Manila Standard - 2018 December 28 - Friday

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VOL. XXXII • NO. 316 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

BATOCABE MURDER

Mark Tumang describes the third gown Catriona Gray was supposed to have worn at the 2018 Miss Universe beauty pageant as Perla Oriente, a gold and turquoise high-slit dress which, like the first two gowns, is emblazone with meticulously handplaced crystals and pearls and embellished with patriotic symbolism.

Rody gives hint on mastermind Raises bounty to P50 million

By Nat Mariano and Maricel V. Cruz

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte hinted at knowing the mastermind of the killing of Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe—saying it could be a mayor—even as he raised the reward to P50 million for information leading to the arrest of the killers after visiting the lawmaker’s wake Wednesday evening.

“I almost forgot... The reward [for the capture of Batocabe’s assailants] is at this time is P30 million. I’m raising the ante. I’m putting it at plus P20 million to P50 million,” Duterte told reporters.

“You only need to tip us. Just give a tip. You don’t need to expose them.

Don’t even give names,” he said, adding that one only need to buy an outdated and cheap phone and prepaid sim to tip the government off about the assailants.

Duterte was originally scheduled to visit Batocabe’s wake Wednesday afternoon but arrived midnight.

The President said the police already have some leads but declined to offer any details.

“It could be anybody. When I say politically motivated, it could be the mayor, governor. But my favorite name now is the mayor. But I’m not saying who that mayor is,” he said.

The President said he would not allow political terrorism, oppression, and intimidation to persist in the country as the 2019 midterm elections draw near.

Furious about the incident, Duterte warned the perpetrators that he would “personally confront” the person behind the killing.

Next page

BEAUTIFUL UNREST. Mount Mayon, an active stratovolcano in Albay renowned as the ‘perfect cone’ because of its symmetric conical shape, emits Thursday white steamladen plumes and is under Alert Level 2. Facebook users have noted how the ash spewed looked like a woman with a crown. CNN Photo

Garins lose gun permits, face raps

By Nat Mariano, Francisco Tuyay and Maricel V. Cruz PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday ordered Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to file charges against an Iloilo town mayor and his congressmanson for allegedly mauling a policeman.

The President’s order came as 28 policemen in the town of Guimbal asked to be reassigned following the beating inflicted on PO3 Federico Macaya by Mayor Oscar Garin Sr. and his son, Iloilo 1st District Rep. Richard Garin, husband of

former Health Secretary Jeanette Garin.

“Even if the policeman was at fault, it’s not a reason, especially [for] a police officer, to be mauled. I just read it from the newspaper. So, they will have to file the case. Direct assault,” Duterte told reporters in an interview in Albay after visiting the wake of slain congressman Rodel Batocabe.

“I will ask General Año to take a look at why it happened and investigate. But I’m not urging him. I’m ordering him to file a case against the two—the father and son,” he said.

Next page

Abu Sayyaf chief gets life term for 18 kidnap counts

By Rey E. Requejo

PRESIDENTIAL SYMPATHY. President Rodrigo Duterte condoles with

Gertie, widow of Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe, as the Chief Executive attends Wednesday the solon’s wake at the Bicol University in Daraga, Albay. Duterte raised the bounty from P30 million to P50 million for the arrest of the suspects. Malacañang Photo

US: NAIA security lax; Manila clarifies issue THE United States’ Department of Homeland Security on Thursday issued an advisory warning travelers about the security at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

In a statement published on its website, the DHS said the airport “does not maintain and carry out effective security consistent with the security standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization.”

But the authorities in Manila assured air travelers they were giving utmost priority and attention to the implementation of strict security measures at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The Manila international Airport Authority, the Office for Transportation Security and the Department of Transportation gave their assurances following the DHS’ advisory.

“There is no cause for alarm even as we put in place enhancements following the recommendations of the US Transportation Security Administration. There is nothing among these recommendations that cannot be addressed,” said MIAA general manager Eddie Monreal.

“Rest assured these improvements are not intended to put a burden on the passengers. These are being done to ensure a secured flight for everyone.” Next page

THE Pasig City Regional Trial Court on Thursday convicted Abu Sayyaf leader Hector Janjalani after finding him guilty for the abduction of students and teachers in Basilan in March 2000.

In a 391-page decision, Judge Florian Gregory Abalajon of Pasig City RTC, Branch 261, found Janjalani guilty of 18 counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

The lower court meted out to him a penalty of reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years imprisonment without the benefit of parole.

Next page

Trump ends ‘policeman’ role WORLD B3

Catriona takes the wraps off ‘third gown’

By Nickie Wang BEFORE Catriona Gray left for Bangkok, Thailand, to become Miss Universe, fashion designer Mak Tumang and his team prepared three gowns that she would wear for the preliminaries and finals night.

The fashion world admired the Ibong Adarna inspired gown that Catriona wore during the evening gown preliminary competition and the Mayon Volcano-themed dress, which the statuesque beauty effortlessly donned despite its weight of 10 kilos, during the finals.

But where is the third gown?

In a Facebook post, Tumang unveiled the third gown that Catriona was supposed to wear during the Thai Silk Night or an option as a preliminary dress.

He described the never-before-seen ensemble as Perla Oriente, a gold and Next page

SC keeps higher penalty vs. hospital deposit

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has dismissed a petition assailing the constitutionality of the law that increases the penalties for owners of hospitals and clinics and their physicians and personnel who “request, solicit, demand or accept deposits or advance payments as a prerequisite not only for confinement or medical treatment but also for administering basic emergency care.”

In a decision released last week, the

high court did not make a definitive declaration on the constitutionality of Republic Act 10932, known as the AntiHospital Deposit Law, which was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on Aug. 3, 2017.

Nonetheless, the Court ruled that RA 10932 “enjoys the presumption of constitutionality which the Court, at the first instance, cannot disturb in the absence of a prima facie showing of grave abuse Next page

‘Usman’ slows, moves westward

By Rio N. Araja TROPICAL depression “Usman” continued to slow down while moving generally westward on Thursday afternoon.

It may intensify into a tropical storm before making landfall in Eastern Samar today (Friday), according

to weather forecasters.

It is forecast to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Sunday evening or Monday morning.

Tropical cyclone warning signal no. 1 remained in effect over Romblon, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Ticao and Next page

A2

News

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

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House issues subpoena vs. contractor

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE House of Representatives’ committee on rules has already issued subpoenas to the owner of C.T. Leoncio Construction and several officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways in the Bicol region to shed light on allegedly anomalous flood control projects, the panel’s chairman said Thursday.

House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya said he has sought the help of the police to locate and serve the subpoenas to the people invited to a Jan. 3 hearing of his panel to be held in Naga City.

Subpoenas have been issued to Consolacion Leoncio, owner of C.T. Leoncio; and DPWH officials Engrs. Virgilio Eduarte, Danilo Verzola, Ignacio Odiaman, Wilfredo Flores, Larry Reyes, Merla Raveche, Jorge Gorimbao, Victor Azupardo, Gil Augustus Balmadrid, Noland Claro Guerrero; Malou Lacuna, Mr. Renato de Vera, and Elenita Tan. “The subpoenas, I was informed, were received by the PNP Region 5 as early as Dec. 20,” Andaya said in a statement.

“We expect the attendance and full cooperation of these people in the House investigation. The House will not hesitate to issue arrest orders should those subpoenaed refuse to appear in our congressional hearings,” he said.

“We also expect Ms. Leoncio and the DPWH officials to bring with them copies of transaction documents involving the infrastructure projects in question,” he said.

Andaya earlier disclosed that a former Cabinet official seeking an elective post in 2019 has allegedly parked at least P300 million in infrastructure projects in the national budget.

The parking scheme allegedly facilitated by the Department of Budget and Management led by Secretary Benjamin Diokno could explain the huge increase allocated to flood mitigation projects from 2017 to 2018, Andaya said.

The budget stood at P79 billion in 2017 but ballooned to P133 billion in 2018, he said.

Diokno had tied Andaya’s accusations to attempts to pressure him to release funds from the Road Board before it is abolished.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri on Thursday appealed to Minority Leader Franklin Drilon to keep an open mind on his proposal to convene the bicameral conference committee for the abolition of the controversial Road Board.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Drilon said there was no need to convene a bicameral conference committee on the abolition of the graft-tainted government agency because the Senate had already approved the House version of the bill.

Catriona...

From A1

turquoise high-slit dress which, like the first two gowns, is emblazoned with meticulously hand-placed crystals and pearls and embellished with patriotic symbolism.

“Pearl of the Orient Seas is the by name given to our beautiful country, the Philippines. Even our National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal referred the country with this sobriquet in his poem: Mi último adiós,” Tumang wrotein his social media post.

“Aside from the fact that our country is one of the largest producers of pearls, the Philippines is truly a gem! It is beautiful, enchanting and captivating. Indeed a high value and rare pearl! This piece in itself is an extolment of the Philippines,” he added.

The one-shoulder gown, including the two Catriona wore during the preliminaries and finals night, took Tumang and his team nearly four months to complete. They were crafted by 16 artisans, weigh almost 30 kilos, and cost more than P1 million—truly apt for the queen of the universe.

US:NAIA...

From A1

The DHS said its findings were based on the assessments by a team of security experts from the Transportation Security Administration.

The DHS has instructed the airlines that issue tickets between the US and Manila to notify passengers about their advisory in writing.

It has also required the display of the advisory in US airports with regularly scheduled flights to Manila, and based on a GMA News report, some airports have already started to do this.

According to the report, a Filipino posted a photo on social media that shows the advisory in an airport in Hawaii.

The DHS’ statement says it, together with the Department of State, Department of Transportation and TSA representatives have been working with the Philippine government to improve security at the NAIA. The Philippines’ Department of Transportation has also issued a statement about the DHS’s travel advisory.

The department says it is giving priority to the “implementation of strict security measures” at the NAIA. Joel E. Zurbano

Firecracker injuries mounting T

HE Health department on Thursday reported eight more fireworks-related injuries in Western Visayas, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and the National Capital Region.

The injuries were recorded by sentinel hospitals from 6 a.m. on Wednesday until 5:59 a.m. on Thursday. Four cases were from Western Visayas, two from Cagayan Valley and one each from Central Luzon and NCR. They involved males aged between two and 50 years who played with banned fireworks.

Six of the eight additional cases were reported on time. The victims suffered from burns without amputation, were given anti-

biotics and sent home after treatment.

Meanwhile, the remaining two cases were reported late. One was due to a blast injury that resulted in amputation and the other one was due to a blast injury with no amputation.

The Health department began its fireworks-related injuries surveillance on Friday, and to date there are now a total of 32 injuries recorded. These figure include the two cases of fireworks’ ingestion reported.

The six-year-old boy in Tondo, Manila, who ingested the contents of a firecracker remains confined at the Philippine General Hospital.

The department said the injuries reported were 50 percent less than in the same period last year and 77 percent lower than the five-year average.

There are eight injuries recorded in the National Capital Region, four in Central Luzon, nine in Western Visayas, four in Central Visayas, two in Zamboanga Peninsula and one in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Under Executive Order 28, the use of firecrackers must be confined to com-

Enrile presses for review of anti-bullying law

By Macon Ramos-Araneta FOLLOWING the case of the Ateneo De Manila University student who was dismissed for bullying and beating another student, former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile called for a review of Republic Act 10627, or the anti-bullying law, to give it more teeth.

“Obviously, there is a need to revisit Republic Act 10627,” Enrile said in an interview.

He said he wanted to push for a thorough consideration of the facts of the case to lay down the groundwork for amendments.

“First, I have to restudy the present law.

Second, I have to study the facts of each of the incidents that have so far happened violating the law. Third, I have to hear the concerned parties,” said Enrile who is seeking a return to the Senate in next year’s elections.

“Only then will I be able to craft the necessary amendatory legislation.”

Enrile said Ateneo’s efforts to prevent

Rody...

From A1

“If we did not meet halfway, I will slap you.

If I have evidence, I will really drag you. You better behave, act like an angel. Don’t you ever threaten or kill people because I will not allow it,” he said, emphasizing that all the locals in the whole Bicol region and the congressman’s widow know the man behind Batocabe’s death.

“I have my reasons to suspect the guy.

Don’t do that because you cannot threaten all the people with that. So, when this incident backfired at you, I will come back here to humiliate you. You know what, I will go to your house and slap you. If you want to try it, do one more of your mischief. If I got infuriated, f*** *** I will shoot you,” Duterte warned.

Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde said they already have six persons of interest, but none of them have been arrested.

Batocabe, 52, was distributing Christmas gifts in his hometown of Daraga, Albay when he and his police escort were gunned down by still unidentified assailants.

The slain politician was planning to run for mayor in the upcoming elections.

Duterte on Wednesday called on the Commission on Elections to place Daraga town in Albay under its control following the murder of Batocabe.

To ensure peace and order amid the lawlessness and violent crimes during the election period, Duterte said he phoned Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas to implement his directive.

The President said he told Abas to impose a two-bodyguard limit for each politician, a policy enforced by former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan.

“Let’s go back to the Alunan doctrine that no candidate should strut around with bodyguards with long firearms. That’s prohibited.

Only the police and the military. All others, none. Except when you are granted a permit to carry by the Comelec,” he said.

Garins...

From A1 Police said the father and son reportedly took Macaya to the Guimbal Public Plaza in Iloilo, disarmed and handcuffed him. Then the mayor held Macaya at gunpoint while the congressman slapped, kicked and spat at him.

Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, director of the Western Visayas Regional Police, ordered the relief of Police Senior Inspector Antonio Monreal, chief of the Guimbal municipal police station, who was at the incident, for his failure to arrest the Garins.

“I have nothing personal against the Garins, but I have grounds and responsibility to support my personnel and to protect and uplift the image of the police organization,” Bulalacao said.

He also requested the cancellation of the mayor’s authority over the local police and recalled the congressman’s two police escorts.

In a previous statement, the younger Garin apologized to the PNP, promising that he will take full responsibility for his actions.

“I sincerely ask for your forgiveness of what I did. I reiterate my apologies for my actions, which I take full responsibility,” the congressman said.

The lawmaker, said the actions he committed were not directed at the PNP and its other officers and personnel.

“My actions were merely a display of extreme frustration towards one, single PNP personnel, which to my judgment committed a great disservice to the people of Guimbal,” he said, explaining that he was only “upset” with Macaya for asking a victim to withdraw a complaint against a suspect, the son of a councilor who figured in a scuffle.

Still, Bulalacao said that they would file

the further spread of the viral video of the bullying would not be effective.

“I do not think the desire of Ateneo de Manila to stop the spread of the video will fly. That would seriously curtail the freedom of the people to inform and to be informed,” Enrile said.

In an earlier statement on his Facebook page, Enrile said he had also been a victim of bullying as a second-year high school student in Aparri, Cagayan.

“One morning, when I was on my way to my classroom on the second floor of our school building, four older male students rushed out of a door behind me and attacked me with their knives. I was completely taken by surprise and surrounded.

I dropped my books and parried their assaults with my bare hands,” Enrile said.

“To save my life, I managed to jump out of a window. Upon landing on the ground below, blood was oozing from the right side of my neck, my left arm had a long and

ugly cut, my belly was ripped, and my shirt and pants were red with blood.”

After the incident, Enrile said, he filed a case against his attackers, who were “the kids of some members of the Board of Trustees of the school” and had “all the lawyers in town” while he had no lawyer.

As a result, his case was dismissed and he was even expelled.

“This incident defined the course of my life. I wanted to be an engineer because math was easy for me, but I shifted to law because of the injustice I had suffered,” Enrile said.

“Parents should go out of their way to inculcate to their children the virtue of kindness to others, especially those who are deprived and powerless.

“To the young people: Learn to exercise charity to your neighbors, especially the weak and needy. Do not use your gift from God― your keen mind, your physical strength, your affluence, your power or whatever to take advantage or dominate others.”

He also ordered the Armed Forces to set up checkpoints in the area to provide security during the election season.

“My directive to the police and military is f*** it, kill them. Let’s try. Make my police and soldiers look dumb and oppose the checkpoints because you’re a governor or mayor, then f*** ***,” he said.

“When they defy the order to stop at checkpoints, shoot them. That’s it, it’s simple,” he continued.

“So, we will provide security for everybody, including the people who’d be attending rallies and meetings.”

The President then reiterated his warning to politicians against resorting to violence to get rid of their political opponents.

Among the opponents, Batocabe was supposed to face in the mayoralty race are incumbent town Mayor Carlwyn Baldo and Vice Mayor Victor Perete.

UNTV, meanwhile, reported that police who revisited the crime scene said Batocabe was shot at close range, and that the gunmen used two types of firearms, caliber 40 and caliber 45 handguns.

A congressman on Thursday warned that the failure of law enforcement agencies to immediately arrest Batocabe’s killers would result in more political killings as the midterm elections draw near.

Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop, chairman of the House committee on public order and safety, added thst even if the killers were to be arrested now, “the snail-paced judicial process in the country will “further encourage or give confidence to criminals to target more politicians.”

“If they [guns-for-hire] can get away with the murder of Congressman Rodel and his security aide, this might embolden them to assassinate more politicians, including wellknown political leaders. They would think it’s easy to kill a congressman,” Acop, a retired police director, said.

“Unfortunately, criminals have taken advantage of the failure of our authorities to

bring immediate justice to most of the victims of criminal activities,” Acop added.

The House led by Visayan Bloc leader, Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez, issued a statement, saying the “act of violence inflicted on Rep. Batocabe is an assault on Congress itself as an institution and those involved must not go unpunished.”

“We express our collective outrage not only in behalf of the family of Rep. Batocabe and SPOI Diaz, but also in the name of all citizens who are victims of heinous crimes,” the House members said.

Senator Richard Gordon urged the police to act swiftly.

“There is a culture of violence and impunity that must be stopped immediately by ensuring that the police and the people are reminded that we are a country that follows the rule of law. Such appears to have been forgotten as shown by violent events that occurred in the past 10 days,” Gordon said.

The senator was referring to the series of shootings and killings reported across the country starting Dec. 14, such as the ambush of Councilor Ricardo Tan and his wife in Negros Occidental on Dec. 14; an attack on lawyer Erfe del Castillo and Elfren Palmares while they driving along the Bacolod-Silay Airport Access Road also in Negros Occidental on Dec. 22; the killing of Ariel Vicencio, son of former Malabon Mayor Amado Vicencio, and the wounding of two of his companions by a gunman who escaped on board a motorcycle at 3 a.m. in Malabon City; and Batocabe’s murder on Dec. 22.

The House minority block appealed for sobriety and honest, violence-free elections.

The bloc’s leader, Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, made the call in light of Batocabe’s murder on Saturday.

“Congressman Rodel was set to run as mayor in Daraga in the coming 2019 elections. In this context, the minority states that there is no place for violence in the exercise of suffrage and democracy,” Suarez said at a news conference Thursday.

charges of physical injuries, alarm and scandal, direct assault against an agent of person in authority, and grave coercion against the two Garins.

Police in Guimbal town have asked to be relieved to avoid any confrontation with the Garins.

Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde, angered by the beating, ordered the cancellation of all firearm permits issued to the Garins.

Albayalde also endorsed the withdrawal of Mayor Garin’s supervision and control over the local police.

Police records show that the congressman has 11 registered firearms, three of which have expired licenses. His father, the mayor, owns eight firearms, five of which have expired licenses.

These firearms would be confiscated, Albayalde said.

“I cannot in conscience let this abuse and oppression pass without justice. I am directing the PNP Legal Service to provide legal assistance to PO3 Macaya in his complaint and possible counter charges by the respondents,” Albayalde said.

House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez on Thursday warned that Congressman Garin may face an ethics complaint at the House of Representatives.

But Suarez said a formal complaint should be formally filed against the congressman before the House Committee on Ethics, chaired

by AGRI Party-list Rep. Delphine Lee Gan. “If there is a complaint, yes [it can be investigated], but we need a valid complaint.

Maybe from one of the members or to be filed at the House and a congressman will endorse it,” Suarez said at a news conference.

Suarez admitted that he is a good friend of Richard Garin and his wife, and said

authorities should determine what triggered his anger.

Año, meanwhile, said Garin’s authority over the police would be withdrawn.

“What the congressman and the mayor did was abuse of authority and display of arrogance; a conduct unbecoming of men in authority and well-deserving of punishment. I will not tolerate this kind of behavior and will order the removal of Mayor Garin’s deputation authority over the Guimbal police once the investigation results are out,” Año said in a news release Thursday.

Año said appropriate criminal and administrative cases will be filed against the Garins, including the congressman, in the Office of the Ombudsman or the courts as soon as the investigations are concluded.

“The President himself was so disappointed and I will ensure that his order to file cases against the Garins will be complied with immediately,” he said. With PNA

‘Usman’...

From A1

Burias Islands, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Northern Cebu, Camotes Islands, Aklan, Capiz, Northern Iloilo, Northern Occidental and Dinagat Island.

As of 4 p.m. Thursday, the center of “Usman” was estimated at 410 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

It was moving west at 10 km per hour, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 65 kph.

munity fireworks displays to minimize the risk of injuries and casualties.

The DOH also warned the public against illegal fireworks such as the watusi, piccolo, atomic triangle, large Judas belt, large bawang, pillbox, boga, Goodbye Philippines, Bin Laden, mother rockets, lolo thunder, cokein-can, kwitom, atomic bomb, five star, pla-pla, giant whistle bomb, kabasi and other unlabeled and imported firecrackers.

Among the banned fireworks, Boga caused the highest number of injuries followed by Kwitis, Piccolo and Triangle. PNA

Abu Sayyaf...

From A1 On the other hand, Janjalani’s co-accused Daud Baru was found guilty of 52 counts of the same offense.

The Pasig City court ordered the accused to jointly and severally pay each of the victims P75,000 as civil indemnity ex delicto, P75,000 as moral damages and P30,000 as exemplary damages.

Judge Abalajon conducted the promulgation inside the New Bilibid Prison.

Earlier, the Pasig court convicted 66 other members of the Abu Sayyaf Group.

The court said 29 accused were guilty of 52 counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention. One accused was acquitted of the eight counts but found guilty of 44 counts.

On the other hand, 10 accused were found guilty of 41 counts of serious illegal detention, while 12 were convicted for 18 counts.

Three accused were found guilty of 11 counts and 11 were found guilty of seven counts of the same offense.

Abu Sayyaf leaders Khadaffy Janjalani, Abu Sabaya and Isnilon Hapilon were among those originally charged.

But the three died in various military encounters. Hapilon died last year at the height of the Marawi siege.

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong represented the government in the case.

The kidnapping incident in 2000 was on the abduction of teachers and students at Sinangkapan Elementary School and Tumahubong Elementary School.

SC keeps...

From A1 of discretion and, upon delving into the merits, in the absence of a clearest showing that there was indeed an infraction of the Constitution.

“If the Court were to invalidate the questioned law on the basis of conjectures and suppositions, then it would be unduly treading questions of policy and wisdom not only of the legislature that passed it, but also of the executive which approved it.”

The ruling came after the Court dismissed the petition filed by the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. on technical grounds, particularly for the lack of legal standing of the association to file the petition, no actual and justiciable issues presented, and failure to follow the doctrine of hierarchy of courts.

On April 4, 2018, the Department of Health issued Administrative Order 20180012 that implements RA 10932.

Besides banning the request, solicitation, demand or acceptance of deposit and advance payment, RA 10932 also expanded the scope of “basic emergency care” to include “medical procedures and treatment administered to a woman in active labor.”

The law mandates the local government unit where the hospital or medical clinic is located “to allow free use of its emergency medical vehicle” in case a transfer to another hospital of a patient is deemed necessary.

The law also imposes on violators― hospital owners, medical practitioners, employees―“the penalty of imprisonment of not less than six months and one day but not more than two years and four months, or a fine of not less than Pl00,000 but not more than P300,000, or both, at the court’s discretion.”

The law says if the violation was made pursuant to an established hospital policy or upon instructions of its management, the penalties are increased as against the director or officer formulating and implementing such policy to four years to six years, or a fine of not less than P500,000 but not more than Pl,000,000, or both, without prejudice to an award for damages.

The law also introduced “the three-strike rule, or when, upon three repeated violations committed pursuant to an established policy or upon instruction of the management, the health facility’s license to operate shall be revoked by the Department of Health.”

It holds “the president, chairman, board of directors or trustees and other officers of the health facility solidarily liable for damages.”

Likewise, RA 10932 “presumes liability against the hospital, medical clinic and the official, medical practitioner, or employee involved, in the event of death, permanent disability, serious impairment or permanent injury to or loss of an unborn child, proceeding from the denial of admission to a health facility pursuant to a policy of requiring deposits or advance payments for confinement or treatment.”

News

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

NPA killed own men in the ’80s—docu

By Francisco Tuyay

T

HE Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army has committed mass murder against its own members in the 1980s, former cadres of the rebel group said.

In a documentary produced by Sambayanan, former Southern Mindanao Regional Party Committee-executive committee member Ben Tepaet said it was CPP founder Jose Maria Sison’s successor, Benito Tiamzon, who initiated the investigation of all CPP-NPA members and summary killing based on mere suspicion.

“Yung pumalit kay Sison, Tiamzon, yan ang gumawa ng polisiya na lahat ng tao pinaimbestigahan sa bawat lev-

el ng unit, talagang papatayin ka nila [The one who replaced Sison was Benito Tiamzon. He was the one who made that policy that all of the people were investigated in every level in the unit.

They will really kill you],” Tepaet said.

In the same documentary, former NPA-Sandatahang Yunit Propaganda member Chito Herbolingo said “kangaroo courts” were established, which resulted in about 1,000 deaths in Davao.

“Pag punta ka doon, parang tapos na yung desisyon, formality nalang yung pagpunta mo doon. In Davao alone, tinataya na mayroong more or less one thousand ang pinapatay ng sarili nilang kasamahan [Even if you go there, the decision’s already done, it was just some sort of formality. In Davao alone, there were more or less a thousand that were killed by their fellow comrades],” Herbolingo said.

Sison is in exile in The Netherlands since 1987, after peace talks with thenPresident Corazon Aquino’s government failed.

The Department of Justice, meanwhile, asked the Philippine courts to arrest Tiamzon and other CPP-NPA consultants for multiple murder cases.

Tiamzon went into hiding when their bail for temporary liberty was canceled.

The DOJ also filed a pending motion in court to declare the CPP-NPA-NDF as a terrorist organization under the Human Security Act. The US State Department and the European Union have both tagged the CPP-NPA as terrorist bodies.

Meanwhile, an entire unit of the New People’s Army operating in Agusan del Sur and Compostella Valley, which was considered as a hotbed of terrorist activities, surrendered to the military on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the communist movement.

Brig. General Andres Centino, commander of the Army’s 401st Infantry Brigade said that 19 members of the Guerilla Front 3 and 4 under their leader identified only as “Mark” voluntarily yielded to the authorities on Christmas Day. With PNA

Solon lauds bill on birth of Blessed Virgin Mary

By Maricel V. Cruz A PRO-ADMINISTRATION lawmaker on Thursday welcomed the Arroyo-led House leadership approval of a bill declaring Sept. 8 of every year as a special working holiday to commemorate the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting was referring to House Bill 7856 which he co-authored with the bill’s principal author, Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas. The bill was already approved on third and final reading at the Lower House by a unanimous voting of 206 lawmakers.

“I am very happy that this bill honoring our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary, has been passed by the House and has been transmitted to the Senate,” Tambunting, chairman of the House committee on games and amusement, said.

“In this Christmas season, when we remember the birth of our Lord, it is but fitting that we also remember his Mother, Mama Mary, whose faithful obedience to the will of God helped bring about our salvation,” he added.

Tambunting said “declaring her birth as a holiday in our country is definitely a great way of honoring her as it will allow all Filipinos to honor her in a special way.”

Fariñas said his bill shall be in honor and thanksgiving to The Lady, who conceived the Lord for the redemption and salvation of the entire humanity.

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ROUND FRUITS FOR LUCK. Vendors start to sell round-shaped fruits in time for the New Year celebration at the San Andres

market in Manila on Dec. 27 2018. According to tradition, round-shaped fruits prepared for the New Year symbolize good luck and prosperity. Norman Cruz

‘Comelec to start printing of ballots for 2019 polls’

By Vito Barcelo THE Commission on Elections will start the printing of ballots on the second week of January next year, but the poll body has yet to release the official list of the names of aspirants for the May 12, 2019 elections.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said it will start the printing of the over 60-million ballots by the middle of January next year, as soon as the final list of senatorial bets and party-list are approved by the poll body.

“The Comelec is trying to avoid corrections in the printing of ballots and it is important that final list of candidates is released,” Jimenez said.

He admitted, though, that they have yet to release the list of official candidates as they are encountering difficulties in cleansing the list of ‘undesirables.’

“There is no final list yet because we continue to encounter problems in screening the candidates. The senatorial candidates is now at 140 plus because we have yet to process some of them. So we are experiencing some delay,” he said.

The Comelec official, however, assured the public that the delay will not adversely the timeline of the midterm elections..

Last November, the Comelec has disqualified more than 20 senatorial candidates and more will eventually disqualified before December 28, as most of the 152 individuals who filed their certificate of candidacy for senator did not meet the prerequisites or are capable to sustain their election campaign.

A total of 152 individuals filed their COCs for senator for the 2019 elections, according to Jimenez.

‘Boracay rehab is DENR’s single biggest accomplishment in 2018’

By Rio N. Araja THE rehabilitation of the world famous Boracay Island in Aklan is the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ “single biggest accomplishment” in 2018.

“What we have done in Boracay [Island] could well serve as one of the DENR’s best legacies. We have already achieved something but that does not mean we should stop,” Secretary Roy Cimatu said.

Solon calls for immediate funding of First 1,000 Days Law THE government should immediately fund the implementation of the newly signed Republic Act No. 11148 or the ‘First 1,000 Days of Life’ law to reduce malnutrition in the country and make Filipino children healthier, La Union 2nd District Rep. Sandra Y. Eriguel said.

“I am hopeful that the amount needed to carry out the mandate of this new measure would be included in the proposed CY 2019 budgets of the implementing agencies, including the Department of Health (DoH), considering that the CY 2019 General Appropriations Bill will still go through the bicameral conference committee before its ratification by both Houses of Congress,” Eriguel said.

“This law will improve the nutritional status of Filipino children and prepare them to become productive citizens,” said Eriguel, a medical doctor who is a vice chairperson of the House Committee on Health. She is one of the principal authors of the consolidated House Bill No. 5777 which was approved by the House of Representatives on September 25, 2017.

Eriguel served as chairperson of the Technical Working Group that deliberated on the 16 House bills, including her own version. The TWG eventually recommended these bills for consolidation and approval as House Bill No. 5777.

House oks bill granting benefits To S&T personnel in gov’t service

By Maricel V. Cruz MORE science and technology practitioners may soon be encouraged to join the government service.

This came after the House of Representatives approved on second reading House Bill 8734, seeking to increase the benefits granted to S&T personnel in the public service.

The bill aims to empower Filipino scientists to expand the country’s pool of S&T experts and motivate them to continue working for the government.

The implementation of the proposal, principally authored by Reps. Alfred Vargas III of Quezon City, Michael Romero and Enrico Pineda of 1-Pacman Party-list, and Luis Raymund Villafuerte of Camarines Sur, would entail the amendment of Republic Act 8439, otherwise known as the “Magna Carta for Scientists, Engineers, Researchers, and other S&T Personnel in the Government.”

Cimatu said he wants to replicate the success of the Boracay Island rehabilitation in the heavily-polluted Manila Bay. “I am an optimist through and through, I am sure that Manila Bay will be better off in December next year,” he added.

The DENR, along with several government agencies, devoted much of its time, effort and resources to carry out President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to clean up the island he once called a “cesspool.”

After seeing the results, Cimatu said

all the efforts poured into by the DENR and other government agencies during the six-month rehabilitation period were worth it.

During the first phase of Boracay rehabilitation, hotels and resorts caught directly pumping out their sewage into the sea were fined and ordered to put their own sewage treatment facilities.

The Boracay wetlands that played an important role in absorbing excess rainfall to prevent flooding and are home to native and migratory wildlife were

cleaned and recovered from illegal settlements and structures.

Cimatu vowed to maintain the sustainable tourism management approach in Boracay, a model for other coastal areas.

The DENR chief said he is now focused on rehabilitating Manila Bay, and restore and main it to a level fit for swimming, skin diving and other forms of recreation.

He promised to employ the same strategy used in Boracay to rid Manila Bay of wastes and pollutants.

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Opinion

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Will legalization work?

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

plague for which no cure is in hand, or in prospect.”

CROSSROADS “When I ran for mayor of New York City, in my paper on drugs and in my JONATHAN post- election book I advocated their conDE LA CRUZ tinued embargo, but on unusual grounds.

I had read—and I think the evidence continues to affirm it—that drug-taking is a THIS is the question being asked now gregarious activity. What this means, as that the matter of legitimizing the use of I see it, is that an addict will attempt to marijuana initially for medical purposes convince others to share the habit. Under and, possibly, leisure and related uses is the circumstances, I reasoned, it can reabeing debated all over again. I remember sonably be held that drug taking is a conthis issue was first brought up for serious tagious disease and for that reason should debate during the 16th Congress when a invoke to the conventional protections number of states in America decided to extended to shield the innocents from legitimize the use of marijuana and its Typhoid Mary.” commercial distribution as a legitimate “About 10 years later I deferred to a drug. different order of priorities. A conservaAlthough at first it became an issue, some tive should evaluate the practicality of a dismissed the same as non-essential. legal construction as, for instance, those Now it has resurfaced since more and states ought to do whose statute books more scientific continue to outlaw studies have shown sodomy, which inthat indeed mariterdiction is unenjuana has proven forceable, making The drug trade medical use. But the law nothing will legitimizing has become such a more than print on its use work at all, paper, I came to given the admin- widespread national the conclusion that istration’s all out if not international the so-called war “war on drugs?” on drugs was not operation with the In this regard, I working, and that discovered in the Philippines as a major it would not work course of my read- hub. absent a change ings over the last in the structure of few days a statethe civil rights to ment by the emiwhich we cling as nent author and conservative icon, Wil- a valuable part of our patrimony. Thereliam F. Buckley, Jr., to the New York City fore, if the war on drugs is not working, Bar Association on October 11, 1995 we should look into what effects that war about that city’s own “war on drugs” en- has, a canvass of the casualties consetitled “The Drug War is not Working.” I quent on its failure to work. That considam excerpting it for the benefit of those eration encouraged me to weight utilitarwho are intimately involved in the ongo- ian principles: A Benthamite calculus of ing Herculean effort to turn around the the pain and pleasure introduced by the country’s near-spiral into being a “narco illegalization of drugs.” state” engendered by the past administra“When alcohol was illegal the contion’s abysmal tokenism in resolving this sumer could never know whether he had national scourge. been given relatively harmless alcohol Here goes: to drink—such alcoholic beverages as “We are speaking here of a plagues that we find today in the liquor store—or consumes an estimated US $75 billion a whether the bootlegger’s distillery had year of public money, exacts an estimated come up with paralyzing rotgut, By the US $70 Billion a year from consumers, is same token. purchasers of illegal cocaine responsible for the incarceration of nearly and heroin cannot know whether they 50 percent of those 1.3-million Ameri- are consuming a drug that would qualify cans who are today in jail, consumes an for regulated consumption after clinical estimated 30 percent of the trial time of analysis.” our judiciary and occupies the time of “But we do know this: That more peofour hundred thousand policemen—yet a Turn to A5

A

Eyes on agriculture

GRICULTURE has been ironically the laggard sector in the economy despite accounting nearly for 26 percent of the total employment in the Philippines.

Its contribution to the gross domestic product in the third quarter of 2018 was negative even as the Philippine economy registered a respectable growth rate of 6.1 percent. The farm sector’s output in the period declined 0.4 percent, compared with services and industry, which expanded 6.9 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively.

Something is clearly wrong clearly in the agriculture sector. Palay production declined 5.4 percent in the third quarter year-on-year, while corn output fell 14.4 percent in the same period. The lower production, especially that of palay, resulted in a rice shortage that, in turn, mainly caused the country’s inflation rate to spiral and a hit a

nine-year high of 6.7 percent in September and October.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, as head of the country’s economic team, reiterated last week that the agriculture sector would continue to be one of the top priorities of the Duterte administration to raise farm productivity and achieve rice sufficiency.

He says the government will keep its focus on the farm sector to help avoid a repeat of the supply problems in rice and other major food items that led to the elevated inflation rate in the second half of 2018. Echoing the sentiments of the private sector, Dominguez says improving the agricultural output and raising farmers’ in-

comes through education and the use of new farm technologies will be given attention next year.

The rice tariffication bill, which essentially liberalizes rice importation, will address the supply shortage.

But the liberal rules will not result in increased local production.

The government, thus, must find ways to expand agriculture production through better post-harvest facilities, more farm-to-market roads to bring the commodity straight to the market and not the middlemen, and increased irrigation facilities.

The agriculture sector and its dependents in the countryside will be at the forefront of the government’s goal to achieve an inclusive economy. This objective will remain elusive if the state fails to improve the productivity of the sector.

The power of words Duterte’s humor is the toilet kind. If what he says offends his audience or the public in general, he or his spokesman passes it off as a joke. But we shouldn’t get used to it, because to do so is to reinforce the systemic misogyny and HAVING once instructed the military toxic masculinity in our culture. to shoot women rebels in the vagina, Words have power. This belief is held President Rodrigo Roa Duterte now in many cultures, and it is expressed tells them this: “Lalaki tayo. Pagkata- this way by the writer of the Gospel of pos ng operation, kailangan natin ng John: “In the beginning was the Word, babae.” and the Word was with God, and the The President said this when he visit- Word was God” [John 1:1].” Here the ed soldiers of the 10thInfantry Division ‘Word’ is identified as the same as the at Camp General Manuel T. Yan Sr. in Greek ‘Logos’, a philosophical and reBarangay Tuboran, Mawab, Composte- ligious term meaning ‘word, speech, la Valley Province last Dec. 22. Both account, reason, discourse’. men and women members of the audiIn John, the Word has such tremenence laughed at Duterte’s remark. dous power that it is divine, existing In his informal talk, the President from the beginning, resident in God, discussed military operations against and physically manifested as Jesus the rebel left, saying that soldiers Christ. God spoke the whole of mateshould not let themselves be captured rial existence into being when He said, by the enemy and they should “eat their “Let there be light.” Prayers, spells, and gun” instead. “Let invocations harthem realize na di ness this creative tayo duwag, lalaki power of words, tayo,” he said, segtrusting they What’s important ueing from there will go, as a Jewinto his remark. ish saying goes, is that the mouth It’s most likely “from your mouth be connected to the he said this for a to God’s ear.” laugh, which he brain, and the brain So when the did get from the be in good working president of the soldiers he adcountry and the dressed. Humor is order that it chooses commander of an effective public words that uplift and the armed forces speaking device to inspire, rather than mocks women’s get the audience’s condition in sodemean and belittle. attention. ciety by making But this is coarse sexual innot funny. From nuendoes, it is in“kailangan ng evitable that there babae”” we infer that women are to be are those who will come to believe, or used after military operations for sex- have their current beliefs strengthened, ual gratification, as “parausan,” a term in the inferiority status of woman in sothat exists in the language precisely ciety and of male privilege over wombecause of occurrences in history that en’s bodies. necessitated such a word to describe This is not to say that the wives or them.

Turn to A5

Rebellion without end

THE Communist Party of the Philippines, which directs the armed rebellion in the country through its armed wing, the New People’s Army, observed its 50th anniversary last Wednesday, Dec. 26.

Not surprisingly, in the run-up to this milestone, NPA rebels launched so-called “tactical offensives” in various places, the most recent in Sorsogon, where they attacked a police station in Magallanes town, resulting in the wounding of three

that the fight against the NPA would soon turn bloody: “They are just plain bandits and that should be the way to treat them,” referring to his order to It looks like an shoot the rebels. Earlier, he had also slammed the door shut to any further unwinnable war for peace negotiations with the CPP’s poboth sides, with the litical arm, the National Democratic prospect of more Front.

What that means is that the CPPviolence and bloodshed NPA-NDF will have to deal with a all too real in the years bloody all-out war by government forces against them. ahead.

The military estimates current NPA strength at only between 3,000 to 4,000 guerrillas spread out in a few regions, policemen and a civilian. notably Bicol, Panay and Samar in CenIn the wake of this latest incident, tral Visayas, and several provinces in President Rodrigo Duterte warned Turn to A5 Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

ManilaStandard

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Opinion

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

The value of Christmas

Losing the tourism race VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

THE Philippines is losing the tourism race in the region, largely because Manila continues to operate the decrepit Ninoy Aquino International Airport, an airport that it should have discarded five years ago, or converted its space into an entirely new business district.

These days, NAIA Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are utterly hopeless as far as rendering decent service for departing and arriving passengers is concerned and no matter how mightily furious its officials try to do their best. The terminals lack enough clean toilets, enough CCTV cameras, enough baggage carousels, enough immigration counters, enough check-in counters, and enough airline gates.

Coming in early this December from Doha, I was surprised that even the supposedly new NAIA Terminal 3 had become a bedlam. Greeters are allowed into the main terminal building. They block the exit of arriving passengers, resulting in confusion.

Inside the terminal arrival area, there are still colorum taxi drivers offering rides to arrivals.

At the baggage carousel, a group of airport helpers have secured the trolleys for themselves, claiming they have reserved them for a particular airline. Trolleys are free. They cannot be sequestered by the baggage boys for themselves in anticipation of “clients.” The helpers give the impression you must give them tip or something for securing trolleys on your behalf.

Exiting from the airport is only part of an arrival’s problem. Traffic from NAIA to home, like Mandaluyong or San Juan, can take at least two hours. In peak hours, your flight to Manila from say Hong Kong or Bangkok or Tokyo is probably faster than the 12-km ride from NAIA to EDSA-Shaw.

The Philippines attracts only seven million visitors, a third of whom are Filipinos, meaning not tourists. With 110-million population, the Philippines should be able to attract 100-million visitors easily.

Singapore, an island you can sink in the middle of Laguna Lake and still have 24,000 hectares to spare, has 5.6-million people. It gets 20-million tourists, 3.6 times its population, meaning they don’t even have enough people to attend to or service their visitors.

With one attraction, Ang-

kor Wat, Cambodia will also get seven million visitors. To think that Cambodia is new to the tourism game.

This 2018, the Philippines is likely to miss its arrivals goal of 7.4 million. The Department of Tourism blames Boracay’s closure. The more likely reason is the decrepit NAIA. If you love yourself, you won’t want to f ly out or f ly in through NAIA. But Filipinos have no choice. It is the only airport they have got near their place of work or residence.

The government offers Clark.

Driving from Makati to Balintawak takes three hours. From Balintawak to Clark is another hour.

You have spent four hours and you haven’t checked in yet In the tourism game, the Philippines has had a 45-year headstart, since Margie Moran won the

Why do we continue to operate our decrepit airport?

1973 Miss Universe, since Manila hosted the 1974 Miss Universe, built the cavernous Philippine International Convention Center that can seat 5,000 delegates, and feted the 1976 World Bank-IMF delegates that prompted the feverish construction 14 new five-star hotels in just two years. Thanks to Imelda.

With those efforts, tourism flourished. Arrivals hit a record 1.008 million in 1980, from only 243,000 in 1973.

In the 1980s, Vietnam was still reeling from 20 years of war against the colonial powers, from 1955 to 1975, and the reunification efforts after that.

Included in that war were the Cambodian Civil War and the Laotian Civil War. Today, Vietnam and. Cambodia have overtaken Philippine tourism in arrivals. Vietnam drew 12.92-million tourists in 2017; Cambodia 5.6 million— which is actually bigger than Philippine arrivals if you remove the more than two million Filipino balikbayans who are counted as tourists by the Department of Tourism.

From 1981 to 1987, tourism arrivals in the Philippines collapsed, to 773,000 in 1985, the height of the Philippine political crisis spawned by the 1983 Aquino assassination.

From 1981, it took another eight years before arrivals returned to the one-million level—1.043 million in 1988.

And it took another eight years before arrivals reached a new high—2.049 million in 1996.

And 11 years to reach the three-million level—3.092 million in 2007, under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, then five years to reach four million— 4.273 million in 2012, also under Arroyo, and three years to make it to five million—5.361 million in 2015 (still under Arroyo).

Finally, the Philippines needed just two years to reach six million —6.62 million in 2016, despite the illegal drugs killings under President Duterte. Still, six million is a pittance when our neighbors are doing double-digits in arrivals.

In the 1980s through 2000s, the Philippines attracted only 2 percent of the about 180 million tourists who visited the Asia Pacific yearly.

China was No. 1 with 29 percent share; Malaysia No. 2 with 12 percent, Hong Kong No. 3 with 10 percent, Thailand No. 4 with 8 percent, and Macau No. 5 with 6 percent. The Philippines has been a poor No. 14 among Asian destinations.

The world has one-billion tourists. China alone sends out 100 million tourists a year. Manila captures only one million of them, and half of them are gamblers.

San Miguel Corp. President Ramon S. Ang thinks the Philippines can easily get 20-million tourists yearly, with his P800-billion brand-new airport on 2,500 hectares of mostly flat lands in Bulakan town, Bulacan.

The NEDA board of cabinet members approved the airport last Dec. 21, 2018 but withheld guarantees given previous infra projects secured by private companies.

Despite that, RSA is making sure travelers using the future Bulacan airport won’t be hampered by traffic. He completes in December 2019 the 14-km Magallanes-Balintawak connector road at a cost of P55 billion, to reduce travel time from more than two hours to just ten minutes.

For passengers from northern Philippines (which has a population of 30 million), RSA is completing the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway to Rosario, La Union at a cost of P29 billion.

From Rosario, La Union, RSA plans to extend TPLEx to San Juan, La Union by 56 kms; San Juan to Vigan by 150 kms, and Vigan to Laoag by 250 kms. Total cost: P208 billion – all in the name of connectivity, faster travel, and yes, avoiding NAIA when taking flights. biznewsasia@gmail.com

Rebellion...

From A4

Mindanao.

Ranged against the ragtag Maoist guerrillas employing mainly hit-andrun tactics are no less than the total manpower complement of the armed forces and their superior firepower, including air support.

After 50 years of waging armed revolution, the CPP and the NPA appear no closer to achieving their ultimate goal of seizure of political power through the barrel of the gun.

The CPP issued a statement that gave themselves a pat on the back for surviving despite great odds, and claimed that the objective conditions for armed revolution have never been better. That’s what they’ve been saying year after year every time Dec. 26 rolls around.

The only remaining Maoist rebellion in the world has not been defeated by superior government firepower because they can still draw recruits from the countryside where there is widepread poverty. But the NPA has been unable to go beyond the strategic defensive stage of its revolutionary project, quite possibly because of a flawed strategy derived lock, stock and barrel from the Chinese model.

On the other hand, the government has failed to crush the communist-led rebellion after 50 years despite pouring massive resources in the counter-insurgency campaign.

From where we sit, it looks like an unwinnable war for both sides, with the

prospect of more violence and bloodshed based in Hong Kong. all too real in the years ahead.

It appeared that Okada held his leadership positions in TRLEI on the basis of the Gaming tycoon takes nominal share he held in trust for TRAL. another beating Okada was subsequently removed from The Parañaque Regional Trial Court TRLEI since his Deed of Assignment has dismissed the move of gaming ty- with Declaration of Trust with TRAL had coon Kazuo Okada to question and stop been revoked by the latter. his removal from Tiger Resort, Leisure Okada on 29 August 2018 filed the Inand Entertainment Inc., the operator of tra-Corporate Dispute case, arguing that Okada Manila. his removal was void and illegal and that In a 9-page order, Judge Noemi J. Bali- the election of the new composition of the taan of RTC Branch 258 dismissed the board of TRLEI was likewise void.

Intra-Corporate Dispute for Declaration The Court, in its ruling, said what of Nullity of his Removal from TRLEI Okada filed was an election contest seekfiled by Okada, ruling that his action has ing to nullify the election of the Board of already prescribed.

Directors. It stated that being an election “In Aldovino vs. Alunan, the Su- contest, the same should have been filed preme Court has held that when the within 15 days from the alleged date of plaintiffs own complaint shows clearly his removal. that the action has prescribed, such “Records show that this case was only action may be dismissed even if the filed before this Court on Aug. 29, 2018 or defense of prescription has not been approximately one year and two months invoked by the defendant. Wherefore, after the alleged removal of the plaintiff as based on the foregoing, the case is here- shareholder, director, chairman and chief by dismissed,” the Court ruled. executive officer of TRLEI, in violation of Records showed that Okada filed interim rules,” the Court declared. the case questioning his removal as It also denied all other pending motions shareholder, director, president and in relation to the case, namely Motion for chief executive officer of TRLEI in Issuance of a Gag Order, Motion for the Isa stockholders’ meeting in June 2017. suance of Alias Summons, Notice to Take TRLEI held the special stockholders’ Deposition and Motion to Disallow Depomeeting to elect a new board since sition, were also dismissed for being moot Okada’s one (1) nominal share of and academic.

TRLEI had been revoked by its parent company, Tiger Resorts and Leisure ernhil@yahoo.com

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

market.

For the first time, the giving of gifts became a major feature of Christmas.

Early Christians denounced gift-giving ERIC as a Roman practice, and Puritans called JURADO it diabolical. But Americans were not to be deterred. Thanks to capitalism, there CHRISTMAS in the Philippines is an was enough wealth to make gifts posexuberant display of human ingenuity, sible, a great productive apparatus to capitalist productivity, and the enjoy- advertise them and make them available ment of life. Yet, all of these are castigat- cheaply, and a country so content that ed as “materialistic”; the real meaning men wanted to reach out to their friends of the holiday, we are told, is assorted and express their enjoyment of life. The Nativity tales and altruist injunctions— whole country took with glee to giving love thy neighbor—that not too many, in gifts on an unprecedented scale. reality, take seriously.

Santa Claus is another thoroughly In fact, Christmas, as we celebrate it American invention. There was a St. Nichtoday, is a 19th-century American in- olas long ago and a feeble holiday convention. The freedom and prosperity nected with him (on Dec. 5). In 1822, an of post-Civil War America created the American named Clement Clarke Moore happiest nation in history. The result wrote a poem about a visit from St. Nick. It was the desire to celebrate, to revel in was Moore (and a few other New Yorkers) the goods and pleasures of life on earth. who invented St. Nick’s physical appearChristmas (which was not a US federal ance and personality, came up with the holiday until 1870) became the leading idea that Santa travels on Christmas Eve American outlet for this feeling. in a sleigh pulled by reindeer, comes down Historically, people have always cel- the chimney, stuffs toys in the kids’ stockebrated the winter solstice as the time ings, then goes back to the North Pole. when the days begin to lengthen, indiOf course, the Puritans denounced cating the earth’s return to life. Ancient Santa as the Anti-Christ, because he Romans feasted and reveled during pushed Jesus to the background. Furthe festival of Saturnalia. Early Chris- thermore, Santa implicitly rejected the tians condemned these Roman celebra- whole Christian ethics. He did not detions—they were waiting for the end of nounce the rich and demand that they the world and had only scorn for earthly give everything to the poor; on the conpleasures. By the fourth century, the pa- trary, he gave gifts to rich and poor chilgans were worshipping the god of the dren alike. Nor is Santa a champion of sun on December Christian mercy 25, and the early or unconditional Christians came to love. On the cona decision: if you trary, he is for juscan’t beat ’em, join Time to take the guilt tice—Santa gives ’em. They claimed only to good chil(contrary to known out of this holiday. dren, not to bad fact) that the date ones. was Jesus’ birthAll the best cusday, and usurped toms of Christthe solstice holiday for the early Church. mas, from carols to trees to spectacuEven after the early Christians took lar decorations to gift-giving, have over Christmas, they were ambivalent their root in pagan ideas and practices. about it. The holiday was inherently a These customs were greatly amplified pro-life festival of earthly renewal, but by American culture, as the product of the early Christians preached renuncia- reason, science, business, and worldlition, sacrifice, and concern for the next ness—the pursuit of happiness—which, world, not this one. As Cotton Mather, as America’s colonial and adopted child, an 18th-century clergyman, put it: “Can the Philippines inherited. you in your consciences think that our America’s and the Philippines’ tragedy Holy Savior is honored by mirth [joy]? is that their intellectual leaders have typi. . . Shall it be said that at the birth of cally tried to replace happiness with guilt our Savior . . . we take time . . . to do ac- by insisting that the spiritual meaning of tions that have much more of hell than of Christmas is religion and self-sacrifice for heaven in them?” the poor. But the spiritual must start with Then came the major developments recognizing and co-existing with reality. of 19th-century capitalism: industri- Life requires reason and production; that alization, urbanization, the triumph of is what Christmas should celebrate—and science—all of it leading to easy trans- really, underneath all the pretense, that is portation, efficient mail delivery, the what it does celebrate. It is time to take widespread publishing of books and the guilt out of Christmas, and turn the magazines, new inventions making life holiday into a guiltlessly pro-reason, thiscomfortable and exciting, and the rise worldly, commercial, and also spiritual of entrepreneurs who understood that celebration. the way to make a profit was to produce something good and sell it to a mass eric.jurado@gmail.com FROM WHERE I STAND

The power...

From A4

girlfriends of soldiers should not offer intimate comfort; it is their choice.

The point here is that the President’s words reduced all women in general to objects, to required equipment after a battle—“Kailangan natin ng babae.” It is a statement that reeks of contempt. It could also be misconstrued as a license to rape.

It is also disturbing that Duterte advocates suicide for soldiers caught by the enemy. Falling on your sword is a stupid, outdated, macho concept.

Life is precious and the reasons why men fight wars are often petty and meaningless, and to remain alive is no dishonor nor an act of cowardice.

Rather, it shows respect for the profession, faith, and country. And a soldier’s family only wants him back home alive under any circumstances.

There are no points for being dead.

The President, whether he likes it or not, is a role model and example to young people and those whom he leads. It would lead to less discord and a little more harmony in the country if he would watch his words and weigh

them carefully before he speaks. He would have more supporters and less detractors in that regard at least.

I hope the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines understands what’s going on here and ensures that this verbally expressed misogyny and machismo does not reinforce similar attitudes in the military. Instead, they should take this as an example of “what not to do” and enjoin their soldiers to exhibit respect and compassion for everyone.

It is as easy to say positive words as negative words – you just open your mouth and make the sounds come out. What’s important is that the mouth be connected to the brain, and the brain be in good working order that it chooses words that uplift and inspire, rather than demean and belittle. *** Dr. Ortuoste invites you to join her in dismantling the patriarchy, one jerk at a time. FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

Will.

From A4

..

ple die every year as a result of the war on drugs than die from what we call generically overdose.

Those fatalities include, perhaps more prominently, drug merchants who compete for commercial territory, but also people who are robbed and killed by those desperate for money with which to buy the drug to which they have become addicted.”

“I leave it at this, that it is outrageous to live in a society whose laws tolerate sending young people to prison because they grew, or distributed, a dozen ounces of marijuana. I would hope that the good

offices of your vital profession would mobilize at least to protect such excesses of wartime zeal, the legal equivalent of a My Lai massacre. And perhaps proceed to recommend the legalization of the sale of most drugs, except to minors.”

Under the circumstances we are in right now, will Mr. Buckley’s prescription work? I seriously doubt it. The drug trade has become such a widespread national if not international operation with the Philippines as a major hub. It will be foolhardy to expect that a simple sleight of hand legalization will suddenly transform us into a haven of peace and quiet.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

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News

Standard

A6

TODAY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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Only 10% of college studes benefit from tuition subsidy Manila

Standard

TODAY

By Maricel V. Cruz

A

PARTY-LIST legislator on Thursday said only 300,000 or 10 percent of college students were receiving education subsidy.

To address this, 1-Ang Edukasyon Party-List Rep. Bong Belaro proposed the expansion of education department’s senior high school voucher system to include college students from low-income and lower-middle class families.

Citing Commission on Higher Education data, Belaro said enrollment in state universities and college was about 1.4 million while in private schools, the enrollment total was about 1.6 million.

“These figures mean the private sector is carrying about half of the college education workload and their students are footing the bill. The state can directly help the students through well-targeted vouchers tied to the student numbers of the enrollees,” said Belaro, vice chairman of the House committee on higher and technical education and member of the House basic education committee.

He said many students enrolled in

the private schools because the public schools were overcrowded and some private schools were in areas where state colleges and universities were not present.

Belaro added: “Contrary to popular perception, most private schools are losing money, losing most of their teachers who migrate to public schools as soon as they pass the licensure exams, and have poorly-maintained facilities compared to the public schools and SUCs.” “The profitable ones are more the exception than the rule. There are also some private schools which have longbeen family-owned and neglected to improve their services because of complacency and lack of funds,” Belaro added.

AT THE READY. Dr. Angelo Rocafort and Dr. Ralph Cabadou of the general surgery department of Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City are preparing Thursday medical tools to be used for victims of fireworks on New Year’s Eve on Monday. Manny Palmero

American nat’l nabbed after picking up baggage INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO SUBMIT COMPARATIVE PROPOSALS (IAESP) The Himamaylan Water District (HWD), created pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 198, as amended, otherwise known as the Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973, received an unsolicited proposal from the Original Proponent for the Financing, Improvement, Rehabilitation, Expansion, Operation and Maintenance of the Water Supply System of the Himamaylan Water District.

Pursuant to the 2013 Guidelines issued by the National Economic Development Authority under Section 8 of Executive Order No. 423 dated 30 April 2005, negotiations ensued between HWD and Original Proponent on the JV Proposal. Subsequently, an agreement was reached between HWD and Original Proponent to form an unincorporated joint venture to undertake the JV Project.

In compliance with the HWD Board Resolution No. 120 s. 2018, through its Joint Venture Selection Committee (JVSC), invites Interested Private Proponent/s (IPPs) to challenge the JV Proposal by submitting comparative proposals for the following: NAME OF PROJECT:

Financing, Improvement, Rehabilitation, Expansion, Operation and Maintenance of the Water Supply System of the Himamaylan Water District.

LOCATION OF PROJECT:

Himamaylan, Negros Occidental

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The project involves a joint venture undertaking between the HWD and the Winning Private Proponent for the Financing, Improvement, Rehabilitation, Expansion, Operation and Maintenance of the Water Supply Facilities of the HWD.

Applications for eligibility shall be evaluated based on a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion.

An IPP shall be considered eligible upon compliance with the following minimum qualification requirements: 1.LEGAL ELIGIBILITY 1.1 The IPP must be either of the following: a. A duly licensed sole proprietorship owned by a Filipino citizen; or b. A partnership or corporation created pursuant to the Corporation Code of the Philippines and registered with the SEC. c. A Consortium of two or more entities with at least sixty percent (60%) of both voting and non-voting interest in the said Consortium being owned and held, by citizens of the Philippines and/or by Philippine registered corporations at least sixty percent (60%) of both the total number of outstanding shares of stock, whether or not entitled to vote in the election of directors are owned by Philippine nationals.

1.2 The nationality of the IPP shall be determined via the Grandfather Rule.

1.3. If the IPP is a Consortium, each member of the Consortium must be disclosed during the pre-qualification stage and the Lead Member thereof must be specifically identified. For this purpose, the Lead member must have at least fifty one percent (51%) equity interest in the Consortium, and the total percentage interest of all Consortium Members must be one hundred percent (100%).

1.4. The IPP or each Consortium member must execute Omnibus Sworn Statement.

2. TECHNICAL ELIGIBILITY

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga—A 35-year-old American was arrested by security police authorities after he picked up the baggage of two Korean nationals inside the arrival area of the Clark International Airport Thursday.

The suspect was identified as Julio Diaz Sanches, whose address in the US mainland was not mentioned but is staying at the Royal Apartelle in Angeles City.

In a statement, the Clark International Airport said Sanches was arrested by the security authorities at his temporary address and admitted the crime by reason he disliked the two Korean nationals.

The suspect was identified through CCTV camera installed inside the airport and the plate number of the vehicle who picked him up at the arrival area of the CRK. Initial investigations showed Sanches arrived in Clark last Dec. 24 on board Asiana flight from Incheon, South Korea while the Koreans also arrived on the same date but on board a different airline identified as Jin Air flight also from Incheon, South Korea.

Sanches picked up two colored baggage at the conveyor area which belong to Jo Seungcheol, 28, and Cha Gunmin, 24, both students as shown in the CCTV in the baggage collection area.

The Korean nationals are both students of SMEAG Global School Inc. with no proper address in the statement.

The two Korean nationals complained to the Passenger Assistant Desk of the CIAC who traced the missing baggage to Sanches at his Apartelle.

Upon questioning, the suspect admitted picking up the baggage because he disliked the two Korean nationals, authorities said.

The suspect is now detained at the Angeles City police undergoing further investigations but promised to pay the two Korean nationals for their missing belongings. Romeo Dizon

2.1. The IPP must have completed a project similar or related to the JV activity whose value, adjusted to current prices using the National Statistics Office (NSO) Consumer Price Index (CPI), must be at least fifty percent (50%) of the cost of the JV activity subject of the selection process within the relevant period as determined by the HWD. For the avoidance of doubt, cost of the JV Project pertains to the amount of contribution of HWD and the Original Proponent representing the present value of capital expenditures. For this project, the cost of the JV Project is equal to Three Hundred Thirty Two Million Four Hundred Twenty Nine Thousand One Hundred Ninety Six Pesos and 27/100 (PhP 332,429,196.27).

High public trust, confidence keep PCSO revenues soaring PHILIPPINE Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Alexander Balutan revealed that the agency continued to have high public trust and confidence in its gaming products such as Lotto, Sweepstakes and Small Town Lottery as evident in the January to November gross sales, which is up by 18 percent compared to the same period last year.

“There are just some things that are beyond our control like budget cut for the Individual Medical Assistance Program [IMAP]...

Hopefully, this is just temporary,” said Balutan.

In a data provided by the Gaming, Product Development and Marketing Sector headed by assistant general manager Arnel Casas, the overall revenues of PCSO from January to November registered a whopping P56,997,652,257.63, short of P3 billion from the P60-billion target set by the agency by the end of the year, but 18 percent higher compared to the same period last year.

The figure does not include yet the November sales from STL, which is more or less P2 billion.

“We already surpassed the P55-billion initial target this year, but we adjusted it to P60 billion due to the rollout of STL. We also strengthened Lotto products nationwide. Kaya P56 billion is really something—thanks to the hard work of our employees, Lotto agents, Small Town Lottery [STL] agents specially their caboes, cobradores, and organic employees,” said Balutan.

Of the P56-billion gross sales, P29.92 billion came from Lotto and digit games, STL at P21.97 billion (January to October only), Keno at P4.14 billion, and Instant Sweepstakes at P958.36 million.

Compared to the same period last year, Lotto is up by 2.65 percent; while STL is up by 58 percent. Of all Lotto games, Ultra Lotto 6/58 is still the highest earning product from January to November at P7 billion, followed by Mega Lotto 6/42 at P2.4 billion, Super Lotto 6/49 at P2.5 billion, Grand Lotto 6/55 at P2.3 billion, and Lotto 6/42 at P2.1 billion.

3. FINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY 3.1. The IPP should have the capability to finance the completion of the entire JV Project evidenced by financial documents to be submitted and will form as an integral part of the Financial Proposal.

3.2 A letter from a domestic universal/commercial bank, or an international bank with a subsidiary/branch in the Philippines, or any international bank recognized by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), attesting that the IPP is one of its current clients, and is in good financial standing.

NOTICE OF THE INITIATION OF A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION ON THE APPLICATION FOR SAFEGUARD MEASURES ON THE IMPORTATION OF CERAMIC FLOOR AND WALL TILES FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES (SG CASE NO. 02-2018)

4. ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA ARE SPECIFIED IN THE INSTRUCTIONS TO IPPS Only those lPPs that are deemed eligible shall be entitled to submit Comparative Proposals, which must be in accordance with instructions contained in the Request for Proposal Documents (RFP Documents).

The JVSC shall evaluate the proposals using the Quality Based Evaluation/Selection (QBE/QBS) procedure. The criteria and rating system for the evaluation of the proposals shall be provided in the Instructions to Interested Private Proponent/s (IIPPs).

The following procedures, schedules and instructions shall be strictly observed: SCHEDULE (using Philippine Standard Time) 1. Publication 2. Posting

December 28, 2018 December 28, 2018 to January 4, 2019

3. Purchase of Eligibility Documents for a non-refundable

December 28, 2018 to January 7, 2019

fee Three Hundred Thousand Pesos (PhP 300,000.00), in cash or Managers’ Check payable to Himamaylan Water District

(from 8:00am to 3:00pm)

4. Submission of Eligibility Documents

5. Opening of Eligibility Documents

6. Determination of Eligibility

7. Purchase of Tender Documents

by IPPs declared “eligible” for non- refundable fee of Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (PhP 500,000.00), either in cash or manager’s check payable to Himamaylan Water District.

8. Pre-selection conference will thereafter be held.

9. Submission and Opening of Comparative Proposals

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS

On or before February 6, 2019 (until10:00am ONLY)

The Eligibility Documents may be purchased ONLY from the HWDJVSC Chairman: Engr. Lowell A. Grey at the HWD Office, Vazquez St., Himamaylan, Negros Occidental 6108 Deadline of Submission of Eligibility Documents to the HWD- JVSC Chairman: Engr. Lowell A. Grey at the HWD Office, Vazquez St., Himamaylan, Negros Occidental 6108

February 6, 2019 at 1:00pm onwards

JVSC will determine the completeness of the eligibility documents based on a pass or fail criteria. For those IPPs with incomplete, irregular or patently insufficient submission shall be considered failed. For those IPPs whose eligibility documents appear to be complete shall be further evaluated to determine its eligibility.

On or before February 21, 2019

JVSC will evaluate the eligibility documents of the IPPs to determine if they are eligible or ineligible, and the IPPs will be notified of the result of the evaluation.

February 28 to March 7, 2019

Tender Documents may be purchased ONLY from the HWDJVSC Chairman: Engr. Lowell A. Grey at the HWD Office, Vazquez St., Himamaylan, Negros Occidental 6108

June 5, 2019 (1:00pm)

July 5, 2019 (on or before 10:00am)

All Eligible IPPs are encouraged to attend the conference to be held at the HWD Office, Vazquez St., Himamaylan, Negros Occidental 6108 Comparative Proposals shall be addressed to: ENGR. LOWELL A. GREY Chairman – JVSC HIMAMAYLAN WATER DISTRICT Vazquez St., Himamaylan, Negros Occidental 6108

For any queries and/or clarifications, please address your communication in writing to the Chairperson of the HWD-JVSC at the address indicated above or fax the same at Tel. No. (034) 3883-647 / 7447122 or email the same to himwd_79@yahoo.com.

HWD reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive any minor defects therein and accept the offer it deems most advantageous to the government.

All proposals must be accompanied by a Proposal Security in the form as required by HWD which may be in cash, certified check, manager’s check, letter of credit, or bank draft/guarantee issued by a reputable local/foreign bank, or a surety bond callable on demand issued by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) or an entity duly registered and recognized by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner, or any combination thereof payable to HWD amounting to 2% of the estimated participation of the Original Proponent for the entire cooperation period.

HWD assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify any IPP for expenses incurred in the preparation of the comparative proposals.

The IPP shall be solely responsible for having taken all the necessary steps to carefully examine and acquaint himself with the requirements and terms and conditions of the selection documents with respect to the cost, duration and execution/operation of the project as it affects the preparation and submission of its proposal. HWD shall not assume any responsibility regarding erroneous interpretations or conclusions by the IPP out of data furnished or indicated in the competitive selection documents.

Notice is hereby given that the Department of Trade and Industry officially received a properly documented application from the Philippine ceramic floor and wall tiles industry for the initiation of a preliminary investigation on the application of safeguard measures on the importation of ceramic floor and wall tiles from various countries. The protest alleged that the increased imports have contributed significantly to the serious injury suffered by the local industry.

The DTI acting under Section 6 of RA 8800, the Safeguard Measures Act, has made an evaluation of the protest and found the existence of a prima facie case that will justify the initiation of a preliminary safeguard measures investigation on importation of ceramic floor and wall tiles from various countries classified under AHTN Codes 6907.2123, 6907.2124, 6907.2193, 6907.2194, 6907.2213, 6907.2214, 6907.2293, 6907.2294, 6907.2313, 6907.2314, 6907.2393, 6907.2394 and 6907.4092. The period covered by the investigation (POI) are the years 2013 to 2017.

An evaluation of evidence made available to DTI shows: 1.

2.

3.

that the volume of imports of ceramic floor and wall tiles • in absolute terms, increased from 2013 to 2016. In 2017, imports are lower by 13% over the 2016 level, but higher by 2,192% in 2014 or the pre-surge level.

• in relative terms, the share of imports to domestic production increased from 4% in 2013 to 696% in 2016. In 2017, the share of imports was recorded at 600% lower by 96% to 2016 level, but higher by 572% in 2014 or the pre-surge level. that the domestic industry has suffered serious injury caused by increased imports based on the following: • during the POI, despite significant increases in market size, the market share of domestic manufacturers declined from 96% in 2013 to 14% in 2017; • the share of imported cement grew from 4% in 2013 to 88% in 2016; • earnings before interest and taxes declined by 71% in 2013 to 203% in 2015, the industry experienced a sharp decline in earnings of 1,067% in 2017; • the weighted average landed cost of imports is lower than the average selling price of the domestic product indicating a price undercutting of 3.27%; that increased imports are the substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry based on the following: • significant increase in the volume of imported ceramic floor and wall tiles preceded the serious injury to the industry from 2015 to 2017; and • The conditions of the competition show that the market share of locally produced ceramic floor and wall tiles was essentially displaced during the POI as the share of imports in the domestic market significantly increased.

Further, Rule 5.2 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 8800 provides that “the Secretary when establishing that the application of a safeguard measure will be in the public interest shall take into consideration the following factors; among others: (i) whether the imposition of the provisional measure will result in political and economic crisis: and (ii) the extent to which such imposition will cause a shortage of a product under consideration in the domestic market”.

WHEREFORE, IN VIEW THEREOF, interested parties are invited to submit their comments and position on the matter, including their views on whether the imposition of a safeguard measure is in the public interest. Submissions may be made to the Bureau of Import Services (BIS), Department of Trade and Industry, 3rd Floor, Tara Building, #389 Senator Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, within five (5) days from the date of publication of this notice.

The non-confidential report of the study containing evidence of the DTI’s findings can be accessed at the DTI web page: https://www.dti.gov.ph/media/ advisories/12548-notice-of-initiation-ceramic-floor-wall-tiles.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF QUEZON CITY GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM (GSIS), Mortgagee/s, -versusSPS. RHODA BEQUISO and MARLON A. BEQUISO,

FRE NO. 12475

Mortgagor/s. x-------------------------------------------------------x

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE OF REAL PROPERTY UNDER ACT 3135 (AS AMENDED) UPON extra-judicial petition under ACT 3135, as amended by ACT 4118, and pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Deed of Real Estate Mortgage executed on July 1, 2003 by SPS. RHODA BEQUISO and MARLON A. BEQUISO – No. 39 Maria St., F.B. De Jesus, Nagkaisang Nayon, Quezon City/Block 4, Lot 17 Ruby St., Queensland Village, Damong Maliit, Novaliches, Quezon City, Mortgagor/s in favor of GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM (GSIS), Mortgagee/s to satisfy the mortgage debt in the amount of P291,193.87 as of October 31, 2018 inclusive of interest, penalties and other charges as per Statement of Account and excluding foreclosure expenses, attorney’s fees and other charges up to the date of sale, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City and/or his duly authorized Deputy Sheriff, hereby announces that on JANUARY 15, 2019, between the hours of 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., at the Office of Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff, Regional Trial Court, Hall of Justice Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, will SELL through public auction to the highest bidder and for cash, in Philippine currency, the following described real property/ies with all the improvements existing thereon, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. N-251419 Registry of Deeds – Quezon City “A parcel of land (Lot 5, Block 5, of the subd. Plan, Psd-007404-030463-D, being a portion of Lot 2, Pcs-13002798, LRC Rec. No. 6563), situated in the Brgy. Of Nagkaisang Nayon, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Island of Luzon, Bounded on the SW., along line 1-2 by Lot 7, Block 5, on the NW., along line 2-3 by Road Lot 2, on the NE., along line 3-4 by Lot 1, Block 5, along line 4-5 by Lot 2, Block 5; and on the SE., along line 5-1 by Lot 6, Block 5, all of the subd. plan xxx containing an area of Forty Two (42) Square Meters, more or less xxx xxx xxx” All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned at the aforesaid Office on the above-stated date and time.

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

In the event that public auction should not take place on the said date due to fortuitous event or if the same be declared a non-working holiday, it shall be held on JANUARY 22, 2019 at the same time and place without further notice.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, December 3, 2018.

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

20 December 2018

RAMON M. LOPEZ Secretary

Copy Furnished: GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM (GSIS) GSIS Headquarters Building, Financial Center Area, Pasay City SPS. RHODA BEQUISO and MARLON A. BEQUISO No. 39 Maria St., F.B. De Jesus, Nagkaisang Nayon, Quezon City

(SGD) ENGR. LOWELL A. GREY Chairperson – JVSC HIMAMAYLAN WATER DISTRICT (MS-DEC. 28, 2018)

Block 4, Lot 17 Ruby St., Queensland Village, Damong Maliit, Novaliches, Quezon City (MStandard-Dec. 14, 21 & 28, 2018)

(MS-DEC. 28, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

For fast ads results please call Advertising Department at 832-5547 Manila

Notice of Loss Standard Stock Certificate

TODAY

Notice is hereby given that San Miguel Corporation Stock Cert. Nos. 4695328, 1662542,99558060, 97454794,96345126, 95247482 and 94196662 for 2,370 shares, issued to Ma. Cristina Coronel were lost. If no contest is received, a new stock cert. will be issued.

(MS-DEC. 28, 2018, JAN. 4 & 11, 2018)

NOTICE OF CORRECTION OF BIRTH CERTIFICATE In compliance with R.A. 9048 a notice is hereby served to the public that JOSE PEDRO FELIX NICANDRO has filed with this office a etition for Change of Birthdate in the birth certificate of JOSE PEDRO FELIX NICANDRO who was born on March 30, 1958 not March 31, 1958 in Manila and whose parent are HONESTO GOMEZ NICANDRO and ELISA FELIX NICANDRO Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this office not later than last day of this publication MS-DEC. 28, 2018 & JAN. 4, 2019)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports A7

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Philracom ends year with P2.5M Juvenile Race

T

HE Philippine Racing Commission ends the year with a bang with the staging of the 2018 Juvenile Championships on Dec. 31 at the Saddle and Clubs Leisure Park in Naic, Cavite.

Twelve of the countries best two-year-old horses, led by Obra Maestra and Forest Cover, will be fighting for bragging rights in the P2.5-million stakes races offering a whopping P1.5 million to the winning horse.

Runner-up pockets P562,500, while the third and fourth placers get P312,500 and P125,000, respectively, with the winning horse’s breeder taking P75,000.

Obra Maestra was a dominant force this year in the P2-million 2018 Philracom Juvenile Fillies Stakes only last month as she continued to reign as one of the youngsters to watch out for.

The Sandy Javier-owned Obra Maestra, ridden by jockey JB Guce, made their move in the last 100 meters to win the P1,200,000 purse in the fillies stakes race.

Meanwhile, Forest Cover had his most memorable campaign in the 2nd leg of the Philracom Juvenile Colts Stakes Race at the Saddle and Leisure Park in Naic, Cavite last October. The Aristeo G. Puyat-owned filly engaged Mona’s Mark and Electrify in a neck-to-neck battle down to the finish, before winning by a head in the 1,300-meter race, with Jockey O’Neal P. Cortez in the reins.

Standing in the way of Obra

Maestra and Forest Cover are 10 other fast-rising juveniles fighting over the distance of 1,600 meters.

They are Full of Grace (jockey MA Alvarez, owner Alfredo R. Santos); Gatighan Island-(JP A Guce, Wilbert T.Tan); Lady Mischief (KB Abobo, SC Stockfarm); Mona’s Mark (DH Borbe Jr., Raymund B. Puyat), Mood Swing (JA Guce, SC Stockfarm); My Jopay (CP Henson, Moises B. Villasenor), Oktubre Katorse (VM Camanero Jr., Bonapart P. Atianzar); Royal Bell (JB Hernandez, Bell Racing Stable); Serafina (MB Pilapil, Peter I. Aguila; and Toy For the Bigboy (JB Cordova, Alfredo R. Santos).

“Twelve of the country’s best 2YOs will be on spotlight, but only one will be crowned the year’s best juvenile,” said Philracom Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez. “What a way to end the year.”

Philracom races are being conducted in accordance with the Philracom’s Rating-Based Handicapping System, which is a result of the commission’s affiliation with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, whose mission is to promote good regulation and best practices on international matters pertaining to the sport.

Legends tourney caps PPS season THE Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala tennis circuit winds up another banner season in Nueva Ecija starting today (Friday, Dec. 28) with the Gov. Cherry Umali Legends men’s doubles tournament at the NE Tennis Association courts in Cabanatuan City.

The pairs of Nitoy Norte-Laude Ladignon and Sid Beley-Lawrenz Escuadro from NETA and Cavite’s Lito Gallenito-Aldrin Geluz head the cast in the 40s division while siblings Jacky and Jimmy Tomacruz and Henry Escalante and Mario Villasan from Manila banner the field in the 50s category of the event presented by Dunlop.

Also on tap in the three-day event is a free tennis clinic for the youth to be conducted by MCTA (Macs Crankit Tennis Academy) coaches Franklin Encarnacion and Dong Velez.

Meanwhile, Rizal’s Ed Gata and Danny Gardon is the tandem to watch in the 60s side of the event capping the year-long, nationwide circuit long regarded as the spawning ground of tennis talents in the land.

In fact, a 70-leg circuit has been lined up for next year’s edition of the annual event put up by the country’s top remittance center as part of its continuing commitment to help develop the sport and at the same time produce future national team players.

“It has been another successful year for the circuit with the likes of Alexa Milliam and John David Velez along with Macie Carlos, Bliss Bayking, Brent Cortes and Sydney Enriquez emerging as the sport’s future stars,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

“Their feats here and abroad should serve as inspiration to the other young players dreaming of making it big someday.”

For details, call PPS-PEPP Sports Program Development director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.

Pacman, Nietes on Sky Sports SKY Sports Pay Per View is set to unleash slam-bang boxing action this December and January as it features skirmishes between Manny Pacquiao and Adrien Broner for the WBA Welterweight title this Jan. 20, and Donnie Nietes and Kazuto Ioka for the vacant WBO Superflyweight Championship this Dec. 31 in Pinoy Pride: Nietes vs. Ioka.

SKY subscribers nationwide who will avail of the “Pacquiao vs. Broner” fight on or before Jan. 4 can enjoy the early bird rate of P699, instead of P949. The fight airs live, commercial-free, and in high or standard definition with a replay on the same and day right after the live event.

Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs) who recently turned 40, is out to prove to the world that he is not yet done as he faces the 29-year old boxer for his 70th fight. This fight also serves as a reunion with his trainer Freddie Roach who confirmed that he has agreed to work again with Pacquiao.

The American boxer Broner (33-3-1, 24 KOs), a former fourdivision titleholder, is hungry for a win since he lost to Mikey Garcia in July 2017, and got a draw in his fight with Vargas last April 21.

Call 418 0000 or your local office or visit www.mysky.com/ pacman to subscribe. SKYcable and One SKY Fiber with HD Cable subscribers can also text PACMAN to 23662. SKYdirect postpaid subscribers can text SKY to 23668, while prepaid subscribers can text PPV BOXING <BOX ID> to 23667 (available to Globe Prepaid and TM).

Meanwhile, One Sky Fiber subscribers who have no access to cable TV may avail of this same offer via SKY On Demand.

Before Pacquiao’s highly anticipated return to the ring this January, SKY subscribers nationwide can watch the live, commercialfree, and high-definition airing of the Donnie Nietes-Kazuto Ioka battle for the vacant WBO Superflyweight title for only P99.

Sports

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

A8

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

Surrounded by his Team Lakay brothers, Kevin Belingon raises his ONE Championship bantamweight belt.

Tennis camp addresses struggles of age-groupers

By Peter Atencio THE struggles of age-group tennis players who are transitioning to the professional level of competition is currently being addressed.

That’s what Jonathan Stubbs did in his role as a development officer of the International Tennis Federation during a five-day national training camp at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Malate, Manila.

“The age-group players have trouble shifting from junior to senior play. It’s more of a traditional problem. You can see here that the skills’ level is very good from the juniors,” said Stubbs, who had been in charge of development for South, South East and East Asia region since January 2018.

A training camp in Hong Kong last October for 20 Filipino coaches was conducted to help young players advance to a higher level.

Stubbs, who worked as a highperformance coach before he was appointed as Director of Player Development for the Hong Kong Tennis Association, oversaw how coaches attended to the training of 22 young players aged 12 to 16 years old.

The players, who came from various regions in the country were given lessons in many aspects of tennis development, with fitness coach Jimbo Saret also among the lecturers.

Saret talked about strength and conditioning, while many-time Davis Cup team coach Martin Misa shared his knowledge on planning and goal setting.

Stubbs observed that many players had exposure from tournaments, while others did not.

He said there is a need for players to have quality matches here and abroad.

“This will further advance tennis development in the country. My thrust is to help the children,” said Philippine Tennis Association president Antonio Cablitas.

Pringle stands in way of Fajardo’s MVP bid J

UNE Mar Fajardo’s bid to claim a record fifth Most Valuable Player award is being threatened by Stanley Pringle.

Pringle, the 2015 Rookie of the Year awardee from NorthPort, remained on top of the stats race with a cumulative average of 35.5 points, ahead of the second-running San Miguel Beer stalwart, who had assembled 33.1 SPs at the end of the Philippine Basketball’s Association’s 43rd season.

The reigning four-time MVP winner leads the MVP race for most part of the season, but injury forced him to sit out most part of the season-ending Governor’s Cup. He played just three games in the conference and earned just 10.67 SPs. Pringle also had a limited stint with eight games due to his stint with the Philippine Team but managed to accumulate 34 SPs – the highest among the contenders for the league’s most coveted award.

Barangay Ginebra’s Japeth Aguilar remained at third with 32.3, followed

by NorthPort’s Sean Anthony with 31.3.

Matthew Wright of Phoenix rounds out the Top Five with 30.0.

Also in the race are Marcio Lassiter of San Miguel (29.80), followed by his teammates Arwind Santos (29.77) and Alex Cabagnot (29.74). Ginebra’s

Scottie Thompson is at ninth spot with (29.6) while Blackwater’s Paul Erram is at 10th place (28.5).

Although he trails Pringle, Fajardo remains a solid contender to win his fifth MVP plum considering his Best Player of the Conference awards in the Philippine Cup and in the Commissioner’s Cup.

Meanwhile, Phoenix Petroleum forward Jason Perkins remains the leading contender for the Rookie of the Year award.

Perkins leads the field with 32.2 SPs followed by fellow La Sallite Jeron Teng, who is at close second with 18.7.

Top draft pick Christian Standhardinger and No. 2 selection Kiefer Ravena did not make the list of contenders because they lack the required minimum number of games a contender must play in the season.

Fajardo

Pringle

a turning point in the game as well,” Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said.

Miami’s Dwayne Wade missed two chances to extend the game, including an easy tip-in under the basket as the final buzzer sounded.

Besides Wade, Justise Winslow also missed a key three-point attempt late in the game.

Winslow scored 21 points for Miami, which saw its five-game winning streak snapped. Josh Richardson scored 17 and Hassan Whiteside scored 16 for Miami.

The Heat were six for 12 from the free throw line, while Toronto was 19 for 23.

Miami led 58-44 at the half and extended the lead to 17 early in the third quarter.

But then the Raptors took over as VanVleet made three threes and had 11 points, while Leonard added 10 in what became a 31-12 run over the last eight minutes of the third, giving Toronto a 8179 lead heading into the fourth.

Elsewhere, Joe Harris made a clutch layup with three seconds left in the second overtime as the Brooklyn Nets outlasted the Charlotte Hornets 134-132.

Harris finished with a season-high 27 points and Spencer Dinwiddie had 37 points and 11 assists for the Nets, who won for the ninth time in 10 games.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds, and rookie Rodions Kurucs had 13 points and 12 boards. AFP

Hernandez-Jorge sets pace in national doubles JET Hernandez and Josh Jorge combined for seven-under 61 and emerged the best in four-ball to wrest control at the start of the National Doubles Amateur Golf Championship at the Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club in QC yesterday.

Hernandez and Jorge produced eight birdies in their first team-up under the best-ball format, barely missing turning in a solid round with a three-putt miscue on the par-4 No. 5 of the short but tight par-68 course. They settled for a two-shot lead over Jed Dy and Bianca Pagdanganan, who pooled a 63, in the season-ending tournament of the National Golf Association of the Philippines and held as part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour.

“We just clicked and came up with birdies of our own,” said Hernandez and Jorge, who however blew another birdie try on the closing par-5 hole.

Dy, a former junior world champion, and Pagdanganan, a former Philippine Ladies Amateur Open titlist and bronze medalist in the recent Asian Games, matched Hernandez and Jorge’s strong 32 start and the leaders’ back-to-back birdies from No. 10. But they bogeyed the par-4 14th, which Hernandez and Jorge birdie for a clutch two-shot swing that shoved

THE year 2018 has been an outstanding year for ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon.

Hailed as the “2018 Warrior Of The Year” by ONE Championship, the 31-year-old Filipino spitfire started his 2018 campaign as a determined athlete who was hungry for his second chance at the title.

Belingon kicked off the year with a second-round stoppage victory over perennial contender Andrew Leone of the United States n the main event of ONE: HEROES OF HONOR this past April.

The “The Silencer” carried over his momentum into his next bouts this 2018, scoring a five-round drubbing of Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen at ONE: REIGN OF KINGS in July to capture the ONE Interim Bantamweight World Championship.

Following his dominant win over Nguyen, he ended the near-five year reign of Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes to successfully unify the bantamweight titles in their rematch at ONE: HEART OF THE LION last November.

With the latest cage meeting with Fernandes being a close one, Belingon stressed that he is more than willing to give his arch-nemesis a shot at his gold-plated strap.

“We are tied at one win apiece, so a third bout to determine the true winner does make sense. I know he is clamoring for a rematch,” he stated.

“I know he thinks he won the last one, so deep inside, I want to prove to him again that I beat him.”

Belingon knows all too well that aside from Fernandes, a horde of battle-tested martial artists are also coming for his intricately-crafted hardware, including Dae Hwan Kim and Muin Gafurov.

“I’m just enjoying the time off right now. But of course, I’m open to fighting Bibiano again, or anyone that ONE Championship puts in front of me,” he affirmed.

“As the champion of my division, I am willing to give any challenger a shot at my belt. If they want it, come and get it.”

However, if Belingon will be given the option to choose an opponent, a rubber match against Fernandes is clearly the obvious choice for the Baguio City-based knockout artist.

“Our second bout was an exciting match,” he quipped. “We can do it again. The fans will love it.”

IM Garcia rules MCC Rapid Chess

Raptors rally from 17 down to edge Heat LOS ANGELES—Danny Green rattled in the go-ahead basket with 22 seconds remaining as the Toronto Raptors improved to a NBA-best 26-10 record with a 106-104 win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

“I just ran to the corner and somehow I was wide open,” said Green. “They swung it, they found me and I had enough rhythm to knock down the shot.”

Kawhi Leonard scored a team-high 30 points, Green finished with 18 and Fred VanVleet scored 16 for the Raptors, who held on for the win despite a final quarter that featured 13 lead changes.

“We did a good job against (Miami’s defence) and we threw a little zone of our own at them and that really was a bit of

Warrior of Year Belingon welcomes challengers

them on top of the 16-pair field.

Lanz Uy and Ryan Monsalve pooled a 64 for third while the Kristine Torralba-Santino Laurel and Sean Ramos-Gabby Macalaguim pairs assembled identical 65s to stay in the title hunt in the event sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation and backed by Cignal and Metro Pacific and Camp Aguinaldo.

But unless the top five teams sustain their superb opening round performances, a shake-up in the Group I leaderboard could ensue as play shifts to aggregate, where the scores of each player will be added for the team’s score, in today’s second round.

Tomorrow’s final round will feature the two-ball foursomes or alternate shot.

Meanwhile, registration for the 2019 Philippine Amateur Open Golf Championship is ongoing. For details, call NGAP at telefax No. (02) 7065926 or at Riviera Golf Club, Inc. at (02) 888-9089 or 0956-8821149 email ngap2009handicap@yahoo.com.

The country’s premier championship, set Jan. 3-6 at Riviera’s Langer course, features the men’s and ladies categories with titles in the special divisions for boys and Jet Hernandez unleashes his drive on No. 1 as teammate Josh Jorge looks on. girls also to be disputed.

SECOND seed International Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia ruled via tiebreak the first Metropolitan Chess Club Fiderated Rapid Chess Championship that concluded recently at the Starmall Edsa Shaw in Mandaluyong City.

Garcia, with a Fide rating of 2404, actually tied for 1st to 3rd places, along with 5th seed FM Mari Joseph Turqueza and 8th seed FM Austin Jacob Literatus with 6.0 points apiece in this two-day event organized by MCC, in cooperation with MILO. Having the highest tiebreak points, Garcia bagged the Champion trophy, a gold medal, plus the pooled cash prize of P10,000.

Meanwhile, Turqueza placed 2nd, while Literatus nailed third spot. Both went home richer by P10,000 each and were awarded silver and bronze medals, respectively.

Rounding off the Top 10 winners were 6th seed NM Emmanuel Emperado (4th); 11th seed Jayson Danday (5th); 10th seed Ryan Christian Magtabog (6th); 4th seed IM Chito Garma (7th); 3rd seed IM Barlo Nadera (8th); 70th seed Alwin Sopungco (9th) and 9th seed Sherwin Tiu (10th). Top seed IM Ricky de Guzman landed in 15th place with 4.5 points.

Categories winners were Top senior —Raul Villate; Milo Checkmate Standout 2018—Jet Miguel Mendoza (1st); Carl Martin Arandillo (2nd); Francis Pio Cardenas (3rd) and Paolo Jerome Barandon (4th). Top Lady—Niña Anne del Rosario (1st); Alysah Buto (2nd); Kezia Ligutan (3rd) and Eunice Olivares (4th). Top High School—Chester Neil Reyes (1st); Joshua Maven Ching (2nd); Andrew Sopungco (3rd) and James Riehyl Baligat (4th).

The Top 12-Under winners were Lemmuel Jay Adena (1st); Karlycris Clarito Jr (2nd); Allan Gabriel Hilario (3rd); and Vince Duane Pascual (4th).

Top 10-under—Cyrus James Damiray (1st); Nathan Maligaya (2nd); Audric Anton Perez (3rd); and Zuriel Maria Gil Rosales (4th); Top 8-Under—Al-basher Buto (1st); Phil Martin Casiguran (2nd); Prince Agbulos (3rd); and Gllase Hilario (4th). The youngest participant was six year old Gllase Hilario.

IN BRIEF

DOTr still considers Tieng’s Sangley offer THE Department of Transportation said the unsolicited proposal of a consortium led by businessman Wilson Tieng to build an international airport in Sangley Point remains an “alternative” as the provincial government of Cavite has yet to submit complete documents to the National Economic and Development Authority.

“It’s still the same, the document is incomplete. Neda was waiting, asking why it was taking them [Cavite government] so long,” Transportation Undersecretary for aviation Manuel Antonio Tamayo said when asked about the update on the development of Sangley Point.

“We cannot reject it right away. First of all, it’s a government. No matter what you say it’s a local government. The private sector submitted an offer first, so that’s the alternative,” he said.

The legal department of DOTr issued a memorandum on June 15, asking the department to refrain from signing an agreement with the Cavite provincial government on the proposed international airport. The legal department cited the lack of technical and financial capability of the Cavite provincial government to implement an international airport development project. Darwin G. Amojelar

Business

Olongapo sand extracted for export RESIDENTS of Barangay Kalaklan in Olongapo City reported illegal extraction and exportation of sands from the mouth of Sta. Rita River to Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu on Dec. 23.

Kalaklan residents, in their letter to Cimatu, accused a local contractor of theft of minerals along with a Singaporean company that allegedly bought the sand.

The contractor was accused of undertaking the illegal extraction of sands and loading onto big bulk-cargo foreign vessels for export. The buyer, reportedly a Singaporean company, was not named.

According to residents, the local contractor started dredging in the first week of December.

The residents said they monitored the departure of one big vessel at around 12 midnight of Dec. 16 carrying thousands of metric tons of extracted sands and the arrival of a second vessel a few days after.

Kalaklan residents said the local contractor was awarded a contract by the Public Works Department Region III to dredge and desilt the river mouth in Kalaklan of 729,893 cubic meters of silt and unsuitable materials at the cost of P54,741,975.

The residents said instead of disposing the extracted unsuitable materials, the company loaded it aboard a big cargo ship for export.

The vessel was reported discharging in Hong Kong, the residents said in the letter.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

B1

BSP expects forex reserves to improve to $77b next year

Finance asks units to catch ‘big fishes’ FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III ordered all Finance offices and attached agencies to closely work with the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission to catch the “big fishes” involved in high-stake white-collar crimes.

Dominguez also called on the PACC led by Dante Jimenez, who is the founding chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, to focus the investigations on those involved in anomalous government contracts so it can make prudent use of its limited time and resources in the remaining half of the Duterte presidency.

“We have limited amount of time. I’m not saying we should not go after the small ones, but you know, if you only have so much time, we better go after the big ones first because of its many effects on the economy,” Dominguez said during a recent briefing held by PACC for DOF officials.

The PACC has been instructed by President Duterte to make the rounds of government offices to inform public officials and employees of the commission’s mandate and mission.

Julito G. Rada

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

FAMI’S AWARDS. First Metro Asset Management Inc., the fund management subsidiary of First Metro Investment Corp., wins top awards for the outstanding performance of the First Metro Save & Learn Mutual Funds at the Philippine Investment Funds Association Annual Awards. PIFA, the trade organization representing mutual fund companies in the country, gives recognition to the funds with superior performance for their investors. At the awarding ceremony are (from left) Fami agency development department head Marco Palanca, public relations and promotions head Mary Love Alix, vice president Jonef Samonte, social media advertising and promotions associate Micah San Buenaventura, portfolio manager John Ryan Abrogena, research analyst Jennifer Mae Lomboy and first vice president Edwin Valeroso.

11-month budget deficit widened by 96% to P477b

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE national government incurred a budget deficit of P39.1 billion in November, as the 19-percent growth in disbursements outpaced the 7-percent expansion in revenue collection, the Bureau of the Treasury said Thursday.

Data showed the November deficit was 354 percent wider than the P8.6billion shortfall registered in the same month last year.

This brought the budget deficit in the first 11 months to P477.2 billion, accounting for 91 percent of the 2018 full-year deficit target of P523.7 billion.

This was also 96 percent higher than the

budget deficit of P243.5 billion a year ago.

“Government revenues in November posted a 7-percent increment over similar collections last year to reach P259.7 billion, driving the year-to-date collections to P2.6 trillion, up from last year by 16 percent or by P367.9 billion,” the agency said.

The Treasury said of the total revenues, 93 percent were from tax collections while 7 percent were from non-tax sources. About 92 percent of the P2.84 trillion full-year revenue program was collected thus far.

Collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue increased 7 percent in November to P192 billion from P179.4 billion raised in November 2017. Total BIR collections in January to November reached P1.8 trillion, up by 11 percent or P179.9 billion cover the same period last year.

The Bureau of Customs raised P47.9 billion in November, up by 3 percent

or P1.5 billion year-on-year. “The 30-percent growth from January to November 2017’s collections results in a year-to-date balance of P538.5 billion,” it said.

The income of the Bureau of the Treasury in November improved 10 percent to P4.7 billion. Likewise, the year-todate BTr total income of P103.6 billion exceeded last year’s collection by 20 percent or P17.1 billion.

Non-tax revenues from other offices climbed 16 percent to P12.8 billion in November from the 2017 level. Yearto-date collections from January to November soared 41 percent or P44.6 billion year-on-year to P154.4 billion.

National government disbursements reached P298.9 billion in November, 19 percent or P46.7 billion higher than the spending performance in the same period last year. The resulting year-todate expenditures of P3.09 trillion was higher than the previous year’s level by 24 percent or by P601.7 billion.

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas expects the gross international reserves to rise to $77 billion in 2019 from the projected $76 billion this year, as the balance of payments is seen to incur a lower deficit next year.

The revised projections of economic data showed that the BoP would post a lower deficit of $3.5 billion next year, compared to the projected $5.5-billion shortfall this year.

BoP summarizes the country’s economic transactions with the rest of the world. A BoP deficit means that foreign exchange payments exceed receipts, while a surplus indicates that outflows surpass inflows.

Persistent surpluses help build up the GIR, an ample supply of which supports the value of the peso against the US dollar and keeps domestic inflation at bay.

Reserves hit $81.6 billion at the end of 2017 but fell to $74.71 billion in October, before slightly recovering to $75.49 billion in November.

BSP Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said the increase in November reserves was due mainly to inflows arising from the BSP’s foreign exchange operations and its income from its investments abroad.

However, the increase in the GIR level was partially tempered by the payments made by the government for its foreign exchange obligations and its net foreign currency withdrawals as well as the revaluation adjustments on the BSP’s gold holdings resulting from the decrease in the price of gold in the international market.

He said the end-November 2018 level of GIR continued to serve as an ample external liquidity buffer and was equivalent to 6.9 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income.

It was also equivalent to 5.8 times the country’s short-term external debt based on original maturity and 4.1 times based on residual maturity.

Julito G. Rada

Bulacan airport to revive 12,000 has. of coastline

By Darwin G. Amojelar

PRESTONE TAPS HERCO. Prestone,

a trusted and leading brand of high quality coolant, brake fluid and motor oil owned by Clorox, taps Herco Trading Inc., one of the largest and most established retail distribution companies for hardware and auto care products in the Philippines, to make its car fluids and engine oils more available to auto mechanics and car owners. Shown during the signing of the partnership agreement are (from left) Clorox Philippines sales and marketing director Paulo Lao, general manager Marites Dagdag and national sales manager Linus Cañamo, Herco Trading president and chief executive Wilfred Co, vice president and chief operating officer Wayne Coherco and head of sales for branded products Ian Jasper Toralba.

SteelAsia seeks BoI incentives for P44b worth of new projects

By Othel V. Campos STEEL Asia Manufacturing Corp. said it plans to register another P44 billion worth of projects with the Board of Investments, representing the remaining unregistered share from its total investment of P100 billion over the next five years.

SteelAsia chairman and chief executive Benjamin Yao said the company already registered P66 billion with the BoI for two wire rods projects, two section mill projects and two rebar projects.

“There are still others on the conceptualization stage. These are projects in the pipeline, mostly smaller projects on downstream and recycling. These include downstream, mesh fabrication, reinforc-

ing mesh, cut and bend and few others,” he said.

The company said it would start the process of registration in January, as the time needed to prepare the documentation for the process.

SteelAsia said that in the next two to three years, the company aimed to produce about 3 to 4 million metric tons of billets to support the doubling of capacity of rebar, section and wire rods production.

Coming on stream by 2019 is the 2 million MT rebar plant in Compostela Valley and another 800,000 MT of wire rod for the second phase of the project by 2020, still in the same location.

Yao said the Compostela Valley plant would be the first to operate among all the

projects registered at the BOI. “Seriously, we’re rushing these projects so that we can add to the current local supply. We’ve maximized our capacity to the brim, so there’s no more room for additional volume, neither sales in 2019.

But once we get the rebar plant in Compostela going, I think we’ll end up with as much as 10 to 15-percent increase in volume and sales,” he said.

SteelAsia vice president and head of business development Rafael Hidalgo said the P100-billion investment would help quadruple SteelAsia’s capacity by 2023 with the establishment of about 30 new mills in its existing plants and five new sites which would be dispersed across the country.

Okada files appeal with Justice over $3.2-m estafa case

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE camp of Japanese casino mogul Kazuo Okada asked the Department of Justice to reconsider its resolution indicting him and a former associate of estafa.

Okada group filed a 14-page motion for reconsideration stating that the DoJ’s initial ruling ignored crucial evidence proving that money he received were authorized as salaries by Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc. Okada said he did not receive the subject money amounting to $3,158,835.62 in trust, adding he lawfully acquired and earned them as salaries for April and May 2017 and consultancy fee for 2017 as chief executive and consultant of TRLEI. “Clearly, the subject moneys, which Mr. Okada lawfully earned, were neither acquired through mistake nor secured through fraud as to constitute an implied trust within the contemplation of Article 1456 of the Civil Code,” the motion stated.

Okada claimed that Joseph Joemer Perez, the complainant’s vice president for legal and compliance department, was the one who prepared and finalized the said agreements before they were signed by then TRLEI chief operating officer Takahiro Usui, the other respondent in the case.

“Atty. Perez coordinated with then director and head of business administration, Yoshinao Negishi on the details of these agreements, including Mr. Okada’s compensation. It was Bora Lee, complainant’s corporate planning officer, who handed Mr. Usui these agreements and instructed the latter to sign them,” Okada said in his motion.

SAN Miguel Corp. said it expects to generate more jobs and revive 12,000 hectares of Bulacan coastline with the implementation of the P754-billion New Manila International Airport project in Bulacan province in 2019.

San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang bared plans to protect and revive 12,000 hectares of Bulacan coastline, following the government’s approval of the proposed NMIA project in Bulakan town.

“We thank President Rodrigo Duterte and his economic managers for bringing us another step closer to realizing this dream. Hopefully, once we complete all the government processes, we can begin actual work on constructing this world-class international gateway, capable of serving our nation for many generations,” Ang said.

“This is a major investment for us, and a game-changer for our country.

That is why it’s going to be a sustainable development,” he said.

The airport, which will be built on a 2,500-hectare coastal property, will be part of an envisioned township that features a residential zone, government center, and a seaport and industrial zone.

“It will have many sustainable features that our countrymen will also appreciate and enjoy,” Ang said.

Ang said the biggest sustainability feature would involve protecting and reviving 12,000 hectares of coastal fishing areas around the planned airport to ensure environmental sustainability within and beyond the facility and to revive Bulacan’s aquaculture industry.

“Fishing in Bulacan has slowly been dying the last few decades because of pollution from households and industries,” Ang said.

B2

Business

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market rises; Tokyo jumps T HE stock market climbed Thursday, taking its cue from Wall Street’s best performance in nine years.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index rose 32.65 points, or 0.4 percent, to 7,482.66 on a value turnover of P5.2 billion. Gainers beat losers, 113 to 82, with 40 issues unchanged.

Conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. gained 1.7 percent to P4.68, while D&L Industries Inc., which is into the production of food ingredients, plastics and chemicals, advanced 2.7 percent to P10.78.

BDO Unibank Inc., the biggest lender in terms of assets, gained 2.1 percent to P129.70, while parent SM Investments Corp. of retail tycoon Henry Sy Sr. rose

2 percent to P929.

Japanese shares, meanwhile, surged nearly four percent on Thursday after the White House said Fed Chair Jay Powell would not be fired.

Asian markets followed Tokyo’s lead with most showing gains, giving some welcome relief from a lingering global market downturn.

Singapore was up 1.7 percent in afternoon trade, Taiwan gained 1.7 percent and Bangkok rose 1.5 percent.

Sydney closed up 1.9 percent.

After morning gains, Hong Kong slid into negative territory, falling 0.3 percent by mid-afternoon while Shanghai closed down 0.6 percent.

“Thankfully for investors, the relentless selling on the back of risk-off sentiment which prevailed leading up to Christmas has mercifully halted... with the Dow surging over 1,000 points while adding the most significant points gain

in history,” said Stephen Innes, head of APAC trading at OANDA. Wall Street stocks roared back to life in post-Christmas trade on Wednesday, shaking off four straight routs following strong retail sales data and White House reassurances that Powell would not be fired.

Sentiment also improved after a Bloomberg News report said a US government delegation would travel to Beijing in early January to hold trade talks, the first face-toface discussion since US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on a 90-day trade war truce.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished up nearly 1,100 points, or about five percent, with the broad-based S&P 500 also surging five percent.

“It was possible that risk appetite wouldn’t recover until after the new

year but thanks to the upturns in Tokyo and New York, we are likely to see the new year in with a somewhat brighter mood,” Mizuho Securities said in a note.

Many investors have been unnerved by a variety of factors, including the partial US government shutdown, the US-China trade war and Trump’s ongoing criticism of Fed Chair Powell.

But while a sense of relief won out for now, analysts warned that there was still much uncertainty in the market.

“Don’t get too comfortable as discussions regarding the various political and policy questions remain hanging in the balance,” said Innes.

US stock-index futures fell as much as 0.6 percent on Thursday, suggesting investors are unlikely to sustain Wednesday’s rally when US markets open. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 58.1 60 93.5 1,815,580 2.15 127,000 129.7 1,466,160 1.45 293,000 27.15 65,600 15.9 58,900 11.5 433,500 4.64 1,082,000 7.32 12,200 1.41 5,000 0.49 80,000 80 1,485,630 0.91 784,000 42.5 38,500 178.5 1,100 130 1,910 62.2 7,100 28 126,400 155.7 248,970 63.8 111,850 1.18 1,000

3,513 169,024,456.50 271,740 189,841,256 428,510 1,788,855 936,450 5,050,000 4,967,970 89,304 7,050 39,200 118,861,564.50 707,040 1,637,805 195,940 248,300 439,580 3,569,200 38,857,253 7,115,860 1,180

-581 -22,039,706.50 43,014,372 -1,369,110 -453,690 -31,448,661 30,800 752,725 -611,300 2,638,809 -621,487 -

34.75 16.74 1.01 1.28 0.249 98.15 1.71 14.72 30.95 37 59.1 1.66 6.7 6.3 10.44 15.3 7.95 7.02 1.67 19.68 63.8 25.05 1.9 5.8 10.4 1.78 288 4.3 3.3 9.89 26.95 10.1 17.92 386 0.173 5.85 1.3 7.75 5.16 9 1.15 10.4 46.7 5.85 4.6 1.88 1.37 11.6 80 5.39 0.124 0.83 127.5 1.83 1.63

INDUSTRIAL 35.5 2,180,100 17.18 1,443,600 1.02 941,000 1.28 7,000 0.249 260,000 98.15 150 1.78 17,405,000 15 250,700 31 318,400 37 9,900 64.95 170 1.77 63,000 6.72 489,000 6.32 52,700 10.78 7,313,900 15.5 391,500 7.98 284,500 7.08 1,816,900 1.67 4,000 19.76 944,900 63.8 282,620 25.05 300 2.02 6,492,000 5.81 456,400 10.7 2,540,100 1.86 427,000 295 585,760 4.3 3,000 3.3 1,000 9.89 2,100 27.6 332,500 10.18 173,800 18 4,050,600 394.8 254,420 0.173 120,000 5.85 1,300 1.34 2,425,000 7.78 1,339,700 5.39 153,000 9 20,000 1.15 17,428,000 10.88 111,600 47 200,000 5.85 40,000 4.8 52,000 1.97 132,000 1.4 75,000 11.78 33,600 81 34,280 5.4 114,000 0.128 230,000 0.83 347,000 128.5 887,030 1.91 11,340,000 1.66 4,027,000

76,824,945 24,958,866 961,710 8,960 64,950 14,722.50 30,902,770 3,747,278 9,871,575 366,300 10,105.50 109,460 3,334,351 340,460 77,831,180 6,068,740 2,266,666 12,871,096 6,710 18,680,392 18,103,933 7,515 12,845,050 2,687,303 27,068,586 772,740 172,233,560 12,900 3,300 21,197 9,183,365 1,766,754 72,909,718 99,539,542 20,800 7,605 3,269,350 10,421,708 808,289 180,000 20,513,970 1,182,474 9,397,800 234,000 245,200 252,870 105,410 394,040 2,766,863 618,966 28,640 289,510 113,993,180 21,384,950 6,670,180

-8,065,545 -402,168 -9,270 4,907.50 -12,056,210 2,685,070 3,115 11,100 19,580 -333,984 -116,400 -3,488,598 4,410,778 -1,986,427 -1,199,851 3,419,476 -4,165,628.50 214,860 -2,190,670 -3,430,746 18,245,304 5,927,270 -27,476.00 -4,768,006.00 41,178,044 3,500 -2,093,000 -4,261,078 -1,815,000 -1,295,725 -232,230 -582,679 14,034 -45,399,178 1,583,690 22,810

0.59 54.65 11.88 6.5 25.1 1.35 1.34 905 1,251 6.6 12.44 12.14 0.205 937 54.4 5.57 4.66 4.64 0.55 4 16.52 0.57 4.6 0.036 1.25 2.38 146.2 909 1.31 248 0.242 0.223

HOLDING FIRMS 0.61 5,667,000 55 1,814,180 11.98 3,969,200 6.5 149,100 25.7 74,500 1.38 4,461,000 1.39 418,000 905 274,520 1,251 70 6.8 335,600 12.5 3,870,300 12.16 438,700 0.205 140,000 937 43,590 55.85 2,280,480 5.57 2,600 4.82 8,000 4.64 150,000 0.56 56,000 4.02 183,000 16.74 2,022,400 0.59 387,000 4.68 11,723,000 0.036 200,000 1.25 5,000 2.4 410,000 147.4 101,850 929 235,390 1.31 24,000 250 4,340 0.242 2,010,000 0.223 20,000

3,404,690 100,239,224.50 47,547,474 969,150 1,916,355 6,102,680 573,760 249,822,945 87,780 2,277,912 48,368,856 5,383,690 28,740 41,526,955 125,820,867 14,482 38,400 696,000 30,860 736,580 33,845,358 228,260 54,592,160 7,200 6,260 983,680 15,023,195 216,683,285 31,460 1,084,946 488,570 4,460

-56,400 45,073,962 -14,206,678 969,150 -159,862,365 451,755 -3,049,682 74,400 15,096,050 24,106,183 -144,810.00 -11,918,518.00 -3,374,040 -4,687,463 -11,514,860 -289,942 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO LEASING BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FERRONOUX HLDG FILIPINO FUND IREMIT MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PHILTRUST PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK VANTAGE

59 92.5 2.16 127 1.51 27.6 15.9 11.86 4.61 7.32 1.41 0.49 80.95 0.88 42.3 178 130 61.8 28.8 155.5 63.6 1.18

59 94 2.19 130 1.51 27.6 15.9 11.88 4.8 7.32 1.41 0.49 81.05 0.92 43.25 178.6 130 62.3 28.8 158.3 65 1.18

58.1 91.9 2.12 127 1.45 27.15 15.88 11.48 4.5 7.32 1.41 0.49 79.75 0.88 42.3 178 130 61.8 28 155.5 63.55 1.18

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

34.9 17.08 1.01 1.28 0.25 98.15 1.73 14.72 31.1 37 59.1 1.78 6.91 6.4 10.6 15.5 7.95 7.06 1.7 19.72 64.4 25.05 1.9 5.8 10.4 1.9 292 4.3 3.3 9.89 26.95 10.2 18.28 389.4 0.175 5.85 1.4 7.91 5.35 9 1.21 10.46 47 5.85 4.6 1.94 1.41 11.96 80 5.54 0.124 0.86 128 1.83 1.64

35.9 17.44 1.03 1.28 0.25 98.15 1.8 15.1 31.5 37 64.95 1.78 7.19 6.55 10.78 15.56 8 7.12 1.7 19.86 64.8 25.05 2.04 5.9 10.82 1.9 297.6 4.3 3.3 11.3 27.9 10.2 18.28 394.8 0.175 5.85 1.4 7.92 5.54 9 1.21 10.92 47.05 5.85 4.8 1.97 1.42 11.96 81 5.54 0.128 0.86 128.8 1.93 1.69

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

0.6 56.5 11.88 6.5 25.9 1.36 1.35 916 1,261 6.6 12.5 12.76 0.206 960 55.2 5.57 4.66 4.64 0.57 4.01 16.9 0.57 4.63 0.036 1.26 2.38 146.2 912.5 1.31 250.2 0.244 0.223

0.61 56.5 12.04 6.5 26.25 1.39 1.4 924 1,261 6.83 12.56 12.76 0.206 969 55.9 5.57 4.82 4.64 0.57 4.08 16.9 0.61 4.72 0.036 1.26 2.45 148.2 929 1.33 250.2 0.247 0.223

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

7.97 0.8 11.2 0.9 41.2 2.26 4 6.5 0.42 0.88 0.236 0.38 7.7 17.64 0.49 0.124 1.42 1.08 3.52 4.7 0.445 0.46

8.04 0.81 11.48 0.9 42.1 2.27 4.08 6.5 0.42 0.88 0.248 0.385 7.9 18 0.49 0.124 1.44 1.09 3.52 4.79 0.465 0.46

7.9 0.79 11 0.86 40.6 2.23 4 6 0.415 0.87 0.235 0.375 7.68 17.6 0.48 0.11 1.42 1.06 3.52 4.69 0.445 0.45

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

2.19 0.415 3.56 20.45 2 3.1 35.5 1.24 5.75 0.7 5.24

2.27 0.425 3.59 20.55 2 3.1 36.1 1.24 5.75 0.71 5.3

2.17 0.405 3.54 20.4 2 3.1 35.4 1.22 5.5 0.7 5.13

2.25 0.425 3.59 20.55 2 3.1 35.85 1.24 5.6 0.71 5.3

3,364,000 310,000 276,000 1,978,800 295,000 9,000 10,267,600 297,000 415,000 22,000 16,906,900

7,509,950 128,150 979,400 40,638,510 590,000 27,900 368,562,330 366,540 2,306,657 15,430 88,054,898

25,200 142,100 -8,548,960 -15,500 15,710,555 -162,440 -45,060 -4,900 -78,346,552

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY CEBU AIR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAXYS PHIL RACING 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

13 20.15 1.38 0.415 0.039 4.31 9.38 73.5 6.55 7.75 2.15 16 1,908 5.47 323 2.95 1.88 99 10.5 7.5 0.127 6.27 14.68 3.45 0.77 16.6 0.325 5.21 2.5 2.02 3.39 9.88 3.35 8.94 113.5 3.04 1,150 0.8 0.325 43.5 80.95 7.41 2.37 0.74 0.45 5.3 0.69 12.4

13.82 20.15 1.38 0.42 0.04 4.47 9.63 73.8 6.59 7.75 2.15 16 1,915 5.49 325 2.98 1.88 102 11.2 7.5 0.133 6.28 14.68 3.49 0.78 17 0.325 5.45 2.5 2.02 3.45 9.88 3.5 9.03 113.6 3.22 1,161 0.8 0.325 43.5 80.95 7.78 2.41 0.82 0.475 5.31 0.72 12.6

12.98 19.92 1.31 0.41 0.039 4.29 9.38 72.55 6.48 7.5 2.15 15.4 1,880 5.45 323 2.89 1.87 98 10.12 7.5 0.124 6.02 14.68 3.39 0.76 16.4 0.32 5.2 2.43 1.95 3.35 9.88 3.18 8.94 113 3.04 1,137 0.78 0.32 43 76.9 7.41 2.36 0.74 0.445 5.3 0.67 12.4

SERVICES 13.14 20 1.37 0.42 0.04 4.4 9.45 73.5 6.54 7.5 2.15 15.5 1,897 5.45 325 2.94 1.87 98 11.2 7.5 0.133 6.15 14.68 3.4 0.78 16.98 0.32 5.45 2.45 1.98 3.41 9.88 3.18 9.03 113 3.17 1,150 0.8 0.325 43 78.8 7.78 2.4 0.8 0.46 5.31 0.7 12.6

68,300 50,300 61,000 490,000 33,200,000 7,196,000 1,348,800 41,220 639,800 1,100 8,000 39,200 27,035 63,400 60 2,101,000 6,000 476,240 15,400 2,000 21,220,000 6,572,200 1,000 471,000 175,000 409,400 150,000 2,100 725,000 310,000 1,419,000 1,800 251,000 7,000 420,870 529,000 119,760 3,204,000 750,000 1,062,200 256,000 42,200 1,472,000 34,912,000 67,070,000 270,800 3,022,000 4,990,000

899,408 1,008,315 81,620 203,700 1,295,400 31,575,470 12,773,030 3,030,323 4,169,222 8,275 17,200 607,414 51,399,390 345,747 19,400 6,127,730 11,270 46,912,782 165,098 15,000 2,756,640 40,609,842 14,680 1,608,010 134,300 6,876,946 48,250 11,147 1,782,640 615,310 4,822,520 17,784 877,510 62,710 47,591,479 1,656,450 137,506,050 2,526,220 240,200 45,933,880 20,208,440.50 319,891 3,507,500 27,703,290 31,051,850 1,437,789 2,082,400 62,466,724

13,000 41,500 42,900 852,740.00 2,465,317 964,541 11,050 -22,946,995 -16,150 -52,240 8,512,911 -26,600 -308,450.00 -14,680 102,600 600,690 -54,020 403,150 175,803 202,600 -59,939,495 350,000 -25,803,605 6,979,250 4,760 -535,840 90,800 -8,480 33,445,738

342,200 2,847,580 409,460 210,294 1,577,890 85,350 445,935 177,280 442,890 543,360 50,850 7,000 1,129,850 2,787,370 307,770 4,640 49,950 378,400 2,295,500 320,300 117,230 8,839,790 10,966,098 30,789,145 11,200

184,490 -22,710 41,000 -21,460 1,093,430 -2,276,300 -180,000 201,520 -780,222 -9,396,955 -

MS

PROPERTY 8.04 0.8 11.48 0.88 40.6 2.26 4.07 6.44 0.42 0.87 0.237 0.38 7.7 17.78 0.48 0.121 1.43 1.07 3.52 4.7 0.46 0.45

187,600 593,000 7,300 2,638,000 8,096,700 2,218,000 637,000 11,300 2,100,000 25,000 3,410,000 680,000 260,900 197,200 50,000 190,000 1,245,000 1,452,000 35,000 10,864,000 43,860,000 530,000

1,502,535 471,100 80,804 2,332,820 335,933,655 4,996,010 2,577,530 68,392 876,100 21,780 811,660 258,400 2,011,538 3,513,618 24,400 21,690 1,779,760 1,554,180 123,200 51,256,040 20,037,700 240,500

-278,250 -32,261,880 -2,013,450 -536,680.00 -124,500 -38,000 -1,771,685 371,780 -365,190 5,605,200 -441,950 -

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

0.002 1.7 2.53 16 2.06 0.305 7.3 1.65 0.205 0.115 0.112 0.007 1.2 2.16 1.08 0.58 0.94 0.012 0.012 0.012 3.16 2.85 15.5 23.75 0.0056

0.0021 1.72 2.65 16 2.07 0.305 7.33 1.67 0.209 0.116 0.114 0.007 1.25 2.25 1.08 0.58 0.96 0.013 0.013 0.013 3.17 2.97 15.6 23.75 0.0056

0.002 1.68 2.51 14.42 2.04 0.3 7.1 1.65 0.201 0.107 0.11 0.007 1.17 2.16 1 0.58 0.94 0.012 0.012 0.012 3.16 2.83 15.1 23.1 0.0056

MINING & OIL 0.002 171,000,000 1.69 1,689,000 2.53 163,000 15.3 14,300 2.06 769,000 0.305 280,000 7.32 62,200 1.67 107,000 0.201 2,200,000 0.109 4,900,000 0.114 450,000 0.007 1,000,000 1.21 933,000 2.19 1,257,000 1.07 304,000 0.58 8,000 0.94 53,000 0.013 30,400,000 0.013 176,700,000 0.013 26,100,000 3.17 37,000 2.92 3,036,000 15.2 718,400 23.5 1,313,100 0.0056 2,000,000

DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A HOUSE PREF A LR PREF PCOR PREF 2A PNX PREF 3A SFI PREF SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G

99 101.2 480 5.28 930 96 1 980 99 2.15 75 76.15 74 74.5 73.5

99 101.2 480 5.36 930 96 1.02 1,000 99 2.15 75 76.15 74.95 74.5 73.5

95.05 101.2 480 5.28 800 96 1 980 99 2.15 75 76.15 71.5 74.3 71

PREFERRED 99 150 101.2 10 480 10 5.36 2,100 900 310 96 1,500 1.02 4,000 980 540 99 2,810 2.15 9,000 75 10,490 76.15 780 74.95 507,350 74.5 1,500 73.45 7,660

14,660.50 1,012 4,800 11,248 255,860 144,000 4,020 529,400 278,190 19,350 786,750 59,397 37,529,785 111,662 548,510

45,900 48,000 -

LR WARRANT

2

2

1.95

WARRANTS 1.97 150,000

294,490

-19,600

1,174,520 2,730 31,896,530

-6,043,970

393,948

-

ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

4.6 2.73 1.54

4.74 2.73 1.69

4.59 2.73 1.5

FIRST METRO ETF

111.2

111.5

111

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

8,252,095

INDUSTRIAL

89,265,042

HOLDING FIRMS

42,020,078

PROPERTY

863,517,579

SERVICES

199,387,799

MINING & OIL

425,711,358

GRAND TOTAL

1,647,990,864

4.63 2.73 1.67

SME

253,000 1,000 19,578,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 111.5 3,540

VALUE 1,767.52 (up) 11.61 544,118,233.45 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,028.13 (up) 116.39 926,324,796.43 HOLDING FIRMS 7,368.34 (up) 51.48 997,961,251.42 PROPERTY 3,627.48 (down) 2.39 1,435.46 (down) 2.98 1,839,937,992.445 SERVICES MINING & OIL 8,234.54 (up) 57.93 755,615,730.615 PSEI 7,482.66 (up) 32.65 65,163,297.561 All Shares Index 4,514.13 (up) 24.21 5,162,592,805.32 Gainers: 113; Losers: 82; Unchanged: 40; Total: 235

Manila Water wins contract to operate in Calbayog City

By Alena Mae S. Flores

MANILA Water Company Inc. won the concession to operate the Calbayog City Water District in Samar province.

Manila Water disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange it received a notice on Thursday to go ahead with a joint venture project to rehabilitate and operate the water and wastewater systems of CCWD in Calbayog City, as well as other areas that may eventually form part of the service coverage in Samar province.

Manila Water will sign a joint venture agreement with the CCWD to implement the project upon completion of the conditions specified in the notice of award.

The project has an estimated capital expenditure of P1.165 billion over the 25-year contract period. It is estimated to deliver a potential billed volume of 30 million liters per day.

“Manila Water undertakes to provide the Exchange with further developments regarding this transaction,” the company said.

Early this week, the consortium of Manila Water, wholly-owned subsidiary Manila Water Philippine Ventures Inc. and Tubig Pilipinas Group Inc. received the notice of award to the manage the water supply of the San Jose City Water District–Nueva Ecija.

The award involves rehabilitation, operation and expansion of the water supply system and the provision of water and sanitation services of the SJCWD in the City of San Jose in the province of Nueva Ecija.

The project has an estimated capital expenditure program of P1.4 billion over the 25-year contract period, and is estimated to have a billed volume of about 21 million liters per day by the 25th year.

Manila Water has been actively pursuing projects this year. It received notice of awards for several project around the country in the fourth quarter alone.

The company won the concession to rehabilitate, operate and expand the water supply system of Lambunao Water District in Lambunao, Iloilo.

Manila Water was awarded by the Calinog Water District to operate and expand the water supply system of Calinog in Iloilo.

MWPV also previously signed and executed a joint venture agreement with Tubig Pilipinas over water supply facilities in Malasiqui town, Pangasinan province.

Philex pays 25% for the purchase of PXP shares PHILEX Mining Corp. paid its 25-percent downpayment, or P770.25 million, under a subscription agreement involving 260 million common shares of PXP Energy Corp. at P11.85 per share for a total consideration of P3.081 billion.

PXP Energy disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange it also amended the terms of subscription by Dennison Holdings Corp. controlled by businessman Dennis Uy. Dennison agreed on October 26 to subscribe to 340 million common shares in PXP Energy at an aggregate subscription price of P4.03 billion.

“On December 26, 2018, the parties agreed to reschedule and accelerate the full payment of the subscription price, net of downpayment, to not later than March 31, 2019,” PXP Energy said.

Dennison will pay a downpayment equivalent to one percent of the total subscription price on or before January 7, 2019. In the event Dennison fails to pay the entire subscription price on or before March 31, 2019, the full amount of the downpayment will be forfeited in favor of PXP and the subscription agreement will be terminated at the option of PXP Energy.

Following the subscription to the shares and full payment of the subscription price, Dennison will be entitled to at least one seat in the board and nominate the vice chairman of the board... ,” PXP Energy said.

The total subscription of both Dennison and Philex in PXP Energy reached P7.11 billion, which the oil and gas firm plans to use to fund exploration projects.

“PXP intends to use the proceeds it expects to raise from the private placement to Dennison and Philex to fund its exploration activities and other oil assets within the Philippines and in Peru, and to repay its advances from Philex,” the company said earlier. Alena Mae S. Flores

B3

World

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Alert level raised for volcano

CARITA―Indonesia on Thursday raised the danger alert level for an erupting volcano that sparked a killer tsunami at the weekend, after previously warning that fresh activity at the crater threatened to trigger another deadly wave.

Authorities also widened a no-go zone around rumbling Anak Krakatoa to five kilometers—up from a previous two kilometers—and warned shell-shocked residents to stay away from the coast, after more than 400 were killed by Saturday night’s killer wave.

Plumes of ash burst into the sky as pyroclastic flows -- hot gas and other volcanic material -- flowed down the crater, threatening anyone too close to the volcano and raising the risk of rough seas for boats in the vicinity.

“There is a danger of more eruptions,” said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

“People [near the volcano] could be hit by hot rocks, pyroclastic flows and thick ash.”

Authorities raised the crater’s status to high alert, the second-highest warning on the country’s four-point danger scale, while aviation officials ordered flights to be redirected away from the area. AFP

Woman chops off stalker’s penis MUMBAI―An Indian woman cut off the penis of a man who had been stalking her, before rushing him to hospital to save his life, police said Thursday.

The 47-year-old woman and two men lured her neighbor to an isolated spot in Mumbai before hacking off his genitals.

“We have arrested the woman and two accomplices and she has accepted it was her plan to chop off the stalker’s penis because of his constant harassment,” Senior Inspector Gajanan Kabdule told AFP. The 27-year-old neighbor had sought sexual favors from the woman -- a mother of two -- and told the woman’s husband he was in love with her, which led to a fight between the couple, Kabdule said.

The woman then allegedly sought help from two young men in the neighborhood. They contacted the victim and lured him to an industrial zone on Tuesday, the officer added.

The woman then took the lead in cutting off the stalker’s genitals in the street before rushing him to hospital.

“We recovered the knife and genitals and all three accused are in police custody,” Kabdule said, adding that an investigation was underway. Police have not identified the woman or the stalker.

Media reports said the injured man underwent life-saving surgery.

“The man is stable now and recuperating in hospital but his family is in shock,” Kabdule said. AFP

LIGHTNING VISIT. US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet members of the US military during an unannounced trip to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq on December 26, 2018. Trump arrived in Iraq on his first visit to US troops deployed in a war zone since his election two years ago. AFP

Trump ends US ‘policeman’ role A L-ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq― President Donald Trump used a lightning visit to Iraq—his first with US troops in a conflict zone since being elected—to defend the withdrawal from Syria and to declare an end to America’s role as the global “policeman.”

Trump landed at 7:16 pm local time at Al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq, accompanied by his wife Melania, following what he described as a stressful, secrecy shrouded flight on a “pitch black” Air Force One. The president spoke to a group of

about 100 mostly special forces personnel and separately with military leaders before leaving a few hours later. A planned meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi was scrapped and replaced by a phone call, the premier’s office said.

During the call, Trump invited Abdel Mahdi to visit Washington and he accepted, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

White House video showed a smiling Trump shaking hands with camouflageclad personnel, signing autographs and posing for photos at the base in Iraq.

Morale-boosting presidential visits to US troops in war zones have been a longstanding tradition in the years following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Trump has taken considerable criticism for declining to visit in the first two years of his presidency. But speculation

PLAY TIME. This picture taken on December 26, 2018, shows a baby elephant playing with his half-brother named Raj at an enclosure at Hagenbecks Tierpark zoo in Hamburg, Germany. AFP

N. Korea admits farming failure, shortages SEOUL―North Korea has acknowledged “drawbacks” in its agricultural sector this year, echoing UN reports of declining crop yields in a country that remains heavily reliant on food imports and aid.

Agricultural production is chronically poor in the North, which has periodically been hit by famine, with hundreds of thousands dying—some estimates say millions— in the mid-1990s.

Premier of the government cabinet, Pak Pong Ju, referred to “drawbacks made by some farms and units in the past” at a national meeting of farming officials that took place in Pyongyang this week, state media said on Thursday.

“He said that they failed to conduct seed production and management in a responsible way and also fell short of doing proper strain distribution,” Pak was quoted as saying by the KCNA news agency in an English-language report.

He “underscored the need to attain the goal of grain production” set out in a five-year development plan that wraps up in 2020.

The North has been less hesitant in highlighting shortcomings and policy failures through its state media since leader Kim Jong Un succeeded his late father Kim Jong Il in 2011.

The young, Swiss-educated leader has occasionally been reported rebuking officials for failing to satisfactorily carry out tasks.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization said this month that the isolated, nuclear-armed state would need to import 641,000 tonnes of food in the coming year. The figure is up from 456,000 tonnes this year, when it bought 390,000 tonnes and received 66,000 tonnes in food aid.

There was a widespread lack of access to food in the North, it said.

North Korea was one of 40 countries -- 31 of them in Africa -- identified by the FAO as in need of external assistance for food.

UN agencies estimate that 10.3 million people in the North need humanitarian assistance.

But donor funding has dried up in the face of political tensions over its weapons programs, with critics saying the provision of aid encourages Pyongyang to prioritize its military ambitions over adequately providing for its people.

David Beasley, the head of the UN’s World Food Program, said in May that there was undoubtedly a hunger problem in North Korea but it was not on the scale of the 1990s famine. AFP

had been mounting that he would finally make the gesture following his controversial plan to slash troop levels in Afghanistan and his order to withdraw entirely from Syria.

At the Iraqi military base, Trump sought to defend his “America First” policy of pulling back from multinational alliances, including what to many Americans seem like the endless wars of the Middle East.

“It’s not fair when the burden is all on us,” he said. “We don’t want to be taken advantage of any more by countries that use us and use our incredible military to protect them. They don’t pay for it and they’re going to have to.”

“We are spread out all over the world.

We are in countries most people haven’t even heard about. Frankly, it’s ridiculous,” he added.

Trump told reporters he had overruled generals asking to extend the Syria de-

ployment, where about 2,000 US forces, joined by other foreign troops, assist local fighters battling the Islamic State jihadist group.

“You can’t have any more time.

You’ve had enough time,” he said he told the top brass.

The drawdowns—and the abrupt way that they were announced—helped lead to the resignation of Trump’s defense secretary, Jim Mattis, who has been one of the administration’s heavyweights.

In his forcefully-worded resignation letter, Mattis appeared to chide Trump when he stressed his own “strongly held” views on “treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors.”

Trump has also taken criticism from France and other foreign partners as well as senior figures in his own Republican party. AFP

PCSO fetes 200 Isabela families ABOUT 200 families in Santiago City, Isabela had a merrier Christmas this year, thanks to the generosity of the Fairways Management and Gaming Corporation, the Authorized Small Town Lottery Agent of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

“We initially planned this as relief operations. Remember, four towns in Isabela Province particularly San Guillermo, Jones, Echague, San Agustin, and Santiago City were hammered by Typhoon ‘Rosita’ last October. But due to lack of time, we resorted to gift giving to make it a happier Christmas for our folks in Santiago City,” revealed PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan.

The gift giving led by FMGC was in collaboration with PCSO Isabela Branch Office led by Manager Yamashita Japinan and supported by Heherson Pambid and Byron Joseph Bumanglag, branch managers of Cagayan and Nueva Vizcaya, respectively.

FMGC is one of the 82 ASAs of PCSO that conducts charity services among the gaming public, including their sales agents.

“The ASAs don’t just contribute to the agency’s overall revenue, they also give back by conducting charity services for the people, especially the gaming public. This time, FMGC distributed 5 kilos of rice, canned goods, and noodles per household to more than 200 families. All ASAs should act like this,” noted Balutan.

Of the P56-billion gross sales of PCSO for the month of January to November, P29.92 billion came from Lotto and digit games, STL at P21.97 billion (Jan. to Oct. only), Keno at P4.14 billion, and Instant Sweepstakes at P958.36 million.

B4

Pagsanjan marks 350 year th

T

HE charming town of Pagsanjan in Laguna province, one of the country’s pioneer tourist hot spots, marked a historic milestone as it recently celebrated its 350th foundation day through the weeklong Lagaslas Bangkero Festival.

HORNS READY. A vendor prepares horns in various sizes and colors for sale at his stall along Coral Street in Barangay 51, Tondo,

Manila ahead of the New Year revelry, as most Filipinos have turned away from firecrackers as their noisemakers of choice. Ey Acasio

JUSTIFICATIONS AND BENEFITS TO BE DELIVERED

BY THE PROJECTS 11. The 5 MVA power substation and accessories for Cateel Substation will address the reliability problem on the existing three (3) units 833 kVA (2.5 MVA) power transformers in Cateel Substation;

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR CONFIRMATION AND APPROVAL OF EMERGENCY CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PROJECTS FOR 2018, NAMELY: (1) PURCHASE, INSTALLATION AND COMMISSIONING OF 5 MVA POWER SUBSTATION AND ACCESSORIES FOR CATEEL SUBSTATION AND (2) PURCHASE OF NEW 10 MVA POWER TRANSFORMER FOR LUPON SUBSTATION, WITH APPLICATION FOR AUTHORITY TO SECURE LOAN FROM THE NATIONAL ELECTRIFICATION ADMINISTRATION (NEA)

12. The new 10 MVA power transformer for Lupon Substation will replace the damaged 10 MVA power transformer of said substation; 13. In general, the implementation of the projects will provide a safe, adequate, reliable and efficient electric service to its consumers.

APPLICATION FOR AUTHORITY TO SECURE LOAN FROM NEA 14. As shown above, the projects are being financed through a loan from NEA considering that the cooperative’s RFSC is not readily available to finance the immediate implementation of the projects. In view thereof, it now applies for authority from the Commission to secure said loan from NEA. INDICATIVE RATE IMPACT OF THE PROJECTS 15. The implementation of subject projects will have a reasonable impact on the RFSC rate of the cooperative as follows, to wit:

ERC CASE NO. 2018-104 RC DAVAO ORIENTAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. (DORECO), Applicant. x-------------------------------------------------------x

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 25 October 2018, Davao Oriental Electric Cooperative, Inc. (DORECO) filed an Application dated 10 September 2018 for the confirmation and approval of its emergency capital expenditure (CAPEX) projects for 2018, namely: (1) the purchase, installation and commissioning of a 5 MVA power substation and accessories for the Cateel Substation and (2) the purchase of a new 10 MVA power transformer for the Lupon Substation, with application for authority to secure loan from the National Electrification Administration (NEA) (Application).

In the said Application, DORECO alleged, among others, the following:

2.

It is a non-stock, non-profit electric cooperative, duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with principal office at Madang, National Highway, Mati City, Davao Oriental; It holds an exclusive franchise issued by the National Electrification Commission (NEC) to operate an electric light and power distribution service in the city of Mati and municipalities of Lupon, Banaybanay, San Isidro, Governor Generoso, Tarragona, Manay, Caraga, Baganga, Cateel and Boston, all in the province of Davao Oriental; LEGAL BASES FOR THE APPLICATION

3.

4.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

1.

LGUs

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

Pursuant to Republic Act No. 9136 (RA. No. 9136), ERC Resolution 26, Series of 2009 and other laws and rules, and in line with its mandate to provide safe, quality, efficient and reliable electric service to its consumers, DORECO submits the instant application for the Commission’s confirmation and approval of its emergency capital expenditure (CAPEX) projects for 2018; On the other hand, the accompanying application for authority to secure loan from the NEA in connection with the funding source for subject projects, is being filed pursuant to Section 20(e) of Commonwealth Act No. 146, otherwise known as the Public Service Act, which requires every public service to secure the approval and authorization of the Commission for issuance of any bonds or other evidence of indebtedness payable in more than one year;

2018 2019 Forecasted Energy 121,572,662 130,531,229 Sales, kWh Cash Balance beginning, 4,148,165.43 12,632,540.76 Php excess/(shortfall) CASH INFLOWS Current Year 40,421,517.66 41,561,468.40 Collection @ Php 0.3534/ kWh @ 95% Loan Proceeds from 41,376,756.70 financial Institutions, Php Government Subsidy (if any), Php 50% income on 160,810.00 160,810.00 leased properties Total Cash Inflows, 81,959,084.36 41,722,278.40 Php Available Cash for 86,107,249.79 54,354,819.16 disbursement CASH OUTFLOWS CAPEX Requirement 41,376,756.70 -Emergency CAPEX Requirement 180,310,580.40 281,664,231.50 -Regular Old debt (Old 25,009,311.00 25,009,311.00 amortization) New Amortization 6,778,315.65 6,778,315.65 (Emergency CAPEX), Php New Amortization 24,109,040.43 61,769,916.08 (Regular CAPEX), Php ERC Permit Fee, Php 310,325.68 Total Cash Outflows, 277,894,329.86 375,221,774.23 Php Cash Balance Ending, -191,787,080.07 -320,866,955.07 Php, excess/(shortfall) Excess/(Shortfall) on -1.5776 -2.4582 RFSC, Php/kWh

6.

Sometime in February 2017, DORECO engaged the services of the Trans Power System Corporation (TPSC) to test the condition of the three (3) units - 833kVA power transformer of its Cateel Substation as part of regular maintenance activity. After a series of tests, the contractor certified that the power transformers are no longer reliable for prolonged period of operation due to deteriorating insulation of the equipment. Thus, there is a need to address the capacity concern of Cateel Substation to ensure stability and efficiency of delivery of power supply to affected consumers as well as the safety of the substation, by upgrading the old protection system, and likewise to be able to meet the growing demand of the two (2) municipalities being served by the substation; On the other hand, on April 3, 2018, five (5) days after its Lupon Substation underwent annual preventive maintenance, heavy rains with lightning and strong winds hit the area of the municipality of Lupon where the 10 MVA Lupon Substation is situated. At around 9:45 p.m., the power transformer of the Lupon Substation was forcibly shut down due to abnormal sounds emanating from said equipment. Assessment done by its contractor, Transpower, Inc. (TI), showed that the power transformer’s primary winding was damaged. The damage was attributed to excessive voltage surge brought about by lightning and thunderstorm. Up to this date, DORECO temporarily transferred some of the affected loads to the San Isidro Substation to minimize the number of affected consumers. However, a rotational curtailment scheme is being implemented so as not to overload San Isidro Substation, which concurrently supplies power to the municipalities of Governor Generoso and San Isidro. Since San Isidro Substation cannot accommodate the entire demand that was being served by Lupon Substation, there is an urgent need to immediately address the capacity concern of the cooperative;

7.

Hence, the urgent necessity to implement the projects subject of the instant application;

8.

The projects subject of the instant Application are described in the table below, as follows:

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Project Type Reliability

Project Category

Project Title

Project Cost (PhP)

Substation Purchase, Installation and Commissioning of 28,826,756.70 Project 5 MVA Power Substation and Accessories for Cateel Substation Purchase of New 10 MVA Power Transformer for 12,550,000.00 Lupon Substation

Total

41,376,756.70

PROJECT SCHEDULE 9.

The schedules of implementation of subject projects are as follows: Project Title Start 1 Purchase, Installation and Commissioning of 5 MVA Power 4th Quarter of 2018 Substation and Accessories for Cateel Substation 2 Purchase of New 10 MVA Power Transformer for Lupon June 15, Substation 2018

Completion 2nd Quarter of 2019 July 1, 2018

2021 146,034,994

2022 154,047,332

TOTAL 690,358,007

22,567,192.51

33,604,120.71

45,705,649.41

118,657,668.82

42,663,744.85

43,728,345.36

44,755,271.58

213,130,347.85 41,376,756.70

160,810.00

160,810.00

160,810.00

804,050.00

42,824,554.85

43,889,155.36

44,916,081.58

255,311,154.55

65,391,747.36

77,493,276.07

90,621,730.99

373,968,823.37 41,376,756.70

196,717,593.75

658,692,405.65

25,009,311.00

25,009,311.00

25,009,311.00

125,046,555.00

6,778,315.65

6,778,315.65

6,778,315.65

33,891,578.25

88,072,712.12

88,072,712.12

88,072,712.12

350,097,092.88

119,860,338.77 119,860,338.77

310,325.68 1,209,414,714.15

316,577,932.52 -251,186,185.16

-42,367,062.70

-29,238,607.78

-835,445,890.78

-1.8179

-0.2901

-0.1898

-1.2102

SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTARY AND PRE-FILING REQUIREMENTS 16. Finally, in compliance with the documentary as well as pre-flling requirements under ERC Resolution 26, Series of 2009 and the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure, respectively, the following documents are being submitted herewith to form integral parts hereof, to wit: Annex Markings “A” “B”

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS 5.

2020 138,171,790

Nature of Document

Executive Summary of the Emergency CAPEX Projects Supporting documents for the application for authority to secure loan from NEA “C”and series Proof of furnishing of copies of the Application to the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Mati City and Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Davao Oriental “D” and series Proof of publication of the Application in a newspaper of general circulation in DORECO’s franchise area or where it principally operates.

PRAYER 17. It prayed that the Commission after due notice and hearing, DORECO’s emergency CAPEX projects for 2018 be confirmed and approved accordingly. Other reliefs, just and equitable in the premises are likewise prayed for.

The Commission has set the Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, pretrial conference, and presentation of evidence on 17 January 2019 (Thursday) at nine o’clock in the morning (9:00 A.M.), at DORECO’s Principal Office at Madang, National Highway, Mati City, Davao Oriental.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant case may become a party by filing with the Commission a verified Petition to Intervene at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure, indicating therein the docket number and title of the case and stating the following: i.

The petitioner’s name and address;

ii.

The nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and

iii.

A statement of the relief desired.

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may file their Opposition or Comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before Applicant rests its case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following: 1)

The name and address of such person;

2)

A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and

3)

The grounds relied upon.

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicant that it be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing. DORECO is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours.

WITNESS, the Honorable Chairperson and CEO AGNES VST DEVANADERA, and the Honorable Commissioners ALEXIS M. LUMBATAN and CATHERINE P. MACEDA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 12th day of December 2018 in Pasig City.

PROJECT FINANCING 10. The funding for the projects are being sourced through a loan from the NEA. Accruing amortizations shall be paid out of the cooperative’s internally - generated Reinvestment Fund for Sustainable Capital Expenditures (RFSC);

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal M. Standard – Dec. 28, 2018 & Jan. 4, 2019

Themed “Sa Panahong Lumipas, Pagsanjan Lalong Tumikas,” the event-filled festival was a fitting tribute to the bangkeros or boatmen who skillfully navigate and shoot the rapids all the way to the picture-perfect falls.

Festivities kicked off with the unveiling of the commemorative marker of the Spanishera Puerta Real or Royal Gate by the National Historical Commission, which was built in 1878 to memorialize Pagsanjan’s glory years as Laguna’s provincial capital from 1688 to 1872.

The site is believed to be the place where the town’s patroness, Our Lady of Guadalupe, appeared and drove away the pirates who are about to raid the town in the late 1800s.

The celebration coincides with the town’s patronal fiesta which converge at the Diocesan Shrine of the Our Lady of Guadalupe whose first church was founded in 1687. In its Chapel of the Tilma is enshrined the stone where the Virgin Mary is believed to have appeared in Mexico.

Pagsanjan Mayor Maita Javier-Ejercito said the festival showcased the town’s road to progress over the decades. She said this year’s observance is special with the Seal of Good Local Governance they have received from the Department of the Interior and Local Government for their stewardship and sound fiscal management.

Pagsanjan was rated by the Department of Trade and Industry as the country’s sixth overall Most Competitive Municipality because of its efficiency, economic dynamism, infrastructure and resilience.

The town is also a national finalist in the Best BDRRMC and Best GEMS Categories of the Gawad Kalasag Award by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, and various accolades from the Province of Laguna, national government agencies, and socio-civic organizations.

Spicing up the festivities were street dancing contest depicting the exciting boat ride to Pagsanjan Falls, whose accompanying music was recorded by the lady mayor herself in an MTV. Adding color were a Korean Traditional Folklore Group show, a Chef War which put the spotlight on upcoming homegrown chefs, the Ginoong Bangkero pageant, and the Lakan at Binibini ng Laguna with celebrity judges.

Tourism school opens new 52-ha. campus in Cavite THE International School of Sustainable Tourism recently opened its new training center campus at the 52-hectare integrated farmland of James Yen Center of the International Institute for Rural Reconstruction in Silang, Cavite.

Under a recent memorandum of agreement, both institutions can collaborate with each other’s expertise in earth-friendly agriculture, sustainable tourism, community development, and other common avenues of cooperation.

The campus, which has the United Nationals World Tourism Organization as a benefactor, has two classrooms, four executive meeting rooms, a learning resource center, a board room, and can host over 100 students.

Meanwhile, the IIRR is a United Statesbased 501 private voluntary organization with strong anti-poverty programs in eight countries in Southeast Asia, Eastern and Southern Africa and works in collaboration with more than 125 local development partners.

It implements integrated and holistic programs on education for marginalized communities, food security and resilient livelihoods, community-driven and managed disaster risk reduction and, building collaborative leadership through global learning and sharing.

Present at the opening were civic leader Sonia Roco, ISST president Dr. Mina Gabor, Tourism Promotions Board chief operating officer Marie Venus Tan, IIRR executive director Philip Usi, IIRR board member Dr. John Batten, ISST business development head Mark Tinao, ISST senior vice president Joselito Bernardo, and IIRR senior global adviser Dr. Julian Gonsalvez.

Life

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

CULTURE AND MEDIA

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

C1

How to be a woman of the world

A

SOLO exhibition by a woman, ongoing at 1335MABINI, features pieces that shed a light on the issues women face.

Judy M. Taguiwalo was arrested twice for protesting the Marcos dictatorship. The first time, she was stripped naked and forced to sit on a block of ice while under custody. The second time, in 1984, she was four months pregnant, and she gave birth to her daughter in Camp Crame.

During a confirmation hearing in May 2017, Sen. Tito Sotto alluded to Taguiwalo’s single motherhood as “na-ano lang” (getting knocked up), to which she replied, “I teach women’s studies. We respect all kinds of families and that includes solo parents.”

This is how to be a woman of the world.

Emma Sulkowicz, a non-binary, lugged a 50-pound mattress around the Columbia University campus for more than a year, both as an act of protest and as a performance project for their art thesis. They had been raped in their dorm room by another student, whom the university found to be “not responsible.”

Sulkowicz chose to carry that burden in public until the assailant left the school. When graduation day came, they

'Pro-obstruction' (2018), a series of coat hangers from Nikki Luna's 'This is how to be a woman of the world' solo exhibition.

brought their mattress, and their friends helped lift it up for the very last time.

This is how to be a gender non-conforming person of the world.

Nikki Luna casts these women’s clothes in resin, creating a wardrobe that tells the story of the violence done against them under regimes that traffic in abuse and misogyny. These vestments are a memorial to the way they have responded and resisted, a statement stripped of its fashion to lay bare the strength in vulnerability.

Not all victims prevail, however.

Charlie Jean was just 14 when she was seduced by a man twice her age.

The seventh grader had moved in with her boyfriend when the cops stormed his home one night, shooting him, his brother, and two of their friends. Charlie Jean also died from bullets lodged in her arms, stomach, and buttocks. In a variation of “nanlaban,” the cops claimed she was holding grenades. She was 15, and four months pregnant.

Other casualties are even younger.

Unspeakable acts have been done to very young children, and in empathy Luna casts her own daughter’s dress.

'Dancing with the Dictator' (2018), carved wood

'WARdrobe' (2018), resin fiberglass

Every mother feels the pain of another.

This is how to be a woman of the world.

The other pieces in this exhibit point to a system that is continuing to fail women. Imelda Marcos’ crystal-encrusted strappy pump, which she wore to her husband’s inauguration in 1965, reminds the public how to this day, justice still eluded Martial Law victims, and criminals are still dancing free.

The series of coat hangers, cast in ceramic, draws from the symbolism of wire hangers used by the women’s movement in fighting for reproductive rights, but it also brings to mind Man Ray’s installation piece “Obstruction,” a chandelier of hangers whose title also describes the progress reproductive rights are making here and in other parts of the world.

Another one of the President’s many unstatesmanlike provocations are minted in marble as a parfum that speaks of the way women’s bodies are objectified and reduced to signifiers like odors.

A full-length mirror reminds viewers how rape culture is reflected and perpetuated when someone says beautiful women will be raped. This is not the first time that Luna has appropriated the President’s anti-women insults and pulled from them the power of protest, and it won’t be the last—as long as he is still in power, she will carry this load.

Nikki Luna’s solo show “This is how to be a woman of the world” runs until Jan. 19, 2019 at 1335MABINI in Karrivin Plaza, Makati City. Audrey Carpio

ART IN THE PACKAGING

Tristan Eaton's classical art and modern architecture design captures the distinctly smooth and smoky taste of Johnnie Walker Black Label.

Kiehl's bestselling Midnight Recovery Concentrate and Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner featuring the packaging designed by Andrew Bannecker

Blending art and whisky

Festive skin care

KIEHL’S continues its whimsical holiday tradition by partnering with American illustrator Andrew Bannecker.

Bannecker, best known for his use of vivid colors, hand-crafted drips, and textures, designed the packaging of some of Kiehl’s bestselling products as well as gift boxes.

The special edition collection is composed of Crème de Corps Whipped, Ultra Facial Cream, Calendula Toner, Midnight Recovery Concentrate, and Grapefruit and Lavender bar soaps.

“Andrew is one of the most playfully sophisticated illustrators I have encountered,” stated Maria Gustafson, senior vice president, Global Crea-

tive for Kiehl’s. “The collection is a combination of edgy gift boxes, bold graphics, electric colors, and unexpected hits of gold fold—it is a Kiehl’s Holiday wonderland!”

From bubbly characters to sophisticated landscapes, Bannecker’s work is ever evolving and manages to imbue scenes with emotive power.

He has collaborated with tastemakers in industries including chocolate, homeware, music, and fashion.

This special edition collection is available at Kiehl’s branches nationwide.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream

JOHNNIE Walker has released its limited edition Artist Series designed by world renowned graffiti artist Tristan Eaton.

“At its core, Johnnie Walker celebrates the craft and passions of individuals who continuously push the boundaries in their respective fields, echoing the brand’s thrust in creating new and innovative ways for our consumers to enjoy the world’s No. 1 Scotch whisky,” enthused Cesar Gangoso, marketing director of Diageo Philippines, the local distributor of Johnnie Walker.

The LA-based artist, known for his larger-thanlife murals, created four designs that bring to life the flavor profiles and exquisite blends of four Johnnie Walker variants.

The powerful and explosive flavor of the pioneer Red Label blend is brought to life by the imagery of flight and soaring to new heights. Classical art and modern architecture mixed with psychedelic patterns encapsulate the distinctly smooth and signature smoky taste of the iconic Black Label blend.

The doubly intense and peaty smoke of the Double The Johnnie Walker Artist Series Black blend is symbolized by the imagery of a thundering stallion, while its glittering and sparkly visuals bring to life the luxuriously creamy and the delicate The Johnnie Walker Artist Series is available at leading supertaste of the celebratory Gold Label blend. markets nationwide.

Entertainment

C2 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018 nickie.standard@gmail.com

Business students, academe recognize ABS-CBN at COMGUILD Awards

BUSINESS students and professors recognized ABS-CBN for its contribution to the media and entertainment business at the recent COMGUILD Academe’s Awards.

Leading the awardees from the Kapamilya network was ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III, who was named Media Persona of Excellence for his pioneering work and leadership in the media industry.

Meanwhile, multi-awarded broadcast journalist Karen Davila won Best Entrepreneurial/Business Show Host while her business-oriented program My Puhunan won Best Entrepreneurial/Business Show.

Magandang Buhay hosts Melai Cantiveros, Jolina Magdangal, and Karla Estrada were also declared Advertisers Friendly Morning Show Hosts, while It’s Showtime host Vhong Navarro won Advertisers Friendly Male Host.

Rounding up the winners were Halik star Jericho Rosales, who won Male Endorser of the Year, Ngayon at Kailanman star Joshua Garcia, who won Most Loved Male Endorser, and Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber, who won Advertisers’ Most Admired Loveteam.

The COMGUILD Academe’s Choice Awards, which was held at the tenth Annual Conference of Advertising, Marketing, and Business Administration Students of the Philippines, commends the significant contribution of Filipino endorsers, entrepreneur shows, and hosts in the field of entrepreneurship, business, marketing, and advertising.

The winners were voted on by teachers and professors from colleges and universities around the country. Earlier in October, nine of ABS-CBN’s programs and personalities also won awards for excellence in broadcast journalism at the 2018 COMGUILD Media and Technology Students Conference.

Boracay after the rehab DPWH Secretary Mark Villar shows off rehab works on Boracay Island.

TOURISTS are back on the island paradise, and they are marveling at what the government has done during the time Boracay was closed to tourists on April 26 this year by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte after he said, “It had become a cesspool.”

On Oct. 26, we flew to the island via Caticlan airport (also undergoing a major rehab itself) to see for ourselves what the government has done since the island’s closure.

The trip to the hotel we were booked in wasn’t that easy yet as the road leading to it was still undergoing repairs, but the driver of the hotel van we took was optimistic. He said that by December, the repair would be completed and the road would be passable already.

Also, some hotels (157) were given permits to reopen for the soft opening and more as they meet the requirements set by the Task Force Boracay, particularly on the issues of environment and sanitation.

We met DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, whose agency along with others, was tasked with rebuilding or rehabilitating the sorry state of the roads and the drainage system of the island, lunchtime at the restaurant in Discovery Shores.

He said, that the work (at least of his agency) was 70 percent done and would be complete by the end of the year.

Villar added that the weather condition contributed to the slowing down of the rehabilitation efforts on the island, but additional manpower from the 15 District Engineering Offices and Regional Office of DPWH in Western Visayas worked double time to open one lane of 4.12-kilometer Boracay Circumferential Road from Cagban Port, passing Rotunda to Laketown to Elizalde property, including the missing gap at the backdoor of Bolabog Beach in Barangay Balabag.

“I’d like to commend our hardworking crew and officials in DPWH Region VI who were able to make the entire Boracay Circumferential Road passable to the public.

They completed significant improvements on existing highway and opened the missing gap just in time for Boracay Island’s opening,” he said.

MMFF 2018 aims for a billion box office revenue

The stars of Regal Entertainment's MMFF entry 'One Great Love,' Marlo Mortel, Dennis Trillo, Kim Chiu and Miles Ocampo.

O

UR family has this annual tradition of watching Metro Manila Film Festival movies on Christmas Day but we have decided to skip that practice this year, or maybe, we would just watch the entries on the latter part of the festival when there are only few people at the multiplexes, hopefully.

On Tuesday, when we arrived at a nearby cinema in Fairview, there was a long queue at the tills. We moved to an adjacent mall and the situation was the same – the earliest screening for Fantastica and Jack Em Popoy (the only films suitable for the children in our group) was 8:00 p.m. (we were there before 11:00 a.m.). So, we decided to do something else instead.

Browsing social media gave me a clearer picture of what the MMFF has become this year. Most films are sold out and there are moviegoers who are willing to wait in line for hours just to see the two films, which are predicted to be this year’s top-grossers. In fact, Fantastica starring Vice Ganda and Jack Em Popoy starring Coco Martin, Maine Mendoza, and Vic Sotto have been leading the MMFF 2018 box office.

“As expected, ‘yung mga pelikula ni Vice Ganda at saka ni Coco Martin at Vic Sotto ang nangunguna sa takilya,” MMFF spokesperson Noel Ferrer said Wednesday adding Anne Curtis' Aurora is far third in the box office ranking.

In the 2017 edition of Metro Manila Film Festival, the total box office gross for all eight entries surpassed the P1 billion-mark. It prompted the MMFF executive committee to extend the screening of MMFF films in select cinemas beyond the usual festival period which ends first week of January.

For this year, the annual filmfest aims to replicate the same success.

"We're really targeting to achieve the P1 billion [gross revenue] this year," Noel Ferrer told DZMM in an interview.

"But of course we would understand kung hindi man, kasi naintindihan natin The improved Boracay Circumferential Road, Villar said, has two lines of highdensity polyethylene (HDPE) drainage pipes that can hold larger flow of storm water and prevent flooding in the island.

Additionally he said the road also features wider sidewalk with paving blocks on several sections especially crossing alleys leading to the beachfront for safety of pedestrians, complete with planting strips of anahaw tree and ground cover for aesthetic and environmental appeal.

For the remaining works, the Department said it would complete the paving on second lane of Boracay Circumferential Road this month to serve more locals and tourists going around the scenic island of Boracay.

After lunch with the DPWH Secretary, we toured the island and saw some very significant changes, especially along the shoreline. The beach from Station 3 to 1 was amazingly clean, the chairs and tables of some restaurants that used to occupy the beachfront making walking along the beach like walking in a crowded sidewalk of Rizal and CM Recto avenues in Manila were nowhere to be seen. There were no water sports activities then yet, although, I heard they would be allowed eventually but regulated.

I remember the first time I came to the island in 1981. It was pristine and really paradisiacal! There were no resorts or hotels. We stayed in a nipa hut owned by a resident, and we had to walk a mile to have our meals of native Boracaynon dishes, mostly seafood. The boys in our group bought beer cooled in ice-cooler at a sarisari store near the carinderia.

These were taken over by big businesses when they start invading the island in the mid-80s making it literally a time bomb ready to explode anytime, and it almost did, and thanks to the government for deciding its closure in April.

During the soft opening we spotted several movie/TV personalities on the island including Eric Santos with his manager Ericson Raymunod, Rufa Mae Quinto, and Cristine Reyes with her daughter.

Boracay gets P150M for environmental rehab The national government has earmarked P150 million to support Boracay Island’s continuing environmental restoration and to safeguard the world-class tourist destination’s coastal and marine ecosystem,

'yong context naman ng pamumuhay ng mga tao kasi mas mahal 'yong sine ngayon compared to last year," he added.

MMFF 2018 target is not difficult to achieve given its track record. It’s been breaching the P1 billion-mark in terms of gross revenues since 2013 except for its 42nd edition in 2016 when the festival implemented a major change, which members of the executive committee labeled as “cinematic revolution.”

I wasn’t against that major change. In reality, it gave a chance to other film proBuhay Rep. Lito Atienza said over the weekend.

“The fresh funding is a go, even if the government temporarily runs on a reenacted budget next year,” said Atienza, the senior deputy minority leader.

Atienza, also one-time Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, said the new money is meant to establish the Boracay Island Critical Habitat; put into operation the Boracay Water Quality Management Area; oversee landfills and materials recovery facilities; monitor water and air quality around the island; and support research on environmental pollution.

“The designated Boracay Island Critical Habitat covers some 750 hectares of forestland and coastal marine areas,” Atienza said.

A critical habitat is a specific geographic area that contains features essential to the conservation of endangered or threatened species.

“Boracay’s endemic species that require special protection and management include flying foxes and marine turtles,” Atienza said.

He said at least three species of flying foxes inhabit Boracay: the giant goldencrowned flying fox, the giant fruit bat and the small flying fox.

“The demarcated critical habitat is mainly in Barangays Balabag and Yapak, where the flying foxes are concentrated,” Atienza said.

Balabag and Yapak are two of Boracay’s only three barangays, the third being ManocManoc. The island forms part of the Municipality of Malay in Aklan province.

“In the case of marine turtles, they may not produce offspring if their natural habitat gets disturbed by too many people around,” Atienza said.

The lawmaker also stressed the need to renew Boracay’s severely eroded coral cover.

Atienza, former three-term mayor of Manila, previously backed the six-month shutdown and rehabilitation of Boracay. He even urged President Duterte to extend the environmental recovery plan to include Laguna Lake and Manila Bay. Boracay was reopened last Oct. 26, but an inter-agency task force has restricted to 19,215 the total number of tourists allowed to stay on the island at any given time. *** More stories of these kinds at www.isah.red.

Follow me on Facebook (@isahvr), Twitter (@ isahvred) and Instagran (@isahvred). ΙŘ

ducers and outfits to showcase their genre films in a festival usually dominated by romcoms, comedy and horror. And I’m all for that kind of exposure as it gives film workers more opportunity.

But then again, the Christmas season is not the part of the year where most cinemagoers would want to watch films that challenge their critical thinking.

Don't get me wrong, we have intelligent moviegoers, but they also need some sort of a breaker once in a while. And this is the perfect season for that – the

time when people just want to have a good laugh and enjoy the cinema experience with the people dear to them.

We can reserve art films, the more intelligent movies for a different venue, like the Cinemalaya and the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino.

This year’s lineup isn’t bad at all, and there are a few surprises that made us trust mainstream film outfits once again. So, that P1 billion is achievable. The festival might even surpassed that basing how people received the movies on its first day.

'Crouching Tiger' star

Chow Yun-fat vows to donate fortune CROUCHING Tiger, Hidden Dragon star dollars. Chow has said he has no idea how much Chow Yun-fat may be a heavyweight from he is worth.

His wife Jasmine Tan has previously dethe golden era of Hong Kong cinema but the famously frugal actor has vowed to donate his scribed how her husband often eats at street stalls and only gave up his beloved Nokia flipvast wealth to charity after he dies.

Also known to western audiences for films phone when it died after years of use.

Dozens of billionaire business figures have such as the Oscar-winning Pirates of the Caribbean and gangster classic A Better Tomorrow, signed up to "The Giving Pledge" started by Chow has endeared himself to fans in recent Bill Gates and Warren Buffet encouraging the world's wealthiest to donate their fortunes. But years with a modest lifestyle.

Multimillionaire Chow, 63, joined Forbes' list Hollywood and Asian acting stars are noticeof highest paid actors in the world for the first ably absent from the list.

In his interview with MBC Chow, a native time in 2015, sharing 24th place with Russell of Lamma Island which was once a traditional Crowe.

Yet in Hong Kong -- a city with no shortage fishing village, also discussed the joys of a simof flashy socialites and stars -- he can be spotted ple meal -- a favorite is savory Chinese turnips taking public transport and lining up for tickets accompanied with rice.

"I am happy if there's food to eat, because we to watch his own movie. very happy Now he has pledged to give away his entire were quite poor then. I'll be toes fortune, reportedly HK$5.6 billion (US$715 eating sweet potaand vegetables, million).

"This money isn't something you possess and even hapforever. When you're gone one day, you have to pier if I have leave it to others to use it," he told South Korea's chicken and Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation in an inter- meat during the New view aired last week.

"You can't bring the money in your bank ac- Year," he count with you after you die," he said, adding his said. AFP wife "strongly supports" his decision.

Hong Kong's wealth gap was at its widest last year for nearly half a century, fuelling discontent as the former British colony marked two decades under Chinese rule.

Sky-high prices and the cost of living outstrip many ordinary residents' salaries, with apartments becoming increasingly cramped and generations of families forced to share.

Meanwhile, the city's megarich continue their display of extreme wealth and pursuit of status symbols.

Chow, affectionately nicknamed "Brother Fat" in Hong Kong, has won praise for taking an opposite tack. Local media give wildly varied estimates of his wealth but say he is worth Hong Kong actor Chow Yun-Fat hundreds of millions of

Motoring

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

C3

Nissan unveils energy home

Connected cars as personal power grids

Series winner will earn 10 FIA Super License points.

F3 SINGLE SEATER CARS

Teams commit to new Asian Winter Series

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HANGHA—Teams from Asia and Europe have confirmed their participation in the new Asian Winter Series for F3 Regional SingleSeaters cars, where the winner of the series will earn 10 FIA Super Licence points.

The season gets underway on January 11, at Thailand’s Buriram International Circuit, and concludes at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit on February 22, well before the start of the new seasons in Asia, Europe and the USA. Commented Davide De Gobbi, General Manager of Top Speed, which also organizes the F3 Asian Championship Certified by FIA: “The new Asian Winter Series offers a tremendous opportunity

to gain competitive track time in the new Tatuus Autotecnica F3 Regional SingleSeater in between racing seasons, and the opportunity to earn valuable FIA Super Licence points. The two FIA Grade 1 circuits in Thailand and Malaysia are both excellent facilities and provide drivers with a good combination of challenges.”

The top five finishers in the Asian Winter Series will earn Super Licence points on a scale of: 10 for the winner; seven

Round One kicks off on January 11, 2019 in Thailand.

for the runner-up; five for third; three for fourth place; with one for fifth.

Entries are expected from the UK’s HitechGP outfit, which has just been appointed to run all the cars in the new W Series which will use the same cars as the Asian Winter Series, Absolute Racing, Super License, Pinnacle Motorsport, Japanese Formula 3 team B-Max Racing, M-Sport Asia, BlackArts Racing and Seven GP. Both the 4.5km Buriram International Circuit and the 5.5km Sepang International Circuit were designed by F1 track specialist Hermann Tilke. The Thai facility opened in 2014, and has hosted the Japanese Super GT Series, TCR International Series, World Superbikes and, most recently, a round of MotoGP. Opened in 1999, Sepang, which until this year hosted the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix, is one of the most well- established and respected facilities in Asia.

Round 1 of the Asian Winter Series kicks off on January 11 in Thailand with the first three races, before moving to Malaysia for Rounds 2 and 3 on January 18, and February 22 respectively.

About Top Speed Established in 2008, Top Speed has played an intrinsic role in the rapid development of motorsport across Asian over the last decade. Providing a wide spectrum of services – from race organization and technical and logistical support to event and sponsorship management – Top Speed has played an integral role in series such as the Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific, Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia, Audi R8 LMS Cup, Asian Le Mans Series, Formula Masters Series and Scirocco Cup. Headquartered in Shanghai, Top Speed also has offices in Zhuhai, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

YOKOHAMA—Nissan has come up with a demonstration house that shows how electric vehicles can help provide power for a home’s energy needs.

Located in the Nissan Global Headquarters Gallery in Yokohama, the demonstration house features solar panels and a Nissan LEAF electric car that provides power from its battery pack. The Nissan Energy Home allows guests to learn about Nissan Energy, the company’s vision for connecting homes, cars and power grids, which was announced recently.

Nissan Energy envisions a connected world where new developments in battery usage and power generation enable homes and vehicles to better harness energy and to power each other. This is a key aspect of Nissan Intelligent Integration – a pillar of Nissan Intelligent Mobility, the company’s vision for changing how cars are powered, driven and integrated into society.

Nissan Energy Share—combining power generation At the heart of the Nissan Energy Home is a vehicle-to-home system. The system charges the connected electric vehicle, which then shares power with the home. This demonstrates Nissan Energy Share by using Nissan’s electric vehicle technology to store, share and repurpose energy.

During the day, when the sun is out, the solar panels generate electric power and forward it to the Nissan LEAF battery pack for charging. The LEAF assumes the role of an energy storage unit while the solar energy is harnessed.

When the sun goes down, the home’s electrical demands are managed by the Nissan LEAF to power lighting, air conditioning, televisions and even cooking appliances. The needs of a typical house can be provided using a small percentage of the battery capacity, leaving plenty of range for driving. The next day, the cycle is repeated.

Nissan Energy Supply provides connected charging solutions that customers may need at home, on the road and at their destination. Electric vehicle owners typically do the majority of vehicle charging at home, and the Nissan Energy Supply service verifies whether charging equipment, such as electrical sockets, wall boxes or power control systems, can be connected to Nissan electric vehicles safely.

A clean, powerful design The Nissan Energy Home was designed by the company’s global “space design team,” headed by Alfonso Albaisa, senior

vice president of global design. Wrapped in wood and clear walls, it expresses both Japanese tradition and modernity, with a sense of nature and sophistication.

Along the flooring and walls, blue illuminated power strips show the flow of energy from the solar panels or the Nissan LEAF battery. The open-air layout, with walking paths to each room, allow guests to move as freely as the energy moving around them.

The future of efficiency The Nissan Energy Home isn’t a distant dream or future; it represents the possibilities of today, using existing technologies.

Nissan Energy’s capabilities, whether it’s Nissan Energy Share or Energy Supply, can also be used as part of emergency relief efforts where the established power grid isn’t available.

“The Nissan Energy Home demonstrates the power of Nissan Intelligent Mobility and Nissan Energy, and how they can be integrated into your life – today and tomorrow,” said Executive Vice President Daniele Schillaci, Nissan’s global head of marketing, sales and electric vehicles. “This is merely the first of many demonstrations that our customers and fans will see regarding Nissan Energy, and we welcome them at our gallery in Yokohama.”

About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, INFINITI and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2017, the company sold 5.77 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 11.9 trillion yen. On April 1, 2017, the company embarked on Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, a six-year plan targeting a 30% increase in annualized revenues to 16.5 trillion yen by the end of fiscal 2022, along with cumulative free cash flow of 2.5 trillion yen. As part of Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, the company plans to extend its leadership in electric vehicles, symbolized by the world’s bestselling all-electric vehicle in history, the Nissan LEAF. Nissan’s global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, manages operations in six regions: Asia & Oceania; Africa, the Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America; and North America. Nissan has partnered with French manufacturer Renault since 1999 and acquired a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors in 2016. Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi is today the world’s largest automotive partnership, with combined sales of more than 10.6 million vehicles in calendar year 2017.

Hyundai sales show silver lining AS ECONOMIC headwinds begin to slowdown, Hyundai is in its best position to take advantage of what is left of 2018.

That was the fearless forecast made by Ma Fe Perez Agudo, President and CEO of Hyundai Asia Resources Inc, official distributor of Hyundai cars in the Philippines.

“Backed by a strong Hyundai community in the country, we have proven time and again that our products and services remain relevant in the country’s automotive industry,” says Perez-Agudo.

The official distributor continues its strong showing by registering a 3.5% year-on-year increase for the month of November 2018; the second consecutive month of year-on-year growth. Unit sales rose to 3,426 units from the recorded 3,309 units sold in November 2017. This puts the year-to-date total at 32,444 units sold from January – November 2018, closing the gap with only a 4.6% decrease from the same period of the previous year.

Passenger Cars (PC) maintain its position as the brand’s volume driver by accounting for 56.7% of the total unit

sales. The segment declined by 20.6% to 18,389 units for the period of JanuaryNovember 2018 compared to the 23,167 units sold in the same period of 2017.

Although with the recent announcement of the new Accent, the brand can expect its PC sales to pick up in 2019.

Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV), on the other hand, rose to be the front runner of the brand’s growth. The successful introduction of the Kona in the subcompact SUV segment, coupled with the significant increase in the sales of the H-100 due to the rise in construction activity from the administration’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ program, easily offset any negative effects that were experience in the automotive industry for the year. This has led to the segment selling a total of 14,055 units from January – November 2018, a 29.4% increase from the 10,858 units sold in 2017.

Sales and Economic Outlook Philippine inflation has shown its first sight of easing after its 8-month climb as November inflation fell to 6.0%. The sudden decline in global oil prices and the slowdown of food prices played a significant role in the inflation results. It is expected that inflationary pressures would moderate in the following year, backed by strong investments, and spending related to the midterm elections, would be enough to weather any external headwinds that would be experienced in the global economy in 2019. Hyundai’s performance the past few months is a testament to how the brand is able to capitalize on the slowdown of economic headwinds.

Hyundai is in a strong position to take advantage of the last month of the year and finish 2018 on a high note.

The demo house features solar panels and a Nissan LEAF electric car that provides power

GAC Motor to open Cebu dealership PASIG CITY—Legado Motors, Inc., the official distributor of GAC Motor in the Philippines, signed an agreement with Autozam Motors headed by Vince Lim to open a dealership in Mandaue City in 2019.

The contract signing with the newest dealer was held at GAC Motor Metrowalk, Pasig last December 1 led by LMI Chief Executive Officer Wilbert Lim, LMI Vice President for Sales and Operations Giovanni Frias, and GAC MotorChina Regional Sales Manager Frank Liu. The new 4S dealership will be located at M.L. Quezon St., Maguikay, Mandaue City, Cebu.

“We want to open the opportunity for

every Filipino to own world-class yet affordable vehicles. This goal is possible with the support and trust of committed dealers,” LMI CEO Wilbert Lim said.

Less than a month since the successful launch of GAC Motor in the country, the brand looks forward to expanding its dealership network nationwide.

The wide range of GAC Motor luxury vehicles available in the Philippine market are: GA4 sedan (available in 1.5-liter manual and 1.3-liter gas turbo automatic transmissions), GA8 executive sedan (available in four and five-seater variants), GS4 subcompact SUV, GM8 premium seven-seater minivan, and the flagship model, GS8 large SUV (available in 4x2 and 4x4 variants).

From left: GAC Motor-China Regional Sales Manager Frank Liu, Vince Lim of Autozam Motors, Legado Motors, Inc. Chief Executive Officer Wilbert Lim, and LMI Vice President for Sales and Operations Giovanni Frias

Motoring

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

C4 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

NAME OF THE GAME IN OIL INDUSTRY

Diversification, Innovation

By Alena Mae S. Flores

A

FIERCE but friendly competition in the country’s oil industry has become the norm since the passage of Republic Act 8479 also known as the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998 with investments of more than P241 billion infused by around 284 oil industry players.

New and even the old players have to to find ways to be ahead of the competition amid rising oil prices and emerging trends in the fuel business such as the entry of electric vehicle.

Despite the rise of EVs, the fossil fuel industry sees silver lining in the fact that car sales will double to 2 billion by 2040, analysts said. An Asian car boom is shaping up, sparked by great demand from China which forecast vehicle ownership ratio at 300 vehicles per 1,000 people.

In the Philippines, the shift to electric vehicles is unlikely to take place as fast as government wants, which means a great number of vehicles will still rely on gasoline and diesel. But local oil players are not being complacent to avoid being caught flatfooted when the shift to electric or hybrid cars is revved up.

For Chevron Philippines, Inc., which markets the Caltex brand, staying ahead of the competition means improving fuel range by investing on new technology. ‘’Caltex fuels has been synonymous with Clean fuels since we introduced our technologically advanced and exclusive

Techron fuel-cleaning additive in 2006.

Just two years ago (2016), we launched our new and improved Techron fuels with Clean and Glide Technology. It is designed with friction modifiers that keep engines clean, giving motorists superior reliable performance,’’ Raissa Bautista, CPI manager for Policy, Government and Public Affairs.

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., the country’s second biggest oil company in the country has also been innovating and investing in new fuel technologies. ‘’In the last two years, we have reformulated our entire fuels line, with our proprietary Dynaflex technology designed to deliver even better on efficiency,’’ Shell said when asked for comment.

Rival Phoenix Petroleum Philippines also upgraded its fuels’ powered with Phoenix PULSE Technology as the company always tried to its game as it positions itself as a credible and preferred new brand. ‘’Phoenix PULSE Technology is a fuel additive with advanced cleaning and protection properties for enhanced power and

Petron has allotted a substantial amount for its CSR activities.

acceleration. This makes our fuels at par with our competitors’’ best, but offered at a better value. Motorists now have access to high-quality and high-performance fuels, allowing them to boost their drive but not their spending’’ said Phoenix Petroleum vice president for external affairs Raymond Zorrilla.

Unioil Petroleum Philippines also believes in offering the Filipino motorist the best products and re-fueling experience.

It does this by offering ‘’best in class’’ Euro 5 fuel products available in all its gasoline stations. ‘’Unioil’s Euro 5 fuels gives you better engine performance, promotes longer engine life and gives you the opportunity to reduce harmful engine emissions to the environment’’ the company said.

Emerging trends Oil companies are also looking at opportunities in the opportunities in the emerging EV space in the country today as the trend moves towards low emission or zero-emission fuel vehicles.

Unioil said that as the nation progresses, the demand increases for the mobility of goods, services and personal transport increases and currently, the cheapest and

Pilipinas Shell strives for fuel efficiency.

most readily source of energy to power this need for mobility is still petroleum based fuels. ‘’As a cleaner alternative, the local consumers are waiting in anticipation for the entry of competitively priced electric vehicles in the local market. To spur importations on a commercial scale, the EV manufacturers and importers are eagerly waiting for the government to issue the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) to avail of importation tax incentives provided for electric vehicles under the new 2018 TRAIN Tax Law’’ Unioil said.

Unioil, however, said one particular concern of Filipino consumers who are considering to purchase EVs is the lack of conveniently located EV re-charging infrastructure network available in the country. ‘’To this end, Unioil has been very supportive of the early adoption and transition of the Filipino motorists to electric vehicles’’ it said.

To date, Unioil said it is the only oil company in the country that has actually installed and opened electric vehicle charging stations conveniently located inside their gasoline service station.

Caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption Promotional gimmicks rev up sales of Unioil.

Unioil opened its first EV charging station in September 2017 at Unioil Congressional Extension, Quezon City.

Unioil’s second EV charging station (equipped with a ‘’fast charger’’) opened last June in EDSA, Guadalupe, Makati City and is capable of safely and conveniently recharging most Japanese, European and US branded e-vehicles.

Bautista said Chevron is also looking at opportunities in the emerging EV space but believes consumers will dictate offerings in the stations. ‘’Chevron is working with EV charging partners to provide ‘’Test & Learn’’ EV charging pilot sites at several company operated stations in the United States by early 2019. Ultimately, consumer preferences will determine the offerings at Chevron branded retail stations’’ Bautista said.

Strengthening the retail network Oil industry players are also continuously investing in its retail station network and have started putting up bigger and better one stop shop/convenience stores to attract customers. ‘’Because we recognize that our customers’ needs go beyond just refueling, we have made it our priority to ensure that we provide a wide range of Retail offers at our stations. We are aware that with the trend of increasing need for convenience and healthy options, there is clamor in the market for high-quality products that are accessible yet affordable. With this, we aim to cater to the needs not just of vehicles but of every driver and motorist, to make their life’’ journeys better Shell said.

Shell said it continue to expand its retail network, with focus on building more vehicle servicing facilities (via Shell Helix Oilchange+ and Shell Helix Service Centers) and convenience stores. ‘’We are looking to accelerate growth for Shell Select, having launched various formats like food trucks, cafes, and standalone stores, as well as exciting new food and beverage options such as our own branded coffee and fresh juices to name a few’’ the company said.

Bautista says Caltex’s tie-ups with non-fuel brands offering various goods and services complement the fuel needs of our motorists.

For instance, the 100+ 7-Eleven convenience stores at Caltex sites satisfy the growing customer demand for convenience, provide a complete, consistent and high quality offers with ‘’ready to eat food’’ to consumers. ‘’Additionally, these stores provide additional revenue to our Caltex retailers which help ease the high cost of running any business’ the official said.

While Unioil does not have its own branded convenience stores, the company believes that convenience retailing, especially with the growing traffic problem, provides convenience and synergy with its fuels retailing business.

It has some international branded convenience stores co-located in selected Unioil gasoline stations.

Zorrilla said Phoenix’s bigger stations have been offering products and services beyond fuel, ‘’because we recognize the opportunity for gas stations to be one-

stop shops.’’

Some of Phoenix stations have convenience stores, restaurants, coffee shops, ATMs, and other services as the company aims to provide motorists convenience when travelling.

Phoenix also updated the look of its stations to a new, sleek design and is expanding to more sites nationwide in key locations, so it can be closer to where the customers are. ‘’Today, our company itself is more than a gas station. We have ventured into LPG with the Phoenix SUPER LPG brand, convenience stores with our acquisition of Philippine FamilyMart, and other new businesses’’ Zorrilla said.

Chevron, like other companies have also implementing loyalty programs and provide better service to retain and increase its customer base. ‘’Since 2014, Caltex has also partnered with the leading loyalty programs in the Philippines to give superior value to the Filipinos. Both Happyplus and Robinsons Rewards members are rewarded with added value for their repeated fuelups at Caltex stations. Both are highly recognized national loyalty programs of Jollibee Food Corporation and Robinsons Retail Holdings’’ Bautista said.

Shell, for its part, make sure its facilities like toilets and lounges are wellmaintained. ‘’We partner with the best institutions, like banks and other retailers and service providers to give our customers a rewarding, worry-free experience with

Total is aiming for a low-carbon strategy.

every visit. We also exert a lot of effort in making sure that our business model is sustainable, as we continue to integrate alternative energies and more ecologically-sound materials sourcing throughout our value chain’ Shell said.

Future prospects Bautista said that since the passing of RA 8479, the country have seen the tremendous growth of the downstream oil sector. ‘’Competition has paved the way for more fuel choices and other marketing opportunities to the motorists. There are no real barriers to the entry of new players and this is where we need to be continuously vigilant about strict compliance on fuel specifications, biofuels, taxes, safety and other standards. To ensure the sustainable growth of the oil industry that ensures a level playing field, a collaborative relationship with the government by the industry is crucial’’ she said.

Bautista said RA 8479 has served its purpose in attracting new industry players and ensuring the stable supply of oil products in the country Unioil said the future for the down-

stream oil industry is generally positive given the projected increasing demand locally for automotive fuels. ‘’Notwithstanding the expected increase in local competition, Unioil will continue its efforts to strengthen its market position by gaining the patronage and loyalty of its target market with ‘’best in class’’ Euro 5 fuels, competitive pricing, superior promotions, loyalty card benefits and fulfilling its brand promise to provide you with the best re-fueling experience from our Unioil stations’’ Unioil said.

Phoenix said the Philippine economy is growing, and demand for oil continues to grow and the company is confident of the company’s future in the industry. ‘’Our company has a clear vision - to be an indispensable partner in the journey of everyone whose life we touch. We have built a professional organization, and our entrepreneurial spirit makes us always on the lookout for opportunities’’ Zorrilla said.

He said that Phoenix is looking at first bridging the gap from today and to the energy solutions of the future. ‘’With our new LPG business, we see LPG or Auto-Gas as a viable and credible alternative to bridge the transition from the conventional fuels we use today to the electric vehicles of the future. Autogas, or LPG for vehicles, is readily available, affordable, and eco-friendly, making it a viable energy source and one of the best alternatives to fuel today’’ the official said. ‘’As the country takes steps towards transitioning to other energy sources, we are looking at autogas as a dependable

partner for motorists, both for private and public vehicle operators’’ Zorrilla said.

TOTAL, the 4th largest international oil company, the 2nd player worldwide in LNG and with strong positions in solar power is well-positioned to spearhead its low-carbon energy strategy, according to the compan’y chief communications officer Ma. Lourdes Espina.

In Europe and other mature economies, Total is laying the ground work for clean energy infrastructure. Currently, we have a network of more than 500 natural gas vehicle fueling stations worldwide. There are ongoing developments for the installation of 1,000 ultra-fast EV-charging points in our stations across Europe.

Plans are also underway to install 350 NGV fueling sites in Europe by 2022 following the recent acquisition of PitPoint.

In developing economies such as the Philippines where the shift to EVs is at a slower pace, Total says it will continue to actively promote fuel economy. We also invest in fuel and lubricants technology to develop better products that are providing car engines with better performance and lower fuel consumption and eco-solution labeled lubricants.

Part of the Total strategy is to transform Total service stations into One Stop Shops that offer a comprehensive line of services for motorists and commuters alike.

With over 16,500 service stations serving 8 million customers in 65 countries every day, our goal is to improve our customers’ refueling experience every time they visit our station and to offer customized solutions in each market, Espina said.

Our customers don’t just come to our stations to refill their gasoline tanks. They enjoy our coffee and treats, dine in our restaurant locations, have their car serviced, pay bills or top up their RFID card in our payment & reloading machines.

Selected Bonjour shops now also offer a variety of healthy meals and snacks to cater to a growing number of health-conscious customers.