Manila Standard - 2018 June 19 - Tuesday

Mexico quakes with joy over World Cup win VOL. XXXII • NO. 124 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

THOUSANDS of jubilant Mexico supporters partied in the streets of the capital Sunday after their team’s shock 1-0 victory over World Cup holders Germany—singing, dancing, blaring car horns and cheering El Tri.

FISTFUL FETE.

Mexico’s forward Hirving Lozano (far left) can’t contain his emotions as he celebrates after scoring during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group Football match between Germany and Mexico at the Luzniki Stadium in Moscow on Sunday. At near right, Germany’s goalie Manuel Neuer fails to stop a ball as Lozano kicks it in inches beyond Neuer’s hands. AFP

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Aussie nun gets reprieve

By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice has nullified the orders of the Bureau of Immigration forfeiting the missionary visa of Australian missionary Patricia Fox and ordering her to leave the country in 30 days.

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No sacred cows in P8-b health mess—Duque

By Macon Ramos-Araneta HEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque III on Monday vowed to punish those responsible for anomalies in the P8.1billion, two-phase Barangay Health Station Project, saying he was shocked by the volume of irregular transactions in his department.

“Heads will roll. Big names, small names, past and present. There will be no sacred cows. Heads will definitely roll,” Duque said at a briefing.

“I tried to give the persons involved the benefit of the doubt,” Duque told reporters.

“I am beyond frustrated. I am saddened and disgusted that the Filipino people are being shortchanged by the very people who are supposed to serve them.”

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Consumers warned vs ‘triple whammy’ Imports lower rice prices, says NFA

AT LEAST five Maute group fighters under their new leader Owayda Benito Marohombsar, alias Abu Dar, have been killed in military operations, an official said Monday.

Col. Romeo Brawner, spokesman of the Joint Task Force Ranao, said the five were killed after an encounter with the military in the forested ridges of Tuburan and Pagayawan in Lanao del Sur on Sunday.

“There are reports indicating that five members of the Maute-ISIS group led by Abu Dar have been killed. The military is still verifying these reports,” Brawner said.

He said the fighting between the terrorists and the military was still raging as of press time, and that ground troops were pursuing the other Maute members.

The military claims Abu Dar took over IS and its affiliate Maute group following the death of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, the ISIS emir in Southeast Asia, during the war in Marawi City that lasted five months.

Abu Dar, along with Hapilon and Maute group head Omar Abdullah, who was also killed in Marawi, was in the batch of terrorist leaders that hatched the attack on Marawi City on May 23 last year.

Abu Dar, a senior aide of Hapilon, is

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ESPITE assurances from the government that prices will stabilize soon, consumers face a triple whammy of higher water rates, more expensive train fares and yet another spike in fuel prices.

COMMERCIAL rice is now priced at P36 to P38 per kilo due to the arrival of the 250,000 metric tons of National Food Authority rice from Vietnam and Thailand, the Palace said Monday.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque also announced that the price of NFA rice will be sold at P27 to P32 per kilo as soon as the imported rice is transferred to Subic, in Pampanga, and distributed to Metro Manila.

The Palace official said prices of rice should go down with presence of more NFA rice in the market.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered the NFA to proceed with the rice importation following a shortage in the government rice inventory.

The low NFA buffer stock has reportedly led to the sudden increase in the prices of commercial rice.

The additional 250,000 MT of rice will ensure the affordability of the staple, Roque said.

The Philippines has existing rice supply agreements with Vietnam and Thailand—two major exporters of the staple in the region.

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5 Maute remnants killed in Lanao

By Francisco Tuyay

By Maricel V. Cruz and Alena Mae Flores

leading the newly-constituted Maute group that continues to recruit new members by using funds collected from several commercial establishments in Marawi City.

Brawner said the presence of the terrorists was detected after extensive intelligence operations to locate the remnants of the Maute group after their defeat in Marawi.

MILLENNIAL RIZAL. The Philippines national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, who would have been 157 years old Tuesday, can be read online for free today with the manga—a comicstrip book—available in English and Japanese on manga.club and in Japanese on sukima. me. Takuro Ando, representative of the publisher Torico, CCC, says the manga will have 100 pages and would detail Rizal’s life. New pages will be released every Tuesday. ‘Japan, too, was affected by the genius of Rizal, who had changed his country not through violence but through his knowledge and hard work,’ Ando says.

Gabriela Party-list Rep. Emmi de Jesus on Monday pushed for a congressional probe into how the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System allows its two concessionaires, Maynilad and Manila Water, to raise water rates quarterly based on foreign exchange fluctuations.

“At a time when mothers and ordinary Filipinos are reeling from the torrent of price hikes, the government still chose to approve a water rate hike to ensure payment of old and onerous foreign currency-denominated loans by the MWSS,” De Jesus said.

De Jesus questioned the foreign currency differential adjustment scheme in the MWSS concession agreements, which enables Maynilad and Manila Water to adjust water rates quarterly based how the peso fares against the US dollar.

Under the latest forex-induced water rate hike, Manila Water customers who consume 10 cubic meters or less will pay an additional P5.21 per month while Maynilad customers will pay an additional 23 centavos for the consumption of the same volume of water. Next page

Solons call on 4 ERC executives to quit; House mulls over charges

By Maricel V. Cruz LAWMAKERS on Monday urged four commissioners of the Energy Regulatory Commission to resign after the Ombudsman ordered them suspended for tolerating the misuse by the Manila Electric Co. of bill deposits of its customers.

“Maybe it is time they resign,” Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said of Commissioners Gloria Victoria YapTaruc, Alfredo Non, Josefina Patricia Magpala-Asirit and Geronimo Sta. Ana. Pimentel, chairman of the House committee on good government and public Next page

Du30: Peace gab in PH, not in Norway DRUM BEAT. The Eastern Police District

Mobile Force in Metro Manila prepares Monday in Pasig City its improvised Drum Boat made from recycled drums to provide a more durable and reliable search and rescue vehicle during natural calamities, particularly during the rainy season. Manny Palmero

By Vito Barcelo and Eva Casaljay PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte wants Norway out as facilitator of the peace talks and insists that the talks between the government and the communist rebels should be held in the Philippines,

Malacañang said Monday.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said there was no need to go to another country like Norway to talk peace because the negotiators were all Filipinos.

“This is a talk between Filipinos,” Roque quoted Duterte as saying, adding Next page

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TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

SC keeps Sereno on tenterhooks

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Supreme Court is expected to decide today on ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno’s appeal to reverse its May 11 decision removing her from her post, a source said Monday.

post for her alleged lack of proven integrity due to her failure to file all her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth when she was still teaching law at the University of the Philippines.

That decision led to Sereno vacating her post and Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio being designated as acting chief justice.

Besides her ouster, the high court also issued a show-cause order requiring Sereno to explain why she should not be sanctioned for supposedly violating the Code of Professional Responsibility and Code of Judicial Conduct “for transgressing the sub judice rule and for casting aspersions on the members of the Supreme Court.”

In her appeal, Sereno insisted on her argument that the high court had no

authority to remove her from office because she could only be ousted through impeachment.

She also argued that the Court violated her constitutional right to due process and overstepped its power.

She said the quo warranto petition should not have been granted because it already had gone beyond the one-year prescription period from appointment.

Lastly, she insisted on her plea for inhibition of six justices she accused of being biased against her: Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam and Samuel Martires.

But Calida asked the high court to deny Sereno’s the appeal in his comment filed last week.

Sereno’s motion for reconsideration had been included in the agenda in today’s regular en banc session, said the source who requested anonymity.

He said a 25-page draft resolution

by Associate Justice Noel Tijam had already been circulated among the justices.

The justices were expected to vote on whether to grant or deny Sereno’s appeal based on the arguments she raised in her 205-page motion for reconsideration filed on May 30, the source said.

But judicial observers said they expected the high court to vote to sustain its decision to oust Sereno and to deny her appeal for reinstatement.

That denial will pave the way for the Judicial and Bar Council to start the search for Sereno’s replacement.

In its ruling on May 11, the high court granted the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida and invalidated Sereno’s appointment in 2012.

The Court disqualified her from the

Solons...

PPP Center red-flagged over P845-m receivables

accountability, said his committee has completed its investigation in aid of legislation into the seven alleged “sweetheart” power supply agreements (PSAs) being sought by Meralco-linked generation companies at the ERC involving the four commissioners.

“We have also completed our committee report and we have recommended [the] further investigation of ERC commissioners and if there is substantial evidence, to file the necessary cases,” Pimentel added.

Reps. Teddy Baguilat Jr. of Ifugao and Sherwin Tugna of Cibac Partylist echoed Pimentel’s call for the four ERC commissioners to quit due to their alleged incompetence and neglect of duty.

“Isn’t the best scenario either for them to just resign or for the President [Rodrigo Duterte] to fire them?” Baguilat said.

Baguilat said it is best for the ERC commissioners to resign since they will no longer be able to perform their jobs when they are suspended.

Tugna, for his part, commended the Ombudsman’s latest action against the ERC commissioners.

“That is a welcome decision in the fight against mis-governance. We in Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption [CIBAC] Party-List, support the decision,” said Tugna, chairman of the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms.

The Ombudsman ordered the four suspended for the second time for alleged failure to properly implement rules governing bill deposits as “mere guarantee in payment of bills.”

The four ERC commissioners allegedly tolerated the misuse of bill deposits by allowing its commingling with the capital or operation cost of Meralco.

In December, the Ombudsman ordered a year-long suspension without pay against the four ERC commissioners for allowing power utilities like the Meralco to skirt the required bidding process for energy agreements filed at the ERC.

By Rio N. Araja

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Du30:...

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there was no point in holding the talks in another country.

He made his statement even as Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Monday denied the rebels’ claim that the future military offensives against them were the reason the resumption of the peace negotiations set on June 28 was canceled.

“That is not true,” Lorenzana said.

“The President decided that he needs more time to review all past agreements between the NDF [National Democratic Front] and the GRP [Government of the Republic of the Philippines] and the results of the recent back-channeling talks.”

Roque agreed with Lorenzana and said the rebels’ claim was without basis.

He said the military was busy confronting the armed groups in Lanao del Sur, but the firefight was not directly intended against the rebels.

He called on the rebels to go slow in making public declarations with regard to the peace talks between them and the government.

He said it would be sad if the Communist Party of the Philippines would not agree to having the peace talks in the Philippines.

“I’m hopeful that, with the sincerity shown by the government, the venue should not matter,” Roque said.

He said the peace talks must be held here and in July instead of this month.

“I do not know if [the talks were] originally scheduled for the 24th [of June] because that information came from [CPP founding chairman] Joma Sison,” Roque said.

THE Commission on Audit has called the attention of the Public-Private Partnership Center of the Philippines to collect some P845.8 million in receivables from national government agencies and government-owned and -controlled corporations for terminated PPP projects.

The center has receivables of P679 million from national government agen-

Consumers...

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“The peso has plunged to a recordlow in more than a decade by breaching the P53:$1 mark and shows no sign of recovery. With the FCDA scheme in place, a depreciating peso will only mean bigger water rate hikes in the coming months,” De Jesus said. “Consumers will be charged several times over for the same erratic water service.

This is one of the many downsides of water privatization.”

Gabriela earlier filed House Resolution 1363 seeking a congressional inquiry into the MWSS concession agreements, which the group said, has led to its privatization, particularly on the provisions that warrant regular rate hikes including the FCDA and the currency exchange rate adjustment.

HR 1363 provides that water rates “should be reasonably based on the actual water supply and processing under

No...

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The goal of the BHS Project was to build a functional PhilHealth-accredited health station in every barangay to ensure access to primary health care, using public elementary schools as identified sites.

But a task force organized by Duque in April confirmed the findings of a Commission on Audit report, which found that the project “was obstructed by ineligible and non-workable project sites that were not fully validated before

Aussie...

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On the last day of the 30-day period given her to leave the country, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra granted on Monday her petition for review after finding that the BI’s forfeiture of Fox’s visa was “without legal basis.”

In a resolution, Guevarra stressed that while the Philippine immigration laws gave the BI broad powers in regulating the entry and stay of aliens in the country, visa forfeiture was not among those powers.

“Our existing immigration laws outline what the BI can do to foreigners and their papers, including visas, when they commit certain acts within Philippine territory.

What the BI did in this case is beyond what the law provides. That is why it has to be struck down,” Guevarra stressed.

“This Office cannot sanction BI’s resort to a visa forfeiture procedure, and the [BI]’s orders against [Fox], which result

Mexico...

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The earth literally moved in quakeprone Mexico City when Hirving “Chucky” Lozano smashed home the game-winning goal in the 35th minute at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium--a football “earthquake of joy.”

Seismologists said that they had detected an “artificial” rumbling, possibly caused by “widespread jumping” when

cies and P116.8 million from GOCCs as of Dec. 31, 2017, CoA said.

CoA said the amount should be reimbursed to the PPPCP in full.

The receivables, sourced from the center’s Project Development and Monitoring Facility Funds, were released to enable national agencies and GOCCs to conduct feasibility studies on PPP projects.

CoA, however, said some projects

covered by the funds were terminated while others were not pursued.

The commission said the departments of Transportation, Public Works and Health terminated 12 PPP projects, including the P205.8-million NorthSouth/Integrated Luzon Railway Project, the P115.2-million Light Rail Transit Line 1 extension to Dasmariñas, Cavite and the P151.8-million Laguna lakeshore expressway dike project.

government regulation and [should] be independent of foreign exchange rates and loan terms, with the end view of making water service accessible and affordable to all.”

The resolution also calls for the suspension of the FCDA pending the investigation of the appropriate House committee.

Meanwhile, the Light Rail Manila Corp. on Monday justified the need to raise fares of the Light Rail Transit Line 1, given the continuous rise in the company’s operating expenses.

LRMC president and CEO Juan Alfonso on Monday stressed the need to adjust fares as operating expenses have increased while fares have remained unchanged since the company took over in 2015.

“With interest and everything, the LRMC is hardly earning anything,” he said in Filipino on the program Dobol B sa News TV. The LRMC sought an increase that would raise fares by P7 on end-to-end trips and P5 on average, but Senator Grace Poe, chairman of the Senate com-

mittee on public services, has urged the government to hold off on the fare hike.

Oil companies, meanwhile, raised fuel prices again, by P0.45 per liter for diesel and kerosene and P0.20 per liter for gasoline.

PTT Philippines, Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Seaoil Philippines, Eastern Petroleum Philippines and Total Philippines issued separate advisories of the oil price hike while other oil players are expected to follow suit.

“Please be advised that Eastern Petroleum will hike the price of diesel by P0.45 per liter and unleaded and premium gasoline by P0.20 per liter at 6 am Tuesday,” the company said.

On June 12, the oil firms rolled back pump prices by by P0.55 per liter for gasoline and P0.60 per liter both for diesel and kerosene due to the softening of world oil prices.

Before Tuesday’s increase, year-todate total adjustments stand at a net increase of P5.60 per liter in gasoline and P6.15 per liter in diesel.

project contracting and implementation due to absence of specific guidelines.”

The CoA also noted that equipment procured for the project remained idle or undistributed to the intended beneficiaries.

Duque said the order of business was to clean house from within.

“I will continue instituting changes, including reorganization, in the coming days,” he said.

He said he has also ordered a meticulous review of all transactions entered into by the previous administrations.

The DoH has also submitted documents to the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Presidential Anti-

Corruption Commission, which issued requests and subpoenas to help their own parallel investigations.

Duque said he has also sent a formal request to the CoA to conduct a fraud audit of the BHS project, as well as all other projects included in the P9.3-billion Special Allotment Release Order dated Dec. 29, 2015. He has also asked the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct a fact-finding investigation to hold responsible officials accountable.

Duque said he will ensure full cooperation and transparency of the DoH in the ongoing investigations, as well as appropriate legal actions against erring officials.

therefrom. To hold otherwise will legitimize [BI’s] assertion of a power that does not exist in our laws,” the DoJ chief ruled.

While the DoJ declared the missionary visa granted to Fox as still valid and subsisting, the resolution nevertheless treated the ongoing case against the Australian missionary as one for visa cancellation, a procedure allowed by law and immigration rules.

With this ruling, Guevarra remanded the case and ordered the BI to ascertain whether the charge and the evidence against Fox make out a case for visa cancellation, for which specific grounds are stated in law.

“The BI treated this as a case for visa forfeiture instead of one for visa cancellation. As a result, the bureau has yet to decide whether the supposed actions of Fox do indeed justify the cancellation of her visa,” the DoJ chief said.

“It would therefore be premature for us at the DoJ to decide that matter now.

For that reason, we are returning this

case to the BI for its proper disposition,” the DoJ resolution pointed out.

Guevarra directed the BI to hear the visa cancellation case along with the deportation case against Fox, which is already pending with the bureau.

“Until a final resolution of the visa cancellation or deportation proceedings is reached, or until the expiration of her missionary visa, which ever comes first, Sister Fox may continue to perform her duties as a missionary in the Philippines,” the resolution emphasized.

Fox, who has been in the Philippines for 27 years, was arrested by immigration authorities, in April.

She was accused of participating in political activities prohibited of foreigners--by joining rallies and factfinding missions, a charge her lawyers deny and contend is part of her religious and pro-peasant advocacy work.

President Rodrigo Duterte himself ordered the 71-year old nun investigated for “disorderly conduct.”

the goal was scored.

Fans crammed into the Zocalo, the city’s main square, to celebrate.

“What happened today was an earthquake of joy for us--just imagine, we beat the world champions!” said Laura Villegas, a 45-year-old merchant who downed her beer with tequila in one gulp.

“What happened hey, what happened hey, to the Germany that was going to beat us today?” the crowd chanted.

President Enrique Pena Nieto

joined the party, saying on Twitter: “Confirmed: Mexico competes and wins against the best in the world, Congratulations to @miseleccionmx! Great match!”

Victory rallies erupted in other major cities such as Guadalajara, Toluca, Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez.

‘Lozano for president’ Throughout the capital, the streets filled with exhilarated fans, on foot, bicycles, motorbikes or in cars. Some blasted their car stereos, while others

Bello remains in the race for Ombudsman

By Maricel V. Cruz and Rio N. Araja A HOUSE official on Monday said Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III was still in the race for the top Ombudsman post despite the pending criminal and administrative charges filed against him at the anti-graft agency.

At the same time, evangelical and Catholic theological educators on Monday urged the Judicial and Bar Council to reject the application of Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Martires to head the Office of the Ombudsman.

In a six-page opposition, 18 Catholic priests, evangelical pastors and theological sisters said Martires lacked probity, a constitutional requirement for members of the judiciary.

They said Martires refused to inhibit himself from hearing and deciding the quo warranto case against sacked Supreme Court chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno “showing lack of probity.”

“His patently biased line of questioning during the oral arguments on the connection between ‘mental illness’ and ‘invoking God as the source of personal strength,’ ‘God as the source of inspiration,’ ‘God as the source of happiness,’ and ‘God as the source of everything in life’ also betrays a blatant lack of respect for faithbased communities despite the clear Constitutional guarantee mandating respect for religious freedom which as a Justice of the Supreme Court he is bound to observe,” the letter read.

The document was addressed to Acting Supreme Court Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, who sits as the JBC’s ex-official chairperson.

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, chairperson of the House of Representatives’ committee on justice and ex-officio member of the JBC, said “Secretary Bello (is) still in the race, but with [low] priority if reports about his pending complaints are true.”

Reports said Bello could no longer be appointed or even nominated to the Ombudsman post because of his pending graft case and an administrative case for misconduct filed in 2017.

But Umali insisted that Bello was still in the race.

The JBC rules provide that those “with pending criminal or regular administrative cases” are disqualified “from being nominated for appointment to any judicial post or as Ombudsman or Deputy Ombudsman.”

Responding to the issue, Bello, a former representative of 1-BAP Party-list, shrugged off the reports that he was already disqualified from the Ombudsman race as he would still pursue his application for the top position at the Ombudsman.

Bello said the JBC rules spoke of cases pending in courts and not complaints at the Ombudsman.

“I believe the rules talk about cases and not complaints,” said Bello as he asked what happened to the disqualified candidates if the complaints against them were dismissed before the JBC voted for the candidates to be shortlisted.

Section 5 of Rule 4 of the JBC rules provide that those with pending cases are disqualified from nomination or appointment to the post.

But Umali explained that Bello’s application might be placed in the low priority because the selection process was categorized under first, second and third priority list.

Imports...

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To boost the country’s rice supply, Roque said the government wants to prioritize the purchase of local grains from Filipino farmers over rice importation.

He said the NFA has already been reminded to buy palay from local farmers during harvest season to avoid a repeat of the shortage in government stocks. Vito Barcelo shrieked in glee.

Amid the cacophonous bustle, a veteran violinist played the traditional tune “Cielito Lindo”—roughly translated as “Lovely Sweet One.” The victory was a heart-stopping one, but “a small goal is still a goal,” said the musician, while fans left coins in his instrument case.

One female fan, a flag in her hand and the national colors painted on her cheeks, screamed: “We are an Aztec warrior force!” AFP

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TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Police pick up more than 2k ‘loiterers’ in M. Manila

By Francisco Tuyay, Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta AT LEAST 2,842 loiterers or “tambays” have been rounded up by policemen in simultaneous operations in different areas in Metro Manila which authorities said is aimed at ensuring that streets are safe from criminal and unscrupulous elements.

Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde said the roundup is part of the strict enforcement of city ordinances to rid the streets of undesirables.

He said that those who were picked up by the police were violators of ordinances relating to curfew (944); drinking in public (653); half-naked (651); smoking in public ((456); and traffic violators (138).

The PNP chief added that individuals urinating in public, conducting illegal barking, littering, breach of peace and obstruction were also picked up by the police.

“Remember, peace and order is everybody’s right. This is the basic right of every human being, to live in peace.”

Albayalde said the PNP’s initiative was in consonance to President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to crack down on “tambays” whom the president said could bring potential trouble to the public.

SENATE LOOP. PUV officials and guests including (from left) D. Edgard Cabangon, ALC Group of Company chairman/CEO, Isuzu president Hajime Koso, DoTR Undersecretary

Tim Orbos, Remedios Litong Ventura, president of SETSCO, Senate President Vicente Sotto, Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Juan Miguel Zubiri witness the ribbon cutting and launching of the PUV 15 modernized jeepneys for the Senate Loop Route under the Senate Employees Transport Service Cooperative held at the Senate in Pasay City. Lino Santos

Law allows village chiefs to carry firearms—Roque

By Rio N. Araja

RESIDENTIAL Spokesperson Harry Roque has said that under the law, it is acceptable to arm barangay officials.

P ALBAYALDE

House panel seeks to retitle, amend law vs terrorism

By Maricel V. Cruz A JOINT panel in the House of Representatives on Monday created a technical working group that will work on proposed amendments to Republic Act 9372 or the Human Security Act of 2007.

Among the proposed amendment to be considered by the joint House committees on public order and safety, and national defense and security include retitling of the law as the “Prevention of Terrorism Act.” The proposal embodied in the bill filed

by Pangasinan Rep. Amado Espino Jr. said the title has to be changed to jibe with the motive of terrorism such as attempts to “compel a government, an international organization or any person or entity to do or to abstain from doing any act.”

This means that authorities can conduct surveillance on individuals merely on the “reasonable ground of suspicion on the part of the law enforcement or military personnel.”

“Under the present law, authorities will only have to prove probable cause… based on personal knowledge,” Espino, chairperson of the House committee on national defense and security, said.

Speaking before reporters in a media briefing, Roque said that Chapter 3, Section 389, C of the Local Government Code of the Philippines states that “Punong Barangay shall be entitled to possess and carry the necessary firearm within his territorial jurisdiction, subject to appropriate rules and regulations.”

But Roque clarified that arming the barangay officials is still being studied by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, following the declaration of President Rodrigo Duterte that he wants to arm barangay officials to ensure their protection in the

war of drugs and criminality. He said that what the President has said is not yet final.

Roque added that arming barangay officials will not only be subject to the law but also the requirements of the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Some also expressed concerns that the arming of barangay officials is a risky move since there is a list of barangay officials who are allegedly part of the illegal drug trade, which defeats the very purpose of the declaration.

Vice President Leni Robredo also

expressed her disapproval on the move to arm barangay chairmen.

During a chance interview, Robredo said that it is not the duty of the barangay officials to carry firearms.

“As far as I am concerned, I do not favor such because that is not the mandate of the barangay officials. They are mandated to perform executive functions,” she said.

She added that allowing barangay chairmen to carry firearms is not an assurance to achieve and maintain peace and order within their jurisdiction.

She said that the police and military have the mandate to ensure the country’s peace and order as well as the security of the people.

“To carry a firearm is not the answer to peace and order [problem]. There are so many ways to do so without arming barangay officials,” she added.

With Evalea Casaljay

‘New Dengvaxia study stresses need for refund, budget’

By Maricel V. Cruz THE chairman of the House committee on appropriations on Monday said Congress has more reasons to approve the proposed supplemental budget for Dengvaxia victims following the New England Journal of Medicine’s affirmation of the ill-effects of Dengvaxia on certain children.

“This study should prompt swift approval of the supplemental budget,” Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles said, referring to House Bill 7449 or the P1.16billion supplemental budget for 2018 that will cover possible medical expenses that may be incurred should children injected with Dengvaxia get ill.

The House earlier passed on third and final reading its version of the supplemental budget before the sine die adjournment of Congress late last month.

But the Senate failed to pass its version.

“I have no doubt that the Senate would ultimately do what’s right and make sure that the money we set aside will end up benefitting the Dengvaxia victims. It is too important to ignore,” Nograles said.

Published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine were the results of an analysis of the controversial anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.

French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur manufactured the drug, which in April 2016 was made the focus of a massive inoculation campaign by the previous Aquino administration.

In November 2017, Sanofi admitted that the vaccine could worsen symptoms for “seronegative” children, or those who have never contracted dengue but were given Dengvaxia shots anyway.

By this time, nearly 900,000 Filipino school children had been vaccinated under the anti-dengue program.

“The published findings confirmed Sanofi’s belated admission of the pitfalls of Dengvaxia. It also upheld the World Health Organization recommendation last April that the vaccine should not be used without testing for prior dengue exposure,” Nograles said.

The proposed P1.16-billion supplemental budget makes use of Sanofi’s partial refund for the P3-billion anti-dengue program.

The refund specifically covers the unused

Dengvaxia vials that the Department of Health returned following the program’s suspension by the Duterte administration.

Citing the findings, Nograles reiterated his call for the French company to make a full refund, i.e., reimbursing the Philippine government for the used Dengvaxia vials.

“Sanofi has rejected DoH’s request for a full refund multiple times now, refusing to pay the Philippine government back for the vaccines already used. But all Dengvaxia has given is grief and anger to us Filipinos who unfortunately served as guinea pigs. The Philippines through the DoH has more leverage than ever to seek the refund,” Nograles said.

The supplemental budget allocates funds for medical assistance and the monitoring of the health of the children who were vaccinated with Dengvaxia.

In this regard, Nograles, who oversees the crafting of the national budget in his capacity as Appropriations chairman, promised to funnel more money into the treatment and monitoring efforts on the Dengvaxia vaccinees.

25 detained OFWs in Qatar pardoned

By Vito Barcelo AT LEAST 25 overseas Filipino workers detained in Qatar for various offenses were granted a royal pardon by the Emir of Qatar on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.

Bello said he has conveyed the gratitude of President Rodrigo Duterte to Sheikh Tamim Bin Hammad Al Thani for his act of compassion.

“The most kind gesture of His Highness the Emir is a testament to our strong people-to-people linkages and the triumph of the human spirit. We are truly grateful,” Bello said.

The pardoned workers are soon to be repatriated and receive assistance from the government, he said.

Bello graced a gathering of more

than 4,000 Filipino migrant workers in Doha in observance of Philippine Independence Day organized by the Philippine Embassy in the oil-rich country.

The event, which coincided with the celebration of Ed’l Fitr, was also attended by the Qatar minister of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs, Dr. Essa Bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi and other Qatari officials.

“I also join our migrant workers in expressing our sincere gratitude for the generosity of His Excellency Minister Nuaimi in co-hosting the gathering,” he said.

Most of the pardoned workers have been imprisoned for bouncing checks, and a handful for drug and adultery cases. They have been in detention for months.

NEWS FORUM. National Press Club president Rolly ‘Lakay’ Gonzalo presides during the launch of Kapihan Para Sa Kapayapaan News Forum with special guest Ferdinand Jovita, OPPAP director for Conflict Prevention Management, held at the Kamayan Restaurant along Edsa, Ortigas on Monday, June 18, 2018. Manny Palmero

US hails arrest of two convicts in Marine’s murder THE United States Embassy in Manila lauded on Monday the arrest of two convicts involved in the high-profile murder of US Marine Major George Anikow, the husband of a former US Embassy employee, in 2012.

“The US Embassy in the Philippines welcomes the arrests of Galicano Datu III on June 12 in Mandaluyong City and Crispin dela Paz on June 14 in Marikina City by the National Bureau of Investigation [NBI] for the violent death of George Anikow on Nov. 24, 2012, bringing some measure of justice to this senseless crime,” the US Embassy said in a statement.

“We appreciate the cooperation of Philippine law enforcement authorities in locating and apprehending the perpetrators,” the statement added.

NBI Director Dante Gierran said Datu and Dela Paz were charged and convicted for brutally killing Anikow in Bel-Air subdivision near Rockwell Center, Makati City, on Nov. 24, 2012.

Rey E. Requejo

Japan opens market for PH skilled workers THE Japan government will open its labor market for 500,000 foreign workers for agriculture, construction, shipbuilding, nursing and other health care services between 2020 to 2025, according to a recruitment and migration expert.

Migration and recruitment expert Emmanuel Geslani said Japan prefers to hire more Filipino workers as there are already 250,000 Filipinos in Japan who has permanent resident status because many have been married to Japanese citizens.

He said many day care centers are willing to hire Filipino residents of Japan, adding Japan finally changed its strict immigration policy to accept more low-skilled foreign laborers.

By 2025, Japan is considering letting as many as 500,000 relatively lowskilled laborers enter the country to work in five industrial sectors that have been suffering from an acute labor shortage, namely in the construction, agriculture, nursing, hotel and ship-building industries. Vito Barcelo

Use spell check to avoid errors, PCOO told PRESIDENTIAL Spokesman Harry Roque advised Presidential Communications Operations Office officials and staff to use “spell check” before issuing any press and photo releases from its office.

At the same time, Roque apologized for the two successive PCOO blunders.

The PCOO had cited Norway as “Norwegia” and also mistakenly addressed the late congressman and National Security Adviser Roilo Golez as “Rogelio” on its official Facebook page.

While this was not the first time the PCOO made mistakes, Roque, however, appealed to the public for understanding, saying they have “learned the lesson.”

On its official Facebook page, the social media team of the PCOO shared a picture of Duterte honoring outgoing Norwegian Ambassador Erik Forner with the Order of Sikatuna.

The caption, however, drew flak since it referred to the country of Norway as “Norwegia”.

“Let he who has not erred cast the first stone. This may not be the first but come on, let’s give them slack,” Roque said in a Palace briefing. Vito Barcelo

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Opinion

TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Culture of impunity prevails over those who would like to destroy the Church. *** Arming barangay officials could be the biggest mistake that this President KILLINGS and more killings—on the could ever make. streets, especially in squatter areas, It is bad enough that there are so even in chapels and churches—seem to many loose firearms all over the counbe the norm today. try. We see this in cases of drug pushManila Archbishop Cardinal Luis ers and people involved in the illegal Tagle and Lingayen Archbishop So- drug trade when they try to fire back crates Villegas said killings now appear at the police, resisting arrest. Where do to be the final solution to everything. you think they get their firearms if not The tragedy is that people find it through illegal gun runners? funny.

By arming barangay officials, even Is this the change we expect from gangland syndicates will now have President Duterte? Why are people like their own private armies. This would the three monkeys who hear, see or say mean greater impunity. nothing? *** I may as well add: People may have In my existence as a journalist for albeen cowed into silence to what is most seven decades, I have never seen happening to our country. Even some so much incompetence and stupidity Catholics laugh and cheer when the in a single agency—the Presidential President attacks the Church and its Communications Operations Office priests. under Secretary Martin Andanar.

With all these killings, there is now And then came the series of blunders a culture of imby Assistant Secpunity. Have we retary Margaux Filipinos lost our “Mocha” Uson— using misleading priorities?

The problem is photos in depictThis seems to be the that there does not ing the siege of seem to be a lead- norm these days.

Marawi, saying er we can believe Mayon Volcano was in Naga, comin, not even from paring the kiss the opposition.

Yes, some oppositionists are making given by President Duterte to an OFW noise, but there is nobody among them in Korea to the kiss received by the late who voices our true sentiments and re- Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. just before awakens our values. he was assassinated. *** The PCOO also said the Norwegian There was a time when the most re- ambassador was from a country called vered members of the community were Norwegia. priests and teachers.

My gulay, there are hospitals for the But are the criminals now sick, and jails for criminals, but there is emboldened by the President’s attacks no remedy for stupidity! on the Church, such that members of *** the clergy are being harmed?

The Lucio Tan group hails the fact I hope this is not the reason, but I that Tanduay Rum has become the bigcannot think of any other explanation. gest name in Philippine-made rum, Yes, many decry the killings as a result ousting Bacardi from Puerto Rico. of the President’s war on drugs. But When Manda Elizalde returned to God commanded his people: “Thou the Philippines in 1987, he entered shall not kill.” into a memorandum of understanding The Catholic Bishops Conference with the Metro Pacific Group under its of the Philippines is against members chairman-president, Manny Pangiliof the clergy arming themselves. This nan, for the purchase of Tanduay Rum would only confuse the faithful. A for P800 million. priest must be ready at all times to be There was also an offer from the a martyr. In fact, when priests choose Lucio Tan group for Tanduay for P1 martyrdom, they become the victors Turn to A5

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

I

Passing the torch

N APRIL 2018, Reporters Without Borders released the latest results of the World Press Freedom Index, a survey that assessed the level of press freedom in 180 countries.

The index measures perceptions of freedom in terms of the level of pluralism, media independence, the environment and self-censorship, legal framework, transparency, and the quality of infrastructure that supports the production of news and information.

There is a growing trend of animosity toward journalists across the globe, RSF said. In authoritarian countries, journalists are accused of terrorist acts and those perceived disloyal to the regime are imprisoned on

trumped-up charges.

The truly worrying development, however, is that even in supposed democracies, politicians are up front about seeing media as an adversary.

It is against this backdrop that Marixi Rufino-Prieto has stepped down from being chairman of another newspaper, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, at age 78. She says she wants to spend more time with her family, especially with her grandchildren, and devote her energies to various advocacies, charity organizations and foundations.

Under her leadership, the newspaper grew into a multi-media platform, showing how news organizations can adapt to changing demands while maintaining their core identity and principles.

The news, after all, is still the news, however it is delivered.

These are interesting times for the Philippine press. Fake news abounds and with the deluge of information from a myriad of sources, even those which are supposed to know better, it is difficult to tell whom to believe.

The line separating news and propaganda becomes thinner by the day. Critics are immediately demonized, if not by an easilyslighted leadership, then by a horde of blind supporters who refuse to see that not everybody who criticizes a government automatically wishes it to fail.

It remains to be seen how Philippine media, its big and small players alike, will be able to temper these realities with the ideals that make journalism a noble profession. Prieto has done her bit. Her successor, and all the rest of us who choose to remain, have a wild ride ahead of us.

Reconsidering Republic versus Sereno oning of prescriptive period only runs upon discovery, unless specifically provided.

Finally, Chief Justice Sereno argues that she is a person of proven integrity, contrary to the Court’s ruling that she is WITH this column, the fourth in a se- not as she failed to chronically file her ries, I continue my summary of the mo- Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net tion for reconsideration filed by Chief Worth. She submits that this is inconJustice Maria Lourdes Sereno asking sistent with the Court’s pronouncement her fellow Supreme Court Justices to that the Solicitor General, the petitioner reverse the decision ousting her. in the quo warranto case, has discharged On the third ground raised in the mo- its burden of proof. In the first place, action for reconsideration, Sereno argues cording to her, requiring her to produce that the Court erred when it annulled her SALNs is inconsistent with the printhe official act of the JBC. According to ciple that petitioner has the burden of her, the official act of the Judicial and proof. It is tantamount to presuming that Bar Council nominating and President she did not file her SALNs which is vioAquino appointlative of her right ing her were acts to the presumpbeyond the pale tion of innocence of judicial review. and regularity.

The majority The JBC was exConsidering the ercising its discre- violated basic, probability that tionary power in the custodian is indetermining re- fundamental principles competent to prospondent’s posses- of law and judicial duce the SALNs sion of integrity, a precedents, she argues. without the fault political question of the public ofnot reviewable by ficer, the certifithe court. In the cation required by same vein, the the Court may not President’s choice and determination of be presented. In fact, there is preponher qualifications was as much a politi- derance of evidence to show that she cal question as that of the JBC. actually submitted her SALNs in the For her fourth ground, the Chief Jus- University of the Philippines. That she tice posits that the petition was time actually complied with the requirement barred. The rules, specifically Section to file her SALNs is shown by her not 11 Rule 66 of the Rules of Court a pe- receiving any “compliance order” or tition for quo warranto, must be filed “show cause order” from UP Human within one (1) year from the “cause Resources Development Office. of ouster.” In stating that prescription The Chief Justice likewise submits does not run against the State and the that the Court erred in ignoring the one-year period only runs upon discov- criteria of the JBC in determining ery the Court, according to respondent, integrity and applied its own definition was stating a new doctrine. The Civil of integrity which is an abstract concept.

Code and the Rules of Civil Procedure To her, the Court has no authority to Turn to A5 do not mention that the time of reck-

Manila, Dumaguete hold Pride Month activities DID you know that Manila holds the longest-running Pride March event in Southeast Asia?

This year’s Metro Manila Pride gathering will be on June 30 at the Marikina Sports Center. The event brings together LGBTQ individuals and groups in celebration under the theme #RiseUpTogether.

At last year’s Metro Manila Pride event dubbed “Here Together,” speaker Senator Risa Hontiveros said: “For a country that is considered by many as liberal and tolerant of different views,

the Philippines has a long way to go to ensure the lives and the rights of the LGBT people. Even the attitude of the government is disturbing.”

A year later, this is still so. Here’s just one example—a bill meant to prevent discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression (SOGIE), known as the SOGIE Equality or Anti-Discrimination Bill, was proposed in Congress in 2000 by then-senator Miriam DefensorSantiago and then-Akbayan Party-list Representative Etta Rosales Santiago, but failed to progress up to 2016 because of opposition from conservative lawmakers.

It got a bit better after that. In 2017,

Pride celebrations and marches are meant to bring the LGBTQ community in solidarity and fellowship as well as bring awareness to the rest of the country of the issues and challenges they face.

Turn to A5 Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

ManilaStandard

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

ONLINE

can be accessed at: manilastandard.net

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Opinion

TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018

Slowly but surely FORMATION GARY OLIVAR WELL-HIDDEN—perhaps deliberately—behind the President’s usual abrasive language is what appears to be a patient strategy to put milestone reforms in place, one at a time, by making periodic breakthroughs that need to be followed up with a lot of work by his people.

On the issue of federalism, a key plank of his platform, Duterte had lately been sounding positively negative, saying that the country may not be ready for it, around the same time an opinion poll showed that most of the public opposed it, wanted to postpone it, or were either indifferent or uninformed.

But I didn’t hear a lot of this negativism among the grassroots leaders— from the youth, farmers, and indigenous people—who trooped to a briefing organized by the Department of the Interior and Local Government earlier this week in Dumaguete, the first of several such regional briefings planned throughout the country.

If anything, the grassroots was even more aggressive. One elderly gentleman called the proposed 12-year transition period “kalokohan” (clearly he wants to see federalism in his lifetime). A local mayor wanted to push a mini-PIRMA movement among the country’s mayors to show Duterte and Congress their support for this changeover. *** Perhaps sensing this positive undercurrent, the President reiterated his unilateral opposition to the current unitary state during his Eid’l Fitr speech in Davao City. He also promised to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law, asked MNLF founder Nur Misuari to join the BBL talks, and reiterated that he will step down in any transition to a new leader.

We hope that last point has reached the ears of his consultative commission, whose draft charter reportedly may allow a public official who’s finished two consecutive four-year terms to run again after an elapsed period (during which time their relatives within the second degree also cannot run for the same office).

It’s an eminently reasonable proposition, of course. But you can count on the opposition to attack it as another attempt by a sitting president to overstay in office. This has always been the bete noire of previous attempts at charter change. Perhaps the commissioners

Manila,...

From A4

transgender solon Geraldine Roman filed a similar bill that passed third reading in the House of Representatives. However, the Senate counterpart bill filed by Hontiveros is still in the period of interpolations as of last month, with opposition coming from Senator Tito Sotto.

Pride celebrations and marches are meant to bring the LGBTQ community in solidarity and fellowship as well as bring awareness to the rest of the country of the issues and challenges they face.

Cis (“comfortable in skin”) people are encouraged to join the events as allies. We all have friends, family, and/ or both who are LGBTQ. Passing the SOGIE Bill into law will show our love and support for them as Filipinos. Our nation is composed of diverse individuals—let us respect their right to live as they wish and create safe spaces for them to thrive.

“People don’t take you seriously, or they think it’s just a phase,” says one of my family members who is bisexual.

“But this is not a phase. This is who I am. This is my life.”

For more on Metro Manila Pride, visit mmpride.org or its Facebook page for

Culture...

From A4

billion—lock, stock and barrel. Elizalde found himself in a quandary since he had an MOU with Metro Pacific.

Manda called for a meeting with lawyer Art Panganiban who later became Supreme Court chief justice, former presidential aspirant Manuel Roxas II who had packaged the sale, Rod Reyes and myself representing Manila Standard (Elizalde had earlier put up the paper with Reyes and myself as editor-in-chief and chairman of the editorial board, respectively).

will consider writing an explicit prohibition against Duterte running after 2022, just to deny the opposition a most tempting bogeyman.

The President also put his name behind the TRAIN tax reform program— another key part of his governance— after it came under increasing flak for allegedly causing the current spike in inflation (the real culprits are actually rising oil prices, higher tobacco tax compliance, and price profiteering by traders). The man obviously isn’t easily scared by what’s unpopular. *** Also courting unpopularity was Duterte’s flat-out statement that the Philippines will always have to import rice, simply because of overpopulation and lack of arable land. To our recollection, it’s the first time any President has spoken so definitively on this issue, especially since his own Agriculture secretary had promised that the country will become self-sufficient in rice by 2020.

The President has a patient strategy to put milestone reforms in place, one at a time, by making periodic breakthroughs that need to be followed up with a lot of work by his people.

*** In peace and order, Duterte finally lowered the boom on the communist Left, with whom he’s been playing a game of on-again, off-again peace talks. Lately, CPP founder Joma Sison claimed there would be an initial “stand-down” by both sides by June 21, preparatory to resuming peace talks on June 28 in Oslo. Sison even boasted that government had already agreed to two parts of the Comprehensive Agreement on Socioeconomic Reforms (CASER) being pushed by the CPP. But Duterte countered by saying that he wanted to hold the talks in Manila, and that he wanted to get the advice of everyone in his team before deciding about resuming talks. Having been denied his chance to pull off a fast-break, a disappointed Sison said his group has no choice but to resume their “revolutionary people’s war.” The old man will have to wait some more before seeing his homeland again, if ever.

Less spectacularly, Duterte has resumed his crackdown on vagrants in the streets, whom he’s instructed his policemen to throw into the Pasig River if they refuse to cooperate. It’s another earthy comment that his critics won’t be able to resist lambasting again, like a fish that’s drawn irresistibly to the worm on the hook. As the vernacular puts it, “madali silang pasakayin.” *** China is one issue where we think Duterte could be taking tougher stances. The public’s dander is up over stories of our fishermen from Pangasinan, Zambales and Bataan being forced by elements of the Chinese Coast Guard to give up their best catch in exchange for noodles, cigarettes and cheap alcohol.

Harassing our fishermen like this is obviously not essential to the grand strategic maritime plans of the Chinese.

And it was President Xi himself who promised Duterte that this kind of behavior wouldn’t happen. This is clearly an issue that we ought to bring up, loudly and repeatedly, to Beijing’s attention.

Having said that, though, we wouldn’t go as far as Magdalo Congressman Gary Alejano, who’s accused government-owned PTV-4 of “betraying the country” by agreeing to air Chinese TV shows, dubbed in Tagalog.

We’re certainly impressed by the militance of Alejano, a former Navy officer.

At this rate, he may be warning us soon that eating mami and siopao is like surrendering to a Chinese invasion. After all, who knows what they could be slipping into those delicious buns and noodles?

In fairness to that Cabinet member, it’s a promise that’s been made again and again by other administrations before this one. It’s an irresistible part of our populist folklore. But it seems that Duterte, being the practical local mayor that he is, won’t waste time running after a dream that’s simply no longer achievable.

The rice shortage crisis we narrowly avoided last month made it clear that “rice security, not rice self-sufficiency” is the proper mantra for us. The President’s unequivocal declaration ought to lead to innovative new policies in this sector—from signing long-term purchase agreements with rice-surplus neighbors like Thailand and Vietnam, to using the tariff revenues from higher rice imports to subsidize poor rice farmers here, to exploring alternative Readers can write me at gbolicrops and even occupations for those var1952@yahoo.com. same rice farmers. more details.

Apart from Manila, other cities are also celebrating Pride Month, among them Dumaguete City. According to Silliman University professor and #6200Pride lead organizer Ian Rosales Casocot, the city will make its 2018 celebration its most comprehensive and inclusive, with 10 events scheduled this month.

Dumaguete’s Pride Month initiative is called #6200Pride, after the city’s zipcode.

“I think it’s time to start making deeper explorations into the various issues of LGBTQ life,” said Casocot, “because we are not just defined by our sexualities—we are defined by how we do culture, how we engage in spirituality, and how we link our advocacies to other important concerns like the environment.

“At the same, especially for a small city like Dumaguete, there are the eternal concerns regarding HIV/AIDS awareness and education.”

Dumaguete’s Pride events kicked off with a drag show on June 16 featuring local drag artists Sole, Maningning, and Kendra Heart.

On June 22: “When I Came Out: A Panel on Coming Out Stories” at the American Studies Resource Center of the Robert and Metta Silliman Univer-

sity Library; June 23: A talk on HIV/AIDS by Dr. Ma. Lourdes E. Ursos at the Physicians Hall of the Silliman University Medical School, followed by a free and confidential testing and counseling at the Ursos Clinic at the Silliman University Medical Center; June 24: EcoPride Fun Run and Hike with assembly at the Lee Super Plaza Hypermart; June 25: Pride Panel on Gay Identity, Gay Culture, Gay Living, and LGBTQ and the Law at the American Studies Resource Center of the Robert and Metta Silliman University Library; a talk on “Why Queer Faith Matters” at the Magdamo Hall in Silliman campus; a Pride Poetry and Music event at the Silliman Library foyer; a Pride Zine Fest throughout the day; and a screening of Joselito Altarejos’ awardwinning film Tale of the Lost Boys at CityMall Cinema; June 30: Grand Pride Parade, a celebration walk around the city, starting at Portal West in Hibbard Avenue. The parade organizers are encouraging not just the local LGBTQ community to participate, but also cis (straight) allies.

In that meeting, I was told to rake up allegations that Metro Pacific was not truly a Filipino firm but a company representing the Indonesian empire of Soedono Salim, a crony of the Indonesian President Suharto. Salim’s son, Anthony, was the classmate of Pangilinan.

I was ordered by Elizalde to come out with a series in the Standard that Metro Pacific was foreign controlled.

I wrote it, and the Senate ordered an investigation into the company and its origins, giving Elizalde cause to withdraw the MOU with Pangilinan. The sale went to Lucio Tan—and the rest is history.

*** I wrote about the tragedy of celebrating, every ninth of April, the Fall of Bataan and the Fall of Corregidor as national holidays. And yet, we do not remember the Battle of Bessang Pass that led to the surrender of Tomoyuki Yamashita.

I lamented our penchant to celebrate defeats instead victories since the Battle of Bessang Pass was clearly a victory against the Japanese Imperial Forces.

The anniversary of this battle was on June 14, but only a motley group of veterans and their families went to Cervantes, Ilocos Sur to celebrate the occasion.

Dr. Ortuoste is a writer and communication consultant. FB and Twitter: @ DrJennyO

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

BSP head should speak up on issues 1950, which saw the nation’s foreign exchange reserves—much of which came from US war damage compenRUDY sation—quickly dissipate in the wake ROMERO of the import spree that followed the A DEBATE has long raged among end of World War II. The then-newlyeconomists as to which of a country’s established Central Bank of the Philiptwo key economic institutions—the pines flexed its muscles and installed a central bank and department (or minis- regime of import and foreign exchange try) of finance—is more important for controls that would not be fully ended the stable functioning of its economy. until November 1965. The second demIn this country, the two institutions in- onstration was the severe dislocation of volved are the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi- the economy occasioned by the August nas and the Department of Finance.

1983 assassination of former Senator There is a body of opinion to the ef- Benigno Aquino Jr. The Central Bank fect that the DoF is the more important pulled out all the monetary stops in a of the two institutions. Those who are desperate effort to restore to normalcy of this belief point to the DoF’s vast au- the economy of a country whose govthority to legally exact payments from ernment had become a pariah both at individual and corporate citizens on home and abroad. account of their incomes, commercial At both junctures it was the Central transactions, hereditary acquisitions Bank—under the leadership of Miguel and other things that the legislature Cuaderno in 1949-1950 and under the may choose to subject to taxation. The leadership of Jose B. Fernandez Jr. in power to tax is, 1983-1984 — not after all, one of the Department a State’s police of Finance—that powers. led the effort to I wonder what The approval restore economic and implementa- Governor Espenilla really stability. tion of the Tax Re- thinks about TRAIN. In the develform and Inclusion oped countries it Law has provided is to the central fresh evidence of bank—the Federal the power of the Reserve Board DoF and the awesomeness of the taxing or the Bank of England or Banque de authority. The inflationary forces that France—that the nation looks for corTRAIN’s excise taxes have unleashed, rective financial action and it is the and the resulting debate about that central-bank head’s assessment of the law’s new exactions, have placed the national economic situation that is DoF squarely in the center of the na- awaited with utmost interest by the rest tional stage. On the economic plane, all of the government and by the business current discussion is revolving around community. In the US the semi-annual TRAIN. These days it is the Secretary report to Congress of the chairman of of Finance who is the star of the show the Fed is an eagerly awaited event. In and whose opinions are sought by the recent memory, the assessments made public. by the chairmen Paul Volcker, Alan However, most economists believe Greenspan and Janet Yellen of the US that the central bank is the more im- economic environment were stand-out portant of the two key economic in- performances. stitutions of a government and that Because of the independence afmonetary policy is more effective than forded them by their fixed terms, the fiscal policy for the stable functioning central-bank heads of the developed of the national economy. This supe- countries consider themselves free to riority they attribute to two things, to paint a true picture of their countries’ wit, a central bank’s ability to control economic situation and prospects. They the money supply and the speed with have commented on the economic poliwhich the instruments of monetary cies of their governments, giving adpolicy—changes in rediscount rates, vice, providing polite criticism where required reserves, special deposit re- necessary and pointing the policymakquirements and lending and borrowing ers in what they regard as the right dilimits and foreign exchange regula- rection. tions—produce their impact on the opUnfortunately, the Philippines does erations of financial institutions, and, not have such a tradition. This country therefore, on the availability and cost of has not developed a practice where the credit. Whereas the incidence of taxes Governor of the BSP goes beyond bland is specific—for example, the TRAIN descriptions of the national economic tax on sugar-sweetened beverages— situation and inoffensive references to monetary policy, operating through the government’s economic policies. cost and price changes, has a pervasive There are numerous policies that impact on the levels of production and merit either rationalization or outconsumption. Different kinds of taxes right scrapping. As the head of the affect people differently, but there is no most important economic institution escaping the effects of money-supply in the land, the Governor of the BSP, changes. speaking on behalf of the Monetary The power of a central bank and Board, should make his voice heard the effectiveness of monetary policy on matters that impact negatively on in effecting corrective changes in the the Philippine economy’s stability and economy has been demonstrated at growth. How I—and, I am sure, the two junctures in the postwar history nation—would like to hear Governor of this country. The first juncture was Nestor A. Espenilla’s real views on the foreign exchange crisis of 1949- TRAIN, for one.

BUSINESS CLASS

Reconsidering...

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Records would show that among the eight applicants for chief justice, six did not submit all their SALNs and yet the JBC deemed that they substantially complied with the requirement, she said. And considering that she made an attempt to comply with the SALN requirement and gave the reasons why she did not submit her SALNs as UP professor, it was right for the JBC to conclude that she had substantially complied with the requirement, she added. Moreover, no JBC member invoked the Integrity rule on respondent. Respondent asserts that the filing or non-filing of SALN per se does not prove or negate integrity; non-filing is not in itself an act of corruption or dishonesty. Jurisprudence does not make a distinction between omission in the SALN and one who fails to submit a SALN. Therefore, one who fails to submit a SALN does not automatically lack integrity.

As her final word, Chief Justice Sereno emphasizes that the majority violated basic, fundamental principles of law and judicial precedents to achieve one end—her disqualification and ouster as chief justice.

substitute its own definitions, criteria or guidelines which the JBC has fixed in its rules. Worse, the Court’s definition of integrity has made it ascertainable and certain which acknowledges in earlier parts of its decision as not easily ascertainable or ironclad. She points out that when the JBC was considering respondent’s application for chief justice she was not facing criminal and administrative cases for failing to file her SALNs as professor of UP. The JBC also did not receive any complaint that she had violated the law. In fact, she was able to submit documents like certifications of no pending cases, endorsements from various groups to attest to her character, integrity and independence and competence. Further, the JBC did not consider the filing of the SALN as a qualification for Chief Justice. If anything else, the SALN is a tool to uncover if the applicant has hidden assets.

Simply put, the JBC is more than capable of determining whether or not an applicant has integrity without reFacebook: tonylavs Twitter: tonyquiring the submission of the SALN. lavs

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TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Case vs priest killer airtight’

A

UTHORITIES claim they have an airtight case against the gunman arrested in the killing of Fr. Richmond Nilo in Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija last June 10, the Philippine National Police said Monday.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde also doused speculation the suspect, Adell Roll Milan, was a fall guy and explained that the witness, who identified the primary suspect, had been under the protection of priests and had no contact with the police before he named the suspect.

“The Nueva Ecija provincial office has established an airtight case against Milan and other suspects,”

some priests were secretly arming themselves for protection after the killings of three clergymen over the past six months.

“It is not made up, the altar boy was under the priests and was never identified with the police,” Albayalde said.

The PNP is presently conducting follow up operations against four to five persons who participated in the murder.

Albayalde added they were still eyeing the three original possible motives in the killing, particularly on the possibility that it stemmed from the help given by the victim to abused minors, his involvement

the PNP chief said.

In a related development: • The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines was scheduled to meet Monday with the priests from Laguna who allegedly have armed themselves, according to a television report on News To Go beamed nationwide.

This followed a report from some of Metro Manila’s broadsheets that

Airport personnel cleared of any sin

in settling a land dispute and the victim’s possible criticism of other religious groups.

Albayalde also reiterated that the PNP welcomed any report from the religious leaders in connection with threats to their safety, and said they supported plans for clergymen to apply for the right to bear arms—so long as they could comply with all regulatory requirements for license to own firearms and permits to carry firearms outside their homes.

Under police rules, however, gun owners are not allowed to bring their firearms in public places such as churches. PNA

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Manila International Airport Authority on Monday cleared of any wrongdoing its personnel who were accused by a female passenger of planting a bullet inside her bag at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last Friday.

This, after the MIAA and the Office for Transportation Security came up with the results of the investigations in the case of Kristine Bumanlag Moran who claimed someone at the X-ray scanning in Naia Terminal 3 put a .9mm bullet inside her luggage.

The case went viral on social media over the weekend after Bumanlag posted the incident in her Facebook account.

The airport authority maintains there was no irregularity on the actions of screening personnel, who simply strictly followed standard operating procedures.

Based on the results of the probe released by the MIAA media affairs division, the complainant along with her mother and daughter “passed through initial security screening at Gate 2. It also showed that Ms. Bumanlag’s brown bag was subjected to baggage search after the X-ray operator observed an image of an ammunition. Note that at this point, the bag was still wrapped in plastic.”

It stated the X-ray operator sought the assistance of a baggage inspector and police personnel to validate the image.

A picture was taken of the said image for preservation.

“After completing the procedural aspects of screening, Ms. Bumanlag removed the clear plastic wrap of the bag in question. A search was conducted in the presence of Ms. Bumanlag, and a video was taken by a screening personnel to allay fears of a ‘tanim bala’ [bullet dropping] scheme,” it said.

Korean fugitive, wanted for 40 crimes, arrested he had victimized,” Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said.

Lim will be deported at the request of the Korean Embassy in Manila, which informed the BI of Lim’s pending cases in Korean courts where he was charged with large-scale fraud.

BI spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval disclosed that Lim sold non-existent smart phones and other retail items to Koreans via his web portal and pocketed the money remitted to his account by hundreds of unsuspecting victims.

Sandoval said no less than 381 individuals were already victimized by Lim’s racket, which resulted

By Vito Barcelo IMMIGRATION authorities arrested a Korean fugitive wanted for at least 40 crimes, including large scale fraud and scam, in Korea who had been hiding in the Philippines for almost four years.

Lim Jong Keon was nabbed inside a condominium in Sucat, Parañaque by the Bureau’s Fugitive Search Unit.

“He is the subject of an Interpol notice, and has been tagged as one of Korea’s most wanted criminals due to the large number of people that

in cases filed against him.

“Reports from Korean authorities state that he has already scammed more than 150 million won,” she said. “He has been wanted in Korea since 2013, and is facing a possible 10 years of imprisonment,” she said .

“We have strengthened our FSU and our coordination with Interpol and other foreign governments to ensure that fugitives will not use the country to hide from justice,” Morente said, adding “Foreign fugitives are not welcome in the Philippines.”

Lim is currently detained at the Bureau’s Detention Facility pending his deportation.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

Standard

Republic of the Philippines

341,400.00

BDPP

TODAY ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

11,754,373·99

San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

2.90%

2,515,387.40

7.3679

100.00%

55,659,048.53

4.7352

RATE IMPACT: WITH SCPC & BDPP NORMAL CONDITION

IN THE MAlTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF THE INTERIM POWER SALES AGREEMENT BETWEEN SPC ISLAND POWER CORPORATION (SIPC) AND BOHOL I ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC. (BOHECO I)

•

However, the reasonableness of the price of emergency power supplied by BDPP is to be ensured by the ERC through its own review and verification of BDPP’s operating cost and expenses.

16. Applicants submit herewith their respective requirements which are numbered accordingly following the ERC Checklist of Pre-Filing Requirements for Applications for Approval of Power Supply Agreement.

I. GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENTS

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:

Articles of Incorporation

4.

5.

SPC ISLAND POWER CORPORATION (SIPC) is a corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws with principal office at the 7th Floor, Citibank Center, 8741 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City. SIPC is a generation company, and it owns and operates the Bohol Diesel Power Plant (BDPP) in Dampas District, Tagbilaran City, Bohol. It may be served with processes and papers through the undersigned counsel.

The Interim PSA was executed to address the total blackout in the island of Bohol which started on July 6, 2017 when the High Voltage Direct Current transmission line and the Marshalling Station that transport power from Luzon and Cebu, respectively, were severely damaged by the 6.S magnitude earthquake that hit the island of Leyte on the same day. A brief summary by Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) is attached hereto as Annex C. In a letter dated July 8, 2017, BOHECO I requested SIPC for an emergency power supply for its franchise area while generation and transmission facilities from Leyte are unavailable. At that time, BDPP was the only plant capable to deliver power to BOHECO I’s franchise area. A copy of BOHECO I’s letter dated July 7, 2017 is attached as Annex D.

6.

In a letter dated July 8, 2017, SIPC agreed to supply BOHECO I the full 16.oMW capacity of BDPP at the current offered rate of Php2.0205/kWh plus fuel, subject to the approval of the Eriergy Regulatory Commission (ERC), while generation and transmission facilities from Leyte are unavailable. A copy of SIPC’s letter dated July 7, 2017 1S attached as Annex E.

7.

In a letter dated July 8, 2017, BOHECO I requested the ERC for a provisional authority to draw out emergency power from BDPP, pending the preparation and execution of the Interim PSA and the approval thereof by the ERC. A copy of BOHECO I’s letter dated July 7, 2017 is attached as Annex F.

8.

Acting upon the request of BOHECO I and relying upon the assurances of the Department of Energy (DOE), SIPC instructed BDPP to supply the urgently needed power to BOHECO I, pending provisional authority from the ERC.

9.

Thus, at 7:37 P.M. of July 7, 2017, SIPC provided feedback power and at 12:00 A.M. of July 8, 2017, SIPC provided emergency power supply to BOHECO I’s franchise area.

10. In a letter dated July 10, 2017, the ERC advised BOHECO I that “[p]ending the filing and approval [of its application], BOHECO I is authorized to draw power from SIPC’s Bohol Diesel Power Plant (BDPP) at the rate of PhP2.0205/kWh plus efficient fuel. cost subject to the Commission’s review upon filing of the application.” In the same letter, the Commission directed the parties to file the interim PSA within thirty (30) days. A copy of ERC’s letter dated July 10, 2017 is attached as Annex G. 11. Under these extraordinary circumstance which effectively isolated Bohol from the grid, BOHECO I was constrained to enter into the Interim PSA without conducting a Competitive Selection Process in the procurement of the emergency power. This was approved by the Commission in its letter dated July 10, 2017, stating among other things:

BOHECO I’s BOD Information Sheet

• Minimum Energy Off-take (MEOT)

BOHECO I General Information Sheet

Description

N

Certificate of Filing of Amended By-Laws issued on October 5, 2004 Amended By-Laws

N-1

Certificate of Filing of Amended Articles of Incorporation issued on February 11, 2008 Amended Articles of Incorporation

N-2

Certificate of Filing of Amended By-Laws issued on February 11, 2008 Amended-By-Laws

N-3

Certificate of Filing of Amended Articles of Incorporation issued on September 15, 2011

N/A

Shareholders’ Agreement Note: This requirement is not applicable. SIPC has no Shareholders’ Agreement.

O

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Certificate of Registration of the said Articles of Incorporation

P

General Information Sheet for the Year 2017

Q

Certification dated August 22, 2017 showing information on SIPC’s ultimate parent company, its subsidiaries, and all its affiliates

R

Board of Investment (BOI) Certificate of Registration with attached terms and conditions Note: This requirement is not applicable. SIPC is not BOI-registered.

S

Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Note: Documents submitted herewith are as follows: (i) DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Region 7’s letter with subject “Transfer of Ownership” of BDPP to SIPC; (ii) DENR-EMB Region 7’s letter dated December 14, 2007 with subject “Approval of ECC” for BDPP; (iii) ECC dated October 31, 2007 for BDPP.

T

Certificate of Compliance dated June 13, 2016 for SPC Island Power Corporation (Bohol Diesel Power Plant) with Terms and Conditions (Annex A)

U

Asset Purchase Agreement between PSALM and SPC Power Corp.

N/A

Renewable Energy Service/ Operating Contract from the DOE Note: This requirement is not applicable.

N/A

Certificate of Registration or Certificate of Confirmation of Commerciality by an RE Developer and after due confirmation by the DOE Note: This requirement is not applicable.

V

Alternative Demand Side Management (DSM)

18. Contract Quantity. Throughout the Term of the Interim PSA, SIPC shall deliver to BOHECO I its Final Hourly Contract Quantity (HCQ) and BOHECO I shall purchase the same subject to the terms of the IPSA. 19. Electrical Characteristics; Delivery Point; Transmission Connection; Transmission Services.

SIPC shall deliver or cause the delivery of the Final HCQ which shall meet the characteristics of electricity set out in Annex D of the Interim PSA. SIPC shall deliver or cause the delivery of the Final HCQ at the high voltage side of the main transformer of its substation. Each party shall be responsible for the connection of its facilities to the Grid in accordance with the Grid Code and the Distribution Code. Each party shall maintain its own Transmission Service Agreement (TSA) with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines in accordance with the Open Access Transmission Service Rules.

20. Rate Computation. The cost of energy delivered by SIPC to BOHECO I is computed at Php2.0205/kWh as the Basic Rate (or Base Price) plus Fuel Fee that is the actual cost of fuel used during the Billing Period to deliver energy (see Schedule A and Schedule B for the breakdown).

Certification by NPC re: Transition Supply Contract (TSC)

X

Details re: load forecast projections, etc.

AUGUST AMOUNT

• •

Annex

AA

11.32%

5,808,055·75

CEDC

5,247,230.0.0

44.64%

27,608,877·39

5.2616

BSMHP

1,262,724.00

10.74%

5,382,992.41

4.2630

JMHP

1,166,600.00

9.92%

3,767,616.35

3.2296

23.37%

12,750,621.38

4.6422

11,754,373.99

100.00%

53,750,621.38

4.7062

Blended Rate with SCPC & BDPP Billing Period: June 26-July 25,2017

Energy Fee (in P/kWh) = [(MQ) x (Basic Rate + FF)] + VAT Where • • • •

REOUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT OF INFORMATION 22. Pursuant to Rule 4 of the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure, applicants request for confidential treatment of the information contained in and documents submitted herewith as Annexes Q, U, W, Z, BB series, Schedule B and B-1, Schedule C, and Schedule D . These documents contain valuable proprietary interests and information relating to the business and operations of SIPC and they are not available to the public. Hence, they must be perpetually protected and not disclosed to any third party. These schedules are submitted pursuant to Section l(b) of Rule 4

CEDC

4,534,000.00

38.57%

23,856,139.35

5.2616

BSMHP

1,262,724.00

10.74%

5,382,99.41

4.2630

JMHP

1,166,600.00

9.92%

3,767,616.35

3.2296

ULGEI

2,746,679.99

23.37%

12,750,621.38

4.6422

3.16%

1,578,235.89

4.2445

RELIEF APPLICANTS pray that the Honorable Commission (1)

ISSUE AN ORDER according confidential treatment to the information and documents described in paragraph 22 above;

(2)

APPROVE this application and the Interim PSA retroactive to the time when BDPP provided feedback power at 7:37 P.M. of July 7, 2017 and when BDPP provided emergency power supply at 12:00 A.M. of July 8, 2017; and

(3)

GRANT other equitable relief.

Details re: transmission projects, etc.

Note: Transmission Service Agreement between NGCP and BOHECO I

The Commission has set the Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on 11 July 2018 (Wednesday) at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.) at BOHECO I Main Office in Cabulijan, Tubigon, Bohol.

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:

See paragraph 14, et seq.

1)

The petitioner’s name and address;

See Annex BB series.

2)

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

• Computation of Return on Investment/WACC

See Annex BB series.

3)

A statement of the relief desired.

•

Certification from the Bank/ Lending Institution specifying the principal amortization, term and interest during the cooperation period of the loan agreement.

Not applicable

• Life of Asset versus Term of Loan (Computation of levelized cost)

Not applicable

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 Applicants rest their case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Energy Regulatory Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following:

• Bank Certification of Longterm Loans, including, to wit: 1. Schedule of Original Loan (Principal amount, interest payable, term of the loan)

Not applicable

2. Updated Balances (Principal amount, interest payable, penalties (if any), remaining term of the loan

Not applicable

c. Generation Rate and Derivation

The IPSA covers only the period that power supply from Leyte was not yet restored to its normal capacity and not yet available to the DU.

• 4.3632

MQ is the Metered Quantity in kWh FF is the Fuel Fee in P /kWh as determined in Annex “E” of the Interim PSA Basic Rate (or Base Price) is set at P2.0205/kWh subject to ERC approval VAT is 12%

Description

AUGUST

5,808,055·75

A Sample Fuel Fee Computation is presented in Annex “E” showing specific FOCR of both Bunker-C and Diesel fuels, based on actual plant performance on January 26 to February 25,2017.

a. Executive Summary

Actual Billing 11.32%

FOCR (in li/kWhr) is the average fuel consumption rate needed to generate one (1) kWhr of energy during every Billing Period based on the actual total fuel consumption of BDPP used to deliver the total metered quantity (MQ) as measured in the WESM. FC (in Php/li) is the price at which SIPC acquired the fuel equivalent to the weighted average price of fuels (Bunker-C and Diesel) consumed for the month.

b. Sources of Funds/ Financial Plans • Debt/Equity Ratio • Project Cost

4.3632

2,746,679.99

= Fuel Oil Consumption Rate (FOCR) x Fuel Cost (FC) = (FOCR) x (FC)

21. Computation of Payment. The Total Energy Fee is computed as follows:

Interim Power Sales Agreement dated July 7, 2017

V.GENERATION/ POWER RATE

RATE/kwh

1,331,140.00

The Fuel Fee refers to the average monthly cost of fuel used to generate one (1) kWhr of energy exported by BDPP considering the actual amount of bunker-C and diesel fuels consumed, computed at the weighted average price of the respective fuels during the Billing Period. The Fuel Fee is computed as follows:

(c)

IV. POWER SUPPLY AGREEMENT AND OTHER AGREEMENTS

Blended Rate under Normal Condition: WESM

(b)

Description

21. Details of the PSA/ECA

Billing Period: June 26-July 25,2017

The Basic Rate (or Base Price) represents the fixed and variable costs incurred by SIPC in delivering energy to BOHECO I including the capital recovery and profit margin subject to ERC’s validation for rate approval.

Where -

Details on the procurement process used by the DU See par. 11 above and Annexes B, C, D, E, and F

RATE IMPACT 15. The rate impact is 0.0290 P/kWh as shown below: 1

(a)

Fuel Fee (FF) (FF)

Description

W

Z

Not applicable

17. Term. The Term of the Interim PSA is effective from July 7, 2017 (the Effective Date) until the power supply from Leyte is restored to its normal capacity and it becomes available to BOHECO I.

Certificate of Incorporation issued on June 26, 2001 Articles of Incorporation By-Laws

Y

See Schedule B, B-1 and Schedule C

SALIENT FEATURES OF THE INTERIM PSA

M

Annex

14. On November 28, 2017, BOHECO I received a letter from the Commission dated November 17, 2017 extending the authority to draw power from the BDPP “which shall be effective for six (6) months under at the rate of Php2.0205/kWh plus efficient fuel cost or until the Commission approves a rate for the IPSA to be filed, whichever comes earlier.” In the same letter, the Commission advised the applicants to file the application for the approval of the generation cost for the supply of electricity under the IPSA, within six (6) months from its receipt. A copy of ERC’s letter is attached hereto as Annex I.

371,830 .00

Not applicable

L

13. During the pre-filing conferences, the Technical Working Group (TWG) for PSA applications directed the applicants to clarify with the Commission if, indeed, the Competitive Selection Process (CSP) requirement finds no application in this emergency situation. On October 18, 2017, SIPC filed a letter dated October 12, 2017 to the Commission in deference to the TWG’s directive. A copy of the letter is attached hereto as Annex H.

SCPC

Equivalent PhP/kWh with assumptions for foreign denominated rates

K

III. PROCUREMENT PROCESS

1,331,140.00

•

• Breakdown of Operating and Maintenance expenses

Annex

12. The supply of BDPP to BLCI and BOHECO I also enabled the hydro-plants in Bohol to operate, to wit: Janopol Hydro Electric Plant (JHEP) at 5MW capacity, Sevilla Hydro Electric Plant (SHEP) at 2.5MW capacity and Loboc Hydro Electric Power Plant (LHEPP) at 1.2MW capacity, thereby energizing the 69kV line of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

WESM

Not applicable

II. SUPPLY AND DEMAND SCENARIO

However, the Commission believes that this should not have been a matter of policy but of conscience. When circumstances warrant the performance of an act that requires the exercise of judgment that should be beyond legal and regulatory protocols, in order to ensure the delivery of basic human services so as not to prejudice the safety and security of a community and its inhabitants, waiting for approval from a government agency should not have been the primordial concern of the parties. The meritorious justifications are compelling reasons enough to act for the good of the public. xxx

ULGEI

Basis/ rationale/ derivation of Other Charges such as replacement, start-up, pre-commercial, and ancillary costs

Certificate of Franchise

Annex

SIPC and BOHECO I jointly seek for the approval of their Interim Power Sales Agreement dated July 7, 2017 (Interim PSA). The respective board approvals of SIPC and of BOHECO I authorizing the filing of this application are attached to this application as Annex A and Annex B. The authorities of their counsels are attached as Annex A-I and Annex B-1, respectively.

%

•

J-1

FOR SIPC

BOHOL I ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. (BOHECO I) is a non-stock, non-profit electric cooperative organized and existing pursuant to Republic Act No. 6038, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 269, with principal office at BOHECO I Building, Brgy. Cabulijan, Tubigon, Bohol. Its franchise area covers twenty-six (26) municipalities in the Province of Bohol, namely, Albuquerque, Antequera, Baclayon, Balilihan, Batuan, Bilar, Calape, Carmen, Catigbian, Clarin, Corella, Cortes, Dauis, Dimiao, Inabanga, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Maribojoc, Panglao, Sagbayan, San Isidro, Sevilla, Sikatuna, and Tubigon. It may be served with processes and papers through the undersigned counsel.

KWH

Not applicable

d. Cash Flow specifying the following: • Initial Costs

Amended By-Laws

In their Application, SIPC and BOHECO I alleged the following:

3.

Basis/ rationale of indexation including the sources, reference date and weight of indexation

Description Certificate of Incorporation issued on July 21, 2000

J

Notice is hereby given that on 09 May 2018, SPC Island Power Corporation (SIPC) and Bohol I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BOHECO I) filed an Application for the approval of their Interim Power Sales Agreement (IPSA), with prayer for confidential treatment of information.

2.

•

FOR BOHECO I: Annex

There is only one rate for the DUs (BOHECO I and BLCI) since only the BDPP is capable of delivering emergency power to their franchise areas.

The intensity scale 6.5 earthquake that hit Leyte on July 6, 2017 had caused power system disturbance that prevented the power supply of the DU from Luzon and Cebu.

0 .0290

PRE-FILING REQUIREMENTS

ERC CASE NO. 2018-042 RC

SPC ISLAND POWER CORPORATION (SIPC) AND BOHOL I ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC. (BOHECO I), Applicants. x - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

1.

Rate impact simulation on the overall rates of the DU once the contract is approved including an explanation on assumptions and input parameters used in the derivation thereof

Financial model containing the derivation of rates (excel file required)

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 Applicants that they be furnished with the. same, prior to the date of the initial hearing. Applicants are 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 ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAP-TARUC and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 11th day of June 2018 in Pasig City.

The rates were derived based on the actual cost and expenses incurred by SIPC (particularly BDPP) in delivering the emergency power to the DU in July 2017.

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal

See Schedule B, B-1 and Schedule C •

Breakdown of the base prices; Capital Recovery Fee, Fixed and Variable O&M, and Fuel Fee

See Schedule A

•

Breakdown of Project Cost and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Cost including the description of and justification/ support for each component

See Schedule B, B-1 and Schedule C

•

Sample Computation of Power Rates with the supporting documents on the assumptions taken

Please refer to Annex “E” and Annex “F” of the Interim PSA (Annex A and Annex A-I)

1

Assumptions: 1. Actual total quantity of energy purchased during the period.

2. Actual quantity of energy drawn from SCPC and BDPP IS assumed to have been drawn from CEDC under normal condition since it is BOHECO 1’s base load supplier.

(MS-JUNE 19 & 27, 2018)

Sports

D

AVAO’S homegrown talents, led by multi-tiled Tony Lascuña, Jay Bayron and Jhonnel Ababa, gear up for a showdown on a course where they honed their talent and skills when the P3 million ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational is fired off tomorrow (Wednesday, June 20) at the Apo Golf and Country Club.

By Peter Atencio FILIPINO Grandmaster Wesley So may have lost his final game in the blitz competition, but he still took the overall crown of the Your Next Move tournament, which is part of the Grand Chess Tour 2018 in Leuven, Belgium.

His two rivals to the title, Sergey Karjakin and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, missed their shot at the title when they fell to final-round losses, as well.

So had a good chance to win in his Queen’s Gambit Declined Game with Hikaru Nakamura after he made a check with pawn at h5.

But after Nakamura promoted a passed pawn at the d-file, So gave up in 85 moves.

Misfortune first struck VachierLagrave when Viswanathan Anand trapped the king at queenside with a rook push to d2 and won in 63 moves of Sicilian Closed.

On the other hand, Karjakin trapped the black king with his queen, rook and bishop to win in 72 moves of a Two Knights Defense.

This had Karjakin and Vachier-Lagrave settling for second and third places, respectively, with 21.5 points.

So finished with 14 points to top the rapid event. He was at eighth place in the blitz with eight points.

“It’s nice to be back and play again at Apo. With all the young, talented players in the fold, it will be tough, but for sure, it will be fun,” said Lascuña, who ruled the last ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational in 2015, edging by Miguel Tabuena by one.

The sponsoring ICTSI and organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. have lined up a seven-leg joust in the Visayas and Mindanao in the next three months that will also put in focus the top, champi-

COMING up big for their respective teams in last season’s Finals, Isaac Go and Donald Tankoua are set to be feted in the 2018 Chooks-to-Go Collegiate Basketball Awards on Thursday night at The Bayleaf Hotel in Intramuros.

The two big men will receive this year’s Pivotal Player awards, which honor distinguished individuals who were crucial in their team’s drive to the

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF THE INTERIM POWER SALES AGREEMENT BETWEEN SPC ISLAND POWER CORPORATION (SIPC) AND BOHOL LIGHT COMPANY, INC. (BLCI)

Annex

ERC CASE NO. 2018-039 RC

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 04 May 2018, SPC Island Power Corporation (SIPC) and Bohol Light Company, Inc, (BLCI) filed an Application for the approval of their Interim Power Sales Agreement (IPSA), with prayer for confidential treatment of information.

In their Application, SIPC and BLCI alleged the following: PARTIES

4.

5.

SPC ISLAND POWER CORPORATION (SIPC) is a corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws with principal office at the 7th Floor, Citibank Center, 8741 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City. SIPC is a generation company, and it owns and operates the Bohol Diesel Power Plant (BDPP) in Dampas District, Tagbilaran City, Bohol. It may be served with processes and papers through the undersigned counsel.

BOHOL LIGHT COMPANY, INC. (BLCI) is a corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws with principal office at BLCI Building, R. Enerio St., Poblacion 3, Tagbilaran City, Bohol. BLCI is a privately-owned distribution utility (DU) with franchise area covering Tagbilaran City. It may be served with processes and papers through the undersigned counsel.

Certificate of Incorporation issued on June 26, 2001 Articles of Incorporation By-Laws

O

Certificate of Filing of Amended By-Laws issued on October 5, 2004 Amended By-Laws

Financial model containing the derivation of rates (excel file required)

The rates were derived based on the actual cost and expenses incurred by SIPC (particularly BDPP) in delivering the emergency power to the DU in July 2017.

O-1

Certificate of Filing of Amended Articles of Incorporation issued on February 11, 2008 Amended Articles of Incorporation

O-2

Certificate of Filing of Amended By-Laws issued on February 11, 2008 Amended-By-Laws

•

Breakdown of the base prices; Capital Recovery Fee, Fixed and Variable O&M, and Fuel Fee

O-3

Certificate of Filing of Amended Articles of Incorporation issued on September 15, 2011

See Schedule A

N/A

Shareholders’ Agreement Note: This requirement is not applicable. SIPC has no Shareholders’ Agreement.

•

Breakdown of Project Cost and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Cost including the description of and justification/ support for each component

See Schedule B, B-1 and Schedule C

P

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Certificate of Registration of the said Articles of Incorporation

•

Sample Computation of Power Rates with the supporting documents on the assumptions taken

Please refer to Annex “E” and Annex “F” of the Interim PSA

Q

General Information Sheet for the Year 2017

•

Rate impact simulation on the overall rates of the DU once the contract is approved including an explanation on assumptions and input parameters used in the derivation thereof

There is only one rate for the DUs (BLCI and BOHECO I) since only the BDPP is capable of delivering emergency power to their franchise areas.

R

Certification dated August 22, 2017 showing information on SIPC’s ultimate parent company, its subsidiaries, and all its affiliates

See Schedule B, B-1 and Schedule C

The intensity scale 6.5 earthquake that hit Leyte on July 6, 2017 had caused power system disturbance that prevented the power supply of the DU from Luzon and Cebu.

•

Basis/rationale of indexation including the sources, reference date and weight of indexation

Not applicable

Certificate of Compliance dated June 13, 2016 for SPC Island Power Corporation (Bohol Diesel Power Plant) with Terms and Conditions (Annex A)

•

V

Asset Purchase Agreement between PSALM and SPC Power Corp.

Basis/ rationale/ derivation of Other Charges such as replacement, start-up, pre-commercial, and ancillary costs

Not applicable

In a letter dated July 7, 2017, BLCI requested SIPC for an emergency power supply for Tagbilaran City while generation and transmission facilities from Leyte are unavailable. At that time, BDPP was the only plant capable to deliver power to BLCI’s franchise area. A copy of BLCI’s letter dated July 7, 2017 is attached as Annex D.

N/A

Renewable Energy Service/ Operating Contract from the DOE Note: This requirement is not applicable.

•

Equivalent PhP/kWh with assumptions for foreign denominated rates

Not applicable

N/A

Certificate of Registration or Certificate of Confirmation of Commerciality by an RE Developer and after due confirmation by the DOE Note: This requirement is not applicable.

d. Cash Flow specifying the following: •

Initial Costs

W

Alternative Demand Side Management (DSM)

•

Breakdown of Operating and Maintenance expenses

•

Minimum Energy Off-take (MEOT)

Acting upon the request of BLCI and relying upon the assurances of the Department of Energy (DOE), SIPC instructed BDPP to supply the urgently needed power to BLCI, pending provisional authority from the ERC.

10.

Thus, at 6:21 P.M. of July 7, 2017, BDPP’s units were energized and synchronized, and they started delivering power to BLCI’s franchise area.

11.

In a letter dated July 10, 2017, the ERC advised BLCI that “[p]ending the filing and approval [of its application], BLCI is authorized to draw power from SIPC’s Bohol Diesel Power Plant (BDPP) at the rate of PhP2.0205/kWh plus efficient fuel cost subject to the Commission’s review upon filing of the application.” A copy of ERC’s letter dated July 10, 2017 is attached as Annex G.

Annex

Description

X

Certification by NPC re: Transition Supply Contract (TSC) Note: Contract for the Supply of Electric Energy dated May 26, 2014

Y

Details re: load forecast projections, etc.

III. PROCUREMENT PROCESS

Annex Z

Under these extraordinary circumstances which effectively isolated Bohol from the grid, BLCI was constrained to enter into the Interim PSA without conducting a Competitive Selection Process (CSP) in the procurement of the emergency power. This was approved by the Commission in its letter dated July 10, 2017, stating among other things:

BDPP’s supply to BLCI started at interval 19 on July 7, 2017 until interval 16 on August 4, 2017 when the transmission line from Leyte to Bohol was restored and the power supply was normalized. BDPP supplied approximately 1,784,459.70 kWh during the period.

The supply of BDPP to BLCI and BOHECO I also enabled the hydro-plants in Bohol to operate, to wit: Janopol Hydro Electric Plant (JHEP) at 5MW capacity, Sevilla Hydro Electric Plant (SHEP) at 2.5MW capacity, and Loboc Hydro Electric Power Plant (LHEPP) at 1.2MW capacity, thereby energizing the 69kV line of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

During the pre-filing conferences, the ERC Technical Working Group (TWG) for PSA applications directed the applicants to clarify with the Commission if, indeed, the CSP requirement finds no application in this emergency situation. On October 18, 2017, SIPC filed a letter dated October 12, 2017 to the Commission in deference to the TWG’s directive. A copy of the letter is attached hereto as Annex H.

Annex

NORMAL OPERATION MQ (MWh)

(%)

Rate (P/kWh)

Cost PH (MIL)

KSPC

Supplier

2,186.67

25%

5.57

12,176.23

ULGEI

4,600.86

53%

6.25

28,766.85

WESM

1,972.82

23%

3.80

TOTAL

8,760.34

100%

7,496.62

BB

Details re: transmission projects, etc.

Note: Transmission Service Agreement with NGCP

21. Details of the PSA/ECA See paragraph 14, et seq.

b. Sources of Funds/ Financial Plans • Debt/Equity Ratio • Project Cost

See Annex CC series.

• Computation of Return on Investment/WACC

See Annex CC series.

•

Certification from the Bank/Lending Institution specifying the principal amortization, term and interest during the cooperation period of the loan agreement.

Not applicable

• Life of Asset versus Term of Loan (Computation of levelized cost)

Not applicable

(%)

Rate (P/kWh)

1,575 .00

18%

5.57

8,770.23

ULGEI

3,720.70

42%

6.25

23,263.71

BDPP

1,655.46

19%

7.37

12,197.20

WESM

1,809.18

21%

3.76

6,797.99

TOTAL

8,760.34

100%

Not applicable

2. Updated Balances (Principal amount, interest payable, penalties (if any), remaining term of the loan

Not applicable

c. Generation Rate and Derivation

The IPSA covers only the period that power supply from Leyte was not yet restored to its normal capacity and not yet available to the DU.

•

Financial model containing the (excel file required)

derivation of rates

Cost PH (MIL)

Certificate of Filing of Amended By-Laws issued on October 18, 2004 Amended By-Laws

M

Fuel Fee (FF) (FF)

General Information Sheet (GIS) for the Year 2017 Note: This document shows, among other things, the following information: (i) BLCI’s incumbent directors and officers, (ii) BLCI’s parent company and affiliate, and (iii) BLCI’s stockholders.

Audited Financial Statements for the Years Ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 Note: This is not a required document, but it gives corporate information on BLCI, such as its corporate history and parent company, among other things.

= Fuel Oil Consumption Rate (FOCR) x Fuel Cost (FC) = (FOCR) x (FC)

• •

FOCR (in li/kWhr) is the average fuel consumption rate needed to generate one (1) kWhr of energy during every Billing Period based on the actual total fuel consumption of BDPP used to deliver the total metered quantity (MQ) as measured in the WESM. FC (in Php/li) is the price at which SIPC acquired the fuel equivalent to the weighted average price of fuels (Bunker-C and Diesel) consumed for the month. (c)

24.

A Sample Fuel Fee Computation is presented in Annex “E” showing specific FOCR of both Bunker-C and Diesel fuels, based on actual plant performance on January 26 to February 25,2017.

Computation of Payment. The Total Energy Fee is computed as follows:

Where MQ is the Metered Quantity in kWh FF is the Fuel Fee in P /kWh as determined in Annex “E” of the Interim PSA Basic Rate (or Base Price) is set at P2.0205/kWh subject to ERC approval VAT is 12% REOUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT OF INFORMATION 25.

Pursuant to Rule 4 of the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure, applicants request for confidential treatment of the information contained in and documents submitted herewith as Annex R, V, X, AA, BB, CC series, Schedule B, B-1, Schedule C, and Schedule D. These documents contain valuable proprietary interests and information relating to the business and operations of SIPC and they are not available to the public. Hence, they must be perpetually protected and not disclosed to any third party.

These schedules are submitted pursuant to Section l(b) of Rule 4.

RELIEF

The rates were derived based on the actual cost and expenses incurred by SIPC (particularly BDPP) in delivering the emergency power to the DU in July 2017.

APPLICANTS pray that the Honorable Commission (1)

ISSUE AN ORDER according confidential treatment to the information and documents described in paragraph 25 above;

(2)

APPROVE this application and the Interim PSA retroactive to 6:21 P.M. of July 7,2017; and

(3)

GRANT other equitable relief.

See Schedule B, B-1 and Schedule C

•

Sample Computation of Power Rates with the supporting documents on the assumptions taken

Please refer to Annex “E” and Annex “F” of the Interim PSA (Annex A and Annex A-I)

•

Rate impact simulation on the overall rates of the DU once the contract is approved including an explanation on assumptions and input parameters used in the derivation thereof

There is only one rate for the DUs (BOHECO I and BLCI) since only the BDPP is capable of delivering emergency power to their franchise areas.

1)

The petitioner’s name and address;

2)

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

The intensity scale 6.5 earthquake that hit Leyte on July 6, 2017 had caused power system disturbance that prevented the power supply of the DU from Luzon and Cebu.

3)

A statement of the relief desired.

However, the reasonableness of the price of emergency power supplied by BDPP is to be ensured by the ERC through its own review and verification of BDPP’s operating cost and expenses.

•

By-Laws

The Fuel Fee refers to the average monthly cost of fuel used to generate one (1) kWhr of energy exported by BDPP considering the actual amount of bunker-C and diesel fuels consumed, computed at the weighted average price of the respective fuels during the Billing Period. The Fuel Fee is computed as follows:

Breakdown of Project Cost and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Cost including the description of and justification/ support for each component

Basis/ rationale of indexation including the sources, reference date and weight of indexation

Not applicable

• Basis/ rationale/ derivation of Other Charges such as replacement, start-up, pre-commercial, and ancillary costs

Not applicable

•

Not applicable

Description

Articles of Incorporation

(b)

•

5.83

Certificate of Incorporation issued on July 21, 2000

The Basic Rate (or Base Price) represents the fixed and variable costs incurred by SIPC in delivering energy to BLCI including the capital recovery and profit margin subject to ERC’s validation for rate approval.

See Schedule A

51,029.12

FOR BLCI

(a)

Breakdown of the base prices; Capital Recovery Fee, Fixed and Variable O&M, and Fuel Fee

PRE-FILING REQUIREMENTS

L

Rate Computation. The cost of energy delivered by SIPC to BLCI is computed at Php2.0205/kWh as the Basic Rate (or Base Price) plus Fuel Fee that is the actual cost of fuel used during the Billing Period to deliver energy (see Schedule A and Schedule B for the breakdown).

•

Applicants submit herewith their respective requirements which are numbered accordingly following the ERC Checklist of Pre-Filing Requirements for Applications for Approval of Power Supply Agreement.

I. GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENTS

K-1

23.

See Schedule B, B-1 and Schedule C

MQ (MWh)

K

Electrical Characteristics; Delivery Point; Transmission Connection; Transmission Services. SIPC shall deliver or cause the delivery of the Final HCQ which shall meet the characteristics of electricity set out in Annex D of the Interim PSA. SIPC shall deliver or cause the delivery of the Final HCQ at the high voltage side of the main transformer of its substation. Each party shall be responsible for the connection of its facilities to the Grid in accordance with the Grid Code and the Distribution Code. Each party shall maintain its own Transmission Service Agreement (TSA) with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines in accordance with the Open Access Transmission Service Rules.

• • • •

1. Schedule of Original Loan (Principal amount, interest payable, term of the loan)

48,439.69

KSPC

Annex

Contract Quantity. Throughout the Term of the Interim PSA, SIPC shall deliver to BLCI its Final Hourly Contract Quantity (HCQ) and BLCI shall purchase the same subject to the terms of the IPSA.

22.

Energy Fee (in P/kWh) = [(MQ) x (Basic Rate + FF)] + VAT

• Bank Certification of Long-term Loans, including, to wit:

WITH BDPP (FOR THE MONTH OF JULY)

RATE (P/kWh)

21.

Where -

a. Executive Summary

5.53

RATE (P/kWh)

Supplier

Interim Power Sales Agreement dated July 7, 2017

IV.GENERATION/ POWER RATE

On November 28, 2017, BLCI received a letter from the Commission dated November 17, 2017 extending the authority to draw power from the BDPP “which shall be effective for six (6) months at the rate of Php2.0205/kWh plus efficient fuel cost or until the Commission approves a rate for the IPSA to be filed, whichever comes earlier.” In the same letter, the Commission advised the applicants to file the application for the approval of the generation cost for the supply of electricity under the IPSA, within six (6) months from its receipt. A copy of ERC’s letter is attached hereto as Annex J. RATE IMPACT

Term. The Term of the Interim PSA is effective from July 7, 2017 (the Effective Date) until the power supply from Leyte is fully restored to its normal capacity and it becomes available to BLCI.

Description

AA

Not applicable

20.

Description Details on the procurement process used by the DU See par. 12 above and Annexes D, E, F, G, H, and I

See Schedule B, B-1 and Schedule C

SALIENT FEATURES OF THE INTERIM PSA

IV. POWER SUPPLY AGREEMENT AND OTHER AGREEMENTS

In a letter dated November 16, 2017, BLCI stated its justifications in support of its letter dated July 7, 2017 requesting for provisional authority to draw out power from SIPC-BDPP while the Interim PSA was being finalized. A copy of the said letter is hereto attached as Annex I.

The rate impact is 0.30 P/kWh as shown below:

However, the reasonableness of the price of emergency power supplied by BDPP is to be ensured by the ERC through its own review and verification of BDPP’s operating cost and expenses.

II. SUPPLY AND DEMAND SCENARIO

However, the Commission believes that this should not have been a matter of policy but of conscience. When circumstances warrant the performance of an act that requires the exercise of judgment that should be beyond legal and regulatory protocols, in order to ensure the delivery of basic human services so as not to prejudice the safety and security of a community and its inhabitants, waiting for approval from a government agency should not have been the primordial concern of the parties. The meritorious justifications are compelling reasons enough to act for the good of the public. xxx

19.

•

U

9.

18.

N

The Interim PSA was executed to address the total blackout in the island of Bohol which started on July 6, 2017 when the High Voltage Direct Current transmission line and the Marshalling Station that transport power from Luzon and Cebu, respectively, were severely damaged by the 6.5 magnitude earthquake that hit the island of Leyte on the same day. A brief summary by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) is attached hereto as Annex C.

In a letter dated July 7, 2017, BLCI requested the ERC for a provisional authority to draw out emergency power from BDPP, pending the preparation and execution of the Interim PSA and the approval thereof by the ERC. A copy of BLCI’s letter dated July 7, 2017 is attached as Annex F.

17.

The IPSA covers only the period that power supply from Leyte was not yet restored to its normal capacity and not yet available to the DU.

Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Note: Documents submitted herewith are as follows: (i) DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Region 7’s letter with subject “Transfer of Ownership” of BDPP to SIPC; (ii) DENR-EMB Region 7’s letter dated December 14, 2007 with subject “Approval of ECC” for BDPP; (iii) ECC dated October 31, 2007 for BDPP.

8.

16.

d. Generation Rate and Derivation

Description

T

In a letter dated July 7, 2017, SIPC agreed to supply BLCI the full 16.0MW capacity of BDPP at the current offered rate of Php2.0205/kWh plus fuel, subject to the approval of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), while generation and transmission facilities from Leyte are unavailable. A copy of SIPC’s letter dated July 7, 2017 is attached as Annex E.

15.

6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M+ 6/45 4 3 2

oua was a force to be reckoned with for San Beda, as his dominating presence inside the paint secured the Red 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M Lions their back-to-back titles this past NCAA Season 93.

DIGITS 0-0-0-0 Also to be handed out in the night of glitz and glamor hosted by the UAAPDIGITS 0-0-0 NCAA Press Corps are the Chooks-toGo Player of the Year, Mythical Five, EZ2 0-0 and Breakout Player.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW

Board of Investment (BOI) Certificate of Registration with attached terms and conditions Note: This requirement is not applicable. SIPC is not BOI-registered.

7.

14.

LOTTO RESULTS

S

BLCI’s request for emergency power supply from SIPC was endorsed by the Provincial Government of Bohol and the City Government of Tagbilaran.

13.

ba, winner of two PGTA tournaments last January, is also confident of his chances along with fellow Davaoeños Elmer Salvador, Mhark Fernando, Rufino Bayron, Marvin Dumandan, Ramil Bisera, Peter Villaber and Elmer Saban.

But a slew of foreign aces will be out to spoil their bid, including Dutch Guido Van der Valk, Americans Lexus Keoninh and Nicolas Paez, Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia, Lee Song and Park Jun Sung of Korea and Eiichiro Hiyama and Taisei Mochida of Japan.

Del Monte, on the other hand, will host the PGT fourth leg on June 27-30 for the ICTSI Del Monte Championship while Cagayan de Oro will stage the Pueblo de Oro Championship on July 4-7 at the Pueblo Oro Golf and Country Club.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SIPC and BLCI jointly seek for the approval of their Interim Power Sales Agreement dated July 7, 2017 (Interim PSA). SIPC and BLCI executed the Interim PSA in counterparts, the duplicate originals of which are included as annexes. The respective board approvals of SIPC and of BLCI authorizing the filing of this application are attached to this application as Annex A and Annex B. The authorities of their counsels are attached as Annex A-1 and Annex B-1, respectively.

6.

12.

championship, in the ceremony supported by Chooks-to-Go and The Bayleaf Intramuros.

The unassuming Go delivered it mattered most for Ateneo, hitting the big shots which paved the way for the Blue Eagles to win the UAAP Season 80 crown and end their five-year title drought.

Meanwhile, the Cameroonian TankFOR SIPC

SPC ISLAND POWER CORPORATION (SIPC) AND BOHOL LIGHT COMPANY, INC. (BLCI), Applicants. x - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

3.

onship courses in the regions. The provincial swing will also give the pros, majority of which hail from south, the chance to be with their respective families.

Meanwhile, Lascuña, Bayron and Ababa lead the other select pros in today’s (Tuesday) pro-am tournament where they will be paired with amateur guests and officials of the event’s chief backers, including BDO, KZG, Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Sharp, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and PLDT,

But this week’s battle for the top P550,000 purse could be narrowed down to a slew of Davaoeños, who are expected to cash in on their local knowledge of the hazard-laden course which hosted the Philippine Open in 1995 and which also gives stunning views of Mt. Apo. But Lascuña has downplayed the homegrown talents’ edge in familiarity.

“The level of games now has improved, thus virtually eliminating the course familiarity factor,” said Lascuña, who nevertheless hopes to end a winless campaign this year at home.

Bayron, meanwhile, will be coming into the event brimming with confidence following his victory in the PGT Asia Manila Southwoods leg two weeks ago. Aba-

Go, Tankoua to be feted at Collegiate Awards

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

2.

A7

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Davao bets face off in ICTSI golf

So rules ‘Your Next Move’ tilt in Belgium

1.

TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018

Equivalent PhP/kWh with assumptions for foreign denominated rates

d. Cash Flow specifying the following: • Initial Costs

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:

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 Applicants rest their case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Energy Regulatory Commission’s 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 Applicants that they be furnished with the. same, prior to the date of the initial hearing. Applicants are 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 DEV ANADERA, and the Honorable Commissioners ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAP-TARUC and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 11th day of June 2018 in Pasig City.

See Schedule B, B-1 and Schedule C JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal

• Breakdown of Operating and Maintenance expenses • Minimum Energy Off-take (MEOT)

The Commission has set the Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on 12 July 2018 (Thursday) at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.) at BLCI Main Office in R. Enerio St., Poblacion 3, Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

Not applicable

1. Schedule of Original Loan (Principal amount, interest payable, term of the loan)

Not applicable

2 . Updated Balances (Principal amount, interest payable, penalties (if any), remaining term of the loan

Not applicable (MS-JUNE 19 & 27, 2018)

Sports

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

A8

TUESDAY, JUNE 19. 2018

National karatedo squad gets new coach

By Peter Atencio

Nearing peak form. Senator Manny Pacquiao (right) connects with a right to the head of his sparring partner. The eight-division world champion will challenge WBA Welterweight world champion Lucas Matthysse on July 15 at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur. Sonny Espiritu

Cignal starts PSL title defense CIGNAL vowed to go all out in its defense of the Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga (PSL) Invitational Conference crown as the league’s second conference unwraps this Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Despite losing some key personnel, the HD Spikers are still pumped up and ready to face the giants of this prestigious women’s club league bankrolled by Isuzu and UCPB Gen with ESPN5, Hyper and Aksyon TV as broadcast partners.

Head coach Edgar Barroga said the absence of stalwarts Jovelyn Gonzaga, Honey Royse Tubino and Janine Marciano due to injuries inspires them to work harder to defend the title they won last year together with guest squad Kobe Shinwa University of Japan.

Gonzaga and Marciano crashed with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury at the tail end of the Grand Prix last year.

Tubino joined Cocolife before moving back to the Philippine Army, which will carry the colors of Smart.

Also missing from last year’s titlewinning squad are Chie Saet and Paneng Mercado, who opted to move to another league.

Barroga said the road back to the crown is littered with challenges, but they are working hard to give other squads, especially Petron, F2 Logistics and Foton, a serious run for their money.

“To be honest, defending the title is never easy,” said Barroga. “But I can see the players’ willingness and determination. They treat this situation more as a challenge than an obstacle.

We may not be as star-studded as last year, but we’re making up for it by working harder.”

With those stars gone, Barroga is pinning his hopes on seasoned spiker Rachel Anne Daquis, national pool member Mylene Paat, Janine Navarro and Rialen Sante as well as middle blockers Cherry Vivas and Shirley Salamagos, playmaker Acy Masangkay and libero Jheck Dionela.

Koepka wins second straight US Open

S

OUTHAMPTON, United States—Brooks Koepka became the first player in three decades to repeat as US Open Champion here Sunday, firing a gritty final round 68 at Shinnecock Hills to beat Tommy Fleetwood by one stroke.

A year after he marched to victory with a 16-under total at Erin Hills, Koepka kept his nerve on the back nine to emerge with a one-over-par total of 281.

“To go back to back, I really can’t even put it into words,” said Koepka, who was flirting with the cut line when he was seven-over par during the second round on Friday.

“We grinded our tail off this week to come back from seven-over and do what we did. It was pretty special.”

The world number nine is the seventh player to win backto-back US Open

crowns, and the first since Curtis Strange in 1988-89.

After overpowering the wide-open Erin Hills, he kept his nerve through four brutal days at Shinnecock.

“It’s much more gratifying the second time,” said Koepka, who had battled a partially torn wrist tendon that sidelined him nearly four months since his major breakthrough last year. “I don’t think I could have dreamed of this.”

A day after scores soared on the dried out greens, the US Golf Association admitted the course got out of hand, adding plenty of moisture and some slightly more forgiving pins.

England’s 12th-ranked Fleetwood

Mexico upsets defending champion Germany

Mexico’s forward Hirving Lozano celebrates after scoring against Germany during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group F match. AFP

MOSCOW, Russia—Mexico stunned World Cup holders Germany on Sunday, inflicting a 1-0 defeat that throws the Germans’ title defense into disarray as Neymar’s Brazil stuttered to a draw against Switzerland.

The outstanding Hirving Lozano smashed home the Mexican winner in the 35th minute at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, leaving Manuel Neuer clutching at thin air on his return to the German goal after a ninemonth injury absence.

Toni Kroos crashed a shot against the crossbar for Germany but they were never able to get

NU retains crown in 23rd Father Martin Cup NATIONAL player Jack Danielle Animam and newcomer Kaye Pingol showed the way with 12 points as the defending champion National University Lady Bulldogs retained the women’s crown last Sunday in the 23rd Fr. Martin Cup Summer Basketball tournament.

Rheena Itesi had 11 points with another veteran Ria Nabalan for the Lady Bulldogs, who finished their campaign with eight wins and a loss at the St. Placid gymnasium of the San BedaManila campus in Mendiola.

Newcomer Jeanne Camelo, a prized find from Chiang Kai Shek College, had nine points and played a big role as she scored two of three triples in the early part of the game.

For the Lady Bulldogs, it was third

seized the opportunity to match the lowest round ever in the US Open with a brilliant seven-under 63 for a two-over total of 282.

Fleetwood had stormed into the clubhouse with a round that included eight birdies, putting the pressure on overnight leaders Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Daniel Berger and Tony Finau.

Only Koepka met the challenge. He had broken out of the pack with three birdies in the first five holes.

Playing in freshening wind and knowing that Fleetwood was in the clubhouse on two-over Koepka produced a string of clutch putts on the back nine.

A six-foot birdie at the 10th gave him a two-stroke lead. A tough 12-footer limited the damage at 11 to what he called “a great bogey” after he hit over the green into deep rough and from there into a bunker. AFP

crown in four years in this cagefest which is supported by Cocolife.

“I’m happy that we won again. For the girls, this is a learning experience, especially for the new ones in the group,” said Lady Bulldogs coach Patrick Aquino.

The Lady Bulldogs took control early, with Camelo, a prized find from Chiang Kai Shek College, unloading two treys in the first five minutes of the game.

Camelo’s efforts helped the Lady Bulldogs move away, and take a 15-8 advantage off Nabalan.

With Annick Fabienne Edimo Tiky controlling the boards, the Lady Bulldogs slowly took control after taking a 38-29 halftime edge.

Grace Irebu led the Tigresses with 16 points.

In othe games, Nico Abatayo showed the way with 11 points while Anthony Sistoza had nine as the NU Bulldogs fought off Our Lady of Fatima University, 72-62, and improved their chances of reaching the quarterfinals with win no. 3 in Group A of the senior division.

Adama Diakhite hit 23 points for the defending champion Diliman College Blue Dragons in their 72-65 triumph over University of the East, and this allowed them to move up the senior standings at 3-0.

Adam Doria made 13 points for the Adamson Baby Falcons, who downed Hope Christian School, 85-71, claimed in their second win in three outings in Group of the junior action, and stayed on course of a quarterfinals slot. Peter Atencio

back into the match as they slid to their first defeat in their opening game of a World Cup since 1982.

“I don’t know if it’s the biggest win in Mexico’s history but doubtless it is one of the biggest for sure,” said 22-year-old Lozano.

Lozano’s winner made the earth move in Mexico City, where seismologists detected a minor tremor possibly caused by “widespread jumping during the goal.”

Germany coach Joachim Loew did not mince his words about his side’s performance, saying his team had played “very badly” in the first half of the Group F tie.

“We weren’t able to impose our usual way of playing, our attacking and passing was not effective,” he said.

“It goes without saying that the next match will be decisive for us, we have to win it,” Loew added ahead of his team’s next game against Sweden next Saturday.

If Germany finish as group runnersup, they could face Brazil in a clash of World Cup titans in the next round— a perfect chance for the Brazilians to avenge the humiliating 7-1 defeat to the Germans on home soil in 2014.

Brazil, and their star Neymar, made their bow in Russia in Rostov-on-Don but gutsy Switzerland battled back to cancel out a Philippe Coutinho strike midway through the first half of the Group E tie.

The Barcelona man found the top corner with a stunning curled effort in the 20th minute but Steven Zuber headed an equalizer from a corner shortly after half time and the fivetime champions could not make their superior quality count.

Coach Tite blamed first night nerves.

“I’m not happy with this result. Our finishing wasn’t good. We had 20 chances, but too many shots were off target. We should have made their keeper work harder than that. AFP

THE national karatedo team will have a new kumite coach.

Commissioner Ramon Fernandez said the change will take place because of the request of members of the national team.

The national squad, headed by team skipper Eugene Dagohoy, forwarded their request to the Philippine Sports Commission.

The replacement will happen following their arrival from a two-day training camp in Japan.

“The athletes requested for a change. There will be a new one,” said Fernandez.

Iranian coach Ali Parvintar will now have to give way to Jin Tsukii, who was a national coach 20 years ago.

His daughter Juna Tsukii is former member of the Japanese national team, and will be part of the four-member national squad to the Asiad.

The young Tsukii, a 27-year-old karateka whose mother is a Filipina, will compete in the -50 kilogram division of the kumite where she ranks among the favorites. She made her debut playing for the national flag in the 29th Southeast Asian Games with a bronze medal finish.

The other members of the national kumite squad are Ram Macaalay (-60 kgs), Mae Soriano (-68 kgs) and Miyuki Taccay (-68 kgs).

Five are supposed to go. But Malaysian SEA Games silver medalist Rexor Taccay suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury while competing in the recent PSC Philippine National Games in Cebu City.

James de los Santos is the lone bet in the kata event.

Gin Kings gets Chan

By Jeric Lopez MORE help is on the way for Barangay Ginebra.

In a swift transaction, the Gin Kings have completed a deal to acquire Jeff Chan from Phoenix in exchange for a for their first round pick in the coming Philippine Basketball Association Draft this November.

Needing more firepower to salvage their campaign in the ongoing Commissioner’s Cup, Ginebra made a move to add a proven shooter in Chan.

The veteran gunner, who was once a National team mainstay, will add much needed outside firepower for the Gin Kings, who have a loaded frontcourt.

As of this moment, Barangay Ginebra is holds a 3-win, 5-loss and needs to win all its remaining games in order to make the quarterfinals.

Ginebra hopes Chan’s addition to its backcourt can be a huge boost.

Ginebra will be Chan’s third team after starting his career with Rain or Shine, where he shone in his nine-year stint, and spending the past year at Phoenix.

So far this conference, Chan is averaging 11.6 points with four rebounds and four assists.

The Gin Kings were just coming off 104-84 annihilation of Magnolia Sunday night to save their campaign.

Yesterday, Chan still attended Phoenix’s practice in the morning before eventually heading to the Ginebra camp after being informed of the sudden development.

Jeff Chan drives past his defender in PBA action.

IN BRIEF Review spectrum users fees, DICT orders NTC THE government is reviewing the spectrum users fees to certain frequency bands that were assigned to Smart Communications Inc., Globe Telecom Inc. and other telecommunications companies.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology ordered the National Telecommunications Commission to “review and make appropriate adjustment on the SUF for 610-790 megahertz (MHz) and 1710-2025 Mhz International Mobil Telecommunications bands of frequencies.

“Due to the rapid growth of 3G and 4G mobile as well as the global trend towards 5G, it has become necessary for the DICT to encourage and promote the use of currently allocated frequencies such that spectrum users fees shall be applied uniformly and without discrimination to all users under the same classification or category,” DICT said.

Acting DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio said the idea was to reward the efficient use of spectrum awarded to a telco, which would be a function of the actual traffic using the spectrum.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Business

DoE, PNOC-EC study Malampaya takeover THE Department of Energy has committed to come out with a study on the commercial and technical viability of the government taking over the Malampaya gas project once the service contract of the Malampaya consortium ends by 2024, an official said Tuesday.

Energy Undersecretary Leonido Pulido III told reporters at the sidelines of a Senate hearing the department, along with state-owned PNOC Exploration Corp., the oil and gas unit of Philippine National Oil Co. had started the study in January for completion by the end of the year.

PNOC Exploration owns 10 percent of the Malampaya gas project in partnership with Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (45 percent) and Chevron Malampaya LLC (45 percent).

The consortium holds service contract 38, or the Malampaya gas project, in northwest Palawan. The service contract is due to expire in 2024.

The consortium has not asked for an extension of the service contract.

Alena Mae S. Flores

HOLCIM PARTNERS. Holcim Philippines Inc. holds its annual customer recognition night on June 2 in Mactan, Cebu province to thank the contribution business partners’ to its sustained success. Shown during the recognition night are (from left, front row) Holcim Philippines senior vice president for manufacturing Roman Menz, Megacem Inc. vice president for construction Jett Manuel, Megacem president and chief executive officer Rodolfo Manuel and Holcim Philippines president and CEO John Stull.

Workers’ remittances jumped 12.7% in April M

By Julito G. Rada

ONEY sent home

by Filipinos working overseas in April rose 12.7 percent to $2.347 billion from $2.083 billion a year ago, the fastest in 17 months and a turnaround from the 9.8-percent decline a month ago, data from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Monday show.

Remittances sent by land-based workers worth $1.8 billion and sea-based workers amounting to $0.5 billion increased 15.1 percent and 4.8 percent, respectively, compared to the levels posted a year ago.

The primary contributors to the growth in remittances during the month were the United States with 4.2 percentage points to the 12.7 percent aggregated growth, Canada (1.9 percent) and

Ombusman ruling to derail power projects

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE new three-month suspension of the four commissioners of the Energy Regulatory Commission by the Office of the Ombudsman could derail future power projects.

“That’s a problem. ERC needs the commissioners to function. We can’t afford to delay the power projects. Future consequences will be a big blow to our consumers and the economy,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said Monday.

The Ombudsman ordered anew the suspension of four commissioners of the ERC for tolerating the misuse of bill deposits by allowing commingling with the capital or operation cost of Manila Electric Co. contrary to the purpose for which the bill deposits was established.

The Ombudsman ordered the suspension of commissioners Alfredo Non, Gloria Victoria Yap-Taruc, Josefina Patrici Asirit and Geronimo Sta. Ana for three months without pay.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018

B1

Peso slumps to 53.48:$1; stocks drop to 15-month low

CDC chief welcomes Laus’ Clark Restos CLARK Development Corp. welcomed Clark Restos for extending support to the manufacturing and industrial locators within the Clark Freeport Zone Freeport in terms of providing diverse options in dining experience.

“We are very happy and very thankful for the Laus Group (of Companies) for choosing Clark. These new establishments will provide more food options to our locators and workers here in the Freeport,” said CDC president and chief executive officer Noel Manankil.

With the opening of three casual dining restaurants, wholly-owned subsidiary Metro Central Luzon Food Inc. said that one of the goals of the company was to take part in the developments in the free port.

“With these new establishments, we aim to not only contribute to the growth of Clark, but also provide more employment to our (countrymen) here,” said MCLFI president Ma. Theresa Laus.

The establishments will offer a variety of food choices from Pancake House, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and Yellow Cab Pizza. Othel V. Campos

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

The four commissioners filed an appeal and a petition for the issuance of a temporary restraining order with the Court of Appeals against new threemonth suspension order.

Aboitiz Power Corp. president Antonio Moraza reiterated the need for a functioning ERC. “We need a functioning ERC. They have much to do. Without the four commissioners that won’t be possible,” Moraza said.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian called on Malacañang to investigate the actions of the four commissioners regarding the bill deposit.

“It’s about time to improve the check and balance…improve transparency and make ERC stronger,” Gatchalian, head of the Senate Committee on Energy, said.

“I think the Office of the President should investigate thoroughly the decision of the commission and investigate the action of the commissioners,” he said.

Singapore (1 percent).

The April figure brought cash remittances in the first four months to $9.4 billion, up 3.5 percent year-on-year. The bulk of remittances during the period came from the US, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Japan, Singapore, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Qatar and Kuwait.

The combined remittances from these countries accounted for almost 80 percent of total cash remittances.

Personal remittances, which include non-cash items, also recovered and posted a strong 12.9-percent growth, the fastest in 17 months, to $2.616 billion from $2.317 billion on year. The figure brought the first four months figure to $10.426 billion, up 4 percent from $10.026 billion on year.

“The continued growth in personal remittances during the first four months was driven by steady inflows from landbased OFWs with work contracts of one year or more, which aggregated to $8.1 billion, and compensation of sea-based workers and land-based workers with short-term contracts, which reached $2.1 billion,” Bangko Sentral said.

Earlier, ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng said remittances were seen to recover in April from a 9.8-percent decline in March after banks closed for a few days due to the Holy Week holiday break.

In a report, Cuyegkeng said remittances across major regions were down year-on-year in March. Remittances from Asia, Oceania, Americas, Europe and the Middle East declined by 3 percent, 19 percent, 2.3 percent, 9.4 percent, and 23.1 percent, respectively.

The central bank pointed to fewer banking days due to the Holy Week commemoration, base effects, and the continued repatriation of overseas Filipinos from Kuwait.

“This implies that April should show a good rebound... We expect remittances to exhibit some resilience in April,” Cuyegkeng earlier said.

Remittances in March 2018 declined 9.8 percent, the biggest drop in 15 years since the 10.9-percent fall in April 2003, due to base effects and the repatriation of overseas workers from the Middle East countries, especially Kuwait.

THE peso and the stock market sank Monday, with the local currency falling to a new 12-year low against the US dollar on the lingering possibility that the US Federal Reserve may increase interest rates two more times this year.

The stock market, meanwhile, plummeted to a 15-month low on fresh fears of a trade war between the world’s top two economies after the United States and China imposed tit-for-tat tariffs on billions of dollars of imports. (Story on B2) The peso lost P0.21 to close at 53.48 from 53.27 on Friday. It was its weakest level in almost 12 years since the 53.55 on June 29, 2006. Total volume traded stood at $568 million, lower than $796.45 million on Thursday.

The peso opened Monday’s trading P0.19 weaker at 53.46 and at one point touched 53.50 before settling at 53.48.

Philip Wee, foreign exchange strategist of DBS Group Research, said in a report that Asian currencies were facing depreciation pressures due to monetary policy divergences that have supported the US dollar globally.

“The Fed has affirmed that it will be moving to deliver a total of four, not three, rate hikes this year. The European Central Bank has confirmed that asset purchases will end in December which forced markets to reverse earlier bets for the central bank to bring forward its rate hike into 2019,” Wee said. “... This should keep the Philippine peso, Indian rupee and Indonesian rupiah weak beyond the key levels of 53, 68, and 14,000 respectively,” Wee said.

Wee, however, said while not immune, these three Asian currencies had been notably more resilient than their emerging market peers.

Astro del Castillo, president and managing director of First Grade Finance Inc., said most investors were “flocking to the more attractive dollar assets” in the wake of the Fed’s move of raising interest rates last week.

Julito G. Rada

MPIC unit buys Cavite property of Pro-Friends

By Jenniffer B. Austria

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Monday, June 18, 2018

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

53.3130

Japan

Yen

0.009038

0.4818

UK

Pound

1.326800

70.7357

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127405

6.7923

Switzerland

Franc

1.003412

53.4949

Canada

Dollar

0.758380

40.4315

Singapore

Dollar

0.740192

39.4619

Australia

Dollar

0.743900

39.6595

Bahrain

Dinar

2.647744

141.1592

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266645

14.2156

Brunei

Dollar

0.737463

39.3164

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000072

0.0038

Thailand

Baht

0.030883

1.6465

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

14.5156 61.7844

Euro

Euro

1.158900

Korea

Won

0.000906

0.0483

China

Yuan

0.156238

8.3295

India

Rupee

0.014694

0.7834

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.251036

13.3835

New Zealand

Dollar

0.692800

36.9352

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033187

1.7693

SM’S SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS. Ramon “Chito” Macapagal (left photo), head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability of the SM Group, opens the first-ever Carbon Disclosure Project Workshop in the Philippines. BDO Capital and Investment Corp. president Eduardo Francisco (center photo) joins Oliver Gonzales of the Environment and Natural Resources Office of Batangas City and president of the Philippine League of Local Environment and Natural Resources Officers, and Vincent De Paz, sustainability manager, ADEC Innovations, during the forum discussion. Right photo shows Tim Daniels of SM Investor Relations as he speaks about SM’s journey on sustainability.

Bank of Fukuoka taps BDO Unibank as partner in PH BDO Unibank Inc., the country’s biggest lender, was chosen by Bank of Fukuoka Ltd., Japan’s third-largest regional bank, as its partner in the Philippines to serve the needs of Japanese clients if they decide to expand their business or set up shops here.

BDO said in a statement Monday the partnership was a milestone for the bank as no Japanese regional bank in the Kyushu region had aligned with any Philippine bank in the past.

Kyushu accounts for almost 10 percent of Japan’s gross domestic product and total population and one of the major centers of production for the automotive, integrated circuits, agriculture and food industries. It is home to the Fukuoka Prefecture where BoF is based.

Founded in 1942, BoF has 170 branches and representative offices in Dalian, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangkok, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City and New York.

BDO since 2013 has sealed agreements with several Japanese regional banks strategically situated in the various prefectures of the world’s third largest economy. These banks are serving as conduits of their clients which are currently doing business in the Philippines or looking at the country as their next business hub.

“Said undertakings were considered a byproduct of the previous MoU entered into by BDO with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation essentially promoting the development and strengthening of a framework to support Japanese mid-tier companies as well as SMEs through JRBs,” BDO said.

METROPAC Movers Inc., a whollyowned subsidiary of infrastructure conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp., is spending P8 billion to develop a world-class distribution facility in General Trias Cavite province.

Metro Pacific said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it recently acquired a 202,000-square meter property Cavite owned by Property Company of Friends Inc. for P2 billion.

Metro Pacific said Metropac would use the property to develop and manage distribution centers for existing and potential clients in the fast moving consumer goods, consumer durables, automotive and e-commerce spaces.

Metropac plans develop the property into 141,000 sq. m. of covered warehouse space and purchase the equipment to serve its clients.

“This purchase complements the 522 brand new trucks acquired by MMI in the 4th quarter of 2017 and existing leased warehouse space totaling 207,000 sq. m. across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao,” Metro Pacific said.

Metro Pacific said Metropac also planned to purchase another 300,000 sq. m. of land in Bulacan also for logistics operations.

“It will fulfill a much needed function in today’s fragmented logistics market where resources to efficiently track and deliver goods to all parts of the Philippine archipelago are still lacking,” Metro Pacific said.

“In doing this, Metropac also contributes to nation building by providing employment to residents of Cavite and Bulacan, up to 7,000 employees upon project completion, in addition to the 2,400 employees that are currently operating MMI’s existing warehouses and owned trucks,” it added.

B2

Business

TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

says Stock market falls to 15-month low PLDT Voyager is

T

HE stock market plunged to a 15-month low on Monday on fresh fears of a trade war between the world’s top two economies after the United States and China imposed tit-for-tat tariffs on billions of dollars of imports.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index sank 115.43 points, or 1.5 percent, to 7,414.11, its lowest since closing at 7,341.65 points on April 3, 2017. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 161 to 44,with 40 issues unchanged.

Conglomerate Ayala Corp. lost 2.6 percent to P925.50, while banking unit Bank of the Philippine Islands, the third-biggest lender in terms of assets, slumped 3.6 percent to P92.35.

PLDT Inc., the largest telecommunications firm, tumbled 3.6 percent to

P1,251, while Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is into toll roads, water and electricity distribution, infrastructure and hospitals, dropped 3.4 percent to P4.82.

Most Asian markets tumbled on Monday, with nergy firms among the biggest losers as oil prices plunged ahead of a key Opec meeting, where Saudi Arabia and Russia are expected to lift a twoyear-old production cap.

Donald Trump’s decision to hit China with 25 percent levies was met with an immediate retaliation, moving the two closer to a trade war that could potentially batter the global economy.

The announcement came despite weeks of talks between the two sides.

The developments sent stocks into the red across Europe and on Wall Street, and Asian investors followed suit on Monday.

Tokyo ended 0.8 percent down, while Singapore sank more than one percent, and Seoul dropped 1.3 percent.

Wellington and Bangkok were both down but Sydney eked out a 0.2-percent gain.

Hong Kong and Shanghai were closed for public holidays.

“Many folks will tell you this isn’t a trade war. But when one side whacks a bunch of tariffs and the other side retaliates with its own set of tariffs against the other side, that looks very much to me like the battle has been joined,” said Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at AxiTrader.

“Whether it escalates is a different question.”

With traders fleeing to safer assets, the yen rose against the dollar, while the greenback rallied against most highyielding currencies with the Australian dollar, South Korean won and Mexican

peso all sharply down.

After losing around four percent last week, oil plunged again Monday as investors fret over Russia and Saudi Arabia’s expected move to ramp up output at an Opec meeting that starts Friday.

The two major producers have kept a ceiling in place since late 2016, which has helped ease a supply glut and lift prices, which had fallen to multi-year lows.

“Russia has been aggressively affirming itself by adding oil to market ahead of the upcoming meeting and is pushing for a significant output hike, Saudi Arabia is suggesting for a modest increase and others are in favor of the status quo,” said Stephen Innes, head of AsiaPacific trade at OANDA. “While most industry observers are expecting a production rise, the magnitude and timing of the boost remain uncertain.” With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, JUNE 18, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 59 7,510 92.35 1,757,940 2.88 3,000 134 3,470,130 1.65 247,000 34.2 100,300 16.5 25,400 14.8 292,600 3.46 36,000 8.53 600 1.49 34,000 895 30 0.55 1,814,000 72.85 5,058,850 1.14 5,107,000 12 28,200 20.05 800 49 22,200 202.2 1,680 106 610 29.55 192,400 202.6 397,100 1,955 15 88.7 283,110

442,965 162,703,850.50 8,640 454,906,183 387,590 3,427,740 419,096 4,349,552 126,730 5,118 50,660 26,845 991,920 369,358,585 6,027,290 338,420 16,050 1,087,835 342,232 64,680 5,703,480 79,214,497 29,325 25,138,181.50

442,965 -139,507,173.50 -41,071,092 -185,760 47,850 -938,832 5,900 -172,260,717 507,570 20,400 -4,123,545 12,375,500 -640,711

INDUSTRIAL 38.3 2,568,500 15.02 2,729,100 0.6 569,000 1.25 612,000 27.1 1,096,800 0.237 3,800,000 105.1 230 3.01 3,011,000 16.78 135,900 49.95 501,000 23.45 30,200 59.95 10 60.05 7,510 80 460 1.92 151,000 5.1 1,900 8.68 3,000 10.18 1,580,800 16 616,600 11.2 106,000 7.21 542,600 5.2 786,700 14.96 258,100 62 82,090 21.7 27,900 8 114,100 14.96 1,122,200 2.42 7,671,000 277.2 609,580 5.03 41,100 26.7 374,900 11.76 157,900 21.3 1,223,100 343 426,140 0.18 930,000 6.75 7,900 2.21 1,521,000 4.16 184,000 9 834,100 5.99 3,301,900 1.3 805,000 12 13,719,800 51 718,870 5.95 50,500 4.55 3,000 2.44 245,000 3.6 55,000 2.03 514,000 12.9 504,300 62.9 478,370 5.08 138,700 0.129 2,000,000 0.9 139,000 118 1,185,120 2.6 10,000 2.89 12,153,000 1.48 105,109,000

96,165,755 40,675,816 336,170 751,640 30,325,615 892,300 23,824 9,126,840 2,230,922 24,985,825 711,980 599.5 463,238 36,812 289,600 9,690 26,654 16,198,494 9,813,526 1,186,176 3,904,956 4,098,487 3,811,032 5,086,426 593,295 917,368 16,680,350 18,973,600 168,982,136 205,884 10,073,390 1,858,694 26,324,035 145,352,546 167,400 53,075 3,452,340 769,510 7,458,057 19,552,958 1,043,870 165,186,208 36,605,229.50 300,475 13,650 589,160 198,000 1,007,570 6,543,238 30,381,001.50 699,232 258,000 126,120 140,611,785 26,000 35,190,540 170,286,290

-6,934,625 13,736,196 -142,190 -6,860 -1,371,020 -665,604.00 42,240 -4,744,008 635,506 -303,284 -181,470 1,529,388 -2,112,686 -624,747 52,000 7,640,096 -153,580 -11,091,036 966,145 82,942 -7,931,580 58,186,538 5,140 16,600 -2,843,293.00 69,600 -164,948,000 7,923,004.50 104,125 7,110 -2,363,912 -4,288,515.50 -10,768 -55,359,272 -288,840 616,470

3,254,450 84,229,629 243,663,400 933,720 235,984 3,331,550 716,040 266,543,740 63,529,407 72,607,694 110,400 164,300 182,664,150 81,246,899.50 558,440 2,302,600 17,972,948 713,100 131,713,680 65,700 1,610,530 4,504,290 17,429,868 76,500 322,320,625 16,990 258,510 125,830 5,088,774 180,580 265,070

-13,716,418.50 -52,775,200.00 80,240 -131,569,815 689,883 -44,591,544 36,800 -37,628,705 -63,416,585 88,000.00 -1,599,590 -6,019,648 -73,690,830 16,730 -130,980 -6,144,938 -155,488,280 -41,408 -

13,883,134 4,388,710 134,360 775,260 475,038,165 1,362,030 2,131,950 366,488 1,651,400 270,120 2,477,140 75,600 16,064,235 1,771,280 8,120 7,118,030 3,473,060 765,590 84,524,410 21,247,930 503,150 738,070 72,730,890 209,363,452 924,350

-3,534,770 37,860 -84,083,840 -408,910 533,530 -319,680 -44,750 1,320,000 -42,000 -2,398,450 -310,620 323,830 -40,348,890 -58,400 20,400 -601,960 -1,669,274 20,450

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 MANULIFE MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PHILTRUST RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK

59 94.65 2.88 131 1.59 34.5 16.5 15.1 3.64 8.53 1.49 894.5 0.59 73.3 1.27 12.2 20.1 49.8 204.8 106.1 30.45 198.1 1,955 88.9

59 94.65 2.88 134 1.65 34.5 16.5 15.1 3.64 8.53 1.49 895 0.59 73.3 1.27 12.2 20.1 49.8 204.8 106.1 30.45 205 1,955 88.9

58.95 92.1 2.88 127 1.55 34 16.48 14.7 3.46 8.53 1.49 894.5 0.53 72.5 1.14 12 20.05 48 202.2 106 28.55 198 1,955 88.6

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

37.3 14.74 0.6 1.24 23.7 0.232 103.1 3.11 16.08 49.9 24 59.95 61.05 80.05 1.93 5.1 9.13 10.74 16 11.38 7.25 5.25 15 63.05 21.9 8.57 15.38 2.49 279.2 5.03 27.4 11.98 22 338.2 0.18 6.75 2.22 4.3 9.03 5.8 1.33 12.34 51 5.95 4.55 2.37 3.6 1.99 13.24 63.8 5.12 0.129 0.93 120 2.6 3.02 1.6

38.3 15.02 0.6 1.26 30.3 0.237 105.1 3.12 16.78 49.95 24 59.95 62 80.05 1.93 5.1 9.13 10.74 16 11.38 7.25 5.28 15 63.25 21.9 8.57 15.38 2.57 279.2 5.11 27.4 11.98 22.5 345.2 0.18 6.75 2.3 4.3 9.1 6.08 1.33 12.34 51.05 5.95 4.55 2.47 3.6 2.03 13.24 65 5.12 0.129 0.95 120.4 2.6 3.02 1.75

37.15 14.7 0.58 1.21 23.7 0.229 103 2.99 16 49 23.25 59.95 60.05 80 1.91 5.1 8.68 10.14 15.72 11.16 7.17 5.2 14.5 61.75 20.75 8 14.7 2.37 276.2 5 26.55 11.7 21.05 336 0.18 6.7 2.21 4.15 8.86 5.78 1.28 12 50.3 5.95 4.55 2.36 3.6 1.9 12.9 62.65 5.02 0.129 0.9 116.4 2.6 2.84 1.36

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

0.27 61.05 12.54 0.96 6.08 0.68 0.7 931.5 6.4 10.56 7.36 0.196 987 56 0.6 3.61 19.36 0.57 4.9 0.037 1.23 2.9 139.9 2.55 884.5 0.81 1.63 570 259 0.221 0.21

0.27 62.85 12.66 1.04 6.12 0.68 0.7 931.5 6.42 10.58 7.36 0.196 998 56 0.61 3.75 19.9 0.58 4.9 0.037 1.25 2.9 140 2.55 899 0.81 1.63 570 260 0.221 0.235

0.25 60.05 12.5 0.95 6.03 0.66 0.68 923.5 6.31 10.2 7.36 0.195 972.5 53 0.58 3.61 19.06 0.56 4.76 0.036 1.18 2.76 138.5 2.55 870 0.79 1.59 525 255 0.216 0.21

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

7.57 1.02 2.1 0.81 39.05 3.33 4.8 5.9 0.45 0.96 0.22 0.42 27.1 0.63 0.116 1.6 1.27 1.08 4.47 0.64 0.43 0.52 2.8 19.18 2.05

7.71 1.02 2.1 0.81 39.1 3.36 4.8 5.98 0.45 0.97 0.226 0.42 27.1 0.64 0.116 1.61 1.28 1.08 4.63 0.64 0.435 0.52 3.17 19.98 2.1

7.45 1 2.03 0.79 38.3 3.31 4.67 5.55 0.44 0.95 0.219 0.42 25.9 0.61 0.116 1.56 1.24 1.07 4.44 0.62 0.43 0.5 2.78 19.06 2.03

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

3.26 34.5 1.1 9.15 0.82 6.8

3.3 35 1.1 9.37 0.85 6.83

3.25 34.35 1.09 8.93 0.81 6.66

3.3 35 1.1 8.93 0.83 6.75

35,000 14,831,000 537,000 1,208,300 531,000 12,126,100

113,990 515,250,685 587,490 11,000,744 443,700 81,740,559

-6,600 -40,941,685 126,500 -457,871 -16,045,890

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

15.3 26.2 1.33 0.46 0.046 13 11.48 0.054 84.5 8.8 7.9 7 2.17 18.7 1,647 5.64 305 11.38 3.67 2.16 84.35 13 8.2 0.113 1.86 4.43 15.32 4.18 1.03 25.05 4.22 6 2.93 3.86 3.75 17.52 9.3 11.44 9.02 3.01 123 5.37 1,272 0.93 0.36 47.95 84 9.45 2.09 1.21 0.45 4.9 0.84 11.92

15.3 26.2 1.38 0.47 0.046 13.04 11.48 0.055 84.5 8.8 7.9 7.2 2.29 19 1,678 5.64 310 11.38 3.67 2.16 86 13 8.2 0.113 1.86 4.58 15.32 4.2 1.04 25.1 4.22 6.05 2.98 3.99 3.88 19.86 9.85 11.44 9.02 3.01 123 5.39 1,273 0.96 0.36 48 84 9.45 2.14 1.25 0.45 5.01 0.84 11.94

15.1 25.75 1.33 0.455 0.044 13 11.02 0.054 79 8.8 7.63 6.91 2.15 18.3 1,640 5.57 304.4 11.34 3.45 2.12 84 13 8.2 0.113 1.7 4.4 15.02 4.15 1.02 24.6 4.22 5.86 2.92 3.3 3.25 17.52 9.26 11.44 9 3 120 5.14 1,237 0.89 0.355 47.25 82.75 8.21 2.01 1.18 0.43 4.85 0.81 11.28

SERVICES 15.12 25.8 1.38 0.46 0.045 13.04 11.42 0.054 80 8.8 7.68 7 2.15 18.66 1,660 5.6 309.8 11.34 3.53 2.12 86 13 8.2 0.113 1.75 4.55 15.02 4.18 1.03 24.9 4.22 6.05 2.93 3.33 3.48 19.86 9.51 11.44 9 3 121 5.28 1,251 0.91 0.355 48 82.9 8.25 2.07 1.2 0.43 4.97 0.82 11.56

3,700 40,700 19,000 10,910,000 37,300,000 11,200 4,566,700 1,460,000 245,620 5,000 4,042,900 42,100 33,000 79,000 35,525 133,600 2,050 2,800 1,996,000 36,000 1,611,730 700 8,000 1,020,000 3,657,000 424,000 10,900 502,000 629,000 422,400 1,000 2,018,500 256,000 6,932,000 283,000 700 7,085,100 500 8,500 31,000 1,080 522,700 120,315 3,195,000 360,000 750,800 968,740 1,467,900 3,322,000 2,588,000 7,850,000 8,200,000 2,254,000 4,723,400

56,202 1,055,735 25,720 5,016,000 1,676,100 145,648 51,325,184 78,850 19,921,227.50 44,000 31,234,441 293,270 71,390 1,475,474 58,592,120 747,950 630,506 31,796 7,023,850 76,640 135,951,884.50 9,100 65,600 115,260 6,556,770 1,905,340 163,762 2,099,670 644,910 10,489,890 4,220 12,077,860 750,710 24,795,490 1,013,720 12,666 67,407,539 5,720 76,619 93,100 130,470 2,752,758 150,784,515 2,926,190 127,950 35,874,935 80,313,699 12,668,658 6,837,840 3,103,240 3,414,400 40,685,420 1,836,610 54,559,848

7,600 9,310 22,000 -7,800 -5,011,834 -14,113,475 569,993 -42,508 17,269,780 -59,250 30,035,602.00 -36,000 -154,580 -316,880 7,561,729 -429,080 1,369,168 42,350 -37,180,410 -280,480 -172,075 -23,402,238.50 -123,437 2,438,520.00 -371,830 -5,386,910 32,700 -7,722,876

2,581,700 1,561,280 901,240 3,442,730 82,160 1,690 2,148,880 198,000 379,805 2,831,880 99,430 707,990 1,300 655,070 3,307,683 94,360 22,320 44,800 12,300 140,400 1,578,860 18,906,898 71,215,925

42,510 -37,120 -1,420,808 6,000 -809,280 196,290 -24,561,100

MS

HOLDING FIRMS 0.25 12,730,000 61 1,380,900 12.64 19,317,500 0.98 934,000 6.05 39,000 0.67 4,973,000 0.68 1,030,000 925.5 287,870 6.4 9,926,800 10.4 6,981,300 7.36 15,000 0.195 840,000 990 186,015 54 1,497,490 0.59 937,000 3.63 629,000 19.9 926,100 0.57 1,250,000 4.82 27,355,000 0.036 1,800,000 1.24 1,336,000 2.77 1,607,000 140 124,700 2.55 30,000 899 365,600 0.79 21,000 1.62 160,000 567 230 258.8 19,850 0.217 830,000 0.233 1,190,000 PROPERTY 7.64 1 2.03 0.8 38.6 3.31 4.67 5.55 0.44 0.96 0.222 0.42 25.9 0.61 0.116 1.56 1.26 1.08 4.63 0.62 0.43 0.51 3.1 19.88 2.04

1,820,700 4,375,000 66,000 975,000 12,295,700 409,000 452,000 65,600 3,740,000 282,000 11,250,000 180,000 611,900 2,862,000 70,000 4,544,000 2,766,000 712,000 18,651,000 33,906,000 1,170,000 1,461,000 24,275,000 10,911,500 453,000

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

0.0028 1.58 4.29 26.55 1.58 1.69 1.75 0.3 7.74 2.3 0.2 0.131 0.13 1.5 4.95 1.12 0.52 0.012 0.012 0.012 5 12.5 30.65

0.0028 1.58 4.29 27.95 1.58 1.69 1.75 0.3 8 2.33 0.2 0.133 0.13 1.56 4.96 1.12 0.52 0.013 0.013 0.012 5 12.5 30.65

0.0026 1.53 4.14 24 1.58 1.69 1.66 0.3 7.5 2.29 0.189 0.13 0.13 1.49 4.71 1.1 0.51 0.012 0.012 0.011 4.81 11.78 29.5

MINING & OIL 0.0028 956,000,000 1.53 1,009,000 4.26 214,000 24 134,400 1.58 52,000 1.69 1,000 1.66 1,269,000 0.3 660,000 7.99 48,400 2.32 1,226,000 0.2 500,000 0.133 5,390,000 0.13 10,000 1.56 433,000 4.73 694,300 1.1 85,000 0.51 43,000 0.012 3,500,000 0.013 1,000,000 0.012 12,200,000 4.81 325,000 11.8 1,583,000 29.9 2,382,400

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF F GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF PCOR PREF 2A PNX PREF 3A SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

25 499 508 102 100.5 106 5.38 960.5 972 100 1.06 1,021 102 76 76 76 78.4 76 76 75.5

25 499 508 102 100.5 106 5.41 999 990 100 1.06 1,021 102 76.5 76 76 78.4 76 76.5 75.5

24.8 498 508 101.1 100.5 104 5.38 960.5 972 99.5 1.06 1,021 102 76 76 76 78.2 75.95 76 75.5

PREFERRED 24.8 167,100 498 200 508 10 101.1 10,000 100.5 500 105 4,570 5.39 36,200 999 210 990 20 99.5 10,220 1.06 2,000 1,021 50 102 290 76.5 3,150 76 500,000 76 279,900 78.2 10,300 76 67,940 76.5 6,500 75.5 5,000

4,177,300 99,700 5,080 1,011,510 50,250 477,760 195,308 202,090 19,620 1,017,001 2,120 51,050 29,580 239,540 38,000,000 21,272,400 806,720 5,162,140 496,000 377,500

102,480 -177,996 -

LR WARRANT

2.61

2.61

2.5

WARRANTS 2.5 279,000

703,830

-

ITALPINAS XURPAS

5.32 3.24

5.8 3.24

5.26 3.17

5.8 3.21

30,140,292 3,556,860

181,163 -242,140

FIRST METRO ETF

113

113

109.6

8,526,567

53,208

15,008

-

USD DMPL A2

10.04

TRADING SUMMARY

10.04

SHARES

FINANCIAL

22,286,860

INDUSTRIAL

176,902,851

HOLDING FIRMS

125,586,822

PROPERTY

170,124,565

SERVICES

122,721,330

MINING & OIL

988,762,600

GRAND TOTAL

1,612,913,369

10

SME

5,338,400 1,112,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 110.9 77,440 10

DDS

1,500

VALUE 1,841.83 (dow) 40.61 1,421,967,860.70 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,560.78 (down) 164.91 1,428,560,600.05 HOLDING FIRMS 7,379.55 (down) 135.11 2,279,051,880.632 PROPERTY 3,587.83 (down) 8.22 1,469.94 (down) 23.29 1,620,520,891.12 SERVICES MINING & OIL 9,844.19 (down) 286.58 844,911,105.90 PSEI 7,414.11 (down) 115.43 110,936,172.97 All Shares Index 4,531.04 (down) 62.14 7,748,173,962.05 Gainers: 44; Losers: 161 Unchanged: 40; Total: 245

open to other partnerships

By Darwin G. Amojelar PLDT Inc. said it is open to other partners for Voyager Innovations Inc. after receiving no word from Tencent Holdings Ltd., a Chinese multinational investment holding conglomerate. “(No word from)Tencent, as far as we are concerned. Look, we’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting. On our part, we just have to assume it’s a nogo situation,” PLDT chairman and chief executive Manuel Pangilinan said.

Tencent is a leading provider of Internet value added services in China with services that include social network, music, web portal,s e-commerce, mobile games, internet services, payment systems, smartphones and multiplayer online games.

Rival Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt), a wholly-owned unit of Globe Capital Venture Holdings under Globe Telecom Inc. and Ayala Corp., earlier signed a strategic partnership with Ant Financial Services Group.

Ant Financial is an affiliate of Chinese billionaire Jack Ma’s Alibaba Group.

Pangilinan, however, said his company was still open to a partner for Voyager.

“We have received feelers from people so, we are open to talking to them,” he added.

The Voyager Group focuses on digital customer engagement, digital marketing solutions, digital financial services and e-commerce platforms, as well as incubation of other new technologies.

Voyager posted revenues of P1.24 billion in 2017, up 70 percent from P728 million in 2016, due to the increase in PayMaya mobile payment transactions.

PayMaya recently teamed up with Megaworld Lifestyle Malls and grocery chain Super 8 to deploy its QR-based mobile payment.

In addition, PayMaya’s QR-based payment system has been deployed in some of the country’s biggest brands, including The SM Store, Robinsons Department Store, Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Appliances and other Robinsons Retail Holdings brands.

Wilcon bullish, set to open 65 stores by 2020

By Jenniffer B. Austria HOME improvement and construction materials supplier Wilcon Depot Inc. plans to open 65 stores by 2020 ahead of the original target of 2021 as it accelerates expansion.

Wilcon chairman emeritus Willam Belo said in an interview following the annual stockholders meeting’ Monday the company had secured the funds and the sites needed to build the remaining 24 stores under a five-year plan.

Wilcon this year is scheduled to open nine stores in areas outside of Metro Manila. This means it can open an average of seven to eight stores yearly from 2019 and 2020 to meet the target of 65 stores.

“We are not letting up on our expansion plan as we continue to believe in the stability and the resiliency of the Philippine economy and remain bullish of the growth potential of our market,” Belo said.

He said the demand for residential and condominium units also remained strong this year which augured well with the company’s business.

Wilcon investor relations officer Mary Jean Alger said the company expected a mid-teens growth in net profit for this year while sales were expected to rise by mid- to high-teens.

Same stores sales growth is expected at five percent.

Wilcon, meanwhile, is set to launch its e-commerce platform that will enable customer to buy their needs online before the end of 2018.

Wilcon president Lorraine Belo said the online portal would initially carry electric items and Do-It-Yourself products and be available for Metro Manila customers.

“We expect our e-commerce business to enhance the sales of our stores. We will also offer online payment service and pick-up service,” Belo said.

Share price of Wilcon on Monday fell 3.2 percent to P11.56 from last week’s close of P11.96.

Wilcon reported a net income of P409 million in the first quarter of 2018, up 4.7 percent from P390.7 million yearon-year.

World

B3

TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Manila

Standard

TODAY

At least three dead as strong quake shakes Osaka in Japan TOKYO―At least two people, including a child, were killed on Monday, after a strong quake rocked the second city of Osaka during the morning rush hour, Japan’s government said.

Top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga confirmed the deaths of a child and a man, and said a third person was also feared dead in the quake.

“At this point we have information that two people died,” he told reporters, adding that 20 people had been injured.

Local police said the child was a nine-year-old girl who died in the city of Takatsuki, north of Osaka city, with media reporting she was trapped when a wall collapsed on her at school following the 5.3-magnitude quake.

Public broadcaster NHK said the man was an 80-year-old who had also been killed by a collapsing wall, and that the third fatality was a man trapped under a bookcase in his home.

There were no immediate reports of major damage and no tsunami warning was issued after the powerful quake, which stranded commuters and left tens of thousands without power.

DISSERTATION. A teacher walks through a classroom as high school students work on four hours of philosophy dissertation that kicks off the French general baccalaureat exam for getting into university on June 18, 2018, at the lycee Pasteur in Strasbourg, France. AFP

IN BRIEF Seoul says sanctions may be eased earlier SEOUL—South Korea said Monday that the sanctions against North Korea could be eased once it takes “substantive steps toward denuclearization”, seemingly setting the bar lower than Washington for such a move.

Last week’s Singapore summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un produced only a vague statement in which Kim “reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula”.

Amid fears the summit would weaken the international coalition against the North’s nuclear program, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stressed after the meeting that sanctions would remain in place until North Korea’s complete denuclearization.

But his South Korean counterpart suggested Monday they could be eased sooner.

“Our stance is that the sanctions must remain in place until North Korea takes meaningful, substantive steps towards denuclearization,” Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha told reporters.

Seoul and Washington shared the same “big picture” view and would continue close consultations, she added.

The comments come just days after China’s foreign ministry suggested that the UN Security Council could consider easing the economic punishment of its Cold War-era ally.

Any reduction in tensions on its doorstep is welcome for China, North Korea’s closest ally, which accounts for around 90 percent of Pyongyang’s trade.

The same goes for the South’s dovish President Moon Jae-in, who supports engagement with North Korea and held his own summit with Kim in April. AFP

End to family separations urged W ASHINGTON― Democratic lawmakers vowed Sunday to end the “evil” separation of migrant children from their parents at the US border, as First Lady Melania Trump made a rare political plea to end the deeply controversial practice.

The “zero-tolerance” border security policy implemented by President Donald Trump’s administration has sparked outrage on both sides of the political aisle and took on particular resonance as America celebrated Father’s Day. “They call it ‘zero tolerance,’ but a better name for it is zero humanity, and there’s zero logic to this policy,” said Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, after leading

a group of Democratic lawmakers to the Mexican border.

“It’s completely unacceptable under any moral code or under any religious tradition to injure children, inflict trauma on them in order to send some political message to adults somewhere overseas.”

After touring a converted Walmart supermarket that is now housing about 1,500 immigrant children, Merkley said “hurting kids to get legislative leverage is unacceptable. It is evil.”

The government has said that during one recent six-week period nearly 2,000 minors were separated from their parents or adult guardians-a figure that only stoked the firestorm.

Trump has said he wants the separations to end, but continues to blame opposition Democrats for the crisis, which critics say is one of his own making.

Amid the deep divisions, congressional Republicans have struggled to craft a viable immigration plan.

The Republican-led House of Repre-

sentatives may vote in the coming days on two immigration measures―a hard-line bill and a compromise measure that would limit legal immigration while also ending family separations.

Representative Sheila Jackson Lee accused Trump of lying by claiming he was simply following to the letter a previously existing law.

“The president is not telling the truth.

There is no law, there is no policy that has allowed him to snatch children away from their families,” she said.

“I can assure you we’ll be fighting to the end to stop this ugly, vile program that is harming children and creating massive child abuse.”

Earlier, Representative David Cicilline said the policy was “undermining the founding values of this country.”

“We saw the fear in the eyes of these children who are wondering when they will see their parent ever again. It’s a disgrace, it’s shameful and it’s un-American,” he added.

Trump’s wife, who seldom wades into

the political arena, opted to call for bipartisan immigration reform to fix the issue, rather than denounce the policy.

“Mrs Trump hates to see children separated from their families and hopes both sides of the aisle can finally come together to achieve successful immigration reform,” her spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said.

“She believes we need to be a country that follows all laws, but also a country that governs with heart.”

The president himself later tweeted: “The Democrats should get together with their Republican counterparts and work something out on Border Security & Safety. Don’t wait until after the election because you are going to lose!” he tweeted.

Immigration is one of the most divisive issues plaguing the Trump administration.

The number of separations has jumped since early May, when Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that all migrants illegally crossing the US border with Mexico would be arrested, regardless of whether the adults were seeking asylum.

AFP

Republic of the Philippines Province of Bataan City of Balanga BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE OFFICE

Invitation to Bid No. Goods-033-2018 The Provincial Government of Bataan, through the 20% Development Fund033 intends to apply the below listed procurement w/ corresponding Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected a bid opening.

Name of Project

Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC) =P=15,000,000.00

1. Supply, Delivery, Installation, Commissioning and Training of One (1) Unit Mobile Trailer Air Quality Monitoring System for Industrial Perimeter/ Urban Air Quality and Air Pollution Monitoring, Province of Bataan

The Provincial Government of Bataannow invites bids for the above listed Procurement.

Delivery of goods is requiredwithin 90Calendar Days. Bidders should have completed, at least one (1) contract that is similar to the contract to be bid. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Monsoon rain batters southern Myanmar MAWLAMYINE, Myanmar—Flooding in southern Myanmar has caused a landslide at a famed Buddhist pagoda, submerged homes and displaced hundreds of people as monsoon rains batter the country.

Several parts of Myanmar’s southern Mon state are facing flash floods due to heavy rains since the weekend with no relief in sight, according to a report in the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar on Monday.

Rains triggered a landslide that damaged the hilltop Kyeik Than Lan pagoda, whose golden stupa towers over state capital Mawlamyine.

AFP correspondents on Monday saw workers helping to relocate Buddha statues and novice monks helping clean up debris at the religious site after a wedge of hillside slipped away.

Bo Win, a resident helping with the flood response, told AFP that around 1,000 people were sheltering in several sites around Mawlamyine.

“This is the worst flood in the state that I have ever seen,” said Nyan Soe, another local resident.

About 150 residents further south of Mawlamyine were evacuated to a government school after dozens of homes and bridges were submerged, while a monastery was destroyed across the river from the city, the New Light reported.

So far no casualties have been reported in the state, but rains continue to pound swathes of the country.

Last week five people were killed after monsoon rains triggered a landslide in Mogok, a northern Myanmar town famed for its ruby mines.

Myanmar is one of several countries in the region to face severe yearly flooding. In 2015 it topped a global list compiled by climate scientists of nations hardest hit by extreme weather. AFP

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters the government was “working united, with its first priority on saving people’s lives”.

Local officials said they had not received reports of major damage in the highly-urbanized area, where roads and train tracks criss-cross around denselypacked apartment buildings.

NHK showed footage of firefighters tackling a blaze that ripped through a home north of Osaka, and several broadcasters showed images of water gushing into the street from underground pipes.

The quake struck at 8:00 am, as platforms would have been heaving with passengers waiting to board their commuter trains to work.

A number of train services were suspended, including the “shinkansen” bullet train.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority said it had detected no problems at its local atomic power plants, but some companies, including Honda, said they had suspended operations at local plants. AFP

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

AFTER THE RAIN. Workers save a Buddha statue after a landslide damaged the hilltop Kyeik Than Lan pagoda in the Mawlamyine capital of Mon state on June 18, 2018, following heavy rain. Flooding in southern Myanmar caused a landslide at a famed pagoda, submerged homes and displaced residents, according to state media and AFP correspondents as the monsoon season picked up strength. AFP

Last of Jayer wine sold for $35m GENEVA―The last batch of late legendary wine maker Henri Jayer’s Burgundies―which include some of the world’s most expensive wines―was sold for a mouth-watering 30 million euros ($35 million) in Geneva on Sunday, well in excess of the estimated price.

In all, 1,064 bottles went under the hammer at the Baghera Wines auction at a gourmet restaurant in Geneva.

They included Cros-Parantoux Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru, which ranks among the world’s priciest wines.

“Everything was sold and each one of the lots was extremely well bid” in an auction that lasted six and a half hours, said Emilie Drouin, spokeswoman for the Baghera Wines auction house.

The 855 standard bottles and 209 magnums, dating from between 1970 and 2001, were from the personal wine cellar of the man broadly considered the king of the Pinot Noir variety of grape.

Originally, their estimated price had been set at between 6.7 million and 13 million Swiss francs (5.7-11.2 million euros).

“These bottles and magnums from his personal reserve were a bit like his laboratory... A way to see his vintage wines age over the years,” his daughters Lydie and Dominique Jayer, wrote to AFP in an email prior to the sale.

“It was natural for us, since we could not drink all of these bottles, to offer them up for sale so that wine lovers... could buy them and drink them, in

his honor,” they said.

The daughters were present at the auction.

Frenchman Henri Jayer, who died in 2006 at the age of 84, established a name for himself in the 1970s, when specialized wine reviews ranked his wines among the best in the world.

Over the years, he became “the emblem of the Burgundy in the eyes of the public”, Swiss wine critic Jacques Perrin, who knew Jayer personally, told AFP. A Henri Jayer wine has “all the grace of the Pinot, the slenderness, the structure, the aromatic finesse. He did everything to preserve that”, he said.

Baghera Wines chief Michael Ganne agreed.

“The great force of the Henri Jayer wines, when you have the chance to taste such wine, is really the fruit, (which) has just an incredible elegance and finesse,” he told AFP. It is this quality that has made Jayer’s wines some of the most sought after in the wine world― and brought them their sometimes astronomical price tags.

The most expensive lot at the auction―a series of 15 magnums of Vosne-Romanee Cros-Parantoux dating from 1978 to 2001―has been valued at between 280,000 and 480,000 Swiss francs ($282,000-$484,000, 237,000-406,000 euros).

Even before the auction, the original price estimate of between 6.7 and 13 million francs had raised eyebrows in the business. AFP

Bidding is open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Office of Bataan Bids & Awards Committee and inspect the Bidding Documents from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the same office.

Bid documents will be available only to eligible bidders upon payment of a non-refundable amount of using standard rates approved by GPPB as stated on their Resolution No. 04-2012 listed below.

Approved Budget for the Contract

Maximum Cost of Bidding Documents (in Philippine Peso)

500,000 and below

500.00

More than 500,000 up to 1 Million

1,000.00

More than 1 Million up to 5 Million

5,000.00

More than 5 Million up to 10 Million

10,000.00

More than 10 Million up to 50 Million

25,000.00

More than 50 Million up to 500 Million

50,000.00

More than 500 Million

75,000.00

The Provincial Government of Bataan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on June 26, 2018 at 10:00 A.M at Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan.

Bids must be delivered on or before July 9, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated on IRR of RA 9184 or Bid Securing Declaration in standard form.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend opening of Bids at Bataan BAC Office. Late bids shall not be accepted.

In case of the above dates is declared a special Non-Working Holidays, it will automatically reset on the next working days.

Other necessary information deemed relevant by the Provincial Government of Bataan Activities 1. Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid 2. Eligibility Check 3. Issuance and availability of Bidding Documents 4. Request for Clarification 5. Opening of Bids

Schedule June 19 - 25, 2018 Refer to date of Opening of Bids June 19 – July 9, 2018 June 29, 2018 July 9, 2018

The Provincial Government of Bataan reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: Ms. Aileen C. Sagun Provincial BAC / PEO Bataan Provincial BAC / PEO Office, Capitol Compound, BalangaCity, Bataan 047-237-9316 bac@bataan.gov.ph (MS-JUNE 19, 2018)

(SGD.) EMERLINDA S. TALENTO BAC Vice-Chair

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

B4

TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018

QC dads approve P12m for elders’ pneumonia shots

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

By Rio N. Araja THE Quezon City Council has approved a P12-million allocation to fund free anti-pneumonia shots for the city’s 375,000 registered senior citizens.

Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte said the 37-member city council passed Ordinance No. SP-2699, green-lighting the subsidy for free pneumococcal immunization for the elders.

Under the ordinance, each of the six districts in Quezon City would equally receive P2 million from the initial P12million allocation for the purchase of the vaccines.

The city’s health department would be able to have a steady supply of 23-valent polysaccharide vaccines for elderly residents who have not been vaccinated.

“We now have a definite budget allocation of P12 million for our free pneumococcal immunization, and this could still increase in the succeeding years depending on the number of senior citizens who would need vaccination,” the council measure read.

Belmonte said senior citizens are the most vulnerable to pneumococcal infections that could lead to serious conditions, such as inflammation of the lungs or brain.

According to the Department of Health, pneumonia remained one of the leading causes of death among Filipinos and the leading vaccinepreventable death.

In 2013, it ranked as the second leading cause of morbidity, along with acute lower respiratory tract infections.

“In fact, more than five people die for every 1,000 population in 2013. This is equivalent to 531,280 registered deaths from all causes and all ages,” Belmonte said.

Lapus

LWUA pushes for creation of water agency FOR faster, simpler and more efficient delivery of services, a single agency should handle all aspects of providing safe drinking water to Filipinos nationwide, Local Water Utilities Administration Acting Administrator Jeci Lapus said during a recent television interview.

Lapus explained that currently, a person must go through various agencies to put up a water facility anywhere in the country.

He said that aside from LWUA, which is mandated to provide clean water outside Metro Manila, other regulators also step in when it comes to water issues.

They include the National Water Resources Board, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, Laguna Lake Development Authority, Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission, and National Irrigation Authority.

This is aside from local government units and private firms such as Maynilad Water Service and Manila Water Co. “It gets confusing because of the many agencies you have to deal with, resulting in conflicts,” Lapus said.

To cut red tape and streamline the process, Lapus said the creation of a Department of Water, Irrigation, Sewerage and Sanitation—which would consolidate and focus on all aspects of water provision—would be the best solution to reach out to the millions of households all over the country that are still lacking water connections.

“It would be good to have a single entity that would focus on [water related] health and environment concerns,” Lapus said, noting the government already has separate departments for energy, environment, transportation, and the like.

NEW ROAD. Senator Cynthia A. Villar leads the inauguration of the new Sinombre Drive to further ease the flow of traffic in the main thoroughfares of Las Piñas City. The senator also led the ribbon-cutting ceremony in the event attended by (inset, from left) Peter Gaizano, owner of the property; Public Works Secretary Mark Villar; and Pamplona 2 Brgy. Capt. Baby Villalon. The new road will directly benefit residents of Pamplona Park Subdivision, Sterlinglife Homes, Remarville and Patricia Homes.

Makati: Midyear cash gifts for seniors ready

By Joel E. Zurbano

T

HE city government of Makati announced Monday it has started distributing mid-year cash gifts to 81,298 senior citizens in line with the city’s Blu Card Program.

The distribution, according to Mayor Abigail Binay, is being conducted by the Elderly Welfare Section of the Makati Social Welfare Department on scheduled dates from 9 am to 3 pm in each barangay from June 18 until July 3, 2018.

Binay tapped the MSWD to ensure the distribution is done in an orderly and efficient manner for the convenience of the beneficiaries.

The yearly cash gift is given in two equal installments every June and December, and varies according to specific age groups: P3,000 for those aged 60 to 69 years old, P4,000 for 70 to 79 years old, and P5,000 for those aged 80 and above.

Thus, the first age group this June will receive P1,500, the second group, P2,000, and the third group, P2,500.

For 2018, the city has allocated P330.1 million for the cash gift and centenarian incentive under the Blu

Card Program.

In claiming the cash gift, beneficiaries who are unable to come in person can send their duly authorized representative, whose name appears at the back of the BLU Card, to the Cash Division at the 3rd floor of Makati City Hall. The representative should be able to present a medical certificate as proof of the beneficiaries’ condition, whether bedridden, disabled or confined in a hospital.

Authorization forms are available at the MSWD office at the fifth floor of Makati City Hall main.

On the other hand, senior citizens who are out-of-town or abroad during the distribution of the cash gifts are not entitled to claim the benefit, and authorization presented by a representative will not be honored by the Cash Division.

The cash gift distribution today will be held from 9 am to 3 pm in Barangays Southside and Guadalupe Viejo at their respective barangay halls, and in Barangays La Paz, South Cembo and Comembo at their respective covered courts.

On June 19 to 20, Tuesday and Wednesday, cash gift distribution will be done at the barangay hall of Barangay Bangkal and at the covered court of Barangay Olympia.

Blu card holders of Barangays Southside, Guadalupe Viejo, La Paz, South Cembo, Comembo, Bangkal and Olympia who will not be able to claim their cash gift on scheduled dates can get them on June 21, Thursday, at the lobby of Makati City Hall Building II. On June 22 to 23, Friday and Saturday, cash gift distribution will take place at the barangay hall of Barangay Rizal.

For Barangay Pio del Pilar, distribution will be from June 22 (Ben Harrison’s St./Parada covered court) to June 23 (San Isidro National High School).

On June 23 only, Blu Card holders of Barangays Pitogo, San Isidro and Sta. Cruz can get their cash gift at their respective barangay halls.

On June 25, Monday, distribution will be done at the barangay hall of Barangay Kasilawan. For Barangay Pembo, distribution will be from June 25 to June 26 at their covered court.

On June 26 only, Blu Card holders of Barangays Valenzuela and Carmona get their cash gift at their covered courts, while beneficiaries of Barangay Northside can claim theirs at Makati City Hall Building II. On June 27 to 28, Wednesday and Thursday, cash gift distribution will take place at the barangay hall of Barangay Cembo and at the covered court of Barangay West Rembo.

SMFI turns over newly renovated RHU to Antipolo THE SM Foundation Inc. turned over Thursday to local officials the newly renovated Rural Health Unit III in Barangay Bagong Nayon in Cogeo, Antipolo, which would serve residents of at least five barangays around the area, including the residents of a slum area at the fringes of a predominantly middle- class community.

Gracing the turnover were key officials of the local government headed by Mayor Casimiro Ynares III, newly reelected Barangay Capt. Larry Onza with his councilors, and the City Health Office led

by Dr. Concepcion Garcia Lat. SMFI, led by executive director for health and wellness Connie Angeles and officers of the different retail outlets of the SM Group, were given plaques of appreciation for the noble undertaking, which Ynares said further enhances the image of Antipolo, which is among the top-ranked component cities in the country.

What used to be a 350-square-meter facility with basic diagnostic, maternal (pre and post-natal care check-ups) and immunization services for a barangay health station was transformed into a two-storey, 990 sqm, spacious and well-equipped rural health unit that would serve not just Barangay Bagong Nayon but also other barangays within the city.

The RHU, which is now seeking accreditation with the Department of Health and the Philhealth as well as with

Connie Angeles, SM Foundation executive director for health and wellness (center) receives a plaque of appreciation from Antipolo Mayor Casimiro Ynares III (third from left) after turning over the new Rural Health Unit (below) to Barangay Bagong Nayon to city officials led by (from left) Dr. Concepcion Lat, City Health Officer; Brgy. Capt. Larry Onza of Bagong Nayon; Ronald Allan Brosas, Senior AVP for Operations of SM Supermalls; Joey Tanyag, mall manager of SM Cherry Antipolo; Matthew Mark De Guzman, assistant mall manager of SM City Masinag; and Chuck Reduta, regional operations manager Central 4 of SM Supermalls.

the Lung Center of the Philippines for its TB-DOTS operations, is preparing to diversify and expand its health services, manpower and equipment to better cope with the needs of the people, said Dr. Lat. The health unit can now provide all

its previous services plus dental checks and tooth extraction, family planning, drug testing and treatment, pharmacy for hypertension, diabetes, tuberculosis and even infectious diseases, maternity care benefit packages and primary care.

Navotas gets top mark from CoA FOR the third time, the Navotas City Government has received the highest audit rating from the Commission on Audit.

CoA has given Navotas “unqualified opinion” ratings in 2016, 2017 and this year.

According to the Independent Auditor’s Report handed to Mayor John Rey Tiangco, the city’s financial reports for 2017, including its financial position, financial performance, and cash flows, were presented fairly in all material respects and in accordance to the Philippine Public Sector Accounting Standards.

“We are truly pleased and honored to receive another unqualified opinion from CoA. It validates our efforts to ensure that the city’s financial transactions are honest and transparent,” Tiangco said.

“CoA’s findings also reflect the city’s endeavors to spend the people’s taxes properly and provide them with the best service they deserve,” he added.

Tiangco commended the department heads and employees of the city government for performing their duties well.

“Getting an unqualified opinion, third years in a row, was the result of everyone’s cooperation, hard work and commitment to serve. I trust that this achievement will inspire us to do more and to continuously provide quality public service to Navoteños,” he said. Jun David

Tagaytay SK head voted into Cavite Provincial Board TANZA, Cavite—Cavite Gov. Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla and Senator Joseph Victor ‘JV’ Ejercito recently led the oathtaking ceremony of the new set of officers of the Cavite Sangguniang Kabataan Provincial Federation at the Aqua Mira Resort here.

Rhyan Natanauan, 21, of SK Tagaytay City was elected as the new SK Provincial Federation President over the 23 municipal youth council representatives and thus gained a seat on the Provincial Board.

Others elected were Jerome Gonzales from Dasmariñas City as vice president, Patricia Roxas from Naic as secretary, Neil Magallanes from Maragondon as treasurer, Mac Espiritu from Bacoor as PRO, Ayeen Bation from Silang as auditor, and Nathaniel Nuarin from Gen. Mariano Alvarez town as sergeant at arms.

Natanauan, as Ex-Officio Provincial Board Member-elect, will be joining the Provincial Council session on July 2 at the Provincial Capitol session hall in Trece Martires City.

Meanwhile, 829 elected village chiefs, including the 33 chairmen of General Trias City’s barangays, were sworn into office by Governor Remulla, witnessed

by Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos and Senator Ejercito at the Manila Jockey Club in Carmona.

Life

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

health and environment

@MstandardLIFe tuesday, june 19, 2018

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URBAN GARDEN. SM Aura Premier’s Boxes of Greens, the first fully-operational herb garden inside a mall, is envisioned to serve the Taguig

Garden at the mall community and its neighboring cities.

F

rESH herbs, microgreens, indoor plants, and other vegetation are currently growing inside a mall in Metro Manila.

Located at SM Aura Premier’s Skypark is Boxes of greens, a sustainable greenhouse envisioned to serve the Taguig community and its neighboring cities. it is the first fully-operational herb garden situated inside a mall—a take-off from the urban gardening concept. indoor plants, fresh herbs, and vegetables that grow in the urban garden include calamansi, tomatoes, siling panigang, eggplants, chilis, hot and sweet pepper, basil, peppermint, coriander, tarragon, thyme, and lemongrass.

Built and run by Tulay Lingap ni Padre Pio, Boxes of greens also offers mallgoers weekend workshops about the growing and upkeep of plants, in a bid to inspire children and adults alike to care and appreciate nature.

Through SM Aura’s partnership with Tulay Lingap ni Padre Pio, all Boxes of greens proceeds will go to building schools, planting trees, providing emergency assistance during disasters, and developing feeding and medical clinics for the underprivileged.

Likewise benefiting from the garden’s earnings are the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan graduates—scholars of the SM Foundation—who will be leading the urban garden’s day-to-day activities.

Boxes of greens is the first step in SM Aura Premier’s Lush initiative: a green movement that creates awareness about the environment and inspires change through becoming the country’s first mall to initiate a zero-waste culture.

Joining the launch of the in-mall garden were Taguig city councilor on committee on Environmental Protection and Ecology Edwin Eron, Tulay Lingap ni Padre Pio director Father Eduardo dumaual, and SM Foundation’s debbie Sy, Linda Atayde, and cristy Angeles. celebrities who advocate for the protection and preservation of the en-

How music affects sports performance According to several research, listening to a pumping beat can give a person an energy boost and build resistance. in his book, Applying Music in Exercise and Sport, psychologist costas Karageorghis says that music is a type of legal performanceenhancing booster.

Music is a great companion when working out, whether it’s dancing, exercising, or playing a sport. But just how helpful is music to physical performance? Here are three factors.

Calamansi tree

It sets the mood

Bacularis, an air purifying plant ideal for indoor spaces.

vironment, such as WWF Philippines Ambassador iza calzado, environmentalist rovilson Fernandez, and TV and movie actress rhian ramos, also took part in the event. Also present during the launch were Miss Philippines Ecotourism Halimatu Yushawu, Miss Phil-

ippines Water 2018 Berjayneth chee, Miss Philippines Earth 2018 Sylvia celeste cortesi, Miss Philippines Fire 2018 Jean nicole de Jesus, and Miss Philippines Air 2018 Zahra Bianca Saldua.

Boxes of Greens is open during mall hours.

depending on the genre and lyrics, music can boost your motivation by triggering positive emotions, helping you experience greater pleasure from the activity. Upbeat songs can make you feel inspired to push harder and help release those endorphins. Empowering lyrics can also put you in that take-no-prisoners mindset. The right music also elevates mood and persuades people to ignore the feeling of exhaustion.

Take olympian Michael Phelps for example, he prefers listening to hiphop music before a competition. There are a slew of genres and artists that can get you powered: Macklemore, chance the rapper, and even Ariana grande are just some of the artists that can get you going.

It measures time

We naturally move in time with synchronous sounds. When we move to a beat, the result is much more efficient.

Music can balance and adjust your pace as well as prolong performance. You can also adjust your music to match the particular activity.

A fast tempo song (120 to 140 beats per minute) can get you through high intensity moments while slow songs (80 to 90 BPM) are great for cool down. if you’re aiming to run a 10-minute mile, choose a song with a driving tempo to A smartwatch like Samsung Gear Sport allows you to bring music whenever and wherever you exercise.

Beauty queens (from left) Miss Philippines Eco-tourism 2018 Halimatu Yushawu, Miss Philippines Water 2018 Berjayneth Chee, Miss Philippines Earth 2018 Sylvia Celeste Cortesi, Miss Philippines Fire 2018 Jean Nicole de Jesus, and Miss Philippines Air 2018 Zahra Bianca Saldua join the launch of Boxes of Greens.

Music helps you track time during workouts.

track time effortlessly like “Wake Me Up” by Avicii or “Harder to Breathe”

by Maroon 5.

It pushes you

While exercising, music puts you in that autopilot mode that can stretch for a long time. Fatigue and noise play second fiddle to a good beat, distracting you from elements that deter you from your goal. Music as a source of motivation almost works as classical conditioning. in the absence of motivation from gym trainers, the right music can suffice.

When making a playlist, it’s better to choose songs that personally affect you. Pick ones that encourage and push you beyond your perceived limits. Hit play on songs like “champions” by Kanye West or “All the Stars” by Kendrick Lamar to help you power through a lift or a burpee.

A convenient way to bring music with you during physical workouts is through a smartwatch. Samsung gear Sport (P14,990) comes with the Spotify gear app that allows you to bring music. it supports voice search that lets you explore over 30 million songs to stream or download.

Life

C2

tuesday, june 19, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

FITNESS GEAR

Innovative accessories and gadgets It’s not easy to start a fitness journey, let alone keep at it. Often we need motivation, internal and external, to help us get off the couch and out the door. But sometimes, a new workout wear or gizmo can help encourage us to get active.

Here are innovative accessories and gadgets from Xiaomi that can help inspire you to move.

Greenpeace Philippines urges public institutions to serve more plant-based meals in lieu of industrialized meat.

World Meat Free Week

promotes plant-based diet

I

n CeLeBrAtIOn of the World Meat Free Week, environmentalists, consumer advocacy groups, and concerned Filipino citizens put together activities to promote plant-based diet.

the activities, spearheaded by environmental organization Greenpeace, held in the Philippines from June 11 to 17 focused on urging parents, school administrators, and public officials to “free” students and employees from dependence on industrialized meat, and instead support healthier plantbased meals in public schools and government institutions.

“Public institutions are some of the biggest purchasers of industrial meat. By encouraging them to serve less and better meat, and more plants in their canteens and during meetings and events, we reduce bulk demand for meat,” said Virginia Benosa-Llorin, Greenpeace Philippines’ Food and ecological Agriculture campaigner. “It is high time for our policy and decision-makers to heed the call, to take concrete and proactive actions.”

Citing a 2016 study, entitled “Global and regional health effects of future food production under climate change,” Greenpeace said high red meat consumption has been linked to cancer, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. Five million deaths each year—nearly nine people dying a minute—could be avoided by 2050, if people around the world would shift to healthier diets with more veggies and legumes, and less meat. “the evidence is powerful from a health and environmental perspective; people need to shift their consumption toward more plant-based diets,” averred Pete smith, Aberdeen University professor and former convening lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Added smith, “Governments, towns, cities, and companies need to provide the enabling environment to help people to make this change.”

According to a recent report from Greenpeace International, global meat and dairy production and consumption must be halved by 2050 to avoid dangerous climate change. Further noting that

Mi polarized Sunglasses (p1,890)

these mirror lenses provide protection from harmful UV rays. these stylish specs come in black, blue, gray, and gold.

Mi Running Shoes (p995)

Lightweight with a classic style and a comfortable fit, each pair can inspire you to go on more morning runs.

Amazfit BIp (p3,490)

this fitness watch can monitor sleep and heart rate on its 1.28-inch Corning Gorilla Glass screen

Amazfit pACE (p6,200)

Aside from heart rate sensor, this smartwatch has a music player that lets you listen to beats via Bluetooth earphones.

Quezon City government employees sample plant-based snacks prepared by the women of Batis aware. (Photo from Greenpeace Philippines Facebook page)

livestock releases as much greenhouse gases as all cars, trucks, planes, and ships put together.

In Quezon City, a food truck served plant-based siomai, gyoza, and siopao, prepared by the women of Batis Aware (Association of Women in Action for rights and empowerment). Batis Aware received mentoring on plant-based snacks preparation, as part of their fundraising and livelihood development, from vegan kitchen advocacy group Me and My Veg Mouth.

In partnership with the Quezon City Health Department, the groups also engaged city officials by giving baskets of vegetables from the Peoples’ Food Movement, a group of individuals and organizations that seeks to address fundamental problems in the country’s food system. the city officials also received Power Plant Vegetable Posters and recipe Cards made by Alessa Lanot, surface pattern designer and watercolor artist, and other professional visual artists.

Dr. rolando Balburias, a practitioner of Functional Medicine and Health Optimization, in his wellness talk, Health and the Food We eat, said, “In any healthy ecosystem, most particularly in our country, plant-based nutrition can

iphoto

Miracle Soybean receives HACCp certification MiraCLe Soybean Food international Corporation has recently received the Hazard analysis Critical Control Points (HaCCP) certification for its Miracle brand of soybean products.

Miracle Soybean Food is one of the leading manufacturers of soy-based food products in the Philippines. its product line consists of Miracle Soyamilk, Miracle emperor’s Tofu, Miracle Taho, and Miracle Tofu Sisig, all of which use only premium, food grade, and Non-GMO soybeans from the US. Miracle Soybean Food international president renato reyes (right) received the HaaCP certification from SOCOTeC Certification international chairman and president renato Navarette (left).

Call (02) 643-8798 or email info@miraclesoybean.com or visit www.miraclesoybean. com for product inquiries and more information.

be a lasting solution that will address the health inequity affecting many Filipinos.”

He explained that the majority of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, among others afflicting millions of Filipinos, are related to poor eating choices and habits. All plant-based foods are nutrient-dense and contain many phytochemicals.

“I truly believe that whatever we do to our earth, creates an impact on our health. eating plant-based food is not only vital to our body but our planet as well. eating more plant-based proteins, for example, could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 55 percent,” added Dr. Balburias. several other programs and activities across the country were held during the WMFW 2018.

Greenpeace International gave recognition earlier this year to Pasig City, which has enacted an ordinance making it illegal to serve or advertise unhealthy food to students on or near schools during school days which, in effect, is a promotion of plant-based meals in schools. the ordinance applies not just to school canteens, but to stalls, stores, and fast food outlets within 50 meters from schools.

Mi Electric Scooter (p18,850)

Perfect for going around the village, this scooter can run up to 25 km/h, covering up to 30 kilometers in a single charge.

Mi QiCycle Electric Bike (p26,995)

It can be pedaled like a regular bike or made to run on its own up to 20 km/h.

These products are available at Authorized Mi stores in TriNoma and SM Megamall.

Lung Center of the Philippines opens Sleep Laboratory OBstrUCtIVe sleep apnea has long been recognized to have serious consequences on health such as vehicular accidents as well as increased risks for high blood pressure, heart failure, heart attack, and stroke. the high cost of sleep studies needed to confirm and plan treatment for OsA has been a stumbling block in providing relief to patients with the said condition.

In line with Lung Center of the Philippines’ mission of providing excellent service at the most affordable price, the hospital has launched its sleep Laboratory using equipment from Philips Philippines for diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders. the sleep Lab has four specially designed hotel-grade rooms to provide patients the utmost comfort for overnight sleep studies, while being attended by pulmonary or sleep medicine Fellows under the supervision of a consultant sleep specialist. staff from the Lung Center has been specially trained to take care of patients, both children and adults, with different sleeping disorders. the sleep specialists are Fellows of the Philippine society of sleep Medicine and are certified by the World Association of sleep Medicine and World sleep Federation.

The Sleep Laboratory of the Lung Center of the Philippines is equipped with the latest equipment and manned by sleep medicine Fellows and sleep specialists.

Among the hospital’s staff members are certified registered polysomnographic technologists by the American Academy of sleep Medicine, and certified respiratory therapists who have been performing sleep studies since the Lung Center opened in 2004. to assure the quality of the studies, Lung Center will use the latest video polysomnograph (Alice-6) in the country, which is a computerized sleep-wake

and physiological monitoring system. It has a total of 55 channels and meets the polysomnographic specifications of the AAsM. the number of channels allows a complete eeG examination to investigate seizures, multiple sleep latency tests, as well as the usual diagnostic or titration studies. It also comes with a video acquisition system to document sleep parasomnias and seizure episodes.

Entertainment

K

APAMILYA top-rating series FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano continues to rule the nationwide ratings game as it scored its highest national TV rating this 2018 last Wednesday (June 13).

Busy and visible PIOLO Pascual feels happy that after all these years his career is still on the upswing. In fact, he presently juggles into three chart-topping shows over at mother studio ABS-CBN: The Sunday musical variety show ASAP, the primetime offering Since I Found You and the sitcom Home Sweetie Home.

“Who wouldn’t be glad and proud?” he says.

“Not everyone in the ‘biz is given the same opportunities. Instead of feeling worried or insecure, I just want to count my blessings. That’s why I’m inspired even more to work and give the public the quality entertainment they deserve.”

Speaking of Home Sweetie Home, the awardwinning actor admits he didn’t expect that after his guest stint with the show before, he’d become one of its mainstays, especially after John Lloyd Cruz decided to rest from the showbiz scene at the moment.

“That’s true! I didn’t have any inkling that one thing would lead to another. But let me point out that John Lloyd will always be there. He started the sitcom. Nobody can replace him. Lloydie will always be Lloydie.”

Curiously, does he see himself also staging an indefinite leave in showbiz just like John Lloyd when he gets burned out if ever?

“Nope, that will not happen. I love what I’m doing in the field and I’m grateful,” avers PJ. Many observe that among his contemporaries, he’s the busiest and most visible. Apart from his hit TV programs, he’s the current apple-of-theeye of advertisers with his long list of endorsements.

“This development truly humbles me. I’m happy that until now, my name still rings a bell among advertisers. In spite of the emergence of new faces in the industry, they still consider me.

It definitely gives me a different high.”

But there’s a difference now when he accepts endorsements.

“I already came to a point when money is not the prime factor. It’s important that I believe in the product I push, sort of walking my talk. I can say that I love my endorsements more now as compared before,” ends Piolo.

The series recorded a national TV rating of 44.4 percent, or more than double that of The Cure’s 16.9 percent, according to data from Kantar Media, which covers rural and urban homes.

The top-rating episode showed Cardo’s (Coco Martin) persistent efforts to woo his wife Alyana (Yassi Pressman), and introduced new cast members Joross Gamboa,“Funny One” champion Donna Cariaga and finalist Nonong Ballino, PGT”runner up Joven Olvido, child star Carlo Mendoza, Whitney Tyson, Mel Feliciano, and The Voice Teens finalist Isabella Vinzon.

FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano airs weeknights on ABSCBN and ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167).

From C4

McJim’s third viral video is titled Sinturon and features Kiko Matos and Mercedes Cabral, who likewise created a big buzz on social media with its theme of marital fidelity and generated enormous sales for McJim during the holiday season last year.

Behind Pitaka’s visually poetic direction of photography is Cesca Lee, known for the films T.P.O., Purgatoryo, and Otso. Sinturon and Bag, meanwhile, were shot by the equally talented cinematographer Patrick Ferrer. Archie del Mundo wrote the screenplay and was also line producer for the three short films.

Chris Cahilig, director and producer of the viral videos, maintains that the success of McJim’s viral videos proves that even branded shorts can be at par with

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

59 Waffle toppings 62 Star’s part, often (2 wds.)

65 Bitterly pungent 67 Lamb’s alias 68 Um-hmm (2 wds.)

69 Cellular device 70 Vegas rival 71 Polite cough 72 Gulf nation DOWN 1 Prefix for dent 2 Eliminates 3 Stanford rival 4 Beach finds 5 Not just flirting 6 Give up territory 7 Jacques’ friend 8 Unbending 9 Aspirations 10 Neighbor of CTRL 11 Curtain material 12 Deeply felt 13 Ballerina painter 19 Bad moods 21 Twangy, as a voice 25 Inflexible in opinion

26 Harness piece 27 Earth’s satellite 28 Sacred bird of Egypt 29 Shorten an article 31 Eland cousin 33 Garr of “Tootsie” 35 Salami seller 36 Buffalo’s lake 37 Insect killer 39 Sack out 41 Waterlogged 44 Jack up

nickie.standard@gmail.com

‘ANG PROBINSYANO’ hits highest national TV rating

'FPJ's Ang Probinsyano' lead stars Coco Martin and Yassi Pressman.

VIEWERS of ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel will find more reasons to stay tuned to the channel with the launch of the “ANC-X” lifestyle block, featuring local and international shows that will satisfy their love for food, travel, fashion, and the arts.

Starting last Sunday, late nights on ANC is lit up with world-class lifestyle programs led by State of the Art, a first of its kind art show hosted by actress Iza Calzado. In the program, shares the stories of our local artists as we experience a golden age in Philippine Art and Design in this visually seductive but relatable program.

Yesterday, the “Concert King” of the Philippines Martin Nievera made his late night TV comeback with a new show called LSS: The Martin Nievera Show at 10:30 p.m.. We see another side of Martin as he combines the serious and the light and the witty and the funny with the movers and shakers in society.

Other new programs debuting this week on the “ANCX” block are international hits The Art Show airing on today at 10:30 p.m. and The Wine Show, hosted by Matthew Goode and James Purefoy, taking the Friday, 10:30 p.m. slot starting June 22.

The launch of the “ANCX” block marks the latest and biggest collaboration between ABS-CBN’s news and lifestyle ecosystems with the goal of providing ANC viewers with the right mix of news, business, and lifestyle content that they

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Roof support 6 Joker or ace 10 More than willing 14 Nouveau — 15 Islamic chieftain 16 Without a companion 17 Time waster 18 Absorbing 20 Briny 22 Auric’s creator 23 Grassy field 24 Mauna — 25 Beaux 27 Exploited 30 Fem. saint 31 Sea dog 32 Anwar of Egypt 34 Did the exterior 38 Roulette color 40 Citrus fruits 42 Oddball 43 Al of Indy fame 45 Fortune-teller’s deck 47 Set ablaze 48 Weaken 50 Alternative to pajamas 52 Most delicious 56 Earth (pref.)

57 Ottoman official 58 Mr. Hurok

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Iza Calzado, Martin Nievera join ANC

Piolo Pascual is not taking showbiz break just yet.

Viral...

TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018

46 Treatment 49 “Will it play in —?”

51 Fencer’s shout 52 Spud 53 Like a gymnast 54 Tuxedo trim 55 Spill over 59 Come off as 60 Teen event 61 Calculator key 63 Thai neighbor 64 Kung fu expert Bruce — 66 Cozy room

can watch on television or on their gadgets as they go about their professional and personal routines.

“While we specialize in serious undertaking like general news, government, business, our wall to wall political coverage, we also know that our audience also wants a break from all the serious stuff,” said ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs head and ANC managing director Ging Reyes during the launch of the block during an ANC-X o n ground event last May. ABS-CBN Lifestyle Ecosystem head

big-budget, commercially released films.

“That our short films garnered millions of views on social media simply validates the Filipinos’ warm reception towards stories they can relate to,” he said. “We are likewise grateful for the prestige that comes with our films’ participation in international film fests.”

But what sets McJim’s viral videos apart from the rest, Cahilig asserts, is how these depict real-life experiences of people on the ground without the need

Paolo Pineda also revealed that they will also be launching the “ANC-X” website soon, to further bring ANC’s lifestyle content closer and more accessible to the country’s business and political leaders, who make up most of ANC’s viewership.

“This will be the lifestyle and travel arm of the current ANC website. There will be published content related to international travel, dining here and abroad, wines, watches, cars, and socially relevant content that will interest the modern, successful man,” he shared.

The “ANC-X” ON AIR block starts at 10:30 p.m. on weekdays and 10:00 p.m. on weekends.

Also included in the line-up are original ANC productions Executive Class with David Celdran, travel and adventure show Asian Air Safari with Capt. Joy Roa, and urban lifestyle program Green Living and motoring show Rev both hosted by Paolo Abrera.

Locally-produced fares such as the travelogue-cumcooking show Show Me the Market with Chef JP Anglo and food expert Joel Binamira and magazine program Beached with Maggie Wilson and Marc Nelson will also debut on “ANC-X” on ANC soon.

New ANC hosts (from left) Iza Calzado and Martin Nievera with ABS-CBN Lifestyle Ecosystem content acquisition head Ces Drilon.

to sensationalize for the sake of views.

“Through the powerful medium of filmmaking,” Cahilig concludes, “a brand breaks into the new media to advance its social cause and deliver good value and entertainment to its audience, showing that today’s Filipino gentleman has become more confident and mature as portrayed in these stories.”

For McJim, these short films provide the brand’s patrons with a new medium for expressing their feelings, culture,

and personal values even as it projects to the world the remarkable character of modern Filipino gentlemen.

For generations now, McJim Classic Leather has been the leading and trusted brand for classic leather goods and accessories of superior quality and design. McJim products are available in leading online shopping sites and all major department stores nationwide. For more information, visit and like the official McJim Facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/OfficialMcJIM/.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

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LOVING PABLO A story told from a mistress’ TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018

point of view Real-life husband and wife, Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz star in 'Escobar (Loving Pablo),' a film inspired by true events.

Touring musical 'The Lion King' is holding an open audition for children's roles.

‘Lion King’ to hold auditions for children MICHAEL Cassel Group in association with Disney Theatrical Productions announces open call auditions for the children’s roles in the world’s #1 musical, Disney’s The Lion King.

Following the huge success of the Manila season, which ended on May 27, the International Tour of The Lion King is now auditioning for boys and girls from the ages of 7 to 12 for the roles of Young Simba and Young Nala to join the tour throughout Asia.

The search is on for confident children with personality, natural actors/singers who can move well. Previous performing experience is not necessary. Height limit is 147 cm (58 inches).

Auditions will be held at Philippine Opera Haus, 3657 Bautista St, Barangay Palanan, Makati City from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on June 23. Registration closes at 4:00 p.m..

“The Philippines is rich with wonderfully talented performers and we are excited to welcome to the cast young Filipino actors who will join performers from South Africa and around the world in bringing this show to audiences

A

S OUR country continues its strict war on drugs, VIVA International Pictures and MVP Entertainment present Escobar (Loving Pablo), a movie that chronicles the rise and fall of the infamous Colombian tagged as the “King of All Narcos”, Pablo Escobar.

Based on the best-selling book Loving Pablo, Hating Escobar by Virginia Vallejo, a distinguished journalist with whom Escobar had an affair with, it stars Academy Award winners and real-life husband and wife, Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz.

Several documentaries and feature films have already been done about this son of a farmer who, at one point, became the seventh richest person on the planet, but Bardem (Skyfall, No Country for Old Men) and director Fernando León de Aranoa (Barrio, Mondays in the Sun, A Perfect Day), assure that their movie is nothing like what viewers have seen before.

According to Bardem, Escobar (Loving Pablo) begins when Pablo Escobar is already an established businessman, but people hadn’t yet figured out how he was making his money. He meets Virginia, and through their relationship and her platform, he soon becomes a powerful public figure with a voice for the people.”

What the people of Colombia didn’t know was that the man they were supporting always had a selfish motive behind his actions, and it was too late

around Asia and beyond,” commented Producer of the international tour, Michael Cassel.

The international tour is preparing to open its season in Singapore. After Singapore the tour will enjoy engagements in South Korea and Taiwan, with other engagements to be announced.

Children will be asked to prepare the last verse of “Just Can’t Wait to be King” and bring with them a 3R headshot, birth certificate, a parent/guardian’s written consent, and be prepared to fill out a registration form upon arrival. Each child must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Any child that is cast in the production must be prepared to travel internationally with a parent/guardian.

For further casting inquiries, please contact the Children’s Casting Director - Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group: Phone: +63 650-5144, (0917) 8381534 or Email: lionkingmanila@atlantistheatrical.com For further information about The Lion King visit: LionKingInternational.com.

A scene from the Spanish crime drama directed by Fernando León de Aranoa.

when they finally came to realize it.

“That’s where the movie starts,” Bardem reveals, “and the story is that of the people around him as they realize what kind of a person he has become.”

As for de Aranoa, he believes that Pablo found a confidant in Virginia, “someone who he could convey his innermost ideas and intentions, which makes her a unique character and gives our story a fresh perspective.”

On how he and Penelope Cruz approached their characters, Bardem says, “Our portrayal of Pablo and Virginia are fully fleshed out human beings rather than stereotypes…We try to understand the motivation behind Pablo’s actions and why Virginia supported him at the beginning…That’s why it’s called Loving Pablo - because this movie is through Virginia’s eyes and the eyes of those who loved Pablo the human being.”

Cruz, who had worked with Bardem in Woody Allen’s hit Vicky Cristina Barcelona, for which she won the 2009 Best Supporting Actress Award at the Oscar’s, prepared hard for her role.

“I’ve never met her,” says Cruz, pertaining to Virginia Vallejo who current-

ly resides in Miami, “but I’ve studied about 800 hours of various interviews and shows that she did as a journalist and TV presenter. She is the one that trained Escobar how to use the media to communicate, how to deal with the press, how to address the public. In his political career, she became a significant figure in his life.

Playing the significant role of Agent Shepard who is instrumental in the capture of Escobar is celebrated actor Peter Sarsgaard (The Magnificent Seven, Experimenter). It was Bardem who emailed him and offered him the role.

“One of the things that Javier baited me with when he was first talking about the movie, is that he said that I had a lot of scenes with Penelope.” He had worked with Cruz in the film Elegy, and he’s a fan of Berdam as well, so he readily said yes to doing this film with them.

Audiences can expect “amazing action moments” from this crime drama.

But most of all, Bardem emphasizes, “this story is about relationships— love, hate, greed, ambition, pain, and joy.” Escobar (Loving Pablo) opens in cinemas nationwide tomorrow.

A whole new playground in ToyCon 2018

By Louise Lizan TOY collectors, die-hard fans, and comic book creators united in one of the biggest and longest pop culture convention in Asia, the ToyCon Poplife FanXperience 2018, at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City from June 8 to 10.

ToyCon Philippines began from a simple meet-up of friends who had the same passion of collecting toys to becoming the longest running pop culture convention showcasing different international collectibles up to date.

Now on its 17th year, ToyCon PH brought in new and exciting guest stars to grace the highly-anticipated stage.

Headlining the guest stars for this year’s ToyCon were Neal Adams, Kelly Hu, Kevin Grievoux, Dante Basco and Michael Copon who shared their experiences playing and doing the characters that made the fiction world thrive.

Aside from these wonderful guests, various performers like former Sistar member and leader Hyolyn, Japanese idol group KissBee, The Voice Philippines second runner up Janice Javier, and Apl. de.Ap entertained the ToyCon crowd in the main stage.

Cholo Mallillin, Event Marketing Head of ToyCon PH shared in the press conference that the convention also brought in lim-

ited edition models made by Filipino toy collectors to draw in an international audience to the country.

Neal Adams also commended Filipino artists and described the Philippines as the home for the best comic book artists in the world as several Filipino personalities have been featured in popular comic books like in the Marvel and DC universe.

With the aim to shed light to some of the talented Filipino artists to the pop culture scene, ToyCon also strove for fans to rediscover the reason people enter fandoms in the first place, create connections with people who likes the same comics, TV shows, or passion of collecting toys, and widening their reach for international fans and artists alike.

ToyCon PH 2018 was not just another pop culture event. It has become a whole new playground for fandoms to connect, engage, and, well— fawn over their favorite fictional characters.

Dante Basco, Kelly Hu, and Michael Copon along with the Event Marketing Head of TOYCON PH Cholo Mallillin at the ribbon cutting ceremony of TOYCON 2018 POPLIFE FanXperience.

'Bag' honestly depicts the realities of straight-gay friendship and shows that the timeless values of acceptance and moral support have no gender divide.

Viral short films make waves globally MCJIM Classic Leather’s viral short films under its Get Reel online advocacy campaign are now competing in eight prestigious international film festivals in the United States, Italy, and Australia, providing another platform for Filipinos to share their noteworthy stories to the world stage.

In communicating its advocacy of bringing the best of the Filipino to the world, McJim recently broke boundaries in digital communication as its troika of well-executed shorts were validated not only by millions of views on social media but also through global recognition with its participation in various film competitions.

Pitaka (The Wallet), the first of the three short films, has been officially selected to participate in film festivals in Italy and the US, namely the San Mauro Torinese International Film Festival 2018; Cefalu Film Festival in Palermo; Diwa Filipino Film Showcase of Seattle 2018; and Culture of Life Film Festival 2018 in Memphis City.

Through Pitaka’s strong and relatable narrative, brought to life by the Kuya (Karl Medina’s character) who sets aside his personal dreams to provide for his younger brother (played by Art Artienda), the world gains appreciation for the Filipino’s propensity for nurturing.

The storyline celebrates sib-

ling relationships and what older members of the family do out of love for them. Aside from extolling Filipino family values of sacrifice and perseverance, Pitaka’s emotional impact was enhanced by the use of the Filipino language in its collaboration with Palanca-winning poet Louie Jon Sanchez and by its excellent cinematography and production quality.

Another internationally acclaimed McJim viral video is Bag, an out-of-the-box and gay-themed short film that follows an openly gay young professional’s (Ross Pesigan) seemingly unending quest for love. In the wake of subsequent heartbreaks, Pesigan’s character finds refuge and comfort in his straight best friend (Wayne Avellano), who makes him realize that not all soul mates are romantic partners.

For its honest portrayal of straightgay friendships and other social realities faced by the LGBT community, Bag has been invited to join international film fests that include the First International LGBTQ Coming of Age Short Films Festival, which will be held simultaneously in Paris, France, and San Francisco, U.S.A, in September this year; the Los Angeles CineFest 2019; the 2018 LGBTQ Shorts Film Festival; and the International Shorts Film Festival (Australia) 2018. Continued on C3