The Standard - 2015 June 15 - Monday

RotaRy club of manila newspapeR of the yeaR 2015 VOL. XXIX NO. 117 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 mONday : JUNE 15, 2015 www.manilastandardtoday.com editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Wang bo missing, his laWyer says

By Christine F. Herrera

THE lawyer of suspected Chinese crime lord Wang Bo on Friday expressed fears for his client’s safety, saying he has been unable to see him since Congress began its probe Tuesday on allegations that Immigration officials had ordered his release in exchange for millions of pesos that went to bribing lawmakers into passing the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

Early campaigning? A streamer supposedly rallying support for Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s advocacy for federalism has been put up on a coconut tree along Panay Avenue in Quezon City.

In an interview on radio dzRH, lawyer Dennis Manalo said his client may have been subjected to torture after he was isolated and denied access to counsel by authorities in Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig, since Tuesday.

“With the current violation of his right to counsel, we fear for the safety of our client. I do not know what is happening to him anymore or what will happen to him. I have not seen him and authorities at Camp Bagong Diwa, where I last saw him and where he is being held, refuse to show him to us,” Manalo said.

He demanded that the authorities produce Wang, so he could testify before the House panel investigating his case.

“I was told that Mr. Bo Wang has been isolated. He was separated from other detainees.

We have an anti-torture law. If a detainee was transferred and authorities made him feel he was about to be killed, that is torture.

Next page

tandem in the works?

VP laughs Marcos-Duterte mayor, who is known for his tough senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr.

By Macon R. Araneta on crime.

The mayor has offered off sotto’s SPECULATION that Davao City policies Marcos said that like Duterte, federalism as an option to the Rodrigo Duterte might he supports federalism as a way to Moro Islamic Liberation Front if yarn about Mayor forge an alliance with Senator solve the country’s socio-economic the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the 2016 and political problems, particularly is not passed. nPC bets Marcos, chairman of the Senate elections was fueled Sunday, when in Mindnao.

Duterte insists that his “listening local government committee, has

A3

the senator appeared on a Davao radio show with the mayor.

Interviewed on the radio show “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa,” Marcos said he was a big fan of the

tour” around the country is not aimed at a presidential run in 2016, but at gaining support for federalism, a cause led by former

rejected the Palace-drafted BBL and says he will submit a substitute bill to correct its constitutional infirmities.

Next page

A2

m o n d ay : j u n e 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

LP not yet off hook on Wang bribe case

By Rio N. Araja

THE Liberal Party is not yet off the hook on allegations that they used money extorted from suspected Chinese crime lord Wang Bo to bribe lawmakers into voting for the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), the leader of the independent minority bloc said Sunday.

“We would like to hear the story of Mr. Wang. His testimony will deny or substantiate the allegations against the LP,” said Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. “[The testimony of] Wang Bo should be heard, evaluated and examined.”

Romualdez, leader of the independent minority bloc, said Wang’s appearance before the House committee on good government and public accountability could shed light on

reports that $100 million was used to ensure the speedy passage of the BBL and to raise funds for the Liberal Party’s 2016 campaign.

Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. of the National Union Party, chairman of the House committee on games and amusement, said the panel would dig deeper into Wang’s illegal gambling operations in the country.

Immigration officials, accused of accepting millions of pesos in return for ordering Wang’s release, have a lot of explaining to do, he said.

“The question on the inordinate delay in the deportation of Wang Bo remains hanging. The committee must further look into the controversy,” he added.

Congress has invited Wang to appear on Tuesday, but his lawyer said over the weekend that his client has gone missing.

Earlier, Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison, and Associate Commissioners Gilberto Repizo and Abdullah Mangotara denied receiving any money in exchange for ordering Wang’s release.

Sources told The Standard that Repizo and other immigration officials had met with Wang’s representative before the May 21 board meeting in which the commissioners reversed a deportation order and ordered the suspect’s release.

On May 26, Mison sought to overturn the May 21 release order and reinstate Wang’s deportation after the Chinese Embassy said the suspect had violated laws not only in the Philippines but also in China.

Repizo and Mangotara refused to sign the new order, however.

During last week’s committee hearing, Romualdez, Iloilo Rep. Jerry Trenas, and Barzaga crossed party lines in questioning theflipflopping and inordinate delay in the implementation of a deportation order on Wang on charges of transnational gambling.

South Cotabato Rep. Ferdinand Hernandez, Butil party-list Rep. Agapito Guanlao and Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento also expressed dismay over the slow deportation processes.

All colors represented. The US Embassy in Manila on Sunday hung a rainbow flag in front of one of its buildings.

On June 27, Metro Manila Pride, a group of transgenders, lesbians and homosexuals, will be celebrating its 21st year.

DANNy PAtA

Marcos-Duterte From A1...

“I am just following Mayor Duterte. He is my mentor when it comes to politics. I am a fan,” Marcos said on the radio program.

Duterte, who has been gaining in some surveys of voter preferences, has been noncommittal on a run for the presidency or the vice presidency in 2016.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, president of the PDP-Laban to which Duterte belongs, said the

party will support the mayor if he decides to run for higher office.

In the same program, Duterte told Marcos in jest that he did not know if he would run for president or senator—a statement Marcos himself has made.

Marcos has said only that he will run in 2016—but it is unclear if that will be for re-election as senator, or for higher office.

Both politicians agreed that becoming president was a matter of destiny.

They also said politics was different these days, with many obvious candidates yet to disclose their

intentions.

Other prospective candidates have been running advertisements on TV, but deny that these are in preparation for a run in 2016, they said.

Reacting to rumors that he might run with former senator Panfilo Lacson, Duterte said Lacson could run even without a running mate.

“He is a class by himself, meaning he can run carrying the issues of the day. He does not need me,” Duterte said.

Lacson, on the other hand, has said he will not run with Duterte.

Wang Bo From A1...

If he was deprived of seeing his family, that is torture, and if he was barred from seeing his lawyer, that is a violation of his human rights,” Manalo said.

He warned that if Wang has been subjected to torture, anything that he admitted would be inadmissible in court.

Manalo said the lawyers of other detainees in Bicutan were allowed to go in and out of the detention facility to see their clients, but he has not been allowed to do so.

He said the last time he saw Wang was during a hearing on a writ of habeas corpus petition that he filed with the Court of Appeals before Tuesday’s congressional hearing being conducted by the House committee on good government and public accountability.

In response to the Chinese Embassy accusation that Wang was a fugitive and ran a P91 billion illegal gambling operation in the country, Manalo said his client was an innocent victim of mistaken identity.

He described Wang as a successful businessman who gained powerful enemies in China.

Manalo added that Wang was a mere employee at ELC Technologies, Inc. which is accredited with the Cagayan Export Zone Authority, and gets a monthly salary of only P25,000.

Manalo said Wang was only granted a “working CEZA visa” and not a business visa.

“Mr. Wang is a successful businessman and he has had his share of enemies in China, who have threatened not only his livelihood but his very life and well-being.

He fears strongly that should he be summarily deported, his life would be endangered and that he will merely be persecuted by his opponents, who are politically and socially powerful,” said Manalo in his Feb. 12 pleadings with the Bureau of Immigration’s Board of Commissioners, led by Commissioner Siegfred Mison and with Deputy Commissioners Abdullah Mangotara and Gilberto Repizo as members.

But Manalo could not explain why Wang was in and out of the country and goes on vacation in Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Macau except to say that he was single at 31.

He also did not explain how Wang managed to actively make donations to various charities in the country.

Manalo denied his client paid off the lawmakers and LP politicians in exchange for his freedom. He said he could not understand why his client was being “demonized” by the Chinese Em-

bassy.

He branded as nonsense the embassy claim that Wang was a gambling lord and said he would be free if he really had that much money.

He also said he did not know where the embassy got the P91 billion figure that it said was the size of Wang’s gambling operation.

Manalo also said Wang, at 31, was too young to be a crime king.

The Chinese Embassy said Wang was an undocumented alien who was wanted by the Interpol for illegal gambling operations and money laundering.

The embassy said Wang should immediately be deported to face criminal charges in China.

Mison, in previous interview with the Standard, accused Repizo and other Immigration officials of meeting with Manalo and that after that meeting, Repizo and Mangotara changed their tune and pushed for the complete reversal of the March 5 summary deportation order in favor of the May 21 release order that would free Wang from detention.

Manalo also accused Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Mison, Mangotara and Repizo of illegally detaining his client by not implementing the May 21 release order that lifted the March 5 summary deportation order.

He said all three Immigration commissioners had signed the May 21 release order but Wang continued to be illegally detained until De Lima on May 27 issued an order to hold in abeyance Wang’s release that also reinstated the March 5 summary deportation order.

“We are at the situation where we feel that we are unaware of his present condition, his safety, and what he’s going through, and this is disturbing in a society that prides itself [as] a democracy and that heralds civil liberties. This is the opposite of all those,” he said.

Manalo said a lawyer he sent to Camp Bagong Diwa was told that Wang was no longer allowed to see anybody, but he kept quiet so as not to antagonize the authorities.

“We feared that if we sought the help of the media, we would cause more trouble for our client,” Manalo said.

The lawyer added that his client was being subject to character assassination.

He again questioned the documents sent by the Chinese Embassy, which were undocumented and written in Chinese script.

“How do we understand it?” he said. “Even if it is translated to English, the documents still need to be authenticated.”

Mison, during Tuesday’s panel hearing, said there was a presumption of regularity in the government-to-government communication.

m o n D AY : J U n E 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

A3

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

‘PH shouldn’t bank on US help’ THE Philippines should not rely on the United States for defense against China over their territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea, Senator Grace Poe said Sunday.

Partial opening. The north-bound lane of Ayala Bridge, which is being repaired, will be partially open to traffic starting today, Monday. Danny Pata

Binay laughs off Sotto’s Poe-Chiz teamup VICE President Jejomar Binay said Sunday the demolition job and corruption allegations being made against him by his detractors were not giving him any disadvantage.

And he laughed off the claim by Senator Vicente Sotto III that the Nationalist People’s Coalition might field Senators Grace Poe and Francis Escdero in the 2016 elections.

Sotto, the NPC’s latest member, said the NPC had yet to meet to decide who to support in 2016, but that some party members were looking favorably at the possible Poe-Escudero.

Binay said the big crowds trooping to his speaking engagements in the provinces were proof that the public

were not believing the accusations being hurled against him to impugn his credibility and frustrate his presidential bid.

“I’m very happy. I didn’t expect this huge crowd. As we go around places, more and more people are coming to see us,” Binay said in San Andres, Quezon.

He again said that should he be elected President, he would not be vindictive.

He said his administration would be a unifying one, but that did not mean he would condone corruption.

He would also run after the grafters and corrupt people.

“If there is evidence, if they transgress the law, we will file charges,”

Binay said.

“But vindictiveness will never happen under my administration, and this means charges will not be filed without any evidence. That’s vindictiveness.”

Former Rep. Mark Cojuangco, son of NPC founder and its chairman emeritus Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, had earlier told Binay he wanted him to be the party’s presidential candidate in next year’s elections.

He praised Binay’s many accomplishments and described him as “very capable, super industrious, humble and very approachable, and one who listens before judging.” Macon Ramos-araneta

Although the Philippines and the US were allies, Poe said, the US government could not be expected to always come to the Philippines’ aid in its conflict with China.

“Can we rely on the United States to defend us?

I don’t think so,” Poe said.

“And I don’t think the US would be in a position to do that because they have to be able to weigh in also on what their citizens want or what to do for their country.”

Poe said the Philippines should continue pursuing its case against China in the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal, but it should maintain good relations with China in other matters including their economic ties.

Poe made her statement even as Malacañang on Sunday urged the public to watch the government documentary on the West Philippine Sea to make them aware of the country’s dispute with China in the area.

“We are inviting the public to watch and share the video entitled ‘Kalayaan: Karapatan sa Karagatan’ in order that they will understand the issues about the West Philippine Sea,” communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. told dzRB radio.

“The video can be found in the Facebook page of President Aquino which is also contained in the website president.gov.

ph,” Coloma said.

He said the video would explain how the dispute between the Philippines and China started and how it was affecting the Filipinos’ livelihood, the integrity of the seas and the Philippines’ natural resources.

Abroad, a Filipino official recently said that the West Philippine Sea was already in crisis as a result of China’s reclamation in the area that was destroying the environment.

Ambassador Lourdes Yparraguirre, the Philippines’ permanent representative to the United Nations, made the statement before about a hundred UN legal experts in a forum organized by the Philippines that focused on the protection and preservation of the marine environment on June 10.

And on June 12, the Philippines stressed before the United Nations that China’s expansionist policy claiming almost all of the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea should concern the international community.

Yparraguirre noted the growing concern on the implementation of UNCLOS because of China’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric and action in the South China Sea. “This threatens the integrity of the concention, our constitution for the oceans,” she said. Macon Ramos-araneta and Sandy araneta

Aquino still talking to LP leaders about party ticket PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III is still consulting with the Liberal Party and will only announce their standard bearers in the 2016 elections after Aquino's State-of-the-Nation Address in July, Malacañang said Sunday.

“It would be better if we would just wait for the official announcement of the President regarding this,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. told the state-run dzRB radio.

He made his statement in reaction to the reports that the Nationalist People’s Coalition, one of Aquino’s political allies, is considering fielding the Grace Poe-Chiz Escudero tandem in the 2016.

He said Aquino’s choice should be able to continue the reforms that he had started and his good-

governance programs.

Aquino, the LP chairman, earlier met with Senator Grace Poe about the 2016 elections but made no offers to her.

Aquino is also scheduled to meet with Senator Francis Escudero, who had earlier admitted talking with Poe about a possible tandem for next year’s elections.

Poe has repeatedly said she would be more “comfortable” running with Escudero.

LP stalwarts Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and Senate President Franklin Drilon want Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II to run as the party’s presidential candidate.

Aquino and Roxas were the LP’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates in 2010, but Roxas lost to Jejomar Binay. Sandy araneta

Sunday at the park. A family takes a groupie while lounging at the Rizal Park on Sunday. Danny Pata

M O N DAY : J UN E 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

A4

NEWS

sports@thestandard.com.ph

Just a drill. Residents of Makati cover their mouths with surgical masks during a hazard drill on Sunday, June 14. DANNY PATA

Aquino losing support in LP

By Rio N. Araja

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III is losing ground among Liberal Party members at the House of Representatives, as evidenced by the adjournment of Congress without the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law and other key administration bills.

“The failure of Congress to pass important pieces of legislation only shows that the President is losing its control over his men in the House of Representatives,” said independent bloc leader and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, who is also a lawyer and president of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa).

Romualdez said the breakdown of support among the President’s allies is a “natural thing, especially with the un-

certainty of a strong presidential candidate [chosen by Aquino].”

But Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., LP vice chairman, maintained that the ruling administration party is not divided and is still in control of Congress, which will pass priority measures, particularly the BBL, when the third regular session of the 16th Congress starts on July 27.

“The LP and its coalition partners are still in control of the House,” Belmonte noted.

A House leader allied

with the Aquino administration, who declined to be named, said the President is indeed losing support, which prompted Belmonte not to proceed with the voting on Resolution of Both Houses No. 1 (RBH1), which is designed to lift the 40-percent limit on foreign ownership of public utilities, land and media.

“It was the first time that Speaker Belmonte campaigned very hard for charter change. Surprisingly, the supposed vote on third and final

reading did not happen.

We learned the Palace was disappointed why the bill was being pushed ahead of the BBL’s approval. There is a crack and deepening division among LP leaders in the House,” he noted.

The LP in Congress is also torn because of the possible presidential bid of Senator Grace Poe and Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, he said.

Palace allies identified with Roxas, including Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento, Iloilo Rep. Jerry Trenas, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone and Caloocan City Rep. Egay Erice, remain loyal to the secretary, he said.

Other lawmakers also denied rifts within the party.

MERS panic ‘unnecesary’

By Macon Araneta and Sandy Araneta THERE is no reason to panic over the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome- Corona Virus (MERSCoV) because the Philippines remains free from the dreaded disease, according to Health Secretary Janette Loreto-Garin.

Garin allayed fears that the deadly virus has entered the country after two suspected carriers, both doctors from South Korea, yielded negative results.

The couple had reportedly treated a patient with MERS-CoV in South Korea, where nine persons have reportedly died from the disease and over a hundred other cases have been confirmed.

Garin insisted that the virus is not airborne and can only be transferred through multiple exposure to respi-

ratory droplets expelled within a distance of one meter or less and with enough viral load.

But Garin also called on the public to be careful by maintaining a strong immune system, engaging in proper hygiene and taking enough rest and sleep.

She also urged returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to be honest about their health conditions and to correctly fill out survey forms given out upon their arrival in the country.

She cited the need for returning OFWs to voluntarily declare if they are experiencing possible MERSCoV symptoms, and not just rely on the thermal scanners set up in various airports in the country.

“We have to be vigilant in watching out for flu-like and asthma-like symptoms,” said Garin.

Marcos promises to correct flaws in draft law SENATOR Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. assured local officials that he will remedy the flaws of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) to ensure that the version passed by the Senate will address the concerns of all major stakeholders.

In a dialogue with local officials led by South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance Fuentes at the FB Hotel and Convention Center in Koronadal City, Marcos talked about the latest development in the Senate deliberations on the BBL and listened to his audience’s concerns, as well.

“I am standing before you here today to make sure that you know, you understand. I will not allow this draft BBL to be forced down our throats,” said Marcos, chairman of the Senate committee on local government that is deliberating on the measure.

However, the senator also admitted he cannot promise that he will win every battle.

“But I am promising you that I will fight with everything that I have for what I believe is necessary,” he said.

Malacanang and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) had earlier

urged Congress to pass the draft BBL without changes.

Marcos explained that the substitute bill he is preparing isn’t intended to discard the draft BBL entirely.

In fact, Marcos said what his committee will write will be based on the provisions in the original bill.

He also said certain provisions of the draft BBL may not even be deleted or removed but only clarified. Macon Ramos-Araneta and Sandy Araneta

Touch-screen talent. Being disabled doesn’t prevent Joey de Leon from

Marikina City from using his smart phone during the Persons with Disabilities’ Freedom Walk at Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City. DANNY PATA

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK m o n D AY : J u n e 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

A5

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Fish port overpriced — auditors THE Commission on Audit has affirmed the liability of incumbent and former officials of the Department of Transportation and Communications’ Project Management Office and private contractors for the excessive cost of the Davao fish port complex project of P69.27 million.

In a decision released last June 11, Commissioners Heidi Mendoza and Jose Fabia validated two notices of disallowance issued on June 18, 1997 and May 28, 1998 against the DoTC-PMO and Engineering Equipment Inc. (EEI)/J.E. Manalo Construction Joint Venture.

The fish port’s original project cost was pegged at P347 million, but DoTC-PMO approved several variation orders during construction that jacked up the cost by another P7.45 million.

The total project cost reached P354.45 million.

DoTC also awarded the contractor a P35.445-million incentive bonus for the construction completion ahead of the pre-agreed delivery date.

Based on the assessment of its Special Task Force on Flagship Projects (STFFP), CoA said the evaluated project cost was only P273.18 million with a 10 percent difference that brought the total cost to P300.5 million.

Despite the state auditors did not question the grant of an incentive bonus to the contractor, they still claimed the basis for the computation must be the STFFP evaluation that should have amounted to P20.13 million, rather than that of the DoTC-PMO.

Breaking barriers. Persons with disabilities and supporters join the 2015 Freedom Walk’ on Saturday (June 13, 2015) at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City. The Alyansa ng may Kapansanang Pinoy as chairman of this year’s Freedom Walk, together with a technical working committee composed of national government agencies, NGOs and civic oriented groups, once again organized this year’s Freedom Walk, a way for the disability sector to celebrate Independence Day. The event bears the theme “Every Step We Take, Barriers We Break” and focuses on the realization of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Goal of the Decade to “Make the Right Real” for PWDs. PNA

House panel rejects networking of taxis

By Rio Araja

THE House committee on transportation has recommended the suspension of Uber, GrabCars and similar transportation services until such time they have complied with government requirements.

The committee’s technical working group is pushing for the suspension of the Department of Transportation and Communications’ Department Order 2015-11 and the operation of the transportation network vehicles services (TNVS) and transportation network companies (TNCs).

The TWG chided the DoTC, and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board for allowing private vehicles to operate as taxis while suspending the issuance of taxi franchises.

DO 2015-01 also amended DO 97-1097 that set the standard classifications for public transport

conveyances as the basis for the issuance of certificates of public convenience for public utility vehicles.

On the other hand, DO 2015-11 recognized new forms of transportation services, such as the TNCs including Uber, GrabCars and EasyCars, to promote mobility and modernize the transport services.

Last week’s TWG meeting with Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu presiding determined whether TNCs and TNVS were public utilities or not, and discussed their liability in case of accidents and their tax obligations.

Abu said during the TWG’s May 20, 2015 meeting, it was decided

that the operation of Uber, GrabCars and other similar platforms be suspended until they had complied with the state regulation.

Pending compliance, Abu maintained such transport services were classified as “colorum.”

Abu challenged the Philippine National Police for not suspending the operations or Uber.

The Securities and Exchange Commission Corporate and Partnership Registration Division assistant director, Mary Anne Morales Lagura, told the TWG that Uber Philippines Inc. was registered only as a system developer.

Recto seeks inventory of classrooms

By Macon Araneta

Students of President Corazon C. Aquino Elementary School in Batasan Quezon City raise their hands to answer a question from their teacher during the first day of classes for public schools. MANNY PALMERO

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

SENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Sunday sought an inventory of the number of classrooms built from the 44,663 classrooms authorized to be built or repaired this year.

Rectos said assumption is that most of the classrooms will be ready for occupancy by the start of the school year.

The senator is asking government “to submit a report card so we can have a midyear insight on what’s holding up the construction and so we can find ways on how to speed it up during the

second semester.

Recto said one reason for the delay could be the sheer volume of classrooms to be built. “It is comparable to building almost 50,000 lowcost houses, not just in one village, but from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi.”

He said the availability of funds may not be the problem “if we go by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) pronouncements.”

The DBM said that 78 percent, or P2.037 trillion of the P2.606 trillion 2015 budget had been released

by January 27, and 92.5 percent had been down-

loaded by April.

He noted that under the Department of Education’s P319 billion budget for 2015, some P53.9 billion was earmarked for classrooms, chairs and other “basic educational facilities.”

Included in this outlay is P44.7 billion for 44,663 new classrooms, P2.88 billion for the repair of 9,595 classrooms, P1.38 billion for 455 technical-vocational schools, and P1.37 billion for 13,641 “toilets and water and sanitation packages”.

He said Congress also appropriated P1.206 billion for 1.3 million chairs, desks and other furniture.

m o n D AY : J U n E 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

A6

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

‘Greed for power dooms dynasty bill’

By Christine F. Herrera A rAnking member of the House of representatives on Sunday denounced his ‘clanish colleagues’ of being greedy for power that caused them to block the anti-political dynasty bill during the last session day of Congress on June 10.

Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, chairman of the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms and a member of the administration ally National Unity Party, said his colleagues, including the administration lawmakers, wanted the watered-down bill to make a third member of a clan qualified to run in another province.

“It is not political survival, but greed for power. Kasakiman ito, ako na mismo ang nagsasabi,” Castro told the radio morning program over dzBB. “Napakalakas ng lobby ng mga kongresista na ‘wag isalang ito sa second reading dahil ayaw nilang mabuwag ang kanilang angkan na political dynasty,” Castro said without naming names.

Castro blamed some House members for the failure of the plenary to vote on the measure’s second reading before Congress adjourned sine die Wednesday last week.

The “less stringent” version of the measure would limit the number of family members who could be elected to public office, but Castro said it did not defeat the purpose of the Anti-Political Dynasty bill.

The relaxed version required that only two members up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity per family would be allowed to run at the same time.

Based on the amended bill, Castro explained the measure limits to two family members from one family that could be both elected to positions at the national and local levels at the same time.

He said the measure provides that a single member of the family could also hold a national position while the other has the right to serve in the local government.

Castro said lawmakers who were opposing the bill’s passage managed to deliberately leave the session hall in their bid to prevent the plenary from taking a vote on the measure.

He said the non-passage of the bill is against a constitutional provision that promotes equal opportunity to all Filipino to serve the country.

The panel chairman said the people should not vote in next year’s polls for candidates who are promoting political dynasty in the country after Congress’ failure to pass the bill whose future remains uncertain when Congress resumes its Third Regular Session on July 27, 2015.

In the local positions, Castro said the bill allows two family members to assume office in one province, city or municipality.

If the bill is passed into law and implemented after the 2016 presidential polls, Castro explained that only one of the three children - Senator Nancy Binay, Makati Rep. Mar-len Abigail Binay and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay – of Vice President Jejomar Binay can stay in public office if he remains in a national post.

The measure only reached the plenary last May after 27 years of waiting because many lawmakers have established political dynasty.

RTU alumni. The new officers of the Rizal Technological University Grand Alumni Association Inc. headed by its president Mark Roy

Boado took their oath of office before RTU president Dr. Jesus Rodrigo F. Torres on June 9, 2015 at PVL Restaurant, Mandaluyong City. Rizal Technological University has two campuses in the cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig. From left: Dr. Ricardo Nasuli, Prof. Jeremiah Pacer, Florencio Valdez, Dr. Jesus RF Torres, Pinky Tubig, Dr. Julius Meneses, Prof. Reydora Flordeliza, Genesis Espiritu, Janina Cueto, Micaela Solis and Prof. Anne Therese Llagas. DANNY PATA

Malaysian’s drug conviction affirmed

By Rey E. Requejo THE Court of Appeals has upheld the judgment rendered by the Pasay City Regional Trial Court finding a Malaysian national guilty of transporting 14 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) worth around $2 million.

In a 12-page decision, the CA’s First Division through Associate Justice Edwin Sorongon dismissed for lack of merit the petition filed by Lim Ting Chong seeking the reversal of the Pasay City RTC decision issued on September 5, 2013.

The Pasay RTC sentenced him to suffer a penalty of life imprisonment and to pay a fine of P500,000.

The CA rejected the

arguments of Chong that the lower court erred in finding the w a r r a nt l e s s s e a r c h conducted by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as valid, and in finding that he was in the “constructive possession” of the checked-in luggage bearing his name tag.

The appellate court noted that Chong’s denial of ownership contradicts with his claim of illegal search.

“Hence, the undisputed existence of the luggage tag bearing the accused-appellant’s name leads to the logical conclusion that he owns the suitcase and therefore

maintained const r uc t ive possession of the same even while such bag was checkedin when he boarded the aircraft from Malaysia,” the

CA ruled.

It also dismissed Chong’s assertion that the warrantless search was unjustified because the same was neither made on vessel, aircraft or automobile, nor involved a prohibited article in plain view, nor was it incident to a lawful arrest.

The CA cited that the Supreme Court had previously held that “a warrantless search of incoming and outgoing passengers, at the arrival and departure areas of an

international airport, is a practice not constitutionally objectionable because it is founded on public interest, safety and necessity.”

“Hence, the search of accused-appellant’s luggage for illegal contraband that was conducted by customs officers at the NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) is clearly justified and permissible under the law.

He could not therefore claim that the illegal articles found in his luggage is inadmissible in evidence against him,” the appellate court ruled.

Chong was arrested on April 14, 2010 at the NAIA 1 based on a tip received by PDEA that he was to arrive on board Malaysian Airlines Flight MH 704 with an undetermined quantity of shabu.

‘Abadilla 5’ convicts press for arrest of alleged torturers RELATIVES of five men convicted for the 1996 killing of police colonel Rolando Abadilla of the defunct Metropolitan Command Intelligence and Security Group have asked the Department of Justice to order the arrest of 10 policemen who allegedly tortured the so-called “Abadilla 5” into admitting the crime.

In a letter received by DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima last Thursday, the wives of two of the five convicts now serving sentence of life imprisonment at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City pleaded for help from the DOJ to move for the arrest of the policemen-suspects.

Melanie de Guzman and Marilou Lumanog said the Quezon City regional trial court Branch 225 ordered the arrest of the 15 accused in the torture and Human Rights cases, but only three of them appeared before the court and posted bail,

namely Supt. Dario Anasco, Senior Police Officer 2 Pio Tarala and SPO1 Edilberto Nicanor.

According to them, two of the accused have already died, while the 10 others remain at-large.

The wives identified the 10 as Chief Inspectors Robert Ganzon, Romeo Rejis, Anthony Rodolfo and Rogelio Castillo; Inspector Ceddamon; SPO4 Ramira, SPO3 Juanito Cabiling, SPO2 C. Nocum, SPO1 Pobre and PO3 Wilfredo Hidalgo.

“Nineteen years after we filed Human Rights violations against 15 PNP officers, arraignment of the accused was finally conducted last June 9, 2015,” De Guzman and Lumanog said.

“We are humbly seeking your assistance for the arrest of (the 10 PNP officers who remain at large),” they added.

The wives also asked the Justice department’s help to speed up the resolution of the cases by pushing for marathon hearings “for we cannot wait for another 19 years of delay in our fight for justice.”

De Guzman is the common-law wife of Rameses de Jesus while Lumanog is wife of Leonardo Lumanog.

The other three members of the “Abadilla 5” are Senior Police Officer 2 Cesar Fortuna, Joel de Jesus and Augusto Santos.

The five have been in jail for almost 19 years now after being convicted in the assassination of Abadilla, a military intelligence officer during the Marcos dictatorship, on June 13, 1996.

The conviction of the Abadilla 5 was affirmed with finality by the Supreme Court in February 2011.

Rey E. Requejo

m o n d ay : J U n E 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Official says govt anti-graft drive erratic

By Dexter A. See BAGUIO CITY—The Philippines remains one of the most corrupt countries in the world because the the national government’s antigraft and -corruption campaign remains erratic and scattered, a public administration and local governance expert said here Thursday.

Alex Brillantes, Jr., a Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education, was one of the speakers during the Regional Conference on the Bangsamoro Basic Law and Cordillera Autonomy which was recently held at the Baguio Convention Center.

Brillantes said that to date, the national government has about 70 investigating bodies and prosecuting arms on anti-graft and corruption that significantly affects a supposedly consolidated effort to rid the bureaucracy of officials involved in graft and corruption.

He also revealed that there are 65 agencies involved in the conduct of investigation of public officials involved in graft and corrupt practices which now creates overlapping of functions among those involved.

“We cannot understand and predict the government’s campaign on graft and corruption because of the numerous layers involved in the investigation and the prosecution,” Brillantes stressed.

Instead of fast-tracking the investigation and prosecution of graft and corruption cases, Brillantes said the involvement of numerous agencies and personalities create more problems than solutions.

The investigation process takes a lot of time until the complainants lose interest in pursuing the cases.

Brillantes said that the next administration should send the message to corrupt officials that they have no place in the bureaucracy.

Nothing will change if officials do not take a firm stand against graft and corruption, he added.

In the present setting, he said, allies of the administration seem exempted from the campaigns while identified critics of the administration are the ones being charged and tried.

Special delivery. A boat docks at a pier in Cebu to deliver native products from Bohol. MICHELLE ALVAREZ

Gov: Abolish recall polls

Says tenure of officials is short, anyway

By Ferdie G.Domingo CABANATUAN CITY – A top official of the League of Provinces of the Philippines has sought the abolition of the elections, saying that the tenure of local officials are short, anyway.

“It makes sense to review the recall law. Anyway, there is an election every three years, so why recall? Why not wait for the next election?” said Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio M. Umali, LPP executive vice president.

He added that more than a review of the laws on recall elections as proposed by

Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista, it would be more practical to do away with the recall process given that all local officials serve only for a very short period of three years.

Umali, a lawyer, was reacting to the pronouncements of Bautista that the Comelec is considering

changes to the laws on recall elections or the process of removing elected local officials.

The LPP is an organization composed of 80 provinces in the country.

Bautista earlier stressed the need to amend the provisions on recall polls, noting the brief term of elected local officials, who only have three years in office.

Umali said the three years of locally elected officials are mostly spent on feeling out period on the first year, project implementation on the second year and election preparation on the third year.

The Local Government Code

mandates that a recall election cannot be held within one year from the date of the official’s assumption into office. It also stipulates that there can be no recall elections within one year immediately preceding a regular local election.

Umali acknowledged that recall is a valid and legal democratic process although from a practical point of view, holding recall polls may have been deemed irrelevant by the fact that time is too short for such a process.

He cited the case of former Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn who ran against but lost to the incumbent, Mayor Lucilo Bayron.

Caraga LGUs to upgrade slaughterhouses

By Alvin T. Guanzon

Dry spell. The El Nino phenomenon has dried out the river irrigating tobacco fields in Ilocos Sur, the country’s largest tobacco producer. MANNY PALMERO

BUTUAN CITY—A United States-funded project has signed a memorandum of agreement with the National Meat Inspection Services and four local government units in the Caraga region to enhance hygienic meat production through the improvement of slaughterhouses here.

The Philippine Cold Chain Project, implemented by Winrock International through funding from the US Department of Agriculture, signed the MOA with the municipalities of Cagwait and Marihatag, both in the province of Surigao del Sur; Talacogon, Agusan del Sur; and Buenavista, Agusan del Norte.

The signing ceremonies were held June 11 in this city.

The agreement says that these towns will improve and rehabilitate their LGU-owned slaughterhouses, allow the participation of municipal meat inspectors, and allow managhement and staff of these establishments to attend training on good manufacturing practices and proper operation

of slaughterhouses, as well as on meat handling and food safety practices.

Winrock-PCCP will on the other hand provide modern facilities for slaughterhouses through grants; coordinate with NMIS for the selection of recipient LGUs, and conduct assessment and evaluation of Locally Registered Meat Establishment (LRME) facilities.

Winrock will also provide support through separate agreements with the recipient LGU for the training of slaughterhouse personnel and deputize meat inspectors of the recipient LGU to attend training on best practices.

The MOA is good until July 31, 2017.

Previous reports have said Caraga’s slaughterhouses were in a decrepit state and need rehabilitation works immediately. The NMIS said 98 of meat establishments perform floor slaughtering and do not have basic equipment such as electric stunner, scalding tank, scraping/ dehairing table, skinning cradle and overhead rail with trolley wheel and hook.

Out of the 73 cities and municipalities in the Caraga region, there are 31 existing slaughterhouses owned and operated by LGUs.

AY : : AjPuRNI EL 2 15 THM U ROSNDDAY 3 ,, 2 20 01 15 5

A8 A8

opinion OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion OPINION

Real talk HAS OUR COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS MADE A DIFFERENCE?

FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE

WHEN President Aquino talks about continuing his reforms after he steps down from office in 2016, we feel compelled to ask: What precisely does he mean?

For critical thinkers, the motherhood statements of fighting corruption and instituting TALK about leaving a legacy upon retirement. transparency and good governance do not suffice without concrete examples.

Former Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. certainly Aquino isatfond pointing out that as a result of his straight-path policy,led he leftMr. a problem the of agency.

Shortly before he stepped down, Brillantes jailed his predecessor to show that nobody, not evendeal the powerful, are abovefor thethe law. the commission in approving a P268.8-million with Smartmatic For the same ostensible reason,precinct he also jailed three opposition onitplunder and refurbishment of the 80,000 count optical scan senators machines had first acquired from the same company forchief use justice in the of 2010 elections. corruption charges, and ousted a sitting the Supreme Court for fudging onThe his PCOS incomemachines tax returns.are supposed to be repaired and upgraded in time for theWhat Maythe 2016 national President willpolls. not say, when he is in a bragging mood, is that neither former The Supreme Court however shot down the deal as contained in Comelec President Gloria Arroyo, nor the three opposition senators, have actually been proved Resolution 9922 and the Extended Warranty Contract Program 1, because guilty convicted.

Andtoinjustify the case the former chief justice, that he used billions the polloragency failed its of resort to direct contracting. ofPetitioners pesos in public funds to “convince” lawmakers to impeach then convict the abuse hapless of the case argued that the Comelec committed grave ofmagistrate. discretion in approving the deal, which was anomalous and scandalous.

They saidisthe poll body seemed to be rushing tap Smartmatic for the Mr.also Aquino also unlikely to tell Filipinos that hetoallowed the unethical—and contract. possibly illegal—acts of his good friend, the national police chief, to go unpunished, is entertaining several options how to prepare for the orThe thatComelec he has keptnow in service Cabinet secretaries who faceon multiple plunder complaints elections given the Supreme Court’s decision. It could bid out the refurbishfor shady deals while letting public services go to rot. ment of the 82,000 – it says there is still time because the process is supposed contradictions, the President continues to talk up his reform to Despite last onlythese fiveglaring months. program, a shining example of the cynical belief that if you repeatof a lie often– enough, Anotherinoption is to use new machines altogether – 23,000 them which people will believe it. are now still in the bidding process. Under this set-up, though, many precincts would of share a single machine.

ThehisComelec spokesman haseconomy said thisto A corollary the President’s big lie is that reforms have enabled the would countingis no Yetlonger another scheme recover,slow and down that thethe Philippines the sick man would of Asia.entail transportingToballots from a group of precincts to a designated voting center.

A manual bolster this claim, the President points to the growth in the gross domestic product scenario would be when voting is manual with automated transmission of (GDP), among the highest in the region. votes. An extreme scenario is having no elections at all, which some doomBut there unspokentotruths that easily uncovered. Every student of statistics sayers have are mentioned spook thearepeople. knows that body it is easy to grow from a time smalltobase; not soany easy The poll assures us itquickly has enough put itinisplace of when theseyour alstarting point is much larger.

This is why, despite Mr. Aquino’s boasts about rapid ternatives, just as soon as it obtains the final decision of the Supreme Court.

This is reassuring for laggard now, given we have little over the year before citigrowth, we are still the in thethat region zens troop to the will see, of inSoutheast the next Asian few months, Even among the polling original centers membersagain. of theWe Association Nations, whether Comelec can be as confident as it sounds. the Philippines had the lowest per capita GDP—a mere $2,614, as against $3,592 for It is easy to get swept up into the election frenzy, which is expected to Indonesia, $5,678 for Thailand, $10,304 for Malaysia and $51,162 for Singapore. intensify as October, the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy, This There is why remittances Filipinos circus workingasabroad continue toseason keep our economy nears. is bound tofrom be another the campaign begins. afloat, because has not fulfilled his promise bring more and better Through all Mr. this,Aquino we should remember that moreto fundamental than whoquality will jobs here by creating a business environment in which new investments will thrive. get elected is how they will win, or lose. With equal interest and intensity as we watch therun-up national and2016 localelections, races, letdouswe ensure manner in which votes In the to the really that wantthe to elect a president who will are cast, counted and “reforms”? canvassed We willthink trulynot. reflect the people’s will. continue Mr. Aquino’s

LOWDOWN

JOJO A. pensées ROBLES fr. ranhIlIo callangan IT’S practically inevitable: All Presidents aquIno since 1986 have experienced drops in All the signs areend inauspicious. popularity as the of their terms approaches. curEverything points inThe the direcrent Executivedemolition is no extionChief of gargantuan ception to this so-called phenomenon. jobs targeting “presiFor instance, the wildly dentiables” before the 2016 popular Cory Aquino, upon elections.

Jojo Binay not her assumption to the did highhave to announce his bid for the est office in the land, could get away with declaring a presidency.

Everyone knew that revolutionary government

to basically do whatever she wanted. Nearing the end of her tumultuous reign, Cory his sights it, and soup his could not were evenonsummon aopponents fraction ofgot thetoearly crowds work rather ofearly. supporters werelatest a Accordingthat to the hallmark of her rallies when surveys, however, he remains she took on the task of callthe leading contender. That will ing for the extension of lease adversaries ofonly themake US his military basesmore in determined to stop him his the Philippines – a job in that her government miserably tracks.

Soon, I expect, Makafailed to accomplish.will once ti’s thoroughfares Cory’s successors, forof more be impassable because various reasons, suffered the march and counter-march, as same fate. Fidel Ramos was if the present statefirst of affairs on hobbled by the Asian Manila’s main routes were not currency crisis, which wiped out the economic gains that

I see no reason

his term had ushered in. why Aquino’s Joseph Estrada, while he failed to complete his term, numbers would high office does not quickly turned from a popuenjoy the right to be improve in the lar populist leader upon his silent. election into a bad parody of coming days. himself, until he was ousted for his alleged involvement in the illegal numbers game of jueteng, among other sins.

And Gloria Macapagal Arnightmarish enough royo was helpless toalready! reverse In the case of Grace she the perception of herPoe, term asremains corruption-riddled, which coy about declaring caused her survey her intentions but numbers has lately toassumed dip into anegative territory. combative tone as President Noynoy Aquiexpectedly, nowell. seemsAnd, to bequite suffering the same fate of his predeces- he could deliver everything

A9 A9

pastor apollo ATTY. HARRY quIboloy ROQUE JR.

MORE WhatAreforms?

Compulsory INEVITABLE DECLINE debate a candidate for such

eD to ED I TI O Rr

VIEW FROM plumblIne MALCOM

EDITORI TORIAALL ]] [[ EDI

there is growling in her direction punctuated by excited exclamations about “nationality” and “foundling”, while there have been creditable attempts at mind-reading and divination, considering that animus and its vagaries apparently figure prominently in this exchange of shrieks!

Mar Roxas had better engage the services of more competent promoters. attempts at picsors, for yetHis another reason turing himself as one with the entirely.

The second Aquino has been stuck with the masa are almost hilarious: ped“noynoying” tag,carrying which sacks has aling a pedicab, led to the widespread belief of rice and bawang, hammering that he has done nothing of (aimlessly, it after seems)unreasonat a school significance arm-chair. wish to creditthat Secably raising Iexpectations

ADELLECHUA chuA ADELLE

retarygood Mar,governance heir indeed to a from to basic infrastructure hemore enters venerable lineage, as with rethe sixth and last year of his spect for the Filipino’s power of term. discernment. To save himself, it Of course, like other Presimay be wise for him to fire that dents before him, Aquino is poor excuse a PR man who fighting the ofwaning of his advised him to strike these silly once-stratospheric popularity everything poses. with But that he allowsthat such he’s got.stunts Andalso likesays those cheap so who much went before him, he seems about his willingness to allow doomed to fail. discourse to fizzle out in favor Aquino’s reason for resistof melodrama! ing the decline has to do with So, I propose law ofbe ensuring that he that staysa out jail whencompelling he steps down.

This passed candidates isfor why he repeatedly declares the office of president and these days, when he attends vice-president of the Republic even the most insignificant debate national issues. Atoftopublic functions, that he is tempts in the past to that raisehis the not a lame duck and bar of discourse public power to makethrough his chosen successor win in next year’s

debates met with almost no success, beelections remains undiminished. cause or the other candidate used The one reality, as survey after survey the shown, lame excuse: I will not debate has is that Aquino is juston barely keeping hisissues headtoabove the stage, but take the the people! waters of negative acceptability and We are still throwing bread and circuspopularity.

Andonly there es at the crowd, thatisthisnothing time we that he can do, it seems, to reverse use hard cash and promise the appearthe trend. ance actors and that actresses at mitings It isofsignificant Malacanang de avance. seems to have abandoned the strategyAofcandidate pretending to ignore the does refor such high office sults of the surveys which show not enjoy the right to be silent. If an one irreversible decline in his populardesires to hold one’s peace, then one ity. Where once the palace shrugged

Standard TODAY Manila

has no business aspiring for the highest off survey data with dismissive offices of the land,just because one would statements about continuing to then desirous the power and perks do thebework of of governance, Communications Secretary without submitting to the Herminio test of platColoma now says that the “there is form and program through crucible significant room for improvement of debate. I do not see anything unconand... [a] need to continually ascerstitutional about such a law. It would tain the needs of our people.” have the Aquino salutary seems purposehell-bent of forcingon us, What as a nation, to ask themaking right questions doing is to continue public appearances to of prove is still and to demand thosethat whohecourt our working, very much in control and votes that degree of intelligence necesthe possessor ofState. game-changing ensary to lead the dorsement powers. If subsequent

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

Office, Manila.

Website: www.

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

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

MST MST

PPI PPI

But would such a law not be prejusurveys show that Aquino’s poll dicial to are those who, because dim of numbers continuing to plumb wit, would fare badly in despite a debate?hisIt new, unfamiliar depths efforts, expect thethecampaign certainlyI would—to advantagetoof further intensify. the Filipino who has every right to There is no other option for be spared claims to leadership by the Aquino, really. But history and the dumb! Simplicity one thing, stupid“stickiness” of theispopular percepity isthat another. first isasvirtuous; the tion he is The a failure President second is ahim. scourge visited on the naare against I seewhen no reason why Aquino’s numtion, this particular malady afbers would improve in the coming flicts its leader!

No matter the seriousness with Continued Continuedon onA10 A10

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

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

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

THE run up to the start of the official election season—which is the last quarter of the year when conventions are held and candidacies filed—is when the field of wannabes is whittled down.

During this nation’s unofficial primaries, some candidates get traction, while others fall by the wayside.

The people help in the winnowing.

Because their appraisal, though preliminary, of the candidates’ chances determine who should proceed to the starting gate—or dismount.

HANOI, Vietnam—I am in the capital of As it isaswith palay, winnowing Vietnam a resource person in aought semi-to separate the chaffHuman from the grain.

But nar on “National Rights Commissions: Experiences from the Region” as it appears now, what’s raining down on sponsored by are theempty Konrad Adenaer Stifthe electorate hulls , without any tung. I accepted the invitation because of pellet

of an idea. a long desire to evaluate the affectivity of the most issues-deficient ourThis ownis Commission of Humanprimaries Rights I haveitswitnessed. since establishment through the 1987 Constitution years ago. invitation Advocacies28 have beenThis muted, while finally gave me to the opportunity finalpolitical alignments and topossible ly conduct this long-delayed study. anointments The starting blare pointfrom has every to be surrogate’s the very mouth. high expectations of the people that the Reflective of promote the personalistic nature CHR will help and protect hu-of man in the aspirants countrydowhen they their rights campaign, not present created it inthey thechampion Constitution itself.

Its the issues but the people first head, Chairperson Mary Bautista, championing their cause. should be credited for safeguarding the Everyday, with each news of who has independence of the constitutional body from political interference. defected to this camp, or Congress who has then been took thebyappointment of adage the Chair andis pirated the other, the “politics the Commissioners of the Commission addition” is being played out, at the expense, should be submitted for conformation subtracting on from the need for tosadly, the of Commission Appointments. intelligent debate.

Rightfully so, the Supreme Court ruled thatDaily, Chairperson Bautista and her comthe people are bombarded with missioners werepresidential not amongand those every possible VP public pairing, officers whose needed conwith those whoappointments conjure these up hoping that firmation by Congress. This insulated the these love teams would titillate the audience. chair and members of the Commission The teasing interference. extends to whom the powersfrom political The Constitution the powthat-be will endorse.enumerates Their meetings with ers of the Commission.

These include as theif applicants get front-page treatment, power to investigate, the summits power tothat issue these soirees are historic can summons, cite in contempt and power to saveassistance the nation. ask from any branch of governlikeHere, in we thehave movies, names of in the ment. a serious obstacle the task of evaluating the performance of supporting cast, or those in the senatorial the Fortowhile and lineCommission. up, are leaked give the thecourts impression the DOJ whose performance may be meathat when the love team comes a-courting, sured in terms of case disposal and/ or its they’re backed up by a formidable chorus conviction rate, the CHR can only investiline. gate but has no power to prosecute.

In case of stringing Carino vs.together Commission of Sothe instead ideas that Human Rights, the Supreme Court defined will captivate the nation, the aspirants are the full extent of the Commissions’ invesbusy assembling an army. tigative powers: “The function of receiving Partiesand smallascertaining and big, activetherefrom or hibernating, evidence the are being paraded to the candidate’s facts of a controversy is not a judicial corner. function, speaking.

To be exhumed consideredto Evenproperly dead parties are being such, thethe faculty of receiving evidence project illusion that there’s broad and front making factual conclusions in a controverbacking this candidate. sy must be accompanied by the authority Reportage from provincial sorties of applying the law to those factual concluunderscores thethat rolethe of controversy political families sions to the end may be or determined authoritatively, in decided the formation of the machinery.

Read finally and definitively, subject and to such the captions of photo releases whatapare peals or modes of review as may be prorattled off are the familiar surnames of those vided by law. This function, to repeat, the who lord overdoes these places.

Commission not have.” should us anypowers longer ItThis is this lacknot of surprise prosecutorial because, after all, elections in the Philippine Continued Continuedon onA11 A11

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

AY : : AjPuRNI EL 2 15 THM U ROSNDDAY 3 ,, 2 20 01 15 5

A8 A8

opinion OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion OPINION

Real talk HAS OUR COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS MADE A DIFFERENCE?

FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE

WHEN President Aquino talks about continuing his reforms after he steps down from office in 2016, we feel compelled to ask: What precisely does he mean?

For critical thinkers, the motherhood statements of fighting corruption and instituting TALK about leaving a legacy upon retirement. transparency and good governance do not suffice without concrete examples.

Former Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. certainly Aquino isatfond pointing out that as a result of his straight-path policy,led he leftMr. a problem the of agency.

Shortly before he stepped down, Brillantes jailed his predecessor to show that nobody, not evendeal the powerful, are abovefor thethe law. the commission in approving a P268.8-million with Smartmatic For the same ostensible reason,precinct he also jailed three opposition onitplunder and refurbishment of the 80,000 count optical scan senators machines had first acquired from the same company forchief use justice in the of 2010 elections. corruption charges, and ousted a sitting the Supreme Court for fudging onThe his PCOS incomemachines tax returns.are supposed to be repaired and upgraded in time for theWhat Maythe 2016 national President willpolls. not say, when he is in a bragging mood, is that neither former The Supreme Court however shot down the deal as contained in Comelec President Gloria Arroyo, nor the three opposition senators, have actually been proved Resolution 9922 and the Extended Warranty Contract Program 1, because guilty convicted.

Andtoinjustify the case the former chief justice, that he used billions the polloragency failed its of resort to direct contracting. ofPetitioners pesos in public funds to “convince” lawmakers to impeach then convict the abuse hapless of the case argued that the Comelec committed grave ofmagistrate. discretion in approving the deal, which was anomalous and scandalous.

They saidisthe poll body seemed to be rushing tap Smartmatic for the Mr.also Aquino also unlikely to tell Filipinos that hetoallowed the unethical—and contract. possibly illegal—acts of his good friend, the national police chief, to go unpunished, is entertaining several options how to prepare for the orThe thatComelec he has keptnow in service Cabinet secretaries who faceon multiple plunder complaints elections given the Supreme Court’s decision. It could bid out the refurbishfor shady deals while letting public services go to rot. ment of the 82,000 – it says there is still time because the process is supposed contradictions, the President continues to talk up his reform to Despite last onlythese fiveglaring months. program, a shining example of the cynical belief that if you repeatof a lie often– enough, Anotherinoption is to use new machines altogether – 23,000 them which people will believe it. are now still in the bidding process. Under this set-up, though, many precincts would of share a single machine.

ThehisComelec spokesman haseconomy said thisto A corollary the President’s big lie is that reforms have enabled the would countingis no Yetlonger another scheme recover,slow and down that thethe Philippines the sick man would of Asia.entail transportingToballots from a group of precincts to a designated voting center.

A manual bolster this claim, the President points to the growth in the gross domestic product scenario would be when voting is manual with automated transmission of (GDP), among the highest in the region. votes. An extreme scenario is having no elections at all, which some doomBut there unspokentotruths that easily uncovered. Every student of statistics sayers have are mentioned spook thearepeople. knows that body it is easy to grow from a time smalltobase; not soany easy The poll assures us itquickly has enough put itinisplace of when theseyour alstarting point is much larger.

This is why, despite Mr. Aquino’s boasts about rapid ternatives, just as soon as it obtains the final decision of the Supreme Court.

This is reassuring for laggard now, given we have little over the year before citigrowth, we are still the in thethat region zens troop to the will see, of inSoutheast the next Asian few months, Even among the polling original centers membersagain. of theWe Association Nations, whether Comelec can be as confident as it sounds. the Philippines had the lowest per capita GDP—a mere $2,614, as against $3,592 for It is easy to get swept up into the election frenzy, which is expected to Indonesia, $5,678 for Thailand, $10,304 for Malaysia and $51,162 for Singapore. intensify as October, the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy, This There is why remittances Filipinos circus workingasabroad continue toseason keep our economy nears. is bound tofrom be another the campaign begins. afloat, because has not fulfilled his promise bring more and better Through all Mr. this,Aquino we should remember that moreto fundamental than whoquality will jobs here by creating a business environment in which new investments will thrive. get elected is how they will win, or lose. With equal interest and intensity as we watch therun-up national and2016 localelections, races, letdouswe ensure manner in which votes In the to the really that wantthe to elect a president who will are cast, counted and “reforms”? canvassed We willthink trulynot. reflect the people’s will. continue Mr. Aquino’s

LOWDOWN

JOJO A. pensées ROBLES fr. ranhIlIo callangan IT’S practically inevitable: All Presidents aquIno since 1986 have experienced drops in All the signs areend inauspicious. popularity as the of their terms approaches. curEverything points inThe the direcrent Executivedemolition is no extionChief of gargantuan ception to this so-called phenomenon. jobs targeting “presiFor instance, the wildly dentiables” before the 2016 popular Cory Aquino, upon elections.

Jojo Binay not her assumption to the did highhave to announce his bid for the est office in the land, could get away with declaring a presidency.

Everyone knew that revolutionary government

to basically do whatever she wanted. Nearing the end of her tumultuous reign, Cory his sights it, and soup his could not were evenonsummon aopponents fraction ofgot thetoearly crowds work rather ofearly. supporters werelatest a Accordingthat to the hallmark of her rallies when surveys, however, he remains she took on the task of callthe leading contender. That will ing for the extension of lease adversaries ofonly themake US his military basesmore in determined to stop him his the Philippines – a job in that her government miserably tracks.

Soon, I expect, Makafailed to accomplish.will once ti’s thoroughfares Cory’s successors, forof more be impassable because various reasons, suffered the march and counter-march, as same fate. Fidel Ramos was if the present statefirst of affairs on hobbled by the Asian Manila’s main routes were not currency crisis, which wiped out the economic gains that

I see no reason

his term had ushered in. why Aquino’s Joseph Estrada, while he failed to complete his term, numbers would high office does not quickly turned from a popuenjoy the right to be improve in the lar populist leader upon his silent. election into a bad parody of coming days. himself, until he was ousted for his alleged involvement in the illegal numbers game of jueteng, among other sins.

And Gloria Macapagal Arnightmarish enough royo was helpless toalready! reverse In the case of Grace she the perception of herPoe, term asremains corruption-riddled, which coy about declaring caused her survey her intentions but numbers has lately toassumed dip into anegative territory. combative tone as President Noynoy Aquiexpectedly, nowell. seemsAnd, to bequite suffering the same fate of his predeces- he could deliver everything

A9 A9

pastor apollo ATTY. HARRY quIboloy ROQUE JR.

MORE WhatAreforms?

Compulsory INEVITABLE DECLINE debate a candidate for such

eD to ED I TI O Rr

VIEW FROM plumblIne MALCOM

EDITORI TORIAALL ]] [[ EDI

there is growling in her direction punctuated by excited exclamations about “nationality” and “foundling”, while there have been creditable attempts at mind-reading and divination, considering that animus and its vagaries apparently figure prominently in this exchange of shrieks!

Mar Roxas had better engage the services of more competent promoters. attempts at picsors, for yetHis another reason turing himself as one with the entirely.

The second Aquino has been stuck with the masa are almost hilarious: ped“noynoying” tag,carrying which sacks has aling a pedicab, led to the widespread belief of rice and bawang, hammering that he has done nothing of (aimlessly, it after seems)unreasonat a school significance arm-chair. wish to creditthat Secably raising Iexpectations

ADELLECHUA chuA ADELLE

retarygood Mar,governance heir indeed to a from to basic infrastructure hemore enters venerable lineage, as with rethe sixth and last year of his spect for the Filipino’s power of term. discernment. To save himself, it Of course, like other Presimay be wise for him to fire that dents before him, Aquino is poor excuse a PR man who fighting the ofwaning of his advised him to strike these silly once-stratospheric popularity everything poses. with But that he allowsthat such he’s got.stunts Andalso likesays those cheap so who much went before him, he seems about his willingness to allow doomed to fail. discourse to fizzle out in favor Aquino’s reason for resistof melodrama! ing the decline has to do with So, I propose law ofbe ensuring that he that staysa out jail whencompelling he steps down.

This passed candidates isfor why he repeatedly declares the office of president and these days, when he attends vice-president of the Republic even the most insignificant debate national issues. Atoftopublic functions, that he is tempts in the past to that raisehis the not a lame duck and bar of discourse public power to makethrough his chosen successor win in next year’s

debates met with almost no success, beelections remains undiminished. cause or the other candidate used The one reality, as survey after survey the shown, lame excuse: I will not debate has is that Aquino is juston barely keeping hisissues headtoabove the stage, but take the the people! waters of negative acceptability and We are still throwing bread and circuspopularity.

Andonly there es at the crowd, thatisthisnothing time we that he can do, it seems, to reverse use hard cash and promise the appearthe trend. ance actors and that actresses at mitings It isofsignificant Malacanang de avance. seems to have abandoned the strategyAofcandidate pretending to ignore the does refor such high office sults of the surveys which show not enjoy the right to be silent. If an one irreversible decline in his populardesires to hold one’s peace, then one ity. Where once the palace shrugged

Standard TODAY Manila

has no business aspiring for the highest off survey data with dismissive offices of the land,just because one would statements about continuing to then desirous the power and perks do thebework of of governance, Communications Secretary without submitting to the Herminio test of platColoma now says that the “there is form and program through crucible significant room for improvement of debate. I do not see anything unconand... [a] need to continually ascerstitutional about such a law. It would tain the needs of our people.” have the Aquino salutary seems purposehell-bent of forcingon us, What as a nation, to ask themaking right questions doing is to continue public appearances to of prove is still and to demand thosethat whohecourt our working, very much in control and votes that degree of intelligence necesthe possessor ofState. game-changing ensary to lead the dorsement powers. If subsequent

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

Office, Manila.

Website: www.

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

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

MST MST

PPI PPI

But would such a law not be prejusurveys show that Aquino’s poll dicial to are those who, because dim of numbers continuing to plumb wit, would fare badly in despite a debate?hisIt new, unfamiliar depths efforts, expect thethecampaign certainlyI would—to advantagetoof further intensify. the Filipino who has every right to There is no other option for be spared claims to leadership by the Aquino, really. But history and the dumb! Simplicity one thing, stupid“stickiness” of theispopular percepity isthat another. first isasvirtuous; the tion he is The a failure President second is ahim. scourge visited on the naare against I seewhen no reason why Aquino’s numtion, this particular malady afbers would improve in the coming flicts its leader!

No matter the seriousness with Continued Continuedon onA10 A10

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

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

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

THE run up to the start of the official election season—which is the last quarter of the year when conventions are held and candidacies filed—is when the field of wannabes is whittled down.

During this nation’s unofficial primaries, some candidates get traction, while others fall by the wayside.

The people help in the winnowing.

Because their appraisal, though preliminary, of the candidates’ chances determine who should proceed to the starting gate—or dismount.

HANOI, Vietnam—I am in the capital of As it isaswith palay, winnowing Vietnam a resource person in aought semi-to separate the chaffHuman from the grain.

But nar on “National Rights Commissions: Experiences from the Region” as it appears now, what’s raining down on sponsored by are theempty Konrad Adenaer Stifthe electorate hulls , without any tung. I accepted the invitation because of pellet

of an idea. a long desire to evaluate the affectivity of the most issues-deficient ourThis ownis Commission of Humanprimaries Rights I haveitswitnessed. since establishment through the 1987 Constitution years ago. invitation Advocacies28 have beenThis muted, while finally gave me to the opportunity finalpolitical alignments and topossible ly conduct this long-delayed study. anointments The starting blare pointfrom has every to be surrogate’s the very mouth. high expectations of the people that the Reflective of promote the personalistic nature CHR will help and protect hu-of man in the aspirants countrydowhen they their rights campaign, not present created it inthey thechampion Constitution itself.

Its the issues but the people first head, Chairperson Mary Bautista, championing their cause. should be credited for safeguarding the Everyday, with each news of who has independence of the constitutional body from political interference. defected to this camp, or Congress who has then been took thebyappointment of adage the Chair andis pirated the other, the “politics the Commissioners of the Commission addition” is being played out, at the expense, should be submitted for conformation subtracting on from the need for tosadly, the of Commission Appointments. intelligent debate.

Rightfully so, the Supreme Court ruled thatDaily, Chairperson Bautista and her comthe people are bombarded with missioners werepresidential not amongand those every possible VP public pairing, officers whose needed conwith those whoappointments conjure these up hoping that firmation by Congress. This insulated the these love teams would titillate the audience. chair and members of the Commission The teasing interference. extends to whom the powersfrom political The Constitution the powthat-be will endorse.enumerates Their meetings with ers of the Commission.

These include as theif applicants get front-page treatment, power to investigate, the summits power tothat issue these soirees are historic can summons, cite in contempt and power to saveassistance the nation. ask from any branch of governlikeHere, in we thehave movies, names of in the ment. a serious obstacle the task of evaluating the performance of supporting cast, or those in the senatorial the Fortowhile and lineCommission. up, are leaked give the thecourts impression the DOJ whose performance may be meathat when the love team comes a-courting, sured in terms of case disposal and/ or its they’re backed up by a formidable chorus conviction rate, the CHR can only investiline. gate but has no power to prosecute.

In case of stringing Carino vs.together Commission of Sothe instead ideas that Human Rights, the Supreme Court defined will captivate the nation, the aspirants are the full extent of the Commissions’ invesbusy assembling an army. tigative powers: “The function of receiving Partiesand smallascertaining and big, activetherefrom or hibernating, evidence the are being paraded to the candidate’s facts of a controversy is not a judicial corner. function, speaking.

To be exhumed consideredto Evenproperly dead parties are being such, thethe faculty of receiving evidence project illusion that there’s broad and front making factual conclusions in a controverbacking this candidate. sy must be accompanied by the authority Reportage from provincial sorties of applying the law to those factual concluunderscores thethat rolethe of controversy political families sions to the end may be or determined authoritatively, in decided the formation of the machinery.

Read finally and definitively, subject and to such the captions of photo releases whatapare peals or modes of review as may be prorattled off are the familiar surnames of those vided by law. This function, to repeat, the who lord overdoes these places.

Commission not have.” should us anypowers longer ItThis is this lacknot of surprise prosecutorial because, after all, elections in the Philippine Continued Continuedon onA11 A11

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

A10 THE VERDE ISLAND PASSAGE ON WORLD Ocean Day last week, it had to be an academic RITA LINDA institution in a counV. JIMENO try across the Pacific that enthusiastically declared the discovery of more than 100 species that are new to science. All these new species of marine creatures-ranging from sea slugs to delicate heart urchins-- were found in the Verde Island Passage, scientists from the California Academy of Sciences announced.

The principal investigator, Terry Gosliner, the academy’s senior curator of invertebrate zoology, said “the Philippines is jam-packed with diverse and threatened species; it is one of the most astounding regions of biodiversity on earth.” He added that the species lists and distribution maps that the academy has created during its years surveying the country’s land and sea will help to inform future conservation decisions and ensure that this incredible biodiversity is afforded the best possible chance of survival.

The Verde Island Passage, now known as the center of the center of the world’s biodiversity, lies between the provinces of Batangas and Mindoro.

Incredibly, the Philippines, for its part, made no big deal out of such discovery of new species The Philippines made in the Verde Island no big deal out of Passage. Of course, such discovery of new one should accept species here. that these days, nothing is more important to the leaders of the country than the 2016 elections. Never mind the astounding discoveries of new species, and that they may be threatened unless protected. In fact, the government seems to have forgotten the commitments it made years ago to protect and conserve the Verde Island Passage. Now, the Verde Island Passage is in grave peril of destruction. Open pit mining in the municipality of Lobo, Batangas whose long coastlines are along the rim of the Verde Island Passage, is in the works.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has held hastily-called hearings regarding the application of a foreign corporation to do open-pit gold mining in Lobo. The DENR said it was only doing its job because, it said, the Sangguniang Bayan of the municipality of Lobo passed a Resolution on April 20, 2015 endorsing the application for open pit gold mining in Lobo by a foreign mining company. The Sanggunian, headed by the Vice Mayor, on the other hand, pointed a finger to the barangay captains for giving their assent to the application for mining.

Yet, most, if not all, of the barangay captains who gave their assent to mining--it turns out-- did not know what open pit mining entailed. They were told that it would create jobs but did not realize that modern mining is not labor intensive and that it will, in the long run, and for hundreds of decades to come, impoverish them even more. They did not have the faintest idea that the soil upon which they derive crops will no longer be fit for planting, the seas from which they obtain food will die from pollution and poisoning, and the forested mountains that give them fresh air will be blown away.

What’s worrisome is that the executives of DENR and the local government of Lobo seem suddenly stricken with a serious case of amnesia. Back in 2006, or soon after a wellpublicized study by Carpenter and Springer highlighting the importance of the Verde Island Passage for being the center of the center of biodiversity, both the national government and the local government units of Batangas seemed headed toward serious conservation efforts in the Verde passage. The national government established a

OUT OF THE BOX

MONDAY: JUNE 15, 2015

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

COLORFUL STORIES CHASING HAPPY ADELLE CHUA THIS time, there is buzz about a foundling.

Imagine the drama in all that—a baby abandoned on the doorstep of a church in the province, becoming president after nearly 50 years.

What are the chances, after all, that the baby would end up being adopted by a celebrity couple with the means to send her to good schools, both in the capital and abroad?

How much of a coincidence it would be if that same baby would end up topping the senatorial race, proving her mettle on the Senate floor, and then emerging as one of the top picks for the next chief executive of the land?

Her biological parents, who left her at the church that day for reasons known only to them, must be watching the news now with mixed emotions—pride, in how far their baby has come despite the odds, and perhaps regret as they wonder if she would have beaten the odds anyway had they raised her on their own.

The next few months will be

Compulsory... From A9 which I make this proposal, however, I have doubts about whether it will be supported by the number of legislators necessary to see its birthing into law. After all, many of them shun debate. When my parents were law students, they told me that sitting in the gallery of the Senate or even of the House of Representatives was an intellectual treat—what with the clash of titans in both oratory and politics and law that one could always witness up close. Not so any lon-

worth watching as we follow this foundling’s political journey. If her path does take her to Malacañang, would succeeding events confirm that her life story is remarkable, indeed, the stuff of legend? *** This is the first foundling we’ve had in top leadership, but she is not the first archetype.

Throughout our 117 years of history as an independent nation, we’ve had several leaders, some of whom were preceded by their reputation.

We have had the poor boy from the barrios, the brilliant young lawyer, the housewife untainted by any scandal, the shrewd general, the action star whose heart bleeds for the poor, and the son of democracy icons. There could also be the man persecuted by the elite because of the color of his skin.

We have had varying success with these choices, no doubt. But given the increasing influence of social media and other, more effective means of reaching out to voters, the battle for the hearts and minds of people has become an exercise in packaging or branding. Thus the danger of superficiality.

No doubt, a “product” with an interesting, even compelling, per-

sonal history is so much easier to sell than somebody perceived to be square, no matter how competent, seasoned, experienced, diligent and clean.

This is not to say however that we should junk outright anybody with a colorful background. It is only, after all, a matter of public relations savvy. This is what makes politics in the Philippines entertaining, and why the terms of officials are often seen as the time in between elections, rather than elections creating breaks between tenure.

The challenge is to look for more, and ask for more -- because we deserve more than catchy lines and glossy packaging.

It is naive and irresponsible for the public to assume that just because a politician comes with an interesting back story, the story already guarantees good performance on the job. This thinking is what has brought us trouble many times before.

Elections are popularity contests, sure, but here where the stakes are high, we should consider both the package—and what’s actually inside.

ger. These days, whenever national television covers some debate in the House of Representatives, the scene beamed throughout the nation is every teacher’s nightmare: miscreants paying no heed to the speaker who goes hoarse in a vain attempt to capture the attention of his inattentive colleagues, congressmen and women taking calls or making them through their mobile devices, even standing, huddled in private colloquium with others of their recalcitrant kind, only a few feet away from where the hapless speaker addresses an audience that has decid-

ed not to listen!

But we do not really even have to wait for such a law to be passed.

If enough citizens made the wise decision to strike out of their lists of candidates anyone who refused to debate, then we would have the means of compelling candidates for the most exalted of offices in the land to speak out their minds— and to assure us, as well, that their minds are sufficiently functional!

Task Force to prepare a Comprehensive Management Plan for the Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor, with seven key government agencies tasked to implement the preservation of Verde Island Passage. The lead agency was the Department of Environment and Natural Resources while the Department of Tourism was a member.

In 2008, eight municipalities of Batangas, among which was Lobo, established the Batangas Bay network to protect the Verde Island Passage. The Department of Tourism, for its part, declared the Batangas peninsula as an eco-tourism zone which is off limits to mining. Yet, the coverage of such declaration mysteriously excluded the municipality of Lobo which fronts the Verde Island Passage itself.

Open pit mining, as studies show, uses explosives to excavate the earth and lop off mountains to extract gold and mineral ores the fastest and cheapest way possible. Broken rocks and debris, all contaminated with toxins from the explosives, will fill the air and the waters. Mining uses such poisonous chemicals as cyanide, among others, to produce gold from the ores. Although the mining company promised to build a tailings dam to contain toxic waters from the mines, the problem is, when storms come--and they come often--

adellechua@gmail.com

rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

or when heavy rains pour, the poisoned water in the tailings dam will overflow to the soil and the sea. Inevitably, it will flow and contaminate the Verde Island Passage.

In a power point presentation by Ms. Gina Lopez of ABS CBN, she showed that all the places in the Philippines where mining was permitted such as Zambales, Cotabato and Rapu Rapu in Bicol, massive destruction to the earth, water sources, the seas and the people’s health resulted. The communities were left even poorer than they were; their children and people afflicted with frightening diseases; and their surroundings—nothing but a barren swath of wasteland.

The government must remember its bounden duty to protect its people and its precious resources under the Constitution and the many international conventions it entered into for the conservation of biological diversity.

The world depends on the Philippines to give a chance of survival to the new species discovered in the Verde Island Passage.

Email: ritalindaj@gmail.com com.ph

Visit: www.jimenolaw.

M O N d aY : j u N e 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

OPINION

adelle chua EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

A11

FLAGS OF CONVENIENCE one of the biggest anomalies in our political system brought about by the enactment of the constitution of 1987 is the irrelevance of the political party as a major institution of governance.

Because we have adopted a multi-party system side by side with a presidential form of government, the political parties have become, not institutions bound by ideologies or platforms, but flags of convenience utilized by those who seek public office. it is the public personality, whose acceptance or chances of winning are high per the public opinion polls, who dominates. hence, parties adopt the personality depending on whether he or she is likely to win the race, never mind his or her qualifications. never mind his or her experience in public service or in private profession. never mind his or her integrity or character.

They are like celebrities, human or animal. Movie actors, television stars, horses even, which are traded off from one producer, one owner, to another.

The only criterion is winnability, the measure of which is quantitative research. let us for instance review our 2013 senatorial polls. Because they were “winnable,” grace Poe and francis escudero ran as “independents”. Quickly they were adopted, along with another sure winner, loren legarda, who is a member of the nationalist People’s coalition, by both the liberal Party and the Una. When they spurned efforts of the Una to get them to at least show

REal Talk From A9 are nothing more than a clash of clans and never a battle of ideologies.

While who meets who gets screaming headlines, buried in fine print are the programs of the wannabes, if any.

Parse their pronouncements for some master plan for the nation and you’ll find none. ask for their blueprint for the future, and what they’ll give you is an autographed Photoshopped picture. comb through the thick transcript of what they’ve been blabbering about non-stop, and

themselves in their major rallies, Una pruned them off their list of 12. after their smashing victories, as numero Uno y cuatro, both senators still refused to join any member party of the aquino coalition. To date, they remain independent. now, both are touted as major presidential and vice-presidential contenders, yet proud to remain without a party. The coalition was a mere vehicle to victory, and will, if they should be the aquino administration candidates, remain a flag of convenience for personal ambitions, unless the party, in this case the lP, insists that they take an oath as members first. But to proclaim instant party members as candidates for the highest positions in the land does even greater violence to the party system. is there no reward for loyalty to the party?

Still, that happens to be the system foisted upon us by the present constitution. Belonging to a party also becomes convenient for lesser figures like congressmen to ensure their place at the pork barrel trough. a congressman elected as lakas, for instance, finds it most convenient to transfer to whichever is the party in power. remember the joke about the entire lP membership fitting into a volkswagen combi? now they are several busloads, but wait till after the 2016 election results. if the lP candidate loses, and a nacionalista is swept into power, watch the long queue

you will be hard-pressed to pin down specific solutions to specific problems. if at all, there are general, motherhood statements that will cover all the bases, please everybody, without offending no one.

Why the attention to generalities? Why, of course, the electoral math dictates it! When the race is tight, and every vote counts, it pays not to upset a group, district, or race.

So message discipline is employed because an errant quote, which social media can spread like an ebola virus, can

#failocracy

towards the pig swill after the elections. look at the four certain presidential canlITO didates, and to which banayO party they belong. Mar roxas is of course Mr. liberal. his grandfather founded it, after the nacionalista Party to which Manuel Sr. belonged would not be a party of his presidential ambitions. he founded the liberal Party, and defeated then President Sergio osmena Sr. of the nacionalista Party.

Mar remains faithful to the party of his roxas forebear, and always has, to his credit.

The current front-runner, vice-President Jojo Binay, was with laban in 1978, even if the only opposition it could muster against Marcos was to march in the streets. When laban merged with aquilino Pimentel’s Partido ng demokratikong Pilipino, he carried PdP-laban in the mayoralty elections of Makati. in 2008, the retiring Pimentel Sr. gave Binay the party presidency, and it was this vehicle which he hitched onto erap’s Partido ng Masang Pilipino, when he ran and surprisingly won, as vice-president.

But in the mid-term elections of 2013, Binay stood by freshly resigned senator Migs Zubiri who was a senatorial candidate of the newly-formed Una coalition. Pimentel broke off, and his junior ran under the lP coalition, carrying the party with him.

The PdP, a party born in Mindanao,

SO I SEE

torpedo a candidacy. Welcome to a campaign where it is the sizzles that matter, not the substance.

So while they entertain us with their stunts, we’re missing out on being informed about their vision for the country.

Perhaps they think that they’re not yet ready to start a serious conversation with us. That plans about agriculture are boring or stuff like climate change is hohum. or that talking about jobs and how to create them are not sexy enough for the tabloids. That sharing with us their plan to combat crime would lull us to

founded by the elder Pimentel, has also been the national party under which davao city Mayor rodrigo duterte coalesced his local party hugpong dabaw (davao alliance) in all his local fights.

Though this alliance did not always work, as when PdP in 1992 supported Jovito Salonga of the liberal Party where Pimentel ran for vice-president, while davao’s duterte supported danding cojuangco of the nPc. Sometime in february this year, duterte renewed his alliance with the PdP. its president, Sen. Koko Pimentel, announced that should the davao mayor seek the presidency in next year’s polls, the PdP would support him.

Poe remains independent, and so does chiz, who resigned from the nPc in 2009. Will the nPc now swallow chiz back, because his trophy presidentiable, grace Poe, is winnable? Perhaps.

To be sure, the anomaly is not always the fault of the candidate. it is the confused and confusing system wrought by the present constitution that has brought this about. Political personalities armed with their ambitions certified winnable by opinion polls simply look around for whatever vehicle is convenient for them to reach their “destiny.”

When theirs is a party too small, as in erap’s PMP in 1998, coalitions are made. for erap, it was adding angara’s ldP, and their coalition was called laMMP. Who remembers what it stands for now?

What lies ahead for the our political parties, a.k.a. flags of convenience, in 2016, or rather, october 2015?

sleep. They think no light bulb would appear over our heads when they speak about solutions to brownouts.

Perhaps they condescendingly think that asean integration won’t interest small business owners . or that K-12 has been flayed enough . or transportation topics would only excite car aficionados. or they could be thinking that in this age when memes have replaced think-pieces, long reads have been replaced by 140-character tweets, that well thought-out prescriptions will tax our attention.

or maybe they think that the spiel that will rivet our attention are the dirt which they will shovel in in backhoe quantities on their rivals.

Well that might interest us for a while. But what interests us more are not the issues that will bring down their competitor but the ideas that will raise our country’s economy, livelihood, standard of living to new heights.

So to presidential candidates : drop the antics. Shred the talking points. ditch the daily quotable quotes. if you want to be taken seriously, then start talking about serious things.

chong ardivilla

m o n day : j un e 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

A12

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Cavs ready for quicker pace OAKLAND—Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James expects his team will be ready for Golden State’s quicker lineup in Sunday’s fifth game of the NBA Finals with subtle adjustments or personnel changes.

The visiting Cavaliers, seeking to bring Cleveland its first sports title since 1964, are level at 2-2 in the best-of-seven championship series with the Warriors, seeking their first title in 40 years. Game five winners in such situations have won the NBA Finals on 20 of 28 attempts.

Golden State inserted Andre Iguodala into the starting lineup for game four and the smaller squad produced a faster pace and the Warriors’ strongest start on the way to a victory Thursday.

Now the question is what can the

Cavaliers do to counter that and force the slower tempo that worked for them earlier in the series.

“I think we’ll be much more prepared for it if they go with the same lineup,” James said. “If we’re not in tune with what’s going on or not ready for the speed, we’ll be able to make the (substitution) and make the proper adjustments.”

But with star guard Kyrie Irving lost in the finals opener to a fractured left kneecap and forward Kevin Love out in round one with a separated left shoulder, the Cavaliers don’t have many options for

changing starters.

“We’re going to play our game,” James said. “We’ve gotten to this point by playing the way we play and we’re not going to change.”

That, however, does not mean Cavs coach Dave Blatt will continue to use only two primary reserves, although he said he was not afraid to insert such veterans as Shawn Marion and Mike Miller to buy rest time for James and other starters.

“If that’s necessary, that’s what we’ll do,” Blatt said. “Our results have been pretty good as we’ve been playing but I believe in those (reserve) guys and their ability to step in, if necessary, and do what needs to be done.”

Blatt said an extra rest day will help the Cavaliers start better than they did in losing game four.

“We’ve got to come with greater energy and greater purpose and a higher sense of urgency than we had in the last game,” Blatt said.

Cavaliers reserve James Jones stands ready if needed, saying “players play, coaches coach and we have 100 percent faith in coach Blatt. The way he has coached our team has gotten us to this point.

If our numbers are called, we’ll perform.”

That includes J.R. Smith, who made only 2-of-12 in game four, including 0-of-8 from 3-point range.

“I don’t care how many shots he missed. I don’t want his head to be down like it was in game four,” James said. “He has to stay confident. He can miss 100 shots. Once you lose confidence in yourself, there’s really not much coming back from that.” AFP

Palawan rainy season netfest set June 18 to 22

THE Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group, the longestrunning, biggest junior tennis circuit in the country, resumes this week in Mindanao with a huge field tipped to see action in the 18th leg at the Isulan Capitol Tennis Club in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.

What makes the upcoming event, slated June 18-22, different from the other legs of the circuit sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop is that it will include a Veterans club level tournament as host Gov. Datu Suharto Mangudadatu provides a venue for adult players in the province to showcase their talent and skills.

Aside from the 10-unisex, 12-, 14-, 16- and 18-and-under sections in the main juniors age group event, the five-day tournament presented by Technifibre and sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez, also features the men’s singles and doubles Open for 35-, 45, 55- and 65-U categories also held in line with Sultan Pax Mangudadatu’s birthday celebration.

Free registration is ongoing with deadline set on June 15 at 12 noon. For details, call Bobby Mangunay, PPS-PEPP tennis event organizer and sports program development director, at 0915-4046464.

“We are overwhelmed by the numerous requests to hold tournaments in various provinces and we’re doing our best to include them in our already tight schedule,” said Mangunay, citing the provinces of Pikit, Malita, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Butuan, Marawi, Zamboanga and Ozamis in Mindanao and Legaspi, Iriga and Naga from the Bicol Region as those bidding to be included in the circuit’s future stops.

Casimero ready to go for Thai’s IBF crown

By Ronnie Nathanielsz FORMER International Boxing Federation light flyweight champion Johnreil Casimero, the mandatory challenger for the flyweight title currently held by Thailand’s Amnat Ruenroeng, is ready to go after the Thai’s title and according to trainer Jhun Agrabio has three possible game-plans depending on how the champion decides to fight.

Agrabio told The Standard/boxingmirror.com in an overseas telephone interview from Las Vegas where Casimero is winding down training, that Ruenroeng is known “to throw one or two punches and then run.”

Agrabio said that should he resort to this tactic, Casimero will chase him, catch him and hopefully take him out because the Filipino is a heavier puncher as shown by his record of 21-2 with 13 knockouts as against Ruenroeng’s tally of 15-0 with only 5 knockouts, besides being 35 years and 10 years older than Casimero.

Walters wins but...

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers participates during practice and media availability as part of the 2015 NBA Finals at Oakland Convention Center in Oakland, California. AFP

NICHOLAS “The Axe Man” Walters, who lost his World Boxing Association featherweight title on the scales when he failed to make the limit, kept his unbeaten record intact against former amateur nemesis Miguel Marriaga and although Walters won handily, it was a disappointing performance by the bigger and stronger Jamaican at The Theater in Madison Square Garden, New York.

All three judges scored the fight for Walters, who dropped Marriaga in the ninth round by margins of 118-109, 117-110 and 119108. Ronnie Nathanielsz

Nadal lines up history on Stuttgart grass

Spain’s Rafael Nadal reacts after defeating France’s Gael Monfils in their semifinal match at the ATP Mercedes Cup tennis tournament in Stuttgart, southern Germany. Nadal defeated Monfils 6-3 and 6-4.AFP

STUTTGART—Rafael Nadal moved into position to become a dualsurface champion at the Stuttgart Open on Saturday with a 6-3, 6-4 semi-final defeat of Gael Monfils.

Victory in under 90 minutes on the newlylaid grass courts of the pre-Wimbledon event paved a path for Nadal to lift his third title in Stuttgart after winning in 2005 and 2007 when

the tournament was still played on clay.

Top seed Nadal will take on surprise finalist Viktor Troicki, who battled for more than two hours to overcome Croatian second seed and US Open champion Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-7 (1/7), 7-6 (7/2).

Nadal owns two Wimbledon crowns and also won at Queen’s in 2008.

The left-hander will be bidding for the 66th tro-

phy of his career but only the second this season.

Nadal came through over Monfils on the first of two match points as the French fourth seed sailed a forehand over the baseline.

Unable to find an ace in the contest, Nadal however made no double-faults and saved all four of the break points he faced as he beat Monfils for the 11th time in 13 meetings.

The win was effortless in contrast to the struggles Nadal went through in his first two matches this week, spending a combined five hours on court to win six sets.

“I’m very happy with this performance,” said the 29-year-old Spaniard.

“I’m slowly improving on grass. It would be fantastic to win here, but I can only focus on the final and try to play my best.” AFP

m o n day : J Un e 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

A13

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Ang grabs Asian karting crown JACOB Ang of Eagle Cement bagged an international title for the first time as he emerged as Formula Open 125 Juniors Champion at the kick-off of the 2015 Asian Karting Open Championships at the Kartodrome de Coloane Circuit in Macau.

With Gabe Cabrera unable to race for the Philippine team due to an earlier commitment, the 13-year-old Ang gamely accepted the challenge to bring honor to the country in this prestigious event participated in by karters from Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.

At age 13, Ang is already being tagged as the next important racing champion in the class of Dodjie Laurel

and Jovy Marcelo.

“I just can’t describe the feeling when I was waving the Philippine flag high during the awarding ceremony. It was indeed a big honor to deliver pride and glory for the national flag,” said Ang. Although a newcomer in the international karting scene, Ang made his presence felt as he dominated the pre-final heat.

In the final heat, Ang took control of the pole and retained control with near-flawless driving

and defensive maneuvers.

Only Aussie Flynn Jackes challenged him in the latter part of the race, but Ang will not waver in his quest. With three laps to go, Ang made the decisive move to clock the fastest laptime of 49.827 seconds and claim the checkered flag with a .0607 of a second lead over Jackes.

Mikey Jordan, another Filipino, settled for third place while Macau’s Charles Leong Hon Chio and Tai Zulberti of CityKart ended at fifth.

Safarova a front-line contender for Wimby, too

Eagle Cement’s Jacob Ang displays his trophy during the awards rites of the 2015 Asian Karting Open Championships at the Kartodrome de Coloane Circuit in Macau. Ang emerged as Formula Open 125 Juniors Champion in the initial leg of the Asian tournament.

Donaire looks good in sparring

By Ronnie Nathanielsz FIVE-DIVISION world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire looked good in sparring at the ALA Gym in Cebu, following his arrival some four days ago.

ALA Promotions head trainer Edito “Ala” Villamor told The New Standard/boxingmirror.com that Donaire is being trained by his father, Dodong Donaire and that Nonito looks in a much better condition than before when he faced Brazil’s William Prado in a “Pinoy Pride” fight card at the Araneta Coliseum.

Prior to his arrival in the Philippines, Donaire was training in Las Vegas in preparation for his 10-round non-title fight against European champion Anthony Settoul of France on July 18 in Macau and said he is taking no chances and is eager to put on a show as he looks forward to a possible title fight .

Donaire told the New Standard/ boxingmirror.com that he is “training very hard and really well” and was looking forward to training in Cebu to get some sparring there, where several talented fighters from the ALA Gym would be available.

Donaire indicated he didn’t wish to make a statement in his fight against Settoul, but wanted the fans “to see in the fight what we have trained for.”

Villamor said Donaire sparred with

Mark Magsayo, who will clash with Mexico’s Rafael Reyes in “Pinoy Pride XXXI” in a ALA Promotions card headlined by World Boxing Organization light flyweight and longest-reigning Filipino world champion Donnie Nietes against mandatory challenger and former WBO minimum weight champion Francisco Rodriguez on July 4 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu.

“Nonito has been here three days and has looked good in training,” said Villamor of Donaire, who is in Cebu with wife Rachel and their two young sons.

The 32-year-old Donaire, who has a record of 34-3 with 22 knockouts, is coming off a second-round TKO victory over Brazil’s William Prado last March 28, in which he won the vacant North American Boxing Federation title when referee Bruce McTavish called a halt at 2:16 of the round as the Filipino was battering the Brazilian.

It was a confidence-building victory after Donaire suffered a stunning sixth-round TKO at the hands of Jamaica’s bigger and stronger Nicholas Walters at the StubHub Center in Carson City, California on Oct. 18, 2014.

Walters failed to make the weight for his title defense against Miguel Marriaga on Sunday, Manila Time, and was stripped of his WBA featherweight title.

LONDON—Lucie Safarova, who nearly became a sensational French Open champion eight days ago, hopes to make it clear that she is a front-line Wimbledon contender too during the coming week.

The late-developing Czech is among a host of leading players entered into the Women’s Tennis Association grass court warm-up tournament at Edgbaston in Birmingham, central England, which has ten of the world’s top 20 on show after being promoted to a Premier event with $665,900 (£427,818, 591,176 euros) in prize money.

Safarova burst into the top ten for the first time this week following her victory over French Open champion Maria Sharapova and a thriller with Serena Williams in which she took the world number one to three sets on the red clay of Roland Garros before losing to the American star in the final.

In the process the 28-yearold Brno-born, Monacobased Safarova appears to have gone some way to overcoming her main shortcoming, a tendency to become

SAFARovA

too nervous on big points and thus a tendency to squander strong positions.

“It took me quite a few years to get to this point,” said Safarova, who has been on the WTA tour for 12 years. “I hope it’s not a finish point and that I can still improve this.”

Her optimism may be partly based on her new coaching partnership with Canadian Rob Steckley, who seems to be helping her reach more of her potential.

Added to a well-known

capacity for inflicting superhard punishment with her left-handed forehand, which helped her to the semi-finals at Wimbledon last year, this improvement could make Safarova a more serious grass-court contender than ever before this year.

Even her ground strokes seem to have become weightier with Steckley’s help, though it is the use of visualization to improve her focus, and a consequent increase in self-assurance, which seem to be the most crucial factors in her progress.

Safarova will be some people’s unofficial favourite for the Birmingham title, but she will not be the number one seed. That is Simona Halep, the world number three, who also reached last year’s Wimbledon semi-final.

However, the 23-yearold Romanian has disappointed in each of her last three Grand Slam tournaments, particularly at Roland Garros, where she lost to the 70th-ranked Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in straight sets in the second round a fortnight ago. AFP

Champion. Australian Brad Kahlefeldt and runner-up Mike Phillips congratulate each other as they meet at the finish line with only a minute and two-second gap separating the two in the inaugural Yellow Cab Challenge CamSur Sunday.

Kahlefeldt and Swiss Simone Braendli endured the scorching heat of the sun to emerged at the top of the podium. The Australian Olympian snatched his first Yellow Cab Challenge Philippines title in Pro Men’s field after clocking in at 3:56:33, while her female counterpart took home the Pro Women’s field championship after a recorded time of 4:17:42.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

A14

m o n day : J un e 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Azkals confident against Yemen

By Peter Atencio

THE Philippine Azkals national men’s football team will be more confident when they meet Yemen on Tuesday at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar.

F R I D AY : J U N E 1 2 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS

The Philippines’ players celebrate their victory against Bahrain after their Asia Group H FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifying football match at the sports@thestandard.com.ph Philippine sports arena in Marilao. The Philippine Azkals won, 2-1. AFP

g a

Heartbreak no more?

The Greatestkids 5: San Miguel Beermen

maybe on that

he muls was as or Filihe says, routine y. shifted Manila rovince egularly games” d gam-

k to his here he “Lucky the age money ents to d States. d pool’s , where rl “The nd otharound g minor

playing We play pool, ce,” he

timatebut stepLim to put them minutes effective back up to Calma.

Incheon, Korea. he really made a niche, Fernandez’s hadbehind meaningful their Asiad misfortunes.

The mostandpainful amongas San influence achievement playing small forward.

Next week, we will be talking DENNIS PRINCIPE Miguel’s top center Lim got vote because ourourfighters be- looking about Ginebra’s ultimate starting them involved 2012 cannot Londonbe de-However, SPORTS CHAT nied. Mark Anthony Bar- ing victims back, heofwas an integral part of San five. unfair judging, Olympian For young six seasons wearing the San Miguel’s evident grandslamduring line-up, perSPORTS CHAT This week’s still seemed riga and flyweight prosFOR the longest time, our boxLAST April, the Philippine Basketball pect Miguel uniform, Fernandez haps his mosteight productive the Finals where of ourseason in Sports Chat will tackle the successes Ian Clark Bautista who,helped ers have suffered countless Association reached a momentous the team win seven crowns, includ- his 11-year career. of several gold medalists of the onpummeling their Korean 10 boxers went on to battle for losses in major that they milestone when itbouts celebrated its 40th despite ing the 1989 Grandslam.

Shooting Guard – Ato Agustin going Southeast Asian Games in the gold.Tough call, really, mainly because Singapore which is now on its penrespective should have won if not for the foes, Itstill year. waslost alsotheir with San Miguel that Of the five gold winners, two matches. dreaded hometown In the past, writersdecisions. and bloggers Fernandez won one of his four Most of Caidic. ultimate day. conquests af“Boxing Player is a sport have league’s greatThediscussed most the memorable of Valuable titles. wherein were undeniable But Agustin gets this position beGold-medal winners in boxing, ter Fernandez and Felix put your life on Ildeest teams players, Power Forward – Danny cause he led theEumir Beermen to the 1992 which bagged five, will be on tap to course wasand thegreatest gold medal fightbut you practically none so far have talked about the thefonso All-Filipino crown,wins. the year when discuss their latest achievement and scored stoppage line every time you step in Marcial of lightflyweight Mansueto league’s celebrated starting the ring.

Others he won the MVPthrashed hardware. It was their future plans. meanwhile, Andmay this argue is whatNelson comes Asay-Bautista, “Onyok” most Velasco against Bulgarunits. spot. But ”Danny also the from season before Caidic joined The Philippine boxing team is his opponent pillar to post, out.tono It’sdeserves really this disappointing, ianCurrently, Daniel Petrov the Bojilov league during has four wasI was the face of the teamRicky for mostbut of still thehad squad after the disbandment of also preparing for qualifying tourto settle for a split what ABAP president the 1996 Olympics. teams thatAtlanta have competed for at least his 15 years with the squad.

Presto. naments that will determine particiwin against hometown told media covering the decision situation, however, 20 Velasco’s years namely San Miguel, Pure- Vargas Add to that the two MVP trophies Also worth considering for this pants of the 2016 Rio Olympics. bets Mohamed Hanurdeen HaAsiad. was a combination of the Games foods, Ginebra and Alaska. and eight PBA championships he spot is Elmer Reyes.

Sports Chat airs Monday to Frimid. Point Guard – Hector Calma andBeermen Bau- uniusing Andcomputerized for being the scoring longest for active Apart baggedfrom while Barriga wearing the day, 6-8am over DZSR Sports Radio Only Sounds lightweight Can2013 SEA Games gold members, we decided to second name the tista, the first time, while the form. like Junel an easy choice, not 918kHz. tanciountil andyou lightflyweight JosieBrown.

Mario Fernandez was Diggreatest startersthe of those teams. winner Honorable mentions: Yves include Ricardo Meantime, Sports Radio will conand probably most four controWe will withathe Beermen, alsonadice and Alvin Teng is Brown Gabuco Problem got some fair played shake for only tinue to give us audio sidelights of ousted via controversial versial one start was that Bulgarian the ballclub Forward – Samboy Lim two seasons, while Calma appeared in the biennial meet through veteran in scoring in their gold-medal was league’s assignedwinningest by the sport’s inter- in scoring.

PBA history.

Caidic would give the Skybouts.eight competitive years with the Beer- reporters Peter Paul Patrick Lucas, In Allan this year’s Southeast Asian national federation AIBA as the Center – Ramon Fernandez walker a run for his money men.Petecio, Irish Magno Judith Caringal and Ria Arevalo, currently being held inin thisNesthy main man to select officials for Games After winning nine PBA crowns position. the Actually bothPhilipof them also Honorable mention would be who are all in Singapore since day and Rogen Ladon may be vicSingapore, 10-man thenine matches. in seasons with Toyota, where played the shooting guard position, Franz Pumaren who was the most one of the event.

While Velasco may have pine boxing contingent brought tims of bum scorecards when lost the last two rounds of that home five gold medals, two of they dropped close verdicts to match, it was evident that the them came from Bautista and their respective foes.

We could never know what Negros-born Olympian got dis- Fernandez.

Barriga was not part of the would ensue in scoring had heartened when he learned that he got zero points despite pep- SEA Games as he was deemed Marcial, who fought a homeUNBEATEN squads San Beda-A and National “disqualified” based on AIBA’s town boy, and Fernandez, who pering his opponents with clean FORMER leg winner Amolkan Pha- ited battle for the top P100,000 purse University prevailed over separate last who ruling rivals that boxers are part faced a Thai whose officials are blows in the opening round. lajivin and Hathaikarn said toThais be influential, were in notthe event organized by Pilipinas Thursday in lang the junior division quarterfinals of their Pro Boxing League can- fellow “Nagulat na si Onyok Wongwaikijphaisal and Tiranan Golf Tournaments, Inc. able to knock their opponents not compete in non-AIBA-sancof thesinabihan 21st Fr. siya Martin Summer Cup basketball nu’ng na wala siconfirmed participaWongwaikijphaisal finished tied tioned events. tournament at the Arellano gymna- Yoopan haveout. yang score sa first round, ” said University the ICTSI Ladies for 11th while Yoopan ended up FiveSherwood golds in boxing are defiWhile AIBA rulestion andinofsiumOlympic in Legarda, Manila.

1992 bronze winner somethingthe to cheer ficialstheir are sevenbeing used in SEA nitelyboosting Championship, cast about 13th at ICTSI Wack Wack Ladies RoelThe Velasco.

SBC-A Red Cubs, who swept biennial meet. to- Invitational ruled by top amateur Games are in this the P500,000 event unfolding Almost two decades later, therouted game Group B assignment, Santournaments, Beda-B, inthey But for our officials, the not officially in chargemorrow of the bi-at Sherwood Philippines continues to get Hills Golf Club Princess Superal in a playoff win 84-62, to earn one of fourvicsemifinals seats with scoring pattern in Singapore ennial meet. timized

by Bullpups, bum scoringEmilio when aAguinaldo Cavite. over Rodriguez. the NU College in Trece Martirez, is something think andRodriguez bunch of well-trained and well- Help.In a lot of ways, Bautista and University of Perpetual Cyna remainstothe hot aboutBut the three Thais are expected Fernandez were able to use their as we prepare for the 2016 Rio traveled pugilists fell one by one Pedro Alfaro and Jay Lagumen tallied 11 favorite in the 54-hole tournament to crowd Rodriguez and the rest of during the 2014 Asian Games in gold-winning efforts as the ul- Olympics.

Even without injured booter Stephan Schrock, the Azkals are confident they can still pull off their second win in the second round of the Group H matches for the 2018 FIFA World Cup second round qualifications.

“I’m excited. We’re in a good position,” said Azkals’ co-skipper Phil Younghusband after their 2-1 win over Bahrain last Thursday at the Philippine Stadium in Bocaue, Bulacan.

Bahrain is considered as the second-strongest team in their bracket.

Because of their win over Bahrain, Younghusband believes the squad can hurdle the Al-Yemen A’Sa’eed squad.

“Yemen will still be strong. This game (Bahrain) will give us confidence going into that game,” said Younghusband, a day before the team flew to Doha.

This time around, substitute wingman Misagh Bahadoran is expected to have a bigger role, with the Germanybased star, Schrock out of commission.

Schrock, who still joined the trip, was replaced by Bahadoran in the 23rd minute. Bahadoran then scored the first goal in the 50th minute off Younghusband’s assist.

The squad will also miss Luke Woodland, who has has not yet gotten a clearance by FIFA to play.

The squad is expected to see more of Fil-Australian Iain Ramsay on the field. Ramsay, who is expected to provide the needed speed for the team, is described as skillful and strong. His presence gives the Azkals more options.

The Philippines is in a difficult group, which also includes Uzbekistan and North Korea.

The eight group winners and the four best second-placed sides will advance to the third round of AFC qualifying for Russia 2018.

San Beda, NU win Thai ace joins LPGT tilt

points each for the Red Cubs, who arranged after dominating the last ICTSI La- the local bets at Sherwood as they a semis clash with the EAC Brigadiers in this dies Philippine Golf Tour stage at try to match compatriot Wichanee cagefest supported by Impakt Energy Drink Riviera where she beat Sarah Ababa Meechai’s record 15-shot romp over of thedirector Philippines and managedRepublic by tournament Robert by six to snap a long title spell for another Thai Walailak Satarak at Province of Bohol de la Rosa.

Order of ICTSI Splendido last April.

From A16 Municipality ofrecords Sevillaclean the reigning back-to-back The Bullpups, who kept their Merit champion.

Ababa, who led in the first round in Group A, outplayed the University of Santo But Phalajivin, whoWakeboarding, humbled Ro- a at Riviera but cracked under presnonInvitation to Bid Tomas Tiger Cubs, 93-60, with Dave Camaso driguez to nail her first Olympic but a medLPGTsport victory sure in the last two days, also showing the way with 16 points.

REHABILITATION OF SEVILLA MUNICIPAL HALL, ANNEX BUILDINGlast year, al discipline in the Games, at Splendido Wongwaikihopes to toughen up and fuel her TheMUNICIPAL EAC Brigadiers turned back the Adam- CENTER AND MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT showed gold-medal po- drive for a breakthrough in Former Philippine Ladies’ Golf Tour leg winner Amolkan jphaisal and Yoopan hope to provide own son Baby Falcons, 77-71, with Maui Cruz firing tentials inace Mark Howard a tougher challenge for the Filithe country’s first ladies pro circuit Phalajivin hopes to provide a tougher challenge to the 1. Thea Local Government Unit of Sevilla, Bohol is a recipient of an aid from the 20 game-high points. locals in the battle for the top P100,000 purse.

Griffin and Maquel John Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) underpina the Earthquake shotmaker, guaranteeing a spir- sponsored by ICTSI. Assistance Fund for the Rehabilitation of Sevilla Municipal Hall, Annex Selga, who advanced to Building and Municipal Manpower Development Center. The Approved the men’s and women’s Budget for the Contract is TWO MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED THIRTY FOUR finals at the Bedok ReserTHOUSAND SIX HUNDRED THIRTEEN PESOS ONLY (Php 2,734,613.00) CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK The Municipality of Sevilla, Bohol now invites sealed bids from eligible Bidders voir on Thursday. for the supply and delivery of various construction materials on site within 30 Griffin earned 68.33 calendar days upon receipt of the Notice to Proceed.

SEAG...

M O N DAY : J UN E 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Huey, Dy end gold drought SINGAPORE—Ending a one-day gold-medal drought for the country, Treat Huey and Denise Dy retained their Southeast Asian Games mixed doubles’ crown with a stirring 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 win over Thailand’s Sonchat Ratiwatana and Peangtarn Plipuech at the Kallan Tennis Centre here on Sunday.

Dy held Huey up in the opening set then retained the favor by rallying the squad from a 0-2 deficit in the set behind a sizzling serve in giving the Philippines its first tennis gold in the 28th edition of the sportsfest.

Apparently feeling the effects of her grueling mixed doubles match earlier, Dy and Katherina Lehnert yielded to the fresh Thai pair of Thai pair of Varatchaiya Wongteangchai and Noppawan Lertcheewakarn, who fashioned a 6-3, 6-4 win in capturing the women’s doubles gold medal.

“Denise really played well in the first set and it was really crucial, while I got my serves in the second,” said Huey after the match that lasted one hour and 12

minutes. “We’ve played together four years ago (at the Indonesia SEA Games), so we knew each other well.”

“Truly this great, giving honor to your country all over the games,” added the 29-yearold Washington D.C. native and world-ranked doubles’ specialist, who is set to play at the Wimbledon Open next month.

“We held up each other well and it’s just a great privilege for me be playing this game,” said Dy, who hails from San Jose, California and an assistant tennis coach at the University of Iowa.

Due to an early-morning downpour, the match was pushed away from center court and in the afternoon, but the large Filipino

expatriate community here stayed on in rooting noisily for the Filipino pair.

And they needed every inch of inspiration as Huey and Dy battled Ratiwatana and the boyish-looking Plipuech on even terms in the first set, with neither tandem giving an inch until they reached the count at 6-all to force a tie-breaker.

With the score deadlocked at 6-all, Plipuech proved to be the weakest Thai link, scattering two returns in succession in giving the Filipinos the first set.

But Huey and Dy found themselves in trouble in the second, trailing 0-2 after being broken in the second set at 30-40 on Ratiwatana’s passing shot down the line.

WIM Bernadette Galas ponders her next move during the 16th ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships at the Nanyang Technological University campus in Singapore.

PH chessers win 7 golds at Asean tilt

By Arman Armero

Awaluddin Nur of Indonesia (L) competes against Alshamier Ibnohasim of the Philippines (R) during their men’s pencak silat semifinal tanding class A (45-50kg) match at the 28th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Singapore. AFP

SINGAPORE—The Philippine chess team won seven gold medals at the close of the standard event yesterday and expects to win more in the rapid and blitz events starting today in the 16th ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships at the Nanyang Technological University campus here.

Woman International Master Bernadette Galas, Woman Fide Master Shania Mae Mendoza, WFM Alaney Jia Doroy, Mhage Sebastian, Stephen Rome Pangilinan and NM Alex Milagrosa won individual gold medals even as Team Philippines also added 13 silvers and 15 bronze medals.

Galas, a student of De La Salle University, engaged Tran Le Dan Thuy, in a tense rook-pawn endgame and settled for a draw to finish with an unbeaten record of 7.5 points, half a point ahead of Sagar Tejaswini of India, who beat WFM Nguyen Thi Thuy Trien of Vietnam.

WIM Janelle Mae Frayna and WFM Antoinette San Diego finished behind Tejaswini with six points each, but because the Indian’s score will not count since participants from outside the ASEAN countries were considered as guest entries, Frayna and San Diego officially ended up tied for 2nd and 3rd places.

Galas, Frayna and San Diego’s

Boxing exec feels Ladon should have won

By Ronnie Nathanielsz ALLIANCE of Boxing Associations of the Philippines’ executive director Ed Picson felt that Rogen Ladon should have won the gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games boxing finals in Singapore against Indonesia’s Kornelis Langu, who won by a split decision.

While not really complaining about the result, even as he shared The Standard’s assessment that the judging overall in Singapore was fair, Picson who supervised the boxers’ training

on a daily basis, felt that Ladon “won the first two rounds, but lost the third.”

Because Ladon failed to maintain his aggressive stance, which Picson said had been drilled into the boxers’ minds throughout their training for the Singapore games, he lost.

He said that those who watched the telecast on TV5’s Aksyon TV channel noted that the four men who won golds were always moving forward aggressively against their opponents, which was a key to victory.

The gold-medal winners were flyweight

Ian Clark Bautista, Mario Fernandez, Junel Cantancio, welterweight Eumir Felix Marcial and female light flyweight champion Jose Gabuco, prompting the Philippines to clinch the boxing team championship.

Armed with their 5-gold performance in the 28th SEA Games in Singapore, members of the PLDT-ABAP Philippine boxing team arrived to a triumphant welcome at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport late Thursday, with ABAP president Ricky Vargas “paying tribute to the boxers’ grit and savvy.”

combined scores of 19.5 also gave them the team gold.

Mendoza also ended up second in the girls’ Under 18 with six points after drawing her match, but was declared the gold winner, because the leading Shakshi Chitlange, is from India.

The 17-year-old FEU board 2 player led her teammates to the team silver with 15 points, half a point behind the Vietnamese.

Doroy, meanwhile, lost to Jiayi Men of China, but still won a share of the gold medal with Tran Thi Hong Phan of Vietnam, who won over Indonesia’s Audiali for a similar 7.0 total.

The trio of Doroy, Natori Biazza Diaz (5.5) and Bea Mendoza (5.0), which combined for 17 points, also took the silver behind Vietnam’s 18.5.

In the girls’ Under 10, Mhage Sebastian placed second behind Mongolia’s Boidbatar Altantuya and took the ASEAN gold.

Stephen Rome Pangilinan likewise grabbed a share of the gold medal in the boys’ Under 14 with Qing Aun Lee of Singapore on similar 7 points, while NM Alex Milagrosa carted the gold in the seniors side (over 65)with 5.5 points.

The rapid event, which also stakes individual and team medals starts today at 9 a.m., while the blitz event will be held tomorrow (Tuesday), the last day of the tournament.

LOTTO RESULTS

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

P16M

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

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

A16

m o n day : J un e 1 5 , 2 0 1 5 RIeRa u. maLL aRI EDITOR

ReueL vIdaL A S S I S TA N T E D I T O R

sports@thestandard.com.ph

sports

Jet chang of kiA penetrates the defense of globalport’s stanley pringle (3), Marvin Hayes (5) and Jarrid famous in a pBA governors’ cup game won by the Batang pier, 102-94.

GlobalPort boosts bid

By Jeric Lopez

GLOBALPORT made a decisive run in the payoff period to dump KIA Motors, 102-94, for its second straight win that moved the Batang Pier closer to a quarterfinals berth in the 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum yesterday.

Jarrid Famous was spectacular all game-long, producing an unbelievable 30-30 game, with game-highs of 30 points and 37 rebounds, the biggest rebounding production in the league in the last 30 years, to power the Batang Pier to their second win in the last three days.

The victory allowed GlobalPort to leapfrog to fourth place with a 6-4 slate, while KIA slipped to the middle of the pack with its 4-4 card. The Batang Pier not only enhanced their chance of making it to the Top 8, but also upped their chances of making the Top 4, which will give the team a

cAvs reAdy for quicker pAce turn to A12

games tuesday

(Smart Araneta Coliseum): 4:14 p.m. - San Miguel vs. Blackwater 7 p.m. - Star Hotshots vs. Talk ‘N Text

twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.

GlobalPort coach Pido Jarencio credited his wards for carving another victory despite having to play two games during the weekend. ‘’Bigay din natin sa mga players.

Galing kami sa hard game last Friday, tapos one-day preparation lang kami for this, but the players still

played well,’’ said Jarencio.

He then went on to discuss the Batang Pier’s immediate goal. ‘’Gusto talaga namin manalo para maganda chance namin para sa twice-to-beat at makapasok kami sa Top 4,’’ said Jarencio.

With the game hanging in the balance, GlobalPort, which was only ahead by a point, 76-75, early in the fourth, suddenly turned on its offense to produce a decisive 18-4 blast in the middle of the fourth to take full command.

Doug Kramer’s basket off a beautifully executed three-man fastbreak with Terrence Romeo and Stanley Pringle capped that run and gave the Batang Pier a 94-79 advantage, the largest of the game, with 4:18 remaining.

The gritty Carnival weren’t able to recover afterwards as the Batang Pier eventually took the win. KIA came to within six, 96-90, entering the final minute, but Romeo made a

Ang wins AsiAn kArting crown turn to A13

dagger triple with 29 seconds left to seal the outcome for GlobalPort.

Romeo, likewise, had a nice showing of 27 points and six assists to provide major support for Famous.

Eventhough the Carnival were able to stay within striking distance before that major Batang Pier run midway the fourth, GlobalPort was already in control as early as the third, listing several seven-point leads in that period.

The first half was tightly contested with neither team taking control at any point. The score was tied at 47all heading to the final seconds of the half, until Kramer beat the buzzer with a triple near halfcourt to give GlobalPort a slim 50-47 edge at intermission.

Hamady N’Diaye was in his element, leading KIA with monster numbers of 29 points and 13 rebounds for his own double-double.

But his import partner Jet Chang was lackluster with only 11 points.

Archer Paz settles for silver medal

SINGAPORE—Comebacking Amaya Paz-Cojuangco was unable to adjust to the sudden change of wind conditions and narrowly lost the women’s compound gold medal to Malaysia’s Fatin Nurfatelah Matt Saleh, 136-138, on Sunday at the close of the Southeast Asian Games archery tournament here.

Ahead after the first two rounds, Paz, the back-to-back champion in this event in the 2005 Philippine and 2007 Thailand SEA Games, lost her grip on the lead in the third around with scores of 9-8-9 against Matt Saleh’s 8-10-10 The Malaysian then secured the gold medal in the fifth and final round, hitting scores of 10-9-9 compared to the Filipina’s 9-9-9.

“Aya (Amaya’s nickname) wasn’t able to adjust to the winds, especially after she lost the lead,” coach Rosendro Brio said afterwards. “Kapag kasi lumamang na ang isang archer, ‘yung nasa likod ang mangungunang tumira.

‘Yung second archer may panahon mag-adjust sa hangin.”

The championship match was supposed to be held in the morning, but heavy rains forced organizers to reset it at mid-afternoon when the clouds cleared.

The men’s and women’s compound teams swept their matches against Singapore to bag bronzes in both events held in the morning.

Benjamin Earl Yap, Delfin Adriano and Paul Dela Cruz bested the Singaporeans, 230-223, while Cojuangco, Jennifer Chan and Jo An Tabanag nipped the hosts, 210-208.

B1

MONDAY: JUNE 15, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

Jardine seminar. Jardine

Distribution Inc. and sponsors hold an integrated pest management seminar during this year’s ‘BiyahEdukasyon’ to give back to the company’s loyal customers.

A total of 90 participants from Pangasinan Batangas, Davao, North Cotabato, Saranggani and Cagayan De Oro are part of the trip where series of activities are prepared for them. Shown are (from left) David Lobo of Sumitomo Chemicals, Minako Nakatani of Nihon Nohyaku, Lawrence Yu of Sumitomo Chemicals, JDI president Edwin Hernandez and resource speaker and Bureau of Plant Industry senior agriculturist Yondre Yonder.

BUSINESS

PSe comPoSite index Closing June 11, 2015

7800 7500 7200 6900 6600 6300

7,503.72 119.45

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing JUNE 11, 2015 47

P45.150

46

CLOSE

45 44

PLDT eyes 2nd cable link, to invest $100m

By Darwin G. Amojelar

43

HIGH P44.970 LOW P45.150 AVERAGE P45.039 VOLUME 683.900M

P500.00-P650.00 LPG/11-kg tank P41.85-P47.20 Unleaded Gasoline P29.35-P32.70 Diesel

oPriceS il P today

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Thursday, June 11, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

44.9660

Japan

Yen

0.008154

0.3667

UK

Pound

1.553300

69.8457

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128979

5.7997

Switzerland

Franc

1.073537

48.2727

Canada

Dollar

0.815528

36.6710

Singapore

Dollar

0.745490

33.5217

Australia

Dollar

0.775615

34.8763

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652309

119.2637

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266681

11.9916

Brunei

Dollar

0.742721

33.3972

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.029718

1.3363

UAE

Dirham

0.272257

12.2423

Euro

Euro

1.132900

50.9420

Korea

Won

0.000902

0.0406

China

Yuan

0.161132

7.2455

India

Rupee

0.015674

0.7048

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.267917

12.0472

New Zealand

Dollar

0.718804

32.3217

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032411

1.4574 Source: PDS Bridge

B3

PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co. plans to invest up to $100 million to build a second international cable landing to the US to support the rising demand for high-speed broadband.

“We are still in the planning stage for our second international cable landing to the US. The investment could range between $50 million and $100 million,” PLDT International Network vice president Gene Sanchez said.

“We are targeting to sign the memorandum of understanding within the year. It’s going to be a consortium of telecom compa-

nies,” he added.

Sanchez said the company was looking at Daet in Camarines Norte or Batangas as landing station in the Philippines.

PLDT’s first international cable landing to the US was the $550-million Asia-America Gateway, a 20,000-kilometer highbandwidth optical fiber linking Southeast Asia to the US. PLDT

contributed $50 million to the project.

The AAG consortium consists of 19 parties providing connectivity among the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Hong Kong SAR, Guam, Hawaii and the US West Coast.

The facility also supplied seamless interconnection with other major cable systems connecting Europe, Australia, other parts of Asia and Africa and using Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing technology to provide upgradeable, future-proof transmission facilities for telecommunications traffic.

PLDT leads the country among providers with the most

number of international cables as well as landing stations.

The AAG cable will be PLDT’s fourth international cable link up for upgrade to 100G technology, following the Asia Pacific Cable Network 2 and the JapanUS Cable system. The Asia Submarine Cable Express 100G upgrade is ongoing.

“We’ve always anticipated the need to constantly increase our capacity especially in serving the country’s leading industries given their demand for a resilient, low latency, and expansive datadriven network such as the BPO and outsourcing industries,” said PLDT head of Enterprise, International and Carrier Business Eric Alberto earlier.

Neda set to approve 4 PPP projects worth P141b

By Gabrielle H. Binaday THE National Economic and Development Authority board led by President Benigno Aquino III is expected to approve today four projects under the public-private-partnership scheme worth P141 billion.

The PPP Center said four PPP projects, including an airport redevelopment, a natural gas pipeline, a railway extension and a bus transit system, were scheduled to be tackled by the joint Investment Coordination Committee–Technical Board and Cabinet Com-

Anchor Land allots P21b for projects

mittee, before their final endorsement to the Neda board.

PPP Center director Eleazar Ricote said the agency was hopeful the four priority projects would be approved. “[There is a] high chance of these being approved. These are priority projects,” said Ricote.

Data showed of the four projects, three would be implemented by the Transportation Department, including the P130.99-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport development project, the P6.28 billion C-5 Modern Bus Transit System and the P50.15-

B4

billion Ortigas-Taytay Light Rail Transit Line 4 project.

The NAIA development project aims to improve, upgrade and enhance the operational efficiencies of all existing terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport covering both landside and airside (except air traffic services) to meet the International Civil Aviation Organization standards and develop the main gateway of the Philippines, according to PPP Center website.

The C-5 Modern Bus Transit System project involves the implementation of a new bus scheme that will

Vista Land sells $300-m bonds

B6

offer high-quality bus service in the cities of Paranaque, Taguig, Makati, Quezon and Valenzuela.

Meanwhile, the Ortigas-LRT Line 4 project, with P50.15 billion indicative cost, is a proposed 11-kilometer rail line running west from SM City Taytay to the intersection of Ortigas Avenue and Edsa in Ortigas.

The fourth PPP project up for approval is the Batangas-Manila or BatMan 1 natural gas pipeline project of Philippine National Oil Company, with P10.53-billion indicative cost.

Ammo ecozone to rise in Bataan

MONDAY: JUNE 15, 2015

B2

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

MST BuSineSS Weekly STockS RevieW STOCKS

Close

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

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl Reinsurance Corp.

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

7.01 73.5 108.50 96.75 45.8 2.48 1.77 15.9 20.45 6.75 1.69 846.00 0.405 88.8 0.99 18.00 69.40 94 306 42.5 153 1490.00 64.70 3.15

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Bogo Medellin C. Azuc De Tarlac Century Food Chemphil Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI Euro-Med Lab. Federal Res. Inv. Group First Gen Corp.

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

Lafarge Rep LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Corp.

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

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

Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

44.4 1.45 1.05 1.96 10.52 52 85.00 18.5 105 27 57.5 2.03 1.59 12.3 19.000 9.35 7.28 9.99 1.66 12.1 25 85.5 13.90 13.82 6.08 0.540 195.50 9.77 2 2.59 53.50 25.35 24.8 6.28 284.00 4.15 4.51 9.00 3.8 11.22 3.76 2.19 2.2 4.41 2.03 6.5 178 4.5 1.6 0.153 1.20 2.23 185 4.3 0.76 22.50 1.29

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

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

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Mabuhay Holdings `B’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Minerales Industrias Corp.

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

0.455 56.8000 22.45 1.32 6.79 0.255 0.260 767 7.82 13.38 3.1 4.50 0.225 1351 6.56 68.00 4 5.07 7.49 0.71 13.3 0.62 0.66 4.55 5 0.0370 1.300 2.5 59.95 2.90 890.00 1.21 0.74 80.500 0.3550 0.2090 0.295

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

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

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

7.250 0.73 1.250 0.220 39.00 3.48 5.33 0.82 1.06 0.140 0.440 0.840 0.170 1.23 1.84 1.38

JUNE 8-11, 2015 Volume Value FINANCIAL 32,246.00 10,054,186.00 808,623,452.00 397,199,006.00 13,766,790.00 80,290.00 119,670.00 3,687,856.00 26,065,023.00 82,099 429,030.00 440,590.00 455,500.00 3,315,066,968.00 5,168,370.00 2,064,600.00 52,942,246.00 2,780.00 2,965,046.00 10,250,845.00 435,483,307.00 1,397,335.00 4,328,456.00 755,550.00 INDUSTRIAL 146,180,560 279,162,910.00 52,000 71,700.00 1,753,000 1,803,540.00 5,624,000 10,962,240.00 4,500 47,020.00 1,170 60,803.00 50 4,250.00 1,344,200 24,850,782.00 130 13,680.00 1,158,800 31,297,155.00 16,090 918,743.00 13,112,000 25,870,160.00 596,000 952,860.00 43,000 519,696.00 12,879,900 242,029,932.00 29,145,200 286,753,031.00 69,302,800 510,956,449.00 1,963,200 19,285,992.00 240,000 378,040.00 349,400 591,636.00 8,923,200 226,685,130.00 624,230 53,773,241.00 32,000 444,074.00 92,400 1,277,812.00 4,681,500 28,706,506.00 91,000 48,570.00 2,512,990 492,230,484.00 1,835,000 17,938,785.00 160,000 325,470.00 63,000 158,970.00 23,940 1,238,631.00 1,708,600 42,403,125.00 293,300 7,176,415.00 238,700 1,501,126.00 1,562,570 437,623,452.00 7,000 28,880.00 1,458,000 6,457,660.00 12,799,500 116,833,083.00 11,000 42,000.00 131,900 1,497,554.00 843,000 3,236,840.00 1,498,000 3,278,130.00 3,039,000 6,529,050.00 33,373,000 149,479,950.00 188,000 385,350.00 22,200 134,300.00 23,680 4,216,038.00 16,000 72,000.00 58,000 91,880.00 10,700,000 1,585,350.00 76,000 91,200.00 5,165,000 11,626,970.00 12,688,280 2,345,475,198.00 118,000 507,500.00 3,775,000 2,859,410.00 1,800 43,145.00 423,000 541,730.00 HOLDING FIRMS 590,000 268,850.00 4,320,250 237,703,680.00 44,960,600 993,482,600.00 3,000 3,900.00 74,800 507,922.00 9,210,000 2,299,730.00 1,080,000 275,600.00 1,079,970 815,200,300.00 4,231,800 32,916,425.00 40,561,900 528,372,978.00 321,000 1,010,350.00 132,000 589,760.00 1,310,000 277,850.00 994,325 1,316,451,705.00 1,977,300 12,866,324.00 8,547,270 559,235,208.00 6,000 23,710.00 200 1,014.00 15,430,700 112,944,095.00 19,000 13,020.00 11,203,200 61,638,398.00 2,064,000 1,281,430.00 2,300,000 1,488,000.00 77,301,000 342,478,810.00 130,000 645,900.00 2,200,000 80,800.00 90,521,000 110,024,770.00 20,000 50,720.00 1,139,940 69,079,157.00 39,000 106,240.00 808,040 705,856,335.00 998,000 1,216,120.00 174,000 120,500.00 44,390 3,640,250.00 7,830,000 2,766,400.00 1,220,000 242,220.00 490,000 144,700.00 PROPERTY 2,799,300 20,075,817.00 2,019,000 1,464,880.00 1,156,000 1,451,200.00 280,000 63,700.00 43,846,900 1,656,608,555.00 12,059,000 42,855,000.00 1,957,000 10,385,635.00 10,941,000 8,937,980.00 72,000 77,920.00 16,250,000 2,274,150.00 8,930,000 3,822,650.00 522,000 442,900.00 220,000 39,290.00 5,460,000 6,667,570.00 38,345,000 69,023,700.00 36,000 48,050.00 4,600 137,720 7,546,400 4,106,920 300,600 34,000 69,000 236,200 1,347,500 12,600 289,000 540 1,110,000 37,725,600 5,154,000 114,700 791,440 30 9,720 244,000 2,826,070 2,390 67,080 240,000

Close

JUNE 1-5, 2015 Volume Value

7.01 73.4 107.00 99.00 46 2.46 1.84 16 20.8 6.28 1.75 800.00 0.400 90.2 1.02 18.00 70.00 92.05 305 42.05 159.1 1425.00 64.70 3.17

72,000 116,850 12,609,070 6,702,140 133,500 14,000 536,000 186,000 2,653,000 32,000 23,000 1,280 2,560,000 13,112,620 10,000 11,300 1,229,900 2,500 37,850 613,610 2,556,300 645 523,020 287,000

1,090,104.00 8,524,334.00 1,358,095,034.00 667,724,053.00 6,158,160.00 33,740.00 932,280.00 2,967,678.00 56,484,795.00 43,769 38,750.00 1,021,650.00 1,048,950.00 1,181,646,747.00 10,200.00 203,970.00 85,588,593.00 230,235.00 11,652,118.00 25,808,315.00 403,095,650.00 901,700.00 33,772,106.00 938,370.00

42.75 1.47 1.04 1.97 10.52

8,095,700 452,000 2,392,000 19,279,000 32,600

317,692,525.00 663,410.00 2,479,440.00 39,446,160.00 343,938.00

86.00 18.78 102 27.2 57.5 1.9 1.61 12.3 19.500 10.06 7.68 9.70 1.72 11.94 26.7 88.5 14.00 14.56 6.29 0.520 199.00 9.8 2.1 2.78 52.80 24.6 25.3 6.38 284.80

610 1,178,500 70 706,700 546,820 99,762,000 508,000 55,100 14,503,400 37,433,500 90,624,200 12,604,800 129,000 382,900 15,621,300 937,350 126,700 50,400 7,563,500 66,000 3,510,020 1,816,800 35,000 8,000 100 6,423,300 725,300 1,047,900 2,578,490

52,613.00 22,202,914.00 7,140.00 19,143,645.00 30,765,254.00 201,149,340.00 831,300.00 669,276.00 281,061,388.00 374,789,781.00 691,703,250.00 119,098,431.00 224,020.00 4,582,400.00 412,202,400.00 82,761,272.00 1,774,326.00 728,906.00 46,662,119.00 34,610.00 698,155,635.00 18,373,204.00 75,150.00 21,220.00 5,280.00 157,940,180.00 18,526,315.00 6,694,722.00 730,690,820.00

4.52 9.64 4 11.70 3.97 2.19 2.2 4.50 2.17 6.25 179 4.5 1.6 0.160 1.25 2.23 187 4.3 0.76 22.50 1.27

6,639,000 1,823,300 14,000 40,400 883,000 2,301,000 1,535,000 60,505,000 656,000 25,400 240,470 155,000 701,000 24,000,000 65,000 3,784,000 252,848,701 256,000 26,367,000 20,500 740,000

28,843,000.00 39,316,399.00 54,600.00 465,158.00 3,437,670.00 5,049,270.00 3,344,680.00 264,233,230.00 1,368,340.00 154,945.00 43,760,276.00 704,160.00 1,137,150.00 3,702,650.00 75,610.00 8,459,810.00 2,504,536,118.00 1,105,850.00 21,083,400.00 726,510.00 951,250.00

0.465 55.60 22.55 1.32 6.86 0.260 0.280 770.5 7.8 13.20 3.15 4.41 0.206 1385 6.47 67.80 3.9 5.1 7.61 0.7 13.54 0.64 0.66 4.45 5 0.0340 1.030 2.59 62.15 2.96 974.50 1.24 0.70 82.800 0.3650 0.2080 0.295

180,000 12,949,100 24,795,100 147,000 198,700 8,010,000 610,000 2,017,710 14,737,900 34,094,600 75,000 314,005 5,030,000 1,530,160 1,488,500 13,097,100 4,000 4,600 6,391,100 6,610,000 10,125,600 2,180,000 261,000 130,324,000 512,100 3,900,000 6,492,000 24,000 915,810 1,000 1,148,830 301,000 480,000 30,150 11,520,000 1,660,000 1,120,000

83,500.00 729,936,448.00 561,440,800.00 187,380.00 1,362,921.00 2,116,200.00 158,800.00 1,561,952,420.00 113,152,372.00 451,750,968.00 236,250.00 1,362,710.00 1,077,220.00 2,082,379,600.00 8,670,355.00 888,091,807.00 16,000.00 23,460.00 48,018,417.00 4,532,670.00 139,479,256.00 1,367,760.00 165,500.00 573,539,090.00 2,561,800.00 136,800.00 6,504,770.00 62,160.00 58,130,920.00 2,960.00 1,008,123,085.00 371,920.00 337,640.00 2,498,158.00 4,123,500.00 333,680.00 341,250.00

7.450 0.75 1.340 0.230 38.80 3.7 5.29 0.83 1.10 0.143 0.430 0.850 0.179 1.24 1.81 1.38

2,408,600 1,540,000 1,095,000 280,000 50,479,200 25,074,000 2,717,000 23,568,000 97,000 6,040,000 4,630,000 629,000 5,190,000 5,441,000 90,177,000 538,000

18,586,438.00 1,123,010.00 1,382,240.00 65,800.00 1,985,777,595.00 88,271,630.00 14,205,503.00 19,201,490.00 105,230.00 861,240.00 2,013,650.00 534,650.00 930,030.00 6,744,260.00 168,830,940.00 729,890.00

STOCKS

JUNE 8-11, 2015 Volume Value

Close

Keppel Properties Megaworld Corp.

Megaworld Prop.

MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

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

5.01 4.71 4.64 0.114 0.3200 0.4500 24.00 7.24 28.50 1.71 3.34 19.46 0.73 7.24 0.880 7.080

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

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

Discovery World DFNN Inc. Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. IPeople Inc. `A’ Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

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

Philweb.Com Inc. 50,996,206.00 PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons Retail SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

6.4 60.06 1.12 0.660 13 8.83 0.0950 4.06 85.35 10 1.81 6.66 2.93 960 2698 6.12 21.00 1.34 111 12.16 0.232 1.2800 2.2 9.35 2.99 1.3 1.95 50.00 0.690 1.99 6.97 0.340 0.500 18.96 4.55 8.5 124.00 19.60

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

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0053 2.50 6.99 6.8600 7.0800 0.98 0.79 7.24 1.68 0.320 0.232 0.237 0.0140 0.0140 3.41 24.3 3.72 0.6700 2.0700 0.0120 0.0140 4.38 6.45 1.97 0.015 140.50 10.88 0.0100

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

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

61 524.5 528 110.4 123 520 69 1.12 111 1120 1091 1043 75.4 81.95 87

Leisure & Resort Warr.

3.800

Double Dragon Makati Fin. Corp.

Ripple E-Business Intl Xurpas

9.64 5.25 63.95 10.82

First Metro ETF

122.4

Close

6,700 86,771,000 20,508,000 5,500,000 800,000 15,000 2,900 34,000 8,901,500 915,000 74,000 27,809,900 1,449,000 197,200 570,000 24,233,000

33,567.00 399,835,090.00 95,078,120.00 607,460.00 254,000.00 67,500.00 69,915.00 244,497.00 244,042,345.00 1,559,440.00 245,640.00 528,658,950.00 1,035,310.00 1,416,219.00 491,920.00 171,697,363.00 SERVICES 278,500 1,743,336.00 51,730 3,109,039.00 133,000 154,950.00 3,465,000 2,321,490.00 4,500 58,800.00 43,460,800 385,921,293.00 27,030,000 2,479,540.00 1,483,000 6,032,600.00 1,419,970 118,309,168.00 9,100 90,883.00 132,000 225,520 136,700 836,187.00 45,000 131,850.00 30 29,160.00 484,740 1,286,184,660.00 202,500 1,244,322.00 11,900 261,135.00 453,000 585,880.00 4,374,470 482,171,469.00 1,900 22,688.00 19,860,000 4,533,500.00 613,000 770,480.00 9,000 19,800.00 1,694,800 15,965,039.00 2,315,000 7,033,710.00 19,000 24,350.00 184,000 362,290.00 4,430 223,904.00 1,229,000 815,690.00 240,000 471,580.00 13,603,600 94,894,918.00 940,000 320,000.00 1,646,000 808,785.00 68,200 1,242,626.00 24,000 106,730 700 5,950.00 452,364 60,692,578.00 23,259,200 437,358,214.00

JUNE 1-5, 2015 Volume Value

5.47 4.77 4.67 0.113 0.3200 0.4600 24.45 7.19 29.00 1.7 3.25 19.40 0.71 7.23 0.880 7.250

23,800 123,138,000 37,862,000 5,270,000 380,000 10,000 4,000 175,400 11,807,100 8,713,000 115,000 80,054,200 1,507,000 11,100 345,000 57,106,600

120,802.00 583,478,020.00 175,548,210.00 637,510.00 116,600.00 4,600.00 101,750.00 1,262,770.00 343,951,815.00 6,732,522.00 374,410.00 1,542,822,250.00 1,079,330.00 79,949.00 305,630.00 407,318,003.00

6.5 61.2 1.11 0.690 13.86 9.38 0.0960 4.06 84.95 9.99 1.7 6.30

381,600 58,240 537,000 9,129,000 4,700 36,107,100 35,610,000 4,216,000 2,444,880 6,300 9,000 472,200

2,448,645.00 3,544,388.00 634,720.00 6,149,720.00 63,606.00 339,621,241.00 3,452,950.00 17,597,740.00 209,271,785.00 62,841.00 15,120 2,555,151.00

980 2702 6.30 23.00 1.30 110.5 12.18 0.226 1.2700 2.2 9.50 2.98 1.3 2.04 48.00 0.670 2 7.4 0.350 0.560 18.8 4.42

210 484,250 835,800 4,300 70,000 3,178,470 8,900 13,820,000 1,096,000 131,000 8,804,800 10,823,000 7,000 259,000 20,100 712,000 172,000 38,236,300 3,530,000 5,886,000 148,400 71,000

205,850.00 1,281,721,960.00 5,176,487.00 99,850.00 89,520.00 347,665,506.00 104,294.00 3,107,330.00 1,368,240.00 289,140.00 83,434,267.00 32,757,340.00 9,080.00 519,200.00 1,012,833.00 473,230.00 338,890.00 283,200,794.00 1,211,500.00 3,254,660.00 2,678,418.00 317,710

124.90 19.00

900 112,495.00 34,530,009,419,760

2784.00 0.690 1.400 38.00 74.25 9.94 0.67

394,770 121,067,000 101,282,000 9,422,700 8,747,550 19,497,700 4,357,000

1,099,458,550.00 86,578,600.00 147,826,580.00 260,299,855.00 652,651,688.00 189,683,454.00 2,899,600.00

5.7 0.330 1.320

3,957,000 466,100 137,000

22,947,083.00 121,700.00 180,540.00

0.0049 2.60 7.35 7.4000 7.2000 1.01 0.8 7.38 1.6 0.325 0.241 0.239 0.0140 0.0140 3.57 24.65 3.72 0.6700 2.1500 0.0120 0.0130 4.45 6.69 2.01 0.015 148.60 12.26 0.0100

286,000,000 242,000 6,035,200 90,500 2,700 12,772,000 1,864,000 101,100 114,911,000 3,717,350 31,170,000 5,720,000 920,700,000 31,300,000 2,660,000 14,251,200 2,051,000 6,299,000 1,511,000 114,600,000 2,900,000 197,000 1,898,100 58,917,000 39,500,000 1,725,460 6,923,700 50,200,000

1,362,000.00 624,950.00 41,885,135.00 670,198.00 19,940.00 12,882,230.00 1,486,150.00 740,523.00 175,462,280.00 925,550.00 7,343,540.00 1,377,100.00 12,864,900.00 242,200.00 9,290,340.00 349,188,165.00 7,661,180.00 610,610.00 3,202,020.00 1,275,100.00 37,700.00 869,910.00 12,255,785.00 124,582,700.00 588,900.00 258,459,863.00 84,044,046.00 509,100.00

61.2 524.5 527 110.4 121 525 6 1.12 111.5 1080 1091 1040 75.4 82.2 86.5

1,545,530 10,970 30,940 50 640 4,180 1,758,500 446,000 55,590 5,320 2,270 6,725 692,730 39,270 346,510

94,354,725.00 5,752,580.00 16,276,860 5,520.00 77,259.00 2,190,800.00 10,593,908.00 782,930 6,196,385.00 5,934,070.00 2,476,570.00

52,417,616.00 3,231,680.00 30,063,551.00

3.870

2,140,000

8,160,890.00

9.66 6.2 65.95 10.12

2,577,800 17,500 4,420 3,734,500

24,469,858.00 107,605.00 269,469.00 36,726,438.00

122.7

35,790

4,404,397.00

MST 2800.00 0.680 1.310 37.00 76.00 9.76 0.67 1.7 5.14 0.330 1.490

298,720 833,600,710.00 33,327,000 22,051,540.00 37,977,000 51,407,510.00 6,764,100 247,654,965.00 6,683,420 483,447,556.00 11,453,800 297,940,407.00 2,461,000 1,667,210.00 77,000 131,980.00 15,548,500 81,062,002.00 1,500,000 488,300.00 191,000 271,520.00 MINING & OIL 2,643,000,000 13,560,000.00 345,000 873,500.00 2,500,500 17,451,842.00 5,300 37,510.00 7,900 57,842.00 501,000 490,200.00 1,698,000 1,331,400.00 90,700 617,025.00 391,882,000 640,110,120.00 935,000 433,550.00 23,200,000 5,489,360.00 15,260,000 3,669,330.00 90,800,000 1,271,200.00 30,900,000 432,600.00 854,000 2,924,390.00 10,556,800 258,735,915.00 2,221,000 8,199,470.00 1,031,000 693,450.00 520,000 1,091,580.00 22,900,000 253,700.00 68,000,000 869,000.00 338,000 1,487,030.00 1,465,400 9,616,592.00 15,274,000 30,000,200.00 167,600,000 2,353,200.00 3,378,230 473,708,348.00 3,365,600 37,809,642.00 50,900,000 518,400.00 PREFERRED 798,540 48,589,533.00 3,970 2,082,300.00 9,400 4,953,900 40 4,416.00 9,030 1,089,120.00 3,000 1,560,000.00 9,500 57,000.00 20,000 22,080 70,220 7,798,656.00 250 280,000.00 2,000 2,182,020.00 22,250 23,288,075.00 558,900 42,129,818.00 114,230 9,333,499.00 290,260 25,214,218.00 WARRANTS & BONDS 844,000 3,280,430.00 SME 3,601,600 34,477,649.00 7,300 41,481.00 1,190 73,916.00 11,094,700 118,200,165.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 154,250 18,738,672.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Ferronickel Philodrill Corp. `A’ Aboitiz Power Corp.

Manila Mining `A’ Prime Orion Megaworld Corp.

Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) Oriental Pet. `B’

VOLUME 2,643,000,000 391,882,000 167,600,000 146,180,560 90,800,000 90,521,000 86,771,000 77,301,000 69,302,800 68,000,000

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

VALUE 3,315,066,968.00 2,345,475,198.00 1,656,608,555.00 1,316,451,705.00 1,286,184,660.00 993,482,600.00 833,600,710.00 815,200,300.00 808,623,452.00 705,856,335.00

MONDAY: JUNE 15, 2015

B3

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

Half of Naia expressway to open October NO LESS than San Miguel Corp.’s top honcho, Ramon Ang, assured the public that phase 1 of the P15.5-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway project would be completed in October in time for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in November.

Ang said in a recent interview the company was speeding up the completion of the project, but only phase 1, which would connect the three airport terminals, would open by October.

Phase 2, which will link the three terminals to the Pagcor Entertainment City in Parañaque, will be completed by December 2015.

“We are fast-tracking the completion of phase 1 that will connect Naia 1, 2 and 3 because of the Apec meeting,” Ang said. “But the portion going to Pagcor Entertainment will be opened in December.”

While the NAIA Expressway will be partly operational in time for Apec, the Conrad Hotel Manila of SM group will not be completed in time for the regional event.

The 347-room Conrad Hotel Manila is located within the 60-hectare Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City.

The five-star hotel, the first Conrad Hotels & Resorts branded property in the Philippines, will have three ballrooms and other function and meeting rooms as well as fitness club and spa.

Jenniffer B. Austria SM, Ayala executives in Ortigas unit FIVE SM and Ayala Land officials will be elected as directors of Ortigas-controlled Concrete Aggregates Corp. during the annual stockholders’ meeting scheduled this week.

Representing Ayala Land in the Concrete Aggregates board are Ayala Land chief finance officer Jaime Ysmael and Ayala Land senior vice president Jose Emmanuel Jalandoni while SM group officials who will join Concrete Aggregate’s board are SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim, SM Prime chief finance officer Jose Sio and BDO Unibank corporate secretary Edmundo Tan. SM and Ayala Land officials will replace Francisco Montilla III, Alberto Montilla, Jose Luis Montilla, Fernando Ortigas and Ignacio Rafael Ortigas who are leaving their positions as directors of the company.

The entry of SM and Ayala Land executives in Concrete Aggregates came after both parties ended their squabble in November last year over the development of the rich landbank of the Ortigas group under OCLP Holdings.

Concrete Aggregates, however, is engaged in quarry operations, which is far from real estate or retail development—the expertise of SM and Ayala Land. Jenniffer B. Austria Strict BSP regulation good for banks A RECENT regulation issued by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas requiring banks to observe a 5-percent leverage ratio, or the percentage of Tier 1 capital to total assets, will be good for the industry and make it stronger, according to a bank president.

“I believe this is a good and prudent policy for the stability of the banking system,” EastWest Banking Corp. president and chief executive Antonio Moncupa Jr. said.

“It is [also] another good reminder that banks should watch their risk-taking practices,” Moncupa said.

On May 29, the policy-making Monetary Board of Bangko Sentral approved the guidelines for the implementation of the Basel III leverage ratio in the Philippines. The board also approved the ratio to be 5 percent at a minimum. The ratio is higher than the 3 percent recommended by the Basel Committee and adopted by many regulators in the region.

“The 5-percent leverage ratio roughly translates to at least 20 times asset to capital ratio, or P20 of assets for every P1 of capital.

Philippine banks are about 10 times. And historically, had not come anywhere near 20 times,” Moncupa said.

Under the Basel III reform agenda, the leverage ratio needs to be appreciated alongside the capital adequacy ratio.

The approval of the board includes a monitoring period up to end-2016. During this period, sanctions will not be imposed on banks falling below the 5-percent minimum. However, covered institutions are required to submit periodic reports. Any adjustments to the guidelines will be issued before the requirement takes full effect on Jan. 1, 2017.

Debt watcher Moody’s Investors Service said the higher minimum leverage ratio of 5 percent for Philippine banks is credit positive because it will enable them to be resistant to losses. Julito G. Rada

Anchor Land bullish, to spend P21b in ’15

By Jenniffer B. Austria

PROPERTY developer Anchor Land Holdings Inc. said it plans to spend P21 billion this year to complete existing projects and start the construction of new ones.

Anchor Land said in a filing with the Philippine Stock Exchange it was embarking on its first office development, the Anchor Land Corporate Center, to provide the company with another source of recurring income.

The twin office building at Aseana complex, once completed, will offer Grade A green office space that will cater to large companies looking for headquarters.

“Anchor LandCorporate Center allows us to ride on the rapid growth of the business process outsourcing industry and allows us to break into an ancillary in-

dustry,” Anchor Land said.

The company said it would also continue to spend for the development of its Admiral property along Roxas Boulevard in Manila.

Anchor Land said the Admiral property was now nearing completion, which included a new Admiral Hotel, which would be part of the McGallert Collection of international hotel operator Accor. The hotel is scheduled to open in 2017.

Another component of the project is the development of luxurious Admiral Grandsuites.

In Binondo, were most of the

company’s high-rise condominiums are located, Anchor Land is building the 63-story Anchor Grandsuites, the tallest building in Manila and in all Chinatowns around the world.

The property firm said to boost recurring income, it would start construction of One Soler, a 10-story structure that will offer warehousing facilities in the Divisoria area, one of the country’s oldest commercial and trading centers.

Also in the pipeline is OneLogistics, which will offer safe, secure and convenient warehousing facilities in Baclaran, as well as retail spaces.

“Complementing our real estate sales, we aim to further strengthen our recurring income projects or assets, going forward to increase its contribution to our net income,” Anchor Land said.

Resorts World advocacy. Executives and employees of Resorts World Manila recently spent time with the students of the Philippine Christian Foundation School at the Smokey Mountain landfill in Tondo, Manila. Around 40 volunteer personnel, from rank and file to top management, conducted interactive sessions together with 32 PCF staff members with some 91 elementary school students. The group provided valuable learning and fun entertainment by sharing their talents and skills in storytelling, arts, music and dancing, and handicraft making.

Foreign news likely to influence market STOCKS are expected to move sideways this week, as developments overseas will likely influence the local market, analysts said over the weekend.

F. Yap Securities investment analyst Jason Escartin said volume participation might stay soft amid worries that Federal Reserve would raise interest rates sooner than expected.

“As long as the specter of a rate hike hangs over the heads of traders, fund managers may continue to stay selective in their trades without any general stance on the market,” Escartin said.

Immediate support is seen at the 7,400-point level and resistance at 7,550 to 7,600.

BPI Asset Management said in a weekly review the Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, was expected to trade range-bound this

week, between 7,420 and 7,600, with an upward bias.

“Bargain hunting can be after the persistent sell-off in the past weeks. Movements will be strongly influenced by local corporate news and global economic data releases,” BPI Asset said.

The PSEi last week closed lower by 0.31 percent to 7,503.74 on shortened trading week, while the all-share index lost 0.61 percent to 4.314.24.

“The market tumbled on lingering concerns that the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates sooner than anticipated amidsolid US jobs data and concerns of overvaluation and disappointing growth numbers,” BDO Unibank Inc. chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said.

Except for the holdings firms, which gained 0.47 percent week-onweek, all other sub-indices ended in

the negative, led by mining and oil (-3.6 percent), industrial (-1.78 percent) and financial (-1 percent).

Overseas investors remained net sellers last week by P2.85 billion as total foreign selling reached P15.78 billion, while total foreign buying amounted to P18.64 billion.

The average daily value traded remained at P7.2 billion.

Top gainers last week were Prime Orion Philippines Inc., which jumped 26.2 percent to P1.30; Yehey! Corp., which increased 12.8 percent to P1.49; and Forum Pacific Inc., which climbed 9.2 percent to P0.225.

Heavy losers were Makati Finance Corp., which declined 15.3 percent to P5.25; Trans-Asia Petroleum Corp., which dropped 11.6 percent to P11.36; and Now Corp., which dipped 10.7 percent to P0.50. Jenniffer B. Austria

B4

Singapore Airlines’ tribute. Joining the Filipinos in celebrating the Philippines’ 117th Independence Day Friday, Singapore Airlines invited students of the Lyceum of of the

Philippines to serenade travelers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 with their own rendition of traditional Filipino songs. Also welcoming passengers are the Singapore Airlines staff clad in traditional Filipiniana.

Vista Land sells $300-m bonds

By Jenniffer B. Austria HOMEBUILDER Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc. has completed a $300-million bond offering amid the strong demand from overseas investors.

Vista Land chief finance officer Cynthia Javarez said in a text message the property builder issued $300 million in seven-year bonds priced at 7.375 percent.

Javarez said the total order book reached $1 billion.

The sale will enable Vista Land, owned by the family of former senator Manuel Villar, to stretch the maturities of other debt to 2022 as the company will use proceeds to primarily fund a tender offer on existing bonds.

Vista Land, through whollyowned VLL International Inc., early this month offered to buy back $450 million worth of US dollar-denominated notes ahead of their maturity.

The tender offer covered $350 million worth of 7.45 percent guaranteed notes due 2019 and holders of $100 million worth of 6.75 percent guaranteed notes due 2018.

VLL International appointed The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd. and

DBS Bank Ltd. as joint dealer managers and joint lead managers.

Vista Land earlier said it planned to roll out P40 billion worth of real estate projects this year, up 48 percent from P27 billion launched in 2014.

It will also accelerate capital expenditure spending this year to P25.1 billion, including P15.7 billion to finance construction activities, P5.5 billion for land development and the balance of P3.9 billion for land acquisition.

Vista Land’s net income in the first quarter of the year rose 10 percent to P1.64 billion from P1.49 billion year-on-year, while revenues increased 10 percent to P6.06 billion from a year ago level of P5.49 billion.

The company expects 2015 to be another record year as it plans to build 20,000 housing units this year across all residential brands.

Vista Land last year launched 13,000 units.

The property firm launched 13 projects in the first three months with total sales value of P12 billion.

It said of the 13 projects, 11 catered to the low and affordable market. These new projects are located in Quezon, Negros Occidental, Bacolod, Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro. Vista Land said given the strong first-quarter performance, it expected 2015 to be another record year for the company.

“We are pleased to have been able to sustain solid growth

achieved over the past years and should have no problem achieving our full-year targets,” said Vista Land chairman Manuel Villar Jr. earlier “Our positive outlook for the year is also due to the fact that Vista Land’s land bank and existing projects are beneficiaries of the Philippines’ macroeconomic fundamentals and the government’s push to accelerate infrastructure development,” he said.

The country’s largest homebuilder, Vista Land is recognized for themed and masterplanned communities. Its brands include Camella, Crown Asia, Brittany and Vista Residences, that offer quality housing across all market segments.

Biggest telecom and PH BPO industry on track to expand 15 % furniture fairs now open By Othel V. Campos THE widest assortment of cellphone units and gadgets and the biggest collection of local furniture in the country were unveiled when the 22st Telecommunications and Accessories Fair and the 1st Philippine Furniture Show opened at the Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan City.

The fair boasts of 1,400 participants, mostly importers, manufacturers, mall suppliers, traders, wholesalers and retailers, who are seasoned businessmen imbued with spirit of giving value for their customer’s money by providing quality products and services at affordable rates.

The Telecommunications Fair, aside from selling the latest cellphone units, has assorted gadgets and accessories under one roof, thus, saving the customers the trouble and hassle of going to different places just to canvass or look for these items.

At the fair, there are stalls that offer cellphone repair and troubleshooting services. On the other hand, the furniture show will showcase both the traditional and contemporary furniture and furnishings. The event which will run until July 6, will also offer RTWs, bags and luggages, novelty items, collectibles and corporate giveaways, footwear, jewelry, ornamentals and food items.

For the 25-day duration of the event (June 12-July 6) which is organized by Prime Asia Trade Planners and Convention Organizers headed by Henry Babiera, the shopping center ‘s upscale image will be transformed into a “masa” image as it adopts a Divisoria-style bargain hunters haven for shoppers from all walks of life, who want value for their money and yearn for a convenient, safe and comfortable shopping experience.

THE local business process outsourcing industry is expected to grow at least 12 percent to 15 percent in 2015 as it keeps pace with the global sector that is poised to post $250 billion in revenues in 2020.

Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing Association of the Philippines president Jomari Mercado said the group was on track to meet the forecast.

“We expect to continue with a 12 percent to 15 percent growth.

I believe that we have enough talent to reach and maintain that growth,” he said over the weekend.

The group is upbeat it will enjoy the same support it obtained from the previous administration after the presidential elections in 2016.

Mercado noted that if the government would help create the needed infrastructure to modernize and keep the industry abreast with technology, the local BPO

sector would be the best destination in the world.

“I believe that because we generate employment, the next administration will continue to support our industry. We hope the DICT [Department of Information and Communications Technology] bill will be passed before the end of this administration so we can see continuity into the next [administration],” he said.

Meanwhile, the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries of the Philippines, Inc. reported the sector remained the country’s top export with receipts of $2.216 billion in April this year.

The sector accounted for 50.6 percent of the total exports in April 2015 as receipts rose 17.8 percent from $1.881 billion yearon-year.

Components and or devices (semiconductors) comprised the biggest at 38.1 percent among the major groups of electronics products. Shipments rose 27 percent to $1.667 billion from $1.316 billion on year.

Exports, however, dropped 5 percent month-on-month to $2.2 billion in April from $2.3 billion in March.

Export volume of seven out of nine export products fell, with telecommunications contracting 50 percent; followed by consumer electronics, -29.35 percent, electronics devices power, -19.30 percent; and automotive electronics, -18.31 percent.

The rest are office equipment, down 13.85 percent; communication/radar, -12.55 percent; and, control and instrumentation, -12.05 percent.

Exports of medical/industrial instrumentation jumped 49 percent, while semiconductor components/devices added 1 percent.

Four-month exports to April rose 6.2 percent higher to $8.6 billion.

Top export destinations were Hong Kong accounting for 17.94 percent; United States of America 12.12 percent; China, 10.89 percent; Singapore, 10.55 percent; and Japan, 10.25 percent.

M O N D AY : J U N E 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

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

B5

Trade to define car incentives

By Othel V. Campos THE Trade Department will set up a benchmark on the volume of vehicles that will get incentives under the recently-approved EO 182, or the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy program.

Trade Undersecretary Adrian Cristobal Jr. said the government was initially envisioning a “one model, one company” guide in the granting of fiscal and nonfiscal incentives to deserving car manufacturers.

“We’ve seen strong interest from car manufacturers. We are looking at a production variable incentive for those companies that will

participate or qualify for the program,” he said over the weekend.

He noted that the production variable would begin once the first vehicle model of a car company failed to meet the target volume in the sixth or the last effective year of the program.

“This means that additional units might be required to fill in the 200,000 units per model per

car condition. And this might also mean that the program will require a second model to meet the required volume. So it is possible that a car manufacturer may produce two models,” he said.

The second model, he said, would get the variable incentive, if the perks to be given were not pro-rated.

By mid-July 2015, the technical working group on CARS and private sector stakeholders would draft the implementing rules and regulations of the program.

President Benigno Aquino III signed the new automotive policy into law after more than one year of polishing the measure.

The new policy will offer as

much as P4.5 billion worth of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to three car manufacturers that will qualify in the production of three car models in the Philippines in the next six years starting 2016, or about P27 billion in total incentives.

Each car company will be required to produce 200,000 units per model within six-year period of the program, with a directive to export a portion of locallymade vehicles.

Automotive manufacturers in the Philippines are supportive of the car manufacturing program and promised to give their full cooperation to support and develop the local industry.

They said the much-awaited

CARS Program was expected to facilitate the expansion of local manufacturing capabilities, improve cost competitiveness of industry players, and set the stage for regional integration given a clearer direction from the government.

Local assemblers said the new automobile manufacturing policy would make it easier for automobile manufacturers to further expand their local operations.

By making expanding operations more cost-effective, CARS should not only help automobile makers increase local manufacturing operations but also boost supporting businesses, such as local parts makers, they said.

Regulator approves P5-b NLEx expansion

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Toll Regulatory Board approved the design of the proposed P5-billion expansion of the North Luzon Expressway, an executive of Manila North Tollways Corp. said over the weekend.

“The design was approved last month, but we still have to negotiate the investment recovery,” MNTC president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco said.

The project will expand the Sta. Rita-to-San Fernando segment to three lanes on both directions from two lanes.

Further north, the Dau to Sta. Ines section will be expanded to two lanes each from the existing one.

Franco said the company expects to start the project once the TRB approves the investment recovery.

“We can start immediately, there’s no right-of-way problem,’ he added.

Daily vehicle entries in NLEX grew 8 percent to 196,058 in the first three months of 2015.

Citing TRB estimates, MNTC expects NLEx to suffer from congestion by 2018.

MNTC earlier reported a net profit of P681.7 million in the January-to-March period from P666.2 million year-on-year.

Core income rose 9 percent to P731.4 million in the first quarter from the P670.4 million on year.

Toll revenues in the threemonth period grew 7 percent to P1.97 billion from P1.83 billion reported on year.

First-quarter revenues from non-toll operations comprising mainly of advertising, toll service facility and utility fees expanded 24 percent to P26 million from P20.8 million last year. The company continues to strengthen non-toll revenues to supplement income from toll operations. The company also said the construction of the integrated NLEx and SCTEx toll collection system was currently underway.

CCA-Sysu partnership. The country’s pioneer and top culinary education institution, the Center for Culinary Arts, or CCA Manila, and

Sysu International Inc., the Philippines’ leading importer and exclusive distributor of premium global and in-house food brands, officially teamed up on various activities and endeavors. Sysu was CCA Manila’ partner when the culinary school participated in the recent 16th HOFEX held inHong Kong. Seated (from left) are Anne Certeza-Palmares, former CCA Manila senior corporate PR Manager, and Marjorie Cleofas, Sysu trade marketing manager. Behind them are Marie Dizon (left), CCA Manila corporate public relations manager, and Angelica Villanueva, Sysu trade marketing officer.

Govt should scrap sale of CBK hydro plants—Petilla

By Alena Mae S. Flores ENERGY Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said the government should scrap the privatization of the 728-megawatt Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan hydro power plants and use it, instead, as an energy security asset. “[Kalayaan] should not be privatized. It’s the only asset that can regulate... That’s the only defense of the government to regulate the grid,” Petilla said over the weekend.

He said the fate of the CBK plants would now be in the hands of the new energy secretary.

“The next president, the next secretary, will decide that but we

can set it or serve it for security,” he said.

Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. plans to privatize the contracts of the 728 megawatt Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan hydro power plants in the second semester next year.

PSALM has set the indicative turnover of the administrator for the CBK contracts by the first semester of 2017.

PSALM manages the assets and liabilities of state-owned National Power Corp. as mandated by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001.

The agency is pursuing the appointment of an independent power producer administrator for the

Unified Leyte bulk energy geothermal contracts of around 200 MW and the Mindanao coal contracts amounting to 200 MW this year.

PSALM is also pursuing the sale of power barges 101 to 103 (96 MW), PB 104 (32 MW) and the Sucat decommissioned power plant this year.

PSALM has generated proceeds of $8.529 billion as of end December 2014. PSALM used $1.298 billion to pay debt, $4.899 billion for regular debt service, $2.223 billion for build-operate-transfer lease obligations and $108 million for other privatization related expenses.

PSALM last year privatized and successfully turned over the

153.10-MW Naga power plant and the 218-MW Angat hydro power facility to their new owners.

The agency successfully turned over to the administrators the 200-MW Unified Leyte geothermal strips of energy and the 92.52MW Mt. Apo 1 and 2 contracts.

PSALM said other power plants such as the Agus-Pulangi hydro complex were slated for privatization by 2017, subject to consultations with Congress.

It said the privatization of the 140-MW Casecnan hydro plant was subject to the instruction of the Finance Department, while the sale of the 650-MW Malaya diesel plant would need the approval of the Energy Department.

R.

ht

ht

MONDAY: JUNE 15, 2015

B6

BUSINESS FRED S. CABUANG

business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

Green LiGht

Being human

POVERTY has a lot of faces, especially here in the country. I will try to name a few, but LARISSA RODILL I’m sure there are more: 1. Squatters— Or what we call those people or a community who, often came from the province, hoping to have a better life in the city. Sometimes, they are generations of family, living from meal to meal if there is even any.

Most of them are stubborn, strengthened by the will to survive in the harsh city streets, without knowing when the place they call home will be taken away from them.

Most of our persons on the list come from this community as well.

2. Mobile street vendors—It is amazing how many kinds of different things you can sell while treading the streets of Metro Manila, and quite frankly, I salute these people. From taho, shoe repair service, tool sharpening service, used clothes, kalamay and kakanin, fruits, buko juice, merienda or any other meal of your fancy, rugs, car accessories, beds, paintings, name them and one way or another, you have seen someone pushing a kariton or pedalling a bike full of goods under and over the scorching heat or even worse, carrying a bed frame or two, hoping with all hopes that they will go home with less goods and more cash.

We grew up having fond memories of Mr. Dirty Ice Cream, but we don’t know what they go through every day. Commuting may even sometimes be a scary experience for most of us. You know spending an hour or two on the streets, inside public vehicles. But these guys, they are on the road the entire day, walking, encountering different kinds of people and sometimes, taken advantage of.

But they persevere, even for just that one meal to be shared with the family, for tomorrow is another day.

3. Pulubi - These are the ones who may not be lucky enough to be part of the squatters community or part of it but choose to, instead of selling stuff, just beg for stuff. They come in all shapes and sizes, children as young as five years old, asking for food or money, children as young as one month old, carried by either their own mothers, tita, lola or even a neighbor who think that carrying a baby will add to the “awa factor.”

I once heard a pastor say, “If you can, do not give alms to the beggars, because they will think that the street is a great place to live in, because people give them food or money.”

4. Taong grasa - Our “taong grasa” could be the homeless people of New York. Most of them have some sort of mental problem also, and all the time, we avoid them, walking as far as possible from them, because, first, they are dirty, stinky and they might do something to us, like punch or spit at us.

Sometimes I wonder, which came first, the mental problem, or the hunger which eventually turned these people to being called “taong grasa.” My mom once told me that hunger can turn people crazy.

Depends on me I remember watching a documentary about five or 10 years ago, where they interviewed taong grasa and asked them how they think the government helped them and I distinctly remember one of them with this answer in Filipino: “We are the government, the everyday people I see on the streets are the government, it is not the person in Malacanang, I am the government. How I help me depends on me really. I shouldn’t rely on other people to help me.” His words sent me a very strong message, but that is for another post.

The video above made me cry for too many reasons, one, out of pity, I pity the boy for standing cold and hungry on the streets.

Two, out of anger, why are those people ignoring him? What is stopping them from helping out. Three, out of guilt. There are times when I am not able to help out, I have excuses but these reasons are not valid enough for me not to help.

And I wonder, if I were there, will I help the kid? Will I give him my jacket, knowing that I will be cold as well? I realized in the video that we do not need to have a lot to help, because sometimes, I think, when I have lots of money, I will give out. But the guy in the video, he does not have anything, but that did not stop him from helping.

Green LiGhtht

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

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

Supply professionals.

2GO Travel, a land and sea travel provider, signed a partnership deal with Philippine Institute for Supply Management as a diamond sponsor for the 23rd SupplyLink, a platform where seasoned and budding supply management professionals meet and exchange knowledge with each other to improve their profession. Shown are (from left) PISM vice president for events and conferences Alice Pascual, PISM president Edwin Constantino, 2GO Logistics senior vice president for operations Romeo Beltejar and 2GO vice president for operations Benedict Bautista.

Ammo ecozone to rise in Bataan

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

SOUTHEAST Asia’s first defense economic zone will soon rise in Bataan province, which is expected to attract foreign investors engaged in arms and ammunition manufacturing.

Bataan Governor Albert Garcia told reporters over the weekend the Government Arsenal, a facility producing ammunition for Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines, would undergo renovation and soon emerge as the first defense economic zone in Southeast Asia.

The facility located in Limay, Bataan will be funded by the government under the AFP Modernization program to update its equipment and accommodate investors such as defense companies.

“It [arsenal] became part of the

AFP modernization in that law, [which has] provision that allows it to be a defense economic zone.

With that provision that makes them an economic zone. A lot of defense companies are piling up to come in to the area,” said Garcia.

Garcia said funds were coming in for modernization of new equipment and to hire new people to accommodate the requirements of PNP and AFP. “They provide bullets and small arms for the AFP and PNP. They wanted to make sure that all requirements of the local military and police agency are supplied,” Freeport Area of Bataan head De-

ogracias Custodio said.

“That’s a very good development again for the province because investments will lead to growth, and when there is growth there are jobs and opportunities,” Garcia said.

The development of the 350-hectare arsenal is awaiting the approval of tax incentives under the Philippine Economic Zone Authority to accommodate prospective defense-manufacturing companies.

Aside from ammunition for the military and police, the arsenal will also produce other defense materials such as backpacks, protective gears and logistics.

Garcia said he was optimistic on exporting goods from the arsenal which at present was managed by the government.

“Hopefully if production exceeds the demand, we would be able to export ammunition and other products,” he said.

Senate ratifies anti-trust bill—Villar THE Senate has ratified the reconciled version of the Philippine Competition Act, the bill that aims to uphold free and fair competition among industries and promote consumer welfare, Sen. Cynthia Villar said over the weekend.

Villar, who worked for a consensus on the House of Representatives and Senate versions of the proposed anti-trust bill, introduced amendments to the bill so that it would not have a chilling effect on the business sector.

“We are confident that this bill will be able to plug the holes present in existing laws and will provide a comprehensive policy to adequately and effectively prevent anti-competitive structures and practices,” Villar said.

“Once enacted, we will be able to put an end to the so-called cartel as these threaten to drive away our micro, small, and medium enterprises. We want small industry players to be given a level playing field and the opportunity to contribute to the growth of our national economy,” she said.

She said while dominance in an industry per se was not prohibited, the law would go against a dominant player when it abused its dominant position or enter into anti-competitive agreements.

Villar said the reported collusion of generation firms that allegedly caused the record increase in power rates in 2013, was a prohibited act under the new bill.

According to reports, 13 power plant companies were investi-

gated by the Energy Regulatory Commission or anti-competitive behavior or market abuse for withholding energy capacity. It was alleged that this act contributed to an increase of P4.16 per kWh in power rates in December 2013.

Villar said the spike in the price of garlic last year from P80 to as high as P350 per kilo would also be prevented from happening again with the enactment of the anti-trust law that would penalize collusion and price fixing.

Under the bill, an independent quasi-judicial Philippine Competition Commission will be created. It will have the power to conduct an inquiry, investigate, and hear and decide on cases involving any violation of this act.

M o n D aY : J u n e 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

B7

Battle of Waterloo to be reenacted WATERLOO—Belgium this week hosts days of commemorative events and mock battles to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo that shaped the face of Europe, at a time when the continent’s unity was under threat.

European royals will attend a solemn memorial service on Thursday at the battlefield near Brussels where French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte’s dreams of European conquest were crushed

by British and Prussian forces on June 18, 1815.

Nearly 200,000 spectators are also expected to flock to the site to watch a giant pyrotechnic concert on Thursday followed by two days of battle reenactments described as the largest of their kind in the world.

Waterloo still raises sensitivities in

Streaming targeting CD-crazy Japanese TOKYO—A new music streaming service in Japan is aiming to make a dent in the world’s second-largest music market, but it could face a tough challenge from the undisputed king of the sector—the good old compact disc.

While digital music now eclipses CD sales in the United States, Japanese music lovers tend to be big on showing off their disc collections—e-books have also struggled—and the industry is heavily geared toward sales of physical media.

This week, mobile messaging giant Line said it was going where others including Sony and games giant DeNA had failed, with a streaming service that offers unlimited access to a collection of more than 1.5 million songs for 1,000 yen (US$8) a month.

The announcement comes weeks before tech giant Apple is expected to enter the Japanese market with its own streaming business—part of a wider digital download strategy that will offer up a heavyweight rival to online services such as Spotify, Pandora and Jay Z’s fledgling Tidal.

Line Music said it would run a two-month free campaign before rolling out the fee-based business, which will also offer budgetconscious consumers 20 hours of listening time for 500 yen. It said it plans to boost its collection to 30 million songs by next year.

Last month, information technology firm CyberAgent and music giant Avex Group rolled out their AWA streaming service.

Experts on Japan’s music business said the new offerings may supply a shot in the arm for a struggling industry, luring business from a young generation used to spending their yen on online games and messaging services while cruising YouTube and other websites for a free music fix.

“Young people are spending their time and money on mobile phones and games so their spending on music has declined,” said Yuko Tanno from the Recording Industry Association of Japan. AFP

France and organizers are treading carefully to paint the event as a celebration of a modern continent joined together by the 28-nation European Union after centuries of war.

“The idea is to use this occasion to send a message of reconciliation and unity,” said an official in the cabinet of Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, which is organizing Thursday’s commemorative ceremony.

In Britain, heir to the throne Prince Charles and his wife Camilla will attend a special service at St Paul’s Cathedral in London along with descendants of men who fought at Waterloo.

The events mark a pivotal moment in European history, when around 93,000 French troops led by Napoleon faced off against 125,000

British, German and BelgianDutch forces commanded by the Duke of Wellington and Marshal Bluecher.

Wellington would later describe that damp overcast day as “the nearest-run thing you ever saw in your life”.

Ten hours of bitter fighting, often hand-to-hand, left more than 10,000 people lying dead on the battlefield of Waterloo and 35,000 wounded, thousands of whom later succumbed to their injuries.

Finally defeated by an alliance of monarchies determined to end years of European war following the 1789 French Revolution, Napoleon was exiled to the island of Saint Helena in the south Atlantic Ocean, where he died in 1821. AFP

Controversial bill. Protesters hold banners as they attend a rally against a security bill outside the Diet building in Tokyo on June 14. Almost 25,000 protesters gathered around the Diet building to oppose a controversial bill for Japan’s growing security engagement. AFP

Ghost villages haunt Slovakia’s countryside HARAKOVCE, Slovakia— Slovakia has been a star performer in Central Europe with a boom in car manufacturing driving brisk economic growth, but ghost villages haunt the countryside as people leave in search of jobs.

Festival. Singer Carrie Underwood performs onstage during the 2015 CMA Festival on June 13 in Nashville, Tennessee. AFP

A white church has watched over Harakovce since villagers erected it in the century after the Black Death swept across Europe.

This village nestled among rolling hills dotted with forests and fields in this pastoral corner of eastern Slovakia has survived countless wars, but is now losing the battle as city jobs drain it of its lifeblood.

Today there are only six children among its 59 residents, but Harakovce is far from unique.

Until recently, around 40 percent of the Slovaks lived in villages of less than 1,000 people, but statistics show the number is dwindling fast.

Near the Polish border in the east of the country, the village of Havranec had 386 people in 1980 but today it is down to eight.

The same has happened in countless villages across the country of 5.4 million people, especially in its poorer east.

Harakovce was even at risk of having no one stand for mayor, which pays a salary of 220 euros ($240) per month, just a quarter of the national average.

Then 27-year-old social worker Bozena Meliskova returned home after working nearly a decade in the Czech capital Prague, when she couldn’t find a new job.

Meliskova is running to replace her mother who can’t stand for re-election as she has found work in a neighboring village.

“I want to help improve life in our village,” Meliskova told AFP. The question is how.

Slovakia, a member of the EU and eurozone, has been very successful in luring the likes of Germany’s Volkswagen, France’s PSA Peugeot Citroen and South Korea’s Kia to assemble cars, creating thousands of jobs.

Its combination of relatively low wages and taxes has also lured South Korea’s Samsung and the Taiwanese group Foxconn.

These jobs helped Slovak wages rise by 20 percent between 2008 and 2012 despite the global economic and eurozone crises. Wages in the eurozone overall rose by only 10 percent, according to Eurostat data. AFP

M O N D AY : J U N E 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

B8

cEsAr bArriOqUiNtO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

Unrest in Hong Kong. Pro-democracy campaigners took to the streets of Hong Kong on June 14, but in far smaller numbers than expected, before a vote on a political reform package that has divided the city and sparked mass protests. AFP

HK protesters take to streets A bumpy ride for India’s booming taxi-app firms MUMBAI—India’s ultra-competitive app-based taxi-hailing market has quickly become a multi-billion-dollar industry, but controversy surrounding safety, rejected licenses and protesting cabbies threatens to slam the brakes on its spectacular rise.

Domestic company Ola Cabs and US-based Uber are booming, fueled by a rising number of professionals wanting an easy-to-book, clean and air-conditioned cab in India’s rapidly growing and congested cities.

“We have barely scratched the surface. We need to be in every corner of India and it is a huge country, so the potential is huge,” Ola spokesman Anand Subramanian told AFP. But it hasn’t been a completely smooth ride, with Indian authori-

ties rejecting Uber and Ola’s applications to operate in New Delhi, even impounding their cars, and both firms facing angry protests from traditional taxi drivers.

Ola Cabs has soared from fledgling Internet startup to the leader of India’s smartphone taxi-hiring industry in just five years and is now worth an estimated $2 billion.

It recently bought up domestic competitor TaxiForSure for a reported $200 million and is also outperforming web and mobile app-based rival Meru Cabs in a crowded marketplace.

Private but often shoddy and uncomfortable cabs have long plied India’s notoriously vehicle-and-animal-congested roads, filling a void created by patchy and unreliable public transport networks. AFP

HONG KONG—Prodemocracy campaigners took to the streets of Hong Kong Sunday, but in far smaller numbers than expected, before a vote on a political reform package that has divided the city and sparked mass protests The controversial electoral road map, which lays out how Hong Kong’s next leader should be chosen, goes for debate at the legislature on Wednesday and will be voted on by the end of the week.

It is the culmination of a fraught chapter that saw tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters bring parts of the city to a standstill late last year.

Those rallies were sparked by a ruling from Beijing that candidates in the city’s first ever public vote for its leader in 2017 must be vetted.

Pro-democracy lawmakers in

the semi-autonomous Chinese city have vowed to vote down the election package, which sticks to Beijing’s ruling.

Currently the chief executive is elected by a 1,200-strong pro-Beijing committee.

More than 1,000 people set off from the city’s Victoria Park on Sunday afternoon, heading towards the legislative council building where they are due to rally into the evening.

With temperatures soaring to 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and humidity at almost 80 percent, the numbers were well below the organizers’ hopes as the march began: they had said they expected 50,000 to join.

Sunday’s gathering is the first of a series of rallies which activists say will take place each day until lawmakers vote on the bill.

Despite fragmentation in the pro-democracy camp, all the key players from last year’s protests, which became known as the Umbrella Movement, are set to

take part.

“Vetoing (the bill) is not something to be happy about,” said Labor Party lawmaker Lee Cheuk Yan, addressing the crowd Sunday.

“It shows Hong Kong people have the courage to veto the rotten proposal, but it doesn’t mean we have won.”

Latest figures from one joint university poll showed those against the reform package taking the lead for the first time with 43 percent, versus 41.7 in support.

“People may feel exhausted and directionless, but... we need to fight on to get back our Hong Kong, and our basic political rights,” added Johnson Yeung of Civil Human Rights Front, which organized the march.

Marchers held placards demanding “true universal suffrage” and yellow umbrellas, symbol of the pro-democracy movement.

“Coming out is an expression of our stance. There is nothing else we can do other than this,” said Lam Sum-shing, 73. AFP

S. Africa asked: Arrest Sudan president

Arrival. French actress Emmanuelle Beart arrives on the red carpet on June 13 during the Cabourg Romantic Film Festival in Cabourg, northwestern France. AFP

JOHANNESBURG—The International Criminal Court has called for South Africa to arrest Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, who is reported to have arrived in Johannesburg for a summit of the African Union that was to start Sunday.

Bashir is wanted by the ICC, of which South Africa is a signatory, over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Darfur conflict dating back to 2003.

Sidiki Kaba, president of the assembly of the International Criminal Court, said in a statement that he “calls on South Africa,

which has always contributed to the strengthening of the Court, to spare no effort in ensuring the execution of the arrest warrants.”

He was deeply concerned “about the negative consequences for the Court in case of non-execution of the warrants,” the statement added.

Officials in Johannesburg declined to confirm Bashir’s arrival for the two-day summit, but the South African Broadcasting Corp. said in a tweet that Bashir had been “welcomed by South African officials and Sudanese diplomats.”

The Sudanese state news agency

also confirmed the trip.

The African Union summit is led by Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe, who has urged African leaders to pull out of the ICC treaty, but human rights groups expressed outrage that Bashir could openly defy arrest.

“As a signatory of the ICC, South Africa has an obligation to arrest him,” Johannesburg-based rights lawyer Gabriel Shumba told AFP. “Failure to do so puts them in the same bracket as other African regimes who have no respect for human rights. It’s actually a test for South Africa.” AFP

M O N D AY : J U N E 1 5 : 2 0 1 5

C1

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

BERNADETTE LUNAS WRITER life @ thestandard.com .ph

LIFE

IS YOUR CHILD A VICTIM OF CYBERBULLYING?

T

Kaspersky Lab identifies the signs

he phenomenon of bullying is nothing new. Many adults can recall being bullied at one time or another during their childhood. With today’s technology, “traditional” bullying has evolved from verbal and physical abuse in the schoolyard to intimidation in the digital playground—this is what we know as cyberbullying.

Now that school is back, Kaspersky Lab urges parents to be more aware of online bullying, citing their research titled “Digital Risk Competence - Storytelling” which revealed that about 17 percent of all pupils have been victims of cyberbullying.

The research undertaken by Kaspersky Lab in cooperation with media psychologists from the University of Wuerzburg in Germany showed that one out of five teenagers between the ages of 12-15 have been subject to cyberbullying. This is a critical developmental stage in a young person’s life because this is the time when children approach puberty and begin to spend more time online.

Likewise, the rise in popularity of social media networks such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have made children’s lives offline become more interwoven with their lives online.

“The Internet opened new doors for bullies to intimidate and hurt the vulnerable teenagers. Likewise, the increased social media use among children has unwittingly opened the doors wider and made them more prone to cyberbullying attacks,” said Jimmy Fong, Kaspersky Lab’s Channel Sales Director for Southeast Asia.

The rise in social media presence of children in the Philippines exposes more teenagers to cyberbullying incidents.

In a 2011 report from AGB Nielsen, it showed that among the six million Filipino Internet users, almost two thirds or 65 percent were teenagers. Also, the Wave7 2013 report said social media users in the country use networking sites 53 hours a week, while the global average is 42 hours.

But why should these numbers be a concern for Filipino parents if online bullies cannot physically hurt their kids?

Although cyberbullying does not involve physical violence, there is evidence suggesting that online bullying is even more intense than traditional bullying for the following reasons: It is anonymous. As cyberbullying can remain faceless in an anonymous online setting, it is harder to establish the bullies’ identities and to prove who is ultimately responsible.

This also means that the bullies are less connected to the damage they cause and can take things further as a result.

It is hard to escape cyberbullying. Most people today have access to the Internet and all humiliating information that is stored online can theoretically be accessible forever by everyone online all of the time. It is more difficult to escape from cyberbullying because victims are contactable via computers or smartphones, anytime and anywhere.

It is more invasive than face-to-face interaction.

The bullies and the victims cannot see each other.

Consequently, they are unable to see their counterparts’ facial expressions, gestures or spatial behavior. Bullies become even more detached from the damage they are causing and as a consequence they become less concerned about the feelings and opinions of others.

TO HELP PARENTS IDENTIFY IF THEIR KID IS A VICTIM, KASPERSKY LAB LISTS DOWN FOUR SIMPLE SIGNS: 1. Change in mood A sudden change in mood over a period of time may be an indication that a person is being cyberbullied. It can also be a sign of other issues, but if you recognize the signs above you should at the onset try and rule out cyberbullying by having a gentle conversation that is non-judgmental and friendly.

2. Feeling fearful Fear is an emotion that should be cause for concern, and if a person frequently shows signs of being fearful, it may be a sign of cyberbullying. It can also be a sign of other issues, but if you spot fear in a person you care about then you should try and rule out cyberbullying.

3. Closed down social networking profiles A person being cyberbullied may shut down some or all of his social networking sites to avoid abuse or messages from the cyberbully. If you know somebody who has suddenly disappeared from social media for an unexplained reason, he might be trying to protect himself from cyberbullying. If you are concerned about a loved one or a friend, then take the time to talk to them.

4. Public images or messages that are derogatory or abusive Bullying can happen very publicly so you may be witness to it on social networking sites, Internet forums or on gaming devices. Messages may be directed at a person you know or are friends with online for everyone to see.

Aside from protecting your kids online, it is also important to teach them about the responsible use of technology, especially the social media networking sites.

“Children need to develop a sense of morality when they are interacting with other people online, just as much as they do when they are communicating offline. This will give them more empathy and reduce the likelihood of them opting to engage in cybercrime or cyberbullying,” said David Emm, Security Researcher at Kaspersky Lab. “It’s also important so that they understand from an early age the potential dangers associated with some online activities,” Emm reiterated.

Cyberbullying is a real issue. It happens every day online, and if you are to help stop cyberbullying, then you need to be vigilant and recognize the signs. Don’t let your child be a victim.

M ONDAY : J UNE 15 : 2015

C2

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

SM FOUNDATION SPARKS HOPE FOR FUTURE LEADERS

BY CARL CUEVAS

“I did not have any direction in life while growing up,” said John Angelo Cruz, an Engineering graduate from Far Eastern University.

With his mother unemployed at that time, he shares that growing up was challenging as John and his seven cousins had to make ends meet with just their grandparents’ small pension money. He recalls, “Back when I was still in grade one, I had to survive on an allowance of five pesos for two days. On the first day, I would usually buy lugaw for three pesos and the rest for candy that I would sell in class so I can earn three pesos more to cover for the next day.”

John’s story is just one among those that were shared in an intimate ceremony as 263 new scholar graduates under SM Foundation were presented to its founder and benefactor, Henry Sy, Sr. Established in 1993, the SM Foundation’s College Scholarship Program awards full-college scholarships yearly to over 250 underprivileged but highly deserving public high school graduates nationwide. Guided by SMFI’s principle of People Helping People, the program was inspired by the belief of Mr. Sy on the power of educa-

tion which can provide equal opportunities to enable one to achieve his full potential.

As part of the scholarship, the students receive full tuition subsidy as well as a monthly stipend for the course of their choice from the Foundation’s 84 partner schools nationwide. Moreover, taking a more holistic approach in the development of its scholars, the program provides opportunities for an annual general assembly, recollection, and an option for summer and Christmas break jobs.

Unlike usual scholarship programs, beneficiaries of the SM College Scholarship Program are not mandated to render services to the SM Group of Companies after they graduate. “As far as SM is concerned, there are no strings attached. All our scholar-graduates are free to pursue any opportunity that comes along, including job offers from our Group,” said Carmen Linda Atayde, SM Foundation Executive Director for Education.

“We wish them all the best and are hopeful that the training they received as scholars will equip them with skills and values to take on any challenge that they may face later in their respective careers.”

SM Foundation scholar John Angelo Cruz

To date, the program has produced 2,160 graduates, and continues to support 1,500 beneficiaries through its partner institutions. Moreover, this year’s batch included 62 students finishing with Latin honors and academic distinction as well as four Engineering Board Licensure Examination top-notchers from National University, namely Mark Anthony Teodoro (3rd, Electrical Engineering), Mark Anthony Tiquio (3rd, Civil Engineering), Jenes Borais (8th, Civil Engineering), and John Angelo Cruz (7th, Civil Engineering).

Looking back on those hard times, John shares, “In the long run, my attitude changed when I thought about the opportunities that came my way.” Motivated by his experiences, he continued to challenge himself which opened doors for him.

“We don’t always get what we want. But you need to remember that God has a bigger plan for us,” Cruz adds. True enough, the small kid who used to sell candies now stands tall as a licensed Civil Engineer. “Thank you so much SM Foundation! I wouldn’t know where I’ll be without you,” John, who also finished cum laude, looks brightly toward the future.

The 263 new scholar graduates under SM Foundation College Scholarship Program meet their benefactor, Henry Sy, Jr.

ICON MANILA RETURNS

I

The conference speakers who will give lectures on Film Concept, Game Cinematic, Animation Production, Animation Environment and Visual Development

CON Manila is back for the second International Entertainment and Design Conference this June 26 and 27 at the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde.

“International Entertainment Design Conference 2015 is an avenue of learning for students and professionals in the field of fine arts, animation, advertising, games and visual design,” says Armand Serrano, Entertainment and Design Conference organizer. “Our impressive line-up of top industry leaders will bring forth an informative and exciting event which will impart new ideas that will ultimately strengthen Asia’s impact on the industry,” he added.

Conference speakers Ben Mauro, Charles Lee, Noelle Triaureau, John Nevarez, and Armand Serrano, will give lectures on Film Concept, Game Cinematic, Animation Production, Animation Environment, and Visual Development. These speakers have decades of proven experience in their fields of expertise. Their combined knowledge in this one event will help further Asia’s impact on the entertainment design industry, having worked with the largest animation studios all over the world such as Sony Pictures Animation, Pixar Animation

Studio, Walt Disney Animation Studio, Marvel Production, Sony Entertainment and Electronic Arts. They are behind the big screen movies and games that include The Hobbit Trilogy, World of Warcraft, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and Big Hero 6.

Icon Entertainment Design Conference is for professionals and students in the entertainment design industry, and details the design process for those working in animation, film, games, advertising, fine arts, and other forms of visual media.

ICON Manila is a paid conference under ICON for Missions, a newly formed non-profit organization based in Eastvale, California.

“By hosting various conferences all over the world, its purpose is to raise money to fund their Christian mission and humanitarian aid in needy communities,” says Sam Tanner, Executive Director of ICON for Missions.

Media Partners are De La Salle College of St. Benilde, ABS-CBN, Animation Council of the Philippines INC, FleishmanHillard, Adobo Magazine, CG Masters Academy (USA), 3dsense Media School (Singapore) and The One Academy (Malaysia). For more details on the conference speakers, schedule, and tickets, visit www.iconmanila.com.

M ONDAY : J UNE 15 : 2015

C3

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

Jimmy Iovine introduces Apple Music

THE BUZZ OVER POPCORN Free group call app for Android users

APPLE MUSIC. OKAY.

BY ED BIADO

Jimmy Iovine, music executive extraordinaire, introduced Apple Music to the world at the tech company's recent keynote event. The streaming service got the distinction of being the conference's “One More Thing” segment, which is usually reserved for the most exciting announcement of the bunch. And usually, tech writers the world over would rejoice and reaffirm their love for all things Apple.

Evidently, that isn't the case this time around. Apple Music, touted pre-launch as the one and only potential Spotify killer, doesn't seem to live up to the hype. There are positive reactions, definitely. But the general tone of most reviews is that the music app is just okay.

Mashable writer and self-proclaimed Apple fanboy Chris Taylor went with the headline, “Apple Music is a major mess, and it won't beat Spotify,” saying that the service “seems like the company has doubled down on all the worst features of iTunes – including one that was dead and should have stayed that way, a musician-based social network.”

That “social network” Taylor is referring to is Connect, a feature that allows artists to share different types of media with their fans. According to The Verge, it's “like a little halfbaked music Tumblr inside an app” that could either evolve into “a vibrant, interesting place where you can exercise your music fandom by getting more real and direct stuff from the artists you like” or end up being “another Ping.”

Remember Ping? It was Apple's music-based social-network experiment that they built into iTunes sometime in 2010 and quietly removed in 2012 when it didn't take off.

There are a lot of things going on within the app, including “personal recommendations from people who know and love music,” a radio station with actual DJs called Beats 1, and iTunes integration. While music fans who want everything will find this appealing, it could also turn off users who love Apple for its simplicity, minimalism and incredible focus.

“It's a streaming music platform, a 24/7 global radio station, and a social platform,” Business Insider's Dave Smith summarizes the service. “Apple Music is the combination of two flopped music projects [Ping and iTunes Radio], plus the ability to stream titles from the iTunes Store. And that, to me, doesn't seem revolutionary, or even all that desirable.”

The New Yorker agrees, “Based on the announcement, Apple Music is evolutionary, at best. At worst, it is cluttered and overly complex.”

Apple’s latest music service features a radio station with actual DJs called Beats 1

H

eads up, Android users! Line, the world’s leading mobile platform, launches Popcorn Buzz, a revolutionary free group call app that allows up to 200 participants to simultaneously converse.

Popcorn Buzz, which became available to Android users earlier, can be used to talk with friends and family, catch up with classmates, make plans with club members, and more. It offers a perfect replacement for existing paid business-grade conference call services. For users who need to talk to multiple people at once, Popcorn Buzz accommodates both personal and business usage, all for free.

Get started with Popcorn Buzz simply by choosing a username and uploading a profile picture. By sending out each group call’s unique URL via email, text message, or another communication method of the user’s choice, they can start making group calls with friends without any delay. Additionally, existing Line users can log in to Popcorn Buzz with their Line account to immediately synchronize their friends list data and start making group calls with their Line friends right away.

An upcoming iPhone release is planned, along with the implementation of addi-

tional features such as group video chat, interconnectivity with Line groups, and more in the future.

“We know how important group chats and group messaging is to Filipinos, which is why we’re glad to bring Popcorn Buzz to the Philippines,” says Stephan Kang, Senior Manager for Line Philippines.

“With its launch, we’re gathering together more people all at once for faster and more enjoyable communication. Popcorn Buzz represents the endless possibilities that come with messaging apps.”

Catch up with friends, talk with family members and discuss important matters with coworkers using Line’s new group call app Popcorn Buzz

SEAGATE STORAGE ARSENAL Why the hard drive is best The new school year has just started, and it’s going to be another year of piles of files stored and scattered all over your mobile devices.

HERE ARE SOME REASONS TO HAVE ONE OF SEAGATE’S ARSENAL OF HARD DRIVES AS ONE’S SCHOOL BEST FRIEND : 1. You have an outlet to store all your files in.

Notebooks are not enough to store all your notes and research in, with all the consistent paperwork given by teachers and professors. Seagate’s portable storage drives can help you store your school data fast and easy that you can do it on the spot while in class. The Backup Plus Fast can give you a whopping 4 TB storage capacity.

2. You can transfer and use your files anytime and anywhere. It is not enough to have a large capacity portable hard drive to back up your school files. It must also have convenient connectivity so you can use it anytime and anywhere. The Seagate Mobile Backup app can be easily connected to a Wi-Fi or a 3G/4G connection so that you can transfer files with just a few clicks.

Seagate Wireless Plus

3. You can stash all your multimedia files wirelessly. This is especially great for students of the multimedia or functional arts. With the Wireless Plus, you get more than enough memory and 10 hours of battery life. Use this with the Seagate Media app and back up your files in cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive. This way, you free up your mobile device’s storage space.

All these with wireless convenience.

4. You can stream content anytime, anywhere. No web? No problem! Just create your own personal WiFi network using Seagate’s Wireless Plus to stream, manage and save all your files and other data coming from up to eight mobile gadgets in an instant. Now, you can store and stream as many data files as you can without maxing out your devices’ memory.

Whatever you need this back-to-school season, Seagate has the data storage solutions you need. All you really need to do now is to pick the perfect one according to your school load.

M O N D AY : J U N E 1 5 : 2 0 1 5

C4

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

1

A ThINg OF beAuTY

FOR PARTY After all that travelling the past month-and-a-half, it feels good ANIMALS to be home. Nothing beats sleeping in your own comfortable bed, ONLY having household help to do things for you, a driver to take you around, and living through the rigors of the day at your own pace.

This is why I forfeited my Immigrant Visa to a foreign country, as petitioned for by my mother who was already an Immigrant to that country. The Consul was stunned by my decision! I simply told him I don’t want to leave the convenience of home.

BoB So, I’m back, to enjoy once again the many glittering events that ZoZoBrado the metro never seems to run out of. Here are a couple of recent ones, both celebrating Beauty, a quality almost synonymous with being Filipino.

2

Belo Beautiful image makeover

T

he Proscenium at Rockwell was the venue for fashion designer and image consultant Delby Bragais’ launch of her first book “The Purple Pig Wears Red Lipstick.” The beautifully illustrated easy-read highlights “8 Steps to a Personal Brand Makeover for Impact, Influence and Incredible Income.” It uses the Purple Pig as a business metaphor for reinvention.

The launch also bannered, through a perfectly staged fashion show, Bragais’ collection of

delby’s proud parents aurora and lawyer Luis Panaguiton Jr.

YOuR MONDAY ChuCKLe

:-d

business dressing for today’s stylish, successful and power-driven women. The first-time author is the only Philippine-based image consultant with the advanced Certified Image Professional level of accreditation given by the US-based Association of Image Consultants International (AICI).

The book is available at all Fully Booked locations all over the country and in Delby Bragais’ design studio at The Fort. Orders may also be made through www.delbybragais.com

aICI Philippine Chapter members dina Loomis and Julia robillos

Trez Bragais and wife, The Purple Pig Wears red Lipstick author delby

Prominent personalities from the metro’s elite circles gathered at the Manila Polo Club to kick off the year-long 25th anniversary celebration of the Belo Medical Group, led by the dermatology and cosmetic surgery center’s chief executive officer and founder Dr. Vicki Belo. The Belo Polo Cup 2015, a brainchild of Belo consultant and imaging expert Jojie Dingcong, was staged in cooperation with GlobalPort, and featured the exciting match between Team Philippines and Team Dubai.

On hand to help attend to the guests were Belo officers, managing director Cristalle Henares, assistant medical director Dr. Philip Bunag, and general manager Agnes Ballesteros Lopez.

The championship was won by Team Philippines, with debonair polo player Mikee Romero, owner of Global Port, in the lead, supported by team members Miguel Diaz, Nino Obregon and the tournament’s most valuable player Anthony Garcia.

The after-party at the Club’s Main Lounge was even more exciting than the game. Put together by Cristalle Henares, it had superb hors d’oeuvres which complemented the overflowing champagne and wines.

Glittering musical performances were rendered by Regine VelasquezAlcasid, Billy Crawford and Gary Valenciano who dedicated his songs to The Fallen 44, the families of whom were also given assistance by the generous Dr. Belo.

3

4

5

6

Liz Teotico of design for Tomorrow with parents Jerry and Marilyn Teotico

a cop is doing standard patrol when he notices a car swerving all over the road. He quickly turns on his siren and pulls the guy over. “alright,” says the cop when the man gets out of the car. “Walk in a straight line.” “I’d be happy to,” says the drunk, “just stop moving the stupid line.”

1 Cristalle Henares with Team dubai and Team Philippines 2 dr. Vicki Belo (middle) with children Cristalle Belo Henares and Quark Henares 3 atom Henares, Nix alañon, senator Grace Poe, richard Tiu, Malou Gamboa and Lala dinglasan 4 Celina Le Neindre with Mariana Mayorga 5 Carla Humphries, Tom rodriguez and Solenn Heussaff 6 Justin Pitt, Cristalle Henares, ruffa Gutierrez and Jordan Mouyal

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

M ONDAY : J UNE 15 : 2015

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

C5

Viber Philippines officials with the members of technology and entertainment press

#JuanVibe is The new ‘Gimik nG bayan’

T

he country’s leading messaging app, Viber, recently announced that it has hit a huge 21- million user threshold. And they are celebrating this milestone through a campaign that champions what Filipinos value the most - family, friendship and culture.

Dubbed as #JuanVibe, it’s a follow-up campaign to Viber’s #OneVibePH, where the company staged a massive music fest that gathered some of the biggest names on the local music scene.

They also flew in international DJs to liven up the whole party. Viber practically invaded the live music circuit with concerts and parties that catered to young people.

This time, with the new cam-

by nickie wanG paign, Viber aims not only to further expand its presence in the country but to also have a deeper connection with all Viber app users. #JuanVibe is a touch base with app users allowing the company to have a deeper connection with them, encourage more people to use the app and ultimately engage them (Viber app users) in their numerous activities.

Crystal Lee, Viber country manager for the Philippines, believes that, for them to achieve this goal, it’s imperative to reach out to their target market. Starting this month until August, the Viber team will visit malls in Metro Manila before heading to other cities in the provinces. They will set up fiesta themed booths and

conduct various activities under ‘Gimik ng Bayan’ campaign.

“The new campaign shows how Viber is part of daily Pinoy life and how we share this experience with them, whether on mobile or via Viber Desktop. It’s a call for everyone to bond and celebrate the most important things that make us Pinoy,” the Viber official said.

With a campaign that promotes national pride, Viber users are invited to join the #JuanVibe social media campaign by asking this question to their Viber Group: “Anong mahalaga sa ‘yo bilang Pilipino? (What’s important to you as Filipino?)” Viber users can post their chat screenshots via Twitter and tag @ViberPH with hashtag #JuanVibe.

Viber Philippines officials during the launch of #JuanVibe campaign

Viber Country Manager for the Philippines Crystal Lee in a sit down interview with the media

RestoRed ‘InsIang’ opens WoRld pRemIeRes FIlm FestIval

n Hilda Koronel (Insiang) and Mona Lisa (her mother)

Koronel was featured in Le Monde when Insiang premiered at Cannes in 1978

Ruel Vernal is Dado

Rez Cortez is Bebot

ational Artist Lino Brocka’s masterpiece film, Insiang, in restored cinematic glory, premiere at the SM Mall of Asia as the opening film of the World Premieres Film Festival Philippines (WPFF) on June 24.

Simultaneously, the film will also be launching the newly added Classics section of the festival.

The screening on June 24 will begin at 2 p.m. with free admission on a first-come first-serve basis.

When Insiang premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, the film received critical acclaim. Hilda Koronel, the leading actress, was featured in Le Monde magazine.

The road to restoration was a long and winding one. There were many efforts to reach the film’s producer and rights holder, Ruby Tiong Tan, and to locate the missing film elements.

Tiong Tan eventually decided to give the film rights to the National Film Archives of the Philippines (NFAP) in order to preserve the country’s valuable film heritage, and to help speed up the tricky restoration process.

The missing film elements were located at LTC Patrimone with the help of the Film Development Council of the Philippines’ counterpart agency in Paris, the CNC (Centre National du Cinéma et de L’image Animée).

Once the film elements reached Bologna for proper inspection, negotiations for the joint restoration project between the NFAP, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and the World Cinema Project - The Film Foundation (headed by Martin Scorsese) immediately followed.

On the coattails of the completed restoration, Insiang was

selected for this year’s Cannes Classics section, paying homage to the film’s international premiere in 1978 when it was featured in the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs, or Directors’ Fortnight.

Insiang thus had its grand return to the Festival de Cannes in May 2015 as part of the Cannes Classics section. The restoration’s premiere took place on May 16 at the Buñuel Theatre to a packed audience that comprised of international film experts, enthusiasts, and fans of Philippine cinema.

The restoration of “Insiang” and its upcoming Philippine premiere is a milestone for Philippine cinema, as the internationally revered classic that has withstood the test of The reception will begin at 1:30 p.m., followed by a short program at 2 p.m., and the screening at 2:30 p.m, that is open to the public on a first-come first-serve basis.

M ONDAY : J UNE 15 : 2015

C6

SHOWBITZ

HISTORY takes viewers to the heart of the harsh Vancouver Island wilderness to test out man’s will to survive in the new series Alone, premiering on June 22 at 11PM.

isahred @ gmail.com

2

1

4

3

5

6

7

Superior entertainment in Gma’S primetime ShowS

S

urprises never stop on GMA Network as its Telebabad block—Pari ‘Koy, Let The Love Begin, and The Rich Man’s Daughter— treats viewers to another week of gripping and captivating episodes.

Many viewers have embraced Pari ‘Koy as a breakthrough genre for a TV series, which tackles the life of a priest and how he takes care of his parish. Through its story and effective character portrayals, the series is able to put faith to action and evoke hope among its audience.

“After all the problems that our world is encountering, I think we all need something like this to inspire us, to strengthen our faith not only in God but in ourselves and our fellow men,” says Dingdong Dantes, who plays the role of Father Kokoy.

Father Kokoy has established a strong bond with the community of Barangay Pinagpala, most especially Pinggoy (David Remo).

But now that the truth is finally out, Father Kokoy’s credibility as a priest is in question. Pinggoy, Michelle (Carla Abellana) move

out of Barangay Pinagpala. Meanwhile, Father Kokoy decides to go on a retreat. Will this solve his confusion on which path to take: fatherhood or priesthood?

Also up this week are new characters to watch out for. One of which is Daniela, portrayed

by Barbara Miguel, a spirit who takes over the human body of Sarah and tries to inflict pain on her and others. As Father Kokoy tries to resolve his personal problems, he will encounter Beth (Louise Delos Reyes) who attempts to end her life by jumping off a bridge.

Being the Good Samaritan, Father Kokoy saves Beth and eventually accompanies her to the Haven, a place that guides and counsels women with problems.

Beth feels attracted to Father Kokoy and misinterprets his act of goodness towards her. How will Father Kokoy deal with her? What is Beth willing to do to express her affection for Father Kokoy?

The primetime series Let the Love Begin brings an interesting mix in the Kapuso Network’s Telebabad block. This feel-good series

has become one of the well-loved dramas on the network. The show also made its presence felt on the Internet as netizens continuously follow and discuss the many twists and turns in the story.

Aiai delas Alas never fails to show her versatility as an actress as she breathes life to Jeni. Adding to that is her undeniable chemistry with seasoned actor Gardo Versoza (Tony). Making the viewers swoon and smile at the same time is the rising love team of Ruru Madrid and Gabbi Garcia as Erick and Pia. “Itong Let the Love Begin naiiba kasi ngayon lang ipapakita ang mundo ng radio sa isang teleserye.

Happy akong makapareha si Gardo. Si Ruru napakahusay na bata at malayo ang mararating nya sa showbiz. Si Gabbi ganun din at napaka gandang bata,” says Aiai.

As the story unfolds, viewers can expect more confrontations and revelations. Tony (Gardo) survived the accident but he is paralyzed and unable to speak. Celeste (Donita Rose) now plans to make Pia’s (Gabbi) life miserable because

of Tony’s condition. Celeste will likewise do everything to stop Sophie (Rita Avila) from seeing her daughter Pia. Celeste will confiscate Pia’s cellphone and when Sophie tries calling her, Luchie (Rita Daniela) will pretend that she is Pia. She tells Sophie to stop pretending that she is her mother because she is already dead. Sophie is hurt and this breaks her heart. Will Celeste’s evil schemes against Tony, Pia and Sophie prevail?

Spicing up the Telebabad block is the groundbreaking series The Rich Man’s Daughter (TRMD). Anticipation was highly expressed on how the cast will portray such challenging roles but most especially on how they will present a provocative and intriguing story on television.

Since the series premiered, it continuously gains a strong following and has been a consistent trending topic online.

“I think the country is ready for a show like this. Excited kami sa magiging resulta at perception ng mga tao sa programa. We’re so grateful talaga sa fans who have been supporting us since the be-

ginning,” says Rhian Ramos.

With the effective portrayals of each character, The Rich Man’s Daughter definitely makes the audience glued to their TV screens every night. This week, Jade (Rhian) finally fights back after Oscar’s (Al Tantay) announcement that he is willing to pay a hundred million pesos to any man who will marry and make her straight again. She goes public by admitting her relationship with Althea (Glaiza de Castro) via a TV interview. But with this admission, her mother Amanda (Glydel Mercado) couldn’t take it and got sick. How will Amanda’s sickness affect Jade, her family, and Althea?

Meanwhile, Tommy (Paolo Contis), Althea’s ex-husband is back.

What will be the implications of his return? How will Althea handle Tommy? Will she tell Jade that she was once married?

Watch the exciting episodes of the primetime shows of GMA Telebabad starting with Pari’Koy, Let the Love Begin and The Rich Man’s Daughter airing weeknights after 24 Oras.

1 Aiai de las Alas is DJ Jen in Let The Love Begin 2 The love team of Ruru Madrid and Gabbi Garcia in Let the Love Begin thrills fans to no end 3 Gardo Verzosa is Tony in Let The Love Begin 4 Carla Abella (Michelle) is Pinggoy’s mother 5 Dingdong Dantes is enjoying playing Father Kokoy in Pari’ Koy 6 Rhian Ramos plays a lesbian in The Rich Man’s Daughter 7 Rhian Ramos plays a lesbian in The Rich Man’s Daughter

CroSSworD puZZLe

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Imitation chocolate 6 Angus Young’s band 10 Benchmark 14 Tara’s Scarlett 15 Fruit tree 16 Noted diamond surname 17 Scent carrier 18 Femur, for one 19 Think ahead 20 Some T-shirts 22 Black bird

24 26 27 31 32 33 36 39 40 41 42 43 44

Flutter Leno et al.

Ultimate car 911 responder Panoply Pointed Ray gun blast Chive relative Grads Reunion attendee Air-traffic org.

Ludicrous Ship of 1492

45 Chow mein additive 46 Feed 48 Climbed up 51 Summer hrs.

52 Bystander (hyph.)

54 Of some value 59 French friar 60 No future — — 62 Wickerwork twig 63 Garr of “Tootsie” 64 Zilch 65 Serious offender 66 Latin I verb 67 June celebrant 68 Erroneous DOWN 1 Police officers 2 Beg pardon!

3 Pro — 4 Kind of hygiene 5 Tennis gofer (2 wds.)

6 Police alert 7 Execs 8 Beatrice’s admirer 9 Sugar pots mates 10 Port near Pompeii 11 Dragon puppet 12 Dappled horses 13 Type of bean 21 Stockholm airline 23 Mounties’ org.

25 Physicist Nikola —

MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015

27 28 29 30 34 35 36 37 38 40 41 43 44 45 47 48 49 50 52 53 55 56 57 58 61

Baby elephant Length x width La — tar pits Paneling wood Rome wrecker Change New Mexico tribe Hill builders Universe creator, to Pharaoh Ticking off Mammal’s need Archipelago dot Delays (2 wds.)

Succeed (2 wds.)

Big Ten sch.

— as a judge Hooded snake Benefactor Tardy La — (ocean phenomenon) On a cruise Cap visor Tolstoy et al.

Sea eagle Mr. Danson

M ONDAY : J UNE 15 : 2015

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

C7

EbE DancEl sings thEmE song of ‘hEnEral luna’ from c8

“I think there should be a little of General Luna in all of us. Let us not be afraid to stand up for the things we believe in,” exclaims prolific Pinoy Rock singer-songwriter Ebe Dancel about his latest work, “Hanggang Wala Nang Bukas”—the theme song of the upcoming historical action epic, Heneral Luna.

According to Ebe, the song was inspired by the movie’s message of hope, courage and passion.

He says, “It took me a few weeks after watching the movie to figure out what to do next. I came up with the line “mamahalin kita hanggang wala nang bukas” because it captures how I feel about the movie—hopeful and tragic at the same time. From there, I did the basic melody and most of the lyrics on the beach in Romblon. Once I got home, I finished the song and sent Jerrold (Tarog) the demo.”

The former Sugarfree front man admitted that it was an honor to have been commissioned by award-winning film director Tarog to write the song.

He adds, “I was told Jerrold was interested in working with me and I couldn’t pass up the chance to work with a fellow UPRHS alumnus. I’ve always wanted to honor Los Baños, where he and I both studied.”

Ebe Dancel pens the theme song of the film Heneral Luna

Of the film’s thought provoking critique on patriotism and heroism, Ebe says, “It took a while for me to totally get over my initial reaction. I was excited, sad and inspired all at the same time after seeing the movie. I, too, tend to be extremely passionate about the things I believe in.”

The director’s out-of-the-box treatment made Ebe take notice as well.

He recalls, “I saw Sana Dati, but Heneral Luna was totally different. The former was very subtle, and the latter so

intense, it made me want to jump out of my seat. First thing I said after the movie ended was, ‘Wow!’ Then, my manager and I said it maybe 15 more times.

Jerrold is a very talented artist.”

Ebe also revealed an interesting sidelight. The director is also a talented musician.

For the theme song, Jerrold played drums alongside Ebe’s friends and regular sidemen Kettle Mata on guitars and Roger Alcantara on bass. Recorded at Tower of Doom under the guidance of Ebe’s good friend, Eric Perlas, the song will also be included in Ebe’s upcoming album.

Prior to his Heneral Luna stint, Ebe also wrote “’Wag Ka Nang Umiyak” for the Chito Roño movie, The Trial.

Ebe plans to expand his compositional palette by exploring film scoring as well.

“It has always been a dream of mine.

Maybe someday I will,” he muses.

In closing, Ebe shares his latest musical ventures.

He shares, “I’m recording a new album for Star Records, and am also about to collaborate with one of the country’s brightest and most talented musician.”

Heneral Luna opens in theaters in September.

DerriCk itChing to work AgAin JosEph pEtEr gonzalEs After his two-month vacation in the US, Derrick Monasterio is back in the country.

“Yes! It feels good to be back. I was able to recharge there. Now, I’m ready to work once again,” he says.

Due to his absence, the character he plays in the hit afternoon soap The Half Sisters was killed. Many felt sad with said development.

“Actually, I told the management about my trip. We booked it last year and it’s costly to cancel the plane tickets. I was with my mom and sibling so, I just proceeded with the original plan. It was a refreshing vacation so, I’ve no regrets whatsoever.

“One thing more, I didn’t know that the show would last this long. Originally, it was planned just for a fourmonth airing so I made plansd to have a vacation. But due to insistent public demand, we got extended a lot of times. Well, that’s life, right? You don’t know what will happen next…”

His fans who like him with Barbie Forteza were surely disappointed.

“I know! In fact I want to thank all DerBie followers for their support. But it was clear from the start that her love interest in the story is Andre (Paras). He is Barbie’s official leading man in The Half Sisters. I was the third party to complete the love triangle that added spice and twist in the plot,” Derrick states.

His contract with GMA will expire this year and there are rumours

Derrick Monasterio is ready to get back to work and have fun

Judy Ann and Ryan Agoncillo

he might opt to move to another network.

“Where did that come from?

While it’s true that my contract will end by September, my manager hasn’t mentioned any offer made by other stations yet. So to be clear on that, I’m not moving to another network.

It’s my contract with them which will expire months from now!”

Isn’t he open to the thought of

transferring to another home studio?

“Maybe I will consider that in the event that GMA has no plans for me anymore. But at this point, I’m still very much a Kapuso! My trust in the management remains one hundred percent. I know they will take good care of my career so let’s wait what projects they’ll give me in the coming days!”

The handsome lad’s fervent wish now is to make movies.

“That’s right! As in, I’m the leading man. I’m scheduled to make two movies including Babaylan opposite Winwyn Marquez and Nikki Valdez. There’s also Isang Iglap whose cast isn’t final yet. I’m looking forward to these projects.”

It’s noticeable that his physique has remarkably improved of late.

Is he ready to portray more mature roles if ever?

“I think so. For one, I’m already twenty years old. I feel more confident now,” ends Derrick.

HHHHH It’s confirmed! Judy Ann Santos is pregnant!

This, Ryan Agoncillo officially revealed in the top-rating noontime show Eat Bulaga in which he is a mainstay. He even showed the photo of Juday’s ultrasound result. Prior to this, the couple reportedly posted in their Instagram account the word “Positive” accompanied by a smiley icon.

Ryan’s business manager, Noel Ferrer, also confirmed the good news in his own Instagram account as he stated that Juday is nine weeks and aday pregnant. Many of the couple’s friends expressed their congratulatory messages.This is Judy Ann’s second pregnancy after she gave birth to their first child Lucho in 2010.

HISTORY takes viewers to the heart of the harsh Vancouver Island wilderness to test out man’s will to survive in the new series Alone, premiering on June 22 at 11PM.

The car aficionado will be truly psyched with the return of Counting Cars fourth season with more thrilling adventures. Premiers on June 1, 10pm.

The challenge of finding one of America’s most famous and greatest mysteries: the Lost Dutchman’s gold mine in the new show Legend of Superstition Mountains which premiers on June 10 at 10PM.

Alone thrusts men into the unknown

History has got you covered with three riveting shows that will drive you over the edge with captivating entertainment. In what is possibly the boldest experiment in survival to ever be filmed, History takes viewers to the heart of the harsh Vancouver Island wilderness to test out man’s will to survive in the new series Alone.

Premiering on June 22 at 11 p.m., the series will see 10 survivalists enter treacherous wilderness with no camera crew, no teams, and no producers – only a backpack and the single mission to stay alive. At stake is $500,000 that will be awarded to the lone survivor, with the prowess to battle extreme isolation and psychological distress. Witness the participants’ unexpected encounters as they plunge into the unknown and self-document their experience in a gripping, one of a kind series. Set to air worldwide in over 200 territories, Alone is a global television masterpiece that can’t be missed.

Another intriguing series premiered in History– Legend of Superstition Mountains. This new show takes on the challenge of finding one of America’s most famous and greatest mysteries: the Lost Dutchman’s gold mine. This $200 million treasure captured the interest and lives of treasure seekers who set their minds in finding treasure, but was in for a whirlwind adventure. Hidden somewhere in the 160,000-acre brutal Arizona desert known as the Superstition Mountains, its “cursed” environment, and treacherous landscape make it awfully brutal and favors only men with the expertise, and the smarts to outwit others.

Join lifelong Lost Dutchman gold mine hunter Wayne Tuttle 10 p.m. every Wednesday as he partners with a team of experts to follow a newly revealed clue that could finally lead them to America’s most elusive treasure.

The car aficionado will be truly psyched with the return of Danny “The Count” Koker in the fourth season of Counting Cars.

Promising to be another season of out of this world customization, tread another journey with Sin City’s car star at 10 p.m. every Monday. Let The Count take you on thrilling adventures as he acquires, restores, and customizes classic cars, and motorcycles to keep their Las Vegas shop up and running. From vintage Thunderbirds to classic Corvettes, to souped-up Harleys and tricked-out trikes, get into the motor action in this History favorite.

M ONDAY : J UNE 15 : 2015

C8

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

Du-soo and fellow Koreans hiding from Viet Congs

‘Ode TO My FaTher’ in SineaSia KOrean FilMFeST ISAH V. RED In Korean cinema, Ode To My Father (2014) is the highest grossing family drama. Filipinos who love Korean drama will have the chance to watch the movie on June 17 being the first film offering in the SineAsia Korean Film Festival. It coincides as well with Father’s Day on June 21.

In South Korea, it grossed $105 million while critics were one in saying that it is a “real tearjerker” and “thought-provoking film (whose) message will resonate deeply for a long time.” Those who have seen it agree that it can definitely be enjoyed across all generations.”

The film opens with an eldery couple looking from their balcony out to the horizon. The elderly talks of his greatest dream and that is to pilot a big ship across the seas. The man is Duk-soo, a survivor of the mad rush out of North Korea in the 1950s when the communists with the help of Chinese rounded up the population who didn’t embrace the ideology.

The film takes us back to the time Duk-soo, his siblings and parents were running away to get to the American naval base so they could take a ship to the south. At first, the Americans didn’t want to load their ships with human cargo, but eventually their compassion for the North Koreans who want to be free from the communists compelled the highest officer in the naval command to open the ships to the fleeing Koreans.

Duks-soo’s parents and two siblings were lucky to have climbed up the ship’s deck, but he and sister

Oh Dal-su is Dal-gu, Duk-soo’s best friend, here in Germany working as coal miners

Duk-soo is always photographed with his eyes closed, as in this one, when he married the nurse he met in Germany

A happy moment in Duk-soo’s life with his siblings

Hwang Jung-min plays Duk-soo, the central character in the film, Ode to My Father

Maksoon were a bit far behind. But when he was about to reach the top, someone grabbed her sister from his back and lost her. The father, as soon as Duk-soo was up on the deck, went down to look for Maksoon, but the ship began sailing as artilleries of the Chinese were pounding Hangnum. Duk-soo’s father was left behind and they never

heard from him or about him again.

With his mother and two other siblings, they settled in Busan and started a life while hoping to hear from his father as well as news about Maksoon.

The story of Duk-soo is told in epic proportion, spanning his childhood, teen-age and adult years. From Busan, he found

himself in Germany working in a mine where he nearly died, and later as a volunteer in South Vietnam where he was almost killed by soldiers of the Viet Cong.

According to director JK Yuon, “Ode To My Father has been on my mind since I entered the business...I wanted to express my gratitude to the sacrifice our mothers

and fathers made for us and for our country.”

Most of the scenes were shot in Gukje Market in Busan because, said Yuon, “In 1950, refugees formed Gukje (International) Market in the aftermath of the Korean War. This place represents an integral part of Korean history.”

Hwang Jung-Min plays Duksoo who liked the script immediately saying, “Because there aren’t many films that solely feature fathers and I think Duk-soo’s story will resonate with anyone else who is a father.”

Oh Dal-Su played Dal-gu, the fellow refugee he met in Busan.

He said, “(I) shed many tears just reading the screenplay.” He added that a large part of the film were the “pivotal moments that came out of the aftermath of the Korean War and these moments are both heart-wrenching and heartwarming.”

The production spent huge sums of money to recreate the coal mine where Duk-soo and Dal-gu worked. Art Director Ryu Seong-hie explained, “Reproducing the coal mine wasn’t going to work in Korea. So we flew out to Germany, to the coal mine site.” VFX Supervisor Han Tae-jung added, “Art played a very important role in this film...

To make things look real as if you were living in that period, harmony between the set, the props and the CG effects was vital.”

Ode To My Father is a masterpiece not only of craftsmanship but of love. Yuon said, “I wanted to follow my heart directing this movie, not my head.”

The film has been dubbed in Tagalog so that more Filipinos can appreciate the story of Duk-soo. ➜ Continued on C7