The Standard - 2015 March 20 - Friday

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK VOL. XXIX  NO. 36  3 Sections 32 Pages P18  FRIDAY : MARCH 20, 2015  www.manilastandardtoday.com  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

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De Lima says FVR is ‘confused’

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BOI head: I didn’t clear President

79% DISBELIEVE PNOY ON CLASH Next page

Exercise in Mactan.

Philippine Navy and US Navy Seals “rescue” a hostage held by terrorists during an exercise in the Mactan Channel on Thursday. RALPH PIEZAS

Straight from the runway

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Pacquiao, ‘Money’ do tests

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Lawmakers hail plan to resume massacre probe

By Maricel V. Cruz

Courtesy call. President Benigno Aquino III talks to Nestle officials during their courtesy call in Malacañang on Thursday.

MalaCañang Photo Bureau

Majority unsatisfied with PNoy’s version

By Sandy araneta

A VAST majority of Filipinos are dissatisfied with the explanation of President Benigno Aquino III regarding the Mamasapano operation in which 44 police commandos were killed, a Pulse Asia survey released Thursday showed.

“For 79 percent of Filipinos, the explanation regarding the Mamasapano operation given by the national administration in general and President Benigno S. Aquino III in particular is not enough,” Pulse Asia said.

The survey company said this view is shared by big majorities in every geographic area and socio-economic grouping.

Some 11 percent were undecided and only 10 percent of the respondents said the administration’s explanation concerning the Mamasapano operation was sufficient.

Ambivalence is more pronounced in the Visayas (21 percent) compared to the rest of Luzon and Mindanao (both at 7 percent), Pulse Asia said.

Despite the debacle at Mamasa-

pano, a plurality of respondents still supported Aquino’s leadership, with 42 percent disagreeing that he should step down.

“Amidst the various challenges being faced by the incumbent administration, among which are the unresolved questions regarding the Mamasapano operation and the suspension of congressional discussions on the BBL, around four out of 10 Filipinos (42 percent) do not think President Aquino should step down from office now. This is the plurality sentiment among those in Metro Manila (45 percent), the rest of Luzon (47 percent), and Class D (43 percent),” said Pulse Asia.

Public opinion is split three-ways in the Visayas, with 36 percent being ambivalent on the matter, 34 percent opposing calls for the President’s resignation now, and 29 percent supporting such calls.

In Mindanao and Class ABC, virtually the same percentages either think President Aquino should not resign at present (39 percent and 42 percent, respectively) or express ambivalence on the matter (34 percent and 32 percent, respectively).

On the national level, Pulse Asia said, the practically the same number of respondents believed the President should resign now (29 percent) or expressed ambivalence (28 percent).

Pulse Asia said its survey showed that virtually every Filipino (99 per-

cent) knows about the Jan. 25 Mamasapano operation and the main protagonists.

Most Filipinos or 91 percent were aware that President Aquino did not show up during the Jan. 29 arrival honors for the slain police commandos.

Almost eight in 10 Filipinos or 79 percent disagreed with the President’s decision to skip the rites.

At Thursday’s briefing at the Palace, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the administration would continue to explain its actions in Mamasapano to the public.

Reacting to the Pulse Asia survey, Coloma said it was a good sign that the public wanted to know more about Mamasapano and the administration would strive to provide the information they wanted.

He also said the President was aware of the deep emotions that the incident has triggered nationwide.

The survey was conducted from March 1 to 7, using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents.

The survey has a ± 3 percent margin of error and a 95 percent confidence level.

No religious, political, economic, or partisan group influenced any of these processes, Pulse Asia said.

The survey was done on its own, without any party commissioning the research effort, the company added.

OPPOSITION lawmakers welcomed Thursday the decision of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to reopen the House probe into the covert Mamasapano operation in which 44 police commandos were killed on Jan. 25.

Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, leader of the independent minority bloc, said reopening the probe by the committees on public order and peace, unity and reconciliation, would provide answers to many questions behind the debacle.

“This is a good move in our quest for justice for our fallen heroes,” said Romualdez, who earlier opposed the resumption of hearings on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), without a resumption of the House probe on Mamasapano.

Hearings on the BBL, the lynchpin in peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), had been suspended after lawmakers learned that MILF fighters had joined in the massacre of the police commandos.

In announcing the resumption, Belmonte said the House probe would not touch on matters already covered by the police board of inquiry and the Senate, both of which have released their findings.

House Majority Leader and Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali Gonzales II said House leaders decided to resume the investigation after a series of meetings between Belmonte and Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and 120 lawmakers who had signed a resolution calling for the probe’s resumption.

“This goes to show that the House leadership is sensitive and listening to the sentiments of our colleagues,” Gonzales said.

To give way to the Mamasapano probe, Gonzales said the leadership also permitted the ad hoc panel led by Rodriguez to meet during the congressional break, from April 20 to 30.

The House committees on public order and safety and peace, reconciliation and unity held only one hearing on the Mamasapano massacre on Feb. 11 before suspending the investigation.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, one of the 126 lawmakers who signed the resolution calling for a resumption of the probe, said it was important that the leaders of the two committees strictly focus on their fact-finding mission to avoid the “circus-like” atmosphere of the first hearing.

Albano urged the committee leaders to clearly establish the parameters of the probe, set a definite timetable for the hearings, and strictly observe ground rules for the orderly conduct of the proceedings.

“The complexities and political fallout of the Mamapasano bloodbath continues to outrage the nation as the quest for the truth and identification of those responsible for the mess remains unanswered,” Albano said. “The House probe, therefore should not lose focus on the essentials of the probe as the hearings should be able to strike a balance on the quest for justice for the ‘Fallen 44’, on one hand, and the pursuit of the peace agreement between the government and the MILF, on the other.”

A Pulse Asia survey released Thursday showed most Filipinos are opposed to the passage of the BBL. According to the Pulse Asia survey, 44 percent of Filipinos are opposed to the bill’s passage, with strong opposition coming from Mindanao (62 percent) and Metro Manila (52 percent).

More Filipinos were undecided (36 percent) about the BBL than those that support it outright (21 percent).

The rest of Luzon and the Visayas saw opposition to the BBL at 32 percent and 43 percent, respectively.

In the best-off Class ABC, public opinion is split three-ways with 37 percent rejecting the BBL’s passage.

The survey was conducted from March 1 to 7, using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents.

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LP bid to pack Comelec exposed

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE Liberal Party is undertaking another underhanded move to pack the Commission on Elections with its allies through a known ally of Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, according to United Nationalist Alliance interim president and Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco.

Leyte visit. Britain’s Princess Anne walks with Save the Children and local officials during a visit to Save the Children’s projects in the Haiyan-hit areas in Leyte on Thursday. aFP

De Lima says FVR ‘confused’ about order

By Rey E. Requejo JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima insisted that President Benigno Aquino III cannot be held liable for violating the chain of command over the botched Mamasapano massacre, saying it does not apply in the Philippine National Police as a civilian agency.

De Lima disputed the findings of the PNP Board of Inquiry and the Senate which both found that Aquino violated the chain of command that ultimately caused the death of 67 people, including 44 police commandos in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 27.

She reiterated her opinion after former President Fidel Ramos said that he issued Executive Order No. 226 in 1995 institutionalizing the principle of

chain of command in the PNP. “If you read that EO, it purports to apply (chain of command) not only to the PNP but to all offices of the executive branch of government. If that is correct, does it mean there is already chain of command in our executive departments?

They seem to be confused,” De Lima said, in an interview.

“If you apply that EO of FVR on the basis of the PNP, then it also applied to the entire executive branch. Can you imagine now the entire civilian bureaucracy adopting this chain of command concept? That would make us here in the executive branch just like the military. I don’t agree with that,” she said.

According to her, the EO only provided for application of “command of superior responsibility” in cases of ac-

countability of officials on the basis of certain standards like knowledge and negligence.

“Did the higher official tolerate the commission on an illegal or irregular act on the part of his subordinates? That’s the only point of the EO. It does not mean that if the doctrine of command of superior responsibility is applied, automatically there is already chain of command,” she said.

De Lima reiterated her position on this issue in response to that statements made by Ramos, who said the EO he signed in 1995 was meant to clarify gray areas in the doctrine of chain of command pertaining to the police.

“The operative principle in governance, whether in a civil or informal government, the military, police and also the uniformed forces, the coast

guard, militia and even members of private security agencies, there is a chain of command that operates under the principle of command responsibility,” Ramos said.

When asked to react on Ramos’ call for Aquino to issue an apology over the Mamasapano encounter, De Lima said it is up to the President to do so.

“Only the President would know what he did and what he did not do. Only he would know if he was liable,” she retorted.

De Lima said the President himself said that the plan presented to him by sacked PNPSAF Director Getulio Napenas to get wanted Malaysian bomb maker and Jemaah Islamiyah leader Zulkifli bir Hir alias Marwan and his Filipino cohort, Basit Usman, was in order.

Tiangco identified the Roxas ally as lawyer Rowena Guanzon, whose appointment to the Commission on Audit was rejected by the Commission on Appointments in 2013.

Tiangco said Guanzon was part of the group that supposedly conspired to destroy Vice President Jejomar Binay by resurrecting issues during his term as Makati City mayor and her appointment to the Comelec is intended to snip Binay’s popularity.

“There is a deep reason why Guanzon is the one they want to put in the Comelec,” Tiangco said.

“What is clear is the agenda to demolish the Vice President in 2016. It is clearer than the sun that Guanzon is part of the inner circle of the LP,” Tiangco said.

During her stint as COA commissioner, Tiangco said Guanzon actively pursued all Makati-related projects under Binay and even berated auditors for failing to find any irregularity in Makati and wanted them to come up with a report reversing COA’s original findings.

“Guanzon is very much part of Mar Roxas’ circle.

Mar endorsed her for COA and the Supreme Court, but the JBC and Commission on Appointments discovered Guanzon’s agenda.

Again, we see Mar dipping his hands in Comelec,” Tiangco said.

Tiangco added that the Liberal Party sees Binay as a major threat to Roxas in 2016 which explains why the administration party wants its people appointed to key constitutional offices, like the COA and Comelec.

Guanzon was former mayor of Cadiz City in Negros Occidental and a close associate of Roxas’ lawyers Avelino Cruz and Simeon Marcelo.

Guanzon is a graduate of the UP College of Law and member of the Delta Lambda Sigma, a sister sorority of the Sigma Rho fraternity to which Cruz and Marcelo belong.

Tiangco challenged Roxas to shed light on his role in appointing Guanzon to the Comelec as well as the part of the LP leadership in lobbying for the appointment of Macabangkit Lanto as Comelec commissioner.

In February, Tiangco said the LP also tried to sneak the appointment of lawyer Joe Nathan Tenefrancia, an election lawyer of Roxas, to replace Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. “The LP and the Palace needs a conductor in the Comelec so they are forcing to put in their creatures, like Guanzon. They want their people to manage the 2016 elections that would favor Mar Roxas and their bets,” Tiangco said.

Trillanes: Poe out as Liberal bet

By Macon R. araneta THE ruling Liberal Party may no longer draft Senator Grace Poe as its standard bearer in the 2016 elections after the unfavorable findings of her committee that “hurt” President Noynoy Aquino, according to Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. Trillanes, who also announced that he would run for vice president because “the people are not ready for a Trillanes presidency,” said the party may instead settle for Interior and Local Government Sec. Mar Roxas despite his poor showing various election surveys.

“Siempre, ‘yong kukunin mong President iyong makakatulong sa iyo [Of course, the one you will get for President will someone who can help you],” Trillanes said during the weekly “Kapihan sa Senado.”

But after the report of her committee which spelled out the blunders Aquino committed over the

police operation that resulted in the death of 67 people, Trillanes doubts if the Liberal Party will still field Poe as its presidential bet.

As for himself, Trillanes said he will no longer seek the presidency a day after the latest voter preference survey by pollster Pulse Asia showed him at eighth place among possible contenders with a rating of only 2 percent.

“I believe it is a function of the readiness of the people to have somebody like me to run this country,” he said. “We won’t force it.”

But he clarified that that was his personal decision and he has not yet consulted with leaders of the Nacionalista Party, which he said will like decide on its lineup for the 2016 polls in the middle of this year.

Poe, for her part, said the decision she reached on the Mamasapano incident was one of the most difficult she encountered since entering the government and politics was farthest from her mind.

“People will find it hard to believe, but I’m not really planning strategy yet because it will really affect the quality of your work if your intention is to run,” she said.

“I have a high regard for the President, and I continue to have that high regard for him. I consider him a friend,” Poe said, but she had to come up with the “right conclusions” because these would be used to prevent future occurrences of that nature.

Before releasing the report, she prayed and asked God to say “what I need to say, what He wants me to say. I mean that’s how I pray.”

“I don’t want to prejudice any person, his reputation which is one’s life. More so, the President, whom I respect and who is respected by many, but he committed mistakes,” Poe said.

“It’s not an easy decision to make. Honestly, do I want it? It’s a difficult position. See what the President is going through now?” she added.

In memoriam. Members of the group Gabriela offer flowers at the Gabriela Silang Monument on Ayala Avenue to toast the heroine’s birth anniversary. Danny Pata

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BOI head claims he didn’t clear Aquino

By Francisco Tuyay and Sandy araneta

PNP director Benjamin Magalong on Thursday disputed claims he cleared President Benigno Aquino III of any liability in the firefight in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, that left 44 SAF commandos dead after meeting with Aquino at the Palace on Tuesday.

Magalong, chairman of the Board of Inquiry that investigated the clash, rejected presumptions he cleared Aquino of any liability over the incident two days after he and PNP-OIC deputy director general Leonardo Espina were summoned by the President.

“We are just stating the facts here. Why are their specula-

tions that we reversed the BOI report?” Magalong said.

“We have not changed anything. We will not sacrifice our principles in spite of potential pressure. The report will stay.”

Magalong made his statement even as Foreign Affairs said the United States did not violate any Philippine laws when they provided assistance to the po-

lice commandos who went on a mission to arrest a terrorist.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said the BOI report had clearly stated that there were no armed US troops that engaged in the Mamasapano operations.

He said the report had said that the US provided assistance to the police raid that resulted in the killing of the terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan.

Magalong said the insinuations that he cleared Aquino had affected the reputation of the BOI and the PNP as a whole. “let is just stick to the facts, let us not spin words,” Magalong said.

“We are no longer thinking of our careers here. We have to set aside our personal ambitions in

order to be objective because we owe the public, we owe the families of the 44 SAF [commandos] in order that justice for their death would be served.”

Magalong said Aquino did not violate the chain of command but merely bypassed it by giving direct orders to former SAF director Getulio Napeñas hours before Oplan exodus came into motion.

Magalong said Aquino on Wednesday raised some questions on the command responsibility clause in the BOI report.

“President Aquino did not violate the chain of command as he is not covered by it. But the findings of the report that the chain of command has been violated remains,” Magalong said. With Vito Barcelo

Cops’ pageant. A fetching policewoman strikes a pose on the catwalk during the second Pulis Fashionista 2015 pageant in celebration of women’s month by the PNP in Region 7. The pageant showcases the beauty and talent of the policewomen from different units, including LGBT members of the PNP. Ralph piezaS

Cops looking for terrorists in near-clash with MILF

By Florante S. Solmerin A COMPANY of policemen including some from the Special Action Force were said to have entered an area in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao, early Wednesday morning to go against high-value targets but were detected and quickly surrounded by MILF fighters, a reliable source from the intelligence community told The Manila Standard on Thursday.

The source said the policemen entered the lair of the MILF’s 106th Base Command based on information that Abdul Basit Usman and Malaysian terrorist Amin Baco alias Jihad were hiding in the area.

“Not a single bullet was fired from both sides because the police combatants were detected and were being yelled at by MILF fighters to go back where they came from to avoid an encounter,” said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“They were surrounded and told by the MILF to get out if they didn’t want to be fired at.”

Philippine National Police spokesman Generoso Cerbo Jr. could not be immediately reached for comment.

Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay, public affairs chief of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division based in Maguindanao, said they too heard of such report but they were still to confirm it.

Records showed it was not the first time that PNP-SAF commandos were surrounded by Muslim rebels and ordered to put their hands up and later became a “hand-saf” joke.

The first “hand-saf” incident involving SAF troopers happened in Tabiaran village in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, years after the unit was established in the early 90s, when some troopers were surrounded by MILF fighters.

The second incident happened at the Kapatagan Grande in Sitio Fuente Egas, Barangay Masula, Isabela City, Basilan, when SAF troopers were again surrounded and asked to surrender, and this time by fighters of the Moro National Liberation Front.

Another Pinoy gets Mers virus

By Vito Barcelo ANOTHER Filipino worker in Saudi Arabia has been infected by the deadly Middle East Coronavirus or Mers-CoV, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said the Filipino had been working as an X-ray technician at a hospital in Riyadh, and that he contracted the virus due to exposure to MERS-CoV patients.

He said the worker was transferred to a hospital handling MERS cases in Riyadh on March 7 and had since been confined at the intensive care unit there.

Ten Filipinos—eight from Saudi Arabia and two from the United Arab Emirates—have died after contracting the virus, which is prevalent in the Middle East particularly in Saudi Arabia.

Jose said one of the three Filipino nurses diagnosed with the Mers-CoV had fully recovered after the latest tests.

“She has been discharged from the hospital and placed under home isolation for 14 days. She reported back to work on March 16,” Jose said.

He said the other nurse was still in isolation, was no longer positive with the Mer-CoV virus but still needed further tests.

The third Filipina was “showing good signs of recovery.”

“She has been released from the ICU and transferred to the ward section of the hospital.

She can communicate with her fellow Filipino workers,” Jose said.

Foreign Affairs continued to advise the Filipinos in the Middle East—particularly the health workers in Saudi Arabia’s hospitals—to be vigilant to protect themselves against the Mer-CoV virus and other health hazards.

“Our Embassy in Riyadh and our Consulate General in Jeddah will continue to monitor the new Filipino MERS cases as well as encourage our nationals in Saudi Arabia to take precaution,” Jose said.

One night only. Fans of the One Direction pop band purchase posters of their idols

along Rizal Avenue in Sta Cruz, Manila on Thursday. The London-based English-Irish boy band is scheduled to hold a one-night concert in the Philippines. DaNNY paTa

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Nlex Harbor Link opens MAnILA north Tollways Corp., builder and concessionaire of the north Luzon Expressway, opened on Thursday, the P1.59 billion Segment 9 of the nLEX Harbor Link, a 2.42-kilometer expressway that provides motorists an alternate access to Valenzuela City and Manila port areas through the nLEX. Segment 9 connects nLEX from the Smart Connect Interchange to MacArthur Highway in Karuhatan, Valenzuela City. The new road is expected to serve as many as 27,000 vehicles daily during the initial year and ease traffic in major thoroughfares.

MnTC president Rodrigo Franco said that by linking nLEX and MacArthur Highway, “we expect to see increased economic activities in these areas since it will improve transport logistics through the more efficient movement of trucks.”

Segment 9 requires payment by motorists upon entry the same toll fees as those currently collected in the existing nLEX Open System.

Toll will be as follows: Class 1: P45, Class 2: P114.00, Class 3: P136.00. Alena Flores

Two rice importers in smuggle raps TWO rice traders on Thursday were charged with smuggling for the illegal importation of rice valued at P31 million, the Customs Bureau said on Thursday.

Charged before the Department of Justice were Elmer Caneta and Michael Abella owners of EC Peninsula Commercial and new Dawn Enterprises, respectively, Customs Commissioner John Sevilla said.

The two tried to import rice without permit and misdeclared their shipments in violation of customs law Sevilla said.

The rice shipments arrived December last year at the Port of Cagayan De Oro. Both importers misdeclared the rice imports as kitchen wares and tiles.

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Loose change. Militant workers hold a picket in front of the Department of Labor Office in Intramuros, Manila on Thursday March 19 to condemn

the P15 minimum wage increase approved by the wage board for Metro Manila. They say the wage hike is not enough to buy an MRT ticket which costs P20 for a one-way trip. DANNY PATA

Power ‘reso’ hangs; band-aid solution hit

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE resolution that was supposed to grant President Aquino III emergency powers to address the energy supply shortage this summer failed to win the approval of Congress. Reason: Lawmakers were deadlocked on the “no-pass on” provision which was intended to spare consumers from having to pay extra for the cost of power generation.

The House of Representatives and the Senate adjourned their session Wednesday for a Holy Week break without the approval of House Joint Resolution 21.

This developed as the House Independent Bloc led by Leyte Rep.

Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said that the Department of Energy’s lack of foresight, planning and a comprehensive energy plan for the country has made the Filipino suffer from the high cost of electricity.

Romualdez lamented the Palace

and energy officials’ “undeniable helplessness” to ably address the power problem in the country.

“Almost five years after the Aquino Administration, we have yet to hear Department of Energy (DOE) officials declare that the country now has enough power to keep it free from brownouts or shortages for years, especially areas which have had long-running energy crises like Mindanao,” Romualdez said.

“Instead of power supply sufficiency, what we continue to hear from the DOE are warnings of brownouts and power supply deficiency, plus solutions which will saddle the people with higher electricity costs,” Romualdez added.

The Leyte congressman said the emergency powers being sought by Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla for President Aquino III to deal with the supposed power crisis had been useless.

Romualdez pointed out that what the country needs is a “long-term and not a band aid solution” to the recurring power problem.

Oriental Mindor Rep. Reynaldo Umali, chairman of the House committee on energy, said members of the congressional bicameral committee have failed to reconcile the differences of their respective versions, particularly on who should shoulder the additional cost for the power supply to be incurred through the Interruptible Load Program (ILP).

Two orders go after coco assets

By Sandy Araneta

Majesty of law as weapon. Supreme Court Associate Francis Jardeleza

speaks on “Borders and Cross-Border Enforcement” in a symposium organized by the Harvard International Law Journal at the Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Justice Jardeleza, who finished his Master of Laws at HLS, addressed the faculty, fellow HLS alumni, legal experts on cross-border issues and cases, and friends of HLS. Jardeleza presented the Philippines’ position on the country’s current territorial dispute with China. The Justice said, we have “the majesty of the law” as a mighty weapon. Seated at his right is Vice Dean William Alford, who was Jardeleza’s batchmate in the 1977 Harvard Law Class.

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PRESIDEnT Benigno Aquino III last Wednesday issued two Executive Orders setting the administrative guidelines on the coconut levy funds.

The first EO 179 requires the Presidential Commission on Good Government to coordinate with other government agencies to identify all known coco levy assets within 60 days from the effectivity of the order.

The second, EO 180, calls on government agencies to protect and recover the government’s rights and interests in coco levy assets.

EO 179 instructs the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), and other government agencies under the Department of Justice to file pleadings and maintain appropriate legal actions to preserve and recover the government’s entitlements in coco levy assets.

The President wants the PCGG, with the assistance of the Office of the Solicitor General, to submit a certified report to the Bureau of Treasury, Commission on Audit, and the Office of the President, identifying and accounting for all coco levy assets.

These include sequestered assets; corporations acquired through the use of levy money; shares of stocks of corporations; money, assets and investments of the Coconut Industry Investment Fund (CIIF) managed by the United Coconut Planters Bank (USPB); and money, assets and investments managed by CIIF companies and CIIF holding companies.

The order also instructs the PCGG and other agencies to reconvey and transfer the title of all coco levy assets to the government within 60 days from the effectivity of EO 179.

According to the Order, money and funds constituting the coco levy or accruing from the coco levy assets must be deposited to the Special Account in the General Fund for Coco Levies (Coco Levy SAGF) with the Bureau of Treasury, pursuant to Presidential Decree 1234.

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Napoles’ no-show motion rejected

By Nelson Flores THE Sandiganbayan on Thursday denied for lack of merit a motion of the alleged mastermind of the multibillion pork barrel scam Janet Napoles who had sought permission to be excused from attending the numerous proceedings in connection with the cases she is facing.

In filing the motion, Napoles argued that the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology is spending nearly P44,000 every time she is brought to court, while also noting that she had already executed a waiver of appearance as she is “experiencing physical and mental fatigue…” every time she is transported to the Sandiganbayan complex in Quezon City from her Camp Bagong Diwa detention cell in Taguig City.

She also said that she had undergone a medical operation in April 2014.

But the Sandiganbayan ruled that the expenses incurred by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in bringing Napoles to court cannot justify her non-appearance in court.

“The claim that the BJMP is spending P43,350.00 every time it transports accused Napoles to Court to attend the bail hearings is not a justifiable ground to excuse accused Napoles from appearing during the bail hearings,” the antigraft court’s 3rd Division said.

The court said that Napoles’ court attendance is the necessary consequence of being charged with a heinous crime.

“To be sure, Napoles’ oncea-week appearance in Court, and the attendant cost thereof, are unwelcome but inherent discomforts, and/or necessary consequences of her being a detention prisoner. What is of utmost importance is that the Court finds an imperative need for the presence of the said accused during bail hearings considering that it involves a plunder case—a heinous crime,” the court said.

Demand for direction. Anti-Drug Advocates and Laban ng Pamilyang Pilipino led by Ferdinand Mag-isa, Joanathan Morales and lawyer Cristina Cheng show a copy of their request to BID asking One Direction to undergo drug testing and to post cash bond before their concert in the country this week. One Direction is an English-Irish pop boy band based in London. DANNY PATA

Condo residents warned leaks may lead to cancer

By Joel E. Zurbano

Returning residents of West Tower Condominium in Bangkal, Makati City remain in danger of contracting lung cancer due to benzene contamination and the polluted ground water from a leakage of an old oil pipeline since 2012.

Dr. Carlo Arcilla, director of the National Institute of Geological Sciences—College of Science in University of the Philippines, said roughly 400,000 liters of leaked petroleum products remain underground contaminating the soil and water beneath Bangkal.

He added monitoring of the

contaminant “plume” (a body of oil that is on or under the surface of water or is spreading on or into the ground) and the decontamination of the affected areas has stopped two years ago for “lack of funds” despite the fact that the contaminated area still has to be completely decontaminated.

Arcilla, however, ruled out

the possibility of explosion in the affected area but stressed that lung cancer remains a threat for the residents of the 22-story condominium and the nearby communities.

“Pag hininto nila yung paglilinis ang mangyayari, may plume pa, yung plume pwede pa ring bumalik. Kumakalat at iyun dapat ang lilinisin mo.

Kaya naroon pa rin ang threat, “ explained Arcilla.

It was Arcilla who led the discovery of the leak in the 117-km long pipeline owned by the First Philippine Industrial Corp. (FPIC).

Experts said benzene, a component of products from coal

and petroleum, is found in gasoline and other fuels and used in the manufacture of plastics, detergents, pesticides, and other chemicals. They added exposure to high levels of benzene can cause drowsiness, dizziness, unconsciousness, and death.

“There could be a mistaken impression that the emergency is over because there is much less publicity for the leak nowadays. The truth of the matter is that the problem is still there, hidden until it is cleaned completely, which will take years,” Arcilla explained in his executive summary of the incident.

Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay in July 2010 hired

Arcilla and his team to find the source of the fuel leak and those responsible.

They were also tasked to determine the extent of contamination, and assist the city government in monitoring the situation.

Because of the leak and health concerns, the occupants of the 22-story building were evacuated.

After discovering the source of the leak in October 2010, Arcilla’s team continued to assist the city government in monitoring the cleanup operation of FPIC. “So 2010, 2011 and 2012 tuloy ang kontrata namin,” Arcilla said.

De Lima, Morales face contempt raps

By Rey E. Requejo

Pinay sole. Lisa Macuja-Elizalde,rightmost, the country’s prima ballerina, shows Sen. Pia Cayetano and Sen. Cynthia Villar the pointed shoes she wore in her ‘La Bayadere’ performance.

The shoes were among the items on display at the Senate in the exhibit called “Empowering Filipinas: Raising the Bar.” In time for Women’s Month, the Senate adopted a resolution honoring 14 outstanding Filipinas and an all-woman mountaineering team. EY ACASIO

MAKATI Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay on Thursday asked the Court of Appeals to cite Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima for contempt for allegedly defying its order stopping his preventive suspension.

In an amended petition, Binay accused Morales and de Lima of conspiring with Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and Vice Mayor Romulo Peña in preventing the implementation of the 60-day temporary restraining order (TRO) issued

by the CA’s Sixth Division.

The Makati City mayor told the CA that De Lima, Roxas, Morales and Peña “acted in unison in defying the Court of Appeals’ restraining order” and also “showed their ill motives and biases against the Binays.”

“Worse, their actions insult the integrity of the Court of Appeals. Thus, they should be cited for contempt of court,” the amended petition stressed.

Binay has included Morales and De Lima in the contempt petition after they issued identical opinions that the TRO was moot and academic since it was issued three hours after the suspen-

sion was already served and after Vice Mayor Peña had already took his oath as acting mayor.

The two officials – both appointees of President Aquino - said the TRO was “moot and academic” since the act it intended to restrain was the implementation of the six-month suspension order against the mayor, which was carried out by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) three hours before the CA issued the order.

Roxas and Peña used their legal opinion as basis for insisting on the effectivity of the suspension order against Binay.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK F R I D AY : M A R C H 2 0 , 2 0 1 5

A7

NEWS

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Open new but ‘idle’ port Mindoro islanders seek PNoy help

By Robert A. Evora

MAGSAYSAY, Occidental Mindoro—Islanders here, through their local leaders, are seeking the assistance of President Benigno S. Aquino III to open the brand-new, but idle P400-million seaport to “bring about more developments” to this sleepy town south of Mindoro Island.

Because of its closure, development projects, such as the drilling and exploration work for the vast natural gas fields of the island to solve the problem of a nationwide power shortage, is being delayed and derailed by some local government officials and entities opposed to the port operation, a former local official observed.

The Department of Trans-

portation and Communications (DOTC) built the Sta. Teresa port, in Bgy. Sta. Teresa, this municipality, in October, 2009 and completed in August, 2011 at a cost of P383,237,572.70.

The DOTC has transferred control of the port to Magsaysay municipal government but the latter could not operate it because only a

portion of the 12-kilometer access road is concreted, according to Mayor Eleonor Barrera Fajardo.

“The completion of the said road is very important as it will expedite travel to and from the port,” Fajardo reported to Gov. Mario Gene Mendiola who ordered the concreting of portions of the access road leading to Bgy. Sta. Teresa.

Since its completion in 2011, the Sta. Teresa seaport remains not operational since the provincial government, then under former Occidental Mindoro governor (now congresswoman) Josephine Ramirez-Sato, failed to act on the request of the Magsaysay municipal government to im-

prove the 12-kilometer access road that will connect the port to the national road.

“The access road belongs to the Occidental Mindoro provincial government that its funding, widening and concreting and other kinds of improvement must be shouldered by the provincial government,” Fajardo said.

“Our municipality is a recipient of a port project that has remained idle up to this moment. It is my belief that if it becomes operational, it could bring about more developments as this would trigger business opportunities and jobs generation for our people,” the lady mayor said.

“The provincial government then refused to act on

our request to widen and concrete the access road because we’re not their political allies,” says the wheelchairbound former Magsaysay Mayor Marleo Barrera.

The former mayor initiated the construction of the Sta. Teresa port to then Congresswoman Amelita C. Villarosa, a staunch political ally of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“I saw the potential of constructing of a big port in Sta. Teresa because it is very near to the West Philippine Sea, an international sealane, that will give big economic opportunities not only to our small town of Magsaysay but to the whole province of Occidental Mindoro,” Barrera explained.

IN BRIEF Bolinao folks protest vs hatchery project BOLINAO—Townsfolk here are up in arms against a hatchery cum eco-tourism project proposal of an aqua-feeds manufacturer which it plans to build in Brgy. Patar, home to the well-known stretch of white sand beach.

Margaret Celeste, chairperson of the Bolinao Concerned Citizen Inc. (BCCI), has brought to social media the issue which is under discussion before the municipal council.

Despite the matter still not being finalized, Celeste alleged that the project proponent, Feedmix Specialist Inc., II, had already constructed a “big building,” initially thought as residential, without securing any building permit.

“When the village officials inquired, they were told it will be a Feedmix hatchery project,” she said in her post.

“How can we trust their sincerity that they will not destroy our pristine beaches if they even do not bother to follow (the law on) simple building permit!” she added.

Johanne Margarette R. Macob

Ombudsman files graft vs DepEd exec PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur—The Office of the Ombudsman here filed graft and corruption charges against a former Department of Education (DepEd) regional director of Western Mindanao (WM) and three of his top officials for misappropriating some P100 million allegedly for their personal use in 2007.

An OM report released recently identified the accused as DepEd Region 9 Director Jesus L Nieves, now retired, Chief Accountant Marilou T. Tolosa, Budget Officer III Melchisedech L. Miguel, and Administrative Officer V (Cashier) Virginia M. Montero.

The report said Nieves and his three personnel were charged before the Sandiganbayan “with two counts of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act No.3019, otherwise known as the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices Act, and are docketed under SB-15-CRM 0077 and 0078.”

A. Perez Rimamdo

Priestly visit. Philippine Ambassador to Vatican Mercedes Arrastia Tuason (center) assisted by San Joaquin Parish Priest Father Kelvin Joy Aporillo (left) tours the mass grave of more than 400 super typhoon Yolanda victims in Bgy San Joaquin in Palo, Leyte. Tuason is in Leyte to visit the Yolanda stricken area and as guest of honor and speaker during the graduation ceremony of St. Paul College and Law. VER NOVENO

Mayor warns buyers over ancestral titles

By Dexter A. See

Breaking barriers. The furious rise of HIV cases in the country calls for

the urgent enactment of a law that provide a comprehensive program for HIV prevention, treatment,care and support. Advocates for this are shown in photo (left ro right) Nenita Dalde-OIC,National Advocacy and Policy Development Unit,Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development(PLCPD),Ifugao lone District Rep.Teddy Baguilat,Bai BagasaoCountry Director,UNAIDS Philippines and Wanggo Gallaga-Writer and Activist shows their placard and called on senators to amend RA 8504 of the Philip[pine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998,to effectively address the record-high number of new HIV insfection infections in the philippines.MANNY PALMERO

BAGUIO CITY—Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan on Thursday warned private land buyers in the citynot not to purchase Certificate of Ancestral Land titles (CALTs) issued by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to indigenous peoples because it is unlawful and defeats the purpose of preserving and protecting the ancestral domain.

Domogan explained that the sale of CALTs to non-indigenous peoples is not allowed because what the law allows is the sale of the CALTs to the members of the clan of the indigenous peoples that were issued the ancestral titles.

“Interested buyers of ancestral titles should be circumspect in what they

are buying because not all people are allowed to buy CALTs issued to certain indigenous peoples in the city,” Domogan said.

The local chief executive said there are numerous problems confronting the disposal of lands in the city that is why buyers, especially those from outside the Cordillera region, must take the necessary precautions before paying in full the lands that they were able to buy.

Domogan said one of the priorities of the Baguio-Boracay Re-development Task Force under the Office of the President was to put in place the CALTs that were issued by the NCIP, especially the forest reservations that were covered by the ancestral titles which have complicated the city’s land problems.

Aurora town opens own zipline DINGALAN, Aurora—This town, located 183 kilometers northeast of Manila, will soon operate its own zipline ahead of the booming capital town of Baler.

Dingalan will not only have one, but two ziplines with a single base which will be installed in a resort in Barangay Tanawan starting next month.

Councilor Virgilio Capulong said the twin ziplines which will operate in his resort in Tanawan Hills, are now 80 percent complete. He said the resort will not only have the ziplines as attraction but also a restaurant and a pasalubong center.

Capulong said the first zipline will be 350 meters long while the second is about 500 meters long. The site, he said, offers a panoramic view of the Sierra Madre mountains.

Ferdie G.Domingo

F R I D AY, M A R c h 2 0 , 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA ediTor

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

VirTUAl reAliTy Tony lopeZ

Aquino loses his mAndAte

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Are Filipino FArmers reAdy? THe more appropriate question, perhaps, is the other way around. Is the Philippine government prepared to improve the lot of rice farmers in the face of liberal imports? economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan early this week said that the government should review quantitative restrictions on rice imports because they tend to increase food prices. The limitations on rice imports, he said, was resulting in an upward pressure on prices and eroding the income of most Filipino families.

The country’s chief economic planner noted the government should weigh the benefits of the quantitative restrictions against the inflationary pressure these restrictions put on rice.

“We have to study that because that should not be the case. We have to cure the root of the problem, which is the uncertainty in the international trade for agricultural commodities,” Balisacan said.

The rice import restrictions have actually benefited Filipino farmers. rice prices tend to artificially increase with no cheaper imports to contend with. rising rice prices, in turn, encourage farmers to increase production.

But Balisacan said the higher rice production does not necessarily mean the income of farmers would increase “because you have to ask them where their inputs are coming from, and if they can actually market their goods, especially if they are isolated.” rice farmers, indeed, are still at the mercy of middlemen, even in times of price spikes. They do not have the wherewithal to mill their own palay, nor the means to put up warehouses to stock the commodity and prevent spoilage. They easily fall prey to the middlemen, who have the resources to finance fertilizer inputs, mill palay and stock the produce.

Balisacan’s call to review the quantitative restrictions on rice imports in a bid to make Filipino farmers more efficient and productive is only relevant once the government has put in place so-called intervention measures.

Farmers need access to credit, more irrigation facilities, modern agricultural implements, cooperative warehouses and cheaper transportation services to increase productivity. Give them the modern tools and cheaper credit and our rice farmers will be ready to face imports and competition.

Extortionist ally lowdown jojo A. robles A MeTro Manila congressman with excellent links to the Aquino administration who holds a top position in the House of representatives typifies the “last two minutes” mentality of a government that is on an inexorable decline. Yes, I’m

talking about extortion— big-time extortion.

A prominent businessman who is the target of this extorting administration ally has complained that the congressman has demanded P30 million from him up front, in order to facilitate the release of a government franchise that the trader is renewing. Understand, what the businessman wants is a renewal of his franchise to operate his business in a

highly regulated industry, not a new franchise.

The businessman, who is not unused to the many ways of dealing with government, made a counter-offer to the congressman: P15 million up front and P15 million upon the approval by the House of the franchise.

The congressman would not budge. It’s P30 million up front, the lawmaker said, with no assurance of success in renewing the franchise on the House level.

Normally, the businessman would have just walked away and looked for a friendlier congressman with

A9

it looked like a premeditated scam to me, and i told the businessman so.

a lower price. But he can’t do that because the congressman had already sponsored his franchise renewal bid and caused the “calendar-

ing” of the measure in the House committee that will grant the congressional approval.

According to the House’s rules, a calendared and sponsored franchise renewal can no longer be withdrawn.

And because the powerful congressman has refused to even attend hearings on the franchise, the committee that is hearing the proposal can’t take up the matter.

In other words, the businessman is being held hostage by the congressman, who has apparently decided to skip the hearings on his own sponsored renewal

proposal until the businessman coughs up the cash. And the businessman still can’t believe that such a blatant extortion attempt is happening—and is being allowed to happen by other congressmen who know about it—under the regime of the daang matuwid.

And yes, it was the congressman who had offered to sponsor the franchise renewal, apparently because he was already planning

Standard TODAY Manila

Published Monday to Sunday by Kamahalan Publishing Corporation at 2 nd Floor PJI Building, Railroad corner 20th Streets, Port Area, Manila. Telephone numbers 521-8507 (connecting all departments), (Editorial), 521-5581, (Editorial Fax) 521-7381 (Advertising), 521-8507 (MIS) 521-5591 (Sales and Distribution/Subscription) and

to hold the businessman hostage from the get-go; the businessman, after all, has many friends in the House who could have sponsored his franchise renewal, something he wished he had done. It looked like a premeditated scam to me, and I told the businessman so.

After the businessman told me about his dilemma, I advised him to abandon his bid to have his franchise renewed by the current

527-2057 (Credit and Collection). Fax numbers: 521-8340 (Advertising) and 5276406 (Subscription). P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandardtoday.com E-mail: mst@ manilastandardtoday.com

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House, which I think doesn’t even have time anymore to take up the proposal, seeing as how close we already are to the 2016 election campaign and the closing of Congress. I told him that the congressman wants to take his money without even guaranteeing to deliver on the promise to renew the franchise, which is why he wants all of it now and in full.

Continued on A11

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

Chairman President & Chief Executive Officer Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Director of Operations Finance Officer

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

IN JUlY 2010, 88 percent of 92 million Filipinos approved of President BS Aquino’s performance in office.

Four years and eight months later, only 38 percent of now 101 million Filipinos approved of Aquino’s job performance. In less than five years, more than 40 million (42.54 million to be exact) became disgusted with the President.

From 88 percent to 38 percent is a decline of 56.8 percent. More than half of the population became disgusted with Aquino’s presidency between July 2010 and March 2015. That’s one of the steepest drops in approval ratings for any sitting Filipino president. relatedly, in July 2010, Aquino enjoyed an enormous trust rating of 85 percent—the highest among Philippine presidents. That trust had collapsed to 70 percent by March 2014 and to 56 percent by June the same year. By early March this year, the collapse was complete – at 36 percent. of the 78.2 million Filipinos who trusted Aquino wholly in 2010, only 36.36 million Filipinos have kept their trust in the president. About 42 million Filipinos abandoned Aquino.

Such a massive loss of trust is equivalent to a massive loss of mandate. Majority of Filipinos do not believe Aquino should still be their president. The drop in his approval rating, from 88 percent in July 2010 to 38 percent today, and in his trust rating, from 85 percent to 36 percent during the same period is a steep loss that cannot be ignored.

Why the big drop? Two factors. one, Aquino’s failure to reduce poverty dramatically and his failure to reduce unemployment significantly. Two, the Mamasapano Massacre of Jan. 25, 2015 in which 44 commandos of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) died just to cut off the right index finger of a supposedly notorious terrorist and bomber. The species was given to the FBI three days after the massacre for DNA analysis.

Poverty incidence has remained stagnant at more than 25-28 percent (of the population) in the past five years. So has unemployment, at 7 percent of the work force. The 25 and 7 percent are government figures, both of which have doubtful integrity, meaning these numbers are lies because actual poverty and unemployment numbers are much worse.

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 Leo J. Mendez Art Director A. Estonilo Senior Deskman Roberto Cabrera Chief Romel J. Mendez ArtPhotographer Director Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

F R I D AY, M A R c h 2 0 , 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA ediTor

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

VirTUAl reAliTy Tony lopeZ

Aquino loses his mAndAte

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Are Filipino FArmers reAdy? THe more appropriate question, perhaps, is the other way around. Is the Philippine government prepared to improve the lot of rice farmers in the face of liberal imports? economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan early this week said that the government should review quantitative restrictions on rice imports because they tend to increase food prices. The limitations on rice imports, he said, was resulting in an upward pressure on prices and eroding the income of most Filipino families.

The country’s chief economic planner noted the government should weigh the benefits of the quantitative restrictions against the inflationary pressure these restrictions put on rice.

“We have to study that because that should not be the case. We have to cure the root of the problem, which is the uncertainty in the international trade for agricultural commodities,” Balisacan said.

The rice import restrictions have actually benefited Filipino farmers. rice prices tend to artificially increase with no cheaper imports to contend with. rising rice prices, in turn, encourage farmers to increase production.

But Balisacan said the higher rice production does not necessarily mean the income of farmers would increase “because you have to ask them where their inputs are coming from, and if they can actually market their goods, especially if they are isolated.” rice farmers, indeed, are still at the mercy of middlemen, even in times of price spikes. They do not have the wherewithal to mill their own palay, nor the means to put up warehouses to stock the commodity and prevent spoilage. They easily fall prey to the middlemen, who have the resources to finance fertilizer inputs, mill palay and stock the produce.

Balisacan’s call to review the quantitative restrictions on rice imports in a bid to make Filipino farmers more efficient and productive is only relevant once the government has put in place so-called intervention measures.

Farmers need access to credit, more irrigation facilities, modern agricultural implements, cooperative warehouses and cheaper transportation services to increase productivity. Give them the modern tools and cheaper credit and our rice farmers will be ready to face imports and competition.

Extortionist ally lowdown jojo A. robles A MeTro Manila congressman with excellent links to the Aquino administration who holds a top position in the House of representatives typifies the “last two minutes” mentality of a government that is on an inexorable decline. Yes, I’m

talking about extortion— big-time extortion.

A prominent businessman who is the target of this extorting administration ally has complained that the congressman has demanded P30 million from him up front, in order to facilitate the release of a government franchise that the trader is renewing. Understand, what the businessman wants is a renewal of his franchise to operate his business in a

highly regulated industry, not a new franchise.

The businessman, who is not unused to the many ways of dealing with government, made a counter-offer to the congressman: P15 million up front and P15 million upon the approval by the House of the franchise.

The congressman would not budge. It’s P30 million up front, the lawmaker said, with no assurance of success in renewing the franchise on the House level.

Normally, the businessman would have just walked away and looked for a friendlier congressman with

A9

it looked like a premeditated scam to me, and i told the businessman so.

a lower price. But he can’t do that because the congressman had already sponsored his franchise renewal bid and caused the “calendar-

ing” of the measure in the House committee that will grant the congressional approval.

According to the House’s rules, a calendared and sponsored franchise renewal can no longer be withdrawn.

And because the powerful congressman has refused to even attend hearings on the franchise, the committee that is hearing the proposal can’t take up the matter.

In other words, the businessman is being held hostage by the congressman, who has apparently decided to skip the hearings on his own sponsored renewal

proposal until the businessman coughs up the cash. And the businessman still can’t believe that such a blatant extortion attempt is happening—and is being allowed to happen by other congressmen who know about it—under the regime of the daang matuwid.

And yes, it was the congressman who had offered to sponsor the franchise renewal, apparently because he was already planning

Standard TODAY Manila

Published Monday to Sunday by Kamahalan Publishing Corporation at 2 nd Floor PJI Building, Railroad corner 20th Streets, Port Area, Manila. Telephone numbers 521-8507 (connecting all departments), (Editorial), 521-5581, (Editorial Fax) 521-7381 (Advertising), 521-8507 (MIS) 521-5591 (Sales and Distribution/Subscription) and

to hold the businessman hostage from the get-go; the businessman, after all, has many friends in the House who could have sponsored his franchise renewal, something he wished he had done. It looked like a premeditated scam to me, and I told the businessman so.

After the businessman told me about his dilemma, I advised him to abandon his bid to have his franchise renewed by the current

527-2057 (Credit and Collection). Fax numbers: 521-8340 (Advertising) and 5276406 (Subscription). P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandardtoday.com E-mail: mst@ manilastandardtoday.com

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

CyAn mAGenTA yellow blACK

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

House, which I think doesn’t even have time anymore to take up the proposal, seeing as how close we already are to the 2016 election campaign and the closing of Congress. I told him that the congressman wants to take his money without even guaranteeing to deliver on the promise to renew the franchise, which is why he wants all of it now and in full.

Continued on A11

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

Chairman President & Chief Executive Officer Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Director of Operations Finance Officer

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

IN JUlY 2010, 88 percent of 92 million Filipinos approved of President BS Aquino’s performance in office.

Four years and eight months later, only 38 percent of now 101 million Filipinos approved of Aquino’s job performance. In less than five years, more than 40 million (42.54 million to be exact) became disgusted with the President.

From 88 percent to 38 percent is a decline of 56.8 percent. More than half of the population became disgusted with Aquino’s presidency between July 2010 and March 2015. That’s one of the steepest drops in approval ratings for any sitting Filipino president. relatedly, in July 2010, Aquino enjoyed an enormous trust rating of 85 percent—the highest among Philippine presidents. That trust had collapsed to 70 percent by March 2014 and to 56 percent by June the same year. By early March this year, the collapse was complete – at 36 percent. of the 78.2 million Filipinos who trusted Aquino wholly in 2010, only 36.36 million Filipinos have kept their trust in the president. About 42 million Filipinos abandoned Aquino.

Such a massive loss of trust is equivalent to a massive loss of mandate. Majority of Filipinos do not believe Aquino should still be their president. The drop in his approval rating, from 88 percent in July 2010 to 38 percent today, and in his trust rating, from 85 percent to 36 percent during the same period is a steep loss that cannot be ignored.

Why the big drop? Two factors. one, Aquino’s failure to reduce poverty dramatically and his failure to reduce unemployment significantly. Two, the Mamasapano Massacre of Jan. 25, 2015 in which 44 commandos of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) died just to cut off the right index finger of a supposedly notorious terrorist and bomber. The species was given to the FBI three days after the massacre for DNA analysis.

Poverty incidence has remained stagnant at more than 25-28 percent (of the population) in the past five years. So has unemployment, at 7 percent of the work force. The 25 and 7 percent are government figures, both of which have doubtful integrity, meaning these numbers are lies because actual poverty and unemployment numbers are much worse.

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 Leo J. Mendez Art Director A. Estonilo Senior Deskman Roberto Cabrera Chief Romel J. Mendez ArtPhotographer Director Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

A10 A FORUM ON THE BBL AT LA SALLE The law students of PENSEES De La Salle UniversityTaft organized a forum FR. RANHILIO on the Bangsamoro Basic Law. They sent me CALLANGAN a courteous invitation AQUINO that I was glad to accept, little knowing that I was to be the devil’s advocate in the midst of partisans to the cause.

But it was a fruitful encounter nonetheless.

Dean Tony La Vina, who teaches constitutional law at La Salle, opened the forum on the sobering note that Mamasapano had sent the BBL into rough seas. he pleaded though against scuttling the peace talks. While peace in Mindanao is an urgent matter on the national agenda, he was pragmatic enough to concede that it was not for the present administration to accomplish the passage of the BBL, although future presidents and Congresses owed it to the nation to see to the enactment of some form of it.

Attorney Ana Basma, a young Muslim lawyer heading the legal team that assisted the Government Peace Panel on the BBL, usefully dispelled some of the what she called “myths” about the BBL. She assured the law students gathered—some law professors were also in attendance although Dean Diokno and Vice-Dean Jamon were not—that Bangsamoro was not an Islamic state, that it remained “part of the Philippines”, that the Bangsamoro police would be “part of the PNP”, that the constitutional commissions were not to be replaced by regional commissions, that the allocation for Bangsamoro was neither inordinate nor disproportionate.

Dr. Amina Rasul was more provocative. She talked about the independence and the sovereignty of which the three Mindanao Sultanates were robbed: the Sultanate of Sulu, the Sultanate of Lanao and that of Maguindanao. She declared that the Americans had no right exercising colonial authority over Mindanao Discourse like this nor claiming it as part of augurs well for the the territory Spain had ceded because Spanish auentire nation. thority never extended to Muslim Mindanao. She used a Powerpoint presentation to show how Mindanao had become poorer, how it has been beggared by a Christian national administration. The most useful part of her presentation consisted in identifying the roadblocks to BBL: Mamasapano, the MNLF, the BIFF. But she held out dire consequences for stalling on BBL or even mangling it beyond recognition: Jemayah Islamiyah is not dead but biding its time. ISIS or ISIL is casting its glances in this direction. And the emergence of a shadowy and fearful local version of Boko haram is a distinct possibility.

For my part, I made clear that every right-thinking Filipino wanted peace, but hard-line positions were not going to help. It does not help to insist that BBL is the only roadmap to peace, neither does it help to scrap it altogether and start laying foundations anew. I reiterated my concern, however.

The militancy of BIFF, the restiveness of Nur Missuari and the MNLF, and the protests of Lumads and other cultural communities force us to ask whether or not the agreement that has been forged is indeed comprehensive. Because if it is not, we may very well see ourselves once more at the negotiating table, hammering out a new agreement with yet another group that shall bare its own fangs!

We negotiated with the MNLF, and thought that matters were settled. Then, MILF emerged, and we negotiated again.

This is why, I insisted, I was against amending the Constitution for the purpose of accommodating negotiations with restive groups, first of all because a Constitution is supposed to be a coherent document that spells the coherence of the body politic, and second, because we would have to amend it each time we hammered out some politically expedient compromise! I told Attorney Basma that if all the clarifications she had usefully made were within the letter of the BBL, there would not be much room for objection or for doubt. But as the draft stands, recourse to legislative history—and its attendant vagaries— will be necessary should BBL, unamended, be passed into law.

Far better, I argued, to hurdle all the hurdles now, to clear all the snags, to iron out kinks then to have to defend the con-

F R I D AY, M A R C H 2 0 , 2 0 1 5

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

QUESTiONS LEFT UNANSwEREd The long-awaited Mamasapano reports of the Senate and the Philippine National Police’s Board of Inquiry have been released, and we can now conclude that what happened at Mamasapano, Maguindanao before the break of dawn of January 25, 2015 was not an accidental misencounter between PNP policemen and Muslim rebels.

It was not what government officials first made us to believe immediately after its tragic news broke out.

It is the sad ending to a mission to “neutralize” Zulkifli Abdhir alias Marwan that was hatched in complete secrecy by the triumvirate of PNoy, PNP Director General Alan Purisima, and Police General Getulio Napeñas.

Neither Purisima’s direct superior Secretary Mar Roxas nor his immediate lieutenant Deputy DG Leonardo espina was involved.

PNoy was PNP commander-in-chief while Napeñas was Special Action Force commander but Purisima - the third man in the triumvirate had no official business being part of it because he was under suspension. Leaving out other officials, PNoy could not simply resist consulting his buddy.

The mission was even baptized “Oplan exodus.” Surely, whoever gave this religious name to a mission of 400 policemen to be executed in Muslim rebel territory was indeed looking for big trouble.

Police officials prematurely announced that it was “mission accomplished” but when it ended in the merciless massacre of 44 policemen in open combat, it became at best a pyrrhic victory.

Ironically, our policemen were the ones who chose their graveyard when they assaulted under cover of darkness Marwan inside his hut in the midst of a field that was completely controlled

by Muslim rebels.

Our policemen who came to arrest Marwan were not a bunch of Sad Sacks out on a leisurely patrol. Nor were they ambushed helplessly by enemy forces.

They were the most capable to undertake this dangerous and risky mission. They were certified intelligent, well-trained and highly-motivated commandos of PNP’s elite SAF that was founded by Philippine Constabulary chiefs Fidel Ramos and Renato de Villa.

They were heavily armed and even wore bullet-proof vests when they set out for Mamasapano. Look at the first weapons that have been returned - two machine guns and an M-4 rifle with optics, laser designator and tactical flashlight.

But when they fought in that battle field which their enemy rebels had more knowledge and familiarity, they were outnumbered, soon completely surrounded, and eventually overwhelmed.

They would have survived alive had reinforcements been mobilized immediately after they asked for support.

But the other 300 SAF commandos simply sit idly beside military tanks along the nearby stitutionality of BBL before the Supreme Court or pass a measure that will please the MILF but will leave other sectors of Musllim Mindanao gnashing their teeth. There remain very important questions. Where do you get constitutional authority for an entity that supposedly enjoys higher autonomy than an autonomous region? If Bangsamoro enjoys no such greater latitude of autonomy than the ARMM, why abolish the latter? how can Congress divest itself of its legislative powers in respect to matters classed as falling within the exclusive province of the Bangsamoro legislature? how can the President, likewise, derogate from his own powers in favor of the executive powers of the Chief executive of Bangsamoro? Repeating that Bangsamoro is part of the Philippines without spelling out with utmost clarity how it is part of the one Republic according to terms acceptable to the Constitution is mere lip-service to national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

national road FILIPINO instead of comPENSIONER ing to their immediate aid.

HORACE Weren’t they tEmPLO brought there for that single purpose?

Neither did our military forces respond with their air strikes, artillery support, and combat troops during the long hours of intense shooting between the two sides. Were they waiting for a guided tour to the scene of carnage before they came?

We have searched for answers in the Senate and BOI reports and found little acceptable explanation.

There was only the hint that the military denied support in consideration of “the ongoing peace process and protocols.” In any case, the mission to “neutralize” Marwan has been accomplished by the time they asked for it.

They have left to us to determine who decided to deny support. has the military euphemistically admitted that it sacrificed the lives of our policemen for the sake of the ongoing peace process and passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law? To aid the beleaguered policemen and immediately engage the enemies in battle would have escalated the encounter into full-blown warfare.

Besides, there were deadlines to meet: the passage of the BBL before PNoy’s last State of the Nation Address this coming July 27 and the conclusion of the peace process by June 30, 2016.

Long after the shooting had stopped, the military finally arrived to recover the policemen’s dead bodies. It did not bother to pursue the perpetrators of the massacre.

Only when an outraged public started protesting government’s apathy did the military launch on February 25 an all-out offensive against Muslim rebels who were being blamed for the Mamasapano massacre.

As of today, over a hundred Muslim rebels have been killed as if they were payments toothfor-tooth for our massacred policemen. Worse, thousands of civilian Muslims and Christians whether actually caught in crossfire or merely fearing for their lives - have been fleeing in exodus their homes, farms and sources of income.

When will this military offensive stop?

Days after the release of the two Mamasapano reports, PNoy could only complain that his testimony was not asked by BOI. Would he volunteer to publicly admit that the lives of our policemen were sacrificed as offerings for lasting peace in Mindanao and its promised prosperity?

Did he have other nobler causes?

For his continued non-admission and nonconfession of his role as PNP commander-in-chief in Oplan exodus, until now we could only refer to our massacred policemen at best as the Fallen 44.

While we don’t call them the 44 Sacrificial Lambs, neither do we call them the 44 Martyrs nor the heroic 44.

Dr. Wilfrido Villacorta openly declared himself in favor of BBL, although he had very kind words for my discussion, calling it a “very balanced view”. he echoed my wish that the BBL were clearer about some of its provisions, but minced no words when he asked the students to support BBL and to lobby against inordinate dilution by the Legislature.

On the whole it was a fruitful afternoon at De La Salle University. �Discourse like this augurs well for the entire nation. Communicative action after all is the only rational alternative to strategic action. Consensus based on reason -- which means that all disagreements are brought to light and discussed -- is far more promising a peace than any truce or forced cessation of hostilities can ever bring! rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

Aquino... From A9 Poverty incidence has hardly improved, from 28.6 percent of the population (or 26.3 million Filipinos) in 2009, a year before Aquino assumed the presidency, to 24.9 percent today or 25.1 million Filipinos.

Aquino promised not to be a thief so that much fewer Filipinos would be poor because they would benefit from the money which would not be stolen. According to UP estimates, up to 40 percent of the national budget is stolen.

Aquino’s cumulative fouryear budget from 2011 to 2014 amounted to P7,823 billion or P7.8 trillion. About 40 percent of that is P3.12 trillion. It takes only P1,400 a month or P16,800 a year to lift a family from poverty—the doleout given by the DSWD in Pantawid Pamilya.

Divide P3.12 trillion by P16,800 and you would have enabled up to 190 million families to cross the poverty line.

In other words, the so-called 25 million officially poor families could have crossed the poverty more than 7 times—if indeed, it was true Aquino’s men in government didn’t steal 40 percent of the budget.

Mamasapano is horrendously damaging to Aquino because people discovered, belatedly, that Aquino is a liar. In Filipino culture, a liar and a thief are brothers. If you can lie, you can steal. And you need a lie to cover up your stealing.

The OpPlan Mamasapano was called Exodus. Aquino approved it and micro-managed its execution.

He denied he did.

When the nation learned that 44 commandos died, Aquino at first distanced himself from Exodus (which is a lie) and then blamed entirely for the fiasco, the SAF chief, police Director Getulio Napeñas who was reporting to Aquino’s friend and former bodyguard, the then suspended PNP chief (for corruption), Alan LM Purisima, in violation of the PNP chain of command. By hiding Exodus from the chains of command of both the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines – Aquino, Purisima and Napeñas had to lie.

At dawn of Jan. 25, 2015, Aquino dispatched 74 Special Action Force commandos of the Philippine National Police to capture three socalled high value targets – Marwan, a Malaysian, and two Filipino cohorts, Basit Usman and a certain Jihad. PNP claims to have killed Marwan and cut off his right index finger but left his body behind after a firefight. Usman and Jihad escaped. By noon, 44 of the 74 commandos had died, victims of mass murder by the insurgent Moro Islamic Liberation Front and its allied forces. It was the biggest single-day loss by PNP in any encounter.

Aquino lied on poverty, lied on unemployment and lied on Mamasapano. The people know it and have said so.

If the President is a man enough or a decent enough of a person, he knows what to do. biznewsasia@gmail.com

A11

EVERYMAN THE PRESIDENT IS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE PNP “THE Chain of Command was violated. The President, the suspended CPNP Purisima and the former Director, SAF Napenas kept the information to themselves and deliberately failed to inform the OIC, PNP and the SILG. The Chain of Command should be observed in pursuing mission operations.”

Although in the passive voice where the focus is on the subject—Chain of Command- and not in the active voice where the emphasis would have been on the actor—President - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima must have been shocked and surprised upon reading above-quoted statement on pages 9-10 (Executive Summary) of the PNP Board of Inquiry Report on the Mamasapano Incident. Shocked and surprised because she never expected that such a bold and frank statement – a virtual indictment of the President of the Philippines – could come from the members of the PNP Board of Inquiry (BOI), composed of officers of the PNP who, in the usual and ordinary course of things would have been deferential to the President of the Philippines not only out of respect for the position he holds but also for the more pragmatic reason that their future in the police service depends on the President.

After recovering from some moments of stunned silence, de Lima, instead of reading the BOI Report further, hurriedly prepared a written statement for the press assailing the Report for starting on the “wrong premise” that the President of the Philippines is the Commander-in-Chief of the Philippine National Police. In her haste to defend her President, de Lima forgot that on at least two occasions, President Aquino referred to himself as the Commander-in-Chief of the PNP. At the graduation rites of the 2013 graduating class of the Philippine National Academy on March 22, 2013, attended by top officials of the PNP and policemen from various parts of the country, he declared in his Commencement Speech that: “Malinaw po ang atas ko bilang Commander-in-Chief at hindi optional ang pagsunod sa batas. Wala akong sisinuhin sa nagtitigas-tigasan pa rin sa ating kautusan.”

In his address to the nation of February 6, 2015 following the massacre of 44 PNP-SAF Commandos on January 25, 2015 at Mamasapano, Aquino re-asserted his role as Commander-in-Chief of the PNP, thus: “As President and Commander-in-Chief, I am fully responsible for any result—any triumph, any suffering, and any tragedy—that may result from our desire for lasting peace and security.”

Citing the February 14, 1992 decision of the Supreme Court in the case of “Carpio versus Executive Secretary”, de Lima asserted that “the President is not the Commander-inChief of the PNP. He is not the PNP Commander-in-Chief because under the 1987 Constitution, the PNP is no longer part of the armed forces. The President is only Commanderin-Chief in relation to the armed forces. The PNP, being a civilian agency, is not part of the armed forces.”

De Lima probably thought that nobody would take the initiative or bother to read the Carpio case, hence her statement would remain un-contradicted. She was miserably mistaken because I did exactly the opposite of what she had in mind and this is what I found out.

In the Carpio case, the Supreme Court ruled that the President of the Philippines is the Commander-in-Chief of the Philippine National Police pursuant to his power of control over all executive departments, bureaus and offices—which include the PNP; and of his power of supervision over local governments. The Supreme Court reached this conclusion based on the answers of Commissioner Teodulo Natividad to the interpellation of Commissioner Francisco Rodrigo during the October 1, 1986 deliberation of the 1986 Constitutional Commission on what is now Art. XVI, Sec. 6 of the 1987 Constitution providing for the establishment and maintenance of

Extortionist ally... From A9 The congressman is known for his voracious appetite for money even during the previous administration.

His desire for billions in pork is matched, people in his suburban locality say, only by his apparent love for hamburgers.

I expect more such scams to surface as the Aquino administration limps to its conclusion. So much for the straight path, something no President in his right mind will ever promise to lead this country on ever again. *** President Noynoy Aquino has started visiting wounded soldiers in military hospitals, something that he really shouldn’t be doing, given his self-proclaimed aversion to meeting people he doesn’t really know. But I think he’s now implementing a new

one police force national in scope but civilian in character.

Commissioner Natividad was the sponsor the draft of said provision. Commissioner Nativad stressed that the President is the Commander-in-Chief of the national police not under the specific constitutional provision making him the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces but under his power of control over all executive offices and his power of supervision over local governments.

The statement in the Carpio decision “that the national police force does not fall under the Commander-in-Chief powers of the President” was made, in answer to, and in order to dispose of, the contention of petitioner Castro that Sec. 12 of Republic Act No. 6975 which established the Philippine National Police under a reorganized Department of Interior and Local Government, is an “encroachment upon, interference with, and an abdication by the President of, executive control and commander-in-chief powers.” Under the cited provision, within 24 months from the effectivity of R. A. 6975 “ the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) shall continue its present role of preserving the internal and external security of the State: Provided, that said period may be extended by the President, if he finds it justifiable, for another period not exceeding twenty-four (24) months, after which, the Department (of Interior & Local Government) shall automatically take over from the AFP the primary role of preserving internal security, leaving to the AFP its primary role of preserving external security.”

Secretary de Lima’s reliance on the Carpio decision is, therefore, totally misplaced.

Not content with misinterpreting the Supreme Court decision in the Carpio case, de Lima then resorted to a play of words by stating that: “In relation to the PNP, the President is the Chief Executive, in the same way that he acts as the Chief Executive to all the civilian agencies of the Executive bureaucracy.” By referring to the President of the Philippines as “Chief Executive”, the implication is there are other executives in the executive department and the President of the Philippines is only their “chief ”. But the Philippine Constitution, to paraphrase Justice Jose P. Laurel in the case of “Villena versus Secretary of Interior”, created a singular, not a plural executive when that very Constitution vested executive power on the President of the Philippines. This means the President of the Philippines is the Executive, and no other; not even the department secretaries whom the President appoints and serves at his pleasure.

Time and again, Secretary de Lima has been very quick in defending his President. This is, therefore, a good occasion as any to remind her that under the 1987 Administrative Code (Executive Order No. 292, dated July 25, 1987), the principal mandate of the Department of Justice which she heads is— among others- “act as principal law agency of the government and as legal counsel and representative thereof xxx” (Title III, Chapter I, Sections 2 and 3). Consequently, as Secretary of the DOJ, the primary authority and responsibility for the exercise of the mandate of her Department and for the discharge of its powers and functions is vested on her (Book IV, Chapter 2, Section 6). To repeat and emphasize, therefore, as Attorney General of the Republic of the Philippines by virtue of her position as Secretary of Justice, Secretary de Lima is the legal counsel of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines; not the legal counsel of President Benigno Simeon Aquino, III. She should, therefore, act as Secretary of Justice; not as SECRETARY OF JUSTIFICATION! Jose Oliveros is a member of the Philippine Bar.

public relations strategy that he believes will get the men in uniform to, if not love him, at least lessen their anger towards the man who refuses to be called their Commander-inChief.

It all sounds so showbiz to me.

Just like the usual effort from the President’s sister to create a buzz about Aquino’s love life by linking him to Pia Wurtzbach, the newlycrowned Binibining PilipinasUniverse.

Perhaps, as another columnist in another paper has written, Malacanang has really pressed the panic button and has enlisted the services of the presidential sister to divert our attention from Mamasapano and the Bangsamoro Basic Law. But I doubt very much that this last-ditch effort to delude the people will succeed like it did in the past.

The linking of Aquino to Wurtzbach, in particular, sounds just like the efforts of his campaign manager during the campaign, Florencio Abad, to create an image of his candidate as a ladies’ man who sends flowers to beautiful women, something Aquino himself later admitted was a total fabrication.

But Aquino and his handlers must realize, as Dorothy did in The Wizard of Oz, that we’re way beyond the innocent Kansas of the 2010 campaign now. Practically no one believes what Aquino says anymore, as the latest Pulse Asia survey shows, and all of the old tricks just won’t get him the onceeasy love of the people whom he has since so shamelessly lied to.

Try again, Kris. Or do something really different other than visiting wounded soldiers and fabricating a love life for your beleaguered brother.

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Iloilo hosts football festival

Philippine boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao punishes the heavy bag while training for an upcoming bout in his hometown in General Santos City. Pacquiao is now in Los Angeles preparing for his bout with unbeaten Floyd Mayweather. Both fighters have undergone random drug testing. Pacquiao was first tested while training at the Pan Pacific Park and then again at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles while Mayweather is believed to have been tested at his home and at his gym in Las Vegas.AFP Photo

Pacquiao, Mayweather undergo random tests

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

JUST like eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao, undefeated pound for pound No. 1 Floyd Mayweather Jr. has also undergone two random drug tests conducted by a medical technician from the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

Pacquiao was first tested while training at the Pan Pacific Park and then again at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles while Mayweather is believed to have been tested at his home and at his gym in Las Vegas.

Mayweather’s strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza told BoxingMirror.com that Mayweather has been sparring for a couple of days now with former IBF world champion Demarcus “Chop Chop” Corley

(42-22-1, 25 KO’s) and 37 year old Zab Judah, also a former IBF welterweight champion (43-9-2, 29KO’s).

Both southpaws, Judah and Corley fought and lost to Mayweather.

While Corley may not have the fighting style of Pacquiao, he does have similar punching power and is coming off back-to-back wins against Dedrick Bell and veteran Daniel Attah.

Mayweather’s uncle Jeff May-

weather claimed Corley was robbed in his fight with Ruslan Provodnikov in 2011 although he lost a lopsided decision to Mayweather .

Jeff Mayweather believes that while Floyd has high quality sparring partners, he “needs to work more on conditioning more than his sparring.”

Ariza said Mayweather has a “lot of good sparring partners” with Mayweather himself indicating he had ten.

Ariza who was the strength and conditioning coach of Pacquiao when he had an amzing run of dominating victories over David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton , Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito and is now working closely with Mayweather. He said Mayweather was “looking very good and despite being only the third week, he is smooth.”

Obviously Mayweather is push-

ing his team where he works for hours doing his boxing training in the gym in the afternoon and his running and strength and conditioning routine at night.

Ariza, whom we were lucky to catch on the phone at around 5:00 a.m. Manila Time on Thursday said Mayweather “never sits still.

He has cut down on so much and is resting more but training harder and smarter.”

Pacquiao who had his first day of sparring on Tuesday went three rounds with Finland lightweight Edis Tatli who has a record of 24-1 with eight knockouts and three rounds with 21 year old unbeaten welterweight Kenneth Simms whose record if 5-0 with 2 knockouts and by all accounts looked good considering it was his first day of sparring.

REACHING out to various underprivileged communities to provide young talents nationwide the venue to hone their skills, the TM Football Para Sa Bayan recently held a football festival in Iloilo City, led by no less than Globe ambassador, sports director and coach Emelio “Chieffy” Caligdong.

The football festival attracted hundreds of youth from the townsfolk of Barotac Nuevo where Caligdong traces his roots, as well as from neighboring barangays. Aside from letting the football newbies aged 6 to 15 discover and enjoy the sport, the event also provided the opportunity to increase their level of play through a 7-side tournament format under the supervision of the former Philippine Azkals team captain and midfielder.

It also enabled the mass market prepaid brand TM to reach out to more of its publics in rolling out relevant programs, particularly the successful grassroots football program of Globe Telecom, which for three years now has largely helped underserved Filipino youth to tap their full potential and harness their skills, particularly through football.

“We are pleased that TM Football Para Sa Bayan is starting to positively impact the lives of Filipino youth nationwide, especially the underprivileged here in Iloilo. Bringing a wonderful head start to those who will be the future of this nation provides our brand a dimension of genuinely serving our countrymen even through sports,” said TM Portfolio and Brand Management Director Trina Sebastian.

Global FC bows to Burma, 0-2 PBA D-League action. Jason Melano (16) and Michael Mabulac (22) of the Cagayan Valley Risings Suns battle Dexter Maiquez (left) and JR Taganas of AMA (right) for ball possession during their Philippine Basketball Association D-League game.

GLOBAL Football Club suffered its second loss in the 2015 Asian Football Confederation Cup after bowing to Yadanarbon FC of Burma, 0-2, at the Mandalarthiri Stadium in Myanmarlast Wednesday.

The loss came following an impressive 0-0 draw against Malaysian powerhouse Pahang FC in Malaysia.

The loss dropped the defending UFL champion at the bottom of Group G after being the only club in their cluster which has yet to record a win.

The Burmese booters turned

to Maximin Djawa, who slipped through a goal deep in the box in the 52nd minute off a cross from the right side.

Mark Hartmann and Dennis Villanueva stretched their efforts to put a dent on their rivals’ defense, but Yadanarbon’s goalkeeper held the fort to prevent a Global FC comeback.

Global FC will continue their quest in the continental football tilt as they look for a first win for their side in Philippine soil when they play Yadarnarbon FC again on April 15. Peter Atencio

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A13

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Donaire enters Hall of Fame

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

FIVE-division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire has been elevated to the Class of 2014 Elorde Hall of Fame alongside WBO light flyweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, the longest reigning Filipino world champion.

Nietes earned that distinction last January 1 when he surpassed the record of world junior lightweight champion Gabriel “Flash” Elorde who reigned for seven years and 3 months.

Nietes and Donaire will be enshrined in the prestigious “Flash” Elorde Hall of Fame where the first honoree was eight division world

champion Manny Pacquiao.

The glittering affair which marks the 15th staging of the Annual Awards and Banquet of Champions on the 80th birth anniversary of Elorde will also see IBF light flyweight Interim champion Randy “Razor” Petalcorin and IBO light flyweight champion Rey Loreto receive the award for

“Boxer of the Year”.

ALA Promotions youthful president Michael Aldeguer will once again be honored as the “Promoter of the Year” while Edmund Villamor from the famed ALA Gym will receive the award for “Trainer of the Year.”

Unbeaten IBF Intercontinental super bantamweight champion Prince Albert Pagara who will see action along with Nietes and Donaire in the blockbuster “Pinoy Pride 30” fight card at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on March 28 has been cited as the “Most Promising Boxer.”

The guest of honor and speaker will be Senator Aquilino “Koko”

Pimentel who is expected to talk about the various welcome measures he is pushing in Congress for the benefit of the country’s athletes.

In the meantime, Donaire who has problems making the weight for his North American Boxing Federation super bantamweight title fight against Brazil’s William Prado, is reportedly getting tired as a result of his rigorous efforts to trim down from around 132 pounds.

Donaire’s father/trainer “Dodong” Donaire told the News Standard/Viva Sports that Nonito was “getting tired making the weight” although he worked out at the ALA Gym and ran around the oval in the complex.

“Dodong” said Nonito also worked on the punch- mitts and the heavy bag and both he and Donaire studied tapes of Prado.

He said Prado “keeps coming forward like a bull and throws a lot of punches. When he fights Nonito Prado will want to make a statement but we won’t let that happen.”

The father/trainer said his son would spar one more time on Friday before leaving for Manila to join the other headliners of ALA Promotions “Pinoy Pride 30” presented in cooperation with the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN at the Smart Araneta Coliseum which is the Philippines center of sports and entertainment.

Halep to Indian Wells semifinals INDIAN WELLS - Rising Romanian Simona Halep emerged victorious in her quarterfinal game Wednesday at the $5.9 million BNP Paribas Open tennis event.

The sixth seed humbled Aussie qualifier Casey Dellacqua 6-2, 6-2 on the hardcourts at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Meanwhile, former champions Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal breezed through their Indian Wells openers and Serena Williams stepped up her comeback from a 14year boycott with a similar crushing victory on Sunday.

Second seed Federer opened his bid for a fifth Indian Wells title by easing to a 6-4, 6-2 second-round victory over Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman. Nadal also opened his campaign on a successful note, blitzing Igor Sijsling 6-4, 6-2 in the joint WTA and ATP hardcourt tournament.

The 22-year-old Halep, who has now won nine of her last 10 matches, recently titled in Doha, this after pil-

ing up the first six WTA titles of her career last year.

Halep’s semifinal opponent will be second-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska or seventh-seeded former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic, who titled here in 2010.

Federer, who is making his 15th appearance in the California desert, advances to the third round, where he will face Italy’s Andreas Seppi, who beat Federer earlier this year at the Australian Open.

“It was important to get a good start. I had to stay focused and try to stay aggressive on the return which isn’t always easy,” said Federer.

The 17-time Grand Slam winner Federer is ranked second in the world and has a shot at reclaiming the top ranking with a good showing at Indian Wells.

The 28-year-old Spaniard Nadal, who has won this event three times, advances to the next round where he will face American Donald Young.

“I think I played solidly for a first match,” said Nadal. “I’m very happy with the way I played.” AFP

Simona Halep of Romania prepares to return the ball against Carla Suarez Vavarro of Spain during day ten of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Garden on Mar. 18 in California. Halep prevailed to advance to the semifinals. AFP

Pacquiao nearing deadly form LOS ANGELES, California – With still 54 days before he fights his World Boxing Council/World Boxing Association counterpart Floyd Mayweather Jr., World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao looks on the way to regaining the form that saw him stop four of the five pretenders that cross his path in 2008 and 2009.

“Tell them to just wait,” Pacquiao, now 36, declared in reference to doom sayers who claim he no longer has the speed and the power that had Juan Diaz, Oscar DeLa Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto kissing the canvass one after another in that two-year span to crown himself the sport’s poundfor-pound king.

“Kaya pa, kung pagsisikipan (I can still do it if I work hard) and I would like to relay to my detractors that I am trying very very hard to relive those days when I had been winning all my fights by sending my opponents to dreamland, Pacquiao, who was then only 30-31 years old

said yesterday following a 10-round pummeling the mitts with chief trainer Freddie Roach at Wild Card Gym here.

“Wala pa (Not there yet),” he conceded, but it will come. Malayo pa naman, halos dalawang buwan pa ang preparasyon (There’s almost two months to go of preparation) and this early, I can feel na aabutin ko pa yung mga panahong iyon (I reach top form)” he vowed in reference to his punching power.

And if assistant trainer Nonoy Neri is concerned, Pacman will need a very short time to attain that target.

“Ngayon pa lang, masasabi ko na nakuha na niya ang dating biles,” Grabe ang bilis ni Manny, compared sa mga nakaraang laban niya (This early I can say that he has regained his speed).”

“Nagugulat nga si Coach Freddie sa mga nakikita nya kay Manny. Bilis ng kamay, bilis ng paa, nandyan na (Freddie Roach is amazed at what he sees. The quick hands and the quick feet are there),” he said. Eddie G. Alinea

Filipino-American throwing specialist Caleb Stuart goes into a spin while preparing to unleash the hammer during the 2015 Philippine National Open Invitational Athletics Championship yesterday at the Laguna Sports Complex here. Stuart plucked two gold medals, in shotput and hammer throw, during the opening day and set a new national record in the men’s hammer throw in the process. Roman Prospero

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Magada leads Splendido Classic BENJIE Magada came away with his best round in years—a bogey-free seven-under 65 that thrust him into the lead, three shots ahead of fancied Angelo Que and Elmer Salvador halfway through the P2 million ICTSI Splendido Classic in Tagaytay yesterday.

Cashing in on his good form, Magada sizzled with three birdies in the first four holes and went on to hit all but one green, finishing with a 33-32 in sweltering heat and

ERRORS & OMISSIONS

surging from joint ninth to the top of the heap at nine-under 135.

“All just fell into place—my ballstriking, iron play and putting,” said Magada, who pitched to within

three feet on No. 5 for his lone upand-down par in another low scoring day at Splendido Taal Golf Club.

He actually missed stringing three-straight birdies from No. 10 with a flubbed three-footer on the 12th but the wiry pro, who last won at Orchard in 2010, made up for the slip with back-to-back birdies from No. 16 to seize control of the star-studded field.

Que, also out to snap a long spell like Magada, rebounded from a

shaky frontside stint of 37 with three birdies at the back, saving a two-under 70 for a share of second with Salvador, the Asian Development Tour Riviera Classic winner last year who turned in a bogey-free 69 for 138s.

Tony Lascuña slowed down with a 71 after a solid 68 but the reigning three-time Order of Merit winner remained in the title hunt, laying just four strokes behind at 139 in a tie with young gun Miguel Tabuena, who failed to sustain

a blistering backside start of 32, highlighted by three straight birdies from No. 11, with a double-bogey 7 on the par-5 No. 2. He finished with a 69.

Defending champion Jay Bayron sputtered at the finish with two bogeys in the last four holes and wound up with a 72, dropping to joint sixth at 141 with Clyde Mondilla (69), Richard Abaring (68), Dutch Guido Van der Valk (71) and Korean qualifier Jung Yong Hun (70).

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In re: Invitation to Bid,Scheduled Pre-Bidding Conference on March 19, 2015, 02:00 p.m., and Bidding Conference on March 31, 2015,which was published in this newspaper on its issue of March 13, 2015.

1.

HIV Ag/Ab Combo Reagent and other laboratory supplies for the use of Ospital ng Makati. Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): P8,191,898.00 (TNS-MAR. 20, 2015)

Republic of the Philippines CITY OF SAN PEDRO Province of Laguna BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID The City Government of San Pedro Laguna through the 2015 CDC Budget Approved by Sangguniang Panglungsod intends to apply the sum of Php 10,945,092.61 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the hereunder project: NAME OF PROJECT

:

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

LOCATION

:

ABC SOURCE OF FUND CONTRACT DURATION

: : :

along Magsaysay Rd. (Puregold & Aclem area) Brgy. San Antonio, City of San Pedro, Laguna Php 5,609,486.03 CDC Budget Approved by the Sangguniang Panglungsod 150 Calendar Days

NAME OF PROJECT

:

Proposed Reblocking and Asphalt Overlay

LOCATION

:

ABC SOURCE OF FUND CONTRACT DURATION

: : :

Along Magsaysay Rd., Brgy. San Antonio,, City of San Pedro, Laguna (from Total Gas Station to Tat Golf) Php 5,335,606.58 CDC Budget Approved by the Sangguniang Panglungsod 180 Calendar Days

The City Government of San Pedro, Laguna now invites contractors registered with and classified by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) to apply for eligibility and if found eligible, to bid for the above-mentioned projects. Completion of the Works is required on or before the contract duration. Bidders should have completed, within one hundred fifty(150) calendar days from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bids received in excess of the Approved Budget for the Contract shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

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

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

Office of the BAC Secretariat 4/f Conference Room City Administrator’s Office City Hall of San Pedro A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address above and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of PESOS: (Php 10,000.00) ISSUANCE OF ELIGIBILITY AND BIDDING DOCUMENTS

March 13 - 30, 2015 8:30AM – 9:30AM BAC Secretariat 4/f Conference Room City Administrator’s Office City Hall of San Pedro

The City Government of San Pedro, Laguna will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on March 18, 2015 10:00AM at the Office of the BAC Secretariat, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents

Manila Golf Club (MGC) Vice-Pres.,Eduardo Litonjua,Jr.(left), MGC Director Bernadine Siy (middle) assist Letty Laurel in handing the trophy to 2014 Ladies Club Champion,Isa Lorenzo over the recent 45th Golden Tee awarding rites (above). MGC Directors, from left: Raoul Romulo and Jose Mari Antunez present the trophy to Overall Individual Low Gross Champion,Jose Mari Hechanova over the 45th Golden Tee awards at Makati City (inset left). MGC past President,Ramon Regala,left,present the Mens Club Champion trophy to Jojo Guingona over the 45th Golden Tee awards (inset right).

Former PBA import named UP coach RETIRED professional basketball player and trainer Joe Ward has been tapped as the interim coach of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons.

Team manager Dan Palami said Ward will handle the team temporarily while the search committee looks for a replacement for Rey Madrid.

Last August, Ward, who used to play for the Phoenix Suns in the NBA and Anejo Rum in the PBA more than two decades ago, started working on helping improve the basketball skills of the Uni-

versity of the Philippines Fighting Maroons.

The UP Maroons are currently seeing action in the Filsports Basketball Association cagefest with Ward calling the shots.

“For now, its Joe Ward. We’re still in the process of choosing the applicants,” said Palami.

The Maroons finished season 77 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament with one win and 13 losses.

Peter Atencio

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before March 30, 2015 at 10:00AM

PH archers lead Asian Cup qualifiers

Office of the BAC Secretariat 4/f Conference Room City Administrator’s Office City Hall of San Pedro All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding Conference, Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Awards of Contract Shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).

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

For Further information, please refer to: Mr. Merlin B. Paala Office of the BAC Secretariat City Administrator Office City of San Pedro, Laguna Telefax No. 847-1722 (SGD.) ENGR. FILEMON I. SIBULO Chairman Bids and Awards Committee (TNS-MAR. 20, 2015)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

WITH Jeff Adriano and Amaya Paz hitting their stride, Filipino archers emerged as the topseeded entries in all categories in the men’s and women’s divisions of the qualification rounds of the ongoing 2015 Asian Cup Archery Championships in Bangkok.

Adriano submitted the best score of the tournament, hitting 698 FITA points in the individual compound event.

He was four points short of the

Philippine record which he owns in dominating the71-strong field.

Adriano also advanced into the next round of the 50-meter, 72-arrow ranking round.

Incheon Asian Games bronze winner Jan Paul de la Cruz was fifth with 690, followed by Earl Yap with 686.

Their combined efforts gave the Philippines a total of 2074 points.

India, an early favorite, is 11 points behind at second spot,

followed by Malaysia, Iran and Vietnam.

Paz took charge in the women’s side, scoring a 689 to finish with the same score with her Indian rival.

But she prevailed on a better tiebreak to lead her teammates to the top spot with 2043 points.

The Filipinas are 12 points ahead of Southeast Asian Games rivals Malaysia, with India at third. Peter Atencio

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Belga joins long list of league enforcers SO you think Beau Belga is the ultimate PBA DENNIS PRINCIPE contrabida nowadays?

PORTS HAT Last Sunday, the Rain or Shine enforcer admitted during an interview that he relishes the thought of being the most hated guy on the court every time his team plays.

Moments after their inspiring 82-79 victory over crowd favorite Brgy. Ginebra, Belga came out of their dugout refreshed and seemed to be the least worried about whatever wrath Ginebra fans have against Rain or Shine.

“Tuwang-tuwa ako sa ganiyan. Yun ang gusto ko sa lahat. Sa lahat ng laro ang pinaka-gusto ko yung kalaban ko yung buong arena,” said Belga “Yun ang gusto ko. Mas challenging. Mas maraming iiyak after ng game.

Mas marami akong paiiyakin (I am so happy with that.

That is what I like most. I like it when the whole arena is against me. More will cry after the game.)”

Belga, one of coach Yeng Guiao’s hard-nosed defenders, took on every tough guy Ginebra had to offer and even showed no mercy in pinning down Ginebra’s 5-6 guard Emman Monfort during a rebound play in the final canto.

Recently though, Belga issued an apology to the league and the fans when he appeared on CNN Philippines’ Sports Desk.

Belga’s conduct last Sunday made old timers reminisce of the good old days when having at least one toughie was a norm for every PBA team.

Here are at least five players who will be remembered for being the resident bruisers of their teams.

VIC “RAMBO SANCHEZ - One of the toughest forwards in the league during his time with Shell and Tanduay.

Sanchez was one of those import stoppers and was a reliable defender against their opponent’s supposed unstoppable power forwards.

Nicknamed Rambo, Sanchez’ notoriety reached its lowest point when his nudge floored then-Alaska import Donnie Ray Koonce, resulting in an injury that adversely affected the prolific import’s abilities.

Before the incident, Koonce led the Milkmen to a 6-1 start but the injury took its toll on Koonce and his team as Alaska lost its next eight games during the 1986 Reinforced conference.

Sanchez played 11 seasons in the PBA where he averaged 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds.

RAMON “ONCHIE” DELA CRUZ During his rookie year with Tanduay, De La Cruz was regarded as potentially the second coming of Robert Jaworski not because of his charismatic plays but more on him being a rough player.

Of course, there is only one Robert Jaworski and De La Cruz never came close to becoming one.

Oftentimes though, he was considered as Tanduay’s answer to Jaworski and an antidote, defense-wise, to the league’s top guards during his time.

De la Cruz had a colorful nine-year career by being part of two ballclubs that won championships in Tanduay and Presto.

SANTIAGO “SONNY” CABATU His awkward style has always been misconstrued as his way of deliberately hurting opposing players.

But Sonny Cabatu swore he never intended to hurt anyone, although he admits he often times tried to be physical specifically against imports he is asked to guard.

Cabatu played for the now-defunct Shell, Purefoods, Presto and Swift before getting some sort of hero status when he was traded to Ginebra where he ended his career.

Ironically, his most infamous skirmish happened when he punched Ginebra import Jamie Waller at the back of his head that nearly led to a free-for-all during the 1988 Open Conference. Cabatu back then was playing for Presto.

ANGELITO “ITOY” ESGUERRA Angelito “Itoy” Esguerra spent a good part of his career on the bench but whenever he is fielded in, fans would always remember his time on the court in a not-so-glorious manner.

One of the best pure shooters during his college days, Esguerra’s career did not blossom as he played for for Crispa, Tanduay, Beer Hausen and Manila Beer, teams that were filled with reliable snipers.

Still, Esguerra survived six seasons in the league averaging a decent 6ppg in 216 games.

RUDY “THE DESTROYER” DISTRITO Distrito’s diminutive frame did not prevent him from being one of the best slashing guards the league has seen.

He reached the apex of his career when he joined the Robert Jaworski-coached Ginebra in 1987 where he blossomed into one of the team’s go-to-guys.

It was also with Ginebra where Distrito had run-ins with upcoming and veteran guards of the league like Johnny Abarrientos, Frankie Lim and Ronnie Magsanoc.

Being a member of the league’s top draw in a lot of ways shielded Distrito from criticisms.

While leaving Ginebra made him a few millions richer when he signed up with the RFM franchise, his natural on-court persona started to become a blemish to his new team and the league.

He was banned by the PBA for life after shoving Jeffrey Cariaso in midair during the title series between Alaska and Sunkist in 1995.

That incident also forced the Games and Amusement Board to revoke Distrito’s license.

S

San Miguel Beermen veteran Arwind Santos (center) ties up Talk n Text Tropang Texters forward Ranidel De Ocampo (left) with an arm lock in heated action in the Philippine Basketball Association won by the Tropang Texters. With the eliminations winding down PBA teams are going all out to win their games and gain a good crack at ending up in the top two in the homestretch of the elimination round of the 2015 PBA Commissioner’s Cup today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Sonsona will be superstar

By Ronnie Nathanielsz INTERNATIONAL promoter and matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz predicts that featherweight “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona will be a superstar very soon and will “pick up the torch from Manny Pacquiao” the eight division world champion from the same hometown of General Santos City.

Lewkowicz told the New Standard/Viva Sports that Sonsona has matured from the wild and wooly ways of the past and is training in Las Vegas right now after a stint in Big Bear , California where he sparred twice with Sugar Shane Mosley.

He said when Sonsona arrived in the US he was around 160 pounds but is now working with Angel “Memo” Heredia and his weight is down to 142.

Lewkowicz said making the 126 pound limit for a planned title eliminator sometime in May would be “no problem.”

He said Sonsona is living in a three bedroom apartment in Las Vegas with all the amenities including cable TV and a computer and is “very happy.”

Lewkowicz promised to “watch him like a father” and indicated he is convinced the lanky southpaw with speed, power and allround skill “would do well” in the future.

Gello-ani said the world rated featherweight must train seriously before he can be assured of a title eliminator in his North American Boxing Federation title defense against undefeated Puerto Rican Jayson Velez.

PBA teams chase berths in playoffs

By Jeric Lopez

PUREFOODS, Meralco and Rain or Shine will go all out to position themselves the best way possible in the upper echelon heading the playoffs.

The co-league leading Hot- place when it goes up against its shots and the erstwhile leader Philippine Cup tormentor MerBolts go at it in an all impor- alco (6-3) at 7 p.m. in an anticipated match tonight tant clash while the Games Today at the Smart Araneta Painters will have (Smart Araneta Coliseum) Coliseum. their own business to 4:15 p.m. • Blackwater Two hours earlier, take care of as three vs. Rain or Shine of the top teams will 7 p.m. • Purefoods vs. Meralco the Elasto Painters (6-3) are looking to see who among them gets a good crack at ending up in keep in step as well when they the top two in the homestretch of will be favored against lowly the elimination round of the 2015 Blackwater (2-7), which is virtuPhilippine Basketball Association ally eliminated. The two teams start hostilities at 4:15 p.m.

Commissioner’s Cup. Currently, the Hotshots are Purefoods (7-3), who is currently peaking after winning tied for first place with Talk ‘N three straight, gets the chance to Text, which is also at 7-3, and seek revenge and regain solo first they will try to have the best

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

possible finish to be able to have a good chance at ending up in the top two and have a huge twice-to-beat incentive alongside it in the quarterfinals.

The Bolts and the Elasto Painters, who are currently tied at second place with their 6-3 cards, are looking to move themselves up as well in a better position for a better chance in the top two just like Purefoods. Meralco and Rain or Shine will still have one more assignment each after their respective games tonight.

The winners among these three teams will surely gain some leverage as the jockeying for positioning intensifies. All of them plus the Tropang Texters are all secured of quarterfinals berths and all figure in a wild race towards the top two.

In the event of any ties up top, the quotient system will come into play as there will be no playoff.

38th National MILO Marathon winners Philippine Air Force member Rafael Poliquit Jr. (right) and marathon record-holder Mary Joy Tabal (left) flank race organizer Rio dela Cruz. Poliquit and Tabal completed the prestigious ASICS Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday, March 15, against a field of 26,000 runners from 50 states of the US and 55 countries in the world, including the top athletes from the United States, who competed in the 42K running event to qualify for the US National Team for the 2016 Olympics.

C

Email me: densprincipe@yahoo.com

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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

Karen Janario (271) of LSA A vaults over a hurdle as she and teammate Melissa Escoton (272) lead one of the heats in the women’s 100 meter hurdle during the 2015 Philippine National Open Invitational Athletics Championship yesterday at the Laguna Sports Complex. ROMAN PROSPERO

Fil-Am shines in National Open STA. CRUZ, Laguna—Filipino-American throwing specialist Caleb Stuart delivered a pair of golden finishes to make his presence felt in the 2015 Philippine National Open Invitational Athletics Championship yesterday at the Laguna Sports Complex here.

A former varsity at the University of CaliforniaRiverside, Stuart displayed a preview of his vaunted strength and skills when he plucked the gold medal in the men’s shot put competition before coming close to smashing the national record in the men’s hammer throw competition, much to the delight of his friends and family who flew all the way from the United States just to cheer for him.

Stuart heaved the iron ball to a distance of 16.52 meters to claim the gold medal over his potential Southeast Asian Games rival in

Hussin Adi Aliffudin of Malaysia (16.21 meters) and national team mainstay Eliezar Sunang (16.05 meters) of the Housing Sector.

A few hours later, he trooped back to the field to tally 64.57 meters in the men’s hammer throw competition, nearly breaking the national record of 68.86 meters which he notched in the Ben Brown Championship in Fullerton, California just last week.

Jackie Wong Siew Cheer of Malaysia bagged the silver with 63.71, while Ferrera, who is nursing a pulled hamstring injury, settled for the bronze with

PBA teams pursue playoff berths TURN TO A15

29.65 meters.

Although Stuart’s twin victories seems like a stroll in the park, the 24-year-old rising star claimed that he remains hungry and far from being satisfied.

“I feel a little better in hammer throw than when I competed in shot put, but still, I’m not satisfied,” said Stuart, who is slowly being groomed to banner the national track and field team in future international competitions.

“I guess I have to spend more time training and working with my coaches. I have to focus on getting better. This is my first competition outside the United States and I hope I can do better next time.”

Stuart will be fighting for his third gold medal in the men’s discus throw competition on Sunday.

But this early, all eyes are focused on him as well as other

in this prestigious tournament bankrolled by Laguna Water, Pacific Online Scratch It KaskaSwerte, Papa John’s Pizza, Foton Philippines, PCSO, Smart, PLDT, Summit Natural Drinking Water through the support of SSS, PAGCOR, Milo, Gatorade, L TimeStudio at Asics Watch.

Carrying the colors of Philippine Air Force, Delos Santos notched 38 minutes and 05.83 seconds to emerge victorious in the women’s 10,000-meter run.

She bested Philippine Army’s Jho-an Banayag, who registered 39:34:05, and Janice Tawagin, who tallied 40:39:56.

Michelle Sng of Singapore, meanwhile, treated local fans to a dazzling display of jumping wizardry as she eclipsed her personal-best in the women’s high jump competition en route to gold-medal finish.

LOTTO RESULTS

Pacquiao, Mayweather undergo drug tests TURN TO A12

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Filipino-American talents who showed up in fighting condition, prompting Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) president Philip Ella Juico to challenge homegrown talents to come up with their best performances with only three months left before the biennial meet in Singapore.

“I expect them to either break the Philippine record or come very close to SEA Games gold medal finish,” said Juico over lunch hosted by Laguna Gov. Ramil Hernandez. “They have to come up with their best performances because there are Filipino-foreign players who are displaying their skills and want to show that they also deserve to be in the SEA Games.”

Nearly stealing the thunder was Mary Grace Delos Santos, who clinched the first gold medal

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6 DIGITS 00-00-00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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FRIDAY: MARCH 20, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS

PSe comPoSite index Closing March 19, 2015

8000 7500 6840 7500 6180

7000

5520

6500

4860

6000 4200 3860 5500

7,814.55 57.97

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing MARCH 19, 2015 45

P44.720

44

CLOSE

43 42 41

HIGH P44.580 LOW P44.750 AVERAGE P44.661

Passengers board a Cebu Air Inc. airplane in Legaspi City, the Philippines, on April 24, 2010. Bloomberg

Gokongwei, MPIC eye airport ventures

By Clarissa Batino and Siegfrid Alegado

THE family of Philippine billionaire John Gokongwei, which owns Cebu Air Inc., wants to branch out to airports in tropical destinations to boost regional flights.

JG Summit Holdings Inc. is in talks with Metro Pacific Investments Corp. for a venture that may bid for 30-year contracts to operate and expand six airports across the country, president Lance Gokongwei said in an interview Wednesday in Manila. He said Cebu Air expects passenger growth this year to be limited by congestion at Manila’s airport.

“The largest domestic airport we fly into, which is Manila, is constrained, so there’s also a limit on how quickly we can add capacity,” said Gokongwei, 48, who also runs

Cebu Air. “Connecting the nation’s secondary cities with international destinations is where we see big opportunities.”

The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 tropical islands, attracts less than 5 percent of travelers to Southeast Asia. Thailand hosted more than five times the number of visitors in 2013. While cheaper oil and an open-skies policy within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, are positive for the airline business, Philippine carriers are hobbled by old and inadequate domestic airports.

Manila’s Ninoy Aquino

International Airport handled about 30 million passengers in 2014, more than its annual capacity of 28 million, according to data on its Web site. Airline passengers in the Philippine capital and nearby provinces, which includes Clark International airport, will climb to 49.8 million in 2020 and reach 75 million by 2030 from 31.9 million in 2012, the Transportation department has said, citing a Japan International Cooperation Agency study.

While the government hasn’t decided on a Manila airport expansion, it plans to award a contract to operate and expand provincial airports for an estimated cost of P114 billion ($2.5 billion) by March 2016. The airports are in Bacolod, Iloilo, Panglao, Laguindingan, Davao and Puerto Princesa, according to the Public-Private Partnership

Center.

Metro Pacific President Joey Lim confirmed that the company is in talks with JG Summit about airports. The two companies joined forces in 2013 to bid for the right to operate and improve the Mactan-Cebu airport, a project won by a venture that includes GMR Infrastructure Ltd. “If they get the right partners for the airports, they can make aggressive bids and make money,” said George Ching, an analyst at COL Financial Group. The brokerage has a hold rating on JG Summit, saying the shares are fairly valued.

Cebu Air shares have gained 0.2 percent this year, after surging 83 percent in 2014.

Parent JG Summit has rallied 3 percent this year, trailing a 7.3 percent advance in the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Index. Bloomberg

VOLUME 705.300M

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 Thursday, March 19, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

44.6910

Japan

Yen

0.008348

0.3731

UK

Pound

1.502600

67.1527

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128904

5.7608

Switzerland

Franc

1.025431

45.8275

Canada

Dollar

0.799680

35.7385

Singapore

Dollar

0.727061

32.4931

Australia

Dollar

0.764584

34.1700

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652520

118.5438

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266638

11.9163

Brunei

Dollar

0.724428

32.3754

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000076

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.030386

1.3580

UAE

Dirham

0.272264

12.1678

Euro

Euro

1.091800

48.7936

Korea

Won

0.000888

0.0397

China

Yuan

0.160529

7.1742

India

Rupee

0.015947

0.7127

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.269833

12.0591

New Zealand

Dollar

0.736594

32.9191

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031759

1.4193 Source: PDS Bridge

Coconut oil exports rebounded 87% to 79,250 MT in January

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales COCONUT oil exports grew 87 percent to 79,250 metric tons in January this year from 42,360 MT year-on-year, the United Coconut Association of the Philippines said Thursday.

“This is a welcome development since we hit the

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monthly shipment average of 80,000 MT. But we have to remember that we have a low baseline figure at the start of last year,” UCAP executive director Yvonne Agustin said.

Agustin attributed the higher export volume to the narrowing gap in prices of coconut oil and competitor palm kernel oil.

Tanco wins PWU auctions

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CNO prices averaged $1,137 per MT in January 2015, higher than palm kernel oil’s $1,010.

Agustin said the Philippines failed to hit its CNO export target of 850,000 MT after shipments reached just 795,297 MT. The volume was also lower than 1.096 million MT in 2013.

Agustin attributed the drop

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in exports last year to the slowdown in the delivery of copra and natural stress to coconut trees.

“The coconut sector, particularly farmers in Eastern Visayas, is still recovering from the damage caused by super typhoon Yolanda. We are not expecting an immediate

Bloomberry posts P4.07-b net profit

contribution to export figures in Yolanda-affected areas because it may take several years for them to recover,” Agustin said.

She said the possible increase in supply of raw materials would come from other coconut producing areas, such as the Bicol region.

Agustin said UCAP had set an export target of 804,000 MT this year.

“We are hopeful that we will continue to hit the average export figures in the first three months of the year,” she said.

UCAP earlier said it would take four to five years before typhoonstricken areas to be back in the production stream.

FRIDAY: MARCH 20, 2015

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BUSINESS business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

MST BuSineSS Daily STockS Review Thursday, March 19, 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 5.2 4 30 90 14.7 317 6.49 5.37 14.48 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 6.49 70 115.00 100.50 47 2.26 2.36 16.88 25 8.45 1.70 715.00 0.510 92.9 0.93 18.40 31.00 81.30 95.20 350 46 165 1360.00 69.55 3.04

Low

FINANCIAL 7 5 70.1 68.65 118.00 115.30 102.40 100.00 47.05 46.8 2.26 2.26 2.40 2.30 16.86 16.5 25 24.8 8.44 8.26 1.68 1.68 720.00 720.00 0.520 0.510 93.8 92.45 0.94 0.94 18.50 18.40 31.05 31.05 81.90 81.00 95.50 95.00 350 345 46.2 45.9 171 165.9 1387.00 1360.00 69.50 69.00 3.03 3.03 INDUSTRIAL 45.2 44.7 1.66 1.66 1.1 1.09 2.14 2.07 8.4 8.1 18.78 18.72 22 21.6 63.3 59.5 1.95 1.75 12.8 11.5 20.900 20.45 11.50 11.40 8.43 8.28 9.81 9.59 1.3 1.3 25.6 23.6 29.8 29.2 103 101.8 14.30 14.06 0.4700 0.4600 14.70 14.50 6.74 6.62 0.620 0.610 215.00 211.20 9.8 9.69 35.05 35.05 2.6 2.6 2.43 2.41 27.1 26.5 28.95 28.3 7.980 7.940 270.00 267.80 4.20 4.20 4.4 4.18 10.30 10.00 11.58 11.14 3.86 3.80 2.90 2.83 1.74 1.29 5.96 5.88 6.3 6.2 206.4 204 1.73 1.7 0.180 0.169 1.02 1.02 2.23 2.22 218 214 4.5 4.5 0.74 0.72 1.54 1.51 HOLDING FIRMS 0.470 0.460 56.95 56.00 27.40 26.65 7.10 7.08 1.74 1.58 2.68 2.55 2.8 2.56 777 761 9.31 9.08 15.40 15.20 3.15 3.15 4.75 4.53 0.355 0.330 1337 1322 6.44 6.15 69.90 68.10 4.83 4.82 8.32 8.1 0.74 0.71 15.92 15.78 0.69 0.64 4.82 4.92 5.05 5 0.0400 0.0400 0.700 0.700 2.45 2.43 71.70 70.10 2.80 2.73 914.00 900.00 1.31 1.23 0.99 0.99 100.00 99.40 0.5300 0.4950 0.2480 0.2460 PROPERTY 9.000 8.700 0.99 0.97 1.320 1.310 0.265 0.265 38.10 37.60

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

6.35 70.1 117.50 101.00 46.8 2.26 2.40 16.72 24.9 8.34 1.68 720.00 0.510 93.6 0.94 18.40 31.05 81.35 95.50 347 45.9 169 1387.00 69.40 3.03

-2.16 0.14 2.17 0.50 -0.43 0.00 1.69 -0.95 -0.40 -1.30 -1.18 0.70 0.00 0.75 1.08 0.00 0.16 0.06 0.32 -0.86 -0.22 2.42 1.99 -0.22 -0.33

196,900 26,790 3,589,930 659,970 53,400 6,000 51,000 5,200 753,200 40,200 1,000 470 321,000 4,488,480 33,000 6,600 100 94,180 1,990 6,140 229,200 1,027,700 305 6,410 7,000

-107,946.00 1,146,950.00 24,854,175.00 -1,059,644.00 329,000.00 -4,520.00 -31,200.00 11,670.00 -779,195.00

44.85 1.66 1.1 2.13 8.15 18.76 22 63 1.86 12.56 20.450 11.40 8.31 9.80 1.3 23.85 29.3 101.8 14.06 0.4600 14.70 6.62 0.610 212.00 9.74 35.05 2.6 2.41 26.6 28.8 7.970 269.00 4.20 4.2 10.02 11.50 3.81 2.86 1.4 5.91 6.2 206 1.73 0.175 1.02 2.22 215.2 4.5 0.72 1.54

-2.61 0.61 0.00 0.95 -0.12 0.21 0.23 5.88 6.29 2.45 0.00 -0.87 -0.24 1.55 -0.76 2.36 -0.34 -0.68 0.00 -2.13 1.38 -1.19 -3.17 -0.47 0.52 -7.76 -1.89 -0.82 -1.48 0.00 0.50 0.37 3.19 0.00 -0.20 0.00 -1.04 1.06 -19.08 -0.17 -1.59 0.49 1.76 0.00 -32.00 0.00 -0.37 0.00 0.00 1.99

5,199,100 38,000 271,000 3,641,000 117,000 443,700 548,600 525,130 793,000 289,000 3,759,900 7,124,500 49,033,300 2,165,300 20,000 754,700 3,016,500 581,470 5,900 390,000 1,700 613,500 95,000 671,500 1,861,200 300 10,000 60,000 4,825,500 753,800 290,900 320,160 1,000 185,000 3,854,300 26,200 577,000 465,000 4,372,000 2,224,100 10,200 28,870 212,000 20,350,000 10,000 2,272,000 1,815,660 118,000 706,000 34,000

0.470 56.00 27.25 7.10 1.74 2.68 2.56 770 9.11 15.32 3.15 4.53 0.340 1325 6.44 69.55 4.82 8.3 0.71 15.82 0.67 4.89 5 0.0400 0.700 2.43 70.30 2.80 903.50 1.23 0.99 99.40 0.5000 0.2460

0.00 -1.93 2.25 0.28 2.35 0.37 -3.40 1.32 -1.51 0.26 0.00 -2.58 -2.86 0.38 3.87 2.35 -9.06 0.36 -1.39 -0.63 4.69 2.30 0.00 -2.44 0.00 -0.82 -1.75 0.00 -0.06 -0.81 0.00 -1.09 -1.96 -0.81

40,000 1,664,250 24,538,400 147,000 26,000 607,000 65,000 667,230 5,069,300 6,721,200 2,000 130,000 2,490,000 279,485 2,100 5,463,070 10,200 14,658,700 267,000 792,000 6,749,000 53,601,000 66,300 1,500,000 1,000,000 64,000 461,910 4,000 330,620 115,000 203,000 23,710 10,175,000 520,000

8.880 0.98 1.310 0.265 38.10

2.19 -2.00 -0.76 0.00 1.87

4,338,500 -12,341,375.00 810,000 17,000 10,000 21,895,300 93,733,665.00

-7,200.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

6.15 6.1 2 1.5 0.201 0.98 1.09 0.370 2.25 1.77 1.6 5.3 0.180 0.470 0.74 4.45 24.8 2.06 3.6 19.62 1.02 6.66 1.96 6.5

4.41 5 1.22 0.97 0.068 0.47 0.87 0.175 1.22 1.18 1.19 3.12 0.070 0.325 0.4 2.5 18.72 1.45 2.9 14.1 0.58 3.05 0.87 4.37

Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Century Property Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

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

3.25 43.7 1.43 1.09 12.46 14 0.1640 4.05 71 3.28 9 1700 2008 9.04 2.02 118.9 12.5 0.017 0.0653 2.2800 6.99 9.67 2.85 2.2 4.32 1.97 2.45 14.46 0.62 1.040 6.6 2.85 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 1.99 4 1080 1580 7.12 1.2 94.4 8.72 0.012 0.026 1.560 1.95 5.82 1.15 1.1 1.9 0.485 1.42 10.14 0.35 0.36 5.2 1.85 4.39 2572 0.250 0.26 32.2 48

0.87 11.46 1.6

0.59 7.78 1.04

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

Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Discovery World DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings NOW Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Yehey

0.0086 5.45 17.24 25 12.8 1.2 1.73 10.98

0.0028 1.72 11.48 9.43 6.2 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 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 7.8 6.5 0.031 123 4.3 0.0087

44.1

26.3

60 116 511 9.04 9.67

30 102 480 6.76 5.82

High

Low

Close

4.29 5.09 0.96 1.00 0.147 0.460 0.900 0.201 1.51 1.80 1.49 5.5 0.126 0.3600 0.4550 7.6 28.80 1.78 3.16 19.70 0.87 7.31 1.030 7.500

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

4.39 4.3 4.3 5.12 5.06 5.1 0.97 0.94 0.96 1.01 1.01 1.01 0.147 0.144 0.147 0.470 0.460 0.460 0.920 0.900 0.900 0.216 0.204 0.214 1.54 1.47 1.50 1.87 1.79 1.83 1.58 1.51 1.55 5.54 5.45 5.5 0.129 0.125 0.125 0.3450 0.3400 0.3400 0.4550 0.4500 0.4500 7.7 7.53 7.65 30.60 28.90 29.00 1.79 1.75 1.79 3.20 3.20 3.20 19.96 19.64 19.76 0.9 0.87 0.88 7.21 7.23 7.37 1.040 1.020 1.040 7.490 7.360 7.420 SERVICES 7.95 8.5 6.85 6.99 60 62 60 61 1.08 1.09 1.08 1.09 0.700 0.730 0.690 0.700 14 14 14 14 10.14 10.46 10.22 10.46 0.1100 0.1110 0.1090 0.1100 3.95 3.97 3.8 3.97 86 86.8 85 85.15 1.64 1.77 1.65 1.77 6.50 7.10 6.50 6.80 1000 1000 1000 1000 1940 1980 1945 1960 6.76 6.81 6.70 6.70 1.63 1.60 1.57 1.58 110.6 112.9 110.8 112 11.9 11.86 11.2 11.86 0.014 0.015 0.015 0.015 0.300 0.310 0.275 0.290 1.3000 1.3300 1.3000 1.3300 2.65 2.64 2.64 2.64 8.88 8.71 8.86 8.88 1.97 2.00 2.00 2.00 1.43 1.47 1.4 1.47 2.28 2.28 2.20 2.28 0.680 0.690 0.690 0.690 1.98 2 1.95 1.95 9.45 9.55 9.26 9.28 0.37 0.37 0.35 0.37 0.500 0.500 0.500 0.500 4.77 4.77 4.56 4.70 3.21 3.2 3.18 3.18 13.88 13.90 13.70 13.86 2788.00 2860.00 2800.00 2850.00 0.580 0.600 0.580 0.600 1.520 1.560 1.490 1.500 40.20 40.70 39.85 40.10 85.75 88.00 85.65 87.00 10.40 10.60 10.00 10.14 0.72 0.73 0.72 0.72 7.06 7.34 7.04 7.04 1.500 1.550 1.450 1.450 MINING & OIL 0.0056 0.0056 0.0055 0.0056 2.85 3.00 2.85 3.00 9.18 9.28 9.10 9.10 10.80 10.80 10.80 10.80 7.0000 7.1200 7.12 7.1200 1.1 1.15 1.09 1.1 0.9 0.9 0.89 0.9 8.15 8.61 7.98 8.53 2.29 2.31 2.29 2.3 0.350 0.350 0.335 0.345 0.236 0.240 0.235 0.238 0.245 0.250 0.246 0.246 0.0150 0.0150 0.0140 0.0140 0.0160 0.0150 0.0150 0.0150 5.4 5.55 5.35 5.4 27.9 28.2 27.6 28 3.75 3.83 3.75 3.83 0.7700 0.7500 0.7400 0.7400 2.200 2.300 2.150 2.160 0.0130 0.0130 0.0120 0.0130 7.54 7.78 7.61 7.7 2.6 2.6 2.32 2.55 0.015 0.016 0.015 0.016 159.00 159.20 156.00 157.20 4.17 4.17 4.07 4.16 0.0100 0.0110 0.0100 0.0110 PREFERRED 62.4 63.4 62.35 62.4 513 512.5 512.5 512.5 520 523 520 520 115 115 115 115 508 506 506 506 6.6 6.5 6.5 6.5 1.09 1.08 1.07 1.07 108.2 108.3 108.2 108.2 1060 1080 1080 1080 1036 1080 1075 1075 1030 1038 1036 1038 76.05 76.1 76 76.1 81 89.5 84 84 83.4 84 83.4 84 WARRANTS & BONDS 3.910 4.090 3.950 3.950 SME 7.8 7.86 7.8 7.85 76 77.5 75 77.5 10.68 10.74 10.2 10.2 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 125.9 127 125.9 127

0.23 0.20 0.00 1.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.47 -0.66 1.67 4.03 0.00 -0.79 -5.56 -1.10 0.66 0.69 0.56 1.27 0.30 1.15 -1.09 0.97 -1.07

1,194,000 165,600 5,648,000 1,000 7,020,000 1,130,000 218,000 160,000 1,885,000 75,040,000 3,304,000 27,678,000 3,080,000 270,000 130,000 181,100 3,691,200 740,000 1,000 16,755,900 4,831,000 12,099,000 29,000 15,743,100

-12.08 1.67 0.93 0.00 0.00 3.16 0.00 0.51 -0.99 7.93 4.62 0.00 1.03 -0.89 -3.07 1.27 -0.34 7.14 -3.33 2.31 -0.38 0.23 1.52 2.80 0.00 1.47 -1.52 -1.80 0.00 0.00 -1.47 -0.93 -0.14 2.22 3.45 -1.32 -0.25 1.46 -2.50 0.00 -0.28 -3.33

3,293,700 75,740 1,542,000 365,000 70,200 17,580,400 5,840,000 647,000 768,740 12,000 584,100 600 161,100 264,400 154,000 1,449,200 39,300 26,600,000 99,380,000 341,000 1,000 575,800 16,000 50,000 30,000 7,000 27,000 5,389,900 240,000 140,000 17,000 111,000 461,700 387,780 2,293,000 19,216,000 5,494,600 1,296,100 11,756,900 96,000 2,938,200 62,000

0.00 5.26 -0.87 0.00 1.71 0.00 0.00 4.66 0.44 -1.43 0.85 0.41 -6.67 -6.25 0.00 0.36 2.13 -3.90 -1.82 0.00 2.12 -1.92 6.67 -1.13 -0.24 10.00

89,000,000 98,000 713,800 400 2,300 1,943,000 98,000 223,800 85,358,000 350,000 12,210,000 400,000 3,200,000 2,000,000 526,800 6,190,100 11,845,000 398,000 1,228,000 13,000,000 492,000 984,000 5,100,000 967,070 52,000 1,500,000

0.00 -0.10 0.00 0.00 -0.39 -1.52 -1.83 0.00 1.89 3.76 0.78 0.07 3.70 0.72

204,320 1,270 4,770 21,710 3,990 5,000 394,000 34,000 240 1,000 505 139,170 86,740 303,120

1.02

39,000

0.64 1.97 -4.49

182,900 61,720 4,014,600

0.87

47,950

3,488,800.00 -148,749.00 2,866,660.00 41,160.00 9,400.00 -1,073,010.00 27,687,130.00 1,093,720.00 3,243,535.00 -3,780.00 -27,200.00

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 LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ 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.

1.33 Vulcan Ind’l.

46.05 1.65 1.1 2.11 8.16 18.72 21.95 59.5 1.75 12.26 20.450 11.50 8.33 9.65 1.31 23.3 29.4 102.5 14.06 0.4700 14.50 6.7 0.630 213.00 9.69 38.00 2.65 2.43 27 28.8 7.930 268.00 4.07 4.2 10.04 11.50 3.85 2.83 1.73 5.92 6.3 205 1.7 0.175 1.50 2.22 216 4.5 0.72 1.51

0.7 61.6 31.85 7.39 2.7 3.29 2.05 747 11.34 84 3.3 5.34 0.23 1060 7.1 59.8 6.66 6.55 0.9 19.9 0.75 5.4 5.35 0.0550 0.84 2.9 88 3.5 866 2.2 1.39 156 0.285 0.245

0.46 45.75 21.95 6.3 1.550 1.8 1.04 508 7.470 47.25 2.51 4 0.144 706 5.3 36.7 3.52 3.95 0.58 12.96 0.580 4.06 4.5 0.027 0.355 2.36 54.5 1.5 680 1.04 0.85 58.05 0.158 0.150

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

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Keppel Holdings `B’ Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

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

Minerales Industrias Corp.

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

0.470 57.10 26.65 7.08 1.70 2.67 2.65 760 9.25 15.28 3.15 4.65 0.350 1320 6.20 67.95 5.3 8.27 0.72 15.92 0.64 4.78 5 0.0410 0.700 2.45 71.55 2.80 904.00 1.24 0.99 100.50 0.5100 0.2480

9.03 1.99 2.07 0.375 35.3

5.51 0.99 1 0.185 23.7

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

Ayala Land `B’

8.690 1.00 1.320 0.265 37.40

6.68 8.1 275 2.25 0.191 2.5 2.68 188.6 5.5 1.3 2.17

High

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 2.8 1.63 20.35 12 10.1 246 3.37 4 11.56 9.94 4.33

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

SHARES 11,606,944 128,027,842 139,363,692 222,334,372 214,744,128 449,883,892 1,170,268,045

18,368,275.50

-2,434,000.00 9,500.00 -209,750.00 -4,981,135.00 72,775,581.00 249,165.00 -10,380.00

23,257,995.00

69,787.00 -1,109,630.00 997,980.00

17,400.00 35,309,105.00 -11,322,634.00 -64,801,670.00 -11,707,772.00 6,500.00

-32,879,625.00 -22,111,819.00 -80,142.00 82,800.00

534,725.00

-70,713,238.00 -1,508,269.00

9,688,105.00 -2,766,990.00 -17,522.00 701,516.00

87,650.00 -7,712,494.00 -231,150.00 925,140.00 -13,560.00 -932,700.00 -446,392.00

8,600.00

88,800.00 -19,495,764.00 391,500.00 -11,680.00

-27,645,034.50 6,588,260.00

218,378,365.00 -11,480,404.00 31,520,432.00

10,350.00 -112,987,165.00

167,407,116.00 -966.00 -39,289,223.00

-369,734.00

43,003,070.00

-20,296,524.50 -5,600.00 -170,008,105.00

-1,972,944.00 78,500.00

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Benguet Corp `A’ 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’ Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Semirara Corp.

TA Petroleum United Paragon ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred A SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C

77.3 78.95 81.85

74.2 74.5 75

2.42

0.0010 LR Warrant

10.96 35

2.4 7.74

Double Dragon IRipple E-Business Intl Xurpas

119.6

94

First Metro ETF

T op g ainerS VALUE 1,128,000,097.47 2,027,417,266.947 3,018,982,083.214 1,951,582,267.908 2,987,009,275.07 1,041,378,839.4606 12,208,257,817.216

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,828.49 (up) 18.93 INDUSTRIAL 12,586.13 (down) 56.05 HOLDING FIRMS 6,987.73 (up) 39.19 PROPERTY 3,140.94 (up) 32.73 SERVICES 2,110.99 (up) 30.62 MINING & OIL 15,837.14 (down) 35.68 PSEI 7,814.55 (up) 57.97 All Shares Index 4,520.78 (up) 18.59 Gainers: 93; Losers: 88; Unchanged: 44; Total: 225

-38,400.00 -27,664,435.00 -108,500.00 -45,910,448.00

-9,180.00 -28,407,219.00 1,509.00

898,800.00 -55,976,116.00 -33,000.00 95,040.00 -28,713,112.00

664,250.00 -250,000.00 208,998,440.00

11,651,138.00 -59,300.00 -97,100.00

-21,950.00 -12,000.00

-19,500.00 -17,134,030.00 14,000.00

2,673,916.00 -111,773,960.00

-1,594,610.00 -41,893,625.00 -24,368,080.50 -1,926,008.00 -13,094,853.00

-150,000.00 496,269.00 258,540.00

-117,308.00 -9,176,730.00 6,700.00 -36,900.00

18,593,900.00 3,760.00

22,000.00

-2,152,231.00 25,650.00 7,500.00 -22,285,896.00

-11,000.00 -4,282,397.50

496,800.00

-19,500.00 53,500.00 -43,200.00 5,400.00

-1,012,130.00

-62,500.00 155,700.00 -10,592,658.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

United Paragon

0.0110

10.00

TKC Steel Corp.

1.02

-32.00

Discovery World

1.77

7.93

Pryce Corp. `A'

1.4

-19.08

IP E-Game Ventures Inc.

0.015

7.14

2GO Group'

6.99

-12.08

Philodrill Corp. `A'

0.016

6.67

Keppel Holdings `B'

4.82

-9.06

Ever Gotesco

0.214

6.47

Liberty Flour

35.05

-7.76

Da Vinci Capital

1.86

6.29

Manila Mining `A'

0.0140

-6.67

Concepcion

63

5.88

Manila Mining `B'

0.0150

-6.25

Apex `A'

3.00

5.26

Phil. Estates Corp.

0.3400

-5.56

Mabuhay Holdings `A'

0.67

4.69

Xurpas

10.2

-4.49

Dizon

8.53

4.66

Omico

0.7400

-3.90

FRIDAY: MARCH 20, 2015

B3

BUSINESS business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

Tanco wins PWU auctions

By Jenniffer B. Austria

STI Holdings Inc. of businessman Eusebio Tanco said it was declared the winning bidder on the properties of Philippine Women’s University’s in Manila in a foreclosure auction conducted by the Manila Regional Trial Court.

Back to New York. Filipinos in New York celebrate the return of Philippine Airlines to the US east coast with a dinner reception at the

New York Hilton Midtown Manhattan Hotel to mark PAL’s inaugural New York-Vancouver-Manila flight. Shown raising their glasses for a toast are (from left) PAL executive vice president Stewart Lim, Transportation Undersecretary Jose Lotilla, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia Jr., PAL chairman and chief executive Lucio Tan, Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. and PAL president Jaime Bautista.

Meralco sees sales growing 2.5% in 1st half

By Alena Mae S. Flores MANILA Electric Co., the biggest electricity retailer, expects energy sales volume to grow 2.5 percent in the first half this year from a year ago Meralco president Oscar Reyes told reporters Thursday at the sidelines of an event sales in the first two months increased around two percent.

“Sales for January February, we’re about 2 percent higher than the first two months last year. We recovered from... negative 0.6 percent from January year ago but February was was about 2.5 percent [higher]. So combined January-February... [is] slightly below 2 percent,” Reyes said.

He said January sales declined

because of the Christmas holidays and Pope Francis’ visit but sales [in February] recovered due to the sligthly warmer temperature.

“People are feeling warmer temperature [in March],” Reyes said.

Meralco reported energy sales of 7,908 gigawatthours in the first quarter of 2014. Sales in 2014 rose 3.2 percent to 35,160 gWh from 34,084 gWh in 2013.

Reyes, meanwhile, said Meralco was monitoring the power supply and demand outlook during the 30-day shutdown of the Malampaya natural gas field, which started March 15. Reyes said several power plants were expected to resume operation to help address the demand.

“With the comfort that Boto-

can is there, Millenium should also come in and they started their engines last week. We hope Millenium will be available within the month,” he said.

Reyes said the company was also open to talks with Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. for an additional 400-megawatt capacity from the Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan pump storage power plant in Laguna province.

“We are prepared to contract that. We are waiting to formally meet up with them [PSALM].

There has been a desire,” he said.

He said demand usually peaks in May, which consumers should watch out for.

“Summer normally peaks in May. Last year, it was I think May

17,” he said.

Reyes said the interruptible load program, which Meralco recently tested in two dry runs, would help address the demand gap once the participants deloaded.

“Everyone’s cooperating. We are very pleased with the response of commercial establishments and industrial companies willing to join the ILP program.

When something happens, we can bring these in,” he said.

Meralco has signed ILP participants with a combined capacity of 755 megawatts. During the two dry runs in which some 600 to 650 MW of capacity were signed up, about 60 to 67 percent were deloaded, sparing up to 1.6 million from possible rotating brownouts.

STI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it bagged the sale auctions involving the extra-judicial foreclosures of PWU’s properties along Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila, where the PWU school is located, and another lot in Pilar Hidalgo Lim Street, Malate, Manila, registered in the name of PWU. The Manila court conducted the foreclosure auction on March 18.

STI in February filed separate foreclosure petitions against the PWU properties in Manila, the JASMS Quezon City campus, and a lot in Davao City under the name of Unlad Resources Development Corp., the corporate arm of the Benitez family, due to the failure to settle obligations worth nearly P1 billion.

The Benitez Group expressed disappointment over the decision of the STI group to pursue the foreclosure of the university’s properties, saying it “only serves to hurt the school and threaten the welfare of the students, faculty, and employees.”

“It is now very evident that STI is totally disregarding the welfare of PWU. This is what we have been saying all along, that the priorities of STI’s owner, Mr. Eusebio Tanco, are really incompatible with those of the Benitez group and the PWU stakeholders,” PWU media director Lydia Benitez-Brown said in a statement.

Market rallies; PLDT, Alliance Global climb

THE stock market rallied Thursday on bargain-hunting after comments by the US Federal Reserve cooled expectations of an early rate hike.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index rose 57.97 points, or 0.8 percent, to 7,814.55 on a value turnover of P12.2 billion. Gainers edged losers, 93 to 88, with 44 issues unchanged.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the biggest telecommunications firm, gained 2.2 percent to P2,285 after a steep fall Wednesday, while Alliance Global Group Inc. of tycoon Andrew Tan advanced 2.1 percent to P27.20.

BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender in terms of assets, rose 2.1 percent to P117.40, while JG Summit Holdings Inc. of retail and airline tycoon John Gokongwei climbed 2,2 percent to P69.45.

Bloomberry Resorts Corp., which operates a casino on a reclaimed part of Manila Bay, surged 3 percent to P10.44, while Security Bank Corp., the eighth largest bank, surged 3 percent to P170.

Most Asian equity markets outside Japan rallied Thursday, while the euro and yen retreated against the dollar after racking up big gains in New York.

While the US central bank opened the door for a rise after six years of zero percent rates, it lowered its forecasts for economic growth and inflation and stressed it would remain cautious before making any move. With AFP

‘Containerized’ data center. Globe Telecom Inc. broke new ground for its new data center,

considered the first containerized facility of such kind in the Philippines. The data center is constructed to house the company’s first facilities in a modular data center rendition. Located in Cavite, it depicts a ‘data center-in-a-box’ architecture, with details and specifications unique from other data centers. The structure was accomplished in record time, which enabling the company to immediately have it operational. It was in use during recent calamities, especially during the storm season of 2014.

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FRIDAY: MARCH 20, 2015

BUSINESS business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

Insulting the bosses

ASK any daily wage earner what he thinks of the P15 wage hike approved by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board and he’d tell you right off that the amount is insulting. Crunch the numbers and you’d get a ridiculously miniscule sum of P330 a month for a 22-day work schedule. The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, which filed the petition for a P136 wage hike, has slammed the P15 increase saying it is unacceptable.

We asked what the P15 can buy and we’re told that amount is enough for one balut (fertilized duck egg) or three chicken eggs (medium sized), but not for a one-way ticket ride at the MRT from North Avenue to Baclaran. TUCP is wondering how the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry and the National Economic Development Authority came up with the amount because it will not make any difference to the pitiful conditions of daily wage earners, who get P466 per day. (However, the real value of that amount is a little less then P360, insists TUCP).

From that amount, deduct expenses for transportation and lunch money and you get an average of P90 to P100 since P50 is enough for rice and viand (drinking water is free) from Makati’s famed Jolly Jeeps, and assuming that you live close enough to spend only P40 to P50 for transportation, two-way, with plenty of walking in between because a tricycle ride is too expensive. That leaves you with P366 to budget for the whole family’s needs say, four kids and wife--rice, cooking gas, oil, water, electricity and food and chances are, you have very little left for other items such as school items, baon for the kids (forget transpo; they can walk to the nearest public school), soap, shampoo.

And yes, like that advertisement says: Bawal magkasakit because you can’t afford to buy medicine, much less visit the doctor. So, P15 will not make a big difference.

But what are we complaining for? Didn’t the administration of President BS Aquino say we have never had it so good with the stellar economic performance of the country from the time he took over the reins of government? Fitch Ratings gave the Philippines an investment grade rating of –BBB because of the economy’s “strong fundamentals” and you can bet we will not hear the end of it from Palace spinmeisters to show what a good job this government is doing.

Haven’t you heard--the country should not be called the “sick man of Asia” anymore, according to Socio Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan. The Philippines has become a tiger says government people who tirelessly trumpet the wisdom and benefit of Aquinomics.

Yup, a huge cat indeed, but probably the kind that devours its own offspring. Better yet, let’s call the Philippines a tiger shark economy.

HH Bulletins *** Latham &Watkins And Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association are co-hosting the 2nd annual investment conference at the Shangri-La Hotel in Makati on March 25, co-sponsored by the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Management Association of the Philippines and Financial Times. Dubbed “Financing the growth of Philippine Companies,” the conference will examine the financing trends and latest developments in the rapidly-changing market and how Philippine companies are playing an increasingly important role in other regions in Southeast Asia. Top notch speakers from various companies in Asia will discuss a variety of topics that include “Financing Private Equity Acquisitons: Latest Developments in a Rapidly Evolving Market” and “Why are Philippine companies inreasingly leading development in Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar?” *** Forbes Media LLC will hold its 15th annual Forbes Global CEO Conference in Manila on October 12-14, 2015 with the theme “Toward a Winning Vision.” The conference will focus on the theme of visionary leadership--how companies can best conceive and articulate a winning vision to drive their businesses forward, one that is based on their core values and purpose. Some 50 speakers will gather from around the world to generate insights on topics such as the world economy, investment strategies, energy, technology and innovation, emerging markets, leadership, succession and philanthropy.

Launched in 2001, the Forbes Global CEO Conference gathers under one roof some of the world’s most successful tycoons, entrepreneurs, CEOs and thought leaders, and this is the first time that it will be held in the Philippines. Co-host sponsors this year are SM Investments Corp. and BDO Unibank, International Container Terminal Services Inc. and San Miguel Corporation.

“We are delighted to bring the Forbes Global CEO Conference to the Philippines, one of the world’s most promising emerging markets.

Manila is a fitting location to host our conference delegates, who are among the world’s most economically powerful business people,” William Adamopoulos, CEO/Asia of Forbes Media LLC said.

“Forbes has a solid reputation for bringing CEOs together through its conferences and global thought leadership sessions. This will be an excellent opportunity to exchange views and ideas with other business leaders from around the world,” remarked SMIC vice chairperson and BDO Unibank chair Teresita Sy-Coson, expressing pleasure at co-hosting the conference with ICTSI and San Miguel.

••• For comments, reactions, photos, stories and related concerns, readers may email to happyhourtoday2012@yahoo.com. You may also visit and like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/happyhourmanilastandard. We’d be very happy to hear from you. Cheers!

Digital workplace. New research from Accenture says while nearly all, or 96 percent, of global professionals consider themselves to be good listeners, the vast majority, or 98 percent, spend part of their workday multitasking. Almost two-thirds, or 64 percen) say that listening has become significantly more difficult in today’s digital workplace. Shown in front of an audience of 300 Accenture women and men are (from left) event host Christine Jacob-Sandejas; Accenture operations managing directors Bianca den Elsen and Gwen Yason; Accenture country marketing director Louise Sabariaga; Pag-IBIG Fund president and chief executive Darlene Berberabe; and State Solicitor at the Office of the Solicitor-General Jessica Magbanua.

Bloomberry posts P4.07-b net profit

By Jenniffer B. Austria

BLOOMBERRY Resorts Corp., a casino operator owned by port magnate Enrique Razon Jr., said it registered a net income of P4.07 billion in 2014, a reversal from a loss of P1.31 billion in 2013.

Bloomberry said in a disclosure to the stock exchange gross gaming and non-gaming revenues hit record levels of P30.387 billion and P1.071 billion, up 103 percent and 39 percent, respectively.

The significant improvement in the company’s profitability resulted in P1.55 billion in retained earnings, reversing the P2.489-billion deficit at the beginning of the year.

“We are elated by the 2014 yearend results. Our initiatives to grow our market, to increase revenues and to curb operational excesses have enabled us to make a remarkable turnaround in just two years. Now, we will focus on even surpassing that,” Razon, who is the chairman and president of Bloomberry, said.

Minus P7.538 billion in promotional allowances, discounts, rebates paid through gaming promoters, progressive jackpot liabilities, and points earned in customer loyalty programs from the P30.387 billion in gross gaming revenues, net gaming revenues were at P22.849 billion, up 99 percent from P11.464 billion in the previous year.

Gaming revenue accounted for 94.7 percent of the total, while ho-

tel, food and beverage contributed 4.4 percent “The last quarter of 2014 saw the group posting the highest gaming revenue for a quarter since opening day. Solaire’s management was able to intensify promotion and marketing efforts through introducing creative programs, hosting special events, launching promotions, establishing marketing presence in the Asian Region and hiring experienced senior executives in mass and VIP,”

In BrIef

2 Megaworld projects CONDOMINIUM builder Megaworld Corp. said it will spend P35 billion over the next 10 years to build two township developments, one in a former sugarcane field and the other in a former sugar milling facility owned by the Araneta family in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

Megaworld said in a statement to the stock exchange it would build a mixed-use development called The Upper East on a 34-hectare property that used to be Bacolod-Murcia Milling Co. on the eastern side of Bacolod City.

The development, Megaworld said, would be Bacolod’s own version of an upscale lifestyle district complete with residential condominiums, malls and commercial centers, BPO office towers, tourism and leisure facilities.

The second township development called NorthHill is a 50-hectare property along the new Circumferential Road on the boundary of Talisay City and Bacolod City. Jenniffer B. Austria

Ferronickel cuts IPO

NICKEL miner Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. has reduced the size of its planned initial public offering to P21.8 billion from an earlier target of P31 billion, documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission show Thursday.

Global Ferronickel said in a state-

Bloomberry said.

The group as of December 31, 2014 had 64 junket operators that actively brought foreign VIP players.

Solaire Rewards Club registered 406,000 members and visitation for the year had reached 4.5 million.

The group in November opened the Sky Tower, previously referred to as Phase 1a development of Solaire. The expansion increased total gaming tables from 299 to 369, while electronic gaming machines rose 216, bringing the total to 1,701. ment filed with SEC it would sell 4.98 billion worth of primary and secondary shares at P4.38 apiece.

They consist of 3.083 billion common shares, 1.472 billion secondary shares and 424.597 million in overallotment shares.

The company is selling at least 80 percent of the shares to overseas investors and 20 percent to the local market.

Global Ferronickel executive vice president Dante Bravo said the company planned to hold the IPO during the first half of 2015. Jenniffer B. Austria

Atlas’ income down ATLAS Consolidated Mining and Development Corp. said net income in 2014 dropped 79 percent due to higher tax provisions, lower metal prices and increased financing charges.

Atlas said in a statement consolidated net income last year amounted to P397 million, down from P1.9 billion in 2013, on higher income tax paid by the company following the expiration of the income tax holiday incentive of Carmen Copper in October 2013.

Revenues increased 12 percent from P14.5 billion in 2013 to P16.2 billion last year.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization dropped 7 percent to P5.1 billion in 2014 from P5.4 billion in 2013 due mainly to the weakening of metal prices.

Unit Carmen Copper Corp. registered a 14-percent increase in average daily milling throughput to 49,200 tons a day from 43,000 tons in 2013.

Anna Leah E. Gonzales

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CesAR bARRIoquInto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

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world Singapore’s Lee still critical SINGAPORE—Singapore’s elder statesman Lee Kuan Yew remained in critical condition Thursday, the government said, as police launched an investigation into bogus reports that he had died.

“Mr Lee Kuan Yew remains critically ill in the ICU,” the latest bulletin issued by the office of his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, said.

The government on Wednesday quashed rumors that the 91-year-old patriarch, who has been in hospital for severe pneumonia since February 5, had died and asked police to investigate a fake statement on his passing that purportedly came from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) website.

A government spokesperson told AFP late Wednesday that the statement was “doctored” and described it as “fake”.

“Police confirm a report has been lodged and we are looking into the matter,” the Singapore Police Force said in a statement.

“We take a very stern view against anyone who doctors a government website to spread false information to deceive the public,” it added.

“We will spare no effort to bring them to task. We also advise the public not to spread falsehoods.”

Lee, credited with transforming the resource-poor island from

an economic backwater to one of the world’s wealthiest economies, is on life support in the intensive care unit, according to previous government statements.

The government on Wednesday said the patriarch is “critically ill” and his condition was worsening further.

Rumors that he had died swept through social media and mobile messaging services late Wednesday after a screen shot of the purported PMO statement was widely circulated. Media reports based on the hoax were later retracted.

Lee, a British trained lawyer, served as prime minister from 1959 until he stepped down in 1990 in favor of his deputy Goh Chok Tong. Goh in turn handed the reins to Lee Hsien Loong in 2004.

While he is praised for turning Singapore into a vibrant global financial hub, the senior Lee is also criticised by rights activists for his iron-fisted rule which has seen political opponents jailed or exiled and driven to financial ruin through costly libel suits. AFP

7 tourists killed by falling rocks BEIJING—Seven tourists died Thursday when they were struck by huge rocks tumbling down a mountain in one of China’s most popular beauty spots, state media said.

The rocks hit the group of travelers as they waited to board boats in the Diecai Mountain scenic area in Guilin, China Radio International said.

Pictures posted online showed rocks—one as big as three feet wide—resting on broken pavement splattered with pools of blood with handbags, shoes and other personal items scattered across the ground.

“Four were killed at the scene and four others injured,” CRI said in a report on its website. “Three of the injured later died in hospital.”

The official news agency Xinhua said an “unknown” number of injured were being treated in a hospital in Guilin, in the southern region of Guangxi.

Xinhua said the fatalities were the result of a “huge boulder”, while CRI and state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) said “rocks” fell down the mountain.

CCTV said in a Tweet that 19 people were injured, with eight of the casualties from Taiwan.

The area is known for its karst mountains and caves, and is a popular site for Chinese and foreign visitors, with Diecai Mountain—also known as Folded Brocade Hill— offering stunning views.

AFP

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WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

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Food running out in Vanuatu PORT VILA—Vanuatu has hit out at aid groups swarming the cyclone-ravaged Pacific nation over a lack of coordination, which it said cost precious time getting help to those in need, while warning food will run out in a week.

‘Bounty’ relatives to lose self-rule SYDNEY—A remote Pacific island whose residents are descendants of the swashbuckling British sailors and Tahitian women immortalized in the “Mutiny on the Bounty” movie is set to lose its right to self-rule.

Norfolk Island, 1,500 kilometers east of the Australian coast and settled by the descendants of Fletcher Christian and other Bounty mutineers in 1856, has governed itself since 1979.

But it is effectively bankrupt and Canberra on Thursday said it would introduce legislation next week to scrap the Australian territory’s parliament.

If it passes, the island’s legislative assembly will be temporarily replaced by an advisory council, before local government elections in 2016.

Personal and business tax will be introduced from July 2016, and residents will in return be able to access social security and health care benefits and services enjoyed by other Australians.

Australia’s assistant regional development minister Jamie Briggs said the changes were long overdue and it was not sustainable to ask a community of just 1,800 to deliver local, state and federal services.

He said the infrastructure on Norfolk Island was run down, the health system not up to standard and laws out of date.

“The community overwhelmingly supports reform and is of the view that the current governance arrangements are not suitable,” he said, adding that Norfolk Island was effectively in administration and reliant on Australian bailouts.

“It is diabolical—it is quite concerning that it’s been left for so long,” he said.

Norfolk Island Chief Minister Lisle Snell said it was unfair to impose such a decision on the tiny outcrop, just eight kilometers long by five kilometers wide and perched on steep cliffs above crashing surf.

“Norfolk Islanders will lose their identity, they will lose their way of life,” Snell told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Most of the core population are descendants of the mutineers who set Captain William Bligh adrift from British warship the Bounty when they famously fell in love with the South Seas, and its women, in 1789. AFP

Fashion Week. A model displays a creation from the ready-to-wear collection by popular Ukrainian fashion designer Victoria Gres during the opening of the Ukrainian Fashion Week in Kiev on March 18. AFP

Relief agencies have been battling logistical challenges in the sprawling archipelago with a lack of landing strips and deep water ports hampering their efforts to reach distant islands and get a better grip on the full scale of the disaster.

They continue to paint a bleak picture, detailing large-scale property and crop destruction, and an urgent need for clean water, medical supplies, tents, bedding and hygiene kits.

Aid finally reached the badly hit island of Tanna on Wednesday, five days after Severe Cyclone Pam roared ashore on Friday night, but many of the 80 islands that make up Vanuatu remain without help.

National disaster committee deputy chair Benjamin Shing said while the country appreciated the aid, the initial response could have been handled better with many groups and NGOs working on their own rather than in cooperation with the government.

“I do apologize but I have to state the facts. We have seen this time and time again,” he said at a briefing late Wednesday in the capital Port Vila.

Republic of the Philippines PROVINCE OF QUIRINO Cabarroguis -o0oBIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

SECURITY PLANT COMPLEX BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), through its Bids and Awards Committee-Security Plant Complex (BAC-SPC), invites bidders to apply for eligibility and to bid for the hereunder requirement: Requirement/Brief Description

One (1) lot – Gold Plating Services of 50,000 pcs. Papal Visit Commemorative Coin (Nordic Gold; Diameter: 34mm, Thickness: 2.3mm), per BSP Scope of Work

Approved Budget for the Contract

PhP7,250,000.00, VAT Inclusive

st

Delivery Period: 1 Delivery

2nd Delivery 3rd delivery 4th delivery 5th delivery 6th delivery 7th delivery 8th delivery 9 th delivery 10 th delivery

5,000 pcs.– within 30 calendar days from receipt of 1st set metal by the awardee.

5,000 pcs.– within 60 calendar days from receipt of 1st set metal by the awardee.

5,000 pcs.– within 90 calendar days from receipt of 1st set metal by the awardee.

5,000 pcs.– within 120 calendar days from receipt of 1st set metal by the awardee.

5,000 pcs.– within 150 calendar days from receipt of 1st set metal by the awardee.

5,000 pcs.– within 30 calendar days from receipt of 2 nd set metal by the awardee.

5,000 pcs.– within 60 calendar days from receipt of 2nd set metal by the awardee.

5,000 pcs.– within 90 calendar days from receipt of 2nd set metal by the awardee.

5,000 pcs.– within 120 calendar days from receipt of 2 nd set metal by the awardee.

5,000 pcs.– within 150 calendar days from receipt of 2 nd set metal by the awardee.

“In nearly every country in the world where they go in they have their own operational systems, they have their own networks and they refuse to conform to government directives.

“We had to spend the first three days trying to get some form of coordination in place. That was much precious time that could have been spent doing the assessments instead.”

Oxfam country director in Port Vila Colin Collett van Rooyen denied any disorganization.

“Our position is that we will continue to work with the government, as we have been, and as we always do, to address the best interests of those in need,” he told AFP. In a situation update, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted: “Coordination with the ministry of health regarding flights to provinces is critical”.

There is also confusion over the death toll. Early reports from OCHA on Friday evening announced an unconfirmed 44 dead, which then dropped to 24 confirmed, only to be revised down again to 11.

The Vanuatu government said in fact only seven people were confirmed dead and that the four others were patients already in hospitals whose deaths were not directly related to the storm.

“The number of confirmed fatalities that we have for Tanna, there are five, for Port Vila there are six, so if you do the math, it’s 11,” said Shing.

“But technically, there are only seven that are due to the cyclone. Four deaths in the hospital were patients... they were already sick. Not related to the cyclone -unrelated deaths.” AFP

INVITATION TO BID The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Provincial Government of Quirino invites all interested contractors to apply for eligibility and to tender bids for the following project/s: Project Number

Name of Project

2015-018

Furnishing & Installation of Digital Radiographic Machine (US Technology) -Fully direct (non-integrated) digital radiographic system with single detector, high frequency generator, integrated table and wall stand, designed to improved workflow, high reliability –all in a cost-effective and easy-touse system

QPMC, Cabarroguis, Quirino

MOA-DOH

12,200,000.00

90

2015-019

Furnishing & Delivering of 1 Unit Brand New Bulldozer

Provincial Government of Quirino

LDRRMF

5,029,000.00

90

2015-020

Rehabilitation of Capitol Building Dome Roofing

Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino

OTL

5,300,000.00

43

coin coin coin coin coin coin coin coin coin coin

Location of Project

Source of Fund

Project Cost

Calendar Days

1.

Bidders should have completed from Y2010 to present a contract similar to the requirement.

The Eligibility Check/Screening and Preliminary Examination of Bids shall use nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criteria.

The BAC will conduct the procurement process in accordance with the Revised IRR of R.A 9184. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of bid.

2.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorship/partnerships/, or organizations with at least sixty (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 grants similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens.

3.

All particulars and activities relative to Eligibility of Bidders, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-bid Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post-qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by Republic Act No. 9184 and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations.

To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a letter of Intent (LOI), purchase bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration/accreditation with Provincial Government, (b) Filipino citizen of 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation, cooperative, or joint venture, (c) with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (d) completion of similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment for at least 10% of the ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids.

Activities a.

Issuance of Bid Documents

b.

Pre-bid Conference

c.

Opening of Bids

Schedule/Location Starting 20 March 2015 (from 9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. only) Department of General Services Room 405, 4th Floor, Bldg. A, BSP East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City.

Tel. / Fax Nos. 928-0814; 927-8457 31 March 2015 at 9:00 A.M. Room 401, BAC-SPC Conference Room, 4th Floor, Bldg. A, BSP, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City.

14 April 2015 at 2:00 P.M. Room 401, BAC-SPC Conference Room, 4th Floor, Bldg. A, BSP, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City.

4.

The bidding documents are posted at the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the BSP Website (www.bsp.gov.ph). Prospective bidders may download the bidding documents from any of these websites; provided that bidders shall pay a non-refundable fee PhP10,000.00 at the address above prior to, or upon submission of their bids.

5.

The pre-bid conference shall be open to interested parties. 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. To ensure completeness and compliance of bids, bidders are advised to send not more than two (2) technical and/or administrative representatives who will prepare the bidding documents.

6.

The BSP assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify any bidder for expenses incurred in the preparation of bid.

7.

The BSP reserves the right to reject any bid, declare a failure of bidding, not award the contract, annul the bidding process and reject all bids at any time prior to award of contract, without thereby incurring any liability to affected bidders. Further, the BSP reserves the right to waive any minor defects or formality and to accept the proposal most advantageous to the agency.

The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: 1.

Receipt of LOIs from prospective bidders

March 20, 2015 – April 13, 2015

2.

Issuance of Bid Documents

March 20, 2015 – April 13, 2015

3.

Pre-Bid Conference

March 30, 2015, 3:00PM, PPDO, Capitol Bldg., Capitol Hills, Cab., Quirino

4.

Receipt of Bids

April 14, 2015, 2:30PM, Special Projects Unit, Conference Hall, 2nd Floor, Commercial Bldg., Capitol Compound, Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino

5.

Opening of Bids

April 14, 2015, 3:00PM, Special Projects Unit, Conference Hall, 2nd Floor, Commercial Bldg., Capitol Compound, Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino

The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents at the BAC Secretariat, Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino, upon payment of the applicable non-refundable fee. The Pre-Bid Conference shall open only to interested parties who have purchased the BD’s. Bids must be accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the BD’s in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and the post-qualification.

The Provincial Government of Quirino reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process at anytime prior Contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder/s.

(SGD.) DENCIO A. PAGBILAO Prov’l. Planning & Development Coordinator BAC Chairman

(SGD.) NANETTE A. ELLA Chairperson (TNS-MAR. 20, 2015)

(TNS-MAR. 20, 2015)

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MOTORING

RAMON L. TOMELDAN EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

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The windmills of Pililia, Rizal provide a picturesque backdrop for the Xenon XT.

A Xenon effortlessly crosses a deep river in Sierra Madre.

Tata takes it to the extreme Text and photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

Testing the mettle of its pick-up variants, Tata Motors recently took the road less travelled and embarked on an off-road journey that saw participants roughing it up in the hills of Sierra Madre.

Dubbed as the Tata Xenon XTREME DRIVE, select members of the motoring media were given the keys to five variants of the Tata Xenon. With off-road guru Beeboy Bargas acting as the organizer of the event, the Tata convoy gamely drove through the steep inclines and dusty trails of Tanay Rizal and the rough and twisty roads of the Sierra Madre mountain range. The group was split into two, with Group One tackling the challenging 4x4 course and the second group taking scenic 4x2 route overlooking Laguna De Bay and the majestic wind farm, windmills, near Pililia Rizal. Designed and built as a “tough” truck, the Tata Xenon, was in its element as we traversed the rough terrain conditions. Now we know why the U.S. Army and the United Nations chose the Tata Xenon as their vehicle of choice for their overseas operations.

The Xenon never failed in the loose gravel and mud portions of the trail; deep river crossings was a walk in the park for this Indian made truck.

The Tata Xenon XT is available in two levels of trim, the Tata Xenon XT 4x2, priced at P830,000 and the Tata Xenon XT 4x4 which carries a sticker price of P1.135M, are packed with improved performance-boosting as well as creature comfort features: Limited Slip Differential, ABS, Dual Front Airbags,

tilt able power Steering, immobilizer, auto leveling head lamps, electric power windows and mirrors, cushioned bucket seats in front with adjustable lumbar support and arm rests in an updated ebony black interior.

Under the hood of the Xenon XT is an improved 2.2L Turbo Charged DiCOR engine, boasting 150PS of power and 320 NM of torque at 1500-3000RPM with 5 Speed Manual Transmission for both variants at your command.

At a glance, both the 4x4 & 4x2 variants of the Tata Xenon XT are equipped with stylish and sporty 16 inch alloy wheels with broader and wider tire profiles which provide higher contact surface with the road, translating to better control, and improved traction. Step boards are also now equipped as standard in both variants due to its ground clearance of 210mm,and 300mm water wading depth ensuring easy traversing on rough and unpaved roads or severe flooding in the metro.

Since safety has always been in the center of Tata Motor’s commitment, the Tata Xenon XT 2015 has been awarded 4 stars by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) due to its standard equipped front passenger and driver airbags, Anti-lock Braking system (ABS) and a Crashworthy reinforced ladder type frame underneath.

FAST FASTLANE

Summer proof your car

NOW that summer is upon us, our car’s paint needs protection from the punishing UV rays of the Sun. What better way is there than to trust the care and protection of your ride to the experts at SONAX. The SONAX product range reflects the sum of all the experience gained from more than 50 years of research and development work in car care. Trusted by millions of motorists since the 1950’s, Sonax of Germany has been the car care product of choice by car lovers and automotive detailers in more than 90 countries Worldwide.

Through interchange and scientific institutions and joint research

projects with leading automobile manufacturers, SONAX is constantly developing its knowledge of car care and protection even further.

The simple yet effective application of products have been accredited and certified by independent and respected automotive organizations such as DEKRA, TUV and ADAC of Germany.

For those who are interested in professional vehicle preservation, visit ARC Automotive located at Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City.

SONAX is also available in dealers nationwide like CKT Car Kreativ Technik in San Juan.

Bedliner protection MAXLINER, one of the world’s biggest outfitters of SUVs and pickups encourages you to man up and maximize your vehicles toughness and reliability with their line of bed liners. Designed and built to ISO 14001 BVQI standards, Max-

liner bed liners are made of High Density PolyEthylene (HDPE) material for high impact strength and makes your truck’s bed water and corrosion resistant. Maxliner bed liners have also undergone stringent testing in harsh environments to meet the demands of a global market to conform with global ISO standards.

Maxliner bedliners are also easy to install and fits most pick-up models such as the Isuzu D-Max, Toyota Hi-Lux, Mazda BT-50, Mitsubishi Strada and the Ford Ranger. Based in Thailand, Maxliner is an OEM certified supplier of global brands

such as Toyota, Isuzu, Honda, Ford, Nissan General Motors, and Tata.

Shown in photo is a Ford Ranger fitted with a Maxliner bedliner and the Maxbox Concorde designed to be stylish and to contain your personal belongings safely. Like the bedliner, the Maxbox is tough and designed for all-weather reliability and theft proof for additional safety.

Check out Maxliner’s range of SUV and pick-up accessories and other outdoor adventure equipment at the Outdoors Club in at the Ground Floor of the Banco de Oro Bldg. 2, Ortigas Avenue, West Greenhills, San Juan, with Tel. numbers 744-6367.

Kia summer special: More fun under the sun KNOWING how much Filipinos love road trips during summer, Columbian Autocar Corporation, exclusive distributor of Kia Motors vehicles in the Philippines, offers Kia Sorento, Kia Rio, and Kia Picanto at significantly discounted prices.

From March 18 to April 18, 2015, the Kia Sorento 2.2L LX A/T (5 str), in 4x2 CRDi and AWD CRDi, are available at Php 80,000 off of its original prices. Now, starting at Php 1,315,000, you and your

family can go on an epic travel up north or down south aboard Kia’s capable offroader. With the Sorento, get superior power, handling, and performance under the hood and enjoy a spacious and comfortable ride along the way.

Kia Rio, the talented compact, is also an ideal partner on the road. With Php 40,000 off of its original price, the Kia Rio 1.4 EX 4-dr can be your ticket to an amazing group getaway. For as low as Php 665,000 for the

M/T variant and Php 705,000 for the A/T variant, you get a distinctive, urban sedan with top-notch convenience features inside.

And for an out-of-town summer date, the Kia Picanto starts at Php 535,000 for the 1.0 EX M/T and Php 610,000 for the 1.2 EX A/T. Save Php 40,000 off of their original prices for these variants. Take advantage of the Picanto’s advanced features and practical implements, all in a chic compact.

You can also trade up old vehicles for

additional Php 20,000 savings for the Kia Sorento or Php 10,000 savings for the Kia Rio and Kia Picanto.

CAC Vice President for Sales and Marketing, Hernando D. Gañac, Jr., shares how important this season is for families and friends.

“People really equate summer with trips to amazing places and just being with loved ones.

This is a time to relax and get away from the city hustle and bustle; and so with Kia Summer Specials, you can enjoy summer on the road,

save big, and get a different driving experience all at the same time.”

“Another incentive that people can avail of is a trade-up agreement for their previously owned vehicles giving them up to O20,000 in extra savings. brand slogan – “The Power to Surprise” – represents the company’s global commitment to surprise the world by providing exciting and inspiring experiences that go beyond expectations.

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RAMON L. TOMELDAN EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

MOTORING

Rolls-Royce Club Yearbook features Bohol Island resort Eskaya Beach Resort & spa is featured in RollsRoyce Enthusiasts’ Club yearbook for 2015, joining a selected and few luxurious resorts selected all over the world for their opulence and elegance that befits royals.

The resort located in Panglao Island in Bohol is the only Filipino luxury resort featured in the 444-page glossy coffee table book published to mark the 90th anniversary of one Rolls-Royce’s most revered cars – the Phantom.

The book explores the origins of the Phantom, as well as the stories and personalities that go to make it the “best car in world” to this day. It also includes stories about the best luxury hotels, resorts and hotspots in the world; elegant fashion and fragrances; stylish dwellings and living spaces; essentials for globetrotting; finest jewelries; most sumptuous food and drink.

“Eskaya is a good fit for Roll-Royce. They are both the embodiment of luxury and opulence,” said Richard Lim Jr., Eskaya’s managing director.

Eskaya is in a good company. The book also listed 24 other luxury resorts and hot spots in the world such as Dhara Dhevi Chang Mai in Thailand, Four seasons Resort Mauritius in Mauritius, Hotel Quinta do Lago in Portugal, The Mulia Resorts & Villas in Indonesia, and Park Hyatt in Maldives.

Lim said Eskaya has been selected to be part of the book because it is very active in the European market, luring a lot of holidaymakers from the continent into its white, powdery shores regularly.

“We are very honored to be associated with Rolls-Royce.

Eskaya’s inclusion in the book will help attract more high-end guests – especially the Phantom car enthusiasts worldwide,” said Lim. Eskaya’s membership in the small Luxury Hotels (sLH), an organization based in Uk, also helped the Bohol-based resort clinch a place in the coffee table book. Eskaya is one of only four luxury hotels from the Philippines that’s a member of sLH, which groups together more than 520 hotels in over 80 countries.

Eskaya sits on a 16-hectare facility in Panglao Island that boasts of private villas and swimming pools amid lush mountains and crystal-clear beaches.

Most of the villas have their own private pool, outdoor showers and whirlpool tubs, and a stunning view of the endless sea and sky, all blue and white all year round, especially during the summer season.

The resort also has an infinity pool, swim-up bar, mini library, and for the sport enthusiasts, facilities for beach volleyball, badminton, water sports and scuba diving. For those who want utmost pampering, its Handuraw spa offers traditional Filipino and asian spa treatments.

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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

FASHION

STRAIGHT FROM THE RUNWAY LOUIS V UIT TON FA L L-WIN T ER 2015

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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

OLIVIA WILDE SHOWS SUSTAINABLE STYLE WITH CONSCIOUS EXCLUSIVE AT H&M

H CHANEL RAISES BAG PRICES

If you were hoping for a market correction in the luxury retail trade, you were mistaken.

Chanel has taken steps to increase prices of some of its handbags in Europe, while slashing prices in China, basically standardizing prices across all markets. The rationale is that the weakened euro has caused a significant disparity between prices in Europe and Asia, particularly in China, which in turns feeds the growing gray market of parallel imports which sees travellers buying the bags in Europe and reselling them in China.

A Chanel spokesman said, “This measure is intended to reduce price differentials across countries, which have widened considerably further to the recent depreciation of the euro.”

It’s likely that this move will have a ripple effect throughout the industry, with other luxury houses seriously contemplating raising prices as well.

The weak euro and high tariffs on imports in China have made the price differential so glaring that Chinese mainland shoppers prefer to buy their luxury goods, especially bags, when they travel to Europe.

PROPERTY HUNTING IN HONG KONG

Victoria Beckham was in Hong Kong recently to attend the AmfAR Inaugural Gala, along with celebrity headliners Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell. She also reportedly was looking around for a space for her first Hong Kong boutique. At the same time, she was promoting her new aviator sunglasses range.

FASHION FEUD

A war of words - or tweets, to be more specific - has erupted between Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana of Dolce e Gabbana versus Elton John and David Furnish.

The pop star and his husband called for a boycott of Dolce e Gabbana, complete with matching hashtag, after the designing duo criticized children born of IVF procedures as “chemical” offspring.

John tweeted: “Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions.

I shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again #BoycottDolceGabbana.”

He added, “And shame on you for wagging your judgemental little fingers at IVF - a miracle tat has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfil their dream of having children.”

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE SOURCES: WSJ.COM, BUSINESSOFFASHION.COM, DAILYMAIL.CO.UK

&M’s new Conscious Exclusive collection is proof of the fashion that can be created with more sustainable materials, using fabrics such as hemp, organic linen and organic leather to create pieces of great individual style.

The collection, worn in the campaign exclusively by actress and humanitarian Olivia Wilde, will be available in around 200 H&M stores worldwide on April 16, as well as online.

This year’s Conscious Exclusive collection takes its inspiration from around the planet and focuses on the versatility of the dress. An organic linen and silk sleeveless gown with a glamorous cut is printed with handdrawn images of birds. A black cocktail dress inTencel® and recycled wool features African influences, with rows of recycled sequins. Meanwhile, a sleeveless cocktail dress has a print inspired

by Japanese ink-wash painting, and is made from organic hemp, organic silk and organic cotton.

Each piece in the collection is special, whether it’s the pilot jacket in Tencel®, reverse-like jacquard fabric with threads intentionally left loose, or the organic silk tuxedo blazer with sleeves slashed to the elbow to create a dramatic effect.

The use of more sustainable materials is varied and comprehensive, from the recycled beads on a flapper dress to the organic leather appearing in a minimalist leather jacket and stack-heeled sandals.

“I love the Conscious Exclusive collection at H&M, both for the look, and also for its ethics. This is how all fashion

should be: great style that’s naturally more sustainable,” says Olivia Wilde.

“I love the global influences in this Conscious Exclusive collection and the beauty of the hand-drawn prints, made by one of our talented in-house designers.

And Olivia Wilde is the perfect choice for this collection, because she shares H&M’s commitment to a more sustainable future,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, Creative Advisor H&M.

SAVE THE DATE:

OLD NAVY FLIP-FLOP DAY MARCH 21 Nothing says summer like flip-flops. And, everyone says yes to flip-flops at Php100! Especially when they’re OLD NAVY flip-flops – offered in all colors of the rainbow for all ages.

Old Navy is throwing a sensational Flip-Flop Day for the very first time and the entire family is invited.

On March 21, 2015, Old Navy Philippines will celebrate its first year anniversary with an unforgettable anniversary treat – Php100 flip-flops for everyone at a one-day only price! All solid basic rubber flip-flops will be offered at Php 100 only at all Old Navy stores – Bonifacio High Street, Glorietta 3, SM Megamall, Fairview Terraces, Estancia and Shangri-La Plaza. It’s the perfect time to stock up on flip flops for the whole family. Shop early because supplies are limited.

Save the date and make sure to drop by at your nearest Old Navy store to get a hold of your favorite Old Navy flip-flops at Php100 – for one day only. Share the excitement using #OldNavyPHFlipflopday

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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

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ART PERSONAS PRESENTS

THE SECOND MANILA FASHION FESTIVAL FOR FALL/WINTER 2015

A

pioneer occasion in Philippine fashion, the biannual Manila Fashion Festival revolutionizes the stage for Filipino designers.

These designers get to showcase their talents in the season’s latest trends. Unlike other fashion shows, designers are given the opportunity to dictate every artistic aspect with complete creative control over their own show. With the first ever Manila Fashion Festival being held on November of last year, the event transformed the traditional runway show with the goal to bridge the gap between local designers and consumers.

Manila Fashion Festival owes its success to Art Personas, the talent and management company that directs the event. Since 2013, Art Personas has been simplifying complicated processes such as event and talent management and video production to create better possibilities for their clients in the fashion and arts industry. A one-stop production shop, Art Personas offers a wide array of services in that field, connecting artists and customers with talents.

In the hands of an excellent production team, Manila Fashion Festival will again make huge strides in fashion industry. With their direction, Art Personas spearheads a fashion-forward event that takes its talents out of the box and refines their potential to produce world-class productions. A breeding ground for incredible, young and fresh talents, Art Personas etches the names of relatively new but gifted individuals onto the history books of the industry. Growing his reputation, designer Banggo Niu, who recently put up his own studio, joins the roster of impressive upcoming and established names. Alongside him are Pre-

view’s Emerging Fashion Talents Esme Palaganas, Bea Samson, and Tony Evan, all looking to paint the fashion scene with the canvas Manila Fashion Festival allows them.

Successful on its first run, the now four-day event carries on again for the Fall/Winter ’15 season. Seasoned but homegrown designers like Jerome Salaya-Ang, Mark Tamayo, Happy Andrada, and Rhett Eala join in for the first time and offer their personal flair in something audiences have never seen them do. The sartorial affair takes place once more on March 1922 at The Eye located at Green Sun Hotel.

March 19 Jerome Salaya-Ang, Happy Andrada, YAY, John Herrera, Jot Losa, Renan Pacson March 20 Anthony Ramirez, Charina Sarte, Chris Diaz, Veejay Floresca, Odelon Simpao, Michael Leyva March 21 Rhett Eala, Cheetah Rivera, ARIN, Pablo Cabahug, Mark Bumgarner March 22(Afternoon show) Banggo Niu, Esme Palaganas, Tony Evan, Bea Samson March 22 (Evening show) Mark Tamayo, Sassa Jimenez, Ziggy Savella, Vania Romoff, Jaz Cerezo Manila Fashion Festival could not do without prestigious companies and partners to back up their endeavors. This includes: One Globe Limited, Zeal Cosmetics, Make Up Forever, Golden Wines, The Green Sun, It Figures.

PASSÉ!

BY ED BIADO

Trends come and go. But some insist on staying even when they’re way past their prime. They get boring, lose their appeal and basically turn into an all-out snoozefest.

Sometimes, they even become laughable. Here, we have four of such trends. However, instead of individual items, we’re taking on entire styles and fashion attitudes that a lot of people thought were cool a year or two ago.

And that’s the thing: They used to be cool. Now, not so much so it’s time to say buh-bye!

FESTIVAL ACCESSORIES AS EVERYDAY WEAR Two years ago, it might have been acceptable to wear flower crowns to the mall. Now, everyone agrees that it’s a totally terrible idea. Let’s hear it from StyleBible’s Marj Ramos: “It’s awkward in every way and it doesn’t matter if you’re nicely dressed because people are just going to stare at you like you’re #cray.” So when out and about in the city, leave the flower crown—and also the fringes, the stacks of hippie bracelets and the gold stick-on tattoos—at home. Besides, you’ll get to use them plenty because summer is festival season.

#OOTDS The act of posting one’s outfit of the day isn’t really the issue here; it’s the way almost everyone does it. One outfit, three side-by-side pictures showing slightly different angles. One knee slightly bent. One shoulder dropped.

Preferably on the sidewalk with foliage in the background.

Sounds familiar? So yeah, the next time you attempt an OOTD pose, try something that hasn’t been seen on a million pages on Instagram.

TELLING PEOPLE THEY’RE NORMCORE The problem with normcore isn’t so much the style itself, but how the terminology is thrown around to label something that clearly doesn’t need to be labeled. The fashion trend is characterized by unpretentious, average-looking clothing, which is exactly how most people dress. In 2014, some might have intentionally dressed that way to be trendy but people outside of fashion circles are simply outfitting themselves the way they always have, predating the creation of the term. So if they look normal and average, it’s because they’re normal and average, not because they’re normcore.

THAT HAIRCUT EVERY GUY STILL HAS Admittedly, this writer is still sporting that cut and it’s only because he doesn’t know what style to change into. Which, he believes is the reason why everybody else still hasn’t gotten an update. But surely, there’s more to men’s hair than buzzed sides with long tops. So he’s begging the hair gods to please bestow upon gentlemen everywhere a new hairstyle to collectively obsess about.

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

FASHION

HYPNOTIC POWER

Bulgari presents its Spring-Summer 2015 Accessories Collection Bulgari’s signature Serpenti is the centerpiece of the season’s accessories collection.

Strong, sophisticated, bold and modern, they bags are statement pieces as much as versatile, practical, go-anywhere accessories.

Bulgari is at Greenbelt 4, Rustan’s Makati and Rustan’s Tower at Shangri-La Plaza.

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

F R I D AY : M A R C H 2 0 : 2 0 1 5

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

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Newlywed Saab Magalona-Bacarro styles a predominantly neutral space that reflects her love for books

CELEBRITIES DESIGN THEIR SPACES

I

n this day and age of independent lifestyle, more individuals are opting to live away from their families to set up their own private spaces anywhere, a unit in a condominium building, or a townhouse, even in single detached abodes.

Mandaue Foam introduces MF Lifestyle, chic furnishings for the modern Filipino family. In a visually stimulated digital age, MF presents the design-forward line of home furnishings to suit any lifestyle or personality Recently, MF, as it wants to be known now, presented several celebrities and their individual spaces it helped to design.

IN BED WITH PHIL YOUNGHUSBAND

This young athlete likes soft beds and warm lighting.

“Why did I choose to design a bedroom?

Well for me, the most priceless thing in your whole house is the bed.”

Phil says that how he sleeps can in fact affect how he plays. For him, there’s nothing more important than a good quality bed. “I always want to make sure that I’ve got a nice comfortable, good looking bed,” he says.

Stepping into his designed area instantly soothes the senses. Perhaps it’s the calming yet manly color scheme. It could also be the clean and simple lines. Either way, if he wanted to have a room that can make anybody fall asleep, he has definitely achieved it.

“I like to have a lot of space and I don’t like too many things in the room, so I’ve kept it very simple. The colors are simple too. It suits my personality, not being too attention grabbing.”

Indeed, there’s a certain vibe around Phil that doesn’t scream ‘notice me!’, although he is definitely not one to blend in the crowd either. It’s evident in the muted tones of his walls and his sheets. They’re not too loud, but they’re definitely not boring.

“There aren’t many things I do in the room other than get changed and sleep, so I think it’s important to make sure I’ve got enough space for my clothes and shoes, and making sure it has good lighting too,” he adds.

Phil likes to make sure that his place not only looks good, but it should be functional as well. He adds that as an athlete, it’s important to have good flooring in his home.

“I’d always do some floor exercises [at home], some push-ups or some sit-ups.

It’s always nice in a room when you’ve got a nice rug.”

“I want a room that makes you want to be there, rather than anywhere else. Somewhere that if you wanna get away from football, and you wanna get away from the field, that it’s where you go.”

MYLENE DIZON’S FAMILYFRIENDLY HOME

Function meets style when decorating with MF Lifestyle “Having kids plays a huge factor in how I decorate my home,” she says.

“I like to keep things at a minimum, with very few things that might be damaged later on and more importantly, things that might hurt my kids.”

The actress says that her individual style is all about the English Country, known for its classic and muted pastel colors. The feel is very soft and classy with high ceilings, an inviting place to go home to. She also says that it is very important for her home to look very lived-in. “I grew up in a home where we weren’t allowed to sit in the sala,” Mylene recalls.

That same house had two separate kitchens, one clean and one dirty. It also had two separate dining rooms and living rooms, a common feature in bigger and older houses.

“I thought it was absurd,” she adds. “I want every square inch of the house to be used.”

Football star Phil Younghusband designs a simple yet functional room where he can relax after a day of practice

DECORATING FOR TWO

Saab Magalona-Bacarro and Kelly Misa-Fernandez prove that sharing a place with your man doesn’t equate to sacrificing your style Newlywed Saab Magalona-Bacarro and expecting mother Kelly Misa-Fernandez show us that when it comes to home decorating, being married is both a pleasure and a challenge.

Saab Magalona-Bacarro is an actress, singer, photographer, and blogger with a love for books. Her recent wedding video went viral for being so beautiful. For her, moving in with her new husband has been a fun process, being thankful that her husband gives her a lot of freedom.

Saab moved into Jim’s place after their wedding. Since then, redecorating has been an ongoing process. Predominantly neutral, Saab envisions a clean living space with a perfect mixture of her love for books and her husband’s love for music. She says that one of the bedrooms of their condo will be turned into a mini library, while band posters will be hung around the condo.

Kelly and her husband on the other hand, being married for two years, like to be very involved in each other’s design choices.

“My husband always needs to have a say when it comes to buying stuff. It also goes for me, like before he brings home anything, I also have to approve it,” she says.

It’s a good thing then that Kelly is fond of neutrals, as she knows that anything added on to it will go perfectly with the space already. As a blogger and a columnist, Kelly needs a space that is neat where she can think freely. For her home office, she chose an L-shaped desk, which she says is simple, yet stores all her things perfectly.

“I’m really not strict when it comes to things, and having a certain look for the

In order to achieve a family-friendly home, actress Mylene Dizon keeps things at a minimum where she makes sure everything has a purpose

house. As long as it looks clean, I think it will come together.”

In preparation for their bundle of joy, Kelly says that they will be dedicating a week for baby-proofing. She also recognizes that when their baby grows up, he or she will have his or her own opinion on how the house will look.

“Anything that’s added to the house is welcome.”

BEGINNINGS OF MF

Mandaue Foam is a company of humble beginnings, founded in 1971 in Mandaue City, where they started producing high quality

foam mattresses. As the regions in Visayas began seeing fast development, Mandaue Foam offered mattresses competitively priced against those being imported from Manila. In a competitive business landscape with two existing major foam producers, Mandaue Foam stood out thanks to their balance of quality and affordability, and they soon expanded to have their own showroom. As interest in the brand grew on a nationwide level, a simple mattress showroom fronting the warehouse gradually increased to what is now a one-stop shop for general home furnishings.

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SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

LANCE RAYMUNDO PLAYS JESUS CHRIST IN ‘SENAKULO 2015’

BY SEYMOUR BARROS SANCHEZ

Director-actor Lou Veloso, who has been staging the long-running Lenten musical Martir sa Golgota under the Manila Mobile Theater Foundation or more popularly known as the community-based theatre group Tanghalang Sta. Ana, has found a new actor to play Jesus Christ in the person of independent actor-singer Lance Raymundo.

Veloso met Raymundo at the auditions for the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival last year but a freak accident prevented the latter from portraying the role.

The young actor was rigorously preparing for his acting commitment with what he called “The Calvary Workout” when an 80-pound barbell fell on his face while training in a gym two weeks before the actual play. Veloso had to tap Jojo Riguerra to fill in for the injured Raymundo.

“I was slightly paralyzed. I couldn’t walk but I didn’t lose hope,” Raymundo recalls. Fortunately, he is back in harness after a successful reconstructive surgery. When Veloso approached him to play the role this year, he did not think twice.

“I felt blessed that I was offered the role of Christ. You have to really understand what he has been through.” He says playing Christ a year after his accident is the best way to celebrate the gift of a new life.

Now titled Senakulo 2015, the play based on the life and passion of Jesus Christ will be presented in various venues throughout the Holy Week.

When asked about the change in title, Veloso explained, “Marami nang kabataan ang hindi nakakaalam kung ano ang senakulo.”

Manila Mobile Theater Foundation was established by Veloso in September 1989. Initially having 75 members, the group expanded with the

Actor Lance Raymundo is Jesus Christ in Senakulo 2013 this Holy week

main purpose of organizing actors, students, professionals, workers, vendors, and young people to hone their talents in acting for theatre.

The group became part of various plays mounted originally in the Plaza Hugo community stage and later at a small indoor theatre at the Sta. Ana Arts Center. Celebrities and theatre actors have performed with the group throughout the years.

Aside from Raymundo, the play will also have veteran actors Bodjie Pascua and Bernardo Bernardo portraying John the Baptist and King Herod, respectively. They will be joined

by Ced Carreon as Pontius Pilate and Aldrico Lubaton Padilla as Judas, among others.

Veloso also met Greenfield Development Corporation chief executive officer Jeffrey Campos who has allowed the group to hold their rehearsals at the Greenfield District along Shaw Boulevard after they had problems with their original venue. This year, the passion play will be staged at Greenfield on March 29, Palm Sunday, 7 p.m. It is open to the public and admission is free.

In addition, the passion play will also be staged in San Juan City on March 28, Pagsanjan, Laguna on March 30, Pila, Laguna on March 31, and Sta. Ana, Manila on April 1, among other venues and schedules.

The group’s version of senakulo is interesting due to its contemporary improvisational factor. The audience is given a close-up of Christ’s passion as the “Road to Calvary” is convoyed on the streets of the community. Veloso has also remolded this theater classic for the contemporary audience by injecting current social issues.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 46 47 48 50

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Freighter hazard 5 Film 9 Quote from 13 Cougar’s pad 14 “The Last of the Red Hot —” 15 Drama award 16 Willy or Shamu 17 Out of place 18 Lunar valley 19 Hand warmers 21 Social Register word

22 23 25 27 31 35 36 38 39 40 42 43

Fast jets of yore Troubles, to Hamlet Baja Ms. Corsage beauty Shore-leave taker Knuckle under Jason’s vessel Tag info Flee hastily Blunts Maude portrayer Forest quaker

52 54 55 58 60 64 65 67 68 69 70 71 72 73

Guide a raft Wee drink Appeared to be Yellowish pods (2 wds.)

And others (abbr.)

Beefcake model Happy rumble Restroom sign Shrewdness Jai — Grim Salt or smoke Rolling — — (rich) Leggy bird He directed Marlon Surrealist artist Diving bird Fathomless

DOWN 1 Online journal 2 — Derr Biggers 3 “Miami Vice” cop 4 Modern physics’ “weak force” 5 Knows how 6 Statuesque model 7 Collar sites 8 Organic compounds 9 Pirate ship 10 Nile wader 11 Lean to one side 12 Morays

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2015

14 20 24 26 27 28 29 30 32 33 34 37 41 44 45 47 49 51 53 55 56 57 59 61 62 63 66

Play false Annex IHOP freebie Spigot Rum mixers Humiliate Arizona town Radiant Zodiac scales Shark domain Lots and lots Earthenware pots Navigator’s aid Retired professors After taxes Gathered Maiden Tampa Bay pro Release (2 wds.)

Not owing Humerus neighbor Banister Fiddling despot Pack animal Buffalo’s lake First-quarter tide Stimpy’s pal

SIX JUNIOR VETS TEST METTLE AT VET SCHOOL Being a vet is tough and messy as six youngsters discover when they enroll at Edinburgh University’s amazing, super hi-tech Vet School for four weeks.

The would-be animal medics will learn the skills needed to help injured animals and sick pets and compete to be named Head Vet. With only mere weeks to show what they’re made of, will they be able to stand out amongst the competition and impress their mentor, top vet Paul Manktelow?

Tune in to Junior Vets, premiering on Discovery Kids, Monday at 5 p.m. on March 30.

Chosen out of one thousand applicants, Saira, Will, Amblessed, Sam, Lauren, and Morgan will work alongside the Vet School’s top vets and are pushed to their limits as they treat poorly pets, wounded wildlife and farm animals that are feeling unwell. Each of the applicants has their own unique reason for joining Vet School – some are anxious about animals or eager to prove that they should be allowed a pet, while others really want to be a vet when they grow up. No matter the reason, they soon find out that the reality of being a vet involves lots of perseverance and having the stomach to succeed.

Every week, the Junior Vets are split into pairs and sent out to help with real vet work, going to a network of farms, stables, zoos and other animal hospitals and vet practices. Their tasks include removing a large lump from a dog’s throat, operating on a falcon’s foot, taking a blood sample from a pair of very snappy crocodiles, and more.

Before heading out into the field, they have to first work in the training zone, where they must master crucial vet skills such as stitching, taking blood samples, doing an internal examination and bandaging a dog. Some of these young animal enthusiasts have hardly any experience with animals, so are they ready for heavy-duty vet work? Can they stay calm under extreme pressure?

Tune in and find out how they fare on the job each week, and discover who will be named Head Vet. Episodes encore every Monday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 1p.m. and 6p.m.

F R I D AY : M A R C H 2 0 : 2 0 1 5

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

PEOPLE

...ARE TALKING ABOUT

TONI GONZAGA

Toni Gonzaga gets flak for trivializing beauty pageant

Her hosting stint in the recently concluded Binibining Pilipinas pageant elicited mixed reactions from fervent pageant fans to ordinary people who watched the coronation night aired live last Sunday. Believe it or not, the issue has already turned into a public debate as majority of the onlookers found Toni’s antics a bit off for a prestigious parade of beauty, while some thought her adlibs were very entertaining. They can debate forever but no one would win for sure. In the end, Toni will be the real winner here. In fact this brouhaha has already helped her promote her upcoming movie.

JOHN LLOYD CRUZ

John Lloyd Cruz shaves his head for a role in film

He ditched his clean-cut do that gave him a shampoo endorsement so he could fit into a role for an upcoming film project. We can only imagine how hard it was for Lloydie to shave his head off since we’re all witnesses as to how he cared for his hair. It would take time for people to get used to seeing the Kapamilya star without his locks. Honestly it kind of looks better than his oddly styled hair that tried to cover his receding hairline.

THAT THING CALLED TADHANA

JM de Guzman and Angelica Panganiban stars in the indie movie That Thing Called Tadhana

...ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT

Jinggoy Estrada on a furlough to be with son during his graduation

Paulo Avelino admits affair with KC Concepcion

Melai as Nora Aunor in Your Face Sounds Familiar

It has been selected to represent the country in three international film festivals abroad. It will also hit the US theaters by the end of the month.

All these are just icing on the cake considering that the producers of the indie movie have earned more than they expected. This JM de Guzman and Angelica Panganiban romcom now holds the title as the highest-grossing indie movie of all time raking in more than P132 million in ticket sales.

C7

From C8

CIGNAL’S BEST VALUE P100 OFFER The country’s no.1 pay TV service provider is launching its high-value, high definition prepaid TV viewing package for only P100 starting March 15, 2015. Dubbed as Cignal P100 HD Load, this new offer is Cignal’s most affordable load denomination where Cignal prepaid subscribers can have an HD viewing experience for a low fee of P100.00 which is good for 30 days or one month of high quality TV experience.

With Cignal P100 HD Load, viewers can enjoy up to 26 channels of entertainment, public affairs and news, science info, sports, children shows and lifestyle programs in the clearest and highest quality delivered to your homes via direct-to-home (DTH) satellite which is available wherever you may be in the Philippine archipelago.

For existing prepaid HD subscribers, all you have to do is go to your nearest Cignal dealer or Smart Load retailer. If you are currently enjoying a different load denomination, please wait for your current load to expire before loading the Cignal P100 HD Load.

New prepaid subscribers can take advantage of Cignal’s reduced price for the Cignal HD kit or satellite antennae set-up that would be installed at home or office which is now available at an affordable price of P 3990.00. With this new and very liteon-the-pocket offering from Cignal, and with the onset of summer season, kids will surely enjoy staying at home to watch their favorite Cignal channel.

HHHHH Global technology innovator LG Electronics has once again answered an important need of Filipinos through its product innovations.

After coming up with air conditioners that fight air pollution and humidity, LG has now come up with a new air conditioner that

fights dengue, a tropical disease that has become one of the leading killers of Filipinos, especially children from all walks of life.

Recently launched in the Philippines is LG’s revolutionary Mosquito Away Residential Air Conditioner with technology that repels mosquitoes, including denguecausing ones, allowing a healthy, comfortable and mosquito-free haven in homes, schools, and establishments.

Vice President for LG Philippines’ Air Conditioning and Energy Solutions group Steve Kim said, “Our new Mosquito Away residential air conditioners will help Filipino families protect themselves from the fatal dengue disease. It is once again our way of putting technology to good use.”

The Mosquito Away RAC utilizes a speaker generating ultrasonic wave that makes inaudible u-wave at a specific frequency of over 30kH that is completely harmless to humans. The ultrasonic wave technology is very convenient and probably the easiest away to keep mosquitoes away.

The anti-dengue air conditioner has been tested by Dr. Pio A. Javier, research professor at the Crop Protection Cluster of University of the Philippines, Los Baños.

Test results showed that the LG RAC is capable of repelling indigenous mosquitoes, the dengue-causing Aedes aegypti, at a very high success rate of 82.71 percent.

Aside from its Mosquito Away feature, the new LG RAC boasts of a low voltage starter that allows the unit to operate at lower voltage in lower temperatures. Its jet cooling feature, meanwhile allows for quick cooling.

To learn more about the new LG Mosquito Away air conditioners, visit www.lg.com/ ph or ww.lgblog.com.ph, like LG’s official Facebook page “LG Philippines”, or follow @ LGPhilippines on Twitter or Instagram.

JINGGOY ESTRADA

The Sandiganbayan allowed the actor-politician to attend his youngest son’s high school graduation rites. According to the special court, Jinggoy’s request was approved for the sake of his son, who would look like a poor kid without his father seeing him receive his diploma from an expensive private school. If that is so, why not allow every detained individuals to frolic outside their cells to attend family events? We bet, there are other poor kids out there waiting for their fathers at important events of their growing lives.

PAOLO AVELINO

It’s rather rare for showbiz stars to reveal anything about their personal life. Take Paolo as an example. For the longest time, he was mum about his affair with KC Concepcion but recently he admitted that he and KC used to be romantically involved. Their romance, which Sharon Cuneta had predicted wouldn’t last long, appeared to have ended on a sour note because while KC was posting emotional and cryptic messages online, Paolo was dating another showbiz girl. Why the sudden revelation? Paolo is promoting a primetime drama. So, there.

YOUR FACE SOUNDS FAMILIAR

Ratings don’t lie and so are tobserves who tried to sit through the whole program to watch a secondrate entertainment. We’d rather see impersonators in barangay fiestas rather than seeing these celebrities try to imitate music icons only to look like inexperienced party clowns. There are a few exceptions of course but they don’t include the judges who can’t tell celebrities upfront that their performance was just plain horrible.

The LG Mosquito Away air conditioner guarantees protection from dengue-causing mosquitoes

KOMIKET LAUNCH ON EASTER SUNDAY The first Filipino Comics Market or KOMIKET is all set and ready to launch on Easter Sunday, April 5, at the Elements Centris, EDSA corner Quezon Avenue, Quezon City.

Whether you are a curious comic books newbie or a voracious book reader, come and join the fun – discover a Filipino comic book this Easter. Get first dibs of the newest releases, meet and greet the artists, and choose from hundreds of comic books available for sale.

Komiket aims to help cultivate, promote and recognize local talent in Philippine Komiks, and give more opportunities for creators to share their works to more readers.

It is only an MRT ride away to a fun and exciting way to spend Easter Sunday. Doors open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets are at 50 pesos each. For more information, like the Komiket page on Facebook.

Don’t miss this event. Support Filipino Comics. See you this Easter Sunday at Komiket – where comic creators, publishers, readers and fans can all meet.

F R I D AY : M A R C H 2 0 : 2 0 1 5

C8

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

1:43 is composed of Anjo Resurrection, Gold Aquino, Yuki Nakamoto, and Sheen Valero

1:43 SHARES A GOOD LAUGH SIMPLY RED ISAH V. RED Popular boy band 1:43 shares its brand of Filipino music and humor in the official music video of the upbeat summer song “Tara Na.” With over 55,000 views on Facebook in just a week, “Tara Na” is a product of creative collaboration between 1:43 members Anjo Resureccion, Gold Aquino, Yuki Sakamoto, and Yheen Valero, songwriter Urie Tesorio, arranger Jonathan Ong of SonicState Studio, and director Miguel Tanchanco.

Influential blog ManilaCoconuts describes “Tara Na” as a “catchy song” that “has an accompanying video that is very Pinoy and very now—with all the hash tags… humor is injected everywhere.”

The music video validates the boy band’s status as an emerging powerhouse in Original Pilipino Music (OPM), adds the blog.

“The Philippines doesn’t have a lot of boy bands, but there is one (that is) turning out to be standing the test of time: a boy band called 1:43.

Sure, they haven’t been around for like a decade or so, but with the way things are going – lineup changes, improving sound, better bods – it looks like they’re on the right track,” writes ManilaCoconuts.

The music video features YouTube sensation Mikey Bustos and Becky Nights star Margaux Medina as well as interesting characters that one can encounter when riding the iconic Philippine jeepney. Its production is sponsored by socialized housing brand BellaVita Land Corp..

In January, the group together with their founder and manager Chris Cahilig signed

a co-management contract with Viva Artists Agency (VAA) owned by Vic Del Rosario. The strategic move hopes to fulfill 1:43’s long-term plan to become television and movie stars aside from being pop idols.

“Our latest music video aims to showcase the distinct Filipi-

Our latest music video aims to showcase the distinct Filipino humor that often juxtaposes with our music. We would like to capture the funny side of riding the jeepney that most of us experience everyday – 1:43

no humor that often juxtaposes with our music. We would like to capture the funny side of riding the jeepney that most of us experience everyday,” explains 1:43 spokesman Anjo.

1:43 popularized “Sa Isang Sulyap Mo,” the monster hit song that won the 2013 PMPC Star Award for Music “Song of the Year” and the “Most Promising Performing and Recording Group” in the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation’s 45th Box-Office Entertainment Awards. They are also behind hit songs “Ang SayaSaya” which became the official theme song of GMA 7’s sitcom Ismol Family and the YouTube hit “Hayop Sa Ganda.”

1:43 is supported by BellaVita Land Corp., McJim Classic Leather, and Level Up! Interested parties may book 1:43 by sending an inquiry at chriscahilig@ gmail.com or by visiting the 1:43 Fan Page on Facebook.

Continued on C7

Mikey Bustos is also featured in the music video

SCAN THE ICON TO WATCH 1:43’S “TARA NA” MUSIC VIDEO

Becky Nights’ Margauz Medina appears in 1:43’s “Tara Na” music video