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HANDS HAVE IT. President Rodrigo Duterte shakes the hand of newly appointed Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno while in a huddle with other members of the Cabinet on the sidelines of the 35th Cabinet Meeting at Malacañang on Monday. Presidential Photo

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 24 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Pros outweigh cons on narcos’

DFA, Defense chiefs at odds over US treaty

Palace says DILG to make public list soon

By Nat Mariano and Macon Ramos-Araneta

HE Palace on Monday defended the move to release a list of politicians allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade, saying that making it public had more pros than cons.

LOCSIN

LORENZANA

By Francisco Tuyay

“It is not the lack of reassurance that worries me. It is being involved in a war that we do not seek and do not want,” Lorenzana said in a statement. His remarks contradict Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.’s statement that there is no need to review the treaty, and that the ambiguity or vagueness in the treaty would serve as a deterrent to attacks against the Philippines. “In fact, it [ambiguity] will cause confusion and chaos during a crisis,”

THE decades-old defense treaty between the United States and the Philippines needs to be revamped, or risks dragging Manila into a war with China, Defense Secretary Delﬁn Lorenzana said Tuesday. Lorenzana offered this assessment four days after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who visited Manila, said Washington would intervene in case of an armed attack on Philippine forces or vessels in the disputed South China Sea.

While acknowledging concerns expressed by lawmakers that releasing the list violates the presumption of innocence of candidates seeking public office, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said part of the risk of running for public office is being exposed to public scrutiny. Panelo said the Department of the Interior and Local Government would release the list by next week and file charges against those on the list. In defending the move, Panelo said the Constitution recognizes the right of the

people to information on matters of public concern, especially when this affects their lives and welfare. “The evil sought to be avoided by its release is much much greater than the perceived violation of an individual’s right, which the law allows a vindication and compensation,” he said in a statement. “In balancing the interests between those of the individual candidates, who took the risk of being exposed by running for a public ofﬁce, and that of the nation, Next page

Rody’s policy tamed inflation, PSA says By Nat Mariano PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s macroeconomic policies have been “effective” in taming inflation, Malacañang said Tuesday. Inflation further slowed to 3.8 percent in February 2019 from the 4.4 percent in January, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. As a result, inflation returned to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ target range in February, lessening the pressure on the monetary authorities to tighten policy. The consumer price index rose 3.8 percent in February from 4.4 percent in

Ash Wednesday ushers in Lent MILLIONS of Filipino Catholics will troop to churches today to observe Ash Wednesday, the start of the 40day Lenten period. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines says this is the start of the day

January, slower than the expectation of economists in a Reuters poll. Slower inﬂation in rice, corn, milk, cheese, eggs, vegetables, alcoholic beverages and transportation contributed to the further cooling of the headline rate, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. “This is good news, back within target,” said HSBC economist Noelan Arbis. “We do expect inflation to be firmly within target for the remainder of the year.” The PSA attributed the drop in inﬂation to the slower annual increase in the Next page

With Diokno at BSP, bankers expect reforms By Julito G. Rada, Othel V. Campos, Nat Mariano, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta BANKERS are expecting more reforms under the leadership of newly appointed Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno that will further strengthen the industry. In a statement Tuesday following the appointment of Diokno by President Rodrigo Duterte Monday evening, the Bankers Association of the Philippines welcomed the appointment of the former Budget chief as the successor to the late Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. who died of tongue cancer last month. “A respected economist, academic, and civil servant, Diokno spearheaded various budget and governance reforms which improved the efﬁciency of the delivery of government services in the Next page country,” BAP said.

28 big-ticket infra projects done in Gloria to present ‘best bets’ in sorties 2022, NEDA vows

LOWERING COSTS. House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (center) with Leyte (1st District) Rep. and Tingog Party-List 1st nominee Yedda Marie Romualdez discuss with government agency heads how to lower the cost of shipping and trucking of agricultural products and other goods during an oversight meeting at the Cika-an Restaurant in Hilongos, Leyte. Ver Noveno

By Maricel V. Cruz

HOUSE Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Tuesday said she will present “the best candidates” so they can expound on their advocacies during the

Mona Lisa disrobed? Louvre probes A NUDE drawing that bears a striking resemblance to the “Mona Lisa” was done in Leonardo da Vinci’s studio and may be the work of the master himself, a French museum said Monday. Experts at the Louvre in Paris, where the world’s biggest collection of Leonardo’s work is held, have been examining a charcoal drawing known as the “Monna Vanna,” which has long been attributed to the Renaissance painter’s studio. But the charcoal preparatory work for a painting of a semi-nude woman, held at the

campaign for the May 13 elections. “I am here to give the most competent and most qualiﬁed candidates exposure to present their plans and platform of governance to enable Kapampangans to vote wisely,” Arroyo said. Next page

FB: Political ads no-no in Jakarta JAKARTA—Facebook has banned political advertisements from outside Indonesia ahead of the country’s presidential poll, just weeks after being heavily criticized by the European Union for not doing enough to

By Macon Ramos-Araneta TWENTY-EIGHT projects worth P319 billion out of the 75 big-ticket projects worth P2.17 trillion under the government’s massive Build, Build, Build program are scheduled to be completed by 2022, a government official told the Senate Tuesday. The remaining projects would be finished after the term of President Rodrigo Duterte, said National Economic and Development Authority Assistant Secretary Jonathan Uy. Uy said originally, 31 projects were supposed to be completed by 2022, but three—including the Mindanao Rail project—were subject to further review. He also told the Senate committee chaired by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian that 47 out of the 75 flagship projects are now under various stages of implementation; 16 are in Next page

News

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019

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Solons won’t let Diokno off the hook By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

HE minority bloc in the House of Representatives on Tuesday said erstwhile Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno is not yet off the hook in relation to the ongoing congressional investigation on the P75billion alleged insertions into the 2019 national budget and other questionable budget practices.

Senator Panfilo Lacson had vowed to raise “a big legal issue” before his colleagues in the Senate after he accused House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of realignments in the Department of Health’s budget for her supposedly “favored” congressmen. Arroyo “has no business or legal authority to prepare and impose the menu list of the Department of Health appropriations for Health Facilities Enhancement Program worth P25 million in individual allocations for her favored congressmen,” said Lacson. However, the House contingent to the bicameral conference committee on the national budget “does not take orders from the Speaker,” thus she can not be behind the realignment of P25

million from the DOH budget, Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. said. Andaya, the chairman of the House appropriations committee, defended Arroyo and said the Senate President and the Speaker “are not directly involved in the bicameral committee discussions.” “Responsibility rests on the Bicam conferees,” said Andaya, who asked Senator Loren Legarda, chairperson of the Senate committee on finance, to hold a joint press conference aimed at promoting transparency in the P3.757trillion 2019 national budget following Lacson’s statement. Suarez stressed the House may still invite Diokno “if there is a need” despite the latter’s non-appearance in the previous hearings.

House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, chairman of the House committee on public accounts, said this following Diokno’s appointment by President Rodrigo Duterte to replace late Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. At a news conference, Suarez said his panel will continue the investigation on Diokno that the House committees on

rules and appropriations initiated. “Diokno has pending issues at the Lower House. There is no closure yet as far as the House probe on alleged irregularities in the budget preparation is concerned,” Suarez said. “I will continue hearing [Diokno’s budget practices]. [I’ll be] taking advantage of my few remaining months in Congress,” he added.

DFA,...

Full-blast dredging of Manila Bay starts

said Lorenzana, who has been pushing for a review of the 1951 mutual defense treaty with the US. Filipino officials have suggested the treaty may not apply in the strategic waterway, since Washington has not stopped Beijing building artificial islands over reefs claimed by Manila and other neighbors. The US has said it does not take sides in the dispute over the South China Sea claimed by Beijing as well as the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. It has, however, sailed warships near the Chinese-built islands to assert free passage. Pompeo said Friday China’s actions in the waterway—through which trillions of dollars of global trade passes each year— threaten both the US and the Philippines, and vowed to keep it open. But Lorenzana said the American naval maneuvers risked dragging the Philippines into armed conflict. “The United States, with the increased and frequent passage of its naval vessels in the West Philippine Sea, is more likely to be involved in a shooting war,” he said, referring to Filipino-claimed areas of the sea. “In such a case and on the basis of the [treaty], the Philippines will be automatically involved,” he said. The “vastly different” security environment now in place “necessitates a review of the treaty,” Lorenzana added. He said the ambiguity in the current treaty would cause “confusion and chaos during a crisis.” The Mutual Defense Treaty, signed in 1951, contains eight articles requiring the two Pacific allies to provide aid in case of an armed attack against either nation by an external party. With AFP and PNA

ABOUT 225,000 cubic meters of silt will be removed from the 1.5-kilometer stretch of Manila Bay from the Manila Yacht Club breakwater to the United States Embassy in Manila, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said Tuesday. He made the statement as his department started its desilting operations on the bay. Villar said amphibious excavators, dumping scows, dump trucks, debris segregators, street sweepers and vacuum sewer jet cleaners were being deployed in the area and other strategic locations. “This event marks the full-blast dredging within this critical section of

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28 big-ticket... From A1

the process of budgeting and appropriation, 19 are under detailed engineering and procurement; and 11 are under construction. At the same hearing, Senator Nancy Binay said the government should ensure that the jobs generated from these projects should go to Filipinos. Gatchalian urged NEDA to be transparent in the loan agreements being entered into by the Philippones to allay doubts of corruption. He said details of these loans cannot be seen even in the agency’s website. The NEDA official said the loans from Japan carried low interest rates. He added that 50 percent of the projects under the Build, Build, Build program were made through loans from Japan, while 30 percent were made through loans from China. The funding for the remaining projects were loans from the Asian Development Bank.

FB: Political... From A1

counter election meddling. The world’s biggest social network said it was temporarily restricting any paid material from advertisers based outside the Southeast Asian nation that related to politicians, parties or attempts to encourage voter suppression. “We want to make it harder to interfere with elections on the platform, and easier for people to make their voices legitimately heard in the political process,” Facebook said in a statement, adding the new policy will be effective Tuesday. EU officials blasted the company earlier this year for not doing enough to scrutinize advertising on its site in the runup to European Union elections in May. In response, the company unveiled new tools and rules that would require a wide range of political ads linked to the elections to be specifically authorized and tagged with a clear “paid for by” disclaimer. AFP

Manila Bay,” Villar said. “Our Bureau of Equipment, Regional and District Engineering Offices in Metro Manila have deployed a total of 28 equipment and 50 personnel to operate 16 hours a day, six days a week. “Excavation will be the major mechanism for the removal of the accumulated pollutants on Manila Bay. Through our crew and equipment fleet, we aim to desilt within 150 meters from the shoreline of Manila Bay.” Villar said they expected to collect 600 cubic meters of silt a day. DPWH-BOE Director Toribio Noel Ilao said the desilting activities will be di-

vided into five sectors, each ranging from 200 to 300 meters long, until the 1.5-kilometer stretch is finished. Each sector will be desilted within 90 to 120 days. Public Works will coordinate with the Environment department and the Philippine Coast Guard in monitoring Manila Bay where the depth will be measured and the water quality tested. The department will also clean up and declog the tributaries and canals in the city. Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said the city will support the rehabilitation of Manila Bay and praised the Duterte administration for it. PNA

Mona Lisa... From A1

nify submission to Christ, remorse for sins, and a turning away from sin. The ash also symbolizes the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which resulted in man’s freedom from sin. It also reminds the faithful that life is short and, one day, man will return to ashes. The CBCP has reminded the faithful to fast and live the essence of Ash Wednesday. Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said Lenten season was a time for good works and charity, as he urged Filipino families to go back to God and nation. Vito Barcelo

Conde Museum at Chantilly north of Paris, may now have to be reclassified. “There is a very strong possibility that Leonardo did most of the drawing,” Mathieu Deldicque, a curator at the Paris museum, told AFP. “It is a work of very great quality done by a great artist,” added Deldicque, who initiated an investigation over several months by historians and scientific specialists at the renowned C2RMF laboratory under the Louvre. The large drawing has been held since 1862 in the huge collection of Renaissance art at the Conde Museum, once the home of one of France’s oldest noble families. “It is almost certainly a preparatory work for an oil painting,” Deldicque said, with the hands and body almost identical to the “Mona Lisa,” Leonardo’s inscrutable masterpiece that hangs in the Louvre. Microscopic examinations have shown that it was drawn from the top left towards the bottom right, the curator said―which points to a left-handed artist. Leonardo, who died in France in 1519, is the most famous left-handed painter in history. The drawing will be shown at a special exhibition at Chantilly later this year to mark the 500th anniversary of the death of the artistic genius, who was born in the Medici-ruled Republic of Florence in 1452. AFP

as well,” he added. He said that if those involved in the illegal drug trade will be running the local governments, public safety will be endangered. He also reiterated that the narco-list has been validated by law enforcement agencies after investigation and surveillance using modern technology and sourcing credible information from those who have been previously arrested and prosecuted. Earlier, Panelo said that politicians who have been wrongly accused always have the option to avail of judicial remedies to clear their names. “The fear that it may destroy the presumption of innocence, to my mind there is a judicial remedy for that: If you feel that you’ve been libeled, you can always go to the courts,” he said. Panelo also suggested that criminals no longer had a right to be presumed innocent. “How can you demand that you are presumed innocent when you are involved in something criminal?” he said. “Another thing, the due process clause applies to the life, liberty or property. It may not even apply to them because you don’t deprive them of those three things when you release the list,” he said. Commission on Elections spokesman James Jimenez maintained that the

mere inclusion of a candidate’s name in the list was not the basis for disqualifying a candidate. In October 2018, Duterte rejected the plan of the DILG to disqualify politicians in the list from running in the upcoming elections. Duterte then said it was not “good policy” for the government to disclose the names. According to the DILG, about 93 local officials, including 58 mayors, were reported to have been included in the government’s list of narco-politicians. Opposition Senator Leila de Lima branded as “farce” the government’s so-called narco-list, asking why it has not filed charges yet. She also chided the government for resorting to “naming and shaming.” “It’s just a list,” she said. Senator Nancy Binay said she doubted the true intent of the DILG’s plan, saying the list could be used to shame candidates. “They said they will come out with the list to guide our voters, but how could that be possible if the list was not verified?” she asked. She urged the DILG and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to immediately file charges against the narco-politicians if they were sure about their list. With PNA

“Just as we thought, inflation is decelerating. 3.8 percent for February beats most forecasts,” newlyappointed Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor Benjamin Diokno said in a statement. “This gives us confidence that our medium-term inflation forecast ranging 2 to 4 percent is appropriate.” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the latest inflation result was a “positive development.”

“We are pleased to know that inflation is going down as the economic managers said so a few weeks ago,” Panelo told reporters. “It will go down as expected, given the fact that they have placed certain measures that will put it down.” Panelo said the latest inflation result was proof that Duterte’s macroeconomic policies had been effective in addressing soaring prices.

BURNING ISSUE.Youth organizations burn a mock US flag during a protest calling for

an end to the military defense treaty between the US and the Philippines on March 5 near the US Embassy in Manila. Norman Cruz

Ash Wednesday... From A1

devoted to fasting and abstinence when Filipino faithful across the country attend Masses and receive ashes on their foreheads made from fronds used at last year’s Palm Sunday. “The season of Lent is a time for almsgiving, prayer and fasting,” the CBCP said. The ash will be applied on the faithful’s forehead, forming a cross, to sig-

‘Pros... From A1

unquestionably the country’s interests prevail,” he said. Panelo said the people have a right to know which politicians are involved in illegal drugs so they could make responsible choices when casting their vote in May. “The public and the voters have the right to know who these destroyers of society are who have placed all of us to the brink,” he said. “They cannot—and must not—be given the authority to rule and govern for they will only hasten the destruction of our country.” Panelo said the government is duty bound to undertake measures to prevent the proliferation of illegal drugs. “Thousands of barangays have been contaminated. There is no doubt that we are now in a state of narco-politics,” he said. “The matter of illegal drugs is a matter of national security given that its continued proliferation, despite the government’s success in containing it by the relentless police operations against it, has put in peril not only the basic unit of our society, which is the family, but the local government units

Rody’s policy... From A1

index of food and non-alcoholic beverages, tobacco and transport. The recent figure registered as the slowest rate of increase in the prices of basic commodities in a year. This was also the first time the government hit its 2-4 percent inflation target after a year.

NPA ranks dwindling, says Army THE military on Tuesday said the rank and file of the New People’s Army continued to dwindle following the surrender of 25 cadres in Capiz province last week, bringing to 608 the number of its members and followers that have yielded to the government during the first two months this year. Capt. Eduardo Precioso Jr., Public Affairs chief of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, said the 25 NPA members operating in Negros Occidental surrendered last Thursday, bringing their assorted firearms to the 79th Infantry Battalion in Sagay City. It was a a big blow to the underground Communist Party of the Philippines organization, Precioso said. “The surrender of 25 communist terrorists will surely weaken the strength and armed capability of the CPP-NPA-Terrorist [CNT] in Negros Island,” said Major Gen. Dinoh Dolina, commander of the 3rd ID. “It is also a strong indication of continued downfall of the communist terrorist group. And we are expecting the demise of the group very soon,” Dolina added. The NPA surrenderers turned over three M16 rifles; one M14 rifle; four Garand rifles; 12 caliber .45 pistols, one caliber .22 rifle with scope, four gauge shotguns, and two 9mm Uzis. Prior to the surrender of the cadres, an NPA member, Jobert Beunaflor alias “Toto” who yielded to the military, led soldiers in uncovering a cache of firearms at a supposed hideout in Tulunan, Cotabato. It yielded one M60 machine gun; one Garand rifle; an M16 rifle; and four barrels of M14 rifles. Francisco Tuyay

With Diokno... From A1

“The BAP is optimistic that the reformist brand of leadership of the new BSP governor will pave the way in continuing the necessary reforms and policies to strengthen the Philippine banking industry,” it said. The organization expressed its support to the new governor, saying BAP would remain committed in its role as a partner of the national government in building a strong economy through an empowered banking sector. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, who leads the economic team of the Duterte administration along with Diokno and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, said Diokno would serve the unexpired six-year term of Espenilla until the year 2023. Espenilla was appointed on July 3, 2017 by the President. Dominguez also said Diokno’s stint as the chief of the interagency Develoment Budget Coordination Committee would give him “a macroeconomic perspective.” Dominguez said Budget Undersecretary Janet Abuel will be officer-in-charge of the department. Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. expressed its commitment to continue to work alongside the BSP under Diokno’s leadership to support the continued growth of the economy. Security Bank Corp. president and chief executive Alfonso Salcedo said the appointment of Diokno was not expected because a lot of people were expecting an “insider” to succeed Espenilla. But Salcedo said Diokno is smart and competent enough for the post.

Gloria... From A1

The former President stressed she wanted to give a chance to her fellow Cabalen to hear more on the platform of the senatorial and local candidates that she will introduce. Arroyo has been joining the campaign sorties of the administrationbacked Hugpong ng Pagbabago regional coalition. In other developments: * In Tacloban City, the presence of presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte in the campaign sorties of the administration candidates is a crowd drawer, according to Senator Juan Edgardo Angara. “We’ve been going around the country and most of the places we went to were with a big crowd,” Angara said. He said in their previous sorties in Nueva Ecija about 20,000 people witnessed the campaign, and in Quezon City there were about 13,000 supporters. Both were attended by the presidential daughter. “I think she is one if not the main draw in our sorties,” Angara said during a basketball event here Sunday. With PNA

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Duterte Oks proposed order on Bangsamoro

AGAINST MONEY LAUNDERERS.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Aaron Aquino (left) and Anti-Money Laundering Council Executive Director Georgie Racela sign their Memoramdum of Agreement that sealed their partnership against suspected money launderers who ’wash’ their illicit proceeds from illegal drugs activities. Manny Palmero

By Nat Mariano PRESIDENT Duterte has approved the proposed executive order seeking the implementation of the annex on the normalization program in the Bangsamoro region, Malacañang said on Tuesday. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo bared that during the 35th Cabinet meeting on Monday evening, the Chief Executive greenlighted the normalization program under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. The normalization annex, which deals with the decommissioning of the MILF’s armed wing and disarming privates armies in the new Bangsamoro region, is the last of the four annexes to the CAB forged between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 2014. “We are doing everything we can to help achieve peace [in Mindanao]. Anything that is contributory to the goal of peace in that place, we will do it,” Panelo said in a Palace press briefing. “The MILF has allowed itself to be subjected to the [peace] process. They really want peace. They despise war now.” In Cotabato City, Interim Chief Minister Hadji Murad Ibrahim wants government workers to closely engage grassroots residents and officials in development planning for rehabilitation of conflict-affected areas in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, BARMM Minister of Local Governments, said Murad had specific instructions on an anti-corruption government agenda through full-disclosure and transparency programs on the allocation and utilization of Internal Revenue Allotment by local government units. Murad himself on Monday opened the two-day strategic planning sessions of the BARMM-MLG here which will delve on new development programs and projects during the first 100 days of BARMM. The Palace has yet to release a copy of the executive order.

Drug body partners with AMLC vs suspected money launderers By Rio Araja

HE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has partnered with the Anti-Money Laundering Council against suspected money launderers “who wash their illicit proceeds from illegal drug activities.”

Director General Aaron Aquino and AMLC Executive Director Mel Georgie Racela signed a memorandum of agreement to strengthen their partnership against the illegal drugs as well as terrorism. Apart from ﬁnancing terrorism, laundered money comes from the production and trafﬁcking of dangerous drugs, he said. Banks and other regulated entities

have become conduits for laundering drug money, he added. “Drug lords hide their profits to make it appear they were acquired through legitimate means. We need to track down their drug money trail and prevent them from using their affluence and influence to evade punishment,” he said. Under the arrangement, both parties have expressed their desire to promote

Abu linked to year 2000 kidnap nabbed By Francisco Tuyay AN ABU Sayyaf bandit who took part in the kidnapping of 21 individuals, including 11 foreigners in the Sipadan, Malaysia in 2000, was arrested at his hideout in Zamboanga Sibugay Monday, the military said Tuesday. Capt. Clint Antipala, Public Affairs Chief of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, said Maldimar Mahmor was nabbed by police and members of the 44th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Madaup, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay at 1 p.m. the other day. Antipala said Mahmor was arrested on the strength of a warrant of arrest for illegal possession of ﬁrearms and ammunitions. Records showed that Mahmor was a lieutenant of Sulu-based former ASG subleader, Indang Susukan (Galib Andang) also known as Commander Robot. “He currently serves as the ASG’s liaison and facilitator in its kidnapping activities in the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur,” said Lt. Col. Don Templonuevo, the 44th Infantry Battalion Commander. Reports indicated that Mahmor participated in the Sipadan kidnapping in 2000, snatching 21 individuals consisting of European and Malaysian tourists and

Filipino resort workers. At least six fully armed ASG members under Indang Susukan swooped down at the famous Sipadan island resort and forcibly took a Malaysian police officer, three Germans, two French, two South Africans, two Finns and a Lebanese citizen. The hostages were herded into a waiting pump boat and fled towards Sulu. Prior to Mahmor’s arrest, the ASG bandit figured in the kidnapping of former Mayor of Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay and Duterte Couple in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte. Authorities said a caliber .38 revolver, one hand grenade, an M16 magazine, one rocket-propelled grenade bullet were recovered from Mahmor’s possession. “The apprehension of Mahmor is a big loss for the ASG because it will disrupt their illegal activities, particularly kidnapping, in our area of operation,” said Col. Bagnus Gaerlan, Jr., commander of the 102nd Infantry Brigade based in Zamboanga Sibugay. Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Roberto Ancan, commander of the 1st Infantry Division, said army troops in collaboration of the PNP would intensify joint lay enforcement operation to protect the people and communities against terrorist

PAO to challenge Duque case dismissal PUBLIC Attorney’s Office chief Persida Rueda-Acosta on Tuesday vowed to challenge the Department of Justice over the dismissal of charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide against Health Secretary Francisco Duque III. The Justice department found probable cause to indict former Health Secretary Janette Garin for the deaths of eight children who received anti-dengue vaccine shots, or Dengvaxia. “The panel found sufficient evidence that Garin and the other respondents circumvented various regulations in the purchase of P3.5 billion worth of Dengvaxia vaccine which constituted proof of their reckless imprudence,” it said. But the DoJ cleared Duque from any culpability. “We will file a motion for reconsideration [to hold] Zuellig Pharma, the Department of Health and Philippine Children’s Medical Center’s contractor [liable],” she told the Manila Standard. “More than 10 children died after receiving the Dengvaxia vaccine in November 2017. He disregarded the warnings of the Filipino experts last March 27, 2016 and November 2016 during congressional hearings,” she said. She added Duque also ignored the “admissions” of the giant French pharmaceutical Sanofi Pasteur Inc. about the “fatal side effects” of the vaccine. “We have not yet received a copy of the resolution up to now. That is why we cannot still file a motion,” she said. Rio Araja

and encourage cooperation to effectively prevent, control, detect and investigate unlawful activities under Section 3 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act. “The efforts and resources used by PDEA in tracking down and arresting illegal drug dealers and manufacturers will deﬁnitely go for naught if we cannot freeze the assets of these criminals while they are being prosecuted,” he said. “We [just] cannot go on arresting and ﬁling the cases while the drug lords are freely using drug money to buy their way out of prison,” he added. Both parties vowed to cooperate in information exchange and capacity building measures, including the exchange of studies, researches, information on current, new and emerging trends and typologies in money

laundering and terrorism financing, he said. “PDEA may request for financial information to support an ongoing investigation to any violations of the anti-drug law. In return, AMLC may enlist the assistance of PDEA in the detection and investigation of money laundering activities and other violations of the AMLA,” he added. In 2018 alone, PDEA’s anti-money laundering desk was able to refer 75 cases involving 102 targeted drug personalities and 64 others believed to be involved in illegal drug activities to AMLC for financial investigation. From 2011 to 2018, AMLC had frozen P2.037 billion worth of assets, including local and foreign currencies, real estate, motor vehicles and firearms, from all drug cases.

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019

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Observe the rule of law TO RELEASE or not to release the list of so-called narco-politicians—that is the question. There are those who say it would be unfair to release the names. They have not yet been convicted by courts of law and thus must be presumed innocent. But there are those who want the list released if only so that those in it can clear their names.

Releasing the names would be reckless.

This is now the dilemma of Malaca Malacañang, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. The problem is that this is an election year. If somebody is running for an elective post, being labelled a narco-politician, true or not, already bears a stigma. It’s a perception difficult to erase. The people especially those at the local level would already know who among the candidates are truly involved in illegal drugs anyway. There is no more need to clear their names. The problem has gone beyond the Commission on Elections. It’s really President Duterte and the PDEA that must decide. It’s just a list. The President may have those on the list investigated. If they are really guilty, they should be made accountable. This should be done immediately without resorting to threats or intimidation. The problem of releasing the names is a double-edged sword. While it is supposed to serve as a warning to

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

the people, presumption of innocence must prevail. As a lawyer, I believe that the President, the DILG and the PDEA must investigate the 80-something names on the list. Simply releasing the names would be reckless and imprudent. *** If there is anything significant about the midterm election, it’s the fact that all the political parties involved, administration or not, are always propeople and anti-high prices, high transport costs and high interest rates! There is no differentiation at all. This is why we find ourselves electing movie stars. Take Lito Lapid for example. This was a man who had confessed to feel feeling out of place in the Senate because he could not participate in interpellations and other debates. And yet once again he is in the winning circle. What is important to voters is that Lapid is a popular actor. What a trag tragedy. This is why any attempts to have a real debate is an exercise in futility. *** Did you know that from Sept. 21, 1972 when martial law was proclaimed by strongman Ferdinand Marcos to Feb. 25, 1986 when he left the country, he crafted 7,883 presidential decrees and other issuances covering almost every aspect of human life? Out of the 2,036 presidential decrees issued, only 67 have been replaced or modified. The prominence percentage of 67 PDs either repealed or modified by Executive Order 187 of President Cory Aquino were the decrees increasing penalties for certain offenses against public order and security. Marcos also crafted and issued signal laws lauded by succeeding administrations. I think this is significant because when the name Marcos is mentioned, people only remember the ill-gotten wealth of the atrocties of martial law. As Shakespeare said in Julius Caesar: “The evil that men do lives after

Not a compliment

S SECRETARY of State Mike Pompeo's casual observation over the weekend that President Rodrigo Duterte's style of governance was similar to that of US President Donald Trump may have been a source of amusement—but the administration really shouldn't take it to heart. As Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo tells it, Pompeo was at the Palace on a courtesy call to the President, who was sharing stories about the controversies he has stirred up since assuming office in 2016. “I remember when the President was talking about what he is doing for this country, including his controversial policies and even the cursing, the secretary of state said, 'You’re just like our President.' We all laughed," Panelo recalls. “He [Pompeo] is very fond of the President.” While it is true that both Trump and Duterte have made international headlines with their harsh rhetoric and unconventional styles of leadership, there are differences that the administration would do well to

emphasize. First, there is no evidence to suggest that Mr. Duterte is a racist. In contrast, from his continued refusal to denounce white supremacists and his description of Mexicans as criminals, Mr. Trump is clearly a bigot. The recent testimony of a man who had served as his personal lawyer and fixer for 10 years merely confirmed what we knew—Mr. Trump is a racist. Second, despite the occasional embellishment or exaggeration, Mr. Duterte is nowhere near the prolific and compulsive liar that Donald Trump is. The Washington Post, which meticulously keeps track of Trump’s pronouncements, documents 9,014 lies that he has peddled since his inauguration in January 2017. The Post also observes that

Trump is accelerating the pace of his lying, averaging 5.9 lies a day in his first year, 16.5 a day in his second, and 22 lies a day this year. Third, Mr. Trump, who is obsessed with building a border wall to keep immigrants out, is clearly xenophobic, something Mr. Duterte clearly is not. In fact, some might argue he is too welcoming of foreigners, particularly those carrying Chinese passports. Finally, Mr. Duterte has often demonstrated that he can empathize with the people he serves. The same cannot be said of Mr. Trump, who exhibits the sociopathic tendency of not caring about the pain he causes others. Instigating the longest government shutdown in US history earlier this year, Mr. Trump showed no empathy for the 800,000 federal workers who had to go on furlough or work without pay for 35 days. We know that Secretary Pompeo thought his comparison of the President to Mr. Trump was a compliment—but we hope the Philippine officials gathered around him knew better.

Turn to A5

Pocholo Romualdez writes ‘30’

IN THE language of journalism, “to write ‘30’” means a member of the Fourth Estate has passed away. This was what editor Enrique “Pocholo” Romualdez did last week— write ‘30.’ The outpouring of sadness and admiration for the man by his people at the Malaya publications and the former Philippine Daily Express came like a torrent, as if the man were God. Pocholo as he was known to his staff had a reputation as a terrorist in the newsroom yet he commanded respect as the editor’s editor. He was more a master mentor’s mentor. Under his tutelage, many of the leading figures in the Philippine newspaper profession learned the basic tenets of journalism— accuracy, truth, fairness , spelling and grammar. At his wake last Monday at the Magallanes parish church, the key members of his staff spoke lengthily about how Pocholo tore into their copy and red-penciled them like flower-like. Those he found beyond redemption he threw into the wastebasket with epithets from his booming voice that filled the Daily Express newsroom. His staff at the Malaya said Poch had mellowed from a grizzly to a teddy bear. There are actually two sides to Pocholo Romualdez. One was the newsroom terror whose mere presence journalists cowered and shuddered from when they were the subject of his ire. He had zero tolerance for incompetence and yet was a gentle soul who pointed out another editor or reporter’s negligence in his copy. Pocholo was the

quintessential editor which was why would-be journalists admired him and acknowledge that they turned out to be better because of him—thanks to the man who was a fountainhead of knowledge. Pocholo Romualdez studied journalism at Northwestern University in Illinois. His knowledge of things and events encompassed subjects from American Major League Baseball to classical music.

This was an editor’s editor.

I will not add to the glowing words delivered at his wake. I will, however, cite instances of his knowledge outside the newsroom where he was a legend. One time, we were watching a musical show on Broadway—something he enjoyed during breaks in his job as a member of the Philippine delegation every year during the United Nations General Assembly. During the intermission, piped in music was played. An elderly couple beside us were trying to place the title of music being played. Pocholo could not help himself and identified Mozart’s symphony, including the stanza, etc. The American couple were amazed and said “that’s it, that’s it. How did you know and where are you from?” “From a small country called the Philippines which you used to own” was something I would have said. Mercifully, the curtains were raised, signaling that the play was about to resume Turn to A5

Ben Diokno’s central bank own attitude when it comes to his work in government: I hope the new “We will ever strive for the ideals and sacred things of the city, both governor would alone and with many; we will unceasaggressively push ingly seek to quicken the sense of economic growth, IN HIS 41 years in government, the public duty; we will revere and obey promote financial economist Benjamin E. Diokno, the city’s laws; we will transmit this Ph.D., has been guided by one powcity not only not less, but greater, inclusion, and for once, erful oath of citizenship—the Oath better and more beautiful than it was really reduce poverty. of Athenian, engraved prominently transmitted to us.” in the lobby of Maxwell Hall, the When the Palace announced that building that houses the Maxwell Ben Diokno is the new governor of School Citizenship and Public Affairs the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, my central banking, the fate of banking, of Syracuse University where Ben heart leapt with joy. Finally, I said to and the future of the economy. studied for his Ph.D. myself, here is a public servant who Enthused Finance Secretary Carlos Turn to A5 The oath captures Ben Diokno’s can change, drastically, the face of Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

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Opinion Moving forward with Philippine-US relations By Ambassador Albert del Rosario WE, AT the Stratbase ADR Institute Inc., fully welcome the official US statement that, “As the South China Sea is part of the Pacific, any armed attack on Philippine forces, aircraft or public vessels in the South China Sea would trigger mutual defense obligations under Article 4 of our Mutual Defense Treaty.” This we view as one of the most important statements made in the many decades since the Mutual Defense Treaty was ratified in 1951. It behooved the Filipinos to finally be provided this specific assurance which we rightly deserve. It was also necessary for the US to strengthen, to reinforce, and to be more specific about its security commitment in light of the escalating situation. It was furthermore an imperative for our disruptive northern neighbor to be forewarned of the significance of our mutual defense treaty alliance. Under the Trump administration, it was moreover timely and strategic for the US to send a clear message to all its allies of the full intention and quality of its security guarantees. Worldwide, it should be received as a positive and credible statement of US foreign policy that reaffirms its strong adherence to the rule of law. No need to review the MDT We entirely concur with the decision not to review the MDT given this official assurance that the US will defend the Philippines against any at-

Pocholo... From A4

and the time for talking was over. Poch and I spent a lot of time together in New York. His people at the Daily Express and the Malaya attested that he was also a horseracing aficionado. On weekends when he was free from his duties as Philippine delegation member, Poch hied off to either the Aqueduct or Belmont to bet on the ponies. He never asked anyone even me to provide him with a car and driver which I could have easily done. Instead he took the train

Ben Diokno’s... From A4

“Sonny” Dominguez: “Dr. Benjamin E. Diokno brings together that elusive combination of seasoned technocrat and professional manager.” “He knows the inner workings of government and industry, and has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to run a large, complex organization with intellectual leadership and a steady hand. All of these will contribute to his successful stewardship of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as its next governor and chairman of the Monetary Board,” added Dominguez who is instrumental in convincing President Duterte in naming Diokno head of the Philippine central monetary authority, one of the oldest central banks in Asia. Presidential Spokesman Sal Panelo said Diokno “has competence and has integrity.” Panelo recalled that Diokno spearheaded investments in growthenhancing infrastructure programs and innovations, inequality-reducing social services, and peace-enabling initiatives. “A job well done indeed, and expertly at that,” Panelo gushed. I hope Ben can repurpose BSP to focus on economic production, employment and productivity and not be bogged down by the tedious minutiae of monitoring daily forex and inflation rates which is missing the forest for the trees. Under the original central bank law, Republic Act 265 of Jan. 3,1949, the Central Bank of the Philippines had three original functions: Monetary stability, peso convertibility, and promoting a rising level of production, employment and real income. Its focus on economic growth and employment made the central bank the best in Asia and the Philippines the second-richest country in the region, after Japan, for three decades. From the late 1960s to the early 1970s, Philippine exports were ten

tack in the South China Sea. Foregoing an official review of the MDT will avoid difficult challenges for us. It would, for example, serve the purpose of preventing our powerful northern neighbor from interfering in our internal affairs by promoting its unlawful expansion agenda in the South China Sea. Need to work with the US in redlining scarborough shoal Beyond the positive US declaration, it is essential for us to work with the US in redlining Scarborough Shoal so that any plans of Beijing to build artificial islands and militarize the area can be arrested. There is vital urgency in doing this for the following reasons: On the one hand, to project its regional naval power, Beijing considers the Spratlys, the Paracels and Scarborough Shoal as its security triangle in the South China Sea. On the other hand, from our standpoint, Scarborough Shoal is only 124 nautical miles from our nearest shore. Need for closer partnership with the US in defense modernization As our only treaty ally, we need to recognize the significance and importance of this alliance. We need to recognize that we are required to strengthen our own defense and security capabilities. We as well need to recognize that, based on interoperability standards, a stronger and faster buildup of our

military capabilities can only be achieved with the help and commitment of our treaty ally. Bilateral fta with the US—a great opportunity for enhanced economic cooperation We understand that the US is open towards developing a Bilateral Free Trade Agreement to certain countries including Great Britain, Japan, Korea and the Philippines. Such an agreement grants favored trading status between two nations providing access to each other’s markets. It serves to uplift trade and economic performance. There are many challenges that will confront us if we do not improve our competitiveness. Bilateral Free Trade Agreements will, however, open markets to our successful industries, thus adding jobs and lowering costs. Our economic partnership with Japan can be deemed as a great success which has resulted in improving foreign investment, increasing trade, expanding tourism and adding more significant Official Development Assistance programs. We must therefore explore how to successfully negotiate a beneficial bilateral trade agreement with the US. We need to do this. Ambassador Albert del Rosario is chairman of Stratbase ADR Institute Inc. He is also a former Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Philippine Ambassdor to the United States.

from Manhattan to the two racing venues. That was the kind of man he was. He did not want to impose. Yet when he won at the races, you would know. He treated me and other friends at the Philippine Mission to the UN and the Philippine consulate to sumptuous lunches at the Philippine Center Maharlika restaurant. Pocholo Romualdez had a zest for life. He also loved to eat – he certainly knew good food. At the Philippine Center in New York, the labor attaché Efren Cristobal, the brother of presidential

speechwriter Adrian Cristobal, was a big man with an equally big appetite. One day the question came up: Who could eat more, Efren or Pocholo? The regulars at the restaurant decided to pit Pocholo and Efren against each other. To make a long story short, Efren quit and Pocholo, who looked like he could continue on to dinner, asked: “OK what’s for dessert?” Pocholo, as his editorial staff said, was an editor’s editor. I would not be surprised if up there he would edit the Ten Commandments as written on a rock tablet.

times those of Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong. Filipinos were the No. 1 tourists of Hong Kong. The rich Filipinos secured their maids from Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Philippine banking system became the biggest in Southeast Asia. Today, it is the smallest. Under RA 7653 of June 1993, the third and to me the most important function which was promoting a rising level of production, employment and real income, was unhappily deleted. Removing the third function made the BSP governors researchers and bureaucrats who set easy inflation targets like they were picking guavas from a tree—easy (because you pegged an inflation target of between 2 and 4 percent, can you imagine a target where your maneuver room is 100 percent and yet still miss it?). The BSP and spent billions defending the peso uselessly making the BSP the biggest money-losing enterprise. You know where BSP passed on its colossal losses? To us taxpayers, of course. Another function where the Central Bank failed is balanced and sustainable growth of the economy. Half of Filipino household consumption, especially by the poor, is food. Some 12 million are either jobless or partly employed. Building industries is still the best way to employ people. Yet, agriculture has been neglected. Its share of GDP is 11 percent. Industry is a joke. We don’t produce anything much, except babies. Industry’s share of the economy is 31 percent of GDP. The biggest share is Services, 57 percent, thanks to call centers and business process outsourcing, which is basically saliva or sweat, producing dollars. Ben Diokno comes at a critical time for BSP. There is a new central bank law. RA 11211 gives BSP awesome powers making it superior to the Su-

preme Court, the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Philippine National Police combined. If you are a bank and the BSP doesn’t like you, the BSP can make inspections of your papers and premises without the benefit of a subpoena (the once every 12 months limit has been removed), penalize you and your officers (the fines have been increased ten-fold and imprisonment doubled) on the say-so of a whistleblower or informer (who will be paid up to P1 million), and worse, padlock or shutter your bank without due process. Unlike before, BSP is not now even obligated to pay your bank’s liabilities following closure. So you lose your bank and you lose your shirt because of loans you must pay. If you sue BSP officials and personnel, well, the BSP is now funded and empowered to defend its people, the legal fees charged to taxpayers. It will be so difficult to convict them because the threshold of proving criminal liability has been raised so it is not even applied to hardened criminals. And yes, BSP people can now borrow from the banks they supervise, provided they disclose this fully to the Monetary Board. I hope Governor Ben Diokno will use his and BSP’s vast powers not to go after the banks in a power trip, but to aggressively push economic growth, promote financial inclusion, and for once, really reduce poverty. In 2015, Asia and the rest of the world achieved their poverty reduction target of 10 percent. The Philippines did not. Perhaps the ancient Athenian Code can provide the answer, to make the Philippines “not only, not less, but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us.” For indeed, the Athenian Code mandates. “We will never bring disgrace on this our City by an act of dishonesty or cowardice.” biznewsasia@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019

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A difficult balance be provided for another 10 billion pesos annually. The El Niño this year has hit the Mindoro provinces, which affects the NFA’s ability to procure palay because Occidental Mindoro is its biggest supplier of the staple. Some Visayas and Mindanao provinces have already ATER the signing of RA 11203 or the been likewise affected by El Nino, Rice Import and Export Liberaliza- and normally during El Nino years, tion Law which took effect yesterday, typhoons are stronger. Watch how this March 5, the National Food Authority, may affect our rice granaries in Centhrough its current officer-in-charge, tral and Northern Luzon this year. “Stormy weather…” the song goes, Deputy Administrator Tom Escarez, announced that the agency would up ahead this year. Second, to just break-even, and I cease to be a regulator of the distribution and marketing of rice, our staple am not too sure if this would cover administrative expenses in a thinner NFA food grain. I saw on television how Admin personnel component, the agency will Tom could not contain his emotions have to release its locally-procured when he spoke at the Monday flag rice at P40 per kilo, already above its ceremony of his agency. It was the current subsidized 25 percent broken week after Malacañang confirmed rice at P27 to P35. If it would opt to that the President had signed the bill keep consumer prices flat, the national that would end NFA’s regulatory func- government will have to absorb the tions as well the quantitative restric- loss in buying and selling. If it sells only for emergency purtions that ceased last June 30, 2017 but could not be implemented until poses (calamity-stricken provinces after a passage of remedial legislation with DSWD and LGUs as buyers), what happens to the left-over stock? on tariffication. Tom, who started with NFA 40 They will have to auction these out years or so ago as a laborer in his na- to the highest bidders in each region tive Mindoro Oriental, and who all to prevent spoilage and carryng costs. along believed in the importance of And likely, with imported rice availNFA was in ensuring the availability able, NFA would have to sell at a loss. This is not to include the gargantuand affordability of rice at all times, as mandated by law and the requirements an sovereign-guaranteed debt that the of food security, was crying over the NFA has incurred. When I took over fate of an agency he served exceed- in 2010, a “legacy” debt of P178 bilingly well and with utmost integrity lion was inherited. By limiting government imports and charging private throughout his career. Indeed, it is to the credit of the importers thorugh bidding for their Duterte administration that it decided license to import, we pared this down to P143 billion, to backstop the but soon enough, previous NFA Adunder the Alcala ministrator, Jason leadership in DA, Aquino, with two Let’s wait for the it went back to of the most trustP160-billion worthy and exImplementing Rules and the territory. I do not perienced direcRegulations. know how much tors it promoted NFA’s debts are to deputies, Judy now, after two Layus Dansal and and a half years Tomas Escarez. of the current ad adSince NFA under the new law would yet have to en en- ministration. These observations are just for sure buffer stocking for food security, using locally-produced rice instead of starters. Let’s wait for the IRR. However it is writ, government will imports, President Duterte would do well to choose someone with experi- have to manage a most difficult balence, an “insider” to run the agency ancing act from these days onwards, after RA 11203, instead of yet another while the “free” market takes over the military or police retiree who would role of importing rice which theoretineed months to study the difficult ter- cally at this point, is without limit. The balance between the desire of rain of the rice industry and strategize how to maintain a delicate balance consumers for cheap rice and the need between consumer needs and farmer to keep farmers planting rice and earnwelfare, most difficult especially during a decent living therefrom so they ing the last three years of his admin- would want to continue producing requires a fine and delicate balancing istration. Much of the law’s impact will be act. It won’t be easy. influenced by the implementing rules *** and regulations or IRR, which I underAs we write this, we learn that stand NEDA in coordination with the NFA Council and DA, will craft and DBM Secretary Ben Diokno has been appointed by the President as Bangko promulgate soon enough. It is equally sad that the one under- Sentral Governor, to serve the remainsecretary with real institutional mem- der of the late Nesting Espenilla’s ory of the Department of Agriculture, term cut short by cancer. Two Cabinet members texted the Fred Serrano, is retiring at the end of this month. Fred, with whom I have appointment was announced during attended several international food se- their regular monthly meeting, but curity conferences in 2010-2012, will I was asleep at the time, down with be sorely missed by the department he a cold. I read the text messages only served with utmost integrity and com- yesterday morning, and proceeded to write this article. petence. This, I recall now, has been Ben He will devote his time now to care for an ailing mother and pursue his Diokno’s long-held desire, in pectore. Years back, we asked him to give passion of bird-watching and phtographing them in their natural habi- an “elementary” briefing on the econtat, a passion he shares with Liling omy for then-presidential candidate Briones’ undersecretary, another good Joseph Estrada. It was held at the Marbella resort in Ternate, Cavite, friend, Alain del Pascua. In another article I would want owned by our friend Buboy Virata, to write after the IRR on RA 11203 with a very select group other than the are released, I would want to share vice-president. After the four-hour session with my thoughts with readers on so vital a matter as ensuring food security, Ben, VP Erap sidled up to him as he short-term and long-term. For now, left, saying, “Thank you, and I will need you more when we win.” some thoughts come to mind: Escorting Ben to his car, I asked First, if NFA were to procure locally-produced rice at P20 per kilo of curiously, “mukhang balik-DBM ka” dry palay which is the NFA Council’s (Ben was DBM undersecretary in Conewly-set buying price, it will need a ry’s time.) Ben quietly whispered, “galing na P10-billion budgetary subsidy to do so. That coincides with a 15-day buf- ako dun…sana sa Central Bank.” But as things happened, Erap asked fer, the absolute minimum. In cases of bad weather (El Niño or strong ty- him after his victory to be his DBM phoons), the Ledac in 1995 required secretary. And who can say no to an NFA to stock up a 30-day buffer, overwhemingly elected president? Congratulations, Ben! which means standby resources must

Observe... From A4

blemishes of hate, vengeance and prejudice will look more kindly and with gratitude on his achievements and contributions to the nation.” I say “Amen” to that. *** Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde cannot blame the Social Weather Stations which found that almost eight in 10 Filipinos are afraid of extrajudicial killings in connection with the President’s war against drugs. While EJKs are not state-sponsored, many Filipinos regard the police with suspicion. That’s a common sentiment.

them. The good is often interred with their bones.” It’s typical of people who have short memories. This is why the debate rages: “Is Marcos hero or heel?” It depends. it’s a matter or perspective. He is a hero to those who appreciate his achievement. He is a heel to those who are filled with hatred and who seek revenge. In the words of former Justice Manuel “Lolong” Lazaro, time and history will vindicate his vision and foresight. “Generations freed from the ugly www.emiljurado.weebly.com

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Imee calls for Water Summit S By Rey E. Requejo

ENATORIAL candidate and Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos is calling for a Water Summit next week to plan out El Niño mitigating measures and mobilize immediate assistance for affected regions as PAGASA warns the public to brace for a full-blown El Niño this month. “The dry spell will trigger widespread drought. We must be proactive in bringing help to our farmers who will bear the brunt of El Niño in affected areas. Sagip buhay dapat tayo ngayon sa ating mga magsasaka,” said Marcos, who is also the chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council. PAGASA identiﬁed several provinces already experiencing drought, namely Ilocos Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga

Sibugay, Maguindanao, Sulu, Bukidnon, Basilan, Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur. This means three consecutive months of 60 percent rainfall reduction or ﬁve consecutive months of at least 21 percent rainfall reduction in drought-stricken areas. In Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, farmers have started harvesting their crops such as corn earlier than scheduled before these are laid to waste by the high temperatures.

Ilocos Norte’s Sustainable Development Office head Edwin Cariño said the summit will gather representatives of various farmer and crop grower federations, the academe, research centers, and associations of irrigators in the province and concerned officials of the Department of Agriculture, National Irrigation Authority and Philippine Rice Research Institute. Cariño said at least five measures are readily implementable to mitigate the impact of El Niño: rain harvesting; switching to short-gestation crops that do not require abundant water such as monggo, watermelon and pechay; use of enhanced fertilizers that have better water-retention properties; installation of pond liners to collect water and serve as reservoirs; and the use of gray water to avoid wastage and maximize water use.

IN BRIEF

“Interventions must be put in place, targeted to pour assistance in critical areas and funded immediately and properly. We must act quickly to save our farmers and agricultural production from El Niño’s disastrous onslaught,” said Marcos. She also repeated her call for the grant of living income for farmers in emergency situations (LIFE ) in affected areas. “Our LGUs in affected areas direly need the national government’s assistance to help our farmers survive,” Marcos added. “We must release emergency funds for our farmers, especially since our countrymen are just recovering from record-high inﬂation rates last year,” she added. Marcos said government agencies should be able to release quick response funds in times of disasters like El Niño even if the damage does not involve infrastructure.

NFA exceeds palay procurement in 2018 WHILE the peak of harvest season is still to come, the National Food Authority continues to aggressively buy palay from local farmers with the total palay procurement reaching 232,447 bags in the first two months of 2019. With that volume, NFA OIC Administrator Tomas Escarez said that the agency has already surpassed its 2018 procurement accomplishment by 2,100 percent. NFA was able to buy only 10,960 bags during the same period last year. “The NFA procurement activities are obviously revitalized by the agency’s new buying price, increased from P17.70 to P20.70 per kg for clean and dry palay. More farmers are selling their harvest to NFA after the NFA Council approved the additional P3 per kilogram Buffer Stocking Incentive last October 2018,” Escarez said. Based on the reports of different field offices, palay procurement were highest in the following provinces: North Cotabato—59,734; Sultan Kudarat—52,045; Tarlac—14,376; Oriental Mindoro—13,433; South Cotabato—11,204; Isabela—10,965; Capiz—10,659; and Occidental Mindoro—9,591. “We want to recognize the continuing efforts of our officers and staff in the field. Despite the fact that it is not a peak procurement month, they were still able to serve our farmers. In particular, our office in Region 12 covering the provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and South Cotabato exceeded their target by 6,149 percent.” PNA

SAGIP MANILA BAY. Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, and former President and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada (from left) lead the launch of desilting operations under the Sagip Manila Bay Program at Baywalk Roxas Blvd., Manila on Tuesday, March 5. An estimated 225,000 cubic meters of silt will be removed initially from a 1.5-kilometer stretch of Manila Bay from the Manila Yacht Club breakwater to the United States Embassy in Manila. PNA

SC disbars lawyer for faking CA decision

THE Supreme Court has disbarred a lawyer who had been found to have drafted a fake decision of the Court of Appeals. During its en banc session on Tuesday, the SC also ordered that Marie Frances E. Ramon’s name be immediately stricken off the Roll of Attorneys “without prejuAll parties having valid claims against the Corporation are requested to present the same at its principal office dice to the civil or criminal cases pending during business hours at Palnab Del Norte, Virac, and/or to be ﬁled against her.” Catanduanes. In a media briefer, the SC said it found (Sgd) Eduardo V. Bongat Jr. that Ramon “defrauded her clients by Corporate Seceretary drafting a fake, spurious and Republic of the Philippines sham decision regarding the National Irrigation Administration NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION

(MS-FEB. 20,27 & MAR. 6, 2019)

purported acquittal” of one Tirso Fajardo, the cousin of a client, of drugrelated charges and used the names of three CA justices to “accomplish her ill-motives.” The court added that the case against Fajardo was actually rafﬂed to a different associate justice. The complainants—CA Associate Justices Fernanda Lampas-Peralta and Stephen Cruz and SC justice Ramon Paul Hernando, who was formerly with the CA, alleged that Ramon claimed she could inﬂuence CA justices to secure the acquittal of a person accused of a crime and that she defrauded the

relatives of an accused to earn “a large amount of money.” Ramon was found to have violated the Lawyer’s Oath and several canons of the Code of Professional Responsibility and committed grave misconduct. “The Court held that Atty. Ramon has tarnished the image of the legal profession and has lessened the public faith in the judiciary. Hence, the ultimate penalty of disbarment must be imposed upon her,” the high court ruled. The SC adopted the ﬁndings of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Commission and the recommendation of the IBP Board. Rey E. Requejo

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Email Address: niar03@yahoo.com Telefax No. (044) 766-2467 TIN No. 000-979-570-000

Invitation to Bid Supply Delivery & Installation of Groundwater Pump (Province wide) ITB No. NIAR3-2019-BAT- BIAAN PACKAGE 7-12 1.

The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3, hereby invites all interested Phil-GEPS registered contractors to bid for the project, through theGeneral Appropriations Act of CY 2013, intends to apply the sum of Twenty Two Million One Hundred Forty Thousand Six Hundred Fifty One Pesos and 34/100(P 22,140,651.34)being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC)for the contract for NIAR3-2019- BIAAN CISPACKAGE 7-12. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. 2. Bidders must secure Site Inspection Certificate from IMO Office as a technical requirement for Eligibility and Technical Document (Envelop A). Non-compliance will be a ground for disqualification. 3. Only those who submitted Document Request List (DRL) from PhilGEPS including updated company profile by the owner or its authorized liaison officer, will be accepted to participate in the bidding. 4. The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3 now invites bids for Supply Delivery & Installation of Groundwater Pump (Province wide). Completion of the Works is required within Three Hundred (120) calendar days. Bidders should have completed a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instruction to Bidders. 5. 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 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines. 6. Interested bidders may obtain further information from NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3 and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., Monday to Friday. 7. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders on March 1 to March 25, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, except and holidays and March 26, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Twenty TwoThousand Pesos (P 22,000.00) It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later that the submission of their bids. 8. The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3 will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on March 11, 2019, 9:30 a.m. at NIA-R3 Office, Conference Room, Brgy. Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan, which shall be open to all interested parties. 9. Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before 9:30 a.m. (PST) of March 26, 2019 at NIA-R3 Office, Conference Room, Brgy. Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Bid opening shall be on 10:00a.m. (PST) of March 26, 2019 at NIA-R3 Office, Conference Room, Brgy. Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted. 10. All particulars relative to the eligibility screening, bid security, performance security, pre-bid conference/s, evaluation of bids, post qualification and award of contracts shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of RA 9184 and its revised IRR. 11.

The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3reserves 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.

12. For further information, please refer to:

BAC Secretariat/s; NIA – Region 3,Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan Tel No. (044) 766-4839 and 816-8608 (SGD) VIRGILIO J. ILAO BAC – Chairperson

Noted by: (SGD) JOSEPHINE B. SALAZAR Regional Manager

SENATOR Risa Hontiveros, together with various groups of women and youth, on Tuesday urged voters to choose candidates supporting “pro-safe spaces,” and those who seek the end of violence against women and children. At a Quezon City news conference “Bawal Bastos,” Hontiveros vowed to push for any effor t to stop sexual harassment in streets and public spaces [SHiPs]. She authored Senate Bill No. 1326 or the Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act that was passed on third and final reading in a bid to promote safety and freedom from all forms of street harassment. Arline Santos, Institute for Politics and Governance executive director, challenged the voters to support candidates running in the 2019 midterm polls who are against gender-based sexual harassment in public spaces. “We have achieved much but we can do even more. The upcoming election is our chance to produce more champions against catcalling, stalking and other acts of gender-based violence,” she said. Cherry Baronuevo, Damayan ng Maralitang Pilipino Api Inc. president, said while the bill has remained pending at the House of Representatives and the Senate, several local government units, such as Quezon City, Manila and Rizal’s Antipolo City, have already been implementing their respective measures to sanction catcalling on women. Rio N. Araja

OWWA introduces new E-card scheme

Be it known that MYELA Center of Altruism, Academics, and Arts, pursuant to Resolution duly adopted in a meeting held on Feb 4, 2019, by a majority vote of its directors and stockholders representing at least twothirds of its outstanding capital stock, has approved the dissolution of the corporation by shortening its corporate term up to Feb 19, 2019. The Amended Articles of Incorporation will be filed in due course with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Office Address: Telephone Nos.: Website :

Vote for pro-safe spaces bets—Risa

( M S- M A R . 6 , 2 019)

NEDA REPORT. National Economic and Development Authority Assistant Secretary and Officer in Charge for Investment and Programming Jonathan L. Uy elaborate on the status, sustainability and risks of projects under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program of the Duterte administration during Tuesday’s Senate inquiry conducted by Senate committee on Economic Affairs chairman Senator Sherwin Gatchalian. Ey Acasio

THE Bureau of Immigration has introduced new procedures to further ease and expedite its processing of departing overseas Filipino workers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport with the recent acquisition of several state-of-the-art gadgets from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. The OWWA provided the BI-NAIA with six tablets and six bar code readers to use to check the authenticity and validity of OWWA E-cards. The OWWA E-card, available for Balik-Manggagawa OFWs, serves as their exit clearance from the country. Apart from this, the card likewise allows OWWA members to avail OWWA services faster, allow use of the mobile application, and may be used as a permanent government-issued ID, according to OWWA Deputy Administrator Josefino Torres. BI Port Operations chief Gifton Medina said that there have been instances in the past when OFWs who were victimized by fraud syndicates were caught in possession of fake or invalid overseas employment certificates. Medina said the gadgets will be given to Immigration personnel assigned to conduct pre-screening of OFWs while the latter are still queuing up for processing at the immigration departure counters of the NAIA. Vito Barcelo and Joel E. Zurbano

SC nix bid to transfer school entry regulation SUPREME Court magistrates on Tuesday turned down a proposal to transfer the regulation of law schools from the Legal Education Board to the SC by groups questioning the LEB’s policy that centralized the entrance examinations in law schools. During oral arguments, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justice Marvic Leonen shared the view that the proposal by retired Makati Regional Trial Court Judge Oscar Pimentel and a group of law students to transfer admission in law schools under the supervision of the high court would violate academic freedom under Section 5, Article 14 of the 1987 Constitution. Carpio grilled petitioners on their argument that the SC is mandated by the Constitution to regulate admission to the legal profession, which supposedly includes admission to law schools. However, Carpio differentiated admission to legal profession from admission to legal education. According to the senior magistrate, the High Court is not required by law to regulate law schools because this would mean that the Court has been derelict of such duty since the first Constitution in 1935. Rey E. Requejo

Herbalife Nutrition PH joins Manila Bay Cleanup Drive HERBALIFE Nutrition Philippines ofﬁcials, employees and distributors recently took part in the Manila Bay Cleanup Drive, an initiative in line with the nutrition company’s corporate philosophy and sincere objective of advocating worthwhile causes that beneﬁt the community. Herbalife Nutrition Philippines general manager Rosalio Valenzuela, along with his family, as well as Corporate Communications Manager Barbette Soliven took part in the activity, which saw the volunteers cleaning the Baywalk Area from the United States Embassy to Rajah Sulayman area. Herbalife Nutrition is a global nutrition company whose purpose is to make the world healthier and happier by providing its customers access to quality nutrition products and personalized wellness programs that would improve their lives daily.

Herbalife Nutrition is a global nutrition company whose purpose is to make the world healthier and happier. The company has been on a mission for nutrition—changing people’s lives with great nutrition products and programs—since 1980. Together with Herbalife Nutrition independent members, it is committed to providing solutions to global trends of poor nutrition and obesity, a population that wants to age in a healthier manner, skyrocketing public healthcare costs as well as providing an opportunity to meet the needs of the rising number of entrepreneurs. Herbalife Nutrition offers high quality, science-backed products, one-on-one coaching with an Herbalife Nutrition independent member, and a supportive community approach that inspires customers to embrace a healthier, more active lifestyle.

The company’s direct sales model provides individuals with an entrepreneurial business opportunity to be their own boss and work either full or part-time. Herbalife Nutrition’s targeted nutrition, weight-management, energy and ﬁtness and personal care products are available exclusively to and through its independent members in more than 90 countries. Herbalife Nutrition supports the Herbalife Nutrition Foundation and its more than 130 community-based Casa Herbalife Nutrition programs around the globe that help bring good nutrition to children. The Company and HNF also provide aide to organizations focused on the general wellness of communities such as the American Cancer Society, Save The Children and the American Red Cross.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sports

Manila

Standard

TODAY

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019

Torres is Asia’s newest queen of duathlon T

HE Standard Insurance national duathlon team, led by Filipina elite Monica Torres, topped the Powerman Asia Championship in Malaysia last Sunday. Torres took the Championship for Asian Women Elite, while top caliber-performer Joey delos Reyes placed second to the Philippines’ and SEA Games silver medalist John Chicano in the Asian Men Elite. Veteran campaigners Emmanuel Comendador also produced a strategic race that saw him finish fourth, with Jarwin Banatao placing sixth overall in the Asian Men Elite. “I’m very happy with my performance in this year’s international competition. I together with my teammates under Standard Insurance stable am preparing for the SEA Games duathlon events in November,” said Torres. Powerman, the pinnacle of duathlon competition globally, is the platform for ardent runners and cyclists to master both disciplines. Last month, Torres, the fastest Filipina in the Cobra Ironman 70.3 for six straight years, Delos Reyes, and other members of the Standard Insurance duathlon team, also

dominated the Singapore Duathlon National Championship. Torres and other members of the national duathlon team will be trained under the Triathlon Association of the Philippines’ coaching program under national coaches Melvin Fausto and coach Bernie Llantada, according to duathlon godfather Judes Echauz, group chair of Standard Insurance. Members of the team include Delos Reyes, Comendador, Banatao, the country’s top male duathletes Robeno Javier and John Topia, Echauz said. Forming a formidable combo with Torres is Pauline Fornea, who led the US Naval Academy’s triathlon squad in numerous successful races overseas. Fausto said the athletes will have to put in a weekly training load of 20 to 30 hours and undergo frequent fitness assessments. “Even duathlon events will be held in Subic. We still have to familiarize the route and intensely train our athletes, “Fausto said.

Monica Torres with second placer Airi Sawada of Japan and Malaysia’s Mariana Mohammad, third.

Sta. Lucia arrests PSL skid STA. Lucia finally snapped its five-game skid as it turned back Foton, 13-25, 25-21, 25-23, 2522, in the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix yesterday at the Filoil Flying V Centre. Casey Schoenlein delivered the killer blows in the third and fourth sets to tow the Lady Realtors to their second victory in this prestigious women’s club league that has ESPN5 and 5Plus as broadcast partners. Schoenlein tallied 13 points, while her partner Molly Lohman had 12 markers for the Lady Realtors, who stepped back on winning track in this battle that also has Asics, Mueller, Mikasa, Senoh, Team Rebel Sports, Bizooku, UCPB Gen, Cocolife, Hotel Sogo and Data Project as technical sponsors. The locals also stepped up for

Sta. Lucia up as Pam Lastimosa had nine points on top of 12 digs and seven excellent receptions while Jho Maraguinot chipped in nine hits and 15 receptions in a well-balanced offensive assault. “I like it because they played more relaxed. They enjoyed inside the court, which is something that we lost in our previous games. I’m very happy with it,” said Sta. Lucia mentor Babes Castillo. “The issue ever since is how do we finish. Now, I think this is a good experience for them, they get to know how to finish the game, they get to know how to play in tight situations.” After a sluggish first set, the Lady Realtors got their acts together in the succeeding sets, where they engaged the Tornadoes in toe-to-toe battle.

GENERAL GUIDELINES: 1.

Disposal of GSIS Investment Properties – Retail Units (IP-RUs) is through a competitive public bidding process. Acceptance of Purchase Offer shall start on the scheduled bidding date and time.

Dropping of bid envelopes will be on the date of bidding from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. only. Opening of Bids will immediately follow. Late bid envelopes will not be accepted

Disposal of GSIS IP-RUs is on “As-Is Where-Is” basis. Interested bidders are enjoined to personally inspect the GSIS IP-RUs for sale. “As-Is Where-Is” is defined as the present physical condition of the retail unit that GSIS is selling and the buyer is buying, “with all attendant faults, if any,” whether or not immediately apparent and without any express or implied warranty. The buyer takes this condition at his or her own risk, without recourse against the GSIS as to their condition. This includes knowledge by the buyer of the presence of occupants in the retail-unit being purchased.

Strictly, “One bidder, One specific property” only, which means that a bidder cannot submit two (2) or more bids for one property. A bidder may submit one bid each to as many properties as he wants to buy, as long as, he posts the required 10% bid deposit of the total bid price for each property. The bidder must present valid government IDs upon registration on the date of public bidding.

Purchase offer may either be in Cash or through External Financing Institution. MODE PAYMENT DUE DATE Cash Payable either in cash or Manager’s Checks within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of bidding EFI Shall submit the Letter of Guarantee (LOG) within forty-five (45) calendar days from the date of bidding A downloadable bid form shall be properly accomplished with the following data: a. Date of Bidding b. Name of the bidder c. Exact address of property you are interested to bid d. Transfer Certificate of Title No. e. Mode of Payment f. Amount of bid (in numbers and in words) g. Signature of the bidder/representative

Courtney Felinski of Foton scores against Jho Maraguinot and Rachel Austero of SLR.

Philracom... From A8

on equine anatomy, conformation and lameness, animal welfare, and Philippine horseracing rules and regulations. The Philracom’s training arm aims to professionalize the occupations of trainer, steward, and groom, and equip graduates with the knowl-

edge and skills to work here and abroad. More certificate courses might be added in the future. For this year’s trainers course, the interview of applicants is on March 21 and the welcome orientation on April 15. To submit applications, call Philracom at 893-1453 and ask for Diding Estandian. *** FB: Gogirl Racing, Twitter: @ drhoarsewhsprr, @DrJennyO

Bid proposal shall be written in words and in figures and shall not be lower than the Minimum Acceptable Officer of the property. Should there be a difference in the amount in words and in figures, the amount in words shall prevail.

Bidders’ deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the Bid Offer shall be in the form of MANAGER’S CHECK payable to the Government Service Insurance System

The following shall be inserted on the sealed bid envelope: a. b.

the properly accomplished downloadable bid form Manager’s Check payable to Government Service Insurance System representing deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the Bid Offer c. the Special Power of Attorney (SPA), if the bidder is an authorized representative d. Pre-conditional approval from PBCOM, if applicable e. Two (2) proofs of occupancy, if applicable e.1. Barangay certificate that Bidder is occupying or residing in the subject property e.2. (1) Valid Government Issued IDs, or (2) Latest Billing Address under Bidder’s Name f.Pro-forma Certificate of due diligence (for occupied or unoccupied) 10. The following information shall be clearly written outside the sealed bid envelope (mailing envelope)

11.

Interested bidders planning to purchase the GSIS property through External Financing Institution (EFI) shall first secure certification from accredited banks stating that he/she is qualified to avail of a loan from External Financing Institution and insert inside the bid envelope.

12. The existing tenant or occupant or his duly authorized representative through a valid Special Power of Attorney (SPA) has the right to match the offer of the declared highest bidder, provided: a. b. c.

he/she is present during the bidding participated in actual bidding presently occupying the property subject of bidding supported by the following proofs of occupancy: c.1. Barangay certificate that he/she is occupying or residing in the subject property c.2. Any valid government identification document with his/her address similar to the address of the property he/.she is bidding. 13. If the occupant will exercise his/her right to match the offer of the declared highest bidder, he/she need not secure another bank pre-qualification corresponding to the matched offer. Instead, he/ she shall pay the equity in cash as stated in Notice of Approval of Sale (NOAS). The equity shall be computed as the difference between the Letter of Guarantee from the bank and the offered bid amount. 14. The declared highest/winning bidder shall submit within the day of the actual bidding, the following documents: a. b. c. d. e.

duly accomplished Personal Profile/Company Profile/Corporate Profile, whichever is applicable (downloadable); photocopies of two valid IDs (one should be a government-issued ID); Articles of Incorporation/Partnership, By-Laws and current General Information Sheet, for corporation/partnership, if applicable; Registration Certificate from SEC for corporation/partnership, DTI for sole proprietorship and CDA for cooperatives, or any proof of such registration, if applicable; current Mayor’s permit issued by the city or municipality where the principal place of business of the winning bidder is located, if applicable.

15. A Notice of Approval of Sale (NOAS) shall be issued to the highest/winning bidder on the day of bidding. 16. In case the bid is in CASH, the 90% balance of the bid amount shall be paid either in cash or manager’s check within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt of NOAS, without privilege of extension. 17. In case the bid is thru EFI, the equity shall be paid in cash within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt of Letter of Guarantee (LOG) by the GSIS. The equity is the amount corresponding to the difference between the LOG and the Offered Bid Amount. 18. Upon issuance of the NOAS to the highest/winning bidder, the Bidder’s Deposit of the other nonwinning bidder/s shall be returned immediately. 19. Non-compliance with the terms and conditions stated in the NOAS shall result in the forfeiture of the bidder’s deposit. 20. In case the highest/winning bidder fails to comply with the requirements within the specified time, the GSIS shall write the second highest bidder to confirm if he/she is still interested to acquire the property. If still interested, GSIS will require him/her to pay the non-refundable deposit equivalent to ten percent (10%) of his/her previously submitted bid amount and will be issued NOAS. 21. GSIS reserves the right to waive any formality or to reject any or all bids received. The list of properties available for sale may be updated without prior notice. 22. For inquiries, you may call Real Property Accounts Management Department at telephone nos. 479-3536 or 976-4619. (MS-MAR. 5,6 &7, 2019)

Sports

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

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019

World No. 1 Sung Hyun Park of Korea flaunts her world-class skills in the first $100,000 The Country Club Ladies Invitational beginning today (Wednesday).

SBP wants Gilas to rise in rankings By Peter Atencio THE Philippines must move further up in the world rankings now that it has made it to FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019’s tournament proper. Sports patron and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan said this should now be the mission of Gilas Pilipinas. “What we’d like to see is the Philippines to move a notch or two higher in the world rankings. If we have this objective, it will be incumbent, not only for SBP, but for other supporters to lend their support,” said Pangilinan. Gilas Pilipinas is now listed at no. 31 in the world rankings after the FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers 2019 ended. Tallying a total of 317.6 points, the Philippines is a fraction behind powerhouse China, who is at no. 30 in the world with 317.9 points. Both are among the teams that have qualified to the FIBA Basketball World Cup’s tournament proper. Gilas coach Yeng Guiao said he has enough players who can play for him the tournament proper. He hopes that Andray Blatche will be available very early in their preparations, also wishing that Fil-American cager Jordan Clarkson will be able to suit up as well. The top seeds of the 32-team tournament are tournament host China and the seven best-ranked qualified teams, Team USA, Spain, France, Serbia, Argentina, Lithuania and Greece. The list also includes Angola, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia in the Africa zone. Also included are Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Venezuela in the Americas’ zone. Joining the Philippines and China from Asia are Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Korea and New Zealand, Among the 12 European qualifiers to join are Spain, France, Serbia, Lithuania and Greece, with Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Montenegro, Poland, Russia and Turkey. The draw of lots is on March 16 in Shenzhen, China, one of the competition’s eight host cities.

Cray & Co. test mettle of PH Open foreign bets I

LAGAN CITY—Top track bets from here and abroad show their wares today when the 2019 Ayala Philippine Athletics Championships ﬁre off here at the Ilagan City Sports Complex.

Athletes from Singapore, Malaysia and Sri Lanka battle it out on the field against tracksters from local clubs and the Philippine national team in the threeday trackfest organized by the the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association and supported by Ayala, Milo, Soleus and the City of Ilagan. As formidable as the participants are, all eyes will be on the national track bets, who are out to prove their spots in the national team, with the Philippine Open being the federation’s gauge on who will be fielded in the coming 30th Southeast Asian Games, which the country hosts in November. “We’re looking for athletes who will qualify to the national team. The best five performers here will be in the training pool. Then, we’ll choose the top three for the SEA Games,” PATAFA training director Renato Unso said. “We will have a running leaderboard starting from now until September so this is the best time to qual-

AFP takes UNTV opener

Eugene Tan delivered the key basket down the stretch to help AFP beat Senate at the start of their 7thy UNTV Cup finals at the Pasig City Sports Center.

Phoenix, Rain or Shine attempt to strengthen hold on top spots By Jeric Lopez FRONTRUNNER Phoenix Pulse and Rain or Shine aim to solidify their hold on the top two spots when they face separate foes in the continuing 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. The pace-setting Fuel Masters (7-1) go for their third straight victory against a rejuvenated Magnolia (1-3) side in an anticipated collision at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum today. In the initial offering, the Elasto Painters (72) will try to get back on its feet when they go up against Columbian Dyip (3-5) at 4:30 p.m. The Fuel Masters and the Painters are the first two teams through to the quarterfinals already. Should Phoenix and Rain or Shine earn wins, they will most certainly stoke their drive for a top two finish.

ify, though we will still have weekly relays in June.” Leading the cast for the nationals are debuting Filipino-American pole vaulters Natalie Uy and Alyana Nicolas, who loom as the heavy favorites to dominate over local counterparts based on their personal-bests of 4.30 meters and 3.93 meters, respectively. Those pole vault leaps, especially Uy’s, are good enough to shatter the 4.10-m gold-medal tally of Thailand’s Chayanesa Chomchuendee in the 2017 edition of the biennial regional sports conclave. Uy and Nicolas will be the first from around 30 national athletes to plunge into action today with the women’s pole vault final set at 2 p.m. at the track oval of the Ilagan City Sports Complex. Aside from them, 2015 SEAG bronze medalist Donovant Arriola also hits the field in men’s long jump set at 7 a.m. in a bid to claim the first of the 38 gold medals at stake in today’s opener. Not to be left behind are middle distance runners Marco Vilog and Carter Lily, together with other jumpers like EJ Obiena (men’s pole vault), Mark Harry Diones (men’s triple jump) and Janry Ubas (men’s long jump).

The top two finishers at the end of the elimination round will earn a twice-tobeat incentive against lower-ranked teams in the quarters. Phoenix coach Louie Alas wants his wards to go all in to get closer to securing a top two spot heading to the post-season. “I want to experience a twice-to-beat advantage again,” said Alas, whose squad had the same incentive in the Governors’ Cup last season before blowing it in the quarterfinals. “It is a good incentive to have so we want to take it.” The Fuel Masters will face a re-energized Hotshots, who finally broke into the winning column with a 92-86 triumph over Meralco last Saturday. Rain or Shine wasn’t in its best element the last time out, dropping a 92-100 decision to TNT KaTropa last Sunday, sending it to second place.

EUGENE Tan put on a vinGame Monday (Smart Araneta Coliseum) tage performance, knocking 7 p.m. – AFP vs Senate in a huge three-point shot in the crunch to help lift Armed Forces of the Philippines to a pulsating 76-73 win over reigning titlist Senate in Game 1 of their title series in the 7th UNTV Cup recently at the Pasig City Sports Center. A member of the Philippine team that won the 2007 SEA Games gold medal in Ratchasima, Thailand, Tan highlighted AFP’s remarkable comeback with a three that put the AFP Cavaliers on top for the first time, 74-73, with one minute and 27 seconds left in the game. The Cavaliers, winners of the 2014 and 2016 editions, then preserved Tan’s heroics with two defensive stops to win the opener of their best-ofthree title series. AFP can clinch its third title in the annual event for public servants and organized by UNTV President and CEO Dr. Daniel Razon with another win on Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. If that happens, the chosen charity of the Cavaliers will get a tax-free P4 million prize, while the foundation picked by the Defenders get P2 million. Meantime, National Housing Authority settled for third with a 73-70 win over PNP.

Focus on Park as TCC Ladies’ golf starts STA. ROSA, Laguna—This is one tournament Sung Hyun Park expects not to lose. A day after emerging as the world No. 1 following her victory in the Women’s World Championship last Sunday, the Korean ace flaunts her world-class skills here, her sights trained on marking her rise to the top with a victory in the first $100,000 The Country Club Ladies Invitational beginning today (Wednesday) at the wind-raked TCC layout. Her early clash with Filipina LPGA Tour campaigner Dottie Ardina and top amateur and reigning Asian Games gold medalist Yuka Saso should stir up interest although a lot of aces are raring to sneak into early contention and get a piece of the spotlight. They include TLPGA stalwarts Babe Liu, Hsin Lee, Tzu-Chi Lin, Ching Huang and Chia Pei Lee, former LPGT winners from Thailand, led by multititled Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, Ploychompoo Wilairungrueng, Saruttaya Ngam-usawan, Renuka Suksukont and Wannasiri Sirisampant and local talents in Princess Superal, Pauline del Rosario, Cyna Rodriguez and Chihiro Ikeda. Park, the new Solaire Resort & Casino brand ambassador who conducted a clinic among amateurs and pros alike after arriving from Singapore Monday, Ardina and Saso slug it out on No. 1 at 11:40 a.m. when playing conditions are expected to be hot and windy. The two-time Major champion also top-billed yesterday’s pro-am tournament where she played the Tom Weiskoph-designed layout for the first time although the familiarity factor won’t seem to be a problem for a player boasting of raw power off the mound, solid ballstriking and a magnificent short game. “Her ball-striking is head and shoulders above lots of people. She’s long and she’s straight,” her caddie David Jones told LPGA.com after her Singapore romp that saw here battle back from four down off erstwhile world No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn then beat Aussie Minjee Lee by two. “If we had a driving stat right now for strokes gained off the tee, hands down she would be No. 1, both last week in Thailand and again in Singapore. She hits her irons good and high, and she’s a good putter. So when you add all those things together, there’s not many weaknesses in her game.”

Southwoods golf stakes car for ace A BRAND new Mitsubishi G4 Mirage will be staked as hole-in-one prize when the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club holds its annual Invitational tournament starting tomorrow (Wednesday, March 6) at the Masters and Legends courses in Carmona, Cavite. Southwoods chairman Robert John Sobrepena leads the huge field of 450 players forming two-man teams disputing the titles in various divisions, including the lowes gross and overall, under the Stableford scoring system. An Ogawa massage chair will also be offered for an ace in the four-day event sponsored by Mitsubishi Motors Phils./ Alpine Motors Corp., Royal Caribbean/ Baron Travel, Mit Air, The Turf Company and Agrexplore and backed by Crystalite Distribution Group (Monster Energy Drink) and MRT Dev. Co. Other supporters are Boeing Materials Handling Corp., CJH Golf Club, CLTPSJ Law Office, Club Leisure, Coffee Stains, Forest Hills, G&W, GG&A, Golden Oats, Golforce, Greens N Turf, Le Chef, Megaworld Global Estate, Metro Countrywide, PBR Law Offices, Product Providers, RCNA, Solid Global Ventures, Southwoods Manor, Warbird and the Manor and Forest Lodge at CJH.

Philracom gets new commissioner THE HOARSE WHISPERER JENNY ORTUOSTE THE Philippine Racing Commission welcomes today a new commissioner who replaces recently resigned lawyer Ramon S. Bagatsing Jr. Bagatsing, a former representative of Manila, has taken up the post of Philippine ambassador to the Republic of India with concurrent jurisdiction over the Kingdom of Nepal. Along with his brother Manila Rep. Amado S. Bagatsing, he founded the Mayor Ramon D. Bagatsing Sr. Racing Festival, one of the racing calendar’s most successful annual events. My warmest congratulations and

best wishes for success to the industry’s beloved ‘Attorney Dondon’! Philracom’s new commissioner is Dante Lantin. He was former chairman of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and assistant secretary of the Department of Transportation. His appointment papers were signed on Feb. 28. He will serve a four-year term. *** The Philracom Trainers Academy will open for training this year, and will accept applications only up to March 15, with the first class to start on April 18 at San Lazaro Leisure Park. The Academy’s administrators are highly qualified experts—they are veterinarians Ceferino Maala, former assistant dean of the University of the Philippines-Los Baños College of Veterinary Medicine, and Romy G. Modomo, equine health practitioner.

The instructors are all capable and experienced in racing and animal health. Among them are veterinarians Alejandro Cambay, Peter Rojas, and Armando Escalante of Philracom; Ron Lameyra of Manila Jockey Club; and practitioner Mary Grace Sandoval. Other teachers are jockeys and trainers. I will be teaching Basic Communication Skills. The Academy conducts the Racehorse Trainer certificate course, a two-year training with one year of coursework and one year apprenticeship. Philracom recently approved its Education and Training Program which will extend the Academy’s scope and allow it to offer a Racing Stewards certificate course and a Racing Grooms course. The jockeys association, which runs a Jockeys Academy, will be cross-enrolling their students into the Philracom’s courses Turn to A7

Business

IN BRIEF MRC begins solar project in Mindanao

MENLO Renewable Energy Corp., the renewable energy arm of listed company MRC Allied Inc., on Tuesday broke ground for a 1.1-megawatt solar photovoltaic rooftop project in one of the major malls in Mindanao. MRC earlier said that Menlo Renewable signed a memorandum of agreement for the development, design, construction and installation of at least 1.1-MW solar rooftop system as a pilot project of its solar program. The company did not disclose the name of the mall because of competitive reasons. “Under the MOA [memorandum of agreement], MREN will be the project developer and owner of the solar facility while a private entity, owning and operating the mall, will be the power off-taker,” Menlo Renewable said. The solar power project, with total investment of P67.4 million, covers a cooperation period of 20 years starting the issuance of the acceptance certiﬁcate. MRC Allied has successfully diversiﬁed into other businesses such as renewable energy. Alena Mae S. Flores

Eight electric co-ops get respite from DoE

THE Department of Energy trimmed down the list of ailing electric cooperatives under review to eight from the original 17. “We have recalled that [cancellation] because there are updates. Eight came out [under the review]. We are talking to eight to ﬁx their systems. We did not revoke any,” Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said. The eight electric cooperatives are Basilan, Sulu, Tawi Tawi, Ticao, Maguindanao, Abra, Lanao del sur and Masbate. “The issue is how do we protect the good co-ops. The good co-ops are sometimes the target of private entities for revocation, then [the government] gives the franchise to an entity that applies. So Secretary [Alfonso] Cusi said let’s concentrate with those ailing and how we can ﬁx their system and what’s best for them,” Fuentebella said. The original 17 ECs included Albay, Camarines Sur III, Davao del Norte, First Catanduanes, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Pampanga III and Zamboanga City. Alena Mae S. Flores

Manufacturing output declined 4.1% in January FACTORY output fell 4.1 percent in January from a year ago, pulled down by lower demand, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show. This represented the second straight month of decline, following an 11.9-percent slump in December. Data showed that the volume of production index exhibited a year-on-year decrease of 4.1 percent in January, a reversal of 10.8-percent growth a year ago. Twelve of the 20 major industry groups registered annual declines. The major industries that significantly influenced the decrease were furniture and fixtures and basic metals which fell 31.1 percent and 12 percent, respectively. The value of production index also went down 0.7 percent in January following a 10.9-percent increase a year ago. The decrease in VaPI was brought about by the 11 industry groups led by basic metals with a double-digit drop of 13.5 percent. Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said the easing of inflationary pressures, especially on food following the recent signing of the law that modernizes the rice industry in the country, bodes well for overall manufacturing growth in the coming months. “Manufacturing growth outturn in January 2019 showed a moderate improvement coming from December 2018. Nevertheless, with our recent progress in agricultural policy, we can expect manufacturing to recover further,” Pernia said. Julito G. Rada

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019

Inflation dips to 12-month low of 3.8% By Julito G. Rada

NFLATION rate eased to a 12-month low of 3.8 percent in February and returned to the government’s target range after spiking at a nine-year high in the fourth quarter of 2018.

The Philippine Statistics Authority said inflation, or the movement in consumer prices, moderated from 4.4 percent in January, pulled down by slower increases in the prices of key commodities particularly food and beverage. The February print brought the average inflation in the first two months to 4.1 percent, close to the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent for the year. It was also the slowest inflation in a year or since it settled at 3.8 percent in February 2018. “Slowdown in inflation remained to be primarily attributed to the slower annual increase in the index of the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages at 4.7 percent,” the PSA said in a statement. The government’s economic man-

agers said the slowdown in inflation showed the government’s resolve coupled with the appropriate measures to rein in inflation. “We are confident that the successive reforms recently rolled out will sustain this environment and support the growth of the Philippine economy,” the economic managers said. Except for communication-related expenses, slower price increases in most commodity groups were recorded. Inflation of food and non-alcoholic beverages eased to 4.7 percent in February 2019 from 5.6 percent in January 2019, slightly lower than 4.8 percent in the same month last year. “With these developments, we are optimistic that the downward path of inflation will continue for the rest of the year. This will be backed by the recent enactment of the Rice Industry Modernization Act [RA 11203], which is expected to bring down rice prices and cut inflation by 0.5 to 0.7 percentage point this year and 0.3 to 0.4 percentage point next year,” the Cabinet officials said. Data showed that rice inflation moderated to 2.9 percent in February from 4.7

percent in January 2019 on the back of stable rice supply. Based on the monitoring of the PSA, prevailing retail prices of regular-milled rice declined by around P5 since it peaked in September 2018. Excluding selected food and energy items, core inflation eased to 3.9 percent from 4.4 percent in January. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said the latest inflation outturn was consistent with the BSP’s expectation of the continued easing of price pressures. “Inflation will likely settle within the target range in 2019 and 2020 as previous monetary and non-monetary policy actions work their way through the economy. The recent enactment of the Rice Tariffication Act will further temper rice prices in the near term and help raise long-run productivity in the agricultural sector,” it said. The BSP said it was watching price developments in the country and would consider all relevant information at its next monetary policy meeting on March 21 to ensure that the monetary policy stance would remain consistent with its primary mandate of safeguarding price stability.

Govt readies circular on oil price unbundling

THE Energy Department is set to issue a circular governing the monitoring and unbundling of prices of petroleum products within the month. Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said the rules were still being finalized but assured that it would be issued and signed by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi in March. “It will have to [be issued] because many do not understand the Oil Deregulation Law and also consider other issues such as biofuels, taxes,” Fuentebella said. “This is a way to address industry take,” he said. He said this would encourage oil companies to compete in terms of services and prices while consumers would have a greater power of choice. He said initial studies showed an industry profit take of 10 percent to 20 percent for oil companies. “We cannot conclude if there is profiteering because they are deregulated,” Fuentebella said. Alena Mae S. Flores

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

JCB-ROBINSONS BANK PARTNERSHIP. Robinsons Bank Corp., a fast growing bank under JG Summit Holdings Inc., and JCB International Co. Ltd. sign a new partnership for JCB merchant acquiring and card issuing business. The partnership allows the acceptance of JCB cards at merchants that use Robinsons Bank payment terminals and payment gateway at their place of business. Attending the signing ceremony on March 4 at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria are (from left) Robinsons Bank president and chief executive Elfren Antonio Sarte, Robinsons Bank chairman Lance Gokongwei, JCB International president and chief operating officer Kimihisa Imada, JCB Philippines country head Mikihisa Asano and incoming country head Yusuke Matsui.

NGCP declares ‘yellow alert’ over tight supply in Luzon By Alena Mae S. Flores GRID operator National Grid Corp. of the Philippines declared a “yellow alert” for the Luzon grid for several hours Tuesday following the shutdown of several power plants and an increase in power demand. NGCP issued an advisory that the Luzon grid was placed on yellow alert from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on March 5 because of the thin power reserves. A yellow alert means there is a need for additional reserves to ensure the stability of the grid. Available power generation capacity was placed at 10,115 megawatts Tuesday, compared to the peak demand of 9,491 MW. “Luzon grid is on yellow alert due to

the unexpected shutdown and limited generation of some power plants and high power demand,” NGCP said. Ten power plants went ofﬂine, depriving the Luzon grid of more than 2,000 MW of supply. These included the 647-MW Sual 2 and 420-MW Pagbilao 3 plants. Three power facilities also operated below their capacity levels. The yellow alert advisory came a day after the Energy Department assured the public that the power supply would be stable during the dry months until June even as output from the hydro plants were expected to be reduced because of the El Niño weather phenomenon. Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said preparations were ongoing to ensure the adequate supply

during the dry months. “We want to make sure there is no impact of El Niño on the power supply,” Fuentebella said. Fuentebella said the DoE was making sure that the maintenance schedule of power plants was synchronized with the grid to prevent forced outages. He said the agency was also discussing with generators the output of hydropower plants and the impact of the El Niño. Fuentebella urged consumers to implement demand side management and energy efﬁciency campaign measures. “We are also making preparations for any unforeseen incidents like an unscheduled outage. We also have the interruptible load program which we are preparing for,” he said.

Bloomberry’s net income rose 18% to P7.1b in 2018 By Jenniffer B. Austria BLOOMBERRY Resorts Corp., the owner and operator of Solaire Resort & Casino in Parañaque City, reported a record consolidated net proﬁt of P7.16 billion in 2018, up 18 percent from 2017 on the back of double-digit growth in gaming revenues. Bloomberry said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it increased its net revenues by 6 percent to P38.22 billion last year despite the rampup of rival Okada Manila, the newest player within the Entertainment City complex. “I am pleased to report that Bloomberry continues to be a trailblazer in the Philippine gaming and entertainment scene with our world-class integrated resort offering, Solaire Resort and Casino, delivering record revenues and proﬁts in 2018,” Bloomberry chairman and chief executive Enrique Razon Jr. said. “We look forward to 2019 and to sowing the seeds of our future growth, as we anticipate to break ground on our second integrated resort in Quezon City this year,” he said. Total gross gaming revenues at Solaire hit P50.97 billion in 2018, up 14 percent year-on-year. Solaire’s VIP volumes in 2018 were the highest ever for the property at P810.233 billion, increasing by two percent from 2017. Full-year mass table drop and electronic gaming machines coinin at Solaire also reached record highs of P44.89 billion and P211.88 billion, representing year-on-year growth of 22 percent and 15 percent, respectively. Total gross gaming revenues at Solaire reached P13.231 billion in the fourth quarter, or 29 percent higher compared to the same period in 2017. Bloomberry’s Jeju Sun Hotel & Casino in South Korea reported a 19-percent increase in gross gaming revenues to P484 million despite the gambling prohibition on locals and meaningfully deteriorated tourist visitation. Non-gaming revenues jumped 11 percent to a record P6.61 billion, driven by higher hotel occupancies at both the Bay and Sky Towers, higher frequency of productions in the Theatre at Solaire and increased rental income from new tenants at The Shoppes. Hotel occupancy at Solaire in 2018 was 92.6 percent, representing a 1.9-percentage-point increase from the 90.7 percent occupancy in 2017. Bloomberry announced in February that it obtained a P40billion loan to fund its planned second casino project in Vertis North Complex in Quezon City.

Cavite gets more time to improve airport bid By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Department of Transportation gave the Cavite provincial government until the middle of the year to resolve the issues on its unsolicited proposal to develop an international airport in Sangley Point. “It’s [Cavite government unsolicited proposal] still pending with Neda [National Economic and Development Authority. The issue I think is still the [source of] funding,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said. Neda returned in January Cavite provincial government’s unsolicited proposal to build a new international airport over the alleged unclear implementing arrangement for the project. The Cavite provincial government submitted to Neda the full feasibility study for the project on Dec. 17, 2018. Sangley International Airport is expected to cost more than P500 billion.

Tugade said that the national government would not help the Cavite government in funding the project. He said the agency was giving the Cavite government “a reasonable period” to resolve the issues on its proposal to develop an international airport. “By mid this year, there should be a decision one way or the other,” he said. Tugade clariﬁed that the DOTr had not yet rejected the proposal of Solar Group’s All-Asia Resources and Reclamation Corp. to develop an international airport in Sangley Point. “Under the rules, if there is a government-to-government offer and there is a private offer, the priority is the government. So before you talk of any other options, you should talk ﬁrst about the offer of the government,” Tugade said. When asked if the agency is still considering the private proponent, Tugade said: “Of course, options will always with them.”

SMART BAGS OOKLA AWARDS. PLDT and Smart officials led by executive vice president and chief revenue officer Eric Alberto (fourth from right) receive the Ookla awards for Smart for being the Fastest Mobile Network and PLDT for Fastest Fixed Network in the Philippines at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

Business

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market drops; PLDT tops gainers S TOCKS retreated Tuesday as investors awaited fresh developments in the ChinaUS trade talks and the market digested reports that Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno was appointed the new governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, lost 4 points, or 0.1 percent, to close at 7,670.62, as three of the six sub-sectors declined. The broader all-share index fell 8 points, or 0.2 percent, to settle at 4,740.90, on a value turnover of P6.6 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 115 to 89, while 46 issues were unchanged.

Eight of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by PLDT Inc. which climbed 3.8 percent to P1,075.00 and Bloomberry Resorts Corp. which gained 2.3 percent to P11.40. Meanwhile, most Asian markets also traded lower Tuesday. Wall Street provided a negative lead as optimism that the world’s top two economies are heading for a tariffs deal was replaced by a need for clarity on any agreement. Shares have enjoyed a blockbuster start to the year so far but “trade optimism could only take the stock market so far,” said Oanda senior market analyst Alfonso Esparza. “High-level talks between the two largest economies have been ongoing and although they appear close to bearing fruit, the fact remains that the optimism has already been priced in,” he said. “Details on the agreement will be needed to unlock gains.” Tokyo ended 0.4 percent lower, Syd-

ney eased 0.3 percent, Singapore and Seoul were each 0.5 percent off and Taipei dropped 0.4 percent. Manila and Bangkok were also down. But Shanghai jumped 0.9 percent while Hong Kong edged 0.1 percent higher after China announced hundreds of billions of dollars worth of tax cuts for firms to stimulate the economy. Beijing will also increase spending, with the targeted fiscal deficit set to increase to 2.8 percent of GDP, from 2.6 percent last year, while the National People’s Congress is expected to pass laws next week regulating foreign investment, in a move that could help ease US trade tensions. However, it did reveal a target of 6 percent to 6.5 percent growth for this year, below the last year’s final 6.6 percent, which was the slowest for three decades, as the leadership struggles to address a mounting debt crisis as well as the trade row. In a speech at the open of China’s an-

nual rubber-stamp parliament, Premier Li Keqiang warned the country “will face a graver and more complicated environment as well as risks and challenges, foreseeable and otherwise, that are greater in number and size”. “We must be fully prepared for a tough struggle.” However, Tai Hui, Asia-Pacific chief market strategist at JP Morgan Asset Management, said the latest target indicated the leadership had learned from the past. It “reflects top officials’ maturity in accepting that China needs to stabilize growth in a sustainable manner, instead of a rush of liquidity to the economy, as we saw in previous downturns,” he said. “They need to strike a balance between boosting economic activity and not restart another debt-fuelled boom. It would be unrealistic to expect 2019 to be stronger than 2018 considering global headwinds and some structural challenges in the Chinese economy.” With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 59 18,000 83.9 944,610 2.34 233,000 127.5 1,425,880 1.4 18,000 27.65 63,100 18 50,500 12.44 419,200 4.46 162,000 0.63 117,000 1.57 21,000 800 420 0.465 920,000 76 1,356,080 1.01 104,000 13.8 13,900 52.25 791,620 185.4 960 26.85 4,900 161.9 247,200 1,805 70 61.25 18,660 1.14 29,000

1,062,000 80,267,931.50 550,160 181,571,340 24,350 1,746,030 909,724 5,219,254 704,850 70,150 31,110 335,700 425,800 103,922,390 104,300 191,980 41,278,184 176,589 130,390 40,036,088 126,350 1,147,370 32,870

767,000 -25,682,145.50 11,660 -16,076,700 -550,350 -604,812 0 -74,789,289.50 -8,950 5,132,789 79,353 -21,270 -27,970,488 -530,176.50 -15,820.00

34.25 15.4 1.01 1.44 0.235 98.25 2.38 15.12 28.75 16.5 41.9 71.1 1.89 6 6.2 11.26 15.82 8.5 7.6 21.8 73.3 25.8 3.26 9.45 12.4 1.64 309 52.05 3.6 11.7 26.7 11.84 19.54 367.4 0.2 6 1.36 3.8 6.63 8.85 1.32 11.7 48.25 5.97 4.65 1.84 1.35 12.34 100.5 6.38 0.131 1 137.2 2.63 1.6 1.23

INDUSTRIAL 34.25 2,388,100 15.96 313,700 1.02 946,000 1.45 591,000 0.235 3,200,000 98.3 130 2.4 3,577,000 15.38 89,600 29.8 78,300 16.5 100 42 1,400 71.1 30 1.89 26,000 6.28 3,100 6.2 44,200 11.3 281,200 15.82 186,500 8.55 2,121,500 7.6 118,200 21.85 2,283,400 74.35 37,140 26.85 480,200 3.3 13,144,000 9.53 5,967,300 12.4 622,300 1.69 232,000 309 682,530 52.05 40 3.7 19,000 12 39,200 27.3 142,700 11.94 138,100 19.72 1,412,000 368.2 170,690 0.201 940,000 6 46,200 1.38 5,483,000 3.8 269,000 6.65 2,294,600 8.99 1,100 1.32 6,623,000 11.9 360,500 48.55 589,100 5.99 12,000 4.66 132,000 1.84 14,000 1.35 88,000 12.5 430,200 102.9 98,150 6.4 199,000 0.131 70,000 1.02 655,000 138 630,920 2.7 383,000 1.65 4,538,000 1.25 1,875,000

82,412,300 5,053,042 961,400 856,060 756,330 12,773 8,591,060 1,373,050 2,313,265 1,650 58,765 2,133 49,340 18,630 276,632 3,195,040 2,976,224 18,138,395 898,323 50,095,540 2,757,237 12,865,190 43,335,350 58,878,757 7,783,218 387,980 211,654,296 2,082 69,580 471,566 3,876,135 1,644,734 27,833,574 62,885,152 188,820 277,200 7,536,890 1,022,280 15,257,762 9,822 8,800,860 4,287,148 28,586,350 71,646 617,130 25,760 119,720 5,376,816 10,050,176 1,273,089 9,220 665,560 87,138,251 1,019,350 7,302,990 2,338,800

-32,016,270 -587,792 -39,780 -109,480 -94,190 -481,970 83,758 -170,990 9,550 -219,113 -131,352 -2,940,140.00 -684,000 7,591,475 507,609 -186,810 -13,711,090 2,523,832 -150,020 -28,030,012 790,100 -1,286,000 20,555,770.00 -45,244,764 -60,150 -2,736,630 -5,531,373 -3,547,300 -619,460 -10,888,355 -47,766 -421,170 -72,522 -1,371,681 -7,860 -50,900 1,029,616.00 135,000 -53,290 -

0.76 58.4 13.8 0.77 6.5 20.55 1.43 1.43 932 7.5 11.18 13.44 0.233 925 6.12 65 0.56 5.02 15.14 0.55 4.6 0.039 1.12 2.95 168.9 940 0.75 1.34 270.6 0.25 0.38

HOLDING FIRMS 0.78 17,572,000 58.9 1,941,080 13.94 6,360,300 0.77 52,000 6.5 165,400 21 20,700 1.44 10,031,000 1.45 1,587,000 935.5 190,160 7.62 204,700 11.2 6,602,200 13.84 104,500 0.235 30,000 938 111,570 6.12 23,700 66.9 3,637,680 0.59 432,000 5.07 117,800 15.5 488,400 0.58 364,000 4.69 14,730,000 0.04 30,900,000 1.12 52,000 2.99 2,151,000 169.4 873,930 941.5 244,750 0.75 543,000 1.39 31,000 270.6 12,860 0.25 3,500,000 0.39 51,010,000

13,656,850 114,379,757.50 88,480,400 41,040 1,075,105 430,845 14,573,330 2,309,610 177,919,020 1,551,977 74,054,176 1,429,674 7,010 104,668,440 145,456 243,556,086.50 243,370 598,306 7,464,160 206,420 68,461,010 1,211,000 58,240 6,447,590 148,214,165 230,571,465 413,530 41,590 3,612,896 888,850 20,048,200

31,200 -36,812,163.50 -23,216,456 1,043,250 143,060 -116,102,175 274,308 -50,668,324 -155,088 -2,585,525 -2,300,542 -56,140 -133,327 10,750 -44,810 -19,828,610 538,900 7,261,242 -42,185,700 13,860 -583,208 -28,100

3,719,770 924,600 216,600 518,380 824,894,895 3,853,320 692,860 750,399 5,481,450 17,660 358,160 1,010,070 301,250 8,244,287 4,309,005 55,880 8,077,250 1,904,430 115,569,205 1,631,700 10,761,380 13,900 347,730 20,320 48,546,435 609,900 21,990 289,779,545 5,116,690 3,741,109

-1,287,588 27,800 -38,000 -541,653,430 -598,620 66,370 749,713 -684,050 -312,240 -16,800 -107,930 9,000 -2,851,660 37,327,721 -40,500 84,450 -4,171,275 2,130 -175,219,280 577,308

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

59 85.15 2.34 125.7 1.35 27.75 18.36 12.2 4.36 0.59 1.48 800 0.465 76.8 0.99 13.88 51.15 181.3 26.55 162 1,805 61.55 1.13

59 86.95 2.44 128 1.4 27.75 18.36 12.5 4.46 0.63 1.57 800 0.465 77.4 1.01 13.88 52.6 185.4 26.85 162.3 1,805 63 1.14

59 83.9 2.3 125.6 1.35 27.6 18 12.2 4.33 0.59 1.44 795 0.46 76 0.98 13.8 51.15 181.3 26.5 160.6 1,805 61.2 1.13

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

35 15.4 1.03 1.47 0.238 98.25 2.38 15.12 29.3 16.5 41.9 71.1 1.91 6 6.3 11.26 15.84 8.7 7.63 22 73.4 26.85 3.33 9.8 12.62 1.71 309 52.05 3.64 12.64 27.1 11.84 19.58 370 0.202 6 1.38 3.83 6.64 9 1.34 12 48.25 5.97 4.66 1.84 1.4 12.7 100.5 6.38 0.136 1.03 138.2 2.7 1.6 1.26

35.2 16.6 1.04 1.48 0.244 98.3 2.42 15.42 29.8 16.5 42 71.1 1.91 6.28 6.4 11.44 16 8.73 7.63 22.2 74.7 26.85 3.36 10.2 12.64 1.71 311 52.05 3.7 12.64 27.3 12 19.8 370.2 0.202 6 1.39 3.83 6.69 9 1.34 12.22 48.6 5.99 4.68 1.84 1.4 12.7 102.9 6.44 0.136 1.07 140 2.77 1.65 1.27

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 FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA PRIME ORION SAN MIGUEL CORP SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.76 59.9 13.94 0.8 6.51 21.3 1.48 1.47 940 7.57 11.3 13.6 0.233 959.5 6.15 66 0.6 5.09 15.4 0.55 4.6 0.04 1.12 2.95 169 940 0.78 1.34 284.6 0.255 0.41

0.79 60 14.06 0.81 6.51 21.4 1.48 1.48 940 7.66 11.34 13.88 0.235 960 6.19 67.55 0.61 5.13 15.5 0.58 4.69 0.04 1.12 3.05 170.3 954 0.78 1.39 284.6 0.26 0.415

8990 HLDG A BROWN 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 FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL INFRADEV PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP PTFC REDEV CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS

11.74 0.79 1.9 0.87 43 2.58 4.17 6.86 0.475 0.81 0.9 0.241 0.42 9.7 20.95 0.5 1.45 1.22 5.33 0.405 2.07 0.465 2.86 40.05 23 2.13 3.15 38.5 1.59 7

11.92 0.8 1.9 0.87 43.55 2.64 4.21 6.86 0.48 0.88 0.92 0.25 0.42 9.87 21.5 0.52 1.47 1.27 5.34 0.41 2.09 0.465 2.88 43 23.25 2.13 3.15 38.5 1.6 7.09

11.72 0.79 1.9 0.85 43 2.56 4.12 6.79 0.465 0.81 0.89 0.24 0.415 9.66 20.9 0.5 1.44 1.22 5.29 0.4 1.99 0.46 2.79 40.05 22.4 2.05 3.13 37.35 1.53 6.81

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

VISTA LAND

7.21

7.02

7.16

19,521,700

138,922,225

-56,741,795

2GO GROUP ABS CBN APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CHELSEA DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PAXYS PH RESORTS GRP 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

12.38 21.5 0.44 0.047 15.76 2.85 11.26 0.068 80.85 5.85 2.08 15.72 890 1,868 5.73 370 2.83 117.5 10.72 0.128 5.77 3.19 15.4 3.33 0.89 19.12 0.61 4.71 2.87 2 2.91 9.22 10.9 3.44 5.1 135 3.08 1,050 0.9 1.31 47.3 86.15 8.6 2.28 0.72 0.45 5.6 0.68 14.64

12.38 21.7 0.44 0.048 15.76 2.88 11.54 0.071 83.9 5.92 2.08 16.9 890 1,899 5.82 370 2.83 118 11.16 0.129 5.8 3.19 15.4 3.33 0.92 19.52 0.69 4.71 2.95 2.03 2.93 9.22 10.9 3.44 5.23 140 3.08 1,076 0.94 1.34 48.5 86.15 8.6 2.32 0.72 0.45 5.66 0.68 14.88

12.1 21 0.435 0.046 15.76 2.8 11.26 0.068 80.85 5.77 2.07 15.5 890 1,868 5.73 358.2 2.74 112.8 10.7 0.128 5.76 3.19 15.4 3.29 0.89 19.06 0.61 4.71 2.87 1.96 2.84 9.22 10.02 3.44 5 135 2.81 1,037 0.9 1.26 47.3 84.2 8.3 2.24 0.7 0.435 5.59 0.67 14.4

SERVICES 12.3 21 0.435 0.048 15.76 2.8 11.4 0.069 83 5.79 2.07 16.78 890 1,879 5.73 368.8 2.76 112.8 11.16 0.128 5.76 3.19 15.4 3.29 0.91 19.4 0.64 4.71 2.89 1.97 2.89 9.22 10.02 3.44 5.2 139.8 2.9 1,075 0.92 1.28 48 85.1 8.3 2.32 0.72 0.44 5.63 0.67 14.88

15,800 162,700 110,000 2,200,000 600 301,000 8,291,200 169,090,000 45,540 803,300 35,000 918,700 990 23,530 945,500 6,320 1,051,000 2,515,340 1,500 1,480,000 1,075,900 10,000 100 195,000 22,000 1,825,200 9,958,000 2,000 415,000 384,000 2,594,000 7,500 102,700 1,000 56,800 120,220 5,730,000 156,495 4,684,000 35,257,000 850,900 656,690 67,000 5,371,000 2,418,000 6,360,000 1,913,000 1,455,000 2,602,800

193,782 3,461,900 47,900 103,600 9,456 845,000 94,612,760 11,693,590 3,783,160.50 4,669,275 72,600 14,985,510 881,100 44,220,405 5,443,628 2,311,788 2,909,590 286,737,864 16,112 189,710 6,208,945 31,900 1,540 643,400 19,950 35,403,078 6,506,250 9,420 1,204,580 759,930 7,459,550 69,150 1,069,856 3,440 290,193 16,237,580 16,834,980 166,711,285 4,314,440 45,749,080 40,838,965 55,894,094 558,966 12,282,660 1,705,700 2,797,800 10,731,460 983,450 38,276,674

12,200 -28,240 -38,853,940 -72,400 1,331,143 31,900 69,600 -5,572,295 38,360 -9,056,782 12,759 31,476,684 139,010 -85,800 21,970 3,440 -25,950 181,994 -7,138,950 -38,392,985 -769,380 -59,080 11,388,285 -24,019,804 229,910 644,580 126,950 396,000 -6,306,516 -493,680 24,177,428

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 1.52 2.92 13.26 1.33 1.2 2.19 0.31 7.77 1.5 0.28 0.123 0.128 0.0091 0.009 1.06 2.8 1.08 0.66 0.97 0.012 0.012 0.012 3.3 4.08 14.56 20.4 0.008

0.0022 1.53 2.95 13.26 1.33 1.2 2.28 0.315 8.02 1.5 0.28 0.126 0.128 0.0091 0.009 1.1 2.83 1.09 0.66 0.97 0.013 0.012 0.012 3.3 4.11 14.78 20.8 0.0082

0.0021 1.51 2.9 13.26 1.28 1.2 2.19 0.3 7.75 1.48 0.25 0.122 0.127 0.0084 0.0084 1.06 2.78 1.04 0.62 0.95 0.012 0.012 0.012 3.3 4.01 14.4 19.8 0.0074

MINING & OIL 0.0022 2,410,000,000 1.51 480,000 2.91 448,000 13.26 1,100 1.28 304,000 1.2 3,000 2.22 2,626,000 0.3 1,870,000 7.75 13,100 1.5 1,459,000 0.25 12,040,000 0.125 1,070,000 0.127 1,020,000 0.0084 118,000,000 0.0084 158,000,000 1.1 147,000 2.81 1,564,000 1.09 49,000 0.62 155,000 0.95 864,000 0.012 17,100,000 0.012 27,800,000 0.012 14,500,000 3.3 1,000 4.01 4,488,000 14.42 330,800 19.9 4,465,800 0.0074 133,000,000

5,061,500 727,400 1,303,710 14,586 393,670 3,600 5,884,340 565,600 102,600 2,176,390 3,058,400 131,700 129,960 1,004,000 1,342,600 161,170 4,385,670 52,310 97,790 827,140 205,400 333,600 174,000 3,300 18,027,010 4,794,818 89,391,608 1,026,100

-76,710 -185,910 44,890 12,500 -127,420 85,000 -884,110 16,218,960 -844,626 -2,438,728 -

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

20.2 473 497 100 97 104 450.2 5.82 900 900 95.95 0.99 100 971 998 99 1.8 975 75.2 76.65 73 72.5 74.3 74.4 72

20.2 473 497 100 98 104 450.2 5.84 900 900 95.95 0.99 101 971 998 99 1.8 975 75.2 76.75 73 72.5 74.3 74.4 72

20.2 472 497 100 96.2 102.1 450.2 5.82 899 894 95.95 0.99 100 970 998 98.8 1.8 975 75 76.5 73 72.5 74.3 74.4 72

PREFERRED 20.2 47,800 472 4,210 497 130 100 100 97 7,260 102.1 6,000 450.2 1,000 5.82 52,800 899 420 894 1,930 95.95 10 0.99 208,000 101 11,130 970 770 998 250 98.8 2,200 1.8 2,000 975 1,940 75 26,270 76.5 64,060 73 6,200 72.5 4,180 74.3 1,400 74.4 5,000 72 43,330

965,560 1,987,220 64,610 10,000 703,337 614,500 450,200 307,985 377,790 1,734,330 959.5 205,920 1,113,130 747,470 249,500 217,490 3,600 1,891,500 1,970,747.50 4,902,543.50 452,600 303,050 104,020 372,000 3,119,760

-36,360 -1,987,220 510,500 306,234 69,300 -3,600 -365,000 -

LR WARRANT

1.9

WARRANTS 1.9 22,000

41,800

2,163,290 11,114,830

-18,560 -2,756,120

656,845

115,200

38,481 24,480 900

NAME

PROPERTY 11.86 0.79 1.9 0.86 43.25 2.57 4.21 6.86 0.475 0.83 0.9 0.25 0.42 9.66 21.3 0.52 1.46 1.25 5.31 0.405 2.05 0.46 2.8 40.05 22.9 2.08 3.15 37.35 1.59 6.81

314,900 1,170,000 114,000 605,000 19,086,400 1,480,000 167,000 109,600 11,640,000 21,000 401,000 4,130,000 720,000 852,800 202,300 111,000 5,534,000 1,520,000 21,770,700 4,020,000 5,305,000 30,000 124,000 500 2,117,600 294,000 7,000 7,699,000 3,235,000 537,800

ITALPINAS XURPAS

4.78 1.34

4.8 1.34

4.57 1.31

FIRST METRO ETF

115.2

115.6

114.3

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10.1 10.2 0.9

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

10.1 10.2 0.9

20,728,017 65,113,419 154,724,987

PROPERTY

115,698,625

SERVICES

272,663,732

MINING & OIL

2,912,922,106

GRAND TOTAL

3,550,728,127

10.1 10.2 0.9

4.58 1.33

SME

464,000 8,405,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 114.3 5,700 10.1 10.2 0.9

DDS

3,810 2,400 1,000

VALUE 1,704.65 (up) 2.92 1,684,442,151.64 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,357.13 (down) 7.66 803,089,778.124 HOLDING FIRMS 7,723.97 (up) 6.13 1,426,084,677.24 PROPERTY 3,907.74 (down) 31.97 1,536.10 (up) 17.41 1,603,617,064.645 SERVICES MINING & OIL 8,088.05 (down) 61.37 952,387,151.50 PSEI 7,670.62 (down) 4.85 141,415,976.1538 All Shares Index 4,740.90 (down) 8.07 6,624,980,327.06 Gainers: 89; Losers: 115; Unchanged: 46; Total: 250

MPIC to sell P20-b shares in hospital unit By Jenniffer B. Austria METRO Pacific Investments Corp. plans to raise P15 billion to P20 billion from the sale of shares in its hospital business. Metro Pacific chief finance officer David Nicol said in a news briefing the company was looking at various options including private placement or initial public offering. “We are still looking at some ideas to bring external money into the hospital portfolio whether through IPO or private placements. We are evaluating our options,” Nicol said. Nicol said the sale share could be finalized this year or early 2020. The company targets to have 5,000 beds over the next two years. Metro Pacific Hospital Holdings Inc. has 3,200 hospital beds across 14 hospitals. MPHHI president Augusto Palisoc said the company aimed to have 30 to 40 hospitals with 5,000 beds under its portfolio. Metro Pacific said core net income climbed 7 percent in 2018 to P16.1 billion from P14.1 billion in 2017, lifted by the steady growth of power, toll road and water businesses. Metro Pacific said in a disclosure to the stock exchange power accounted for P10.8 billion, or 55 percent of net operating income. This was followed by tollroads which contributed P4.4 billion or 23 percent. The group’s water subsidiary contributed P3.8 billion while the hospital group provided P771 million. The company’s rail, logistics and systems group posted a net loss of P248 million. “Our earnings growth reflects meaningful volume increases for all our businesses, supported by years of high investment and our continuing emphasis on operational efficiencies,” said Metro Pacific president and chief executive Jose Ma. Lim. Maynilad Water Services Inc. posted a core net income of P7.7 billion last year, up 5 percent year-on-year, driven by revenue growth, lower provisions and lower interest expense.

D&L Industries sees 2019 profit increasing 10% D&L INDUSTRIES Inc. said Tuesday it expects net income to grow 10 percent this year on the sustained growth of its exports business and positive performance of its food business. D&L president Alvin Lao said in a news briefing the company continued to promote its export business which accounted for 24 percent of total revenues. The group expects its food business, affected by higher inflation rate in 2018, to be boosted by election-related spending. D&L reported a net income of P3.2 billion in 2018, or 10 percent higher than P2.9 billion in 2017. Gross profit margin reached a record high of 22 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018, bringing the full year blended margin at 19.1 percent. “The margin expansion is a result of the company’s increased focus on R&D and demonstrates the company’s ability to effectively pass on price changes to customers. The company aims to further grow both margins and market share, by continuing to develop specialized products in accordance with specific customer needs,” Lao said. The group’s high-margin specialty products accounted for 63 percent of total revenues in 2018, up from 58 percent from the 2017 level. D&L plans to spend P2.6 billion for 2019 capital expenditures and start construction of a facility in Tanauan, Batangas. The company is set to build two new plants – one for food ingredients under D&L Premium Foods Corp. and an integrated facility to manufacture oleochemicals and downstream packaging under Natura Aeropack Corp. The expansion of its food ingredients facility will address the growing export business for food. The company plans to finance the project through a combination of debt (70 percent) and internally generated cash (30 percent). It is expected to generate about 700 new jobs, with construction and commissioning slated for completion by 2021. D&L currently has six manufacturing facilities, including five in Metro Manila and one in Laguna. Jenniffer B. Austria

World

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Singapore unveils driver-less electric bus

SECOND NIGHT. Members of the Vila Isabel samba school perform on a float during the second night of Rio’s Carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 4, 2019. AFP

Democrats probing Trump’s inner circle

ASHINGTON―US Democratic lawmakers launched Monday their most ambitious investigation yet into alleged obstruction of justice and abuse of office by Donald Trump, targeting dozens of individuals in the president’s inner circle. With controversies swirling around Trump, the powerful House Judiciary Committee’s chairman sent strongly worded letters to family members of the president―including sons Don Jr and Eric―as well as political confidantes and related entities. The letters demanded documents that could shed light on possible wrongdoing by the administration and Trump himself. Son-in-law Jared Kushner and the Trump Organization’s longtime chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, were among the 81 people and organizations―such as the National Rifle Association—receiving letters from the panel’s Democratic chairman Jerry Nadler. They also include White House ex-aides Steve Bannon and Hope Hicks, current Trump personal lawyer Jay Sekulow, former attorney general Jeff Sessions, and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. The request is the most serious overt ramp-up of investigations into Trump since Democrats took control of the House of Representatives in early January, and seeks to uncover whether Trump or his administration participated in obstruction of justice or public corruption―potentially impeachable offenses. “This is a critical time for our nation, and we have a responsibility to investigate these matters and hold

hearings for the public to have all the facts,” Nadler said in a statement. “Over the last several years, President Trump has evaded accountability for his near-daily attacks on our basic legal, ethical, and constitutional rules and norms,” he added. “Investigating these threats to the rule of law is an obligation of Congress.” Trump himself swatted away the probe as a “political hoax,” but said he would cooperate. He later hardened his reaction, tweeting that any effort by the Democrats to probe new avenues of possible wrongdoing “will never work.” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders lambasted the probe as “disgraceful and abusive.” “Chairman Nadler and his fellow Democrats have embarked on this ﬁshing expedition because they are terriﬁed that their two-year false narrative of ‘Russia collusion’ is crumbling,” she added. “Their intimidation and abuse of American citizens is shameful. Democrats are harassing the president to distract from their radical agenda of making America a socialist country, killing babies after they’re born, and pushing a ‘green new deal’ that would destroy jobs and bankrupt America.” The unusually strong statement further claimed that “the Democrats are not after the truth, they are after the president.” Conspicuously absent from the list of Nadler’s targets—who have two weeks to respond—is the president’s eldest daughter Ivanka Trump, a senior White House advisor married to Kushner. The chairmen of three other House panels also joined the fray, demanding the White House produce details of communications between Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, after reports that such information was destroyed or hidden in the aftermath of their 2017 Helsinki summit. AFP

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 109, PASAY CITY IN THE MATTER OF PETITION TO ESTABLISH LEGITIMATE AFFILIATION OF ROSALIE TAYONI a.k.a. ROSALIE TAYONI CAROLINO WITH HER BIOLOGICAL FATHER PABLITO AVESTRUZ CAROLINO

SP. PROC. NO. R-PSY-18-00962.SP

GLORIA ONG TAYONI-CAROLINO, JOSEPHINE TAYONI CAROLINO-KASU MORITA,GLOVILMA TAYONI CAROLINO-LAO PABLITO TAYONI CAROLINO, CENON TAYONI CAROLINO, LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF MANILA, PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY, Socarel Bldg., Ramon Magsaysay Blvd., Sta. Mesa, Manila and all Person Who have claim interest thereby, Respondents. x---------------------------------------------------------x

ORDER A verified petition having been filed by petitioner through counsel praying that after due notice, publication and hearing judgment be rendered granting this petition by declaring said petitioner is a legitimated child of the spouses Pablito A. Carolino and Gloria T. Carolino and directing the Local Civil Registrar of Manila and the Philippine Statistics Authority to enter/indicate in her Certificate of Live Birth under Registry No. 2519, the following: a) her complete name as ROSALIE TAYONI CAROLINO; (b) the date of the marriage of her parents which is December 31, 1970; and (c) her civil status as: LEGITIMATED CHILD. Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, notice is hereby given that the hearing of the petition is set on May 2, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. at Room 302 Hall of Justice Building, F.B. Harisson St., Pasay City. All persons interested and may have opposition may appear and show cause why the said petition should not be granted. Let copy of this Order be published in the newspaper of general circulation once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks at the expense of the petitioner to be chosen by raffle. Likewise, let copy of this order together with the petition and its annexes be furnished to the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), the Public Prosecutor, the Local Civil Registrar of Manila and the Philippine Statistics Authority. Meanwhile, set the pre-trial on April 11, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. and preliminary conference before the Clerk of Court V on April 2, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. The Notice of Appearance of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) and its letter of delegation of authority to the Office of the City Prosecutor of Pasay City filed on February 1, 2019 is noted. SO ORDERED. Pasay City, February 6, 2019. (Sgd.) JEHAN B. SAMPAO-HASSIMAN Assisting Judge (MStandard-Feb. 27, Mar. 6 & 13, 2019)

Manila

SCN FORM NO. 1 Standard (R.A. NO. 9139)

BATAAN SHIPYARD & ENGINEERING COMPANY INC. (BASECO) 967 A. Maceda St., Sampaloc, Manila

with any association or group of persons who uphold and

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION

SCN CASE NO. x------------------ x

PETITION Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9139, petitioner hereby submits a petition for naturalization to become a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and respectfully declares: 1. My full name is Edgar So Tan a.k.a. Tsai Ming Yi, but I have also been known since childhood as Edgar So Tan, or I have been judicially authorized to use the alias name(s) . n/a 2. My present place of residence is Sitio Paroba, Brgy. Carangian City/Municipality of Tarlac Province of Tarlac, and all my former places of residence are (please indicate periods of residence): 77 Rosas St. Green Village, Concepcion , Tarlac - 1988 to 1989 94 San Nicolas, Concepcion, tarlac - 1967 to 1988 3. I was born on January 6, 1967, in Tarlac, Tarlac Philippines. I have been a resident of the Philippines since birth. At present, I am a citizen or subject of Taiwan. 4. My father's name is Tan Tiong and he was born on January 10, 1935, in China. He is a citizen or subject of China. My mother's name is JULITA CHENG SO and she was born on June 16, 1938 in Pontevedra, Capiz. She is a citizen or subject of China. 5. My trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is employment and from which I derive an average annual income of P 680,000,000 , inclusive of bonuses, commissions and allowances. My wife's/husband's trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is retail business and from which she derives an average annual income of P 100,000,00 . (Where the above does not apply): I am exempt from the requirement of lucrative trade or occupation and from submitting income tax returns for the past three (3) years because I am a college degree holder [please state (1) degree obtained:____ , (2) name of school: ________________ and (3) years graduated: N/A who cannot practice my profession (the practice of which requires a government licensure examination) by reason of my citizenship. 6. My civil status is M, I was married on 12-15-96 in Tarlac, Tarlac. My wife's/husband's name is Rosalind Chua Lim and she/he was born on 09-26-66 in Tarlac, Tarlac. She/he is a citizen or subject of PHILIPPINES and presently resides Sitio Paroba, Brgy. Carangian, Tarlac, Tarlac. 7. I am legally separated from my spouse; my marriage was annulled, per decree of legal separation/annulment dated N/A granted by N/A. (please indicate the particular court which granted the same). I am a widower/widow and my spouse died on N/A in N/A.

INVITATION TO BID BASECO, through the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) invites interested parties/suppliers to apply for eligibility and to bid for the procurement of one (1) motor vehicle with the following minimum specifications: a. b. c. d.

Gasoline Engine displacement not exceeding 2,755 cc At least seven (7) seat capacity Automatic transmission Overall (4,735 x 1,830 x 1,795)

Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) is P1,750,000.00. The BAC is conducting the public bidding in accordance with Republic Act No. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations. The schedule of procurement activities are shown below: Activities Date & Time Place March 6, 2019 1. Issuance of Bidding to 967 A. Documents March 13, 2019 Maceda St., Sampaloc, March 15, 2019 2. Pre-Bid Conference Manila 10:00 a.m. 3. Submission & Opening March 23, 2019 of Bids 10:00 a.m. BASECO hereby reserves the right to reject any or all bids, declare failure of bidding or not to award the contract without disclosing any reason, to waive any minor defects of infirmities therein, and to accept such bids as may be advantageous to BASECO. For particulars, please contact BASECO thru Ms. Michelle Pobre, telephone no. 5437864.

(MS-MAR. 6, 2019)

Name

Date of Birth 10-15-98 10-15-98 10-25-2000 06-15-2009

Place of Residence Birth Tarlac City All at Sitio Paroba Tarlac City Brgy. Caraingan Tarlac City Tarlac Tarlac City

9. I received my primary and secondary education from the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

Name of School Bayanihan Institute

Place of Dates of Highest Grade School Study Completed Tarlac City 1972- 1981 6th GRADE

San Sebastian College

Recto, 1981-1985 Manila PAT T S C o l l e g e o f Parañaque 1985-1989 Aeronautics City

violence, personal assault or assassination for the success and predominance of one's ideas. I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy. I have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude. I am not suffering from mental alienation or from any incurable contagious disease. The country of which I am a citizen or subject is not at war with the Philippines and grants to Filipinos the right to be naturalized citizens or subjects thereof. 13. It is my true and honest intention to become a citizen of the Philippines and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and, particularly, to Taiwan petition up to the time of my admission to Philippine citizenship.

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF EDGAR SO TAN A.K.A. TSAI MING YI to be naturalized as Filipino citizen pursuant to Republic Act No. 9139.

James Christopher James Vincent Jasper Matthew Jeremy Daniel

WASHINGTON―Hillary Clinton for the ﬁrst time has ruled out running for president in 2020. “I’m not running, but I’m going to keep on working and speaking and standing up for what I believe,” Clinton said Monday in an interview with News 12, a local TV channel in New York. Clinton was the front runner in 2016 but ended up losing to Donald Trump. “I want to be sure that people understand I’m going to keep speaking out,” Clinton said. “I’m not going anywhere. What’s at stake in our country, the kinds of things that are happening right now, are deeply troubling to me.” Clinton has held meetings with some of the Democrats who are now vying for the party nomination or considering a run. CNN has reported that they include former vice president Joe Biden, who has not yet said if he is running. “I’ve told every one of them, don’t take anything for granted, even though we have a long list of real problems and broken promises from this administration that need to be highlighted,” Clinton said. Asked if she would run again for some kind of public ofﬁce, she seemed to avoid ruling that out. “I don’t think so, but I love living in New York and I’m so grateful that I had the chance to be a senator for eight years and to work with people across our state,” said the former secretary of state and senator for New York state. AFP

teach doctrines opposing all organized governments. I am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of

001573 TODAY

8. I have four (4) child/children, whose names, dates and places of birth and residences are as follows:

ROSALIE TAYONI a.k.a. ROSALIE TAYONI-CAROLINO, Petitioner, -versus-

SINGAPORE―Volvo and a Singapore university unveiled a driver-less electric bus Tuesday that will soon undergo tests in the city-state, the latest move towards rolling out autonomous vehicles for public transport. High-tech Singapore has become a testbed for self-driving technology and the world’s ﬁrst driver-less taxis went into operation in a limited public trial in the country in 2016. Swedish automaker Volvo Buses and its local partner Nanyang Technological University (NTU) unveiled what they described as a full-size autonomous electric bus and said the vehicle would soon start trial runs in the university’s sprawling campus. Data from the trials will be used to improve the technology before the driver-less buses are put to the test on public roads, Volvo and NTU said in a statement. Volvo Buses president Hakan Agnevall said the vehicle was “an important step towards our vision for a cleaner, safer and smarter city”. The vehicle is 39 feet long with a full capacity of close to 80 passengers. It uses 80 percent less energy than a diesel bus of a similar size and is equipped with sensors and navigation controls managed by an artiﬁcial intelligence system, the statement said. AFP

Clinton rules out presidential run

14. My character witnesses are Anthony Enriquez Tan and Wilson Si Co, both Filipino citizens, of legal age, and residing at Rizal St. Poblacion, Tarlac City and 33B 1249 Wharton Park, Masangkay Tondo, Manila respectively, who have executed sworn statements attached hereto in support of my instant petition, together with: (a) brief biographical data about themselves; (b) detailed statements on the dates they first came to know me, the circumstances of our initial acquaintance and the reasons and extent of our continuing familiarity; and (c) the number of times they have acted as character witnesses in other petitions for naturalization. 15. Attached hereto as annexes and made part of this petition are the duplicate originals or certified photocopies of the following documents (please check the appropriate box): [ / ] a. Petitioner's birth certificate [ / ] b. Petitioner's alien certificate of registration (ACR) [ / ] c. Petitioner's native-born certificate of residence (NBCR) [ / ] d. Petitioner's marriage certificate, if married [ ] e. Death certificate of his/her spouse, if widowed [ ] f. Court decree annulling his/her marriage or granting legal separation, if such was the fact [ / ] g. Birth certificates of petitioner's minor children [ ] h. ACRs of petitioner's minor children [ ] i. NBCRs of petitioner's minor children [ / ] j. Affidavits of financial capacity by the petitioner, duly supported by bank certifications, passbooks, stock certificates, or proof of ownership of other properties [ / ] k. Affidavits of at least two (2) credible witnesses who must be Filipino citizens of good reputation in petitioner's place of residence [ / ] l. Medical certificate from a government hospital stating that petitioner is not suffering from mental alienation or a user of prohibited drugs or otherwise a drug dependent and that he/she is not afflicted with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), or any incurable contagious disease. [ / ] m. School diploma and transcript of records of the petitioner from the school/s he or she attended in the Philippines [ / ] n. Certifications stating that petitioner's minor children are enrolled in public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the DECS, where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality [ / ] o. Petitioner's income tax returns for the past three years [ / ] p. Petitioner's receipts of payment of income tax for the past three years 16. Other documents submitted by the petitioner in support of his/her petition: Affidavit of Denial, Employment Certification, Certificate of Membership - Tarlac Filipino-Chinese Volunteers Fire Brigade, Certificate of Membership - Freemasons, Police, NBI, Prosecutor, MTC and RTC Clearances, Barangay Clearance PRAYER WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that petitioner be conferred Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No, 9139. Dated at Makati City, Metro Manila, this 7th day of December, 2018.

EDGAR SO TAN a.k.a. TSAI MING YI Name and Signature of Petitioner Address: Sitio Paroba, Brgy. Carangian, Tarlac City Telephone Number: +63917-514 1967

Right Thumbmark of Petitioner

4th Year High School BS Aeronautical Engineering

Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark

10. I am able to read, write and speak Filipino and/or any of the following dialects of the Philippines: Kapampangan and Bisaya

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) CITY/MUNICIPALITY OF MANILA) S.S.

11. I have enrolled my minor children of school age in the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philipine History, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

I, Edgar So tan a.k.a. Tsai Ming Yi of legal age and a resident of Sitio Paroba, Brgy. Carangian, Tarlac after being duly sworn, depose and say that I am the petitioner herein, that I have read the foregoing petition and know the foregoing petition and known the contents thereof, and that the same is true of my own knowledge.

Name of Child James Christopher James Vincent Jasper Matthew Jeremy Daniel

Name and Place of School

Date of Enrollment

Ateneo De Manila Univ. Ateneo De Manila Univ. De La Salle Univ. Bayanihan Institute

SY 2018 -2019 SY 2018 -2019 SY 2018 -2019 SY 2018 -2019

12. I shall never be a public charge. I am of good moral character. I believe in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution. I have conducted myself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of my residence in the Philippines in my relations with the constituted government as well as with the community in which I am living. I mingled socially with Filipinos and have evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions and ideals of the Filipino people. I have all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under Republic Act No. 9139. I am not opposed to organized government or affiliated

Edgar So Tan a.k.a. Tsai Ming Yi Name and Signature of Petitioner SUBCRIBED AND SWORN to before me at Tarlac City this ____ day of Dec 07, 2018.

(MS-FEB. 20, 27 & MAR 6, 2019)

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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

TODAY

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

herewith the following data and documents, which are being made integral parts hereof, to wit: Annex

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF ADJUSTMENT IN RATES ON THE FIRST TO THIRD REGULATORY YEARS OF THE SECOND REGULATORY PERIOD FOR THE THIRD ENTRANT GROUP PURSUANT TO THE TARIFF GLIDE PATH RULES (TGP), WITH PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY,

ERC CASE NO. 2018-084 RC

LEYTE IV ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC, (LEYECO IV) Applicant. x----------------------------------------------------x

A-1

Efficiency Factor “X” Calculation

A-2

Performance Incentive “S” Calculation Monthly Financial and Statistical Report (MFSR) Sections B and E (2014-2017) Billing Determinants Template (kWh Sales, Number of Customer, kW) (2014-2017) Sample Bills (per customer type) (2014-2017) Regional CPI (2014-2017) RFSC/Reinvestment Fund Utilization (2015-2017) Consumer Complaints (Summary or Tracking Form) (2015-2017) Audited Financial Statements (2015-2017)

B C D E F G H

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: On 05 December 2018, Leyte IV Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LEYECO IV) filed an Amended Application dated 21 November 2018, seeking the Commission’s approval of its adjustment in rates on the First to Third Regulatory years of the Second Regulatory Period for the Third Entrant Group pursuant to the Tariff Glide Path Rules (TGP), with prayer for provisional authority (Amended Application). The pertinent provisions of the Amended Application are hereunder quoted as follows: 1.

LEYECO IV is a non-stock, non-profit electric cooperative, duly organized and existing under and by virtue of Philippine laws, with principal office at Brgy. Lamak, Hilongos, Leyte;

It holds an exclusive franchise issued by the National Electrification Commission to operate an electric light and power distribution service in the City of Baybay and five (5) municipalities in the Province of Leyte, namely, Inopacan, Hindang, Hilongos, Bato and Matalom;

ALLEGATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY 17. Applicant repleads the foregoing allegations as may be material herein; 18. Applicant’s current DSM rates which were granted by the Honorable Commission provisionally, were implemented in three -year tranches starting way back January 2010, with the rate caps or initial tariffs being implemented only starting at the end of the three-year transition period; 19. Applicant respectfully prays that it be allowed to implement the proposed rate adjustment effective January 1, 2019, considering that it is expressly prescribed under the TGP Rules provision on Regulatory Period and Process, which provides in part, as follows: “ 2. Regulatory Period and Process 2.1 On or before each Fourth month of the Third and Sixth regulatory year of their respective Regulatory Periods, the electric cooperative may file before the Commission an application for a rate adjustment reflecting the values for the “I”, “X” and “S” as determined in accordance with these rules. The initial tariff caps of the respective ECs shall be adjusted by the “I, ‘X” and “S” effective at the start of the Fourth Regulatory Year of the First Regulatory Period x xx” (Emphasis ours)

NATURE OF THE APPLlCATION 3.

The instant Application is being filed for the approval of Applicant’s proposed adjustment in its Distribution, Supply and Metering (DSM) Rates covering the First to Third Regulatory Years of the Second Regulatory Period for Electric Cooperatives belonging to the Third Entrant Group under Tariff Glide Path Rules (TGP Rules) and pursuant to said Rules, as well as other pertinent laws and rules. THE ANTECEDENT FACTS

Sometime in June 2015, the Applicant filed with the Honorable Commission an application for approval of proposed adjustment in its DSM Rates pursuant to the TGP Rules, docketed as ERC Case No. 2015-143 RC.

In the said application, Applicant prayed for approval of either of the following two (2) proposed alternative new rates for Distribution, Supply and Metering (DSM) Charges, to wit:

A. WITH PERPORMANCE INCENTIVE “S” AND UNDER NORMAL OPERATIONS UNITS Distribution Charges Demand Charge Distribution System Charge Supply Charges: Retail Customer Charge Supply System Charge Metering Charges: Retail Customer Charge Metering System Charge

Nature of Document Proposed TGP Calculation and supporting documents using the prescribed templates: Index “I” Calculation

Residential

PhP/kW PhP/kWh

0.8873

PhP/ Customer/ Mo. PhP/ kWh

0.8120

PhP/ Meter/ Mo. PhP/ kWh

5.25 0.4798

CUSTOMER TYPE Low Higher Voltage Voltage 281.33

0.9723

20. Further, based on the provisions of the TGP Rules, the regulatory period is six (6) years for each entry Group. For the Third Entrant Group, the first regulatory period is from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2018 and the start of the Fourth Regulatory Year is January 1, 2016. Applicant belongs to the Third Entrant Group, accordingly, its initial DSM Rates under the TGP Rules should be adjusted through the proposed TGP B Rates starting January 1, 2019; 21. Over the years, the cost of its operations has significantly increased, not only as a logical effect of inflation as well as certain governmental requirements, but likewise due to the inevitable expansion of its distribution network brought about by the extension of its services to remote areas. More significantly, the cooperative has been implementing the Sitio Energization Program (SEP) and National Intensification of Household Electrification Program (NIHE) of the government, such that the massive expansion of its distribution lines up to the remotest areas has considerably increased its operational and maintenance costs, not to mention the increased system loss which the cooperative is likely to absorb. All these operational and maintenance costs were not duly provided for in its current rates and the general funds being generated from its DSM revenues as granted under the RSEC-WR are no longer sufficient to cover these inevitable costs;

42.16

22. Thus, the cooperative urgently needs additional funds to be able to cope with the rising costs of its operations;

30.16

23. Considering the foregoing, applicant respectfully prays that while the instant application is pending, it be granted a provisional authority to implement either of the two (2) proposed rates effective January 1, 2019.

B. EXCLUDING PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE “S” AND UNDER NORMAL OPERATIONS UNITS Distribution Charges Demand Charge Distribution System Charge Supply Charges: Retail Customer Charge Supply System Charge Metering Charges: Retail Customer Charge Metering System Charge

CUSTOMER TYPE Residential Low Higher Voltage Voltage

PhP/kW PhP/kWh

0.8442

PhP/ Customer/ Mo. PhP/ kWh

0.7725

PhP/ Meter/ Mo. PhP/ kWh

5.00 0.4565

267.67

Annex I

40.12

J to J-1

28.70

K and series

0.9251

Foregoing application was Applicant’s initial application for DSM rate adjustment pursuant to the TGP Rules, under which electric cooperatives are given an opportunity to adjust their rates once every three (3) years, which may occur at the start of the fourth year of the First Regulatory Period and every three years thereafter. Applicant belongs to the Third Entrant Group whose first regulatory period is from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2018. Having filed its initial application for DSM rate adjustment in 2015 which is the third regulatory year of the First Regulatory Period, the cooperative is filing the instant application for the proposed adjustment of its DSM rates covering the first to third regulatory years of tile Second Regulatory Period for the Third Entrant electric cooperatives under the TGP Rules; LEGAL BASES FOR THE A PPLICATION

On May 2, 2011, the Honorable Commission promulgated the Tariff Glide Path (TGP) Rules pursuant to Article 7 of the RSEC-WR;

The TGP is a rate adjustment mechanism which provides an opportunity for the ECs to adjust their rates once every three (3) years. The rate adjustments may occur at the start of the fourth year of the first Regulatory Period and every three years thereafter;

10. Under the TGP, the regulatory period is six (6) years for each entry group. For the Third Entrant Group, the second regulatory period is from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2018. LEYECO IV belongs to the Third Entrant Group; 11. It is provided under Article 7 of the RSEC-WR that during the regulatory period, the rate of the ECs per group shall be adjusted using the following formula, to wit: Tariff x (1+ index “I” -Efficiency Factor “X” + Performance Incentive “S”)

TGPA= TGPn + TGPn+1 +TGPn+2 where TGPn=In--Xn+Sn

The TGP calculated for each of the three years will be summed to determine the possible rate adjustment starting on the First Year of the current Regulatory Period. THE PROPOSED RATE ADJUSTMENT 13. Applying the methodology embodied in the TGP Rules, herein Applicant calculated the values of the “I”, “X” and “S” and came up with the following results, to wit: TGP B

0.00% 0.00% 1.58%

0.00% 0.00% 1.33%

2.10% 1.70% 0.90%

2.10% 1.70% 1.15% 4.94%

A. WITH PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE “S”

Distribution Charges Demand Charge Distribution System Charge Supply Charges: Retail Customer Charge Supply System Charge Metering Charges: Retail Customer Charge Metering System Charge

TGP B (excluding S) 0.00% 0.00% 0.25% 0.25%

14. Utilizing the above values will result an adjustment in the cooperative’s DSM Rates covering the first to third years of the Second Regulatory Period for electric cooperatives belonging to the Third Entrant Group, as follows:

Residential Low Voltage Higher Voltage

PhP/kW PhP/kWh

0.9311

PhP/ Customer/ Mo. PhP/ kWh

0.8521

PhP/ Meter/ Mo. PhP/ kWh

5.51 0.5035

295.24

1.0204 44.25

44.25

31.65

B. EXCLUDING PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE “S” CUSTOMER TYPE UNITS Distribution Charges Demand Charge Distribution System Charge Supply Charges: Retail Customer Charge Supply System Charge Metering Charges: Retail Customer Charge Metering System Charge

Residential

PhP/kW PhP/kWh

0.8462

PhP/ Customer/ Mo. PhP/ kWh

0.7744

PhP/ Meter/ Mo. PhP/ kWh

5.01 0.4576

Low Voltage 0.9274

PhP/kW PhP/kWh

0.9311

PhP/ Customer/ Mo. PhP/ kWh

0.8521

PhP/ Meter/ Mo. PhP/ kWh

5.51 0.5035

1.0204

295.24

44.25

31.65

Distribution Charges Demand Charge Distribution System Charge Supply Charges: Retail Customer Charge Supply System Charge Metering Charges: Retail Customer Charge Metering System Charge

UNITS

CUSTOMER TYPE Residential Low Voltage Higher Voltage

PhP/kW PhP/kWh

0.8462

PhP/ Customer/ Mo. PhP/ kWh

0.7744

PhP/ Meter/ Mo. PhP/ kWh

5.01 0.4576

0.9274

268.32

40.21

28.77

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019

Muslim leaders framed by cops? C By Nash B. Maulana

OTABATO CITY—Support and sympathy have poured in for three Muslim religious leaders telling their story of a supposed police “frame-up” live on social media from a detention cell in Tuguegarao City. In a statement, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos questioned what it said was “unlawful arrest” of three religious leaders from Lanao del Sur. The NCMF said it “strongly condemns the unlawful arrest of the three in Tugegarao” on charges of possession of dangerous drugs filed in court on Friday. The arrested imams were identified as Habib Sirad Ditingcopen, Noraldin Bantuas Lucman, and Mossanip Madaya. On social media, one of the men narrated in the Maranao dialect how they were arrested and, under compulsion, made to own up to possession of sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) while under police custody.

NCMF Secretary Saidamen Pangarungan, himself a lawyer, directed Administrative Director Abdullah Macarimpas of the NCMF-North Luzon Regional Office to send his legal staff under Atty. Raihana Macarimpas to represent the case of the three in court filed on late Friday. The story on the men’s arrest hardly made it to the print or online media, however. Lanao Sur Vice Governor Bombit Adiong Jr. also mobilized his province’s legal and public information offices to work with the Public Attorney’s Office in Cagayan for collaborative legal assistance for the men who cried out foul on social media over the alleged police frame-up.

Drug-cleared barangays in Quezon City now at 30 By Rio N. Araja THE Quezon City government on Tuesday said five more barangays have already been declared drug-cleared. Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte said the five villages brought the city’s total to 30 drug-free barangays. As of March, District 3’s barangays Dioquino Zobel, Escopa I, Camp Aguinaldo, Blue Ridge B and Ugong Norte were declared drug-cleared by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. Last December, there were

only 25 drug-free villages, said the vice mayor, who also heads the city’s anti-drug abuse council. She said such was the result of continuous drug clearing operations and government intervention programs for the surrenderers. “We have been enhancing our efforts to combat illegal drugs in our city and the number added to our drug-cleared barangays is the result of that. The next step for these barangays is to help them become drug-resistant so that they can maintain their being drug-cleared,” Belmonte said.

Having found the said Application to be sufficient in form and in substance, with the required fees having been paid, the Commission issued an Order and a corresponding Notice of Public Hearing dated 01 August 2018 setting the Application for hearing on 15 November 2018 at LEYECO IV’s principal office located at Brgy. Lamak, Hilongos, Leyte. However, on 23 October 2018, LEYECO IV filed a Motion to Cancel and Reset the November 15, 2018 Schedule dated 18 October 2018 (Motion) requesting the Commission to reset the initial hearing as it was in the process of amending the Application.

Finding the said Motion and the Motion for Leave to File and Admit Amended Application to be meritorious, the Commission hereby grants the same. Thus, the hearing for the determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, pre-trial conference, and presentation of evidence, is hereby reset on 28 March 2019 (Thursday) at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.) at LEYECO IV’s Principal Office located at Brgy. Lamak, Hilongos, Leyte All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant Application 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: 1)

The petitioner’s name and address;

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

3) A statement of the relief desired.

CUSTOMER TYPE Distribution Charges Demand Charge Distribution System Charge Supply Charges: Retail Customer Charge Supply System Charge Metering Charges: Retail Customer Charge Metering System Charge

CUSTOMER TYPE Residential Low Voltage Higher Voltage

B. EXCLUDING PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE “S”

A. WlTH PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE “S” UNITS

UNITS

On 04 December 2018, LEYECO IV underwent the mandatory pre filing requirement for its Amended Application. Finally, on 05 December 2018, LEYECO IV filed the Amendecl Application dated 21 November 2018. Simultaneous with the filing of the said Amended Application, LEYECO IV filed Motion for Leave to File and Admit Amended Application dated 10 October 2018.

n = the fourth year of their Regulatory Period and succeeding Regulatory Periods

“S”

“WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is most respectfully prayed of this Honorable Commission that pending evaluation of the instant application or after due notice and hearing, as the case may be, LEYECO IV be allowed to implement effective January 1, 2019 either of the following two (2) alternative proposed new rates for Distribution, Supply and Metering (DSM) Charges, to wit:

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

It must be noted that on 26 July 2018, LEYECO IV filed an Application dated 11 July 2018 seeking the Commission’s approval or its adjustment in rates on the First to Third Regulatory years of the Second Regulatory Period for the Third Entrant Group pursuant to the Tariff Glide Path Rules (TGP), with prayer for provisional authority (Application).

12. Further under the TGP Rules, the concerned EC shall use the following formula in determining the TGP for the first to third years of the Regulatory Period, to wit;

“X”

PRAYER

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Respectfully submitted. Matalom, Leyte, November 21, 2018.

The TGP is intended as a cap and the EC may move up to the cap, if it is a positive adjustment. If the cap is lower than the current average tariff, a reduction may be implemented.

“I”

Nature of Document Judicial Affidavit in Support of the Prayer for Provisional Authority Proof of furnishing copies of the Application to the Sanggumiang Bayan of Hilongos and Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Leyte Proof of publication of the Application in a newspaper of general circulation in LEYECO IV`s franchise area or where it principally operates, with Affidavit of Publication

Other reliefs, just and equitable in the premises are likewise prayed for.

The Index “I”, shall be an escalation factor to be used in adjusting the rates to reflect the combined impact of inflation and load factor. There shall be an efficiency factor “X” to account for the operational efficiency of the ECs in setting their rates. There shall be a performance incentive “S” which shall reward or penalize the EC for above or below standard performance, respectively.

YEAR 2016 YEAR 2017 YEAR 2018 TOTAL

COMPLIANCE WITH PRE-FlLING REQUIREMENT 24. Finally, in compliance with the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure, applicant is likewise submitting herewith the following documents, which are being made integral parts hereof, to wit:

LGUs

Higher Voltage 268.32

40.21

28.77

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 LEYECO IV rest its case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following: 1)

The name and address of such person;

A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and

The grounds relied upon.

Vizcaya updates tax policies to get more from big firms By Ben Moses Ebreo

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from LEYECO IV that they be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing. LEYECO IV is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursemenl of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours. WITNESS, the Honorable Chairperson and CEO, AGNES VST DEVANADERA, and the Honorable Commissioners ALEXIS M. LUMBATAN, CATHERINE P. MACEDA, and PAUL CHRISTIAN M. CERVANTES, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 12 February 2019 in Pasig City.

15. Consequently, applicant respectfully prays of the Honorable Commission for the approval of either of the foregoing calculated DSM rates SUPPORTING DATA AND DOCUMENTS

ENDORSER. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte formally endorses Laguna 1st District Rep. Arlene Arcillas as the administration’s mayoralty candidate for the City of Santa Rosa in Laguna during the recent Partido Demokratiko PilipinoLakas ng Bayan campaign rally at the Alonte Sports Arena. Roy Tomandao

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner Legal Service

16. In support of the foregoing computations, the cooperative is submitting (MS-MAR. 6 & 13, 2019)

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—The provincial government is updating its tax collection programs and policies, including tax system payments to run after delinquent big companies operating in the province. Rhoda Moreno, provincial treasurer, said the province’s revenue code and other local revenue issuances are meant to maximize their collection of taxes among major companies in the province, such as those in the mining, telecommunications, and power-

generating industries. “Our tax code and other local revenue tax issuances are not for our own lowly taxpayers but for big companies who are doing their business in our province,” she said. Moreno revealed that the present big companies operating in the province are the Casecnan Multi-Purpose Irrigation and Power Project in Alfonso Castañeda town, OceanaGold Philippines in Kasibu town, FCF Minerals Corp. in Quezon town, and Globe, Smart and PLDT telecommunications subsidiaries, among others.

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Life

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

FASHION AND BEAUTY

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019

Love comes

to life B

ALLY was built on a love story. Determined to please his wife, it was said that founder Carl Franz Bally returned from a Paris business trip to his home in Switzerland with an entire size run of shoes for his beloved wife Cecyle as he couldn’t remember her size. Luckily, Bally’s efforts did not go to waste, as she selected two pairs that were perfect and the rest were sold with such success. The Swiss businessman then converted his silk ribbon shop into a shoe store in 1851, and the rest, as they say, is history. One hundred sixty eight years later, the luxury Swiss brand has collaborated with upcoming digital artist Quentin Jones to bring this expression to life by animating some of Bally’s most beautiful gifts with her charismatic vision. At 35 years old, Jones is already making a name for herself in the digital art space, one that joins art and commerce at its sweet spot. She has created video content for brands in-

cluding Chanel and music videos for the likes of Miley Cyrus. For Bally, the Toronto-born and London-based artist has created playful adaptations of the brand’s Cecyle and Janelle bags for women which make for a romantic gesture. Jones’ art has led her to be described as a modern-day Dali by some, yet she humbly takes this all in her stride. “It’s incredibly flattering. The surrealists were a favourite of mine growing up, so their influence has crept in. I try not to think about things in the usual way,” said Jones. In the Philippines, Bally is located at Greenbelt 5, Rustan’s Makati, ShangriLa Plaza, and Newport Mall.

Digital artist Quentin Jones injects her playful style to Bally’s Cecyle and Janelle bags.

MADE WITH LOVE. Swiss luxury brand Bally’s iconic Cecyle (named after the founder’s wife) and Janelle cross-body bags.

Wedding Expo Philippines opens its doors anew THE country’s biggest wedding fair will once again open its doors to thousands of soon-to-wed couples on March 16-17 at the SMX Mall of Asia. Event organizer Themes & Motifs will transform the venue’s ground floor into a 10,000-square-meter wedding wonderland filled with the most creative and most popular wedding suppliers showcasing the finest and the best wedding ideas for the upcoming nuptial season. More than 400 of the country’s top wedding professionals will be gathered in this two-day grand celebration. Wedding related products and services professionals such as fashion designers, caterers, photographers, videographers, limousine providers, invitation makers, hotels, venues, florists, and others will offer their new promos and great deals to soon-toweds visiting the event. There will be the usual five exciting sub-events guests look forward to, which put the spotlight on the most popular supplier categories: Wedding Banquets Manila – The Philippines’ biggest food tasting festival dedicated to weddings will feature the country’s top three wedding banquet providers in a free sampling session of wedding menus: Hizon’s Catering, Josiah’s Catering, and Richgold Weddings. City of Dreams Manila, the event’s major sponsor, will showcase its fabulous wedding packages for those with a flair for the finest things in life.

Wedding Expo Philippines 2019 will feature 400 top wedding professionals in the country.

KasaLitrato – This photo and video festival features Asia’s widest selection of photographers and videographers under one roof. A special gallery of Celebrity Weddings plus free souvenir studio photo shoots await guests at the Nice Print Photography exhibit area. Wedding Fashion Extravaganza – Wedding gowns, suits, barongs, and fineries for the entourage will be showcased in this catwalk-inspired sub-event. I Do HMU – Hair and makeup artists will give free trial make up. Floral Fete – Event stylists and florists will

wield their magic to present an ambiance that will give soon-to-weds a preview of their wedding day. WEPM19 official event stylist Henry Pascual’s grand display at the main exhibit hall will showcase his style forecast for 2019 and his grand styling tableau exclusively set up for Wedding Expo Philippines. In addition to these exhibits, guests have a chance to win P500,000 cash. Every P1,000 worth of purchase at the event entitle them to a raffle coupon. Go to www.themesnmotifs.com for more Nice Print Photography will offer guests free souvenir photo shoots. information.

Life

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Stars and skies

IORDANO Ladies launches its spring/ summer 2019 collection inspired by the charm of constellations in the night sky.

SPOTTED

Celebs attend SAG Awards

in Cartier

Watercolor-print asymmetric dress

THESE stars shone brighter at the 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards adorned with jewelry pieces from Cartier.

Inspiration takes form in abstract geometric or linear details, manifested as contrasting black and white or an interplay of varied shades of lightness and darkness. The latest collection focuses on simple, clean, modern classic clothes for the modern-day Filipina. The Giordano Ladies spring/ summer collection is composed of asymmetric pieces, culottes, pleats, knitted tops, and cardigans, with colors and patterns that resemble the dramatic and romantic night sky and the stars. Just as the moon’s soothing light shines through the dark, the collection offers a mesmerizing and striking opposition of light and dark. The contrast trim cardigan, boat neck knitted tank, and geometric blocking pleated knitted skirt ensemble has an unexpected, surreal cut-out detail just as how the moon shies away from the long top. Embracing the starry sky, the constellation-print cotton dress, paired with cotton dobby side-slit culottes and wingtip leather brogues reworks the elegance and timeless beauty of a modern Filipina. The late chilly breeze and the eloquence of the night inspired the combination of the airy cotton blended swallow tail woven tank and cotton blended maxi culottes. Stars are glistening in this new collection as tiny reflections of micro sequins are attached to the long cardigan paired with a double-knit tank top and cotton dobby side-slit culottes. Another palette in the collection is inspired by the shimmering reflection of moonlight on a quiet lake with the watercolor-print asymmetric dress. Finally, the lake jacquard cotton knitted top with matching jacquard knitted pencil skirt projects one of the countless ways on how the brand reinterpreted the starry skies.

Rami Malek in Cartier Tank Solo and Cartier Wax seal motif cufflinks.

Rachel Weisz in Panthère de Cartier earrings and Cartier Vintage ring.

Cotton blended swallow tail woven tank and maxi culottes

Contrast trim cardigan, boat neck knitted tank, and geometric blocking pleated knitted skirt

Timothée Chalamet in Santos de Cartier necklace, Cartier Love bracelet, and Trinity de Cartier ring.

Visit Giordano Ladies at SM Aura Premier, SM Megamall, The Podium Mall, The Shoppes, Solaire Resort and Casino, and at Ayala Cebu this April. Constellationprint cotton dress and cotton dobby side-slit culottes

Lake jacquard cotton knitted top with matching pencil skirt

Amy Adams in Cartier High Jewelry earrings, High Jewelry bracelet, and Pluie de Cartier ring.

Yarn long cardigan, double-knit tank top, and cotton dobby side-slit culottes

Christian Bale in Drive de Cartier watch and R de Cartier cufflinks.

The Body Shop joins the sheet mask craze FANS of today’s hottest on-the-go them withstand environmental aggresbeauty product have a new one to get sor and repair damage. their hands on as The Body Shop reIn just one use, the mask infuses the leases its first sheet mask product under potent ingredients deep into the skin its bestselling Drops of Youth range. making it look healthier, smoother and The Youth Concentrate Sheet Mask bouncier. gives intense hydration to the skin in just In addition to its intensely hydrat15 minutes. It’s perfect for those ing benefit, the sheet who want to treat their skin demask is 100 percent spite their busy lifestyles. vegan as it is eco-conIt is enriched with Comsciously made with munity Trade organic bacellulose fiber debassu oil from Brazil known rived from renewably for its moisturizing propersourced wood pulp. ties and three plant stem It is highly breathacells: edelweiss from the ble, delivers products rugged Italian alps, and deeper into skin, and criste marine and feels as comfortable sea holly from Britas second skin. tany coast. After use, the sheet Known for can be placed in a their regenerahome compost bin to tive properties, these plant The Youth Concentrate Sheet degrade, giving back to stem cells constantly rethe environment. Mask is 100 percent vegan new themselves, helping The new Youth Conand biodegradable.

Glenn Close in Reflection de Cartier necklace, Cartier High Jewelry earrings, Cartier Vintage bracelet, Galanterie de Cartier ring, and Coup d’Éclat de Cartier ring.

The Body Shop launches its first sheet mask under its bestselling Drops of Youth range.

centrate Sheet Mask is available in all The Body Shop stores nationwide.

Topher Grace in Ballon Bleu de Cartier watch.

Entertainment

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019

nickie.standard@gmail.com

‘The Clash’ alumni take the spotlight with debut singles SKY Cable strategic relations head Jon Arayata, PCTA 2019 Convention chairman Dr. Venancio Lo, and CPI shared services head Teresita Villareal.

CABLE CONVENTION

to tackle Internet exchange

'The Clash' alumni Jong Madaliday, Garrett Bolden, and Anthony Rosaldo recently dropped their debut singles under GMA Music.

MA Network’s The Clash alumni Jong Madaliday, Garrett Bolden, and Anthony Rosaldo are all set to take the spotlight and showcase their undeniable talent in the music scene.

Apart from being mainstays of the musical variety show Studio 7, the three up-and-coming singers have recently launched their individual debut singles under GMA Music. Jong’s single, entitled “Ano Ba,” was included in the list of “Most Wanted Song of the Week” in Barangay LS 97.1’s The Big Ten weekly countdown. It also hit the second spot of The Big Ten weekly countdown of Barangay LS 97.1 last Feb. 16. Known for his notable R&B musicality, Jong feels inspired to create more songs that would elicit positive impact on people’s lives. “I’m that listeners like my song. It’s a different feeling when you share a piece

of yourself with other people through a song. Simula pa lang ito kaya sana suportahan pa nila ang mga gagawin naming kanta dahil para sa kanila lahat ng ito,” he shared. Meanwhile, Garrett’s “Lilipad Na” was on #43 of iTunes PH chart. Phillip Lazaro directed the single’s music video, which showcases the works of abstract artist Nadine Ibay, Garrett’s leading lady in the video. It premiered on GMA Music’s Youtube channel on Feb. 28. He feels grateful for the opportunities coming his way and the immense support he has been receiving, “I feel so overwhelmed because there’s so many people who appreciate the single. Sa totoo lang, mas na-inspire akong magsulat

ng mga original at bagong kanta dahil nakaka-motivate ang messages galing sa listeners at sa appreciation nila sa kanta.” On Feb. 6, Anthony launched his single “Larawan Mo.” On the day of its release, the song was part of Twitter’s trending topics and soared to the top spot on iTunes PH chart for three consecutive days. It also landed in the Top 7 of the Top 30 Singles Chart of Top 30 Asia Philippines. “The song tells a story that is relatable to the listeners. ‘Larawan Mo’ tells a story about someone who fell in love with a person who is already taken…That your heart can’t choose who to fall in love with. Pinaparating nito na some love stories may not be bound to have a happy ending, pero you always have an option to choose the right thing to do,” explained Anthony. The songs are also available for download and streaming on Apple Music, Spotify, iTunes and other digital stores worldwide. The official music videos are now available for streaming on GMA Music’s Youtube channel.

Simply...

elections offer the Duterte government and the opposition the opportunity to prepare for the 2022 presidential elections, with political parties, coalitions and potential candidates now campaigning in this May 2019 election with the goal of also influencing the next 2022 election. The pro-Duterte forces are consolidating their influence, while the opposition forces are also seeking to keep their 2022 chances alive. Casiple also noted that due to the perceive high popularity of the incumbent President and the resulting strength of his senatorial bets, two opposition senatorial candidates from traditional political clans, former presidential bet Manuel “Mar” Roxas III and Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, seem to be conducting their own election campaigns apart from that of their “Otso Diretso” team. Casiple noted that even in his past election bid, Roxas had used his own blue color instead of the Liberal Party’s yellow color, while Bam Aquino nowadays often wears black color also instead of yellow. Casiple noted that during the inaugural proclamation rally of Otso Diretso’s eight official candidates, Mar Roxas was conspicuously absent and held his own rally in his home province of Capiz. In the case of President Duterte,

Casiple noted that among the senatorial candidates he has endorsed, two are nonpoliticians and also totally new names in national politics---his former loyal aide Bong Go and the former police chief General Bato de la Rosa. Kamuning Bakery Café’s Pandesal Forum is a non-partisan forum with leaders and newsmakers having a platform for a dialogue with members of the mass and social media. In the same Pandesal Forum, CoopNATCCO party-list Congressman Dr. Anthony M. Bravo, minority floor leader of Congress, the newly-elected president of the Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc. (the coalition of 48 partylist groups now in Congress) and representative of farmer cooperatives nationwide, said, “As long as the mid-term election is generally peaceful and credible nationwide, this shall boost domestic and foreign investors’ interest in the Philippine economy. A successful mid-term election is good news for Philippine democracy, and a big win by the Duterte administration shall also enable it to pursue its promised reforms.” *** Visit www.isah.red for more stories. Follow me on Facebook (@isahvr), Twitter (@isahvred) and Instagram (@ isahvred). ΙR

From C4

For more information about ongoing promotions at Lung Hin and the hotel’s other dining destinations, please call (02) 720-7720 or e-mail restaurant. mnl@marcopolohotels.com. For more information about Marco Polo Ortigas, contact (632) 720-7777 or visit www.marcopolohotels.com. and @MarcoPoloManila on Twitter and Instagram. *** Mid-Term Polls as referendum on Pres. Duterte? “The Philippine mid-term election is a referendum on the leadership of President Duterte” and whether voters still want him to continue with his policies and reforms, Institute for Political and Electoral Reform Executive Director Ramon C. Casiple said recently at the non-partisan Pandesal Forum in Quezon City’s pioneer 80-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café. Casiple added this election offers President Duterte the opportunity to consolidate political power in order for him to fulfill his various 2016 campaign promises in the remaining three years of his administration. Casiple also stressed that the mid-term

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, March 6, 2019

ACROSS 1 Pills, slangily 5 Moving around 10 — — song (cheaply) 14 Kitchen staple 15 Brother’s daughter 16 Samovars 17 Diva — Ponselle 18 Fish basket 19 Chicken feed 20 Uneasy 23 Mr. Buscaglia 24 Grandees 25 Feudal tenant 29 Steps 31 Drenched 32 Sierra Madre gold 33 Craven or Unseld 34 Squabbling 36 Jedi master 39 Tricycle rider 40 Toward shelter 41 Virginia neighbor 44 Food fish 46 Ernesto Guevara 47 Hobby ender 48 Cloudier 51 Bodes 53 I smell — — (2 wds.) 54 Pioneered

56 Spooky place (2 wds.) 59 — Raton, Florida 62 Refinery output 63 Footnote word 64 Jacob tricked him 65 Rub out 66 News follower 67 Blunt 68 Chafed places 69 Fastest planes DOWN 1 Ethical 2 Runs off to wed 3 Autocrat 4 Fly upward 5 Stops the ship 6 Fire-truck wailers 7 Group between 12 and 20 8 Chills the wine 9 Experiences anew 10 Is hopping mad 11 Mouths 12 Hosp. workers 13 Cigar residue 21 Ms. Brickell 22 Large tubs 26 Dirt 27 “Judith” composer 28 Theater box 30 Not at home

31 Angkor — 34 Coal scuttle 35 Countess’s title 36 Swimming-pool loc. 37 Diamond Head site 38 Remnant 39 Dynamite’s kin 42 Milan money, formerly 43 Believes 44 Holds protectively 45 Promise 48 Lubricate

49 Gives the slip 50 Feel bitter 52 Self-move firm (hyph.) 53 Flowery perfume 55 Test-drive vehicles 57 Tiber tyrant 58 Many paintings 59 Futon or pallet 60 Columbus sch. 61 “Iron Man” Ripken

ABS-CBN subsidiaries Creative Programs Inc. (CPI) and SKY Cable Corporation pledged support to the Philippine Cable Television Association (PCTA) for the organization’s forthcoming convention and exhibit to be held at the SMX Convention Center from April 2 to 4. SKY Cable and CPI will be having their respective interactive booth displays showcasing their products and latest offerings as they join this year’s “Philippine Premiere Cable TV Convention” in the theme “Internet Exchange: Let’s get it on!” Tackling conflicts arising from Internet service coming to the fore, the gathering will also discuss the opportunity of spreading wings beyond cable TV and going online, to foster the blossoming business of content delivery. Meanwhile, delegates and visitors alike should expect a lot of experiential activities and gimmicks from CPI’s accompanying exhibit where well-loved channels Cinema One, Metro, MYX, and

Jeepney TV will be featured. Represented channels ANC, DZMM TeleRadyo, and Liga, as well as affiliate foreign channels FOX Family Movies, FOX Action Movies, KIX, Thrill, CCM, TVN, and Comedy Central Asia will also take part in CPI’s 3-day participation at the convention. CPI will also host a kick-off party on April 1 for its cable operators and clients, featuring performances of various Kapamilya artists and meet-andgreet sessions with some of the channel personalities, happening at Islas Pinas in Pasay City. SKY Cable head of strategic relations Efren “Jon” Arayata Jr., PCTA 2019 Convention chairman Dr. Venancio Lo, and CPI head of shared services Teresita Villareal signed an agreement, officially making the ABS-CBN subsidiaries co-presenters of this year’s cable show. For updates, follow @abscbnpr on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit www.abscbn.com/newsroom.

Coleen joins husband Billy in Viva COLEEN Garcia has left Star Magic and signed a five-year contract with Viva Artists, after seven years of being an exclusive talent of the first. The decision, she said, didn’t happen overnight because she had to consider a few things apart from yearning for a fresh new start. In a recent interview, Coleen shared that she wanted to do more acting projects. It’s one of the major reasons why she made the big switch. “I really want to work more on films this time. That’s something I haven’t had the chance to do lately. Perhaps, I’m just passionate about doing movies.” Many ask how the transition was. “Let me just say that there’s no bad blood between me and Star Magic. I will always be thankful for what they’ve done for my career. I started with them. Surprisingly, it didn’t turn out hard. At first, my concern was that somebody might get offended or hurt. As I went to their office, I felt heavy but when I came out, I was feeling light,” she said. “I didn’t expect them to be so understanding. It really surprised me that they accepted my reason especially now that I’m already married,” she added. Interestingly, now that she’s no longer under Star Magic, would it be possible for her to do some projects with rival network GMA? “I cannot decide on that. Viva has the final say for my future assignments. They know what’s best for me. I’m not sure how it works. From what I know, if you’re a Viva artist and doesn’t have an exclusive contract with any network, you can work in other studios. So yes, if given the chance, why not? But personally, I’ll be happier if my projects will still be with ABS-CBN. I was with them since Day One. I’ve always been a Kapamilya and I love being such. If I will be asked

to choose, I’m happy with where I am.” Coleen also wanted to make it clear that her husband Billy Crawford had nothing to do with her decision to change talent management. Prior to her, Billy signed up with Viva, leaving ALV Talent Circuit which became his home for a decade. “Billy didn’t influence me to make such decision. He’s got nothing to do with it. But I would admit that he gave me advice and it helped somehow. Actually, it’s good that he’s here. He told me his nice working experiences with Viva and I believed him.” Speaking of her desire to make more films in the coming days, does she set limitations now that she’s married? “Not really, although I wish to veer away from the usual roles that are assigned to me. I want to try something new. My husband is very supportive of me and for that, I’m grateful,” ended Coleen. *** Pambansang Bae Alden Richards was one of the special celebrity guests who provided entertainment during the recently-concluded 2018 National Digital Arts Awards (NDAA) held at the Jose Rizal Room of the Philippine International Convention Center. “I’m glad to be invited as one of the main guests in the event,” he says. “It’s an honor to share the stage with deserving Filipino digital artists who showcased their great works on six digital categories, namely ‘Digital Art in Print’, ‘Character Design’, ‘Animation’, ‘Digital Short Movie’, Website Usage Experience’ and ‘Drone Movie Experience.’ It was truly a night of celebrating the Filipinos’ worldclass talent!” The be-dimpled heartthrob stresses that the competition was made more prestigious by its renowned panel of judges. “They are experts in the digital field. One of them is internationally-acclaimed short-film director Arvin Belarmino whose films ‘KYEL’ and ‘Nakaw’ (starring the late indie actor Kristoffer King) have won accolades in various award-giving bodies.” Alden cites NDAA for its commitment to highlight the best talents in digital arts. “They’ve been around since 2013. This year’s winners belong to the students and professional group categories. With the NDAA, the Philippines can look forward to a bright future in the realm of digital arts,” he states. Former Star Magic artist Coleen Garcia

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019

Karla Estrada topbills riotous comedy on mixed-race siblings KARLA Estrada, former That’s Entertainment star in the ‘80s and currently co-host of the toprating morning talk show Magandang Buhay, is back on the big screen. She topbills the still-intheaters comedy Familia Blondina. Tagalog movie fans last saw her in the comedy Gandarrapido:The Revenger Squad, an entry to the 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival with Vice Ganda and Daniel Padilla, Karla’s son by Rommel Padilla, brother of the famous and controversial Robin Padilla. Jerry Lopez Sineneng directs the ﬁlm that revolves around Cindy (Karla), a woman who leaves her family behind to move to the US to marry an American soldier. The marriage produces three children, all blonde. When the American husband dies, he leaves her deep in debt and she has no choice but to ﬂy back home to the Philippines with her three blonde children where she could eke out a living to support them. She goes through a series of misadventures looking for a job. She meets, a widower (Jobert Austria a.k.a. Kuya Jobelt) who also has two blonde children. Together, they raise their children and impart to them what it means to be a Filipino. Written by Mel Mendoza-del Rosario who wrote the hit movie series Tanging-Ina, Familia Blondina is a comedy for all ages and every Filipino family. Joining the “Queen Mother” (a title bestowed on her by the local movie press) in the movie are some of the most followed young stars in social

ISAH V. RED

media today—Marco Gallo, Kira Balinger, Xia Vigor, Chantal Videla, Heaven Peralejo, and Awra Briguela.

Produced by Arctic Sky and distributed by Cine Screen, Familia Blondina opened on Feb. 27 in cinemas nationwide. *** Brit Invasion at the Marco Polo Ortigas Manila Celebrate some of Britain’s best bites and brews this month at Marco Polo Ortigas. Foodies from all over the metro are invited to sample choice ﬂavors in the hotel’s dining destinations as masterfully prepared by the culinary team, led by Executive Chef Alisdair Bletcher. Tickle your senses with Café Pronto’s selection of tarts and pies, which are best enjoyed at the start of the day or in the afternoon paired with a cup of coffee. At Cucina, a wide array of traditional dishes awaits featuring Smoke Atlantic Salmon, Ploughman’s Salad, Shephard Pies, and Fish and Chips. Nothing spells British faire more than afternoon tea with scones and pastries. The Connect Lounge breathes new life to this delightful pastime, along with the seasonal feature of a refreshing Pimm’s cocktail. A good day’s work deserves a rewarding bite and a pint at Vu’s Sky Bar and Lounge. Sample choice British classics like ﬁsh and chips and bangers and mash matched with a glass of San Miguel Draft Beer for P699 from Wednesday to Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m.. And when the clock strikes “Gin!,” toast to a fab time while enjoying the breathtaking metroscape with your very own gin and tonic. Continued on C3

The cast and director of 'Familia Blandina'

‘Train Your Dragon’ soars to another box office victory UNIVERSAL’S final installment in the Dragon trilogy has topped the North American box office for a second straight weekend, losing a bit of altitude but still edging the latest Tyler Perry film, according to industry estimates. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is expected to earn $30 million for the three-day weekend, down 45 percent from last weekend but still bringing its North American total earnings to nearly $100 million, Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday. The movie, voiced by Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett, and F. Murray Abraham, recounts the tale of young Hiccup and his dragon Toothless as they go in search of a hidden world reputed to be a dragon’s utopia. Lionsgate’s release of A Madea Family Funeral marks the end of a highly profitable 15-year Madea franchise, according to producer/director Tyler Perry, one of the highest-earning men in the

entertainment world. Funeral, with Perry again playing the tough, elderly title character, took in an estimated $27.1 million, pushing the total earnings of all Madea movies past the half-billiondollar mark, according to the Box Office Mojo website. In third place, down one spot from last weekend, was Fox’s Alita: Battle Angel, at $7 million. It now has worldwide earnings of $350 million. The sci-fi fantasy stars Rosa Salazar as a nearly human cyborg who has lost her memory. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part from Warner Bros. placed fourth at $6.6 million. The animated tale about an apocalyptic toyland features the voices of Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, and Will Arnett. In fifth place—after the big bounce that only a best-film Oscar can provide —was Universal’s Green Book, taking in $4.7 million in its 16th weekend out. Its total foreign and domestic earnings are just under $150 million. AFP

The final entry in the animated franchise continues to soar past the competition, winning the box office for the second weekend in a row with an estimated opening total of $30 million in ticket sales in US and Canada.

From left: Nonong Balinan, Kisses Delavin, Mica Javier, Janella Salvador, Maymay Entrata, Jobert Austria, and Haiza Madrid attended the press conference of Indigital, which exclusively produces content for iWant.

VERY WANG

NICKIE WANG

TAR Magic artist Maymay Entrata had to pause and gather her thoughts for a few seconds before answering the question about her and co-star Kisses Delavin being tagged as new-generation Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos, respectively.

A curious showbiz reporter raised the question because the young actresses are playing the characters named Nura and Velma in the feel-good original series Alamat ng Ano that hilariously depicts the face-off between two rival actresses as they fight each other to become the leading lady of a foreign leading man. The episode currently streams on iWant. It’s a common knowledge that Maymay and Kisses both have a strong following, on and offline. Their legions of fans are ready to engage in a word war when someone objectively, or otherwise, commented on their idols’ performance or even on just the way they dress up. That’s how rabid their fans are. “I’m taller than the Superstar but other than that, I don’t have any qualities that people can use to compare me with her. I am nothing compared to Nora Aunor,” Maymay answered in Tagalog. “We’re glad that people notice us. We’re really thankful for that. But artists come and go. After five years, there will be another batch of artists who would take our place and who would be more popular than us. Nonetheless, we take that as a compliment,” Kisses responded. The two shared how taping for an entire day felt like a horseplay because they just enjoyed the experience. They also admitted how working with someone you know and someone you have already been friends with made the whole process even more pleasant. “We’re good friends, it’s just the fans that pit us against each other. And our being good friends makes us enjoy what we do,” said Kisses while sharing her memorable experience taping for an episode in the iWant original series. Alamat ng Ano was one of the original series highlighted during a recent press event that introduced the latest shows of Indigital Productions, ABS-CBN’s digital content production unit that produces content exclusively for the streaming platform iWant. The laugh-out-loud show, which makes fun of ordinary things by humorously exploring and formulating their origin with each episode, also features an ensemble of Kapamilya stars, including Donny Pangilinan, Melai Cantiveros, Ejay Falcon, Jake Cuenca, Donna Cariaga, AC Bonifacio, BoybandPH, Nico Antonio, Denise Joaquin, Ketchup Eusebio, and Dominic Ochoa. Narrating each episode are the comedy duo of Jobert Austria and Nonong Balinan, who play a talky “barangay tanod” and his sidekick. After producing three original anthology series for iWant, Indigital Productions unveiled another set of original series to be streamed exclusively on the digital platform. Indigital delves into the effects of technology and the need for real human connection in its newest original Touch Screen, which starts streaming today. It is a three-part anthology headlined by Janella Salvador, Pokwang, and Denise Laurel and tackles how people interact on and beyond their screens and how it affects relationships. In the episode Wittyrella, teen fan girl Mandy (Janella) uses Twitter to get her celebrity crush to notice her, but finds herself in a feud with a famous threeword tweet account, only to realize that the person behind the account is someone close to her. Pokwang, meanwhile, plays an oldschool househelp who has been with a family for many years in “Vixee vs. Inday,” then finds herself neglected and undervalued when the father brings home a fully functional smart gadget named Vixee. Online dating also takes centerstage in It’s A Match, where an app developer (Joseph Marco) uses a dating app

Are Maymay and Kisses the new Nora and Vilma?

Maymay Entrata and Kisses Delavin are considered two of the most popular stars of their generation.

for hook-ups, encounters one of his conservative managers (Denise Laurel) on the app, then makes a bet with his ofﬁcemates to make his boss fall in love with him. With original shows that go beyond telling traditional stories, Indigital Productions aims to provide quality Filipino entertainment made by independent ﬁlm directors and content creators such as Gino Santos, Jon Red, JP Habac, Mark Meily, Mikhail Red, Lem Lorca, Dondon Santos, Noel Teehankee, Richard Somes, Ronnie Velasco, Topel Lee, and Victor Villanueva. iWant and Indigital also went the edgy route when they dropped Hush, which features erotic drama stories and three sexy icons namely Mica Javier from It’s Showtime’s GirlTrends, Gwen Soriano, and Haiza Madrid. Also included in Indigital’s roster of upcoming original shows are Crimes of Passion, Six Feet Diner, Adam & Ed, Papa App, Trip to Quiapo, and Little Big Trio. iWant is one of the digital initiatives of ABS-CBN, the Philippines leading media and entertainment company, which is rapidly transitioning into an agile digital company with the biggest online presence among all media companies, and a growing list of digital properties. ***

An ally of local ﬁlm industry

Senator Sonny Angara recognizes the potential of local motion picture production to create jobs and grow the economy, which is why he’s one of the fervent supporters of local cinema and even lobbied for the approval of Film Development Council of the Philippines’ (FDCP) 2019 budget. The FDCP, headed by its chairperson Liza Diño, is the lead agency for film in the Philippines ensuring that the economic, cultural and educational aspects of film are effectively represented in the country and abroad. This agency is under the Office of the President. “Around 815 screens are open nationwide. However, only an average of 70 local films a year are Sarah G (rightmost) with Sen. Sonny Angara and wife Tootsy

produced compared to 220 foreign films released and shown in the Philippines,” said Angara. “Mas sasaya ang industriya at mas maraming film workers ang matutulungan kung mas maraming pelikulang Pilipino.” Meanwhile, it was a mini-reunion for Pop Royalty Sarah Geronimo and the reelectionist senator when the two did a shoot for a political ad in January. The 30-year-old singer once again has chosen to endorse the politician who also advocates lowering of taxes and promote social justice. This is the second time that Sarah G is endorsing Angara who was elected to the Senate in 2013, placing sixth with 16 million votes. “I’m so happy to be with Kuya Sonny again. People already know how I give my all-out support to the Angara family since before,” Sarah said. She added that her heart is close to the Angara family. She first collaborated with the Angaras when she sang the campaign jingle for the late Senate President Edgardo Angara during the 2007 elections. “I wouldn’t think twice if Kuya Sonny would seek for my help because I admire his works that concern education, and senior citizen welfare,” the pop star affirmed.