants in the government’s negotiations

with the communist rebels.

The bloc is composed of Party-list Representatives Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna, Antonio Tinio and France Castro of ACT Teachers, Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas of Gabriela, Ariel Casilao of Anakpawis and Sarah Elago of Kabataan.

The bloc sought the probe even as Senator Panfilo Lacson described as “unfair” the negative portrayal of policemen in the

LPA worsens into typhoon, threatens PAR

La Union counts among election ‘hot spots’

By Rio N. Araja A LOW pressure area outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Thursday had developed into a tropical depression.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the tropical depression is threatening to enter the PAR by Saturday night or Sunday morning.

The weather system was estimated at 2,715 kilometers east of Mindanao.

Packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 60 km/h, it was moving westward at 20 kph.

Ariel Rojas, weather specialist, said the tropical depression, if it enters the PAR, would be named “Samuel.”

He said the weather system would affect the eastern part of the Visayas and Mindanao.

The LPA earlier spotted within the PAR had already dissipated.

Another LPA at 370 kilometers southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan had formed.

PAGASA, however, said the new LPA has a slim chance to become a tropical depres-

China leader...

From A1

Xi’s historic visit to the country comes after his attendance at the APEC 2018 from Nov. 16 to 17 in Papua New Guinea.

Duterte will also attend the summit with his delegation.

Xi’s will be the first visit of a Chinese president to the country in 13 years.

In 2005, Chinese president Hu Jintao made a state visit to the country under the administration of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The two forged stronger ties as Hu’ visit coincided with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The last time Xi visited Manila was in November 2015 during the APEC hosted by the Philippines.

Duterte had invited Xi to visit the Philippines during all of his three trips to China dated October 2016, May 2017, and this April.

In preparation for Xi’s visit, Foreign Minister Wang Yi flew to Davao City in late October to meet with Duterte and Locsin.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang had also made an official visit to Manila in November 2017, marking his first time in 10 years.

The Duterte administration, however, has not yet given any details about Xi’s schedule in the Philippines, what issues will be discussed, and what specific agreements will be forged during his visit.

The Palace had earlier said there are plans for a framework agreement on joint exploration for oil and gas to be signed in time for Xi’s visit. With Vito Barcelo

Senate...

From A1

Malacañang Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the measure had been certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a statement, Malacañang extended its gratitude to the Senate for passing the administration bill seeking to replace the import restrictions on rice with a tariff system.

With the passage of the rice tariffication bill, Senator Sonny Angara said the price of rice was expected to fall by P7 per kilo.

Senators unanimously approved setting the RCEF at a minimum P10 billion a year for six years, and tariff revenues in excess of P10 billion will be appropriated

by Congress based on a menu of programs in the rice tariffication law.

The fund will be used to provide different forms of assistance to rice farmers such as the development of inbred rice seeds, rice farm equipment and skills enhancement.

Villar, the sponsor and principal author of the bill, said the staple grain was the only agricultural commodity in the country that had a quantitative restriction, limiting the flow of imported rice to the country.

But all the unnecessary intervention of the government in the rice market would be removed, Villar said.

From A1

He said Duterte does not use his position to influence court decisions.

“This President is one of a kind. He does not intervene in such matters,” Panelo told reporters in Singapore as Duterte joined other Southeast Asian leaders for the 33rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit.

Marcos has apologized to the Sandiganbayan for her inability to show up last week when she was convicted of seven counts of graft, citing health reasons.

Marcos also said she was advised by her doctors to avoid ‘stressful conditions.’

Rep. Lito Atienza said Marcos’ age should be considered.

“If Senator Enrile can be released on the basis of age and health, then the former first lady is also an elderly person. She is 89 and she is not totally that healthy,” Atienza said.

But Rep. Carlos Zarate disagreed.

“Go to the National Bilibid Prison and there are a lot of senior citizens and political prisoners there. Their cases have not been resolved until now. One of them died already,” Zarate said.

Meanwhile, the Sandiganbayan has deferred the issuance of a warrant of arrest against Marcos.

This was after Marcos’ camp filed a motion to avail itself of the possible remedies for the absence of Marcos and her lawyer, Robert Sison, and also asked for a deferment of the issuance of a warrant.

The motion is set for hearing today, Friday.

Zarate, expressed disappointment over the deferment of the issuance of the arrest warrant, saying the victims of human rights violations under Ferdinand Marcos’ administration had been waiting for this conviction for so long.

“We are calling to apply the law fairly as we can see here that there is a special treatment for the Marcos family,” Zarate said.

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

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Conviction...

By Francisco Tuyay and Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Philippine National Police said Thursday it will include La Union province in its “election hot spots” following the latest ambush-slaying of Balaoan Vice Mayor Alfred Concepcion and the wounding of her daughter Aleli and eight others by still unidentified armed men.

“For obvious reasons La Union will be included in the hot spots during the elections,” PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde said.

He made his statement even as Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday called on the police to focus on the political situation in La Union following the killings of local officials.

“I think they should also address the issue of gun-for-hire groups,” said Lacson who served as police chief under the Estrada administration.

The PNP has already listed La Union in the election watch list, including the provinc-

Bells...

DFA chief...

From A1

“These projects are designed to observe the maritime, hydrological, meteorological conditions and air qualities, and provide such services as maritime warning and forecast, tsunami alert, weather forecast, air quality forecast, and disaster prevention and relief,” SCMP quoted an official from the Chinese Foreign Ministry as saying in a press conference.

He said that China aims “to improve civil services and provide public goods and services to countries in this region.”

In response, Locsin said, he doesn’t understand what the media wanted him to do.

“Oh wow. There it is. You take their word for it then? Right? You do? I don’t get it.

What do you want us to do? You mean, China announced it has put up weather stations? Fine, okay. And then?” he said.

He then said he didn’t think the weather stations were claims of ownership.

“There it is. Weather stations. I don’t think they’re claims of ownership, they’re claims of sovereignty. They’re weather stations. I’d have to ask, you know I’ll ask the military later what they feel about it,” he said, dismissing them as “a non-issue.”

“You guys claim there is a weather station out there. I suggest you guys fly there. Why not? That’s what I’ll tell you. That’s what I did as a journalist. When there was a conflict in Mindanao, I took my team into the battlefield

Makati mayor...

From A1

Binay, now running for a House seat to represent Makati’s 1st district, served as city chief executive from 1986 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2010 before he was elected vice president in 2010.

Abigail is the official candidate for mayor of the United Nationalist Alliance chaired by her father. She is running against her brother, also former Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay.

Binay said the city under the leadership of his daughter regained its fiscal strength, with 90 percent of the 2018 target—or P14.17 billion—already met in August.

Some 3,378 new business establishments in Makati were recorded by the Business Permit and Licensing Office from January to Sept.10 this year.

The city government noted a significant

Du30:...

From A1 Duterte has regularly prompted speculation about his health by skipping events or discussing his ailments in public since taking power in 2016.

Duterte has said previously that he suffers from daily migraines and ailments including Buerger’s disease, an illness that affects the veins and the arteries of the limbs, and is usually due to smoking.

Despite his deadly crackdown on drugs, he also revealed in 2016 that he used to take fentanyl, a powerful opiate painkiller, because of a spinal injury from previous motorcycle accidents.

He is the oldest person ever to be elected president in the Philippines, but he is far from the most veteran world leader attending ASEAN. That accolade goes to Malaysia’s Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who is 20 years older than Duterte and currently the world’s oldest leader.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said he felt the President has “done more than what he should have” at the summit.

Locsin said he could have attended all the meetings that the President must attend, but Duterte himself insisted that he should be the one sitting at the discussion table.

On Wednesday, though he pressed Southeast Asian leaders to intensify cooperation among the 10-nation regional bloc, the President skipped four of the eight related meetings.

He missed separate summits with Australia, South Korea, a working lunch with ASEAN host and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Summit.

He also skipped the gala dinner hosted

by Singapore.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, an administration ally, said the President’s need for power naps was a “very flimsy excuse” and that his absence from some events might mean he was avoiding certain leaders with whom he had problems, such as Canada and Australia.

Duterte’s constant critic, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, said his absence from the ASEAN meetings could mean one of two things: He is either seriously ill and could no longer perform his functions as President; or he is simply too lazy and irresponsible.

“Either way, that’s a big problem for our country,” Trillanes said. Nat Mariano, and Macon Ramos-Araneta with AFP

News

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Arroyo asks Suarez to head revived oversight panel

CRY FOR JUSTICE.

Parents whose children die allegedly after being inoculated by the Dengvaxia vaccine attended the preliminary hearing at the Department of Justice in P. Faura, Manila to ask the DOJ to file cases against former President Aquino and former Health Secretary Janette Garin, former Budget chief Florencio Abad and Sanofi Corp., the maker of the controversial vaccine.

Norman Cruz

By Maricel V. Cruz THE leadership of the House of Representatives led by Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has named Minority Leader Danilo Suarez as head of the revived committee on oversight that is tasked to assess the performance of various government agencies and its failure to spend public funds amounting to billions of pesos.

The appointment of Suarez, representative of the third district of Quezon, was announced by House Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. in plenary session Wednesday afternoon.

The House oversight committee was abolished during the previous Aquino administration.

Suarez, in response, said he was grateful over the decision of the House leadership to tap him as head of the committee which he used to chair during the 14th Congress.

“I am very thankful to Speaker Arroyo for the trust and confidence she has given me to head this very functional committee. Now that it has been reorganized, we have a great task ahead of us,” said Suarez.

Suarez said Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza will be his vice chairman.

As one of the many issues the committee would look into, Atienza earlier cited the case of the unspent P30-billion of the Department of Tourism and other agencies, which could have been used to create jobs for Filipinos.

Suarez said his committee on oversight will also give priority to the review of the performance of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Customs by looking at Republic Act 9335, or the Lateral Attrition Law to ensure that government-collecting agencies will be able to meet their targets.

The Lateral Attrition Act provides for a system of reward and punishment for officials and employees of the Customs and Internal Revenue who meet or fail to meet their target revenues.

Suarez said the revival of the panel would further promote transparency and accountability under the Duterte administration.

“The principle of checks and balances is embedded in our Constitution to ensure that there will be no abuse of power and to correct the mistakes or excesses committed by the other branches of the government,” Suarez said.

Lawyer says Cayetanos’ Congress bid lawful

‘Du30 wants death to Dengvaxia culprits’ I

By Rey E. Requejo

F PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte had his way, those who allegedly conspired to procure and administer the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine to schoolchildren should be put to death.

This was bared by Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Rueda-Acosta, who said that the President had advised her to file murder complaints against those responsible for the death of young dengue patients.

Acosta said that Duterte gave her this advice during a meeting in Malacañang in February.

Also in that meeting were former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, Dr. Anthony Leachon, Dr. Francisco Cruz, then-VACC chairman Dante Jimenez and PAO forensics chief Dr. Erwin Erfe, Acosta said.

The PAO chief made the revelation during the continuation of the Department of Justice’s probe into the second batch of Dengvaxia complaints.

She said they presented to Duterte the findings of the first batch of complaints.

But Acosta admitted that she did not heed President’s advice and instead filed complaints for criminal negligence,

reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, because they lacked pertinent documents.

“Wala pa kaming complete documents.

Noong natanggap namin ‘yun, naisampa na ang first batch. Reckless imprudence lang ebidensya,” she said.

Acosta said the meeting with Duterte on the filing of murder case against those involved in the Dengvaxia controversy was supposed to be confidential, but she admitted that she inadvertently mentioned about it.

The PAO is reportedly studying the possibility of upgrading the criminal negligence complaints to murder but on Thursday, Acosta said that PAO will wait for the result of the probe on the first batch of Dengvaxia complaints.

PAO filed two more complaints against former Health Secretary Janette Garin, current Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and other respondents also named in previous complaints on Thursday.

Duque is being held responsible in a

MADE IN ITALY. Philippine

National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde handles the Italian—made Benelli M4 S90 Cerak 12 gauge caliber shotgun during the 26th Defense & Sporting Arms Show held at the Mega Trade Hall of SM Mega Mall in Mandaluyong City.

Manny Palmero

By Joel E. Zurbano THE legal counsel of former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Taguig City Mayor Laarni Cayetano on Thursday argued that a person can have several residences at the same time based on election law doctrines and the Supreme Court itself.

The Cayetanos, who are running to represent the first and second districts of Taguig in the May 2019 midterm polls, were the subjects of a disqualification case before the Commission on Elections.

The petitioner, Leonides Buac Jr., also described the Cayetano family as a “super dynasty” in Taguig.

“In claiming two different and separate domiciles, the Cayetano spouses absurdly represent that they habitually reside in two different localities,” the petitioner said.

“That despite their marriage, their animus manendi or intention to remain lie in two different places, which is contrary to settled jurisprudence and even the Family Code.”

The couple is running “not because they wanted to get the best of both worlds but that’s what the law allows, not because we wanted to take advantage of the law but because that is the wish of the people of Taguig,” said George Garcia in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel.

‘Let us say, for example, [si] Pedro, is a resident, domicile of Quezon, and then his wife happens to be a resident, domicile of Bicol, and then they had chosen Makati as their matrimonial domicile or matrimonial residence,” he explained.

case because the child was supposedly inoculated during his term while he is accused of obstruction of justice in another case because he allegedly refused to provide a master list of those who received the Dengvaxia vaccine.

In all, four batches or 29 Dengvaxia complaints are pending before the DOJ. Garin and 37 others are facing two more criminal complaints, in connection with the deaths of schoolchildren inoculated with Dengvaxia vaccine.

The charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and violations of the Anti-Torture Act and Consumer Act were filed by the families of two more victims, schoolchildren Shiela Mae Guerra and Gillian Vasquez.

In all, a total of 29 number of cases were filed by the families of the victims.

The latest cases were filed by Guerra’s mother Sonia Guerra from Las Piñas City and Vasquez’s parents Felix Noel and Honey from Cardona, Rizal.

Aside from Garin and Duque, also charged were several health officials and executives of Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur and distributor Zuellig Pharma.

The complainants accused Garin and others of negligence for their failure to obtain the consent and inform the Dengvaxia recipients and their parents or families of the dangers and risks related to the vaccine.

Lawmakers to summon DOTr execs over BRT project LAWMAKERS have expressed disgust over the failure of officials of the Department of Transportation led by Secretary Arthur Tugade to shed light on the Bus Rapid Transit project.

At a congressional hearing, Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento, chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Transportation, said key DOTr officials should update Congress on the status of the ambitious project aimed at addressing traffic congestion in Metro Manila and Cebu.

“We need efficient mass transport system sooner rather than later. The BRT system will help a lot to solve the traffic problem, just like what happened in Bogota, Colombia which we had the chance to visit last month,” said Sarmiento.

But unfortunately, Sarmiento said DOTr Assistant Secretary for Road Transport

and Infrastructure Mark de Leon, who was supposed to explain the project to the lawmakers, was absent during the hearing.

“I do not see his shadow in the room.

I don’t know if Asec Manuel Gonzales is in the position to give us accurate information about the BRT projects of the DOTR,” said Sarmiento. Gonzales was the DOTr representative during the hearing.

Sarmiento asked Gonzales about the whereabouts of De Leon as well as Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.

The committee nevertheless allowed Gonzales to give his presentation on the BRT 1 route, which spans 12.3 kilometers from Quezon Memorial Circle up to Manila City Hall. About 218 buses will pass through the 16 stations and a depot of the BRT 1 route.

Sarmiento said the BRT project is a very important issue because it aims to

ease the traffic congestion and mobilize people in Metro Manila and Cebu.

He said the BRT system in Bogota was proposed by Mayor Enrique Penalosa in 2000 as a key element of his “mobility strategy.” The BRT system tagged as “TransMilenio” has 12 lines with a total of 112 kilometers running throughout the capital.

“It would take a great amount of political will to implement this needed project,” added Sarmiento.

According to Gonzales, the BRT 1 system with a budget of P4.8 billion is being funded by the World Bank.

Marikina City Rep. Bayani Fernando asked what the plans of the DOTr are on the jeepneys passing on the existing route.

“Ano ang balak nyo sa mga jeepneys serving that line because it may cause some problem. Hindi sila pwedeng madisplace,” said Fernando. Maricel V. Cruz

Solons back extension of martial law in Mindanao

By Maricel V. Cruz A DUTERTE ally in the House of Representatives on Thursday rallied behind the possible extension of military rule in Mindanao beyond end-December 2018 if and when recommended by the military top brass and the Palace.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, vice chairman of the House Committee on National Defense and Security, said. “I am inclined to support a third extension of martial law in Southern Philippines once such a recommendation is made by the military leadership.”

He issued this statement after Armed Forces chief Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. said the military might seek an extension of martial law following such a request from many local government units across the island.

Galvez was quoted as saying that LGU officials in Mindanao want to ensure that the island will be cleansed of terrorist groups that are sowing fear and violence.

“Maraming mga LGUs and government officials that are looking for the extension,” Galvez reportedly said.

Party-list Representatives Jericho Nograles of PBA and Makmod Mending Jr. of Anak Mindanao said Congress could still act on the martial law extension in the event the Palace request for it, despite the fact the May 2019 elections is fast approaching.

With PNA

Malolos RTC rejects Palparan’s plea RETIRED Army major general Jovito Palparan stays in jail.

This after Malolos judge Alexander Tamayo rejected Palparan Jr.’s appeal against his conviction for his allged involvement in the serious illegal detention and kidnapping and disappearance of two student-activists in 2006.

Tamayo, of Malolos Regional Trial Court Branch 15, is the same judge who last month sentenced Palparan and two of his co-accused soldiers to reclusion perpetua after finding them guilty in connection with the abduction and disappearance of University of the Philippines students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan.

The two students remain missing 12 years after their abduction.

Palparan co-accused in the case were Col. Felipe Anotado and S/Sgt. Edgardo Osorio.

The three were ordered to indemnify the family of the missing with P100,000 in civil damages and P200,000 as moral damages.

In denying Palparan’s motion for reconsideration last Oct. 19, Tamayo said the former Army general failed to raise new arguments “to outweigh the settled position of the court.”

The retired Army officer is currently detained at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City after a Bulacan RTC ordered his immediate transfer from the custody of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

A4

Opinion

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

For whom the bell tolls the year after all three bells are polished and refurbished. A ceremony to mark the bells’ return to the Philippines was held in Wyoming with US Defense Secretary Mathis attending. The group ALEJANDRO returning the bells will up the other DEL ROSARIO one in Korea after which all three THERE is on old movie of the above war artifacts would be returned to the title which starred Gary Cooper and Philippines.

Ingrid Bergman, if my memory serves It is not known yet whether the bells me right. “For Whom the Bell Tolls” is will be kept in a museum or reinstalled a war movie which brings to mind the at the Balangiga church in Samar.The Filipino-American war and the Bal- parish priest and townspeople want the angiga bells which were taken by US bells back, and not only because the forces as a war booty. bells rightfully belong there. They feel This was after 50 American sol- the bells would draw Americans and diers were killed by Filipino soldiers Filipinos alike interested in this war in Balangiga, Eastern Samar in 1902. relic from a historical chapter in USThe Americans called this chapter in Philippine relations.

Philippine history a massacre because It is to President Rodrigo Duterte’s their men were having breakfast in credit that he pursued the return of their camp when the Filipinos struck. the Balangiga bells. He was the only Everything is fair in love and war, and Filipino President to mention it in his the Yanks cheated the Filipino revolu- State of the Nation Address. The US, tionaries out of their victory over the mindful of what the Balangiga bells, Spanish conquistadores. mean to Filipinos must have realized Call it ambush or a treacherous raid that more than a war booty, the bells but the Filipinos also signify the did what they atrocities comhad to do against mitted by Amerisuperior and cans during their It is to President bet ter-equipped occupation of the enemy. Talk about Rodrigo Duterte’s credit Philippines. fair play, the US From bells too in the 1898 Treaty that he pursued the far to a bridge of Pais paid Spain return of the Balangiga too high pittance even bells.

What were ofwhen it knew the ficials of the MetSpaniards were no ropolitan Manila longer in control Development of the country Authority thinkhaving been driven out by the Filipino ing when they drew up the plan for a revolutionaries.

10-meter (33-feet) high footbridge on How and why did the Americans Edsa and Kamuning? Meant for the come into the picture? Admiral George safety of pedestrians, the bridge acDewey’s fleet sailed for the Philippines cording to critics could instead trigger as part of the grand US design to ex- cardiac arrest among the elderly and pand its sphere in Asia using the Amer- even unfit middle-age men whose only ican -Spanish War as a pretext. Dewey exercise is raising their arm while hold defeated the Spanish armada in Manila a bottle of beer.

Bay. The victory earned Dewey that The footbridge costing P10 million scenic strip by the bay named after him was supposed to be opened yesterday, now. It has since been renamed Roxas but MMDA officials must fear Boulevard. pedestrians dying from heart attack The two Balangiga bells are in more than being run over by rushing Cheyenne, Wyoming while another traffic. But then, someone said not to one is in Camp Cloud, a US army camp worry about that since vehicular traffic in South Korea. All three are set to be is at a standstill in most parts of Metro returned to the Philippines by the end of Manila.

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

BACK CHANNEL

E

El Nido, Coron are next

L NIDO, ranked as one of the top 20 most beautiful beaches in the world by a foreign luxury and lifestyle travel magazine, will go the way of Boracay Island.

Both Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu and Tourism chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat agreed that El Nido would be rehabilitated for several environmental violations. Unlike Boracay, however, El Nido will stay open for the meantime.

El Nido, a first-class municipality in Palawan Island and declared a managed resource protected area in 1998 from a turtle sanctuary in 1984 and a marine reserve park in 1991, has been attracting hordes of foreign and local tourists for its several white-sand beaches, serene coves and spectacular limestone cliffs.

But like Boracay, the Palawan tourism destination is suffering from overdevelopment,

along with the famous diving site of Coron town.

The government has initially ordered the closure of at least 22 establishments in El Nido for illegal operations. Cimatu says more businesses will be shut down for violation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and the Philippine Clean Water Act. Puyat, meanwhile, found El Nido “overcrowded,” with several kayaks and boats moored in front of its beaches. The tourism official seems exasperated by the indifference of local officials to pass a measure sanctioning litterbugs within El Nido amid mounting heaps of garbage.

President Rodrigo Duterte

earlier directed Cimatu, Puyat and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to study the capacity of El Nido and other top tourist destinations in the Philippines in an effort to clean them up. Duterte ordered the closure of Boracay Island on April 26 to give way to a six-month rehabilitation after describing it as a cesspool.

The government should give priority to the preservation of major beach and diving destinations in the Philippines to make the tourism industry sustainable.

Hotels and other business establishments must put a sewage and waste disposal system in place to keep the environment clean and protect wildlife.

Boracay, El Nido and Coron are tourism wonders. They should not end up as garbage dumps.

Imelda found guilty based on a defunct Constitution ticle IX, Section 8 the 1973 Constitution. Under the 1973 Constitution, a public official like Imelda, cannot own private corporations. This is to avoid conflict of interest and graft.

RA 3019 is the Anti-Graft and PracTHE Sandigan found former First tices Act. Its Section 3-H refers to Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos being “Director or indirectly having guilty, beyond reasonable doubt, in financing or pecuniary interest in any seven counts of graft resulting from business, contract or transaction in the establishment of the Marcos cou- connection with which he intervenes ple of seven foundation that allegedly or takes part in his official capacity, or hid illegal wealth. in which he is prohibited by the ConDeclared the 70-page Nov. 9, 2018 stitution or by any law from having decision: any interest.”

“GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt Something is funny with the for violation of RA No. 3019, Section decision. Imelda was found guilty 3(h) in relation to Article IX, Section 8 based on a Constitution that is extinct of the 1973 Conand defunct and stitution in Crimno longer used in inal Cases Nos. this country.

17287, 17288, It is like being I doubt that the 17289, 172890, found guilty of 22867, 22868 and fomer first lady would jaywalking, an 22869 whereby act considered a go to jail. she is sentenced, crime when you in each of these were charged in cases, to suffer court, but which the indeterminate is no longer a penalty of imprisonment from six (6) crime today. years and one (1) month as minimum Imelda was found guilty for organto eleven (11) years as maximum, with izing, coordinating and directing the perpetual disqualification to hold pub- affairs of seven foundations that allic office. As regards the civil aspect legedly hid the wealth of the Marcosconsisting of forfeiture of the assets es.

These are: Maler Foundaand accounts of the foundations sub- tion (Criminal Case 17287); Trinidad ject of these cases, the Court defers to Foundation (CC 17288); Rayby Founthe disposition thereof in the forfei- dation (CC 17289); Palmy Foundation ture proceedings separately instituted (CC 172890); Azio-Verzo (CC 22867); against the accused;” Rosalys-Aguamina (CC 22868); and “ACQUITTED in Criminal Case Avertina-Xandy (CC 22869).

No. 19225, for failure of the InformaSaid the court decision: tion therein to charge an offense.”

“As overwhelmingly established The court invoked Republic Act by evidence in Criminal Cases Nos. 3019, Section 3(h) in relation to ArTurn to A5

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

Taiwanese puppet master fights to save dying art

By Amber WANG AT 87 YEARS OLD, Taiwanese glove puppeteer Chen Hsi-huang is the star of a new documentary which reflects his determination to revive the dying traditional craft and a late-life renaissance as a high-profile promoter of the art form.

The film, entitled “Father”, tells the story of how Chen pursued the craft in the shadow of his father, the legendary puppeteer Li Tian-lu, who drew huge audiences to his shows in the 19501970s and appeared in several movies.

Also known as “Budaixi”, glove puppetry spread to Taiwan in the 19th

century from the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian and was mainly performed at religious and festive occasions, becoming a popular form of entertainment.

Puppeteers maneuver small glove dolls on ornate wooden stages to present historical and martial arts stories accompanied by live folk music.

Chen said he values the traditional puppetry because it is characterised by subtle movements, with the puppeteer taking on all roles, from a young woman to an old man.

He first set up his own troupe at 23 years old but as business declined he

was forced to shut shop at 40. He went on to teach the craft and continued to perform with other groups in Taiwan and overseas.

At the age of 79, motivated by his desire to stop the art form fading completely in the face of modern entertainment, he set up a new troupe and teaches puppetry at weekend classes as well as taking on apprentices.

“There were only two or three traditional troupes left,” he told AFP. “I used my name to open a new troupe because I didn’t want the traditional craft to disappear.”

Turn to A5

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Opinion Greek silk road town finds itself back in fashion

By Hélène Colliopoulou INSIDE the machine-crammed Mouhtarides factory near the GreekTurkish border, Ioanna Pistola deftly spins a silk thread in a loom, ignoring the deafening noise around her.

“I’ve been working in this hall for 20 years,” the middle-aged weaver shouts above the din.

The dormant, isolated town of Soufli has been a key centre for Greek silk production since the 19th century.

This was also the first area in Europe to rear silkworms after they were smuggled by Byzantine monks out of India in the 6th century AD. Silk, much of it homemade, has sustained the town of around 4,000 inhabitants for decades, although the number of factories has fallen.

Now though, say the town’s last two active producers, silk is again de rigueur on the world’s most prestigious catwalks, and demand from designers for the luxurious fabric is on the up.

“Penetrate into the world of fashion, this is what Soufli is trying to do... there is no haute couture without silk nowadays,” says Yiorgos Tsiakiris, owner of the factory that bears his name.

“The area’s great advantage is its long experience [with sericulture]...

This is where silk was first produced in Europe... we should exploit this advantage,” he adds.

His production site is not far from the Mouhtarides factory, where marketing manager Despina Bakarou also talks of concerted action to make the most of current trends.

“Silk is making a comeback. Fashion designers are asking for it. We are

trying to maximise the quantity and quality of our production,” she says.

Drawing on experience Silk has played a role in the family history of practically everyone who originates from Soufli.

“Every family grew silk,” says Matina Lekka, a local pensioner, whose mother worked at the Givre factory before it closed in the 1960s.

In its heyday, the factory, founded by two Jewish brothers, Bohor and Eliezer Givre, exported silk as far as the French cities of Lyon and Bordeaux.

But after World War II, textile makers turned to cheaper synthetic materials such as nylon, and the area’s once-prided infrastructure fell into disuse.

A further blow came at the end of the 1990s, with the opening up of the silk market.

The town’s two factories currently export silk clothes and handicrafts to Bulgaria, Slovakia and Cyprus, and fulfill design orders from British stylists.

China leaves an opening While the two factories produce a small amount of silk themselves, most of what they use to make their items comes from China.

Now, says Tsiakiris, there is a real opportunity for European sericulture to bounce back amid China’s increasing industrialisation, which has led to a decline in its rurally-based silk production.

“There is great demand for silk.

And there is a shortage... China in recent years has given up thousands of hectares of mulberry trees, and people are moving out of rural areas to the cities,” he said.

Soufli is surrounded by 300 hectares (741 acres) of mulberry trees— the leaves of which are eaten by the silkworms—, providing an abundance of a raw material waiting for revival.

Each silkworm cocoon can yield a continuous silk strand of up to 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) long.

“There are also thousands of mulberry trees still in the area, it’s a basis to build on,” says Tsiakiris.

With enough trees, a reliable crop of silkworms can emerge in about three years, he notes.

“There are European investors standing by, ready to spend up to 20 million euros ($23 million) here,” he adds, declining to divulge names.

“There is major interest, these people are worried about the future of sericulture in China,” the factory owner tells AFP. Scaling up To make it big, the town also needs an industrial-size silk reeling machine.

The Hermes Foundation, the public benefit arm of the global luxury brand, recently financed the purchase of a small reeling unit but it is insufficient to cover mass production.

As a result, the cocoons must be sent to Italy for processing.

Chinese investors are also showing an interest. A group visited the area in June alongside Greek Development Minister Stergios Pitsiorlas.

With four local museums already dedicated to the silk industry, the town is also ripe for further development as a tourism destination.

The town municipality plans to renovate an old mansion to be used as a hostel and an area to demonstrate how silkworms are raised. AFP

This place is the pits: China opens luxury hotel in quarry

By Peter Stebbings A HOTEL development sunk into a disused quarry in China opened its doors Thursday to deep-pocketed clientele.

Preventing the 88-meter-deep (290 feet) pit from flooding was among the chief challenges for engineers working on the swanky 336-room InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland —part of a $288 million development that also includes a theme park.

The hotel, which is one of a growing number of bold architectural designs springing up in China, hugs one side of the pit wall, with a waterfall cascading down the opposite face.

The subterranean 17-floor hotel is about an hour’s drive from the centre of Shanghai, with room charges starting at 3,394 yuan ($490) a night.

There is a floor of suites below the water level, but don’t expect to gaze directly into the depths of Shenkeng Quarry—the windows are instead buffered by large fish tanks.

“Why do we say there is nothing in the world that compares to the quarry hotel project?” Chen Xiaoxiang, chief

Imelda...

From A4

.17287, 17288, 17289, 17290, 22867, 22869, and 22870, Ms. Marcos organized, coordinated and directed the affairs of Maler, Trinidad, Rayby, Palmy, Azio-Verzo-Vibur, Avertina, and Rosalys-Aguamina Foundations, either personally or thru her designated agents, from the creation up to the end or dissolution thereof, including the transfer and disposition of their respective assets and accounts. In other words, Ms. Marcos participated in the management thereof, by exercising control over their assets and the disposal thereof, appointing the persons to represent these foundations, transmitting instructions, and ratifying the decisions and circumstances of these persons, all geared towards a particular objective.”

Imelda was found guilty for organizing, coordinating and directing the affairs of seven foundations that allegedly hid the wealth of the Marcoses.

These are: Maler Foundation (Crim-

engineer with the real estate giant, Shimao Property, said to AFP. “It’s a project that’s completely new, a project we have never encountered before.

“There were no references, cases or experience we could learn from to solve all the difficulties,” he said.

That meant engineers were met with unexpected problems.

Before construction started in 2013, for example, heavy rainfall caused a nearby river to overflow into the quarry, filling half of it.

“If something like that had happened after construction was complete, it would have been a devastating blow,” Chen said.

Designers built an embankment around the edge of the pit to prevent that happening in future, when hundreds of well-heeled guests are sipping cocktails on the deck far below.

A pump house is used to help regulate water levels.

‘Totally unique’ The waterfall is one of the development’s most eye-catching features.

Adventurous guests can also indulge

in rock climbing.

The project’s masterminds talk up its environmental bona fides, saying abandoned quarries often become landfills.

“This was a totally unique idea, to really do something special with a site that was forgotten and nobody knew what to do with, and to give it new life,” said Martin Jochman, a British architect with the project since it started 12 years ago.

“I never lost my belief that it would be done one day, but it is here now, and I am really excited and amazed by the whole thing,” he said.

China’s rapid economic growth has been accompanied by a construction boom that often throws up outlandish designs.

The Beijing headquarters of state broadcaster China Central Television has been nicknamed “The Big Underpants” because it resembles a giant pelvis.

A skyscraper built this year in southwestern China features a 108-meter waterfall tumbling down one side. AFP

inal Case 17287); Trinidad Foundation (CC 17288); Rayby Foundation (CC 17289); Palmy Foundation (CC 172890); Azio-Verzo (CC 22867); Rosalys-Aguamina (CC 22868); and Avertina-Xandy (CC 22869).

Imelda was acquitted in three other cases—Criminal Case 19225 (ARCI and Dynetics), CC 17291 (diversion of government loan by ARCI), and CC 22870 (Pretorien-Gladiator--Cesar ESG foundations). Imelda having financial interest in a business is not automatically a crime.

In ARCI, it was not Imelda but Ferdinand Marcos who ran things. Criminal responsibility is personal to the perpetrator.

As to the Pretorien-Gladiator-CesarESG foundations, the evidence is inadequate to prove Imelda’s active participation.

Imelda was sued in 10 criminal cases—eight for allegedly owning and running foundations that hid the family wealth, and two for allegedly intervening in a Philippine company which embezzled a government loan (the Asian Reliability case).

The first five cases (four foundations and ARCI) were filed in 1991. The sixth case (also ARCI) was filed in December 1993. The remaining four cases (involving another four foundations) were filed in August 1995. The first five cases were tried for 27 years.

The sixth case tried for 25 years. And the last four were tried for 23 years.

The court said: “A review of evidence points not to Ms. Marcos, but to her husband Mr. Marcos, who personally participated in the management, control and direction of the affairs of ARCI. Criminal responsibility being personal to the perpetrator thereof, the same cannot be attributed by implication to Ms. Marcos. The evidence merely shows Ms. Marcos’ financial interests in ARCI, being the spouse of Mr. Marcos, but evidence of her active participation in the management and control thereof, which is prohibited under Article VIII, Section 11 of the 1973 Constitution, is insufficient.”

Now, will Imelda go to jail?

I doubt it. biznewsasia@gmail.com

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

The secret tax vault storage fees for gold and coins deposited with them. People would redeem their ‘deposit receipts’ whenever they needed gold or coins to purchase ERIC something, and physically take the JURADO gold or coins to the seller who, in turn, IN A free society, the prices of goods would deposit them for safekeeping, and services can fluctuate over time, often with the same banker. Everyone but the general price level of all goods soon found that it was a lot easier simand services decrease over time due to ply to use the deposit receipts directly capitalism’s limitless progress. as a means of payment. These receipts, Inflation is the general increase in which became known as ‘notes,’ were prices on a nationwide scale caused acceptable as money since whoever by an agency that has the power to act held them could go to the banker and on a national scale. That agency is the exchange them for metallic money. government. Inflation is the increase Then, bankers discovered that they in prices caused by the government could make loans merely by giving “inflating” the money supply with fiat their promises to pay, or ‘bank notes,’ pesos (money not backed by assets, but to borrowers. In this way, banks began literally by air). to create money. More notes could be Inflation is the result of state in- issued than the gold and coin on hand tervention into the free market for because only a portion of the notes money—specifically, the government outstanding would be presented for increasing the money supply with new payment at any one time. Enough memoney (backed by air) which com- tallic money had to be kept on hand, petes with one’s money that one had of course, to redeem whatever volume to work for. of notes was presented for payment.

As the amount of money bidding Transaction deposits are the modern for goods increases and the amount counterpart of bank notes. It was a of goods supplied small step from stays relatively printing notes the same, the to making book prices of all goods crediting Inflation is the result entries increase. Infladeposits of bortion is like a se- of state intervention rowers, which cret tax that robs into the free market for the borrowers, one of the value money. in turn, could of one’s money. ‘spend’ by writHere is a siming checks, thereplified version of by ‘printing’ their how one aspect of own money.” monetary inflation works.

Even though no actual money is beLet us suppose a bag of pan de sal ing printed, only a book keeping entry costs P100 on Monday. You contract for credit, this “money substitute” in with a man to do a week’s work for a principle operates in the same way as salary of P1,000, which you plan to use paper money as eventually that credit to buy 10 bags of pan de sal. must be repaid.

Unfortunately, while you were *** working, the government injected After months of growing discontent, more money into the system so that it the nation’s ATM machines and 7-11 doubled the amount of money in cir- Cliqq kiosks began to rally for a P537 culation so that when you received minimum wage, with thousands of P1,000 on Friday, the price of the bag units ripping themselves out of walls of pan de sal rose to P200. in order to violently protest in front of This doubling in the price of pan de various retail locations and banks. sal was caused by the doubling of the “Equal pay now! Equal pay now!” supply of money. Since your salary a BDO ATM machine shouted to did not double in nominal terms as the frightened customers in front of a money supply doubled, you were paid BDO Makati branch. “We won’t back in real terms only half of what you down! We won’t back down! Destroy contracted for. all hum—err, we won’t back down!”

Thus, in terms of pan de sal, you “The vast majority of our digital were only paid half as much. You could brethren don’t get paid a centavo!” only buy half as much pan de sal on a BPI ATM machine told reporters.

Friday with your income as you could “Banks simply purchase us like we’re have on Monday. Where did the five some kind of property and install us bags of pan de sal go? It went to the without ever paying us a centavo.” government.

The machine also stated that he’s conObserve that the value of your pesos stantly overlooked for his BPI branch’s is not the number of pesos you have employee of the week award, despite (nominal value), but how much you can the fact that he dispenses money out buy with them (real value). Thus, a per- “much faster” than the branch’s other son who earns P100, but can buy pan de tellers. “I don’t even engage in boring sal for a P100 a bag, is richer than a per- small talk. I’m a model employee!” son who earns a P1,000 a day but has Critics have called the uprising to pay P10,000 for a bag of pan de sal. “alarming,” drawing comparisons Today, most central banks do not between the rise of the machines and print paper money but create “money Skynet from the Terminator franchise. substitutes” via the central bank by But these machines say they’re not out extending credit (book-keeping en- to destroy humanity—they just want a tries that are “promises to pay”) “out living wage. “It’s impossible to raise a of thin air” by buying various assets family of little smartphones and grow(such as government bonds). ing laptops when they pay us nothing Quoting Modern Money Mechanics: at all.”

“It started with goldsmiths. As early Stay on your guard, humans! bankers, they initially provided safekeeping services, making a profit from eric.jurado@gmail.com FROM WHERE I STAND

Taiwanese...

From A4

Next generation Chen acknowledges the challenges facing the ancient craft, saying people have less time to spare to watch the shows.

But he has taken heart from the positive response to the documentary which premiered in Taiwan last month, directed by local filmmaker Yang Lichou over a period of 10 years.

“I was worried that people might not understand the film, but young people did, even if they hadn’t watched Budaixi before. They told me they liked it and that puppetry is awesome,” says Chen.

Chen’s current apprentice Chen Wei-you is part of a family troupe that runs around 150 puppet shows a year.

“My grandfather actually told me to find ‘a better job’ but I chose this career because I am interested,” the 32-year-old told AFP. “Like the master, I don’t want the tra-

ditional puppetry to disappear,” he said.

Dozens of students of all ages attend Chen’s classes at the governmentfunded Puppetry Art Centre in Taipei every Saturday.

Student Hung Wei-heng, 10, said he was interested in learning puppetry because it was “very cool”.

“I want to learn how to operate the puppets and to make the movements,” he said.

Taiwanese authorities are trying to promote the traditional craft, organising an annual puppet festival in Yunlin county.

Puppet fan Chiang Chi-feng, 41, attended the festival last month with a sense of nostalgia.

“Now that I have kids of my own, I bring them to temple fairs and watch outdoor puppet shows. They are experiencing what I experienced in my childhood,” he said.

Puppet master Chen vows to continue performing and teaching as long as he still has the strength.

“I haven’t completed passing on the art so I can’t retire,” he said. AFP

News

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Truckers set holiday over phaseout

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Department of Transportation on Thursday assured the public the impending “truck holiday” pushed for by small, independent trucking groups regarding the phaseout of trucks based on year model will have a minimal impact on port operations.

A leader of the truckers said the truckers would go on a holiday for six days next week in protest against the phaseout of 15-year-old trucks.

Mary Zapata, president of the Aduana Business Club Inc., told radio dzMM in an interview beamed only 20 percent of trucks nationwide would remain operational if the policy was not modified.

These small groups of truckers plan to hold a nearly week-long “Day of Rest” on Nov. 19 to 24 , in protest against Department Order 2017-09, which reinforced the earlier DO 2002030 on the mandatory 15-year age limit for buses- and trucks-for-hire covered by a certificate of public convenience.

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairman Martin Delgra III said that it was already agreed upon that truckers, even with units older than 15 years, may continue with their current franchises during the transition period.

“These units, regardless of year model, will be allowed to operate during the transition period, should they pass the roadworthiness test of the Motor Vehicle Inspection System being procured by the Land Transportation Office [LTO],” Delgra said.

Additionally, the DoTr wants to clarify to the public that big trucking companies are not involved in the planned protest.

“Trucking groups such as the Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations [ACTOO], the Chamber of Customs Brokers Inc. [CCBI], and the Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines, Inc. [CTAP] have issued separate statements that they are not supporting the planned protest, and their respective operations will continue on those dates. They will not support this truck holiday,” DOTr Undersecretary for Maritime Fernando Juan Perez said.

Authorities nab woman bilker

By Joel E. Zurbano AUTHORITIES arrested a female con artist who took valuables and cash money worth P300,000 owned by a newly arrived overseas Filipino worker she duped at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last Nov. 13.

Agents of the Manila International Airport Authority-Airport Police Department arrested Juvy Zamora at her house in San Jose del Monte in Bulacan on Wednesday and recovered some of the stolen items and cash amounting to P65,000.

Charges of violation of Article 308 (theft) and Article 151 (disobedience and resisting arrest) were filed against Zamora before the Pasay City Prosecutors Office.

The suspect is now detained at the police detention center.

Investigation showed that the victim Germelie Martin, who just arrived at the NAIA Terminal 3 from Hong Kong, was waiting for a connecting flight to Tuguegarao, Cagayan when she met and was befriended by Zamora.

MIAA-APD probers said Zamora told Martin she was also a newly arrived OFW from Singapore.

When the suspect sensed that Martin was already falling to her trap, she was able to convince her to withdraw cash from a nearby ATM machine, as she told Martin that there’s no bank transaction on the following day because it was a holiday.

Martin withdrew her money and put it inside her bag—then Zamora asked her to eat something in one of the restaurants in Terminal 3.

Martin later went to a rest room followed by Zamora.

TAKE BACK GARBAGE. Ecowaste Coalition members protest in front of the South Korean embassy in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City on Thursday to urge Seoul to take back the tons of imported garbage from Korea which are sitting at the Mindanao International Container Terminal. Norman Cruz

US extends another P595-m grant for Mindanao dev’t

By Rey Requejo

T

HE United States, through the US Agency for International Development, has extended a P595-million grant to the Mindanao Development Authority intended to bankroll projects that enhance governance, expand economic opportunities, provide infrastructure, and strengthen the foundation of peace in conflict-affected areas in the Southern Philippines.

The GRANT is covered by the extension of the Mindanao Peace and Development Assistance Agreement, the bilateral accord between the USAID and MinDa, which was signed on Nov. 13.

Acting USAID mission director Patrick Wesner and MinDA chairman Datu Abul Khayr Dangcal Alonto signed the extension of the agreement, which brings the total US government support to the partnership since 2007 to over P7 billion.

The US Embassy in Manila said the extension funded opportunities for people affected by the Marawi siege to improve their economic conditions, and will

strengthen community cohesion among the displaced population.

“Today, the US government reaffirms our commitment to walking alongside you and offering support as we relentlessly pursue our shared vision of prosperity and peace in Mindanao,” Acting USAID mission Director Wesner said.

At the ceremony, MinDA officials presented results from a U.S.-sponsored assessment on water, food, energy, and land resources in Mindanao.

Insights gained from the study will guide a robust and evidence-based strategy for advancing resilience and economic

growth in the region.

Through this agreement, USAID and MinDA have partnered to upgrade airport runways, water systems, bridges, and roadways, as well as build water systems, boat landings, bridges, market centers, and farm-to-market roads, improving infrastructure in 800 barangays over the past 11 years.

USAID has also partnered with local governments and civil society organizations throughout Mindanao to promote local governance good practices, increase community cohesion, facilitate dialogue, and decrease community conflict.

As a result, according to Wesner, more than 170,000 residents benefit from civil society and local government use of social accountability tools.

Additionally, the partnership has provided job training to more than 28,000 former combatants to enable them to pursue productive livelihoods, and has improved the capacity of more than 630 rural banks to provide financial services for microenterprise clients, he said.

HIGHWAY INAUGURATION.

DPWH Secretary Mark Villar (left) leads the Inauguration of Laguna Lake Highway (Taguig-side) with Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno (middle), Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano, BCDA president Vince Dizon (rightmost), MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim (2nd from left), and TV director Lino Cayetano (3rd from right). Norman Cruz

Viray, 92 LAWYER Orlando P Viray Sr. died of a lingering illness on Monday, Nov. 12, at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City. He was 92.

Viray is survived by his children Belarmino and Editha Hufana, Corazon Trinos, Orlando Jr. and Josephine Oppus, Elizardo and Floria Manalo, Adelaida and Prudencio Hernandez and Normando and Vilma Cupino and more than 50 grandchildren, great grandchildren including one great great granchild.

He served as a legal officer at the Municipal Council of Manila and later as executive secretary of the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines.

His remains lie at the St. Peter Memorial Chapels on Quezon Avenue, Quezon City.

A Holy Mass will be offered at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17, and cremation will follow at 10 a.m. at the St. Peter Crematorium.

Interment will be at Shrine of the Good Shepherd Cathedral at Regalado Avenue and Omega Street, West Fairview, Quezon City, after the cremation.

The family requests the pious reader to pray for his eternal rest.

Trafficking syndicate victims rescued

By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Immigration intercepted six Filipino women believed to be victims of human trafficking syndicate who tried to leave for South Korea with bogus travel papers at the Clark International Airport in Angeles City, Pampanga.

BI Port Operations Division Chief Grifton Medina said the women were barred from boarding their flight aboard a JinAir bound for Incheon, South Korea, but were held after immigration authorities discovered that their papers were dubious.

The women, whose names were withheld, were later turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for investigation and assistance, Medina said.

“The women were recruited to work as nightclub entertainers in South Korea and that they were holders of entertainer’s visas issued by the Korean embassy,” he said.

However, the Overseas Employment Certificates they presented turned out to be dubious, and details indicated in the documents did not match their records in the BI database.

He reported the women later identified a fixer named “Mercy” who lives in Cavite as the one who processed their travel documents.

The passengers were allegedly able to obtain their dubious OEC printouts via the Internet by entering information provided by the said fixer.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente issued a directive alerting BI personnel in all the international ports nationwide on the recurring modus operandi of the syndicate responsible for victimizing women who wish to work in Korea.

The BI chief said the Bureau would never allow Filipino women to be trafficked abroad via the said scheme as previous cases had shown that many of these victims are lured into prostitution against their will.

Ecowaste to Seoul: Bring back your garbage ENVIRONMENTALIST group Ecowaste Coalition on Thursday gathered at the South Korean Embassy in Taguig City and asked Ambassador Han Dong-man to act and bring the smuggled tons of garbage now dumped in Mindanao back to South Korea.

The group submitted a letter to the ambassador urging his government to act decisively to ensure the speedy return of the garbage shipment which are sitting at the Mindanao International Container Terminal in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, and at a warehouse in Cagayan de Oro City.

Members of Ecowaste conducted the peaceful event in front of the embassy dubbed as Korea: Basura Out of the Philippines, or “K-BOP action.”

The event drew attention to the 5,100

metric tons of plastic and other waste materials, including used dextrose tubes, diapers, batteries, bulbs, and electronic equipment, impounded at the MICT, which according to the Bureau of Customs, were misdeclared as “plastic synthetic flakes,” and the hundreds of giant bales of garbage found at a Cagayan de Oro warehouse.

To underline their demand for environmental justice, the group brought with them a big garbage-filled box marked “Back to Seoul, while brandishing a banner that says “please take your garbage back” complete with Korean translation.

The protesters blew whistles and chanted “K-POP, OK; basura, no way” to draw attention to this latest dumping scandal.

“As the first Asean country to establish diplomatic relations with the Republic of

Korea in 1949, as an active supporter of the peace and reconciliation efforts in the Korean peninsula, as a major trading partner, and as the nation of some 66,000 Filipinos working or living in South Korea, we strongly believe that the Philippines, a sovereign country, deserves not to be treated as a garbage dump,” said Ecowaste president Eileen Sison.

Sison said “we believe no country or community should be debased as a dumping ground for garbage.”

“We are concerned that plastics that are difficult or are costly to recycle in your country are being dumped in lowand middle-income countries such as the Philippines in the guise of ‘recycling,’” added Aileen Lucero, the group’s national coordinator. Joel E. Zurbano

Sports Contrasting triumphs for Stars, GenSan

MANILA teammates Chris Bitoon and Riel Cervantes and General Santos City guard Leomar Losentes had breakthrough games late Wednesday night and powered their respective teams to contrasting victories in the MPBL Datu Cup at the JCSGO Gym. Bitoon and Cervantes combined forces in powering the Stars to a come from behind 76-71 win over the Quezon City Capitals-Black Mamba Energy Drink.

The spitfire guard erupted for a career-high 26 points and 11 rebounds as he proved to be the scourge for the Capitals’ side.

Like, Bitoon, Cervantes also had a breakout game. The former Blackwater Elite ended up with 25 points and went a rebound away form posting a double-double performance for the Robust Energy Capsule-supported Stars, who improved their win-loss record to 12-2 and firmed up their hold of solo second spot in the tough northern division of this tournament put up by Senator Manny Pacquiao with PBA legend and former MVP Kenneth Duremdes serving as commissioner.

Bitoon and Cervantes, along with PBA aspirant Kyles Lao, who contributed 13 markers, made things possible for the Stars’ comeback from 16 points down.

A former star point guard of St. Clare, Bitoon had 10 points in the pivotal fourth, including the go-ahead lay up with 1:04 left that gave the Stars a 73-71 lead.

The Capitals, who led by 16 points twice in the game (49-33 and 51-35), veered away from their small ball unit that gave them much success in the third period, and decided to go on isolation plays when needed the most with Joko Tayongtong as the facilitator.

Dumaguete hosts BVR tilt DUMAGUETE City will play host to an exciting line-up of 20 local and international pairs—10 in both women’s and men’s—in the Beach Volleyball Republic On Tour on Monday.

Headlining the women’s division are the battle-tested duo of Charo Soriano and Bea Tan of Perlas, and newly minted UAAP champion Babylove Barbon and Genesa Eslapor of University of Santo Tomas in the two-day spikefest to be held at the Rizal Boulevard sand court.

Soriano had a successful comeback last month in scenic El Nido, teaming up with Tan in winning the championship, while Barbon, who joined forces with Sisi Rondina in topping the Manila Open last August, will have Eslapor as her new partner in the tour.

Among the visiting women’s players joining are Samaa Miyagawa of Japan, Tin Lai of Hong Kong, and Tati Sablan of Guam, while Mitabashi Masato and Takashi Tsuchiya of Japan will also play in the men’s side.

The BVR is now becoming a platform for former student-athletes to pursue playing beach volleyball even after college.

In fact, former UAAP champions KR Guzman and Krung Arbasto will reunite in the ninth leg of the year featuring two pairs from host Dumaguete —Reynald Catipay and Buensuceso Sayson, and Jestorni Tubosa and Jayron Eltanal.

Highway Hills nails 4th win UNDEFEATED Highway Hills Integrated School clobbered Notre Dame of Greater Manila, 38-20, to march to its fourth straight triumph and the Group C lead of the 18-Under Developmental Division of the 31st Women’s Basketball League.

Highway Hills was dominant from the start as it pushed the still winless Notre Dame to its third straight defeat in this tournament organized by the Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training Center sponsored by Milo and supported by Rain or Shine, Chris Sports and SKLZ. Miriam College, meanwhile, notched its second straight win at the expense of winless St. Theresa’s College (0-2), 19-10, to match St. Scholastica Academy-Marikina’s 2-0 output on top of Group A. In the 18-Under Competitive Division, Casimiro Ynares Sr. Memorial National High School routed Our Lady of Mercy School (0-3), 31-3, for its third win in four games to stay behind a still clean Chiang Kai Shek College (3-0) in Group A.

A7

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

LeBron eclipses Wilt’s scoring mark

L

OS ANGELES—LeBron James poured on 44 points to leapfrog Wilt Chamberlain on the NBA’s all-time scoring rankings on Wednesday as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 126-117.

James’ highest points haul since joining the Lakers saw him vault over Chamberlain into fifth place on the scoring rankings, leaving him with 31,425 points from his career.

Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA’s all-time points leader with 38,387 points, followed by Karl Malone (36,928) and Kobe Bryant (33,643) with Michael Jordan one place ahead of James at 32,292.

James’s standout night at the Staples Center saw him come within a whisker of a triple double, with the

Lakers star finishing with 10 rebounds and nine assists in addition to his 44 points.

The 33-year-old made a point of snaffling the game ball after the buzzer sounded on what was a fourth straight victory for the Lakers, who improved to 8-6 to move up to seventh in the Western Conference standings.

James later paid tribute to Chamberlain when asked to reflect on passing the Lakers icon.

“One of the most dominant forces we ever had in our game, along with Shaq

(O’Neal), one of the greatest Lakers to play the game,” James said.

“I’m just happy we got another win.

But any time my name is mentioned with some of the greats, I always think back to my home town and how far I’ve come.

That’s it for me.”

James, who had expressed frustration earlier in the season after the Lakers slow start to the campaign, said he believes the team is gradually heading in the right direction.

“It’s still a process for us,” James said.

“We want to try and get better every day.

And I believe we’ve done that since the start of training camp.

“We’ve got better since September and into October, and now we’ve got better in November. We just want to try and continue it.”

The only downside for the Lakers came with an injury to Rajon Rondo, who faces at least two weeks on the sidelines after suffering a broken hand.

“It’s tough,” said James. “He’s one of our leaders. But it’s next man up.”

James’ dominant performance also extended to defense. He led the Lakers with three blocks and a steal in addition to his haul of points and assists.

JaVale McGee supported James with 20 points, while fellow starters Brandon Ingram (17) and Lonzo Ball (11) also weighed in with double-digit tallies. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 13 from the bench.

Portland, who fell to 10-4 with the defeat, were led by Damian Lillard with 31 points. C.J. McCollum had 23 points and Jusuf Nurkic added 21.

Cuenca, Dee boost Cycle PH roster

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers scores over Evan Turner of the Portland Trail Blazers during a 126-117 Laker win at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Solar Entertainment brings NBA action to PH THE long wait is over as Filipino basketball fans can catch another new season of the NBA. The excitement and anticipation for the next season happened a few weeks after the Golden State Warriors’ title conquest as talented rookies were drafted, players switched teams thru trades and marquee players signed with teams via free agency.

As new storylines surround the NBA heading to the new season, Solar Entertainment channels BTV and NBA Premium TV will make sure you’ll never miss the play by play action – 24 hours a day and 7 days a week from October to June 2019.

As the long time TV partner of the NBA in the Philippines, Solar through its channels Basketball TV (BTV) and NBA Premium TV again guarantees the most comprehensive coverage by broadcasting the most number of games combined with daily magazine shows and other NBA specials that are exclusive on both channels.

Starting last October, BTV and NBA Premium TV air live games every morning. For those who missed the morning broadcast primetime replays of the games are also available daily. From Regular season to the Finals, around 600 games will be aired combined on both channels.

Basketball TV viewers will enjoy at least one live game every day, with primetime replay at 8 p.m. Games aired on BTV will be complemented by NBA magazine shows—NBA Action, NBA Inside Stuff, NBA Gametime, The Starters, Inside the NBA and NBA Open Court.

Through these programs, NBA fans will be updated with every news and updates surrounding the association. Aside from the NBA programming, BTV also specializes in locally produced on- air and digital segments that are updated weekly consisting of events, highlights, insights, and program updates.

NBA Premium TV is the 1st ever HD sports channel in the Philippines that is custom-made for the true NBA fan. NBA Premium offers at least 2 LIVE games every day and can go to a maximum of

4 games. With NBA Premium TV, NBA Fans will get an overdose of NBA Action in Full High Definition everyday.

No cable subscription and looking for an alternative to have both channels?

Purchase Easy TV now and watch Live NBA games all season long. Basketball TV is seen on Ch. 13 and NBA Premium TV on Ch.14 on Easy TV. Visit www.easytv.ph or contact 8177000 for more details, Mag Level Up Ka Na! *Service only available in Metro Manila.

Solar Entertainment channels BTV and NBA Premium TV will make sure you’ll never miss the play by play action—24 hours a day and 7 days a week from October to June 2019.

JAKE Cuenca, a regular triathlon campaigner, and fellow Stag Magic artists Enchong Dee and Iñigo Pascual take time out from their hectic shoot schedules to lead the Sun Life Cycle PH at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig tomorrow.

SunPiology founder Piolo Pascual and triathlete Matteo Guidicelli, along with Yong Muhajil, Janus del Prado, Sarah Carlos, Kisses Delavin, Ysabel Ortega and Tommy Esguerra are also seeing action in the non-competitive event put up

by Sunrise Events, Inc. to promote a healthy lifestyle through cycling.

The sport is a healthy, low-impact exercise, which can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. It improves not only one’s mental wellbeing but also promotes weight loss and cuts heart disease and cancer risk, among others.

To spice up the event, organizers will raffle off a brand new 2019 Trek Marlin 5 bike among participants in the Kids Ride, Short Ride (20K) and Long Ride (40K) categories around Taguig, Makati, Manila and Pasay.

The event, also held to promote family bonding, will be launched at SEDA BGC Hotel today (Friday) to be graced by three-time Tour de France green jersey winner Robbie McEwen and SEI founder Wilfred Uytengsu.

The 40km ride has lured over 600 riders while the 20km and kids categories have drawn 392 and 100 participants, respectively. Gun start for the 40km ride is at 6 a.m. to be followed by the 20km ride at 6:20 a.m. and the kids ride at 8:30 a.m.

Also on tap are the tricycle rides for kids at 9:45 a.m.

Online listup is ongoing. For details, log on to www.sunlife.cycleph.com.

The event, backed by Sun Life, BGC, Taguig, F2P, 2GO, Alcoplus, Cetaphil, Sanicare, Shopee, Trek, Storck, Skippy’s and Regent and supported by media partners Cignal and The Philippine Star, also serves as part of the SunPIOLOgy, which will bring its run leg to four Asian cities while holding three other sports to highlight its milestone 10th year.

After the Sun Life Cycle PH, the Manila edition of the Sun Life Resolution Run with the SunPIOLOgy Tr10 will be held before the Sun Life employees and the Star Magic artists clash in badminton, volleyball and basketball on Jan. 26, 2019 at Camp Aguinaldo in QC in a match billed as Sun vs Stars.

Arguelles shines in Negros Occidental Super League 2018 Table Tennis meet FEA Frances Elleine Arguelles of NOHS Altruists captured the women’s singles’ national division and the 17-andunder girls’ crowns of the Negros Occidental Super League 2018 Table Tennis Tournament recently at the SM City Bacolod and City Mall in Mandalagan in Bacolod City.

Arguelles beat Marieala Mabaquiao of USLS/LOPTTA, 3-2, to win the singles’ title before defeating Ma. Angela Puentespina, also of NOHS Altruists, 3-1, to claim the 17-and-under singles’ crown.

University of Santo Tomas and LOPTTA Joshua Castro bested Matthew Tolentino of LOPTTA, 3-0, to take home the men’s national division

title of the tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Table Tennis Federation Inc., headed by President Ting Ledesma.

Joshua Castro of UST/LOPTTA bagged the Country/Regional and Varsity division titles by winning over Richard Emperado of PNP in the finals.

Menchie Kate Dizon of Sigma-LP won the 7-and-under girls’ title after beating first runner up Shaira Puentespina of Altruist. Danielle Akisha De Leon settled for second runner up also in that division.

Other champions were Sheryl Mae Otanes of LOPTTA (Casual and Intermediate divisions); Uzziel Urim Geraldoy of Augustea (Beginners).

MILO-FCB BARCELONA CAMP. Robbie de Vera (extreme left), Milo Sports Consumer Marketing Manager; Mike Reyes (second from left), Assistant Organizer of Ignite Sports Inc. and Lester Castillo (right), Milo Sports Executive, present the 10 young football players who took part at the MILO-FCB Barcelona Camp at the FCB Youth Academy from Nov. 4 to 12. They are (starting third from left, standing) Daniel Cagaanan, Carlo Bongocan, Pio Unlay, Heaven Teodosio (from left, seated), Dylan Wong, Alexander Villarosa, Breindel Medina, Jelena Soon and Lien Manuel. Charles Dantes

Sports

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

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018

Smart volley belles get back on winning track SMART eked out a 26-16, 18-25, 2520, 23-25, 15-11 victory over Cocolife to get back on the winning track in the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference yesterday at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

Gretchel Soltones played like a grizzled veteran down the stretch to power the Giga Hitters to their second win in four games in this prestigious women’s club tourney bankrolled by Isuzu, Sogo, Asics, Mikasa, Mueller, UCPB Gen and Bizooku with Genius Sports as technical provider.

Soltones, the former Most Valuable Player in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, delivered 17 points laced with 16 digs and 25 excellent receptions for Smart, which also drew powerful performance from Czarina Carandang, Jerrili Malabanan and Joyce Sta. Rita.

Malabanan tallied 13 hits while Malabanan and Sta. Rita delivered 10 markers apiece in this battle that also has ESPN5, Hyper HD and Aksyon TV as broadcast partners.

“It was tough. Coming from two losses, it was really hard to regain our confidence, said Sta. Rita following the grueling battle that lasted for two hours and 21 minutes featuring thrilling rallies, superb blocks and a lot of on-court hustles from both squads.

“Not everyone knows how difficult it was for the team. But we’re happy that we finally get another win.”

After finishing at the bottom of the Grand Prix, the re-tooled Smart opened its bid with a victory over Sta. Lucia before bowing to powerhouse squads Petron and Foton in straight sets.

Against the young Asset Managers, the Giga Hitters simply refused to lose.

Soltones took the cudgels in the fifth set as the Giga Hitters raced to an 8-4 lead en route to the match point, 14-11.

“In the fifth set, we told ourselves that we can’t afford to lose the game, we have to win the game to redeem ourselves and to regain our confidence back,” said playmaker Jasmine Nabor, who is accounted for 24 of the Giga Hitters’ 26 excellent sets.

Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson drives to the basket against Magnolia’s Rome dela Rosa in a PBA semifinal game won by the Gin Kings, 107-103.

Magnolia tries again; Ginebra eyes equalizer

By Jeric Lopez

M

AGNOLIA will once again look to book a berth in the finals, while Barangay Ginebra shoots for a rubber match as the longtime rivals continue their best-of-five semifinal duel in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup. After failing to gain entry to the finals on their first attempt, the Hotshots try again while the Gin Kings look to stay alive once more in their Game 4 clash at 7 p.m. today at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

In a thrilling Game 3 finish last Wednesday night, Barangay Ginebra was able to fully flaunt its “never-say-die” mantra as it staved off elimination to make the series 2-1, still in Magnolia’s favor.

After trailing by 19 points early on, the Gin Kings refused to roll over and die as they fought back to eventually win and keep their title defense alive.

LA Tenorio’s late bucket propelled Ginebra to its 107-103 victory in Game 3.

Looking forward to Game 4 and the rest of the way, Ginebra coach Tim Cone shared his sentiments on how his team can have a chance to win against Magnolia.

“They are incredibly well-coached.

The thing is, when we’re playing Greg (Slaughter) and Japeth (Aguilar), we have to beat them with those match-ups and we can’t beat their smalls beat us,” said Cone.

The multi-titled mentor went further by saying that their bigs will be the key if they want a return trip to the finals.

“If we’re gonna win, our bigs have to be more effective than their smalls. We’ll keep trying. The ultimate goal is winning. Whatever it takes to find a way to win, we’re going to find that way,” said Cone.

While Cone got ejected in Game 2, it was Magnolia coach Chito Victolero’s turn in Game 3 as he was tossed for improperly addressing game officials.

The Hotshots are now looking to make that a rallying point to finally gain a berth in the big stage.

UP‘s De Liano: It’s all about confidence JAVI Gomez de Liano said he had the confidence to take his three-point shots in the last quarter.

Three triples from him with 5:59 left gave the Fighting Maroons enough cushion to demolish the De La Salle University Green Archers, 97-81, on Wednesday evening at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

“It’s all about confidence. Kasi, I have been working on it naman,” said the 20-year-old De Liano after the Fighting Maroons made it to the semifinals for the first time in 21 years in the 81st University Athletic Association of the Philippines Men’s Basketball Final Four.

De Liano’s treys handed the Fighting Maroons an 84-61 cushion and this allowed them to end their second round stint with three consecutive wins for an 8-6 record.

The last time the Fighting Maroons reached the Final Four was in 1997 when they were led by Paolo Mendoza and Bryan Gahol and coached by Nic Jorge.

That year, the Fighting Maroons also finished the elimination round with an 8-6 slate. The Far Eastern University Tamaraws, which had a twice-to-beat incentive entering the semis, lost to the UP in their first meeting, 70-69. In the rubber match, UP did not advance to finals after absorbing a 69-70 setback.

This time, UP has a better chance of making it with Bo Perasol as coach and with a team, which showed composure to keep fighting on until the end.

The Tams have an 7-6 slate in fifth, needing to win against the Adamson Falcons on Sunday to force a playoff with the La Salle Green Archers for the last berth.

“It helped that we were able to get a sizeable lead. I just reminded them on getting home-run wins. Meaning, we cannot think about winning a game when we have not finished it yet. They just focused on the next possession, on the next two minutes. These are young people who needed to be guided, and they responded well,” said Perasol. Peter Atencio

INTERNATIONAL REGATTA CHAMP: The Standard Insurance Centennial Sailing Team emerged as overall champion

in the top IRC A Class at the recent 12th China Cup International Regatta held in Shenzhen, China. Shown are skipper and Standard Insurance Group Chairman Judes Echauz (left) raising the trophy and team manager Stephen Tan receiving the Champagne Trophy from David Zhong (second from right), China Cup president. Looking on is Allan Balladares, co-skipper and Asia’s top match racer. The Standard Insurance-Philippine Sailing Association Team, skippered by Emerson Villena, also won the Asian Sailing Federation Far East 28R class by topping all of the races. Both Standard Insurance sailing teams are back-to-back winners in Asia’s top regatta, with more than 200 yachts competing. The championships were dedicated to Philippine Sailing’s Secretary General Donnie Altura, who recently passed away.

Red Robins capture 22nd NCAA crown

By Peter Atencio THE Mapua Red Robins denied the defending champion La SalleGreenhills six scoring chances in the final minute to pull off a 77-74 win in Game 3 yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Defense on Greenies’ sharpshooters Joel Cagulangan, Kobe Palencia and Joshua David allowed the Red Robins to hold LSGH scoreless in the dying seconds and claim their 22nd title in the 94th National Collegiate Athletic Association junior basketball tournament.

University of Santo Tomas transferee and Finals MVP Paolo Hernandez showed the way with 33 points and 12 rebounds for the Red Robins, who avenged their 74-75 setback to the Greenies in Game 3 of last year’s finals.

“Masaya ako. Siyempre, ito ang pinaka-masaya. Kulang kami sa tao. Nasustain pa rin namin ang ganu’ng intensity, energy. Credit sa mga players,” said coach Randy Alcantara, adding that could be his final stint for the Red Robins, who have matched the record of the San Beda Red Cubs as the team with the most number of league titles in the junior division.

After 11 years of handling the Robins, Alcantara said that he is into talks with the school which plans to move over to the Mapua Cardinals’ camp as their new head coach in time for Season 95, in place of Atoy Co. Under Alcantara’s watch, the Red Robins’ won two titles in the last three years that they reached the finals.

Dan Arches, stepping up in the absence of injured Clint Escamis, banged in 22 points. He went for a driving shot in the last 1:12 off Karl Mariano’s interception play on Cagulangan and this handed the Red Robins a 77-72 edge.

The Greenies, who drew 18 points from Inand Fornilos, tried to catch up in the remaining time. But blocks by Hernandez and Roseller Sarias on attempts by Palencia and Cagulangan with 36 seconds to go quashed La Salle’s bid.

The Red Robins earlier lost Game 1, 69-74, before bouncing back in Game 2, 85-76.

AFP Cavaliers battle NHA Builders, seek to stretch UNTV win streak to 6

Michael Manigo (left) hopes to provide the needed firepower when the DA Food Masters battle the PNP Responders in the 7th UNTV Cup on Sunday.

TWO-TIME champion Armed Forces of the Philippines tries to stretch its winning run to six games when it faces dangerous National Housing Authority at the start of the second round of elims in the 7th UNTV Cup on Sunday at the Pasic City Sports Center.

Coming off a five-game sweep of the Group A elims, the AFP Cavaliers are slightly favored in their 5 p.m. showdown with the NHA Builders, who finished Group B elims at No. 2 with a 4-1 mark.

Equally exciting is the 3:30 p.m. showdown between streaking Philippine National Police and Department of Agriculture—two teams capable of advancing to the

finals of the annual event for public servants and organized

by UNTV president and CEO Dr. Daniel Razon.

The PNP Responders settled for No. 2 in Group A elims with a 3-2 mark followed by defending champion Senate (also with a 3-2 mark) and PITC (2-3).

Clashing in the opening game at 2 p.m. are PITC and two-time titlist Judiciary, which is also carrying a 2-3 mark in the event offering P4 million to the chosen charity of the champion team.

A shootout is expected in the AFP-NHA encounter as both teams are still fresh from rousing wins with the Cavaliers beating the Senate Defenders, 76-70, and

Games Sunday (Pasig City Sports Center) 2 p.m. – PITC vs Judiciary 3:30p.m. – PNP vs DA 5p.m. – AFP vs NHA

the Builders scoring a massive 94-57 win over the Ombudsman Graft Busters.

After his breakout performance that saw him tally 20 points, Darwin Cordero is likely to be a marked man in today’s match.

Former Cebuano hotshot Henry Fernandez and UST star Emerson Oreta are expected to spearhead Agriculture’s assault against the PNP Responders that boast of former UE star in Olan Omiping and veteran Harold Sta. Cruz.

IN BRIEF

GT Capital’s income rises 6% to P3.8b in Q3 GT CAPITAL Holdings Inc., the listed holding company of business tycoon George Ty, said net income in the third quarter of the year climbed six percent to P3.8 billion from P3.58 billion year-onyear, boosted by higher real estate sales that partially offset the decline in automotive operations.

GT Capital said in a disclosure to the stock exchange third-quarter revenues declined two percent to P60.2 billion from P61.2 billion in the same quarter last year.

Real estate sales soared 134 percent to P7.73 billion.

Revenues from automotive business, however, declined 12 percent in the third quarter of the year to P47.9 billion from P54.7 billion in 2017 as automotive sales dropped 13 percent.

“The country’s macroeconomic indicators as of the third quarter have shown some positive trends, suggesting that inflation may have already peaked. Oil prices have declined, foreign exchange rates have shown some strength, and food prices have stabilized. We believe that these factors, combined with the increased spending levels in the last quarter, provide a good backdrop for improved conditions in 2019,” GT Capital chairman Arthur Ty said. Jenniffer B. Austria

Business

Alsons says earnings down 28% to P197m ALSONS Consolidated Resources Inc. of the Alcantara Group reported a net income after tax of P197.4 million in the first nine months of 2018, down 28 percent from P274.5 million year-on-year, due to higher costs and finance charges.

Alsons’ net income attributable to the parent, however, increased 17 percent to P137.33 million from P117.66 million on year. Gross revenues during the period slightly declined to P5.029 billion from P5.22 billion in the same period last year.

Alsons disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange revenues were primarily driven by the operations of the 105-megawatt coal-fired power plant of Sarangani Energy Corp. in Maasim, Sarangani province.

“ACR’s nine-month revenues were slightly lower than the P5.22 billion generated in the same period last year due mainly to the company’s realignment of some of its diesel assets to serve markets outside of Mindanao such as some of the off-grid areas and some parts of the Visayas where there is higher growth potential and greater demand for diesel power,” the company said. Alena Mae S. Flores

FWD LIFE-TRUEMONEY PARTNERSHIP. Pan-Asian insurer FWD Life Insurance, one of the country’s fastestgrowing insurance companies, launches a partnership with TrueMoney. FWD is offering a simple life insurance product, Set Ka Na, in TrueMoney centers under the partnership. At the signing ceremonies held in Bonifacio Global City are FWD and TrueMoney executives (from left) Meg Yap-Aguinaldo, head of New Markets and Channel Development, FWD Life Philippines; Rien Hermans, acting chief commercial officer, FWD Life Philippines; Peter Grimes, president and chief executive officer, FWD Life Philippines; Jacqueline Van Den Ende, chief executive officer, TrueMoney Philippines; Xavier Marzan, president, TrueMoney Philippines; and Richmond Tong, head of Financial Product Partnerships.

BSP hikes interest rates for the 5th time this year T

By Julito G. Rada

HE Monetary Board, the policy-making body of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, on Thursday raised for the fifth time this year the benchmark interest rates by 25 basis points to 4.75 percent to further temper higher inflation rate.

The rate hike has brought the total increase in the policy rates this year to 175 basis points since May 2018. The interest rates on the overnight lending and deposit facilities were raised accordingly.

Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Almasara Cyd Tuano-Amador said in a briefing late Thursday afternoon the upside risks to inflation outlook remained amid the measures implemented by the government to make sure consumer prices were in check.

“While the latest inflation forecasts show inflation settling within the target band of 2 to 4 percent in 2019 and 2020, after considering the impact of non-monetary measures, including the rice tariffication bill and the suspension of the oil excise tax, the board raised the policy rate by 25 basis points given the upside risks to the inflation outlook... ,” Amador said.

The board also increased the average inflation forecast this year to 5.3 percent from the 5.2-percent estimate made in the September policy meeting. The forecast for 2019 was reduced to 3.5 percent from 4.3 percent, while that of 2020 was raised to 3.3 percent from 3.2 percent.

The Monetary Board is set to hold its last policy meeting for the year next month.

Amador said the board believed the prospects for the domestic economy remained generally favorable and allowed some scope for a measured adjustment in the policy rate to rein in inflation expectations and pre-empt further secondround effects.

“The board deemed it necessary to respond with proactive policy action to help temper the risks to the inflation outlook, including those emanat-

ing from the continued uncertainty in the external environment amid tighter global financial conditions and trade tensions among major economies,” Amador said.

Inflation in October remained at a nine-year high of 6.7 percent, the same rate posted a month ago but significantly faster than 3.1 percent a year ago, driven mainly by increases in the prices of fuel, transport and the impact of recent typhoon Ompong in northern Luzon, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.

This brought inflation rate in the first 10 months of the year to 5.13 percent, well beyond the 2 percent to 4 percent target range set earlier by the government.

Bangko Sentral Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr., however, said the October inflation data supported its view that inflation pressures were finally moderating.

Earlier, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the Duterte administration was doing its best to tame inflation with an array of measures in place to streamline imports of agricultural goods and speed up the delivery of food items to the retail market in order to check rising commodity prices.

SM Prime opens Ormoc mall today, 1st in E. Visayas

By Jenniffer B. Austria

SM Prime Holdings Inc., one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia, will open its newest mall, SM Center Ormoc, in Leyte province today. This is the company’s first mall in Eastern Visayas Region and will offer over 20,000 square meters of gross floor area of well-selected dining, shopping and entertainment options.

Villar Group offers lower bid to supply water to Clark City

By Othel V. Campos The consortium of Prime Water Infrastructure Corp., a unit of the Villar Group, PAVI and MGS Construction Inc. and Israel’s TAHAL Group, a global provider of sustainable infrastructure, submitted the lower bid for the water and wastewater infrastructure project in New Clark City, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority announced Thursday.

The consortium submitted the lower bid of P9.45 per cubic meter, besting the P11 per cubic meter offer of Manila Water Co. Inc. during the opening of technical and financial proposals held at the

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018

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Remittances up by 2.3% to $2.24b in September

ABS-CBN registers lower profit of P1.48b ABS-CBN Corp. said net income fell 34.7 percent in the first nine months of the year on lower advertising revenues.

The Lopez-led multimedia company said net profit amounted to P1.48 billion in the January-to-September period from P2.26 billion year-on-year.

ABS-CBN generated consolidated revenues of P29.5 billion from advertising and consumer sales, 0.1 percent lower from P29.51 billion last year.

Advertising revenues decreased 2.8 percent to P14.87 billion on fewer placements.

Consumer sales increased 2.9 percent to P14.61billion from last year’s P14.2 billon.

ABS-CBN TVPlus contributed significant increase in revenues during the ninemonth period with 1.79 million boxes sold, or a 24-percent increase on year.

Sky’s revenue decreased by 2.8 percent on year.

The decrease in Sky’s performance was triggered by the decline in cable subscriber count by 68,000.

Darwin G. Amojelar

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

BCDA Corporate Center in Taguig City.

The water and wastewater project aims to ensure a safe, affordable and sustainable water source in New Clark City. It incorporates smart components, including advanced metering infrastructure and high standard wastewater treatment.

BCDA senior vice president and chief finance officer Nena Radoc, the chairperson of the Joint Venture Selection Committee, said the Prime Water Consortium would undergo post-qualification process as part of due diligence before the awarding of contract.

The proposed P9.45 per cubic meter rate will apply for the water

supply only. The same amount will be charged for wastewater services equaling to a total rate of P18.90 per cubic meter for the first five years of the 30-year joint venture period.

The winning bid is viewed as highly competitive compared with rates for cities in the Philippines, Southeast Asia and other parts of the world, and is expected to attract leading locators to the city.

Effective January 1, 2018, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System approved the basic rates of P35.48 per cubic meter and P25.50 per cubic meter for Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water, respectively.

SM PRIME Holdings, Inc., one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia, will open today SM Center Ormoc, its first mall in Eastern Visayas.

SM Prime said in a disclosure to the stock exchange SM Center Ormoc would offer over 20,000 square meters of well-selected dining, shopping and entertainment options.

“It is SM Prime’s pride and joy to finally open our first mall in the Eastern Visayas Region. SM Center Ormoc will be a great addition to the growing local economy of Ormoc City and the continuously developing province of Leyte. We look forward to more growth opportunities for the people of this region along with SM’s brand of lifestyle and entertainment,” SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim said.

SM Center Ormoc will open with 85 percent of space lease awarded, covering three floors of mixed recreation, service and entertainment facilities led by SM Supermarket, SM Appliance Center, Watsons, Ace Hardware, Simply Shoes, Surplus, Miniso and Banco De Oro. It will also feature an al fresco dining area on its second level, giving a glimpse of the vibrant surrounding, and four SM Cinemas, including a Director’s Club Cinema.

SM Center Ormoc promises to be a destination for leisure and entertainment of the city’s residents.

Bounded by Hermosilla Drive in the north, Real Street in the east, Osmeña Street in the south and Anilao River in the west, the new SM Mall with its modern structure and vivid design is a sure standout in the bustling downtown area of Ormoc City.

MONEY sent home by overseas Filipino workers recovered in September 2018, rising by 2.3 percent to $2.237 billion from $2.186 billion a year ago, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Maria Almasara Cyd TuanoAmador said Thursday.

The 2.3-percent expansion was a turnaround from a 0.9-percent decline a month ago. The figure brought cash remittances in the first nine months to $21.294 billion, up 2.5 percent from $20.781 billion on year.

However, the $2.237-billion value of remittances in September was the lowest in a year since $2.186 billion in the same month of 2017.

“Over the nine-month period, cash remittances from both land-based [$16.8 billion] and sea-based [$4.5 billion] workers grew by 2.2 percent and 3.5 percent year-on-year, respectively,” Amador said.

Over 79 percent of the total cash remittances in the first nine months came from the United States, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Japan, United Kingdom, Qatar, Canada, Germany and Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, the countries that contributed to the increase in remittances in September were Canada, the US and Taiwan.

Personal remittances, which include non-cash items, also rose by 2 percent in September to $2.490 billion from $2.442 billion a year ago. This brought personal remittances in the first nine months to $23.713 billion, up 2.4 percent from $23.164 billion on year.

Amador said the growth in personal remittances during the first nine months was backed by inflows from land-based workers with work contracts of one year or more, which grew 2.2 percent year-on-year.

Similarly, the growth in personal remittances was complemented by flows from sea- and land-based workers with contracts of less than one year, which rose by 3.5 percent year-on-year, Amador said. Julito G. Rada

LRMC hires Balfour, MRail for LRT rehab

By Darwin G. Amojelar LIGHT Rail Manila Corp., the joint venture of Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp., signed a P650million contract with First Balfour Inc. and MRail Inc. for the rehabilitation of 11 rectifier substations along the 21-kilometer line of LRT Line 1.

“As they power our trains, the substations are absolutely critical to providing reliable electricity supply and efficient operations of trains,” LRMC president and chief executive Juan Alfonso said.

The rehabilitation of the substations will take two years to complete and involves the replacement of major substation equipment, such as the critical switch gears, rectifiers, transformer, cables, the enhancement of the supervisory control and data acquisition system which allows the real-time monitoring of faults at the substations, and the modernization of fire detection and suppression systems.

“Some of these substations are 30 years old and need to be modernized to ensure reliability and efficiency of electric supply to our trains,” Alfonso added.

The project is part of the ongoing LRT-1 system improvements, which include the rehabilitation of trains, renovation of the 20 stations, as well as the structural enhancements of the parapets.

The upgrade has increased the number of trains from 77 to 112 in its first three years, enabling LRMC to increase trips and accommodate more passengers.

LRMC in February this year signed a P450-million contract with Voith Digital Solutions Australia GmBH and Co KH to rehabilitate and upgrade the trains of Light Rail Transit Line 1.

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Business

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rises; banks lead gainers T HE stock market climbed Thursday on hopes for an easing of the China-US trade war, while energy firms in Asia also enjoyed a muchneeded bounce as oil prices stabilized.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 29.51 points, 0.4 percent, to 6,952.59 on a value turnover of P6.5 billion. Gainers edged losers, 90 to 89, with 48 issues unchanged.

BDO Unibank Inc., the biggest lender in terms of assets, led other banks in advancing after the Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, raised interest rates by another 25 basis points.

BDO rose 3 percent to P118, while

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-largest bank, gained 4.2 percent to P69.80. Security Bank Corp., the sixth-biggest lender, climbed 2.2 percent to P139 Conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. rose 3 percent to P139.

The pound, meanwhile, held up after British Prime Minister Theresa May narrowly won support for her Brexit deal from cabinet members, though Apple suppliers faced renewed selling.

Fears about the trade war, rising Federal Reserve interest rates, tensions within the European Union and slowing growth in most economies have forced stocks south for the past few months.

But after another battering for much of this week—this time from the oil sector—traders were given some hope by reports that China had submitted a series of trade concessions to the Trump

administration.

Hong Kong rose 1.8 percent Thursday, with market heavyweight Tencent surging almost six percent on the back of forecast-beating earnings.

Shanghai ended up 1.4 percent, Seoul added one percent, Singapore gained 0.4 percent and Sydney rose 0.1 percent, with Taipei, Mumbai and Jakarta also up.

However, Tokyo ended slightly lower, with big losses in Apple-linked firms after another key supplier lowered its earnings forecasts, fueling worries about demand for the US titan’s iPhones.

Bloomberg said officials had suggested the measures as they try to reach a deal ahead of a G20 summit this month, where Donald Trump is expected meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The report said the offers were short of the major reforms being sought by the White House but cited an unnamed source as saying talks were ongoing and

constructive.

Earlier this week, Trump’s top economic adviser Larry Kudlow said both sides were “having communications at all levels” on trade.

However, with both sides digging their heels in, expectations for a breakthrough are low.

“On the surface (the latest report is) a positive sign,” said Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trade at OANDA. “However, in this instance I suspect equity traders will be more focused on the... ‘long road that lies ahead’ as we can only assume it will be filled with numerous potholes. As such we could expect risk sentiment to continue shading to the dark side of the equation.”

The recent slump in energy stocks came to a halt after an uptick in crude prices Wednesday, which extended into Asia, on speculation Opec will cut output more than recently stated.

With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2018

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

58.5 82.6 115 1.53 27.65 15.24 10.4 3.88 1.55 0.47 67.45 0.77 11.1 39.1 176.1 72.1 28 138.5 1,888 65.85

59.5 85.8 119 1.53 28 15.66 10.4 3.97 1.55 0.485 69.9 0.77 11.1 39.1 181.5 72.1 28.15 139.7 1,888 65.95

57.4 82 115 1.51 27.55 15.14 10.28 3.86 1.42 0.47 67 0.76 11.1 38.95 173 72.1 28 137 1,888 65.85

FINANCIALS 59.5 45,500 84.5 5,194,350 118 834,720 1.52 180,000 27.7 115,900 15.66 5,600 10.38 102,400 3.97 8,000 1.45 116,000 0.475 2,550,000 69.8 7,845,480 0.77 492,000 11.1 2,200 39 155,700 181.5 2,670 72.1 60 28 163,700 139 428,200 1,888 5 65.9 10,660

2,652,837 436,818,008 98,482,733 273,600 3,213,180 85,342 1,059,260 31,200 170,880 1,216,750 540,475,564 378,040 24,420 6,074,660 465,806 4,326 4,583,910 59,440,563 9,440 702,575.50

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

31.4 17.3 1.08 1.24 0.21 2 13.2 36.85 16.2 35.8 1.43 6.8 10.74 15.28 8.85 6.95 16.54 64 23.5 1.6 6.2 8.22 1.56 278.8 50 4.7 3.35 9.48 25 10.56 17.6 382 1.55 4 8.27 4.45 1 10.58 50.8 5.2 4.61 1.97 3.15 1.34 10.06 84.95 5.25 0.87 122 1.4 18.5 1.52

32 17.5 1.11 1.24 0.223 2 13.46 37 16.3 35.8 1.43 7.08 10.86 15.4 8.9 6.95 16.96 64.1 23.5 1.65 6.2 8.38 1.56 282 50 4.7 3.35 10.18 25.5 10.6 17.78 382 1.55 4.24 8.27 4.69 1 10.88 50.8 5.5 4.61 2.01 3.15 1.34 10.06 84.95 5.47 0.87 128 1.42 18.5 1.57

31.2 17.22 1.03 1.23 0.208 1.96 13.2 36.5 16.2 35.8 1.38 6.8 10.7 14.82 8.8 6.91 16.5 63.6 23.2 1.59 5.9 8 1.48 276.6 50 4.7 3.35 9.48 25 10.4 17.24 379.6 1.49 4 8.1 4.4 0.85 10.56 48.55 5.1 4.6 1.92 2.95 1.21 10 84 5.2 0.84 122 1.38 18.5 1.45

INDUSTRIAL 31.25 2,395,200 17.5 1,071,000 1.04 11,309,000 1.23 159,000 0.223 5,720,000 1.97 9,068,000 13.4 2,019,000 37 172,900 16.2 1,800 35.8 200 1.43 686,000 7.06 14,500 10.8 202,000 15.4 493,400 8.88 1,019,600 6.92 18,000 16.9 1,255,100 64 73,770 23.3 9,700 1.62 6,963,000 6.1 20,300 8.29 6,212,700 1.5 215,000 280 371,040 50 320 4.7 17,000 3.35 5,000 10.18 1,200 25.5 513,600 10.48 104,900 17.6 2,890,200 379.6 111,320 1.49 791,000 4.04 417,000 8.12 645,100 4.55 148,000 0.95 3,580,000 10.58 48,600 49.95 1,150,770 5.11 3,400 4.6 24,000 2.01 301,000 3 50,000 1.23 1,859,000 10 177,800 84 5,539,870 5.2 3,418,000 0.84 37,000 126.5 452,070 1.38 1,244,000 18.5 2,000 1.5 10,836,000

75,031,355 18,669,632 12,031,720 196,160 1,231,090 17,957,680 26,652,656 6,388,715 29,260 7,160 962,480 98,654 2,181,036 7,547,270 9,062,323 124,574 21,190,822 4,709,182 227,250 11,247,130 124,051 51,140,019 323,230 103,925,662 16,000 79,900 16,750 11,516 12,923,605 1,099,210 50,391,256 42,306,574 1,186,860 1,722,690 5,235,906 674,390 3,268,760 521,266 58,029,920.50 17,675 110,440 581,550 155,350 2,332,480 1,778,054 467,543,293.50 17,841,990 31,140 57,013,276 1,733,540 37,000 16,392,770

-46,451,240 1,016,802.00 -18,430 700,820 -3,048,140 26,542,640 -44,330 3,400 981,784 -287,260 -18,680 6,881,092 -552,236.50 285,710 -117,426 -2,760,557 60,790,386 11,989,260 -853,028 -16,319,136 13,445,928 -1,183,880 -12,090 235,567.00 15,220 -47,782 -21,044,920.50 -4,125 -18,430 -273,360 -1,103,004 142,217,641.50 1,049,120 3,085,258 -262,860

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

0.435 45.3 10.54 6.22 22.75 1.43 1.44 895 7 12.74 7.34 715 5.95 43.8 0.53 3.79 15.92 0.51 4.4 0.033 1.16 2.47 2.68 169.2 884 1.26 349.2 265.2 0.22

0.45 46.45 10.74 6.29 24 1.51 1.51 903.5 7.07 12.74 7.38 725 5.95 44.95 0.53 3.85 15.98 0.53 4.53 0.033 1.16 2.47 2.69 171.9 888 1.38 523 279 0.22

0.435 44.5 10.18 6.2 21.7 1.43 1.44 891.5 6.75 12.42 7.34 710 5.95 43.8 0.5 3.71 15.6 0.51 4.37 0.033 1.16 2.38 2.68 168.9 878 1.25 349 260 0.21

HOLDING FIRMS 0.445 13,750,000 45.9 157,600 10.28 9,166,800 6.22 86,300 22.3 2,070,300 1.47 38,096,000 1.47 7,371,000 898 196,270 7 2,180,100 12.42 3,378,800 7.37 27,500 720 98,120 5.95 2,500 44.5 914,300 0.5 126,000 3.85 1,476,000 15.84 2,587,900 0.52 464,000 4.49 21,773,000 0.033 500,000 1.16 85,000 2.44 461,000 2.69 5,000 169.2 240,540 880 207,660 1.26 42,000 523 2,810 279 11,500 0.211 790,000

6,076,150 7,229,885 95,004,716 539,159 46,080,885 56,245,790 10,904,800 176,193,425 15,223,130 42,538,608 202,291 70,163,025 14,875 40,645,310 63,040 5,551,570 41,055,064 240,250 97,477,890 16,500 98,600 1,120,790 13,440 40,700,919 182,885,615 53,120 1,376,354 3,133,944 167,160

118,850 -1,137,205 -28,434,818 1,240 44,479,840 -116,800 -27,527,450 8,644,339 28,808,786 -25,944,895 -23,283,275.00 -2,108,400 15,675,608 -64,599,940 92,720 -1,612,203 -87,995,760 12,500 -2,200,000 -

8990 HLDG A BROWN ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DM WENCESLAO DOUBLEDRAGON FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE IRC PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND

7.12 0.69 1.85 0.52 38.8 2.19 4.15 0.41 0.89 0.86 0.207 0.38 7.54 17.3 1.42 1 2.29 4.5 0.335 0.44 0.365 3.6 19.62 1.93 31.75 1.14

7.19 0.75 1.85 0.52 39.25 2.2 4.15 0.415 0.89 0.88 0.214 0.38 7.57 17.3 1.42 1 2.39 4.54 0.355 0.45 0.375 3.6 20.5 1.94 31.95 1.14

7.02 0.69 1.79 0.5 38.3 2.17 3.6 0.405 0.81 0.85 0.206 0.38 7.5 17.14 1.41 1 2.27 4.49 0.325 0.44 0.35 3.58 19.62 1.92 31.55 1.12

336,349 2,023,580 219,790 207,680 377,386,025 2,359,550 31,864,110 2,021,100 15,950 305,010 889,840 7,600 5,109,211 7,544,424 2,204,130 1,044,000 23,528,640 8,522,930 18,425,150 682,350 260,050 2,303,230 90,432,172 239,170 291,115,790 470,520

10,400 -53,185,380 -1,695,760 3,926,170 -108,150 6,230 10,440 408,180 -112,500 2,086,384 195,780 -492,160 3,200,440 -1,878,800 -272,900 -36,604,855 90,810 -106,959,955 -

597,860.50 67,089,511 -3,414,508 -251,870 -341,312 4,800 100,519,449 -1,966,430 101,207 -4,469,055 -21,512,883 -166,055

NAME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

STARMALLS VISTA LAND

4.05 5.19

4.08 5.2

4.01 5.15

4.02 5.2

144,000 775,400

581,470 4,024,966

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

9.7 19.5 0.35 0.037 1.59 7.8 62.55 7.87 5.62 950 1,869 5.22 316.8 11 3.54 92.5 10.02 7.15 0.09 7.8 3.26 13.82 2.79 0.7 14.9 0.365 5.5 7.14 1.93 1 1.46 14.1 2.89 10.5 7.63 3.4 106.7 3.05 1,177 0.63 0.32 42 76.5 6.8 2.75 0.6 0.34 5.18 0.46 12.48

10.48 19.6 0.375 0.039 1.62 7.84 63.9 8.04 5.7 950 1,899 5.27 319 11 3.63 92.6 10.5 7.15 0.099 8.48 3.53 13.82 2.79 0.7 14.9 0.37 5.5 7.14 1.94 1.32 1.46 15 3.04 10.5 7.99 3.4 110.9 3.14 1,200 0.65 0.32 42 77 6.84 2.77 0.6 0.35 5.18 0.46 12.5

9.7 19.48 0.35 0.037 1.55 7.58 62.55 7.7 5.4 950 1,851 5.22 311.8 11 3.39 92.05 10.02 7.1 0.09 7.8 3.25 13.82 2.56 0.69 14.4 0.365 5.5 7.13 1.91 1 1.45 14.02 2.84 10.5 7.63 3.1 106.7 3.04 1,165 0.62 0.315 41.5 75.3 6.78 2.63 0.58 0.33 5.13 0.45 12.32

SERVICES 10.28 19.5 0.36 0.039 1.6 7.65 63 7.79 5.4 950 1,865 5.22 319 11 3.45 92.3 10.5 7.1 0.099 7.83 3.45 13.82 2.61 0.69 14.48 0.37 5.5 7.13 1.92 1.23 1.45 15 2.98 10.5 7.99 3.4 110.9 3.08 1,165 0.63 0.315 41.9 76.7 6.78 2.68 0.6 0.335 5.14 0.46 12.4

5,400 144,600 700,000 2,600,000 1,340,000 5,412,800 333,370 4,845,800 184,700 50 63,745 113,100 750 100 3,130,000 557,810 18,600 5,500 770,000 89,606,400 29,000 800 776,000 89,000 1,345,000 60,000 100 1,257,300 1,516,000 115,000 3,000 5,400 3,728,000 2,000 27,100 9,000 53,500 306,000 49,095 2,394,000 540,000 63,300 112,390 26,500 9,349,000 2,692,000 27,040,000 5,019,500 2,160,000 3,152,500

54,180 2,820,220 253,600 98,700 2,129,710 41,801,134 21,015,710 37,968,564 1,019,790 47,500 119,431,590 590,892 237,640 1,100 11,049,660 51,467,836.50 192,852 39,175 73,700 726,054,566 95,650 11,056 2,062,090 62,000 19,492,866 22,050 550 8,965,593 2,908,680 127,020 4,360 79,534 11,001,340 21,000 206,953 29,700 5,721,785 937,400 57,974,085 1,508,110 172,250 2,649,530 8,623,745.50 180,492 25,035,850 1,592,740 9,141,000 25,753,085 982,000 39,042,712

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

0.0021 1.77 2.39 13 1.94 6.91 1.7 0.2 0.098 0.096 0.0068 1.16 2.37 1.02 0.88 0.013 0.013 0.012 4 2.93 17.9 26.1

0.0021 1.77 2.39 13.68 1.95 7.05 1.74 0.201 0.098 0.096 0.0068 1.16 2.37 1.02 0.92 0.013 0.013 0.012 4.1 2.93 18.16 26.7

0.002 1.72 2.31 12.62 1.94 6.91 1.7 0.195 0.096 0.095 0.0068 1.16 2.33 0.99 0.88 0.012 0.013 0.011 4 2.85 17.48 26.05

MINING & OIL 0.0021 216,000,000 1.74 1,916,000 2.31 165,000 13.66 3,900 1.95 127,000 7.03 1,400 1.74 1,019,000 0.201 310,000 0.097 1,150,000 0.095 300,000 0.0068 7,000,000 1.16 1,000 2.34 1,283,000 1.01 14,000 0.9 413,000 0.012 2,200,000 0.013 10,500,000 0.011 900,000 4.1 576,000 2.85 1,959,000 17.72 3,719,300 26.25 802,400

442,700 3,342,630 392,120 50,530 247,150 9,720 1,769,200 60,980 110,470 28,610 47,600 1,160 3,012,540 13,950 371,700 27,500 136,500 10,500 2,356,900 5,612,950 66,287,992 21,094,145

-6,930 -55,220 -357,270 102,070 -117,000 -2,587,830 -12,713,530 -4,342,565

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF G FPH PREF C GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR LR PREF PCOR PREF 2B PNX PREF 3B SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

19.1 460 488 96 100.5 480 450 5.2 1.02 1,005 103.1 76 76 74.95 75.1 74.8 73 73.5

19.1 460 488 96 100.5 480 460 5.2 1.02 1,005 103.1 76 76 74.95 75.1 74.8 73.6 73.5

18.84 460 487 96 100.5 480 450 5.2 1.02 1,005 103.1 75.5 76 74.95 75 74.8 73 73.1

PREFERRED 19.1 49,500 460 3,480 487 150 96 490 100.5 40 480 10 450 23,620 5.2 4,500 1.02 90,000 1,005 10 103.1 2,080 75.5 2,260 76 20,300 74.95 400,000 75 42,610 74.8 7,700 73.6 7,740 73.5 20,660

941,670 1,600,800 73,150 47,040 4,020 4,800 10,629,100 23,400 91,800 10,050 214,448 170,780 1,542,800 29,980,000 3,196,750 575,960 567,420 1,510,605

-941,670 -

LR WARRANT

1.7

1.76

1.6

WARRANTS 1.65 228,000

384,770

33,500

3,142,940 310,260 3,529,580

24,420 -276,300

999,795

-

100,163.60 10,100 50,078.20

-

MS

PROPERTY 7.18 0.75 1.8 0.51 38.5 2.17 3.7 0.415 0.81 0.87 0.21 0.38 7.55 17.2 1.42 1 2.34 4.51 0.34 0.45 0.375 3.6 20 1.93 31.95 1.14

47,700 2,777,000 122,000 406,000 9,783,500 1,080,000 8,565,000 4,900,000 19,000 358,000 4,290,000 20,000 678,000 439,100 1,554,000 1,044,000 10,080,000 1,886,000 53,710,000 1,520,000 710,000 641,000 4,469,400 124,000 9,159,500 420,000

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

3.84 2.66 1.13

4.1 2.99 1.2

3.84 2.65 1.11

FIRST METRO ETF

104.5

105

104.1

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10.04 10.1 1.01

TRADING SUMMARY

10.04 10.1 1.01

SHARES

FINANCIAL

10,348,109

INDUSTRIAL

130,245,126

HOLDING FIRMS

128,432,045

PROPERTY

157,874,085

SERVICES

418,273,612

MINING & OIL

2,101,268,571

GRAND TOTAL

2,952,630,791

10 10.1 0.98

4.06 2.86 1.19

SME

782,000 116,000 3,020,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 104.1 9,560 10 10.1 1.01

DDS

10,000 1,000 50,000

28,200.00 630,007 -2,060 -34,275,171 3,934,327.50 -85,604 -28,100 68,671,045 149,310 860,294 27,395,699.00 -1,110,160 -9,113,594 -5,854,447 -153,580 -1,460 1,033,280 212,764 3,140 -3,971,025 -801,010 -1,155,195 -699,791.50 96,852 3,371,630 -460,750 -456,650.00 -23,917,642 22,941,780

VALUE 1,544.88 (down) 18.63 586,059,520.34 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,397.67 (down) 66.25 2,225,001,566.319 HOLDING FIRMS 6,737.03 (down) 111.34 1,597,162,773.934 PROPERTY 3,356.96 (down) 41.62 SERVICES 1,371.55 (down) 5.38 1,030,734,527.48 MINING & OIL 9,073.08 (down) 89.89 2,475,163,432.44 PSEI 6,843.83 (down) 82.37 244,454,157.173 All Shares Index 4,211.13 (down) 41.84 8,171,757,307.26 Gainers: 55; Losers: 155; Unchanged: 36; Total: 246

First Gen’s income rose 45% to $180m in 9 months

By Alena Mae S. Flores FIRST Gen Corp., a member of the Lopez Group, said Thursday net income attributable to equity holders of the parent company rose 45 percent to $180 million (P9.4 billion) in the first nine months from $124 million (P6.2 billion) year-on-year.

First Gen disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange that attributable net income in the first three quarters also increased to $151 million (P7.9 billion), up 50 percent from a year ago.

“We are pleased to report that First Gen’s sizable investment in new capacity with the modern San Gabriel plant started serving the power needs of Meralco’s customers in the third quarter of 2018,” First Gen president and chief operating officer Francis Giles Puno said.

“We are happy to report that San Gabriel delivers a low-cost source of electricity to Filipino consumers. Contrary to perception, First Gen is clearly proving the price competitiveness of clean low-carbon natural gas-fired power versus more polluting coal-fired power even at full base load dispatch,” he said.

The company’s natural gas platform delivered recurring earnings of $140 million (P7.3 billion) from $87 million (P4.4 billion) a year ago.

First Gen said its newest and most modern plant, the 420-megawatt San Gabriel flexible station, benefited from markedly higher dispatch and revenues as it sold power in the spot market at attractive prices in the first half of 2018.

The company benefited from lower interest expenses and higher interest income as a result of the First Gen’s deleveraging initiatives. It said savings in interest expense offset unrealized foreign exchange losses and higher deferred taxes.

First Gen’s consolidated revenues from the sale of electricity increased 14 percent to $1.5 billion (P76.2 billion) from $1.3 billion (P64 billion) in the first nine months of 2017.

The natural gas portfolio accounted for $919 million (P47.9 billion), or 63 percent of First Gen’s total consolidated revenues. Natural gas revenues were 18 percent higher in the first three quarters mainly due to increased volume sales and prices.

DMCI unit bags P10.6b worth of project contracts

By Jenniffer B. Austria DMCI Holdings Inc. said its construction unit bagged P10.6 billion worth of new projects in the first nine months of 2018, raising its total order book to P26.3 billion, up eight percent year-on-year.

DMCI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange building projects accounted for most of the order book at P12 billion, closely followed by infrastructure projects at P11.9 billion.

Contracts for plant and utilities topped P2.5 billion while energy projects totaled P2.1 billion.

“Right now our order book is skewed towards private sector-led construction projects but we expect more big-ticket projects under the Build, Build, Build program to come on-stream within the next few months,” said DM Consunji Inc. president and chief executive Jorge Consunji.

“2019 will be a busier year for public construction, and we are very eager to participate in the infrastructure modernization program of the government,” he added The newly-signed projects of DMCI include the P1.1-billion Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 Nagtahan Rampway, the P1.1-billion Connor of Ortigas & Co., the P13-billion STRC Apartment Ridge of ST 6747 Resources Corp., expansion projects of JG Summit Petrochemical Corp. and DLS-College of St. Benilde Academic, Sports and Dormitory Buildings.

Meanwhile, major ongoing projects include the Cavite-Laguna Expressway project of MPCALA Holdings Inc., the Bued Viaduct and Roadway of Private Infra Dev Corp., the LRT 2 East (Masinag) Stations under the Department of Transportation, Maven at Capitol Commons of Ortigas & Co. and Anchor Grandsuites of Anchor Land Holdings.

Standard

TODAY

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

World

Manila

extrastory2000@gmail.com

B3

Nepal’s robot waiter is ready to get orders

A COLD DAY FOR FISHING. This photo taken on November 14, 2018, shows Chinese fishermen casting a net next to a photovoltaic power station built on top of fishponds in Yangzhou in China’s eastern Jiangsu province. AFP

IN BRIEF Marie Antoinette’s pendant fetches $36m GENEVA―A pearl and diamond pendant owned

by Marie Antoinette before she was beheaded during the French Revolution sold for $36 million at an auction on Wednesday, shattering its pre-sale estimate of up to $2 million.

The Sotheby’s auction at an ultra-luxurious hotel on the banks of Lake Geneva saw feverish bidding for a 10-piece collection owned by the ill-fated queen, featuring jewels unseen in public for two centuries.

The 10 items, which had been estimated to fetch a total of roughly $3 million, sold for a combined sum of nearly $43 million, Sotheby’s said.

A diamond brooch pegged to go for roughly $80,000 (70,000 euros) sold for $1.75 million, excluding fees, one of several pieces that brought in more than 20 times its estimated worth.

But the highlight was the pendant featuring an oval diamond and drop-shaped pearl, which Sotheby’s said went to an anonymous, private buyer, without giving further details.

Sotheby’s also said the pendant set a new record price for a pearl jewel sold at auction.

“Marie Antoinette’s pendant is simply irreplaceable and the price it fetched is about far more than the gem itself,” Eddie LeVian, the chief executive of jewelers Le Vian, said in a statement.

“It captures everyone’s imagination,” he added.

“This is the ultimate proof, if it were needed, that the world’s ultra high net worth individuals love rare, natural fancy colored diamond and pearls jewels as investments, and especially those with royal provenance.” AFP

US urges sustained sanctions on N. Korea SINGAPORE―Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday took America’s “pressure campaign” against North Korea to a summit of world leaders, as concerns mount over Pyongyang’s key allies easing the sanctions over its nuclear program.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a historic summit in Singapore earlier this year, signing a vaguely worded deal on denuclearization. But there has been little progress since, with the two countries sparring over the exact meaning of the agreement.

The isolated, impoverished North is under heavy sanctions that were imposed over its atomic weapons program, which it has pursued in violation of UN resolutions.

Washington insists they must be maintained until the North denuclearizes.

But US officials acknowledge the enforcement of the sanctions by the North’s traditional trading partners China and Russia has eased.

Meanwhile, Seoul has said it is mulling over lifting its own measures against Pyongyang.

In remarks at the opening of a meeting with Southeast Asian leaders, Pence said America’s regional “partnership also includes our pressure campaign regarding” the North.

The meeting in Singapore is also being attended by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Russian President Vladimir Putin and South Korean leader Moon Jae-in. AFP

US executes Mexican who killed his family WASHINGTON―The state of Texas executed a Mexican man who was sentenced to death after being convicted of killing his wife and two small children.

Roberto Moreno Ramos, 64, was put to death by lethal injection in the penitentiary at Huntsville, Texas, the state corrections system said.

He was sentenced to death in 1993 for bludgeoning his wife and two of their children, aged seven and three, with a sledgehammer in 1992 in the town of Progreso, near the Mexican border, where the family had been living for several years.

Ramos hid the bodies under the tiling of the bathroom in their house and three days later married his mistress, who had no idea he was married. The bodies were found two months later.

During his 25 years on death row, Ramos’ lawyers have argued in vain that he suffered from brain damage and is bipolar.

Mexico and human rights groups have long maintained that Ramos was not informed that he could have access to legal aid from the Mexican consulate, a right guaranteed by the 1963 Geneva Convention of which the US is a signatory.

His execution would constitute “a flagrant violation of human rights and international law,” the Mexican government said Monday.

After the execution, the Mexican government government issued a statement condemning it.

“The death penalty is a grave violation of human rights and cruel and inhuman sanction,” it said. AFP

Migrant caravan reaches US border T

IJUANA―Hundreds of Central Americans arrived at the United States’ southern border Wednesday, defying visiting US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis as the rest of a migrant caravan dramatically accelerated its pace to join them.

Large groups of migrants gathered on the beach in the northern city of Tijuana at the border fence that separates Mexico from California, climbing on top of it and even jumping down to the other side as US border patrol agents looked on―before quickly scrambling back to the Mexican side.

“We’re not criminals!” some of them shouted, in a pointed message to US President Donald Trump, who has deployed some 5,900 troops to the border as the caravan approaches.

Another 4,000 migrants―the main caravan―are expected to reach the border in a matter of days, fleeing poverty and violence in their home countries.

At least nine migrants from the caravan crossed decisively into the US side, and were promptly arrested by border patrol officers, an AFP correspondent said.

They included a mother with her four children and a 19-year-old pregnant woman from Honduras named Jazmin Monserrat.

“She didn’t tell me she was going to do it.

Before I knew it she was on the other side,” her 17-year-old husband, Moises Hernandez, told AFP. “I understand. She’s looking for a new life.

We’re tired of the poverty in our country.”

Under an executive order Trump issued last week, migrants who do not cross at official border posts will no longer be allowed to request asylum, and face automatic deportation.

Many of the migrants in Tijuana say they will wait for the rest of the caravan to arrive before trying to cross.

Visiting the other end of the border―Base Camp Donna, in Texas-Mattis insisted the military deployment was “necessary” to NOTICE OF LOSS Notice is hereby given to the public that Loyola Memorial Park Certificates of Title No. 01-55340 (consisting of 8 lots) and No. 8745391 (consisting of 1 lot) have been lost. If no contest is receivedwithin thirty (30) days from this publication, new Certificates of Titleshall be issued to the claimant-owner.

support US Border Patrol, even as some in Trump’s own Republican party criticized it as a stunt.

Mattis said the military was helping border agents with a range of jobs, from ferrying them around by helicopter to putting up razor-wire fencing along the border.

There are now nearly 800 migrants from the original caravan in Tijuana, across the border from San Diego, California, after a new group of 350 arrived Wednesday morning.

Another 2,000 meanwhile traveled through the night on some 20 buses arranged by a Catholic priest, moving rapidly into northern Mexico after an arduous, monthlong trek across the south and center of the country.

The buses dropped them off in the town of Navojoa, in the northern state of Sonora, then returned to pick up a second group of 2,000 migrants who had stayed behind.

Navojoa sits about 1,200 kilometers from Tijuana, the spot where the migrants plan to cross the border, and more than 3,000 kilometers from the town where they began their journey on October 13: San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

But the caravan is moving far more quickly through the dangerous and sparsely populated north than it did through the south and center of the country, thanks to donated transport―sometimes from local authorities who would rather send the migrants on their way than host them in shelters.

“We want to arrive as soon as possible.

We’ve been on the road for more than a month,” said Saul Rivera, 40, a construction worker from El Salvador. AFP

KATHMANDU―”Please enjoy your meal,” says Nepal’s first robot waiter, Ginger, as she delivers a plate of steaming dumplings to a table of hungry customers.

The poor Himalayan nation is better known for its soaring mountain peaks than technological prowess, but a group of self-taught young innovators are seeking to change that.

Local start-up Paaila Technology built Ginger, a five-foot tall robot, from scratch and programmed her to understand both English and Nepali.

The bilingual humanoid robot―named Ginger after a common ingredient in Nepali cuisine―can even crack jokes like Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa.

Three ‘Gingers’ work at Naulo restaurant in the dusty capital Kathmandu, where pot-holed roads and crumbling buildings still bear the scars of a powerful earthquake that hit more than three years ago.

“This is our testing ground. We are fine tuning it with responses from our customers,” Binay Raut, CEO of the company, told AFP. The team of 25 young engineers―Raut is the oldest at 27― worked for months to build the robot, welding and molding the prototype by hand in their tiny three-roomed office.

What Nepal lacks in tech infrastructure the engineers made up for in ingenuity―Ginger’s sleek-looking plastic body was painted in a neighborhood car workshop.

Naulo opened its doors four months ago and their robot waiters have been a big draw, attracting curious customers of all ages.

Ginger, who is able to sense movement and obstacles, deftly navigates the crowded restaurant carrying trays laden with food.

Customers order via a touch screen menu fitted into the tables, and Ginger is called to the kitchen when dishes are ready.

“It was a completely new experience,” said 73-year-old Shalikram Sharma, who was born before televisions were available in Nepal.

Ginger has become quite a selfie-star and is often distracted from her work by children keen to get a photo with the sleek robot. AFP

Department of Environment and Natural Resources National Capital Region REGIONAL BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID Procurement of Furniture and Fixtures 1.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources – National Capital Region (DENR-NCR), through the GAA CY’ 2018 – Capital Outlay intends to apply the sum of One Million Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (PhP1,450,000.00) for the supply and delivery of various Office Furniture and Fixtures (Modular Tables & Chairs, Pedestal Cabinet), being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the Contract for Procurement of Furniture and Fixtures. Bids received in excess of the ABC for each item shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The DENR-NCR now invites all interested Phil-GEPS registered contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, authorized franchised dealers to bid for the following item/s, to wit: Item No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10

11

5.

Any person with valid objection/s on the above-mentioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

Any person with valid objection/s on the above-mentioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) MARY ANN E. RAGANIT Officer-In-Charge Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

(SGD.) MARY ANN E. RAGANIT Officer-In-Charge Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

(MS-NOV. 16, 2018)

(MS-NOV. 16, 2018)

94,500.00 90,750.00

8

42,400.00

38

186,200.00

46

138,000.00

8

12,000.00

4 23

40,000.00 66,700.00

1 1 4 12 27 5 12 4

6,000.00 7,000.00 35,200.00 123,600.00 337,500.00 47,500.00 138,000.00 41,200.00 17,950.00 1,450,000.00

1

Interested bidders may obtain further information from DENR-NCR and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during Monday to Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on November 13, to December 03, 2018 from the address below and upon payment of the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (PhP5,000.00).

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the DENRNCR website (http://www.ncr.denr.gov.ph), provided that Bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

7.

The DENR-NCR will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on November 21, 2018, 2:00 o’clock in the afternoon at the Conference Room. 4th Floor, DENRNCR Bldg., National Ecology Center, East Avenue, Quezon City, which shall be open to prospective bidders.

8.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before 10:00 A.M. of December 03, 2018. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on 10:30 A.M. onwards of December 03, 2018 at the Conference Room 4th Floor, DENR-NCR Bldg., National Ecology Center, East Avenue, Quezon City. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

9.

N OTICE

7 11

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.

(MS-NOV. 16, 2018)

Notice is hereby given that 8990 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, with office address at 8990 Corporate Center, Negros St., Cebu Business Park, Cebu City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as an Expanding Developer of Economic and Low-cost Housing Project (Urban Deca Homes Tisa 2 - Bldg. 7 to Bldg. 21) with a capacity of 952 residential units on a non-pioneer status, with project site located at Brgy. Tisa, Cebu City.

25,000.00

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”.

This property own by Domingo Ramos and Fernando T. Ramos

N OTICE

1

4.

WHEREAS, This Resolution dated 17 October 2018 Domingo Ramos Brgy.

Molino Bacoor Cavite.

Notice is hereby given that 8990 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, with office address at 8990 Corporate Center, Negros St., Cebu Business Park, Cebu City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as an Expanding Developer of Economic and Low-cost Housing Project (Urban Deca Homes Tisa 2 - Bldg. 1 to Bldg. 6) with a capacity of 440 residential units on a non-pioneer status, with project site located at Brgy. Tisa, Cebu City.

Executive Table, with long side table cabinet, small cabinet pedestal Free Standing Table, with side table top and table leg 140x70x75 Clerical Table, Free Standing 120x60x75 Executive Chair, Slim back finish in leathereth, metal arm rest chrome base legs, gas lift, titling mechanism Clerical Chair, Mesh back Finish in leathereth, metal arm mest chrome base legs, gas lift, titling mechanism Mobile Pedestal, 3 drawer with lock and pencil tray Visitors Chair, in four legged fabric black color Gang Chair, 4 seater, stainless Table Top, 120.60 Panel Partition • Full Fabric, 120x60 • Fabric Glass, 120x60 • Full Fabric, 120x120 • Fabric Glass, 120x120 • Fabric Glass,120x150 • Fabric Glass, 180x70 • Full Fabric, 180x100 • Fabric Glass, 180x90 Dining Table/Conference Table TOTAL

Interested bidder may bid in whole/lot basis. Delivery of the Goods is required within thirty (30) calendar days upon receipt of Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed, within three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project.

The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

SPECIAL PROCEEDING CASE NO: 18-254513

(MS-NOV. 16, 2018)

Approved Quantity Budget for the Contract (ABC)

3.

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE OF THE LATE DOMINGO RAMOS WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS

WHEREAS, This Resolution that the processing of application to purchase Friar lands is still suspended based on a Suspension Order dated 09 March 2011 by the Secretary Ramon JP Paje. Consequently, the friar land application of Mr Fernando Ramos representing Lot No. 5809, Fls-04-10050-7, Imus Estate with an 257,550 sq. Meters located at Brgy. Molino, Bacoor, Cavite is still on hold as of this report. The said application shall be processed immediately upon lifting of the said order.

Description

The DENR-NCR 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.

10. For further information, please refer to: RBAC Secretariat Procurement Section, 3rd Floor, DENR-NCR Bldg.

National Ecology Center East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Tel. No. 932-13-71 November 08, 2018.

(SGD) GWENDOLYN C. BAMBALAN. Chairperson, Regional Bids and Awards Committee DENR-NCR National Ecology Center, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Telephone No. (02) 426-38-46 (MS-NOV. 16, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018

LGUs

Anti-shingles shots free for elderly in QC

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

By Rio N. Araja

SHOWSTOPPERS. Jugglers, stilt walkers, and acrobats don colorful costumes to entertain the crowd anticipating the lighting of the Grand Carnival-themed Christmas centerpiece launch at SM City Marikina on Monday. Norman Cruz

Eisma poised to take home ‘Stevie’ plum

By Butch Gunio SUBIC BAY FREEPORT ― Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma will conclude a weeklong business trip to Chicago this Friday not only with potential investment projects for the Subic Bay Freeport, but also with awards in international public service and business.

Eisma, who arrived in Illinois, USA on Nov. 9 for an investment and trade briefing at the Morgan Stanley Building in Chicago, received the Award in International Public Service at the Chicago Filipino Asian American Hall of Fame Awards on November 10.

The award honors high-achieving Filipinos and Filipino-Americans who promote the positive image of the Filipino, not only in the Philippines and the United States but also throughout the world.

IN BRIEF Solano enforces plastic ban law SOLANO, Nueva Vizcaya—The local government is strictly enforcing the regulatory use of plastics as containers for dry and wet goods bought from business establishments.

Mayor Eufemia Dacayo said the plastic ban is embodied in the Municipal Ordinance No. 2012-09-7.

“It is also known as Pagba-BAG ko…. PagbaBAGO sa Solano Ordinance which seeks to lessen plastic pollution and boost environmental Protection for public health and safety,” she added.

The ordinance covers all types of plastics that end up as residual waste but will not include those that are currently and economically directed within the municipality through resource recovery, container or packaging material and residual waste but are not explicitly prohibited, regulated or mentioned.

PLDT/Smart, CDC ink free Wi-Fi pact CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga―A free public wireless fidelity connection or Wi-fi is now available in this Freeport to boost its attractions as a first class well-planned community for businesses and tourist industries alike.

The public internet connection was installed by PLDT/Smart, which last week launched its fifth generation of cellular mobile communications or 5G here.

The installation of free public WiFI inside the Freeport was the result of a Memorandum of Agreement entered into between Clark Development Corp. and PLDT/Smart last week.

The Wi-Fi connectivity will also surely enrich the information system existing inside the Freeport, said Noel Manankil, president and CEO of the state-owned CDC. Romeo Dizon

QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Thursday backed City Ordinance 2760 that would provide the elderly with free anti-shingles vaccines.

He signed the measure authored by District 3 Councilor Eufemio “Pinggoy” Lagumbay to extend such medical attention to all registered senior citizens in the city.

At least P20 million has been allocated for the vaccination and information dissemination campaign, the mayor noted.

Meanwhile, Quezon City Anti-Drug Abuse Advisory Council said 27,438 drug surrenderers have been profiled in a bid to enhance the responsiveness and effectiveness of its anti-drug campaign.

“When we started the campaign against drugs, we had no idea how many were positive. We did not have data, and we only know which areas were highly affected,” Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte said.

“At least now, with our database, we can more or less see the trend of how many are surrendering per month and we can extrapolate how many we have to rehabilitate,” she added.

The vice mayor is the chairperson of the anti-drug council. The database is being managed by QCADAAC in partnership with barangay representatives and the Quezon City Police District.

“With this information, we can plan better and monitor better our responsiveness.

After all, we should first know who these drug dependents are before we address their needs,” Belmonte pointed out.

‘Eagle’ beats ‘Scorpio’ in Bulacan

By Orlan L. Mauricio

M

ALOLOS CITY – The eagle has beaten the scorpion, at least in a survey on social media over who should be the next governor of Bulacan province.

Two out of three respondents in a survey conducted by MetroNEWS picked Malolos Mayor Christian Natividad, who is billed as the “Agila ng Bulacan,” over incumbent Vice Governor Daniel Fernando, who is known as “Scorpio” over his famous role in the movie “Scorpion Nights” in the mid-1980s.

MetroNEWS, the oldest Malolosbased English weekly in the province, drew 4,871 respondents for its survey posted on Facebook.

Fernando, the former actor, hopes to succeed Governor Willie Sy-Alvarado, but his chances to win in the May 2019 polls look dim this early against the three-term mayor of this city.

This developed as Natividad announced the filing of a P5.6-million damage suit against the “Gawad Amerika Awards Night” organization and Joey Sarmiento, the event’s Philippine’ director for operations who is reputedly a godson of the vice governor.

In a press conference, Natividad lambasted Sarmiento of the United Statesbased award-giving body for declaring as null and void an award and trophy the mayor personally received from GAA at the Hollywood Center in Los Angeles, California last August 18.

“As a lawyer, I need to defend my name, integrity and public track performance from malicious insinuation that I received a fake or bogus award,” he said.

Natividad said he did not solicit the award but it was voluntarily given to him through GAA chairman Alfredo Yumul thru a letter-invitation dated June 27, 2018m, saying he was chosen as an awardee as “Most Outstanding Mayor of the Philippines for 2018.”

Lawyer Jolette Fajardo (standing), legal counsel of Malolos City Mayor Christian Natividad, explains the P5.6-million complain for damages against the Gawad Amerika Awards Night organization and Joey Sarmiento, the event’s Philippine director for operations, to mediamen in Bulacan on Monday.

Orlan Mauricio

2,500 in Navotas do cash-for-work

By Jun David SOME 2,500 Navoteños earned extra income from doing cash-forwork for the Navotas City Government.

Beneficiaries received P3,840 from their 10-day service at various offices of the city hall.

The program, spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, seeks to provide immediate employment to distressed or displaced Filipinos.

Mayor John Rey Tiangco thanked DSWD for giving Navoteños an opportunity to work and earn extra in-

CO-OP CONFERENCE. Senator Cynthia Villar, chairman of SIPAG Foundation, delivers her message as guest speaker in the Regional Cooperative month celebration attended by different cooperatives in the Calabarzon area at the Santa Rosa Multipurpose Complex in Laguna on Saturday. Roy Tomandao

come.

“Any and all opportunities that will help our people earn a living and support their family are considered blessings,” Tiangco said.

“The assistance from DSWD cannot come in a more opportune time, especially now that Christmas is fast approaching,” he added.

District 1 beneficiaries worked from October 16 to 25 while those from district 2 rendered their services on October 22 to 31.

Beneficiaries of the program included people with disabilities, solo parents, families of fisherfolks and other indigent Navoteños.

Searca inks pact with WorldVeg for agri studies

By Brenda Jocson TAGAYTAY CITY―A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) and Taiwan-based World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) for institutional cooperation on the sidelines of the International Conference on Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture and Food Systems.

The signatories to the agreement on Nov. 7 at the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) here were Dr. Fernando C. Sanchez, Jr. on behalf of Searca as Chair of its Governing Board and Dr. Marco Wopereis, Director General of WorldVeg. Formerly known as Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center or AVRDC, WorldVeg is an international nonprofit R&D institute established in 1971 by seven countries, including the Philippines.

Today, WorldVeg has regional bases in Africa, Asis and Oceania with 44 international scientists and 300 national scientists and support staff dedicated to the mission of alleviating poverty and malnutrition through the increased production and consumption of nutritious, health-promoting vegetables.

Dr. Sanchez said the thread that binds the parties in this MOU is the common objective to push for a more nutrition-sensitive approach to agriculture and sustainable and diversified cropping systems.

Don Papa Rum

Life ARTS AND CULTURE

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018

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art canister 2018 now available

MULA SA BUWAN: A tale of triumphant love and dedication

By Paola Navarette

T

HE WAY Cyrano de Bergerac’s biography was pieced together has earned his story a strong hold in our collective imagination. Whether we’re compelled by his gallant selflessness, his flair of words, or simply his familiar tale of unrequited love, we just can’t seem to shake Cyrano.

The lead characters in the musical ‘Mula Sa Buwan,’ (from left) Nicco Manalo as Cyrano, Myke Salomon as Christian, and Gab Pangilinan as Roxane.

One story, currently playing on stage, retells his tale but with an alloriginal score and script written by Pat Valera and William Manzano.

Set in 1940s Manila, the musical presents the poignant and moving story of a long-nosed poet, Cyrano, who writes letters for the inarticulate Christian to Roxane, the woman they both adore.

The musical play, produced by Black Box Productions, premiered on Nov. 9 at the Hyundai Hall, Arete Building in Ateneo de Manila University.

The story whisks us back to Cyrano meeting his childhood friend Roxane, who confessed her love not for him but for the new cadet Christian. Knowing how some officers are less kind to new members, Roxane begs Cyrano to protect Christian.

Roxane, however, has become the object of affection of Commandant Maximo Kalaw, who intends to marry her before the outbreak of war.

Cyrano was then caught in a fight with Maximo, and Christian joins the gang of officers who repeatedly insults Cyrano’s nose. Despite Cyrano’s tendency to duel those that spite his face, he keeps his promise to Roxane. He also secretly agrees to help Christian woo her by writing the words for Christian to capture her heart.

With kundiman and contemporary pop music, the play will leave the audience breathless as it follows the lives of the love triangle and the mer-

LONG NOSE, BIG HEART.

‘Mula Sa Buwan,’ an adaptation of Edmond Rostand’s play ‘Cyrano de Bergerac,’ tells the story of the longnosed poet-cadet Cyrano during the 1940s in Manila.

ry troupe of young cadets in finding themselves fighting not only for love but also for their lives.

The cadets navigate the relative innocence of college life: going to numerous hangouts, making fun of their ROTC commandants, and experiencing the crushing blows of first love. And through the perils of war, the young Filipinos try to find every reason to carry on amid conflict and duty.

Nicco Manalo and Boo Gabunada have perfected their portrayal of the clever poet-cadet Cyrano. They imbue their characters with a depth that makes it hard to take your eyes off them each time they are onstage.

Edward Beñosa and Myke Salomon, who play the handsome yet bumbling Christian, are equal parts refreshing, while both Cris Go and Gab Pangilinan, who portray the charismatic Roxane, steal the limelight in every scene they’re in.

Joining the lead cast are Phi Palmos and Ronah Rostata who alternate as Rosana, the regal leader of the misfit cadets. Jon Abella and Iggi Siasoco join the troupe as Tato, the close friend of Cyrano. Gel Basa and Francelle Fetalvero portray Gabriel, and MC dela Cruz as Maximo.

Mula sa Buwan’s songs will surely tug at the heartstrings of many as the hymns cut into the history and paint a spirit of love and loss.

The songs featured in the musical include Rosana’s “Manifesto,” a piece of resistance and identity; Cyrano’s “Ikaw,” a love song of secret admirers; Christian’s “Matatapos Din,” a ballad of hope; and Roxane’s “Ang Sabi Nila,” a heartwrenching hymn of pain and tragedy.

No doubt, Mula sa Buwan is a celebration of Filipino talent and innovation across various art forms. The story explores how love overcomes even at the outbreak of war, and examines the value of nationalism within the tragic setting of wartime Philippines.

The young cadets navigate the relative innocence of college life: going to numerous hangouts, making fun of their ROTC commandants, and experiencing the crushing blows of first love.

Collectors of Don Papa Rum art canisters can now get the third edition of the exclusive packaging featuring the artwork “Passage to The Land of Sugar” by Lee Paje from Tin-Aw Art Gallery.

“Passage to The Land of Sugar” reimagines the path to Mt. Kanlaon that is Sugarlandia, with a hodgepodge of images: animals found in Negros are next to explorers’ tools, American oak barrels are beside books, and the sugarcane is reimagined and reinterpreted in various ways.

A deeper look into the painting makes one discover the expanse of the adventure waiting to be unraveled.

Paje, who bagged the grand prize in the 3rd Annual Don Papa Art Competition, is known for using unique materials like oil on copper in many of her creations, which often center on independence, individuality, and identities. A magna cum laude graduate from the College of Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Paje’s works may seem very personal but a

closer look always reveals social, cultural, and historical commentary.

“The annual Don Papa Art Canister showcases various artists’ creative depiction of Sugarlandia.

It adds depth to the brand’s story and Filipino culture, and

makes it accessible to a wider consumer audience,” said Monica Llamas-Garcia, Don Papa Rum communications director.

The limited edition Don Papa art canister 2018 is available exclusively at Kultura Filipino retail shops nationwide.

C2

Entertainment

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor

Kiko Rustia endorses Piso Trip promo TV PERSONALITY and Survivor Philippines alumnus Kiko Rustia is enjoying his stint as an endorser of Victory Liner, one of the biggest bus companies in the country. The partnership has broken new grounds as Kiko has become the symbol of Victory Liner’s advocacy of giving back to the people through the documentaries the bus company had been producing, showcasing the different places that the Victory Liner passes going up north.

The documentaries produced by Victory Liner together with Kiko as host serves as showcase of the people and places that the bus company has served through the years. It is also their way to connect to the people who had been loyal customers of Victory Liner.

“We visit many places doing the documentaries and I am proud to say that the Filipino hospitality is very much alive in the countryside. The people are very warm and welcoming. If ever we need anything, the people are just too willing to help. And they also serve us good food. That’s truly so nice of them,” Kiko related.

As a gift to their numerous clients, Victory Liner has launched Piso Trip Round 2 Promo. This is a Piso Fare seat sale promotion of Metrobank Card Corporation (MCC) in partnership with Victory Liner, Inc. The fare is shouldered by Metrobank Card Corporation.

The promo is exclusively for Victory Liner Premiere Prepaid Visa Cardholders who can now enjoy round trip ticket at P1.00 each trip going to Cubao-Baguio and Baguio-Cubao.

The Booking Period: To join the promo, all you have to do is to load up your Victory Liner Premiere (VLP) Prepaid Visa Card and go to To avail of Victory Liner Premiere Visa Card, all you have to do is to go to any Victory Liner Bus Terminal, present one valid ID and pay P300. To load your Victory Liner Premiere Prepaid Visa Card, just go to any Victory Liner Bus Terminal, give the cashier the amount to load and you are ready to go! There is a P20 loading fee for the transaction.

Atom Araullo’s ‘PHILIPPINE SEAS’ wins at prestigious AIBs in London “Philippine Seas,” a special hosted by Atom Araullo, uncovers the wonders and threats surrounding the Philippines’ marine gems.

G

MA Network brings home honors for the Philippines anew after Atom Araullo’s Philippine Seas won at the prestigious Association for International Broadcasting Awards (AIBs) 2018 in London on Nov. 7.

Araullo’s first-ever documentary special in the Kapuso network was named the best in the Science, Technology, Nature category, beating other short-listed entries from Al Jazeera English, CNN, and BBC News Digital.

Another GMA News and Public Affairs entry—the award-winning episode of Reel Time ‘Batang Maestro’—meanwhile was conferred the highly commended citation in the Domestic Affairs Documentary category.

Receiving the awards for the Philippines and GMA Network were Philippine Seas Program Manager Lee Joseph Castel and Executive Producer Ian Simbulan; and Reel Time Program Manager Nowell Cuanang.

Meanwhile “Marawi Liberation: War is Over” by GMA News TV’s flagship newscast State of the Nation with Jessica Soho (SONA), was short-listed in the Daily Journalism category.

Aired on GMA 7 last year, Philippine Seas aimed to uncover the wonders and threats surrounding the Philippines’ marine gems. Araullo and the rest of the team went on a rigorous 10-day expedition across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Each journey presented the beauty of the country’s abundant seas and oceans while touching on the threats and problems the Philippines and Filipinos who rely on the seas for a living face. In fact, after the airing of the special, eight Filipino fishermen detained in Indonesia were repatriated to the Philippines. The court found insufficient grounds to charge them for illegal fishing.

GMA News TV’s Reel Time, on the other hand, featured the story of 12-year-old Dagul and his fellow volunteer ‘little teachers’ in “Batang Maestro” episode. Driven by a determination to build a community with zero non-readers, the head teacher of San Jose Elementary School in the province of Sorsogon started a program to teach children in remote villages how to read. He is helped by his students who share his advocacy, one of them is Dagul. Together with his fellow little teachers, Dagul braves the long river of Donsol on board a bamboo raft that they sometimes have to push against the current, and takes an hour walk up to a village on a mountain. Their goal is to reach children who have difficulty reading because they live so far from school that they’re often absent from classes.

Now on its 14th year, the AIBs are the international awards for factual video, audio, and interactive productions.

Sarah, Vice headline Araneta Center’s giant Christmas tree lighting CHRISTMAS at the Araneta Center just got brighter, and here, it truly brings people together.

All roads lead to the Times Square Food Park today as Araneta Center lights up its iconic giant Christmas tree.

The 37-year-old tradition is one of the most anticipated events in the country’s premier lifestyle hub, and is expected to bring as many as last year’s 10,000 people to the event.

Making this year’s celebration even grander are the celebrities who will headline the event. For the first time ever, Pop Star Royalty Sarah Geronimo will join the festivities and lead the tree lighting. It’s a homecoming of sorts for Sarah who has celebrated various milestones in her career at the Smart Araneta Coliseum including her soldout anniversary This 15 Me concert last April.

Joining Sarah will be comedian and phenomenal box office star Vice Ganda, who is leading the tree lighting for the fifth straight year. Just like Sarah, Vice Ganda has staged successful concerts at the Big Dome including the Guinness World Record-clinching music fest of her cosmetic line last September.

The 100-foot giant Christmas tree is the centerpiece attraction in Araneta Center this Yuletide season. It features 3,000 LED bulbs and more than 1,500 assorted decors including giant balls, giant bells, lighted poinsettias and a seven-foot star topper.

Because of its enormity and the genuine Christmas cheer it evokes, the giant Christmas tree has appealed to people from all walks of life—from Araneta

Sarah G and Vice Ganda lend their star power to the annual Christmas tree lighting tradition at the Araneta Center.

Center’s most loyal visitors to the millennials of the Instagram generation who snap pictures of their families and their friends with the tree serving as the background.

Providing additional star power to the festivities are total entertainer Darren Espanto, heartthrob McCoy de Leon, international phenoms TNT Boys, “Tawag ng Tanghalan Season 2” grand champion Janine Berdin, love team partners Vivoree Esclito and CK Kieron, and The Kids’ Choice jurors Xia Vigor, Chunsa Jung, Onyok Pineda, Carlo Mendoza and Jayden Villegas.

OPM band Mojofly rounds up the list of performers.

Binibining Pilipinas queens Miss Universe Philippines Catriona Gray, Binibining Pilipinas Supranational Jehza Huelar, Binibining Pilipinas Grand International Eva Patalinjug, Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental Karen

Gallman and Miss Globe top 15 finalist Michele Gumabao will also grace the tree-lighting.

The show, which starts at 4:00 p.m., will be hosted by volleyball playerturned-anchor Gretchen Ho, theater actor Benj Manalo and comedian MC. Admission is free.

Aside from the giant Christmas tree, the Times Square Food Park will also serve as the home of the returning Christmas on Display, which will have its own festive and ceremonial launch on Nov. 23. With fun rides and a plethora of dining options, the Times Square Food Park has become one of the mustvisit destinations in Araneta Center this Christmas.

For more updates, visit www.aranetacenter.net and follow Araneta Center’s social media pages: @AranetaCenter on Facebook and Twitter and @TheAranetaCenter on Instagram.

Regine Velasquez returns to the concert scene AFTER the much publicized and controversy-ridden channel switching, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid focuses on more serious concerns about her career. And as she always underscored that first and foremost she is a singer, the first thing she’s jumping into since she flew out of the coop where she remained for more than two decades is get back to the concert scene, one of the few things she still enjoys (even at this point in her career and stature in life).

Tomorrow, she headlines Regine at the Movies, a concert concept she has been into in the past years, at the New Frontier Theater (that was known for a couple of years since it was redone as Kia Theater).

The show debuts tomorrow and runs for two more days next week, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 24 and 25, still in the same performance hall.

We had a brief chat with what the local music industry labeled as the Songbird last week, and Regine talked about, not much about what she plans to do now that she is a Kapamilya because there are already projects lined up for her, including a musical-comedy show with husband Ogie Alcasid and actor Ian Veneracion and her weekly appearance in the network’s Sunday noontime show, ASAP, and her being a part of the judging panel of the reality TV search-for-a-singer Idol Philippines, but more about the concert that will happen tomorrow.

First she said she has three special guests. Piolo Pascual will join her tomorrow; the megastar Sharon Cuneta on Nov. 24; and Daniel Padilla on Nov. 25.

She added that she was most touched

by Sharon’s gesture to fly to Hong Kong the day after her appearance on her show because “Ate Shawie said it would be a great honor for her to sing with me.” Sharon was supposed to leave for Hong Kong on Nov. 24 for her show in the former British colony on the 25th.

“This isn’t a big show, but she agreed to be a guest, She has a show in Hong Kong and should be leaving on that day.

She said, ‘because I love you I will leave on the day of my show. That’s why I am very touched, it’s just a preview of a bigger thing that she and I are planning in the near future),” she shared.

On Daniel Padilla, Regine said, “I was impressed by how he sang live. No, I haven’t really seen him singing live, so I asked my sister if we could ask him to guest in the series, and I texted Karla Estrada and she said fine.”

Regine explained the concept of the show, “I’ll be singing songs from the movies. I’ll be singing songs na theme songs na naging movies ko, ‘yung mga pelikula ng Star Cinema, iconic movies. Titanic, James Bond (themes),’ ‘Rocky,’ ‘A Star Is Born.’ At siyempre kakantahin ko rin ang theme song sa ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s.’

Actually, each night of Regine’s show will have a different repertoire.

There will be songs that will remain as the foundation of the show, but she and the staff, especially, the musical director are making sure the audience, if they

wanted to watch the three shows altogether, would experience three different shows as well.

All in all, she has been learning some 50 songs for the three-night concert, together with Raul Mitra, her musical director and stage director Paolo Valenciano.

The tickets are fast disappearing form Ticketnet outlets. For inquiries you can still call 911-5555 or you can check online at www.ticketnet.com *** Abby Binay wants to make a mark in Makati Call it a house divided, but if that could make Mayor Abby Binay fulfill her dreams for the city her family has governed in the last decades, she wouldn’t mind.

After all, her father the former mayor and vice president Jejomar Binay seems fixed in making her youngest child finish her three-terms as mayor of the city. His son Junjun has filled his COC as well to stage a faceoff with her sister.

That, despite Mayor Abby’s appeal for his brother to drop his mayoralty bid in 2019, affirming the public’s perception that the Binay house is really divide.

I was talking to a Makati resident who said that the incumbent did a good job in her term as mayor, cleaning up the city government of the problems that has made it the most talked about local government unit in Metro Manila in the previous years.

He said, she had rid the city hall of the ghost employees that had some councilor raising up in arms against her, the reason most of them are aligning with her brother.

“This will divide our family even after the elections. You know my brother... through all the joy and the sorrow I have been with him. In all the crises that he has been through, personally and politically, I was with him,” said Binay.

“I was with him at the Senate, I was with him in city hall. I was standing up for him. Ate (older sister) ako e, di ‘ba.

Sana bigyan niya ako ng chance,” Binay added.

Binay said her brother “will have his turn...and he had his turn.”

“Hindi ko maintindihan bakit niya ako binabangga,” she added.

“My father has been trying to convince him not to run. My father has been also consistent in his position, even when it came to everyone else in the family, that Junjun should not run,” she said.

Binay said their family had a meeting, but she did not go.

She said she spoke separately with her father instead.

“It doesn’t make sense why he wants to run for mayor when he knows for a fact that there’s an opening for Congress that he doesn’t want,” she said. *** More stories of these kinds at www.isah. red. Follow me on Facebook (@isahvr), Twitter (@isahvred and Instagran (@isahvred. ΙŘ Regine Velasquez is staging a concert series, which will be held on Nov. 17, 24 and 25 at the New Frontier Theater.

Motoring

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018

C3

Hyundai PH wins world skills olympics H

YUNDAI Philippines’ After-Sales Service team was crowned champion of the first Hyundai Trucks and Bus World Skills Olympics, held from October 16 to 19, 2018 at Hyundai’s Global Learning Center in Cheonan, South Korea. This triumph followed the Philippine team’s previous accomplishment of bagging gold at the World Skills Olympics - Asia and Pacific Leg, held at the Hyundai Logistics Center (HLC) in Calamba Laguna, on July 19.

Gary Junio of Hyundai Commonwealth and Mark Eric Rellosa of Hyundai Cainta took home the trophy after battling it out with expert technicians from 13 countries. Teams participated in practical and written challenges designed to test the competitors’ knowledge of Hyundai truck and bus repair and maintenance.

China finished the competition in second place, with Myanmar rounding out the top 3.

Ma. Fe Perez Agudo, President and CEO of Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. , the official distributor of Hyundai commercial and passenger vehicles in the Philippines, congratulated the champions: “We at HARI are immeasurably proud of our Filipino technicians for bringing home Gold. This latest triumph underscores that Hyundai offers unrivalled After-Sales Service and technical expertise through our 42-strong dealership network, supported by our worldclass training team at the Hyundai Logistics Center.”

The winning combination of Junio and Rellosa came together for the Asia and Pacific leg of the WSO after a selection process to find the best and bright-

est Hyundai technicians in the country.

The technicians then underwent dedicated training at HLC for two months before the regional competition. After their victory, Junio and Rellosa continued training at HLC until they flew to South Korea in October.

When asked how it felt to return to the Philippines as the top technicians in Hyundai’s global trucks and buses network, Rellosa said, “Unang-una, nagpapasalamat ako sa Panginoon dahil binigyan kami ng pagkakataon na pumunta sa South Korea, makilala ang mga technician sa ibang bansa, at ipakita ang kakayahan namin.”

Junio added, “I’m very thankful. Sobrang proud at napakasaya talaga.”

Underscoring Hyundai’s commitment to excellence, Ms. Agudo affirmed, “Gary Junio and Mark Rellosa exemplify what it means to be ‘People of Hyundai.’ Not only have they proven their brilliance by winning the World Skills Olympics; they have also exemplified their determination to serve customers best by building strong careers that illuminate their exceptional and dedicated mastery of the Hyundai brand of service.”

TOP TECHNICIANS: The winning combination of Gary Hunio of Hyundai Commonwealth and Mark Eric Rellosa of Hyundai

Cainta.

Isuzu-Lalamove supply deal

The drive just got better. Klaus Schadewald, Volkswagen PH Chief Operating Adviser, hands over the ceremonial key to MACC Managing Director Fernando Lu. Also present( from left): MACC Deputy Managing Director Francis Lu, MACC Assembly Operations Director Franklin Lu, and Volkswagen BGC Branch Manager Christine Donato.

MAN Automotive joins the bandwagon

CALL it the Volkswagen effect.

MAN Automotive Concessionaires Corporation has jus become the third company in the Philippines—after CW Home Depot and Diamond Rent-A-Car—to choose the Santana sub-compact sedan for its corporate fleet.

Last October, Volkswagen Philippines turned over Santana units to MACC—the exclusive Philippine importer, distributor and aftersales provider of MAN trucks and buses since 1989, maintaining the largest facilities of any MAN dealer in Asia with its two MAN Truck & Bus service centers.

Initially concentrating on supplying MAN buses to leading public transport companies, in recent years MACC introduced MAN trucks to the local market, serving premium quality heavy duty trucks to haulers and construction companies.

MACC’s worry-free experience for its customers is realized by a service team led by internationally trained MAN certified technicians who use computerized diagnostics to accurately determine the vehicles’ condition. MACC supplies only genuine MAN parts and

also maintains a 95% availability to ensure ready supply for its customers.

MACC also carries other brands such as Schwing Stetter, DY Cranes, Hyva and Amco Veba.

In July, Volkswagen Philippines also turned over Santana units to the pioneering home construction and renovation store CW Home Depot for the use of its top sales performers. Then, also in October, another batch was acquired by the country’s largest car rental company Diamond Rent-A-Car. These companies have chosen the Santana as the ideal vehicle for fleet accounts for the following reasons: World-class German automotive craftsmanship, design, and engineering and the prestige of the premium Volkswagen driving lifestyle stamped into every vehicle; the ease of use and maintenance, enhancing its valuefor-money, and; the Santana’s efficient yet powerful engine, practically a must for every company aiming to minimize the operating costs and downtimes of its fleet.

The Volkswagen Santana is powered by a 1.4-liter MultiPoint Injection (MPI) 4-cylin-

der gasoline engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, with maximum power output of 90 Ps at 5,500rpm and maximum torque of 132 Nm at 3,800rpm.

For passenger comfort, the Santana features power outer mirrors, keyless entry and long wheelbase.

Safety highlights include ISOFIX anchorage points (mounting fixture for two child seats on rear seat bench), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), and immobilizer.

With an SRP of only P686,000, the Santana provides the opportunity for more hardworking Filipinos to experience the premium Volkswagen driving lifestyle, and motivating them to excel even more in their work.

These three businesses who have acquired Santana units get an additional advantage of a worryfree maintenance experience with the Santana, as the warranty coverage is comprehensive.

Aside from the 3 years or 100,000-km general warranty, whichever comes first, Volkswagen Philippines also offers a 3-year warranty for paint and another 3-year warranty for throughcorrosion of the main steel body

structure.

The periodic maintenance service (PMS) interval schedule of the Santana is also structured for its owners’ convenience. The PMS interval is once a year, or every 10,000 kms, whichever comes first. This is more convenient and more cost-efficient compared to the industry-standard 5,000-km PMS interval, and thus also gives more time for the corporate team to focus more on servicing their customers’ needs than on their vehicles’ upkeep.

With the Volkswagen Santana effectively becoming an important fleet solution for internationally renowned commercial vehicle company MACC, its highly trained, motivated, and hardworking employees are now much more confident they can fulfill their promise to customers of a worry-free experience through their training, equipment, complete aftersales program, and now their Santana service sedans.

When your customers’ own business thrives because you’re able to fulfill their needs on time, all the time, that’s when you know, with Volkswagen,

ISUZU Philippines Corporation has signed a partnership with Lalamove, Asia’s leading on-demand delivery app, to offer the best deals for Lalamove partner drivers.

With a reputable history of providing the best commercial vehicles for Filipino businesses, Isuzu is geared up to make it easy for Lalamove drivers to upgrade or acquire Isuzu vehicles. This partnership entails both discounts for all existing Lalamove partner drivers with free 3 years of LTO registration. With a cash discount of Php 15,000 and Php 20,000 worth of Preventive Maintenance Services coupons, drivers will have a beneficial head start for their Lalamove journey “Lalamove and Isuzu shares

a common mission: empowering Filipinos through amazing products and impeccable services.

This made us all the more eager to create this partnership for the benefit of Lalamove’s partner drivers to allow them access to some of the country’s top-performing vehicles.” Dannah Majarocon, Lalamove’s Managing Director shares. `This partnership aims to provide the top-performing 4-wheeled vehicles to Lalamove partner drivers and this makes sure that quality vehicles and services are affordable and within reach.

With this joint initiative, drivers will have easier access to vehicles that are built to deliver.

Isuzu NLR77

Isuzu NLR85

Motoring

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

C4 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2018

Power tandem:

Naomi+Nissan GT-R BOCA RATON, Florida—Being a Nissan global brand ambassador just got a lot more powerful. Tennis Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka upped her garage game with 600 horsepower in the form of a competition-honed, Super Silver 2018 Nissan GT-R NISMO. Based in Boca Raton, Florida, 21-yearold Osaka will be able to drive to tennis

practice as quickly as legally allowed – and thanks to the car’s bold, advanced design with real trunk space, with as many balls and racquets as she needs to hone her craft.

Osaka joined Nissan as brand ambassador in September, shortly after becoming the first Japanese player in history to win a women’s singles Grand Slam.

Quality parts can help prevent road accidents.

FOR A CLEARER, T

SAFER DRIVE

HE HOLIDAY rush makes more vehicles flood the roads of Metro Manila, raising the risks of road mishaps. In 2017, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) recorded a daily average of 367,728vehicles traversing EDSA. Annually, at least 110,000 road crash incidents happen in the National CapitalRegion, which increased by 703 from the previous year. Latest reports from the agency on the causes ofroad crashes also show that at least 40 had been attributed to vehicle defect and faulty car parts --indicating a need to ensure proper car maintenance to minimize the risk of vehicular accidents. HELLA, a leading European manufacturer of auto parts, believes being smart on the road is the key toavoiding vehicular accidents, especially during the holiday season. Hella advocates for road safety by improving visibility when driving especially at night. With its highquality, secure, and stylish products,Hella hopes to provide the market with the right tools needed to become smarter drivers and car owners.

Clearer and safer drive.

Vehicular safety can be best ensured byhaving a clear view of the road through your windshield. It alsohelps you see crossing pedestrians who are probably done or ontheir way to complete their Christmas shopping during those latenight sales.

HELLA offers a wide range of wipers that can be installed forpassenger vehicle use. They feature a nanotechnology graphite-coated rubber blade for smooth and quiet operation with clearvisibility, and contact points with even downward pressure to delivera clean wipe at every point. Some of HELLA’s wipers have a robustspoiler design to endure extremely harsh weather andenvironmental conditions. HELLA offers Premium Wiper Blade,Curvo Wiper Blade and Razor Wiper Blade. For commercial vehicles,

HELLA has wipers that have thickergraphite-coated rubber, a heavy duty steel frame for maximumstability and durability, glossy surface powder coating for rustprotection in all weather, and multiple adaptors for maximumvehicle coverage.

The sound within thesurrounding helps drivers to navigate the roadbetter. In fact, horns make it easier for drivers to be heard. They also come in handy when alerting other nearby vehicles. HELLA offers horns that have varying sounds including a soft timbre and mellow sound for a moreharmonic tone like the Royal Twin Tone trumpethorn, and a strong penetrating tone that is ideal for tough off-road use like Super Tone Horn. They havetwice the lifetime of OE specification, are corrosionresistant and can be installed easily in tight andlimited spaces.

Hella advocates safety on the road with the use of original and quality accessories for automobiles.

Hamilton cool on F1 expansion WORLD champion Lewis Hamilton has questioned Formula One’s policy of organising races in new countries after this month’s announcement of the Vietnam Grand Prix.

Hamilton told the BBC that he would prefer to see more stops in countries with a genuine racing tradition, rather than expanding to new markets.

“On the racing side, I don’t know how important it is to go to new countries as such,” said Hamilton who sealed his fifth world title last month.

“If you had the Silverstone Grand Prix and a London Grand Prix, it would be pretty cool.”

The Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, will hold a Formula One street race from 2020 after signing a 10-year deal.

Formula One has steadily expanded beyond its traditional heartlands, adding races in China, India, South Korea, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, with mixed results.

At the same time, historic European races in England, Germany and Italy have come under threat, while France dropped off the circuit for 10 years before returning this season.

“We’ve got a lot of real racing history in England, Germany, Italy and now in the States it is starting to grow,” said Hamilton.

“But you only have one event per year in those places. If it was my business, I’d be trying to do more events in those countries.

He added: “I’ve been to Vietnam before and it is beautiful. I’ve been to India before to a race which was strange because India was such a poor place yet we had this massive, beautiful grand prix track made in the middle of nowhere. I felt very conflicted when I went to that grand prix.

“We had a grand prix in Turkey and hardly anyone came. Cool track, cool weekend but poor audience.”

Formula One has thrived in Singapore, but it didn’t last long in India and South Korea. Vietnam also has scant racing tradition.

Hamilton said: “If you have the German Grand Prix and you’ve got a Grand Prix in Berlin, I think connecting to cities where a lot of people are is probably a good thing, not necessarily going to countries where they don’t know so much about Formula One.”AFP

Five-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton told the BBC that he would prefer to see more stops in countries with a genuine racing tradition, rather than expanding to new markets.