The Standard - 2015 March 01 - Sunday

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK VOL. XXIX  NO. 17  3 Sections 24 Pages P18  SUNDAY: MARCH 1, 2015  www.manilastandardtoday.com  mst@mstandardtoday.com

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Festival Season

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Thank you, Mr. Spock

ARMY OFFENSIVE KILLS 24 SAYYAF Basilan church blast an ASG diversionary tactic Next page

BAGUIO IN BLOOM. The Summer Capital on Saturday makes way for street dancing competition along the city’s main streets with students clad in colorful and elaborate costumes taking part in one of the highlights of the annual Panagbenga flower festival. DAVID CHAN (More on A8)

GRIM IRONY.

A building catches fire on Araneta Avenue in Quezon City on the eve of March 1, just as the Fire Prevention Month is about to set in.

MANNY PALMERO

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A2 Belmonte unmoved By trial Balloon

By Maricel V. Cruz NO way, was still Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.’s answer to the trial balloon of government peace negotiator Miriam CoronelFerrer for Congress to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law in time for President Benigno Aquino III’s last State of the Nation address in July.

“Some amendments are clearly needed. It is impossible to approve it as is,” Belmonte told The Standard in a text message, adding that there’s no way for the House of Representatives to pass the controversial BBL by June.

Belmonte said the June 11 deadline set by the 75man ad hoc committee in the House handling the controversial BBL may not be attainable given the complexities of some provisions in the measure that are said to be unconstitutional.

Belmonte reiterated that the House will not pass a peace pact that is not constitutionally compliant and it cannot approve the BBL as earlier proposed by Malacanang and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“They have a super majority in the House so they can railroad the BBL, but I have reason to believe that because of the transcendental importance of this measure, there will be a conscience vote that could torpedo the ‘tyranny of the majority’,” said Abakada party-list Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz, member of the House Independent Bloc of Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

“We hope the House leadership will act in a responsible and patriotic manner. We will try our best in the best interest of our country and people, to make this controversial bill conform and adhere to the Constitution,” de la Cruz added.

NEWS

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army offensive kills 24 sayyaf

By Francisco Tuyay

AN improvised bomb exploded at the gate of a church at Lamitan City in Basilan as security forces pressed an offensive in neighboring Sulu island with the toll rising to 24 extremists and two soldiers dead, officials said.

No one was hurt in the explosion at the main gate of the St. Peter Parish Church in Lamitan City at 9:30 p.m.

Friday, but security officials said the blast may be part of an attempt to ease the attack on Abu Sayyaf militants which entered its fifth day on Saturday.

Ten Abu Sayyaf militants were killed in a twohour clash on Friday after the army pounded their jungle lair in Patikul, Sulu with artillery and helicopter gunships, said Colonel Alan Arrojado, who is leading the assault.

Another 14 rebels and two troops had been killed since the fighting erupted on Tuesday, he said.

Battles were raging in

the mountainous and thickly forested villages of Patikul, an area controlled by Abu Sayyaf, a group of a few hundred gunmen with links to the Al-Qaeda network.

The militants were reportedly moving with three Malaysian Jemaah Islamiyah members who were providing them with bombmaking training, military spokesman Colonel Restituto Padilla told AFP. “This (assault) will not stop until we put an end to the Abu Sayyaf,” Padilla said.

The Malaysians have been “monitored for some time” he said.

The Abu Sayyaf in the past have harboured JI

militants, including Umar Patek and Dulmatin, key suspects in the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings that killed 202 people.

At the same time, the military admitted on Saturday that their operating in Maguindanao province was also meant to search for four Indonesians and an Arab who are believed to be terrorists under the protection of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

“There are four Indonesians who are inside Maguindanao now who are with [Abdul Basit Usman].

We are after them and the BIFF who are harboring them,” Sixth Army Infantry Division commander Major General Edmundo Pangilinan told reporters.

Pangilinann said they are also investigating reporters that an “Arabianlooking” man was also seen in the company of the BIFF in Shariff Aguak, Pagatin, Mamasapano, and Salibo towns.

Pangilinan said the five

foreigners are believed to be propagating jihadism among Islamist militants, some of whome have been identified to be young students of Islamic schools in the area.

Military sources said the bombing in Lamitan may be meant to divert the attention of security forces since it was the second time the St. Peter Parish Church along Quezon Boulevard in Barangay Maganda was bombed.

The first time was in 2010 when local police foiled a plan to bomb the church and defused an improvised explosive device a few meters away from the church.

The police said the explosion on Friday caused some panic among residents, but security forces were immediately deployed to the area and there was no follow attempt.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Lamitan police chief Senor Inspector Gean Gallardo said they are looking

into the bomb signature and possible motives.

The church cure, Fr. Pascual Benitez, theorized that he may have been the target of the bomb because it was placed at a gate he frequently uses when he leaves the church’s convent. He had just returned from dinner and was watching television when the blast occurred.

Meanwhile, Isabela Bishop Martin Jumoad condemned the blast as the “work of evil people.”

“Let us not drag religion to let it appear that there is tension between Muslim and Catholics,” said the bishop, who declined to comment if there were any links to the stand of most Lamitan residents to oppose inclusing in the proposed Bangsamoro region.

“Let us respect each other because the only way to peace is through peaceful ways. I ask all people to pray more so that on this season of lent the lord will guide our feet into the way of peace,” the bishop said.

Reject the BBL. Leaders of the “Solidarity for Sovereighty” group, incuding former Moro Islamic Liberation Front spokesman Eid Kabalu, raise their fists to protest objectionable provisions in the Bangsamoro Basic law after a meeting at the Club Filipno in san Juan City, MANNY PALMERO

‘Pinoys Believe aquino is still hiding truth on mamasaPano’

By Dexter A. See BAGUIO CITY – Filipinos still believe that President Benigno Aquino III is still hiding sensitive matters about the Mamasapano massacre and the best thing for him to do is to admit his mistakes so that the healing of the wounds could start, a lawmaker said on Saturday.

“The public is expecting much from the President

to set an example in telling the truth and acknowledging full responsibility for the incident so as not to keep everyone guessing along the sidelines,” Romualdez stressed.

Romualdez, one of the guests during the grand street-dancing parade of the 20th Panagbenga festival, said the healing of wounds cannot start until the questions of the families of the

44 slain commandos and the Filipino people are answered.

He said the flimsy excuses of Palace officials only sow more confusion and spawn even more questions that eventually lead to the suspicion that police and military officials are covering up the direct involvement of Aquino in the incident.

“We must listen to everyone who has direct knowledge about the incident. Let us not

limit ourselves to who are involved in the incident. Let us not keep our people waiting because it might result to other matters beyond our control,” Romualdez said.

The congressman said the results of the police board of inquiry investigation will still be considered ‘half-baked’ because their jurisdiction is limited only to operations and what people want is the truth.

Romualdez said the Presi-

dent should not keep the public guessing on the circumstances that led to the Mamasapano massacre because it will create an avenue of distrust among leaders of the nation.

He also expressed disappointment over the decision of the House leadership to suspend the hearings on the Mamasapano massacre, saying the House leadership made a decision that is only

leading people to presume that congressmen are in cahoots with Malacañang to cover-up the whole incident.

Since the proposal to create a Truth Commission passed on second reading in the Senate, Romualdez said proponents of the Truth Commission in the House will increase because of the groundswell of demands for the truth on the Mamasapano massacre.

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NEWS

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DON’T BE COLD AND CALLOUS BINAY ALSO URGES HOUSE ARREST FOR ELDERLY, AILING ENRILE Vice President Jejomar Binay added his voice in the appeal to allow former Senate President Jun Ponce enrile to place the ailing senator under house arrest.

Several lawmakers has earlier support a House resolution appealing to the Sandiganbayan to allow house arrest for Enrile.

The resolution has been making the rounds among opposition and administration lawmakers and was expected to get huge support from all political blocs in the Lower House.

In a statement, Binay said opposing house arrest for Enrile “is cold and callous.”

“It opens government to charges that it lacks compassion for the sick and elderly. It also reinforces the widely-held view of selective justice under the present administration and invites criticisms that political opponents are treated harshly Binay said.

Binay said that the 91-year old senator needs medical attention for several ailments and medical conditions that go with his advanced age.

Enrile has been confined at the Makati Medical Center since Thursday, after suffering from pneumonia. His visitors have been limited to relatives and doctors.

Enrile had been detained at the Philippine National Police General Hospital in Camp Crame since last year on graft and plunder charges stemming from the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam.

“His on-going bout with pneumonia shows the fragility of his physical state. House arrest for him would be the compassionate thing to do,” he said.

Binay also urged the government to show compassion to former President Arroyo who likewise seeking a house arrest.

Looking back. Vice President Jejomar Binay and photojournalist Sonny Camarillo reminisce their activities during the 1986 People Power Revoluion at a photo exhibit of digitized pictures from the period at the Fairview Terraces mall in Quezon City. REVoLi coRTEZ

“She is also of frail health. Her petition for house arrest is being opposed by government prosecutors and her case has barely moved in court. The fact that the former president is a political opponent should not deprive her of the compassion that should be extended to all detainees similarly situated, regardless of political affiliation,” the Vice President said.

SIMPLER PROCESS SPURS COUPLES TO CONSIDER ADOPTING CHILDREN ABANDONED children are expected to finally find “new homes” after scores trooped to adoption desks set up last week in several SM malls and inquired about the adoption process.

DSWD records show there are still more than 1,500 children still waiting to be adopted.

Since RA 9523 or the “Declaration of a Child Legally Available for Adoption,” was signed in 2009, the DSWD has issued 4,107 certifications declaring a child is legally available for adoption. Of the said number, 623 children were placed for local adoption while 1,959 were cleared for inter-country adoption.

Under the new law, declaration of abandonment of a child requires a certification signed by the DSWD secretary in lieu of a judicial order. The time before a child is considered abandoned has been reduced to three months from six months, while the period for the child to be declared legally available for adoption has been limited to less than two months from up to three years in court proceedings.

The adoption help desks were manned by representatives from the DSWD, DOH, DepEd, and DILG. This year’s team is dubbed “Legal na Ampon Ako: Anak na Totoo” (A Child finds worth in legal adoption) which highlights the benefits of legally available children being adopted rather than staying in orphanages or children’s center.

Royce Cabunag, Program Director of the SM Cares Committee on Children, said SM Cares’ goal of wanting to help children find new homes is the reason behind the project.

“Having a home is the best gift that a child could receive and we want to help these children find their homes. This is part of our commitment to serve the community, this part of our commitment to help safeguard the rights of the children,” he said.

He said there are still many misconceptions about adoption which make people wary of going through it. Hence, in

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providing a venue through the SM Cares program, this allowed a more informed public in finding the right match for both parents and the child.

Contrary to popular perception, she said the adoption process had been shortened and simplified through The participating SM malls were Rosales, Tarlac, Clark, Pampanga, Baliwag, Cauayan, Baguio, Marilao, Olongapo, Megamall, Fairview, Marikina, North Edsa, Mall of Asia, Manila, Cebu, Consolacion, Bacolod, Iloilo and Davao.

He noted the stigma on adoption among childless couple is still prevalent due to lack of knowledge on the process and concerns about the history of the child. In order to erase and clarify these and other misconceptions, retail giant SM Supermalls, though its corporate social responsibility division SM Cares, teamed up with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to hold the Adoption Consciousness Week in selected SM malls all over the country. Macon Ramos-Araneta

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opinion [ EDITORIA L ]

Resilience in concRete teRms Francois hollande, the president of France, came to the Philippines last week to see for himself the damage wrought by typhoon Yolanda, international name haiyan, in november 2013.

Together with his team, Mr. hollande visited the municipality of Guiuan in eastern samar where the monster howler made first landfall on that day.

The typhoon, said to be the strongest typhoon to hit land in history, killed thousands and displaced millions of Filipinos not only in the eastern side of the country but across the central Philippines, along the so-called Yolanda corridor.

Mr. hollande also made a loan offer, through the French Development agency, of 50 million euros -- roughly $56.6 million -- to fund projects to prevent further disasters in the Philippines.

The next climate change negotiations will take place in Paris later this year, after countries of the world agreed in Lima, Peru last December to come up with firm commitments on cutting their greenhouse gas emissions. What will be agreed upon in Paris, if the negotiators manage to come up with a binding agreement at all, will affect the lives of billions of people. in the Manila call to action on climate change, both Presidents hollande and Benigno aquino iii underlined the urgency of addressing climate change seriously, efficiently and equitably.

Both leaders acknowledged that countries which are most vulnerable to the climate change, like the Philippines, contributed the least to the centuries-long build up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Yet, they suffer the most because of their lack of ability to mitigate, prepare for and respond to these events, as well as rehabilitate themselves after disasters.

Developed and developing countries in a position to help must do so, especially in enabling vulnerable nations to achieve adequate means for implementation of their resilience plans. “resilient” has been a word used to describe the Filipinos spirit especially in dealing with unfortunate events like disasters. The word has to have meaning in more concrete terms. it must refer to individuals, communities, local governments and a nation prepared to minimize the effects of natural and man-made calamities through careful planning and deliberate, pro-active steps.

Learning from a mistake ARE WE THERE YET? BONG C. AUSTERO There was not much of a people’s celebration last Wednesday when the country commemorated the 29th anniversary of the people power uprising.

People were not in the mood to sing the anthems about freedom and unity and love

of country that used to bind us together as a people. There was no yellow confetti that rained from windows of buildings, no yellow ribbons tied around trees, and hardly anyone among the key figures in the first people power revolt showed up.

There was instead lots of cursing and gnashing of teeth from ordinary people who were greatly inconvenienced by the monstrous traffic jam created by the celebration. i don’t think the traffic jam last Wednesday was

really the problem; we’ve put up with far worse traffic jams in the past.

People just didn’t like the idea of expressing solidarity with Benigno s. aquino iii on anything at this point- even on something as momentous and significant as the commemoration of the people power revolution. it’s already sad that we seemed to have lost sight of the ideals of eDsa; sadder still is the fact that many seem to think that the

How do we make sure that we do not repeat this in 2016?

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

adellechua@gmail.com

A5

CHASING HAPPY ADELLE CHUA

A STAGE MOM’S GUIDE TO THE PROM

spirit of EDSA can be summoned at any time by just anyone with a cause. Not that we blame them, particularly those keeping a moist eye on the presidency. Of the five presidents that we’ve had after Ferdinand Marcos, four rose to power on the wings of EDSA. Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos were catapulted to power because of EDSA 1. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo became President because of EDSA 2. Benigno Aquino was basically a product of the EDSA

Standard TODAY Manila

spirit. On the other hand, Marcos and Joseph Estrada fell from power through EDSA. But perhaps herein lies our problem.

We seemed to have conditioned ourselves into thinking that the presidency of this country is truly a matter of destiny; that they rise to power through the confluence of a number of factors all coming together at the perfect time for the perfect person.

Perhaps it is time for all of us to really come to terms with the fact

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that the presidency is a job that requires more than just luck. Being president requires a certain set of competencies; that the problems that face us as a nation are quite complex requiring more than just integrity and credibility.

I know we’re not in the mood for reminiscing now, but perhaps it is worth noting that there was a time, not so long ago it seems, when most people in this country truly believed that Aquino was th e perfect person Next page

MST Management, Inc. Philip G. Romualdez Arnold C. Liong Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Jocelyn F. Domingo Ron Ryan S. Buguis

FIRST, tell yourself that you have to keep it together.

If you fail to handle this well, you will alienate a loved one, ruin her rite of passage, develop some wrinkles and white hair, or, horrors, overeat. Enjoy the ride. You’re the cool one, remember?

Strike a balance between caring and not caring too much. Remember that for all her show of independence, your ninth grader is still a kid who needs her mother’s guidance and attention. At the same time, this is her prom, not yours.

Repeat after me: “this is her prom, not mine.”

Be prepared to start the process just after the New Year holidays. The Internet presents an unlimited source of ideas.

You will never run out of inspirations; the problem is that you may never be able to settle on one. Ask your daughter who her life peg, role model, girl crush, or however they call it these days, is.

What’s the look? Is there a theme? Is there a favorite hue?

Anticipate endless hours of searching for “that perfect prom gown” but convince your kid that just like in real life, there is no The One. There are Numerous Possible Ones depending on where you look and how much you are willing to compromise. The trick is narrowing your field and deciding if the one you choose is realistic, doable. Give her a deadline to settle on a design. You have to beat the rush, and besides, you can only take so much of the tiresome conversation on what the perfect gown should look like.

Feel lucky that there is a seamstress in the same townhouse complex where you live. You don’t know anything about fabric so don’t even pretend you do. See if the seamstress occasions good vibes; if she does, rest your fate into her able hands. Show her the photos stored in your phone. Arrange it so that she would be the one to shop for the material. Admit that you would be useless in a trip to Divisoria. Cross your fingers that she would charge you “kapitbahay rates” , but prepare to shell out a few (very few!) thousands anyway. Agree to return for the first fitting in three weeks.

Be thankful that your other daughter has shoes of the same shade of salmon pink. And that the look that the gown calls for is bare, understated, elegant. No need to shop for accessories.

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Ma. Editha D. Angeles Advertising Manager Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

Next page Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joel P. Palacios Francis Lagniton Arman Armero Leo A. Estonilo Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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OPINION adellechua@gmail.com

AlwAys spock, AlwAys humAn By stephen carter “STAr Trek” premiered the year I started seventh grade, and lasted exactly as long as my time in junior high school. I can’t speak to what happened elsewhere, but at Alice Deal Junior High in Washington, the boys were falling all over themselves to imitate Mr. Spock.

It wasn’t his lack of emotion that we admired -- at least, looking back, I don’t think so -- but his struggle with emotion, his determination to remain in control of his feelings rather than letting them control him.

In other words, the half-Vulcan, half-human Spock reminded us adolescents of ourselves. One of the very last episodes of the show, “The Way to Eden,” played on the affection Spock generated among the young, when he alone is able to empathize with the guitarplaying hippies the Enterprise takes aboard.

Plus, he was always right. We liked that, too.

Leonard Nimoy, who died Friday at the age of 83, wrote later in his poignant memoir, “I am Not Spock,” about his efforts after the show was cancelled to escape the beloved character he had created. He told the story of visiting a college campus, and meeting a young woman who got upset when he couldn’t use his Vulcan powers on her. Maybe she was kidding around, maybe she was disturbed, maybe she was flirting. But the encounter depressed him.

For a while, Nimoy tried to escape. He joined the cast of “Mission Impossible” for two years, did some legitimate theater, and appeared in a series of forgettable films.

But what revived his career was the move of “Star Trek” to the big screen. After the deadly dull “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” in which Spock had little to do, Nimoy sparkled in Nicholas Meyer’s “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” widely regarded by Trekkers as the best Trek film of them all. He directed, wonderfully, the next feature, “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock,” in which he barely appeared. His next directorial outing, “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home,” was less successful cinematically, largely because it was so weighed down by its own save-thewhales seriousness. But Nimoy’s acting was brilliant, as he wandered 20th-century San Francisco, fully in Spock character, and nobody noticed anything odd about him.

Or not until it turned out that he could talk to the whales.

“Star Trek V: The Final Frontier,” was designed as a showcase for Nimoy, but the story was too weak to hang together, and Laurence Luckinbill, as Spock’s half-brother Sybok, pretty much acted circles around everyone else. The final film for the original series, “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country,” was written

by Nimoy, and included enough clever plot twists to keep the audience guessing. But by then the cast was a bit long in the tooth, and it was time to hand off to the films to “The Next Generation.”

And yet even as the Trek franchise spread, Nimoy’s tracks were everywhere. He pretty much invented what the Vulcans were like, and Vulcans kept popping up -- as regulars in “Enterprise” and “Voyager,” and as the insistent undercurrent in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” where Commander Data, as the android who wanted to be a human, offered a lighter and less divided version of the character Nimoy had created.

NIMOY The Vulcans were crucial if largely hidden players in “Star Trek: First Contact” -- the only really good film from “The Next Generation” universe -- and are ubiquitous, and vital, in the many Trek video and novels.

Trekkers were delighted when Nimoy showed up as a major character in J.J. Abrams’s 2009 reboot of the franchise, and the handoff of the role to Zachary Quinto was accomplished with elegance and grace. Quinto, for his part, is so letter-perfect that he sometimes seems to be playing Nimoy as much as playing Spock.

Not long afterward, Nimoy announced that he was done playing Spock. The decision was easy to understand, but lifelong Trekkers like myself could hardly believe it. By then we all knew about the alcoholism he suffered through while starring in the original series, and the struggles in his personal life.

But his retirement from the screen was like losing a friend; and his death, although not entirely unexpected, has hit Trekker Universe hard.

There’s a lovely moment near the end of “Amok Time,” consistently ranked by fans as one of the best episodes of the original series. Spock has gone home to Vulcan, thinking he is going to mate with T’Pring, his betrothed. Instead, she claims the ritual of kal-if-fee, leading to a series of events that conclude with Spock believing that he has killed James Kirk, his commanding officer and best friend. As Spock prepares to return to the Enterprise, Vulcan power-broker T’Pau offers the familiar “Live long and prosper.” Spock, certain that he is to be court-martialed and executed, replies, “I will do neither.” But of course Kirk isn’t really dead, and Spock lives on, and prospers. As did Nimoy.

We older Trekkers will miss him, and I hope the younger fans will too. Not just the original series but the entire franchise would have been impossible without Nimoy’s fantastic and inspiring work during a period of more than four decades.

Bloomberg

LEaRNING... From A4 for the presidency because of what he stood for. The lesson has been hammered down once again, and hopefully, more effectively this time around - good intentions are truly not good enough. There is more to leadership than just the

desire to do good; that a country cannot rise to greater heights on the wings of anti-corruption efforts, no matter how successful they may seem.

Aquino’s many failures as a leader deserve condemnation. But we

must share responsibility for his presidency as well. He was freely elected by millions of Filipinos. So the more important question we must ask at this point is this: How do we make sure that we do not repeat this mistake in 2016?

a STaGE... From A5 Brace yourself for The Promposal.

If you’ve never heard of what a promposal is, beat yourself. See your daughter come home from school one day carrying a bouquet of flowers, a box of chocolates, and different colored cartolinas. Listen to the details of how she was led by her friends into the school garden, with everybody suppressing a giggle, and how on cue, the boy whose existence you are keenly aware of, sprang the question: “Will you be my prom date?”

Take some lipitor in advance when the same boy comes to your house one weekend to “formally” introduce himself to the family, with a roll of chocolate cake in hand. Smile. Ask about his parents, his plans for college. Hear the Ate and the Kuya inquire about his taste in music and books and movies. Secretly admire the boy’s manners-- and audacity.

On the day of the prom, try to secure a leave from the office. If not, make arrangements to miss meetings, or to work online or in advance. Confirm the home-service appointment with the “parlorista.”

Get ready for the clutter that will ensue in your living room. See the girl, all made up, run upstairs, put her gown on, and present herself.

Time freezes -- ah, a “Kodak” moment.

Take more pictures, all family members posing with the girl. Go out into the highway to flag a cab and then bring the cab back home to her. Don’t wait for her prom date or other friends with cars to pick her up. She can she can get to where she needs to be on her own (okay,with your help), thank you very much.

Bring her safely to the prom venue, and take a few more photos of the lovely pair. Crane your neck to watch the cotillon de honor, the only activity parents are allowed to watch. And then walk away.

Find a 24/7 restaurant or coffee shop where you can camp out and spend the rest of the evening working. Be surprised that your other kids decide to do the same thing. Enjoy dinner and revel at how they have elected to turn this into a family affair...on a Friday night. Wonder what is going on at the prom every few minutes. At midnight, head back to where you left your daughter, pile yourselves into a taxi, and head home.

In the next few days, revel in the photos taken of your little girl.

Wonder how it is possible she could have grown so fast. Blink twice, and blink hard, if there is anything you might have missed.

Finally, congratulate yourself. Your girl just had her prom—and you’re some woman for surviving it all. adellechua@gmail.com

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NEWS

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ROADSHOW TEAM WITH SAF 44 FAMIlIES. The organizers of the Tribute to SAF 44 led by former President Fidel V. Ramos, former DILG Secretary and Tagaligtas producer Rafael Alunan III, Silver Linings authors Reynaldo V. Velasco and Melandrew T. Velasco with the Media Touchstone Ventures, Inc. staff join family members representing the SAF 44 at the February 26 ‘Gone but not Forgotten’ event at Camp Crame.

PIo RotaRians, businessmen ISAbeLA TAkeS RAPS FAkInG extend aid to saF 44 kin FoR DoCuMenTS After the massacre of 44 Special Action force commandos in Mamasapano in Maguindanao last January 25, rotarians of District 3780 and several business groups and corporations donated P2-million to the bereaved families during an event held at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Quezon City on thursday.

The event entitled “Gone, But Not Forgotten: Tagaligtas” was a special tribute to the fallen SAF commandos.

Former President Fidel V. Ramos, the SAF founder, accompanied the families in their acceptance of the donations.

The donations include livelihood packages in the form of “Tindahan ni Aling Puring” worth P1.4 million or.P25,000 each for the

families from Puregold Price Club Inc. led by its president Leonardo Dayao.

ACT CIS Party List Rep. and Rotary International District 3780 Governor Samuel D, Pagdilao Jr., a pioneer SAF officer, led some 80 Rotarians in handing the pooled P440,000 donations or P10,000 each for every victims’ family. The Rotary fund drive started last January 27 while District 3780 held its Mid-Year Conference in Boracay as Pagdilao appealed to the 102 clubs and officers to contribute and help the families of the victims.

Other business groups who handed their donations included the Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and employers Confederation of the Philippines. Disney stuffed toys, proven to be therapeutic, were also given to the children and siblings of the victims from the Amazing Grace Foundation Inc. led by Maritess and Harry Limtong.

The special tribute organized by the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation, Inc and Media Touchstone Ventures, Inc. also featured the documentary “Tagaligtas”

and the book “Silver Linings.”

“Tagaligtas” is a one-hour video documentary produced by former Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Rafael Alunan 3rd on the PNP-SAF and the crucial roles that they play in securing the people from coups, insurgency, terrorism and crime.

Meanwhile, the “Silver Linings” book, written by Melandrew Velasco, detailed the untold stories from the perspective of the military and police personnel who played important roles in the 1986 eDSA People Power Revolution.

According to Velasco, Silver Linings also touched on the exploits of the SAF officers and men who care so much for their beloved country.

“If there is one central message that the book wants to convey to every Filipino, it is the virtue of hope that despite all the challenges and tribulations that our countrymen and countrywomen experience, there is always hope for a better and brighter Philippines,” Velasco concluded.

‘VISAyAS STIll REElIng FROM TypHOOn DAMAgE’

By Maricel V. Cruz A MeMBeR of the Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives has sought congressional probe of the extent and nature of damage brought about by typhoons Ruby and Seniang in eastern Visayas, still reeling from the catastrophic impact of super typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

Anakpawis Rep. Fernando Hicap, in filing House Resolution 1950, asked the House committees on poverty alleviation, good government and national defense and security to determine the amount and forms of government support needed for a comprehensive and sustained relief and rehabilitation program in the region.

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“A year after Yolanda and Pope Francis’ visit was concluded, the tragedy victims are again neglected,” Hicap said, stressing that the resolution was a result of a series of consultations between Anakpawis and the Samahan han Gudti nga Parag-uma ha Sinirangan Bisayas, SAGUPA-SB (Alliance of Peasants in eastern Visayas) and People’s Surge alliance of typhoon victims.

Hicap said based on reports of SAGUPA-SB and People Surge, government estimates on damages of typhoons Ruby and Seniang were lower than what was the actual figure.

He said the groups contradicted the National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Coun-

cil’s damage assessment in eastern Visayas and claimed that, based on their community-based data gathering, typhoon Ruby’s damage to agriculture alone amounted to more than P22 billion, particularly for coconut crops at more than P11.8 billion, for abaca at more than P500 million, for rice crops at more than P2.7 billion, and for other crops at more than P7 billion.

Typhoon Seniang’s damage to agriculture meanwhile amounted to more than P450 million, he added.

The NDRRMC said typhoon Ruby’s damage to agriculture was at a much lower figure or just around P1.7 billion, while typhoon Seniang damage to agriculture was pegged at P370 million.

“There was a big gap between the estimates of the victims and the government; let us not be surprised that they, the neglected victims are demanding for Aquino’s resignation,” Hicap said.

SAGUPA-SB had joined the nationwide demand for Aquino’s resignation saying the the president has criminally neglected millions of typhoon victims not just in eastern Visayas.

“President Aquino has yet to redeem himself from typhoon Yolanda and Pablo victims, and now, Ruby and Seniang, if we allow him to remain as president and another calamity arises, the masses across the country would be condemned to a worse state of poverty, hence, he must be pressed to resign,” Hicap added.

By Brenda Jocson ILAGAN CITY, Isabela—A case of falsification of public documents was filed against the provincial information officer here according to the Civil Service Commission in Tuguegarao City in Cagayan.

Jessie James Geronimo, Isabela Provincial Information Officer, was acused of tampering with his civil service eligibility examination result (career professional) from a failing grade of 17.0 to 92.6 to enable him to pass the qualifying mark in the October 2013 examinations.

Geronimo, a recomendee of Isabela Provincial Administrator Noel Manuel Lopez, was an office staff in the provincial administrator’s office in 2012 when he was promoted to his current post.

He was appointed as the provincial information officer in an officer-in-charge capacity after former PIO Alvin Paraz passed away in 2013 due to heart ailment.

The CSC said being a full time department head, the provincial information position requires an eligibility to qualify in the position.

Geronimo took the examination in October 2013 but got a very low result and failed to reach the 70 percent qualifying average, the CSC said.

In a nationwide program launched by the CSC to check on government employees’ performance, educational records through 201 file, seminars and trainings to find out if employees are suited to their functions, Geronimo was found to be not qualified, the CSC said.

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SUNDAY: MARCH 1, 2015

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

agoo’s basilica wall saved from demolition

By Dexter See

AGOO, La Union – The National Commission for Culture and the Arts has stopped the demolition of a walled fence near the Agoo Basilica, one of the treasures of the Catholic Church in this province.

Workers started demolishing the fence but the Church, led by Bishop Rodolfo Beltran, obtained a “cease and desist order ” from the NCCA. The Department of Public Works and Highways and representatives of the construction firm working for the road widening project questioned the CDO because it was issued by the NCCA without conducting an inspection of the area or a hearing on the church complaint.

The fence, which encroached on more than three meters in the ‘road right of way,’ will hamper the ongoing construction and widening

of the national highway, the DPWH said.

Felipe De Leon, NCCA chairman, issued the CDO against the demolition of the fence of the Plaza dela Virgen owned by the Agoo Basilica after representatives from the Diocese of San Fernando, La Union filed a complaint.

The CDO was issued a day before the DPWH was to give a ‘notice to proceed’ to the construction firm to start the project.

De Leon gave credence to the claim of the Catholic Church that the concrete fence has cultural and historical importance.

De Leon cited in his CDO that based on the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, all structures at least 50 years old are considered important cultural property and entitled to protection against demolition.

A veteran lawyer and a resident of Agoo said that the fence was built only after the 1990 killer quake which devastated this town and it’s not a significant structure because it is hazardous to travelers. The resident said it already caused several accidents in the area.

“It (fence) has become a urinating area and a garbage receptacle. It has no important historical background because it endangers human lives and violates the National Highway Act,” the lawyer said.

DANCING IN THE STREETS.

studentparticipants in the panagbenga street dancing competition make their moves on saturday, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the baguio flower festival.

DAVID CHAN

Bishop Beltran, in his letter to De Leon, said that they opposed the move because they find it absurd for anybody to apply to a property of cultural value and heritage the DPWH’s widening project.

Roy Aruta, DPWH project engineer, said the project was implemented after the DPWH district and regional offices and the provincial assessor’s office of La Union conducted separate surveys and measurement in the area covered by the road widening.

The encroachment of the fence on the national road was also confirmed by the Churchdeputized engineer who also conducted survey and measurement along the project.

“The Church’s survey found out that the fence has overshootby three meters the 20-meters road right of way, an engineer said.

Aruta said they will abide by the CDO and willsuspend the demolition of the fence.

Representative Eufanio Eriguel, speaking in behalf of the local government of Agoo, said he wanted a consultation with all the parties concerned to clarify issues surrounding the project.

He said the project was bidded out on January 22 and the ‘notice to proceed’ was issued on Feb. 20 while the CDO was issued Feb. 21.

npa men set fire to dump truck in surigao

By Alvin T. Guanzon BUTUAN CITY- Suspected members of the New People’s Army burned a six-wheeler dump truck on Wednesday evening in Tandag City in Surigao del Sur, the venue of the recently concluded 17th Caraga Regional Athletic Meet.

At the time of the incident, the annual athletic event attended by nearly 5,000 athletes and Education officials from provinces and cities of Caraga Region were still in Tandag City as the sports competition was about to finish.

Tandag City, the provincial capital of Surigao del Sur, is 200 kilometers away from Butuan City. Caraga’s regional center.

The Tandag City Police Office said the dump truck owned by a certain Celestino Sales of Tandag City was loaded with sand and gravel.

Police said prior to the burning incident, armed men were seen gathering dried coconut leaves along the provincial road in Sitio Mantaya, Barangay Pandanon, Tandag City that day.

When the dump truck passed the area, it was flagged down by four men armed with high caliber firearms, police said.

The suspects ordered the truck driver and his helpers to step down then torched the heavy equipment.

Insurgency, decades-old problem in one of the poorest regions in the country, was being fueled by poverty and social injustice, an oficial said.

Caraga Region abounds with mineral resources and its agricultural lands produce a wide array of vegetables, fruits and rice.

us envoy wowed by flower festival BAGUIO CITY – The magnitude of the Panagbenga, popularly known as the Baguio flower festival, which is the longest running festival in the country today will help attract more American tourists to visit the Summer Capital.

This was the assessment made by US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Golberg on Saturday at the sidelines of the street dancing parade, one of the highlights of Panagbenga.

Goldberg, who spoke in front of a mammoth crowd gathered at the Baguio Athletic Bowl for the grand street dancing parade, said Filipinos and Americans have a long history to speak of ranging from struggles during the World War II and eventual successful suppression of the Japanese forces and eventually to being robust

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partners in trade and commerce.

He said Baguio City has always been a home for the Americans outside Metro Manila because of the existence of the Ambassador’s Residence within the Camp John Hay which was the former American military base and a historical site. It was the venue where Gen. Tomoyoki Yamashita, leader of the Japanese Imperial Army, signed his surrender paper to the allied forces on September 3, 1945, Goldberg added.

“We are awed by the active participation of the people in the flower festival and the resourcefulness in making the flowers a true representation of friendship, unity, team works and solidarity among the local residents and visitors,” Goldberg said. Dexter A. See

SCTEX DEAL. following the signing of the scteX business agreement, the manila north

tollways corporation hands over to bases conversion and development authority the check for p3.5 billion as upfront payment for the management, operation and maintenance of the scteX. Metro Pacific Tollways Corporationpresident and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez (3rd from left) hands over the check to bcda president and ceo arnel paciano d. casanova. also in in photo are (from left) MNTC Chief Finance Officer Christopher C. Lizo, MNTC President and CEO Rodrigo E. Franco, BCDA Board member Elmar Gomez and BCDA Vice President for Finance Nena D. Radoc. mntc is a subsidiary of mptc.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK SUNDAY: MARCH 1, 2015

Roderick T. dela Cruz EDITOR business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

B1

Business

Ex-EmployEE

bEcomEs cEo

Ronald Magleo helped establish an information technology company in 2005, just three years after graduating with a degree in Entrepreneurship from de la Salle University in Manila. German payment services provider Wirecard acquired the local company in 2007 and Magleo found himself working for the company as an ordinary employee.

Ronald Magleo

Being an employee, however, gave him a new perspective and equipped him with skills necessary to learn the business, he says. “For three years, I went back to being an employee for the German company and learned the ins/outs of the online payments business,” says Magleo, now a 33-year-old father.

“In [May] 2010, when the German company moved their regional office to Singapore, I, together with key technical co-founders formed Paynamics,” says Magleo, who became the chairman and chief executive officer of the new online payment service provider Paynamics Technologies Inc..

All in family From Wirecard, he brought along his mother Esther Magleo, who became the chief financial officer of Paynamics and his wife Mylene who is now the chief operating officer.

“We have bootstrapped the company using our own savings. Having acquired the knowledge from our previous company, we saw a very good opportunity to establish a payments company here in the Philippines. We built a software-as-a-service payment gateway that enables SME and large enterprises to create secure payment applications using our technology,” he says.

Paynamics had a seed funding of $100,000, he says.

Magleo, despite being the CEO, still looks up to his mother. “We are three in the family and were raised singlehandedly by my mom, as my dad passed away when I was four. My mom is currently our CFO and is very much involved in our business and other businesses. She is also active in other civic and spiritual pursuits,” he says.

Paynamics is a payment service provider and software development company based in Makati City. The company is a niche player in electronic commerce, providing services that can complement bank services.

Online payment It offers effective online payment gateway, fraud gateway, recurring payment, domestic and international merchant account, email billing, virtual terminal, closed loop and alternative payments, automated payout solution (disbursement gateway) and customized e-commerce solutions for small and medium enterprises as well as large companies.

Among the customers of Paynamics are online retail merchants, hotels, resorts, travel agencies, digital good merchants, banks and insurance companies.

CONTINUED ON B3

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SUNDAY: MARCH 1, 2015

BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

FROM NETBOOK VENDOR TO

SMARTPHONE MAKER

By Rochelle Campos

THERE is a new player in the Philippine smartphone market, a familiar brand that has dominated the netbook segment for several years now. From being the top computer vendor in the Philippines, Acer Philippines Inc. also wants a cut in the fast-growing smartphone and tablet market.

The local unit of Taiwan-based electronics company Acer Inc. said the goal is to double the company’s market share in the new product lines this year.

“Given that, we just joined the smartphone market in the third quarter of 2014. We’re just as bullish to grow that market and double our share this year,” Oliver Ahrens, the 49-year-old German president of Acer for Pan-Asia Pacific business operations, says in an interview at the company’s Philippine headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Ahrens, who directly reports to Acer chief executive Jason Chen, says he is very optimistic about exceeding the forecast of 4-percent market share in the smartphone segment and at least 8-percent share in

Oliver Ahrens

the tablet segment this year.

In 2014, Acer’s market share in the smartphone segment was about 2 percent while its market share for tablets was 4 percent.

Ahrens visited Manila for a weeklong visit and immersion in the local market that has been leading sales growth over the last nine years in various product categories and segments in Pan-Asia Pacific.

Acer has been the top brand in the personal computer segment in the Philippines, that includes desktop and notebooks, over the last five years. It has a 20-percent market share in the PC sector.

Acer is a Taiwanese multinational hardware and electronics corporation whose products include personal computers such as desktops, notebooks and net books, LCD monitors, displays,

projectors, servers, tablets and smartphones.

For notebooks and netbooks alone, Acer controls about 40 percent of the market, making it the number one branded PC vendor in the Philippines, based on International Data Center.

“The popularity of desktop computers is at a challenging point. Sales were nearly flat but we hope to increase sales now that desktop PC has evolved into a household fixture, a consumer durable like television.

We hope that household penetration of desktop PC will perk up with more first time buyers in the provinces,” Ahrens says.

Acer’s revenues in the country grew by at least 15 percent in 2014 and the company expects another double-digit growth in terms of sales and revenues in 2015.

Supporting the growth forecast is the introduction of smartphone and tablet models. The new smartphone models will run on Windows 10. Acer will also introduce 8-inch and 10-inch tablets as well as a new gaming-dedicated gadget.

Acer smartphones are currently using

the android platform for mobile phones and will migrate to higher android versions together with the market debut of its Windows 10 smartphones.

In the projector category, Acer says it was able to get a slice of the market from the share held by more established brands.

“We have been strong in the entry and mid-range product categories. Now we are ready to attract the upper and upper-middle class segments as part of our target markets. We want to be in every household. We want to cater to everybody,” says Ahrens.

Acer is also slowly getting into the software market, with its collaboration with top universities and schools for digital books and interactive digital learning/teaching experience under its Acer Academy program.

Another software application that Acer has developed is the Cloud services that will sync users’ data into all the gadgets the user owns and utilize.

Acer in the Philippines now has several distributors and over 50 active resellers that know the market and continue to grow the brand.

SUNDAY: MARCH 1, 2015

BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

B3

FILIPINO ENGINEER NAMED ASPECT COUNTRY MANAGER

Shown are (seated from left) Paynamics chief operating officer Mylene Magleo, Beenos Inc. founder Teruhide Sato, Paynamics chief executive Ronald Magleo, chief financial officer Esther Magleo and accounting manager Nerissa Leoncio. Standing are (from left) Beenos director Nao Ito, Paynamic financial consultant Mary Anne Ibo, legal consultant Zeus Izzy Yee, senior web developer Kerwin Tanlimco, director Rolando Ma. Magleo Jr. and chief technology officer Henry Macaraeg.

EX-EMPLOYEE BECOMES CEO FROM B1

“In the next three years, we are also targeting the following industries that will go online: real estate and property management, utility companies, local government units and government-owned and controlled corporations and schools,” says Magleo.

“We are targeting schools and universities that need to collect online to process tuition fees and other miscellaneous payments,” he says.

Magleo was born in Mandaluyong City and studied at DLSU Taft, where he received the best thesis award. After graduating from the university, he handled direct selling for an IT company. When that company went bankrupt, he dabbled in other businesses such as restaurant and Internet café, both of which triggered his interest in online payment system.

“Among these business ventures, I remained curious about e-commerce and specifically online payment processing,” he says.

Expansion “I got inspired on the idea of e-commerce and how the Internet is changing businesses around the world. What attracted me to Paynamics is the idea and opportunity to create a local payments company in the Philippines that can eventually compete and be successful globally,” he says.

Magleo says since 2010, Paynamics has been growing fast, rolling out new updates to existing products. “We started with six employees. We are now 18 employees and we are projecting to be at least 25 people by yearend,” he says.

“We are looking to grow our presence to other key Philippine cities by partnering with software developers or vendors,” he says.

Magleo says the plan is to make Paynamics the most trusted online payment provider in the Philippines in five years. “After we grow locally, we plan to become regional payments player in Asean,” he says.

To achieve the target, he says the company focuses on hiring great software developers and engineers. To minimize the operation expenditures, “we try to outsource a lot of our infrastructure requirements.”

Technopreneur Magleo says he was born to become an entrepreneur. “When I took the entrance exams, I got accepted to two schools.

First, was DLSU in which I got accepted to their Entrepreneurship course and the other was in UST where I got accepted to their Medical Technology course,” he says.

“In making a career choice, I carefully assessed my character and habits and

see what would be my best fit. I went to entrepreneurship because I was inspired with the idea of creating jobs locally and the exponential opportunity to create wealth not just for you but for other people working for you,” he says.

Magleo says his desire to learn new things also help him become a better manager. “A voracious reader, I go through the Internet and get updates in various fields of businesses. I love to solve other people’s problems. I love our country and I think Filipinos should not be known as OFW, but innovators on their own right,” he says.

Challenges As a technopreneur, Magleo says there are challenges along the way. “The Philippines is still at its infancy stage with regards to online payments, so finding local customers with a sizable payments volume is tough,” he says.

“The bigger merchants would always want to deal directly with banks so we positioned ourselves as niche player and provided other services that can complement the bank’s offering,” he says.

As chief executive, Magleo says he would like to lead by example. “You can never influence and earn the respect of other people if you cannot go down to the trenches with your fellow co-workers,” he says.

He recommends the first principle approach. “I like to study and analyze our business and our product offer and materially break it down to its cost. After understanding the cost centers, our team creates a product that provides good value to our customers,” he says.

Best assets Magleo says the company’s best assets are its people. “Other companies are product focus driven and continuously improve it at the expense of neglecting the people who is building the product. As a CEO, I’m always keen on my co-workers productivity output and provide them with the best resources to achieve their maximum productivity and potential,” he says.

Magleo says the fact that the company is nearing five years and employing more than a dozen of people is his greatest accomplishment so far.

Another milestone is when Beenos Inc., a Tokyo-based global Internet and e-commerce business incubator group founded by Teruhide Sato, a serial entrepreneur and Internet business expert, supported Paynamics.

The funding will be used for product development and onboarding more merchants. This marked Paynamic’s first fund raising from external investor.

CALL center solutions provider Aspect Software Inc. has appointed a Filipino engineer as its country manager for the Philippines.

Aspect, a leading provider of customer interaction management, workforce optimization, back-office and cloud solutions, named electronics engineer Alfred Lallana Jr. as its head in the country, in support of Aspect’s aggressive global expansion strategy with a strong focus on emerging markets in Asia.

Lallana, who has a 25-year experience in the information technology sector, including 15 years in call centers, will lead Aspect’s business programs in the Philippines, strengthen the company’s ties with regional and local channel partners, manage key product initiatives and drive overall sales.

He has previously held leadership positions at Diversified Technology Solutions International and Electrical and Electronics Contracting Company.

Lallana, who holds a degree in electronics and communications engineering from Saint Louis University, brings with him insights into account sales management, strategic planning and business management.

“I am thrilled that a leading company such as Aspect has given me this opportunity to contribute to their continued success,” says Lallana.

“The steady growth of the contact center industry in the Philippines coupled with Aspect’s innovative product offerings makes this truly a remarkable time to be at the forefront of pushing new frontiers within the customer experience space,” he says.

Jagan Narendran, Aspect senior vice-president for Asia Pacific and Middle East, says the Philippines is a key market for the company as it possesses immense potential for sustainable growth.

“With the appointment of Alfred, Aspect has gained an experienced leader who will impart his knowledge and add value to the team,” Narendran says. “I am confident that Alfred’s experience in working with numerous global and regional solutions providers will enable him to replicate his previous successes in his exciting new role.”

Aspect’s fully-integrated solutions help modern contact center management in terms of customer interaction management, workforce optimization and back-office.

The company has full suite of cloud, hosted and hybrid deployment options for contact centers.

Aspect’s global expansion has a strong focus on emerging markets in Asia.

“Being part of Beenos family is another major milestone. I am extremely grateful for the trust and support that they have provided our company, and by being together, I believe we can create mutually long-term value for the Philippines and Asean business in e-payment. In the near future, we are looking to grow and become a solid payments player in the Philippines then eventually in the Asean level,” he says.

Magleo says his optimism is supported by what is happening in the Philippines and the continuous e-commerce growth on certain verticals such as online retail, transportation and travel.

“I believe in the next five years, Filipinos will shift their spending slowly from brick

and mortar purchase and go online,” he says.

Growth momentum “We are currently in a growth momentum. Having closed some good local accounts last year, we are confident that we will be an integral part of these companies when they shift their business to the online payments channel,” says Magleo.

“In the next five to 10 years, we are seeing that we can grow our business and our valuation up to 50 times fold. We have exciting products to come that may become a catalyst for local companies to shift to e-payment channels,” he says.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

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B4

world

God is great. Two Kurdish fighters prepare to say prayers atop a hill overlooking the town of Tal Hamis in Syria’s Hasakeh province which they captured from Islamic State terrorists after six days of fighting. Tal Hamis has been under IS control for more than a year and according to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights the town was “one of the most important strongholds” of the group in the region. AFP

KURDS CAPTURE ISIS STRONGHOLD BEIRUT—Kurdish fighters seized a strategic Islamic State stronghold in Syria in a move that could impede jihadist movements near the border with Iraq, where they also control large swathes of territory.

Meanwhile, the United States and Turkey are to begin training and equipping moderate Syrian rebels for the fight against President Bashar al-Assad and IS. The main Kurdish Democratic Union Party said its fighters had liberated Tal Hamis and surrounding communities at the request of residents “who wanted to get rid of these terrorists and mercenaries”.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said “the jihadists retreated without much resist-

ance after Kurdish forces, backed

by Arab fighters, returned to Tal Hamis.”

The Kurds now occupy a strip of land linking the Hasakeh provincial town, which has been under IS control for more than a year, with the Iraqi border.

Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said it was “one of the most important strongholds” of the group in the region.

The Kurdish advance comes after days of fighting in which YPG

forces have taken some 103 villages and hamlets.

Since the clashes began last Saturday, at least 175 IS fighters have been killed by the Kurds and in air strikes by a US-led coalition.

Additionally, 30 fighters from the YPG and Arab units fighting alongside them have been killed.

Among the dead was an Australian, the first Westerner to die in a Kurdish unit in Syria.

The Pentagon said the coalition had carried out several air strikes in Hasakeh province on Thursday, including three near Tal Hamis.

The fighting came as Kurdish forces continued to battle IS after an offensive elsewhere in the province in which the jihadists kidnapped at least 220 Assyrian Christians.

The offensive, during which IS also seized 10 villages, has prompted a mass exodus of an estimated 5,000 people to the cities of Qamishli and Hasakeh.

Jean Tolo, an official with the Assyrian Organization for Relief and Development in Qamishli, said the pace of arrivals had slowed by Friday.

“We are offering the displaced food and everything they need,” he told AFP by telephone.

“There are doctors working for free ready to deal with any emergency,” he added.

Assyrians number about 30,000 among Syria’s 1.2 million Christians and mostly live along the Khabur River in Hasakeh. AFP

UNESCO SCORES JIHAD VS CULTURE

By Jean Marc Mojon

Anti-culture club. An image grab taken off a video released by Media Office of the Nineveh branch of the Islamic State, shows an IS militant pushing a statue inside the Mosul museum in the northern Iraqi Governorate of Nineveh. The five-minute video shows IS militants knocking statues off their plinths in the Mosul museum and smashing them to pieces with sledgehammers. AFP CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

BAGHDAD—After demanding an emergency meeting of the Security Council, the head of the United Nations’ cultural body said the International Criminal Court should also take action against jihadists who destroyed ancient statues that sparked fears of the world’s oldest heritage being destroyed.

UNESCO chief Irina Bokova described the destruction as “cultural cleansing”.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider alAbadi called it a “provocation” to the entire world which he warned would “not to unpunished”.

French President Francois Hollande joined the chorus of condemnation, saying: “What the terrorists want to do is destroy all of humanity.”

The Islamic State group has con-

trolled Iraq’s second city since June and has destroyed several historical and cultural sites across the country, including Muslim shrines.

In the jihadists’ extreme interpretation of Islam, statues, idols and shrines are a material corruption of the purity of the early Muslim faith and amount to recognising other objects of worship than God. Their views are marginal, however, and most clerics, even those who promote a rigorist Islam, argue that what were idols in the days of the Prophet Mohammed are now part of cultural heritage.

A bearded militant talking to the camera in the video released on Thursday argues that the destruction happening behind him is a repeat of when the Prophet Mohammed destroyed statues of idols in Mecca almost 1,400 years ago. AFP

NOKOR LEADER: PREPARE FOR WAR

NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has urged his army to prepare for war with the United States and its allies, state media said Saturday, as Pyongyang ramps up the rhetoric ahead of US-South Korea military drills.

Kim’s comments came after South Korea and the United States Friday conducted a joint naval drill involving 10 South Korean warships and a US Aegis destroyer, ahead of the launch of large-scale military exercises that have enraged the North.

“The prevailing situation where a great war for national reunification is at hand requires all the KPA (Korean People’s Army) units to become (elite) Guard Units fully prepared for war politically and ideologically, in military technique and materially”, he was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as saying.

North Korea regularly ratchets up hostile rhetoric at times of joint US-South Korea military exercises that spark a sharp surge in tensions on the divided peninsula.

Kim called on the military to train hard in order “to tear to pieces the Stars and Stripes”, in comments made while opening a new hall at the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum in Pyongyang, KCNA said.

The drill Friday was a prelude to an eight-week exercise, Foal Eagle, involving air, ground and naval field training, with around 200,000 Korean and 3,700 US troops that begins on Monday. AFP

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WORLD

ARMAN ARMERO EDITOR

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

B5

PUTIN OPPONENT SHOT DEAD

By Anna Malpas and Anna Smolchenko

MOSCOW—Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin, was gunned down while walking in sight of the Kremlin late Friday, prompting an international chorus of condemnation.

The Kremlin decried as a provocation the murder of the 55-year-old former deputy prime minister, which came ahead of an opposition rally he was set to lead this weekend and sent shock waves across the country.

US President Barack Obama led condemnation of the “brutal” and “vicious murder” of Nemtsov, whom he had met on a visit to

Moscow, and called on Russia to conduct an impartial probe.

Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Russian leader had taken the investigation “under personal control”.

The murder of the outspoken critic of Russia’s involvement in Ukraine, on a bridge near the Kremlin, “bears the hallmarks of a

contract killing,” Peskov said on radio, describing it as a provocation.

The brazen assassination was one of the most highest-profile killings during Putin’s 15 years in power and recalled the shooting of anti-Kremlin reporter Anna Politkovskaya, who was gunned down on Putin’s birthday in 2006.

Investigators said Nemtsov was shot by unidentified assailants as he was walking with a Ukrainian woman along a bridge just meters from the Kremlin.

“According to preliminary information, an unidentified person shot at Boris Nemtsov no fewer than 7-8 times from a car as he was walking along the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky bridge,” said investigators.

Interior ministry spokeswoman Yelena Alekseyeva said Nemtsov was hit by four bullets.

An AFP reporter saw a blood stain on the rain-soaked pavement on the side of the bridge near the red walls of the Kremlin, with roses laid by a police barrier at the scene.

Speaking on radio just hours before his murder, Nemtsov sounded upbeat and urged Russians to take to the streets and join a major opposition rally planned for Sunday.

“The key political demand is an immediate end to the Ukraine war,” he said on popular Echo of Moscow radio, adding that Putin should quit.

“A dead-end in both domestic and foreign policies. They should

go,” said Nemtsov, who reportedly was working on a report detailing Russia’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict.

After working as a research scientist in the late Soviet era, Nemtsov rose to prominence as governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region in central Russia and became a vice prime minister in the late 1990s under the presidency of Boris Yeltsin.

After leaving parliament in 2003, he led several opposition parties and groups.

An accomplished orator with a rock star image and popular with women, Nemtsov was one of the key speakers at mass opposition rallies against Putin’s return to the Kremlin in 2012. AFP

BRIT PRINCE DONS SAMURAI CLOTHES TOKYO—Britain’s Prince William donned the trappings of feudal nobility in Japan Saturday, wearing the helmet and clothes of an ancient samurai during a tour of a TV studio.

The second-in-line to the British throne asked for a sword to complete the outfit, and grinned at photographers as he posed for pictures dressed as a warrior from yesteryear.

William, whose own military career saw him taking the controls of an ultramodern helicopter, asked: “How does it look?”

“It really suits you,” came the reply.

The dressing up session took place at the main studios of Japan’s national broadcaster NHK, on the set of one of its popular longrunning period dramas.

Earlier, he had been treated to a geisha show in which the ornately-attired women performed dances with fans and then sang traditional songs as they played “shamisen”— a three-stringed instrument

sometimes described as a Japanese banjo.

William, who has left his heavily pregnant wife, Kate, at home, tried his hand strumming the instrument, whose mastery remains a key skill for geisha.

The highly-trained entertainers learn to sing, dance and converse, with the cost of their company running up to thousands of dollars for an evening.

The British prince was presented with a huge bunch of flowers by popular actress Mao Inoue, who looked stunning in a simple kimono.

The visit to the set was a reminder of the pageantry and tradition in Japan, which at times outstrips that of even Britain’s convention-bound royal family.

William later toured the newsroom at NHK, one of the world’s biggest broadcasters, which has bureaus around the globe, and was told how the corporation had covered the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster that struck Japan in 2011. AFP

Murder in Moscow. The body of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov is covered with plastic as it lies on Moskvoretsky bridge near St. Basil Cathedral in central Moscow. AFP

THANK YOU, MR. SPOCK VETERAN actor Leonard Nimoy, who delighted scifi fans worldwide with his iconic turn as the pointyeared half-human, half-Vulcan Mr Spock in the “Star Trek” television series and films, died Friday aged 83.

Nimoy, who suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, died at his home in Los Angeles, his family and agent said. A private memorial service was being planned.

Tributes poured in from castmates, actors, fans, the wider science community—and President Barack Obama.

“I loved him like a brother. We will all miss his humor, his talent, and his capacity to love,” said William Shatner, who played the hot-headed Captain James T. Kirk on the groundbreaking “Star Trek,” which debuted in the 1960s.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

George Takei, who portrayed Mr Sulu on the sci-fi show, tweeted: “Rest in peace with the stars, my dear friend.”

“So many of us at NASA were inspired by Star Trek.

Boldly go...” the US space agency said on Twitter, highlighting one of the series’ main catchphrases—“To boldly go where no man has gone before.”

Obama said simply: “I loved Spock.”

Born in Boston on March 26, 1931 to Jewish immigrant parents from what is now Ukraine, Nimoy left for Hollywood at the age of 18, winning a sprinkling of small parts in 1950s television series.

With his square jaw and serious features, Nimoy worked his way into showbiz playing cowboy characters and lawmen before he found a niche that would last a lifetime in the world

of science fiction.

In 1966 he was cast in his greatest role—as the everlogical Spock, the science officer aboard the spaceship USS Enterprise, which ventured around the galaxy, exploring new worlds in deathdefying odysseys.

Spock was the cool counterpoint to Kirk, played by Shatner, and the even-tempered sparring partner of ship doctor Leonard “Bones” McCoy, played by DeForest Kelley.

The trinity had ratingsboosting chemistry that sustained “Star Trek” during its initial four-year run.

Spock would be resurrected for several feature films after “Star Trek” snowballed into a cultural phenomenon in the 70s and 80s, making his Vulcan salute and salutation “live long and prosper” a touchstone of the sciencefiction world. AFP

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B6

SPORTS

REUEL VIDAL EDITOR

sports@thestandard.com.ph

EXPERIENCE PREVAILS

IN NCAA VOLLEYBALL Emilio Aguinaldo College player Camille Lozada (2) falls to her knees in the sand as she makes a dig pass. Behind her is teammate Charmille Belleza (1) while looking on is San Sebastian College player Camille Uy (right). The SSC pair of Uy and Gretchell Soltones retained their NCAA beach volleyball title. JAN DIZON

By Peter Atencio

EXPERIENCE and court smarts proved superior to skill and athleticism during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 90 beach volleyball championship at the Subic Park Hotel in Subic Bay last weekend.

The San Sebastian College pair of Gretchell Soltones and Camille Uy stepped it up in the second set to smash surprise finalist Charmille Belleza and Camille Lozada of Emilio Aguinaldo College, 21-14, 21-16, to keep the women’s plum for the second straight season.

The SSC pair displayed resilience and resolve to rally from 1-6 down, forced two deadlocks, and vaulted ahead after an 8-all deadlock behind Belleza’s net error and Soltones’ ace.

They took a 14-9 spread on Uy’s four attack points in the ensuing play.

“Masaya po. Mahirap po kasi ang pinagdaanan namin (We’re happy. We had to go through some difficulties to get here),” said Soltones, who won her second consecutive beach volleyball title to go with a second consecutive Most Valuable Player award.

The two are among the champions of the five-day spikefest.

Defending champion College of St. Benilde’s Marjun Alingasa and John Vic de Guzman also retained the men’s crown.

Emilio Aguinaldo CollegeICA’s Aljon Barbuco and Walt Gervacio regained the junior honors they lost last year as veterans held sway

in the tournament.

Alingasa and de Guzman went all out in the final set to put away Mapua rivals Philip Bagalay and John Paul Cuzon, 21-18- 27-29, 15-6, to claim their second straight title at the sand court of the hotel beachfront Barbuco and Gervacio redeemed themselves from last season’s debacle with a resounding 22-20, 21-16 conquest of last year’s finalist, Perpetual Help’s Ricky Marcos and Gabriel Casana in the junior finals.

“Magandang exit ito. Final year ko na ito (This is a nice exit. This is my final year),” said Alingasa, a fifth

year export management student.

The CSB Blazers found an answer to Mapua’s attacks at the net, and Alingasa’s deceptive placement shots to the backline yielded them an 8-2 advantage in early in the game.

The EAC-ICA Brigadiers got past a 20-all tie following two return volleys from Gervacio in the Altalettes open left side in the first set.

Barbuco led EAC-ICA’s attacks at the net in the second set, jacking up a 1410 edge with a and 18-11 spread.

“Masaya. Nabawi, naming ang pagod namin last year (Happy. We made

San Sebastian College volleyball player Camille Uy (2) wraps her arm around teammate Gretchel Soltones (1).

The pair retained the title in the women’s NCAA beach volleyball competition. PETER ATENCIO

College of St. Benilde player Marjun Alingasa (1) and Mapua’s Philip Bagalay joust at the net during the men’s championship battle. Looking on is CSB’s John Vic De Guzman (2). CSB retained its title men’s NCAA beach volleyball title. JAN DIZON

up for our frustration last year),” said Barbuco, as he led EAC-ICA to victory after their third place finish last season. The team won its third crown in four years.

The EAC pair of Belleza and Lozada tallied a pair of upsets during the semifinals to unexpectedly barge into the title showdown against Soltones and Uy who also beat them 12-21, 19-21 during the elimination round.

Belleza and Lozada fought their way to the first finals slot after a shocking 15-21, 22-20, 15-11 victory over previously unbeaten Arellano University’s Angelica Legacion and Elaine Sagun.

The EAC pair then went on stun University of Per-

petual Help Lady Altas spikers Jamela Suyat and Vhima Condada, 21-18, 219, and finish the round robin semis with a 2-1 win-loss record, and a better tiebreak card over Soltones and Uy. Arellano University’s Legacion and Uy swept their nine-game elimination round stint but lost steam with three straight setbacks in the semifinals.

Alingasa and de Guzman came up with a 1-2 finish with Bagalay and Cuzon in the eliminations with 8-1 win-loss record.

They swept their threeround semis stint after getting past EAC’s Juvie Mangaring and Kerth Melliza, 21-16, 21-12, Perpetual Help’s Jack Kalingking and

Rey Taneo, 21-10, 21-13, and then handed Bagalay and Cuzon another setback, 2624,21-14.

Bagalay and Cuzon made it to the finals with their 2-1 slate, and after a pair of wins over the Altas, 21-17, 14-21, 15-11, and EAC, 19-21, 2119, 15-10.

They made it to the next phase after Soltones and Uy assured themselves of one of four Final Four seat following a crucial 2117, 21-10 victory over the Perpetual Help Lady Altas duo Vhima Condada and Jamela Suyat.

Two aces from Lim allowed the Lady Stags to move away from a 6-all tie and race to an 11-6 advantage in the first set.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK S U N D aY : m a r c h 1 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS

riera U. mall ari EDITOR

sports@thestandard.com.ph

B7

PALM BEACH GARDENS—World number one Rory McIlroy admitted Friday he needs to sharpen up with the Masters only weeks away, as he looked set to miss the cut at the US PGA Tour’s Honda Classic.

The 25-year-old from Northern Ireland found just one birdie with five bogeys in a four-overpar 74 for a seven-over total of 147 that left him three shots over the projected cut line when darkness halted the second round of the rain-hit $6.1 million event in Florida.

“I don’t like missing cuts,” said McIlroy, who last missed a cut on US soil at the 2012 US Open, but missed the cut at the European Tour’s Irish Open last June.

“You want to be playing on the weekend and I’m not there,” added McIlroy, who was already looking forward to next week’s World Golf Championships event at Doral in Miami.

When McIlroy walked off the green at PGA National’s ninth hole—where he made his fifth bogey of the day after hitting into a fairway bunker—Patrick Reed was the clubhouse leader on six-under and McIlroy was four shots outside the projected cut line.

When play was halted for the day, Brendan Steele was atop the leaderboard at eight-under through four holes.

Jim Herman, the surprise firstround leader, didn’t tee off until after 5:00 pm because of two weather delays lasting a total of three hours and 45 minutes.

Herman remained at five-under through three holes.

The projected cut line had risen from three-over par to fourover, but McIlroy was resigned to missing it.

“I’ve just got to regroup and put some work in and get ready for Miami next week,” he said.

McIlroy opened with a bogey at the par-four 10th and finished his front nine with a bogey at 18.

McIlroy needs to sharpen up

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his tee shot on the fifth hole during the second round of The Honda Classic at PGA National Resort & Spa Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. AFP

He pulled a shot back at the par-three fifth hole when he rattled in a five-foot putt, but bogeyed three of his last four holes.

In two days, McIlroy hit only 14 of 28 greens in regulation..

It was a disappointing performance after McIlroy insisted on Thursday he could still turn things around after a three-over 73 in the wind-swept opening round.

Too tentative McIlroy arrived Stateside for his first US PGA Tour start of 2015 on a high.

In his last 12 tournaments worldwide, McIlroy has four victories and four runner-up finishes.

That stretch started with his Open Championship triumph at Hoylake and included a World Golf Championships title at Akron, Ohio, last year and a sec-

ond straight major crown at the US PGA Championship.

He opened his European Tour season with a runner-up finish in Abu Dhabi and a victory three weeks ago in the Dubai Desert Classic.

“Usually I’m good at taking it from the range to the course,” McIlroy said. “That’s never really been a problem with me.

“But this week, it was funny,

it felt like the first tournament of the season when I’ve actually played two events. I felt yesterday maybe a little tentative, just maybe trying to ease my way into the round a little bit and not really being that aggressive.”

At the Masters, which starts April 9 at Augusta National, McIlroy will be gunning for a third straight major and to complete a career Grand Slam.

HeadCruise Control

spanish tennis player rafael nadal returns the ball during his ATP Rio Open semi-final match against Italian Fabio Fognini in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. AFP

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BUENOS AIRES—Rafael Nadal, who is gunning for a record-tying 46th claycourt title, surged into the semi-finals of the Argentina Open on Friday with a 6-1, 6-1 rout of Federico Delbonis.

The world number four Nadal will face Carlos Berlocq for a berth in the final of the ATP Tour tournament. Nadal, who is playing in this event for the first time in 10 years, has won all three previous matches with Berlocq.

Nadal needed just 62 minutes to dispatch fellow left-hander Delbonis as the Spanish star capitalized on five of his nine break-point chances in the quarterfinal contest.

Nadal last played in this event in 2005, when he lost in the quarters to Gaston Gaudio. Nadal is seeking his 65th career singles crown.

Earlier, Argentina’s Berlocq notched his second career win over Slovenia’s Blaz Rola, reaching the final four with a convincing 6-1, 6-3 victory.

The 32-year-old Berlocq broke Rola on six of his 11 chances in the 79-minute match to reach his first semi-final since last July.

Juan Monaco kept his bid for a second title in Buenos Aires alive with a 7-6 (7/1), 6-7 (4/7), 6-4 win over thirdseeded Pablo Cuevas.

Monaco, who won the title in 2007, served for the match at 5-4 in the second set before Cuevas fought back to force a decider. Monaco would get another chance to serve for the contest in the third and final set.

“It was a relief because it was a difficult and long match,” said Monaco. “I celebrated the way I did because I enjoy it. Having such feelings is what I missed most about tennis.

“I am very motivated because I have the opportunity to play a final again and here in Buenos Aires. That excites me a lot and I hope to play the best way to win tomorrow.”

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B8

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

REUEL VIDAL A S S I S TA N T E D I T O R

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

M

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

EAN MACHINE While in Manila, Manny Pacquiao continues his training at his boxing gym in Sampaloc, Manila in preparation for his fight with undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. DANNY PATA

FORMER fighter and veteran trainer John Scully predicted that eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao to be “meaner than he’s ever been,” when he battles pound-for-pound king and unbeaten World Boxing Council welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 2.

In a story on boxingscene.com, guy has left, I’m sure they are going Scully said he believes Pacquiao to bring every bit of it to the date.” will be “at his most dangerous Well-known ring announcer and the killer and former instinct will Ring Magacome out once zine corhe gets picked respondent “This is very much off with Ted Lerner punches” by told the Masimilar to how he Mayweather. nila Stanwas when he was a Scully said d a rd / Vi v a nobody and I think Pacquiao’s corSports that ner will tell desperation that’s his biggest him he needs be the asset and he will bring may a knockout to key to his that desperation into win. success.

“I think the Lerner the ring and that is killer instinct said that one intangible that will be very when you Mayweayher may not strip him prevalent. It be ready for.” would be very of all the much there,” trimmings Scully said. “If in his life, Pacquiao wins Pacquiao “is by a knockout, very much it would be unbelievable for his similar to how he was when he career and it would basically be was a nobody and I think that’s one of the greatest victories of all his biggest asset and he will time.” bring that desperation into the Scully feels that “whatever each ring and that is one intangible CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Boxer, Floyd Mayweather Jr and Actor, Rob Lowe attend the Memphis Grizzlies game against the Los Angeles Clippers.AFP

that Mayweayher may not be ready for.”

Meantime, Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez, who scored a crushing sixth-round knockout of Pacquiao in their fourth and last fight, insisted that to win, Pacquiao “has no alternative but to knock out Mayweather.”

He noted that Mayweather

has defensive skills aside from speed and “counter attacks that can do a lot of damage to Pacquiao and I think he will impose these traits,” making it imperative for the Filipino to go for a knockout.

He said Pacquiao cannot allow the fight to be left in the hands of the Las Vegas judges, reminding him how Jose Luis

Castillo clearly beat Mayweather in their first fight and lost a controversial decision.

However, in the rematch, Mayweather totally dominated Castillo much like he did in his rematch against Marcos Maidana against whom he had a tough time in the first six rounds of their fight, although the Moneyman did enough to win.

S U N D AY : M A R C H 0 1 : 2 0 1 5

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

g l w e e ke n d @ g m a i l . c o m

LIFE L A V I T S E F SEASON

C1

PHOTO BY BETINA OCAMPO

MALASIMBO: MY MUSICAL MECCA

BY LARA PARPAN

“It is music and dancing that make me at peace with the world.”

Nelson Mandela

I love music, and I love to dance. So when I heard of Malasimbo in early 2011, it wasn’t a hard sell at all snapping up a three-day pass to Year 1. There was a bit of trepidation about Puerto Galera though; unsavory images of it from my last visit there way back in 1992 were stuck in my head.

But when the banca docked in Muelle port that sunny March afternoon in 2011, so much

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had changed in Puerto Galera. Malasimbo festival fever then was low key. But for the 3,000 of us or so who took Miro Grgic and Olivia D’Aboville’s word that we were in a for a magical experience and dared welcome the idea of dancing under the stars and a full moon on a mountaintop, we could hardly contain our excitement.

We were not let down.

Continued on C3

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LIFE

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

g l w e e ke n d @ g m a i l . c o m

JUNGLE BOYS

MALASIMBO

PLAYLIST

KOOII

BY OLIVIA D’ABOVILLE

MUSIC & MAGIC:

What to Expect at the Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival

W

hen I think about how Malasimbo the music festival began, I have to go back to the first time I ever explored the mountain. My mom’s cousin and my aunt, Ara d’Aboville, who together with her pioneering husband Hubert and their gorgeous four children, created a haven in Puerto Galera, and we had a standing invitation to visit their sanctuary. With a big family reunion looming in 2006 and several relatives visiting from abroad, we decided to finally make the trip.

We are quite a big family so many of us stayed in resorts near the D’Aboville property and Ara kindly arranged to have us picked up and brought to their home for lunch and a leisurely stroll about the grounds. With my uncle Hubert as our ringleader, those who did the tour followed him up and down the hilly slope while he talked to us about the area, the indigenous Mangyan tribe who lived there, his plan to make Puerto Galera a part of one of the most beautiful bays in the world, and he even showed us his beekeeping farm. The property was enormous yet easy to navigate. A cool, fresh breeze steadily blew and everyone felt like they were on an exciting nature adventure. Another aunt, Shirley, was on vacation from San Francisco and decided to walk the chilly tour in what she was already wearing: her bathing suit and slippers. We laughed then at her eccentricity but looking back now I realize she was quite ahead of her time for a scene that would utterly embrace concepts off the beaten track.

I attended the second Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival as part of a diving weekend in Puerto Galera with friends and had absolutely no idea what to expect. We stayed at Coco Beach resort, which belonged to our friend Luca Burmeister’s father, and he kindly lent us his Hummer to get to the music festival at the base of the Mt. Malasimbo. We wore what we thought were festival clothes—cool T-shirts and shorts for the boys, and Woodstock-inspired attire for the girls. Once there, we needed to climb up a steep hill before reaching the site where the

BY VICKI ABARY musical acts perform, so good walking (and dancing) shoes are definitely a must.

Then, as now, to welcome you to the event is an Instagram–worthy, life-sized iron horse by artist Dondi Katigbak. There are several art installations on the forest floor and in the trees.

Immediately the scene feels surreal.

When you finally see the stage where the musical acts perform and the people drawn to it like a moth to a flame—your mind will be blown away. The mountain forms a natural amphitheater, which funnels down to the stage. To make matters even more interesting, it is complete with bleacher-like seats carved into the mountainside, as if the mountain were always for people to sit here and enjoy.

Those present that first time I went were in a good mood—open-minded, while sharing blankets, food and other things, with people they just met. The music was an eclectic mix of local acts no one has really ever heard of, and that was just fine. There were several bars set up in the area as well food stalls, with an eating area behind the stage. We purchased walking sticks and Vietnamese non la. We visited the different art installations such as Olivia’s ecoconscious coral reef in day-glo colors made out of used cocktail stirrers. We listened to the trees talk amongst themselves while waiting for our turn at the portalet. Malasimbo emitted a folksy vibe. This trip, we went home together with the last shuttle jeepneys so that we could take the banca back to the resort.

When I went to the Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival last year, there was a huge contingent of people who had planned to go. It became an attraction for those based in Manila as well as foreigners either already on the island or those who had come specifically to attend the festival. This time, we were on a mission to enjoy the music, enjoy the vibe, dance and meet new people. The festival had become a yearly destination.

There was already a marked difference in just getting there. We had to take a tricycle to a dedicated jeepney stop. Only designated, specially marked jeepneys were allowed to

make the trek up and down the mountain.

Once we got up, a huge queue formed. One for last-minute ticket sales and one to load your e-bracelet with cash, to be deducted every time you bought drinks or food. The art was explosive. Everywhere There You are by Wawi Navarozza and Ling Quisumbing Ramilo was a sight flying high in between the trees, like a coral moving to the current of the ocean. Olivia’s new installation, life-sized dandelion flowers made out of cut up recycled water bottles were whimsical and fun; even more so with people lounging around underneath them.

During the day, there is the promotion of local arts and culture, too. The local Mangyan tribes of Mindoro sell their jewelry, do traditional weaving techniques and more. Families visit the different art installations together.

At night when you get to see the scene at the amphitheater—wow. There was a much huger crowd, eagerly anticipating the cool international music acts such as The Robert Glasper Project or Jordan Rakei. Last year, I heard the scene simply exploded with Joss Stone headlining and it seems Miro Grgic, Olivia’s boyfriend and brain behind the festival, wanted to set the bar even higher the succeeding year. And he did. The music was amazing, the art was sublime, the crowds were cooperative and no one was unruly. You could leave your shoes and jacket atop the speaker for hours and no one would touch it.

I did see something that wasn’t there the last time. Amongst the festive revelers, was a janitor quietly picking up used water bottles and other bits of trash from the mountain floor and putting it into his sack. With growth there is good and bad—better organization, better flow of crowds and more tourists—but that means we have to be even more cautious of caring for the mountain and nature by cleaning up after ourselves and leaving things just as we found them. So come to Mt. Malasimbo: enjoy the music, soak in the art, learn about local Filipino culture, meet new people, but above all else, please, please respect Ara and Hubert’s paradise.

MOMU

(MONSTER MUSHROOMS)

by Mikai Rodrigo

KY-MANI MARLEY Hustler www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ilHadRpytVE FRED WESLEY AND THE J.B.’S Doin’ it to death www.youtube.com/ watch?v=-Lon60iv3G8 FKJ Learn to fly ft. Jordan Rakei www.youtube.com/ watch?v=FVgKy7boViQ TOM THUM Grandma’s Hands https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=qVPhekvdPq TAYLOR MCFERRIN Antidote https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=PNm0jfYCZn0 GOLDEN SOUND See You Again https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=evgUM5sJANw CRWN Under Blankets https://soundcloud.com/ crwnrecordings/ under-blanketsfeat-jessica-connelly VINCED All You Are https://soundcloud.com/ vincedofficial/ all-you-are-vinced CROWNS DOWN Silangan https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=mxcxssmaoqw DRAGONFLY COLLECTOR The World is Your Oyster https://soundcloud.com/ ilcollettore/ the-world-is-your-oyster JEN ROGERS You https://soundcloud.com/ superrrjen/you-original CINNAMON CRAYONS Katriel https://soundcloud.com/ cinnamoncrayons/katriel SCAN THIS ICON TO WATCH MALASIMBO FESTIVAL 2014 AFTER VIDEO AND VIEW EVENT SCHEDULE

PIGEON HOLE

by Hiyas Bagabaldo PHOTOS BY RENATO VALENZUELA JR

S U N D AY : M A R C H 0 1 : 2 0 1 5

LIFE

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

g l w e e ke n d @ g m a i l . c o m

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COACHELLA

FULL NAME The Coachella Valley

Music and Arts Festival WHEN Weekend One April 10-12 • Weekend Two April 17-19 WHERE Empire Polo Club, Indio California PRICE Passes start at $375 per weekend (sold out for 2015) ➜ Considered the world’s hippest music festival, Coachella’s been going on for 15 years. Expect some of the hottest acts in the music biz and some serious celebrity spotting. Anyone who’s anyone has been to Coachella at least once.

This is the festival that defines haute hippie— it’s got serious fashion cred.

MOST LIKELY TO SEE Alessandra d’Ambrosio, Ashley Madikwe, Divine Lee, Katy Perry, Kate Bosworth MOST LIKELY TO HEAR AC/DC Steely Dan, Azealia Banks, Interpol, Tame Impala, Jack White, Drake, Florence & The Machine, Kaskade, David Guetta, St. Vincent, Hozier MOST LIKELY TO WEAR Bohemian Luxe and Calculated Rebellion: beaded or floral bra tops with lace or cotton twill cuffed shorts; floaty maxidresses with worn vintage leather belts; headpieces, light, layered necklaces, scarves as bandanas, Supergas or booties STYLE ICON Hannah Bronfman, Vanessa Hudgens www.coachella.com

THE WORLD IS A FES T IVAL

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FULL NAME Lollapalooza Music Festival WHEN July 31 – August 2 WHERE Grant Park, Chicago, Illinois PRICE Passes start at $100 for a Friday 1-Day Pass ➜ Envisioned as a “Woodstock for the lost generation,” Lollapalooza began in 1991 as part of a farewell tour for the band Jane’s Addiction.

It ran annually until 1997, and was revived in 2003. Hosting more than 160,000 over a summer weekend, the festival attracts some of the biggest names in alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock, hip hop and electronica.

It’s also gone global. There’s a Lollapalooza Festival in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Germany.

MOST LIKELY TO SEE LeAnn Rimes, David Arquette, Aaron Paul, Chrissie Teigen, Elijah Wood, Sophia Bush, Joe Jonas, Malia Obama MOST LIKELY TO HEAR Line-up yet to be finalized, but Sam Smith. Drake, A$AP Rocky, Metallica, Kanye West are all expected to perform MOST LIKELY TO WEAR Festival Street Style: tribal print kimonos over cropped tanks and skinny highwaisted jeans; strappy short sundresses with combat boots; African-print drawstring pants with improvised bandana tops STYLE ICON Kate Nash www.lollapalooza.com

FULL NAME Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival WHEN June 11 - 14 WHERE Manchester, Tennessee PRICE General Admission 3-day tickets start at $299.50 ➜ The name “Bonnaroo” came from an old Dr. John album called Destively Bonnaroo, which the festival’s founder, Jonathan Mayers, thought was cool way back in 2001.

“Bonnaroo”, it turns out, is Creole slang for “good stuff.” Which is what the music and the vibe and the art at the festival are supposed to be.

It wasn’t cool when Kanye West arrived three hours one time—he was booed off the stage!

MOST LIKELY TO SEE Bob Dylan, Melanie Griffith, Kim Kardashian, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Kristen Bell, Bradley Cooper MOST LIKELY TO HEAR Billy Joel, Mumford & Sons, Deadmau5, Kendrick Lamar, Florence & The Machine, Time Machine, Childish Gambino, Hozier, Belle & Sebastian MOST LIKELY TO WEAR Girls Gone Wild: body paint over bare breasts, frayed cut-offs, flowers in the hair.

It’s hot and dusty, so less is more STYLE ICON Drew Barrymore circa Justin Long era www.bonnaroo.com

LOLLAPALOOZA

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A QUICK TOUR OF THE WORLD’ S MOST POPULAR MUSIC FESTIVALS 02

BONNAROO

FULL NAME The Governor’s Ball NYC Music Festival WHEN June 5-7 WHERE Randall’s Island, New York City PRICE Tickets start at $135 for a Single Day Admission. Don’t forget to buy ferry tickets in advance, from $20 at the Manhattan Ferry ➜ The Governor’s Ball turns four this year, and while it doesn’t quite have the cachet of Coachella, it’s in the East Coast. It’s a pain to have to take the ferry to Randall’s Island, but once there for the festival, you can pretend you’re still in Manhattan – you’ll find food trucks galore, and long queues for everything! The line-up this year has Drake headlining this festival, as he will be doing at all the other festivals, but there are some exclusive, Governor’s Ball-only acts, like Lana del Rey. MOST LIKELY TO SEE Steve Buscemi, Donald Glover, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pratt MOST LIKELY TO HEAR Drake, Bjork, Deadmau5, The Black Keys, Lana del Rey, Ryan Adams, St. Vincent, Florence & The Machine, Chromeo, Tame Impala, Kaytranada, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Conor Oberst MOST LIKELY TO WEAR Summer in the City: denim cut-offs, tank tops, bra tops and matching high-waisted shorts in floral patterns, widelegged pajama pants STYLE ICON Chelsea Leyland www.governorsballmusicfestival.com

MALASIMBO: MY MUSICAL MECCA

From C1

That first festival, I remember losing myself in dance to a Korean percussion group, Gong Myoung and the funky beats of DJs Heavy Boogie and a very-pregnant Badkiss. At the close of the 2011 weekend, I remember an ecstatic Hubert D’Aboville, one of the festival founders promising an even better experience the following year. And the promise was kept.

In 2012, Latin soul king Filipino-American Joe Bataan and his band brought the house (or the

mountain?) down, and so did Brigada with their sexy samba, and the grooves of Kyoto Jazz Massive. Who can forget that “Aww, shucks!” moment in Malasimbo 2013 when a moth buzzed close to the ethereal Joss Stone in the middle of her set and she gave the cutest shriek and panic jig on stage? In 2014, the mountain was mystical with the music of Brisbane singer Jordan Rakei, and British soul singer Omar Lye-fook transported us back to the chill, acid jazz days and he was pleased as punch as we

FULL NAME Glastonbury Festival of contemporary Performing Arts WHEN June 24 - 28 WHERE Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset, England PRICE General Admission full weekend tickets from £220 ➜ The veteran of music festivals, Glastonbury began in 1970 the day after Jimi Hendrix died. Organizer Michael Evis, whose expansive farm serves as the venue, first called it the Pilton Pop, Blues & Folk Festival; Marc Boland and The Kinks were among the headline acts. Taking place over five days in the summer, Glastonbury is considered the largest greenfield festival in the world. Last year, there were 175,000 visitors to the grounds.

Amazing celebrity draw, with lots of toffs amidst the plebs.

MOST LIKELY TO SEE Cressida Bonas, Kate Moss, Alexa Chung, Lily Allen, Poppy and Cara Delavigne, Stella McCartney, Mary Charteris, Ellie Goulding, Rita Ora, Jamie Winstone, Paolo Nutini, Florence Welch, Emma Watson, Bradley Cooper MOST LIKELY TO HEAR Foo Fighters and Lionel Richie have been confirmed, while everyone else from Elton John, Florence & The Machine, Coldplay, Pharell Williams, Rihanna and Calvin Harris to The Delta Sounds and the Mocking Birds and The Chemical Brothers are strongly rumored to be part of the lineup.

MOST LIKELY TO WEAR Festive Farmer: shorts and willies and a widebrimmed hat, to trample through the mud in style in case it pours STYLE ICON Kate Moss

all sang along with him and the Melotonins to “There’s Nothing Like This.”

In the daytime, we warmed up for the evening by partying on the Malasimboat.

In-between performances at night, I trooped to the Mangyan Village in the festival area to learn about their culture and appreciate their trades. Even just sitting among Olivia’s dandelions to rest from all that dancing, enjoying the breeze, happily people-watching, while scarfing my garlic-laden pork and chicken adobo with rice in a coconut shell, a kesong puti pandesal sandwich, and swilling

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FULL NAME Clockenflap Music and Arts Festival WHEN November 28 – 30 (TBC) WHERE West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong PRICE General Admission single day tickets from HK$510 ➜ The name doesn’t make sense.

Even the organizers say so.

Clockenflap defies definition, but it’s touted as “the best weekend’s worth of fun to be had in Hong Kong.”

The festival founded in 2008

by Jay Forster, Mike Hill and Justin Sweeting is all part of a push to put Hong Kong on Asia’s contemporary media-arts circuit. With 45,000 people attending in 2014, Clockenflap is credited with playing a pioneering role in nurturing the Chinese indie and alternative music scenes and bringing international talent to Chinese audiences, according to NME Magazine.

MOST LIKELY TO SEE Jack Black, JJ Acuña aka The Wanderlister, Veronica Li, Jay Fung, various scions of Hong Kong’s best families MOST LIKELY TO HEAR Line-up still to be confirmed, but last year saw Travis, Flaming Lips, Kool & the Gang, Tenacious D, DJ Jazzy Jeff, CHVRCHES, The Lemonheads, My Little Airport and New Youth Barber Shop MOST LIKELY TO WEAR Urban Glamper: this is Hong Kong, so amid the jeans and the pullovers, the shorts, the Vans and the plaid tops, you’ll see Chanel bags, over-the-knee boots and fur-collared jackets STYLE ICON Diana D’Arenberg

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MALASIMBO

FULL NAME Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival / Malasimbo Lights & Dance Festival WHEN March 6-8 / March 13-15 WHERE Malasimbo Ampitheatre, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro PRICE One-day pass from P2495 ➜ The first international music and arts festival of its calibre celebrates its fifth anniversary this March. Fully supported by the Department of Tourism, it draws locals and foreign tourists alike, and combines culture with eco-awareness. Plus the backdrop—the natural amphitheatre emerging from the mountain, and the stunning bay that it looks out into— is just breathtaking. Coachella’s got nothing on that view.

MOST LIKELY TO SEE Olivia d’Aboville, Kat Razon, Manolet Dario, Kat Magic, Aziza Mondoñedo, Gaby Manas, Mariana Zobel, Marc Nelson MOST LIKELY TO HEAR Tom Thum, Akasha, Bleu Rascals, Adinkra Lumads Djembre Community, DJ Ravi & Chikashi Nishiwaki, DJ Miro, Ky-Mani Marley, Fred Wesley & the New J.B.’s, Brigada MOST LIKELY TO WEAR Island Hippie: feathers, flowers, bikini bra tops, shorts, flip-flops STYLE ICON Kat Razon

it all down with a cold beer at 2 a.m. were simple experiences that made me ecstatic to be in Malasimbo.

Malasimbo’s magic is in the music: Miro and the D’Abovilles put together an amazing lineup of performances and artwork that expands my horizons and makes me appreciate life.

But the real magic lies in Malasimbo, the mountain, itself. You have to experience it. Malasimbo is just a breathtaking venue for all the mind-blowing rhythms, bootyshaking dance, and fascinating art.

That’s why I will always return.

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LIFE

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

g l w e e ke n d @ g m a i l . c o m

IN A FESTIVAL MOOD

Get ready to face the (live) music in the right festival outfit. We round up the best wardrobe basics for you and some knockout accessories, too!

DESIGUAL at Shangri-La Plaza and Bonifacio High Street

MARC by MARC JACOBS at Greenbelt 4

Factorie at Greenbelt 3

VERO MODA at SM Aura Premier and SM Mega Fashion Hall

OLD NAVY at Bonifacio High Street, Glorietta 3, SM Megamall, Ayala Fairview Terraces, Estancia and Shangri-La Plaza

H&M LOVES COACHELLA And to prove it, the Swedish fashion giant recently launched the festival’s first ever official fashion collection. Available in the Philippines from March 26th.

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LIFE g l w e e ke n d @ g m a i l . c o m

FOREVER 21 at SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia, SM City Cebu, SM Aura Premier, SM Lanang Premier, SM South Mall, SM Makati, SM Clark, SM City Fairview and SM North Edsa

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

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ESSENTIAL ITEMS YOU NEED TO STAY COMFORTABLE IN MALASIMBO

1 everything organized TOTE BAG Keep

with a bag that you can easily carry on your arm. From your clothes, gadgets and accessories, keep them all in place and in reach whenever you need them.

2Dress appropriately EXTRA T-SHIRTS

and wear a comfortable shirt that will help build your Malasimbo fashion statement. Bring extra shirts because, of course, everyone needs options.

TOWEL Don’t let your sweat or (even worst) the sweat of others stop you from having a good time. Being under the sun all day with 5,000 people can be a hygienic challenge but a cold towel on hand is the remedy to solve all those problems.

TOMMY HILFIGER COACHELLA at Central Square BGC, Greenbelt 5, Shangri-La Plaza, Newport Mall, Abreeza Mall and Rustan’s Department Stores in Ayala Center and Shangri-La Plaza

3

4be spending almost SNACKS As you’ll

an entire day outdoors, it is advisable to have your own stash of snacks to keep you filled throughout the day.Water and light food are recommended, just don’t forget to clean up after.

5 FLOPS With all the IPANEMA FLIP-

walking you’ll be doing throughout the festival, it is important to keep your feet comfortable at all times. With your own pair of Ipanema flip-flops, every step you take will be as comfortable as the next one because they are ergonomically shaped to hug your feet.

SFERA at SM Makati

Find your own pair of Ipanema flip-flops this 2015 in the Ipanema Store, Bambu Stores, SM Department Stores, Robinsons Department Stores, Shoe Salon, Landmark, Flatshop and other leading boutiques nationwide.

AMERICAN EAGLE at Bonifacio High Street, SM Aura Premier, SM Lanang, Greenbelt 3, Alabang Town Center, SM Megamall and Ayala Fairview Terraces

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SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com Sean Penn stars in another action-packed thriller

THE PROPERTY BROTHERS IN MANILA FOR HGTV LAUNCH i Leading home and lifestyle entertainment brand, HGTV, recently introduced home and design enthusiasts to two of the channel’s biggest stars, celebrity television hosts and real life twin brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott.

Better known as the Property Brothers, the Scotts visited Manila for the first leg of a promotional tour in Asia to celebrate the launch of HGTV to the region.

In the Philippines, HGTV is available on SKYcable starting March 1 on channel 88 (SD) and channel 246 (HD), and on Cignal Digital TV. With more than 15 years of experience in making dream homes a reality for homeowners, Drew and Jonathan Scott are television’s twin titans. Their witty banter, charming personalities and uncanny knack for uncovering real estate treasures, have helped make the Property Brothers the faces of home renovation on television since Property Brothers made its U.S debut on HGTV in 2011.

Since then, the talented and charismatic duo have gone on to star in other hit programs such as Buying and Selling and Brother vs. Brother.

The brothers participated in a series of road shows and exclusive events in Manila where fans had the rare opportunity to meet the brothers at the Glorietta Activity Center, and also

at an exclusive, invite-only dinner event through a “Meet and Greet” give away contest in the HGTV Asia Facebook page (www.facebook.com/hgtvasia).

When asked about his visit, Drew Scott, the real estate half of the duo, said, “I am excited to be back in the Philippines, having been to Manila before, I love its cultural landmarks, beautiful architecture and wonderful people.

It is such an honor to be part of the HGTV launch in Asia, and delighted to have met the fans in the Philippines, answer all their questions about home design and get to know more about their lifestyle and culture.”

Echoing his brother’s sentiments, Jonathan Scott, an experienced contractor, commented, “It feels great to have been able to get up close and personal with the home and design enthusiasts in the Philippines.

HGTV is the place to be if you are looking for home tips or creative ideas. We really enjoy what we do and we look forward to inspiring audiences with fresh ideas and authentic stories soon. ” To find out more about HGTV and The Property Brothers, visit HGTV at www.hgtv.asia and follow the tour action on Facebook(https://www. facebook.com/hgtvasia), Instagram (http:// www.instagram. com/hgtvasia) and Twitter (hvbnttps:// www.twitter. com/hgtvasia)

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1 6 11 16 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 43 45 47 49

ACROSS Leather for honing Thumbs through Jellybean shapes Downright mean Red pepper pod “— vincit amor” Almond confection Lazy one Cleaves Theater awards Slur together Thumps Say please Investment Destroy documents Used a blender Tijuana coin Hot-tub wood Movie with a saloon fight Running late Thinks ahead Whitman and Kelly Sharp Hockey team

52 53 54 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 68 69 70 72 73 74 75 77 78 79

Crystal of country Emporium Handy abbr.

Born there Like John Wayne Aberdeen kid Bona fide Speedily Dutch export Enticed (2 wds.)

Zeppo’s brother Cat’s coat “Help Me, —” (Beach Boys song) Teutonic war god (var.)

— up (paid) Mo. bill ABA mem.

Jeweler’s unit Rambles Davis of “Do the Right Thing” Minstrels Not cling (2 wds.)

Xerxes subject

K

nown for his gripping, unforgettable roles, Academy Award winner Sean Penn joins forces with director Pierre Morrel in a role he hasn’t done before in the explosive action thriller opening nationwide on March 18.

In the vein of edge-of-your seat thrillers and , director Morrel, known for transforming Liam Neeson into a bonafide action hero brings another up and rising action hero in Sean Penn in the testosterone-driven movie .

Penn is Jim Terrier, an ex-special forces government contractor whose past comes back to haunt him when his former employer tries to have him killed. On the run and thrust into an inescapable game of cat and mouse chase, Terrier races from the jungles of Africa to the streets of London and the vibrant city of Barcelona in a deadly mission to flush out the people who want him dead.

Terrier knows there is only one way to save himself – he must bring down one of

Real estate expert Drew Scott and contractor Jonathan Scott team up to help families find, buy and transform a dated property into the ultimate dream home.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE

‘TAKEN’ DIRECTOR ENLISTS SEAN PENN IN ‘THE GUNMAN’

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Rooms under a roof Limp-watch painter Porcelain vase Choose as a successor Dry toast Athena’s domain Rumor, perhaps Nutty High-IQ group Orchestra section UFO passenger Ladder part Roly-poly Good, to Juan Comfort Family nickname Galahad’s weapon Birdbath slime Mardi Gras doings Chain dance Rely on Durable fabric Slacken off Smoke column Huge crowd St. Louis tourist attraction Tibia neighbor Popped up Has on Cyclops had one Moreno and Hayworth Alma — McEnroe foe Danke, in Dijon Curie daughter Helena rival Attack on a castle Europe-Asia divider Butte cousins Shell out Finished up Doctrine

the world’s most powerful organizations and face a dangerous enemy from his past in a nerve-shattering showdown that only one man will survive.

From recent interviews, Penn shared his insights on the movie, “Here’s the funny thing, calling it an ‘action film’ is kind of like calling Meryl Streep a sexy blonde chick. She is. But that really doesn’t tell the story of what she is at all. I don’t separate this in my mind from anything else I have done. It’s a very human story that deals with the same things exploited in action films, like warfare. I have seen people in this line of work at work. That does inform what we’re doing here.”

Fast-paced action that amps up the bullets, explosions and bare-knuckled punches, “The Gunman” also boasts of an impressive cast including Javier Bardem, Idris Elba, and Mark Rylance.

Check out the movie’s poster and trailer release here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8xrdtUtZVc&featu re=youtu.be

SUNDAY, MARCH 01, 2015

DOWN 1 Cancel, as a project 2 This and that 3 Hockey venues 4 Dilapidated 5 Leaning Tower town 6 Unlaces 7 Mounts gems 8 Ekberg or Loos 9 “— upon this quiet life!”

10 Back talk 11 Do surgery 12 Parking attendants 13 Stage whisper 14 Inc. cousin 15 Leak slowly 16 Common fertilizer 17 Remain loyal 18 Fishtailed 19 Singer Pendergrass 20 Birthday no.

31 False alarm 33 Hall decker 35 Driving-test feat (hyph.)

37 Fiber- — cable 39 “Gorillas in the Mist” setting 41 Share 44 Crowbar 46 Jean Auel heroine 48 Field crop 49 Foul-up 50 On the blink 51 Video-game pioneer 52 Loud 53 Nobelist from Egypt 54 Hair-raising 55 Slender candle 56 Lumps of clay 58 — Carlo 59 Alpha followers 60 Haphazard

62 63 64 67 68 69 71 73 74 76 77 78 79

Was admitted (2 wds.)

Earls and viscounts — Kong Laces into (2 wds.)

Bumps on a frog Grill locale Trailing “The Castle” author Uses a blowtorch Trig function Name for a cow Rodeo prop Trouser purchases

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Ho-hum feeling Reddish-brown horses Pounce Ms. Keaton Homer opus Brother’s daughter They may be spliced Baggage handler December door decor Kiwi language Bean-sprouts bean Moths and ants

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Alpaca kin Discussion group Rhythm and — More sensible Water lilies Like a knight Went biking Bathhouse Soup server Deepen, as a canal Ignited Chomps down Starbucks order Held title to

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Placed the same ad Dishwasher phase Bank job Iowa college town Failing that Bit of soot Crater edge Deadly snake Drei minus zwei Before, to Blake

S U N D AY : M A R C H 0 1 : 2 0 1 5

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

From left, Jasmin Opulencia & Kara Acevedo of GMA Marketing & Productions, Inc. with Rayana Pandey, editor, Marketing Magazine SG

BEST BUSINESS TRIP EVER Vince Vaughn, Dave Franco, and Tom Wilkinson form an unlikely trio of business associates along with Sienna Miller, James Marsden, and Nick Frost in the adult raunchy comedy Vince Vaughn plays Dan, a small business owner whose company is on the brink of shutting down.

In order to save his company, he must lock down a deal with some clients, but unfortunately, they are deciding between Dan and a giant corporation led by his previous boss (Sienna Miller). With no other options left, Dan and his employees (Dave Franco and Tom Wilkinson) travel to Germany to treat their clients to one hell of a business trip.

“Unfinished Business” was directed by Ken Scott from a screenplay written by Steven Conrad.

Learn from the unlikely trio of pros on how to get the job done and stay at it when opens on March 5 from 20th Century Fox and distributed

by Warner Bros.

Check the trailer here: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=8lkbIXB5h_Q&list=PLcZs6n5iZ Px-tyFr_U794r5SqCDXinqR8

Dave Franco, Tom Wilkinson, and Vince Vaughn in Unfinished Business

Users enjoy the Kapuso Milyonaryo app, an endless runner game which gave them a chance to win cash prizes and smartphones.

Loti’s new single is now available for download on all music websites including iTunes From C8

GMA’S MOBILE APPS WIN BIG IN SOUTHEAST ASIA Certifying its consistent pursuit of creativity and innovation, GMA Marketing and Productions, Inc. (GMPI) was a big winner at the Mob-Ex Awards 2015 South-East Asia, garnering three (3) Gold and two (2) Bronze trophies. The awarding was held on Feb. 5 at the Mandarin Orchard Hotel in Singapore.

Now on its third year, the Mob-Ex Awards is the premier award-giving body in Southeast Asia that recognizes excellence in the mobile marketing platform and honors organizations with sound and innovative mobile marketing strategies.

GMA’s Kapuso Milyonary won a Gold award in the Best Use of Incentives/ Rewards category and two Bronze awards for the Best In-App Advertising and Best App/Content by a Media Owner categories. The mobile app is the digital version of the Network’s popular Kapuso Milyonaryo promo.

Kapuso Milyonaryo extended this endeavor in the digital arena via an endless runner mobile game app centered on the lovable character, Tobz. Set in a grocery, players must help Tobz collect digital entries while avoiding obstacles. Players get a chance to win cash prizes, smartphones and a grand prize of P300,000, tax-free.

Del Monte Kitchenomics Branded Content & Companion Mobile App received the Gold prize in both the Best InApp Advertising and Best App/Content by a Media Owner categories. Finding

new ways to reach their market and to encourage more moms to try their recipes, the innovative app was launched to revitalize Del Monte Kitchenomics, an established Filipino culinary club which has been providing Filipino moms with recipes in quick and easy steps for over three decades.

The Del Monte Kitchenomics mobile app, the first of its kind on local television, makes the recipes instantly accessible to viewers watching the cooking show. Just by scanning any Del Monte logo, users are able to download the recipes featured in the program.

Among other tools and features, it also includes a Meal Planner and allows users to automatically add the recipes’ ingredients into the in-app shopping list, making the app a convenient tool for mothers on the go.

Both apps were made available for Android and Apple iOS devices for free.

GMA bagged 5 awards from a pool of 145 finalists and had the most awards from the Philippines.

HHHHH Loti, an upcoming independent OPM artist, releases her debut song digitally, which will delight everyone with its classy rhythm, mesmerizing sound and catchy lyrics.

Valentine’s Day marked a huge stage in the career of the talented young artist as she released “Future Love” in 240 countries worldwide. Fans can download it on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and Google Play.

“Future Love” features high-energy guitar and drums playing, melodious vocals and heartfelt lyrics. The music is punctuated throughout with elements of pop.

It was recorded at the Yellow Room Studio, and its creation was supported by musicians who have been associated with Mayonnaise, Paraluman, Mad Hatter Day and many more.

The song reveals the astonishing array of influences that we encounter in the 90s pop songs. It relays the message of singles to their dream love.

“I think, many of us can relate to ‘Future Love’. Anyone who hopes to find, to fall in love and to be loved by the right person will surely like this song”, says Loti.

The official music video was released last month showing a girl’s adorable and fervent pursuit for love who’s played by Loti, which eventually gets reciprocated in the end by Richard “You’re My Foreignoy” Hwan with his cute role as the nation’s dream boy.

The song was made available for download in iTunes, Spotify, Google Play and Amazon while everyone is also encouraged to visit E&M Entertainment’s YouTube channel for its official music video.

Here’s the link of the video: http://youtu.be/lWteAXksCVU For further inquiries, management and booking just send us an e-mail at eandmentertainment@gmail.com

SMART’S MOBILE APP OPEN ONLINE COURSE WITH UP-OU GETS POSITIVE RESPONSE

S

ome 700 students have enrolled in the mobile app development online course offered by Smart Communications, Inc. in partnership with the University of the Philippines Open University (UP-OU), proving the increasing popularity and pervasive potential of mEducation in the country.

The course is the country’s first Massive Open Online Course (MOCC) to date and it was co-developed with UP-OU, the nation’s Center of Excellence in Distance and Open Learning. It started accepting online students for the course in July last year.

The online course is part of Smart’s “Internet for All” cam-

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paign in mEducation and mLearning to help extend the reach of educational institutions through Internet and mobile technologies.

Smart will be expanding the number of courses and is working with UP-OU to further improve the online learning system.

To further boost efforts in mEducation, Smart is also set to launch the eUP Project, a key initiative under the University of the Philippines’ Strategic Plan. The goal is to make the state university more competitive in the region.

For this project, Smart is providing WiFi connectivity and access points that will link all of its seven campuses and its Open University program.

UP students will benefit from the eUP project, Smart is providing WiFi connectivity and access points that link all seven campuses and the Open University program, also offering online open course on Android Development for distance learners

Under the agreement, websites whitelisted by UP and Smart can be accessed for free over WiFi inside UP campuses. Sites that are not whitelisted can be accessed for free within a set number of min-

utes per day. Data usage beyond that period will be charged the usual rates. For the project, Smart will install numerous hotspots in various UP campuses.

Smart’s project complements

the initiative of PLDT which won the competitive bidding for the core programs needed to run the eUP Project. Under the contract, PLDT will enable the university’s electronic management system that helps provide an integrated infrastructure across all UP campuses and units.

Smart and PLDT are in discussions for similar efforts in other colleges and universities across the country.

Aside from the schools WiFi initiative, Smart has been pioneering in the mEducation space through various offerings. For example, Smart has its Alternative Learning System app – available for download on Google Play –and an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) solution that contains courses that can be accessed through feature phones to help non-formal mobile teachers and learners, including out-of-school youths (OSYs).

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C8

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ DANIEL PADILLA AMONG NOMINEES IN NICKELODEON KIDS’ CHOICE AWARDS SIMPLY RED ISAH V. RED Year of the sheep started with a big leap for Daniel Padilla with a blockbuster movie with Kathryn Bernardo Crazy Beautiful You (P32 million grosss on its first day).

He is among this year’s nominees in Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards (KCA). He is in the Favorite Asian Act category along with Indonesia’s JKT48, Malaysia’s Jinny Boy, and Singapore’s Tosh Zhang.

Being nominated by an international award giving body is somthing Daniel doesn’t expect.

Will be like the previously recognized celebrities by KCA – Charice Pempengco, Anne Curtis, and Sarah Geronimo?

Other notable nominees in this year’s KCA includes Ariana Grande (Favorite Female Singer), Bruno Mars (Favorite Male Singer), 5 Seconds of Summer (Favorite New Artist), Cameron Diaz (Favorite Movie Actress) Hugh Jackman (Favorite Movie Actor), Jim Parsons (Favorite TV Actor), Jennifer Morison (Favorite TV Actress), Andrew Garfield (Favorite Male Action Star), Jennifer Lawrence (Favorite Female Action Star), Angelina Jolie and Donald Sutherland (Favorite Villain).

The annual Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards gather viewer votes all around the world to know their favorite stars on TV and movies, favorite music, books, games, and cartoon shows.

To vote, visit http://kca.nickasia.com/, choose “Daniel Padilla” as your Favorite Asian Act. Voting started on Feb. 22 and closes on March 28. The announcement of winners will be aired on March 30, 11am. ★★★★★ Today in Baguio, the streets will bloom not just with flowers but with stars as well from GMA Network who have made their way to the country’s Summer Capital to join in the annual Panagbenga Festival.

Taking the fun a notch higher, the lead cast of afternoon prime

soaps Kailan Ba Tama Ang Mali? and The Half Sisters offer an exciting Kapuso Night to locals and tourists alike at the Rambakan Drive of SM City Baguio at five o’ clock in the afternoon Coming right at the heels of their successful participation in the Sinulog sa Kabankalan, Dinagyang, and Bacolaodiat festivals, Kailan Ba Tama Ang Mali?’s Max Collins, Dion Ignacio, Empress Schuck, and Geoff Eigenmann head to the City of Pines for their fourth promotional tour this year.

Joining them in spreading cheers to Kapuso fans amidst the city’s cold temperature are teen stars Barbie Forteza, Andre Paras, and Thea Tolentino from The Half Sisters.

Meanwhile, a live coverage of the street-dancing parade brought by GMA Regional News and Public Affairs airs over GMA’s station in Dagupan.

At 7 a.m., and at 8 a.m., GMA brings “Primera sa Panagbenga 2015” followed by “Kapuso sa Panagbenga ‘15.”

“There is definitely more in Baguio City for Filipinos and foreign tourists to see and experience. For many years now, the Kapuso Network has stood witness to the grand celebration of the Panagbenga Festival. There is no other festival in the Philippines that highlights the beauty and splendor of nature’s blooms.

With the full support of our partners, this year’s festivities will be an enjoyable one,” says Oliver Victor B. Amoroso, GMA Regional TV’s head of Regional Strategy and Business Development Division.

Now on its 20th edition, the 2015 Panagbenga Festival carries the theme “Across 20 Years, Blossoming Together.”

Highlights of the Network’s participation in the Panagbenga Festival will be seen in Let’s Fiesta TV Special, which airs on March 15 via the Network’s regional stations in Bicol, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Dagupan, Ilocos, GenSan, Bacolod, and CDO. To know more about the Network’s regional events, follow GMA Regional TV on Twitter and Instagram via @GMARegionalTV. Continued on C7

Being nominated by an international award giving body is somthing Daniel doesn’t expect

Stargazing in Panagbenga: Dion Ignacio, Empress Schuck, Geoff Eigenmann, Max Collins, Andrei Paras, Barbie Forteza and Thea Tolentino