Manila Standard - 2017 November 17 - Friday

BRIDGES PROJECT. President Rodrigo Duterte examines Wednesday in Malacañang (left) the scale model of the Binondo-Intramuros and Estrella Pantaleon Bridges Project, funded by a Chinese-pledge grant, spanning the Pasig River launched during the official visit of China’s Premier Li Keqiang. At right, the Philippine Coast Guard test sails at the Manila Bay Thursday two of the three seven-meter Rigid Hull Inflatable boats donated by the Japanese with a capacity of 45 knots and can carry 10 persons. Seven more inflatables will be donated next year to complete the 10 donations. Malacañang Photo/Norman Cruz

Asean soft-pedals sea row Chairman’s statement skirts China’s militarization in SCS

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

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VOL. XXXI • NO. 273 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

Bloc’s joint-communique silent on Rohingya issue

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations has chosen to remain silent on what the United Nations has condemned as “a textbook example of ethnic cleansing” by one of its own members, Myanmar, against the minority Rohingya Muslims living in Rakhine State.

Not a single word in the 28-page chairman’s statement from the 31st Asean Summit condemned Myanmar for allowing its security forces to carry out a brutal campaign marked by murder and rape that has driven 600,000 Rohingya refugees from their homes into neighboring Bangladesh.

Against this backdrop, the chairman’s statement merely

urged Myanmar to “continue to implement the recommendations of the final report of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State.”

“They [The Asean] welcomed the commitment by Myanmar authorities to ensure the safety of civilians, take immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine, take immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine, restore nor-

mal socio-economic conditions, and address the refugee problem through verification process,” the statement said.

The statement even failed to mention the exodus of Rohingya Muslims.

The customary joint communique only mentioned the importance of humanitarian relief Next page

DoH rushes contraceptive distribution

By Macon RamosAraneta

TRAMMELED TRAFFIC. In this file photo (right) , taken on Sept. 8, 2014, a major thoroughfare in Metro Manila is clogged with traffic as an overhead train whizzes by in the center lane. (at left) Two MRT coaches from a northbound train get unlinked and had to stop at the Buendia station during rush hour Thursday, while Senator Grace Poe, in a Senate hearing, asks the Department of Transportation to decide immediately if there is a need to temporarily shut down operations of the MRT to fix the system’s numerous and repeated glitches. AFP/Ivan Villegas

MRT coaches detach from train

By Macon R. Araneta TWO MRT coaches from a train going north became unlinked and had to stop at the Buendia station during rush hour Thursday, the first day of work after a long holiday for the Asean Summit.

“Around 130 to 140 passengers

were evacuated by the combined security guards from Buendia and Ayala Station,” Transportation Undersecretary for Rails Cesar Chavez said.

Passengers walking on the tracks were guided back to the Ayala Station platform, and no Next page

SoKor hit by rare 5.4 quake; 50 hurt SEOUL―More than 50 people were injured and 1,500 taken to shelters in South Korea after a rare 5.4-magnitude quake hit the southeastern port of Pohang on Wednesday, officials said Thursday.

The second-most powerful quake recorded in the South hit at a shallow depth of nine kilometers on Wednesday afternoon, sparking alarm in a country that rarely experiences significant Next page tremors.

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Trillanes tags sedition raps ‘harassment’

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta A GROUP of lawyers has asked the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office to prosecute Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for “conspiracy to commit coup d’ etat” when he allegedly incited soldiers to shoot President Rodrigo Duterte during his privilege speech last month.

The group led by former congressmen Jacinto Paras and Glenn Chong filed charges of inciting sedition, proposing to

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HEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday acknowledged the rights of the pro-life groups to file another legal injunction after the Food and Drug Administration declared as nonabortifacients 51 contraceptives, including the implants Implanon and Implanon NXT. “That’s well within their rights. If they want to file another injunction case, a petition for injunction, it’s really up to them,” Duque told a media briefing.

He said the legal recourse was there for all parties, whether from the group of the oppositors or from the proponents.

As this developed, Dr. Juan Antonio Perez III, executive director of the Commission on Population, said an estimated 250,000 contraceptive subdermal

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The chairman’s statement, which was released Thursday, or two days after the 31st Asean Summit concluded, said the date for negotiations would be announced in early 2018 during the 20th Asean-China summit in Vietnam.

“In view of the positive momentum, we looked forward to the announcement of the start of substantive negotiations on the COC with China at the 20th Asean-China Summit and the subsequent convening of the 23rd Asean-China Joint Working Group Meeting on the Implementation of the DOC in Vietnam in early 2018,” the Chairman’s statement

By Francisco Tuyay THE Armed Forces declared Thursday that the center of fighting in Marawi City had been cleared of Maute stragglers, nearly six months since terrorists stormed the lakeshore southern capital city.

AFP Public Affairs Office Chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said after the defeat of the Islamic State-inspired composite terrorist group—Maute and Abu Sayyaf Group—in Marawi, security forces had not figured in any encounter with suspected stragglers believed still hiding in the main

By Rey E. Requejo UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas law freshman Horacio Castillo III died due to his pre-existing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy condition, and not hazing injuries as asserted by the complainants, according to three doctor-witnesses presented by the respondent members of the Aegis Juris Fraternity.

During the continuation of the preliminary

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said, referring to an earlier, nonbinding Declaration of Code of Conduct with China.

“We discussed the matters relating to the South China Sea and took note of the improving relations between Asean and China and, in this regard, are encouraged by the adoption of the framework of the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea [COC], which will facilitate the work and negotiation for the conclusion of a substantive and effective COC,” the statement said.

The statement ran counter to the earlier announcements that the Asean would announce the Next page

Military says ‘ground zero’ in Marawi stragglers-free

3 doctors nix PNP finding hazing injuries did Atio in

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HE Association of Southeast Asian Nations has taken a soft stance on China’s militarization of the disputed South China Sea, failing to come up even with a date for muchballyhooed negotiations to begin with Beijing on a binding Code of Conduct for countries with competing territorial claims in the area.

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battle area.

“But be that as it may, if there are still remaining, we would like to ask them to turn themselves in,” Arevalo said.

He explained that in many cases, a straggler usually concealed themselves in basements and other places, thus preventing them from grasping the present environment in Marawi City.

“They don’t know what is happening, that the fighting is already finished. So we are hopeful that if they happen to know the real situation, they either turn over their firearms or give up, otherwise Next page

‘NOT A TERRORIST.’

Beauty queen-actress Maria Isabel Lopez tells reporters after going to the Land Transportation Office Thursday to explain why her license should not be revoked after she used the lane intended by traffic enforcers for delegates from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, saying ‘don’t single me out.

I am not [an] ISIS [member] or a terrorist.’

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DoH...

From A1 implants stored at warehouses around Metro Manila would be distributed to Department of Health regional offices and civil society organizations before they expire in 2018 and 2019.

Perez said the implants, particularly Implanon and Implanon NXT, and other recertified contraceptives, would arrive at health centers within the next two weeks for possible use before they expire in September 2018 and March 2019.

He said the Implants would be good for three years and the expiration date was the date when it should have been inserted already.

Some batches will expire in September 2018, some in March 2019.

Duque said about 1,000 implants would be inserted every day within the next 10 months as the DoH replenished its supply of reproductive items after their Certificates of Product Registration expired during the two-year period covered by temporary restraining order recently lifted by the Supreme Court.

The High Court released the TRO following the petition filed by the Alliance for the Family Foundation Philippines Inc. in 2015, requesting the suspension of the procurement and distribution of the contraceptives—particularly Implanon and Implanon NXT—pending their recertification as non-abortifacients.

The FDA said the TRO mandated them against approving new or pending applications for Certificates of Product Registration within the two-year period of the Supreme Court’s temporary restraining order.

3Fromdoctors...

A1 investigation, the three doctors—Floresto Arizala Jr., Rodel Capule and Bu Castro—submitted to the investigating panel chaired by Assistant State Prosecutor Susan Villanueva their respective judicial affidavits in support of the defense of the members of the Aegis Juris Fraternity that Castillo did not die of hazing injuries.

Instead, all their written testimonies stated that Castillo died due to his pre-existing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy condition.

Their medical assessments were submitted to the DoJ as part of the rejoinder-affidavits of respondents and frat members John Paul Solano, Axel Hipe and Mhin Wei Chan.

The three doctors disputed the finding of the Philippine National Police medico-legal division that Castillo died of hazing injuries, particularly due to acute tubular necrosis and congestion.

Military...

From A1 they will suffer the same fate as that of their companions, because we will not let terrorism thrive and rule our country,” Arevalo explained.

Earlier, Col. Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Joint Task Force Ranao, said that 12 Maute terrorists were pinned down following a firefight that sparked early morning of Nov. 5, lasting till noon.

Brawner said the stragglers were part of the remaining Maute-IS terrorist following the killing of Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute, the emir of IS in Southeast Asia and chieftain of the Maute group respectively.

Among those killed in the last battle were Ibrahim Maute, also known as Abu Jamil, cousin of Maute brothers Omar and Abdullah.

Arevalo, in his talk with Brawner, revealed the possibility that all Maute stragglers who took part in the Marawi City siege had been neutralized.

Government troops in Marawi are currently focused in their clearing operations in the Marawi City ruins to be able to expedite the reconstruction and rehabilation of the war-torn city.

He said if indeed there were still stragglers hiding and just buying time for their escape, troops were ready to engage them, Arevalo said.

Lawyer slams Sereno's SC appeal

By Rio N. Araja and Maricel V. Cruz

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LAWYER who filed an impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Thursday questioned the propriety of her seeking relief from her colleagues to stop the impeachment proceedings against her.

“Seeking relief in her own turf?” Lorenzo Gadon asked.

He made his statement even as a question cropped up if Sereno would face

lawmakers during her impeachment trial at the House of Representatives.

The question cropped up as the House committee on justice led by Rep. Rey-

naldo Umali extended an invitation to Sereno when the committee deliberates on the probable cause of the ouster complaint filed against her on Nov. 22.

Umali said his panel sent a letter of invitation to Sereno requesting her presence during the hearing.

“The invitation was sent to Chief Justice Sereno.

The committee wants her presence during the resumption of the hearing on Wednesday,” Umali told

reporters.

Gadon called on Sereno to resign to save the institution, but said no one could stop her from filing a petition with the high court.

“Yes, please, CJ Sereno may go to the Supreme Court by all means if she wants to experience first hand an in-your-face humiliation from her colleagues,” Gadon said.

“Has she forgotten that [the] impeachment process

is provided in the Constitution itself and that it is one of the exclusive powers of the Congress?”

Gadon said the high court justices and even ordinary judges had not even come to Sereno’s aid or said a word to defend her.

He said impeachment proceedings were not criminal in nature and that her right to counsel was absolute, adding political proceedings had their own rules,

Sereno’s camp claims her constitutional right was violated when the House of Representatives rejected her appeal for her lawyers to cross-examine the witnesses in the impeachment proceedings.

But Gadon said Sereno was not being denied due process because she herself could question all those who would testify against her in the justice committee of the House of Representatives.

Palace official shares fake news on Canada's Trudeau

By Macon RamosAraneta

RH BREAKTHROUGH. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and Food and Drug Administration director general Nela Charade Puno announce the start of distribution of family planning products after 51 contraceptives were declared nonabortifacient. Duque says the Health department will fully implement the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health law. Norman Cruz

Asean`...

From A1 specific date for the start of the COC negotiations.

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs, Robespierre Bolivar, however, said if a joint working group on the DOC devoted its time to the COC, “how can you say that’s clearly not the start of the COC negotiation?”

“That’s the name of the working group but the COC is part of its agenda,” he said.

His explanation, however, was not reflected in the customary Asean joint communique, that referred only to the “full implementation of the DOC.” The Declaration of Code of Conduct was signed in 2002 between China and Asean , a non-binding edict aimed at reducing tensions in the region and preventing claimant-countries—China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan—from aggressively pursuing their claims.

The DOC, however, has not stopped China from building military structures on some of the disputed isles in the South China Sea. The COC, on the other hand, seeks to make the DOC principles binding on all signatories.

In the 28-page Asean Chairman’s statement, there is no mention of China’s militarization of the South China Sea, only a reference to the vague need for “non-militarization and self restraint.”

The Asean Chairman—the Philippines holds the rotating position this year—also took note that Asean and China have

MRT...

From A1 one was reported hurt, Chavez said.

Minutes earlier, passengers were asked to get off a southbound train at 8:57 a.m. because of a technical problem.

Just two days earlier, a woman who felt dizzy fell onto the tracks and her right arm was severed at the Ayala Station, raising more safety

Bloc’ s...

From A1 provided for victims of natural disasters in Vietnam; the recent siege between the Philippine government and Maute Goup in Marawi City,

COMMUNICATIONS Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson on Thursday shared a blog post that misquoted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as saying that it was theoretically impossible to take back garbage that Canada had shipped to the Philippines.

The post by blogger NJ Nieto criticized Trudeau and carried a graphic of the prime minister saying, “Theoretically, it is impossible to get [the garbage] back... even if it originally came from Canada.”

But a video clip showed that Trudeau had actually said: “Even though it originally came from Canada, we had legal barriers and restrictions that prevented us from being able to take it back. Those regulations and those impediments have now been addressed, so it is now theoretically possible to get it back.”

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque refused to comment on the misquotation by the assistant secretary, saying he had no jurisdiction over the matter, which should be addressed, if at all, by Communications Secretary Martin Andanar.

Criticism of Trudeau has spiked after the President said he took it as a personal and official insult that the Canadian prime minister would bring up the issue of human rights when they spoke.

Nieto said in a mix of English

and Filipino: “I’d rather have a crass and ‘unclassy’ president who gets things done. Photos of the handsome guy? They will be forgotten. But not the garbage rotting in our ports.”

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, a Duterte ally, said Trudeau’s raising of the human rights issue was “mere camouflage” to cover the dumping of Canadian garbage in the Philippines.

“He’s frank on human rights, but they’re not frank on garbage, right?” Sotto said.

Sotto was referring to the garbage shipped by Canadian companies to the Philippines in 2013.

In a media briefing at the sidelines of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and Related Summits on Tuesday, Trudeau said he had committed to Duterte that Canada is working on a solution to the garbage issue.

“I know it has been a longstanding irritant and I committed to him [Duterte], and I’m happy to commit to all of you now that Canada is very much engaged in finding a solution on that,” Trudeau said.

He said legal barriers in Canada that prevented the country from taking the waste back had now been addressed, but said it was still unclear who would pay for the return.

successfully tested the hotline among foreign ministries on how to manage maritime emergencies.

“In our view, these are practical measures that could reduce tensions, and the risk of accidents, misunderstandings and miscalculation,” the statement said.

The creation of the COC, the Asean said, must be “legally binding” to put a stop to “unilateral actions” in the South China Sea. Signing China up to a code that it must abide by, and can be enforced, has long been a goal for Asean’s claimant members Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, and Malaysia.

China claims most of the oilresource-rich South China Sea where a total of $5 trillion worth of trade passes through the disputed waters every year, citing its nine-dash line policy based on an ancient Chinese map.

But the Arbitral Tribunal has ruled in favor of the Philippines and declared China’s claim as excessive and illegal to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Chairman’s statement was released to the public at around 11:05 a.m. on Thursday, almost two days after the conclusion of Asean Summit and hours after Chinese Premier Li Keqiang left the Philippines.

It was a first time in history of the Asean Summit that the customary chairman’s statement was released a few days late.

In the Summit last April, the chairman’s statement was already available the morning after the summit concluded.

In 2016, when Laos is the

host of the Asean Summit, the customary joint communique was released shortly before the closing ceremonies.

Bolivar declined to explain the delay, but said Wednesday that the statement was “still being proofread.”

The Philippines is also a claimant country in the disputed sea.

But since he assumed the presidency, President Rodrigo Duterte has downplayed its claim, and even the Philippines’ victory in the arbitration case against China, for the sake of boosting economic ties with Beijing, which has offered Manila billions in loans and grants.

Meanwhile, during the official state visit of Li, both the Philippines and China have agreed to avoid force to resolve their differences over the disputed South China Sea. Based on the joint statement released to the public, both countries agreed that “there should be no violence or threats of violence and the dispute should be resolved via talks between the relevant sovereign countries.”

“Both sides believe that the maritime dispute is not the full sum of the China-Philippines relationship,” the statement said.

Before leaving the country, Li said China is committed to helping the Asean sustain economic growth in the region.

In his speech during the 12th East Asia Summit Tuesday, Li called on the East Asian countries to uphold the current trend of economic globalization and regional integration and pursue trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, effectively

countering the “de-globalization” policy advocated by US President Donald Trump.

“We must uphold this open, inclusive and win-win cooperation at a higher level and work toward an early establishment of an East Asia Economic Community,” Li said, noting that EAS since its inception 12 years ago has grown into an important platform for dialogue and cooperation for countries from within and outside the region.

To attain these goals, China proposed six-point proposal, namely: speed up regional integration; promote sustainable development; advance social development; jointly tackle non-traditional security threats; develop new approaches to security; and improve the regional security architecture.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, who met with Li, said the Philippines should make up for the time lost due to misunderstandings over the South China Sea. Pimentel said ties should be “immune to the issues of the day, and built on the friendship” of the two nations, not just their governments.

The meeting, hosted by Li, was held at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City, and included Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente Sotto III, Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Emmanuel Pacquiao, and Sherwin Gatchalian.

“Our discussion focused on how we can bring China and the Philippines closer together, not just through normal diplomatic channels, but also channels like party-to-party and parliamentto-parliament,” said Pimentel.

With Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

concerns.

Senator Grace Poe, chairman of the Senate committee on public services, said the Transportation Department should decide immediately if it needs to temporarily shut down the MRT 3 to fix the system’s many problems.

“If there is a need to stop the operation of the MRT, they should say so. They should have the guts to speak up because the people will be angry since many will be burdened.

But the most important thing

is their safety,” Poe said.

In the event of a shutdown, the department must come up with a way to service the thousands of passengers who use the train system.

Poe issued the statement in the wake of reports that a train carrying hundreds of passengers was detached while traveling from Ayala Station to Buendia.

“What they should do is ensure that commuters are safe.

Now, whether there is a need to stop operation, although

we know that almost 590,000 commuters will be affected, but if we will think of those who sill lost their lives due to negligence, we can take this,” Poe said.

The senator said the daily glitches and technical problems are but symptoms of larger problems waiting to happen.

Senator JV Ejercito said the department should consider bringing back Sumitomo Corp. to handle the system’s maintenance.

The quake, which was felt across the country including in the capital Seoul, damaged nearly 1,100 homes and more than 100 schools, the safety ministry said in a statement.

Roads and public and military facilities were also damaged, while 57 people were left injured and 1,536 seeking shelter outside their home, it said, adding no deaths had been reported.

It came about a year after the country’s most powerful quake to date, a 5.8-magnitude tremor that struck another southeastern city, Gyeongju, in September 2016.

Photos of the aftermath of Wednesday’s quake showed damaged homes, shattered storefronts and cars smashed by fallen bricks.

One video posted on social media showed dozens of students screaming and fleeing in panic as a large brick facade crumbled and fell off the top of a campus building.

As dozens of aftershocks continued to rattle Pohang, Seoul late Wednesday announced the unusual decision to postpone the country’s all-important nationwide college entrance exam― scheduled for Thursday―by a week.

The annual event is closely watched by the whole nation, which falls silent on the day to help teenagers focus on the test whose result could define their future in the hyper-competitive society. AFP

Mindanao; and the “affected communities” in northern Rakhine state.

The 28-page draft was crafted by the Philippines, this year’s current chair of the 31st Asean Summit, and the nine other member state, who met for a plenary session in Manila

on Monday.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi had asked the leaders to avoid mentioning the Rohingya Muslim minority.

The Asean also stated that it expressed support to the Myanmar government n its effort to “bring peace,

stability, rule of law and to promote harmony and reconciliation between the various communities as well as sustainable and equitable development in Rakhine State.

There was no mention of accountability for human rights violations against the

Rohingya minority.

More than 600,000 Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh to escape murder and destruction of villages in the Western state of Rakhine.

The Rohingyas, a stateless Muslim minority in Buddhist-majority Myanmar,

“This is a private transaction that does not involve the government,” he said.

Trillanes...

From A1 commit coup d’ etat and graft against Trillanes before the prosecutor’s office.

The group cited as basis for its complaint the statement of Trillanes during his speech that the soldiers might shoot Duterte to fulfill his wish that he be shot if the allegations he had hidden wealth was proven.

“Now, Mr. Duterte said he can be shot dead if there is P40 million in his accounts. He said that in front of the soldiers,” said the complaint quoting Trillanes.

Meanwhile, Trillanes assailed the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption that he described as “Duterte minions” for filing a sedition complaint against him before the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday.

“These Duterte minions are doing all sorts of harassment against me in the hope that they would be able to divert my attention,” said Trillanes, a rabid critic of Duterte and his family.

Aside from extrajudicial killings, Trillanes has also accused Duterte and his family of amassing ill-gotten wealth through various anomalies.

SoKor...

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have long experienced persecutions as they are believed to be illegal immigrants.

Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been facing international pressure for her handling of the violence against Rohingyas.

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Sandigan affirms Jinggoy bail

By Maricel V. Cruz

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FRIENDLY MEETING.

HE Sandiganbayan Special Fifth Division has affirmed its earlier decision to grant the bail petition of former senator Jinggoy Estrada in connection with plunder charges leveled against him over the pork barrel scam.

The anti-graft court earlier granted bail to Estrada for the government prosecutor’s failure to establish that he was the “main plunderer” in the case.

“Finally, a careful examination of the instant motion reveals that the issues raised by the prosecution are the very same issues already discussed and passed upon by the court in the assailed resolution, and finding no new matters that could merit the reconsideration of its previous resolution, the court finds no cogent reason to depart from it,” the courts said in its four-page decision penned by Associate Justice Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega, with the concurrence of Associate Justices Reynaldo Cruz and Lorifel Pahimna.

Fifth Division Chairman Rafael Lagos and Associate Justice Zaldy Trespeces dissented.

The court, in its Sept.

15 decision, allowed the former lawmaker to post a P1.3-million bail, which led to his release from detention.

Estrada is accused of amassing P183 million in kickbacks from his Priority Development Assistance Fund, supposedly in conspiracy with “PDAF scam” queen Janet Lim Napoles. He had been detained since June 2014 at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

The decision came as the anti-graft court junked the motion for reconsideration filed by the prosecution questioning the Sandiganbayan’s decision.

“The court believes that the evidence presented by the prosecution in the bail hearings did not sufficiently establish that the accused was one of the main actors or masterminds in the so-called PDAF scam,” the Fifth Division said.

“For failure of the prosecution to present sufficient evidence to identify the mastermind/main actor of the whole plunder scheme, who had amassed ill-gotten wealth and who principally benefited therefore, the grant of the application for bail is in order,” it added.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (left) and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang beam to photographers as they begin their meeting at the Conrad Hotel to help enhance bilateral relations between China and the Philippines. After attending the recent 31st Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations hosted by the Philippines, Li chose to stay one more day for an opportunity to talk with other Philippine officials, including Alvarez, and exchange views on building on the gains achieved in ChinaPhilippines relations.

‘ERC delay in PSAs forcing flight of investors’ THE opposition leader in the House of Representatives on Thursday warned that “suspicious” delays on the part of the Energy Regulatory Commission in approving contracts of power supply generators could turn off their potential investors, forcing them to back out and there-

fore losing an opportunity for the country to address its thinning power reserves at already alarming levels.

House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez raised concerns over the recent spate of “yellow” alerts by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, a situation

when reserve power falls below the required level.

“The ERC must fast-track the approval of the application for a power plant that would help generate muchneeded baseload in the country,” Suarez said. “In fact, I find it puzzling why the ERC has not yet approved con-

tracts of power supply generators even if it has already taken them at least five years to study their applications.”

Suarez said the ERC was established under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 as an independent, quasi-judicial regulatory body. Maricel V. Cruz

8 PH airports get on-time star ratings from UK firm

By Joel E. Zurbano EIGHT airports in the Philippines earned On-Time Performance star ratings in the latest reports released by the Official Aviation Guide, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines announced on Thursday.

OTP star ratings were given to Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and provincial airports in Iloilo, Tacloban (Leyte), Davao, Laguindingan in Cagayan de Oro City, Bacolod, Kalibo in Aklan and Puerto Princesa in Palawan, the 2016-2017

OAG reports showed.

CAAP chief information officer and spokesperson Eric Apolonio said the United Kingdom-based OAG is an air travel intelligence company that provides digital information and applications to the world’s airlines, airports, gov-

ernment agencies and travelrelated service companies.

“OAG is best known for its airline schedules database, which holds future and historical flight details for more than 900 airlines and over 4,000 airports,” Apolonio added.

Junk DoJ amendment, De Lima asks RTC SENATOR Leila De Lima on Thursday asked the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court to deny the Department of Justice’s motion to amend the drug trafficking case against her, saying the latter was in effect filing a new case.

Through her lawyers who filed a 17-page opposition, De Lima said the DOJ, through the National Prosecution Service, was “not amending the charges but substituting a new case.”

De Lima and her nephew Jose Adrian Dera were charged in February 2017 for violating several sections of the Dangerous Drugs Act. However, last month the DoJ filed an amended information sheet asking the Muntinlupa RTC to instead charge De Lima and Dera of conspiracy to sell and trade illegal drugs.

This was after Solicitor General Jose Calida, during oral arguments at the Supreme Court, said the senator should have been charged for violating Section 26 of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, instead of violating Section 5 of the same law.

The camp of De Lima countered that the crime of “conspiracy to trade drugs” is distinct and different from the offense of “drug trading.”

“The evidence sufficient to justify a conviction for ‘conspiracy to trade drugs’ cannot be enough to support a guilty verdict for ‘drug trading.’” the senator’s lawyers said.

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EDITORIAL

‘Firing on all cylinders’

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HE economy grew at a stronger rate of 6.9 percent in the third quarter of the year, ignoring the political noise coming from the government’s violent drug war and the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

The third-quarter performance beat expectations of a 6.6-percent expansion amid the siege in Marawi City and turned market analysts more bullish. It brought the average growth in the first nine months to 6.7 percent, above the lower limit of the government’s

Adelle Chua, Editor

target range of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent this year.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez is more upbeat. He sees the gross domestic product performing stronger in the succeeding quarters as the government accelerates infrastructure spending.

“Notwithstanding the continued political noise and the terrorist activity in Marawi, the economy managed to perform well in the third quarter as the government posted a double-digit increase in public investments and pursued initiative to further improve fiscal health and boost investor sentiment,” Dominguez said.

A sustained spending on infrastructure for the rest of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term and a young working population hold the key to a

robust economic expansion. Infrastructure projects directly create jobs and will speed up the flow of goods and services, while a young and growing population is expected to boost spending on food, cars, real estate, cellular phones and local travel.

Key economic sectors are contributing to the economic expansion, with industries registering the fastest growth of 7.5 percent, followed by services with 7.1 percent.

“We’re firing on all cyl-

inders and we should see further acceleration in GDP growth this quarter if the government’s infrastructure commitments are met,” says Emilio Neri, an economist at Bank of the Philippine Islands. “We expect the service sector to remain strong as companies become more involved in the government’s Build, Build, Build program.”

But companies continue to face regulatory risks. The country’s internet speed, a crucial factor in improving the

investment climate in the Philippines, is one of the slowest in the Philippines because of the myriad approvals required from local government units and national agencies in building cell sites. The same red tape is encountered by power generating and infrastructure companies.

The government’s regulating agencies and institutions must do their share in helping the economic expansion. They should recognize the fact that the economy is on a roll.

PENSEES FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO

Automation and our humanity THE many nursing schools in the Philippines churned out a humongous lot resulting in a glut and soon, job opportunities abroad dried up. It was call centers that saved the country’s surplus of RNs from joblessness. In fact, many graduates of the “unemployable” courses have found succor in what used to be a very high demand for call center agents. But there comes bad news in the wake of advances in robotics and automation that have produced robots capable of maintaining an interesting, though partly scripted, conversation. It is predicted that call center agents will soon become superfluous as their jobs will be taken over by automation.

I do not have a pleasant experience at all with automated answering machines. In fact, I am irked at them. Try calling

It is human intelligence that should make the call: When to let “artificial intelligence” do the task.

A stinking deal LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES TWO years ago, the Senate and the House of Representatives filed separate resolutions to investigate the alleged dumping of hazardous medical waste from Canada by a private company. Neither investigation, demanded in resolutions filed by then Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and then Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, got beyond one hearing each before they were summarily shut down.

According to people close to both aborted investigations, the leaders of both Houses at the time—Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.—came down hard on the lawmakers in their respective chambers

and ordered them to “kill” the probes. The order, these sources said, came directly from Malacanan Palace.

The leaders of the two Houses (who were close allies and Liberal Party colleagues of then President Noynoy Aquino and who are still in Congress today) told their fellow lawmakers that Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario was taking over the “sensitive” case. This, Drilon and Belmonte said, would require quiet negotiations between the leaders of Canada and the Philippines, without the noise congressional investigations would create.

The result of the negotiations, according to the same sources, was a strange (and probably illegal) “swap”: 500 Filipino nurses would be admitted to Canada, which would no longer be forced to bring back the 106 container vans containing the garbage to their shores.

Then, as now, the Canadian government’s position (as expressed by the Canadian embassy in Manila) was that it could not take back the garbage because the issue was a “private commencial matter.” However, developed nations are prohibited from dumping garbage in developing countries under the 1995 Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes, which both the Philippines and Canada have ratified; the treaty states that the country where the waste originated should return the waste to its port of origin within 30 days from the time it is notified about the illegal shipment.

Earlier, the Bureau of Customs, through the Department of Justice, charged the owner of a a local company, Chronic Plastics, identified as Adelfa Eduardo, and customs brokers

Leonora Flores and Sherjun Saldon with violation of Republic Act 6969 or the Act to Control Toxic Substances and Hazardous Nuclear

It’s time to exhume this stinking story and get to the bottom of the trash heap left behind by Aquino and his men.

Wastes for bringing in the Canadian garbage. The three were also charged with violation of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines for the unlawful importation of waste materials from Canada.

At around the same time, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources announced that an interagency body had decided to dispose of the garbage in local landfills because of the “prolonged negotiations” to have the trash shipped back to Canada. DENR Environment Management Bureau director Jonas Leones said the cost of the treatment and disposal would be charged to the importer, Valenzuela City-based Chronic Plastics, which was named as consignee of the exporter, Chronic Inc., a company based in Ontario, Canada. *** The interagency government body also convinced a Manila Regional Trial Court where a case was filed earlier on the matter to hold an inspection and to order the trash disposed of afterwards. “[The garbage] can be locally treated, that’s the best option we can take,” Leones, the

EMB director, said.

The DENR concluded that the trash from Canada that began arriving in June 2013 consisted of “mixed scrap plastic and household waste.”

“Based on the waste analysis and characterization study, it’s not toxic and hazardous but mixed scrap plastic and household waste [which means] the Philippines has the capability to undertake local treatment,” Leones said.

Meanwhile, then Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina, under pressure from the owners of the container vans used to hold the Canadian garbage and facing a serious overcrowding problem at the choked-up Manila International Container Port, began looking for a suitable place to “bury” the garbage. Lina convinced Rufo Colayco, president of the Metro Clark Waste Management, to take in the Canadian trash at

any call center of either of the country’s networks, and you should shortly get the point. After the pre-recorded perfunctory welcome (that does not sound welcoming at all, as one fully knows that it is pre-recorded), one is offered a menu of buttons to choose from.. Press one button, and one gets a second recital of yet another choice of buttons. Choose one and you will be put on hold — if not referred to yet a third array of choices. If one is lucky, one will hear an automated enumeration of possible complaints to choose from. If one wishes to hear a human voice, one is given an escape route that can, if luck is on your side, yield the welcome warmth of human voice at the other end of the line, or,

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Aboitiz the south), food (Pilmico, a Top 3 in flour), banking (Union Bank, hugely profitable and a leader in cashless banking; No. 6 bank in deposits and No. 8 in assets and loans), and real estate (Aboitiz Land which specializes in industrial estates and high-end development).

A fifth leg was recently added—infrastr ucture (AboitizInfraCapital), to cash in on President Duterte’s Build, Build, Build P8.4-trillion five-year infra program. The group has Apo Agua to supply bulk water to Davao.

In 2015, AEV bought Republic Cement from LaFarge and is spending $250 million to expand its capacity over the next five years.

It wanted to run Metro Manila’s LRT2 and build a dam and a highway around Laguna Lake. Both fizzled out.

A clan rule is that every Aboitiz must pitch into the business. Those who don’t don’t get a share of the profits.

In over 100 years of doing business Aboitiz has been consistent in seeking positive change for all its stakeholders, change for a better world and contribution to the greater good.

“We have always found ourselves leading, influencing, and driving change for the benefit of our fellow Filipinos, our communities, and our nation,” says AEV’s 2016 annual report.

In The Aboitiz Way, “our actions and decisions are anchored on our timehonored values of integrity, teamwork, innovation, and responsibility,” says the company. “It is a culture that we deeply value and clearly understand that drives our behavior and performance, and ultimately, is the key to the success of our enterprise.”

And so the group has gone on planting 5.3-million trees, and investing P286 million last year in education, health care, and sustainability for the good of the community.

A key to Aboitiz’s focus on being kinder and gentler is their main business: power. The group sells 3,950 megawatts of electricity; half of that comes from coal. Power is the bulk of AEV business, being No. 2 in power generation.

It is also the second largest power distributor in the Philippines, distributing 6,746 MWh to with more than 900,000 customers in 2016.

Power (generation and distribution) contributed 76 percent of AEV revenues and P15.38 billion in profits in 2016, up 13.7 percent from 2015.

A stinking...

port (apparently because it could not be returned to Manila and clog up the capital’s piers again).

Presumably, the Canadian trash has remained in Subic since then. Now it’s time to find out several things: Did the Aquino administration really make a deal with the Canadians to swap nurses for the garbage?

Was this the “legal problem” that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was talking about, which he said prevented the return of the trash to Canada?

What happened to the cases filed against the importers/consignees? Where are these people now?

I believe it’s time for the current government to exhume this stinking story and get to the bottom of the trash heap left behind by Aquino and his men.

From A4

their new, high-tech landfill in Capas, Tarlac.

But that was not the end of the controversy. Environmental activists in Tarlac alleged that the garbage from Canada was hazardous medical waste, saying they found adult diapers, syringes and other potential dangerous material in container vans that were trucked to the landfill.

The Tarlac provincial government led a protest against the disposal of the Canadian trash in Capas, which forced the landfill operator to abruptly stop the operation.

Colayco told me yesterday that less than 20 container vans of Canadian trash was dumped in the landfill; the rest of the trash, he said, was brought to the Subic free

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A5

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Dodging the issue

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

ABOITIZ is one of the oldest business families in the Philippines. They date back 130 years.

The first Aboitiz was a Basque Spaniard, Paulino Aboitiz. He arrived in the Philippines in the 1870s.

He married a daughter of a rich merchant, founded in 1920, Aboitiz & Co., and began building the family business, starting with abaca trade, first in Ormoc, Leyte and then Cebu, and later into inter-island shipping to bring goods across the Visayas. Shipping was completely divested in 2016. Paulino had a son, Don Ramon (1887-1974), regarded as the original family patriarch. Ramon’s dictum was: “Any business where we can make money, we will go into.” Don Ramon had “palabra de honor” (word of honor).

During World War I when falling abaca prices brought Aboitiz & Co. to near bankruptcy, Don Ramon resisted pressures to walk away from their contracts. He told his sibling: “The biggest fortune I have is my word and reputation.

Money can be lost and can be recovered, but once your name and reputation is lost, one’s word is worthless and one is truly finished”.

Without that determination to survive business hardships with hard work and a commitment to honor their word and reputation, the Aboitiz Group would not be around today.

At the helm today of the family holding company, Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., which was incorporated in 1989 and went public in 1994, is Erramon I. Aboitiz, 60, president and CEO since 2009. From 1994 to December 2008, he was AEV EVP and COO. The family owns 56.1 percent of AEV which has a market cap of P411.54 billion, yielding for the family P230.87 billion wealth or $4.52 billion.

Erramon is gentle, warm, humble, with a keen mind.

He has a bachelor of science degree in business, major in accounting and finance, from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.

He is a cousin of Jon Ramon Aboitiz, 68, the previous CEO, for 14 years (1994-2008).

Erramon’s reign as CEO has been extended until 2019. He is good. In his first year as CEO, in 2009, revenues climbed 29 percent to P46.23 billion, but profits climbed much faster, by 102 percent, to P8.3 billion.

In 2016, revenues rose only 4.6 percent to P116.5 billion but profits still rose much faster, by 27 percent to P22.4 billion. EBITDA is P48 billion, up 20 percent.

Aboitiz has four major businesses—power (Aboitiz Power, No. 1 in

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2017

ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO “IT WAS a lost opportunity the Philippines did not raise the issue of The Hague International Arbitration Tribunal’s ruling that China’s claim to the whole of the South China Sea is illegal,” said former Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia. He suggested that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations should put up a united front to remind China that it is violating international law.

Indeed, it was like the elephant in the room no one wanted to bring attention to particularly the Philippines which hosted the recently concluded Asean and Dialogue Partners Summit in Manila.

Cuisia said the global event which gathered together 10 Asean heads of state and leaders of the US, Russia, China, Canada, Japan and Australia was the perfect occasion to raise the issue but the Philippines did not. In fact , it was noted President Rodrigo Duterte acted like the spokesman

for Beijing saying there’s nothing to fear from China with which the Philippines enjoys mutual trust and beneficial relations.

Former Philippine Ambassador to Asean Wilfredo Villacorta, on the other hand, said the Duterte administration is conducting closed door and behind the scene negotiations with Beijing.

“There’s not much to be gained in an open public negotiations with the other party China, already labeled as an enemy,” said Villacorta.

But then, is a country that openly violates our territorial sovereignty by building military installations on those islets and reefs in the West Philippine Sea a friend? This is naked aggression that cannot be disguised by showering us with gifts like weapons and funds for infrastructure projects. This is no different from American GIs paying bar girls in the former US naval base in Subic and Clark air base for extra services.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau drew the ire of President Duterte when the visitor raised the issue of extrajudicial kill-

ings of suspects in Duterte’s bloody war on drugs Digong’s legion of supporters in turn dug up the tons of garbage shipped by Canada to the Philippines. Of course shipping those toxic materials to the Philippines is wrong when Canada’s vast land can accommodate the waste.

But let’s get the other side of the story. Filipinos (the local importer identified as Chronic Plastics Inc. and the Bureau of Customs officials) who allowed the trash shipment into the country are just as much to blame. Upon inspection, the trash shipment should have not been unloaded and instead ordered the ship back to its Canadian origin. We have yet to hear that the Valenzuela—based company that imported the Canadian trash has been fined and blacklisted by the BOC. “I felt personally insulted,” fumed Digong during a media conference assessing Asean’s accomplishment and economic effect on the region. What economic benefits the hosting of the Asean Summit here won’t be known until after the coming years. For Filipinos the situation will be back to

normal. The street dwellers swept aside not to be seen by the visitors are back on Roxas Boulevard from Manila to Pasay.

But why should Duterte be offended? These are heads of state who came to Manila not for the lavish feasts and ceremonial activities prepared by the host. Trudeau, US President Donald Trump, Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev, Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, and Chinese President Xi Jinping were among those who attended the Asean event to discuss global security , terrorism , the looming nuclear threat posed by North Korea , international trade, and the issue of human rights.

President Duterte by now should learn to take criticism in stride. We thought Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque was supposed to advise him aside from speaking on his behalf.

But speaking out on his discussion with Trudeau, Duterte brought up the EJK issue raised by the Canadian. There is no stage Duterte did not like for him to go on his rant and rave mode.

Trump, according to Malacanang sources, did

not bring up the EJKs issue although officials in the Trump party said it was mentioned in passing.

It would have been interesting if Trump raised the issue and had a heated exchange with the Philippine president. Expletives would have probably flown thick.

President Duterte cannot be blamed for being close to China which was the first country to give the Philippines firearms to fight the Maute/ISIA terrorists in Marawi. China also granted the Philippines funds for the rebuilding of Marawi and the construction of two bridges across the Pasig River to ease traffic congestion along Edsa.

Thank you, China, but please leave our territorial waters alone. This is ours and Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague already ruled in our favor.

Follow the law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea which you and the Philippines are signatories. Our President it seems is not keen enough to push for our right under international law but as citizens of this country we are speaking out against this injustice.

One old, one new FORMATION GARY OLIVAR WELL, the summit is now over, the delegates long packed up and gone.

The events went flawlessly, with no security incidents.

Numerous agreements were signed, bilateral deals concluded, the work started on a hopefully binding maritime code of conduct between China and Asean.

The President again dodged the perennial bullet on human rights issues in his war on drugs, with just one leader—Canada’s Justin Trudeau—going on record as bringing it up in his talks with Duterte. Trudeau, a radical liberal, gets to be cut a lot of slack for his movie-star good looks. We just wish he’d pay as much attention to the dozens of containers of Canadian trash taking up space in Manila’s ports since way back 2013.

Duterte’s tireless critics were reduced to complaining about the scruffy way he wore his barong Tagalog, even if he’s never claimed to be a fashion plate. With such meager pickings, the critics might as well heed the naughty advice to them from our UN ambassador Teddy Boy Locsin: Suicide is an option. Magpakamatay na lang kayo. *** Among the guests, most eyes were expectedly on US President Donald Trump.

The glad-handing business tycoon was not above pushing his considerable weight around in photo ops, pulling Duterte by the shoulder toward himself with his left hand as he shook hands with

Automation...

From A4

as many times happens, return the dial tone, and thus must the rigmarole start all over again.

Repetitive jobs—such as drilling holes, precision cutting, installation of writes, laying down integrated circuits —these are rightly consigned to automation. It has been a point well made that confining a person to a repetitive function can be not only boring but also smothers creativity and actually de-humanizes. Similarly, programmed heavy equipment that allow skyscrapers to rise without the back-breaking, spirit-wrecking toil that brought about the pyramids and the monolithic structures of the ancient world—and even the medieval cathedral-fortresses —can only be hailed for their liberating effects on human toil. So automation is, in this way, both the product as well as the buttress of the human spirit.

his right, in a vintage display of power body language.

And I cringed at Trump’s well-intentioned but clueless tweet towards the end, when he favorably compared Duterte’s good-natured singing of “Ikaw” to the guests with the rest of the Filipino stage talent.

But none of this seems to have gotten in the way of the positive chemistry that’s developing between these two self-made men, both of them outsiders to the political establishment.

Here are some items that ought to be taken up immediately in restoring the USPhilippine alliance: • US offer of more weapons and training support —American intelligence, personnel, and materiel support was invaluable in liberating Marawi. Now Australia, China, our southern Asean neighbors, even Japan are stepping up their military support and coordination as well. With our geostrategic location, and given US concern over North Korea, the security relationship with our oldest ally ought to be deepened.

• US-PH free trade agreement—DTI Secretary Mon Lopez is bullish about this, and JPEPA—our bilateral FTA with Japan—can serve as a useful template.

It will need some work, given Trump’s protectionist and nativist tendencies. But it will definitely be important for us, especially now that the US has pulled out of its proposed Trans Pacific Partnership.

• Keep the US open to BPO —This may be even more important for our servicesbased economy than an FTA about tradable goods. It’s an issue where Trump’s pop-

ulism about US workers may clash with his business connections and instincts. We ought to remind Americans that our high-quality, lowcost BPO services help to keep US companies globally competitive. And looking farther ahead, we should draw on US artificial intelligence technology to keep our own BPO’s competitive as well.

• Distance the US from the EU on drug and human rights issues—Trump has his own public health problems with opioids, and he’s well aware of the radical liberalism and multilateralism that underlie European pronouncements on human rights. Duterte can count on him to at least keep his peace on these issues, no matter how much noise may be raised among Duterte’s Fil-Am critics, who’re all Democrats anyway.

• Return the Balangiga bells—There are private parties involved here, which limits the scope for US government help. But it’s an important sentimental issue for us and deserves to be kept on the front burner. *** Compared to Trump, a much lower profile was maintained by Russian President Vladimir Putin— who is arguably even more influential on the world stage—and by his prime minister Dimitri Medvedev. But the Russians were, if anything, even busier than the Americans, signing a total of nine new agreements with their Philippine counterparts.

Here are what I think will be quick wins among the deals being worked out: • Maritime training exchange programs (includ-

ing donation of a training vessel) and military hardware sales or donations (including a submarine)—The submarine would be the very first one in our Navy, and it would certainly put the Chinese on notice.

• Technology transfer— The Russians singled out Glonass, a satellite-based navigation technology similar to GPS. Prime Minister Medvedev also cited energy transfer, agriculture, and financial services technology as other areas of interest.

The following are higherlying fruit that will require a bit more work, but will be well worth the effort: • Russian export market for our agricultural products—There ought to be a huge market in wintry Russia for our tropical crops.

Just last month, both countries signed an agricultural cooperation agreement for up to $2.5 Billion of Philippine exports, well above the $50 Million we’re now sending them each year.

But with our government focused on more basic issues like rice security, a lot of the initiative here will have to come from large local agribusiness groups.

• Direct flights between Manila and Moscow— There ought to be a huge market as well among Russians fleeing their harsh winters for our tropical climes. But we’ll have to negotiate “five freedoms” reciprocity between the carriers of both countries, and, more importantly, attend to the backlog in our airport infrastructure, hotel rooms (especially in the 3-star category), and other transport connectivity.

• Russian investments in ship repair and infra-

structure—The Russians are interested to look at the mothballed North Rail and the very-much-alive New Clark City projects.

They may also build a ship repair facility here to service Vladivostok and other warm-water ports. What will be critical for us to look at are Russian financing costs (interest rates and currency stability) and the concessionality of the financing terms they offer. *** Amid all these optimistic prospects with the Russians, what may turn out to be a ball-buster, however, is their proposal to assist with our nuclear energy development program. What they have in mind are small modular reactors that can be either built on land or floated offshore.

Unfortunately, even decades later, the memory of Chernobyl still haunts us, and the rest of the world.

This will be a tough sell to our people.

DoE Secretary Al Cusi has wisely stated that our collaboration with Russia on nuclear power can start only after “acceptance by the community.” For the meantime, it may help to put some distance between Russia and our nuclear program, perhaps by inviting other interested parties and countries to participate as well in our planning and development activity.

Within our region alone, India and South Korea come to mind as countries who can contribute. Sometimes, in order to go faster on things that do matter, we need to go slower on things that don’t matter as much.

I have never subscribed to the superstition that one day, computers will be more intelligent than human persons. In terms of memory they may be more capacious; in terms of permutations they may be faster at combinatorial results. But they will always remain products of human imagination, inventiveness and the intelligence of the human spirit that has infinity as its sweep and breadth.

However, with automation comes redundant human labor, just as with the industrialization and mechanization of the farm, there arose the problem of what to do with redundant farm labor. One does not rush headlong into mechanizing and automating, no matter how dazzling the prototypes and prospects might be, and then wonder later on what to do with the human workers rendered superfluous by machines. And that is bad news for the thousands of young Filipinos who now work in shifts in the country’s boom-

ing call center industry. Of course, we are offered the consoling thought that this loss will prompt us to search for new possibilities. But not all searches end up well, and successfully! And while we are on this search, what do the jobless Filipinos do? Trek to the embassies for yet even more visas to work abroad? Aside from the dangers experts have repeatedly pointed out about an economy dependent in great measure on foreign remittances, we have to start getting alarmed that the bright Filipinos who learn their skills here, earn their degrees here, acquire their competencies here are not serving and working here. The bench of the skilled and the competent is not growing any wider!

We are told about planes being flown by robots in the future. That sounds very much like sci-fi but it will be well for us to remember that many of the devices that are part of 21st century life—like mobile

phones, video-conferencing devices, tracking equipment —were very much the stuff of sci-fi not too long ago! In a way, planes are already flown by robotics, because auto-pilot is one form of this contemporary marvel. Notice however that when contingencies strike —unforeseen turbulence, the threat of attacks from the ground, engine malfunction —the human pilot disengaged the autopilot and takes over.

There is something about human decision-making that is not substitutable. “Robo Cop”, though fictional, is not an administrator of justice. It is the mechanical matching of givens to a pre-determined result, many times with inhuman, unreasonable and absurd results.

It is only a human judge who can make considerations of equity, unconscionability, and good faith part of a judgment, and this, automatons cannot do for the very simple metaphysical reason that no human being is ever self-creating! It

is not possible to program a computer nor to write out an algorithm for compassion and mercy. These simply belong to another dimension to which nothing corresponds in the realm of the “artificial.”

We have been given the salutary warning by logical analysts that terms beguile.

“Artificial intelligence” is one such term. What we mean by artificial intelligence though is a simulacrum of human intelligence, an analogy of human intelligence, not its reproduction, not its duplication, and most certainly, not its surpassing! And it is human intelligence that should make the call: when to let “artificial intelligence” do the task, and when the line must not be crossed in respect to that which must be left to the sublimity and sacredness of the human spirit!

Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@yahoo.com.

rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_ aquino@sanbeda. edu.ph

A6

News

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Facebook signs ‘cables’ deal with PH

By Maricel V. Cruz

D

EPARTMENT of Information and Communications Technology Officer-in-Charge Eliseo Rio said on Wednesday that Facebook has decided to locate one of its undersea cables in the Philippines in a bid to lessen the threat of earthquakes and typhoons to its systems.

In return, Facebook will provide the Philippines spectrum equivalent to 2 million Mbps, which is expected to improve broadband speeds as part of an agreement between the world’s largest social network and Philippine government agencies.

“Iyung underwater

cable pag-aari ng Facebook, gusto lang nila padaanin sa territory natin para safe sila doon sa earthquake at typhoon na nangyayari sa norte, mas kakaunti ang breakage kung dito dadaan sa territory natin,” [Facebook’s underwater cable, they want it to pass through our territory to keep it safe from

earthquakes and typhoons in the north. There is less possibility of breakage if they pass through our territory.] Rio said.

Rio said the Philippine Bases Conversion and Development Authority will build the two landing stations for the cable.

The BCDA will specifically construct the

Luzon Bypass Corridor, composed of 2 cable landing stations connected by a 250-km cable network corridor, according to a joint statement from the BCDA and the Department of Information and Communications Technology.

As the “first party” to use the government-built

Ecija mayor suspended for graft

We’re not singling out Lopez —MMDA

By Rio N. Araja

By Joel E. Zurbano A METRO Manila Development Authority official on Thursday denied that they were singling out veteran actress Maria Isabel Lopez when they filed charges against her for breaching a lane designated for delegates of Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit last Saturday.

“No, we’re not singling her out, that’s not correct.

In fact, we are locating those who followed her, also to be penalized,” said MMDA Traffic Management Operation head Emmanuel Miro.

“We are in the process of checking video footages to determine what was the exact place and time when she entered [the lane],” he added.

Miro also denied the claim of Lopez that she is being considered as a “second class citizen” in the country.

“She was saying she is a second class citizen, no it’s not that. It is normal for us to attend and assist our visitors.

The Asean summit will bring benefits to our country in long term. In fact, China already extended its help without any condition,” he said.

THROUGH THE FIRE. Several houses were gutted by a fire along Martinez St., Barangay Addition Hills in Mandaluyong City. Photo shows fire fighters training their hoses at burning houses. Manny Palmero

Farmers dare Du30 supporters to demand justice for Luisita massacre Group backs

By Bill Casas ON THE occasion of the 13th year of the Hacienda Luisita massacre, farmers from the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas dared Duterte supporters to demand justice for the massacre victims and make accountable the Cojuangco-Aquinos, particularly former President Benigno Aquino III, for the alleged social injustices and human rights abuses in Luisita.

“For rabid Duterte supporters who are against the so-called Yellowtards and the Liberal Party, today is the best day to rant, rage and direct all your expletives at the CojuangcoAquinos. Thirteen years after Hacienda Luisita massacre, no one was arrested, put to trial and punished for the carnage that killed seven farmworkers on November 16, 20114. We dare all of Duterte’s loyal disciples to remember and demand justice for Luisita,” said Danilo Ramos, chair-

person of KMP, in a statement.

“We dare all DDS to condemn the violence at Luisita and the arrest of Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Asyenda Luisita (AMBALA) leader Florida ‘Pong’ Sibayan, also a survivor of the 2004 Hacienda Luisita massacre. We dare all of you to press Duterte on the free distribution of Hacienda Luisita to farmers, the rightful owners of the land,” said Ramos.

KMP earlier lambasted Duterte for

being particularly silent on the issue of Hacienda Luisita and making the Cojuangco-Aquinos accountable for the massacre and the string of human rights violations in the agricultural estate.

“Duterte have long unveiled himself as pro-landlord and pro-oligarch,” he said.

Two years into his administration, Duterte did nothing to prosecute the family of former President Benigno Aquino III, said Ramos.

DoLe urged PH tourism experiencing ‘breakthrough’ phase—DoT to act vs erring By Bill Casas steel firms

By Vito Barcelo VARIOUS labor and clean air advocates appealed to the Department of Labor and Employment to immediately act on complaints against various steel factories in the country that continue to violate occupational safety and health hazard laws.

The Philippine Association of Free Labor Unions and Clean Air Philippines Movement, Inc. claimed that five steel factories emit smokes and violates labor standards that threatens the safety and health of workers and the community living near the factories.

Paflu national president Terry Tuazon and Capmi president Manuel Galvez jointly appealed to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to immediately act on their complaints against Melter Steel Corp., Real Steel Corp., and Wan Chiong Steel Corp. all located in Pampanga, the Davao Mighty Steel Corp., in Davao and Metro Dragon Steel Corp. in Caloocan City for violating numerous labor and environmental laws.

facility, Facebook was tasked to build and operate a submarine cable system that will land on Luzon’s east and west coasts, the statement said.

The cable system will connect Luzon to Internet systems in the US and Asia, it said.

The Luzon Bypass will be online in 2018, Rio said.

THE Philippine delegation wrapped up another successful participation in the World Travel Market held in London last weekend.

Assistant Secretary Frederick Alegre, spokesman of the Department of Tourism, who headed the Philippine

contingent in one of the biggest international travel trade fairs said the country has obviously earned the confidence of travel business clients.

“The message that we are trying to send should be clear. Philippine tourism, which has posted doubledigit growth that is three

times more than the global average, is experiencing a breakthrough phase,” Alegre said.

He said a big media briefing was held at the Philippine booth which was attended by over 20 British media and travel trade representatives.

“The Philippines’ hosting of the Asean Summit in

Manila is definitely a market confidence booster!” Alegre added.

The private sector delegates, including Philippine travel and tour operators and airline representatives, met their counterparts from UK and Europe for the B2B (business-to-business) meetings.

BACK TO FISHING. Fishing enthusiasts and hobbyists are back fishing along Manila’s baywalk days after the area was reopened to the public after it was closed for a week to give way to the 2017 Asean Summit. Ey Acasio

DoLE order on OEC

By Vito Barcelo

THE Pilipino Manpower Association for Taiwan said it supports the Department of Labor and Employment order in suspending the processing of overseas employment certificates due to reports of illegal recruitment activities victimizing Filipino workers.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the order, which took effect Nov. 13 and will end on Dec. 1, 2017, was issued to give officials time to look into reports of illegal recruitment activities.

Pilmat president Aida Gerodias said the suspension will benefit the OFWs and protect them from illegal recruiters.

“We have met with Secretary Bello and we are satisfied with his explanation on the suspension of OEC or D.O. 185. We also denied news that portrayed the Pilmat as opposed to the order which suspended the acceptance and processing by the POEA of OECs,” she said.

She said that recruitment and migration spokesperson Emmanuel Geslani has wrongly attributed Pilmat as opposed to the order.

“The statements attributed to us are false and painted the Pilmat in a bad light,” she said.

“News reports purportedly generated by Mr. Geslani and quoting us were not true.

I don’t know Mr. Geslani personally. He never talked to me about D.O. 185, and how can I, even if he did, when I was in sick bay?”

Gerodias said.

A NUEVA Vizcaya mayor is facing a 90-day suspension for graft over the procurement of a P1,350,000 van in 2009.

The Office of the Ombudsman said Alfonso Castañeda Mayor Jerry Pasigian sustained the motion filed by the Ombudsman’s Office of the Special Prosecutor in connection with his pending case for violation of Section 3 (e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or Republic Act No. 3019.

In a three-page resolution, the anti-graft court ruled that any incumbent public officer arraigned on a valid information and pleaded not guilty therein shall be suspended from office to prevent him from hampering the prosecution by intimidating or influencing witnesses, tampering with documentary evidence, or committing further acts of malfeasance while in office.

“The court emphasized that the suspension is not a penalty,” it read.

The Ombudsman found probable cause to indict Pasigian for the anomalous purchase in April 2009 of a 2003 Nissan Patrol worth P1,350,000.

The procurement was awarded through direct contracting without any public bidding.

OFWs’rights was my government’s initiative —GMA

By Maricel V. Cruz FORMER President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has welcomed the signing of a consensus document on the protection of migrant workers by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations even as she takes credit for it as the Philippine government had taken the initiative during her presidency in 2007.

Arroyo said 10 years after efforts to have the agreement signed, she was elated that the 10-member organization has signed the Asean Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers spearheaded by President Rodrigo Duterte.

“I am gratified that at (the) summit opening, President Duterte heralded the landmark signing of the Asean Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers. It is the fruition of what we started in 2007,” Arroyo, in a speech during the Asean Business and Investment Summit at the Solaire Resort and Casino in Parañaque City last Tuesday,

Sports Manila

Standard

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

TODAY

Sitel 2, RJS, AMG, Wednesday Group win SITEL 2, RJS Construction, AMG Inchi, Wednesday Group and Team RL advanced to the next round after hurdling their respective rivals in the LGR Hoops Season 4 at the Cloverleaf Gym. With a semifinals berth on the line, RJS Construction upstaged Fire Chief, 81-73, to book a seat in the Final Four of the 38-andabove division.

Ellard Cortez finished with a double-double performance of 15 points and 12 rebounds in leading RJS Construction to advance to the next round of this event sponsored by Bugsy’s, Rain or Shine, Petron, Titan, NBA Store, Gatorade, BTV, Golds Gym, Zarks Burger, Kartilya, SYF and Ybalai.

In the other 38-andabove division quarterfinal matches, AMG/Inchi repulsed Quick Silver, 89-82, while Wednesday Group demolished Prima Lord, 97-73.

Ryan Dy posted a double-double of 12 points and 10 boards, and earn a semifinals berth.

Wednesday Group, on the other hand, turned to Mar Reyes, who scored 19 points to power his squad to a one-sided triumph over Prima Lord to also make the semifinals of the 38 and above division.

Sitel 2 upstaged sister team Sitel 1, 80-61, in the Corporate Division, to make it to the semifinal round.

Christian Aquino led the way for Sitel 2 with 19 markers, enabling the fifth seeded squad in earning a Final Four berth.

US athletes apologize, thank Trump LOS ANGELES—Three US college basketball players detained in China for shoplifting publicly apologized Wednesday and thanked President Donald Trump for helping secure their release.

Trump had personally asked Chinese leader Xi Jinping to intervene to free UCLA’s LiAngelo Ball -- the younger brother of Los Angeles Lakers rookie star Lonzo Ball -- and teammates Cody Riley and Jalen Hill, who were arrested last Tuesday in Hangzhou.

The trio were held on suspicion of stealing from a Louis Vuitton store and later freed on bail but ordered to remain in the picturesque Chinese city.

Shoplifting can bring jail time in China depending on the value of the goods.

On Wednesday, all three admitted their guilt at a news conference in Los Angeles, one day after returning home.

“I take full responsibilities for the mistake that I made, shoplifting. I know that this goes beyond me letting my school down but I let the entire country down,” said Riley.

“Before I thank everybody who worked so incredibly hard helping us returning home safely, I want to thank the Chinese government and the police for taking care of us. And to President Trump and the United States government, thank you for taking the time to intervene on our behalf.” AFP

Embiid lifts 76ers past Lakers L OS ANGELES—Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid overwhelmed the Los Angeles Lakers in a Wednesday showdown of the NBA’s top young talents, scoring 46 points in the 76ers’ 115-109 victory.

The dominating 23-year-old Cameroon 7-footer (2.13m) sank 14of-20 shots from the floor and 16-of-19 from the free throw line, pulled down 15

isn’t in top form.

“I’m still working on my condition,” Embiid said.

“I’ll say 69 percent. I’m at 69 percent but it’s getting there.”

Australian guard Ben Simmons, 21, added 18 points, nine rebounds, 10 assists and five steals for the 76ers in a stunning effort that was nonetheless overshadowed by Embiid’s heroics.

“It’s not just us. It’s the

whole team. We’ve all been playing well together,” said Embiid, whose team is 8-6 after a 1-4 start.

“At the beginning I thought we were so young and we had to work so hard.

But we have come along.

We’ve still got a lot of work to do but it’s coming together.”

Brandon Ingram, 20, had a career-best 26 points and 11 rebounds to lead the

Lakers while Kyle Kuzma, 22, added a career-high 24 points but highly touted 20-year-old Lonzo Ball spent the fourth quarter on the Lakers bench for the second game in a row, managing only two points.

LeBron James scored 31 points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 115107 triumph at Charlotte.

It was the third win in a row on a four-game road trip for the Cavs (8-7). AFP

Ramos, The FORUM host Salas Golf Cup

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers high fives with the Los Angeles Lakers at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Late start for 68th Fil-Am Invitational Golf THE 68th Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament will have a late start this year when the Department of Tourism becomes a partner with a launching that could be staged some 250 kilometers from the greens of Camp John Hay and Baguio Country Club.

“It will be a late opening for this year with the tournament to officially start only on Nov. 29 and end

on Dec. 16,” said Fil-Am spokesman Andrew Pinero of BCC. This year, the Fil-Am golf is expected to hole out on Dec. 16, nearly one week later from last year’s Dec. 10 finale when Manila Southwoods hoisted the premier Fil Championship trophy.

“It usually ends at around the early part of the second week of De-

cember,” said Pinero, who added that launching will be held for the first time in Manila with the DoT as host.

This is in line with the department’s campaign to invite more foreign tourists to the Philippines and Baguio, said the former TV broadcaster.

“Although that is tentative yet,” he added since the organizing commit-

tee, where he is a member, needs yet to finalize with DoT. Moreover, the late staging of the Fil-Am is a request of many United States players who need to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with their family.

“It has been a clamour by many US based players including American players of Filipino blood,” he said.

FORMER President Fidel V. Ramos and the Forum for Family Planning and Development Inc. will host the 10th Rafael M. Salas Golf Cup on Nov. 23, Thursday at the Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club.

With the theme “Nurturing Mother Earth, Women and Girls”, this year’s staging will be participated by at least 100 avid golfers who will play to support the annual event’s cause.

The tournament is open to all amateur golfers for an entry fee of P5,000 that includes a donation to this noble cause, green fee, special edition Salas golf giveaways, door prize, buffet lunch during and raffle.

Participants are also entitled to win the hole-in-one prize at stake – a Ducati Scrambler Sixty2.

Registration opens at 6 a.m. Sequential tee-off is from 6 to 9 a.m. The ceremonial tee-off at 7:30 a.m. shall be led by President Ramos himself.

Named in his honor, Mr. Salas is remembered as a patriot par excellence who dedicated himself to serving

his people in various government posts notably, Executive Secretary of the late President Ferdinand Marcos.

In the international community, he served as the first Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, with the rank of Undersecretary-General and is known as “Mr. Population.”

The event’s major sponsors include DKT Philippines, San Miguel Corporation, PAGCOR, Filinvest Development Corporation, Marubeni Philippines, Group Management Development Inc., Team Energy, Lopez Group, Northstar Transport Facilities Inc, Asia United Bank, Alpha One (Benedicto Steel Corporation), PCSO, SGV, San Roque Power Corporation, SSS, Land Bank, DBP, Meralco, Pilipinas Shell, Trans Asia, Quickminds, Philippine Resources Savings Bank, Stradcom, Grand Videoke, Business Mirror, among others.

For ticket reservation or sponsorship, call Golf Marketing Central at 6970520, 0917.8400119 or email golfcentral.ph@gmail.com.

Dizon trips Bejosano, reaches quaterfinals MELANIE Faye Dizon kept the momentum of her stirring comefrom-behind upset over Annika Kannan of India, overpowering compatriot Isearis Bejosano, 6-0, 6-2, yesterday to barge into the quarterfinal round of the girls’ singles in the Phinma-PSC Juniors Tennis Championships Week I at the Manila Polo Club in Forbes Park.

Dizon, who vied in the WTA Future Stars Finals in Singapore last month, sustained her form against Bejosano to fashion the straight-set victory and arrange a Last 8 face-off with second seed Lisa Mays of Australia.

Dizon actually struggled against Kannan in the first round, dropping a 1-6 setback in the opening

frame but the Filipina ace struck back via the same scoreline then broke her eighth-seeded rival in the decider to advance.

But against Mays, Dizon will have to double her effort as the Aussie also hacked out an easy 6-1, 6-3 win over Chinese Jingyi Li in the Group 4 ITF (International Tennis Federation) 18-and-under event sponsored by the Philippine Investment Management Consultants (Phinma) and sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta).

Other quarterfinalists were Nicole Hammond of the US, Chinese Fangran Tian, Hong Kong’s Wing Ka Lin, American Aesha Patel and Elizabeth Stevens.

Hammond also followed up her

Jarata seeks repeat at La Union netfest

MARIELLE Jarata hopes to ride the momentum of her two-title romp in Baguio as she headlines the big field in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Agoo, La Union leg tennis tournament, which got under way at the Don Mariano Marcos tennis courts yesterday.

Close to 200 players are vying for top honors in nine singles categories and five doubles events in the Group 2 event serving as the second leg of a four-stage Northern Luzon swing of the country’s biggest talent-search sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.

But focus will be on Jarata, the young Agoo, La Union star who will be hard-pressed to duplicate her victories in the 10-unisex and girls’ 12-and-under section before home crowd in the five-day event supported by the Unified Tennis Philippines, including PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg. She gained the top seeding in the 10-U side that also drew Ezekiel Atos, Prince Lim and Kris Roque and remains the player to beat in the 12-U class where she is tipped to dispute the crown with Dynna Visaya.

Exequiel Jucutan, who also copped two titles in Baguio last week, faces an uphill battle this time as P0.0 M+ he settles for the No. 3 ranking in the boys’ 14-U division headed by Andre Jarata and Raphael Liangco P0.0 M+ with Joewyn Pascua, Eric Bajet, Justine Erpelo and Kurt Agustin also expected to contend.

Jucutan, playing out of Pangasinan, also seeks to score a repeat in the 16-U side bannered by Gen. Santos ace Klyde Lagarde, Vince Tugade, Ramon Bentillo and Dale Cuevas.

Lagarde, meanwhile, is also the top seed in the 18-U category that also includes Tugade, Bentillo, Cuevas along with Joshua de Guzman, Raymond Cabuco, Troy Cabuco and Charles Torres.

LOTTO RESULTS

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-00 6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00 6 DIGITS 00-00-00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

rebounds, passed out seven assists and blocked seven shots.

“Just being aggressive,” Embiid said of the reason for his epic night.

“I just wanted to come out and get down low and be a (force) down there.”

Embiid, who had 19 points in the fourth quarter, produced the highestscoring game for the 76ers since Allen Iverson scored 46 in 2006.

No player in NBA history had scored 46 points with 15 rebounds in a game while adding so many blocks and assists and Embiid warned he still

impressive 6-1, 6-0 disposal of top seed Chang Ting-Pei of Taiwan with a 6-1, 6-0 romp over Angelina Graovac of Australia; Tian stunned No. 5 Yuna Ohashi of Japan, 6-1, 6-1; No. 4 Lin toppled Malaysian Sofia Mohd Adam Das, 6-0, 6-3; No. 6 Patel ripped Japanese Sakura Kurokawa, 6-1, 6-2; and Stevens turned back Elysia Wan of Malaysia, 6-4, 6-3.

At presstime, Matthew Garcia, Arthur Pantino, Jose Antonio Tria, Michael Eala and Justin Suarez were vying for quarterfinal berths in the boys’ side of the event serving as the first of two ITF-sanctioned tournaments supported by Technifiber ball as official ball, official hotel Jinjiang Inn, Makati and the Philippine Sports Commission.

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that 8990 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, with office address at 8990 Corporate Center, Negros St., Cebu Business Park, Cebu City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a New Developer of Economic and Low-cost Housing Project (Urban Deca Homes - Marilao Subdivision) with a capacity of 822 economic and low-cost house and lot units on a non-pioneer status, with project site located at McArthur Highway, Brgy. Abangan Sur, Marilao, Bulacan.

Any person with valid objection/s on the above-mentioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) MARY ANN E. RAGANIT Officer-In-Charge Infrastructure and Services Industries Service (MS-NOV. 17, 2017)

BONIFACIO DRIVE, SOUTH HARBOR, PORT AREA, MANILA 1018, PHILIPPINES P.O. BOX 436, MANILA, PHILIPPINES Tel. No. (0632) 527-8356, Fax. No. (0632) 527-4855 HTTP://WWW.PPA.COM.PH

INVITATION TO BID

FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF CORPORATE ANTI-VIRUS WITH CONTENT SECURITY SOLUTION The Philippine Ports Authority, through the Corporate Budget of the Authority for CY 2017, intends to apply the sum of P 1,900,000.00 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Procurement of Corporate Anti-Virus with Content Security Solution (BAC-PGCS-24-2017). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The Philippine Ports Authority now invites bids for A. Supply, Delivery and Installation of a Corporate Anti-Virus with Content Security Solution for PPA Head Office and Port Management Offices nationwide B. Two Thousand (2,000) licenses for PPA’s Head Office and Project Management Offices Desktop Computers, Laptop/Notebook Computers and Servers. Period to be covered by the project is two (2) years. The Corporate Anti-Virus with Content Security Solution should be installed, set up and configured and accepted within sixty (60) days after issuance of the Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.” Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Philippine Ports Authority’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on 17 November 2017 from the address below and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Five Thousand (P5,000.00) Pesos.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Philippine Ports Authority, provided that bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The Philippine Ports Authority’s Bids and Awards Committee will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 27 November 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the PPA Function Room, 7th Floor, PPA Bldg., Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila, which shall be open to all prospective bidders.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before 12 December 2017 at 9:00 a.m. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the bidding documents.

Bid opening shall be on 12 December 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the 7th Floor, PPA Building, A. Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend. Late bids shall not be accepted.

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that 8990 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, with office address at 8990 Corporate Center, Negros St., Cebu Business Park, Cebu City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a New Developer of Economic and Lowcost Housing Project (Urban Deca Homes Mahogany) with a capacity of 548 residential units on a non-pioneer status, with project site located at Brgy. Magdalo, Imus, Cavite.

Any person with valid objection/s on the above-mentioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) MARY ANN E. RAGANIT Officer-In-Charge Infrastructure and Services Industries Service (MS-NOV. 17, 2017)

The Philippine Ports Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariat, Philippine Ports Authority 5th Floor, PPA Bldg., A. Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila Telephone/Fax No. 527-47-35 527-83-56 to 83 loc. 539 PPA Website: www.ppa.com.ph

ADRIAN FERDINAND S. SUGAY Chairperson, PPA Head Office Bids and Awards Committee for the Procurement of Goods and Consultancy Services (HO-BAC-PGCS) M. Standard – Nov. 17, 2017

Sports

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

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2017

NU nears golden double in kickfest

NATIONAL University stayed perfect in both the men’s and women’s divisions, moving closer to its first-ever golden double yesterday in the UAAP Season 80 taekwondo tournament at the Blue Eagle Gym. The back-to-back titleseeking Lady Bulldogs followed up their 6-1 win over University of the East Wednesday with a 7-0 shutout of Far Eastern University for a spotless 3-0 card.

Gunning for its firstever men’s crown, NU beat University of the Philippines, 6-1, and Ateneo, 7-0, in succession to stay undefeated in four bouts.

FEU is also unbeaten in men’s action with a 2-0 slate following last Wednesday’s narrow 4-3 victory over UP. University of Santo Tomas seized solo second with a 5-2 victory over long-time rival De La Salle as it primed up to its much-anticipated duel with NU today, which could be the women’s title decider.

In the morning session, the Tigresses, who now sport a 3-1 slate, scored a quick 7-0 victory over the Lady Tamaraws.

UP overwhelmed UE, 6-1, to improve to 2-1 in third place in the other distaff side match. De La Salle, meanwhile, has lost two straight after winning its two opening-day fights to fall in fourth spot.

In the other men’s morning bouts, titleholder Growling Tigers nipped Ateneo, 4-3, for a 2-1 card, while the Green Jins toppled UE, 6-1, to enter the win column after a 0-2 start.

Legaspi, Castro set pace in golf LUIS Castro toughened up at the back and carded a twounder 69 then pounced on Tom Kim’s shaky windup to wrest a two-stroke lead at the start of the 2017 Riviera MVPSF Amateur Championship at the Riviera Golf Club in Silang, Cavite yesterday.

Castro hit three birdies against two bogeys at Langer’s last nine holes, battling back from one down at the front to seize control of the Men’s Championship division with two 35s after club bet Kim wavered with a bogey-par-bogey finish and dropped to second with a 71.

Sean Ramos blew a decent 36 start with a closing 39 and hobbled with a 75, falling by six strokes off Castro heading to the last two rounds of the 54hole championship hosted and co-sponsored by RGCI for the first time with the MVP Sports Foundation.

Aidric Chan, who ruled the NGAP Northern Luzon Regionals at Beverly Place last month, also succumbed to Langer’s demanding backside, limping with a 40 for a 77 while Don Petil stood a shot farther back at 78 in a tie with Josef Bucay and Jacob Rolida.

Sofia Legaspi, on the other hand, birdied the two par-3s at the front and added three more against four bogeys and a triplebogey seven on No. 6 as she turned in a two-over 73 to open a three-stroke lead over Kayla Nocum in the ladies play.

Lyceum’s CJ Perez steals the ball away from San Beda College’s Clint Doliguez in Game 2 of the NCAA finale at the Araneta Coliseum. The Lions won to snare their 21st crown. Lino Santos

Lions bank on experience to sweep Pirates, win title

By Peter Atencio

A

WINNING tradition continued for the San Beda Red Lions, who are again champions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.

Robert Bolick Jr. and AC Soberano made things happen, taking charge with their key three pointers in the last two minutes as their baskets carried the defending champions to a 92-82 win over the Lyceum Pirates and to their ninth title in 11 years at the end of the 93rd NCAA cagefest at the Araneta Coliseum on Thursday.

Bolick fired 18 points, with one of his two triples

in the last 50.9 seconds serving as the dagger that killed the Pirates’ hopes of turning their fortunes around and gave the Lions a 2-0 sweep of their best-of-three finals.

His last trey spelled the end of the Pirates’ bid to claim their first-ever title as it gave the Red Lions, whose championship experience clearly showed during a tense endgame showdown, an 89-82 edge in the remain-

ing time en route to their 21st points before he fouled out crown overall, three more after being held scoreless in than Letran’s 18. the final quarter.

Soberano, who had 11 “The championship will points, struck with a triple not be a reality if not for my from the left side off Bol- players. They deserve to win ick’s pass with 1:21 remain- this championship. They ing, sending the Red Lions worked hard for 11 months. ahead, 86-82.

We know that in the course After that, the Pirates of the season, people doubttried to reply with an attempt ed us. But within the circle from Jaycee Marcelino, who, of these players we never however, doubted each bungled a other.

We Game Tuesday (Araneta Coliseum) three-point know that 1 p.m. La Salle Greenhills attempt. we did not vs Malayan (junior) As CJ Persweep. We ez fouled out were swept in the final 36 seconds, San (in the eliminations),” said Beda College moved further Boyet Fernandez, who reahead, 90-82, off Finals’ turned this year to coach MVP Donald Tankoua’s the Red Lions to their third split charity. crown under his guidance.

Perez struck with 22 He steered the Red Lions to

two titles back in 2013 and 2014 before he left.

Meanwhile, Clint Escamis drilled in 25 points, including 10 crucial ones in the final period to lift the defending champion Malayan High School of Science Red Robins to a 91-81 beating of the La Salle Greenhills Greenies.

The 17-year-old Escamis stepped it up in the absence of the Greenies’ aggressive inside player Inand Fornilos and his efforts helped tie the Red Robins’ best-of-three title series with the Greenies at 1-all after Game 2 of the junior basketball finals.

The 5’11” Escamis shattered a 67-all deadlock at the beginning of the fourth with his layup.

Blazing windup nets Gialon 3-shot lead in ICTSI tilt ZANIEBOY Gialon outgunned Justin Quiban in a thrilling homeward shootout at the front, birdying two of the last three holes, including the difficult par-3 No. 8, to rally from one down to 3-up with a 68 midway through the ICTSI Wack Wack Championship at WW East course in Mandaluyong yesterday.

Gialon still trailed by one with three holes left in their spirited day-long duel of power game and iron play but birdied Nos. 7 and 8 then watched Quiban fumble with bogeys

on two of the last three for a 71 in a huge four-shot swing that sent the former to the top of the heap at six-under 138.

“My driving and irons clicked,” said Gialon, who snapped a long title spell with a runaway six-shot romp over Jhonnel Ababa at ICTSI Calatagan Challenge last June.

He birdied No. 10, missed just one fairway but saved par on No. 12 then rebounded from a missed green bogey on No. 15 with back-to-back birdies from No. 3.

“I also got a bit lucky,

making a birdie and pars on the usually tough holes like the No. 8 and 11 in the first two days,” said Gialon, who hacked a solid 6-iron tee-shot on WW’s signature 190-yard No. 8 and drilled in the putt from 10 feet.

It was a sorry foldup for Quiban, who looked headed to another impressive round after matching Gialon’s opening 70 and trailing Thai Pasavee Lertvilai by just one at the start of the second round of the 72-hole championship sponsored by ICTSI.

Ginebra, Star face off on Christmas Day

By Jeric Lopez ONCE again, the Philippine Basketball Association offers a marquee match-up on Christmas day, pitting rivals Barangay Ginebra and Star in the biggest stage for the third straight year.

Given their huge fan base, the PBA decided to let the Gin

Kings and the Hotshots go at it again in an anticipated bout on Dec. 25 in the Philippine Cup at the gigantic Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, the venue where Ginebra won its second straight Governors’ Cup title weeks ago.

The 43rd season, featuring the season-opening Philippine Cup, is set to open shop

on Dec. 17.

Despite the announced clash between two of the most popular teams on Christmas, the rest of the tournament schedule is still yet to be released.

On both occasions in 2015 and 2016 where the two teams have fought on Christmas day, the Gin Kings have emerged triumphant each time.

Zanieboy Gialon watches his drive on the tight No. 2.

Cocolife rips Iriga, barges into top 4 Games Tomorrow (De La Salle Lipa Sentrum) 4 p.m. – Foton vs Sta. Lucia 6 p.m. – Victoria Sports-UST vs F2 Logistics

COCOLIFE flirted with disaster before running away with a 25-23, 25-15, 26-24 victory over dangerous Iriga City last night in the Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga Grand Prix at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

Imports Taylor Milton and Tai Manu-Olevao delivered crucial hits as the Asset Managers weathered a torrid fightback by the Lady Oragons to seal the victory in this club league sponsored by Mikasa, Grand Sport, Senoh, Mueller, Rebisco, Island Rose, Cloudfone and UCPB Gen. With the win, Cocolife formally barged into the top four behind unbeaten F2 Logistics, Petron (5-1) and Foton (4-1) as the tourney, that also has Gerflor and Gold’s Gym as technical partners and ESPN5 as official broadcast partner, enters the crucial stretch of the single-round eliminations.

Milton delivered 19 kills to finish with 20 points, while Manu-Olevao knocked down 16 kills, two blocks and an ace for 19 points for the Asset Managers, who survived the late-match resistance from the fiery Lady Oragons.

“You can’t just simply relax against Iriga City,” said Cocolife coach Kungfu Reyes, the mentor behind RC Cola-Army’s historic victory over the junior national team of Thailand in the Invitational Conference last year.

“Had they won that third set, they would definitely stretch the match to five sets.

And that’s what we don’t want to happen. They may be new in this league, but you can’t take them for granted.”

Perfect campaigns for archers Bondad, Merto

Dumaguete archer Crisha Mae Merto is shown in action en route to victory in the Olympic round of the girls’ cadet division yesterday in the Batang Pinoy Visayas Games’ archery event.

DUMAGUETE—Don Marc Bondad and Crisha Mae Merto wound up their perfect campaign in contrasting fashion on Tuesday, each picking up their sixth straight gold medal at the end of the Batang Pinoy Games Visayas archery tournament at the Negros Oriental State University range here.

Carrying the banner of his hometown of Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental, Bondad outclassed Tacloban’s Frazel Ray Batingal, 6-2, in securing the boys’ cadet division Olympic round championship of the meet organized and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

On the other hand, Merto, daughter of former national team member Crizaldo and niece of 1988 Seoul Olympian Rowell, won her own battle of nerves and a tense duel with teammate Gabrielle Monica Bedaure, 6-5, in a shoot-off in ruling the girls’ cadet division Olympic round title match.

With his father-coach and uncle watching on the sidelines, Merto calmed herself and scored an 8, while Bedaure had a 7 in the sudden-death shoot-off as the Dumaguete archers went 7-of-8 in the final events of the sporstfest also supported by the Dumaguete

City government, led by Felipe Mariano “Ipe” Remollo.

Sharing the spotlight with Bondad and Merto was Dumaguete’s Carson Francis Hastie, who also collected his sixth mint in whipping Cebu’s Zhack Randolf Torreon, 6-0, in the boys’ cub division Olympic round title.

“I finally learned the value of proper training and constant practice,” said Bondad, who was the Western Visayas regional champion in 2016 and saw action in the Palarong Pambansa Legazpi, Albay, but failed to qualify in this year’s Palaro held in San Jose, Antique.

“I became overconfident but I promise that it won’t ever happen again,” vowed the Grade 9 Negros Oriental High School student, who also won the 30, 40, 50, 60-meter titles and the FITA round.

“I was so nervous, it thought the stress might trigger my asthma. Muntik na po,” bared Merto, the younger sibling of former national champion Cristabel, of the effort in keeping her composure during her battle with Bedaure.

The Holy Cross High School Grade 8 student’s other victories came in the 30, 40, 50, 60-meter and FITA events.

Stock market declines; Now, BDO top gainers B2

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2017

B1

Economy expanded 6.9% in Q3

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE Philippine economy grew 6.9 percent year-on-year in the third quarter, the second fastest in Southeast Asia, on the back of higher government spending and manufacturing output, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Thursday.

NUCLEAR DEAL. Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi (right) and Russian Federation State Atomic Energy Corp. deputy director-general Nikolay Spassky exchange the signed documents of the memorandum of cooperation in front of President Rodrigo Duterte and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

The MOC seals the nuclear cooperation program between Russia and the Philippines that will enable the country to come up with national policies for the development of safe and secure power generation practices through nuclear energy.

October car sales rose 17% to 36,511 units—Campi

By Othel V. Campos CAR sales jumped 17.3 percent in October from a year ago, indicating a strong fourth-quarter demand ahead of the implementation of a new tax next year.

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association said in a joint report

their members sold 36,511 vehicles in October, up by 17.3 percent from 31,132 units delivered in the same month last year. the sales were also 6 percent higher than 34,445 units sold in September 2017.

“October sales result increased compared to September sales result because of the continued robust trend as the year comes to

an end. Higher sales for October was driven by the continued surge in demand as well as promotional support to further support the key models,” said Campi president Rommel Gutierrez.

The Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion bill aims to increase the excise tax rates on automobiles in a bid to generate additional

Metro Pacific investing P820b until 2022

By Jenniffer B. Austria INFRASTRUCTURE conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. said it is prepared to invest up to P820 billion to accelerate the expansion of its toll roads, power and water projects in the country.

Metro Pacific chief finance officer David Nicol said in a news briefing P653 billion would be spent for pipeline projects from 2018 to 2022, while the remaining P167 billion would be allocated

for projects that were being pursued by various subsidiaries in toll roads, biogas and logistics.

“The P653 billion are committed investments but if you add the tollroads business, biogas and logistics project that we are pursuing, that would come to around P820 billion,” Nicol said.

He said of the P653billion committed investments, some P300 billion would be for power generation and distribution, P125 billion for toll roads, P70

IN BRIEF Pilipinas Shell earns P6.6b OIL refiner and retailer Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. said it posted a net income of P6.633 billion in January to September, up 4 percent from P6.359 billion a year ago, despite the two months of planned refinery maintenance shutdown and slightly lower inventory holding gains.

Pilipinas Shell said in a statement the earnings were bolstered by retail business growth, high V-Power penetration and robust refinery performance. ”We continue to enhance customer experience as we innovate our offering and launch various customer-delight activities. We have opened our latest format of Shell Select in our Magallanes station to include Deli2Go and various food and beverage co-locators. With our initiatives, we hope to make the lives of our customers Go Well every day,” Pilipinas Shell president Cesar Romero said.

The company’s earnings performance translated into a 20-percent return on average capital employed, demonstrating the company’s ability to effectively utilize capital to generate superior returns.

Gross revenues reached P124.119 billion, up 9 percent from P101.625 billion in the same period last year, while expenses also went up to P113.946 billion from P92 billion.

The company has a retail network of 1,014 stations serving motorists all over the country. It also owns the country’s second biggest oil refinery with a capacity of 110,000 barrels per day in Batangas. Alena Mae S. Flores

SMC pays $4.8b for Ilijan SAN Miguel Corp. said unit South Premiere Power Corp. paid state-owned Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. a total of $4.8 billion in various fees as of October as the administrator of the 1,200-megawatt Ilijan power plant.

San Miguel said it issued the statement to dispute PSALM’s allegation that it was not paying its obligations to the government.

“This is clear proof that we religiously pay PSALM and honor our contractual obligation under the Ilijan administration agreement,” San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said.

SMC owns SPPC, the administrator of the 1,200-MW Ilijan natural gas power plant in Batangas province.

The company’s dispute with PSALM stemmed from the latter’s termination of the Ilijan independent power producer administrator agreement for alleged non-payment of generation charges that it computed using rates at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market instead of the Energy Regulatory Commissionapproved rates. Alena Mae S. Flores

billion for railway, P45 billion for water projects, P20 billion for waste-to-energy projects and P13 billion for hospitals.

Aside from Metro Pacific’s equity contribution to these projects, funding for the huge capital spending would also come from equity partners, through project finance and bond offering.

Metro Pacific said for 2018 alone, it would spend P100 billion, or nearly double the P56 billon programmed for 2017.

BCDA, China sign finance deal

THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority said Thursday it signed an agreement with China Development Bank to establish the framework for financing cooperation to speed up the implementation of high-impact infrastructure projects worth $4.5 biĺlion under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program.

BCDA chairman Gregorio Garcia III and China Development Bank Chairman Hu Huaibang signed the agreement. Under the MOU, the two parties will collaborate over the next five years to determine the most cost effective and efficient financing option for BCDA’s projects in Clark and Metro Manila―so that people can immediately feel their benefits.

The collaboration will also cover the research, study and implementation requirements of major infrastructure projects.

The Chinese bank intends to team up with qualified Chinese enterprises to take part in project implementation.

Chinese exposure can be in the form of investments, feasibility studies, independent consultancies, detailed engineering design, equipment procurement and construction.

Among the high impact infrastructure projects which stand to benefit from the financing cooperation are the New Clark City, the Subic-Clark Railway Project and the BGCNAIA-Makati Bus Rapid Transit. Othel V. Campos

DoubleDragon nets P1.47b

DOUBLE Dragon Properties Corp. on Thursday reported an 83.7-percent increase in net income to P1.47 billion in the first nine months from P623 million in the same period last year.

Double Dragon said in a disclosure to the stock exchange total revenues reached P4.08 billion in January to September, up from P1.99 billion a year ago.

Revenues in the third quarter alone amounted to P2.45 billion, or 91 percent higher than P1.28 billion it booked in the same period last year.

Rental income in the first nine months rose 194 percent year-on-year to P448 million from only P152.2 million a year earlier, after the company opened its 25th CityMall in Koronadal City, South Cotabato.

Double Dragon’s recurring revenue reached P764 million, now forming 18.7 percent of total revenues compared to only 7.7 percent of revenues in the same period last year.

“We are excited for 2018 which will mark a transformational year for DoubleDragon as it shifts from deriving its revenues and income from non-recurring sources to recurring sources as more of its core projects under construction start to turn over and start contributing,” DoubleDragon chief information officer Hannah Yulo said.

Darwin G. Amojelar

revenues for the government. It is expected to be passed by the Senate this year.

Data showed total vehicle sales in the first 10 months, climbed 16 percent to 339,380 units from 292,502 units in the same period last year. Demand for both passenger cars and commercial vehicles went up in January to October.

Campi said sales of Asian utility vehicles in October rose 14.7 percent to 6,858 units from 5,981 units last year, while demand for light commercial vehicles grew 2.4 percentto 16,521 units from 16,137 units.

The heavy duty segment, composed of trucks and buses, showed the biggest increase of 13.6 percent during the month.

“We are likely to rank second in Asia this quarter, next to Vietnam’s 7.5 percent and ahead of China’s 6.8 percent and Indonesia’s 5.1 percent,” Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said.

Data showed the GDP growth picked up from a revised 6.7 percent in the second quarter, but was slower than 7.1 percent registered in the third quarter of 2016.

“We attribute the country’s growth performance to sustained strong growth in exports and improvements in public spending, which then boosted the manufacturing subsector and the services sector,” Pernia said.

The PSA said manufacturing contributed the most to the country’s GDP with a 9.4 percent year-on-year growth in the third quarter.

Growth in the first nine months averaged 6.7 percent, within the government’s target range of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent for the year.

Industry recorded the fastest growth among major sectors at 7.5 percent, followed by services with 7.1 percent and agriculture with 2.5 percent.

Net primary income from the rest of the world grew 5.7 percent. As a result, the gross national

income posted a growth of 6.7 percent in the third quarter.

“With the country’s projected population reaching 104.9 million in the third quarter of 2017, per capita GDP grew by 5.4 percent.

Meanwhile per capita GNI and per capita household final consumption expenditure grew by 5.2 percent and 3.0 percent, respectively,” the PSA said.

Pernia said public consumption rose 8.3 percent on ahigher spending on personnel services with the raise in the base pay of civilian government employees and allowances of the military and uniformed personnel and the filling-up and creation of positions at the Department of Education.

“We are now seeing a sustained improvement in government spending in a run-up to our massive infrastructure program― the Build, Build, Build― which will continually unfold in the months ahead.

This is expected to ramp up public spending even further. We see construction activities and public spending making a headway in line with the government’s aim to spend 5.3 percent of GDP this year for infrastructure and up to 7.4 percent by 2022,” Pernia said.

B2

Business

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Cosco’s income rose to P5.4b in 9 months

By Darwin G. Amojelar COSCO Capital Inc., the holding company of businessman Lucio Co., said Thursday net income increased 6.2 percent in the first nine months to P5.4 billion from a year ago, driven by the liquefied petroleum gas business.

“We are pleased with our financial and operational results for the first nine months of the year.

Our subsidiaries are continuously generating positive returns. We remain optimistic that 2017 will be a banner year for Cosco Capital on the back of a strong economy and robust consumption of the Filipino household,” Cosco Capital president Leonardo Dayao said.

The group’s grocery retailing businesses, Puregold Price Club Inc. and S&R Membership Shopping Club, contributed 58 percent of total profit, followed by the commercial real estate segment with 23 percent and the liquor distribution with 12 percent.

The group’s specialty retailing segment, composed of Liquigaz Philippines Corp. and Office Warehouse Inc., accounted for 12 percent of net profit.

Stock market declines; Now, BDO top gainers

S

TOCKS fell for a second day, following overnight losses on Wall Street amid worries about high valuation and despite the release of data showing the Philippines became the second fastest growing economy in Southeast Asia in the third quarter.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, shed 67 points, or 0.8 percent, to close at 8,206.44 Thursday, as five of the six major sectors declined.

The broader all-share index also fell 29 points, or 0.6 percent, to settle at 4,834.68, on a value turn-

over of P7.9 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 122 to 74, while 38 issues were unchanged.

BDO Unibank Inc. chief market strategist Jonathan Ravelas said the market was expected to move higher, after the government announced that the gross domestic product

grew 6.9 percent in the third quarter, the second fastest in the region after Vietnam. “The PSEi should retry 8,600 [points] and the peso should see 50.50 levels,” Ravelas said.

Six of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Now Corp., a new telecom player, which surged 10 percent to P3.09. BDO Unibank, the country’s second largest lender, climbed 3.6 percent to P146.10, while retailer Puregold Price Club Inc. gained 1.8 percent to P49.50.

Meanwhile, most Asian markets edged up Thursday after a recent sell-off across global markets but gains were tempered as the optimism that pushed equities to multi-year highs last week gives way to investor caution.

Prices have been falling for much of the week as the sharp gains of October and early November led to profit-taking and worries about high valuations, while US lawmakers’ tax reform struggles are also dampening sentiment.

Eyes are on Washing-

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 4 8,000 59 150,460 97.5 2,872,970 3.9 1,000 146.1 3,470,100 2.15 1,124,000 33.5 599,200 15.66 3,001,000 33.95 2,079,000 0.69 2,000 1.69 13,000 960 60 0.62 559,000 91.5 1,947,520 0.85 4,960,000 12.2 22,100 25 200 58 260,920 244.6 110 55.95 741,080 250 404,980 1,870 420 87 36,420

32,000 8,927,181 279,980,424.50 3,900 507,047,730 2,447,100 20,007,715 46,815,708 71,425,620 1,380 21,970 57,600 341,090 178,928,649.50 4,270,740 269,600 5,000 15,117,731 26,890 41,362,112 101,296,966 792,950 3,173,557.50

1,830,338 -55,661,265.50 294,940,020 502,500 -10,541,885 -1,380 7,810,947 -166,700 -6,212,911.50 -30,271,992 38,457,586 93,750 2,235,917

39.95 12.02 0.71 1.34 15.7 0.217 100 4.1 16 43.05 17.12 62.6 65 83 1.89 5.3 11.54 10.74 14.76 12.24 7.2 5.71 17.16 61.3 24.35 11.9 20.25 1.86 255.8 63 4.01 3.02 28.6 18.22 17.86 316 0.193 8.08 2.42 5.9 9.7 7.39 9.69 1.58 12.4 61 6.42 480 4.85 4.8 1.89 12.9 5 0.138 1.16 134 1.92 0.65

INDUSTRIAL 40 1,560,700 12.38 1,367,700 0.75 158,000 1.36 177,000 15.8 103,800 0.217 940,000 100 130 4.39 3,696,000 16.3 1,279,600 45 438,500 17.2 6,100 64.95 140 69.85 1,610 83 20 1.89 278,000 5.45 52,700 11.54 300 10.78 12,692,700 14.84 394,100 12.36 43,700 7.25 179,600 5.72 20,261,300 17.2 725,100 62 83,010 24.45 791,400 11.9 16,900 20.35 6,923,100 1.88 3,839,000 258.8 1,604,010 63 1,280 4.05 87,000 3.17 50,000 28.6 1,568,700 18.22 179,400 18 2,789,300 318.6 506,080 0.199 2,540,000 8.52 230,900 2.48 710,000 6 81,000 9.7 1,711,200 7.39 2,600 9.69 2,300 1.6 2,741,000 12.42 561,200 61.15 231,700 6.65 7,300 490 26,590 5.1 5,865,300 4.8 12,400 1.94 1,191,000 13 91,800 5.05 360,200 0.138 150,000 1.19 64,000 135 1,037,280 1.95 8,640,000 0.66 4,624,000

62,996,465 16,739,088 114,440 238,120 1,676,034 203,980 13,008 15,914,640 20,768,124 19,590,040 104,926 9,034.50 104,700.50 1,660 526,440 281,665 3,462 136,949,170 5,833,684 542,746 1,299,259 115,842,752 12,520,408 5,103,627 19,572,005 201,306 144,546,085 7,311,590 414,896,470 80,640 351,730 155,870 45,571,510 3,278,720 50,957,590 161,202,428 496,070 1,972,141 1,748,210 486,059 16,720,652 19,214 22,292 4,389,020 7,016,300 14,169,207.50 47,160 12,860,104 29,351,921 59,780 2,310,250 1,188,384 1,810,031 20,700 75,140 140,205,662 16,953,480 3,150,790

-49,756,850 622,848 13,400 6,847,740 16,243,522 87,716,238 1,245,558 -52,582 1,137,418 -75,352,188 -4,691,260.00 -2,082,392.50 -3,207,180 -3,596 13,942,625.00 -177,830 25,633,380 6,300 -23,001,520 -671,388 -16,345,926 61,203,662 -312,620 152,462 -9,990,406 1,602,420 2,257,371 3,195,852 12,368,060 -144,300 946,672 35,350 2,310,918 9,920.00 205,000

0.33 70.05 15.28 0.96 6.96 0.405 0.41 995 7.93 14.5 7.9 0.185 1,147 7.64 72.6 5 0.69 5.59 18 6.53 0.047 1.21 2.06 113 2.57 939 1.47 283 0.23 0.19 0.198

HOLDING FIRMS 0.34 40,000 70.05 2,152,090 15.3 3,362,500 0.96 850,000 7.03 72,500 0.405 22,000,000 0.41 2,990,000 1,000 613,135 8 277,600 14.6 7,079,800 7.9 296,400 0.185 80,000 1,147 83,795 7.64 3,100 73 1,703,310 5 15,500 0.72 256,000 5.73 361,800 18.08 1,275,600 6.57 35,861,700 0.047 38,700,000 1.21 186,000 2.07 66,000 113.9 190,680 2.57 4,000 941.5 518,680 1.47 6,028,000 290 2,840 0.23 360,000 0.19 100,000 0.198 350,000

13,500 151,428,850.50 51,545,980 825,570 509,308 9,148,850 1,247,650 618,730,072.50 2,215,776 103,635,038 2,390,507 14,800 96,602,510 23,684 124,344,430 77,500 179,190 2,038,467 23,045,260 238,230,799 1,826,500 226,820 136,620 21,841,449 10,280 492,219,210 9,377,350 818,468 82,800 19,000 69,300

-63,107,940.50 -30,290,924 52,200 238,000 -222,879,417.50 370,759 -51,435,640 -584,930 -31,700,845 -40,701,010.50 -75,000 605,088 12,524,402.00 -104,464,714 7,714,911 -183,134,815 -19,050 5,870 -

2,742,162 2,305,020 43,867 93,100 411,280 479,627,430 1,813,760 11,285,430 434,520 8,938,500 69,760 1,124,020 213,750 15,602,720 75,700 51,787,100 9,825,100 512,930 197,095,359

-496,813 156,600 -23,500 -211,434,595 -395,870 304,348 -2,931,900 -260,000 1,136,615 0 -6,881,190 -18,000 -40,189,421.00

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

4 59.2 97.7 3.9 141 2.2 33.3 15.6 34.85 0.69 1.69 960 0.61 93.5 0.81 12 25 58.1 244.6 55.1 248.6 1,905 87

4 59.8 98 3.9 148.1 2.2 33.5 15.9 35 0.69 1.69 960 0.62 93.8 0.9 12.2 25 58.1 244.6 56.2 254.8 1,905 87.25

4 59 96.6 3.9 141 2.09 33.3 15.6 33.8 0.69 1.69 960 0.61 90.9 0.81 12 25 57.7 243.8 55.1 248.6 1,870 87

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

40.9 12.08 0.73 1.35 16.94 0.217 100.1 4.12 16.02 44.95 18.38 65.95 65.1 83 1.89 5.3 11.54 10.84 14.86 12.42 7.25 5.71 17.3 61.85 24.8 12 21.15 1.95 256 63 4.01 3.02 29.6 18.34 18.8 319 0.197 9.03 2.5 6.07 9.92 7.39 9.7 1.63 12.6 61.05 6.43 482 5.25 4.95 2 12.9 5.2 0.138 1.17 135.5 1.97 0.75

41.5 12.42 0.75 1.36 16.94 0.217 100.1 4.39 16.36 45 18.38 65.95 69.85 83 1.9 5.45 11.54 10.84 14.86 12.6 7.25 5.74 17.44 62 25.4 12 21.25 1.99 260 63 4.07 3.17 30.45 18.36 18.8 320.8 0.2 9.03 2.5 6.07 10 7.39 9.7 1.63 12.6 61.3 6.65 498 5.25 4.95 2 13 5.2 0.138 1.19 138.4 2.01 0.75

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

0.34 70.7 15.38 0.99 7.03 0.425 0.425 1,010 7.98 14.6 8 0.185 1,152 7.64 72.6 5 0.72 5.62 18.1 6.7 0.047 1.22 2.1 116 2.57 939 1.59 289.8 0.23 0.19 0.198

0.34 72 15.42 0.99 7.05 0.43 0.425 1,044 8 14.8 8.15 0.185 1,172 7.64 74.2 5 0.72 5.73 18.14 6.76 0.048 1.27 2.1 116 2.57 966.5 1.65 296 0.23 0.19 0.198

8990 HLDG A BROWN ANCHOR LAND ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE IRC PROP MEGAWORLD

5.4 0.99 8.85 2.52 0.93 42.05 3.83 4.9 5.42 0.485 1.15 0.2 0.475 37.75 0.67 1.89 1.52 0.81 5.32

5.42 1 8.85 2.52 0.96 42.95 3.83 4.9 5.46 0.495 1.15 0.202 0.485 38.9 0.67 1.89 1.52 0.81 5.44

5.35 0.97 8.47 2.51 0.93 41.55 3.73 4.78 5.42 0.485 1.13 0.2 0.47 37.7 0.66 1.87 1.49 0.8 5.25

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

0.335 0.375 0.54 6.68 24 1.87 3.2 35.5 1.04 0.89 6.2

0.34 0.375 0.55 6.86 24.4 2.11 3.2 36.4 1.05 0.89 6.22

0.325 0.37 0.52 6.61 23.8 1.87 3.17 35.5 1.02 0.85 6.04

0.33 0.37 0.53 6.7 23.95 2.1 3.17 35.5 1.04 0.85 6.22

25,180,000 1,020,000 6,389,000 3,468,500 3,168,400 12,997,000 608,000 7,329,000 558,000 64,000 786,100

8,314,650 379,050 3,377,130 23,275,227 75,964,590 26,294,770 1,939,330 261,802,180 574,750 54,760 4,876,288

-3,800 540,315 -45,579,150 280,220 -96,806,560 34,000 1,456,200

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

17.5 37.85 1.55 0.48 0.046 11.56 10.38 0.07 99 9.3 7.25 1,000 1,955 5.9 3.25 2.38 100.4 12.5 8.34 0.145 1.38 3.18 15.4 3.7 1.29 24.2 0.53 2.79 6.79 3.96 2.9 11.08 5 2.95 215 8.25 1,651 1.36 0.355 48.65 90.25 5.96 3.45 1.71 1.91 3.76 0.93 8.2

17.5 37.9 1.55 0.49 0.05 11.56 10.4 0.072 100.5 9.47 7.5 1,020 1,970 5.9 3.25 2.38 103 12.5 8.34 0.148 1.39 3.3 15.8 3.85 1.3 24.35 0.53 2.85 6.82 4 3.17 11.12 5.09 2.95 215 8.57 1,691 1.37 0.355 50 93 6.2 3.47 1.72 1.91 3.92 0.93 8.23

17.36 37.6 1.43 0.48 0.046 11.5 10.2 0.07 99 9.13 7.09 1,000 1,920 5.86 3.01 2.38 100.2 12 8.29 0.145 1.35 3.1 15.4 3.7 1.26 22.75 0.52 2.79 6.69 3.94 2.9 11.08 5 2.95 210 8.14 1,645 1.34 0.34 48.5 90.2 5.94 3.34 1.6 1.9 3.76 0.9 8.02

SERVICES 17.42 37.6 1.52 0.48 0.05 11.5 10.2 0.071 100 9.2 7.1 1,020 1,920 5.9 3.04 2.38 100.8 12 8.34 0.146 1.39 3.2 15.8 3.7 1.29 23 0.52 2.85 6.69 3.96 3.09 11.08 5 2.95 210 8.39 1,645 1.34 0.34 49.5 92 6.18 3.34 1.65 1.9 3.82 0.9 8.1

66,000 44,800 290,000 890,000 90,500,000 5,800 2,554,800 10,520,000 109,550 4,942,600 38,000 335 81,410 527,100 8,942,000 15,000 1,144,730 62,000 283,000 710,000 245,000 242,000 3,200 1,128,000 613,000 3,833,400 507,000 49,000 603,300 912,000 46,030,000 9,100 6,400 6,000 25,010 355,900 240,220 2,408,000 130,000 3,031,600 1,589,600 291,600 1,850,000 13,574,000 10,000 406,000 4,996,000 3,088,100

1,149,062 1,694,435 431,790 430,850 4,358,200 66,766 26,260,704 737,240 10,937,924 45,497,378 278,390 339,400 158,133,945 3,101,249 27,616,890 35,700 115,979,631 745,320 2,357,090 103,630 333,290 780,120 50,480 4,189,530 781,380 89,882,620 263,840 137,590 4,070,018 3,612,720 141,493,630 100,998 32,023 17,700 5,252,930 2,984,940 402,946,060 3,264,130 44,500 149,946,615 146,191,578 1,778,918 6,266,070 22,371,010 19,060 1,551,370 4,553,060 25,008,690

19,142 175,030 4,900 42,550 -1,834,760 3,061,671 27,605,588.00 -78,285,460 1,250,520 -15,230,624 43,800 -981,740 -6,331,955 2,001,281 518,810 -120,890 -216,850 -140,237,085 -1,150,150 42,050,580 -132,767,107.50 1,169,180 5,801,130 4,020 -18,400 4,509,268.00

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

0.0024 1.64 4.9 1.78 1.63 0.36 7.88 3 0.255 0.152 0.156 1.9 6.85 1.66 0.465 0.98 0.014 0.011 2.28 7.45 8.56 37.5

0.0024 1.72 4.9 1.78 1.67 0.37 7.9 3 0.255 0.154 0.157 1.93 6.93 1.66 0.465 0.99 0.014 0.011 2.28 7.55 9.12 38.05

0.0024 1.63 4.81 1.78 1.62 0.36 7.8 2.9 0.247 0.152 0.155 1.87 6.77 1.54 0.465 0.98 0.012 0.011 2.25 7.45 8.46 37.2

MINING & OIL 0.0024 120,000,000 1.66 5,302,000 4.9 630,000 1.78 3,000 1.62 1,826,000 0.37 70,000 7.9 300 2.94 6,186,000 0.25 370,000 0.153 5,760,000 0.157 2,200,000 1.87 533,000 6.78 2,104,100 1.62 182,000 0.465 10,000 0.99 20,000 0.012 5,700,000 0.011 2,400,000 2.25 63,000 7.47 74,700 8.96 10,487,700 37.4 2,053,700

288,000 8,792,970 3,086,550 5,340 2,967,480 25,800 2,358 18,254,710 91,770 880,100 343,500 1,003,510 14,370,120 284,940 4,650 19,790 74,300 26,400 142,160 561,822 93,268,743 77,095,045

-63,960 118,160 5,900 47,100 246,000 3,100,869 -68,900 -97,293 -194,446 -46,709,865

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF F GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PCOR PREF 2B PF PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2H

37.5 520 520 106.5 107.6 5.5 1,021 1.06 108 1,049 1,141 1,008 77 82.3 76.3 79

37.5 520 535 106.5 108 5.59 1,040 1.06 108 1,049 1,141 1,010 77 82.3 76.35 79

37.2 520 520 106.5 107.6 5.5 1,010 1.06 108 1,049 1,141 1,007 76.4 82 76.3 79

PREFERRED 37.2 63,900 520 1,920 535 110 106.5 100 107.6 1,010 5.59 3,800 1,020 4,255 1.06 51,000 108 970 1,049 500 1,141 300 1,010 2,745 76.4 8,460 82 12,100 76.3 45,300 79 2,000

2,391,500 998,400 57,350 10,650 108,680 21,053 4,310,640 54,060 104,760 524,500 342,300 2,764,880 649,322 993,415 3,457,097 158,000

-779,000 5,590 50,500 -

LR WARRANT

2.35

2.35

2.29

WARRANTS 2.29 333,000

768,390

-

SME 13.52 3.1 3.98

74,970,120 1,149,820 12,232,660

-80,210 -4,242,170

2,244,413

75,060

356,594

-62,424.00

MS

PROPERTY 5.4 0.98 8.75 2.51 0.95 41.55 3.79 4.86 5.46 0.485 1.13 0.2 0.48 38.3 0.67 1.89 1.5 0.8 5.35

507,700 2,358,000 5,000 37,000 435,000 11,441,600 479,000 2,323,000 79,800 18,360,000 61,000 5,620,000 450,000 407,300 113,000 27,464,000 6,551,000 639,000 36,824,100

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

15.2 3.22 4.12

15.38 3.23 4.12

13.4 2.95 3.98

FIRST METRO ETF

125.7

126.2

124.8

USD DMPL A1

10.2

10.5

10.2

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

SHARES

23,086,695 98,724,816 126,234,854

PROPERTY

175,848,864

SERVICES

208,481,883

MINING & OIL

166,103,680

GRAND TOTAL

807,280,852

5,356,900 372,000 3,047,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 125 17,890 10.5

DDS

34,420

VALUE 2,060.35 (up) 11.77 1,404,607,488.49 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,962.67 (down) 40.30 1,596,620,723.20 HOLDING FIRMS 8,325.73 (down) 142.02 1,997,464,284.294 PROPERTY 3,811.71 (down) 19.61 SERVICES 1,643.08 (down) 9.72 1,190,969,828.955 MINING & OIL 12,226.78 (down) 22.14 1,421,474,815.62 PSEI 8,206.44 (down) 67.00 221,618,158.061 All Shares Index 4,834.68 (down) 29.47 7,923,375,476.59 Gainers: 74; Losers: 122; Unchanged: 38; Total: 234

ton as Republicans from each chamber of Congress provide differing plans to overhaul the tax system, raising concerns they will not be able to push anything through before the end of the year, as Donald Trump had hoped.

The most recent idea in the Senate is to repeal the Obamacare individual mandate as part of the plan, leading to speculation the legislation could collapse in the same way as their healthcare reforms.

“This is a classic omnibus political stunt to get an unattractive piece of legislation passed by stapling it to something that is likely to get passed,” Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at AxiTrader, said.

“But, given that such a move was already expressly voted down on the floor of the Senate, and taking into account resistance from House Republicans it may have just made the President’s Christmas timetable a little harder to meet.”

Failure of the bill could hit world equities, which have rallied on the back of hopes the market-friendly measures would be introduced.

On Wall Street all three indexes were sharply lower a week after posting record highs.

Tokyo, which had fallen for six straight days after hitting a 25-year high on Tuesday, jumped 1.5 percent, while Hong Kong added 0.6 percent and Shanghai put on 0.1 percent.

Sydney was 0.2 percent up and Seoul added 0.6 percent, while Wellington, Taipei and Manila were in positive territory.

With AFP, Bloomberg

Chelsea’s net profit surges to P405.7m

By Alena Mae S. Flores CHELSEA Logistics Holdings Corp. said Thursday net income jumped four times to P405.7 million in the first nine months from P102 million a year ago, as strategic investments continued to deliver and operations expanded.

Chelsea, the shipping business of Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy, said in a statement revenues increased 9 percent in the nine-month period to P2.3.billion.

“Our investments into better shipping and logistics continued to yield results and create more value for our investors, business partners and other stakeholders,” CLC president and chief executive Chryss Alfonsus Damuy said.

The increase in net income reflected the P168.1 million recognized by the company as equity shares in the net income of Negros Navigation Co. Inc. and 2Go Group Inc. through its investments in Udenna Investments B.V. Freight revenues rose 43 percent to P646.4 million from a year ago, largely from the commercial operations of MV Trans-Asia 12. The vessel only started plying the Manila-Cebu route in August 2016.

Passage revenues also grew 10 percent to P339.5 million, following an increase in the number of passengers.

Standard

TODAY

‘Butcher of Bosnia’ still a hero at home BOZANOVICI, Bosnia― Dusko Mladic points to the portrait on his wall of his beloved cousin Ratko, the wartime Bosnian Serb army chief, who will next week learn if he is convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity.

“I guarantee you that he is not guilty of a single murder,” Dusko insists of his “idol”, who faces a verdict from UN judges at The Hague over his actions in Bosnia’s bitter 19921995 conflict.

Ratko Mladic became known internationally as the “Butcher of Bosnia”, particularly for his alleged leading role in the 44-month siege of Sarajevo and the massacre of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica.

But in his family village of Bozanovici―and across the rest of the Bosnian Serb entity, Republika Srpska ― the 74-year-old general is still widely regarded as a hero for his part in the civil war.

“If those judges knew him only 60 percent as well as I know him myself,” says Dusko, “he would be immediately acquitted and rewarded”.

On trial since 2012 at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Mladic faces judgment on November 22 on 11 charges arising from the war, including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Some 100,000 people were killed and another 2.2 million displaced in the conflict.

In Bozanovici in eastern Bosnia, his cousin still lives on an unpaved lane bearing the sign “General Mladic Street”, opposite the house where the military chief was born. AFP

ASHINGTON―Myanmar security forces slit the throats of Muslim Rohingya, burned victims alive, and gang-raped women and girls, according to two separate reports detailing mounting evidence of genocide against the minority group.

Human Rights Watch focused on the use of sexual violence in its report on the military’s campaign against the Rohingya, and concluded

that the depredations amounted to crimes against humanity.

“Rape has been a prominent and devastating

feature of the Burmese military’s campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya,” said Skye Wheeler, a researcher at Human Rights Watch and author of the report.

“The Burmese military’s barbaric acts of violence have left countless women and girls brutally harmed and traumatized.”

A separate report by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Southeast Asia-based

Da Vinci painting of Christ sells for record $450 million NEW YORK―A 500-yearold painting believed to be

by Leonardo da Vinci sold for $450.3 million in New York on Wednesday, blazing a new world record for the most expensive work of art sold at auction, Christie’s said.

“Salvator Mundi” or “Savior of the World,” which depicts Jesus Christ, more than doubled the previous record of $179.4 million paid for Pablo Picasso’s “The

Women of Algiers (Version O)” in New York in 2015.

Lost for years only to resurface at a regional auction in 2005, it is one of fewer than 20 Da Vinci paintings generally accepted as being from the Renaissance master’s own hand, according to Christie’s.

All the others are held in museum or institutional collections.

Wednesday’s price was all

The DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON, through the GAA RA 10924 funds FY 2017 intends to apply the sum of Six Million Five Hundred Twelve Thousand Five Hundred Forty Three Pesos and 80/100 (Php6,512,543.80.

00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Procurement of Medical and Dental Supplies. Bids received in excess of the ABC per Lot shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON now invites bids for the Procurement of Medical and Dental Supplies. Delivery of the Services is expected for the Contract duration. Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project.

The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section ll. Instructions to Bidders. Interested bidders shall bid on a per Lot basis Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Govemrnent Procurement Reform Act”. (i) Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens ofthe Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON (BAC Secretariat) and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hour at 8:00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on November 10, 2017 from the address below and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (Php5.000.00).

Note: For lot procurement, the maximum fee for the Bidding Documents for each lot shall be based on its ABC. in accordance with the Guidelines issued by the GPPB; proVided that the total fees for the

7.

Bidding Documents of all lots shall not exceed the maximum fee prescribed in the Guidelines for the sum ofthe ABC of all lots.).

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 applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

The DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON will hold a Pre-Bid Conference3 on November 20, 2017 at 10:30 am. to be held at the Director’s Office Conference Room, which shall be open to prospective bidders.

7.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before December 4, 2017 at 11:00 a.m .. 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 December 4, 2017 at the Director’s Office Conference Room. 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.

8.

9.

The DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: Ann Geralyn T Pelias DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta, Rizal 6477487 & 6474914 www.depedcalabarzon.ph (SGD) ANN GERALYN T. PELlAS BA C Chairperson

3

Mav be deleted ill case the ABC is less than One Million Pesos (PhP1,000,000.00) where the Procuring Entity may not hold a Pre-Bid Conference.

(MS-NOV. 17, 2017)

1

Rohingya.

Evidence gathered

by Fortify Rights and the Holocaust Museum demonstrates that “Myanmar state security forces and civilian perpetrators committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing” during two waves of attacks in the majority Buddhist nation, the report says.

“There is mounting evidence to suggest these acts represent a genocide of the

THIEF. A macaque monkey eats food after stealing it from an Indian child outside a temple in New Delhi on November 16, 2017. AFP

the more extraordinary given that the oil on panel fetched only 45 British pounds in 1958, at the time believed to have been a copy, before subsequently disappearing for years.

Dated to around 1500, the work sold after 19 minutes of frenzied bidding―an incongruous Old Master in Christie’s evening postwar and contemporary sale, which attracts the biggest spenders in the high-octane

world of international billionaire art collectors.

Christie’s declined to identify the buyer, other than to confirm that bids came from “every part of the world.”

The price could call into question a legal suit lodged by its Russian seller, who accused a Swiss art dealer in Monaco of allegedly overcharging him when he bought the work for $127.5 million in 2013. AFP

Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office Capitol Compound, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya Telefax No. (078)321-2084 / Email Address: denr_penronv@yahoo.com.ph

BONN―World leaders shared the spotlight with a 12-year-old Pacific islander on Wednesday to drive home a plea for urgent climate action despite the Trump administration’s rejection of a planet rescue plan.

UN chief Antonio Guterres, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel led the diplomatic push in Bonn, but it was a small boy with a big smile who got the message across.

“My home, my school, my source of food, water, money was totally destroyed. My life was in chaos,” Timoci Naulusala, whose village in Fiji’s Tailevu province was hit by a devastating cyclone last year, told hundreds of delegates including some 25 heads of state and government.

“My once beautiful village is now a barren and empty wasteland... Climate change is here to stay unless you do something about it.”

The boy received rousing applause before shaking hands with some of the most powerful people in

Rohingya population,” it says.

Almost 700,000 Rohingya, more than half of the population in northern Rakhine state, have been forcibly displaced since October last year when Myanmar’s army began “clearance operations” after a previously unknown group attacked and killed security officers.

Those operations were, in practice, “a mechanism to commit mass atrocities,” the report said. AFP

1. Contract ID # Name of Project Location of Project Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) Project Description

Duration Cost of Bid documents 2. Contract ID # Name of Project Location of Project Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) Project Description Duration Cost of Bid documents 3. Contract ID # Name of Project Location of Project Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) Project Description

Duration Cost of Bid documents

: ATP-101017-03-01-MAN-VIZ-R02 : Construction of Nursery – Capacnaan Tire Path : Barangay Oyao, Dupaxdel Norte, Nueva Vizcaya : PhP21,745,519.78 : Construction of 2 units – 1.00 meter wide concrete tire path with gravel shoulder on both sides. RCPC cross drains with stone masonry headwalls and catch basins will be provided on identified waterways. Concrete lined canal will also be provided on the mountain side of the roadway. One unit RCBC will be constructed near the end of the subproject. : 240 Calendar days : PhP. 25,000.00 : RCB-101017-004-01-BUK-VIZ-R02 : Construction of Lower AmmowegRCDG Bridge : Barangay Ammoweg, Ambaguio, Nueva Vizcaya : PhP19,517,333.13 : Construction of single lane 4.00 l.m. wide x 60.00 l.m.

RCDG Bridge : 210 Calendar days : PhP. 25,000.00 : ATP-101017-002-01-UPM-VIZ-R02 : Construction of Pallas-Nansiakan Tire Path : Barangay Nansiakan, Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya : PhP14,143,141.40 : Construction of 2 units – 1.00 meter wide concrete tire path with gravel shoulder on both sides. RCPC cross drains and water overflow structures shall be provided on identified waterways. : 180 Calendar days : PhP. 25,000.00

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

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.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.” Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, cooperatives, and partnerships or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from DENR – PENRO Nueva Vizcaya and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 A.M. to 5 P.M., Monday to Friday.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Phil-GEPS provided that bidder shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: Issuance of Bidding Documents Pre-Bid Conference Receipt/Submission of Bids Opening of Bids

November 14 – December 4, 2017 November 21, 2017 @ 1:30 PM December 4, 2017 @ 9:00AM December 4, 2017 @ 9:30AM

The DENR - PENRO Nueva Vizcayawill hold a Pre-bid Conference at DENR – PENR Office, Capitol Compound, Bayombong, NuevaVizcayawhich shall be open to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before December 4, 2017 at 9:00AM. 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 December 4, 2017 at 9:30AM at DENR-PENR Office, Capitol Compound, Bayombong, NuevaVizcaya, Philippines. 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.

Any discount offered in the Bid shall be reflected in the Bid Form, Bill of Quantities and Summary of Bid Prices in the Bidding Document. Modifications shall be submitted separately in a sealed envelope marked as modification of the Original bid duly received by the BAC before the deadline of submission of bids.

The DENR – PENRO Nueva Vizcaya reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: NOEMI B. VILLANUEVA Head, BAC Secretariat DENR – PENRO Nueva Vizcaya Capitol Compound, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya (078) 321-2084 / 0917-301-6196

InvItatIon to BId no. Infra -111-2017 111

The Provincial Government of Bataan, through the Special Education Fund intends to apply the below listed project w/ corresponding Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC).

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected a bid opening.

Name of Project Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC) 1. Improvement of Track and Field =P=39,999,907.65 Facility for Senior High School Stand Alone Brgy. Bayan, Orani, Bataan The Provincial Government of Bataan now invites bids for the above listed Projects.

Completion of works is required within 180 Calendar Days. Bidders should have completed, at least one (1) contract that is similar to the contract to be bid. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

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

Bidding is open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Office of Bataan Bids & Awards Committee and inspect the Bidding Documents from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the same office.

Bid documents will be available only to eligible bidders upon payment of a nonrefundable amount of using standard rates approved by GPPB as stated on their Resolution No. 04-2012 listed below.

Approved Budget for the Contract 500,000 and below More than 500,000 up to 1 Million More than 1 Million up to 5 Million More than 5 Million up to 10 Million More than 10 Million up to 50 Million More than 50 Million up to 500 Million More than 500 Million

Maximum Cost of Bidding Documents (in Philippine Peso) 500.00 1,000.00 5,000.00 10,000.00 25,000.00 50,000.00 75,000.00

The Provincial Government of Bataan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on November 22, 2017 at 11:00 A.M at Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan.

Bids must be delivered on or before December 8, 2017 at 1:30 P.M. at Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated on IRR of RA 9184 or Bid Securing Declaration in standard form.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend opening of Bids at Bataan BAC Office. Late bids shall not be accepted.

In case of the above dates is declared a special Non-Working Holidays, it will automatically reset on the next working days.

Other necessary information deemed relevant by the Provincial Government of Bataan Activities 1. Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid 2. Eligibility Check 3. Issuance and availability of Bidding Documents 4. Request for Clarification 5. Opening of Bids

Schedule November 15 – 21, 2017 Refer to date of Opening of Bids November 15 – December 8, 2017 November 28, 2017 December 8, 2017

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

For further information, please refer to: Ms. Aileen C. Sagun Provincial BAC / PEO Bataan Provincial BAC / PEO Office, Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataanp 047-237-9316 bac@bataan.gov.ph (SGD) ENRICO T. YUZON BAC Chairman

(Sgd.)MELODY B. MANZO Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee (MS-NOV. 17, 2017)

the world and posing for photographs at the 23rd annual round of UN climate talks.

The leaders descended on Bonn to re-energize the negotiations hamstrung by America’s rejection of the 2015 Paris Agreement.

They were met in the morning by anti-fossil fuel protesters waving posters proclaiming: “Clean coal is a dirty lie” and “Stop corporate capture of the climate”.

The Paris pact, which Donald Trump announced in June the US would abandon, took more than two decades to negotiate and envisions a drawdown of Earth-warming greenhouse gas emissions from burning coal, oil and gas.

Labeling climate change “the defining threat of our time”, Guterres told delegates that continued investment in fossil fuels made no financial sense and was “counterproductive”.

“We must stop making bets on an unsustainable future that will place savings and societies at risk,” he said. AFP

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

INVITATION TO BID The DENR– PENRO Nueva Vizcaya through the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC)intends to invite bidders for the following contracts:

Lot I ---------Dental Supplies --------ABC -----Php4,900,443.80 Lot II -------Medical Supplies--------ABC------Php1,612,100.00

3.

Fortify Rights documents “widespread and systematic attacks” on Rohingya civilians between October 9 and December of last year, and from August 25 of this year.

The 30-page report, entitled “They tried to kill us all,” is based on more than 200 interviews with survivors and eyewitnesses, as well as international aid workers.

Some world leaders have already described as “ethnic cleansing” the scorched-earth military campaign against the

Plea for climate action at United Nations forum

INVITATION TO BID PROCUREMENT OF MEDICAL AND DENTAL SUPPLIES

2.

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Rising evidence of genocide W

Republic of the Philippines Department of Education REGION IV-A CALABARZON Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta. Rizal

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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2017 Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

World

Manila

(MS-NOV. 17, 2017)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

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friday, november 17, 2017

LGUs

Ex-councilors to fight for Belmonte’s House seat

LocaL government units

By Rio N. Araja

FROZEN FUN. Almost 100 kids wearing colorful ‘Frozen’-inspired costumes join the SM City San Mateo ‘season of gift giving’ kickoff as the mall in Rizal welcomes the holiday season.

Manny Palmero

THREE former Quezon City councilors are expected to join the congressional race in District 4 in the 2019 elections to replace three-termer Rep. Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr., the former House Speaker.

City hall sources said Thursday they knew of plans that Nanette Daza, a former councilor and representative, would seek a return to Congress despite her busy schedule campaigning for her brother, District 2 Rep. Winston “Winnie” Castelo.

“There are issues that she will run,” one of the sources told the Manila Standard on condition of anonymity. “But she is seen elsewhere as Winston’s campaign manager.”

Winnie Castelo, also a last-term lawmaker, is touted to run as vice mayor against three-termer District 3 Councilor Gian Carlo Sotto, son of Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto and veteran actress Helen Gamboa.

Other councilors seen running for the District 4 House seat are Marvin Rillo and Jesus Emmanuel “Bong” Suntay.

Despite three-term District 4 Councilor Rillo’s plan to stay away from politics in 2019, City Hall observers believe he could still break his promise. Another source, however, told the Standard Rillo “is gentleman enough” to make good on his promise to give way to Suntay’s congressional bid.

Manila pupils get P5k ‘baon’

By Bill Casas

I

N ANOTHER testament to his caring nature, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada has distributed a total of P5.7 million to over 1,000 public school students to help them with their daily school expenses.

The P5,000 allowance cational Assistance Proper student is part of Edu- gram, which Estrada came

up with to help poor parents and their children cover the necessary expenses in school such as uniforms and school supplies and even materials for projects.

“You can use this money for your ‘baon’ [allowance], to buy school supplies, new shoes and uniforms, or for your projects and other school requirements,” Estrada told the latest batch of 1,159 student beneficiaries during simple ceremonies at San Andres Sports Complex.

As the father of the city, Estrada said it is his earnest hope that these young Manileños will be able to study well and finish college so that they will become successful someday.

“We’re taking care of you because you are the sons and daughters of our beloved City of Manila. And since I am the father of the city, I am like a father to all of you,” he said.

“Who knows? Maybe one of you will become the city mayor some-

day,” Estrada added.

Manila Department of Social Welfare chief Nanet Tanyag said Estrada approved the release of P5.79 million to cover the grant of financial assistance to 1,159 beneficiaries.

Including the Children Needing Special Protection, the beneficiaries are currently enrolled in public schools both in elementary and high school level, she said.

Two-hundred sixty-five students

from the city-run Manila Boystown Complex also received P5,000 cash each, along with 44 more from the impoverished Baseco Compound.

Tanyag said the city government has set aside a total of P40 million for this year and for the first quarter of 2018 to fund the allowances of 8,159 targeted beneficiaries.

Only last August, Estrada released P9.1 million in EAP funds for 1,833 public elementary and high school students.

GALA GUESTS.

Bacoor City Rep. Strike Revilla (third from left) poses with fellow legislators during the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit Gala Dinner. Revilla said he was proud to represent Bacoor and Cavite in a gathering that included world leaders. Lino Santos

In BrIef nv disabled get P.7m from DoLe BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—A group for the disabled on Wednesday received P700,000 in livelihood assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment here.

Liberato Estilong, president of the Kapisanan ng mga may Kapansanan sa Nueva Vizcaya, received the fund.

Manuel Roldan, DOLE regional director for Cagayan Valley, said the KKNV will use the money for their bakery project at the “Kainan sa Park” canteen within the provincial capitol here.

“It is not about asking and accepting. It is more about giving. The government is there to help you as long as you contribute to the development of our country,” Roldan told the group.

The KKNV also manages the boating lagoons at the provincial capitol and the Lower Magat Eco-Tourism Park in Diadi town. Ben Moses Ebreo

LandBank loans to co-ops up 16% LAND BANK of the Philippines remained aggressive in supporting the country’s cooperatives, as its outstanding loans to the sector reached P37 billion as of September 2017, higher by 16 percent compared to the P31.9 billion lent in the same period last year.

From January to Septem-

ber 2017, the bank released P20 billion in loans to Small Farmers and Fishers cooperatives—a 13-percent hike from the year-ago level of P17.7 billion.

“Cooperatives have been reliable partners of LandBank in promoting rural economic growth. They

create jobs, enable microenterprises, and help build stronger communities. This is why we remain committed to supporting the sector not only in terms of financial assistance but also through technical support,” said LandBank president and CEO Alex V. Buenaventura.

calabarzon cops gain 2nd batch of Chinese rifles CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna―The Police Regional Office in Calabarzon has received 200 units of Chinesemade M16 rifles, 400 magazines and 72,000 rounds of ammunition from the Directorate for Logistics of the Philippine National Police Headquarters.

This is part of China’s assistance worth 50 million renminbi (around P370 million), to both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and PNP of around 3,000 rifles and six million pieces of ammunition to be distributed to the Regional Public Safety Battalions and the Public Safety Forces of this region. Roy Tomandao

LandBank continues to reinforce its support for the country’s cooperatives with P37 billion in outstanding loans as of September 2017, a 13 percent increase from the same period last year.

Quezon Gov. David ‘Jayjay’ Suarez (center) went to the food symposium in Bangkok with his wife, Alona Party-list Rep. Anna Marie Villaraza Suarez (second from left) and provincial agriculture officials (from left) Obet Gajo, Webster Letargo and Joeann Reyes. Benjie A. Antioquia

Quezon gov speaks at Asia-Pacific food gab

By Benjie A. Antioquia sustainable food systems LUCENA CITY—Quezon Gov. David C. Suarez was recently invited to be one of the resource speakers of the two-day Asia and the Pacific Symposium on Sustainable Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Improved Nutrition held in Bangkok, Thailand.

Organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization, in partnership with the World Health Organization, the United Nations World Food Program and the World Bank, the event gathered over 250 experts, policy-makers, academicians, civil society and the private sector from approximately 30 countries from Asia and the Pacific, North America and Europe.

Practical solutions and successful country experiences in implementing

were shared in the symposium, which also explored policies and program options for shaping the food systems and ways that deliver food for a healthy diet, focusing on concrete country experiences and challenges.

Suarez shared one of the provinces’ acclaimed programs, Quezon’s First 1000 Days of life or Q1K, on the topic “Moving Forward the First 1000 Days Agenda: The Role of Local Government Units.”

Also attending the symposium were Alona Party-list Rep. Anna Marie Villaraza-Suarez, Quezon Provincial Chief of Staff Webster Letargo, Provincial Agriculturist Roberto Gajo, and Joeann Reyes, member of the Technical Working Group of the Q1K program.

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

culture and media

fRIday, noVemBeR 17, 2017

Gerard Salonga

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MUsic MaN. Gerard

Salonga is the guest conductor in the third concert of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra 2017-2018 season.

debuts in PPO concert Season By michele t. logarta

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ooD ears, according to multi-awarded musical director/conductor/ arranger Gerard Salonga, are an absolute must for anyone who wants to be a conductor.

“If your ears are not very good, don’t be a conductor,” he said. evidently the owner of a good pair of ears, salonga is one of the country’s most successful musicians today.

He is currently the director of the ABs-CBN Philharmonic orchestra in Manila and Assistant Conductor of Hong Kong Philharmonic. salonga will be the guest conductor, upon the invitation of Philippine Philharmonic orchestra (PPo) music director Maestro Yoshikazu Fukumura, for the third concert of the Philippine Philharmonic orchestra 2017-2018 season.

The concert at the CCP tonight marks his debut in the subscription series. salonga has led the PPo thrice over the past 14 years but always in special concerts that were not part of the PPo season.

“I feel like it’s a good time for me to be conducting a proper concert with the PPo. I’ve gained a lot of experience in the past few years handling different repertoire with different orchestras, and this past season I spent as part of the Hong Kong Philharmonic under Jaap van Zweden has really changed me as a musician.” salonga was appointed in 2016 as Assistant Conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic orchestra, selected from 170 international applicants. In this capacity, salonga assisted conductors Yu Long, Zhang Guoyong, and Constantin Trinks, and soloists David Fray and Yo-Yo Ma. He has conducted the HK Philharmonic, shanghai opera House orchestra and Chorus, The evergreen symphony orchestra (Taiwan), Bangkok symphony, the Malaysian Philharmonic orchestra, and in February 2017 made his debuts with the sydney symphony orchestra and orchestra Victoria.

salonga is an all around music man.

In addition to arranging music and scoring films, he sings, and plays the piano and a bit of the violin. “I tried the violin, then gave up after a while. Like the merchandise at ollivander’s, an instrument has to choose you as much as you choose it...and it didn’t like me very much. For a long time, as an arranger of orchestral music, my writing has served as my instrument.” salonga is married to a musician—prizewinning violinist DJ FranciscoSalonga.

In his concert with the PPo, salonga chose to do Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess-A Symphonic Picture, J. William’s Catch Me If You Can-Escapades and A. Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor From the New World. salonga conducts the PPo 8 p.m. tomight at the CCP Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo.

For reservations, call the CCP Box Office (832-3704), TicketWorld (891-9999) or visit www.culturalcenter.gov.ph.

Plastic arts

Eghai Roxas’s 'Apparition' at Ricco Renzo

triPlE cElEBratiON. Philippine Constitution Association President Martin Romualdez (second from right), Minxie Romualdez (center), and Juliette Gomez Romualdez (right) pose for groupie after a holy mass during their triple birthday celebration at their residence in Forbes Park, Makati City. Joining the celebrants are Martin's wife, Leyte 1st District Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez (second from left) and youngest daughter Maddey (left). Ver Noveno

Federal Land Inc. provides venue for female sculptor’s award-winning design PRIMe real estate developer, Federal Land Inc. recently joined the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) in recognizing a new batch of talented artists who topped the 2017 Metrobank Art & Design excellence (MADe), an annual tradition of celebrating Filipino artistry.

This year, Federal Land Inc. brings its commitment to Filipino design excellence to a higher level as it endeavors to transform one of the five finalists of the MADe sculpture Recognition Program into a public art installation to be placed at the rotunda of Metro Park, the company’s 40-hectare township in the Bay Area of Pasay City.

Federal Land Inc. President Pascual M. Garcia III said, “The idea of using one of the finalists of the MADe sculpture into public art came from our desire to have a venue to celebrate the importance of integrating arts and culture in living spaces. We want to bring art closer to the public as it aids in promoting values that define us as Filipinos and

strengthening our sense of community as well as our identity as a nation.” one of the artworks being considered for this is that of Moreen Joy Austria, who was given the Grand Award by this year’s MADe distinctive Board of Judges for the sculpture Recognition Program, headed by Ramon G. Orlina.

Austria, a Bacolod City-based sculptor, was recognized for her artwork entitled Pagtaguyod, a sculpture fabricated from stainless steel to form human figures of a family supporting each other as they rise.

Federal Land Inc. commits to continue supporting the cause of MBFI and MADe in empowering artists across the country and raising the general public’s appreciation of the arts.

Moreen Joy Austria's 'Pagtaguyod' sculpture is being considered to become a public art installation at Metro Park in Pasay City

“To see or not to see: that is the question.”

With apologies to shakespeare, the query is asked by one of the country’s foremost exponents of contemporary abstraction.

Eghai Roxas finds himself commendably endorsed in the position, by virtue of his conviction and competence, to sail into the netherworld of Apparitions.

That is the intriguing title of his solo exhibition at the Ricco Renzo Gallery. An apparition is the essence which is at the heart of abstraction: the art of being visible, an emergence from the non-physical, ethereal world, perceptible only by the senses as a spirit, a specter, a phantom, a ghost-like presence. In a word: an illusion.

Roxas was the first in the country to explore a species of non-representational art known as Abstract Illusionism, which emerged in the Us with the works of Frank Stella, Jules Olitski, Darby Bannard, and James Havard, among others. The phrase was coined by art historian and critic Barbara Rose, who observed the trending practice of evoking a three-dimensional space in a two-dimensional painting surface. This was achieved through the manipulation of perspective, depth and the simulation of shadows, creating effects known as trompe l’oeil (fool the eye).

These works disengage themselves from the physical world from which ironically they liberated themselves, dispersing their materiality both by a leap of the imagination and by residence in some optical space and transcendent time.

Roxas is a painting major at the UP College of Fine Arts. Aside from being a painter, he is also a percussionist and a performance artist. In the 70s, Roxas was a founding member of “Kaisahan,” a social realist movement that brought the overwhelming poverty and social injustice engendered by Martial Law to the public consciousness.

Conceived as Roxas’s homage to the memory of his close friend, the late art critic Dr. Reuben Canete, a means of communication into the Great Beyond, alluding to the statement of the

'Alternative Illusion' art philosopher Jeremy Gilbert-Rolfe: “Nonrepresentational art is some sort of medium through which the body thinks the world.” Through this show, Roxas invokes his lamented friend’s presence and absence, and of a friendship terminated by untimely death, and that is now, in the end, both real and illusion.

Apparition runs until Dec. 4 at Ricco Renzo Gallery, suite 206, LRI Design Plaza, 210 Nicanor Garcia st. (formerly Reposo), Bel Air 2, Makati City 1209.

For inquiries, call telephone number 8982545. Mobile: 0917-8135817.

'Suburbia 1' by Eghai Roxas

C2

FRIDAY, NOVEMABER 17, 2017

Mariel de Leon

James Reid

Did her lackluster performance cause her the crown? The social media savvy showbiz scion who represented the country at the recently concluded Miss International, failed to even place in the top 15. Netizens believe that it was her lack of enthusiasm on stage, her hideous national costume and her swimsuit performance, practically all the aspects of the pageant during its live show. Mariel surely did prepare for the pageant but there were girls who trained harder and shone brighter during the finals.

The singer/actor bested six other artists from the region after he was named Best Southeast Asian act at MTV EMAs 2017.

The fans of James, once again, displayed their support spending hours on their PCs and mobile devices voting and rallying for their idol to ensure that he got the coveted award. It’s useful that an artist has a legion of fans that would do everything to support their idol, and it’s a good thing when the person idolized is worth all their efforts.

ABS-CBN Station ID

The Lola’s Beautiful Show

The Kapamilya Network officially launched its highly anticipated Christmas Station ID on Monday. The star-studded “Just LOVE” music video that emphasizes the importance of spreading love during Christmas quickly went viral after it was uploaded online. As of this writing, its lyric video has already amassed five million views on YouTube, while the official music video that runs for nine minutes has been viewed more than 600 thousand times and is currently part of the trending videos on the popular video sharing site. In comparison, the other network’s station ID that features its prized star has not even crossed the million mark in terms of views since it was uploaded three weeks ago.

We wouldn’t be surprised if JoWaPao’s (Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola, and Paolo Ballesteros) late morning talk show gets the ax soon. Like its predecessors (The Ryza Mae Show and Trops), The Lola’s Beautiful Show is no longer the strong performer it once was. Each week (or each day), the show struggles with its ratings, scoring middling viewership compared to its rival.

Maybe, the audience has already seen what’s not beautiful in the show and that’s what the program producers need to find out if they are not ready yet to pull the plug.

Bubble Gang

PMPC Star Awards for TV The award giving body’s losing credibility is a known fact a long time ago and the members of the organization couldn’t care less to change this impression. They’re too busy thinking of what they can get out of the awards shows rather than creating a transparent and credible list of winners. You don’t need experts to explain why PMPC Awards, be it for TV or movies, are always marred by controversy, politics, and network bias. No wonder, only blind devoted fans still believe in what PMPC stands for.

The country’s longest-running comedy show is showing no signs of slowing down as it continues to stay relevant after more than two decades on air. As the show celebrates its anniversary this month via a two-part musical, Bubble Gang is teaching us that being a hit TV show is not just all about the ratings. It lasted 22 years because it’s a performer in the numbers game and it has cultivated an elusive success and appeal that transcend generations.

Mariella Laurel lives out her childhood dream MARIELLA Laurel comes from a family where music is a way of life. She grew up in it – the family lives and breathes songs, dances, and theater. The performing arts was and is a natural destination for her future.

She confirms, “Yes, it always has been a dream. I loved telling stories as a child, I loved watching shows, or being in control of how a story goes. The first time I performed for a big audience, I felt like I was floating in excitement and happiness, my heart was racing so fast. I also saw how happy my grandparents and Mom were. My passion to keep growing in it was there. I guess that’s when I knew I wanted to do it more and more.”

Today, she lives out that dream.

Mariella gets to try her hands not just with performing on stage, but with directing and co-producing an original musical revue featuring OPM’s most classic hits, billed I Remember A Boy under Artist Playground’s Playlist. On a limited engagement only, the show ran for one weekend (Nov. 11 and 12) at the Artist Playground Arts Above at 112 West Avenue in Quezon City.

Fondly called Yela by her family and close friends, she didn’t think the break would come this soon and she is grateful. “I teach kids musical theater every summer since I graduated in 2015, but haven’t gotten the chance to direct. That was more of a longterm goal and prayer,” she says.

And now that it is here, “I’ve always wanted to influence lives through my craft somehow. As a child, breaking out in song was normal, as I was given opportunities to perform I always keep it close to my heart. This time around, I get to influence by directing.”

She is proud to say that I Remember A Boy, from the musical direction of Jesse Lucas, is made by millenials for millenials as it aims to educate the younger audience of the beautiful and meaningful melodies of the 70s to the 90s. This fresh yet nostalgic story of love and friendship that transcends time features, along with Mariella, five other young, experienced and talented artists Kathleen Francisco, Cathrine Go, Philippe Go, Joe Henson and Miko Manguba.

Roeder Camanag, artistic director of Artist Playground was the one who gave Yela the break. He wanted to put up a second track for their concert series “Artist Playground playlist” for their music division but he originally wanted a Cabaret type of s h o w.

When Mariella came on board as a performer and director, the musical evolved into a revue because she felt that “singing songs with a story seemed more relevant for millenials. The writer and I interviewed the cast, got their real life stories and used the beautiful lyrics of classic OPM work with a relevant millennial storyline. Someone is carrying someone else’s truth, story, life. It’s been such a thrill,” Yela continued.

Mariella is taking everything in and learning so much. “ B e ing in

control of every aspect of the show has given me a chance to look at the bigger picture as well as put more importance in details. It’s teaching me how to be more patient, not only with people but more so with myself. I’m being trained and I know this is something I will do again. I am just so glad I am being guided by mentors.”

As she gets into the thick of things, Yela finds herself busier because she took on two more roles in another production for the holiday season. “I have started rehearsals for A Christmas Carol also. Personally, I had to learn how to further balance my time wisely. Rest is important because my health is being affected.”

It is at this juncture, where her Mom’s words of wisdom come into play. The proud daughter says of Ayen Muji Laurel, “She is my no. 1 influence. I’ve always looked up to her directing and her performances. And she always tells me to pray first. That I have to do my part by sharpening my craft through dance, voice and acting lessons, that I need to balance my time wisely and most of all, find time to rest.” Mariella, like the dutiful daughter that she is, takes those to heart and she discovers that truly, “Mothers know best.”

The future looks bright.

Five or 10 years from now, this budding actressdirector sees an even better version of herself.

“Married with children, still hard working and influencing people through my art -producing, directing, performing, and lastly, owning my own arts/production company,” she says with that wide-eyed look of expectation in her eyes.

Showbiz scion and budding stage director Mariella Laurel

Members and officers of the Philippine Navy with representatives from SKYDirect

SKY donates SKYDirect kits

to PH NAVY envoys in West Philippine Sea and Tawi-Tawi MEMBERS of the Philippine Navy who man outposts in remote areas will now have access to up-to-date news, relevant information, and entertainment, as SKY donated SKYdirect kits to 10 Philippine Navy detachments in the West Philippine Sea and in Tawi-tawi.

SKY Officials turned over the SKYdirect kits at the Philippine Navy Headquarters in Manila on Oct. 23, along with various donations gathered by the Citizens Support Your Navy Foundation. The kits and donations are set to reach the navy detachments by the end of October.

SKYdirect is the satellite TV service of SKY that gives Filipino families nationwide access to a rich line-up that boasts of a slew of news, learning, movie and lifestyle channels.

According to retired Vice Admiral Eduardo Ma. Santos, president and chairman of the Citizens Support Your Navy Foundation, marines from all over the country who were surveyed to find out what supplies and support they need the most ranked access to TV and entertainment among their topmost requests.

“Our marines are deployed for months at a time in these faroff islands, and rely on solar power and generators,” he said.

“They are cut-off from their families and have to battle the elements like strong winds, rains, and harsh sun. They have basic supplies, but donations like these help uplift their morale while on assignment to remote islands.”

SKYdirect Prepaid kits, which give viewers high definition access to its roster of channels, aim to help uplift the morale of members of the navy by giving them access to the roster of news, sports, and entertainment channels available via SKYdirect.

“Our friends at the foundation brought this to our attention, and we are honored to do be able to do our part in supporting the Philippine Navy. With the help of SKYdirect, our marines will be connected to quality information and entertainment as they face the elements,” said Antonio Ventosa, SKY Cable Corporation president and COO.

Motoring

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2017

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Suzuki launches new Vitara

Suzuki Ph executives flank the all-new Vitara

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COMPACT SUV produced by Suzuki since 1988, Suzuki recently launched the Fifth generation Vitara in grand fashion to claim their stake in the highly competitive domestic compact SUV market.

Known in Japan and in other markets as the “Escudo”, the latest iteration of the Vitara aims to lock horns with the Subaru Forester, Mazda CX-3, Honda CR-V, Nissan X-Trail, Ford Escape, and the Hyundai Tucson. Held at the Metrotent in Pasig City, the launch was headed by Suzuki Ph executives, banking executives, media personalities and members of the Vitara Club Ph.

As a reliable compact SUV with a history spanning three decades, the Vitara has endeared itself to a loyal customer base by its enhanced driving performance and off-road capabilities. In addition to its brutish appeal and technological innovations, the latest version remains consistent to the brand’s styling cues, which exudes a strong yet sophisticated design engineering.

“Equipped with the longest, and widest dimension in its class with the best radius performance, the features of the new Vitara are aimed at providing the best value in terms of design, performance and fuel efficiency. Setting it apart from competition, the subcompact

SUV allows drivers to freely express their individuality and personalize their vehicles with its wide array of colors and accessory packages,” said SPH Automobile Division General Manager Shuzo Hoshikura.

The new Vitara has an overall width of 1,775mm, height of 1,610mm, length of 4,175mm and a minimum ground clearance of 185mm, making it the longest and widest in its class with the best turning radius performance.

Boasting the lightest curb weight in its category, the new Vitara delivers enhanced fuel efficiency. The SUV’s updated 1.6-liter engine is designed to deliver the highest torque performance of 156Nm at 4,400rpm and

Vanquish S Ultimate: Flagship Super GT celebrated with stunning special edition

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AYDON: Vanquish. One of the world’s great Super GTs and the quintessential Aston Martin. To celebrate this much-loved and highlyacclaimed flagship as it enters the final phase of its production life, Aston Martin has created a very special model to bid a farewell: The Vanquish S Ultimate

Like the regular Vanquish S, the Ultimate edition is powered by Aston Martin’s legendary naturally-aspirated 6.0-litre V12. With 595bhp and a spectacular soundtrack, scintillating performance is guaranteed.

An 8-speed Touchtronic III automatic transmission gives an impressive combination of response and refinement, while 3-stage adaptive damping and carbon ceramic brakes complete a package born to deliver one of the great modern driving experiences.

Limited to just 175 cars worldwide, the Ultimate edition is available in Coupe or Volante form and is available in a choice of three exterior colour schemes which have been thoughtfully crafted by the Aston Martin design team. In addition to the specially created colour and trim packages there are a suite of details that are also unique to the Vanquish S Ultimate. These include carbon fibre side strakes featuring rose gold ‘Ultimate‘ decals, carbon fibre treadplates and an ‘Ultimate’ sill plaque, a special stitched quilting design

on the seats, plus ‘Ultimate’ headrest embroidery.

The first of these Designer Themes is a monochrome design that mates Ultimate Black paintwork - - a nod to the first generation Vanquish S Ultimate Edition, for which this colour was first created - with Copper Bronze graphics around the front air intake, along the side sills and on the rear diffuser.

Detailing includes black exhaust tailpipes, brake calipers, window trims and 5-spoke wheels, plus extensive use of carbon fibre for the bonnet louvres, front grille and side strakes. The interior features Obsidian Black leather with Chestnut Tan accents and stitching and carbon fibre twill facia.

The second Designer Theme takes inspiration from the look and materials used in technical sportswear. The striking combination of Xenon Grey paint and contrasting Cobalt Blue graphics combine perfectly with the Ultimate’s carbon fibre and black trim. Yellow brake calipers provide further contrast behind gloss black 5-spoke alloys. The

same family of exterior hues continue to the interior, where Electron Yellow accents and Spectral Blue stitching stand out against the Phantom Grey leather upholstery.

The third of the Designer Themes consists of cool White Gold paintwork and warm Bronze graphics working brilliantly with gloss black and carbon fibre exterior detailing. Chestnut Tan leather with Obsidian Black accents puts a contemporary twist on a traditional colour combination, while the spectacular cuprum carbon fibre facia is a visual delight.

In addition to the Designer Themes, customers can elect to combine any exterior scheme and interior package as a no-cost option.

Marek Reichman, Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer, said: “With the Ultimate Edition we have accentuated the Vanquish S’s unique blend of tradition, technology and craftsmanship with a selection of three bold exterior paint schemes and hugely appealing interior packages that make creative use of exciting materials.

Our design team has created three unique themes which unite an exterior and interior package, but we have been careful to ensure each exterior colour and interior theme work well together to offer our customers maximum choice”.

Aston Martin VP & Chief Sales Officer, Christian Marti said of the Vanquish S Ultimate Edition: “Since the Vanquish was first introduced it immediately established itself as the pinnacle of our series production range. It has since evolved into a truly formidable machine. As the much-loved and highly-acclaimed Vanquish S nears the end of production, we wanted to celebrate its success with a limited run of very special cars. The Ultimate edition perfectly captures the spirit of Vanquish and is sure to be sought after by collectors around the world”.

Priced at £211,995 (UK) / €278,995 (Germany) for the Vanquish S Ultimate Edition Coupe, and £223,995 (UK) / €293,995 (Germany) for the Volante, orders are now being taken with first deliveries scheduled for Q1 2018.

best maximum output in its class at 115hp at 6,000rpm. The newly developed 6-speed AT system ensures better response to the 1.6Lpetrol engine. These combined address the challenges of city driving and traffic through reduced friction, weight and idling speed, all toward achieving better fuel economy.

“Equipped with top of the line features, the new Vitara will enable the Filipino driving public to freely express their individuality through its unique design and a wide selection of colors to choose from. Apart from this, the Vitara is designed with enhanced safety features and superior fuel efficiency. Backed by all these features, we are hopeful

that the new Vitara will appeal to the Philippine market especially among millennials,” Suzuki Motor Corporation Global Automobile Planning Department General Manager Nobutaka Suzuki says.

The new Vitara comes in the following prices: (GLX – Php 1,048,000.00; GL+ Php 938,000.00 and GL (TBA) GLX variants are available in two-tone colors, namely Atlantis Turquoise Pearl, Horizon Orange Metallic, and Bright Red Metallic.

GL+ and GL variants are available in Cool white Pearl, Silky Silver Metallic, Galactic Gray Metallic, Cosmic Black Pearl Metallic and Atlantis Turquoise Pearl Metallic.

Dino Ray V. Directo III

CTEK bundle at Blade Autocenter WITH Christmas just around the corner, now is the time to buy your Dad or hubby the perfect gearhead gift this Yuletide season. Now available in Blade Autocenter stores located in SM, Robinsons and Ayala Malls nationwide, every car owner can now extend the life cycles of the car, SUV, motorcycles batteries with CTEK’s amazing bundles. Get savings of up to 28 percent with Bundles that contain a CTEK MXS 3.8 charger; one Bumper 60; one Comfort Indicator outlet and a limited edition CTEK Cooler Bag for just P5,310. The other two bundles have similar contents but has either the CTEK MCS 5.0 or the CTEK Time-To-Go smart charger that comes with a complimentary bag at priced at P5,990 from P7,645 and P7,260 from P9,600 respectively.

The CTEK’s line of car chargers include all the safety features such as insulated, spark-resistant clamp and an automated charging feature

that is programmed to prevent overloading your batteries, and the charger will automatically sense when the maximum charge has been delivered, then stop supplying power.

The CTEK charger also features a reverse polarity warning light that turns on if you have placed the clamps on the incorrect battery post. One of the best features of the CTEK car battery charger is its ability to charge nearly every battery type available. This includes the common acid-lead batteries found in most automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, golf carts, lawn mower and boats, and can also charge deep-cycle, gelcell and automated glass mat, or AGM batteries.

This battery booster automatically analyzes the charge and type of battery you connect it to, you can charge the batteries of your vehicle without worrying about using an incorrect setting or overcharging your battery.

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Edi tor DIN O DIREC TO III A ss t . Edi tor

C4

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2017

Motoring

The ‘Blue Power’ experience in Bohol

The centuries old Baclayon Church with the innovative Blue Power Isuzu vehicles The famed Chocolate Hills provide an excellent backdrop to Isuzu’s Blue Power Technology vehicles

Text and Photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

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FTER THE successful launch of its Blue Power technology in both the Luzon and Visayas regions, Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) recently shepherded a select group of motoring scribes to the historic Island of Bohol for a ride and drive event to highlight the latest versions of the MU-X and D-Max equipped with Isuzu’s Blue Power engines.

With IPC President Hajime Koso leading the contingent of Isuzu executives and motoring journalists, the convoy went around Bohol on a three-day exploratory tour of its tourist destinations and historic sights. “Our recent product introduction

wouldn’t be completed without putting these units to the test, and we couldn’t think of a better setting other than the very picturesque roads of Bohol. With its naturally hilly terrain, plus the combination of urban and rural roads—our Blue Power models

are sure to the perfect companion in this kind of drive,” said Koso.

This writer was assigned in MU-X number 2, with Botchi Santos of the Inquirer as my navigator, Ron delos Reyes of Malaya/Auto Review and Koso as my passengers throughout the three-day event. From the Tagbilaran Airport, we proceeded with the event by driving for three hours to Carmen, where the contingent stopped over Bohol’s most famous landmark, the Chocolate Hills. After lunch at a nearby restaurant, we drove through Bilar’s popular manmade forest road, where we appreciated the beautiful lay-out of the trees and lush greenery.

On our way to Amorita Resort in Panglao, we had a brief stop at the centuries old Baclayon

Church, which was currently under renovation after the earthquake which hit the province a few years ago.

Driving up and down the hills of Bohol is a breeze, thanks to the D-MAX’s new Hill Start Assist feature, while the Hill Descent Control which enable the driver to operate even at a steep terrain is available for both models – adding to its safety and driver assist features. The Blue Power D-MAX and mu-X now carries the new 4JJ1-TCX EURO 4 engine that can deliver up to 177 PS and has a maximum torque of 380 N-m. Engineered with Blue Power technology, these models are now capable of providing maximum engine output, superb fuel economy all the while maintaining Isuzu’s renowned engine durability.

Day two of Isuzu’s Bohol exploration took us to the Bohol Bee Farm, where a small community is a reflection of commercial success by way of harnessing the abundance of nature.

After an hour of touring the bee farm, gardens and sampling honey related delicacies, the highlight of the day was the Loboc River Cruise, wherein we had a sumptous feast of seafoods amid the visual delights of the Loboc River.

The new front fascia of the MU-X and the Blue Power engine technology is the perfect contrast to Bohol’s old World charm. As we were smitten by the natural wonders of the province, we were also impressed by the comfort features, ride quality and smooth power of both the DMax and MU-X equipped with

Blue Power technology.

“The Isuzu D-MAX and mu-X Blue Power carries our most advanced engine to date, coupled with the latest features in each segment, we are confident that these new models will satisfy the ever-changing demands of the Filipino market,” Koso added.

The 2018 Isuzu D-MAX prices are pegged at P1,320,000 for the D-MAX 3.0L LS 4x2 M/T; P1,390,000 for the D-MAX 3.0L LS 4x2 A/T; P1,650,000 for the D-MAX 3.0L LS 4x4 M/T; and P1,720,000 for the D-MAX 3.0L LS 4x4 A/T. The Isuzu mu-X prices start at P1,648,000 for the mu-X 3.0L LS-A 4x2 A/T; P1,958,000 for the mu-X 3.0L LS-A 4x4 A/T; additional P10,000 will be added for the Silky Pearl White color.

OWN A LIMITED EDITION SCUDERIA FERRARI BY MILI

The holidays just got better and brighter ALONG with the celebration of the 70th anniversary of Ferrari in the Philippines, MiLi mobile power solutions launched its limited edition FERRARI collection. This range is a collabo-

ration with Scuderia Ferrari (of Italy) as MiLi is now an official licensee for select power and smart storage products. Each piece has been carefully designed to showcase the iconic

look of Ferrari merchandise, in its signature red and black, with a cleanly stamped logo. The matte finish of the designs ups the ante for a premium look and feel.

The collection kicks off with three of the brand’s biggest product highlights. It features the MILI POWER MIRACLE III, a 10,000mah fast-charging dual-USB power bank with Qualcomm QuickCharge compatibility. This makes charging up to 4x faster for mobile devices with the Qualcomm chip. The line also includes 2 of the brand’s smart storage devices. The MILI IDATA PRO is a plug-and-play 32GB mobile storage drive to use for instant iPhone and Android back-up (no need to sync!), via the iData Pro app or OTG adapter, respectively. For those who live on wireless mobility, the MILI iDATA AIR offers the same convenient back-up capability, but through a dedicated WIFI connection. The iData Air is perfect for file-sharing, able to connect up to 7 devices simultaneously and comes in 32GB

storage capacity. Both smart storage devices are compatible with media files, documents, and in saving your contacts.

Just in time for holiday shopping, the MiLi x FERRARI collection drops online this

week at YourWShop.com. You can also visit the official MiLi Philippines Facebook page to order: www.facebook.com/ MiLiPhilippines and follow the official Instagram account at @MiLiPhil.