The Standard - 2015 March 10 - Tuesday

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK VOL. XXIX  NO. 26  3 Sections 32 Pages P18  TUESDAY: MARCH 10, 2015  www.manilastandardtoday.com  mst@mstandardtoday.com

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Palace calls Amal Clooney a hired gun

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Binay hits Ombudsman graft case

COVER-UP SEEN IN REPORT DELAY Next page

Anti-terror campaign continues. Army soldiers and Marines unload ammunition intended for the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters from an Air Force plane in Maguindanao in a continuation of operations against the terrorists. OMAR MANGORSI

When women ruled

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Cover-up seen in report delay

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon ramos-Araneta

The Board of Inquiry investigating the Jan. 25 Mamasapano massacre sought a three-day extension to its Monday deadline to submit its report, amid criticisms that a whitewash was in the offing.

“We would like to assure the families of [the 44 slain members of the Special Action Force] that this extension has nothing to do with a cover-up or whitewash. We just want to be very objective,” board chairman Director Benjamin Magalong said.

But lawmakers decried the delay in the release of the police board report, and saw it as a part of a cover-up.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate said the President should be held accountable for the death of the 44 commandos.

“The search for truth, accountability and justice is now in suspended animation as the Palace and its operators are still fine-tuning their script to cover up the principal culpability of President Benigno Aquino and his US masters,” Zarate said.

“But President Benigno Simeon Aquino and his cabal should be forewarned not to underestimate the people’s will to uncover the truth behind Mamasapano. Any attempt by the board of inquiry to ‘yellow-wash’ the truth will surely be met with massive protests by the people,” Zarate added.

1-BAP party-list Rep. Silvestre Bello III said “the repeated delay in the submission of the board’s report will certainly put the report under a shadow of doubt.”

“It will be construed to hide rather bring out the truth. In short, a coverup,” Bello added.

But House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. said the idea of a cover-up was “ridiculous with so many simultaneous investigations by different parties.”

House Deputy Speaker and Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao said the release of the board of inquiry report should not be rushed.

But Gabriela party-list Rep. Luz Ilagan said the board needed the time to doctor or edit the report to deflect responsibility away from Malacañang.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which conducted its own investigation of the incident, has submitted its findings to the Malaysian government which is brokering peace talks between the rebels and the Philippine government, drawing the ire of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who demanded a full copy of the report as well.

Former police intelligence director Rodolfo Mendoza on Monday urged Magalong to exercise his authority and subpoena the records of the MILF. Mendoza also said obtaining the records from the telecommunications companies would unearth the truth about allegations that the President asked the Armed Forces to stand down when it could have come to the aid of the beleaguered SAF commandos.

Meanwhile, growing suspicions of a government whitewash, President Aquino again defended his decisions Monday, blaming the ground commander of the Mamasapano operation in which 44 police commandos were killed but saying nothing about the key role played by his friend and resigned police chief.

“If only I knew that that was his plan, I would have disapproved it,” Aquino said, referring to sacked Special Action Force commander Getulio

Napeñas.

Aquino was speaking to some 300 members of various born-again Christian groups who “beseeched” him to finish his term, in stark contrast to Catholic bishops who have urged him to step down.

“What should have been a successful mission became mission impossible,” Aquino added, blaming Napenas Jr. for fooling him about the status of Operation Exodus, which aimed to capture or kill wanted terrorists hiding in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25.

Aquino said he was “given the wrong information by the people who knew most what was happening,” but he did not mention his close friend, resigned Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima, who was serving a suspension at the time of the operation.

Aquino also insisted that he did nothing wrong during the planning and implementation of the covert operation that resulted in the death of 60 people, including the 44 police commandos.

“If I were the one at fault, why wouldn’t I take responsibility?” Aquino asked.

“Napeñas had a lot of wishful thinking as opposed to reality. It is clear to me: He fooled me,” Aquino said in Filipino.

“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me,” he added, vowing he would not allow the same mistake to be made again.

Aquino said Napeñas disobeyed his order to properly coordinate with the Army several days before the operation, adding that he personally told Napeñas during a briefing on Jan. 9 that 160 commandos would not be enough for the operation.

Aquino said there were also two opportunities for Napeñas to abort the mission, but he did not.

Napenas’ also split up the SAF platoons to protect the way points for the 55th Special Action Company when they were already being surrounded

by hundreds of armed fighters.

“There were 318 troops who could have helped the 55th Special Action Company. Instead of helping, they were ordered to go to the way points.

He pushed through with the plan when the conditions had changed,” Aquino said.

The President said when Napeñas presented the mission during a briefing, he was impressed at how thorough the plan was to capture the two most wanted terrorists, Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir also known as Marwan and the foreign-trained Filipino bomb maker Abdul Bassit Usman.

“It was a great Powerpoint presentation, but it was all for show,” Aquino said.

The President cited at least five errors that Napeñas committed.

First, he said, Napeñas failed to obey his order to coordinate with the Armed Forces, so that it could move the necessary equipment, including artillery, armored vehicles and aircraft to support the mission.

But Napeñas told him he would coordinate with the Armed Forces only when the police commandos were already in place so that the operation would be secure.

Aquino said Napeñas also deployed his soldiers as late as 5:30 a.m., when their night-vision goggles would no longer work, and when most of the Muslims would be awake for morning prayers.

In the original plan, Napeñas should have deployed his people at 2:30 a.m., the President said.

“I wish I could say that Napeñas was stupid, and that he didn’t know the terrain. But he was the regional public safety battalion commander from 2007 to 2008. He knew very well the terrain; he knew the culture,” the President said.

The President also said that Napeñas failed to abort the mission even though he was late in deploying his forces.

“Why didn’t he abort the mission? I

don’t know,” Aquino said.

“Napeñas made all the decisions and they were all wrong. He had no intention to follow my orders,” he added.

Napeñas was relieved after the operation went south. Purisima, who told Napeñas to keep the PNP OIC in the dark until the mission was under way and who said he would take care of coordinating with the Armed Forces, later resigned.

The Mamasapano clash occurred despite a peace agreement signed by the government and the MILF in March last year.

The MILF claimed it was acting in self defense, but autopsy reports showed that many of the SAF commandos were killed at close range, indicating they were already wounded when they were shot.

Despite his public statements on the Mamasapano operation, the President has not offered any information to the police board of inquiry tasked with investigating the case.

Magalong, who heads the board, said the President has not signified his intention to provide information about the operation.

“We have expressed our intention [to get his statement] but we have not received any feedback,” Magalong said.

All other parties involved, including top PNP and Armed Forces officials, have already been interviewed by the board and submitted their statements, he added.

He said they cannot impose any deadline for the President, however.

Also on Monday, Senator Grace Poe said Purisima could be hiding something when he declined to allow the telecommunications company to submit to the Senate a record of his conversations with the President on Jan. 25.

“From the way he has been acting, I’m sure [he’s hiding something],” said Poe when sought for comment on Puisima’s refusal to issue a waiver for the cell phone records.

Aquino, after praying, hits critics for being ‘Kulang sa Pansin’

By Joyce Pangco Pañares and Maricel V. Cruz PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III lashed out at his critics Monday, including those opposed to the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), labeling them as attention seekers (kulang sa pansin) who cannot think clearly, are uncaring and lack faith.

In an open forum during a prayer gathering organized by the Coalition of Christian Leaders, Aquino said these critics chose to sow doubt and negativism even as he strives to remain calm amid the challenges facing the country.

“These KSPs only look for mistakes, but do not offer reasonable and alternative solutions. They only want chaos where they will flourish,” the President said.

“These KSPs want to shake our hope. They want to capitalize on the issues we are facing to bring back the old system where they can freely take advantage of other people.”

“No matter what our decision is, in every action taken by your government, they are ready to criticize. They are just waiting for the opportunity to abuse our people again once they have returned to power,” the President added.

Aquino also challenged those criticizing the proposed BBL to offer a better alternative.

“Many of those who are complaining have not even read the BBL. They do not have any alternative to offer, and their motives are not for the good of the country,” the President said.

Once passed into law, the BBL will implement the comprehensive peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Doubts over the sincerity of the MILF emerged after its members, together with armed rebels from its splinter group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, clashed with police commandos of the Special Action Force who were out to arrest international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan.

The bloody operation in Mamasapano left 44 SAF troopers dead, fanning public outrage and prompting lawmakers to suspend congressional hearings on the BBL. Aquino said Congress has committed to pass the measure by June but he would prefer an earlier date to give more time for the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.

“They are projecting approval by June. I am hoping they approve way before June to give the BTA enough time to demonstrate their merit and belief that this is a better system,” the President added.

Among the leaders of the Coalition participated in yesterday’s prayer gathering were Eddie Villanueva, national chairman of the Philippines for Jesus Movement and the father of Aquino’s ally, Joel Villanueva, director-general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Catholic bishops who have been highly critical of Aquino and who

Prayer for Aquino. Jesus is Lord head Eddie Villanueva leads the prayer for President Benigno Aquino III in Malacañang on Monday. MAlACAñAng Photo BureAu

have called for him to resign over the Mamasapano fiasco were not invited to the prayer meeting.

In the House of Representatives, the head of the 75-member ad hoc committee on the BBL said he would ask House leaders to allow the panel to hold sessions even after the March 20 session break.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodgriguez, chairman of the panel, said the failure of the police board of inquiry to submit its report on the Mamasapano incident by its March 6 target would also delay hearings on the draft law.

“I am quite disappointed because PNP General [Benjamin] Magalong

made a promise to submit to the House of Representatives the report of the board of inquiry today but I just heard it will be extended to Thursday [March 12] … [This] will also set back the timetable we have set in the committee,” he said.

Rodriguez said his panel would want to pass the BBL at the committee level by April 8.

Rodriguez said the resumption of the BBL hearings would focus on the board’s report, as well as provisions in the draft law that some experts say are unconstitutional.

To make up for the delay, Rodri-

guez said he would seek permission to hold hearings during the recess from March 23 to April 2.

Rodriguez said there was still enough time for the House and the Senate to pass the measure by June, but said holding a special session on the BBL was not feasible because they were running out of time.

Congress will adjourn on March 20 for a Lenten break. It will resume sessions on May 4. Lawmakers will hold sessions again until June 12, and will adjourn again to mark the formal closing of the second regular session of 16th Congress.

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Communist rebels set fire to 7 trucks in Bukidnon COMMUNIST guerrillas set up a checkpoint and then flagged down several vehicles before burning seven trucks along the national highway in Palacapao village in Quezon, Bukidnon, the military said Monday.

Members of the Guerrilla Front 53 and 6 burned the trucks around

5:45 am on Sunday, said Maj. Christian Uy, information officer of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division.

“They flagged down several vehicles along the highway and then burned seven,” Uy said.

Lt. Col. Lennon Babilonia, commanding officer of the 8th Infan-

try Battalion, said he sent troops to the area to go after the communists.

Reports said the Regional Public Safety Battalion of the National Police also sent policemen to the area.

It appeared that the communists set up the checkpoint to ex-

tort money from motorists.

“We have conducted pursuit operations in close coordination with our PNP counterparts. The area is now safe for our travelers and everything is under control.” said Col. Jesse Alvarez, commander of the 403rd Infantry Brigade.

Bukidnon is home to some of

the biggest agricultural lands in Mindanao and some of the biggest agricultural companies call it home.

The communist new People’s Army has staged several attacks on corporations for their alleged failure to observe its rules. lance Baconguis and Florante S. Solmerin

56 Islamic militants slain so far

By Florante S. Solmerin and Francisco Tuyay

GOVERNMENT troops have killed 56 Islamic militants including a “ foreign-looking” one who may be among the terrorists wanted by the United States, the military said Monday.

“One of the cadavers is a foreignlooking guy,” said military spokesman Brigadier-General Joselito Kakilala, outlining the operation in a television interview on ABS-CBN. The corpse’s features bear “similarities” to one of the United States’ “most wanted” Islamic militants, he said, refusing to identify the suspect.

Four soldiers were killed and 21 were wounded in the raid, Kakilala said.

The raid followed a bloody anti-terror operation in January that killed Malaysian militant Zulkifli bin Hir, one of Asia’s most wanted men, but also claimed the lives of 44 police commandos.

The BIFF and other rebels killed the commandos as the operation backfired, triggering a wave of outrage that has shaken the administration of President Benigno Aquino III. The fighting centers on the Liguasan marshlands, where Abdel Basit Usman, one of the terrorists sought by the US, survived the Jan. 25 police raid.

The military said last week that aside from Usman, it was hunting four Indonesians and one Arab who had bomb-making expertise.

In addition to the suspected militants killed in the operation, which is expected to end this week, four were arrested and some 33 wounded, Kakilala said.

“We also got their bomb factories,” he added.

The fighting has forced about 45,000 civilians to flee their homes, local officials said.

The BIFF is now believed to number fewer than 300, but their leader, Ameril Umrakato, “remains very in-

fluential” in the area, he added.

Kakilala said the hunt for Usman and the five other suspected terrorists would not even after the end of the allout offensive.

“Our units on the ground will not give them time to rest. There is no timeline but we will make sure they will be on the run every day until such time they will be finally cornered and captured,” Kakilala said.

Kakilala said Usman and the other terrorists were being protected by the group of Mohammad Ali Tambako, nephew of BIFF founder Ameril Umbra Kato, who recently formed his Justice for Islamic Movement (JIM) with only a handful of followers.

The military has no information on Kato’s whereabouts after he suffered a stroke that left him bedridden years ago.

His exit has left a power vacuum, with Tambako and Kagi Karialan, Kato’s chief of staff, battling for control. In the end, Tambako formed his own group after he failed to kill Karialan in a bomb explosion.

“Let’s be clear... the BIFF and JIM is one and the same, the same dogs with different collars,” Kakilala said.

Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, AFP Public Affairs Office chief, identified one of the soldier-fatalities as 1st Lt. Grommel Auman, executive officer 6th Scout Ranger Company.

“We engaged the enemy in an intense firefight for about five hours.

We were able to seize two of their defensive positions after grabbing one of the M60 machine guns that they used to against us,” 1st Lt. Blas Alsiao, commanding officer of the unit, said.

Top 10. The top 10 graduates of the PMA Class of 2015 are presented to reporters ahead of their graduation on March 12. (Story on a7) DaviD leProzo Jr.

Palace calls Clooney an Arroyo hireling

By Joyce P. Pañares

Protest. Peasant women from Negros Occidental troop to the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City to protest against what they claim as the lawmakers’ failure to implement the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. Manny PalMero

ARGUING that the Aquino administration has not violated any international law, a Palace official belittled the plea of human rights lawyer Amal Ramzi Clooney before a United Nations court in behalf of former President Gloria Arroyo and said Clooney was just a hireling of the former leader.

“As a lawyer, she will do what she thinks will further her client’s interest.

As a lawyer, she chose a venue familiar to her,” said Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda, himself a lawyer.

“We have our penal laws in place.

We have the judicial authorities who issued that order, and we have a functioning Supreme Court. So where is the violation?” Lacierda added.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., on the other hand, said the Palace has yet to receive a formal notice of the case Clooney filed last February 26 before the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, a body under the UN Human Rights

Commission.

“The government will respond accordingly, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Solicitor General once we shall have received the requisite notice,” Coloma said.

The two officials made the remarks after Arroyo’s lawyers confirmed that Clooney, wife of Hollywood actor George Clooney, argued before the UNWGAD that the repeated denial of Arroyo’s petition for bail was a violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Clooney appealed for an investigation of the criminal proceedings against Arroyo, demanded that appropriate measures be taken against those responsible for violating Arroyo’s rights, a public apology from the government and full and adequate compensation.

According to Arroyo’s lawyers Modesto Ticman and Larry Gadon, the pleading could result in either the UNWGAD issuing an appeal to the Aquino administration to free the former president from detention on humanitar-

ian considerations or the initiation of a “communications procedure.”

The communications procedure will result in complainant’s or counsel’s ability to provide comment on any government response received in this case as well as the rendering of an opinion by the UNWGAD on the arbitrary nature of the detention.

Gadon said they have been cooperating with Clooney since 2013, when the British lawyer visited Arroyo at the Veteran’s Memorial Medical Center where she is detained pending the conclusion of her trial for plunder.

Gadon said Clooney is convinced the former president is a victim of political persecution after studying her case.

Gadon said Clooney, an alumni of Oxford University, has sufficient experience in international law, criminal law and human rights and has a notable list of clients, notably WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, former Ukraine prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, accounting firm Arthur Andersen and the Enron oil company.

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Graft probe a cover-up for Mamasapano—VP

By Vito Barcelo

VICE President Jejomar Binay said he is ready to face an investigation before the Office of the Ombudsman but questions the timing, saying the preliminary investigation is meant to cover up the Mamasapano debacle.

The vice president was referring to the many unanswered questions on the Mamasapano incident that resulted in the deaths of at least 60 people, including 44 Special Action Force commandos.

Binay, together with his son, Makati mayor Junjun Binay and others allegedly involved were being charged with allegedly receiving millions of pesos in kickbacks REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS

LUNGSOD NG MAKATI

Bids and Awards Committee J.P. Rizal St. corner F. Zobel St., Makati City Tel. No. 870-1000 Fax No. 899-8988 www.makati.gov.ph

INVITATION TO BID

1.

NO.

NAME OF PROJECT AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

IMPLEMENTING OFFICE

APPROVED BUDGET FOR THE CONTRACT (ABC)

1

Supply of Gasoline, Diesel, LPG, Oil, Lubricants and minor maintenance services for year 2015

GSD

P70,443,375.00

2

Building Maintenance Management Services including Maintenance of Chiller Units at Ospital ng Makati for year 2015

GSD

P7,381,483.20

3

Building Maintenance Management Services including Maintenance of Chiller Units at University of Makati Nursing Building, Administration Building, Academic Building and University Track Oval for year 2015

GSD

P7,504,173.00

4

Water Treatment of Chiller and Cistern Tank Treatment and Cleaning Services at University of Makati for year 2015

GSD

P2,487,018.24

5

Operation and Preventive Maintenance of Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) at Ospital ng Makati for year 2015

6

Annual Medical Examination for Teachers and Non-Teaching Personnel of Dep-Ed Makati

7

Close Combat Optic and Mounts and other equipment for the use of Makati City Police Station Special Reaction Unit (SRU)

from contractors that built the controversial Makati City Hall building.

Binay said the recommendation by a special panel of the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct a preliminary investigation on him was politically motivated.

The vice president described the Ombudsman investigation as the same as the previous Senate hearing headed by Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Alan Peter Cayetano who both have intention to run for the country’s highest post.

“Ito ho ay series. Hindi naman po ito biglang singaw eh. Kita ho ninyo yung dun sa Senado. One for the books: 15 o 16 na paguusap... Yun nga sinasabi eh: ‘Kasi maaga kang nag-deklara na ikaw ay kakandidato eh,’” Binay said in an interview.

The Binay have maintained that the allegations are motivated by politics.

The (Senate) probe produced nothing since there were no concrete evidence presented and just hearsay, he said.

“So nandito ‘yong sa Ombudsman. Ang nakakalungkot nga lang, hindi mo malaman kung ito ay wittingly done or unwittingly done,” Binay said.

Binay expressed confidence that he can overcome this problem.

The Vice president said that all the problems he is now facing was the result of his early announcement to run for president in 2016.

REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS

LUNGSOD NG MAKATI

Bids and Awards Committee J.P. Rizal St. corner F. Zobel St., Makati City Tel. No. 870-1000 Fax No. 899-8988 www.makati.gov.ph

INVITATION TO BID

GSD

DEP-ED

OM

P2,077,488.00

NO.

NAME OF PROJECT AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

IMPLEMENTING OFFICE

APPROVED BUDGET FOR THE CONTRACT (ABC)

1

Instructional Material Kits for the use of Grades 2-10 students of various schools of Dep-Ed Makati

DEP-ED

P16,372,768.50

2

Robotics Kits for the use of various schools of Dep-Ed Makati

DEP-ED

P10,038,560.00

3

Laptop Computers with Class Management System Software for the use of various schools of Dep-Ed Makati

DEP-ED

P68,799,000.00

P3,251,000.00

P2,058,030.00

The MAKATI CITY GOVERNMENT, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites interested bidders to apply for eligibility and to bid for the above projects, with Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) indicated, inclusive of all taxes, such as, but not limited to, value added tax (VAT), income tax, local taxes and other fiscal levies.

1.

The MAKATI CITY GOVERNMENT, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites interested bidders to apply for eligibility and to bid for the above projects, with Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) indicated, inclusive of all taxes, such as, but not limited to, value added tax (VAT), income tax, local taxes and other fiscal levies.

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at Bid Opening.

2.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nondiscretionary “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”.

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at Bid Opening.

2.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nondiscretionary “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”.

3.

3.

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.

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.

4.

A complete set of Bidding Documents will be available one (1) day after posting / publication of the above projects up to Closing Date (before the deadline of the submission of bids),weekdays only from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount stated on the issued order of payment to the City Government of Makati Cashier.

5.

The BAC will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on March 12, 2015 (02:00 P.M.) at PiodelPilar Conference Room, 21st floor, New Makati City Hall Building, F. Zobel Street, Brgy.

Poblacion, Makati City to discuss Eligibility Requirements and the Technical and Financial Components of these projects. However, only those interested Bidders who have purchased the Bidding Documents are allowed to raise and submit queries or clarifications regarding the Bidding Documents.

6.

Deadline of Submission of Bids shall be on or before March 26, 2015 (02:00 P.M.), atPiodelPilar Conference Room, 21st floor, New Makati City Hall Building, F. Zobel Street, Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City.

4.

5.

6.

A complete set of Bidding Documents will be available one (1) day after posting / publication of the above projects up to Closing Date (before the deadline of the submission of bids),weekdays only from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount stated on the issued order of payment to the City Government of Makati Cashier.

The BAC will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on March 17, 2015 (02:00 P.M.) at PiodelPilar Conference Room, 21st floor, New Makati City Hall Building, F. Zobel Street, Brgy.

Poblacion, Makati City to discuss Eligibility Requirements and the Technical and Financial Components of these projects. However, only those interested Bidders who have purchased the Bidding Documents are allowed to raise and submit queries or clarifications regarding the Bidding Documents.

Deadline of Submission of Bids shall be on or before March 31, 2015 (02:00 P.M.), atPiodelPilar Conference Room, 21st floor, New Makati City Hall Building, F. Zobel Street, Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City.

Opening of Bids shall be on March 26, 2015 (02:00 P.M.), at PiodelPilar Conference Room, 21st floor, New Makati City Hall Building, F. Zobel Street, Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City.

Opening of Bids shall be on March 31, 2015 (02:00 P.M.), at Pio del Pilar Conference Room, 21st floor, New Makati City Hall Building, F. Zobel Street, Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City.

7.

7.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the said address. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Late bids shall not be accepted.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the said address. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

8.

The MAKATI CITY GOVERNMENT reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, or to reduce the corresponding ABC and Terms of Reference (TOR), without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

The MAKATI CITY GOVERNMENT reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, or to reduce the corresponding ABC and Terms of Reference (TOR), without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please visit or contact:

For further information, please visit or contact: BAC SECRETARIAT OFFICE Makati City Government 9th Floor, New Makati City Hall Building F. Zobel Street, Brgy.Poblacion, Makati City Tel. No. 870-1000 loc. 1331; Fax No. 899-8988 website: www.makati.gov.ph (SGD.) Atty. ELENO M. MENDOZA, JR. Chairman

BAC SECRETARIAT OFFICE Makati City Government 9th Floor, New Makati City Hall Building F. Zobel Street, Brgy.Poblacion, Makati City Tel. No. 870-1000 loc. 1331; Fax No. 899-8988 website: www.makati.gov.ph

(SGD.) Atty. ELENO M. MENDOZA, JR. Chairman (MST-MAR. 10, 2015)

(TNS-MAR. 10, 2015)

IN BRIEF Gunmen abduct 4 Filipinos in Libya FOUR overseas Filipino workers were among nine foreigners abducted by an unidentified group of gunmen at an oil field in Central Libya on March 6, the Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday said.

DFA spokesperson Charles Jose said that it has been almost two weeks that the oil field stopped operating because of the growing conflict in that country.

“No one has claimed responsibility for the abduction and the employer has not received any ransom demand,” Jose told reporters.

The four Filipinos were working for VAOS Oil Services, an Austrian-owned company headquartered in Tripoli. Also abducted were two Bangladeshis, one from Ghana, a Czech national and an Austrian. Vito Barcelo

Taiwanese trawler with 13 Pinoys are missing THIRTEEN Filipino fishermen were among the 49 crew of a Taiwan-registered fishing boat that went missing after the boat lost contact on Feb. 26 in the South Atlantic, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Monday.

The missing included 11 from mainland China. The captain and another crew member came from Taiwan, along with 21 Indonesians, 13 Filipinos and two Vietnamese, DFA spokesperson Charles Jose.

The 700-ton trawler, Hsiang Fu Chun, sailed from Kaohsiung in January to the sea area 1,700 sea miles east of the Falkland Islands for fishing and was due to return in May. Jose said the search has been hampered by poor weather conditions and the great distance between the vessel’s last known location and the closest land base.

The vessel’s last position was 1,460 miles from the nearest Argentine port.

Taiwan has launched a search effort, and is appealing for assistance from Argentina and Britain as well as other ships in the area.

Vito Barcelo

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Ampatuan barred from leaving

By Rey Rquejo and Rio Araja

The Department of Justice on Monday vowed to take appropriate steps to question the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221’s decision granting bail to Sajid Islam Ampatuan, one of the accused in the Maguindanao massacre case, although the RTC also issued a holddeparture order to prevent the suspect from leaving the country.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima ordered prosecutors handling the case to determine the appropriate legal remedies available, including the filing of a petition before the Court of Appeals (CA) to seek the reversal of the RTC ruling.

De Lima said he had instructed Prosecutor General Claro Arellano to make use of the proper remedy “ASAP.” RTC Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes upheld her ruling last January granting bail to one of the Ampatuans and denied the motion for reconsideration filed by prosecutors.

“Accused Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan, having posted the recommended bail of P200,000 each or in total of 11.6 million in the 58 cases undertaken by Travelers Insurance and Surety Corp which the court finds in order, the same is hereby approved and he is allowed to be on temporary liberty upon the same bond,” the order stated.

The RTC issued the release order after denying the partial motion for reconsideration earlier filed by the prosecution to contest an order by the court granting Sajid’s bail request.

Sajid filed his surety bond last January 30, but the judge “held in abeyance” acting on it pending the resolution of the prosecution’s partial MR. This time, the judge directed the QC Jail Annex “to immediately release accused Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan from detention unless he is being held for some other lawful cause/s.”

In a three-page decision, RTC Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Reyes ordered Ampatuan released from detention at Camp Bagong Diwa.

Despite the order, Reyes said Ampatuan is a flight-risk.

In another March 9 order, the Quezon City judge granted the prosecution’s partial motion for reconsideration to issue a hold-departure order on Ampatuan.

“Taking into account the nature of the offense(s) charged and the magnitude of these cases, as well as the probability that the accused may jump bail and depart from the country to evade prosecution, the Court rules to grant the prosecution’s motion for the issuance of a holddeparture order filed by the people through the

Gasoline up by 95c/liter PuMP prices this week went up by as much as P0.95 per liter following world oil price movement.

The oil companies in the country raised the price of gasoline by P0.95 per liter and diesel by P0.55 per liter.

There was no movement for kerosene.

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Seaoil Philippines issued separate advisories of the price increase which took effect 12:01 am March 10.

Other oil firms are expected to follow suit.

“This is to reflect

movements in the international petroleum market,” Seaoil said.

Energy undersecretary Zenaida Monsada attributed the price hike to the conflict in Libya.

“There is a basis for the oil companies here to adjust their prices.

The oil price hike is within the range of our computation,” she said.

“There is still oversupply but the impact of ongoing tension in Libya has taken a toll. This is the triggering factor why oil prices are up,” Monsada said.

Alena Flores

non-government organizations said to be owned by Napoles, the alleged scam mastermind, in exchange for certain percentages.

Whistleblower Benhur Luy said payoffs for Valdez, whose codename is “kuryente,” were made in Napoles’ office in Ortigas.

Government prosecutors said the projects like livelihood programs, distribution of farm inputs and farm implements, agricultural starter kits, technology transfer training via video courses and printed materials, vegetable seeds, gardening packages, k naps ack-spr ayers , concentrated fertilizers,

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS

LUNGSOD NG MAKATI

Bids and Awards Committee J.P. Rizal St. corner F. Zobel St., Makati City Tel. No. 870-1000 Fax No. 899-8988 www.makati.gov.ph

INVITATION TO BID NO.

1 1.

NAME OF PROJECT AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION Proposed Synchronization and Upgrade of Traffic Signal System at Intersections of Various Streets of Makati City (Gil Puyat Ave. – Chino Roces Ave., Dela Rosa St. – Chino Roces Ave., Makati Ave. – J.P. Rizal St.)

APPROVED BUDGET FOR THE CONTRACT (ABC)

P15,037,112.00

The MAKATI CITY GOVERNMENT, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites interested bidders to apply for eligibility and to bid for the above projects, with Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) indicated, inclusive of all taxes, such as, but not limited to, value added tax (VAT), income tax, local taxes and other fiscal levies.

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at Bid Opening.

2.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding 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”.

3.

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.

4.

A complete set of Bidding Documents will be available one (1) day after posting / publication of the above projects up to Closing Date (before the deadline of the submission of bids),weekdays only from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount stated on the issued order of payment to the City Government of Makati Cashier.

5.

The BAC will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on March 17, 2015(02:00 P.M.) at Pio del Pilar Conference Room, 21st floor, New Makati City Hall Building, F. Zobel Street, Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City to discuss Eligibility Requirements and the Technical and Financial Components of these projects.

However, only those interested Bidders who have purchased the Bidding Documents are allowed to raise and submit queries or clarifications regarding the Bidding Documents.

6.

Deadline of Submission of Bids shall be on or before April 16, 2015 (02:00 P.M.), at Pio del Pilar Conference Room, 21st floor, New Makati City Hall Building, F. Zobel Street, Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City.

Opening of Bids shall be on April 16, 2015 (02:00 P.M.), at Pio del Pilar Conference Room, 21st floor, New Makati City Hall Building, F. Zobel Street, Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City.

7.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the said address. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

The MAKATI CITY GOVERNMENT reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, or to reduce the corresponding ABC and Terms of Reference (TOR), without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please visit or contact:

BAC SECRETARIAT OFFICE Makati City Government 9th Floor, New Makati City Hall Building F. Zobel Street, Brgy.Poblacion, Makati City Tel. No. 870-1000 loc. 1331; Fax No. 899-8988 website: www.makati.gov.ph

(SGD.) Atty. ELENO M. MENDOZA, JR. Chairman (TNS-MAR. 10, 2015)

REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS

LUNGSOD NG MAKATI

Bids and Awards Committee J.P. Rizal St. corner F. Zobel St., Makati City Tel. No. 870-1000 Fax No. 899-8988 www.makati.gov.ph

INVITATION TO BID NO.

‘Kuryente’ on trial over pork plunder THE Sandiganbayan on Monday entered a not guilty plea in behalf of former Rep. Edgar Valdez of Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives party list who refused to enter any plea in connection with the plunder and graft charges filed against him by the Office of the Ombudsman.

Valdez’ co-accused, Janet Lim Napoles, however entered a not guilty plea.

Valdez is accused of pocketing at least P57.787 million in kickbacks from the multi-billion peso pork barrel scam.

He allegedly siphoned his Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) from 2004 to 2010 to bogus

panel of prosecution).

According to Solis, the prosecution failed to establish strong evidence to warrant Ampatuan’s continued detention.

and other tools and equipment never went to their beneficiaries. “(The) PDAF of Valdez was never used for the intended projects as these were considered ‘ghost’ projects, with fabricated documents submitted for its liquidation,” the Office of the Ombudsman said.

They added that “the mayors and municipal agriculturists said that they never received anything from the office of Valdez, or from any of the project partners Valdez’s lawyer Joel Ferrer said the former congressman refused to enter a plea in light of their plans to file a petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court.

Nelson Flores

Smuggling foiled; cars mislabeled THE Bureau of Customs confiscated a sports car, motorcycles, and computer sets valued at P11 million in a foiled smuggling at the Manila International Container Port.

The shipment was consigned to Panda Vine International Trading that arrived at the Manila International Container Port from Japan which were declared as 873 units of used bicycles; it ctually contained a right-hand drive Subaru WRX 2000 cc sports car; 13 units Honda and 2 units Yamaha scooters; motorcycle parts; and other used car parts, Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement Ariel Nepomuceno said.

Vito Barcelo

NAME OF PROJECT AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

APPROVED BUDGET FOR THE CONTRACT (ABC)

1

Proposed Improvement of the Six (6) Storey Ospital ng Makati (Phase II), located at Sampaguita St., Barangay Pembo, Makati City

P9,830,633.00

2

Proposed Improvement of the University of Makati Academic Building I (Phase II), located at J.P. Rizal Extension, Brgy. West Rembo, Makati City

P7,841,242.00

1.

The MAKATI CITY GOVERNMENT, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites interested bidders to apply for eligibility and to bid for the above projects, with Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) indicated, inclusive of all taxes, such as, but not limited to, value added tax (VAT), income tax, local taxes and other fiscal levies.

2.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nondiscretionary “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”.

3.

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.

4.

A complete set of Bidding Documents will be available one (1) day after posting / publication of the above projects up to Closing Date (before the deadline of the submission of bids),weekdays only from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount stated on the issued order of payment to the City Government of Makati Cashier.

5.

The BAC will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on March 17, 2015(02:00 P.M.) at Pio del Pilar Conference Room, 21st floor, New Makati City Hall Building, F. Zobel Street, Brgy.

Poblacion, Makati City to discuss Eligibility Requirements and the Technical and Financial Components of these projects. However, only those interested Bidders who have purchased the Bidding Documents are allowed to raise and submit queries or clarifications regarding the Bidding Documents.

6.

Deadline of Submission of Bids shall be on or before April 07, 2015 (02:00 P.M.), at Pio del Pilar Conference Room, 21st floor, New Makati City Hall Building, F. Zobel Street, Brgy.

Poblacion, Makati City.

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at Bid Opening.

Opening of Bids shall be on April 07, 2015 (02:00 P.M.), at Pio del Pilar Conference Room, 21st floor, New Makati City Hall Building, F. Zobel Street, Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City.

7.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the said address. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

The MAKATI CITY GOVERNMENT reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, or to reduce the corresponding ABC and Terms of Reference (TOR), without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please visit or contact: BAC SECRETARIAT OFFICE Makati City Government 9th Floor, New Makati City Hall Building F. Zobel Street, Brgy.Poblacion, Makati City Tel. No. 870-1000 loc. 1331; Fax No. 899-8988 website: www.makati.gov.ph (SGD.) Atty. ELENO M. MENDOZA, JR. Chairman

(TNS-MAR. 10, 2015)

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Women ‘rule’ House session

By Maricel V. Cruz GARBED in Filipiniana fashion, women lawmakers on Monday dominated the House of Representatives as they attended in full force in presiding over the all-women session held by the House to celebrate National Women’s Day.

House Independent Minority Bloc leader and Leyte (1st Dist) Rep.Ferdinand Martin “FM” Romualdez (2nd from right) poses with 101 year-old former Lady Senator Helena Benitez (seated on wheelchair) during the plenary of the House of Representatives. Benitez was conferred with a commendation for her role in uplifting the status of women in the Philippines. VER NOVENO

SC shifts from strict to ‘liberal’ in nullifying unions

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has shifted from its usual “strict and literal” to “liberal” interpretation of a provision in the Family Code pertaining to the issue of psychological incapacity as a ground for seeking nullity of marriage.

In a 25-page decision written by Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin, the SC Special First Division said that it had set some guidelines for the interpreta-

Standard

tion and application of Article 36 of the Family Code that “have turned out to be rigid, such that their application to every instance practically condemned the petitions for declaration of nullity to the fate of certain rejection.”

But the high court said such provision should not “so strictly and too literally” applied.

Article 36 provides that “a marriage contracted by any party who, at the time of the celebration, was psychologically

incapacitated to comply with the essential marital obligations of marriage, shall likewise be void even if such incapacity becomes manifest only after its solemnization.”

Psychological incapacity under Article 36 refers to a serious psychological illness afflicting a party even prior to the celebration of the marriage that is permanent as to deprive the party of the awareness of the duties and responsibilities of the matrimonial bond he or she was about to assume.

“Women power is well and alive in Congress”, said Pangasinan Rep. Gina de Venecia, who served as the official House Speaker for the day.

De Venecia is the President of the 79-strong Association of Women Legislators Foundation, Inc. (AWLFI), composed of all the women lawmakers at the House.

“Ours is a matriarchal nation, that’s why the gender gap here is slim, as evidenced by the number of female leaders who hold positions of power in practically all spheres of society—from the judiciary, the Cabinet, the business sector and even the military. And while the women lawmakers at 79 is but a third fraction of the entire House membership, “women legislators are on par with our male counterparts, in terms of lawmaking competence,” De Venecia said.

Several women lawmakers took turns conveying their messages in the celebration of the women’s month through privilege speeches tackling issues on women during the all-women session.

Zamboanga Sibugay Rep. Ann Hofer stressed the “the Power of the Feminine, to care, to love, to nurture, to listen, to be quiet, to nourish the soul and, consequently, to create harmony and peace.”

Pangasinan Rep. Rose Marie Arenas talked about armed conflict; Batangas Rep. Elenita Milagros ErmitaBuhain on entrepreneurship; Gabriela party-list Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan on the plight of women workers; Masbate Rep. Elisa Kho on pioneering women in medical practice; Gabriela party-list Rep. Emmi de Jesus on the women’s voices for truth and accountability; Bulacan Rep. Linabelle Ruth Villarica on the fundamental equality between men and women by Rep. Linabelle Ruth Villarica and Batanes Rep. Henedina Abad on paying tribute to women as peacebuilders.

Another highlight of the all-women session was the presentation of a House commendation honoring Dr. Helena Zoila Benitez, whom De Venecia describes as “a woman of many firsts.”

De Venecia, wife of former Speaker Jose de Venecia, authored House Resolution 1956, which honored Benitez as first Filipina, the first Asian, and the first woman international academic and legislative leader inducted into the Democracy Hall of Fame International in 2003.

CYAN MAGENTA YELL

Manila

TODAY Republic of the Philippines

‘Govt paved 2,184 kilometers Cordillera roads in last 3 years’

Department of Transportation and Communications

TOLL REGULATORY BOARD

2/F Integrated Bar of the Phils. Bldg., Dona Julia Vargas Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City

By Dexter A. See

NOTICE OF TOLL RATE IMPLEMENTATION (TARLAC-PANGASINAN-LA UNION EXPRESSWAY) In accordance with the Toll Concession Agreement by and among the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Toll Regulatory Board and Private Infra Dev Corporation, the following pre-accepted toll rates, inclusive of VAT, are hereby approved for implementation starting on March 17,2015 at 12:01 a.m.

TARLAC-PANGASINAN-LA UNION EXPRESSWAY (TPLEX) La Paz to Urdaneta Proposed Toll Rates (VAT Inclusive) Class 1: Cars and jeepneys, including taxis, vans, pick-ups, etc. or vehicles with 2 axles and an overall height of up to 7 feet

ENTRY/EXIT La Paz Victoria Gerona Panigui Moncada Carmen Urdaneta

La Paz 30.00 58.00 79.00 99.00 164.00 216.00

Victoria 28.00 49.00 69.00 134.00 186.00

Gerona

21.00 41.00 106.00 158.00

Paniqui

20.00 85.00 137.00

Moncada

65.00 117.00

Carmen

Urdaneta

52.00

Class 2: Buses and trucks with 2 axles and a height of more than 7 feet; light vehicles with more than 2 axles and a height of up to 7 feet (vehicles with trailers)

ENTRY/EXIT La Paz Victoria Gerona Panigui Moncada Carmen Urdaneta

La Paz 76.00 145.00 197.00 247.00 410.00 540.00

Victoria 70.00 122.00 171.00 334.00 464.00

Gerona

52.00 102.00 264.00 394.00

Paniqui

50.00 213.00 343.00

Moncada

163.00 293.00

Carmen

Urdaneta

130.00

CIass 3 : T rucks with 3 or more axles and a height greater than 7 feet

ENTRY/EXIT La Paz Victoria Gerona Panigui Moncada Carmen Urdaneta

La Paz 91.00 175.00 237.00 296.00 492.00 648.00

Victoria 84.00 146.00 206.00 401.00 557.00

Gerona

62.00 122.00 317.00 473.00

Paniqui

60.00 255.00 411.00

Moncada

195.00 351.00

Carmen

Urdaneta

156.00

Any interested expressway user shall have the right to file, within a period of ninety (90) days from the date of the first publication of this notice, a petition for review with the TRB at the 2nd Floor, Integrated Bar of the Philippines Building, Dona Julia Vargas Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

By Authority of the Board: (Sgd.) ATTY. EDMUNDO O. REYES, JR. Executive Director (MST-FEB. 24, MAR. 3 & 10, 2015)

BAGUIO CITY—More than eighty five percent of some 2,184.60 kilometers of unpaved national roads in the different parts of the Cordillera were paved over the past three years following the infusion of around 16.4 billion from the national government.

Engr. Edilberto P. Carabbacan, regional director of the Cordillera office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-CAR), said only 41.75 percent of the region’s national roads has been paved at the end of 2011 before the national government infused substantial funds to rehabilitate all national roads nationwide to enhance inter-municipalinter-provincial and inter-regional connectivity which will translate to economic growth in the countryside.

“The region’s ecotourism industry will be the primary beneficiary of paved roads because it would now be easier to travel to various tourist destinations around the region in just a few hours instead of the previous days of travel just to reach the desired destinations of foreign and domestic tourists,” Carabbacan said.

From only P3.3 billion allocation for the paving of national roads in the

region in 2012, the funding doubled in 2013 to P6.74 billion before it slightly dropped to P6.4 billion last year.

Earlier, President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III has committed that all national roads and 80 percent of the country’s secondary arterial roads will be concreted when he steps down from power by the middle of 2016.

Carabbacan said the remaining 15 percent of unpaved national roads in different parts of the region will be rehabilitated within the projected deadline by the middle of 2016 while those that will not be paved are the secondary national arterial roads which will be programmed for concreting in the coming years.

Carrabacan said all the programmed projects along various national roads in the region were completed last year while they were able to bid out some of the programmed projects this year so that contractors will be able to implement their concreting works during the summer months.

He said that they have made it a priority to rehabilitate national roads and secondary arterial roads based on the criteria of the central office’s highway development and modernization program established during the first two years of the Aquino administration.

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IN BRIEF Zambo mayor, others charged with graft

ZAMBALES Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. (right) is this year’s recipient of the highly-coveted Cavalier Award for Public Administration of the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association Inc. during the recent 116th founding anniversary of the PMA held in Fort Del Pilar, Baguio City. Ebdane was chosen as one of the 2015 Cavalier Awardees for his outstanding achievements, professionalism, exemplary leadership and dedication to public service in the last five years.

Stop fanning flames of hatred—ex-SAF chief ZAMBALES Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., former Special Action Force chief, on Monday urged the people not to fan the flames of hatred and anguish of the families of the fallen 44 SAF commandos, who died in an encounter with combined forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25.

He appealed to everyone to respect the already

burdened families of the victims who are still

mourning and waiting for justice.

“Avoid fanning the flames of hate since anger will not do any good. We need to take their hatred out,” Ebdane said.

The anger as a result of the Mamasapano clash could also inflame more violence and mistrust. We must manage to draw concrete solution seriously, instead of making the situation worse,” he added.

“Let us look for collective solutions instead of fault finding and finger pointing. It is high time to set aside partisan politics so we can focus and attend to the problem with the right frame of mind. Remember that our omission today will be burden to our succeeding generations.” Ebdane said.

Ebdane also called for sobriety and unity as all await the full report on the

probe. The rule of law must govern and that justice must be dispensed where it is due, he noted.

Ebdane served as PC SAF (August 1989 to 1991), CPNP (July 2002 to August 2004 and as National Security Adviser/ DG National Security Council (August 2004 to February 2005) and later as Secretary of the Public Works and Highways and Secretary of National Defense.

Benguet lad tops PMA ‘Sinaglahi’ Class of 2015

By Dexter A. See FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City— The son of a government forester from Buguias, Benguet and a housewife from Bgy. Loakan emerged as this year’s top-notcher of the 171-member Sundalong Isinilang na may Angking Galing at Lakas na Handang Ipaglaban ang Bayan (Sinag Lahi) Class 2015 of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

Cadet First Class Arwi Chiday Martinez, 21, who will also graduate as cum laude of his class, is set to receive the Presidential Saber from President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III during the Academy’s graduation ceremonies on Sunday, March 15, at the Borromeo grounds.

Lt. Gen. Oscar Lopez, PMA Superintendent, said this year’s graduating class is composed of 155 males and 16 females with 82 males and seven females joining the Philippine Army, 39 males and six females joining the Philippine Navy and 31 males and three females joining the Philippine Air Force.

“It’s a dream come true to be graduating as a military officer but it’s a bonus for me to be graduating as the class valedictorian,” Martinez said.

The new 2nd Lieutenant of the Philippine Army is the fourth of five children of the Martinez couple. His elder brother Dale is an employee of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), another brother, Alen is boarding a ship after gradu-

ating from the Bataan-based Maritime Academy of the Philippines (MAAP), older sister Kaye is taking up law at the Baguio-based University of the Cordilleras (UC) while his younger brother Rhye is taking up electronics and communications engineering at the St. Louis University (SLU).

“I offer my success to our Almighty Father who guided me through the years until this momentous occasion in my life,” Martinez said.

Martinez said he had wanted to enroll in the Academy while he was still in high school at the Baguio City National High School (BCNHS) Loakan Annex but he was not yet qualified even after graduating since

he was still 16 years old then, He initially took an electronics and communications engineering course in SLU as he awaits for his being qualified to take up the PMA entrance examination.

Dancio Martinez, Arwi’s father, said his family did not object to his son’s plans of entering the PMA as he reminded him that all what he will do should be dedicated to God and that he will always seek God’s guidance in all his undertakings inside the institution.

“We allowed him to choose his profession because we know that he was in the best position to decide on what will be the best for him and his family in the future,” the older Martinez said.

THE Office of the Ombudsman on Monday ordered the filing of graft charges against a municipal mayor from Zamboanga Sibugay and several other officials in connection with the alleged anomalous purchase of heavy equipment in 2007 even as it exonerated several others.

Charged for violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) are Nagatown Mayor Gemma Adana, Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) members Roland Grijalvo, Felix Timsan, Emmanuel Enteria and Jonathan Cartagena. They reportedly facilitated the irregular procurement of heavy equipment from CVCK Trading in 2007.

The Ombudsman said Adana and the BAC members committed procurement violations in the acquisition of a road roller and road grader by changing the technical specifications of the equipment without complying with the requirements of Republic Act No. 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act).

There was also no showing that the price of CVCK Trading was the most beneficial for the local government. Nelson Flores

Int’l, local mission set in Caraga BUTUAN CITY—International, national and local human rights mission dubbed ‘Balit Mission” initiated by multi-sectoral civil and religious groups in Mindanao and in Caraga Region visited on Monday and will stay two days and one night with displaced indigenous people now staying at an evacuation center in Balit, San Luis, Agusan del Sur. The mission, along with multisectoral and religious groups in the region like lumad group KASALO, Kalumaran, Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) church leaders and members, Northern Mindanao Religious and Bishops’’ Ecumenical Forum, left Butuan City at around 7 a.m. to Balit, San Luis, Agusan del Sur. Alvin T. Guanzon

Central Luzon tourism got boost in 2014 CITY OF SAN FERNANDO— About 3.1 million domestic visitors have been recorded by Department of Tourism to have visited Central Luzon, posting 21 percent increase as compared to 2.7 million in 2013, a top regional official said Monday.

DOT3 Director Ronnie Tiotuico attributed the increase of domestic guests in Central Luzon to significant developments in Clark and Subic Freeport and other places of interest.

“The arrival figures are based on monthly survey reports submitted by accommodation establishments in the region,” said Tiotuico.

Of the total arrivals, Tiotuico said Chinese nationals represented the biggest number among foreign visitors at 390,431 while the number of Americans visitors reached 95,737; Koreans 55,692; and Singaporeans 31,200. Jess Malabanan

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OPINION [ EDI TORI A L ]

NOT KNOWING ONE year after the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, the loved ones of those on board and the general flying public have not come any closer to answers.

The Boeing 777 disappeared last year as it flew a routine, red-eye flight from Malaysia to China. Initial reports say it veered away from its flight path and could have ended somewhere in the Southern Indian Ocean, off the west coast of Australia.

To commemorate the one-year mark, families of the 239 passengers and crew held vigils in Kuala Lumpur and Beijing, where the plane was supposed to land, and expressed their frustration that the only new information available is that the battery of the black box locator beacon had expired.

Even the Chinese authorities,normally averse to any form of protest, allowed the families some room to vent their anger at the Malaysian Embassy. It is widely believed that Malaysian officials mishandled the tragedy involving the national carrier.

Who would not empathize with those who are screaming for a basic answer – what exactly happened, and why?

Here at home, for instance, the loved ones of the 44 policemen who perished in January while trying to serve an arrest warrant on a Malaysian terrorist are also desperate for answers. Why did their husbands, sons, brothers have to die and who is ultimately responsible for their deaths?

Several bodies have launched probes into the matter, and the public is expecting at least a couple of reports anytime soon. However, suspicion is rife that there will be attempts to cover up the results of the probes, veering the focus away from the President’s willful violation of the law in entrusting a sensitive operation to a suspended police chief, his prior knowledge of tactical information and decisions directly resulting in the failure of the military to provide timely help.

That, or the President himself may be sabotaging the probe he says would shed light on the matter.

The Philippine National Police’s Board of Inquiry has failed to get a statement from the President on his role in Mamasapano. With such stonewalling from Mr. Aquino, how can we expect the BOI to come up with a fair and legitimate assessment of what happened?

Who knows, indeed, exactly what happened that Sunday in an open field in Maguindanao, and who knows what took place within the walls of rooms where Oplan Exodus was hatched and planned?

It is likely we will never completely find out.

There is an absence of answers, sometimes because nobody really knows where to look and everybody is stumped. In other cases, it is because the answers are there and they are far too dangerous, too inconvenient to deal with, that they have to be suppressed.

Either way, not knowing is excruciating.

NOYNOY’S DRIVE-BY LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES THE retired and activeduty police officers who joined Sunday’s march for the “Fallen 44” are veterans of the service, with probably thousands of years of collective experience in police and investigative work between them. So when they say that President Noynoy Aquino drove by the rally early in the morning as it was gather-

ing outside the national police headquarters in Camp Crame, you know that they aren’t just talking through their policemen’s hats.

And that’s exactly what they said – that Aquino, in a small, unmarked convoy of vehicles, personally drove by the rally as it was assembling on Edsa. Twice.

Of course, Aquino or anyone else has the right to ogle a rally that is, at its most basic, a call for public attention. And the President, with his well-known jones for pretending to be

some super covert operative or “control,” as undercover Cold War agents used to call their field supervisor, is just the sort of person who will pull off a John Le Carre stunt like that.

Pity Aquino didn’t order his driver to stop and didn’t roll down his window to talk to the retired and activeduty cops who joined the march in sympathy for their 44 slain colleagues in the Special Action Force. What if he had talked to the rallyists, told them that he sympathized with the search for justice and truth for what happened in Mamasapano and asked what he could do

What if he had talked to the rallyists, told them that he sympathized and asked what he could do to help?

to help them in their cause?

Silly me. If he did that, he wouldn’t be Noynoy Aquino.

What Aquino’s incognito

drive-by at the rally assembly point shows is the growing paranoia of the President. Not only did he cause the permits already granted

by Camp Crame, the Metro Manila Development Authority and the Quezon City government to be revoked, he had to see for himself that his handiwork of suppressing a mass action that was not even against him, per se, had thinned the number of the rallyists.

You can cite the statements of any number of Malacanang spokesmen saying that the palace had no hand in the revocation of the permits. But not even

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

adellechua@gmail.com

A9

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA

IMPROVING THE BANGSAMORO BASIC LAW

the most Yellow of Aquino’s defenders are convinced that such a simultaneous, concerted action to withdraw the permits already given to the Philippine National Police Academy Alumni Association (which organized the rally) did not have Malacanang’s heavy-handed fingerprints all over it.

Aquino just had to see for himself that he was not in dire danger of being ousted last Sunday. And I guess he came away convinced,

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more than ever before, that he needn’t apologize or even accept responsibility for what happened in that cornfield in Barangay Tukanalipao hundreds of kilometers away. *** Yesterday, President Aquino was “prayed over” by a group of sympathetic religious leaders. None of the pastors who gave their blessing to Aquino, unfortunately, represented flocks that have significant

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numbers in this outwardly religious nation.

There was no representative from the Catholic Church, the Iglesia Ni Cristo or even the Muslims. And I have no doubt whatsoever that if Aquino had asked the Catholic and INC hierarchies and the Muslim imams, they would have gladly attended the prayer session at Malacanang Palace.

Continued on A11

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LET me declare at the outset that I support the creation of a Bangsamoro autonomous region. Its establishment is certainly allowed by the 1987 Constitution. More fundamentally, a Bangsamoro government armed with real powers, making it superior to the current Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) that is autonomous only in name, is a critical foundation to permanent peace in the island I was born and raised in. Being a long-time advocate of federalism and the parliamentary system of government, I am also glad that the Bangsamoro has features from these better modes of governance. Indeed, in many ways, the Philippines as a whole will benefit from the experience of the Bangsamoro.

Unfortunately, good governance requires not just making good choices. As I always remind my students, doing the right thing the right way is just as important. Unfortunately, although creating the Bangsamoro is the right thing, the way it is proposed to be established— through the current draft of its enabling law, the Bangsamoro Basic Law—might be the wrong way of proceeding.

Even before Mamasapano, I pointed out that the draft BBL contains provisions that are novel and susceptible to an interpretation that what is being created is a federal state and not an autonomous region. Before Mamasapano, I hedged in my predictions about how the Supreme Court would decide on the case given what I thought was strong political support for and public consensus in moving the peace process forward. The inclusive hearings of the Senate, under the leadership of Senator Bongbong Marcos, and the House of Representatives, led by an energetic and brilliant Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, also bode well for the BBL. In my mind, if the law was enacted by wide margins and muted criticism, the Supreme Court might hesitate to intervene on the basis that this was a political question that the other, more political, branches had settled and that the people, in a plebiscite, should rightly decide. In addition, after the satisfactory resolution in his favor of the motion for reconsideration in the DAP case; the President seemed to be in a strong position vis-à-vis the Supreme Court.

But then came Mamasapano. The political support for the BBL has eroded, the public consensus has dissipated, and the President has been politically weakened. I have no doubt now that the Supreme Court will decide a case involving the BBL on the basis of the constitutionality of the legal text and will not be persuaded by a political question defense. The fact that constitutional giants—former Justices Vicente Mendoza and Florentino Feliciano—have opined Continued on A11 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 J. Mendez Art Director Leo A. Estonilo Senior Deskman Roberto Cabrera Chief Romel J. Mendez ArtPhotographer Director Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

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OPINION adellechua@gmail.com

AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM BY tradition, the Manila Overseas Press Club, the EMIL P. oldest press orJURADO ganization in the country having been founded by foreign news correspondents who covered the Liberation of the Philippines in 1946, designates one evening a year as President’s Night. The incumbent president is guest of honor and speaker.

For the past five years that President Aquino has been in office, he has gone on record that he does not honor the occasion. In fact, Mr. Aquino is the first President to refuse to appear at the MOPC. Why? In many instances since President Aquino assumed office, MOPC president Babe Romualdez has gone to Malacanang to invite Mr. Aquino to grace the occasion. The President has consistently refused. According to Romualdez, President Aquino said he would never appear, much less speak, at the MPOC President’s Night “so long as Emil Jurado is there.”

Up to this date, I keep wondering what the President has against me. I have even, for the sake of the MOPC, offered my resignation as Chairman Emeritus. The Board of Governors rejected it.

MOPC has thus given up on trying to get President Aquino as guest speaker.

I admit I have been critical of the Aquino administration, but my criticism is nothing personal. I simply believe that Mr. Aquino is not fit for the job because of his lackluster record as congressman and senator for many years.

I also believe, as many others do, that it was only the outpouring of sympathy for this mother’s demise that catapulted him to the highest office of the land.

But, Santa Banana, a President should have the magnanimity to acknowledge that in a democracy, there must be assent and dissent.

For a while I thought I was the only columnist criticizing the Aquino administration. But now, almost everybody in the opinion pages is doing it.

That’s at least some consolation that I have been right all along. *** It has been 45 days since the Fallen 44 were slaughtered in Mamasapano, Maguindanao by a combined force of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and its supposed breakaway group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. Sadly, the grieving families are nowhere close to finding truth, justice and accountability.

There are no less than eight investigations going at the same time.

The Senate, for one, has had hearings and executive sessions. It still has to make public its committee report.

We have also yet to see President Aquino admit his role in Oplan Exodus that resulted in the deaths of the police commandos. Now Malacanang is vowing that nobody will be spared in the search for justice.

The PNP Board of Inquiry has submitted its findings to the President. Certainly, the President will never own responsibility and accountability for the botched operation. The men were killed because military reinforcement did not come on time.

The MILF for his part had its own investigation, but would it accept fault?

What the Philippine government should be concerned about is why the MILF is submiting its

TO THE POINT

BEYOND HIGH HEELS TO express solidarity with women, a number of men BONG C. walked in high AUSTERO heels last Friday, March 6, in various parades held in the cities of Quezon, Cebu, Davao and in La Trinidad, Benguet. This was the second year that the activity called “In Her Shoes” was held in this country (similar campaigns have been held in other countries), but the presence of actor Dingdong Dantes this year provided publicity mileage; most media networks picked the story and the picture of Dantes and his group of men walking precariously on high heels became viral over the weekend. Sadly, celebrity is a doubleedged sword. On one hand, Dantes called attention to what could have been a ho-humm event.

On the other hand, the focus became Dantes and his high heels rather than the cause.

But if the success of this year’s parade is any indication, we can already see what succeeding parades will look like—more actors and politicians lending their celebrity status to the campaign.

It will be fun, but am not sure it will be good or right.

The sight of bulky men trying to balance themselves and walk confidently in stiletto shoes can be cute. Unfortunately though, the campaign also offers quite a number of possible pitfalls that can be counterproductive in the long run. The key is to make sure that the advocacy does not get lost in the hoopla.

First of all, high heels may be closely identified with women and may be a good metaphor for empathy and for the delicate roles that women try to balance every day of their lives. But it’s also a symbol of oppression for many women so I am not sure that we want to reinforce the idea that a woman is defined by her Manolo Blahniks. A lady friend of mine told me there are just too many anti-women norms and standards of beauty that continue to be perpetuated such as that bit about how heels make a woman look sexier or her legs look more shapely. Why should such standards prevail, anyway?

And then there’s that other thin line that the organizers must work very hard not to breach —the possibility of the whole campaign being

ARE WE THERE YET?

turned into a caricature of gays and transgenders.

There’s a staple image in Filipino movies that many directors continue to pass off as comedy: Ridiculous-looking bulky macho men in drag, wearing makeup, and shod in killer high heels.

Let’s hope “In her shoes” does not degenerate into a joke because equality for women is such a crucial advocacy to be made fun of.

It’s difficult to be a woman, particularly in a culture such as ours. Sure, Filipino women have more options available to them now; they can vote and run for office, pursue careers, and express themselves sexually—at least most of the time. But there’s still a lot of institutionalized barriers and gender bias against women even in a country that has already elected two women Presidents and produced a female Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. When Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago gets mad at the Senate, she is called hysterical but when Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Antonio Trillanes do a dumbed down version of the same, they are called fighters.

Working mothers are still expected to take care of the home and their children—even if they earn more than their husbands. My mother was a public schoolteacher during the day but she also had to cook our meals, prepare our baon, supervise our homework, clean the house, do the laundry, etc. She would go to bed late and wake up very early. Far too many women still live lives similar to that of my own mother.

And yes, women are still largely penalized for having a womb. Most women carry the full burden of pregnancies, often left to fend for themselves. Even more tragically, there are people in the world—many of them supposedly spiritual and moral—who continue to champion moves to deny women the right to information, access to support, and decision-making on something as basic as women’s reproductive health. And lest we forget, there are still companies that deny employment to women on account of pregnancy or because they are unwed mothers.

So yes, we must try harder to provide equality to women. We certainly can begin by having more empathy for their situation. But we have to go beyond tawdry campaigns that oversimplify the issues and reduce them to a cute image.

*** findings to the Malaysian govI have been wondering how ernment, not to the Philippine peace will ever be achieved in government. Again the duplicity Mindanao, with so many groups We have to accept of the MILF shows. breaking away from the MILF. And to think that governthe fact that President I know the culture and hisment peace negotiators Miriam tory of the Moros in Mindanao.

Coronel Ferrer and presidenAquino will never They may seem to be fighting tial peace adviser Teresita Deles each other, but when the govacknowledge any have been lawyering for the ernment comes in, the Moros Moro rebels if only to say that get together and unite against they are doing their job. Santa wrongdoing on his part. the government.

Banana, that’s enough proof Historically, the Moros were that Ferrer and Deles are selling never colonized, not by the Spaniards, not by the Americans the country down the river, and and not by the Japanese. Since time immemorial, the should be fired, pronto.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, for her part, is Maranaos in Lanao have been fighting the Maguinnow threatening those demanding the resignation danoans, and in turn, the Maguindanaoaons have of President Aquino. They can be guilty of sedition been fighting the Tausogs of Basilan and Sulu who they consider pirates. Why do you think the MILF or rebellion, she says. broke away from Nur Misuari’s MNLF? It’s because Since President Aquino will never admit any the Maguindanaoans have always been at war with wrongdoing on his part, we may as well accept the the Tausogs. fact that justice will never come unless and until I cannot understand why President Aquino is we have a truly independent Truth Commission. hell-bent on having the BBL enacted by June 11 at This may be the worst legacy that any President the latest. Is this really just to have something to say has left. in his last State of the Nation Address?

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

adellechua@gmail.com

SOMETHING’S COOKING AT IMMIGRATION AND THE PNP

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) is a government agency often associated with graft and anomalies. Some BI officials protect aliens instead of the public interest. Big money is usually involved.

Over a decade ago, several Indian nationals who were detained at the BI for violating Philippine laws were allowed to leave the country without proper clearance. That incident came to be known as the “Ten Little Indians” caper. Today, there seems to be something cooking again in the BI. Philippine law prohibits aliens from getting a firearm license during their stay in the country. A violation of this law is considered malum prohibitum, which means that good faith and the lack of criminal intent are not valid defenses in the event the alien is prosecuted for crime.

All applications for a firearm license must be under oath. Thus, an applicant who makes a false statement in his application form is criminally liable for perjury.

Aliens must obey Philippine laws as long as they are here. Ignorance of the law excuses no one, aliens included, from complying with the law.

The jurisprudence in this area of law provides that an alien who misrepresents himself as a Filipino citizen, or who commits perjury, shall be considered an undesirable alien, and shall be deported by immigration authorities. After all, an alien’s stay in the country is not a matter of right but a mere privilege.

Last year, a lawyer filed a deportation complaint with the BI alleging that sever-

Improving.. From A9 that the current draft of the BBL is unconstitutional will likely have a major influence on the thinking of the Court. And while the former members of the 1987 Constitution (including another constitutional scholar, former Justice Adolfo Azcuna) have come out to support the BBL, their statement is an expression of political support and is silent on the legal issues.

A difficult pill it might be for peace advocates to swallow, but we must follow the famous Maoist adage of taking two steps forward and one step backward (n an earlier article, I mistakenly reversed Mao’s words) to attain peace. It is irresponsible to push the the draft BBL, knowing that it has a big chance of being declared unconstitutional by a Supreme Court that is likely going to be strict constructionist in its approach.

It is also important to remember that in such a case, not only the BBL is at stake; from what I know, the petitions questioning the constitutionality of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) are still pending and could be consolidated with petitions questioning the BBL. The peace process can recover from a delay in a BBL enacted even after the Aquino administration, indeed even from a finding of unconstitutionality of such a law: what would be very difficult to surmount would be the declaration of unconstitutionality of the CAB. That will effectively kill the peace process and a miracle would be needed for its revival.

How then should we move forward to improve the BBL? Below is the ap-

A11

al years ago, a wealthy American citizen applied for firearms licenses and permits to carry them outside his residence, and that this alien misrepresented himself as a Filipino citizen in his applications made under oath. He also asserted that the alien was guilty of multiple counts of perjury for his numerous perjured applications and renewals for firearms licenses and for permits to carry firearms outside his residence.

In support of his complaint, the lawyer cited the jurisprudence quoted in a book on immigration laws written by incumbent BI Commissioner Ronaldo Ledesma. The lawyer said Ledesma’s book was being sold at the BI to lawyers handling cases there.

For his part, the alien admitted his American citizenship but pleaded good faith, saying that a broker prepared his application forms and he merely signed them without reading their contents.

This alien added that when he discovered that he is not allowed by Philippine law to possess firearms in the country, he transferred his firearms to his wife, who happens to be a Filipino citizen.

The arguments of the alien are not in accord with Philippine law. When the owner of a firearm is not qualified to own one in the first place, his claim of ownership is void. Being void, he cannot transfer any right of ownership to anybody else. The same rule applies to firearms licenses. When the grantee of a firearms license is not qualified for such a license in the first place, the license is void and the grantee cannot transfer the license to anybody else.

proach I would suggest to Congress.

While most legal concepts in the current draft are defensible, the legal language should be improved as many of the terms used can be subject to misinterpretation. Understandably, the agreed text between the government and the MILF includes vague words and phrases, as they had to mask differences through compromise language. But you cannot have that in a law enacted by Congress, as that would leave its interpretation to critics and to a conservative Supreme Court. Congressional intent must be very clear so there is no room for distortion or misinterpretation.

Congress must start with the clarity that the Bangsamoro is nothing less and nothing more than the autonomous region allowed by the 1987 Constitution for Muslim Mindanao and the Cordilleras. It is not a federal state, as we do not have a federal system; it is certainly not an independent state. For this purpose, Congress may add a section on definition of terms which will make it clear what the Bangmoro is and what it is not.

For example, the asymmetrical relationship with the central government (which is mentioned but not defined n the draft BBL), should be explicitly defined as meaning that the Bangsamoro is of a different level than other local governments and has more powers than them, but these powers do not make the Bangsamoro equal to the state because in fact it is part of the state. The phrase “exclusive powers” for the Bangsamoro, an agreed political term but is meaningless legally because a local or autonomous regional government unit can never have ex-

Eventually, the Board of Commissioners of the BI composed of Siegfred Mison, Ronaldo Ledesma, and Abdullah Mangotara accepted the alien’s claim of good faith and dismissed the deportation case.

The Board of Commissioners conveniently disregarded the undeniable fact on record that in the firearms applications submitted under oath by this alien, he stated therein that he is a Filipino citizen. The alien’s excuse that it was an error of his broker who processed the applications is immaterial; the alien signed the applications and they were under oath, which indicates that he was aware of its contents. By signing government forms and stating therein that he is a Filipino when in fact he is not, and submitting them under oath, this alien clearly committed perjury – a lawful ground for his deportation as an undesirable alien.

A big mystery relates to how and why Commissioner Ledesma disregarded what he himself wrote in his book on immigration law, and which was sold at the BI. The ruling of the Board of Commissioners sets a very dangerous precedent.

Because of it, aliens facing deportation charges for making false entries in any government form they filled up under oath can simply allege that “it was the fault of their broker” and that they merely signed the form without reading it.

Undoubtedly, this controversial ruling of the Board will encourage more irregularities in the already controversial BI. Since an alien’s stay in the Philippines is only a privilege granted by the State, all doubts arising from the legality

clusive powers in a unitary system, should be defined as devolved powers that Congress merely delegates to the Bangsamoro. The Bangsamoro judicial, elections, audit, and security force systems should all be defined as subordinate and integrated into the national system; regional offices with enhanced powers that Congress is allowed to do.

Indigenous peoples rights should be spelled out and the application and non-derogation of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act should be guaranteed.

Finally, while most potentially unconstitutional provisions in the current draft can be revised, the provisions on how geographic units such as municipalities and barangays, distinguished from the larger units of cities and provinces that they currently belong, must be amended to include ratification by the larger units and not just the included municipalities and barangays. There is no flexibility around this issue because the Constitution is quite clear that local government units cannot be merged, divided, abolished, etc., without the participation of all those units that will be affected by the change. That is not inconsistent with the constitutional provision allowing geographic units to join the autonomous region.

A constitutional BBL, faithful to the CAB, is doable. But everyone involved in its crafting must not be wedded to particular words or phrases. Both legal rigor and imagination, with enormous good will, from everyone is imperative to get this done.

Facebook page: Dean Tony La Vina Twitter: tonylav

of his stay must be resolved against him.

This inevitably means that an alien has the burden of proving that he is entitled to stay in the country. The ruling of the Board of Commissioners favoring the alien contravenes these legal doctrines.

Undoubtedly, the jurisprudence warrants the deportation of this alien, but it seems that the officials comprising the Board of Commissioners of the BI are not abreast of jurisprudence. As a result, Philippine immigration laws are violated with impunity, and the public interest is unduly compromised.

It is not surprising, therefore, that the lawyer who exposed this incident is considering pursuing anti-graft charges against those who, according to him, dare make a mockery of the law.

The anomaly does not end there.

Back in 2014, the lawyer wrote 24 letters to Secretary Mar Roxas of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima, all reporting the alien’s activities. The months have passed and the DILG and the PNP have not acted on the matter. Perhaps Roxas and Purisima are still busy formulating excuses for the January 2015 massacre of 44 elite policemen in the hands of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Maguindanao.

By the way, the lawyer says that this alien won tens of millions dollars in a lottery abroad. This is one reason why the lawyer suspects that something is cooking in the BI and the PNP. Congress should do something about this.

Noynoy’s... From A8 The reason for this is simple: in the same manner that no one will claim to be “against peace,” no religious leader would deny saying prayers for anyone who requests them. It’s the job of a priest, INC minister and Muslim imam to pray – and I’m sure all of them will, if asked.

But I guess Aquino can always be relied upon to turn even a prayer meeting into a polarizing political statement. It is apparent that he will not even accept prayers from religious groups that he suspects of not supporting his administration.

And so, because some Catholic bishops have spoken out against him, he did not ask any of the prelates to pray over him. And because he has largely ignored the Muslim imams – whom he believes are against his peace initiative because they cooperated with the previous administration in crafting their own peace accord – there were no Islamic religious leaders at the palace yesterday, either.

And because Aquino has long been at odds with the INC (which supported his presidential bid in 2010, by the way), Aquino chose to invite Brother Daniel Razon of Ang Dating Daan to Malacanang.

For those unaware of contemporary Filipino religious controversies, ADD’s founder Brother Eli Soriano – who is now in Brazil in order to avoid being served a warrant for his arrest in the Philippines – is only the sworn enemy of the INC. (Of course, the organizer of the prayer session, Brother Eddie Villanueva, is nothing if not political. The two-time losing presidential candidate and leader of the Jesus is Lord movement even accused Aquino of cheating him in the 2010 elections – until he made his peace with the new President and wangled an appointment for his son Joel at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.)

I guess Aquino does need all the prayers he can get.

But by leaving out the leaders of the country’s major faiths from his pray-over session, he could have gotten even more divine intercession – something his polarizing politics prevented him from getting.

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A12

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Russell’s all-around show lifts Oklahoma

Top-scorer. Levi Hernan-

dez led the Foton Tornadoes, representing the province of Pampanga, in the ongoing Fil-sports Basketball Association to its second straight victory.

The Tornadoes easily beat Quezon City, bannered by the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 97-82, at the resumption of the regional league in Malolos, Bulacan. Hernandez top-scored with 30 points for Foton, which plays Antipolo on March 14 and will be looking for its third consecutive win.

OKLAHOMA CITY—Russell Westbrook earned his fifth triple double in his last six games to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 108-104 win over the struggling Toronto Raptors on Sunday.

Westbrook, who is playing with a protective mask because of a facial fracture, had 30 points, 17 assists and 11 rebounds for his seventh triple double of the National Basketball Association season.

He is the first player with at least 30 points, 11 rebounds and 17 assists in a game since Magic Johnson tallied 32 points, 11 rebounds and 20 assists in 1988.

Westbrook also joins Oscar Robertson as the only players to have at least 200 points, 50 rebounds and 50 assists over a five-game span.

And he did it Sunday without injured forward Kevin Durant. He credited his teammates with helping him reach another triple double.

“Guys are making shots,”

Promoter lauds Amnat’s trainers

Tañamor scores 1st-round KO

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

CONRADO Tanamor, the younger brother of boxing Olympian Harry Tanamor, is slowly following the footsteps of his older brother.

Tanamor, a native of Zamboanga City, has so far compiled a 6-0 (win-loss) record, the last an impressive first round KO of Jerry Baja in their non-title bout in the recent Golpe De Zamboangueno Boxing of the Kings Boxing Promotion held at the Zamboanga City Coliseum recently.

The boxing event, which featured six professional bouts, was supported by Sarangani Rep. Manny Pac-

INTERNATIONAL Boxing Federation flyweight champion Amnat Ruenroeng’s Thai promoter Jimmy Chaichotchuang praised trainer/ manager Aljoe Jaro and his brother Francisco Jaro for doing a great job in helping the Thai retain his title with a comfortable unanimous decision over the heavily hyped Zou Shiming of China in Macau last Saturday.

“It was a great fight. Even though the result upset China boxing fans, they still cheered Amnat after the fight.” Chaichotchuang said.

Ruenrong said he wants

quiao, Cerritos Mitsubishi, Metro Stonerich and ZC Kings Manpower.

With the win, the younger Tanamor has revived the hopes of his fellow Zamboaguenos of producing a national boxing champion if not a future world champion.

Tanamor displayed superb ring generalship and unleashed precise combinations against Baja, a noted heavy puncher and slugger in their 112-lbs, 6-round bout.

Kings Boxing Promotion head Rolando Navarro said that Tanamor is a very

promising young fighter, who has power on both hands, speed and good footwork.

“Despite having power in both hands, Tanamor knows how to use the ring with his effective foot work and hence not merely relying on his power punches.

This is the kind of boxer that have a strong potential to be a national champion and who knows even a world champ someday,” said Navarro, chief promoter of the Golpe de Zamboanga Boxing.

Vicente Cabalog, Officer-in-charge of the Games

and Amusement Zamboanga City said that Tanamor could soon become a name in the national boxing scene given the right opportunity and right promotion.

“He (Tanamor) is really a talented and highly skilled boxer. He possesses speed and power and good movements. All this boy needs is a proper break,” Cabalog said.

Tanamor, a member of the KINGS Boxing Stable, is scheduled to go to Manila next month to further undergo more training.

Westbrook said. “Guys put a lot of work in throughout the summer and throughout the year. My job is to find a way to get them easy shots and they are knocking them down.”

Enes Kanter finished with 21 points and 12 boards, while Serge Ibaka had 21 points and seven rebounds for the Thunder, who had dropped three of their last five games coming in.

DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points and nine assists and Terrence Ross scored 20 points for Toronto, which has lost eight of its last nine games.

In San Antonio, Tony Parker scored a seasonhigh 32 points to lead the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in a 116-105 win over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. AFP

to unify the championship and make more boxing history, raising questions about a mandatory defense against former IBF light flyweight champion Johnreil Casimero, who had earlier stepped aside so Zou Shiming could face the Thai for the title.

Filipino promoter Sammy Gello-ani, who partners with international promoter and matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz, told the New Standard/Viva Sports, that he would love to have Casimero face Ruenroeng in Manila, but would need the full support of a television network to make it happen.

Finchem says PGA will prosper even after Tiger steps away MIAMI—PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem says Tiger Woods’ legacy is on solid ground and the sport will continue to prosper even after the 14-time major winner eventually steps away for good.

Finchem said he doesn’t

know when Woods will play next but he compared Woods’ latest hiatus to Michael Jordan leaving the NBA to try his luck at professional baseball.

“The PGA TOUR is going to be fine,” Finchem said Sunday at the World Golf Championships-Ca-

dillac Championships.

“How concerned are we about him stepping away?

You know, it’s the same thing we had in 2012.

“We had it for a period of time in 2009 and 2010. It’s good news and bad news.

“I mean, it’s more bad news than good news be-

cause it’s like Michael Jordan stepping away to play baseball that year. He’s your No. 1 player. He’s the player that on balance fans want to watch play more than any other...

“But when you lose your No. 1 player, in a time when he’s still in an age where he

can really play if he can get back to that level; it’s not going to let you perform at the same level as you would with him.”

Woods announced on February 11 he would not return to competition until his game shows improvement. AFP

WOODS

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Members of the Los Tamaraos squad are shown after winning the Globalport Philippine Polo Open 2015 yesterday. They beat Tang Polo of China, 8-7.

Los Tamaraos emerge as PH polo champions SAVING his best for last, English pro Max Charlton put on a dazzling show as the Los Tamaraos pulled off a stirring 8-7 come-frombehind win over Tang Polo of China and ruled the Globalport Philippine Polo Open 2015 Sunday at the Makati field.

Inspired by the presence of his parents – Bob and Christine who arrived here last Friday – Charlton scored five goals, including the pressure-packed penalty in the last 20 seconds to complete the team’s dramatic comeback from a 3-1 deficit in the first chukker.

“We were not playing well in the first chukker, but in the next chukker we started to play with discipline,” said the 24-year-old eight-goaler. “But after adapting with my horse, everything

went well.”

“Max was spectacular today, he played so well,” said Globalport’s Mikee Romero, who bankrolled the blue-ribbon event for the third time.

“The level of competition is so high this time that’s why this year’s edition is another big success.”

The fourth chukker was rugged and tense, but the Los Tamaraos showed steely resolve as they repulsed Tang Polo’s last-ditch bid to snatch the win

before a huge crowd.

The three other goals by Los Tamaraos were produced by Cole Aguirre, including one that put them on top, 7-6, midway in the fourth.

Actually, Los Tamaraos, Kingpower of Thailand and defending champion San Miguel ended the Zone 2 elims with similar 1-1 records, but earned the right to play Tang Polo on account of their superior quotient.

They were beaten by Kingpower, 5-3, but their 9-4 win over San Miguel proved heavier in weight.

Globalport , which finished second in the Zone elims with a 1-1 card, and San Miguel shared third place.

Earlier, the Patron All-Star match between the Red and the

Green ended in a 3-3 standoff.

Argentinean seven-goaler Mariano Obregon scored all the three goals for the Greens, with the support of Globalport skipper Mikee Romero, Santi Juban, Manot Montilla.

Robin Lourvanij, only lady player in the tournament presented by Globalport, led the Red team along with Inigo Zobel, Antonio Veloso and Guillermo Cavanagh.

Obregon, who scored eight goals in Globalport Pilipinas’ two-game stint, including a 9-4 drubbing of Polo Escape of Thailand, scored on a nice tap that gave the Green team 3-2 lead with just 1:42 left.

But Veloso came to the Red’s rescue, tying the game with a gallant shot – thanks to an assist by Zobel.

UE honors its athletes in sports THE University of the East Manila will honor its finest student-athletes for their exemplary performance in national and international sport competitions at the 2015 Recognition Day today at 8:30 a.m. onwards at the UE Theater, 5th Floor, Dr. Francisco T. Dalupan Sr. Building., 2219 C. M. Recto Avenue, Manila.

Nathaniel M. Perez, a third-year BSBA-Financial Management student, College of Business Administration – UE Manila, will receive the Athlete of the Year award, for his second straight year. Perez won the coveted most valuable player award at the 77th UAAP season men’s fencing competition. He garnered four gold medals, including team foil, saber and epee, as well as individual foil, in the Fencing competition, men’s division. He was a bronze medalist in the individual epee. He was instrumental in winning three consecutive UAAP overall titles for UE in the men’s Fencing competition.

Andres, Feliciano win Prima tourney THE tandem of Janelle Anne Andres and Beatrice Felizardo and the pair of John Matthew Bernardo and Jervin Carlos outlasted their respective foes to win the juniors’ doubles’ titles of the eighth Prima Pasta Badminton Championships yesterday at the Powersmash Badminton Courts in Makati City.

Andres and Felizardo of Team JB won via walkover against Elloise Marie Canillo and Jeliene Geviane De Vera

of Whackers Badminton Academy in the final round to pocket the Under-19 girls’ doubles’ title of the competition, organized by Team Prima Chairman Alexander Lim. Bernardo and Carlos of MSI Jrs. subdued Arman Joseph Manlalangit and Cayel Pajarillo of UE-JLTC in the championship round, 21-15, 20-22, 22-20, to capture the boys’ Under-19 doubles’ crown in the annual event, which lured more than 2,000 partici-

pants.

Chanelle Lunod and Qianxi Orillaneda of MSI Jrs. outlasted Elloise Marie Canillo and Jeliene Geviane De Vera of Whackers Badminton Academy in the finals, 18-21, 21-11, 2115, to gain the Under-17 girls’ doubles’ title.

The competition is supported by Babolat and SMART Communications, through MVP Sports Foundation, Boysen Paints, Morning Star Milling, Mabz Builders, ILO Construc-

tion, Monolith Construction, Monocrete Construction, Pioneer Insurance, Promax, Regent Foods Corp., Vitwater, Unilever, Del Monte Fit N’ Right and powered by Forthright Events.

Kyle Justine Legaspi and Jason Vanzuela of BMTC-FEU FERN took home the crown in U-17 boys’ doubles division by dismantling Jourele Mark Antonio and Christian Tortole of Team JB in the finals, 21-15, 11-21, 21-14.

Podium placers, namely (starting second from left) first runners-up Elloise Marie Canillo and Jeliene Geviane, champions Janelle Anne Andres and Beatrice Felizardo, and second runners-up Macy Anne Salvado and Dennise Silva, and Mikaela Aquino and Joanna Alyssa San Pedro are shown with Prima Pasta Chairman Alex Lim (left) and Eric Sanchez of Bakerite (right).

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

J-Ro makes rare local appearance AFTER nearly two decades, two-time LPGA champion Jennifer Rosales gets to showcase her world-class form before local fans and against a crack international field as she headlines the $75,000 ICTSI Ladies Open which gets going tomorrow at Southlinks Golf Club in Las Piñas.

Rosales, on an early break from the LPGA Tour, signed up for the 54-hole tournament late Sunday, hopeful her presence would further boost the fledgling local ladies pro golf, which took off a couple of years ago with the staging of the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

“I’m very happy with the growth of women’s golf in the country and we have Mr. Ricky Razon to thank for that – for his all-out support to pro and amateur lady golfers,” said Rosales during a break in practice at Southlinks yesterday, referring to the ICTSI chairman and CEO. That makes the five-time Philippine Ladies Open winner the heavy favorite

for the crown and the top $15,000 purse in the event presented by Champion Infinity owing to her experience and class although a slew of foreign talents will be out to foil her bid as well as rest of the country’s local aces.

They include Dottie Ardina and Mia Piccio, who are also on a break on the Symetra Tour in the US, along with back-to-back LPGT Order of Merit winner Cyna Rodriguez, Jayvie Agojo, Chihiro Ikeda and ace amateur Princess Superal.

“In my small way I want to help boost women’s pro golf and at the same time thank him (Mr. Razon) for supporting me by playing in this first ICTSI Ladies Open,” said Rosales.

For fast ad results, please call Advertising Department

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

(TNS-MAR. 9/10/11/12/13, 2015)

Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

Roxas Boulevard Corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. Street Manila 1004

InvItatIon to BId for SUPPLY, dELIvErY, InStaLLatIon and ConfIGUratIon of It EQUIPMEnt 1.

The DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE (DOF), through the Government of the Philippines under the General Appropriations Act for CY 2015, intends to apply the sum of Two Million Seven Hundred Ninety Eight Thousand Pesos (PhP2,798,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Supply, Delivery, Installation and Configuration of IT Equipment (the “Project”).

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

2.

The DOF, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), now invites Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) registered contractors to apply for eligibility and to bid for the Supply, Delivery, Installation and Configuration of IT Equipment. Bidders should have completed, within three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project which is equivalent to at least fifty percent (50%) of the ABC for the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/ fail” criterion as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (R-IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. However, only those who have purchased the Bidding Documents shall be allowed to participate in the pre-bid conference and raise or submit written queries or clarifications.

4.

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.

5.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents at 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex, corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. St. Roxas Boulevard, Manila starting March 10, 2015 during office hours.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on March 10, 2015 at the General Services Division, 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex, corner Pablo Ocampo Sr. St., Roxas Blvd., Manila upon payment of a non-refundable fee provided as follows: Lot No. Particulars ABC Non-refundable fee 1 Laptop PhP1,800,000.00 PhP5,000.00 2 Computer, workstation, set PhP998,000.00 PhP1,000.00 The Bidding Documents may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the PhilGEPS and the website of the DOF, provided that the Bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

7.

The schedule of bidding activities is as follows: ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE Posting of Invitation to Bid March 10, 2015 Issuance and Availability of Bid Documents Starting March 10, 2015 Pre-Bid Conference March 17, 2015, 10:00 am Request for Clarification March 20, 2015 Issuance of Supplemental Bid Bulletin March 23, 2015 Deadline for Submission of Bids March 30, 2015, 9:45 am Opening of Bids March 30, 2015, 10:00 am Bids must be delivered at the address provided below on or before March 30, 2015, 9:45 am. The bidders shall drop their duly accomplished eligibility requirements, technical and financial proposals in two (2) separate envelopes in the bid box located at the abovementioned address. All the Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the Instructions to Bidders (ITB) Clause 18.

BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo, Sr. Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila Telephone No.: 526-8475 Telefax No.: 525-4227 Email Address: ltan@dof.gov.ph Bid opening shall be on the date indicated above at the DFG Conference Room, 4th Floor DOF Building.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend.

“LATE BIDS SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED.”

8.

The DOF reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids, 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: Lilia R. Tan, Head - BAC Secretariat Department of Finance BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo, Sr. Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila Telephone No.: 526-8475 Telefax No.: 525-4227 Email Address: ltan@dof.gov.ph

(TNS-Mar. 10, 2015)

(SGD.) GIL S. BELTRAN Undersecretary and DOF-BAC Chairman

Selma Star shines. Selma Star, skippered by Jesus Avecilla Jr. (third from left) and his son Zed, placed third overall in the recent twin sailing events--the Standard Insurance Subic to Boracay Race and the Boracay Cup Regatta 2015. The First 36.7 Distinction-designed Selma Star, with a Japanese crew, placed third behind EFG Mandrake of Hong Kong and Centennial II of Martin Tanco in the Racing Class 2 event. The crew poses with organizing committee vice chairman and Malabon Vice Mayor Jeannie Sandoval (second from left).

Agustines, Llamas share net honors YOUNG Nash Agustines and Tracy Llamas came away with two victories each in varying fashions as they dominated their respective sides in the Palawan PawnshopPalawan Express Pera Padala regional age group Mactan leg at the Mactan island Tennis Club, LapuLapu City, Cebu yesterday.

Agustines, one of the young aces from

Oroquieta, Ozamis City, smothered Claire Nocos, 4-1, 4-0, to pocket the 10-unisex crown then humbled Sebastien Lhuillier, 6-2, 6-1, in the semis before thwarting Harland Hoga, 6-0, 7-6(3), to snare the boys’ 12-and-under crown in the Group 2 tournament sponsored by the country’s leading pawnshop, remittance and claim center.

Llamas, on the other hand, hacked out a pair of three-setters to fuel her twin-title romp in the girls’ section, holding off Precious Coderos, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, in the premier 18-U finals and upending top seed Jennifer Pagente in a thriller, 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4, to steal the 14-U diadem in the five-day event sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by

president and Paranaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

“Given the exposure and proper training, Nash and Tracy, plus a number of promising young players, could make it to our future national pool,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro.

“Putting up this series of ranking tournament is in line with our all-out support to Philippine tennis.”

Tagalog 101 for Gilas coach Baldwin REY JOBLE

THE LINK

PUERTO PRINCESA—Among American basketball coaches who are based in the Philippines, nobody speaks the Tagalog dialect more fluently than Alex Compton.

Compton would give any other native a run for their money when it comes to speaking the dialect.

The Alaska Milk coach could now speak in dual dialects – Tagalog and Bisaya as his wife hails from the South.

But Tab Baldwin, the current coach of Gilas Pilipinas, is slowly starting to get to know his Tagalog and determined to challenge Compton as far as speaking the dialect in the days to come.

“That’s his claim to fame,” said Baldwin, referring to Compton’s fluency in speaking the language.

But I would give him a run for his money.”

On our way to Dos Palmas on board a boat, Manila Standard had a chance to talk to Coach Tab, who shared his fascination on the

ocean, why he loves to spend time there.

“I grew up in Florida and there are many beaches in Florida,” Baldwin said. “I love the ocean and I love to catch fish. Fishing not as a sport, but something you would love to do for pleasure.”

In between the hour ride, Baldwin got some lessons speaking Tagalog.

“Malas what does that mean?

Oh, bad luck, so that’s the word,” said Baldwin.

Coach, what about suwerte?,” this writer asked. “What about it?

It means your lucky.”

“Now that’s two words I’ve learned aside from Salamat Po,” he added in a chuckle.

Our conversation got even dragged to the street language that had something to do with basketball.

“You ever heard of the word buwakaw, Coach?.”

He answered back: “Yes, but I don’t know what it means.”

I replied: “It means you’re selfish.”

Perhaps Coach Tab should have listened to Meralco coach Norman Black telling one of his players: “Ikaw ha, nagiging

buwakaw ka.”

Coach Tab could also use it to motivate his team to play together more efficiently by using the word: “Pass the ball, you’re so buwakaw.”

Or what about the phrase “bilog ang bola.”

“What does that mean?” Baldwin asked.

“It means the ball is round,” I replied.

It’s always fun to hear American coaches speak Tagalog. You would hear multi-titled coach Tim Cone, who’s been in the PBA since 1989 asking a referee in Tagalog disputing a call: “O ano, mali ako? Mali ako?”

Or Compton getting animated in the sidelines, screaming to the ref : “Ref, kanina pa ‘yuuuun!”

I won’t be surprised if one these days, Baldwin would scream his lungs out either at the referees or his players picking the dialect piece by piece either to motivate his team or to let the Pinoy officials know that he’s one of us.

For now, Baldwin would like to show his gratitude in a simple way and ended our conversation with “Maraming salamat po.”

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Guardini increases record to 15 wins LANGKAWI—Italy’s Andrea Guardini now has 15 Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) stage wins to his record after yet another emphatic win in a bunch sprint in Stage 1, ironically in Langkawi where he registered the first professional victory of his career on the opening stage of the same race in 2011.

The Astana rider surged ahead of a bunch sprint ahead of Orica-GreenEdge’s Caleb Ewan of Australia, and Malaysia’s Anuar Manan of the Terengganu Cycling Team, to take what was also his second victory of the year after winning a stage in the Tour of Oman last month.

“I am in good form coming into this race and I have worked hard during the winter to prepare for this, so I am very happy with this first win. Now we will look at the coming stages to see if we can take more wins,” said Guardini, 27.

Guardini said the OricaGreenEdge train had been a strong one and he managed to tag along behind their sprinter Ewan and opened up the sprint in the final 200 metres, which he won.

“I think Orica-GreenEdge have a strong lead-out train, but our team have a good team for working to catch breakaways. So, if we work together in the coming stages, we can expect more wins.”

The stage started with a six-man breakaway that included eventual mountains classification leader Kiel Reijnen of United Healthcare and Asian riders’ classification leader Ma Guangtong of the Hengxiang Cycling Team. Guardini landed the blue jersey for the points classification leader, on top of the yellow jersey as the overall leader after his win.

Reijnen had bagged top points in both KOM summits of the day, which he said was his target, but he also launched an audacious solo attack in the final kilometres after the rest of his breakaway partners were caught by the peloton. Reijnen was only caught by the peloton with less than a kilometre to go.

Riders unleash a burst of speed into the last 150 meters of the Le Tour de Langkawi’s Stage 1 in Pantai Cenang, Langkawi. Italian rider Andrea Guardini (inset) of Astana Pro Team won the stage. RAMON BOADO

Floyd turns aggressive

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

UNDEFEATED World Boxing Council welterweight champion and undisputed pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. is reportedly pursuing an aggressive game-plan for his $300-million showdown with eightdivision world champion Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 2.

Reports from Mayweather’s Gym in Las Vegas said he has been going after his sparring partners in an unusually aggressive fashion and hasn’t tried to bank on his boxing skills, which have largely contributed to his record of 47-0, with 26 knockouts.

Lyle Fitzsimmons of CBSSports. com reported that stories out of Mayweather’s training camp point to his going for a knockout on May 2.

CBS does have an inside edge in getting stories on Mayweather, who has a six-fight, $200-million deal with Showtime, which is owned by

CBS, with two fights left, including the one against Pacquiao.

CBSSports.com quoted photographer Chris Robinson, who owns the popular HustleBoss. com website, as saying Mayweather has been “stepping on the aggressive gas in the early days of his training camp,” which opened last Monday and that this change of strategy has resulted in at least one sparring partner being knocked out, although the name of the sparring partner and other details were not available.

It also raised the question as to

how come Mayweather started soaring in the first week of training, which is considered unusual.

Robinson, who posts images and stories from Mayweather’s headquarters, said: “Floyd is doing his thing. He dropped one of the guys with a body shot.”

Meantime, Pacquiao’s longtime adviser Michael Koncz told the New Standard/Viva Sports that trainer Freddie Roach, who just returned from Macau, where Zou Shiming failed in his bid to win the IBF flyweight title, losing to Thai champion Amnat Ruenrong, will meet with him and Pacquiao today to discuss when sparring would begin.

Koncz said he hadn’t met Pacquiao’s sparring partners yet, even as he indicated he didn’t know whether reports of Mayweather’s manager Al Haymon offering potential sparring partners bigger money not to go to the Wild Card Gym to spar with Manny, were true or not.

Meantime, members of Team Pacquiao, led by assistant trainer

Buboy Fernandez, have been reviewing previous fights of Mayweather and have spotted some weaknesses.

“His defense is not totally flawless. I know I can hit him.

All I need is patience, timing and blinding speed,” philboxing.com quoted Pacquiao as saying.

Pacquiao noted he has the punching power that destroyed Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito, who were all much bigger than him and that while Mayweather is better in terms of defense, he said he believes “my punching power and speed would confuse him. Once he is hit, he would feel it. He has not yet tasted the punching power of someone like me.”

Recalling Mayweather’s fight against Marcos Maidana, Pacquiao told philboxing.com: “I noticed that his knees are no longer there.

He could no longer run as fast and as quick as during his younger days. I know I can hit him.”

SMART supports Philhealth Run

Employees of Smart pose for a class photo with Risa Hontiveros, PhilHealth board member, after the PhilHealth Ready, TSeKaP, Go! run at Quezon Memorial Cirle.

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CONSISTENT with its commitment to make quality healthcare services accessible to more Filipinos, wireless leader Smart Communications, Inc. supported the annual run of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. as it steps up efforts to encourage its millions of members to avail of the various services and benefits for their well-being.

The run, “PhilHealth Ready, TSeKaP, Go!” was also one of the main activities to celebrate PhilHealth’s 20th anniversary. It was held simultaneously in 13 sites nationwide participated in by over 50,000 runners. Proceeds of the run will finance projects of other institutions that cater to the vulnerable sectors of the society.

As one of the key supporters of

the event, Smart provided financial assistance and sent a contingent of runners to the PhilHealth Run. “Smart is supporting this initiative to help amplify PhilHealth’s call for its members to undergo regular checkups and avail of the suite of services and benefits from the agency,” said Ramon R. Isberto, head of Public Affairs at Smart.

Smart has been a long-time partner of PhilHealth and both have been working together to create solutions to improve access of more Filipinos to healthcare services. In fact, Smart has been working closely with PhilHealth in its SHINE project, including serving in the national Electronic Medical Records Experts Group.

Recognized here and abroad,

SHINE or Secured Health Information Network and Exchange, is the first cloud-based electronic medical record and e-referral system in the country. It enables healthcare facilities such as rural health units and healthcare professionals to create an electronic medical record, send electronic referrals to other facilities, generate reports, and send SMS to remind patients of their medical appointments or their medications.

“To be able to create effective and efficient technology solutions, we make sure to work with healthcare experts such as PhilHealth.

Even as far back as the SHINE pilot implementation in Iloilo, we had the PhilHealth Region 6 office as part of our project steering committee” added Isberto.

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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

By Jeric Lopez

JIMMY Alapag may have played his last game in the Philippine Basketball Association, but the impact that he left will continuously be felt.

Last Sunday, the former Most Valuable Player suited up one last time as he played for the South All-Stars in the AllStar game. It was an emotional game for Alapag as he was honored by the league and his colleagues, with his Talk ‘N Text jersey retired once more in a special halftime ceremony.

Now that Alapag is ready to move on to his full-time job as Tropang Texters’ manager, his peers all agreed that the impact and effect he left will certainly be an inspiration for them to do their best in the craft that they all share a passion for. ‘’Kahit bago pa lang ako makarating dito sa PBA, isa na talaga siya (Alapag) sa mga tinitingala ko at idol ko,’’ said rising star Terrence Romeo, the reigning Rookie of the Year and was the MVP in the All-Star game after leading the North All-Stars to a 166161 victory over Alapag’s South squad. ‘’He’s more than a teammate and more than a brother to me. He’s a family. He’s always there for me every time I need him and I just wish him the best now in this next phase of his career. I’m sure he’ll continue to do good things and continue making an impact for Philippine basketball,’’ said Asi Taulava, a former teammate and one of Alapag’s closest friends. ‘’You can’t ask for anything more from Jimmy Alapag,’’ said former Talk ‘N Text and National team coach Chot Reyes, who was one of Alapag’s mentors in his career. ‘’It’s a thrill to coach him for quite some time. He’s my extension on the floor. He’s my coach on the floor. Most importantly, he is a wonderful man. His legacy will still be felt even in his retirement.’’

For PBA President and CEO Chito Salud, Alapag left his fingerprints in the continuous evolution of Philippine Basketball. ‘’Jimmy Alapag certainly left his mark in the PBA and in Philippine basketball.

What he have done for basketball here in the country is unparalleled and he deserves all the credit for that. He elevated the level of play here and gave us a lot of fight and heart aside from his steady skills and talent,’’ said Salud.

JIMMY’S LASTING LEGACY

St. Benilde is NCAA’s overall champ

A teary-eyed Jimmy Alapag thanks the league, his teammates and supporters during a special ceremony retiring his jersey number.

Rosales makes rare local appearance TURN TO A14

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FOR a fifth straight season, College of St. Benilde stayed as the overall champion in the seniors’ division at the close of the 90th National Collegiate Athletic Association season.

This is the second straight season for CSB to hold the general championship honors with 660 points.

In the high school side, San Beda College ran away with its fifth general championship with 400 points. La Salle-Greenhills accumulated 322.5 points for no. 2.

Letran, Emilio Aguinaldo College and San Sebastian College placed third to fifth spots, respectively.

The Blazers won only two titles--men’s table tennis and beach volleyball.

But CSB made up for this by finishing second in men’s and women’s swimming, women’s taekwondo, women’s table tennis, men’s volleyball and ending up third in chess, women’s volleyball, football and soft tennis.

San Beda, Arellano University and Emilio Aguinaldo College finished second, third and fourth places, respectively.

“This is a tribute to the hard work of our teams,” said St. Benilde’s Management Committee representative Dax Castellano.

San Beda won the most titles with victories in basketball, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s taekwondo, women’s table tennis, football and soft tennis, but managed only 568.5 points. Peter Atencio

Guardini increases record to 15 wins TURN TO A15

LOTTO RESULTS

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

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

B1

TUESDAY: MARCH 10, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS

Foreign funds rush to PH

By Julito G. Rada

FOREIGN funds surged into the Philippines in the first seven weeks of the year, helping the stock market achieve new record levels, amid the positive outlook for the economy, data from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show.

Bangko Sentral said registered foreign portfolio investments or hot money hit $1.431 billion as of Feb. 20, a sharp reversal of the $2.27-billion net outflow registered a year ago, as fund managers opted to keep their investments in the local markets due to sustained strong macroeconomic fundamentals.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed the gross inflows of hot money jumped 72 percent to $4.1 billion as of Feb. 20 from $2.38 billion a year earlier.

Gross outflows fell 58 percent to $2.67 billion from $4.65 billion in the same period.

This means foreign fund managers opted to retain their

investments in the local stock and fixed-income markets.

Foreign portfolio investments are overseas funds that are temporarily invested in local stocks, government securities and money market. These are also called “hot money” because of the ease they are invested in and taken out of the markets.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index closed at a record 7,861.33 on March 6, its 19th time this year, buoyed by foreign buying.

Hot money posted a net inflow of $592 million in January, a turnaround from the $1.844 billion outflow registered in the same month last year.

The Philippines posted a record net outflow of $1.844 billion in January 2014 due to the effects of the tapering of the United States quantitative easing program.

While fund inflows recovered in the succeeding months, this still left the country with a net outflow of $310 million in 2014, as more fund managers opted to withdraw their investments from the domestic markets in reaction to the US tapering.

Bangko Sentral said inflows rebounded in January 2015 due to higher investments in Philippine Stock Exchange-listed shares and upgraded growth outlook for the country by the International Monetary Fund.

PSe comPoSite index Closing March 9, 2015

8000 7500 6840 7500 6180

7000

5520

6500

4860

6000 4200 3860 5500

7820.29 41.04

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing MARCH 9, 2015 45

P44.210

44

CLOSE

43 42 41

HIGH P44.210 LOW P44.280 AVERAGE P44.250 VOLUME 504.350M

P508.00-P728.00 LPG/11-kg tank P37.95-P43.30 Unleaded Gasoline P27.50-P30.80 Diesel

oPriceS il P today

P36.75-P43.42 Kerosene P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Monday, March 9, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Bigger Wilcon branch. Wilcon Depot’s international suppliers from China, Hong Kong and the US joined the construction supply retail

giant’s local business partners to celebrate the launch of a bigger Wilcon branch in Makati. On hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony are (from left) Franke Kitchen Systems group sales director for Asia Pacific Stephan Andreas Mueller, Davies Paints president and chief oprating officer Johnlee Garcia, Boysen Paints president Willy Ong, Wilcon Depot senior executive vice president and COO Rosemarie Ong, Kohler Southeast Asia commercial director and general manager Adam Quek, Wilcon president and chief executive William Belo, Grohe Philippines country manager Alen Alban, Orgill Inc. regional manager for Asia, Pacific Rim and Middle East Pritpa Bansal and Evergreen Manufacturing Corp. president Jerry Tiu. The new branch occupies three floors of the 15-storey Wilcon IT Hub along Pasong Tamo Extension.

Semirara, PSBank posted lower 2014 profits

By Jenniffer B. Austria SEMIRARA Mining and Power Corp. of the Consunji Group and Philippine Savings Bank of the Metrobank Group said Monday net income in 2014 fell from a year ago.

Semirara said in a disclosure to the stock exchange net income in 2014 declined 9 percent to P6.85 billion from P7.53 billion in 2013 on lower contribution of power business.

Semirara said coal business saw a 45-percent increase in net income to P7.76 billion from

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

P5.34 billion in 2013, including a P3.5-billion dividend income from a wholly-owned subsidiary.

Coal production posted a record high production of 8 million metric tons in 2014, up 6 percent from 2013 level while coal sales grew 16 percent to 8.9 million metric tons. Composite average price of coal reached P2,127 per MT last year, down 3 percent from P2,185 per MT in 2013.

Power segment posted a net income of P2.59 billion, down 45 percent from P4.71 billion in 2013. “Included in the net

income after tax this year is the recognized income tax benefit of P636 million resulting from net operating loss carry over on the sustained losses on replacement power,” Semirara said. Total energy sales dropped 22 percent

B3

to 2,840 gigawatt-hours from 2,638 gWh in 2013.

Meanwhile, PSBank said net income in 2014 dropped 21 percent to P2.3 billion from a year ago, in the absence of extraordinary gains.

Meralco says rates lower in March

Currency

Unit

US Dollar Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

44.1180

Japan

Yen

0.008284

0.3655

UK

Pound

1.504600

66.3799

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128937

5.6884

Switzerland

Franc

1.015332

44.7944

Canada

Dollar

0.793084

34.9893

Singapore

Dollar

0.726164

32.0369

Australia

Dollar

0.776880

34.2744

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652520

117.0239

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266660

11.7645

Brunei

Dollar

0.723537

31.9210

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000077

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.030836

1.3604

UAE

Dirham

0.272257

12.0114

Euro

Euro

1.084600

47.8504

Korea

Won

0.000909

0.0401

China

Yuan

0.159670

7.0443

India

Rupee

0.016060

0.7085

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.274123

12.0938

New Zealand

Dollar

0.746826

32.9485

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031787

B4

1.4024 Source: PDS Bridge

Puyat’s petition vs.

GI imports dismissed

TUESDAY: MARCH 10, 2015

B2

BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

MST BuSineSS Daily STockS Review Monday, March 9, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

2.7 75.3 99.4 105.2 63 2.3 4.2 19.6 31.6 22.5 2.95 890 1.01 92.9 1.65 30.5 75 99 140 392 59 146.8 1700 130 2.8

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

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

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 2.5 17 27.1 90.5 27 0.014 15.74 9.4 0.98 199.8 10.98 79 45.45 30 90 14.7 317 6.49 5.37 14.48 7.5 14.5 7.03

1.55 63.5 67.5 82.5 50 1.9 1.1 14.5 23.2 6.84 1.75 625 0.175 69.35 1.2 20.45 58 76 119 276 41.5 105.1 1281 116 2.25

Close

High

4.42 70 114.00 100.00 47.5 2.32 2.50 16.08 25.7 7.96 1.67 730.00 0.550 94.5 1.01 18.60 32.00 84.00 95.40 356.4 47 167.5 1355.00 69.85 3.09

FINANCIAL 4.84 4.5 70 69.4 114.90 113.30 100.50 98.45 47.5 47 2.32 2.22 2.51 2.50 16.52 16.2 25.6 25.35 7.96 7.95 1.79 1.79 730.00 730.00 0.550 0.520 94.55 93.5 1 1 18.60 18.38 32.95 32.00 84.00 83.25 95.40 95.40 356.2 355 47 46.4 172 166 1356.00 1356.00 70.00 69.50 3.09 3.03 INDUSTRIAL 45.7 45.4 1.83 1.65 1.09 1.08 2.06 2.05 8.35 8.18 18.88 18.72 22 20.65 58.5 57.8 1.89 1.8 12.8 12.54 20.650 19.9 11.20 11.12 8.95 8.59 10.50 10.20 1.43 1.43 18.28 17.48 30.95 29.9 109 105 14.12 14.08 0.4700 0.4600 15.00 14.80 6.82 6.65 0.640 0.610 219.00 212.20 10.24 10 35.05 35.05 53.00 52.10 26.5 25.4 29.05 28.45 8.100 8.070 278.80 274.40 4.23 4.23 4.62 4.5 10.58 10.40 6 4.5 11.44 11.34 4.00 3.90 2.92 2.86 5.99 5.92 6.5 6.2 208.2 207.2 1.83 1.76 0.197 0.182 1.56 1.56 2.28 2.26 219.60 212 4.55 4.5 0.75 0.73 21.00 21.00 1.57 1.53 HOLDING FIRMS 0.480 0.460 59.00 58.00 24.40 23.90 7.10 7.00 1.66 1.66 2.75 2.65 734 720 9.3 9.17 15.76 15.50 3.15 3.15 4.88 4.85 0.415 0.385 1294 1266 66.95 65.80 5.1 5.1 9.25 8.9 0.7 0.69 16.14 15.86 0.63 0.6 4.88 4.68 5.29 5.15 0.0410 0.0410 0.720 0.720 74.50 74.00 915.00 899.00 1.24 1.21 0.95 0.93 106.00 105.50 0.6000 0.5600 0.2650 0.2550 0.325 0.320 PROPERTY 10.400 10.240 1.05 1.02 1.320 1.300 0.260 0.260 38.05 37.30 4.42 4.38 5.01 5.01 0.95 0.93 1.22 1.20

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

4.83 70 114.30 100.50 47.35 2.22 2.51 16.52 25.4 7.95 1.79 730.00 0.520 93.85 1 18.40 32.95 83.30 95.40 355 46.4 169.4 1356.00 69.50 3.03

9.28 0.00 0.26 0.50 -0.32 -4.31 0.40 2.74 -1.17 -0.13 7.19 0.00 -5.45 -0.69 -0.99 -1.08 2.97 -0.83 0.00 -0.39 -1.28 1.13 0.07 -0.50 -1.94

121,000 30,800 578,409,305 3,090,470 45,600 235,000 59,000 846,700 82,400 85,960 3,000 110 1,019,000 8,783,450 30,000 131,600 5,200 26,660 1,220 3,750 240,200 2,217,110 50 8,480 89,000

45.4 1.69 1.09 2.05 8.35 18.88 22 58 1.8 12.8 20.150 11.16 8.72 10.34 1.43 17.48 30.5 105.8 14.08 0.4700 15.00 6.78 0.610 216.80 10.08 35.05 52.50 25.4 28.5 8.100 275.00 4.23 4.5 10.54 5.3 11.44 3.98 2.88 5.95 6.5 208 1.77 0.186 1.56 2.26 218 4.5 0.75 21.00 1.57

-0.87 -0.59 0.00 0.00 0.60 0.00 4.76 0.00 -1.64 0.00 -1.71 -0.18 -1.58 -2.08 7.52 -2.89 -0.97 -0.38 -0.28 -1.05 0.94 -0.44 -4.69 -1.36 -0.40 0.14 -0.85 -4.15 -1.89 0.00 0.22 0.00 -2.60 0.00 17.78 0.35 0.25 -1.03 -0.67 0.46 0.48 -1.12 -3.63 1.30 -1.74 0.46 0.00 1.35 0.00 1.29

1,247,600 59,000 235,000 478,000 6,600 19,600 708,000 72,240 341,000 106,200 4,656,300 2,213,700 37,124,000 1,178,300 34,000 79,000 3,913,700 444,820 52,700 30,000 266,000 348,400 210,000 748,760 938,100 100 1,810 6,318,800 733,200 76,200 90,570 10,000 498,000 982,800 191,000 276,100 1,086,000 1,683,000 357,000 135,800 940 243,000 2,222,140 10,000 3,991,000 2,750,740 132,000 391,000 400 267,000

0.480 58.50 24.35 7.10 1.66 2.65 732 9.29 15.56 3.15 4.85 0.400 1275 66.00 5.1 9.18 0.69 16.14 0.6 4.71 5.29 0.0410 0.720 74.45 915.00 1.23 0.93 105.50 0.5600 0.2550 0.320

1.05 -0.85 1.46 -0.28 0.61 -3.64 0.00 0.22 -0.77 0.00 0.62 1.27 -1.32 -1.64 26.55 0.55 -1.43 0.25 -4.76 -2.08 0.76 -2.38 0.00 0.34 0.44 1.65 -4.12 -0.47 -3.45 -1.92 -1.54

480,000 750,020 7,478,500 71,900 10,000 11,000 376,060 6,361,100 5,930,100 4,000 37,000 1,260,000 144,650 1,219,010 2,000 5,144,500 547,000 3,091,800 486,000 79,368,000 122,000 1,000,000 12,000 181,440 142,210 135,000 370,000 1,140 13,215,000 1,080,000 510,000

10.320 1.04 1.300 0.260 37.50 4.42 5.01 0.93 1.21

-0.39 -0.95 0.00 0.00 -1.96 0.23 -1.18 -1.06 -5.47

166,700 1,050,000 109,000 10,000 7,609,000 2,815,000 11,700 5,769,000 48,000

1,224,017.00 140,213,499.00 9,460.00 9,640.00 8,235,632.00 -1.00

26,500.00 -114,043,340.50

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

1.5 0.201 0.98 1.09 0.370 2.25 1.77 1.6 4.88 0.180 0.470 0.74 4.45 24.8 2.06 3.6 19.62 1.02 6.66 1.96 6.5

0.97 0.068 0.47 0.87 0.175 1.22 1.18 1.19 2.75 0.070 0.325 0.4 2.5 18.72 1.45 2.9 14.1 0.58 3.05 0.87 4.37

3.25 43.7 1.43 1.09 12.46 14 0.1640 4.05 71 12.3 3.28 9 1700 2008 9.04 2.02 118.9 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 2.85 107 11.3 3486 0.710 2.01 48.5 74

1.55 27 0.92 0.59 10 8.28 0.0960 2.97 44.8 10.14 1.99 4 1080 1580 7.12 1.2 94.4 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 1.85 81 4.39 2572 0.250 0.26 32.2 48

Close

Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’ Megaworld Corp.

MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ 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

Low

Close

1.00 0.160 0.475 0.900 0.216 1.65 1.75 1.43 5.56 0.132 0.3650 0.5000 7.65 28.65 1.77 3.20 19.90 0.96 7.28 1.060 7.490

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

1.00 1.00 1.00 0.158 0.154 0.156 0.480 0.470 0.470 0.900 0.900 0.900 0.216 0.214 0.216 1.64 1.61 1.63 1.78 1.71 1.75 1.48 1.41 1.47 5.55 5.43 5.52 0.131 0.128 0.128 0.3600 0.3450 0.3600 0.4900 0.4900 0.4900 7.59 7 7.25 28.15 27.25 28.00 1.77 1.75 1.76 3.20 3.20 3.20 19.90 19.50 19.66 0.97 0.95 0.95 7.29 7.09 7.29 1.070 1.030 1.060 7.500 7.400 7.500 SERVICES 8.35 9.98 8.35 9.62 64.45 65 63.5 64 1.08 1.09 1.09 1.09 0.700 0.690 0.690 0.690 12.84 12.8 12.8 12.8 11.04 10.96 10.58 10.70 0.1130 0.1130 0.1100 0.1100 4.34 4.3 4.1 4.24 89.3 89.7 88.3 88.5 10.84 10.8 10.8 10.8 1.67 1.8 1.8 1.8 6.39 6.49 6.39 6.39 1010 1010 1000 1010 1940 1940 1890 1940 6.46 6.50 6.45 6.47 1.63 1.67 1.58 1.64 112.4 113 111.3 113 0.014 0.014 0.014 0.014 0.300 0.325 0.295 0.310 1.3500 1.3700 1.3400 1.3500 2.8 2.9 2.75 2.84 9.35 9.45 9.35 9.45 1.96 1.98 1.95 1.96 1.69 1.8 1.65 1.68 2.27 2.28 2.20 2.28 0.700 0.710 0.700 0.710 2 2 2 2 10.4 10.6 10.38 10.5 0.375 0.375 0.350 0.365 0.520 0.520 0.510 0.510 18.26 18 18 18 4.60 4.60 4.50 4.55 3.45 4 3.45 3.78 98.50 98.50 98.50 98.50 13.88 13.86 13.60 13.84 3100.00 3084.00 3052.00 3084.00 0.600 0.590 0.580 0.590 1.670 1.690 1.630 1.650 40.80 40.75 39.65 40.70 84.20 85.10 84.60 84.90 10.86 10.84 10.50 10.80 0.71 0.73 0.70 0.73 7.49 7.49 7.25 7.34 0.370 0.380 0.370 0.375 1.390 1.400 1.300 1.400 MINING & OIL 0.0061 0.0061 0.0059 0.0060 2.90 2.98 2.90 2.90 9.94 9.93 9.72 9.78 10.80 10.82 10.82 10.82 0.265 0.270 0.265 0.265 7.1400 7.59 7.1 7.1000 7.4000 7.3 7.01 7.3000 1.12 1.16 1.11 1.12 0.9 0.91 0.9 0.9 7.62 7.69 7.52 7.56 2.71 2.7 2.6 2.65 0.345 0.360 0.350 0.355 0.255 0.255 0.250 0.250 0.260 0.260 0.250 0.255 0.0150 0.0150 0.0140 0.0140 0.0160 0.0160 0.0160 0.0160 5.7 5.76 5.7 5.7 28.75 28.8 28.5 28.75 3.3 3.31 3.25 3.3 0.7100 0.7400 0.7100 0.7400 2.300 2.360 2.260 2.350 0.0140 0.0140 0.0120 0.0140 0.0140 0.0140 0.0140 0.0140 8.16 8.16 8 8.03 3.9 3.85 3.54 3.6 0.016 0.016 0.015 0.015 166.40 166.00 162.20 163.50 4.35 4.38 4.28 4.28 0.0110 0.0110 0.0110 0.0110 PREFERRED 66 66 64.5 65.5 517 510 510 510 517 520 517 520 112 112 110 112 115 114 114 114 510 512 510 512 6.4 6.5 6.4 6.5 1.05 1.09 1.05 1.09 108 108.5 108 108 1065 1065 1065 1065 76.1 76.8 76.1 76.8 81 81 81 81 83 82.9 82.5 82.5 WARRANTS & BONDS 4.100 4.100 4.020 4.070 SME 7.8 7.84 7.75 7.84 71.95 72 71 72 11.4 11.4 11 11.1 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 126.5 126.5 125.7 126.4

0.00 -2.50 -1.05 0.00 0.00 -1.21 0.00 2.80 -0.72 -3.03 -1.37 -2.00 -5.23 -2.27 -0.56 0.00 -1.21 -1.04 0.14 0.00 0.13

183,000 16,960,000 270,000 1,878,000 320,000 340,000 41,086,000 264,000 29,737,200 2,350,000 46,000 3,000 8,328,982 4,072,400 249,000 22,000 4,310,700 1,246,000 2,100 53,000 2,177,300

15.21 -0.70 0.93 -1.43 -0.31 -3.08 -2.65 -2.30 -0.90 -0.37 7.78 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.15 0.61 0.53 0.00 3.33 0.00 1.43 1.07 0.00 -0.59 0.44 1.43 0.00 0.96 -2.67 -1.92 -1.42 -1.09 9.57 0.00 -0.29 -0.52 -1.67 -1.20 -0.25 0.83 -0.55 2.82 -2.00 1.35 0.72

2,458,200 4,507,348.00 23,750 1,000 636,000 200 12,433,400 -41,553,710.00 43,220,000 -2,545,680.00 2,498,360 295,320 -17,583,008.50 2,800 30,333 14,900 1,690 28,125 28,957,895.00 138,100 690,000 41,360.00 820,790 23,853,356.00 38,700,000 -19,600.00 146,890,000 -111,250.00 929,000 67,500.00 100,000 102,700 55,100 674,000 -14,320.00 91,000 501,000 61,000 -122,000.00 5,055,200 20,805,620.00 2,300,000 554,000 2,000 127,000 452,000 -120,400.00 250 24,625.00 13,102,100 -125,364.00 179,765 10,659,650.00 310,230 22,062,000 23,230,690.00 1,677,100 7,652,000.00 329,310 -9,341,711.50 81,668,506 4,256,000 -14,662.00 1,758,700 -356,158.00 63,950 14,000 1,400.00

-1.64 0.00 -1.61 0.19 0.00 -0.56 -1.35 0.00 0.00 -0.79 -2.21 2.90 -1.96 -1.92 -6.67 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.23 2.17 0.00 0.00 -1.59 -7.69 -6.25 -1.74 -1.61 0.00

885,000,000 300,000.00 56,000 -8,940.00 244,600 454,769.00 800 2,080,000 12,600 6,700 -40,258.00 2,775,000 -1,681,660.00 205,000 1,700 22,459,000 -1,708,710.00 370,000 23,180,000 4,170,000 -2,550.00 18,300,000 100,000 1,737,900 555,675.00 4,775,800 60,595,710.00 1,343,000 -35,970.00 263,000 470,000 34,000,000 122,000 1,050,800 -2,181,036.00 374,000 30,050.00 501,800,000 -4,500.00 314,665,903 101,000 -21,400.00 1,100,000 1,100.00

-0.76 -1.35 0.58 0.00 -0.87 0.39 1.56 3.81 0.00 0.00 0.92 0.00 -0.60

22,110 3,190 2,020 31,900 570 7,330 90,000 7,413,000 8,020 2,255 66,360 3,500 145,480

-15,801,610.00 -34,573,444.00 1,310.00

-23,655,050.00 -252,500.00

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 Euro-Med Lab Federal Res. Inv. Group First Gen Corp.

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

Lafarge Rep Liberty Flour 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’ 1.7 Splash Corporation 0.102 Swift Foods, Inc. 1.6 TKC Steel Corp.

1.37 Trans-Asia Oil 111.3 Universal Robina 1.58 Victorias Milling 0.550 Vitarich Corp.

9.01 Vivant Corp.

1.33 Vulcan Ind’l.

45.8 1.7 1.09 2.05 8.3 18.88 21 58 1.83 12.8 20.500 11.18 8.86 10.56 1.33 18 30.8 106.2 14.12 0.4750 14.86 6.81 0.640 219.80 10.12 35.00 52.95 26.5 29.05 8.100 274.40 4.23 4.62 10.54 4.5 11.40 3.97 2.91 5.99 6.47 207 1.79 0.193 1.54 2.30 217 4.5 0.74 21.00 1.55

0.7 61.6 31.85 7.39 2.7 3.29 747 11.34 84 3.3 5.34 0.23 1060 59.8 8.9 6.55 0.9 19.9 0.75 5.4 5.35 0.0550 0.84 88 866 2.2 1.39 156 0.285 0.245 0.510

0.46 45.75 21.95 6.3 1.550 1.8 508 7.470 47.25 2.51 4 0.144 706 36.7 4.96 3.95 0.58 12.96 0.580 4.06 4.5 0.027 0.355 54.5 680 1.04 0.85 58.05 0.158 0.150 0.295

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anscor `A’ Asia Amalgamated A ATN Holdings A Ayala Corp `A’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

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

Minerales Industrias Corp.

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

0.475 59.00 24.00 7.12 1.65 2.75 732 9.27 15.68 3.15 4.82 0.395 1292 67.10 4.03 9.13 0.7 16.1 0.63 4.81 5.25 0.0420 0.720 74.20 911.00 1.21 0.97 106.00 0.5800 0.2600 0.325

9.03 1.99 2.07 0.375 35.3 6.15 6.1 2 2.51

5.51 0.99 1 0.185 23.7 4.41 5 1.22 1.21

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev.

10.360 1.05 1.300 0.260 38.25 4.41 5.07 0.94 1.28

6.68 8.1 275 2.25 0.191 2.5 2.68 188.6 5.5 1.3 26 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 1.01 8.61 12.2 48.9 16 0.0097 12.8 2.05 0.32 150.8 8.55 48.5 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 22,144,804 87,608,472 129,871,356 125,519,972 317,571,821 1,510,003,056 2,194,313,621

1,700,150.00

1,788,304.00

-635,450.00 -4,848,475.00 208,955,906.00

12,120.00 12,120.00

16,247,865.00 -120,990.00

20,648.00 213,000.00 17,301.50

28,327,440.00 5,410,478.00 33,342,187.00 -5,668,130.00

46,306,110.00 10,916,576.00 -263,512.00 9,200.00 1,375,290.00 -30,088.00

-111,688,012.00 605,152.00 -84,979,075.00 -9,593,435.00 -336,960.00 -203,730.00 1,580,306.00 -590,120.00 -512,400.00 1,894,310.00 1,426,386.00 12,810.00

-22,700.00 306,604,984.00 54,000.00 -21,150.00

9,820,407.00 -17,368,645.00

-41,170,555.00 -14,096,515.00 26,445,530.00

-97,453,460.00 -22,306,498.00

17,188,603.00

9,602,316.00

-23,146,470.00

0.87 11.46 0.435 1.6

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

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

Discovery World DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. 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. Paxys Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

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

1.04 Yehey

0.0086 5.45 17.24 25 0.325 12.8 12.7 1.2 1.73 10.98

0.0028 1.72 11.48 9.43 0.225 6.2 6 0.5 0.76 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 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 7.8 6.5 0.031 123 4.3 0.0087

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Basic Energy Corp.

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

44.1

26.3

60 118 116 511 9.04 9.67

30 101 102 480 6.76 5.82

731,690.00

77.3 78.95 81.85

74.2 74.5 75

2.42

0.0010 LR Warrant

-123,391,660.00 4,976,740.00

10.96 35

2.4 7.74

Double Dragon IRipple E-Business Intl Xurpas

119.6

94

First Metro ETF

586,366.00 -17,131,745.00 21,960.00 -279,000.00 -35,873.00 33,800.00

-1,413,530.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ First Gen F First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred B SMC Preferred A SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C

T op g ainerS VALUE 2,133,382,178.75 1,735,610,005.55 1,563,790,680.59 793,227,163.24 1,518,735,010.792 564,274,331.033 8,328,185,398.457

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,807.88 (up) 1.40 INDUSTRIAL 12,814.91 (down) 78.75 HOLDING FIRMS 6,875.41 (down) 19.90 PROPERTY 3,115.42 (down) 44.40 SERVICES 2,206.03 (down) 6.35 MINING & OIL 16,424.10 (down) 224.49 PSEI 7,820.29 (down) 41.04 All Shares Index 4,545.37 (down) 20.62 Gainers: 69; Losers: 112; Unchanged: 47; Total: 228

-0.73

264,000

0.51 0.07 -2.63

285,400 2,090 1,286,900

-0.08

19,750

1,456,504.00 970.00

452,658.00

-101,205.00

453,600.00

-4,125,000.00

254,580.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Jolliville Holdings

5.1

26.55

PhilexPetroleum

3.6

-7.69

Phil H2O

5.3

17.78

Manila Mining `A'

0.0140

-6.67

2GO Group'

9.62

15.21

Philodrill Corp. `A'

0.015

-6.25

Paxys Inc.

3.78

9.57

City & Land Dev.

1.21

-5.47

AG Finance

4.83

9.28

MEDCO Holdings

0.520

-5.45

Discovery World

1.8

7.78

Primex Corp.

7.25

-5.23

Euro-Med Lab

1.43

7.52

Mabuhay Holdings `A'

0.6

-4.76

I-Remit Inc.

1.79

7.19

Ionics Inc

0.610

-4.69

Cirtek Holdings (Chips)

22

4.76

BDO Leasing & Fin. INc.

2.22

-4.31

Omico

0.7400

4.23

Manila Water Co. Inc.

25.4

-4.15

TUESDAY: MARCH 10, 2015

B3

BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

Meralco says rates lower in March

By Alena Mae S. Flores

MANILA Electric Co., the biggest electricity retailer, said Monday rates have dropped

by P0.095 per kilowatthour in March compared to a month ago due to lower generation charges and other bill components.

Customers with a monthly consumption of 200 kWh will experience a decrease of around P19 in their March electricity billing.

Meralco, however, said power plants relying on natural gas would shift to the more expensive liquid fuel in the wake of the shutdown of the Malampaya production from mid-March to mid-April.

“As a result of the use of liquid fuel, rates are expected to increase in the billing months affected by the shutdown and the impact of higher energy demand during the summer months. This includes both April and May,” it said.

Meralco said he generation charge, or the portion of the bill that goes to the power producers, decclined P0.029 per kWh to P5.209 for March from P5.238 in February.

“This was driven by the P0.30 reduction in the average rate of Meralco’s Power Supply Agreements for the February supply month owing to higher dispatch of the plants under the PSAs,” Meralco said in a statement.

The PSAs’ share to Meralco’s total power supply rose to 54 percent from 49 percent.

Meralco said the reduction in the PSA rates, however, was dampened by an increase of P1.14 per kWh in the average price at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market and P0.18 per kWh in the charge of independent power producers.

WESM’s share to Meralco’s total power requirements increased to 4.5 percent from 4 percent due to the maintenance shutdown of Quezon Power Philippines Ltd. The share of IPPs, meanwhile, dropped to 40.5 percent from 47 percent due mainly to the QPPL outage.

Despite the lower rates from the Sta. Rita and San Lorenzo natural gas plants, the average IPP rate was pulled up by QPPL. The balance of Meralco’s power requirements was accounted for by the interim power supply agreements.

Meralco said transmission charge also rose by P0.045 per kWh due to lower ancillary charges. Other charges, which include system loss and subsidies, registered a decrease of P0.010 per kWh. The reductions resulted in corresponding decreases in taxes (VAT and local franchise tax) of P0.011 per kWh.

Manila Water advocacy. Top executives of the Manila Water Foundation hand out tokens

and certificates of appreciation to beneficiaries. They are led by (from left) executive director Carla BeriñaKim, chairman Gerardo Ablaza Jr., Baranggay Councilor Armando Presbitero of Malabanan, Biñan, Laguna, Emil Lotonio of Ricardo P. Cruz Elementary School, Patrocinio Dagohoy of the People’s Crusade on Climate Change Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and president Ferdinand Dela Cruz. The foundation on its 10th anniversary celebration reaffirmed a commitment to uplift the quality of life of Base of the Pyramid communities through access to sustainable water and used water services.

Stock market retreats; PLDT slips STOCKS declined Monday on profit-taking and a strong US jobs report that increased expectations the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates soon.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 41.04 points, or 0.5 percent, to 7,820.29 on a value trunover of P8.3 billion. Losers swamped gainers, 112 to 69, with 47 issues unchanged.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the biggest telecommunications firm, declined 0.5 percent to P3,084, while Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is into toll roads, water and electricity distribution, and hospitals, dropped 2.1 percent to P4.71.

Energy Development Corp., the largest steam and wind energy producer, lost 1.6 percent to P8.72, while Ayala Land Inc., a major property developer, retreated 2 percent to P37.50.

Alliance Global Group Inc. of tycoon Andrew Tan slipped 1.5 percent to P24.35, while Bloomberry Resorts Corp., which operates a casino on a reclaimed part of Manila Bay, tumbled 3.1 percent to P10.70.

Tokyo, meanwhile, took a hit from data showing Japan’s economy grew slower than first thought in the last quarter of 2014.

The euro struggled at 12-year lows against the dollar as the European Central Bank prepares to kick off its bond-buying stimulus programme.

Tokyo fell 0.95 percent, or 180.45 points, to end at 18,790.55, Sydney skidded 1.31 percent, or 77.56 points, to close at 5,821.30 and Seoul shed 1.00 percent, or 20.12 points, to 1,992.82.

In the afternoon, Hong Kong was 0.47 percent lower but Shanghai edged up 0.10 percent,

reversing earlier losses.

Regional investors followed their US peers, who ran for the exit Friday after the Labor Department said 295,000 jobs were created in February, pushing the unemployment rate down to 5.5 percent, the lowest level since May 2008.

Analysts said the latest strong jobs report--which also follows a slew of other positive indicators-increased the likelihood the Fed will lift rates from near-zero as early as the summer.

The Dow tumbled 1.54 percent and the S&P 500 fell 1.42 percent, while the Nasdaq lost 1.11 percent.

“The market’s response to the much-awaited US payrolls report was abrupt,” Kymberly Martin, a markets strategist in Wellington at Bank of New Zealand, said in a note to clients. With AFP

Premium Leisure books P1.3-b profit

By Jenniffer B. Austria

New DFNN official. Ricardo Banaag, former country Manager of Intel Microelectronics Philippines, now serves as the new chief operating officer of DFNN, one of the leading and fastest growing IT solutions provider, systems integrator and provider of gaming technology products, services and solutions in the Philippines.

DFNN expects significant growth in the country’s gaming industry and in the development of its EGM solution under the Instawin gaming platform.

PREMIUM Leisure Corp., formerly Sinophil Corp., posted a net income of P1.34 billion in 2014, a turnaround from a loss of P8.7 million in 2013, after the company’s transformation into a gaming unit of Belle Corp.

Belle is owned by retail tycoon Henry Sy. Premium Leisure said in a disclosure to the stock exchange its board also approved the declaration P700 million in cash dividend, or equivalent to P0.22 per share.

The cash dividend is payable to common shareholders of record date March 20, 2015 on April 7, 2015.

“The amount of cash dividend is approximately 94.63 percent of 2014 unrestricted retained earnings,” Premium Leisure said.

Premium Leisure in 2014 underwent a corporate reorganization that repositioned the company as a gaming-focused investment company through the acquisition of Premium Leisure and Amusement, Inc. and a 34.5-percent stake in Pacific Online Systems Corp. from Belle.

PLAI is a co-licensee in the $1.3-billion City of Dreams Manila, the integrated resort and casino project within the Pagcor Entertainment City, and has a share in the gaming revenues of the project.

City of Dreams Manila is built in partnership with MCE Leisure, a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Melco Crown Philippines.

B4

BUSINESS PH still excluded from intellectual property rights blacklist THE Philippines was excluded for the third straight year from the list of territories with high incidence of online and physical piracy and counterfeiting watched by the United States.

The country maintained its improved intellectual property rights status in the 2014 Outof-Cycle Review of Notorious Markets which the United States Trade Representative released on March 5, 2014.

The Philippines was first removed from the list of territories with notorious markets in 2012.

“We see this as another posi-

tive enforcement in our relentless drive to reduce piracy and counterfeiting not only in the physical markets but also online. Supporting our enforcement mandate is the recent implementation of the amendments in the IP law which includes among others the grant of enforcement functions to IPOPhl and the introduction of vicarious liability in copyright infringement,” said Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines deputy director general Allan Gepty.

The mandate to impose crimi-

Puyat’s petition vs.

GI imports dismissed

By Othel V. Campos THE Trade Department has dismissed a petition filed by Puyat Steel Corp. that sought to invoke safeguard measures against imported galvanized iron and pre-painted galvanized iron sheets.

The Trade Department’s import division headed by Luis Catibayan said in a letter to the Philippine Iron and Steel Institute on Feb. 5, 2015 that Puyat’s petition was dismissed for lack of merit.

“The department ordered the dismissal of the safeguard measures investigation on the said products considering that the presence of serious injury alleged by the domestic industry cannot be established,” Catibayan said in the letter.

Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo in an order dated Feb 2, 2015 ordered the dismissal of the petition due to lack of evidence the GI and PPGI imported starting 2007 until August 2013 harmed the local industry.

The Trade Department said after a thorough review of the importation volume during the seven-year starting 2007, as mentioned in the petition, it found out that the increase cited in the petition did not harm the local GI and PPGI industry.

“The GI industry did not suffer an overall impairment in its operations. There were recorded increases in sales, production,

capacity utilization, employment and productivity of the domestic industry,” the agency said.

It said the inventory was maintained at reasonable prices relative to production and sales, such that the selling prices were kept at levels that allowed for full recovery of costs.

The department said the petitioner, Puyat Steel, had shown robust operations during the period of increased imports while their raw material imports also rose.

It said Puyat Steel’s combined sales volume had been on an upward trend. “Their gross profits increased form 2011 to 2012 and the January to August 2013 level is almost 82 percent of 2012. Net profits were also recorded,” it said.

Puyat Steel filed the petition invoking safeguard measures against imported GI and PPGI sheets and coils from various countries on the ground that the importation had harmed the local steel industry.

It cited specific products for GI and PPGI that it said entered the Philippines in massive volume.

nal and civil liability for copyright infringement of thirdparty providers is among the new provisions of Republic Act. No. 10372, which amended RA 8293, otherwise known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines. President Benigno Aquino III signed the new law in February 2013.

IPOPhl said since it implemented the amended law, it issued warnings to third-party providers such as business operators and Internet and payment service providers reported to have enabled or allowed piracy

and counterfeiting activities.

IPOPhl also put down an illegal website known as KickassTorrents which is reportedly operating from Canada.

“The site originally operated as Kat.ph, until Philippine authorities took enforcement action,” according to the report.

IPOPhl issued a restraining order against the website in 2013 after receiving a complaint from industry group Philippine Association of Recording Industry Inc. The 2014 list identifies both online and physical markets

with substantial infringement activities. Some of the online markets identified are 4shared. com ( British Virgin Islands), Baixeturbo.org (United Kingdom), Bajui.com and Free-TVvideo-online.me (Canada), Catshare.net and Darkwarez.pl (Poland), Cuevana.tv or Storm (Argentina), Ex.ua and Extratorrent.cc (Ukraine), Gigabytesistemas.com and E-nuc.com (Spain), Hardstore.com (Republic of San Marino), Zing.vn (Vietnam), Yyets.com (China) and vK.com (Russia).

Othel V. Campos

Financial partners.

Smart Communications Inc., through digital unit Voyager Innovations Inc., and Cash Credit of Bulgaria will jointly roll out a microfinance service using mobile technologies. Sealing the partnership are Cash Credit founder and executive chairman Georgi Krumov (left) and Smart chief wireless advisor and founder and Voyager president and chief executive Orlando Vea.

Jica commits to support PPP projects

By Jennifer Ambanta JAPAN International Cooperation Agency said Monday its new official development assistance charter would push for greater publicprivate partnership support.

Hiroyuki Uchida, head of Japanese embassy’s economic section, said public-private partnerships were the key to sustainable and inclusive growth. Jica is the agency that coordinates official development assistance for the government of Japan.

“PPP is very important tool to promote the country’s development,” Uchida said.

Uchida said while global official development assistance funds declined significantly from 40 percent to 20 percent in the past de-

cade, “private funds, on the other hand, grew three times higher.”

He said this meant the government should start working with other sectors such as private companies. “This is the essence why we changed the word assistance to cooperation in our new charter,” he said.

Uchida said cooperation meant crafting a deeper relationship with the international community where assistance would be a twoway street or cooperation.

“The goal is to intensify the dialog between countries for greater cooperation,” he said.

Jica earlier announced the approval of its new development cooperation charter which was reviewed in 2003, after 60 years.

Jica said the term “development

cooperation” refers to “international cooperation activities that are conducted by the government and its affiliated agencies for the main purpose of development in developing regions.”

The Japanese agency said “development” in the charter was used in a broader sense rather than in the narrow sense as it encompassed activities such as peace-building and governance, promotion of basic human rights and humanitarian assistance.

“Such development cooperation needs to enhance synergetic effects for development through strengthened collaboration with other funding and activities of the government of Japan and its affiliated agencies,” Jica said in a statement.

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

BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

Cut the crapware THE recent scandal over spyware that came installed CHIN WONG on millions of new Lenovo laptops reminds me why I’m so happy to no longer be on the Windows platform.

The vehicle for the spyware was Superfish, a program developed by a Palo Alto-based company designed to inject advertising into Internet search results—in itself an obnoxious practice, since consumers never signed on for this “service.” But what made Superfish much worse was that it came with a security flaw—its own fake security certificate to trick the computer’s browser into giving the program access to secure Web connections. This made computers vulnerable to serious cyber attacks, including the interception of passwords and sensitive data such as banking information being transmitted through browsers.

Lenovo, the world’s biggest manufacturer of personal computers, began to bundle Superfish in millions of its consumer laptops from September to December 2014 and complaints about the program emerged early on.

At first, Lenovo claimed the adware was harmless, and was designed to “improve the user experience” but backpedaled soon enough when it realized the severity of the problem.

An alert issued by the US Department of Homeland Security on Feb. 20 left no doubt about the dangers embedded in Superfish and urged all affected users to remove the program and the fake certificate it installs.

“Although Lenovo has stated they have discontinued the practice of pre-installing Superfish VisualDiscovery, the systems that came with the software already installed will continue to be vulnerable until corrective actions have been taken,” the federal agency warned.

Lenovo itself published step-by-step instructions on how to uninstall Superfish and also released an automated tool to ease the process.

But the technology website ARS Technica observed that although the company stopped installing Superfish on its new computers in December, there were still many more laptops in the channel with the offending program being sold to unsuspecting buyers.

ARS Technica also noted that while Lenovo’s official Superfish removal tool did remove the fake certificate, it did not remove all Superfish-related data, including, it seems, the Superfish application itself.

In its defense, Superfish blamed another company, a small Israeli startup called Komodia, for developing the software that allowed Superfish to decode Internet traffic and insert ads.

In its blog, Lenovo also offered customers affected by Superfish a free six-month subscription to McAfee’s LiveSafe security service and a six-month extension for existing users.

This has not satisfied all its customers.

One of them, blogger Jessica Bennett, filed a class action suit against Lenovo and Superfish before a US district court. Bennett said she noticed “spam advertisements involving scantily clad women” appearing on her client’s website when writing a blog post for the customer on her Lenovo Yoga 2 laptop, and later discovered this was the handiwork of Superfish.

She accused the two companies of fraudulent business practices and making Lenovo computers vulnerable to malicious attacks by bundling the adware.

While Lenovo has not commented on the suit, it says it has learned its lesson.

By the time it launches its Windows 10 products, Lenovo said, its standard software installation will include only the operating system, security and Lenovo applications, as well as programs needed to power unique hardware, such a 3D cameras.

This would give consumers “cleaner, safer PCs,” Lenovo said, minus what the industry calls “adware” or “bloatware.”

If this is true, then this could be the silver lining in Lenovo’s Superfish debacle, because bloatware—or crapware as I prefer to call it--is a pox that infects most Windows laptops being sold today.

Bloatware is third-party software that PC manufacturers install on computers they sell. Much of it is just crap or “trial versions” of programs that keep nagging users to pay for the full product. “Free” antivirus software from McAfee and Norton immediately spring to mind, but there’s lot more, including any number of “free” games that make you pay for extra levels.

The manufacturers get paid for loading their computers with this junk, made by software companies that hope laptop buyers will upgrade to the full product. Unconfirmed reports say Lenovo was paid a mere $250,000 for installing Superfish on its laptops—a rather paltry sum for all the potential damage it can do, both to its customers and to the company’s reputation.

When I was still on Windows, the first thing I did with a new laptop was to uninstall all the free but useless programs that the manufacturer had dumped into my system. They just took up hard disk space and annoyed the heck out of me with their reminders to upgrade.

Now, as the Superfish scandal has demonstrated, crapware can also compromise your own security.

Do yourself a favor the next time you think of buying a new Windows laptop. Be ready to roll up your sleeves and uninstall all the useless—or even dangerous—software that comes with it. Or, you could simply buy a Mac or Linux laptop and save yourself the worry.

Column archives and blog at: http://www.chinwong.com

Digital life

B5

EDC unit borrows P8.5b from banks

By Alena Mae S. Flores

GREEN Core Geothermal Inc., a whollyowned subsidiary of Energy Development Corp., has raised P8.5 billion from separate loan agreements with seven local banks.

EDC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Monday the seven banks were Asia United Bank Corp., Bank of the Philippine Islands, BDO Unibank Inc., Development Bank of the Philippines, Land Bank of the Philippines, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., Robinsons Bank Corp. and Union Bank of the Philippines.

EDC said Green Core would use the proceeds from the loans to repay bonds maturing in June this year. BDO Capital & Investment Corp. acted as sole arranger of the P8.5-billion loan.

EDC said its board approved the share buy back program in its meeting on March 6.

The board granted EDC the authority to undertake a twoyear share buy-back program, authorizing management to buy at its discretion from the market the corporation’s shares up to an aggregate value of P4 billion worth of common shares.

“This is part of the continuing commitment to utilize some of its cash, from time to time, for the benefit of its shareholders/ employees,” EDC said.

The program will be executed through the open market by means of the trading facilities of the PSE. EDC’s trading price of P8.86 per share Monday means the P4 billion is equivalent to around

2.4 percent of the company’s total outstanding common shares. The period will commence on March 15, 2015 and conclude on March 14, 2017.

EDC said in a separate disclosure the 20-megawatt Unit 3 of the Bac-Man geothermal power plant complex of unit Bac-Man Geothermal Inc. auto-tripped on Thursday which by initial indication was due to a minor lube oil leak.

“The inspection is now focused on possible effects to turbine and generator bearings and other components and on the repairs as may be necessary, preparatory to the restarting of the unit. Spare parts are available on site and the partner-contractors have been mobilized,” EDC said.

EDC said Bacman Geothermal would take the opportunity to initiate planned facility upgrades.

EDC said the unit was expected to be back in service in time for the peak energy demand in the dry months.

School on air. Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala (left) addresses the 450 graduates of the Schoolon-the-Air Program of the Department of Agriculture in Davao Region who finished a four-month rice production course, which covered pre-production to harvest of the country’s major staple. Shown with Alcala are (seated, from left) Agriculture undersecretary for operations Emerson Palad, Senate chairman for agriculture and food Cynthia Villar, DA Region XI director Remelyn Recoter and Agricultural Training Institute director Asterio Saliot.

PCCI director a Filipino—Immigration THE Bureau of Immigration has dismissed deportation complaints against business executive Joseph Sy and upheld his Filipino citizenship in a recent decision approved unanimously by three immigration commissioners.

The three commissioners said in an order dismissing the complaint Sy did not merely rely on the presumption of the validity of his birth certificate but also submitted other documents to substantially establish his Philippine citizenship.

The three BI commissioners were Siegfred Mison (chairman), Gilbert Repizo and Abdullah Mangotara. The order was ap-

proved on Feb. 26, 2015, affirming a similar conclusion by the members of the board of special inquiry of the Immigration bureau after evaluation of evidence.

The order said that under Section 37 of Republic Act 2711, only aliens could be the subject of deportation proceedings.

The order also cited a previous Supreme Court decision (Chua Hiong vs. Deportation Board) that a citizen is entitled “to live in peace, without molestation from any official or authority, and if he is disturbed by a deportation proceeding, he has the unquestionable right to resort to the courts

for protection.”

Joseph Sy is president of Platinum Group Metals Corp. and Ferrochrome Resources Inc. and is a board director of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

PCCI chairman Miguel Valera, upon receipt of a copy of the BI order, said PCCI welcomed the immigration order. He congratulated Sy and said PCCI never doubted Sy’s Filipino citizenship.

The deportation complaint was triggered by an anonymous letter filed in April 2014 that imputed criminal and administration violations allegedly committed by Sy.

TUESDAY: MARCH 10, 2015

B6

BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

Are commodity pacts still viable?

THE recent steady decline in world oil RUDY ROMERO prices has raised doubts about the continued viability of a concept that was intended to maintain stability in world commodity markets and protect the revenues of commodity producers, most of which are developing countries. I am referring to the commodity-agreement concept.

Arguably the most influential of the agreements that regulate world commodity trade, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, was founded in the 1960s at a time of growing awareness among oil exporting countries that their being unorganized was operating against their interests and favoring the interests of the oil-guzzling industrial countries. Ironically, it is Opec, the greatest booster of the commodity-agreement concept, that is now giving rise to doubts about commodity agreements’ effectiveness as regulators of international commodity markets.

There is recognition that the immediate cause of the near-halving of the price of a barrel of oil from the recent peak of $112 has been the refusal of Saudi Arabia--Opec’s biggest member and the repository of the world’s largest oil reserves--to reduce exports in the face of a decline in world demand for black gold. But the no-productioncut posture adopted by the Saudis has been only one of three major causes of growing OPEC weakness.

Another cause has been the dramatic change in the position of the US from the world’s no. 1 oil importer to a country virtually selfsufficient in oil. This shift has been the result of the sharp increase in US production of oil, specifically shale oil. In a development reminiscent of the oil boom in the US Southwest around the turn of the 20th century, entrepreneurs have been working the sands of the northern Midwest--especially the Dakotas--to produce shale oil.

While giving a big boost to the economies of the Midwestern states, the shale oil boom has sharply reduced US dependence on Saudi and other foreign oil. Fortunately, and ironically, the same oil price that gave encouragement to shale oil production has recently been operating in the opposite direction, discouraging production further with every drop in the price of a barrel of oil.

The third major cause of the recent steady decline in world oil prices has been Opec’s non-control of most of world oil production. At the time of its establishment, the Vienna-based organization controlled close to 80 percent of world oil output. Today, with many old and new producers--including Russia, Norway, Mexico and Malaysia--opting to go their own way, that figure is down to around 40 percent. When the biggest contributor to that 40 percent refuses to cut production in the face of declining demand, the stage is set for market instability.

In recent weeks there have been market movements towards the $60 per barrel mark, but in the absence of a significant rise in demand, there can be no lasting relief for the world’s oil producers–members and non-members of Opec alike--for as long as that organization’s largest producer refuses to cut output.

Unfortunately for them, producers like Russia and Mexico, though non-members of Opec, are seeing their revenues adversely affected by the market weakness occasioned by Opec’s failure to cut total production. A case of damn-if-they-had-joined-the-organization and damned-if-they-still-stay-out-of-it.

Does Opec’s recent performance mean that the commodityagreement concept has lost its validity? Can it now be said that commodity producers would be better off staying out of agreements and undertaking the marketing of their outputs independently?

The answer to both questions is No. The commodity-agreement concept has not lost its validity. All things considered, it still represents the best approach to the maintenance of commodity markets stability and the protection of commodity producers’ incomes.

The other international agreements regulating the production of and trade in other major commodities--the International Sugar Agreement, the International Coffee Agreement, the International Cocoa Agreement and others--are all functioning well, doing their job of maintaining order and stability in world markets for their assigned commodities. Given the interests of producers and consumers in orderly market conditions, there is no reason to believe that these other commodity agreements are about to close shop anytime soon.

What one is seeing in Opec at present is an aberrant situation. The logical posture for Opec to have adopted in a situation of growing divergence between demand and production was to bring supply closer into line with demand. That action would have put a floor under prices and slowly pushed prices back into an upward trajectory. But as the record shows the most influential Opec producer refused to reduce its daily production and maintained the level of its shipments to the world market. That triggered a near-freefall of prices.

Commodity agreements are effective tools for maintaining stability in market conditions for products that are notoriously vulnerable to the vagaries of Nature and the uncertainties of geopolitics. But they will operate effectively if the parties to agreements behave in a rational and comprehensible manner. The Saudis, for their own reasons, clearly have not been behaving that way lately.

BUSINESS CLASS

E-mail: rudyromero777@gmail.com

Healthcare provider. Cardinal Santos Medical Center is now an accredited healthcare provider of TakeCare Asia Philippines Inc., a Guam-based international private consumer health organization. CSMC president and chief executive Pilar Nenuca Almira (left) and TakeCare president Jeff Larsen shake hands after signing an agreement allowing TakeCare members to avail of CSMC’s hospitalization, medical and ancillary services, and diagnostic and surgical procedures. With them are (from left) Elizabeth Dantes, CSMC vice president and chief financial officer; Dr. Zenaida Javier-Uy, CSMC chief medical officer; Melissa Talavera, TakeCare senior sales and marketing manager; and Dr. Ultra Tan, TakeCare senior medical referral and provider relations manager.

Japan’s economy weaker, data show TOKYO—Japan’s economy grew less than initially thought in the final quarter of 2014, revised government data showed Monday, revealing an even weaker emergence from recession than previously believed.

The poor data could put the Bank of Japan under pressure to launch more stimulus, economists said, as the world’s third largest economy struggles to rid itself of two decades of lassitude.

The Cabinet Office said the economy expanded just 0.4 percent in the October-December period from the previous quarter, down from an initial estimate of 0.6 percent growth, with corporate capital investment shrinking.

Despite the downgrade, the data still confirmed the Japanese economy had crawled out of recession at the end of 2014, after two consecutive quarters in which gross domestic product contracted.

“The result showed that Japan’s economy bottomed out from a ‘technical recession’ following the April VAT hike in OctoberDecember quarter, while the pace of recovery was still limited,” Credit Suisse economists said in a note.

Japan’s economy stuttered last year after an April sales tax rise cut off the flow of consumer spending, which had shown healthy growth until then.

Monday’s figures, if annualized, show GDP growth revised down to 1.5 percent from the previous figure of 2.2 percent.

That places Japan well behind the United States, where revised data showed the economy growing an annualized 2.2 percent in the fourth quarter.

Over the full calendar year the Japanese economy logged zero growth, a significant slowdown from an expansion of 1.6 percent in 2013.

Capital Economics said the revised GDP data support the case for more easy cash from the central bank.

“We still think that the Bank of Japan will announce more stimulus next month” to achieve its inflation target of 2.0 percent, said Marcel Thieliant, Japan economist at Capital Economics.

Sustained inflation is a key measure of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s pro-spending growth blueprint, dubbed Abenomics, which was set in motion in late 2012, sending the yen plunging and boosting stock prices.

The central bank expanded its already massive asset-purchasing program in October.

But Japan’s inflation rate has now dropped to its lowest level since just after Abenomics was unleashed. AFP

Policies needed to empower women

By Jennifer Ambanta STATE think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies said Sunday the government must continue to create policies that will empower women.

PIDS consultant Lucita Laz detailed in her study the different obstacles women entrepreneurs face in the Philippines.

The study highlights the challenges of policymakers in helping women entrepreneurs boost their business ventures amid the Asean economic integration and freer trade.

“Even with the Philippines coming ahead in international gender

indices and local literacy rate surveys, affirming that Filipino women outperform Filipino men, experts say that translating these capabilities into business and leadership opportunities is still a work in progress,” Lazo said.

She said more Filipino women are educated but men’s employment still exceeded that of women’s.

“The Philippines boasts of having the highest ratio of female-tomale business leaders, yet experts believe that opportunities for women continue to be held back by oppressive conditions, and most of all, by persistent economic inequality,” she said.

Lazo said the challenges in empowering women included lack of access to resources; the sustainability of their businesses; lack of a business discipline, preparation and readiness for changing economic outlooks; lack of women representatives on decision making levels; lack of access to health and socio-legal protection; and a simple lack of information on the part of leaders and policymakers.

Despite all the government projects targeted to provide information, service facilities, technology and innovation to women in SMEs and microenterprises, access is weakened by a network of problems, she said.

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WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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Abbott says Australians are sick of UN lectures SYDNEY—Prime Minister Tony Abbott lashed out at criticism over Australia’s treatment of asylum-seekers on Monday, saying the country was “sick of being lectured” by the United Nations.

Canberra sends asylum-seekers arriving by boat into detention on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island or the small Pacific state of Nauru and refuses them resettlement in Australia, policies which are condemned by refugee and rights advocates.

In a new report to be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council, the body’s Special Rapporteur on Torture added to the criticism by finding that aspects of Australia’s asylum-seeker policies violated the convention against torture.

“I really think Australians are sick of being lectured to by the United Nations, particularly, given that we have stopped the boats, and by stopping the boats, we have ended the deaths at sea,” Abbott told reporters when asked about the findings.

Australia’s conservative administration, which also turns back boats carrying asylum-seekers where possible, has succeeded in stemming the tide of would-be refugees arriving on unauthorized vessels.

Abbott said that putting an end to the dangerous people-smuggling route to Australia, mostly via Indonesia, was the “most humanitarian, the most decent, the most compassionate thing you can do”.

Hundreds of people drowned at sea as the people-smuggling trade flourished under the previous Labor government, he said.

“We have stopped the boats and I think the UN’s representatives would have a lot more credibility if they were to give some credit to the Australian government for what we’ve been able to achieve in this area,” he added.

The UN rapporteur found there was substance to the allegations that Australia failed to provide adequate detention conditions; end the detention of children; and put a stop to escalating violence and tension at Manus.

As such, it had violated the right of the asylum-seekers to be free from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, it said.

Asked about the conditions that asylum-seekers lived in on Manus, Abbott said these were “reasonable under all the circumstances”.

“All of the basic needs of the people on Manus Island are being met ... everyone’s needs for food, for clothing, for shelter, for safety are being more than met,” he said. AFP

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe walk in the garden as they visit the Nezu Museum in Tokyo on March 9.

Merkel is on a two-day visit to Japan. AFP

Study: Women still far from gaining equality NEW YORK—Three women with global clout— Hillary Clinton, Melinda Gates and Chelsea Clinton—released a sweeping report on Monday showing that women are still far from winning equality in leadership positions.

The “No Ceilings” report is a review of progress made by women since the 1995 Beijing conference laid out a platform of action for achieving gender equality.

It was at that gathering that then first lady Hillary Clinton declared: “Let it be that human rights are women’s rights, and women’s rights are human rights, once and for all.”

But 20 years on, women are still “very much a minority” when it comes to holding political office, representing fewer than 30 percent of the world’s lawmakers, the report said.

About a fifth of ministers in Latin America and Africa are women, but they tend to run portfolios such as health, education or welfare and are left out of defense and financial ministries.

Women hold finance or budget cabinet posts in just 24 of 189 countries studied for the report.

UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon has noted that five countries still have all-male parliaments, and eight countries do not have a single woman in cabinet.

The report was released at the start of a 12-day UN conference on women that will focus on women’s political power and their influence in economic decision-making.

On the business front, women CEOs in the top Fortune 500 companies were nowhere to be seen in 1995, and now represent five percent, according to the study.

Women are increasingly taking their place on board seats, with their share ranging from eight percent in Portugal to 36 percent in Norway, but

this falls short of parity, the study said.

Clinton, seen as the likely Democratic presidential frontrunner, will attend the UN conference on Tuesday to address the “unfinished business” of the Beijing gathering, aides said.

Despite shortcomings in politics and economic representation, women have made headway in health and education, with women now outnumbering men in universities.

The “No Ceilings Full Participation” report is a year-long project that brought together the Clinton and Gates foundations, the Economist Intelligence Unit and the World Policy Center of the University of California in Los Angeles. AFP

Mother killed while on phone to husband

Family members of Australian death row prisoners Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran leave their boat after visiting the two prisoners in Nusakambangan prison island, off Central Java, on March 9. The families of two Australian drug smugglers facing imminent execution in Indonesia visited them on March 9 on the prison island where they will be put to death. AFP

SYDNEY—An Indian mother was fatally stabbed in a Sydney park during a brutal attack as she was on the phone to her distraught husband back home, police said Monday.

Prabha Arun Kumar, a 41-year-old IT professional, was taking a shortcut through Parramatta Park in the city’s west at around 9.30pm on Saturday when she was killed.

Police refused to reveal details of the phone call, but reports said she told her husband: “He stabbed me, darling”, before the conversation abruptly ended.

“He’s understandably extremely distressed,” homicide squad commander Michael Willing said of Kumar’s husband who jetted into Australia Monday and was helping police with their investigation.

“Here we have an Indian national who has been in the country for some

time, going about her business and ends up being killed in a very vicious way.”

Police appealed for help from the public, releasing footage of Kumar walking from Parramatta Railway Station.

“It’s a horrific crime. It’s a very, very disturbing crime,” Willing added.

“We think that she sustained a number of injuries to the neck area with what we believe is a sharp-edged weapon.”

Police said there was nothing to suggest the murder of Kumar, who reportedly planned to move back to India to be with her husband and nine-year-old daughter, was racially motivated.

“Could this be a random attack?

Well, yes it could. It could be a whole range of scenarios... and we are considering all of them,” Willing said.

The dead woman’s flatmate said

Kumar had probably not wanted to bother anyone to ask for a lift home after finishing work late and arriving at Parramatta train station at 9pm.

“Because she was working late regularly, she felt bad to ask for help,” her flatmate, who asked to be identified as Sarada, told The Daily Telegraph.

“Maybe that is the reason she didn’t call.”

Instead she decided to walk, and was attacked near a quiet, tree-lined path where bouquets of flowers were Monday left in her honour.

“Dear Prabha, may your soul rest in peace. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this moment,” read a note on one bunch.

Kumar was found by a passer-by shortly afterwards and rushed to hospital but had lost too much blood and doctors were unable to save her. She was just 300 metres from home. AFP

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CESAR bARRioqUinTo EDITOR

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

world

UN chief: Protect Iraqi sites BAGHDAD—UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon called on the international community Sunday to halt the destruction by Islamic State jihadists of Iraqi archaeological sites, branding the smashing of priceless and ancient artifacts a “war crime”.

Matisse’s oriental influences showcased ROME—The influence of Arab, African and Asian art on Henri Matisse is the theme of a major collection of the French artist’s work that has gone on show in Rome.

The exhibition, “Matisse Arabesque”, runs until June 21 at the Scuderie del Quirinale, the former stables of Italy’s presidential palace which have been transformed into a museum that boasts spectacular views over the Eternal City.

Curator Ester Coen has set out to demonstrate how Matisse’s enduring fascination with what he would have referred to as the Orient influenced the work of an artist considered one of the fathers of modern art.

In particular, a love of arabesque - designs based on the intertwined, flowing lines of early Islamic art had a huge influence on how Matisse (1869-1954) came to think about perspective and space in his painting.

Late in his life, the Frenchman reflected that his education had involved a gradual realization that he had to “forgot the technique of the Masters or rather to understand it in a completely personal way.

“Next came the knowledge and influence of the arts of the Orient,” he said.

Matisse also once said that modern art, “in its very essence is closer to archaic and primitive arts than to the arts of the Renaissance.”

Those ideas form the basis for the exhibition and Coen illustrates the point by accompanying Matisse’s paintings with examples of the kind of decorative arts from which the artist took inspiration, among them Moorish tiles, African masks, shields and wood carvings, and textiles from places as far afield as Uzbekistan and Japan. AFP

Bertrand Piccard, one of the two Swiss pilots of the solar-powered plane Solar Impulse 2 (top, R), lands at the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi’s small Al-Bateen airport during a third test flight early on March 2.

Organizers hoped that Solar Impulse 2 may head off around the globe as early as March 7 but cautioned that the launch was dependent on the weather, even in the relatively cloudless Gulf. AFP

Ban’s comments came hours after Iraq’s tourism and antiquities minister called on the US-led coalition carrying out air strikes against the militants to try to protect the sites, stating: “We request aerial support.”

The jihadists caused outrage around the world when they bulldozed the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud and smashed artifacts in the Mosul museum.

They may now have turned their attention to the extremely well preserved fortress city Hatra, which is more than 2,000 years old and a UNESCO world heritage site, with the United Nations condemning its reported “destruction”.

“The secretary-general urgently calls on the international community to swiftly put a stop to such heinous terrorist activity and to counter the illicit traffic in cultural artifacts,” Ban said in a statement from his spokesman.

“The deliberate destruction of our common cultural heritage constitutes a war crime.”

He stressed that the perpetrators must be held to account, and said he was “outraged” by the destruction, citing the Hatra reports.

The UN chief echoed a call by Iraq’s tourism and antiquities minister, Adel Fahad al-Shershab earlier Sunday.

“The sky is not in the hands of the Iraqis, the sky is not in our hands.

Therefore, the international community must move with the means it has,” Shershab told journalists in Baghdad.

“We request aerial support,” Shershab said. AFP

Alleged misfit arrested after five people are stabbed dead in Japan

Police officers inspect a site where a man stabbed five people to death at Sumoto City on Awajishima island, Hyogo prefecture, western Japan on March 9. A man suspected of stabbing five people dead at a family home in rural Japan was being quizzed by police on March 9, with reports saying he is a “hikikomori”, or social misfit, who lived nearby. AFP

TOKYO—A man suspected of stabbing five people dead at a family home in rural Japan was being quizzed by police Monday, with reports saying he is a “hikikomori”, or social misfit, who lived nearby.

Media descended on the usually quiet island of Awajishima, with helicopters hovering over the farmstead where the five were slain some time before 7:00 am (2200 GMT Sunday).

Police found the bloodied bodies of a man and a woman, both aged around 80, in the main house on the site.

Two unconscious women, aged around 60 and 80, were discovered in another building, while a badly wounded man in his 60s was found outside.

All three were rushed to hospital and were later confirmed dead, police said.

The alarm was raised by a 32-year-old woman who rang police to say her parents had been stabbed.

Detectives arrested unemployed Tatsuhiko Hirano, 40, a police spokesman told AFP. Local media said Hirano’s clothes were spat-

tered with blood and that he had admitted to the multiple killing.

A Twitter account that appeared to be run by the suspect had been used over the past month.

Tweets included one with the address of the homicides and a map of the scene. Other tweets appeared to be about telepathy and stalking.

Hirano lives in the area with his father and grandmother, Jiji Press reported.

Locals told the agency he rarely leaves his home and has largely been isolated from society since his school days.

The phenomenon of so-called “hikikomori”— literally “the withdrawn”—rears its head fairly frequently in Japan.

Often it applies to maladjusted people in their late teens or early 20s who shut themselves away for years at a time in their parents’ homes, many living in darkened bedrooms with little or no human contact.

While many eventually emerge, others continue well into adulthood, protected from the pressures of life by their aging parents. AFP

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BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

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

LIFE

TRAVEL

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY AYUNAN G. GUNTING

Only half an hour away from Zamboanga City (which, in turn, is only an hour and a half from Manila), the island of Basilan is one of Mindanao’s hidden treasures where you’ll soon forget what time or day it is.

Among its many beaches, White Beach puts the “escape” in “escapade.” For harried citydwellers who want or need to commune with nature and go offline for a while, this sea sanctuary has white powdery sand, lush patches of coconut trees and, with just a short climb up its hills, a breathtaking view of the entire island.

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White beach is not isolated but it provides the kind of solitude that the soul seeks our or even hungers for from time to time. There is none of the crazy crowds or loud, flashy clubs, bars and stores that jampack other spots.

VIRGIN BEACHES

Whitebeach has 25 native, open-air cottages, a recreation area and a shower room. For those who can’t survive without the hum of an airconditioner, worry not, cottages with this amenity are currently being constructed.

But there is really no time nor opportunity to stay indoors (except maybe to sleep) when there is so much to do outside aside from swimming and sunbathing, playing volleyball or jogging on the shore, or even just simply frolicking or sitting on the beach: jet-skiing, water-skiing, knee and wakeboarding as well as banana boat riding and kayaking are all yours for the taking.

And as the evening begins to steal away the day, you’ll have a chance to admire the lapping waves of the ocean at high tide, swallowing the sun and revealing the stars.

LAIDBACK

For extra adventures, neighboring cities like Lamitan and Isabela are merely boat rides away, affording guests and visitors a chance to experience their laidback vibe, rich cultures and histories, friendly smiles, and, of course, their sumptuous southern cuisine.

“Whether we get domestic or international visitors, we are quite proud of our hospitality and ability to host travelers. Kayang-kaya ng local businessmen,” said Mujiv Hataman, governor of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Hataman has been providing the aegis to transform the coastal areas of Basilan and its surrounding towns into a tourism hub. He’s rallied support from investors in order to provide opportunities for local businesses and opening up jobs for the locals.

If you’re still not convinced, take the word of royalty: “Basilan is a sight to behold. Its White Beach is the hottest brand-new discovery for travelers these days,” Princess Sitti Djaliah T. Hataman proudly said.

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

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

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

LIFE

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

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

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TRAVEL

TAKE A CULINARY JOURNEY TO NORTHERN THAILAND AT BENJARONG Partake of Benjarong’s Northern Thailand Food Festival

Benjarong Royal Thai Restaurant brings the ambrosial delights of Chang Mai in a special degustation fare from March 13 to 22.

Partake on Northern Thailand specialties such as Yum Hoo Moo Sa Mon Prai - a spicy pork ear salad; Naem si Khaong Song Khreuang - golden fried spare ribs with aromatic notes of northern herbs; Gaeng Hung Lay Gai - a Thai northern style

curry with chicken, ginger and peanuts; Nang Gai Tord Khon Meuang - crispy and crunchy chicken skin with kaffir lime leaves, and Peauak Cheuam - a sweet dessert of syrup and pineapple preserves to cap off the heavenly feast.

For those looking for a more intimate fete, a private food appreciation banquet will also be arranged on March 18 to cater to the most discerning of palates.

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CITY GARDEN HOTEL NAMES NEW GENERAL MANAGER

ity Garden Grand, the newlyopened four-star property of the City Garden portfolio of brands is pleased to announce the appointment of Laurence Peña as the new General Manager.

A well-rounded hotelier and restaurateur with a solid background in crisis resolution, turnaround and start-up situations, Laurence Peña had held as well several positions that required strategic planning, marketing, operations and financial management. His humble beginnings include a host of assignments in cashiering for several restaurants and hotels which advanced his ability in formulating and executing income enhancement strategies and cost control actions. Along with these, his Front Office Shift Leader stint at the Heritage Hotel Manila for three years also helped him reinforced his expertise in guest relations, budget preparation, and people management.

In 1999, Laurence had a career break abroad in the stately Burj Al Arab Hotel Dubai, UAE which he was signed up as a Guest Services Manager pre-opening team. With a job that stressed a whole lot of undertaking in the areas of front office reservations, cashiering, auditing, and an organized system for property specific operations of Jumeirah International, he was able to set a bar in running the Rooms Division in a diverse and multi-cultural setting. After seven years of gulf experience, he went back to the Philippines to assume

All guests dining in Benjarong Royal Thai Restaurant from March 13 to 22 are eligible to join the exciting raffle where they could experience firsthand the extraordinary magic of Nothern Thailand with a trip to Dusit D2 in Chang Mai complete with airfare courtesy of Thai Airways.

For inquiries and reservations, please call +63(2) 238 8888.

the Assistant Front Manager position at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel, where he greatly took charge for both hotel and city room operations and VIP arrival/departures. His promotion during the same year as a Front Office Manager paved way for a wider and deeper expertise in front office management.

As a seasoned hotelier, he was subsequently promoted during the same year at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza as Director of Rooms wherein his tried and tested skills in quality, profitability and guest satisfaction monitoring were greatly honed. With pre-opening of hotels as one of his core expertise, he became the Executive Assistant Manager at Acacia Hotel Manila in 2011, followed by the F1 Hotel as his first General Manager stint. His two year term as the highest executive committee position opened new doors of opportunities in achieving the maximum business potentials and revenue generating outlets for the hotel, while ensuring all his departments maintain highest level of service standards on a daily basis.

In 2014, Laurence’s immense hotel management expertise rewarded him with an opportunity of holding dual position as a Product Development Manager and General Manager of Camaya Sands Resort and Leisure. His major tasks included taking the lead in new and existing projects of the company, budget planning and ensured all engineering concerns are deliv-

ered on time as contracted. A man credited by many for his keen leadership on people management and identifying opportunities that will maximize profitability of the property, it wasn’t surprising that he was able to excellently deliver the roles of a General Manager at the same time.

Came mid-year of 2014, another opportunity came knocking at the door when he was offered to become the General Manager of the City Garden Grand, the first four-star brand of the City Garden Group of Hotels. “Our property specifically targets a new breed of business and leisure travelers who pursue style, comfort, and first-class facilities. City Garden Grand has taken up a notch the 4-star hotel experience beginning with a modern riff on its intricately designed furniture collections from local talents, astonishing chandelier made with thousands of capiz shells, and hallways dotted with semi-precious onyx stones.

And as prelude to a most comfortable stay designed to bring back a flood of memories, the hotel is equipped with spaciously designed rooms, leisure and fitness facilities all complete with pool, bar, and jacuzzi. Wifi is also out of the question, as this is freely accessible in all areas of the hotel”. says Laurence.

To know more about City Garden Grand Hotel call (632) 888-8181 follow social media accounts @citygardengrand in facebook, twitter and instagram or log on to www.citygardengrandhotel.com.

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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

FRESH DESTINATIONS

BY ED BIADO

School’s almost out, the mercury’s starting to rise and that means one thing. Summer is upon these Philippine islands once again. The question a lot of Filipinos are asking: Which exotic destination should I visit this season?

If you’re looking for a fresh under-the-radar vacation spot, Agoda.com, Asia’s leading hotel booking site, has a few suggestions. The places on this list are considered emerging travel destinations, based on booking trends in 2014 and visitor reviews.

CORD BLOOD BANKING: SAVVY PARENTING

M PENGHU, TAIWAN Interest in Penghu has jumped in recent years, but the island archipelago remains quite isolated. Fishing villages, temples, restored walking streets, and unique historic and geological sites await visitors. Windsurfing is great in the spring while the summer boasts the annual Ocean Fireworks Festival.

CHITWAN NATIONAL PARK, NEPAL Nepal’s first national park is a diverse collection of jungle, grassland, and rivers that’s home to some of the world’s most unique and endangered animals. This includes rhinos, elephants, monkeys, crocodiles, birds, and even the exceedingly uncommon Bengal Tiger.

PANGANDARAN, INDONESIA A bit further off the beaten path and a whole lot less developed than Bali, Pangandaran is a great surfing spot. The sleepy villages and swaying palms trees that populate the bucolic countryside surrounding the town are also a favorite for exploring on a rented bicycle.

YUFUIN, JAPAN Check out Yufuin Hot Springs and its stunning views over the town and the hills beyond. Soak in the therapeutic Yunohira Hot Springs to help ease gastrointestinal afflictions. Or dip in the Tsukahara Hot Springs, which acidity is said to be good for the skin.

COORG (KODAGU), INDIA Coorg is one of Asia’s premier locations for spotting wildlife where one can see peacocks, tigers, jackals, porcupines, elephants, leopards among other exotic animals. Hiking trails take you past ancient forts, royal tombs, over peaks, and even to the amazing Namdroling Monastery.

BURIRAM, THAILAND In Buriram, you’ll find the spectacular 10th century ruins of Phanom Rung, one of the best preserved temples of its kind in the world. Here, the pink sandstone bricks, relatively low visitor numbers, and isolated location on the edge of an extinct volcano make for a superbly photo-friendly destination.

SOKCHO, SOUTH KOREA Sokcho is a quiet little city, the perfect base for exploring the sprawling Seoraksan National Park, which starts as soon as you leave town. With the amount of hiking trails, gorges, waterfalls, and fresh grassland, it has earned its place on the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve list.

MOUNT EMEI, CHINA This is the stuff that photographers dream of—endless vistas of steep cliffs, over 100 ancient temples, and misty valleys.

Highlights include the Grand Buddha of Leshan, Liu Lao Cave, and the Cloud Sea. PHOTOS COURTESY OF AGODA.COM

any expectant parents today go beyond finding out the gender of their unborn child and whether he or she may potentially have a genetic disorder. Today, many parents consider to store their baby’s umbilical cord blood.

Some have called it a kind of biological insurance for your child’s future.

Cord blood, also called “placental blood,” provides a rich source of stem cells-these are cells that have been clinically proven to treat blood related diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma and thalassemia major.

Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta following the birth of a baby and after the umbilical cord is cut.

During pregnancy, the umbilical cord functions as a lifeline between mother and child. After a baby’s delivery, the cord blood present in the umbilical cord offers hope for the child in case unexpected illness arises. It is a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells1 (HSCs), which are primarily responsible for replenishing blood and regenerating the immune system.

Umbilical cord blood has been clinically proven to treat diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma and thalassemia major. Several new applications are also being studied, such as the Duke Medicine Trial to explore possible treatment of Autism through the use of cord blood.

Today cord blood stem cells are being used to replace and regenerate damaged or diseased bone marrow, treat certain blood cancers, and correct genetic defects (sibling/allogeneic transplantation), even as their potential for cellular therapy and regenerative medicine has yet to be fully explored.

The good news for Filipino parents is that they need not leave the country to be able to give their unborn child a leg up on life. Cordlife Philippines, the country’s first and only cord blood processing and cryopreservation facility, seeks to better serve the cord blood banking needs of the local market.

Cordlife Philippines also offers Cord Blood Network2, a companyinitiated program that assists in the search for a matching cord blood, should the company’s clients need to find a type that will match any of members in the family.

Furthermore, being a consumer healthcare company dedicated to caring for the mother and child, Cordlife has also developed the most advanced newborn screening in the market. MetascreenTM is a comprehensive newborn screening test that can detect up to 100+ metabolic disorders, through a noninvasive technique using only the infant’s urine. These metabolic disorders, also known as In-born Errors of Metabolism, if left untreated can cause serious developmental issues and lifelong complications and in some instances death.

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

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Billy Crawford (1) hosts Your Face Sounds Familiar with celebrity contestants Maxene Magalona (2) Jay-R (3), Jolina Magdangal (4), Tutti Caringal (5), Melai Cantiveros (6) Edgar Allan Guzman (7), Karla Estrada (8), and Nyoy Volante (9) in the first season of the show

ANNE CURTIS VISITS TACLOBAN Newly appointed UNICEF Celebrity Advocate for Children Anne Curtis spent two moving days visiting parts of Leyte. She saw the recovery operations just over a year after Typhoon Yolanda and took time to engage and interact with children and their families.

“I am honored to join UNICEF on this very fulfilling and meaningful trip. I am deeply touched by how children and families have coped and are building back their lives. Clearly, significant progress have been achieved. Talking to children and their families, and being able to bring smiles to their faces is something I will remember for the rest of my life,” said Anne Curtis.

She adds, “As a donor and supporter of UNICEF, I am glad to see how our funds have reached and worked for children most in need.” In the past two days,

atch your favorite celebrities like you’ve never seen them before in ABS-CBN’s newest variety show Your Face Sounds Familiar, where they undergo total transformation to take on a new identity as popular music icons and provide viewers with a concert-like entertainment experience.

Billy Crawford is host of the local version of the worldwide hit, which premieres on March 14 on ABS-CBN. “We hope you‘ll love the performances of our colleagues in the industry. It’s just going to be a really fun show and we hope everyone will watch and enjoy it,” said Billy at the show’s media launch last week.

“This show is different because I get to play around with the people who are actually performing, the judges, and myself,” he added.

Your Face Sounds Familiar is licensed by Endemol, which also brought to Filipino audiences the country’s most successful reality and game shows such as Pinoy Big Brother, Pinoy Fear Factor, 1 vs 100, Wheel of Fortune, and Kapamilya Deal or No Deal. The variety show has been adapted in 33 territories all over the world, including the USA and UK. In the program, eight celebrity performers are tasked to impersonate different local or international music icons.

They have to face the iconizer, which reveals which music icon they aree assigned to impersonate the following week.

But the biggest and most exciting aspect of the competition is that they have to exactly copy the moves, appearance, and even the voice of their assigned music icons, regardless of gender or age. They will then perform live with a band, to be judged by their co-performers and a jury composed of respected personalities in the industry.

This season’s performers include RnB singer Jay-R, 6CycleMind vocalist Tutti Caringal, actor Edgar Allan Guzman, actress Maxene Magalona, singer Nyoy Volante, comedian Melai Cantiveros, singer/actress Karla Estrada, and singer/actress Jolina Magdangal.

Each of them is expected to give their best to exude believability and give superb performances. The must undergo an acting, dance, and vocal training, plus a complete make-up transformation to closely match the look and moves of the assigned music icon.

The performer who receives the highest score for each week wins a cash prize, half of which goes to his or her chosen charity.

The same set of performers competes with one another for the entire season, until the four top-scorers fight for public votes and the grand prize in the finals.

Which of the eight celebrity performers will give the most entertaining performances and dramatic transformation?

Anne Curtis is UNICEF Celebrity Advocate for Children visits Yolanda stricken Tacloban

Anne saw UNICEF supported emergency response while visiting a maternal health care ward in the regional hospital, an immunization site, a child friendly space at a temporary housing site, educational facilities such as day care centres and elementary schools, equipped with water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. In every

site she visited, Anne took her time to talk with children and families.

“I played with children in a childfriendly space and a day care centre. I read books to them and helped them draw in an arts & crafts session. I washed hands with school children and participated in their song and dance number,” shared

Anne, “It was heartwarming to listen to mothers, children and young people.

It is important that people know these stories, understand how communities are recovering and what we can do to help.”

As a UNICEF Celebrity Advocate for Children, Anne will focus on promoting Early Childhood Care & Development.

She will also help in mobilizing support and resources for the most vulnerable children and families, those living in abject poverty, are affected by violence, abuse, exploitation, and particularly in emergency and conflict situations.

“Anne has been a steady supporter of UNICEF since 2009. UNICEF Philippines welcomes her as a Celebrity Advocate,” said UNICEF Philippines Representative Ms. Lotta Sylwander. “We trust that with her popularity and large following, Anne will play a significant role in drawing due attention to issues affecting the most vulnerable, marginalized and underserved children.”

In the Philippines, Anne joins UNICEF National Ambassador Gary Valenciano and UNICEF Special Advocate for Children Daphne Paez in upholding UNICEF’s mandate to protect and promote the rights of children worldwide.

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SHOWBITZ

EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

CNN’S HOLLYWOOD EXPRESS

SPINNR WINS ‘OSCARS’ BEST MUSIC APP

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PINNR, the home-grown music service of Smart Communications, Inc.’s won accorded top “Best Mobile Music App” at the 20th Global Mobile Awards.

The awards is considered the Oscars in the mobile world and presented by the prestigious Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA).

Presented in Barcelona, Spain, in conjunction with the 2015 Mobile World Congress.

The Awards give recognition to excellence and achievement in the mobile arena, showcasing the latest and best mobile products, apps, devices, services, and initiatives to the industry and the world.

SPINNR was pitted against strong contenders, including Samsung’s Milk Music, Universal Music’s The Kleek, Bharti Airtel’s Wynk, and the Radio Sawa app. The panel of judges called the home-grown Filipino music service a multiplatform app and praised its “proven track record in driving subscriptions in the Philippines, thanks to a bite-sized revenue model with carrier billing in a low credit card user base environment.”

Beyond the listening and song-streaming service of catalogues from foreign and local artists, Spinnr also brings amazing experiences (#SpinnrExperience). Big industry names like Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, 5 Seconds of Summer, Miley Cyrus, Eminem, and Rihanna were brought closer to music fans through live concert events, Fly-Offs, or

SCIENCE FICTION, BIG THRILLS, AND GOOD OL’ FAIRYTALES

SPINNR is sending a subscriber to Ariane Grande’s concert in Los Angeles

Meet ‘N Greet promos where subscribers got to splurge on all-expense paid tickets or trips to watch concerts locally or in different parts of the world. Spinnr is also known to give out artists’ exclusive merchandise, video hangouts with artists among other activities.

Spinnr is currently holding Fly-Off concert cum meet-and-greet promo for Ariana Grande’s Los Angeles tour. Apart from FlyOffs, subscribers earn tickets to locally held concerts in the Philippines as in the forthcoming One Direction On the Road Again Tour on March 21 and 22 at the Mall of Asia Concert Grounds.

Launched in 2013, the Spinnr app has helped make the soundtracks of subscribers’ daily lives available for as low as P2.50/day with no additional data charges. Recently, SPINNR has launched a new feature called Spinnr radio, which allows free music streaming just by easily logging in via Facebook.

Unlike other digital music stores, SPINNR lets Smart, Talk ‘N Text, and Sun Cellular subscribers pay for music downloads or streaming conveniently, through prepaid load deductions or charging to their postpaid bill – no credit cards or special accounts needed.

SPINNR is available as a free downloadable app on Android phones and iPhones, and can be accessed by other internet-capable gadgets like tablets, laptops, and desktops via www.spinnr.ph. Users can log in using their Smart, Talk ‘N Text, or Sun Cellular account or their Facebook account.

One Direction will be in Manila this month for millions of Filipino fans

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Champagne and orange juice 7 TV mfr.

10 Part of MIT 14 Ranges of view 15 Joule fraction 16 Make a footnote 17 Stymie 18 — -tzu 19 Fencing weapon 20 Rockies sight (2 wds.)

ISAH V. RED

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Play banjo Cartoon shriek Bashfully Roller coaster cry Rock’s — Leppard Kind of system Previous to Cobbler’s tool Stamen sites Aurora, to Plato Bridal notice word Mi. above sea level

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Livy’s dozen Adjusted slightly Matter, in law Hail, to Caesar Diamond org.

Geological period Lose energy Yawning Outback bird Count or Duchess Cooperate (2 wds.)

Astronaut Sally — Menacing sound Drake’s prey “Et tu” time Journey stage Type of union Mardi Gras follower Monsieur’s summer Self-defense art

DOWN 1 Santa Fe hrs.

2 Freud, to himself 3 Do yard work 4 Not see-through 5 Vaccine 6 “The Thin Man” pooch 7 “Whew!” feeling 8 Grouchy one 9 Excited

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Place to see Capades (2 wds.)

A bit cool Girder material Ant-size — over (fainted) Cravat cousins Kind of tooth Afghan Pee Wee of baseball Dork Ms. Barkin of films Harem jewelry “Like, wow, man!” (hyph.)

Put on a pedestal Opponent Long bout Least scarce Appear More resolute One of twelve Sherpa, often Colonial suitor Snowy-white bird — incognita Give the eye Swing an ax Oklahoma town Morse click Tucked away

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his week, CNN’s Hollywood Express is taking you to the red carpet to celebrate Unfinished Business (2015). Get on a business trip to Europe and witness how things go off track for a small-business owner (played by Vince Vaughn) and his associates (played by Tom Wilkinson and Dave Franco) as they try to close what might be the most important deal of their lives.

Take an inside look at Chappie (2015), a science fiction film about a police droid who is programmed to feel and think for himself and adapt into human behavior. See how Chappie struggles as authorities try to take him down, after seeing him as danger to mankind. Come over and be a tourist at The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015). Support Sonny (played

by Dev Patel) as he pursues his expansionist dream, the Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel after realizing that his first venture, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel has one remaining vacancy left.

Believe in magic once again with a new release of Cinderella (2015), a romantic fantasy film that is portrayed through live-action. Unite with Ella (played by Lily James), the Wicked Stepmother (played by Cate Blanchett), Prince Charming (played by Richard Madden), and The Fairy Godmother (played by Helena Bonham-Carter) and fall in love with fairytales once more. Switch lanes from romance to a rowdy rumble in Run All Night (2015).

Join Liam Neeson in adrenaline-filled action as Jimmy Conlon, a maturing hitman who is left with no choice but to take on his cruel former boss (played

by Ed Harris) in order to protect his estranged son and his own family.

Catch CNN’s Hollywood Express 5:30 p.m. tomorrow, or watch it tomorrow, too, at 11:30 p.m.; March 14 at 9 a.m.; March 15 at 2 a.m., 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; and March 16, at 2 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.

Don’t miss Hollywood’s freshest updates on CNN’s Hollywood Express, only on 9TV.

Chappie

Run All Night with Liam Neeson

Disney’s Cinderella with Lily James and Richard Maddem

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SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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The Amazing Food Challenge judges: Chef Rolando Laudico, Sherson Lian, and guest judge Aileen Anastacio

CNN’s Hollywood Express features films that will screened this week including

Top, from left, to bottom from left. Narciso Nuñez, Ricardo Dacanay, Rosalie Buenosaires, Amalia Galamgam, Bobby Bandianon and Jinky Guinto are just some of the 122 Ngiting Kapuso beneficiaries who have found a reason to smile.

A. B:C.

FOLLOW YOUR HEART From C8

Sunya from Thailand wins the grand prize in The Amazing Food Challenge

Alec Wing is Sunya’s runner up

THAI COOK WINS TV COOKING CHALLENGE

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he Asian Food Channel (AFC), part of the Scripps Networks Interactive family of lifestyle media brands, unveiled the winner of The Amazing Food Challenge: Fun in the Philippines 2 (AFC: FITP 2). The reality competition series produced in collaboration with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines (TPB) saw 10 new contestants travel across the Philippines, competing in physical and culinary challenges for $50,000 worth of prizes.

In the highly anticipated finale, Sunya Thadathanawong from Thailand and Alec Wing from Mauritius went head-to-head in a heated cooking showdown. Their challenge – to use all the knowledge that they have learned throughout the program to make a traditional Filipino dish, and prepare it for 50 guests. The judges also threw in a last minute challenge, tasking both contestants to make an additional dish using only the ingredients they had on hand.

Sunya cooked adobo (vinegar chicken) and sinigang (sour tamarind soup with chicken and vegetables), while Alec cooked hipon sa aligue (prawns in crab fat) and sinuglaw (fish ceviche with grilled pork belly). In the nail-biting final deliberation round, due to his impressive skill and flavorful dishes, Sunya was crowned the winner and awarded the grand prize of

$30,000 and a 3-day 2-night travel package to the Philippines. As runner up, Alec took home $6,000 and a 3-day-2 night travel package to the Philippines.

When asked about his victory, Sunya said, “Winning Amazing Food Challenge: Fun in the Philippines 2 is one of the best things that has ever happened to me! I will never forget all of the exhilarating places that I visited and the wonderful people I met. I hope that viewers enjoyed watching the program on AFC and will take the chance to experience the Philippines for themselves.”

CheeK, head of Creative, Content and Marketing Scripps Networks Interactive, Asia Pacific said, “We are thrilled to have partnered once again with Philippine Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines for the second season of Amazing Food Challenge: Fun in the Philippines 2. The program received very positive feedback and we are heartened by the enthusiastic response.

We look forward to entertaining our viewers with more unique and fresh lifestyle concepts in 2015.”

The Amazing Food Challenge: Fun in The Philippines is hosted by Malaysian celebrity, Sherson Lian and resident judge, Chef Rolando Laudico from the Philippines.

122 Kapuso beneficiaries now have a reason to smile as GMA Kapuso Foundation carried out its annual Ngiting Kapuso project in February, with each individual receiving a new set of complete or partial dentures.

In support of Oral Health month, the Kapuso Foundation teamed with Philippine Dental Association and Philippine Association of Private School Dentists to provide the free service.

The project is part of the Foundation’s medical assistance program Bisig Bayan that provides free medicine and medical services to indigent beneficiaries afflicted with various ailments.

Centered on the importance of oral health care, the project recognizes the impact a simple procedure creates on the lives of the beneficiaries. With minimal cost, a significant effect is seen in the confidence and self-esteem that is rekindled in the recipients.

GMA Kapuso Foundation Execituve Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Mel C. Tiangco views this as an opportunity to make small changes with a big impact. “Uplifting the lives of our countrymen does not only mean effecting change on a grand scale. With projects like Ngiting Kapuso, we can see how giving back the smiles on the faces of the beneficiaries makes them more confident and opens doors to more opportunities,” she says.

The Ngiting Kapuso project was able to give full dentures to 92 patients while providing partial dentures to 30 patients. All patients were screened and fitted for their dentures in a series of clinic sessions held throughout the month. The beneficiaries also attended lectures on how to properly use and maintain their new dentures. ★★★★★ ATC Healthcare International searched for the best ingredients to take care of our heart. ATC Fish Oil is a dietary supplement that contains omega-3 and DHA that help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The capsule can also lower blood pressure and aid in fighting the risk of cancer, particularly breast, colon and prostate.

Omega-3 fatty acids found in ATC Fish Oil have other numerous other benefits that will aid in allowing us to live our lives to the best of our abilities, including better immune system for us not to be weighed down by different sicknesses, improved brain function to help us be more present and active mentally in our daily activities and increased blood flow and reduced inflammation for faster recovery.

Studies have also shown that fish oil can aid in slowing down agerelated vision diseases and can also cause weight loss and an improved body composition.

We are not getting any younger and if we want to live life to the fullest, we should start taking good care of ourselves not only for our sake, but for the people we love as well. Take 2-3 capsules of ATC Fish Oil a day, best with with warm water.

For an affordable price of P5.10 per capsule, ATC Fish Oil can help people secure themselves against heart diseases. It is available at Mercury Drug and other leading drugstores nationwide. ★★★★★ TV5 news anchor Grace Lee played the role of a celebrity storyteller during the mini-library turnover of Fully Booked Foundation and Vice Mayor Francis Zamora in Brgy. Pasadena, San Juan. Joining them are Jaime and Chris Daez of Fully Booked, and Keri Zamora.

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ KRIS BERNAL BREAKS FREE At 25, Kris Bernal dreams to become one of the top versatile actresses of her generation and believes that she will be able to make it in 2015. In the February issue of the collaborative online ISAH V. RED photo magazine MusePH, Kris revealed that she is ready to face everything just to survive and triumph this challenge that she has set upon herself.

After being hailed as the Ultimate Love Team together with Martin Escudero in StarStruck IV’s finale, she has been known as the sweetheart, the cute and amiable Kapuso star. But now, as the New Year opens for new opportunities, Kris wants to step up and be aggressive with the goals she sets for her career.

– Kris Bernal Looking fierce and fresh with an ensemble of black and white outfits, Kris overflows with an aura of determination and power. She glares through the pictures, showing how her eyes pierce through the camera and register as someone who is ready to break free and conquer a different venture.

“You only live once, but once is enough if you live it well,” sustains the GMA Artist Center star. She strongly expresses her desire to make the most out of her career, and is more than willing to try different roles to portray.

With her outright conviction and grit to step out from the perky, girl-next-door image, surely people will expect a stronger and bolder Kris Bernal this year.

SIMPLY RED

You only live once, but once is enough if you live it well

Kris Bernal sets a higher goal for herself this year, dropping the sweet image she has been known for since winning StartStruck IV as Ultimate Survivor

LOVI POE: IN LOVE WITH HER NAILS

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oung actress Lovi Poe, last seen in GMA7’s Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real with Dingdong Dantes and Maricel Soriano, is painting the town red as she confesses to being in love these days.

Lovi spent her Valentine’s Day in Balesin Island. She was also in the entourage in the wedding of her close friend Heart Evangelista and Senator Chiz Escudero. She also went to Baguio with boyfriend Rocco Nacino to celebrate the love month.

The Kapuso actress also expresses her being in love through her choice of nail colors. She finds color red sexy, “and it’s not just a color for me, it’s a statement”. And she goes to California Nails & Day Spa for her nail treatments, body massage, foot massages and nail acrylics.

She shares her daily tips to couples who want to look good when dating, “Keep it romantic and fun. “Boys should treat their dates like a princess all the time”. She also gives pampering tips for women who want to look good when they go on dates: “Go to a spa like California Nails & Day Spa for your relaxing massage and nail treatments. Get your nails done; it’s nice to be presentable from head to toe”.

California Nails & Day Spa has branches located at BF Pergola, SM Southmall, SM Mall Of Asia, Festival Supermall, Starmall Prima Taguig, Greenhills Shoppesville, dela Rosa Legaspi Village and Market! Market!

You may also call 820-1569 / 825-3419 or check out their website at www.californianailsandayspa.com. Like us on facebook at www. facebook.com/CalifOfficial and follow us on www.twitter.com/Calif_Nails.

Continued on C7

Lovi Poe is in love not just with actor Rocco Nacino but with her nails with red nail polish too