The Standard - 2015 March 30 - Monday

VOL. XXIX  NO. 46  3 Sections 32 Pages P18  MONDAY : MARCH 30, 2015  www.manilastandardtoday.com  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

A3

NPA claims 10,000 armed combatants

A4

Mall-goers gaze at stars on Earth Hour

MALAYSIA SEES MINDANAO WAR Next page

A cardinal blessing. Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle blesses palm fronds brought by the Catholic faithful to the Manila Cathedral on Palm Sunday, the start of the celebration of Holy Week. DANNY PATA

PAL’s New York adventure

C1

Donaire, Nietes crush foes

A13

M O N d ay : M a R C H 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

A2

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

KL girds for war in Mindanao

By Sandy Araneta and Francisco Tuyay

MALAYSIA warned Saturday that war could erupt in Mindanao if the peace deal between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fails to push through by June, and has begun preparing offshore military bases in the Sulu Sea to handle an influx of refugees if the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) fails to pass.

Forced Earth Hour. A row of poorly-lit squatter shanties in Manila is shown Saturday against a backdrop of high-rises right before the lights were turned off in celebration of Earth Hour, the worldwide movement that seeks to reduce carbon emissions and pollution. AFP

Bongbong tells PNoy: Speak up on Purisima

By Macon Araneta, Sandy Araneta and Dexter See DESPITE four nationwide addresses on the Mamasapano incident, President Benigno Aquino III has not adequately explained why he allowed his close friend suspended police chief Alan Purisima to participate in the covert operation in which 44 police commandos died, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Sunday.

In an interview over radio dzBB, Marcos said the President has presented several versions of what happened in Mamasapano, but couldn’t say why Purisima, suspended at the time by the Ombudsman over corruption charges, was allowed to join in the planning of Operation Exodus, the ill-fated mission to capture or kill an international terrorist and a Filipino bomb expert.

“Until now, there is no answer as to why he did this,” Marcos said. “It is only the President who can give the answer.”

A polcie board of inquiry concluded that the President broke the chain of command when he went to Purisima and not his officer-in-charge, Leonardo Espina.

Three committees in the Senate, which also investigated the incident, found that the President was “ultimately responsible” for the Mamasapano debacle when he allowed Purisima to participate in Operation Exodus.

Senator Grace Poe, head of the Senate’s public order committee, said the President must bear responsibility for giving consent to, and failing to prevent the unlawful exercise of official functions by Purisima.

She said testimony before the Senate showed the President relied on and directly coordinated with the suspended Philippine National Police chief.

She said the President also exclusively communicated with Purisima about the operation on Jan. 25, and gave him instructions on how to proceed.

Senator Francis Escudero, an ally of the President, disagreed with Marcos, saying Aquino had already explained why he tapped Purisima.

“The President already answered

that. (Purisima) started the operation and he knew the operation,” Escudero said.

Escudero said the President also admitted he was deceived by Purisima, who gave him wrong or inaccurate information regarding the operation.

During his recent address to the graduates of the Philippine National Police Academy, the President criticized the police board of inquiry and the Senate panels that investigated the Mamasapano incident, accusing them of basing their findings on speculation.

He also asked for “understanding” but did not offer an apology.

But Marcos laughed off the President’s plea, and said he still must explain Purisima’s involvement in Operation Exodus.

He added that Aquino’s plan to convene a “national peace summit” to study the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) was aimed at gaining support for the bill, which many Filipinos now question or reject following the Mamasapano massacre.

He said the public has lost trust, not only in the MILF and the BBL, but the entire peace process.

The MILF leadership through its chief negotiator, Mohagher Iqubal, continue to assert that the killing of the police commandos was justified by self defense.

Addressing the members of Aquino’s “peace summit,” Marcos said the panel should inform the public not only about the positive aspects of the BBL, but also talk about its negative side.

“I hope this will be an informative council who will also deal on the constitutional infirmities of the BBL,” said Marcos.

“They should be objective and explain to the people all issues about it,” he said.

The Palace on Sunday said the peace summit would not supplant the legislative process.

“The National Peace Summit was convened to engage more stakeholders. There are many stakeholders who are out there and this is an instrument by which all the stakeholders can converge and discuss peace,” said Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda on

state-run radio.

Lacierda’s assurances came after several lawmakers opposed the convening of a national peace summit.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chairman of the 75-man House panel reviewing the BBL, reiterated that the House will pass the BBL based on “plenary powers of Congress in accordance with the collective wisdom of all its members.”

Rodriguez said the government cannot force congressmen to accept their proposal and the MILF cannot make demands on what version of the BBL it should approve because the proposed measure is replete with unconstitutional provisions in the first place.

“We cannot swallow [the BBL] hook, line and sinker here,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez also said the MILF cannot demand that Congress pass the BBL without changes.

Zamboanga Rep. Celso Lobregat, a member of the ad hoc panel, said the review proposed by the Palace was a tacit admission that they submitted a faulty bill and the opinions of “citizen leaders” will not make the faulty provisions any less unconstitutional.

“The proposed BBL has been transmitted to Congress and both houses are deliberating on the measure. The Catholic Church, business sector or a conveners council cannot replace Congress,” said Lobregat.

On Friday, President Aquino urged citizen leaders to convene a National Peace Summit in order to meet and suggest improvements for the BBL. He also said the peace process must move forward with the BBL, or people would start counting body bags again.

The opposition United Nationalist Alliance tore into the President for “terrorizing he people in the name of peace.”

“He is busy sowing fear instead of reason and rational discourse on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. He’s selling peace, in the context of terror,” said UNA interim president Toby Tiangco.

“What was going on in the President’s head when he said pass the BBL now or count body bags later?

Has[Aquino] turned into a terrorist?”

Tiangco said.

He added that the Aquino administration has only itself to blame for the rush to pass the proposed BBL, noting that the measure was “legally flawed.”

“The proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law should be within the framework of the Constitution. And if there are any delays to its passage, then the administration has only themselves to blame, for signing a peace pact that is legally flawed,” UNA said.

“What is worrying is that they have not been transparent at all. They are silling false hopes, and now they are busy sowing fear and social division,” Tiangco said.

He described Aquino as a willing “agent provocateur” of the MILF. “The MILF and the peace panel relied on the President’s popularity at that time, and thinking that they can get away with its constitutionality.

Probably, they thought the President’s popularity was a license for them to set aside legality,” Tiangco added.

The President has expressed his desire to have the BBL enacted before his term ends, and both houses of Congress have set a June deadline for its passage.

Tiangco said that everybody wants peace but the law granting autonomy to the Bangsamoro should be constitutional.

“We all want lasting peace but the BBL should not be [passed] at the expense of what the basic law of the land says,” Tiangco said.

An administration ally in the Senate, Senator Francis Escudero, said Sunday the BBL was primarily geared towards the interests of the MILF. Escudero said government peace negotiators seemed to have compromised the interest of the country to the interest of the MILF leaders because the crafted BBL was tailor-fit for the interest of the revolutionary group and not for the interest of the people living in Mindanao.

“The stand of Presidential Peace Adviser Teresita Deles and government peace panel chairperson Dr. Miriam Ferrer to have the draft BBL approved as it is will not hold ground because of various unconstitutional provisions. If they insist on the approval of the BBL without amendments, the Senate will not do so,” Escudero said.

“If the peace process can’t go through in June then it means war. Twelve years of talks and because of one incident, they will have war,” Malaysia’s Defense Mininster Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein told the Star Online, referring to the Mamasapano incident in which 44 police commandos were killed on Jan. 25.

Hussein said the offshore bases are expected to be fully operational in Sabah waters fronting Sulu province by April, and would be ready to handle hundreds of thousands of refugees trying to escape war.

“If we have a wall of offshore bases, we may have a chance to stop the exodus of people, a major concern for the ministry, Hussein said.

Malaysia had previously set up offshore bases near Sabah to repel fighters loyal to the Sultanate of Sulu, which sought to reassert its claim over Sabah in 2013.

A ranking Army officer in Mindanao said the government is facing several security challenges if the peace talks fail.

For one, he said, the MILF Central Committee only has loose control over its subordinate units.

“There is no contingency plan if peace talks fail and there is a pullout of troops in Central Mindanao, which may cause a security vacuum in some areas,” said Col. Dickson Hermoso, spokesman for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division.

The military recently launched an all-out offensive against the Bangsamoro Islamic Liberation Front (BIFF), a splinter group of the MILF, driving some 120,000 people to flee their homes.

In remarks over state-run radio, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the government is still pushing for peace, despite Malaysia’s preparations for war.

“Well, we cannot speak for Malaysia.

What we are earnestly pursuing right now is what the President announced very recently on the National Peace Summit, that we can discuss in a non-impassioned manner the peace process and, specifically, the BBL,” Lacierda said.

“We are confident that as more stakeholders are involved, and as more people are informed about the peace process in general and the Bangsamoro Basic Law specifically, we will be able to continue to muster the general sentiment. And we believe that the sentiment of the people is towards peace. It’s just that we need to look at the peace process from the prism of all the stakeholders involved, not necessarily in just one incident, the Mamasapano,” Lacierda said.

Lacierda admitted that the Mamasapano incident has hurt peace negotiations with the MILF. “But we need to look at the peace process in and of itself. What is at stake? Who are the stakeholders? What do we look forward to? And all these things have been enunciated by the President. So we continue to believe that... the general population believes in the peace process,” he said.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK M O N d ay : M a R C H 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

A3

NEWS

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

NPA claims 10,000 armed combatants

By Alvin T. Guanzon BUTUAN CITY—The communist New People’s Army now has more than 10,000 armed combatants in 71 provinces and 800 municipalities, according to the spokesman of the National Democratic Front in Mindanao.

Jorge Madlos, also known as Ka Oris, made the statement on Sunday to mark the NPA’s 46th anniversary.

He said the NPA was born on March 29, 1969, with only one guerrilla front in Tarlac.

But now the group had 110 guerrilla fronts in the whole country.

“These do not include the hundreds of thousands of Militia men and women or Milisyang Bayan and other support civilian groups,” Madlos said.

“Millions of mass and civilian supporters and sympathizers support secretly while some openly support the cause to address massive injustices and the massive human rights violations all over the country.”

Madlos made his statement even as the left-leaning Alyansang Makabayan said President Benigno Aquino III’s strategy against the NPA was a stotal failure while he was moving heaven and earth to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Group secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said Aquino was not serious about foreign a peace agreement with the NPA, which he said continued to wage war against the government.

“Aquino’s peace rhetoric is selective and in the service of a narrow political agenda,” Reyes said.

Madlos claimed that the NPA now had 47 guerrilla fronts in Mindanao alone compared with only one in 1971.

“These NPA guerrilla fronts are present in more than 200 cities and municipalities, 19 provinces and 2,300 barangays in Mindanao alone and growing” Madlos said.

He said the NPA launched 400 tactical offensives in Mindanao in 2014 compared with 250 in 2010, 530 in 2011 and more than 400 in 2011 and 2012.

He said NPA rebels captured 11 prisoners of war last year but all were treated fairly and humanely.

“They were all fairly and 46th anniversary. About 100 female warriors stand at attention during ceremonies marking the National People’s humanely treated and all Army’s 46th anniversary in Surigao del Sur. Alvin GuAnzon their rights were observed, and they were all eventually released,” Madlos said.

Ka Ariel Montero, spokesman of the North-Eastern Mindanao Regional Command, claimed that in the Caraga Region alone the NPA rebels were able to make nine tactical offensives in 2014, confiscating 27 high-powered firearms and 50 pieces of hand guns and killing 190 reactionary forces and wounding 120 the question in terms of wheth- said, citing evidence gathered as a group, the DOJ report will By rey e. requejo soldiers and militias. er or not international humani- so far by an investigating team. determine this,” De Lima said.

“Because of our victories She said the DOJ will come She said the angle of the tarian laws were violated by the in the Caraga Region, the THE Department MILF, resulting in the sum- “massacre” of the so-called SAF up with a “fair and objective” AFP has deployed seven mary killing of SAF combat- 44 as found by the Senate in its report despite the ongoing army battalions in the entire of Justice said Sunants who were already [unable report was no longer in the pic- peace negotiations between the Caraga Region, two combat day it is focusing its ture as far as the DOJ team is government and the MILF. to fight],” De Lima said. battalions of the PNP and “The primary mandate of She made her statement concerned. deployed more than 90 [mi- investigation on the “The term massacre is a non- the DOJ is the search for truth even as Malacañang again said litias],” Montero said. With possible violation by President Benigno Aquino III legal and more often emotion- and justice, because only from Florante S. Solmerin

DOJ looks into rebels’ violation of int’l laws the MILF of international humanitarian laws when its fighters killed 44 police commandos during an encounter in Mamasapano in Maguindanao on Jan. 25.

update requested. Leyte Rep. and House minority bloc leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez requests an update from the Aquino administration on the killing of 44 police commandos on Jan. 25. Looking on are, from left, Reps.

Jonathan de la Cruz and Lito Atienza and former Quezon Rep. Danny Suarez. ver noveno

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said a department task force will determine if there was an “overkill” strategy by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front during the encounter.

“The DOJ report will frame

was willing to cooperate in the House’s investigation of the encounter on Jan. 25.

“We have released the text messages of the President,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

“I think that’s a leadership decision [whether or not Aquino will attend the hearing on the Mamasapano incident in the House of Representatives],” he said.

De Lima said the Jan. 25 clash between the policemen and the MILF was an encounter and not a massacre.

“Definitely, the Mamasapano Incident was an encounter, no doubt about that,” De Lima

ally loaded term,” De Lima said.

“We will not confine our report to the issue of whether there was a massacre or not.”

Unlike the Senate report that described the incident as a massacre, De Lima said the main question to be answered by the DOJ in its report next month would be “whether the encounter resulted in the mass killing of the 44 policemen as a justified act of selfdefense by the MILF or an unmitigated act of unlawful violence.”

“If international humanitarian laws were violated by the MILF, or even by members of the SAF, either individually or

ensuring justice can we have lasting peace. In the first place this is our motto: Peace is the Work of Justice,” De Lima said.

She said the possible conflict between the DOJ report and the reports of the Senate, Board of Inquiry and the MILF should not matter, especially since her office had the mandate to prosecute criminal offenses committed in relation to the incident.

“The DOJ will be true to its work. We will lay down the truth in order to serve justice to all concerned. This is the only way we will achieve peace,” she said. With Sandy Araneta

Lacson says becoming President is a matter of ‘destiny’

By Macon r.Araneta FORMER Senator Panfilo Lacson on Saturday said he remained in a dilemma about running for President in 2016 but believed becoming President was destiny.

“That is destiny. Look at PNoy [President Benigno Aquino III), Senator Grace [Poe],” said Lacson who was in Lucena City as a speaker in a graduation ceremony.

Aquino is the only son of the assassinated Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. and the late former President Corazon Aquino who succumbed to colon cancer.

Critics say the sympathy

votes for Aquino following the death of his mother helped him win the presidency.

On the other hand, Poe has openly admitted that being the daughter of the late “King of Filipino movies” Fernando Poe Jr. was a big factor in her becoming a senator. Her ratings in various election surveys went up after she dropped her husband’s surname Lamanzares and instead used Poe while campaigning in the last elections.

Poe said her father was cheated in the last elections, which observers say was a factor in his untimely death.

With six months before the

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

filing of the Certificates of Candidacy in October, Lacson said he was still unsure of his political plan.

He served as senator for 12 years, but he wasn’t sure if he would run for senator again.

“I am still in a dilemma regarding the presidency,” said Lacson, a former chief of the Philippine National Police.

He issued the statement days after a group of retired officers of the defunct Philippine Constabulary and PC-Integrated National Police, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines issued a manifesto urging him and Poe to “forge a political

alliance and run in tandem for higher office in 2016.”

In a full-page ad, the group stressed the country needed “the strong-willed, disciplined and decisive service reputation of...Lacson and the untarnished and compassionate brand of leadership of Poe” as the nation faced many crises, including the bloody Mamasapano encounter on Jan. 25.

But Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, a known enemy of Lacson, twitted him for positioning for President. She doubted if the retired officers indeed spent for the full-page advertisement that she said was

an expensive mode to express a casual opinion.

Santiago said those who were allegedly behind the ads did not present a strong case about why they picked Lacson and Poe. But Lacson was grateful to the group backing the LacsonPoe tandem in the 2016 elections. He said he admired the performance of Poe who led the Senate investigation into the Mamasapano incident.

Poe led the investigation into the Mamasapano incident in which 44 SAF troopers were massacred by Moro fighters.

“I’ve seen her grow. She handled the committee hear-

ing very well. Plus, her name is never tainted. Senator Grace and I share the same advocacy,” Lacson said.

He said if he were the President when the Mamasapano incident took place, he would have immediately taken full accountability and responsibility.

“One should take full accountability whether the result is good or bad,” Lacson said.

He said taking full responsibility was different from issuing an apology. He said it was up to President Aquino if he would say sorry or not over the Mamasapano encounter. He said there were implications in saying sorry.

A4

m o n d ay : m a R C H 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Alert levels raised in Cagayan, other areas

By Sandy Araneta and Rio Araja

Rush hour. Construction workers are silhouetted against the sun as the sun begins to set in Manila on Sunday. AFP

Appeals court hears Junjun’s case today

By Rey E. Requejo

The Court of Appeals will hear today the petition of Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. questioning the preventive suspension order issued by the Office of the Ombudsman against him for his role in the alleged anomalous construction of the Makati City Hall Building 2.

The court’s Sixth Division hearing is expected to clarify its March 16 temporary restraining order, which the anti-graft body and the Department of Interior and Local Government did not honor for supposedly being academic following the service of the suspension order three hours earlier.

The division, presided by Associate Justice Jose Reyes Jr. with Justices Francisco Acosta and Eduardo Peralta Jr. as members, will tackle the plea of Binay for

the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction that would extend for an indefinite period the effectivity of its restraining order.

The court will also take up the petition for contempt filed by the son of Vice President Jejomar Binay against Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Interior Mar Roxas, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Vice Mayor Romulo Peña for allegedly “acting in unison in defying [the order].”

The Makati City mayor included Morales and De Lima in the contempt petition after they issued identical opinions that the order was moot since it was issued three hours after the suspension was served and Peña took his oath as acting mayor.

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

Also included in the contempt case are DILG National Capital Region director Renato Brion, National Capital Region Police Office director Carmelo Valmoria and Southern Police District director Henry Ranola and SPD deputy director for administration Senior Supt. Elmer Jamias.

Binay will be represented by his lawyers led by Claro Certeza while the government agencies will be represented by the office of the solicitor general, which is

expected to argue for the lifting of the restraining order.

The court has also set another hearing tomorrow, March 31, also at 2 p.m, on the same case.

The Ombudsman earlier assailed the court order against the suspension of Binay, saying it was already academic, and brought the case before the Supreme Court.

The anti-graft body also sought the issuance of an order from the high court to stop the CA from hearing the case.

The Supreme Court immediately tackled the petition of Morales, a retired member of the tribunal, in a special session last Thursday, but deferred ruling on her urgent plea. Instead, the high tribunal required the appeals court and Binay to comment on the petition not later than April 6, a day before the justices start their annual summer session in Baguio City.

THE Department of Health will raise its alert levels in several regions across the country for Holy Week, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Sunday.

DoH will be on Code White in Cagayan Valley, Mindoro Oriental and Occidental, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan and Code Blue in Cordillera.

Code White requires all emergency service, nursing and administrative personnel to be on call for immediate mobilization while a Code Blue alert requires half of all local health personnel to be on call. Earlier, President Benigno Aquino III placed all government agencies on alert for the Holy Week during the traditional exodus of Filipinos to the provinces.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Aquino has ordered the setting up of public assistance desks to ensure that officials could quickly respond to emergencies and requests for assistance of people leaving Metro Manila or the country.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas also directed all local chief executives to convene local peace and order councils in anticipation of the heavy movement of people.

“Local chief executives must establish close coordination with concerned local authorities, cause the mobilization of law enforcers, traffic enforcers, barangay tanods, Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams and public safety officers,” Roxas said.

He also reminded local officials to ensure cleanliness and orderliness by mobilizing all resources in garbage collection and disposal as well as clean-up operations in public places.

The Department of Trade and Industry has also moved to ensure that basic goods are sold within their price caps during the Lenten season.

“We will ensure that the prices of canned goods and candles in public places such as bus stations are sold within their suggested retail prices,” Trade Undersecretary Victorio Mario Dimagiba said.

Suddenly, mall-goers see stars, not lights, as SM joins Earth Day rites

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE moon and the stars became visible to visitors of 58 SM malls nationwide after the lights went out Saturday night to mark Earth Hour, the global campaign on climate change awareness.

After a 10-second countdown, SM Supermalls senior vice president Steven Tan and World Wildlife Fund National Advisory Council CEO

Lory Tan, together with Miss Earth Philippines candidates pushed the button that signaled the shutting down of power in the malls all over the country.

With the lights dimmed, mall goers, shoppers and organizers of the Earth Hour movement were able to gaze at the stars, planets and constellations through telescopes that were placed in strategic areas in participating malls.

Fire dancers used ropes with glittering lights that glowed in the dark to entertain the audience during the one-hour long darkness.

Earth Hour is a worldwide annual grassroots movement of the WWF that seeks to raise consciousness on climate change and its adverse effects on the planet.

This year’s global tagline is “Use Your Power to Change Climate Change.”

The Philippines has been an

active participant of Earth Hour since 2008. It has earned the status of “Earth Hero Country” because it has consistently tallied the most participating localities in the event.

SM, through its corporate social responsibility arm, SM Cares, has been a participant of the Earth Hour with the number of malls taking part in the hour-long lights our increasing every year.

SM Cares has been actively

pushing for sustainability in its malls’ operations by implementing various environment-friendly measures to improve the communities they serve.

Earth Hour, which uses the simple action of turning off lights for 60 minutes to highlight the need for decisive climate change solutions, has grown into a worldwide movement since it started in Australia in 2007.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK m o n D AY : m A R C H 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

A5

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Typhoon Chedeng enters PAR Wednesday W E AT H E r M E n are monitoring a typhoon with international name “Maysak,” which is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility by Wednesday or Thursday.

Forecaster Denison Estareja of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said that once the typhoon enters PAr, it will be named “Chedeng,” the third tropical cyclone to enter the country this year.

Estareja said that due to a weak northeast monsoon, the Batanes, Babuyan, and Calayan groups of islands will experience partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated light rainshowers.

He said the rest of the country, including Metro Manila, will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

Pagasa said moderate to occasionally strong winds coming from the northeast to east will prevail over extreme northern Luzon and from the northeast over the eastern section of Luzon and the Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to occasionally rough.

Rio Araja and PNA

Countdown. Lory Tan of WWF National Advisory Council Vice Chairman (center); Steven Tan, Senior Vice President of SM Supermalls preside over the 10-second countdown to switch-off during the Earth Hour 2015’Lights Off’ ceremony at the SM Mall of Asia in the presence of several Ms .Earth candidates. SONNY ESPIRITU

VP pushes 2nd plea for Pinay in Jakarta

By MACON RAMOS-ARANETA

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay on Sunday said the Philippine government will file a second petition for judicial review of the case of a Filipino who was sentenced to die by firing squad for smuggling heroin to Indonesia.

In a meeting with the parents of the convict at the Makati City Hall, Binay assured them the government is exhausting all legal remedies and options to save their daughter Jane Veloso.

Binay, Presidential Adviser on OFW Concerns, informed Veloso’s parents--Celia and Cesar Veloso == about the government’s next move

to spare their daughter from the death penalty.

During the meeting, Binay called up Assistant Secretary Minda Calaguian-Cruz of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Office of Asia & Pacific Affairs who told him about a second petition for judicial review.

“Let us check what we can do. (Ve-

loso) is a first time offender and a widow with two young children,” the Vice President told Calaguian-Cruz.

Jakarta has said it will wait for any outstanding legal appeals to conclude before executing all 10 drug convicts – including Veloso – at the same time.

Veloso was arrested at Java’s Yogyakarta Airport in April 2010 for carrying 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her luggage.

An emotional Celia denied the heroin seized from her daughter’s luggage belonged to her. She stressed it was discreetly placed there by a certain Christine, who she said, was the wife of her daughter’s godbrother.

“My daughter did not know about it. She wasn’t aware,” the grieving mother told Binay.

She said her daughter was just carrying two small bags. But she said Christine was indeed clever and tricked her by buying several clothes for her daughter.

When her daughter was about to leave for Indonesia, Christine gaver her a luggage, where she supposedly placed all the clothes she bought for her.

The victim’s parents sought the help of the Vice President after the Indonesian Supreme Court rejected the Philippine government’s request for a judicial review of Veloso’s case.

Water service cut-off bared MAYnILAD Water Services Inc. warned its customers water supply in Metro Manila may not be enough for the Holy Week because of service disruption caused by the flood control project of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The DPWH project will bring about rotating water service interruptions ranging from 28 hours to 14 hours in parts of Pasay, Las Piñas, Parañaque and Cavite from Holy Tuesday (March 31) to Good Friday (April 3).

Maynilad said customers must store water in containers Private pool. Amid the scorching heat, children frolic in a water -pump irrigated rice field that have covers.

Water stored in open conin Bulacan. MANNY PALMERO

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

tainers should be used within one or two days.

Maynilad said drinking water should be stored in clean and disinfected containers that can be firmly closed.

Maynilad said around 25 tankers will be on standby to serve areas that will experience prolonged interrupted supply.

In another development, Malacañang said irrigation facilities are being improved in order to counter effects of El nino.

“We have projects being done by the government. We are improving the irrigation facilities. We have what we call the ‘salin-tubig’ of the DILG

(Department of Interior and Local Government),” said Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Edwin Lacierda on DZBB radio.

“I know that there are expectations an El niño might occur. And that’s why we are taking steps,” said Lacierda.

“Again, the specific steps of the dry spell, that’s something that we are going to ask the DA (Department of Agriculture) to do. We will ask them about the details with the agencies in order to explain to the public what the government is doing to address these concerns on the dry spell,” Lacierda also said. Anna Leah Estrada and

Sandy Araneta

A6

M O N d ay : M a R C H 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Sandigan proposes pardon for ex-envoy

By Rio n. Araja

AFTER being found guilty of malversation of public funds and sentenced to a 51-year imprisonment, an erstwhile Philippine ambassador to Nigeria is being recommended for presidential pardon by the Sandiganbayan.

The anti-graft court’s First Division recommended executive clemency for Masaranga Umpa, who was found guilty of misuse of $80,478.80 or P3,749,948.98 of assistance-to-nationals standby funds in 2007.

Associate Justices Efren de la Cruz, Rodolfo Ponferrada and Rafael Lagos cited at least three reasons why Umpa should not be jailed and that he must be given such privilege.

They said Umpa is too old at 73 to be jailed, and that his long years of public service must be considered.

Moreover, the ex-envoy committed malversation out of his negligence, and not out of his deliberate act.

“The court, while it is obliged to apply the penalty provided for the offense charged, believes that it is too harsh and excessive under the circumstances, hence, pursuant to Article 5 Paragraph 2 of the Revised Penal Code, hereby recommends to the Chief Executive, through the Department of Justice, for the commutation of the penalty, if not pardon of the accused, in these cases,” the anti-graft court’s recommendation read.

The court will provide Justice Secretary Leila de Lima with a copy of its decision.

The Office of the Ombudsman indicted Umpa for receiving $95,856.08 from Nigeria for the negotiation and repatriation of 25 Filipino seamen who were abducted in Port Harcourt and Warri Delta State in February 2007.

A year later, the Department of Foreign Affairs created an internal audit team to conduct a special audit on certain transactions, including the ATN standby funds.

According to a March 23 official statement of the Ombudsman, Umpa was sentenced to imprisonment of 10 years and one day of prision mayor to 17 years, four months and one day of reclusion temporal as maximum for each of the three counts of malversation.

He was also meted out the penalty of perpetual special disqualification to hold office.

He was ordered to indemnify the DFA. Umpa served as ambassador to Nigeria from 1996 to 2008, and was a former Lanao del Norte assemblyman.

A sea of devotees. Catholic devotees wave their Palm Sunday fronds at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in San Jose Del Monte Bulacan. Owned by the Guanzon family and inaugurated on February 11, 1965, it is a replica of the Lourdes Grotto in France and has become a famous religious, ecological and tourist destination during Lent. DANNY PATA

Payatas trash-slide fears persist

By Rio N. Araja TWO Quezon City councilors are demanding the immediate closure of the Payatas dump to avoid a repeat of a trash slide that killed 300 people in July 2000.

Councilors Ranulfo Ludovica and Victor Ferrer are urging Mayor Herbert Bautista, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino to look for alternative dump and close down the Payatas landfill soon.

“It’s long overdue,” Ludovica told The Standard.

“There have been so many extensions given to the city to allow the facility’s operation beyond December 2013.”

The city government could tap the Rodriguez

sanitary landfill or Pier 13 in Tondo, Manila as an a lt er n at i ve waste disposal facility, he said.

Another viable option BAuTisTA is to build a waste-toenergy facility in Payatas, he added.

Quezon City generates at least 1,979 metric tons of trash a day.

In 2013, business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan proposed to put up such facility after a threeyear study.

In a two-page proposed resolution, Ludovica and Ferrer have raised fears for the lives of thousands of residents.

Tons and tons of garbage have been “creeping toward the houses

in the vicinity because whenever garbage is dumped, the trash is just being bulldozed to flatten the surface area for the next dump truck,” it read.

“Worse, the garbage pile covers and clogs half of a creek running across the barangay, thereby posing a threat for health and environmental hazards, possible displacement of the residents and recurrence of trash avalanche.”

Residents near the transfer station and the dump have been complaining that some laws, and evironmental rules and regulations have been violated by the operators and haulers as well.

According to Ludovica, the leachates from the

piles and piles of trash at the Payatas landfill could contaminate the source of water at La Mesa dam that supplies 97 percent of Metro Manila’s safe and potable water.

Even the Marikina River is at risk of water pollution, he said.

“Whereas, despite the apparent danger to the public, the private contractor and some city officials in charge in the management, maintenance and operation of the garbage dump as well as the collection of trash remain unmindful of the welfare of the people. Hence, the need to shut down the same in compliance with the provisions of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management of 2000,” the March 25 proposed measure read.

Solon: Pay hike no damper for BPO

Earthquake simulation. Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard J. Gordon and Secre-

tary General Gwendolyn T. Pang (left) show Canadian Ambassador Neil Reeder (2nd from left), Makati Medical Center President Dr. Gabriel Gabriel (3rd from left) and Hossam Elsharkawi Director of Emergencies and Recovery International Operations Canadian Red Cross how the Emergency Field Hospital functions as an Emergency Medical Technician provides treatment to a pseudo-patient conducted by a PRC ambulance from the Earthquake Simulation Exercise site to the Emergency Field Hospital.

REASONABLE pay hikes will not dampen the rapid expansion of the country’s highly labor-intensive, information technology and business process outsourcing sectors, Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo said on Sunday.

“We do not see the P15-increase in the daily minimum wage (for private sector workers in Metro Manila) influencing the decision of BPO players to either step up, or slow down hiring,” said Romulo, a key industry backer.

Romulo said “fair wage increases” will not diminish the country’s global competitiveness.

“If we look at India and our other competitors in the BPO

space, their wages are rising faster than ours,” he said.

Foreign exchange rate fluctuations tend to have greater weight on BPO operations than wage increases, Romulo added.

Data from the Business Processing Association of the Philippines showed the sector directly employed up to 1.3 million Filipinos while annual revenues are expected to peak at $26 billion by 2016.

The sector includes contact centers, back offices, data transcription, animation, software development, engineering design, and digital content.

Romulo is author of the Data Privacy Act of 2012, which has helped to attract

global firms to either establish new in-house outsourcing units in the Philippines, or relegate their non-core, business support activities to independent BPO providers operating here.

The law mandates all entities, including BPO firms, to protect the confidentiality of personal information collected from clients and stored in IT systems, in accordance with rigorous international privacy standards.

Last week, the National Capital Region’s Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board ordered a P15-increase in the minimum wage.

The new P481 statutory floor wage will take effect sometime next month.

M O N day : M a rch 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

A7

news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Waiting for distribution. These fishing boats line the road in front of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office in Palo, Leyte. They will be given to fishermen-victims of typhoon Yolanda in the province. REVOLI CORTEZ

Island switches on lights on Earth Hour Residents of sibuyan island in Romblon province switched on their lights for a full hour saturday night as the rest of the world marked earth Hour by turning off their lights.

Environmental group Bayay Sibuyanon led the campaign “to show the world that in Sibuyan Island, our energy is 100-percent renewable.”

The island’s energy source is a 900-kilowatt hydro-electric power plant in Cantingas River, proclaimed in 2007 as the cleanest inland body of water - river category.

“In Sibuyan Island, we have contributed in reducing carbon emissions significantly in our own little way since 2010 by using renewable source of energy from hydro-power. We may experience power inconsistencies sometimes but we realized that, indeed, we are able to live in harmony with Mother Earth by not increas-

ing our carbon emission,” said Bayay Sibuyanon chairman Rodne Galicha.

Galicha also serves as Philippine manager of The Climate Reality Project, a global movement founded by former US Vice President Al Gore.

The power plant operated by Cantingas Mini-Hydro Power Corporation, on average, provides 90 percent to 95 percent electricity. A diesel-powered generator serves as back-up.

But there are certain hours that 100-percent comes from renewable sources.

“If a small island can do it, why not the world?” said Elizabeth Ibanez, Bayay Sibuyanon’s climate change and disaster risk reduction and management officer.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Earth Hour Philippines Director, lawyer Angelo Consuelo Ibay, said the initiative was a “fantastic example and excellent work.”

“Our global vision is to go 100% renewable by 2050. Examples like [Sibuyan Island’s] show that it can be attainable,” said Ibay.

Iligan City swears in new mayor CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has sworn in Vice Mayor Roderic Marzo as Iligan City Mayor on Friday.

Rene Burdeos, DILG regional director, said that Marzo would perform the responsibilities of city mayor following the 60-day suspension of Mayor Celso Regencia.

The DILG served the notice of suspension Friday af-

ternoon amid the opposition of more than 1,000 supporters who barricaded the City Hall premises.

“We were able to post the notice of suspension at the door of the Office of the City Mayor. That was enough proof that the notice of suspension was served,” Burdeos said.

About 1,000 supporters barricaded the city hall in Iligan City as Malacanang ordered the suspension of the

mayor on allegation of “abuse of authority.”

He said Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa signed the suspension order dated March 2, 2015.

Burdeos said that Marzo assumed the mayoral post by operation of the law as the city’s vice mayor and Prudencio Abragan Jr., the first city councilor, as vice mayor, The case stemmed from the complaint with “abuse of au-

thority” filed by the dominant Liberal Party party members of the City Council against Regencia in January last year.

In the complaint, Vice Mayor Marzo accused Regencia of abusing his authority for issuing a memorandum that reportedly prohibits department heads and the City Council from processing and approving the appointment of casual employees without the city mayor’s approval.

Kennon Road to go one-way KENNON Road, the shortest route from the lowlands Baguio City, will be open to one-way vehicular traffic going up starting midnight April 1 to midnight April 3.

Vehicles from Baguio bound for the lowlands may take Marcos Highway during this period.

Engineer Edilberto Carabbacan, regional director of the Cordillera office of the Department of Public Works and Highways, said the new traffic scheme, designed to allow visitors fast and safe access to the summer capital, will be implemented on an experimental basis only.

“This will pave the way for the implementation of future workable traffic schemes along the roadline, especially during long weekends when there is an influx of motorists,” he added.

The one-way, upward traffic scheme is a priority of Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson to entice visitors to spend holidays in the Cordillera region.

“Secretary Singson’s heart is with us because he is going out of his way, ” Carabbacan said.

The director noted, though, that the DPWH will provide a window for Kennon Road residents coming from the city proper to pass by said road from 11am to 12 noon and 5pm to 6pm.

Those coming from Camp 1, Tuba, Benguet have a window from 11am to 1pm and 5pm to 7pm.

Signages and other information materials will be provided to guide motorists during this period.

Dexter A. See

M O N D AY : M A R c h 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

LKY’s governing tooLKit

A YEAR after the government signed the so-called Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), its efforts to steer the enabling law through Congress are floundering on the shoals of official incompetence, obsequious appeasement and woefully inadequate leadership.

In a desperate attempt to resuscitate his flagging campaign to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) before his term ends, President Benigno Aquino III called on “citizen leaders” to convene a national peace summit to review the bill now pending in Congress, and to discuss it “in a calm and reasonable manner that will not incite anger and hopelessness.”

In calling for the summit, the President said he was fully aware that the Jan. 25 Mamasapano incident in which 44 police commandos were killed by Muslim rebels, including fighters from the MILF, had sown doubts in the minds of Filipinos and pushed aside the objective evaluation of the BBL. The implicit message was that Congress, which has the constitutionally vested mandate to debate and pass legislation, was not up to the task and needed help from Mr. Aquino’s handpicked “citizen leaders” known for their wisdom and integrity.

A Palace spokesman said the summit was meant “to enrich the quality of democratic dialogue” that would lead Congress “to a deeper understanding of the imperative of promoting the peace process in Mindanao.” to give his initiative added impetus, the President resorted to cheap rhetoric aimed at indiscriminately branding those who opposed the BBL as enemies of peace.

“This is the crossroads we face: we take pains to forge peace today, or we count body bags tomorrow,” Aquino said in his nationally televised address.

“Perhaps it is easy for you to push for all-out war,” he said, hitting out at critics who have condemned the peace deal with the MILF. “But if the conflict grows, the number of Filipinos shooting at other Filipinos will grow, and it would not be out of the question that a friend or loved one be one of the people who will end up inside a body bag.”

It was a tried and tested “with us or against us” tactic that suggested that the only way forward for peace was his administration and the BBL, and that anyone who raised serious objections to the flawed legislation was somehow an advocate of all-out war. this approach might have worked in the past, before Mamasapano exposed the President as a weak and incompetent leader, who foolishly relied on a suspended friend and ally to lead the covert police operation, then lied to the Filipino people to cover up his own role in the debacle. But 44 brave police commandos paid the price for Mr. Aquino’s folly, and the aftermath also exposed his negotiators as obsequious functionaries who were so eager to push the MILF agenda that they even neglected to express outrage over the killing of 44 of their colleagues in government service who were in Mamasapano simply to enforce the law.

Will Mr. Aquino’s “peace summit” cover up these facts and lead us all to rally behind the BBL simply on his say-so? The time for such blind faith has long passed; the President should know that.

pensées fr. rAnhIlIO CAllAngAn AquInO It IS Holy Week. Passion or Palm Sunday starts it. And contrary to popular understanding, Lent no longer includes Maundy thursday, Good Friday and Black Saturday. those days, together with Easter Sunday, are a class all by themselves called the Solemn Paschal triduum, the high-point of all that has come before.

But a re-packaged Holy Week

is not Holy Week. I was at one of Manila’s leading hotels lately for a seminar, and inside the elevator were ads for a Holy Week promo. the highlights of the offer were family checkin, free use of the gym and pool facilities, tours around the city, “watching” the processions and an air-conditioned bus for Visita Iglesia. there is nothing holy about such a kind of a week. When one “watches” a procession, one has turned it into a spectacle, not an act of faith. And I have every reason to suspect that the Visita Iglesia

A9

pAstOr ApOllO quIbOlOy

A desperAte meAsure

aboard an air-conditioned bus will take on the complexion of a city tour more than an act of piety.

Moriones, the “senakulos” and other indigenous (and notso-indigenous) practices of Holy Week in the Philippines, were, once upon a time, rites of popular devotion -- pia exercita, they were called. Not liturgy, and not regulated by liturgical books, but commendable and edifying popular acts of devotion and manifestations of faith. People did not watch processions like they did the parade of stars -luminescent, fading or smoldering -- marking the Manila Film Festival. People participated in

edItOr

plumblIne

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Not Holy Week!

ADELLE chuA

the Cross was the price to pay, not the delight of a gloating sadist!

them, proclaiming their faith, in atonement for the mistakes of the past, or in supplication for some favor. Regrettable, in fact, that in some places, the chanting of the Pasyon (itself an interesting musical form, born out of the pious desire to popu-

larize the reading of the Gospel, particularly the Passion that is the center-piece of Palm or Passion Sunday) and Holy Week processions are organized if not sponsored by travel and tour agencies for the delectation and entertainment of tourists.

And what is lost to us as the Holy Week morphs into anything but Holy is the whole theology of atonement that is the reason for it all. In the ancient church, the lengthy Lenten season was lengthy for one reason: so that candidates for baptism could be adequately initiated into the Sacred Mysteries and so be worthy to be immersed in the waters of baptism as if

descending into the tomb and then emerging into the new life of which the Risen Lord makes us all sharers. We will it hear it said once more that Jesus died in obedience to the will of the Father. What we will not hear said often enough is that it was not some cruel God whose blazing wrath would be placated only by the cruel death of his Son on the Cross. What the Gospel readings, particularly of the Holy Week, make clear is that it was the will

Standard TODAY Manila

of the Father that his Son, with love sublime, would confront the hatred and infidelity of the world, challenge its structures of injustice, expose its hypocrisy and show us all what it was to live life as God meant it to be. �the Cross was the price to pay, not the delight of a gloating sadist! the death of the Lord was the fullest consequence of his solidarity with humanity, his identity with a condition marked, because of sin, by death. But because the man

527-2057 (Credit and Collection). Fax numbers: 521-8340 (Advertising) 5275550. P.O. Box 2933, Manilaand Central 6406 P.O. Box 2933, Manila Post(Subscription).

Office, Manila.

Website: www.

Central Post Office, Manila. Website:E-mail: www. manilastandardtoday.com manilastandardtoday.com E-mail: mst@ contact@thestandard.com.ph PublishedMonday MondaytotoSunday Sundaybyby Philippine manilastandardtoday.com Published Kamahalan Manila Standard Publishing at 6/F Publishing Corporation at 2 ndInc. Floor PJI canbe beaccessed accessedat: at: Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo Roxas, can Building, Railroad corner 20th de Streets, www.manilastandardtoday.com ONLINE www.manilastandardtoday.com corner PereaManila.

St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. ONLINE Port Area, Telephone numbers MEMBER Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 521-8507 (connecting all departments), MEMBER Philippine Press Institute 832-5558521-5581, (connecting all departments), (Editorial), (Editorial Fax) 521-7381 Philippine Press Institute The National Association (Advertising), 521-8507(Advertising), (MIS) 521-5591 (Editorial), 832-5546, 832The National Association of Philippine Newspapers of Philippine Newspapers (Sales and Distribution/Subscription) and

MST MST

PPI PPI

who died on the first Good Friday did so with nothing but forgiveness for his enemies, trust so strong that he could proclaim his mission accomplished, and a love for the Father so invincible that with his last breath he commended his Spirit, it was also the Hour of his triumph, and ours as well! rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

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

OF LEE Kuan Yew’s many traits which are being hailed in the torrent of eulogies on his passing , two caught my attention : his focus on details and his disinterest in surveys.

These two were important parts of his governing toolkit, and other leaders must use these apps too.

While he dreamed big for Singapore, and was energized by his great vision for his tiny nation, he knew that achieving it would depend on a disciplined attention to the particulars.

And he charted his course never depending on where the political blows, never using popularity as compass. He never employed survey results as directional maps. Many times he sailed against the wind, and that allowed him to make progress.

His famous quote on this—“I ignore polling as a method of government. I think that shows a certain weakness of mind”— should be pondered on by those who govern not by what the people need but what is popular.

Seeing Singapore today, with its highrises and high-income citizens, one would imagine that its architect was fixated by the big picture who never bothered with the small details.

On the contrary, it was the small details which he congealed into the building blocks which allowed his nation to rise from a tiny malarial swampland into an economic powerhouse which punches above its weight.

In a poignant recollection, his private secretary recalls how the “red boxy briefcase” Lee lugged for almost 50 years would contain not only major policy speeches, draft treaties, and other important documents but also handwritten instructions on minor concerns like the health of an ailing tree he saw on the road.

He envisioned a Singapore cocooned in green and worked for it. Other leaders would just be content giving instructions to create a forest, Lee himself counted the trees planted. He sees a brown patch, and a memo was sent.

If he was a constant gardener, it is because he used the carpet of greenery as a sales pitch to investors. In an interview, he said that an investor coming to see him in his office would be convinced that just by the state of managed greenery he saw he would come to the conclusion that when Singapore says it can deliver, it would.

In the early days of the republic, he would choose the color of the facade of the tenements, and when he saw an owner dragging a pig up to his flat, he would call the manContinued on A11 ager’s attention.

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

M O N D AY : M A R c h 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

LKY’s governing tooLKit

A YEAR after the government signed the so-called Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), its efforts to steer the enabling law through Congress are floundering on the shoals of official incompetence, obsequious appeasement and woefully inadequate leadership.

In a desperate attempt to resuscitate his flagging campaign to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) before his term ends, President Benigno Aquino III called on “citizen leaders” to convene a national peace summit to review the bill now pending in Congress, and to discuss it “in a calm and reasonable manner that will not incite anger and hopelessness.”

In calling for the summit, the President said he was fully aware that the Jan. 25 Mamasapano incident in which 44 police commandos were killed by Muslim rebels, including fighters from the MILF, had sown doubts in the minds of Filipinos and pushed aside the objective evaluation of the BBL. The implicit message was that Congress, which has the constitutionally vested mandate to debate and pass legislation, was not up to the task and needed help from Mr. Aquino’s handpicked “citizen leaders” known for their wisdom and integrity.

A Palace spokesman said the summit was meant “to enrich the quality of democratic dialogue” that would lead Congress “to a deeper understanding of the imperative of promoting the peace process in Mindanao.” to give his initiative added impetus, the President resorted to cheap rhetoric aimed at indiscriminately branding those who opposed the BBL as enemies of peace.

“This is the crossroads we face: we take pains to forge peace today, or we count body bags tomorrow,” Aquino said in his nationally televised address.

“Perhaps it is easy for you to push for all-out war,” he said, hitting out at critics who have condemned the peace deal with the MILF. “But if the conflict grows, the number of Filipinos shooting at other Filipinos will grow, and it would not be out of the question that a friend or loved one be one of the people who will end up inside a body bag.”

It was a tried and tested “with us or against us” tactic that suggested that the only way forward for peace was his administration and the BBL, and that anyone who raised serious objections to the flawed legislation was somehow an advocate of all-out war. this approach might have worked in the past, before Mamasapano exposed the President as a weak and incompetent leader, who foolishly relied on a suspended friend and ally to lead the covert police operation, then lied to the Filipino people to cover up his own role in the debacle. But 44 brave police commandos paid the price for Mr. Aquino’s folly, and the aftermath also exposed his negotiators as obsequious functionaries who were so eager to push the MILF agenda that they even neglected to express outrage over the killing of 44 of their colleagues in government service who were in Mamasapano simply to enforce the law.

Will Mr. Aquino’s “peace summit” cover up these facts and lead us all to rally behind the BBL simply on his say-so? The time for such blind faith has long passed; the President should know that.

pensées fr. rAnhIlIO CAllAngAn AquInO It IS Holy Week. Passion or Palm Sunday starts it. And contrary to popular understanding, Lent no longer includes Maundy thursday, Good Friday and Black Saturday. those days, together with Easter Sunday, are a class all by themselves called the Solemn Paschal triduum, the high-point of all that has come before.

But a re-packaged Holy Week

is not Holy Week. I was at one of Manila’s leading hotels lately for a seminar, and inside the elevator were ads for a Holy Week promo. the highlights of the offer were family checkin, free use of the gym and pool facilities, tours around the city, “watching” the processions and an air-conditioned bus for Visita Iglesia. there is nothing holy about such a kind of a week. When one “watches” a procession, one has turned it into a spectacle, not an act of faith. And I have every reason to suspect that the Visita Iglesia

A9

pAstOr ApOllO quIbOlOy

A desperAte meAsure

aboard an air-conditioned bus will take on the complexion of a city tour more than an act of piety.

Moriones, the “senakulos” and other indigenous (and notso-indigenous) practices of Holy Week in the Philippines, were, once upon a time, rites of popular devotion -- pia exercita, they were called. Not liturgy, and not regulated by liturgical books, but commendable and edifying popular acts of devotion and manifestations of faith. People did not watch processions like they did the parade of stars -luminescent, fading or smoldering -- marking the Manila Film Festival. People participated in

edItOr

plumblIne

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Not Holy Week!

ADELLE chuA

the Cross was the price to pay, not the delight of a gloating sadist!

them, proclaiming their faith, in atonement for the mistakes of the past, or in supplication for some favor. Regrettable, in fact, that in some places, the chanting of the Pasyon (itself an interesting musical form, born out of the pious desire to popu-

larize the reading of the Gospel, particularly the Passion that is the center-piece of Palm or Passion Sunday) and Holy Week processions are organized if not sponsored by travel and tour agencies for the delectation and entertainment of tourists.

And what is lost to us as the Holy Week morphs into anything but Holy is the whole theology of atonement that is the reason for it all. In the ancient church, the lengthy Lenten season was lengthy for one reason: so that candidates for baptism could be adequately initiated into the Sacred Mysteries and so be worthy to be immersed in the waters of baptism as if

descending into the tomb and then emerging into the new life of which the Risen Lord makes us all sharers. We will it hear it said once more that Jesus died in obedience to the will of the Father. What we will not hear said often enough is that it was not some cruel God whose blazing wrath would be placated only by the cruel death of his Son on the Cross. What the Gospel readings, particularly of the Holy Week, make clear is that it was the will

Standard TODAY Manila

of the Father that his Son, with love sublime, would confront the hatred and infidelity of the world, challenge its structures of injustice, expose its hypocrisy and show us all what it was to live life as God meant it to be. �the Cross was the price to pay, not the delight of a gloating sadist! the death of the Lord was the fullest consequence of his solidarity with humanity, his identity with a condition marked, because of sin, by death. But because the man

527-2057 (Credit and Collection). Fax numbers: 521-8340 (Advertising) 5275550. P.O. Box 2933, Manilaand Central 6406 P.O. Box 2933, Manila Post(Subscription).

Office, Manila.

Website: www.

Central Post Office, Manila. Website:E-mail: www. manilastandardtoday.com manilastandardtoday.com E-mail: mst@ contact@thestandard.com.ph PublishedMonday MondaytotoSunday Sundaybyby Philippine manilastandardtoday.com Published Kamahalan Manila Standard Publishing at 6/F Publishing Corporation at 2 ndInc. Floor PJI canbe beaccessed accessedat: at: Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo Roxas, can Building, Railroad corner 20th de Streets, www.manilastandardtoday.com ONLINE www.manilastandardtoday.com corner PereaManila.

St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. ONLINE Port Area, Telephone numbers MEMBER Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 521-8507 (connecting all departments), MEMBER Philippine Press Institute 832-5558521-5581, (connecting all departments), (Editorial), (Editorial Fax) 521-7381 Philippine Press Institute The National Association (Advertising), 521-8507(Advertising), (MIS) 521-5591 (Editorial), 832-5546, 832The National Association of Philippine Newspapers of Philippine Newspapers (Sales and Distribution/Subscription) and

MST MST

PPI PPI

who died on the first Good Friday did so with nothing but forgiveness for his enemies, trust so strong that he could proclaim his mission accomplished, and a love for the Father so invincible that with his last breath he commended his Spirit, it was also the Hour of his triumph, and ours as well! rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

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

OF LEE Kuan Yew’s many traits which are being hailed in the torrent of eulogies on his passing , two caught my attention : his focus on details and his disinterest in surveys.

These two were important parts of his governing toolkit, and other leaders must use these apps too.

While he dreamed big for Singapore, and was energized by his great vision for his tiny nation, he knew that achieving it would depend on a disciplined attention to the particulars.

And he charted his course never depending on where the political blows, never using popularity as compass. He never employed survey results as directional maps. Many times he sailed against the wind, and that allowed him to make progress.

His famous quote on this—“I ignore polling as a method of government. I think that shows a certain weakness of mind”— should be pondered on by those who govern not by what the people need but what is popular.

Seeing Singapore today, with its highrises and high-income citizens, one would imagine that its architect was fixated by the big picture who never bothered with the small details.

On the contrary, it was the small details which he congealed into the building blocks which allowed his nation to rise from a tiny malarial swampland into an economic powerhouse which punches above its weight.

In a poignant recollection, his private secretary recalls how the “red boxy briefcase” Lee lugged for almost 50 years would contain not only major policy speeches, draft treaties, and other important documents but also handwritten instructions on minor concerns like the health of an ailing tree he saw on the road.

He envisioned a Singapore cocooned in green and worked for it. Other leaders would just be content giving instructions to create a forest, Lee himself counted the trees planted. He sees a brown patch, and a memo was sent.

If he was a constant gardener, it is because he used the carpet of greenery as a sales pitch to investors. In an interview, he said that an investor coming to see him in his office would be convinced that just by the state of managed greenery he saw he would come to the conclusion that when Singapore says it can deliver, it would.

In the early days of the republic, he would choose the color of the facade of the tenements, and when he saw an owner dragging a pig up to his flat, he would call the manContinued on A11 ager’s attention.

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

A10 TEACHING LAW LAST week, the Supreme Court released the results of RITA LINDA the 2014 bar examiV. JIMENO nations. Only 18.82 per cent or 1,126 examinees made it out of the 5,984 who completed the four Sundays of examinations in October last year. In the top ten with ties, four were from the University of the Philippines; three from the San Beda College of Law, including the top one; two from Ateneo de Manila and the rest were from the University of Cebu, Ateneo de Davao, De La Salle Lipa and FEU-DE La Salle taking one place each.

With a low national passing rate of only 18.82 per cent, the performance of most law schools significantly went down with the exception of UP which managed to have a 76 per cent passing rate. The results would have been worse had the Supreme Court not lowered the passing mark from 75 to 73. A fairly young law school, the Centro Escolar University School of Law and Jurisprudence, whose Dean is retired Senior Justice of the Supreme Court, Josue N. Bellosillo, performed rather well with a 71.42 per cent passing rate among its first takers. The CEU juris doctor program has a curriculum with 170 units as compared to the usual 155 units required in a bachelor of laws degree. To top it off, most of its students are working and self-supporting.

Law schools must do a post mortem, so to speak to analyze the outcome. To what can a law school attribute its success or failure in the bar exams? What makes law schools produce bar passers and topnotchers? There has been much debate on this subject as many law school deans say that there is a disconnect between how law is taught and how the licensure exam is given. They point out that passing the bar mostly requires information gathering rather than skills learning. Some disagree with this in that the past two bar examinations consisted mostly of essay questions which required the examinees to provide legal solutions to legal problems. The “information gathering only” argument may be considered to have applied to bar exams given several years ago, when the style of questioning was multiple choice. One may reasonably argue that this type of test measured the quantity of information gathered by an examinee more than his ability to analyze facts and determine what laws and legal remedies to apply.

So how should law school teachers teach? As Associate Dean and law professor at the CEU School of Law, it is my take that teachers must spell the difference, more especially among law schools that do not capture the best and the brightest among college graduates. It is a given that the top graduates of colleges try to enter the top three law schools in the country namely: UP, Ateneo and San Beda for their proven reputation in producing lawyers. In the case of UP the best college graduates gravitate not only for UP’s reputation of excellence but for its very low matriculation fees as well.

The result is that deans and teachers of other law schools are left with a tougher job to do. Law, as a course, is intrinsically tough by itself. The body of laws continues to grow as new pieces of legislation are passed and as the Supreme Court promulgates decisions which become part of the country’s laws.

A law school teacher must first focus on making students develop a study and work habit that will carry them through the entire four-year course and the bar examination. What law students learn for

OUT OF THE BOX

MONDAY: MARCH 30, 2015

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

‘THAT WOMAN’ TED Talks have quite a following on the Internet. These talks feaADELLE ture people believed CHUA to have a capacity for inspiring others. They get a few minutes talking about their experiences, their reflections.

Among those who have given such talks are Susan Cain, author of the book Quiet: The Hidden Power of Introverts, and Sting, who needs no introduction. Cain talked about how our culture has marginalized introverts for so long, and how extroverts have been hailed as superstars. Sting, on the other hand, talked about what came after his very long creative dry spell—a musical, The Last Ship, which explored his early experiences and emotions in a shipbuilding town in northern England.

Earlier this month, however, it was Monica Lewinsky who spoke on TED. Many of us except those who were too young to remember know Lewinsky as the woman who almost brought down a United States President. She was the White House intern who, at 22, had a relationship with her boss, US President Bill Clinton.

Lurid details of the affair came out in a subsequent investigation and media reports. Mr. Clinton made a sweeping denial—“no, I did not have sexual relations with that woman.” Lewinsky became famous in the most unflattering manner, and had been rejected by several institutions she had applied to because of her reputation.

That was 17 years ago. The 22-year-ols intern is now a 41-year-old public speaker. In her talk called “The Price of Shame,” Lewinsky characterized herself as Patient Zero of cyberbullying. There was no social media yet at that time, but there was already email, and people all over the world shared news stories and jokes about her—the tramp/ tart/ slut/whore/bimbo/That Woman. She had to deal with what she called a mob of virtual stonethrowers.

Establishing that she had long ago regretted what she had done, Lewinsky said that today, her name can be found in more than 40 rap songs. Younger people mght know her from these.

The TED Talk was in the context of technology-aided public shaming. Lewinsky said that what she experienced in 1998 and onwards is now being experienced by more individuals. Like her, they are “seen by many, but known

CHASING HAPPY

by few.” She bore her shame and learned to live with it. But not everybody who is humiliated on such a scale survives the ordeal.

According to Lewinsky, she was especially surprised to find her mother deeply affected by the suicide of 18-year old Tyler Clementi in 2010. Clementi, then a freshman at Rutgers University, jumped from the George Washington Bridge after a video of him being intimate with another man, and subsequent cruel comments, made the rounds of the Internet.

She eventually understood that her mother was reliving the events of 1998, when she her was at the center of the storm, and when both her parents were worried she might not find the strength to live another day.

In the latter part of her talk, Lewinsky talked less of herself and more on what is happening right now, with numerous entities profiting from the shame and humiliation of others. These people and organizations are aided by millions with just one click, because the “interesting” stories are read, shared and re-shared much to the delight of the advertisers. “Humiliation has become a commodity; shame has become an industry.”

How does this stop? Lewinsky has one word: Compassion. *** Should people dare listen to Lewinsky, a modern-day woman of ill repute? Those perhaps who fixate on what she was would scoff at her attempts to redeem herself, much less offer advice to young people on how they must behave online.

Scoffing, though,would smack of hypocrisy. Who has not done something one later on regretted? Who has not learned valuable lessons from a harrowing life experience?

Who has not stood up from a big-time fall?

Lewinsky’s TED Talk was applauded by her live audience. What she said made sense. She definitely knew what she was talking about—after all, she lived through it. Kids these days, and those of us who are always online, could pick up a thing or two from what she said about putting ourselves in the shoes of others and letting compassion guide how we react to what we see, whether online or off.

Yes, “that woman” is not one dimensional. Nobody is.

Let’s keep this in mind as we work our way to Easter. adellechua@gmail.com

four years in class makes up their and analytical. They must be taught stock knowledge from which they will the skill of separating the grain from draw the answers during the bar exthe chaff. They must thus be given ams. No one has passed the bar by doproblems that will harness their Teachers must ing a good five to six months of review prepare their students ability to set aside the irrelevant alone without having studied well in to be good lawyers— facts and focus on those that matter not just brilliant and in solving complex legal problems. the entire course. This is the reason skillful—but lawyers law teachers must assign loads of maFinally, teachers must prepare who will be true to terials and cases for students to read their students to be good lawyerstheir oath. on a daily basis.

-not just brilliant and skillful--but Second, a law school teacher must lawyers who will be true to their help students visualize how the lofty oath. Teachers must mold the and complex legal doctrines apply in minds of their students in the valreal life situations. It is not for stuues of honesty, integrity and a faithdents to memorize provisions of law verbatim. They ful service to clients, driven by a desire to help, not must understand the meaning, intent, and rationale by money. I have encountered many lawyers who are of laws and see how the Supreme Court has applied a great shame to the profession. Their teachers must them in actual cases. They must likewise be taught to partly share the guilt with these lawyers’ parents. visualize the rules of procedure and thus know what Teachers ought to remember that teaching is the rules to apply when confronted with legal issues and single profession that produces all other professions. cases. The ability to visualize is a key skill students There is no room for taking things for granted. must learn in law school because a person’s mind remembers best that which he can picture.

Email: ritalindaj@gmail.com Visit: www.jimenoThird, a teacher must train students to be critical law.com.ph

M O N d aY : M a R c h 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

OPINION

adelle chua EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

A11

The aTheism gap By stephen L. Carter cnn’s special report on atheists this week didn’t draw many viewers, and has been kicked around a bit in the blogosphere. certainly the program had its gaffes. Most important, as other critics have noted, the report trotted out the hoary—and ridiculous—claim that one in three millennials are atheists. (The correct figure is closer to 3 percent.)

But that wasn’t the biggest mistake.

By focusing on the lives of atheists, cnn swept into the wings, with only the briefest of mentions, atheism’s significant race and gender problems. according to a much-discussed 2012 report from the Pew research center on religion and Public life, only 3 percent of U.S. atheists and agnostics—are black, 6 percent are hispanic, and 4 percent are asian. Some 82 percent are white. (The relevant figures for the population at large at the time of the survey were 66 percent white, 11 percent black, 15 percent hispanic, 5 percent asian.)

The same report tells us that women are 52 percent of the U.S. population but only 36 percent of atheists and agnostics. The gender

LKY’s... From A9 Before “zero tolerance” became a buzzword, he practiced it. if his car is jolted by a pothole, a radio message is dispatched to the office who will patch it. a fading road sign? another call is sent from the Prime Minister’s office.

When he set out to build a prosperous Singapore, of course he was guided by economic planning blueprints. he had a grasp of geopolitics and customized his courtship of another nation’s investments on what his budding nation can offer which others cannot.

But he knew that a nation’s dna can never be built by econometrics alone. character must also be nurtured. So while he was focused on macroeconomic targets, he also invested

split has led some male atheists to muse about differences between the male and female brain—which in turn unsurprisingly generated sharp ripostes. certainly it makes the atheist movement less attractive to would-be adherents. as one commentator has put it, “Show me a party to which women are invited but that they overwhelmingly choose to avoid, and i’ll show you a party to which i’d ask you to remember not to invite me.”

Some feminist atheists contend that the gender split is a distinctively U.S. phenomenon. They point to a 2012 Win-gallup international survey tending to show that outside the U.S., men and women describe themselves as atheists at about the same rate.

But the Win-gallup data also point to what might be atheism’s larger difficulty: race, nationalism and ethnicity. in the U.S., atheists and agnostics are disproportionately male and white, as we have seen. around the world—well, let’s let the data tell the story.

Seven of the 10 least religious countries are in Europe. The other three are china, Japan and South Korea. Seven of the 10 most reli-

the same zeal in “good manners” drive.

While other leaders may find this obsession with micropolitics as beneath the majesty of their office, lee found them as essential in winning the future.

So that’s why he urged his people to speak good English, master Mandarin, never to spit, to flush the toilet, forsake chewing gum, and never throw trash off their windows. and when demographic data showed a dip in birth rate, he never blushed in pushing for procreation .

While he devours government reports like tasty merienda , he never waited for published evaluations to raise red flags . he was republic’s best round-the-clock auditor. for example, on the day his wife died, lee was in the hospital for a chest infection. his

#failocracy

gious countries are in the developing world, headed by ghana and nigeria. When the data are tabulated by region, those most likely to describe themselves as atheists are from north asia (42 percent) and western Europe (14 percent). at the other end are south asia (0 percent), and latin america and africa (2 percent each). at some point one has to admit that there is a pattern here. and just to pile on a bit, the estimable craig Keener, in his huge review of claims of miracles in a wide variety of cultures, concludes that routine rejection of the possibility of the supernatural represents an impulse that is deeply Eurocentric. richard dawkins, well-known apostle of atheism, only damages his cause when he insists that atheists are a race. Even if he was being tongue-in-cheek (and one certainly hopes so), he’s more likely to stir an already boiling identity politics pot. atheists themselves increasingly fight nasty battles over these issues—at least online. (That’s how this sort of criticism leads to this sort of response.) i had lunch a couple of years ago with a yale colleague who is a com-

doctors gave him a pass to attend the wake. on the way back to the hospital, he took an evening stroll along the bank of Singapore river, the way he and Mrs lee used to do. in his bereavement, he still managed to spot some trash floating on the river. he asked his security detail to take a photo of it so he can submit to the proper office.

By the way, he purified Singapore river not because some donor institutions with algae data prodded him. he admitted that its putrid smell had assaulted his senses since his bicycle-riding days before the war.

So in 1977, he assembled 10 agencies to complete the river’s rehab in 10 years, with the marching order that Singaporeans should be able to fish in that river again.

mitted atheist. he explained away the international data in pretty much the way one would expect: those other countries have to be liberated. They are mired in a false consciousness as the result of oppression and lack of education. in other words, people around the world who continue to believe in god are too stupid to understand the glittering truths that atheists see clearly.

The late Edward Said, in his classic work on imperialism, pointed out that an important step along the road is to describe those who are to be controlled as primitive. not inhuman, but primitive. Therefore when the imperialist foists his system upon them, he is not oppressing them but improving them. i’m not judging atheism here. There are atheists aplenty whose behavior is morally superior to that of many a religious believer. activists in the atheist cause, however, would do well to come up with a better explanation than primitiveness of people of color for the rejection of their message in most of the developing world. in any case, these issues would offer a far meatier topic for cnn’s next exploration of atheism.

Bloomberg

So it became clean because lee treated the mission as not just another administrative business. but something that is personal.

The rancid river rankles him. he was personally scandalized by its state. compare this to our Pasig river, whose foul odor wafts through the bulletproof windows of Malacanang. yet, it seems that its bouquet of rotting trash has not bothered its many occupants through the years.

There were perfunctory campaigns to clean it up but it was not motivated by bad personal experience but to just to comply with conditionalities of donors who had lent us money to spruce it.

We have a management culture enamored with big visions and grand mandates. But it is in the details that we flounder. To us, crafting the plan is the mis-

sion itself. if there’s an olympics for putting dreams into paper, we can win the gold.

So while our officials rush to catch their flights to yet another climate change powwow in distant time zones, they drive through roads poisoned by toxic fumes.

While congressmen legislate another clean and green law, they drive to their offices past mounds of trash.

While a top official’s convoy returns to its base after a trip to a groundbreaking rite for a new road, it meets colorum kuligligs counterflowing past busted traffic lights.

We need leaders with the foresight to dream of forests and the competence to plant and count the trees. like lee Kuan yew who put his nation on the fasttrack to prosperity, yet always found time to smell—and plant—the flowers.

chong ardivilla

M O N DAY : M A RCH 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

A12

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

CYAN MAGENTA YELL

Warriors secure West top seed Manila

Standard

TODAY

Message of Thanks

Notice of Dissolution of Jobin & Jobin Incorporated Notice is hereby given of the dissolution of JOBIN & JOBIN INCORPORATED as of December 31, 2012. Any party who has interest in this regard may give notice thereof at: SAPALO VELEZ BUNDANG & BULILAN LAW OFFICES 11TH FLOOR, SECURITY BANK CENTRE 6776 AYALA AVENUE, MAKATI CITY

We, the family of the late Engr. Fernando M. De Castro Jr. who peacefully passed away in the grace of our Lord last January 20, 2015 at the age of 82 wish to express our heartfelt gratitude and sincerest appreciation to all who offered masses and prayers, sent flowers and messages of sympathy and who in countless ways, condoled with and comforted us in our hour of bereavement. ( T N S - M A R 2 3, 3 0 /A PR 6, 2 015)

( T N S - M A R 2 3 , 3 0 /A PR 6, 2 015)

Republic of the Philippines CITY OF SAN PEDRO Province of Laguna BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID PR No. 2015 - 0542 1.

2.

The City Government of San Pedro Laguna through the 2015 Budget Approved by Sangguniang Panglunsod intends to apply the sum of Php 4,374,293.00 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Supply & Delivery of Office Supplies 1st & 2nd Qtr of 2015 for Various Offices of City Government of San Pedro, Laguna. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The City Government of San Pedro, Laguna now invites bids for the following : QTY 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

UNIT lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot

DESCRIPTION ACCOUNTING OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR’S OFFICE AGRICULTURE ARCHITECT’S OFFICE ASSESSOR’S OFFICE BUDGET OFFICE BJMP BPLO CENRO CFAU CHO-SANITATION CHO-NUTRITION OFFICE COA CPDC CSU CUDHO DILG DYSD ENGINEERING OFFICE BFP GALIC GSO HRMO JLAEH LEGAL OFFICE MTC Branch 1 MTC Branch 2 MTC-OCC LCR OFFICE OF THE CITY MAYOR OSCA PAIO PESO PLEB PNP POSO / TMU POPULATION OFFICE POPULATION OFFICE : CLINICAL PWDO CHO - RHU RTC Branch 31 RTC Branch 93 RTC-OCC SLAUGHTERHOUSE OFFICE SPECIAL PROJECT OFFICE SPTC TCA TREASURER’S OFFICE TRU PUP-SAN PEDRO SPTI - MANPOWER COMELEC CSWD PROSECUTOR’s OFFICE

3.

Delivery of the goods is required within seven (7) days upon receipt of Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed, within one (1) year from the date of submissions and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

4.

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

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

5.

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 date, time and below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of PESOS: (Php 5,000.00) ISSUANCE OF ELIGIBILITY AND BIDDING DOCUMENTS

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

6.

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

PRE-BID CONFENRENCE April 1, 2015 10:00 AM BAC Secretariat 4/f Conference Room City Administrator’s Office City Hall of San Pedro

7.

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

DEADLINE OF SUBMSSION OF ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND OPENING OF BIDS

April 13, 2015 10:00AM BAC Secretariat 4/f Conference Room City Administrator’s Office City Hall of San Pedro

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

8.

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

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

9.

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

(TS-MAR. 30, 2015)

MILWAUKEE —The Golden State Warriors secured the top seed in the NBA’s Western Conference on Saturday with a record-setting victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Stephen Curry scored 25 points and Klay Thompson added 21 in the 108-95 victory, which guarantees the Warriors the best record in the west and home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.

The Warriors also set a club record for wins in a season with their 60th triumph of the current campaign.

Their previous record of 59 was set in 1975-76.

Harrison Barnes scored 13 points and pulled down six rebounds and Marreese Speights supplied 12 points and seven rebounds for Golden State, who won their ninth straight game.

The Warriors connected on 12 of 25 three-point attempts and made 12 of 14 free throws.

The Bucks in contrast were just two of 15 from three-point range and were held to 37.9 percent from the floor overall.

Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 14 points.

Milwaukee trimmed a 19-point deficit after three quarters to 11, moving on to score the first eight points of the fourth.

Golden State, however, respond-

ed with a 10-4 scoring run and were never threatened after that.

Meanwhile, the NBA reaffirmed the league’s commitment to diversity Saturday, after Indiana passed a law that activists fear allows discrimination against homosexuals in the state.

“The game of basketball is grounded in long established principles of inclusion and mutual respect,” the league said in a statement issued jointly with the Indiana Pacers and their WNBA sister club the Indiana Fever.

“We will continue to ensure that all fans, players and employees feel welcome at all NBA and WNBA events in Indiana and elsewhere.”

Supporters of gay rights united in outrage Friday after Indiana governor Mike Pence signed the law touted as a measure to protect religious freedom.

The law, which takes effect July 1, makes no mention of gays or lesbians, but activists say it effectively makes it legal for Indiana businesses whose owners reject homosexuality on religious grounds to turn away gay customers. AFP

Djokovic takes net opener MIAMI—Defending champions Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams launched their Miami Open repeat bids in constrasting style on Saturday, Djokovic battling past Martin Klizan as Williams cruised into the third round.

Djokovic, the top seed who is looking for a fifth Miami Masters crown, had to work for his 6-0, 5-7, 6-1 second-round victory over Slovakia’s Klizan.

The world number one, who beat Roger Federer last weekend for the Indian Wells crown in California, is hoping to duplicate his North American March hardcourt title double of last year.

In fact, the Serb is bidding to become the first man to complete the sweep three times.

He looked well on his way to a quick win when he snapped up the opening set against his 41st-ranked opponent in 23 minutes.

He won the first seven games before Klizan got onto the scoreboard and appeared set to serve out a quick victory with a 5-3 lead in the second.

But he dropped his serve and Klizan went on to win the second set before Djokovic re-established control and earned the victory after one hour, 56 minutes. ?”Credit to Martin for battling and making me play an extra shot,” Djokovic said. “It was a pretty different game in the second set than it was in the first. AFP

Walker stretches golf lead Winners, shown with organizers of the Globe 17th HEAD Graphene XT Junior Tennis Satellite Circuit third leg in Cagayan De Oro City, display their medals.

Llavore rules Globe HEAD netfest 3rd leg JANELLA Carmela Llavore outlasted two different rivals to bag two titles in the third leg of Globe 17th HEAD Graphene XT Junior Tennis Satellite Circuit Cagayan De Oro City leg recently at the Nazareth Lawn Tennis Club in Cagayan De Oro City.

Llavore, who is a familiar figure in age-group tennis in Mindanao for the last four years, defeated Mary Aubrey Calma in the championship round, 6-1 (retired), to claim the 18-under girls’ singles’ title of the annual competition organized by the Dynamics Sports.

Llavore of CDO also stopped Patricia Velez’s two-leg title streak in the girls’ 16-under singles class by scoring a 6-4, 7-6 victory in the championship round to bag her second crown in the satellite junior tennis competition, participated by more than 130 participants from the Mindanao region.

Velez won the 16-under singles’ titles in Davao City first leg and Isulan, Sultan Kudarat second leg.

The tournament is supported

by Chris Sports, Head ATP Tennis Balls, Graphene XT, Toalson, Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Tennis Association, along with Sports Radio 918AM, Home Radio 97.9FM Natural, Boracay Informer, Todo 88.5FM Aklan, Radyo Inquirer 990AM, Power Wheels Magazine, Motorcycle Magazine, Balikbayan The Asian Journal Magazine, Wazzup Pilipinas, Reach Magazine, Oishi and AMAX Inn Makati.

Allen Gerry Manlangit whipped Aaron Paduganan in the finals, 6-3, 6-3, for the boys’ 18-under singles’ crown; Jake Martin won over Andre Cuevas, 6-3, 6-3, for the boys’ 16-under singles’ trophy; and Andre Cuevas ripped Jonelle Christian Llavore, 6-1, 6-2, for the boys’ 14-under singles’ title.

SAN ANTONIO—Hometown hope Jimmy Walker fired six birdies in a three-under-par 69 on Saturday to stretch his lead in the US PGA Tour Texas Open to four strokes.

Walker, who lives just a half-hour’s drive from TPC San Antonio, had a 54-hole total of nine-under-par 207 and a comfortable cushion over rising US star Jordan Spieth.

Spieth, the 21-year-old who also hails from Texas, carded a one-under 71 for 211.

He was two strokes in front of last season’s FedEx Cup playoff champion Billy Horschel, who birdied the last three holes in a 71 for 213.

Walker, who captured his fourth PGA Tour title at the Sony Open in Hawaii this year, started the day with a one-shot lead over Charley Hoffman and Aaron Baddeley.

He closed his round with back-to-back birdies, chipping to seven feet at 17 and draining a 10-footer at the last, and was pleased with his effort on another tough, windy day.

“It was a tough day today.

It blew really hard again,out of the south today. So I know it’s a windy golf course, but it’s still tough,” Walker said.

“The greens are firm. You can see some spots starting to brown out a bit.” AFP

m o n day : m a rc h 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

A13

Runners answer the starting gun of the last year’s Yakult 10 Miler silver edition from the CCP complex in Pasay City.

Donaire, Nietes crush foes in Pinoy Pride 30

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Pride 30, titled Demolition Day, lived up to its billing as all three featured stars on the blockbuster fight card destroyed their opponents before a large and enthusiastic crowd at the Araneta Coliseum Saturday.

Among the celebrities at special ringside were former president and now Mayor of Manila Joseph Estrada, the owner of the Araneta Coliseum “Nene” Araneta and his wife Stella Marquez Araneta, ABS-CBN top honcho Gabby Lopez, Congressman Henry Cojuangco and a galaxy of showbiz stars, including Bayani Agbayani, Edu Manzano, Randy and Raymart Santiago and the Purefoods’ PBA duo of James Yap and Marc Pingris, as well as former PBA chairman Ricky Vargas among others.

Undefeated IBF International junior featherweight champion

Prince Albert Pagara engaged Mexico’s KO artist Rodolfo “Fofo” Hernandez in an all-out war before the Mexican injured his right hand and couldn’t continue, with the Filipino winning by a fifthround TKO. Nonito Donaire flashed his vaunted speed and punching power to overwhelm Brazil’s William Prado. Eager to make a statement in his first comeback fight since his crushing sixth-round loss to WBA featherweight super champion Nicholas Walters, Donaire responded to the crowd who kept chanting his name at the start of the second round and

went after Prado with a vengeance.

Donaire battered the Brazilian without let-up and jumped into him with thunderous left hooks and uppercuts that had Prado reeling across the ring and when Donaire trapped him on the ropes and continued to land some thunderous shots, international referee Bruce McTavish stepped in and stopped the massacre at 2:16 of Round 2.

With the win, Donaire lifted his record to 34-3 with 22 knockouts while Prado dropped to 22-5-1 with 15 knockouts.

WBO light flyweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, the longest- reigning Filipino world champion, broke down Mexico’s touted Gilberto Parra, who had a record of 17 knockouts in 19 wins with 2 draws, round by round, before stepping up his attack in the eighth with a stinging left to the body and a right to the head to drop his foe.

A nasty gash on the eyelid of

Parra’s left eye caused by the incessant pounding he received from Nietes spelled the end when referee Jack Reiss stopped the fight on the advice of the ring doctor at the end of the ninth round for a dominating TKO victory by Nietes, who improved his record to 35-1 with 21 knockouts while Parra suffered his third defeat against 19 wins,.

Meanwhile, Malacanang yesterday said the Filipino people has once again taken pride on the victories of boxing champions Donaire and Nietes.

“The Filipino people take pride once more with the remarkable victory of Nonito Donaire, Jr. against Brazilian boxer, William Prado, and with the win of Donnie Nietes in defending his WBO (World Boxing Organization) junior flyweight championship,” said Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Edwin Lacierda during an interview over radio station DZRB’s program “Pilipinas! Pilipinas!”.

With Sandy Araneta

Runners quench thirst POCARI Sweat, the one and unique health hydration drink that can replenish the body with the important electrolytes that it had lost during sweating, has partnered with leading convenience store 7-11 for its Fun Run Series, which were held recently at the Filinvest Alabang.

This athletic event encourages runners, health buffs, and others interested in improving their physical vitality to take part in a marathon run that covers the following categories: 500 m, 5k, 10k, 16k, 21k, and 42k. A total of 10,850 participants joined the run.

Runners in the 5k category were Participants of the 7-Eleven Fun Run are shown at the start of race. given an extra boost when they drank

their bottles of Pocari Sweat. Pocari Sweat prevents dehydration because it contains the balance of ions and water that the body needs to perform and sustain physical activity.

“The fluid in our bodies contains not just water but also various ions.

Every time you run, your body loses water and electrolytes through sweat.

It is important that you replace both water and electrolytes with a drink that can replenish both. Pocari Sweat is proud to participate in these fun runs because they motivate people to develop very active and healthy lives,” said Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Inc. Asst.

Brand Manager Janeth Leus.

PH’s premier 10-mile race set May 24 YAKULT Phils., Inc. announced the 26th annual staging of the country’s pioneer and premier 10-mile race, the Yakult 10 MILER on May 24.

Supported by Mizuno, this longestrunning 10-mile run will have for its side events 5K and 3K runs, starting and ending at the Cultural Center Complex grounds in Pasay City.

Registration starts today at the following Mizuno Outlets: Trinoma Mall, 916-6495; SM Megamall, 9542066; Bonifacio High Street at Bonifacio Global City, 856-1432 and at SM Mall of Asia, 954-2407.

Registration fees are pegged at P500 for the 16K run; P400 for the 5K and P300 for the 3K run inclusive of a running singlet issued upon registration.

All finishers will receive an additional finisher’s t-shirt and a bottle of Yakult, the unique health drink with lacto bacilli shirota strain.

Cash prizes plus trophies and Yakult gift packs await the top five finishers of the 16K run. The 5K and 3K top three finishers will receive medals and Yakult gift packs.

Although the 3K run is open to individuals 6 years and above, top finishers awards will only be for kids 6 to 9 years old and 10 to 12 years old.

In last year’s silver edition of the Yakult 10 MILER, Kenyans dominated again the top three finishers, when Elphiz Kepngetich found little challenge from local foes as he and two other Kenyans once again came up with a 1-2-3 finish in the 16K run. Kepngetich topped the race in 48 minutes and 51 seconds.

Cindy Lorenzo of Dasmarinas, Cavite prevented the Kenyans from sweeping both divisions by ruling the distaff division in an hour, 8 minutes and 27 seconds.

The 26th staging of Yakult 10 MILER is expected to attract over 3,000 runners.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

A14

m o n day : m a rc h 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Cabrera, Ang top kickoff of karting series

Gabe Cabrera (center) emerged as the ROK Shifter champion over Lean Linao in the Petron Blaze 100 ROK Karting awarding ceremony graced by Petron Marketing Officer Khino Calderon (right).

Team PH turns back Dubai, 13-9, in polo TEAM Philippines exploded for four goals in the second chukker to score a 13-9 win over Dubai in the Belo Polo Cup 2015 “Battle of the Titans” before a big crowd yesterday in Makati.

Though penalized by a goal before the start of the tournament for carrying a handicap of 17 against only 15 for the visitors, Team PH tied the match right away as Argentinean 7-goaler Niño Obregon – living up to his lofty billing in the five-chukker match – came through with a brilliant maneuver for an easy goal.

Team PH produced four more goals in the next frame with Obregon picking up another and also had a hand in one of two goals made by Fil-Am Anthony Garcia to rip the game wide open, 5-1.

Dubai, through the leadership of

team patron Sam Instone, did not give up the fight easily as it rallied through the brilliant plays of Matthias Zabaleta to make the match presented by Belo Medical Group doubly interesting.

But in the end, the chemistry forged by Team PH proved too much for Dubai to overcome.

Mikee Romero, whose company Globalport helped organize the first 17-goal match in the country in 20 years, capped Team PH’s breakaway with a huge shot of his own.

“In a high-level game like this, it is important to have a teamwork and it

showed,” said Romero, who finished with three goals. “It was a tough win.”

While it was Obregon, who started it all for Team PH, it was Garcia who emerged as the Most Valuable Player of the match with six goals.

Obregon and Miguel Diaz – playing in the country for the second time – had two goals each, while Zabaleta paced Dubai with four goals.

In the side-event, Sonny Borromeo delivered three goals to power Team Yellow to an 8-2 victory over Team Blue.

Santi Juban and Stuart Tomlinson also shone for the Yellows by chipping in two goals each, while Coco Garcia had one, but he anchored his team’s solid defense that limited their rivals to only two goals in the four-chukker match.

Cage opener. Rep. Benjie Agarao (District 4, Laguna) makes the ceremonial toss to open the third Barkadahan Basketbolista

ni Senador Trillanes at the newly constructed Agarao covered court in Lumban, Laguna. With the congressman and the players are Benson Ong of Joe Boxer, Molly Barnes and coach Johny Tam. Backing the event are Joe Boxer, Felinitas Sardines, J & E International Freight Forwarding, Fronte Motors, Firm Builders, Burlington Socks, Grandsports and David Ong.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

SEAOIL karter Gabe Tayao Cabrera refused to wilt as he hacked out a close triumph in the new premier class, the ROK Shifter Senior Max Diesel, recently in the kickoff leg of the 2015 Petron Blaze 100 ROK Karting Super Series at the Carmona Racetrack.

The 15-year-old Cabrera flaunted his driving consistency and solid composure to survive the strong challenge from Lean Linao in the final race to emerge champion and gain a step ahead for coveted Karter of the Year award of this event sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by Petron, Petron Blaze 100 Euro 4, Petron XCS, Petron Ultron, Petron Xtra, Petron Sprint, Magnolia Pure Water and Yokohama, the official tires.

It was the first time Cabrera raced with a ROK Shifter which is becoming popular in Italy and other European countries. The said class was introduced in local karting last year and made the premier class, serving as basis for the Karter of the Year plum to keep Filipino karters at pace with the competitive level of world karting, Though still familiarizing himself with the new engine, he f launted the same top form as he dominated the Qualifying heat and the Pre-Finals.

Linao opted for last-ditch moves to steal the limelight from Cabrera as they engaged in a neck-and-neck battle that ended in a near photo finish. But Cabrera kept his pace and blocked all possible open doors to spoil Linao’s plans.

Cabrera wrapped up the completed the 20-lap race in 16 minutes and 29.360 seconds, just a slim 0.475 of a second ahead of Linao, with VJ Suba claiming third place.

Like Cabrera, Jacob Ang of Eagle Cement also uncorked a lopsided triumph to clinch the KF Junior Blaze 100 crown as he finished way ahead of runner-up Draeco McLelland and third placer Mikey Jordan. Wils Casequin checked in fourth, while John Dizon wound up fifth.

Jungolf summer tour starts with Baguio Jr Open THE summer tour for local junior golfers kicks off with the holding of the ICTSI-JGFP Baguio Junior Open today and tomorrow at the treacherous Baguio Country Club course in Baguio.

Sixty players aged 6 to 17 years old are entered in the 36-hole tourney serving as the opening leg of the summer circuit organized by the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines with the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. Foundation as main sponsor.

There will be six age-group classifications to be disputed for boys and girls, with the top finishers in Class A (15-17 years), Class B (13-14), Class C (11-12), Class D (9-10), Class E (7-8) and Class F (6 years and under) winning trophies.

This year’s ICTSI-JGFP Summer Circuit is also sponsored by the Philippine Golf Foundation, Martin Lorenzo, Golf Depot, Crystal Catx and Inquirer Golf.

To be held right after the Baguio leg is the ICTSI-JGFP Interclub on April 7 and 8 at the Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club in Lipa, Batangas.

Confirmed to participate are 20 teams coming from Aguinaldo, Alabang CC, Apo Golf, Eastridge, Orchard, Philippine Navy, PraderaLubao and Valley.

“It’s going to be another busy summer for the kids. There will be lots of events for them to get the much-needed confidence in their games for the bigger competitions ahead,” said JGFP president Luigi Tabuena.

The summer schedule will be highlighted by the eliminations for the Junior World Championships in three different courses.

M O N DAY : M A RCH 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Mercado-Cruz duo lifts Shopinas past Philips

By Peter Atencio

FORMER La Salle standouts Stephanie Mercado and Charleen Cruz provided the key points as the Shopinas Lady Clickers got past the Philips Gold Lady Slammers, 25-18, 26-24, 29-27, yesterday at the Arena in San Juan.

Mercado, who had nine points with Cruz, came up with a key play in the final set, helping power the Lady Clickers to their second straight win and the solo lead in the Philippine Super Liga All-Filipino Conference 2015 Volleyball tournament.

The 5’8” Mercado blocked Michelle Gumabao’s placement shot at the net to put Shopinas

ahead, 28-27.

A net error from Myla Pablo then settled the issue in favor of the Lady Clickers.

“Pinatunayan ng mga players ko na malaki ang natutunan nila since I handled them in college. The girls need to jell more. Pero nandu’n ang diskarte,” said Lady Clickers coach Ramil de Jesus.

After Shopinas took a sevenpoint advantage in the first set, the Lady Slammers stayed close in the second set and moved ahead, 24-23 on Mic Laborte’s block.

They then took the second set, following a killshot from Cruz, and Rossan Fajardo’s net error.

Philips drew 13 points from Gumabao, including two attacks which allowed them to grab the upperhand, 22-20, in the third.

Gumabao’s net miscue and Alexa Tan’s kill at the right flanks allowed Shopinas to tie the match 22-all.

Lady Slammers’ spiker Desiree Dadang’s service error then gave the Lady Clickers the chance to remain close, 27-all.

Despite the third-set heroics by

Laborte and Dy, and Philips Gold’s 34 turnovers, Shopinas coach Ramil de Jesus also credited their win on their ability to stop the Lady Slammers’ attackers, especially her former player, Gumabao.

“I know her weaknesses, and we took advantage of them” said De Jesus, who won three titles for De La Salle University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, with the pretty Gumabao on the firing end.

“But I’m happy and proud that Michelle had a very good game.

I know she wants to prove something and she wants to show that she is still improving although she’s no longer playing for me. I’m glad that she stepped up on both ends of the floor.”

Philips Gold’s Michelle Gumabao is foiled by Micmic Laborte and Cha Cruz of Shopinas in a Super Liga game won by the Lady Clickers, 25-18, 26-24, 29-27. ROMAN PROSPERO

Pactolerin, Cuello head cast Roach... in PGAP pro-am golf tourney

Foreign pros join Asian Cup triathlon FOREIGN triathletes seeking qualifying points for the ASTC Triathlon Asian Cup series, as well as the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic triathlon event, are set for a battle royale in the two-day 2015 Subic Bay ASTC Asian Triathlon Cup 2015 event copresented by SPEEDO set for April 25 and 26 at the Subic Bay Freeport.

On the Elite category are eight from Japan, three from Macau and about 40 up-and-coming triathletes representing Australia, Uzbekistan, Iran, Hong Kong, Syria, Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, Singapore and Canada.

Among the foreign pros to watch out for is Australia’s Kelly Perkins, who is coming off an impressive performance in the March 14 Maloobala Oceania Cup and will be challenged by the tough national triathletes of Japan. John Chicano will lead the Philippine team.

On the distaff side of the event supported by SPEEDO, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Tourism Department Tourism Department, New Balance, Harbor Point Ayala Mall, Philippine Sports Commission, Century Tuna, Gatorade, Asian Center for Insulation, Standard Insurance, East West Building Technology, Inc., the Lighthouse Marina Resort, RaceDay, SBR. ph, Multisport, Kikay Runner and Pinoy Fitness, Philippine age-grouper Kim Kilgroe and Malaysia’s back-to-back 13-15 category champion Zoe Bowden will make their respective debuts in the elite competitions.

Under the mechanics of the event organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines, in cooperation with the SBMA, Asian Triathlon Confederation and the International Triathlon union, the top local and international elite athletes will get ITU points for Asian and world ranking, and qualification to major international competitions.

The elite junior (ages 1619) competition, meanwhile, will have Britain’s Sam O’Shea and the United States’ Kyle Izzo testing their mettle with the Philippine delegation, led

by Edward Macalalad, Julius Constantino, Justin Chiongbian and Jimuel Patilan.

From A16

VETERAN tour campaigners Robert Pactolerin and Rodrigo Cuello head close to 40 teams clashing for top honors in the PGAP pro-am golf tournament unfolding today at Club Intramuros.

A total prize fund of P200,000 is up for grabs in the event, one of the club’s premier tournaments, featuring some of the country’s leading pros and amateurs and lady golfers.

Format is a two-man team event with the lowest combined output from the pro’s gross score and the amateur’s net score through Blind Callaway winning the top P20,000 purse.

However, the top 30 pros in the current Order of Merit of the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour will not be allowed to team up with a current member of the

national team, a foreign amateur or a player with a 10 handicap or better, according to the organizing Professional Golfers Association of the Philippines, headed by president Jun Bustamante.

Joining Pactolerin, a former Philippine Open and many-time Masters champion, and Cuello, who won the Hong Kong Open in 1996, in the roster are senior campaigners Juanito Pagunsan, Mario Manubay, the 1986 Phl Open winner, and Caloy Nival.

Club Intramuros chief operating officer Mark Lapid and resident manager Adelfo Mendoza III will join Bustamante in the ceremonial drive kicking off the 18-hole tournament which also offers fabulous prizes for the top amateur finishers.

with a fighter from San Diego, whose name the trainer wasn’t sure of.

“Manny was good,” said Somodio.

Despite it being a long week, Somodio said Pacquiao followed the fight strategy for the showdown with undefeated pound-for-pound No.1 Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 2.

American trainer Rick Staheli, who steered Pacquiao to his first world title when he scored an eighth-round knockout of Chatchai Sasakul to win the World Boxing Council flyweight crown on Dec. 3, 1998, has expressed some concern over reports that Pacquiao has been suffering from recurring cramps in his calves.

“Pacquiao should stop training like he’s 25,” said Staheli, who noted the

cramps may be caused by a lack of potassium or an imbalance in salt.

He said the decision to turn to sprints on the track oval is “spot on.”

At the same time, Staheli wondered whether Mayweather’s decision to recruit Alex Ariza as his strength and conditioning coach may backfire.

He said Ariza, who worked with Pacquiao during a rousing run when he demolished David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito, may put Mayweather “into untraveled waters and this may hurt him in fight night.”

Staheli noted that because of the magnitude of the Fight of the Century, both Pacquiao and Mayweather are “trying too hard and because of the way they train, may leave something in the gym.”

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK M O N DAY : M A RC H3 0 , 2 0 1 5

A16

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS Roach likes what he sees in Pacman’s sparring

By Ronnie Nathanielsz CELEBRATED Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach was very happy with what he saw from eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao after he sparred nine rounds with three different sparring partners and followed up with eight rounds on the punch-mitts on Saturday (Sunday, Manila time).

Top Rank publicist Fred Sternburg relayed the information to the Standard/boxingmirror.com after speaking with Roach.

Roach’s assistant trainer Marvin Somodio said that Pacquiao sparred two rounds with 21-year-old Chicago native Kenneth Simms Jr., who has a record of 5-0 with 2 knockouts, followed by four rounds with a welterweight by the name of “Kendre,” who is also undefeated with a record of 12-0 with 5 knockouts, and three rounds Turn to A15

Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao on the speedball

Turn to A15

Purefoods marches to semis

By Jeric Lopez

PUREFOODS is marching back to the semifinals again.

Denzel Bowles unleashed game-highs of 32 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks to push Purefoods to a 96-89 victory over Alaska and a two-game sweep of their best-of-three clash in the 2015 Philippine Basketball Association quarterfinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum yesterday.

The defending champions are now bound to the next round and will face Talk ‘N Text in a muchanticipated Battle of the Titans’ best-of-five semifinal showdown.

Purefoods coach Tim Cone was just re-

lieved to see his squad get through.

After racking up four straight championships, Purefoods’ run was halted last Philippine Cup as it had a premature exit in the quarterfinals. It then made it a point this time to turn the tide around emphatically and get back to the semifinals to have a chance of defending its crown.

The Star Hotshots, who dominated the entire series, used a 13-4 blitz to open the second half and create the much-needed separation as they opened up a 59-47 advantage at the 7:23 mark of the third

‘’It got a bit scary in the end, but it’s a huge relief that we’re in the semifinals now,’’ said Purefoods’ coach Tim Cone. ‘’I can’t tell you how glad we are to get through this series.’’

DONAIRE, NIETES CRUSH RIVALS

SHOPINAS GETS PAST PHILIPS GOLD IN PSL TURN TO A15 CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

TURN TO A13

after Mark Pingris’ two freebies.

They then went on to hammer the Aces more and win the third decisively, 24-12, to head the final frame with a very comfortable 7055 spread.

Alaska tried to fight back in the fourth in an attempt to save its campaign, orchestrating an 11-point run in the waning minutes to turn a 15-point deficit midway the period into just four, 8884, after Damion James’ jumper with 2:13 left.

However, Purefoods hit timely points down the stretch when it mattered to secure its berth in the next round.

Bowles got plenty of help from the locals as fellow starters Joe Devance and James Yap also tallied

in twin-digits, while Mark Barroca gave the team a huge lift off the bench.

Devance played second banana with 16 points, while Barroca added 14 and Yap hit 11 for the Star Hotshots.

RJ Jazul led the exiting Aces with 22 points points, while James finished with 21.

The scores:

Purefoods 96 — Bowles 32, Devance 16, Barroca 14, Yap 11, Mallari 7, Pingris 6, Maliksi 6, Simon 3, Melton 1, Reavis 0, Pennisi 0.

Alaska 89 — Jazul 22, James 21, Abueva 14, Casio 10, Thoss 8, Baguio 7, Banchero 3, Manuel 2, Hontivros 2, Exciminiano 0, Menk 0, Dela Cruz 0, Baclao 0.

Quarters: 30-21; 46-43; 70-55; 96-89.

LOTTO RESULTS

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-0

P16M

3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

B1

MONDAY: MARCH 30, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

PSe comPoSite index Closing March 27, 2015

Hog convention. Sen. Cynthia Villar (third from right) urges members of the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines and National Fed-

eration of Hog Farmers Inc. and industry players to continue their collaborated efforts to boost the country’s agricultural growth. Villar, the chairman of the Senate agriculture and food committee, says the ‘glory days’ of agriculture can easily be revived. Shown with her during the 24th Hog Convention & Trade Exhibits at the Philippine Internation Convention Centerare (from left) Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala; Vicente Mercado; Chester Warren Tan; Agriculture Assistant Secretary Davinio Catbagan; Rep. Rico Geron of AGAP Partylist; Edwin Chen and Rubina Cresencio, acting director of the Bureau of Animal Industry.

PAL buys 2 Airbus jets, revises orders

By Darwin G. Amojelar

FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines said Sunday it bought two new Airbus jets, as a part of a plan to increase its outstanding orders for single-aisle aircraft to 40 over a 10-year period.

PAL said it had finalized an agreement with Airbus covering

the purchase of two additional A321 NEO aircraft.

“At the same time, the delivery schedules for 10 of the existing aircraft on order have been revised by mutual agreement with Airbus. This increases the carrier’s outstanding orders for Airbus single-aisle aircraft to 40 for delivery from 2015 to 2024,” the company said.

“The A321 NEOs will enable PAL to continue to grow its current single-aisle fleet and

Firms seek new Euro 4 schedule

By Alena Mae S. Flores TWO foreign oil companies have expressed readiness to comply with the Euro 4 fuel standards, but asked the government to delay its implementation to January 2016, instead of the July 2015 timeline.

Chevron Philippines Inc., which markets the Caltex brand and PTT Philippines, said it would import the Euro 4 compliant products once the final deadline was set.

Chevron country chairman Peter Morris said the company was “ready to make the change.”

B3

“There is no major problem. It is just a matter of timing, changing a supply chain and making it happen,” Morris said.

“We are in favor of the January implementation because that’s what the industry has been planning for,” said Morris.

The Environment Department issued a directive requiring the use of Euro 4 fuel and imposing stricter emissions standards for all vehicles starting July 2015.

Morris, however, said as Chevron was importing its oil supply, it could only hold only three months of stocks.

Bourses merger set in May

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

“So it takes us a couple of months, if we need to replenish our supply chain,” he said.

PTT Philippines president Sukanya Seriyothin said the company would import the Euro 4 compliant fuels from a refinery in Thailand.

“It’s not a problem for us,” she said, adding that PTT planned to import about 200,000 barrels a month of Euro 4 fuel from Thailand.

“Our refinery in Thailand already uses [Euro 4] for so long.

We’ll bring the finished product in Subic,” she said.

B4

spread out its aircraft delivery stream in line with market growth,” it said in a statement.

The jets will be used for domestic routes, company spokesman Cielo Villauna told AFP. Before the purchase of the two jets was announced on Sunday, the company said it was expecting 10 deliveries this year.

Asia’s oldest airline posted a “small profit” last year after billionaire Lucio Tan regained control, company president Jaime Bautista told Bloomberg Television earlier this month.

Tan bought back for a reported $1 billion last year the 49-percent stake that he had sold to San Miguel Corp. in 2012. He also reinstalled Bautista as PAL president.

Bautista said in November last year PAL was looking for a new investor to help fund an expansion program that includes the purchase of more long-haul jets.

The carrier resumed flights to New York this month and announced plans to reopen its hub in Cebu.

MNTC’s road link project to cost P14b

7,877.96 6.86

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing MARCH 27, 2015 45

P44.760

44

CLOSE

43 42 41

HIGH P44.760 LOW P44.830 AVERAGE P44.796 VOLUME 458.500M

P508.00-P728.00 LPG/11-kg tank P37.27-P42.82 Unleaded Gasoline P27.40-P31.70 Diesel

oPriceS il P today

P35.40-P39.15 Kerosene P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, March 27, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

44.8270

Japan

Yen

0.008390

0.3761

UK

Pound

1.485500

66.5905

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128959

5.7808

Switzerland

Franc

1.038745

46.5638

Canada

Dollar

0.801860

35.9450

Singapore

Dollar

0.730300

32.7372

Australia

Dollar

0.784806

35.1805

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652450

118.9014

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266603

11.9510

Brunei

Dollar

0.727643

32.6181

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000077

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.030750

1.3784

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

12.2064

Euro

Euro

1.088900

48.8121

Korea

Won

0.000906

0.0406

China

Yuan

0.160968

7.2157

India

Rupee

0.015916

0.7135

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.273448

12.2579

New Zealand

Dollar

0.032053

1.4368

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031773

1.4190 Source: PDS Bridge

MONDAY: MARCH 30, 2015

B2

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

MST BuSineSS Weekly STockS RevieW STOCKS

MARCH 23-27,2015 Close Volume

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

7.2 70.45 121.50 101.30 46.6 2.32 2.32 16.74 24.6 9.00 1.79 746.00 0.430 97.3 1.05 18.34 31.00 77.90 95.00 330 45.7 170 1440.00 69.10 3.03

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Bogo Medellin C. Azuc De Tarlac 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 Leisure & Resorts B Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ SPC Power Corp.

Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

44.5 1.79 1.1 2.27 12.68 50 90.00 20.55 29.2 63.7 1.78 11.7 20.300 11.36 8.50 10.30 1.32 23.5 30.2 99.6 14.98 0.4600 14.60 6.67 0.620 217.40 9.6 178100 34.10 3.01 54.00 26.9 27.95 7.800 269.00 4.15 4.12 9.84 5 11.48 3.97 2.93 2.94 5.40 3.19 6.25 203.4 4.5 1.67 0.172 1.42 2.23 212.2 4.72 0.7 20.85 1.50

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

Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Minerales Industrias Corp.

Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg 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 Zeus Holdings

0.470 57.05 26.95 1.43 7.07 1.74 2.74 2.71 780 8.98 15.58 3.15 4.54 0.335 1321 6.39 71.30 8.75 0.78 16.54 0.64 4.89 5.2 0.0400 1.500 0.710 2.45 67.00 2.93 888.50 1.25 0.95 100.00 0.4350 0.2400 0.315

8990 HLDG

8.880

Value

Close

FINANCIAL 14,268,212.00 7,264,747.00 1,754,952,360.00 731,541,589.00 7,212,180.00 397,894.00 3,503,850.00 5,586,788.00 111,203,915.00 2,595,882 10,610.00 4,393,310.00 2,210,950.00 2,558,692,853.00 993,080.00 2,269,468.00 2,647,550.00 117,335,512.00 755,785.00 14,532,190.00 53,098,280.00 455,575,760.00 3,434,830.00 4,765,463.00 177,890.00 INDUSTRIAL 12,735,400 576,328,100.00 76,900 183,150.00 1,631,000 1,769,930.00 57,048,000 128,040,360.00 3,301,400 36,211,890.00 6,080 316,186.00 1,160 104,350.00 3,162,200 77,948,807.00 3,563,700 92,620,360.00 205,680 12,869,370.00 656,400 1,265,580.00 1,296,300 15,137,322.00 23,050,600 466,037,605.00 18,932,900 216,783,120.00 159,333,500 1,328,225,323.00 6,587,100 75,909,413.00 87,000 118,230.00 3,734,000 91,185,145.00 11,604,400 341,362,020.00 2,799,620 282,511,064.00 101,400 1,430,498.00 630,000 290,600.00 42,300 617,348.00 2,710,700 18,217,679.00 553,400 396,560.00 3,920,560 845,720,044.00 6,307,500 60,915,751.00 1,704,024 -639,714.00 9,200 324,445.00 4,589,000 14,077,100.00 6,120 314,710.00 8,818,600 235,108,560.00 3,110,200 88,350,200.00 819,500 6,393,585.00 923,330 249,309,264.00 53,000 215,170.00 14,550,000 60,195,420.00 9,267,400 92,321,557.00 17,000 79,753.00 423,900 4,865,832.00 2,282,000 9,037,080.00 9,300,000 27,156,230.00 52,871,800 196,852,480.00 9,351,800 54,862,287.00 23,000 66,730.00 38,600 243,294.00 38,870 7,940,324.00 15,000 67,500.00 1,138,600 2,054,510.00 27,160,000 8,046,900.00 359,000 505,290.00 4,270,500 10,507,270.00 9,891,210 1,799,207,564.00 439,000 1,988,230.00 5,436,000 3,815,800.00 2,200 46,035.00 1,429,000 2,142,670.00 HOLDING FIRMS 850,000 394,570.00 4,704,980 266,231,219.00 52,498,500 1,415,018,180.00 588,000 820,580.00 183,600 1,292,307.00 17,000 28,930.00 6,647,000 19,045,080.00 292,000 831,880.00 2,046,410 1,582,619,925.00 26,693,900 241,175,708.00 33,340,000 514,346,194.00 30,000 94,500.00 195,000 888,390.00 15,510,000 5,077,900.00 1,035,920 1,360,389,250.00 405,700 2,552,297.00 14,335,850 1,014,400,368.00 17,483,600 153,482,747.00 12,434,000 9,697,930.00 29,466,000 481,856,694.00 1,844,000 1,373,850.00 165,670,000 815,516,680.00 487,600 2,485,810.00 7,300,000 297,200.00 115,000 166,950.00 585,000 419,490.00 40,028,800 45,720.00 3,450,340 234,903,408.00 164,000 467,430.00 2,650,220 2,368,616,525.00 338,000 409,470.00 497,000 480,290.00 597,248 5,746,494.00 55,150,000 25,121,350.00 4,280,000 1,037,900.00 1,688,000 735,650.00 PROPERTY 17,480,900 158,472,644.00 2,074,500 103,870 14,614,350 7,236,200 229,200 256,740 1,572,000 338,100 4,536,100 287,500 6,000 5,890 4,960,000 26,550,690 172,500 104,300 85,400 1,501,080 153,985 43,380 1,161,800 2,674,860 2,435 69,000 72,000

MARCH 16-20,2015 Volume Value

6 70.1 117.20 100.50 46.95 2.27 2.44 16.7 25.05 8.30 1.68 720.00 0.475 95.15 0.94 18.38 31.05 79.95 95.50 340.8 46 173 1385.00 69.15 3.03

980,804 114,890 14,514,530 6,843,190 355,300 230,680 333,000 262,800 6,532,500 113,500 23,000 670 7,794,000 18,628,240 5,554,000 234,100 983,400 1,196,710 12,510 36,080 1,218,600 4,549,120 1,660 70,580 264,000

6,432,830.00 8,028,731.00 4,868,638,847.00 566,423,930.00 16,745,625.00 151,280.00 792,760.00 4,384,150.00 163,230,240.00 940,583 39,990.00 482,150.00 3,886,770.00 1,730,032,709.00 5,292,130.00 4,309,514.00 787,941.00 96,348,064.00 1,193,024.00 12,591,378.00 56,099,590.00 771,846,773.00 2,261,605.00 4,890,266.00 809,890.00

45.2 1.66 1.08 2.11 8.15 56 85.00 19 22 65.8 1.89 12.2 20.900 11.38 8.19 9.90 1.3 23.4 29.1 102.5 14.06 0.4700 14.70 6.64 0.620 214.40 9.72

27,578,000 131,980 2,225,000 16,757,780 127,800 9,430 110 2,307,100 2,291,200 6,526,296 1,842,000 2,689,100 36,599,300 45,129,300 252,656,200 15,296,900 41,000 2,167,400 13,836,200 2,443,710 40,900 910,000 36,300 3,751,600 2,324,000 4,157,990 15,906,400

1,264,663,550.00 210,626.00 2,422,910.00 30,891,280.00 1,041,044.00 478,734.00 9,350.00 43,404,828.00 50,146,675.00 86,726,260.00 3,414,790.00 34,546,688.00 766,091,645.00 518,399,362.00 2,087,246,898.00 149,826,036.00 53,520.00 49,974,772.00 407,263,165.00 250,817,275.00 577,960.00 422,350.00 529,266.00 24,858,299.00 1,453,760.00 884,654,255.00 155,743,359.00

35.00 2.6 52.00 26.1 28.9 7.850 271.00 4.06 4.16 9.95 5.25 11.44 3.99 2.88 1.9 5.90

7,000 95,000 1,270 34,906,500 4,182,700 8,044,100 -4,860,696 27,000 18,787,000 21,898,700 17,800 414,700 2,471,000 6,369,000 20,855,000 5,135,100

6.2 206 4.51 1.69 0.172 1.48 2.23 220 4.5 0.71

21,600 392,162 1,000 4,238,000 67,090,000 208,000 7,508,000 10,749,900 973,000 2,657,000

253,505.00 243,850.00 63,650.00 310,185,090.00 120,233,280.00 64,508,278.00 394,465,008.00 112,870.00 78,182,380.00 222,005,858.00 91,260.00 4,791,686.00 9,563,350.00 18,183,750.00 43,478,950.00 22,767,443.00 7,565,281.00 135,200.00 7,332,058.00 4,510.00 7,187,990.00 11,976,560.00 306,580.00 16,750,370.00 2,331,279,362.00 4,378,500.00 1,912,570.00

1.51

3,642,280

1,859,050.00

0.465 55.75 26.90 1.40 7.01 1.74 2.61 2.56 770 9.14 15.20 3.15 4.50 0.315 1308 6.28 70.25 8.8 0.73 16 0.68 4.86 5.1 0.0400 1.340 0.730 2.43 67.95 2.80 902.00 1.24 0.95 104.90 0.4650 0.2430 0.330

830,000 7,239,630 61,500,000 194,000 315,200 343,000 1,400,000 99,000 610,712,365 12,729,400 31,824,200 3,000 222,000 21,165,300 333,922,215 1,199,900 20,074,940 55,066,200 2,964,000 14,220,600 12,254,000 171,793,000 371,000 5,100,000 70,000 3,900,000 124,000 17,629,070 54,000 2,043,920 647,680 313,000 115,280 131,677,000 6,782,500 730,000

383,650.00 410,873,216.00 1,646,199,045.00 259,450.00 2,235,750.00 585,500.00 3,644,100.00 268,140.00 2,608,652,800.00 116,845,102.00 485,624,054.00 9,450.00 1,039,750.00 212,688,790.00 1,108,061,120.00 7,461,611.00 1,369,820,456.00 467,340,114.00 2,121,700.00 226,084,486.00 8,071,660.00 832,086,330.00 1,871,638.00 204,000.00 94,450.00 2,796,570.00 302,050.00 1,201,795,013.00 151,060.00 1,846,305,145.00 543,341.00 306,470.00 14,540,015.00 67,808,240.00 2,475,540.00 232,550.00

8.880

21,157,000

190,080,564.00

STOCKS

MARCH 23-27,2015 Close Volume

Anchor Land Holdings Inc. A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Cebu Prop. `A’ Centennial City City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

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

Megaworld Prop.

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

10.02 0.95 1.370 0.250 37.60 4.27 5.29 5.8 0.95 1.21 1.02 0.154 0.455 0.890 0.196 1.50 1.80 1.49 5.52 5.53 0.124 0.3400 0.5100 8.01 31.30 1.77 3.22 20.15 0.83 7.3 1.100 7.700

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

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

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

Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Racing Club Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons Retail SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

6.6 63 1.2 0.700 14.3 10.40 0.1200 3.96 84.95 10.6 1.67 7.00 1000 2002 6.49 1.54 109.5 6.51 11.82 0.014 0.242 1.2700 2.94 8.78 1.98 1.35 2.29 0.680 1.97 9.06 0.370 0.530 18.06 4.60 3.17 9.01 110.00 13.46 2830.00 0.580 1.520 41.00 84.55 10.26 0.72 2 6.97 0.355 1.390

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

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

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0056 2.84 9.00 10.80 0.260 6.9700 7.0000 1.13 0.91 8.08 2.01 0.450 0.230 0.236 0.0140 0.0150 4.98 28.15 3.96 0.7300 2.070 0.0130 0.0140 5.85 7.57 2.59 0.016 161.50 4.1 0.0120

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ First Gen F First Gen G FPH Pref C GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure & Resort Pref.

MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred A SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C

63 507 522 110 115 500 506 6.22 1.08 111 1080 1100 1045 76.1 84 84.4

Leisure & Resort Warr.

3.910

Double Dragon Ripple E-Business Intl Xurpas

8.76 68.95 10.4

First Metro ETF

128

Value

13,200 133,224.00 859,000 809,280.00 164,000 217,430.00 1,060,000 260,400.00 51,967,800 1,935,409,780.00 9,916,000 42,350,680.00 13,066,900 68,721,770.00 224,800 1,297,880.00 9,772,000 10,650,720.00 9,000 10,890.00 57,000 57,420.00 86,930,000 13,302,530.00 3,080,000 1,427,650.00 2,338,001 2,174,700.00 5,030,000 995,190.00 4,178,000 6,246,000.00 133,711,000 240,395,820.00 3,568,000 5,421,670.00 140,250,500 761,759,358.00 30,696,600 169,030,350.00 9,340,000 1,149,610.00 1,000,000 340,500.00 5,817,000 3,163,900.00 4,837,400 130,239,403.00 22,446,200 687,329,320.00 745,000 1,323,670.00 350,000 1,108,100.00 76,430,200 1,527,726,859.00 5,468,700 7,369,860.00 46,993,900 343,756,915.00 3,336,000 3,636,360.00 74,808,800 564,544,475.00 SERVICES 4,511,400 31,480,746.00 71,220 4,477,324.00 4,442,000 5,293,590.00 1,609,000 1,113,210.00 592,400 8,296,426.00 29,011,900 302,596,938.00 682,560,000 80,538,500.00 4,765,000 18,861,170.00 4,494,000 386,440,705.00 2,200 23,290.00 268,000 474,820 1,669,400 12,057,692.00 2,940 2,683,300.00 416,735 831,961,420.00 785,300 5,141,291.00 1,031,000 1,601,380.00 4,553,260 505,059,543.00 18,300 119,022 35,400 413,456.00 523,700,000 7,331,900.00 135,530,000 35,599,170.00 2,453,200 2,037,207.00 2,039,000 3,490,923.00 3,628,000 31,060,587.00 219,000 439,180.00 198,000 272,250.00 111,000 251,750.00 672,000 454,850.00 94,000 181,520.00 46,983,600 422,464,429.00 6,040,000 2,239,250.00 2,159,000 1,062,600.00 27,100 488,932.00 137,000 625,520 587,000 2,003,600.00 100 901.00 47,470 5,063,249.00 1,666,500 22,386,656.00 873,860 2,471,147,970.00 6,785,000 3,987,480.00 73,792,000 110,493,830.00 15,146,100 611,921,555.00 11,908,570 1,014,709,575.00 21,305,600 223,930,546.00 10,189,000 7,334,990.00 18,000 36,000.00 8,684,000 60,987,470.00 1,190,000 418,450.00 189,000 264,280.00 MINING & OIL 2,808,000,000 16,160,400.00 154,500 466,550.00 4,847,100 43,725,382.00 3,400 36,720.00 4,990,000 1,300,150.00 3,000 20,910.00 16,500 115,500.00 4,068,000 4,583,710.00 13,959,000 13,115,300.00 2,177,900 18,491,374.00 204,131,000 454,885,360.00 131,470,000 57,288,500.00 71,430,000 16,622,920.00 19,781,000 4,777,350.00 153,800,000 2,228,000.00 323,400,000 4,851,000.00 7,163,900 35,564,002.00 26,616,800 749,184,555.00 33,595,000 134,349,860.00 2,484,000 1,877,710.00 4,556,000 9,533,860.00 241,800,000 3,092,800.00 93,200,000 1,345,700.00 32,300 187,705.00 4,368,300 33,243,196.00 3,359,000 8,626,900.00 141,600,000 2,142,300.00 3,334,490 532,336,888.00 202,000 820,420.00 109,400,000 1,218,200.00 PREFERRED 735,440 47,036,359.00 24,110 12,291,130.00 61,820 26,398,855 27,110 2,995,600.00 103,510 12,072,122.00 4,600 2,300,000.00 28,130 13,262,600.00 174,800 1,094,493.00 5,049,000 5,424,790 152,270 16,716,010.00 260 281,350.00 20,070 21,718,725.00 55,050 57,430,025.00 1,875,340 142,512,565.00 57,280 4,751,102.00 502,000 42,253,572.00 WARRANTS & BONDS 2,621,000 10,243,040.00 SME 35,298,300 310,185,711.00 80,600 6,191,823.00 10,946,300 115,566,398.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 52,280 6,671,803.00

Close

MARCH 16-20,2015 Volume Value

10.00 0.94 1.310 0.245 37.85 4.3 5.18 5.6 0.96 1.25 1.01 0.145 0.455 0.900 0.200 1.50 1.80 1.52 5.46 5.5 0.127 0.3400 0.4850 7.44 28.95 1.77 3.16 20.20 0.84 7.41 1.040 7.500

10,000 8,440,000 251,000 1,970,000 76,310,600 8,894,000 774,600 40,000 19,217,000 55,000 251,000 34,670,000 6,350,000 511,000 7,660,000 24,304,000 173,664,000 4,981,000 341,385,700 283,051,647 21,570,000 1,700,000 1,280,000 3,107,600 10,693,800 3,484,000 28,000 62,834,500 27,805,820 42,101,600 838,000 64,255,300

100,000.00 8,362,420.00 334,090.00 513,800.00 2,867,297,625.00 38,439,940.00 3,970,472.00 226,175.00 18,485,720.00 68,750.00 251,010.00 5,063,720.00 -34,300.00 684,020.00 1,564,810.00 37,427,700.00 315,295,810.00 7,650,820.00 1,874,521,926.00 193,936,493.00 2,756,530.00 579,650.00 592,150.00 23,446,160.00 312,891,330.00 6,132,730.00 88,790.00 768,636,765.00 21,848,560.00 306,265,926.00 862,390.00 476,131,582.00

6.75 61.4 1.07 0.700 14.48 10.80 0.1100 3.94 86.05 10.6 1.77 7.08 995 1940 6.66 1.57 112.6 7.00 11.84 0.015 0.295 1.2800 2.68 8.70 2.00 1.47 2.29 0.680 1.99 9.3 0.36 0.500 18.04 4.70 3.12 9.01 108.00 13.76 2810.00 0.600 1.560 40.20 89.00 10.40 0.74 1.85 7.08 0.360 1.480

9,085,700 289,740 1,889,000 4,454,600 562,800 91,781,900 74,930,000 2,152,000 4,354,660 5,200 86,000 1,044,000 2,070 375,885 1,061,100 1,901,310 9,672,410 58,300 66,600 163,500,000 240,250,000 3,592,000 609,000 3,193,300 597,000 286,000 132,000 984,000 147,000 45,839,100 3,140,000 1,845,000 34,200 151,000 595,000 600 1,720 7,418,800 1,361,130 10,519,000 78,088,000 11,792,200 6,939,850 34,287,000 7,435,000 24,000 11,952,400 3,170,000 2,845,000

72,270,437.00 17,712,075.00 2,046,680.00 2,922,415.00 7,884,230.00 958,898,101.00 8,274,120.00 8,469,070.00 372,655,388.00 56,484.00 143,070 7,062,554.00 2,003,875.00 732,963,240.00 7,129,595.00 620,381.00 1,081,723,928.00 358,104 780,046.00 2,355,600.00 73,295,400.00 4,687,160.00 1,566,970.00 16,028,853.00 1,194,730.00 404,380.00 291,990.00 677,010.00 289,670.00 437,008,096.00 1,123,300.00 1,084,400.00 616,928.00 700,280 1,932,170.00 5,406.00 185,188.00 100,018,722.00 4,079,286,490.00 6,175,120.00 118,950,810.00 475,536,535.00 605,102,482.00 357,923,516.00 5,427,110.00 45,340.00 85,512,285.00 1,113,900.00 4,321,220.00

0.0056 2.98 9.06 10.80 0.260 7.1200 6.9800 1.14 0.88 8.76 2.41 0.360 0.236 0.244 0.0150 0.0160 5.14 27.5 4.17 0.7300 2.150 0.0120 0.0150 5.85 7.62 2.49 0.016 159.50 4.08 0.0100

3,085,000,000 321,000 2,910,200 2,600 550,000 59,400 86,600 7,907,000 3,162,400 1,086,000 251,051,000 3,580,000 86,660,000 7,360,000 253,100,000 13,600,000 5,809,600 17,512,900 62,436,000 1,738,000 4,423,000 73,000,000 3,000,000 4,800 6,412,500 6,651,000 142,400,000 8,592,370 289,000 21,500,000

17,614,000.00 936,660.00 26,686,434.00 28,080.00 144,150.00 421,218.00 605,918.00 8,785,040.00 7,204,500.00 53,142,348.00 582,873,420.00 1,259,650.00 20,555,320.00 1,818,850.00 3,730,700.00 206,000.00 31,163,955.00 482,890,185.00 241,584,320.00 1,288,180.00 9,630,460.00 1,613,000.00 45,000.00 28,080.00 49,143,414.00 18,561,550.00 2,147,200.00 1,366,651,432.00 1,190,260.00 219,000.00

65 510 520 118 114.2

1,466,100 11,920 46,160 10 29,370

92,249,118.00 6,087,775.00 24,070,930 1,180.00 3,376,027.00

506 6.35 1.08 108.9 1070 1075 1040 76.05 84 84

10,380 1,243,000 3,753,000 148,700 11,995 17,320 21,325 477,470 205,450 680,060

5,265,620.00 8,196,825.00 4,061,960 16,125,980.00 12,814,000.00 18,545,725.00 22,087,190.00 36,328,512.00 17,233,916.00 56,850,418.00

3.940

2,566,110

6,069,754.00

7.82 78.25 10

2,574,000 203,400 21,547,800

20,386,828.00 15,520,553.00 222,666,519.00

127

199,410

25,142,340.00

MST WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS

Abra Mining Boulevard Holdings IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Manila Mining `B’ Oriental Pet. `A’ Ferronickel Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) Manila Mining `A’ Philodrill Corp. `A’

VOLUME 2,808,000,000 682,560,000 523,700,000 323,400,000 241,800,000 204,131,000 165,670,000 159,333,500 153,800,000 141,600,000

STOCKS Metrobank PLDT Common SM Investments Inc. Ayala Land `B’ Universal Robina Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Ayala Corp `A’ SM Prime Holdings Alliance Global Inc. GT Capital

VALUE 2,558,692,853.00 2,471,147,970.00 2,368,616,525.00 1,935,409,780.00 1,799,207,564.00 1,754,952,360.00 1,582,619,925.00 1,527,726,859.00 1,415,018,180.00 1,360,389,250.00

MONDAY: MARCH 30, 2015

B3

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

Bourses merger set in May

By Jenniffer B. Austria

THE integration of the Philippine Stock Exchange and Philippine Dealing System Holdings Corp. is likely to be completed in May, a banker said over the weekend.

PSE president Hans Sicat said last month there would be “slight adjustment” in the terms of the offer, after the exchange recently completed the conduct of due diligence on PDS. PSE earlier expressed interest in acquiring a majority interest in PDS in line with its plan to merge the equities and fixed-income

market exchanges.

PSE already owned a 20.89-percent interest in PDS, prior to the merge talks.

BAP, as well as minority shareholders San Miguel Corp. and Golden Astra Capital, earlier agreed to sell their stakes in PDS to PSE. Aside from BAP, San Miguel

and Golden Astra, other major shareholders of PDS are Singapore Stock Exchange (20 percent), Tata Consultancy Serves Asia (8 percent), Computershare Technology Services (8 percent), The Philippine America Life and General Insurance Co. (4 percent), Financial Executive Institute of the Philippines (3.1 per-

cent), Social Security System (1.5 percent) and Investment House Association of the Philippines (1.1 percent).

A merger of the equities and fixed-income market exchanges is being pushed to expand the volume of trades and improve the country’s capital markets.

PSE award.

The International Stock Exchange Executives Emeriti Lennar International Award presented its first stock exchange innovation award to Philippine Stock Exchange president and chief executive Hans Sicat. The award was given in recognition for innovation in the areas of governance, transparency and information quality, integrity, efficiency, liquidity, transaction costs and technology in capital markets around the world.

The award was conferred on March 24, 2015 during the Florida Global Market Innovation Conference. Sicat joined the event through a video conference facility and was interviewed by Lennar International president Chris Marlin.

Bankers Association of the Philippines president Lorenzo Tan said in an interview during the 10th PDS Awards night both parties were rushing the integration of the two exchanges, with a goal of completing the process by the first week of May. “We are hoping to execute everything around first week of May,” Tan said.

Tan said both parties also finalized the terms of the offer. “We have ironed that. It is still at P2.2 billion,” Tan said.

BAP is one of the largest shareholders of PDS, owning about 28 percent of the country’s lone bond exchange market. PSE earlier valued PDS at P2.25 billion.

PSE election a ho-hum event

Ex-passport supplier pesters state printer OBERTHUR Technologies SA of France can’t stand losing its lucrative $50-million business in the Philippines. Since its contract with the Foreign Affairs Department to supply e-passports expired on January 15, 2015, the French company has been spreading disparaging comments about the credentials and capability of state-owned APO Production Unit Inc. to do the former’s job.

APO has started servicing the passport needs of the DFA, after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas lost interest in the printing job. APO, along with the Bangko Sentral and the National Printing Office, are mandated in the General Appropriations Act to serve the printing needs of the DFA. “No government agency can go directly to any private printing supplier for its printing requirements and priority is given to the three recognized government printers. In case none of the three can do the project, only then can the government agency go to a private company for its printing needs,” a source said.

But Oberthur, according to the source, can’t seem to comprehend the legal mandate on APO Production.

As soon as APO assumed operational control of the personalization facilities of the DFA and made repairs on the system left behind by Oberthur, “the system has been subjected to numerous attacks and interferences .”

Oberthur, the source said, had been discrediting APO’s capability to engage in passport production.

The French firm even claimed that it had superior qualifications since introducing e-passports in the Philippines in 2008.

“But Oberthur’s production quality through the years has diminished, with some passports not being read in immigration desks abroad and overseas Filipino workers being embarassed in several points of entry in other countries because their passports had the leaves scattered all over the floor because of poor stitching,” said the source.

Oberthur still wants to get a piece of the action by insisting on being part of APO’s pool of suppliers, the source claimed. But poor quality has no place in e-passports. Ray S. Eñano

THIS year’s annual stockholders meeting of the Philippine Stock Exchange is expected to be another ho-hum event, especially with regards to the election of the 15-man board of directors.

Based on the official list of candidates for the PSE annual stockholders meeting, 14 of the 15-man current PSE board members are seekin re-election this year, with independent director Cornelio Peralta the only one excluded from this year’s list of candidates.

Replacing Peralta is businessman Ramon Monzon, who was nominated by veteran stock broker Alejandro Yu. This will be the 5th term of current PSE president and chief executive Hans Sicat, who has been pushing for market reforms focused on increasing the liquidity in the stock market and improving corporate governance and developing infrastructure.

Gearing for re-elections as non-broker directors are Amor Iliscupidez of SMC Retirement Plan; Government Service Insurance System president Robert Vergara, Annabelle Chua of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., Edgardo Lacson of Philippine Chamber of Commerce Inc. and Jose Pardo.

Meanwhile, the stockbrokers nominated for the PSE board are Eddie Gobing of Lucky Securities Inc., Eusebio Tanco of Venture Securities Inc., Emmanuel Bautista of Deutsche Regis Partners Inc., Ma. Vivian Yuchengco of The First Resources Management and Securities Corp., Francis Chua of BA Securities Inc., Alejandro Yu of R.S. Lim & Co. Inc. and David Chua of Asia Pacific Capital Equities and Securities Corp.

Jenniffer B. Austria

8990 venturing in Vietnam IS MASS housing builder 8990 Holdings Inc. ready to venture in Vietnam? That is what the company will try to find out, after being challenged

by TPG Capital, one of the world’s largest private equity firms, to look into the possibility of bringing its business into the growing Southeast Asian neighbor.

8990 Holdings president JJ Atencio said TPG was trying to hook up the company with a Vietnamese housing agency to explore investments in one of the fast-rising economies in the region.

Aside from possible venture in Vietnam, 8990 Holdings is busy preparing for next month’s nondeal roadshow in five cities across the United States that include Salt Lake City in Utah, which is reportedly teeming with private equity firms.

While this is a non-deal roadshow, Atencio hopes the company will be able to attract US investors. In the local front, 8990 Holdings is in the final stages of acquiring a 100-hectare property in Bacolod City for expansion projects. Jenniffer B. Austria

GENERAL BALANCE SHEET As of November 30, 2014

Assets International Reserves Deposits with foreign banks Other cash balances Investments Foreign securities purchased under agreements to resell Loan to International Monetary Fund Gold International Monetary Fund special drawing rights Due from/(to) broker Investment in government securities Loans and advances Other financial assets Acquired assets held for sale Investment property Bank premises, furniture, fixtures and equipment Revaluation of foreign currency accounts Other assets Total Liabilities and capital Liabilities Currency in circulation Foreign currency borrowings Government deposits Deposits of banks and other financial institutions Securities sold under agreements to repurchase Special deposit accounts Allocation of special drawing rights Other financial liabilities Other liabilities Total

P3,509,904 ,090,164.76 594,616,288,028.07 187,518,442.38 2,498,701,638,188.89 33,164,015,832.37 2,853,740,892.85 324,666,768,135.05 55,647,796,429.41 66,324,215.74 222,804,258,504.49 85,050,381,019.53 151,750,169,301.54 5,920,861.48 15,032,338,572.95 17,917,042,893.17 30,759,988,864.77 16,361,065,232.06 P 4,049,585,255,414.75

P

Capital Capital Surplus Unrealized gains/(losses) on investments Capital reserves Undivided profits/(loss) from operations Total Total liabilities and capital

774,013,376,696.79 23,315,021,047.17 475,369,506,430.74 1,406,197,664,793.40 301,945,511,833.43 956,822,948,104.39 55,099,865,378.73 3,267,269,408.03 6,136,568,456.31 4,002,167,732,148.99 50,000,000,000.00 (70,064,158,675.81) (3,344,183,325.58) 78,019,442,316.47 (7,193,577,049.32) 47,417,523,265.76

P 4,049,585,255,414.75

Other information : Revaluation of foreign currency accounts is presented in the asset section in accordance with Section 45, R.A. 7653 of the New Central Bank Act. For the COMMISSION ON AUDIT: (Sgd.) MA. TERESITA R. GOJUNCO SA V - Supervising Auditor

(Sgd.) WILLIE S. ASTO Assistant Governor

(Sgd.) AMANDO M. TETANGCO, JR. Governor

B4

BUSINESS

Financial education. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Bankers Association of the Philippines and the Bankers Institute of the Philippines conducted a financial education briefing in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. Hosted by Governor Imee Marcos of Ilocos Norte, the briefing focused on personal finance management, investment in financial instruments and microfinance. Bankers Association of the Philippines education committee chairman Jaime Laya (left photo) addressed the briefing with team members (right photo).

More join e-trike auction

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ABOUT 16 to 17 local and foreign companies have expressed interest to join the bidding for the supply and delivery of 3,000 units of energy efficient electric tricycles, or e-trike, an Energy Department official said over the weekend.

Energy Undersecretary Donato Marcos said the department expects the number of bidders to still go up.

“Around 16 to 17 have expressed interest… This is above our expectation and we are very happy with the turnout,”

Marcos said.

He said the government might open the technical bids in the third week of April, with the qualified parties moving to the financial aspect of the auction.

Marcos said despite the stringent requirements of the

e-trike bidding, which included a five-year after-sale contract covering maintenance, driver skills training, body warranty and registration with the Land Transport Office, more companies were still expected to participate in the bidding.

“We really want to set the standards,” the energy official said.

The department opened the bidding for the supply of the e-trikes in late February.

“We are inviting interested bidders to join the renewed bidding process for the benefit not only of the electric transport industry, but of the ordinary Filipino citizens and tricycle

drivers to enjoy an alternative mode of public transport,” Marcos said earlier.

The Asian Development Bankfunded project, under the Market Transformation through the Introduction of Energy-Efficient Electric Vehicles Project, is targeting local government units nationwide with an initial rollout of 3,000 units in the National Capital Region and the provinces in Region IV. The E-Trike project aims to promote sustainable transport, address the increasing carbon emissions in major cities and reduce oil dependence of the local transport sector.

The project also plans to

transform the public tricycle sector and jump-start a new industry in the transport sector.

The government is pursuing the $300-million program in cooperation with the ADB to replace 100,000 gasoline-fed trikes around the country by 2016.

Electric vehicles such as e-trikes are highly efficient, using up to 75 percent of their energy to power the vehicle against only 20 percent for most internal combustion engines.

The e-trike produces no noise and zero tailpipe emissions and can be charged at night during off-peak electricity hours.

Guimaras wind farm sparks tourism Stocks likely to rise on window dressing

THE 54-megawatt wind farm of Trans-Asia Renewable Energy Corp. in San Lorenzo, Guimaras has sparked tourism and economic development in the province.

Trans-Asia, a unit of Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp., marked the third month of the wind farm’s commercial operations by holding a dedication ceremony for the project.

“Moving forward, we are planning to sustain the interest in our facility by helping design a tourism roadmap for the island.

Tarec, together with the local government of Guimaras and San Lorenzo, is hoping that the wind farm will be a catalyst for change in the province,” said Danilo Panes, assistant vice president for wind energy development of Trans-Asia.

Local government heads of the island attended the blessing, which served as the first official introduction of the wind farm to stakeholders.

The wind farm started delivering

Trans-Asia project hopes to be a catalyst for change in the province.

power to the grid since October and began its commercial operations on December 27 last year.

Trans-Asia said in a statement local employment increased with the tapping of community workers for civil works since the construction of the wind project.

Tourism increased 50 percent following the completion of the renewable energy project, with the wind farm “beginning to become an attraction to locals.”

The San Lorenzo wind farm is the second investment of TransAsia in Guimaras. The first was a 3.4-MW diesel plant which is covered by a bilateral contract with Guimaras Electric Cooperative,

the sole electric retailer in the island.

The San Lorenzo wind farm consists of 27 wind turbines, each generating 2 MW of power. The turbines span 14 kilometers across four barangays in San Lorenzo.

It is the first wind energy project that can consistently deliver 100 percent of capacity to the Visayas grid.

The project supplies power to Panay via a new 2.8-kilometer submarine cable connection from Guimaras.

“Since we began operations, we were able to supply Panay a peak of 52 MW or 96 percent of our rated capacity.... The new power our project supplies to Panay reduces its reliance on power from Negros, frees up transformer capacity and increases the reliability of its connection to the Visayas grid.

This, in turn, frees up Panay’s interconnection capacity with the Visayas grid for future growth,” Panes said earlier.

Alena Mae S. Flores

By Jenniffer B. Austria STOCKS are expected to move sideways, with an upward bias during this shortened trading week, on first-quarter window dressing, analysts said over the weekend. There will no trading on Thursday and Friday, in observance of the Holy Week.

“We expect the local equities market to be more volatile in the coming week on the back of a shortened work week as well as quarterend portfolio rebalancing activities,” BPI Asset Management said.

“In our view, the PSEi [Philippine Stock Exchange index] will trade within a tight range of 7,820 to 7,950 for the week, with an upward bias,” it said.

BDO Unibank chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravels said breaking the 7,850 resistance level last week showed the market’s momentum remained strong enough to fuel tests toward the 8,000 level in the near term.

The PSEi last week gained 0.76 percent to close at 7,877.96, while the broader all-share index climbed 0.38 percent to 4,546.40.

The local equities market started the week at a slow pace, due to lack of fresh market developments but the index started moving up during the latter part of the week, hitting a new record high by the end of the week, as investors welcomed the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ decision to keep policy rates steady.

Except for the services sub-index, which posted a 0.42 percent decline, all major sub-indices ended in the green, led by financial subindex which went up 1.24 percent, holdings firms which rose 0.54 percent and industrial index, which advanced 0.51 percent.

M O N D AY : M A R C H 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

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

Aboitiz expects income to climb

By Alena Mae S. Flores ABOITIZ Power Corp., the power unit of the Aboitiz Group, forecasts higher profits this year with the entry of new projects.

Aboitiz Power recorded a 10-percent decline in net income to P16.7 billion in 2014 from P18.6 billion in 2013.

The company registered a nonrecurring loss of P135.6 million in 2014 due to the revaluation of consolidated dollar-denominated loans and placements.

Aboitiz Power said adjusting for the one-offs, core net income in 2014 amounted to P16.8 billion, down 16 percent from a year ago.

“There will be some difference this year versus last year with the Therma South coming in, Sabangan coming in. Unified Leyte... started selling in December 26 so this year we will have that,” Aboitiz Power chief finance officer Manuel Lozano said.

The company earlier said it would fully commission the 14-megawatt Sabangan hydro plant and the 260-MW Davao coal plant in the first half of 2015.

Combined with the 40-MW strip from Unified Leyte that was awarded earlier by the government to a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power, the company’s net attributable sellable capacity will increase by 14 percent to 2,210 MW to 2,524 MW in 2015.

“There are some positive developments. Hopefully, the water levels improve for the hydros so there are positives.

Last year we had some issues like the water problems of our dams, [typhoon] Glenda hit out geothermal so we shut down some of our wells for a while, so that affected us in the last five months of the year,” Lozano said.

B5

Thrift banks’ meeting.

It’s all systems go for the Chamber of Thrift Banks 2015 National Convention slated on April 7 at the Dusit Thani Manila Ayala Avenue, Makati City. With the theme Meeting the Challenges of a Buoyant Economy, the convention aims to solidify memberbanks’ role as conduit of growth drivers between the financing industry and Small and Medium Enterprises, socialized and low cost housing sector and countryside businesses.

The convention will have Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. as keynote speaker.

Shown during convention launch are (from left) Malayan Savings Bank president George Martirez, second vice president of CTB; RCBC Savings Bank president Rommel Latinazo, also president of CTB, and Suzanne Felix, CTB executive director.

MNTC’s road link project to cost P14b

By Darwin G. Amojelar

MANILA North Tollways Corp. raised the budget for the construction of an expressway linking the north and south of Manila to P14 billion from P11 billion.

MNTC president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco told reporters the higher project cost for the North Luzon ExpresswaySouth Luzon Expressway Connector Road was due to the revised project design.

“What happened is that there’s North-South Commuter Rail Project of the Department of Transportation and Communications. So, we will now have to revise our design to accommodate the construction

of the North-South rail project and the cost will really increase,” Franco said.

He added that both projects would use the right of way of Philippine National Railways.

“In other parts we might have to go above the commuter rail project,” Franco said.

The connector project involves the construction of a 13.5-kilometer, six-lane elevated expressway that will link the end of the Skyway in Buendia to

Balintawak.

The NLEx-SLEx Connector Road includes a five-kilometer common alignment from Polytechnic University of the Philippines to Buendia in Makati City that will be financed by Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corp., which is separately constructing the P26.7-billion Skyway Stage 3 Project.

The board of the National Economic and Development Authority earlier approved the NLEX-SLEX Connector Project under the unsolicited mode subject to a Swiss Challenge.

The government decided to subject the project to a Swiss Challenge after the Justice Department issued a legal opinion, saying the Neda board

decision to implement the project as a joint venture is “without factual basis or jurisdiction.”

The joint-venture route aims to do away with the Swiss challenge, which had been required of the project when it was still being pursued as an unsolicited venture.

MNTC earlier sealed a joint venture with Philippine National Construction Corp. in a bid to facilitate construction of the NLEx-SLEx Connector Road.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

MNTC, which operates NLEx. Other MNTC shareholders are Egis Projects S.A. of France, Leighton Asia Ltd. of Australia and PNCC, which holds the franchise to run the expressway.

SEC warns vs investing in Baguio-based company

By Jenniffer B. Austria

Gift-giving. The Wong Chu King Foundation’s annual gift giving project that coincides with the ‘Year

of the Poor’ was recently launched in Barangay Northbay Boulevard South, Navotas City. Photo shows WCKF volunteers Jemima de Leon (with microphone) and Tina Villanueva supervising the gift-giving along with barangay officials led by Barangay Capt. Domingo Elape.

THE Securities and Exchange Commission issued an advisory against a Baguio-based company found to be selling unregistered securities to the public.

The SEC said in an advisory posted on its Web site that Satarah Wellness Marketing had been soliciting funds from the public on a promise of interest ranging from 4 percent to as much as 26 percent, depending on market rates.

The company also promises investors with referral rates of 4 percent to 12 percent on the placement fees of new investors.

Satarah Wellness and affiliates Satarah Wellness International and Satarah Investment Group Inc., according to the SEC,

were not authorized to solicit investments from the public since it did not obtain prior registration to secure permit to sell securities from the corporate regulator.

Prior SEC registration of securities is required under the Securities Regulation Code.

“In view thereof, the public is hereby advised to exercise self restraint from investing their money into such high yield, high risk investment scheme and take the necessary precaution in dealing with the above-named entity,” the SEC said.

The SEC last month warned the public against investing their hard earned money in two copmpanies, namely Emgoldex Philippines and One Lightning Corp., which had been found to be selling unregistered securities.

MONDAY: MARCH 30, 2015

B6

BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

ODA loans triple to $1.6b The St. John Baptist de La Salle in me I THOUGHT I knew everything about St. John Baptist de La CHARMAINE Salle (De La Salle) MIKAELA U. ANG because I studied at De La Salle University for three years. We went through his life during our frosh orientation and in some of my LASARE classes.

It turned out that all I knew about him was he was “for the poor”.

That’s it—nothing more, nothing less.

However, my views about De La Salle changed as I was watching the film.

“Devote entirely to the work without seeking compensation.”

Every day, how many of us devote almost half of the day at the office, are sometimes scolded by our supervisors, having conflicts with our office mates and spend hours finishing a mountain of reports? Everyone. Yes? But how about going through all of these without expecting anything in return?

I graduated in October 2011 and have been working at BPI for more than three years, but I was exposed to the business world at a young age. My parents work every single day and hour so they can provide us with our wants and needs. Having seen and experienced how the business world works, I expect something in return for all my hard work—and usually it’s monetary.

What we can learn from De La Salle from this is that yes, we work for ourselves, our family and others, but let us not ask for anything in return. Let us not have an “utang na loob” mentality where we think that people owe us for something we did for them. As Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

Aside from this, it may sound cliché but we just have to trust God, and He will provide—as promised in Philippians 4:19.

“Giving to others even if it earns losing yours.”

De La Salle was born in an influential family. It shows in the video that he gave his sister’s shoes and clothes to the needy. More than the material things and his social status, he also sacrificed his relationship with his family and friends who oppose him. The family does not really want him to be associated with the brother educators —then strangers, aka “lower class” Let’s admit it. Giving to others, even if it means losing yours, takes great courage and determination. What an unselfish way of thinking!

“We are teachers—not monks, not priests, but educators… I can find God any place. It doesn’t matter where I am.”

De La Salle was already a priest at the Cathedral of Reims when he had an encounter with a layman who was establishing schools for poor boys. Eventually, he became heavily involved with it, and assumed leadership in leading a group of strangers and turned them into educators.

He renounced his Church position, and it was a big deal back then because of the Church’s power. He opposed numerous Church teachings—some of them included teaching in French (the local language) rather than in Latin (which the Church teaches), educating the students in groups rather than one-on-one sessions, and providing free education rather than asking the children to pay or work for the Church.

From this, I learned that we should make a stand—be firm in what we believe in, and that sacrifice, conviction and being a risktaker goes a long way. Today, there are more than 65 members in International Association of Lasallian Universities, and I look forward to see this number increase over time to provide education for the poor and spread the Lasallian values to many.

Ever since I was in grade school, I have always wanted to go to La Salle for my undergraduate studies. Not because of the courses offered, or its reputation, but because of the basketball team. But after watching the movie, I became more proud that I am a Lasallian because of De La Salle’s vision and teachings.

Change begins in us As I was watching the film, I cannot help but think of one person, in today’s generation, who has the same vision as De La Salle. As I was reflecting, I thought of myself. What are my life visions, and how will I get there?

Change begins in us. All actions done today will affect us going forward. May St. John Baptist de La Salle’s life and vision inspire us to become passionate and risk-takers. Let us always pray so we may know what God’s plan is for us, and may Jesus live in our hearts forever.

Green LiGht

The author is an MBA student at the Ramon V. del Rosario Sr. College of Business, De La Salle Univeristy. This article is part of her reflections for the course Lasallian Business Leadership with CSR and Ethics. Visit her blog at https://iamsavedbygracethroughfaith. wordpress.com/.

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of De La Salle University, its faculty, and its administrators.

By Jennifer Ambanta

DISBURSED amount from official development assistance loans tripled in the fourth quarter of 2014 from a year ago, signaling an increase in government spending for infrastructure projects and programs.

“Comparing the financial performance in the fourth quarter of 2014 from the same period in 2013, all absorptive capacity indicators registered favorable performance.

This includes the disbursement level, disbursement rate, availment rate and the disbursement ratio,” said National Economic and Development Authority monitoring and evaluation staff director Roderick Planta.

The disbursement level, or the actual expenditure or drawdown of ODA-funded projects and programs, jumped to $1.62 billion in

the fourth quarter of 2014 from $546.36 million in the same period in 2013.

Neda said the increase was due to higher actual loan drawdown from 13 program loans amounting to $1.1 billion in the fourth quarter of 2014, compared to only $182.60 million registered in the fourth quarter of 2013.

The disbursement rate, or the actual disbursement level as a percentage of target disbursement for the year, had an 18-percentagepoint increase to 68.3 percent in 2014 from 50.3 percent in 2013.

Neda said although this remained below the acceptable 70-percent threshold for a satisfactory financial performance in a given year, the disbursement rate had significantly improved from the 2013 figure.

The availment rate, or the percentage of loan amount’s actual utilization against loan schedule, improved and still exceeded the threshold at 77 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014 from 73 percent of the previous year.

The disbursement ratio, or the actual drawdown against the available net loan amount, improved by 12.3 percentage points, from 9.3 percent in the last quarter of 2013 to 21.6 percent in fourth quarter of 2014.

The increase was due to the entry of about $2.04 billion worth of new program loans, but almost half of which was disbursed within the year.

S6 offering.

Globe customers are the first to experience Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge as both devices become available for live demo and viewing in Globe stores in Greenbelt, Glorietta, Shangri-la, SM Megamall, and Rockwell starting March 27, Trinoma, SM North EDSA, SM Mall of Asia, Robinson’s Galleria, Alabang Town Center, SM Dasmarinas, Ayala Center Cebu, and Abreeza Mall in Davao starting March 28, and Limketkai Mall in Cagayan de Oro and SM Baguio starting March 29.

Krispy Kreme adopts mobile app

By Othel V. Campos AMERICAN donut franchise Krispy Kreme has started investing in a mobile application to tap smartphone users nationwide.

“It’s quite an investment.

We figure that going digital and keeping at pace with technology can further improve our brand and the growth can be exponential,” Krispy Kreme chairman Jim Fuentebella said in an interview over the weekend.

He said the company would push for more digital platforms in 2015, as a part of the company’s expansion not only by “brick and mortar” but through an Internet infrastructure that could reach millions in a click.

The company is also mulling over a possible partnership with online road guide “Waze” for

easier access for pick-up orders via the Krispy Kreme app.

He said Krispy Kreme also planned to invest in digital platforms such as handheld menus, interactive menu kiosks, digital drive-thru menus and digital signage.

“Innovation should be part of the brand. It could come in big or small ways but we have to be very careful when innovating.

If we digitalize everything, it might come to point that it may become callous meaning, the experience will be limited that you will not be as sensitive to appreciate or feel the product,” he said.

“We want the technology to be seamless, but we don’t want customers basing the experience,” he said.

The company recently launched its mobile application

to guide customers to a fun and convenient experience of enjoying their favorite treats.

The Krispy Kreme mobile app allows customers to conveniently place their orders online with options on when and where the delivery should be. It could be ordered in advance and delivered on a particular date as a gift or a present.

A relative from the US may place an order and have the package delivered to a family in the Philippines.

Krispy Kreme plans to pursue store expansion in the Visayas and Mindanao with 10 new stores nationwide to add to the company’s 60 stores across the country.

The Philippines is one of the company’s anchor markets not only in the Asian region but also globally.

M o n D aY : M a r c H 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

B7

Singapore’s Lee laid to rest SINGAPORE—Tens of thousands of mourners braved torrential rain, howitzers fired a 21-gun salute and jet fighters screamed across the sky as a grand funeral began Sunday for Singapore’s founding leader Lee Kuan Yew. Singaporeans chanted Lee’s name as the former prime minister’s coffin, draped in the red-and-white national flag and protected by a glass case atop a two-wheeled gun carriage, emerged from parliament pulled by a ceremonial Land Rover.

Four F-16 fighters from the air force’s Black Knights aerobatic team staged a fly-past—with one peeling off to symbolize a “missing man”—as the cortege made its way through the adjacent civic square where Lee was first sworn in as prime minister in 1959.

He kept the position for 31 years, ruling with an iron fist to transform Singapore from a sleepy British colonial outpost into a gleaming metropolis that now enjoys one of the

world’s highest standards of living.

Singapore became a republic in 1965 after a brief and stormy union with Malaysia. Lee died less than five months before the island celebrates its 50th anniversary as a nation.

A 21-gun salute is normally reserved for sitting heads of state but an exception was made for Lee, whom many regarded as the de facto national hero of Singapore even when he was alive.

People wept openly, waved flags and threw flowers on the street as the motorcade drove through districts associated with the political career of the British-trained former trade union lawyer.

Officials said more than 450,000 people had paid their last respects to Lee, who died Monday in hospital aged 91, by the time his public wake ended in parliament on Saturday night.

“It has been a deeply moving experience,” his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, said on Facebook in a thank-you message to the people before the funeral ceremonies got under way.

Strangers huddled together under umbrellas as they waited patiently along the procession route which ended at the National University of Singapore, where a state funeral

started at 2:00 pm (0600 GMT) with world dignitaries in attendance.

Families including babies and grandparents turned up early to secure choice spots along the 15-kilometerprocession route.

“We are here today as a family to witness this historic moment. As Singaporeans we may have our differences, but when it comes to a crunch we stand together. That is what Singapore is about and that is Mr Lee’s legacy,” said teacher Joel Lim, 35.

Lee stepped down in 1990 in favour of his deputy Goh Chok Tong, who in turn was succeeded by Lee’s son.

During the state funeral, sirens will sound for the nation to observe a minute of silence for Lee, who will be later cremated in a private ceremony.

Former US president Bill Clinton will lead the American delegation that also includes former secretary of state Henry Kissinger, a close friend of Lee. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, South Korean President Park Geun-Hye, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Malaysian King Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah and Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah are among the leaders listed to attended the funeral. AFP

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE SALE OF VARIOUS SUBTRANSMISSION LINES/ASSETS OF THE NATIONAL TRANSMISSION CORPORATION (TRANSCO) TO CAMARINES NORTE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. (CANORECO), AS COVERED BY A LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENT (LPA) DATED JULY 5, 2011 NATIONAL TRANSMISSION CORPORATION (TRANSCO) AND CAMARINES NORTE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. (CANORECO), Applicants. x- - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on September 3, 2014, the National Transmission Corporation (TRANSCO) and the Camarines Norte Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CANORECO) filed a joint application for the approval of the sale of various subtransmission lines/assets of TRANSCO to CANORECO as covered by a Lease Purchase Agreement (LPA) dated July 5, 2011.

In the said joint application, TRANSCO and CANORECO alleged, among others, that: 1.

TRANSCO is a government-owned-and-controlled corporation (GOCC) duly created by virtue of Republic Act No. 9136 (R.A. 9136), otherwise known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 or the EPIRA, with principal office address at the TRANSCO Main Building, Quezon Avenue corner BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City;

2.

CANORECO is an electric cooperative (EC) organized and existing under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines with principal office address at J.P. Rizal Street, Daet, Camarines Norte;

3.

By virtue of Section 8 of the EPIRA, TRANSCO assumed the electrical transmission functions of the National Power Corporation (NPC) and its authority and responsibility for the planning, construction and centralized operation and maintenance of the high voltage transmission facilities, including grid interconnections and ancillary services;

4.

Section 8 of the EPIRA and Rule 6, Section 8 (e) of its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) also mandate the segregation of the transmission and subtransmission functions and assets for transparency and disposal, and authorize TRANSCO to negotiate, and to transfer such subtransmission assets (STAs) and facilities to qualified distribution utilities (DUs), electric cooperatives (ECs) and consortia;

5.

Pursuant thereto, the Commission promulgated on October 17, 2003 the “Guidelines to the Sale and Transfer of TRANSCO’s Subtransmission Assets and the Franchising of Qualified Consortiums”, as amended;

6.

Consistent with the Commission’s Guidelines, TRANSCO has adopted its own guidelines on the Sales of Subtransmission Assets (TRANSCO Guidelines) [Annex “A”] as approved

by TRANSCO Board Resolution No. TC-2003-067 dated November 28, 2003 [Annex “B”], as further amended by TRANSCO Board Resolution No. TC-2004-009 dated March 16, 2004 [Annex “C”];

7.

On July 16, 2011, the Commission issued Resolution No. 15, Series of 2011, entitled “A Resolution Adopting the Amended Rules for the Approval of the Sale and Transfer of TRANSCO’s Subtransmission Assets and the Acquisition by Qualified Consortiums”;

8.

On March 4, 2013, the Commission issued Resolution No. 04, Series of 2013, amending Resolution No. 26, Series of 2011. Under the said issuance, TRANSCO was given until December 31, 2015 within which to dispose of its Residual Subtransmission Assets (RSTAs). The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) was, likewise, directed to execute a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the concerned DUs in regard to the amortization of uncollected Connection Charges and Residual Subtransmission Charges (CC and RSTC);

9.

On the basis of the aforesaid Guidelines, TRANSCO has determined that the Batobalani and Talisay load-end substations are subtransmission assets. Copies of the Report that the assets for sale are subtransmission assets, List of STAs for sale, and the Electrical Diagram are attached as Annexes “D”, “E” and “F”, respectively;

10.

After a careful evaluation, TRANSCO has likewise established that CANORECO meets the financial and technical requirements that qualify an EC to acquire, operate, maintain, upgrade and expand the subject STAs. Attached as Annexes “G,” “H” and “I,” respectively, are copies of its Independent Auditor’s Report and Financial Statements as of December 31, 2009 and 2010, and Technical and Financial Qualification Evaluations;

11.

On July 5, 2011, TRANSCO and CANORECO concluded a LPA attached to the instant application as Annex “J” which covers the subject assets amounting to Ten Million Eight Hundred Ninety-Five Thousand Four Hundred Sixteen Pesos, Philippine currency (PhP10,895,416.00), net of adjustments and deductions, based on the Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) valuation (Annex “K”). Also attached to the application as Annexes “L” and “M,” respectively, are the Schedules of Payment and Draft Deed of Absolute Sale;

12.

On February 18, 2014, the CANORECO Board of Directors issued Board Resolution No. 24, Series of 2014 entitled “Resolution Confirming the Action Done by Former GM Engr. Lorenzo Canlas, Jr. and Dir. Arwin A. Segundo for the Lease Purchase Agreement of Tawig and Talisay Substation Between CANORECO and National Transmission Corporation”attached to the application as Annex “N”;

13.

On May 31, 2007, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued BIR Ruling No. 11-07 which exempted TRANSCO from the payment of a twelve percent value-added tax (12% VAT) on the divestment of its STAs. However, the same was revoked when the BIR issued Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 66-2013 dated September 30, 2013 attached to the application as Annex “O”;

14.

On February 7, 2007, the BIR issued Revenue Regulation No. 04-2007 attached to the application as Annex “P” which also imposed a twelve percent (12%) VAT on the interest rate over the amortized amount of the STAs;

15.

Thus, TRANSCO is constrained to demand from CANORECO a twelve percent (12%) VAT on the contract price of PhP10,895,416.00 as well as on the interest thereon over the amortized period.

Attached to the application as Annex “Q” is a copy of CANORECO’s conformity to pay VAT;

16.

CANORECO is the only EC which is directly connected to, and qualified to acquire, the subject STAs, as per Annex “R” of the application. Attached to the application as Annex “S” is a copy of CANORECO’s Franchise Description;

17.

The proposed sale has satisfied all of the requirements and criteria which are set forth under the EPIRA and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), as well as the Commission’s and TRANSCO’s Guidelines on the Sale of Subtransmission Assets;

18.

The approval by the Commission of the instant application shall pave the way for the attainment of a reformed electricity industry under the EPIRA, towards a competitive regime/cost of electricity through open access and customer choice of supplier of electricity, which would ultimately best serve the interest of the consuming public; and

19.

It prays that after due notice and hearing, judgment be rendered approving the sale of TRANSCO’s subject subtransmission assets1 to CANORECO under the terms set forth in the LPA dated July 5, 2011.

Earth Hour. A combo picture

taken on March 28 in Paris shows the Eiffel Tower being submerged into darkness for the Earth Hour environmental campaign. Millions were expected to take part around the world in the annual event organized by conservation group WWF, with hundreds of well-known sights set to plunge into darkness. AFP

Lights out as millions mark Earth Hour NEW YORK—The Empire State Building dimmed its lights and the Eiffel Tower went dark Saturday as iconic landmarks across the world observed Earth Hour, the global climate change awareness campaign.

The usually glittering nighttime majesty of the Empire State Building was set to “faint sparkle” in New York, while theaters on Broadway also toned down the neon.

Millions of people around the world were taking part in the annual Earth Hour organized by conservation group WWF, with a string of well-known sights plunging into darkness globally.

The famous Las Vegas strip went dim, with the replica Eiffel Tower at Paris Hotel turning its lights off, along with several hotels and casinos that normally illuminate the main drag in Sin City.

Other US west coast cities marked the occasion by switching off, with the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco going dim and the normally bright gateway pylons at Los Angeles LAX airport turned off after being lit in green in honor of the occasion.

Further south in the Americas, landmarks in Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro were also lights out for the hour, shrouding parts of the cities in darkness.

Earlier in Paris, the Eiffel Tower went black for only five minutes— due to security reasons—while nearly 300 other monuments in the City of Light also switched off their lights.

This year’s Earth Hour comes as the French capital prepares to host a crucial UN climate conference in December that will bring together

the international community to discuss efforts to limit global warming.

In Berlin, activists at the unlit Brandenburg Gate placed candles in paper bags that were lined up to spell out “Save our Climate! Now!”, while the Kremlin in Moscow also shed its evening diamonds.

“It’s almost like the thing vanished,” said Tony Jennings from Earth Hour after standing under the Sydney Harbor Bridge as the lights went off at 8:30 pm.

In Australia, the initiative this year is focusing on farming, with fears that rising temperatures could ultimately damage the country’s ability to produce food.

“In Australia, agriculture is the most vulnerable industry to the impacts of climate change,” said national Earth Hour manager for Australia, Anna Rose. AFP

ERC CASE NO. 2014-132 RC

The Commission has set the application for jurisdictional hearing, expository presentation, pre-trial conference and evidentiary hearing on April 28, 2015 (Tuesday) at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.) at the CANORECO’s Main Office, J.P. Rizal Street, Daet, Camarines Norte.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the proceeding may become a party by filing, at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements in the ERC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, a verified petition with the Commission giving the docket number and title of the proceeding and stating: (1) the petitioner’s name and address; (2) the nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding, and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and (3) a statement of the relief desired.

All other persons who may want theirs views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the proceeding may file their opposition to the joint application or comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before the applicants conclude the presentation of their evidence. No particular form of opposition or comment is required, but the document, letter or writing should contain the name and address of such person and a concise statement of the opposition or comment and the grounds relied upon.

All such persons who may wish to have a copy of the joint application may request the applicants, prior to the date of the initial hearing, that they be furnished with a copy of the joint application. The applicants are hereby directed to furnish all those making a request with copies of the joint application and its attachments, subject to reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Likewise, any such person may examine the joint application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the usual office hours.

WITNESS, the Honorable Chairperson, ZENAIDA G. CRUZ-DUCUT, and the Honorable Commissioners, ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAP-TARUC, and JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 2nd day of February 2015 at Pasig City.

(SGD.) ATTY. FRANCIS SATURNINO C. JUAN Executive Director III 1

Batobalani and Talisay Load-End Substations

(TS-MAR. 30 & APR. 6, 2015)

M O N D AY : M A R C H 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

B8

CesAR bARRiOquiNtO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

Marker. A man stands on March 29 in front of a commemorative headstone in Seyne-les-Alpes, the closest accessible site to where a Germanwings Airbus A320 crashed on March 24 in the French Alps, killing all 150 people on board. AFP

Captain: Open the damn door Tokyo eyes six-way talks on N. Korea TOKYO—Japan has sounded out other members of longstalled talks about North Korea’s nuclear program about holding an informal meeting in Tokyo possibly by the end of June, reports said Sunday.

Japan hopes to bring together envoys from the six states involved when the next round of the Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue, hosted by a US research institute, is held in Tokyo, Kyodo News agency said.

The Sankei Shimbun newspaper, citing government sources, also reported that Tokyo wants to host a “preliminary” meeting aimed at restarting the formal talks.

The talks, which group North and South Korea, Japan, the United States, China and Russia, were aimed at getting North Korea to give up its

nuclear weapons in return for economic and diplomatic benefits and security guarantees.

But they have not been held since December 2008. In April 2009 the North, in an angry response to UN criticism of its failed satellite launch, announced it was quitting the forum and would restart its nuclear program.

It remains uncertain whether such an informal meeting can be held since Japan has not heard from North Korea and the United States appears reluctant to support the proposal, Kyodo said.

Japan also hopes to use any informal meeting to press the North to resolve the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by the communist state in the 1970s and 1980s, the Sankei said. AFP

Palm Sunday. Pope Francis leads the Palm Sunday celebrations at St. Peter’s square on March 29 at the

DUESSELDORF—The captain of a passenger jet that investigators believe was deliberately crashed into the French Alps, killing all 150 aboard, shouted at the co-pilot to “open the damn door” as he made desperate attempts to return to the locked cockpit, according to a German newspaper Sunday.

French officials say the plane’s black box voice recorder indicates that Andreas Lubitz, 27, locked the captain out of the cockpit of the Germanwings jet and deliberately flew Flight 4U 9525 into a mountainside.

They believe that the more senior pilot tried desperately to reopen the door during the flight’s eight-minute descent after he left to use the bathroom.

Germany’s mass-circulation Bild on Sunday reported that data from the cockpit recorder showed that the captain shouted: “For God’s sake, open the

door”, as passengers’ screams could be heard in the background, moments before the fatal crash.

The pilot could then be heard trying to smash the door down with an ax, and then screaming to a silent Lubitz to “open the damn door”.

Bild said that before leaving the cockpit the captain could be heard explaining to his colleague that he had not had time to go to the toilet before they left Barcelona.

German prosecutors believe Lubitz hid an illness from his airline but have not speci-

fied the ailment, and said he had apparently been written off sick on the day the Airbus crashed on its route from Barcelona to Duesseldorf.

As investigators race to build up a picture of Lubitz and any possible motives, media reports emerged saying he had suffered from vision problems, adding to earlier reports he was severely depressed.

Lubitz’s ex-girlfriend, identified only as Maria W, told Bild Lubitz had told her: “One day I’m going to do something that will change the whole system, and everyone will know my name and remember.”

“I never knew what he meant by that but now it makes sense,” it quoted the “shocked” flight attendant as saying Saturday.

Bild, which showed a photo of the ex-girlfriend from behind to conceal her face, said she had flown with Lubitz on European flights for five months last year and that he had had another girlfriend since her.

She said he could be “sweet” and would give her flowers but got agitated talking about work conditions, such as pay or the pressure of the job, and was plagued by nightmares. “At night he woke up and screamed ‘We’re going down!’,” she recalled.

If Lubitz did deliberately crash the plane, it was “because he understood that because of his health problems, his big dream of a job at Lufthansa, of a job as captain and as a longhaul pilot was practically impossible”, she told Bild.

She split up with him because it became “increasingly clear that he had problems”, she said.

German police found a number “of medicines for the treatment of psychological illness” during a search at his Duesseldorf home, newspaper Welt am Sonntag weekly said, quoting an unnamed highranking investigator as saying he’d been treated by several neurologists and psychiatrists. AFP

Tunisians in march against extremism TUNIS—Thousands of Tunisians, led by their president and joined by several foreign dignitaries, were to march in the capital Sunday to denounce terrorism after the museum massacre of 21 tourists.

On March 18, two gunmen targeted the National Bardo Museum in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group, dealing a severe blow to a country that was the cradle of the Arab Spring and is highly dependent on tourism.

The dead tourists were from Italy, Japan, France, Spain, Colombia, Australia, Britain, Bel-

gium, Poland and Russia.

A Tunisian policeman was also gunned down. On Saturday the death toll rose to 22 after a Frenchwoman succumbed to injuries sustained in the attack.

The march is set to begin in Tunis at 1000 GMT, going from Bab Saadoun Square to the museum where a stone tablet will be dedicated to the memory of the victims.

The attack was “a big blow, but this blow did not kill us, it made us stronger”, Tourism Minister Salma Elloumi Rekik said on television on Saturday.

President Beji Caid Essebsi will host the foreign dignitaries including his counterparts from France, Francois Hollande, and Poland, Bronislaw Komorowski, as well as the Palestinians’ Mahmud Abbas.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Algeria’s premier, Abdelmalek Sellal, as well as the foreign ministers of Spain, Jose Manuel GarciaMargallo, and the Netherlands, Bert Koenders, are also expected.

Essebsi called earlier in the week for a huge turnout for the march to the museum, which is

due to reopen to the public on Monday.

The Bardo’s doors were open on Friday to schoolchildren and students only, and an AFP journalist said bullet holes could still be seen on some of the walls inside.

“I was a little (scared) but now that we are here I can see that things are safe,” Lena Bottlender, a 17-year-old German student, told AFP. Soumeya, a young Tunisian who visited on Friday, said she was “scared when she watched (the attacks on) the television”.

AFP

M O N D AY : M A R C H 3 0 : 2 0 1 5

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

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

LIFE PAL’S ADVENTURE ➜ Turn to next page

C1

C2

M ONDAY : M ARCH 30 : 2015

LIFE

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE E D I TOR

glweekend @ gmail.com The majestic New York skyline shortly before the 7AM landing

Martin Nievera and Dr. Tan sing a tune during the flight to NYC (PR 126)

PAL’S NEW YORK ADVENTURE

PAL Chairman and CEO Dr. Lucio Tan turns over an aircraft model of the B777-300ER to US Amb. to the Philippines Philip Goldberg before the flight to NYC

BY BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE

I

’ll be honest: The last time I flew Philippine Airlines, the flight was delayed coming and going, the food was mediocre, and I swore to myself, never again.

Well, never say never, as the adage goes.

Because two weeks ago, I was invited to join PAL’s inaugural flight to New York.

It was a historic flight for many reasons. The date of the flight – March 15th – marked the 74th anniversary of the airline’s founding. It also marked the resumption of flights to the Big Apple after a very long absence. Before service to New York City was discontinued, PAL used to fly into Newark (EWR) International Airport. The inaugural flight landed at PAL’s new home, JFK International Airport, Terminal 1.

“Deep in our hearts, we knew that one day, PAL would be back in New York. After 18 years, that day has come,” said PAL President Jaime J. Bautista right before takeoff.

Bautista made special mention of the FilipinoAmerican communities along the Eastern seaboard “who are our most passionate supporters,” who had long clamoured for the resumption of flights. PAL now serves, in addition to New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu and Guam.

The All-American theme that pervaded the inaugural ceremonies was charming and unpretentious.

There was Lady Liberty at the airport covered in a robe and crown the same oxidized green as the actual Statue of Liberty; even her face was painted the same color. Refreshments were as American as you could get: hotdogs and lemonade!

As soon as everyone settled into their seats in the spacious Boeing 777 aircraft, crooner Martin Nievera began to serenade surprised but delighted passengers. Chairman of PAL Dr. Lucio Tan was on board the flight, and frequently strolled up and down the aisles, checking for himself that passengers in all classes were comfortable.

The 12-hour flight to Vancouver was indeed comfortable, and the crew, headed by Flight Purser Bernard Buenaventura were lovely without being obsequious, a balance of demeanor not that simple to achieve when you have a flight full of VIPs, as Dr. Tan certainly was.

A barrio fiesta awaited us at the departure area in Vancouver (YVR), with simple ceremonies again marking the inaugural YVR-JFK flight. From there, it was another five hours or so to New York. Glimpsing the city early the next morning through the windows of the plane and watching dawn give in to day, the orange bands of sunrise brightening the sky, was quite magical.

Though the weather was bracing – it even snowed on the first official day of Spring, March 20th – it

was altogether an auspiciously good start to what is clearly a new era for PAL. The goodwill gener-

PAL’s very first Flight Attendant Rebecca Versoza Santos attends the inaugural reception and is gifted a round trip new york manila new york ticket by Dr. tan

Manila to New York Cabin Crew roster led by Flight Purser Monique Gloria.

PAL Chairman and CEO Dr. Lucio Tan, PAL President and COO Jaime Bautista and Phil. Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia, Jr. with PH Consul General Mario de leon lead the ceremonial toast during the New York reception held at the New York Hilton Midtowm Manhattan

Ambassador Philip Goldberg at the send -off ceremony in Manila

ated by the resumption of flights was evident by the impressive turnout for the press conference held on March 16th at the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, followed by a filled-to-capacity reception and dinner which saw the irrepressible Nievera performing, once again.

He was upstaged, however, by the appearance of Rebecca Versoza Santos who, it was revealed, was PAL’s very first flight attendant. While wheelchair-bound, the US-based Mrs. Santos’ elegant bearing was still very much apparent when she stood up briefly to receive a token of appreciation from Dr. and Mrs. Tan – a round trip New YorkManila-New York ticket.

As for that thing I said about never ever flying PAL again? I think it’s high time I reconsidered.

Bambina Olivares Wise flew to New York as a guest of Philippine Airlines.

The concert king Martin Nievera serenades Mrs. Carmen Tan at the inaugural reception at the New York Hilton Midtown Manhattan

Ambassador Cuisia and the Tan couple smile before the cameras

M ONDAY : M ARCH 30 : 2015

LIFE glweekend @ gmail.com

GET TOP GADGETS AT DISCOUNTED PRICES

BY ED BIADO Shopping for devices online can be quite daunting, given the limitless choices that one is faced with. Finally, someone has simplified the process and came out with an online store concept that makes gadget-shopping a quick, focused and streamlined experience.

The first thing you’ll notice about the Get Gadget Shop Web site is its emphasis on the lifestyle aspect of the devices in its inventory. Each product is photographed editorially, showing customers how the gadgets interact and function with other day-to-day objects. This is the result of

a recent revamp and improvement of the site.

The next evident thing is the limited options, which is actually a positive more than a negative.

Get Gadget Shop only offers phones from Apple, Samsung, Sony and Asus; as well as tablets, cameras, laptops, music players and accessories from selected brands. This immediately eliminates clutter and prevents customers from being distracted by bells, whistles and all the other unnecessary noise.

Then, you’ll realize that their prices are incredibly low. Here are some examples:

Apple iPhone 6 Plus (64GB) – P40,880.00 (Get Gadget Shop price) versus P47,990.00 (elsewhere) Apple iPhone 6 (64GB) – P35,980.00 versus P41,990.00 Apple 11” Macbook Air (256GB) – P39,500.00 versus P54,990.00 Apple iPad Air WiFi (16GB) – P17,800.00 versus P20,490.00 Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 Duos – P10,180.00 versus P16,990.00 Samsung Galaxy Note 3 – P21,200.00 versus P23,081.00 “Get Gadget Shop is anchored on providing the most up-to-date gadgets at the fairest price possible at all times, and we also showcase a wellcurated, locally hand-crafted accessory line for all types of customer profiles. From businessmen, top executives, adventure seekers to hardworking students, Get Gadget Shop aims to assist an active lifestyle, complete with the latest models at a much affordable price compared to a reseller with physical store or other online shops.” explains Get Gadget managing partner Cyruz Cruz.

Get Gadget Shop positions itself as “the most trusted local online establishment to offer brand

new gadgets with free doorstep delivery to the customer.” No long waiting is required—the online store assures customers that they’ll “receive the best services as Get Gadget Shop is one of the few reputable names and a trusted local distributor that includes free delivery, easy returns, and one year service warranty for all units sold.”

The ordering process is also simple: log onto the website, choose your device, and once a dispatch email has been sent, a purchase contract will be made. Payment options include cash-on-delivery and bank deposit for outside Metro Manila. Go to www.getgadgetshop.com for more information.

ENJOY MORE APPS AND LONGER INTERNET HOURS OF MOBILE SURFING THIS SUMMER WITH GOSURF

A

ccess free Spotify, Piso Mall, Facebook and Viber plus more MBs to access all the sites you want School is about to end and the summer heat is finally on. It’s time to lounge at the beach and enjoy the sun while listening to your favorite summer playlists, watching videos, chatting with friends or sharing selfies on social media.

For now, we bid school goodbye and say hello to summer!

Make summer your favorite season ever with your connectivity partner Globe Telecom and its consumable data plan GoSURF, which allows you to surf all the sites you want and gives you free access to popular apps such Viber and Facebook, as well as premium content such as Spotify and Piso Mall, the country’s first-ever onestop shop video content store with over 200,000 videos available.

Start planning your summer escapades with GoSURF50, which gives you 300MB of mobile surfing so you can browse through travel sites, book hotel accommodations, read travel reviews, chat with friends, and share posts and photos on mobile complete with free access to Viber and Facebook. GoSURF50 also comes with free access to Spotify so you can check out the latest songs you can play during trips as well as free access to Piso Mall to view the perfect summer videos and clips with your travel buddies. Do all these for 3 days for only P50.

“As the leading purveyor of the Filipino digital lifestyle, we want our prepaid customers to have more fun this summer so we are boosting our GoSURF promos with more mobile data allocation so they can enjoy their mobile internet experience without spending too much. We also want to give

them more of what they love so we’re bundling our GoSURF promos with free premium content such as Facebook, Viber, Spotify and Piso Mall to fully enable their digital lifestyle,” says Issa Cabreira, Globe Senior Vice President for Consumer Mobile Marketing.

Register to GoSURF50 by dialing *143# and choosing GoSURF50 or by simply texting GS50 to 8888. Upon successful registration to GoSURF50, you will receive a confirmation SMS with details on the premium content which you can immediately access as part of the bundle.

GoSURF also comes in lower denomination promos such as GoSURF10, GoSURF15 and GoSURF30 to cater to Globe Prepaid customers’ digital lifestyle, budget and needs.

To know more about GoSURF promos, visit www.globe.com.ph/ gosurf.

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE E D I TOR

C3

TIGERAIR PHILIPPINES ANNOUNCES NEW ROUTES TO LEGAZPI AND PUERTO PRINCESA Tigerair Philippines will launch daily flights from Manila to Legazpi and five times weekly flights from Cebu to Puerto Princesa beginning March 29, 2015.

Passengers may avail of Tigerair Philippines’ lowest year-round fares between Manila and Legazpi, for as low as PHP888. Meanwhile, fares from Cebu to Puerto Princesa start at PHP1288.

The airline’s flights from Manila to Legazpi will depart at 10:30AM, and arrive in Legazpi at 11:35AM. The return flight will depart Legazpi at 12:15PM, and arrive in Manila at 1:20PM. Tigerair Philippines’ flights from Cebu to Princesa will depart at 11:30AM, and arrive in Puerto Princesa at 12:45PM. The return flight will depart Puerto Princesa at 1:25PM, and arrive in Cebu at 2:40PM. “We are happy to announce our new flights to some of the most beautiful destinations in the Philippines – Legazpi and Puerto Princesa. We look forward to offering low fares to even more destinations,” said Atty. Leilani de Leon, Chief Legal and Corporate Affairs, Tigerair Philippines.

With these new routes, Tigerair Philippines now offers flights to a total of 14 destinations: Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Clark, Cebu, General Santos, Iloilo, Kalibo, Legazpi, Manila, Roxas, Puerto Princesa, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, and Hong Kong. It utilizes a fleet of four Airbus A320 aircraft.

For bookings and inquiries, please log on to www.cebupacificair.com or call our reservation hotlines (+632)7020-888 or (+6332)230-8888.

The latest seat sales can also be found on Tigerair Philippines’ official Twitter (@tigerairPH) and Facebook pages.

GETGADGET SHOP ONE DAY TRADE OFF PROMO ON MARCH 31 Thinking of upgrading to iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 plus? This is now the most awaited opportunity to enjoy in the palm of your hands a brand new but very affordable unit for yourself.

GetGadget Shop, the Philippines most trusted online gadget store is offering its first trade off promotion on March 31, 2015. Open for all iPhone 4s, 5, 5s and 5c unit with GB memory sizes, all gadgets for trading will be assessed to determine exact amount of discount. Once the seller has agreed on the actual value of the unit assessed by a GetGadget Shop trade officer, a cash check will be given as a mode of payment for the chosen unit. What’s more, interested traders can pre-reserve via GetGadget Shop Facebook fan page by sending a message with name, unit, model, GB size and preferred color. A trade in officer will send a reply within 24 hours to confirm order reservation.

To qualify, present two valid IDs and proof of purchase of the unit such as receipt. Pick up and payment is on March 31,2015 at the GetGadget Shop office from 10 am to 5 pm at unit 1105, Antel Global Building, Julia Vargas Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City. For inquiries, contact customer support on 0921-229-5653 / 0927-905-1259.

M O N D AY : M A R C H 3 0 : 2 0 1 5

C4 FOR PARTY ANIMALS ONLY

BOB ZOZOBRADO

LIFE

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

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

SUMMER DESTINATIONS Getting ready for the onslaught of summer holidaymakers, some of the country’s de luxe accommodations are now agog with all kinds of activities to create awareness for those who have set aside funds for their yearly vacation, especially the big spenders. Here are a couple, among my list of favorite destinations, all geared up for the busy months ahead.

THE BELLEVUE RESORT

This de luxe property in Bohol is owned and managed

by The Bellevue Hotels and Resorts (BH&R) under the leadership of chairman Johnny Chan, managing director Patrick Chan, marketing and corporate communications director Ryan Chan and managing director Dustin Chan.

On May 23 and 24, the resort will sponsor the highly anticipated yearly sporting event, DEFY 123 Triathlon. This race tests the limits of the participants’ stamina as they complete a 1-kilometer swim, a 110-kilometer bike and a 12-kilometer run.

During the launch for this year’s event, staged by the highly efficient organizing committee composed of Jerry Santos, Teddy Tong, Anthony Kierulf and Ryan Chan, race director Guy Concepcion discussed the new and challenging bike and run courses. He also announced that the swim course gets a thrilling twist as it will be an open water swim from Virgin Island to Balicasag Island.

More information on DEFY 123 Triathlon may be obtained from The Bellevue Manila at (02) 771-8181 or The Bellevue Resort (038) 422-2222. Registration for the race may be made directly at www.defytri. com/defy-tri/

Tess Catipay, Pinky Chang and Teresin Mendezona

1

Sandra and Jurgen Pesch with Julie Najar

MARCO POLO PLAZA CEBU

2

This top-notch 5-star property in the Queen City of the South recently hosted the Chaine des Rotisseurs Bailliage de Cebu as a way of strengthening its partnership with the business leaders of that southern city. Chaine des Rotisseurs is an international gastronomic society founded in Paris in 1950 to promote fine dining, the pleasures of the table and camaraderie among its members.

Spearheading the Cebu event were Bailli Delegue of the Chaine des Rotisseurs for the Philippines Michel Lhuillier and his lovely wife, Amparito, with the help of the hotel’s hardworking team led by former general manager Hans Hauri and the new general manager Julie Najar.

The Marco Polo Plaza Cebu team was given certificates of Appreciation as the Chain des Rotisseur’s way of expressing their gratitude for the hotel’s unwavering support for the various activities of the society.

3

4

5 1 Peter Yabut, Joey Torres, and Jerry Santos 2 Moby De Jesus, Teddy Tong, Norman Arteficio, Mariella Powell and Isa Isip 3 Race director Guy Concepcion and BH&R’s Ryan Chan 4 Coach Etch Verzola, Kali Kalalo, John Pangilinan and Jerry Evaristo 5 Solar NRG’s Grigori Agriopoulos, Clarisse Chiongbian and Mike Cosenheim

PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK At last week’s convention in Davao of the Tourism Industry Board Foundation Inc. (TIBFI), Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr., in his Keynote Speech, said something that struck me, when he referred to all the flak our government is getting from its perennial critics.

He said, “Just because they haven’t changed, they think the government hasn’t. But we have!” And big time, I hasten to add! Sec. Jimenez also expressed his confidence in bringing in more than 6 Million tourists by the end of next year, 2016. By then, approximately 600,000 Filipinos would already be employed in our Tourism Industry. TIBFI is a tripartite body composed of representatives from the government, private and labor sectors which aims to provide manpower development in all sectors of the Tourism industry. Its Chairman is the effervescent Annabelle Ochoa Moreno.

YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE

:-D

Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr.

TIBFI Chairman Annabelle Ochoa Moreno

The schoolteacher brings 8-year-old Johnny home and tells his mother that he was caught playing “doctors and nurses” with an 8-year old female classmate.

Johnny’s mother says, “Let’s not be too harsh on them¼t hey’re bound to be curious about sex at that age.”

“Curious about sex?” replies the schoolteacher.

“He has taken her appendix out!”

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrad@gmail.com

Josephine and Federico Borromeo, Bailli de Manille

The Marco Polo Plaza team with their Certificates of Appreciation given by Amparito and Michel Lhuillier (center)

M O N D AY : M A R C H 3 0 : 2 0 1 5

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

C5

WANT SOME CLASSIC PINOY BREAKFAST? F ried bangus , corned beef, and longganisa are the fare we usually find in any family’s breakfast table.

But in this day and age of everything going faster than we can wink, there’s less and less of these on the table.

Try IHOP. This American restaurant now carries Filipino breakfast favorites in its menu.

The US-grown casual dining restaurant popular for its pancakes, waffles, French toasts and coffee, is adding their own delicious limited edition versions of these dishes under their Filipino Classics line.

Plated on banana leaves with eggs done your way, these hearty Filipino dishes have been muchanticipated additions to the menu. Breakfast Bangus (P295) is the classic pan fried milkfish served with garlic rice and eggs on the side. Corned Beef Hash (P275) is corned beef mixed with IHOP’s signature hash browns served with garlic rice and eggs while Longganisa Scrambler (P250) has scrambled eggs mixed with sautéed chopped longganisa, green bell peppers, and onions and garlic rice.

IHOP introduced its first line of Filipino Classics last year with beef tapa, chicken and pork tocino, longganisa, and chicken sausage. They have proven so popular that IHOP is testing the waters once again, tapping into the Filipino palate with IHOP’s distinctive American identity.

“We currently have five Filipino breakfast offerings on the menu and are excited to be offering more. It just goes to show how IHOP has made an impact

on our local customers. These are distinctly Filipino dishes with IHOP-sized servings and IHOP quality,” said Archie Rodriguez, president and CEO of Global Restaurant Concepts, Inc., the Philippine partner of IHOP. The three items will be available only for a limited period starting March 31, so best to drop by the nearest IHOP now.

Breakfast Bangus debuts right on time for the Lenten season.

Even better, Filipino Classics will be part of IHOP’s new delivery menu. All the mouthwatering favorites will soon be available for delivery via Food Panda, the globally known food app. Users simply download it on Apple, Android or Windows, and key in their location. The nearest IHOP branch and menu appears for online ordering and delivery.

The IHOP delivery menu will be on Food Panda starting April 25.

On May 1, IHOP’s well-loved fried chicken will be available in bigger servings of six, eight, and twelve pieces in special buckets for dine-in, take out, and delivery as well.

For bigger gatherings or even parties, IHOP has launched catering services in-house and offsite. “The IHOP experience can be in homes, offices, and venues for parties or get-togethers with the menu personalized for the client. We can work with them based on their need and budget with a professional team managing the spread,” he added.

With hot days ahead, IHOP is launching its Summer Treats line in partnership with Nestle Philippines and Pepsi.

The Ice Cream Waffle Sandwich (P245) is vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips and mango ice cream mixed with cheesecake cubes in between freshly made waffles, and served on a bed of chocolate and vanilla sauce.

Funnel Cake a la Mode (P175) puts together six pieces of mini funnel cakes topped with creamy vanilla ice cream, and crowned with a choice of cinnamon apple compote, blueberries, or glazed strawberries. This is then garnished with whipped cream and powdered sugar. Banana Split Sundae (P225) is served as a goblet full of chocolate, vanilla, and mango ice cream balls, candied pecans, and glazed strawberries. This is drizzled with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and garnished with sliced bananas with a cherry on top. Soda Floats (P145) are all-time American classics of soda topped with vanilla ice cream, drizzled with chocolate sauce served on a beer mug. Guests can choose from MUG, Pepsi or 7UP for their soda.

The new dishes come in time for IHOP’s second year in the Philippines, as the restaurant gets a stronger pulse from its local diners.

“We’ve been doing very well and steadily growing in the Philippines. Since IHOP’s arrival in the local dining scene, I think we can be credited with changing the way people think of their comfort food. IHOP has shown that we can enjoy this concept, that special IHOP dining experience, anytime of the day whether for breakfast, lunch, snacks, or dinner,” he said.

IHOP’s Archie Rodriguez, left, Griffith Go, Manuel Rodriguez, and a representative from the US are happy to introduce new breakfast dishes in addition to what the restaurant earlier offered, all approved by their partners in the US; among which include, Fried Bangus, longganisa scrambler and corned beef hash, apart from dessert fares Ice Cream Waffle Sandwich, Funnel Cake a la Mode, and Banana Split Sundae

We currently have five Filipino breakfast offerings on the menu and are excited to be offering more. It just goes to show how IHOP has made an impact on our local customers. These are distinctly Filipino dishes with IHOP-sized servings and IHOP quality - Archie Rodriguez

PHOTOS BY TEDDY PELAEZ

M O N D AY : M A R C H 3 0 : 2 0 1 5

C6

SHOWBITZ

EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

HAPPY WITH KAPUSO NETWORK

JOSEPH PETER GONZALES

Carla Abellana recently inked another three-year contract with GMA. “That’s right!” she says. “I’m still very much a Kapuso and I’m happy with this development.”

The be-dimpled actress admits it wasn’t hard for her to arrive at such a decision.

“It’s simple: I don’t see myself anywhere else. I started with them and for the longest time, they’ve been giving me nice projects so why would I leave, right? This is really my home, so to speak. I belong here. I’m comfortable with the people I work with in here and it’s great that in the next three years, we will be together like one big family. I’m very happy with GMA!” Her followers are curious what her next big show is under her new contract. Her last prime time soap was My Destiny.

“From what I heard, it’s a drama vehicle. It suits me well because that’s my favorite genre.

Actually, I’m ready to work anytime now. Apart from this, my sitcom Ismol Family is still on (the) air plus my hosting stint in Sunday All Stars. So, the people will be seeing more of me once the camera starts grinding for my new soap opera.”

Speaking of her latest offering, many ask if her leading man would be constant date and rumored boyfriend Tom Rodriguez.

“I’m afraid he is not,” avers Carla. “But we’ll see. As in any soap, anything is possible. A new character can enter as the story thickens. But as far as I know, he is not my leading man for this new program.”

For Carla, it is better that she’ll be paired with another actor this time.

“That’s true! We’ve starred in two hit soaps already namely, My Husband’s Lover and My Destiny. I guess, seeing the two of us with new screen partners will be visually refreshing. It’s also one way to make the audience miss our tandem.”

As to the real score between them, the articulate star explains, “It’s still the same. Yes, we go out but we don’t put any label to it. It’s like we’re just going with the flow, letting nature take its course. That way, we’ll not be under pressure and there will be no expectations. Let’s just see in the coming days…”

Does this mean they are still free to date other people?

“Well, if Tom likes, why not?

It’s his life and I don’t have any control on that. But as for me,

Carla Abellana

Joy Viado

I won’t. I’ve never experienced that before. It’s just not my cup of tea,” ends Carla.

HHHHH Joy Viado is proud to be part of the Protect Your Own: Empowering Women Campaign, a collaborative project between naFlora Feminine Hygiene and Think + Talk Creative Communications, Inc. “Oh yes! This campaign is all about the education of women regarding the many issues they face and address daily and how these matters

KUYA KIM ENJOYS LIFE’S SIMPLE PLEASURES Known as a TV Host, Weather Anchor and an Ironman triathlete, Kuya Kim maintains his healthy physique by a good balance of work, exercise and pleasure.

“After surviving two major diseases, a stroke and Guillian Barre Syndrome, I have learned to live and love the beauty of life by making sure that I am doing well with my craft, I am physically fit (which includes a healthy balance in food intake) while also enjoying precious moments with my family,” he says.

Kuya Kim or Kim Atienza recently signed a one-year contract as brand ambassador for Regent Foods Corporation (RFC). “We are delighted to have Kuya Kim as our new endorser. We aim to promote a healthy lifestyle through a good balance of active lifestyle and pleasure of good food. He perfectly embodies an active and healthy routine.” says Ricky See.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 39 41 42 44 46 47 48 49 53 57 58 60 61 62

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Rude person 5 Jazzy refrain 9 Drain cleaner 12 Eye amorously 13 Gandhi setting 15 Beach toy 16 Third-quarter tide 17 Beeper 18 Refs 19 Go flat 21 Like Bogart’s falcon

ISAH V. RED

23

24 25 28 33 34 35 36 37 38

What the suspicious smell (2 wds.)

— Alamos Corn husks Flowering trees Antler prongs The Force was with him Beery or Wyle Hosp. workers Tough fabric Insurance gp.

63 64 65 66

Brainstorm Taper off English assignment Buy Reprimands Any miss “— be surprised!”

Hit the spot Unpaid debts Brown chirper Pulls down “Never heard — —!”

Shake — — (hurry) “Golden Hind” captain Karachi language Dude, Jamaica-style Fit together Angled a nail

DOWN 1 Brosnan role 2 Curved molding 3 Viking name 4 Put back 5 Dogie catchers 6 Mooring site 7 Rx monitor 8 Resolute 9 Glittery fabric 10 Small barks 11 Ultimatum word 14 Dental filling

MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2015

15 20 22 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 34 37 40 42 43 45 46 48 49 50 51 52 54 55 56 59

Wears (2 wds.)

Havens 1977 Bowie album Bacon unit Krishna devotee Al of Indy fame Metaphysical poet “Garfield” pooch Exclaimed over Kickboxer JeanClaude Van — Wing tips Senate votes Towered over Sore Wk. day Safe house Guys and fellows Victorian garment Jerks Did the butterfly A Guthrie MTV watcher Wild tale Huge hairstyle Carnival attraction Beefcake model — Dawn Chong

about womanhood and femininity affect them as they live the various stages of their lives.

I’m so proud to be part of this advocacy especially since it coincides with the celebration of Women’s Month,” she says.

Actually, the talented comedienne is part of the play Tatlong Yugto, Tatlong Babae written by the Palanca award-winning Liza Magtoto. This is the main come-on for the campaign since it presents various plights of women in contemporary times.

“That’s right! There are three monologues that comprise the play. I’m in the final part. I’m Petunia, a cougar who has gone tired with her dance instructor and how she deals with the prospect of a new happiness.

Our director is Roobak Valle.”

According to Joy, she admires naFlora and Think + Talk Creative Communications, Inc. for pushing this advocacy on women empowerment.

“We’re doing the rounds in Metro Manila and soon, key provinces. Right after the performance, a forum will be conducted by ObstetricianGynecologist, Dr. Ma. Lourdes Escobar in which the audience can ask questions regarding sex and health. It’s really an educational thing,” Joy states.

Kuya Kim Atienza and Regent Foods’ Ricky See

THE AQUARIUM CHANNEL HD ON SKY Cable subscribers can now enjoy an aquarium on TV. With the channel in high definition, the experience is like having your own, real-life aquarium at home. Fish lovers of SKYcable and Destiny Cable in Mega Manila can watch the soothing scenes on Ch. 244.

SKYcable subscribers in Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo, and Baguio can tune-in to The Aquarium Channel HD on Ch. 752.

Only SKYcable provides quality home entertainment with the widest-range of standard and high definition digital channels, with over 190 channels and other top-of-theline services such as flexible subscription options via SELECT; iRECORD that records, pauses, and rewinds live TV; as well as realtime coverage of live concerts and sporting events via FREE VIEW and PAY-PER-VIEW. To subscribe and to know more about SKYcable, log on to www.mysky.com.ph, or call the 24-hour customer service hotlines at 02 381-0000 for Metro Manila, CAMANAVA, and Rizal; 046-484-4701 for Cavite; 049534-1555 for Calamba and Binan, Laguna; 02-520-8560 for San Pedro, Laguna and Carmona, Cavite; 044-693-5877 for Bulacan; 032-421-1818 for Cebu; 082-305-5456 for Davao; 074-442-4841 for Baguio; 034-4320051 for Bacolod; 033-300-1210 for Iloilo; 035-225-1010 for Dumaguete; and 083 3013134 for Gen. Santos City.

Enjoy 93 channels in clear digital signal for only P550 per month with Destiny Cable.

For inquiries about the services and promos of Destiny Cable call 418-0000. You may also contact Destiny Cable via their email address, weserve@destinycable.com.ph

M O N D AY : M A R C H 3 0 : 2 0 1 5

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

C7

‘SHE’S DATING THE GANGSTER’ DEBUTS ON SKY PAY-PER-VIEW

Penshoppe brand ambassador Sean O’Pry will be in Manila to meet and greet fans

SEAN O’PRY COMES TO MANILA From C8

The global top model and Penshoppe brand ambassador comes to the Philippines for a fashion show. He will also and meet and greet his fans.

Those who can’t get enough of Sean O’Pry are in for a hot summer treat as the fashion powerhouse brings the top model to the Philippines for the Penshoppe Denimlab Fashion Show on April 11at the SMX Convention Center Manila.

Registered Penshoppe VIP cardholders get this amazing chance to see the model in person as he shows off the brand’s latest collection.

There will also be an exclusive Meet and Greet event prior to the show so fans of Sean, who is currently the world’s most popular and successful male model, can get up close with the dashing style star.

To qualify for the raffle, registered Penshoppe Card holders can log on to www.penshoppe.com/seanopry to register, with no purchase required, from until April 5,. There will be 50 grand winners of one exclusive meet and greet pass plus two invites to the Denimlab Fashion Show, while 200 winners will get two invites to the fashion show to witness Sean walk the Penshoppe runway garbed in the season’s hottest styles.

Winners will be announced on April 6 on Penshoppe’s website and social media accounts. Claiming instructions will also be sent to the winners through e-mail and text message.

Register now and don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime chance to see Sean O’Pry in the flesh.

Penshoppe has close to 400 branches in the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Visit the official Penshoppe website at http://www.penshoppe.com or follow them on Facebook: www. facebook.com/penshoppeofficial, Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ penshoppe, and Instagram: @penshoppe_official.

HHHHH Beginning today, Martin Mystery and Time Quest will take over your weekday mornings with jampacked adventures that will surely fire up your day.

Martin Mystery is a quirky and happy-go-lucky guy who serves as a Paranormal Investigator for The Center, a secret agency that focuses on paranormal events. Because of his impulsive and immature actions, his stepsister Diana Lombard frustrates

herself by being responsible for the troubles he comes up with.

They investigate different mysteries with the help of Java the Caveman and Billy the Martian who all work for M.O.M, the director of The Center who provides them useful information in order to finish every mission. What are the challenges they’re going to face? Will they successfully accomplish every mission assigned to them?

Meanwhile, Time Quest is a series about two friends Hayato and Yumi, who find a funny talking kettle named Tondekeman that has the ability to take people back in time.

They accidentally activate Tondekeman, and get trapped in the past.

As they look for their way to the present time, they meet Aladdin, Prince Dandarn, Princess Shalala, as well as different historical personalities. They also encounter the cunning Abdullah, who tries to kidnap Princess Shalala for the betrothal of his master. Will Hayato and Yumi be able to go take Tondekeman from Abdullah? Will they be able to go back in the present time?

Martin Mystery and Time Quest air Monday to Friday after One Piece on GMA Astig Authority.

Fans of the Philippine’s reigning teen couple, Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo, will surely enjoy watching the hit, She’s Dating the Gangster on their TV screens at home and in full high definition.

The movie follows the story of Athena and Kenji, an unlikely pairing between a nice and proper lady and a certified campus bad boy. Viewers can experience how their love blossoms from a pretend, make-believe relationship to something real, and even heartbreakingly great.

Fans will be able to enjoy this flick, non-stop, until March 31on SKY Pay-Per-View.

Subscribers who avail of this pay-per-view treat will also enjoy two bonus titles, Bride for Rent and Starting Over Again. Kim Chiu and Xian Lim’s Bride for Rent is a light-hearted fare. It is a romantic comedy about a rich man who hires a young woman to pretend to be his bride, and eventually falls head-over-heels for her.

In Starting Over Again, with Toni Gonzaga and Piolo Pascual, we witness how love starts, breaks, and grows into something new. With three beautiful tales that’s guaranteed to thrill, break and mend your heart, this pay-per-view package from SKY cannot be missed.

Celebrate the joys of love this summer with these three hit movies from SKY. Immerse yourself in the ultra-kilig moments of She’s Dating The Gangster, Bride for Rent, and Starting Over Again for only P149 – uninterrupted and commercial-free via SKY PAY-PER-VIEW. Plus, there’s no need to wait to get your romantic comedy fix. Simply go to http://www.mysky.com.ph/ shes-dating-the-gangster and register online to activate this pay-per-view content on your TV instantly.

SKYcable subscribers can watch the love unfold on the following channels: Ch. 195 (HD) and Ch. 140 (SD) for those in Metro Manila, CAMANAVA, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna and San Jose del Monte, Bulacan; and Ch. 702 (HD) and Ch. 22 (SD) for those in Cebu, Baguio, Iloilo, Bacolod. Davao, General Santos, and Dumaguete.

Destiny Cable digital subscribers can watch through Ch. 195 (HD) and Ch. 140 (SD). SKY Pay-Per-View is a benefit enjoyed only by digital subscribers.

She’s Dating The Gangster’s Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernado will be seen by fans on pay-per-view

C8

M O N D AY : M A R C H 3 0 : 2 0 1 5

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ ZERO IN ON PUPIL’S

W

hen Ely Buendia sings “The world is a place / behind this firewall” on Zilch’s scorching opener “Firewall,” it is both an invitation and a taunt: a wink-nudge suggestion that there is a plane beyond the rabbit-hole—that the practice of imagining is a reward in itself, perhaps the best reward of all—but also a show of sneer-filled discontent. In this day and age, when unthinkable things start coming to life, when fiction starts ringing like the truth, it is odd of anyone to not want to rearrange the furniture in their minds even for a bit. And Zilch, Pupil’s fourth full-length and their first with MCA Music, Inc., is charitable in imaginings both musical and lyrical.

Finished during a collaborative sabbatical of sorts—Buendia doing shows with punk-rockabilly super group The Oktaves, as well as booking the occasional solo revue home and elsewhere; drummer Wendell Garcia doing session work with a host of acts, even reuniting for a few gigs with Barbie’s Cradle; and, perhaps most publicly, bassist Dok Sergio and new guitarist Jerome Velasco doing a string of successful shows with the momentarily-reformed Teeth—the new record brings with it a fresh perspective on Pupil music-making.

One thing is apparent, though: the quartet has long found their musical thesis, and no uncertain number of dalliances will make them stray from their project: in-your-face guitar rock executed in the most rudimentary manner, and this much is evident in first two singles “Out of Control” and “Why.” “I’ve always preferred a strippeddown sound, live and on record, and this was the objective from the moment I started writing new songs for Zilch,” Buendia shares.

Also key to the reabout to step on your toes.’

SIMPLY vamped operation is the I totally trust his instincts.

RED addition of legendary He has impeccable taste,” axeman Jerome Velasco, Buendia says, glowing in his whose genius covers an ISAH V. RED appraisal of the man. The expansive terrain—from erstwhile Teeth guitarist’s shoegaze to indie pop to sludge rock—and stamp is unmistakable but never overbearwho is, moreover, a longtime collaborator ing throughout the record, but is most esof Buendia’s. He was in post-Eraserheads, pecially marked in melodic cuts like “ResoEly-led outfit The Mongols and a constant nate” and “Cheap Thrill,” as well as left-field partner-in-crime in the studio. “We’re dissonant rockers “Tachyon” and “MNL.” both excited to be making music again esWhat Pupil has in their hands in Zilch, sentially. The only thing different is I have ultimately, is a more refined rethinking of a lot of catching up to do,” Velasco airs their sound. “The guitars growl, the drums self-effacingly, alluding to the band’s back are in your face, no synth pads, very little catalogue. “[Jerome] and I just work well delay. [It] is an album played on the gut levtogether. We complement each other. There el. Yet it is, I think, our most sophisticated are no egos, no need to say ‘Excuse me, I’m release to date,” Buendia offers. Velasco con-

fidently chimes in, “Personally I find that it’s inevitable that the band shall release a definitive rock record. I think this was a great time to do it.” Throughout the process, the band was both instinctive and resolute in reconciling the sound in their heads with the sound that eventually ends up on disc. Wendell Garcia’s drum parts, for one, were redone almost entirely in a rented photography studio in an attempt to capture the much-revered John Bonham (skinsman for Led Zeppelin) sound. The band DIY’d the whole thing, installing their own personal mattresses for soundproofing, with bassist Dok Sergio manning the controls.

“I sort of binge-listened all my favorite modern rock albums from the [Smashing] Pumpkins, Nirvana, Pixies, [and] The Cult,” Buendia, moreover, says of his musical diet prior to recording. Zilch displays faint echoes of the modern rock canon, for sure, but the quartet’s distinct strengths—the insistent riffing, the soaring melodies, the monstrous rhythms—are never more afloat.

“Zilch” is now out in CDs at Astroplus and Odyssey outlets under MCA Music, Inc. It is also available through digital download via spinnr.ph and iTunes and streaming via spinnr.ph, Spotify and Deezer. Continued on C7

I’ve always preferred a stripped-down sound, live and on record, and this was the objective from the moment I started writing new songs for ‘Zilch’ – Ely Buendia