The Standard - 2015 March 05 - Thursday

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK VOL. XXIX  NO. 21  3 Sections 32 Pages P18  THURSDAY: MARCH 5, 2015  www.manilastandardtoday.com  mst@mstandardtoday.com

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Tagum mayor tagged for multiple slays

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Half-Pinoy, 25, is top billionaire

SAF GIVES PNOY COLD SHOULDER Aquino scraps speech prepared for visit to commandos’ camp Next page

Remembering the 44. Dario Noche, an artist from the Erehwon Art Museum, applies the finishing touches on a mural of the 44 police commandos who were killed during an encounter with Muslim rebels on Jan. 25. The mural will be displayed during graduation this month at the Philippine National Police Academy. MANNY PALMERO

What’s on in cinemas this week

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Pacquiao ready for biggest fight

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New PNP-SAF head. President Benigno Aquino III greets PNP-SAF Officer in Charge Noli Taliño (second from left) after congratulating newly installed PNP-SAF Director Moro Virgilio Lazo (left) at the PNP-SAF headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa. MAlAcAñANg Photo BureAu

AFP wants 72 hours more to go after rebels

By Francisco tuyay THE Armed Forces of the Philippines asked for a 72-hour extension of its all-out offensive against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters after the Islamist fighters disappeared in the area of operation in Maguindanao and allegedly sought refuge in areas controlled by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The Army’s Sixth Infantry Division made the request for an extension of the operation as the Maguindanao provincial board approved a resolution declaring the entire province under a state of calamity after 41,000 residents fled the operation which is now on its sixth day. “[But] the BIFF camps are now empty,” said Absalom Cerveza, spokesman of the Moro National Liberation Front which also has former members in the area.

“The military cannot find the BIFF because they had already fled to different MILF controlled areas in Maguindanao,” Cerveza said, citing reports from MNLF commanders in the area.

Even military spokesman Col. Harold Cabunoc confirmed that the military also suspects that BIFF members have sought refuge with their relatives in the MILF. “That is one of the challenges,” Cabunoc said when told of the information from the MNLF. “But we are closely working with the local government officials, up to the barangay officials, and also with the MILF. They committed to help us,” Cabunoc said.

The disappearance of the BIFF rebels was also a puzzle to the militray bevcause they had earlier gained control of all key roads in Maguindanao and North Cotabato, including remote civilian communities, and they encountered no BIFF. But Cerveza explained that the BIFF, like the MILF and MNLF in past clashes, could easily have fled the area by stashing their firearms in hiding places and mingling with the thousands of civilians who have been moving out of the area.

SAF gives Aquino cold shoulder at camp rites

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan and Francisco tuyay

MEMBERS of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force gave President Benigno Aquino III the cold shoulder Wednesday during turnover ceremonies for their new commander, Chief Supt.

Moro Virgilio Lazo.

Just before the ceremony, Mr. Aquino met with survivors of the Mamasapano operation in which 44 SAF police commandos were killed. The meeting, which was set for 30 minutes, was extended to almost three hours.

When officer-in-charge Chief Supt. Noli Taliño finally acknowledged the President’s presence at the venue in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, the SAF troopers did not clap but merely watched as he entered the quadrangle.

In contrast, the policemen clapped enthusiastically in welcoming their new commander later in the ceremony.

Although a media advisory on Tuesday said Aquino was to speak during the ceremony, his address was re-

moved from the official program Wednesday morning.

A podium with the presidential seal that was set up at the quadrangle was removed in the afternoon.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said there was nothing wrong about the change in plan.

“Please note the caution in every media advisory we issue, it is always subject to change,” Coloma said.

“The President already met and spoke with SAF officers before witnessing the turnover ceremony.

He did not intend to deliver any speech at the turnover ceremony,” he added.

Aquino met last month with the widows of the SAF 44, but angered them when he scolded them for their impatience in seeking justice for their husbands.

At Wednesday’s ceremony, Lazo expressed gratitude for the President’s trust and confidence in appointing him as the new SAF commander. His predecessor, Getulio Napeñas, was sacked in the aftermath of the Mamasapano incident.

Lazo said that amid the problems and losses that the SAF suffered, he felt his troops were now stronger.

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II said Lazo, as a former SAF member, was qualified for the position since he was familiar with the system.

“The SAF is a unique and specialized unit. They are given the most crucial and dangerous missions, so you can’t put just anyone in charge because the troopers will wonder if he knows what he is ordering them to do,” Roxas said.

Roxas said that during their three-hour meeting,

SAF troopers asked the President for increased hazard pay and additional rest days.

In response, Aquino ordered the PNP and the Presidential Management Staff to study the SAF troopers’ suggestions and submit their recommendations within 30 days, Roxas said.

During the meeting, the SAF troopers also emphasized to Aquino that they were able to neutralize suspected Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan during the Jan. 25 Mamasapano mission, a fact the President acknowledged.

“The SAF troopers told the President, ‘We got our man. We accomplished our mission. He replied that there was no question that they did,” Roxas said.

Roxas said Aquino has also started the vetting process for the next PNP chief, to replace resigned police chief Alan Purisima, who appeared to be calling the shots in the covert Mamasapano operation, despite being suspended.

Since the PNP can have only one four-star official— and Purisima quit only as PNP chief—Aquino is considering appointing a three-star officer such as Deputy Directgor General Leonardo Espina and directorial staff chief Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo Jr. Both Espina and Garbo are members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1981.

Lazo, the new SAF commander, was the former head of the Firearms and Explosives Office based in Camp Crame. He was also deputy regional director for operations of the Police Regional Office in Central Luzon.

No railroading of BBL to secure Nobel Prize—Palace

By Joyce P. Pañares and Macon r. Araneta THE Palace on Wednesday parried the accusations of lawmakers that President Benigno Aquino III was railroading the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law to secure a nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma also denied that the President was using the BBL to score brownie points for his last State of the Nation Address in July.

“That comment is unfair as it is based on speculation,” Coloma said in reaction to the accusations made by Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate.

“It glosses over the President’s firm

commitment for the peace process,” he added.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Zarate’s claims were unfounded.

“There is no truth whatsoever to Rep. Zarate’s conjecture regarding the President’s support for the peace process,” Valte said.

Aquino earlier met with House leaders to see their support for the swift passage of the measure, which will implement the peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Hearings on the BIFF bogged down after 44 policemen were killed by Muslim rebels, including MILF fighters, in a covert operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

“Let me repeat to you: there is no stopping this (tuloy na tuloy na ito).

There is not a better alternative for the rest of the country. It’s time to make a stand. Am I for peace or am I for war? I don’t think there is any politician who will stand up to say I am for war,” the President told lawmakers led

by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chairman of the House ad hoc committee on the BBL. Zarate criticized his colleagues in the House for succumbing to pressure from the Palace to pass the constitutionally flawed BBL, just to satisfy Aquino’s desire to claim credit for a process that has been going on for 18 years.

“We are under the impression that the BBL is being rushed so that [Aquino] can get recognition for a Nobel

Peace Prize. This bill is being rushed so he can mention it as an accomplishment in his last SONA,” Zarate said.

“Railroading the passage of the BBL is not giving justice to the peace process. If you do not support BBL, you are made out to be anti-peace.

But If you support the BBL, you are for peace. This is not the way things should be,” Zarate added.

Aquino has minced no words in accusing critics of the proposed BBL of using the Mamasapano debacle to sow unrest and divide the Filipino people.

The botched operation resulted in the suspension of congressional hearings on the BBL as well as in calls for the President to resign.

With Maricel V. cruz, Nelson Flores and rey e. requejo

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House warns power producers SPEAKER Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Wednesday warned the power sector not to worsen the expected electricity shortage this summer through unscheduled power plant shutdowns.

Cheek by jowl. A squatter colony in Manila stands in contrast to the skyscrapers in the background, pointing to the uneven development in the city. Ver NoVeNo

Half-Pinoy is 2nd-youngest Forbes billionaire THE world’s two youngest billionaires are 20-something Stanford fraternity brothers who developed a mobile app that allows users to send photos or videos that will disappear after a few seconds and one of them is the son of Filipina migrant.

One of them, Evan Thomas Spiegel, who at 24 is now the youngest billionaire in the world, with a net worth of $1.5 billion while the other is Spiegel’s partner, 25-yearold Bobby Murphy, who

has the same net worth.

Murphy is the son of a Filipina migrant who is now working for the State of California while Spiegel is the son of Los Angeles lawyers. The two met at Stanford University where they joined forces to tap the power of American venture capital.

After a false start setting up an app to help high school graduates with their college applications, Spiegel and Murphy stumbled on the notion of creating an app that sends photos or

videos that will disappear after the few seconds.

Spiegel became the chief executive officer while Murphy was the chief technology officer, who pushed the code for the app.

They initially called their product Picaboo and it allows users to take photos, record videos, add text and drawings, and send them to a controlled list of recipients who can view the message for only a limited time, after which they will be deleted from

the recipient’s device.

The two later changed the company name to Snapchat and launched it in 2011 and it was a hit.

By 2014, the app users were sending 700 million photos and videos per day, while Snapchat Stories content was being viewed 500 million times per day.

In a cyber-world with mounting issues over privacy, the app was a hit and even impressed Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who offered $3 billion for their Snapchat, an

offer Spiegel and Murphy rejected.

Spiegel and Murphy raised less than half a million dollars in its first round of venture-capital funding, but in 2013, it raised $60 million in a funding round.

Also in June 2013, Snapchat introduced Snapkidz for users under 13 years of age. Snapkidz is part of the original Snapchat application and is activated when the user provides a date of birth to verify his/her age.

Japanese ship found after 70 years MICROSOFT co-founder Paul Allen said Wednesday he had found one of Japan’s biggest and most famous battleships on a Philippine seabed, some 70 years after American forces sank it during World War II. Excited historians likened the discovery, if verified, to finding the Titanic, as they hailed the American billionaire for his high-tech mission that apparently succeeded after so many failed search attempts by others.

Allen posted photos and video online of parts of what he said was the battleship Musashi, found by his M/Y Octopus exploration vessel one kilometer (1.6 miles) deep on the floor of the Sibuyan Sea. “World War II battleship Musashi sank 1944 is found,” Allen announced in a Twitter post that has been re-tweeted close to 19,000 times.

The discovery was the end of an eight-year search for the Musashi, backed by historical data from four countries and using “advanced technology” that surveyed the seabed, Allen said in a statement on his website.

“I am honored to play a part in finding this key vessel in naval history and honoring the memory of the incredible bravery of the men who served aboard her,” Allen said.

Undersea footage on Allen’s website showed what were described as a valve, a catapult for planes, a gun turret and a starboard anchor.

It also showed the space on the bow for the Japanese empire’s Chrysanthemum seal.

This is a unique feature of the three biggest warships that Japan built during World War II, according to Kazushige Todaka, director of the Kure Maritime Museum in Japan.

“I’m almost certain that what was discovered is the battleship Musashi,” he said, adding the find had huge historical importance.

“There have been so many efforts over the years to locate Musashi, but they all failed. I feel like the warship might have been destined to show itself this year -- the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II,” Todaka said. AFP

The battleship Musashi, sunk by US warplanes in 1944, was found 1km beneath the Sibuyan Sea.

“The power industry must not make matters worse by arbitrarily shutting down power plants whose maintenance can be rescheduled after the March to July critical period,” Belmonte said.

“The power producers should behave responsibly at this time when all are sacrificing,” he said.

Belmonte also called on the Department of Energy and the Energy Regulatory Commission, as well as the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, to work closely with one another and step up their monitoring of the independent power producers’ delivery of available capacity.

“Both the DOE and ERC have a duty to carefully scrutinize these sudden claims of forced outages to ensure that these are really because of unexpected mechanical breakdowns,” Belmonte said.

“We should guard against any artificial shortages caused by the deliberate withholding of supply just to jack up prices,” he said.

Senate President Franklin Drilon on Wednesday said the decisions of President Benigno Aquino III when using his emergency power to address the power crisis was not subject to review by Congress.

“These are matters that will not be subject to review

by Congress,” Drilon said.

He said there was no oversight to ensure the quality, reliability, security and affordability of the supply of electricity in the country.

He said the resolution that he authored granted President the power to issue orders to address the power shortage. He said it contained provisions that were crafted to address the imbalance in the supply of power.

Senator Teofisto Guingona, a member of the bicameral conference committee on giving emergency powers to the President,

said they were yet to come up with another schedule to meet on the issue.

The House of Representatives had earlier granted emergency powers to Aquino to address the projected power crisis in Luzon this summer by building up dispatchable power reserves through the Interruptible Load Program or ILP. Through the ILP large industrial and commercial MERALCO customers would run their own generators, thereby freeing up electricity to be used by residential customers, the small users who do not have back-up generators.

The government would then compensate these ILP participants.

Belmonte expressed hope that the Senate would not pass on to residential consumers the additional burden of shouldering the cost of the ILP program. The House and Senate Bicameral Conference Committee are expected to finalize the resolution by next week.

Meanwhile, power interruptions have already been occurring in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

“The DOE and the Grid Management Committee should already actively implement measures to prevent forced outages given that brownouts are now occurring nationwide,” Belmonte said.

“Where there is a red alert declared by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, there should be a sequence protocol to meet the shortage such as first disconnecting those with large generators but who have not volunteered to be participants of the ILP. “Since it is the people’s money that would pay for the committed ILP power supply, the DOE and ERC must ensure efficient utilization of these public funds. Maricel V. Cruz and Macon r. Araneta

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

COMMISSION ON APPOINTMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENT President Benigno S. Aquino III has submitted to the Commission on Appointments (C.A.) for confirmation the ad interim appointments of the following ranking officers in the Armed Forces of the Philippines: Demosthenes C. Santillan– Major General; Aurelio A. Rabusa, Jr.– Rear Admiral; Michael Beverlyn J. Manquiquis- Brigadier General;and Vicente L. Cejoco– Commodore The public may submit any information, written report or sworn complaints or oppositions in forty (40) copies on the above appointments to the CA Secretariat, 6th Floor, PNB Financial Center, DiosdadoMacapagal Blvd., Pasay City, Metro Manila.

For the schedule of the public hearings, the CA Secretariat can be reached through telephone numbers 551-7532, 831-0893, 831-1824, 834-2706, 831-1566 and 834-2713.

04 March 2015.

ARTURO L. TIU Secretary (MST-MAR. 5, 2015)

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IN BRIEF Jolo’s gun now in cops’ custody

Displaced. A group from ‘Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns’ stages a protest in Quezon City to denounce the military offensive in Maguindanao, heaping blame on President Benigno Aquino III as commander in chief for displacing 28,000 people including 7,000 schoolchildren. MANNY PALMERO

TAGUM DEATH SQUAD

Multiple murder raps vs Davao mayor

By Rey Requejo

THE National Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday asked the Department of Justice to prosecute former Tagum City Mayor Rey “Chiong” Uy and 28 others for multiple counts of murder and frustrated murder. Uy and the other accused allegedly operated a death squad which was behind the 300 unsolved killings in Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley from 2008 to 2012.

The NBI-Task Force Tagum Death Squad completed its investigation on the 82 murder incidents in Tagum and Dujali in Davao de Norte, Maco and Wahab towns in Compostela Valley nd Butuan City.

Apart from Uy, those recommended for prosecution were former head of Tagums Civil Security Unit (CSU); Conrado Palen, a communist rebel re-

turnee; Senior Police Officer 1 Rolly Sabitsana, team leader of Tagum Death Squad; PO1 Alex Maniego, current head of CSU; Wrenster Azarcon, alleged triggerman; and several others.

The case stemmed from the report released last year by New York-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW) titled “One Shot to the Head: Death Squad Killings in Tagum City,

Philippines.”

Uy was invited by the NBI for investigation but he did not appear before the probers.

Based on the NBI’s complaint, the TDS was created to allegedly to rid Tagum City of “weeds” such as thieves, snatchers, drug pushers.

Uy allegedly provided payment and equipment for the operations using CSU as cover to lawfully issue guns and motorcycles used in the killings.

It added that TDS members received salaries as employees of CSU doing nothing, but just pass the time until instructions are given to kill somebody.

But the TDS was later on used for contract killings to eliminate business competitors, enemies, and even police officers who were threats to them or going against their interest, according to the complaint.

TDS members who refused

to carry out orders or opted to quit also became targets of the death squad, according to the complant.

Former members of the TDS Romnick Minta, who survived an assassination attempt on him, and Jomari Abayon, have both executed sworn statements detailing the death squad’s operations.

Their statements as well as the complaint-affidavits of the families of the victims and survivors became the NBI’s basis in filing the complaint against Uy and his alleged co-conspirators.

Abayon confirmed 30 killing committed by the death squad and admitted having participated in 16 of these killings.

Minta, on the other hand, admitted that he participated in the death squad as either an asset, back-up, triggerman or driver of the motorcycle used in the assault.

Makati extends aid to 19 SAF members

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Makati City government has extended P190,000 in financial assistance to the 19 members of the Special Action Force, who also took part in the Jan. 25 bloody operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay led the distribution of financial assistance to the 19 members of the SAF - 84th Seaborne Company last Tuesday at the Makati City Hall. He added the 19 police

commandos, whose names were withheld upon their request, each received a P100,000-check.

“They should not become the Forgotten 19,” said Binay. “These 19 valiant members of SAF 84th Seaborne Company also deserve our recognition and gratitude for having risked their lives to capture known terrorists and thereby save innocent lives. This is the least we can do to show our appreciation of their dedication to duty.”

On Feb. 18, Vice President

Jejomar Binay and Makati City government officials distributed P440,000 financial assistance to the families of the 44 police commandos killed in the bloody encounter with suspected members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Mamasapano.

Apart from the P100,000 financial help, the families also got a P300,000 worth of house and lot courtesy of the National Housing Authority through the initiative

of the Vice President, who is also chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.

The city government also offered college scholarship at the city-run University of Makati (UMak) to the children or siblings of the slain policemen.

Last February 8, the Binay family also visited and gave P100,000 each to the 15 wounded troopers of the PNP-SAF who survived the mission to hunt down two terrorists.

THE government-issued handgun of Cavite Vice Gov. Jolo Revilla is now in the custody of the Muntinlupa City police.

Lawyer Raymond Fortun, spokesman for the the Revilla family, handed over on Wednesday the .40 Glock pistol and the used bullet casing to Muntinlupa City police chief Senior Supt. Alan Nobleza.

The 26-year old Revilla said he was cleaning the gun inside their home on Saturday when he accidentally pulled the trigger hitting him in the chest.

The pistol with serial number AABS154 is registered under the provincial government of Cavite at the Firearms and Explosives Office with an expiration date of March 31, 2015.

Aside from subjecting the gun for ballistics examination, authorities are also considering Revilla to undergo paraffin test.

A special team of investigators formed by National Capital Region Police Office director Carmelo Valmoria has yet to determine if Revilla’s case was an accident or self-inflicted.

“This is part of the police work to look on any medicolegal incident, whether those involved are known personalities or ordinary people,” said Valmoria.

Jolo has yet to submit a sworn affidavit about the incident as he is still recuperating at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Alabang, Muntinlupa, where he went through a two-hour operation.

Doctors attending to him said his condition is stable and improving. Joel Zurbano

New AFP spokesman ARMED Forces chief General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. has appointed Civil Relations Service chief Brigadier General Joselito “Joey” Kakilala as spokesman.

Kakilala, a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Maharlika” Class of 1984, is also set to relinquish on Thursday his designation as chief of the AFP’s Office of Special Studies and Strategic Management (OSSSM), a unit under the AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans.

He will be replaced by his “mistah” (classmate) Colonel Paterno Morales at the OSSSM. Morales will be supported by another classmate Colonel Francis Alaurin as his deputy.

Outgoing AFP spokesman and concurrent Assistant Commander of the AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations Colonel Restituto Padilla said the former turnover would be held Thursday.

Florante Solmerin

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Two presidents, one accord. President Aquino and visiting French President Francois Hollande witness the signing of the business agreement for the management, operation and maintenance of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway. The areement was signed by Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of Manila North Tollways Corporation and Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, and Arnel Paciano Casanova, president and chief executive officer of Bases Conversion and Development Authority recently at the Malacanang Palace. The concession term is for 29 years or until 30 October 2043. Malacañang Photo Bureau

Bus firms must use GPS, says LTFRB

‘Fund lack no excuse for PNR to raise fare’

By Rio N. Araja

By Macon Araneta

THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board will pilot test global positioning system on public utility buses in Metro Manila in a move to help lower the rising incidences of road mishap.

An LFTRB board member, Ariel Enrile Inton Jr. said the use of GPS on passenger bus units will be required starting in the second quarter of 2015.

“We keep on suspending bus firms whose vehicles have figured in road mishaps.

But (bus) accidents have already happened and taken toll on the lives of too many people. That is why we have come up with a measure to closely monitor the speed limit of PUBs along national roads,” he told The Standard.

Under the pilot test, an in-vehicle GPS device and communication system will continuously send speed and location data to a control center installed in a bus.

A bus will be tagged as speeding when the in-vehicle GPS device exceeds the imposed speed limit.

Bus passengers can also monitor on real-time the speed of the bus through an on-screen display system installed inside the unit.

Chairperson Winston Ginez said the measure is designed to arrest the recent spate of bus accidents.

He blamed overspeeding, saying the bus-related accidents have been very alarming.

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THE Philippine National Railways should not pass the burden to the commuters due to the failure of the Department of Transportation and Communication to do its ‘homework,’ Senator JV Ejercito said on Wednesday.

Ejercito said the government should be responsible for coming out with effective plans and measures for the PNR through sufficient allocation of funds.

“I am sad that the DOTC is not doing his job for the PNR,” said Ejercito, chairman of the public services sub-committee on transportation that is looking into the viability of the rehabilitation and modernization of PNR. Ejercito said he was aware that

PNR originally asked for P11 billion in budget, but was given only P2.2 billion in 2015.

Because of the lack of funds, PNR is seeking to impose additional fare to their passengers.

PNR earlier proposed to increase its lowest fare of P10.00 to P15.00 and from P45.00 to P60.00 maximum fare enroute to Calamba, Laguna from Tutuban Station in Manila.

“It’s not right to exact additional fare since the PNR commuters are

EjERCiTo

aleardy burdened countrymen,” said Ejercito.

He said majority of the PNR train riders are ordinary workers, employees, salesperson, the urban poor, students and minimum wage earners.

Just like the MRT and LRT,

Ejercito also said PNR should improve first their services to the public to justify whatever demand they will make like the increase in train fare. `He pointed out that it is the responsibility of the government to allocate enough funds for mass transportation that will benefit the public.

He said there is no question that the PNR facilities need to be rehabilitated and modernized because they are for the need of the public and the country. But since the funds given to them by the DOTC is not enough, they are now resorting to a fare hike to bankroll the expenses for these operations.

Ejercito demanded an explanation from the DOTC on the actions taken to address the operational requirements of the PNR.

House panel okays budget for FOI bill

By Maricel V. Cruz A PANEL in the House of Representatives on Wednesday approved the appropriations provision for the Freedom of Information bill.

This developed as Akbayan partylist Rep. Barry Gutierrez, one of the principal authors of the proposed transparency measure, said the budget component of the measure “is one the crucial components of

the bill.”

“It determines if the bill could be successfully implemented. Without it, our efforts to pass the bill to ensure government transparency and practice of governance will end up as a shot in the dark,” Gutierrez said.

The House committee on appropriations, chaired by Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, unannimously approved Wednesday the budget component of the FoI bill.

Gutierrez said Section 30 of the proposed FOI states that the appropriations shall be “the amount necessary to carry out the provisions of [the] Act [and] shall be charged against against the agencies’ current budget and shall thereafter be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.” Another FOI proponent, Paranaque Rep. Gus Tambunting said the approval of the budget aspect of the measure is “one giant

step forward in our wish to have a freedom of information law in this country.”

“It will help curve anomalous issues that were are confronted with today,” Tambunting said.

With the approval of the proposed measure, the substitute FOI bill is expected to be delivered back to the Committee on Public Information before it gets transmitted to the plenary for second reading.

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PANGASINAN TOWNS SMELL WHIFF OF SUCCESS

IN BRIEF

Ilang-ilang oil project up

N Luzon prospects brighten

By Johanne R. Macob

LINGAYEN—Two towns in Pangasinan are being eyed to host a facility for ilang-ilang (cananga odorata) plantation and oil extraction.

In a recent interview, Congressman Leopoldo Bataoil said that a people’s organization in Bugallon may be a possible partner in the project.

He said the organization has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“In line with the National Greening Program, the DENR will provide them with funds for the purpose of planting trees, and then we can have a private-public partnership (for the ilang-ilang project),” Bataoil said.

Last December, Bataoil with his high school classmate Fred Reyes of Chemworld Fragrance Factory, visited Sitio Mapita, Brgy. Laoag in Aguilar, another potential ilang-ilang plantation site.

The Sitio is home to 800 tribal people from Ibaloi, Kankana-ey, and Bag-o tribes.

Reyes said there is a big demand for ilang-ilang oil in and outside the country.

If the project forges ahead, Pangasinan will produce ilang-ilang oil for

fragrance manufacturing companies in the Philippines and France.

Reyes stressed that the community will spearhead the plantation and extraction, and their company will help in terms of technology and other resources.

Bataoil has met with the DENR for the proposal in regard to the establishment of the sustainable livelihood program by means of ilang-ilang plantation.

Also, he said the National Irrigation Administration will be tapped to provide small water impounding systems since the “very hot” climate, according to the DENR, may reduce ilang-ilang’s survival rate.

A meeting with the people’s organization and concerned local government units is also now being organized.

Ilang-ilang takes five years to

Republic of the Philippines CITY OF SAN PEDRO Province of Laguna

BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID PR No. 2015 - 0291

INVITATION TO BID The City Government of San Pedro Laguna through the 2015CDCBudget Approved by Sangguniang Panglungsod intends to apply the sum of Php11,794,540.28 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the hereunder project:

LOCATION

: :

1.

The City Government of San Pedro Laguna through the 2015 Budget Approved by SangguniangPanglunsod intends to apply the sum of Php6,999,840.00 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Janitorial Services for City Hall, JLAEH &GALIC City of San Pedro, Lagunafrom the period of 12 months. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The City Government of San Pedro, Laguna now invites bids for the following :

Road Widening, Construction of Drainage System, Sidewalk, Curb & Gutter

Along San Vicente St., Brgy. San Vicente, City of San Pedro, Laguna

ABC

:

Php 11,794,540.28

SOURCE OF FUND

:

CDC Budget Panglungsod

CONTRACT DURATION

:

180 Calendar Days

bear flowers.

The plant abounds in the Philippines but the world’s top ilang-ilang producer at present is the Comoros Island.

Republic of the Philippines CITY OF SAN PEDRO Province of Laguna

BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

NAME OF PROJECT

Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil

JANITORIAL SERVICES for CITY HALL, JLAEH& GALIC CITY OF SAN PEDRO, LAGUNA (12 months period covered) 3.

Delivery of the goods is required within Twelve (12) months upon receipt of Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed, within one (1) year from the date of submissions and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

The City Government of San Pedro, Laguna now invites contractors registered with and classified by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) to apply for eligibility and if found eligible, to bid for the above-mentioned projects. Completion of the Works is required on or before the contract duration. Bidders should have completed, within one hundred eighty (180) calendar days from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders. Bids received in excess of the Approved Budget for the Contract shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

4.

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

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using nondiscretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Bidding is restricted, unless otherwise stated, to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organization with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino Citizens, pursuant to Republic Act 5183 (RA 5183) and subject to Commonwealth Act 138 (CA 138). Only bids from eligible bidders will be opened. In accordance with the IRR-A or R.A. 9184, the contract/project shall only be awarded to the Lowest Calculated and Responsive Bidder who was determined as such during postqualification.

5.

Approved

by

the

Sangguniang

In addition, bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

Office of the BAC Secretariat 4/f Conference Room City Administrator’s Office City Hall of San Pedro A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the date, time and below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of PESOS: (Php10,000.00) ISSUANCE OF ELIGIBILITY AND BIDDING DOCUMENTS

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the City Government of San Pedro, Laguna and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:30AM to 9:30AM only.

Office of the BAC Secretariat 4/f Conference Room City Administrator’s Office City Hall of San Pedro

6.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address above and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of PESOS: (Php 25,000.00) ISSUANCE OF ELIGIBILITY AND BIDDING DOCUMENTS

March 5 – 23, 2015 8:30AM – 9:30AM BAC Secretariat 4/f Conference Room City Administrator’s Office City Hall of San Pedro

7.

Office of the BAC Secretariat 4/f Conference Room City Administrator’s Office City Hall of San Pedro

8.

(MST-MAR. 5, 2015)

The City Government of San Pedro, Laguna assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of their bid.

Further, City Government of San Pedro, Laguna, reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annual the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

9.

Mr. Merlin B. Paala Office of the BAC Secretariat City Administrator Office City of San Pedro, Laguna Telefax No. 847-1722

March 23, 2015 10:00AM BAC Secretariat 4/f Conference Room City Administrator’s Office City Hall of San Pedro

Bid opening shall be on the date and time specified above for deadline of submission of eligibility requirements and submission of bids and shall be conducted at the Office of the BAC Secretariat. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address given above. Late bids shall not be accepted.

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

For Further information, please refer to:

March 11, 2015 10:00 AM BAC Secretariat 4/f Conference Room City Administrator’s Office City Hallof San Pedro

Bids must be delivered to the address given below on or before the specified date and time. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable form and in the amount sated in ITB Clause 18.

DE ADLINE OF SUBMSSION OF ELIGIBILIT Y REQUIREMENTS AND OPENING OF BIDS

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before March 23, 2015 at 10:00AM

March 5 – 23, 2015 8:30AM – 9:30AM BAC Secretariat 4/f Conference Room City Administrator’s Office City Hall of San Pedro

The City Government of San Pedro Laguna, will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on the date, time and address specified below, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

PRE-BID CONFENRENCE

The City Government of San Pedro, Laguna will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on March 11, 2015 10:00AM at the Office of the BAC Secretariat, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents

All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding Conference, Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Awards of Contract Shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the City Government of San Pedro, Laguna and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:30AM to 9:30AM only.

For Further information, please refer to: Mr. Merlin B. Paala Office of the BAC Secretariat City Hall of San Pedro San Pedro, Laguna / Telefax No. 847-1722

(SGD.) ENGR. FILEMON I. SIBULO Chairman Bids and Awards Committee

(MST-MAR. 5, 2015)

(SGD.) ENGR. FILEMON I. SIBULO Chairman Bids and Awards Committee

BAGUIO CITY—The Philippine Chamber Development Institute sees bright prospects for agriculture-based businesses in Northern Luzon in the next several years considering the enormous demand for food among the growing population coupled with huge investments in infrastructure development.

PCDI chairman Renato G. Simbulan, president and chief executive officer of Simbulan Industries Philippines cited the northward development.

Thus, existing agriculture-based businesses must expand their operations in preparation for the influx of people, he added.

Simbulan was one of the guests during the recent 1st Strategic Planning Workshop of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) North held at the Villa Rosal Hotel, Gen. Luna Road.

Dexter A. See

More infra projects in Isabela town ROXAS, Isabela— Anti-poverty day care and health centers and a water system are expected to benefit hundreds of residents here according to the Department of Interior and Local Government egion 2 office.

Marlo Iringan, DILG Region 2 Director, said the newly completed projects include two day care centers, one each for the villages of Doña Concha and San Placido, two health centers, one each for the villages of Imbiao and Matusale, a water system for Marcos village.

Mayor Benedict Calderon was joined

by Rema Tapispisan, Region 2 Director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and local officials during the inauguration on March 2 of the projects in simple rites.

Iringan said the program was first introduced by the late Jesse Robredo during his stint as DILG chief.

Under the program, a city is entitled to P30 million worth of projects, while a municipality will receive P15 million each year.

Brenda Jocson

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK t h u r s d ay : m a r c h 5 , 2 0 1 5

A7

news

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Honor John Hay deals’ Lawyer reminds BCDA contracts with 3rd party unimpaired

By Rey E. Requejo

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority must honor contracts with third parties for property and businesses within Camp John hay, according to a lawyer of the Camp John hay Development Corporation (CJh DevCo), the developer of the former American recreational facility.

“The (arbitration) decision does not affect third parties,” lawyer Gilbert Reyes explained. “An arbitration case is not like a court case; it?’?s a case between parties alone and affects only the parties involved.

We trust that even with the issuance of the award, the parties will act in ‘good faith’ and with due regard for the rights and interests of innocent third parties who are not involved in the dispute between CJH DevCo and the BCDA,” said Reyes of Poblador, Bautista and Reyes Law Offices.

An arbitration case was filed

by Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDevCo) against? the?

BCDA after BCDA refused to accept CJHDevCo?’s offer of ?payments and instead insisted on a payment from CJHDevCo of? an alleged obligation of? P3.3 Billion for rental back payments.

The arbitration court ruled that CJHDevCo is not liable for this alleged obligation of P3.3 Billion.

The arbitration court also ordered BCDA to return P1.42 Billion to CJHDevCo that CJHDevCo had paid in lease rental payments due to the various breaches of contract by the? BCDA. The arbitration court ruled that BCDA breached the contract between BCDA and CJH DevCo when it failed to set up an agreed upon One Stop Action Center that was supposed to speed up the processing of permits for the development of Camp John Hay. After the decision on the arbitration case was released on February 11, 2015?, there were? confirmed? reports that the? BCDA had attempted to forcibly take over Camp John Hay again?, just as they have attempted in the past without a valid court order.

Caravan. In this photo taken on February 28, 2015, residents walk their water buffalos past military armored personnel carriers, as they evacuate

in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, fearing a renewed clash between state troopers and Islamist militants, as the military hunts a bombmaker it believes is being “coddled” by militants. AFP

Storm survivors pay homage to ‘SAF 44’

By Ronald O. Reyes MeDiA organizations based in Yolanda-hit Tacloban City on Thursday will lead several events in honor of the 44 members of PNP Special Action Forces (SAF) who were massacred in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25.

Dubbed as “Salamat Again Friend” (SAF), Tacloban media called on the local residents to join the eucharistic Celebration on Thursday afternoon at the Sto. Nino Church followed by a wreath laying ceremony and candle lighting at the Noblejas junction in honor of the 40th day anniversary of the fallen policemen. “in acknowledging its noble efforts extended by PNP Special Action Forces (SAF) after Super Typhoon Yolanda, the same group

who died at the Mamasapano incident the 44 SAF commandos were in Tacloban days after the November 8, 2013 Yolanda devastation, to extend their services in protecting the city and its rescue operation,” said media coordinator Gay Gaspay of the Tacloban Media Special Advocacy Team.

Supporting the events are the newly organized National Press Club-Tacloban, express it At The Park (eiATP), National Union of Journalist of the Philippines (NUJP), Kapisanan ng mga Broadcasters sa Pilipinas (KBP), PNP Press Corp, together with the City Government of Tacloban led by Mayor Alfred Romualdez, Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Office 8, Tacloban Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Tacloban City Police Office, and TOMeCO.

Drug suspect dies in PDEA compound

By Jessica M. Bacud

Full alert. The Philippine Red Cross has gone on full alert 24/7 to respond to fire incidences that are expected to break out this fire season. With 18 fire trucks, 13 water tankers, and trained firefighters nationwide, the PRC is fully equipped to respond to any fire emergencies, said PRC Chairman Richard J. Gordon. The Bureau of Fire Protection posted 23 fire incidents nationwide from March 1-3 alone. Since January, a total of 2,277 fire incidents nationwide resulted in P489,347, 221 damage.

TUGUeGARAO CiTY—A drug suspect who was earlier arrested in Gattaran, Cagayan by the PDeA and Philippine National Police died of alleged cardiac arrest while in the custody of authorities here.

PDeA Director Juvenal Azurin identified the suspect as Benjamin Ragsac Chua, 61 year old, former Barangay chairman and owner of the warehouse that yielded drug chemicals. Chua was arrested for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. The suspect was charged along with lawyer Orlino Agatep Sr., former mayor of Lasam, Nelson Mallari, George Cortez and Joey Ancheta , all residents of Lasam before the Prosecutor’s Office in Tuguegarao City for allegedly operating a shabu laboratory raided by authorities last February 26. Chua was with his family and legal counsel when he suffered a heart attack inside the PDeA’s compound, Azurin said.

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE

For fast ad results, please call

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late MA. RUBY LL. CANO was selfadjudicated to her sole heir CARINA LL. CANO as per Doc. No. 60; Page No. 12; Book No. XIV, Series of 2015 before Notary Public Atty. Arthur A. Sy.

Advertising Department

521-8507 (DL); 521-8340 (Fax); 521-4887 loc. 303

(MST-MAR. 5, 12 & 19, 2015)

M uni c i pal i ty of S u g p o n , I l o c o s S u r

__________________________ Rehab & Impt of Balbalayang Small Reser voir Irrigation System Balbalayang, Sugpon, I. Sur

IN VITATION TO B ID T h e M u n i c i p a l G overnment of Sugpon, Ilocos Sur, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), i n v i t e s s u p p l i e r s / contractors to bid for the hereunder contract: REHABILITATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF BALBALAYANG SMALL RESERVOIR IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Name of Contract

:

Location

:

Balbalayang, Sugpon, Ilocos Sur

Brief Description

:

REHABILITATION & IMPROVEMENT

Approved Budget for the Contract

:

Php 11,708,506.72

Contract Duration

:

210 Calendar Days

P r o s p e c t i v e bidders should posses a valid License applicable to the contract, have completed a s i m i l a r c o n t r a c t with a value of at least 50% of the ABC, and have key personnel and equipment ( l i s t e d i n t h e E l i gibility Forms) available for the prosecution of the contract. The BAC will use n o n - d i s c r e t i o n a r y pass/fail criteria in the Eligibility Check/Screening as well as the Preliminary E x a m i n a t i o n o f B i ds. The BAC will conduct post-qualification of the lowest calculated bid.

A l l p a r t i c u l ars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance S e c u r i t y, P r e - B i d ding Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Award of Contract s h a l l b e g o v e r n ed by the pertinent provisions of R. A. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR).

T h e s c h e d u les of BAC activities are listed, as follows:

Ac t i vi t i e s

Sc h e d ul e

1. Pre - Proc urement C onferenc e

M arc h 3, 2015

2. Adver tisement / Posting of Invit ation to B id

M arc h 5 -12, 2015

3. Is suanc e of B id D o c ument s

M arc h 5 -25, 2015

4. Pre - B id C onferenc e

M arc h 13, 2015

5. Eligibilit y Chec k, Submis sion & Rec eipt of B ids

M arc h 25, 2015

6. B id Evaluation

M arc h 3 0, 2015

7. Post Q ualif ic ation

M arc h 3 0, 2015

8 . A pproval of Resolution / Is suanc e of N otic e of Award

M arc h 3 0 & 31, 2015

9. C ontrac t Preparation & Signing

M arc h 31, 2015 / A pr il 1, 2015

10. A pproval of C ont rac t by higher author it y

A pr il 1, 2015

11. Is suanc e of N otic e to Pro c eed

A pr il 2, 2015

A c o m p l e t e set of bidding documents and other detailed information maybe acquired from the B A C S e c r e t a r i a t , Municipal Hall Sugpon, Ilocos Sur. All prospective bidders shall be charged a n o n - r e f u n d a b l e f ee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest guidelines issued the GPPB, i n t h e a m o u n t o f Twenty Five Thousand Pesos (Php 25,000.00) only.

T h e B A C a s sumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any e x p e n s e s i n c u r r e d in the preparation of the bid.

Approved by:

( M ST- M AR . 5 , 2 0 1 5 )

( Sgd.) VIRGILIO B. ABAAG BAC Chairman

A8

opinion [ EDI TORI A L ]

Grace under pressure ONCe upon a time, Senator Grace Poe was dismissed as having no other qualification but the prominent last name of her movie-star father.

We are used to such hand-me-down fame.How many local and national public officials have earned their posts the same way? Way too many.

But then the surprises started pouring in. Ms. Poe placed first in the 2013 senatorial elections.

In earlier Senate hearings, she displayed a quiet authority and sensibility, a departure from the grandstanding antics of her peers. Her questions were simple yet incisive, and she did not feel the need to raise her voice to call attention to herself.

When the situation demanded it, she scolded officials who displayed a lack of regard for the investigative function of her committee.

The public got a sense that she knew what she was doing, and that she did her homework. Always.

At the height of public outrage over the deterioration of the public transport system, specifically the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3, Senator Poe showed her colleagues in government how to really take public transportation—sans express lanes, umbrella-carrying aides and special coaches. Instead, dressed in jeans and t-shirt, she fell in line and waited a long time for her turn at the platform. When she got into the train, she stood like an ordinary commuter.

These early gains have led the public to consider the senator as a viable candidate for higher office next year. She has been coy about her plans.

And when the Senate probe on what really happened in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on January 25, where 44 members of the Special Action Force were killed after trying to arrest a terrorist, began, the public was almost thankful it was Poe moderating the process. The hearings, as we have seen, highlighted the vain attempts of men around President Benigno Aquino III to protect him from the fallout of the policemen’s deaths.

But despite the President’s men’s attempts to obfuscate the events of that day, this much we can piece together, because we are not as dumb as they make us out to be: that President Aquino knew of the operation, that he knowingly and willfully gave instructions to a suspended police official, his friend and longtime protector General Alan Purisima, and that the swiftness of the response of the military to the SAF’s calls for help was tempered by the fear of offending the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, with whom the government was talking peace.

Aside from the public hearings,there were also executive sessions. General Purisima was, after all, wary of answering very simple questions such that he said he had to seek the President’s permission before doing so.

Now that the Senate has wrapped up its probe, a committee report is expected soon. This will determine how the findings could improve the senators in crafting related laws. More to the point, however, the committee report will tell us who is to blame, and how liable the President is for the tragic consequences of that operation.

Or it will not.

This early, there are reports that the President’s allies will do anything to leave him out of the mess. Blame will be pinned on the police officials who supposedly made the call to go ahead with the operation despite the risks, and for feeding Mr. Aquino the wrong information. Meanwhile, the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, being questioned because of constitutional infirmities and the apparent lack of good faith on the part of the MILF, will be rushed in time for Mr. Aquino’s State of the Nation Address in July.

We wonder how Ms. Poe’s sensible touch will come into play in all these. On one hand, she is an administration ally; on the other, she is a neophyte senator, one of considerable potential, who has to prove her judiciousness and independence above all.

These are tough times, but we trust that the senator would not allow herself, or her committee, to be part of any scheme or cover up. We hope she does not crack.

SAF’S woundS lowdown jojo a. robles THe wounds have not yet healed.

And it looks like they’re not going to any time soon.

President Noynoy Aquino got a collective cold shoulder when he once again visited the headquarters of the PNP’s Special Action Force in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig, yesterday. At the camp’s quadrangle, where the SAF troops were assembled when Aquino arrived for the turnover ceremonies for the new commander of the elite police commando unit, there was no applause – only stony silence.

And Aquino was apparently so

spooked by the reception he got that he cancelled a speech that he was supposed to make before the SAF officers and men. The simple ceremony only had Aquino and Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas witness the handover of the command from officer-in-charge Chief Superintendent Noli Talino to the new SAF head, the unfortunately named Chief Superintendent Moro Lazo.

A podium that had been set up for the speech, complete with the presidential seal, went unused. The official Malacanang schedule of the President’s activities, which had noted that Aquino was going to talk to the assembled policemen, was edited at the last minute to remove the speech from the day’s activities.

But Aquino did go into a closeddoor conference inside the head-

quarters building with the survivors of the Jan. 25 massacre, as well as the widows and other relatives of the 44 SAF commandos killed in Mamasapano. The meeting took all of three hours; no details of the meeting, except those divulged by official sources like Roxas and Lazo, were immediately made available.

Malacanang has apparently clamped down hard on the slain soldiers’ relatives, who have refused to divulge details of their talk with the President. After being burned by revelations of what Aquino and the widows discussed the last time they met in Camp Crame – during which Aquino supposedly told them that they’re “even” now because his father was also killed in 1983 – none of the previously forthcoming relatives have spoken out.

I’m told that the palace has warned the widows and the other relatives that the benefits they’re supposed to receive would be

The silent treatment that aquino got is indicative of how deeply the troops feel about what happened to their comrades.

placed in jeopardy if they talked to media again. Roxas and Lazo said the President talked to the survivors and the Fallen 44’s relatives about requests for additional hazard pay and more leave credits for the commandos; the two said the President listened to the requests and prom-

ised to work to grant them.

I doubt very much that it took all of three hours for the matter of more pay and benefits for SAF members to be taken up with the President. For now, though, the versions of Roxas and Lazo are all that we have.

What’s obvious, though, is that Aquino will have to work harder to regain the trust of the SAF’s officers and men – and of all men and women in uniform, for that matter.

It will take more than occasional visits and promises of aid and benefits, I believe, for Aquino to bring back the respect of the troops for their Commander-in-Chief.

On the other hand, I think Aquino must take the initiative to repair his relations with soldiers and policemen by directly addressing their concerns in public, not in the hushhush closed-door sessions that he loves to conduct. Had the President spoken to the SAF members as he

T h u R S d aY : M a R c h 5 , 2 0 1 5

OPINION adellechua@gmail.com

adelle chua EDITOR

A9

DuTy calls flOREncIO fIanza

Buyer’s remorse

had originally planned, i think he would have shown that he was willing to lead and to accept responsibility for what happened in Mamasapano. of course, Aquino and his officials have long maintained that the President is not responsible in any way for the carnage in Mamasapano. But if that were really the case, then he really should have no problems facing the SAF. The silent treatment that Aquino got at camp Bagong diwa yesterday is indicative of how deeply the ranks of the SAF feels about what happened to their slain comrades-in-arms. if Aquino really wants to heal the wounds of Mamasapano, he would

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confront the situation like a real leader of men trained to follow orders that could very well result in their deaths. if he doesn’t, Aquino may very well regret it. He has clearly lost the trust of the SAF – and it’s only a small step from that mistrust to defection to the ranks of those who would want Aquino removed from the picture entirely. *** As for roxas, i really admire his devotion to a President who kept him out of the loop even if he was in the direct chain of command in Mamasapano as the civilian head of the PnP. The fact that roxas was never told by Aquino about the

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events of that fateful day as they were unfolding, even if they were together almost the entire time, must only make it more painful to roxas to be left out – even if he shows no sign of losing his affection for his feckless and distrustful boss. i guess roxas is really so desperate for Aquino to repay his loyalty with an endorsement in next year’s elections that he will not even whimper in protest at being so ill-used. never mind if Aquino’s own relatives – the latest being his cousin rep. Mark cojuangco, son of danding cojuangco (the head of the nationalist People’s coalition) – have declared their support this early for Vice President Jejomar Binay.

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

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According to Palace spokesman Edwin Lacierda, the Bangsamoro Basic Law is bigger than Mamasapano. Had he used the word peace being bigger than Mamasapano, many would have agreed with him. But the BBL? What a poor choice of words. it is truly amazing that Secretary Lacierda has that uncanny ability of making a situation worse than it already is. in his latest interaction with the press, he completely avoided answering direct questions. More than once, he tried to put a spin on very simple questions. He should just stop his futile attempts to exonerate his boss.

Besides, as Senator Serge osmeña already said in an interview, the public has already made up its mind as to who the guilty party is. The good senator who used to be a staunch supporter of President went on to say in the same interview that he now regrets ever supporting Mr. Aquino. Yes, it has taken more than four years for him to say that but there are many people like him who feel betrayed by the President.

This is a classic case of buyer’s remorse.

Because of the suggestion of Senator osmeña that the President should apologize, there are now moves from some quarters to convince and allow the President to do just that. This is not a good idea. My take on his authorizing general Purisima to take charge of oplan Exodus is that it was a violation of the law. The President must therefore answer for it -- if not possible now that he is in office, then after he leaves office.

Forty-four lives cannot be simply swept away because of the burgling of someone, even if he is the commander in chief. Very soon, many of the government agencies investigating the Mamasapano encounter will release their findings with the public very apprehensive because of the real possibility of a whitewash. The Philippine national Police Board of inquiry will be releasing its findings tomorrow. The public is eagerly waiting for the results of this investigation in spite of the fact that President Aquino has already declared general Leo napeñas at fault. general Benjie Magalong, the head of the Boi, is a capable officer but let us hope that there was no pressure exerted on him to deodorize his findings. if there was,let us hope that he was strong enough to resist such pressure.

Continued on A11

VIEw fROm malcOm aTTy. haRRy ROquE jR. atty. Roque’s column will resume tomorrow.

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Rolando G. Jojo Estabillo Publisher A. Robles Editor-in-Chief Jojo A.L.Robles Editor-in-Chief Ramonchito Tomeldan Managing Editor Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Managing Editor Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors Chin Wong/RayJoel S. Eñano Associate Editors P. Palacios News Editor Francis Lagniton CityCity Editor Francis Lagniton Editor Arman Armero Senior Deskman Arman Armero Senior Deskman Romel Leo J. Mendez Art Director A. Estonilo Senior Deskman Roberto Cabrera Chief Romel J. Mendez ArtPhotographer Director Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

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

A10

OPINION adellechua@gmail.com

MILF’s bLackMaIL THE Palace and its yellow propagandists are saying emIl p. that President jurado Aquino will be remembered in history as the “most honest president the Philippines ever had.” This is supposedly because he has never been accused of stealing from government.

If we believe that baloney, other presidents before Mr. Aquino who have at one time or another been accused of some kind of misdemeanor is dishonest.

Webster’s Dictionary describes being honest as “free from fraud or deception.” It can be equated with good, worthy or praiseworthy, marked with integrity, frank, sincere and upright among other things. Honesty, on the other hand means adherence to the facts, integrity and probity, which means uprightness of character. Honesty means refusal to lie.

In short, being honest doesn’t mean not stealing.

It is adherence to facts and refusal to deceive in any way. Integrity implies truthworthiness and incorruptibility. Honor suggests high regard for the standards of one’s profession or calling.

Thus, can we now say that President Aquino is truly honest? *** We see over media images of thousands of displaced Muslim families in evacuation centers in Maguindanao. They are caught in the crossfire between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the terror group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the breakaway Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter.

But, Santa Banana, we have not seen nor heard of any agency of government -- like the Department of Social Welfare and Development or the Department of the Interior and Local Government -- sending help to these displaced families. And yet we stumble over one another to provide assistance, monetary and otherwise, for the families of the Fallen 44.

Moros or not, the displaced and innocent families caught in the crossfire in the all-out offensive of the AFP against the BIFF are still Filipinos, aren’t they?

It would seem that the Aquino administration is discriminating against the Moros. This can explain why there are so many factions in Moroland seeking independence or forming “revolutionary organizations” like the MILF. In fact, during my stint, in the early ‘50s, as an editor of The Mindanao Cross, my Muslim friends said that root cause of all the problems in Central Mindanao is not only extreme poverty, but discrimination by a Christian government. *** It is now becoming clear that the reason President Aquino wants the Bangsamoro Basic Law rushed for approval by June 11, before the adjournment of Congress, is that he wants to include the BBL’s enactment among his so-called accomplishments in his last State of the Nation Address.

This, or he wants to get nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Mr. Aquino’s lackeys and lapdogs in Congress like Senate President Frank Drilon and Speaker Sonny Belmonte are just too willing to accommodate the President by also rushing the BBL enactment with all its legal and constitutional warts and infirmities.

I wonder though if the majority of congressmen and senators would accommodate the President’s wish. Are they that stupid and malleable?

In any case, the MILF has already made it very clear that they will not accept a diluted BBL, much less a mangled law. In other words, to the MILF, pass the BBL as is, or we go back to war. It’s pure and simple blackmail.

These are the Moro rebels that government

to the poInt

NuMbINg dowN THE day the Internet broke wasn’t when Kim jenny Kardashian bared ortuoste her bum for the world to see; albeit it was a nice, squishy bum glistening with oil, it was the controversy about #TheDress, #LlamaDrama, and more that had social media raging for hours in all time zones.

This all went down last week.

First, someone posted a photograph of a dress and asked: was it black and blue, or gold and white? The photo was obviously one taken in poor lighting that served to create an optical illusion. However, arguments for one or the other broke out among netizens who seemed to have forgotten their basic high school science lessons on optics. #LlamaDrama was intensely more fascinating.

Sun City, Arizona, was the scene of a high-stakes caper involving runaways. There was adventure! and comedy! and an exciting high-speed chase across the city! with cops in cars and choppers trying to round up two llamas escaping on foot, er, on hooves, from no one knew where. Zoo? Private home? Animal sanctuary? That was another puzzle – who would be keeping captive llamas, and how did they manage to break loose from confinement?

One llama was white, the other black; both were captured on camera running on pavement, away from the people chasing them, away from all the angst and stress of modern urban living. Local television gave massive coverage to the incident.

It went viral.

The renegades were eventually rounded up, and the memes broke out: “I bet the #whitellama gets off with a misdemeanor,” tweeted one wag. “#Whitellama and #blackllama are the new #leftshark and #rightshark,” said another, referencing the dorky shark-costume-wearing dancers at a recent Katy Perry performance.

Other memes mashed up references to the two incidents: in one cartoon, two llamas were depicted, one striped blue and black, the other white and gold.

While people were wrecking their retinas over The Dress and the llamas were fleeing, Leonard Nimoy was quietly expiring in his Los Angeles home, bringing a graceful end to the living legend that was Commander Spock.

pop goes the world

peace negotiators Miriam Ferrer and peace adviser Teresita Deles are lawyering for and compromising with. That’s why the sincerity of Deles and Ferrer are now being doubted. And I though the Makapilis existed only during the Japanese occupation. *** I read about the 11 Filipinos in Forbes Magazine’s list of multibillionaires. I am fortunate to know how these billionaires began.

I first met Henry Sy Sr. when he was selling export surplus and factory rejects shoes he imported from Boston, USA in 1946 along Carriedo Street, Quiapo.

I also knew John Gokongwei as a trader from Cebu.

Ricky Razon, now no. 3, was my former boss at the Manila Standard Today. He is the son of my late good friend, Enrique “Pocholo” Razon who started the ICTSI. Lucio Tan started as a chemist in the tobacco company of the late Henry S. Stonehill.

I also know David Consunji, a UP graduate in engineering, also made his fortune in property

“He played an alien, but he was the most human soul I knew,” said co-star George Takei. Nimoy was not only an actor, he was also a director (Three Men and a Baby and two Star Trek films). He also wrote poetry and recorded songs.

Dying at 83, he lived a full life. In the last Tweet he posted a few days before his death from lung disease, he mused: “A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory.” He ended with his trademark “LLAP” – “live long and prosper”.

The extraordinary hubbub over these happenings – on an order of magnitude that perplexed even jaded netizens - pushed to the side more important news, among them the massacre by the Islamic State of Christians in Syria, the destruction also by IS of valuable antiquities and other objects of art and history at the Mosul Museum, and the threat of a death sentence for Saudi atheist blogger Raif Badawi, a crushing blow to the struggle for freedom of speech and religion in the Middle East.

Even the SAF 44 issue wore thin. “Got tired of Mamasapano,” commented a reader about my column a couple of weeks ago about the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon. “Found this refreshing and funny.”

A media effects theory posits that prolonged and frequent exposure to violence on media desensitizes the viewer, numbing their reactions and emotions to the suffering and pain of others.

The result is that issues with a significant impact on society will fall off from the public radar and thus receive no resolution. Without constant and ceaseless public monitoring, abuses will be perpetrated, crimes committed, rights trampled upon. #TheDress and #LlamaDrama? They’re funny, but not important. Have your chuckle, but don’t waste an inordinate of time on whatever’s new that claims to “break the Internet”. Buying into the global dumbing down won’t help while we are at a point in history that we need all our wits about us.

When consuming media content, sift and screen all the information. Ain’t nobody got time for all that. Let’s not forget to care about what really matters – and that’s what we should break the Internet for.

Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: jennyortuoste, Blog: http://jennyo.net

@

development and infrastructure.

And of course, I know Lucio and Susan Co, when they first started their Puregold. Lucio Co has also gone into banking.

And I know former Senator Manny Villar, who through “Sipag at Tiyaga” with his wife, now Senator Cynthia Villar, made their fortune. Villar is now the 11th richest Filipino. *** My wife and I are saddened at the demise of our good friend, Patricio Luis Lim, known to everybody else as PL Lim. He was generous to a fault to all his friends and ever loyal.

He knew almost everybody in the higher echelons of government, being a businessman of repute and integrity.

I first met PL at his small office in the Trade and Commerce Building along Juan Luna Street in Binondo. He was a trader then. Subsequently, PL and some Chinese businessmen put up the Universal Textile Mills and became a leader of the Textile Association of the Philippines. He was also a good friend of media icons like the late Doroy Valencia and Joe Guevarra.

It’s passing the bill as it is or going back to war.

T h u R S d aY : M a R c h 5 , 2 0 1 5

OPINION

adelle chua EDITOR

adellechua@gmail.com

mInORITy REpORT DanIlO suaREz Last February, during the 65th founding anniversary of the 5th Infantry Battalion (whose area of operations covers Lanao Norte, Lanao del sur, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga sibugay and Zamboanga del sur), tabak Commander Brigadier General Gerardo Barrientos Jr. gave recognition to the vital role of Citizens armed Forces Geographical Units or “CaFGUs” in support of the armed Forces of the Philippines’ (aFP) Internal Peace and security Plan (IPsP) “Bayanihan.” as a backgrounder, CaFGUs are components of the aFP Ready Reserve detailed to Military auxiliary service as provided by article X, sec. 61, subparagraph 2 of Republic act 7077 (aFP Reservist act). their service as part of the aFP Reserve Force covers those rendered in meeting local insurgency threat. Hence, they are issued and allowed to carry firearms with the clear guidance that their services will only be utilized for the defense of their respective localities and will not be employed outside thereof. the CaFGU, which replaced the Civilian Home Defense Force (CHDF) of the Marcos administration, was created on July 25, 1987 by virtue of Executive Order No. 264 entitled “Providing for the Citizen armed Force” under the Cory administration. as provided by Ra 7077, CaFGU units are to be administered by, and under the operational control of, regular units of the aFP. Philippine army (Pa) infantry battalions assigned to this function, like the 5th IB, are

Strengthening the CAFgUS also referred to as “Cadre Battalions”. acting as force multipliers, and guides for the aFP, they also ameliorate the link between the national army and the local population. In 1993, the Philippine government considered deactivating the CaFGU units due to allegations of human rights abuses and other systemic problems, hence 60 CaFGU units comprising 10,000 troops were disbanded. the government in 1996, recognizing the strategic value of these reserve units in achieving its internal security objectives, eventually reconsidered its decision to completely disband the CaFGU units. to date, many are still very active in its support role to our government’s peace and internal security initiatives. the strategic value of the CaFGUs to our internal peace and security plan lies in the fact that they are derived from the local population and they provide an immediate and reliable force multiplier for our military and police forces. they play a vital role in protecting the communities since our regular troops could not cover the entire area in the Philippines. Moreover, our military units are rotated and are not permanent in one area; the CaFGUs thus act as the military’s “stay-behind forces” and our first responders in times of calamities. therefore, they not only have a better knowledge of the local residents, customs and areas to cover in terms of human intelligence. they also provide an able pool of warm bodies to augment emergent manpower gaps against insurgency, terrorism and protection of

civilians and government facilities from lawless elements and syndicated groups. this point is made more significant in light of the growing number of reports about ambushes and business establishments or equipment being burned and destroyed which all point to these terrorists increasing the heat to collect their own version of taxes. We need to keep in mind that the victims of these terrorist activities are not only rich business establishments but also our poor farmers and their families. and although we will not discount that cases of human rights violations and other irregularities have been encountered involving members of the CaFGUs, these actually reflect systemic problems that can and should be addressed through proper legislation and program support and do not warrant the abolition of the CaFGU as espoused by some sectors.

For this reason, I would like to reach out to our friends in both the senate and the House of Representatives in coming out with the appropriate legislation aimed at strengthening key capabilities of CaFGUs to meet mission requirements, enhance their professionalism, morale and welfare as well as in addressing the lack of accountability checks that have resulted in the abuse of their utilization by local political clans. they are, after all, putting their lives and those of their families on the line (due to retribution from lawless elements) for the safety and welfare of our local residents. For this reason alone, this should merit due support from our government.

Five biggest geopolitical risks in 2015 By eric roston CRItICaL events of early 2015—cheap oil and Middle East violence—will probably continue to take their toll as the year goes on, according to a new projection of geopolitical hotspots. Lower overall prices for commodities may hurt the economies of resource-rich nations. aon Risk solutions, a unit of aon Plc, today issued its annual Political Risk Map, intended to provide the British insurer’s clients with answers to common questions about where it’s getting safer, and more dangerous, to do business. there isn’t a lot of good news. Just seven of 163 developing countries reduced their political risk since last year, and most of those, like Zimbabwe and Laos, still have plenty of room for improvement. twelve countries face greater strain this year, including Libya, Haiti, and Pakistan. “the last 12 months have just been catastrophic country-risk-wise,” said Curtis Ingram, vice president of the political-risk practice. It’s almost like “a vacuum has opened up and a lot of bad actors have moved in,” in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, Nigeria, Iraq, and elsewhere. aon and research partner Roubini Global Economics, founded by the economist Nouriel Roubini, evaluate each nation across nine categories of risk, such as foreign currency exchange and capital conditions, law and regulation, and political interference and violence. the report considers only developing

nations; members of the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) together form the baseline for the research and are therefore excluded.

Here are five of the things the report says we should keep an eye on in the months ahead.

Russia

Low oil prices and international sanctions stemming from the Ukraine conflict have taken their toll on the Russian economy. the murder last week of Boris Nemtsov, an opposition leader and Yeltsin-era deputy prime minister —not mentioned in the report but a dark omen—has exacerbated internal political tensions.

Russia’s instability will “continue to cast a shadow over the region,” according to the political risk report, which projects consequent hardships for trading partners Belarus and Kazakhstan. Researchers see “a possible frozen conflict and continued sanctions” in Ukraine, unlikely to be resolved in the months ahead.

Oil and other commodities

Russia, Venezuela and Iran have drawn much of the attention, and punishment, from the oil glut. It’s also a problem for smaller powers, such as Uzbekistan and turkmenistan, whose fragile foreign currency exchange and capital policies leave them vulnerable to trade shocks. Mining-and energy-heavy nations in africa—angola, Cameroon, Congo, and Nigeria—all face weaker incomes and likely spending cuts.

Conflict and violence

the horrors of Islamic state in syria and Iraq, and Boko Haram in Nigeria, are top threats to regional stability. Porous borders and immature civic institutions in parts of the Middle East and africa make nations there particularly sensitive to violence.

Interest rates

Even modest interest-rate increases by the Fed will intensify the global competition for capital and make it costlier to service external debt.

The Middle East and North Africa

Countries such as Egypt, tunisia, and Morocco should see a boost from the oil price drop, the report’s authors suggest. Yet all three countries, rated either high or very high risks, face countervailing security risks from what the report calls power vacuums in Iraq, Libya and syria. there’s also everywhere else. Private insurers have offered political risk coverage for several decades, to help companies take some of the edge off doing business in new and emerging markets. But, like most of us, the problems of these places like to travel. turkey and Mexico, for example, may be particularly politically or economically vulnerable to tumult in the Middle East and Latin america. But as OECD members, they pose risks that aren’t addressed in the report.

In other words, pessimists shouldn’t feel confined to the developing world.

Bloomberg

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Buyer’s.. From A9 With regard to the Department of Justice investigation, I do not know what will come out of it. Is the object of the investigation simply to file charges against those who killed the saF personnel even if they were already defenseless, or also try to find who is at fault in managing Oplan Exodus? I hope that the Justice Department will simply limit its investigation to the criminal aspect of the Mamasapano encounter and not dwell into matters on which it is not competent.

The senate hearings, as we know, were done in aid of legislation. But the report will also be important because of its political implications —especially if it deals with the participation of the President. My guess is that the committee will try to sidestep the President’s participation and dwell more on Generals Purisima and Napeñas, together with the rescue effort by the army. The committee might also include the actions of the MILF but will see how far it will go regarding that.

The Chairman of the Committee has said that there was somehow fault in everyone. Let us hope that she includes the participation of the President because that is all that the public wants to know.

Without it, there will be no closure. ***** Before the Mamasapano encounter of January 25, the Philippine National Police special action Force was little known to the public. Now, the public has embraced the saF, the counter-insurgency and elite unit of the PNP. But before the saF, there was the Philippine Constabulary Brigade which was the principal arm of the Constabulary in the insurgency and secessionist wars of the 1970s. The PC brigade lost a lot of good men at the height of the MNLF rebellion. But towards the second quarter of 1983, the PC Brigade was abolished. It was the casualty of the existing tensions that existed within the armed Forces of the Philippines during that time.

I remember quite clearly how it happened because I was the one who took the telephone call in a hotel room in Washington D.C. in early april 1983. The one at the other end of the line was the late General Baltazar aguirre, the PC Chief of staff. He told me that the PC Brigade was just disbanded on orders from the aFP General Headquarters. I told him to better tell the- General Ramos himself who was accompanying then-Defense secretary Juan Ponce Enrile to the United states.

When General Ramos took the phone, there was complete silence for over a minute before he could utter something. I heard him tell General aguirre to go ahead with the deactivation of the PC Brigade.

When he got back to the Philippines, however, he organized the saF. today, the saF is composed of about 4,500 officers and men, with eight battalions composed of five companies each. Compared to its predecessor, the saF is now better equipped. Its recruits are better educated. today, a new commander has been appointed to replace General Napeñas in the person of General Moro Virgilio Lazo who graduated from the Philippine Military academy in 1984. He is a good choice and will be inducted today.

One wonders, however, why the President would prioritize the appointment of a permanent saF Commander over the appointment of a permanent Chief of the PNP which is clearly more important.

T HURS DAY : M A RCH 5 , 2 0 1 5

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Foton Tornadoes notch 2nd win

LeBron James (23) of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball against the Boston Celtics at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Cavs won, 11079. AFP

Cavaliers, Hawks prevail; Nuggets fire coach Shaw CLEVELAND (AFP)—LeBron James bounced back from a sub-par NBA effort and Kyrie Irving returned after a two-game absence Tuesday as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Boston Celtics 110-79.

James scored 27 points on 12-of23 shooting while Australian-born guard Irving added 18 to lead seven double-figure Cavalier scorers in Cleveland’s 12th home triumph in a row.

Two days earlier, James criticized himself after missing two pivotal free throws in the final seconds of over-time in a two-point loss to Houston, one in which he missed 20 shots from the field and went 3-for-11 from the free throw line.

The Cavaliers improved to 3824, trailing Chicago by only percentage points in the fight for the

Central division lead, while Boston slid to 23-35, one game behind Brooklyn and Charlotte for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Kevin Love and J.R. Smith each scored 12 points for the Cavaliers, who made all 14 of their free throws attempts.

The Celtics, led by 15 points from Brandon Bass, fell behind 6136 at half-time.

James capped an 11-0 Cleveland run early in the third quarter with a layup to give the Cavs a 76-42 edge and seal Boston’s fate.

Meanwhile, rallying from a

15-point deficit in the final 10 minutes, the Atlanta Hawks beat Houston 104-96, retaining the NBA’s best record with their fifth victory in a row.

Taking advantage of a Rockets’ squad playing without suspended NBA scoring leader James Harden, the Hawks had 25 points from Jeff Teague, 18 points from Al Horford and 16 points and 14 rebounds from Paul Millsap.

The Rockets outplayed Atlanta for most of the first three quarters, leading by as many as 18 points despite lacking Harden’s scoring touch as he served a one-game ban for kicking Cleveland superstar LeBron James in the groin in a Houston victory on Sunday.

But in the pivotal final minutes, the Rockets misfired all-too often, shooting only 3-of-17 (17.6 percent) from the floor over the last

10 minutes.

The Hawks improved the NBA’s best record to 48-12, two wins ahead of the Golden State Warriors, while Houston slipped to 41-19, third-best in the Western Conference.

In other news, Brian Shaw was fired as coach of the NBA’s Denver Nuggets on Tuesday after going 56-85 in a season and a half in the job, the team announced Tuesday.

Melvin Hunt, in his fifth season as an assistant coach for the Nuggets, was named the club’s interim coach for the remainder of the season.

The Nuggets have lost six games in a row and fallen to 20-39, thirdworst in the Western Conference and 12 1/2 games behind Oklahoma City for the final playoff spot in the West with 23 games remaining in the season.

THE Foton Tornados, representing Pampanga in the recently launched Filsports Basketball Association, posted its second straight win at the resumption of the tournament, beating Quezon City, bannered by the University of the Philippines Maroons, 97-82, in Malolos, Bulacan to take the lead in the six-team league.

Foton uncorked a 15-3 run in the second quarter of the game from a close 24-23 first-quarter lead for a comfortable 55-38 lead at the half, maintaining the pressure in the third quarter that ended, 77-58, before unleashing another offensive run in the final canto that saw Foton enjoying its biggest lead at 91-66 midway in that final canto.

Levi Hernandez led all scorers for the Tornados with 30 points and got scoring support from former Maroon Mikee Reyes, who chipped in 20 points aside from orchestrating Foton’s offense with 10 assists.

Marlon Gomez and Jeric Nacpil came off the bench for the Tornados and contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively.

The game saw the return of Marc Agustin, son of former PBA MVP and now coach Ato Agustin as he tries to revive his basketball career while playing for his hometown team.

Foton attempts to stretch the streak as it plays Antipolo on March 14 at the latter’s home court at the Ynares Sports Center.

“The team, despite some player changes, has been responding well. Against UP, the boys had a good offensive game throughout, gaining more and more confidence,” said Foton coach Budds Reyes.

Nietes terrific in sparring

By Ronnie Nathanielsz WORLD Boxing Organization light flyweight Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, the longest-reigning Filipino world champion, looked terrific in sparring over eight rounds at the ALA Gym, along Balete Drive Tuesday evening.

Nietes went eight rounds with the bigger duo of super bantamweights Ralph John Lulu (10-0-2, 5 KOs) and undefeated John Virgil Vitor (3-0, 1 KO).

Trainer Edmundo Villamor was extremely pleased with the showing of Nietes, indicating all the sacrifices they have made are paying off.

Villamor told the Manila Standard/Viva Sports that Nietes demonstrated “great movement and showed us all he had” in easily handling his sparring partners, who were four weight divisions above Nietes.

Holding a record of 34-1-4, with 20 knockouts, Nietes will face Mexico’s Gilber-

to Parra, who has an impressive record of 17 knockouts in 19 wins, with only 2 defeats.

Villamor was also pleased with the form shown by undefeated super bantamweight Prince Albert Pagara (22-0, 15 KOs), the reigning IBF Intercontinental super bantamweight champion, who engaged another promising unbeaten fighter in Arjan Canillas over six explosive rounds.

Pagara and Canillas went after each other in a series of torrid exchanges over six rounds, which Villamor said was “like a real fight,” with both fighters digging vicious shots to the body and occasionally switching to the side of the head.

Villamor said Pagara was ready for the fight, against tough Rodolfo “Fofo” Hernandez, the North American Boxing Organization super bantamweight champion with a record of 26-5-1 with 24 knockouts on March 28 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Pinoy Pride 30 – DDAY.

TPB supports 1st 70.3 Ironman. Philippine tourism will get a boost with one of the

most awaited triathlon events in the country, the first Century Tuna Ironman 70.3 to be held in Subic from March 5 to 8. Subic is the perfect venue for the competition, taking the triathletes in its scenic route around the terrain and calm waters. The race, which will attract local and international participants including star triathletes Craig Alexander, Luke Mackenzie and Caroline Steffen, will serve as a great opportunity to once again present the Philippines as a world-class destination for global sporting events, especially for extreme and outdoor sports. Present during the launch were (from left) Tourism Promotions Board Chief Operating Officer Domingo Ramon Enerio III, Sunrise Events Chairman & CEO Fred Uytengsu, Century Canning Corp. GM Greg Banzon, and Manila North Tollways Corporation Marketing VP Renie Ticzon. The Century Tuna Ironman 70.3 is one of the sporting events under the banner campaign of Visit the Philippines Year 2015. Head to the VPY 2015 microsite: www.visitph2015.com for more details.

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

PVF execs insist: We are legit volleyball association

By Peter Atencio

FESSAP officials are shown at a press conference announcing its flag-bearer to the coming World Universiade in Grangju City, Korea. They are (from left) FESSAP EVP Robert Milton Calo; Edison Chua, Tisha Abundo; Benny Antiporda of the National Press Club; Danilo Madlansacay of Megaworld; Col. Ariel Querubin; David Ong; Nikki Coseteng; Angel Ngu of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industries inc., Alvin Tai Lian, FEESAP chairman; Park In Sik of Korea Tourism Director; Roel Natividad of Zamboanga City; and FESSAP treasurer Jeane Moteverde.

RAMON BOADO

Coseteng is flag-bearer

THE Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines formally designated former senator Anna Dominique Coseteng as the Philippine flagbearer to the opening ceremony of the 28th Summer Universiade in Gwangju City, Korea during turnover ceremonies held recently at the National Press Club.

“I am honored to be named by the FESSAP Board as the country’s flag-bearer to the Gwangju Universiade,” said the 62-year-old Coseteng, the daughter of founding Philippine Basketball Association president (the late) Emerson Coseteng and former owner and team manager of trailblazing PBA franchise Mariwasa/ Nor it a ke/Hond a /Fi na nce/ Galerie Dominique.

She received the Philippine flag from her predecessor, retired Colonel Ariel Querubin, a bodybuilding advocate, who carried the country’s colors during the opening rites of the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russian Federation.

“I humbly accept the designation and hope to be able to inspire leadership among our local university athletes that will compete in the so-called Olympics of University Sports around the world,” Coseteng said.

David Ong, the FESSAP president, is elated over Coseteng’s designation, saying that “Nikki is an excellent choice for the position, having been a strong advocate of Filipino youth sports and activism through her involvement with Diliman Preparatory School.”

Senator Antonio Trillianes IV is the Philippine Head of Delegation to the Gwangju Universiade, which runs from July 3 to 14.

Deputy Head of Delegation is

Angel Ngu, the Executive Vice President of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc..

Coseteng attended St. Paul’s College, Maryknoll (now Miriam) College and St. Maur’s Convent in England during her early academic years and then enrolled at the Notre Dame College of California in the US and the University of the Philippines in college.

She has been running the Diliman Educational Corporation, which operates the Diliman Preparatory School and the Diliman Computer Technology Institute in Quezon City, since December 2006.

The DPS has had a strong academic and sports program under Coseteng, the school’s president and Chief Executive Officer.

Coseteng has actively supported the Philippine Swimming League, which is affiliated with the FESSAP, in the past several years and is no stranger to the biennial Universiade activities.

She attended the Summer Universiade spectacles in Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China in 2011 and in Kazan in 2013.

The Philippines brought home a silver medal during the 2011 Universiade courtesy of Samuel Thomas Harper Morrison in men’s taekwondo.

Two years later, in Kazan, the country captured a gold in men’s chess when Wesley So beat a former world juniors champion from Armenia in a playoff to top an elite cast of woodpushers that included young grandmasters from around the world.

Also in attendance during the flag turnover ceremony are FESSAP Board chair Alvin Tai Lian, FESSAP executive vice president Robert Milton Calo, Tisha Abundo, Roel Natividad, Jeane Monteverde, Megaworld’s Danilo Madlansacay, Park Hyun Mo of the Filipino Korea Ciltural Foundation, Korean Philippine Tourism head Park In Suk.

Prince William scores with football diplomacy SHANGHAI—Britain’s Prince William practised sports diplomacy in China on Tuesday, striding onto the football pitch at a Shanghai school.

Wearing a dark blue suit, he stopped a stray ball, tapped it twice with his black shoe before giving it a confident kick on the artificial turf.

His trip to China, making him the highest-profile royal visitor since Queen Elizabeth II in 1986, has been laden with symbolism as Britain attempts to improve top-level diplomatic relations with Beijing.

On Monday, William reached out to China’s top leader, President Xi Jinping, telling him: “I also gather you’re quite a football fan.”

State media have called Xi

an “avid” fan and reported that the leader last year recommended that all Chinese children learn the game.

William—a supporter of relegationthreatened Aston Villa —chatted with students WilliAM taking part in the football clinic at Nanyang secondary school, part of a programme run by the British Council and the Premier League.

Elementary school student Li Ziyu, 11, exchanged a “high

five” with William as he told him about his enthusiasm for the Beautiful Game.

“I have played since I was small,” he said afterwards.

China’s national team has historically underperformed and last week Beijing unveiled a government initiative to improve its poor showings, in part by fostering young talent.

While the domestic football league offers foreign players and coaches lucrative contracts, the national side remains in a lowly 82nd place, tied with

Guatemala, in FIFA’s latest global rankings.

“The game is evolving here,” said Paul Hughes, head coach for the global programme Premier Skills, which ran the school event.

“Sometimes it’s about enhancing the game from the bottom. With that, more children are going to get the opportunity to participate,” he told AFP. William later attended the China premiere of the family film “Paddington”, stopping on the red carpet to shake hands with Paddington Bear—played by someone in costume.

The 2014 film, based on a beloved British children’s story about a bear who loves marmalade, will have hit cinemas in China from Thursday. AFP

OFFICIALS of the Philippine Volleyball Federation believe that they are still the legitimate national sports association for the sport.

Newly elected president Edgardo “Boy” Cantada said this yesterday and challenged the Philippine Olympic Committee’s decision to withdraw its recognition of the PVF. Cantada said that until the general assembly removes them via a two-third vote during deliberations, the PVF will continue to exercise its duties as an NSA. “We strongly believe that the PVF is still the NSA of volleyball until such time that we are removed from the general assembly of the POC,” said Cantada during a press conference at the Pacific Condominium in Makati City.

Cantada discussed the PVF’s position a day before Asian Volleyball Confederation secretary general Shanrit Wongprasert is set to arrive on Wednesday to meet with officials of the POC and the Larong Volleyball ng Pilipinas, Inc., which is being groomed to replace the PVF. Cantada feels that the decision of the POC is “illegal, unlawful and immoral,” and alleged that there are vested interests in the sport.

The PVF, recently held its own polls again, with Cantada replacing Karl Chan as president, and with Otie Camangian still the secretary general.

On the other hand, Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. also unveiled its new set of officers.

Last week, POC first vice president Joey Romasanta clinched the presidency, while former Misamis Oriental congressman Victorico Chavez bagged the chairmanship during the polls.

Also elected were Peter Cayco of the National Collegiate Athletic Association as vice president; Ricky Palou of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and Shakey’s VLeague as secretary general; Ariel Paredes of the Philippine Superliga as treasurer and Jeffrey Tamayo of NCAA as director.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK T H U R S D AY : M A R C H 5 , 2 0 1 5

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Blue Spikers close in on title

By Peter Atencio

THE Ateneo Blue Spikers are closing in on the men’s title of the 77th University Athletic Association of the Philippines volleyball tournament.

Marck Espejo exploded with 28 kills for a season-high 31-point tally as the Blue Eagles held back the defending champion National University Bulldogs, 25-19, 30-28, 20-25, 2522, yesterday in Game 1 of their best-of-three series at the Araneta Coliseum.

A pair of service aces and a block in the final set settled the count for the Blue Spikers, who are now just a win away from their first-ever crown.

Skipper Ysrael Marasigan smashed in 15 spikes for a total of 22 points, while Ishmael Rivera had nine points for the Blue Eagles, who can bag the title outright if they win in Game 2 on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

If not, the Bulldogs will have their chance in Game 3, slated on March 14.

“Match lang naman ‘yung laban. ‘Yung

mga players ko wanted to really win the game.

Hindi pwedeng mag-relax,” said Ateneo coach Oliver Almadro.

The Blue Spikers held their ground in the fourth set, after the Bulldogs took the third set.

NU was able to close in after cutting an 1116 deficit to 17-18 with a 6-2 rally.

NU veteran Peter Torres’ running spikes kept penetrating the Eagles’ defense, before Ateneo scored five of the last nine points from service errors mainly from NU team captain Rueben Inaudito.

This put Ateneo up at match point, 24-21, with Espejo clinching the win with a booming hit to the backline that went off the hands of Edwin Tolentino.

Meanwhile, the National University Lady Bulldogs turned to four veterans to repulse La Salle, 25-20, 25-20, 25-19, and keep their hopes alive in making it to the finals against the Ateneo Lady Eagles.

The Lady Bulldogs, who needed to beat the Lady Green Spikers twice, got 13 points from Jaja Santiago and Myla Pablo, helping extend the stepladder semifinals series to a deciding rubber match on Saturday.

One (1) year warranty

Republic of the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines Tel. No. (+63 2) 920-9120/ 920-9130 / 928-8937 Fax No. (+63 2) 920-1635 E-mail: central @ mgb.gov.ph

INVITATION TO BID 5 lots I.T. Equipment P.R. No. 2014-08-703 & 2014-09-842 (Re-Posted)

2.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau now invites bids for the Supply and Delivery of the following:

Lot Item No.

Quantity

Technical Specifications

14 units

ClickPad + Accupoint + Backlit KB; Built-in HD Web Camera with Dual Microphone and Toshiba SmartFace™ Technology ; Finger Print reader;

Windows® 7 Professional(available through downgrade rights from Windows 8.1 Pro) ; 3-year carry-in International Limited Warranty (parts & labor), 1-year battery (carry-in) NOTEBOOK PC - 4th generation Intel® Core™ i74712HQ Processor (2.3GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) Intel® HM87 Express Chipset (C-2 step) 8GB 1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM (1 DIMM)

A.B.C.

PhP1,000,000.00 Lot 5

3xUSB 3.0 (1x Sleep & Charge) RGB/HDMI/Docking Port Station; Fingerprint / Spill resistant BACKLIT KB; Lithium Ion Prismatic 52Wh ; Stereo speakers enhanced with DTS Sound™ ; Magnesium Silver / 1.2Kg;

Lot 2

20 units

Windows® 7 Professional(available through downgrade rights from Windows 8.1 Pro) ; 3-year carry-in International Limited Warranty (parts & labor), 1-year battery (carry-in) ALL-IN-ONE COMPUTER D8G62AV - HP Z1 G2 Touch Workstation HP Z1 G2 Country Kit Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit OS Intel Core i7-4790 3.6 GHz (up to 4.0 GHz) 8MB 84W Intel HD Graphics 4600 4C HT CPU NVIDIA Quadro K2100M 2GB Graphics 16GB DDR3-1866 nECC (4x4G) Unbuffered RAM 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 1st Hard Drive HP USB CCID SmartCard Keyboard HP USB Laser Scroll Mouse HP 3/3/3 Warranty HP Thunderbolt 2-Port Module Embedded Webcam and WIFI 1050VA capacity UPS line-interactive Important Points of the quote:

PhP2,000,000.00

20 units

PhP720,000.00

3.

Delivery of the Goods is required within Sixty (30) calendar days upon receipt of Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed, within three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the project.

4.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Section 23 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

5.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Mines and Geosciences Bureau and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours, from 9:00am to 4:00pm.

A complete set of Bidding Documents can be purchased by interested Bidders from March 5 to 20, 2015, at the address below and upon payment of a non- refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of One Thousand Pesos (PhP1,000.00) per lot item.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on March 11, 2015, Wednesday at 2:30PM at the Office of the Bids and Awards Committee, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

2. Unit is commercial Type (3 years warranty).

Lot 3

12 units

1TB hybrid hard drive (1TB 5400RPM + 8GB NAND) Windows 8.1 Single Language 64-bit 6-cell 62WHr lithium-ion battery 15.6-inch diagonal HD WLED-backlit Display (1920 X 1080) Touchscreen NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 850M Graphics with 4096MB of dedicated video memory 0.74 in (min H)/ 1.18 in (max H) x 14.94 in (W) x 9.87 in (D) 2.6 kg 1x1 802.11b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth® YES 2 x SuperSpeed USB 3.0; 2 x USB 2.0; 1 x HDMI; 1 x RJ45; 1 x Headphone-out/microphone-in combo jack Multi-Format Digital Media Card Reader for Secure Digital cards Beats Audio™ ;Dual speakers with subwoofer 1 Year Warranty Parts and Labor EPEAT® Silver registered; ENERGY STAR® qualified; HP Imagepad supporting multi-touch gestures without on/ off button; (Front-facing) HP TrueVision HD Webcam with integrated dual array digital microphone Silver

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

1. Very powerful PC – very fit with your use for graphical and map usage. Remember that the larger the screen, the larger the data that the Processor will compute, the larger the pixels the display has to compute, the larger the data that is used by the memory to buffer the 27” graphics. So to achieve this you cannot sacrifice the specification of the equipment.

3. 1050va line-interactive is recommended for capacity of the ups for proper shutdown.

OFFICE DESKTOP PC Intel Z87 Top IO (2USB3.0+HM), Front IO(2USB3.0+2USB2.0) HP 15-in-1 Multi-slot Media Card Reader PSU IPS, ATX, 500W, Intel Core i7-4790 3.6G 8M 84W CPU [Haswell] 12GB DDR3-1600 (1x8GB+1x4GB) RAM 23” LED IPS monitor 2TB 7200 RPM SATA 6G 1st Hard Drive SuperMulti DVDRW 1st ODD HP WLAN 2x2 DB MCard BT NIC NVIDIA GeForce GTX 745 4GB DDR3 FH GFX Windows 8.1 (EM) 64-bit OS

PhP1,260,000.00

Lithium Ion Prismatic 52Wh ; Stereo speakers enhanced with DTS Sound™ ; Magnesium Silver / 1.2Kg;

Intel® HD graphics 4400; Intel 802.11ac+agn+BT WP2 + 1Gbps LAN; Bluetooth V4.0 w/ High Speed Technology ; 10 units

ClickPad + Accupoint + Backlit KB; Built-in HD Web Camera with Dual Microphone and Toshiba SmartFace™ Technology ; Finger Print reader; 3xUSB 3.0 (1x Sleep & Charge) RGB/HDMI/Docking Port Station; Fingerprint / Spill resistant BACKLIT KB;

LAPTOPS Intel® Core™ i7-4510U (2.0GHz, up to 3.0GHz, 4M Cache); 13.3” 300NIT HD LED Backlight TFT display (16:9), resolution 1,366 x 768 ; 8GB DDR3L 1600MHz SDRAM; 256GB SOLID STATE DRIVE;

Lot 1

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Intel® HD graphics 4400; Intel 802.11ac+agn+BT WP2 + 1Gbps LAN; Bluetooth V4.0 w/ High Speed Technology ; Lot 4

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau, through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for CY 2014(Continuing Appropriation) intends to apply the sum of Six Million One Hundred Eighty Thousand Pesos (PhP6,180,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for “5 lots I.T. Equipment ”. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

PH bets favored over Sri Lanka

Top IO (2USB3.0+HM), Front IO(4USB2.0) (BU) 4 USB 2.0, Microphone-in/Line-in/Line-out VGA and DVI-out HP wireless keyboard HP wireless mouse Windows 8 (EM) 64-bit OS LAPTOPS Intel® Core™ i7-4510U (2.0GHz, up to 3.0GHz, 4M Cache); 13.3” 300NIT HD LED Backlight TFT display (16:9), resolution 1,366 x 768 ; 8GB DDR3L 1600MHz SDRAM; 256GB SOLID STATE DRIVE;

Mines and Geosciences Bureau

1.

Charity game. San Juan City Vice Mayor Francis Zamora coached the Ren Ren Ritualo led 1990s team versus the 2015 team bannered by Jeron Teng during the “Then vs. Now” charity basketball game featuring alumni and current De La Salle University Green Archers.

The beneficiary of the fund-raising event is the De La Salle Scholarship Foundation.

PhP1,200,000.00

6.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on March 23, 2015, Monday on or before 1:30PM. All Bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration or any other bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

7.

Bid opening shall be on March 23, 2015, Monday at 2:30PM, at the Office of the Bids and Awards Committee, Mines and Geosciences Bureau. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

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

9.

For further information, please refer to: Roberto D. Caseros Overall Head, BAC Secretariat Bids and Awards Committee North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Telefax No.: 928-8649 E-mail: bacems_minesbureauco@yahoo.com Website: www.mgb.gov.ph

(SGD.) JUANCHO PABLO S. CALVEZ Chairman, BAC (MST-MAR. 5, 2015)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

WHILE the Philippines is favored in the Asia Oceania Group II Davis Cup tie against Sri Lanka, PHILTA vice president Randy Villanueva, a former youth player, said that they can’t be complacent against their visiting foes.

“It should be an exciting tie and we can’t take the Sri Lankans for granted although we are a little bit favored,” said Villanueva.

He recalled that in last year’s tie in Colombo, which the Philippines won, 3-1, PJ Tierro lost to Harshana Godamanna, the 29-year-old lefty, while doubles’ specialist and team captain Treat Huey “won a close match against Godamann and was cramping up in the end.”

He said the Valle Verde Country Club is a new venue with a shell court and it will be the first time a Davis Cup tie will be played there.

Villanueva said that the draw will be done at 10 a.m. Thursday and the opening singles will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday.

He said unlike the usual starting time of 10 a.m,. they chose a “more friendly time for the spectators, who are excited about the event.”

Villanueva believes that there should be no pressure on the Philippines, which leads Sri Lanka, 8-0, in Davis Cup ties and instead should give the Filipinos “more confidence considering we won again last year.”

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK T H U R S D AY : M A R C H 5 , 2 0 1 5

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Rodriguez faces acid test at ICTSI Ladies’ Open CYNA Rodriguez braces for her toughest challenge on the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour as she spearheads the locals’ bid in the $75,000 ICTSI Ladies Open, which unwraps March 11 at Southlink Golf Club in Las Pinas.

For one, she will be up against a crack international field that includes campaigners on the Taiwan LPGA, the upcoming tournament being the fourth leg of the Taiwan ladies pro circuit. Also in the fold are the leading shotmakers from Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Malaysia, thus making it the biggest gathering of lady pros in the country.

But the Filipina ace remains hopeful of her title chances in the 54-hole tournament presented by Champion Infinity, vowing to dish out the same form that netted her four victories in last year’s eightleg LPGT circuit – and a second straight Order of Merit crown.

“It’s a new year and a new challenge,” said Rodriguez, the former Philippine Ladies Open champion who has dominated the first two seasons of the country’s first-ever ladies pro tour. “I hope to be able to bring the same level of intensity this year which has been the key to my success.”

But given the depth of the competing field, Rodriguez will need to raise the level of her game as she will be pitted against the likes of Americans Tiffany Tavee and Cristina Corpuz, Thais Saraporn Chamchoi, Thanuttra Boonraksasat, Sarauttaya Ngam-usawan, Kanphanitnan Muangkhumsakul and Alisara Wedchakama and Taiwanese Chen Szu-han, Chen I-wen, Yeh Hsin-ning, Lee Hsin, Hung Pei-wen, Liu Ching-ju, Weng Liting, Pan Yen-ling, Chou Yi-tsen, Chen Chih-min and Liang Yi-ling.

Yeji Oh, Gu Na-eun, Grace Lee, Hwang Ye-nah and Kang Ji-won

make up the Korean contingent in the event backed by by Nike, Sharp and Custom Clubmakers.

The daunting Southlinks Golf Club also poses a big problem for Rodriguez and company with its rolling terrain, pot bunkers, thick roughs and the wind expected to bring out the best – or the worst – from the field.

Thai Amolkan Phalajivin, who broke Rodriguez’s streak and scored a breakthrough win at LPGT Splendido, has also been invited to the event sponsored

by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., along with fellow Thais Supakchaya Patta-

ranakrueang, Hathaikarn Wongkaikijphaisal, Kurika Jang and Piyathida Ployumsri.

Others invitees are Sarah Henderson of Great Britain, Malaysian Ainil Bakar, Singapore’s Christabel Goh and amateur Jen Goh. Joining Rodriguez in the local roster are LPGT leg winner Jayvie Agojo, former SEA Games gold medalist Chihiro Ikeda, Lovelynn Guioguio, Sarah Ababa, Eva Minoza, Majorie Pulumbarit, Anya Tanpinco, Lina de Guzman, Heidi Chua, Tracy Que, Lucy Landicho, Jan Punzalan, Apple Fudolin, Sylvia Torres and Heidi Chua.

Teams refueling during break

By Jeric Lopez Participants of the Boracay Cup backed

by Standard Insurance and Cebu Pacific traverse the waters of Carabao Island in Romblon.

SOME teams in the Philippine Basketball Association want to make the most out of the benefits the All-Star break can give their respective campaigns.

Hong Kong’s Jelik bounces back HONG Kong’s defending champion Jelik recovered, striping out Judes Echauz’s Centennial III by less than two minutes in the four-day Boracay Cup backed by Standard Insurance and Cebu Pacific.

The race started with Syd Fischer’s heavily reefed Dubois 90 Ragamuffin 90, skippered by David Witt, pulling off a daring port-tack start in front of the assembled IRC 1 fleet and scampered off into the distance.

In hot pursuit, Frank Pong’s

Custom Dibley 75 Jelik did not to let them get away and clung on to their skirt’s tails.

By the time they reached the North West shore of Boracay, the fleet was stretched out in order of speed and a close tussle ensued between Echauz’s Centennial III and Geoff Hill’s Smith 72-custom Antipodes.

American Race Officer Jerry Rollin chose to open proceedings with International Racing Class 1, doing a 28nm course to neighboring Tablas Island in Romblon, and

then with the IRC 2 on a 19nm course to Carabao Island also off Romblon and back.

When they returned to Boracay, Ragamuffin 90 still held the lead with Jelik, 10 minutes behind them.

As the IRC ratings were applied, Pong’s Jelik jumped into first place, Rollin said.

The new Dibley-designed keel on Echauz’s Centennial III is making a huge difference in performance. And after winning the Subic to Boracay race, Centen-

nial III slotted into second place.

Only one second on corrected time, separated Geoff Hill’s Antipodes and Ray Ordoveza’s Excel 53 Karakoa, as the two finished third and fourth respectively, according to Rollin.

Rollin said Ragamuffin 90 paid the price with its huge IRC rating (1.747) and ended up in fifth place.

Mast track failure prevented Troy Yaw’s all-Malaysian team on Ulumulu, skippered by Jeremy Koo, from starting today, but is making repairs and will be back tomorrow.

Caligdong shares his magic touch to players

By Peter Atencio RETIRED national player Emelio “Chieffy” Caligdong has a lot to share to kids after the teams he has been helping performed well in the ongoing 77th University Athletic Association of the Philippines football tournament.

La Salle Zobel, with him as assistant coach, finished third in the junior division.

Now, the La Salle Green Archers have made it to the finals against Far Eastern Uni-

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

versity in the men’s division.

He will be around to help coach Hans Smit steer the team in its fight for the title this weekend.

“Marami tayong mai-impart sa mga bata, lalo na sa pagiging disiplinado bilang player,” said Caligdong, who has been tapped to help out in the “TM Football Para sa Bayan.”

Caligdong talked about his involvement with the Green Archers and the grassroots football program of Globe Telecom, now on its third year.

“Masaya ako at nakapasok ang La Salle sa finals. Sana makuha nila ang title,” said Caligdong during yesterday’s program launch at the Hungry Hound Restaurant inside the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

Caligdong, who was with brand management director Trina Sebastian and Corporate Social Responsibility chief Bong Esguerra, said he is glad to be part of the program, which will reach out to more key cities in the country.

As the homestretch of the 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup approaches, teams find themselves in a heated race for quarterfinal slots as they continue to jockey for better positioning.

For one, the very surprising Kia Motors (4-5), winners of three of their last four games, all against powerhouses, will be looking to sharpen its knives and use the almost two-week break to their advantage as they suddenly see themselves having a legit shot of making the playoffs. ‘’We’ll use the break to rest our players first because they deserve it. And then we’ll go back to practice to make sure we continue improving and stay in shape,’’ said head assistant coach Chito Victolero of the Carnival’s plans.

Other squads are also looking to maximize the break. ‘’We got a good win in our last game which was good for us since we’re aiming for the Top 2. We’ll use this All-Star break to try and work on some things we can improve and experiment on,’’ said Talk ‘N Text coach Jong Uichico, whose Tropang Texters currently lead the league at 6-2. ‘’It’s a two-week break for us that’s why we wanted to win our last game which we did, so we can relax and rest for a little bit before we go hard and prepare for our last few games,’’ said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao, whose squad is likewise in a good position to compete for a Top 2 finish as it is tied for second with a 5-2 card. ‘’Maganda ang momentum namin going sa All-Star break kasi we got two wins. Now, we want to prepare hard na din for our next game against NLEX pagbalik from the break,’’ said Barangay Ginebra coach Ato Agustin, whose Gin Kings are starting to come along after a sketchy start in the tournament.

The All-Star festivities take place this weekend in Puerto Princesa in Palawan, with events such as the Obstacle challenge, Three-point contest, Slam Dunk contest and the showdown between the Rookies and Sophomores unfolding on Friday, while the main All-Star game (North vs. South) will be this Sunday.

All 12 teams are still in contention for the eight available berths in the quarterfinals, with the Top 2 finishers getting a twice-tobeat incentive in the next phase.

Action resumes on March 11 with Blackwater facing Alaska at 4:15 p.m., while Barangay Ginebra faces NLEX at 7 p.m. at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK T H U R S D AY : M A R C H 5 , 2 0 1 5

A16

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

Lost possession.

San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo (left) loses the ball to the defense of Barako Bull’s Solo Alabi in a Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup game won by the Beermen, 102-91, Tuesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Pacman ready for fight of his life

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

EVEN as he pushes himself early in training for his May 2 multi-million dollar showdown with undefeated and undisputed pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. (47-0, 27 KOs), eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) has conceded he is in “the real fight of my life.”

Boxing Scene reported that Pacquiao said he realizes the importance of what he considers the biggest and most rewarding fight of his career and that he will prepare hard for this fight.

The charismatic Filipino

boxing hero said he wants to give boxing fans the kind of entertainment they want, and according to his longtime adviser Michael Koncz, he is well on the way to doing that.

After running over three

HK’s Jelik bounces back TURN TO A15

kilometers on Monday and doing two rounds of shadow boxing and abdominal exercises under the supervision of strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune, Pacquiao, who trained behind closed doors at the Wild Card Gym, appeared pleased.

Koncz told the Manila Standard/Viva Sports after Tuesday’s workout that Pacquiao, who did the punch-mitts and pounded the heavy bag, “is looking fabulous.”

Asked about Pacquiao’s desire to further improve his handspeed, which he believes will be a key

“Manny never loses speed. If he gets any faster, he’ll get a speeding ticket,” said Manny Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz. factor in the fight against Mayweather, who is also known for his speed, Koncz replied: “Manny never loses speed. If he gets any faster, he’ll get a speeding ticket,” said Koncz, adding that

Cavs, Hawks rip foes TURN TO A12

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

“timing and conditioning are also very important.”

Koncz disclosed that former multi-titled world champion Roy Jones was sending a young kid as a possible sparring partner.

“We will try him out for a day and if he’s good, we will keep him, otherwise we’ll send him home,” said Koncz, who however, couldn’t remember the boxer’s name.

Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach earlier picked 21-year-old fighters, welterweight Rashid “Speedy” Lewis (13-0, 10 KOs) and Kenneth “Bossman” Sims Jr. (5-0, 2 KOs), who reportedly uses the shoulder- roll defense for which Mayweather is famous.

LOTTO RESULTS

6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M+ 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M 4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

B1

THURSDAY: MARCH 5, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS

PSe comPoSite index Closing March 4, 2015

8000 7500

Apec forum.

6840 7500

Delegates from Apec member-economies and multilateral and international institutions gather in Tagaytay City for the 2015 Asia-Pacific Forum on Financial Inclusion. The forum, held on March 3 to 4, 2015, sought to discuss initiatives that may push forward the agenda of making financial products and services accessible to a wider range of people across the Asia-Pacific region.

6180

7000

5520

6500

4860

6000 4200 3860 5500

7,847.83 71.32

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing MARCH 4, 2015 45

P44.100

44

CLOSE

43

MERALCO NOTES HIGHER DEMAND

Power rates rising

By Alena Mae S. Flores

INCREASED demand and power plant shutdowns

42 41

HIGH P44.050 LOW P44.110 AVERAGE P44.084 VOLUME 456.600M

P508.00-P728.00 LPG/11-kg tank P37.80-P43.35 Unleaded Gasoline P27.90-P31.20 Diesel

oPriceS il P today

P35.40-P39.15 Kerosene

may translate into higher electricity rates in March, an official of distributor Manila Electric Co. said Wednesday.

Meralco vice president Lawrence Fernandez told reporters the distribution utility was still waiting for the billing from suppliers, but charges at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market in February already pointed to an upward adjustment.

WESM, an offshoot of the Electric Power Industry Reform

Act of 2001, acts as the country’s trading floor of electricity.

“We’re still waiting for billings from IPPs [independent power producers] and PSAs [power supply agreements], but WESM results appear to point to higher market prices,” Fernandez said.

“This may be due to increased demand, as the peak went up

Peak demand rose by 200 MW from January to February. by around 200 megawatts from January to February, coupled with more capacity on outage,” he said, referring to the shutdown of Masinloc and Quezon power plants.

Meralco earlier reported higher WESM charges in the January supply month, due to higher incidence of scheduled and forced

Apec pushes financial inclusion

P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG

By Jennifer Ambanta

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, March 4, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

44.0890

Japan

Yen

0.008352

0.3682

UK

Pound

1.536400

67.7383

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128937

5.6847

Switzerland

Franc

1.040150

45.8592

Canada

Dollar

0.800833

35.3079

Singapore

Dollar

0.734268

32.3731

Australia

Dollar

0.777424

34.2758

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652520

116.9470

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266652

11.7564

Brunei

Dollar

0.731582

32.2547

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000077

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.030931

1.3637

UAE

Dirham

0.272264

12.0038

Euro

Euro

1.117500

49.2695

Korea

Won

0.000908

0.0400

China

Yuan

0.159380

7.0269

India

Rupee

0.016155

0.7123

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.275482

12.1457

New Zealand

Dollar

0.751428

33.1297

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031847

1.4041 Source: PDS Bridge

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

DELEGATES attending the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation forum on financial inclusion on Wednesday cited the need to make credit accessible to more small and medium enterprises.

“Financial inclusion is vital in achieving the goal of enhancing inclusivity of growth of economies. If we help SMEs become more productive,

B3

such as by easing accessibility of financing, we help our economies generate more jobs and boost incomes,” Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran said.

The Philippines, which is considered to have one of the best regulatory environments for microfinance in the world, has agreed to continue moving the agenda of financial inclusion forward.

Outstanding microfinance

SM Investments nets P28.4b

loans in the Philippines have consistently grown over the years, hitting P9.4 billion as of end-September 2014 from P2.6 billion in 2002.

Microfinance borrowers in the Philippines grew from about 390,000 to nearly 1.16 million as of end-September 2014, while the number of banks with microfinance units increased from 119 to 183 in the same period.

B4

outages of generating plants.

The higher trading prices at WESM in January were offset by a reduction of billing adjustments from prior months.

Meralco’s electricity rates went up by P0.84 per kilowatt-hour in February, translating into an increase of P168 for small households consuming 200 kWh per month.

Electricity bill went up in February after generation charges were adjusted upward by P0.52 per kWh from P4.72 per kWh in January. Transmission charges, taxes and other charges also increased.

Meralco said a new line item, called FIT-Allowance, representing the subsidy for renewable energy projects, was also added to the bill in February.

The distribution charge, the item that goes directly to Meralco, did not register any movement.

Overall power rates reached P10.51 per kWh in February.

Meralco said the generation charge went up by P0.52 per kWh, mainly due to a P1-per-kWh increase in the rates of generation companies under power supply agreements, as capacity fees normalized from a low level in the preceding month.

Asian banks coming to PH

THURSDAY: MARCH 5, 2015

B2

BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

MST BuSineSS Daily STockS Review Wednesday, March 4, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

75.3 99.4 105.2 63 2.3 4.2 19.6 31.6 22.5 1.01 92.9 1.65 30.5 75 99 140 392 59 146.8 1700 130 2.8

Asia United Bank

42.6 6.1 1.66 2.3 17.98 17.2 15.8 56.8 4.57 39.5 14 12.98 8.15 12.34 17 27.1 90.5 27 0.014 9.4 0.98 199.8 10.98 5.2 45.45 30 90 14.7 317 6.49 5.37 14.48 7.5 14.5 7.03

63.5 67.5 82.5 50 1.9 1.1 14.5 23.2 6.84 0.175 69.35 1.2 20.45 58 76 119 276 41.5 105.1 1281 116 2.25

Close

Banco de Oro Unibank Inc.

Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

High

69.85 111.70 98.95 46.7 2.46 2.63 16.28 25.7 8.23 0.520 93.85 0.96 18.36 32.50 84.00 95.40 358 46.15 163 1360.00 69.55 3.1

FINANCIAL 69.85 69 113.20 112.00 99.00 98.20 47.35 46.75 2.47 2.38 2.57 2.51 16.3 16.1 25.9 25.75 8.39 8.01 0.550 0.520 94.8 93.7 0.96 0.95 18.60 18.36 33.00 31.95 84.15 82.70 95.45 95.40 357.8 353.8 47 46.15 169.7 163 1345.00 1345.00 69.85 69.30 3.26 3.05 INDUSTRIAL 44.5 44 1.87 1.76 1.1 1.08 2.03 2 8.31 8.12 18.88 18.68 21 20.55 57.3 57 2.05 1.75 13 12.86 19.180 18.68 10.94 10.80 8.98 8.84 10.58 10.46 18.4 17.96 30.5 30 102.5 102.1 14.98 14.32 0.4700 0.4700 6.82 6.61 0.610 0.610 220.00 218.60 10.32 10.2 2.52 2.52 53.00 51.90 30.7 29.9 30.65 29.4 8.110 8.050 279.60 277.60 4.03 4.03 4.51 4.47 10.60 10.40 4.48 4.48 10.84 10.74 4.00 3.92 3.00 2.87 5.97 5.92 6.5 6.46 207 204.6 4.49 4.44 1.85 1.79 0.215 0.196 1.55 1.55 2.32 2.29 218.40 216 0.77 0.73 1.59 1.55 HOLDING FIRMS 0.475 0.475 58.50 57.10 24.30 23.65 1.45 1.31 7.14 7.11 1.60 1.60 2.88 2.70 2.8 2.8 735 726 9.75 9.65 15.90 15.68 4.86 4.70 0.415 0.385 1294 1240 6.49 5.90 67.20 66.30 9.09 8.7 0.71 0.69 15.96 15.14 0.62 0.58 5.38 5.19 5.15 5.1 0.0420 0.0420 0.740 0.720 2.4 2.4 77.70 76.30 915.00 900.00 1.22 1.20 0.97 0.97 300.00 300.00 107.80 107.00 0.6200 0.5800 0.2750 0.2550 0.340 0.330 PROPERTY 10.480 9.980 10.28 10.28 1.06 1.04 0.270 0.270 38.80 36.70 4.46 4.4 5.05 5 0.97 0.93 1.23 1.23 0.156 0.145

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

69.85 113.00 99.60 47.35 2.40 2.57 16.3 25.8 8.01 0.540 94 0.95 18.60 31.95 83.30 95.40 356 47 169 1345.00 69.30 3.2

0.00 1.16 0.66 1.39 -2.44 -2.28 0.12 0.39 -2.67 3.85 0.16 -1.04 1.31 -1.69 -0.83 0.00 -0.56 1.84 3.68 -1.10 -0.36 3.23

47,420 2,681,060 994,370 110,700 555,000 100,000 38,700 67,300 7,900 1,175,000 1,290,640 650,000 145,600 16,600 13,090 1,530 530 1,700 1,948,610 45 69,990 8,751,000

1,335,352.00 98,642,504.00 71,642,183.50 -131,505.00

44.3 1.76 1.1 2.03 8.2 18.84 21 57.25 1.92 12.88 19.160 10.84 8.84 10.50 18 30.2 102.5 14.32 0.4700 6.82 0.610 220.00 10.2 2.52 52.90 30 29.8 8.110 278.80 4.03 4.51 10.54 4.48 10.78 4.00 2.90 5.92 6.5 204.6 4.44 1.8 0.198 1.55 2.30 218 0.74 1.59

-0.23 -5.38 0.00 0.50 0.99 0.21 0.48 -0.43 9.71 -0.92 1.91 0.00 -1.34 0.38 -2.17 0.17 0.00 0.00 -2.08 2.10 0.00 0.46 -0.78 -1.95 3.93 -3.54 0.34 0.12 0.22 0.75 0.22 1.35 11.17 -0.19 1.01 8.61 0.34 0.62 -1.06 2.07 -2.70 2.06 0.00 0.00 1.30 -2.63 1.92

2,933,100 90,000 74,000 1,288,000 3,700 32,800 320,700 5,780 6,003,000 81,400 6,057,100 1,451,500 7,355,800 58,500 86,900 1,668,100 359,870 17,900 160,000 965,900 50,000 556,310 741,400 3,000 41,190 3,626,800 707,500 61,900 294,330 2,000 301,000 1,909,400 2,000 40,700 569,000 29,942,000 1,647,300 55,000 100,190 56,000 2,123,000 61,570,000 50,000 1,077,000 1,229,130 939,000 348,000

0.475 58.00 24.10 1.45 7.14 1.60 2.70 2.8 735 9.69 15.86 4.80 0.400 1277 6.49 67.20 8.95 0.69 15.92 0.62 5.3 5.1 0.0420 0.730 2.4 76.35 903.00 1.22 0.97 300.00 107.10 0.6200 0.2650 0.330

-1.04 1.75 1.90 2.11 0.42 -0.62 0.00 1.82 1.52 -0.31 -0.13 2.56 3.90 1.43 0.00 0.45 -0.44 0.00 4.87 3.33 -0.38 0.00 0.00 0.00 -4.00 -1.23 0.33 0.00 3.19 -1.64 -2.64 8.77 1.92 -2.94

40,000 1,201,200 10,045,200 152,000 48,100 35,000 245,000 5,000 250,770 2,147,800 4,461,200 413,000 12,950,000 88,875 300 2,838,700 4,872,200 651,000 10,119,400 2,312,000 21,325,700 30,000 5,500,000 1,312,000 27,000 405,260 392,690 211,000 9,000 100 3,420 45,703,000 4,110,000 650,000

10.220 10.28 1.05 0.270 38.15 4.46 5.04 0.93 1.23 0.156

1.79 2.80 -0.94 5.88 3.95 0.90 -0.20 -3.13 0.00 6.12

1,363,800 6,137,378.00 600 -6,168.00 414,000 310,000 -54,000.00 16,940,900 126,817,915.00 774,000 1,538,660.00 121,300 13,916,000 -9,802,020.00 7,000 113,190,000 34,500.00

16,100.00 193,500.00 -118,800.00 26,986,232.50 918,660.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

0.98 0.370 2.25 1.77 1.6 5.3 0.180 0.470 4.45 24.8 2.06 3.6 19.62 1.02 6.66 1.96 6.5

0.47 0.175 1.22 1.18 1.19 3.12 0.070 0.325 2.5 18.72 1.45 2.9 14.1 0.58 3.05 0.87 4.37

3.25 43.7 1.09 12.46 14 0.1640 4.05 71 12.3 3.28 9 2008 9.04 2.02 118.9 12.5 0.017 0.0653 2.2800 6.99 9.67 2.85 2.2 4.32 1.97 2.45 14.46 0.62 1.040 22.8 6.6 107 11.3 3486 0.710 2.01 48.5 74

1.55 27 0.59 10 8.28 0.0960 2.97 44.8 10.14 1.99 4 1580 7.12 1.2 94.4 8.72 0.012 0.026 1.560 1.95 5.82 1.15 1.1 1.9 0.485 1.42 10.14 0.35 0.36 14.54 5.2 81 4.39 2572 0.250 0.26 32.2 48

Close

Cyber Bay Corp.

Ever Gotesco Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’ Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

Primex Corp.

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

High 0.470 0.223 1.64 1.68 1.36 5.54 0.127 0.3650 7.5 29.00 1.76 3.20 19.60 0.9 7.27 1.040 7.150

Low

Close

0.490 0.465 0.233 0.229 1.65 1.60 1.75 1.67 1.40 1.35 5.55 5.43 0.132 0.125 0.3650 0.3650 7.8 7.54 30.00 29.00 1.77 1.75 3.19 3.18 19.90 19.56 0.94 0.9 7.28 7.02 1.050 1.030 7.300 7.150 SERVICES 7.9 7.55 65 64.8 0.700 0.690 12.5 12.5 10.88 10.40 0.1160 0.1110 4.3 4.15 89.5 87.3 10.84 10.56 1.81 1.79 6.66 6.25 1940 1928 6.38 6.31 1.67 1.62 112.8 112.1 11.88 11.22 0.015 0.014 0.290 0.275 1.4100 1.3500 2.92 2.8 9.40 9.20 2.12 2.05 1.6 1.55 2.27 2.27 0.700 0.700 2.02 2.02 10.44 10.26 0.370 0.360 0.520 0.520 18.26 18.24 4.79 4.68 98.00 96.50 13.68 13.20 3100.00 3078.00 0.600 0.590 1.700 1.660 41.20 40.45 87.45 83.80 10.34 9.93 0.71 0.70 2.05 2.04 7.05 6.99 0.380 0.365 1.390 1.220 MINING & OIL 0.0054 0.0053 3.00 2.90 9.84 9.80 0.265 0.265 7.6 7.12 7.4 7 1.06 1.11

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

0.475 0.233 1.60 1.73 1.40 5.45 0.129 0.3650 7.63 29.80 1.75 3.19 19.70 0.9 7.26 1.050 7.250

1.06 4.48 -2.44 2.98 2.94 -1.62 1.57 0.00 1.73 2.76 -0.57 -0.31 0.51 0.00 -0.14 0.96 1.40

3,370,000 420,000 8,156,000 73,988,000 709,000 49,704,500 7,380,000 100,000 2,959,200 7,166,300 122,000 41,000 6,682,700 6,079,000 10,604,600 98,000 9,142,000

7.85 64.8 0.690 12.5 10.76 0.1130 4.3 88.3 10.84 1.81 6.60 1939 6.33 1.64 112.5 11.88 0.015 0.285 1.3900 2.84 9.30 2.05 1.55 2.27 0.700 2.02 10.4 0.370 0.520 18.26 4.68 98.00 13.66 3096.00 0.600 1.680 41.15 86.60 10.32 0.70 2.05 7.02 0.375 1.390

-1.26 0.00 -1.43 -1.73 3.66 1.80 1.18 0.97 1.50 1.69 5.60 0.31 0.16 -1.20 -0.09 0.00 0.00 1.79 0.72 1.43 0.98 4.59 -5.49 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.36 0.00 -1.89 1.44 -2.50 1.50 0.00 -0.06 1.69 0.60 1.73 3.59 3.72 0.00 1.49 0.29 0.00 2.96

295,800 99,490 342,000 22,100 17,515,000 59,060,000 567,000 1,828,540 5,400 100,000 225,000 25,735 165,000 579,000 407,150 61,200 5,900,000 28,200,000 558,000 36,000 121,000 11,000 36,000 3,000 792,000 7,000 3,467,900 370,000 210,000 5,100 4,000 2,470 672,200 232,550 1,590,000 866,200 3,344,400 2,030,340 2,443,500 4,074,000 140,000 5,874,700 1,010,000 402,000

0.0053 3.00 9.81 0.265 7.1200 7.0000 1.06

0.00 0.00 -0.30 0.00 0.00 -1.41 1.08

453,000,000 -79,500.00 13,000 -15,000.00 296,900 -625,760.00 1,000,000 -66,250.00 3,200 170,100 -1,055,658.00 1.89 4,453,000

1.12 -1.56 -1.36 0.00 0.00 0.00 -6.67 -6.25 -0.17 0.00 -1.21 -1.35 -3.35 7.69 -6.67 2.11 0.00 -10.23 0.00 -0.24 -2.86 0.00

107,000 62,100 14,261,000 630,000 4,180,000 600,000 59,800,000 6,700,000 91,600 4,154,800 5,026,000 174,000 528,000 1,500,000 6,600,000 1,000 705,100 2,242,000 46,500,000 1,764,050 277,000 5,200,000

0.00 0.40 0.39 1.80 1.10 -0.47 0.97 1.42 1.19 0.29 0.00 -2.38 0.61 16.67

200 20,640 31,200 85,640 74,780 212,100 25,000 31,000 550 180 295,050 14,020 85,500 17,000

1.50

408,000

-0.63 -0.51 1.08

545,400 60 678,100

0.40

46,920

-10,325,630.00 -58,447,440.00 136,620.00 -105,374,733.00 283,900.00 1,194,941.00 100,315,520.00 36,750.00 -13,048,554.00 -64,190.00

MST Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Century Food Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Concepcion Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI Federal Res. Inv. Group First Gen Corp.

First Holdings ‘A’ Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Greenergy Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp.

Lafarge Rep LMG Chemicals Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor 4.88 RFM Corporation 2.28 Roxas Holdings 210 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 4.1 SPC Power Corp.

1.7 Splash Corporation 0.102 Swift Foods, Inc. 1.6 TKC Steel Corp.

1.37 Trans-Asia Oil 111.3 Universal Robina 0.550 Vitarich Corp.

1.33 Vulcan Ind’l.

44.4 1.86 1.1 2.02 8.12 18.8 20.9 57.5 1.75 13 18.800 10.84 8.96 10.46 18.4 30.15 102.5 14.32 0.4800 6.68 0.610 219.00 10.28 2.57 50.90 31.1 29.7 8.100 278.20 4.00 4.5 10.40 4.03 10.80 3.96 2.67 5.90 6.46 206.8 4.35 1.85 0.194 1.55 2.30 215.2 0.76 1.56

0.7 61.6 31.85 2.16 7.39 2.7 3.29 2.05 747 11.34 84 5.34 0.23 1060 7.1 59.8 6.55 0.9 19.9 0.75 5.4 5.35 0.0550 0.84 2.9 88 866 2.2 1.39 390 156 0.285 0.245 0.510

0.46 45.75 21.95 1.6 6.3 1.550 1.8 1.04 508 7.470 47.25 4 0.144 706 5.3 36.7 3.95 0.58 12.96 0.580 4.06 4.5 0.027 0.355 2.36 54.5 680 1.04 0.85 170 58.05 0.158 0.150 0.295

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ Asia Amalgamated A ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Minerales Industrias Corp.

Pacifica `A’ Prime Orion Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Transgrid Top Frontier Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.480 57.00 23.65 1.42 7.11 1.61 2.70 2.75 724 9.72 15.88 4.68 0.385 1259 6.49 66.90 8.99 0.69 15.18 0.6 5.32 5.1 0.0420 0.730 2.5 77.30 900.00 1.22 0.94 305.00 110.00 0.5700 0.2600 0.340

9.03 26.95 1.99 0.375 35.3 6.15 6.1 2 2.51 0.201

5.51 12 0.99 0.185 23.7 4.41 5 1.22 1.21 0.068

8990 HLDG 10.040 Anchor Land Holdings Inc. 10.00 A. Brown Co., Inc. 1.06 Arthaland Corp.

0.255 Ayala Land `B’ 36.70 Belle Corp. `A’ 4.42 Cebu Holdings 5.05 Century Property 0.96 City & Land Dev. 1.23 Crown Equities Inc. 0.147

6.68 8.1 275 5.5 2.25 0.191 2.5 2.68 188.6 1.3 2.17

Low

31.75 2.51 0.88 1.25 9.58 14.6 9.82 21.5 0.82 17.3 5.98 9.05 4.25 8.68 8.61 12.2 48.9 16 0.0097 2.05 0.32 150.8 8.55 2.8 16 20.35 12 10.1 246 3.37 4 11.56 5 9.94 4.33

Trading Summary FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS PROPERTY SERVICES MINING & OIL GRAND TOTAL

SHARES 19,218,641 185,301,038 137,003,958 429,709,320 154,849,631 620,665,917 1,548,019,025

324,742.50

109,476,568.00

-311,365.00

-63,525,940.00 9,000.00

169,660.00 56,326.00 -33,790.00 -252,772.00 49,364,622.00 9,285,744.00 15,282,972.00 -89,436.00

-502,080.00 -30,013,588.00 -254,896.00 9,400.00 -149,008.00 -8,886,684.00 -2,467,204.00

-34,856,710.00 -2,153,300.00 -207,476.00 -52,255,340.00

404,550.00 -4,210,740.00

185,250.00 -1,685,080.00 2,865,042.00

20,460,000.00

186,380.00

41,580.00 43,677,198.00 -95,250.00

353,967.00 -12,624,665.00

138,559,385.00 -9,534,610.00 15,612,984.00

53,000.00 26,592,805.00

-2,103,924.50 -12,450,270.00 -8,351,362.00

-19,323,917.00

-2,046,169.50 -226,918,125.00

-120,126.00 -362,000.00

0.87 2.95 11.46 0.435 1.6

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN APC Group, Inc. Asian Terminals Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Calata Corp.

Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ.

Discovery World DFNN Inc. Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SSI Group 0.59 STI Holdings 1.68 Transpacific Broadcast 7.78 Travellers 0.305 Waterfront Phils.

1.04 Yehey

0.0086 0.0028 5.45 1.72 17.24 11.48 0.325 0.225 12.8 6.2 12.7 6 1.2 0.5 -196,160.00 1.73 0.76 10.98 4.93

0.46 0.455 0.730 0.024 0.026 8.2 48.85 3.35 1.030 3.06 0.021 0.023 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.042 420 9 0.016

0.385 0.3000 0.2950 0.012 0.014 1.960 14.22 1.47 0.220 1.24 0.016 0.017 4.02 7.8 6.5 0.031 123 4.3 0.0087

44.1

26.3

60 116 511 9.04 9.67

30 102 480 6.76 5.82

77.3 78.95 81.85 1.34

74.2 74.5 75 1

2.42

0.0010

10.96 35

2.4 7.74

119.6

94

7.95 64.8 0.700 12.72 10.38 0.1110 4.25 87.45 10.68 1.78 6.25 1933 6.32 1.66 112.6 11.88 0.015 0.280 1.3800 2.8 9.21 1.96 1.64 2.27 0.700 2.02 10.26 0.370 0.530 18 4.80 96.55 13.66 3098.00 0.590 1.670 40.45 83.60 9.95 0.70 2.02 7 0.375 1.350

Abra Mining 0.0053 Apex `A’ 3.00 Atlas Cons. `A’ 9.84 Basic Energy Corp.

0.265 Benguet Corp `A’ 7.1200 Benguet Corp `B’ 7.1000 Century Peak Metals Hldgs

Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining `A’ Manila Mining `B’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Oriental Pet. `B’ Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Semirara Corp.

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.89 7.71 2.95 0.360 0.260 0.260 0.0150 0.0160 5.94 28.65 3.3 0.7400 2.390 0.0130 0.0150 5.70 8.16 4.3 0.016 163.70 4.55 0.0110

0.9 0.89 0.9 7.80 7.59 7.59 2.97 2.84 2.91 0.360 0.345 0.360 0.260 0.255 0.260 0.260 0.260 0.260 0.0150 0.0140 0.0140 0.0160 0.0150 0.0150 5.94 5.84 5.93 29 28.2 28.65 3.36 3.18 3.26 0.7500 0.7300 0.7300 2.390 2.310 2.310 0.0140 0.0140 0.0140 0.0140 0.0140 0.0140 5.82 5.53 5.82 8.17 8.12 8.16 4.2 3.75 3.86 0.016 0.015 0.016 163.70 161.00 163.30 4.51 4.3 4.42 0.0110 0.0100 0.0110 PREFERRED ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. 68 68 68 68 Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ 504 506 504 506 Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ 510 512 510 512 First Gen G 111 114 113 113 GLOBE PREF P 500 506 504 505.5 GMA Holdings Inc. 6.33 6.3 6.28 6.3 Leisure and Resort 1.03 1.04 1.04 1.04 MWIDE PREF 106 107.5 107 107.5 PCOR-Preferred A 1012 1026 1024 1024 PCOR-Preferred B 1034 1037 1037 1037 SMC Preferred A 76.1 76.1 76.05 76.1 SMC Preferred B 81.95 80 79 80 SMC Preferred C 82 82.5 82 82.5 Swift Pref 1.8 2.1 2.1 2.1 WARRANTS & BONDS LR Warrant 4.000 4.140 4.050 4.060 SME Double Dragon 7.92 7.9 7.83 7.87 IRipple E-Business Intl 68.8 68.45 68.3 68.45 Xurpas 11.08 11.34 11.06 11.2 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS First Metro ETF 126 126.5 126 126.5

T op g ainerS VALUE 951,503,441.66 1,932,222,757.28 1,783,003,576.38 2,118,769,707.46 1,829,420,609.03 565,554,178.02 9,198,284,882.33

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,799.29 (up) 17.42 INDUSTRIAL 12,899.81 (up) 40.29 HOLDING FIRMS 6,909.55 (up) 63.73 PROPERTY 3,145.85 (up) 63.13 SERVICES 2,209.58 (up) 11.44 MINING & OIL 16,509.42 (down) 62.78 PSEI 7,847.83 (up) 71.32 All Shares Index 4,557.31 (up) 32.24 Gainers: 111; Losers: 69; Unchanged: 42; Total: 222

-8,412,608.00

263,165.00 276,250.00 -32,383,138.00 -18,320.00

-26,435,704.50 -10,600.00 13,744,540.00

-3,725,781.00

233,325.00

30,374,506.00

229,670.00 -2,762,630.00 118,965,650.00

9,422,060.00 49,805,155.00 -56,923,950.50 5,859,124.00 2,400,687.00 1,390.00

1,996,060.00

2,360.00 -46,604,945.00 1,299,690.00 46,400.00

427,790.00

-6,410,961.00

1,256,000.00

1,119,431.00 396,000.00 -1,650,000.00

176,200.00 1,754,458.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Swift Pref

2.1

16.67

PhilexPetroleum

3.86

-10.23

Phil H2O

4.48

11.17

Oriental Pet. `B'

0.0140

-6.67

Da Vinci Capital

1.92

9.71

Manila Mining `A'

0.0140

-6.67

Unioil Res. & Hldgs

0.6200

8.77

Manila Mining `B'

0.0150

-6.25

Phoenix Semiconductor

2.90

8.61

Lorenzo Shipping

1.55

-5.49

Oriental Pet. `A'

0.0140

7.69

Agrinurture Inc.

1.76

-5.38

Crown Equities Inc.

0.156

6.12

Republic Glass 'A'

2.4

-4.00

Arthaland Corp.

0.270

5.88

Manila Water Co. Inc.

30

-3.54

DFNN Inc.

6.60

5.60

Oriental Peninsula Res.

2.310

-3.35

LT Group

15.92

4.87

Century Property

0.93

-3.13

THURSDAY: MARCH 5, 2015

B3

BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

SM Investments nets P28.4b

By Jenniffer B. Austria

SM INVESTMENTS Corp., the listed holding

company of retail tycoon Henry Sy Sr., the country’s richest man, registered a record net income of P28.4 billion in 2014, up 3.6 percent from P27.4 billion in 2013.

SM Investments said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Wednesday recurring net income grew 14.4 percent, minus extraordinary items.

SM Investments said the earnings were driven by BDO Unibank Inc., which posted a core income growth of 18 percent. Along China Banking Corp., banks accounted for

41 percent of the group’s total consolidated net income in 2014.

The property business contributed 38 percent while the retail section accounted for 21 percent of the 2014 net income.

Consolidated revenues climbed nine percent to P275.7 billion in 2014 from P253.3

billion in 2013 on strong rental revenues from SM’s property business.

“The group’s strong underlying earnings growth of 14.4 percent in 2014 was the result of solid performance and ongoing expansion in all our three core businesses,” SM president Harley Sy said “During the year, we raised additional capital and entered into several strong partnerships, accelerating our investments for growth and ensuring we expand in line with our continuing optimism about the economic prospects of the Philippines,” he said.

SM Investments in May raised P15 billion from a public offering of peso-denominated retail bonds with maturities of 7 and 10 years The conglomerate in June also issued a $350 million, 10year senior unsecured bonds at a fixed rate of 4.875 percent a year.

BDO Unibank earlier reported a net income attributable to equity holders of the parent of P22.8 billion compared with P22.6 billion in 2014, while China Banking Corp. posted a full year consolidated net income of P5.11 billion in 2014 on the back of sustained growth

in core business operations.

The conglomerate’s property unit Prime Holdings, Inc. also booked consolidated net income of P18.4 billion in 2014, up 13 percent, after revenues grew 11 percent to P66.2 billion.

SM Investment’s retail unit SM Retail Inc. sustained its growth with net income increasing 3.3 percent to P5.9 billion, while total sales rose nine percent to P197.1 billion.

SM Retail had a total of 269 stores as of end 2014, comprising of 50 SM Stores, 40 SM Supermarkets, 42 SM Hypermarkets, 113 Savemore stores and 24 WalterMart stores.

Stocks rise to a new record THE stock market climbed Wednesday to a new record, buoyed by healthy corporate earnings reported by blue chip issues.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index rose 71.32 points, or 0.9 percent, to 7,847.83 on a value turnover of P9.2 billion. The index eclipsed the previous record close of 7,844.06 registered on Feb. 25 this year. Gainers beat losers, 111 to 69, with 42 issues unchanged.

Asia markets mostly fell Wednesday following a retreat on Wall Street fueled by profit-taking, with Tokyo hit by a stronger yen and Sydney dipping after data showed Australia’s economy grew slower than expected last year.

With few trading cues, investors are keeping a watch on the start of China’s annual parliament meeting Thursday as well as European Central Bank details on its new bondpurchase scheme.

Ayala Land Inc., a major property developer, surged 4 percent to P38.15, while Security Bank Corp., the eighth biggest lender, advanced 3.7 percent to P169.

Bloomberry Resorts Corp., which owns a casino on a reclaimed part of Manila Bay, gained 3.7 percent to P10.76, while Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. of airline and retail tycoon John Gokongwei rose 3.6 percent to P86.60.

LT Group Inc. of airline and tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan jumped 4.9 percent to P15.92, while Filinvest Land Inc. of property magnate Andrew Gotianun Sr. climbed 3 percent to P1.73.

Tokyo, meanwhile, lost 0.59 percent, or 111.56 points, to 18,703.60, Sydney, which ended at a seven-month high Monday, fell 0.54 percent, or 32.3 points, to 5,901.6 and Seoul lost 0.15 percent, 3.09 points, to 1,998.29.

With AFP

San Miguel partner. Matière SAS president Philippe Matière (from left), San Miguel Corp. president and chief operating oficer Ramon Ang and Armando U. Khong Hun General Contractor’s Inc. chairman and chief executive Armando Khong Hun pose during the contract signing ceremony for the construction of the Parañaque Riverside section of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway. San Miguel unit Vertex Tollways Development Inc. forged the partnerhip with French engineering and construction company Matière and local counterpart Armando U. Khong to build the section of the P15.52-billion, 7.15-kilometer elevated expressway.

Puregold names Lucio Co’s son as new chief

By Jenniffer B. Austria SUPERMARKET chain Puregold Price Club Inc. said its board appointed Ferdinand Vincent Co as president of the company effective June 1, 2015.

Puregold said in a disclosure to the stock exchange that Co, the son of Puregold founder Lucio Co, would replace Leonardo Dayao, who will retire from his post also effective June 1, 2015.

The younger Co, 32, has been a director of the Puregold since 2003.

Co is currently the marketing director of Puregold. He holds various positions in different companies owned by the family.

He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Entrepreneurial Management from the University of Asia and the Pacific.

Dayao, 70, meanwhile, will remain a director of the company after being nominated for

election to the company’s board of directors for 2015.

Dayao has been a director and the president of the Puregold since 1998, the year when the company was incorporated.

Puregold under Dayao’s stewardship aggressively expanded the number of the chain’s stores throughout the country.

From its first store in Mandaluyong City which opened in 2001, the company expanded its network to 230 stores as of end 2014, through the construction of new outlets and acquisitions.

Puregold operates through three retail formats and store brands, namely hypermarkets, which offers a wide variety of general merchandise and a fullservice; supermarket, which operates as a neighborhood store which offers targeted consumer items and a limited variety of general merchandise; and discounters, which offers

Vincent Co replaces Leonardo Dayao, who will retire from his post effective June 1, 2015.

a limited number of goods, comprising of the company’s topselling stocks.

Dayao is also the president of Cosco Capital, Inc., the listed holding company of the Co family with interests in retail, real estate, liquor distribution and mining.

Puregold earlier identified densely-populated sites in the Visayas and Mindanao as areas for expansion.

“Luzon has always been in the center of our plans and operations.

While we continue to spread our

presence in deepest reaches of the provinces in Luzon, we also want to capture the largely untapped markets of the Visayas and Mindanao,” Puregold vice president for operations Antonio delos Santos said during the press launch of Puregold Perks card last month.

Puregold Perks is a nonrevenue promotion to reward frequent shoppers with points that can be used to purchase goods from Puregold stores. The card is now close to achieving 500,000 users and may reach about a million users by end2015, the company said.

“We want this [Perks card] to be available to our customers in VisMin and all the promotional offers we are introducing,” delos Santos said.

He said Puregold had only five stores in the south--Cagayan de Oro City, Butuan City, Bacolod City and Digos and Lanao in Davao City.

B4

BUSINESS Neighborhood mart. The Villar Group of Companies’ recently opened the first three All Day Mart neighborhood stores at Camella Tierra Nevada, Camella Cerritos Heights and Springville in 2015. Shown cutting the ribbon for the opening of the first All Day Mart are (from left) Mabel Sibayan, Camille Villar, former Senator Manuel Villar, Thierry Beylot, Benjamarie Serrano and Salie Coloma.

Asian banks coming to PH Eternal Plans cites top sellers in 2014 ETERNAL Plans, celebrating its 34 years of committed service, has recognized its top sales associates during the grand annual awards night on Tuesday at the Citystate Tower Hotel in Ermita, Manila.

Area managers Alberto Enriquez for regular sales and Sarah Ilagan for group sales led the awardees of 2014.

Ambassador Antonio Cabangon Chua, Eternal Plans founder and chairman emeritus, joined the top company officers in honoring the sales associates, especially those who gave exemplary performances during the previous marketing year.

Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, guest of honor, in his keynote speech, cited Eternal Plans for helping salary and wage earners, whom he described as an emerging middle class in the

country, in realizing their dream of securing a worry-free future for their families with their preneed education, pension and memorial life plans.

“Aristotle once wrote that the ‘middle classes’ were a moderating force in society. I find that growing and protecting this moderate force has been one of my primary advocacies as a legislator,” Angara said.

The top sales associates will go on a relaxing and pleasurable trip either on an Asian Cruise from Singapore to Malaysia or on a Subic Adventure.

Eternal Plans is a member of the Eternal Group of Companies established by Cabangon Chua, which also includes Eternal Gardens Memorial Park and Eternal Crematory and Chapels Corp.

By Julito G. Rada

PANGLAO, Bohol—A number of Asian banks

have expressed interest to expand in the Philippines, after the country passed a law opening the banking sector to foreign investors in July 2014.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said in an interview two Asian banks had already formally submitted their applications with the regulator.

He said five more Asian banks “are in the process of completing the needed requirements” for application. Espenilla, however, did not identify the foreign banks.

The Monetary Board of Bangko Sentral announced in November 2014 the approval of the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 10641, which allowed the further entry of foreign banks into the country.

With the approval of the IRR, more foreign banks can now apply to operate in the Philippines either as a branch or as a whollyowned subsidiary. RA 10641 amended RA 7721, which was passed into law in May 1994.

Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. earlier said foreign banks could be vehicles to attract more foreign direct investments into the country. He said this happened at a time when the country attained investmentgrade credit rating and was preparing for regional integration.

The new law allows foreign banks to acquire up to 100 percent of the voting stock of an existing domestic bank. This was raised from the 60-percent cap under the previous law (RA 7721).

RA 10641 allowed foreign banks to control up to a combined 40 percent of the total assets of the banking system. This was also 10-percentage-point higher than the previous 30-percent limit.

The IRR reflects the authority of the Monetary Board to adopt necessary measures to ensure that the 60-percent domestic-

controlled proportion is preserved.

The board said such measures should consider vested rights and non-impairment of contracts that would be non-discriminatory to existing foreign banks.

The minimum capital requirements applicable to foreign bank branches were aligned with those of domestic banks of the same category.

The Monetary Board said foreign banks entering the country under RA 10641 should comply outright with the new capital requirements and with the prescribed minimum capital ratios.

The Monetary Board increased the minimum capital requirement for all bank categories in line with efforts to further strengthen the banking system.

The minimum capital level of universal and commercial banks will be tiered based on network size as indicated by the number of branches.

The IRR also allowed foreign banks to bid and take part in foreclosure sales of real property mortgaged to them, which is similar to the provisions under RA 10574 (An Act Allowing the Infusion of Foreign Equity in the Capital of Rural Banks).

Lower trading gains reduce First Metro’s income by 80% FIRST Metro Investment Corp., the investment banking arm of the Metrobank Group, saw net income plunge 80 percent in 2014 to P2.34 billion from P11.54 billion in 2013 because of lower trading gains.

First Metro said in a statement

Wednesday the 2014 profit translated into a return on equity of 12.59 percent and return on assets of 3.06 percent.

“The financial markets group made P1.27 billion for the year. The group’s income was generated from

interest income of fixed income securities, trading gains from the sale of government securities, distribution and brokering fees,” it said.

First Metro’s investment banking group produced a total fee income of P512 million. This was P33

million or 7 percent higher than the previous year’s result of P479 million.

“The bulk of this revenue was generated through various significant deals that included the P3.16 billion initial public offering

of Century Pacific Food Inc., where First Metro was joint lead underwriter and the P33.3 billion ($750 million) lending facility of Pagbilao Energy Corp., where First Metro was the mandated lead arranger,” it said. Julito G. Rada

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

BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

B5

Upbeat stock mart lifts PH billionaires THE bullish sentiment in the Philippine stock market is increasing the fortunes of the c o u n t r y ’s richest. Forbes’ latest annual list of the world’s billionaires included 12 Filipinos from 10 last year, their net worth clearly boosted by the bullish stock market.

Retail tycoon Henry Sy still leads the group of Filipino billionaires, ranking 73rd in Forbes’ list of the world’s richest with a networth of $14.2 billion. The 90-year old Sy was ranked 73th from 97th place last year, thanks to the steady growth of his SM Investments Corp., one of the country’s largest conglomerates with interests in real estate development, shopping malls and banking.

Sy’s increased net worth is mainly a result of the appreciation of SM Investments’ share price in the stock market. The conglomerate closed Wednesday at P903 from just P715.50 on Jan. 2, 2014. The company’s assets, earnings and share price are expected to increase further this year, with several malls expansions here in the Philippines and overseas, notably China.

Retail and airline tycoon John Gokongwei is the second-richest Filipino with a net worth of $5.8 billion, good for 254th place in Forbes’ overall list. Gokongwei climbed from the 388th position last year as the share price of its holding firm JG Summit Holdings Inc. skyrocketed on strong revenue growth.

JG Summit closed Wednesday at P67.20, sharply up from P39 on Jan. 2, 2014. JG Summit has investments in airlines, telecommunications, property development, electricity distribution, banking and hotels.

Enrique Razon Jr., owner of International Container Terminal Services Inc., the country’s largest port operator, is the third wealthiest Filipino with a net worth of $5.2 billion. He ranks 291st from last year’s 354th position, when his net worth was valued at $4.2 billion.

Razon, chairman of ICTSI, has expanded into resort and gaming business under Bloomberry Resorts Corp., another listed company.

ICTSI’s share price closed at P112.50 Wednesday, up from P102.10 on Jan. 2, 2014. Bloomberry closed at P10.76 from P8.75 on Jan. 2, 2014 and from a 52-week high of P15.82.

Billionaire Andrew Tan, chairman of Alliance Global Group Inc., is the fourth richest Filipino, ranking 330th this year, down from last year’s 319th position, with a net worth of $4.8 billion. Tan’s fortunes mirrored the performance of his company in the stock market. Alliance Global closed Wednesday at P24.10, down from P26.35 on January 2, 2014 and the stock’s 52-week high of P31.85.

Tied on the 369th spot are tycoons Lucio Tan and George Ty with a net worth of $4.4 billion. Tan’s ranking slipped from last year’s 227th position due to the weak performance of his liquor and tobacco businesses, while Ty climbed from last year’s 764th spot.

Tan’s LT Group has struggled in the stock market, closing Wednesday at P15.92 from P15.50 on Jan. 2, 2014 and a 52-week high of P19.42. Ty’s GT Capital, which is into banking, automotive, property development and power generation, in contrast, jumped to P1,277 on Wednesday from P772.50 on Jan. 2, 2014.

90-year old construction czar David Consunji remains the Philippines’ sixth richest man, with a global ranking of 405 from 483 last year and a total net worth of $4.1 billion.

Jollibee Foods Corp. founder Tony Tan Caktiong is the 7th Filipino to be included the the Forbes’ billionaires list with global ranking of 690th, higher than last year’s 1026th place. Forbes placed Tan Caktiong’s net worth at $2.6 billion amid Jollibee’s rapid expansion in the Philippines and China.

Puregold Price Club Inc. founder Lucio Co and his wife Susan Co joined Forbes’ list for the first time at the 810th spot, with a net worth of $2.3 billion.

Insurance magnate Robert Coyuito Jr. placed 1054th with a net worth of $1.8 billion, while former senator Manuel B. Villar of Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc. ranked 1190th position with a net worth of $1.6 billion.

Missing from the list Forbes largely based the list of the world’s billionaires on their net worth as reflected by their company’s performance in the stock market.

A number of Filipinos, however, could have joined the list had they made their companies public. The stock market will unlock the real value of their companies and make the owners of these closed corporations rich enough to join Forbes’ list.

Vivian Que Azcona and her family that owns Mercury Group of Companies have a net worth of $935 million in 2014, according to Forbes. The Que’s net worth would have easily risen enough to join the top Filipino billionaires in Forbes’ list, if the drugstore chain listed in the stock market.

Mercury Drug operates over 900 company-owned and franchised drugstores in the Philippines.

Another billionaire missing from the list is Alfonso Uy, whose family owns La Filipina Uy Gongco Corp., one of the biggest flour millers and sugar traders in the Philippines. La Filipina is a closed family business that produce flour, feeds and sugar. It is also into trading and the hotel business.

La Filipina and Mercury can easily become stock market darlings if they list their shares in the Philippine Stock Exchange.

RAY S. EÑANO

New UnionBank branch.

UnionBank of the Philippines opened its newest branch at the Aseana Business Park along Bradco Avenue in Parañaque City. It is conveniently located near the Department of Foreign Affairs, City of Dreams and Solaire Resorts and Casino. Shown are (from left) UnionBank senior vice president Joyce Gonzales, UnionBank client and Extremeli Inc. general manager Val Abella and UnionBank senior executive vice president Eugene Acevedo.

SM Prime allots P66b for projects

By Jenniffer B. Austria

SM PRIME Holdings Inc., the country’s leading

integrated property developer, is investing P66 billion this year to open more shopping malls, residential projects, office buildings and hotels.

SM Prime said in a filing with the stock exchange the funds for this year’s capital expenditures would come from internally generated funds and external borrowings.

The group’s mall business unit will open four new malls in Sangandaan, Cabanatuan and San Mateo in the Philippines and Zibo in China. It will also expand SM City Iloilo and SM City Lipa.

It said by end-2015, the mall business unit would have 53 malls in the Philippines and six in China, with a combined gross floor area of 7.8 million square

meters SM Prime said for the residential business, it would launch five new projects and expand five existing towers in Metro Manila and in Tagaytay, equivalent to about 19,000 additional units.

SM Prime currently has 25 residential projects in the market, including 23 in Metro Manila and two in Tagaytay.

The company’s commercial properties group said it expected to complete Five E-com Center, a business process outsourcing office building at the Mall of Asia

complex in Pasay City in the first quarter of 2015. Also under construction in the same area is Three E-com Center, which is scheduled for opening by 2016.

SM Prime has four BPO office buildings at the Mall of Asia complex, with an estimated gross leasable space of 122,000 square meters.

SM Prime said it was also set to open the 155-room Park Inn by Radisson in Clark, Pampanga and 347-room Conrad Hotel Manila at the Mall of Asia complex in Pasay in the fourth quarter of 2015.

SM Prime’s hotel and convention center portfolio is composed of four hotels located in Tagaytay City, Batangas, Cebu City and Davao City and four convention centers with over 35,715 square meters located in Pasay City, Taguig City, Davao City and Bacolod City.

RCBC’s income falls 17% to P4.4b

By Julito G. Rada RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp., the country’s night largest lender, said net income in 2014 fell 17 percent to P4.41 billion from P5.312 billion in 2013, as the bank posted lower trading gains last year.

The bank said despite the lower profit, core businesses remained strong. “Reflective of the bank’s strengthening core businesses, net interest income reached P14.98 billion, ahead by 13 percent versus P13.31 billion [in 2013],” it said.

RCBC said amid intense pricing competition and low interest rate environment, net interest margin still improved 8 basis points to 4.30 percent in 2014 from 4.22

percent in 2013 and remained one of the highest in the industry.

“The bank sustained the momentum in its core lending as loans excluding interbank loans expanded by 21 percent to P259.3 billion, with all market segments showing robust growth,” the bank said.

Average loan volume of the corporate segment grew by 22 percent, consumer loans by 21 percent and SME loans by 35 percent.

Microfinance lending, through unit Rizal Microbank, also advanced with loan disbursements growing by 18 percent and outstanding loan portfolio increasing 45 percent.

“Amidst the steady growth in loans, the bank even managed to improve its asset quality with NPL ratio at its record lowest. Parent bank’s NPL ratio declined to 0.30 percent as of end-2014 from 0.51 percent as of end-2013 while consolidated NPL ratio likewise improved to 0.97 percent from 1.06 percent as of end-2013. Parent bank reserve cover also stood strong at 150.28 percent,” it said.

Total fee-based and miscellaneous income reached P4.3 billion, accounting for 20 percent of gross income, with remittance fees increasing 35 percent, retail banking commissions growing 23 percent and ATM income rising 11 percent.

THURSDAY: MARCH 5, 2015

B6

BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

PGA told to replace faulty Audi

By Othel V. Campos

THE Trade Department ordered luxury car

distributor PGA Cars Inc. to replace the Audi A6 3.0 TDI bought by a businessman last year or reimburse the value spent for the vehicle, after it allegedly showed signs of defects.

Trade Undersecretary for consumer protection Victorio Dimagiba said the agency issued the decision on March 2 in favor of resort owner Rolando Nolasco Jr., who complained that the car he bought on May 30, 2014 “showed signs of defects as erratic and/or random error messages appearing on the dashboard panel, which are alarming and misleading.”

Dimagiba said the department’s decision showed consumer protection was at work. “The decision did not use the Lemon Law as the legal basis. But the decision used the Consumer Act. The net decision is favorable to the complainant,” he said.

He said while the decision was based on the Consumer Act, the

The consumer has the option to avail of rights in both the Lemon Law or Consumer Act.

case was filed based on the claim that the car was a lemon vehicle.

Under the Philippine Lemon Law, consumers who purchase a brand new car and experience defects in the course of one year may demand for either refund or replacement, after four failed repair attempts by the concerned manufacturer, distributor or authorized dealer or retailer.

Nolasco, a retired air force

colonel, had his car fixed four times at the Audi repair center, but the same complaint of random lighting of icons on the dashboard was not resolved.

Among the other problems cited were recurring lighting of icons on airbag, air suspension and steering and random messages on the dashboard, despite repeated repair, testing and replacement of parts.

“The consumer has the option to avail of rights in both Lemon [Law] or Consumer Act,” said Dimagiba.

The complaint underwent mediation and adjudication.

The Trade Department issued the final decision in favor of the complainant on March 2, 2015.

The Trade Department, as the implementing agency of Republic Act No. 10642 or the Philippine Lemon Law, is responsible for providing remedies for disputes related to the rights provided for under the Lemon Law. It has been successful in the use of alternative dispute resolution system in addressing consumer complaints and under the Philippine Lemon Law.

School donation. Philippine Stock Exchange and SM Foundation officials turned over a two-story, fourclassroom building to San Roque Elementary School in Barangay San Roque, Tanauan, Leyte. Shown during the turnover ceremony are (from left) San Roque Elementary School principal Ma. Evelyn Encina; SM Savemore Tacloban assistant manager Marlon Tan, SM Foundation executive director for education Carmen Linda Atayde, BA Securities Inc. director and treasurer Beatriz Jane Ang, SM Foundation executive director Deborah Sy, PSE president and chief executive Hans Sicat, PSE director Vivian Yuchengco, PSE director Edgardo Lacson, Education Department schools division superintendent Ronelo Al Firmo.

Neda set to evaluate P370-b subway

By Jennifer Ambanta THE National Economic and Development Authority board is set to evaluate for approval two major projects, including the P370-billion subway that will link Fort Bonifacio to Makati City and Pasay City.

Public Private Partnership Center executive director Cosette Canilao said the two projects would be reviewed by the Neda board while another would be looked into by the Neda Investment Coordination Committee.

“The two projects will be the subway and the motor vehicle inspection,” Canilao said during the Asia Pacific Economic

Cooperation meeting of Finance and Central Bank deputies in Tagaytay City.

Canilao said the first phase of the Batangas-Manila natural gas pipeline proposed by Philippine National Oil Company would undergo evaluation at Neda ICC. “Once the business case study has been completed by the Philippine National Oil Company and approved by the ICC, it will be presented to the Neda board in April,” she said.

The proposed subway is a 12-kilometer project that that will connect Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City, Makati City and Pasay City while the motor vehicle inspection system project would cost P19 billion.

Canilao said once the mass transit project or the subway was approved by the Neda board, the PPP Center could proceed with the bidding of the project in the latter part of the second quarter.

Meanwhile, Canilao said she was optimistic on the upcoming bidding of the Cavite-LagunaExpressway.

“I hope they [bidders] have sharpened their pencils,” Canilao said.

The Calax project will be tendered on May 16, 2015 with a minimum floor price or government premium of P20.1 billion.

The PPP Center will implement a one-stage bidding process which means all documents will have to be submitted on the same day.

Any too-big-to-fail institutions in PH? THE world economic downturn that began in 2008—the worst RUDY ROMERO since the Great Depression of the 1930s—hit countries with such ferocity that private corporate institutions that until then had been considered virtually impregnable were brought to their knees. Manufacturing companies, banks, investment houses, retail organizations and service establishments were left struggling to survive.

The financial and economic officialdoms of countries were now confronted by a key policy question that came to be known to be too-big-to-fail question: Which of the institutions battered by the downturn were so big—in size as well as in strategic importance —that a government could not afford to see them fall by the wayside? Since taxpayer money would be brought into play, a fierce ideological debate was triggered, with the proponents of the too-big-to-fail viewpoint urging that rescue of deserving institutions in severe-downturn situations represented an appropriate opportunity for government intervention, while the opponents argued that the iron rule of the marketplace should be allowed free play and the battered institutions accordingly left to go under.

While the debate was raging, the sustained deterioration in the world operating environment made the survival of many erstwhile strong institutions an increasingly problematic proposition. Treasuries and economic planning agencies of governments could no longer put off action. Decision-time was here.

Which institutions were too big to be allowed to fail and which were not? Most governments were in agreement as to which institutions deserved, for economic strategy reasons, to be thrown a government financial lifeline.

Size and market reach were the most important common criteria and, other things being equal, a gigantic and nationally-operating institution was a shoo-in for government financial rescue. But other criteria were also brought into play. A comparatively small company was considered deserving of rescue if it was a major player in an industry considered to be strategically significant for the economy.

Given the preeminent position of the US motor vehicle industry in the world and the sizes of their workforces, the Big Three (General Motors, Ford and Daimler-Chrysler) were obvious favorites for Federal loans, guaranties and grants. The venerable Lehman Brothers was thought to be expendable and was allowed to go into liquidation. But a number of major banks and investment houses – including Bank of America, American Express, JP Morgan Chase and Citibank—were considered unexpendable and were helped to survive. The decision to allow AIG—the mother organization of the Philippine American insurance group—to survive was one of the most controversial of the too-big-to-fail US government rescues.

Are there, in this country, private commercial institutions that are considered too big and too important to the Philippine economy to be allowed by the government to fail?

I’m having a difficult time coming up with an answer. The nearest to too-big-to-fail status that I can think of in Philippine business is Meralco, because of its magnitude, the industry it is in and the fact that it accounts for just over fifty percent of all electricity distributed in this country.

In the public sector, the only institutions that the government cannot allow to fail are the two social security entities, Social Security System and Government Service Insurance System. SSS has approximately 30 million members and GSIS has several millions.

Two very large private institutions—one a savings bank (Banco Filipino) and the other an educational-plans institution (College Assurance Plan) – that were thought to be potentially disruptive were allowed to go under without the economy missing a heartbeat. Indeed, it was the government that ordered the shutdown of Banco Filipino.

Right after the EDSA Revolution, the distressed condition of two of the largest financial institutions in this country – Philippine National Bank and Development Bank of the Philippines – was made public, but the Philippine economy’s operation was not significantly disrupted.

Too-big-to-fail institutions in this country? One or two perhaps, but that’s all.

BUSINESS CLASS

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

t H u r s D aY : M a r c H 5 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

B7

Seal saved man who jumped off Frisco bridge SYDNEY—A man who jumped off San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge to try to take his own life and was kept afloat by a sea lion said Wednesday suicide prevention was now his life’s work.

Kevin Hines, in Australia to speak at several conferences, was a teenager struggling with mental illness and depression when he jumped off the famous bridge in 2000.

He survived the fall, only to see what he thought was a shark beneath him.

“I was freaking out in those waters.

And I was thinking I didn’t die there and now I am going to die here in the water because of a creature of some sort,” he told AFP. “I really thought it was a shark and I thought it was going to take off a leg and I was panicking.

“And then it just didn’t, it just kept circling beneath me. I remember floating atop the water and this thing just bumping me, bumping me up.”

Hines later spoke to a man who had been on the bridge that day and who had seen that it was not a shark but a sea lion.

“Everyone who looked down saw this creature circling in a clockwise motion beneath me. So they saw me laying atop the water and being bumped.

“This thing beneath me didn’t stop or didn’t go away until I heard the boat behind me.”

Hines believes another factor also helped save his life—a woman driving past saw his plunge and immediately reported it to a friend in the coastguard.

He said without her call, the coastguard would not have known his exact location and would not have got to him before hypothermia or his injuries, including serious back problems, caused him to drown.

“I’m one of less than one percent to have survived that fall,” he acknowledged. Many of the survivors never regain full mobility, as he has.

“I’ve been given the gift of a second chance of life so many times,” he said.

Hines, now 33, is a mental health advocate who speaks at events around the world in a bid to prevent suicides.

“This is absolutely my life’s passion and my life’s work,” he said.

“What really I’m talking about here, it crosses all boundaries... every race, creed, color. Everyone is touched by this somehow, some way...suicide prevention is everyone’s business.” AFP

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) is greeted by members of Congress as he arrives to speak during a joint meeting of the United States Congress in the House chamber at the US Capitol on March 3 in Washington, DC. At the risk of further straining the relationship between Israel and the Obama Administration, Netanyahu warned members of Congress against what he considers an ill-advised nuclear deal with Iran. AFP

Netanyahu hits Obama push for Iran nuke deal WASHINGTON—Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced President Barack Obama’s drive for a nuclear accord with Iran on Tuesday, warning Washington is paving Tehran’s path to a bomb.

After Netanyahu delivered an impassioned address to the US Congress, an exasperated Obama retorted that the Israeli leader had no plan of his own to contain the Iranian threat.

And, with US Secretary of State John Kerry in talks with his Iranian counterpart in Switzerland, the “P5+1” world powers pressed on for an accord that would limit Iran’s nuclear options while loosening economic sanctions.

Netanyahu’s party faces a close-fought Israeli parliamentary election in two weeks’ time and he has been accused of imperilling Israel’s close ties with Washington for his own political gain.

But, in a barnstorming speech to a packed joint session of Congress, he pulled no punches in his denunci-

ation of the accord that he expects Tehran to be offered before the month is out.

“That deal will not prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons,” he declared. “It would all but guarantee that Iran gets those weapons, lots of them.”

Obama did not watch the speech, having arranged a video conference with European leaders on the crisis in Ukraine, but afterwards he gave the Israeli leader’s argument short shrift.

“I am not focused in the politics of this. I am not focused on the theater,” Obama said. “As far as I can tell, there was nothing new.

“On the core issue, which is how to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon which would make it far more dangerous, the prime minister did not offer any viable alternatives.”

“We don’t yet have a deal (with Iran),” Obama added. “But if we are successful then, in fact, this will be the best deal possible to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.”

While dozens of Obama’s Democrats stayed away from the Congress address, many more lawmakers from both sides of the aisle attended and gave Netanyahu several warm standing ovations.

“I deeply regret that some perceive my being here as political. That was never my intention,” he insisted.

“We appreciate all that President Obama has done

for Israel.”

But, despite his conciliatory opening words, Netanyahu’s speech built quickly into a thorough denunciation of Obama’s efforts to strike an accord with Iran.

“This deal has two major concessions. One, leaving Iran with a vast nuclear program. Two, lifting the restrictions on that program in about a decade,” he said.

“That’s why this deal is so bad. It doesn’t block Iran’s path to the bomb. It paves Iran’s path to the bomb.”

He cited the strength of Iranian-backed factions in Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Iraq as evidence of Tehran’s regional ambitions, and recalled threats against his own people.

Thus, he said, no nuclear deal should weaken economic sanctions against Iran until its government ends its aggressive regional stance and frequent threats against Israel.

“A deal that is supposed to prevent nuclear proliferation would instead spark a nuclear arms race in the most dangerous part of the planet,” he warned.

Netanyahu received several standing ovations in the chamber and good reviews from many US foreign policy hawks, but afterwards some Democrats accused him of “fear-mongering.”

Leading House Democrat Nancy Pelosi said she had been “saddened by the insult to the intelligence of the United States.” AFP

Hundreds of starving koalas put to death

Passengers walk away from a Turkish Airlines plane after it skidded off the runway while landing at Kathmandu airport in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on March 4. Aviation officials said no one on board was injured, although one witness described how terrified passengers leapt from their seats as the cabin filled with smoke after the plane skidded to a halt. AFP

SYDNEY—Close to 700 koalas have been killed off by authorities in southeastern Australia because overpopulation led to the animals starving, an official said Wednesday, sparking claims of mismanagement.

Victoria state Environment Minister Lisa Neville said the koalas were euthanized around Cape Otway near the scenic tourist draw card the Great Ocean Road, in 2013 and 2014, with a caravan site owner saying the whole area “smelt like death” before they were put down.

“The intervention was necessary to prevent suffering of koalas because they weren’t able to find enough food,” Neville said in a statement.

Neville said 686 koalas were found to be in poor health and were humanely killed by veterinarians in consultation with koala experts and animal welfare personnel.

The minister said she was seeking ex-

pert advice on how to manage the issue and wanted to be open with the community on the process, but has not ruled out further similar operations.

“Experience suggests that moving these koalas does not work and that can in fact cause even greater suffering,” she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

“We need to have a look at a koala management strategy to see whether we can reduce that population growth which continues at a very fast pace.”

Despite the koala population in Cape Otway booming, the muchloved furry animal has been under increasing threat in recent decades elsewhere, particularly from habitat loss, disease, dog attacks and bushfires.

The Australian Koala Foundation, which estimates there are now less than 100,000 of the unique animals in the wild, blamed long-term misman-

agement for the deaths at Cape Otway.

“What they have done is shocking,” said chief executive Deborah Tabart.

“Why did they let it happen in the first place? I think the government should hang its head in shame.”

The Cape Otway population has grown since koalas were relocated there from French Island, off Victoria, in the 1980s, said Deakin University expert Desley Whisson.

French Island had been a safe haven for the animals when they were driven to near extinction by hunting for their pelts in the early 1900s.

But by the 1980s, the population was getting too big and some were moved to Cape Otway and elsewhere.

But with no natural predators, such as wedge-tailed eagles, or bushfires which would otherwise have kept populations under control, the numbers proliferated. AFP

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T H U R S D AY : M A R C H 0 5 : 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 SCENE & HEARD

Living Treasure Series # I Mixed Media 24x48

Chaos World Series II Mixed Media With Lamps 28x48

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Reality Mixed Media w Lamps 24x48

C U LT U R E

A BIRD’S EYE VIEW

Art Lozano looks at life behind the rooftops. BY MAAN D’ASIS PAMARAN

F

rom the skies, Metro Manila looks like a big mass of rooftops, occasionally broken by bits of greenery from pocket parks scattered throughout the metro. This gritty scene further unfolds as one touches down on the ground, where vignettes of everyday life in a big city become a personal experience. The city is crowded, noisy, congested –and yet Filipinos living below the poverty line are able to strive and survive with characteristic humor and that Pinoy trait called Tibay ng Loob.

Tam-Awan Village Baguio artist Art Lozano makes a social commentary on life in the big city via his series titled Behind Urban, recently on exhibit at Artes Orientes in the Serendra complex. For this project, Lozano uses plastic GI sheets as his canvas, and he explains why: “You can tell a family’s social status by the roof of their house. If you are rich, your roof can be made with imported tiles. If you belong to the marginalized sector, your roof is usually made with patched GI sheets. Makikita mo kung gaano kayaman o kahirap ang tao, base sa bubong niya.”

Etched on his canvas are symbols of tradition, progress and development, playing with the push and pull of development. “You can see here images from the streets and the struggles when there are shanty demolitions being held,” he explains. Behind Urban is his take on development and its impacts to culture,

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tradition and society. “I think that as more and more areas progress and as more technology comes in, we tend to forget about taking care of the environment – and that could come with consequences. Ang mga bundok pinapatag at ang tubig tinatabunan, tapos maaring magkaroon na tayo ng kalamidad.”

His artwork uses mixed media on plastic GI sheets, and this is his first series wherein the pieces are backlit, so they can serve as wall lamps. Lozano is from the Ilocos region and is part of the Tam-awan Group of Artists (TVA) in Baguio City. Lozano hopes to become a reflection of realities close to him, both of the highland community where he has grown as well as the areas he has immersed in. He teaches children all over the country the art and economic benefits of mono print design, in the hope that through the craft, the next generation will be inspired to venture in the arts with a means to sustain their passion.

Last year, Lozano placed 3rd in the Mixed Media category of the GSIS, National Art Competition as well as a Finalist in the Sculpture category of the Metrobank Art & Design Excellence as well as the Philippine Art Awards 2013 -14 Regional winners. For more information about Lozano’s pieces and the Tam-awan Group of Artists activities, visit www.tam-awanvillage.com

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

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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

C U LT U R E

ARTISTIC BEAUTY FROM LIGHT AND DARK

F

or more than half his life, artist Danilo Angeles Arriola Jr has lived a life full of creative zest, this despite a dilapidating illness that at times reduces him to a wheelchair and even renders him unable to distinguish colors.

But through it all his unfailing passion and courage – together with a critically acclaimed body of work over the years – has seen this 47 year old architectural graduate from the University of Santo Tomas earn immense kudos from his peers in the art world who have for long been prodding him to stage a solo exhibition of his paintings instead of doing what he has hitherto done by just being part of group shows.

Now finally, from March 3-16 (with an opening reception at 6pm on March 3) the Ayala Museum ArtistSpace in Makati will be hosting the eagerly awaited exhibition of Danilo’s work. Titled “Chiaroscurist”, it means a person doing the works of chiaroscuro – which is the Italian word for light and dark.

As Danilio explains, it is the genre in which the great classicist Carravaggio excelled, and

who, incidentally, was one of the Italian masters who inspired him when he studied at the Florence Academy of Art in Italy in 2004 as a scholar from a personal grant of then Senator Jamby Madrigal. Who as his patron continues to give him full support and encouragement.

Academically trained Danilo, was born to a clan from Pasig. Showing an early talent for painting he won competitions in and out of the Pasig Catholic College. During these years, he came under the tutelage of Fernando Sena.

After finishing architecture at the University of Santo Tomas, he lived in Manila, Singapore and Hong Kong as a designer.

Refuge from work was found in painting, specifically at workshops conducted by Singaporean Wee Shoo Leong, whose own artistic endeavors inspired Danilo to return to his lifelong dream to be a painter.

In 2004 Danilo realized his dream of studying classical art in Italy. He attended the year long Intensive Drawing Program at the Florence Academy of Art established by Daniel Graves.

Danilo continued in the intermediate program in 2007, and

then onto the Advance Painting Program in 2008, by this time as a scholar of the academy.

Despite financial challenges and frail health, he endured those trying times with the undying support of his family and supportive friends.

He is now a staunch advocate of classical painting, with Caravaggio, Bouguereau and Chardin among his influences.

Danilo paints from life, much in the style of these great masters whose works continue to inspire him during his time in Italy.

Explaining that he uses the sun as his source of light, Danilo attempts to translate nature onto canvas by capturing the subject’s vitality as well as the tone of its surrounding atmosphere. He explores timetested painting techniques, methods and materials.

A Pasig Art Club member, he maintains a studio in Pasig. Its many members are proud that now Danilo’s time has come with his first one man show at the ArtistSpace of the Ayala Museum.

Danilo’s exhibition is worth catching not just for the creative beauty on display but as a celebration of an artistic life fulfilled against all odds.

A PAINTING LOVELY AS A TREE Inspired by Joyce Kilmer’s 1913 poem “Trees”, Ross Capili’s A Painting Lovely As a Tree exhibit marks his return to honoring nature through a series of abstract trees in his traditional bold, calligraphic painting strokes. Rosscapili’s recent sojourns-turned-art retreats in Langkawi, Malaysia and Ubud, Bali, Indonesia have inspired him to continue his series on trees which he started in 1993 and stopped in 2006. Recently, his 2001 work with a similar theme was successfully auctioned off by the Asian Art Council Philippines through the auction house Leon Gallery.

The exhibit opens on March 5, 6 p.m. at the ArtPrints Alley, Suite 324 LRI Design Plaza, Nicanor Garcia St, BelAir, Makati City. Rosscapili’s 15 canvases of both recent and unexhibited works from 2003-2006 will be displayed from March 5-27, 2015.

For more details, please call 8368799 or email theartprintsalley@oneworkshop.ph

REP BRINGS CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED 4,000 MILES TO PHILIPPINE AUDIENCE

T Baby Barredo as Vera, Jeff Flores as Leo in universallyacclaimed and award-winning stage play 4,000 Miles

he Repertory of the Philippines, in one of its initial offerings this year, brings the universally-acclaimed and award-winning stage play 4,000 Miles to Filipino audiences.

The story revolves around the unconventional dynamic between an aging woman and her grandson, who recently experienced a major loss in his life biking around the United States before suddenly deciding to stop by his grandmother’s West Village apartment to seek comfort.

Theater veteran Baby Barredo plays the role of the nonagenarian Vera, while Jeff Flores portrays Leo. Renowned theater actor Bart Guingona, will be taking the directorial

chair for this adaptation of Amy Herzog’s masterpiece.

“This is really about someone who is at that point in her life that her body has given up on her and all that she is at this point is a fount of wisdom. At the other end of the spectrum is a man who is about to begin his life, who is lost in so many ways. Between them, there are 4,000 miles of experience and wisdom,” Guingona said.

Guingona added that though the play is set in the United States, the values espoused in the story is a universal one. Aside from this he is proud to say that 4,000 Miles is one of the best written plays he has handled in a long time. He said that the play veers away from

unnecessary histrionics and high-drama and instead focuses on a more quiet approach to push its message across to the audience.

Caisa Borromeo and Cara Barredo will also join the cast as Bec and Amanda, respectively.

In its various runs across America, 4,000 Miles has received praise for its story. It has been heralded as the Best New Play by the Obie Awards in 2012 and was a Finalist for the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. Amy Herzog was also recognized as an outstanding playwright by the New York Times.

4,000 Miles will be staged from March 6 to 29 at Onstage Theater in Greenbelt 1, Makati City. Ticket prices ranges from P400 to P600. For more details regarding 4,000 Miles, call the Repertory Philippines at 8433570 and book tickets through TicketWorld at 891-9999 or visit their website at www. ticketworld.com.ph.

T H U R S D AY : M A R C H 0 5 : 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

PHILIPPINE BLUES SCORES AGAIN IN MEMPHIS

BY JENNY ORTUOSTE

W

hile the country was going gaga over the Miss Universe beauty pageant, some unheralded Filipino musicians were making history in a foreign competition, and showing the world once more that the Philippines can boast of world-class musical talent and skill.

Once again, the Philippine Blues Society (PBS) and the Manila-based Blues Asia Network (BAN) sent several bands to represent the country in the week-long 31st International Blues Challenge (IBC) held every January in Memphis, Tennessee.

PBS, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the genre, has been sending contestants to the IBC for four years, holding an annual contest among local bands to determine the country’s candidates.

In 2012, the Bleu Rascals played in the IBC Youth Showcase, while in 2013 Kat Magic Express and Electric Sala represented the PBS in the band contest and youth showcase respectively.

PBS Director lawyer Roy Allan Magturo says that this year the country has the most participation, covering all the IBC categories.

Glass Cherry Breakers perform live on Ditty.tv in Memphis A rainbow plays over Delta Slim’s fingers

Brat Pack strut their stuff in BB King’s Cafe

BRAT PACK SCORES ANEW

Last year’s PBS contest winner, Brat Pack, reached the finals in the Band category in Memphis from among 255 band acts from 40 US states and 16 countries. They were the first Asian group to do so in the IBC’s history.

Brat Pack are Christine (“Xtine”) Mercado (vocals), RJ Pineda (keyboard), Allan Abdulla (drums), and David de Koenigswarter (bass). They have stayed true to their vision of a keyboard-charged sound, eschewing a conventional lead guitar to slay the strings with RJ’s flying fingers.

Competing in this year’s Band category once more, but under the BAN banner, Brat Pack repeated their remarkable feat, reaching the finals again as one of ten bands, but losing to a hometown choice.

“It was a perfectly executed game plan,” said Los Angeles-based campaign mentor and veteran bluesman Binky Lampano Jr. “but it didn’t sit too well with the finals judges with a natural inclination to the blues guitar sound. It was a perfectly and brilliantly executed game plan, nonetheless. The bands all brought their triple-A game. This year is a high-watermark in the Philippines’ participation in the IBC.” Lampano added, “Brat Pack was a force of nature, and even Memphis couldn’t understand how it came to be.”

Blues writer Joe Boone urged fans to look for videos of Brat Pack’s signature song

Ian Lofamia shows off his style at Rum Boogie Cafe in Memphis

LOFAMIA-MAGLANQUE DUO STEAL THE SHOW Mean Jay at Rum Boogie Cafe: PHOTOS BY BINKY LAMPANO JR.

“Bratitude” that they played at Memphis last year. “The Brat Pack has a jumpy, piano-driven sound that could move a room in any hemisphere.”

GLASS CHERRY BREAKERS DELIGHT

Glass Cherry Breakers (GCB), this year’s PBS play-offs winner, reached the quarterfinals in the Band category.

GCB are Maegan “Aw-aw” Aguilar (vocals), daughter of the famous Freddie, Sammy “Faith” Asuncion (guitar), Boyet “Babyface” Aquino (drums), Louie “High Blood” Talan (bass), and Niki “Corkage” Cabardo (keyboard).

In the frozen heart of Memphis, GCB was on fire. Vocalist Maegan Aguilar blazed like the tropical sun, a shining gem set into the dark and cold of Memphis nights, scorching heat in every note from her throat.

Boone said of GCB, “Their sound speaks to a love of Ann Peebles and Chicago-style band work. They know about the dynamics curve of turning a song from a whisper-like ember into a run-down-the-street-with-acan-of-gasoline act of musical arson.”

20 YEARS OF INTERNET SPEAK

BY ED BIADO

Has it ever crossed your mind how amazing it is that a lot of the words we use today on a daily basis were not even part of language two decades ago? And the ones that did, we used in a totally different context?

As part of its trip down memory lane in celebration of its 20th anniversary, digital tech giant Yahoo, which pioneered plenty of the online services we use and cannot live with, listed down “20 Internet words that didn’t exist when Yahoo launched 20 years ago.” The list is a reminder of how language has evolved in such a short span of time, driven by technologies once called the “information superhighway.”

Ian Lofamia and Joric Maglangque, aka “Delta Slim,” competed in the Solo/Duo category, did well and played to the crowd, Slim’s fingers moving like lightning over the strings.

However, they did not reach the semis, an outcome perhaps explained by their lack of practice time together (Ian is PH-based while Slim is in Canada; they jammed over Skype).

MEAN JAY DISPLAY YOUTHFUL TALENT

Mean Jay, who performed in the Youth Showcase (not a competition), proved at their tender ages to behave with the utmost professionalism, arriving at venues early and generating enough energy to play for hours at the top of their game.

Band personnel are Joko Reantaso, 15 (vocals, guitar), Cariisa Ramos, 19 (bass), and Zach Zerrudo, 19 (drums).

The teenagers started playing the blues only six or seven months ago. They won the open genre event of the Sessionista contest at Tiendesitas a few months back, and placed third in the PBS competition.

So alluring was their draw that they were asked to host the jams being held in various cafes on Beale Street.

“I hardly saw them,” said Magturo, who also takes care of the campaign logistics.

One of the most common Internet-related words that entered the lexicon within the last 20 years is “blog.” Almost everyone knows what a blog is but some people have actually forgotten that it’s short for “web log.” Initially envisioned to be online diaries, in which one publishes personal thoughts and stories on one’s personal space on the web, blogs now serve different purposes, from personal to political to commercial.

By the mid-2000s, when social media was burgeoning, dozens of online activities, phenomena and innovations were introduced. Naturally, each of them needed a name.

So we recycled and repurposed old words and phrases to coin new ones. Yahoo’s examples include “crowdsourcing” (outsourcing to the general public), “flash mob” (a gathering of a large number of people for an unexpected, often surprising, performance, usually dance), “photobomb” (to insert oneself, either intentionally or otherwise, into someone else’s photo, often a selfie) and “podcast” (radio-format shows available for downloading).

The last two decades also bore witness to words changing meanings. Originally, a meme is “an idea, behavior or style

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“Mean Jay was so busy, and so in-demand.

They were probably the youngest to perform in that capacity in Memphis.”

PH BANDS INVADE BEALE STREET

Beale Street in Memphis, where the IBC is held, said BAN founder Tom Colvin, is like Jupiter Street in Makati, but twice as long, and crammed with blues bars left and right.

“Our bands invaded Beale Street,” said Magturo. People, he explained, descend on the area during the week-long competition to watch the semis and finals. “Philippine bands played simultaneously in various venues,” Magturo said.

In Rum Boogie Café, it was Ian and Joric, Brat Pack, and Mean Jay. In BB Kings Café, Mean Jay and GCB wowed the crowd in the Asia-Pacific Showcase along with bands that PBS invited from Australia.

“What gave me a goosebumps moment,” recalls Magturo, “was when Mean Jay played a Filipino tune, “Balong Malalim” of Juan de la Cruz Band, to an appreciative American audience.”

The Filipino bands were well-received with resounding approval from the Memphis crowd and acclaim from fellow bluesmen. Award-winning guitarist Watermelon Slim said of Lofamia after catching one of his performances, “He’s one hell of a player from the PI [Philippine Islands].”

Jim Vogan, a regular IBC scenester, said of RJ Pineda, “I saw Jerry Lee [Lewis] when I was 16 years old, and I haven’t seem him do what [RJ’s] doing on the keyboard.”

BAYANIHAN IS ALIVE AND KICKING

The annual Philippine invasion of Memphis, says Magturo, succeeds also because of the support of the Memphis Filipino community, “We would have had a much harder time without their help,” said Magturo. “They opened their homes to us, fed us, took us around, provided cheering and moral support. They showed that bayanihan is alive and well there, and that it works every single time.”

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

What about the future for Philippine blues? It’s been proven time and again that our country doesn’t lack for talent. What it does need are bands that have mastered the traditional blues before experimenting with added flavors.

Those who set their sights on conquering foreign ears should remember that the blues, after all, is an American construct.

What else is important? Lampano said, “You gotta play with joy. That’s the whole point, you’re communicating. The audience by instinct know what the performers’ fingers are doing. It’s getting the feeling across. You need chemistry.”

Above all, he said, “You need to tell a story.”

Blog: http://jennyo.net, Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste

that spreads from person to person within a culture.”

Today, memes are images, videos and phrases that have gone viral. (To be fair, strict definitions differentiate between “meme” and “Internet meme,” but the former is often used in place of the latter.)

Speaking of, remember when the word “viral” referred to actual viruses, as in pathogens that make people sick? In the age of social media, to be viral is a good thing because it means that you’ve metaphorically infected and broken the Internet by coming out with an absurdly popular piece of content. Think along the lines of #TheDress.

During the time of Yahoo’s tenure, verbs have been turned to nouns and vice versa. To “friend” is to add someone to your list of social networking contacts while a “like” is a virtual stamp of approval on posted content and to “text” is to write and send someone a short message.

Those are just half of Yahoo’s chosen Internet-era words. To know what the other 10 are, go to http://news. yahoo.com/yahoo-20th-anniversary-words.

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

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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

NOW SHOWING A GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON AT THE CINEMA THIS WEEK

BIG EYES

PG A biographical drama that happened in the late ‘50s to early ‘60s about the phenomenal success of artist Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz) for the portraits of large-eyed waifs he fraudulently claimed as his own but were later revealed as works of his wife Margaret (Amy Adams) and the subsequent divorce trial and legal difficulties she had with her husband.

COMET

R-13 A comedy drama set in a parallel universe, Comet bounces back and forth over the course of Dell (Justin Long) and Kimberly’s (Emmy Rossum) unlikely six-year relationship.

CRAZY BEAUTIFUL YOU

PG A spoiled and rebellious young girl, Jackie (Kathryn Bernardo) is forced to tag along with her mom on a medical mission in Tarlac where she meets Kiko (Daniel Padilla) who shows her the other side of life.

DRAGON BLADE

Jackie Chan plays Huo An, the commander of the Protection Squad of the Western Regions of the Han Dynasty who was framed and enslaved by his crooked superior Yinpo (Choi Siwon) for a crime he didn’t commit.

Soon thereafter, he meets Roman general Lucius (John Cusack) who escapes to China after rescuing the Prince, and the pair forms an alliance.

R-13

EXORCIST: PRAYERS IN THE DARK

R-13 An underground Brotherhood against demonic forces finds itself battling an evil more prowerful than any one of them has ever seen. Their faith, trust, and friendship are put to the test as they discover that the true path to redemption is sacrifice.

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY

R-18 An erotic romance novel from the first installment of the Fifty Shades trilogy, the film traces the life and adventures of Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) after she met young business magnate, Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) who introduced to her BDSM.

FOCUS

R-13 Veteran con man Nicky (Will Smith) teaches and falls in love with novice con artist Jess (Margot Robbie), but eventually breaks up with her. Three years later, the two meet in Buenos Aires working on separate but equally elaborate cons with the same target.

JUPITER ASCENDING

PG From the life of cleaning homes of wealthy people, Jupiter’s (Mila Kunis) life turns around when Caine (Channing Tatum), a genetically engineered exmilitary hunter, tracked her down and brought her to where she belongs.

KIDNAPPING FREDDY HEINEKEN

An action drama film that tells the story of the planning, execution, aftermath, and ultimate downfall of the kidnappers of beer tycoon Alfred “Freddy” Heineken (Anthony Hopkins).

R-13

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KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE

R-16 A spy action comedy film based on the comic book The Secret Service, it follows the recruitment and training of an unrefined street kid Gary “Eggsy” Unwin (Taron Egerton) into a secret spy organization just as a global threat emerges led by a twisted tech genius.

PREDESTINATION

R-16 For his final mission before retirement, a time-traveling Temporal Agent (Ethan Hawke) goes back in time as a bartender to pursue the one criminal that was able to escape him named “Fizzle Bomber.”

THAT THING CALLED TADHANA

PG Mace (Angelica Panganiban) and Anthony (JM de Guzman), both broken hearted, form a charming friendship that takes them to Sagada in their attempt to find answers to their questions about love and mend each other’s hearts.

THE LAZARUS EFFECT

R-13 A group of medical professionals have successfully brought back to life a dead colleague, Zoe (Olivia Wilde), using a serum codenamed Lazarus they have discovered. But after she displayed unusual abilities, they’ve realized that their attempt to resurrect the dead may have opened the door to evil.

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

PG A British biographical coming of age romantic drama film that tells the relationship (from falling in love to the eventual falling out of love) of famous physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and his wife Jane (Felicity Jones).

UNBROKEN

PG A biographical war drama film that follows the life of USA Olympian Louis “Louie” Zamperini (Jack O’Connell) who survived 47 days in a raft after his bomber was downed in World War II. He was then caught by the Japanese navy and sent to a series of prisonerof-war camps.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

R-16 A small-business owner, Daniel Trunkman (Vince Vaughn) goes on a routine business trip with his two associates (Tom Wilkinson and Dave Franco) that turns to an unimaginable excursion that includes unplanned stops at a massive sex fetish event and a global economic summit.

WOLF COP

R-16 An alcoholic policeman (Leo Fafard) has been turned into a werewolf while a series of strange and violent events start happening around him.

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR

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CHINESE PROVINCIAL ART TROUPE IN THE PHILIPPINES

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The Jilian Provincial Troupe is here in the Philippines with its stunning acrobatic shows in Manila and the provinces

ilin Provincial Art Troupe, a multi-arts group from north eastern China, performs at various venues across the archipelago for the Chinese Spring Festival in the Philippines until March 9 in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Philippines – China Diplomatic Relations.

The Troupe’s performances are made possible through the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China in cooperation with the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Department of Foreign Affairs, City Government of Batangas, National Parks Development Committee, Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Inc. and The Theatre at Solaire.

The Luzon leg of the performances was first staged on March 1 at the Rizal Park Open-Air Auditorium; March 2 at the Batangas City Convention Center; March 4, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Main Theater; and on, 8 p.m. today at The Theatre at Solaire Resort and Casino.

In the Visayas region, the troupe will perform on March 7, 7 p.m. at White Gold Club, Cebu City and in Davao on March 9, 7 p.m. at the SMX Convention Center, Lanang Davao City.

The group’s performance tours consist of different presentations from Chinese excerpts of stories, dramas, adapted through dances, traditional music, opera performance and other art forms.

Jilin Provincial Art Troupe is composed of the best performers from all across Jilin Province. Its programs represent the highest level of Jilin stage art.

The group has been in the spotlight of the Spring Festival Gala produced by the China Central Television (CCTV) for 17 consecutive years, becoming one of the famous art brands in China. In recent years, Jilin Province has been striving to build brands of folk songs and dances, Jilin Opera and other stage art programs with local and ethnic features. The group has performed in world-class art halls in Russia, France, Italy, USA, South Korea, North Korea, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. The said troupe represented China in the art competition in Kazakhstan, international dance festivals in Turkey and Jordan, special art performances of informal meetings of leaders of APEC, at the Shanghai Grand Theater to perform for People’s Republic of China president Xin Jinping and 46 other leaders of states and international organizations.

For more information, contact the CCP Cultural Exchange Department at tel. no. 832-1125 local 1708-1709 and email (ccp.ced2014@gmail.com) or the International Affairs Office of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts at tel. no. 527-2192 loc 614 or 527-2206 and email (ncca_iao@yahoo.com).

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EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com LG Electronics unveils new products including ultra HD TV sets, curved and flat in various sizes for total viewing experience

MISS WORLD 2014 VISITS MANILA

R INNOVATION FOR BETTER LIFE

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lobal technology innovator LG washer’s revolutionary TWIN Wash™ SysElectronics kicked off its annual tem, which lets users wash two loads at Innovation Festival (InnoFest) once—the first in the main washer and the Roadshow in Kota Kinabalu, Ma- second in the mini washer underneath. LG laysia, with “Innovation for a Better Life” also showcased its latest Double Door-inas theme. Held annually since 2013, LG Door™ refrigerators, which have two indeInnoFest showcases to regional partners a pendent Door-in-Door™ compartments, diverse range of products across consum- giving you the ultimate convenience with er electronics and home appliances with seamless organization and easy access. innovative technologies and solutions to Other products featured at InnoFest 2015 meet local consumer needs. are the company’s advanced The highlights of this CordZero™ series of preyear’s InnoFest are LG’s mium cordless vacuum flagship 4K OLED TV lineup cleaners which deliver a LG InnoFest including 55-, 65- and 77powerful and convenient showcases inch models with curved and cleaning experience thanks to regional flat displays, ensuring a to LG’s Smart Inverter Mosuperb viewing experience partners a diverse tor™ and PowerPack™ techwith perfect blacks, perfect range of products nologies. InnoFest also colors and an infinite across consumer showcased the updated LG contrast ratio. Visitors were electronics and Styler, an advanced clothing also introduced to the home appliances management system that company’s expanded ULTRA with innovative refreshes hard-to-maintain HD TV lineup spanning and provides smart technologies and clothes sizes from 105- to 40-inch, features such as Pants Press. including its new ColorPrime solutions to meet “LG InnoFest presented local consumer quite a lineup this year, and series, which display greater needs color depth and more lifelike it is a privilege to see how images. For Asian customers the new products were able who do not have access to to once again marry cuttingadequate Internet and edge technology and broadcasting infrastructure, LG presented consumer insight,” LG Philippines a gaming TV line-up that keeps users Managing Director Sung Woo Nam said. entertained without Internet access. LG also “We are always after innovation, dedicated demonstrated its new Music Flow Wi-Fi to improving the lives of our consumers, Series lineup, including two Wi-Fi Sound and this was manifested in this year’s Bars and the portable Wi-Fi Speaker, and showcase.” the curved 34-inch UltraWide monitor in To learn more about LG’s “innovations Quad HD resolution (3440 x 1440) for for a better life”, visit www.lg.com/ph or regional consumers. www.lgblog.com.ph; like LG Philippines’ LG’s smart home appliances on display Facebook page; or follow LG on Twitter at InnoFest 2015 included its front loading and Instagram @LGPhilippines.

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ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Bounce along 5 Sight from Messina 9 Relieved sigh 13 More than uptight 15 Hoops nickname 16 Drift here and yon 17 Not spaced-out 18 Dance wear 19 Declare 20 Yang complement 21 Helped an actor 23 Fuse unit

ISAH V. RED

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Not a single woman Horrible Ennui Friction easer Griffith or Zola Howls at the moon Boundaries Marmalade chunks Latest thing Where to make a splash Slight trace

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Puffin kin Common wildflowers Finds out Mouse catchers Ran after Guitar ridge Toothpaste type Fails to keep up Reason to cram Chopin opus Between ports Facet “The Black Tulip” author On guard Stadium section Real estate ad abbr.

DOWN 1 Influence 2 Fuzzy fruit 3 Persia, today 4 — annum 5 Respect 6 Dull sound 7 “Mona Lisa” crooner 8 Opening number of “Hair” 9 Shawls, e.g.

10 Shack 11 A chicken in — pot

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Had been Make the call Pilot’s sighting Pepper grinder — rarebit Kind of dust Complain Old Dodge model Disposes of Sturm — Drang Faulty Cager — Kukoc Threshold Gets the message Least flat Calligraphy fluids Fix apples Sloped Attic window Floor “Kundun” setting Rah-rah Test, as ore Lobster pincer Slowly vanish Adhesives Mild cheese In case Noon on a sundial Butter container

eigning Miss World Rolene Strauss was in Manila briefly at the inauguration of the new Pediatric Hema-Oncology Ward at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) recdntly.

Julia Morley, chairman of the Miss World Organization, Cory Quirino, national director of Miss World Philippines, and Miss World 2013 Megan Young were with her.

Strauss, the second South African to win Miss World led the ribbon-cutting ceremony with Young and Miss World Philippines 2013 Valerie Weigmann. The model and medical student at University of Freestate said that she was honored to be a part of the PGH project.

“It’s great to see the reflection of love and happiness in everyone’s eyes. I am a medical student back in South Africa and I know how hard work it is to be in a hospital, to work

BEAUTY WITH A PURPOSE: Reigning Miss World Rolene Strauss visited Manila and graced the opening of a cancer ward at PGH

and give yourself up to the people around you. I would like to thank the doctors here for inviting me to do my internship at PGH, to continue a life of giving. Thank you for inspiring me to do better,” the 22-year-old, model said to warm applause of the crowd at the program.

Young and Quirino thanked the PGH and Morley for the fulfillment of making Beauty with a Purpose a living testimony of the humanitarian advocacy of the Miss World Organization. Morley thanked Alice for her generosity and Megan, whom she called her little ray of sunshine, for working diligently to support the Miss World Beauty with a Purpose. “For the past 40 years, we work to make a difference in this world, and someone up

their helps us,” Morley said on Miss World’s efforts to support humanitarian projects all over the world.

The Hema-Oncology ward, built at a cost of P8 million pesos donated by Alice Eduardo, CEO of Sta. Elena Construction Corporation, was dedicated to the Miss World ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ charity foundation. The 320-sqm ward can accommodate 15 terminally-ill and immunecompromised cancer-stricken children for treatment and special care and features a pocket garden with a home setting where the patients can spend quality time with their families. The PGH Medical Foundation, Inc. has been a beneficiary of Miss World Philippines since 2010.

–Eton B. Concepcion

BRADLEY COOPER AND EMMA STONE IN ‘ALOHA’ In Aloha, a celebrated military contractor (Bradley Cooper) returns to the site of his greatest career triumphs and reconnects with a longago love (Rachel McAdams) while unexpectedly falling for the hardcharging Air Force watchdog (Emma Stone) assigned to him.

From Academy Award®-winner Cameron Crowe, the writer-director behind such films as Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous, Aloha also stars Bill Murray, John Krasinski, Danny McBride, and Alec Baldwin.

Aloha will open on June 3 from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psj5XT9_vB8&list=PLcZ s6n5iZPx9u4G3P78SQXZBoV4TUVSZf

Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper stars as a military contractor in Aloha with Emma Stone

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C7

WORLD PREMIERES FILM FESTIVAL 2015

NEW CINEMASECTION EXPANDS

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he World Premieres Film Festival Philippines 2015 is well underway, with film submissions coming in from all over the globe.

“Filipino New Cinema,” the new section in this year’s edition is also currently garnering more and more submissions from acclaimed Filipino filmmakers.

The section will showcase the latest from contemporary Filipino filmmakers looking to premiere their newest films before an international audience here in the Philippines. This provides the festival with a section highlighting films from the Philippines, being the festival’s host country.

The “Filipino New Cinema” will now have a maximum of eight (previously five) films screened as part of its section during the festival due to the amount of submissions currently being sent in. The eight films having their Philippine premiere will compete for top awards,

prizes and incentives specific to the section. The Filipino New Cinema section awards will include Best Picture (1st and 2nd place), Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Musical Score, Best Sound Engineering, Best Production Design, and Best Performance by an Actor, Best Performance by an Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress. Prizes and incentives will be in the form of film grants of varying amounts.

Call for entries to the “Filipino New Cinema” section of the festival is now open and concludes on May 6,. The World Premieres Film Festival Philippines will take place from June 24 to July 7in Manila.

Besides the “Filipino New Cinema” section, the WPFF also has its Main Competition, Cine Verde section, and Parallel sections (Euroview, ASEAN Skies, IberoAmerica, and Eurasian Cinescape).

The WPFF, the international film festival on the rise in South East Asia, derives from the simple concept of bringing together a number of countries for a distinct film festival like no other. Participating countries are asked to each field a new film yet to be screened elsewhere prior to the festival dates, from a director of note, for a world (or international) premiere in the Philippines. Featured films will vie for top awards; have red carpet gala premiere screenings at the country’s posh cinemas, all with film luminaries and celebrities in attendance.

The WPFF will be held from June 24 to July 7, 2015. Simultaneous, is the International Film Exposition, one of the premiere Film Expositions and Film Markets in South East Asia, which will be from June 26 to 28. Please visit the website at www.wpff.ph for more details on how to submit films as well as for festival news and updates.

From C8

JASON DY WINS ‘THE VOICE OF THE PHILIPPINES’ SEASON

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eam Sarah’s James Jason Dy was declared the grand winner of the second season of The Voice of the Philippines with 52.94 percent of public votes during the program’s grand finale on Sunday at Resorts World Manila.

“I’m just very thankful. Thanks to all who voted and campaigned for me, and to those who believed in me – my coach and God, who gave me this blessing and opportunity. In God’s time talaga. I’ve been waiting for this chance,” Jason said.

Jason, who works as a ‘haranista’ and was able to get three coaches to turn around for him during his blind audition, beat runner-up Alisah Bonaobra of Team Apl with 47.06 percent of the votes. Their scores were reset to zero before the poll reopened for their final performances.

“The most important lesson I learned from coach (Sarah Geronimo) is to sing from the heart, because there are many great singers but what people look for is connection, for them to feel what you want to communicate,” he said.

Coach Sarah, on the other hand, said, “It’s hard to find an artist who does not need to belt out just to touch your heart.

Jason has his own voice that you won’t find in other singers. It’s world-class.”

As the latest The Voice of the Philippines, Jason won a trophy designed and crafted by contemporary artist Leeroy New, a house and lot worth P2 million, a music instrument package worth P100,000, shopping spree and Asian tour package worth P350,000, a business package worth P1 million, a new car worth P1 million, a recording and management contract with MCA Music, and P2 million in cash.

Most Filipinos tuned in to Sunday’s finale as it recorded a national TV rating of 30.8 percent, according to Kantar Media. The first part of the live showdown on Saturday (Feb 28) also hit a national TV rating of 28 percent. Netizens also voiced out their support for their bets, with the official hashtag #VoicePH2Fi-

nale topping the worldwide trending topics on Twitter on both nights.

Before crooning his winning song “Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin,” Jason earlier performed “If I Ain’t Got You” with coach Sarah, “With You,” and “Wrecking Ball” with Charice during the finale’s first three rounds.

Before the finale drew to a close, hosts Luis Manzano and Toni Gonzaga said that a new season of “The Voice Kids” will soon air. ★★★ On May 2nd, Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao is scheduled to fight the world welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Las Vegas. It will be one of the most highly anticipated boxing matches in decades.

CNN’s Ivan Watson sits down with Manny Pacquiao for an international news channel exclusive interview in Manila, ahead of his big title clash with Floyd Mayweather.

The interview airs on CNN International’s World Sport From the interview, here are some soundbites/ “I can say one of the most important fight in my career. Because it’s been five years in the making. Five years in the making to make that fight, this fight happen. And finally it’s happening.

“When we meet both of us we agree that we want to fight. And I think that’s the time. And the fact is we meet each other, I think that’s the, the confidence.

To each other. Is starting there.

“My son and my, and my daughter, they really want this fight happen. Since before. They wanted it. Last, three years ago. Last three years ago. ‘Daddy, I want you to fight Mayweather. I want you to fight Mayweather.’ And I said, why? It’s not my fault. He don’t’ want to fight.

And finally now, it finally happened.

They really really want to watch the fight. And they want to watch the fight.”

Asiana Airlines continues best airline services winning streak

★★★ For the 11th consecutive year, Asiana Airlines (OZ) was named Best Airline for Onboard Services and the Best Airline for Flight Attendants by Global Traveler (GT). The GT Tested Reader Survey Awards had over 26,000 ballots from global travelers voting in 84 travel categories including best hotels, airports and frequent flyer programs. Asiana had previously entered the Hall of Fame for its consistent wins in different categories.

During the recent GT awards ceremony at the Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel, Asiana Airlines also collected the award for Best First Class Seat Design and Best International First-Class Wines on the Wing. Asiana’s selection bested over 100 wine samples from 28 other airlines, as adjudged by a panel of 24 international wine experts.

“Asiana Airlines is getting rave reviews from around world through customer-oriented service and customer response with Korean sentiment,” noted Global Traveler. “Asiana received the award for continuous research and development and differentiated services such as its onboard chef and sommelier services.”

Asiana’s winning streak continued with more recognition from Premier Traveler magazine. Asiana won Best Flight Attendants in the World for the third consecutive year, and Best InFlight Services in the World for the second consecutive year. Asiana previously won the magazine’s Best Airline to Asia twice before.

Asiana Airlines flies out of three points in the Philippines: Manila, Cebu, and Clark to its main hub in Incheon International Airport. From there, the airline serves many international destinations in the US, Europe and Asia. Interestingly enough, Incheon International Airport won GT’s Best Overall Airport in the World for the ninth time this year.

Dy is the viewers’ choice to win the grand prize James Jason Dy showing off the championship trophy for The Voice of the Philippines Season 2

Dy with his coach Sarah Geronimo, runner up Alisah Bonaobra with her coach Apl. de Ap

Manny Pacquio is interviewed

by CNN’s Ivan Watson in Manila

Francis Gallagher, CEO of Global Traveler and Bonsung Koo, GM of Asiana Airlines US Marketing and Alliances, hold up Asiana Airlines’ awards with their proud flight crew at the annual GT Tested Reader Survey Awards.

C8

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ MMDA and MMFF Chairman Francis Tolentino with Best Actors Jennylyn Mercado and Derek Ramsay at the MMFF Cinema

FRANCIS TOLENTINO SAYS ADIEU TO ANNUAL FILMFEST It was both happy and sad see more quality movies and Thursday last week for the SIMPLY raise more funds for our benmovie industry. The event eficiary organizations. We RED gathered the industry’s will start the festival this bigwigs who were all imISAH V. RED summer with the Summer pressed at the Metro MaStudent Film Fetival and nila Development Auhope that our youth and stuthority’s new building in the dents send in their entries.” complex. It is called MMFF The Student Short Film catCinema. egory is open to student filmEarlier in the day, the Francis Tolentino makers from various colleges built a theater building was inaugurated and universities. The entries for the with Susan Roces and should have a maximum runMMDA and MMFF Chairnung time of 20 minutes and Metro Manila man Francis Tolentino cutshould have been made between Filmfest as his ting the ribbon to signify the 2014 and 2015. Deadline of sublegacy to the theater’s opening. is on April 17. local film industry mission Yet, the joy and happiness The Cinephone is a nationwhen he leaves wide cellphone movie-making of the members of the into go back to dustry was met with the sad contest for high school and colpolitics news in the evening during lege students. The length of the the 40th Metro Manila Film video should just be three minFestival Appreciation Dinutes and should have a specific ner when Tolentino theme. The deadline of submisannnounced he was resignsion is also on April 17. Only 60 ing as MMDA chairman which also meant videos will be chosen to be finalists. that he was leaving the Metro Manila Film The announcment of the finalists in the Festival to the hands of someone the Presi- Cinephone category is on April 22 and in dent of the Republic would appoint as his the Studen Short Film is on April 24. The replacement. Tolentino said he woud be finalists’ entries will be screened from April concentrating on his plans for 2016.

24 to May 1. And the winners will be known Thanking everyone of those who had been on May 4 in a ceremony at MMFF Theater. very supportive of him while MMDA and The Best Picture in the Students Short Film MMFF chairman, he said, “I am ovwer- will receive P 50,000 and P 25,000 to the whelmed with so much that the MMFF’s Special Jury prize winner. There will be six earnings have consistently increased annu- winners who will go home with P25,000 ally. I am hoping that this year’s festival will each in the Cinephone category.

Ryzza Mae Dizon thanks MMFF for the cash incentives she received Lotlot De Leon accepts her cash reward from MMFF for winning Best Supporting Actress in Kubot. PHOTOS: EUGENIO REYES

Tolentino was proud to say that the fourstory MMFF Cinema building would be the legacy he would leave behind with the industry. Now, members of the MMFF Screening Committee will no longer scrounge around for a screening room when watching entries to the festival beginning this year.

The highlight of the event was the awarding of cash incentives to the winners of last year’s MMFF announced during the awards night on Dec.27. Also, the MMFF signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Natuional Youth Commission and the Philippine Association of Communication Educators, Inc. (PACE) for their involvement in the Summer Student Film Festival.

The winners in last year’s Cinephone, New Wave, Animation, Student Short Films and mainstream movies receive their cash incentives.

Among those who were at the MMFF Cinema to receive their cash rewards were New Wave Director Zig Dulay, Best Actor Allen Dizon, Best Supporting Actress Gloria Sevilla.

Ryzza Mae Dizon accepted her Best Child Performer incentive for My Big Bossing, also

Best Supporting Actress Lotlot de Leon for Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles 2, Best Director Dan Gonzales, Best Actress Jennylyn Mercado, and Best Actor Derek Ramsay for English Only, Please. The producersof the Best Pictures Bonifacio, Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles 2, and English Only, Please also accepted their cash incentives.

Bonifacio received the most number of cash incentives. Apart from Best Picture, it also won the FPJ Memorial Award for Excellence and Gatpuno Antonio Villegas Cultural Award.

Mercado apologized for being late saying, “ma-traffic sa EDSA,” a line she made famous in the movie English Only, Please! and then belted out a song for everyone.

The beneficiaries of the 40th MMFF were MOWELFUND, Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), Optical Media Board (OMB), Anti-Film Piracy Council (AFPC) and Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).

Continued on C7