Manila Standard - 2018 April 28 - Saturday

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Frontier foxtrot leads to two Koreas embrace IT WAS a historic handshake that Koreans had waited more than a decade to see—and it sparked a completely unscripted dance with the two leaders hopping back and forth over the border that divides their nations.

Everything about the inter-Korean summit had been minutely choreographed and rehearsed but the North’s Kim Jong Un went off-script when he invited his southern counterpart Moon Jae-

in to join him over the border.

After a prolonged clasp lasting almost half a minute over the Military Demarcation Line that acts as the border, a beaming Moon invited his guest over to South Korea.

They posed for pictures as Kim became the first Northern leader to set foot in the country since Korean War hostilities ceased in 1953.

Kim then beckoned Moon over to the other side.

Moon seemed initially hesitant but the North’s jovial young leader was not taking “no” for an answer, grabbing his hand and accompanying him across the border before they warmly shook hands again.

Grinning broadly, the pair then crossed back to the South hand-in-hand, to be presented with flowers by children from a village in the buffer area next to the Demilitarized Zone.

The leaders of the two Koreas later held Next page

VOL. XXXII • NO. 72 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

HISTORIC SUMMIT. South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in (right) and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un (left) cross the Military Demarcation Line that divides their countries ahead of their summit at the truce village of Panmunjon on Friday.

They later sit down to a historic summit after shaking hands at the DML in a gesture laden with symbolism. AFP

Price hikes affect Pinoys ‘strongly’ MOST of the people recently surveyed

by Pulse Asia said they were strongly affected by an increase in the prices of basic commodities early this year.

The survey, conducted from March 23 to 28 using face-to-face interviews, showed 86 percent of the Filipinos polled across all regions said they “strongly” felt the impact of the price Next page increases.

Duterte: I’ll go to war over PH Rise CRITICIZED for doing nothing to stop Chinese expansion in the West Philippine Sea, President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to visit the Philippine Rise on the other side of the country and warned that he would go to war with any country that dared to claim the massive undersea region.

The President made the announce-

ment in his speech during an assembly of free masons in Davao City, saying he would sail to the Philippine Rise to make known that the region is part of the country’s territory.

Philippine Rise is an offshore frontier facing the Pacific Ocean that is about 24 million hectares in size and is in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, an

T

HE three diplomats who are facing arrest by the Kuwait government for rescuing distressed Filipino workers should be spared because they were only following orders from Manila, a Foreign Affairs insider said Friday.

“The Rapid Response Team are formed in Manila and was deployed to Kuwait.

On top of the operation, who gave them the authorization...when an undersecretary says yes, you have to follow,” the insider told the Standard.

Asked who led the team from Manila, the insider said that it should be the DFA undersecretary for migrant worker affairs, Sarah Lou Arriola, Foreign Affairs

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—Senator Richard Gordon, announcing that 14 senators have signed the draft report of the Blue Ribbon committee on the Dengvaxia controversy.

Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano’s political appointee and a member of his staff when he was still a senator.

“She heads the operation. In all honesty, she’s good, fast to catch on to the system in the DFA, but not so steeped in its system of operations,” the insider said.

The three diplomats, another source said, were strategically chosen. Dado Next page

Foreign journos barred from PH press conference

THE Supreme Court has sworn in new Shari’ah lawyers who passed the twoday licensure exams held on Jan. 21 and 28 this year.

In a media briefing, the SC Public Information Office revealed that 191 of 360 takers of the special Bar exami-

I recognize that not all of my colleagues agree with the report.

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Rights body hits Kuwait, defends workers rescue

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

191 new Shari’ah lawyers sworn in

By Vito Barcelo

PRESIDENTIAL SELFIE OP. President Rodrigo Duterte poses for a selfie with an unidentified woman on his arrival at the Ritz Hotel in Singapore Thursday. The woman, who was part of the crowd, was lifted by Duterte’s aides on stage so she could take a photo with the President. She was later seen smiling and waving from the stage. Malacañang Photo

CBCP pleads for Aussie nun, asks govt to reconsider expulsion THE Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines on Friday urged the Bureau of Immigration to reconsider its order to Australian missionary nun Patricia Fox to leave the Philippines.

The bureau had given the 71-year-old nun 30 days to leave the country after it canceled her missionary visa on Monday.

The bureau claims Fox had been en-

gaging in partisan political activities.

“In this recent development, we sincerely make an appeal that the authorities make a reconsideration of their order for Sr. Patricia Fox to leave the country,” CBCP president and Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles said in a statement.

The group asked Immigration to give

Cops net two IS-inspired terrorists in Laguna area

By Francisco Tuyay POLICE and soldiers on Friday arrested two suspected Islamic State-inspired terrorists in Sta. Rosa, Laguna even as the government said they saw no impending threat to foreign delegates to the upcoming 51st Asian Development Bank board of governors’ annual meeting.

Police reports said the arrested suspected terrorists were both Filipinos identified as Jimuel Velasco Dizon and Eddie Boy Aledo Bermejo, with a Muslim names Amir and Abdullah, respectively.

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Fox a chance to explain herself.

“Could she be given a chance to stay and continue serving our people?” the group said.

Valles said the CBCP’s plea was based on the news of her situation as reported by the media as the CBCP Secretariat had yet to get more information from Fox’s camp.

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THE Philippine government barred foreign correspondents from covering a press conference held in Singapore on Friday, which was mostly about the diplomatic crisis between the Philippines and Kuwait.

The day before, the Philippine government prohibited them from asking questions in a press conference on the same topic.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines said it was deeply alarmed by the Philippine government’s strong actions that clearly violated the constitutional provisions on freedom of information.

The group said the most recent case involved some Focap members, who were properly accredited by the government’s International Press Center, but were stopped from covering a news conference Friday by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello in Singapore, where he was part of a delegation to the Asean summit.

A day earlier, Focap members were Next page

AT THE READY. In Quezon City, workers conduct Friday a repair and repainting of ballot boxes to be used in the May 14 elections for officials of barangays and the Sangguniang Kabataan.

(See story on A2) Manny Palmero

News

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SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

P10-m shabu, weeds seized near Naia

By Joel E. Zurbano, Vito Barcelo and Rey E. Requejo

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OVERNMENT agents on Friday seized P10 million worth of smuggled shabu and kush weeds at the Federal Express warehouse near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, an official said.

Customs collector Carmelita Talusan said her men intercepted 2,066 grams or 2.06 kilos of shabu and 127.60 grams of kush weeds shipped separately in two concealed boxes on different dates from California.

7,700 cops deployed for ADB meeting

By Francisco Tuyay THE Philippine National Police is fielding 7,700 policemen to secure thousands of foreign delegates ahead of the 51st Asian Development Bank Board of Governors Annual Meeting hosted by the country on May 5.

The police contingent has been mobilized at the periphery of the ADB headquarters in Mandaluyong City, the site of the international conference, to protect the safety of an estimated 3,000 delegates attending the event dubbed as “Manila 2018.”

Chief Supt. Ma. O Aplasca, Acting PNP Director for Operations, said a combined contingent of 8,504 public safety personnel from the law enforcement, local government, fire, and medical emergency services under the Security Task Force “ADB Manila 2018” will be in charge of protecting the delegates.

“The capability of the PNP and other concerned agencies to ensure the safety and security of foreign and local dignitaries will be again put to the test,” said PNP Deputy Director General Fernando Mendez, deputy chief for operations.

“We certainly face formidable security challenges, considering that local or international threat groups may take advantage of the situation to try to harm the dignitaries and embarrass the Philippine government and the entire country in the eyes of the international community,” Mendez said.

But with everything in place, with every security measure “meticulously planned” and with the deployment of highly experience and dedicated personnel, “I am confident that we can prevent any untoward incident from happening,” he added.

The police personnel fielded during the event, Mendez said had been carefully selected, trained and prepared to handle the job, “thus the Philippine government is ready and proud to host the important gathering of ADB officials and dignitaries.”

Price...

From A1

Meanwhile, Malacañang on Friday welcomed the results of another survey showing fewer Filipinos considered themselves poor.

“We are pleased to note that Filipino families who consider themselves poor continue to decrease, and to a record-low 42 percent in March 2018,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.

The survey by Social Weather Stations was conducted from March 23 to 27, and it said the latest figure was less than the 44 percent registered in December last year.

Thirteen percent of those surveyed by Pulse Asia said they were somewhat affected by the price increase, while only 1 percent said did not feel the effects.

The survey noted that 98 percent of those polled said they noticed that the prices of the commodities they usually bought had gone up since January 2018.

The survey said price increases were noticeable in food, electricity, transportation, medicine and water.

191...

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nations for the Shari’ah courts passed the two-day licensure tests.

They took their oath before the Court En Banc in a ceremony held at the SC session hall on Friday.

Rohanifah Abdul-Rahman topped the Bar exams with a highest overall rating of 90.40 percent.

Abdul-Rahman was followed by Abdulkarim Hadji Ibrahim Jr., with a rating of 89.35 percent, and by Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba with a score of 88.85 percent.

Taking the fourth place was Adly Umpa, with a rating of 88.80 percent, followed by Benyamen H. Salic, with 88.45 percent; Mozifa Ibbin, 88.00 percent; Nurhainie Abolais, 87.90 percent; Arvin Sirad, 87.90 percent; Nassem Sarangani, 87.25 percent; Hisham Panganting, 87.20 percent and Rayhana Faisal, 86.85 percent.

She made her statement even as the Justice department on Friday dumped the bid of Cebu-based businessman Peter Lim to stop the new preliminary investigation into the drug case filed against him and other suspects.

In a resolution, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra denied Lim’s appeal to stop the new Justice department panel from proceeding with the new preliminary investigation on the drug charges filed against him, self-confessed drug trafficker Kerwin Espinosa, convicted drug lord Peter Co and several others.

“Movant [Lim] has failed to show any violation of his rights, much less his right to a speedy disposition of his case,” Guevarra said in his resolution.

Documents showed that the packages seized at the warehouse were declared as toys and consigned to a Savannah Valdez of General Trias, Cavite, and Emmer Soncruz Medina of Quezon City and arrived on March 28, 2018, and April 18, 2018, respectively.

Talusan said both boxes underwent Xray scanning and rigid inspection after no one claimed them. Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña reminded airport’s Customs’ rank and file that their task was not only to collect and hit the bureau’s revenue target but also “to intensify Customs’ campaign against the smuggling of illegal goods in the country.”

Last month, a female claimant was arrested when she picked up a package con-

taining 962 Ecstasy tablets at the Central Mail Exchange Center in Pasay City.

Monica Santos of Morato, Quezon City, was claiming the parcel declared as a photo album when she was nabbed by Customs authorities.

The party drugs, which were sent by a certain Samson Santos from The Netherlands, weighed some 1.3 kilos and had a street value of more than P14 million.

Manila International Airport Authority general manager Eddie Monreal said his agency and the Customs bureau heightened their vigilance in the campaign against illegal drug trafficking in a bid to discourage international and local drug syndicates from using the Philippines as a transshipment point.

Rights...

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Raul, who is a former consul general in Kuwait; a muslim diplomat who is from the DFA-Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations; and Francis Baquiran who was posted before in Malaysia—all of whom are expert in rescuing distressed Filipino workers in conflict areas.

Aside from the three, the insider said DFA acting spokesman Elmer Cato and Arriola were also there; Cato was deployed because of his experience as consulate general in Baghdad.

The insider said that, the undersecretary may have brought some of the administration’s “spin-doctors” as the propaganda team, who uploaded videos of the rescue operations that earned Kuwait’s ire.

“That one single mistake burned the platform, our diplomatic relationship with Kuwait, and our goal to protect our [workers] there,” the insider said.

The insider also said that the RRT should only augment the numbers of embassy staff and not spearhead the rescue operation.

The three members of the team threatened with arrest are stuck in the Philippine Embassy.

Only those diplomats, like Philippine Ambassador Renato Villa, enjoy diplomatic immunity.

The insider said, the Kuwait government has already cut off Villa’s water supply in his residence and that he is now using the embassy to take a bath.

Meanwhile, another source who is privy to the DFA operation suggested the Department of Foreign Affairs to observe the “policy of quiet diplomacy” to let the tension die down.

“Let the emotions in Kuwait who were obviously offended to simmer down by maintaining strategic silence,” the source said.

The source reminded the DFA that there

are numbers of women in shelters and workers to look after and that releasing a strong statement against Kuwait will not help. “[They have to create] communication plan to achieve the above and maintain the status quo of OFWs in Kuwait,” the source added.

Aside from observing the strategic silence, the source also said that the DFA, through the leadership of Cayetano, should engage third party countries in the Gulf such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bharain, or the United Arab Emirates. “[They should] do back channeling through a friendly country in the area,” the source said.

The source also said the DFA should make sure that access to embassy is unhampered.

“Communications between OFWs and their embassy is vital in maintaining calm and reducing their anxiety,” the source said.

The videos, which angered the Kuwait government, showed a woman running from a home and jumping into a waiting vehicle while another depicted a person sprinting from what looks like a construction site and then speeding off in a black sport utility vehicle.

Kuwait had branded the rescues a violation of its sovereignty, adding fuel to a simmering diplomatic row between the two nations sparked by the murder of a Filipino maid.

The video was released by Cato to the media and posted on several social media outlets.

There are 250,000 remaining OFWs in Kuwait.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that Kuwaiti authorities could not arrest Filipino diplomats or staff since they are covered by diplomatic immunity.

“All our diplomatic officers and staff have immunity. Those diplomatic officers have full diplomatic immunity,” Roque said.

The Palace official said that embassy personnel of every country in a foreign land have diplomatic immunity and that is their job to protect their own citizens from harm against people in the host countries.

However, Roque said he has no idea what charges were being readied against the Filipino staff who took part in the rescues.

The Palace official reiterated the Philippine government’s apology for the uncoordinated rescue of Filipino domestic workers which spread on social media.

Roque said that the President remains firm on his demand for the protection of Filipino workers in Kuwait despite the Kuwaiti government’s order expelling Villa.

Roque said the administration’s focus right now is to guarantee the safety of over 250,000 Filipino workers in the Gulf state amid recent developments involving the two countries.

“The bottom line is the President must stand for the welfare of our workers. And that’s non-negotiable,” he said.

Meanwhile, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III was set to fly to Kuwait to clarify issues concerning the embassy’s rescue of Filipino domestics and reports about their abuse and maltreatment.

He added that President Duterte was surprised by Kuwait’s expulsion of the Philippine ambassador.

Human Rights Watch has criticized Kuwait’s arrest of embassy staff who participated in the rescue operations.

“Kuwait’s recent arrests of two apparent Philippines embassy staff members for helping domestic workers escape an abusive is outrageous,” Rothna Begum, a Middle East women’s rights researcher for HRW said in a statement.

Begum said Kuwaiti authorities “should not be punishing them for helping domestic workers in danger.” Instead, Kuwait should be working with the Philippine embassy to help investigate and rescue distressed workers. With Vito Barcelo, PNA

Duterte:...

Cops...

area where nations have internationally recognized the country’s exclusive rights to exploit fish and fuel resources, and the continental shelf further out in the ocean.

The Philippines filed a diplomatic protest after a Chinese ship was monitored sailing the waters early last year, drawing public attention to the territory, which some believe could be harboring undersea gas and oil deposits.

“Next week, I’m going to set sail, I’m going to Benham Rise,” he said, referring to the region’s original name. “I will make a statement there that nobody but nobody owns this place including the continental shelf, the underground land mass that extends under the sea.”

He said he would wage war on any foreign power that tries to seize control of Philippine territory.

The President’s stand contrasted sharply with his policy in the South China Sea, where China has occupied several areas also claimed by the Philippines.

“When the issue of Benham Rise or Philippine Rise, there were so many ships there doing exploration, and when this crucial question was asked of me ‘What will do you if they also claim it?’ and I said, ‘I will go to war.’ And I will go to war, believe me,” he said.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the ownership of Philippine Rise, awarded by the UN Commission on the Continental Shelf, was undisputed.

Only recently, China succeeded in registering five undersea features of the Philippine Rise, which were approved by the International Hydrographic Organization last year.

Also on Thursday, Duterte slammed the European Parliament for criticizing the drug war in the Philippines, but paying no attention to the rising deaths of innocents from illegal drugs in the United States and Australia.

In his speech in Davao City, the President said that many innocents are dying in Australia and in America because of illegal drugs.

“These idiots especially the European Parliament, they keep on harping on the Philippines of the death of, without a single one complaining about the death of the innocents dying and drug lords living with houses in Australia, in America at the expense of their fellowmen,” Duterte said during a convention of the free masons on Thursday.

The President also deplored the continued meddling by the EU in the country’s political and domestic affairs.

Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde said the suspects who are members of the Suyuful Khilafa Fil Luzon could be part of the local terrorist group Rajah Solayman Movement that openly expressed allegiance to ISIS. Albayalde could not yet ascertain why the suspects were in the Calabarzon area.

He said there was no cause for alarm and said the arrests were an indication only that the police and the Armed Forces were doing their job.

“This is part of our target hardening measures, part of our proactive measures to prevent terror attacks particularly here in Metro Manila,” Albayalde said.

He also allayed the fears that the arrest of the two supposed ISIS operatives could affect the Asian Development Board meeting.

“This is a plain and simple criminal case. Illegal possession of firearms and explosives,” he said.

The two alleged ISIS members were arrested on the strength of two search warrants by Judge Agrpino Morga of Regional Trial Court Branch 29-32 of San Pablo City for violation of RA 10591 or firearms and ammunition law.

Acting on reports on the presence of the supposed terrorists, agents from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines raided their hideouts.

In the first raid, the raiders seized one fragmentation grenade; an improvised bomb, a .45 cal. Pistol, an I-38 cal. revolver, ammunition and a black flag.

The troops also raided the adjacent safehouse and confiscated more guns, a hand grenade and a suspected bomb.

The arrest of the suspected terrorists came after the PNP deployed more than 7,000 personnel to secure 3,000 foreign delegates attending the 51st Asian Development Bank Board of Governor Annual Meeting in the country on May 5. With PNA

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Frontier...

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a landmark summit Friday after a highly symbolic handshake over the Military Demarcation Line, with the Kim declaring they were at the “threshold of a new history.”

Kim said he was “filled with emotion” after stepping over the concrete blocks, making him the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South since the Korean War ended in an armistice 65 years ago.

At Kim’s impromptu invitation the two men briefly crossed hand-in-hand into the North before walking to the Peace House building on the southern side of the truce village of Panmunjom for the summit—only the third of its kind since hostilities ceased in 1953.

“I came here determined to send a starting signal at the threshold of a new history,” said Kim, whose nuclear-armed regime is accused of widespread human rights abuses.

With the North’s atomic arsenal high on the agenda, South Korean President Moon Jae-in responded that he hoped they would reach “a bold agreement so that we may give a big gift to the whole Korean people and the people who want peace.”

Permanent peace The leaders of North and South Korea agreed to pursue a permanent peace and the complete denuclearization of the divided peninsula, as they embraced after a historic summit laden with symbolism.

In a day of bonhomie including a highly symbolic handshake over the Military Demarcation Line that divides the two countries, the pair issued a declaration on “the common goal of realizing, through complete denuclearisation, a nuclear-free Korean peninsula”. AFP

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blocked from a news conference given by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano. They were subsequently allowed access, but were barred from asking questions.

In the House, a lawmaker said even if Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez signed a new memorandum enumerating “what reporters cannot do or write,” the implementors would find it almost impossible to enforce it.

The lawmaker, who requested anonymity, said the draft regulations were based on “subjective and ambiguous issues.”

“Thus, any decision made will be based on the biases of the official involved instead of cold, hard facts,” the lawmaker said.

Another congressman said those “who have drafted those rules may have had good intentions, but the result was disastrous for the House.”

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions,” the lawmaker said.

The Philippine government is holding press conferences in Singapore as President Rodrigo Duterte is there to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit accompanied by Cabinet members.

In the previous press conferences of Philippine officials on the sidelines of international events, such as the Asean Summit, international journalists used to be allowed in as long as they had an IPC ID. Focap said that, in a meeting with Communications Assistant Secretary Queenie Rodulfo in November 2017, “she agreed to allow Filipinos working for foreign news agencies unfettered access to the president’s media events as well as other international press events.” Maricel V. Cruz

SE Asian leaders vow to fight protectionism SINGAPORE—Southeast Asian leaders are expected to rally against protectionism at a summit in Singapore this weekend amid fears that tit-for-tat tariffs between the United States and China could escalate into a global trade war.

A region of around 650 million people, Southeast Asia is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies, thanks largely to the benefits of free and open trade.

But officials and analysts have warned that an escalation of trade tensions between the world’s two biggest economies poses a risk to the region’s growth outlook.

Leaders from the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations are expected to pledge to fight protectionism when they meet in the city-state on Saturday, according to a draft of their final statement seen by Agence France-Presse.

The statement warns of “uncertainties surrounding global economic recovery, the rising trends of protectionism, and global policy uncertainties.”

“We reiterated our strong commitment to open and inclusive regionalism, free and open markets and underscored the critical importance of the rules-based multilateral trading system,” it says.

US President Donald Trump sent shock waves around the world last month when he imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

He also authorized tariffs on about $50 billion worth of Chinese exports in response to Beijing’s alleged theft of American intellectual property.

Beijing has responded by slapping duties on key US agricultural exports, in measures intended to target the American president’s support base—and could also do so for the sensitive US soybean industry. AFP

Nacionalista to field Imee, Pia for Senate

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

INCUMBENT Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos and Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano are both running for senator in the upcoming midterm elections, Senator Cynthia Villar confirmed Friday.

“We in the Nacionalista Party, we are just three [running for senators]— Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, and myself,” Villar told reporters.

She said Marcos, daughter of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, has already started going around the country.

The wife of NP’s founder, former Senate President Manny Villar, said she believes Imee’s brother, former Senator Bongbong Marcos, will not be running for the Senate, as he is focused on his ongoing electoral protest against Vice President Leni Robredo.

“It seems he’s not [running]. I mean, I never say never, October is still far, but so far, that’s the ongoing talks,” said Villar, while referring to their filing of certificates of candidacy for next year’s elections.

Villar, as the Nacionalista chairperson, is hopeful that Imee will win in the polls.

“She has a big chance, of course. She’s minding the survey if Bongbong was included, because they’re two. Of course, that’s chaotic. It means the two will run so we don’t know whom to vote, Imee or Bongbong. But if she runs alone, she will win,” she explained.

Pressed on the political plans of her husband, Villar replied, “There’s a business plan, but no political plan.”

“They just thought because I’m always in Baseco [in Tondo, Manila]. they thought it’s a campaign [sortie]. That’s not a campaign. That’s the mandamus on Manila Bay,” the senator said.

“We have to clean up Manila Bay and I’m making Baseco a model or a pilot project. If we can clean Baseco, maybe we can clean the other poor areas along Manila Bay, Pasig River and Laguna Lake. We have to do a pilot project and show the people that it can be done,” she added.

CBCP...

From A1 The authorities claim that Fox has violated certain Philippine laws, but her counsel is set to submit a counter affidavit in her defense.

The bishops threw their support and prayers behind the nun who, they believe, is keen on finishing her mission in the Philippines.

“Without entering into the merits of both parties in the case, this is for the proper authorities to decide,” Valles said.

“But this we say: We believe in the sincerity and dedication of Sr. Patricia to serve our people. We believe further that she is moved to serve our people by the love of Christ.”

Immigration officials paid a visit to Fox’s house in Quezon City on April 16 and arrested her for allegedly “joining rallies,” and then released her the next day.

But the CBCP said Fox, a member of the Notre Dame de Sion congregation, had spent 27 years in the Philippines helping peasants and indigenous people.

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SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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Opinion

SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Farmers Plaza, SM Megamall anti-PWD, anti-senior citizen was fully functioning. Security guards were visible at strategic locations to discourage pickpockets and snatchers from victimizing shoppers. The escalators were in good working condition, and the restrooms weren’t so bad.

THE Araneta Center in Quezon City is As for the fastfood center at the baseknown for two iconic landmarks—the ment, it had sufficient air-conditioning.

Araneta Coliseum and Farmers Plaza. The many food outlets provided customThey are owned by the famous Araneta ers with a wide range of food choices. family, a staunch supporter of the unlaSadly, Farmers Plaza has deteriomented Liberal Party. Both structures rated immensely these past few years. were constructed in the 1960s.

There is a notable reduction in lights.

Many historic events have been held The air-conditioning is kept to a miniat the Araneta Coliseum, including the mum as attested to by many areas in the Thrilla in Manila or the third Muham- building which are warm. Mall secumad Ali-Joe Frazier world heavyweight rity guards are limited to the building’s championship boxing match held in half a dozen entrances. The restrooms 1975. The big dome, as the coliseum is are humid. also called, has also been the venue of There is a supermarket at the basemany concerts. ment, but it has a very limited floor The original area. name of Farmers The corridors Plaza is Farmers of Farmers Plaza Market.

It was do not have even a These and similarly called Farmers single bench which Market because situated establishments tired persons with the basement of disabilities and the building was will probably shape up senior citizens can originally a wet only after they are sued use. PWDs and market while the in court. senior citizens who upper floors were badly need to sit allocated for stores. down must walk When the owners all the way to the decided to transfer fastfood center at the wet market to a the basement and nearby area, Farmers Market became hope that there are vacant chairs there Farmers Plaza. The wet market at the which they can use. basement was converted to a fastfood There are far less food outlets at the center. fastfood center at the basement, which By the 1970s, Farmers Plaza was a is now called a food court. Patrons popular destination for many, especial- who linger beyond business hours are ly shoppers who were on a tight budget. instructed to leave through a service Although a fire destroyed a part of exit, which is accessible only by passFarmers Plaza in 1985, it was quickly ing through two humid corridors which rebuilt, and remained a popular com- have the stench of rotting food and wet mercial hub. trash. Although the source of the foul More than a decade ago, Farmers smell is not immediately visible inside Plaza was a well-maintained building. the corridors, the floor itself feels like Its hallways had sufficient lights, and it has a coating of toxic mold. its centralized air-conditioning system Turn to A5 HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Hostility

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HERE is a general hostility toward journalists in many countries, according to the 2018 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders.

The animosity is fanned by political leaders themselves, even those from nonauthoritarian, supposedly democratic countries.

In extreme cases, RSF said journalists critical to those in power are deemed terrorists; those who do not show loyalty are sent to jail.

In India the report said, hate speech against journalists is shared on social media by administrationpaid trolls. In the Czech Republic, the president brandished a fake Kalashnikov on which was written “for journalists.” In Slovakia, the prime minister said journalists were “filthy anti-Slovak prostitutes” and “idiotic hyenas.”

Across the globe, many jour-

nalists are targeted and killed for their work.

Even the US president, the supposed leader of the free world, was tagged a “media-bashing enthusiast” who once called reporters “enemies of the people.”

“Political leaders who fuel loathing for reporters bear heavy responsibility because they undermine the concept of public debate based on facts instead of propaganda,” said the secretarygeneral of the RSF. “To dispute the legitimacy of journalism today is to play with extremely dangerous political fire.”

This is a situation not at all foreign to Filipinos.

Just this week, the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines decried attempts by the administration to stop it from covering events involving the Labor and Foreign Affairs alter egos of the President. Similar restrictions were enforced as the journalists covered the war in Marawi and the closure of Boracay Island.

“The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines [FO-

CAP] is deeply alarmed by the Philippine government’s strong actions that clearly violate Constitutional provisions on freedom of information,” FOCAP said in a statement.

The House of Representatives is also preparing measures that will allow it to revoke the accreditation of media organizations whose reportage besmirches the reputation of the House, its officials and its members.

It is no surprise that the Philippines also figures in the highlights of the World Press Freedom Index.

“President Rodrigo Duterte not only constantly insults reporters but has also warned them that they are not exempted from assassination,” according to RSF. Meanwhile, purveyors of highly dubious information appear to be rewarded for their propaganda efforts, with no accountability whatsoever for the consequences of their work.

Perhaps the President must be reminded—not everyone who applauds you is your ally. Not everyone who criticizes you is out to bring you down.

Propaganda at the expense of OFWs when the situation is critical, the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait was willing to save our OFWs. Fast forward the present predicament between our country and Kuwait. I am not surprised that the embassy would YEARS ago, a former employee who do a “rescue” if it was necessary. After was working as a domestic helper in all, the embassy has the responsibility Kuwait contacted us frantically asking to protect Filipino citizens there.

What infuriates me is the attempt of for help because she was being physically and psychologically abused by her some officials of this administration employer. She said she could not take the to use the “rescue” of OFWs for propaabuse anymore and wanted to go home. ganda purposes. This is not the work of However, her passport has been “confis- responsible government officials. Prior cated” by the employer, and she did not to the posting of the “rescue” video on the internet, there were reports saying have enough money for airfare.

We contacted the Philippine Overseas that hundreds of OFWs would be saved.

Employment Agency, Overseas Workers In fact, Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson Welfare Administration, and even the even went to Kuwait for the rescue opDepartment of Foreign Affairs, and it erations. Certainly she was not there to took months of follow-ups before any as- supervise the operations. After all, her sistance could be given. Understandably, work, according to the PCOO has to do government had to check and verify our with social media. She went there to do propaganda work former employee’s using our OFWs. whereabouts and She even posted situation. Eventua video calling on ally, she was aspeople to just tell sisted by the PhilIs no one thinking them if they know ippine embassy in about our OFWs? What of anyone needKuwait (I do not ing to be rescued know if it was in will happen to the more and they will be coordination with than 260,000 Filipinos rescued!

Wow. Kuwaiti officials), working in this country?

Parang super hero and was brought ang dating. The to some sort of video also showed temporary shelter her proclaiming to managed by emthe world that she was going with the resbassy people.

It took another two to three months cue team for an operation. If this is not before she was able to fly back home. propaganda, I do not know what is. Uson When she visited us, she narrated her is said to be running for the Senate next horror stories as well as those of other year and recent surveys put her at the OFWs, particularly women. No wonder, tail end of the list of possible candidates. the shelter where she stayed before com- Kailangan talagang magpabida para tuing home was full to the brim. She esti- maas ang ranking.

Also, if not for propaganda, why else mated that there were easily more than 300 distressed OFWs at the time of her would pro-Duterte blogger “Thinking stay there. She spoke of the inhumane Pinoy” post on social media a video of an conditions in the shelter and noticed that actual rescue operation especially since many were getting sick. Some, she said, it was done without coordinating with Kuwait authorities? Pasikat lang talaga? had psychological conditions.

Thus, I knew from years ago that Turn to A5

POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO

Time now the enemy in battle to find missing GIs in jungles of Vietnam

By Jenny Vaughan WHEN Tycoria Johnson told her family she was going to Vietnam to help recover the remains of an American killed there during the war, her mother was proud—but anxious.

Seventeen years earlier, Johnson’s father died in a helicopter crash on a similar mission to find some of the 1,600 US servicemen and women killed in the Vietnam War whose bodies have still not been located.

“The last time [my mother] had a family member here, he didn’t come back, so she was kind of nervous,” said 26-year-old Johnson, a radio frequency transmission systems technician sta-

tioned in Japan with the US Air Force.

In an unlikely twist of fate, Johnson was assigned to help recover the remains of a Marine pilot whose plane crashed during a night mission in central Quang Ngai province in 1966.

She spent weeks scouring the forest for bone shards or tooth fragments, learning a few words of Vietnamese, the same work her father, US Army Sergeant First Class Tommy Murphy, did before he died in 2001.

He was among seven Americans and nine Vietnamese killed when their helicopter slammed into the side of a mountain in bad weather.

Johnson said her trip was a chance for closure.

“I feel like he didn’t complete it, so I wanted to do that for him, to say that he finished the mission,” Johnson told AFP, sitting near a framed photo of her father working on a dig site in Vietnam.

Johnson was on the mission with the US agency in charge of recovering American remains around the world, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

It has been working in Vietnam for more than 30 years, before the former war foes established diplomatic ties in 1995.

The agency was born out of a war-era effort by the wives of American POWs in Vietnam who demanded US leaders 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

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Opinion The supreme Senate IN 2012, during the Corona trial, I wrote about the awesome powers of the Senate when it acts as the impeachment tribunal. Imagine this collegial body, only 24 in number when they are complete, having the ability to remove from their positions a sitting President, Vice President, Ombudsman, Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, and the Chairs of the Independent Constitutional Commissions. As every first-year law student is taught, only the Senate has this ultimate power granted to it by the Constitution.

Indeed, as an impeachment court, the Senate can exercise all powers necessary to fulfill its constitutional mandate to exact accountability from the highlevel officials singled out by the Constitution as impeachable. Their orders and the ultimate decision of conviction or acquittal cannot be reviewed by any court, including the Supreme Court.

Because of this awesome power of the Senate as an impeachment court answerable only to the people and their consciences, they are expected to act with prudence and wisdom.

Impeachment proceedings are a class of their own—as lawyers would say, sui generis. As the records of the 1986 Constitutional Commission show, impeachment proceedings are both quasi-judicial and quasi-political. Quasi-political because they are akin, but not quite, to a political proceeding undertaken by a political body which is the Senate, and quasi-judicial because they partake of some of the elements of a criminal process without necessarily following strictly the Rules on Evidence and legal technicalities.

As the members of the 1986 Constitutional Commission acknowledged, the impeachment process is essentially a political act with the sole purpose of removing the impeachable official from public office for one or more of the following grounds as provided by Sec. 2, Art XI 1987 Constitution: culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust.

Impeachment, as held in Gutierrez v.

House of Representatives Committee on Justice, is primarily for the protection of the people as a body politic, and not for the punishment of the offender.

Farmers...

From A4

Maintenance personnel of Farmers Plaza turn off the escalators 30 minutes before closing time. PWDs and senior citizens who are still down in the basement are compelled to climb, with great difficulty, the escalator to the ground floor.

Their other choice is to take the exit at the south end of the basement, but this will subsequently require them to take a long walk around the entire building, especially for PWDs and senior citizens whose rides are found on the north side of the building.

Sure, the PWDs and senior citizens can have their vehicles fetch them at the south exit of the basement, but the road in front of that exit is a pay parking lot. That means their vehicles will be charged a parking fee just to be able to pick them up at the south exit. What a racket!

In other words, nobody at Farmers Plaza cares about PWDs and senior citizens.

One can only imagine the horror

Time...

From A4

do more to get their imprisoned husbands home, many of whom were held in the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” prison in the capital of the Communist North.

Now it focuses on returning bodies and has repatriated more than 1,000 American remains from the Vietnam War since 1973, including fallen soldiers found in neighboring Laos, Cambodia and China, according to DPAA figures.

Of the more than 1,600 still unaccounted for, about 1,200 are in Vietnam.

That includes the pilot whose remains Johnson was looking for, though her team never found him.

Instead she capped her mission at a stoic repatriation ceremony in Danang for three other soldiers whose remains found in Vietnam were placed in a box wrapped with an American flag to be shipped to the US state of Delaware for DNA testing.

Race against time DPAA works around the world to recover US war missing. Those unaccounted for include 72,000 from World War II and 7,700 from the Korean War. A further 126 are listed as unaccounted for from the Cold War—many

Commissioner Romulo further clarified that the impeachment “procedure is analogous to a criminal trial but it is not a criminal prosecution per se.” Thus, the official concerned may be subject to subsequent civil and criminal prosecution concerning the acts complained of. Since impeachment is not a criminal proceeding per se, the principles in criminal procedure do not necessarily apply although it can involve certain judicial procedures. Thus, it is accepted that the official being impeached must be informed of the charges against him, be given the opportunity to defend himself accordingly and be tried fairly and impartially.

The Constitution makes it unmistakably clear that the Senate, acting as an impeachment court, has the sole power to try and decide all cases of impeachment. As such, the Supreme Court has no jurisdiction over it. After all, it is not one of the courts whose decisions are re-

The upper House must assert its supremacy on being the sole body that can remove impeachable officials. Short of that, it would make itself irrelevant.

legislators and politicians but on this occasion, they must assume the cold neutrality of an impartial judge.

How about public opinion? Does it matter in impeachment trials? Should the senator-judges just heed public opinion? My answer is no. Public opinion is helpful in forming the senatorjudges’ perception of national interest but it is not controlling. If the Constitution intended public opinion to be the basis for conviction and acquittal, it should have done away with a trial and instead called for a referendum or election (as we do in recalling erring local officials). The Senate is made the sole judge precisely because the people, who ratified the Constitution, trusted them to be the one body with the long-term view of national interest.

A final point: impeachment is ultimately more political than legal because in the end, conviction or acquittal must be based on national interest, on what is good for the country. There must be no doubt about that and that is why the Constitution gave the sole power of determining this to the Senate who are expected to consider that national interest.

That is also why the Constitution requires a high bar, a two-thirds majority of the Senate’s 24 members, for conviction and removal from office of an impeachable official. Such decision must embody a societal consensus, with the majority and opposition on board the decision, because of the clarity of the case against the official.

In May, if reports are to be believed, it is possible that a simple majority of eight members of the Supreme Court could decide to remove a sitting Chief Justice. I do not believe the rumors. In discussions with colleagues and with students, I have defended the Supreme Court. I have trust in its members and its ability to rise above their quarrels, on their ability to see the long view and the impact of their decisions on our institutions, itself included and the legitimacy of constitutional interpretation (which says the constitution is what the Supreme Court says it is).

I also have faith in the Senate, in the leadership of Senate President Koko Pimentel, in the integrity and independence of all its 23 current members. The Senate must assert its supremacy on being the sole body that can remove impeachable officials. Short of that, it would make itself irrelevant.

viewable by the High Court. As a constitutionally created body, an impeachment court is vested with plenary powers to discharge its functions. It can enforce obedience to its orders, mandates, writs and judgments; punish in a summary way, contempt of, and disobedience to, its authority; and, make such lawful orders, rules, and regulations which it may deem essential to the proper discharge of its constitutional mandate.

Separation of powers is irrelevant and inapplicable because the Senate is not exercising legislative power in case of impeachment. Instead, it is fulfilling a special power given to it by the Constitution to make accountable a co-equal branch of government.

While the members of the impeachment court are composed of senators, Facebook: Antonio La Vina or tonythey do not perform their functions as lavs2 Twitter: tonylavs should a fire break out in the basement and there are PWDs and senior citizens stranded there. With elevators and escalators turned off even before the close of business hours, the owners of Farmers Plaza can be held criminally liable for deaths and injuries.

Like Farmers Plaza, SM Megamall is not friendly to PWDs and senior citizens.

About three years ago, many of the corridors of SM Megamall had metal benches to provide temporary respite to tired shoppers, and to PWDs and senior citizens as well.

Those benches are no longer there today.

Anybody who needs to sit down, even for a while, will have to go to a restaurant, or to the food court at the basement.

There are no benches at SM Megamall’s main exits which PWDs and senior citizens can sit on while waiting for their rides. They have to stand up like everyone else does.

SM Megamall security guards turn off the escalators and elevators at the end of business hours, even if there are still people at the basement. PWDs and senior citizens who are still in the basement af-

ter the elevators and escalators have been turned off have no choice but to climb up the escalators to reach the first floor, not only because the elevators and escalators have been turned off, but because most of the mall’s main doors have been shuttered up as well.

On many occasions, some of the airconditioners at the SM Megamall food court are turned off. This constitutes a threat to public health, because insufficient air-conditioning in a place where hot food is plentiful creates humidity, which in turn causes food to spoil quickly. That’s bad news for PWDs and senior citizens whose immune systems are no longer what they used to be.

Farmers Plaza, SM Megamall and similarly situated establishments will probably shape up only after they are sued in court. In the meantime, PWDs and senior citizens should take concerted action to protest against these establishments.

Other establishments which are antiPWDs and anti-senior citizens will be the subject of discussion in subsequent articles under this column.

of them aircrew who went missing during reconnaissance flights over or near former Soviet bloc countries.

Its reach is broad: the agency has brought home remains from Papua New Guinea to China, Pearl Harbor and the former Soviet Union, and has even identified remains of soldiers handed over by North Korea decades ago.

All the sites share a similar challenge, and Vietnam is no exception.

“Time is our biggest enemy,” DPAA director Kelly McKeague told AFP in Hanoi. “Because witnesses are ageing and dying it’s important for us to accelerate the pace and scope.”

Many bodies are in remote jungle terrain or on land that is due to be paved over for shopping malls or apartment complexes in the fastdeveloping country.

Plus, the acidic soil that eats away at bone erodes evidence for search teams to recover.

McKeague said it’s impossible to estimate how long it will take to bring back the remaining soldiers from the region, with only the “hard cases” remaining. Hundreds more are deemed non-recoverable.

The number of unaccounted-for Americans pales compared to the estimated 300,000 Vietnamese soldiers still not found, as official efforts to recover them has dragged amid funding

shortfalls and limited DNA testing.

“We need support from the international community, including the American side,” Le Thanh Tung, director of the Vietnamese Office for Seeking Missing Persons, which works with DPAA to help recover American remains.

“Cooperating with the US to search for American MIA remains in Vietnam is a way to mobilise US support to find Vietnamese martyrs,” he told AFP. In the absence of a coordinated national effort to find the bodies of Vietnamese fighters, some families turn to psychics to lead them to suspected death sites, or dig so-called empty graves so they have a place to worship the dead.

Johnson knows well the importance of having remains returned. Since her own father was repatriated and buried in Virginia, her family visits his grave a few times a year to lay flowers and give him updates on their lives.

Sitting in the DPAA office in Hanoi, next to a war-era Budweiser beer can, aftershave bottle and machine guns unearthed from past digs, Johnson described the feeling of helping American families whose relatives have been missing for decades.

“To know that we can help others feel complete, that’s what makes this an amazing mission for me.” With Quy Le Bui in Danang, AFP

SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Robredo and her questionable mandate lonialist ideology that created the ICC and try leaders of countries they once exploited, oppressed and enslaved.

Discerning political observers say the assiduous effort of Robredo to discredit the credibility of the government VICE President Leni Robredo should is more of a desperate attempt to cover know the basic norm in our political the threat that hovers above her head as system. Her foremost duty is to defend, alleged vice president. First, should the not necessarily the President, but the President succeed in eliminating the sovereignty and interest of the republic plague of drug addiction, which inciwhere she represents and styles herself dentally proliferated during the years as the second in command. That she is of the BS Aquino administration, she on board a ship called Republic of the could become politically irrelevant.

Philippines should have seeped into her Note that the charge of extrajudicial killings does not contribute anything consciousness.

Maybe, there are political differences positive, except to destroy the repubetween her and President Duterte. But tation of President Duterte. In other it seems Robredo does not know that words, it does not offer anything conthe line is drawn on matters affecting structive or helpful to the people.

Second, Robredo has to double her efour national interest. Crossing that line fort to rebuild her image. The formal recould automatically put her role as belonging to the opposition. The problem counting of the ballots revealed that she is that she chose to be an empty-headed stands on a much more precarious positroll of the US and its co-imperialist tion. Even if the counting of the ballots is European powers. Reports had it that not finished to determine who really won Robredo was feeling “hopeless and in that foreign-manipulated election, the helpless” about the extrajudicial kill- tampering, the destruction, and the erasings of drug addicts and syndicates ures in the ballots all show that Robredo financing their operations before the is the product of a fraudulent election.

And yet, she allows herself to be blessed members of the European Parliament.

Sadly, Robredo fails to recall that it over in public, as if to convince our peois the same European powers, together ple she is not only honest but holy.

All these have to be taken into conwith the US, that have systematically and repeatedly bombed towns and cities, all sideration because the issues of human for their sin of rejecting their version of rights and other imperialist-denominated freedom and democracy. For that, Ro- freedom have been outmoded by events bredo now holds the distinction of being pointing to this Yellow cabal as the cause of inequality and stupid and illogical. poverty in our counWhen she realized try. The US has lost the backlash of her much of its political uncalled-for comand moral moorment before her The alleged vice ings, and that has a host in Germany far ranging effect on to secure the pas- president now holds our people, particusage of a resolution the distinction of being larly on how they calling for an end will size up the steto the alleged extra- stupid and illogical. reotype propaganda judicial killings of with the opposition drug addicts in this using the same old country, she sudclichés about freedenly denied havdom and mantras of dictatorship. They ing said anything.

Everybody knows that the Liberal refuse to point to the US, though, as the Party collaborated with the Friedrich most corrupt and barbaric in its treatment Naumann Foundation to pass that reso- of political prisoners.

The tables have already been turned lution which amounts to undue interference in our internal affairs. When against the opposition. Today the asked, she said, “(she) never saw or chants about freedom and democracy spoke or communicated with a single no longer generate political enthusiasm EU official or representative while in as they did in 1986. The US as the selfGermany.” However, in another inter- anointed champion of freedom is now view, she admitted having been invited looked upon as a threat by most counby the EU convention that looks into the tries to their independence because of extrajudicial killings brought about by its policy of aggression, euphemistithe drug war. According to her, the in- cally called “American unilateralism terview took place at the side session of and exceptionalism.” Talking about the annual meeting of the Commission American political moral standards on Narcotics Drugs in Vienna. For all has become a source of embarrassment her denial, one could not comprehend and the political leaders who seek to be why she was there, and Rappler, an identified with that ideology have now unlicensed media outfit clandestinely become a pariah.

President Duterte may be a political operating in the Philippines, stated that she merely stated facts. That, in effect, maverick, but whether we like it or not, is tantamount to telling the government he symbolizes the changing wind that is now sweeping to set aside the he—what is wrong with what she did?

Aside from contributing to the mali- gemony of Pax Americana. Duterte is cious propaganda against the govern- the opposite of the antiquated political ment, Robredo did the job of authen- style of Robredo who keeps on crowing ticating the lies to justify the desire of the old cry of human rights, freedom the European Union to interfere in our and democracy. Our people today are internal affairs by institutionalizing the wary. They have a premonition that the International Criminal Court (ICC). In first thing Robredo will do if given a that, Robredo practically played right chance to govern is to deliver our electinto the hands of an organization not ed but independent-minded leaders to authorized to examine matters as ex- their new cage set up by the European trajudicial killings without the approval and American colonizers. Like Presiof the United Nations Security Council. dent Trump, Robredo is reminiscing The European parliamentarians do not the old glory of becoming once again even represent the 28 member-states of at the helm of the political leadership the European Union but coyly dubbed entranced by their usual mantra that no the meeting as an international gath- longer rings a bell. ering of political parties, and their afrpkapunan@gmail.com filiates like the LP, to project their co-

BACKBENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN

Propaganda...

From A4

Clearly, therefore, this botched “rescue operation” was supposed to involve many, not just one OFW. If it succeeded, this could have resulted in major ganda points for Mocha and this administration. They would have paraded the “rescued” OFWs as proof of their efforts to help Filipinos abroad.

But, did they really think that they would be able to carry this out without the Kuwaiti authorities knowing? Even assuming that ‘Thinking Pinoy’ and Uson did not post videos and the rescue operations went on as they planned, did they think that missing OFWs would not be reported and authorities would not suspect that something was going on? I seriously doubt it.

But because of the video posted by TP, Kuwaiti authorities declared our Ambassador there as persona non grata and was given one week to leave Kuwait. They also arrested two Filipino diplomats who took part in the rescue. Kuwait has also recalled its ambassador to the Philippines.

To make matters worse, our Department of Foreign Affairs cannot get its act together. Instead of trying to save the already-strained relations with Kuwait (because there are more than 260,000 Filipinos there), our Foreign Affairs Secretary even expressed “displeasure” at how Kuwait reacted to our boo-boo. Again, Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano shows that diplomacy, his major responsibility, is not one of his strong suits.

There is also this Party-List Representative, Aniceto Bertiz III (who, by the way represents OFWs in the House of Representatives) calling for the declaration of Kuwaiti Ambassador as persona non grata as retaliation for the expulsion of our ambassador from Kuwait. How is doing this going to help the situation?

Is no one thinking about our OFWs? What will happen to the more than 260,000 Filipinos working in this country? What if because of the irresponsible actions of some in this administration they become targets of harassment? At this point I do not think that Kuwaitis consider Filipinos in a favorable light.

What if something extreme, such as deporting Filipinos from Kuwait, happens? Is our country ready to provide our OFWs employment and livelihood here? What about their families? If the 260,000 OFWs have families, easily, we are talking about the welfare of a million Filipinos here. This is not a small number any which way we look at it.

I do not know if those who caused this major fiasco still sleep soundly at night knowing that their actions could put Filipinos in Kuwait in a precarious situation.

Is the pursuit of propaganda worth what we face now? More importantly, how is government going to ensure that needs of our OFWs in Kuwait are adequately addressed?

Perhaps the answer is held by those who put us in this situation. bethangsioco@gmail.com @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

News

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SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sandiganbayan weighs in on Jinggoy US trip

IN BRIEF QC dad and actor Paulate posts bail QUEZON City Councilor and actor Roderick Paulate on Friday posted bail at the Sandiganbayan in connection with the graft and falsification charges filed against him for allegedly hiring 30 ghost employees in 2010.

Paulate posted a P246,000 bail hours after his case was raffled off to the anti-graft court's Seventh Division. His co-accused, driver and liaison officer Vicente Esquilon Bajamunde, posted a P220,000 bail.

The Office of the Ombudsman charged Paulate and Bajamunde with one count each for alleged violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and eight counts of falsification of public document.

Paulate also faces one count of falsification by a public officer.

Paulate allegedly ordered his chief of staff to prepare questionable Personal Data Sheets and falsified job orders signed by him.

Paulate also alleged to have issued certifications that the 30 listed contractual employees worked for 40 hours per week and authorized Bajamunde to collect their salaries from July 1 to Nov. 15, 2010 in the sum of P1.1 million. Maricel V. Cruz

Application for online passport until June 30 ONLINE applicants for passport will only have until June 30 as the Department of Foreign Affairs on Friday prepares to incorporate electronic payment in its system starting July In an advisory, the DFA said “passport online appointment slots from July 2018 onwards have not been opened” to give way for the preparations.

The DFA however, said that slots for May to June will remain open.

DFA expects the ePayment system to hasten transactions, minimize the number of no-show applicants, and open more online appointment slots by allowing applicants to pay at a payment facility of their choice.

IACT to impose no parking zone rule THE Inter-Agency Council for Traffic will impose a no parking zone and any kind of road obstructions on the entire stretch of Roxas Boulevard to ease vehicular traffic in the area.

“We want all highly congested roads in the metro to be obstructionfree to ensure smooth traffic flow,” said I-ACT chief Thomas Orbos.

Orbos said that personnel from member-agencies such as Metro Manila Development Authority, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Police-Highway Patrol Group, and the local governments of cities of Parañaque, Pasay and Manila will work together to ensure that obstructions in Roxas Boulevard will all be removed.

He said business owners, vendors and owners of illegally parked vehicles in the area will also be advised to voluntarily dismantle their stalls and clear the roads.

“We appeal to everybody to voluntarily clear the area just like what the others did in Baclaran. We have to work together and cooperate for the greater good of all. Through the people’s cooperation, significant change will be made,” said Orbos. Joel Zurbano

By Maricel V. Cruz

SEIZED. Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña (left) present to the media on Friday, April 27, 2018, approximately 2.066 grams of shabu worth P10 million and 127.60 grams of kush weeds recently seized from a warehouse. The contraband will be turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for proper disposal. Lino Santos

Win proposes new body to develop, rehab Boracay S “We won’t make the same mistakes with Boracay the second time around,” said Gatchalian, a member of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Tourism.

“The fact that the national government had to mobilize several departments to ‘save’ Boracay from its environmental woes shows that the current governance framework of Boracay is inadequate to address its unique ecological and regulatory needs,” he added.

He said BIDA would be created along the lines of the Intramuros Administration, the attached agency of the Department of Tourism that runs the famous heritage site in Manila, as a separate administrative entity which will be tasked to oversee the planning, development, and administration of the island.

To safeguard the environmental integrity of Boracay's renowned beaches and waters, he said BIDA would be armed with strong regulatory and enforcement powers.

The senator said this would ensure strict compliance with environmental laws and regulations regarding waste management, pollution, and marine life protection, among others.

The authority would also be tasked with cultivating a culture of sustainable development through its control over the permitting and licensing of construction and land use, regulation of commercial enterprises and tourist inflows, and the maintenance of roads and public utilities—all in strict conformity to a long-term Boracay Development Master Plan.

Meanwhile, Senator Cynthia A. Villar

described as “vague” the government’s plan for Boracay.

“But I talked to my son, [DPWH] Secretary Mark Villar, and he promised me that he would finish the circumferntial road. And on my part, I will really help them to be able to do waste management kasi I’m good at that.

I promise the Governor that I will do everything on waste management. Beyond that, that’s beyond our control... I do not promise beyond that.”

As this developed, the Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command, based in Cebu City described Boracay Island’s security situation on the first official day of its closure to tourism activities Thursday (April 26) as “generally peaceful.”

Centcom commander Lt. Gen. Paul Atal said there is no need to deploy additional military forces to Boracay as there are enough security forces in the resort island.

“The role of Centcom forces is to support the PNP [Philippine National Police] in its law enforcement function and keeping the peace and order in the island [especially] in implementing the guidelines of the closure,” Atal said.

THE chairperson of the House of Representatives’ committee on dangerous drugs on Friday urged candidates in the May 14, 2018 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to undergo voluntary drug test and submit the results to the Commission on Elections for documentation and publication.

Rep. Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte, the panel’s chairperson, said he would write a letter-request to the Comelec to set a timeline for the conduct of the voluntary drug testing and submission of the results.

At the same time, Barbers said he would ask the Department of the Interior and Local Government to request the village poll aspirants to sign covenants or documents that they are against illegal drugs and that their candidacy is not supported in any way by any drug personality in their bid.

“The village poll aspirants may submit to a voluntary drug test at any Department of Health-accredited drug testing facility and

submit themselves to a certain timeline before the Comelec,” Barbers said.

“The DILG, for its part, can ask all the aspirants to sign covenants to be displayed in, their respective barangay offices indicating they condemn illegal drugs, and are not being supported by any drug personality,” he added.

Those who will reject or refuse to undergo the voluntary drug testing, Barbers said “they would all be subject to suspicions for alleged involvement in illegal drugs.”

Barbers stressed that the barangay is considered the smallest administrative unit, and the battle against drug abuse and trafficking should start at the grassroots level.

Barbers said President Rodrigo Duterte has twice called for the postponement of the Barangay elections—Oct. 31, 2016 and Oct. 23, 2017— for the reason that 40 percent of villages had been infected by the rampant drugs trade.

“The President is also aware that a number of barangay officials are involved in

illegal drug activities or are into substance abuse themselves,” he said.

As this developed, Malacañang urged the public not to vote politicians who are involved in the narcotics trade in the coming barangay and SK elections.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Friday also defended Rodrigo Duterte’s order to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority (PDEA) to release the list of barangay officials with links to the illegal drug trade.

“Inorder na po ng Presidente ang paglabas ng listahan—ano naman ‘no, nang makonsidera ng mga botante pagpunta nila sa kaniya-kaniyang mga presinto ‘no itong darating na Mayo. Huwag po nating ihalal iyong mga may koneksyon sa droga,” Roque said in a radio interview.

The PDEA earlier said it would release the names of alleged “narco-politicians” at the barangay level ahead of the village polls this May. Maricel V. Cruz

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

ENATOR Win Gatchalian is proposing the creation of a Boracay Island Development Authority, which aims to sustain the rehabilitation and development of Boracay into a truly world-class tourism destination that would be the envy of the entire world.

JBC extends filing of application for Ombudsman Bgy, SK bets urged to undergo voluntary drug test on May 15

Valenzuela solon files measure to reduce cost of burial transfer A CONGRESSMAN has filed a bill seeking to reduce the cost of burial transfer.

Rep. Wes Gatchalian of the First District of Valenzuela City said the cost of burial is very expensive, imposing additional burden on the bereaved family.

In a move to ease the burden of family which is still grieving, Gatchalian filed House Bill No. 7420, seeking to regulate the fees and permits charged by local government units on the domestic transfer of human remains.

“Dying is very expensive in the Philippines.

Often coming at the back end of heavy medical expenses, families have to think of funeral and burial expenses. I am therefore also hoping that this measure helps them a bit in this aspect,” he said.

Gatchalian said the proposed measure aims to reduce the cost of transferring remains from one locality to another for burial purposes.

He said transferring the remains of the deceased requires paying a fee to every local government unit where the vehicle passes through until the final destination.

“Under the current system, if a person

THE Sandiganbayan defended its decision to allow former Senator Jinggoy Estrada to travel to the US following the inability of the prosecution to prove alleged misrepresentation in his speaking engagement before a Filipino-American group.

In a minute resolution dated Tuesday, the anti-graft court's Fifth Division said it is “not persuaded to reconsider the resolution granting (Estrada) permission for a month travel abroad” from April 30 to May 30.

Estrada claimed to be the guest speaker of the US Pinoy for Good Governance in its annual general membership meeting in Michigan state on May 20.

He said he is expected to discuss issues on the alleged extrajudicial killings in the war on drugs, the controversy on the antidengue vaccine Dengvaxia, and the federalism plan of the Duterte administration.

Estrada said he is also scheduled to go on vacation with his family and undergo a medical checkup at the Stanford Hospital in California for his recurring shoulder problem.

But USPGG chairperson Loida Nicolas Lewis and president Rodel Rodies denied having invited Estrada. They said it was only Michigan chapter head Willie Dechavez invited Estrada in his personal capacity.

The prosecution attached this denial in its presentation of evidence in a bid to hold Estrada in contempt for allegedly using a falsified invitation letter.

But Estrada's camp dismissed as hearsay evidence the arguments of the prosecution.

It added the prosecution also made no effort to reach out to Dechavez.

The Sandiganbayan agreed with Estrada.

“The prosecution did not substantiate its claims with any sufficient means of authentication or reliable proof of the alleged forged letter coming from Mr. Dechavez,” the Sandiganbayan said.

“As such, this court cannot give any credence to the prosecution's claims. Hearsay evidence has no probative value whatsoever and therefore, cannot be the basis for overturning this court's earlier ruling,” it added.

Estrada is facing plunder and 11 counts of graft for allegedly pocketing P183.8 million in kickbacks by allocating his pork barrel funds to bogus non-government organizations allegedly owned by Janet Lim Napoles. He is currently out on a P1.3-million bail.

dies in Manila but is to be laid to his final resting place in the province, and as the body is being transported through each local government unit, often the case is that in every new local territory that it enters, the families are made to pay different fees and charges and made to secure different permits,” Gatchalian said.

“This inevitably causes undue delay and is an added financial burden on them,” said Gatchalian.

The implementing rules and regulation of Presidential Decree No. 856, otherwise known as the Sanitation Code of the Philippines, in relation to RA 7160 (Local Government Code), authorizes an LGU to impose and require the payment of “sanitation fees” on human remains that will be transferred within their local territories.

Gatchalian said if passed into law, HB 7420 would require the families to secure a single permit from the LGU where the deceased died, and this would be sufficient for the transfer of the body in any part of the Philippines.

ARRESTED. Around 160 persons were arrested during the week-long Special AntiCriminality Law Enforcement Operations simultaneous with the launching of Northern Police District Kanlungan ng Pagbabago (Community Based Reformation Center) held at the Gazebo Hall, A. Mabini Street 10th Avenue, Caloocan City on Friday. Andrew Rabulan

By Rey E. Requejo THE Judicial and Bar Council on Friday announced the extension of the deadline for the reception of the application for possible successor of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, whose term will end on July 26, 2018.

In an advisory, the JBC through Supreme Court Clerk of Court and JBC Ex Officio Secretary Edgar O. Aricheta said the application period for the position of the Ombudsman is extended to May 15.

“Application or recommendation [with conforme], together with two complete sets [one original/certified true copy and the one duplicate phocopied on long bond paper] of the documentary requirements must all be received by the JBC not later than 4:30 pm of 15 May 2018,” the JBC said.

The date of actual receipt by the JBC of the applications and complete document requirements shall be deemed as the date of the filing,” the JBC added.

The council said that applications sent through electronic mail or facsimile machine, as well as other documents which are incomplete, out of date, or without a transmittal letter, “shall not be given due course.”

The extension for the submission of application came after the Supreme Court earlier this week ruled that Morales appointment as Ombudsman is valid for a full seven-year term.

The ruling came even as the SC resolved to dismiss the petitions filed by former Metro Rail Transit Line 3 general manager Al Vitangcol and lawyer Rey Nathaniel Ifurung seeking the ouster of Morales for lack of merit.

The SC said that Ombudsman Morales is appointed to a full term of seven years without reappointment and not simply the unexpired portion of the predecessor.

“The Court, voting unanimously, dismissed the Petitions in these consolidated cases, ruling that, as provided in Article XI, Sec. 11 of the 1986 Constitution, Sections 7 and 8(3) of Republic Act No. 6770, the Ombudsman is appointed to a full term of seven years without reappointment and not simply the unexpired portion of the predecessor,” SC spokesperson Theodore Te said, in a media briefing.

Sports

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SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

FEU aching to end 10-year drought M

AKING his Finals’ debut, Far Eastern University coach George Pascua simply has two words to sum up its weeklong preparation against De La Salle.

“They’re ready,” said Pascua on the eve of the UAAP Season 80 women’s volleyball championship series.

Two of the most successful programs in the league, the Lady Tamaraws and the Lady Spikers open their best-ofthree duel at 4 p.m. today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

FEU is eyeing to end a 10-year championship drought, as Pascua, who won four crowns as men’s coach, is very vocal of reviving his team’s old glory by winning title No. 30.

Drawing strength from long-time mentor Ramil de Jesus’ tried and tested system, De La Salle is gunning for a third consecutive diadem and 11th overall.

Both the Lady Tamaraws and the Lady Spikers have deep benches, which will be a key factor in case the series goes into full route.

Aside from Bernadeth Pons, Ced Domingo, Heather Guino-o, Chin-Chin Basas and Nette Villareal, FEU also has Cza Carandang, service specialist Carly Hernandez and Jerrili Malabanan, who despite her dwindling court time this season has responded well when she is called upon by Pascua, to lean on.

Already potent with Kim Kianna Dy, Desiree Cheng, Majoy Baron, Aduke Ogunsanya and Tim Tiamzon, De La Salle can count on reserves Norielle Ipac, May Luna, Arianne Layug and CJ

Games today (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 12 noon – Ateneo vs NU (Men Finals) 4 p.m. – DLSU vs FEU (Women Finals)

Saga if someone from De Jesus’ starters stumble in the game.

The series will also boil down on who will orchestrate the offense well for both squads.

Michelle Cobb, the Lady Spikers sophomore setter who was able to fill the huge gap left by Kim Fajardo, will be tested in the big stage, while playmakers Gel Cayuna and Kyle Negrito will take turns setting up the Lady Tamaraws’ plays.

Aside from its vast championship experience, De La Salle’s biggest edge is it has multi-awarded libero Dawn Macandili, who will do whatever it takes just to keep the ball in play.

But FEU has Pons, who aside from her usual offensive production has been also solid in digging and reception to compliment liberos Buding Duremdes and Kyla Atienza.

The last time the two squads met in the Finals was in 2008-09 season when the Lady Spikers rallied from a 0-1 series deficit to upend the Lady Tamaraws in three games.

In the men’s division, four-peat seeking Ateneo and National University, facing off for the fifth straight Finals, begin their own best-of-three showdown at 12 noon.

The Marck Espejo-led Blue Eagles will enter the championship round as underdogs against the Bulldogs, who are aching to reclaim the crown they took in the 2013-14 season.

Tickets for today’s championship doubleheader are sold separately.

BBrave Swim, Run for Fun at Miriam College reset to July 22 IN SUPPORT of Miriam College’s “Girls Be Brave” advocacy, the Maryknoll/Miriam College Alumni Association presents the “BBrave Swim and Run for Fun” Aquathlon.

Previously scheduled on May 6, it will now happen on July 22, 4 a.m., at the Miriam College campus along Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City.

Organized with race professionals Itemhound, this swim and run event has several categories.

Solo participants from four age brackets, namely Ages 7 to 10 (200 Meter Swim and 500 Meter Run), Ages 11 to 14 (400 Meter Swim and 3 Kilometer Run), Ages 15 to 17 (600 Meter Swim and 3 Kilometer Run) and Ages 18 up (600 Meter Swim and 5 Kilometer Run) will be charged P1,000).

The Relay Open (P900/head) is open for Male/Female/Mixed duos to take on the 400 Meter Swim and 3 Kilometer Run as a tag team.

The Family Pair (P900/head) is open to duos composed of immediate family members (i.e., mother, father, siblings) that will tackle a “demanding” 200 Meter Swim and a one-Kilometer Run. For this category, the pair must start and end the race together, floaters will be allowed in the swim leg and there are no age groupings—young kids may race with a parent.

Students, professionals and families with young children are welcome to join, as it will be a good venue for beginner athletes to test competition waters or for more serious ones to train in a non-competitive environment.

Online registration for the race via www.goorahna.com is open until July 15 only.

Race kits, which may only be claimed on site on July 22 beginning 4 a.m., will include a swim cap, t-shirt and timing chip. There will be no registration on race day.

The BBrave Swim and Run for Fun is a fundraising project for Project MMaria, the MMCAA’s Quick Response to Calamities mobilization initiative, as well as athletic scholarships.

For inquiries, please contact: the MMCAA Alumni Office at alumni@ mc.edu.ph or (02) 930-6272 loc. 1187.

FUNDRAISING GOLF. Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez makes the ceremonial tee to start the 2nd Metro Manila Mayors Spouses Foundation Inc. Invitational Golf Cup at the Tagaytay Midlands Golf Club, Tagaytay City, Wednesday. Proceeds of the fundraising tournament will benefit the Philippine Orthopedic Hospital Children’s Ward, the Center for the Elderly (Graces), Marawi City Barangay Day Care Center construction and the cancer patients of Child Haus Foundation. MMMFSI president Janet Olivarez and foundation treasurer Edna Calixto look on.

26 boxers shoot for Pacquiao Cup finals’ spots TWENTY-SIX remaining boxers will fight to secure their finals spots as the first window of the PSC-Pacquiao Amateur Boxing Cup final round opens today at Maasin City Bus Terminal.

The contest, scheduled for 13 bouts, will feature young brawlers from Talisay City, Mandaue City, Cebu City, Escalante City, Bago City, Bayawan City, Cadiz City, La Carlota City and Murcia in Negros Occidental.

Facing each other in the Junior Girls Pin are Jeyann Medriano and Jilyn Dela Cruz (44-46kg.), followed by Micah Castellano versus Mary I.C. Sinadjan of the Jr. Girls Fly (50kg.), Kim Caterdilla versus Rodel

Gamo in the Jr. Boys Pin (44-46kg.), Eduardo Jimenez and Samuel Manale in the Jr. Boys Light Fly (46kg.), Gaudfrey Lubiano against Joshua Belicena in the Jr. Boys Fly and Jorin Varona versus Jonimel Dajao in the Jr. Boys Light Bantam (52kg.).

Moving up to the Junior Boys Bantamweight, Sugar Ray Montales will go up against Ian Llyod Gesalan (54kg.) followed by Youth Girls Light Fly featuring Myra Nacario and Mary Nicole Llamas (45-48kg.), Michael Adolfo versus John Paul Gabunelas in the Youth Boys Light Fly (46-49kg.), Nel Tambanillo and April Jay Abne in the Youth Boys Fly (52kg.),

together with Jasper Anida versus Jhorhe Pasculado in the Youth Boys Bantam (56kg.), Romel Pinili and Jarah Hury Aragon in the Youth Boys Light (60kg.) and Jere Dela Cruz versus J-Mar Jaga in the Youth Boys Light Welter (64kg.).

“The PSC-Pacquiao Cup is an excellent starting ground for future boxers who will represent the country in the coming years,” said PSC Chairman William Ramirez in a press conference last Wednesday.

PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez and 1996 Olympic silver medalist Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco are expected to grace the event today.

Home games in NCAA to continue

By Peter Atencio

ASEAN PARA GAMES IN MANILA. Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, Chairman of the 10th ASEAN Para Games, starts preparations for the 10th ASEAN Para Games in Manila with the Philippine Paralympic Committee and the support of the Philippine Sports Commission. The Games will be participated in by 11 countries competing in 20 sports composed of 400 events. The estimated attendance is around 2,000 para athletes, 1,000 team officials, 1,500 technical officials and 100 medical staff.

A total of 4,000 local volunteers will be mobilized to assist in the staging of the games.

Above, Secretary Cayetano shakes hands with PPC President Mike Barredo in the presence of (from left) PPC Marketing Director Debbie Tolentino, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Arnold Agustin and PPC Vice President Tom Carrasco Jr.

PH player Edoc rules Asian Poker, pockets P2.67M THE Asian Poker Tour Philippines Championships 2018 culminated at the country’s premier tourism and entertainment destination Resorts World Manila, with Filipino Lester Edoc claiming his first APT Main Event title and taking home the P2,674,900 first place purse.

Edoc battled through 325 entries to secure the championship and become the APT Player of the Series, plus a seat in the upcoming APT Macau Championships 2018 Main Event on April 25. Edoc bested Japan’s Hiroyuki Yoshimura in the Heads up round, redeeming him from a similar battle with fellow-Filipino Czardy Rivera back in 2013.

The APT returns to RWM on Sept. 13 to 24 for the APT Philippines 2018.

Resorts World Manila is the first one-stop, nonstop entertainment and tourism destination in the Philippines, with attractions ranging from world-class performances to multi-level recreational facilities, global lodging brands to a slew of exciting lifestyle options.

THE holding of home games in the campuses of member schools will continue.

But, this time, only five schools will take part when season 94 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association commences with the senior basketball competitions on July 7 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Seven schools allowed competitions to be held inside their campuses, but only five were given the green light to organize matches in their campuses for the coming schoolyear.

Officials said this after University of Perpetual Help took over as Season 94 host following a turnover ceremony yesterday at the Casino Espanol in San Marcelino.

University of Perpetual Help will be among those which will hold home games, also known as school-based games.

San Sebastian College, Letran, Jose Rizal University and Arellano University also got the green light to host home games.

“Initially, we will continue with the school-based games. It has been a success,” said incoming NCAA policy board chairman Anthony Tamayo following a turnover ceremony with San Sebastian College’s Fr. Nemesio Tolentin.

The home-based format was introduced last season, with intentions of bringing the games closer to the fans.

Last year, San Beda University won the title in many events, including men’s basketball.

The school also dominated chess, taekwondo, soft tennis and swimming.

University of Perpetual took the men’s volleyball and junior volleyball honors, while College of St. Benilde stamped its class in lawn tennis and table tennis.

Madison, Capadocia pull off net reversals AMERICAN Kane Madison came away with a dominant 6-1, 6-2 victory over second seed Aileen Rogan while Jade Charito Capadocia wore down No. 3 Patricia Velez in the tiebreak and hacked out a 3-6, 7-5, 10-6 victory as they barged into the quarterfinals of the PPS-PEPP MAC’s Crankit Open Tennis Championships at the PCA courts in Paco, Manila yesterday.

A wild card entry, the 16-year-old Madison got past qualifier Patricia Lim, 6-2, 6-0, in the first round then surprised Rogan with her variety of shots to fashion out the straight-set victory for a Last 8 clash with fifthranked Clarice Patrimonio, who whipped Bea Acena, 6-1, 6-2.

Charito Capadocia, on the other hand, proved steadier than Velez in the pressure-packed stage, coming away with key hits to snatch the victory for a showdown with Ma. Regina Santiago, who also booted out No. 7 Miles Vitaliano, 6-0, 6-0, in the upper half of the women’s draw in the event sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala headed by president/ CEO Bobby Castro and the MAC’s Crankit Foundation of Australia, led

by MCTA (MAC’s Crankit Tennis Academy) founder-coach Patricia Concon-Puzon.

Top seed Khim Iglupas, meanwhile, cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 romp over Denise Bernardo to lead the quarterfinalists, who include No. 8 Frances Santiago, who thumped Rafaella Villanueva, 6-3, 6-1; No. 6 Shaira Rivera, who ousted Macie Carlos, 6-1, 6-1; and recent Brookside Open winner Marian Capadocia, who crushed Jastine Maneja, 6-0, 6-0.

In men’s play, No. 1 Johnny Arcilla blasted junior star John David Velez, 6-0, 6-3, to advance to the quarters along with No. 8 Noel Damian, who repulsed Joseph Victorino, 5-7, 6-1, 10-4; third seed PJ Tierro, who held off Jimmy Tangalin, 6-4, 6-2; No. 6 Vicente Anasta, who scored a 6-3, 2-1(ret.) win over Mark Alcoseba; fifth seed Bryan Otico, who survived Rodolfo Barquin, 1-6, 6-3, 11-9;

Clark Global City Duathlon slated May 6 A UNIQUE run-bike-run experience awaits 650 participants at the modern Clark Global City in Pampanga as the Clark Global City Duathlon fires off on May 6 at 6 a.m.

Duathletes start the race with a run inside the sprawling property and along well-paved roads of the CGC. They then mount their bikes for a smooth ride on the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway from South Clark to Porac to Floridablanca before heading back to Clark Global City to take on the last leg of the run. The duathlon has two categories: a challenging long distance 6 km run —60 km bike—4 km run, and a sprint distance 3 km run— 30 km bike—2 km run course.

At stake in the Clark Global City Duathlon supported by Phoenix Pulse Technology, NLEX-SCTEx Metro Pacific Tollways, Standard Insurance, Udenna Group, Gardenia, Royce Hotel and Casino, TIMEX, and media partner Philippine Star, are specially designed trophies and gift items for all winners (age-group, relay, and team competition). The awarding ceremony takes place 11 a.m. following the race.

On the sidelines of the CGC Duathlon is the “Baga” Manila Food Festival offering foodies a wide selection of grilled meat, seafood, barbeque, and Kapampangan favorites such as sisig, menudo, embutido and more.

For more information on the CGC Duathlon, visit www.bikekingphilippines.com

LOTTO RESULTS 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 4 DIGITS 00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

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Sports

SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018

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

Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics attempts a shot while being guarded by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks in the third quarter during Game Six of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. AFP

Victolero, Austria, Cone back at PBA All-Star event

C OAC H E S Leo Austria, Chito Victolero and Tim Cone will have an encore in the coming PBA All-Star.

The trio is again set to Victolero call the shots for the three All-Star teams competing against the national squad in the May 23 to 27 event that will travel from Luzon, Visayas, all the way to Mindanao.

All three coaches earned the right of a return trip to the All-Star week based on their respective team’s finish during the Philippine Cup, which Austria and the San Miguel Beermen won for a record fourth straight season.

Austria and Co. switch places this time as they bid to put one over the national squad during the mid-season spectacle which counts on Phoenix Fuel with Phoenix Pulse Technology as Austria major sponsor.

Cone gets a first crack against members of the national pool as he handles the Mindanao selection that battles the Philippine side on May 23 in Davao.

Austria and the Luzon squad follow next on May 25 in Batangas City, before Victolero and the Visayas team get their turn on May 27 in Iloilo City to cap the five-day hoopla also supported by Peak sports apparel.

Last year, only Victolero did better out of the three coaches under the same tournament format as the Mindanao selection managed to hold the national pool team to a draw, 114-all.

Both Austria (Luzon) and Cone ( Vi s ay a s) went home empty-handed after absorbing a 122-111 and 125-112 beating, respectively.

This year, Cone will have at his disposal Cone a guard-heavy starting lineup composed of Barangay Ginebra player Scottie Thompson, and the Magnolia trio of Mark Barroca, Jio Jalalon, and Peter June Simon, with Blackwater’s Mac Belo as the sole big man in the middle.

The stint with the Mindanao team also marks as a reunion for Cone with Barroca and Simon, with who he won four titles, including a grand slam in 2014 while still coaching the Hotshots.

Pringle’s late burst keys GlobalPort win

By Jeric Lopez

S

TANLEY Pringle went on a key scoring spree in the payoff period to help GlobalPort grind out a hard-fought 86-85 squeaker over Meralco to list its first win in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Pringle scored 13 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter to give his team the lift it needed. He also had seven rebounds and three assists.

GlobalPort coach Pido Jarencio and Pringle himself described the player’s sudden surge in the fourth that led the team to victory.

“I can’t find my rhythm in the first three quarters, but my coaches kept on telling me to keep shooting so I did and they fell,” said Pringle of his clutch scoring down the stretch.

“Buti na lang naka-pick up si Stanley (Pringle) nu’ng fourth quarter kahit medyo struggling pa rin siya. Sana

mag-tuloy tuloy na para sa amin,” said GlobalPort coach Pido Jarencio. “Nagtone down kami and got our timing.”

Malcolm White was also solid for GlobalPort, gathering team-highs of 27 points and 17 rebounds for a solid double-double and so was Sean Anthony, who added 15 points with seven rebounds for a solid contribution.

Pringle scored eight in GlobalPort’s game-turning 10-2 run to turn a knotted 67-all count to a 77-69 advantage halfway the fourth period of a nip-andtuck battle throughout.

The Bolts didn’t give up, charging back to cut the Batang Pier’s lead to just

two, 84-82, with ball in hand.

However, Jared Dillinger, who didn’t make a shot all night, air-balled a potential game-winning triple with seven seconds left, allowing Pringle to nail two more free throws for a safe 86-82 lead for GlobalPort.

Chris Newsome scored on a triple at the buzzer to settle the final count.

Both teams are now at 1-1 to start their campaigns.

The Batang Pier played minus Moala Tautuaa as the big man served his onegame suspension for a flagrant foul committed in the team’s initial outing.

Nino Canaleta led Meralco with a game-high 28 points.

Further showing the tightness of the game throughout, the first half ended at 45-44, with GlobalPort holding the slimmest of leads.

Meanwhile, TNT KaTropa guard Terrence Romeo was fined a hefty P25,000 by the league for publicly criticizing officials in the Tropang Texters’ opening game last Sunday.

Trump backs North America bid for World Cup WASHINGTON—US President Donald Trump tweeted support for the North American FIFA World Cup bid Thursday, and hinted nations who oppose it could face political repercussions.

“The US has put together a STRONG bid w/ Canada & Mexico for the 2026 World Cup,” Trump tweeted.

“It would be a shame if countries that we always support were to lobby against the US bid. Why should we be supporting these countries when they don’t support us (including at the United Nations)?”

Morocco is the only other nation bidding for the 2026 football showpiece against the combined North American bid.

World football’s governing body FIFA will announce the winning bid after a vote on June 13 in Moscow, ahead of the start of this year’s World Cup in Russia.

Noel Le Graet, president of the French Football Association, has said France will back Morocco.

Le Graet said this month that Africa, where the World Cup has only been hosted once before—in South Africa in 2010 —“has often been neglected”.

Ahmad Ahmad, president of the Confederation of African Football, has urged European countries to support Morocco.

In an exclusive interview with AFP this week, he appealed to European selfinterest saying: “Vote for us and we’ll vote for you next time.”

While Morocco can expect widespread support from African countries, the 10 countries of the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) said this month in a joint statement they had decided “unanimously” to support the North American bid.

The North American bid has long been viewed as the front-runner to stage the tournament, thanks to its well-developed infrastructure. AFP

TOUGH BIKE RACE. Proponents of the RAAMpage are shown here during its press launching at the Union Jack Tavern, Legaspi Village Makati City. They are (from left) Colin Pearson, organizer; Thumbie Remigio, Race Director; Carmela Pearson and Joyette Jopson, organizers; and David Charlton, CEO and Team Owner of David Salon. RAAMpage is a Philippine-founded bike race that is the first official qualifier in Southeast Asia for the RAAM, the toughest bike race in the world. Lino Santos

Bucks rout Celtics to stay alive in playoffs LOS ANGELES—Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points to lead Milwaukee to a 97-86 victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday that kept the Bucks alive in the NBA playoffs.

With the victory Milwaukee forced a winner-take-all game seven on Saturday in the Eastern Conference firstround series.

“We said as a team before the game that we’re going to play hard, that we’re going to win this game no matter what. Our season’s not going to end,” said Antetokounmpo.

“That’s what we did tonight—we moved the ball really well. We were disciplined.”

Antetokounmpo, the Greek forward whose blend of size and skill have made him a rising star in the NBA, bounced back from a series-low 16 points scored in the Bucks’ game five loss with a dominant performance.

He added 14 rebounds, four assists and two steals, scoring 10 of Milwaukee’s last 19 points as they pulled away in the waning minutes.

“At the end, it was about will,” Antetokounmpo said. “I was out there, I was trying to make plays, I was trying to be aggressive.”

Khris Middleton and Malcolm Brogdon added 16 points apiece for the Bucks, who lost an elimination game six on their home floor last year.

“We’re a better team now,” Antetokounmpo said. “We have a big opportunity ahead of us.”

But to reach the second round they’ll have to do what neither team has done in the series—win on the road.

The winner of the series will face Philadelphia in the second round. The 76ers beat the Miami Heat 4-1 in their first-round series.

The Celtics looked determined to bring the series to an end as they built a nine-point lead in the first quarter.

But the Bucks took the lead in the second quarter, using a 14-2 scoring run to take a 48-39 halftime lead.

They expanded the lead to as many as 14 points in the third before Boston surged back, knotting the score on Jayson Tatum’s layup that capped a 20-6 run.

The Bucks responded and were nine points up again going into the fourth. AFP

Curry could return to Dubs on Saturday LOS ANGELES—Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry could return from month-long injury absence on Saturday, when his reigning champion Golden State Warriors open a second-round playoff series against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr was cautiously optimistic after Curry went through a full contact practice on Thursday for the first time since spraining a ligament in his right knee on March 23.

“Steph practiced at 100 percent, he did everything, he looked good,” said Kerr, who said he considered Curry “questionable” for Saturday’s game.

“What we have to do is see how his body responds the rest of the day, put him through another practice tomorrow.

“I think he needs to string together two good days but it was very positive today.”

Curry missed the Warriors’ 4-1 first-round series win over the San Antonio Spurs.

On Tuesday, Kerr said he was “not making any predictions” on when Curry might return.

Warriors general manager Bob Myers then said in a radio interview on Wednesday that it was “conceivable” that Curry could return on Saturday if his training on Thursday and Friday went well.

But he made it clear the team wouldn’t take any chances with Curry’s fitness.

“If there’s any notion of him having any issues he wouldn’t go on Saturday,” Myers said. AFP

Corpus, Constantino clinch PH Am Match Play crowns CARL Corpus put on a late charge to subdue Aniceto Mandanas while Harmie Constantino cashed in on Mikha Fortuna’s late meltdown in sweltering heat as they shared top honors in the Philippine Amateur Open Match Play Golf Championships at the Orchard Golf and Country Club in Dasmariñas, Cavite yesterday.

Corpus, 16, rallied from three holes down after 18 holes and broke away from an allsquare match with a par-par-birdie charge from the 32nd hole to hack out a 3&2 victory while Constantino turned what had been a tight duel into a runaway triumph by winning five straight holes from No. 29 for a 5&3 romp.

“I was so determined to win. When I took the first two holes in the afternoon, I knew I

got the momentum and the pressure was on him,” said Corpus, referring to his par-birdie start on their second trip on the Players’ course after falling by three in the morning duel.

He grabbed the lead after 27 holes and though Mandanas took the 30th hole to draw level, the graduating Ateneo student won the three next capped by a birdie on the 34th hole (No. 16) to nail his first major championship after winning a junior crown in Thailand in 2015.

The victory also avenged Corpus’ cousin Aidric Chan’s loss to Mandanas in the semifinal round of the country’s premier event sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation and held as part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour.

While Corpus needed to fight back to win, Constantino blew a 2-up lead after 18 holes but surged ahead again with pars on Nos. 29 and 30 then went 3-up with a birdie on the next. She bogeyed the next two but took the holes just the same as Fortuna holed out with double bogeys to claim the women’s diadem in the week-long event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

“I enjoyed my game but it was hot in the first 18 holes and hotter in afternoon play that I couldn’t concentrate. I felt some pressure after Mikha drew level but I was able to maintain my game and did my best,” said Constantino, runner-up here last year who added the crown to her WExpress RVF Cup victory in Canlubang last February.

IN BRIEF PNOC, ADB to sign LNG bid guidelines

STATE-OWNED Philippine National Oil Co. and Asian Development Bank are set to sign the terms of reference for the guidelines on the selection of unsolicited proposals for the country’s planned liquefied natural gas project.

“We have three prospective partners,” PNOC president Reuben Lista said, adding the guidelines were expected to be signed yesterday (Friday).

“Unfortunately, this is taking us some time to find a partner. Out of the seven proposals, we are considering now three.

We enlisted the support of ADB as our consultant,” the PNOC official said.

Lista did not disclose the prospective partners. PNOC earlier said it was considering as many as seven unsolicited bids for planned $2-billion integrated LNG facility.

“We’ll approve the guidelines that we brought up, negotiated with TWG (technical working group) and ADB,” Lista said in a recent Senate hearing.

Lista said PNOC was a vital partner in the development of the country’s first LNG facility because of a pipeline franchise. Alena Mae S. Flores

PH set to improve doing business rank

TRADE Secretary Ramon Lopez is confident the Philippines will improve its ranking in the 2019 Doing Business Survey following the implementation of business reforms.

“We already succeeded in eliminating bottlenecks and streamlining procedures.

The challenge now is how to fully implement automation and interconnectivity at all levels of government,” he said.

Lopez, during a meeting with World Bank and International Finance Corp.

Doing Business topic team leaders Nadine Abi Chakra and Nuno Filipe Mendes Dos Santos, cited a number of reforms the Philippines was implementing.

He cited the registration system of the Securities and Exchange Commission, an online registration for corporations that automate the procedures of registering a firm.

Another is the Single Window Transaction Project of the Bureau of Internal Revenue that makes it easier for an applicant to submit requirements and get a certification of registration and authority printed. Othel V. Campos

Business

By Julito G. Rada

M

AJOR debt watcher S&P Global Ratings raised its outlook on the Philippines’ credit rating from “stable” to “positive,” citing mainly the government’s policymaking that could further improve the country’s finances and economic growth.

The upgraded outlook of the country’s current rating of “BBB,” which is one notch above the minimum investment grade, means there is a chance the rating could be upgraded in the coming months.

“The positive outlook reflects our view that improvements to the Philippines policymaking settings could sup-

port a track record of more sustainable public finances and balanced growth over the next 24 months,” S&P said in a report on the Philippines released Thursday evening.

S&P cited the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, the first package of which took effect in January, and the “Build Build Build” program, under which massive investments in infrastructure are set. Proceeds from the tax reform will partly fund the infrastructure projects, estimated at about $160 billion over the next five years up to 2022.

Meanwhile, Japan Credit Rating Agency, Ltd. announced on Thursday it kept the country’s rating of “BBB+” with a “stable” outlook on account of the economy’s robust growth and resilience to headwinds.

The Philippine economy grew 6.7 percent in 2017 to remain among the fastest growing in the Asia Pacific region.

The “BBB+” rating assigned by JCR

is just a notch away from the A category.

JCR said in a report it took into account “the country’s high level of economic growth underpinned by solid domestic demand, resilience to external shocks supported by a declining external debt and accumulation of foreign exchange reserves, and the government’s comparatively sound fiscal position.”

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. welcomed the latest ratings decisions of S&P and JCR. “Favorable credit rating actions are a welcome pat on the back. The BSP is committed to its price and financial stability mandates, which have provided an environment conducive for economic growth and stability over the years,” he said.

“At the same time, the BSP is keen on helping push the economy toward the next stage of development through financial sector reforms, which are vital for accelerating growth and making it more inclusive,” Espenilla said.

NEW PIATA PRESIDENT. Philippine IATA Agents Travel Association elects officers and trustees for 2018-2020, led by Paz Alberto (right) of Ark Travel Express Inc. as president in a simple ceremony held at Shangri-La Makati hotle. The other officers were Carlo Severino (Adventure International Travel), vice president; Sheena Shroff of Shroff Travel Care Inc., secretary; and Ken Aldrich Kim (International Journeys Inc., treasurer. The trustees were Carla Simon (Mobile Air Travel; Bea Berenguer-Testa of Mondial Travel; Mylene Monzon (KITTCO); Zor Arcega of Travel Managers; and Bessie Escawna (Voyage Travel). With Alberto in a light moment are keynote speaker Philippine Airlines president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista (left) and Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo Teo.

Metrobank bares Puregold leaves Lawson store chain, sells out to partner unaudited profit of P5.9b, up 5.3% METROPOLITAN Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of assets, registered an unaudited consolidated net income of P5.9 billion in the first quarter 2018, up 5.3 percent year-on-year.

Metrobank attributed the solid performance to sustained growth in the core business, as double-digit growth in loans and low-cost deposits contributed to better margins, while recurring expense growth was kept at a manageable level.

“We have started the year on the right direction and we are moving forward as planned. Our recently completed capital raise reflects our continued optimism on the prospects of the economy. This positive backdrop together with our growth strategy should allow us to achieve our targets for the year and sustain our momentum in the medium term,” said Metrobank president Fabian Dee. Total deposits at the end of March increased 9 percent to P1.6 trillion, driven by an 11-percent growth in the low cost component. With its strong deposit franchise, the bank’s CASA ratio was maintained at 62 percent.

Despite volatile market conditions, loan growth sustained its mid-teens pace, up 14 pecent year-on-year to P1.3 trillion. The consumer portfolio maintained its growth of 17 percent, while the commercial segment rose 14 percent year-on-year with key contributions from middle market and SMEs customers, as well as top corporate accounts.

Net interest margin for the period was at 3.8 percent, or 7 basis points higher on year. As a result, Metrobank booked P16.1 billion in net interest income, which accounted for 73 percent of the bank’s total revenue of P22.1 billion.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018

B1

S&P upgrades PH credit rating outlook to positive

Now’s net income up 152% to P6.3m

NOW Corp., a listed company controlled by the Velarde family, said net income in 2017 jumped 152 percent to P6.29 million from P2.50 million in 2016 mostly because of the broadband business.

Now said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange gross revenues reached P148.98 million, up 41 percent from P105.44 million in 2016, after signing up more enterprise clients for its software collaboration solutions, IT consultancy and for its “Fiber-in-the- Air” broadband services.

The company attributed the increase in net income to revenues from IT services, IT manpower and broadband internet.

Revenues grew 40 percent to P126.67 million from P90.62 million a year ago, while those from sales of software licenses increased 66 percent to P21.70 million from P13.09 million.

Cost of sales rose 29 percent to P63.17 million from P48.79 million, while administrative expenses climbed 25 percent to P54.08 million from P43.40 million. Darwin G. Amojelar

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

PUREGOLD Price Club Inc. of retail Lucio tycoon is exiting the convenience store business, with the sale of its entire 70-percent stake in Japanese retail chaon Lawson four years after venturing into the business.

Puregold said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it accepted the offer of partner Lawson Japan to buy the 70-percent equity interest in the Philippine joint venture, PG Lawson Inc., for an undisclosed amount.

“The divestment decision will enable Puregold to rebalance its risks portfolio in the grocery retail sector and focus its resources in the further development and strengthening of the Puregold brand,” Puregold said.

Puregold at the end of 2017 had 33 Law-

son stores, mostly in Metro Manila.

Puregold in 2014 teamed up with Lawson to form PG Lawson, which had aimed to build and operate a chain of convenience stores across the Philippines totaling 500 stores by 2020.

Puregold subscribed to 3.5 million common shares in PG Lawson for a total investment of P350 million, while Lawson bought 1.5 million common shares worth P150 million.

Puregold in 2017 subscribed to an additional 1.4 million common shares for P140 million.

Puregold earlier said it would spend P3.7 billion in capital expenditures this year for the construction of new grocery stores, IT system upgrade and maintenance.

Funding for this year’s capital expenditures will primarily come from internally generated cash and short-term loans, if necessary.

Puregold in 2017 posted a 5.7-percent increase in net income to P5.84 billion from P5.53 billion recorded a year ago on double-digit growth in sales.

Consolidated net sales increased 10.6 percent to P124.5 billion in 2017, slightly exceeding the full-year goal of between 8 percent and 10 percent.

Puregold at the end of 2017 operated 372 stores with 518,000 square meters of net selling area.

Puregold expects net sales this year to rise at a slower pace of 6 percent to 8 percent, and flat gross and net profit margins. Jenniffer B. Austria

RAZON

Pagcor awards 16-ha. lot to Razon

By Jenniffer B. Austria PHILIPPINE Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) accepted the offer of business tycoon Enrique Razon Jr. to acquire a 16-hectare land within the Entertainment City complex and and near his existing casino and expansion project for P37.33 billion.

Bloomberry Resorts Corp. said in a disclosure to the stock exchange wholly-owned unit Surestre Properties Inc. received a notice of award from Pagcor after accepting the offer price.

Bloomberry said SPI was the sole company that expressed interest in a negotiated sale after two failed biddings.

The purchase price is P100 million above the floor set by Pagcor for the property.

“SPI will complete the transaction, sign the deed of absolute sale and pay the balance of the purchase price within 45 days,” Bloomberry said.

Bloomberry in January submitted an offer to acquire the 16-hectare property in Entertainment City, where Solaire Resort & Casino (Solaire) and its expansion area are located.

SPI currently holds a long-term lease on the property, or up to July 11, 2033. The lease is extendable for another term under certain conditions Bloomberry early this month obtained P73 billion in syndicated loans with seven banks to finance the bid and refinance existing obligations.

The seven banks were BDO Unibank Inc., BDO Private Bank Inc., China Banking Corp. Philippine National Bank, PNB Savings Bank, Robinsons Bank Corp. and United Coconut Planters Bank.

BDO Capital & Investment Corp. was the lead arranger and sole book runner, while China Bank Capital Corp. was the co-arranger.

Bloomberry in 2017 reported a 161-percent increase in net income to P6 billion on record gaming revenues.

Gross revenues in 2017 hit P48.26 billion, up 18 percent from P40.9 billion in 2016.

The $1.2-billion Solaire Resort & Casino is the first integrated destination resort to open in Entertainment City. The complex includes a fivestar hotel with an 800 guest rooms, suites and villas, as well as retail, dining and gaming areas.

ING Bank sees April inflation at 4.6% INFLATION in April likely accelerated further to 4.6 percent from 4.3 percent a month ago using the 2012 index, which may compel the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to raise interest rates either by next month or during the June meeting, ING Bank Manila said Friday.

“The CPI data for April is expected to reveal a continued acceleration of inflation,” the bank said. Senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng projected a rise to 4.6 percent from 4.3 percent in March.

“While short-term rates in this economy are grinding higher, the BSP’s Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. has also warned of a hike in the policy rate. The markets are now looking for a policy rate hike either at the May or June BSP meeting. We are reconsidering our view of stable policy this year, which was based on earlier signals of steady policy from the central bank,” it said.

The government is set to release the April inflation data in the next couple

of days.

The bank earlier took note of the previous hawkish statements of Bangko Sentral Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. in which he said that any tweak in the policy stance was “just a matter of time.”

Cuyegkeng said justifications for the possible rate hike would be the rising inflation that could lead to secondround effects such as demands for higher minimum wages and transport fares.

“A few tripartite regional wage boards have been conducting public hearings. Petitions for higher minimum fares are under consideration by the regulator,” he said.

“We believe that modest secondround effects are already incorporated in BSP’s inflation forecast. BSP forecasts a return to the target range over the policy horizon of by early 2019 with its 3 percent 2019 inflation outlook from 2018 forecast of 3.9 percent,” Cuyegkeng said. Julito G. Rada

BRAND PROMOTION. The Philippine Franchise Association, in pursuit of intensified efforts to help bring Philippine franchise brands to international markets and promote Franchise Asia Philippines 2018 to prospective international exhibitors and visitors, participates in the Myanmar International Franchise Expo and Conference 2018 at Tatmadaw Hall in Yangon City, Myanmar. Shown are (from left) Mohd Zahiruddin Nordin, trade commissioner at Matrade-Myanmar; Troy Franklin, chief operating officer of World Franchise Associates; PFA chairman emeritus Samie Lim; KC Leong, general manager of ALT Exhibitions; Daw Naw Mutakapaw, deputy director general of the Myanmar Trade Promotion Organization; Michelle Ha, director of ALT Exhibition; and U Naing Lin, vice president of Myanmar Retailers Association.

B2

Business

SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks climb; MPIC, Meralco up

T

HE stock market surged Friday after S&P Global Ratings raised its outlook on the Philippines’ credit rating from “stable” to “positive,” citing the government’s policy making could further improve the country’s finances and economic growth.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index rose 103.60 points, or 1.4 percent, to 7,721.02 on a value turnover of P7 billion. Gainers overwhelmed losers, 124 to 69, with 52 issues unchanged.

S&P’s positive outlook on the current rating of “BBB,” which is one notch above the minimum investment grade, means there is a chance the rating could be upgraded in the coming months.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is into toll roads, water and

electricity distribution and hospitals, climbed 5.5 percent to P4.82, while unit Manila Electric Co., the biggest power retailer, advanced to P314.20.

Conglomerate Ayala Corp. gained 3.2 percent to P960, while SM Investments Corp. of retail tycoon Henry Sy Sr. added 2.6 percent to P910.

Meanwhile, Seoul’s Kospi was among the best performers Friday and the won strengthened as the leaders of North and South Korea held a historic summit, while other Asian markets also enjoyed gains following a US rally.

Tokyo gained 0.7 percent, while Hong Kong added 0.8 percent, Shanghai climbed 0.2 percent, Sydney put on 0.7 percent and Singapore was 0.2 percent higher. Wellington added more than one percent while there were also healthy gains in Taipei and Bangkok.

After fluctuating through the week, regional stocks were on course for a

positive finish as Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae-in met on the border of the rival countries for talks expected to touch on Pyongyang’s nuclear program.

Kim said he was “determined to send a starting signal at the threshold of a new history,” while Moon said he was hoping for “a bold agreement so that we may give a big gift to the whole Korean people and the people who want peace.”

With hopes for a positive outcome from the meeting—the first between the countries’ leaders since 2007—Seoul stocks rose 0.7 percent in early trade, while the won climbed 0.4 percent against the dollar.

“Of course we should always be on guard for a negative development... but as far as we can tell from the recent remarks by North Korea, the summit will be reconciliatory,” Makoto Sengoku, market analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research

Institute, told AFP. The upbeat mood from the meeting coincided with a much-needed rally across US markets thanks to another round of healthy corporate earnings.

US technology firms enjoyed a much-needed lift after Facebook posted a 63-percent rise in first-quarter profit, undented by a consumer data scandal.

The social media giant’s shares soared 9.1 percent while other tech titans also climbed, with Amazon, Google parent Alphabet and Microsoft all up around two percent or more.

“Not surprisingly, earnings season continues to dominate the equity landscape as investors revel in the fantastic profit results and confirming a three percent ten-year (Treasury) yield is of little concern to the markets,” said Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trading at OANDA. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 58.9 25,700 103 1,591,650 3.18 96,000 130 1,885,810 1.45 140,000 34.4 107,100 16.32 2,700 16.22 1,330,200 880 150 0.58 160,000 83.5 2,657,500 1.07 769,000 52.45 89,810 220 4,920 108 2,860 38 645,900 214 507,160 1,905 35 90.2 50,340 1.2 649,000

1,500,229.50 165,487,798 304,970 244,934,517 201,840 3,669,790 44,014 21,664,126 132,000 91,910 218,839,875 827,720 4,714,562 1,082,400 313,960 24,625,655 108,456,450 66,625 4,540,388 781,510

-249,310.50 -87,771,370 -66,016,963.00 702,535 -3,526,192 63,603,051 -38,030 -1,138,022 -345,400 -9,621,040 -80,517,260 1,216,173 -

38.4 14.24 0.58 1.27 19.84 0.222 117 3.38 16 250 46.15 24 60 70 92.9 1.92 5.2 9.89 10.24 15.32 11.64 7.16 5.36 1.79 15.3 64.05 20.55 9.25 15.22 1.97 282 4.85 3.04 17.84 25.45 14.34 23.15 296.2 0.192 6.57 2.55 4.75 9.07 5.2 7.72 1.4 12.1 51.9 4.65 1.96 3.31 1.81 13.62 64.7 5.43 0.99 137.6 2.6 3.21 0.79

INDUSTRIAL 38.7 1,951,700 14.36 413,800 0.61 3,160,000 1.27 209,000 20.45 22,000 0.23 3,110,000 117 200 3.46 12,501,000 16 108,100 250 2,280 50 665,100 24 47,600 60 6,220 71 740 94 250 1.96 238,000 5.48 5,000 9.9 3,400 10.7 1,961,400 15.58 6,310,700 11.9 528,000 7.18 29,500 5.4 4,641,200 1.79 2,000 15.6 189,600 64.45 236,410 20.65 769,400 9.25 266,700 15.28 505,400 2.05 1,895,000 282 275,720 4.87 40,000 3.04 15,000 17.84 200 25.45 925,900 14.44 48,700 23.15 1,853,000 314.2 493,190 0.192 50,000 7.09 7,500 2.6 7,310,000 4.75 123,000 9.19 638,800 5.4 160,500 7.9 22,900 1.44 631,000 12.48 86,500 52 553,160 4.8 113,000 1.96 13,000 3.35 26,000 1.86 230,000 14 158,100 65 192,480 5.44 64,300 0.99 11,000 138.3 6,889,360 2.6 5,000 3.5 69,545,000 0.81 2,146,000

75,685,005 5,923,554 1,874,680 265,430 440,480 706,870 23,400 43,421,300 1,737,630 571,208 32,637,350 1,156,610 373,320.50 51,980 23,430 464,130 26,280 33,716 20,944,240 97,924,672 6,232,632 213,181 25,034,158 3,580 2,942,264 15,217,251 16,803,695 2,476,663 7,746,514 3,845,620 78,638,258 195,300 47,630 3,568 23,613,560 702,686 43,329,985 151,482,128 9,600 51,770 18,660,070 589,790 5,859,312 847,175 179,656 902,800 1,067,688 28,804,191 540,720 25,490 86,460 425,910 2,216,260 12,514,756 350,087 10,890 950,455,285 13,000 239,666,410 1,724,020

-18,815,110 234,486 39,740 -14,649,820 -898,664 4,716,035 -192,610 -26,790 -1,768,846 14,832,610 3,637,136 -68,885 -7,269,873 184,670 4,341,352.50 -1,095,650 -1,275,009 998,170 -258060.0001 -21,606,574 9,450 3,283,215 -14,410 5,870,965 30,399,906 645,790 654,706 -153,256 21,390 -9,489,654.50 37,000 -176,230 1,237,313.50 10,899,821 2,241,170 -2,400

0.3 69.7 13.02 0.9 6.52 0.65 0.66 960 1,703 6.65 11.54 0.22 1,053 7.09 63 0.65 4.59 20 0.6 4.92 0.041 1.17 3.35 140.4 910 0.84 1.72 600 265 0.239 0.3

0.295 66 12.86 0.89 6.36 0.61 0.61 918 1,703 6.55 11.42 0.2 1,025 7 60.2 0.61 4.45 19.26 0.56 4.58 0.041 1.13 3.28 139 888.5 0.78 1.7 536 261.4 0.226 0.27

HOLDING FIRMS 0.295 680,000 69.6 990,520 12.96 3,478,300 0.89 47,000 6.52 129,000 0.64 8,180,000 0.64 2,422,000 960 400,930 1,703 5 6.65 877,000 11.5 5,666,500 0.22 5,160,000 1,047 76,440 7.04 1,700 62.6 1,388,980 0.65 43,000 4.53 173,000 19.7 2,056,200 0.57 2,591,000 4.82 59,384,000 0.041 3,100,000 1.15 273,000 3.31 1,285,000 139.3 306,610 910 304,980 0.79 279,000 1.72 331,000 590 160 265 5,500 0.239 180,000 0.3 103,910,000

200,700 68,339,875 45,093,226 41,900 837,558 5,152,810 1,524,180 378,310,715 8,515 5,789,688 65,223,504 1,084,070 79,998,165 11,940 86,936,164 26,870 777,230 40,145,292 1,475,480 285,248,660 127,100 312,030 4,240,690 42,755,037 275,371,000 222,900 565,210 89,470 1,454,450 42,760 30,150,550

9,442,898.00 -11,590,808 53,623,965 -782,820 -24,277,674 10,750 -5,223,485 22,032,959.50 -90,900 -14,611,966 -29,460,080 155,180 3,736,496 -69,137,400 -3,000

6.9 1.09 14.9 2.1 0.84 41.2 3.35 4.55 6.07 6.26 0.45 1.02 0.98 0.25 0.465 31.4 0.67 1.69 1.29 1.08 4.5 0.6 0.48 0.57 4.08 18.88

6.79 1.04 14.2 2.03 0.82 40.6 3.33 4.5 6.02 6.26 0.44 1 0.97 0.241 0.455 30.8 0.66 1.67 1.26 0.99 4.32 0.55 0.44 0.53 3.97 18.1

744,696 7,195,780 98,214 41,040 568,190 370,783,665 1,041,060 334,580 24,125 1,878 2,488,000 102,840 175,730 1,848,180 146,800 6,061,540 22,080 17,457,090 249,430 2,443,820 65,714,770 71,356,830 5,254,400 4,708,960 787,670 46,482,874

68,280 -144,600 44,324 -155,903,210 -16,710 8,000 92,000 -509,595 -2,680 -14,464,390 -23,040 -136,260 16,097,830 -593,460 -326,750 27,500 -27,910 -26,261,548

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO LEASING BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK MANULIFE MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PHILTRUST RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK VANTAGE

57.9 104.9 3.11 129 1.44 34.2 16.3 16.16 880 0.56 81.9 1.07 53.4 220 108 40.45 214 1,900 90.2 1.22

58.9 105.4 3.21 132.1 1.47 34.5 16.32 16.44 880 0.58 83.8 1.1 53.4 220 110 40.45 215 1,905 90.75 1.22

57.25 103 3.11 128.7 1.43 34.2 16.3 16.16 880 0.55 81.8 1.07 52.1 220 108 37.55 213.2 1,900 90.1 1.2

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

38.8 14.4 0.62 1.27 21 0.24 117 3.39 16.18 258 49 24.1 62.05 70 92.9 1.92 5.2 9.9 10.24 15.32 11.64 7.18 5.49 1.79 15.48 64.9 23.15 9.27 15.38 1.97 282.2 5 3.28 17.84 25.75 14.4 23.55 298.8 0.192 6.57 2.55 4.83 9.19 5.3 8 1.46 12.16 52.4 4.8 1.96 3.31 1.85 14.1 65 5.48 0.99 138 2.6 3.25 0.8

39.1 14.4 0.62 1.27 21 0.24 117 3.55 16.18 286.4 50 24.9 62.05 71 95 1.98 5.48 10 10.8 15.6 11.9 7.35 5.49 1.79 15.6 65.05 24 9.33 15.52 2.1 289 5 3.3 17.84 25.75 14.7 23.55 314.4 0.192 7.1 2.65 4.84 9.19 5.8 8 1.46 12.48 52.4 4.8 1.97 3.35 1.88 14.2 65.75 5.48 0.99 139.5 2.6 3.55 0.82

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

0.3 66.55 12.88 0.9 6.48 0.62 0.61 929.5 1,703 6.62 11.5 0.21 1,034 7.09 61.2 0.65 4.59 19.3 0.56 4.59 0.041 1.15 3.3 139.9 899 0.8 1.71 600 263 0.226 0.28

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

6.8 1.05 14.7 2.05 0.83 40.8 3.33 4.52 6.02 6.26 0.445 1.02 0.97 0.248 0.46 31 0.66 1.69 1.26 0.99 4.32 0.56 0.445 0.55 4.08 18.1

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

2.06 3.18 33.5 1.02 10.04 0.83 6.55

2.08 3.2 34 1.02 10.64 0.83 6.58

2 3.18 33.05 1.02 10 0.82 6.5

2.06 3.2 33.9 1.02 10.64 0.82 6.55

362,000 388,000 5,889,800 16,000 388,400 46,000 5,322,400

734,950 1,240,750 198,772,030 16,320 4,013,618 37,770 34,821,673

90,000 -35,090 -75,419,315 -42,824 -1,646,534

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY MELCO RESORTS METRO RETAIL 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 27.7 1.34 0.465 0.047 12.64 12.14 0.056 86.95 6.75 7.5 2.11 23.2 1,500 5.5 306.4 4.15 2.32 86 13.3 8.29 0.116 1.41 3.41 14.5 4.75 1.04 25.7 0.49 4.37 6.5 3.12 8.21 11.52 9.79 2.76 125 5.99 1,426 1.02 0.435 47.4 88 6.8 2.35 1.25 0.415 4.82 0.88 10.8

16.4 28 1.4 0.48 0.048 12.64 12.5 0.056 88 6.98 7.6 2.3 24 1,516 5.68 306.4 4.15 2.32 88 13.3 8.29 0.116 1.41 3.44 15 4.89 1.04 26.25 0.5 4.37 6.87 3.2 8.99 11.54 9.79 2.94 127 6.08 1,448 1.02 0.45 48.1 89 6.81 2.39 1.29 0.445 4.82 0.88 10.98

15 27.6 1.32 0.46 0.047 12.5 12.02 0.053 86.7 6.75 7.2 2.11 22.15 1,483 5.5 300.4 4.06 2.31 83.5 13.3 8.29 0.112 1.41 3.39 14.5 4.58 1.01 25.5 0.45 4.33 6.5 3.11 8.02 11.52 9.5 2.75 124.9 5.87 1,415 1.01 0.42 47.1 86.6 6.66 2.31 1.25 0.415 4.7 0.86 10.78

SERVICES 16.4 27.7 1.38 0.475 0.048 12.5 12.02 0.053 86.85 6.98 7.2 2.12 22.6 1,509 5.6 306.2 4.14 2.31 84.25 13.3 8.29 0.114 1.41 3.4 14.98 4.76 1.03 26.05 0.49 4.36 6.85 3.14 8.06 11.54 9.79 2.94 125 6.01 1,434 1.01 0.43 47.5 88.6 6.79 2.36 1.27 0.425 4.79 0.87 10.9

125,700 31,600 575,000 1,690,000 6,700,000 66,700 10,267,800 11,760,000 113,910 547,300 107,000 4,000 102,800 38,395 298,300 5,540 683,000 16,000 1,785,870 600 5,000 2,680,000 8,000 26,000 18,300 2,712,000 183,000 2,793,900 154,000 57,000 5,598,900 455,000 40,087,100 200 2,000 60,000 500 478,400 47,895 1,219,000 10,300,000 3,572,400 217,500 69,900 340,000 937,000 35,060,000 1,104,000 5,426,000 641,100

1,991,368 877,250 787,750 793,300 321,200 834,582 124,275,020 628,890 9,936,007.50 3,777,146 786,724 8,650 2,395,325 57,938,770 1,660,400 1,685,714 2,804,020 36,990 150,691,858 7,980 41,450 304,220 11,280 88,650 273,870 12,876,320 185,570 72,589,090 76,300 247,680 38,333,627 1,425,620 340,126,625 2,306 19,348 165,450 62,510 2,861,632 68,556,215 1,241,280 4,468,400 169,865,440 19,207,340.50 472,344 799,420 1,191,890 15,193,700 5,281,980 4,722,170 6,987,656

274,934.00 25,080 -9,600 -84,568 -45,561,868 -965,719.50 796,851 -23,250 -21,041,685 -236 27,720 -100,440,928.50 59,920 -34,475,320 -8,680 11,559,638 -117,320 14,402,704 2,940 2,500 1,202 -5,256,395 -204,240 -216,000 -48,002,965 -2,559,605 -490,030 347,390 8,450 90,250 -1,093,824

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

0.0028 1.65 4.38 1.5 1.6 1.64 0.295 7.72 2.14 0.201 0.14 0.145 0.0094 1.44 5.19 1.22 0.5 0.86 0.013 0.011 2.24 5.58 13.66 29.55

0.003 1.66 4.47 1.84 1.61 1.65 0.31 7.73 2.18 0.209 0.14 0.145 0.0094 1.49 5.22 1.22 0.55 0.95 0.013 0.012 2.24 5.62 13.66 30.25

0.0028 1.63 4.36 1.5 1.6 1.62 0.295 7.58 2.11 0.2 0.138 0.145 0.0094 1.44 5.04 1.18 0.5 0.86 0.012 0.011 2.13 5.55 13.2 29.55

MINING & OIL 0.003 602,000,000 1.66 1,641,000 4.36 496,000 1.62 296,000 1.6 48,000 1.62 819,000 0.3 350,000 7.73 300 2.16 1,895,000 0.206 90,000 0.14 4,100,000 0.145 520,000 0.0094 4,000,000 1.49 444,000 5.15 2,884,800 1.18 53,000 0.54 276,000 0.91 396,000 0.012 192,100,000 0.012 12,900,000 2.13 11,000 5.6 88,100 13.5 1,081,800 30.25 296,600

1,775,800 2,703,010 2,191,300 482,240 76,900 1,334,130 104,700 2,303 4,061,100 18,230 571,650 75,400 37,600 650,820 14,844,034 62,630 142,050 349,110 2,463,800 147,600 23,620 492,026 14,555,600 8,942,160

-1,097,720 -76,900 -3,100 1,018,980 31,900.00 -93,343 -134,365 -803,038 -4,162,960

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

27 500 503.5 104.1 101 106.9 505 5.55 977 1,030 104.5 975 76 78 75.05 76 77 76.5 76.2 77

27.9 508 503.5 104.1 101 106.9 505 5.55 977 1,030 104.5 975 76 78 75.05 76 77 76.5 76.2 77

27 500 503.5 104 100.4 106.9 504.5 5.54 977 1,021 102 966 75.5 78 75 75.15 76.15 76.5 76.2 77

PREFERRED 27.9 800 508 4,030 503.5 2,000 104 4,340 101 4,510 106.9 20 504.5 2,290 5.55 246,600 977 420 1,021 1,080 102 2,060 966 2,910 75.5 35,650 78 780 75 506,290 75.15 67,550 77 75,590 76.5 16,620 76.2 13,670 77 16,700

22,050 2,039,400 1,007,000 451,410 453,738 2,138 1,155,355 1,368,610 410,340 1,103,130 210,240 2,818,750 2,692,650 60,840 37,996,950 5,082,970 5,803,973 1,271,430 1,041,654 1,285,900

5,400 -1,452,880 -1,307,580 97,500 -755,000 -

LR WARRANT

2.93

2.93

2.82

WARRANTS 2.89 189,000

543,010

-

ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

5.1 2.95 3.13 3.26

5.41 2.95 3.27 3.3

5.1 2.95 2.94 3.22

5.4 2.95 3.03 3.28

7,591,502 41,300 2,892,210 1,219,730

-340,059 29,100 -16,270

FIRST METRO ETF

118

118.6

117.4

758,100

-236,002

30,065.60

-

MS

PROPERTY 6.8 1.08 14.86 2.1 0.83 41 3.34 4.51 6.07 6.26 0.45 1.02 0.97 0.249 0.455 31 0.67 1.67 1.27 1.07 4.38 0.59 0.465 0.56 4 18.4

109,500 6,753,000 6,700 20,000 686,000 9,084,900 311,000 74,000 4,000 300 5,550,000 101,000 181,000 7,530,000 320,000 195,100 33,000 10,406,000 197,000 2,325,000 14,816,000 122,773,000 11,360,000 8,562,000 197,000 2,498,300

USD DMPL A2

10.24

TRADING SUMMARY

10.24

SHARES

FINANCIAL

11,223,006

INDUSTRIAL

135,812,772

HOLDING FIRMS

212,929,086

PROPERTY

218,460,131

SERVICES

160,541,017

MINING & OIL

827,584,815

GRAND TOTAL

1,569,344,957

10.2

SME

1,433,300 14,000 964,000 375,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 118.6 6,420 10.2

DDS

2,940

VALUE 1,946.74 (up) 3.71 867,668,569.33 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,948.34 (up) 128.79 2,344,994,521.29 HOLDING FIRMS 7,770.34 (up) 201.28 1,587,200,789.98 PROPERTY 3,612.84 (up) 23.57 1,539.13 (up) 1.01 924,104,694.57 SERVICES MINING & OIL 10,371.42 (up) 131.98 1,261,957,428.77 PSEI 7,721.02 (up) 103.60 56,124,455.658 All Shares Index 4,671.83 (up) 53.78 7,054,558,333.00 Gainers: 124; Losers: 69; Unchanged: 52; Total: 245

High demand prompts BDO to hike LTNCD issue to P8.2b

By Julito G. Rada BDO Unibank Inc., the country’s biggest lender controlled by tycoon Henry Sy, increased the offering of its longterm negotiable certificates of deposits to P8.2 billion from P5 billion due to strong demand from both retail and institutional investors.

BDO said in a statement Friday total subscriptions to the LTNCD offering scheduled from April 20 to April 28 reached P12.3 billion, almost 2.5 times the original offer.

“As a result, the issue was upsized from the original P5.0 billion to P8.2 billion. BDO likewise shortened the offer period for its LTNCD to April 26, 2018, two days ahead of schedule,” the bank said.

The latest tranche of LTNCDs has a term of five and a half years with interest rate set at 4.375 percent per annum.

The issue date is set on May 7, 2018, while the maturity date will be on Nov. 7, 2023.

Other features of the LTNCD include a tax exemption on interest income for individual investors if held for at least five years, quarterly interest payments, deposit insurance coverage with the PDIC up to a maximum of P500,000 per depositor and negotiability subject to market conditions.

The LTNCD issuance is part of the bank’s efforts to lengthen the maturity of its funding sources and support business expansion plans.

BDO tapped Deutsche Bank AG, Manila branch and ING Bank N. V., Manila branch as the joint lead arrangers and selling agents for the issue, while BDO and BDO Private Bank were the other selling agents.

BDO this year expects a record P31billion net income following a remarkable performance in 2017.

The bank posted a 7-percent increase in net income last year to a record P28.1 billion on strong growth across all business segments. It also matched the earnings guidance for the year.

The bank said it was optimistic it could realize another record earnings this year as it “leverages on its strong business franchise and expands in underserved markets amid a challenging and competitive operating landscape.”

Cemex says 1st quarter income down to P100m

By Jenniffer B. Austria CEMEX Holdings Philippines Inc. said net income in the first quarter of 2018 dropped 71 percent to P100 million from P350 million year-on-year despite significant improvement in sales volume.

Cemex said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it registered net sales of P5.9 billion, up 10 percent from P5.4 billion in the same period in 2017, as cement volumes increased 16 percent in the first three months of the year.

The company said cement prices also inched up two percent in the first quarter of the year. Cement prices in March were up five percent from the December 2017 level.

“We are very focused on supplying the needs of the market, given the growing Philippine economy and what we believe will be a robust construction sector for many years to come. Our results showed our ability as a company to deliver on the country’s needs,” Cemex president and chief executive Ignacio Mijares said.

“Strong local demand presents both opportunities and challenges for the industry. The execution of our expansion project, and the attainment of greater operational efficiencies will be important for us to continue growing,” Mijares added.

Cemex said cement demand from the residential sector picked up in the first quarter of the year on overseas remittances while demand from industrial and commercial sectors rose on steady expansion of the manufacturing sector and sustained construction of office buildings.

Meanwhile, Cemex’s cost of sales of increased at a faster pace of 24 percent, driven by higher fuel and power costs from a year ago.

World

B3

SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018 TODAYCesar Barrioquinto, Editor

Manila

Standard

Cannes ready for predators next month PARIS―An anti-sexual harassment hot line will be set up for the Cannes film festival next month after disgraced Hollywood tycoon Harvey Weinstein was accused of attacking four actresses at the event.

The French equality minister Marlene Schiappa said movers and shakers would be warned about their behavior when they arrive at the world’s biggest film festival on the French Riviera.

“We have set up a partnership with the Cannes film festival to tackle sexual harassment,” Schiappa said late Thursday, with a telephone hotline for victims or witnesses to report aggressors.

“One of the rapes that Harvey Weinstein is accused of happened at Cannes, and so the festival cannot not act,” the minister told AFP. Weinstein has been accused of four sexual assaults at Cannes in previous years, including the rape of the Italian actress Asia Argento in his luxury hotel suite when she was 21.

Schiappa said the measures were being put in place not just to protect actresses but all women working in or around the film industry.

Although this year’s jury to decide the Palme d’Or top prize is being headed by Australian actress Cate Blanchett, Cannes has faced criticism about its attitude to women in the past, with rows over the need to wear high heels on the red carpet. AFP

Nato to receive US message on spending BRUSSELS―President Donald Trump’s brand new Secretary of State Mike Pompeo began talks at NATO on Friday planning to hammer home one of his boss’s oldest themes―demanding that other alliance members pay their way.

America’s top diplomat told NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg he had “hopped on a plane and come straight here” as the pair met at the start of a gathering of foreign ministers at alliance headquarters in Brussels.

Welcoming the former CIA director, Stoltenberg said the fact Pompeo had come so soon after being sworn in on Thursday was a “great expression of the importance of the alliance”.

But the message Pompeo brings from Washington will not be so warmly welcomed by all NATO members.

Trump wants other member states to increase their military spending and thus reduce the burden placed on the alliance’s biggest member.

Some allies, most notably wealthy Germany, are reluctant to meet a commitment made at a NATO summit in Wales in September 2016 to spend two percent of their GDP on defense. AFP

SAVE THE BEES. Activists call upon European member states to protect the bees by voting a full ban on bee-killing pesticides in front of the European Commission in Brussels. AFP

Action eyed on Rohingya crisis U

NITED NATIONS―The UN Security Council will pay a visit to Bangladesh and Myanmar beginning Saturday as it weighs the next steps to address one of the world’s worst refugee crises, stemming from the forced exodus of Muslim Rohingya.

Myanmar has come under international scrutiny since a military campaign launched in August drove more than 700,000 Rohingya from their homes in northern Rakhine state and into crowded camps in Bangladesh.

The council is urging Myanmar to allow their safe return and take steps to end decades of discrimination that the Muslim minority has suffered in Buddhist-majority Myanmar.

The visit kicks off in the camps of Cox’s Bazaar in Bangladesh where ambassadors will meet refugees, whose harrowing accounts of killings, rape and the torching of villages at the hands of Myanmar’s military and militias have been documented in UN human rights reports.

Led by Kuwait, Britain and Peru, the four-day visit is expected to include a trip by helicopter to Rakhine to allow ambassadors to tour villages affected by the violence, including Pan Taw Pyin and Shwe Zar. The council will hold talks with Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been criticized for failing to speak out in defense of the Rohingya, and with Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Kuwait’s Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi said the visit was not about “naming and shaming” Myanmar, but that “the message will be very clear for them: the international community is following the situation and has great interest in resolving it.”

“We are coming to see how can we help, how can we push things forward,” he said, stressing that the current situation was “not acceptable.”

“700,000 people have fled their country and they cannot go back. It’s a humanitarian disaster.”

After months of deliberations, Myanmar finally agreed this month to allow the council to visit as the government rejected accusations from the United Nations and Western countries that the attacks against the Rohingya were ethnic cleansing.

Myanmar has said the military operation in Rakhine is aimed at rooting

out extremists.

British Ambassador Karen Pierce said it was “incredibly important” for the council to see the situation on the ground as it considers “what needs to be done next to help Myanmar develop as a modern, political and economic entity.”

The United States and its European partners in the council have faced strong opposition to action on the Rohingya crisis from China, a supporter of Myanmar’s former ruling junta.

The council adopted a statement in November that called on Myanmar to rein in its military, but there has been no resolution, a stronger measure that China would likely block as one of the veto-wielding permanent members.

“This trip represents an opportunity for the council to press the reset button,” said Akshaya Kumar, UN deputy director for Human Rights Watch.

“They have taken almost no action,” she said.

“So if this trip is what is needed to spur them to actually respond to the gravity of an ethnic cleansing on their watch, then we’ll be waiting for a resolution when they return.”

The president of the International Red Cross, which is providing aid to those affected by the violence in Rakhine, said the Myanmar government is rebuilding villages and taking steps to allow the Rohingya to return. AFP

Leaders to meet after border row BEIJING―Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek to repair strained ties at a summit on Friday after an intense border dispute last year marred relations.

Xi will host Modi for what has been described as an “informal summit” in the central Chinese city of Wuhan on Friday and Saturday.

While last year’s high-altitude standoff in the Himalayas has been resolved, the world’s most populous countries have a long history of mistrust.

New Delhi has also raised concerns about Beijing’s Belt and Road initiative, a global trade infrastructure program that includes a major project through Pakistan-administered Kashmir, dis-

puted territory that New Delhi claims is illegally occupied.

The summit “is New Delhi’s wellintentioned attempt to reach out to Beijing to see if the past can be put behind and if the relationship can be reset,” Harsh Pant, international relations professor at King’s College London, told AFP. Xi and Modi have “a good working relationship and personal friendship,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Tuesday.

“The two sides agreed that an informal meeting would be a good idea so that the two leaders would have full and in-depth exchanges on major issues of common concern in a suitable atmosphere,” Lu said. AFP

Call for justice for murdered students

LATIN MUSIC AWARDS. Cardi B performs onstage at the 2018 Billboard Latin Music Awards at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. AFP

GUADALAJARA―Close to 12,000 people took to the streets of Guadalajara on Thursday, calling for peace and justice for three film students who were brutally murdered in a crime that has shocked Mexico.

Over a month after their disappearance, authorities confirmed Monday that Salomon Aceves Gastelum, 25, Daniel Diaz, 20, and Marco Avalos, 20, were kidnapped, tortured and killed by drug cartel members. Afterwards, their bodies were dissolved in acid.

“The absurd war on drugs is taking our classmates and we will not allow

it anymore,” said Jesus Medina, a student leader from the University of Guadalajara.

Many of the demonstrators also rejected the official version of events surrounding the students’ deaths.

“What they presented is based on indications -- there is not strong scientific evidence. There are many doubts,” said Oscar Juarez.

Meanwhile, there was horror following the confession of a YouTube star and rapper―Christian Omar Palma Gutierrez, also known as “QBA”―that he dissolved the students’ bodies in acid. AFP

NOTICE We are saddened to announce the death of ALEJANDRO M. DIANO, on October 4, 2017, in Calbayog City, Samar.

He was pre-deceased by his wife, LIDINILA JUSTINIANO DIANO, who died on May 18, 2014, in Calbayog City, Samar.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK (MS-APR. 28, 2018)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF QUEZON CITY CHINA BANK SAVINGS, INC., Mortgagee, -versusFRE NO. 12186 DELA PAZA, RANDOLF V., Mortgagor. x------------------------------------------x NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE OF REAL PROPERTY UNDER ACT 3135 (AS AMENDED) UPON extra-judicial petition under ACT 3135, as amended by ACT 4118 and pursuant to the terms of the Deed of Real Estate Mortgage executed on August 2, 2016, by RANDOLF V. DELA PAZ, Mortgagor, with residence and postal address at 808-C Dr. Famella St., Brgy. Plainview, Mandaluyong City, in favor of CHINA BANK SAVINGS, INC., Mortgagee, to satisfy the mortgage debt in the amount of P1,714,895.81 as of January 30, 2018 in/exclusive of interest, penalties, attorney’s fees and other charges together with all the lawful fees and expenses of foreclosure sale, the ExOfficio Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City and/or his duly authorized Deputy Sheriff, hereby announces that on May 31, 2018 between the hours of 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the office of the Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff, Regional Trial Court, Hall of Justice Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, will sell thru public auction to the highest bidder and for cash, in Philippine currency, the following described real property/ies with all the improvements, to wit;

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 004-2016006614 REGISTRY OF DEEDS, QUEZON CITY “A PARCEL OF LAND (LOT 20-J OF THE SUBD. PLAN (LRA) PSD-395090 APPROVED AS A NON SUBD. PROJECT, BEING A PORTION OF LOT 20, BLK 1 (LRC) PSD-4786, LRC REC. NO. 5975), SITUATED IN BRGY. HOLY SPIRIT, QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA, ISLAND OF LUZON BOUNDED ON THE NE. POINTS 1-2 BY LOT 20-K ROAD (4.00 M. WIDE) OF THE SUBD. PLAN, ON THE SE., POINTS 2-3 BY LOT 8; ON THE SW., POINTS 3-4 LOT 19, BOTH OF BLK. 1 (LRC) PSD-4786, AND ON THE NW., POINTS 4-1

BY LOT 10-1 OF THE SUBD. PLAN xxx CONTAINING AN AREA OF FORTY TWO (42) SQUARE METERS, MORE OR LESS.” All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned at the aforesaid office on the above stated date and time.

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

In the event that public auction should not take place on the said date due to fortuitous event or if the same be declared a non-working holiday, it shall be held on June 7, 2018 at the same time and place without further notice.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, April 17, 2018 (Sgd.) JAIME JOHN G. QUINAGORAN Sheriff IV (Sgd.) GREGORIO C. TALLUD Clerk of Court VII & Ex-Officio Sheriff WARNING: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface, or destroy this Notice of ExtraJudicial Sale of Real Property on or before the date of auction sale under penalty of the law.

ATTY. SIMEON T. ASIA, JR. CHINA BANK SAVINGS, INC. ALCALA DUMLAO ALAMEDA TAN ALANO MANINGDING & JANDA Attorney and Counselors-At-Law Annex, 8th Floor, China Bank Savings Building, 314 Sen. G. Puyat Avenue, Makati City (MStandard-Apr. 20, 28 & May 4, 2018)

Copy Furnished: RANDOLF V. DELA PAZ 808-C Dr. Famella St., Brgy.

Plainview, Mandaluyong City

Raising the ante

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

B4

L

SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018

Dinner is served

IST Sotheby’s International Realty Philippines recently put two properties up for sale in Ayala Alabang village.

“This is just the start of the things that we have prepared for the luxury segment of Philippine real estate,” said Meg Impat, marketing manager of List Sotheby’s.

In partnership with Ethan Allen, one of the two properties was recently spruced up with carefully curated pieces to pique everyone’s imagination of how it would be like to live there.

To add a dash of realism, a cooking and table setting was set up by renowned homemaker, Frieda Lim. The event was attended by top officials of List Holdings Singapore led by chief operating officer, Yasushi Yamada, chief finance officer, Hiroki Tanaka, and List Sotheby’s International Realty Singapore’s executive marketing director, Johnson Goh. The two properties were developed

by Draco Builders Property. Frieda Lim, of ‘Cooking with Frieda’, shared her culinary expertise on how to create the perfect spread for a housewarming.

Inset photo shows property developer Serge Syjuco, List Sotheby’s Impat, and Lim during the unique open house.

PROPERTY development player DoubleDragon Properties is boosting its profile in the industry with Hotel 101-Fort, laying out plans to increase its prime leasable space to 1.2 million square meters by 2020. DoubleDragon chief investment officer Hannah Yulo (shown here with president Ferdinand Sia) said the company’s latest development, to be managed by hospitality subsidiary, Hotel of Asia, Inc., currently occupies a 1,224-square-meter lot and has 28 floors of hotel rooms. Another target for DoubleDragon for 2020 is CentralHub Industrial Centers, Inc., an industrial leasing subsidiary offering standardized multi-use warehouses for commissaries, logistics, and cold storage facilities.

Through CentralHub, the company is targeting to offer initially 100,000 square meters of industrial space for lease by 2020, with 30,000 square meters to be located in Tarlac and the rest spread out to other parts of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. DoubleDragon’s Metro Manila office leasing portfolio includes the DD Meridian Park in the Bay Area, the first phase of which is now complete, and the 41-storey Jollibee Tower in Ortigas, set for completion by end of 2018.

Summer ‘changemakers’

Driving growth

THE Design Center of the Philippines (DCP) recently kicked off the 9th edition of Design Week Philippines, “a creative journey” which involved a series of provocative workshops, such as architectural and interior design concepts, photography, and an outdoor film screening at the Creative Environment in Intramuros.

Design Week Philippines was basically a nine-day celebration of design and creativity through a line-up of summer activities geared towards gathering creative people, and engaging them to collaborate and network.

“Changemakers from various creative fields such as communication design, architecture, fashion, and performance arts sat down (and walked) with

participants to share their respective passions.

These included Arts Serrano of One/Zero Design Co.; Len Cabili of Filip+Inna; Ligaya Gasataya of ManilaForKids; Jodee Aguillon of Pineapple Lab; and Dan Matutina of Plus63 Design Co. Their stories of how they struggled with failures and eventually gained triumphs inspired aspiring designers, artists, and creative minds who flocked to Casa Blanca, Plaza San Luis Complex in Intramuros, Manila.

The DCP is an attached agency of the DTI, is the only national agency for design, and the leading agency committed to cultivating a culture that thrives in creativity, value creation, and innovation.

Taking a bead on indoor air pollution

REAL estate developer Federal Land Inc. recently invested in San Juan City with the construction of One Wilson Square.

Federal Land Inc., president Pascual M. Garcia explained that “we want to be part of the development in San Juan City, as it cares for its people and its communities.

One Wilson Square is designed with

resident-focused features, providing spaces and amenities for every facet of life—from personal to familial and business pursuits.

Each unit has a private balcony that opens up to the sky, encouraging residents to build their personal skylines. The topmost floors have as little as four units with at least

55-square meter decks (Inset photo).

San Juan City was a recipient of the Seal of Good Governance Award conferred by Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The merit is given to local government units that do well in financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection and peace and order.

HOMEY ATMOSPHERE.

DMCI is building Levina Place, a development with an Asian boutique design concept in Pasig City. Composed of three six-storey buildings—Selene, Callista (Shown here), and Amalthea— the 1.4 hectare-ready for occupancy (RFO) property offers low-density condominium living that encourages close family ties and healthy community relations. The property is close to learning institutions like St. Paul College and the University of Asia and the Pacific, Ortigas business center, and Tiendesitas shopping complex. Levina Place is one of the developments of DMCI Homes, a developer known for building resortinspired communities in Mega Manila, Baguio, Boracay and Davao City.

A CONFERENCE on indoor air quality was held recently in Makati. Jackson Tseng, an air quality expert from the USA and Dr. Wong Wei Khiang, president of the Institute of Air Quality in Malaysia, confirmed that poor air quality inside hospitals, skyscrapers, condominiums and offices could cause chronic illnesses to building occupants. Tseng said structures should be completely compliant with environmental air quality standards. Regular checking and cleaning of these systems could save lives and millions of pesos worth of health-related cost, he said. Dr. Khiang added that as more people get sick from dirty air, companies suffer from losses which affect overall productivity and performance. Both agreed that mold remediation work can save companies thousands of dollars worth of potential losses. At the conference were (from left to right): Aila Combs, REDEC business unit head; Bienvenido Cruz, REDEC SVP-COO; Engr. Nelia Granadillos, DoLE division chief; Charlie Carmona, general manager, PIAHSTREAMS; Jackson Tseng; and Dr. Wong Wei Khiang.

Life

Bernadette lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife

travel and leisure

@MstandardliFE saturday, april 28, 2018

C1

Taking family bonding

to the next level SUMMER SPLASH. Families and friends can enjoy hours of fun in various water sports activities offered at White Rock Beach Hotel and Waterpark in Subic, Zambales.

P

lANNING a vacation for the whole family can be tricky.

First, you have to choose a destination with excellent location, amenities, and services. And of course, it is crucial that the place offers multi-generational attractions as well as dining and lodging options that can accommodate the needs and wants of every family member—all without breaking the bank.

A beach resort, merely a two-hour drive from the Balintawak Toll Gate, promises to be the perfect weekend and summer getaway for the whole family.

White Rock Beach Hotel and Waterpark in Subic, Zambales brings R&R, leisure activities, entertainment, and adventure together in its eight-hectare beach resort.

Rooms with a view

The Subic resort offers a relaxing stay in its 262 well-appointed rooms, all a stone’s throw away from the beachfront.

White Rock has Deluxe, Main Premium Deluxe, Poolside Deluxe and Beachside Deluxe rooms, located at the Main and Beachfront Hotels, as well as at the newly constructed Seaside Hotel.

There are also One-Bedroom Suites and Two-Bedroom Suites, with cozy living room, well-equipped kitchen facilities, maid’s room, and individual whirlpool.

Newlyweds and couples can enjoy an intimate moment in the Honeymoon Suites or Beachside Suites, which has elevated quarters, private whirlpool, and beach veranda overlooking the calm Subic Bay. All rooms offer privacy and worldclass amenities and comforts such as a flat-screen TV, bathrooms with separate shower and toilet areas, a mini-refrigerator, and safe boxes, among others.

Cottages with outdoor whirlpool and amenities are available for day tour guests.

Fun in the water and beyond

White Rock boasts of having the most number of pools and leisure water facilities in the area, ensuring a splashing fun for the family.

Take a dip in the resort’s pools that include the Grand Swimming Pool with water basketball and volleyball, a plunge pool, two Infinity Pools and three plunge pools that offer a majestic view of Subic Bay, two Wave Pools, and 44 Whirlpools located around the beachside villas, inside the luxurious rooms, and on the top floor of the Seaside Deluxe Hotel. The latter comes with bonus: a 360-degree view of Subic Bay and the Zambales mountains.

Kids can enjoy hours of fun in the Children’s Playpool and Water Canyon Shoot-Em-Up. Those looking for an andrenaline rush can try the Waterpark facilities, including the Big Bowl water-

slide, the Rampage waterslide, the Seesaw waterslide, and the Raging River.

Fun extends beyond the water as White Rock offers wall climbing and ziplining activities as well as a well-maintained playground and mini-park attractions.

What is summer fun without the sand, sea, and sun? At White Rock, guests can swim, discover the amazing depths by snorkeling and scuba diving, glide across the water on a kayaking excursion, or make an exciting splash through various aquasports and activities such as jetskiing, banana boat ride, flyboard, or paragliding.

After an eventful day, guests can simply bask in nature’s glory and revel in the breathtaking view of the Subic Bay sunset.

Dine out

A vacation isn’t complete without trying out sumptuous grub. White Rock has a variety of dining options: The Sunset Restaurant serves traditional Filipino cuisine, featuring ala carte dishes full of home-cooked flavors; the Beachpoint serves BBQ Buffet Dinner with a side of serenaders to make your dining experience a memorable one.

For an intimate dining experience, head over to the Sunset Bistro, located just above the Sunset Restaurant. By request, honeymooners also get to enjoy a romantic dinner by the bay. Catch the mesmerizing Subic sunset while savoring seaside grills and classic cocktails at the Beachpoint Floating Restaurant.

Exhilarating activities

Share more fun memories at the Family Fun Center and have a friendly game or two in the various amusements. The center has 10-pin bowling area, with 10 lanes and electronic scoring, table tennis, billiards, dart boards, mini-basketballs, and other table games. Belt your hearts out at the KTV rooms, equipped with high-quality sound systems.

Moms can opt out of the action and indulge in a relaxing spa experience at the resort’s newly renovated spa. Spa therapies are facilitated by skilled therapists in order to give guests the pampering they deserve.

“In the recent years, we have expanded and enhanced our facilities and amenities to provide guests with the best family vacation they can have,”

Bask in the stunning Subic Bay sunset

Have a game, or two, at the 10-pin bowling area in the Family Fun Center

says White Rock chairman George U. lorenzana. “We wish to present White Rock as a one-stop vacation spot where families can enjoy their bonding mo-

ment, where honeymooners can enjoy For inquiries and reservations, call their wedded bliss, where corporate em- (047) 232-0066 or 0917-8630844, or ployees can do their teambuilding event email reservations@whiterock.com.ph, and test their patience, unity, and trust.” or visit www.whiterock.com.ph.

Better than Boracay?

The beautiful beach of Magalawa beckons

in its crystal blue waters, one can in- the towns of Castillejos, San Marcelidulge in water sports, sand sports, no, San Antonio, San Narciso, San Feboat riding, jet skiing, scuba diving, lipe, Botolan, and Iba, before finally snorkeling or just plain relaxing on reaching Palauig where you turn right the powdery white sand beach. at Banlog Triangle, and drive north to Or, if you need to lose all those cal- Barangay Pangolingan. From there, ories that have piled up since the long you turn left at Veritas Road and drive holidays, you can take a walk along straight to the port for the 20-minute mercury rising the sandbar where you are bound to boat ride to Magalawa Island. All in

BY BOB zOzOBRadO see schools of tiny fishes playfully all, it takes around 6-7 hours to get swarming all over the place. Howev- there from Manila.

IF yOU’RE looking for another er, there is a rip current on the left side As far as accommodations are conbeach destination while our favorite of the sandbar so be careful. cerned, there are resort cottages that “sun-sea-sand attraction” is closed for To get to this pristine beach desti- charge a very affordable rate of from the next six months, you might want P500 to P1,000 per night. you to try out Magalawa Island in may bring your own food, if Zambales, as endorsed by our you’re the type who is picky Department of Tourism. with your diet, although these YOUR weekend CHUCkLe located in Palauig, Zamresorts also offer simple meals, Whose cruel idea was it for the word “Lisp” bales, this 56-hectare island but if you’re in a nature-tripto have an “s” in it? has a lot of surf spots and hidping mood, you might just want den coves to offer adventurous to fill yourself up with fresh tourists. Its white fine sand fish that abound in the waters beach and pristine sandbar add to its nation, on a private vehicle, you may of the island, and cook it yourself in appeal, and the abundance of starfish take the North luzon Expressway the grilling station made available by in its waters has earned for it the tag, (NlEx) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac the resort.

“Island of the Stars.”

If you’ve had enough of the seaExpressway (SCTEx) through the So, what can one do at Magalawa Subic Bay Export Zone or Olongapo sun-sand activities, there are many Island? A lot! Aside from swimming City, then on to Zambales passing by Turn to C2

Life

C2

saturday, apri apriL 28, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

T R AV EL G E A R

Smart traveler’s essentials TWO of the most important factors to consider when choosing travel gear are design and functionality. Packing light is, indeed, the way to go, however, you have to be smart when choosing the right products that will allow you to be flexible in bringing your everyday essentials no matter where you go.

Here are some examples of items a smart traveler has whenever they go out of town.

CabinZero 44L backpack

This durable backpack, weighing approximately 0.76 kg with up to 19 cm in dimension, can help you bring all your essentials safely and conveniently. Its outer material is made of waterproof polyester to keep your things dry no matter the weather, and it comes with a built-in global luggage tracker powered by Okoban.

Pacsafe Prosafe 750 TSA Accepted key-card lock

If you constantly find yourself struggling to unlock your suitcase, because of problematic locks or other reasons, this TSa lock uses a key-card locking mechanism, which means no key or code is needed. If you’re planning a multi-country trip with several layovers, save yourself from the hassle during mandatory security checks with the help of this lock.

Ganassi Mayor Al-Rashid Macapodi wants other Filipinos to experience the laid-back life and wonderful natural attractions in his hometown.

A scenic town in Mindanao

By Ayunan G. Gunting

S

everaL towns lie on the coast of the scenic Lake Lanao in Lanao del Sur. Most of them are fourth class municipalities and because of their geographic location, the atmosphere is always serene and bucolic. residents live a laidback lifestyle, and the climate is often comfortably cool.

But it’s this town called Ganassi that stands out. Its location is dramatic—situated on hilly terrain, it offers a panoramic view of the lake. Furthermore, it’s in a cove which makes the town’s surroundings look much more picturesque.

Like the other towns along the lake, Ganassi is so tranquil, it’s a haven for those who wish to get away from the city and the crowded tourist destinations.

Ganassi Mayor al-rashid Macapodi wants other Filipinos to experience the life he and his fellow townsfolk have been enjoying in their hometown. He wants to show how peaceful his town is and how, despite the modern conveniences that can now be had, it remains faithful to old traditions.

Mayor Macapodi is only 43 but he is cognizant of the importance of preserving the Meranao heritage, which is the dominant culture of Ganassi. He makes sure that on important Muslim holidays, stunning traditional costumes are worn, the old recipes are used to prepare the dishes of Meranao (which must always be served for the feasts, popularly known as Paganao Meranaw which means warm welcome and hospitality in our own way), and “Kakulintang” of the Meranaos are practiced for every youth of Ganassi and visitors to learn and benefit from.

“We in Ganassi adhere to the Meranao culture, but we also follow a few traditions of our own and in a way, we’ve blended those with the our culture. This includes the way we present our food during a special feast. We use Tabaks (large

THe Tourism department, through Secretary Wanda Tulfo Teo, recently expressed its support to Sarangani Bay Festival 2018, the country’s biggest beach party featuring a host of water sports and fitness activities.

Now on its 11th edition, the event is set on May 24 to 26 at Gumasa Beach in Glan. With the theme “SarBay United,” the event will showcase the tourism gems of southern Philippines.

“The Department of Tourism and the Provincial Local Government Unit of Sarangani are committed to inculcate the importance of continuous awareness to protect and preserve the resources of Sarangani Bay,” the Commitment of Support declared.

“We are committed to strengthen a nationwide Private-Public Partnership amongst government institutions, academe and private sector towards a sustainable tourism program through promotional partnership, participative planning and co-organizing of the entire SarBay Festival,” the statement concluded.

Sarangani Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon said this year’s edition will celebrate the innovations the beach event has embraced through the years, most notably its advocacy

Lewis N Clark Electrolight packing cubes

Keep your luggage organized by putting clothes and other small items neatly in these expandable packing cubes. The 2-pack includes medium and large sizes made of durable silnylon fabric material that is water and stain resistant. The mesh panels allow visibility to let you identify the contents right away.

Moshi Vortex Air bluetooth earphones

Ganassi adheres to the Meranao culture as well as to their own traditions, such as the way residents present their food during a special feast.

brass trays) that are unique and made in Tugaya. The dishes are all traditional Meranaw food and can be found only here in Lanao del Sur,” he said.

The Mayor wants the youth of Ganassi to continue the traditions. To make them proud and aware of their heritage, major town events would always showcase these old customs. and he wants other Filipinos, who like to travel, to experience the town’s colorful heritage. although the town has no hotel yet, there are many transient homes available for trekkers and nature lovers. It’s easy to get to Ganassi; the biggest city that is close to it is Cagayan de Oro. Philippine airlines and Cebu Pacific have several flights from Manila to Cagayan de Oro. and it takes just a two-hour drive from Cagayan de Oro to Ganassi. The road trip is scenic and the highways are immaculately smooth. Mayor Macapodi has also made sure that the access road to his town are well paved, thus assuring a comfortable ride all throughout.

While the Mayor may be steeped in tradition, he’s also open to activities that are relatively newer. Being a coastal town, he wants Ganassi to be Lanao del Sur’s water sports capital to attract more tourists. It was in 2016 when the

town hosted a dragon boat festival, which attracted dragon boat teams from all over the country.

“Ganassi is ideal for all kinds of water sports because we’re located in a cove. In fact, we’re the only coastal town along Lake Lanao that is located in a cove,” he said.

So successful was that festival, he wants to make the dragon boat event an annual activity in Ganassi.

“The participants enjoyed the event and they said they liked being in our town. They loved the cove setting and the cool climate, and they also had the chance to experience our Meranao culture. They want to return for another festival and we’re organizing another so we can invite them back and more dragon boat teams,” he said.

Those who aren’t much into water sports have much to explore. Trekkers can tour the verdant hills and be amazed by the majestic 360-degree view of the lake—like the scenery that tourists enjoy in Batanes.

The Mayor assures that his town is safe for trekkers and backpackers. It’s so quiet and everyone in town is one to welcome visitors and offer their unique brand of hospitality.

DoT supports Sarangani Bay Fest

at times when you want to block unnecessary noise or keep your chatty seat mate from talking to you, this pair of bluetooth enabled earphones comes in handy. These earphones deliver powerful bass depth and are balanced by a bright overall presence in the highs. vortex air also lets you share good times with a friend thanks to its DJ4two feature which streams music to a second Moshi headset.

Lewis N Clark Global Adapter with Dual USB charger

always be ready to plug in your devices with an all-in-one adapter plug that has multiple configurations and safety features. The different prongs pop out using the push/slide button. Meanwhile, the two USB ports make it simple to charge more than one electronic device, such as your smartphone, tablet, and laptop. This compact adapter can be used in more than 175 countries, including most parts of europe, africa, and asia (both standards and recessed outlets), the Middle east, New Zealand, North america, and russia.

Hydrapak Stow 1L water container

The trouble of bringing plastic bottled waters or stainless water containers is that they add so much weight to your carry on bag. This water container, on the other hand, lets you store up to 1 liter of fluid with a spill-proof nozzle that allows easy drinking. It’s lightweight and easy to pack, and the bail handle makes for more comfortable carrying and attachment.

Lewis N Clark Hanging Toiletry Case

Save more luggage space while keeping your toiletries in one handy bag using this hanging case. It has four different sections, including two breathable mesh pockets, a water-resistant plastic compartment, and a section that holds small toiletries individually. The zip and elastic strap features will keep your grooming items leak-free at all times especially when checking in on the plane.

Better than...

From C1

The three-day Sarangani Bay Festival features water sports events and other sporting activities

for sustainable tourism. The festivity concludes with environmental activities such as beach cleanups and mangrove tree planting.

The three-day festivity kicks off with the 15K Swim across the Bay relay, regarded as asia’s most extreme swimming event. Other sporting events include beach volleyball and football, skim boarding, frisbee, jet ski, moun-

tain bike tournaments, beach volleyball, and 50K ultra marathon.

Spicing up the fest are Zumba sessions with the Legendz, drum beating competition, fire dancing exhibitions, body painting and family sand sculpture contests, the Talk N Text foam party, San Miguel Beer Night, Globe Telecom Party, and the Xanadu: Hidden Paradise, among others.

other interesting nearby places to visit: there is a Mangrove Forest at the western tip of the island, where egrets abound. Or you can go on a 10-minute boat ride to San Salvador island and marvel at the giant clams (taklobo) and the coral garden.

You can also embark on a discovery tour of the unexplored caves of Sitio Bunga and be amazed by the astounding stalactites and stalagmites. There is also the naturally designed swimming pool at the foot of the forest reserve in

Coto, which leads you to the breathtaking hanging bridges. Or, you can make friends with the sea turtles (pawikan) and other marine species in Sitio Longos.

So, with Boracay going through a much needed aesthetic and internal “surgical procedure,” don’t fret because our country has dozens of other beach destinations to offer. Magalawa Island could prove even better for you as it is not yet (and, hopefully, will never be) as commercialized as Boracay.

Better than Boracay? Go and have a look!

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018

C3

nickie.standard@gmail.com

‘Trigonal’ goes to Cannes,

wins distribution deal in China

McCoy and Elisse together with the fans at the 'Vlogger Girl Problems' launch at SM City Manila. (Bottom) Maymay and Edward of 'He’s My Oppastar.'

O

NE of today’s rising tandems, McCoy de Leon and Elisse Joson, officially launched the second book in their hit mangaseryeVlogger Girl Problems by ABSCBN Publishing.

In the first book, Elisse is beauty and lifestyle vlogger Elaine rescued by Mr. Blue/ Marky (McCoy) in a holdup incident. In this follow-up story, Marky and Elaine’s friendship blossoms but is hindered as Marky seems to be afraid of Elaine’s dad, Mr. Z, and his business partners.

The McLisse tandem is cartooned by manga artists in Vlogger Girl Problems, a series of books that puts a spin on traditional ways of storytelling.

Manga is a style of Japanese comics and graphic novels for readers of all ages.

The book series has double cover, featuring another hit love team, Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber, in the He’s My Oppastarstory.

In the book, Maymay is Macy, a solid fangirl of K-Pop group Miniluv.

This time, Macy receives tickets to a secret concert of her idol. Is she prepared to finally meet Red (Edward), her oppa superstar? While she is elated with this development, she longs for her new friend, Eddie. Why did he suddenly disappear?

The book two of McLisse’s Vlogger Girl Problems and MayWard’s He’s My Oppastar is now available in National Book Store and Powerbooks outlets nationwide for only P185 each.

Airbrush makeup course for screen and media DIANA Kwong, an expert makeup artist for weddings, events and photo shoots, and Patricia Ting, a master of studio and film makeup, to bridal, avantgarde and haute couture, both trained under the Makeup Designory in Los Angeles, California, will jointly conduct an intensive master certificate course on Airbrush Makeup Techniques for Screen and Media for six Saturdays, beginning May 5 until June 9.

The lectures are offered by Sprint Asia Beauty, a Philippine-based source of imported revolutionary makeup, in collaboration with The School for Professional and Continuing Education (SPaCE) at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB).

The class concentrates on highdefinition and airbrush techniques, as they become popular in milestones and celebrations such as debuts, weddings, anniversaries, and in entertainment industries.

Sessions will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.. Registration base fee is P26,324, or P38,000 inclusive of a Temptu Pro Airbrush Kit.

The certificate airbrush makeup course concentrates on high-def technique used in entertainment industries

For inquiries and registration requirements, contact Marlon Eusebio or Lynn Garcia at (02) 230-5100 local 3802, (02) 400-7405, and (02) 400-5425, or email space@benilde.edu.ph.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Saturday, April 28, 2018

ACROSS 1 Yellow pigment 6 Ant horde 10 Flat boat 14 Layered rock 15 Transparent mineral 16 Earthen jar 17 Courteous 18 Dark spring beer 19 Anthropologist Margaret — 20 Alligator pear 22 “Nightwave” painter Georgia — 24 Read to the class 25 I guess so 26 Coach 29 Male honeybees 33 Docs prescribe them 36 Make turbid 38 Despicable one 39 Club for GIs 40 Grouchy 42 Improve, as wine 43 Talked 45 Regard as 46 Facial feature 47 Filled with delight 49 Hotel offering 51 Clancy hero

Jack — 53 Boarding house guest 57 Hot sauce 60 Italian sports car 61 A Guthrie 62 Row 64 Dive, as a whale 65 Ooze 66 Cuba, to Castro 67 Any Elvis recording 68 Gumshoe’s gig 69 Stonehenge builder 70 Foxier DOWN 1 Entertainment award 2 Spud garnish 3 Chaos 4 Brings forth 5 Sympathize 6 Lectern 7 Brazilian port 8 The real — 9 Talked all the time 10 One way or another 11 Musical symbol 12 Viking name 13 Cross the creek 21 “The Wreck of the Mary —” 23 Astronaut’s

base 27 Student 28 Honey factories 30 Close by 31 Consequently 32 Shoot forth 33 Ruminate 34 “PTI” airer 35 House part 37 Place 40 Diary keeper 41 Photog’s request 44 Bar sing-along 46 Sleeping bag 48 Ploy

50 Headless statues 52 Ear pollution?

54 Flashy 55 A Muppet 56 Subway patron 57 Greenish mineral 58 Region 59 Lesage’s Gil — 60 Party site 63 House wing

SPaCE is located at the Fourth Floor, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts Campus, 950 Pablo Ocampo (Vito Cruz) Street, Malate, Manila.

FROM the get-go, writer-director-actor taking on an underground fight, his wife and former Filipino Muay Thai World and unborn child become collateral in a Champion Vincent Soberano’s vision ruthless drug lord’s lunatic ambitions.

For the lead roles of Jacob and Annie, was clear-eyed. He aimed to make action movies alive and palatable again, not just Soberano handpicked theater-trained to local audiences but to international actor Ian Ignacio and actress Rhian viewers as well. And Soberano knew how Ramos. to go about it: combine meticulously“I wanted an actor who looked entirely choreographed action sequences with Filipino, not mestizo or half-breed to play topnotch production details, and at the Jacob. He should also be as great an actor as he is a martial artist,” Soberano says. very heart of it, a journey in humanity.

Ignacio, a black belt in Taekwondo, the With the upcoming film The Trigonal, Soberano is set to realize his long- protégé of Taekwondo legend Monsour del Rosario and held dream. The the son of Karate Trigonal has master Levi caught the attention Ignacio fit the bill. of Real Pictures Entertainment, a Making the Chinese production ensemble of company with a actors even more distribution arm. formidable is the Following the film’s casting of several limited premiere in well-known Beijing on March Chinese artists 14, a distribution like Chinese deal has been sealed UFC star Li Jing and The Trigonal is Liang, Hong Kong poised to be shown producer/actor Gus all throughout Liem who recently China.“Several released his comedy Hollywood and Ian Ignacio, lead star of the film, 'The blockbuster Girls Chinese film Trigonal.'

2, and the fast-rising industry executives Chinese-American were impressed at how the film looked ‘so action star Sarah Chang who has been the expensive’ and ‘international’ and not the lead in a string of big movies in China this stigmatized expectations from a Filipino year.The amazing feat of The Trigonal is film. They loved the diverse and unique proof once more of how talented and of action choreography and cinematography. international caliber Filipino filmmakers They especially loved how the Chinese are.“I wanted to make a movie that characters in the story are pivotal to the combines a love story with a thriller, some success of the main character and his comedy, and a whole lot of mixed martial journey,” shares Soberano. arts action never before seen on screen.

The film has also been slated for a World The movie abounds with symbolism. The Premiere at the Cannes Marche du Film Trigonal (a term coined and trademarked on May 12. Following that, Viva Films has by Soberano himself) refers to an taken on the film for its Philippine release underground fighting arena shaped like a on July 18, and subsequently for TV triangle. It also represents the film’s three broadcasting rights. Talks are underway principal characters and three subplots. for a US release in August this year as well. The triangle in itself is a symbol of mixed The Trigonal is about Jacob Casa, a Fil- martial arts,” Soberano explains.

Am martial arts champion who returns to What the multi-hyphenate Soberano has his hometown and opens an MMA (Mixed set out to accomplish has to date garnered Martial Arts) school with his childhood a lot of attention in China. Significantly, friend. He is obsessed about the fight game, Soberano has been signed to direct two finding it hard to turn down any chance to big-budget action films this year by Origin engage in professional competition.

Pictures Beijing and its Korean partner, All the while, he is deeply in love with East Dreams. This is the first time in history his Fil-Am wife Annie. Complicating that a Filipino director has been at the helm matters is when Jacob starts to consider of a major film in mainland China.

SKYdirect offers weekend family viewing at P50 ENRICHING weekend family bonding moments abound as SKYdirect prepaid subscribers can access the entire channel line-up of SKYdirect plan 450 for three days for only P50.

The newest promo offering of SKYdirect, SKY’s direct-to-home satellite pay TV unit, aims to encourage more families to spend quality time together.

“We’re giving families nationwide more reasons to bond at home every weekend without spending too much, especially since TV viewing remains to be a family bonding session among Filipinos,” Abigail Ng Sy, SKYdirect product head, said.

Through this promo, families can enjoy premium channels from SKY’s extensive selection of content including HBO HD, which airs blockbuster movies and acclaimed TV series. They can also catch superhero action unfold with Supergirl, Arrow, and The Flash via Warner TV HD, as the medieval actiondrama adventure Vikings can be enjoyed

on History HD. Kids, meanwhile, can watch their favorite cartoons like The Lion Guard and Phineas and Ferb on Disney Channel, or Ben 10 andAdventure Time on Cartoon Network HD. Families can also expect more from SKYdirect’s roster of exclusive channels such as ABS-CBN HD, ABS-CBN Sports+Action HD, ANC, Cinema One, MYX, Jeepney TV, Yey!, CineMo, Knowledge Channel, DZMM TeleRadyo, Aquarium, and Metro Channel. Metro, formerly Lifestyle, is the newest lifestyle channel of ABS-CBN that features shows starring iconic personalities including Pia Wurtzbach, Tim Yap, Marc Nelson, and Maggie Wilson-Consunji, among others.

To avail of the promo, just text SKY50 <space> <BOX ID> to 23667 using Globe Prepaid, TM, or ABSCBNmobile on any day of the week.

The offer runs from April 16 to June 30.

Visit mysky.com.ph/skydirectwinner for more details.

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018

DIGITAL MEDIA

Online campaign on loving yourself more IT’S easy to borrow and belt out Whitney Houston’s classic hit’s message that tells listeners, “Learning to love your self is the greatest love of all.”

But do we really know specifically how to give ourselves the love that we truly deserve?

Self-love is a major theme for 2018 and it’s no surprise. People are usually very busy living their lives and taking care of their loved ones that they tend to neglect themselves. We forget that our greatest love story should be with ourselves—take care of yourself and you’ll be rewarded; if you look good, you’ll feel great.

In a video and online campaign called #LookGoodFeelGreat, uploaded on Watsons Philippines’s YouTube channel, the company asks the tough question: What do you love about yourself?

Featuring real people, the more than 1-minute video reminds us to give ourselves a little more love. At first, the

#LookGoodFeelGreat campaign reminds people to give ourselves a little more love.

The online video encourages people to use products that will make them feel better, too.

interviewees are asked about what they love about their outfit, the vehicle they’re driving, and their profession. They are able to answer the questions easily but when they’re asked about what they love about themselves, the interviewees pause contemplating on what answers to give.

Self-love is a state of appreciation for yourself that is manifested through different ways. Self-love means taking care of yourself and not losing touch with who you are despite the stresses of everyday life. It is more than just looking good on the outside – it is also about taking care of your overall health and well-being because when you look good, you feel great.

So what steps can you take to love yourself more and, in the process, feel great? Here are some suggestions: 1. Be aware. It all starts with knowing who you are and what you can do.

2.Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re not perfect; nobody is. If you are overweight, you can do something about it. If you look tired, there’s a reason for that. It’s not because you were born that way.

3. Be goal-oriented. Proper sleep, exercise and good nutrition are only some of the steps you should take to achieve your goals. List down your goals and think carefully how you can achieve them.

4.Don’t procrastinate. So one of your New Year’s resolutions is to achieve glowing skin. Don’t wait until the year is over to have a realistic skin care routine based on proper cleansing, moisturizing and sun protection.

5. Realize that you’re not alone. So many people struggle with lack of time or will to take proper care of yourself. Watsons encourages people to love themselves more to look good and feel great.

To learn more about the video, visit the Watsons Philippines Facebook page, Youtube Channel and watsonsph on Instagram.

Is ‘Walang Forever’ a serious love song?

L I S T E N I N G aso.” to the new song “Walang Forever” “Walang Forever” is conveying a serious by a new singer feeling uttered in named Erard can everyday lingo by YUGEL make you ponder if today’s generation. It LOSORATA the track is a certified succeeded in getting serious love song or off from that overused one trying to lyrically formula of delivering a grab your attention in the same vein that love song in straight simple poetry. a Michael V pop ballad hit would.

I n the past, Ferdie recorded a But take it from the song’s writer track called “Labis himself, Ferdie Gadon, who revealed Kitang Minamahal” that that the composition had to do with his were recorded by Ace three past romantic relationships. He wasn’t cashing in to the catchphrase. He actually feared there is no such thing as “happily ever after.”

“The song was inspired by a series of failed relationships I myself experienced. I thought to myself, ‘Talaga yatang walangforever,’” shared Ferdie who has been professionally writing for the past 25 years.

The track is the lead cut to the six-song digital EP which he himself record-produced and released by Star Music. It is currently enjoying airplay in at least five FM stations namely, MOR, Wish FM, IFM, Win Radio, and Pinas FM. What sets it apart from most radiofriendly Tagalog ballads is the glaring use of techie words or phrases vital to the expression, like “game over”, “i-reset,” or “i-reformat.” One key line states, “Talagang di na mare- Espinosa, Shirley Fuentes, andAra retrieve/Dahil na corrupt na ang files ng Mina. He also wrote a number called pagmamahal.”

“Why” that was initially set to be recorded For this FILSCAP member who made by Side A as follow-up to “Tell Me” and it to the finals of the TV-aired ASOP (A “Forevermore.” He signed it up for Chad Song Of Praise) songwriting competition Borja a day before he was informed Side two years ago, it’s him trying to go into the A was interested in recording it. psyche of the millennials. He explained, Recalling his triumph in ASOP Year “I combined the old OPM touch and the 5, he said, “Nabingi ako when I heard millennial tongue twist. As songwriter that I won in the weekly round. Parang you have to adapt to the call of times.” napunta satrophy yung heart and soul ko Industry people who know Ferdie nung hawak ko na siya.” will agree that the man is not the jokerFerdie is a close friend of Erard who type. So he really put in those words called him up one time for a coffee chat. to millennialize his lyrics so to speak. It led to the EP most of which he wrote.

Besides it does not have the hilarious The other five songs are “Mahal Kita”, after-effect of that famous Bitoy line, “Hindi Ka Na Niya Mahal,” “Patawarin “tinaktakan ng ajinomoto/pinakainsa Mo,” “My Love Is Here,” and “Nag-iisa.”

Paolo Ballesteros, Marcus Marcus Cabais, and Solenn Heussaff star in Regal Entertainment's 'My 2 Mommies,' a comedy film about a non-traditional family structure.

W

HEN eight-yearold Marcus Cabais was asked by the members of the movie press on his thought on the unconventional premise of the film My 2 Mommies, the eloquent youngster immediately answered, “It’s inappropriate, I mean it’s different but it’s good.”

Marcus plays the seven-year-old son of Solenn Heussaff and Paolo Ballesteros in the movie.

Obviously, the kid was raised in a conventional household but is exposed to the idea of a non-traditional family where a child is raised by homosexual parents. Though this kind of family structure isn’t new to begin with, local mainstream media hasn’t given it a bigger exposure.

But why give it an ample airtime?

Numerous studies suggest that what matters for children is not so much the structure of the family and the gender or sexual orientation of their parents doesn’t affect the kind of persons they will become in the future.

This is exactly the premise that the Regal Entertainment, Inc.’s Mother’s Day offering My 2 Mommies wants to explore.

The story revolves around Manu (Paolo), a discreet gay guy, with a successful career but is not out to his family yet. Furthermore, he is in a same-sex relationship that he also 'My 2 Mommies' director Eric Quizon

keeps under the radar.

But his life takes a pivotal turn when Monique (Solenn), a woman from Manu’s his past, shows up one day and admits to him that they have a son. And that’s how things get more complicated.

“The film is very timely. We wanted to showcase a different kind of mother. Kasi ang alam natin ‘pag Mother’s Day, the usual na nasa card na puro mama.Tama naman ang nasa movie, hindi lang naman babae ang nanay, di ba?”

Paolo said.

The actor pointed out that motherhood is not bound by biological attachment, and cited some women who assumed the “mother roles” to children even if they are not the ones who gave birth to them.

“Merong ibang klaseng nanay, yung iba nawala yung nanay at ang naging nanay, yung kapatid, so it’s a different kind of mother,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Solenn underscored

Paolo and Solenn are ex-lovers in the movie.

that people are adapting to change and the subject that the movie tackles makes it timely and relatable .

“In a way, people are accepting things more.

Pati yung LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community is strong na also.

Madaming bansa na ang nag-agree ng gay marriage, the world is opening up little by little, so relatable talaga ang movie.”

Solenn further mentioned that the society nowadays is more accepting to unconventional situations of people, such as single moms, separated couples, and gay couples.

“Nowadays in the last five years, very open na ang mga tao, so it’s really modern.”

Eric Quizon, who directed the film, said that the subject of the movie has been existing for a long time but it is only now that people are warming up to the idea.

“There are a lot of parents na ganyan. It’s just that because of how Filipinos view it. Syempre, religion pa rin (may malakas na influence). But ang maganda kasi now, people have become more socially accepting, yung social awareness mas okay na,” he pointed out.

“They dont mind, they’ve been open about their sexuality as compared to before. Mas open na sila ngayon. Parents who come from LGBT groupsmas relaxed na sila of handling situations like this, and kahit sa mga bata, mas open na ang understanding nila,” Eric noted.

Joining Paolo, Solenn and Marcus in this Mother’s Day offering are Maricel Soriano, Joem Bascon, Diane Medina, Debraliz,Mich Liggayu, and Billy Ray Gallion. The film will hit the theaters on May 9.

Paolo and Joem Bascon are a couple