The Standard - 2015 May 24 - Sunday

VOL. XXIX  NO. 96  3 Sections  24 Pages  P18  SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015  www.manilastandardtoday.com  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

C1

Summer’s last hurrah

B4

Saving boat people top priority—UN

‘PUBLIC MENACE’

PNOY ADMIN EARNS NEW TAG AMID TRAIN MISHAPS—UNA Next page

DISRUPTED. A southbound train of the LRT Line 1 crashed into another train at the Monumento Station in Caloocan City, disrupting LRT’s morning operations that sent commuters (inset) streaming out of the station. MANNY PALMERO

OREO SPAWNS OTHER BUSINESSES

B1

TENNIS ACE ON THE RISE

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S u n D AY : M AY 24 , 2 0 1 5

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Trade minisTers meeT. Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo presides over the opening session of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting on Boracay Island in Aklan province on saturday. Pna PHOTO

pnoy admin earns tag as ‘menace’ By maricel V. Cruz and Joel Zurbano

THE opposition United Nationalist Alliance was seriously concerned at the latest mishap at Metro Manila’s mass transit system on Saturday and scored the Aquino administration as a “public menace” because of its incompetence in running a safe and reliable train line.

UNA interim president and Navotas City Rep. Tobias Tiangco made the statement after two more Light Rail Transit trains figured in another crash in Caloocan City around 7 a.m. Saturday.

No passenger was injured in the crash and only one of the two train’s operators suffered minor cuts because of the accident, but officials of the Light Rail Transit Authority still could not determine at press time what really caused the mishap that could have hurt hundreds of people.

“The LP administration cannot wash its hands of culpability in this tragic incident,” Tiangco said.

“This is the result of their five years of incompetence, inefficiency and corruption at the DOTC. And there is no option but to declare this administration a public menace.”

Tiangco said “incompetence, selective prosecution and massive corruption are the trademarks of the LP regime,” but the Aquino administration cannot blame

the opposition to justify its continued failure to address the problems hounding the LRT and the MRT 3.

Tiangco blamed Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, who was once transportation secretary, and incumbent Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya for the “indecisive and incompetent” leadership which is one of the reasons behind the mass transit system’s deterioration.

He said neither of the two Cabinet secretaries provided a long-term solution to the problem plaguing the mass transit system, including the Metro Rail Transit 3 whose operations have also have been marred by so many glitches and accidents that endanger the lives of the riding public.

“Worst, the MRT rail system has been mired in charges of massive corruption involving the LP. But instead of addressing these allegations, the LPled DOTC brushed it aside even if the charges were raised by the former am-

bassador of Czechoslovakia Josef Rychtar,” Tiangco said.

The first report of irregularity in the MRT’s purchase of passenger coaches was brought to the public by Rychtar decided to speak about the matter.

But instead of probing the ambassador’s claim, the Palace earlier questioned Rychtar’s motives in reviving talks about the 2012 alleged extortion attempt.

“What will be judged by the people in 2016 is the appalling record of this administration. It fails the test of competence and it fails the test of integrity simply because of the unabated yet tolerated acts of largescale corruption of party members and allies,” said Tiangco.

“And yet it has the gall to say the people need 6 more years of this type of governance. Ano sila hilo (What are they)?” he asked.

LRTA spokesperson Hernando Cabrera, for his part, did not comment on the corruption claim and explained that the mishap was apparently caused by a power supply fluctuation at around 7 a.m. on Saturday at the LRT’s EDSA-Monumento Station.

“So far, no damages to the trains has been reported.

The trains involved in the incident now mobilized, will clear out the area soon to allow safety inspections and full line operations,” he added. The LRT resumed normal operations at 1:29 p.m. after six hours.

china bid to jam drones foiled MOSCOW—China tried to electronically jam drone flights of the United States military over the disputed South China Sea in order to prevent surveillance on manmade islands Beijing is constructing as a part of its land reclamation initiative, U.S. officials said.

US officials announced the attempt as US Vice President Joe Biden criticized China for unilaterally claiming disputed islands in the South China Sea through massive reclamation work despite international objections.

“We do unapologetically stand up for the equitable and peaceful resolution of disputes and for the freedom of navigation,” Biden said at the graduation ceremony of the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

“Today these principles are being tested by Chinese activities in the South China Sea,” Biden said.

At the same time, the conservative American online portal Washington Free Beacon claimed Global Hawk long-range surveillance drones were targeted by jamming in at least one incident near the Spratly Islands, where China is building military facilities on Fiery Cross Reef (or Kagitingan Reef).

The jamming of the Global Hawk drones was revealed after the Chinese navy warned a US Orion surveillance plane on Thursday to leave the same area eight times in an apparent effort to establish and enforce a no-fly zone, a demand Washington rejected.

“This is the Chinese navy … This is the Chinese navy … Please go away … to avoid misunderstanding,” a radio call in English from an installation on Fiery Cross said.

The warnings were reported

by CNN, which had a crew on the aircraft.

But US Assistant State Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel said the US rejected Beijing’s demands that US surveillance planes stop flying over international waters.

Russel said the United States would continue “to fully

exercise our rights globally to the international space” and defend the rights of all countries to freedom of navigation and overflight in the region.

Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren also reiterated the US does not recognize China’s sovereignty claims over the new islands and stressed flights and Navy ships will continue their routine patrols, but will maintain a distance of at least 12 miles from the island.

Details of the drone interference are classified, but last week, David Shear, the assistant defense secretary for Asian and Pacific security affairs, said Global Hawks are deployed in Asia as one element of a buildup of forces near the South China Sea. “We’re engaged in a longterm effort to bolster our capabilities in the region,” Shear told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “Just a few examples of the increases in our capabilities in the region include the deployment of Global Hawks and F-35s. Soon we will be adding to the stock of V-22s in Japan as well.”

Shear said the Pentagon estimates that China will complete construction of an airfield on Fiery Cross Reef by 2017 or 2018.

Meanwhile, rapid militarization has security experts worried about the potential for a conflict.

Rick Fisher, a China military affairs analyst, said China could increase pressure on the United States to halt surveillance flights in Asia by first attacking one of the unmanned aircraft flights.

“Though UAVs like the Global Hawk are rather expensive, they are also regarded as more expendable because they are unmanned,” Fisher, a senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center, told the Washington Free Beacon.

“But failing to defend these UAVs runs the risk of China viewing them as ‘fair game’ to shoot down whenever they please.”

On Thursday, CNN reported that a Chinese naval vessel issued eight warnings

on Wednesday to a US P8-A Poseidon advanced surveillance aircraft asking it to “please go away… to avoid a misunderstanding.”

Former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell told CNN in an exclusive interview that the incident confirmed there was “absolutely” a risk that the United States and China could go to war in the near future.

Media outlets reported last week that US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter was considering expanding military patrols around the Spratly Islands, an archipelago off the Philippine, Malaysian and Vietnamese coasts.

President Benigno Aquino III has been repeatedly urged to convene the National Security Council, which includes all living former presidents, to discuss these issues with China and look for possible courses of action in dealing with the above-stated possibilities.

But Aquino has never convened the NSC, drawing criticism from former Filipino leaders over Aquino’s lack of concern for concensus-building.

Although the United States does not recognize China’s claims of sovereignty around the man-made structures, American P-8 surveillance planes and naval vessels patrolling the area have not ventured within 12 nautical miles of the artificial islands -- the standard territorial zone around natural land.

“That would be the next step,” Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steven Warren told reporters.

Asked if the military would move to within that sensitive zone, he said: “We don’t have any announcement to make on next steps. We are going to continue our routine flights.”

US officials have said they are weighing sending warships and surveillance aircraft within 12 nautical miles of the man-made islands in the South China Sea to test Beijing’s controversial territorial claims.

But the move could raise tensions and lead to a standoff on the high seas—in an area vital to global shipping lanes.

— Pna, Kyodo, sputnik

S u n d ay : M ay 24 , 2 0 1 5

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

BBL FACES ‘DEADLOCK’

By Maricel V. Cruz, Francisco tuyay and sara d. Fabunan

THE proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law may face a deadlock in Congress after Senators Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Miriam Defensor-Santiago vowed to thoroughly scrutinize the bill after public criticism that it was railroaded by the Liberal Party in the House of Representatives.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. made the assessment as Moro leaders agreed in four cities in Mindanao last week to united against the passage of the BBL which they said is contrary to Islam and to the Moro heritage.

Dr. Firdausi Abbas, Sultan of Lanao and president of the Muslim Bar Association of the Philippines, said the agreement was reached by representatives of traditional, political, revolutionary, religious, academe and youth sectors met in Iligan City, Cagayan de Oro City, General Santos City and Davao City from May 11 to 15.

At the same time, the Philippine Red Cross and the International Community Red Cross reported on Saturday that more than 63,000 people have been displaced by the continuing fighting between government security forces and armed groups in Maguindanao province alone.

In its latest report, the ICRC said that from period April 28 to May 20, the Red Cross reached almost 15,000 families living in evacuation centres or sheltered by in the towns of Datu Salibo, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Unsay, Mamasapano, Sharif Aguak and Sharif Saydona Mustapha.

The armed groups included the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, a break-away group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front which has expressed its opposition to the BBL because it was drafted without consultation with key sectors in Mindanao.

The need for more inclusive consultations was one of the reasons Marcos doubted the BBL could be passed by June 11 as announced by the Aquino

administration.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. himself echoed the sentiment on Saturday, saying that while the BBL’s passage in the House is already assured, the pronouncements of Marcos and several other senators practically ensures it will face rough sailing in the Senate.

“The BBL’s passage into law depends on the Senate. But we are certain it will pass in the House,” Belmonte said, adding that the BBL is set to be tackled in the House plenary by Wednesday before it is finally approved on final before Congress adjourns sine die in June.

But Abbas said the opposition to the BBL is gaining a ground swell in Mindanao after “those in attendance were shocked to know that there are provisions which are contrary to Islam, to the Moro heritage and manipulations by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to control the coming elections.”

Sheikh Jamil Yahya, a cofounder of the MILF with the late Salamat Hashim, declared that “it is Haram (prohibited) for a Muslim to support the BBL.” Yahya is also the chairman of the Bangsa Moro Supreme Council of Ulamas and the Grand Imam of Jamio Mindanao Al Islamie.

Sultan Punduma Sani of Gimba, Lanao del Sur, one of the three remaining active veterans of the top 90 of the MNLF with the rank of lieutenant general in the Bangsa Moro Army, stressed that “the MNLF cannot support the BBL because the final phase of the negotiations between the MNLF and the Philippine government under the auspices of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation is still ongoing.”

Not as good as it gets. Former interior secretary Rafael Alunan explains the objectionable provisions of the Bangsamoro Basic Law during a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday. MaNNY PaLMeRo

DUTERTE BACK-PEDALS ONCE AGAIN AFTER saying on Friday that he will decide in June whether to run for a national position in 2016, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte again flip-flopped on Saturday and said he is not interested in running in the election and will instead retire from politics next year.

“I am not running for any national position. As I have said before, my daughter would be willing to run again. I will retire after this term from public life. I am old,” he said.

Duterte made the remark as his supporters held a fun run along Roxas Boulevard on Saturday morning to encourage the mayor to run in the 2016 polls.

Organizers of the event dubbed “Run Duterte Run 2016” said the Philippines needs a leader who knows how to discipline his people and has an “iron hand,” but Duterte did not attend the event.

Duterte issued the statement after Vice President Jejomar Binay said he is eyeing the Davao city mayor as a possible running mate in next year’s elections because he is highly qualified for the position and has a successful record as mayor of Davao City for over 20 years.

But Duterte has also been receiving severe criticism after he announced his availability to run for president.

On Thursday, Malacanang urged the Commission on Human Rights to look into Duterte’s supposed endorsement of extrajudicial killings when he issued a statement threatening the international group Human Rights Watch.

Duterte lambasted the international human rights group that called on the Philippine government to investigate him and challenged them to experience his brand of justice.

“You are all hypocrites,”

Duterte was quoted as saying.

“You cannot even protect human rights in your own country, the American-Africans and other minorities, not to mention your inutility in dealing with the genocide going on in Africa and other countries.”

“To all the bleeding hearts of US-based crime watch: You want a taste of justice, my style?

Come to Davao City Philippines, and do drugs in my city.

I will execute you in public,” Duterte was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Party said it remains strong as a political party and will continue to play a crucial role in charting the country’s future beyond 2016 despite speculations that the administration party is breaking apart due to differences on their presidential choices.

LP Secretary General and Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento an overwhelming majority of the party preferred Interior and

Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas to be the standard bearer.

He admitted that a handful had opposing views, but that is only part of LP’s party dynamics, but the entire party will clos ranks once its National Executive Council picks its choice.

“Liberal Party was built not on the basis of personalities but on the basis of its platform, principles and ideals. This is the reason why the party has lasted this long since its creation in 1946,” said Sarmiento, a former leader of the Lakas-NUCD party of former President Gloria Arroyo.

“These differences on certain political preferences are part of our party dynamics but definitely it will not fracture the party. LP will remain a party to reckon with and will continue to play a key role in the country’s political landscape even after 2016. That’s for sure,” he added. — PNa

APEC LAYS FREE TRADE FOCUS

By Leslie d. Venzon

iNsPiRiNg kids. Filipino-American cager Jordan Clarkson of the Los Angeles Lakers (in NBA shirt at left) watches a young boy as they practice with his fellow US National Basketball Association players Horace Grant of the Chicago Bulls and Trey Burke of the Utah Jazz. daNNY Pata

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan – Trade ministers from the 21 economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation will start laying the groundwork for the Free Trade Area of the AsiaPacific (FTAAP) as they aim to speed up the economic integration process in the region.

Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo said the Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) meeting slated here on May 23 to 24 will focus on the regional economic integration, among other main areas.

Domingo, who is also APEC 2015 MRT Chair, said APEC trade ministers will come out with the terms of reference for the study on FTAAP this year.

“So that’s what is being finalized.

The study will be started in 2016,”

Domingo said, adding they will also discuss the regional economic integration agenda, support for the multilateral trading system and fostering participation of the micro, small and medium enterprises in regional and global markets.

For her part, Doris Magsaysay Ho, APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) 2015 Chair, said that APEC also wanted to ensure that the FTAAP would be relevant to the MSMEs. “There are a lot of emerging new generation business models arising so we want to be sure that the FTAAP actually considers them,” she said in another press briefing. PNA The APEC Business Advisory Council has already spelled out initiatives that it is pushing for this year’s APEC discussions.

Doris Magsaysay-Ho, the ABAC 2015 chair, said that one of

the areas that they are pushing this year is trade in services agenda.

“We’ve been working with senior officials, and the chair of Senior Officials Meeting, ambassador Laura Del Rosario,” Magsaysay-Ho said, adding ABAC has also been working with the Philippine Pacific Economic Cooperation Committee on a series of public-private dialogues on trade in services.

She said they have just concluded talks last week, the first one was about Internet economy, and digital trade. The last talks focused on supply chains in manufacturing, environmental services, and agriculture.

Another focus is on global data standard, she said. She added ABAC is looking at certain sectors on how they can ensure well-developed connectivity across APEC. — PNa

S U N D AY, M AY 24 , 2 0 1 5

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

CHASING HAPPY ADELLE CHUA

HOME IS WHERE WE TAKE IT

[ EDI TORI A L ]

RIDING ON ANGER JUST because people get used to certain inconveniences does not mean the urgency of addressing them is diminished. You don’t tell yourself to get used to your problems, after all. You do something about them.

City commuters have again been complaining of the terrible service of the Metro Rail Transit 3, with only less than half of the existing trains working at unfortunate times.

Often, these coincide with the morning or evening rush hours, when the volume of passengers reaches its peak. Then again, even the downtimes become similar to rush hours because of the unavailability of trains and the resulting buildup of passengers waiting to board.

The initial excuse was that the rails were precarious such that the trains could only travel at a limited speed.

The problem of only a few trains working, thus, merely aggravates the already sorry situation when commuters who take public transportation to their schools and workplaces and back are as exhausted from their travel as they are from their main occupation.

Last year, a trend called “taking the MRT challenge” became popular as public officials were encouraged to use public transportation – the MRT 3 specifically – so that they would know what ordinary citizens have to suffer every day.

This, even as these public servants enjoy the comfort of their private, and some, chauffeur-driven, vehicles.

An online petition was circulated, and several officials did take the challenge – some for show and some as “research” for their committee hearings.

And then, as always, other issues took precedence and the daily hassles of the common citizen were relegated to the sidelines. Now there is not only a failure to solve what was ailing the rail system then; there is a deterioration that will never be addressed by an administration whose main concern these days is how to pass a flawed law under a mandated timetable for the sake of “peace” and how to ensure the next president will not throw the current one in jail.

Meanwhile, people still have to use their train, endangering their lives and stripping them of their dignity again and again, every day.

This should be made a gut issue in next year’s elections. These are the people whose only desire is to arrive at work or school in good spirits and get home feeling satisfied with the things they accomplished that day.

But no, you have a commuting public that curses their government every time they stand in line for hours and push their bodies against a sea of humanity just to earn their living, and wake up the following day dreading doing the same thing all over again – and having no choice about it.

WORK IN PROGRESS ARE WE THERE YET? BONG C. AUSTERO I KNOW that some people might find this an exercise in nitpicking, but I still want to ask: Is it really imperative that the public works being done all over the country be done all at the same time now? Put another way, why couldn’t these be spread out over a period of say, four years, beginning in 2013?

I ask this because the area where I live has suddenly become one giant construction site. Our house is now bordered by all kinds of public works activities. The road fronting our house has been closed off to give way to improvements being done on a major canal – they’ve destroyed the concrete dikes and are building taller ones, which the contractors said will now be covered so that people can no longer throw their garbage into the canal. It’s a great idea. Sadly,

the contractors do not seem to be in a rush and worse, do not seem to be familiar with doing work in “phases.”

Thus, the whole stretch of road from end to end had been closed off even if construction work is only being done on one isolated part.

Further south of our house is another construction site to improve drainage. The construction work on the South Superhighway Skyway is just a stone’s throw away and the drilling and ground shaking can be felt where we are on

A5

It does seem as if the dominant party is hell bent on ensuring massive victory in next year’s elections and is therefore raising funds for the purpose.

certain nights. There are at least five others construction sites that I have to traverse on my way to work everyday.

Adding to the aggravation is that most of the work that requires heavy equipment, or hauling of concrete or materials, have to be done at night because of that darned truck ban in Manila! Many people in our area have been sleep-deprived for a month now, and by the looks of it, way until 2016.

Of course it is good to know that government is finally spending and releasing money for public infrastructure. It’s also very important

to note that none of the construction sites have those billboards that were ubiquitous in the past - the ones that featured the smiling mugs of politicians who shamelessly claimed credit for the construction project, as if the money came directly from their own pockets. Yes, it’s heartwarming to know that our taxes are being put to use. But the timing seems suspicious. All these projects could have been implemented in stages in the last four

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial), 832-5546, (Advertising), 832-

years, so why only now?

And take note, the construction frenzy is not just happening in Metro Manila but nationwide. I was in Leyte last week. The road trip from Tacloban City to my hometown in Abuyog, which ordinarily takes an hour, extended to about two hours, thanks to the construction work being undertaken in various parts of the Maharlika Highway. There was a construction site practically every 10 kilometers or so. My friends

5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandardtoday.com E-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

say this phenomenon is happening everywhere in this country; it wouldn’t be inappropriate for government to claim that the whole country is under construction now.

Most of us are willing to live with the inconvenience brought about by the various construction works.

But is it true that all these are being done now as part of the preparations for the 2016 elections? It does seem as if the dominant party is hell

Continued on A6

Continued on A6

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

THE other night I was having flamegrilled hamburgers at some hole-inthe-wall restaurant by the roadside at 11:30 at night with my friends, finding it difficult to get myself heard at times because of the sound of trucks and buses speeding by. It was nearing midnight and traffic was still bustling, with many shops – mostly dining establishments, coffee/milk teashops for students – still lit. It was then it hit me: I had lived in this city – then just a sleepy town but now an industrial haven – for a full 39 years and three months, and that was about to change.

I am moving into a new city because of practical considerations.

But since I have lived in my hometown all my life -- there were some minor breaks, to be sure, but I always returned -- I have witnessed how it has changed in the same way that it has witnessed how I have evolved.

It was here I grew up, in a series of apartment houses, with my mom, grandmother, and uncles until mom settled into a new life with my stepfather and I was left with Lola and one uncle, who raised me to be happy and loving and hardworking and to bear in mind that there were many causes worthier than the pursuit of material comfort.

It was here I first learned that commuting was a big challenge. At five, I was taking public transportation daily to the nearby city of Caloocan. Of course I had my yaya with me – the tall and thin Nanay Susan who carried a chubby girl in pigtails every time we walked over a puddle in the rain. These days I am still commuting, and finding that it could be as despicable in the summer heat as it is during a storm.

It was here I studied, and studied hard, because I knew it would bring my Lola great pride to have the first college degree in my mother’s side of the family. I was never assigned any chores. I was just encouraged to keep my grades up. Now on my walls are two diplomas, both earned on scholarship – and the stark realization that grades and fancy degrees are just one of the many elements of success.

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

Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

Publisher Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor City Editor Senior Deskman Art Director Chief Photographer

S U N D AY, M AY 24 , 2 0 1 5

A4

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

CHASING HAPPY ADELLE CHUA

HOME IS WHERE WE TAKE IT

[ EDI TORI A L ]

RIDING ON ANGER JUST because people get used to certain inconveniences does not mean the urgency of addressing them is diminished. You don’t tell yourself to get used to your problems, after all. You do something about them.

City commuters have again been complaining of the terrible service of the Metro Rail Transit 3, with only less than half of the existing trains working at unfortunate times.

Often, these coincide with the morning or evening rush hours, when the volume of passengers reaches its peak. Then again, even the downtimes become similar to rush hours because of the unavailability of trains and the resulting buildup of passengers waiting to board.

The initial excuse was that the rails were precarious such that the trains could only travel at a limited speed.

The problem of only a few trains working, thus, merely aggravates the already sorry situation when commuters who take public transportation to their schools and workplaces and back are as exhausted from their travel as they are from their main occupation.

Last year, a trend called “taking the MRT challenge” became popular as public officials were encouraged to use public transportation – the MRT 3 specifically – so that they would know what ordinary citizens have to suffer every day.

This, even as these public servants enjoy the comfort of their private, and some, chauffeur-driven, vehicles.

An online petition was circulated, and several officials did take the challenge – some for show and some as “research” for their committee hearings.

And then, as always, other issues took precedence and the daily hassles of the common citizen were relegated to the sidelines. Now there is not only a failure to solve what was ailing the rail system then; there is a deterioration that will never be addressed by an administration whose main concern these days is how to pass a flawed law under a mandated timetable for the sake of “peace” and how to ensure the next president will not throw the current one in jail.

Meanwhile, people still have to use their train, endangering their lives and stripping them of their dignity again and again, every day.

This should be made a gut issue in next year’s elections. These are the people whose only desire is to arrive at work or school in good spirits and get home feeling satisfied with the things they accomplished that day.

But no, you have a commuting public that curses their government every time they stand in line for hours and push their bodies against a sea of humanity just to earn their living, and wake up the following day dreading doing the same thing all over again – and having no choice about it.

WORK IN PROGRESS ARE WE THERE YET? BONG C. AUSTERO I KNOW that some people might find this an exercise in nitpicking, but I still want to ask: Is it really imperative that the public works being done all over the country be done all at the same time now? Put another way, why couldn’t these be spread out over a period of say, four years, beginning in 2013?

I ask this because the area where I live has suddenly become one giant construction site. Our house is now bordered by all kinds of public works activities. The road fronting our house has been closed off to give way to improvements being done on a major canal – they’ve destroyed the concrete dikes and are building taller ones, which the contractors said will now be covered so that people can no longer throw their garbage into the canal. It’s a great idea. Sadly,

the contractors do not seem to be in a rush and worse, do not seem to be familiar with doing work in “phases.”

Thus, the whole stretch of road from end to end had been closed off even if construction work is only being done on one isolated part.

Further south of our house is another construction site to improve drainage. The construction work on the South Superhighway Skyway is just a stone’s throw away and the drilling and ground shaking can be felt where we are on

A5

It does seem as if the dominant party is hell bent on ensuring massive victory in next year’s elections and is therefore raising funds for the purpose.

certain nights. There are at least five others construction sites that I have to traverse on my way to work everyday.

Adding to the aggravation is that most of the work that requires heavy equipment, or hauling of concrete or materials, have to be done at night because of that darned truck ban in Manila! Many people in our area have been sleep-deprived for a month now, and by the looks of it, way until 2016.

Of course it is good to know that government is finally spending and releasing money for public infrastructure. It’s also very important

to note that none of the construction sites have those billboards that were ubiquitous in the past - the ones that featured the smiling mugs of politicians who shamelessly claimed credit for the construction project, as if the money came directly from their own pockets. Yes, it’s heartwarming to know that our taxes are being put to use. But the timing seems suspicious. All these projects could have been implemented in stages in the last four

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial), 832-5546, (Advertising), 832-

years, so why only now?

And take note, the construction frenzy is not just happening in Metro Manila but nationwide. I was in Leyte last week. The road trip from Tacloban City to my hometown in Abuyog, which ordinarily takes an hour, extended to about two hours, thanks to the construction work being undertaken in various parts of the Maharlika Highway. There was a construction site practically every 10 kilometers or so. My friends

5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandardtoday.com E-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

say this phenomenon is happening everywhere in this country; it wouldn’t be inappropriate for government to claim that the whole country is under construction now.

Most of us are willing to live with the inconvenience brought about by the various construction works.

But is it true that all these are being done now as part of the preparations for the 2016 elections? It does seem as if the dominant party is hell

Continued on A6

Continued on A6

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

THE other night I was having flamegrilled hamburgers at some hole-inthe-wall restaurant by the roadside at 11:30 at night with my friends, finding it difficult to get myself heard at times because of the sound of trucks and buses speeding by. It was nearing midnight and traffic was still bustling, with many shops – mostly dining establishments, coffee/milk teashops for students – still lit. It was then it hit me: I had lived in this city – then just a sleepy town but now an industrial haven – for a full 39 years and three months, and that was about to change.

I am moving into a new city because of practical considerations.

But since I have lived in my hometown all my life -- there were some minor breaks, to be sure, but I always returned -- I have witnessed how it has changed in the same way that it has witnessed how I have evolved.

It was here I grew up, in a series of apartment houses, with my mom, grandmother, and uncles until mom settled into a new life with my stepfather and I was left with Lola and one uncle, who raised me to be happy and loving and hardworking and to bear in mind that there were many causes worthier than the pursuit of material comfort.

It was here I first learned that commuting was a big challenge. At five, I was taking public transportation daily to the nearby city of Caloocan. Of course I had my yaya with me – the tall and thin Nanay Susan who carried a chubby girl in pigtails every time we walked over a puddle in the rain. These days I am still commuting, and finding that it could be as despicable in the summer heat as it is during a storm.

It was here I studied, and studied hard, because I knew it would bring my Lola great pride to have the first college degree in my mother’s side of the family. I was never assigned any chores. I was just encouraged to keep my grades up. Now on my walls are two diplomas, both earned on scholarship – and the stark realization that grades and fancy degrees are just one of the many elements of success.

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

Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

Publisher Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor City Editor Senior Deskman Art Director Chief Photographer

S U N D AY, M AY 24 , 2 0 1 5

A6

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

Home..From A5

DR. FIRDAUSI I.Y. ABBAS

SULTAN OF LANAO AND PRESIDENT OF THE MUSLIM BAR ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (MUSBARAP) First of two parts A SAGE once said, “Woe upon a people whose leader takes them for fools.” Perhaps it is more apt to make the “leader” plural because definitely more than two hands are muddied in the railroading of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). It is not, however, the people who are fools, but those who think they are. It is not the people who have swallowed the BBL provision that the Bangsamoro shall be “ministerial” in form when there is no such thing as a ministerial form of government. It is not the people who have subscribed to the highfalutin words of ascription and asymmetrical, which they themselves do not fully comprehend.

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee has approved the BBL in its proposed version. Such a very significant legislative proposal which will have impact on the whole country and several dimensions of our society was needed to be scrutinized diligently to ascertain that it conforms to at least the fundamental law. But the results in the lower chamber of Congress prompts the query - “Where have all the lawyers gone?”

This BBL is not only replete with violations of the fundamental law, but at the onset, immediately, arrogantly, and audaciously declares that it is “An act providing for the Basic Law of the Bangsamoro and abolishing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.” The present ARMM is simply an acronym – a title that can be changed through the BBL. That is perfectly all right and legal, but to declare the abolition of the autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao which has been created pursuant to Article X, Sec. 15 of the 1987 Constitution is another matter. This is virtually amending the said provision. This, taken in relation with Article Vl, Section l of the BBL - which speaks of self governance and self-determination, and Section 2 which adopts the parliamentary form of government and the titles of Chief Minister and Minister, very clearly justifies the query: “Is the intention of the BBL perhaps to establish more than just autonomy?”

Is there perhaps an understanding

Work..From A5 bent on ensuring massive victory in next year’s elections and is therefore raising funds for the purpose. As we all know, contractors don’t get choice projects by sheer luck; they do so by padding the pockets of politicians through various schemes.

While we’re on the subject of government spending, I must

ANALYSIS

with Malaysia to eventually make the Bangsamoro territory a state of Malaysia? After all, the Malaysians have made this proposal as early as the late sixties to the original leaders of the Bangsa Moro Revolutionary Movement of the Union of Islamic Forces Organization (UIFO) which internationalized the plight of the Bangsa Moro and gained support from several Muslim states, long before the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front were established.

On several occasions, the top officers of the MILF orated that unlike in the past, there will be a new political order, that the will of the people will prevail

In fine, it is indeed a fait accompli.

The forthcoming election is simply to confer on the MILF official control of the Bangsamoro autonomous region.

It is a done deal.

and that the electoral process will be reflective of the people’s choice. Those were inspiring pronouncements but apparently today, what were spoken was mere rhetoric –empty and beguiling for the MILF has assured themselves of victory in the coming polls for members of the Bangsamoro parliament by adopting measures syndicating their victory, repetitive of the past farce ARMM elections.

First, pursuant to Article XVI of the

report that there are people in Leyte who are still awaiting the much-ballyhooed financial assistance promised to them when the government, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development, issued green cards to victims of the super typhoon. In my hometown of Abuyog, for instance, many victims have already pawned their green cards to businessmen in exchange for rice and

BBL, there shall be a Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) which shall exercise executive and legislative powers and shall be the interim government. It shall exist upon the ratification of the BBL and ends upon the qualification of the elected Chief Minister (Article XVI, Section 11). The MILF shelves modesty and emphasizes in Section 2 of the said article that “the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) being the principal party to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, shall lead the BTA, in its leadership and membership.” In fine, the MILF must control the BTA and run the interim government. But have they not, time and again, explicitly stated that they are merely representative of the Bangsa Moro, of the Moro people? Therefore, leadership and membership of any organ of the new government must not be the exclusive prerogative of the MILF. Second, there shall be a Bangsamoro Electoral Code (BEC) which shall be enacted by the BTA. Third, there shall be a Bangsamoro Electoral Office (BEO) which shall be part of the Commission on Elections and shall perform the functions of the Comelec in the Bangsamoro region (Article VII, Section 9). The elections in the Bangsamoro territory shall be governed by the BEC, with the National Omnibus Election Code suppletory in nature. Furthermore, rules and regulations necessary for the conduct of elections in the Bangsamoro region shall be promulgated by the Comelec through the BEO. How can these provisions be reconciled with the Constitution, specifically Article IX detailing the functions and powers of Comelec?

With these awesome powers and their control of the BEO, who can even run against them? Not content with these tremendous election advantages, the MILF still had to have the nephew of its chief negotiator, Mohagher Iqbal, appointed Comelec commissioner.

In fine, it is indeed a fait accompli.

The forthcoming election is simply to confer on the MILF official control of the Bangsamoro autonomous region.

It is a done deal.

basic commodities to stave off hunger. The catch is that the “interest rates” are beyond usurious, precisely because there is no guarantee as to how much aid they can receive from government, and more importantly, when, if at all.

What is heartrending is that typhoon victims in the adjacent town of Javier have already received the government support early this year,

presumably because the mayor happens to be national president of the League of Municipalities. Perhaps Secretary Dinky Soliman is unaware of the issue, but the longer it takes the DSWD to distribute the government aid, the deeper the victims will be in debt. It’s been almost two years since Yolanda struck - asking victims to wait a little longer is probably no longer justifiable.

It was here I discovered that to write was what I loved doing most of all. Here I spent long hours scribbling away on my journal, and then noisily tapping at Mom’s Olympia for my submissions to the school paper, and then after almost a decade of pretending to be serious with other things, decided to come home to this career.

It was here I felt at home with friends.

While I met most of them at school, in that adjacent city, we would come to each other’s houses and met each other’s families. We sent snail mail to each other over the summer and wondered what the rest of our lives would bring. Now most of my friends have moved out of their hometowns as well, some staying put and some living abroad, but we talk to each other as regularly and as intimately as when we were sporting our pleated blue skirts in school.

It was in my hometown I gave birth to four lovely children, all of whom started school in small campuses here but are now almost ready to go out into the world, not as their mother’s child but as their own person.

Here, I battled and weighed major decisions in my life and decided that an imperfect but principled life is always better than an easy one where appearances are merely kept.

I will miss many simple things in my hometown: the neighborhood salon, the wet market and my suki for the seafood, the mall that is within walking distance, the massages from the blind, the local inasal restaurant you can just text when you’re too lazy to putter about in the kitchen.

But these are the little things. The bigger, more important ones I will not miss, because what I learned in my hometown is that so long as you have the people you love with you, your home is where they are. adellechua@gmail.com

S U N D AY : m AY 24 , 2 0 1 5

A7

NEWS editorial@thestandard.com.ph

‘k12 Must FOrgE ahead dESPitE issues’ By sara D. Fabunan

corny. contestants in the fastest corn-eating tilt sink their teeth into the cob as part of a promotional campaign for dental care held on saturday, May 23, 2015. DAnny PATA

Labor sets up hotLine after Kentex tragedy

By Vito Barcelo

The Department of Labor and employment has opened a round-the-clock desk hotline to answer complaints in the workplace as part of the government’s intensified information and education campaign to raise awareness and understanding of safety and health concerns in the workplace in the aftermath of the recent Kentex factory fire that killed 72 people and injured many others.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz directed the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) and the Employees Compensation Commission (ECC), both attached agencies of the DOLE, to assign person-

nel to man their respective hotlines.

She also urged workers and concerned citizens all over the country to actively participate in this campaign by reporting to the DOLE the presence or existence of

risky and unsafe conditions and practices in all establishments so that the DOLE can take immediate action.

“We need to inform, educate, and accustom our workers and employers, as well as the general public, on occupational safety and health, so they can be aware and vigilant. On the other hand, the public can help us in our campaign to foster safe and healthy workplaces by reporting to us all risky, dangerous, and unsafe working conditions and practices so we can take fast action. Occupational safety and health is a twoway street. It cannot be that the government only has the responsibility,” Baldoz said.

“While we will exert effort to verify even anonymous

tips, we also request reporters or tipsters to please avoid making prank calls,” she said.

The following hotline/ helpdesk numbers are 0927877-2587and 928-6690, or e-mail oshc_dole@yahoo. com. The DoLE has likewise re-activate its Safety Patrol Program started in 2012 and to expand its scope and coverage from construction and other hazardous occupation to other industries.

The Safety Patrol consists of experts from DOLE regional offices, OSHC, and tripartite partners who conduct safety audits in construction sites around the country. Experts from OSHC, the Employees Compensation Commission, and Bureau of Working Con-

ditions also join the audit whenever necessary.

Baldoz said workers or concerned citizens may report also to DOLE offices through direct call or text the existence of such conditions, such as suspected use or practice of hazardous materials and processes; and lack/ misuse of personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as suspected existence of potential hazards, including, but not limited to, inadequate machine guarding, working at heights without body harness, substandard scaffolding, defective tools/equipment, fire and explosion hazards, absence of warning devices, hazardous atmospheric conditions, excessive noise, and dangerous or toxic poisons and chemicals.

THE country cannot afford to back off from the K-12 program because it will adversely affect the quality of education in the Philippines, a group of Catholic educators said, saying it cannot do a ‘Mayweather.’

In delaying the program, La Salle Bro. Jun Erguiza, president of the Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines, compared it to US boxing champion Floyd Mayweather’s much-maligned “running style” when he won against Manny Pacquiao to the dismay of many people who watched the most awaited boxing match.

“We are no Mayweather.

We will win not by running away from the challenges that come our way. We will throw our punches and claim our coveted dream of reforming the basic education system,” Erguiza said, stressing the program must continue or it is the children who will suffer the most.

“We have to make this happen. Our nation, our people cannot afford to delay this any further,” he said in a report posted on the CBCP website.

Erguiza made the statement during his acceptance speech as the new chairman of the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associates in a ceremony in Pasig City.

Now is the opportune time for reform which has been sounded off more than four decades ago, he said.

Erguiza also allayed fears voiced by some groups against K to 12 like the potential displacement of tertiary faculty and staff, the possible closure of some schools due to revenue losses, among others.

He admitted that “like any other forms of transition in life,” the implementation of the K-12 system “cannot be free from any form of disruption and confusion.”

More reasons to blacklist sMartMatic—watchdog A WATCHDOg on Saturday struck back at SmartmaticTotal Information Management president Cesar Flores for claiming that the poll body has junked the blacklisting move against the company , and stressed that there are plenty of reasons why the Commission on Elections-Bids and Awards Committee must blacklist Smartmatic from taking part in any election exercises in the country.

In an interview, C3E coconvenor Melchor Magdamo pointed out that the decision of the BAC in disqualifying Smartmatic due to “Articles of Incorporation” limits the American company to a role in the 2010 elections and bars it from future polls.

“The decision of the Bids & Awards Committee is disqualify Smartmatic because its Articles of Incorporation limits Smartmatic to 2010 elections only plus many more other reasons,” Magdamo said.

He called on Flores to just keep her mouth “shut” and just wait for the Filipino people to decide whether or not they want to keep the service of Smartmatic and use their Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines in the 2016 national polls.

“The owner is Dominion Canada. Cesar Flores must shut up because Smartmatic already sold the PCOS to the Philippines therefore only Filipinos can decide on what to do with the PCOS,” Magdamo claimed.

He claimed that the “mainstream media” have failed to report on Smartmatic’s alleged failure to comply with its obligation to turnover the PCOS machines to Comelec after the 2010 elections.

“Smartmatic does not own the technology... Mainstream media did not report Smartmatic’s failure to comply with its obligation to turnover the technology to Comelec after 2010,” Magdamo, who was the former employee of former Comelec chairman Jose Melo, said.

Magdamo was reacting to Flores’ earlier remarks the Comelec-BAC had long been junked the blacklisting suit citing lack of merit against watchdog’s allegations. sara D. Fabunan

gun DeAlers. Officials and members of the Association of Firearms and Ammunition dealers led by the group’s president Joy gutierrez Jose paid a courtesy call on senior supt.

Elmo Francis Sarona (seated), officer-in-charge of the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office at camp crame, Quezon city to discuss concerns on gun licensing . mAnny PAlmero

A8

SUNDAY: MAY 24, 2015

editorial@the standard.com.ph

‘student manual to curb abuses’

By Maricel V. Cruz A PArTy-liST lawmaker lawmaker pushed for the passage of a measure that will protect teachers and school personnel in cases related to student discipline and classroom management.

ACT Teachers party-list rep.

Antonio Tinio cited the predicament of teachers in the delivery of education to millions of students, day in and day out.

Tinio said with large class sizes, multiple shifts each day, and the heavier tasks teachers have to assume under K to 12, any one of them can attest that instilling discipline in their classrooms has become increasingly difficult.

“This heavy burden of teachers is aggravated by the lack of institutional support in the form of standards in classroom management, training on these standards and the permissible and effective methods of instilling discipline, guidance counselors to act as support personnel, and legal assistance and representation,” Tinio said.

“While child protection is indispensable, teacher protection is also a must,” Tinio stressed.

House Bill 5735, to be known as the Student Discipline and Teacher Protection Act, requires the Department of Education (DepEd) to issue policies and principles on student discipline and classroom management.

Under the measure, the DepEd shall formulate a student’s manual to be enforced in all schools under its jurisdiction.

A student’s manual is a written document detailing the school’s rules and regulations to be observed by students with respect to fellow students and school personnel and property, whenever inside its premises or outside it, in cases where conduct would interfere with the operation of the school or endanger the safety of other students and school staff.

EYE CANDY OR DISTRACTION? It depends on the beholder but these billboards along the busy c-5 road are being blamed for mishaps in the area. MANNY PALMERO

sulu Terror ThreaT renews us warning

By Vito Barcelo

The U.S. embassy in Manila has warned it citizens against traveling to Mindanao, particularly in Sulu because of growing threats from terrorist and other armed groups operating in the southern Philippines.

The advisory, posted on May 22, 2015 mentioned Sulu archipelago as one of the places to be avoided by its nationals and advised all U.S. citizens to refrain from unnecessary visit to the mentioned places. The Department of State issued an updated Philippines travel Warning on May 20, 2015.

The embassy claimed of alleged threats in the southern part of the Philippines, advising US nationals to exercise extreme caution if traveling to certain regions and cities of the island of Mindanao, based on “a history and attempted kidnappings of foreigners.”

The full text of the message

can be found on the Department of State web site at http:// travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings/ philippines-travelwarning.html.

“US citizens should continue to exercise extreme caution if considering travel in the southern Sulu Sea region from the southern tip of Palawan, along the coast of Sabah, Malaysia and the islands of the Sulu Archipelago, up to Zamboanga City, Mindanao,” it said.

“Separatist and terrorist groups continue to conduct bombings, kidnappings and attacks against civilians, political leaders, and Philippine security

forces,” it said.

The travel warning made mention of the Muslim rebels the Bangsamoro islamic Freedom Fighters (BiFF), the breakaway group from the Moro islamic liberation Front which has entered into a peace deal with the Philippine government. “in particular, the BiFF remain active in the Cotabato City area, and in the Maguindanao, North Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat provinces, where the government maintains a state of emergency and a greater police presence,” US embassy advisory said.

drug tests mandatory for athletes—arroyo

NEW DEALERSHIP. Suzuki Philippines, Inc. has officially opened its first 3S automobile dealership along east avenue in line with its aggressive expansion efforts. the new dealership is a one-stop shop that can now provide a complete array of services to motorists around the Quezon city area. from left: Jedrick manzana, president of suzuki auto east avenue; luisa ontengco and Vince ontengco of osm citycar Inc. and hiroshi suzuki, suzuki Philippines president.

A Bill is filed in the House of representatives seeking mandatory drug tests for all professional and nonprofessional athletes in the country.

House Bill 5690, authored by former president and Pampanga rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo proposes to amend Section 36 of republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and for other purposes.

“Fitness and health are among the primary concerns of athletes. Since the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) have negative side effects on the body, athletes should be prevented from using such substances. PEDs do not only damage the body, they are also considered as cheats in the sports world,” Arroyo said.

Arroyo cited Article 3 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act requires that drug testing for specific individuals. Among those required to undergo drug testing are applicant for driver’s license, applicants for firearm’s license, employees of private and public offices, students, among others.

The list provided in Article 3 does not include the country’s athletes, Arroyo said.

Arroyo said a big part of an athlete’s career is dedicated on intense physical training and strenuous exercise to stay in shape, a key to a successful career in sports. Athletes, she added, face constant pressure to improve their skills and abilities to remain at a competitive level and increase their chances of winning. Maricel V. Cruz

B1

SUNDAY: MAY 24, 2015

Roderick T. dela Cruz EDITOR business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS OREO SPAWNS OTHER BUSINESSES

Yumi Castrillo of Piece of Cake creates more joy by partnering with Mondelez Philippines’ food service function to get quality and delicious ingredients for their products.

BUSINESS owners who find joy in what they do are the usually ones who succeed. Despite the challenges along the way, two business owners show that building a business has one important ingredient-joy.

Mondelez Philippines, a company formerly named Kraft Foods which has been in the Philippines for the past 52 years, has faced many of the same challenges that local businesses have endured and overcome.

With its new name in 2012 came a new mission—to create delicious

moments of joy. This, the company is able to do through its new food services function. Mondelez Philippines is the company behind brands Eden Cheese, Oreo cookies, Cadbury Dairy Milk, and Toblerone in stores.

It also provides these brands as ingredients to restaurants and food business owners like Piece of Cake and Serenitea.

The joy of finding one’s passion is exactly what Yumi Castrillo of Piece of Cake found in baking—her passion. A lawyer by profession, she is now known for her dazzling and intricate creations of cakes, cupcakes and her signature cake pops made of Oreo cookies.

Yumi creates culinary treats in her quaint home studio and customers are amazed at her handmade flower

confections, which are edible and delicious.

“For the wedding cake flavors, my best sellers are Chocolate, Dulce de Leche and the Cookies and Cream cake with Oreo cookies. This one’s a vanilla bean cake base with chunks of Oreo cookies,” says Yumi.

“For the Cake Pops and Cupcakes with Oreo cookies they’re usually ordered as giveaways. I also do birthdays – as long as it has flowers. It’s really difficult for me if it’s a boy’s cake, I don’t know what to put!”

Yumi has created a niche for herself by focusing in what she does best.

“Remember that with a food business, I do want my customers to return to me. I love it when I do their wedding cake then I do their baptismal, then

the birthday because they miss my cakes. You want a product that they will just always look forward to or go back to. So it is important that you use quality ingredients like Oreo cookies because that is what’s going to make them come back - if it tastes good.

And they really request it. My products list is ‘Chocolate-covered Oreos.’ The Cookies and Cream lists ‘Oreo’ as an ingredient. It’s really something that people look for,” she says.

Meanwhile, partners Juliet Herrera and Peter Chen of mega brand Serenitea decided to be bold and brave in starting their own business. “I was only 23 years old and Peter was only 24 when we started Serenitea,” says Juliet.

“We didn’t realize at the time that the CONTINUED ON B3

SUNDAY: MAY 24, 2015

B2

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

GERMAN STARTUP SWALLOWS TOP PH REAL ESTATE PORTAL

LAMUDI’S acquisition of MyProperty. ph, the leading local real estate portal, has solidified Rocket Internet group’s dominance of the Philippine online market.

Lamudi, backed by Berlinbased Rocket Internet, absorbed MyProperty.ph in a deal that created the country’s largest online classifieds for the real estate sector. Properties such as houses, condominium units, office space, commercial establishments, lots and even islands are listed on the two sites.

“For us, it is another way to make a leap forward and to further accelerate our growth,” says Lamudi Philippines managing director Jacqueline van den Ende, adding future acquisitions are also in the cards.

“It is an opportunity for us to make this acquisition, and if further opportunities arise, we will...” says van den Ende, a Dutch national and a former banker.

“We are constantly looking, we have been in talks, for potential acquisition targets,” she says in a news briefing at New World Hotel in Makati City.

The acquisition will expand the online real estate listings in the Philippines monitored by thousands of house-hunters, real estate brokers and developers.

Van den Ende says MyProperty.ph is the first acquisition of Lamudi, which is present in over 30 emerging economies.

“Lamudi-MyProperty.ph acquisition is unique in the sense that it is also an operational merger,” she says.

Van de Ende says Lamudi, barely two years old, has the most aggressive growth in the industry where it operates in and “is by far the most active in doing research, presenting pricing and organizing expos.”

Lamudi, which has 80,000 listings of properties, bought MyProperty.ph from Get Sold Corp., a joint venture between Summit Media of the Gokongwei Group and Swiss Media Group. MyProperty.ph, a fiveyear-old company, has nearly 200,000 listings, bringing the combined online database of the two companies to around 300,000 properties.

Butz de Castro, general manager of MyProperty.ph, says Summit Media sold its stake in the portal “to concen-

MyProperty.ph managing director Butz de Castro, Lamudi Philippines managing director Jacqueline van den Ende and Lamudi Philippines integration manager Henry Frederik Winter

trate more on their core titles which are magazines and their books.”

“When this happened, we were really looking at different partners and Lamudi came forward. We saw it as a big opportunity,” De Castro says.

De Castro says it is a good business decision to sell MyProperty.ph to Lamudi, which is aggressive in its field. “They came out aggressively late 2013. “We were threatened” is not the word. We felt challenged. I knew they had deep pockets and backed by Rocket Internet and they have expertise from running different portals around the world,” he says.

Lamudi Global received 16 million euros in investment in February this year to expand its operations in Asia and Lat-

It is another way to make a leap forward to further accelerate our growth. in America. Lamudi views the Philippines as a key market for the business.

De Castro says Lamudi has agreed to absorb the 30 employees of MyProperty.ph, which has its own local development team. “It was a sweet deal that has been cooked up in a few months and finalized end of March [2015],” he says.

De Castro says the two websites will operate independently of each other and will help expand the local real estate market that is accessible in the Internet.

“Prospects is to grow further the database. We can help saturate the Cebu, Visayas, Mindanao region. We can help bring them [Lamudi] to the doors of our existing client base. These are the big developers here in NCR and even across the country,” he says.

De Castro says of the 40 major developers, Lamudi lists the properties of only five developers. “We have three times more than that,” he says.

The two portals face a strong competition in Property24. com.ph, the property Web site of Olx, which acquired leading online classifieds publisher

Sulit.com.

Rocket Internet is now the dominant online retailer and classifieds in the Philippines.

Aware of the group’s market position, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company acquired a 10-percent stake in Rocket Internet for 333 million euros in 2014, but the stake has been diluted to about 6 percent as market valuation of Rocket Internet surged in recent months.

PLDT and Rocket Internet AG also formed a new joint venture called Philippines Internet Group to create and develop online businesses in the Philippines.

Rocket Internet is the same group behind Lazada, Zalora, Easy Taxi, FoodPanda and Carmudi.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

SUNDAY: MAY 24, 2015

B3

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

“I THOUGHT the cost of electricity in Singapore is expensive, until I came here [to the Philippines],” says Yam Hong, the business development manager of Schneider Electric, in a news briefing at Intercontinental Hotel in Makati City.

Hong, who is based in Singapore, visited the Philippines to lead the launching of Schneider Electric Galaxy VMS, the company’s latest uninterruptible power supply product, which he says, can help large companies save on energy and avoid information losses in the age of big data.

Big data refer to high volume of information produced, managed and protected by companies which they need to store for future access. Hong says his company, Schneider Electric, is a major player in protecting data centers, the facilities designed to handle big data.

Schneider Electric is a global specialist in energy management and automation, with operations in more than 100 countries, including the Philippines. UPS is a power system that ensures that computer networks remain online and running despite power outage or fluctuation.

“Today, everything is digitized, causing massive changes and underpinning these are data centers,” says Hong. He says most data centers need to be accessible 24 hours a day, a function of information technology and stable power supply.

FROM B1

COMPANY POWERS BIG DATA

Schneider Electric business development manager Yam Hong

Doy Santos, the company’s country IT business unit head, says power represents a large portion of corporate expenses, especially in the Philippines.

“The Philippines has the highest power rate in Asia-Pacific, particularly in residential [sector]. In commercial, it is the second highest next to Japan,” Santos says.

More than the cost of electricity, companies need a reliable supply of electricity, he says. Santos says a two-hour blackout in Singapore Exchange Ltd. on Nov. 4, 2014 resulted in billions of dollars in opportunity loss.

“The risk to downtime really has a serious business cost,”

says Santos. “You have to protect the assets particularly the data centers.”

He says the expanding Philippine economy, led by the business process outsourcing, telecommunication, healthcare, manufacturing and banking industries, becomes more reliant on data centers which need to be protected with uninterruptible power supply.

A minute of downtime could lead to losses worth hundreds of thousands of pesos, he says.

This is why the UPS market in the Philippines is growing at double-digit rate, as far as enterprise-based sector is concerned, he says.

Aside from power shortage

and fluctuation, the power system in the Philippines is threatened by typhoons and earthquakes that could lead to power interruptions.

“Data centers are especially vulnerable here in the Philippines because of the increased possibility of fluctuations and outages,” says Santos.

He says Schneider Electric’s newest product, Galaxy VM, solves major concerns by ensuring uninterrupted and efficient power.

Hong says Galaxy VM UPS uses innovative, patent pending power technology that improves reliability by reducing stress on active components. It is also designed in full compli-

ance to international seismic standards of California building code of 2013, which means the UPS will continue to work before and after the shocks.

“We have not come up with a new product for a long time.

It is the world’s first four-level inverter,” Hong says.

Santos says the system has a projected two to three-year return on investment if the power rates do not fluctuate too wildly from the average cost of P10 per kilowatt-hour.

“With 99 percent efficiency of the Galaxy VM, this translates into bigger savings in electrical and installation costs,” he says.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

OREO SPAWNS OTHER BUSINESSES

industry we entered was so challenging. But we said we should start early so that if we fail, we have time to start again.”

From starting their socalled “Lucky” store in San Juan, the now married couple has 38 branches nationwide including one in Cebu and in Davao. From having only 25 flavors in their menu, they now have 40 flavors, with limited-edition ones being added regularly.

Serenitea also offers savory snacks—also patterned from Taiwan street food - to complement the tea drinking experience. Most recently, their stores have started selling Serenitea Confections.

These include candies, chocolates and jams that have

been flavored with tea. And they’ve also taken to selling their own tea bags.

When consumers see that we have tie-ups with Oreo cookies, they are encouraged to enter the store and order.

“What makes flavors bestsellers are the processes you employ to make them.

Of course they have to be

safe and like our teas, fresh.

Secondly the ingredients we use are premium quality, like the Oreo cookies we use for our best-selling flavors,” says Juliet.

“It helps our business to use premium ingredients like Oreo cookies. Number one because of the brand name.

We have collaborations with them. When consumers see that we have tie-ups with Oreo cookies, which is a quality brand, they are encouraged to enter the store and order.

I think if we didn’t have Oreo cookies as ingredients we wouldn’t have our Cookies and Cream and Cocoa Cookies and Cream drinks as best-sellers. Especially Cookies and Cream, that flavor is so popular among consumers,” she says.

Serenitea drinks are made with Oreo cookies. Tea places and restaurants like Serenitea enjoy a joyful partnership with Mondelez Philippines’ food service function, which provides the company’s well-loved brands like Oreo cookies, Toblerone, Eden Cheese and Cadbury Dairy Milk as ingredients for various food offerings.

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WORLD

TOKYO PLEDGES $453-M CLIMATE SUPPORT

EXODUS. Rohingya women and children register at a confinement area for migrants at Bayeun, Aceh province, after more than 400 Rohingya migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh were rescued by Indonesian fishermen off the waters of the province on May 20. The widespread persecution of the impoverished community in Myanmar’s Rakhine state is one of the primary causes for the current regional exodus, alongside growing numbers trying to escape poverty in neighbouring Bangladesh. AFP

SAVING ROHINGYAS TOP PRIORITY—UN HANOI—United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon said Saturday that saving the lives of migrants stranded at sea in Southeast Asia should be a “top priority” as the region battles with an exodus of boat people fleeing persecution and poverty.

The UN Secretary General said he hoped regional nations would tackle the “root causes” of the current exodus at an upcoming conference in Thailand later this month.

“But when people are drifting on the sea, how we can search

and rescue them and provide life saving humanitarian assistance, that is a top priority at this time,” he told reporters during a visit to Hanoi.

Ban said he had been in recent discussions with regional leaders in Thailand, Malaysia

and Myanmar and urged a “very clear addressing of the root causes of this issue, why people are fleeing.”

Ban’s comments come as Myanmar faces growing international pressure to address its treatment of the country’s 1.3 million Rohingya minority Muslims.

The widespread persecution of the impoverished community in western Rakhine state is one of the primary causes for the current regional exodus, alongside

growing numbers trying to escape poverty in neighboring Bangladesh.

Most migrants aim for Malaysia and Indonesia through dangerous and lucrative smuggling networks that crisscross the region.

Ban also called on countries who receive migrants “not to send them back to a dangerous circumstance or situation.”

Thailand has organized a regional conference in Bangkok on 29 May to address the crisis. AFP

TOKYO—Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday pledged $453 million in aid to Pacific island nations to help them combat climate change and natural disasters.

Abe made the pledge as leaders of 14 Pacific island nations gathered for a two-day meeting, which began on Friday in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture, to discuss their development needs.

“As a pledge of the Japanese government, we will provide no less than 55 billion yen ($453 million) to you in the upcoming three years ... in order to foster resilient capabilities that will not be defeated by climate change or disasters,” Abe told the meeting.

The seventh round of Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) came as host Japan attempts to boost its profile in the Pacific, at a time of growing Chinese economic and political influence in the region.

The meeting, held every three years, was also attended by senior officials from other regional powers, Australia and New Zealand, as well as the United States.

Pacific island leaders have long complained about rising sea levels eroding their coastlines and of the increasing severity and frequency of extreme climate phenomena, such as super-typhoons, likely caused by global warming.

They have pushed developed nations—responsible for the much of the emissions associated with global warming —to extend help to cope with damage brought by harsh climate patterns.

Most recently, in March, Vanuatu was hit by Severe Tropical Cyclone Pam, which killed 11 people when sustained winds of more than 250 kilometers (155 miles) per hour tore through the country, affecting about 166,600 inhabitants. AFP

TAIWAN-CHINA MEET HIT TAIPEI—China’s top Taiwan affairs official Zhang Zhijun met for talks with his Taiwanese counterpart Saturday, as dozens of angry demonstrators protested the visit.

Zhang, director of China’s Taiwan affairs office, met Andrew Hsia, chairman of Taiwan’s top China policy decisionmaking body, the Mainland Affairs Council, in Kinmen —a Taiwanadministered island off China’s Xiamen city.

As Zhang arrived by boat, members from the anti-China opposition Taiwan Solidarity Union

(TSU) waved placards and shouted “Oppose HsiaZhang meeting! Taiwan interests betrayed!”

China’s rejection of Taiwan as a founding member of the Beijingled Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) was expected to be raised at the meeting.

Also expected on the agenda were a controversial goods trade agreement and new flight routes.

Tensions between Taiwan and China have decreased markedly since 2008 after Ma Ying-jeou of the China-friendly Kuomintang party (KMT)

came to power promising to beef up trade and tourism links.

But public sentiment in Taiwan has recently once again turned against closer ties with Beijing, with voters saying trade deals have been agreed in secret and have not benefited ordinary citizens.

In March last year, around 200 students occupied parliament for more than three weeks to demonstrate against a controversial services trade pact, while thousands rallied in support of what became known as the “Sunflower Movement.” AFP

REJECTIONISTS. A small group shows opposition to demonstrators outside the Jacob

Javits Federal Building in Manhattan on May 19, 2015 in New York. Several different organizations gathered to call for federal judges to reject challenges to President Barack Obama’s executive order to establish a program that would defer deportations of certain immigrants who entered the US illegally. AFP

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WORLD editorial@thestandard.com.ph

JIHADISTS CAPTURE IRAQ-SYRIA BORDER DAMASCUS—The Islamic State group consolidated its control of the Iraq-Syria border after capturing an Iraqi provincial capital and a famed Syrian heritage site in an offensive that has sparked criticism of US military strategy in the region.

A suicide bomber from the extremist Sunni organization also attacked a Shiite mosque in Saudi Arabia, raising sectarian tensions.

The jihadists, who now control roughly half of Syria, reinforced their selfdeclared transfrontier “caliphate” by seizing Syria’s Al-Tanaf crossing on the Damascus-Baghdad highway late Thursday.

It was the last regime-held border crossing with Iraq.

The jihadist surge, which has also seen it take Ramadi, capital of Anbar province, and the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra in the past week, comes despite eight months of US-led air strikes.

It has sparked an exodus of tens of thousands of civilians in both countries and raised fears IS will repeat at Palmyra the destruction it has already wreaked at ancient sites in

Iraq’s Nimrud and Mosul.

The United Nations said Friday at least 55,000 people had fled Ramadi alone since mid-May, while the Security Council voiced “grave concern” for Palmyra as well as civilians trapped there.

President Barack Obama has played down the IS advance as a tactical “setback” and denied the US-led coalition was “losing” to IS. The Pentagon said on Friday coalition aircraft launched five strikes against IS in Syria and 15 against the jihadists in Iraq.

IS now controls “more than 95,000 square kilometers (38,000 square miles) in Syria, which is 50 percent of the country’s territory.”

Matthew Henman, head

of IHS Jane’s Terrorism and Insurgency Centre, said the jihadist advance “reinforces IS’s position as the single opposition group that controls the most territory in Syria.”

According to the Observatory, IS gains mean a mere 22 percent of Syria’s territory is still in regime hands.

IS’s jihadist rival, AlQaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front, has also been on the offensive as part of a rebel alliance that has stormed through nearly all of the northwestern province of Idlib.

On Friday, the alliance overran a hospital in Jisr alShughur where at least 150 regime forces and dozens of civilians were trapped

for nearly a month, the Observatory said.

In Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, meanwhile, a suicide bomber attacked a Shiite mosque, killing and wounding several people, authorities said.

IS said it was responsible, the first time the group has officially claimed an attack in the oil-rich kingdom.

A jihadist statement online warned of “dark days ahead” for Shiites until militants “chase them from the Arabian Peninsula.”

The blast and takeover of Palmyra came just days after IS seized Ramadi, their most significant victory since last summer’s lightning advance across swathes of northern Iraq. AFP

IS EXPANSION. An image grab taken from a video made available by Jihadist media outlet Welayat Homs on May 21, 2015 allegedly shows a view of the military airport of Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra after the Islamic State (IS) group’s jihadists seized the city. The capture of Palmyra, a 2,000-year-old metropolis, reportedly leaves more than half of Syria under IS control and comes days after the group expanded its control in Iraq. AFP

IRELAND LEADERS PREDICT SAME-SEX VICTORY DUBLIN—Counting got under way Saturday in Ireland’s historic referendum on same-sex marriage, with thousands of people, some of whom rushed home from living abroad to vote, gathering to hear the results.

But “Yes” supporters were already optimistic of victory. A junior government minister with responsibility for equality, Aodhan O Riordain wrote on Twitter: “Key boxes opened. It’s a yes. And a landslide across Dublin.

And I’m so proud to be Irish today.”

Another junior minister, Kevin Humphreys, said he was “happy to predict at this stage that it’s going to be an overwhelmingly ‘Yes’ victory.”

Legalizing gay marriage would be a seismic change in the traditionally Catholic republic, where homosexuality was illegal until 1993 and abortion remains prohibited except where the mother’s life is in danger.

Opinion polls forecast a comfortable victory for the “Yes” campaign. However, supporters have been warning for weeks of a large block of “shy,” largely rural and elderly “No” voters, who have not been as vocal in the campaign.

Around 3.2 million people were eligible to vote in Friday’s referendum, and reports suggest there was a higher-thanexpected turnout -- a testament to the passions the issue has inspired.

State broadcaster RTE said large numbers of young voters took part, with queues stretching outside some polling stations during the early morning and late evening peaks. AFP

ETHIOPIA’S ATTACK ON MEDIA HIT NAIROBI—Rights groups said elections on Sunday in Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country, would not be free or fair due to a clampdown on freedom of speech.

Ethiopia on Sunday holds its first general election since the death of long-time strongman Meles Zenawi whose successor, Hailemariam Desalegn, is almost certain to stay in office.

Over 36.8 million Ethiopians have registered to vote in what is seen by the international community as a key test of the state’s commitment to bringing greater democracy to the Horn of Africa nation.

Rights groups routinely accuse Ethiopia of clamping down on op-

position supporters and journalists and using anti-terrorism laws to silence dissent and jail critics.

“Citizens are expected to choose the right party to lead them for the next five years. To do so, they need to have a clear understanding of their country’s political, social, and economic situation,” the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists said, with ranks Ethiopia as the “fourth most censored country” in the world.

“But in a country with limited independent media, many Ethiopians struggle to find the information needed to help them make informed decisions.”

The ruling Ethiopian People’s

Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) has been in power for over two decades and is confident of a win, but insists the result will be decided on its economic record alone.

Ethiopia is now one of Africa’s top performing economies and a magnet for foreign investment.

The EPRDF won 545 of the 547 seats in parliament during the last elections in 2010.

This time, the only opposition MP has chosen not to run again, while polls in the constituency of the one independent MP seeking reelection were postponed Friday, after he complained there had not been “enough time and space” for campaigning. AFP

GRENADE ATTACK. Injured patients at a hospital in Bujumbura on May 22, 2015 after a double grenade attack by unknown assailants on a market in the city centre of Bujumbura that killed three people. The grenade attack is the latest in almost a month of violence in the central African nation, including almost daily street protests in which more than 20 people have died, triggered by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term in power. AFP

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S U N D AY : M AY 24 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS

REUEL VIDAL EDITOR

TM Football Para Sa Bayan striker Avin Lufamia (18) from Gawad Kalinga Tatalon, Quezon City and three San Beda defenders kick up a cloud of dust as they compete for ball possession. The TM Football Para Sa Bayan squad placed second to San Beda in the Rizal Football Association (Rifa) Under-17 championship.

By Reuel Vidal

sports@thestandard.com.ph

CHILDREN FROM SLUMS TURN TO FOOTBALL

THE dark, skinny boy wore blue shorts and a white shirt with the words “TM Football Para Sa Bayan” emblazoned on the front.

He stood about shoulder high to another boy in red shorts and shirt as their football cleats kicked up a small cloud of dirt while they sprinted side-by-side through the dried up football pitch.

The pair chased after the football which was rolling to the right baseline just beside the goal. As they neared the baseline the goalkeeper of the team in red turned to face them to defend the goal.

But the football was too fast for the two sprinting boys.

The football was about to roll out the right baseline as the boy in red stopped from the pursuit. The goalkeeper, seeing the ball about to roll out, also relaxed and walked away from goalmouth.

The smaller boy in white shirt and blue shorts did not give up.

He somehow found the strength to burst forward

Coach Dennis Balbin, standing right, leads the TM Football Para Sa Bayan team just before the start of the championship game against San Beda. The TM Football Para Sa Bayan squad placed second to San Beda in the Rizal Football Association (Rifa) Under-17 championship held at the Ateneo De Manila University Football Field, Thursday, May 21.

and amazingly caught up to the ball stopping it from going out the baseline with his right foot.

Alone and unmarked, just 10 feet from the undefended goalmouth, the boy in blue shorts kicked the football with his left foot.

Instead of sailing into the goal, the ball swerved left and missed the goal by 12 inches. What could have been the winning goal turned out to be the biggest disappointment in the whole match.

The boy in the blue shorts is 15-year-old Michael Joseph Libre who is a member of TM Football Para

Sa Bayan squad of underprivileged children from the slums of Metro Manila.

Despite the loss, Libre’s team surpassed all expectations by placing second to San Beda in the Rizal Football Association (Rifa) Under-17 championship held at the Ateneo De Manila University Football Field, Thursday, May 21.

Regulation period ended in a scoreless draw but San Beda converted two goals against one in the penalty shootout.

San Beda was the more aggressive team early in the game. The more determined boys of TM Football Para Sa

Bayan gradually took control of the game late in the first half and were on the attack majority of the mid game.

But unfamiliarity to the full 90 minute game and the full sized football pitch eventually took its toll on the players of TM Football Para Sa Bayan.

The TM boys—who are used to playing futsal in barangay basketball courts and the streets of Tondo— gradually faded and allowed San Beda to escape with the scoreless draw after regulation period.

Miguel Bermundo, Manager of Corporate and Social Responsibility with Globe

Miguel Bermundo

said the team exceeded all expectations.

“The team is composed of street football and futsal players of underprivileged boys. We formed the team a month ago and trained the boys to play in a full-sized pitch for this tournament,” said Bermundo.

The 20 boys who played in the Rifa tournament included recruits from the Mandaluyong, Tondo, Quezon City, Gawad Kalinga and Leveriza street football communities.

The program involves forming football communities in the slums of Metro Manila. The boys, with the support of their communities, play futsal in barangay basketball courts or street football where there are no basketball courts.

The boys need to stay in school and not work as child laborers to stay in the program. Values formation is taught and a new mindset is created among the children and the entire community.

The best football players advance to the TM Football Para Sa Bayan selection which competes in the numerous tournaments all over the country. They are able to showcase their skills. The goal is to earn a college education after they are recruited to join varsity selections.

Those who are not selected to join the TM Football Para Sa Bayan selection still benefit from the lessons learned from the program including discipline, learning the importance of staying in school, studying hard and aspiring to improve their lot through education.

This is the third year of TM Football Para Sa Bayan.

“The TM program gives access to street children for opportunities to play in the big leagues. We have already formed 40 football communities in Metro Manila alone. We don’t just teach children to play football. We also include values formation to help them become more productive members of their communities,” said Bermundo.

The team members of the TM Football Para Sa Bayan were bitterly disappointed at the loss. But mere minutes after match, the disappointment of the loss waned. As the players dispersed and prepared to go home most of the boys were already involved in cheerful banter.

TM Football Para Sa Bayan striker Jester Supilanas (9) (left) and a San Beda defender (right) chase after the football in their heated championship match. The TM Football Para Sa Bayan squad placed second to San Beda in the Rizal Football Association (Rifa) Under-17 championship held at the Ateneo De Manila University Football Field, Thursday, May 21.

S U n D aY : m aY 24 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS

arman armero EDITOR

sports@thestandard.com.ph

It’s JC Intal’s tIme to shIne

JC intal of Barako Bull (right) in action against Meralco’s Josh Davis.

By Jeric Lopez

B

efore he entered the league, JC Intal was one very highly-touted player with a lot of skills and potential.

Eight years into his Philippine Basketball Association career, Intal may have finally found his mark as he is starting to consistently be the player that most people expect him to be.

After being bounced around the league with three previous

teams where he found moderate success, Intal is making a strong statement for league-leading Barako Bull in 2015 Governors’ Cup with his stellar play as he emerges as the Energy Colas’ main man.

At this point in his career, Intal embraces this upgraded role

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and aims on even improving his stock as he leads Barako Bull, the only unbeaten team with a 3-0 mark thus far.

He discussed his current state and his journey in the PBA in an interview with CNN Philippines. ‘’Siguro it’s all about timing din talaga kasi it’s been two years na rin since I started playing with Barako Bull. I think it’s about time na rin talag na magpakita ako and makita kung anong meron ako. I developed my confidence na rin kasi.,’’ said Intal, during an interview with CNN Philippines ecently.

That confidence has boosted his performance and resulted in no less than being named as the first PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the conference after the opening week of dominant performance in leading Barako Bull’s attack.

Currently, Intal is averaging a near double-double of 18.3 points and eight rebounds per contest, a far cry from his seven points and three rebounds average in his career. He also scored in double-figures in all of Barako Bull’s games so far. ‘’Ito na yung goal ko, yung maging consistent na talaga. I had a good All-Filipino run and I want to sustain it. Mahirap itong Governors’ Cup kasi lahat ng teams nananalo na. Hopefully ma-sustain lahat,’’ he added.

Intal also credited the help that Barako Bull’s new recruits had contributd to the team’s early success in the conference.d ‘’Our import Liam McMorrow is a big reason for our success but at the same time, nandyan na sila Dylan Ababou and Joseph Yeo na additional scorers pa for us.’’

Just like Barako Bull coach Coy Banal, Intal hopes that the Energy Colas can sustain their good start this time around, something they weren’t able to do last conference. ‘’Right now we’re 3-0 and hopefully we can sustain it and natuto na kami from last conference kasi 3-0 din kami nun but we lost a bunch of games na after,” he said.

SuBiC BAY RAPiD CHESS GETS GOiNG TODAY

IT’S all systems go as the 1st Lyceum Subic Bay Open Rapid Chess Team Tournament kicks off today, May 24, 2015, 10 a.m at the Event Center, Harbor Point, Subic Bay in Olongapo City.

Open for chess players with an average rating of 2220 and below, the tournament will allow team to field one titled player. Female entries, however, will be allowed to field two or more titled playes with a maximum average rating of 2200.

Non-rated players in the team, meanwhile, will be given an initial rating of 1800 for computation process.

Joel Villanueva of the organizing Chess Center of Excellence based in Olongapo City said at stake in the tournament are P22,000 and trophy

for the champion team, P12,000 plus a trophy for the second placer, P8,000 plus a trophy for the third placer, and P6,000 and P5,000 for the fourth and fifth placers, respectively.

The top College team will receive P5,000, the top government team will also take home 5,000 while the top high school team will get 2,000 and the top female team will bring home P2,000.

Top individual players in boards 1 and 2 will receive P2,000 each, while the best players in boards 3 and 4 will get 1,000 each. All top individual players will also receive medals.

For inquiries, interested participants may call Villanueva at 09186534719 for more details.

semis Bound. MACWAY Travel team owner/manager Eric Kirong and wife Cathy

Kirong pose with their players (from left) Pol Santiago,Erwin Sta Maria,Raymark Matias,Arden Guiyab,Nino Marquez,Floyd Dedicatoria,Joggy Laude,Jerome Ong,Teng Reyes,Eric Rodriguez and Dalanon after winning against UST 5 to barge into the semifinal round of the Millennium Basketball League (MBL). danny simon

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S U N D AY : M AY 24 , 2 0 1 5

RIERA U. MALLARI EDITOR sports@thestandard.com.ph

YOUNG TENNIS ACE ON THE RISE

Miko Eala displays his trophies.

SPORTS

By Dennis Principe

TEEN tennister Miko Eala is slowly making a name for himself in a sport he dearly loves.

The 12-year-old Eala recently won four events during his twoweek campaign in Beirut, a feat that underscored the support he got from the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF).

Backed by a $5,000 grant by the ATP, which came from the Olympic Solidarity fund, Eala won the under-14 doubles’ event where he partnered with Lebanese Jalal Sadek before he dominated the singles’ event by outperforming Rahul Jadeep of India in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2.

During the second leg of the Beirut tour, Eala and Sadek again copped the doubles’ crown, while the Filipino youngster garnered his second singles title, this time at the expense of Great Britain’s Timothy Rutherford.

“These twin wins will bring back his ATF Ranking to number one for 14-under boys. In late April, Miko was also awarded a U$5,000 grant by the Asian Tennis Federation from the Olympic Solidarity Fund.

This grant can be utilized towards his tournament traveling and tennis training,” said Eala’s mother Rizza.

Eala is now preparing for a more rigorous campaign next month in Serbia.

Meantime, Eala’s 10-year-old sister is also bent on duplicating the achievement of his brother.

Alexandra Eala has gone full blast with her training for the prestigious Smrikva Bowl in Croatia, where only the number one-ranked players of their respective countries worldwide are qualified to join.

Miko Eala won four events during his two-week campaign in Beirut.

MAKE WAY FOR NEW TRIATHLON IN TOWN IS full and half-distance triathlon too much for you? Challenge Philippines has a treat because there’s a new triathlon in town!

Leverage Sports Asia, Challenge Brand race license holders in the Philippines, will launch a new short course triathlon—the Tri-Challenge Series—at the inaugural Yellow Cab Challenge CamSur half-distance triathlon this coming June.

Yellow Cab Challenge CamSur, part of the global triathlon series by the Challenge Family and the second instalment of the brand in the Philippines, will host the very first Tri-

Challenge SPRINT on June 13 with a 1km swim, 30km bike, and 6km run race course. The sprint’s race course will run through a portion of the Challenge CamSur course as it loops in and around CamSur Watersports Complex.

“We are very excited to see the expansive growth of triathlon embrace the Philippine endurance community.

We believe in all of the positive attributes that the Challenge Races around the world hold dear, like its commitment to grass roots and sport development, providing the best race day experience and always giving back to the community that supports the sport

of triathlon,” said David Voth, CEO of Leverage Sports Asia and Chairman of Challenge Philippines.

Voth said that launching a shorter race course will increase the interest with the sport and encourage more people to try triathlon. He also added that TriChallenge series gives non-professionals the opportunity to compete at an international standard for a cheaper price.

For more information or to register for the Tri Challenge SPRINT Triathlon, visit: http://bit.ly/TriChallengeSprint.

For more information or to register for Yellow Cab Challenge Camsur, visit: www.challengecamsur.com.

Young tennis ace Miko Eala showcases a powerful serve, which is one of his strengths.

S U N D AY : M AY 24 : 2 0 1 5

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

BING PAREL A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R g l w e e ke n d @ g m a i l . c o m

LIFE

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SUMMER’S LAST HURRAH LIFE BEGINS AT FIFTY BUT SUMMER IS FOREVER C2 AFTER THE SUMMER COMES THE RAIN C3 FOREVER SUMMER FASHION C4 PHOTO COURTESY OF BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE

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ENDLESS SUMMER Does summer ever really end in the Philippines? Other countries shift through four seasons, but the Philippines, I think, really only has one season: summer! The temperature shifts from cool to RINA hot and the weather from wet to MACASAET dry. At the end of the day, it’s summer all year round!

I like warm weather. I particularly enjoy traveling and chasing summer whenever, wherever. I’m not crazy about the sun and the beach so I find alternative ways to enjoy summer all year round.

For instance, traveling in July to Santa Monica and Venice Beach in California is definitely not the end of summer; rather, it’s right smack at the beginning of summer in America. A stroll on the boardwalk, late afternoons at the Pier and evenings at the Promenade having ice-cold beer just sitting and watching people and things go by... Yes, at times, doing nothing is nice! Take a break from life’s routine, go some place different and explore.

I spent a few days in Venice Beach walking the streets. Oh, the joys of self-discovery! It felt like I was walking through a movie scene: sunglasses and hippies, surfer dudes and body builders, tattoo art and fortune-telling. There comes a point in one’s life when letting go liberates the spirit!

I hopped over to Santa Monica for another week and what a change in scenery! The streets were full of blondes in glowing tan skin wearing sexy shorts and flip-flops. I took the mid-life challenge and got into the groove! If you’ve just turned fifty like me, then you certainly would not allow yourself to look like an old hag. Thank God for the highlights in my hair; it was easy to fit in. Coming from Manila, I arrived prepared. I had short shorts, flip-flops and sexy tops.

Who says summer has to end?

The end of the year doesn’t always have to be cold. I found summer in December while visiting Cambodia for a week. Exploring Siem Reap’s magnificent temples requires a little fitness. At fifty, it’s not difficult but admittedly, I’m not exactly a spring chicken! Jeans and a comfortable tee and good ole Sperry topsiders, I was ready to climb to the top of the temples! A lot of walking which you won’t feel at all, being surrounded by nature’s beauty. You can’t take the temples home, so best to inhale and embrace the experience. Angkor Wat is definitely something to see! The weather in December was perfect for summer, not too humid as it would be in the months of April and May. Exhausted at the end of day, there’s nothing more enjoyable than having cold beer and a foot massage!

It was a great way to end the year, and a summer I will never forget!

So I am back to the beginning of the year and summer begins again. Chasing yet another in a new place, I found my summer moment in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The Old Quarter is crowded like Divisoria, but with a twist. The fun is in finding that twist! Hanoi’s street food is delicious! Sit on the side streets like the locals do and enjoy ice-cold beer or try the famous egg coffee. Don’t be shy, blend in with the locals and the backpackers and just chill! It’s all about pushing oneself to try something off the beaten track especially at age fifty. I took a day trip out of Hanoi to explore nature. A boat ride into the caves to see the limestone karsts is yet another experience that you have to be present at in order to take home the experience.

So much more to summers ending, right?

In between planning for the next trip, there’s nothing like enjoying summer in Manila indulging in Halo-Halo and all-time favorite, local craft beer!

Life indeed begins at fifty. And what more can you ask for but an endless summer?

S U N D AY : M AY 24 : 2 0 1 5

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE

LIFE

EDITOR

BING PAREL A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

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

THE POP PHILOSOPHER’S GUIDE TO THE END OF SUMMER SUMMER IS COMING TO AN END. TROY BERNARDO

Windows of summer homes will be boarded up. Hotels will slash their rates. Discounted resort packages will flood online shopping sites. There is an accompanying sadness to

this season’s end, particularly for those on a summer break.

Yes, those long hot days can be bliss. Ideally, it’s a time for lazing around, for leisurely pursuits, and long vacations.

It’s a time to throw caution to the wind, to go where the road leads, to taste what it’s like to have a carefree life. This is when we make memories. It’s a time of firsts.

Summertime, if, if you believe George Gershwin, is the only time in the year when “the livin’ is easy.”

Summertime...and the livin’ is easy - George Gershwin

The blues that come at the end of summer aren’t just unique to this season. It happens all the time. What makes many people sad is change.

Oleta Adams sang hauntingly, in the album Circle Of One:

EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE NOTHING STAYS THE SAME EVERYONE MUST CHANGE NO ONE STAYS THE SAME CAUSE THAT’S THE WAY OF TIME NOTHING AND NO ONE GOES UNCHANGED She is right. We are, like the changing seasons, in a constant state of transition. Chapters end as quickly as they begin. Life paths turn abruptly in response to the choices that we make. We, and the world around us, are constantly in flux.

Summer, for example, ends this month. Historically, it is the start of the monsoon season, though global climate change may have already altered that schedule. Traditionally, it is the start of school, though many universities have opted to open their doors this August. Everything changes.

Take a look at the changes sweeping through current events. Once untouchable political families, and their aides, are now facing arrest warrants. Earthquake preparedness has crept into our consciousness once again, with the MMDA listing down evacuation sites in case the big one happens.

In our personal lives, many of us are in transition. If we trust in the Universe, then all is well, for everything happens for a reason, and those reasons are usually in our best interests – whether we’re even aware of them or not.

IT’S ALL A MATTER OF CHANGING OUR PERSPECTIVE. IT’S ALL A MATTER OF See, according to Heraclitus, “the only thing that is constant is change.” And, though we know this undeniable truth, many are still attached to the status quo, refusing to go with flow of life, to let go of all their perceived control.

It’s like putting a foot through a door to keep it from closing or holding back a wall of water – the effort is useless.

Besides, the end of something signals the beginning of something new. It’s in our best interest to get rid of the old and embrace the new. Change is a time of joy. Transitioning is a happy time. We may not be sure of our footing, but who cares? We can’t go against the river of life, but we can swim with it.

Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak.

Oh! The places you’ll go.

- Dr. Seuss

Trust that we are headed somewhere awesome.

Make the most out of every moment. And if you’re still feeling the blues, well, it’ll probably last just as long as your tan.

S U N D AY : M AY 24 : 2 0 1 5

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

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

BING PAREL A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

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Approaching the crater

THE SULFUROUS SUMMER Climbing up to the top of Mount Pinatubo, I tried to imagine what the area might have looked like blanketed in grey ash. When the volcano SAM erupted way back in WISE 1991, it shook with convulsions so powerful that it covered surrounding towns in lahar, and spewed ashes that looked like dirty snowflakes falling on concrete.

Having heard about the catastrophe, I expected a scene of total devastation and desolation, like something out of a science fiction movie. I hadn’t been born yet when Pinatubo erupted, but I’d heard stories from my family. It must have been pretty badass. Like major end-of-the-world stuff.

Our group set off at 5 a.m., ahead of the sun, so as not to suffer from heatstroke.

Shod in a sturdy pair of Ecco shoes, I got into my assigned 4x4 jeep and stared out as we drove along the beautiful countryside to get to the crater.

The hike started at around 8 a.m. and we finished around 11 a.m. It was a long hike with varying inclines, wading through small streams and climbing over rocks. Funnily enough, my shoes seemed water-resistant and stable. No danger of twisting my ankles here!

Finally, we got to the top. I felt everything you’re supposed to feel when you see something of breathtaking natural beauty: awe, amazement, incredulity, and even some measure of humility.

In the crater was a lake of emerald water that was surrounded by grey sand and green mountains. The view is postcard-pretty; the water surely looked inviting enough to want to jump in to cool off in the insane heat. But appearances can be deceiving, since the water contains sulphur, in concentrations too toxic for humans. So, clearly, it was dangerous to dive in to start with, much less swim in.

So I sat on the ash-beach, listening to the soft call of the birds, and quietly absorbing the view of the crater ahead of me. For a moment, I forgot about the heat, while I marvelled at how nature forever renews itself.

The placid lake on the crater

THE LONGEST SUMMER “Summer is coming,” may as well be our country’s tagline. Every year we know it’s going to happen—the slow, sweltering heat that puts a sauna to shame—and every year we’re unprepared. “It’s more fun in the Philippines,” rings true enough as a tagline, but it’s also 35°C on a good day. Just how K.A. MONTINOLA much fun are we supposed to have while we melt? If you don’t die of heatstroke, it will be of the heart attack you get when you look at your electric bill. It’s almost more economical to travel; almost anywhere would be cooler than here.

Still, summer came, it’s on its way out, and it’s left quite a blaze this year. Consider all of this: we kicked off May with the so-called Fight Of The Century, which was disappointing in almost every way; Britain got a new baby princess (born in time to see aforementioned boxing match), and was named

after the wrong grandparent; One Direction lost its hunkiest member; the still-in-school crowd drowned their sorrows at Batch Bora; Mary Jane Veloso was saved from an Indonesian firing squad for now, and her mother blamed President Aquino; the names Eric Garner, Tony Robinson, and Freddie Gray were added to the list of unarmed black men killed by policemen in the US; everyone got to play Coachella at music fests Wanderland and Closeup’s Forever Summer; Nepal was hit by not one, but two devastating earthquakes within the space of a few weeks; the star-studded Marvel’s Avengers sequel Age of Ultron was a bust in the sense that it was more hype than substance, though it still counted as our summer blockbuster hit (it’s our summer, not theirs); the latest in internet fixations, ‘Dad Bod,’ alleged that women prefer men with beer bellies over those with washboard abs; the world saw several ongoing migrant crises unfold simultaneously, the closest one to us being the Rohingya from Myanmar; Mad

Men finally ended, and Mad Max surprised everyone by being pretty good; a factory fire in Valenzuela spelt doom for 72 people; Santa Barbara just gave California and the ocean some 105,000 gallons of oil; Game of Thrones came back, and is under fire for a rape scene that apparently wasn’t supposed to be there, so maybe we won’t use the reference anymore.

What a world; I think I overheated just writing that paragraph. If you’re smart, you’ll drink water while there’s still clean water to drink, and if you’re lucky you can travel to cooler climates. ‘Summer,’ as it turns out, isn’t much fun when you don’t have ‘vacation’ following right after it (my heart really does go out to all those schools adjusting to the new school year, because it is a brave, brave person who can teach in an overcrowded, non-air-conditioned classroom in this kind of heat). Still, I don’t suppose ‘vacation’ is much fun with the word ‘rainy’ attached to it. Which reminds me: rain is coming.

S U N D AY : M AY 24 : 2 0 1 5

C4

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE

LIFE

EDITOR

BING PAREL A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

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

Horseshoe Necklace, Juicy Couture

FOREVER SUMMER

Who says it’s time to say goodbye to the summer? Keep it casual, but chic, with these seasonless looks we love. And remember, in tropical climes, white is always right!

Shell Choker, H&M Sunnies, H&M

Chain-strap Bag, Juicy Couture

Fringed Straw Bag, H&M

Sneakers, Superga Graphic Tee, Superdry

Cropped Summer Sweater, Sinéquanone

Heart and Key Bangle, Juicy Couture

Pavé Cherry Mini Charm, Juicy Couture

Slides, H&M White Tee and Tobacco Cotton Shorts, Forever 21

White Crop Top and Pleated Pants, Forever 21

FOREVER 21 www.forever21.com SUPERGA www.ssigroup.com.ph H&M www.hm.com KULTURA www.kulturafilipino.com JUICY COUTURE www.juicycoutoure.com SINÉQUANONE www.ssigroup.com.ph

Monochrome Tee, Sinéquanone

Multicolored Woven Bag, Kultura

Breezy White Dress, H&M

S U N D AY : M AY 24 : 2 0 1 5

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE

LIFE

EDITOR

BING PAREL A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

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

AN AMAZING TOY KINGDOM SUMMER Summertime is playtime at Toy Kingdom with its new collection of amazing toys for more fun in the sun. Inspired by well- loved characters such as Sofia the First, Frozen, Avengers, Hello Kitty, Cars, Mickey & Minnie, these are perfect for some splashing in the pool, lounging outdoors or hitting the streets.

There are cool inflatable swimming pools as well as frame pools that are easy to assemble and come in huge sizes for the entire family. Toy Kingdom also has swim essentials and splashers as well as beach toys, water guns and bubble blasters for real water fun adventure.

Kids can also enjoy an amazing ride with Toy Kingdom’s collection of wheels, pedal toys and cruisers. There are bikes, trikes and scooters that come in different colors and sizes.

There’s also more fun outdoors with play sets and furniture.

These hot finds and more summer treats are available at all Toy Kingdom Express outlets in SM Department Stores and Toy Kingdom stores in most SM Supermalls. Also visit www.toykingdom.ph

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Kiddie Raft with an inflatable bottom for extra comfort and tow rope with built in grommet for safety.

Cars Push Handle Trike features a steel frame and wide training wheels. Also features padded seats for your child’s comfort and standard grips and pedals for your little riders.

Lounge in style in this Hello Kitty Inflatable Chair.

Adorable Frozen Alpine Adventure Playland features 20 soft flex balls, peek through windows, two large crawl-through openings, a fun ball toss roof and an interactive side play panel.

Awesome Avenger in-line scooter with cool movie graphics, a rear footbrake, adjustable handlebars and comfortable foam handgrips.

Frozen Color n’ Play Activity Playland.

Relive Elsa and Anna’s whimsical tale through this enchanting play land.

Includes 20 soft flex balls, a fun ball toss roof, 4 erasable markers and an additional white panel for your little girl’s coloring activity.

Hello Kitty Beach ball for fun days under the sun.

Ocean Fun 3-ring Pool. This 59x21-inch pool will surely delight kids with its wonderful sea-life design.

Mickey Mouse Motif Bodysuit for kids available at Toy Kingdom.

Cars Puff n’ Play inflatables as adorable playmates for swimming. Collect your three favorite characters such as Lightning McQueen, Francesco Bernoulli and Mater.

Iron Man rash guard and swim shorts for more active little boys.

Dash on the street with this lovely Hello Kitty Skateboard.

Mickey Mouse themed 2-in-1 trike for toddlers.

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SUNDAY : M AY 24 : 2015

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SHOWBITZ

EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

AMY PEREZ: IT’S NEVER TOO LATE

They say that mothers know best and TV host Amy Perez couldn’t agree more.

Being a mother to three amazing boys, a wife to a great husband and a career woman, the 45-yearold TV and radio host tries so hard to keep a balance between her family life and profession.

However, she acknowledges that juggling jobs can be a real piece of work that might sacrifice other things such as health and wellness.

But the Umagang Kay Ganda host says that it’s all about balance and knowing one’s priorities.

“Mahirap siya if hindi mo magawang i-balance lahat. Time management lang naman ‘yan so I’m happy now na ‘yung workload ko is all in the morning,” she says.

With many things in her hands, Amy knows she has to take care of her health. “I am 45 years old, and I am not getting any younger, therefore I need to be always healthy for myself and for my family.”

Her consciousness about overall health is greatly influenced by her mom who always reminds her to take care of her body. She also learned the discipline of being mindful of her overall health from her. One of her mom’s repetitive reminders to the family is to have enough fiber every day.

“It was my mom who introduced C-Lium to me! She reminds us every day na dapat may fiber kami,” says Amy. “In our line of work, hindi maiiwasan that we eat less vegetables and fruits kaya I complement my diet with C-Lium Fibre to get the right amount of fiber every day. A lot

Amy Perez says a diet with fiber keeps her on the go and healthy for her family

has changed since I became a mom! Everything and anything I do now have to be for the good of my boys,” says Amy. “No more partying and drinking like when I was younger! I have to make sure that I’m always ready and healthy for my boys.”

Amy also relates that having C-Lium as part of her daily diet helps her body to go further and to successfully accomplish all her tasks as a mother, a wife, and a TV and radio host.

“Because of C-Lium, I feel light and clean. It helps me go further every day with my work and enjoy my time with my kids kasi nga hindi ka feeling bloated at hindi ka hirap kumilos,” Amy shares.

C-Lium Fibre is made from natural psyllium plant, which is

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 89 90 93 95 97 98 100 101 106 108 110 112

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 It makes waves 5 Speedily 10 Rosetta Stone rock 16 Tintype hue 21 Medieval strings 22 Bummer of a car 23 Main course 24 Uncouth 25 Galena and cuprite 26 Like rich soil 27 UFO shape 28 Dangerous mos quito 29 CIA files 31 Behind, at sea 33 Ball of yarn 35 Rightful 36 Hindu mystics 37 Invitation addendum 40 FICA number 41 Pipe bends 42 Music collectibles 45 Drink with scones

ISAH V. RED

46 48 50 52 54 55 57 58 59 60 62 66 67 69 71 72 74 76 78 79 80 83 85 88

Opposite of haw Tongues do it Harem jewelry Coffee shop lures Druid, e.g.

Winter runner Bro or sis Guys like Hamlet Bonze or friar Washstand item Recurring theme Adams or Brickell Takes a sip Debated Chablis or Port Like owls Deadly snake Lou Grant portrayer Kind of vaccine Orchidlike flower Admit a mistake (2 wds.)

Towered over Fetch Painter — Neiman

113 115 116 117 118 120 122 123 124 128 129 130 131 132 133 135 137 139 140 142 144 148 150 153 155 156 157 158 159 160 161

SWAT team gear Doubles Skyline feature With, to Maurice Happy — — clam Doozie Opposite of “paleo” Action flicks Parking-lot mishap Stacks Intrigue What never to tell (2 wds.)

PGA great “Como — usted?”

Donkey features Vacuum tube Bearskin, maybe Comet — -Bopp Roost sitters Coy expression Coated with flour Really big T’s Vane dir.

Koan discipline Um cousins Counting-rhyme start “— the season to...”

Ketch cousin Wrote bad checks Freud topic Addresses for ladies Mantra chants Dauntless Hesitate The Big — Sponge Voice-mail prompt — marbles (Parthenon pieces) Drops syllables More peculiar Blows it Outmoded jacket Pluck

a good source of soluble and insoluble fibers.

According to the National Fiber Council, the soluble fiber in psyllium absorbs water, turns into gel, and attaches to food, sugars, cholesterol, and fats in the stomach.

It then helps to expel these from one’s digestive system. A high fiber diet also helps lower the risk of developing life-threatening diseases such as heart disease, certain forms of cancer, diabetes, and stroke.

Apart from taking supplements like C-Lium and eating healthy, Amy also works out regularly. “I do pilates and zumba tapos pag medyo masakit yung likod ko, I do yoga. I mix these three together with the low calorie diet that I currently follow,” she asserts.

Being in the industry for almost 30 years already, the celebrity mom says that she can’t ask for more; she’s very thankful that her career was blessed with longevity.

“For me to be able to stay this long in this business is such a blessing already, ‘yun na ‘yung pinaka-fulfilment para sa akin.

So, now, I am very eager naman to improve my health so I can perform better at my craft and always be there for my family.

I believe na it’s never too late to choose that path so I advise everyone out there to have that initiative and consciousness na maging mindful sa kanilang overall health,” says Amy. C-Lium Fibre comes in two formats--husk powder and capsule form-- and is available in leading drugstores and supermarkets nationwide.

Yun-Sung “Matthew” Choi, Kispinoy founder and producer

The crowd of Kispinoy hopefuls at SM North Edsa, the biggest so far

K-POP ICON SEARCH FINAL AUDITIONS

Filipino K-Pop performers had the last chance at grabbing that international spotlight on weekend at SM Dasmarinas and SM City Bacolod.

K-Pop hopefuls, ages 13 and up, arrived bright and early and in their best k-pop look and style.

“KISPINOY is their chance to showcase their best sing-and-dance talents.

We expect a total performance, “ said Yun-Sung “Matthew” Choi, Kispinoy founder and producer.

“Filipinos are naturally gifted performers. That’s why we came all the way here to Manila,” Choi added. “We believe that a Filipino is the next K-Pop idol.”

The KISPINOY Auditions received an enthusiastic response from over 5,000 aspirants across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, said Managing Director Marilou Cantancio. Aspirants recorded their minute-long songand-dance performances in booths that were set up at the designated SM malls. “Their recordings will be sent to Korea for screening. Only 100 acts will be chosen.”

The big turn-out was at the SM North Edsa on May 12-14, 2015 where almost 2,000 braved the long queues until the mall’s closing hours, Cantancio reported. “For this last leg, we expect a deluge of

auditionees if we were to base from the over 3,000 who have registered online for both audition venues.”

“KISPINOY” will premiere on the Kapatid network on June 27, and will be aired 9 to 10 p.m. every Saturday for 13 weeks. Richard Gutierrez and the sultry Korean model Jinri Park will host the show. “I’m very excited about the show. It is something so different from the other talent shows.

The K-Pop crowd can turn into a very passionate and captive audience for Kispinoy, ” said Park.

Singer-songwriter Rico Blanco and musician-theater actress Nicole Asensio will serve as the resident Filipino judges, while some top Korean artists and star makers will sit as judges or act as mentors to the shortlisted contestants. “I am looking for someone who will blow me away,” said Blanco.

“KISPINOY” is produced by YU&IQ International, Inc., in partnership with NH Media and YU&IQ Entertainment (formerly RYU’s Entertainment), the major investor of “KISPINOY, the impresario of the award-winning film and television shows starring Seo Young Hee and Lee Mun Sik. “KISPINOY” is supported by the Korean Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, the Korean Cultural Center, Bangs Tony and Jackey, KPub BBQ Restaurant, Mandaluyong City Government, and SM Supermalls.

For more information, check www.kispinoy.com.

SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015

162 Forest 163 Give off fumes DOWN 1 Galumph 2 Mark’s successor 3 AAA suggestions 4 Unkempt 5 Asserts 6 “Will it play in —?”

7 Gather together 8 Web suffix 9 “Orinoco Flow” singer 10 Wins against 11 Wheel buy (2 wds.)

12 Good name for a cook?

13 Orbit segments 14 Scallions’ kin 15 Brewer of pop 16 Flip through 17 Before, to bards 18 Splash about 19 Tristan’s beloved 20 Impose taxes 30 Specks 32 Worry too much 34 Rustic lodgings 38 German “bugs” 39 Less rosy 41 Crazy bone 42 Encumbered 43 Madrid art gallery 44 Kind of boom 46 Tender 47 Ms. Sommer of films 49 Trinket 51 Kipling novel 53 Powwow 54 Thing, in Tijuana 56 — ex machina 59 Occupies, as a post 61 Tear to pieces 63 Squabbles 64 Mooring site 65 Longstanding

67 68 69 70 73 75 77 81 82 84 85 86 87 91

fights Prefix for pod Glossy fabrics To the point Beads on grass Lobbied for Cliff debris “Bolero” composer Mi. above sea level Olive in the comics Take back Carpet nails Above the horizon Foolish, plus Crater edge

92 93 94 95 96 99 102 103 104 105 107 109 111 114 117

Gin-fizz flavor Grammar Flammable gas Sofa ends Compete Opulent The woman’s Split to join Jockey Prophets Running late Dawdle So-so grades Really liked Train restaurant

119 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 130 134 136 137 138 140

— — grip!

NASA counterpart Rudder Four-legged hunters Excavate further Entertain Sufficient Tiara Insulted wittily Look amused Further downhill Pal, slangily Keep from doing Waiter’s offering

141 Kebab holder 143 Flat-bottomed boat 145 Pumice feature 146 Concerning (2 wds.)

147 Anchor’s place 149 Term of respect 151 L.A. summer zone 152 Electric swimmer 154 Hubbub

SUNDAY : M AY 24 : 2015

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

C7

CHARO TALKS ABOUT BEING A MOTHER

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From C8

BS-CBN CEO and president Charo Santos-Concio graces the cover of Working Mom’s special Mother’s Day issue and opens up about her excitement in her role as a mother figure to her two granddaughters.

Charo, an influential figure in the media industry and a working mom herself, admits that she always looks forward to spending time with her two granddaughters, Julia and Talia, who join her on the cover.

She tells Working Mom that whenever she is with the two girls, she feels the joys of being a mother and loves being a doting mother figure to them.

She also shares with the magazine her parenting role as a co-discerner, saying that she pushes her sons to man up in making difficult choices in life.

“Difficult choices come with pain. You have to man up to that pain. I always say, I will be here to support you, but I will not be the

one to make that choice for you. It’s your journey, not mine,” she says.

On juggling work and family, Charo admits that whenever she has her share of tough times, she calls for help.

She also explains that she empowers the people around her to help when the going gets tough, to the point of making the people around her – her secretaries and even the executive team of ABS-CBN - aware that she is going through challenging times.

“It takes a lot of humility to put aside your ego, admit that you could be vulnerable, that you have the same dose of human frailty as everyone else. It is the only way to grow,” she tells Working Mom. Meanwhile in StarStudio’s May issue, Charo looks back on her upbringing and gives credit to her mother for shaping her to become the woman that she is today.

Charo happily tells StarStudio that it was her obedience to her mother that led her to land major projects.

A new way to cool your homes

DYSON ENGINEERS A NEW WAY TO COOL Charo Santos Concio, ABS-CBN President, graces the covers of both Working Mom and Star Studio

“Kapag sinabi niyang ‘join this contest,’ I would obey because I wanted to see her happy,” she says.

It was through the Baron Travel Girl competition that Concio got the attention of esteemed filmmaker Lino Brocka who invited her to audition for the female lead role in Itim, the film that catapulted Charo to stardom.

Charo, who is also known for her elegance, tells StarStudio that

she learned to dress well and carry herself properly from her mother.

“My mother had a regal bearing, and yet she did all this housework. Tinuruan niya ang mga girls how to sit na ‘yung pleats ng skirt, hindi magugusot.

She’s quite strict when it came to etiquette, good manners, and how to conduct one’s self in public. But she respected our own points of view,” she shares.

The HOOQ app on mobile phones is the latest craze of Globe subscribers who are avid audience of movies and TV shows

MORE FILIPINOS HOOQ’D

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nline entertainment service HOOQ continues to gain traction among entertainment-loving Pinoys through its partnership with the country’s no. 1 mobile brand Globe Telecom, enabling access over 10,000 international and local movies and TV series across multiple devices.

A joint venture between Singtel, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros. Entertainment, HOOQ has surpassed the one million mark in streaming minutes viewed since it launched two months ago. The HOOQ app has also generated over 30,000 downloads from iTunes and Google Play store.

Set to change the way people consume entertainment by providing access to the best Hollywood and local entertainment content with its partnerships with Sony, Warner, ABS-CBN, GMA-7, Regal Entertainment, and Viva Communications, HOOQ continues to add more top studios to its partner line-up which includes Disney, Dreamworks and Miramax.

Soon, HOOQ customers can expect hugely-popular Hollywood titles to be available such as hit TV shows Scandal and Grey’s Anatomy, and movies like Iron Man, Armageddon, Social Network, Pulp Fiction, and The English Patient, to name a few. On the local entertainment scene, the best and latest of local movies from Regal and Viva from 2014 and early 2015 will also be accessible for users to enjoy.

“We are very happy that more and more Filipinos are enjoying easy, affordable, and hassle-free access to HOOQ as evidenced by its fast-growing subscriber base. Asia’s biggest content library first launched in Philippines to give Pinoys access to their favorite international and local movies and TV series on their smartphones, computers, or tablets. HOOQ is definitely revolutionizing the way we all consume and enjoy entertainment. Filipinos can definitely look forward to more innovations and content from HOOQ with Globe enabling access of this service to more users and more devices,” says Dan Horan, senior advisor for Consumer Business at Globe.

There are lots of ways to get HOOQ if you’re on Globe: Mobile and Tattoo Onthe -go customers can get it for FREE when registered to GoSURF299 and up. For those who want to access HOOQ via the Android or iOS app or via the web, you can also subscribe to HOOQ 199 for the 30day access. Also available are HOOQ 299 which comes with 1GB worth of data for HOOQ access and HOOQ 499 with 2GB worth of data for HOOQ access.

For big screen users (laptops, desktops, tablets), subscribe to Tattoo Home’s new consumable broadband plans which comes with free access to HOOQ starting at Plan 1299.

Expanding its footprint in Asia, the video entertainment service will soon launch in Thailand and India, extending its reach to over 1.4 billion users in the region.

To register to HOOQ on your Globe mobile phone, text HOOQ to 8888 or dial *143# and choose “Lifestyle Bundles” and then “HOOQ”. To know more about the offers, visit www.globe.com.ph/HOOQ.

Electric fans have remained unchanged for over 150 years. They rely on spinning blades that chop the air to keep you cool.

But in 2009 Dyson, the British technology company, bid farewell to the blade, inventing the world’s first bladeless fan, the Dyson Air Multiplier.

More aeroplane wing than home appliance, the fan harnesses an engineering phenomenon known as the Coanda effect.

Rather than relying on rotating blades that ‘chop’ air, Dyson engineers accelerate the air through a fine aperture to create a jet of air which passes over an airfoil-shaped ramp. This created a drop in pressure and as a result surrounding air is drawn into the airflow. For every 1 litre of air passing through the machine, additional 16 liters are drawn in from the surroundings.

Never satisfied, Dyson engineers continued to improve Air Multiplier technology in the latest iteration, the Dyson Cool range.

High speed air creates noise.

But tuning out unwanted noise poses a significant engineering challenge. A specialist team of Dyson acoustic engineers designed a Helmholtz cavity to capture sound waves travelling through the fan. The cavity alone eliminates tones of up to 1,000Hz; similar to the tone produced by a mosquito’s beating wing.

The Helmholtz cavity is an empty chamber that cancels out certain frequencies of sound.

While cavities are already used in combustion engines and subwoofers, the new Dyson Cool fans are the first fans to incorporate them although the application is new the underlying idea is more than 150 years old.

The new Dyson Cool™ fan is the result of a PHP2.6 billion investment in research and development. Equipped with a remote control, a sleep timer and ten precise airflow settings, the Dyson Cool™ fan allows you set the time (up to nine hours), and go to sleep as it projects air to cool you.

As with all Dyson fans, the Dyson Cool™ fan is safe and easy to clean.

Part household appliance, part spaceship - here’s an appliance no man should be ashamed of.

SUNDAY : M AY 24 : 2015

C8

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ 2

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DOES YOUR MOTHER HAVE A SECRET? ISAH V. RED

What will you do if you found out your mother is keeping secrets, and of them is about you?

Beginning tomorrow, watch a drama series that deals with the secrets mothers keep from their children and how their relationship is affected when the child s her mother’s secret.

My Mother’s Secret focuses on how a mother’s love for her child and a child’s love for her mother overcome their own personal ambitions.

Vivian (Gwen Zamora) leaves childhood sweetheart Anton (Christian Bautista) to pursue her dream of becoming a big star in the big city as an actress. Her career is nipped in the bud after she finds out that she’s heavy with child.

Afraid to be like her sister, Stella (Meryl Soriano), who has kids and unable to take care of them, Vivian dislikes the idea of becoming a mother at a young age. She decides to hide her pregnancy and leaves her baby eventually to Cora (Lotlot de Leon), the midwife who delivers her baby. Due to a

scandal, Vivian sees no future as an actress, so she is left with no choice but to return to her province.

Anton, now a successful engineer and entrepreneur, still loves Vivian. So, he forgives her and they get married. Realizing she can no longer bear children, they adopt Vivian’s niece.

Now living happily, Anton falls ill. Desperately looking for a donor, Vivian seeks out Cora and ask about her daughter who has grown up and is now a teenager called Neri (Kim Rodriguez).

Neri grows up to be optimistic and hardworking.

She works at an orphanage to support her studies. She wants to be an engineer.

She meets Craig (Kiko Estrada)—a volunteer. His admiration for her perseverance will eventually develop into something deeper.

With this little backstory, I hope the audience would become interested to follow the story of Vivian and the daughter (Neri) she gave up for a career in showbiz.

Kim Rodriguez and Kiko Estrada are one of the most exciting pairs in show business these days and they promise to make the audience even more thrilled with their roles and how they overcome the snags

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1 Kiko Estrada and Kim Rodriguez are one of the hottest love teams on GMA Network 2 My Mother’s Secret also introduces a new tandem - Gwen Zamora and Christian Bautista 3 Zamora punctuates her career with a breakthrough role as an actress who gives up her daughter for her career 4 Christian Bautista eases into the dramatic arena from a comfortable seat as a balladeer in the new series 5 Enzo Pineda plays able support to Estrada and Rodriguez along with Diva Montelaba

while trying to achieve happiness for the both of them.

Christian Bautista goes deeper into the acting hole

while pitting talents Lotlot De Leon, and Gwen Zamora along with other tough performers Shamaine Buen-

camino and Meryl Soriano.

Young Kapuso talents will also show their mettle as actors, like Enzo Pineda, Diva Montelaba, Tricia Cabais, and Joanna Marie Tan, while tried and tested supporting actors Richard Quan, Mike Lloren, JM Katanyag, Frances Makill, Ervic Vejandre will add spice to the series.

Mark Herras plays a special role in the series.

HHHHH THY WOMB’AND BANAL IN INDIE KALIBRE GMA News TV’s Indie Kalibre features two of “indie” film movement’s better work.

Last night Cesar Apolinario’s Banal, a story about two policemen, Cris and Jason with opposite personalities and ideologies yet bound by friendship and a deep sense of brotherhood, was featured.

Paolo Contis and Alfred Vargas play Cris and Jason respectively and whose friendship roots back to their rigorous Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) training facilitated by Major Sagala (Christopher de Leon).

Cris and Jason find themselves reunited after years of separation only to be caught in an apparent plot to kill the Pontiff when he visits to the country—a situation set to test not only their pact but their morality as well.

Brillante Mendoza’s highly acclaimed film, Thy Womb, with Nora Aunor, Bembol Roco, and Lovi Poe is the next feature film.

Set in Mindanao, it shows the Muslim community and its rich culture.

Thy Womb is about the social and emotional struggle of a middle-aged midwife (Aunor) in search of a suitable second wife for her husband (Roco) who can bear him a child. It airs next on May 30.

Indie Kalibre airs every Saturday night at 10:15 on GMA News TV. ➜ Continued on C7

Beginning tomorrow, watch a drama series that deals with the secrets mothers keep from their children and how their relationship is affected whe n the child’s her mother’s secret