Manila Standard - 2019 February 2 - Saturday

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VOL. XXXII • NO. 352 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

BLASTS CONDEMNED. Members of the Police District Command Special Weapons and Tactics Unit (left) secure the vicinity of Quiapo Catholic Church and the Golden Mosque in Quiapo (right), where young Muslim boys gathered and called for a peaceful resolution of the bombing in Jolo and Zamboanga, Friday following the twin blasts at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu and in Zamboanga that killed at least 21 people and wounded dozens more. Norman Cruz

Indonesians tagged in blasts Año, Lorenzana confirm Jolo carnage handiwork of suicide bombers

Police see Reds to retaliate death of peace adviser

Police released these computerized composite portaits of NDF consultant Randy Malayao’s alleged assassins on

By Francisco Tuyay and Brenda Jocson POLICE are anticipating a possible retaliation by communist rebels for the death of National Democratic Front consultant Randy Malayao, who was shot dead in a parked bus Wednesday.

Chief Inspector Rex Pascua, Chief of Police of Jones town in Isabela province, said Friday they expect rebels from the Benito Tesorio Command or NPA South Front to attack government forces and outposts to avenge Malayao, whose remains were taken back to his hometown in San Pablo, Isabela on Thursday.

Pascua said police would put up check points along the interior roads of Isabela’s towns and ask for identification from passersby in a bid to thwart the Tesorio rebels, who claimed responsibility for an ambush that killed two Army

‘Bombings no effect on plebiscite’

By Nat Mariano THE two successive bombings in Sulu and Zamboanga City will not affect the voter turnout in the next plebiscite on Wednesday, Malacañang said Friday.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the remarks after the Commission on Elections surmised that the recent fatal bombings in Mindanao might affect the voting

public in the second Bangsamoro plebiscite.

Asked if the Palace was confident the terrorist attacks would not affect the voters, Panelo said: “Yes, definitely [not]. We are confident, yes.”

“Filipinos cannot be cowed by terroristic acts,” he told the Palace press briefing.

“For a while, they would be frightened a little, but when they see

By Francisco Tuyay

A

UTHORITIES said Friday Indonesian suicide bombers were behind the deadly Jolo church attack that killed 22 people and wounded 123 others on Jan. 27.

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Survey: More Pinoys view lives improved

By Nat Mariano and Macon Ramos-Araneta ALMOST half of the Filipinos surveyed by Social Weather Stations were optimistic that their quality of life and their outlook on the country’s economy will improve after suffering a recordlow in

the previous quarter.

The survey, conducted on Dec. 16 to 19 last year, used face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults nationwide, and had sampling error margins of ±2.6 percent for national percentages, and ±5 percent each for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao.

SWS said the proportion of those polled who expect that their quality of life will be better in the next 12 months was 45 percent, labeling them as “optimists,” while the proportion Next page

PIGGY WELCOME. Children in Binondo, Manila’s Lucky Chinatown welcome the Year of the Earth Pig with Golden Piggy Banks to start good money habits and attract more luck and prosperity in 2019, in keeping with the belief in the Chinese Zodiac Pig which represents abundance, diligence and generosity.

Lino Santos

SOLIDARITY WALK. National Capital Region Police Office Director Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar (center), with Christians, Muslims and officials of other religious groups display unity during a news conference in Quezon City Friday for Sunday’s Solidarity Walk dubbed ‘Lakas Tungo sa Kapayapaan, Iwaksi ang Karahasan’ to condemn the Jolo twin bombing. Manny Palmero Acting Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has said the conclusion was based on eyewitness accounts gathered by police who investigated the bomb attack on the Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu.

Año described the bombers as an Indonesian couple.

“The ones really responsible were Indonesian suicide bombers. But it was the Abu Sayyaf that guided them, studied the target, did reconnaissance, surveillance,

and brought the couple to the church,” Año said in Filipino.

Sulu Provincial Police director Sr. Supt.

Pablo Labra said several eyewitness pointed to a man and a woman they believe were behind the twin bomb attack that the Islamic State terrorist group has claimed.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana concurred with Año, saying while all the bags and belongings of churchgoers were checked, soldiers might Next page

Roque withdraws Senate bid

By Nat Mariano and Vito Barcelo

Next page

ROQUE

FORMER Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque announced Friday he was withdrawing from the senatorial race for health reasons, calling it “one of the saddest de-

cisions” he has had to make.

Roque said he had undergone a “percutaneous coronary intervention,” a non-surgical procedure used to treat narrowing of the coronary arteries of the heart found in coronary artery disease.

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Solon twits Ping on P190-b budget insertion

By Maricel V Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

COOP NATCCO Rep. Anthony Bravo made the statement Friday in light of allegations made by Lacson that each A PARTY-LIST lawmaker has chal- member of the House of Representatives lenged Senator Panfilo Lacson to explain has P160 million in supposed pork barrel the P190-billion insertion of the Senate in funds in the proposed budget. Next page the proposed 2019 national budget.

Facebook marks 15 years with missteps, big strides

Miss Vietnam honors coach, samples ‘tuyo’

Hip-hop turns 40: Unforgettable era

SAN FRANCISCO—Fifteen years after its founding, Facebook has made strides toward Mark Zuckerberg’s goal of connecting the world. But it has also made some huge missteps that have turned some of its cheerleaders into vocal detractors. Next page

VIETNAMESE beauty queen H’Hen Nie, who placed in the top five in the recent Miss Universe pageant won by the Philippines’ Catriona Gray, arrived in Manila on Friday and proceeded to Next page

FORTY years ago, hip-hop was little known outside its birthplace, New York until the Sugarhill Gang decided to record their rhymes, launching the genre’s rise as Next page

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News

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019

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PAO stands by claim Duque bribed vaccine complainants

By Rey E. Requejo THE Public Attorney’s Office on Friday stood by its claim that Health Secretary Francisco Duque III had been bribing the families of children inoculated with the Dengvaxia anti-dengue vaccine and died in exchange for withdrawing their complaints.

The office even vowed to substantiate its allegations after Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said it should corroborate its claim, and then it submitted to Malacañang the documents that it said proved its accusations against Duque.

“It was the parents who experienced personally the act of DOH affiliates of Secretary Francisco T. Duque III who are offering the amount of P50,000.00 to ensure that the case will just be dropped,” says the PAO’s letter to Panelo dated Jan. 30.

“To substantiate the matters, we are respectfully transmitting to your end, for your information and guidance, the following attached documents.”

Duque on Thursday expressed dismay over PAO Chief Persida Acosta’s attacks on his department over the Dengvaxia controversy.

In a statement, Duque cited Acosta’s recent interview where she accused the department of paying off the families of alleged Dengvaxia victims P50,000 each to drop charges.

“This is malicious, baseless and a complete lie,” Duque said.

6 years in jail for parents of bad kids?

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

T

HE parents of a child who has committed a serious crime will be jailed for six years, up from six months now, a Senate report has recommended.

The Senate Justice committee has also recommended the lowering of the minimum age of criminal liability or MACR to 12 years old from 15.

Committee chairman Richard Gordon is set to present his report to the the Senate plenary on Monday. At least 11 senators have already signed the report, with some of them expressing readiness to interpellate or introduce amendments.

The report seeks to amend Republic Act 9344, or the “Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006,” which sets the MACR to 15

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ISLA LPG and Petron Corp. on Friday announced an increase in the price of liquefied petroleum gas or cooking gas to reflect the increase in the contract price of LPG for February.

Petron raised the price of its Gasul brand of LPG by P3.38 per kilo, while Isla LPG, which markets the Solane brand, increased its price by P3.41 per kilo effective Feb. 1.

Petron’s mark-up is equivalent to 42.68 per 11-kilo tank, while Isla LPG will rise

by P37.18 per 11-kilo tank.

Indonesians...

a dominant cultural and commercial force.

The result was the group’s 1979 smash “Rapper’s Delight”―which is credited as the commercial start of an unforgettable era in music.

Once an underground style centered on live performance in New York’s Bronx borough, rap and hip-hop are the most influential styles in contemporary music today.

To mark hip-hop’s big anniversary, a pop-up museum has been established in the US capital through mid-February.

“I never thought it would reach those proportions,” said Grandmaster Caz, an icon of early hip hop who wrote parts of “Rapper’s Delight.”

“Back in the day, we were discouraged from doing hip-hop―nobody respected it.”

But the track found runaway success, becoming a global sensation and selling millions of copies.

In 2011, “Rapper’s Delight” was even added to the prestigious National Registry at the Library of Congress―a nod to its role in ushering in a brand new genre. AFP

have missed the explosives strapped onto the bodies of the bombers.

He added that the body parts found at the scene could have beloned to two persons— one inside the church and the other outside.

An Armed Forces spokesman did not rule out the possibility of a suicide bomb attack, but said investigators were also looking at the explosives were triggered remotely.

Lorenzana said the Abu Sayyaf was still the main suspect given its ties to ISIS. The Defense chief earlier said the intelligence community is monitoring the presence of 40 foreign terrorists scattered across Central Mindanao, Basilan, and even in Jolo, Sulu.

“Whether there are foreign terrorists, either Indonesians or Malaysians, you cannot easily identify them because they look like us, unless they speak,” he said.

He said security was tight in the wake of the Jolo bomb attack.

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Police...

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Miss Vietnam...

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sample local delicacies―including the beloved “tuyo” or dried fish.

Miss Vietnam posted pictures to her Instagram account of her arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, where her Filipino coach Anjo Santos welcomed her with a bouquet of flowers.

“Mabuhay Philippines! Here we come.

I’m so happy to see my coach again, Anjo Santos,” the 26-year-old H’Hen said on Instagram, as reported by CNN Philippines.

“Thank you so much for your warm welcome, Philippines,” added the Vietnamese beauty, sharing photos of Filipino fans taking photos with her.

Although the reason for her visit wasn’t revealed, H’Hen has earned local fans’ admiration for breaking typical beauty standards by wearing pants, embracing her golden tan skin, and rocking her pixie cut hair during the Miss Universe coronation.

She later gushed about eating her “tuyo” at a restaurant overlooking SM Mall of Asia’s ferris wheel in Pasay City, as shown in her Instagram post.

Facebook...

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The online social network founded on Feb. 4, 2004 in Zuckerberg’s Harvard University dorm heads into adolescence with the grown-up burdens of being held accountable for its behavior and playing in a world where people may not always have the purest intentions.

Facebook has seen unprecedented success by amassing more than 2.3-billion people worldwide who actively use the platform to share updates, obtain information and connect with new people.

But it has also been battered by criticism that it was more focused on growth than protecting users or thwarting deception, bullying and harassment.

“This is a very powerful company that has created an addictive product that many people are dependent on,” said author and analyst Josh Bernoff.

“Because of that, there is tremendous responsibility.” AFP

shops. There should be alternative learning programs geared toward values formation, cultural awareness, reading and skills development.

Children who do not pose a risk to the community may be allowed to attend schools outside Bahay Pag-asa, the proposal says.

They could be released to their parents, foster parents or guardians, but only upon a court order and after a comprehensive study conducted by the local social welfare officer.

The report also says children below the age of criminal responsibility, in consultation with a local DSWD officer, should be released to the custody of his/her parents, guardians or nearest relatives.

“No child under seven years of age shall be separated from the mother unless the latter is unfit,” the report says.

Isla, Petron hike LPG prices by over P3/kilo, P42 per tank Feeling sick, Du30 skips Palo peace summit

Hip-hop...

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years old.

The report proposes that “a child below 12 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense shall be exempt from liability.

However, the child shall be subjected to an intervention program pursuant to this Act. “A child 12 years of age and above but below 18 years of age shall likewise be exempt from liability and be subjected to an intervention program, unless the child has acted with discernment, in which case such child shall be subjected to the appropriate proceedings in accordance with this Act.”

Those who have committed a serious crime will be sent to Juvenile Reformatory Centers or Bahay Pag-asa, the report says.

The serious crimes include parricide, murder, infanticide, kidnapping, serious illegal detention where the victim is killed or raped, robbery with homicide or rape, destructive arson, rape or carjacking, where the driver or occupant is killed or raped, or offenses under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, which is punishable by more than 12 years in prison.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development will be responsible for building, funding and operating Bahay Pag-asa, and the allocations to it will be included in the budget of the department in the annual General Appropriations Act. Every Bahay Pag-asa under the proposal should have amenities such as gyms, libraries and vocational-technical training

soldiers in Gamu town two years ago.

“We will remain alert and keep our men on the ground. In fact, we had intensified our guard and alerted our assets,” the police chief said, noting that Jones town has already been declared an election hot spot by the Commission on Elections.

This developed as Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde has relieved two police officials in Nueva Vizcaya for procedural lapses in investigating the murder of the NDF consultant.

Reports said Chief Insp. Geovanni Cejes, chief of the Aritao municipal police station, had passed on Malayao’s laptop and cell phone to the victim’s relatives without having them examined first by forensic investigators.

Also sacked was Sr. Supt. Jeremias Aglugub, provincial police director for Nueva Viscaya.

The NDF consultant was seated alone inside the Victory Liner bus during a stopover at the Aritao bus terminal at 2:30 a.m. when two assailants on a motorcycle disembarked and entered the bus and shot the sleeping victim in the head at close range.

Malayao died on the spot and suspects fled south on their Yamaha Mio motorcycle.

PNP spokesman Sr. Bernard Banac said Albayalde has already directed Chief Supt.

Jose Mario Espino, director of Region II to designate replacements for the sacked officials.

The provincial police office released composite sketches of the two suspects in

Roque...

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“I was forced to withdraw [my candidacy] because I was confined last Monday,” Roque told Palace reporters.

“Even though the doctor informed me that campaigning will not cause my death, the activities are not appropriate for the lifestyle that I need in order to fully recover. It was one of the saddest decisions that I have made,” he said.

“In the days since the procedure, my family and I have been forced to confront the reality of my physical situation and what it ultimately means for my aspirations to public service,” he said in an earlier statement.

Oil firms adjust LPG prices monthly, compared to the weekly adjusted prices of gasoline, diesel and kerosene.

On Tuesday, the oil firms raised the prices of diesel by P0.55 per liter, gasoline by P0.20 per liter, and kerosene by P0.40 per liter to reflect the movement of world oil prices.

This is the fourth consecutive weekly oil price increase, triggered by the Venezuela supply unrest, which could curb local supply.

Year-to-date adjustments as monitored by the Department of Energy stand at a

“When the blast occurred in Sulu, we locked down the whole town. It means everybody coming in will be inspected and those going out are also inspected. We are also monitoring the movement of the people there. They have curfew there. I think 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. (and) it was being imposed by the military even before the blasts occurred,” he said.

The death toll from the Jan. 27 attack rose to 22 after a victim being treated at the Zamboanga City Medical Center died Thursday, when her life support was removed with her family’s consent, GMA News reported. The latest fatality was identified as Thelma Villanueva from Basilan.

Senatorial candidate Samira Gutoc on Friday said the government needs to protect the people, not just from physical harm but from the danger of losing their hopes for peace.

“Please give our brothers and sisters humane and prompt assistance. They are already scarred because of the unending infighting in the region,” said Gutoc.

With Macon Ramos-Araneta, PNA Malayao’s killing.

Based on the description of witnesses, the gunman, who was wearing a hoodie and a face mask, was 5’4” to 5’6” tall, of medium build, had fair complexion, and was between 25 and 30 years old.

The other suspect, who drove the motorcycle, was wearing a yellow shirt and brown shorts, of slight build and fair complexion, and was 5’3” to 5’6” tall. He was said to be between 20 to 25 years old.

Malayao was on his way back to his hometown in San Pablo, Isabela from Manila when the attack took place.

He had attended peace negotiations in Europe as a consultant from Cagayan Valley before peace talks were cancelled. He also acted as one of the spokespersons of the National Democratic Front negotiating panel in Europe.

He represented the NDF in peace forums abroad and in the country.

A former political prisoner, Malayao spent more than four years in jails in Cagayan and Isabela provinces and was freed after he had been acquitted of the charges against him.

In an interview with the ABS-CBN broadcast network, Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison said Malayao’s murder as “a horrible act of state terrorism.”

He also denounced allegations that Malayao was killed by the communist New People’s Army.

“It is a brazen intrigue of the vilest kind…with a malicious purpose to cover up the criminal responsibility of the murdering agents of the Duterte regime,” he told ABS-CBN. Roque expressed gratitude to his supporters and said he still hoped to be a senator someday to serve the country.

“I ran for senator because I wanted to be of service in a way that I know I will be highly effective. Whatever they may think of my politics, those who have seen my work in both the public and private sector can attest to what I would have brought to the Senate. Unfortunately, for the moment, it seems that God has other plans,” he said.

“I continue to support our President and this administration and wish only the best for our country,” he said.

Roque was supposed to complete the 14-candidate slate of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago party in the May polls.

net increase of P1.20 per liter for gasoline, P1.05 per liter for kerosene, and P2.10 per liter for diesel.

Last week, Unioil Philippines forecast that diesel prices will likely go up by P0.50 to P0.60 per liter and gasoline by P0.20 per liter.

Last Jan. 15, the oil firms raised pump prices by P2.30 per liter for diesel, P1.40 per liter for gasoline, and P2 per liter for kerosene.

On Jan. 8, oil companies also raised prices by P0.80 per liter of gasoline, P0.70 per liter of diesel and P0.40 per liter of kerosene.

Survey:...

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of the so-called “pessimists,” who expect their own lives to get worse, was at 5 percent.

“It has a Net Personal Optimists score of +50, classified as excellent,” SWS said.

“This is 13 points up from the +27 (high) in Sept. 2018, and similar to the +40 to +46 (excellent) levels of June 2017 to June 2018.”

In other developments: • Malacañang on Friday welcomed the results of the latest SWS survey.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the results of the survey were not surprising given the Filipinos’ continued trust and support for the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“These results also validate previous research studies showing a decline in hunger, a decrease among Filipino families who consider themselves as ‘mahirap’ [poor] and an overwhelming number of Filipinos entering 2019 with hope,” Panelo said.

• Senate Trade and Commerce Committee Chairman Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said the Philippines’ ranking highest among Southeast Asian nations in terms of economic outlook in 2019 was a sign that the Duterte Administration “is on the right track.”

He said this was also an indication that the economic managers should continue the programs and reforms that had buoyed the spirits of Filipino businessmen.

“When it comes to the economy I believe it makes sense to listen to those in the private sector who are serious about growing successful businesses in the country.

If they expect greater revenues this year, it means the government is doing something right,” Pimentel said.

The 13-point increase in Net Personal Optimists nationwide was due to increases in all areas, especially in Metro Manila and Mindanao, SWS said.

Net Personal Optimists rose in Metro Manila from +19 (fair) in Sept. 2018 to +44 (excellent) last Dec. 2018.

It also rose in Mindanao from +30 (very high) to +44 (excellent), increased in the Visayas from +25 (high) to +34 (very high), and rose in Balance Luzon from +34 (high) to +40 (excellent). With PNA

‘Bombings...

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[the government forces], they will continue with their lives. That’s just what we are, we always manage to stand up in times of distress.”

The Palace official then downplayed the Comelec’s worries as mere “speculations.”

In a related development: • Philippine National Police Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said Friday he would visit Lanao del Norte to personally check on security measures for the second Bangsamoro Organic Law plebiscite on February 6.

“I will personally go there and supervise security measures there. For now, we do not see any problem as the first plebiscite in other areas is done and we will be focusing our forces there and we will put in more troops to ensure a peaceful plebiscite,” Albayalde said in a radio interview.

Senior Supt. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, said 3,209 police officers would be deployed to six municipalities in Lanao del Norte and 39 barangays in North Cotabato. With PNA

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte canceled his visit to Palo, Leyte, for this year’s “Barangay Summit on Peace and Order” on Feb. 1, citing health reasons.

His trusted aide Christopher Go told reporters the President was “not feeling well,” but did not elaborate.

Duterte was scheduled to address about 3,000 village officials across Eastern Visayas at the Leyte Academic Center in Palo at 4 p.m.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte’s absence in Leyte was not something to be worried about.

“Hindi naman superman ang pangulo at tulad ng iba, nakakaranas rin ito ng paminsan-minsang ‘di magandang pakiramdam, kaya hindi na dapat pang pagmulan ito ng pag-aalala,” Panelo said in Manila.

“Sa katunayan, dapat pang papurihan ang Pangulo, dahil alam nito kung kailan dapat magkansela ng event at ipahinga ang kaniyang katawan.” Ronald O. Reyes

Solon...

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Bravo, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said all entries submitted by the House in the proposed 2019 budget are itemized.

However, the Senate’s version, Bravo pointed out, contain insertions amounting to P190 billion, which may be considered a lump sum because the Senate has yet to submit the itemized list where the money would be going.

This developed as Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr., chairman of the House appropriations committee, said more than P50 billion in unused public funds were transferred to “two little known” government offices, where they have remained unused for one to five years.

Citing a Commission on Audit report, Andaya said P4.6 billion in unused funds came from the budget of the Philippine National Police, while P2.4 billion was transferred from the Department of Education.

These and at least P17 billion more were transferred by other departments to the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service, where they remain idle and unaudited as of December 2018, Andaya said.Another P31.6 billion has been lying idle for years in the Philippine International Trading Corp., an attached office of Department of Trade and Industry, also from the transfer of funds from other departments and agencies, Andaya added.

“While the police and the Education department were deprived of certain things they need, it turned out that P50 billion were lying idle at the DBM-PS [and the PITC],” Andaya said.

Meanwhile, Bravo said: “From the very start, the House conferees have been badgering the senators to submit to the bicam [bicameral conference committee] and to the public their list of amendments to the 2019 budget, so that the public may know that we are not hiding any ‘pork’ in the bicam.

“Despite our insistence, the senators refused to submit the list of their individual amendments to the budget,” the party-list solon added.

Andaya said Joey Bernardino, the COA team leader tasked to audit the DBM-PS, said in a panel hearing that the biggest contributors to the idle inter-agency fund transfers of DBM-PS were the national government agencies (P16.6 billion), followed by governmentowned-and-controlled corporations (P426.5 million), and local government units (P49.8 million). With PNA

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019

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JV seeks to revive modern transport railway system

IN BRIEF LTFRB suspends 10 Jumbo Trans units THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on Friday ordered a preventive suspension against 10 bus units of Jumbo Transport Inc. Chairman Martin Delgra said the agency will summon the bus operator to determine the cause of the road mishap involving one of the bus firm’s units on the Subic-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) that killed five passengers and injured over 40 others.

The order takes effect after 30 days upon receipt of notice.

Saying the bus firm’s franchise was legitimate and its insurance coverage was active, the kin of those killed in the vehicular accident would receive P400,000, while the bus company’s insurance company would foot the bill the medical expenses of the injured persons.

Five people were killed and scores were wounded when the Jumbo tourist bus rammed into an 18-wheel truck along the SCTEx in Santiago last Jan. 31 at 5:20 a.m. Rio N. Araja

LLDA issues notices vs.

Bay polluters THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources through the Laguna Lake Development Authority has issued a notice of violation against the Government Service Insurance System in Pasay City’s Roxas Boulevard as one of the major polluters of Manila Bay. The LLDA also issued ex-parte orders and notices of violation against Sogo Hotel, Makchang Korean Restaurant and 2Blue Realty Corp. in Manila’s Malate area; Peak Motors Phils. Inc. and Cebuana Lhuillier Building in Pasay City’s Roxas Boulevard; Robinsons Land Corp. in Manila’s Ermita, and Rizal Park Hotel in Manila’s T.M. Kalaw for water pollution. Rio N. Araja

Nine PH airports get OTP star ratings NINE airports in the Philippines earned On-Time Performance star ratings in the latest reports released by the Official Aviation Guide, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines announced on Friday.

The OTP star ratings were given to Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Clark International Airport in Pampanga, Mactan - Cebu International Airport, and provincial airports in Iloilo, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro City, Davao, Tacloban (Leyte) and Puerto Princesa in Palawan.

CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said the OAG, an air travel intelligence company based in United Kingdom, provides digital information and applications to the world’s airlines, airports, government agencies and travel-related service companies. Joel E. Zurbano

Police to probe death of Chi-Am at NAIA AUTHORITIES are investigating the case of a Chinese-American tourist who died after he reportedly jumped off the fourth floor of the departure terminal at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Thursday night.

Reports showed that Shau Chang Yee, 69, jumped to death from the 4th floor to the 3rd floor near Escalator 14 in the departure area of NAIA Terminal 3 around 8:15 pm.

Airport medical team gave the foreigner first aid treatment before bringing him to the Makati Medical Center.

Attending doctors, however, declared the foreigner, dead on arrival due to broken skull. Joel E. Zurbano

MMDA trains sight on metro jaywalkers INDIVIDUALS caught jaywalking across busy streets in Metro Manila would soon find themselves on the alarm list of the National Bureau of Investigation.

Metro Manila Development Authority general manager Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. said names of violators (of Anti-Jaywalking Ordinance) with unsettled citation tickets or who failed to pay penalties nor render corresponding community service will be forwarded to the NBI for inclusion on its alarm list.

“If we apprehend a jaywalker and he disregards the ticket, we can file charges for violating a local ordinance and forward his name to NBI,” said Garcia. Joel E. Zurbano

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By Macon Ramos-Araneta

WARM WELCOME. Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Mike Dino (left) is warmly welcome Leyte Leaders led by Philippine

Constitution Association president and incoming Leyte First District Congressman Ferdinand Martin “FM” Romualdez (2nd from left), Southern Leyte Gov. Damian Mercado (3rd from ight), Biliran Gov. Gerry Espina (right) and Dr. Ionnie Castillones (2nd from right), the Medical Center Chief of Sounthern Leyte during his arrival at Tacloban City airport. Dino will visit the President Rodrigo Duterte’s Malasakit centers in Tacloban City, Southern Leyte and Biliran. Ver Noveno

PNR told to waive claims over Parola property T

By Maricel V. Cruz

HE House of Representatives led by Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has urged the Philippine National Railways to waive its claims over a 1,000-square meter property in Parola, Tondo, Manila in favor of urban poor.

Convening the House Oversight Committee on Housing, Speaker Arroyo moved for the issuance of a committee resolution strongly urging the PNR Board to issue the waiver over its property in favor of the Parola residents.

The House members present unanimously adopted the resolution.

She also summoned PNR chairman Roberto Lastimoso to take part in the scheduled proceeding of the Committee to explain his agency’s position on the matter.

Arroyo has called for the oversight hearing of the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development, chaired by Rep. Alfredo Benitez of Ne-

gros Occidental, to see why 15 years after she issued Proclamation 581 which reserved a parcel of land in favor of residents in Parola, titles have yet to be awarded to qualified residents through the National Housing Authority.

During the meeting, lawmakers discovered that the delay was mainly caused by the contention on some parts of Parola that are overlapping with the properties of the PNR and the Government Service Insurance System.

NHA district manager Luz Evangelista told the Committee that they were only waiting for the PNR to legitimately waive the land.

PNR lawyer Anne Rachel Miguel explained that the agency still has ongoing discussions with the Philippine Ports Authority on the issue in Parola.

This piqued Arroyo, noting that the discussions have been going on for a long time with no result. “I have heard that response before, but when is the plan coming up? That discussion has been going on for months, because every time somebody requests for something, it’s always been said that it’s being discussed,’” said Arroyo.

Rep. Manuel Luis Lopez of Manila noted that the PNR had cited the revival of the PNR system in that area, a short track in the railway, which will lead to the Manila International Container Terminal, for their continuous claim to the property despite the Proclamation.

However, he explained that the plan was not viable and practical since the shorter route was through Moriones and not through Parola.

Argosino, Robles’ pleas denied THE Sandiganbayan Sixth Division has struck down the plea of former Immigration deputy commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles for three Sandiganbayan justices to inhibit over their alleged bias in hearing their P50million bribery case.

In a resolution dated Jan. 28, the anti-graft court said the motion of Argosino and Robles was “sorely lacking” of proof of the three justices’ bias and partiality over the case.

“They did not even cite any specific Resolution, or any particular instance which would indicate that this Court’s rulings were grounded on something other than what was learned during the course of the proceedings,” the Sandiganbayan said.

Robles sought for the recusal of division chairperson Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez, whom he said was a classmate of lawyer Laurence Arroyo, counsel of his co-accused, retired cop Wally Sombero.

Robles said Fernandez and the Sixth Division would be accused of partiality should they decide not to inhibit from the case.

Argosino shared a similar appeal and even sought the inhibition of Associate Justices Karl Miranda and Zaldy Trespeses.

But the Sandiganbayan’s resolution penned by Fernandez said: “She does not recall any substantial interaction between them, if there was any interaction at all, after they took the bar examinations and became lawyers, or even when they were students.” Maricel V. Cruz

INDIAN COAST GUARD. Coast Guard personnel welcome the arrival of Indian Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel Shaunak, a 105-meter ship that can carry one twin engine helicopter and five high-speed boats at Pier 15, Port Area, Manila on Friday, Feb. 1. The vessel arrived for a four-day goodwill visit and to conduct a Passage Exercise. Norman Cruz

SENATOR JV Ejercito underscored the relevance of a modern railway system to the economic growth of the country, saying that “only an efficient, reliable, cost-effective, environment-friendly and modern railway system which moves people and goods faster can be the catalyst for economic growth.”

Because of this, he committed to revive the existing Philippine National Railways lines both in the northern and southern parts of the country.

The reelectionist senator has been very vocal about his vision of having a modern, efficient railway system for the country even when he was the Representative of San Juan City in the 15th Congress.

“I’m the only one (who is pushing for the railway system’s revival), since, I was still a member of the House of Representatives representing San Juan, Manila,” he said.

“And we realize the potential of our railway system as an alternative transport system, particularly in the remote provinces, in Southern Luzon,” he added.

Ejercito said the railway system could serve as the backbone of the country’s economy. He said it will create growth nodes and spread out development across the archipelago.

He noted that the country is lagging for at least 15 to 20 years behind in terms of infrastructure development which includes the mass transport system.

While the construction of an efficient network of railway system will definitely cost the government a lot of money and investment, he however said the returns to the economy will be enormous.

Return 4 more properties, Greggy asks court

By Maricel V. Cruz THE son-in-law of the late President Ferdinand Marcos has asked the Sandiganbayan to release his shares in four corporations that were sequestered by the Corazon Aquino administration.

Businessman Gregorio “Greggy”Araneta III said the shares that were listed under his name remained sequestered although the cases against him in connection with the Marcos illegal wealth were dismissed 14 years ago.

Araneta asked the anti-graft court’s Fourth Division for the release his shares at Northern Express Transport Inc., Golden Needle Inc., High Five Philippines Inc. and Philippine SemiConductor Devices Inc. Araneta filed his latest motion after the Sandiganbayan released two of his properties—Imexco Enterprises Inc. and Asialand Development Corp.—from the supervision of the Presidential Commission on Good Government.

According to the anti-graft court, the PCGG does not have any reason to maintain or control the said assets after it granted the demurrer to evidence of Araneta in 2005, which the Supreme Court affirmed in 2012.

With the release of the two properties Araneta, husband of Marcos’s youngest child, Irene, said the Sandiganbayan should release the rest of the properties under his name because he is no longer a defendant in Civil Case 0002.

“It would be illogical to maintain these assets as part of this pending case because there would be no party defendant left to which these assets were attributed since the case against Araneta had already been dismissed,” Araneta said.

BOC seizes P800m worth used vehicles, fake goods

By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Customs seized second hand cars, trucks and fake goods worth more than P800 million at the Manila International Container Port and in Binondo and Parañaque.

Seized were one unit of used Bentley car and one unit of used Hino truck with crane after the shipment undergo to a physical examination at the Manila International Container Port.

MICP District Collector Erastus

Sandino Austria said the consignee declared their shipment as used forklift, used diesel engine and other household goods.

Meanwhile, the BOC raided a building in Binondo and a warehouse in Paranaque and found fake goods, customs commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said.

Inside the building in Binondo and a warehouse in Parañaque, Customs agents found several fake goods bearing the brand names of Nike, Adidas,

Under Armour, Polo Ralph Lauren, Supreme, Roxy, Marvel, Hello Kitty, Billabong, among others.

“Based on the initial inspection conducted by customs agents, the three warehouse units contain roughly 2,500 sacks of wearing apparel with an estimated value of P700 million,” Guerrero said.

Under the Republic Act No. 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, fake goods are classified as prohibited.

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Opinion

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Conquering evil with good LAST Tuesday, I spoke at the First Grand Reunion of the University of Santo Tomas Seminary. This column is an abridged version of my talk entitled “The Virtues of the Cross in the time of Duterte.”

I started by observing that there are many reasons for us to despair about the country.

Should we all just quit on this country and leave?

First, we continue to have a dete deteriorating human rights situation. The ill-conceived war against drugs that targets and victimizes the poor goes on relentlessly. The numbers range from 5,000 to 25,000 dead in the first two years of the Duterte administration. We could go to up to 50,000100,000 dead by the end of the President’s term.

Second, another reason for despair is the escalation of armed conflict in the country and our failure to finally get peace on a solid footing whether in Mindanao or in other parts of the country. The bombing in Jolo is the latest example. It came right after the successful ratification of the

Bangsamoro Organic Law in the ARMM and in Cotabato City, once again threatening the peace process with the MILF and the MNLF. Before this bombing, Jolo, like Zamboanga City today, seemed to be headed in the right direction. All the progress it has achieved, economic and in religious harmony, is now being threatened.

In the meantime, the peace talks between the government and the NPA seemed to have completely collapsed. We will likely see more attacks against government forces by the NPA the future and in turn we will see government offensives to defeat the communist insurgency, with ci civilians caught in the cross-fire. The Lumad in Mindanao is especially at risk because of their location and their situation. Because outsiders want to control their land and natural resources, especially minerals, Lumad communities already are targets of military and para-military forces sup supported by commercial interests. This is exacerbated by the presence of the NPA in their territory and that presence becomes the excuse of military action even if the motivation is actually selfish economic interests.

Third, corruption under Duterte continues unabated, in spite of all the big announcements about firing this and that person. I will not say it has worsened because the Aquino administration also did not succeed in abating this scourge of our society. But it has remained steady and my sense is that there is less fear now and more impunity. It does not help that this government fosters a culture of noncompliance with rules, starting with

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

W

Coming of age

HEN Mark Zuckerberg first conceived of “The Facebook” at his dorm room at Harvard University, it is likely he never had an inkling of how global and powerful it would become.

Today, Facebook has 2.3 billion users all over the world, its 15th anniversary dotted with milestones both good and bad.

It indeed has connected the world, allowing for easy communication and information-sharing among friends and family wherever they are. These days one can know about the activities of relatives one has not seen in decades. It is so much easier to keep in touch with friends who have migrated to another part of the world and feel like they are still very much around.

But the lifestyle shift has come with tradeoffs.

Its users willingly give up personal information and other intimate details of their lives. Sure, it’s by way of “sharing”—but they are hardly aware

that in doing so, they broadcast their circumstances and preferences to anyone who might have commercial, political, or, worse, criminal designs.

After all, once you put it out there, your life becomes fair game.

Zuckerberg last year appeared before US lawmakers after the revelation that a political “think tank,” Cambridge Analytica, harvested information about Facebook users that it then exploited to influence election outcomes.

At 15, a person is just beginning to be exposed to life choices.

Decision-making processes are not mature. Most 15-year-olds act more out of impulse rather than a consideration of consequences and a weighing of right versus wrong.

Facebook, at 15, has grown leaps and bounds. The phenomenal growth has given it responsibilities it has not been prepared to handle.

And yet it has remained wildly popular, with revenue and profits hitting a record of $55 billion and $22 billion, respectively.

The coming years will show us whether people will continue to be on Facebook, revealing much of themselves voluntarily, and

how much the business model will change to reflect emerging possibilities.

Despite the bad press, at the core of all this is user awareness. There is no law that tells people they should be on social media, and yet they choose to be there. In doing so, they should be aware of the risks and consequences of sharing information online. The present and future crop of users need to be aware at all times that once the information is out there, anything can happen, and if such information is too sensitive, then they should not even be on the Internet in the first place.

They should also be aware that the things that appear on their feed have been determined and curated by intelligence, and the objectives are never altruistic.

It is too late in the day to tell the 2.3 billion about to be wary about the most popular social network— or any other network for that matter.

Facebook has its benefits, and it has already become too much a part of our daily lives.

Still, it is not too late to make people aware that the only real protection they can have online is the one they give themselves.

Turn to A5

Wanted: An alternative political movement

IN JUST three months, the Filipino electorate will again troop to the polls for the midterm elections.

Historically, less voters exercise their right to suffrage during midterms. I have heard people say that it is less important than presidential elections. People tend to think that if the presidency is not at stake, then the elections are less crucial.

I disagree. Let us look at the coming elections in terms of numbers.

Except for the positions of President, Vice President, and twelve (12) Senators, all other elective positions are at stake. ONLY 14 of the tens of thousands of positions will not be affected by midterm elections. Thus, the coming elections cannot be less important because the people we will elect will determine the trajectory of our country.

Will the country continue to take the course this administration is pushing us to? The answer depends not only on the President, the Vice President, and the twelve Senators whose terms are not ending this year, but also on the new set of public officials that people will vote into position.

Actually, theoretically, something akin to a revolution is possible through the midterm elections.

In critical times when encompassing change is needed, like, when graft and corruption is rampant, replacing most of those in position may be achieved through elections.

Or, the midterms may also be used to thwart creeping authoritarianism, or even impending charter change, again, theoretically speaking.

After all, if only 14 elected officials remain even if these include the President and Vice President, their machinations can easily be stopped by the big majority of other newly elected public servants.

Does this sound crazy? I say, no.

Is this doable? I dare say yes. Just months before the first EDSA happened, it was hard to think that the Marcoses would be evicted from Malacañang Palace. But the people decided that they should go, and so EDSA came about. Nothing is impossible when the sovereign Filipino people so decide.

However, affecting change through elections, at a time when the sitting administration virtually

Crazy? No. Doable? Yes.

gov controls all three branches of government, will not be easy. Certain important conditions must be met.

We need a politically enlightened and mature electorate. This means that voters will VOTE. This means that voters will scrutinize candidates and choose according to their capacities, integrity, track record, and platform of government, and not on popularity or “winnability. This also means that people are aware of the problems confronting the country, and are able to discern who among the candidates offer real solutions to these problems.

To effect change, we need a strong, pro-people opposition composed of individuals, groups, political parties Turn to A5

Suicide bomber?

THE recent incidents of bombing in Jolo, Sulu have given rise to speculation that terrorists are now deploying suicide bombers in their objective to sow terror in the country. No less than the President has raised this possibility.

In fact, this development has prompted, Sulu caretaker-Representative and Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles to call on the National Bureau of Investigation and

his office has been receiving information from various sources regarding the attacks, there exists a possibility that DNA tests will those individuals are foreigners and that DNA testing may be able to verify such determine if the reports. severed heads “If the DNA tests will confirm that these severed heads belong to foreign belonged to foreign nationals, then we have to call the atnationals. tention of the Bureau of Immigration to make necessary precautions, as well as the coast guard and navy to implement the Philippine National Police to concon all that is necessary to prevent entry in duct DNA testing on the two recovered the ‘back doors’ of the archipelago,” heads from the blast site of the Jolo twin Nograles says. bombings.

Nograles’ theory appears to be more According to Nograles, who claimTurn to A5 Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

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Opinion Are PTV4 workers neglected, discriminated against?

GOVERNMENT employees are often stereotyped as a “lazy bunch,” clocking in and just doing Facebook throughout the day, then clocking out on the dot.

There is nothing farther from the truth, at least from what I saw, when I was still doing the primetime news, among the workers at the People’s Television Channel 4 (PTV4) with their nose to the grindstone.

Unfortunately, all is not well at PTV4 these days as far as the government network’s hardworking rank and file are concerned.

Over a year passed since President Duterte’s 2017 State of the Nation

Conquering...

From A4

the President’s attacks on the Commission on Audit.

Fourth, speaking about the language of the President, his unceasing attacks on the Church, including on some of our bishops and the clergy, on Catholic beliefs and on God himself, are having a longterm impact on our people. It is fostering a culture of hate. If social media posts are a reliable gauge, it has emboldened many people to attack the Church and even to incite violence against it. The same is happening with the President’s misogynistic remarks against women.

It fosters a culture of sexual harassment and rape.

Fifth, the very bad state of our politics. More than ever, it is clear that our country is dominated by political families nationally and locally. The country is being divided by fiefdoms headed by patriarchs or matriarchs who see politics as a family business to serve its interests. It will get worse in the 2019

Wanted:...

From A4

bound by common principles, if not ideology. The groups in this kind of opposition should be willing to subsume their interests under the broader coalition. This kind of opposition must carry a program of government that truly addresses our problems both tactically and strategically. That is, it must have both short-term, and long-term solutions especially to problems that are systemic in nature.

Ideally, this kind of opposition should be able to field worthy candidates from the local to national levels. It should be able to present to the electorate real alternatives.

These two conditions are not easy to achieve especially during this time when it appears that the Duterte administration still has a strong hold on the masses. Most of our voters are unable to follow significant political issues, and still give more importance to personalities rather than substance.

Too many are easily swayed by propaganda and star factor.

Suicide...

From A4

sound than those claiming that local Muslim groups have now resorted to suicide bombing in furtherance of their goals. This writer for one, doesn’t believe that it is not in the culture of Filipinos, regardless of religion or ethnicity, to resort to such act. In fact, Nograles says that even he could not believe that Tausugs cannot do such thing to a fellow Tausug.

Nonetheless, more than ever, Nograles says there is a need to increase militray funding to counter the threat of

Address when PTV4’s lowly regular employees were promised a salary increase.

I learned that they even organized an indignation rally to be held during the 2017 SONA but called it off when Secretary Martin Andanar, of the Presidential Communications Operations Office promised an upgrade of P6,000 in compensation. The government radio-television network is under the stewardship of PCOO. Well, 2018 SONA has passed last July but no salary increases came.

Manong Digong’s 2019 SONA comes after the May mid-term elections but no pay raise is in sight for our poor PTV4 friends.

Instead, a P6,000 salary increase was awarded to some 70 supervisors and managerial level employees.

More pay for officials who work less.

But, the pay raise that Sec. Andanar had promised is nowhere in sight for

the 90 lowly-paid personnel like camera men, lightmen, gaffes, production assistants, administrative assistants, utility personnel, engineering etc.

The salary rates of these persevering laborers are hardly even at the subsistence level. Less pay for more work for these people who are the backbone of our broadcast operation.

Sec. Andanar knows that work at a TV station is no pasttime by any stretch of imagination. Surely, he must have a very good reason for raising the salaries of the officials of PTV while leaving the lowly employees waiting desperately for an increase who knows when.

It seems like my good old friend, Sec. Martin, have forgotten his humble beginnings. Here’s one piece of advice Mart: “Never leave your feet on the ground, because when you fall, it will really hurt.”

“Sayang ka!”

elections and it will get worse before it gets better.

Sixth, and finally, the biggest reason for despair in this country is still the massive poverty and social inequity amid us. What makes it doubly scandalous is that most of our neighbors have reduced poverty substantially.

The first five reasons for despairing about this country are both an outcome and also caused by what Fr, Jett Villarin SJ, President of Ateneo de Manila University, once described as this monster with many hearts.

With these reasons for despair, should we just quit on this country and all leave? Many of our countrymen, some of the most talented ones, are doing that—voting with their feet, going abroad to work and to migrate because they just cannot see things changing here. I have mentored many young people in the last 40 years, and I have seen this cycle of people leaving and people wanting to come back. We are in the down side of that cycle now.

How do we respond to this national situation?

I do not have to reinvent the

wheel here. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines actually gives us clear guidance on this in its pastoral statement issued last Monday, Jan. 28, entitled “Conquering evil with good.” That letter concludes: “Finally, we reiterate what we said in the previous statement that “the battles that we fight are spiritual.” (Ephesians 6:10-17).

In the midst of spiritual warfare, St. Peter admonishes us to “be sober and alert” especially when the enemy attacks “like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

(1 Peter 5:8) As members of God’s flock, we must learn to be brave, to stick together, and look after one another. Let this moment be a time to pray, to be strong, wise, and committed. Let this be also a teaching moment for us all—a moment for relearning the core beliefs, principles and values of our faith, and what it means to be a Catholic Christian at this time.”

In the next column, I will share my thoughts on how, concretely, we can conquer good with evil.

Massive and continuing voter education, and organizing campaigns are necessary but these will take time.

At present, sadly, we only have a motly, weak, and small opposition that cannot even field a complete slate of 12 senatorial candidates.

Moreover, local machinery is wanting. The opposition is also missing out on presenting a cohesive platform of government which tells us that they are really eight separate candidates rather than a unified opposition.

To be fair to the opposition, their coming together is dictated more by necessity rather than a conscious decision to build and develop a real opposition coalition. Except for the Liberal Party candidates, most of the others do not come from operational political parties. Even the LP is significantly weakened after the former president finished his term.

Do not get me wrong. There are very good candidates in the opposition. Of those who have not been previously elected into office, the

likes of Pilo Hilbay, Chel Diokno, and Samira Gutoc deserve to be in the Senate. But we know that it will be an uphill climb for the eight opposition candidates as evidenced by the most recent surveys.

Despite this, it will be best if our voters go for new blood and bring new faces in the Senate. There should be more capable and principled senators to balance Congress itself, and check the Executive through the Senate’s oversight function.

Whatever the results of the midterm elections might be, there is a need to embark on a big political project. That is, build real ideologically progressive political movements and parties from the ground up. This is not an impossible project.

In fact, this was the formula used by many progressive countries in Europe.

This is the formula used a few parties here and we need more.

terrorism in Mindanao.

According to the solon, while the threats against the Cathedral were present as early as five months ago, the military lacks the necessary fund to secure the area.

“This is why the people of Sulu fully support martial law in Mindanao. I trust that the President and the Armed Forces will maximize the martial law powers to bring the perpetrators to justice,” according to the caretaker-solon. *** When Boracay was closed last year for purposes of rehabilitation, it was expected that the renewed look of the island resort would attract more tourists.

Thus, there was a need to also rehabili-

tate support infrastructure including the airports which service the tourists off to their island getaway. That includes the Kalibo International Airport.

In compliance, the rehabilitation of KIA stared last July and was projected to be completed by March this year.

The intial phase of the project amounting to P17.9 million cornered

by Herbana Builders, Inc. include refurbishment of the existing passenger terminal building; repainting of the international passenger terminal building interiors; landside beautification through landscaping; electrical system and air-conditioning system rewiring; and enhancement of railings and barri-

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019

A5

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Malicious procrastination THE protest filed by Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. for a recount of votes to determine who actually won the vice presidential race has been pending since 2016. As of now, nearly half of the term for which the protestee has to serve as the elected vice president has been consumed.

The Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), chaired by a known henchman of the previous administration, has kept on delaying the case. One could well surmise it is bent in committing a travesty on the people’s mandate. The protestee can only wait in anguish as to when their living god would finally decide to finish the recount and declare who won in that election. The other party’s political capital for her inglorious career was the untimely death of her husband.

Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa is supposed to epitomize the judicial saying that “justice delayed is justice denied.” But as it is, this cabal whose preferential appointment was made possible by the circumstance of being a classmate by that ever–pretending-tobe-pious leader has unreasonably been sitting on the protest-recount. If decided after the term for the contested position has expired, that would spare the hypocritical justice from deciding the electoral protest by virtue of the case, having become moot and academic.

It was this justice who has the habit of talking about morality and honesty in public service, like what he said when he was made the speaker of a commencement exercise at the Ateneo College of Law. He always finds a way to put up a veneer to his premeditated plan to delay the case. In fact, the recalcitrance of this justice to sit on the case for such an unreasonable period of time is now being used by the lawyer of that other candidate as an achievement for which he should be voted to public office.

This lawyer is now trotting around the country telling the voters how he did it to commit an injustice against the majority of the Filipino voters as if to bluntly tell them how he enjoys the privilege of being under the protective winds of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the electoral “bastonero” who determines the winners in our farcical democratic electoral exercise.

This lackluster lawyer is truly a master of dilatory tactic and is now begging before the unwary electorate to vote for him. In fact, if only the people could recall his record as an election lawyer, they would easily remember him as the favorite lawyer of parties facing protest for election cheating or fraud. He has become the favorite counsel for candidates and officials facing electoral protest involving cheating, fraud, or some form of electoral dishonesty or anomaly.

Surely, nobody would believe he is doing it for gratis et amore, voting for him now is like asking him to deliver them right to the doorstep of hell.

It is no longer a question of evidence of the numerous instances of electoral cheating, tampering and even blatant vandalism and destruction of votes under the custody of the Comelec that were exhibited and proven. How is the court supposed to stand as the mechanism that would concretize justice when it is the one blocking the disposition of the case?

As it is, the PET is the one doing everything to amend, bend and even substitute the rules laid down on how the electorate should be guided on how they will vote under the new system of computerized election. Alas, where can the Comelec overrule the Supreme

cades.

Also to be done at the KIA are: Reblocking of apron pavement; runway strip grade correction; and construction of a power house.

However, according to Jerry Yap, publisher/editor of the daily tabloid, Hataw, given the deployment of workers of the contractor, it would be impossible to beat the March deadline for the rehabilitation of KIA. Yap claims there are almost no workers working on the project.

“Aba e paano tatapusin ang konstruksiyon sa isang airport kung tatlong tao lang ang gumagawa gayong P17 milyones ang halaga ng kanilang kontra-

Court to set aside an issue it decided about the oval shading of ballots to at 25 percent for the 2016 elections just to favor an overly ambitious candidate?

Even elementary students know that the issue of shading was not decided by the Supreme Court motu proprio but was raised to that tribunal to decide.

Second, out of respect, the Comelec should have bowed down to that ruling of the Supreme Court for reasons of judicial order and precedence. Rather, the Comelec systematically disregarded the rules by shamelessly substituting their own rule to purposely put to a naught the electoral protest of Marcos vis-a-vis ensuring the victory of that candidate.

As independent observers would comment, the conduct of the PET is to exhibit its blind loyalty to the appoint-

What is with the delay in the recount?

ing power. In fact, PET is doing the worst case of shaming the self-styled vice-president. Everybody knows Leni Robredo lost in the 2016 election. Despite being heckled, Cagiuoa, as chairman of PET, insists on putting on the stilts to keep their puppet politically standing.

This is boldly asserted for it seems BBM was cheated not by about a million but two million votes. If truly Smartmatic’s cheating machine was computerized, the result would have been determined in less than an hour.

But for the fact that they possibly made some juggling of votes in many provinces, to ridiculously surpass the votes of BBM by more than a million, it took them until daybreak to release their tally sheets indicating that Robredo won by more than a million to make her alleged victory decisive and discourage BBM from protesting.

This is asserted, for this column is inclined to suspect that PET would never allow BBM to win. For that to happen, the entire Liberal Party and its yellow supporters will perish. Their patrons led by the oligarchs, clerics, the neoliberal warmongers, and the ideologically retarded Makabayan will crumble. Robredo destroyed the entire apparatus of the hypocrites. Not one of them now dares to openly promise to safeguard a clean, fair and honest election because the people know they are unwanted residue of electoral cheating and fraud. Even the cleric and the nuns have become hilarious clowns fighting for his falsified cause.

The last New Year celebration hosted by the embassy of the People’s Republic of China held at Shangri-La Hotel in Makati, somewhat gave political signs how China assesses the situation here.

Of the many public dignitaries it invited, including some Filipino-Chinese tycoons, is telling that China is giving importance to Marcos even if holds no elective or appointive position, believing he was elected by the people.

Moreover, even if he was not asked to join the important guests to go up the stage to be introduced, the emcee acknowledged his presence, which to my mind implies that China believes that Bongbong Marcos is the legitimate vice president. Even if we give it that China also invited Leni Robredo as a matter of protocol, she would nonetheless excuse herself. That means that once the protest case is decided, China is likely to extend immediate recognition to the one who will be proclaimed winner. rkapunan@gmail.com

ta?!” Yap states in his column.

Yap adds that this was due to the fact that most of the workers Herbana “imported” from Manila to work on their Kalibo project, had since gone back home after the contractor failed to pay them their salaries.

I am not sure how the Department of Transportation comes up with their criteria or how they set their terms of reference in their biddings to choose contractors for their projects, but I think Secretary Art Tugade has to check and verify these reports.

If accurate, this will not sit well with the President’s Build, Build, Build mantra.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF THE NATIONAL GRID CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES FOR THE APPROVAL OF FORCE MAJEURE (FM) EVENT REGULATED FM PASS THROUGH FOR SEVERE TROPICAL STORM URDUJA IN THE VISAYAS, TYPHOON VINTA IN MINDANAO, TROPICAL STORM BASYANG IN THE VISAYAS AND MINDANAO, AND FLASH FLOOD IN MINDANAO IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES FOR SETTING TRANSMISSION WHEELING RATES, WITH PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

Mindanao P/kW-mo.

P/kWh

ERC CASE NO. 2018-117 RC

0.00012

0.00001

23. Further, the FM Pass-Through Amounts in this Application do not breach the Force Majeure Threshold Amount (FMTA) of PhP0.0366/ kWh in accordance with the RTWR. A copy of the FMTA Computation is attached in the said Application.

24. Also, NGCP considered the NFAV of the transmission assets and other related facilities damaged by the Subject Force Majeure Events given that NGCP would have normally fully recovered the return of capital on said assets for the duration of their economic lives had these assets not been damaged or destroyed by the Subject Force Majeure Events.

Notice is hereby given that on 11 December 2018, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) filed an Application dated 28 November 2018 seeking the approval of its Force Majeure (FM) event regulated FM pass through for severe tropical storm Urduja in the Visayas, typhoon Vinta in the Mindanao and flash flood in Mindanao in accordance with the Rules for the Setting the Transmission Wheeling Rates (RSTWR) , with prayer for provisional authority.

JUSTIFICATION FOR THE ISSUANCE OF PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

In its Application, NGCP alleged, among others, the following:

25. NGCP respectfully moves for the issuance of provisional approval for the immediate recovery of the FM Pass-Through Amounts pursuant to Section 3, Rule 14 of the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure.

Applicant NGCP is a corporation created and existing under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with principal office address at NGCP Building, Quezon Avenue corner B.I.R. Road, Diliman, Quezon City. It is the concessionaire that operates and maintains the nationwide transmission system pursuant to Section 21 of Republic Act No. 9136, otherwise known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (“EPlRA”).”

2

Under Republic Act No. 9511,2 NGCP was granted a franchise to construct, install, finance, manage, improve, expand, operate, maintain, rehabilitate, repair and refurbish the present nationwide transmission system of the Republic of the Philippines.

3.

Pursuant to Section 10.1.1 of the Rules for Setting Transmission Wheeling Rates (“RTWR”), NGCP is allowed to recover the cost incurred for the repair, restoration, rehabilitation of its transmission assets and other related facilities damaged as a result of a force majeure event (“FME”), as defined in Article I of RTWR.

26. NGCP needs to immediately recover the actual expenses incurred for the repair, restoration and rehabilitation of the damaged transmission assets and other related facilities. It must be emphasized that the rehabilitation of the assets damaged by the Subject Force Majeure Events required capital infusion, the recovery of which should be allowed immediately in order to avoid any financial strain in the operation of NGCP and to allow the continuous provision of transmission service to the grid customers.

27. In addition, the timely implementation of the FM Pass¬Through Amounts will allow the equal or even spread of the increases or decreases in tariffs from the initial implementation of the recovery of the cost.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

28. A copy of the Judicial Affidavit of Agnes F. Dela Cruz, Manager, Tariff Design and Billing Management Division, Revenue and Regulatory Affairs, in support of the instant Application, is attached in the Application.

A. Severe Tropical Storm Urduja Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Urduja was inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) during the period 12 to 19 December 2017, with maximum winds of 95 kph and gustiness of 120 kph. It made landfall six times and traversed the Samar Provinces, Masbate, Sibuyan Island, Romblon, Aklan, Cuyo Island, and Palawan. As a result, NGCP’s transmission assets and other related facilities particularly in the Visayas were damaged. A copy of the Certification dated 23 January 2018, issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is attached in the said Application.

PRAYER WHEREFORE, it is most respectfully prayed of this Honorable Commission to:

After the occurrence of STS Urduja and in compliance with Article X of the RTWR, NGCP filed with this Honorable Commission a Force Majeure Event Notice (FME Notice) regarding STS Urduja dated 3 January 2018. A copy of the FME Notice regarding STS Urduja dated 3 January 2018 is attached in the said Application.

B.

Typhoon Vinta

6.

Typhoon Vinta was inside the PAR during the period 20 to 24 December 2017, with maximum winds of 120 kph and gustiness of 145 kph. It made landfall in Cateel, Davao Oriental and traversed several provinces in Mindanao, causing damage to NGCP’s transmission assets and other related facilities in therein. A copy of the Certification dated 12 February 2018 issued by the PAGASA is attached in the said Application.

7.

0.003

22. The proposed FM Pass-Through Amounts can be recovered pursuant to Section 10.1.1 of the RTWR, wherein NGCP is allowed to recover the cost incurred for the repair, restoration, and rehabilitation of damage sustained by its transmission assets and other related facilities as a result of a force majeure event. A copy of the FM Pass-Through Amount Computation is attached in the Application.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

5.

0.06

21. NGCP proposes the FM Pass-Through Amounts for the years 2019 to 2020 to allow the recovery of the expenditures incurred by NGCP relative to the Subject Force Majeure Events, pending the reset process for the Transmission Services.

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:

4.

2020

Note: P/kWh in this table are only the equivalent P/kWh of the FME Pass-Through amount

NATIONAL GRID CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES, Applicant. x----------------------------------------------------------x

1.

2019

1.

DECLARE Severe Tropical Storm Urduja in the Visayas, Typhoon Vinta in Mindanao, Tropical Storm Basyang in the Visayas and Mindanao, and flash flood in Mindanao as Force Majeure Events (FME);

2.

Immediately GRANT PROVISIONAL APPROVAL to implement and bill the following FM Pass-Through Amounts to Visayas and Mindanao customers starting January 2019 billing month to December 2020 billing month or until such time that the amount incurred is fully recovered; Visayas

2019

P/kW-mo.

P/kWh

0.02

0.00587 Mindanao

After the occurrence of Typhoon Vinta and in compliance with Article X of the RTWR, NGCP filed with this Honorable Commission an FME Notice regarding Typhoon Vinta dated 6 February 2018. A copy of the FME Notice regarding Typhoon Vinta dated 6 February 2018 is attached in the said Application.

2020 2.95

0.00005

2019

P/kW-mo.

P/kWh

2020 0.06

0.003

0.00012

0.00001

C.

Tropical Storm Basyang

3.

8.

Tropical Storm (TS) Basyang was in the PAR from 11 to 14 February 2018, with maximum winds of 65 kph and gustiness of 80 kph. It made landfall in Cortes, Surigao del Sur, traversed the Surigao Provinces, and again made landfall over Dumaguete City, causing damage to NGCP’s transmission assets and other related facilities in the Visayas and Mindanao. A copy of the Certification dated 27 March 2018 issued by the PAGASA is attached in the said Application.

Approve the FME CAPEX/OPEX amounting to Sixty Three Million Eight Hundred Seventy Thousand Seven Hundred Eighty-Six Pesos and 10/100 (PhP63,870,786.10) incurred by NGCP for the repair, restoration, and rehabilitation of the damaged transmission assets and other related facilities due to Severe Tropical Storm Urduja in the Visayas, Typhoon Vinta in Mindanao, Tropical Storm Basyang in the Visayas and Mindanao, and flash flood in Mindanao;

4.

9.

After the occurrence of TS Basyang and in compliance with Article X of the RTWR, NGCP filed with this Honorable Commission an FME Notice regarding TS Basyang dated 7 March 2018. A copy of the FME Notice regarding TS Basyang dated 7 March 2018 is attached in the Application.

Approve, after due notice and hearing, the proposed FM Pass Through Amount to be collected from the Visayas and Mindanao customers starting January 2019 billing month to December 2020 billing month or until such time that the amount incurred is fully recovered, as follows:

D.

Visayas P/kW-mo.

FLASH FLOOD IN MINDANAO

P/kWh

10. On 25 February 2018, a flash flood occurred within the jurisdiction of Barangay Sianib, Polanco, Zamboanga del Norte, causing damage to NGCP’s transmission assets and other related facilities in Mindanao.

A copy of the Certification dated 1 March 2018 issued by Barangay Chairman Marcelo C. Sumagang, Sr. is attached in the Application.

Mindanao

P/kWh

12. After the occurrence of the flash flood and in compliance with Article X of the RTWR, NGCP filed with this Honorable Commission an FME Notice regarding the flash flood dated 30 April 2018. A copy of the FME Notice regarding the flash flood dated 30 April 2018 is attached in the Application

16. Pursuant to Sections 10.2.1 and 10.2.2 of the RTWR, within three (3) months after the occurrence of the Subject Force Majeure Events, NGCP filed before the Commission the required FME Notices. The Commission acknowledged receipt of the FME Notices for STS Urduja, Typhoon Vinta, and TS Basyang, in its letters respectively dated 5 February, 21 February, and 5 April 2018, attached in the Application.

FM PASS-THROUGH AMOUNT COMPUTATION

19. The total cost NGCP incurred for the repair, restoration and rehabilitation of its transmission assets and other related facilities damaged by the Subject Force Majeure Events is Sixty-Three Million Eight Hundred Seventy Thousand Seven Hundred EightySix Pesos and 10/100 (PhP63,870,786.10). Further, the recoverable values of the assets destroyed (Net Fixed Asset Value or NFAV) is Two Million Fourteen Thousand Five Hundred Sixty-Five and 43/100 (PhP2,014,565.43). The breakdown of the expenses is shown in the table below: CAPEX/OPEN

Tropical Storm Urduja

NFAV

Total

40,936,343.46

260,182.36

41,196,525.82

399,610.27

883,711.95

1,283,322.22

Tropical Storm Basyang

22,402,140.29

657,676.72

23,059,817.01

Flash flood in Mindanao

132,692.08

212,994.40

345,686.48

63,870,786.10

2,014,565.43

65,885,351.53

Typhoon Vinta

Total

0.06

0.003

0.00012

0.00001

Approve and allow the recovery of the Net Fixed Asset Value of the transmission assets and other related facilities damaged by Severe Tropical Storm Urduja in the Visayas, Typhoon Vinta in Mindanao, Tropical Storm Basyang in the Visayas and Mindanao, and flash flood in Mindanao, amounting to Two Million Fourteen Thousand Five Hundred Sixty-Five and 43/100 (PhP2,014,565.43) given that it would have been fully recovered by NGCP if these transmission assets and other related facilities have not been damaged or destroyed by the Subject Force Majeure Events; and

6.

Exclude the proposed Pass-Through Amounts from the side constraint calculation.

Date and Time

Venue

Hearing Coverage

21 February 2019 at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.)

ERC Hearing Room 15th Floor, Pacific Center Bldg. San Miguel Ave. Pasig City

Jurisdictional and Expository Presentation

28 February 2019 at two o’clock in the afternoon (2:00 P.M.)

ERC Visayas Field Office St. Mary’s Drive BaniIad, Cebu City

Expository Presentation Pre-trial Conference and Presentation of Evidence

07 March 2019 at nine o’clock in the morning (9:00 A.M.)

ERC Mindanao Field Office Mintrade Bldg.

Monteverde Ave. cor.

Sales St. Davao City

Expository Presentation Pre-trial Conference and Presentation of Evidence

1)

The petitioner’s name and address;

2)

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

P/kWh

2019

2020 0.02

0.00587

0.00005

T

HE Makati City councilors supporting the political comeback bid of former Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. finally attended a special session requested by Mayor Abigail Binay to discuss the long-delayed 2019 executive budget.

But Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo expressed concern to the councilors’ proposal to cut the P18.17- billion budget cut by P244 million, saying the move will deprive constituents of better services and benefits.

Among the services to be affected are employment programs for the youth, with P76.8 million slashed from the Government Internship Program and Special Program for the Employment of Students along with 7,300 target beneficiaries.

The Health department’s budget for dengue kits was reduced

by P38 million, while P10 million was taken off the budget for the Lingkod Bayan Caravan.

The caravan held every Saturday in a designated barangay brings city services directly to the residents. These include free medical, dental and diagnostic services, free legal services and marriage counselling, free vaccination and other veterinary services for their pets, and free meals to residents.

The caravan also serves as a one-stop-shop for Makatizens ap-

QUEZON City Acting Mayor Joy Belmonte on Friday opposed a plan to list the city as an election hot spot, following the killing of Barangay Bagong Silangan chairperson Crisell “Beng” Beltran.

To put the city on the list of election hot spots is “premature” since the police are still investigating all the possible motives behind the murder of Beltran, she said.

“I don’t think our city should be declared an election hot spot. I think that is premature and it will only cause panic. It will only cause our people to doubt the integrity of our local government and our police force,” she added.

The incident should not be considered yet as politically motivated as other possible angles had been identified as the investigation progresses, she said.

“Just like what National Capital Region Police Office chief Guillermo Eleazar said, it is election-related only because it occurred in the election period. Many people think that when we say it is an electionrelated incident, it is politically motivated already. No, they are two different things,” she said.

“When we say election-related, the incident occurred during the election period. That’s different to politically motivated and General Eleazar himself said that that’s just one of the angles they have been exploring,” she said.

COURTESY CALL.

President Rodrigo Duterte greets Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Igor Khovaev who paid a courtesy call on the President at the Malacañan Palace on Thursday. No details of the meeting were disclosed by the Palace.

Malacañang Photo

1) The name and address of such person; 2) A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and 3) The grounds relied upon.

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicant that they be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing.

Applicant is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments’, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours WITNESS, the Honorable Chairperson, AGNES VST DEVANADERA and the Honorable Commissioners ALEXIS M. LUMBATAN and CATHERINE P. MACEDA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 16th day of January 2019 in Pasig City.

JOSEFINA PATRICIA MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal

.

2.

plying for or renewing their Yellow Card, Blu Card, PWD Card, and other benefit cards.

“These budget cuts will have serious repercussions on each department’s ability to serve our constituents. Furthermore, these cuts will hamper the execution of programs and projects across various sectors–including health, education, public safety, senior care, employment programs, and disaster management, among others,” Lagdameo said.

“By refusing to pass the proposed budget presented by each department, the opposition councilors will be depriving Makati residents of the enhanced services and programs they rightfully deserve,” she added.

The vice mayor reminded the opposition councilors that the heads of city departments and offices dutifully submitted their respective Annual Investment Programs early on for review by the councilors, particularly the Committee on Appropriations and Budget which conducted budget hearings as early as September.

Belmonte nixes plan to list QC a hot spot

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

1

2.95

By Joel E. Zurbano

3) A statement of the relief desired.

20. NGCP proposes the FM Pass-Through Amounts, in P/kW-month, as additional network charges starting January 2019 until 2020 to Visayas and Mindanao, or until such time that the amounts incurred are fully recovered, computed as shown in the tables below: Visayas

Makati solons attend 2019 budget session

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

* Capital Expenditures/Operating Expenditures, exclusive of VAT (pursuant to the TRAIN law) and Permit Fee

P/kW-mo.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

By Rio N. Araja

2020

The Commission has set the Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on the following dates:

15. Pursuant to Section 10.1.1 of the RTWR, NGCP is allowed to recover the cost it incurred in the repair, restoration, and rehabilitation of its transmission assets and other related facilities damaged by STS Urduja in the Visayas, Typhoon Vinta in Mindanao, TS Basyang in the Visayas and Mindanao, and the flash flood in Mindanao, (the “Subject Force Majeure Events”) through an FM Pass-Through Amount.

18. NGCP has not recovered from its Industrial All-Risk (IAR) Insurance Policy procured from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) for the years 2017 and 2018, the cost that it incurred in the repair, restoration, and rehabilitation of the transmission assets and other related facilities damaged by the Subject Force Majeure Events.

The affected assets are located beyond a one (1) kilometer radius from the nearest substation (except for Babatngon Substation and Kananga-Tabango 230 kV line), and are therefore not covered by the IAR. With regard to the Babatngon Substation and KanangaTabango 230 kV line, the total cost of damage is below the One (1) Million US Dollars deductible amount. Thus, it is but proper for NGCP to file the instant FME Application to recover the cost it incurred for the repair, restoration and rehabilitation of its transmission assets and other related facilities damaged by the Subject Force Majeure Events pursuant to the RTWR.

0.02 0.00005

NGCP prays for other relief deemed just and equitable under the premises.

14. Under Section 1.3(a) of the RTWR, an FME is defined as a “typhoon, storm, tropical depression, flood, drought, volcanic eruption, earthquake, tidal wave or landslide; or an act of public enemy, war (declared or undeclared), sabotage, blockade, revolution, riot, insurrection, civil commotion or any violent or threatening actions.”

17. Thereafter, within twelve (12) months after the occurrence of the Subject Force Majeure Events, NGCP hereby files the instant FME Application, in accordance with Sections 10.2.1 and 10.2.3 of the RTWR.

2.95 0.00587

5.

FME CLAIM 13. Immediately after the devastation caused by the foregoing incidents, NGCP started the repair, restoration and rehabilitation of its damaged transmission assets and other related facilities in order to restore transmission service to its customers and the public. As a result, NGCP incurred additional costs for the repair, restoration and rehabilitation of the said damaged transmission assets and other related facilities.

2020

2019

P/kW-mo.

11. The Certification dated 3 October 2018, issued by PAGASA attached in the Application, states that continuous rain and occasional thunderstorm were observed from 25 to 26 February 2018 at the Dipolog City Weather Station, the PAGASA observing station closest to Zamboanga del Norte.

FME

2019

A6

News

Republic Act No. 9136 entitled, “An Act Ordaining Reforms in the Electric Power Industry, Amending for the Purpose Certain Laws and for Other Purposes.”

Republic Act No. 9511 entitled “An Act Granting the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines a Franchise to Engage in the. Business of Conveying or Transmitting Electricity Through High Voltage Back-bone System or Interconnected Transmission Lines, Substations and Related Facilities, and for Other Purposes” (MS-FEB. 2 & 9, 2019)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

PCSO: 2 millionaires in a row “IT’S TWO millionaires in a row for Super Lotto 6/49–a rare and lucky streak.”

This was how Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Alexander Balutan described the Lotto draw phenomenon happening recently.

There is one in 13,983,816 for winning the Super Lotto 6/49; but winners hit the jackpot on Jan. 27 and 29, consecutively.

“It is indeed a lucky start for year for our lotto patrons,” Balutan said in a statement.

For January alone, PCSO gave away a total of P522,039,761 in jackpot prizes for the different

Lotto games, which was shared by nine Lotto winners.

On Tuesday, Jan. 29, a lone winner guessed the winning combination of 11-34-30-10-0721. Earlier, on Sunday, Jan. 27, another lotto winner got the winning number combination of 1141-03-20-47-22.

Each will be taking the P15,840,000.00 pegged as jackpot prize during the draws.

Last Tuesday’s winner purchased the ticket at a lotto outlet in Imus, Cavite; while Sunday’s winner purchased the ticket at a lotto outlet in Dagat-Dagatan, Navotas, Metro Manila.

Sports

A7

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Knicks send Latvian Porzingis to Mavs in multi-player trade LOS ANGELES—K ristaps Porzingis, who hasn’t played in almost a year because of injuries, was traded by the last place New York Knicks to the Dallas Mavericks in a multi-player NBA deal on Thursday.

The Knicks also gave up Trey Burke, Courtney Lee and Tim Hardaway to the Mavericks for Wesley Matthews, Dennis Smith and DeAndre Jordan and two first round draft picks.

The Knicks said Porzingis, of Latvia, asked to be traded.

“Considering the uncertainty regarding Kristaps’ free agent status and his request today to be traded, we made a trade that we are confident improves the franchise,” said Knicks general manager Scott Perry.

New York (10-40) have the worst record in the NBA and are already going to get a high pick in the entry draft.

“We started to get a feel, we Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks talks with his teammates during a game against the Houston Rockets at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. AFP could see that he wasn’t completely

Coo, Rivas get Lifetime Achievement PSA awards TWO retired sports greats who are champions in their own rights will be the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement honor during the SMC-PSA (Philippine Sportswriters Association) Annual Awards Night at the Manila Hotel three weeks from now.

Former bowling World Cup titlist Olivia ‘Bong’ Coo along with cycling legend Paquito Rivas are the latest personalities to be given such recognition by the country’s sportswriting fraternity in the Feb. 26 event presented by MILO, the Philippine Sports Commission and Cignal TV. Notable figures who previously received the illustrious award include cage star Carlos Loyzaga, the ‘Maestro’ Virgilio ‘Baby’ Dalupan, Filomeno ‘Boy’ Codinera, Carlos Padilla, Mauricio Martelino, Francisco Elizalde, the 1973 PH men’s basketball team, with Grandmaster Eugene Torre the last one to be accorded the honor in 2017.

Ironically, both Coo and Rivas made waves in Philippine sports the same year in 1979.

Coo, 70, won the QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup (formerly known as the International Masters and AMF Bowling World Cup) in Bangkok, Thailand as the country kept the women’s title won by the late Lita Dela Rosa the previous year.

She would later teamed up with Dela Rosa to win the doubles gold in the 1979 World Championships in Manila.

In the summer of the same year, Rivas, 73, became the toast of local cycling after winning the 1979 Tour behind his notable climbing prowess, a skill which made his peers consider him as the undisputed ‘Eagle of the Mountain’ up to these days.

Rivas continued to become involved in local tour races even in retirement and now stands as race manager of the UCI-sanctioned Le Tour de Filipinas.

Coo is likewise still very much active in bowling as the current secretary general of the Philippine Bowling Federation.

buying into what we were trying to do,” Knicks president Steve Mills said. “And again, (during Thursday’s meeting) we wanted a confirmation from him whether he was completely in or out. He made it clear to us when he came in to meet with us that he no longer wanted to be part of our group.”

The Mavericks are hoping to resign the seven-foot-three Porzingis, who will be a free agent, to a longterm deal in the offseason.

Porzingis can now form a formidable frontcourt unit with Dallas rookie Luka Doncic. The two played professionally in Spain before coming to the NBA as top-five picks.

Porzingis was the number four overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft.

He was averaging a career-best 22.7 points per game before he was lost due to a left knee injury during 201718 season.

Hardaway, 26, was leading the Knicks in scoring with 19.1 points per game this season.

James returns, powers Lakers L

OS ANGELES—LeBron James made a triumphant return to the court on Thursday, breathing new life into the floundering Los Angeles Lakers with a 123-120 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

James, who missed 17 games due to a groin injury, scored a team-high 24 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and delivered nine assists in his first NBA game since Christmas Day. Showing no sign of the injury that resulted in the longest absence of his 16year career, James played 40 minutes and scored the go-ahead basket with 1:15 left in overtime after the Lakers blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter.

James called the 36-day absence some of the darkest days of his career.

“I worked my ass off to get back to this point,” James said. “It was the toughest

stretch of my career not being out on the floor.”

James said he is at “80 percent” fitness and will see how he feels in the morning when he wakes up. He played more than he expected with the game going into overtime.

“I am at 80 percent right now. But I was good enough to feel confident to just keep pushing throughout the game,” he said.

“I want to see how my body reacts tomorrow. That’s the tell-tale sign for me is how my body feels after having to play 40 minutes unfortunately with the overtime.”

Lance Stephenson added 20 points, Brandon Ingram added 19 points, and Ra-

jon Rondo had 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Lakers, who were officially the visiting team but had strong crowd support Thursday because they share the Staples Center arena with their city rivals.

“We got stops and we made some timely shots,” said James. “Everybody was huge. It is going to be different guys every night for our team. We are starting to get out depth back.”

Lou Williams scored a team-high 24 points and Patrick Beverley added 17 for the Clippers, who shot just 53 percent from the free-throw line.

James’ return couldn’t come soon enough for the Lakers, who have gone into a tailspin without him.

The Lakers won just 11 of 17 games since James suffered a strained groin in a game against the defending champion Golden State Warriors. The losing skid

dropped them to the ninth seed from the fourth seed.

James said he trained just as hard when he was sidelined as he does in a normal season.

Happy place “It just felt great to get back out there,” he said. “This is where I can shut out everything, be out there with my guys, command my guys, and get a win on the road.”

With the game tied 118-118 in overtime, James scored the go-ahead basket.

Lance Stephenson then completed a three-point play that kept the Lakers ahead 123-118.

Avery Bradley and Williams missed on the same possession, and Williams missed a technical free throw for the Clippers.

Williams couldn’t get a potential tying three-pointer off in the right corner before the final buzzer sounded. AFP

4 entries lead World Slasher Cup at Big Dome Golden State, FOUR participants inched closer to winning the 2019 World Slasher Cup 9-Cock Invitational Derby championship after tallying 5-0 (win-loss) cards each last Thursday at the iconic Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Yigo Fighter (Elmer Stoka of Guam), Risk Taker RFS RMD DV LAW (Jomel Gatlabayan and RGBA Friends), Reloaded (A. Bernos of Abra), and CPB & Cris have identical five wins going to the 4-cock grand finals on Feb. 6.

The third and last semi-final round fires off today, Saturday Feb. 2, and sabong fans can expect world class encounters from start to finish plus a chance to win a 32-inch LED TV from Powertrac’s raffle promo.

More fights sizzle in today’s semis backed by Thunderbird, Emperador, Powertrac, Pitgames Media, The Journal Group, Saksi Ngayon, Diaryo Bomba, and “Sabong Pilipinas” on ABSCBN Sports + Action.

Spearheaded by the Pintakasi of Champions, the nine-day WSC 1 got a valuable support from Pitgames Media CEO Manny Berbano, who also hosts “Tukaan” on TV5.

Those with four points in the thick of the semis are: CBP, Dante Eslabon, Jun

PH paddlers good for 5 golds THE Philippine Canoe Kayak and Dragon Boat Federation looks to win at least five gold medals in the coming 30th Southeast Asian Games in Subic later this year.

That’s the modest assessment of PCKDF president Jonne Go when asked about the country’s chances during her maiden appearance in the 8th “Usapang Sports” presented by the Tabloid Organization in Philippine Sports at the National Press Club in Intramuros, Manila.

“It’s hard to say, but I think we have a very good chance of winning at least five gold medals out of the 12 events we have in the coming SEA Games,” said Go, who was accompanied during the weekly sports session by national team coach Len Escollante.

Both Go and Escollante agreed that Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar will be the biggest threats to the Philippines in the SEA Games.

“When it comes to dragonboat, nandito talaga sa Southeast Asia ‘yung mga malalakas. Dito nag umpisa. ‘Yung Indonesia,Thailand at Myanmar, magagaling talagang kalaban,” explained Escollante, who was also the coach of the PCKDF team which bagged the world title in the 2018 ICF World Dragon Boat Championships in Gainesville, Georgia last September.

“But we really have top caliber athletes now in both dragon boat and canoe kayak. Talagang pinaghahandaan natin itong SEA Games. Lamang pa din tayo dahil may homecourt advantage. ‘Yung mga boat, galing din sa atin,” she added.

LA headline NBA in February

The fans can expect world-class encounters as the World Slasher Cup enters its hird and last semi-final round today at the Araneta Coliseum.

Bacolod; Butch Cambra and Chito; Lito Cay and Raymond Velayo; Pros Antonio; Ricky Magtuto, Jeffrey Sy and Aylwyn Sy; Carlos Camacho and Jorge Goitia; Nestor Vendivil and Dhee Ocampo; GPE; and sabong idol Patrick Antonio.

Aiming for a perfect 5-0 (win-loss) card today are Nathan Jumper of Missisipi and partner Celso Evangelista of LGBA (two entries), Nene Araneta, Biboy Enriquez, Kano Raya, Boy Guinto, Cris Aguas, Rodolfo Pineda, Emil Tiu, Raffy Zaide, Choi

Ampil, Santi Sierra, Magno Lim, Ruben Tan and the group of Felix, RC and Eddie Gatchalian.

The three-day finals start tomorrow.

The schedules: Feb. 3 and 4 (4 -cock finals for entries with 2, 2.5, 3 and 3.5 points) and Feb. 6 (4 -cock grand finals for entries with 4, 4.5 and 5 points). Audiences may get their tickets at the Ticketnet Booth, Yellow Gate, Coliseum Circle.

Cockers can start getting ready for WSC 2 on May 27 to June 2.

New Downy Sports launched

By Ram Christian Agustin TO PROVE the effectiveness of the new Downy Sports in real life, actress and vlogger Alex Gonzaga pitted celebrity teams against soccer players and fitness enthusiast Nico Bolzico in the 24-Hour All-Star Freshness Challenge at the Kerry Sports Plaza over at Shangri-la at The Fort.

“Filipinos will be assured that they will smell and feel fresh even in extreme sweaty situations in their daily routine,” said Downy Philippines’ Country Category Leader Cedric Le Goff.

“We are confident of the new Downy Sports’ 24-hour deodorant protection.”

Local celebrities both in showbusiness and sports who took part included Thirdy Ravena, Michele Gumabao and Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan for Team Alex, while from Team Nico were Kianna Dy, Joanne Villablanca, and Anton Del Rosario, who

were all coached by basketball icons LA Tenorio, JC Intal, Asi Taulava, Jeff Chan, Marc Pingris and Robert Bolick.

“The Philippines is a tropical country with high humidity, so people tend to sweat a lot, especially when they engage in physical activities and sports,” said Le Goff.

The intense afternoon squeezed in layup matches, dribbling obstacle courses, and a basketball game for the All-Star teams before the players hung their jerseys in an all-star freshness gallery, where the audience and players themselves found out that the jerseys still smelled fresh from all the sweat it accumulated.

“This is just awesome. My jersey still smells great even if it’s drenched in sweat.

And the beat thing is that I feel fresh. Considering my lifestyle, I’ll definitely make sure that my clothes are washed with Downy Sports so that I’ll always smell fresh,” said Bolzico. “Definitely wifezilla-approved!”

THE world’s biggest basketball stars are set to converge once again for the annual NBA All-Star Weekend, which will air live from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA on ABS-CBN on Feb. 16 and on S+ A on Feb. 17 and Feb. 18, with the entire extravaganza also available to SKYCable subscribers via SKY on Demand.

The midseason classic fires off on Feb. 16 on “NBA SabaDos” on ABSCBN at 11 a.m., with the Mountain Dew Ice Rising Stars challenge that will pit the best rookies and sophomores around the league in their very own battle. Expected to headline the event will be the Dallas Mavericks’ scintillating rookie Luka Doncic along with the Utah Jazz’ super soph, Donovan Mitchell.

On Feb. 17, it’s all fun and sideshows for the entire league in the State Farm All-Star Saturday that will feature the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, Three-Point Contest, and the much-anticipated Slam Dunk contest, airing LIVE on S+A starting at 9 a.m. Marquee names peppering the events such as brothers Stephen and Seth Curry, from the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trailblazers respectively, who will be figuring in a shootout in front of their hometown with legendary Dallas Mavericks sniper Dirk Nowitzki, alongside Steph’s teammate and fellow Splash Brother, Klay Thompson, to name a few.

The action reaches its climax on February 18 in the 68th All Star Game presented by KIA, which will air LIVE on S+A also at 9 a.m. Joining the top vote-getter from the West, Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, in the starting five for Team LeBron will be Golden State’s Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, Houston’s “Beard” James Harden, and Oklahoma City’s Paul George. East’s top vote-getter Milwaukee’s “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo will lead Team Giannis that features Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, Boston’s Kyrie Irving, Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard, and Charlotte’s very own Kemba Walker. The rest of the participants in the NBA All-Star Weekend will be announced in the coming days.

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

A8

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019

Sports

Phoenix in best franchise 4-0 start

By Jeric Lopez

Ridzuan Muhali (2) of defending champion Perpetual Help scores against the triple-team of Ronley Alviento (2), Kevin Magsino (1) and Owen Bacani (7) of the CSB Blazers in Game 1 of their teams’ Best-of-Three NCAA Finals. The Altas won, 23-25, 25-20, 23-25, 25-23, 15-12. Dennis Abrina

Perpetual teams draw 1 blood st

U

NIVERSITY of Perpetual Help System Dalta launched its triple-kill bid in scintillating fashion as it won its men’s, juniors’ and women’s matches at the start of the 94th NCAA volleyball finals at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City yesterday.

The Altas survived an upset try by the pesky College of St. Benilde Blazers with a 23-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-23, 15-12 victory to seize a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three showdown and inch closer to a seventh title in the last nine years.

The Sammy Acaylar-coached, Las Pinas-based spikers are also eyeing their 12th crown that will push them two championships closer to joining the Letran Knights as the league’s most titled men’s teams with 14.

And UPHSD will have a chance to

accomplish it with another win in Game 2 set next week.

A deciding Game 3, if necessary, is set on Feb. 12.

Earlier, the Junior Altas overpowered the Letran Squires, 25-15, 25-19, 25-19, to move on the verge of completing a five-peat feat.

Power-spiking Noel Kampton went on an attacking spree and unloaded a match-high 16 points, all coming in off kills, while Hero Austria contributed 14 hits to help UPHSD one triumph shy from claiming their 11th crown.

Later, the Lady Altas beat the Arellano Lady Chiefs, 21-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-20.

The wins were just the first of many steps needed by UPHSD to claim a rare sweep of the men’s, juniors and women’s titles in one season.

Only two schools have accomplished such feat in the NCAA thus far—Ateneo and San Sebastian.

Ateneo, a former member, made it happen in 1976, while San Sebastian did the trick in six times in 1984, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 2002.

Vargas: We need to step up SEA Games preparations

Westbrook, Lowry named All-Star reserves

By Peter Atencio PEOPLE involved in organizing and preparing for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games need to step it up.

With nine months to go, organizers and off icials need to fasttrack their efforts to help national athletes find places where they can train and get the venues ready in time for the games.

Philippine Olympic Committee President Ricky Vargas said this a few days after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered issued Memorandum Circular no. 56.

Under the memorandum, all gover nment agencies, the Philippine Sports Commission and the POC were encouraged to extend their support to the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee for the country’s hosting of the Games.

“We really need to move fast on these things. Ang bilis, katatapos lang ng Christmas, Pebrero na,” said Vargas before he went into a meeting with the PHISGOC. Vargas, who visited the facilities of the Pretty Huge Obstacle Course at the SM Aura in Taguig, welcomed the issuance of circular no. 56 because this will hasten activities surrounding the staging of the Games from Nov. 29 to Dec. 10.

He later went into a meeting with PHISGOC in Makati to discuss the marketing aspects of the Games, and the role that sponsors will play.

Vargas believes that collaboration with the the Philippine Sports Commission is very important.

“There’s so much going on. I’m happy it came out. Better late than never,” added Vargas.

The PSC is also set to closely coordinate with the PHISGOC on the operations of the Games.

So far, the PSC is processing the requests for equipment of many national sports associations who are preparing for the Games.

The agency is now waiting for the approval of the P7.5 billion budget for the hosting of the biennial meet.

THE fiery start of Phoenix continued as its foot was still pressed hard on the gas pedal, waylaying helpless Blackwater, 114-95, with ease to win its fourth straight game in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City last night.

The wealth was once again well spread for the Fuel Masters as multiple players produced in doublefigures to secure the triumph.

However, it was Calvin Abueva, who stood the tallest, pouring in monster numbers with team-highs of 22 points and 14 rebounds.

Matthew Wright wasn’t far behind, unloading a complete game with 19 markers, seven boards and seven dimes, while Jason Perkins had 15 and Justin Chua and Alex Mallari with 12 points each.

The Fuel Masters kept their place at the top as they remained unbeaten with an improved 4-0 mark—their best start in franchise history.

On the other hand, the Elite slipped further down to 1-3 as it was unable to sustain its brief success the last time out.

Oozing with confidence and fluidity on both ends, the Fuel Masters hardly broke a sweat in taking down the Elite.

Firing from all cylinders, Phoenix unleashed a blazing start, zooming to a gigantic 37-13 advantage right away late in the opening period to practically seize total control.

That’s all it took for the Fuel Masters to put the game to rest as they breezed the rest of the way for the easy victory.

The game was already out of reach by halftime as Phoenix carried on with its 24-points cushion, 66-42.

The lead of the Fuel Masters stayed in the 20s for most part.

The Elite was never in it as it got ran out of the building by Phoenix from the onset.

Abu Tratter paced Blackwater in the losing effort with a game-high 24 points and eight rebounds.

MIGHTY SPORTS SEND-OFF. Philippine Constitution Association President and former Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (2nd from left) is shown with Mighty Sports Philippines Team Owner Caezar Wongchuking (3rd from left) and team imports Lamar Odom (left) and Justin Brownlee during the sendoff ceremony of the team at the Manila Golf and Country Club in Makati City. The Mighty Sports Philipine Team will compete in 30th Dubai International Basketball Championship at Shabab-Al Ahli Club Dubai UAE. Ver Noveno

All-Star game to kick off Premier Volley League THE Premier Volleyball League unofficially kicks off its third season today (Saturday, Feb. 2) with the traditional All-Star Game featuring the very best and some of the rising stars from the country’s premier league at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

Alyssa Valdez, long considered as the face of the sport and the reigning Open Conference MVP, and fellow power hitter Myla Pablo, also a former league MVP, head the two teams facing off in the league’s special offering aimed at giving back to the fans who have supported the league through the years.

The 4 p.m. match, to be aired live on

ABS-CBN Sports + Action Channel 23, ABS-CBN S+A HD Channel 166 and via livestream, is also staged to generate funds for the benefit of the Hero Foundation.

“This is our gift to the fans who have been supporting us as well as to raise funds for charity,” according to Ricky Palou, president of the organizing Sports Vision Management Group, Inc. A series of activities will precede the All-Star Game, including autograph signing and photo ops at 1 p.m. to be followed by the fans’ skills game featuring dig relay, dig, set and shoot, rocket fire and service shootout.

Tickets are pegged at P50 (upper box), P200 (lower box) and P500 (ringside, inclusive of a shirt and photo ops with the players).

Pablo, who will banner Motolite’s campaign starting this season, will skipper Team X which features Creamline’s Jia Morado and Jema Galanza, Jonah Sabete and Cherry Nunag of PetroGazz, BanKo Perlas’ Jem Ferrer and Joy Dacoron, Akari-Adamson’s Rose Ponce, Pocari-Air Force’s Dell Palomata, Tacloban’s Dimdim Pacres, and Ateneo’s Vanessa Gandler, Kat Tolentino and Bea de Leon with Oliver Almadro as mentor and Jasper Jimenez as assistant.

LOS ANGELES—Former most valuable player Russell Westbrook and Toronto Raptors star Kyle Lowry head the list of reserves announced on Thursday for the NBA all-star game.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Westbrook received his eighth all-star selection while Lowry was chosen to his fifth straight game.

Westbrook was the MVP of the 2015 and 2016 all-star games.

The other reserves named Thursday include four first-time all-stars comprising Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons, Orlando Magic centre Nikola Vucevic, Denver Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton.

The seven reserves from both the East and West Conferences will join the 10 starters who were announced last week.

There is no East versus West format for this year’s game. The players’ names will now go into a hat and will be selected by captains LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.

The defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors will have three all-stars, with reserve Klay Thompson joining starters Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.

LaMarcus Aldridge’s selection as a reserve extends San Antonio’s streak of having at least one all-star to 21 consecutive years, the league’s longest active run.

One all-star missing is Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo, who underwent surgery earlier this week to repair a torn right quadriceps tendon. AFP

PH athletes look to sweep obstacle course racing BIG efforts are being made so that Filipino athletes will be able to sweep all the six gold medals at stake in the first staging of obstacle course racing in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

For one, eight top members of the national squad will be sent to Colorado next week to train with members of the national team in the United States.

Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation Al Agra said these athletes will be there to be prepared to face the challenges that they will face when action takes place this December.

“Like any other sport, there are challenges. And

we are up to the challenges,” said Agra when he introduced members of the national pool during the launch of the Pretty Huge Obstacle racing facility at the SM Aura in Taguig.

Nathaniel Sanchez, a crossfit coach, leads the eightpool team, which will be sent to Colorado. He will be a playing coach with women’s mentor Sarah Jane Lim and together they will be part of national tier 1 pool.

They will be joined by Jeffrey Regino, Manolito Divina and Vernier Miranda in the men’s division.

In the women’s side are model-turned-athlete Chrystalle Omaga, Kaizen de la Serna and Juvelle Pua.

Among the six events that will be featured for obstacle racing are 100-meter men and women events, which will have 10 obstacles.

There’s also the 400-meter event with 12 obstacles and the 5-km race with 20 obstacles.

It will be held at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

The selection for members of the squad will happen during the four legs set in March, May, July and September.

The training of the national pool in Colorado was made possible with the support of World OCR president Ian Adamson. Peter Atencio

IN BRIEF

Phoenix board okays investment in LNG THE board of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines approved the investment of P250 million, including the formation and organization of a new company, for a liquefied natural gas project.

The board authorized the company to to enter into joint cooperation or venture with China National Offshore Oil Corp.

Gas and Power Group for a liquefied natural gas project in the country.

The board also approved the joint venture with CNOOC “for the operation and establishment of various LNGrelated trades and services under the LNG Integrated Hub Project in the Philippines.”

It cleared Phoenix to form and organize a new wholly-owned subsidiary or company to manage the corporation’s LNG interest in the LNG Integrated hub project, including the receiving terminal for LNG and operation of a gas-fired power plant.

The investment and formation of the new company is subject to stockholder’s approval during the annual meeting in March. Alena Mae S. Flores

Business

DoE’s Cusi reviews compliance of co-ops ENERGY Secretary Alfonso Cusi will review the compliance of all electric cooperatives to the service requirements of their respective franchises to improve power services in the provinces.

“The review will be an inclusive process. We will ask the ECs to identify their main challenges and work with them in determining long-term and sustainable solutions. For transparency purposes, the results of the review will be made available to the public,” Cusi said.

The energy chief said while ECs had been the government’s long term partners in providing electricity in farflung areas of the country, many failed to carry out their mandate for several reasons.

These include inefficient management, corruption and unnecessary political interference, as well as institutional conflicts as in the case with Davao Del Norte Electric Cooperative.

The DOE will also look into the increase in missionary subsidies in Occidental Mindoro, Catanduanes, Marinduque and Tablas, among others.

Alena Mae S. Flores

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019

B1

By Julito G. Rada

FOURE-COM CENTER. SM Prime Holdings Inc., one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia, will open its newest SM Offices’ FourE-Com Center in the Mall of Asia Complex. It is set to be the largest office building in the complex offering a gross floor area of 122,997 square meters of office space for lease. It will primarily cater to businesses seeking to take advantage of the benefits granted to eligible companies that locate in buildings accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority. Story on B2.

DICT eyes more towers despite Mislatel’s woes T

By Darwin G. Amojelar

he Department of Information and Communications said the legal hurdle on the new major telecommunications player would not hinder the government’s plan to accelerate the build-up of more telecommunications infrastructure.

“We will go ahead with the common tower initiative even if we have only two telcos because the fact remains that we still need an additional 50,000 towers to improve our connectivity,” said Acting ICT Secretary Eliseo Rio said.

Rio’s statement came at the heels of a pending Senate Committee on Public

Service resolution that will determine if Mislatel, the franchise holder of the winning new major player consortium, can get Congress’ approval regarding its request to grant the transfer of controlling interests.

“Common towers can bring down the cost of our telecommunication services so there is definitely a need for this initiative, whether we have to two or three or even four telcos,” Rio added.

He noted that the common tower project would approximately bring in $4.4 billion in investment and create thousands of jobs, dubbing it as the biggest DICT’s “Build Build Build” project without using any public funds.

Earlier, RT Telecom Sdn. Bhd., the second Malaysian-based company and the sixth tower provider signed an agreement with the DICT for the construction of new common towers nationwide.

The deal entered by RT was the same as the five previous firms, including ISOC Infrastructures Inc., ISON ECP

Tower Pte. Ltd., IHS Towers, Edotco Group and China Energy Engineering Corp., where the government would support companies in facilitating permits and right-of-way, and provide other assistance for infrastructure should they secure a contract with any of the telco operators.

Rio said that two or three more tower companies have expressed to follow suit in signing the same agreement.

The Philippines has 17,000 cellular towers nationwide, serving 7,000 subscribers per tower.

RT Telecom Sdn. Bhd. Committed to construct at least 15,000 cell sites in the Philippines for more than five years.

Subhash Devan, chief operating officer of RT Telecom earlier told reporters the company would be spending $800 million to $1 billion to roll out 15,000 cell sites nationwide.

“We see a lot of growth in the Philippine market and we are very familiar with the rollout in the Philippines,” he said.

RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp., the 10th largest lender in terms of assets, said the suit filed against it by the Bangladesh central bank in connection with the $81-million money laundering scam in 2016 is baseless, calling it a publicity campaign.

“While RCBC has not been officially notified, we are aware a complaint has been filed, and have engaged the US law firm of Quinn Emanuel for its defense in this matter,” the bank said in a statement Friday.

The lead attorney on the case, TaiHeng Cheng, a partner at the firm’s New York office said: “This is nothing more than a thinly veiled PR campaign disguised as a lawsuit. Based on what we have heard this suit is completely baseless,” he said.

He said if the Bank of Bangladesh was serious about recovering the money, it would have pursued its claims three years ago and not wait until days before the statute of limitations.

“Not only are the allegations false, they don’t have the right to file here since none of the defendants are in the US,” he said.

“We will show that this suit is nothing more than a political stunt by the Bangladesh Bank to try to shift blame from themselves to RCBC,” Cheng said.

He said a review of the facts showed that Bangladesh Bank’s errors, omissions, and lapses in security protocols were the cause of its loss.

“We believe it is telling that they have concealed information from their own investigation and despite admitting their own culpability, continue to try to blame others,” he said.

He said RCBC had nothing to do with the theft of the funds and had cooperated fully with every investigation into the matter. “This suit is nothing more than a blatant attempt by Bangladesh Bank to shift blame and cover up their own liability,” he said.

Investigations found out that cyber thieves stole the money from the account of Bangladesh central bank in Federal Reserve in New York.

Finance upbeat on BIR achieving collection target

Pilipinas Shell starts operating bitumen facility PILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corp., the country’s second biggest oil company, on Friday announced the full operation and production of a new bitumen blending facility in Batangas province that will supply the local and overseas markets.

“Shell is now the only player in the Philippines with a local bitumen manufacturing facility. This facility adds to Shell’s strong regional network and will boost our supply reliability as we anticipate growth in demand for high quality bitumen not only in the Philippines but across the region,” said Shell bitumen regional general manager for Asia Thanes Rajatapiti.

Shell is the first and only bitumen producer in the Philippines and now has capacity to supply both local and overseas markets.

Key road contractors across the Philippines, along with local Shell senior officers locally and Shell bitumen regional leaders for Asia attended the ceremonial launch on December 3, 2018.

Shell is one of the global leaders in bitumen technology with locally available technical assistance to support special project requirements.

The new local manufacturing capability helps ensure consistent product quality, and minimizes the chances of re-work on projects due to off-spec products.

This translates into improved project output that fits the demands of respective end users and supports the integrity and reliability of the contractors in getting the job done.

Improved supply reliability can also be expected due to the local production as it helps reduce the possibilities of stockouts during high demand, minimizing the likelihood of delays which is essential for critical projects. This gives customers more peace of mind with every project, big or small. Alena Mae S. Flores

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

Bangladesh suit baseless, PR campaign, says RCBC

New order to regulate port charges and fees SEVERAL government agencies agreed to release a joint administrative order to regulate fees and charges of shipping lines, port operators, truckers and other users to stabilize operating costs and improve logistics efficiencies.

The Trade, Finance and Transportation Departments, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Maritime Industry Authority, Philippine Ports Authority and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority will implement the order that is expected by mid-February after a series of public hearings.

A joint memorandum circular between the Customs and the PPA will also be issued to establish new rules to bring the utilization rate of container depots in Manila to the normal level of 70 percent.

Under the order, Customs will regulate and monitor all fees concerning empty container returns and charges of shipping lines. Shipping lines will also be banned from charging fees in the Philippines. Instead, all charges must be included in their freight and other origin charges. Othel V.Campos

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

MICT HOUSING. Employees of Manila International Container Terminal, the flagship of International Container Terminal Services Inc., who won houses as part of the company’s employee rewards program, receive the keys to their brand-new homes.

Sitting on a sprawling gated community within the heart of Cavite’s Tanza municipality, each of the 104-square meter, two-story homes is complete with its own perimeter fence and gate, finished ceiling, flooring and bathrooms. Noel Monzon, MICT Gates and Roads Operations Customs Manager (center) and Jose Carlo Javier (right), MICT HR Director, inspect the construction of houses at PHirst Park Homes.

Rural co-ops criticize Cusi over revocation of franchises

By Alena Mae S. Flores PHILIPPINE Rural Electric Cooperatives Association Inc. on Friday slammed Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi for initially recommending the revocation of franchise of 17 electric cooperatives around the country.

Phireca, composed of the country’s 121 electric cooperatives, condemned Cusi’s recommendation in a statement, calling it a “treacherous act.”

Cusi did not issue a statement but Energy Undersecretary Felix said the recommendation had since been withdrawn.

“The earlier recommendation to Congress has been withdrawn two days ago. The DoE sees the need

to further assess the present status and performance of the 17 electric cooperatives,” he said.

Cusi recommended to the House of Representatives through Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo the revocation of franchise of 17 electric cooperatives on January 11.

Philreca said Cusi “reasoned out” the 17 electric cooperatives were “underperforming and financially and technically distressed.”

“Such recommendation was made without even giving due process to the electric cooperatives. The least that Secretary Cusi could have done, as the father of the government’s energy family, is to have a consultation with the electric cooperatives and give them a chance to defend their side,”

the group said.

The 17 electric cooperatives are Abra Electric Cooperative, Pampanga III Electric Cooperative, Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Palawan Electric Cooperative, Camarines Sur III Electric Cooperative, Albay Electric Cooperative, Masbate Electric Cooperative, First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, Ticao Island Electric Cooperative, Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative, Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative, Basilan Electric Cooperative, Sulu Elctric Cooperative, Tawi-Tawi Electric Cooperative, Maguindanao Electric Cooperative and Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative.

FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III is confident the Bureau of Internal Revenue will achieve its collection target of P2.33 trillion this year following the 96-percent attainment rate in 2018.

The BIR collected P1.96 trillion in 2018, up from P1.78 trillion in 2017.

“I am confident the BIR to get a higher attainment rate this year,” Dominguez said in his speech during the BIR Tax Compliance Kickoff Campaign program held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Friday.

Dominguez said the target could be achieved through the cooperation of taxpayers.

“Voluntary compliance (among the taxpayers) remains the most effective way to collect more taxes,” Dominguez said.

BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay predicted that with the implementation of the fuel marking program, the agency would fully achieve the P2.33trillion collection target.

The Finance Department plans to launch this month the fuel marking program to check oil smuggling that is costing the government P27 billion to P44 billion in annual revenue losses.

The Finance Department said the government lost potential revenues of P26.87 billion from smuggled or misdeclared fuel in 2016.

The Asian Development Bank’s estimate was higher at P37.5 billion, while a study commissioned by the local oil industry placed the foregone revenues at P43.8 billion.

The Institute for Development and Econometric Analysis said “smuggled gasoline accounted for an average of 23 percent of gasoline consumption from 2000 to 2006,” while “smuggled diesel accounted for an average of 6 percent.” Julito G. Rada

B2

Business

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rallies; GT Capital climbs T HE stock market rallied Friday ahead of the release of fourth-quarter earnings by listed companies and on expectations of a much lower inflation rate in January.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index surged 136.68 points, or 1.7 percent, to 8,144.16 on a value turnover of nearly P9 billion. Gainers overwhelmed losers, 171 to 49, with 36 issues unchanged.

Phinma Energy Corp., which recently sold a 51.48-percent stake to Ayala Corp. unit AC Energy Inc. for P3.42 billion, advanced 6.2 percent to P1.36, while GT Capital Holdings Inc., which is into banking, property development,

infrastructure and automotive assembly, climbed 4.9 percent to P1,119.

BDO Unibank Inc., the biggest lender in terms of assets, rose 3.7 percent to P140, while SM Prime Holdings Inc., the largest integrated property developer, gained 2.9 percent to P39.20.

The rest of Asian markets mostly rose Friday, with investors treading carefully as China-US trade talks ended with no deal but with both sides sounding notes of optimism and setting up more highlevel meetings later this month.

After the much-anticipated gathering, Donald Trump hailed “tremendous progress” between the world’s top two economies but warned the “hard deadline” of March 1 remained in place, after which US tariffs on billions of dollars of Chinese goods will be imposed.

For its part, Beijing said they held “candid, specific and fruitful” discussions and had agreed to increase cooperation on intellectual property—a

major source of White House anger with China—and boost imports of US goods.

Trump’s top two economic officials will visit Beijing later this month, after which he said he will meet his counterpart Xi Jinping to hammer out the final deal.

While the negotiations ended with no agreement, Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA, said: “For the markets, which are clearly in ‘riskon’ mood, it was a case of no news is good news.”

However, an early surge across the region petered out to leave markets mixed.

Tokyo ended 0.1 percent higher and Hong Kong was 0.3 percent lower in the afternoon, while Shanghai jumped 1.3 percent as traders welcomed news that authorities had relaxed certain rules to make investing easier.

Sydney and Singapore were both flat and Seoul dipped 0.1 percent, though

Mumbai, Bangkok and Jakarta were all up.

“The statement certainly signals progress, but at best limited progress on the core long-term structural issues that separate the two sides,” Eswar Prasad, a trade policy professor at Cornell University, told Bloomberg News.

“The statement ends with a not-soveiled threat that China will need to offer more substantive concessions to enable a deal that would take further tariffs off the table.”

The tepid movement in markets also comes after an impressive month that saw Hong Kong pile on more than eight percent and Tokyo more than four percent, a much-needed bounce after December’s hammering.

Next on the agenda is the release of US jobs data later Friday, which comes days after the Federal Reserve fueled a rally by signaling a slowdown in its pace of interest rate hikes this year. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2019

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

58.2 91.05 2.17 137.2 1.47 28.2 17 12.5 4.89 1.41 785 0.445 83.9 1.14 14.08 21 45.15 182.1 115 58.5 26 179 1,795 64.55 1.17

59.5 92.3 2.17 140 1.47 28.55 17.06 12.78 4.89 1.42 785 0.47 84.45 1.15 15 23 45.45 185.8 122 59.5 26.1 183.6 1,796 65.7 1.17

58.1 91.05 2.17 137.1 1.41 28 16.8 12.42 4.73 1.39 784 0.445 82.5 1.13 14.08 21 45.15 182.1 115 58.5 26 179 1,795 64.35 1.17

FINANCIALS 59.5 35,380 92 1,445,830 2.17 60,000 140 3,401,560 1.41 95,000 28.3 465,300 17.04 127,900 12.72 7,444,700 4.78 92,000 1.42 28,000 784 670 0.465 320,000 84.15 2,745,750 1.13 2,533,000 14.18 329,800 23 2,500 45.35 162,200 183 600 122 320 59 8,930 26 107,500 179.1 610,360 1,796 95 65 11,330 1.17 1,000

2,102,797 133,019,212 130,200 473,998,227 136,350 13,126,030 2,172,178 93,938,460 441,900 39,070 525,910 149,100 230,893,649 2,875,920 4,726,174 54,830 7,359,215 109,878 37,500 526,206.50 2,800,160 110,741,762 170,540 731,750.50 1,170

1,515,037 -17,539,029.50 125,960,165.00 -9,437,615 1,951,312 64,372,883 1,000.00 -1,705,940 -2,300 1,455,700 18,210 977,600 -17,444,007 -384,429 -

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

38.4 16.36 1.01 1.38 0.25 82.05 2.71 15.52 145 30 16.98 40.05 1.78 6.3 6.61 11.48 15.8 8.1 7.5 1.57 20.4 74.5 26.55 3.09 8.85 12.42 1.62 318 3.2 9.55 27 12.6 18.02 373 0.171 6.25 1.34 3.63 7.49 6.11 8.82 1.28 10.8 48.15 4.85 1.86 2.96 1.35 12.2 95 6.42 0.122 0.94 148 2.51 1.75 16.98 1.4

39.25 16.44 1.04 1.38 0.255 90.8 2.82 16 145 31 16.98 40.05 1.79 6.3 6.69 11.72 16.1 8.28 7.6 1.57 20.85 74.5 28 3.17 9.38 13.1 1.76 321.6 3.26 10.5 27.5 12.74 18.8 373 0.171 6.25 1.42 3.72 7.66 6.11 8.82 1.4 11.3 48.25 4.89 1.9 2.96 1.39 13.08 96.5 6.45 0.122 0.97 150.5 2.7 1.85 16.98 1.47

38.4 16.2 1 1.33 0.241 82.05 2.66 15.5 145 29.8 16.66 40.05 1.75 6.09 6.61 11.34 15.8 8.1 7.5 1.57 20.4 73 26.55 2.81 8.8 12.42 1.6 318 3.2 9.55 27 12.5 18.02 365.8 0.171 6.25 1.33 3.58 7.49 6 8.8 1.27 10.74 47.9 4.81 1.86 2.96 1.35 12.2 94.1 6.29 0.122 0.91 147.9 2.51 1.74 16.98 1.33

INDUSTRIAL 39.2 786,800 16.4 309,500 1.04 2,601,000 1.37 56,000 0.255 3,680,000 90.8 560 2.72 29,563,000 15.8 4,274,700 145 30 30.7 97,300 16.66 5,300 40.05 1,000 1.78 22,000 6.1 3,500 6.68 15,800 11.7 2,835,800 16.1 1,579,000 8.2 1,330,300 7.6 1,345,800 1.57 7,000 20.65 1,855,900 73.8 56,160 28 20,100 2.96 81,807,000 9.35 4,726,600 13 2,060,700 1.76 262,000 320 705,360 3.26 3,000 10.5 1,900 27.15 139,500 12.68 2,009,900 18.26 7,988,900 370.6 300,930 0.171 50,000 6.25 1,000 1.4 6,703,000 3.72 59,000 7.49 1,981,500 6.08 126,800 8.8 5,900 1.36 97,793,000 10.78 480,200 48 906,300 4.81 145,000 1.88 317,000 2.96 3,000 1.39 130,000 13 1,590,300 96.5 405,310 6.36 142,900 0.122 410,000 0.94 541,000 150 1,708,210 2.7 267,000 1.8 17,066,000 16.98 600 1.47 8,090,000

30,788,865 5,074,178 2,656,090 75,860 920,340 50,735.50 81,139,740 68,096,630 4,350 2,957,885 88,548 40,050 39,200 21,889 105,037 32,864,888 25,325,092 10,924,062 10,213,619 10,990 38,420,000 4,153,979 548,580 243,054,650 43,142,975 26,689,616 442,070 225,698,206 9,660 19,320 3,810,550 25,471,096 147,630,898 111,392,628 8,550 6,250 9,314,550 215,830 14,960,678 766,941 51,999 132,101,360 5,297,100 43,536,560 703,180 598,280 8,880 180,080 20,579,008 38,861,897.50 905,782 50,020 509,810 255,671,800 714,260 30,694,790 10,188 11,306,440

17,139,665 308,162 75,800 -6,590,020 11,185,852 59,975 25,020 42,557 14,414,584 13,277,734 -1,195,625.00 6,476,451 13,359,930.00 -1,116,192.50 8,706,470 -4,386,714 2,238,624 44,082,848 153,245 -1,036,258.00 32,013,352 38,896,544 -2,509,030 3,413,242 -56,633,820 -26,220,005 13,276,476 -14,156,246 6,320 -24,250 65,565,416 -637,260 13,310.00

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

0.62 64.35 13.88 0.76 6.5 28.25 1.42 1.46 926 7.38 12.46 12.8 1,066 6.15 64.65 0.6 5.3 15.5 0.57 4.87 0.038 1.15 2.59 2.66 165 2.28 990 0.77 1.35 440.2 278.8 0.255 0.231

0.68 66 13.96 0.76 6.53 29.35 1.47 1.49 940 7.44 12.76 13.2 1,119 6.6 66.35 0.62 5.45 15.76 0.59 4.95 0.039 1.15 2.63 2.67 167.6 2.28 1,019 0.77 1.36 440.2 280 0.255 0.345

0.61 64 13.86 0.76 6.5 27.35 1.42 1.45 923.5 7.2 12.46 12.7 1,066 5.9 64.65 0.6 5.26 15.48 0.57 4.85 0.038 1.15 2.59 2.66 164.5 2.28 990 0.77 1.32 440.2 271 0.247 0.231

HOLDIN G FIRMS 0.66 29,179,000 64 1,230,130 13.9 9,995,400 0.76 20,000 6.53 1,500 28.7 116,800 1.45 5,619,000 1.48 728,000 940 398,240 7.42 2,248,700 12.76 4,474,900 13 706,700 1,119 148,510 5.91 127,600 65.65 1,993,800 0.62 84,000 5.38 4,373,600 15.48 2,755,000 0.57 177,000 4.86 14,866,000 0.038 5,100,000 1.15 43,000 2.61 662,000 2.67 13,000 166.5 575,970 2.28 1,000 1,015 309,660 0.77 77,000 1.36 376,000 440.2 10 280 6,150 0.255 2,540,000 0.345 41,250,000

18,913,310 79,227,364.50 138,940,326 15,200 9,753 3,326,055 8,179,500 1,066,650 371,286,095 16,482,173 56,905,996 9,186,200 163,144,095 798,934 131,216,003.50 51,210 23,639,189 43,016,284 100,970 72,713,380 194,100 49,450 1,724,100 34,630 95,753,773 2,280 311,811,885 59,290 509,830 4,402 1,715,024 642,500 12,626,710

169,620 1,506,329.50 -31,979,542 9,100 -284,600 24,935,355 589,679 31,020,520 1,880,782 101,206,175 21,679,618.50 14,711,276 -4,857,060 3,765,180 291,636 107,717,960 -379,440 -203,512 -168,700

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

9.6 0.82 11.1 1.73 0.89 44.7 2.44 4.18 6.2 0.475 0.82 0.87 0.247 0.395 9.1 20.45 0.49 0.123 1.5 1.17 5.16 0.435 0.465 2.35 0.435 49.95 22.1

10 0.82 11.1 1.73 0.9 45.25 2.53 4.18 6.3 0.52 0.82 0.91 0.26 0.395 9.49 21.8 0.5 0.127 1.57 1.22 5.29 0.445 0.465 2.38 0.44 49.95 22.85

9.55 0.79 11.1 1.73 0.88 44.5 2.43 4.15 6.2 0.475 0.8 0.87 0.243 0.395 9.01 20.45 0.485 0.123 1.5 1.17 5.16 0.43 0.455 2.28 0.415 49.95 22.05

12,523,067 885,730 2,220 8,650 1,439,440 1,011,525,420 672,180 1,161,940 648,480 25,182,500 30,420 66,240 7,435,650 7,900 18,645,084 55,344,995 49,600 38,780 36,402,640 1,675,980 66,848,479 7,645,850 73,750 12,969,630 1,102,850 4,995 68,121,235

1,596,568 7,900 10,800 216,879,870 65,020 16,600 634,830 130,150 913,770 -7,900 3,879,463.00 3,217,435 12,700 17,776,020 9,600 29,878,134 57,000 26,200 8,628,670

NAME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

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

1.97 3.13 38.8 1.37 5.82 0.7 5.84

1.97 3.13 39.5 1.44 5.98 0.7 5.96

1.95 3.11 38.65 1.32 5.82 0.7 5.84

1.96 3.11 39.2 1.42 5.9 0.7 5.96

150,000 5,000 10,622,000 3,093,000 170,700 25,000 6,432,900

294,210 15,610 416,034,630 4,274,890 1,003,304 17,500 38,154,809

13,720 73,859,820 -17,189,143

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA GRAND PLAZA HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B 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

13.08 22.9 1.32 0.445 0.04 15.02 2.71 11.14 0.061 88 6.64 7.02 2.1 14.9 900 2,020 5.79 341.6 10.36 2.84 1.94 108 11.16 7.24 0.126 6.75 3.2 14.32 3.21 0.79 19.04 0.34 4.9 2.53 2.1 2.32 3.3 9.38 12.8 3.6 121.7 3.03 1,285 0.96 1.61 45.7 88 8.18 2.42 0.8 0.455 5.5 0.7 13.72

13.54 23.4 1.32 0.455 0.042 15.02 3.19 11.48 0.063 89 6.7 7.25 2.1 15.38 900 2,090 5.84 350 10.36 2.87 2 111 15 7.24 0.126 6.96 3.28 15 3.35 0.81 19.9 0.34 4.95 2.59 2.12 2.32 3.42 9.46 13.38 3.6 124 3.08 1,313 0.98 1.67 46.85 90.2 8.35 2.47 0.82 0.465 5.59 0.71 13.8

13.08 22.9 1.31 0.44 0.04 15 2.7 11.08 0.06 87.95 6.54 7.02 2.1 14.82 900 2,020 5.77 341.6 10.36 2.79 1.82 107.5 11.16 7.24 0.12 6.42 3.11 14.2 3.2 0.79 19.04 0.34 4.78 2.49 2.04 2.32 3.21 9.3 12.5 3.55 121.7 3.01 1,285 0.93 1.53 45.7 88 8.16 2.38 0.78 0.45 5.5 0.69 13.7

SERVICES 13.2 23.3 1.31 0.45 0.041 15 3.12 11.1 0.062 88.9 6.57 7.1 2.1 15.1 900 2,070 5.79 350 10.36 2.87 2 108.5 11.92 7.24 0.125 6.47 3.27 14.22 3.28 0.79 19.9 0.34 4.95 2.56 2.12 2.32 3.35 9.46 13 3.55 124 3.03 1,313 0.97 1.62 46.7 89.7 8.3 2.43 0.8 0.45 5.52 0.7 13.8

36,700 312,800 6,000 2,700,000 17,800,000 1,321,500 5,035,000 13,904,500 124,270,000 248,610 1,487,700 24,200 6,000 115,800 10 32,170 159,900 1,000 1,300 1,785,000 45,000 1,700,790 199,500 1,500 7,890,000 28,043,000 52,000 12,000 393,000 244,000 3,176,200 10,000 81,000 2,782,000 432,000 2,000 2,314,000 23,300 670,200 6,000 4,400 1,235,000 77,855 23,773,000 100,397,000 3,708,600 1,963,250 21,300 6,375,000 9,093,000 16,060,000 1,224,300 938,000 5,354,800

489,000 7,263,535 7,890 1,215,700 733,300 19,822,512 15,257,350 156,483,490 7,658,160 22,094,920 9,795,668 172,842 12,600 1,739,606 9,000 66,491,230 925,130 348,710 13,468 5,053,970 85,700 186,253,394 2,576,652 10,860 962,880 184,561,146 165,900 176,474 1,289,670 197,300 62,583,562 3,400 389,150 7,065,350 903,420 4,640 7,669,550 218,290 8,654,012 21,400 541,613 3,749,430 101,677,825 22,624,410 161,322,370 171,900,895 176,110,563.50 175,472 15,527,700 7,255,040 7,322,650 6,749,474 655,850 73,863,194

13,200 -84,000 -10,512 59,230 -19,326,042 43,400 -639,537.50 863,636 -10,782 -8,347,490 -86,100 38,338,463 24,030 384,450 6,520 30,702,590 1,617,020 97,120 73,800 -14,200 464,043 -963,220 -18,851,975 153,860 3,537,960 -15,232,000 79,889,639 -835 -4,715,320 -441,320 49,400 -2,506,587 33,298,438

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

0.0021 1.56 2.89 13.6 1.5 1.25 2.04 0.29 7.69 1.53 0.218 0.134 0.132 0.0075 0.0073 1.1 2.47 1.06 0.68 0.98 0.012 0.012 0.012 3.7 4.03 14.34 23.7 0.0073

0.0022 1.57 2.94 13.78 1.5 1.25 2.08 0.29 7.69 1.57 0.218 0.137 0.136 0.0075 0.0073 1.15 2.59 1.09 0.69 0.98 0.013 0.013 0.013 3.93 4.19 14.8 24.15 0.0074

0.0021 1.55 2.84 13.6 1.5 1.25 2.03 0.29 7.53 1.49 0.213 0.129 0.132 0.0074 0.0073 1 2.47 1.02 0.68 0.95 0.012 0.012 0.012 3.7 4.03 14.34 23.5 0.0073

MINING & OIL 0.0021 785,000,000 1.55 3,392,000 2.86 336,000 13.78 4,100 1.5 49,000 1.25 10,000 2.06 886,000 0.29 170,000 7.6 6,800 1.55 5,498,000 0.218 30,000 0.136 9,740,000 0.136 680,000 0.0074 15,000,000 0.0073 6,000,000 1.08 9,728,000 2.5 2,206,000 1.04 376,000 0.69 8,000 0.98 381,000 0.013 19,000,000 0.013 421,000,000 0.012 40,200,000 3.9 575,000 4.17 952,000 14.6 547,700 23.5 1,852,100 0.0074 9,000,000

1,648,600 5,279,880 967,540 55,996 73,500 12,500 1,821,770 49,300 51,574 8,462,240 6,490 1,278,040 91,070 112,000 43,800 10,093,090 5,572,990 391,730 5,500 368,860 239,500 5,472,800 482,500 2,211,770 3,925,260 7,984,230 44,023,045 65,800

-3,233,050 6,000 -11,250 -20,500 206,500 -2,038,550 349,320 970 -8,000 -459,490 581,800 -15,143,980 -

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

20 472.2 498 101.5 98.5 103.5 5.68 96 1 1,040 106 990 75.2 76.2 73.8 73.95 74.9 73 73.5

20.85 472.2 498 101.5 98.5 103.5 5.75 96 1 1,040 107 990 75.2 76.4 73.8 73.95 75.05 73 73.5

20 472 490 101.5 98.5 103.5 5.68 96 1 1,040 106 990 75.15 76.2 73.8 73.95 74.9 73 73.5

PREFERRED 20.85 394,200 472 7,500 490 5,960 101.5 630 98.5 2,300 103.5 150 5.74 116,600 96 40 1 116,000 1,040 255 107 350 990 10 75.15 1,040 76.4 2,020 73.8 20 73.95 38,220 75.05 17,680 73 10,000 73.5 1,780

8,180,320 3,541,198 2,926,500 63,945 226,550 15,525 664,793 3,840 116,000 265,200 37,340 9,900 78,157.50 154,124 1,476 2,826,369 1,324,995 730,000 130,830

791,365 149,000 368,313 100,000 -

LR WARRANT

1.96

1.99

1.92

WARRANTS 1.99 219,000

430,330

-

MS

PROPERTY 10 0.81 11.1 1.73 0.88 44.95 2.52 4.16 6.3 0.495 0.8 0.91 0.255 0.395 9.48 21.5 0.5 0.125 1.55 1.2 5.27 0.445 0.465 2.29 0.435 49.95 22.35

1,258,900 1,106,000 200 5,000 1,617,000 22,515,800 271,000 279,000 103,000 50,750,000 38,000 74,000 29,450,000 20,000 2,008,600 2,621,300 100,000 310,000 23,486,000 1,400,000 12,712,000 17,470,000 160,000 5,576,000 2,610,000 100 3,038,900

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

ITALPINAS XURPAS

4.47 1.5

4.5 1.67

4.35 1.5

FIRST METRO ETF

119

120.9

119

USD TECH B2

1

1

1

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

20,861,354

INDUSTRIAL

291,062,142

HOLDING FIRMS

143,601,598

PROPERTY

201,573,634

SERVICES

399,528,347

MINING & OIL

1,333,207,650

GRAND TOTAL

2,419,266,624

4.4 1.66

SME

816,000 28,599,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 120.9 11,760 1

DDS

5,000

3,619,880 45,909,790

-6,825,570

1,416,422

-

5,000

-

VALUE 1,854.34 (up) 29.14 1,156,580,486.22 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,824.03 (up) 156.85 1,903,480,865.88 HOLDING FIRMS 8,105.23 (up) 136.77 1,853,755,852.83 PROPERTY 4,005.76 (up) 84.20 1,606.20 (up) 23.91 1,845,790,262.45 SERVICES MINING & OIL 8,549.68 (up) 46.31 2,060,981,313.51 PSEI 8,144.16 (up) 136.68 100,819,876.283 All Shares Index 4,909.51 (up) 79.66 8,972,370,425.09 Gainers: 171; Losers: 49; Unchanged: 36; Total: 256

SM Prime set to open latest office building in Mall of Asia

By Jenniffer B. Austria

SM PRIME Holdings Inc. is set to open by the end of the year FourE-Com Center, its newest office project in the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City.

SM Prime said in a statement FourECom Center would emerge as the largest office building in the complex offering a gross floor area of 122,997 square meters of office space for lease.

Similar to SM Prime office projects in Mall of Asia, it will mainly cater to businesses seeking to take advantage of the benefits granted to eligible companies that locate in buildings accredited by the Philippine Econonmic Zone Authority .

The P4 billion Tri-tower FourEcomCenter is designed to address the demand for office buildings in the country. The first tower is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of this year.

The office development is projected to generate P700 million in gross rental revenues annually.

A 16-story building, Four E-Com has a full basement, four podium parking, and 11 office levels. Retail spaces are offered at the fifth floor podium and ground levels.

The building’s design concept will portray crystal formations, with three adjacent towers springing from a common podium. The typical floor plate is approximately 2,500 sqm to 3,000 sqm.

SM Prime has 11 office buildings across several properties in Makati, Pasay, Taguig, Clark, as well as Taytay in Rizal and Sta. Rosa in Laguna, with a combined GFA of 622,611 sqm.

SM Prime is also set to launch the campus-office building named NU Tower.

SM Prime in September launched the ThreeE- ComCenter with a total gross floor area of 115,000 sqm. All office spaces have been leased out.

The property developer in October also launched SM CDO Downtown Tower in Cagayan De Oro City. The building offers premier office spaces with state-of-the-art facilities.

The company has an available land bank of 74 hectares for future office projects. SM Prime has been expanding office development within the Mall of Asia Complex as well as existing shopping malls.

DPWH inaugurates construction of new interchange in NLEx

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Department of Public Works and Highways on Friday inaugurated the construction of a new NLEx Interchange near the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan in a bid to decongest traffic in the province.

“The new NLEx Interchange is regarded as one of the government’s traffic decongestion projects aimed at improving the Bulacan road network particularly Bocaue, Sta. Maria, Pandi, Norzagaray, San Jose Del Monte, and Marilao as well as boosting the economic activities in nearby communities,” DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said.

The project costing P635 million will build a four-lane road connecting the Manila North Road and the Sta. Maria-Bocaue By-pass road, avoiding the heavily congested Governor F. Halili road via the Ciudad de Victoria.

It will also serve as an infrastructure support and catalyst to further boost economic activities and industrialization in the road influence area, specifically to the towns of Sta. Maria and Bocaue, Bulacan.

The first phase of the project consists of the construction of two additional lanes in the existing Bocaue Municipal Road, a new 80-linear meter 2x2 lane bridge crossing the NLEX and the rehabilitation of the inner road of Philippine Area for a total length of 1.93-kms. The road segment will begin near the Bocaue Municipal Hall and reach Sta. Maria, Bulacan bypassing the heavily congested Governor F. Halili Avenue in Bocaue.

Forming the second phase is the improvement of a 1.91-km road from Manila North Road or MacArthur Highway to Bocaue Municipal Road and the completion of the southbound acceleration and deceleration lanes for vehicles headed to the Philippine Arena. The last phase covers the construction of a 1.3-km road from the Philippine Arena to the existing PatubigRoad in Marilao, Bulacan.

CYAN Manila

Standard

World

TODAY

B3

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Hit drama reveals pressure at S. Korean school system SEOUL―A smash-hit South Korean TV series is giving Lee Min-joo flashbacks of the punishing work schedule she endured at an elite Seoul high school as she competed for a place at a top university.

Now 23, Lee recalls how she would wake at six to catch the bus, study until 10pm and arrive home an hour later, before repeating the cycle -- a daily routine she shared with her peers in the hyper-competitive society.

“I wasn’t getting enough sleep, I wasn’t getting enough exercise,” she said. “I was processing a lot of information all the time.”

South Korea’s most successful cable television series has touched a nerve with Lee as it portrays wealthy, overbearing parents desperate to send their children to the best universities -- whatever the cost.

“SKY Castle” is named after the acronym for the country’s most prestigious educational triumvirate: Seoul National, Korea and Yonsei universities.

The show resonates in a society where high-school academic performance is seen as pivotal in defining adult lives, holding the key to the best universities at home and abroad, social status, a stable job and even marriage prospects.

Some of the plot lines are commonplace, featuring expensive extra-curricular tuition, while others are inspired by real-life events, including a high-school teacher’s arrest last year on charges of stealing exam papers for his own

POSE. French skater Vincent Matheron poses in front of ‘L’Academie francaise’ on Arts Bridge in Paris on January 30, 2019. AFP

IN BRIEF Reuters reporters launch last appeal

YANGON―The lawyers for two Reuters journalists jailed for seven years in Myanmar on charges linked to their reporting of the Rohingya crisis lodged an appeal Friday with the Supreme Court -- a last chance of a reprieve through the legal system.

Reporters Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, both Myanmar nationals, were arrested in Yangon in December 2017 and later jailed for violating the Official Secrets Act. Reuters says the charge was trumped up to muzzle their reporting into a massacre of Rohingya men.

The two were convicted of possessing classified information regarding security operations in Rakhine state, from where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims fled during an army-led crackdown the United Nations has described as “ethnic cleansing”.

But their sentence provoked outcry over media freedom in Myanmar with calls echoing across the world for their immediate release.

In January Yangon’s High Court rejected their initial appeal leaving their fate in the hands of judges at the Supreme Court.

“Our petition asks that the Supreme Court finally provide justice to Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, reverse the lower courts’ errors, and order the release of our journalists,” a statement from Reuters said.

Under Myanmar law Supreme Court judges hear appeals individually, giving lawyers for the journalists several options.

The process is expected to take several months.

The only other chance of early release comes from a presidential pardon.

Rights groups have heaped pressure on de facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to use her leverage to secure a pardon. AFP

American ‘heroes’ now French citizens

SACRAMENTO―Three Americans hailed as heroes for thwarting a jihadist attack on a train between Amsterdam and Paris were officially welcomed as French citizens on Thursday in a ceremony in the US state of California.

Anthony Sadler, Alek Skarlatos and Spencer Stone, all aged 26, “risked their lives for the values of the republic,” Emmanuel Lebrun-Damiens, the French consul general in San Francisco, said at the ceremony in Sacramento.

While on vacation in Europe, the trio took action on August 21, 2015 to prevent a bloodbath on the high-speed Thalys train, tackling a man who opened fire on travelers.

The gunman, identified as Moroccan national Ayoub El Khazzani, was armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle, a pistol and a box cutter.

The attacker had seriously injured a person before the intervention of the three Americans, two of whom were in the military at the time: Skarlatos in the Oregon National Guard, and Stone in the Air Force.

The three young men received the Legion d’honneur, the highest French distinction, from then-president Francois Hollande, and became even more famous after the incident was made into a Clint Eastwood movie in which the three played themselves.

The three were naturalized at their request.

“It was important for us to become citizens because we have such a connection with France now. We’ve been back four or five times since the terrorist attack,” Skarlatos said.

“Today, France is proud and happy to welcome you,” French President Emmanuel Macron wrote in his official letter of naturalization. AFP

daughters.

Ahead of the series finale on Friday, its most popular episode had been watched by 23 percent of South Korea’s entire subscription television audience, the highest such rating ever achieved by a drama.

“The show is obviously exaggerated, but so many South Koreans are responding to it because it really does reflect reality,” said Choi Jae-young, an education activist in Seoul.

South Korean children have been repeatedly cited as the least happy in the OECD group of developed countries, while government data shows suicide is the leading cause of death among young South Koreans aged nine to 24.

Selective establishments of the kind in “SKY Castle” account for less than five percent of South Korean high schools, but provided 36.2 percent of SKY’s first-year students in 2018, according to the World Without Worries about Shadow Education think-tank.

Almost half these schools are in the state sector and the rest are private, but most of them seek to send their students to SKY or top global universities like Harvard and Oxford.

At Lee’s school teachers told pupils they were “not contributing” if they did not secure such spots, and the student culture was no less fierce.

“People would tell you anecdotes about a student who stayed all night every single day and went to the medical school at Seoul National University (SNU),” she said. AFP

Still gripped by cold but relief is ahead

C

HICAGO―Brutally cold temperatures gripped the US Midwest on Thursday, freezing water mains, causing power outages, canceling flights and straining natural gas supplies.

Tens of millions of Americans shivered for a second day as the mercury dipped to record lows in several states.

More than a dozen deaths have been attributed to the sub-zero weather and a weekend snowstorm that blanketed the same region.

Many of the cold-related fatalities were in Michigan, where the governor said the death toll was still being confirmed.

Schools and businesses remained closed in several mid-western states, people were encouraged to stay home, and travelers were stranded by grounded flights and halted trains.

In Michigan and Minnesota, natural gas supplies were under threat. Authorities asked residents to reduce heat consumption wherever

possible and decreased heating in government buildings.

Water mains froze in Detroit, Chicago and parts of Canada, and power outages were reported in Iowa and Wisconsin.

Nearly 1,700 flights had been canceled in Chicago by Thursday afternoon. Airport crews worked in 15-minute increments on the tarmac to avoid frostbite.

Rail service Amtrak planned to begin partially restoring service after canceling all lines Wednesday in and out of Chicago.

The deadly, sub-zero temperatures were expected to lift Friday, but the misery would not end quickly in the roughly dozen states most affected.

“We are not done yet. We’ve got another 24 hours where the weather will be at dangerous levels,” Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer told a news conference.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said temperatures would slowly moderate, but the agency forecast wind chills Thursday would remain between -20 to -50 degrees Fahrenheit (-29 to -46 Celsius) over parts of the Upper Midwest.

The cold has frozen sections of Niagara Falls

Hong Kong seizes record eight tons of pangolin scales HONG KONG―A record eight tons of pangolin scales found in a container from Nigeria was unveiled by Hong Kong officials Friday, underscoring the city’s central role in the booming illegal wildlife trade.

Customs officers said they conducted a joint investigation with mainland officials on 16 January, seizing 8,300 kilos of pangolin scales and 2,100 kilos of ivory tusks hidden inside a container—declared to be carrying frozen beef—at a customs facility.

“This is a record high in quantity for a seizure of pangolin scales,” the customs department said in a statement.

A man and a woman from a trading company in the city have since been arrested, the department said.

Customs officers displayed dozens of sacks filled with scales to the media as well as hundreds of uncarved tusks, in an acrid-smelling room. Officials estimated the value of the haul at HK$62 million ($8 million).

The announcement came less than two weeks after a coalition of local conservation groups called on Hong Kong to do more to crack down on illegal wildlife smuggling by ending legal loopholes and lenient sentences.

In a landmark report analyzing seizures and convictions, conservationists said the southern Chinese financial hub played a “disproportionate” role in wildlife crime—accounting for around a fifth of all global ivory seizures and nearly half of all pangolins seized in the last decade.

Warning that the amount of contraband flooding through Hong Kong’s ports was likely between five and 10 times the amount seized, they called on authorities to list wildlife trafficking offences under the city’s organized crime legislation targeting drug traffickers and triad gangs.

Hong Kong recently increased the maximum penalties on smuggling to 10 years in jail and a HK$10 million fine. AFP

and sent blocks of ice floating down the river winding through downtown Chicago.

NOTICE The Arctic air mass that descended from its usual northern rotation on Wednesday caused Notice is hereby that the the second coldest day ever recorded in the given to the Windy City, where residents reported hearing Addendum estate of Caridad “frost quakes.”

N. Paglumotan Local television station WGN said booms was extra-judicially settled among heirs heard by residents were likely from the frozen, as per Doc. No. 141; water-saturated ground cracking under their feet. page No. 29; Book II; Series of 2019 The NWS said a low temperature of -21F No. before Notary Public (-29C) was recorded in Chicago on Thursday Atty.

Rosalinda morning. The record low of -27F (-33C) was A. Montenegro of Quezon City. on January 20, 1985.

It said a historic low temperature for Illinois REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES of -38F (-39C) had REGIONAL TRIAL COURT been reported in the NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF town of Mt Carroll and QUEZON CITY was being reviewed before being declared a BDO UNIBANK, INC., Mortgagee/s, state record.

Record low tem- -versusFRE NO. 12300 peratures were also reported in some towns SPOUSES ARNOLD B. HERNANDEZ in Iowa and Wiscon- AND MAILI A. HERNANDEZ Mortgagor/s. sin. AFP x------------------------------------------x MS-FEB. 2,9 & 16, 2019)

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE OF REAL PROPERTY UNDER ACT 3135 (AS AMENDED)

Republic of the Philippines National Irrigation Administration (PAMBANSANG PANGASIWAAN NG PATUBIG) Northern Samar Irrigation Management Office Catarman, Northern Samar Office Address:

Capitol Site, Brgy. Dalakit Catarman, Northern Samar

Telefax No.: (055) 251-8274 Telephone No.: (055) 251-8274

INVITATION TO BID No. 02- 2019 The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Northern Samar Irrigation Management Office (NSIMO), through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), hereby invites Domestic Contractors, registered with and classified by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB), to bid for the hereunder contracts. Bids received in excess of ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

ITEM/DESCRIPTION

Approved Budget for the Contract

Duration

1. Dungon CIP Contract No. NSIMO# 01 – 2019 – Construction of Concrete Canals and Canal Structures

Php 7,323,179.99

270

Php 21,738,846.58

270

3. Mapanas CIS Contract No. NSIMO # 06- 2019- Construction of Dam, Concrete Lined Canal and its Related Structures

Php 9,400,886.70

270

4. Bulao IP Contract #04- 2018Construction of Cut & Cover @ Bulao Supplemental Canal

Php 2,319,079.89

2. Camambanan CIP Contract No. NSIMO #02- 2019 Construction of Dam, Concrete Lined Canal and its Related Structures

90

Cost of Bidding Documents Php 7,000

Php 21,500

Php 9,000

Php 2,000

The Prospective Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project whose value must be at least fifty percent (50%) of the ABC. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of republic Act 9184 (R.A. 9184), otherwise known as the “Government procurement Reform Act”.

Prospective Bidders are not allowed to participate if they have negative slippage in their on-going contracts. Individuals with Special Power of Attorney (SPA) are not allowed to transact and participate in the procurement utilizing another construction firm. The pre-bid conference shall be open only for those who have purchased the Bid documents. Expedite accomplishment put The schedule of BAC activities is listed as follows: Issuance of Bid Documents (Date and Time Schedule)

Pre- bid Conference (Date and Time Schedule)

1. Dungon CIP Contract No. NSIMO# 01 – 2019

Starting January 28, 2019 (8AM-5PM)

February 4, 2019 (10AM)

2. Camambanan CIP Contract No. NSIMO #02- 2019

Starting January 28, 2019 (8AM-5PM)

February 4, 2019 (10AM)

Starting January 28, 2019 (8AM-5PM)

February 4, 2019 (10AM)

Starting January 28, 2019 (8AM-5PM)

February 4, 2019 (10AM)

PROJECT NAME

3. Mapanas CIS Contract No. NSIMO # 06- 2019 4. Bulao IP Contract #04- 2018

Receipt & Opening of Bids (Date and Time Schedule)

February 18, 2019 (9AM) February 18, 2019 (9AM)

CONDOMINIUM CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 004-2015008673 Registry of Deeds-Quezon City “27th Floor (Residential Unit), Unit No. 2712, BERKELEY RESIDENCES, consisting of Studio Unit, with a total area of 19.65 SQ.M. MORE OR LESS. In the diagrammatic floor plan appended to the enabling or master deed of condominium project annotated on TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE N-313511; N-313512; N-313513; N-319323 which embraces and describes the land located at KATIPUNAN AVENUE CORNER ESCALER STREET, LOYOLA HEIGHTS, QUEZON CITY – with an area of THREE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-TWO and NINETY (3,152.90) Square Meter and is registered in the name of: Sps. Arnold B. Hernandez and Maili A. Hernandez, both of legal age.”

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned at the aforesaid Office on the above stated time and date.

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

In the event that public auction should not take place on said date due to fortuitous event or if the same be declared a non-working holiday, if shall be held on AUGUST 15, 2018, at the same time and place without further notice.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, JULY 5, 2018.

(Sgd.) ARNULFO O. LIM Sheriff IV

February 18, 2019 (9AM) February 18, 2019 (9AM)

The BAC will issue a complete set of Bidding Documents from the address above and upon payment of its respective non-refundable amount to the cashier.

The NIA reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

(SGD) CESAR R. ECHANO BAC Chairman (MS-FEB. 2, 2019)

Upon extra-judicial petition under ACT 3135, as amended by ACT 4118, and pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Deed of Real Estate Mortgage executed on January 08, 2016 by Spouses ARNOLD B. HERNANDEZ and MAILI A. HERNANDEZ – (1) Lot 5, Block 1 Goldridge Estate, Sta. Cruz, Guiguinto, Bulacan, and (2) Unit No. 2712, 27th Floor, Berkeley Residences, Katipunan Avenue cor. J. Escaler St, Quezon City: Mortgagor/s in favor of BDO UNIBANK, INC., Mortgagee/s to satisfy the mortgage debt in the amount of P1,413,525.04 as of May 21, 2018 inclusive of interest, penalties and other charges, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City and/or his duly authorized Deputy Sheriff, hereby announces that on AUGUST 8, 2018, between the hours of 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., at the Office of the Clerk of Court and Ex-Officio Sheriff, Regional Trial Court, Hall of Justice Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, will SELL at public auction to the highest bidder and for cash, in Philippine currency, the following described real property with all the improvements existing thereon to wit:

(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.

Copy Furnished: ARNOLD B. HERNANDEZ and MAILI A. HERNANDEZ Lot 5, Block 1 Goldridge Estate, Sta. Cruz, Guiguinto Bulacan Unit No. 27212, 27th Floor.

Berkeley Residences, Katipunan Avenue, cor. J. Escaler St., Quezon City

BDO UNIBANK, INC. (formerly BANDO DE ORO UNIBANK, INC.) 11th Floor, South Tower, BDO Corporate Center, 7899 Makati Avenue, Makati City (MStandard-July 10, 17 & 24, 2018)

CYAN

B4

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

COMMUNITIES DOWN SOUTH WHERE ‘CAN AFFORD’ MEANS JUST THAT

F

OR most Filipinos, owning their dream home is becoming harder as house prices continue to soar.

One company decided to get something done 24 years ago and embarked on a mission of “putting a roof over the heads of Filipino families which they can truly call their own—at a price they can afford.”

“It all started in 1994 with St. Joseph Village 1—named after St. Joseph the Worker—that completely sold out in just four months,” P.A. Properties chairman Romarico “Bing” Alvarez, told the Manila Standard. “It made me realize then the huge demand for affordably priced homes, especially in the provinces south of Metro Manila.

Due to growing investment inflows, the potential for job creation is big, and creating a well-planned countermagnet developments to a heavily congested metropolis made sense.”

MOVING OUT OF THE BIG CITY “Buyers today are smarter, as most consider housing prices as important as location,” added Jonathan Lu, P.A. Properties president. “Our database of buyers indicates that there is a significantly high number of young households who are buying houses in Laguna, Cavite, and Bulacan.”

Lu said that while renting would still continue to be the norm for young people, particularly in cities where a shortage of homes would continue to drive higher prices, “we expect that this would encourage more people to

RESILIENCE OF DESIGN. The Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID), in partnership with Global-Link Exhibitions Specialist, Inc. (GESI), will hold the 4th edition of Interior & Design Manila (IDMNL) at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex from March 7 to 9. The event will be held with the Philippines International Furniture Show (PIFS). The theme for IDMNL 2019 is “Resilience of Design: Future Spaces.”

According to Resilient Design Institute, resilient design is defined as the intentional design of buildings, landscapes, communities, and regions in order to respond to natural and manmade disasters and disturbances-as well as long-term changes resulting from climate change. “Each day is not just about the design we do for our clients, we also would like to make a difference in helping them live in a beautifully resilient home”, said IDr. Gino Lim, exhibit chairman. The exhibit is expected to show the latest trends from GRM Biowood Interiors Corp., Landlite Philippines Corp., La Casa Deco, Global Trend Building Materials Specialist, Big Pix Graphics Systems, FerCui Ventures Corp., Ashton Technologies Corp., CT-Eidiya Enterprise, Mobler Enterprises, Teresa Marble Corp., Woodcaretech Marketing Philippines, Yuyukorea.co.kr., CSI Philippines, LC5 and Mach Enterprises, Rich Graphix Brand, S2mit Corp., Timbermate – HMT Industries Corp., and a lot more.For more information about the CPD Convention and Workshop, visit the official website of PIID at www.piid.org.ph.

LAGUNA DREAMING.

Homes in Calamba.

P.A. Properties’ projects Nuvista in Lipa, and St Joseph

rethink about their housing investment options.”

Buying the dream home can be a very expensive affair, yet homebuyers are not averse to stretching their savings to the limit to make it happen. Since banks typically do not lend more than 70% of the value (on average) of the property, at the outset, the buyer has to shell out a lump sum as down payment of the house. Most end up taking a large chunk out of their life savings to make this payment and secure the home loan.

EASY PAYMENT OPTIONS These nuances (and more) of home ownership were taken into account

by Alvarez and Lu, as the company continues to offer low- to mediumcost housing units with easy payment options. The company builds houses with lot areas ranging from 36sqm-

100sqm and floor areas from 25sqm and above, at prices as low as PhP1.1M. “Our formula of building houses within the range of low-income households, average wage-earners and OFWs and arranging funding mechanisms to finance such homes worked wonders for P.A. Properties, Alvarez acknowledged. To date, P.A. Properties has completed a total of 40 affordably priced housing communities, equivalent to over 19,000 units. With 16 housing communities still being developed, the company says 25 more projects, estimated to generate P25 billion in revenues, are now in the pipeline.

Not bad for a company that kickstarted with an initial capitalization of P300,000, and is now worth P3.3 billion.

Sumitomo eyes PH construction industry SUMITOMO Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. considers itself a latecomer in the Philippine construction industry.

But Sumitomo managing director Ichiro Shimada believes that with proper market positioning, the Japanese global player will seize opportunities presented by the growing Philippine construction industry.

TACKLING THE LEARNING CURVE Shimada admits they are latecomers in the Philippine market, and while they grow progressively “step by step,” they have many things to learn yet.

“We haven’t concentrated on the Philippine market,” Shimada admitted in an interview with the Manila Standard. “We have businesses in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, etc., but the Philippines is a very new market for us, so I still haven’t actually figured out what our strengths and weaknesses are, relative to our competitors, given that we haven’t been here for a long time.”

Sumitomo is focusing on two products—the excavator and the asphalt-paving machine. Shimada feels confident his company has an advantage with these equipment as as the company has focused inordinate resources to develop them.

Sumitomo featured its fuel efficient hydraulic excavators, the SH130-6 and SH210-6 and asphaltpaving machines, at the recent Philconstruct Manila Expo 2018 at the World Trade Center Manila.

Shimada explained that Sumitomo excavators offer not just comfort and convenience, but high efficiency in terms of operating costs.

“You don’t have to put so much

JOHNNY-COME-LATELY ON A MISSION. Sumitomo managing

director Ichiro Shimada admits that “we haven’t been here a long time.” But with President Rodrigo Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure thrust, he believes there is a rising need for construction machineries and supplies in the country.

“The future is bright for the infrastructure industry not only here in the Philippines, but globally,” he declared.

money to maintain the machine. Everybody desires equipment quality and cost efficiency, particularly in construction work,” he pointed out.

RIDING ON “BUILD, BUILD, BUILD” The Philippine market, Shimada, believes, is a highly viable one, but said there are many things that still need to be done, particularly in the field of infrastructure improvement.

He noted that with the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build Program” there is a rising need for

construction machineries and supplies in the country. “The future is bright for the infrastructure industry not only here in the Philippines, but globally. The use of artificial intelligence in buildings and infrastructure is on the rise,” he said.

“Take a look at the advanced countries like Japan, Europe, America. In these countries, there is now what is called a machine-controlled system which is becoming more popular. It assists machine operators who may not even be highly skilled,” he explained.

“It has become difficult to find skilled operators for the construction industry,” he said. He cited Japan, which is facing a shortage of laborers. “This will be an area where all players need to develop responsive systems to provide more efficient work process. We’re gearing for less human control systems,” he noted.

TIMELY ENTRY INTO THE PH MARKET The Sumitomo executive shared that in the United States, they have just started marketing computer-operated excavators. “Once you set it —or if you have a three-dimensional drawing into the machine—the machine can operate automatically.

That’s going to be one of the features in the future,” he predicted.

But Shimada assured that despite the many challenges Sumitomo faces in their entry into the Philippine market, their coming to the country has been “timely.”

He revealed to the Manila Standard that Sumitomo expects to sell approximately 13,000 hydraulic extractors and 300 asphalt pavers in Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America in a year.

BGC PROPERTY TRAVELS THE GREEN PATH. Bonifacio Stopover Corporate Center, an office building owned by the Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation (FBDC), recently snagged a gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

The LEED® certification is a globally recognized standard of sustainability achievement that provides independent validation of a building’s quality and green features. It assesses compliance to standards on energy conservation, water usage, air quality, building materials used and construction process, among others. Bonifacio Stopover Corporate Center (Shown here) earned the accolade because it minimized the operation of its elevators, lightings, and air conditioning units throughout the day; enhanced commissioning by checking and passing the equipment air emission; observed proper waste management through segregation and multiple recycle bins; managed water use by installing sensors to lavatories, urinals, and toilets; and provided alternative public transport access on site like the BGC Bus. “BGC is committed to designing and building sustainably,” said Christine Novera, FBDC manager for business development, property planning and office leasing. “We are honored to be recognized as one of the leaders in the green building movement and are enjoining others to do the same.”

SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION TILT LAUNCHED. Holcim Philippines,

Inc. recently launched a design competition that evaluates proposed projects not just on their aesthetic elements and financial feasibility, but also on their environmental and social benefits. Dubbed the Young Builders Challenge (YBC), the competition is open until April 2019 to engineering and architecture students. Participants must be currently enrolled and at least in third year college. The contest will have three winners who will receive a cash prize of up to PhP80,000 while PhP 20,000 will be awarded to their schools. The YBC is inspired by the LafargeHolcim Foundation’s Sustainable Construction Awards, a global design contest that encourages construction industry professionals and students to put forward visionary projects and bold ideas for a sustainable future. Each competition cycle spans three years, from announcement to completion with a total of US$ 2 million in prize money.

Life

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

YOUNG LIFE

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019

C1

What to do in Binondo:

Y e w a e r itinerary NW

Chinese

HETHER you celebrate Chinese New Year or not, a day trip to Binondo is a great way to get a taste and feel of Chinese traditions and way of life. Walking tours and food crawls in Manila’s Chinatown are popular activities all year round.

Since the best way to explore Binondo is on foot, leading walking shoes brand Skechers shares this “must-do” list of things to do in the district.

Buy good luck charms

Diners at Chuan Kee Chinese Fast food (Chuan Kee/Facebook) Sumptuous dishes available at Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant.

(Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant/Facebook)

Indulge in Chinatown eats

A Binondo crawl will not be complete without an epic food trip. Enjoy fresh baked pastries like hopia and bring home a variety of snacks from the iconic Eng Bee Tin Chinese Deli. Right beside it is the 70-year-old Chuan Kee Chinese turo-turo which will satisfy your taste buds and fill your tummy at the same time.

Need more suggestions? Go to these famous specialty establishments: Masuki for mami and siopao, Sincerity for fried chicken, and New Po Heng Lumpia House for, you guessed it—lumpia!

Walk while eating your way through Binondo for maximum convenience and to burn those calories.

Whether or not you believe in feng shui, it’s always an interesting and sensory experience to walk through and visit the rows of stores selling lucky charms and feng shui-related items along Ongpin Street.

From golden buddhas, to small knots and lanterns, to the Maneki-neko lucky cats which never tire of waving at customers for good fortune, Binondo’s got them.

Walk through rows of streets selling good luck charms.

Take photos at historical spots

Eng Bee Tin is popular for its wide array of hopia.

(Eng Bee Tin/Facebook)

Lucky Chinatown Mall is an ideal starting point or meet-up place of a Binondo tour.

Meet up and chill at the mall Take a breather from all the walking on the streets and enjoy the air-conditioned comforts of the mall.

Lucky Chinatown, located at the heart of Reina Regente Street and De La Reina Street, is strategically located thus it makes for an ideal meeting spot. While you’re there, head to the Skechers store to try on and purchase a pair of GOwalks, ideally before starting your tour, or afterwards to treat your tired feet.

Hug the pig MINISO celebrates the Year of the Earth Pig with a wide collection of cheerful and huggable pig plush toys and pillows for kids and kids at heart.

Children born in the Year of the Pig are said to be cheerful and optimistic. They find happiness in small things: communication with close people and friends, favorite toys, delicious food. They believe that life is given for happiness, any problems are easily solved, and health is the most important thing.

Pig girls are gentle, kind, and caring.

Pig boys, on the other hand, are valiant knights with a good heart.

Miniso’s fluffy lineup of pig plush toys and pillows.

Headlining the new generation of innovative walking footwear from Skechers are the GOwalk Evolution and GOwalk Revolution, the newest releases from the GOWalk line. Both shoes sport the lightweight ULTRA GO cushioning and the Air-Cooled Goga Mat insole on the inside for comfort. The outsole is designed with Ultra Pillars that respond instantly to each step.

Take lots of photos at historical spots such as the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch.

One of the most historic and representative landmarks of Chinatown is the FilipinoChinese Friendship Arch.

Don’t miss out a quick photo op at this famous site to remember your visit. This arch towers at an impressive 63 feet, making it the tallest Chinatown arch in the world.

After taking a few shots at the arch, visit the Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz, or more commonly referred to as Binondo Church. Its classic facade and spacious plaza at its front makes it a goto meet-up place for friends and families. You’ll meet lots of people taking selfies outside, so be sure to bring your trusty monopod to capture the church’s splendid architecture.

Cris Villonco’s secret to glowing skin MULTI-HYPHENATE artist Cris Villonco has found the way to keep her looking fresh and physically ready to take on the challenges in her stage and television career.

“When I wake up bloated, I drink Kaffea first thing in the morning. After 15 minutes, my jawline becomes visible,” shares Villonco. The instant coffee blend has become part of her routine before shows, and video and photo shoots since 2015.

The 35-year-old performance artist reveals Kaffea also helps in maintaining her figure and keeping her in tiptop condition.

“To lose weight the day after [indulging in sweets and savory dishes], I watch my diet, work out, and drink Kaffea. With this regimen, it is possible to lose the weight in just one day,” says Villonco, adding, “It has improved my blood work, cholesterol, and has stabilized my sugar levels.”

Kaffea is made of a combination of 10 healthy ingredients which offer beneficial results. The collagen, for instance, tightens the skin, making it look vibrant and radiant. It also strengthens the muscles, tendons, and joints.

It is made with coconut creamer to cater to those who are lactose intolerant, and coconut sugar to help regulate blood sugar levels and blood pressure.

It also has no acidity and promotes a healthy digestive system as it burns excess fat with L-Carnitine.

Performance artist Cris Villonco drinks Kaffea first thing in the morning.

Other beneficial ingredients include Agaricus Mushroom which boosts the immune system; CoQ10 which generates energy for cell growth; Glutathione which helps the body’s detoxification process; Ganoderma which helps prevent urinary tract infection; and grape seed extract which helps remove toxins from the body.

Kaffea is available nationwide at Shopwise, Rustan’s, SM Hypermarket Bazaar, SM Market Street, SM Kultura, CityMall GoLokal stores, and online at lazada.com.ph and beautymnl. com. Call (02) 477-9920 for inquiries.

Life

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Luxuriously lucky

Chinese New Year celebrations

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YMBOLIZING the turning of a new leaf and the coming of spring, the beginning of a new year in the Chinese calendar is an occasion met with grand festivities and high hopes. Riding this energy, Rustan’s is ushering in the Year of the Pig with limited-time offers and gift-worthy finds.

Kicking the year off on a joyous note, Rustan’s is all set to mark the occasion with lion dances in all branches across the country.

Chase away evil spirits and attract good luck on Feb. 3 at Rustan’s Gateway (12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.), Rustan’s Shangri-La (1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.), Rustan’s Cebu (4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.), Rustan’s Makati (4:30 PM to 5:30 p.m.), or Rustan’s Alabang (4:30 to 5:30 p.m.).

Food being an important part of this celebration, a celebratory Chinese New Year menu is currently available at select East Café branches in the metro until Feb. 28.

The menu includes East Asian favorites like Xinjiang Skewers, Peking Style Pork Chop, and the classic Pork Stir Fry––elevated to a delicate flavor with chive flowers. Also on the menu are Crispy Champon Noodles with Pork and Shiitake, and a platter with a little taste of everything: Pork and Shrimp Wanton, Steamed Pork in Black Beans, and Steamed Pork Buns.

Tikoy, the traditional sticky rice cake also known as nian gao, is also available at the premier department store.

Shoppers can pre-order their limited edition koi fish-shaped tikoy at East Café in Rustan’s Makari, Rustan’s Gateway, and Rustan’s Shangri-La. Stepping in with the ideal finds for every occasion, Rustan’s serves up a lineup of clothing, accessories, and décor for the arrival of the Year of the Earth Pig. Banking on the lucky colors red and gold, the men’s selection includes practical leather goods and accessories like Holland-made wallets from Secrid and pocket squares in rich red shades from Tie Bar and AD&C 1956 Milano. Presents for the gentleman on the go include Keysmart’s handy key organizer, Brouk & Co’s copper cardholder, and an aptly designed red and gold ballpoint pen from Cross.

East Café serves Crispy Champon Noodles with Pork and Shiitake and Xinjiang Skewers, among other East Asian specialties.

It’s time for a wardrobe refresh for the ladies. Welcome all things new in gowns and evening wear from the likes of Aidan Mattox, Bardot, Finders Keepers, Keepsake, and Tadashi Shoji. Top the look off with a Lipault Bowling Bag or a Hobo Bag from Longchamp, or relax in luxurious robes and silken pajamas from Josie Natori.

The little ones can also shine in red from head to toe with pieces from Little Bandits, Rustan’s Jr., Rustanette, and Tumble Bumble. Cap off the kids’ festive looks with accessories from Charm Club, bags from Okiedog, and belts from Rustanette.

Finally, add floral accents to the home with sculptured porcelain vases from Franz, which features hibiscus flower designs. Or usher in the year of the cheerful pig with pig figures from Lalique and Swarovski.

Usher in the Year of Earth Pig with fashion apparel and other pieces for the home available at Rustan’s department stores nationwide.

What to get at Lazada’s CNY sale SOUTHEAST Asia’s leading e-commerce platform Lazada ushers in the Year of the Earth Pig with hot deals from local and international brands offered at up to 80 percent off. Here’s what to get while the sale is still on today.

3M Car Care Auto Shampoo for only P40 Olay Glass Skin Ritual Box for only P2,500

Nivea Men Sensitive PostShave Balm for only P275 Harts Ultraguard Rid Flea and Tick Citrus for only P294

HP Officejet 200 Mobile Printer for only P4,171

Century City Mall presents a lineup of activities on the first day of Chinese New Year.

Plains and Prints off-white Wriston Long Sleeves for only P699

Century City Mall ushers in the Year of the Earth Pig MAKATI-BASED Century City Mall on Feb. 5 welcomes the abundant Year of the Earth Pig with exciting treats and activities.

Catch the Wu Shu Performance as well as the traditional lion and dragon dance from the South Entrance, then inside the mall leading to the North Entrance. The lucky first 100 customers to witness these performances can score a free tikoy.

After watching the awesome performances to summon good luck and prosperity for the entire year of 2019, make your way to the photo wall areas located by the cinema on the 3rd

level and the South Entrance of the mall, stop for a minute or two to take some selfie.

And what’s Chinese New Year without the traditional treats, lucky charms, and prosperity crafts? Head over to the ground floor of the mall for the Chinese New Year Bazaar and partake of tikoy, dumplings, and New Year cakes. Look for your birth month lucky charms, and you’re all set for 2019.

Century City Mall is located along Kalayaan Avenue in Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City. Go to www.centurycitymall.com.ph for more information.

Star Wars Sphero Force Band for only P1,990 JBL Clip 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker for only P1,608

Vans Unisex Checkerboard Canvas Sneakers for only P1,999

Sperry Burgundy Footwear Striper CVO for only P2,445

Entertainment From C4

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“I had to end the relationship because my children were already affected. That painful episode of my life thought me so many things. And I am sharing them now with other women who are or might be in the same situation,” the lady cop told Manila Standard in an interview.

SPO1 Camacho revealed her husband’s being abusive and irresponsible as the cause of their union’s break up. This painful lesson as a separated wife has made her stronger as a person and which she will use to rally for her advocacy in the 2019 Mrs. Philippines Asia-Pacific search under its National Director Mitzi Go-Gil, Grand Winner of Mrs. Asia Pacific Tourism 2018.

Camacho is one of the official candidates at 2019 Mrs. Philippines Asia-Pacific beauty pageant to be held tomorrow, Feb. 3, at Preston International Event Center, BGC, Taguig City.

This mother of two is the first married woman of the Philippine National Police to join a national beauty search. Camacho is 40 years of age, stands 5-feet-5 and has been working as Crame-based liaison officer for four years.

She is assigned at PRO 8, Logistics Division. SPO1 Camacho got separated from his husband and raised in her custody their two growing up sons.

This gutsy, strong-willed beauty from Pagadian City persevered and entered the PNP, graduating with the Class Panangga of 2005.

She is a graduate of Elementary Education degree and is a practicing Teacher when she decided to become a police woman. She has reared singlehandedly her oldest son through college as IT graduate and, her other son, soon to follow with a degree in HRM. SPO1 Camacho will be talking from experience to be an inspiration to women who are suffering and are victims of similar abuse she endured as a wife and mother. She strongly believed that women have equal rights as men and are capable to do what they want to do in life, that nothing is impossible to follow and fulfill their

dreams.

“I’m doing this not just for my self.

I think I can raise more awareness by joining this pageant. I am proud that I make a difference while performing my task as a member of the police force.

But there are victims of violence out there that we haven’t reached yet. And my advocacy, with Mrs. Philippines Asia-Pacific Beauty Pageant, hopefully I

can raise more awareness and share my experience to inspire other women to step forward and break the cycle of violence,” she shared.

To support SPO1 Mary Chris’ journey in the 2019 Mrs. Philippine AsiaPacific pageant, you log on to the Mrs. Philippines Asia-Pacific Beauty Pageant webpage and follow the steps to vote. She is #17 representing Tacloban City.

J. Lo in an empowering movie‘Second Act’ JENNIFER Lopez (Maid in Manhattan, Monster-in-Law) ignites a new fire of girl power and inspires women to dream and believe in themselves and take second chances in her new movie, Second Act. The film is the story of Maya (Lopez), a 40-year-old woman struggling with frustrations stemming from her unfulfilled dreams. Until she gets the chance to prove to Madison Avenue, Manhattan’s Advertising Industry center, that street smarts are as valuable as a college degree, and that it is never too late for a second chance. But in the midst of her career’s continuing success, she wants to come clean with something, risking everything she has built up to now.

Also starring in the movie is Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical, Netflix’s The Princess Switch) as Zoe, Maya’s officemate

who idolizes her. Milo Ventimiglia (Creed II, Heroes) as Trey, Maya’s husband who always encourages her to believe in herself more, and Leah Remini (CBS’ The King of Queens) as Joan, Maya’s ever-supportive best friend.

Second Act is full of quick, witty comic lines that will tickle your funny bone and heartwarming moments that will touch your heart, some of Director Peter Segal’s (50 First Dates, Get Smart) film trademarks.

The movie is pumped up with great music such as the ageless hits “Dreams” by The Cranberries, “Push It” by Salt-n-Pepa and the original song “Limitless” which was composed by Sia and performed by none other than Jennifer Lopez.

Presented by VIVA International Pictures, Second Act is screening now at cinemas nationwide.

Lady cop Mary Chris Abacahin Camacho is vying for the Mrs. Philippines Asia-Pacific crown. the pageant will be held tomorrow, Feb. 3.

Star-studded…

From C4

Ejay Falcon, Patrick Sugui, Anjo Damiles and Bugoy Cariño were eventually chosen to be part of the Mythical 5, while newbie Raven Molina was named Rookie of the Year. Star Magic Dream Team’s captain Gerald Anderson took home the Most Valuable Player award after leading their team to a victory against Sun Life Financial’s team with the final score of 105-99. The Dream Team composed of Ronnie Alonte, Jimboy Martin, Jose Sarasola, Luis Hontiveros, Joe Vargas, Miko Raval, Kyle Velino, Axel Torres and Ronnie Alonte definitely played their

Saturday, February 2, 2019

57 Truck or van 61 Reindeer herder 62 Mork’s superior 64 Genuine 65 Curved molding 66 Greek column type 67 Ferber or Millay 68 Get healthy again 69 Microscope item 70 In full view DOWN 1 Ford a river 2 Wild mountain goat 3 Big swig 4 Calmed 5 Pirate wear 6 Sci-fi thriller 7 Film critic — Reed 8 Dennehy or De Palma 9 Stone monument 10 Becomes frayed 11 “Terrible” tsar 12 Manage for oneself 13 Sapling 21 Above, to Tennyson 23 Pride members 26 Weighty books 27 Overflowing

nickie.standard@gmail.com

HE was a victim of domestic violence. It’s a dark episode of her life which she still constantly recall not because she hasn’t moved on from the experience yet. It’s a personal battle, a choice to create awareness and share her experience with people who might be in the same situation.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Hairpieces 5 Fishhooks 10 Narrow fissure 14 Border on 15 Paying attention 16 State confidently 17 Sub seller 18 Undeliverable mail 19 Windmill blade 20 Fly to pieces 22 Chilean novelist 24 Prop 25 Diamond or Armstrong 26 Public house 29 Major Japanese port 33 Had a mortgage 34 Place setting item 39 Pester 40 Nick or scratch 41 Mazelike places 42 Sweet drink 43 Winding curve 44 Scale 45 Egyptian god 46 Thick carpets 48 Most strange 50 Client mtg.

53 An astringent 54 Extremely

C3

Strong, independent woman

Simply...

FCBAI president Peter Fung said, “We at FCBAI hope the Bakery Fair can promote, strengthen and also elevate standards of the Philippine bakery industry not only as part of the country’s dietary, lifestyle and culinary culture, but also to help boost economic development through expansion of small and mediumscale enterprises or SMEs.” The 52-year-old FCBAI is a nonstock, non-profit organization of mostly SMEs in the bakery industry. Among its objectives include promoting better baking standards and service, also educational and socio-civic projects.

Although ethnic Chinese entrepreneurs have been in the Philippine baking industry for centuries, the FCBAI was organized in September 1966 in Manila by a group of entrepreneurs led by its founding president Mariano Sioco. The FCBAI is also part of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc. (FFCCCII). *** Want instant immigrant visa to the US? Apply for EB-5 Going to the US and becoming a US citizen, for many Filipinos, are the sweetest dreams that continually motivate them to apply either for a tourist visa or finding an employer so they can eventually change their status from visitors to permanent residents and then US citizenship.

Recently, we had dinner with a group from the US that told us about the quickest way to get a an immigrant visa not only for ourselves for out entire families.

They talked to us about “Investment visa” or EB-5, which is considered the fastest option in acquiring permanent residence status.

The group’s spokesman said, it has no quota backlogs, in the United States.

What does it offer to applicants or future visa holders? It offers holders, including family members (spouse and unmarried children below 21), freedom to study, work, and live in the US without additional immigration requirements.

Explaining further, the group said that the US Congress created the EB-5 Program in 1990 under the United States Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS) in order to stimulate the US economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors.

An ideal window to acquire the EB-5 visa is being offered by New York-based Lightstone Investments to interested parties. All it takes is a minimum investment of $500,000 with an eye in opening up job opportunities for those residing in the United States.

Lightstone is one of the largest privately held real estate companies in the United States with $6 billion in assets under management and development.

The company is headquartered in New York City and has holdings in 28 states. It owns over 15,000 apartments throughout the US. Over $1.6 billion has been invested by more than 18,000 investors in real estate investment funds managed by Lightstone.

Nicolai Hinrichsen (you can google him for verification) is a senior attorney with Mayer LLP and Managing Partner of its Asia EB-5 practice. He has over a decade of experience in EB-5 immigration. He represents individual investors in obtaining permanent resident status through either regional center or direct EB-5 investments.

He was recently recognized by EB-5 Investor Magazine as one of the top 25 legal professionals in the field.

So, isn’t your dream for you to be permanent US resident, or be an American citizen? *** Visit www.isah.red for more stories.

Follow me on Facebook (@isahvr), Twitter (@isahvred) and Instagram (@isahvred). ΙR

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019

28 Vice — 30 Diminish in intensity 31 Compliments 32 Model’s need 35 Portion of a circle 36 Face or amble lead-in 37 Male doll 38 Slothful 41 Yellow jackets 45 Likes a lot 47 Huffed and puffed

49 “You don’t say!”

51 Walks heavily 52 Innsbruck locale 53 Steer clear of 54 Latch onto 55 Come unglued 56 Store sign 58 Surrender territory 59 Freeway strip 60 Vitality 63 Title of respect in India

hearts out during the game.

The badminton games saw familiar and new tandems as Piolo and son Inigo Pascual played for the Black team and eventually bagged the second place, while PJ Endrinal and Dominic Roque from the Blue team bested everyone in the men’s doubles category.

Erich Gonzales and her partner from the Green team, meanwhile, emerged as the champion in the women’s doubles category.

While Arron Villaflor, who’s also part of the Green team, with his partner, won the mixed doubles category. Erich and Dominic were unsurprisingly hailed as the Best Players in badminton.

The volleyball games were equally exciting as the Green team composed of

Jennifer Lopez in a scene from the film 'Second Act'

Julia Barretto, Vivoree Esclito, Ashley Colet, Dionne Monsanto, Magui Planas and Chokoleit, among others, were named as the champion. The Red team had Bugoy Drilon, Loisa Andalio, Ritz Azul, Nikki Valdez and Lala Vinzon finished as the first runner up.

As Ashley, Chokoleit, Bugoy, Magui, Nikki and Julia formed part volleyball’s Mythical 6, with Julia being named as the Best Player.

Soon as the awards were given out, some artists further flexed their leg muscles as they joined the 3,000 other participants of the SunPiology run in the 500m kids, 500m adults, 3km, 5km and 10km categories.

As a way of concluding the productive and healthy day, promising stars Vivoree Esclito, Heaven Peralejo, Marlo Mortel, Maris Racal and Sun Life’s brand ambassador Inigo Pascual, treated the runners and their co-stars with their exceptional performances during the after run show.

Check out the behind-the-scenes happenings as the stars converged and unleashed their athletic sides at the annual Star Magic sportsfest, Sun Vs. Stars, in partnership with Sun Life Financial, by visiting Star Magic’s official Facebook page.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019

Starstudded sportsfest

ISAH V. RED

Bakers and bakery suppliers gather in Bakery Fair

'Kara Mia' lead stars Paul Salas, Mika dela Cruz, Barbie Forteza and Jak Roberto Cake designer James Anton Uy

WHEN I was a little boy in the little town of Libon in Albay province, I always found myself hanging around the bakery owned by Tío Akon and Tía Buding, a Chinese and Filipina couple, who because of their long friendship with our family somehow became a “relative” of sorts. Their daughter they fondly call “Ying” became my closest of friends up until these days.

When Tío Akon passed on, his wife Tía Buding, continued running the bakery till the day she thought she was tired and too old to be a baker.

Well, just by hanging around the bakery, I had learned so many things about baking. In those days, the bakery had a huge firewood-heated oven (they called “horno,” also the Spanish word for oven) that still exists in our backyard now after the old bakery building was demolished. I had learned to differentiate the texture and feel of the various breads that small bakery baked each and every day – pan de sal (the centerpiece of any bakery), ensaïmada (originally from Mallorca in Spain), pan Americano (now known as “tasty”) or loaf bread, pan de agua, bonete and many others.

When I got an invitation to a press do for a “Bakery Fair” recently, it got me a little worked up, recalling the days and nights I would smell the scent of baked bread from the chimney of the neighborhood bakery.

Held only every two years, the country’s biggest and most exciting “Bakery Fair” is a fitting post-Valentine event at the World Trade Center on Feb. 15 to 17. One of its many highlights is the Cakes Competition with 63 talented bakers as participants.

“Bakery Fair 2019” will open with the ceremonial cutting of giant seven-foot special cake celebrating the theme this year—Chinese New Year in the Year of the Pig. The Filipino Chinese Bakery Association, Inc. (FCBAI) who believes that this theme is a fitting celebration of good luck and good life as the Chinese New Year officially starts on Feb. 5 is organizing the fair.

Award-winning cake designer James Anton Uy of Cupcakes Bakery created the cake that is topped by a Chinese mascot representing the Chinese Year of the Pig. Uy is a respected baking and cake decorating instructor and the 2013 Winner of Bakery Fair Cake Display competition where he bested even some of the more established names in the local baking industry. He is a contributor for the internationally known Satin Ice (Satinice.com) for Cake Design Inspirations as well as in various local magazines like Wedding Essentials, Wedding Digest and Real Brides Magazine.

The three-day Bakery Fair is a brainchild of FCBAI and features exhibitors, seminars and demonstrations by local and international experts.

All kinds of modern baking supply and equipment will be showcased.

Continued on C3

'Smart Amazing 25' grand raffle ambassador Erwan Heussaff

‘Kara Mia’ gets all the public attention

U

NLESS you are living under a rock, it’s unlikely for you to have not seen the Kara Mia memes that constantly appear on your social media feed and timeline.

As soon as GMA Network released the trailer for the upcoming series early in the year, an avalanche of memes and parodies started to spread like wildfire with netizens making fun of the main character’s odd appearance: a young woman with two faces.

And yes, they are getting weirder each day.

But for the members of cast, it’s a welcome publicity.

“It’s actually nice to know that people show interest in our show even before it airs,” lead star Barbie Forteza told Manila Standard in an interview during the Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo where they headlined a mall show.

In almost a l l the

VERY WANG NICKIE WANG

memes that flooded the Internet, it’s Mika deal Cruz’s face that serves as the highlight, punchline, if you will.

“It’s been my dream to be a comedienne,” Mika, whose face appears on the back of Barbie’s head, said in jest. “It’s a nice feeling though, we are already providing them entertainment this early.”

“They have questions that really make us wonder, too. They ask questions like, ‘How do Kara and Mia brush their teeth?’ Perhaps, we can incorporate these questions and suggestions in the series,” Mika continued.

The 20-year-old actress said

that the cast and production team don’t take these memes negatively, even if it’s obvious that some of them had the intention to bash the series because of its rather unusual plot.

“The time will come that their perspective on Kara Mia would change.

But for now we’re just welcoming their queries and suggestions. I just have one concern, sana ginandahan ko na young ngiti ko sa trailer. Kumalat na eh, sana yung best face ko na lang yung nandun. But it’s really fun seeing those memes online.”

Explaining the plot of the fantasy drama, Hazel Abonita, the series’ Senior Program Manager, said that Kara Mia is a high concept television series. The story follows Barbie portraying Kara, a kind-hearted girl who deeply cares for her sister; while Mika plays Mia, the face behind Kara’s head who has strong jealousy over Kara.

“It’s based on a true story from India and an urban legend in Great Britain.

It follows the lives of two sisters born with Disprosopus or craniofacial duplication, a congenital defect where they have two faces but share only one body,” Abonita shared.

“Until today, the origin of this condition, which is one of the rarest malformations in humans, is still unexplained, whether it is mythical or medical,” added.

The urban legend, according to Abonita, inspired their team to do Kara Mia. They just incorporated a touch of fantasy to make the story more interesting for the viewers.

“So, we actually encourage people to share their memes with us including their fan made trailers. We’ll do a compilation of those most definitely,” Abonita ended.

Barbie Forteza and Mika dela Cruz play Kara and Mia in an upcoming fantasy series on GMA.

Celebrities join the excitement for ‘Smart Amazing 25’ grand raffle draw THERE is a growing and persistent excitement permeating the air in 2019 and it has continuously affected every Filipino.

Entrepreneur Erwan Heussaff and young dance aficionado AC Bonifacio all share the same exhilaration with the rest of the country and it has everything to do with the “Smart Amazing 25” anniversary celebration of PLDT mobile services arm Smart Communications. The huge event is its biggest raffle promo to date.

AC (grand champion of ABS-CBN’s Dance Kids) has been rooting for that lucky Smart subscriber to be pronounced the big winner of whopping P25 million cash grand prize come Feb. 28.

Erwan understands that more than the cash money to be won, kudos is very well-deserved by Smart for giving back to its faithful subscribers by this grand gesture of blessing.

Open to all subscribers of Smart Prepaid, Smart Postpaid, Sun and TNT, “Smart Amazing 25” has been giving lucky subscribers brand new smartphones, MVP Rewards points, and data, since the last quarter of 2018. The promo culminates on

Feb. 28, the grand raffle date where the P25M cash prize is at stake.

To join, Smart, TNT, and Sun subscribers must first complete the onetime registration: Simply dial *121#, choose AMAZING 25 on the menu, and follow the steps to confirm the sign-up.

Once registered, subscribers can start earning and accumulating raffle entries for a shot at winning amazing prizes.

All prepaid subscribers can earn raffle entries with every registration to select prepaid promos via retailers or text registration. As a bonus, subscribers using *121# to register to prepaid promos can earn more entries.

The select prepaid promos include Giga Surf, Giga Surf Plus, All Out Surf, and Game Time for Smart; Surf Saya, Gaan Surf, Panalo Combo, Panalo Data, Giga

CO-STARS and friends became teammates and cheerleaders as camaraderie, teamwork and sportsmanship made this year’s Sun Vs. Stars sportsfest held at Camp Aguinaldo last Jan. 27.

Star Magic’s 2019 sportsfest remains in partnership with Sun Life Financial and was divided into four Harry Potter-inspired teams namely Red, Black, Green and Blue with four different sports such as basketball, volleyball, badminton and fun games.

The day started with the parade of the participating teams with their respective muses.

BlackPuff and GryffinRed team had rising stars Yasmyne Suarez and Ysabel Ortega, respectively.

Chienna Filomeno was RavenBlue’s muse while Vivoree Esclito and Julia Barretto were SlytheGreen’s official face.

Ritz Azul and Kisses Delavin, meanwhile, were Star Magic Dream Team’s muses.

A brief opening program then followed suit, which started off with a prayer led by comedian Eric Nicolas followed by the Philippine National Anthem sung by belter Klarisse de Guzman.

After which a Zumba warmup session happened, followed by the Oath of Sportsmanship led by Gerald Anderson. Concluding the opening program was a speech from SunPiology’s official face Piolo Pascual, who formally opened the sporting event.

As the games and competitions went on the whole morning, the GryffinRed team eventually emerged as this year’s over-all champion followed by team SlytheGreen and BlackPuffs, as the first and second runners up, respectively.

The kids were more than thrilled and energetic as they took on the various fun games prepared for them. But the Black team led by child star Yesha Camile, brought home the top plum. While the Red team led by international singer Elha Nympha, the Green team led by young drama star Raikko Mateo and the Blue team young host Chunsa Jung, took on the first, second and third runners up spot, respectively.

Team Gryffinred headed by Ejay Falcon among others, likewise won in the basketball category. Team RavenBlue, which had Jairus Aquino and Bugoy Cariño as its members finished as the first runner up. While SlytheGreen with members Diether Ocampo, RK Bagatsing, Elmo Magalona, Turs Daza, Grae Fernandez and McCoy de Leon, eventually bagged the second runner up spot. Continued on C3

Father and son and Sunlife ambassadors Piolo and Inigo Pascual

Surf and All Out Surf for TNT; and Sulit Surf Plus, Big Time Data, Non-Stop Surf, Giga Surf and All Out Surf for Sun. On the other hand, all postpaid customers with active accounts that do not have outstanding balances can earn raffle entries by paying their bills in full and on time. Every P1,000 worth of payment is equivalent to 100 entries.

Postpaid customers who purchase select add-ons such as Giga Surf offers for Smart; and the Social Bundle 199, Chat Bundle 249, and Non-Stop 450 for Sun can also earn additional raffle entries.

To know more about Smart Amazing 25 raffle promo, visit www.smart.com. ph/amazing25 and follow Smart’s official accounts on Facebook (www.facebook. com/SmartCommunications), Twitter and Instagram (@livesmart).